The sun was high in the sky and shining with sensible force; enough to produce warmth, but not enough to suffocate the people and Pokémon under its rays. A playful breeze tugged at the blossoming plant life of Pallet Town, where the authority on Pokémon research and beloved poet, Professor Oak, built his lab all those many years ago. This sleepy little town is also home to the hero of our story, 13 year-old Rei, who had, up until today, missed all past opportunities of acquiring a Pokémon from the good professor. Today, Rei prepares for the journey and hopes for the best.
"Okay… I have that Potion Dad sent me when he first heard I was going to attempt becoming a Trainer again. But that was months ago… Has this thing expired? Can it expire?" the youth asked to no one in particular and inspected the small container for any signs of fault, "Well, I guess its okay… Oh, and I have the 3000 Poké Dollars I've saved so far, so I guess I should be okay…"
"Rei! You're going to be late again!" looking up as part of instinct upon hearing a feminine voice, the mental check-list was replaced with questions on how to make haste.
"I'll be there in a minute!" the shout came from upstairs in a rushed manner and Rei's mother could tell the last minute—or rather, the first-time arrangements to the adventure plan were far from done.
"That child wouldn't be able to take any more heartache from hearing there are no more Pokémon left to choose from because of being late again… And I don't want to see that sulking face anymore; three years of that is more than enough," she tore herself away from the kitchen and made her way to the stairs. She stood at the foot of the few steps and gave one last warning to her firstborn, "If you don't get down here this instant, I'll be the one going over to the Professor's Lab and pick up that Pokémon. But, I'll keep it for myself, you know!"
And not a minute too soon, Rei came into view at the top of the stairs. A trusty white backpack strapped on the shoulders, the black sleeping bag tied to the top of the backpack, just behind the child's neck, and a gray duffle bag with who knows what inside. The grown woman looking up from the bottom of the stairs didn't know if she wanted to cry or if she wanted to laugh so hard she would cry afterwards. Her firstborn was about to embark on an adventure, all alone and without her supervision, to become a Pokémon Master. She had seen her younger son begin his journey little over a month ago, but she didn't remember being quite so emotional about it. Maybe it was the fact that Rei had wanted this since early childhood and the horrible event of not getting to the Lab on time every time for three straight years had seemingly crushed that hope, whereas Jo had been a bit hesitant on leaving and would have been just as happy staying in Pallet Town and become one of the Professor's Aides. It had been Rei who changed his mind by telling Jo about how he could acquire much needed information about Pokémon around Kanto; if you want to become a Pokémon Professor some day, having some field experience doesn't hurt.
So she held herself together until Rei had made it to the bottom of the stairs, now standing right in front of her. Rei looked so grown up, all ready for the biggest adventure a kid could face. A black and white baseball cap hid the unruly, black, shoulder-length hair that was sloppily kept in a loose ponytail, the black long-sleeve jacket that hid the plain white t-shirt underneath and the loose black jeans, the ones that would probably rip or turn another color because of the dirt they'll gather on the first day of the journey because of all the excitement and the running around in grassy plains for new Pokémon to collect. In her opinion, her child was looking pretty good, except a rather simple question was still on her mind:
"Honey? Why the duffle bag? I thought kids only took a backpack and a sleeping bag with them on their Pokémon journey," she gave a look at the medium-sized gray duffle bag her kid was proudly carrying over a shoulder.
"This? It's my stuff; my personal things I think I'll need for the whole journey," the youth answered rather smugly, in a matter-of-fact voice.
"Your personal things are in there? Things like what?" she still didn't get it. When she began her Pokémon journey all those years ago, she only took a few changes of clothes, snacks, the money she had saved up for the trip, a sleeping bag, and there was still room for the things she picked along the way. If there was anything she needed, she could get it at a reasonable prize along the way, or some other friendly Trainer would provide in exchange for something else.
"Mom, I'm a growing kid, and going through puberty, no less; who knows how long I'll be gone on this trip. Jo-kun left about a month ago and he has four badges already, but he's the one who studied Pokémon on a daily basis. I'm a bit older, yeah, but I've never once been out of town and I know next to nothing about how to raise a Pokémon, let alone take care of six and make them battle against professional Trainers like those Gym Leaders," an exasperated sigh escaped the young lips when the older woman's face formed into a disbelieving look, "I'll carry the Potions, Antidotes, and all the Pokémon stuff on my backpack and the money, clothes, my food, and personal things on the duffle bag. And, if things get ugly, I'll just drop the backpack somewhere I'll be able to come back to later, like a Pokémon Center, and be on my way. You said so yourself a couple of times, prepare ahead for the long journey. Well, I've been preparing for the past few months, and quite frankly, I think I'm ready."
The speech ended with a triumphant smile, and thus began the mother's sobbing, followed by the hugs, the squeezing, and Rei's frantic attempts at calming the woman and escaping before being smothered to death. First, the 'Mom, please, I'll be late,' then the 'I promise I'll call every day,' finally ending in a desperate 'You can come with me if you're going to worry this much.' That last one seemed to do the trick, since the still-sobbing woman released her offspring and started chuckling until she was done drying her tears.
"Don't be silly, child. Who'll take care of the house if I go with you? And, the whole point of going on an adventure like this on your own is to grow as an individual and learn to take of yourself. Otherwise, all parents would go with their kids running after Pokémon around these parts. Besides," She was laughing wholeheartedly by now, "Jo-kun would be jealous if I went with you instead of having accompanied him."
"Yeah, I guess… So, I'll be going now?" at a nod from the only adult in the house at the moment, Rei got a better grip on the duffle bag ad headed for the door. Once there, it felt just right to turn around and have a last look at the house from the door, even at the risk of being a cliché, "I think I will miss this place after all… And I'll miss you, Mom," an honest smile appeared as the tears began overflowing the brown eyes.
"You'll be getting emotional now? Go on, you've wasted enough time with me here. Go!" she waved at her child and left for the kitchen, or as Rei thought, hurried off so she could cry a bit more and reminisce about the past when her kids where just little twerps running around the house creating havoc.
So, the first steps toward the greatest adventure our hero had ever dreamed of took Rei towards Professor Oak's Lab. The spacious lab was located over a small hill in the outskirts of Pallet Town, and the view was quite a breathtaking experience. It was surprising how cold the air felt against the skin, and how… dark the sky was? What was going on here? The air was cold and there was a purplish color to the sky above. The lights on the street were still on, too. What time was it? Rei was checking the wristwatch that had been a birthday present from one of the many relatives in the family, when suddenly, a voice called out.
"On your way to becoming a Pokémon Master, eh?" the male voice called out from behind.
"Yes, sir, I am," Rei replied with a smile to the young man with glasses that came up and halted to the right. He didn't look older than eighteen, but then again, Rei wasn't too good at guessing people's ages.
"You're a bit early don't you think? It's still so dark," the young man asked while removing his glasses and cleaning them with a soft-looking cloth.
"How early is it?" Rei asked, squinting at the wristwatch in the dark.
"Oh, about 5:45 in the morning," the man replied after placing his glasses back on their place and looking at his own digital wristwatch, "Are you going to Professor Oak's Lab?"
"Yes, I am, though I doubt anyone will be there at this time. And besides, it's too early to get a Pokémon right now, isn't it?" Rei gave a downcast look and with slumped shoulders continued walking towards the Lab at a slower rate. The man walked a few steps ahead before talking once again.
"Well, I'm one of the Professor's Aides. I could walk with you to the Lab, if you want. You could be the very first to enter," the Aide smiled at Rei a few steps away, urging the child to cheer up and keep up.
"Then… I'll be the first one there? I'll get to choose my Pokémon first?" Rei lightened up considerably and began walking with a bounce in every step.
"Sure. You'll even get to see the Professor before anyone else, aside from me, of course," he gave a toothy grin and dug his hands in his pants pockets, his dark brown hair dancing a bit in the chill morning air.
"Okay, let's do that!"
"My name is Inoue Kazuhiko," the Professor's Aide stretched out a friendly hand.
"I'm Arisugawa Rei, nice to meet you!" Rei took the man's hand and shook it firmly, a big smile showing.
And off they went towards the Lab; talking about the three Starter Pokémon Rei would have to choose from, the Gyms they knew about in Kanto and almost everything Pokémon-related. The walk was seemingly quick though in reality they had taken their sweet time getting to their destination, almost taking a half hour. And, once there, it was only a matter of opening the front door, turning on the lights, checking the lab equipment and the Pokémon they were keeping for the Trainers who had left Pallet Town before Rei.
"What's going on here?" Kazuhiko asked out loud as they found the front door open. They were greeted by many species of Pokémon running free in the Lab. They also found that the lights were on, and the lab equipment was up and running.
"It's a party!" Rei answered him while rushing inside and taking in the different type of Pokémon running, flying and swinging around the spacious lab. A dog-like Pokémon leaped at the startled Rei and started sniffing all over, after a while, growling playfully at the soon-to-be Trainer.
"I think he likes you," a chuckle was hidden in the man's voice as he walked toward Rei and the mystery Pokémon.
"And I think I like him!" Rei laughed while hugging the playful Pokémon closer, earning a growl and a soft tackle from the newfound buddy.
"Professor, did you release these Pokémon?" Kazuhiko eyed the room while expecting an answer from the Pokémon Professor, but got another question in return, this one, from Rei.
"You're Professor Oak? The Professor Oak?" Rei asked a bit flabbergasted, ending almost completely all play with the rowdy canine.
"Yes, I did, and yes, I am. I'm Professor Oak, though people affectionately call me 'The Pokémon Professor.' I'll be the one who'll be responsible with partnering you up with a Pokémon who will be your first companion for the journey you've decided to begin today," Professor Oak said while smiling openly.
"Nice to meet you, Professor Oak, my name is Arisugawa Rei and my wish is to become a Pokémon Master," Rei greeted the Pokémon Professor with an eager look in those brown eyes inherited from the mother who so lovingly encouraged the adventure that would take flight that day.
"I met Rei on the way to the Lab and we found the Pokémon all running free," Kazuhiko informed the Professor and ventured out a question shortly after, "Professor, is there any reason behind the release of these Pokémon?" he saw Rei was once again playing with the canine out of the corner of his eye, probably too happy for words upon meeting the illustrious Pokémon Professor in person and playing with a real Pokémon for the very first time.
"There's this Trainer that left about a month ago, Jo, I think it was? Well, he called from Celadon City saying he would really appreciate it if I gave them a full check up. It looks like he needs them in top condition for their next badge," the professor informed his Aide while petting a big, pink oval-shaped Pokémon with wide blue eyes, and then he turned to Rei and the canine Pokémon, "Do you know what kind of Pokémon that is?"
"Uh…" Rei felt a bit dumb for playing with a Pokémon without knowing what kind it was, or whose was it, for that matter. But, he was just so adorable, there was really nothing to do except play with him!
"Don't worry, don't worry. It's a Growlithe, by the way; it's a Fire-type Pokémon, evolves with a Fire Stone into Arcanine. They make faithful companions and are very protective of their Trainers," Professor Oak informed Rei once again, patted his left leg and the Growlithe came running to his side. Oak stroke the fire canine's head, pointed a red and white ball at it and a red beam of light came out, which came in contact with the Pokémon and made it disappear.
"And it belongs to…" then, Rei realized the friendly Pokémon belonged Jo-kun, the brother who had left a month ago to gain experience in the world of Pokémon, "I just played with my brother's Pokémon!"
"Your brother?" both Professor Oak and Kazuhiko asked Rei, who looked rather thrilled at the moment.
"Yup, Jo-kun is my brother. He's my younger brother, actually. He left Pallet Town about a month ago, already has four Official Pokémon League Badges, and apparently owns a Growlithe," Rei finished while looking in awe at the vast collection of Pokémon running around the Lab.
"Wait, that Jo is your younger brother?" the Aide asked Rei in a bit of a shock.
"Yes, he is," a bit confused, Rei decided to see where this could go, "Is he famous or something?"
"Well, with only a month gone by, he's already seen about a hundred and five species of Pokémon and owns all you see here at the moment." Informed Kazuhiko and, after that, he just watched as Rei's jaw dropped.
"There are… that many Pokémon in the world…?" asked a very dumbfounded Rei.
"No," corrected Professor Oak, "there are more." He gave a cheerful smile.
Rei let out the breath nobody knew was being held at the time. Jo-kun had left a month ago, already had four badges, had seen little more than a hundred species of Pokémon, and owned the whole bunch that ran around Professor Oak's Lab. He had been busy for the last month, and he never mentioned anything like that when he called once a week. He just seemed normal, like he was calling from next door saying he would stay a little longer because he didn't quite understand something in the neighbor's Pokémon magazine articles. If Rei had those many badges and at least half as many Pokémon Jo-kun sent to the Lab, no coherent words would be able to come through the phone. Professor Oak talked once more, breaking Rei out of a reverie.
"What?" questioned the youth, still in a daze.
"I was asking if you wanted to see the Starter Pokémon now or if you wanted to wait a while," repeated the Professor, trying to hide a chuckle while Kazuhiko directed Jo-kun's Pokémon toward the machines that would help examine them.
"I can choose now?" was the enthusiastic question.
"Sure. They're over this way," Oak motioned with a hand so Rei would follow through a door.
They made their way into a smaller room with a few tables lined against the walls with open books and papers lying around on them, more lab equipment, and at the end, in front of a couple of glass doors, a table holding three Poké Balls. Rei's heart began beating a bit faster with anticipation as they came closer to that one table. Inside on of those three Poké Balls was the Pokémon that would fight the battles that would lead them on the road towards the Indigo Plateau, were the Pokémon League held a Tournament once every year to crown a trainer among thousands as the Kanto Region Pokémon League Champion. The Trainer holding the title of the Pokémon League Champion was regarded as the best Trainer in the Region, elite in both skill and power. Becoming the Kanto Pokémon League Champion was only a step in the ladder towards becoming a full-fledged Pokémon Master, and also the current goal of our young hero.
"There are three Starter Pokémon— they are held inside these Poké Balls. You can have just one, so choose wisely," Professor Oak began explaining, "The first, from right to left, is Bulbasaur, a Grass-type Pokémon; it is easy to raise. The next one in line is the Fire-type, Charmander; raising it requires a lot of patience. And, last but not least, Squirtle, the Water-type Pokémon; it is one worth raising."
Rei looked at the Poké Balls containing the Starter Pokémon as if one of them would jump, giving the message that it was the right choice. But, there was no right or wrong choice here; it was just a matter of what you wanted in a Pokémon and how you wanted to start your journey. Choosing carefully was important here, since this Pokémon would be the one fighting the first battles and helping recruit new Pokémon for the cause of surpassing the Pokémon Gym Challenge and later on, the Pokémon League. Professor Oak must've seen the look in Rei's face, judging from the offer he made.
"Do you want to see them outside their Poké Balls before coming to a decision?"
"Yeah, that would make thing a bit easier." Rei exhaled, ready to go into inspector mode.
Professor Oak picked the Poké Ball from the left, threw it much alike a pitcher throws a baseball while shouting the words 'Bulbasaur, come on out!' and a red beam shot out of the Poké Ball, much like the one that had engulfed Jo-kun's Growlithe before it disappeared into the ball. Only the shape of something squatting was visible for about a second, and the next thing Rei knew, something that looked much like an over-sized frog with a plant on its back appeared on the ground, repeating its name in a raspy voice. The Pokémon Professor repeated the same act with the second and third Poké Balls, saying the respective Pokémon names and out came Charmander and Squirtle, in that order. Charmander looked like an orange lizard with a tail exuding an effervescent flame, while Squirtle resembled a turtle the color of the blue sky, with a brownish shell and a curling tail.
Rei examined each and every Pokémon, taking in their size, distinctive features, and moods toward someone new. Bulbasaur smiled with its wide mouth and greeted with its raspy voice in a way that Rei could only describe as friendly. Charmander, on the other hand, called out its own name in a bit of a high-pitched voice and made the flame on its tail grow quite a bit, giving of a feeling of perseverance and self-confidence. Squirtle looked up at Rei and did something that looked like waving with its paw, with its eyes closed, and voiced its name in a ripple.
"They all look cute, so I can't just choose the cutest out of the three… Besides, that wouldn't be sound judgment," a hand flew to the curving mouth while other standards ran through the mind of the youth, before very loud steps were heard coming from behind the group.
"Professor! I'm here to pick my Pokémon!" shouted a brown-haired boy with honey-brown eyes dressed in a sapphire vest over a white, classic dress shirt, a sapphire tie and sash, navy blue slacks, and dress shoes of the same color. He looked quite happy for a while, until apparently he noticed Rei and the three Pokémon out of their Poké Balls, "Hello."
"Oh, you must be Mizuno Nakao, welcome! You're just in time— Rei here was just about to choose a Starter Pokémon," greeted Professor Oak in a cheerful mood.
"Hello, I'm Arisugawa Rei, nice to meet you, Mizuno-kun," said Rei in a rather courteous manner.
"'Mizuno-kun'? What are you an old-timer?" asked Nakao in a flat voice.
"Well, Rei here is older, so…" Oak trailed off, not really wanting to get into details.
"How old?" was the bold question out of the boy.
"Thirteen," was the fast reply. Rei was a bit embarrassed at how much time had passed since the first attempt at becoming a Trainer.
"You are old— no wonder you talk like that!" and kids like this one were the reason why Rei was embarrassed the most.
"Well, Rei was only delayed a bit, but I'm sure it won't damage the outcome of the journey ahead," Oak was a bit annoyed at how Nakao had acted regarding Rei's age, "Besides, Nakao, you're eleven years old, right? A whole year has passed since the day you were supposed to pick up your first Pokémon, correct?"
"That… Well, my mother told you we had to move around for a bit because of my father's work, so… Anyway, I was only…" Nakao looked absolutely spooked at how he had been exposed like that in front of another person; so much, that he couldn't speak coherently anymore.
"You were only delayed a bit," Rei finished for him, the Starter Pokémon nodding in agreement.
"Well," began Nakao once he regained his poise, "will you choose your Pokémon, or can I go first?"
Rei gave an almost inaudible grunt— now there was the pressure of someone waiting afterwards. Well, having learned about the specialties of the first two Pokémon Gyms, Rei thought Bulbasaur would be a perfect candidate, since it was a strong match-up against Rock-type and Water-type Pokémon. That alone wasn't reason to consider Bulbasaur the best candidate, though. On the other hand, Rei had seen a Pokémon Trainer using a Blastoise, Squirtle's last evolution, on a televised battle and it had been just awesome. Blastoise was a formidable foe in battle, but that was only because it had worked extra hard with its Trainer to reach that kind of power, probably over years of arduous training. And last but not least, there was Charmander, who evolved into the dual-type Charizard; its last evolution was a Flying- Fire-type who could melt huge boulders using a Flamethrower at full force. Such sheer power really made Rei want to pick that Charmander but—
"What? You haven't decided yet?" Nakao didn't sound sympathetic at all, but rather impatient.
"Don't rush me, Mizuno…" Rei looked over a shoulder and gave the boy a rather stern look, "I pick… I pick Charmander!" Rei pointed at said Pokémon and it leaped from joy while Bulbasaur and Squirtle seemed to be making cries of congratulations.
"I'm sure you'll make a great team," commented Professor Oak as he handed Rei Charmander's Poké Ball.
"That Charmander? What made you choose him? He's weak against Rock- and Water-type Pokémon. You'll have a hard time with the first Gyms," was the matter-of-fact comment from Nakao, who looked as though Rei had made the worst mistake in Pokémon history. Charmander, for one looked like throwing a fit of righteous anger... That or he wanted to try and burn the kid to a crisp.
"I don't know, but there's something about Charmander that just makes me feel confident about how our journey will turn out. I'm sure Bulbasaur and Squirtle will be awesome assets to their Trainers, but I feel at ease with my choice. Besides, those difficulties you mentioned earlier will only be extra work, and that means it'll just be a matter of time before we're strong enough to face any other challenges that come our way."
"Well, that's just you, I guess. As for me, I choose Squirtle," Nakao pointed at the aquatic Pokémon who jumped right into its new Trainer's arms, crying out its excitement, "Just look at that energy! You're full of pep, aren't you? We're sure to make a splash at the Pokémon League in just a while!" Nakao looked like a whole different person with Squirtle in his arms.
Rei's first impression of Mizuno Nakao was that of a sure rival, since he appeared to have thought that when he first walking in and found out he wasn't the first to pick a Pokémon. He looked pretentious, as if he thought of himself high and mighty, and to top it all off, he was overdressed. He was going to embark on a Pokémon and he was wearing formal clothes; unless he meant to change his attire after picking up his Pokémon, he would have trouble moving much in case of an emergency if he didn't want to mess his clothes. He came off as hostile toward Rei, for some reason. It felt as if he wanted to beat Rei in every possible thing just to prove he was superior or just because he could. But, with Squirtle being so playful in his arms and the smile he was giving his first Pokémon, Rei thought he would make a capable adversary and a very loving Trainer.
"So, Mizuno, why did you choose Squirtle? It's a Water-type, so it'll be a good match-up against Rock-types, but against other Water-types like the ones in Cerulean's Gym, it could be a sure tie," Rei wondered about Nakao's reasons for the choice he had just made, and it was only fair to ask him, since he was the first to ask Rei about Charmander.
"Nakao. My name is Nakao and, as newfound rivals, I think we should be in a first name basis, Rei," all Rei could think at the moment was 'I knew it…' "Well, yeah, Squirtle will be an important part of my strategy against Pewter Gym's Pokémon Trainers. Regarding the Cerulean City Gym, by the time I get there, I should have enough Pokémon to win if Squirtle can't snatch the victory on its own."
"It looks to me like you two are planning ahead rather nicely," commented Professor Oak, who had been a bit inactive during the conversation between the new Trainers, "But, before you two get going on your adventure, I'd like you to come with me for a moment."
The Pokémon Professor led the youngsters to the main room of the lab, where earlier that morning, Rei and Kazuhiko encountered Jo-kun's Pokémon running wild. Nakao looked around the room with scanning eyes, probably taking in his surroundings since he must've stormed right into the room that held the Starter Pokémon and where Rei had been mulling over each possibility the different Pokémon represented without so much as a glance to everything else before getting there. The Professor stopped behind of one of the tables where there were two red gadgets, no bigger than a notebook sat. At the side of each of the gadgets were five Poké Balls, not as big as the ones that belonged to Growlithe and Charmander, but big enough to have in one hand.
"I have a request for you two. This is my invention, the Pokédex. It's a high-tech encyclopedia that automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught. You are to take these with you," he looked into the eyes of both Trainers and saw the excitement beginning to swell up. He could already tell they would be dedicated workers and that they would help greatly in the realization of his dream, "You can't get detailed data on Pokémon by just seeing them. You must catch them to obtain complete data. So, here are some tools for catching wild Pokémon." He motioned at the Poké Balls.
"These are… a bit smaller, aren't they?" commented Nakao, voicing out Rei's earlier thoughts.
Oak took one of the Poké Balls, pressed the button in the middle and both Trainers watched as it grew in size. The Professor explained that the Pokémon they caught were contained inside the Poké Balls until they were called out to battle. In the event of having to capture a Pokémon, they just needed to press the button and throw the Poké Ball at the weakened Pokémon.
"When a wild Pokémon appears, its fair game. Just throw a Poké Ball at it and try to catch it! This won't always work, however. A healthy Pokémon can escape. You have to be lucky!" he looked dreamy for a while before continued, "To make a complete guide on all the Pokémon in the world… That was my dream! But, I'm too old; I can't get the job done. So, I want you two to fulfill my dream for me. Get moving, you two. This is a great undertaking in Pokémon history!"
"No need to worry, Professor! I'll get the job done, just wait!" Nakao stroke a victory pose for the Professor as if to demonstrate how sure of himself he was, to which the Professor only smiled kindly. He then looked at Rei, "I hate to say it, but you won't be necessary for this. Becoming a Pokémon Master isn't about luck at all— it requires skill and talent, which I don't think are your strong points."
What the hell? What was this kid talking about? He was just as much of a newbie as Rei! And, besides, he was younger for two whole years, even though age doesn't really matter at anything Pokémon related. The only thing Rei could did at the moment was look at Nakao, raise an eyebrow and flipped open the newly acquired Pokédex, ready to check out the insides. Nakao made a face at Rei's disinterest in getting back at him, turned on his heel and left.
"I guess Nakao-kun will be one of those competitive Trainers…" Professor Oak sensed Rei and Nakao would have a few clashes on their way to becoming Pokémon Masters, especially if both of them wanted to become the Pokémon League Champion.
"Well, he's not just a Trainer, at least not to me; he's a rival— my first rival," Rei smiled a bit at that. Not a day had gone by and there was already a rival.
"Rei. As of today, you are a Pokémon Trainer. You will embark on a grand adventure with your Pokémon toward becoming a Pokémon Master. At times, you will be challenged by others and attacked by wild Pokémon. Be brave and keep pushing on. Through your adventure, I hope that you will interact with all sorts of people and achieve personal growth," Professor Oak had hopes riding on the two youngsters who had become Pokémon Trainers that day. He could feel there was something about them.
"I'll do my best, Professor Oak. I'll try very hard to fulfill your dream with this Pokédex and to become a Pokémon Master," Rei gave a radiant smile, turned around, waved goodbye, and walked out of the Lab, feeling it was about time to get started on the journey ahead.
The first steps towards the journey were already taken: Charmander was chosen as the partner, a rival was set, the task of filling up the Pokédex for Professor Oak had been issued, and Rei already had an idea on what the first two Gyms were specialized in. It was still pretty early in the day, just before midday, and the day seemed to be going perfectly so far. Rei was walking a bit slower than usual, taking in the world with the eyes of a Trainer; everything would be different now.
"Took you long enough to get here," Nakao's voice rang out, a little too much hostile emotion in it.
"You were waiting for me?" Rei asked a bit surprised.
"Not in the sense you probably think," he glowered a bit at his self-appointed nemesis, "I want to challenge you to a Pokémon battle."
"You don't waste time, eh, Nakao-kun?" Rei just dug into the pants pockets and walked nonchalantly toward Nakao with a carefree attitude, "When and where?"
"We can meet in Route 1," Nakao looked at Rei with determination in his eyes, and Rei knew that if it were possible, he would've wanted the fight to take place then and there.
"Alright, I'll be there. I just have to stop home for a minute," Rei shifted the duffle bag so it wouldn't fall when the walking was resumed.
"You better be there, Arisugawa!" Nakao said in a demanding voice as he turned and began walking in the opposite direction, "Don't go being a girl and backing out, got it?" Rei just snickered at that last comment.
"Kid, what are you talking about?" Rei arched an eyebrow, "Do you need to get your eyes fixed? I am a girl," she started pointing at her body for emphasis.
Nakao gave her a skeptical look, "You're kidding, right? What do you mean, you're a girl? You sure don't look like one."
"What?! You have problems, Nakao," she was glaring at him now.
"You dress like that, you voice is rather deep, and you just don't act like a girl," he finished placing his hands on his hip in a rather stubborn manner.
"Those aren't reasons for thinking I'm a guy! You rely on stereotypes way too much, you jerk! Did I ever refer to myself as a guy? Did anyone?" her face felt hot, the tips of her ears were red, all because of the kid in front of her, "How should a girl act, according to you?"
"Well, nothing like you, that's for sure."
"Just… be at Route 1 so I can kick your butt, okay?!" she wanted to end the conversation already, before she regretted anything later. Though, the only thing she wanted to do was strangle the guy... Could she regret that on the long run?
"Fine!" Nakao almost shouted at her.
"Fine!" Rei did shout, right before turning on her heel so she could make her way back home.
Rei took the way back home, fuming all the while thinking about what was to happen in a while. First, she had to show Mom her new buddy, check thoroughly the supplies they were to take on their adventure and head out to face Nakao on the outskirts of town. If the battle went well and they won, maybe Charmander would have enough energy left to take off after and they could make their way to Route 1, catch a few Pokémon, and reach Viridian City before sundown. But, if they lost to Nakao and Squirtle, they would have to head back to Professor Oak's lab and ask to have Charmander healed, since there were no Pokémon Centers in Pallet Town.
She reached the house, took a deep breath, and tried not to look too excited when stepping through the front door. The door was unlocked, the lights were off, and there was some rustling coming from the kitchen. Sure enough, Rei's mother was standing in front of the stove, probably cooking lunch. Rei took a deep breath once again and took Charmander's Poké Ball out.
"Charmander, come on out!" the Poké Ball was tossed with a flexibility she didn't knew she had, the Poké Ball opened shooting out a red beam and in a matter of seconds, the fire lizard Charmander was out and about.
Rei's mom turned slowly, as if disbelieving, and took in the sight in front of her. Right in the middle of the kitchen stood an orange lizard-looking Pokémon, standing at about two feet, with a vibrant flame on its tail. The Fire-type Pokémon looked at her with curious, green eyes, as if awaiting the first reaction from the woman, preferably one of acceptance— and that was what it got, since the housewife was soon bent on her knees petting the Pokémon's head in a motherly manner.
"Oh, he's so adorable! You chose such a cute Pokémon, Rei!" she continued petting the Charmander.
"I know, right? He's really something. I just felt drawn to him and I knew I had to choose him," Rei seemed to swell with pride, "It requires patience to raise a Charmander, but I know it'll be worth it," Charmander gave a gleeful cry at that.
"So, you got there on time? Were there many kids there?" she petted the Pokémon on last time, smiled at it, and got back to the previous task behind the stove.
"I was the first to get there, with one of the professor's Aides, Inoue Kazuhiko. It turns out, I was rather early. Inoue-san is the one in charge of getting everything in the Lab up and running, but when we got there, everything had been taken care of by Professor Oak himself," Rei sat down at the table and Charmander sat down at the floor taking turns to look at both humans in the room, "I was greeted by one of Jo-kun's Pokémon— it was a Growlithe."
"Jo-kun's Pokémon?" Mrs. Arisugawa turned once again with a surprised look on her face, "What was it doing outside of its Poké Ball?
"Apparently, Jo-kun had called the professor, asking him to run a check up on all his Pokémon. It seems he's going to attempt getting his next Badge," Rei reached out to Charmander and petted the young Pokémon's head, earning a pleased cry out of the Fire-type Starter, "You should've seen all his Pokémon, Mom. He's quite the modest guy— he never, not once, told us he has over two dozens of Pokémon being held at Oak's Lab. And what's more, he's seen little over a hundred kinds of Pokémon."
"I'll have to ask him about that the next time he calls," the proud mother was smiling broadly, but at the same time wondering how Jo-kun had gotten so far in just a month, "Anything else?"
"I have a rival already. His name is Mizuno Nakao, and he chose Squirtle. I think they're made for each other," Rei chuckled a bit, thinking back on how Squirtle seemed overjoyed for being picked by the younger Trainer.
"Well, at least you have some friendly competition in Mizuno-kun. It must be nice to have a rival in something— it helps you set goals for each other."
"I'm supposed to go meet him in Route 1— we'll have our first battle there," Charmander seemed to perk up at hearing Rei's last words. A battle against Squirtle would be perfect for showing what a great choice Rei had made in choosing him.
"Well, you better hurry. You wouldn't want Mizuno-kun to think you're backing out," this was the real deal now; Rei and Charmander would have their first battle together and find out what they were capable of as a team.
"Yeah," Rei said while getting up, "he seems the type to hold a grudge over every little thing. Let's go, Charmander," Rei called and the Poké Ball shot the red beam at Charmander, calling him back to a quick rest inside.
She gathered everything, said a last farewell, and left to meet Nakao. It looked like everyone in town already knew about the two new Trainers that had emerged that day. Every time she walked across one of the streets leading toward the border, people looked, perhaps expecting to catch a glimpse of the Pokémon one of the Trainers had chosen. It kind of made her want to take Charmander out on a stroll so they would stop talking in hushed voices and see what a great choice she had made—of course, that didn't mean that the other Pokémon were bad choices. But, trying to figure out what the townspeople were gossiping about would be a waste of time when the battle against Mizuno Nakao would take place in a matter of minutes.
Squirtle was a Water-type, while Charmander a Fire-type— and Fire-types were weak against Water-types, meaning that Charmander could be in trouble if Squirtle knew any Water-type moves. Nakao must've known about that, since he didn't waste any time in making a challenge. She continued to think about that while trying to come up with a strategy until she reached the outskirts of Pallet Town.