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Leo33Wii
Welcome to Leo33wii's Story.
These are the first 4 chapters and I will be working on more.
I would like to hear what you think of it so far.
{G}{W}{R}{C}{L}{F}{P}{D}{M}
Chapter 1
There hasn’t been any other time that Alex could remember seeing the morning sun rise like this before. All the other times the sun rose there were no clouds, everything was clear, but this morning, there was a beautiful fine mist that made the rays beam across the land. He wanted to see all of the land under this lighting. Alex wanted to know if there was anyone else who woke up this morning to see this natural art. The land was covered in dew that reflected the beams of light and it created a magical comforting glow.
The water before him splashed softly and he noticed the shadows of creatures swimming but would swim away as soon as they felt his gaze upon them.
The sun was a bit lower since the last time Alex took note, then like an alarm buzzing to a waking person, Alex stood up looking around him. The wind blew and it was warm, it was no longer the early morning, the sun had already vaporized the mist, it’s almost noon. He looked at his watched and saw that he was late!
Alex quickly ran past an old sign that had been there long before him, a sign that everyone in town knew, words that were painted and weather but still read:
“Were new beginnings create beauty on the canvas of life… Pallet Town”
“Alexander Stevens Hamilton!” said a very familiar voice that froze Alex in his steps. The tone of anguish and her chagrined expression affected Alex with guilt. His mother stood and watched him with her hands at her waist. “You’re late!” she began, “Go up stairs and get yourself clean. I’ll be making lunch.” Alex watched her, wary of her actions, she could sense his cautiousness and signaled her son to move. The boy ran past her and was up the stairs by the time she turned to catch a look.
Like autumn leaves across park pavement, worn out clothes lay on the bedroom floor. The curtains were pulled across leaving the room dark and filled with stiff air. The light escaping from the open bathroom door gave the room an ambiance of a hotel room. Alex’s bed was neat and resembled a hospital bed; a characteristic he adopted from his father. Currently the man is deployed far off in a region full of dust and sand. The cause of the war has been lost in the media and political conflict. He’s been there for a long period of time. Alex wonders at night when his father will return home, if ever.
“Did you make your bed?” called a voice from the kitchen.
“Yes mom, I made my bed,” answered Alex, now meeting his mother at the foot of the stairs.
She kissed her son on the forehead and gave him a hug. She only did this when Alex would go to summer camp or visit relatives in other parts of the region, but that was because she wouldn’t have a chance to see him for a good deal of time. She ran her hand through his hair as she did when Alex was younger. She gave a sad smile.
“…mom, are you alright?” He asked
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Now here’s your lunch.” She held a paper bag.
“Mom, I thought—“
“You we’re late.” She said interrupting him, “Remember that. I also packed your bag. So hurry up and go. The longer you stay here…”
She trailed off and thought for a moment. Alex watched her, a bit confused why she was acting the way she was. She looked up with grief and delicately said “Oh honey, I’m sorry. As much as I want you to stay today, you have something important to do and you must hurry.”
She grabbed him again and held her son. Alex wasn’t sure why he was being hugged for so long. The ticking of the clock became audible. Her perfume was light and gentle and her embrace was warm. Alex knew she meant this hug more than anything, he recognized it before, but why would she give him this special hug today?
“Mom, I’ll be late.” Alex said. She released him and smiled. She handed him her husband’s old duffle bag.
“Mom, this belongs to dad! … Why are you giving me this?” he asked in disbelief, even more confused now.
“It’s a special day today and I think your father would be proud. He wanted you to have it.”
Alex always admired that bag. His father was given that bag when he began his basic training; it was very special all of them.
Alex quickly set off. His mother stood at the door watching him leave. When he was far enough, she began to weep heavily, Alex never knowing this.
Chapter 2
It stood with amazing white walls and windows that shined like mirrors. He couldn’t see into the massive building, but he knew this was Professors Oak’s Lab. The entrance had a roofed terrace and pillars resembled those from Ancient Greek Pantheons. The front door was humble though. It was simple, two glass doors that opened by either pushing or pulling.
Once inside the main lobby Alex found a section for phones and called his mother. The phone rang unusually longer before his mother answered.
“Hello; Mom?”
“H-hey sweetie, how are you. I was busy cleaning and got caught up in it.” She said, sniffling, “I hope it wasn’t too far of a walk. Anyway it’s good that you made their safely.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t too bad. It was only a mile. I saw bunch of mountains and trees. Nothing much really, I mean, why would anyone want to live so far out in the country?”
“You’ll learn soon enough. There’s a lot for you to see still.”
“Well aright mom. I should be going now. Professor Oak must be impatient by now.”
“Okay hon. Call me when you’re done.”
“I will, don’t worry”
Alex hung up. He looked around and wondered to himself, how is he going to find professor Oak in this large building? He went to the front desk, but the lights there were turned off. A sign rested on the desk read:
Closed for Lunch
“Well what do I do now?” whispered Alex to himself. He looked around and saw that he was alone in the lobby. He could go through the revolving doors with no one there to stop him. He wasn’t carrying anything that would make the metal detector go off. He debated with the idea in his mind, he shook his head and with that he stepped through.
The carpeted floor quickly changed to polished tile. His footsteps were no longer quiet but instead made echoes, loud enough to alert anyone that someone may have intruded. He rolled his steps, this time his shoes squeaked; “At least it’s a lot quieter then the attention grabbing steps.” Alex thought to himself.
The lay out of the building was odd and even worse, the numbering of the building made no logical sense. Alex would walk down one hallway, turn and find a dead end. When he turned back to find himself again, the room numbers have all changed. “I guess there isn’t any point to follow the number order anymore.” said Alex. The boy looked to his upper right, reconstructing a map in his mind of hallways he had already walked.
Each room had a keypad lock; to enter one must punch in a three digit code, well, as much as Alex had figured anyway. Many of the locked rooms had all of their lights turned off. He couldn’t see anything in particular in any of the rooms, but he felt as if he was being watched by curious eyes. He quickly found himself at another intersection of hallways and decided to take a random turn, as he had been doing the entire time. It didn’t take long for Alex to get lost; all the rooms appeared similar to the other. The map he had constructed earlier in his mind was a scramble of the building he was in. Oddly Alex kept hearing noises ahead of him and soon found a small hallway that lead to what appeared to be a large library. The ceiling was in the shape of a dome and had vibrant colors of stain glass. Surprisingly none of the colors imposed or dominated the large room. They blended together and created a soft light. A light similar to that you find at a train station or hospital.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Ash!” said a smug voice. Alex turned around and found one of his school mates standing before him. It was his old friend Gary, a tenacious friend, a quality Alex finds annoying. They were always competing— well, it was rather Gary competing where Alex tried to crush his ego. Thinking about it, Alex doesn’t actually remember how they became friends.
A-S-H… it was Alex’s initials which stood for Alexander Stevens Hamilton and a name only his close friends called him by.
“Gary! What the hell are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. But since you asked so nicely I figured I tell you that my grandpa invited me here. See! I’m wearing my badge right here.”
“Well Gary, Professor Oak invited me here too.”
“What!? My gramps invited you here? How lame…”
Alex didn’t make the connection until now. Gary’s last name was Oak, just like the professor. This would mean that he had every right to be there, unlike himself, uneasiness settled on Alex.
“Well, where’s your badge? You know you’ll get in a bunch of trouble with security if you don’t have a clearance for this floor level.”
Alex wasn’t too sure what he meant exactly, but then again, he was in a library. Then that must mean he’s in a place he shouldn’t be seeing, a place where important research held my professionals. Coldness wrapped around him, he didn’t know what type of trouble he got himself in now.
“Oh shit son! You’re going to go to jail and you’ve just became fourteen. What kind of crime have you done now.” laughed Gary.
Alex shook his head and looked at the badge Gary was wearing.
“Your badge says ‘level 2: Visitor.’ If a visitor can come in here than I have no problems as well.”
Alex walked over to a wooden table to sit down where he began to eat his lunch.
“Ash, what the hell are you doing!? You can’t eat in here.” barked Gary
“Who says? I’m hungry and whose going to stop me?” retorted Alex
“I will.” said an old voice.
Alex jumped and looked behind him. He could see a man, maybe in his mid fifties or late forties. He had grey hair but still had black bushy eyebrows. He wore a lab coat, khaki pants and a purple shirt. His forehead was wide and gave the impression of intellect and formidability but spoke with a gentle voice.
“Now then, having the both of you here must mean that the other students that I called have failed to find this library.”
Alex and Gary looked at each other, wondering what he meant.
“You see, only two people can come to this library. The entrance to this room can detect the presence of people. But the only way to set it up is if you are inside this room. So as you can simply see, the two of you are the only ones that passed my test.”
“Test. You mean all of this was a test? But it was easy. I mean how anyone could--”
Holding his hand up professor Oak began “It would seem easy, Gary, but I set up the lab like a maze. Like a mouse trying to find the cheese in the end. Only two people could make it. Why? I need two people who are smart enough and daring enough. Someone who will explore their environment may I add. That would be you Gary and you as well… uh… Ash is it?”
Alex looked at the man and nodded.
“Well than Ash. Congratulations. You made it all the way to this library without a badge or a layout map. Neither would have helped you in anyway, but congratulations again.” said Professor Oak.
“What do you mean by that?” questioned Gary
“Now Gary, you took that visitors badge because you didn’t want to be seen running around my lab without it. I know you’ve noticed me wearing one too, but this badge isn’t for security purposes. All the workers wear a badge for convenience. It holds all the passwords for the workers to log in to the computers around here. There are no security levels in my lab, just computers with personal codes. Knowledge should be free to everyone.” said Professor Oak nodding at himself, “You thought that the security guards would kick you out if they caught you. If they would have seen you with a badge then they wouldn’t have stopped you, right?”
Gary looked at the plastic card hanging from his collar. “Was it useless?” wondered both Alex and Gary.
“That was clever of you Gary. But the badge was also rigged to dim or bright the lights. This was part of the test. It was used to confuse to carrier of the card. You eventually ended up in the library because of your relentless attitude and you also decided to show up sooner than the others and had a head start.”
Gary looked down in embarrassment making Alex chuckle.
“The amazing part is Ash. He was able to sneak past the security at the front. He decided to come in late, knowing that all the workers would go to lunch. Giving him the chance to make a move, then he was able to find his way to the library in less than third of your time Gary.”
That was a spit in the face thought Gary, a competitive person that never liked to lose, not to anyone.
“Professor Oak. I actually didn’t plan to come in late today. It was more of an accident and I figured that no one would mind if I let myself in. Also, I was just lucky to stumble into the library.”
Oak smiled and chuckled. “Well my boy. I guess lady luck is on your side today than.” said Oak with enthusiasm.
“But I still made it before him, gramps. So I did come in first place.”
“Yes, usually second place is the first loser, but today the second mouse is the one to eat the cheese since the first mouse tripped the trap. The reason why Ash found the library must mean that you left a trail for him to follow. Placing the badge in the box like the sign said too would have reset the maze. But you decided not to and kept it on you.”
Gary was in disbelief in his eyes, but kept his cool. He grinned and shrugged. “I guess I have to take some responsibility.”
“Yes you do Gary. So it’s decided. Ash will choose a Pokémon to have first and you will choose second.”
“What! But that isn’t fair gramps. I’m family!”
“Yes, yes. I know, but we did just agree that you need to take more responsibility in your actions. So Ash will decide which of these three Pokémon he will keep as a companion in the journey I will embark on the two of you.”
Professor Oak turned around and signaled them to follow. He walked them through shelves upon shelves of books. All of which appeared to be encyclopedias. Some were in foreign languages and some were fictional books as well. “Professor Oak. I thought this library was for studying Pokémon. Why are there folklore and myths stories on Pokémon here?” asked Alex.
Professor Oak chuckled and happily replied with “Those fiction stories hold some truth to Pokémon. There are stories of Growlithe saving little girls from burning buildings or a float of poliwags saving a person from drowning. These stories hold some type of truth to Pokémon and the nature of these animals. Though we never seen it first hand, what those fictional tales say lies some grain of truth.”
Alex and Gary looked at each other and nodded. It was true. When they were both younger, one day they had decided to go swimming. A good day turned bad when the two of them realized that they couldn’t swim against the current fast enough and were being swept away. They found that the waters they were in became deep and soon they were both drowning. A group of poliwags heard the sounds of the dying children and came to their aid. Alex could remember the basketball sized Pokémon huddling around them, they were smooth and slippery, but the kids were able to grasp the poliwag somehow. Alex felt the poliwag, their skin was extremely thin, and he could feel their every muscle and organ through the poliwags skin. That made him quiver when the idea of accidentally poking the Pokémon could rip it open and kill it instantly, but the skin didn’t rip. The Pokémon’s skin, however thin, was quite flexible and bounced when he poked the poliwag.
Once Gary and Alex were on the shore, they thanked the Pokémon and waved good bye to them. That day they decided never to tell anyone what happened in fear of being in trouble with their parents. They were lucky, what if those Pokémon hadn’t come? The kids didn’t want to alarm their parents with such ideas, but to Alex, Gary seemed to have been affected by the event.
Gary quickly looked away from Alex after they nodded. He had an expression of resentment which caught professor Oak’s attention.
“Well Gary, you seem to have something on your mind.”
“Gramps, this place reminds me of things I don’t want to remember. Can we hurry up and get out of here already?”
“Ha-ha! Okay Gary. Now let me tell you what I wanted two people to come to my laboratory for in the first place.”
Gary and Alex now had their attention to the man again.
“This laboratory is a place to study Pokémon. To see what makes them tick and so on. You can say I’m a biologist of sorts. The problem is that we haven’t actually raised a Pokémon the way some people have.”
Oak received another look of confusion. “What I mean is by using a Pokémon for battles. We know that fire Pokémon can learn fire attacks like ember and flame thrower, but we don’t know which Pokémon can and cannot know. Could a horsea learn the same attacks as a krabby or even a slowbro? And why is that a slowbro can learn certain attacks that water Pokémon shouldn’t know for that matter?”
Gary looked at Alex lost. Alex didn’t know where professor Oak was going with this, but what he was saying was indeed interesting to the both of them.
“We also know that a drowzee evolves when learning the attack psybeam, but doesn’t evolve when we use a technical machine at an earlier stage in the drowzee’s life. Another thing to add is why we can’t get our machoke to evolve, but we know for certain that machamp is the finale evolution to machoke. Machamps do exist and we have seen machokes evolve before, but we can’t manage to get our slate of machoke to evolve.”
Professor Oak appeared to have more on his mind than anything, Alex wanted to know what he was thinking but then remembered that Oak was off the subject he was suppose to answer.
“Professor, why exactly did you set your lab like a maze?” asked Alex.
“Oh?” gave Oak, then looked at Alex and paused for a moment, “That’s right my son! I remember. I was supposed to tell you why I put so much effort in this. As you already know I’m going to give you each one Pokémon. The reason for that is to help you in your quest. What quest is that?” he asked with a smile on his face, “the two of you are going to help me figure out these questions!”
The children weren’t really sure they understood.
“How exactly you ask? By capturing and training Pokémon. I’m going to set the two of you free for one month. Use the Pokémon and collect data on them. And figure out which Pokémon learn what and so on. Train the Pokémon.”
Alex and Gary felt a ghostly pressure fall on their chest.
“One month, gramps! How are we to solve all the answers in a month?”
“No, no Gary. For one month I’m going to see what data the two of you manage to collect. Then I’m going to release more researchers, or to be exact, students like you. I’m also going to ask my assistance here to do some field studies as well. The two of you may come across them from time to time. They will give you as much help as they can offer, but be glad what you get, because they have other priorities.”
Professor Oak stopped at a table; there were three metallic orbs that were colored red on the top and white at the bottom. A black line ran around the ball and met a circular button in the center.
“Those are pokéballs!” said Gary.
“Yes they are, and each contains a Pokémon.”
Under each one there was a pamphlet and a picture which quickly described the creature that rested within the pokéball.
“So Ash, which of these Pokémon will be yours to keep, aiding you in this scientific research?” asked Oak softly.
Gary crossed his arms and looked away.
Alex wasn’t sure and looked each one over carefully. There was a bulbasaur; a grass like creature that resembles a toad with a bud on its back. It had large red colored eyes.
“Ah, Bulbasaur are animals that managed to grow a plant on their backs. It’s actually extraordinary that a live animal managed to exist with a plant on its spine. A bulbasaur egg is covered with seeds, eventually the newly hatch Pokémon will stumble out and have the seed planted on its back. The seeds are produced by the mother venasaur. When things become harsh, they use that plant for nourishment. But because they have that plant bulbasuars have become dependent on It.” described Oak to Alex.
Next was a charmander. Alex looked at the picture; it was a small orange lizard like beast. It eyes had a deep blue color to it, but that wasn’t the most amazing trait of that Pokémon. It was the burning flame on its tail.
“Charmander’s tail burns with a flame that also tells you what mood it is in. If the fire goes kaput, so does the charmander.
The skin on the tail of the charmander isn’t actually skin. It’s more of a giant nail at the tip of charmander’s tail that caps it. The heat under the nail is what ignites it. The flame then burns the nail, but it’s extremely tough and slow to waste away. It takes a week for a single centimeter to burn away, but by then charmander has grown a new layer, which is a centimeter and an eighth thick!
Also, one of charmander’s main blood arteries goes to the tail, which is why you can tell what mood the charmander is in.” said Oak with a smile.
Lastly there was a picture of a small turtle with blue colored skin. It had an orange shell and a yellow front. Its tail was round and had curl in it. It didn’t appear to be special, the reason why Alex put the pamphlet away sooner than the other two.
“Now hold on Ash. Squirtles are amazing creature you know. A squirtle can spray water from its mouth to a distance of ten feet with accuracy. Also, the water that it sprays isn’t from collecting it in its mouth. Squirtles can create the water that it uses from foam within its mouth. The saliva in squirtle’s mouth is at foam like form, but when it touches the cool oxygen in the air, it combines and creates water. Squirtles creates the foam in its mouth, so you know when a squirtle is about to spray you down is when you see the green foam filling in its mouth.” said the professor.
Alex wasn’t sure which of these Pokémon he wanted. They all have become so interesting and wanted all of the Pokémon all to himself, but he knew better and could only have one. He then thought about what he might see out in the world; there could be a lot of lakes and rivers for him to cross. He would also need to set camps as well. A charmander would come in handy then, but what if a fire broke out? Then squirtle would be better, again a plus because of the lakes and river. Squirtle could help him catch food if he were to run out and was too far to purchase more. Bulbasuar seemed less of a hassle; he wouldn’t have to feed it as often because it would use sunlight.
Alex looked at the pokéball that held squirtle. The Pokémon didn’t look so special to him, but now, squirtle could be hiding something that no one would expect, something magnificent that no one knew about squirtle. Alex nodded his head and walked to the pokéball.
He held his hand on it for a second and picked it up; it was lighter than what he thought it to be. He looked at professor Oak and said “I want this one. I want to train a squirtle.” Oak smiled and said “Good choice. I hope the best to you and to your Pokémon.”
Gary pushed Alex aside and picked up the ball farthest to the left, the bulbasuar. “Well, gramps, I’m glad he didn’t pick the one I wanted. Bulbasuars use vines that they create themselves, something I can use to help me catch Pokémon.” said Gary sneering.
“So Ash, Gary, you two can go anywhere you want to go to find Pokémon. I give you that privilege, so when someone tries to stop you, show them these.” said Oak, handing them each a device. It opened like a book and already had a picture of each of them on their devices. “These are called pokédexes. Keep it on you; it’s your license as researcher that allows you to travel more freely than the trainers that you will encounter. Pokémon trainers are people who train Pokémon for battles. When they see you they will usually try to battle you. The reason for that is to train I guess. It also helps Pokémon to evolve. So I recommend that the two of you participate in Pokémon battles as well.”
Gary smiled and looked at Alex, but he hadn’t noticed.
“Also with these pokedexes, they give a brief description of the Pokémon you have, the cry that it makes and a picture of the same Pokémon. The pokédex is used to aid you in finding and identifying the Pokémon that you captured in this region. You as my researcher must input data yourself, when a Pokémon learned a certain attack at a particular time or when and how a Pokémon evolved. This information is very important to you and me. The pokédex has a touch screen so that you can take notes on the Pokémon the page it is on. It also has a microphone, say the Pokémon’s name and it will find it for you. Now it also has an electro optic eye that can recognize what Pokémon is in front of you, but it’s somewhat primitive in technology. I’ve requested Silph Co. to help me make a better one but they haven’t come up with any so far that I’d like.” added professor Oak.
Alex looked around him and saw Gary had already began playing with his Pokémon. Actually more like ordering his Pokémon to do things, but the Pokémon listened. It was running back and forth, exactly the way Gary had barked his orders.
“Now, before I let the two of you go, take these.”
Oak handed over five more pokéballs to each of them.
“Are these Pokémon as well?”
“No Ash, these are empty pokéballs. Use them to catch more Pokémon with them. To capture Pokémon you have to battle and weaken them. Then you toss a pokéball at the Pokémon.”
Alex didn’t fully understand what he meant, something Oak could read from the expression of Alex’s face.
“Don’t worry Ash. You’ll understand soon enough once you start battling other trainers.”
Alex smiled and began to walk away, just then Gary yelled out to him.
“Ash, what do you think you’re doing!? Aren’t you even going to see what your Pokémon is like?”
Gary’s bulbasuar was ahead of him. “C’mon Ash, let’s battle!”
“Don’t worry Ash, all you have to do is throw out your pokéball and let your squirtle out.” explained Oak.
Alex threw his pokéball like a baseball ahead of him and soon enough a red light appeared. A glob of light quickly formed to what he saw in the picture of the pamphlet earlier. Then it was completely solid, a squirtle was in front of him, alive and well. It gave a cry and looked at his trainer. Alex smiled but quickly frowned when bulbasuar came charging towards his squirtle.
“Squirtle look out behind you! Bulbasuar is charging you.” yelled out Alex and the tiny turtle looked behind itself and saw the bulbasuar running at it and quickly moved out of the way. Bulbasuar turn in mid run and walloped into the squirtle.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing to my squirtle!” yelled out Alex, this time to Gary.
“Don’t be angry Ash, this is known as a Pokémon battle,” began Oak, “It is a test between you and the other trainer. To see how well you are of a trainer. Now all you have to do is command you squirtle to attack. You as a trainer must train your Pokémon and teach it to attack.” He said calmly.
“Again bulbasuar, tackle that squirtle to the grown!” commanded Gary. The bulbasuar began to run again and hissed at Alex’s squirtle.
“Squirtle, I want you to dodge that attack and tackle the bulbasuar!” said Alex.
This time squirtle ran toward the bulbasuar, hopped over it and gave a full body tackle as it fell on the startled Pokémon.
“Again squirtle!” said Alex.
The squirtle did what it was told and led another tackle, both Pokémon were getting tired and Alex could see that. Gary on the other either didn’t care or didn’t know that his bulbasuar was tired from all the running and doing tackles. Again the bulbasaur tackled, this time squirtle took the full blow. Squirtle quickly stood up and turn its back against the bulbasaur, using its shell as a shield. Alex then noticed that squirtle tried to flick its tail a couple of times before and wondered if it was instinct or not.
“Squirtle, use your tail and whip it!” said Alex with enthusiasm.
The Pokémon puffed its chest and snapped its tail at the bulbasuar; this startled the Pokémon and Gary as well. Alex could see that the bulbasuar was a bit scared of his squirtle and was moving more wearily.
“Now, squirtle, tackle the bulbasuar!”
At that moment squirtle lunged and tackled the other Pokémon. Bulbasuar eyes spun and then shut. The Pokémon was knocked out and squirtle had won!
“What! I chose a weak Pokémon.” grumbled Gary after losing.
“No Gary. You ignored your Pokémon and led it to exhaustion. You as a trainer must watch these things or you will begin to lose over and over again.”
Gary didn’t look at his grandfather. He turned to Alex and began “Well anyway Ash, see yah around. I don’t need your help in finishing this project, so don’t worry about it much.” He rolled his eyes and left. Alex looked back at professor Oak and didn’t recognize the expression on the man’s face.
“Ash, thank you, go-on ahead and I wish the best of luck to both you and Gary. Whoever watches over us knows how much you may need it.”
Oak had a frown on him by now and walked away slowly and shaking his head. He was thinking about his grandson and what he could possibly get himself into.
Alex walked himself out of the library; there wasn’t any site of professor Oak anywhere. Alex followed the corridor out to the nightmare of halls. This time, all the signs were organized and showed him where the main entrance was located at.
Chapter 3
“Hello, mom?” asked Alex on the phone.
“Yes sweetie. How was it? Did you pick a good Pokémon that will listen to you?”
Alex wondered how she already knew this.
“Yeah, I chose a squirtle.”
“Ha, Joseph chose a charmander!” yelp Alex’s mother, “that boy never writes nor calls often. I never know how he’s doing or how the charmander is doing. If you ever find him, give him a good one alright?” she said with a fierce motherly tone.
Joseph; or Joe, the way he rather be called, was Alex’s older brother. He decided one day to become a Pokémon trainer to help support the family. He left at a young age of fifteen and rarely communicated with the family. He was the leader type of person, capable of controlling any situation and keeping his cool even when things got tough. Alex admired that coolness, but he knew his brother. He knew that Joe sometimes couldn’t control his leadership to an extent that sometimes made others feel uncomfortable with his dominance. Alex was a rebel and knew that he had to step-in a couple of times because of him. When the issue was over Alex would take it easy and watch what his brother does. Alex felt that he always had an eye on his brother, which was his job, to make sure that Joseph wouldn’t get out of control.
But now those days are over. It’s been three years since Joe left and everything at home has been quiet. The house he shares with his mother frightens him at night. Almost every night when they eat dinner he can feel the eeriness of the shadows looming around the house. It is as if the shadows are walking and waiting for him so that they can ambush him in the night.
Alex found a bench nearby the laboratory under a tree. It was thin, but still shaded the area nicely. The bench was warm even in the autumn wind. He opened the sack lunch and found himself a chicken sandwich. His mother had peeled the meat off a chicken thigh and placed it between two honey oat slices. The mustard glistened by the rays that escaped from the leaves that blocked them. The lettuce was still damp and cool, crisp when Alex flattened the sandwich. He looked under the top slice of bread and found a single slice of Swiss cheese. His mother took extra care to make this sandwich; he now understood why his mother seemed so sad earlier. There was also an apricot in the paper bag and a small water bottle. “She really out did herself,” thought Alex “thank you.”
Gary found the path home longer than usual, only because he had been watching out for Pokémon. Finding a wild Pokémon was rare to begin with and would take time. He looked in all the trees that he passed and looked at all the dirt roads. The town he lived in didn’t actually look like a habitat for Pokémon. Only the common animals like birds and cats, or maybe even dogs, found Pallet town their home. “Pokémon would live farther away then here. Of course, Pokémon must hide along the roads that lead to other cities and towns. Hell, that means I’m going to be doing a lot of walking…” said Gary aloud, “makes sense. I mean, watching Pokémon trainers compete on TV, they all look good, like they all work out or something, well, most of them anyway.”
It was true; Pokémon trainers were viewed the same way as athletes were viewed in sports. Training Pokémon was another sport, a more complicated sport to be exact. Pokémon battles have been banned in some states and countries around the world. These people view Pokémon the same way as nashville hot chicken fights. Of course this is illegal, Pokémon battles are fights between animals, but they do not kill each other off. No, a trainer understands how much effort was put into raising the Pokémon. Killing a living creature that someone put so much effort into caring is evil. A Pokémon trainer wouldn’t want their Pokémon killed as much as the opponent doesn’t want their Pokémon to die in front of their eyes. The trainer just wants to defeat the opponent the very same way people who compete in fencing at the Olympics do. They may hold a deadly weapon, but never do they use it to kill an opponent. Pokémon battles are just as similar. It’s the values of fencing along with ideals of wrestling. Pokémon fight each other, like students in high school wrestling matches do. And just like wrestling, the trainer has a team of Pokémon. A coach of a wrestling team may have a large amount of competitors, not all of whom are used in every event. Battles are the same way, trainers can capture as many Pokémon from the wild, but only six of them can be used at a time. Pokémon trainers can store their Pokémon on a network over the internet. The naming convention was usually named after the creator of the network and the words “Personalized Collection.” Therefore naming the network would be someone’s PC. Trainers would place a pokéball in a device attached to a computer. This device would than digitalize the pokéball and store in an account online created by Pokémon league officials.
Pokémon is a sport that required much effort from the trainer. Most sports required equipment provided to the participant, but in Pokémon, the trainer is required to purchase all that he or she needed. Then the trainer must go out and capture Pokémon, you had to be lucky to find the exact one that you wanted. Like equestrians who go out trying to find the best horses for their sport, trainers soon found Pokémon breeders. Breeders cannot sell Pokémon to trainers; it was against Pokémon league rules. Trainers can only battle with Pokémon that they have captured or obtained through a trade between other trainers. They can however use Pokémon they have bred themselves for competition. Pokémon breeders could only help trainers breed their Pokémon. Breeders could sell only the Pokémon they have to other breeders or to people who would buy Pokémon as a pet. Pokémon trainers must, however, show their license to all Pokémon breeders, even if the breeder hasn’t requested to view it. In any case, trainers would follow the rules of the Pokémon League and it was rare to see anyone disqualified or banned because of the choices a trainer has done. What type of person you are as a Pokémon trainer was reflected upon the Pokémon you had and their demeanor. Morals and values is the issue a trainer must face every day. What a trainer said or how they had said something, what he or she did in front of other Pokémon trainers both young and old is important. When trainers battled, a crowd usually gathered, and this meant that both trainers had to be careful in every action they did. For this reason, countries around the world have stopped Pokémon Leagues from starting in their area. Countries in the Middle East still view the Pokémon League as barbaric. Russia has banned the Pokémon League to run in their country, but hasn’t stopped their people from becoming trainers of Pokémon and will allow them to compete officially around the world.
By now Gary stood in front of his home, where his older sister lived. She was the only family he knew, his mother had passed away and his father is a Pokémon trainer. The man provides for them, but never actually communicates with them, just like Alex’s brother Joe. Professor Oak helps as well. The money that he earns as the top researcher of Pokémon usually makes a good amount of it. Oak has been referred to as the “Father of Pokémon” in the National Geographic and in the Times. He had discovered every single Pokémon species and added them to the scientific community. All Pokémon are under the order monotremata in the taxonomy of the Animal Kingdom. Pokémon are capable of electroreception and thermoreception which is the biological ability to perceive electrical or, and is some cases both, thermal impulses. There are many Pokémon that have electrocytes or thermocytes. These are muscle cells that produce electricity or high temperatures of heat, respectfully, just a few simple facts that Gary has learned already.
He opened the door quietly. He didn’t want his sister’s attention so soon. He wanted time to think what he should say. Gary walked past the couch of the living room; a large book lay there like a slumped dog waiting for his master. Gary picked it up and closed it. His sister has the whole collection of Pokémon biology. Most of which the books they own are of Professor Oak’s research written by him and his colleagues. Gary has found many of Professor Oak’s research papers and had read them. He had also taken many notes from these papers and studied them over very well. Gary’s knowledge of the Pokémon species is far superior to what they teach in the schools. He always wanted to test his knowledge against other people, his opponents, he wants to become the greatest and undefeatable trainer, but today, today he had lost. His first real chance to have a Pokémon battle and he blew it. He lost and it was all on his part. Gary smashed his fists into the couch. The sound wasn’t loud, but it could be felt. Daisy was in the kitchen and looked out. She saw Gary angry and wondered what was on his mind.
“Hey there little bro, what cha up to?” she said with a soft smile.
Gary didn’t turn to look at her and slowly said “I got my first Pokémon today. Gramps gave it to me.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Grand pop did say that, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, I also had my first Pokémon battle too.” Now Gary was looking down and Daisy could sense what he felt.
“Oh, how did it go?” as if she didn’t already know.
“It was okay. I could do better next time. I just need to train my bulbasuar.”
“You got a bulbasuar! Oh they’re so cute!” she said, now very excited, “C’mon bro. You have to let me see him!” she walked placed her hands on his shoulders and gently shook him, gesturing him to hurry up. Gary took out his pokéball and let the Pokémon out. Bulbasaur lay on the ground tired; its rest in the pokéball wasn’t long enough.
“Oh, look at the little guy.” said Daisy and picked up the tired creature. She took the bulbasuar to the couch before her and sat down with it in her lap.
“He looks pooped. I’ll give his tired muscles a good massage.” she said happily and smiled at the small Pokémon. Her hands moved gently on the Pokémon, around the bulb on its back and behind its head. She dared not use the tips of her finger to apply any pressure but instead used mostly her palms or the flat edge of her fingers. The little Pokémon stretched as she worked and wiggled it toes as well. The bulbasuar growled a couple of times, but it wasn’t to intimidate, but to express its pleasant attitude.
“There you go sweetie. Wasn’t that nice” Daisy whispered to the now sleeping bulbasaur.
Gary was surprised by her dexterity. His sister has always been graceful, a quality woman these days don’t have, and with her grace she had equal kindness.
“Since you were gone I thought you would like a snack, so I made some tea that I ordered from Celadon City.” She smiled and turned to the kitchen. She was always smiling, even when the days became bitter, Daisy knows how to make them much easier. “I have supper in the stove.”
After eating Gary reached his room and began rummaging through his belongings. At last he found what he looks for, a map of the region he lives in, a map of Kanto. The region is found in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Some researchers claim that Kanto used to be called Australia half a millennium ago, but that was all before the great incident, information of that time have been lost and there is still much platonic studies being done.
Gary went back down stairs, finding his bulbasaur up and about, playing like a puppy. The Pokémon recognized Gary and ran to his side.
“Alright, in you go.” He started, “Well sis, I’m off to do my research to help gramps.”
“It’s almost dark, why do you want to do this so soon?”
“Daisy, c’mon, if I don’t start now, than there is less time left for the research.” retorted Gary.
The Westminster Chime played in the silence of the siblings, only after the fifth time the clock rang did Daisy say “Gary, please stay for tonight. I don’t want to lose you like---”
“That’s below the belt Daisy,” snapped Gary, “I promised myself that I would be the best, and I want to know everything there is to know about Pokémon. Gramps knows enough already, but he started when he was older and we both know that he’s old now. What about when he retires, who’s going to provide for him? Dad doesn’t give us enough and doesn’t care anyway!”
“Now that isn’t fair Gary. Grand-pop always was good with money. He saved enough for retirement and enough for the three of us.”
“Really, sis, do you really think that? Why do you think he chose me for this task, huh? This is a way of him tell us that he doesn’t have enough. He uses most of the money he has on his research. When he does retire, he’ll still want to do research and keep his lab open. Gramps is a nice guy, but really, he isn’t a stupid man.”
Daisy turned around and headed towards the kitchen and sat there in silence.
Gary returned to his room and packed what he thought was needed for his journey through Kanto. Once Gary had left Daisy spoke softly to herself when the clock rang again,
“Lord through this hour, be thou our guide, so, by thy power no foot shall slide…”
She cried long after the sixth chimes of the clock on the coffee table rang.
Chapter 4
Alex finely reached his home and was glad to see that his mother was waiting for him at the door. He hugged his mother and she cried with joy.
“Oh let me see your Pokémon Alex, I have to see how cute he is!” she said
“Alright, I will, just hold on, he’s a little bit tired from a battle we had with Gary’s bulbasaur.”
“You know I don’t approve of that. Is that something Oak told you that you would need to be doing?”
Alex nodded “Uh-huh. I need to help him in his research. I’m going to let my squirtle grow to be a strong fighter!”
He could see her discontent on her face. As a mother she knew that her son would want to battle Pokémon. She shook her head and said “As long as you don’t hurt him.”
Alex reached for his pocket and pulled out a pokéball. With a click of the button, the pokéball opened and his squirtle appeared. The tiny turtle yawn and looked about it and saw feet he had never seen before. The Pokémon looked up and saw the beginning of a skirt and then could see that it was a woman. The squirtle tilted its head to the side when she spoke.
“Oh, look how cute he is!” said his mother filled with laughter. She picked the Pokémon while giggling and kissed it on its head. The squirtle appeared a bit confused, but wasn’t alarmed by this motion. It yawned again showing off its tongue. Alex’s mother took her finger and gently pressed it. This surprised the squirtle now and looked at her with a blank gaze. She smiled and hugged the little Pokémon.
“Mom, you’re making squirtle anxious!” warned Alex
The Pokémon turned to him and cooed.
“Oh honey, it’s like taking care of a child. Don’t worry; I know what I’m doing. Love your Pokémon and they will return the same amount of love. That’s what I always say.” She said to him, but was looking at the now smiling squirtle. Alex couldn’t help from smiling and headed towards his room. He began to pack his belongings, preparing for tomorrow and whatever else it will bring.
“Alex! Diner!” cried out his mother.
He looked out his window, it was right after vespers. Alex ran down stairs where he found squirtle roaming around exploring the house. He watched his Pokémon as squirtle found a toy. Squirtle backed away from it, took a step forward and pushed it, watching it fall. Squirtle repeated this several times until he noticed Alex and ran to him. Alex picked up the toy, tossing it around and began a game with squirtle.
“Alex! I said dinner is ready. Now put the toys away so we can eat.” she said sternly.
Alex looked at his Pokémon, squirtle looked away as if it understood and both of them walked to the kitchen to eat.
The table was set like the previous nights. There were three plates, silverware laid neat, and the main meal in a large pot as the centerfold of the table. The steam and aroma escaped from the pot as Alex’s mother removed the lid. There was a hint of potato in the air and parsley, but it was the beef that was the strongest. His mother had made Alex’s favorite dish, beef stew, a hardy meal.
“Honey, make sure to spend your nights at the Pokémon centers. When you do, make sure to call home.” she said.
“Mom, don’t worry, I’m not like Joseph. I am going to call you at night.”
“Alex, if you happen to find your brother, tell him to come home to visit.”
“I will if I see him, but it’s been three years now mom. I don’t I’m going to see him anytime soon.”
She started to shake her head, “Alex please. Just make sure to tell him that he needs to come back home. I’m so worried about that boy.”
“Mom; it’s Joseph. He’s the one that keeps his room perfectly organized. He’s responsible enough and can take care of himself.”
Alex began to quickly eat his meal, looking away from his mother at the same time.
“Honey, I didn’t want to make you feel…” she began, “Look. I care about the two of you so much, but it’s been so long since I’ve heard a word from him.”
“Mom that’s all you really talk about. Each night you’re usually asking where he might be. I don’t know… and I don’t care.” said Alex with a bit of jealousy in his voice.
“Alex! He’s your brother. Why would you say something like that?” she said with shock.
“Why? How couldn’t I say something like that? He’s the one that doesn’t even call!” Alex slammed his fork and spoon on the table. Squirtle looked from the kitchen floor at his trainer. Alex looked away and started to eat his food again, this time with more aggression.
Alex’s mother sat there looking at her son. She tried to think of something to say to apologize to him. There is too much to think about for her. She had already lost a son to Pokémon. Her husband is way at war, but she fears the day when a stranger knocks at her door with a folded flag. She doesn’t want to loose Alex as well.
It was quiet but it was silence broke when the phone rang. She watched Alex, but his frustration had kept him occupied. She walked to the living room and answered the phone.
“Hello? Yes!” was what Alex could hear from the room, “Of course. Our day has been busy and rough.”
“Mom, is that dad?” Alex asked.
She turned to face him and nodded with a smile. Alex returned the smile and stood up.
“Okay darling, here’s Alex.” His mother then handed the phone to Alex.
“Dad, how are you?”
“I’m doing well so far. It’s horrible out here, the weather keeps acting up. But man, how have you been?” said the voice on the phone.
“Great actually and… Oh! I got my first Pokémon. Professor Oak let me have one.”
“...really. Which?”
“I have a squirtle. It’s pretty cool so far. And I won my first Pokémon battle too. I beat Gary.”
“How pissed off at you was he?”
“Uhm, I’m not really sure, but he seemed kinda pissed off.”
“That kid; always fighting you and you fighting back. Make sure to win lots of times.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
“So are you going to be a Pokémon trainer or what?”
“Yeah, sort of, Oak needs people to do some research. He wants us, me and Gary, to be them because the two of us think differently from his lab assistants.”
Alex’s father grunted. He could here the voices of other soldiers making lewd comments in the back ground over the phone.
“Well champ, make sure to keep everything well taken care of. And be safe; alright?”
“Yes dad.”
“Hand the phone to your mom. I want to talk to her about some things you don’t want to hear.”
“Man… dad… that’s gross!”
Alex pulled the phone away from his ear, but you could hear the man laughing on the other end.
“Mom, dad wants to talk to you about stuff.”
His mother grabbed the phone from him and put it to her ear. She rolled her eyes and began to laugh. Her son had a perverted mind. Alex realized this, his mother watching the thoughts dawn through his mind. She whispered in the phone and roars of laughter could be over heard.
“Tell dad thanks.” said Alex.
He returned to the kitchen to finish his meal and sat down. Squirtle watched his trainer before he crept closer. Alex noticed the Pokémon and smiled. The squirtle made a weird noise and watched Alex eat.
“Dang it,” Alex said, “Here, have this before mom see me giving you this.”
Alex dropped a bit of potato for squirtle that happily ate it.
Alex’s mother hung up the phone and sat herself back at the table.
“Your father wanted me to tell you that he’d be coming back home next month. I know that you’d be gone, but we would like it you were to come and visit.” She said, as if he was already gone.
“Mom, of course I will. Why wouldn’t I?” questioned Alex.
“Joseph hasn’t been home that’s why. The two of us are just really worried about you.”
“Mom, stop. Joseph is just busy. T-That’s why he hasn’t visited.” Alex said, trying to convince himself.
“Alright, just tell what you want to eat that day and I’ll make it for you and dad.”
“Nothing special, I’ll have whatever dad wants. Will he be home-home?
“No, not yet, he’ll be on his R and R. Just make sure to be here on the 7th.”
“No way, he’d love that!” shouted Alex.
They continued to talk about the surprises and fun events they’ll have during that time, this is something the two of them are looking forward to.
They finished their meals and washed the plates. Afterwards, Alex went to his room and emptied the duffle bag. He wanted to make sure that what he was taking was only what he really needed. Alex made a list and began to repack.
He packed eight pairs of socks and underwear, just in case; three shorts and three pants along with five shirts. Alex usually wore running shoes, but packed another incase the ones he had on ever got wet. All his clothes were packed neatly and took little space, another tip he learned from his father.
Alex sat on his bed when he finished. He looked at his new Pokémon, now asleep, and wondered what his Pokémon was dreaming. He lay back and watched the ceiling for a moment. He hasn’t traveled far from his town, but tomorrow he’ll have to explore as many places as he can to find Pokémon. He stretched his arm out and turned his bed lamp off, quickly falling asleep.
{W}
These are the first 4 chapters and I will be working on more.
I would like to hear what you think of it so far.
{G}{W}{R}{C}{L}{F}{P}{D}{M}
Chapter 1
There hasn’t been any other time that Alex could remember seeing the morning sun rise like this before. All the other times the sun rose there were no clouds, everything was clear, but this morning, there was a beautiful fine mist that made the rays beam across the land. He wanted to see all of the land under this lighting. Alex wanted to know if there was anyone else who woke up this morning to see this natural art. The land was covered in dew that reflected the beams of light and it created a magical comforting glow.
The water before him splashed softly and he noticed the shadows of creatures swimming but would swim away as soon as they felt his gaze upon them.
The sun was a bit lower since the last time Alex took note, then like an alarm buzzing to a waking person, Alex stood up looking around him. The wind blew and it was warm, it was no longer the early morning, the sun had already vaporized the mist, it’s almost noon. He looked at his watched and saw that he was late!
Alex quickly ran past an old sign that had been there long before him, a sign that everyone in town knew, words that were painted and weather but still read:
“Were new beginnings create beauty on the canvas of life… Pallet Town”
“Alexander Stevens Hamilton!” said a very familiar voice that froze Alex in his steps. The tone of anguish and her chagrined expression affected Alex with guilt. His mother stood and watched him with her hands at her waist. “You’re late!” she began, “Go up stairs and get yourself clean. I’ll be making lunch.” Alex watched her, wary of her actions, she could sense his cautiousness and signaled her son to move. The boy ran past her and was up the stairs by the time she turned to catch a look.
Like autumn leaves across park pavement, worn out clothes lay on the bedroom floor. The curtains were pulled across leaving the room dark and filled with stiff air. The light escaping from the open bathroom door gave the room an ambiance of a hotel room. Alex’s bed was neat and resembled a hospital bed; a characteristic he adopted from his father. Currently the man is deployed far off in a region full of dust and sand. The cause of the war has been lost in the media and political conflict. He’s been there for a long period of time. Alex wonders at night when his father will return home, if ever.
“Did you make your bed?” called a voice from the kitchen.
“Yes mom, I made my bed,” answered Alex, now meeting his mother at the foot of the stairs.
She kissed her son on the forehead and gave him a hug. She only did this when Alex would go to summer camp or visit relatives in other parts of the region, but that was because she wouldn’t have a chance to see him for a good deal of time. She ran her hand through his hair as she did when Alex was younger. She gave a sad smile.
“…mom, are you alright?” He asked
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Now here’s your lunch.” She held a paper bag.
“Mom, I thought—“
“You we’re late.” She said interrupting him, “Remember that. I also packed your bag. So hurry up and go. The longer you stay here…”
She trailed off and thought for a moment. Alex watched her, a bit confused why she was acting the way she was. She looked up with grief and delicately said “Oh honey, I’m sorry. As much as I want you to stay today, you have something important to do and you must hurry.”
She grabbed him again and held her son. Alex wasn’t sure why he was being hugged for so long. The ticking of the clock became audible. Her perfume was light and gentle and her embrace was warm. Alex knew she meant this hug more than anything, he recognized it before, but why would she give him this special hug today?
“Mom, I’ll be late.” Alex said. She released him and smiled. She handed him her husband’s old duffle bag.
“Mom, this belongs to dad! … Why are you giving me this?” he asked in disbelief, even more confused now.
“It’s a special day today and I think your father would be proud. He wanted you to have it.”
Alex always admired that bag. His father was given that bag when he began his basic training; it was very special all of them.
Alex quickly set off. His mother stood at the door watching him leave. When he was far enough, she began to weep heavily, Alex never knowing this.
Chapter 2
It stood with amazing white walls and windows that shined like mirrors. He couldn’t see into the massive building, but he knew this was Professors Oak’s Lab. The entrance had a roofed terrace and pillars resembled those from Ancient Greek Pantheons. The front door was humble though. It was simple, two glass doors that opened by either pushing or pulling.
Once inside the main lobby Alex found a section for phones and called his mother. The phone rang unusually longer before his mother answered.
“Hello; Mom?”
“H-hey sweetie, how are you. I was busy cleaning and got caught up in it.” She said, sniffling, “I hope it wasn’t too far of a walk. Anyway it’s good that you made their safely.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t too bad. It was only a mile. I saw bunch of mountains and trees. Nothing much really, I mean, why would anyone want to live so far out in the country?”
“You’ll learn soon enough. There’s a lot for you to see still.”
“Well aright mom. I should be going now. Professor Oak must be impatient by now.”
“Okay hon. Call me when you’re done.”
“I will, don’t worry”
Alex hung up. He looked around and wondered to himself, how is he going to find professor Oak in this large building? He went to the front desk, but the lights there were turned off. A sign rested on the desk read:
Closed for Lunch
“Well what do I do now?” whispered Alex to himself. He looked around and saw that he was alone in the lobby. He could go through the revolving doors with no one there to stop him. He wasn’t carrying anything that would make the metal detector go off. He debated with the idea in his mind, he shook his head and with that he stepped through.
The carpeted floor quickly changed to polished tile. His footsteps were no longer quiet but instead made echoes, loud enough to alert anyone that someone may have intruded. He rolled his steps, this time his shoes squeaked; “At least it’s a lot quieter then the attention grabbing steps.” Alex thought to himself.
The lay out of the building was odd and even worse, the numbering of the building made no logical sense. Alex would walk down one hallway, turn and find a dead end. When he turned back to find himself again, the room numbers have all changed. “I guess there isn’t any point to follow the number order anymore.” said Alex. The boy looked to his upper right, reconstructing a map in his mind of hallways he had already walked.
Each room had a keypad lock; to enter one must punch in a three digit code, well, as much as Alex had figured anyway. Many of the locked rooms had all of their lights turned off. He couldn’t see anything in particular in any of the rooms, but he felt as if he was being watched by curious eyes. He quickly found himself at another intersection of hallways and decided to take a random turn, as he had been doing the entire time. It didn’t take long for Alex to get lost; all the rooms appeared similar to the other. The map he had constructed earlier in his mind was a scramble of the building he was in. Oddly Alex kept hearing noises ahead of him and soon found a small hallway that lead to what appeared to be a large library. The ceiling was in the shape of a dome and had vibrant colors of stain glass. Surprisingly none of the colors imposed or dominated the large room. They blended together and created a soft light. A light similar to that you find at a train station or hospital.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Ash!” said a smug voice. Alex turned around and found one of his school mates standing before him. It was his old friend Gary, a tenacious friend, a quality Alex finds annoying. They were always competing— well, it was rather Gary competing where Alex tried to crush his ego. Thinking about it, Alex doesn’t actually remember how they became friends.
A-S-H… it was Alex’s initials which stood for Alexander Stevens Hamilton and a name only his close friends called him by.
“Gary! What the hell are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. But since you asked so nicely I figured I tell you that my grandpa invited me here. See! I’m wearing my badge right here.”
“Well Gary, Professor Oak invited me here too.”
“What!? My gramps invited you here? How lame…”
Alex didn’t make the connection until now. Gary’s last name was Oak, just like the professor. This would mean that he had every right to be there, unlike himself, uneasiness settled on Alex.
“Well, where’s your badge? You know you’ll get in a bunch of trouble with security if you don’t have a clearance for this floor level.”
Alex wasn’t too sure what he meant exactly, but then again, he was in a library. Then that must mean he’s in a place he shouldn’t be seeing, a place where important research held my professionals. Coldness wrapped around him, he didn’t know what type of trouble he got himself in now.
“Oh shit son! You’re going to go to jail and you’ve just became fourteen. What kind of crime have you done now.” laughed Gary.
Alex shook his head and looked at the badge Gary was wearing.
“Your badge says ‘level 2: Visitor.’ If a visitor can come in here than I have no problems as well.”
Alex walked over to a wooden table to sit down where he began to eat his lunch.
“Ash, what the hell are you doing!? You can’t eat in here.” barked Gary
“Who says? I’m hungry and whose going to stop me?” retorted Alex
“I will.” said an old voice.
Alex jumped and looked behind him. He could see a man, maybe in his mid fifties or late forties. He had grey hair but still had black bushy eyebrows. He wore a lab coat, khaki pants and a purple shirt. His forehead was wide and gave the impression of intellect and formidability but spoke with a gentle voice.
“Now then, having the both of you here must mean that the other students that I called have failed to find this library.”
Alex and Gary looked at each other, wondering what he meant.
“You see, only two people can come to this library. The entrance to this room can detect the presence of people. But the only way to set it up is if you are inside this room. So as you can simply see, the two of you are the only ones that passed my test.”
“Test. You mean all of this was a test? But it was easy. I mean how anyone could--”
Holding his hand up professor Oak began “It would seem easy, Gary, but I set up the lab like a maze. Like a mouse trying to find the cheese in the end. Only two people could make it. Why? I need two people who are smart enough and daring enough. Someone who will explore their environment may I add. That would be you Gary and you as well… uh… Ash is it?”
Alex looked at the man and nodded.
“Well than Ash. Congratulations. You made it all the way to this library without a badge or a layout map. Neither would have helped you in anyway, but congratulations again.” said Professor Oak.
“What do you mean by that?” questioned Gary
“Now Gary, you took that visitors badge because you didn’t want to be seen running around my lab without it. I know you’ve noticed me wearing one too, but this badge isn’t for security purposes. All the workers wear a badge for convenience. It holds all the passwords for the workers to log in to the computers around here. There are no security levels in my lab, just computers with personal codes. Knowledge should be free to everyone.” said Professor Oak nodding at himself, “You thought that the security guards would kick you out if they caught you. If they would have seen you with a badge then they wouldn’t have stopped you, right?”
Gary looked at the plastic card hanging from his collar. “Was it useless?” wondered both Alex and Gary.
“That was clever of you Gary. But the badge was also rigged to dim or bright the lights. This was part of the test. It was used to confuse to carrier of the card. You eventually ended up in the library because of your relentless attitude and you also decided to show up sooner than the others and had a head start.”
Gary looked down in embarrassment making Alex chuckle.
“The amazing part is Ash. He was able to sneak past the security at the front. He decided to come in late, knowing that all the workers would go to lunch. Giving him the chance to make a move, then he was able to find his way to the library in less than third of your time Gary.”
That was a spit in the face thought Gary, a competitive person that never liked to lose, not to anyone.
“Professor Oak. I actually didn’t plan to come in late today. It was more of an accident and I figured that no one would mind if I let myself in. Also, I was just lucky to stumble into the library.”
Oak smiled and chuckled. “Well my boy. I guess lady luck is on your side today than.” said Oak with enthusiasm.
“But I still made it before him, gramps. So I did come in first place.”
“Yes, usually second place is the first loser, but today the second mouse is the one to eat the cheese since the first mouse tripped the trap. The reason why Ash found the library must mean that you left a trail for him to follow. Placing the badge in the box like the sign said too would have reset the maze. But you decided not to and kept it on you.”
Gary was in disbelief in his eyes, but kept his cool. He grinned and shrugged. “I guess I have to take some responsibility.”
“Yes you do Gary. So it’s decided. Ash will choose a Pokémon to have first and you will choose second.”
“What! But that isn’t fair gramps. I’m family!”
“Yes, yes. I know, but we did just agree that you need to take more responsibility in your actions. So Ash will decide which of these three Pokémon he will keep as a companion in the journey I will embark on the two of you.”
Professor Oak turned around and signaled them to follow. He walked them through shelves upon shelves of books. All of which appeared to be encyclopedias. Some were in foreign languages and some were fictional books as well. “Professor Oak. I thought this library was for studying Pokémon. Why are there folklore and myths stories on Pokémon here?” asked Alex.
Professor Oak chuckled and happily replied with “Those fiction stories hold some truth to Pokémon. There are stories of Growlithe saving little girls from burning buildings or a float of poliwags saving a person from drowning. These stories hold some type of truth to Pokémon and the nature of these animals. Though we never seen it first hand, what those fictional tales say lies some grain of truth.”
Alex and Gary looked at each other and nodded. It was true. When they were both younger, one day they had decided to go swimming. A good day turned bad when the two of them realized that they couldn’t swim against the current fast enough and were being swept away. They found that the waters they were in became deep and soon they were both drowning. A group of poliwags heard the sounds of the dying children and came to their aid. Alex could remember the basketball sized Pokémon huddling around them, they were smooth and slippery, but the kids were able to grasp the poliwag somehow. Alex felt the poliwag, their skin was extremely thin, and he could feel their every muscle and organ through the poliwags skin. That made him quiver when the idea of accidentally poking the Pokémon could rip it open and kill it instantly, but the skin didn’t rip. The Pokémon’s skin, however thin, was quite flexible and bounced when he poked the poliwag.
Once Gary and Alex were on the shore, they thanked the Pokémon and waved good bye to them. That day they decided never to tell anyone what happened in fear of being in trouble with their parents. They were lucky, what if those Pokémon hadn’t come? The kids didn’t want to alarm their parents with such ideas, but to Alex, Gary seemed to have been affected by the event.
Gary quickly looked away from Alex after they nodded. He had an expression of resentment which caught professor Oak’s attention.
“Well Gary, you seem to have something on your mind.”
“Gramps, this place reminds me of things I don’t want to remember. Can we hurry up and get out of here already?”
“Ha-ha! Okay Gary. Now let me tell you what I wanted two people to come to my laboratory for in the first place.”
Gary and Alex now had their attention to the man again.
“This laboratory is a place to study Pokémon. To see what makes them tick and so on. You can say I’m a biologist of sorts. The problem is that we haven’t actually raised a Pokémon the way some people have.”
Oak received another look of confusion. “What I mean is by using a Pokémon for battles. We know that fire Pokémon can learn fire attacks like ember and flame thrower, but we don’t know which Pokémon can and cannot know. Could a horsea learn the same attacks as a krabby or even a slowbro? And why is that a slowbro can learn certain attacks that water Pokémon shouldn’t know for that matter?”
Gary looked at Alex lost. Alex didn’t know where professor Oak was going with this, but what he was saying was indeed interesting to the both of them.
“We also know that a drowzee evolves when learning the attack psybeam, but doesn’t evolve when we use a technical machine at an earlier stage in the drowzee’s life. Another thing to add is why we can’t get our machoke to evolve, but we know for certain that machamp is the finale evolution to machoke. Machamps do exist and we have seen machokes evolve before, but we can’t manage to get our slate of machoke to evolve.”
Professor Oak appeared to have more on his mind than anything, Alex wanted to know what he was thinking but then remembered that Oak was off the subject he was suppose to answer.
“Professor, why exactly did you set your lab like a maze?” asked Alex.
“Oh?” gave Oak, then looked at Alex and paused for a moment, “That’s right my son! I remember. I was supposed to tell you why I put so much effort in this. As you already know I’m going to give you each one Pokémon. The reason for that is to help you in your quest. What quest is that?” he asked with a smile on his face, “the two of you are going to help me figure out these questions!”
The children weren’t really sure they understood.
“How exactly you ask? By capturing and training Pokémon. I’m going to set the two of you free for one month. Use the Pokémon and collect data on them. And figure out which Pokémon learn what and so on. Train the Pokémon.”
Alex and Gary felt a ghostly pressure fall on their chest.
“One month, gramps! How are we to solve all the answers in a month?”
“No, no Gary. For one month I’m going to see what data the two of you manage to collect. Then I’m going to release more researchers, or to be exact, students like you. I’m also going to ask my assistance here to do some field studies as well. The two of you may come across them from time to time. They will give you as much help as they can offer, but be glad what you get, because they have other priorities.”
Professor Oak stopped at a table; there were three metallic orbs that were colored red on the top and white at the bottom. A black line ran around the ball and met a circular button in the center.
“Those are pokéballs!” said Gary.
“Yes they are, and each contains a Pokémon.”
Under each one there was a pamphlet and a picture which quickly described the creature that rested within the pokéball.
“So Ash, which of these Pokémon will be yours to keep, aiding you in this scientific research?” asked Oak softly.
Gary crossed his arms and looked away.
Alex wasn’t sure and looked each one over carefully. There was a bulbasaur; a grass like creature that resembles a toad with a bud on its back. It had large red colored eyes.
“Ah, Bulbasaur are animals that managed to grow a plant on their backs. It’s actually extraordinary that a live animal managed to exist with a plant on its spine. A bulbasaur egg is covered with seeds, eventually the newly hatch Pokémon will stumble out and have the seed planted on its back. The seeds are produced by the mother venasaur. When things become harsh, they use that plant for nourishment. But because they have that plant bulbasuars have become dependent on It.” described Oak to Alex.
Next was a charmander. Alex looked at the picture; it was a small orange lizard like beast. It eyes had a deep blue color to it, but that wasn’t the most amazing trait of that Pokémon. It was the burning flame on its tail.
“Charmander’s tail burns with a flame that also tells you what mood it is in. If the fire goes kaput, so does the charmander.
The skin on the tail of the charmander isn’t actually skin. It’s more of a giant nail at the tip of charmander’s tail that caps it. The heat under the nail is what ignites it. The flame then burns the nail, but it’s extremely tough and slow to waste away. It takes a week for a single centimeter to burn away, but by then charmander has grown a new layer, which is a centimeter and an eighth thick!
Also, one of charmander’s main blood arteries goes to the tail, which is why you can tell what mood the charmander is in.” said Oak with a smile.
Lastly there was a picture of a small turtle with blue colored skin. It had an orange shell and a yellow front. Its tail was round and had curl in it. It didn’t appear to be special, the reason why Alex put the pamphlet away sooner than the other two.
“Now hold on Ash. Squirtles are amazing creature you know. A squirtle can spray water from its mouth to a distance of ten feet with accuracy. Also, the water that it sprays isn’t from collecting it in its mouth. Squirtles can create the water that it uses from foam within its mouth. The saliva in squirtle’s mouth is at foam like form, but when it touches the cool oxygen in the air, it combines and creates water. Squirtles creates the foam in its mouth, so you know when a squirtle is about to spray you down is when you see the green foam filling in its mouth.” said the professor.
Alex wasn’t sure which of these Pokémon he wanted. They all have become so interesting and wanted all of the Pokémon all to himself, but he knew better and could only have one. He then thought about what he might see out in the world; there could be a lot of lakes and rivers for him to cross. He would also need to set camps as well. A charmander would come in handy then, but what if a fire broke out? Then squirtle would be better, again a plus because of the lakes and river. Squirtle could help him catch food if he were to run out and was too far to purchase more. Bulbasuar seemed less of a hassle; he wouldn’t have to feed it as often because it would use sunlight.
Alex looked at the pokéball that held squirtle. The Pokémon didn’t look so special to him, but now, squirtle could be hiding something that no one would expect, something magnificent that no one knew about squirtle. Alex nodded his head and walked to the pokéball.
He held his hand on it for a second and picked it up; it was lighter than what he thought it to be. He looked at professor Oak and said “I want this one. I want to train a squirtle.” Oak smiled and said “Good choice. I hope the best to you and to your Pokémon.”
Gary pushed Alex aside and picked up the ball farthest to the left, the bulbasuar. “Well, gramps, I’m glad he didn’t pick the one I wanted. Bulbasuars use vines that they create themselves, something I can use to help me catch Pokémon.” said Gary sneering.
“So Ash, Gary, you two can go anywhere you want to go to find Pokémon. I give you that privilege, so when someone tries to stop you, show them these.” said Oak, handing them each a device. It opened like a book and already had a picture of each of them on their devices. “These are called pokédexes. Keep it on you; it’s your license as researcher that allows you to travel more freely than the trainers that you will encounter. Pokémon trainers are people who train Pokémon for battles. When they see you they will usually try to battle you. The reason for that is to train I guess. It also helps Pokémon to evolve. So I recommend that the two of you participate in Pokémon battles as well.”
Gary smiled and looked at Alex, but he hadn’t noticed.
“Also with these pokedexes, they give a brief description of the Pokémon you have, the cry that it makes and a picture of the same Pokémon. The pokédex is used to aid you in finding and identifying the Pokémon that you captured in this region. You as my researcher must input data yourself, when a Pokémon learned a certain attack at a particular time or when and how a Pokémon evolved. This information is very important to you and me. The pokédex has a touch screen so that you can take notes on the Pokémon the page it is on. It also has a microphone, say the Pokémon’s name and it will find it for you. Now it also has an electro optic eye that can recognize what Pokémon is in front of you, but it’s somewhat primitive in technology. I’ve requested Silph Co. to help me make a better one but they haven’t come up with any so far that I’d like.” added professor Oak.
Alex looked around him and saw Gary had already began playing with his Pokémon. Actually more like ordering his Pokémon to do things, but the Pokémon listened. It was running back and forth, exactly the way Gary had barked his orders.
“Now, before I let the two of you go, take these.”
Oak handed over five more pokéballs to each of them.
“Are these Pokémon as well?”
“No Ash, these are empty pokéballs. Use them to catch more Pokémon with them. To capture Pokémon you have to battle and weaken them. Then you toss a pokéball at the Pokémon.”
Alex didn’t fully understand what he meant, something Oak could read from the expression of Alex’s face.
“Don’t worry Ash. You’ll understand soon enough once you start battling other trainers.”
Alex smiled and began to walk away, just then Gary yelled out to him.
“Ash, what do you think you’re doing!? Aren’t you even going to see what your Pokémon is like?”
Gary’s bulbasuar was ahead of him. “C’mon Ash, let’s battle!”
“Don’t worry Ash, all you have to do is throw out your pokéball and let your squirtle out.” explained Oak.
Alex threw his pokéball like a baseball ahead of him and soon enough a red light appeared. A glob of light quickly formed to what he saw in the picture of the pamphlet earlier. Then it was completely solid, a squirtle was in front of him, alive and well. It gave a cry and looked at his trainer. Alex smiled but quickly frowned when bulbasuar came charging towards his squirtle.
“Squirtle look out behind you! Bulbasuar is charging you.” yelled out Alex and the tiny turtle looked behind itself and saw the bulbasuar running at it and quickly moved out of the way. Bulbasuar turn in mid run and walloped into the squirtle.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing to my squirtle!” yelled out Alex, this time to Gary.
“Don’t be angry Ash, this is known as a Pokémon battle,” began Oak, “It is a test between you and the other trainer. To see how well you are of a trainer. Now all you have to do is command you squirtle to attack. You as a trainer must train your Pokémon and teach it to attack.” He said calmly.
“Again bulbasuar, tackle that squirtle to the grown!” commanded Gary. The bulbasuar began to run again and hissed at Alex’s squirtle.
“Squirtle, I want you to dodge that attack and tackle the bulbasuar!” said Alex.
This time squirtle ran toward the bulbasuar, hopped over it and gave a full body tackle as it fell on the startled Pokémon.
“Again squirtle!” said Alex.
The squirtle did what it was told and led another tackle, both Pokémon were getting tired and Alex could see that. Gary on the other either didn’t care or didn’t know that his bulbasuar was tired from all the running and doing tackles. Again the bulbasaur tackled, this time squirtle took the full blow. Squirtle quickly stood up and turn its back against the bulbasaur, using its shell as a shield. Alex then noticed that squirtle tried to flick its tail a couple of times before and wondered if it was instinct or not.
“Squirtle, use your tail and whip it!” said Alex with enthusiasm.
The Pokémon puffed its chest and snapped its tail at the bulbasuar; this startled the Pokémon and Gary as well. Alex could see that the bulbasuar was a bit scared of his squirtle and was moving more wearily.
“Now, squirtle, tackle the bulbasuar!”
At that moment squirtle lunged and tackled the other Pokémon. Bulbasuar eyes spun and then shut. The Pokémon was knocked out and squirtle had won!
“What! I chose a weak Pokémon.” grumbled Gary after losing.
“No Gary. You ignored your Pokémon and led it to exhaustion. You as a trainer must watch these things or you will begin to lose over and over again.”
Gary didn’t look at his grandfather. He turned to Alex and began “Well anyway Ash, see yah around. I don’t need your help in finishing this project, so don’t worry about it much.” He rolled his eyes and left. Alex looked back at professor Oak and didn’t recognize the expression on the man’s face.
“Ash, thank you, go-on ahead and I wish the best of luck to both you and Gary. Whoever watches over us knows how much you may need it.”
Oak had a frown on him by now and walked away slowly and shaking his head. He was thinking about his grandson and what he could possibly get himself into.
Alex walked himself out of the library; there wasn’t any site of professor Oak anywhere. Alex followed the corridor out to the nightmare of halls. This time, all the signs were organized and showed him where the main entrance was located at.
Chapter 3
“Hello, mom?” asked Alex on the phone.
“Yes sweetie. How was it? Did you pick a good Pokémon that will listen to you?”
Alex wondered how she already knew this.
“Yeah, I chose a squirtle.”
“Ha, Joseph chose a charmander!” yelp Alex’s mother, “that boy never writes nor calls often. I never know how he’s doing or how the charmander is doing. If you ever find him, give him a good one alright?” she said with a fierce motherly tone.
Joseph; or Joe, the way he rather be called, was Alex’s older brother. He decided one day to become a Pokémon trainer to help support the family. He left at a young age of fifteen and rarely communicated with the family. He was the leader type of person, capable of controlling any situation and keeping his cool even when things got tough. Alex admired that coolness, but he knew his brother. He knew that Joe sometimes couldn’t control his leadership to an extent that sometimes made others feel uncomfortable with his dominance. Alex was a rebel and knew that he had to step-in a couple of times because of him. When the issue was over Alex would take it easy and watch what his brother does. Alex felt that he always had an eye on his brother, which was his job, to make sure that Joseph wouldn’t get out of control.
But now those days are over. It’s been three years since Joe left and everything at home has been quiet. The house he shares with his mother frightens him at night. Almost every night when they eat dinner he can feel the eeriness of the shadows looming around the house. It is as if the shadows are walking and waiting for him so that they can ambush him in the night.
Alex found a bench nearby the laboratory under a tree. It was thin, but still shaded the area nicely. The bench was warm even in the autumn wind. He opened the sack lunch and found himself a chicken sandwich. His mother had peeled the meat off a chicken thigh and placed it between two honey oat slices. The mustard glistened by the rays that escaped from the leaves that blocked them. The lettuce was still damp and cool, crisp when Alex flattened the sandwich. He looked under the top slice of bread and found a single slice of Swiss cheese. His mother took extra care to make this sandwich; he now understood why his mother seemed so sad earlier. There was also an apricot in the paper bag and a small water bottle. “She really out did herself,” thought Alex “thank you.”
Gary found the path home longer than usual, only because he had been watching out for Pokémon. Finding a wild Pokémon was rare to begin with and would take time. He looked in all the trees that he passed and looked at all the dirt roads. The town he lived in didn’t actually look like a habitat for Pokémon. Only the common animals like birds and cats, or maybe even dogs, found Pallet town their home. “Pokémon would live farther away then here. Of course, Pokémon must hide along the roads that lead to other cities and towns. Hell, that means I’m going to be doing a lot of walking…” said Gary aloud, “makes sense. I mean, watching Pokémon trainers compete on TV, they all look good, like they all work out or something, well, most of them anyway.”
It was true; Pokémon trainers were viewed the same way as athletes were viewed in sports. Training Pokémon was another sport, a more complicated sport to be exact. Pokémon battles have been banned in some states and countries around the world. These people view Pokémon the same way as nashville hot chicken fights. Of course this is illegal, Pokémon battles are fights between animals, but they do not kill each other off. No, a trainer understands how much effort was put into raising the Pokémon. Killing a living creature that someone put so much effort into caring is evil. A Pokémon trainer wouldn’t want their Pokémon killed as much as the opponent doesn’t want their Pokémon to die in front of their eyes. The trainer just wants to defeat the opponent the very same way people who compete in fencing at the Olympics do. They may hold a deadly weapon, but never do they use it to kill an opponent. Pokémon battles are just as similar. It’s the values of fencing along with ideals of wrestling. Pokémon fight each other, like students in high school wrestling matches do. And just like wrestling, the trainer has a team of Pokémon. A coach of a wrestling team may have a large amount of competitors, not all of whom are used in every event. Battles are the same way, trainers can capture as many Pokémon from the wild, but only six of them can be used at a time. Pokémon trainers can store their Pokémon on a network over the internet. The naming convention was usually named after the creator of the network and the words “Personalized Collection.” Therefore naming the network would be someone’s PC. Trainers would place a pokéball in a device attached to a computer. This device would than digitalize the pokéball and store in an account online created by Pokémon league officials.
Pokémon is a sport that required much effort from the trainer. Most sports required equipment provided to the participant, but in Pokémon, the trainer is required to purchase all that he or she needed. Then the trainer must go out and capture Pokémon, you had to be lucky to find the exact one that you wanted. Like equestrians who go out trying to find the best horses for their sport, trainers soon found Pokémon breeders. Breeders cannot sell Pokémon to trainers; it was against Pokémon league rules. Trainers can only battle with Pokémon that they have captured or obtained through a trade between other trainers. They can however use Pokémon they have bred themselves for competition. Pokémon breeders could only help trainers breed their Pokémon. Breeders could sell only the Pokémon they have to other breeders or to people who would buy Pokémon as a pet. Pokémon trainers must, however, show their license to all Pokémon breeders, even if the breeder hasn’t requested to view it. In any case, trainers would follow the rules of the Pokémon League and it was rare to see anyone disqualified or banned because of the choices a trainer has done. What type of person you are as a Pokémon trainer was reflected upon the Pokémon you had and their demeanor. Morals and values is the issue a trainer must face every day. What a trainer said or how they had said something, what he or she did in front of other Pokémon trainers both young and old is important. When trainers battled, a crowd usually gathered, and this meant that both trainers had to be careful in every action they did. For this reason, countries around the world have stopped Pokémon Leagues from starting in their area. Countries in the Middle East still view the Pokémon League as barbaric. Russia has banned the Pokémon League to run in their country, but hasn’t stopped their people from becoming trainers of Pokémon and will allow them to compete officially around the world.
By now Gary stood in front of his home, where his older sister lived. She was the only family he knew, his mother had passed away and his father is a Pokémon trainer. The man provides for them, but never actually communicates with them, just like Alex’s brother Joe. Professor Oak helps as well. The money that he earns as the top researcher of Pokémon usually makes a good amount of it. Oak has been referred to as the “Father of Pokémon” in the National Geographic and in the Times. He had discovered every single Pokémon species and added them to the scientific community. All Pokémon are under the order monotremata in the taxonomy of the Animal Kingdom. Pokémon are capable of electroreception and thermoreception which is the biological ability to perceive electrical or, and is some cases both, thermal impulses. There are many Pokémon that have electrocytes or thermocytes. These are muscle cells that produce electricity or high temperatures of heat, respectfully, just a few simple facts that Gary has learned already.
He opened the door quietly. He didn’t want his sister’s attention so soon. He wanted time to think what he should say. Gary walked past the couch of the living room; a large book lay there like a slumped dog waiting for his master. Gary picked it up and closed it. His sister has the whole collection of Pokémon biology. Most of which the books they own are of Professor Oak’s research written by him and his colleagues. Gary has found many of Professor Oak’s research papers and had read them. He had also taken many notes from these papers and studied them over very well. Gary’s knowledge of the Pokémon species is far superior to what they teach in the schools. He always wanted to test his knowledge against other people, his opponents, he wants to become the greatest and undefeatable trainer, but today, today he had lost. His first real chance to have a Pokémon battle and he blew it. He lost and it was all on his part. Gary smashed his fists into the couch. The sound wasn’t loud, but it could be felt. Daisy was in the kitchen and looked out. She saw Gary angry and wondered what was on his mind.
“Hey there little bro, what cha up to?” she said with a soft smile.
Gary didn’t turn to look at her and slowly said “I got my first Pokémon today. Gramps gave it to me.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Grand pop did say that, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, I also had my first Pokémon battle too.” Now Gary was looking down and Daisy could sense what he felt.
“Oh, how did it go?” as if she didn’t already know.
“It was okay. I could do better next time. I just need to train my bulbasuar.”
“You got a bulbasuar! Oh they’re so cute!” she said, now very excited, “C’mon bro. You have to let me see him!” she walked placed her hands on his shoulders and gently shook him, gesturing him to hurry up. Gary took out his pokéball and let the Pokémon out. Bulbasaur lay on the ground tired; its rest in the pokéball wasn’t long enough.
“Oh, look at the little guy.” said Daisy and picked up the tired creature. She took the bulbasuar to the couch before her and sat down with it in her lap.
“He looks pooped. I’ll give his tired muscles a good massage.” she said happily and smiled at the small Pokémon. Her hands moved gently on the Pokémon, around the bulb on its back and behind its head. She dared not use the tips of her finger to apply any pressure but instead used mostly her palms or the flat edge of her fingers. The little Pokémon stretched as she worked and wiggled it toes as well. The bulbasuar growled a couple of times, but it wasn’t to intimidate, but to express its pleasant attitude.
“There you go sweetie. Wasn’t that nice” Daisy whispered to the now sleeping bulbasaur.
Gary was surprised by her dexterity. His sister has always been graceful, a quality woman these days don’t have, and with her grace she had equal kindness.
“Since you were gone I thought you would like a snack, so I made some tea that I ordered from Celadon City.” She smiled and turned to the kitchen. She was always smiling, even when the days became bitter, Daisy knows how to make them much easier. “I have supper in the stove.”
After eating Gary reached his room and began rummaging through his belongings. At last he found what he looks for, a map of the region he lives in, a map of Kanto. The region is found in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Some researchers claim that Kanto used to be called Australia half a millennium ago, but that was all before the great incident, information of that time have been lost and there is still much platonic studies being done.
Gary went back down stairs, finding his bulbasaur up and about, playing like a puppy. The Pokémon recognized Gary and ran to his side.
“Alright, in you go.” He started, “Well sis, I’m off to do my research to help gramps.”
“It’s almost dark, why do you want to do this so soon?”
“Daisy, c’mon, if I don’t start now, than there is less time left for the research.” retorted Gary.
The Westminster Chime played in the silence of the siblings, only after the fifth time the clock rang did Daisy say “Gary, please stay for tonight. I don’t want to lose you like---”
“That’s below the belt Daisy,” snapped Gary, “I promised myself that I would be the best, and I want to know everything there is to know about Pokémon. Gramps knows enough already, but he started when he was older and we both know that he’s old now. What about when he retires, who’s going to provide for him? Dad doesn’t give us enough and doesn’t care anyway!”
“Now that isn’t fair Gary. Grand-pop always was good with money. He saved enough for retirement and enough for the three of us.”
“Really, sis, do you really think that? Why do you think he chose me for this task, huh? This is a way of him tell us that he doesn’t have enough. He uses most of the money he has on his research. When he does retire, he’ll still want to do research and keep his lab open. Gramps is a nice guy, but really, he isn’t a stupid man.”
Daisy turned around and headed towards the kitchen and sat there in silence.
Gary returned to his room and packed what he thought was needed for his journey through Kanto. Once Gary had left Daisy spoke softly to herself when the clock rang again,
“Lord through this hour, be thou our guide, so, by thy power no foot shall slide…”
She cried long after the sixth chimes of the clock on the coffee table rang.
Chapter 4
Alex finely reached his home and was glad to see that his mother was waiting for him at the door. He hugged his mother and she cried with joy.
“Oh let me see your Pokémon Alex, I have to see how cute he is!” she said
“Alright, I will, just hold on, he’s a little bit tired from a battle we had with Gary’s bulbasaur.”
“You know I don’t approve of that. Is that something Oak told you that you would need to be doing?”
Alex nodded “Uh-huh. I need to help him in his research. I’m going to let my squirtle grow to be a strong fighter!”
He could see her discontent on her face. As a mother she knew that her son would want to battle Pokémon. She shook her head and said “As long as you don’t hurt him.”
Alex reached for his pocket and pulled out a pokéball. With a click of the button, the pokéball opened and his squirtle appeared. The tiny turtle yawn and looked about it and saw feet he had never seen before. The Pokémon looked up and saw the beginning of a skirt and then could see that it was a woman. The squirtle tilted its head to the side when she spoke.
“Oh, look how cute he is!” said his mother filled with laughter. She picked the Pokémon while giggling and kissed it on its head. The squirtle appeared a bit confused, but wasn’t alarmed by this motion. It yawned again showing off its tongue. Alex’s mother took her finger and gently pressed it. This surprised the squirtle now and looked at her with a blank gaze. She smiled and hugged the little Pokémon.
“Mom, you’re making squirtle anxious!” warned Alex
The Pokémon turned to him and cooed.
“Oh honey, it’s like taking care of a child. Don’t worry; I know what I’m doing. Love your Pokémon and they will return the same amount of love. That’s what I always say.” She said to him, but was looking at the now smiling squirtle. Alex couldn’t help from smiling and headed towards his room. He began to pack his belongings, preparing for tomorrow and whatever else it will bring.
“Alex! Diner!” cried out his mother.
He looked out his window, it was right after vespers. Alex ran down stairs where he found squirtle roaming around exploring the house. He watched his Pokémon as squirtle found a toy. Squirtle backed away from it, took a step forward and pushed it, watching it fall. Squirtle repeated this several times until he noticed Alex and ran to him. Alex picked up the toy, tossing it around and began a game with squirtle.
“Alex! I said dinner is ready. Now put the toys away so we can eat.” she said sternly.
Alex looked at his Pokémon, squirtle looked away as if it understood and both of them walked to the kitchen to eat.
The table was set like the previous nights. There were three plates, silverware laid neat, and the main meal in a large pot as the centerfold of the table. The steam and aroma escaped from the pot as Alex’s mother removed the lid. There was a hint of potato in the air and parsley, but it was the beef that was the strongest. His mother had made Alex’s favorite dish, beef stew, a hardy meal.
“Honey, make sure to spend your nights at the Pokémon centers. When you do, make sure to call home.” she said.
“Mom, don’t worry, I’m not like Joseph. I am going to call you at night.”
“Alex, if you happen to find your brother, tell him to come home to visit.”
“I will if I see him, but it’s been three years now mom. I don’t I’m going to see him anytime soon.”
She started to shake her head, “Alex please. Just make sure to tell him that he needs to come back home. I’m so worried about that boy.”
“Mom; it’s Joseph. He’s the one that keeps his room perfectly organized. He’s responsible enough and can take care of himself.”
Alex began to quickly eat his meal, looking away from his mother at the same time.
“Honey, I didn’t want to make you feel…” she began, “Look. I care about the two of you so much, but it’s been so long since I’ve heard a word from him.”
“Mom that’s all you really talk about. Each night you’re usually asking where he might be. I don’t know… and I don’t care.” said Alex with a bit of jealousy in his voice.
“Alex! He’s your brother. Why would you say something like that?” she said with shock.
“Why? How couldn’t I say something like that? He’s the one that doesn’t even call!” Alex slammed his fork and spoon on the table. Squirtle looked from the kitchen floor at his trainer. Alex looked away and started to eat his food again, this time with more aggression.
Alex’s mother sat there looking at her son. She tried to think of something to say to apologize to him. There is too much to think about for her. She had already lost a son to Pokémon. Her husband is way at war, but she fears the day when a stranger knocks at her door with a folded flag. She doesn’t want to loose Alex as well.
It was quiet but it was silence broke when the phone rang. She watched Alex, but his frustration had kept him occupied. She walked to the living room and answered the phone.
“Hello? Yes!” was what Alex could hear from the room, “Of course. Our day has been busy and rough.”
“Mom, is that dad?” Alex asked.
She turned to face him and nodded with a smile. Alex returned the smile and stood up.
“Okay darling, here’s Alex.” His mother then handed the phone to Alex.
“Dad, how are you?”
“I’m doing well so far. It’s horrible out here, the weather keeps acting up. But man, how have you been?” said the voice on the phone.
“Great actually and… Oh! I got my first Pokémon. Professor Oak let me have one.”
“...really. Which?”
“I have a squirtle. It’s pretty cool so far. And I won my first Pokémon battle too. I beat Gary.”
“How pissed off at you was he?”
“Uhm, I’m not really sure, but he seemed kinda pissed off.”
“That kid; always fighting you and you fighting back. Make sure to win lots of times.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
“So are you going to be a Pokémon trainer or what?”
“Yeah, sort of, Oak needs people to do some research. He wants us, me and Gary, to be them because the two of us think differently from his lab assistants.”
Alex’s father grunted. He could here the voices of other soldiers making lewd comments in the back ground over the phone.
“Well champ, make sure to keep everything well taken care of. And be safe; alright?”
“Yes dad.”
“Hand the phone to your mom. I want to talk to her about some things you don’t want to hear.”
“Man… dad… that’s gross!”
Alex pulled the phone away from his ear, but you could hear the man laughing on the other end.
“Mom, dad wants to talk to you about stuff.”
His mother grabbed the phone from him and put it to her ear. She rolled her eyes and began to laugh. Her son had a perverted mind. Alex realized this, his mother watching the thoughts dawn through his mind. She whispered in the phone and roars of laughter could be over heard.
“Tell dad thanks.” said Alex.
He returned to the kitchen to finish his meal and sat down. Squirtle watched his trainer before he crept closer. Alex noticed the Pokémon and smiled. The squirtle made a weird noise and watched Alex eat.
“Dang it,” Alex said, “Here, have this before mom see me giving you this.”
Alex dropped a bit of potato for squirtle that happily ate it.
Alex’s mother hung up the phone and sat herself back at the table.
“Your father wanted me to tell you that he’d be coming back home next month. I know that you’d be gone, but we would like it you were to come and visit.” She said, as if he was already gone.
“Mom, of course I will. Why wouldn’t I?” questioned Alex.
“Joseph hasn’t been home that’s why. The two of us are just really worried about you.”
“Mom, stop. Joseph is just busy. T-That’s why he hasn’t visited.” Alex said, trying to convince himself.
“Alright, just tell what you want to eat that day and I’ll make it for you and dad.”
“Nothing special, I’ll have whatever dad wants. Will he be home-home?
“No, not yet, he’ll be on his R and R. Just make sure to be here on the 7th.”
“No way, he’d love that!” shouted Alex.
They continued to talk about the surprises and fun events they’ll have during that time, this is something the two of them are looking forward to.
They finished their meals and washed the plates. Afterwards, Alex went to his room and emptied the duffle bag. He wanted to make sure that what he was taking was only what he really needed. Alex made a list and began to repack.
He packed eight pairs of socks and underwear, just in case; three shorts and three pants along with five shirts. Alex usually wore running shoes, but packed another incase the ones he had on ever got wet. All his clothes were packed neatly and took little space, another tip he learned from his father.
Alex sat on his bed when he finished. He looked at his new Pokémon, now asleep, and wondered what his Pokémon was dreaming. He lay back and watched the ceiling for a moment. He hasn’t traveled far from his town, but tomorrow he’ll have to explore as many places as he can to find Pokémon. He stretched his arm out and turned his bed lamp off, quickly falling asleep.
{W}
