"Ash—! Ash—! Wake up! You're going to be late! Professor Oak's summer camp is gathering today!"
Summer camp? Professor Oak? This point in time…
He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as heavy as lead. His body was strangely weak, like he was pinned down in sleep paralysis and unable to move. His memories were in chaotic fragments—Aiden's memories mixing violently with those of a much younger boy named "Ash."
"Ash!"
The door swung open, and a middle-aged woman wearing an apron, gentle yet helpless in her smile, walked in.
"Honestly, I heard kids from many other towns will be joining this camp. You can't be late for your first meeting! There are even kids from Johto and Kalos coming."
At the sight of her face, the merging memories instantly supplied the answer—Delia Ketchum!
He snapped fully awake, bolting upright in bed, gasping for breath, his heart pounding wildly.
He looked down at his body—small child's limbs, childish pajamas…
This wasn't his body!
"Mom… mom?" he croaked. The voice was a strange, clear, youthful tone—his disbelief trembling within it.
"Hurry and wash up, then come eat!" Delia urged cheerfully, completely unaware that her son's soul had changed. "Your backpack's ready. Don't forget your water bottle and snacks."
Aiden—or rather, the soul now occupying seven- or eight-year-old Ash's body—forced down the tidal wave of shock in his chest and mechanically nodded, getting up to wash.
In the mirror, a childish face looked back at him—yet the eyes were filled with the panic and confusion of an adult soul.
And at last, he confirmed everything.
He hadn't just transmigrated—
he'd arrived early.
Not on the day Ash turned ten to receive his starter Pokémon—
but earlier still: Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp!
As a devoted Pokémon fan, he naturally knewthis was when Ash met the canon heroine: Serena.
The original story left many regrets for the Ash–Serena pairing. And of course… many other regrets as well.
After the overwhelming absurdity of it all, a surge of indescribable joy and weight settled in his chest.
Joy—because now he had more time to prepare, to change things.
Heaviness—because he knew that from this moment on, every step he took would rewrite history.
————
The summer camp was set in the forest behind Pallet Town, spilling into the backyard of Professor Oak's lab. Children chattered excitedly, gathering around the professor.
Professor Oak smiled warmly as he spoke:
"Alright, kids, welcome to the Pokémon Summer Camp! For the next few days, we'll learn basic Pokémon knowledge, observe wild Pokémon nearby, and most importantly—learn how to get along with Pokémon!"
Aiden (he decided to call himself this for now) took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm as he scanned the crowd.
Then—he saw her.
A girl wearing a pale-blue sun hat, with soft honey-blonde hair, looking shy and quiet as she stood at the edge of the group.
Serena!
That's my girl!
Still just a little one, but already showing the signs of future beauty—especially those gentle eyes.
Sensing his stare, Serena lifted her head. Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Aiden instinctively—perhaps guided by Ash's original nature—gave her a bright, friendly smile.
Serena froze, her cheeks flushing faint pink before she quickly lowered her head, fiddling with her backpack straps.
"Good. First impression established." Aiden silently noted.
His gaze continued and landed on another girl. She wore a clean dress, her chestnut hair slightly curled. Compared to Serena, she seemed more reserved, almost anxious in this unfamiliar environment. Her name tag read—
Vermilion City, Chloe.
"Chloe?" Aiden was startled.
Wasn't this the girl who would later travel with Goh in the new series?
So the timeline was shifting because of his arrival?
She was here at this summer camp, too.
"Hmph! Pokémon or whatever—just catching the strongest ones is enough! I'm gonna catch tons and tons of super strong Pokémon!"
A proud, slightly arrogant voice cut into his thoughts.
Aiden frowned and turned toward the sound.
A boy with a white knit cap and an overconfident expression was bragging loudly.
This was the very child that countless Pokémon fans had roasted over the years—Goh.
"T-That's… not how it should be."
A small, timid yet surprisingly firm voice spoke up.
Everyone turned.
The speaker was the quietest-looking child—Chloe.
She had gathered what was surely all her courage, gripping her skirt tightly, her face flushed red, yet she still looked straight at Goh and said:
"Pokémon are friends… Y-You shouldn't think only about catching them… You… you have to understand each other."
And once she finished, it was like all her energy drained away, her head lowering again.
Goh was stunned for a moment before scoffing:
"Hah? What's the point of understanding them?"
Seeing Chloe falter, her eyes reddening, Aiden knew it was time for him to step in.
He stepped forward—not addressing Goh at first, but instead giving Chloe a warm, encouraging smile.
"You're absolutely right, Chloe. Understanding each other is the first step to becoming friends with Pokémon. It's a very important feeling."
Chloe lifted her head in surprise.
Seeing Aiden's genuine smile and affirmation, the embarrassment and grievance on her face faded by more than half, replaced with a shy happiness at being recognized.
She nodded lightly.
Only then did Aiden turn to Goh, his tone calm but carrying a firm, irrefutable weight:
"Strong Pokémon are amazing, yes. But if you don't understand them—don't respect them—then even if you catch them, you'll never earn their true response. And you'll never bring out their real power. Pokémon are our partners."
Goh was once again choked speechless and turned away with a dissatisfied snort.
Professor Oak nodded approvingly.
"Oh? Ash from Pallet Town, and Chloe from Vermilion City—both of you said that very well!"
In the days that followed, Aiden—with knowledge and warmth far beyond his age—quickly became one of the leaders among the children at the camp.
He paid intentional attention to Serena, gently looking after her.
He also took special care of the quiet, kind Chloe.
He helped the girls identify Kanto plants they didn't recognize, caught them when they tripped over branches, and shared the homemade sandwiches his mother had packed.
He discovered that Chloe, though introverted, had an extremely delicate sense for observing Pokémon and a gentle heart.
They often watched Caterpie spin silk together, or discussed how cute Eevee was.
And under his careful protection, Serena completely avoided the traumatic incident from the original story—no fear of Pokémon, no negative impressions.
And toward the boy her age who always took care of her… she began to develop deeper affection, perhaps even budding feelings.
Chloe, too, gradually opened up.
She shared stories of Vermilion City with the knowledgeable, gentle boy from Pallet Town, and her smiles grew more frequent.
Of course—he didn't forget one very important task:
Teaching Goh a lesson.
Under his "carefully arranged circumstances," Goh just so happened to kick a rock…
which "happened" to hit a Weedle…
which "happened" to disturb an entire Beedrill swarm…
The result?
He got stung right in the kidneys.
How bad?
Let's just say—his happiness for the foreseeable future? Gone.
The summer camp came to an end—short but beautiful.
When leaving, Serena mustered her courage, ran up to Aiden, and whispered:
"Um… Ash, thank you! I was really happy during the camp!"
Then she fled back to her mother, face bright red.
Chloe looked more reluctant to part.
She stepped forward, carefully pulling out a handwoven, slightly clumsy Eevee keychain from her pocket and pressing it into Aiden's hand.
"Ash… this is for you. Thank you for taking care of me these days. Goodbye."
"Thank you. It's really cute—just like Chloe," Aiden replied sincerely.
Chloe's entire face turned scarlet.
She squeaked out a tiny "b-bye" and hurried toward the car waiting for her.
As for Goh?
He'd withdrawn from summer camp due to kidney-related injuries—and was probably still lying in the hospital.
——————
Time flew by.
Years passed as Aiden studied and trained with clear intention.
He never forgot his strongest asset—and prepared more thoroughly than anyone else.
After transmigrating, he could feel it clearly:
His Aura was awakening.
So he turned Professor Oak's backyard and the woods around Pallet Town into his training grounds.
Meditation day after day, trying to communicate with Pokémon, guiding energy to strengthen his body.
It was a boring and difficult process.
Then one day—he soothed a frightened Sentret using a faint blue aura glow.
He had finally reached the first threshold of "interfering with reality."
His unusual talent naturally attracted Professor Oak's attention.
This child understood ecology, type matchups, evolution conditions, regional forms—
and sometimes offered startlingly innovative ideas (all of which he "remembered" from his past life's knowledge).
Over the years, with "breakthrough insights" into evolution branches and type-interaction modeling, he became a sort of "junior advisor" at the lab—
even receiving the title "Special Research Assistant of Pallet Town Research Lab."
His name appeared in acknowledgements of several major research papers, earning him a mysterious reputation in small academic circles.
At last—it was the morning of his tenth birthday departure.
A familiar room.
A familiar voice calling.
"Ash—! Wake up! You're going to be late! Professor Oak is waiting to give you your starter Pokémon!"
Aiden opened his eyes.
No fear remained—only years of anticipation and sharp focus.
He carefully placed the Eevee keychain into his pocket.
He got up swiftly, washed, and put on the clothes he had prepared long in advance.
Delia looked at her unusually calm and mature son with surprise, but smiled as she handed over his backpack:
"Here, your bag and luggage. Do your best, Ash!"
"Mm. I've prepared for this a long time, Mom."
Aiden took the backpack, his tone steady but powerful.
"This isn't just a journey—it's the extension and application of my research."
He ran toward Professor Oak's lab with no hesitation in his heart.
(Author Explanation: because he arrived late on purpose, he didn't witness Gary's big show-off scene—I'm too lazy to write it.)
He knew that with his intervention, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur might already have found different paths.
And his starting point would be unlike anyone else's.
He pushed open the lab door.
"Oh, Ash, you're here! Honestly, we were just waiting for—"
Professor Oak froze.
The table's three Poké Balls were empty.
"Oh no! Ash, you came late, so all the starter Pokémon were taken by the other new trainers!"
Professor Oak slapped his forehead in regret.
Aiden didn't show the slightest surprise or disappointment.
He only asked calmly:
"Professor… is there any other Pokémon?"
Oak rubbed his hands awkwardly.
"Well… there is one more…"
He pointed to a separate table, covered in insulated devices—and a single Poké Ball resting quietly atop them.
"But this one is a bit problematic. It's extremely disobedient, and has even attacked trainers…"
Aiden's gaze fell on that distinct Poké Ball, the corner of his mouth lifting faintly.
He knew exactly what was inside.
His true beginning—his unique, irreplaceable partner.
Everything had returned to "the right path"… yet everything was already completely different.
"It's fine, Professor."
He stepped forward without hesitation and picked up the Poké Ball.
"I choose this one!"
He threw the ball forcefully!
A burst of white light.
A yellow figure erupted out with a storm of electric sparks!
"Piiiii—ka—CHU!"
A sharp cry filled the lab—full of warning and irritation!
Its cheek pouches crackled violently with golden electricity, its tail raised high, its eyes fierce and defiant as they locked onto the human boy before it.
The air tingled with ozone; the lights flickered wildly.
Ash met that challenging gaze head-on, unafraid.
His eyes shone with confidence, with understanding, and with the eager curiosity and fighting spirit of a researcher facing a rare specimen.
Aura stirred faintly within him, ready to meet whatever came.
His journey—his story with this Pokémon—was about to begin.