Chapter 1
The Journey Begins
I sat at my desk reading a book called, Java for Idiots. I started reading a chapter on a basic Ping Pong-like game, 'OK the BufferStrategy is giving me a NullPointerException?' I rubbed my temples annoyed. I looked over at my monitor and inspected all the code I've written when my mom walked in.
"Lunch is ready, Takumi, come on down and eat or your fathers Pidgey going eat it," Mom said chuckling before walking away. I stood up and stretched feeling the three hours of sitting catching up to me, yawning I slowly walk to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had the common brown hair but had it combed back instead of it being spiky like the other kids in pallet town, I had brown eyes and a slight beard coming on even though I'm 13. I turned the nob and started having some lukewarm water running and rinsed a yellow rag that was sitting beside the sink with water and start washing my face with it. After being done with that, I made my way downstairs to see waffles sitting on a plate waiting for me and sat down in a chair and started eating. My dad walked in the dining room with his Pidgey on his shoulder.
"Sorry, Pidgey he got to it first," He apologized to the Pokemon and Pidgey responded with a disappointed sigh. I smirked at what he said as he walked over and made a plate himself, he walked to the dining table and sat down in the chair in front of me, his Pidgey jump off and sat in the center, "Are you going to ever start a Pokemon journey?" This is the close to the hundredth time he's asked. I didn't want to I don't think I'm good with Pokemon nor do I think I'm interested at about becoming a master Pokemon catcher. "At least tell me why you don't want to," He said searching on why I didn't want to do a Pokemon journey.
"Dad, I don't want to because I think I'm not good enough to really train and be friends with Pokemon nor do I think I would interested in 'Catching them all'. Plus you know my passion is programming I've been programming since I turned 11 and I have never lost interest in it," I replied seriously about what I said. He was blinking wide-eyed about what I just said, then snapped himself out of it thinking about how to reply to my statement while he was doing that I took a bite out of my waffle and waited for him to reply.
"But, Takumi, your not bad with Pokemon your actually the best around Pokemon," He smiled tilting his head to the right a little. I gave him a confused look, due to my mouth being full of waffle I couldn't reply, "You were about two at the time so you don't remember but we went to a day-care center for Pidgey to train while I did a task that didn't require him, while I was there you were in the pen full of all types of Pokemon and playing with and laughing, some even started nuzzling you which meant that they really liked you," I look at him dumbfound, how did I not remember that? I swallowed my waffle I had in me mouth. "Yep, it's true it was unusual for a kid or anybody to have a Pokemon warm up that fast, I was there for only ten minutes, and as for your programming have you ever thought about taking the laptop you have with you," He suggested looking at me. I never thought about that.
I straightened myself up looking at my dad who had a fixed smile on his face, "But like I said I'm not that interested anyway," I protested looking at my plate of half finished waffles and took another bit. Looking at my dad he was in thought again taking in what I said. I swallowed my waffles and looked at my dad completely oblivious that his Pidgey started eating his waffles which made me laugh snapping him out of his trance and followed my gaze as I snickered and chuckled at his Pokemon. He gave the look of 'Well there goes breakfast' before chuckling himself.
"How about this you go and start you journey and get one gym badge and if you still don't want to do the journey then you can quit then and before you ask yes you can bring your laptop," He smiled hoping I would accept. I sat there and thinking about it 'It is only one badge that's not bad and I can still program to,' I thought about it and decided that maybe I will, "So will you?" He was looking at me searching for an answer. I nodded, "Really," He perked up and he had a radiant vibe. I saw his Pidgey back up a little bit and looked at me like I made a huge mistake which made me shuffle in my seat a little, I slowly nodded again and just like that my dad a thirty-year-old man ran over and gave me a big bear hug choking me a little bit but the worst was how embarrassed I was, I'm not very social with family or the outside world.
Mom walked in and looked at me and dad having a moment in the kitchen my dad was in tears at how happy he was for what I just accepted to do, mom gave a curious grin. Dad saw this, "Honey are boy is becoming a man," He was teary-eyed, she looked over at me then back to dad, "He's starting his own Pokemon journey," Mom was shocked mainly because she tried everything to get me to start and now I did. She started getting teary eyed to and rush over to me and dad and joined in on the bear hug, if I didn't say anything soon my ribs would snap.
"Uh... Mom, dad... Please let go," I said struggling to say anything. They let go and I took a huge intake of air and panted a little putting my right hand on my chest trying to calm my heart. I turned looking at Pidgey who flew to my right shoulder and rub my back with his wing, after a little bit he stopped and flew back to the table, "Are we going today?" I asked curiously, they just nodded, "OK let me take a shower and get ready," I said they nodded again and I walked up the stairs to get ready. After taking a shower, I got my laptop and it's charger and put it in the black backpack I had laid on the bed. I was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt, I looked in the mirror to see I was a skinny fellow but not too skinny, my hair was as still combed backward.
I walk downstairs and looked at mom and dad who a huge smile, "Takumi, I want you to have this," He said blissfully and handed me a belt that is to hold Pokeballs I grabbed it and put it on and it fitted perfectly and I walked over and hugged dad and mom, "Be safe," Mom whispered hugging me with tears forming in her eyes again. I walked out the door and turned my head to see mom and dad waving goodbye, I waved in return and walked heading towards the Professor Oaks lab. While walking I looked around Pallet Town visually and saw kids running around and playing and some wild Pokemon here and there.
When I made it to Professor Oaks lab I opened the door and saw some scientists and Professor Oak himself, "Oh hello, Takumi!" Oak greeted excitedly walking over to me, "So you decided to start your journey?" He questioned looking at the belt and black backpack I was wearing. I nodded, "Well, but there one left but I think you'll like it, follow me," I followed him to a table with one Pokeball left. He picked it up and handed it to me, "Go ahead look at what Pokemon it is," He smiled blissfully. Because I saw my dad take out other Pokemon he had first hand I knew how to operate the Pokeball, I opened it and a Bulbasaur appeared and looked right into my eyes, it smiled, "Bulbasaur!" It said excitedly.
"I guess you're going to be my partner buddy," I said chuckling nervously. It smiles ten fold when I said it and then it somehow managed to crawl up my chest and sit on my right shoulder and started nuzzling me making me blush in embarrassment.
"It likes you," He chuckled making me blush a little more, "That's a very rare Bulbasaur because it's a female, only 12.5 percent of Bulbasaur's are female from what research we've done," Oak stating while smiling, "Oh I almost forgot here!" He handed me a Pokedex which I put in my pocket and six Pokeballs which I put on my belt, "You do know what a Pokedex is?" I just nodded, "OK before you start your adventure I want you to update me on your journey OK?" I chuckled nodding again, "Well have fun!" He said waving goodbye. I turned around and started walking to route 1.
I brought out my Pokedex and looked around in it looking for moves that Bulbasaur and found out it knows only tackle, "Well tackle is OK? But a little bit of training you'll know more, I'm sure, also I hope you don't mind but I'm going to call you Rose for a the nickname you'll have" I said smiling nervously while looking at Bulbasaur who was happier than ever and nuzzled my cheek a little making him blush again, "Bulba Bulb" She said. While walking we entered Viridian City and went to the Pokemart and bought potions for the training I was going to, after buying some we headed to route 1 again and tried to find and found a wild Rattata. I looked over at Bulbasaur a little nervous as it was my first time training, "OK ready for training," Bulbasaur nodded and jump in front of me getting into battle stance, Rattata notice and got ready.
"OK... Uh, use Tackle!" Rose ran straight for the Rattata and hit head on sending it back a few feet. Rattata got up quickly and used Tail Whip on Rose which made Rose defense lower, "Crap... Tackle!" I said again and Rose did tackle again, it got up a little slower and decided to use Tackle, "Quick, uh dodge the attack and use tackle again," 'I need to calm down I'm doing fine,' I thought and like I said Rose dodged and used Tackle on Rattata could barely get up and that was my chance. I fumbled a little and grabbed a Pokeball and threw it at Rattata and it was absorbed into the ball, I felt the sweat begin to form seeing it wiggle a few time then click. I smiled and wiped the sweat from my forehead walking over to the Pokeball and picking it up and putting it on my belt. I felt oddly excited about the battle I did, Rose jump on my shoulder and nuzzled me, "Bulbasaur Bulba" She said, 'I got that overly affectionate one and Oak didn't tell me,' I thought.
After a few more hours of getting the hang of training Rose learned Growl and Leech Seed and I used all the potions on her keeping her from fainting, I walked back in the city and went to the Pokemon Center, "Hello do you want me to heal your Pokemon for you?" The girl asks from behind a counter. I simply nodded and gave her Rose and the Rattata I have yet to name, "This will only take a minute," She walked away with my Pokemon and a minute later came back, "Here you go," She said giving me Rattata's Pokeball and Rose who jump on my shoulder and smiled nuzzling me on the cheek blushing a little bit I returned the favor by petting her, "She really likes you," The girl said chuckling. Which made it worse, 'I really need to fix my Social Anxiety'.
"Is there a room I could sleep in?" I asked in which she nodded. I paid her for one night and entered the room letting the Rattata out as I did, it look around and look at me and ran up on my shoulder like Rose I petted the Rattata then scanned it using my Pokedex which I forgot to do. 'A Rattata is cautious in the extreme. Even while it is asleep, it constantly moves its ears and listens for danger. It will make its nest anywhere, 'The Pokedex said. I looked a little more and saw the moves it got and saw it was male and thought of a name. "I think I'll call you Fang," Fang perked up and grinned at the name, it must like it, "OK you two I'm going to be doing some things before I sleep and I need so you two can play just no training... I don't want the room to look like a bomb went off inside," I said chuckling nervously at the thought, they looked at me curiously then jumped off my shoulder and ran around playing.
I walked over to the bed and took off my belt, shoes and backpack, I opened the backpack and found the laptop and opened it. I logged in and opened Eclipse and started working on the program I had trouble with earlier today and two hours later got it fixed and added more things to the game I'm working on. I closed the laptop and put it on the floor, taking the charger I plugged it into the wall and laptop to let it charge. I looked to my left to see Rose and Fang sleep next to me, I scooted under the covers and quickly fell asleep.