Chapter 4 - It`s time

------------------------------------------Third person POV--------------------------------------

It was early morning in Pallet town as the sun slowly rose above the houses. You could hear the Doduo and Dodrio calling out that it was time to rise from their slumber. You could soon see people going out of their houses to work the fields or do other errands. This could also be said about the local pokemon as hey also started waking up to do their thing.

In a house near the edge of Pallet town there was a house. It was a simple two story house with beige colored walls and a red roof. It had a small garden at the front with a small white fence surrounding it. There was also a Mr.Mime sweeping the tiles going from the road to the front door. This was the Ketchum household.

In this house lived two people and three pokemon. The mother, Delia Ketchum. Widow and single mother to her son, Ash Ketchum, a feminine looking boy at the age of thirteen. The two lived with their three pokemon. Mr.Mime who helped Delia with housekeeping. Feebas, who was Ash`s first pokemon that he caught at the age of seven. The two were best friends and almost as close as siblings. There was also the youngest of the bunch. After finding an egg in the forest the same day he found Feebas in the forest near their house. The egg hatched a few weeks later and the result shocked all who were involved with this. It was a small shark looking pokemon with a black color around it`s body and had a red stomach. It has a fin on the back of it`s head and two oval shaped growths on each side of it`s head. This was a Gible, a dragon type pokemon which is rare in Kanto and their species usually reside in the Sinnoh region. This made Ash think back to what he was thinking the day he found the egg. It was most likely left behind by a trainer who didnt have the patience to care for a baby pokemon. After this Oak made it a habit for all trainers that enter Pallet to register as to make sure that they don`t just leave eggs or their pokemon behind like that again. Since Gible had that peculiar color scheme Oak also wanted to make some observations about why and how, and if there was any difference from normal Gible. It turned out that a few rare cases of the same had happened before in every region and they all found out the same. They had inherited a special gene from their ancestors who were said to be multiple times stronger than the ones found nowadays.

Ash spent many hours in the lab after he met his pokemon to learn more from Oak. A few months later Gary also joined as to not fall behind Ash whom he ridiculed on an almost daily basis. This ridicule was caused by jealousy since Ash was smarter and caught on faster than him, and the fact that Ash was more feminine than masculine. He always thought `Boys should look like boys, and girls like girls´. This also caused him to often have arguments with his grandfather professor Oak since he was more open-minded and supported Ash in his style of clothing and behaviour.

Gary was also jealous since Ash got his first pokemon before him and he couldnt understand the fact that Ash caught Feebas and was lucky in finding an egg. He always thought it was Oak that gave them to him. This also caused the mocking to worsen. However, since Ash had the mind of a 24 year old plus the years he spent in this world, he never let any of the things Gary said to affect him.

As for Ash, he learned all he could about pokemon care, training and more. During the years he had also changed. Over the years he grew his hair out to his lower back. It was pitch black with a few auburn stripes that came from his mother. He always occupied himself with either oaks teachings or spending time with his pokemon. Over the time he also completed a few quests such as helping a neighbor or around the house. This also helped in giving him a bit of money and sometimes items such as pokeballs, potions or berries that could be used in his pokemons food. He also used this method that the system made to feed his pokemon, making them bigger than others of the same species.

Now that Ash and Gary was thirteen, they were also getting ready to leave on their own journeys. Ash also took Pikachu into consideration since he knew that Oak still had him at the lab. This caused him to deliberately sleep in on the day of choosing a starter. Even though he already had his own pokemon, Oak still wanted Ash to take a pokemon with him from the lab.

We now go to that time.

----------------------------------------------End of POV---------------------------------------------------

As I opened my eyes, I could feel the rays of the sun hitting my face, heating it up. I slowly sat up stretching my body, getting rid of the stiffness from the sleep. As I finished, I looked at the clock at my bedside table and saw the time, I had about half an hour before Oak would have given away all the starter pokemon, making Pikachu the only choice. I also had a plan to make him accept me faster than in the original.

As I stood up from the bed, I could feel a tug at my pajama pants. I looked down and saw a little black pokemon at the height of a meter looking back at me. I smiled down at him and said, "Good morning Gible. Ready to start our journey today?"

"Sure am. New places, new food, ooohh ooohhh and fights, dont forget the fights." Gible said with enthusiasm in his voice. Since he hatched he started having some fights with the wild pokemon in the area. Though it was fine since this also caused him to gain some fighting experience.

I looked over at the large aquarium I had in my room where Feebas lived. I had this made after he got too big for the little pond in the backyard. "What about you partner? You´ve been patient and waited all this time for us to leave."

"I´m ready, just get ready so that we can pick up the third member of our little family." He said while swimming around. After our little talk me and gible went to the bathroom where we got cleaned up. Gible always went with me since it was easier for me to clean those places he couldnt reach. After cleaning up we went back to my room where I started to get dressed. I had chosen to wear some jean short shorts, black knee high socks a black t-shirt with a pair of black and white sneakers. After getting dressed I put my hair in a braid down my back.

After all was finished I went downstairs where my mom was waiting ready with breakfast.

"Morning mom." I said greeting my mother.

"Morning honey. Ready for the day?" She asked.

"Of course mom. This trip will be fun. Meeting new people, see new places and all the battles. This is what i have been waiting for."

"Then make sure to eat fast, professor Oak said that you should be there in 15 minutes."

"I know mom, but there is a reason for me to wait a bit longer."

"Oh? And what could that be?" She asked.

I put a finger to my lips as I said "Its a surprise."

My mother sighed with a fond smile. "You know, you remind me of your father when you do that whole being mysterious thing."

I looked up in surprise. My mom never talked about my dad. It was also one of the biggest mysteries in the original storyline. I thought to myself that I might be able to get some information out of her. "You never told me about dad, where is he? Or better yet, who is he?" I prodded mom for answers.

She looked at me solemnly. "Once you win your first league I will tell you all about him." She told me. This worked to motivate me to win the Indigo league even more than before, so I accepted the answer.

I finished my breakfast and made a beeline for the door and slung my duffelbag across my back as I started to leave. "I´m heading out mom. See you later." I waved as I left down the road with Gible hanging on my shoulder. He never liked the pokeball so I just let him be when it wasnt necessary. We walked down the road and waved at the neighbors as we passed. Pallet is a small town after all, so we all know eachother.

We made it to the lab after a fifteen minute walk from our house. I could see a bunch of people standing around the driveway and saw that Gary was walking with a bunch of girls towards a car waiting for him. He noticed me of course, but for once he ignored me and just drove off as he got into the car. After all of that people started to disperse, so I walked up the pathway to see Oak.

I opened the door and yelled out "Hey gramps, you here!!??" I could hear some noises further inside so I walked in and saw my grandfather figure tinkering with some tools making it obvious the reason behind him not hearing me call.

"Hey gramps." I said to him again. This time I got a reaction from him as he jumped a little and turned around to face me. It must have been a tough morning since he looked tired and his clothes were disheveled.

"Oh Ash. Good morning." He said with a smile.

"Good morning to you too. You look tired, had a lot of work or....?" I asked him.

"Ah no no, just some of the pokemon were acting up as they were being chosen. Speaking of which. You are a bit late to the chase my boy." He sighed out. I tried to play it off as it was fine so that he might come up with the idea of handing me Pikachu.

"*sigh* Sorry Gible, seems we were too late. No more family members until we find one." Was it manipulative? Yes. But was it effective? Hell yes ´cause this seemed to hit on Oaks heartstrings as he saw Gibles and my saddened expressions. This was also the moment where he finally got an idea.

"Say Ash. I do have one more pokemon I could give you. However, it is difficult to deal with and doesnt like humans very much." He said. Hearing this we turned to him.

"Really gramps? Can I give it a try?"

"Yes you can. Just be careful around it okay?"

"I promise grandpa." I said as I jumped and hugged him. He laughed it off and hugged back before we seperated. After that he took out a small remote and pushed a button. This caused the platform where the empty spaces for pokeballs were to shift around, revealing a pokeball with a lightning symbol on it. I knew of course what pokemon this was as I saw the show multiple times in my previous life.

I slowly walked up to the pokeball and grabbed it. I pushed the button after looking at it for a bit that caused the pokemon inside to be released. And as expected, it was Pikachu.

Pikachu looked around a bit before noticing me as I crouched down to his level and wrapped my arms around my knees. We looked at eachother for a bit before I spoke. "Hey there Pikachu. My name is Ash. Now before you say or do anything I want to tell you this is your choice, but Im going on a journey to discover and experience the world. I want to ask if you want to join my little family on this trip." I spoke softly to the slightly aggressive pokemon and looked at Gible as I said the last part. Pikachu looked at me as if I had grown a second head before speaking.

"Humans and pokemon cant be family. That is just facts, so why should I even trust you?" He said in a low voice. Even I had trouble hearing him. But I did hear him and smiled at him.

"We may not be related by blood, but thats not what makes family. Family are those you can count on and trust in difficult times. Family are those you laugh with, cry with and experience life with." Hearing this Pikachu looked calmer and more willing to listen.

"If you dont trust me, then ask Gible over there. I found his egg abandoned by another trainer and brought it with me. Shortly after I met my partner who is like a sibling to me, Feebas. Everything is connected, all because I decided to take a walk in the forest, because I decided to help a Feebas back into the water, and because I want to show you the same joy of a family." I held my hand out which made Oak go pale since he only knew Pikachu as an aggressive pokemon.

Pikachu looked at the happy Gible who was chatting with Oaks assistants. He then looked at Ash´s hand and slowly walked forward and grabbed it. Gible then joined them as they were getting ready to leave. He said goodbye to Oak and walked out with Gible on one shoulder and Pikachu on the other.

Ash didnt know it at the time, but just by saying those words to a pokemon starved for love, he had created a bond that could never be broken.