Ash Ketchum is not allowed in the Celadon Gym after offending its gym leader, Erika. In order to get around this, Ash sneaks in by pretending to be a girl named Ashley. Ash's cover is blown when a fire starts and his wig catches on fire. Because Ash is partially responsible for the incident, Erika decides to have Ash repay her by helping fix the damages. The experience will not only help her, but it'll also help Ash mature and become more responsible. There's one catch to this: Ash has to stay in his "Ashley" disguise to get around the gym's all-girl rule.
Celadon's New Blossom
is a Pokémon: The Series fanfic by Usagi-Hasano. It's based on the episode "Pokémon Scent-sation!" but deviates from canon by having Ash become an apprentice of Erika's. The story also has a lot of elements from the games sprinkled about.
This fanfic provides examples of:
- Adaptation Name Change: Lorelei is given back her game name, rather than the "Prima" 4Kids went with due to Lip Lock problems.
- Adaptational Nice Guy:
- Erika's Adaptational Jerkass behavior is treated as an Out-of-Character Moment. She's written more in-line with her game persona.
- Charmander evolves into Charmeleon, but he keeps his nice personality. He trusts Ash too much to treat him badly.
- Age Lift: Ash is eleven, not ten. He started his journey at ten but turned eleven by the time he met Giselle.
- Alternate Universe Fic: There are various deviations from canon in the first chapter. Ash's disguise is only blown when the fire burns his wig, Ash isn't given a Rainbow Badge for saving the gym, and, most importantly, Ash is made to work at the Celadon Gym until he fixes the damage.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: People often comment on Ashley's cuteness. Poor boy feels a mite ambivalent about it.
- The Cameo: Ash has a run-in with a nameless Paul in chapter 6. He's later mentioned again, by name, in chapter 9 when he abandons a young Pokémon at the Celadon gym.
- Dead Fic: Celadon's New Blossom hasn't been updated since chapter 15 in September 2016. Its last update involved Ash catching a Dratini at the Safari Zone.
- Defeat Means Friendship: After beating Sabrina, Ash decides she really could use some fun and they hang out for a while. Sabrina quickly thaws in front of this kindness.
- Disappeared Dad: Ash's father left when he was an infant. Growing up, Ash was teased for having an absentee father.
- Disguised in Drag: Ash is in disguise as a girl named "Ashley" due to Erika's gym being all-female. As it turns out, being Erika's student will likely take years, so Ash has to stay Ashley for longer than he'd like (precisely, until he beats the Pokémon League). He can continue on his journey, but he has to routinely return to Erika. His ID is changed to fit the disguise.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: Discusssed when Delia tries to ease Ash's anxiety by telling him that, even though he's wearing a dress, he's still Ash. She compares him to a Kirlia, which causes Ash to note that even girly-looking Pokémon can be male.
- Earth Drift: Averted. As was the case in Kanto, fish and other animals co-exist amongst Pokémon.
- Elegant Gothic Lolita: When Ashley first meets Sabrina, she forces him into a "sweet lolita" outfit (complete with frills and bonnet) before their match, and gifts him the dress to keep. Misty gets to see a picture and gushes over Ashley's demureness and grace.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Erika takes Ash to the hairdresser for his black, spiky hair to be dyed blond and styled into a hime-cut, symbolizing her wish to turn a rowdy, ill-mannered boy in a cute, polite young lady.
- Friendly Enemy: The first time he met Ash Disguised in Drag, James outright praised his looks and offered to give him tips about clothes.
- Interspecies Romance: Primeape begins obeying Ash because he has a crush on "Ashley".
- Jerkass Realization: Erika found it extremely funny to force Ash to dress and act the part of a cute little girl... then she saw Ash was actually distressed by the situation and decide to dial it down.
- Last-Name Basis: Nurse Joy's are addressed this way as "Joy" is actually their surname.
- Makeover Torment: The girls at Celadon's gym really enjoy pampering Ashley who would gladly decline the honour, thank you very much.
- Mythology Gag:
- Delia owning a restaurant that she inherited from her mother comes from Pocket Monsters: The Animation.
- Ash mentions that at ten years old, kids can either chose to become a legal adult and live as a trainer or continue their schooling. This partially comes from Pocket Monsters: The Animation, where it's mentioned that ten year olds are legally adults in Kanto.
- Parental Substitute: When Ash's Pokemon egg hatches, the Budew inside immediately takes to the trainer as his mother.
- Patchwork Fic: It takes some world-building elements from the Pocket Monsters: The Animation books, as well as game canon.
- Pink Means Feminine: As he starts living as a girl, Ash finds himself wearing a lot of pink clothes, accessories and make-up.
- Shonen Hair: Poked fun at when a hair stylist calls Ash's hair "too stiff".
- Stock Shōnen Hero: This applying to Ash is lampshaded by Erika when she tries to explain why she's so interested in training him:Erika: "I just see someone who I want to help. Human emotions are illogical, and we all get feelings we can't explain. I think after seeing you, I just feel like one of those characters from a shounen anime who takes on a diamond in the rough, acting as their sensei and training them to find their potential."Ash: "So... I'm like some kinda chosen hero protagonist in that way then?"
- Talking Animal: At the Safari Zone, Ash and his friends come across a Dragonair who can communicate telepathically.
- Underestimating Badassery: More than a few people won't take Ashley seriously as a trainer for looking like a dainty, cute little girl and he needs to display his stubborness time and again.
- Urban Legends: When Ash's Pokédex tells him that it's rumored a boy turned into a Kadabra, Ash dismissively notes that an urban legend isn't useful information.
- Used to Be a Tomboy: Outgrowing a tomboyish phase is Ash's excuse for his boyish look when he visits a hair stylist to get his hair styled into a more feminine look.
- What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Ash's female persona is so cute it manages to fool Brock's girl-radar. Needless to say, he doesn't think it very useful.
