Izaya Ketchum and Shizuo Elm lived next to each other. Unfortunately, they didn't make very good neighbors. The two hated each other with such a passion, often it was all their parents could do from preventing them from tearing up their town. Izaya's father was Ash Ketchum, a well-known Pokémon trainer who traveled around all the regions when he was young. He finally settled back down in Pallet Town of the Kanto region. Izaya's mom was also rather well-known being the world famous Coordinator May. Shizuo, on the other hand, was the son of Brendan Elm and Georgia. Another well known pair, one of them being the son of Professor Elm, the other being a self-proclaimed Dragon Buster. Today was the day they would receive their starter Pokémon.
Izaya walked briskly over to Professor Oak's laboratory and waited for Shizuo Elm. Shizuo arrived a couple minutes later, and upon spotting Izaya immediately started glaring at him. Professor Oak was quick to intervene, "Now boys, if you don't behave you won't receive your starter Pokémon." Izaya cooed mockingly at Shizuo,
"I certainly won't have a problem with such a request, but I am not so certain about Shizu-chan. He always has problems acquiescing to other's requests." At that moment though, Izaya's father walked into the lab. He gave Izaya a stern look before telling him,
"Stop antagonizing Shizuo-kun. Otherwise I will make you wait another year before you get your starter Pokémon." Immediately Izaya bowed his head and murmured,
"Yes father." Professor Oak sighed in relief. Izaya Ketchum listened to one person, and one person alone. That person was his father. To be honest, Izaya practically worshipped his father, both of the boys did. Ash was after all rather famous. Professor Oak then asked,
"Which of you boys should choose first?" Brendan then entered the lab and announced,
"I say it should be Shizuo since Izaya keeps riling him up." Ash shrugged, which left Shizuo to study the three Pokémon on the table. He looked at the green, four-legged, little creature first. It had some darker green spots on it and had a green bulb sprouting from its back. To Shizuo it looked rather cute, friendly and nice. He then looked at the other two, both of which were bipedal. One was orange with a flame on its tail. The other was like a small turtle only blue. His decision was made and he pointed at the green one,
"I'll take this one. It looks friendly and nice." Professor Oak nodded,
"That's Bulbasaur, a grass-poison type. Would you like to give him a nickname?" Shizuo nodded eagerly,
"For now I'll nickname it Bulba-kun." Professor Oak handed him Bulba-kun's Pokéball, five Potions and ten Pokéballs to get started. Then he turned to Izaya,
"What about you Izaya-kun?" Izaya wasted no time at all before picking up the orange one and slipping it onto his shoulder, where it balanced carefully. He smirked,
"This one." Professor Oak smiled,
"That is Charmander, a fire-type. Would you like to give him a nickname?" Izaya only smirked,
"Since him and all of his evolution start with the sound or name char, I'll nickname him Char-kun." Professor Oak nodded before handing him his Pokéball, Potions, and Pokéballs. Just before the two boys ran off Ash told them,
"Don't forget to call us at every Pokémon Center you find!" After that the two boys raced out of the lab. Ash watched the boys burst out through the doors. He murmured,
"I wonder what their adventure will be like." Brendan shot Ash a look,
"Probably violent and full of fights. Knowing those two they'll end up ripping cities apart." Ash chuckled,
"Lucky for us we're billionaires so we can afford to pay for damages." Here Brendan glares at Ash,
"You mean you're a billionaire. I never got so lucky." Ash shrugged nonplussed,
"What can I say? As my son Izaya always got too much attention." Brendan sighed,
"I know, it just bothers me so much that our sons don't get along." Ash gave Brendan a weird look,
"Our sons needed rivals." Brendan rolls his eyes,
"Only you'd think that." Ash retorted,
"Well, it only fits doesn't it? Our sons are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Izaya's smart, fast, and witty, while Shizuo's primarily brute strength!" Brendan glared at Ash again,
"And that is why there's a problem! I don't even know how many times I've had to take my son to a Pokémon Center because he was lifting impossible things to throw at your boy! Sometimes I've had to fear for Kasuka as well!" Ash snapped,
"Kasuka seems to deal with it just fine! I don't see what your problem is!" Brendan growled,
"That's because you don't see his worry and fear because you're not his father!" Brendan roared the last four words. Ash yelled back,
"Well you don't know how I felt when Izaya began hacking into my computer and many PokeDexes looking for information! The boy is always insatiable about knowledge and I constantly have to worry about him finding out something that he doesn't need to know about any time soon!" Both men were out of breath when they stormed out of the laboratory and into their respective houses. Professor Oak watched the two men and sighed. Ash normally parted with his rivals on somewhat friendly terms, but Oak thought the two men simply never spent enough time apart. They were always talking and traveling together, leaving their boys at home with their mothers. They always brought home new toys and new Pokémon for their boys to meet. Clearly the rivalry from several years back still existed.