Rain fell over the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. An elderly woman and a young black haired boy huddled under a small umbrella as they walked away from the tower.

"I'm sorry Jett," the old woman said softly. "There was nothing you could have done, Saur was old. But you know he loved you and Grandpa very much."

"I couldn't help him," Jett replied, trying to hold back the tears that filled his bright green eyes. "Grandpa gave me Saur to look after. I couldn't …," his last words faded away, his body shaking as he sobbed silently.

The old woman put her arm around her grandson, pulling him closer. "Let's go home."

"Never again," Jett silently vowed. "Never again will I try and be a Pokémon master."

As they walked off, Jett stopped crying.

The sun was hot today, but Jett didn't mind. He was enjoying his walk back from Viridian City. His Grandma had sent him there to pick up the package. As he walked, the grass and trees rustled with wild Pokémon, but he didn't notice. Rather than looking around, Jett was focused on the food he was eating. His mind drifted to his Grandma's package. What could it be? She had been so secretive.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a horrible shriek.

Looking around, Jett tried to locate where it was coming from. After crawling through a few hedges full of berries, he suddenly came face to face with a small spiky purple Pokémon. They both jumped back in shock; the small, big eared Pokémon cried out again and tried to back away, waving its spiky back as menacingly as it could.

It suddenly launched itself forward, pecking with its beak. It landed true, bumping weakly between Jett's eyes. It still hurt. Jett recoiled with his hands over his face, throwing his food at the Pokémon and scrambling out of the bush as he nursed an every growing bump.

Jett barely noticed himself picking up the package, his mind was on the Pokémon. Why had it attacked him? Why was it making that horrible noise? Was it ok?

He decided to go and check on the Pokémon in the bush again.

Tears suddenly started to fall down his face.

"No!" He wasn't going to break his promise. "No more Pokémon, remember?"

Absentmindedly, he rubbed the swollen bump between his eyes, trying to creep past without making a noise.

Jett froze. There was that noise again.

"I can't do it," he thought silently. "I can't do it. Just keep walking, just go home." His body didn't obey. How could he leave it when something was obviously wrong with it?

Putting down his Grandma's package, he padded towards the hedge. Slowly. Silently. Pulling back the leaves, Jett peered in.

The Pokémon hadn't moved, it was still there, nursing one of its back legs. Jett leaned a little closer. As he did, a twig snapped. The Pokémon quickly spun round, firing Jett with an intense stare. Jett froze again.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you," Jett tried to reassure it, hoping it would calm it down. It seemed to have some good effect. It stopped its stare and its big ears dipped slightly.

"Are you hurt? Let me help." Jett tried to move in closer, but as he did, the frightened Pokémon attacked again, this time it was much harder. Jett fell back with a crash and everything went black.

The sun woke Jett as it shone under the hedge onto his face. It was setting.

"Grandma's going to kill me," he thought, noticing that the Pokémon was still there. Cautiously. So as to not disturb it, Jett ran over to where he had left the package and, scooping it up, he ran as fast as he could back towards Pallet Town. As he ran, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder at where the small Pokémon lay hiding.

When he arrived home, his Grandma was waiting for him.

"I was getting worried," she scolded. "You've been gone for hours."

Ever since Jett's parents and her husband had died, they were all each other had.

Jett ran straight up to her and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

As they walked into the house, he explained everything that had happened on his way to and from Viridian City.

"That explains the huge bumps on your face," his Grandma said with a smile, "It's good to see you starting to care about Pokémon again. After Saur died, I was worried you would never want anything to do with them again."

Saur. That name sent a fierce wave of emotion through Jett. He stared down at his dirty hands. He hadn't thought about him since he had died.

His Grandma broke the silence. "Right, you grubby young man, bath then bed."

That night, Jett couldn't sleep. His mind was dominated by thoughts of his Grandpas Pokémon. Suddenly, another image flashed into his mind as he lay staring at the ceiling. It was the Pokémon, lying in the hedge on the route to Viridian City. Was it ok? What if it dies?

Before he knew it, he found himself running down the road, still dressing himself, carrying an extra blanket.

He silently jogged up to where the Pokémon was hiding, hoping that he hadn't woken it. He peered through the leaves. It was sleeping, shivering as it curled up to stay warm. Jett crept towards it. He draped the spare blanket over the small purple Pokémon and lay down next to it. This time, Jett fell straight to sleep.

Jett was woken by squawking bird Pokémon. It took him a while to figure out where he was, but he soon remembered when he looked down. The small wild Pokémon had moved closer to him during the night, snuggling at his side.

Realizing the time, Jett carefully got up, making sure he left the Pokémon covered with his blanket.

Jett got back home just as his Grandma came downstairs. She smiled knowingly as she sat down at the table. "Right, where's my package?"

Jett picked up the package and placed it in front of her on the table. He had completely forgotten about it.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Why don't you open it for me?" she said mischievously, sliding the package over to him.

He carefully started opening it, wondering about the possibilities. He opened the box and stared inside.

"I bought these for you ages ago. After Saur died, I didn't know what to do with them, so I kept postponing it for as long as possible." Grandma paused. "From what I've heard about your day yesterday, and from what I assumed happened last night, I think they have arrived at the right time."

Jett looked back inside the box. He pulled out a pair of running trainers and a rucksack. Grandma sat there smiling at him, knowing what was in the smaller box left inside the package.

It was filled with small white and red balls. Jett knew what they were as soon as he saw them. Pokeballs.

He looked up at his Grandma.

"Think of it as a going away present," she said.

"Where am I going?" Jett asked.

"Where every 10 year old should go," Grandma replied. "Just as your Grandpa did, just as your parents did. You're going on an adventure. Go and discover, Jett. Find new places, catch new Pokémon, meet new people."

"But why?" Jett asked. "With who? Where?"

"Who knows?" Grandma laughed. "That's why it's called an adventure."

Jett was stunned. This was so fast, so unexpected.

"It starts today," Grandma exclaimed. "Go and see Professor Oak. He has something to give to you."

With that, she went over to the kitchen and started making breakfast.

Jett couldn't eat. Pulling on his new trainers and throwing the Pokeballs into his rucksack, he sprinted out of the door down to Professor Oak's lab.

Jett burst through the front doors.