I would love to claim that I woke up to an alarm ringing, but quite frankly that has never been my style. I'm a natural night owl, so when the day finally came for me to start my journey, I stayed awake, too nervous too imaginative to go to sleep. I'm sure that it will come back and bite me in the ass later this morning, but for now I don't care. Most of you probably think I'm some normal ten year old, ready to start my journey like everyone else. Well you're wrong, I'm fifteen. The age difference being so bad because of my father forced me to stay home, and finish my studies, which really seemed to upset him when I finished three years early.
Summer, June 6th, the day when the starters get passed out, everyone in Kanto that is of age, or like me starting late, rushes to Pallet town to start their journeys. The thought itself is mind boggling. Most people come to Pallet town and dream of being a Pokémon master; well to be honest I don't know if I will be that good. Sure ultimately that is my goal, but I will happily take becoming a pro instead. That is what I'm shooting for, during the times of the tournaments if I happened to be named Champion, then I'll take it in stride.
I spent all of last year working at a Pokémon market, scrubbing the halls, making sure the items are stocked. Saving up for what I will need. My father is quite poor to say the least, failing himself to complete the Gym challenge, well him and 99.9 percent of the trainers. It is said over a million kid's take the challenge each year, only about a thousand of those trainers will actually be able to defeat all eight gym members, with a good forty percent giving up after the third. In Kanto the economic depression is worse than almost any time in its history. Trainers have turned to crime, even killing other trainers, stealing their Pokémon and selling them over the internet. Gangs have been formed as a way out for these trainers, unwilling to go back home and finish their studies. Most of them too stubborn to realize that they were simply not good enough, for me I don't even have that option, I cannot go home.
I ended up getting into a fight with my father yesterday when he found out I was going. Screaming at me, telling me I would never make it, and if I leave then to never come back. Well, to be quite honest, I plan on never returning that god awful town of Himela. I took the five thousand dollars I had saved, bought ten Pokéballs eating away two thousand off the bat, and then spend another hundred bucks on a long bus ride to Pallet town. Now here I am, about to embark upon my journey, and ready to meet professor Oak, which quite honestly is making fairly nervous in its own right.
I have arrived at Pallet town at 8am in the morning, a nine hour bus ride. The place was small, but the hotels I could already tell were jammed packed from every trainer coming from all over Kanto. Leaving the bus, and rubbing my butt due to how sore it was I immediately went over to professor Oaks lab. Getting there an hour early, I was already in a long line, after some time though the line dwindled down, as trainers had received their Pokédex and simply started waiting.
"What's your name?" One of the aids asked, a man that looked like he was in late twenties.
"Kale Gibson" I responded, the man just nodded and then looked up.
"Is that spelt with a C, or a K?"
"It's spelle E" The man just hurriedly went back to the computer and started typing away, after a moment he looked back up towards me.
"Place your thumb, in the finger print scanner please." I looked down at the desk, and saw a thumb shaped piece of glass that had what looked like a small light bulb in the center of it. I placed my thumb down on it and immediately started seeing red flashes underneath my thumb.
"Now look into the camera." Taking a look at it, it immediately flashed which caused my eyes to blur. Rubbing them out I just looked at the man and waited for him to reply.
"Go ahead and have a seat, you will get to choose in a moment." The lab its self was huge, it has already been a few hours and people were already receiving their Pokémon, seeing Bulbasaurs, Charmanders, Squirtles all jumping around playing with their owners who happily received one. Professor Oak was talking to several trainers, handing out Pokédex's to trainers who traveled to see him. This process would last weeks on end, his assistants numbered well over a hundred to help with the sheer number of new trainers that hoped to take on the league.
"Kale Gibbons?" A women called out, knowing it was my turn to select I was already feeling nervous. I had always wanted a Squirtle to raise and now I will finally get one. I had dreamed of this moment ever since I was six years old and constantly had to deal with the regret of not starting when I was ten like I should have. If I had started when I did, me and my Squirtle would already be raking in millions of dollars, living the high life. Standing up, I nodded off to her, letting my smile creep up.
"It's your lucky day." The women announced as soon as I entered in another room to select my Pokémon.
"I know, I can't believe this is happening right now." I exclaimed, letting my excitement seep through.
"Only twelve left." She replied, walking over to the Pokéballs that were laid out on a table.
"What?" I asked.
"Only twelve Pokémon left, the demand is getting too high, we can't breed them fast enough."
"Oh…" I responded, I was happy I was one of the fortunate ones to get one, but the people outside, thousands of them still lined up waiting to get their own.
There are bad trainers out there, hearing stories of how trainers had treated them, the abuse they went through. People that should of never had a Pokédex given to them, and I'm sure that there are plenty of kids outside that would make fantastic trainers in their own right, that should be taking their place.
"Well, here they are." The women announced, as she released all three out on the wooden floor. Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle all were flashed out on the floor, looking up at me. Instantly my eyes went towards Squirtle who looked back at me curiously.
"Would you like to go on my…" Instantly Charmander scratched at it.
"Char, Charmander, char!' The Charmander stood in between me and Squirtle. Squirtle took a step back and tilted its head down.
"Squirtle, squirt." It muttered out softly, Charmander just responded with a growl and stood defensively in front of me.
"It looks like he chose you." The assistant said, adjusting her glasses as her dark hair was brushed aside of them. I just stood there shocked. Not believing what I was seeing, I have never heard of this happening. As soon as Charmander saw me he was instantly by my side, growling at both Bulbasaur and Squirtle. Not even allowing me to think about the other two.
"You seem to really want to join me Charmander, are you sure?" I asked as I crouched down to look at him at eye level.
"Char!" He screamed out and jumped in my arms, wrapping his short arms around my neck.
"I'll take that as a yes. " I muttered, slightly disappointed, but strangely happy that one seemed to instantly have that connection with me.
"Does this usually happen?" I asked the assistant.
"It's very rare, but it happens. Some times with Bulbasaur, and Squirtle, but with Charmander it is very very rare. Looks like you don't have a choice, you're taking him." She responded, opening up a drawer in the desk and pulling out a red Pokédex, plugging it to the computer on the desk, typing away.
"And done, here is your Pokédex, with all of your information typed in. Kale Gibbons, five foot ten, 150 pounds, brown hair and with brown eyes, your picture on the top left here as you can see." She started talking away, telling me how to use the features of the Pokédex.
"Thank you." I responded as soon as she was done, I was anxious to get started. I didn't want to be rude but I read the Pokédex's manual about a hundred times over the past few years, and having her tell me the same thing seemed kind of pointless to me. After she was done explaining the details she handed it over to me.
"Well, you are officially a registered trainer now Kale, good luck."
"Thank you." I responded, taking the empty Pokéball from the table that Charmander was in I returned him. I knew with only eleven left, me taking the twelfth that I didn't exactly want to be bragging that I received a Charmander while most of the people were going to go home with nothing. Not being able to start their journey. As I was walking out of the giant lab I could already hear people starting to complain.
"What do you mean there isn't any left!?" A kid screamed.
"I'm sorry son, we ran out. We just couldn't breed enough to handle the huge demand to starting off. We should have a new shipment next week. If you would kindly still register with my assistant, we can hopefully get you one within the end of the month." Professor Oak was trying to explain to the crowd, which seemed to get more and more upset by the moment. I knew what would happen next may turn sour real quick I just didn't want to stand around and wait to see what would happen next. Walking through the various houses, and small restaurants I eventually got to the sign that read out "Route 1." Pulling out Charmanders Pokéball I released him.
"Let's start our journey Charmander." I announced, looking at the recently just formed of my starter. He just tilted his head back towards me and gave a slight grin.
"Char." He responded, waiving out his tail ecstatically.
Route 1 is initially a lot bigger than what most people initially thought, unless of course you were a native of Viridian city or Pallet town. By walking alone it could take twelve to thirteen hours, filled with grass plains, hills and occasional trees.
The path was filled with Pidgeys that immediately flew away every time I tried to get Charmander to battle it. I desperately wanted him to get used to the battling scenario, facing different opponents and building up its toughness. While a starter Pokémon will always be okay in route one starting off, I knew the first gym would be challenge to say the least. Ten percent of the trainers that start on their journey can't get past the first gym. Many of them up and quit after the second or third try. I wanted to be the exception to the rule not the ladder.
"I wonder if we will ever catch you a team-mate Charmander, I would love to catch a Pidgey, having a Pidgeot on our team would really do wonders for us if we mean to get all eight badges." I said as I knelt down and gave Charmander a treat. He sniffed a little in my hand, before picking it up and turning his back to me as he ate. Which just caused me to laugh at how silly he looked, then Charmander just turned his head back towards me.
"Char?" He responded with a confused look on his face.
"Don't worry about it buddy." A slight breeze came through, which felt miraculous as the heat was really starting to get to me, making me sweat really bad as I brought my hand wiped my forehead. Already I was planning on buying a tent first thing as I got to Viridian City. Route one is easily one of the shortest routes in between cities, and if it was going to take me this long, I was going to be damned to sleep out in the open. Knowing my luck I would get attacked by in the night, defenseless and probably mauled to death by a group of Ursaring.
"Waaa! Waaa!"
"You hear that Charmander?"
"Char! Charmander, char, char!" Charmander quickly bolted off, running towards the direction where the crying was coming from. Running as fast as I could, I was able to keep up, and instantly stopped where I found where it was coming from.
"What the hell?" Charmander instantly let out a growl at a Rattata, who was tackling and biting like crazy at what appeared to be a baby Cubone. It looked weird, something you didn't see in any text book. It was without its skull and bone that it usually holds, the baby Cubone was just standing there crying, putting up its arms in front of its face as the Rattata was continuing to attack it.
"Hey stop it!" I screamed, wanting the little rat to leave the baby Pokémon alone. Still it persisted, the baby was getting weak and I didn't know how much longer it would last.
"Charmander, scratch that damn rat!" I commanded.
"Char!" Instantly he ran over and swiped at the Rattata who let out a small cry and stepped back, then charged itself forward and slammed itself into Charmander, tackling it.
"Growl!" Letting out a loud growl the Rattata just stood there, and a look of fear went on its face, knowing that it was fighting a fight it would surely lose. The Rattata then starting waving its tail in a tail whip maneuver, egging my Charmander to get closer, Charmander instead enraged at this breathed in deeply and let go of a small flame out of its mouth, engulfing the Rattata. The rat simply just stopped fighting and lied there lifeless. I was still too focused on the baby Cubone, as it clearly did not lose its mother to death, as it was without her skull and bone. The likelihood is that this particular Cubone was left abandoned by a trainer, not wanting to put up with it and its mother at the same time. Reaching in my back pocket I brought out my Pokédex and pointed it at the thing.
"Cubone pines for the mother it will never see again. Seeing a likeness of its mother in the full moon, it cries. The stains on the skull the Pokémon wears are made by the tears it sheds."
"Well, what about a Cubone that doesn't have its mother's skull?"
"Cubone will be born without its mother's skull if it was born through a sea section, as a result very few are born without It."
"Fucking piece of shit." I muttered underneath my breath and knelt down to the scared and beaten Cubone, its endurance was going as it was laying on the grass. Obviously the trainer cared for its mother enough to have the sea section, but not enough to care for the thing, instead abandoning it to the wild defenseless, too young to even understand how to fight back.
"Cu…Cubone." It muttered looking up at me, with scars on its face, arms and stomach.
"it's okay, your safe now." I replied and withdrew an empty Pokéball and gently tossed it at it. The ball then shook a few times.
"Ping!"
Well here I am, not too far away from Viridian, as my feet are killing me and for being up close to 24 hours I feel exhausted and could use some sleep. Once I get to Viridian I'm going to get the baby looked at, at the Pokémon center and see if I can get a room lent to me so I can finally get some shut eye. Though I caught my second Pokémon, it makes me ask, who in the blue hell would abandon a baby Pokémon that obviously needs to be protected. How can anyone be so heartless?
Let me know what you guys think, should I keep going? Also first Pokemon fan fiction, I'm trying not to make this a mary sue type of fiction, but as always my first chapters are the most diffucult. Hopefully you liked it, if you do then Please review. :) I'll answer any questions you pose about it. Also I realize my grammer isn't the best, just writing for fun. Plot suggestions however will be taken into consideration. ;) Look forward from hearing from you. Now on to Chapter two. :)