Right, here we go, lads! Don't hesitate to review. Enjoy :)

As Ash walked through Pallet Town, he made for quite a sight.

With his hands in his pockets, headphones on, and his short-spiky hair without a cap on full display, he could have been considered a mildly intimidating boy, if not for the skip in his step.

Ash was a thirteen-year-old boy and an aspiring Pokemon Trainer. In Kanto, the legal age to become a trainer and to compete in the Indigo Conference was 13. He had hit that milestone yesterday and was full of exuberance.

He was going to receive his first Pokemon from Professor Oak, Kanto's shining light; a man who was renowned across all regions for his intellect and breakthroughs in the field of Pokemon. He used to be a Pokemon Trainer, but after a while, he dropped the battling aspect of his life and dedicated himself to research. His grandson, Gary Oak, was starting his journey soon as well.

Gary used to be Ash's friend, but after the death of his parents he barely talked to anyone. Gary kept ignoring Ash's attempts to talk to him, so Ash eventually gave up. It hurt Ash to see his friend like this, but after 3 years, he had gotten used to it. They'd be starting their journeys soon, so he was hoping that they could make amends.

Ash sighed, but then widely grinned as the thought of becoming a Pokemon Trainer crossed his mind again. He couldn't wait! He'd already planned his routes and was ready to go. The thought of leaving his mother, Professor Oak, and everybody else made him sad, but the sheer joy of starting his journey blurred it out.

Besides, he could always call them at the Pokemon Center.

"Ashy! You're back! Did you get the radishes?"

Ash smiled at the enthusiastic greeting he received from his mother. He wouldn't get much of that when he was traveling. He got on his toes and kissed her cheek. His mother was 5'7, while he was 5'2. He'd catch up.

"I got them. Did Professor Oak tell you when he's going to give out the Pokemon?" Ash felt that rush of excitement again.

Delia's smile faltered as she spoke, "About that, I'm sorry honey. The Professor has been called to the Indigo Plateau due to some issues. He told me that he'd be gone for a couple of days."

Ash felt disappointment rearing up in him but managed to keep himself calm. "That's fine, I guess. I've waited for a long time. I guess I can wait for a few more days."

"Aw, my Ash is so mature!" Delia said, teasingly.

Ash laughed it off and ran up the stairs to his room, removing his shoes before hopping on to his bed. His mother allowed him to decorate his room when he was 8, and he made full use of it. The walls were a light blue, with greenery designed on it. Ash had always felt comfortable amongst nature and made sure that his room reflected it. His room wasn't enormous, but it was more than enough for one person. His mother had her room, there was a guest bedroom, and the kitchen, oddly enough, was the biggest room in the house.. They had a small backyard, which Ash had spent the majority of his childhood running around in, playing with Gary, his mother, and for a brief period, his father.

There was a desk that housed a computer, which he used to look up Pokemon and other regions, a TV, which Ash used to view the Indigo Conference every year, along with other major battles.

He laid down and realized that he still hadn't decided which Pokemon he wanted to choose for his journey. Usually, Ash made instinctual decisions, but he just couldn't choose between Charmander and Bulbasaur. Gary had confidently told him (many times) that Squirtle would be his, so Ash hadn't bothered thinking about it. Charmander appealed to his childhood dreams of using power and strength to steamroll oppositions. Which boy wouldn't take a shine to fire?

As he grew up, however, he had started to appreciate subtleties of life. He'd gained a new appreciation for Pokemon who didn't have the brute strength to take down opponents and had to use other means to succeed. Bulbasaur, which eventually reached the form of Venusaur, was not known for its strength, but for its move-set which could induce status effects and other tactical moves. It wasn't short on power either, moves like Solar Beam, Power Whip, and Frenzy Plant spoke otherwise.

Ash was torn and still couldn't decide. He was partly hoping that one of the two Pokemon were taken by other trainers so that he didn't have to make a choice.

He would never sleep tonight if he kept thinking about it. Both Pokemon were extremely powerful in their own ways. He'd take whatever he could get.

Ash controlled his breathing as he ran around the outskirts of the town for the second time. He started a daily routine of running in the morning two months ago in a bid to improve his stamina. Traveling around Kanto on foot, at least until he got a Pokemon capable of flying, would be exhausting. He didn't want to collapse from exhaustion, and he already started seeing improvement. At the start, he could barely run around Pallet -which wasn't very large- before taking deep breaths through his mouth. Now, he could run a solid 3 rounds, start taking some deep breaths by the fourth round, and pant through the fifth.

He slowed down after the fourth round, opting to skip the fifth, before walking into his house. It was pretty early, 6:15, to be precise. It was a Saturday, and his mother preferred to sleep in until 6:45 on the weekends. He made an effort to not be noisy, not wanting to disturb his mother. He jogged up to the shower and closed the door of the bathroom silently.

As the warm water hit his face and trailed down, he started thinking about the fact that it had been three days since Professor Oak had left for the Indigo Plateau. His mother, who was an aide at the Professor's lab, hadn't received any news. In an unusually civil conversation, Gary revealed that even he didn't have any news, which was surprising, as Oak cared about his grandson a lot, especially after the death of Gary's father, Oak's son. Ash didn't allow that to make him antsy and usually kept himself calm by rough-housing with some of the Pokemon at the Ranch.

However, he couldn't deny that he was nervous for the Professor. It wasn't like him to not send word for three days. He could get caught up in work, sure, but even leaving Gary in the dark was new.

He sighed and got out of the shower, toweling off. He slipped on a black shirt and some blue jeans before heading down, foregoing his usual cap and jacket. He went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea, before sitting back and relaxing.

The sound of the telephone ringing promptly got him to go attend to it, he picked it up and pressed it against his ear.

"Hello, who is this?"

The voice on the opposite line was close to a whisper, and Ash had to strain his ears to hear it.

"Ash, it's me, Gary. Keep your voice low. I'm in Grandpa's house. Some people broke into Gramps' lab. I can hear them and their Pokemon."

Ash startled at hearing this and nearly dropped his tea on his feet. Cursing, he kept the cup on the table before responding, making sure to keep his voice low.

"What, who are they? Where are you?"

"I'm inside a cupboard. I think they're from Team Rocket. I heard them saying it from here. Gramps gave me my Pokemon, a Squirtle, before he left, but I don't want to use him against them, he's bound to be too weak. Help me! Call someone!" His normally composed voice turned into pleading towards the end.

Ash's blood ran cold at hearing this. Team Rocket was an organization notorious for its experiments on Pokemon. They stole Pokemon and money and carried out inhumane experiments on Pokemon, like tampering their DNA to make them more compliant or dangerous. Professor Oak had talked about them and he had warned them that, if they ever came across Team Rocket, to run. If they were breaking into his lab to steal valuable research items, perhaps they would enter the house as well.

There was also a spike of jealousy when he heard that Gary had got his Pokemon already, but he pushed it down. His former friend could be in serious trouble here. Ash didn't know what to do. He didn't have any Pokemon. His mother had a Mr. Mime, but she'd lent him to a neighbor to help her with some housework two days before. He considered waking his mother up and telling her the situation, but it would take too long, and he feared Gary didn't have enough time.

"Hold on Gary, my mum has a Mr. Mime. I'll get him and come free you." Ash didn't bother to think about getting other adults to deal with this. Most of them didn't even have any Pokemon, and the ones they did have weren't battle trained. Judging off of what Gary had told him, Team Rocket had come with Pokemon.

Gary audibly swallowed before cutting the call.

Ash chugged the tea down and hastily placed the cup on the table before sprinting out of the kitchen. He fumbled with his shoes and managed to slip them on before rushing out of the door. Emmeline, the woman to whom Mr. Mime had been lent to, lived quite near to them. From there, it was a short sprint to Professor Oak's house, consisting of the Ranch, the lab, and the house itself.

He sprinted over to Emmeline's house, dodging inquiries from his neighbors on what he was doing. He didn't bother knocking and flung the door open, thankful that it wasn't locked. Emmeline was sitting on the couch watching TV and was shocked to see him panting at her doorstep.

"Ash, is that you? What are you doing?" She asked, clearly startled.

"Where's Mr. Mime?!" He demanded, too frantic to be polite.

She was surprised at the aggressiveness and replied, "Um, I returned him to your mother last night. Why?"

"Damn it!" Ash cursed before going back the way he came, coming to a standstill a couple of meters away from Emmeline's house. He had no idea that Mr. Mime had been returned and now he'd have to go back to his house to get him. He got ready to go back but then stopped as he smelled smoke and heard noise some distance away, and as he turned around, he received the biggest shock of his life.

Professor Oak's lab was on fire.

"No!" Ash yelled. He sprinted towards the house, despite being unable to help. His mind worked quickly and he saw that the fire was unnaturally positioned. It seemed to stop right at the boundaries of the lab. There was definitely psychic interference going on. However, the fire wouldn't spread to the house, where Gary was, at the very least.

He ran shoulder-first into the door and pushed it open. He was welcomed with the sight of a man and a Magmar standing in front of... a Pokemon which Ash couldn't identify. He was pretty sure that it was covered with soot, and blood, although not a copious amount. The person who he assumed was Magmar's trainer, had a regal air about him, with his high cheekbones and immaculately styled hair, despite being close to a burning building. He saw him and quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh?" he let out a high laugh. "It appears we have a guest." His lips took on a mocking smile.

Ash clenched his fists. "Get out of here. Professor Oak isn't here."

"Ah, but his grandson is. Imagine the leverage we would hold over him."

Ash's blood went cold. "G-Gary isn't here." He tried to keep his calm. If he seemed skittish, they would realize that Gary was here, and Ash was sure that it wouldn't bode well for him.

"No need to lie. We found him in the upstairs cupboard. His Squirtle tried to protect him, but all it did was set Magmar off," He said, gesturing to the lab which was on fire. Ash suddenly felt every single thing around him. He audibly swallowed as he heard sounds upstairs. What were they doing?

"Why have you kept the fire in the lab?" Ash said nonchalantly, trying to keep the man, who on closer observation, seemed to be in his late teens, talking.

"Magmar is a Pokemon of many talents. Harnessing psychic energy is just one of them," His smile suddenly sharpened. "But enough of that. Magmar, flamethrower."

Ash braced himself to dodge out of the way but realized that the attack was coming for the still-lying bundle of soot and blood. It sprang into action and quickly slithered away from the jet of flame, which was strong enough to have Ash feel the heat, despite being a good distance away from the fire.

"Magmar, Psychic!" The first hints of annoyance were beginning to creep into the mysterious trainer's tone. The Pokemon froze, unable to move, and Magmar, visibly concentrating, took slow steps towards the Pokemon.

"He's holding two links now, one on the fire, and the other," A malicious smile took over his face. "On the Dratini."

Ash froze in shock. It was a Dratini? No wonder extra effort was being put in to get this thing. Team Rocket were well-known for their fascination with powerful Pokemon. The question was, why was a Dratini present here?

Seeing Magmar pick up its pace filled Ash with steely determination. He ran towards the Dratini, grabbing it, and tried to run out of the door. Emphasis on 'tried'. Magmar had dropped the link on Dratini and had reinforced the door. Ash helplessly looked towards the windows, but they were all bolted shut. Ash heavily regretted not going back to his mother for her help and Mr. Mime.

"Not so quick!" The trainer laughed, a hint of laughter entering his voice. "This is a very special Dratini. Hatched from two very strong Dragonite that Team Rocket, ahem, had control over. I'm afraid it is coming with me."

"You're crazy!" Ash yelled, clutching the Dratini closer. Some of the soot had been blown away. The blue scales of the Dratini were clearly visible to him now. Terror filled Ash now. Control over the likes of Dragonites should have been impossible. They were very strong Pokemon with an undefeatable will. Panic took over him. If he or the Dratini got captured now, he didn't want to entertain the thoughts of what would happen.

"I can see, however, from here, that the Dratini has formed an attachment to you." The Team Rocket member spoke, his cordial tone darkening. "It has only been a couple of months since it hatched. Fuck, this was supposed to be my reward, and now it's imparted on you." His tone was bitter and it didn't help that his moods kept turning. It frightened Ash.

"If I can't have him, nobody can! Magmar, fuck him up!" His tone turned fully maniacal, as he gave orders to his Magmar to destroy Ash and the Dratini.

Desolation slammed into Ash. As Magmar took a deep breath, building up to release an enormous jet of fire, Ash looked around for a means of escape, but there was none. It was an enclosed area. The door was barred. The Magmar and the psycho were standing at the door and to make things worse, Ash realized that Gary was screaming upstairs. He closed his eyes as desolation washed over him. Everything had gone wrong. He'd woken up for a jog, and now Gary and he were probably near death.

The Dratini gave an impression of a growl in his arms, which caused Ash to snap his eyes open. For the sake of the Dratini, at least, he'd try to maneuver around the space in the room to escape the fire. It looked to be futile, but Ash was not going to lie down and die.

Just as Magmar was about to roast Ash and Dratini, something heavy impacted the walls of the house, breaking them down.

Magmar was thrown into the air, shooting the jet of flame upwards to no effect. The trainer was thrown into the lawn, landing heavily. Ash was perhaps injured the worst of them all. He was flung through the air and landed on to the remnant of the walls, head first. Everything felt fuzzy. He gathered himself enough to realize that there was a fierce battle going on between the Rockets and... Professor Oak! He tried to right himself, but collapsed instantly.

The loud beeping of a monitor near him, along with the sterile scent of a clinic, woke Ash up. He immediately recognized that he was in the Pallet Clinic. He slowly opened his eyes and was immediately assaulted with thirst.

He pushed himself up and moved into a sitting position on the bed. He didn't feel too bad. The dizziness was gone, and the minor scrapes he had were covered with bandages.

He cleared his throat once, wincing at the rustiness, before calling out, "Water."

A nurse cheerfully strolled into the room with a clipboard in her hands, "Ah you're awake, here's a glass of water," she handed over a glass to him.

Ash gratefully sipped at his drink, relaxing his throat. "What happened?" He asked.

The nurse paused, "Well, an organization called Team Rocket,"

Ash snorted. Who didn't know about Team Rocket?

The nurse gave a pointed glance to him. "As I was saying, they wanted to take some of Professor Oak's research on Mega Evolution."

Ash was perplexed. "Mega Evolution?"

The nurse shrugged. "I wish I knew. Anyway, the aides at the lab fought back and eventually, the lab was lit on fire during the fight."

"What about Gary? How is he?" Ash asked.

"He's fine. He broke his arm when he was thrown into a wall-"

"Thrown into a wall?!" Ash yelled, shocked.

"Ahem, he was fixed up easily. He's just a bit angry."

Ash snorted, that was an understatement.

"You on the other hand." Her tone turned disapproving. "What possessed you to take on Team Rocket members without Pokemon?"

Ash replied, cowed, "I was trying to help Gary."

"Thankfully, he went easy on you and you escaped, along with the Dratini."

"The Dratini, how is it?!" Ash asked frantically. It did have some blood on it at the house.

"Calm down, it shed its scales once, it's as good as new."

Ash let out a relieved breath. He'd only been with the Dratini for a short amount of time, but he already felt like he had a connection with it. Had that psycho, -a moment of vindictiveness took over Ash- been right?

"Your mother is talking to the Professor, you'll be discharged soon." The nurse walked out of the room.

Ash sunk back to the bed, sighing. It had been really tough for him to go through the entire thing. Hearing stories about Team Rocket was one thing, witnessing them in person was another. He remembered the sheer terror he felt throughout his encounter with the Team Rocket member. He felt a hint of resentment towards Professor Oak for leaving Pallet Town defenceless, but he pushed it down. Nobody had asked him to go and put himself in danger.

Ash idly wondered if the starter Pokemon would still be handed out. The entire experience had fuelled him to be as strong as he could. He would take down Team Rocket!

"Well, things might have not been the best lately, but nothing can quite mask over the feeling of starting a Pokemon journey, can it?" Professor Oak said cheerfully, hoping to rouse a smile out of the children. He failed.

Gary leaned back on the settee with his usual apathy on display, though there was a tinge of life in his eyes today. Ash idly wondered how Gary was coping. Ash knew that he himself was still struggling. He'd woken up with nightmares in the past couple of days. A Magmar was always present, releasing an enormous jet of flame. A haughty, yet psychotic laugh was always present, belonging to the mysterious trainer who'd managed to escape while Professor Oak was fighting the other members. The rest had been captured and imprisoned. Something which still stung, Ash thought, was that Gary hadn't thanked him once or even acknowledged him.

The Dratini had been kept in the Ranch, and Ash visited it many times in the three days since its rescue. Professor Oak told him that Team Rocket hadn't done anything to it, as it only hatched a couple of months ago. It was a fierce, male Pokemon. Male Dragons were very feisty and never backed down from fights. However, he was receptive to Ash. Ash hoped he'd be allowed to take him as a starter, but since dragons matured slowly, he didn't know if Professor Oak would allow him to keep the young Dratini.

The third trainer graduating from Pallet was a girl named Leaf. She was a very athletic girl and Ash remembered that she used to play with the boys a lot in school, rough-housing with them. She was hopping from foot to foot, not plagued by the negative emotions radiating from Ash and Gary. She'd not been present during the attack. He shouldn't have been there either, Ash thought bitterly.

"Yeah, Professor! We're ready!" Leaf spoke for all of them cheerfully. Ash snuck a glance at Gary to see his eye twitching at the girl's excitement.

"Good to see!" Professor Oak sweat-dropped at the reactions of the other two future trainers but proceeded to whip off the sheet covering the table with... two Pokeballs?

"I'm sorry to say that Team Rocket managed to steal the Charmander while they were here. I couldn't stop one of them from escaping, and he took Charmander," Oak spoke, his tone filled with sorrow.

Ash pulled his cap down to hide his face and clenched his fists. Not only had that maniac nearly killed him but he'd also managed to delay or even stop one of the three trainers' journeys. He'd pay, Ash promised to himself. He'd pay.

Gary snorted at the side while Leaf stilled for a moment.

"Not to worry! I promise that you all will walk out of here with Pokemon!"

Wait, what? Where was the third Pokemon?

"Now, according to your personality, skills, and temperament, I have assigned you your starters. Gary, Squirtle goes to you. Even though I already gave him to you." Oak muttered the last part quietly.

Professor Oak handed the Pokeball to Gary. A grin came over his face as he cockily stated, "Alright! Here we go! Come on out, big guy!"

Gary let Squirtle out. By observing it, Ash saw that it was larger than the average Squirtle. It didn't look very fast, but Ash had no doubt that it would pack a punch. It looked up and grinned at Gary; at that moment, both of them looked remarkably similar.

"You look like a tough nut. D'you wanna come with me? You'll be the strongest Blastoise, in like ever! I know we started off in a bit of a sticky situation, but we'll be unbeatable together!" Gary spoke animatedly, his hand outstretched. Ash raised an eyebrow at this while Professor Oak smiled. For Gary to forego his eloquence meant that he was very excited.

The Squirtle grunted and jumped to headbutt Gary's hand. Gary winced in pain.

"Yeah, you'll do," he grumbled, holding his hand.

"He is a very attack-oriented Squirtle, although he can be very versatile if trained right. He hatched from two Blastoise who were part of a former Champion's team." Professor Oak spoke with a smile.

"Neat! Thanks, Gramps!" Gary recalled Squirtle and sat back down against the couch, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Well, it was a very tough choice on who the Bulbasaur should go to. However, considering all the facts, it was an easy decision. Leaf, here is your first Pokemon!"

Ash leaned back in his seat with a wince. It seemed that he would be receiving an unconventional starter, given Professor Oak's promise to them that they would all receive Pokemon.

Leaf smiled happily and collected her Pokemon from Professor Oak. She briefly looked towards Ash with an apologetic expression but Ash smiled at her to signify that he wasn't bothered. Gary briefly glanced at him, but then turned away.

Leaf let out the Bulbasaur and happily chatted with it. "Hi Bulbasaur! I'm Leaf! I'm going to travel around Kanto and win the Indigo League! Do you want to come with me?"

The Bulbasaur lightly tackled Leaf's leg to signify yes. Leaf smiled at that.

"She is a fine specimen of her species. You'll do well with her," Professor Oak said, smiling.

"So, what about me?" Ash asked.

"Ash, you must have known what you're going to get!" Professor Oak said, winking.

Ash looked at the Professor confused. And then, the answer hit him like a truck.

"I'm getting the Dratini?!" Ash didn't bother to keep his voice down. He was ecstatic.

"Yes! Personally, I think he needs this as well. He's been very active around the Ranch, and with him suffering no damage from his stay with the Rockets, he'll make a very good companion for you." The Professor's tone turned solemn for a moment. "Be warned Ash, male dragons can be very aggressive at times, especially after evolution. They also develop slowly. Don't hurry them in a pursuit to get your badges quickly."

"I swear I won't. I know about them. It's 18 months to the Conference, there's no hurry," Ash quickly promised. He'd take care of the Dratini well.

"I believe you, Ash. Here." Professor Oak handed Ash a Pokeball from his pocket. Ash quickly released him and fell to one knee, coming face to face with the Pokemon whom he'd nearly died with.

The Dratini first looked at Professor Oak and snarled at him, before locking eyes with Ash and using his tail to tap his hand as a greeting.

"I don't think he likes me very much," Professor Oak chuckled. Ash ignored him and focused on the Dratini.

"Hey, buddy. I'm going to be the best Pokemon Trainer I can. Do you want to come with me? We can take down Team Rocket, together." Ash murmured the last part quietly, only wanting Dratini to hear it. He perked up at that last sentence and headbutted Ash's hand in determination.

Ash smiled. "Right, do you want a nickname?"

Dratini was still for a moment before nodding its head.

"How about... Zeus?"

Dratini snorted and lightly swatted his hand with his tail.

"Yeah, I'll take that as a no," Ash said, dryly. "How about Ares?"

Dratini immediately nodded his head.

"Ares it is." Ash smiled and stood up, recalling him.

Professor Oak interrupted the candid moment and spoke. "Now that you've all got your starters, here is your Pokedex. It is a device that can be used to call people, as well as give information about Pokemon. It contains your license, and this is what will be taken for identification."

All of them stood up and prepared to leave, before the Professor spoke- "Before you head out, remember this. You're meant to enjoy your journey. Don't go through it for the sake of being the best. Live every moment of it. Call every now and then." His eyes took a faraway look as if he was remembering something.

"We'll remember." They gave varying answers in this form before leaving, Gary quietly said his goodbyes to his grandfather once before exiting.

Leaf spoke, "Well, I'm going to say goodbye to my parents before leaving. See ya!" She mock-saluted them before leaving.

Gary and Ash were left together and for a moment, an awkward silence took over. There had been an unspoken accord of cordialness and none of them wanted to break it.

"I want to say sorry to you." Gary finally spoke, meeting Ash's eyes. "I was there for you when your father died. You tried to do the same thing for me, but I didn't let you. We were good friends, and I want to go back to how it was." He held his hand out, waving for Ash's response.

"Yeah. I get it. I don't blame you for lashing out. I don't anything hanging over me before my journey. Welcome back, Gary." Ash hugged him, not bothering to shake his hand. Gary was taken aback but patted his back.

"Heh, knew you needed me around." His cocky tone resurfaced. "Well, Ashy boy, I'm off, we'll see each other around. Smell ya later!" Gary hooked his fingers around the strap of the backpack he was wearing and left for the route which lead to Viridian City, whistling a jaunty tune.

Ash shook his head and jogged over to his house to say goodbye to his mother. He would miss her and Mr. Mime. He opened the door to see Mr. Mime sweeping the floor. It saw him and chattered happily. He laughed and hugged it. It chattered some more before waving to him, resuming its sweeping. His mum was in the kitchen, cooking lunch for him, he presumed.

She turned around and saw him, "Ash, you got your Pokemon? What is it?" She asked eagerly.

"It's a Dratini." Ash spoke, knowing that his mother would understand.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, I'm so glad that Team Rocket didn't do anything to him." Her tone became stern for a moment, "Do not go after Team Rocket, Ash. You were lucky to be mostly unscathed. I was so worried after hearing that you were injured!

Ash winced. Facing Team Rocket and trying to save Gary on his own hadn't been his smartest moment.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I promise I won't go after them." He crossed his fingers behind his back. He swore to himself that they would pay, but put the thought out of his mind for the moment.

His mother hugged him. "Oh, it is going to be quiet without you here," she said, sniffling.

Ash felt awkward. "Don't worry, Mum. Mr. Mime, and Professor Oak will be here! I'll still call!"

His mum wiped her eyes. "I know, it's just tough for me to see you so grown-up. But enough about that, I made you some lunch. You don't have to resort to Trainer Meals yet." Ash wryly grinned. He accepted the box and put it in his bag.

"Thanks, mum. I really appreciate it." He kissed her cheek before running up to his room one last time to grab his hat and jacket. Donning the former and wearing the latter on top of his black tee.

He stood at the doorstep and wished his mother goodbye, she smiled and wished him the same.

Ash closed the door and strode out. He walked over to the entrance of the first route and looked back, the enormity of the situation catching up to him.

But he then remembered Team Rocket and his childhood dream, which fuelled him to keep going.

"We can do this," he softly murmured to the Pokeball at his hip. It shook for a second as if acknowledging his words. Ash smiled and marched on.

5642 words! That is the longest chapter I've ever written.

I think I've done pretty well. I've laid a decent foundation, there are some hints of future plotlines here, etc.

I've been heavily inspired by The Deathman's Dragons, and Traveler, both of which are on FFN. By that, I like the idea of a better Ash with a darker background. I'm not going to be ripping anyone off :D

I'll see when I can drop the next chapter, till then, I bid you adieu.

Edited on- 31/3/20

Proofread by my beta reader Lil' Hedgepig :)