Pokémon: The Oak Adventures
By Chris Devlin: chris_devlin@hotmail.com
Part Two: Vulpix and the Pokémon League
NOW - THE EVENTS OF POKÉMON
"Well, see ya Professor!" The vid phone shut down and Ash's face disappeared from the screen with a blink. Professor Oak, smiled to himself, turned around and went back to the young Vulpix he was tending. It was one that Gary had caught the day before and had transferred back to the Lab. Oak looked at its front paw. It was badly damaged. Not bad enough to require a Pokémon centre, but still enough to cause the Vulpix pain. He imagined that it had put up quite a fight against the impetuous trainer's Pokémon. Glancing up he saw the Vulpix was staring into his eyes. Oak stared back. He remembered his Vulpix well. It was the first Pokémon he caught. Yes, he remembered that day well. It was the day he discovered the Pokémon League.
THEN - 50 YEARS EARLIER
Tom Oak had been walking North of Pallet for hours and up ahead he could see Viridian City beginning to show in the distance. Looking at his watch he saw that it would soon be night and so decided to camp at the side of the road. Looking in his bundle he realised that he'd forgotten any matches to light a fire with. Sighing he took out his sleeping bag, crawled in and tried to get some sleep. He woke up the next morning to a strange snuffling sound in the nearby bushes. Shaking off the effects of sleep, he crawled out of his sleeping bag and stepped over to the bushes where the noise was coming from. Parting the bushes he looked down to see a small Vulpix, licking a wounded paw and crying quietly in pain each time it did so. Tom stared at it intently, until it became aware of his prescence and tried to crawl away. "No, don't go." Tom said. "Please.". The Vulpix continued to stare at Tom, all the while trying to crawl away. "I know." Tom exclaimed. He produced the Pokéball from his pocket. "Go Serenade!". In a flash of light, Serenade appeared before Tom's eyes. "Jiggly!" it cried in pleasure at seeing it's master. "Serenade, use your Sing attack!" Tom said. "Jiggly, Jiggly-Jiggly!" Serenade said in return. "What do you mean why!? This Vulpix needs to get to a Pokémon Centre, but it won't let me pick it up. If you put it to sleep I can carry it without it struggling. Ok?". He replied, with an air of disbelief at what he had just heard. "Jiggly." Serenade said in return. Taking a breath, Serenade, started to sing, filling the air with it's sweet song. Tom stood behind Serenade, his hands over his ears, waiting for the Vulpix to fall asleep. it didn't take long, and in a few minutes, both Tom and Serenade were running towards Viridian City at full speed, the Vulpix in Tom's arms. "Here, you have to help this Vulpix!" Tom said to the Nurse Joy behind the Pokémon Centre's counter. "Of course we will. We help all Pokémon remember." She said to him, leaning over the counter so she could see him properly. "Thanks. How long will it be before it's better?" he asked. "If you come back in a couple of hours it should be fine. Meanwhile, why not explore our wonderful city. Here, have a brochure." She handed Tom a leaflet. Opening it he discovered that there were two new attractions within the City. The newly
opened Pokémon Mart, "For all your Pokémon Needs!" the leaflet proclaimed, and the New Viridian City Pokémon Gym. "Wow, a Pokémon Gym!" Let's check it
out Serenade.". "Jigglypuff!" Serenade exclaimed. Walking up to the Gym, Tom was distinctly unimpressed. "This is it?" he said as he surveyed the building site, that would be the City's Pokémon Gym. "I don't understand." he said, puzzled. Examining the leaflet he discovered some small print at the bottom of the page. "Gym To Be Completed this Fall.". Sighing he sat on a nearby bench and looked around. Just next to the building site was a large sign detailing what the Gym would be like. Standing up he walked over to it and started reading. "The Viridian Gym will be the final Gym in the National series of Eight. As an official Pokémon League Gym. Trainers will have to battle here to win the Badges necessary for Pokémon League Entry." it read. At the bottom the sign proudly proclaimed " A TR Inc Project!". "Hmmm." Tom said, deep in thought. "What's the Pokémon League?" he said, not expecting an answer. "Anyway, lets go to the Pokémart, I feel like shopping."
Stepping into the Pokémart Tom let out a gasp of surprise. It was huge. Many, many aisles seemed to go on for an eternity. Taking control of his surprise he walked up to the nearest employee and asked where he could find the Pokéballs. The employee, a tall teenage boy with a spot problem, pointed him in the direction of one of the nearby Aisles. Strolling down the Aisle he noticed all kinds of Pokéball, but bypassed them all, instead picking up 20 normal Pokéballs. Walking up to the checkout, he placed the balls on the counter and payed the money required. It was almost three hours later exactly that Tom walked back into the Pokémon Centre. Almost immediately, Nurse Joy called him up. "Well your Vulpix is fine now." she said, handing it over the counter to him. "Oh, it's not mine. I found it in the wild." he replied. "Well, you obviously care deeply about Pokémon. Most people would have just left it to die. I think you should keep it." Tom looked up in surprise. "Really? I mean, do you think so?". "I don't see why not. It obviously likes you, now that you helped it." Tom looked at the Vulpix on the floor next to him. It was looking up at him expectantly. "Yeah, you're right." Tom said. Putting his hand in one of his Pockets, he produced an empty Pokéball. Stepping back he threw it at the Vulpix. "Pokéball, Go!!" he yelled. The Vulpix yelled in happiness as the Red Beam from the open Pokéball engulfed it then drew it in. Nurse Joy smiled at Tom. "Well now is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked politely. "Actually, there's something i'd like to know. Whats this Pokémon League?" he asked. "Oh, you haven't heard about the Pokémon League yet? Here, have this leaflet, it explains everything." She reached under the counter and produced a large thick leaflet. "You enjoy giving out leaflets, don't you?" Tom asked jokingly. "It's what makes life worth living. That and helping injured Pokémon." She replied. "Ha ha." Tom laughed. "Anyway, thanks a lot." he said and promptly walked out of the door. Once outside he sat and read the leaflet, muttering the occassional, "Ahhh." and "Ooooh". When he was finished, he let both his Pokémon out and told them, about the league. "So what do you think guys? Should we go for it? Should we start to gain badges so we can enter the Pokémon League?" Vulpix and Serenade looked at each other, then turned and nodded vigourously at Tom. "Ok then, Lets do it. First, we're off to Pewter City! Lets Go!!!!!"
To Be Continued!!!!!!