Poké-People Chapter I: The Starters
I walked through the forest, the cold air numbing my skin. I had been walking for days already and still had yet to find shelter; I'd been using trees as a resort. And hell, why would anyone help me: A fifteen year old boy named Pikachu, who's only skill was that I could harness electricity itself. Yeah, it sounds good looking back on it; but I was weak back then. Other Pikachu, one's who were much fortunate then I, and other people, like Raichu and Voltorb, all were much more powerful then I. The difference between me and most others was that I could move fast – but even then, the dreaded Electrode would always catch up with and bully me. There was no escape, so I had to run away. I've been traveling for weeks, and have yet to find any shelter, much less anyone who would take me in. God help me…
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I quickly ran out of the cave, the giant rock wielder Onix chasing me. He stopped at the mouth of the cave as I noticed a light rain falling.
Heh. You're lucky Charmander, you hear?" His booming voice echoed around the canyon. Were it not raining out there, I'd still be chasing you, and you'd be dead! But no matter. You harness fire, and the water will weaken you. I'll wait inside until this rain lightens up, then I'll come hunting for your weak body, drained of its energy by the rain. Ahahahaha!"
I watched as he stomped back into the cave, each footstep booming loudly. I made a mental to note to never steal food from a hungry Onix again. The rain started to pick up, and I quickly rain into the forest, the thick canopy of trees protecting me from the water. I picked up a stick and snapped my fingers at the top, setting it ablaze into a makeshift torch. I quickly ran through the forest, searching for shelter, and bumped into an older teenage boy, knocking him down.
"Oh! Watch where you're going kid!" He said, standing up as electricity started to surround his hands.
"S-sorry!" I quickly stuttered. For a moment, he looked into my eyes, and after a brief few seconds, made the electricity disappear and pulled me up. He looked about six years older than me.
"I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," he apologized, "my name's Pikachu by the way."
"Charmander." I replied.
"Nice to meet you," he said, "I think we should find somewhere to hide. This storm isn't gonna let up any time soon, and you look about as famished as I am."
I looked up at his face, silently agreeing with him as we ran off in search of shelter, not noticing a pair of eyes watching us carefully…
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I saw the two boys quickly run off into the woods, Pikachu and Charmander, they called themselves. I winced as some rain seeped through the trees and hit me. Despite me being able to control water and it not affecting me, I still hated it when rain hit me.
"Hey Bulbasaur," I called out, "we should follow those two."
My partner, Bulbasaur, a grass and poison element specialist jumped down from the tree.
"Why should we, Squirtle?" Her voice sounded like music in my ears. "It won't benefit us in any way."
I thought for a moment and sighed. "Because," I began, "I don't like seeing those two kids walking through the woods by themselves. We need to offer shelter and food for them. You know how hard it was for us."
She looked at me for a few seconds. "My, you're absolutely right Squirtle. Head back to the base and start fishing. I'll go make some new friends." I nodded and quickly rushed back to where our hideout was.
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I trekked through the forest carefully, following the footprints the two boys left in the mud. I grimaced as I noticed a group of Rattata failing to take shelter in a fallen tree trunk, but I just continued walking, focused the mission. I broke into a clearing, and saw them there: Pikachu and Charmander, surrounded by Spearow, and I noticed both of them too weak to fight.
"Well Charmander, looks like this is the end buddy. Nice knowing ya." I heard Pikachu say to his friend.
Without thinking, I quickly rushed out. "Vine whip!" I yelled out as I thrust my hands forward and vines came out of each, striking each Spearow one by one until they all collapsed. When it was over, I looked at the two boys.
"You two, follow me." I said, and they complied.
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After a grueling journey, Pikachu and Charmander, under the guidance and command of Bulbasaur, made it back to the place where Bulbasaur and Squirtle lived: In a cave, high atop Mt. Moon, where Squirtle greeted their arrival with cooked fish and hot cocoa. Squirtle and Bulbasaur kindly let the two boys stay with them awhile, until the storm let up. But when it did, a certain rock wielder had returned for revenge…
"So, what's the deal between you two?" Charmander asked Bulbasaur, referring to her relationship with Squirtle.
"Well if you must know Charmander," the young woman replied, "we met each other a few years back. He decided we wanted to battle, convinced that since I was a girl he could easily best me. He had forgotten that I had the power of grass and I quickly defeated him. I felt pity for him and instantly fell in love. We moved to be together and have been since."
Just as Bulbasaur finished her story though, the ground began shaking, and soon, a large foe towered above the four outside the cave.
"Ahhhh, if it isn't Charmander. I said I'd find you once the rain stopped!"
"O-Onix, please, just go away!"
"Ahh, but we still have to settle a debt! Give me any food you have and you won't die!"
"Not on my life! Water gun!" A yelling came from the cave and a strong and fast torrent of water flew out, striking the lumbering Onix dead-center!
"Hah! Vine whip!" Bulbasaur fired her vines, striking Onix and stunning him. "Pikachu, fire electricity into Squirtle's water!"
"Gotcha!" Pikachu turned towards Squirtle's torrent. "Thundershock!" He yelled out, and the electricity flew into the water, severely damaging the wet Onix.
"Charmander, finish him!"
Charmander turned towards his foe, and let out a mighty flamethrower, actually damaging the already weak Onix.
"Nooooooooooo!" Onix collapsed and fell down the mountain, defeated.
"Yes! We did it!" "Yahoo!" "That'll teach him!" Cries of victories echoed all around.
Suddenly though, Charmander begin glowing.
"Charmander…?" Pikachu looked puzzled, worried about his friend.
After a few seconds, the glow diminished, and when it did, Charmander was a bigger, older, and looked different.
"It's no longer Charmander," his voice sounded different as well, deeper, and more teenaged, "it's now Charmeleon!"
Everyone smiled, happy that their friend grew stronger and evolved.
"So, Squirtle, I think they proved their worth. How about letting them stay here…permanently?"
"Sure thing Bulbasaur, this is gonna be awesome!"
The group cheered, happy over their victory, Charmander's evolution, and most important, the bringing together of a friendship that'll surely last forever…