The gym echoed with the anguished cries of a trainer defeated. Clearly frightened, the young man knelt and pulled his Nidorino into his arms. The creature was out cold.
"What – What kind of Pokemon is that!?" He stammered before turning tail and racing from the gym.
The Pokemon in question stood stoically, its eyes covered by a metallic mask.
"Very good." Its trainer murmured pleased. "I have so much planned for you… Mewtwo."
THE POKEMON STORY
The Downfall of Team Rocket
In the small country town of Pallet a lecture was being held. The lecture hall was bursting to the seams with people young and old. Most were eager teenagers, boys, and girls with dreams hoping that today their lives would change forever.
In the back corner of this room stood a young woman who was a bit older than these anxious teens. She had shoulder length brown hair, a thin figure with long legs, and vivid blue eyes peering out from under a white hat. She was leaning against the wall, gazing off into dreamland.
The hall became deathly quiet as a young man in a lab coat stepped out onto the platform. The girl in the corner came back down to earth, peering out from under her hat at the man. Said man glanced around the room with a smile as he stepped up to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen", He began. "Welcome to Professor Oak's annual Trainer Seminar!"
At this point he paused to allow the audience to cheer and applaud loudly. The girl in the corner didn't bother.
The speaker leaned forward to look at the crowd. "Future trainers…" he said. "In this world which you are about to enter, you will embark on a grand adventure with you as the hero!" More applause. "On this journey you must speak with people and check things wherever you go, be it towns, roads, or caves. Gather information and hints from every source."
His crowd was totally enraptured as he outlined their journey. "New paths will open to you," He continued, "by helping people in need, overcoming challenges, and solving mysteries".
The mood became more serious. Stepping out from behind the podium the speaker began to pace.
"At times… you will be challenged by others and attacked by wild creatures. Be brave, and keep pushing on." Audience members nodded their heads, a few clapped in agreement.
"Through your adventure, we here at Oak Labs hope that you will interact with all sorts of people and achieve personal growth." Turning to face the crowd the man nodded. "That is our biggest objective."
Though they had the chance to, no one clapped this time. Perhaps they were mulling over his words, second guessing themselves, or maybe they were too wrapped up in the moment. This was the beginning of something extraordinary. The only person in the room who seemed unaffected was the hat wearing woman in the back corner.
Oblivious to the effect his speech had on the hopeful trainers, the man in the lab coat stepped back.
"Now, I have the honor of introducing you to the man, the genius, who will help you start your journey. Let's give a warm welcome to the Pokemon Professor, Prof. Oak!"
The audience roared into life, standing and cheering as the aforementioned Professor stepped up to the podium. Still in her dark corner, the blue eyed girl grinned and clapped cheerfully, whistling as the man walked up. This, she thought, is what I've been waiting for; the Prof.'s speech.
Prof. Oak was of the age where he was not old but his hair was graying and he was certainly getting there. But age never held him back. He was still a charismatic, interesting man; the man of the hour in Pallet Town. That wasn't saying much, but the fact that the Prof. was world renowned said a lot.
"Hello there!" The man greeted with a grin. More cheers came from the crowd, but these were calmer. Still, the girl in the back frowned. Enough with the clapping; she wanted to hear the Prof speak.
"Glad to meet you!" Oak continued laughing. "My name is Oak. People affectionately refer to me as the Pokemon Professor." Glancing over the crowd the man paused.
"This world…" He began again. At this he reached to his belt. He removed a red and white ball from his waist. Pressing the button in the center made it swell. The Prof then tossed it into the air. A moment later a blast of light appeared and a creature emerged from the device.
It was a little blue creature the size of a large shoe, with dark blue spots and a horn on its head. The creature chirped and rubbed its nose. Members of the audience gasped, cooed at its cuteness, enthralled. "This world is inhabited far and wide by creatures called Pokemon, like this female Nidoran here." The name sent more whispers through the crowd.
"For some people," The Prof explained", Pokemon are pets. Others use them for battling. As for myself, I study them as a profession." Of course; everyone knew that. He was the Pokemon Prof!
At this point Oak returned the little Nidoran to the red and white ball, and put it back on his belt. "But before we begin, tell me a little about yourself."
There was a lot of paper shuffling as the audience began filling out the surveys on their desks. The girl in the corner, having no desk, had no paper. Ducking, the brown haired girl stole to an empty desk and began filling out the survey.
Are you a boy or a girl?
Definitely a girl, she thought, marking the female box.
What's your name?
In small handwriting the girl wrote, Amy Wright. The sound of a door opening distracted Amy for a moment, and she glanced out from under her hat.
A young man had just sauntered into the lecture hall from the lab, but he wore no lab coat. His hair was dark brown and spiky, and he carried himself as if he were the most important person in the world. He smirked and walked up to the Prof, talking to him quietly.
There was only one person he could be: Gary Oak, the Prof's grandson. Amy lived next door to him and his older sister, Daisy. He had been her playmate since they were babies. Sure, he acted like a jerk, but Gary was okay.
Most of the time at least.
As everyone continued working on their surveys, Gary stepped away from his grandfather. Prof Oak spoke again.
"Prospective trainers, in a moment you will step into the lab with me and learn how to care for and train a Pokemon. Then, you will receive your starter Pokemon."
All the scratches of pens on paper stopped. No sound was made. Starter Pokemon… the word was like magic to the crowd. Amy was unaffected; she kept writing.
"Your very own Pokemon legend is about to unfold!" Oak cheered sweeping his arms out. "Your journey awaits!"
0-0-0
An hour or so later Amy stood outside the lab, her hat flapping about in the wind. She had to hold it down with one hand. The last few stragglers from the seminar were receiving their starters and leaving on their journeys. Outside the families were all congratulating their loved ones and saving goodbye. Amy just watched, waiting for the others to leave. Once the last trainers left, she stepped inside the lab.
The lab was full of bookshelves, and hired aides sorting through paperwork. They seemed busy, so Amy didn't bother them. Side stepping the busy bees she moved towards the back scanning the room.
Pouting, Amy scanned again. Nope; Professor Oak was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder, and Amy spun around.
"Woah!" Surprised, she jumped back, and her hat fell off. "Oh, hey Gary." She knelt and picked her hat up, dusting it off. "How'd you know I was here?"
Smirking, Gary crossed his arms. "I could smell you across the room. Ech." He waved a hand in front of his nose and frowned.
Frowning back, Amy punched his arm. "Shut up." She retorted. "Where's your grandpa?"
Gary shrugged. "Dunno. He told me to meet him here and he's gone. Old geezer probably forgot…"
Rolling her eyes Amy headed to the door. "I'm gonna go find him."
As she left the room, Gary shouted after her. "Tell him I'm still waiting!"
0-0-0
Amy wandered onto the road, walking towards the Oak residence. Perhaps the Prof had headed home. It was her best bet.
As she walked the teen glanced around, taking in the peace and serenity of her home town. It was nice to be back. She'd almost forgotten how it was in a quiet town like Pallet. As different folks wandered by picket fences Amy caught tid bits of conversation.
"Hey! Come look at this sign here –"
"Absolutely amazing, a computer system for storing Pokemon –"
Waving to those she knew and greeting those she didn't, Amy headed towards Oak's place.
0-0-0
Daisy was the only one present at the house. She was sitting drinking tea when Amy arrived, studying a map.
"I wanted to look over where my brother would be traveling." She explained with a sigh. "It's a long journey. I'm worried."
"Your brother's stubborn." Amy said. "He'll be fine."
Smiling, Daisy stood and walked towards her buffet. "You'll be leaving soon too, right?" The girl asked.
Blinking, Amy shook her head. "Actually, I –"
"Here." Daisy held a different map. "You take this one. You'll need it more than I."
With a resigned sigh, Amy nodded and took it. "Thanks" She smiled.
Nodding Daisy spoke again. "My grandfather spends a lot of time out in the field. You might find him outside of town."
It was dangerous for anyone without Pokemon to go outside of town. But Amy nodded. "I'll check it out." Then she left with one last thank you and headed towards Pallet Town's outskirts.
0-0-0
Amy had never left town without an escort. As a child her father, a Pokemon trainer, would take her out into the wild to watch Pokemon in their natural habitat. That was what had sparked her interest in the creatures. She used to keep a notebook with her to take notes on Pokemon. But when her father left on his Pokemon journey, she stopped leaving town.
Amy hadn't explored this route out of Pallet town since.
A little flutter of nervousness went through her. She could always wait for the Prof to return. Shaking her head Amy ignored it. Taking in a deep breath she timidly stepped towards the tall grass.
"Wait!" Someone shouted from the grass. Yelping, Amy jumped back, losing her hat again. She chased it, pulling it back over her head tight. "Don't go into the tall grass! Wild Pokemon are out there!" Prof Oak's familiar face appeared as he stepped out of the grass. "It's unsafe!" He declared.
With a weak laugh, Amy shook her head. "Hello Professor. I was looking for you. Your granddaughter said you'd be out here."
"She did, huh? She knows me too well!" Oak laughed. He was holding a tablet, which he promptly slipped into his lab coat. "One of the trainers at the seminar mentioned seeing a Weedle – A Weedle! – outside of town!" Kneeling the Prof brushed his boots off. "Now, I know Weedle's don't come this far south. But I had to be sure!" He stood tall again and grinned victoriously. "No Weedles whatsoever!"
Giggling Amy grinned. "Good to know, Prof."
Blinking Oak put a hand to his chin. "You seem familiar… have we met?"
"You might not recognize me. I've been away for a while. But you knew my father – Ryan Wright. "The name sent realization through Oak's eyes. He grinned.
"Amy! Where have you been! I haven't seen you in … almost a year!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Traveling a little. I was with family in Cerulean City." Amy explained. The two began walking back towards Pallet.
"Well it's good to see you!" He squeezed her shoulder. "Though you of all people should know not to go into tall grass! Your father taught you everything about Pokemon!"
Amy's eyes darkened. "Yeah – he did."
Oak furrowed his brow and sighed. "He's still missing?"
She nodded. "I kept an eye for him while I was gone. But no sign. Nobody's heard of him. As far as Celadon, no one's heard of him."
"You went to Celadon?" Oak asked, shocked. "Without any Pokemon?" Amy nodded. "That's dangerous, Amy! Your father would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you!" Nodding, he stated. "That's it! It's time for you to get your first Pokemon!"
Blinking Amy muttered, "Come again?"
"Come on!" Oak cheered, pulling her along. "To the lab!"
0-0-0
Gary was still at the lab when Amy and Oak arrived. The Prof greeted him happily and asked why he was there.
"You call me gramps, remember?" Gary said.
"Oh yes! Wait here a moment!" The Prof ran over to his desk as Gary muttered something about old age.
Confused, Amy watched the Prof sort through messy desk drawers, muttering to himself. "No… no… oh where did I… here!" Finally he grinned and pulled out three red and white orbs. He held them out towards Amy and Gary.
"In these pokeballs are my last Pokemon. I used to have many more, but…" He shrugged. "In my old age these three are all I have left. I've decided to give one to each of my grandchildren. That includes you, Amy." Oak nodded to her. "It's the least I can do for Ryan's daughter."
Gary frowned and "harrumphed", turning away. Amy ignored him. "Thanks Prof. That means a lot to me." Oak nodded and set the three pokeballs on the table.
"You two choose. Since Daisy isn't going to be a trainer, I'll allow you two first choice."
Amy shook her head suddenly, and looked at the Prof. "That's the thing, Professor, I –"
But by then Oak had walked through the lab door to look for something else. Amy stepped towards the table. Gary followed after.
"So whaddya want?" Gary asked her.
"I don't know." She admitted. "I never wanted to own a Pokemon." Gary cocked an eyebrow, confused, but Amy offered no explanation.
Nervously she touched the first pokeball. "That one's a Bulbasaur," Prof. Oak said, reappearing in the room with a box in hand. "Very easy to raise. You'll probably like it."
Gary moved to the third pokeball. "And this one's Charmander right?"
"Yes, and the middle one is Squirtle." Oak set the box down and began ruffling through it.
"Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle…" Amy murmured. She moved towards the Charmander Gary was holding. Gary set it down and approached the Squirtle. Amy gave him a weird look.
"Hm… that's not it…" Oblivious, Oak continued his search.
Amy moved back to the Bulbasaur, and Gary moved back to the Charmander.
"You're not purposefully trying to pick the Pokemon that has a strength against mine, are you?" Amy muttered accusingly.
"No" Gary responded nonchalantly. "I'm just trying to pick the best one."
"As in, the one that'll be stronger than mine?"
"Maybe." Gary glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Glowering Amy stepped back and crossed her arms. "Fine." She spat. "You pick first."
Frowning, Gary spat back, "Fine".
"Fine!"
Almost glaring at the pokeballs, Gary tried to make a decision. He crossed his arms, frowning deeply. Finally he spun around. "You pick first!"
"Aha!" Amy grinned. "You are trying to one up me!"
"So?" Gary smirked. "Are you afraid I will?"
"You're the one afraid of me!" Amy accused.
"Fine!" Gary spat. "We'll pick randomly! Just grab one!"
"Fine!" Amy ran up and mixed the pokeballs up. Then she grabbed one. Gary snatched one right after her. The duo glared daggers at one another, snarling, holding their pokeballs in clenched fists.
As he stepped back from his desk, Oak put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Are you done bickering?"
Ashamed, Amy flushed pink. She glanced down at the pokeball in her hand. "Here goes nothing…" She pushed the button and summoned her creature.
It appeared a moment later, yawning. It was a turtle – a little blue turtle with big, bright eyes. Glancing up at Amy it blinked, staring.
"Uh…" Amy murmured. "Hi."
Grinning the Squirtle waved. "Squirtle, Squir!" Nice to meet you!
"Squirtle! That's a lucky draw! They really are very intelligent, powerful creatures." Oak proclaimed joyfully as he walked up to Amy and her Pokemon.
Hearing Oak's compliment the Squirtle perked up, before posing with his arms flexed. "Squirtle!" He chirped, agreeing with the Professor's assessment. Amy and the Prof laughed.
Frowning, Gary summoned his creature. From the ball appeared a little green creature with a bulb on its back; Bulbasaur.
"Speaking of lucky draws…" Amy muttered. Somehow Gary had gotten the leaf type, which was naturally stronger than Squirtle, a water type. The girl frowned, but ignored Gary.
"Bulbasaur! Easy to raise, and definitely worth raising; another good choice!" Oak cheered. He picked up the last Pokemon. "And that leaves Charmander here for Daisy. That works well; Charmanders make good companions."
Kneeling Amy faced her Squirtle. "Are you a … boy?" She asked. The Squirtle nodded.
"Squirtle, Squir?" And you're a girl right?
Amy blanched, displeased. "Yes, I'm a girl!" The Squirtle grinned and nodded.
"Squir!" I thought so!
Sighing, Amy shook her head. My Pokemon's mentally challenged…
Oak glanced down at the two, blinking blankly. "Amy… do you understand him?"
She looked up at the Prof. "Yes sir." She told him.
Oak kneeled next to her. "That's amazing." He murmured. "It usually takes some time, and bonding between the trainer and the Pokemon, before they can understand one another. You must be a natural trainer Amy!"
Gary grimaced angrily, looking down at his Bulbasaur. The creature looked up at him. "Bulba, Bulbasaur." Frowning, Gary huffed. He couldn't make out a word of what his Pokemon said.
"That's the thing, Professor." Amy sighed and hung her head. "I… I don't want to be a Pokemon trainer."
Squirtle and Prof Oak both stared at her blankly, surprised. "You don't?" Prof Oak murmured.
The girl stood and shook her head. "I've been thinking about it. I'm nineteen now, and I've got to start moving ahead. I've been reviewing my options and my interests…" Oak stood as he listened to her speak. Gary seemed interested too, though he pretended not to be.
Turning to face the Professor Amy told him how she felt. "I want… I want to be a Pokemon Professor!"
Gary sputtered, breaking into laughter at her admission. The girl glared evilly at him, and Squirtle did as well, feeling the need to protect his trainer – err, not trainer – his 'person'. Squirtle stuck his tongue out at Gary.
"You, a Professor? You're such a klutz! You could never do it!" Gary continued laughing at her expense.
Frowning deeply, Amy flushed red from both embarrassment and anger. Oak told his grandson to quiet down and turned to Amy.
"I didn't know that was your interest, or I would've spoken to you sooner." Oak admitted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But… knowing that you want to be a Professor… I think adventuring around for a bit would be good for you."
Confused Amy asked, "Why?"
"Seeing Pokemon from around the world in their natural habitats, and battling trainers whose Pokemon are at the peak of perfection; that is the perfect introduction into the study of Pokemon. Raising Pokemon would help prepare you for the scientific lifestyle. And its loads of fun, I promise!" Oak laughed heartily.
The girl looked nervous. Even as Squirtle looked up at her expectantly she hesitated. The Pokemon seemed to like the idea of adventure.
"I don't know Prof…" she sighed. "I just got back home. Mom needs me around the house, and I … I don't think I'm the adventuring type. Being so far away from home, on your own…"
"Isn't that what you did when you were searching for your father?" Oak said. "And this time, you won't be alone." He gestured to the Pokemon standing near her.
Amy looked down at Squirtle. The little blue guy smiled, chirping at her. You can do it! He said, waving his little arms. Amy smiled at the sight. Kneeling next to him again Amy asked the little guy, "Do you have a name?"
Squirtle thought about it for a second. "Squirtle."
Laughing Amy shook her head. "You need a better name than that. There's tons of other Squirtles in the world." She put her chin in her hand. "You need a unique name…"
"Many trainers nick name their Pokemon." Oak told her. He looked at his grandson. "What about you Gary?"
Gary glanced down at his Bulbasaur. "Naw. Bulbasaur sounds fine." The little creature didn't seem bothered by the lack of a name.
The girl was still thinking about a name for her Pokemon. Squirtle was giving her ideas.
How about Amazing Awesome Ninja Turtle? He asked, posing like a ninja for a moment. Or… how about Super Squirtle? He put his hands on his hips and posed dramatically. Or… Ultimate DEATH Turtle! His eyes flashed red and he grinned evilly like a horror movie monster.
"I think I'll call him… Ryan." Amy decided.
The Squirtle's grin died. "S-Squirtle!?" He asked degradedly. What kind of name is that!?
She frowned at him. "It's a perfectly good name." She told him. Sighing, the Squirtle gave in. Fine… how about Ultimate DEATH Ryan?
Ignoring her turtle friend, Amy stood. "Well, I think Ryan and I are going home." She said. As she turned to go Oak called after her.
"You will think it over won't you?" The Professor asked her. Amy sighed. "There will always be a position here for you when you return." At that her eyes brightened, but she still looked unsure. "You could train under me, as an intern. It would only be a year or two from now."
"I don't know…"
Behind his grandfather, Gary was scowling. He never said a word, and he didn't even make any rude noises. But he looked rather displeased. Almost disappointed.
"Amy, this is your youth, the start of a great adventure that will last the rest of your life!" The older man walked up to her. Gary scoffed and looked away. "Do you really want to spend it in a lab, running data and filing paperwork?"
"What about working out in the field, with Pokemon? Or taking care of the Pokemon you have here?" She asked insistently.
"Yes, we do that too. Studying Pokemon is tiresome but extremely rewarding. But it is not for the young. Before I was a Professor I went on my own Pokemon journey!" As Amy glanced away Oak placed his hand on her shoulder. "The lab will always be waiting for you. But you'll never get a second chance to see the world. Trust me." The Professor laughed. "I always said I'd go traveling again, see the places I'd seen years ago, and see how they'd changed. But now I'm too old. Don't lose this chance."
Amy was beginning to give in. She reached up and tugged on her hat, pulling it down on her forehead. "I… I'll think about it."
"Do this for me." Oak leaned forward to her height level. "I have a package waiting for me in Viridian City. Why don't you and Ryan pick it up for me? You'll be able to see what traveling with a Pokemon is like; you'll be able to battle with him. And Viridian is a pretty town to see."
"Viridian City…" Amy bit her lip. Her pants leg was being tugged, and she glanced down to see Ryan smiling encouragingly at her. We can do it! "You think so?" She asked. He nodded and gave a thumbs up.
"Squirtle!"
Laughing she nodded. "All right. We'll go to Viridian. And when we come back…" She paused. "I'll make my choice."
"That's my girl." Oak smiled. "Now, you get on home. I'm sure your mother wants to meet your new friend." He grinned down at Ryan, who grinned back.
"You're right. It was nice seeing you. You too, Gary!" Amy turned to go, Ryan trailing behind her.
Gary was still in the back, leaning against the table with his arms crossed. He seemed to be thinking something over. Then he leapt up and raced towards the front of the lab. "Hey, Amy!"
The girl paused and turned to look back. Ryan ran into her leg, shaking his head and frowning. A moment later Gary appeared in front of them, his Bulbasaur following after.
"Something wrong?"
The boy grinned as his Pokemon leapt in front of him and assumed a battle position.
"Fight me" Gary insisted.
Amy blinked, looking as if she was a deer staring into the head lights of a Peterbilt.
"W- What?"