Chapter Text
Today, thought Ash Ketchum as he rose from bed, was a fairly ordinary spring day.
The early morning sky was blue, fluffy white clouds drifted lazily above, Pidgey and Spearow sang their cheerful tunes, and the sun shone brightly.
But there was energy in the hurried paces of the researchers and workers who made their home in Pallet Town. They moved to and fro on their way to work, their chatter eager and frenzied, and Ash made out tiny snippets that drifted across the breeze to his open window.
“...see that battle? Bruno pounded him into the dirt! But—”
“Nah, there was no way Marcus was going to make it to Agatha! He was good enough for the Conference, not the Elite Four.”
“Will you two hurry up? We don’t have long to get things set up at the lab. New season, new rookies, new starters. You know how it is. They’ll be beating down the door before too long. We don’t want to keep them waiting—”
As spectacular as the newest Indigo Conference Champion’s challenge against the Elite Four had been last night, it was their last uttering that put a big stupid smile on his face as he frantically pulled on his clothes with adrenaline-itching hands.
It might seem an ordinary April day in Pallet Town, but today was the most important of his life.
In Ash’s mind, it had become the day, even grander than his birthday! The day the law saw him as a little more than a snot-nosed brat. The day he struck out on his own to see the wide world beyond sleepy little Pallet Town!
The day he started his journey.
Ash found himself grinning at nothing in particular as he rushed around his room to get everything ready, nearly vibrating as he twitched and bounced around from task to task.
Teeth? Brushed.
Bag? Packed the night before! Two nights ago, actually, even if he’d spent half of last night trawling through his room for any last-minute additions in between bouts of tossing and turning on his bed.
Room? Cleaned to his mom’s satisfaction, which was a little tougher than Ash’s own standards.
Ash’s clothes were new and still smelled of the market his mom had helped him pick them out at, though that wasn’t likely to remain the case for long given Ash’s experiences on the camping trips their class had gone on, and the hat felt strange on his head as it tamped down his messy hair.
Camping supplies and gear jingled in Ash’s pack as he shouldered it—the Essentials , as his mom called them—and he practically dashed downstairs once he was absolutely positively sure that he had everything he needed.
It was all new, and unfamiliar. Exciting, and daunting.
Ash could barely stand it, and if he hadn’t already promised his mom that he’d wait to have one last meal with her before leaving, it seemed too likely that Ash wouldn’t have been able to contain himself before he took his first steps onto the road laid out before him.
After all, besides being the day that everything began for him—the beginning of his dream; to strive until he equaled the very best trainers in the world as a Master—this day was special for one more, very important reason.
It was perhaps the most important thing that would happen to him today, actually; something he’d known would be true, ever since he was old enough to understand that he’d receive a pokémon of his very own one day.
Today was the day he got to meet his best friend in the world.
There were all sorts of ways to acquire a starter pokémon, of course.
The easiest and most accessible method was for anyone of appropriate age who had earned their trainer’s license to stop by a Pokémon Center or Gym to meet a selection of pokémon who were looking for a partner.
Whether wild or adjusted to human civilization, pokémon came with as much variety as any human. Some suffered from wanderlust or curiosity while others had something to prove. Some wanted strength and power, and a place to prove themselves, others sought simple companionship. Some had already had partners and had lost or left them for various reasons.
The National League (specifically, the Nurse Joys who often managed the whole process) did their best to find the perfect match.
Other trainers might receive their starter as a gift from someone they knew. Family, friends, maybe even a community of wild pokémon interested in fostering connections with their human neighbors. Some people went to breeders. Some grew up with their partner-to-be. A lucky few might even befriend a wild pokémon on their own merits and make their friendship official by registering them.
All of that was immaterial for Ash’s purposes, though.
If you grew up in Pallet Town, you went to Professor Oak. It was as simple as that.
Bulbasaur. Charmander. Squirtle.
There were only three pokémon species to choose from, perhaps surprising given Professor Oak’s vast resources, but each were quite rare in the wilds of Kanto. More than that, it was said that they were descended from Professor Oak’s own team! Most trainers were limited to what was native to the surrounding area, or relied on chance to encounter an unfamiliar pokémon.
Fire. Water. Grass. A traditional combination dating back since before the founding of the League itself. A triad rife with potential, each choice predisposed to a variety of unique strengths and abilities.
Any trainer would be privileged to be allowed access to them for their very first partner.
So why was picking one such a hard decision?!
Ash had weighed his options for months now, nearly driving himself to distraction every time he went back to the drawing board. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses, just like any pokémon. Venusaur were tough and self-sufficient. Blastoise shells were almost impenetrable. Charizard were destructive powerhouses…and they could fly!
Maddening!
He’d gone back and forth for ages, arguing with the classmates who would become trainers with him every day about their own choices, with himself, with his in-turns bemused and amused mother, but after all that debate, he still never came to a solid, unflinching conclusion for very long.
Until last night, that was. Stuck awake, tormented by the question to end all questions, too impatient for the morning to sleep, Ash had searched his soul, and found the answer deep inside.
Ash finally knew in his heart what he wanted: Charizard.
The fiery dracomorph had captured his imagination for years. Ash vividly remembered each and every one of those rare days when Professor Oak’s gigantic Charizard would pass over Pallet Town, whipping its flaming tail back and forth to cast pale blue cinders through the sky.
Was there anything grander? Ash didn’t think so.
Besides, Champion Lance had an incredible Charizard of his own. That was enough endorsement in Ash’s eyes.
The professor didn’t have a Blastoise of his own anymore, but there were a few that inhabited the Corral that Ash had seen over the years, each awe inspiring in its own way: some were quiet, hermetic individuals that preferred their solitude in the far corners of the Ranch, untouchable as mountains, while others were prideful, brash leaders of their own troupes of followers.
It wasn’t the same.
Ash had only heard old stories and distant mentions of Professor Oak’s Venusaur—which was apparently a slow moving behemoth akin to a walking jungle on its own—but had never seen or met it. The mystery almost made it more desirable; how much he’d learn with his own!
And yet, seeing was believing. He’d fallen asleep to dreams of azure cinders and victory.
Today was the day! That was Ash’s mantra.
He’d gone to bed early last night and set the alarm extra early—and one more just in case, set to ten minutes later, then another after that—so he wouldn't be late for when the doors to Professor Oak’s lab clicked open. His mom knew to wake him up at the time his alarm was supposed to go off on top of that—and sure enough, there was her knock on the door just as he prepared to fling it open himself, and her teasing voice on the other side.
“What has you in such a rush? Shouldn’t you be sleeping in? Surely there’s nothing worth getting up for today…”
Ha! Yeah, right.
“Very funny!” Ash said, laughing, as he swung the door open and beamed up at his mom. He toyed with his hat to get it adjusted properly—he’d spent so long mailing in the postcards to earn this hat, one of only one hundred ever made, and there was no way he was going to let it look anything but its best! “I’m up, see! Still want to have breakfast together before I go?”
“Of course! I just finished everything up. Are you ready, or do you need to pack?”
“I finished last night!” Ash perked up as the mouthwatering scent of pancakes, waffles, hash browns, and a few other dishes reached him. His stomach rumbled loudly and left him flushing as his mom sent him an amused look. “Let’s go!”
Ash raced his mom downstairs in a clamor to attack the meal, eager to stock up as much as he could before he left on his journey with his new friend. Who knew when the next time to try his mom’s delicious cooking would come around? There was no way he was going to waste this opportunity!
She’d loaded up his plate with all of Ash’s favorite foods, and they spent the next twenty minutes or so going over his checklist—although it was hard to answer with his mouth half-stuffed—and reviewing every little thing he’d mastered months ago in school and trainer classes.
It went on long enough that Ash was starting to think she’d made so much food just to hold him up a little longer…it would be great on a normal day, but right now all he could think about was getting out of here. His starter was waiting!
Ash finished and his mom shooed him away from the dishes, preferring to fuss over his clothes and his face and make him promise over and over again to stay safe and call as soon as he could and make sure to keep himself fed and—
This was the kind of thing that normally left Ash groaning and squirming to escape, but this time he just let her worry and tug at him. She might not see him for a long time… and Ash felt weird when he realized that he wouldn’t see her for just as long.
He was so excited to set off, but he was going to miss her worrying. And her handmade sandwiches. And her stories. And her…
Eventually, however, his mom did start asking about the state of his undergarments and the proper procedure for their care. He wouldn’t miss that quite as much, Ash decided.
Instead of listening, he just envisioned himself becoming Champion with his future Charizard at his side.
"Oh!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking past Ash’s shoulder at the clock. "You need to get going if you want to get to the lab in time! Make sure you come back here and say goodbye before you leave! Leave your backpack here. I’ll see if I can’t find a few more spots to hide some treats for your new partner!”
Ash jolted out of his fantasy and whirled to look at the clock…still half an hour! Plenty of time.
He smiled at her and nodded, a swell of excitement killing any words he might have said, before stepping out the door and past her little gardens out front.
Ash took a brief moment to admire them—his mom had already set herself to clearing away the winter debris in preparation for planting season and the neat little path, and the view out to the treeline was primed and ready for future growth.
It was home, and soon he would be leaving all of this behind.
Ash took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He’d be back, but he’d carry this with him in the meantime.
He set off in the direction of Professor Oak's lab, smiling and waving to some of the people he saw along the way. Many wished him good luck on his journey, crying out tips and advice and admonishments to be safe and come back to visit once in a while.
Pallet was such a small town that everybody knew what today represented for him. No doubt they’d be calling out the same reassurances and optimistic advice to the other rookies as well, though that thought left a sour taste in the back of his mouth.
One of his fellow rookies did, anyway.
In no time at all, the monolithic, two-storied centerpiece of Pallet Town grew from a tiny shape on the far hill to its impressive, full size in his viewline. Its windows shone in the sunlight, and the gentle morning breeze kept the weather-vane in constant motion high above him, though it made no sound to disturb the peace of the morning.
Three other kids stood in front of the large, glass double doors. Ash approached nervously, feeling anticipation turning his palms clammy, but before he could greet them all an extremely familiar face turned his way, and an irritating voice immediately followed.
"Oh, looky here!" Gary Oak jeered, an infuriatingly smarmy smirk painted across his face. He teetered back and forth mockingly on his heels, hands placed on his hips. Every inch of him was supremely punchable. "If it isn’t Ash Ketchum! I’m surprised you even showed up, honestly. You know what happens to losers who get their first pokémon, right?”
Ash gritted his teeth, but said nothing. By now this had just become a part of his daily routine. He and Gary had gotten into plenty of fights in the past, and Ash didn’t really have any problem pushing back. But every time they brawled his mom got this faraway look on her face.
He didn’t want to be responsible for that.
One of the other kids, a rather short boy named Jonathan, wrinkled his nose. “...What does happen?”
His friend, a taller, pretty girl named Amelia sighed. Both looked uncomfortable with Gary’s teasing and normally steered clear of Ash and Gary’s bickering, but Jonathan had forgotten the first lesson their group had had to learn when dealing with the Oak: don’t.
“Was I talking to you? Screw off, Johnny boy,” Gary scoffed at Jonathan, who scowled and balled up his fists. He turned his gaze back on to Ash, who ground his teeth as the old annoyance surged up. “What, you need the other losers to stick up for you nowadays? You might all stand a chance if you battle me together. I’ve been ready for my starter for years! If it weren’t for Gramps’ stupid rules I’d be halfway to Champion by now!”
Ash looked down at his fist and imagined it smashing into Gary’s stupid nose. That would feel good. On any other day the only thing that would’ve stopped him would be the inevitable worry that it would cause his mom and Professor Oak, but part of him suspected that Gary would love to see Ash temporarily miss out on his first day by starting a brawl in front of the lab.
It was just the sort of thing that a jerk like him would get a kick out of. Gary always played over the top just to get a rise out of people. They’d known each other long enough—literally since they were in diapers!—for that to become abundantly clear.
Gary took a step closer. “Nothing to say? Today’s the big day, ya loser! I’m going to beat you down the second we get our starters, and we’re going to remember it—”
Ash’s patience was already spent from a night of anxiously waiting for morning to come, so he wasn’t surprised when he finally snapped. “Will you shut up? We’ll settle this when we get our pokémon! Until then, you just have to wait like the rest of us, no matter who your grandpa is! What would Professor Oak think if he saw you acting like this?”
"Yeah, right." Gary smirked, though it flickered a little when Ash mentioned Professor Oak. "You don't have a chance against me! None of you do. But hey, let's do it. As soon as we’ve got ‘em. You and me, yeah? I'll show you what it means to be a real trainer."
Ash tightly nodded, glaring at Gary as his jaw clenched.
It took effort to reign in his temper; Ash did not want to start a fight the day he got his first pokémon. But it was done, and he wouldn’t back down now. Ash would just have to beat Gary in their battle sooner than expected.
Really, what was there to complain about? Putting Gary in his place sounded like an amazing way to start out his journey!
The next few minutes passed in silence. Gary dismissed them all, smiling obnoxiously with his eyes shut while he leaned against the lab's wall. Ash stood quietly for a moment before walking over to Jonathan and Amelia to join their conversation, mainly consisting of what pokémon they wanted, and how they would start off.
“We’re going to Viridian City first if you want to join us,” Amelia offered a little awkwardly. They knew Ash well enough, but they weren’t exactly best friends. Jonathan and Amelia had always been attached at the hip. “My sister has a house there. I think there’s a guest room you can bunk in for a night.”
“And there’s the couch if it’s taken,” Jonathan added, more openly enthusiastic. “It’s a little beat up and kind of smells like old ramen, but you should be fine! It’s kind of comforting once you get used to it! But I always wake up really hungry…”
Ash quickly accepted. He didn't want to be on his own yet, and going with Gary wasn't likely to happen; not that either of them would want to travel together to begin with.
It was a good enough way to pass the time, even if all of them—even Gary, no matter how hard the prick tried to hide it—were restless with nerves.
Finally, at precisely nine o’clock, the glass doors slid neatly open. The soon-to-be trainers rushed in eagerly, each wanting to be the first to get their pokémon. Gary, tripping over himself as he pushed off the wall, shoved his way past the rest of them and Ash was forced to the back with a scowl.
As they stepped inside the cold lab, a short woman in a pristine white lab coat greeted them. He recognized her as an occasional visitor to his mom’s diner.
Ms. Kanna, he remembered, even though she rarely left the lab. Her skin was almost translucent, unused to the sunlight, but her eyes twinkled with intelligence and thinly concealed pleasure upon seeing them.
"Hello!" Ms. Kanna said warmly. Her eyes settled for a long while on Ash and Gary. "You must be the new trainers I was told about. Follow me and I'll take you to Professor Oak."
They obediently fell into line behind her.
Gary chatted with Ms. Kanna as she led them to the professor, but Ash was too nervous to listen. She was familiar enough for someone who lived on the other end of town, but Gary would always have the advantage of familiarity with the professor’s staff.
He shared anxious glances with Amelia and Jonathan as they moved into a small room to the right of the main lab, an area none of them had ever been allowed into before.
Inside, in a large space kept between a bewildering array of scientific instruments and machines, was a small table with three Pokéballs on it. Professor Oak, dressed semi-formally underneath his lab coat, with a briefcase by his feet, stood next to it and smiled reassuringly at them, greeting them all by name.
“This day has been a long time coming for all of you, hasn’t it?” Professor Oak asked, his black eyes full of warmth and pride. The corners of his mouth twitched as Ash, Jonathan, and Amelia all chorused back their agreement. Gary just scoffed. “Our world is a vast, beautiful place. I hope that as you take this first major step in your lives, you come to understand both it and yourselves in ways more intimate than you ever imagined. It’s my pleasure to facilitate that hope for you, here and now.”
The Professor’s words glowed with warmth, and his familiarity and candor loosened the tension they were feeling, although Gary didn't seem to need it. He had an overabundance of confidence as it was, and had evidently heard some version of the speech before.
Now that he didn't feel like he had a lump in his throat, Ash noted a small problem.
"Professor Oak?" he asked quietly. The professor looked at Ash curiously, and despite knowing him for years Ash found himself regretting speaking up. "There are only three Pokéballs."
Professor Oak looked confused for a moment before he realized the problem.
"Oh! What a silly mistake," Professor Oak said, cheeks flushing red in embarrassment, though Ash thought he saw something flicker across the Professor’s face. Ash, Jonathan, and Amelia looked at each other anxiously, each not sure if they would get their starters today. An uncomfortable silence crowded the room, although Professor Oak was quick to address it.
"Don't worry!" Professor Oak reassured kindly as he saw the glances shared. "You'll all get a pokémon. Plenty enough to go around, around here! One of you will just have to wait a few extra minutes for me to procure one."
They shared a sigh of relief. Professor Oak, after a moment, gently asked, "Now, who is willing to wait? I would prefer everyone to be on the road before we lose too much daylight—you’ll quickly learn how precious a resource that is out in the wilderness!”
Everyone shared a moment of silence. Gary was barely paying attention since he was sure to get one of the three pokémon, no matter what. The other three trainers just looked at each other, each silently hoping that one of the others would volunteer.
After a few moments passed and it became evident that no one was going to say anything, Ash sighed. He felt a lump of disappointment in his throat as he realized he would have to wait, but decided it didn't matter.
‘As long as I get a starter, it doesn’t matter,’ he told himself firmly.
"I'll wait," he said, trying to hide his disappointment. Oak looked impressed with him and smiled.
"Good, thank you Ash. Your patience speaks well of you! Let me get the others all sorted out and I'll see if I have any others ready. You won’t be waiting very long at all, I promise."
Ash nodded, relieved.
Still smiling pleasantly, the professor turned away from him and addressed the others, "The Pokéball to the left contains a Bulbasaur, a grass-type. The Pokéball in the middle holds a Charmander, a fire-type. The Pokéball to the right has a Squirtle, a water-type. Each of them are delightful individuals who eagerly anticipate meeting their new trainer, and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. A skilled trainer will be able to work with any one of them quite well no matter what they choose to specialize in, but ultimately, what I ask of you before I pass them on is that you treat them with compassion, kindness, and friendship."
Ash watched enviously as Gary pushed in front of the others and grabbed the Squirtle's Pokéball. Now a trainer in truth, he released the small blue turtle and sized it up with a critical eye.
The Squirtle, in turn, looked around it at the sea of legs, then up at Gary, its mouth falling open slightly in curiosity.
Their staredown lasted a full five seconds.
Apparently, Gary found it to his liking because he smiled at it, and Squirtle’s smile widened happily in return, showing large dimples on its blue reptilian face.
Jonathan chose the Charmander and let it out of its ball as well. Ash felt his gut sink even though he knew this was coming, but bit down his disappointment as Jonathan familiarized himself with his new partner.
Falling to his knees, Jonathan looked at the orange lizard in awe, and laughed when the Charmander, after a cursory inspection of its trainer, curled up in a tight ball and tried to go back to sleep.
The other boy reached out to pet it and the Charmander lazily leaned its head into the touch with an odd, reptilian purr as its tail flame sparked a little brighter and cast the lab in a warm yellow glow.
Amelia, of course, picked the Bulbasaur, but seemed none-too displeased by her lack of options.
The grass-type looked pretty calm on release, and almost immediately began to investigate its surroundings with two outstretched vines the bright color of new sprouts while burbling at its trainer.
“Just who I wanted!” Amelia crooned, reaching out to let the green reptile sniff at her fingers. “Are you as excited as I am?”
After Amelia started talking back to and petting it, the Professor cleared his throat.
"Now that you have all made your acquaintances, could you please return your companions to their Pokéballs? I have something else for all of you as well."
Gary grumbled as he returned his Squirtle but cut it short and replaced it with a cocky stare as his grandfather shot him a quelling look. Amelia and Jonathan didn't say anything and just looked at the old scientist.
Ash followed their example.
"Now that I have your attention,” Professor Oak said with an easy smile, “I would like to introduce you to what I hope shall become a similarly treasured companion on your impending journeys.”
He reached down for the briefcase at his feet and set it on the table, before opening it to reveal its contents.
Ash couldn’t be bothered to smother his intake of breath. His fellow rookies had similar reactions.
Pokédexes!
Professor Oak chuckled at their delight as if he’d expected it.
“Yes, indeed. Although not every trainer you’ll meet along the way will have one of these, I’ve been a firm advocate for their general distribution to any and all trainers out in the world and the League has been kind enough to support my efforts, although you three will be given some of the first functional models. They come pre-loaded with information relevant to the immediate Kanto and Johto regions, which may be expanded in the future as you prove your mettle and commitment, purchase the software yourselves, or branch out in your travels.”
The professor’s expression took on a touch of nostalgia for a moment, wistfulness evident in his voice.
“I hope that the data within will help you along the way to make informed decisions and enrich your own knowledge. And if —” Professor Oak winked “— you just so happen to come across some strange phenomena in your travels, I hope you might be willing to share it with an old man with a curiosity healthier than his tired legs.”
With that, Professor Oak handed one to each of them, each trainer turning the bright red device over in their hands before stowing it away into pockets or packs.
Ash couldn’t help but admire the sleek little device before he slid it into his pocket. Such a powerful computer, with an entire archive’s worth of knowledge and a scanner to identify more, all capable of fitting in his pocket! It was worth its weight in gold!
He smiled and stored his carefully; he’d be spending lots of time playing with it later. An educated trainer was a good trainer, and he had no intention of letting this resource go to waste. Their classes might be over, but both Professor Oak and his mother had been quite firm on the importance of sharpening their minds and knowledge.
No one became a competent trainer without knowing the vast majority of pokémon and their abilities forward and backward, let alone a Master!
Professor Oak continued to explain the little devices once he had their attention once more. "Once you activate the Pokédex, be sure to input your trainer IDs immediately, else your new captures will not be automatically recognized by the League and you’ll have to work with a Gym, Silph Co., or a Pokémon Center to rectify the situation. Should you wish for me to do so, I would be happy to house your excess pokémon here at the Corral until you qualify for an extension or removal of the six pokémon limit. ”
He received a series of eager nods, to which he seemed pleased. “Excellent. Excellent. Now, the Pokédex can provide detailed information on almost any pokémon you’ll come across, at least while you remain within Indigo. For example, it can tell you what type the pokémon is, what its dietary preferences might consist of, what species it belongs to, and even what moves it knows, provided you scan the individual in question."
The professor continued to list the kind of information the Pokédex could provide. Most of it was too specific to be of much use to anyone but a researcher, but Ash still felt giddy with the potential of such a seemingly limitless trove of knowledge. He’d known that the little devices existed, of course—the professor had even shown their class an early prototype he’d developed a few years ago—but it had seemed like it would be terribly expensive to just buy , so it had been at best a long-term consideration for him.
Not so, it would seem.
"So!” Professor Oak clapped his hands together. “Now that you know what they can do, I suggest you three,” he addressed Gary, Jonathan and Amelia. “Head outside and get ready for your journeys. Again, make sure to activate the Pokédex at your earliest opportunity. Please do not wait until tonight, or tomorrow .” Professor Oak looked pointedly at Jonathan, who flushed and looked anywhere but at the stern Professor. “Ash, please stay here for a moment."
Ash grudgingly nodded and waved Jonathan and Amelia goodbye.
"We'll wait for you, don't worry!" Jonathan said with a bright smile. "Meet us at the gate when you're ready. Amelia still has to get her bag anyways."
Ash grinned, glad they were willing to wait up on him, and thanked them both before they left.
Oak said something to his grandson, too quiet for Ash to hear, before Gary too left the lab with a scowl.
The professor followed his departure with an oddly intense look in his eyes, before he turned to Ash with visible effort and politely excused himself to get Ash's new pokémon. He moved more swiftly than Ash would have anticipated, an eager bounce to his steps.
Ash hoped that Professor Oak could find him a Charmander of his own.
With everyone gone, Ash found himself idly shifting his weight from foot to foot, acutely aware that everything in the room was too important to fiddle with for a distraction. Instead, as a few torturous minutes passed, he searched around the small room for a chair. After Ash found one, he sat down and tried not to stare at the minute hand of the clock as it ticked by while he waited.
Ash spent a while staring at a blinking machine before inspiration struck, and he pulled out the Pokédex. He flipped the tiny computer over a few times, admiring the sturdy, metallo-plastic finish—no doubt designed for the rigors of the road—before activating it.
It automatically directed him to a short tutorial, which he dutifully completed, before prompting him to enter his trainer ID and personal information to complete its registration. It was a rather simple, ingenious process, neither too complex nor obviously idiot-proofed. The interface was sleek and easy to understand, and there were plenty of customization options to adjust it to his preferences.
Registering and finding settings that Ash liked took only a few minutes off of his wait, but he felt better for it afterwards. Even still, he tried to count down the time and keep himself from fidgeting too much, but by the time he'd counted to twenty minutes, Ash thought he would go crazy.
The door opened and Ash flinched, rising halfway out of his seat before he caught himself and turned his over-eager dash into a more sedate—brisk—stride over to the professor.
Professor Oak approached with a satisfied smile, holding a plain pokéball. “Your new partner,” Professor Oak said gently as he offered it to Ash. Pride filled the old man’s eyes as he looked down at Ash. “Go ahead, take it. Meet your new friend and say hello!”
When he held it out to him, Ash practically snatched the small orb out of his hand and stared at it in awe.
This was it. His partner. The future was his— theirs.
He pressed the release button and eagerly watched the familiar red beam of energy shoot out and coalesce into a small, pink creature. Ash was momentarily disappointed by the prospect of not getting a Charmander, but that was soon forgotten as a wide smile broke out on his face.
He'd finally gotten a pokémon!
Ash crouched down next to the tiny thing—a male Nidoran, which he could recognize in his sleep thanks to his classes on local pokémon species—and carefully examined it— him , Ash corrected himself.
“Hey there!”
Nidoran was compact and quadrupedal, maybe a foot tall from his tiny, clawed feet to the tips of his large, ovoid ears. His hind legs were more developed than his forelegs; not quite muscular but certainly capable of generating enough force for Nidoran to leap into the air. Prominent incisors poked beyond the line of his mouth, while a pronounced, pin-like horn protruded from his forehead.
Most notably, distinctive patches of Nidoran’s body were speckled with lowered barbs, ready to spring up in his defense at a moment’s notice to deliver a dangerous dose of venom into an unsuspecting opponent. While his leathery skin was light enough to qualify as pink under direct lighting, it darkened in places to a richer lavender hue, especially around the joints.
All told, the Nidoran didn’t look intimidating now, but Ash knew that if he was threatened that could quickly change. Even the smallest pokémon possessed immense power. Ash would not want to be on the wrong side of that horn.
The Nidoran looked back at him curiously and twitched his ears. Ash grinned, but didn't pet him, wary of those barbs and what they might do to his bare hands.
Ash pulled the Pokédex from his pocket and directed the scanner at Nidoran. The small creature looked up at it oddly, and his right ear twitched again.
“This is supposed to tell me about you,” Ash told him. “It’s going to scan you. I think it might be faster if you hold still.”
Nidoran tilted his head, but seemed to accept this and dutifully held himself quite still. Maybe Professor Oak or one of his assistants had done something like this before. He doubted Professor Oak would just throw a completely unsocialized Nidoran his way…unless Gary had actually inherited his awful sense of humor from his grandfather, anyways!
The Pokédex scanned him and gave Ash a very brief summary of the Nidoran species. Far more detailed entries were available if he were to dive into the device’s archives, but now was not the time to do that. He couldn’t wait to check them out later!
Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pok é mon. Their large ears are always kept stiff and upright to detect danger. Known to travel in large herds of their own kind, often led by a Nidoking or Nidoqueen, if they sense danger, they will aggressively attack with a venomous sting to protect their kin. The larger their horns, the more powerful their secreted venom.
There was a pause as the scan continued, before it pinged satisfyingly.
This Nidoran knows the moves Peck, Focus Energy, Confusion, and Leer. Their Ability is Poison Point, which may poison people or pok é mon that make physical contact with them.
"How big are his horns compared to other Nidoran?" Ash inquired.
Professor Oak looked closely at Nidoran for a moment before answering.
"Quite large," he admitted with a wry smile. "He is an impressive specimen of his breed. I would imagine it is part of why he was predisposed to consider my request. Like the others, he will do quite well no matter what you choose to specialize in, though I must admit that he has quite the advantage in knowing Confusion. If my memory serves me right, his mother worked fairly closely with my Alakazam around the Corral before returning to the wilderness. Perhaps a bit of her expertise rubbed off, and she passed it on to her child."
Ash grinned at that and looked back at Nidoran, who watched him with open curiosity. "Do you want to be friends?"
The Nidoran stared at him, then twitched his ears before nervously looking around. Ash remembered that they were supposed to be one of the more nervous breeds of pokémon and knelt back down. Maybe if he looked smaller, Nidoran would be more comfortable.
He held his hand out, and the pokémon, eyeing him warily, cautiously stepped forward. Nidoran sniffed his hand a little, then looked up at the professor, then back at Ash’s hand. Crucially, Ash supposed, he didn't try to attack him, and after another minute or so seemed to calm down a bit.
“What do you say?”
Nidoran met his eyes and made a strange expression—it took a few seconds for Ash to realize that the little poison-type was doing his best to mimic Ash’s smile, but lacked the facial structure to pull it off.
Ash laughed, the seriousness of the moment forgotten, and Nidoran’s eyes danced with amusement as he chirped softly back at his new trainer.
“Well, I would say that is a yes!” Professor Oak chuckled, smiling fondly down at them both. He watched both Ash and Nidoran closely. “Now, if my computer is informing me correctly, I do believe you’re all registered! Go on, you two. Kanto awaits you both!”
“Yeah!” Ash rose, pumping his fist, and Nidoran rose to his stubby little feet beside him, rearing up on his hind legs before falling flat on his face. The poison-type squeaked as he hauled himself back up, and Professor Oak’s eyes danced with nostalgia. “You’re right, Professor! There’s so much to do…thank you so much! We’ll make you proud out there!”
Nidoran nodded furiously at Ash’s side.
“Oh, I know you will! You’re a good boy, Ash, and I know you’ll be a wonderful trainer as well,” Professor Oak said, allowing more and more familiarity to bleed into the conversation now that the other rookies were absent and their most important business was seen to. “I’m so proud to see how far you’ve come, my boy. You’ve worked hard on your exams and certifications, but they’re only the first of many, many steps. I expect to hear all about your adventures on a regular basis—and I know Delia does as well!—but for now the only thing to do is to start them!”
Professor Oak smiled softly down at Ash, who couldn’t help but remember all the times Professor Oak had offered advice, answered his endless questions, and been the closest thing that Ash could imagine to a grandfather.
“Thanks, Professor Oak!” Ash beamed up at the old man, who chuckled. “For everything.”
“Good luck, Ash, and to you as well, Nidoran.”
Ash laughed at the send-off and, Nidoran following closely at his heels, left through the sliding glass door.
He couldn’t help but look down at the little creature—his new partner. Ash could barely hold in his excitement…he finally had a pokémon! Who needed a Charmander? He had Nidoran; that was just as cool. Cooler! .
Fantasies of an imposing, hulking King of a protector, standing at his shoulder, dripping toxins, battle-armored and ready to do battle were already taking shape in his mind. The dream was alive, and they were taking the first steps down that road.
Together.
As they walked out of the lab, however, his fantasies were interrupted as he noticed that they weren’t alone.
Gary Oak was waiting for him, a cocky smile on his face.
The euphoric rush morphed into something bitter and rash, and Ash gritted his teeth as he saw Gary withdraw his sole Pokéball from its slot on his belt. An ugly look was on his face - Ash supposed he must look the same, as Nidoran stiffened by his feet, raising his hackles and the poison pins along with them.
Their eyes locked.
"What took you so long, Ashy-boy?" Gary drawled as he released his Squirtle, one arm on his hip as the other flashily returned the expended ball to his waist. The tiny turtle tried to mimic its trainer’s pose, but it fell over doing it. Ash tried to hold back his laugh as it got back up, but the Squirtle still noticed, and scowled at him darkly, taking a step forward, toward Ash.
Nidoran, sensing the hostilities, darted forward to place himself in-between Squirtle and him, and Ash felt a rush of immediate affection. The little poison-type bristled and a little bead of venom leaked from his pointed horn.
"C'mon!" Gary said, just as irritated by Ash’s laughter as Squirtle was. "I bet Squirtle here can beat your pokémon easily! You got any money, Ashy? Or do you need to beg off?"
Ash felt a dangerous bead of anger pulsing at his temple. How could one person be so freaking obnoxious?! “I’ll wager 15 poké that Nidoran beats Squirtle.”
He glanced at Nidoran. “Sound good to you, buddy?”
Nidoran looked over at Gary's Squirtle and growled, extending his large, venomous barbs to their fullest extent. Squirtle, despite its bravado, shrunk back a little, clearly intimidated by the sheen of toxins which oozed from Nidoran’s pins.
"Ha!" Gary crowed, clearly not as impressed as Squirtle. " That's what Gramps set you up with? Little thing’s not even a real starter! I’ll take that wager, Ashy-boy! Go get him, Squirtle! Tackle him!"
Ash’s face colored in anger, but there was no way he would let Gary talk like that to Nidoran! Nidoran growled loudly and his barbs began to drip more venom. The small creature squared himself, digging tiny claws into the soft earth as Squirtle charged at him.
Ash thought fast, going over Nidoran's capabilities—at least those he knew from the Pokédex, his classes, and various articles he’d read. He knew that Nidoran wouldn't be very durable, so he couldn't just let Squirtle tackle him, even if he seemed set to keep his footing.
So what should he do?
Squirtle nearly tripped several times as it ran towards Nidoran, but Ash didn't laugh at it this time despite the comical sight. He needed to focus.
"Dodge and Peck!" he cried: the first solid idea that came to mind.
Nidoran’s ears twitched in response, and then he jumped out of the way at the last second and let Squirtle run into the lab's wall with a loud thunk ! Someone within shouted. Then, his pokémon lunged at the dazed turtle as it staggered around, and rammed its vulnerable underbelly with his horn.
Squirtle cried out in pain—and the raw, high-pitched squeal was harsh enough to make both Ash and Gary flinch—but at Gary’s urging it rose up to its feet and continued fighting. The water-type flung itself at Nidoran again, leaping forward and actually hitting Nidoran in the back before they could react, but even as Nidoran was knocked back the Squirtle staggered.
Ash smiled. He’d known Squirtle would land a hit eventually…
Nidoran chirped as ferociously as he could (not that that was much) and readied for another go as he shook the hit off, but Squirtle wobbled, puked up a watery mixture that looked like vegetable soup, and collapsed after a few seconds of their standoff.
While Nidoran hadn’t been given much of a chance to show his own abilities, Ash hadn’t needed him to. Squirtle’s vulnerable skin made contact with Nidoran’s toxic barbs during his tackle and had been helpless against the venom.
Neither Squirtle nor Nidoran were battle-hardened enough to fight through pain like that yet, and Gary scowled as he realized what had happened.
Ash blinked as the adrenaline high began to fade with the end of the battle. They’d won.
They’d won! He’d won his first battle!
Ash cheered Nidoran on, praising him for his performance, and grinned back at the pokémon when he looked up at him with shining eyes and a head held high. Making a snap decision, Ash decided not to return the pokémon to his ball, and instead motioned for Nidoran to follow him. The pink creature cheerfully waddled after Ash as the new trainer marched triumphantly home.
Gary didn't give them any trouble. He was too shocked that he had lost to bother. His expression—waxen and ever-shifting to different colors—was so great Ash didn’t even bother bringing up the wager.
Some things were priceless.
They left Gary with his unconscious Squirtle and walked back to Ash's home with big, stupid smiles...or at least Nidoran’s nearest equivalent! Ash couldn’t stop grinning, and whistled merrily as they strode back with the air of victory hanging over them.
It would be the first of many!
His mom was watching TV when they entered the small house, some telenovela she enjoyed that Ash couldn’t stand. When Ash and Nidoran walked in, however, she jumped up to greet them, squealing in excitement when she saw the small pokémon.
"Oh, Ash! He's so cute!" she cried before scooping Nidoran up. Ash cried out a belated warning before she pricked herself on one of the venomous barbs, but his mom just looked at him admonishingly.
She carried Nidoran strangely, Ash realized, but as he looked closer he realized that it was a position that would neatly prevent Nidoran from accidentally pricking her, while also being comfortable for him.
He immediately resolved to learn how to do that.
"Oh, don’t you worry about me," his mom teased as she danced with the happy Nidoran to get Ash's backpack. She cooed at him. "It’s been a few years, but your Uncle Spencer and I used to work with the Nidoran line all the time when we studied with Professor Oak. But of all the Nidoran I’ve seen, this is the cutest !"
Nidoran glowed with pride and squeaked as Ash’s mom lovingly scratched behind his ears. Ash raptly watched and absorbed every detail, intent on growing just as comfortable with his new partner. No doubt the Pokédex archives had plenty of care manuals, but his mom made it look so easy!
“I know, I know!” Ash said, blushing a little. “But I just saw what his poison could do. He knocked out Gary’s Squirtle!”
“Cute and a mighty warrior?” She cooed to Nidoran, who perked up even further at the new praise. “You’re the whole package!”
“Isn’t he?”
“So Gary picked Squirtle, did he?” His mom hummed to herself as she drowned Nidoran in more adoration. The little poison-type was soaking it up like a Bellossom did the sun’s rays. “Who were the other two rookies this year? Amelia and…oh, what is his name…”
“Jonathan!” Ash supplied. “He got Charmander and Amelia picked up Bulbasaur. I’m actually going to be setting off with them in a bit! We’re going to travel together.”
She perked up and set Nidoran down by Ash’s feet. The little poison-type sighed despondently as she disappeared into the kitchen.
“Oh, that’s just lovely! I’m glad you won’t be entirely on your own. I know, I know,” his mom cut Ash off before he could protest. “You did wonderfully on your exams and I’m sure you’ll do even better out in the field, but it’s a mother’s job to worry!”
Ash grumbled at that and shared a look with Nidoran. “We’d be fine on our own, right?”
Nidoran sharply nodded, all bravado despite his tiny frame.
He seemed to be listening for something, with the way his ears twitched, but Ash figured the little creature might just be a little paranoid. Ash needed to read more about his species and get to know him better.
After a few minutes, his mom emerged with a sealed plastic container and handed it to him. “Leftovers from breakfast. It should last a day or two on the road; one last thing to tide you over for your first day.” She smiled. “You might miss home a little more when you’re stuck with trainer meals!”
“Thanks!” Ash knelt down and unzipped his backpack, placing the container into one of the small, insulated compartments within where it would stay relatively cool, and while he was at it double checked to make sure it had everything he would need.
Food for himself and his pokémon? Check.
Travel-ready water bottle? Check.
A map of the local area? Check.
Rope, camping gear, and potions? Check.
A few other things sat within the bottom and side pockets— smaller, less vital, but still useful things—but Ash didn't look at those yet. He had all the necessities and anything else he could buy at Viridian City.
Now all that was left was to say goodbye to his mom.
Ash turned to her, but before he could say anything she had wrapped him in a crushing hug. He sputtered, and thought that his ribs might crack if she squeezed any harder, and when his mom finally let go he gasped for air.
"I love you. I’m so proud of you. You’re going to do amazing. And stay safe ," she ordered firmly, more fire in her eyes than she showed to unruly customers at the diner. Ash thought that he could also see tears there, catching the light in a different way, but she pushed him out of the door, Nidoran darting at his heels, before he could look closer. “Save the Viridian Gym for last, you hear me? Just like we agreed. I’ve heard the Viridian Gym Leader doesn’t take it easy on rookies.”
Normally that would just make Ash want to face the Viridian Gym Leader even more , but every aspiring trainer in Kanto knew better than to take Leader Giovanni lightly. He didn’t coddle challengers, and was particularly vindictive towards trainers who challenged him recklessly.
There were horror stories about those who had.
Ash—now a trainer on his journey in truth—waved at her in goodbye until he was two houses down the road. Then, when he was finally out of sight of the house, he looked at Nidoran.
“Race you?”
Nidoran took off ahead of him on his stubby little legs with surprising swiftness. How was he so fast?!
Ash laughed and started off himself. Despite Nidoran’s rapid pace, Ash quickly surpassed his new friend with his longer legs, so he made sure to slow down until they were keeping pace with each other until they made it to the gate that separated Pallet Town from Route 1.
Ash saw Jonathan and Amelia waiting on him not far onto the road, and as they ran up to join them, both trainers assessed Nidoran with blatant curiosity
Amelia was first, always a little quicker on the draw than Jonathan. "Is that a Nidoran? That's so cool! I didn't even know the Professor offered them to starting trainers."
She knelt down to examine him closer, but Nidoran looked uncomfortable under the attention and sat down on the soft dirt close to Ash’s ankles. The small poison-type scratched his ear with one of his overdeveloped hind legs as he attempted to ignore the attention Amelia drowned him in.
Jonathan, thankfully, had a one-track mind. “Wow! Those barbs look nasty. What techniques does he know?” The stocky boy babbled before Ash could get a word in. “Charmander’s awesome! He knows Ember, and I’m going to try to teach him Smokescreen to start off with! It’s supposed to be a pretty easy technique to learn!”
“And useful,” Amelia muttered, a little put out that Nidoran didn’t seem too interested in making friends. She stepped back to Bulbasaur, who calmly met Nidoran’s beady eyes. “That’s the sort of technique that can give you an edge.”
It only took a moment to inform his new traveling companions of Nidoran’s current abilities—similar to Charmander and Bulbasaur, it was mainly just a core set similar to many young pokémon—but Confusion drew their attention.
Ash just grinned proudly down at Nidoran as he shyly hid behind Ash’s legs.
“A psychic ability?” Amelia perked up. “I didn’t even know Nidoran could learn those! Not without a ton of training, anyways.”
“Maybe he can teach Charmander!” Jon pointed down at Charmander, who yawned before shaking its reptilian head lightly. “Or maybe not.”
“I don’t think it works that way,” Ash said. “But isn’t Nidoran awesome? Maybe he can show off a bit. Who knows? If we work hard enough, then maybe Charmander or Bulbasaur will start to tap into their own psychic potential!”
Jonathan nodded fervently. “That sounds awesome! But we need to get on the road—my mom said she made it to Viridian City in three days, and I want to beat her record!”
Amelia grinned. “Three days? My sister said it’s a cakewalk. Let’s try for two.”
Ash laughed and fell behind the two with light steps as they traded advice they’d gotten from their parents, listening with interest and sharing his own knowledge where possible. Professor Oak had taken him and Gary out a few times in the past, usually under the guidance of the Professor’s cheerful Arcanine or wise Alakazam, and these weren’t exactly unfamiliar roads.
With sunlight burning, and their new partners at their side, they set off down the worn dirt road of Route 1, eager to venture out into the world.