The New Kid: Year 1

Mi Casa Su Casa

A/N: Thanks to Daren for the recommendation! Here's a song for all introverts.

Ash POV

"And... you tell me about your past."

I froze for a second. As much as I wanted to know more about Paul, I didn't want to talk about what happened, I didn't want to relive the pain. Even Professor oak hardly knew what happened, and I'm glad he didn't pry. I stared at Paul for a few good minutes, as he stared back with an impassive expression, with his cold glare gone. The air between us was heavy with suspense. While weighing the pros and cons I only just realized the direction we were walking in. He was heading straight for the forest, not the bust stop or the neighborhood, but the forest. My curiosity peaked and I decided I wouldn't be getting the short end of the stick.

"Fine." I said, hoping he hadn't changed his mind in the last 3 minutes we stood there staring at each other. He simply turned around and gestured for me to follow before walking into the dense forest. I looked at Pikachu who looked at me before we both dashed in after him.

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We spent the next 15 minutes walking through the shrubbery, over the roots and twigs and past all the wild Pokémon, who didn't see to mind our presence, until a cabin came into view. It looked like a stereotypical log cabin belonging too a lumberjack, but upon getting a closer look, I realised it was far from the picturesque cabins you see in the movies. The cabin that stood before me looked like it had been to hell and back. There was mould and fungus on the rotting wood, holes drilled by bug types everywhere, and the roof that was mostly covered in moss had a large hole that offered no protection from rain. The cabin itself looked only slightly larger than a bedroom. 

Unfortunately, the exterior looked far better than the interior. The cabin was essentially a bedroom, with a stove and sink opposite the bed, and a desk beside the window. The toilet had no walls around it whatsoever and provided no privacy from anyone in the room, showing that he clearly lived alone. The sink and stove were rusting, the desk was missing a leg and had scratch marks and graffiti all over it, while the bed was a mattress on the floor, with claw marks and shredded linen. Long story short, it looked like a no-man's land.

"I know it isn't much compared to what you probably live in but it's home." The purple haired boy said as I looked up to see the hole on the roof directly above the stove. 

"It's... quaint." I tried complimenting to be polite. Pikachu looked as uncertain as me.

"It's fine, I know it's a shit hole. I meant to start repairing it, but never really bothered to. Now back to why you came here. You show me your Pokémon, I answer any questions you have then you answer mine. Deal?" He cut straight to the chase.

"Uhm... yeah sure." I said, still examining the rotting features of the house, if you could call it that. After placing his bag on remains of the bed, he headed out the door with me in tow. He lead us into a clearing about 50 metres from his cabin, before turning to me expectantly. I slowly reach for my belt and took the five remaining Pokéballs, and looked at them for awhile before tossing them into the air. "Come on out guys!"

"Sceptiiilllee!"

"Charrr!"

"Fernape!"

"Snooorrr!"

"Gren!"

(A/N: Here Ash doesn't have his Pokémon past x and y, so no lycanroc, Gengar, etc.)

The five strongest Pokémon I had materialised in front of us, each letting out their signature cries. It had been awhile since I last heard them, because I've only let out Greninja, and even then it was for short periods of time. Each of them brought back too many memories of her.