THE POKEMON MASTER

This is just something I did for fun, I don't really know if it'll blow up or something, but I'm bloody excited to do it.

A LITTLE CONTEXT: This story involves the adventures of 10- year old Pokémon Trainer, Ash Ketchum, and his friends through the region of Kanto. I hope to reinvigorate someone's interest on an over-examined premise through this story. And with that…

PROLOGUE 1 GARY OAK

Cinnabar Maternity Hospital Fall, 1984

I frantically walked around the floor. Agatha sighed and said, "For Arceus' sake, Samuel, calm down- it's not as if the world is about to crumble down on us." I inhaled as I said, "I'm allowed to be afraid, aren't I? The procedure is risky- I just want the best for both her and the baby…" She smiled as she patted me on the shoulder. "She'll be fine, Samuel. They both will." I nodded as I continued my little merry-go-round. My eyes darting back and forth between the pristine white tiles of the hospital floor and the Operating room.

"How is she, Nurse? Is she doing well?" I asked the nurse who had just exited the room. She took off her mask and said, "Well, Professor- it's not that simple, I'm afraid- there's a major complication." I took a sharp breath as I asked, "What's the matter? Is she going to be alright?" Agatha looked at me worriedly as I gulped.

A solitary bead of sweat trickled down onto the floor from my forehead.

"Come with me. It's better if I can show you what the problem is." She hurried inside the Radiology room as I followed her inside. She took out a few X-Ray scans as she said, "See right there? The umbilical cord is around the baby's neck. We can't properly extract it without severe damage to the child. And even if we do…" Agatha touched my shoulder as she said, "I need a moment." She immediately left the room. I excused myself as well and stopped Agatha. "What's with you all of a sudden?" Agatha's face was grim- well, more than usual. "I can feel the child's spiritual energy, as well as our daughter's, Samuel."

"They're both diminishing. Rapidly." She breathed as she closed her eyes. "I don't think we should go forward with the operation. She can have the baby naturally." I sighed as I said, "We can't hesitate now! The operation's about to begin. Agatha, we must have faith. There's no other way." She nodded as she said, "As long as nothing happens to our daughter." I nodded too.

The next few hours were probably the most agonizing of my life so far. The only moments I could remember are snippets- memories of a horrible wait I hoped to never endure ever again. And then…

"Professor Oak? Madame Agatha?" The doctor sighed as he wiped some sweat off his brow. I immediately asked him, "How is she, Doctor? What about the child? Did- "He merely motioned for me to stop speaking.

"Not to worry- the baby is fine. If I am correct, this is your second grandchild?" I nodded anxiously. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It is a boy." A look of elation washed over both our faces as the doctor continued. "Normally, I would advise the father to enter first, but… "The same grim look crept over Agatha's face again. The doctor nodded in understanding. "Apologies- I did not know."

He breathed and fidgeted, as if hesitant to speak any further. Agatha began to tremble- I did not know whether from anger or grief- as she gripped her cane tightly and stormed out of the room. The doctor could only sigh in defeat as I asked him, "Tell me it's not true. Please, tell me she's…" The doctor held my hand and said, "I believe the nurse told you- she can perform the delivery only at great risk to both the child as well as herself. We all tried our best, but…"

I nearly fell to the floor, still reeling from the weight of what was told to me. The doctor caught me and said, "I'm extremely sorry, Sir. We really tried our best."

I closed my eyes and spoke whatever my destroyed psyche could muster up. "Wha- the baby- what about the baby?" The doctor nodded. "Come with me, please. Careful- Nurse! Please hold him, he's in a weak condition!" A young woman held on to me as the doctor brought out a little bundle of… something, wrapped in clothes. As I managed to peer inside the blankets, a small hand patted my cheeks as a childish giggle emanated through the room.

"M-May I hold him?" The doctor said, "Of course, but please, sit down." As I sat down and held the baby in my arms, I smiled faintly. The baby giggled yet again as I laughed faintly as I tried to ignore the vitriol in my head.

Pallet Town, a few hours later…

"What do you mean it's my fault?" Agatha growled. "I mean, if you hadn't been a foolhardy idiot, as per usual, our daughter would still be alive!"

"I can't believe you're doing this. You're pinning her death on me, aren't you?" "I'm merely stating a fact, you braindead moron!" She slammed her cane on the floor, as if making a point.

I sighed as I said, "Her death was not my fault, Agatha, no matter how many times you run it over in your head." She yelled yet again, "Good God, Samuel, if you say that phrase again, I'll- I'll- "

"You'll what?" I jumped to my feet as I lost my temper. "GO ON, THEN! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!"

"You're trash, Samuel! First you jeopardize her life with that operation and now you pretend like it has nothing to do with you? YOU'RE SCUM!" I shouted, going an octave higher this time. "WELL THEN, IF YOU THINK I'M SUCH SCUM, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PISS OFF, YOU STUBBORN BI- "

I stopped myself in time, but I knew what I'd just said. I closed my eyes as I groaned loudly. I heard Agatha say, "And there it is." I groaned as I said, "Look- things were said in the heat of the moment and- and I- Agatha?" I ran inside the kitchen. She wasn't there. I went inside Daisy and the baby's room.

No sign of her. I went inside our room. She was standing there silently as she held a large suitcase in her hand. She rapped her cane slightly as her Gengar morphed into the room. A flash of purple enveloped the room as she disappeared.

PROLOGUE 2 ASH KETCHUM

Oak's Research Centre, Pallet Town Spring, 1989

"Delia Ketchum, is it not?"

"Yes. Good afternoon, Professor."

"Good afternoon! You're rather early- there's still an hour left for the interview."

"Well, I arrived here via flight, and the next one leaves in around 4 hours, I think. So, I had to make it here early. I apologize if I'm interrupting something."

"Not at all. Please, take a seat." The woman smiled as she took a seat. "Now, I do have my copy of your resume right here, but to preserve the formalities, could I see it one more time?" She handed me a few sheets of paper.

"The one on the top is my letter of recommendation from Professor Rowan. And that's my resume."

I skimmed over the details on the paper. I'd seen them before, but I was worried my fabled memory would probably get the better of me, so I decided to read it all again anyway.

"Hmm… well, this is certainly a rather good resume. Not to mention I could use more help now that this place is running full- time." The young woman in front of me smiled. "Of course, Professor. I'm up for the task- and as I said before, I'm confident around most Pokémon."

"Well, you're certainly well- qualified in that regard. Now, about commutation- you lived in Jubilife City? And, I believe you have a child as well- are you sure you can handle the strain from this job?"

"It'll be fine. I'm considering moving somewhere close by, perhaps Viridian City- do you know anywhere by any chance?"

"Well, I did hear that the people next door will be vacating soon- I believe from here to Littleroot all the way in Hoenn, so you can check with them on that matter." "Thank you, Professor- I appreciate it."

"Er- Professor, if you don't mind me asking… you're also a teacher part-time at the Trainers' School in Viridian, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes, I am, actually. Why do you ask?"

She sighed as she said, "Well, my son- Ash- he's a good boy, really- but back in the Trainers' School in Sandgem Town, the teachers would often tell me that Ash never showed up for class. He'd always be near the tall grass, looking for a rare Pokemon- it's like a compulsive habit of his, really." I nodded. "So, he's a bit of a slacker on his studies, eh? No matter- I'll keep an eye on him. In any case, I'd like to meet him, perhaps chat with him once before the semester starts, if that's alright with you?"

"Of course, that would be great. Thank you once again, Professor."

"Hello, Ash. I'm Professor Samuel Oak. Nice to meet you." I was intrigued- very few children are brave enough, let alone capable of going into tall patches of grass at the age of four or five, yet here he was.

His yellow shirt blended perfectly with the setting sun in the distance as he turned around to face me. He had a very big smile and a bandage on his nose, which I suspected to be from a rather unruly Shinx who liked using those little paws of its. His hair jutted out in separate directions. It reminded me of one of those characters from a show Daisy watched.

"Oh. Hi, I'm Ash. And nice to meet you too." I smiled to put the boy at ease "You know, quite soon you'll start school here, won't you?" Ash frowned. "What? But I have to go to class tomorrow."

One of the many things that intrigued me about childhood was how it was both fleeting and permanent at the same time- especially the burden of moving from a place you called home- all the way out into a new place. I could sense that weight falling on Ash. "Easy, easy- I spoke with your mother. She appears to want to move here."

"What? Why? We're fine there, aren't we?" Oak patted Ash on the shoulder as he said, "Well, Ash- I don't really know. Your mother and I just met- she wants to work as my assistant in the lab."

He seemed to understand what that meant and nodded. "But I don't want to go to school here. Why can't I just go to school like always?"

"Tell me, Ash- did you have any friends there, in Sinnoh?" He nodded sideways. "I have a friend- he's my best friend! His name is Ri- "The sound of footsteps got closer and closer as Delia picked Ash up. "I'm terribly sorry, Professor, but our flight leaves in two hours. We really do need to go. Say 'bye', sweetie."

"Bye, Professor." The boy waved his hand as he smiled a toothy grin.

I smiled as I waved to them both. "Take care, Mrs. Ketchum. You too, Ash."

TO BE CONTINUED…

Well, that was rather fun to write. I'm not so sure about whether this will become an actual thing I do.

If it does, you'll probably know.

Until then, uh… Excels- sorry, wrong one. -EdgyNickname