Chapter 1: Chapter no.1 I Choose You part 1
Author Note: Before we begin, I'd like to share some information with you, the readers:
• This work is a continuation of another fanfiction that I grew to love by Spidey108, titled Pokemon: A Surprising Journey.
• By "continuation," I mean that I want to take Spidey's work and put my own spin on it. Changes will occur right from the start—small at first but growing to catastrophic proportions.
• For those who have read Spidey's fanfic, here are some key changes I've made:
1. There is no Astral Ash to guide Austin.
2. This world is a much darker version than Spidey's.
- Spidey wrote 117k words for this story; I have already written 300k words and will be uploading/publishing daily.
- I read a lot of popular fanfics and include tropes and story elements from those in my work. I ensure to get permission from the original authors before using these elements, so rest assured that everything included is authorized.
Support Links:
- If you appreciate my work and want to support me, you can do so here:
(htt.ps://www.p.@t.reon.com/Adamo_Amet).
- Join our community on Discord: [Join us](https://di..scord.gg/h3kDw7ma).
Why include support links?
Because I enjoy writing, and it seems that people on other platforms like Royal Road and Webnovel enjoy my "jumbled ramblings" enough to donate. It's surprising to me, but I don't judge what people enjoy. Note that under no circumstances will I hold fanwork hostage behind a paywall. I am grateful for anyone who wishes to support me, and I will never delay releases due to perceived insufficient payment. I've seen others succumb to "big-fish, small-pond" egomania, and it's not a path I want to follow.
If you have a dollar and want to support me, that's wonderful; if not, that's perfectly fine too.
Please join me on Discord; I'd love to chat with anyone interested.
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"Oh come on, that's bull crap!" exclaimed Austin Kevin, a fifteen-year-old with tousled black hair and sharp brown eyes. He was dressed casually in a simple black shirt and blue jeans, his frustration palpable as he slouched on the sofa.
"How does Pikachu, the Pokémon who took down a Regice and held his own against a Latios, lose to a rookie Snivy?" Austin vented in disbelief.
Sure, his electric attacks were disabled, but he could've used Iron Tail to send that snake flying!
It wasn't the first time Austin had found fault with the Pokémon Anime. He recalled with irritation how Ash had taken only Pikachu to Hoenn, neglecting to use any of his other Pokémon except for a brief appearance by Bulbasaur in one episode—then repeated the mistake in Sinnoh.
Shaking his head, Austin muttered to himself and turned off the TV.
"Anyone could do better than that," he frowned, turning away to retrieve his headphones and cue up some music.
With an hour to spare before his parents' return, he was determined to enjoy his solitude. After their arrival, it would be time for the mundane task of shopping for school supplies.
Closing his eyes, Austin let the opening chords of "New Divide" wash over him. His thoughts lingered on the Pokémon Black and White Series and how it could have capitalized on Ash's development from the Diamond and Pearl seasons.
"If he'd brought more than just Pikachu, maybe they wouldn't have had him lose to a beginner. That's just ridiculous," he thought, annoyance flaring again.
But as the song played on, a wave of unexpected tiredness swept over him.
It was strange; just moments ago, he had been full of energy.
Yawning, he decided to surrender to a quick nap, slowly drifting off to sleep as the music enveloped him in a comforting lull.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Austin felt his nose twitch, instinctively shifting his head away from the intrusive sunlight streaming in through the window. He curled up tighter, seeking the warmth of his covers.
...Wait.
He hadn't pulled any covers over himself.
With a sense of unease, Austin cracked open his eyes and froze. The room around him was definitely not his own. Panic gripped him as he sat up, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.
In a hurried movement, Austin leaped out of bed, his legs wobbling unsteadily beneath him. His gaze darted around the room, taking in the odd decorations: a Clefairy piggy bank, a Zubat hanging from the ceiling, a Snorlax bean bag chair on the floor, and a broken Voltorb clock with a mini Pidgey perched atop it.
Blinking in disbelief, Austin stumbled toward a mirror hanging on the wall. As he caught his reflection, he stopped dead in his tracks. The face staring back at him was not his own—it was Ash Ketchum's, complete with the iconic green pajamas from the very first episode of the Pokémon series.
Austin approached the mirror slowly, his movements mirroring those of Ash's reflection. He lifted a hand to his face, and the reflection did the same.
'N-No way,' Austin thought, his mind reeling in shock.
This couldn't be happening.
It just couldn't.
"H-How—" he started to speak, but the voice that came out wasn't his.
It was Ash's.
Overwhelmed and unable to comprehend the surreal nature of his situation, Austin did the only thing that made sense in that moment.
He screamed.
Seconds after his scream echoed through the room, Austin regretted the outburst as he heard footsteps approaching rapidly. The door swung open to reveal a young woman with mahogany hair and amber eyes, dressed in a pink buttoned shirt and blue pants. Her expression was etched with concern.
"Ash, are you alright?" Delia Ketchum asked, her voice laced with worry.
Austin felt a pang of dread. His first instinct was to confess that he wasn't Ash, that this was all insane. But fearing how that might sound, he opted for a safer excuse. "I overslept!" he blurted out, adopting Ash's identity to avoid further questions. He then hurried past her, his movements awkward as he adjusted to the unfamiliar ten-year-old body he now inhabited.
"Ash, wait, you need to eat—" Delia's voice faded as Austin sprinted out the door, her soft smile lingering.
"Just like your father," she murmured.
Outside, panic surged through Austin as he dashed down the street, clueless about his destination but desperate for answers.
'This is a dream,' he repeated to himself. 'Just a very realistic dream.'
He expected to wake up at any moment, back in his own room, with his parents ready to take him shopping for school supplies.
But the wake-up call never came.
Panting, Austin slowed to a stop, noting he hadn't run far from Ash's house—it was still visible in the distance.
"Alright, I'm obviously in Pallet Town," he muttered, trying to maintain his sanity.
"And I've become Ash."
He shook his head and took several deep breaths, half-expecting to find himself in a rubber room instead of Pallet Town.
Disturbed by nearby noises, Austin looked up to see a large crowd gathered at the gates leading up to the Oak Pokémon Lab. He walked over just in time to catch a haughty voice.
"Well, Ash, better late than never, I suppose."
Austin turned, only to lock eyes with a brunette boy his age, dressed in a blue shirt and black pants, clutching a Pokéball. "G-Gary Oak?" he stuttered, his mind reeling.
"That's Mr. Gary to you. Show some respect," Gary retorted, reminding Austin of his arrogance from the first season.
"Well, Ash, you snooze, you lose. And you're way behind from the start. I have a Pokémon, and you don't."
Austin bristled at the comment but couldn't resist a sharp retort.
"Must be quite the Pokémon to put up with your big head."
Gary's eye twitched in surprise, thrown off by the uncharacteristic insult.
"I bet you're wondering what Pokémon it is—"
"Squirtle," Austin said flatly, cutting him off.
Gary's mouth dropped open.
"How did you know?!"
Realizing his slip, Austin hastily covered. "There are three choices. I just picked one," he lied, hoping it sounded plausible.
Gary eyed him strangely before dismissing the conversation. "Well, it doesn't matter. I have a journey to start," he declared, stepping into the red car where another person was at the wheel.
"Smell ya later, Ashy-Boy."
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