Omega: So, what about all that whining where you were, 'not sure how to find the spare time.'

Ohirume: I wasn't whining! Besides, summer just started. All I have is spare time.

Seishin: Rob, we both know that's not true.

Ohirume: DON'T CALL ME THAT! USE THE USERNAME!

Seishin: What? It's not like it's your real name. And for the record, I am not calling you Amaterasu's mate.

Ohirume: Ah yes, card game jokes. Because every single reader will understand those.

The story's official now. If you read the one-shot or its description, you know the drill.

I don't own Pokémon or Ben 10.

.

.

One Yvel of a Journey (part 1):

.

It was a peaceful morning in Pallet town. Dodrio were singing, diglett were digging, and Ash Ketchum was already well awake and getting ready for his journey … wait what?

'Where did I put those gloves?' Ash thought; digging through various drawers. He pulled away a pair of socks to reveal a pair of red, glowing eyes staring right at him. Suddenly, a mightyena popped out from the middle of his dresser and roared in his face.

Ash smiled at the canine, "Good morning to you too, Soot."

Soot stared at him in shock, "Wha- Seriously?! Nothing?! Come on! I hid in there for three hours to do that!" She jumped out of the undamaged dresser; phasing through it.

Ash smirked and rolled his eyes, "It didn't work the last twenty-eight times you did it. Why would it work this time?"

Soot sat on the bed and pouted; eyes back to their natural red and yellow, "Well, it wouldn't hurt you to play along."

Ash chuckled, "Come on, I'm trying to find my gloves. The green, fingerless ones."

Soot raised a brow, "Fire-proof?"

Ash kept searching, "Soot, all of my clothes are fire-proof. You know that."

Soot sighed as her attempt at a joke failed … again, "Bottom left."

Ash smiled as he pulled out the gloves, "Thanks."

Ash finished putting on his outfit and slung on his backpack.

He hurried over to the door, "Come on. If we hurry, we should be back before the others even make it to the lab."

Soot smiled and ran after him, "Coming, dad."

.

*Downstairs

Ash ran by the kitchen and out the front door while calling out, "Morning mom! Be back in a bit!"

Soot ran by soon after, "See ya Grandma!"

The door closed behind them.

Delia sighed, 'And I just finished making breakfast.'

.

*Professor Oak's lab

"Ash, Soot. You two are here early." Professor Oak said; a little surprised.

Ash smiled and shrugged, "Hey, better early than late."

"That's not a saying, dad." Soot argued with a deadpanned expression.

Oak chuckled, "Alright, come on in. I'm pretty sure I know why you're here."

The trio made their way upstairs and approached a large, cylindrical stand in the middle of the room.

Oak turned to face Ash and Soot and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Unfortunately, there's been a bit of a shipping error. I don't happen to have any traditional starters for you, Ash."

Ash sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Crag, and I was really looking forward to starting today." He perked up when he realized what the professor said and raised a brow, "What do you mean 'traditional starters'?"

Oak picked up a pokéball while sweat dropping, "Well I do have something. Though they're rather aggressive."

Soot smirked, "Aggressive huh? Maybe I can knock some sense into them."

Ash glared at her, "We're not here to pick a fight, Soot. Wait until the first training session."

Oak chuckled again, "Alright, here they are." He tossed the pokéball into the air, releasing the Pokémon inside.

The Pokémon turned out to be a pikachu (duh). The Mouse Pokémon looked up at Ash before deadpanning and glaring at Oak.

"Freaking Yvel. Really?! This is what you caught me for, geezer?!" The pikachu complained, "Well, forget it! There's no way I'm going to be some brat's plaything!"

The humans only stared in confusion as he ranted.

Ash looked at the Dark-type, "Soot, mind translating?"

Pikachu finally took notice of the canine in the room. The Mouse smirked and looked at Ash like he had just said the dumbest thing imaginable. Which, in his defense, he thought Ash had.

Soot sighed. "He said, and I quote: 'Freaking Yvel. Really? This is what you caught me for, geezer? Well forget it. There's no way I'm going to be some brat's plaything.'" She said monotonously.

Pikachu raised a brow; still smirking, "Really? You're actually playing along? Lady, they're not gonna-"

Oak's eyes narrowed, "It's not nice to call someone a 'geezer.' No matter how old they might be."

Pikachu flinched and turned to face the professor in shock.

Ash nodded, "Same here. Being called 'brat' isn't all that hurtful, but it was still mean to say."

Pikachu turned to look at Soot in wide eyed shock, "THEY UNDERSTOOD YOU?!"

Soot smirked, "Well, it'd be surprising if they didn't. Afterall, I am speaking their language."

Pikachu looked back and forth between the humans and laughed nervously.

"And another thing." Ash said as he crouched down in front of the Electric-type, "I don't want you to be a 'plaything.' What I want is for you to be my starter. To join Soot and I on our journey and train with us. But most importantly," Ash smiled softly and held out his hand, "I want you to be my friend."

Pikachu looked at Ash curiously. He honestly never thought that he could consider a human as a friend. He still wasn't sure about the idea. Then again, he did have a Pokémon that spoke human, so the language barrier was basically void.

Pikachu shrugged and smiled, "Ah, what the heck. I'll join your party." He shifted to a smirk, "At least until I get bored."

Soot frowned at the last part and sighed, "He said 'yes'."

Ash couldn't help but smile as Professor Oak handed him Pikachu's pokéball. When he raised it towards the Mouse Pokémon, the Electric-type flinched.

Ash blinked before smiling softly, "You too, huh?" He reached around and put the ball on his belt, "Don't worry, Soot hates them too."

Pikachu sighed in relief as the cage disappeared.

"Here you go, Ash." Oak said as he held out five empty pokéballs and a Pokédex.

Ash happily accepted before placing the pokéballs and Pokédex in separate pockets.

"Thanks, professor. Come on guys, we still have to say goodbye to mom." Ash said before running back downstairs and then leaving the lab.

"Hey! Wait up!" Soot shouted while running after Ash. Pikachu bound after them.

Oak sighed in relief when he heard the front door close. He moved back to the large cylinder and pressed a button on the side. The center dome opened to reveal three pokéballs marked with a water droplet, a flame, and a leaf.

The old professor smiled softly, 'Thank Arceus, they fell for it.'

.

*Soot, Ash, and Pikachu

Soot caught up to Ash and the two talked amongst themselves on their way home.

"So, why do you think Professor Oak lied about the other starters?" Ash said while staring off into the distance.

"Eh, who knows." Soot replied, "Although it was probably important if he put that much effort into rehearsing."

Ash looked at her in confusion, "How do you know he rehearsed?

Soot cocked her head down for a second; her version of a shrug, "I guessed. It makes sense, though. He hardly showed any of his usual signs."

Ash considered that and shrugged, "True."

Pikachu finally managed to catch up to them. He was panting heavily.

"Why *huff* are you *huff* so fast?" Pikachu asked before falling over.

Ash sweat dropped before he bent down to pick him up.

Soot smirked, "We're not, you just need to exercise." She stuck her tongue out.

The Mouse glared at her before finally noticing something weird on Ash's right wrist.

"What's this thing?" Pikachu asked as he poked the green and black watch.

Ash looked down and grimaced upon seeing what he was doing, "No, wait!"

The center of the watch suddenly turned yellow and started spinning on its own.

Pikachu flinched, "What?! What did I do?! What's going on?!"

The watch stopped spinning and turned green again. Ash sighed as a silhouette resembling a pikachu appeared on the center of the watch.

Ash sighed, "It's nothing. Sorry I overreacted."

Pikachu glared up at him, "Yeah right! You freak out after I touch it and then suddenly calm down after a picture of me shows up on it?!" He pointed up at him accusingly, "You're hiding something!" Pikachu jumped out of Ash's arms and pointed again, "What did you do to me, human?!"

Ash looked at Soot. She looked back and her eyes narrowed, "Oh, like you need me to translate that."

Ash sighed again before looking back at Pikachu, "Fine, I'll show you." He raised a hand, "But please wait until we get home, alright?"

Pikachu kept glaring, "Fine."

Ash and Soot continued towards home with Pikachu following them from behind. Albeit at a distance.

.

*Ketchum house

"Mom, we're home." Ash called out as he walked through the front door, "I got my-"

"Ashton Satoshi Ketchum." Ash flinched at hearing his full name. He looked over to see his mother glaring at him; still wearing her apron. 'Oh, right. Breakfast.' Ash thought; frozen in place.

Delia continued glaring, "I spend half an hour putting together a gigantic farewell breakfast for you and Soot and you run out the door, saying 'be back in a bit'?!"

Ash looked around for Soot. He found her and Pikachu hiding behind the couch and trembling.

'Traitors!' Ash looked back at his mother and flinched, "W-well, I mean- I just got really excited and wanted to get there early and- uh."

"Breakfast!" Delia interrupted before pointing at the dining table, "Now!" She turned to glare at the couch, "You too, Soot!"

"Yes Mom!" "Yes Grandma!"

The two of them ran to the table and started eating; not wanting to anger Delia any further.

Pikachu was still hiding behind the couch and trembling. He was absolutely terrified of the new human that managed to scare his trainer and the freaking mightyena that much.

"Oh, look at you!" Delia squealed.

Pikachu flinched and looked up to see the woman staring down at him with a smile.

Delia immediately picked him up and started cuddling him, "Aren't you just the cutest little thing!"

'What the?!' Pikachu had no idea what was going on.

First, the human gave off a vibe that made him fear for his life. And now, she was acting like the nicest being imaginable. Pikachu was about to shock her … until she started scratching him under the chin. Absolute bliss.

"Chaaaa!" Pikachu cried out in pure joy.

Delia looked over at the table and smiled brightly; still petting the Mouse, "Ash, who is this adorable little fuzz ball?"

Ash quickly swallowed before answering, "That's Pikachu. Professor Oak was out of normal starters."

Delia continued petting Pikachu, "Well, I'm happy he was. You couldn't ask for anything cuter."

Pikachu said nothing. He just laid in Delia's arms with a goofy smile as she petted him. Ash and Soot just continued eating at the table.

This was essentially the next hour.

.

*Later; Ash's room

Pikachu, begrudgingly, recovered from earlier and glared at the only human in the room, "Alright, spill it!"

Ash looked at the Mouse in confusion, "What?"

Pikachu pointed at him accusingly, "You know what! That thing on your wrist! I want to know what it did to me! Don't think I've forgotten!"

Ash groaned, "Fine. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Pikachu blinked in surprise, 'Did he just-'

His thoughts were interrupted when Ash started messing with the watch. The middle part popped up and Ash spun it until it revealed the pikachu silhouette again.

Ash looked back at Pikachu with a frown, "Are you sure about this?"

Pikachu nodded. Though he was starting to grow anxious.

Ash sighed before slamming down on the center of the watch. Pikachu flinched and shielded his eyes as a green flash lit up the room. When the light faded, Pikachu looked back at Ash and his eyes widened in shock. Standing there, instead of his new trainer, was another pikachu with the green symbol from Ash's watch on their stomach.

"Yo." Ash called out; paw raised.

Pikachu fainted.

"Pikachu. Pikachu. PIKACHU!" Pikachu's eyes shot open at Soot's shouting.

He sat up and held his head, "Dear Arceus, what the Yvel kind of dream was that?"

Ash cocked his head, "What was the dream about?"

"That's the weird thing, I dreamt you turned into-" Pikachu finally looked at who asked the question and his eyes widened, "Dear Arceus, it was real." Pikachu muttered in shock.

He got back to his hind paws and started walking around Ash while looking over his new form.

"H-how did you do this?" Pikachu asked in a daze.

"It was the watch." Ash started while putting a paw on the symbol on his stomach, "It scanned your DNA when you touched it earlier and gave me this new form. And before you start asking questions, let me just say a few things." Ash took a deep breath, "I've had the watch since I was five. I don't know where it came from, aside from a meteor I found in the forest. I can't take it off, no matter what form I'm in. It's essentially the reason Soot exists. And yes, she's actually my hatchling. Does that answer any questions you might have had?"

Pikachu blinked in surprise, "Uh, all but one. I guess." His eyes narrowed slightly, "Why were you so against me touching it earlier? Were you really that against the idea of being able to turn into a pikachu?"

Ash grimaced and waved his paws in defense, "No! No! Nothing like that!" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I guess, overtime, I've gotten kind of sensitive about Pokémon touching it. Like I said, I overreacted."

Pikachu seemed satisfied with that but there was still something. He raised a brow, "What do you mean 'sensitive'? Wouldn't you want Pokémon touching it left and right, if it meant you could turn into them?"

Ash shook his head, "Actually no. Having this thing, having these powers, it's a lot of pressure and responsibility. I never really wanted that kind of unfair advantage." He shrugged with a soft smile, "Besides, it's not like I can use this thing in a Pokémon League."

Pikachu was still confused, "But couldn't you just-"

The Bite Pokémon chuckled; interrupting the Mouse, "It's not gonna work Pikachu. I've been literally barking up that figurative tree for years. Dad's too stubborn."

Ash glared at her, "I am not!"

Soot rolled her eyes with a smirk, "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say."

It was at this moment that Ash's mother decided to walk in, "Ash, how are things go-"

She stopped and stared upon seeing her son in front of her; still in pikachu form.

Ash gulped, 'Uh oh.'

Delia squealed and immediately picked him up, "Oh, Ashy! Look at you! You're so adorable!"

She went straight for the same sweet spot that Pikachu had. Ash was unable to resist and melted in her arms.

"Chaaa!"

Pikachu and Soot just watched curiously and with a sly smile; respectively.

Pikachu leaned closer to Soot, "So, she knows about the watch?"

Soot nodded, "Yup. Professor Oak too."

This continued for the next twelve minutes. Right up until the symbol on Ash's stomach started beeping and flashing red.

Pikachu's eyes widened in concern, "What's going on?"

Soot chuckled lightly, "Don't worry. That just means dad'll change back soon."

Pikachu calmed down, "Oh."

Delia pouted at the beeping and put her still-dazed son on his bed. A red flash filled the room and Ash returned to normal. He was unconscious from the cuddling session.

Pikachu stared at Ash in surprise, "Huh. Neat." He looked at Soot, "So, what now?"

Delia looked at the pair in confusion, "What?"

Soot looked up at the woman with a smile, "He asked what's next." She looked at Ash and cocked her head, "Uh, I guess we just wait for dad to wake up."

Pikachu climbed onto the bed and laid down with a relaxed smile and paws behind his head, "Fine by me."

Soot jumped up and snuggled up to her father.

Delia smiled and ran to get a camera. She couldn't resist taking a picture.

.

Omega: A bit fast-paced isn't it?

Ohirume: Hey, I'm new at this! Cut me some slack!

Omega: Said the writer to his 'character.'

Ohirume: *sigh* Why am I even doing these things?

Omega: Because you have no friends.

Seishin: HEY!

Omega: Real friends, Seishin.

Seishin: Oh, right.

…

Seishin: Do you think any of the reader's will figure out the connection between us and our usernames.

Omega: Yukiro, you know they're not. They aren't usernames, and we're nothing but over-imagined concept's in some idiot's head. They would literally have to be mind-readers. Or would it be techno-paths, in this case?

Seishin: *pouts* Kill joy.

…

Edit notes: Fixed some continuity errors. / Regular touch-ups. / I forgot the pokéball storage pod … thing was upstairs. / I never used the word 'dang' again after this chapter. So, I cut it.