01 - Boulder Badge #1 - An Unlucky Start
"And Red's Pikachu executes an amazing Iron Tail attack on Blue's Umbreon, very strong indeed!" The commentator on Machigai's TV screen shouted.
"Get 'em, Pikachu," Machigai said excitedly, jumping up and down on his bed.
Pikachu tried another Iron Tail on Umbreon, but the dark-type Pokemon moved out of the way and used Bite against the mouse Pokemon.
"No!" He cried.
The two Pokemon exchanged attacks for a while and then Red commanded Pikachu to finish off Umbreon. But before the Pokemon could make another move, the TV screen flashed into black. It was switched off.
Machigai looked to the left to see his mother with a remote in her hands, accompanied by a stern expression.
"Machigai, you're supposed to be asleep," his mother said strictly.
"I know, but how do you expect me to sleep when I'm getting my very first Pokemon tomorrow?" His eyes lit up as he imagined himself with a Pokeball in his hands, throwing it and having one of the Kanto starter Pokemon jump out of the capsule, ready to battle.
Yes, that's right. In just less than twenty-four hours, Machigai would be setting off on a Pokemon adventure to collect all the badges of the Kanto region, hoping to collect all the other badges of the other regions, too. Another of his goals was to win the leagues of said regions and hopefully become Pokemon World Champion. But he knew that it would be almost impossible to achieve, but Machigai didn't doubt the possibility.
"I don't, but you should at least get a few hours sleep. Otherwise you'll have no energy for travelling tomorrow, and I'm sure that wouldn't be a good first impression on your Pokemon AND Professor Oak."
"Okay," Machigai said gloomily, his eyes seeming to dim.
His mother gave a reluctant sigh that spoke the word "fine". "If you're going to be up all night you should at least study type match-ups or how to take care of your Pokemon."
"Okay, mum," the soon to be Pokemon trainers eyes lit up again.
"Good. Now goodnight, Machigai," she smiled, throwing the remote on her son's bed and leaving the room.
Machigai took a brown coloured book titled "Pokemon Types and What You Need To Know About Them", sat at his desk and started reading.
In a matter of minutes, Machigai was back to watching the Pokemon Battle Network and was awake until the late hours of the morning, falling asleep just one hour before the set time he needed to arrive at the lab.
In what seemed like five seconds, but in reality was actually two hours, Machigai could hear his voice being called out repeatedly. Each time it got called out, the voice got louder and stricter.
He awoke with a scream emitting from his own mouth, and a mini heart attack feeling combined with his eyes widening as far as they could stretch.
"Machigai, do you have any idea what time it is?" His mother shouted.
"Uh..."
Before he could say anything, his mother shouted yet again, "It's twelve in the afternoon. Get to Professor Oak's lab immediately!" Her eyes seemed to light up with fire.
Before his mother could get any more angrier, Machigai shoved his mother out of his room and got changed, rushed out of his house, grabbing a piece of toast in the process and ran down Route 1 from Viridian City as fast as his legs could carry him.
Before he knew it, he was in Pallet Town, just outside the professor's lab.
He took a deep breath, raced in and shouted, "I'M HERE!"
All the scientists in the lab stopped what they were doing and looked at the extremely late boy.
Silence fell upon the area until a metallic door was opened, and out stepped an old man. This man was Professor Oak; Kanto's Pokemon Professor. He looked like a regular scientist; lab coat, looking smart with greying hair.
"Professor," one of the scientists said.
"Get back to work," Oak said softly.
The Professor approached Machigai, taking a few seconds to walk across the room to the entrance of the lab. Machigai looked at the Professort with his eyes gleaming full of hope.
"Machigai, is it?"
He nodded.
"I have some bad news."
Machigai was speechless. He knew what the bad news was and he could feel his eyes tearing up. "Go on," he said, "say it."
"You missed your chance. You were too late I'm afraid," the Professor said gloomily, "sorry. But hey, there's always next month, try again then!" He tried to cheer up the saddened boy.
"I'm so stupid!" Machigai cried. "I woke up late."
"Now, now, Machigai, calm down. I knew a Pokemon trainer who turned up late like you, but he became one of the world's strongest Pokemon trainers. That might happen to you, too." He paused. "Look, just don't be too sad, okay? Just wake up early next month."
"Okay," Machigai said sadly. "I guess I'll be leaving now."
"Goodbye, Machigai. Make sure to study more about Pokemon in the mean time."
"I will."
The Professor closed the lab doors, leaving Machigai by himself.
He was bored now. He was sitting outside a Pokemon centre, watching all the new trainers walk outside with their happy Pokemon accompanying them. He didn't want to return home because his mother and brother would probably be disappointed in him. He sighed and decided that he would walk around Pallet Town for an hour or two.
Later on, Machigai was leaving Pallet along with some candy he had bought from a shop. He was still worried about returning home so he chose to trek around the forests near Pallet for a while.
Machigai looked at all he Pokemon he could see and thought to himself, I could be catching these Pokemon right now if it weren't for my stupidty.
He could see Butterfrees, Beedrills, Venonats and Pidgeys. They all looked so exotic.
He played with one of the friendly Pidgeys for a while and decided it was time to go home, despite his nervousness.
But what was that? From the corner of his left eye he could see something gently flowing down the stream near him. It was a ball... A red, white and black coloured ball with a button in the centre of it. It was a Pokeball!
Excited, Machigai ran over to the stream and quickly fished out the Pokeball. It was still in good condition and had no Pokemon in it. An unlucky trainer must have lost it.
After wondering what to do with his discovery, Machigai came up with an idea. He would use the Pokeball to catch one of the Pokemon in the area, and show it to Professor Oak, allowing him to become a Pokemon Trainer.
Machigai looked around the forest for a while, trying to find a Pokemon of his interest, but he couldn't find any.
Soon enough he found one of his favourite Pokemon, Azurill and made the decision that this would be the Pokemon he would catch.
The baby Pokemon had no idea that Machigai was there and was happily continuing its business alone. It hopped up to the stream for a drink and that's when he made his move.
He threw the Pokeball at the Pokemon. The capsule hit the normal type and opened up, sucking the Pokemon inside. The ball wiggled for a few seconds and then stopped. Machigai had caught his starter Pokemon!
He ran up to the Pokeball and raised it into the air, gazing at it as the rays of the sun bounced off of the sphere. A smile curved across his face and he couldn't have felt more happier.
Machigai threw the ball into the air and out jumped Azurill, slightly confused.
"Hey, Azurill. You're my new Pokemon!" Machigai said excitedly.
The Azurill, startled, jumped back, its eyes becoming tearful.
"Hey, don't be afraid," Machigai's voice turned soft. "I want to be your friend, that's all. Just trust me, please?"
Azurill jumped forward and looked at Machigai. It gave a smile, meaning it trusted him.
Machigai laughed happily. "Alright. Come on! We need to get to Professor Oak's lab!"
And so, Machigai ran to the lab with Azurill, quickly escaping the forest and entering Pallet again.
He couldn't wait to start his journey!
