I flip off the television; I have had enough of the bologna that those people say about the glory of the games. They have been showing the highlights of some of the best tournaments in the games' history. They said that was the most amazing victory by any trainer in the history, I think that's a load of Snorlax dung. These people, for some unknown reason celebrate the most horrific event in the world, The Pokémon Games.
This year I am ten years old and I have the chance to be chosen to battle other young adults ranging from ages 10 to 18. My mother says that I will be fine that the other kids have more bids than I do for the reaping. Being a single parent after my deadbeat dad left us while I was just a baby, my mother tries to make me feel better, but there are a few problems with Pallet; it's a very small town, and we haven't had a champion since Samuel Oak and he is far beyond his prime. I have feared this day and this horrific event for as long as I can remember in my short life. I have seen dozens of children slaughtered each year. These kids, who have been my age or older, have been slaughtered by the strongest kids in an arena to please the overlords of our world. Some kids have no chance and are decimated once they set foot in the arena, while kids from the richer regions get to train on how to use the creatures given in the arena for almost all of their lives.
My mom sticks her head inside the living room, "Jacen, Its time to get around!" I get around and wash up, while my mother picks out appropriate clothing. I comb my hair, something I only do for special events. I could tell she was nervous, but I held strong because I knew that once I show weakness she will break and will never stop crying until after the ceremony. My pet, Growlithe, walks up and I rub its ears for a couple minutes before leaving him for the reaping. When we reach the outside edge of town I see my neighbor and best friend Sara. We walk with our parents and chat about how her Chansey is doing with their healing business that they run out of their home. The conversation helps pass the time as we soon reach the town square. All of Pallet gathers in the town square in front of Oak's lab (yea that's right a lab, not a gym). In general, boys would stand on one side, while girls stood on the other side, but we have so few children we all stand together. Our mayor, Mayor Ketchum, comes up to the stage.
"Welcome to the reaping for the 129th Annual Kanto Pokémon Games! Let us all welcome the Pokémon Professor, our only winner, Samuel Oak!"
The crowd is absolutely silent. We all know that this event is nothing to celebrate and most likely means certain death for the unlucky one of us who go into the arena. The older man walks onto the stage, waves to the crowd, and then slumps into a chair, pulling out a red electronic device and starts messing with it. After a few moments of awkward silence the mayor picks up.
"Alright, now the moment you have all been waiting for, Officer Jenny will pick out the lucky participant in this year's games!"
A woman in a blue walks onto the stage; she is one the many male and female clones who keep the control throughout the five regions. She gives a big, smiling wave to the crowd, who remains silent. She then reaches deep into a glass bowl with all the names. When she finally picks one out, she takes it over the Mayor Ketchum. Mayor Ketchum walks up to the microphone and everyone clenches up, hoping that they are not it.
"This year's tribute from Pallet in the Games is… Jacen Green!"