Disclaimer: I have at least one Pokemon game from every generation, but I do not own Pokemon.

Notes: Welcome to the World of Pokemon! There are a number of twists that separate this story from regular Pokemon, and I've decided to post them in this AN. Firstly, ages vary from Canon. Ash will be fifteen, while Cynthia will be nineteen. Second, Ash may or may not journey with other people for a given amount of time, but none of them will be for too long. The biggest change, however, results from Pokemon themselves. Listed below will be the steps required for a trainer to actually become a trainer.

-Minimum Age varies based on specialization

-A general test is given out to anyone wishing to become a trainer, 70% or higher required to receive license

-The nearest Professor gives out different Pokemon per area, with Specialists picking from separate pools

-No limits are given on the amount of Pokemon one person can carry, though Pokemon League standard battles have a six Pokemon maximum

-Trainers that choose to specialize must pass a second test about their specialty, 100% required

These are the rules this universe was constructed with, due to the great power Pokemon hold. Ash is the name I'm using for the main trainer, though he is far better educated on Pokemon. Time will pass, whether during a break for training or actual travel. The Evil/Criminal Teams all play a significant role, with certain Teams being well-known before Ash reaches their region, and others rising during his stay. Without further ado, time to learn what it takes to be a master.

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The cheers from the crowd were simply a dull roar to them, having gotten used to it over the years. Across from them, their foes were visibly bothered. They didn't have the same level of training, or bonds, as the great Champions. A thin shout could be heard coming from their opponent, resulting in a smirk on the face of Kanto's greatest celebrity.

"Lapras, use Blizzard!" The plesiosaur Pokemon reared its head back, the air around it shimmering. Then, with as fierce a roar as it could muster in its tired state, thousands of razor sharp chunks of ice shot toward the Champion's own Pokemon. The powerful beast didn't even need to be told what to do at this point, years of practice resulting in a graceful dodge with the use of Extremespeed.

"Finish it, Dragonite. Thunder!" Static leapt between the antennae of the strongest Dragon native to Kanto, Shooting to the top of the stadium and crashing upon the ancient Pokemon it was fighting. With a cry of pain, the last of the Pokemon their opponent could use dropped, quickly recalled to its Pokeball for safe-keeping. "Not bad, but you aren't quite there yet. I should congratulate you though, it's not often an Ice-Specialist makes it past Bruno. Better luck next year."

The Champion's final words were met with a cheer from his fans, the stadium once more in an uproar. The man across from him wore a yellow ski-jacket, purple gloves and bottoms, and had a yellow beanie blocking his hair from view. He simply smiled and nodded, preparing himself for his inevitable return to his home in Sinnoh. He hoped an Ice-Specialist from Snowpoint City would have what it took to stop the master in front of him, but his every plan had been countered.

"Another amazing victory for our Champion! Let's hear it for the League's finest, Lance!" The Dragon-Master sighed as his name rang through the arena. Now that this was over, he would have the time he needed to take care of the business he found important. Namely visiting his home in Johto, training, and beating any Team Rocket members that were discovered into revealing what little information they had on the organization. With a forced grin, and a showy flourish of his cape, the Champion walked back to his chambers, cheers echoing to reach him his entire walk back.

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Ash turned his television off, not really caring for the interview with the most recent of the Champion's victims. He didn't fall asleep though, his mind wandering to tomorrow. He would turn fifteen, and, as that was the minimum age for someone specializing in Dragons, finally begin his Pokemon journey. One day, he would face Lance himself, and prove that even his own idol was defeatable. He leaned over to his alarm, making sure it was still set for 6:00 a.m. sharp. He turned over again, straining to hold his excitement down.

Flashes of the last battle played in his eyes, remembering how Lance's Charizard blasted giant gouts of fire at an Abomasnow. A Walrein had been dropped with a Stone-edge from Aerodactyl, the vicious dinosaur Pokemon screeching its victory as it returned to its Pokeball. Lance had won in a fast five minutes, actually taking more time than usual to defeat his foe.

Ash's eyes began to droop, his curiosity about the match waning as he tried to sleep. He knew that it wasn't the best matchup for Lance, but he had seen another similar match several years ago, and Lance had won in three minutes. He stopped thinking moments after his eyes fully closed, sleep finally easing his tired mind.

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*Ringaringaringari-* The obnoxious sound that all alarm clocks seemed to make was cut off as Ash smashed the button down. He rubbed his eyes, standing up quickly as soon as he remembered what day it was. He ran into the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth, his mom knocking on the door as he toweled off. "Ash? I set out your pack, it has a few changes of clothes and some food for the road. Hurry up, you don't want to be late!" Ash finished taking care of his hygiene, and walked back into his room.

He looked into his mirror as he finished getting dressed, mentally going over his appearance. He wore a red and white hat with the official Pokemon League emblem, a depiction of a serpentine dragon wrapped around the symbol. It had been a reward for a contest he had entered, this particular hat was one of a kind. His messy black hair stood out from underneath his cap, refusing to become orderly no matter how much it was combed.

His eyes were brown, though he seemed to remember them lacking any color a few years ago. He was wearing a blue denim jacket, which had a large number of pockets both in and outside of it. A black T-shirt kept itself between him and most of the jacket, a pair of blue jeans was on his legs. He wore black sneakers with a white trim, though he also had a pair of black hiking boots in his pack. He nodded to himself, and grabbed his pack before leaving his room.

Just as he went to open his front door, he felt immense pressure on his chest, provided by his mother's death hug. Delia Ketchum was a kind brunette that had lived in Pallet most of her life, though she had apparently left for a while and met his father. She never told him much about the man, only that he was a talented Pokemon trainer. "Ash, I know that you're fifteen, and that you will have a great start as a trainer with whatever Samuel gives you, but please, call me every once in a while? Your mother is going to be worried about you."

Ash turned around with a small smile, and hugged his mother back. "Don't worry Mom, I'll keep you up to date. I'll even come back before I go to the Indigo Plateau. If I do this fast enough, I'll even be able to fight in the big tournament, rather than just a bout against the Elite Four and Lance. You can be there to cheer when I win!" Delia smiled, and squeezed just a little bit more before releasing her grip on him. He turned back around, and headed to Oak's Lab.

A number of people waved at him as he walked by, some of them with Pokemon of their own. A License was only required if someone wanted to train a Pokemon, many people kept them as pets without taking the tests. In Pallet Town, it was especially common, as many young Pokemon lived in the countryside or at Oak's. He saw a few Pidgey, some Rattata, the ever common Caterpie and Weedle, and even a Pikachu. A trainer that chose to specialize in Electric types had taken one the last year, and had been shocked by it in less than ten seconds.

He chuckled as he opened the door, wondering why any trainer would choose a feral Pikachu over one of the hundred Magnemite Professor Oak kept. His laughter was interrupted by the voice of his mentor, even more cheerful than usual. "Great timing Ash! I just got off the phone with a friend of mine from another region, and he sent me a fossil he claims is from a type of extinct Dragon Pokemon. I'm rather busy getting ready for the next batch of Trainers expecting the classic starter choices, so I want you to have it. You can get it revived on Cinnabar Island when you go there."

Ash was handed a heavy rock shaped like a jaw bone by the Professor, his head spinning from the rapid-fire greeting. Despite the man's over 60 years of age, he still had tons of energy. "Hey Professor, nice to see you to. You do remember that I'm leaving for the journey today, right after you give me a Pokemon, right?" Oak froze, having completely forgotten about that while on the phone.

"Right, of course! I'll miss the help you've given me with the younger Pokemon here, but I suppose that you should follow your own dream. Seeing as we live in Kanto, your choices on Dragon-types are severely limited. If you lived in Unova, you would actually have a choice, but here, we have Dratini. Technically, Horsea and Charmander are options, but you'd have to present me with a Dragon Scale or have a Mega Ring for them to meet your specialization. I can let you pick male or female, if you care."

Ash stowed the fossil in his pack, as he considered which to get. He knew there was no real difference in their stats, and neither one was rarer than the other. "Doesn't matter, I'm certain we'll get along great either way. Oh, and before I forget, thanks for the present Professor." Oak smiled, and handed Ash a Pokeball. He also gave his favorite student a swift, one-armed hug. Ash smiled back, until he felt Oak slip one more thing into one of his pockets.

"Ash, what I just gave you is a Pokedex. Even in this modern time, we still lack in understanding these wonderful creatures called Pokemon. Your Pokedex will tell you about Pokemon you are about to fight, and it learns more as you raise them. It was my dream to truly finish it, but I'm too old now. I gave one to Gary, but he just took it as a tool for fights and said 'Smell Ya Later'. I should have put a stop to that nonsense when he was ten. Anyway, I'm hoping that you could take the time to accomplish my dream on the side, or at least get me some more information on Dragon-types, they are quite rare after all."

Ash swallowed thickly, but moved out of the hug and shook the Professor's hand. "I'll do what I can, Professor. Don't worry, when I'm Champion, I'll get the League to increase your research funds to." Both of them laughed, knowing perfectly well that Oak's funds were astronomically high already. With his Pokeball clipped to a small metal piece inside of his jacket, Ash walked back outside, heading to the bank of a small creek nearby.

He pulled out his Pokedex with his left hand, and saw to his delight that it contained his Trainer License and personal information already. He removed the Pokeball Oak had given him, nearly trembling in excitement for the first step in his dream to come true. With a quick "Go!", Ash let his new Dratini free on the riverbank. It was a small, cute, bright blue creature, looking from side-to-side and tilting its head as it came free.

"Hi, I'm Ash! I'm your trainer now, but I'm new at this, so I'd be grateful for all the help you can give me." Long hours of studying and working with Oak had taught Ash that the best possible way to treat Dragons was with a mix of confidence and humility, being polite but not acting with awe. The type fell easily into arrogance with the way others treated them, and it was best to simply never let them build up that attitude.

The tiny serpent looked at him curiously, slithering up to him to look more closely. Ash stayed still, allowing his new Pokemon to try and form an opinion of him. It nudged his hand a moment later, slithering onto his shoulders like a 7 lb. scarf. He laughed, and decided that there was nothing wrong with allowing it to stay outside its ball at the moment. When it eventually became a Dragonair, and later, a Dragonite, he wouldn't be able to let it out so easily. "Alright, would you like a nickname? Or would you prefer for me to just call you Dratini?"

Dratini shifted around a little, uncomfortable with the question. "Alright, I'll think up a name for you. Since you're obviously a girl, it may take me a while, but I hope I can find something you like." The patient creature squeezed him lightly, showing what might have been support. This person smelled a lot like her old home, and she remembered seeing him there a few times with the others by the lake. That was enough for her to trust him at the moment, plus, he had said he was a trainer! That meant that he would make her stronger and she would get to become a super cool big dragon.

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A few hours into the walk, Ash stopped to have some lunch. He fed some of the food he had been given a few days ago to his Pokemon, and ate a sandwich himself. He paused while looking at his first of what would be many new friends, a name finally hitting him that may be acceptable. "Hey, how about Clair? She is a Gym Leader and a powerful Dragon-type Specialist." The Dratini met his gaze with her head tilted, before wiggling in place and returning to eating. "Alright, Clair it is. When you're done we'll ge-" A sharp cry broke out from the tree to Ash's left, a Spearow sitting in the tree.

"Well, you want to try your first battle, Clair? I bet that Spearow doesn't even have half the strength you do." Clair daintily finished her food, and made herself look bigger as she slithered over by the Spearow. "Let's play this safe, use Thunder Wave!" The small white pearl on her forehead lit up, a static pulse flowing from it into the Spearow. It cried once more, this time weakly, as it fell from the tree. "Alright, it's weak! Wrap it up and get our first victory!"

Clair let out her cry, and wrapped herself around the tiny bird. It struggled for a few seconds, but fell unconscious fairly soon. "Great Job! We'll be doing that as much as we can before we get to Pewter, you're gonna need Twister or Dragon Rage to face his Pokemon." In a twist of fate, another Spearow showed itself. It cried out twice in succession, and the sky began to darken with hundreds of Spearow, and several Fearow.

Ash and Clair both went pale seeing the massive flock, especially so soon after starting. This was ridiculous, the number of fresh trainers and League presence so close should have kept anything this dangerous from the roadside. Clair quickly climbed back to Ash's shoulder, shivering as she held on to him. He backed away slowly for a few steps, then broke into a run as they cacophony began to chase him. He ducked a number of swooping attacks from those that got closest, and Clair managed to paralyze a few of them with her currently most useful attack, but there were still hundreds to deal with.

Actual clouds began gathering overhead, and rain went from a light drizzle in one minute to a downpour in the next. The new trainer and his Pokemon reached a cliff, skidding to a halt and looking behind them. Clair's gem began to glow once more, this time in an odd blue-green color. A violent Twister exploded from her forehead, the Draconic energy that empowered the move defeating many of the birds, and aggravating the storm. Bolts of natural lightning and peals of thunder made themselves known; what remained of the flock retreated.

Ash lost his footing on the cliffside as lightning touched ground near him, falling off the precipice into a lake. He kept his arms around Clair as he swam to the surface, she had fainted after the use of that technique, one she shouldn't have the strength required to use yet. He managed to drag them ashore with one arm, coughing some water out of his lungs as he tried to take shelter under a tree.

"Damn, I didn't think anyone's luck would be this bad one day in. Don't worry Clair, I'll get us out of this." Ash was not feeling the confidence in his words, until he heard something loud that was distinctly not thunder. The roar instantly brought the rain to a stop, and the clouds began to part. Stunned, he looked up, and saw a giant, green serpentine figure flying through the sky. He could literally see the clouds break up as it neared them, almost as if nature itself bowed to this creature's will.

"Clair, maybe our luck isn't so bad after all. I'm not sure why, but seeing that gives me a better feeling about the way things are going." He closed his jacket over her sleeping form, and ran down a small path to reach the next town. He ignored any Pokemon on the way, there was no way he could get Clair to fight in her shape. By the time he made it to the actual path, his face was badly scraped by branches and his hair and jacket had a number of twigs hanging out.

Ash opened his jacket long enough to check on Clair, and saw that she was still in dreamland. He returned her into her Pokeball for the first time, hoping that would leave her more comfortable than being carried. He continued his way to Viridian, dodging several Nidoran that had tried to tackle his legs. He finally arrived to the city gates, soaked from both the rain and his sweat, and panting.

"Hold it!" The shout was followed by the screeching of tires as a woman with… blue… hair and a police outfit rode up to him on a Vespa. If he weren't so tired, worried, and sore, Ash probably would have laughed. "Finally caught you! I'm bringing you in for questioning, Rocket!" Ash finished catching his breath and handed his Pokedex to the woman, not quite ready for speech since his hysteric moment at the lake had passed.

"Greetings. I am Pokedex designated 'Dexter', programmed by Professor Samuel Oak of Pallet Town to record data and provide assistance for Pokemon Trainer Ash Ketchum, Dragon Initiate." Dexter's short speech was completed with a picture of Ash, then moving on to show a picture of Clair. "Sorry Mr. Ketchum, I guess I jumped the gun a little. I'm Officer Jenny." She extended a hand, which he shook after a moment's hesitation.

"That's alright Officer. If you want to make it up to me, you could give me a ride to the Pokemon Center. My Dratini, Clair, was wounded when we were attacked by a Spearow flock." The gung-ho police women smiled brightly at him, before grabbing him and practically throwing him on her scooter in excitement.

"Say no more! We'll be there before you can say 'Abra'!" Ash immediately regret his decision when he realized that not only did Officer Jenny not cooperate with laws regarding safe travel speed, she also apparently disregarded laws about illegal modifications to certain vehicles. Like NO2. Not only did they reach the Pokemon Center faster than Ash could say Abra, they had crashed through the doors and he was already standing straight up in front of the woman at the counter by the time his head stopped spinning.

"Jenny, could you please stop riding that silly thing in here? I have to scrub those floors afterwards you know." Jenny sweatdropped, and hightailed it back out of there rather than face the wrath of an upset nurse. "Now that she's gone, welcome to the Pokemon Center! My name is Nurse Joy, would you like to heal your Pokemon?" Ash shook his head to clear what he believed to be a floating sign with a 'yes' and 'no' on it from his vision.

"Yes Nurse Joy. My Dratini is wounded and tired. Also, I'd like to stay the night if I could. I need to dry my clothes and change." The now cheery pink-haired woman nodded, taking his Pokeball and putting it in her vita-ray machine. She handed the ball back to him wrapped in a towel. "Thanks for everything, I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't help her." He walked into another room, towelling himself off before he reached into his thankfully waterproof pack to switch into an identical outfit.

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Three figures were skulking around in the shadows in Viridian, tearing wanted posters off of the walls. "Ugh, Jessie, they didn't get my good side. How can we be vicious and respectable villains with such amateur photography?" A pretty young woman with long red hair slapped her hand over the mouth of the man that was talking. He had hair that was more of a true blue color, as opposed to the turquoise/aquamarine that Officer Jenny had.

"Be quiet! Look James, all we have to do is break into the Pokemon Center, take everything there, and then we'll be well known, alright?" James nodded, while Jessie took her hand back. The two of them both wore Team Rocket uniforms, although they were colored white rather than black. They began whispering lowly, making a fool-proof plan to raid an entire Pokemon Center…

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Ash shot out of the bed he was lying in and grabbed his jacket, there had been a loud crash at what sounded like the entrance to the Center. He pulled Clair's ball from its resting spot in his jacket, and released her silently. The affectionate young dragon moved to climb onto his shoulder, only to be stopped by his hand. "Not now, Clair. I think that someone broke in, and there's no way we'll just let them cause trouble." Clair put on what counted as a determined face, no matter how impossible it was for her.

When the two walked out, they saw Nurse Joy tied up, while two people in white uniforms with an R on the chest rooted through the Pokeballs. "Jessie, all of these are Caterpie and Rattata! How come we didn't raid a Pokemon Center in a better area, like Cinnabar Island?" The whiny man was quickly quieted with a smack to the back of his head, courtesy of the red-haired woman with him. Ash signalled for Clair to use Thunder Wave again, paralyzing the both of them.

"Wha-? Meowth, help us!" Ash stared as a Meowth dashed over toward him and Clair, running on two legs like a human. What happened next made him wish that he was having a nightmare.

"What's the big idea pal? We're just honest thieves trying to make a living, and you think you have the right to stop us? Taste my Fury Swipes!" Neither person nor Pokemon had to taste the pain of the fifth most annoying attack in Pokemon history, instead the talking cat was wrapped up by the significantly less talkative Clair. Who proceeded to use another Thunder Wave as she crushed him, just so that he'd stop hurting Ash's head by talking.

"So, you guys are the lamest villains ever, and I'm turning you in to Officer Jenny after I untie Nurse Joy here. Not only did a single brand new trainer win by catching you by surprise, I even beat what is obviously a higher level Pokemon without giving mine orders because of monologuing. I really hope I never see you again." The three poor Rockets began crying, and continued to do so for as long as they spent waiting for the police woman.

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"Thank you for rescuing me and the Pokemon still in their balls from those thieves Ash, I never thought that even the weakest flunkies of Team Rocket would show up so close to the Plateau. Take care of Clair on your way through the forest, alright?" Nurse Joy waved Ash goodbye as he went to continue his journey, a smile on her face.

"Sure thing, and I'd be sure to keep an eye out for more of those goons, I doubt the others are that weak." Clair was once more riding his shoulder, a habit that he knew couldn't be kept up for long if he wanted to survive having a Dragonair. The entrance to Viridian Forest loomed before him, he could feel the eyes of hundreds of Caterpie and Weedle staring. "Well Clair, looks like we're going on a bug hunt."

Endnote: That will be all of the trio's involvement, essentially filler for the plot that will be reached around two chapters from now. The further this goes, the less comedy will happen. Next Chapter features actual fights, where both people take damage, and more than one move is used. Still, starting with Thunder Wave at lvl. 5? Dratini OP.