The Aura is With Us

Chapter 8: Pallet Town Here We Come!

Riolu had never been to Ash's home before. Ash and Pikachu had talked about Pallet Town but that was it. Now he was seeing the territory where his trainer was from. Surprisingly, Pallet Town was much smaller than other human dens. Much smaller than Vermillion. Little individual houses in the middle, a small downtown for shops on the right and on the left was a large building that was apparently the Pokémon lab. The whole city surrounded by forest. Riolu liked it. Even the air smelled sweeter than in cities like Vermillion.

Pikachu sighed, "Pi pika pika (ah it's good to be home)."

"Raboot boot (This is where you're from?)"

"Pika chu pika (yeah don't sound too excited)."

"Ra boot Ra (it's kinda small)."

"Pi Pi chu (it's called being quaint thank you very much)." Pikachu crossed his arms.

"Olu Ri (I like it)."

"Pikachu Pi Pika! (that's it. And it only gets better! Wait till you meet mom! She's the best)"

"Raboot Ra (You call your trainer's mother 'mom')?"

Pikachu nodded, "Pi Pika (we all do. Even Charizard and he's got a pride issue)."

"Ri olu (could I call her that)?"

"Pikachu chu Pi (you probably should. Though be careful, you don't tick off Mom. Trust me I've watched her go up against Entei)."

"Ash! My boy! It's so good to see you!" spoke Professor Oak, a large grin on the elderly man's face, "Welcome home!"

The dark-haired trainer embraced the Professor in an eager hug. Professor Oak was the closest thing Ash ever had to a grandparent. His adoptive grandparents passing away when he was very young, and he had never met any of his mother's real blood family, but the old goofy professor had stuck around all throughout his childhood taking on that grandfatherly role when Ash needed him.

"Good to be home professor," Ash said.

Yeah, he was home. Man, did that feel good to say. Not that Ash didn't mind going out on adventures, and getting his daily adrenaline fix, but there was no place like home. And Pallet was the nicest town this side of Kanto. It was one of those small towns, where everyone knew each other, and if you pissed off one member you'd have to deal with the wrath of the whole community. The time where some rude trainers had threatened Mrs. Patchy, who ran the small pallet town inn, and Mom secretly over spiced their food whenever they came to the restaurant to eat as retaliation came to mind. Or when all of Mom's friends showed up to wish him luck on the day he started his Pokémon journey, sure it hadn't been as flashy as Gary's send off, but his mother couldn't really hire cheerleaders. Frankly, even Ash thought that choice had been a bit much, but Gary's ego needed constant stroking back then.

"Yeah, you're just saying that because you don't get stuck doing the paper work all day!" Tracey called from the back of the room.

"You're the one who took the job of a professor's assistant, Tracey! You could've stayed on the Orange Islands," Ash said.

"You and Misty would've killed each other the moment I left the two of you alone."

Ash shrugged, "I mean you're not wrong."

"Let me guess you know him too?" Goh said, almost tiredly.

"Yep! Tracey traveled with me when I competed in the Orange Islands."