"BANG!" "KABLAM!" "BOOM!" The fireworks went off as crazed fan explode into cheers as the finals for the Goldenrod City Pokémon League challenge was about to begin.
"Oh my fans, the excitement is boiling in my veins as we are about to get this battle underway!" a hidden voice yelled out in excitement. He was as energetic as the biggest pokefantic in the Johto region. "We got a hell of a final round this year! Last year was easily dominated by our current champion, and he is back to claim what is rightfully his. His Pokémon eat other Pokémon and their trainers for breakfast and on occasion, he has them for dinner! Could we see another Pokémon on the menu tonight? Ladies and gentleman put your hands together for defending champion, Brendon!"
A young man in his early twenties appeared from the electronic sliding door behind the red corner. He gave a wave to the fans and haters alike. In his hands was the belt he won from last year. He was showing off his prize from last year. Thousands upon thousands of fan cheered when his name was announced. Many teenage girls nearly passed out from his glorious appearance or the fact that they were screaming so loud.
The announcer's voice came back on the intercom. "But for every champion in the world of Pokémon, there is always a youngster who is eager to rise up and take away the title as well as the glory and the fame from the current champion. This kid is no different!" The announcer was getting more and more thrilled by the second. "This year proves to be no different as this kid shows what it takes to be a contender. Will he put up or shut up? In the white corner, put your hands together for the kid known as Wonder Boy, Jake Hiro!"
The sliding door opened for a sixteen year old kid. Wearing gold and black, this young kid took a deep breath and with a big grin on his face ran out and waved to the many spectators. The fans went crazy for him but his introduction did not receive the same amount of applause that Brendon's had.
"Oh my ladies and gentleman, I have a feeling this will be the greatest battle that the world of Pokémon have ever seen, and I usually never say that!" the announcer called out.
"Congratulations on making it this far kid," Brendon called out to the young trainer. "It's a shame that it all has to end here." Brendon took one of his Ultra balls from his belt and prepared to release his first Pokémon.
Jake looked back and had a good laugh. "Every champion must experience defeat some time in their lives. I have the feeling that this might be the day you lose." Confidence rode in the rookie's voice. He was almost like a champion.
"We'll just see about that," he smirked as he reached back and threw his pokeball.
Out came a large Steelix that roared violently in Jake's face. Jake stood there not showing any signs of fear.
"Oh my!" the announcer exclaimed while the roar of the fans shook the arena. "It looks like that Brendon is not holding back what so ever this year! As most fans know, Steelix is the Pokémon that has won Brendon his last two consecutive championships."
"I hope you have a nice meal prepared for my Steelix." Brendon called out.
Jake just grinned. "Trust me, it's a meal to die for." He pulled out one of his pokeballs from his belt. "This is the Pokémon that I have started with and we have both been through our shares of good times, as well as bad times." He reached his arm back and prepared to throw it. "I know I can't lose with my-"
He was cut off by a loud obnoxious buzzing that rang in his head. It was his alarm clock.
Jake moaned as he lazily rolled over and gazed at the digital Voltorb shaped clock. It was 7:05 am.
"Not now." He yawned as he pressed his finger against the snooze button and went back to sleep.
At that moment, his mother's mischievous pet Persian slipped into his room. She grinned darkly and pounced on the sleeping child.
Jake was startled from her pounce and his eyes shot wide open, feeling her paws putting weight on him. "All right, all right! I'll get up!" he yelled at the Persian. The cat smirked and jumped off his bed and left his room to see if her cat nip was prepared in the kitchen.
Jake looked outside and saw a bright sunny skyline. He began his morning ritual of washing his face, brushing his teeth and putting on his clothes. He would never leave home without his lucky black and gold hat and since today was a big deal for him, he made sure he had it prepared. Soon after garbing himself in black and gold, he went to the kitchen to catch breakfast. "Morning mom." He cheerfully climbed down the stairs. The Persian followed and laid herself under his chair and falls asleep like the lazy feline she is.
"Well you sure look wholehearted today." She smiled while she sliced up an orange. His mother was pretty young for most mothers. Jake never knew who his father was since he suffered a heart attack right before he was born.
"You should know, today is when Professor Elm gives me my first Pokémon." He smiled to her and took an index card off a magnet hanging on a refrigerator. He glanced at the card which had a Chikorita, a Totodile and a Cyndaquil on it, the three Pokémon he gets to choose from.
"I know. That must be so exciting," his mother smiled while handing her son a plate of scrambled eggs. "Do you have any idea which Pokémon you are going to choose?" she took the card from him and gazed at the three choices.
"I think that I am going to choose based on their personality," He leaned back a bit in his chair after having a taste of his breakfast. "My first actually Pokémon, how exciting is that going to be." He thought to himself.
After finishing all his eggs, he decided to get an early start to Elm's lab. They said there were only three Pokémon and only three people in all of Newbark Town could claim them. It was his graduating class from Earl's Pokémon Academy. He sat down next to the laboratory and watched a flock of Taillow fly over his head. After gazing a bit in the sky he looked at the water and to his surprise saw a Lapras mother with her young child swimming in the pond. It was such a pleasant sight, seeing the Pokémon co-exist peacefully. That was until Max Powers arrived.
"Well, it looks as if Elm is willing to give anyone a Pokémon these days." Max laughed as he approached Jake. Max has been his rival ever since they both enrolled into the Earl's Pokémon Academy.
"Seems so," Jake grinned a bit. "What was he thinking when he decided to give you a Pokémon?" his reply could not have been better.
Max gritted his teeth a bit, "You know I was referring to you smart ass. I am going to pick the strongest Pokémon in there and I'll make sure you end up with something weak and pathetic."
"There are no weak Pokémon," Jake replied getting a little frustrated with Max "Just weak trainers. I know I will become a master before you!"
Max got in his face and it looked as if a fight was going to break out. "You really think that you will become a better trainer than me? Ha! Don't make me laugh!"
"Who says I won't be a better trainer?" Jake locked his eyes to his as the two glared at one another fiercely.
Two boys of Newbark Town began to quarrel.
"If crappy trainers make crappy Pokémon, then I am going to feel bad for whoever you choose." Max smirked at Jake "With your knowledge from Earl's Academy, your Pokémon will never be able to defeat a Magikarp." He was mocking Jake for his less than stellar grades. Jake wasn't the best student while Max had stellar grades. He was a bit of a teacher's pet as well.
"At least I didn't sleep during lecture or play with my cell phone. You're only getting a Pokémon this year since your grandfather is Professor Elm
"Shut up!" Max yelled out. "I'm not going to listen to someone who is jealous of my amazing talent with Pokémon."
"You got all those high grades because the teacher would always give you the strongest Pokémon to use during training?" Jake and Max had their foreheads touching one another. They had their eyes locked onto each other like bitter enemies.
"Oh stop it you too!" A teenage girl's voice shouted at them. "You guys are just as bad as two babies fighting over a doll." The feminine voice belonged to Nancy Calandra, the third person who would be getting a Pokémon. Her beautiful appearance and welcoming aroma would turn the heads of almost anyone. She had short blonde hair and wore a white t-shirt with a pink jacket over. Her light blue jeans were most noticeable since young boys would take a second to stare at her decent size rear. Guys would want to be with her while girls are jealous of her. She separated both Jake and Max before either of them threw a punch. "You two are always whining and complaining about everything. I was lucky enough to pass the academy without pulling my hair out."
Max turned away. "I'm sorry babe, but this scrub is always starting things around here." He sneered.
Nancy frowned at him, "You know damn well that you were the most obnoxious kid in class. Jake would never be as rude as you." She smiled a little bit at him.
Nancy hated Max even more than Jake did.
Jake blushed as he saw her gorgeous smile. He had a huge crush on her but he never had the guts to tell her. "What are you smiling at Jake?" she looked at him a bit confused.
He snapped out of his infatuation and thought of something quick to say. "I was looking at the too Weedle's fighting over a leaf." he pointed over to a tree but nothing was there. "Well there was two of them fighting before." he turned red from humiliation.
Nancy was not impressed at all.
The door to Elm's lab had just opened and a slim glasses wearing man in a white lab coat appeared.
"Are you Professor Elm?" Nancy asked.
"No I am not him," he replied, being much too young. "Elm is away in Kanto doing research on the Pokémon in the Safari Zone. For the mean time, I will be the one to give out your Pokémon."
"Well it's about time." Max commented rather rudely.
"Do we each pick one of the three?" Jake showed him the card.
The lab assistant adjusted his round glasses and had a look. "That is correct. However, we only have one of each so you will all be given a different Pokémon. Please come with me." The assistant showed the young trainers to the back of the lab.
"So Nancy, what Pokémon will you be choosing?" Jake asked her trying to start a conversation.
"I am not sure yet," she replied. "Something cute but also one that will become a tough Pokémon."
"Yeah, it's too bad we have a wimpy grass type as a choice," Max laughed. "That thing looks weak and useless."
"Let me assure you, there is nothing wrong with Chikorita." The assistant turned to him a bit irritated. "A Chikorita is a fine partner to have."
"A Chikorita?" Jake turned to the Professor. "Can you explain more about them?"
"They are small grass type Pokémon. Usually having multiple personalities," The lab assistant began to elaborate. "Some are stubborn some are flirty while some...well have multiple personalities." They can be a handful at times to raise, but if you treat it well, they become very loyal and very caring Pokémon." He smiled at the end of his short lecture.
"Sounds interesting," Jake smiled. "I might pick that one."
"Whatever, all I know is that I want a Totodile, I hear they become pretty strong when they evolve into Feraligater." Max said so proudly. "Nothing could beat that!"
"Except for a thunderbolt or a razor leaf attack." Jake smirked at him. Max gave him an angry look for being out smarted by his rival.
"This is the place." He showed them to the room where the small Pokémon where in a small pen. The Totodile was running around being a bit rambunctious, while the other two had a small conversation of their own.
"Go ahead and choose your partner," the assistance told them. "Choose them wisely though."
The three trainers smiled. This is the moment they have been waiting for, the chance to start their very own Pokémon journey. Max had already got a head start and called to the Totodile. The small water type came running over to him excited as always.
"Hmm, that one looks cute." She pointed out the Cyndaquil to Jake as he looked up at the teenage woman. "Hi little guy," She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't bite." She placed a small pile of food in the palm of her hands and offered it to the fire type. He looked at the treats in her hand skeptically then back up to her smiling face. Cyndaquil then crawled up and started to nibble at the small snack. She giggled from the tickle of his pointy nose.
Jake smiled as he saw the two Pokémon get along with their trainers easily. He turned to see that the small Chikorita was sitting in the corner of the pen all by herself, sulking. Jake looked a bit upset. "Sir, what is wrong with this one?" he asked the professor.
"It just knows that it's useless that's all." Max called out as his Totodile continued to fidget in his arms. "Cut it out!" he told it but it was to no use.
"Far from it," the scientist went over to Jake. "This Chikorita is a strange one. She doesn't like having other humans bother her and she is very independent. She must not like being around most humans."
The Chikorita turned her head but perked up when she saw Jake. She gave a tiny smile and started to walk towards him. "Hey I think it's coming around!" Jake said with a bit of thrill in this voice. She was a bit nervous and the Cyndaquil looked up to see her shivering in fear. He jumped from Nancy's hands and went over to the shy grass type.
The assistant gave them chuckle. "It seems like Cyndaquil is comforting Chikorita. Those two are the best of friends. It's just mind boggling to think about."
Jake watched as the two had a small conversation. "I wonder what it's like to understand Pokémon."
"Well you see Jake, Pokémon usually communicate repeating their names and it's amazing how they can understand each other so well but you can pick up on body language as well as their facial expressions."
The Chikorita gave a little smile to the Cyndaquil and she began to walk towards Jake again. Whatever Cyndaquil said must have worked.
"Hey there," Jake put his hand on the Chikorita's forehead and began to rub her head. "My name is Jake."
The Chikorita shut her eyes tight but realized that Jake was petting her and she gave him a big smile and an adorable purr. She also began to nuzzle his hand back.
"This Chikorita has taken a very big liking to you," the nerdy lab assistant told Jake. "She must really like you." Jake picked her up and handed the Chikorita a treat and she began to nom on it.
"I think it's cute." Nancy smiled. Her Cyndaquil smiled at his good grass type friend for finally tackling her fear of humans.
After a quick lesson on proper ethical training, taught by the lab assistant, the three new trainers where free to go. "Here take these pokeballs with you and good luck." He went back to his studies as the kids had decided to wait another day before heading out to their adventure.
"So Jake, I believe a bet should be put in place." Max stopped him. "I bet that I can be a Pokémon champion before you! Especially since you ended up with that wimpy Chikorita." Jake turned a bit red.
"Hey Einstein, I got a grass type who can defeat your water type in one hit." He said defending his Chikorita.
"Well then," Max smirked. "I guess I have to find myself a fire Pokémon so I can burn that little leaf to ashes." He laughed.
"Will you too stop it?" Nancy butted in. "Besides, if anyone is going to be champion first it's going to be me." She smirked
"Fine then it's settled, first one to be Pokémon champ is forever the best of our group," Jake declared. "Sound good?"
"You're on!" Max called out. "Bring it!" Nancy smiled as they all shook on it and went back to their homes.
Unlike the others, Jake carried his Chikorita home in his arms. "What does he know?" he was still upset at how hateful Max could be to Chikorita. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when you beat him Chikorita." he petted her head and she cooed a bit and even smiled cheerfully.
"I can't wait to show you to my mom." he laughed. "She would absolutly love you." he walked into his house prepared to show off his newfriend.