Pokémon The Oak Adventures
By Chris Devlin: chris_devlin@hotmail.com
Part 1: The Beginning
THEN - 50 YEARS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF POKÉMON
Tom Oak sat on the rug of the family home, early morning light streaming through the crack in the partially opened curtains. It was early. His mother had told him that getting up at this time would cause him to fall asleep in the middle of the day, but when you're six, such things don't matter. He was playing with the family pet, a small Jigglypuff named Serenade. Tickling Serenade Tom giggled playfully. Serenade also giggled in its own strange way. Tom picked up Serenade and walked to the Kitchen, got a glass of milk and then returned, sitting down on the rug to resume his tickling.
Upstairs Mr and Mrs Oak stirred. Mr Oak's eyes were the first to open and he sat up slowly. Rubbing his eyes, he said.
"He's up early again." In a way that gave away the fact that he would still rather be sleeping. With her back to him and without moving Mrs Oak mumbled in the speech of the half-asleep.
"He's six years old. Let him play with Serenade. Its what he likes to do right? Now go back to sleep." Mr Oak nodded to himself.
"Yeah, you're right." He replied before turning over and going back to sleep.
They awoke a few hours later and on going downstairs found Tom sitting at the kitchen table feeding bits of bread to Serenade. He looked up briefly as they walked in yawning, and then returned to Serenade. Mr Oak sat down at the table and picked up the local newspaper, The Pallet News, which Tom had brought in earlier. He flicked through it making the occasional snort of disapproval at some plan to build this or demolish that, while munching on the occasional slice of toast. He turned to the back page and scanned the words briefly.
"Well I'm off to work. Be back around eight." He announced before standing up and kissing both his wife and son on the cheek then left.
"Mom?" Tom asked.
"Yes dear?" she replied.
"When I grow up, can I be a Pokémon Trainer?"
Mrs Oak stopped and turned on him suddenly.
"No, you can't!" She snapped. "Now you just stop even thinking like that! Do you hear me?!" Tom sat there quietly, shocked at this outburst. He could feel the tears welling up behind his eyes ready to burst free. But he wouldn't let her see him cry. He wouldn't. Forcing the tears back as hard as he could, he calmly picked up Serenade and walked up the stairs to his room. Closing the door of his room he jumped onto his bed, buried his face in the pillow and the tears started to flow. Picking himself up he dried his eyes and walked to his drawers. He opened them and picked out his clothes. Grabbing a towel from a cupboard, he bundled all his clothes and things in to it and tied the towel in a knot. On his desk, was a small wooden box. He opened it and took out the sole object inside. A single shining Pokéball. Sniffling slightly he said.
"Serenade, return." A red laser shot out the Pokéball's eye and sucked Serenade into it. "You may not let me be a Pokémon Trainer." He said to no-one in particular. "But I'll be one, and I'll be the best and that'll show you." With that he opened the window and shimmied down the vine that grew outside it. Wandering toward the trail that headed north, he turned round for one last look at Pallet. "Goodbye." He said and walked into the wilderness.
To Be Continued….