The light blinding me, it was almost painful to get up. Stumbling out of bed I checked my alarm clock… 10:40! I over slept! "I'm already late who cares, I don't think that Oak won't mind if I am half an hour or so late, plus It's my (15th) birthday I think I deserve some time to myself. " I thought to myself, I proceed to go downstairs to complete my morning rituals, after an almost normal morning I thought it was time to leave, I opened my draws flinging things from the drawers all over my bedroom floor and then I found it the letter Oak gave me for my 14th birthday. Shoving the letter into my pocket, I put a potion that was on top of my laptop into my backpack which I snatched from under my bed, I also threw my pencil case(which held many pens and a journal which I am writing in now)into my bag then preceded downstairs say bye to my dearest mother. During my goodbye Mum did the usual motherly things like take some spare clothes, food and other things (being the lazy being that I am I planned on coming back home after not too long). Stepping outside I felt the cool breeze brush against my face I thought to myself. 'Ah! I hope I am ready for this'.

I walked into the Professor Oak Pokemon Research Lab in hopes to find him to only be greeted by one of his aids telling me that the Professor is out and I would have to wait until he comes back and my first reaction was to head towards Viridian city but at the tall grass I was yelled at to stop and I almost jumped out of my skin I was hesitant to turn around but was just old harmless Professor Oak. He lectured me on how not to go into tall grass alone, and then we headed over to the lab, that's where I saw him, my rival and Professor Oak's grandson, my incredibly selfish, self-absorbent and all-round jerk rival.

By the way he was tapping his feet he probably got to the lab not long after I had left earlier that day. "Gramps! I'm sick of waiting!" My rival said impatiently

"Oh, I told you to come to my lab, just hold on a little longer' Oak said with a smile. He pointed to the nearby dusty old table "There are three Pokeballs on that table, each holds a Pokemon" at this point his eyes light up probably with old memories "When I was young, I was a serious Pokemon trainer. But now in my old age somehow I only have three left. Red I want you to have one!" I could have sworn he was crying.

"Oi! What about me gramps! I don't get one!" blue being as arrogant as ever

"Blue you can have one too, if you waited a little longer I was going to tell you to pick one but you still have to wait for Red to choose a Pokemon."

Leaning over the table to decide which one to pick, confused I asked if I could have a look to see inside, he let me as long as I put them back so I pressed the buttons in the middle of each ball each releasing a beam of light, when the light dispersed three Pokemon were standing there; a turtle like one, a plant like one and a dragon like one, I thought that the one that looked like a dragon looked cool so I picked him and called him 'Salamander' then Blue shoved me to the side and grabbed the turtle Pokemon. Then instead of sending me on an epic journey Professor Oak sent me on an errand run to Viridian city to get a parcel!

At the door Blue stopped me up and challenged me to my very first Pokemon battle since we only had one Pokemon each so we pressed the buttons and sent out our Pokemon his Squirtle against my Charmander, since both of our Pokemon were young and inexperienced all they knew where very basic attacks so it was an intense giving and receiving of tackles and scratches for an unmeasurable amount of time, neither one of us not giving the other an inch to move until Squirtle almost tripped whilst using tackle my Salamander easily dodged and got a very critical attack right on Squirtle's face leaving it falling on its back and crying then it struggled to get off its turtle shell and cried even harder, it was too much do bear so Blue returned Squirtle to its peaceful slumber of its Pokeball. Blue obviously upset with his lost cursed at his Pokeball and complying with Pokemon battle code of battling the loser must give the winner a monetary gift to show good sportsmanship, leaving with a barrage of swearing and vowing his revenge and how next time I won't be so lucky. I leapt it the air, punching straight up into the air screaming "Yeah! We did it Salamander, you and I; we can beat the Pokemon league!" Salamander copied my actions with extreme happiness then collapsing out of pure fatigue so I said my farewells to Oak and thanking him again for the flaming companion, returning Salamander to his Pokeball, leaving the lab I was expecting a blast from the sun but it was dark outside and the street lights were out so I quickly ran home telling mum of the day I had, ate dinner, went to bed so I could go get the professors parcel the next day.

"MUM! WHAT TIME DOES THE POKEMART IN VIRIDIAN CITY CLOSE?" I shouted from my bedroom getting ready for my trip

"TODAY IS A THURSDAY SO IT CLOSES AT 9PM!" Mum said in return. Jumping down the stairs I gave my mum a kiss on the forehead and ran out the door again expecting the sun to blast me but instead I was greeted by a soft warm amber sunrise I checked my watch and it read 6:05 AM and I could not believe that I got up so early but I set off to Viridian city to get Oak's parcel. I took my first step into route 1 expecting adventure to jump right at me but so far my adventure hasn't been so epic, with disappointment I continued to make my way through route 1.

Not long after entering the route I met my first wild Pokemon and since I learnt everything about Pokemon from TV and books and spending hours at the Oak ranch I knew that it was a Pidgey. Around half past six I spotted a man yelling so I decided to check it out, it turned out to be a Pokemart employee advertising the Pokemart and he offered me a potion and said it was a free sample so as any resourceful traveller I took it and continued on. The route was really quiet other than the Pokemart guy…maybe because it was so early. Near the end of the route there were a flock of cute little Pidgey and I thought that Salamander would enjoy to see a group of around fifteen Pidgey looking for breakfast, I was right but Salamander got so overjoyed that he ran into the flock causing almost the entire flock to flee instantly all but two and they seemed to be the stronger ones, "Two against one that's really fair." I murmured to myself sarcastically "Salamander use scratch attack the weak one!"

"Charr charr." my Charmander acknowledged my order charging straight ahead knocking out the Pidgey in one fell strike but leaving Salamander open for an attack which was noticed by the other Pidgey using the chance to tackle the lizard Pokemon scoring a critical hit and then in a last chance attack Salamander opened his mouth and a flame shot out hitting the Pidgey leaving it burnt, before the bird could retaliate it fainted from the burns. Before returning Salamander to his Pokeball I saw that he was badly injured in from that cheap shot from that Pidgey, returning my fiery friend to his peaceful reprise of his Pokeball I hurried to Viridian City.

Barging through the Pokemon centre's door pushing people out of the way to the counter I pleaded to the lady that she had to help my friend he is really hurt she asked for me to place his Pokeball on a tray that could hold six Pokeballs, so I did. After a minute of typing I asked if he would be fine and she said that a good rest could fix almost anything and she offered to take care of Salamander for the time being, I was reluctant at first but everyone else seemed to trust her and not to mention the documentaries I have seen I TV, I agreed.

It was only 8:09 in the morning so I thought I would take a look around town. After a long stroll around town I found that the townsfolk were really friendly and I had chats with most of them, this one boy younger than me told me the difference between Catterpie and a Weedle (Weedles have horns, Catterpies don't) since he was only little I didn't want to hurt his feelings so I pretended not to know, and before I knew it was back at the Pokemon centre glancing at my watch I found that it was only midday and I had another hour before Salamander was ready to be picked up so I thought about what to do and then it hit me I needed to get the parcel for Oak.

"Hey are that kid the professor phoned me about?" the store manager waving at me

"Yeah, I am." Calmly walking up to the counter ready to receive the parcel

"Here you go." the manager pulled a hand wrapped parcel tied with a bow of string from under the counter "Oh and don't forget to say hi to him for me."

"Don't worry I won't."

"Is my Charmander ready nurse joy?" I waited like an impatient child on Christmas morning waiting to open his first present

"Why yes he is, here you go." she passed me my treasured friend and ally

"Thanks!" running out the door to get the delivery back home.

It was a pretty peaceful walk back to Pallet Town with Salamander at my side except the odd wild Pokemon which was taken down with a simple ember and without breaking our stride. Then we came across the guy from the Pokemart "Hey how is the advertising going?" I inquired hoping to get another free potion out of him

"Very well thank you." probably suspecting that I wanted another freebie "I only have one potion left, do you want it?"

"Oh I couldn't, but then again I could always use medical supplies from my Pokemon."

"Here you go" he handed me the potion

"Best be off its almost sunset, come on Salamander!" and I ran off with Salamander at my side to Pallet Town, after not long I got too tired to run so I had a little rest which turned into a nap under a tree along route 1.

"4:00PM wow that was some nap I better get going, Salamander you ready to go?" I got up offering my hand to my buddy; Charmander took my hand and got up wiping his eye "Don't feel like walking do ya? Charmander smiled and nodded, I took out Salamander's Pokeball "Alright then, Salamander return!" a bright crimson beam shot itself from the button of the capture device and consumed Charmander and returned him to his Pokeball.

Back at pallet town I headed over to Oak's laboratory. "Professor I have your parcel!" I shouted entering the door, one of the aids told me he was down the back so I continued "here it is Oak." taking the parcel out of my bag "The store manager also says hi."

"Thank you Red, now if only Blue would hurry up and get here!" we waited a good half an hour before he got there, whilst we waited he had a look and Salamander and said that he was perfectly happy and healthy but he would like to keep him over night I had no problems with that but it was Salamander's choice "Salamander, I choose you!" the ball popped open and in white flash the flame tailed lizard appeared "Sal, do you mind if you spend the night here at the lab?" I was expecting him to stay with Oak for the night but he didn't want to, I was glad the he liked me enough to stay with me. "Well since my grandson is late I will have to open the parcel," placing the parcel Oak opened it, inside there were ten Pokeballs "I ordered in them in especially for you and Blue since he isn't here I will ju…"

"Gramps I'm back what do you want?" Blue bellowed as he barged into the lab

"I have a serious request to ask both of you." he turned towards his desk and picking up two little red things "These are my brand new invention the Pokedex! It automatically records data of every Pokemon you've seen in person or caught, like a high-tech encyclopaedia, Red, Blue take these with you." he handed Blue and I a 'Pokedex' "But remember that the Pokedex can't get the full data of a Pokemon just by encountering it, to get the full data you must catch it. And to catch Pokemon you will need those Pokeballs I order from Viridian City Pokemart." he gave half of the Pokeballs to Blue then I but I thanked him for the Pokedex and Pokeballs "Remember, to catch a wild Pokemon throw a Pokeball at it, but it won't always work because a healthy Pokemon and struggle its way out of the Pokeball. To make a complete encyclopaedia of all the Pokemon in the world was my dream. But I'm too old and fragile, so that's why I'm asking you two to fulfil my dream, now get a move along" He was crying, I didn't believe it but Professor Oak was crying.

"Leave it all to me Gramps, I got this and Red don't even try to keep up I'm way better than you!" Blue ran out of the lab and I knew where he was going and that was now my next target "Thank you Professor Oak I won't let you down, and I'm going to be the best Pokemon trainer ever BELIVE IT!" at that time I thought that nothing could stop me but now I realise I'm in way over my head but I will keep strong and overcome every obstacle with my buddy Salamander.

At home I did as I have done the past day but this time I told my mum I wouldn't be coming home until I have completed my quest to finish the Pokedex. That was several hours ago and in the morning I will truly start my quest to both complete the Pokedex and be the best trainer there ever was. I shall continue to write in this journal until I complete my life long goal of being the Pokemon master.