This is a redone chapter 1. I hope its better than the last. I took into consideration some of the reviews I recieved.
Enjoy, remember to review.
Three children; Mohan, Lily and Tobias, were gathered around a table in Professor Oak's lab, anxiously awaiting their first pokémon. Oak had been recruiting scores of new trainers to help with his pokédex project, and this was the latest batch.
They were all 16 this year. Old enough to leave home and look after themselves.
Lily was looking over the pokéballs on the table trying to decide which one to take. She had been given the first choice.
Mohan watched his friend as she reached out to take one, then suddenly drew her hand back in indecision. This was probably the most important choice she'd had to make in her whole life. This pokémon would be her partner forever. Mohan silently prayed that she would choose any of them but charmander. Charmander was one of his favourite pokémon of all the known species. Lily knew this, and he hoped his friend wouldn't betray him.
Lily finally took bulbasaur's pokéball from the table and pressed the button on the front of the ball. There was a flash of red light as the grass-type pokémon appeared and let out a cry. "Bulba!"
Lily knelt down next to it and petted it gently on the head. She smiled.
"A fine choice. Bulbasaur is an easy type to raise," the professor said.
"Me next, please?" Mohan begged. He wanted that charmander, and while Lily may have been kind enough to allow him his favourite pokémon, he knew Tobias would take it just to spite him. The two didn't get along at all.
"No way, I'm next!" Toby said.
"Hush Tobias," Oak chided. "You can choose now, Mohan."
Tobias shot Mohan a death stare, then looked over to Oak. "No fair, I want the strongest one, not the leftovers."
"There is no strongest one, Toby. All of these pokémon have their strong and weak points."
Mohan didn't waste any time and went straight for charmander's pokéball. There was a flash of light as he let the pokémon out of its pokéball. Charmander appeared before them, and he knelt down to hug his new pokémon. As long as I have this charmander, I'll be happy, even if I never catch another pokémon, He thought to himself.
Tobias snatched up squirtle's pokéball and frowned. "I guess I'm stuck with this one, but on the bright side, it's charmander's weakness. So, Mohan, how about a battle?" He gave a wry smile, a smug look on his face.
"A... battle?" Mohan asked. "Fine..." Mohan stood up and looked down at his pokémon. "Ready charmander? This will be your first fight."
"Char!" the pokémon cried, it seemed eager to show its strength.
"Alright! Go, squirtle!" the tiny turtle pokémon appeared as Tobias threw down the pokéball.
Oak sighed. Those two were constantly at each other's throats.
"Okay charmander, use scratch!" charmander charged at the water pokemon with its claws bared, and scratched it across the face. Squirtle staggered back a little with the force of the attack, and rubbed at the stinging wounds on its face. It got up, and the two pokemon began circling each other, waiting for commands. Charmander let out a growl, and squirtle backed away a little, fearful.
"Use tackle, squirtle!" Toby yelled.
Squirlte glanced at its trainer, then ran at charmander and slammed its body into the fire lizard, sending the pokemon flying.
"Use scratch again!"
Charmander picked itself up slowly, taking a few moments to regain its focus. It repeated its scratch attack, putting alot of force behind it. It seemed more determined this time, that last attack had made it angry.
"Tail whip!"
Squirtle wagged its tail in a cute manner. Charmander stood there bracing for an attack, but when nothing happened it let its guard down.
"Now use tackle, squitle!"
"Look out, charmander!"
Charmander waited for the opportune moment, managing to side step just in time. It breathed fire at Toby's squirtle, which wasn't very effective, but managed to inflict a burn. The fire pokémon smirked slightly, it had squirtle on the ropes.
"Huh, so it already knows ember," Toby commented. "Squirtle, lets try a bubble attack!"
Squirtle opened its mouth and let out a beam of bubbles.
"Charmander!" Mohan cried.
The attack was a direct hit, the water type move doing a lot of damage to the fire-type. Charmander fell to the ground.
"Come on, get up..." Mohan urged.
But charmander was too weak to continue, and fainted.
"Charmander, return..." Mohan said, holding out the pokémon's pokéball. A beam of light shone from it, hitting the fallen charmander and turning into red energy, then withdrew back into the capture device. He had put up a good fight, and really, he didn't mind that he lost. All this meant would be that he couldn't start out on his journey until tomorrow. He needed to give the pokemon time to rest.
"Heh, I knew I'd win. Looks like I got the strongest one after all. See you, losers," Toby turned to leave.
"Wait, Tobias."
He turned back around at the sound of Oak's voice and waited impatiently.
"I want each of you to take one of these." He walked over to a table which had three red devices on it, and took them in his hand. "It's a pokédex. It will record data on pokémon you see," he explained, then handed one to each of them.
"Thanks professor!" Mohan and Lily said in unison.
Oak smiled at them.
"Thanks.. Can I go now? I want to start training," Toby said.
"Yes, Tobias," Oak replied with a sigh.
Toby smiled. "Thanks again for the great pokémon. See you," he turned and left, his squirtle following behind.
Mohan put the pokédex away in his pocket.
"I guess I'll be seeing you, professor," Mohan said. "Thanks for the pokémon and pokédex." He turned and began to walk away, Lily followed.
When they reached the door Lily turned gave a smile and a wave to the pokemon professor.
They walked back towards their houses together. They had planned on starting their adventure together, so Lily would have to wait until Mohan's charmander had recovered. Her bulbasaur bounded along beside them.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mohan," she said as they reached her gate. "Early."
"Sure, I'll see you then," he replied, walking into the house next door.
He found his mother in the kitchen doing the dishes. She turned as she heard the door open "Welcome back, Mohan. Did you get your first pokemon?"
"Yes, mum, but it's hurt. Toby battled me with his squirtle."
"Ah... I don't see why you two can't just get along..."
Mohan laughed. "Because he's a jerk, mum."
She sighed.
"Anyway, I don't care about that. All I care about is that I got charmander."
She smiled at him. "So, can I see?"
Mohan took the pokéball from his belt and tossed it on the floor. It opened on impact, and charmander appeared. It was curled up asleep.
His mother knelt down next to the fire pokémon and stroked it along its back. The pokémon stirred a little as she petted it. "He looks good and strong," she said. "I suppose Lily got bulbasaur then?"
"Yep."
She continued to pet charmander, and there was a long silence. "So, when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow." Mohan replied. "Charmander needs to rest up." He put the pokemon back inside its pokéball.
She stood back up. "You'd best get packing then. I'll help you."
As Mohan slept that night, he dreamed a dream. He was somewhere dark and cold, but he was aware of the faint warmth and light of his charmander's tail. Dark shadows flickered on the walls. He whipped around to see a pokémon fly over him. It was huge and monstrous-looking, with bright red eyes. It twisted its serpentine body, and circled back to land in front of him.
'You are not welcome here, human,' it said, and began charging an attack in its mouth.
He woke in a cold sweat.
Reader input: what should Mohan and Lily's first capture be?