I know, I’m stealing one of Ace Sanchez’s plotbunnies since I can’t think of any on my own right now…
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. Do not take my work!
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Completely AU from the beginning of the T.V. series
Ash is a girl in this fic
Ash Ketchum = Ashline Ketchum
Started 11/12/04
Title: Pokemon switched
Chapter 1
The television was blaring.
“Now, my happy new trainers, this year, you can choose from either a Snorlax, a Krabby, a Shellder, or a Venonat!” Oak was saying happily. “Due to the overabundance of Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle, we’ve decided to offer more variety in starting pokemon! Please show up at my lab tomorrow no later than nine A.M. to pick up your first pokemon!”
Sighing, the girl pulled a blanket over her mother’s dead drunken form, clicked off the T.V., and went upstairs.
Leaving home would be great…
Ashline Ketchum brushed her stray black bangs out of her face. Yes, leaving home would be wonderful. She smoothed down the red and white vest she was wearing, a present from her real father.
The twelve-year-old girl just *knew* that when she was five, her *real* mother had vanished and left this stranger behind. Her *real* mother and her real father had both vanished and now she had a fake father and fake mother.
Her fake father was never at home. He sent payments every month, but nothing else. Sometimes she wondered if he was divorced. It seemed like it.
Her fake mother was always drinking. She didn’t hit her, but she was just… there. And so it was up to Ashline to keep the house relatively neat.
She wouldn’t do it anymore though.
She would be free!
Ashline had dutifully saved her money, but had spent some of it on useful camping equipment for her journey and pokemon items.
Now all she needed was a pokemon.
She couldn’t wait.
The next morning, Oak woke up at 6 A.M. to find Ashline waiting on his doorstep.
“You’re here already?”
‘Yes! I can’t wait!”
“Great. Nice to see you up early.” Oak said. “Well…”
Ash suddenly spotted a pokemon. “Professor Oak! Is that a-?”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly give you this pokemon!” Oak said, quickly snatching up the Eevee.
Ashline deflated. “I guess. Sorry.”
“So… which one of the starters would you like?”
“Not Snorlax.” Ashline said. * Why did it have to be this year of all years for that *stupid* professor to decide to not give out regular starters? *
Snorlax ate millions of dollar’s worth of food a year. She couldn’t afford it.
Venonat was a bug. It wouldn’t really be good at Brock’s gym…
Shellder and Krabby were both water-types, but…
Their stats really sucked.
This was *not* a good beginning.
Professor Oak went to get her pokedex and supplies. Taking the chance, Ashline pocketed a black-and-white pokeball she saw lying around, with ‘Experimental’ marked on it – it was filled, that was for sure, and hiding it in her backpack, before picking up Shellder.
Better one than none.
She cheerfully bade Oak farewell after leaving.
“Well, gang, we’re on the road now.” Ash said, as she released her Shellder. “Let’s see what you are…”
With a *shoom* noise, the experimental poke ball opened.
Ash blinked.
“Empty?”
The EX ball sucked Shellder in, before Ash could do anything.
“What a waste… thought I’d get two pokemon. Oh well. Maybe I can catch some more water pokemon around here…”
She had walked maybe ten minutes longer before a pokemon appeared.
“All right, a pidgey! Shellder, go!”
The experimental poke ball opened, but what came out was most definitely *not* a Shellder. For one thing, it was purple.
Ash blinked.
The pidgey was not as shocked and attacked her opponent with gust.
Ekans hissed.
“Um, Glare!” Ash said, blurting out the first move that came to mind. As Glare was in Ekans’ move set, the snake nodded and froze the pidgey.
“Great!” Ashline proclaimed, finally identifying her pokemon. “Now use Wrap!”
Pidgey’s HP started dropping…
When she judged it low enough, Ash threw a poke ball. “All right! I caught a Pidgey!” She grinned.
Ekans hissed. Yes, you did.
Ash hugged Ekans, much to the snake’s surprise. She had thought that humans didn’t like snakes.
Looks like this one was different.
The Shellder-turned-Ekans wrapped herself around Ash’s neck, necklace-style, as they walked on.
Soon, another wild Pidgey appeared.
“All right, Ekans, same deal!”
Then came a Rattata. Unlike the Pidgey, though, Ash did not bother to catch this one. “Rattatas are common after all…”
Besides, if there was one in an area, there was likely to be forty more, according to the pokedex.
Sorry, but she wasn’t interested.
Not at *all*.
As it were, Ash got through fourteen more Rattata before it was dark and they decided to call it a day.
“Well, Ekans. Good start to our journey together, ne?”
Yes. Ekans nodded, busy gobbling up the pokechow Ash had set out. Ashline grinned as she poured hot water out of her two-gallon thermos into a bowl of cup noodles. Yummy…
They both climbed into Ashline’s sleeping bag and slept well that night.
End Chapter
Completed 11/13/04
Ash: I’m a girl now?
Phantomness: *nods* Just in case I decide to do Yuri…
Lance: *wince*