Pokemon Kanto, The Story Chapter One: An Electric Beginning

Today was the day. Romeo had been waiting fourteen years before he could pursue his dream of competing in the Pokemon Indigo League, and if he did well in that, maybe other regions.

Yesterday had been Romeo's coveted fourteenth birthday. He had celebrated the night away, and then longtime friend of his father, Professor Oak, had presented him with the best gift of all. A Pokemon! And today, Oak was going to give Romeo a list of options.

He rushed downstairs, thrusting on a vest-like t-shirt and some worn-out blue jeans before ambling down to the famous laboratory of the Professor. Romeo's house was special. It had once belonged to now-Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum, a real hero in Pallet Town, where Romeo now resided.

Finally arriving at the laboratory, Romeo slammed the door open and smiled. There was Tony, Professor Oak's favorite assistant, leaning on a computer desk, eagerly waiting for him.

"Ah, Romeo. We were just quoting the great Shakespeare … wherefore art thou Romeo? And then, there you are. You just popped up. And just to think, Oak was about to give me your Pokemon if you didn't turn up …"

Tony frowned and made a gesture as if to say, "Right this way." Romeo had never been deep inside Oak's lab before, and was fascinated at all the Pokemon inside. He had never even seen some of them.

"Halt," Tony belted. In front of Romeo was an amazing metal desk, with three indents in it. Romeo ran his hand on the desk. It was smooth, unlike any metal Romeo had felt. Inside the three indents were three pokeballs. They were as shiny as new dry-cleaned clothes. He touched the seal, and a great rush of warmth came over him. Romeo had happiness whenever he felt a Pokemon was content, and the one inside this pokeball seemed so. Romeo looked up.

It was Seth. The great-grandson of Professor Oak, and the son of Gary Oak, the man that had gone missing only two years ago. Gary had never been found, but to Seth, he had no sign of grief. Romeo and Seth had been worst rivals since they were kids, and they were starting their journey on the same day.

"Romeo. You're here. I was just about to think you weren't going to make it," Seth snapped.

"Me too, actually," Tony said from behind Romeo, his white lab-coat waving about because of the fans.

Romeo looked up angrily at Seth.

"This is the happiest day of my life, and you're not going to ruin it, Seth," Romeo exclaimed. He clenched his fist and raised it at Seth. "Okay?" he said threateningly, and for the first time, Seth looked scared.

"Okay, okay…" Seth muttered, but before he was done apologizing, Tony pointed to the doorway, where Professor Oak was approaching.

His feet went clankety-clank as he smiled at Romeo, but even more happily at his relative, Seth.

"So, I see you two are both ready for your first Pokemon? Now, I don't want to show family favoritism –" Oak winked at Seth, "so Romeo, you can have first pick. Just go ahead and pick one of the three Pokemon. They're all different electric types. Electric Pokemon inspired me ever since Ash Ketchum became a Pokemon Master with just a Pikachu."

All electrics, Romeo thought, that doesn't bother me, I know which one to go for. Romeo immediately seized the pokeball he had touched earlier, the one that made him feel good. Professor Oak looked at him suspiciously.

"You're a bit eager, aren't you, Romeo?" he commented. "Well, never mind. Go on, Seth, it's your pick."

Seth looked at the two smooth pokeballs left. He studies hard, looking from one to the other, as if expecting something to happen. He seemed to be analyzing the balls. Suddenly, the look of concentration fell right from his face, and he smiled.

"I'll take you," Seth said to the pokeball on the right. He picked it up and kissed the seal. He looked at the sky and whispered something to himself, hoisting the pokeball in the air. Romeo was sure he overheard the word, "father."

Professor Oak looked at Seth with love. He approached him, and they hugged each other. Seth smiled at the Professor, and Oak smiled back. Then out of nowhere, Oak suddenly flinched and just remembered that Romeo and his assistant, Tony, were both in the room.

"Well, boys," the Professor said, addressing both Seth and Romeo, "Don't you want to find out what Pokemon you now own?"

That was a good point. Romeo almost forgot he now had a Pokemon. Whatever Pokemon is in my pokeball, I'm going to love it, Romeo thought to himself. Even so, he still was curious to know what electric-type he had.

But before Romeo could throw his pokeball, he heard a cry from Seth.

"Go, Pokeball!" Seth shouted, launching his Pokemon not far away from Tony's head. Tony shrieked, as there was a burst of light and Seth's pokeball was thrust back into his hands empty. There, in front of him, was a small dog-like Pokemon. It barked playfully at Seth.

"What is it?" Romeo and Seth asked together. Professor Oak crouched and stroked the funny looking dog Pokemon and then stood upright again. He turned around and took two identical objects from another shiny metal desk from behind him.

"Use this," the Professor said, and he placed one of the things in Seth's hand, and one in Romeo's. "They are Pokedex's. A Pokedex tells you about all sorts of Pokemon. I want you guys to go all around Kanto, and find all sorts of Pokemon, getting the data on this Pokedex. When you do, come back to me. I have one spare, but I've got no-one to give it to," Oak said, and then sighed. Tony twitched, with a jealous look in his eyes.

"Shinx," Seth and Romeo's Pokedex's said at the same time. Both trainers were taken by surprise. "An electric Pokemon with resemblance to a dog. As it evolves, it begins to look more like a powerful cat. Its main moves are currently Spark, Tackle, and Tail Whip, but the more powerful it gets, the better moves it learns." The Pokedex then automatically closed.

"Wow!" Seth yelled. "I've got a Shinx!" The enthusiastic dog jumped into Seth's arms and licked his face affectionately. Even Romeo was impressed. He was beginning to wonder if his new Pokemon could ever match up to that Shinx. He was still wondering what it was.

"Well," Professor Oak said impatiently to him. "Throw your pokeball, then."

"Right," Romeo answered, and nodded. His pokeball had gotten sweaty in his hands. He threw it gently, and another explosion of light came and went. He caught his pokeball, and looked in front of him to see what had come out.

It looked like some sort of yellow and black mouse-child. It reminded Romeo of a cute toddler. "Kid, kid," it said. Suddenly, Romeo's Pokedex opened again, and a light in the corner flashed.

"Elekid. An electric Pokemon that makes friends very easily but is mischievous. Its evolutions are amongst the most powerful of the electric-type. Its main moves are Thundershock, Thunder Wave, and Slam. Elekid is a fast Pokemon and is a force to be reckoned with."

Elekid ran up to Romeo and hugged him. All of a sudden, Romeo wasn't so jealous of Seth anymore. Tony, however, was beginning to show a look of hatred at the two new trainers.

Professor Oak then sighed. "Well, I guess you two are done. I just wish I hadn't bought three Pokedex's and three Pokemon. Now I don't know what to do with the last two. Are there any takers?" Oak muttered jokingly.

"Yes," came a voice from behind Romeo and Seth. Tony was the one that answered, and he was shaking like a twig in a breeze. Romeo was puzzled. And by the look of it, so was Professor Oak.

"Huh?" the Professor asked.

"I'll take it," Tony exclaimed. "The last Pokemon and last Pokedex!"

He was excited, expecting Professor Oak to nod and congratulate him. However, that wasn't the case. Oak shook his head worriedly.

"No, you're my chief aide. You're a future Pokemon Professor. What'll you do with a Pokemon of your own?" Oak asked.

Tony grinned.

"Quit, that's what I'll do," he said.

Romeo was now really confused, and Seth held his Shinx in his hand, finding the whole thing funny.

"I'll quit, and become a Pokemon Trainer, like your great-grandson and Romeo," Tony finished nervously.

Professor Oak scratched his head, thoughtfully, but before he could start talking, Seth burst out laughing.

"You, a Pokemon Trainer?" Seth blurted, "Hah! You wouldn't last two minutes!"

Romeo gasped as Tony seized the remaining pokeball and threw it against the floor, and a Pokemon came flying out of it. Romeo's Pokedex was once again activated.

"Mareep. An electric sheep-like Pokemon. It feels passionately about its owner and will fight with loyalty. Its main moves include Tackle, Thunder Wave, and Screech. Mareeps evolves into another sheep Pokemon."

Mareep suddenly looked at Tony, and bowed.

"Bah!" it chirped.

Romeo and Professor Oak were still dumbfounded at the fact that Tony had just thrown a pokeball that wasn't his to throw. Tony looked at Seth with rage.

"I wouldn't last two minutes as a trainer, eh? I'm going to prove you wrong. I challenge you to a Pokemon match using Mareep!" Tony shouted.

Just as Seth was about to open his mouth to answer, Professor Oak interrupted.

"No, you two are inexperienced, and you cannot …"

"Shinx, USE SPARK!" Seth belted.

Seth's Shinx jumped out of his hands and released a bolt of electric energy aimed at Mareep. The whole room went bright, but incredibly, Mareep dodged it.

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" Romeo told Seth. "If you can play dirty, so can I. Elekid, attack Shinx with Thunder Wave." Tony then jumped in.

"You too, Mareep," he told his Pokemon.

Elekid and Mareep both charged from the electricity in the lab together, and released an almighty powerful bolt of energy. Shinx tried to move out of the way, but couldn't, and with a bang, Shinx was paralyzed.

"Nooo! Great-Grandpa, tell them!" Seth cried, as he attended to his paralyzed Shinx. Professor Oak, who was watching it all, put his hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Actually, Seth, it was you who attacked first, so it's your fault your Shinx got paralyzed." Romeo smiled.

"Don't you mean pulverized!" he muttered.

Seth frowned. Professor Oak had always favored him in every scenario. This is the first time he'd ever been told off by him.

"And Tony," Oak said to his aide, "I'm impressed by the way Mareep dodged Shinx's Spark when you told it to. You've got a real bond there. Keep it growing, because I'm granting you permission to become a Pokemon Trainer, and you can take Mareep with you." He smiled at Tony, who smiled back. Romeo also felt good for Tony.

Seth tried to protest, but Professor Oak ignored him and carried on speaking.

"Take this too, Tony." He took the last Pokedex from the metal desk and handed it to Tony. "My three favorite youngsters can go on their journey together."

"No way!" Seth grunted. He returned the paralyzed Shinx into its pokeball and stormed off. Before, he went through the door, though, he turned around and said one last sentence. "Next time we meet, Shinx will be stronger, and I'll have more Pokemon. See you then, losers!" Then he finally turned around and stomped away angrily.

Then, Professor Oak walked out of the room, muttering something about research. Romeo smiled at Tony in a friendly way.

"So, Tony, I'm going soon. Are you going to join me, so we can conquer the Indigo League together?" Romeo wondered.

Tony smiled back, but shook his head.

"No, I've still got packing to do, so I'm staying in Pallet overnight, but maybe if we ever meet on our journeys, we can battle. I'm sure our Pokemon would like it." He looked down at his Mareep, who was playing with Elekid. "Return," Tony said. Mareep suddenly disappeared into its pokeball, and Romeo did so likewise.

"See you around then, Tony," Romeo said as he put his pokeball into his bag and headed outside the lab for the big region of Kanto.

"See you," Tony shouted back as Rome left Pallet Town.

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5 Questions to ask before reading the next chapter …

Will Romeo ever meet Seth again?

Will Romeo ever meet Tony again?

What will happen as Romeo begins his journey with Elekid?

Will Romeo capture any Pokemon?

What new friends will Romeo make?