Title: Hajimaru
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: None
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #35, Change
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Warnings: None

Somehow, Ash Ketchum has never thought that he would be here. He runs the wet rag across the counter, eying a speck of dust with distaste. Pikachu snoozes from his basket above the sink, too arthritic to move, most of these days.

Who knew age would catch up with him so fast once he stopped journeying? Youth is in the mind of the beholder, or some stupid saying like that. He visibly winces as a junior trainer enters the store, the cheerful silver bell over the store giving off a happy ‘ting’.

“Hi!” The boy chirps. “How much is that Growlithe in the window?”

“He’s not a battler.” Ash says absentmindedly. He checks on the Goldeen in their tanks, admiring their pretty fantails. His once-upon-a-time-maybe girlfriend would have squealed at the sight of them. He dusts a few flakes of fish food into the water, frowning. He’ll need to change the filters tonight, if he has time.

“Oh.” The boy deflates. “It’s just that, I woke up late and I didn’t get a pokemon from Professor Oak, and I just need a starter! I’m going to become a Pokemon Master!”

He hesitates, before smiling sadly. He recognizes that spark of fire, the determination. “Wait here, kid.”

“Huh?” The boy asks.

Ash comes back, walking slowly. He places a single poke ball in the boy’s hands.

“Go get them.”

It’s the last of Pikachu’s great-great grandchildren, a little Pichu he just couldn’t bear to part with, but this boy – he will be a good trainer for her. He just knows it.

The boy is surprised, but he nods, and leaves the pet shop in high spirits.

Ash chuckles quietly, and waits for a new story to begin.

End Fic

Completed 11/24/07

Because I bet pokemon will end like Yu-gi-Oh! With another spin-off like GX! It’s just too big a money market to stop the anime completely…

Hajimaru = to begin, but it’s an intransitive verb, so it’s more like ‘It began’…