Ash Ketchum: Type Specialist One Shots

Ash never had the chance to meet his parents. According to Nanny Daria, he had been left with a Nurse Joy in the Hollywood Pokemon Center when he was only a few months old, wrapped securely in a pink blanket with a couple of fresh nappies, and formula, as well as a pin that had his first name, Ashton. Nurse Joy delivered him to the Bright Oaks Orphanage the next day, and as a result, Ash grew up to his tender age of five in the orphanage. Since he was only five years old, he didn't properly understand the situation, and he didn't really have feelings on the matter. As he lived in an Orphanage with kids who had similar, or worse backstories than himself, and none of them had parents either, so the fact that his mother gave him up was never talked about unless he asked one of nannies, or in house counselors. Sure one day he would have thoughts and feelings about the situation, maybe he would try and find her and ask for an explanation, or maybe he would be adopted and only rarely think of the matter, but for the time being, he was too young to really think about it.

Ash was an excitable child. It wasn't so much that he was a troublemaker that misbehaved and caused problems, it was more that he had an abundance of energy and a matching level of curiosity that led him getting into situations he couldn't get himself out of. Like the time he was playing hide and seek with the other children and somehow hid behind the refrigerator, or the time a passing trainer visited and let the kid play with her Arcanine only for Ash to fall asleep in Arcanine's mane and scare the nannies since they couldn't find him, not to mention the Fearow incident, in which nobody liked to think about. The biggest 'issue' they had with the boy was that he hated the city, everything was too loud, and/or too bright, the orphanage had many a children with overstimulation over the years, so they had the supplies to help Ash cope, but it was pretty obvious that he was not meant for city life, and would likely leave for his journey in the forest at the earliest convenience. Ash was one of the few independent children, not to say he acted like an adult, but while he had fun playing with the other kids he was also happy to play by himself, and could also get dressed by himself, and even brush his teeth and put on his shoes all on his own, so the nannies were happy to leave him be. That wasn't to say they left him to fend for himself, Ash was treated with the same care as the other kids, it was simply that the nannies let him do simple tasks for himself, and let him play alone when it was appropriate.

In one instance, they allowed Ash to go outside in the courtyard by himself after he finished eating lunch, the other children were soon to follow, so they allowed him to go out a little early. The courtyard was a good size despite them being in the city, about the length of an Unovian Football field, part was grass, part was turf. They didn't have a very big playground, but the equipment they did have was at least in good shape, with basketball hoops, two slides, four swings, two sea saws, and a set of Mankey Bars, with two large trees in the grassy area and a small flowering hedge growing in front of the fence. The whole yard was enclosed by a six foot tall chain link fence that had green tubing woven into the chains so no creeps could look into the yard. Ash had grown a sudden attachment to rocks, nobody really understood it, but children went through weird phases all the time so it wasn't a concern, and spent his early recess scoping out the hedges to find any cool rocks. In the far back corner, hidden by the hedge, Ash found a break in the fence. Some of the wire was broken and sticking out, and the tubing was cracked and mildly burned, likely broken by a wild Pokemon who snuck into the yard at night for a safe place to sleep. Curious, Ash got on his hands and knees, and slipped out of the hole, his shirt only momentarily being snagged on one of the broken wires.

Ash dusted the gravel and dirt off his hands and looked around. He was in the alley that separated the orphanage from an apartment building. Ash followed the light out of the alley and looked around. The place smelled heavily of exhaust, making his stomach churn, and as per usual the city was bustling, with cabs honking, people yelling over each other on telephones, despite being in public, and a few teenagers skateboarding by, and flipping some flyers out of a nicely dressed woman's hand, causing her to let out a delightful string of words that Ash filed away for later, since he didn't know them he would ask the older kids and nannies later. Everything was loud, and the sun bouncing off the many cars made his eyes sting. Frustrated, Ash rubbed his eyes and ears, taking measured breaths to calm himself. In the end, he couldn't stand all the hustle and bustle, and quickly turned back into the alley way, venturing all the way down on the other side, which led into another alley. After a short time exploring the alley, Ash turned to head back to the orphanage, he was tired, everything was too loud, and he wanted a nap. His venture back to the orphanage took a slight pause when Ash heard the sound of a Pokeball opening. Curious, Ash looked around the corner.

Standing just outside a fancy black car that was towered high with luggage was a large woman, dressed in an extravagant hot pink dress decorated in white fur, she had high standing blonde hair that leveled on the side of yellow with bejeweled fixtures woven between her strands of hair, her lips, which reminded Ash of a Jinx, were formed into a frown. Sitting in front of the woman was a Meowth, whose tail was curled in joy.

"I hate to do this, but my money has nearly run out!" The woman said, sounding only slightly sorrowful as the Pokemon blinked in confusion. The woman turned around and headed for her car. "I wish I could keep you Meowzie, but I'm sure you can fend for yourself, like I have to. Good luck darling." With no other word, the woman drove off, leaving the Meowth, Meowzie apparently, to stare after the car, her tail now flat on the alley street and ears flat against her head.

Ash was unbelievably flabbergasted by what he had witnessed. 'Why would anyone not want a Pokemon anymore?' He watched sadly as Meowzie's eyes welled up with tears, and came out of hiding. Meowzie had noticed him, her short whiskers twitching in acknowledgement, but she didn't run away or even get closer, she just sat, defeated. Without an inch of hesitance, Ash wrapped his arms around the cat Pokemon, petting down her back to help calm her down. After a few moments of crying, Meowzie melted into the boy's arms, and Ash stood up, struggling only slightly as he headed back to the Orphanage. He couldn't crawl back through the hole since he had a Meowth in his arms, so he walked the streets back around to the front door.

When he entered the Orphanage, he was shocked to see Officer Jenny, and frazzled nannies. "Whats wrong?" He asked, utterly confused.

"Ash!" Nanny Daria ran forward and crouched in front of him, taking her face in her hands. "Where were you? Are you hurt?"

Ash blinked slowly. "Went outside, m not hurt." He said casually.

Nanny Daria sighed, a mix of exasperation, fondness, and relief. "Ash, dear, where were outside?" Tilting his head, Ash pointed towards the door. He didn't understand what the big deal was. "Did anyone talk to you, or anything?"

"No." Ash shook his head and shifted his hold so he could show Daria Meowzie. "I Found Meow-zee."

Daria eyed the Meowth worriedly. Meowth weren't rare in the area, there was a small colony nearby lead by a Persian, so seeing them skulk around was pretty usual, but they never let anyone touch them, maybe a select few would take food from someone's hand, and maybe let them pet their head, but never carry them around, much less bring them inside. Leave it to Ash to be the first one to do so. One problem at a time. "Ash, can you show me how you got outside?"

Ash nodded, that he could do. Keeping his hold on Meowzie, who was now much more aware, and watching everything closely through slitted, worried eyes, Ash led the nannies and Officer Jenny outside, and to the hedge. "There's a Hole." He explained simply.

After crouching down and seeing that there was, in fact, a hole, Daria turned to the boy, crouching to look him in the eye. "Thank you for telling us the truth. You can't wander off like that though, we were all very worried."

"Why?" Ash asked, as he wasn't hurt so he didn't understand why they were worried.

"Because we couldn't find you, the city is very dangerous, that's why there is a fence. You have to stay inside the fence, okay?" Ash thought for a few moments before nodding. "Thank you, do you know if there are any other holes?"

"Only found that one." Daria looked relieved. "Thank you. Can you go inside with Nanny Ashley and get changed before nap time?"

"Meow-zee too?" Ash asked hopefully.

Daria hesitated for a moment before giving in. They would deal with the Pokemon after they checked the fence for any more holes, and fixed up said hole(s). "Yes, Meowth can go with you."

"Not Meowth. Meow-zee." Ash explained calmly, and Meowzie gave a small mew in agreement.

'Oh Mew, he named her. We are never getting rid of her now.' Daria lamented to herself, but didn't let it show on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, Meowzie can go with you."

"Thank you." Ash smiled brightly, and followed Nanny Ashley, who was trying her ding dang hardest not to laugh at the entire situation and failing terribly, as she led him back inside.

===4 months later===

Meowzie sat quietly in the shade of one of the orphanage's trees, watching Ash play with the other children carefully. When she first let the child take him with her, it was only for survival. She was born from a long line of pure lineage Meowth, her old owner had paperwork that tracked her lineage to the Persian who were once owned by the Queen of Rota, she had been born in a lavish mansion, and was accustomed to such a life, she didn't know how to fend for herself, she had never so much as unsheathed her claws for crying out loud., so when that boy took her with him, she let it happen because she needed some way to survive. But, while initially she was only looking out for herself, her thoughts on the matter swiftly changed.

She thought she understood what love and devotion was. She thought that, when her past owner showered her with luxuries, and paraded her around like a ring upon her finger, while never making her lift a claw, was love. She thought that being presented with large meals made by a five star chef everyday was love. She thought being adjourned with gems and crystals and dressed in silk was love. Meowzie knew differently now. She didn't doubt that her old owner had at least liked her, she kept her around at least, but Meowzie doubted if that was love. What Ash gave her was love. He couldn't give her luxurious toys, but he always hand made her toys from feathers and string at craft time, and spent hours playing with her, and training with her, encouraging her even when she missed an attack and fell on her face. He couldn't give her hand made, fancy meals, he could only give her what the orphanage had on supply, but he slipped her little treats when he could, even if it was his favorite food. Ash couldn't dress her in the finests jewels and silks, but when he noticed that she was uncomfortable not having anything around her neck, he asked one of the older humans to sew his baby blanket into a neck bow for her. He didn't call her name as if he were trying to show off, but rather his voice was always warm, and lit with affection for her. Every time he passed her, even when he was half asleep, he would pet her affectionately, and every morning he would light up upon seeing her, like she was the greatest thing he had ever seen.

Meowzie loved that child, more than she had ever loved anything before. She lamented the fact that it took her so long to understand what love really was, but now that she knew, she was going to express it every chance she got. Everytime he lost, she was going to be the one to comfort him, every victory he had, she was going to be there to congratulate him, everytime he was scared she was going to chase those fears away. Ash was her person now, dare she say, her trainer, and she was going to try her hardest to be by Ash's side, no matter what the future had in store for them.

"Meowzie!" Ash waved excitedly at her, a big grin on his face before he was tackled by another child.

Meowzie mewed worriedly, and quickly got to her paws, dashing over to the two children. She arrived just as Ash and the other child were sitting up, both laughing in embarrassment. Meowzie sniffed Ash over carefully, sighing in relief when he smelled uninjured, before leaning up to carefully groom his head fur from his face. Ash simply laughed, and let her.

===8 months later===

Ash sat quietly on the branch of one of the orphanage's trees, his back pressed against the bark. Meowzie sat leisurely in his lap, purring up a storm as his hands traced the golden slab upon her forehead. Despite living in the orphanage for nearly a year, Meowzie was still technically a wild Pokemon. She refused to let any of the nannies catch her, and it wasn't hard to guess why, everyone knew that she was Ash's Pokemon, even if he couldn't catch her just yet. The recently turned six year old hadn't changed much since Meowzie came into his life, other than he just genuinely seemed more relaxed and taken care of. He seemed to take genuine joy out of caring for Meowzie, and Meowzie also took care of Ash, she was a big help when his senses were overloaded, and always knew where the boy was when he hid and ultimately ended up getting stuck. In a way, she was a huge help to the nannies, but only when it came to Ash. The only drawback is that Ash slowly adapted some of Meowzie's more cat like traits, like climbing trees, and falling asleep in said trees.

"Ash? Mewozie? Are you two up there?" Ash yawned and tilted his head down to see Nanny Daria at the base of the tree. Meowzie rose from his lap and stretched, her claws dragging across the wood as she did so, before jumping onto Ash's shoulder. Slowly, Ash started descending from the tree, climbing was one of Ash's talents, seemingly becoming a Mankey whenever he wanted to climb something, even if that thing shouldn't be climbed. "Be careful." Daria said worriedly, watching as he slowly descended, his speed more for her sake than his own.

"Sorry, I was dozing off." Ash smiled at her, not looking the least bit sorry.

Daria sighed, long since used to the boy's antics. "We have a family coming today, you need to get ready."

"Oh, Okay." Ash nodded simply, seemingly unbothered. He'd met a few families before, but they had never really clicked. A lot of them lived in the city, and while they were good people, it was obvious that Ash's needs and theirs were too severely different, especially since many people didn't want the addition of Meowzie, and Meowzie was non-negotiable. "What are they like?" He asked, following the woman back into the building, where all the children were in a bustle to get ready.

"Well, they're actually from the Hoenn Region, and already have two children, their little girl is about your age actually, and they have a one year old son." Daria explained, getting a thoughtful hum from the lad before he went up to his dorm, Meowzie padding after him as usual. Daria watched him go with a thoughtful look, she really hoped this would be the right family for Ash. The father was a Gym Leader who specialized in normal types, and the mother seemed to be a very kind, easy going woman, perfect for Ash's free spirit and love for Pokemon. They did live in a city, but Petalburg City was known to be a 'City where people mingled with Nature', and situated right next to a large forest, the perfect environment for someone like Ash. Daria had been involved with the Orphanage and Foster Care system since she was a young lady, and she had a gut feeling that the Maples would be perfect for Ash. They would be meeting with many children of course, but she couldn't shake her gut feeling. Taking a breath, the woman wandered off to help clean up the meeting room, there was much to do.

===

Ash mindlessly kicked his legs as he sat in the meeting room. Meowzie was curled up on the back of the couch, sleeping as they waited for the family to come. There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the door opening slowly before the family walked in. Ash's attention was swiftly dragged by the little girl that was tucked against her dad's leg, she was shorter than him and dressed in a white and pink flower print sundress that she was clutching the hem of tightly, and had short brown hair and dark blue eyes that threatened to spill over.

Picking up one of the stuffed toys, a Bulbasaur, from the box beside the couch, Ash approached her, holding it out to her. The girl sniffled, and glanced at her father, who gently patted her head in affirmation. WIth shaky arms, she reached out and took the stuffy, hugging it closely. Ash smiled widely, and held out his hand to her. "My name is Ash, its nice to meet you!"

She hesitated for a second before taking his hand. "My name is May." 'May' admitted, it was a little difficult to know what she said due to her thick Hoenn accent and the fact that her voice wavered a bit.

"Why were you crying?" Ash asked rather bluntly, though his voice was filled with childhood bewilderment opposed to malice.

"The last girl we met was mean." May huffed, slowly unfolding on herself.

"Oh, do you want to play with Meowzie? She makes me feel better." Ash offered. At the sound of her name, Meowzie leapt off the couch and walked over to them, rubbing against Ash's leg before sitting down.

May looked down at the tan and brown Pokemon. She looked the same as any other Meowth that May had ever seen, except that her whiskers were shorter, and she had a soft looking pink bow fastened around her neck. "We match!" May chirped in surprise, and sure enough, Meowzie's bow was the same color as the flower's on May's dress.

"You do!" Ash said in awe, like it was one of the coolest discoveries ever.

"But.." May hesitated. "I don't really like Pokemon, they're scary."

"Meowzie's not scary, she's sweet." As if to prove his point, the Pokemon rolled over on her back, and Ash leaned down to pet her tummy. "And she's really soft!"

May stared for a few moments, but childhood curiosity won out and she leaned down, and hesitantly pet Meowzie's belly. "She is soft." She said in awe.

"She's really smart, and she likes playing dress up, and eating snacks." Ash explained.

"Hey, I like those things too!" May gasped in delight. "I didn't know Pokemon liked things like that, I thought they only liked fighting."

"Meowzie can battle too, but that's not all she does." The boy giggled.

"Um, do you think I could play dress up with her sometime?" May asked hopefully, and Meowzie perked up at the idea.

"Sure! I don't have a lot of stuff, but maybe we can make some more bows." Ash offered, just as excited. "Oh, and flower crowns! Nanny Ashley taught me how to make flower crowns last week."

Blue eyes stared at Ash in awe. "That's so cool! Can you teach me too?"

"Of course!" Ash agreed easily.

The sound of baby babble reminded the two six year olds that there were more people in the room, causing them to turn and look at the two adults. The man was tall, with dark hair a few shades lighter than Ash's own. While he stood tall, his shoulders were slumped and nonthreatening. On his hip was a little one year old boy with matching dark hair, dressed in a Slakoth onesie, he was reaching towards May, Ash, and Meowzie, babbling nonsense that sounded vaguely frustrated. Standing beside them was a kind looking woman, she looked a lot like may but with wavy hair and lighter blue eyes that watched them with fondness.

"Hello." Ash greeted them, only mildly embarrassed for ignoring them.

May tugged lightly on Ash's shirt and leaned in to whisper loudly in his ear. "That baby is Max, he's my brother but he doesn't do a lot. He's one."

"Its cool that you have a baby brother." Ash whispered back just as loud. May stood proudly at his praise, because yes, it was cool that she had a baby brother.

"Hello Ash, my name is Norman." The man readjusted Max in his arms, and bent slightly to be at eye level while also extending his hand.

"Hello Norman, my name is Ash." Ash parroted back, shaking the man's hand. Before he could take his hand back, Max grabbed his still outstretched hand, holding onto it with a surprising amount of baby strength. "Hi Max." he greeted the toddler, who immediately giggled and babbled something nonsensical back before trying to put Ash's hand in his mouth. Luckily, Norman gently forced Max to let his hand go.

The woman stepped forward next, mimicking her husband as she got into eye level with the boy. "My name is Caroline, its very nice to meet you Ash, thank you for being so nice to May."

"Nice to meet you too." Ash smiled up at her. "And I like May, shes nice."

Caroline smiled gently while May positively lit up. "Do you know why we're here today?" Caroline asked.

"To see if you want to adopt someone, right?" Ash answered back.

"That's right. You are very bright." Caroline praised. "Would you like to sit down and tell us about yourself?"

Ash thought for a moment. "Okay, can Meowzie sit with us too?"

Caroline glanced at the Meowth and nodded. "Of course she can."

===

Eventually the Mapels had to be on their way, they were meeting a few other children before talking to the director. May didn't really want to go, clinging to Ash and Meowzie and complaining that they weren't able to play since they were talking. May's upset caused Max to cry, he didn't exactly know what was happening but his big sister was unhappy so he was too. It was only after promising to visit and play the next day that May calmed down enough to meet the next child. When the Maple family left, Ash headed to his dorm with Meowzie. He really liked the family so far, Max was cute, even if he kept trying to eat Ash's hand, and May was fun to talk to, and Norman and Caroline were nice, they talked to him like he was a person and not a doll. Norman was also a Gym Leader, which was the coolest thing ever in Ash's opinion. He hoped, at the very least, he could still be friends with May, even if he wasn't adopted.

The following weeks were filled with visits from the Maple Family. Sometimes they would be in the meeting room, other times they would play outside and Ash was able to teach May how to make flower crowns. Norman talked to the nannies a lot and the nannies seemed really excited during those visits. After four weeks of visits, Ash met back up with the Maple parents in the meeting room along with Nanny Daria and a woman Ash had seen in the orphanage occasionally but had never talked too personally. May and Max weren't there, which was a bit of a bummer, but Ash was happy to talk to Norman and Caroline too, so he took his seat at the table.

"Hello Ash, I'm Angelica, and I'm the social worker for the orphanage. My job is to look after kids when they go to their new homes." Angelica explained calmly, and Ash nodded in understanding.

Norman caught his attention and offered him a sincere smile. "Ash, how would you feel about becoming part of our family?"

Ash froze where he sat and thought about it. He liked the Maple family, they were kind and fun, and if he was adopted he would be May and Max's big brother, and he also really liked Norman and Caroline. Nervously, he played with the hem of his shirt. "Um, can Meowzie come too?" He asked nervously. As much as he loved the family, he loved Meowzie too, she was his best friend and partner in crime, and he wasn't going to leave her behind.

Caroline gently reached out and cupped his hand in her, causing him to loosen the hold he had on his shirt. "Of course Meowzie can come with us. We will have to put her in a Pokeball on the plane ride, but we have plenty of room at the Petalburg Gym."

"Then, I would really like to be a part of your family." He admitted.

The adoption process was long, made a bit longer due to it being an overseas adoption. Angelica had to work with a company in Hoenn for the home checks, and Norman had to go back to Hoenn with May and Max so he could be there to work the adoption out on that side. Caroline stayed with Ash in Kanto until they got his passport, and got the 'OK' to take him to Hoenn. In the time that it was just the two of them Caroline started teaching Ash Hoennian, and let him borrow one of her Pokeballs, and he officially caught Meowzie. After a few weeks, they were on their way to Hoenn. It would still take six months until the adoption was finalized, but Ash was happy to be with the family until that time came.

Adjusting to Hoenn was a bit difficult. It was a bit colder, and Ash wasn't used to having his own bedroom, but he loved how clean the air was, and how quiet Petalburg City was compared to Hollywood. A must for Norman and Caroline was making sure Ash went to therapy every other week, the boy was well rounded, but he was moving oceans away from his home region and having to adjust to an entirely new culture, and living situation, plus the therapist could help them understand Ash's overstimulation a bit better. It was going to be a rocky few months, possibly a few years, but they were determined to push onwards.

===1 year later===(Ash 7, May 7, Max 2)

Caroline stood in the entryway of their living room, looking down at her children playing. Her mouth was quirked in a highly amused grin, though she was a tad bit worried. May was dressed in a pale blue and white Princess costume, her hair in a messy braid, and her face stained in play makeup. Max had a yellow piece of construction paper that was vaguely shaped like a crown taped to his forehead head, and he was holding a large stick with a paper star at the end. Lastly, Ash stood next to Max, making sure he didn't drop the stick, he was wearing one of May's princess dresses, this one a pale pink in color, over his own clothes and had glitter and makeup smeared all over his face. "What are you doing?" She asked, causing all three of them to look up.

"We're the Princess, and Max is the king and our dad, we're going to fight to see who gets to be king of the Kingdom when Max gets put down for his nap." May explained as if it were obvious.

"I see." Caroline said slowly.

"Meowzie is queen." Ash pointed, and sure enough, Meowzi was perched proudly on a couch cushion, a paper made crown on her head, and a smirk on her whiskered face.

She giggled softly. "Well, your real dad, who isn't a king, is going to be at the gym late tonight. Would you guys like to go out to eat before we take him some dinner?"

"Yeah!" May cheered loudly, her eyes going wide with joy.

"Babababa." Max babbled, putting the stick down and using Ash to hoist himself up onto his feet.

"What are we having?" Ash asked, wordlessly helping Max stand, and walk into Caroline's open arms.

"Well, you chose last time so how about we let May pick?" Caroline offered, giggling when Ash nodded in agreement and May squealed. "Go get dressed while you think about it." Not needing to be told twice, the six year old bolted towards her bedroom. "That girl." She sighed, carefully taking the paper from Max's head.

"It kept falling." Ash explained, pulling the pink dress over his head with a small 'umph' sound when it caught on his head.

"You know sweety, if you don't want to dress up you don't have to. You can say 'no' if you want to." The boy looked thoughtful. Ash was usually very good when expressing his boundaries, he had a surprisingly sharp tongue and if his boundaries were crossed he wouldn't hold back his opinion, but with his siblings the situation became a bit muddled. May had figured out early that she could ask Ash to do pretty much anything, and he'd usually comply. Recently May had gotten into playing dress up, especially now that she got a child safe makeup kit for her birthday from Norman's mother, and as a result Ash had been dressed as a princess with her a couple times a week.

"I don't really like the dress part." Ash said after a moment. "I don't like my legs bare, so I wear clothes under, but I like the colors." He admitted, not looking at her. "And the bows and sparkles are kinda pretty." Now that Caroline thought about it, Ash had borrowed a few of May's clothes, heck the shirt he was wearing was hers, never any dresses or skirts but he would borrow her shirts from time to time, not that May cared since she stole Ash's vests.

Caroline bent down, setting Max on the floor, and took Ash's hands in hers. Ash looked up at her and she smiled softly. "You're getting a bit too big for the clothes you're wearing right now, next time Norman has a day off would you like to go shopping for some new clothes?" Caroline didn't believe in gendering clothes, colors, or accessories, if her son wanted to wear pink, and have hair bows then she would happily buy him so.

"Is that really okay?" Ash asked hopefully, smiling a bit. "Aren't things like that for girls?"

"Ash, honey, they're clothes. As long as you're covered, you can wear whatever you want." She explained, wiping some of the glitter from his cheeks that stayed too close to his eye.

"Thanks…..mom." Ash squeezed her hand lightly, his face pinking a little bit. He had only recently started calling her and Norman 'Mom' and 'Dad', and was still hesitant in the delivery, but it was a big stepping stone.

"Of course honey." She kissed his forehead gently before standing back up. "Now, lets go see what your sister chose for dinner."

Ash snorted, and picked Max up. "Probably noodles like always." He said, moving Max's hand from his face.

=

As promised, the next time Norman had a day off, he took over care of May and Max while Caroline took Ash to a few stores. They didn't go overboard, Ash was six and growth spurts tended to start around that age, but they got a few outfits and accessories. As usual, Meowzie was glued to Ash's side. Top wise, Ash got a pink shirt with a Beautifly pattern, a pastel purple shirt with an embroidered flower on the pocket, a pastel blue shirt with a Mudkip on it, a very soft pastel yellow sweater that was a few sizes too big that had a Pikachu on it, and two vests of colored a darkish pastel blue. As for bottoms, they got a few pairs of washed out jean shorts that went to the knees, and a purple pair of shorts that had clouds dyed into the fabric. It was a bit hard to find pajamas that Ash liked and could tolerate the texture of, but eventually they found a tan set that had a sleeping Meowth on the top, and a blue set that had Beautifly on the pant legs. They also got a package of bow shaped hair clips, some gem hair clips, a pink and purple ball cap, and a few pairs of fun socks, Ash's favorite being a pink pair that had various cat Pokemon. However, Ash's favorite thing he got all day was a pair of pastel blue fingerless gloves that clung to his hand with the perfect amount of pressure.

When they got home Ash felt really good about himself. He still kept his other clothes just in case, but it felt good knowing he could wear what he liked without having to borrow from his sister. After washing and putting away his new clothes, Ash got to work picking out bow clips, using a pink one to keep his bangs out of his face before turning and clipping two bows of the same color to Meowzie's whiskers.

"We match!" He grinned, Meowzie leaned up and butted her head against Ash's chin, purring loudly.

===4 Years Later===

"May come on! We have to get going!" Ash could be heard yelling across the house from the dining room. His parents and younger brother shared amused glances as they quietly ate their breakfast.

"I can't find my hairbrush! Can I use yours?" May yelled back.

"Fine! But make sure to take your hair out of it when you're done, you didn't do that last time!" Ash called back as he hopped down the stairs.

"Yeah Yeah!" May yelled back.

Ash huffed fondly as he sat down at the table. Meowzie, who had been sitting in the corner of the kitchen eating her breakfast, walked up to Ash, rubbing against his ankles until he reached down to pet her. He poured himself some cereal and took a bite. "I say we buy her a watch." He suggested.

Norman chuckled. "So she'll know she's late? Thats what you're for." He reached across the table, ruffling his son's hair. Ash made a noise of protest, but didn't stop his father.

"Are you excited?" Max asked, barely able to contain his own excitement.

"You know it." Ash grinned. "It'll be great to visit Kanto again, I'm really excited to look around and catch Pokemon there." It had taken a lot of begging for Ash to get permission to start his journey in Kanto. He adored Hoenn of course, but he also wanted to know more about his birth region. It was only thanks to May, who would be tagging along, and his counselor, who thought it would be good for him, that he got the okay to go. He and May would register with Professor Birch, before heading to the pier where they would get on a boat and head to Kanto.

"I wish I could go too." Max pouted, only to get a soft pat on the head from their mother.

"When Ash and May return to Hoenn, you can travel with them, but you are not going all the way to Kanto with two rookie trainers." Caroline said firmly, but not unkindly.

"Sorry." Ash apologized, and Max sighed, nodding in understanding. Just then, May stumbled down the steps.

"Ready!" She chimed, quickly taking her seat, and taking a bit of cereal.

"About time." Ash snickered.

"Hush." May hissed back playfully.

After breakfast, the 'twins' grabbed their bags. Before they could actually leave however, Caroline wanted a picture. Ash and May were very different visually. Ash was dressed in light washed jeans, with comfortable pastel and white sneakers, a soft blue shirt with clouds that only peeked out from under an oversized, soft yellow sweater that went over Ash's hands slightly, but that didn't cover his favorite pair of pastel purple fingerless gloves, his bangs were held out of his face by a faux crystal hair clip accompanied by a pale yellow and lilac baseball cap. May, on the other hand, dressed in bolder colors, with dark blue fitting shorts, black and white sneakers, a long white tank top with a bright red and dark blue shirt that zipped up over it, paired well with her red and white bandanna, and white and blue gloves. It wasn't just clothes wise either, Ash had dark black hair with soulful brown eyes, and May had dusty brown hair with big dark blue eyes, they were the same age, and height, maybe Ash was a little taller, but they looked nothing alike. Their personalities however, were cut from the same cloth. They were spirited, and determined, May was a tad bit more food driven, and Ash was more of a wild child, but they were definitely similar. Even though they weren't technically twins, they sure acted like it. They had differing interests, and fought like all siblings, but at the end of the day they were glued to each other's sides. It soothed Norman and Caroline's nerves to know that they would have each other on their first journeys, they could only hope it went off without a hitch.

The trip to Professor Birch's lab was uneventful. They would have ridden their bikes, but since they were going to get on a boat soon after they decided it would just be a waste of effort. Ash was a bit on edge, and in a bit of a hurry. On paper, because Ash used her Pokeball, Meowzie was his mother's Pokemon, so after Ash was registered and had his own Pokeball, he and his mother were going to long distance trade, she would get a free ball, and Ash would get his precious Meowzie. Still, he wasn't used to her not being by his side, most places allowed Pokemon as long as they weren't too big or had an open flame, so Meowzie, quite literally, went with him everywhere except for school. Arriving at the lab was like reaching the ocean after walking through the desert, Ash because he would be getting his partner, and May because finally Ash would stop power walking like their nonna. Getting May's first Pokemon took a bit, because the professor was in the field, so while Ash was trading for Meowzie, May went out to search for the wayward professor, having to help him escape a pack of snarling Poochyena. In the end, May picked Torchic to be her first Pokemon, Mudkip wouldn't listen to her, and Treeko made her uncomfortable, Torchic on the other hand swiftly warmed right up to May. With their Pokemon, they soon set out, May even managed to catch a Wormple on the way to the port! Okay, so technically the Wormple startled her and Torchic, Torchic fired off an Ember attack, and then May clumsily dropped her Pokeball, but the story she was going with was that she 'meant to do that, shut up Ash, yes I did.'.

==Kanto==

When the Duo arrived in Kanto, the first thing Ash did was let Meowzie out of her Pokeball. She was a Kanto native and was really looking forward to seeing her birth region, but even if she wasn't, she liked being out of her Pokeball and walking beside Ash, sitting on his shoulder, or better yet, hugged to his chest. Their first stop was the Pokemon center to regenerate their Pokemon, and call their parents, but after that they officially set off. They got off the boat in Cinnabar Island, so they would have to walk quite a ways to get to Pewter City, or they would have had too if they hadn't seen the flight taxi service. Pokemon were amazing. Thanks to the taxi, courtesy of a rather majestic set of Pidgeot, they were able to fly all the way Pewter in no time.

After some research, Ash discovered that to battle at the Pewter Gym he needed two Pokemon. Norman had similar rules, so it wasn't really a shock, it just meant that Ash had to go into the forest beside Pewter City and catch another Pokemon. After seeing how amazing the Pidgeot from the night before were, Ash decided to try and catch a Pidgey or Pidgeotto. The Normal/Flying Pokemon were very common, so it didn't take them long to find a lone Pidgeotto pecking at the ground. Finding Pidgeotto was easy, but catching them; not so much. Pidgeotto was fast, and had the advantage of flight, but Meowzie wasn't a push over, she and Ash trained a lot under the guidance of Norman. Pidgeotto started with a harsh Gust, but Meowzie dug her claws in, using taunt to aggravate them, causing Pidgeotto to swoop in with a Wing Attack, but Meowzie was ready, and used Fury Swipes, slashing at Pidgeotto and clinging to their back as they tried to shake them off. Now, it was time for their secret move, the one that Norman helped teach Meowzie just in case they needed it. With a sharp cry, the fur along Meowzie's spine and up her tail sparked, and suddenly a bright yellow shock extended outwards, engulfing Pidgeotto and causing them to free fall. Meowzie, still energized by Thunderbolt, detached from the falling Pokemon, and Ash threw his Pokeball, watching as it blinked and shook before falling silent. They caught their first Pokemon! Of course, they couldn't battle right away, Pidgeotto and Meowzie needed some rest after the tough battle, but while they rested, May persuaded Ash to go shopping in the Pewter City shopping district.

=

Ash stared down at the Boulder Badge, now carefully clipped inside his Badge Case, as he exited the Pokemon Center. A sliver of guilt ebbed at him, despite knowing he had won the battle fair and square. Pidgeotto was part Flying type, and and had been able to fly circles around Brock's Pokemon, and Meowzie was small and fast, so she was able to dodge a lot of Onix's attacks, and Ash was proud of their accomplishment, it was their first battle, and they did really well. Still, the disappointment in Brock's sibling's faces hurt his heart. A hand on his shoulder forced Ash to look up, and May gave him a smile.

"Ash, Brock is a Gym Leader, you're not the first person to ever beat him in battle and you won't be the last." She playfully clocked his shoulder with her own. "His siblings understand that, but everyone is disappointed when the one you're rooting for loses, I know Max will be disappointed when he finds out how many badges Dad has to give out. Besides, its okay to win and feel happy that you won at something, its not like this defeat is the end of the world or anything."

Ash gave her a crooked smile, and his chest lightened. "So, what are you gonna tell Dad about not battling Brock yourself?" He asked.

May gulped and laughed weakly. "Uh, you beat Brock so hard his Pokemon couldn't battle and we wanted to continue on to Cerulean?" May had warmed up to Pokemon over the years, at least tamed Pokemon, wild Pokemon still made her a bit uncomfortable, but that in no way meant that she was interested in battling. She battled to practice, but Gym Battles really weren't that interesting to her, maybe if there was something with less intense battles, or something, she would be interested. Obviously, Ash knew she mostly just wanted to travel, and he was happy to cover for her until she discovered what she wanted to do.

"Then let's start heading to Cerulean City." Ash smirked as his sister immediately deflated, and opened Meowzie's Pokeball for her to join them. He bent down and scooped her up, holding her to his chest like a stuffed toy, and she purred.

Just as May and Ash were about to exit onto the trail out of Pewter and towards Cerulean, a figure blocked their path. A boy about their age blocked their way, wearing a dark purple shirt, and baggy blue jeans with an odd looking necklace around his neck. Ash's first thought was that 'That shirt is not his color., his second was, 'Who is this guy?'. The boy gave them a haughty smirk, and tossed a Pokeball lazily in his hands, while a group of cheerleaders(?) surrounded him.

"They say that if two trainer's eyes meet, they have to battle!" He caught his Pokeball a final time and looked down his nose at them. He looked Ash up and down, taking in the frilly, pale clothing, and the dainty cat Pokemon in his arms, and smirking with self importance. 'Piece of cake! This kid looks like he barely even knows how to throw a Pokeball.'

"I didn't meet your eye before you jumped out at me." Ash snarked back with a smile. "But if it's a battle you want, sure." May wordlessly moved to the side, and ended up standing next to the cheerleaders, who glared at her before starting to cheer for, well Gary, if their cheer was any indication to his name. "Meowzie, I choose you." Meowzie purred and leapt easily from his arms.

"Come out Squirtle!" From Gary's Pokeball, a small blue turtle Pokemon with a tough brown shell popped out.

"Do you guys need a referee?" A deep, familiar voice caught Ash's attention. Walking up to them was Brock, the Pewter Gym Leader, and on his back was a thick hiking back pack.

"That would be nice, thanks!" Ash grinned at the older boy, and he took his palace between them.

"Two on two sounds alright?" When both boys nodded, Brock called for the match to start.

Since Ash was the one that was challenged, he started off the battle. Meowzie used Taunt, yowling loudly and frustrating Squirtle and making them unable to use any status changing moves, which bugged Gary, who usually started with Withdraw to raise his defense. Since that was out of the window, he instead ordered a quick Rapid Spin, and Squirtle vanished into their shell before spinning rapidly, heading straight toward Meowzie. Ash ordered Meowzie to dodge, Squirrel was moving too fast for Mewozie's Thunderbolt or Hypnosis to hit, and Fury Swipes would do little against the tough shell, so they could only dodge for the time being. Gary eventually got bored of all the dodging, and decided to use Water Gun, as soon as Squirtle popped out of their shell, Meowzie leapt forward with Fury Swipes, sending Squirtle flying, only to flip onto the back of his shell, where he flailed. With Squirtle stuck in place, Ash ordered a Thunderbolt, striking the Water type down for the day. Meowzie shook the remaining buzz from her fur before proudly padding over to Ash, who happily scratched under her chin, slyly, Meowzie looked back at them. She saw the look the other trainer had given Ash, like he was a weakling, well she wouldn't stand for it.

"Squirtle is Unable to Battle, Meowzie and Ash win the first match." Brock called as the cheerleaders booed and May cheered.

Gary growled. There was no way he was losing to a guy dressed like that. "Come out Nidoran!" Out of Gary's ball came a small guinea pig like Pokemon with pale blue quills running up and down her back.

"Take a break Meowzie, Pidgeotto I choose you!" Ash threw out his next ball, and Pidgeotto popped out, her dusty brown wings flapping harshly. Gary cured internally at the type disadvantage he now had.

"Okay, begin!" Brock yelled out.

Since Gary previously lost, he was starting off the battle, and he started off with a Poison Sting. The spines on Nidoran lit up before firing towards Pidgeotto, but on Ash's order Pidgeotto used Gust, disrupting the airflow around the flying needles and causing them to fall. Pidgeotto then moved into a steep dive to use her Wing Attack, but before she could land a hit Nidoran jumped and used Double Kick, kickling Pidgeotto away and causing her to miss. Ash wasn't deterred though, and had Pidgeotto use Whirlwind, with a mighty flap of her wings, Pidgeotto kicked a large flurry of wind, hitting Nidorian repeatedly, and making it difficult to see. Gary tried to shoot Pidgeotto down with Toxic, but the Whirlwind just blew it right back. While Gary was distracted trying to think of a strategy, Pidgeotto turned into a dive, and landed a hit with Wing Attack. The hit did some major damage, but Gary's Nidoran had Poison Point as an ability, poisoning Pidgeotto since she landed a direct hit with her body. Pidgeotto shivered mid air as the poison rushed through her. Seeing his opportunity, Gary called for another Poison Sting, and this time it hit. Pidgeotto wasn't going to just roll over however, as she mustered up enough power to deliver a devastating Gust attack that sent Nidoran flying right into Gary before she passed out.

Brock waited a few moments, but Nidoran was out cold. "Nidoran is unable to battle, so Ash and Pidgeotto are the winners."

Ash grinned and ran up to his Pokemon. She was panting heavily and still shivered due to the poison, so he wasn't going to keep her out for long. "You were awesome Pidgeotto!" He praised, getting a soft nip to his ear from the large bird. "Take a good rest now, okay." Pidgeotto crooned, and Ash returned her to her Pokeball.

With Pidgeotto safely tucked away, Ash turned to Gary and extended his hand to help him up, but Gary smacked his hand away, and got to his feet, returning Nidoran in the same movement. "You only won because of a fluke! Next time I'll beat you for sure!" He growled before storming away, his cheerleaders clambering after him.

"What was his Problem?" Ash asked, utterly bewildered.

"Meow." Meowzie mewed, just as confused, but still proud of herself.

Deciding that Gary was future Ash's problem to deal with, he turned his attention towards Brock. "Thanks for being our referee."

"I was passing by and heard the commotion." Brock admitted.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be back in Pewter Gym?" May asked curiously, leaning against Ash's shoulder.

"I'm setting out on my own Journey. My uh dad came back and he and the kids insisted I set out on my own journey." Brock admitted bashfully. "Thing is, I really want to be a Pokemon Breeder." He explained. "Though, I don't really know where to start my Journey if I'm being honest."

Ash and May made eye contact before grinning. "Would you like to join us on our journey?" Ash asked hopefully. "I don't know much about Pokemon breeding, and May is really only traveling for fun, but we would really liked it if you joined us." Ash held out his hand, and Brock accepted it, shaking his hand with a brotherly smile.

"I'd love to join you guys!" Brock beamed.

=

The journey through Kanto was something. Besides Brock, the siblings also joined up with another traveler named Misty; okay so Ash and Meowzie accidentally burnt her bike to Thunderbolt powered crisp and they somehow became friends after that, but shh. Misty was very opinionated, and more often than not clashed with Ash, nothing too serious, just bickering, similar to how Ash and May bickered, but with insults. The only real trouble they had was in Celadon City, where Ash complained about the smell of perfume, and was banned from battling in the sister gym. May of course would have nothing of the sort, and yelled at the Gym leader for her reasoning, resulting in May being banned too. May was vindictive, however, her brother was getting that badge. The end result was Ash and May having to both dress in drag and put their acting skills to work, only to be found before Ash's Gym Battle out thanks to Team Rocket crashing in. That was a whole other mess since apparently Team Rocket's Meowth knew Meowzie and became determined to capture her. Like a creep. It was a whole thing, but in the end Ash was able to get his Rainbow Badge, and was even later able to catch a Snorlax, who was blocking the way to the next town. They did have to loop back at some point, and Professor Birch was having some trouble contacting Professor Oak and called them to check in on him. Professor Oak was fine, but a Pikachu had chewed his wires and that was why he couldn't get through. Surprisingly, it was May and her newly evolved Beautifly that were able to catch Pikachu, adding the rambunctious rodent to her team. He wasn't the only Pokemon she caught though, as one of Professor Oak's Pokemon, a very shy Squirtle, had become very attached and wouldn't leave her side. All was well. Not everything was good, as Team Rocket was an annoying nightmare, especially when they found out about May's Pikachu, who was unnaturally strong, and thus they became even more annoying. Other than Snorlax, Ash also caught a Spearow, Ratata, and later a small herd of Tauros in the Safari Zone. 30. He caught 30 of them, and 29 of them were sent home. Max and Professor Birch were thrilled when they arrived in Hoenn, Caroline, not so much, and Norman was going to wisely stay out of that debate. Ash wasn't the only one though, as through the Journey May obtained a Pokemon egg that later hatched into an Eevee, and an oddish. For some reason, Ash managed to get himself in a lot of battles with other trainers, Misty insisted it was because, for all that his clothing was cute and really suited him, to other trainers he looked like a pushover, what with his frilly pastel clothing and adorable glamourize kitty always at his heels or in his arms. Neith Ash nor May really understood it, it was clothing, who cared what color Ash wore, they were his clothes, not theirs so it shouldn't matter to them. Brock assured him that it wasn't a bad thing, he rationalized that, sure people might look down at Ash for the way he dressed, but that also meant they underestimated him, which worked in Ash's favor since his battle style was, well, rather ruthless. May chimed in that she actually loved seeing his opponents faces when he would send out Snorlax instead of whatever Pokemon they thought Ash would send out, and Ash had to agree, it was kinda funny. It wasn't until Ash was preparing for the Indigo League that May finally decided what it was she wanted to do, contests. Contests weren't really popular in Kanto, and while they were popular in Hoenn the Maples were a Gym Family, so they didn't really think much about Contests, the only reason May became interested in them was because they happened to be in the same town as the Grand Festival and she was able to see the festival for herself, falling in love with the sport. It was obviously too late for her to compete, but she knew what she wanted to do next season. On Ash's front, he finished the Indigo League in the Top 16, something that shocked pretty much the entire stadium.

==Johto==

Originally, Ash and May were going to head back to Hoenn, but Professor Oak actually had a small favor to ask them, so after discussing with their parents, Ash and May were allowed to go to Jhoto, meaning Ash would be working his way up to the Silver Conference. Jhoto was working towards instilling Contests, but they likely wouldn't be up and running for at least another year, so May spent her time following Ash through Johto and training for her first contest, whenever that would be. Johto was pretty similar to Kanto, if you exclude the fact that they, Ash, Brock, May, and Misty, had to save the world, say, three times. That aside, it was a normal journey, Pidgeotto evolved into Pidgeot, Ratata into Raticate, and Spearow into Fearow, and even May's Oddish, and Torchic evolved into Gloom and Combusken respectively. Ash once again placed in the Top 16 in the Silver Conference, which he was pretty proud about. It was sad saying goodbye to Misty, who couldn't join them in Hoenn due to taking over the Cerulean Gym for her sisters, but Brock had plans of meeting them in Petalburg Forest after checking in on his family.

==Hoenn==

Returning to Hoenn was a breath of fresh air. Caroline wrapped her two children in her arms and wouldn't let them leave the dinner table until they told them absolutely everything about their trip. Caroline positively loved May's Beautifly, and Norman was mighty impressed by his son's various Normal Type. Max, and Slacking for that matter, especially loved Snorlax, who was more than happy to let Max jump and play on his belly so long as he got lots of treats. Max somehow Sneaseled his way into joining their journey through Hoenn, not that May or Ash really minded since they expected it. Before anyone could set off however, Caroline insisted they get new clothes. Ash's and May's clothes didn't fit right, the kids having grown quite a bit in the two years they were gone, and some of them even had rips, tears, and stains from their galavanting through the forests. May was never one to turn down shopping, and Ash was a bit interested in getting some new shirts. By the end of the trip, they had new clothes for the year or so ahead, and Ash loved the new, slightly frilly, white blouses he was able to find, they were a perfect neural tone to go alone with the few pastel vests he bought. Meowzie even got some new bows, ones made with special material that resisted Pokemon attacks so they wouldn't tear as easily.

After the shopping trip, all three Mapel children went on their way. They met up with Brock as planned, and May and Ash got registered for their respective sports at the first Pokemon Center they came across. Throughout the Journey May worked very hard to prepare for her contests, and even added more Pokemon to her team, Bulbasaur, Munchlax, and Skitty. Skitty more or less became obsessed with Meowzie, not in a romantic way, but rather in a 'Omg we're besties now!' sort of way. Sometimes Meowzie liked playing with her fellow cat Pokemon, other times Skitty was just too much to deal with. Similarly, Munchlax was rather attached to Snorlax, most likely because they were from the same line, but if May or Max were having issues with Munchlax, then Snorlax could usually get him to chill out. Ash also caught a new Pokemon, though technically it wasn't on Hoenn soil. When May was preparing for her final Contest Ribbon, she decided it was time to evolve Eevee, and Eevee seemed rather excited by the idea. After pouring over all of Eevee's possible evolutions, May and Eevee decided that Glaceon was the way to go, and they took a small detour, plane trip, all the way to Sinnoh to evolve him. While May and Eevee went into the cave where the Ice Rock was held, Brock went to the Pokemon center, and Ash, and Max looked around for some Pokemon. While looking around Ash found a Buneary, but instead of the usual brown fur with fluffy cream puffs, this Buneary was a paler brown with pink puffs. Ash didn't usually care what Pokemon looked like, he knew what 'shiny' Pokemon were, but he never sought them out on purpose, but he had always been interested in Buneary, and he wasn't about to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth. The battle wasn't easy, Buneary was a tough one, and it somehow knew Fire Punch, but Pidegot was no Meowzie was a seasoned Pokemon, and also wouldn't just roll over and let Buneary get away. In the end, it was thanks to Meowzie quickly grabbing onto Buneary with her tail and pulling them close before her final Fury Swipes that they were able to catch Buneary. Buneary was not happy about being caught, but then most Buneary were stubborn and not very friendly at first, they needed high friendship to evolve into Lopunny, and Ash had no problem showering the little guy in friendship. In order to add Buneary to his team, Ash sent Raticate home, Raticate really loved his father's garden, and Ash had to fight tooth and nail to get the rat Pokemon to join him for their journey through Hoenn. After their short detour, May returned to Hoenn with her Glaceon, and Ash returned to Hoenn with his Buneary, and it was time for them to prepare for their next Badge, and Ribbon respectively. May did really well at the Grand Festival, considering it was her first one, and Ash made it into the Top 8 of the Hoenn League, a real improvement from the two years prior. When they returned to Petalburg City, Ash was surprised to have gotten a letter from the Kanto Battle Frontier, inviting him to participate in their challenge, May pretty much agreed for him, as she wanted to take the opportunity to try the Kanto Contests, since she couldn't when they tried before. With some begging of the parents, Max was even able to accompany them, as preparation for the following year, where he would be setting off on his own journey. Revisiting Kanto was fun, and Ash left Kanto as a Champion of the Battle Frontier, and May also did very well in the Kanto circuit, landing in the Top Four and beating out Harley, and even Drew. As well as she placed, going up against Solidad was seemingly an eye opener for May, leading her to rethink her journey going forward.

==Sinnoh==

The Mapel Household was once again bustling, with all three children gathering their things in a hurry. Caroline and Norman watched with highly amused, if slightly worried, smiles. Despite May and Ash having been traveling for four years, this would be the first time the two were not going together, and Max was also setting out on his own. It wasn't that the three had a fight or anything, actually the siblings were closer than ever, but May had expressed interest in striking out on her own.

It wasn't Ash's fault, but May subconsciously molded her style after his, and she while his style was good for normal battles, the last Grand Festival helped her realize that she wanted to make her own style, without relying too much on her brother, so May would be going back to Johto, the Johto Contest Circuit was finally up and running, and she was excited to try it out.

Max had just turned 10 years old, and after spending the last two or so years following his siblings around he wanted to go on his own. It wasn't because he thought they would coddle, rather he learned a lot from them in those two years, and he wanted to show them what he could accomplish, besides, he was excited to see Ralts again. Unlike his siblings, Max would be staying in Hoenn after getting his first Pokemon from Professor Birch.

Ash was heading straight to Sinnoh. The glimpse he got of the Region when he went with May to evolve Glaceon, and caught Buneary really peaked his interest in the Region. Admittedly, a Part of Ash was sad his siblings wouldn't be joining him, but he also understood their reason's perfectly. He too thought it was about time he set off on his own, at least for a while; he loved his siblings but maybe some separation would be good for all three of them. May would define her own style, Max didn't have to worry about being overshadowed by his siblings, and Ash would be able to focus on his own training.

Of course, the kids also had their Pokedex's linked, and would likely be messaging each other with updates, and goofy pictures throughout their journeys, and Norman had no doubt that they would also be watching each other's matches/contests whenever they could. It was a big step, and really all their parents could do was encourage them.

"May, have you seen my backpack?!" May yelled across the house.

"I'm kinda busy dealing with an exploding backpack of my own here Max!" May yelled back, frustrated. "Ash how did you carry all our clothes without your backpack exploding?!"

"Did you try folding them or are they just rolled into a massive wad?" Ash asked, only to trip over Max, who ran by after finally finding his backpack. "Be careful Max!"

"Meow!" Meowzie hissed in warning, and leapt up onto Ash's shoulder so she wouldn't be stepped on in the scramble.

"Sorry!" Max yelled back.

"Gah! May did you use my hairbrush again?" Ash yelled.

"Yeah, I already packed mine!" May called back.

"Clean it when you're done! And stop using my stuff! Mom bought you your own!" He cried out in frustration.

"You can talk when you give me back my Hello Skitty hoodie!" May yelled in retaliation.

"You don't love her the way I do!" Ash hissed.

"Okay who took my Pokenav?" Max yelled over the both of them.

"Its on the table!" May and Ash yelled simultaneously, sounding exasperated before getting back to their quarreling.

Yeah, their kids would be fine on their own. Right? Right?

When everyone finally calmed down, they all loaded up into the car. Since they all needed to go to different places, Max to Professor Birch, May to the Pier, and Ash to the AirPort, Norman and Caroline decided to drive them so they could see them all off, and hopefully reassure themselves that their disaster children would be fine. Their first stop was Professor Birch's lab, and to the surprise of nobody, Max's first Pokemon was Treecko, a rather docile one at that. Max let Treecko stay out of his Pokeball for the entire car ride, simply staring in awe at his first Pokemon, until May teased him about making Treecko uncomfortable, which led to more bickering, at least until they arrived at the pier, and all bickering stopped. Before May could get on the ship, and after she hugged their parents, Ash and Max grabbed her in a tight hug, muttering wishes of a safe journey, and promised to message them. When they let go, May boarded the ship, and waved goodbye off the deck until she could no longer see them. Dropping Ash off went much the same way, Max almost didn't let Ash go, making him promise to battle him when he got back and Max was more than just a rookie, Ash of course caved easily, ruffling Max's hair before hugging their parents and getting on the plane. It was a quiet ride back home, and as soon as they pulled into the driveway, and they said their goodbyes, Max was off, determined to make his siblings proud. Later, when May arrived in Kanto, Ash touched down in Sinnoh, and Max made it to Rustboro City, all three siblings took a picture, and sent it off to their joined chat, updating their siblings on where they were before they started on their solo journeys.

Sinnoh was pretty run of the mill for Ash, if he ignored his bouts of loneliness. Brock was also in Sinnoh, so the two traveled together, and even picked up a rookie coordinator who, for all her spirit and determination, didn't really know what she was doing. She was a bit odd, but reminded Ash of May in some ways, especially in the way that she convinced him to try a contest despite his reservations. Of course, meeting Zoey, a very serious coordinator that didn't like Contests and Gym Challenges merging, lit a fire under Ash, which really just encouraged him. For all that Ash was a battle head, his Pokemon also have very good control over their abilities, yes Ash tended to rely on power, but he had been guided by the bet Normal Type Gym Leader in the world, and so he trained his Pokemon to have near perfect control, not to mention, Ash had an eyes for pretty things. It wasn't his whole personality or anything, but you don't dress like he does and not generate an eye for beauty, his costume for said Contest was proof of that. Ash didn't want to be overly flashy, so he adorned his pastel pink skinny jeans, paired with his lacey, long sleeve, white blouse, and pastel purple boots, and the pink, white, and purple bow clips in his hair to keep his bangs out of his face, tied the whole outfit together. The appeals round was simple, Buneary was Ash's Pokemon of choice, using Bounce and Fire Punch to exhibit Buneary;s speed, power, and cuteness as he bounced all over the stage, making licks of flame with his little paws that jabbed the air until he ended with spin, landing right beside Ash. Ash's points weren't very high, likely because other people were more flash, but he did make it into the next round, and that was where the real fun began. Meowzie was Ash's second Pokemon, her bows changed to match Ash's pastel purple boots, but she wasn't just a cutie. Meowzie was used to battling, and contest battles were just as brutal, but with an added flare of beauty, something that Meowzie, in all her purebred glory, excelled out. Ash felt a little bad about Dawn dropping out early on against Zoey, but Zoey's Glameow was something else. Ash and Zoey's battle was intense, neither cat Pokemon wanted to fold, and both were equally graceful and powerful, it seemed like a neck and neck match until the end, where Zoey managed to win by just a few points. Contests were interesting, Ash would easily admit, but it wasn't his thing, so he ended his Contest Career, at least his official one, truthfully if there were unofficial Contests, or something he would probably join for the fun of it, but for the time being he threw in the towel, he had a badge to win. While Zoey was unpleasant, nobody annoyed Ash more than Paul. Paul was another trainer who took mild interest in Ash's Buneary due to his Fire Punch move, but it was after Paul learned that Ash defeated Pyramid King Brandon that he became a git. Paul had a horrible attitude, and the way he treated his Pokemon disgusted Ash so much he wanted to puke on him. To say the two didn't get along was an understatement, and Ash was determined to beat him any chance he got. Unpleasantries aside, Sinnoh was otherwise normal, Ash challenged gyms, helped people when he came across them, trained, texted memes to siblings, helped Dawn when she needed it, saved the world a few times, got challenged by jerks who made fun of how he dressed only for them to be sent packing to the Pokemon center because Ash and his Pokemon did not take that kind of disrespect, you know, the usual. Ash finished off the Sinnoh League in the Top Four, and said goodbye to Brock for the last time, at least for a while as he would be staying in Sinnoh to pursue his medical degree. Dawn had been really sad that Ash was leaving, having come to see him like a brother, but she also had her own new path to venture down, as a Pokestylist.

==Unova==

While Ash returned to Hoenn alone, it was exciting to swap stories with his siblings. Usually they didn't need to swap stories because they were traveling together, but since they didn't travel together, they actually had different experiences to share. Sure, May and Ash met up during the Wallace Cup, but they hadn't really caught up since she was preparing for the Wallace Cup, and helping Dawn. Obviously, the siblings had watched each other compete in their respective Leagues/Festival but hearing the stories first hand was a way different experience. Max couldn't wait to tell everyone how he did on his journey, having placed in the Top 20 of the Hoenn League, admittedly he was a bit embarrassed, since Ash had placed Top 16 in his first league, but Ash and Norman were quick to assure him that Top 30 was actually very good for a rookie trainer, since most rookies barely made it in the Top 100. It was fun swapping stories and their plans for the next year. As it stood, Ash would be going to Unova, as the far off region had been reaching out to the other regions more, and he was excited to challenge the Normal Type Gym Leader in Unova, Lenora. After much thought, May was going to Sinnoh to compete in their contests, she had really enjoyed the Wallace Cup and while she preferred the Hoenn/Kanto/Johto style of contest more, she was looking forward to the change of pace. As for Max, he would be joining May in Sinnoh, mostly because their parents were hesitant to allow Max to go to a region by himself just yet. Ash had to set off before his siblings, as the Unova Circuit started about four weeks earlier than Sinnoh's. The good thing about it was that his siblings could see him off properly.

Sinnoh was a very cold region, but Unova was almost more so, leading Ash to add a soft pink sweater to his usual outfit of light wash jeans and pastel multicolor sneakers. Meowzie tended to draw a lot of attention in Unova, since the region was so far and rather secluded, they pretty much only had their native Pokemon, so Meowzie, who was always out of her Pokeball tended to draw stares, if people weren't already starting at him for his foreign clothing. Luckily, while he did get some strange looks, most people left him be, of course, that could have been because of the companion he picked up. Iris was a…opinionated girl just starting out on her own, and while Ash, 15, was far older than her, she seemed to have fun calling him a kid, that is she did until she realized it didn't bother him. Ash had two younger siblings, and as siblings the trio picked at each other all the time, it was just what they did, and May had called him far worse things than a 'kid' before, so her insults didn't really bother him. Once she realized annoying him wouldn't get her attention, she settled down some and actually became a pretty good travel companion. Cilan, a gym leader who also decided to join them, was a lot different. He was, if Ash had to choose a word, propper. In some ways, he was like Brock, but not as mature with also being something of a stickler, if Ash had to guess, he was the middle child in his batch of triplets. The three got on okay, and while a few questions were asked about the way he dressed, for the most part they didn't care, Iris didn't get the appeal or wearing bright, pastel colors, and Cilan just liked that he could drag Ash shopping with him and he wouldn't complain. Battling Lenora was everything Ash had hoped for! While it didn't bother him anymore, Ash had grown use to everyone, even Gym Leaders, looking down on him when they first met due to his unevolved Meowth, and the soft way he looked, rarely did Ash meet another trainer that took him seriously right off the bat, even Cilan had at first cooed at him, but Lenora did no such thing. Ash was pretty sure her reaction was how it was due to her being a Normal Type Specialist, Normal Types were normal, so many people didn't think much of them since they often times didn't have a special 'umph' to them, it led many people looking down at Normal Types, but Normal Type Experts and Specialists knew better. They knew the real power locked in Normal Type, such as their ability to learn moves from every other type, and their resistance to Ghost Types. Things like looking past perceived weakness, and pulling the best out of seemingly average Pokemon, that was what Normal Type trainers were best at. Lenora showed no mercy against Ash, just the way he and his Pokemon liked it. Buneary was not backing down against her Lilipup, even though it looked like he was at a disadvantage at first, Buneary were naturally prey instinct driven, and while that seemed like a disadvantage, in this instance it actually did a lot against the puppy, as Buneary was a lot more focused, alert, and driven. Of course, Ash hadn't expected that focus to lead into Buneary evolving into Lopunny, but Ash also wasn't someone who questioned good fortune. With Lopunny's fresh evolution power up, they were able to knock out Lillipup, Watchog, however, was not as easy. Watchog started off with Mean Look, meaning Ash couldn't switch out for Snorlax even if he wanted to, and Lopunny was pretty damaged from Lilipup. The good thing about the situation was that Lopunny was faster than Watchog, and that Lopunny knew Mirror Coat, which was a good defense against Watcog's Thunderbolt, but the biggest worry was Watchog's Confuse Ray. For a while there, it was like Watchog and Lopuunny were playing chase, as Watchog would try to hit Lopunny with a Low Kick, only for him to leap away and fire back with a Bounce-High Jump Kick fusion attack, but Lopunny, who was damaged from his previous battle couldn't keep it up for long, and eventually got trapped in Watchog's Confuse Ray, leaving him wide open for their powerful Low Kick that took Lopunny out of the battle. But, Ash still had one Pokemon left to use in the two on two battle, and quickly sent out Snorlax. Ash had full confidence in Snorlax, the Pokemon had gone toe to toe with Gretta's Medicham and still won, so he was highly defensive, 'a good defense is the best offense' as they say. Watchog was very tired, Lopunny was no push over, their High Jump Kick having done some good damage, not to mention all the running around that tired them out. Snorlax didn't look very fast on his paws, hopefully they wouldn't be running around anymore. When the match started Watchog led with a Low Kick, not expecting the deceptively fast, and powerful Headbutt that sent them reeling backwards. While Snorlax looked slow, and actually rather was in comparison to Lopunny and Pidgeot, he was actually pretty speedy for a Snorlax. Ash liked speed attacks, and since Snorlax was a battle ready Pokemon, he was prepared for quick moves, and was surprisingly agile despite his perceived body type. Not wanting to be taken off guard again, they used Confuse Ray, confusing Snorlax enough that they were able to get in two Low Kicks and a Thunderbolt. In order to shake Snorlax from his confusion, Ash yelled out a promise for Snorlax to get an extra yummy dinner if they won, and while for a moment everyone thought Ash was crazy, it worked like a charm, and Snorlax snapped out of his confusion just in time to use Hyper Beam to propel himself upwards, only to turn that downwards momentum into a mighty Body Slam that took Watchog out of the battle. As promised, later that night Snorlax got an extra special dinner, a mix of Pokemon food, human food, and wild fruits and berries, not to mention all the hugs and cuddles he could hope for from Ash, who was proud of both his Pokemon, even though Lopunny was too embarrassed to be coddled and doted on. Admittedly, Ash wasn't very happy with his showing in the Unova League, Top 15* wasn't bad per say, but since Ash had gotten Top 4 in Sinnoh he just expected a bit more from himself, but he had to keep moving. He was planning on going to Sinnoh to watch the May in the Grand Festival before sticking around to watch Max in the Sinnoh League before they all headed home together. As for Iris and Cilan, well, Cilan was returning to the Gym, since Chilli set out on his own Journey Cress had been running it alone, and Iris was going to be training under Clair to become a better Dragon Master and, hopefully, learn how to chill out her Dragonite.

==Kalos==

What Ash had informed his family of his plans to go to Kalos, he hadn't expected May to say she was going with him, not that he minded, it was just unexpected. Apparently there was a sport in Kalos known as a Showcase, and it was somewhat similar to Contests but also very different, and she wanted to try it out. Max was going to go to Kanto after finally talking their parents into letting him go across seas on his own, but he was put on a very strict call schedule, something Ash and May laughed at, until they got scolded and put on the same schedule.

Kalos was so much warmer that Unova, or Sinnoh, something Ash and May took full advantage of considering they had been bundled up for the past year, two years for Ash. While May stuck to the bright red, and dark bluish black, she now wore white shorts with black leggings that went to her knees, paired with a white tank top, and a red and white hair bow opposed to her bandanna. Since she would have to dress up in each Showcase, she also brought along a two piece pink, purple, and white dress, it had a frilly, almost tutu like skirt made up of stripes that were lighter in the center, and changed darker at the end of the fabric, her shirt was mostly white, with frilly sleeves that went from her shoulders to her elbows, and a patch of fabric that matched the skirt and was kind of bow shaped. On Ash's advice, May picked out a cute pair of pink pumps to go with the outfit that had ribbons that tied around the legs; the shoes didn't have too much of a heel and minimized her risk of a broken ankle should she fall.

As usual, Ash went in a completely different direction. Opposed to his usual light wash jeans, Ash instead wore a loose pair of capri pants that cinched at the knee, and a slightly oversized hoodie vest that lacked arms, it was pastel blue up top and faded to a pale white color at the bottom, while the hood had a cute pair of Azumaril ears. Ash also decided to forgo a baseball cap, his hair had grown enough to be placed in a very short Ponyta tail, and he decorated the dark locks with blue boy clips. Meowzie, in all her glory, of course matched, with a blue neck bow and bow clips on her whiskers along with a special collar that had an everstone placed on the name tag. Meowzie knew she didn't want to evolve, how would Ash carry her around if she were a Persian?, and since Ash didn't really care if his Pokemon evolved or not, he had a jewelry shop make the collar, it wasn't flashy or expensive, but Meowzie adored it.

The only Pokemon Ash wasn't taking with him to Kalos was Fearow. While Fearow had only evolved a few years prior, he was a pretty old Pokemon, and Ash battles were taking a bit of a toll on his old bones, so Ash let Fearow stay in the garden with Raticate, making him promise to get some rest.

Arriving in Kalos, Ash and May knew they loved the place. For the most part, Pokemon were usually kept in their Pokeballs, with only a few exceptions, but in Kalos it seemed like everyone had their beloved Pokemon out and about. Of course, since Ash was the walking trouble magnet™, they got tossed out of the Lumiose Gym, only not getting too hurt thanks to two passing people, Clemont and Bonnie. Ash liked the siblings, they were very different to each other, and Ash related to Bonnie's love for Pokemon, however Meowzie felt differently. See, while Meowzie was fine with Ash, May, and sometimes Max brushing her, even Caroline, she pretty much hated anyone else trying to groom her, they just didn't know how to do it right, and Bonnie was too touchy. She was a child, so the urge to touch and experience was normal, but Meowzie would not be her plaything. May's Pikachu on the other hand loved the little girl's attention. After some drama orchestrated by Team Rocket that led to Ash falling from a skyscraper, and May crying her eyes out, they were finally officially on their way through Kalos. The addition of Serena was a bit unexpected, and uncomfortable for a while. Ash vaguely recognized her as a girl that got lost in Hollywood one day with her mother, but he didn't remember her besides that, while she seemed to like him. A lot. It made him mildly uncomfortable. Ash had had crushes before, he had a crush on Misty for like three weeks, and a crush on Gary for almost a month, after he stopped being a jerk of course, not to mention Ash had to watch the trainwreck that was whatever May and Drew had going on for roughly two years, so he knew what a crush looked like, but, he met Serena for like five minutes when they were five, and then never saw her again so her feelings were a mystery to him. Not to mention, she was disappointed when she released the clothes Ash wore were his actual style, and not just a bad dare, and seemed really jealous of how close he and May were up until she learned they were siblings, and then she loosened up. It was just uncomfortable all around, luckily Meowzie seemed just as uncomfortable around Serena, and made it her job to growl and get between them whenever Ash got too tense, and since Meowzie doesn't usually act like that, it clued May in, so May was also running interference. By some grace of Arceus, it only took Serena a few months to realize that the Ash she had idealized since she was a kid and the real Ash that was right in front of her were too completely different people, she was bummed for a while after, but eventually perked back up and the two were able to be actual friends, with was a huge relief. Drama aside, Kalos was a wonderful region and Ash was pretty sure he met, and caught one of his Soul-Pokemon; a Furfrou. Ash had seen a few Furfrou in passing, and had adored them the moment he saw them, adding it to his bucket list that he absolutely had to catch one. At first, Meowzie wasn't sure how she felt about accepting a dog onto their team, but the Furfrou Ash ended up catching eventually became her best friend. The Furfrou in question had been abandoned, their trainer deciding that it was too much work to keep up with the grooming she needed and letting her go, Ash had found her on the outskirts of a town, and after a fierce beetle with Tauros, Furfrou was added to their team. As he expected, Ash loved every minute of learning how to groom her fur, it took a lot of work, a gentle hand, and a lot of Pokevison tutorials, but eventually Ash go the hang of it, cutting Furfrou's fur into the heart cut, the only thing he changed was dyeing the hearts blue opposed to the usual pink, that way she matched him and Meowzie. Meowzie and Furfrou bonded over their matching abandonment, and Meowzie was the first one, other than Ash, to help her start healing. Furfrou was amazing in battle, and really shone in their battle against Valerie. Did Ash expect to have to crossdress and be one of Valerie's model's after said battle because he's too nice for his own good? No, but he had to crossdress at least once every year because of some reason or another so he just went with it, they were just clothes after all.

On the flip side, May was adoring her time in Kalos. It was a lot of fun helping and guiding Serena, even if they technically had their eyes on the same goal. Showcases weren't easier than contests per se, but it was definitely a different experience. Having to quiz herself and learn how to cook, and design, it was a lot, those were things Ash could do so naturally, so May had never really learned though skills since she could always rely on him, the two years she traveled on her own taught her a lot, and Kalos was teaching her that she had even more to learn, but the performances were so much fun! She loved the dancing, and music, and the stronger bond she built up with her Pokemon. It was a new, wonderful experience, and she was savoring every moment of it until the Master Class.

Neither sibling had expected to win their respective sport. Sure, May was super confident in her abilities, but getting those few points above Aria, it felt like her soul had left her body for a moment. She and her Pokemon had worked so hard, and it all payed off with that final performance. Ash was just as surprised with his victory, learning how to Mega Evolve with Pidgeot had been a lot of work, confidence, sweat, and tears, the whole experience was amazing, but even he knew they only won by a small margin, Alain's Charizard was a beast, and if that last Roost hadn't worked, they would be looking at a whole different turn out. But they did it, they won the Kalos League!

==Home==

Ash stared blankly at the ceiling of his dad's garden. He was laying flat on Snorlax's stomach, his mind blissfully fuzzy as the teenager danced between consciousness, Meowzie was on his chest, purring softly, which didn't help his drowsiness. He felt Snorlax's tummy jiggle, and barely craned his head to see his father climbing up to sit next to him.

"Whatchya thinking about kid?" Norman asked casually.

"Where to go next." Ash murmured, forcing himself up to sit, smiling when all his partner did was slide down his chest into his lap. "Since I won in Kalos, I don't know where to do next yaknow? There's Alola, but they don't have a league, only trials that aren't open for tourists, maybe Galar? Or Paldea?" Ash grumbled. "I don't know."

"Well, you can stay home until you figure it out. In fact I could use the help in the Gym." Norman offered.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, I don't want people thinking I'll take it over when you retire." Ash sighed, stretching out his tired limbs until his back popped.

"Oh, you don't want to take the Gym over?" Norman scratched his neck awkwardly.

"Well, I always assumed Max would." Ash explained. He knew May had no interest, besides she was in Kalos doing her Kalos Queen duties, and while Ash would actually love to take after his father, Max was always excited about the Gym, so Ash figured he'd work at the Gym after Max became Gym Leader.

Norman laughed softly. "Do you know Max's team right now?" He asked.

Ash hummed. "Sceptile, Gardevior, Banette, Mightyena, Vigoroth, and Breloom, right?"

Norman nodded. "There is only one Normal type in his team, can't really be a Normal Type Gym without Normal Types."

Ash's face heated up. "I guess." He murmured. "But he can always catch more."

"Truth is," the older man sighed. "I already asked him. He's happy traveling around at the moment, and he said he thought you were a better fit anyway. So, what do you say? Help your dad run his Gym till you figure out what you want to do next."

Ash smiled up at his father, and slumped against the man's shoulder. "Sure, I'll help you out old man."

"Old man?!" Norman screeched in mock offense. "Now you're asking for it you little brat." He affectionately got Ash in a headlock, and gave him a Noogie, causing his son to laugh and try and get out of his hold.