"Huh..." I muttered dumbly, staring wide eyed at the scene before me.

How could I not?

Mere moments into my walk towards Viridian City, I came across a scene of utter devastation. A smouldering black and audibly sizzling crater just sitting there in the middle of the road. And to go along with it the downed forms of hundreds upon hundreds of small birds with red wing feathers and brown plumage.

At least I knew when I was in the time line. I must be a little bit behind Ash Ketchum himself. That was both exciting and worrying. For one, I had no plans of sleeping outside without any camping gear so I was definitely headed for the Pokemon Center, the problem with that being that tonight was obviously the night the three stooges of Team Rocket would make their first ever attempt at stealing Pokemon with Ash nearby.

On the other hand, my mind instantly zeroed in on the fact that there would be a free Charmander on the way to Vermillion City in around week or two or so.

It didn't take me long to come to a decision. Sorry Ash, you may be my favourite and I have a big soft spot for you, but sorry mate, I can't let the chance to get that badass Charizard for myself pass me by.

Inching carefully around the fallen Spearow littering the road I had to withhold a whistle. God damn if this was the game verse Pikachu would be like level forty already. There was hundreds of the downed little fuckers.

And by little, I mean huge. These Spearow were all like the size of hawks.

After some careful steps I got passed the fallen birds and the crater and was about to continue on my way. Except my eyes strayed to a single fallen form at the front of the crater, ahead of its flock.

A Spearow. A Spearow, smoking and charred a little bit, but with a very familiar swelling on its crown. I winced just looking at it, no wonder the thing held such a grudge against Ash. I'd want to kick his ass too if he beamed me on the head with a fist sized rock.

Not that I'd get far mind you. With his crazy ass strength he could wrestle me to the ground one handed without effort.

I should just mind my own buisness and move on. Except, this little bird was the cause of one of my biggest pet peeves in Pokemon. Pidgeot never coming back. If this guy was gone, there'd be no reason for Ash to leave Pidgeot.

And he'd need all the heavy hitters he could get considering I was planning on taking Charmander for myself.

Not to mention….

No matter what Red fanboys claimed, I knew for a fact Ash trained his Pokemon well. Many claimed that he did not earn most of his badges, but I can easily refute all of them except maybe Sabrina.

Brock for instance. So what if the sprinklers went off? Rain Dance would have done the same god damn thing. Plus the gym was made of damn rock, why would it have sprinklers in the first place?

Note to self, teach my pokemon Rain Dance. It'd make taking Brock out a cinch.

Misty? Ash was winning that battle in the first place, he had both Pidgeotto and Butterfree still ready where as Misty only had I think Staryu left. Ash recalling Butterfree because it got hit into the water was in no way a loss, and everyone knows Pikachu would have toasted both her pokemon - if he wasn't such a little cunt at the time anyway.

Erika? Charmander got recalled because of Gloom's nasty smell, it wasn't knocked out. Ash had three pokemon left and Erika had just her Gloom, it was a foregone conclusion no matter what anyone says.

Anyway, my point was that this little Spearow without anyone to train it got strong enough to absolutely curb stomp Ash's Pidgeotto. A Pidgeotto that months earlier at that point in time had one shot a freaking Rhydon with Double-Edge.

The Fearow it became was an absolute power house. Just how strong would it be with someone to actually train it?

I eyed the downed bird before sighing in defeat. One more strong pokemon would be a big help considering the plans I've got running around in my head. I know exactly where to find wild and powerful pokemon. The Squirtle Squad for instance, or that Dragonair living out in that lake outside Saffron City, I remember it from the Battle Frontier season. Then there's that shiny Metagross in Sinnoh and all those wild Treecko in the Petalburg woods and shit.

If I was stuck here and this wasn't just some crazy ass dream, I'm gonna do things right and aim for some big cash. And I atleast know the basics of teaching and training pokemon thanks to Ash.

Choice made, I picked up the damn bird and reached into the back pocket of my jeans. Fun fact, the pokeballs do in fact shrink. That was epic as hell man. Not so epic was that I have no idea how to clip the pokeballs to my belt. One more thing I had to learn it seems.

I grunted a bit as I shifted the Spearow to my right arm and couldn't find it in me to fight the giddiness that swelled up inside me as I poked the little white button on front of the shrunken ball and it enlarged to fit into the palm of my hand.

So awesome.

I gently touched the pokeball to Spearow and gasped as it burst open in my hand and the bird pokemon swiftly disappeared from my arm and got sucked inside. I could only stare mutely for a moment as it clicked shut and shook lightly in my palm for a few seconds, glowing a faint red.

It took a good three seconds or so before it stopped moving and let out a soft ping sound signifying a successful capture, just like in the anime.

"Fuckin' hell!" I laughed, shaking my head. This was so surreal.

Something else occurred to me just now. Ash actually tried to catch this thing after fighting it with Pidgeot, but it was still strong enough to escape even after getting the crap beaten out of it by both Pidgeot and that massive flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto that numbered in the hundreds.

But not only that, he actually did catch this guy in the Electric Tales of Pikachu, the manga. Besides Pikachu it had been his go to Pokemon and second strongest until he got that vicious Charizard he had in the manga.

I wonder what moves this thing knows? I know it knew Mirror Move in the manga, but we never actually got to see any of its moves in the anime. It just beat the shit out of Ash's Pidgeotto with pure physical might.

If it follows my new Pidgey's lead and knows something like Drill Run, I might just piss myself in glee. Which reminds me, I better let that guy out so we can come to an understanding or something. I better apologize to since I did pull an Ash and hit it with a rock, albeit by mistake.

That and I better make up a cover story of some kind for when I turn up at the Viridian Pokemon Centre with naught but a backpack and some pokeballs.

Grabbing my phone with my now Spearow-less free hand, I quickly pulled up the Pokedex app again and aimed the camera at the pokeball before hitting scan.

"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. Spearow is very protective of its territory, it flaps its short wings busily to dart around at high speed.Gender: Male, Height: 1'02 – Attacks Known: Peck, Razor Wind, Double Team, Astonish."

Huh. Well that's pretty cool. It has pretty much all the same moves Ash's Fletchling had when he caught it. Except Astonish. A close combat attack, a ranged attack and an evasive ability. How does Astonish work again? I know it's a weak ghost type attack, but I can't remember much usage of it.

I think it's like a sound wave attack...maybe? James' Chimecho used it in a contest once in the anime if I remember right.

Too bad though, no Drill Run. I wonder if I could teach it? I know how Dawn's Piplup used Drill Peck, so I could at least follow that example for that, but how to go about Drill Run? I only ever remember seeing an Excadrill use it in the anime, and it locked its claws into place above its head and shaped itself into a kind of literal drill.

Would I have Spearow do the same?

I shook my head, no way. Its wings would be way too fragile. Not unless I toughened them up. I'd already planned on following Pikachu's Iron Tail training regime to teach Pidgey Steel Wing, so maybe do the same with Spearow and in the process get its wings strong enough?

"Whatever," I said to myself shaking my circular thoughts from my head before I got too obsessed. Putting my new Pokemon's pokeball in my pocket alongside Pidgey's, I was about to stow away my phone as well when I noticed something else on the app.

Name: -

Age -

Town: -

₱ - 0

I stared at it for a moment, frowning. This was a bit to good to be true. Granted, it would make sense for a detailed app to have this kind of thing on it, strictly for people who liked to cosplay and for a tiny sense of realism.

It kind of hurt though seeing the big zero besides the Pokemon Dollar sign.

But this is way too convenient. Especially because I need to get passed a crazy ass Officer Jenny who accused a ten year old boy carrying his injured pokemon of being a thief and tied to arrest him. Would have if his pokedex didn't conveniently announce who he was.

Well whatever, it saves me the trouble at least. Now all I gotta do is fill it in. Hell it even has a little profile picture icon so I can just upload a photo of myself to make the I.D legit.

Even cooler was the fact that in a little column under a title saying Owned Pokemon - were two pictures displaying a Pidgey and a Spearow.

Aaaaaaaaaand I just realized where I was standing! Just a few feet from an entire downed flock of hundreds of angry Spearow. Stowing my phone in my pocket I began power walking quickly away just in case any of them woke up and decided I was to be there next meal.

Besides, I've hit my quota of birds today thank you very much. It hasn't even been a full ten minutes since I landed here on Route 1 and I've already got two flying types.

I kept walking for a good few minutes before I decided to stop, and truthfully, I was kind of finding it really hard not to gape. Now that none of the Spearow were in view, it was like pokemon were out in the droves.

I mean, I saw it all the time in the anime but they're everywhere! The path I'm on right now has a field full of trees on one side, and on the next a small little slope that levels out into a small marsh alongside the path and right beside it a lake or river or something, a creak? It's a river I think. It leads all the way up to Viridian according to the map on my phone.

I saw dozens of Pidgey flying overhead. A bunch of Rattata and Sandshrew running through the grassy fields. Even some Mankey swinging through the trees. It was amazing, awes inspiring, it was fucking ludicrous and I just can't contain the sheer excitement, joy and more beating in my chest that has me almost drooling with glee.

This is every Pokemon lovers dream come true! And I'm living it! Well I hope I am at least.

I want them all!

But I have no money at all.

I'm a responsible dog owner thank you very much. Or was at least since I'm here now, thankfully my lovely Rocco, my gorgeous half breed staffi will be well cared for by my family if I'm stuck here.

Still the point is. I'm an adult despite being in a twelve year old body. The first thing about being a pet owner is telling or not if you can care for them in the first place.

Two little birds like Pidgey and Spearow? No problem. If taking on Gym's pays like I think it does, I could care for quite a few Pokemon. But if not, I'm gonna need to find at least a part time job. Feeding them all would be a real problem just starting out.

But if Gym's do pay out, I've already got a working idea, as long as I beat Ash to Pewter to battle Brock. I've already got a plan for him. For one, I'll take Ash's Iron Tail training regime and teach my little birdies Steel Wing. Then I'll get them Rain Dance. With how much pain Onix was in from those sprinklers back then, it'll be piss easy to beat him.

But no way can I beat his dad Flint. I only know two of the pokemon he has, but there's no way a Pidgey and Spearow could take on and beat both a Golem and Rhydon, and who knows what else the guy has. He'd apparently been travelling the world training to become much stronger before he came back and took over for Brock.

A splash of water to my side drew my attention and I turned, almost once again gaping in awe as I saw a diminutive blue human-like thing burst from the water and land on the ground at the bottom of the hill slope. I recognized it in an instant from the white gloves on its hands, to the swirl on its belly.

A Poliwhirl.

It look me straight in the eye for a moment before seemingly dismissing my presence and began to stretch its arms and legs out, chanting, "Poli! Poli! Poli!" all the while.

Was it training?

Damn, if only I could catch that thing. It'd take care of all my problems in one go.

No way I'd be able to get it without help though.

Pulling out Pidgey's pokeball I bit my lip and looked it over, my mind racing. One more mouth to feed wouldn't be that big a difference. If Pidgey listened, I may be able to beat it. Pidgey had only been caught because I caught it off guard when I punched it and stunned it for a moment. It had a bunch of awesome moves, if I could get Poliwhirl caught off guard for one of a Gust-Quick Attack enhanced Wing Attack from Pidgey, it may just get the job done.

It all hinges on if Pidgey will listen to me though.

Well if it doesn't, no way Spearow will. And then everything will be fucked. For me atleast.

"Poli!"

A louder cry of exertion caused me to look back at Poliwhirl and my eyes widened. Its gloved fists were glowing a bright yellow and it unleashed punch after punch in front of it. One, two, one two. Over and over it kept on punching.

And I recognized that move! Red's Charizard used it to finish off Mewtwo in the Origin's special. Mega Punch.

It really was worthy of being called mega. I could see and hear the wind being shifted itself with each punch.

I frowned though, because while impressive the punches themselves were mundane as hell, not even basic enough to be called the basics. No change in stance, no change in direction, no shifting of the wrist or twist in slightly from the side to pack more force behind the punch. Just straight punch after straight punch.

Despite its power it really did have no idea how to throw an actual punch. Granted I wasn't much of a wiz myself when it came to all the different ways to punch, but I know the basics, how to shift my weight, my centre and such. I did a bit of Kick Boxing when I was younger.

Still I had to withhold a whistle, that was some power behind its blows. Just one of those would probably shatter my ribs. Maybe…

I've been feeling a bit odd since I got here. Like my body is in even better condition than it had been when I was actually twelve. And that was saying a lot since I played football a few times a week since I was four, alongside Basketball, Badminton, swimming nearly every weekend for years. Not to mention I started hitting the gym and lifting weights when I was around twelve at the urging of a friend. And once again not to mention my job at the time, a milk delivery boy, running around for hours from midnight to 8 AM bouncing from a moving fan and carrying around really heavy trays of glass milk bottles.

I was in top condition at twelve, not some super athlete, but well fit. But this feels so much more. The best way I can describe it, is anime body? Like just being here gives me a passive physical boost.

Regardless, this was a chance. Poliwhirl was really hammering out those mega punches. It'd be tiring out from it and the advantage would go to Pidgey if I could just get it to listen.

Deciding to bite the bullet, I pressed the little white button on front of the pokeball and held it out in front of me. I had to clamp down on my urge to giggle like a little girl as it burst open in a ray of blinding light and Pidgey materialized standing on the ground in front of me.

I waited with baited breath as the light died down, watching as the Pidgey shook its head then opened its eyes and peered straight up at me. I had to withhold a gulp at those hawk like eyes. The bird was little bigger than my hand but still had a powerful presence.

We just stared at each other for a few moments before I nutted up and narrowed my eyes, letting that natural aggression I always had fill me up and steel my nerves, "Look," I started off strong, no hesitation in my voice, staring it right in the eye, "I kicked that stone in anger, I just got jumped a little bit ago by these goons from Team Rocket that took me by surprise, they stole my stuff and the pokemon I started my journey with."

I was totally bullshitting and making this up as I go along. My idly thought of cover story is that I'm form Unova and I came here with my first pokemon Snivy to start my journey, only Team Rocket and enough said yeah? I even put Nuvema Town down as my home town.

And if anybody asks about a home or parents? Then I'm an orphan who got by through odd jobs and my Snivy had been abandoned by its own first trainer before I found. Full of loads of sappy bullshit

"I didn't mean to hit you with it, and I'm sorry," I apologized, mentally preparing myself slightly before I crouched down to eye level with the bird that was still just staring with at me and boldly placed my hand gently atop its crown, stroking it softly, "If you want me to release you, I'll do it no problem."

To my surprise Pidgey actually pressed its head into my palm for a moment then shook my hand off. With a flap of its wings, and before I could even blink the little bird hopped up and landed on my shoulder.

I jerked and stood up on instinct, but Pidgey had no problem staying balanced. I felt a soft brushing at the side of my head as it – no he rubbed his head against mine and chirped softly in my ear.

I felt my lips stretch into a massive smile. This was going way better than I had hoped Reaching up I used two fingers to softly rub its crest.

"Feel like sticking around then, eh?" I said with a chuckle.

When Pidgey chirped again I grinned, "Well then I better let you in on my plan right?" I said.

I pulled out Spearow's pokeball and held it out, "I found a bunch of Spearow knocked out a little bit down the road and caught the most injured one, I plan on taking it to get healed at the Pokemon Centre but if it decides to stick around with us all the better."

One Pidgey got a good eyeful of the ball, I put it away in my pocket again before continuing, "Now I've got no money right now because of those Team Rocket assholes and the quickest way for us to get our hands on some money is to take on the League Challenge and win a bunch of gym battles, which I'll need your help for." I explained.

Pidgey puffed up in pride and to my amusement raised a wing over his head almost like a salute. I chuckled, but pushed onwards, "The big problem is, the first gym we have a chance against is a rock type gym and you're at a real big disadvantage there." It was amusing once again when Pidgey's eyes narrowed and an almost 'tch' like sound left his beak.

I pointed at Poliwhirl drawing the birds attention again, "But look who we have right here!" I declared loudly, so loudly in fact it made Poliwhirl pause in its training and look over at us with its wide innocent looking eyes. I nudged Pidgey with my head, "You think you could take this guy? I've got a good plan on how to get you strong enough to take out rock types but a water type like Poliwhirl over there would be a big help."

Pidgey merely sniffed through his beak and gave a nod. Hopping off my shoulder and landing in front of me, stretching his wings out. I grinned and waved my hand over to Poliwhirl, "Hey Poliwhirl!" I called out.

"Poli?" Poliwhirl tilted its body to the side slightly in question.

"I'm gonna catch you." I told it bluntly, grin stretching. Pidgey flaring out his wings in front of me and squawking threateningly at the water type.

Poliwhirl closed its eyes before opening them, then to my amusement it rose one gloved hand to me, palm facing upwards and then curled its fingers in the universal 'bring it on' gesture.

I was about to start things off when I noticed. My hands were shaking. Actually my whole body was trembling slightly.

It was surreal, the only times this ever happened to me were when I was about to have sex with a really fucking hot girl. I clamped down on my nerves, excitement and all just the same as I did when I was about to get laid. I couldn't allow it to screw me over.

It was time to put all that theorizing for pokemon stories and their battles to good use. All those combinations I thought up for Ash were all going to be mine to use now. Hell, all combinations I'd seen Ash and others use were mine now too.

It was time for no hesitation.

"Sand Attack then into the air!" I told Pidgey quickly.

Pidgey was quick on the draw, before I'd even finished my sentence he swept one wing over the ground towards Poliwhirl and a literal blanket of sand shot forward. It didn't sprinkle, no it shot forth like from a hose.

Pidgey had already shot into the air above me by the time that the sand had gone over the hill slope. But then the sand cloud was pierced and I had to roll to the side quickly in order to dodge the lance of water that twisted through the sand and pierced straight into the slope I was standing on.

"Jesus!" I hissed. Adrenaline beginning to pump in my veins.

That was scary.

The sand cleared to show Poliwhirl looking up at Pidgey in the air above me. And then it thrust its stomach. From middle of the swirls a lance of water shot at Pidgey, then another, then another. Shot after shot of what had to be Water Gun Poliwhirl fired at Pidgey.

But like a leaf in the wind, Pidgey easily weaved in between pressurized water and allowed the attacks to sail harmlessly into the air. Flying all around and getting Poliwhirl turned around until Pidgey was flying above the water of the lake and Poliwhirl's back was towards the sloping hill.

I was nearly gaping at it all, but just as Poliwhirl continued to fire, I came up with a plan, "Close in with Quick Attack!" I shouted up at my first

pokemon.

Flying up higher slightly to avoid another lance of water, Pidgey upon reaching his apex dove down towards Poliwhirl, a trail of white light exploding from behind the bird and rocketing it downwards.

Poliwhirl continued to fire at it. I think Water Gun must have been its only ranged attack. But with the speed enhancement behind it, Pidgey wove through the water attacks easily and closed in. Then I noticed something.

Poliwhirl's eyes were glowing blue!

"Gust!" I screamed just as Pidgey dodged around one last lance of water and was about to spear into the water type pokemon.

I had to give it to Pidgey, he was an amazing flyer. He stopped in an instant, the speed pushing him downwards being transferred to his wings was all I could think as the little bird immediately began to rapidly flap his wings fast and hard enough to kick up a massive gale force find.

"Poliwhirl!" The water type cried out in what I think to be shock. The winds made it lose its footing, focused as it was on what again I think was a Hypnosis attack. With its footing lost, the winds carried Poliwhirl into the air and the gale forces sent the water pokemon flying backwards, its body smashing harshly into the hill below me with a resounding thud that made me wince in sympathy. That had to hurt.

But, this was it! My hand immediately went to my back pocket and grabbed one of the empty pokeballs, "Finish it with Quick Attack and Peck!"

I could once again only stare in amazement as Pidgey threw himself forward, energy exploding behind him and accelerating him towards Poliwhirl, all the while his beak turned a bright white.

In the blink of an eye, Pidgey was upon Poliwhirl and speared right into the stomach of the water pokemon. It let loose a deep rumble of pain, arms and legs jerking upwards, before falling limp.

After a moment Pidgey pulled back with a victorious chirp and flew over to me. Even though it was a beak, I could truly tell it was smiling somehow. It was weird. It landed then on my shoulder and happily roosted there with a chest puffed with pride.

This little guy was really as strong as I thought he was. Going by game wise, a Poliwhirl would have to be at the very least level twenty five, and to learn Wing Attack Pidgey would have to be over thirty.

Levels didn't transfer over, but strength did it seemed.

Maybe there really was something to what Paul did back in Sinnoh, when he released those Starly because one knew Aerial Ace and the others didn't.

Either way I wasn't one to let an opportunity pass me by, as Spearow can attest to. Pressing the white button on the pokeball I enlarged it to fit my palm, it growing to the size of a baseball and then I gave it a toss.

Thank god I played basketball and the like so much when I was younger or I'd have probably missed. Thankfully I didn't and I watched with a smile as Poliwhirl was sucked inside. It let loose a ping of success mere seconds later.

I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I made my way over and picked up Poliwhirl's pokeball from the hill slope. I was too giddy to even wait and pulled out my phone, firing up the pokedex app in an instant and aiming the camera at the pokeball.

When I hit the scan button, a picture of Poliwhirl appeared under the owned column with Pidgey and Spearow and then it relayed the water types information to me.

"Poliwhirl, the Tadpole Pokemon. Its highly developed muscles allow Poliwhirl to move efficiently on land, but it is even more agile in water.Gender: Male, Height: 3'03 – Attacks Known: Water Gun, Hypnosis, Rain Dance, Mega Punch."

I couldn't help but burst out into laughter. I laughed good and hard for a good thirty whole seconds, shoulders shaking and chest aching from it all. In the end, what got me to stop was Pidgey ending up cuffing me over the head with his wing and looked me right in the eye with what looked like a raised eyebrow.

I chuckled lightly, "My plan for fighting the rock gyms was to teach you Steel Wing and Rain Dance," I explained, "I know how to teach you Steel Wing but I had no idea how to go about Rain Dance….and Poliwhirl just fell right into our laps!" I couldn't help it, I started laughing again.

I really can't help it. This is just too much.

In an abstract sense I realize, in this world it isn't. Pidgey are literally everywhere! Ash had done all the work for me with Spearow and Route 1 has a lake of water teaming with water types, hell there's even a Gyarados in there I'd love to get my hands on. Later though, once we level up a bit.

The point is. I've been here for maybe twenty five minutes at most and I already have three pokemon and a sure fire plan to take on and beat my first gym. It's surreal.

I fucking love it!