This was actually inspired by a great pokemon fic titled ‘A Better Mousetrap’. I only wish I had written it myself, but… anyways, there ya go. Well, I think it has nothing in common. Still, just in case anything carries over.

Disclaimer: Oh, I want to own pokemon! *Looks around for a shooting star to wish on* Anyways, Destiny, new pokemon, Triple Guardianship, etcetera, are my property, but Nintendo owns pokemon. This fanwork is non-profit, non-copyright infringing, and it’s mine since I wrote it.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon speech. I made Charlotte Ash’s older sister in this fic, 4 years older.

Timeline: AU Indigo League

Ages: Ash is 13, Charlotte is 17

Emerald the Serebii: Yay! This is humor! I finally arrive as a muse!

Phantomness: Parts of it are humorous, yes.

Emerald: *cheers*

Phantomness: Looks at Serebii… ah.

Lance: *Hmm…*

Prologue/Chapter 1: The path begins

“Ash.”

The sleeping boy stirred and gripped his blankets more tightly in his fists, not letting go of them.

“Ash.”

There was still no reaction from said boy, as he was still asleep. Or, he was faking it rather well.

“Ash! If you don’t get up right now, Professor Oak won’t have any starter pokemon left and you’ll have to wait another year! Also, you won’t get any birthday presents either.”

There was still no response. Dead to the world.

Charlotte sighed, released her Flareon, and set the bed on fire.

“YEOW!”

Ash jumped awake in seconds, as the flames died down. “Aneki!!! What did you do that for?”

“Baka! I came back from my travels for a month to celebrate your birthday and you’re sleeping in on this big day? Do you want Gary to get the first starter pokemon?”

“Eek!” Ash said, flinging on whatever clothes came to hand first and dashing down the stairs. He ran all the way to Oak’s lab in his socks, not even bothering to put on a pair of sneakers.

Delia sighed. “Well, hopefully he’ll be back soon.”

Charlotte nodded and suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to wrap Ash’s birthday present, so she headed upstairs to do so.

Ash was winded and gasping for breath by the time he had made his way to Oak’s lab, almost half a mile away on the top of a very steep hill. He rang the doorbell, and promptly collapsed against the door.

“Hello?” Oak asked, opening said door, and causing Ash to fall on top of him.

“Hi professor Oak! Can I get my starter pokemon?”

“Certainly.” Oak said. “Wait here. I’ve got a special one for you.”

“Really?”
“Yes.” Oak said. * It’s rare that I get any requests from Indigo… *

After a few minutes, he returned with a green-and-white poke ball with one red stripe on it. “Here you go.”

“Thank you!” Ash cheered. Oak quickly handed Ash the poke balls and pokédex, before he shooed him out of the lab, eager to get back to his Internet browsing.

*Cough, cough*

As Ash trooped down the hill, he paused to check which pokemon he had gotten. Opening the poke ball, he discovered that it was a pokemon he had never seen before.

“Wow…”

Pulling out the pokédex, which identified itself as Dexter in a strange nasally voice, the pokédex beeped out the pokemon’s status.

“Natu.” The pokédex beeped. ‘It is extremely good at climbing tree trunks and

likes to eat the new sprouts on the trees.”

“How cute!” Ash said, as the Natu perched on his shoulder and blinked at him quizzically.

“Natu?”

Ash hugged the cute little pokemon as its bright blue eyes stared into his, making him feel strange, before something spoke in his head.

< Hello? >

Ash jumped. < Who’s there? >

< It’s me. On your shoulder. Who else would it be? >

< Natu? >

< Hello, my trainer. Ash, right? >

< How’d you know my name? >

< I bonded us. I’m reading your mind right now. > Natu said quite calmly as Ash blinked.

< Oh. >

Ash began walking home, with Natu occasionally interspersing a few words in his thoughts, which mainly consisted of the coolness of the situation.

When Ash returned home, his mom was waiting with a hot breakfast, and that afternoon, all his relatives and friends came to say hi.

< Hello, Ash. > A voice spoke.

< Cousin Sabrina! > Ash replied, glad that his new bond with Natu gave him some limited psychic powers.

< Well, I didn’t know you were psychic. Happy birthday. > Sabrina said, breaking her cold exterior long enough to give him a hug.

Ash beamed.

Sabrina’s parents quietly waved.

“Hey, you didn’t forget me, did you?” Another voice asked.

“Erika!” Ash grinned. “How’d you get away from your gym?”

“I had Victreebel barricade the door.” Erika said. “Even I need a break once in a while.” She ruffled Ash’s hair. “Besides, I didn’t want to miss the big day.”

Ash grinned.

A few more trainers, mainly Delia’s old school friends, were also gathered in the house. They quietly drank their coffee and wished him happy birthday softly.

But at least they brought presents!

Ash happily handed out slices of thickly frosted double-chocolate cake and smiled at the small pile of presents. He sat with the three girls outside, as they chatted a little and drank freshly made lemonade on the porch swing.

“Aren’t you going to open your presents?” Delia called from the house.

“Hai!” Ash replied. He smiled, and headed towards the bright cascade of gifts.

The first was from some distant uncle; it was a pair of black fingerless gloves that went up to his elbows. Quite useful, and they weren’t pink, at any rate.

The second was just a large stack of dollar bills. Ash’s eyes widened as he stared at the wealthy businessman sitting on the couch; who just laughed and waved it off.

The third was from Sabrina, and as Ash took off the wrapping paper he could feel a sense of anticipation running through his blood, although of what he did not know.

< I hope you like it. > Sabrina spoke.

Ash nodded and silently opened the small box. Inside, sat another poke ball.

“A pokemon?”

< Open it and you’ll see. > Sabrina chided gently.

Out popped a sleek, black-furred cat with sapphire eyes. It stared at him softly, before going to sleep in his lap.

< I don’t train dark pokemon, but I caught this little one a few months ago, and it would be a waste to let it go, so… >

Ash didn’t say anything, but hugged Sabrina tightly.

< I guess you like it then. >

< Yes! Thank you so much, Sabrina oneechan! >

Erika’s gift turned out to be a very tasteful selection of cologne. Ash thanked her politely, although he wasn’t sure why he would need it.

His mom gave him a brand new underwear selection, although Ash certainly was a tomato as he opened it in front of strangers.

Charlotte’s present was another pokemon, a fire-type of course. Ash smiled as the little Cyndaquil sneezed and yawned in his lap.

How cute!

A few books and clothes came from the remaining trainers, and it was a very happy Ash who went to bed that night.

It was fine with him.

Life seemed to be starting off well, didn’t it?

Too bad the path of a trainer is never that smooth. Luckily, there are waves around that.

Oil can smooth out a bumpy road, but is that safe?

Weeds can grow and choke a path, but maybe its safer that way.

Ah… life is so unpredictable.

Let’s begin.

End Chapter!

Starts out kind of like New Trainer fic, doesn’t it? *Laughs* I’m going to see if I can write Ash’s revised journey in that form, its an experiment.

Anyways, review.

Created 10/22/03, completed 2/28/04