Prologue
The world has always been a scary place to live. How could it not be when special creatures with unexplainable powers exist right outside our very door? Those creatures are known as Pokémon.
To some, Pokémon are pets. To others, they are used to battle for sport. Pokémon can also be used as tools of war.
Becoming a Pokémon trainer has been the desired career path for every kid that ever witnessed a Pokémon attack. But the fact of the matter is, that career path has caused an unparalleled amount of deaths. It is for this reason, the age that kids can choose to become a trainer changed from ten to eighteen. Professors across every region implore trainers to join one of the teams that fight the forces of evil instead of taking on a solo journey. Christian Stark, however, not afraid of doing things alone.
Christian was one of the last kids that were able to start their journey at the age of ten. On his tenth birthday, he awoke and repeated what he had done since he had gotten out of school, play his Super Nintendo.
"Christian," his mother called from downstairs. "Professor Oak asked to see you today. Something about running an errand for him."
Christian rolled his eyes at the words his mom shouted from downstairs. He had been an aide to the Professor solely due to the fact that his mother and Oak were really close friends. He honestly didn't mind helping the greying man. In fact, helping the Professor granted him several rare opportunities to interact with Pokémon. But Christian could think of a million other things to do on his birthday than to run an errand for a man who was actually more than capable of doing it himself.
"Mom," Christian said with unmasked disdain. "Please tell me that you aren't going to make me work on my birthday."
"Oh honey," his mother said lovingly. Her brown hair sat neatly upon her shoulder which was odd because she slept on the couch. Ever since his dad left, his mom figured a one bedroom house would be enough. She naturally let her him have the room. "Professor Oak said that he had a present for you. You do want birthday presents right?"
Christian wanted to make a face at his mother being playfully condescending towards him, but he didn't dare. It wasn't worth having his face slapped to Viridian City. Knowing Oak, that present could very well a piece of toffee from a candy bowl that has been on the table for months. He only had the toffee that only old people seemed to find.
"Yes ma'am," Christian answered with a sigh. He patted his head in an attempt to get his head to stop itching.
A knock at the door echoed throughout the living room. Christian looked up at the sterile white ceiling as the hope of getting a lazy birthday continued to die a slow and painful death. He made way over to the white mahogany door, and opened it.
"Excuse me young sir," a tall man dressed in a white uniform with an electric blue P attached to a shield in the center of the shirt said. "Is your mother home?"
"She is," Christian answered. "Who are you?"
"I am a man of peace between Pokémon and people," the tall man said. He wore a gray hood that covered his hair that looked attached to the white uniform.
"Mom," Christian said turning his head to look toward where his mom sat. "A man of peace between people and Pokémon wants to talk to you."
"Let him in," his mom ordered. Christian took a step back and the uniformed man stepped over the threshold.
"Hello ma'am," the man started with a bow. "Do you have any Pokémon?"
"No sir," Christian's mom answered politely. She didn't move from her spot as the man began to get closer. "I imagine that my son, Christian, will be starting his journey soon. It's all he talks about."
The man turned to face Christian. His face was dark at first, almost as if the man hated Christian's very soul. Then it got distant. "So what do you plan to accomplish on your journey, young man?"
"To win the Pokémon League for starters," Christian replied rolling his eyes. His answer was the same for 80% of the world's population when they became of age.
"You plan to battle with Pokémon?" The man's blue eyes seemed piercing as if he was trying to find some hidden truth behind Christian's answer.
"That's how you win the Pokémon League, yes," Christian answered. He wasn't sure what the man was trying to get at.
"Pokémon are very dangerous creatures," the man began. "The only way to truly be at peace with Pokémon is to allow them to live free in the world just as we are."
"Okay," Christian said pondering what the man was saying. "Explain to me how that allows me to achieve my goal."
"While it may seem that the Poké Ball Corporation is a harmless company with the goal of bringing people and Pokémon closer, allow me to tell you that it isn't," the man said, pleading his case. "It is in fact a way to enslave Pokémon."
"Enslave?" Christian's mother asked with a gasp.
"Yes ma'am," the man answered. "The Poké Ball is a device used to capture Pokemon from their habitat. It utilizies brainwashing tactics to get the captured Pokémon into following the orders of the trainer."
"That sounds ghastly," Christian's mom stated. "To think that monsters like that live in plain sight."
"You didn't answer my question," Christian pointed out. "You just threw shade on the Poké Ball Corporation."
"Why would you want to be a Champion if it means being a slave master?"
Christian's mother looked at Christian with expectant eyes. She wanted to know his answer because she was buying into what the man was saying.
"So your answer to my question is to paint a negative shadow on what I want to do with my life," Christian said with an unpleasant tone. "The Poké Ball Corporation invented several devices that brings man and Pokémon closer to one another."
"If their tool is meant to serve as a catalyst between peace and Pokémon, why is it to sold to us instead of given?" The man posed his question with a look of superiority. Christian could tell that the man was getting happy with the flow the conversation.
"You have no answers," Christian stated. "Only additional questions."
"Of course," the man said. "What else is the purpose of a belief if not to think about it?"
"Luckily for me," Christian said moving away from the man. "Professor Oak needs me for something. Have fun talking to my mom."
"Be safe honey," Christian's mom called after him as he closed the front door.
Christian sighed as he looked up the sky. This was not the way he wanted today to go. "Happy birthday to me," he whispered to himself.
Pallet Town was a very quiet town all things considered. Then again, Pallet town only really had 3 buildings. There was Christian's house, their neighbor's house, and the massive laboratory that sat in the center of the town.
Christian looked at his neighbor's house, sighed, then began to walk toward Oak's lab. He wanted to do anything other than run an errand for the old man, but there was incentive for him to complete this task. Oak had a present for him. With this being his tenth birthday, this could only mean one thing. Oak was planning to give him his first Pokémon.
"Christian," a voice called out to interrupt his thoughts. The voice was a little raspy with age. He recognized it though. It was Professor Samuel Oak.
"Alola Professor," Christian greeted without looking in the old man's directions.
"An Alolan greeting," Professor Oak said with glee. "You always surprise me. Happy birthday."
Christian wanted to frown, but he didn't know how much of his face Oak could see. Ultimately, he wanted to enjoy his tenth birthday, but the fact that he was about to run an errand for the old man was raining on his parade.
"Thank you," Christian said.
"I have a surprise for you," Oak said. Christian looked over at the geezer to see that he was reaching into his lab coat. Oak pulled out a sphere that was red on top and white on bottom. He pushed the button that sat in the middle of the ball causing it to enlarge into its actual shape.
"Is that a Pokémon?" Christian almost couldn't contain his excitement.
"A special one." Oak replied. "I also took the time to send in a recommendation to Candela at Team Valor for an internship."
A look of confusion drew itself across Christian's face. "Why would you do that?"
"Well since you want to become a Pokémon League Champion, you'll want to join up with a professional team," Oak instructed. "Candela would be the best suited person to help you in achieving that goal."
"I don't want to be a part of some half-baked team whose only goal is give me false confidence that I'm ready for the league as long as I have teammates," Christian informed Professor Oak. "Teams put their favorites first, and I don't feel like jockeying for a spot."
"Pro teams are not like that," Professor Oak argued. His greying hair looked silver in the sunlight. "They are there to help every single teammate reach their goal."
"Every trainer gunning for the Pokémon League has the same goal," Christian said. "We all want to be Champion."
"While that is true," Oak agreed. "As a new trainer, interning with a pro team allows you to cover ground that takes single trainers a long time to cover."
"I'm sure I'll manage," Christian stated. "My mom said that you had an errand for me to run."
"Errand is perhaps not the right word," Oak said sticking his hands in the pockets of the sterile white lab coat. His brown eyes hit the ground as if what he had to say was somehow embarrassing to him. "It is more of a request, and a way to thank you for all that you've done for me."
"What is it?" Christian asked.
"I want to be your first battle," Oak whispered. "There are things that I can explain for you so that you can get a headstart prior to your journey."
"If it all the same to you Samuel, I'd like to challenge him myself," a gruff voice said. The voice belonged to a man in a black jumpsuit. The edges of the the suit looked as though they were lined with gold. The man had blonde hair that combed over almost perfectly. "I'd also like for you for to not give away my name."
"I didn't ask for it," Christian pointed out. Professor Oak flinched while the unnamed man smiled and hung his head.
"Quite the mouth on this one, Samuel," the man said to Oak. "You sure that he's a fit for my team?"
"Never said that I wanted to be on your team in the first place," Christian spat.
"The offer was actually mine to begin with," the man stated. "Oak's gift is in that Poké Ball, but what's in there isn't exactly what he wanted to give you. His gift involved me, and it is what's inside that ball that interests me. So why don't you go ahead and release what is inside that ball in your hand?"
"It is none of your business what is inside here," Christian said angrily. The conversation with the unknown man was starting to grate on his nerves. "This is between me and the old man."
"Christian please," Oak begged. "He is necessary to finish my gift."
"Then he won't mind telling me his name," Christian all but demanded.
"My name is Jericho, and I am the leader of the pro team, Team Wish."