Pokemon: Randomizer!

Littleroot Town!

"Finally, we're here!" Ashly exclaimed, bouncing off the ship and onto the port of Littleroot Town. Beside her, Totodile danced in circles, matching his trainer's enthusiasm and splashing the ground playfully with his tail.

Ash stood behind his sister, smiling at her excitement. It had been two days since they left Kanto, and the journey to Hoenn had been surprisingly peaceful. There were no Team Rocket ambushes or attempts to steal Pikachu, something Ash found both relieving and oddly surprising. In the back of his mind, he had expected Team Rocket to show up and try to steal Pikachu, as they always did in the anime. But this time, there were no sudden ambushes, no over-the-top mechanical traps, and no Jessie, James, or Meowth in sight.

Still, the lack of their usual antics left Ash feeling slightly uneasy. Team Rocket might be goofy, but they were far from incompetent, often building incredible machines to pursue their schemes of stealing Pokémon, or his Pikachu in particular. Yet, Ash didn't worry too much as he had Charizard with him. Ash knew that his fire dragon could almost handle anything Team Rocket could possibly throw their way.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Ash and Ashly walked out of the port and into the bustling streets of Littleroot Town. Almost immediately, Ash spotted a familiar face in the crowd—a tall, broad-shouldered man with wavy brown hair, a squarish face, and a friendly beard. He was wearing casual clothes beneath a lab coat, clearly looking for someone.

Ash approached him and asked, "Professor Birch, are you looking for someone?"

The man turned and smiled kindly at Ash. "Ah, young man, I'm indeed looking for two people arriving today. They're students of my senior, so I'm supposed to pick them up."

"The senior you're talking about... would that be Professor Oak by any chance?" Ash asked.

Birch's face lit up with recognition. "Why yes, Professor Oak is my senior! How do you know him?"

"That's because the students you're looking for are us," Ash explained, gesturing to Ashly. "I'm Ash, and this is my sister, Ashly. We just arrived."

"Ah! So you're Professor Oak's students!" Professor Birch said, chuckling warmly. "I've been waiting for you. Did Professor Oak give you something to pass on to me?"

"Yeah, he did," Ash said, reaching into his bag and pulling out the sealed packet of documents that Oak had entrusted to him. He handed it to Birch, who smiled in relief.

"Excellent, thank you! I've been waiting for these reports," Birch said as he tucked the documents into his own bag. "Now, why don't we head to the lab so I can get both of you set up with your Hoenn Regional Pokédexes?"

They followed Professor Birch to his SUV. Ashly eagerly hopped into the front seat, cradling her Totodile in her lap, while Ash lingered outside, deep in thought.

"Brother? What are you doing?" Ashly asked, noticing Ash hadn't moved to get in the car. "Aren't you coming?"

Ash smirked mischievously with a familiar twinkle in his eye. "I could, but... I've got a better idea." With that, Ash reached for a Pokéball and released Charizard. The large, fire-breathing lizard stretched its wings, letting out a low, confident growl. "Professor, you go ahead. I'll follow from behind."

"That's quite a strong Charizard you've got there, Ash," Professor Birch raised an eyebrow, impressed. "However, Ash, are you sure you want to follow us by air? It's not always safe to fly without practice."

Ash grinned, patting Charizard's back."Don't worry, Professor. Charizard and I are used to flying together. Besides, we just arrived in a new region, and I want to feel the Hoenn air firsthand. What better way than flying with my partner?"