A Different Start

Chapter-1

Notes:

This is cross posted to my Fanfiction site under the same name as it is on here. A few things before you begin reading. Ash is older at the start of his journey than in cannon. He is 16 years of age. Ash will be a bottom in his relationships. He will also capture pokemon he had not during the cannon episodes. He will know or be taught how to use Aura since I feel like they really failed in using it to its potential in the episodes. If there are anymore details I'll be sure to address them as they come up.

Main Pairing: AshxPaul

Side pairing: AshxGary (One sided on Gary's part)

Rating: M (to be safe)

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon it belongs to Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, The Pokemon Company, etc, nor do I write this for profit. This is for entertainment use only.

Enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review!

I do want to thank everyone who has left a review so far!Today, he decided as he walked down a well worn path, was the day his new chapter in life would begin. He did his tests and passed the theory, written, and physical parts of the tests with flying colors. Then yesterday he had gotten confirmation that he could begin his journey. That brought him to today, walking down the path, to Samuel Oak Laboratory and Poke Fields.

Today he would get his starter and set off into the unknown to discover the lands for himself and also to discover himself.

He trudged along uphill to the front doors where he could see three other trainers that wold start with him. Two males and a female. One of the males had spiky auburn hair and black eyes, his name was Gary Oak, his best friend and rival for the past ten years. The other male was Alex Grey his neighbors nephew, he had blond hair and brown eyes. The last trainer, Eliza Holmes, a newer resident of Pallet, she had light red hair and green eyes adorning a freckled face.

"Ash!" he heard Gary call out and waved down at him once his rival saw him, "About time you got here! Gramps wouldn't open the doors until all of us got here."

Ash Ketchum, dark black hair and red tinted honey whiskey eyes, laughed as he met up with the trio. "Sorry sorry," he said as he put his hands in his pocket, "You know how Mom is." His Mom, fiercely protective of him, wanted to try and talk him out of going once again.

"Ah that explains it then," he said as the doors to the building finally opened. Standing there was a tall older man with greying blond hair and kind black eyes, this is Professor Samuel Oak.

"Come in! Come in! I bet you all can't wait to get on the road," he said as he ushered the four of them in. The layout was a simple huge room with a few closed off rooms for lab work, but the majority of the room was an open concept. As they walked in Ash looked around and saw quite a few pokemon he knew were not from around Pallet and became even more eager to get out there and begin to befriend them all. "Now, as we do have one extra trainer in this batch of beginners, I wasn't able to prepare another regular starter. I will have to ask one of you to stay behind to get another starter for you. Any volunteers?" he asked once he had to trainers stop in front of a machine that held three balls.

The fours stayed silent as they looked among themselves wondering and hoping someone would speak up. It seemed like each of them had their hopes up in wanting one of the starters. Ash took a deep breath before speaking up without looking at the other three, "I'll stay behind." He didn't let any emotion fill the words as he couldn't believe he had said them.

He saw Oak look at him then smile in pride, "Very well dear boy," he said as he gestured for the other relieved three trainers to the machine, "In each of these balls holds a pokemon. There is the grass type, Bulbasaur. The water type pokemon, Squirtle. And last, but not least, the fire type pokemon Charmander. Eliza, ladies first."