24Pokemon: Ash Ketchum's Rise to Excellence
Welcome to my latest story. Before we get started, I think it's important I tell you how I came up with the idea for this one. I was a huge fan of Kevin1984's story A Legend is Born and I always wanted to write a similar type of story where Ash is smart, aware of his aura powers and most importantly, NOT A DENSE IDIOT! But I could never come up with a good enough idea...that is until I played a Pokemon rom hack called Pokemon Dark Violet and this story is inspired off that game's storyline, so here we are. Now a few things before we get started.
1) A much smarter Ash.
2) Ash will have both his regular canon and non-canon Pokemon.
3) Ash will have far more fully evolved Pokemon than he does in canon.
4) FurtherShipping!
5) Ash's family will be more fleshed out than in canon.
And to answer the biggest question: Yes, Ash will have some legendary Pokemon on his team, but I want to be clear: The following legendaries will NOT or ever join Ash's team: Arceus, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Regigigas, Xerneas, Yveltal and Mewtwo. All other legendaries not listed here at least have a chance. If there's a certain legendary you guys want to see that isn't listed, leave it in a review. Now then, let's get started.
Ages of Main Characters:
Ash: 13
Leaf: 13
Misty: 16
Brock: 17
Sabrina: 18
One more thing actually. I'm not sure if Misty will be in the main group for long as I'm thinking she will be leaving the group after Ash's Cerulean Gym Battle and I won't say when Sabrina will enter, but I will say that she will NOT be a romantic interest to Ash in anyway what-so-ever! Now let's get to the first chapter.
Chapter 1: The Start of a New Adventure
It was early morning in the small, but peaceful town known as Pallet Town and the Dodrio was shouting it's cry as the sun began to rise. Dodrio's cry was enough to wake up anyone who lived in the town...well, almost everyone as it seemed there was one person who could sleep through it. This person was one Ash Ketchum; a young man who had recently turned thirteen, which meant he was finally eligible to get his first Pokemon and start his journey. The young man would've preferred getting his first Pokemon when he was ten, however a month before his tenth birthday, the PLA changed it so that you had to be thirteen to receive your first Pokemon and become a trainer. To say a young Ash wasn't pleased to hear that would be an understatement; in fact, he had come close to actually swearing after the announcement was made, but stopped himself since his mother was in the room as well, but as soon as Ash got to his bedroom, he said every swear word he knew, though he said them with his face in his pillow so that his Mom didn't hear them. However, the announcement was really a blessing in disguise as he spent the extra three years studying many things, from the types of Pokemon out there, to battle strategies, to basic things he needed to learn for his journey like nutrition, medical knowledge and cooking, although Ash had many difficulties with the latter as the only thing he could cook well was noodles. He always had trouble with other dishes and with making Pokemon food; it was probably Ash's biggest flaw, but that never overshadowed the many things he excelled in.
The Dodrio's cry eventually ended as Ash was still asleep, but Ash's alarm clock went off soon after and the loud noise it was making was enough for Ash to wake up. He sat up on his bed and turned to turn off his alarm. When he did, he saw that it was 7:00 AM. He had to be at Prof. Oak's lab at 8:00, so he got up, walked to his closet and grabbed his clothes, a dark cyan t-shirt, a blue jacket with gold trim and white collar with sleeves and blue jeans. Before he left his room, he grabbed a pair of green fingerless gloves and his trademarked Pokemon League hat. He left his room and walked to the bathroom where he took a shower. About twenty minutes later, Ash walked out of the bathroom, now dressed and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. When he walked in, he saw his mother, Delia in front of the stove, cooking her and her son some breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast. Delia turned to see her son walking into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table.
"Good morning Ash. Did you sleep well last night?" she asked.
"Morning Mom. Yeah, I slept alright." Ash answered. Delia walked up to the table with plates in hand and took a good look at Ash.
"Oh, you look so handsome Ash. You remind so much of your father; a person who looks ready to conquer the world." Ash laughed a bit at his mother's comments.
"Well, I certainly feel like I'm going to conquer the world." Ash took a bite of toast before speaking again. "Oh and thanks for teaching me everything about treating Pokemon and attempting to teach me to cook." he said, which made Delia chuckle.
"It was my pleasure Ash. And don't worry about the cooking; I'm sure you'll get better." Delia said. Ash smiled as he got back to eating his breakfast. After Ash finished his breakfast and helping his mother with the dishes, he put on his black and white trainers and grabbed his green backpack, which contained the supplies he would need for his journey. He and his mother walked to their door. "Now Ash, make sure you brush your teeth every night, eat regularly, take showers whenever you can and remember to change your-"
"I know Mom!" Ash said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." he was about to open the door when his mother took him in a bone-crushing hug. Ash returned it and could've sworn he could hear his mother sobbing. The two separated and Delia wiped away the tears trying to get out. "I promise I'll call you when I get to Viridian City." Ash said.
"Alright Ash. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom." Ash opened the door and started walking towards Oak's lab. Delia just stood at the door and watched as Ash became out of her sight. She continued looking in the direction he walked towards and finally walked back into the house, but not without saying three more words.
"Just be safe."
It took Ash about ten minutes to walk up to Prof. Oak's lab and ranch. It really stood out in Pallet Town because of the wind turbine that was attached to the lab. Ash took a deep breath and was about to start climbing the steps that lead to the lab when a voice called out to him.
"Hey Ash!" Ash turned to see a girl running towards him. She was the same age as he was. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a red skirt, a baby blue sleeveless top with matching socks, red and white shoes, black wristbands, a red and white hat and a yellow bag. It was his best friend, Leaf Green.
"Well, it's about time you got here, Ms. Green. I thought I would die of old age before you would show up." Ash said in a over the top british accent.
"You're so full of it, Ketchum. I saw you walk up here no less than a minute ago." Leaf said. The two were silent for a moment before they busted out laughing. The two had been best friends since they first met each other back when they were seven and had never spent a day apart from each other. As they got older, they both gained a sense of humor and aside from when they were doing something that was important, they would always try to make the other crack. When it came to Pokemon, they stopped their jokes, but they always shot each other looks, which basically said 'I'm gonna get you when we get out of here' and the two got each other many times.
"Well, you ready to begin our journey?" Ash asked Leaf.
"You bet. I really can't wait for us to get on the road. The next Pokemon Master and the next Grass Pokemon Master travelling together." Leaf responded.
"Then let's go get our Pokemon." Ash said. The two climbed up the many steps that led to Prof. Oak's lab and knocked on the door when they arrived to it. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal a woman about twenty years old. She had light brown hair, green eyes and was wearing a purple shirt and a white lab coat, along with blue pants and white shoes. It was Prof. Oak's granddaughter Daisy. She was Oak's research assistant and second in command whenever Oak had to leave Kanto.
"Ash and Leaf. Come in. Gary and Grandpa are waiting for you too." Daisy said as she let the two in.
"Gary's here already?" Ash checked the clock on the PokeGear his mother had gotten him for his thirteenth birthday. "It's ten before eight. Would've thought Gary would show up fashionably late.
"Knowing Gary, he probably spent the night here so he could get first choice at picking Pokemon." Leaf said, making Ash snicker.
"Actually, he did." Daisy said. Ash and Leaf both had to stop and get the laughs out of their system before the most important moment in their life happens.
Upstairs, Prof. Oak and Gary were waiting for the two, but Gary was tired of doing so.
"Gramps, I'm tired of waiting. Can't I pick my Pokemon now?" Gary asked.
"You won't be picking any Pokemon if you don't fix that attitude of yours." Oak scolded his grandson. "They still have a few minutes. If they're not here by eight, then you can pick yours if you keep quiet." Oak said. The two then heard people walking up the steps and saw Ash, Leaf and Daisy.
"Here they are, grandpa." Daisy said as the two new trainers walked up to the professor.
"It's about time you two got here." Gary said.
"Gary!" Oak yelled.
"Alright. I'm sorry." he said.
"Good. Now that each of you are here, we can begin." Oak said as he first walked to a table and picked up 3 small red tools. He then walked to one of his machines and pushed it towards the three teens. He pressed a button and it showed three Pokeballs. "First off , it is my honor to present each of you three with the Pokedex. This will record all the Pokemon you come across, but it will only give you information on the Pokemon if you catch it. Daisy?" Daisy walked up to Oak and handed him three bags of Pokeballs. He then handed a bag to each of the new trainers. "Inside the bag each of you are holding is ten Pokeballs. These will help you capture new Pokemon. Keep in mind that you can only have no more that six Pokemon at a time, so if you have more than six Pokemon on you, then any Pokemon you capture will be sent here. Do you three understand?
"Yes, Professor." Ash said.
"Yes I do, Professor." Leaf said.
"You know I do, Gramps." Gary said.
"Good. Now Ash, Gary and Leaf, as you might have guessed, the three Pokeballs in front of you each contain a Pokemon. When I was young, I was a serious Pokemon trainer and over time, I became not only a very skilled trainer, but I became one of the world's top Pokemon researchers. But you three didn't come here to hear me babble, but rather you're here to start your own journeys as trainers and create your own legends. Now the three Pokemon you see in front of you were just recently hatched from Pokemon eggs, so they'll warm up to each of you very easy. You each get to pick one, but if it's OK with you boys, we'll have Leaf choose first." Oak said. Ash nodded his head, signalling that he was OK with Leaf going first, but Gary was not.
"That's not fair Gramps! I was here first, so I should choose first!" he complained. Ash just shook his head.
"Gary, why won't you be a gentleman and let the lady of the group go first?" Ash said.
"I would, if there was a lady present." he responded. Leaf was about to beat the ever loving crap out of Gary, but Ash held her back.
"Gary Oak, if that attitude keeps up, you won't be getting a Pokemon!" Prof. Oak yelled at his grandson.
"Yes sir."
"Good. Now let me show you three the starters." Oak grabbed the first Pokeball and opened it. What came out was a small dinosaur looking Pokemon with a bulb growing from it's back. "This is Bulbasaur, a grass/poison dual type." Oak explained. He opened the second Pokeball and out came a small lizard with a flame on it's tail. "This is Charmander, a fire type." Oak then opened the final Pokeball and out came a small blue turtle. "And this is Squirtle, a water type. Leaf, which Pokemon do you want as your starter?"
"I choose Bulbasaur." Leaf said. Bulbasaur smiled and jumped into Leaf's arms. "Hi there. I just know you and I are going to be great friends."
'Bul-ba, Bulbasaur.'
"Ash, since Gary has been rude, you may pick next."
"HEY!" Gary whined, but nobody paid attention to him.
"I choose Charmander." Ash knelt down to the fire type. "Charmander, would you like to come with me on my journey to become a Pokemon Master?"
'Charmander char!' Ash took that as a yes and proceeded to rub the top of Charmander's head, earning a coo from the Pokemon.
"Well Gary, that leaves you with Squirtle." Oak informed his grandson.
"That's fine with me. Squirtle was the one I wanted." Gary walked up to the water type and welcomed him to his team.
"Now then, kids, I have another surprise for you three." The teens turned their attention back to the professor. "For being some of the best students I've ever had in my Pre-Trainer's class, I'm giving each of you an additional Pokemon." The three were shocked to hear that news.
"You mean we're getting another starter Pokemon?!" Ash asked as he and others were extremely excited of having a second starter.
"I'm afraid not, my boy. The PLA wouldn't be too pleased with me if I gave three new trainers two starter Pokemon, no matter who their parents are." Oak said, referring to Ash and Gary's fathers. "However, they have no problems in me giving you three a second Pokemon as a gift to start your journey as long as it isn't one of the starters and I've found a Pokemon for each of you that fits you extremely well." Oak dug into his lab coat's pocket and pulled out a shrunken Pokeball, which he enlarged. "Gary, since you chose your starter last, I'll give you your second Pokemon first." Oak said as he handed Gary the Pokeball.
"What Pokemon is it, Gramps?" Gary asked.
"Why don't you open it and find out." Oak told his grandson. Gary did so and opened it and out came a mammalian, quadruped creature with primarily brown fur. It was an Eevee. As soon as Eevee saw Gary, he jumped into his arms and nuzzled his chest. "I knew you've wanted an Eevee ever since you were seven, so I called in a favor from a friend of mine and he was able to give me a spare Eevee he had." Oak explained.
"Thank you, Gramps. You are so awesome." Gary said as he gave his grandfather a one arm hug since he still had Eevee in his other arm.
"You're welcome Gary. Just take good care of that Pokemon, otherwise my friend will kick your butt all over the place." Oak said, but then he chuckled. Gary laughed half heartedly, not sure if his grandfather was joking or not.
Oak pulled another Pokeball out of his coat pocket, enlarged it and handed it to Leaf. Leaf opened it and out came a a bipedal, rosebud-like Pokémon. It's face was yellow with small, slit-like eyes. It appeared to be wearing a green bib and had and triangular, stubby yellow feet.
"What Pokemon is this?" Leaf asked. Oak was about to answer, but Ash did that for him.
"Is that a Budew?" he asked the professor.
"Indeed it is. Leaf, I know that you want to be a grass Pokemon Master. I just happen to stumble across this Budew a few days ago and I thought you would love to have this Pokemon join you."
"Oh, it's so cute. Thank you Professor, I absolutely love it." Leaf knelled down to meet Budew. "What do you say Budew; do you want to join me?"
'Budew!' Budew jumped up happily. Leaf returned Budew to it's Pokeball and put it inside her bag. Oak pulled the last Pokeball from his coat pocket and enlarged it. The group noticed there was a small lighting mark on it.
"Now Ash, I must admit that I'm a little hesitant to give this Pokemon to you. I only caught this Pokemon yesterday and it is quite feisty and had a bad temper, but I know you like challenges, so here you are." Oak handed the ball to Ash. Ash opened it and what came out was a big yellow mouse. It had red cheeks, brown strips and a tail shaped like a lighting bolt.
"A Pikachu?" Leaf said. Ash knelled down to get a better look at the electric type when Pikachu started letting sparks out of it's cheeks. The others took a few steps away, but Ash stayed right where he was.
Ash had to think about what he was about to say, otherwise he was probably going to get a good charge of electricity into his body. "Hi there Pikachu." he said. Pikachu didn't let it guard down. "You know, you look like a really cool Pokemon and you have plenty of spunk. I like that in a Pokemon." Pikachu just looked at the human in front of him completely shocked. All the other humans in the room had stayed clear from him in fear, yet this boy hadn't. "My name's Ash and I want to be a Pokemon Master. If you want, you can come with me and get strong alongside me and my other Pokemon. If you don't, then I'll release you out into the wild." Pikachu thought about it for a minute before extending his right paw out in a fist. "I'll take that as a yes?" Pikachu nodded as Ash and Pikachu fist bumped.
The others were stunned at how Ash had managed to befriend Pikachu so quickly, but anyone who knew Ash already knew that Ash could make friends with just about any Pokemon. He could probably make friends with an rampaging Gyarados, though they hoped that Ash would never have to try that. Ash was about to return Pikachu to it's ball, but the electric type shook his head.
"Do you not like being inside a ball?" Ash asked.
'Pika.' Pikachu nodded.
"That's alright then." Ash clipped Pikachu's ball onto his belt. "Climb up on my shoulder." Pikachu climbed up Ash's left arm and took his place on his shoulder, rubbing cheeks with the boy.
"Well, now that we got our Pokemon, I'm getting out of here. Gramps, Sis, I'll call you guys when I get to Viridian. Leaf, good luck with whatever you're doing and Ashy-Boy..." Ash turned to look at his rival in the eye. "Next time I see you, we're battling, so you'd better train hard."
"Don't be worried about me, be worried about your training." Ash responded.
"Whatever. Smell ya later." Gary said as he left the lab.
Leaf walked up to Ash. "Well Ash, you ready to start our journeys?"
"You bet. Let's get outta here." Ash replied. The two were about to leave, but the professor stopped them.
"Hold on Ash. I have one more thing to give you." Oak walked out of the room and a few minutes later, he came back into the room holding a case and inside the case was a dark blue egg with black stripes around it. "This arrived the other day from your Uncle. He told me to give it to you when you start your journey." Oak said, handing the case to Ash.
"Uncle Riley sent me this?" Ash asked.
"Yes. He said it was his birthday gift to you."
"Do you know what Pokemon is inside?" Leaf asked.
"Riley told me, but he didn't want me to tell you as he wants Ash to be surprised when it hatches."
Ash just looked at the egg with a big smile on his face. "Uncle Riley is so awesome! Professor, can you tell him I said thank you the next time you talk to him?"
"Of course, my boy. Now you kids better head out. After all, you don't want Gary to get too far ahead, now do you Ash?" Oak said.
"No way! Come on Leaf. Let's get out of here." Ash said as he and the brunette walked out of the lab and began their journeys. Daisy went to feed the Pokemon while the professor sat down at his computer, which doubled as a videophone. He called a number and after a few rings, a man in his early 40s with bluish gray eyes and black hair that was as crazy as Ash's hair style picked up. It was Ash's uncle Riley Ketchum.
"Ah, Professor Oak. What can I do for you?"
"Nothing, my friend. I just wanted to inform you that I gave Ash the egg. He told me to tell you 'Thank You'."
"I'm glad Ash liked his birthday gift. Ash is taking his first steps into a much larger world than even he realizes. But I'm babbling, aren't I? I'll let you get back to work, professor."
"Alright. Stay well, Riley."
"You too, Samuel." Riley hung up and looked out the window and looked at the sky with a smile on his face. His nephew was now a trainer, but he would need more than just the egg he'd given him to master his still dormant Aura skills. Luckily, Riley knew someone who could help Ash master those skills. He dialed a number on his videophone and after a couple rings, someone picked up.
"Hello, my friend. I need to ask you for a favor."
End of Chapter 1
So that was the first chapter. Tell me what you guys think and remember to leave reviews. The next chapter will see Ash and Leaf capture their first Pokemon and meet a certain tomboy trainer. So till next time, this is nWore signing out.