Chapter 1 – Charlie and Brandon


Charlie
Species: Charizard
Date Obtained: September, 2002
Met in: Pellet Town, Kanto
Obtained as: Charmender

-Max's Point of View-

Red, Green, and I slowly walked back toward Professor Oak's lab after Red and Green battled each other with me watching. Red held on to my hands smiling while Green showed a sour face. In fact, I experienced my first taste of battle using Red's Pokémon against Green's after a little begging. If I remembered correctly, I borrowed Sour to battle Charizard mano a mano and ended up winning rather easily. I've kinda forgotten the detail of the battle since it was 10 years ago, but this is how I won the battle, if I recalled correctly: I ordered Sour to tie his vine on Charizard's neck and slammed him down.

"This kid is quite a prodigy…" Professor Oak remarked after listening to Red and Green's statement.

"He's been studying Pokémon since he's little," dad said, "But I have no idea that he would be this good."

"If that's the case…" Professor Oak stood up, and walked toward his work table. "Maybe I should give you a Pokémon for you to have fun battle with?"

My eyes sparkled instantly. "Really, Uncle Samuel?"

Professor Oak smiled and handed me a Poké Ball. I gladly took it from the Professor and threw it up to release the Pokémon inside, which turned out to be a Charmender.

One of Green's Poké Balls started wiggling hardly as soon as Charmender came out. Green took the Poké Ball out and checked it. It turned out to be his Charizard's Poké Ball.

"What's wrong?" asked Green, looking through the Poké Ball. Charizard looked completely unappreciated for some reason but Green didn't understand why.

Red looked back and forth between Charmender and Charizard's Poké Ball. "Perhaps it was because of Charmender?"

"Why is that, I wonder?" Green murmured.

"Who cares?" I cheerfully said, hugging Charmender, "We are going to be great partners, aren't we, Charlie?"

Charlie let out a cry and smiled. And Green's Poké Ball wriggled even harder that Green can't even hold it anymore. Little did we know, it was indeed Charizard's brother rivalry against Charlie that caused Charizard became this mad.


Brandon
Species: Blaziken
Date Obtained: July 3, 2006
Met at: Littleroot Town, Hoenn
Obtained as: Torchic

-Max's Point of View-

"So that's what happened…" Professor Birch murmured. "Max woke you up and Ruby was already gone…"

"Yep," Sapphire replied, sitting on the guardrail on Birch's house's balcony.

"My bag, my Pokégear, and Treecko… hang on, where's my Pokédex?"

"It's all there, Papa," Sapphire pointed out. "He told me to return those to you in the letter."

"And just when I thought we could finally live together… and he ran away… ahh…" Mrs. Young's body tilted and started fainting, Professor Birch and me rushed to pull her up.

"Before we continue to panic, shan't we contact Mr. Norman about that?" I suggested.

Professor Birch and Mrs. Young started getting busy to make the call while Sapphire and I stood next to them. And a loud crushing sound can be heard and they lost Norman.

"Norman, Norman!"

"He must've crush the phone on his hand again… He's always like this…"

"Then if that's the case…" I started. "I'll help look for him."

This attracted everyone's attention.

"You sure?" Professor Birch asked.

"We can't just stand around here for, are we?" I stated. "It's better that I get on my way to look for him during my journey."

"Okay… then wait just one second…" Professor Birch walked to his work table and took a Poké Ball and a Pokédex.

"I heard your dad said that your Charmender can't be here with you, so I have a Pokémon for you to start out," Professor Birch said while handing the Poké Ball and the Pokédex to me. "And this… is a Pokédex. It can collect any Pokémon's data along the way of your journey. Although this is destined for another Trainer, but I'm gonna give this one to you."

"How about the Trainer?" I asked.

"I'll make him another one later," Professor Birch replied. "Now Max… please, find Ruby."

"I got it," I said while I released the Pokémon inside the Poké Ball, which is a Torchic. "And I believe Torchic will do the best to assist me." I then dashed out of the building with Brandon on my chest and started my journey around Hoenn.