On the eve of his tenth birthday Ash received an envelope in the post, he pulled open the tab ripping into pieces and read the letter inside. It was addressed from Professor Oak himself as Ash continued reading he stopped and looked up into his mother's face, he began to jump around in joy and when his mother asked him to calm down and explain what the letter had said he stopped and read it out loud "To Master Ash Ketchum, from the desk of Prof. Oak. I request that on the morning of May 22nd at 8:15 am you visit my laboratory so that you can collect your first pokémon and begin your pokémon adventure. I will be awaiting your arrival at my laboratory. Do not be late I am an extremely busy man!" Ash's mom told him "You had better get to sleep so you wake up early tomorrow morning and aren't late to meet the Professor". Ash reluctantly climb the stairs and went into his bedroom shutting the door behind him.
In the morning Ash's mom came rushing into his room "Ash! What are you doing here! It's 8:30, you're late, come on get done and you're going to have to run to Professor Oak, I'll write a letter explaining why you're late whilst you get changed." Ash's mom left the room and went downstairs to get a pen and some paper to write a letter for the Professor. Ash jumped out of bed and rummaged through his drawers for clean clothes and underwear and began to get changed, as he was tying his shoe laces his mom came in and handed him his backpack "The letter is in the front compartment, don't forget it." She passed him his favourite cap and went back downstairs into the living room. Ash came down the stairs a few moments later "cya mom," he called as he walked out the door "bye, Ash, be careful" his mother called out, the door shutting mid-way through her sentence.
As the warm spring air brushed against his face Ash zipped up his jacket and swung his backpack on to his pack he set off to the Professor's lab in Pallet Town.
As he arrived Ash saw the Professor standing outside his lab he looked a mixture of anger and annoyance as he looked around. Ash walked up to the Professor with his mom's letter in his hand "What time do you call this?" the Professor barked "I'm sorry," Ash replied "I broke my alarm clock" the Professor ushered Ash into his lab.
As the door shut behind him the Professor looked up and sighed, "Well I'm not sure what to do now Ash, you see all the starter pokémon I had have already been taken by other trainers" Ash let out a sigh of disappointment "Does that mean I don't get a pokémon, Professor?" "I'm not sure what to say Ash, I mean the only thing I can think of is that we go out and catch you a pokémon, I suppose it means you'll get some battle experience which might help you get started on your adventure, what do you say?" Ash began to get excited "that sounds fun Professor, can we go now?" "Not just yet, Ash, I have some work I have to do and you should go and ask your mom if it's ok." Ash looked at the Professor and nodded then left the lab.
Back outside Ash bumped into his rival Gary "Not got your pokémon yet then Ash?" Gary said with a smirk on his face, "Actually the Professor is taking me to Route 24 to catch a way better pokémon than yours" Ash replied, "Ha! As if, I'll believe that when I see it" and with that Gary turned and left for the pokémart meanwhile Ash headed back home.
"Mom," Ash called as he entered his house "Can Professor Oak take me to Route 24 to catch my pokémon?" from upstairs Ash's mom called back "sure Ash but make sure you're back in time for tea, oh, and your lunch is on the counter take it with you and grab some money to buy some things from the pokémart, goodbye honey, have fun" "bye mom" Ash replied.
By the time Ash had arrived back at the laboratory the Professor had finished his work and brought some pokéballs. "Ash are you ready to head out?" the Professor asked "I sure am Professor" Ash replied. The professor led Ash to the pokémart so he could buy some pokéballs and potions to begin his journey with and then they headed out to Route 24.
Whilst they walked the Professor told Ash about his work on studying Pokémon behaviour patterns "that's awesome" Ash had said. Ash looked around in wonder at the beauty outside Pallet Town, he watched flocks of Starly and Pidgey fly overhead and Rattata scurry in the bushes, he saw Caterpie in the trees and Silcoon hanging from the branches, they carried on walking until they came across a wooden signpost 'Route 24 East' and so they changed direction and carried on as before.
Fifteen minutes later they came across a sweet-smelling, orange-coloured tree, Ash noticed that it was shaking and rustling so he nudged the Professor "Hey Professor what's that?" Ash said pointing to the tree. "Ash, quiet there's a pokémon in that tree, it could be a rare one. I'll check."
As Oak reached into the tree his face dropped as he realised what was hiding away in its branches, before he could pull himself away he was surrounded by a yellow flash - Thunderbolt - Oak fell to the ground his coat not singed and smoking. Ash ran to help Oak but as he knelt beside him a small yellow pokémon with a brown-tipped tail flew out the tree. "agh!" Ash yelled as he didn't have a pokémon to fight with "Ash use my pokémon, it's in my bag!" Oak said still lying on the floor. Ash ran to the Professor's bag and emptied its contents on the floor beside him, in the mass of paper and books Ash found a small red shere "got it!" he called and threw it high into the air and as it opened up he watched in wonder as a large figure appeared from the pokéball "Wow, an Arcanine!" Ash fell back in shock to see the rare Arcanine standing in front of him. Ash quickly snapped out of it and prepared to battle the wild Pikachu.
Before Ash had fully readied himself the wild Pikachu began to bolt towards Arcanine, "Watch out!" Ash screamed and Arcanine dodged the Quick Attack "Flare Blitz NOW!" Ash barked and Arcanine span round and let out an astonishing display of power in the form of Flare Blitz, the wild Pikachu struggled to stand up so Ash threw a pokéball. As it opened up a red bolt covered Pikachu and it disappeared in a flash a few seconds later the pokéball broke open and the Pikachu came flying out and darted off into the forest.
"Ash what happened? Where's Pikachu?" Professor Oak asked dusting himself off after he had fully recovered "He ran off Professor, into the forest. Can we go after him?" Ash begged. " I suppose we have no choice, do we?" Oak sighed. Ash grab his back and began to run after the rogue Pikachu leaving Oak to pick up the contents of his bag which had been sprawled over the floor.
When Oak had finally caught up with Ash they realised that they were lost and that it was beginning to get dark " We will have to go soon Ash so we need to hurry up and find that Pikachu!" Oak said "OK Professor" Ash replied and they began to search in the tall grass for Pikachu, as Ash walked through the grass he was attacked from above him and when he looked up he saw the Pikachu preparing for battle just as it went to shock Ash with Thunder Wave Oak's Arcanine shot out an ember with knocked Pikachu backwards, Ash flung a pokéball after Pikachu and watched as it rolled on the floor and then beeped to signal the wild Pikachu's capture "YES! I got a Pikachu Ash yelled excitedly. "Ash let's go home it's dark and it's getting late." Oak said "OK Professor" Ash replied and with the guidance of Ash's new Pikachu made their way out of the forest and back to the safety of Pallet Town.