Attempting to write another fanfic despite life’s hectic schedule and all that…

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon. It 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

Title: Stream of Change

Timeline: Right after Ash gets Pikachu

Ash is… 11, I think or 12.

Chapter 1

Professor Oak handed Ash the five poke balls and his pokedex. “Well, here you go, Ash. You’d better be careful with the Pikachu though.”

“Professor, are you sure this is all you have?” Ash asked skeptically. “This pikachu doesn’t seem to like me at all!”

“Sorry, Ash. The other pokemon I have aren’t suited for beginning trainers.”

“But this Pikachu doesn’t like me!” Ash protested. “I bet it’s a weak pokemon!” That was the wrong thing to say, because Pikachu whereupon fried Ash and ran off.

Ash lay on the ground twitching while the smell of ozone filled the air.

“Oh dear.” Oak said.

Pikachu huffed. How dare that human! She ran along and soon found another human, this one a female, fishing for water pokemon. However, she was so angry that she fried the woman as well.

The sizzling girl fell into the water with a *splash*, and several water pokemon floated to the surface. Pikachu shocked them all, still enraged.

Just then, Ash came running along. Seeing his opportunity, he threw poke balls at the water pokemon, capturing them quickly and efficiently, and then snuck back to Pallet before Pikachu spotted him.

In any case, Pikachu had blacked out from overuse of electricity, but Ash didn’t know that! It was still weak right now. No power-ups yet.

Ash’s mom welcomed him home. “Well dear, how did it go?”

“I caught a Poliwag, a Magikarp, a Tentacool, and a Staryu!” Ash bragged. They were legally his, since Pikachu had shocked them. Besides, there hadn’t been any other trainers around that he had seen…

“That’s wonderful, Ash!” Delia gushed. “I just know you’re going to be a wonderful trainer like your father!”

Ash nodded as he loaded the four poke balls into the healing machine built into the wall of his house. His father had bought it before he had gone off on his journey. Ash wondered where he was now, and what he would think.

He hadn’t heard from his father in… or, four or five years, he wasn’t quite sure.

Afterwards, Ash carefully headed into the field east of Pallet, not the field west which led to Viridian, and went to train his pokemon.

Tentacool had good attacks, but low defense. Therefore, Ash developed a strategy. Magikarp just lay there absorbing EXP. Staryu had pretty good defense, so it was in the front using Water Gun and Recover to heal whenever it got hurt. Tentacool and Poliwag, with lower defense, fired water guns from a distance.

In this way, they could take on four or five Rattata or Pidgey at a time. Ash stayed in Pallet for almost a week and a half, much to his mother’s secret delight. She would miss him when he left…

Magikarp still hadn’t evolved into Gyarados though. Ash sighed. Eight more levels to go…

He’d keep at it!

Ash headed out to Viridian City. He kept an eye out for the vagabond Pikachu, but didn’t see it. Good.

None of his water-types could beat an electric-type most likely.

Type disadvantage could not be easily overcome.

What to do?

However, on the route to Viridian there were no Pikachu. There was, however, a girl fishing for water pokemon.

Ash waved hi to her and then walked on.

Misty turned back to the water. How come she hadn’t been catching anything but Magikarp? How unfair! Wait a minute…

“Do you want to battle?”

“Oh. Okay.” Ash said.

“Great! I’m Misty and I want to become the world’s greatest water pokemon expert!”

“Oh.” Ash smiled. “I’m Ash Ketchum and I want to become a Pokemon Master.”

“Great.” Misty said. “Okay, let’s begin! Misty chooses Staryu!”

Ash smiled. Having a Staryu made him rather keen to their weaknesses. “Tentacool, I choose you! Supersonic!”

Staryu developed swirls around the eyes… or the head area.

“Now! Acid attack!”

Staryu frantically tried to get the scummy black acid off its jewel.

“Oh no! Staryu, tackle!”

“No you don’t!” Ash said with a smirk. “Finish it, Tentacool! Constrict!”

Tentacool leapt up and _squeezed_ Staryu, so it blacked out.

“Well, darn.” Misty said. “Are you willing to trade that Tentacool?”

“No way!”

“But…but… why do you want it? Most boys think Tentacool are ugly and useless!”

“Well, Kali here is one of my starters and I think she’s a very capable pokemon.” Ash said, hugging his Tentacool, who hugged him back.

Misty burst into tears.

Ash quickly ran off. This was not something he was used to dealing with, and he really didn’t want to deal with a crying girl!
How to make her stop? Well, he wasn’t going to trade Kali no matter what!

So running was a good option.

The pokemon all looked much amused.

Maybe she likes you?

“Don’t think so, Kilissa.” Ash addressed his Poliwag, who preened. Magikarp splashed around in a puddle while they took a break.

Ash _really_ hoped it’d evolve soon. Gyarados were really good water-types, but super weak to lightning.

Oh well.

A wild Pidgey burst out of the bushes.

“Kilissa, use Water Gun!”

Pidgey was knocked out! Ash nodded. He should be heading on, the pokemon here were now on too low of a level to give EXP.

That was why he was heading to Pewter. Yes, he would try his best! As for Magikarp, well, he’d wait on that.

Brock was not hard to beat, as it turned out. Staryu took down Geodude with one good Water Gun. Water beats rock after all.

And that was that.

End Chapter

Completed 10/26/04