Pokemon: A Different Ash Ketchum

CHAPTER 1: A trip to Professor Oak's Lab

                        CHAPTER 1:
  A TRIP TO PROFESSOR'S OAK LAB
             WORD COUNT: 1010
                  CW: STEALING
    PUBLISHING DATE：26/12/2023
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This is a world full of Poke Monsters or so-called Pokemon; they can be seen anywhere, up in the skies, on the mountains, in the seas, and even in towns and villages. In this world, a Pokemon is a human's best friend and partner, but not all treat Pokemon like that.

In Pallet Town, Kanto, there is a young boy named Ash Ketchum. He is ten years old today and is about to get his very first Pokemon!

"Ash! Wake up! You need to get to Professor Oak's Lab to get your first Pokemon, remember?" Delia knocked at Ash's door, informing him.

"One more minute, Mom..." Ash replies with a sleepy tone, but the truth is that Ash has already been prepared, all dressed up in his room, looking energetic. But why won't Ash go to Professor Oak's Lab instantly to get his Pokemon?

Well.......2 months ago,

"Ash, come on now. We're heading to Professor Oak's Lab. Don't cause trouble, okay?" Delia was holding a basket of fruits, dressed casually, and using a soft tone as always, informing Ash.

"I won't, Mom." Ash nodded his head with a smile on his face.

Ash and Delia are going to take a visit to Professor Oak's Lab, as Delia wanted to ask Professor Oak some Intel more about what dangers and things you'd encounter and need on a journey since Ash is going to get his first Pokemon in two months, and Delia knows that Ash would go on an adventure immediately after he receives his pokemon, and Delia is worried for Ash, so she wanted to get more information from Professor Oak to make sure and prepare.

"Oh, your here, Delia!" Professor Oak smiled, greeting Delia with welcoming arms.

"Yes, let's talk, Oak. Ash, go play on your own in the backyard, but don't run around, okay?" Delia sat down on the sofa and then turned her head to Ash, instructing him.

"I will, Mom!" Ash runs away happily with his hands, like an airplane.

While Delia was having a conversation with Professor Oak, Ash, instead of being in the backyard, went to the lab's second floor and found an unlocked room. Out of curiosity, Ash took a peek inside the room and found a lot of pokeballs lined up neatly on several tables.

Seeing this spectacular view, Ash went inside the room, leaving his worries forgotten in the back of his mind.

"Wow......There are so many pokeballs! Are there Pokemon inside of them?" Ash thought with curiosity. Ash looked at a pokeball that was around the table's corner, reached for his hands, and wanted to grab it, but it then froze in mid-air, feeling a little anxious.

"Mom and Professor Oak won't find out if I just take a look, right?" Persuading himself, Ash grabbed the pokeball and copied what the trainers on the TV would do when they let out their Pokemon.

"Come on out..." Ash held the pokeball, saying the words quietly, scared that anyone would hear him and catch him doing this. Then a blue light flashed, and a Pokemon appeared. Ash recognized it; it was a Growlithe, a fire-type Pokemon.

"Wow.......!" Ash was amazed, as this was the first Pokemon he got so close to, aside from Mr.Mime.

"Growlithe?" Growlithe growled, staring at Ash, confused, wondering why he was holding his pokeball instead of his trainer. Growlithe started to look around to see if his trainer was around instead of the young boy standing in front of him.

When Ash heard Growlithe growling, he started to panic, scared of anyone hearing Growlithe's growl, so while Growlithe was still looking around, not taking notice of Ash, Ash returned the confused Growlithe to its pokeball.

"Ah......." Ash sat on the floor, feeling a little stressed and also feeling desire—the desire for the Pokemon that's just right in front of him.....

"If I took some pokeballs back home, just a few... Professor Oak wouldn't find out, right?" Ash stared at the pokeballs, then he noticed something near the tables—it was a box of pokeballs.

"If I take the pokeballs and replace them with these, Professor Oak definitely won't find out!" Ash giggled, thinking that the switch was a great idea, as Professor Oak wouldn't find the missing Pokemon that quickly then.

Then Ash took a few pokeballs, including the one containing Growlithe, stuffed them up in his backpack, and took the pokeballs in the box to replace the pokeballs he took on the table. Ash also took some pokeballs from the box, as he heard some strangers say purchasing pokeballs would cause quite a bit.

When Ash was finished, he heard sounds near the room. He quickly hid himself behind a shelf, feeling anxious and worried.

"I won't get caught, right?" Ash thought, as sweat started falling off his forehead because of nervousness. Then Ash felt that someone had come in, as the door creaked.

Ash took a peek and saw a yellow mouse Pokemon lying on the floor, looking tired with a few scars on it. He then closed its eyes, looking like it was asleep. But Ash didn't come out, making sure that the yellow mouse Pokemon was asleep for sure.

A few minutes later, Ash slowly walked out of the room, walking with soft steps, not wanting to awaken the sleeping Pokemon, but Ash also wanted to leave the room quickly because if he stayed here longer, the chances of him getting caught would be higher as well. Ash got close to the entrance. Ash then took a look outside to see if anyone was outside the room. Sure that there was nobody close, Ash ran downstairs at lightning speed to the backyard.

Arriving at the backyard, Ash took a deep breath, feeling relieved that no one had caught him but also very excited that he had gotten the Pokemon. Ash lied down on the grass, not believing that he had just stolen some Pokemon and pokeballs. But Ash didn't feel any guilt inside of him; instead, he felt excitement and amusement at what he had done just now. Ash was shocked; he felt this way, but then calmed down, mumbling.

"So this is the real me, huh?......."

               TO BE CONTINUED...
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