"Ash, wake up. It's morning already," a gentle and soothing voice pulled Ash from his sleep. He stretched, his body adjusting as he slowly sat up in bed.

"I'm up, Mom. I'll be down in a second," he replied groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As he walked to his dresser, he caught his reflection in the mirror. A 13-year-old boy with messy black hair and brown eyes stared back.

Two months ago, Grey, an orphan from the real world, had died and somehow, he had been reincarnated into the world of Pokémon, inside the body of Ash Ketchum. It sounded unbelievable, almost like something out of a fantasy, but Grey knew that reality was often stranger than fiction. And this... this was now his reality.

When Grey died, he didn't immediately wake up in Ash's body. Before that happened, he was summoned to a strange, ethereal realm. There, he met a breathtakingly beautiful woman who introduced herself simply as "Guide." She explained that Grey had been chosen for reincarnation into a random world, not as a hero or with some grand destiny, but merely to "spice up" that world. It was all for the entertainment of higher beings who watched over various realms.

She didn't sugarcoat anything. There was no noble quest or higher calling in his new life. He could do whatever he wanted. Then, she summoned a glowing board, on which the following options appeared:

World:

Effect:

Boons:

*

*

*

System:

The board spun and selected his new world—The World of Pokémon. Not a bad pick, he thought. At least it was a world he was familiar with, even if only from a video game and anime. Next came the "Effect" slot, which landed on Randomizer. At first, Grey thought it was a joke, imagining wild encounters in tall grass shuffling around. But no... this change impacted the entire world in unpredictable ways. Examples of these effects would soon reveal themselves. In the end, he was just glad that it didn't land on other harder options like Radical Red or Emerald Kaizo

When it came to the boons, Grey was allowed to choose three, and he spent considerable time mulling over the options. Finally, he made his decisions:[Advanced Pokédex], [Enhanced Blessing of Viridian Forest] & [Interdimensional Subspace]

[Advanced Pokedex:  The advanced version of normal Pokedex that shows detailed information about any given Pokemon from any given region. ]

This Pokédex was like a built-in encyclopedia for Pokémon, with full stats, abilities, learnable moves, and background info. But instead of a physical device, Grey had asked for the Pokédex to be integrated into his body. Now, all Ash needed to do was look at a Pokémon, and he could access the information like stats, abilities, moves, and evolutions mentally with a simple command.

[Enhanced Blessing of Viridian Forest:  The Blessing of Viridian Forest allows the user to read the emotions of Pokémon and vaguely understand their language as well as heal them. The enhanced version sacrifices the ability to heal Pokémon in exchange for a 50% increase in charm, making both humans and Pokémon naturally more inclined to like and trust him. ]

[Interdemnsial Subspace: This boon allows the user to access a pocket dimension, a rift in space that he could mold to his will. It couldn't house living creatures, but it was perfect for storage and growing valuable items.].

The reason behind asking for [Enhanced Blessing of Viridian Forest] & [Interdimensional Subspace] was of course for making it easy for him to train his Pokemon.

The Enhanced Blessing of Viridian Forest had been a trickier choice. While the original blessing would have allowed him to heal Pokémon, Grey had decided to sacrifice that in exchange for increased charm and a deeper connection with Pokémon. This version would make Pokémon more inclined to like him. In hindsight, maybe trading healing for charm wasn't the best decision, but at the time, Grey had hoped for a system that would make up for the loss. For now, understanding Pokémon and earning their trust seemed like a fair trade.

Finally, the Interdimensional Subspace served as a multi-purpose tool. Grey could use it to store items, but more importantly, he could cultivate rare berries and resources that were normally expensive. This subspace would help him save money and prepare for tough battles by growing specialized Pokémon food.

For his System, Grey received the Advanced PokéMart System, and at first glance, it seemed disappointingly basic. When it appeared on the board, Grey couldn't help but frown. According to Guide's explanation, it was essentially a portable PokéMart, complete with its own separate credit system. On the surface, it didn't seem particularly exciting. No battle enhancements, no crazy powers, just a mobile store. However, as Guide continued, she mentioned a critical detail: the advanced shop carried every Pokémon item ever available across all regions, and each one was of the highest possible quality.

That changed everything.

Grey quickly realized how game-changing the system could be. With access to rare items, powerful evolution stones, and stat-boosting hold items, he had the potential to shape his team in ways most trainers could only dream of. It wasn't just the basic potions and Poké Balls; it was full access to items like Life Orb, Choice Band, Lightball, and Mega Stones from all corners of the Pokémon world. That perk alone was enough to make his eyes widen. Grey knew how drastically these items could affect battles, especially when used strategically.

Once everything was finalized, Guide bid him farewell, telling him to live a fulfilling life and make the most of this strange and wonderful new world. The next thing Grey knew, he was waking up in the dead of night—inside the body of 13-year-old Ash Ketchum, with Pikachu curled up asleep beside him.

If you're wondering about the timeline, let me explain. This Ash Ketchum has already completed some major milestones in his journey. He had competed in the Indigo Plateau Conference, won the Orange League, and battled his way through the Silver Conference. His next destination was the Hoenn region, where his goal would be to compete in the Ever Grande Conference.

But unlike in the anime, time in this world didn't freeze. Ash wasn't forever stuck as a 10-year-old, no matter how many regions he traveled through. Here, Ash had been growing up just like any other healthy kid, and just last week, he had celebrated his thirteenth birthday.

As for the time between journeys, it wasn't like in the anime where Ash would dash off to the next region the moment he returned home. After completing his Johto journey, it had been two months since he parted ways with Brock and Misty. During this period, Ash had been spending quality time with his family instead of rushing headlong into his next adventure.

******

Back in the present, Ash finished his morning routine and returned to his room. Then he glanced at the soundly sleeping electric mouse and couldn't help but smile at the small creature who had become his best friend. This Pikachu, who had hated him once was more than just a companion now, he was family.

In the beginning, things had been awkward. When Grey first woke up in Ash's body, he didn't feel the deep emotional ties Ash had to the people around him. His memories of being Grey made it hard to connect with Ash's life, his friends, and even his Pokémon. But over time, something happened. Slowly, the memories, emotions, and instincts of Ash began to merge with his own, until the separation between "Grey" and "Ash" dissolved. By the time Ash turned thirteen, Grey had fully accepted his new identity, along with Ash's deep affection for the people in Ash's life, especially the ones closest to him.

As Ash watched his loyal partner, he realized he had never checked Pikachu's stats using his internal Pokédex. Deciding there was no time like the present, he activated it and took a look.

[Name]: Pikachu

[Gender]: Male

[Type]: Electric

[Ability]: Static

[Hidden Ability]: Lightning Rod

[Nature]: Timid

[Held Item]: None

[Special Talent]: Legend Killer – When battling Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, Pikachu's stats increase to mirror those of the opponent.

[Moves]: Quick Attack, Thunderbolt, Double Team, Thunder Wave, Growl, Tail Whip

Ash's eyes widened as he took in the details. 'Legend Killer?' He reread the talent's description, and it all made sense now. Pikachu's ability to stand toe-to-toe with legendary Pokémon wasn't just because of the bond they shared—Pikachu was literally built to challenge legends.

"Well, no wonder," Ash muttered, shaking his head in amazement. Pikachu's highest stat was Speed followed by Sp. Att and Hp which was no surprise, but now it made even more sense why his companion had so often outperformed other Pokémon that, by all rights, should have overwhelmed him.

Satisfied with his discovery, Ash left the room and headed downstairs, only to be greeted by a blur of energy rushing straight into him.

"Good morning~!" a bright, cheery voice chimed.

Ash looked down to see a 10-year-old girl with long black hair and wide, sparkling brown eyes, hugging him tightly. "Morning, Ash!" she chirped with an infectious grin.

This was Ashly, Ash's younger sister, and one of the more significant results of the Randomizer Effect. In the original world, Ash didn't have a sibling, but here, he had a little sister who looked up to him with boundless admiration. Despite only having known her for two months, Grey—now Ash—had already grown to love her deeply and if anything ever happened to her, he'd destroy the world and then himself.

"Good morning to you too," Ash chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "You're really excited this morning, huh?"

"Of course I am!" Ashly grinned ear to ear. "Today's my graduation from Pokémon School! And after that, I can finally go on an adventure with you!"

Ash laughed, guiding her toward the dining table. "I can't wait."

They both sat down, where Delia Ketchum had already set out a delicious breakfast of pancakes. "Good morning, Mom," Ash greeted.

"Good morning, Ash," his mother greeted warmly as she placed a plate in front of him. "And good morning, Pikachu!" She smiled down at the electric mouse, who had finally joined them, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Pika!" Pikachu's face lit up as Delia set a smaller plate of pancakes in front of him, drizzling syrup generously on top. His ears perked up at the sight, and he happily dug in.

Ash chuckled, shaking his head. "The rascal must've smelled the sugar from upstairs."

As they ate, Delia turned to her son. "So, Ash, have you figured out where you're heading next?"

Ash nodded, taking a bite of his pancakes. "Yeah, I'm thinking of heading to the Hoenn region. The Gym Challenge for the Hoenn League started about a month ago, and with seven months until the official league begins, I should have plenty of time to qualify."

"That sounds like a good plan," Delia agreed. "When do you think you'll leave?"

"I'm thinking in about a week," Ash replied. "I want to stop by Saffron City first. Need to grab some new gear before we head out."

"Can I come with you to Saffron City?" Ashly asked eagerly, her brown eyes gleaming with excitement. "Please?"

Ash sighed, knowing full well he couldn't resist her puppy-dog eyes. They were impossibly effective on him, he was sure that her eyes were at least four times more effective than they should've been. "Fine, we'll go together. Maybe tomorrow or the day after."

"Yes!" Ashly pumped her fist in victory, turning back to her pancakes with renewed enthusiasm. Delia chuckled quietly to herself as she watched them, clearly amused. Although it warmed her heart to see such a great bond between her two children.

After breakfast, everyone split off for the day. Ashly went off to Pokémon School for her final day, and Delia busied herself with running their family restaurant. Ash, however, had a different plan. He grabbed his backpack, Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, and they made their way to Professor Oak's lab to check in on his other Pokémon.

With the Hoenn League looming ahead of him, Ash knew it was time to start making serious plans. Unlike the original Ash, Grey had a different strategy in mind. He wasn't going to leave his old Pokémon behind to make room for new ones. Instead, he planned to keep his current team in rotation, allowing his new Pokémon to train alongside the experienced members. This way, his fresh recruits could learn from his seasoned partners, and he'd always have a powerful ace up his sleeve for the tougher battles ahead.

With that strategy settled in his mind, Ash left the house and made his way toward the hilly area near Pallet Town, where Professor Oak's lab—and his Pokémon—awaited.

To be continued...