Entrance to Viridian Forest

"Why exactly are you following me?"

When his original journey had begun, Misty hadn't exactly followed him for reasons of friendship...at least not at first.

She wanted him to pay for her bike (which were unusually expensive for some reason that Ash had never quite understood for things so vulnerable to electricity, and Gible hunger pangs), which he had borrowed from her, and accidentally fried.

Well, Pikachu did, but legally Pikachu could not purchase a bicycle in the old timeline, and in the new timeline there was no evidence to suggest that he could.

This eventually turned into their friendship they had in the original timeline, which lasted even after her bike was finally restored after the Silver Conference.

However, despite a lack of a crispy bike, she had followed him all the way to the entrance to the Viridian Forest itself, whose woody confines was preceded by several warning signs (Beware Beedrill hives, known lethal hazard) (Finding a Pikachu is not worth your life) (Viridian Forest will not grant you superpowers, do not lick the tree sap) (Stay on the path to avoid damaging the forest and your hopes of reaching tomorrow) (251 days since last known fatality) made out of Weedle proof metal.

At least the fatality warning sign was reassuring.

Her initial 'I feel as though I know you somehow but have no idea how' couldn't be it, could it? There had to be something else...

As the trainer with the perched Pikachu questioned the red head, she held his gaze as she told him smartly, "I have my reasons."

"I didn't accidentally destroy your bike, did I?"

He had to check to make sure.

"I never had a bike." The girl shook her head "Wish I did, but I don't. I'd explain, but its too open out here. I'll tell you in the forest, where we're less likely to be overheard."

Misty's gaze briefly slid over towards a group of local Viridian trainers battling their Rattata and Pidgey off to the side of the forest entrance before, with some trepidation, she walked into the dark forest before them.

"Pikachu-Pi, pika chu ka chu." 'This reminds me of those shows the old man watches late at night with serial killers tricking victims to their bloody doom.'

The same unknown voice that Ash heard twice back in the Viridian Pokemon center again sounded out in his head.

"You know buddy, I don't know if its the two timelines in my head (which I still can't get straight, I can't remember who my father is in either timeline, nor can I recall what my elementary school was called except that it had a different name this time around), but I swear I keep hearing a somewhat familiar voice, and it just suggested that Misty is a serial killer. If that is the case, you wouldn't mind having back, would ya' buddy?"

"PikaPi Pi..." Pikachu stated absently as Ash, now with a slight bit of concern, entered the forest, unaware of what his favorite furry friend was thinking.

'But...I was the one who said that. Ash can't understand me, right ?'

Ash didn't seem to hear that one though unfortunately.

Viridian Forest

Any thought of Misty being a serial killer who used Viridian as a dumping ground was quickly extinguished when she let out a girly scream and jumped three feet in the air as she rapidly backed away from a small green worm Pokemon, showing that her almost comedic fear of Bug-type Pokémon was still quite intact as it approached her slowly.

Yep, Misty was totally dangerous, Ash thought sarcastically. At the moment that Caterpie looked more intimidating than her, which at this rate would take maybe...never to eat her.

"Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Caterpie consume plant life at a rapid rate to allow for evolution to occur. It breaks down certain plant toxins to unleash a potent odor to repel predators," Ash's Pokédex rang out from his pocket.

Pikachu sniffed the air a bit, before he hopped to the ground and rapidly pointed at the bug.

"PikaPi! Pika Cha Pi Chu Pi-Pikachu!"

Ash tilted his head in confusion before Pikachu, looking annoyed at him, promptly shouted at him "PikaPi! Pi Pi Ka Chu Pika Chu-Chu Pikachu-Pi Cha!" 'Oh come on, now you can't understand what I'm saying. That's our Caterpie currently terrifying Misty the not serial killer into near hysterics!'

Ash just stared at Pikachu in shock as he finally realized who that voice he kept hearing belonged to, but put it aside for the moment as he realized what Pikachu was originally intending.

"Okay then, Pikachu use Thundershock!"

A burst of electrical energy flew straight at the insect Pokemon and shocked it, causing paralysis and stopping its advance towards the terrified Misty...saving her from certain...possibly a hug.

"Pokéball go!"

Ash threw one of his original six balls at the insect, energizing him and sucking him in as the ball fell to the ground and began to shake. After three shakes, white sparks were emitted from it as Caterpie was officially captured.

As Ash picked up his ball and posed as he was prone to do with it with Pikachu (I caught a Caterpie! Pi-Pikachu!), Misty regained control of herself after a few, deep calming breaths.

"Oh, sorry about that," Misty blushed in embarrassment as she looked ready to slap herself, "I had used the last of my repels on my first journey through this forest and forgot to get more before I went through again. I...have a problem with bug types, and I was too freaked out to take out a normal counter to them."

Before Ash could ask exactly what her counter for bugs were, she drew out one of her Pokeballs and tossed it, releasing a white and blue bird Pokemon.

"Win-Wingull!" The Wingull of all Pokemon promptly perched on Misty's shoulder and let out a cawing noise.

"Wingull the Seagull Pokemon. Wingull are common in coastal areas, where they fly overhead and dive bomb their prey, which include small, non Pokemon fish and any idiot eating French Fries within 20 miles of the open ocean." Ash's Pokedex provided some information that may or not be necessary but was slightly amusing to imagine nonetheless.

Misty seemed to fully regain her self composure, more than any time he had seen Misty within the vicinity of wild Bug types in the old timeline.

"Okay, now that we're alone, its time to talk. See Ash, I'm not sure if you've realized this yet, but your different from regular people."

Ash briefly stared at Misty in shock, before jumping on what he thought she was going on, "Wait, you know that I'm starting to understand Pikachu.'

"What? You can't understand a Pikachu!" Misty stated in a shocked tone of voice.

"What are you talking about, you just said I was different from regular...!?"

"You should only be able to understand Fighting-types."

"Huh/Pika?"

Silph Co; 11th floor

"I now call the 40th annual meeting of the Pokemon Professor Association to order." Professor Oak, the chairman and one of three founders of the global group, spoke from the front of a long meeting table as many of the other highly regarded Professors of the world (who could make it this year), representing various members of the Trainer Aligned Treaty Organization (T.A.T.O); including Kanto (Professor Oak), the Orange Islands (Professor Ivy), Johto (Professor Elm), Hoenn (Professor Birch), Orre (Professor Kane), Sinnoh (Professor Rowan), Unova (Professors Cedric and Aurea Juniper) and Kalos (Professor Sycamore).

Professors from members of the Fall City Pact (Or Ranger Union as it was also known), such as Professor Hastings, were barred by T.A.T.O law from being members, just as it was illegal for any citizen of a T.A.T.O nation from going to, or even talking to anyone from, regions such as Fiore, Almia or Oblivia due to the extensive Pokemon Wars that had occurred for centuries between T.A.T.O member states and signatures of the Fall City Pact, that had mostly settled down into a Cold War that had persisted for roughly 40 years or so, roughly around the time when Oak also was able to instigate the changes that would lead to the safer world of the present.

The fact that Oak was old friends with Professor Hastings, and often collaborated with him in secret to better Pokemon kind, could easily lead to both of their executions if ever discovered unless they both managed to be granted asylum in a neutral third party nation such as Rota.

But, world building facts aside...

"Before we begin, allow me first to welcome our two newest members; Professor Aurea Juniper of Unova, daughter of my fellow founder Professor Cedric Juniper, whose groundbreaking research into Pokémon origins is astounding to say the least."

As the young woman got a round of applause from all present, including normally stoic fellow founder Professor Rowan, she blushed heavily, more so as her father slapped her on the back in good cheer, but nodded her head in acknowledgment.

"We must also give a warm round of applause to our first representative from Orre, Professor Krane, whose research on the effect of the absence of Pokémon on humans makes me never want to go anywhere near Orre at all."

Even the brown haired Gateon Port native couldn't help but laugh at Professor Oak's joke as he also got a healthy round of applause.

"Now, before we get started on pleasantries," Rowan stated in his commonly serious tone, "I do believe we must address something that we all are suffering from as of late: a recent string of budget cuts, am I not correct?"

As Professors Oak, Ivy, Elm and Birch nodded in agreement with Rowan, the rest shrugged.

"Nope," Cedric couldn't recall any difference in funds.

"I just got started, my budget's low but it was that way to begin with" Kane confirmed.

"I actually got a pay raise this year," Sycamore recalled his recent increase in funding; for some reason all the female senators and deputies were always willing to help him out.

He now had a lab in Lumiose City itself, where renting a single building cost more than renting half of Pyrite Town.

Elm and Birch looked dejected as Rowan recomposed himself.

"Well...most of us suffered budget cuts as of late, and I do believe we all know the culprit in all this."

At that, all the non freshman scowled.

"That fool Dr. Yung," Birch said angrily as he slammed both of his hands into the desk with enough force to shake the entire table, "the militaries seem to believe that his Mirage Project is more important than Pokémon, it's disgusting. That fringe science is nothing but a money pit, all the while money that could be used to figuring out the habitat requirements for Gyarados to be satisfied, and not rampaging in human inhabited areas, is unavailable!"

"What do you expect, Bloodline hysteria has caused a unnerving trend towards militarism in all our nations," Professor Ivy pointed out as she shook her head, "sure, we need to take steps to deal with the threat that Bloodliners present to Humans and Pokémon alike, but not at the expense of Pokémon."

"Dealing with the threat, is not the term I'd use," Professor Oak said with a bit of steel in his voice, "Rather, I'd be more interested in finding out more about them first."

"I'm sure we could, as they enslave us all and take over the Earth," Elm muttered to himself, but loud enough for all to hear.

"Perhaps less researching them as a race or species, and more research aimed into finding out why there are more of them in recent memory than in the past," Cedric Juniper suggested, "Starting roughly sixteen years ago, the number of Bloodliners in the world has multiplied drastically. Where once there used to be maybe, ten in Unova at the most since even before the birth of Resharim and Zekrom, now there are thousands, with a vastly female majority. Similar changes in numbers have occurred all over the world, all in the same time frame and gender scale. What has caused this drastic change?"

"I'd certainly like to know," Aurea Juniper thought out loud, "I wrote my thesis paper on the origins of the Trubbish evolutionary line, and Bloodliners are in between Pokémon and humanity after all..."

"As interesting and groundbreaking as that research would undoubtedly be, I would advise against it young lady," Rowan told her with a gruff sort of caution in his voice, "Politicians have a nasty habit of cherry picking your research to justify heinous things you never intended your research to be used for. They also have a unpleasant tendency to ignore anything that they don't want to be there, just ask Professor Oak about how it was when he was trying to publicize his findings on the causes of Pokémon on Human aggression, right Professor?"

Professor Oak seemed to be deep in thought, which Rowan interrupted with a gruff cough.

Sheepishly he came out of his thoughts enough to remember what she had actually asked him.

"Er, yes...believe me you wouldn't believe the death threats I got, and even still get today," Oak joked about it as his mind attempted to get back on track of his previous thought.

How to go about researching Bloodlines, starting of course with the Bloodliner (one of many terms used to describe them) who had just left his lab with a Pikachu.

Deep in the Viridian Forest; closer to Pewter City

"I think we missed him, perhaps we should get out..." Jessie suggested.

"Quiet!" Jessie snapped at her partner in crime as they held vigil in a little stand up top a non-Kakuna studded tree, which lay in perfect observation of the main path out of the Viridian Forest.

From what they had managed to gather, their target had left Viridian City and was heading north to Pewter City. He was registered to compete in the Kanto League after all, and with Viridian's gym currently closed (Giovanni was removing asbestos that had been installed by his predecessor and mother Madame Boss), Pewter City was the closest gym the boy could go to.

"We could be here for days though, can't we at least go back to Pewter City when it gets dark and get a portable DVD player or something?" James suggested.

That sounded like a pretty good idea at the moment...certainly better than sitting around in a tree with nothing to do.

"The boss gave us a direct order, and we will man this post until the target passes by..."

ZZZZTT

A loud burst of electrical energy exploded about a quarter mile into the forest center silenced both grunts as Meowth popped his head up from ground level, holding a white plastic bag filled with sub sandwiches with one of Team Rocket's human disguises that only Froakie could see through making him resemble a midget.

"You clowns better like eating and running, I think we just found our target."

With Ash and Misty

"You shouldn't be able to understand Pikachu, it's not a Fighting-type," Misty reiterated as Ash just gave her a confused stare.

"Why would you think I should only be able to understand Fighting-types?"

"Win-Wingull!"

The bird's loud calls briefly took their attention as a swarm of territorial Beedrill came out of the trees around them in a huge swarm.

Misty briefly looked terrified, before she decided to take advantage of the situation to give a demonstration before Ash would say the customary 'you must be crazy/think I'm stupid/ on something line.'

"Whirlpool!"

Wingull flew off of Misty's shoulders as Ash and Pikachu gaped at her in shock as she Misty briefly glowed white, raising her right hand high into the air before a huge, swirling vortex of water was held over her head.

The move that Dawn's Piplup had used to win many a contest had been created by a human, and was now catching the Beedrill in its watery confines.

With a ferocious yell, Misty sent the attack flying over head, the water attack losing cohersion after about thirty seconds of flight and caused the Bug-types to fall to the ground in a heap quite a distance away.

"I know you're different Ash, because you used Counter when you were attacked by the Route 1 flock of homicidal Spearow," she stated as if what she had just done was a trivial matter.

"I did!?" Ash said, utterly surprised.

"Pika pika chu." 'I was as surprised as you were.'

Ash turned to his mouse companion and demanded, "Then why didn't you tell me!?"

That little detail might have been important to know.

"Chu pika chu-pi"

Ash and Pikachu simultaneously looked annoyed at the fact that for some reason Ash couldn't consistently hear what Pikachu was actually saying.

"Is it normal to only hear half of what your Pokémon is saying in your head?" Ash questioned Misty, who looked confused.

"What, do you mean telepathically? When I hear my Pokémon, it's just like regular speech," Misty answered looking pensive. "Then again, for all I know this is normal. I've never met someone like me before, maybe the rules are different with each Bloodline, I'd have to think about it a bit."

"Blood what?"

With Team Rocket

Stealthily the two agents and their Meowth hid behind a pair of trees, poking their heads out into the clearing where the electrical blast had come from.

"You know, I don't think this is the Koffing killer's work," James noted as he surveyed the damage to the clearing.

It was clearly the place of a Pokémon battle after all; though in addition to electrical burns on the sides of trees, regular burns were scattered around and damp patches were everywhere, probably the fault of the fainted Squirtle lying on its back in the center of the clearing.

Its trainer was sitting on the ground in front of it, looking despondent. He had brown hair, done up all spike like, and was dressed in blue with blueish-black pants. He was around the same age as the kid they were pursuing.

"For all we know the Boss wants him because he can summon Ho-oh to do his bidding, now shut up!"

"I lost..." the kid muttered to himself in utter shock as the TR trio exchanged glances with one another, non verbally coming up with a plan to question the kid.

Five minutes later, as the boy finally returned his Squirtle to its ball and began walking towards Pewter City, still in a slight daze, the trio jumped out in front of him, disguised with their R shirts turned inside out and Meowth sitting by their feet akin to a regular Meowth.

"Why, don't you look down in the dumps?" James kindly asked the boy who averted his gaze.

"Leave me alone," the boy muttered as Jessie jumped in.

"Aren't you all down in the dumps today, did you lose something?"

The boy gritted his teeth, but responded "Yeah, I lost a battle. Some jerk with a Pikachu and a C..."

The TR trio exchanged urgent, if terrified from James, glances before pressing.

"Say, this Pikachu trainer didn't have a blue jacket, a official Pokémon League hat..."

As they asked this, Gary suddenly burst into laughter.

"Wait, are you trying to describe Ashy boy!? Like hell would I ever loose to him. Thanks though, I needed a laugh. Now, I'm off to Pewter City for a Gym Battle."

He got about a eight of a mile down the path before the TR trio, who were internally wondering why there was another Pikachu trainer running about, recalled that he was prime for a Pokemon poaching and promptly ran after him.

"Prepare for trouble...!"

Buzzzzzzz!

A swarm of the giant bee Pokemon Beedrill descended around them before Gary could hear their motto, disturbed by TR's loud racket.

"...Well, I guess we have to prepare for trouble," Meowth gulped as Koffing and Ekans went out to protect their masters.

Later that night

A desperate need to consume sustenance later confirmed that one rule at least was in common for people like Misty and himself, or as Misty called it, those with Bloodlines.

As Misty seemed confused why what he was able to do differed from how it worked with her, she had no answers, and it wasn't worth asking her now. Not only was there no way in hell that Misty was going to make any sort of noise in the dark of night in an area home to known Ariados nests. (Apparently, some Johto Pokemon could be found west of Mt. Moon, but in low numbers), but she was also fast asleep in her own sleeping bag on the other side of the campfire as Ash silently prayed that Misty's sleep cycle was the same as he reached for Caterpie's Pokéball, using the inside of his sleeping bag to muffle the noise of the released Caterpie; Pikachu's own ears perking up as he heard it.

Ash placed a finger on Caterpie's crest, causing the bug to lose the apprehension in its eyes as he regained all his lost memories.

Placing two fingers on each of his temples, Ash stared intently at Caterpie 'Caterpie, I am speaking to you telepathically. Do you understand me?'

The bug just stared at him before making a few bug wheezy noises 'Pikachu, why is Ash doing a Patrick Stewart impression? For that matter, why am I a Caterpie again? Last thing I remember I was flying around north of the Kalos region...now I'm back where I was born again...and somehow Ash can apparently comprehend what we're saying in full.'

The mouse, who had squirmed in deeper into the bag, swatted Ash in the nose to stop him from attempting telepathy from his end of the conversation. "Pika chu cha pi." 'Its sort of complicated, with time travel distorting space and the end of all reality to prevent from reoccurring, that sort of thing...and who's Patrick Stewart?'

Caterpie seemed to be unamused as he made a few more noises the author has no idea how to type 'So basically, the space-time continuum has been broken and time reset, and its our job to keep it from breaking in the first place?'

"Pi?" 'Space-Time wha?'

Ash continued to try and focus as he told them rather upbeat, "Hey, I'm actually starting to get the hang of this. I just need to focus on it."

"Chu-ka pi-ka-cha." 'Just don't try to figure out Poke Language to a point you don't need it; humans can not comprehend the 500,000 basic rules to it without getting to the semi complicated ones, mildly complicated, rather complicated and unholy complicated ones.'

Caterpie crawled his way up to the top of the sleeping bag to stare up at the moon as he was prone to do in the original timeline, commenting, 'You know, regardless of the fact that the space-time continuum may be in danger of shattering for a second time, it might not be so bad to restart everything again. It was a lot of fun training with you in the original timeline back when you were a rookie...at least I assume you weren't a rookie when the original timeline ended. That and maybe I can avoid a few bad calls with my mate that put me in the Growlithe house, so to speak.'

Ash looked insulted as he replied, "Oh come on, I'm not that bad. I won the Orange League and Battle Frontier, got into the top 16 in the Indigo conference, top 8 in the Silver, Ever Grande and Vertress conferences and the top 4 in the Lily of the Valley conference...still wish I won though."

"PikaPi Pi-Pika Chu..." 'You know Ash, all the trainers who won the conferences, John Dixon, Tyson, Tobias, Virgil were at least 16. Considering you were...' Pikachu drew a blank at how old Ash was.

"Oh come on Pikachu, you know I was..." Ash also drew a blank on exactly how old he was.

Stupid temporal distortions/Cyrus being an ass.

"Pika Pi-Pikachu Ka-chu" ' ...well I'm pretty sure you were not that old. For however old you were, an average of the Top 8 is quite an accomplishment. Even if at times you made questionable calls, you've gotten better over time. Look at how you learned how to better use Flying types after Hoenn and how you managed to make full use of Bug-types in Unova, not to mention you were able to maintain a team of 10 Pokémon in rotation for the first time.'

"I still lost in Unova, and went down a seat," Ash seemed to be somewhat prone to depression about his past actions.

"Chu." 'Yeah, that's Professor Juniper's fault.'

Caterpie and Ash stared at Pikachu in confusion as Caterpie asked, 'There's more than one Professor?'

"Pikachu, why would you blame her? For all I know I was eternally 10, and I'm more mature than that"

"Pika ka-Cha" 'Ash, what is the difference between Professor Juniper's lab and Professor's Oaks? Professor Oak's has a expansive outdoor area where Pokémon are let loose to continuously train themselves as we are warrant to do. He even helps out in doing so to better study Pokémon-Human relations. Professor Juniper does not have this, instead the Pokemon you kept in rotation at her lab were kept in their pokeballs in stasis. Had you had the ability to reliably send your Unova Pokémon to Kanto for rotation, you could have possibly have won Unova. It might have worked out more to your favor if you fully rotated your team, but considering how I'm pretty sure you lost my Pokéball at some point and Pignite had abandonment issues that could have really negatively effected him if you swapped him out until he got over it after the Team Plasma thing, but still it was the right idea, but perhaps the wrong time to implement it.'

Ash thought about that for a moment. That did make some level of sense; after all he didn't teach Noctowl Air Slash, Herracross Sleep Talk, Torkoal Heat Wave or Snorlax Ice Punch. They learned those moves at Oak's Lab.

Still, he didn't believe that it was right to blame Professor Juniper for every loss in Unova after all.

"I'm sure I must have done something wrong. I mean, perhaps I should have seen if it was possible to carry more than six Pokémon or something."

Caterpie shook his head and told him, 'After I left Ash, I've traveled across the world. At no point did I ever see a trainer allowed to train more than six Pokémon while on the move. If you were in a fixed place, like a Gym or Oak's lab, you could have more than six Pokémon active, but once you leave the confines, having over six goes against international law, but who knows, maybe that is different in this new timelime. The Pokédex might have something on it though.'

Ash curiously decided to check this, after lowering the volume of course.

"Pokemon Trainers are allowed to carry a maximum of six Pokémon on them at any given time outside of specifically allowed areas with Pokéball limit jammers. This number has in the past been higher or lower based on the cost of Pokémon food, trends of battling and wild Pokémon, as well as human hostility. The six Pokémon limit of modern times was implemented forty years ago by Professor Samuel Oak in part after the near leveling of Coastal Johto by infamous outlaw 'Twenty Gyarados Bill'."

"Guess not."

'Twenty Gyarados Bill?' Caterpie was both amused and terrified by the name.

"Makes me wish I was known as 'Twenty Charizard' Ash," Ash commented before he thought about some of the disobedience issues his Charizard had had, "on second thought maybe that might not be such a good idea."

The Next day

Contrary to what it may appear, Ash did not abandon his Pidgeot.

During his time in the Orange Islands, Route 1 was affected by construction, which caused habitat disruption. This, coupled with the environmental chaos caused by a overzealous collector trying to capture the original Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, resulted in the flock migrating elsewhere.

Ash cried himself to sleep the night he found a familiar feather left in his window as a parting gift.

Thus, at the first spotting of the as of now Pidgeotto he had caught prior (quickly confirmed by the scent detecting skills of Pikachu the wonder mouse) just as Ash and Misty finished off a box of poptarts each and their released Pokemon (Pikachu, Caterpie, Wingull and, on his own will, Psyduck) were dealing with another round of Pokémon food, capture was a immediate must as the bird landed on the ground on the other side of the little clearing they stopped for the night in to peck at worms in the ground, before noticing them and glaring.

"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon middle evolution of the Kanto-Johto region. It constructs its nests in the center of their large territories, held by various migrating flocks of this Pokemon and its evolution and pre-evolution Pidgeot and Pidgey. Pidgeotto are loyal and determined creatures, but will use vicious force to defend themselves and those in their flock." Ash's Pokédex recorded another Pokémon seen as Ash and his Pokémon immediately disengaged from eating.

Misty noted his interest and asked, "You want to catch it?"

Ash nodded before he gave a glance to Caterpie.

As much as Ash would prefer to possibly do this the easy way and just touch them and regain their memories, there was the problem of touching a wild Pokemon that could fly, and also to a somewhat dangerous one.

So thus, violence was necessary, but with Pokémon battle honor and all Pidgeotto should forgive him.

"Use String Shot to prevent Pidgeotto from flying off."

Caterpie obliged with a blast of threads from its mouth, though Ash didn't hear anything from him (perhaps it was just his eagerness to get one of his old friends back messing with his concentration or something), which promptly restrained Pidgeotto from flying off by binding its right foot.

The bird gave an annoyed look at the bug that was restraining it, yet also a confused one, in the sort of 'why is the prey preventing the predator from flying away and leaving it alone' sort of look, to which it responded by flying downwards at Caterpie in a quick attack.

"Meet it head on with Tackle!"

The two charging attacks met head on, but it seemed Quick Attack was faster, causing the now airborne Caterpie to swing backwards.

"Now, use the String Shot to sling yourself around and Tackle it again!"

The string shot still attached to Pidgeotto's leg, the Bug-type took the energy from the Tackle-Quick Attack collision to speed itself around and above the now startled Flying-type.

The Tackle was a critical hit, causing Pidgeotto to crash down into the dirt as Caterpie landed right next to it. Similar to the old timeline, that fall would have killed (or severely injured) a human, but the Pokémon were perfectly fine.

Pidgeotto wasn't going anywhere without a potion though.

Ash promptly threw the Pokéball, which energized the downed bird and caught it with no hassle after the third shake.

Misty rose an eyebrow in surprise at his capture. "Are you sure you're a rookie trainer? That was pretty good."

He just shrugged his shoulders and told her, "Guess I'm just a natural."

When he sent out Caterpie, she was promptly ready to give him a lecture about typing once he was forced to return Caterpie. She had no idea that was actually legitimately planned.

Ash, Pikachu, Caterpie and Psyduck each gave their own version of a nervous laugh; the former for being time travelers and the latter because Misty would now expect him to be that awesome.

However, before Misty could press on about the origin of the laughs, Caterpie promptly glowed in the well known light of evolution.

A day later, with TR

"This isn't the Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt Meowth! I told you I wanted a Chicken and Bacon ranch melt after two straight days of Meatball Marinara, not the Roasted Chicken!"

"What do you take me for rich boy, a cat that can make money out of thin air? Those things cost more than your fancy bottle cap cases."

"You're a Meowth! Your signature move is Pay Day and we're members of a criminal organization!"

"Yes, but do you think that a government in Kanto could last if they didn't have the ability to control Meowth financial..."

"Silence, we have to take notes, the kid's battling some Samurai wannabe!" Jessie hushed them both as they observed the battle that was about to go down.

"Trainer from Pallet, your compatriot has dishonored me in combat and after combat with his dishonorable behavior! As his townsmate, you shall pay for his dishonor!"

"Uh, sure?" Ash didn't think he was this high strung last time.

"Now, go Pinsir! Avenge my honor!"

In a flash of white light, the huge, brown beetle Pokemon with its large, steel gray crushing pincers on its head glared down at Ash with a metallic clash of its crushing claws.

He was about to get out his Pokédex for more information on it, but it beat him to it.

"Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokemon. Pinsir are well known for their feud with Scyther and Heracross for forest territory. Using its pincers, this Pokemon can snap flag poles in half," Ash's Pokédex rang out from his pocket.

"Metapod, go!"

Ash threw his own ball, releasing the green cocoon Pokemon that had evolved from his Caterpie after the successful capture of his Pidgeotto.

"Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon. While this Pokémon usually does not eat or move, a trained Metapod is capable of everything a Caterpie can do. A wild caught Metapod, or one trained by a complete rookie, is incapable of anything. Despite this, it is the icon of Playtrainer magazine."

What kind of messed up people or Pokémon...

Ash just removed the Pokédex from his pocket with a confused look as he asked it, "Do you have to randomly give out information like that?"

"Yes," the Pokedex stated before Ash repocketed it.

His opponent yelled at him and said, "Just like that Pokedex, you are a fool, and shall be dealt with as one. Pinsir, Vice Grip!"

The huge, imposing bug type loomed over the green bug cocoon, his pincers clicking together ominously like rusty sheers as Metapod looked vaguely alarmed.

"Use String Shot!"

The Metapod released a gush of string from below its eyes (where one would assume it once had a mouth), which bound the pincer's together and caused both scary bug type, and samurai trainer, to freeze in panic.

"Impossible! A Metapod cannot use any attack that is not Harden!"

As if to doubly prove this thinking false, Ash had Metapod use another attack.

"Now, Tackle!"

Metapod proved it retained its other attack as well, with a solid thrust into Pinsir's face. The attack caused the much larger bug type to stumble back, before tripping over and fainting.

"What! You dishonor me with your treachery! That is simply a Caterpie in Metapod's clothing, is it not?"

"...No, it's a Metapod I trained from a Caterpie," Ash asserted in an annoyed tone as the Samurai recalled the downed Pinsir.

"You shall be punished, go Metapod!"

The Samurai's own Metapod appeared before him as Ash returned his own Metapod and threw out another Pokéball, releasing Pidgeotto.

"Allow me to show you a true Metapod, Harden!"

"Gust."

Contrary to what was once taught to Pokémon trainers in the Kanto, Johto, Orre and Hoenn regions, what attack stat a move was based on was not based on the type of attack, but the attack itself. So, despite what was once taught, Gust was a special attack, not a physical attack.

So, when the flying attack hit the bettered defensive power of the Metapod, all Harden did for it was to make it hurt more when the Metapod was blown right into the Samurai, who was blown along with his Metapod into the sky.

There was even a Team Rocket-esque twinkle to announce that he was well and truly gone.

Ash and his companion blinked in confusion about how easy that was.

"Wow, I guess all that battling for our lives against that swarm of Beedrill was good for more than just perfecting Pikachu's Iron Tail, huh Pidgeotto?" Ash muttered to himself.

"Uh Ash?" Misty asked him as she pointed over at Metapod.

He turned to look as to his surprise he saw a glow already surrounding his bug Pokemon.

"Metapod's evolving!" Ash exclaimed delightedly.

He watched as his old Pokemon became a Butterfree again, gaining large white wings and attaining a more purple middle with large red eyes and the iconic black markings of a male Butterfree.

Once Metapod was done becoming well and truly a Butterfree, Butterfree stretched out its wings in triumph as it flew around.

"Free-free!"

Meanwhile Team Rocket was watching him and making a verbal report on what they'd seen.

"Okay, Trainer whose name we are pretty sure is named Ash stalking report volume 1: Trainer in forest with red head Water-type trainer female. Trainer has captured and trained a Butterfree, Pidgeotto and has apparently perfected Pikachu's Iron Tail attack. Victorious battle with Bug-type samurai trainer and now on the move north to Pewter City. Stalking shall continue, send more sandwich money."

Jessie verbally recorded the information to be send to Giovanni while Meowth and James continued to argue about sandwiches, missing the latter part of the conversation visible to only Ash's perspective.

'Free-Free!' "I so did miss being able to fly around, and look at my beautiful wings," his Butterfree said in delight.

As he looked at his newly evolved Pokémon, he had to agree with Butterfree there.

"Now, to Pewter City, and away from this forest!" Misty seemed too happy to leave.

Omake

Canon Relativity to Reset Universe; Not Canon

Welcome to the Omake

Crossoverpairinglover Studios

"Today is the day."

"Hey, you're stealing my line."

Ash, back in his 10 year old form as seen in the Original Series, with Pikachu at his side was standing within a see through elevator going up the sides of a large building deep within a large city.

Next to him was a red head dressed in a yellow body suit with a lightning bolt symbol on his chest.

"So, you're Quicksilver, right?"

The red head turned to Ash with an annoyed look and stared at him as he questioned, "Do I look like an irritable mutant who jumps ship from hero to villain like its hopscotch? I'm Kid Flash!"

"Oh, sorry..."

"So, somewhat idiotic anime character, how are you enjoying your recent promotion to the top of the Studio? You're now one of the front running stories, and the only one really active now. The future of us all rides on your shoulders."

Ash blushed as he urged, "No need to put so much pressure on me."

"I have to. Here at this studio, we've done all sorts of stories; starring blond ninjas, boys who lived and seaweed brained demigods, along with yours truly..."

"Didn't you co-star?"

"Please use present tense, I am just in hiatus. Of course, that means you're going to have to cover all the omakes."

"Omakes?"

"Shouldn't you know what they are, you're an anime character?"

"That's a stereotype!"

"Pi-Pika!"

One of the original sidekicks just shrugged and said, "Well you're more likely to be shown doing something comedic than Batman or Goliath...well anyway basically you're going to have to be ready for anything. You could crossover across any fandom the author likes..."

"Pika Pika." 'As long as I don't end up a card in some Pharaoh's deck or start sparkling I'm fine with anything.'

"Yeah, and I'd better not be finding out the leader of Team Rocket is actually my father Darth Vader..." Ash commented.

"...you could be used to show off some random fact the author found out as he was writing the chapter..."

Iran teaches evolution to all its students and has no religious problem with it/ There are roughly 12,000 species of Fern in the world/ J.A.R.V.I.S is Vision's Voice actor in Avengers 2/ J.K Rowling is now a Harmonian.

As the loud and imposing voice showed off this point, Kid finished.

"...I know Naruto ended up involved with Pleistocene Rewilding in his last project, among other things (Plesti wha?). You could even show off a challenge the author coughs up that he hopes a reader will take on. Hopefully you won't be used to vent out the author's political views, it offends too many fans. The big guy is working on it, but sometimes he just has a bad day..."

Beep

The elevator reached the top floor, silencing the kid hero as the three prepared to exit the elevator.

"Omake or not Ash, be ready to have fun with it, and remember; you only have one shot. The author has proven he can only do a well liked story in a fandom once; ignoring that side project he did in a different section of your fandom, if you mess this up, you're never going to get another chance. Now, I'm off to get that free ramen before that Ninja beats me to it."

As Kid sped off into the exclusive 'your story is a top priority one V.I.P penthouse' floor, Ash and Pikachu sighed.

"Well Pikachu, I guess we have to take this one step at a time. Let's just try to get to 100 reviews and see if we can make it. I mean, we already have 44 with three chapters, I'm sure we'll be number 1 at this studio before we know it"

"You have to overcome the other stories first, and you're barely half way to the next milestone dobe," a duck haired anime character rudely told Ash before walking away to brood some more, "Of course, even if you beat Olympus Divided and Moon Heir 2 right after it, to best the next highest reviewed story, Next Gen you'd need over 250 more reviews. You'd need nearly 2000 reviews to take Mysterious Power's crown at the top. You should give up now dobe."

"...Maybe we can get some Espurr to terrify the readers into reviewing more" Ash suggested as he and Pikachu promptly fell into a depression.