Kagome Higurashi was raised on a shrine located in the woods just beyond Pallet Town. There was nothing unusual about that particularly. What was unusual though, was that the shrine was regularly visited by a 'mon that most people believed to be nothing more than a myth. Most, because Kagome knew better. The ever-curious, giggling, and childishly playful Mew was much more real than anybody else thought to believe. Every other person who came to the shrine came for festivals or to pray at the Tree of Ages for luck.

Kagome visited the Tree for a different reason. It was where she met Mew to play, and Mew played with her any time she was outside and not being watched by her mother or grandfather (they certainly didn't know about the legendary 'mon) or doing chores. Tag and hide-and-go-seek were the usual games, though Kagome was increasingly certain that, however fast she ran, she never won when they played tag unless Mew let her.

Though some days, it was follow-the-leader, and Mew would introduced Kagome to another legendary 'mon that had come to pay him a visit. Nearly all the ancient 'mon knew each other, and would occasionally visit each other, though some never travelled.

The day before Kagome was going to leave the shrine – just as Ash, Gary, Sango, and Miroku (all of whom lived in Pallet Town proper) were going to leave their homes as well – Mew tugged at her sleeve and flew a short way off, looking back at her as he hovered. It seemed it would be another game of follow-the-leader. Obediently, Kagome chased, and as she drew level with Mew, he took off again, halting while still within sight, and waiting for her.

Kagome followed. She had no fear of whatever 'mon might be hiding in the trees, bushes and tall grass. She had played here essentially all her life, and knew that if she was attacked by one of the wild 'mon then Mew would come to her aid and gently (or not so gently) send that 'mon on its way.

This game of follow-the-leader ended when Kagome drew level with Mew and he didn't float off again, but instead looked pointedly down over a bush, giving a chirping, echoing "mew" as he pointed to what was just beyond.

Kagome pushed the leaves aside obediently and gasped at what was there. An egg, absolutely red all over and a bit smaller than her head, and it was just beginning to crack open. Kagome gave a look to Mew and then climbed through the bush to sit down next to the egg, which she gently pulled into her lap.

Mew lowered to actually stand on the ground, rather than floating above it as he usually did, and carefully drew kanji in the dirt by Kagome's feet with the tip of its tail.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome read, and felt something warm and wet slide up her neck and under her chin. The egg had hatched, and there was a perfectly white puppy in her lap now with the bits of egg shell. "Oh," she cooed, "you are adorable," she informed the 'mon.

"Mew!" Mew chirped, getting Kagome's attention again, and pointed significantly from her to the 'mon cradled in her arms, and back again.

"I should keep him?" Kagome asked, just to be sure. After all, Mew generally introduced her to old friends, never new ones before, and especially not friends that she could take home with her.

Mew nodded once, firmly.

Kagome smiled, and hugged the little Sesshoumaru closer. "I'll take good care of him," she promised.

"Mew, mew mew mew, mew, mew mew, mew mew mew."

~oOo~

As she didn't have any pokeballs, and wouldn't until she had been to see Professor Oak, Kagome carried Sesshoumaru in her arms back to the shrine, and had intended to do the same the next day as she walked the short distance to Pallet Town proper where Professor Oak lived. That idea had been stomped on by a large Raticate dashing out of the bushes and baring its fangs at her – and Sesshoumaru jumping down and growling right back.

The Raticate hadn't paid any heed to Sesshoumaru's growling though – why would it when it was more than twice as large? – and leapt.

Sesshoumaru had met the Raticate mid-leap and set his fangs around the Raticate's neck, claws scratching at the Raticate's belly, and when they went down Sesshoumaru was on top. The Raticate struggled a while, but Sesshoumaru held on as he growled and clamped his jaws tighter around the Raticate's neck before the larger 'mon finally went limp. When Sesshoumaru released it, the Raticate righted itself and hurried away.

"My hero," Kagome praised the puppy-'mon, and gave him a hug.

Sesshoumaru was resolved to stay on the ground now though, and walk at her side rather than letting himself be carried.

The little skirmish had delayed them, however, and they arrived at Professor Oak's lab in time to see Gary leaving with a cheer squad. Kagome had never understood what those girls saw in that boy, and she probably never would. It looked like she wasn't the only one who was late though, as Ash had only just arrived as well.

"You are both late," Professor Oak noted as he invited them in.

"I was up late watching the League," Ash excused sheepishly, "and my alarm clock broke."

"There was a delay," Kagome added her own explanation as she held open her arms for Sesshoumaru to jump up and be carried into the lab – which he did willingly.

"I say, is that a 'mon?" Professor Oak asked curiously. "I've never seen one like that before."

"He is," Kagome agreed with a smile. "He's only a day old. He hatched from an egg just yesterday."

"An egg? Really?" Professor Oak pressed, intrigued even as he led them into his lab.

Kagome nodded. "Yep!" she chirped. "I found the egg while I was playing yesterday, and it hatched right there in my lap." No need to tell them about Mew. No need at all.

"How big was the egg?" Ash asked as he eyed Sesshoumaru in Kagome's arms. The 'mon was about fourteen centimetres at the shoulder, if that.

Kagome just giggled.

"Shall I take it that this new 'mon will be your starter?" Professor Oak asked Kagome as he fetched out pokeballs and a pokedex for each of them.

Kagome nodded. "Yes Professor," she answered happily.

"That just leaves you then Ash," Professor Oak said, and the lines around his eyes deepened a little as his face drew tight and he raised the contraption that had the starter 'mon in their balls, waiting to be chosen.

"I thought about it a lot," Ash said as he reached for one of them, "and it took me a long time, but I finally decided to choose Squirtle," he announced.

But the ball popped open to reveal nothing at all.

"I'm afraid that 'mon was already chosen by somebody who was on time," Professor Oak said delicately.

Kagome giggled behind her hand. "Spare us all the embarrassment Professor," she begged light-heartedly. "What 'mon do you have left?"

"Just one," Professor Oak answered as a central, fourth ball popped out of the centre. "But I should warn you," he cautioned Ash, "there is a problem with this last one."

Ash frowned. "I have to have a 'mon," he said firmly, and accepted the ball, releasing the 'mon inside so that he could meet it.

A little yellow critter appeared on the table, shook its long ears a couple of times, and then said "Pikachu."

"His name is Pikachu," Professor Oak said.

"It's so cute, it's the best of all!" Ash declared, a big grin on his face. "Hi Pikachu!" he greeted happily as he lifted the 'mon high and then cuddled it close.

The little 'mon apparently didn't appreciate that much, as it almost immediately electrocuted the boy.

"Also known as the electric mouse. It's usually shy, but can sometimes have an electric personality," Professor Oak said.

"I see what you mean," Ash croaked as his hold on the Pikachu slackened enough for it to hop down to the floor.

Kagome shook her head, but smiled all the same as she crouched down and held out a hand to the 'mon to shake, since it clearly had paws that could do that. "Hello Pikachu," she greeted. "I'm Kagome, and this is Sesshoumaru. That boy there is Ash, he's going to be your trainer."

"Pika," Pikachu answered, and shook her hand, then released it hop close enough to sniff at Sesshoumaru, who was still being held by the girl.

"Sesshoumaru?" Professor Oak repeated. "Where did you get a name like that? He doesn't look like a killer to me."

Kagome smiled at him, but said nothing. Even the great Professor Oak wouldn't believe her if she told him that the legendary Mew had shown her to the egg and written the kanji in the dirt.

~oOo~

Kagome stood back, a smile on her face, when Mrs Ketchum headed a group (not nearly as big as the mob that had seen Gary off) with instruments and a banner saying 'Go Ash!' as she greeted Ash to wish him the best on his journey. She also got in one last embarrassing mother-son moment, as was her right and duty as she pulled out of the bag everything she'd packed for Ash on his journey – including underwear.

"Is that your 'mon?" she asked when she finally spotted the Pikachu that was standing beside her singed son.

"Pikachu," the 'mon answered with a smile.

"Yep," Ash agreed, "that's my 'mon!"

"Pi," Pikachu scoffed, visibly snubbing the boy.

The whole thing ended with Pikachu taking offence to Mrs Ketchum's unthinking insult – calling a 'mon 'weird' was not a way to win brownie points with it.

Kagome wasn't in the line of electrocution, as it were, and Professor Oak had managed to duck out of the way in time. Far back as she was, and busy as everybody else was with Pikachu's high-voltage tantrum, no one noticed as a white-pink body with a pair of bright blue eyes and a long tail sailed silently up to Kagome – and pulled one of the empty pokeballs off her belt.

"Careful with that," Kagome cautioned with a smile. "You could get trapped inside."

Mew smiled brightly and swooped around to drop the ball over Sesshoumaru's head.

Kagome as she caught the ball before it could hit the puppy's head. "That's right, I haven't made it official yet, have I?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, licked her chin, and hopped down from her hold.

Kagome held the ball out to Sesshoumaru, and he pressed his nose to the central button and disappeared away inside with a flash of light. Mew nodded, satisfied, and vanished, likely back to the shrine to play. Kagome wondered if she would ever see her first friend again, but decided to not dwell. She had Sesshoumaru now.

The flash had apparently caught Pikachu's attention – once he was no longer giving everybody else the shock treatment – and he scurried around to investigate, his little black nose gently touching the same button that Sesshoumaru had disappeared into a moment before. It was enough of a touch to summon him back out again.

Kagome giggled as Pikachu scurried back in surprise, and happily picked up Sesshoumaru again before she reached out to gently pet the other 'mon. She actually preferred the idea of having him in her arms or walking along side her, rather than in a ball.

"Hey," she said gently to the 'mon. "He may be an ignorant, smelly boy who's still in his pyjamas, but you're kinda stuck with him, so you should at least give him a chance, okay? You can teach him all about the right way to treat a 'mon, and save the shock-treatment for when he screws up, okay?" she suggested.

"Pi pi, chau," the 'mon allowed.

Kagome smiled, placed a kiss between Sesshoumaru's ears, and set him on the ground before she straightened up. "Time to get going, I guess," she announced. "Ash? You ready to go?" she called to the boy.

"Huh? Kagome?" Ash asked, confused.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Presently, your 'mon likes me better, and we're both heading for Viridian City, aren't we? Might as well travel together at least that far," she pointed out.

"Uh... just let me get dressed..." Ash requested, and ducked away to do that.

~oOo~

"I don't get why it doesn't go back into its pokeball," Ash complained to Kagome as they walked down the road, having finally left Pallet Town behind.

"First of all," Kagome said firmly, "Pikachu is a him, not an it. And second, even 'mon can be claustrophobic about being in pokeballs. It isn't like they can decorate them after all," she pointed out.

Ash grumbled inarticulately, but nodded in acceptance. "I just... You know, I get the feeling that if Pikachu wasn't making friends with your 'mon then I'd have to be dragging him along, rather than watching him walk ahead a little ways..."

Kagome giggled behind her hand. It was probably true. Then again... "It isn't like you've really tried to be his friend, you know?" she pointed out with a smile, then stopped when she noticed that Sesshoumaru had gone stiff-legged in front of her and was no longer just bouncing along like the puppy he was. "Sesshoumaru?" she called questioningly.

He glanced back at her, then looked pointedly ahead.

"Oh, a Pidgey," she noted, then smirked. "You want to play with it?" she guessed.

Sesshoumaru nodded, but didn't move.

"Go ahead then," Kagome permitted.

Sesshoumaru stalked closer to where the bird 'mon was scratching at the ground, moving with impressive silence through the grass for a puppy that had no practice at all. He circled around and came up behind the bird, got a little closer, and then pounced.

The bird was pinned to the ground. It couldn't get its wings out, it couldn't twist around to attack with its claws with the whole of the puppy's weight on its back, and Sesshoumaru had his little jaws around the back of the Pidgey's neck so that it couldn't peck at him.

Kagome rushed up to him. "You're very good at that," she praised him, and gave him a scratch behind the ears before she turned her attention to the Pidgey. "Hello," she greeted it. "My name's Kagome, and the 'mon holding you down is Sesshoumaru."

"Pidgey," the Pidgey answered with a cooing, warbled sort of chirp.

Kagome nodded. "Pleased to meet you," she replied, and pulled an empty pokeball off her belt. "I was wondering if you would be interested in travelling with us," she offered. "Or do you have a family you need to get back to?"

The Pidgey nodded and looked longingly towards a tree just a short ways off.

Kagome smiled and put the ball away. "We'll let you go back to them then," she said, and at her nod, Sesshoumaru let the Pidgey up again to fly away. It cooed at them a moment, and nodded politely to Sesshoumaru before flying off. Kagome laughed happily, scooped up Sesshoumaru, and kissed his nose.

"You really seem to know what you're doing," Ash noted, looking a little depressed as he moved to sit down against one of the few trees in the open grassland that stretched between Pallet and Viridian. "Even if you didn't catch that Pidgey."

"The difference between having 'mon as my playmates and having 'mon merchandise," Kagome guessed with a shrug. Then her eyes widened as she noticed a small purple body scurrying up towards Ash. "Ash," she said softly, eyes fixed on the Rattata that was carefully approaching the boy. "Do you have trail-mix in your bag?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Why?"

"Get it out," Kagome ordered softly.

"Huh?" Ash asked, confused, even as he did as he was told.

Kagome carried Sesshoumaru over to Ash, and Pikachu followed.

"Hey there little one," she called softly to the Rattata. "He'll share if you'll let him be your trainer," she promised.

"Huh?" Ash asked, and finally turned to see what Kagome was looking at. It didn't take him long to spot the Rattata. "Oh, hey!" he said with a smile. "Yeah, sure. Heck, we should all have some breakfast," he suggested. "What about you, Pikachu?" he asked the 'mon tentatively.

"Give him a chance," Kagome reminded the little yellow 'mon.

"Pika," the Pikachu sighed, and nodded in agreement.

Ash shared his trail mix with Pikachu and the Rattata, and Kagome got out some jerky for Sesshoumaru to gnaw on – the two of them had already had a large breakfast, but Sesshoumaru was a young 'mon, and needed to keep his energy up. The jerky would be good for his teeth as well.

Once the trail mix was gone, Ash brought out a pokeball and looked hopefully at the Rattata.

It started edging away.

Sesshoumaru pounced on her tail.

"It was part of the deal," Kagome reminded the little 'mon.

The Rattata sighed visibly and turned back to Ash, then nodded in agreement.

Ash smiled happily and tapped the Rattata on the head with the button of the pokeball. She vanished inside.

"Haha!" Ash chuckled giddily. "Yeah! I caught a 'mon!" he cheered, leaping to his feet as he did so. "Thanks Kagome!"

Kagome shook her head in fond exasperation, but stood up and brushed the road-dust off her knees, ready to keep going. "You're not going to catch every 'mon that way, just so you know," she pointed out. "There are plenty of 'mon who will put up one heck of a fight to stay wild."

Ash nodded.

~oOo~

As they walked, Kagome helped Ash catch a Sandshew and a Mankey – though she didn't catch either herself, since catching one of everything wasn't something she was interested in doing. It was a different matter when Kagome spotted a cat-like 'mon with two tails though. As soon as Sesshoumaru had tackled it (and had pinned the equally small two-tail to the ground), Kagome had a ball in her hand as was racing up to them.

"Hey," she greeted the 'mon with a smile. "How do you feel about me being your trainer?" she asked it.

The little 'mon – a Kilala – chirped out a "Ki!" and nodded.

Kagome's smile widened and she tapped it with the pokeball.

Sesshoumaru looked put out as Kagome straightened and spun happily on the spot.

"Oh," she scolded as she picked him up. "Don't be like that," she begged fondly as she kissed his nose. "You're still my number one."

Sesshoumaru smiled a puppy-ish smile, appeased, and licked her cheek happily.

While Kagome hadn't been looking though, Ash and Pikachu had apparently caught the attention of a Spearow. Considering the temper those little 'mon had, that was never a good thing. She did hear the slightly pained call for reinforcements that the Spearow made, and turned quickly, another pokeball in hand and ready to throw. The ball hit the Spearow in the back of it's head, and the bird-type 'mon vanished inside the ball. It didn't come out again, and the ball flew back to her hand. She tucked it onto her belt, then she turned to Sesshoumaru.

"I'm not letting those birds get their beaks and claws into you," she informed him firmly, and took out his pokeball. "It's just not happening," she said firmly as he was recalled to his ball.

Even with the Spearow that had called down the mob on them caught, the rest of the flock were more than willing to attack them still.

"Should we run?" Ash checked with Pikachu.

"Pikachu," the 'mon answered quickly with a nod.

Kagome ran too. After all, she'd caught one of their flock. They weren't about to be any more forgiving of her for that than they were to be of Pikachu for electrocuting said 'mon.

"Don't worry Pikachu," Ash said as they ran. "I'll save you."

"Pika," Pikachu scoffed, and ran faster.

"Hey! Don't pull ahead! I said I'd protect you!" Ash objected, even as the Spearows overtook him and started dive-bombing Pikachu.

Both Ash and Kagome fought their way through the 'mon to Pikachu, Kagome keeping them scared off as Ash picked up the now badly injured little 'mon.

"There should be a 'Mon Centre in Viridian," Kagome said breathlessly as they kept running.

"What's a 'Mon Centre?" Ash asked.

"Hospital for 'mon," Kagome answered shortly. "You keep going, I'll slow them down!"

"How?" Ash demanded incredulously.

"Don't worry about it," Kagome nearly snapped as she halted in her tracks and turned to face the Spearow's they'd managed to get some distance on. "Just go!"

Pikachu injured and in his arms, Ash ran.

Kagome had learned more from being raised on a shrine than just how to play hide-and-go-seek with Mew, or how to sweep a courtyard and hand out fortunes at the new year. Higuarhi Kagome had also learned the ways of the ancient mikos, from the moment her grandfather had realised she actually had spiritual gifts that allowed her to perform such tasks. The most basic of the spells she had learned as a miko was one that would stop a dangerously aggressive 'mon from attacking – something from back before people had figured out how to safely capture and train 'mon for themselves.

The mob of Spearows stopped in the air, landed, and regarded her sharply as she chanted. Then, slowly, one by one, they took to the sky again, turning around and going back the way they had come.

Kagome only stopped chanting when the last of the Spearows had left, and slumped to the ground exhausted. The spell was fairly simple, but the more 'mon she was using it on at a time, the more it took out of her, which was why she hadn't wanted to use it straight away. There were a lot of Spearows. Her 'mon journey was about her gaining experience with that sort of thing though, as much as it was about getting gym badges and making her way in the world. Either way, the danger was past now, so that was good.

When she felt like she had the energy enough to move again, Kagome forced herself up and started walking, absently taking Sesshoumaru's pokeball from her belt and releasing him.

"It's okay now Sesshoumaru," she told him happily. "The Spearows are gone."

He nuzzled her ankle through her sock for a moment before he stepped back so as to not trip her as they walked.