Loyal to the Game [Pokemon Fanfic]

The Hurricane Called Ash

Ash Ketchum, pokémon trainer to be, woke up and cursed as she saw the time. In a blur, she ran out of her house and hurried to Professor Oak’s, ready to begin her pokémon journey, threading a slender hand through her short, dark hair in agitation and panic.

She was sixteen after all. She’d been waiting forever to finally go out and go on a pokémon journey, hoping to catch as many pokémon as she could and become the best Pokémon Master in history. She would never give up until she realized her dream.

In the meantime, her mother blinked at her daughter’s exit, wondering why she had gone out in her sleepwear. It was rather cold out to be wearing a tank top and pajama pants. Delia Ketchum just shook her head, red hair flying as she smiled wryly to herself.

With Ash, she had just burst through Professor Oak’s lab, eager to get her starter pokémon and then get on her way onto her travels. The elder man, who saw the girl as a niece, was thoroughly confused but smiled at her anyway.

“Professor! Do you have any pokémon left?” Ash asked, out of breath and hunching over as she tried to regain it. 

The problem came to hand. “Oh dear, the last one just went right out. I’m sorry, Ash. Unless…”

Ash’s face had dropped until the professor thought of something. “What is it, Professor?”

“Well, there’s a Pikachu out back…but it won’t let anyone near it. What do you say? Want to give it a try?”

Ash beamed, “You’ve got it!”

The girl followed behind the professor, grinning from ear to ear. She was going to have a Pikachu for a starter! She knew a Squirtle, Charmander, and a Bulbasaur were the actual choices given to those of the Kanto region, so this was a rare chance and opportunity for her.

“I must warn you, Ash. This one doesn’t like company. The other trainers who tried to get the pokémon to accept them had very little success. Meaning they were fried,” Oak whispered conspiratorially the last part to her, causing her to giggle. Her smile died off and she turned a little quiet, asking the next question with an almost unnoticeably subdued air.

“Did…did Gary leave already?”

“He left a couple hours ago…”

“Oh.”

She pushed down the negative feelings and focused on Gary’s leave differently. Ash had also hoped to beat the professor’s grandson out of Pallet Town and get a head start over the other. However, she just had to wake up late…

Pouting a little at not being able to show Gary that she was serious about being a trainer and that she wasn’t some weak wannabe, Ash followed Oak with a little less enthusiasm. She brightened up once they were in the back, seeing all kinds of pokémon milling about.

There was the Pikachu, all alone. Whenever another pokémon tried to approach it, Pikachu sent an electric bolt at it. It helped keep them all away. It was solitary.

Ash blinked and momentarily felt uncomfortable, before shoving that feeling down and also her own sense of loneliness.

“Well, go ahead and try. Be careful,” Professor Oak said, further breaking her out of her odd mood.

Ash nodded eagerly, already transfixed with the electrical mouse pokémon.

“Hey there. My name’s Ash,” she whispered, staring straight at it with a small smile.

The Pikachu sent a shock at her, but she dodged quickly and darted over to it, rubbing its head tenderly. A purr erupted from its mouth before Ash backed away. Pikachu followed after her, jumping happily into her arms and rubbing its head against her face. It felt safe…happy with her. There had been…an instant connection…