The Field Trip

We join young Adam at ten years old in his third grade classroom, where his teacher, Mr. DeSanto, was speaking to the class.

"Okay, students, listen up! I have a very special announcement!" DeSanto's Delcatty strolled up to her trainer and rubbed up against his leg. "As I am aware, you are all ten years old in this room, and you do not yet have your Pokemon Trainers License."

Adam's breath caught in his chest. What was his teacher going to say?

DeSanto continued. "So, I have decided that today, we will take a field trip to Saffron City to all get our licenses!"

A boy named Mitch raised his hand. "What's Saffron City?"

"It's in another country West of here," DeSanto replied. "We will be taking the Magnet Train from Rustboro City, which will take about an hour, so if you want, bring your Game Boys or assorted things to keep you busy."

"Will it be fun?" Asked a girl named Blossom.

"Lots of fun. We are going to be tested by Professor Oak, THE world's most respected Pokemon authority. And, after that, we will all catch our very first Pokemon!"

The classroom erupted in cheering.

"Now let's go!"

The Magnet Train speeded down the iron tracks at incredible speed. All passengers were required to keep their seatbelts fastened at all times, so there was very little movement. However, there was plenty of noise, as talk bounced back and forth about what kind of questions they would be asked, what kind of Pokemon they would catch, and so on.

Suddenly, there was a cry of "LOOK!" as they shining golden land of commerce, Saffron City, came into view. Everyone cheered. The Magnet Train screeched to a halt, jolting everyone in their seats. When the train stopped, DeSanto led everyone off, and their field trip had officially begun!

"Hello there, children!" said a tall, white-haired man in a lab coat. "I'm Professor Oak! Welcome to my new lab here in Saffron City! It's very nice to see so many young ones aspiring to be Pokemon Trainers! First of all, before we begin the training classes, does anybody have any questions for me?"

Several hands were raised.

"You there," Oak said, pointing.

"What kind of Pokemon are we going to be able to catch?"

Oak smiled. "There are several different kinds available for capture. You'll just have to wait and see!"

Several more questions were shouted.

"What level will it be at?"

"Will we be given more Poke Balls?"

"Are there any Psychic types?"

Oak held up his hands. "Children, children! Let's find out all this stuff as it happens, okay? Now let's go inside!"

The tests were not as hard as Adam thought they would be. First, they took a "fill in the circle" kind of test, which asks questions such as, "How do you evolve Pikachu?" or "When should you withdraw your Pokemon?" and so on.

After that, they watched a short film that showed them battle styles for trainer battles and wild battles.

Finally, they were given one-on-one rapid-fire quizzes by Oak and his assistants. And then, it was time!

Adam was escorted by a lab assistant to a large room in the back of the lab marked "Catching Terminal 04." The room was dark inside, and there was a huge patch of bushes in the center.

"Okay, son, here's 5 Poke Balls, and a Zigzagoon at level 5. Go catch the first Pokemon you come to!"

Nervous and thrilled, Adam stepped off the platform and into the tall grass. He got on his hands and knees and crawled to one end of the field, and back the other way, but he didn't find anything.

"There's nothing here!" Adam called up to the assistant.

"Keep looking!"

Sighing, Adam re-commenced his search. 5 minutes went by, with still no luck. Suddenly, the siren on the ceiling went off, and before Adam's eyes, a Taillow jumped out at him.

"All right!" Adam exclaimed. "Zigzagoon, go!" The Tinyraccoon Pokemon burst onto the scene, growling. "Zigzagoon, tackle attack!"

Zigzagoon charged at the Taillow, but before it could hurl itself upon it, the bird flew up and over.

"Try again!" Adam called. However, the procedure repeated itself time and time again.

Adam wiped the sweat from his head. "Okay, Zigzagoon, new strategy! Fool it!"

Zigzagoon charged once more, and just as the Taillow ascended, he doubled back and was waiting as the bird came down. He fell upon it, and the yellow light blinked on by the wall.

"Here we go!" Adam said to himself. "Poke Ball, go!"

The red and white device flew towards the staggering Taillow, and a red beam shot from the center and drew it inside. The yellow light began to blink as the ball rocked back and forth, and then, the green lamp came on!

"I DID IT!" Adam cried, jumping for joy. "I caught a Pokemon! I'm the best!" He retrieved the Poke Ball from the floor and marched back up to meet Oak's assistant.

"You did very well," the man said. "You taught Zigzagoon a new technique the very first time you used it. You have talent."

"It was easy," Adam said.

"Well, that Taillow is yours to keep. Let's go back to Professor Oak, so that he can give you your Pokedex and your license."

"All right!"

"So… this little one was able to teach Zigzagoon a new way of fighting?"

"That's right, sir," said the assistant, complimenting Adam on his achievement. "I've never seen a lab Pokemon learn a move like that so quickly."

Oak ruffled the boy's hair. "Well, you must have true trainer blood in your veins."

"My dad was a really good trainer," Adam said.

"I know," replied Oak. "I knew your father very well years ago. He was quite the master. Now then! Here's your very own Pokedex!"

Adam slowly took the red, rectangle device from the Professor. He flipped it open, and a holographic display appeared before him.

"My name is Poindexter. I am a Pokedex version 3.0 programmed for use by Adam McManson. My job is to identify newly captured Pokemon and to provide information about the surrounding area and the Pokemon within."

"Thank you, Professor." Said Adam, shaking Oak's hand.

At that time, Mr. DeSanto clapped his hands. "Come on, children, it's time to go! You can all play with your Pokemon on the train as long as there's no fighting."

"Bye, Mr. Oak," said Adam, waving as he left the lab.

"What kind of Pokemon did you catch?" asked Adam's friend Mike.

"I got a Taillow," Adam said. "How about you?"

"I got an Abra!"

"Wow, a Psychic type!" said a kid behind them. "All I got was a Wingull."

"Well I got a Marill!" said a girl beside them. "It's better than all of yours!"

"Oh please," said Adam, laughing. "My Taillow will beat your Marill any day!"

"Hmmph," the girl sniffed, as the boys went on ahead. She stuck her tongue out at Adam's back.

"Laura, best behavior please," said Mr. DeSanto, bringing up the rear.

And so it was that the class got back on the train and made their way back to Hoenn, each one of them having a new partner.