Everything Changes
is an Ash and Delia-centric fanfic by Milkyway Scribbles.
Starting a few months prior to the anime, 9-year old Ash lives with his mother in Pallet Town. His father walked out nearly 5 years ago. At age 9, Ash is preparing to become a Pokémon trainer in a few months.
The story centers around Ash's relationship with his mother. It deals with what happened prior to Ash's departure in the first episode.
This fanfic provides examples of:
- Adaptational Jerkass: 9-year old Gary is a lot brattier and more aggressive than 10-year old Gary. He teases Ash more and nearly breaks Ash's fingers.
- Creator's Culture Carryover: The story is purposedly American-based, despite Kanto canonically being Japan-based. Pallet Town is predominantly treated like small-town America, if with Japanese values on things like bullying.
- Disappeared Dad:
- Ash's father left on a Pokémon journey when he was a toddler. He's a travelling trainer who doesn't keep in touch with his family.
- Ash's cousin Danielle is the daughter of the Viridian gym leader, but her father isn't present in her life.
- The Bully: Gary was this to Ash prior to the two leaving on Pokémon journeys.
- Fingore: Gary slams Ash's fingers into his locker, bruising them.
- Oh, My Gods!: Delia's father has the line "Who in the name of Mew are you referring to?"
- Patchwork Fic: The story takes influence from the anime and Pocket Monsters: The Animation. Ash's Disappeared Dad is a terrible trainer and Delia works at her parent's restaurant.
- Prequel: The fic takes place roughly a year before the anime.
- Related in the Adaptation:
- Pallet Town is so small that many people are related to one another. Ash and Gary are cousins because Ash's dad and Gary's mom are triplets (with their other sister living in Cerulean).
- Drake from the Orange Islands is Ash's uncle. He's a younger half-brother of Ash's dad who became estranged into adulthood.
- Shout-Out: The first chapter's title is a reference to "The Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + the Machine.
