Hi! Thanks for viewing my submission!

This is the first chapter in a series that I want to do with my own character, Abel, taking the lead role. Like any other disclaimer, I do not own Pokemon or and rights to names, locations, and Pokemon that were created by GameFreak or it's subsidiaries. ;P

Please read and I hope you enjoy! Any comments and/or suggestions will be considered and I look forward to the feedback! Thanks again!

-Malraun

Chapter 1:

Early Beginnings

"Sniff! Use Ember then get in close for Bite Attack!"

My Growlithe, who I lovingly named Sniff, barked three times, each sound carrying small flaming embers to throw his opponent off guard. The opponents' purple Nidoran dodged the flames only to be caught from his side by Sniff's mighty Bite attack; knocking him out instantly.

"Nidoran, return," yelled my opponent. In my eagerness for a battle, I had forgotten her name, but no matter, she'll just be another stepping stone to the Pokémon League. Nothing will stop me.

We've come far from our home in Celadon City. We decided to go north to Cerulean to run a couple of errands and to challenge the gym there. Once we got into town we heard that the gym leader was out on a date or some nonsense like that. So, once my errands were finished I decided to go up to the Cape on Route 25.

I finish up with the last couple of letters on my bag before looking at my handiwork. It reads:

Abel

Age: 10

Celadon City, SE

Ph: 595-870-5555

You never know when something could go missing; always have a backup plan!

That's when I hear the sounds of a battle going on further up the cape. Sniff has already heard it but was sitting patiently waiting for me. "Right, Sniff! Let's go check it out!"

We hurdle a few bushes and come across a crowd gathering at the end of the road. Outside of a house there were these men dressed in black jumpsuits. Two of them were behind the third, all of them looked exhausted, and what looked like a trainer was facing them in front of the house. I recognized the man standing behind the trainer as Bill; the inventor of the Pokémon Storage System, or PKSS as he called it in his letter.

The three men in black looked roughed up and after yelling some things at the trainer the one in front threw out a smoke grenade with a flash… they vanished in the confusion. The crowd dispersed, all of them commenting on the spectacular battle they had witnessed. "Aw! Sniff, we were too late;" Sniff barked once in acknowledgement.

I took a step to go talk to Bill when all of a sudden a kid my age backed into me from a nearby bush. "Whoops!" he exclaimed as he crashed into me. After we got up from the ground, the kid introduced himself as Joey. He wore blue jean shorts, a yellow T-shirt and a blue hat. "Hey! Now that we're acquainted Abel, wanna hear something cool?"

Keeping my eye on Bill, I said, "sure, what's up?" That's when Joey flipped his hat backwards and said, "You're up Rattata!" He threw his Poke ball into the air and the red beam shot to the ground revealing a purple and white Rattata with its large white incisors shining in the moonlight. "See my Rattata? He's no ordinary Rattata. It's like my Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattatas!" He starts looking at me with the eagerness of a trainer itching to battle.

"Care to show me how awesome your Rattata is against my Growlithe?" Joey just smiled and said, "Quick Attack, Rattata! Don't let him get in the first move!" Like a bolt of lightning Rattata slammed into Sniff knocking him up into the air! Still in shock I heard Joey say, "Finish it with Hyper Fang!" Next thing I know his Rattata jumped up to catch Sniff in mid- air with his huge front teeth. With that, Sniff was out like a light; it seemed as if Joey's Rattata was truly in the top percentage like he said.

As I carried Sniff away to the Cerulean Pokémon Center, I could hear Joey laughing behind me. I stopped when the laughing stopped. I turned around to see the result of a Pokémon battle between him and that trainer who was with Bill.

My spirit was crushed. That trainer took out Joey's Rattata in a single blow. So fast was the battle, that by the time I had turned around to look, it was over and the trainer had recalled his Pokémon.

Who WAS he?

Why was he so insanely powerful?

If I can't beat a trainer like Joey, what chance have I got against HIM?

Tears streaming down my face, I step onto the bridge toward Cerulean City.

You'll be alright, Sniff. I promise.

End Chapter 1