The wind whistled in the dark, cold night of a Sinnoh winter.

Inside halls forged with a single word at the Creation, Arceus – the Original One – strode to the window.

He frowned, and with a flash activated his Icicle Plate. The effect of the temperature dropped to nothing, and he nodded.

Celebi, he called, his voice like pure thought imposing itself on the world.

Celebi materialized with a backflip. Here!

It is good to see you, Arceus said calmly. I have some questions for you.

Of course, Lord, Celebi agreed. Ask and I will answer.

I am tired, Celebi, Arceus said. I wish to rest, to regain my strength. But I ask – is that safe? Will my world be all right without me?

Celebi frowned. She gestured, and shimmering patterns of light played across her face.

...ah, she said. Not so much, no.

Why not? Arceus asked. What have I done wrong?

Nothing, really, Celebi said with a shrug. Humans do it – they create an empowered clone of Mew, Mewtwo. It destroys the world in vengeance for the torture of its creation, leaving only a small population of similar clones.

Arceus sighed. Such is the nature of intelligence, I suppose.

He shifted. So. I will destroy this Mew-two, and then slumber.

Still nope, Celebi said. Someone interferes with the climate point near Shamouti Sound, and the world gets destroyed by the Beast of the Sea.

Another, longer, sigh. Then I will wait until then, and suppress the waters myself. Will I then be able to rest?

Celebi looked uncomfortable.

What now?

The Unown, Celebi said, holding her hands up and showing a shimmering window of light in mid-air.

Arceus looked, and beheld a world choked by opalescent crystal.

...by now I'm starting to get the hang of this, he said. If I smite this concentration of power?

Apparently if you do that... one of the younger of my own kind is captured by an evil Pokémon trainer, Celebi summarized. And-

And he either becomes ruler of the world or causes a time paradox, Arceus cut her off. I see.

Arceus mulled that over.

If I pass Judgement on the trainer, what then?

Well... Celebi fidgeted. A giant fake Groudon devours the world. Then, if you handle that one too, it's kind of a race between the death of Rayquaza or Groudon and Kyogre destroying the world.

How fragile is my world? Arceus asked, glancing out at the snowstorm.

I think it's just a run of bad luck? Celebi suggested weakly. Anyway, after that Dialga or Palkia dies – not sure which one-

I have heard enough, the Creator pronounced. This cavalcade of disaster will make it impossible for... me...

He stopped.

Must I be the one to stop them?

Well, kind of? Celebi hedged. You or some other outside element.

Arceus nodded. I see.

His Icicle Plate rematerialized, joined by the others, and they all swirled together – forming a great pattern, a wheel with seventeen spokes.

Golden light streamed from Arceus' ring of burnished metal, and then spread to his whole body.

Let it be so! he incanted, and a brilliant flash shone through the Hall of Origin and made the snowflakes outside glitter like stars.

Ow! the Time-Travel Pokémon yelped.

A few minutes later, Celebi could see again.

She floated slowly downwards, looking at the result of Arceus' work.

A Mew? she asked, tilting her head and surveying the sleeping form – resting on a small basket.

From what you have told me, Celebi, any proxy for my own involvement must be as powerful as I can make him, Arceus explained. And not merely powerful, but versatile – gifted, like myself, with the ability to use the powers of any Type.

He nodded towards the baby Mew. Celebi. Take this young Pokémon, and ensure that he is brought up as befits his role.

What about you? Celebi asked, already floating lower.

I am completely exhausted, Arceus explained. I really need that sleep I've been after. Wake me only if the world is about to be destroyed.

With that, Arceus seemed to grow... indistinct.

He vanished in a swirl of light, taking his Plates with him, and the air was still.

After a moment, Celebi picked up the bundle, and cast out with her time-sense.

Where should you go... she thought, not projecting it to avoid waking the baby.

Aha!

Delia Ketchum looked up from her book. "Who's there?"

No reply, just another knock.

Frowning, Delia shrugged on a dressing gown – it was cold, this late in the year – and headed to the door.

"Hello?" she asked, opening it – then blinked, as a flash dazzled her vision for a moment.

When it faded, there was... a basket on the doorstep.

Delia did a double-take. "What? Really... I mean, does this actually happen?"

After a moment longer in the crisp night air, she gave a mental sigh and bent down.

It was too late to take whoever or whatever was in the basket to the Jennys, so-

Delia froze.

The little pink form she'd revealed in the blankets shivered, then curled up and tugged the blanket firmly back over itself.

Her heart melted.

"Okay, you win," she said, into the night. "That's just too adorable."

Hidden in the bushes, Celebi smiled to herself. Bingo.

"Now, remember, dear," Delia said, with gentle persistence. "You need to make sure you pretend you're either a normal human boy or a single specific Pokémon when you're outside – okay?"

The Mew nodded, tail flirting.

"And why's that?" Delia pressed on.

It's because-

"Out loud please," his foster parent interrupted.

"It's because I'm special, but people might not like that," Ash said, dutifully. "And... and because people might be after me and try to get at me because of that."

Delia nodded. "That's right. Now, can you show me your human disguise?"

Frowning, the Mew stuck his tongue out and concentrated – and with a pop, a human boy sat on the sofa.

Upside down, just like Ash had been floating.

Ow...

Chuckling, Delia helped him upright. "There we go."

"Ash Ketchum!"

Ash sighed, a squeaky sound. "But mooom..."

"No, Ash, we've talked about this!" Delia said, unmoved. "What do we not do outdoors?"

Ash looked down, and descended a few inches. "We don't levitate outdoors."

"That's right," Delia said, somewhat mollified. "Now, let's go and see Professor Oak."

"Can I-"

"You can talk to his Pokémon, but only if he's not got any visitors," Delia told him.

Ash pouted.

"Come on, Ash," Delia said, smiling. "Remember, if you're good you get to practice transforming in the afternoon."

"Great!" the actually-a-Pokémon said, perking up. "Come on, race you there!"

Delia silently gave thanks that she'd been able to keep up with her adopted son thus far.

At least when Professor Oak went through his picture albums, getting Ash to transform into everything in them, it kept him busy for a while...

The chirping of Kricketot hummed in the warm night air.

Ash waited until he was double-sure his mother was asleep, then stirred in his bed. Reaching up to the window, he eased the catch open and pushed it gently ajar.

With a flicker of light, he shed his human guise. A bit of extra thought, and he changed shape into a Hoothoot.

That done, he flapped out of the window into the night.

A couple of Pidgeotto were banking smoothly overhead, apparently going somewhere because hunting at night was hard for a day-time Flying-type.

Ash ghosted up to join them, revelling in how much sheer freedom there was flying around like this.

Sure, he was going to become a Pokémon trainer tomorrow – which was the best joke ever – but who needed eight hours of sleep?

"What is your problem?" Ash asked, frustrated.

Pikachu turned his nose away, and blasted Ash with a Thundershock again.

"That doesn't tell me anything!" the new trainer said. "I mean, sure, I'm kind of upset I didn't get the Pokémon I was after, but I'm trying to work with you!"

"I couldn't work with you," Pikachu muttered. "Just let me go and I'll be on my way."

"Why can't you?" Ash asked. "I mean, I get you don't like the Pokéball, but we can just not use it..."

"It's not just that, it's that you're-" Pikachu stopped, and blinked. "Wait, did you just..."

"What?" Ash asked, glancing down at his shoelaces. "Is my shoelace untied?"

"No, I just... did you just understand me?"

"Well, yeah, that's why I replied," Ash explained simply.

Pikachu stood there for a moment, then twitched his ear irritably. "It doesn't matter! I won't work for a human. Period."

"Is that your only problem?" Ash demanded.

"Yeah!" Pikachu replied.

There was a pop.

Pikachu blinked. "...wait, where'd you-"

"Is this better?"

asked a Pikachu wearing a hat.

The Electric-type stared.

"No?" the other Pikachu asked. "What about a Charmander?"

Pop.

"Or, uh... an Electabuzz?"

Pop.

"Seriously, can you tell me? I'm kind of guessing here..."

Pikachu shook his head wildly, eyes closing. "I must be dreaming. Maybe if I close my eyes he'll go back to normal."

Pop.

Pikachu opened his eyes.

Well, this is normal, said a Mew in a hat. But I kind of think it might not be what you mean...

This time, Pikachu passed out from sheer astonishment.

Ash poked Pikachu's unconscious form. Uh... what do I do now?

"What now?" Ash asked, panting.

"How should I know?" Pikachu asked, cradled in his arms. "You're the Legendary Pokémon!"

"Yeah, but I'm still new at this!" Ash replied. "Uh – can you Thundershock them?"

Pikachu duly Thundershocked some of the Spearow. He also got Ash, who coughed and stumbled before going back to full speed.

"I don't think that got enough of them!"

"I could try harder?" Pikachu suggested. "Can't you do anything?"

"...actually, yeah," Ash admitted.

He turned right, heading for a small cliff, and jumped.

Half a second later, he popped into a Mew.

A quarter of a second after that, both he and Pikachu vanished, along with Ash's bag and hat.

The two of them materialized in mid-air.

"Look out!" Pikachu called, pointing down.

Ash looked, turned pale pink, and had just enough time to shift back to human before both of them landed on a girl and her bike.

A few complicated second later, they all had several new bruises, and the bike's wheel was badly bent.

"What on earth was that for?" the girl demanded, struggling off her totalled bike. "What were you thinking?"

"Uh... well, I was mainly thinking I should get away from the Spearow," Ash admitted.

The girl looked confused. "What Spearow?"

"...they're kind of a long way away," Ash admitted. "About a mile... uh... that way."

"Yeah, right..." the former-bike rider said, then glanced down at her bike. "Oh, no! This is totalled!"

She rounded on him. "You're going to need to pay for this!"

"Uh..." Ash looked at the bike, then at Pikachu – who shrugged. "I guess I could... but I've not got much money..."

"Then I'll follow you until you pay me back," the girl said, as if it was decided.

There was a flash, and one of Ash's scattered Pokéballs opened.

"My whole flock are morons," said the Spearow who emerged, shaking his head. "You did tell them we were friends, right?"

"Twice," Ash agreed. "You heard me, right?"

"Yeah." Spearow sighed. "Oh, well... I guess they'll work it out one of these days."

He looked up at the girl. "Who's this?"

"What's your name?" Ash asked, as Spearow hopped up to rest on his forearm.

"Misty," she replied. "Misty of Cerulean City."

"Neat," Ash said, as Pikachu came walking slowly over as well. "Uh... where were you headed?"

"Viridian City," Misty said. "And now I'm not going to make it before that storm hits."

Ash looked over. "Oh, okay – I guess I could-"

"Ash!" Pikachu said urgently. "Didn't you tell me you were supposed to keep this a secret? At least a bit?"

"Oh, yeah, good point..."

Misty frowned, then shrugged it off.

"Should we get going?" Ash asked. "I mean, I'm pretty sure we can get there by dark even if we walk..."

"This is your fault," Misty muttered some hours later, wringing out her socks as the rain finally ended.

"Didn't you say you were a Water-type trainer?" Ash asked.

"Doesn't mean my clothes are all waterproof..."

Spearow flared his wings, coming down to hover. "Not much further to go."

"Good," Ash said. "I'm kinda soaked..."

"Imagine how I feel, I've got fur," Pikachu said, waving his tail to shake water off.

"Well, technically, so does-" Spearow began, then stopped. "Oh... wow..."

Ash followed his gaze, and saw a majestic rainbow-winged shape flying through a break in the clouds.

"Is that..." Misty shaded her eyes, voice soft. "Is that a Ho-Oh? They're really rare – and Legendary, too."

"I'll go say hi!" Ash decided.

"Wait-" Pikachu began, but by that point his trainer had transformed into a Spearow and set off into the sky.

Misty stared. "But... how?"

"Hi!"

Ho-Oh blinked, sliding sideways slightly in the air, and gave his great wings a slow flap. "Who said that?"

"I did!"

The Fire-type's eyes nearly crossed as he tried to focus on the Spearow flying just above his beak.

"...do I know you?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Well, no, but I thought I'd just say hi!" the Spearow replied, doing a roll. "It's my first time meeting another Legendary!"

Ho-Oh blinked again. "You're a Spearow."

"No I'm not, I just-"

the Spearow began, then stopped. "Uh... oh, yeah, that's right. Um, I think we're high enough..."

There was a flash, and a little pink Mew was flying along in formation with Ho-Oh instead.

"That does make that clear, yes," Ho-Oh admitted. "I didn't know any Mew lived in this part of Kanto."

Well, I did live here, but I'm going on my Pokémon journey!

the Mew said proudly.

Ho-Oh decided asking any more questions would just give him a headache.

"...what?" Misty asked, staring upwards.

"She's said that quite a few times," Spearow noted. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Probably," Pikachu shrugged. "But we really need to give Ash some lessons..."

A familiar Spearow shape came flying down out of the light, and turned into Ash with a flicker. "Okay, I'm back!"

"How?" Misty asked, pointing.

"Uh... it wasn't suspicious," Ash said.

"Ash?" Pikachu asked. "Do you realize that humans can't change shape? And that, if you want to pretend to be a human, you'll have to not change shape?"

Ash blinked. "Uh... I knew the first bit?"

"How you stayed hidden for five minutes, I have no idea..." Spearow sighed, waving a wing. "Okay, Pikachu, we'd better make sure-"

"What are you?" Misty asked. "Are you some kind of... were-Spearow or something? And how did the clothes... but... gah!"

Ash looked worried. "I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you..."

"You've given away almost all of it," Pikachu muttered. "The least you can do is explain."

"So..."

Misty lay back on the damp grass with a sigh. "You're a Mew. An actual legendary Pokémon."

A pause.

"A Mew."

"Yeah," Ash agreed, adjusting his hat. "That's me."

There was another pause.

"How stupid are you?"

"What?" Ash asked, taken aback.

"You're supposed to be hiding, but within five minutes of meeting me you'd changed shape and talked to Pokémon! How do you think you're going to remain hidden like that?" Misty demanded. "Humans stay human, they can't talk to Pokémon, and I can't believe I have to tell you this!"

"Mom said... stuff kind of like that," Ash admitted. "But it sounds boring! Can't I at least talk to Pokémon?"

Misty frowned. "Ergh... that could be..."

"If I can't then I'll just get way too bored!" Ash reiterated. "I just want to go around Kanto, winning Gym Badges, and have fun – you know, normal trainer stuff."

"Normal trainer stuff doesn't mean changing shape!" Misty said. "Or winning the badge personally."

"Aw..." Ash sighed.

"You know, Pikachu," Spearow said, in tones of contemplation. "I think that this girl might be helpful to have along. She seems to have a brain."

AN:

A fic I've started after people liked the idea on the Master, Pokémon? Thread.

This is similar in some ways to Master, Pokémon – but it's got at least two key differences.

One – Ash is not a Dark-type Zorua. He's something a bit more... powerful.

Two... he's less good at hiding. Just a bit.

...oh, yeah, and he's also kind of hyper. Comes of packing a Chosen One into such a small, feline package.