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Master Quest: Beginnings

potat_lasaro

I'm kind of alive
Following a devastating event six years prior, the Pokemon League has enforced reforms that require anyone who wants to be a professional trainer to attend a League sponsored school and graduate from it. Can Ash Ketchum manage to graduate though? Follow along as this rookie trainer spends his freshman year overcoming rivals, villainous teams and even himself. AU
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Welcome, for those of you who know me, welcome back to a new story by me and thank you for clicking on the story. For those who don’t, thank you for giving this a shot. Now, it’ll be a little different than my previous story with this being in an AU completely different from the anime, but hopefully you’ll all enjoy it anyways since there’s a lot in store for it. Anyways, enough of this, time to get into the first chapter.

Without further ado, I welcome you all to Master Quest Book 1: Beginnings

Ch 1: My Name is Ash Ketchum!​
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“The world before us has not always been the same, changing over the past thousands of years from what were dark times in our history. Wars raged on and soon, creatures with heightened abilities emerged from the aftermath; creatures that were able to fit in devices that broke them down to microscopic levels. Pocket monsters, or commonly known in today’s world as Pokémon,” a voice continued on, the owner being unseen as those listening on began to grow bored. The heat in the room was making it almost unbearable to be cooped up any longer.

The classroom wasn’t large, rather a small room consisting of a chalkboard, five desks (four for students and one for the teacher) and a large glass window that showed the outside where hundreds of Pokémon roamed the fields of the laboratory. The students wished they were the ones on the outside, but knew that after today, their own personal adventures would be beginning. One such student, however, took it a step further, deciding to take a nap at the apex of the lecture, his light snores filling the ears of his classmates but luckily avoiding his teacher.

Sitting at his desk, young, twelve-year old Ash Ketchum began to doze off, the lecture of his final class beginning to get to him. He had never been the best student, but was always decent enough to skate on by the skin of his teeth. However, today’s final lecture on the history of Pokémon was proving to be too much for him. He was more about taking action, not taking notes and it was showing today. Placing his head onto his desk, the Pallet Town native had fallen into a deep sleep, his teacher, Professor Oak, not even noticing at the time.

After today, I’ll be able to choose my very own Pokémon partner. I’ve already got it all planned out, Squirtle is my first choice since Water-Types are really versatile in battle, Ash thought to himself, the Water-Type appearing onto a battlefield next to him. The duo stared down a rather imposing Golem, the Rock and Ground-Type using a Rollout attack, Squirtle dodging it easily by firing a Water Gun at the ground, the Water-Type gliding right over its opponent before launching off a Water Gun attack. The blast landed on Golem, weakening it to the point where Squirtle finished its opponent off with a powerful Tackle attack.

“Alright...we...we did it, Squirtle,” Ash mumbled out, a small amount of drool pooling on his desk, the other classmates noticing him sleep now, one of them finding the situation hilarious.

“Looks like, Ashy-Boy is already dreaming about being a trainer before even passing the exam. He should probably be paying better attention, though it’ll be too funny to see the look on his face when he fails and can’t apply to any of the other schools until next year!” Gary Oak, the top student of the small class whispered out, snickering under his breath. “It would be a real shame if gramps found out.” The brown-haired boy leaned back in his chair, arms rested behind his back while his grandfather continued on, mentioning something about a war in a far-away region thousands of years ago.

“Just keep that big mouth of yours quiet, Gary Oak. We’re all getting out of here today, we’ve all been in this class together for three years now and we’ve all planned on graduating together,” the young girl sitting next to him stated quietly, bopping him on the top of his head. Gary rubbed it for a moment, the girl glaring at him. “Open your mouth and you won’t hear the end of it from me.”

Gary just continued to rub his head, looking over at the girl before glaring at her. “Leaf, you didn’t have to hit me. Geez, I was just messing around. Besides, someone like Ash will never make it in the type of setting like a university. He’ll probably graduate and then wander the region trying to make ends meet by entering small tournaments or helping towns out. He’d never make it as a professional just like his father.”

At that moment, Ash seemed to stir from his sleep, turning his head from one side of the desk to the other before letting out a light groan. Gary stifled a laugh while Leaf glared at him, making sure that he wouldn’t let it escape his mouth and alert the professor of what was occurring. “I...I’m going to become...the world’s greatest Pokémon Master. Then...then I’ll be the number one ranked trainer. Yeah...number...one,” he muttered through his sleep, yawning at the end of his sentence before sitting back up. His eyes blinked a moment, hands rubbing away at his exhausted eyeballs.

“Is class over yet? I can’t wait much longer until I can start on my journey,” he stated quietly, fists clenched before pumping them slightly.

“Not yet,” Leaf replied, the girl pointing up to the chalkboard that Professor Oak was writing on. “We’ve still got the final exam to take and then we’ll be allowed to pick our first partners.”

“You have to pass the test first, something you’ll never be able to accomplish by sleeping all day. There’s more to being a trainer than just having battles,” Gary butted in, smirking at Ash before the two glared at each other.

“I’ll show you!” Ash began to cry out, only to be interrupted by Professor Oak, the teacher glaring in their direction before placing four tests in his hands and passing them out to his students.

“Now remember, this test will cover everything you’ve studied under me during these past three years and will count towards fifty percent of your final grade in this class. Those who pass, you’ll receive your junior trainer licenses which would allow you to continue on to a four-year school to get a professional license or just continue on your way as a trainer doing whatever you desire. However, if you do attend a four-year school, you can get a degree that would allow more opportunities for you as a trainer,” Professor Oak explained, picking up a timer and turning the dial until it was pointed straight up again. Placing the device back onto his desk, before sitting down. The older man then pulled out his book of poems, reading through them as time passed by.

I’ll show Gary, I’ll pass this test with a score that beats even Leaf’s! Now, question one. Based on what you’ve learned in this class, what three stones can trigger an evolution in a certain Pokémon. Bonus points if you can name the Pokémon. Ash read the question to himself, sweat beginning to form on his neck as he skipped the first question and continued onto the next. One by one, each question appeared to be harder than the next, ranging from what region did a war break out in, where only through the use of a deadly weapon did it end, to what part of Kanto are you most likely to encounter a Krabby.

Placing his head back onto his desk, Ash groaned in annoyance before seeing a smirk on Gary’s face. The despicable grin lighting a fire in Ash’s stomach, the young boy was not to be outdone by his rival. Lifting his head, Ash moved his pencil across the test, answering to the best of his ability each question. Whether he answered it correctly or not, Ash didn’t know. All he did know was that time was running down and the questions were only getting more difficult the further down he got. Finally, after what felt like forever, the alarm went off. Handing his paper in, Ash left the room and into Professor Oak’s living room.

“It’ll be great to get out of Pallet Town and right into Pokémon Academy!” Gary cried out, leaning back into the couch, Ash just looking at him while they all awaited their grades. It hadn’t even been five minutes since they handed their tests in, and Ash couldn’t believe that Gary was already thinking of getting into the most prestigious school in all of Kanto.

“And how did you get into Pokémon Academy!? No one from Pallet Town has gotten into that school once!” Ash cried out, even Leaf looking on in surprise. Gary merely laughing at their shocked expressions. “You’ve got to be bluffing, everyone from Pallet Town have gone off to either Saffron Community or just taken their trainer’s license and joined the Junior Circuit. Some are lucky to get into other schools, but it’s unheard of.”

“Yeah, Gary, even I’m wondering how you got in there. Your grades are slightly lower than mine and I barely made it into Pokémon University in Celadon,” Leaf joined in, the two of them finding it suspicious of their classmate to make it into the top school in the region. “There’s definitely a catch to this.”

Gary merely shrugged his shoulders, laughing softly before pulling out an envelope. Taking it from his hands, Leaf opened it up, Ash peering over her shoulder as they read the letter over, a frown forming over Leaf’s face. “Dear, Mr. Oak, it is with our great honor to be telling you that for this Fall Semester, you have been accepted into the Freshmen Class for Pokémon Academy. We here at the school cannot wait to have someone from such a rich background be joining us and continuing on the legacy of this proud school,” Leaf read aloud, Gary smirking the entire time.

“You probably only got in because of your grandfather,” Ash muttered, Gary taking his letter of acceptance back and placing it in his pocket. “There’s no other way they would accept someone like you into their school.”

“Sometimes it takes knowing someone important to get places in life. Too bad neither of you have any connections to get you into Pokémon Acade-” he began to say, Leaf slapping him in the face before yelling at the cocky boy.

“You knew all along that your grandfather could get you in! And never once did you think to have him write a letter of recommendation for me!” she shouted before huffing off some steam. Ash laughed to himself, Gary’s left cheek now bright red from the mark. “A letter of recommendation from the Professor Oak could have gotten me into that school, especially with my grades being better than yours.”

“Should have asked,” Gary responded, Ash merely shaking his head at the response. Ash didn’t know why, but Gary had changed over the past few years, growing more distant from them and constantly trying to put him down. It was starting to get frustrating for Ash, the boy having enough with Gary. He wanted to say something, but the sound of footsteps cut his train of thought off. Turning towards the approaching person, Ash began to sweat. Walking towards them was Professor Oak, their four tests gripped firmly in his hand.

“Before I reveal the grades to you, I would first like to say that it’s been an honor teaching each of you these past three years. To see you all come in, ready to learn on your first day and develop into the people you are today fills me with excitement for the next generation. I understand that some of you were better than the others in certain aspects of being a trainer, but I know you’ll all do an excellent job with whatever career path you choose to continue down,” Oak began to say, shuffling through the papers before looking at them. “Now, when I call your name, please head down to the laboratory where we’ll work on getting your junior license and first partner Pokémon.

“And how else would we end our final lecture than with Leaf receiving the highest mark. Congratulations, and may your success continue for you at the next level,” he stated happily, handing the paper to Leaf while saying a few words of encouragement to her before she walked down the hall. Ash watched her disappear down the corridor, his patience growing thin as he waited for his name to be announced. “And of course, right behind her was Gary. Listen, you and I both know you’re pretty smart, but you need to stop slacking off once you leave this class, the teachers at Pokémon Academy won’t be as laid back as I am.”

“You don’t have to worry so much, gramps. I’m gonna be fine,” Gary scoffed, reaching for his paper before walking down the hallway. Ash noted the lack of words between them, but realized that whatever had to be said would probably occur in private. Ash waited on, Professor Oak calling out the other boy’s name, Ash unable to remember it due to his lack of involvement. But even then that, it appeared he passed too.

Now it was his turn. “So, when can I finally leave on my own Pokémon journey, Professor Oak?” Ash asked, smiling up at his teacher for the past three years. The look on the professor’s face however didn’t look like what it had been for the others. Casting a slight glance at Ash, Samuel Oak sighing as he handed Ash his test back.

“I’m sorry, Ash, but you failed the final exam by scoring only a fifty-six. I can’t pass you with a score like that, you’ll just have to retake the class and hopefully pass next time,” he began to say, Ash shocked from his words. Dropping his test onto the floor, Ash couldn’t believe just what occurred, grabbing ahold of Professor Oak’s lab coat to keep him from leaving.
“There just has to be another way for me to score enough to pass! I just have to pass and begin my journey towards becoming a Pokémon Master! Not to mention what Gary will say once he finds out I was the only one to fail,” Ash pleaded, not wanting to be left behind by his childhood rival. “Please, I’ll do anything! I’ll even...r-read!”

Scratching at his chin, Professor Oak seemed to be deep in thought. Almost as if he was seriously thinking about giving Ash a second chance, a way to better show he was ready to be a Pokémon trainer that didn’t rely on taking a test.

“Hmm...There is one test I could give you, but it is rather difficult. Passing it would prove to me that you are ready to gain your trainer’s license just like the others,” Oak stated, Ash filling with joy and excitement. If he could pass this one test, then he too would be going on a journey. “But first, allow me to go and hand out partners to those who passed. It wouldn’t be right to make them wait because of a make up exam.”

Ash just sighed at the remark, choosing to ignore it and just focus on what could possibly be coming his way. Watching Professor Oak walk down the hallway, Ash could have sworn he saw something fall from the older man’s lab coat and roll across the floor. Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, Ash moved over to the object slowly, seeing a stray pokeball laying on the ground.

“Huh? What’s a pokeball just doing here?” Ash thought, poking at the capture device. Causing it to roll slightly, Ash picked it up in his bare hands, cradling the device gently. “Professor Oak must have not realized he dropped this. Maybe if I bring it back to him, he’ll see how responsible I am and give me a trainer’s license.

“Though, it would be kind of cool to see which Pokémon is inside of here,” Ash stated, staring at the pokeball with wide eyes, wondering if he should push the button in the center. Listening to the conversation down the hallway, Ash could hear all three of them picking their partners and he couldn’t help but feel left out. “You must be feeling left out as well; your friends being picked as partners for those guys. Why don’t we spend some time together then,” he muttered, poking the button to release whoever was inside. In a flash of light, a small creature emerged.

“Pikachu,” the Electric-Type muttered before scratching behind his ear. The look in his eyes changed from one of confusion to animosity once he noticed Ash sitting across from him, the boy not noticing the change in demeanor as well. Ash was completely surprised to see a Pikachu of all Pokémon being held within the capture device, his body acting without thinking. Pulling the Mouse Pokémon into a quick hug, Ash soon found himself being shocked by a large amount of electricity. “Pipi, pikachu pi!” he cried out before pushing the nearby window open and jumping out it, leaving Ash in shock to what just happened.

“D-Did that Pikachu just run away!?” Ash shouted before covering his mouth, careful to make sure Professor Oak didn’t hear him. If news of this got to the professor, then there would be no way he would ever get his junior trainer’s license and then he would be forced to work at his mom’s restaurant for the rest of his life. He had no intention of doing that. Calming himself down, Ash picked up the pokeball and placed it in his pocket before walking towards the window.

Looking out it, he noticed that the wind was now picking up and black storm clouds were filling the sky. Ash noticed a few of the Pokémon that lived on Professor Oak’s ranch took shelter in the trees and bushes that were nearby, a crackle of thunder ripping through the area. Ash bit his lower lip out of worry for the Pikachu who had escaped the lab, the poor fellow was running right into what could become a dangerous storm.

“I can’t just leave him out there,” Ash grunted to himself, reaching down to pick up the pokeball that contained the rebellious creature. Looking at it, he noticed a small lightning bolt on it and wondered why just this one was marked differently from the others. Deciding it wasn’t important, he quickly threw the pokeball into his pants pocket before jumping out the window in search of that Pikachu. “Don’t worry, Pikachu, I’m coming to find you whether you want me to or not! I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you! Otherwise I’ll never be able to call myself a Pokémon Master.”
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Running across the open field, Ash looked far and wide to find any trace of the Mouse Pokémon. However, no matter where he looked, there were no signs of him at all. Not at the lake, open plains, or even the beginning of the forest. He had seen countless Pokémon, some he wished he could interact with, but none were the Pikachu he was searching for. Stopping in his tracks, Ash cast a quick glance into the forest, remembering just what Professor Oak warned him and the others about venturing too deep into it.

My laboratory is home to many wild Pokémon, becoming rather calm around humans and other species. However, there are still some who stay rambunctious and will not hesitate to attack. They’re usually found deeper within the forest, having chosen to stay separated from Pokémon who have warmed up to humans. They don’t take well to those who enter their territory. Ash merely gulped, wondering just what kind of creatures would be lurking in there.

“It doesn’t matter though. Even if there were the most dangerous Pokémon ever in there, I can’t leave Pikachu to himself! I have to find him,” Ash stated, turning his prized hat backwards before taking his first steps deeper into the forest. Feeling a few drops of water on his skin, Ash knew he had to pick up the pace and find Pikachu, a bolt of lightning striking further within the forest. Picking up his speed, Ash dashed through the forest, running straight through low-hanging branches as he did so. Catching his foot on a tree root, Ash felt himself go airborne, smashing his entire body against the ground before skidding to a stop. Feeling the pain surge through his chest, he stood up slowly, wrapping his arms around the injured area before looking at his surroundings.

“There’s a flock of Pidgey up in those trees...and...and some Rattata laying in those bushes. But no Pikachu,” he grunted out, kicking a rock out of frustration before pushing onward. The rain was now coming down heavier, mud and puddles of water now everywhere along the forest floor, Ash stopping underneath a tree to catch his bearings. Any other time, he would have loved seeing these wild Pokémon, but right now was a special case. He couldn’t waste time with these Pokémon. Looking down the path he came from, Ash could make out his foot prints in the mud. At least I know where I’ve come from he thought to himself, looking down a separate path and running for it.

“I’ll find you, Pikachu, I promise you that!” he shouted before kicking a rock out from in front of him. Unlike before, a Spearow flew right in front of him, his foot meeting the rock and sailing it right into Spearow’s face.

“Spearowww!” the Normal and Flying-Type cried out, glaring angrily at Ash. The young boy took one step backwards, tripping over his own feet before landing in the mud. Looking up at the angry Spearow, Ash watched on as it flew right for him, beak glowing white before he rolled to the side. Kicking up mud with his sudden slide, Ash watched as the substance splashed against Spearow’s face. The Tiny Bird Pokémon now blinded by the mud and unable to see anything as he lost control of his flight.

Spearow flew right into a tree before falling to the ground. Using this as his chance to escape, Ash stood up and ran further into the forest, the sound of Spearow crying out mixing with the now downpour of rain. Looking behind him for a moment, Ash could see not only the original Spearow (who somehow cleaned the mud from his face), but now its entire flock coming after him, their eyes showing off their anger towards a human being in their domain.

“One Spearow was bad enough, but now an entire flock!? I’ll have to lose them somehow,” Ash thought out loud, placing a hand onto his hat to make sure it didn’t fly off his head. Running into a small clearing, he took note of a small cave nearby. That’ll work for now he thought. Diving right into the rocky structure, Ash felt the skin on his elbows rip slightly, ignoring it in order to hide in the darkness of the cave. Laying in silence, Ash could hear the thunder outside scaring the flock away for the time being, even the Spearow were worried by the storm.

“At least I’ve lost those pesky Spearow,” Ash muttered before sitting straight up. Looking out at the open field, Ash could barely see a few feet in front of himself, the rain having become much stronger to the point visibility was almost impossible. Figuring that it would be impossible to find Pikachu now, Ash leaned up against the cold wall of the cave and watched the rain.
I hope Pikachu is safe, it’s my fault that he’s out here. If I didn’t let him out of that pokeball or try to embrace him like I did, he'd be safe. Stupid! I should have realized that Pikachu may not have wanted to be touched. he thought to himself, rubbing his eyes before letting out a light yawn. Escaping from the Spearow must have tired him out more than he first thought, his eyelids feeling much heavier than before. Fighting the urge to sleep, Ash saw what appeared like a spark of electricity coming from a nearby bush.

“I must be even more exhausted than I first thought. There’s no way bushes can shoot off electricity, my eyes are just playing tricks on me,” he yawned out, his eyes popping wide open as a second, much larger bolt shot out of the bush. Thanks to the blowing wind, the bush lifted up slightly, allowing Ash to see Pikachu holding tightly to its base, fear in his eyes. The Electric-Type appeared to have been in an altercation earlier, a few cuts lining his body while mud splashed all over his arms and legs. “Pikachu!”

Jumping up from his position, Ash ignored everything around him from the storm to the flock of Spearow having reappeared from their hiding place. Nothing mattered right now, not with Pikachu scared right now, if all he could accomplish was keeping Pikachu safe right now, he would be happy. He didn’t care for his own wellbeing, only Pikachu mattered in this moment.

“P-Pikachu!” Ash cried out once more, reaching the bush and bushing its branches aside to see the Electric-Type. “Pika...chu! Everything will...will be just fine,” he grunted out, the Spearow now pecking at his back, the pain shooting through him. The Mouse Pokémon looked at him in concern, having grown to not trust humans, yet here this one was. Risking his own wellbeing to help him out. Staying put, Pikachu merely gripped tighter to the bush, a sound of thunder filling the area. Ash’s body tensed as he prepared for the continuous assault from the Spearow; he would not allow them to get close to Pikachu even if it led to himself getting injured.

“I’m sorry about before. I was stupid and didn’t think about your feelings or how you would react to my sudden appearance. I got way too excited from seeing you; you looked so cool and I just wanted to interact with you, Pikachu,” Ash continued on, a few tears forming in his eyes, Pikachu looking at him in an almost concerning way now. “I should have given you space and...and allowed yourself to open up first. Arghhh!” he cried out, dropping to one knee as the Spearow's attack continued. “But, just remember this, Pikachu, I’ll keep you safe today! Nothing bad will happen as long as I’m here! Because...because if I can’t do that...then how could I ever say I plan to be a Pokémon Master!?

“So do your worst, Spearow, because I’m not afraid of any of you! I’ll protect Pikachu and defeat you all! I’ll show you what happens when you mess with Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town; a future Pokémon Master! I’ll fight you until the very end!”

“Pika?” Pikachu questioned, feeling a tear fall onto his face. Watching the human, Pikachu was shocked to see Ash turn away from the bush following his little speech. It appeared that he was already abandoning him only moments later. The Spearow began another assault, the flock flying right for Ash and Pikachu, though they seemed more deadest on the latter at the moment. Ash noticed this and spread his arms wide, the Tiny Bird Pokémon clamping their claws down into Ash’s sleeves. The pain rushed through his body, but he ignored it for now as he shook his opponents loose.

“You, Spearow think you’ll stop me!? Well think again! Because I’m Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and I plan to become a Pokémon Master! I’ll keep Pikachu safe even if it means the end for me!” he shouted out, ripping his jacket off and swinging it at the birds. He managed to knock a few away from himself and the bush, but his leg gave out on him, slipping on some mud as he landed on the ground. I guess this is how it all ends...

Out of the corner of his eye, a yellow blur dashed out of the bush, sparks flowing through its body. To his amazement, Ash saw Pikachu dashing in front of his body before releasing a bolt of electricity into the air. Using the torrential rain to help conduct his attack, Pikachu's blast shocked all of the Spearow, a large bolt of electricity shooting across the sky before exploding and traveling through the rain; the blast causing them to drop one by one until finally only the leader remained standing.

“Pika! Pikapi, pikachu!” he cried out, glaring at the Spearow before sending out a small shock. Spearow dodged the blast easily before diving at Pikachu with its wings glowing white. Ash couldn’t tell what was being said, but he could have sworn Pikachu sounded angry. He could only imagine why Pikachu would be upset, but in this moment, the young boy was worried more about the Electric-Type than anything else.

“Pi...Pikachu?” Ash muttered out, watching the Electric-Type duck underneath the attack before shooting off another electric attack, this time hitting Spearow in the back. The Normal and Flying-Type cried out in pain before shaking it off, the two Pokémon exchanging glares. Pikachu sparked his cheeks again, appearing to warn Spearow of what would be coming next, because the bird scoffed at Pikachu before flying off into the woods.

“Pikapi,” Pikachu cried out, scurrying over to the exhausted Ash. They were both panting heavily now, neither of them having been involved in something like this before. Reaching Ash, Pikachu licked some of the mud off his face before dropping to the ground himself, smiling at the thought that they were safe.

“You saved me, Pikachu,” Ash laughed out slightly, forcing his body to stand back up for the time being. “Even after everything today, you fought those Spearow off and saved me... Thank you. But now I’m going to finish my promise.” Picking Pikachu up into his arms, Ash weakly walked into the nearby cave and leaned against the wall before pulling Pikachu's pokeball out of his pocket. “You should really get in here and rest, it’ll help you right now. Especially in your condition.”

Pikachu wasn’t having any of it however, smacking the pokeball out of Ash's hand with his tail before snuggling up against the human's body, crying out softly. Ash merely smiled at the action, deciding to let Pikachu do as he wished right now.

“Alright, you win,” he joked, wrapping his dirty jacket around Pikachu to keep him warm. “We’ll both be cold and wet, but once the storm is finished we need to head back. Even if Professor Oak will kill me, he’s probably worried about us.”

The two soon heard a screech fill the skies, Ash worried that the Spearow were returning; there was surely no way they could hold those guys off again. Especially since Pikachu was drained of all his energy after that large blast. Glancing outside the cave, Ash was surprised to see the rain slowing to a stop, a beautiful rainbow decorating the sky above the forest.

“It’s so amazing...I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Ash muttered out, Pikachu agreeing softly as their eyes came into contact with a strange creature. A bird, or maybe a phoenix (Ash wasn’t sure, it could have been his eyes just playing tricks on him) flew across the rainbow, its body shinning with golden aura as it rained down beneath it and into the forest. Neither Ash or Pikachu could look away, one of the raining pieces of aura floating down towards the front of the cave. Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, Ash scooted over on his rear end, hoping that there were no Spearow waiting for him. Reaching the small glittering piece, Ash picked it up gently with two fingers, the golden dust dispersing to reveal a small feather made up of the colors of the rainbow. It appeared to sparkle brightly as Ash raised it towards the rainbow, but the Pokémon who left it was nowhere to be seen.

“Pikachu, one day I want to see that Pokémon again. That’s part of being a Pokémon Master, you know?” he began to say, yawning a moment as he stuffed the feather inside his jacket pocket before leaning up against the cave’s wall. “To meet every Pokémon and become friends with them. To learn about them...to...battle with them and grow together...” he finished, pausing a moment to yawn. His eyes fluttered shut a moment, Ash forcing them awake. “And...maybe...i-if you’d like...we could do it...together.”

“Chhaaaa,” Pikachu yawned out before falling into a deep sleep, Ash smiling at him before closing his eyes as well, the sound of the now slowing rain helping to relax him. He knew it was a crazy thing to ask, but after today (if Pikachu would have him as his partner), Ash knew there was no other Pokémon he would rather have by his side for the rest of his journey.
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“Where were you!? I was running all over the ranch looking for you! And during that storm!? You’re lucky to not be sick, or even worse off than you are!” Professor Oak cried out in worry upon seeing Ash with Pikachu in his arms. The older man had been running around like a madman looking for the boy, unsure of just what could have happened to him. “You never should have left the laboratory!”

“I understand that, Professor Oak...but I couldn’t have just left Pikachu out there. Especially since it was my fault in the first place,” Ash stated, holding his head low while handing the exhausted Pokémon over to the older man. Oak gently placed Pikachu onto a stretcher before motioning for Ash to follow him, the duo moving down one hallway, coming into a recovery room of sorts.

There were two strange looking machines in the room, six slots shaped for pokeballs were on them while a third machine was also present. This one was where Samuel Oak headed towards, placing Pikachu onto it gently before turning it on. The bed that Pikachu was placed on began to move, taking Pikachu into the machine and leaving the two alone for the moment.

“What you did was so immature I have no words to describe my frustration!” Oak began to say to out loud, shaking his head at Ash before laughing. Catching Ash's eyes with his own, the professor didn’t seem upset but instead glad. Glad that they were just fine. Ash had a feeling that Professor Oak wasn’t upset over what happened, but rather how much danger they had been through. “It reminds me a lot of your father, he was always a hand full around my lab, but the most important aspect is that Pikachu and you are just fine. Who knows what would have happened if the storm didn’t lighten up. You could have been killed.

“But that isn’t important right now. What is, is that you’re all right. And that even with Pikachu's injuries, he’ll make a quick recovery.”

“So I guess this means I won’t be getting a second chance to pass? And that you probably won’t even allow me to retry next year, not after this,” Ash replied, looking into the machine to see a strange substance used to heal Pikachu. Oak just smiled at the boy's interest in the Pokémon's condition. Even after just a short amount of time, he could still sense a bond between them, something he never expected to occur with this Pikachu so soon.

“Normally, I would not allow you to retake the exam, but seeing how you handled the situation today, it only shows that the League’s belief on a test is flawed. I’ve tried to get them to go back to the old way of how trainers start their journeys, but they believe this is better. But not everyone is a good test taker at all. And placing all their hopes on becoming a trainer on their ability to answer questions isn’t how it should be. Anyone who wants to should be allowed to become a trainer; especially if they have the heart and determination of everyone else. So much more is based on becoming a Pokémon trainer. The bonds that are formed between person and Pokémon, how they react to situations. Can they handle the pressure? Or do they crumble and leave their Pokémon to be hurt in the battle?” Oak began to say, placing his arms behind his back before pulling out a small, red, rectangular device.

“You see, it was only recently that a license was required due to an unfortunate accident that occurred in Celedon City about six years ago. Before then, anyone could begin an adventure on their tenth birthday. Now, one must pass these classes until the year they would become twelve with most expected to go off to a higher form of learning to become a professional and enter top tournaments such as the League Championships. It’s a confusing matter if I may say so, since you can enter the Junior League Championships by collecting eight badges from the Gym Leaders. The League seems determined to stay with this mindset though, however idiotic it seems. I think it only hinders many trainers. But you! I see a lot of not only your own father, but also Gary's dad as well. Whether that turns out to be good or not, well...time will tell,” he continued, Ash peering away from Pikachu to see the Professor's face.

“Ash, just what are your plans if you became a trainer? Would you continue an education to get your professional license?” This was what Oak wanted to know. Based upon the answer here, it would help make his decision an easier one to agree with.

Ash took the question in, appearing to think for a moment as the room grew silent except for the machine's occasional noises while it healed Pikachu. Samuel Oak only watched on in interest, waiting for an answer.

“Well, originally I planned to just go enter the Junior Circuit and rise up through the ranks. But after today I learned there’s still so much more I need to learn about before I’m even ready to compete there. I’d honestly like to try and get into one of those schools that the others entered,” Ash answered, Oak nodding to the answer, glad that it was what he wanted to hear.

“Hmmm, that is a great thought, Ash,” Oak replied, using his left hand to hold his chin, the other still hidden behind his back. “The others are all attending higher forms of education as well, even Cross, as stubborn as that boy is. I still find it funny that he came all the way here just to take part in these classes.

“But that isn’t important right now. What is, is the way you handled yourself in this situation. Despite the weather and a flock of Spearow, you risked everything to save Pikachu. That’s more than even professionals are willing to do. And for that, I believe you deserve to be given a trainer's license.”
Pulling the device from behind his back, Professor Oak placed it within Ash's hands. The boy remained speechless, just staring at the rectangle in his hands.

“This is what I like to call a “Pokédex”, a device that doubles as not only an encyclopedia on every kind of Pokémon native to Kanto but as your license as well. This is proof that I’ve agreed to pass you.”

Ash just gripped the device, opening the front panel to see his image on the front screen, all his information listed on it as well. Though, there was one section that surprised him.

“T-Thank you! I can’t describe how happy I am right now,” Ash replied, a ding going off to state Pikachu's recovery was now completed. “I’ll make sure to make you not regret this! But, why does it say I’m enrolled at Pokémon Academy? I never applied there!?”

Samuel Oak let a light chuckle escape his lips. Moving towards the healing machine, Oak removed Pikachu from it before placing him back onto a stretcher. Pushing him down the hallway, the professor motioned for Ash to follow him, the duo walking through the building.

“I felt that if you were to pass here, you'd still need a lot more teaching on what to do as a trainer and so I had pulled some strings and got you into Pokémon Academy. Though, I did the same with Leaf and Cross as well. It doesn’t hurt knowing someone so well known in the Pokémon community,” he stated, Ash merely nodding until they walked into the laboratory where all his researched was done.

“So all four of us are going to the same school...” Ash trailed off, Oak merely nodding until they reached the center of the room, a display case holding three pokeballs present. “But with only three starters, how will I have a partner?”

“Normally, a beginning trainer from my classes receives either a Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. However, with all three having been taken, I felt there was only one Pokémon that would be suitable as a partner for you,” he explained, his eyes slowly moving down to look at Pikachu, the Electric-Type now standing back up before it scurried up Ash's shoulder.

“Wait, you want me to become Pikachu's trainer,” Ash replied, wondering if he was the right person to raise it. “Are you sure that’s the right thing to do?”

“This Pikachu... He’s been through a lot. Most who have tried to raise him have been forced to return him to my lab, unable to get him to listen. So to see the way he’s comfortable around you proves that you’re the only one who could be his trainer. I’m hoping that you’ll be able to work alongside Pikachu and help him grow closer to other humans. He doesn’t want to stay here any longer, Ash. Please, take good care of him.”

Ash looked down to Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon nodding his head in agreement before nuzzling his face against Ash's cheek. The Electric-Type was making the decision, and no matter what it wasn’t going to be changed.
“Pikapi! Pikachupi!” Pikachu cried happily, the duo laughing while Oak watched on in happiness.

“Well it’s settled then,” Samuel stated, pulling out five small pokeballs. “As of today, you two will be partners, and I can’t wait to see how far you’ll grow together. Here are your pokeballs. You’re given five to begin with, but the school will give you as many as you need, free of charge of course.”

Ash carefully grabbed ahold of the small devices, putting them into his pocket before thanking the professor and leaving the lab in his excitement. Samuel laughed at the enthusiasm he had, watching on as Ash sprinted out of his house and down the hill back towards the rest of Pallet Town. He could only imagine what kind of trainer that boy would be, but he could tell it would be one to make Pallet Town proud.

Though, I wonder if he’ll ever figure out that bonding with Pikachu was the test. Granted, it wasn’t supposed to happen like that, but he still passed, Oak thought to himself, chuckling as he walked through his home. Turning around the corner, he was greeted by his grandson, Gary sitting in the living room with the tv on.

“What’s with the smile, gramps? Something exciting happen?” Gary asked, moving over so his grandfather could sit next to him. Taking the offer, the older man sat down, noticing that Gary had been watching. It seemed to have been a televised event of Lance defending his title as the Champion of Kanto, even if the title was outdated with the restructuring of the League.

“I guess you could put it like that,” the elderly man replied, having fun with his grandson's impatient attitude. If there was one thing his son passed onto Gary besides their natural ability to be great battlers, it was his impatience. “I just can’t believe that everyone is moving on, leaving me behind.”

“Don’t get so emotional, Pokémon Academy is only a few hours from here and once I catch a strong Flying-Type I can make the distance in under an hour. Besides, Ashy-Boy will still be around here, he was the only one not to pass. Even Cross, the guy with the rottenest attitude passed,” Gary stated, pulling out his pokeball containing his partner. “Though, even if he passed, Ash would be no competition for someone like me! I already beat Cross and Leaf after we received our starters, if Ash had one too I’d beat him too.”

“I wouldn’t get so ahead of yourself Gary. Never count your Pidgey before the eggs hatch,” Oak replied, Gary shutting the TV off before giving his undivided attention to his grandfather. “There will always be someone stronger than you. Just because you’re the strongest in Pallet Town doesn’t make you the strongest in Kanto, or at Pokémon Academy.”

Gary shrugged his shoulders before pulling an old framed picture off one of shelves. The man on it appeared to resemble an older Gary, only his hair was longer and he had a different necklace. Next to him stood a mighty Charizard. “My dad was the strongest in all of Kanto before relinquishing his title to explore. If he wanted to, he could beat Lance easily. Just like he beat Red! And if I’m going to continue the legacy of the Oak family name, then I have to be even stronger than Lance and take the title of Champion! My dad was strong, but he lacked the motivation to stay Champion; that’s a mistake I won’t make.”

Samuel Oak rolled his eyes at his grandson's words, the young boy not knowing the full story behind the reason his father stepped down. “Times have changed since then, Gary. Being a Champion isn’t what it used to be. In fact, I think even Ash could give you a good battle. Especially once you’re both at Pokémon Academy this fall,” Oak replied, a smile on his face as Gary seemed to react negatively to that.

“Hold on, how is Ash going there is he didn’t pass?” Gary asked, his eyes narrowed towards his grandfather, Samuel just sitting there silently. “And besides, I’m the only one going there, there’s no way Ash could get into a school like that.”

“Well he did pass, and he is going there. As are everyone else. I recommended him and the others to the school, all four of you will be entering this fall. I believed that all of you were more than qualified to attend that school. Though your recommendation was different than theirs,” he explained, getting back up and making his way out of the room. “Now, why don’t we get some dinner. You must be getting hungry after today? How about we celebrate with something special. I think some dumplings or maybe ramen would be a nice treat.”

“I’m not eating,” Gary replied, Samuel turning around to see him putting a jacket on, pokeball gripped in his hand. “I plan to beat Ash and prove to him he doesn’t belong in a school like Pokémon Academy but to be a worthless failure like his father was. I’ll make him wish he never got a junior trainer’s license in the first place!”

Professor Oak merely shook his head, never understanding this rivalry of theirs. Just a few years ago, they were the closest of friends, doing everything together alongside Leaf. Then it all changed when Gary lost to Ash at a mock battle when they were ten, his grandson beginning to act colder towards Ash. He always knew that Gary was a competitive one, but he wished that he could be a little nicer to Ash, especially since he never held any animosity towards Leaf or Cross whenever they managed to beat him.

“Gary, please don’t do anything, neither Ash or his Pikachu are in any shape today to really battle. They’ve both been through a lot. Let them rest up and enjoy themselves,” Oak asked of his grandson, but it wasn’t happening. Without another word, Gary walked out of the living room and for the front door, whipping it open as he walked out, a slight grin plastered on his face. “Gary!” he called once more but his grandson paid no attention, walking slowly towards the rest of the town, the setting sun casting an orange glow on it. Professor Oak could have sworn he heard a cry even he was unfamiliar with from a Pokémon, but was too focused on Gary to look for it.

“These two boys are going to be the death of me, I just know it,” Samuel joked before shutting the door. Once back inside, he made his way to his laboratory and pulled out a notebook. “Well, since dinner will have to wait, might as well make a poem.”

“Ash and Gary Oak

“Trainers now

“Rivals forever” he stated out loud, nodding his head in approval for the newest addition to his poems. He figured a haiku would be a nice one for today. Writing it down, he continued to think of others, time passing by quickly for him.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And that’s chapter one. Veers from canon immediately with a lot being changed. Though, what could have happened to force the League into having trainers needing a license? And what’s so special about this Pokémon Academy? Well, it’ll be explained along with so much more as we get further along in the story. Hopefully you all enjoyed it so far!

Anyway, the story will probably be uploaded once a week, though the rest is already uploaded over at fanfiction under the same name.
 

Cutlerine

Gone. Not coming back.
This is interesting. I admit I'm not really familiar with the anime at all, but I've absorbed enough from the internet to recognise that this is a kind of alternate take on the first episode, which is cool. You leave the big mysteries unexplained for now, which is rather good; I like the picture of a world where the old guard is still struggling to adapt to all the new regulations of the industry. I guess we'll have to wait and see how right Oak is in his criticism of the system, and I'm looking forward to finding out.

I also like that there are systems involved, you know? Often the League feels vague in fic, as it does in-game, but there's definitely a sense that there's some level of organisation here, some thought and bureaucratic direction, and I always appreciate that. It just makes a world that much more real.

If I had a criticism, it'd be that your prose can get a bit heavy in places – by which I mean that you cram a lot into some of your sentences. It's probably easiest to explain if I use an example:

Placing his head onto his desk, the Pallet Town native had fallen into a deep sleep, his teacher, Professor Oak, not even noticing at the time.

All this description shoehorned into the same sentence weighs it down and makes it hard to read. I get the impulse to weave in bits of information as you go along, but when you do it as much as you do here, it really does make individual sentences a bit difficult to get through. You also often have a surfeit of information within your sentences – like, you could just say that Oak hands out the tests, rather than that he placed four tests in his hands and then passed them out. Minor details like that can safely be left to the reader's imagination, so that you can get on with the story.

There's something similar going on with your dialogue – quite a lot of the dialogue in the first part of the chapter is overstuffed with extra information, to the point where some of it is transparently just there to fill in the backstory of the characters, and I think it's both unnecessary (you can rely on your reader's interest to take them a bit further than that without all the details) and makes the dialogue itself feel rather unnatural.

Sometimes your sentences are also a bit long and involved – again, I'll use an example:

The duo stared down a rather imposing Golem, the Rock and Ground-Type using a Rollout attack, Squirtle dodging it easily by firing a Water Gun at the ground, the Water-Type gliding right over its opponent before launching off a Water Gun attack.

I can see the sort of structure that you were aiming for here, but that sentence is long and uses that same narrative trick – “the X Y-ing” – over and over, with the result that it ends up falling a bit flat.

We haven't seen quite enough of Gary or Leaf to be certain of their characters, I think, but we get a good look at Ash, who seems earnest, naïve and foolhardy – which is fairly standard protagonist fare, but like it's entertaining enough, and I do like how you go about demonstrating his character. This is a kid who sees an electric-type being bothered by flying-types and decides I must shield it with my body! without putting in the second's thought that it would take to figure out that Pikachu isn't in any danger at all – and that's someone whose journey I'm kind of interested in seeing pan out, actually; he's got a lot to learn, and also, it seems, a huge melodramatic streak.

All in all, interesting stuff! Could do with a little polish, but definitely a respectable start. Keep up the good work!
 

ChloboShoka

Writer
I enjoyed reading the first chapter because it kept the pokemon essence well. I thought the way you wrote Gary's character was interesting and found the scenes where he's talking to Professor Oak pretty cool because of how Oak believes in all of them. Really puts Gary in his place.
 
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