Chapter 1: The Three Trainers
One day, in a house in Pallet Town, an alarm clock woke up a fourteen year old boy. He reached for the alarm, only to accidentally pull his pale brown hair. As the alarm clock continued to go off, the boy slowly woke up and looked outside. It was sunrise.
"Morning already", he thought.
As he headed to the kitchen, a woman's voice cried out. "Red, is that you?"
"Right here, Mom", answers the boy.
Red went to look at the calendar and much to his joy: Today is the Day. He got up quickly, took a shower, brushed his teeth, and got dressed. He put on a red sleeveless jacket with a white collar and stripe, black undershirt, baggy blue jeans, black wristbands, and his black, red and white running shoes. Next he grabbed his red and white cap. Red was so happy, he went to another room and knocked on the door. "Ash, time to get up", he called. "Today's the big day".
No answer.
He knocked on Ash's door repeatedly and called his name several names. Again, no answer. Frustrated, he goes downstairs. As he went into the kitchen, Red thought for a moment. He knows that Ash is a heavy sleeper but today is not a good day to sleep in. Professor Oak is expecting Red, Ash, and others very shortly. As he sat down at the table for breakfast, Red took a fork and knife and began to eat his eggs, toast, and bacon, which was laid for him. His mother, Delia, noticed his excitement, who is also sitting at the table too.
"What are you smiling about Red?", she asked, feeling the table shake.
"Today's the Day, Mom", he said excitedly. "Professor Oak is calling all starter Pokemon trainers to get their first pokemon this morning. I get to start my journey and become a Pokemon trainer. Ash really needs to get up soon otherwise Professor Oak won't have a Pokemon left".
Delia nodded with a smile.
"Your little brother was far too excited to sleep last night", she said. "Kept me up with his constant talking".
Red smiled as he ate his eggs.
"I don't blame him, Mom. What is there, not to feel excited for? Besides I promised Blue and Leaf that we'd travel with them".
Red went to go and pack his stuff and got ready to leave. Then he went to make another attempt to wake up Ash, his mother stopped him.
"Red, aren't you supposed to be at Professor Oak's lab right now?"
Red looked at the clock and gasped. She was right. He has to be in the Lab in five minutes. Red dashed out of the house, but not before hearing his mom saying to leave his stuff here and get them when he's done.
Red ran out of the front door and then suddenly, BAM!
Red was on the ground.
"Jeez, Red, watch it! ", said a voice as Red got up onto his feet.
Red looked in front of him and saw a tall, thin, boy with spiky hair and brown eyes, wearing a short-sleeved dark gray polo shirt with the collar flipped up and purple cargo pants and black shoes. He is also wearing purple bands around his wrists. It was Blue. Blue may be a good friend but he can also be incredibly rude and a big jerk as well.
"You watch it, Blue" Red snapped, and he and Blue stood up.
"What'd you say"
"You heard me!"
"Wanna go for a round?"
"Any…"
"Stop it, both of you", interrupted a girl's voice
Red and Blue turned to their right side and saw a girl with long dark brown messy hair that went down her lower back. She is also wearing a light blue sleeveless teal shirt with a bit of black, a short pinkish-red skirt, light blue slouch socks, black wristbands, and white shoes with a pinkish-red stripe in the middle. She is also wearing a white and red bucket hat that was identical to Red's cap. It was Leaf. Leaf was usually the one that stopped him and Blue from getting at each other's throats. Now, Leaf clearly looking upset with them
"Are you going to continue butting heads with each other or are we going to Professor Oak's lab?" Leaf asked them firmly.
Before Red could answer, Blue pushes Red to the ground and then pushes Leaf to the ground as well and then he took off running down the road.
"Race you there, losers, "he hollered as he speeded in the distance.
Red and Leaf then race after Blue. Blue was in the lead followed by Red, then Leaf. Red and Leaf managed to catch up to Blue to the doors of the lab. At the door entrance, Blue pushes Red and Red pushes Blue back out of the way. Leaf ran between them, nearly knocking Red and Blue off their feet.
"Ha, I win", Leaf says heroically.
"You won because Red here pushed me", Blue protested as he and Red walked in.
"You pushed me first", Red said angrily. "It was Leaf here that rammed through us".
"Hey!", Leaf snapped. "I never did such a thing".
Soon Red, Blue, and Leaf were arguing about the race, while scientists nearby were watching. Suddenly a voice stopped the fighting.
"What's going on here and why are you three fighting?" it asked.
Red, Blue, and Leaf stopped, turning around towards the back of the lab. There stood a middle aged man standing before them. It was Professor Samuel Oak. Professor Oak is a middle aged man who is a famous Pokemon Professor who lives here in Pallet Town. In addition, he is Blue's grandfather.
"Professor!", said Red, Blue, and Leaf together.
"We're waiting for two more people", said Oak. "Where's Ash and my other grandson, Gary?"
"Gary is far too busy admiring how great of a moron he is", Blue yelled. "Gary still has not shut up about the idea of cheerleaders following him wherever he goes".
Red and Leaf stood there embarrassed while Professor Oak threw Blue an angry look. Ashamed of his outburst, Blue says nothing.
Red is silent and then finally said:
"Ash is sleeping in."
Blue, Leaf, and Professor Oak then looked at him. Immediately, Professor Oak led them to the back of the lab. He then turned on the light and three Poke balls appeared on a table.
"Okay, let's begin", said Oak. "Now, choose your Pokemon. You may either choose Bulbasaur, a plant pokemon. Or Charmander, a fire pokemon. Or Squirtle, a water pokemon. But choose wisely and think carefully. Once you make your choice you can't take it back. Who wants to go first?
Red, Blue, and Leaf looked at each other.
"Red? Blue and I cheated in our race," said Leaf. "You should go first".
"Yeah! I am not picky like you Red, you definitely should go first", Blue teased.
Leaf threw Blue a sour look.
"Ok, I pick Charmander", said Red as he picked up the middle Poke ball. "because I was told my father was a great volcanologist and studied the world's volcanoes. Also I heard he named me Red because of his passion and love for studying them. A fire pokemon fits perfectly for me."
Red threw the Poke Ball in the air and out came an orange lizard like creature and it landed in Red's arms. Its underside from the chest down and the soles of its feet are cream-colored. It has two small fangs visible in its upper jaw and two smaller fangs in its lower jaw. A fire burns at the tip of this Pokémon's slender tail. (Charmander -Pokémon)
"Charmander", it's said.
"Now be sure to take good care of Charmander, Red", Oak warned. "The flame on the tip of its tail is its life source. It will die if the flame ever goes out". If that ever happens, be sure to take it to the Pokemon Center for help, if needed."
Charmander looked at Red as if they were made for each other.
Suddenly Blue broke in, pushing Red and Leaf out of the way.
"I'll go next", said Blue, as he pushed Green out of the way and he picked up the third. "I choose Squirtle because water beats fire and my dad is a national swimming athlete. That's why my name is Blue".
Red and Green rolled their eyes, unimpressed.
Blue threw the Poke Ball in the air and it out blue turtle like animal and landed in Blue's arms. It has large, purplish or reddish eyes and a slightly hooked upper lip. Each of its hands and feet have three pointed digits. The end of its long tail curls inward. Its body is encased by a tough shell. This shell is brown on the top, pale yellow on the bottom, and has a thick white ridge between the two halves. (Squirtle- Pokémon)
"Squirtle", it said.
"You might want to keep an eye on Squirtle, Blue", warned Oak. "Most Squirtles are known to keep getting into all kinds of mischief, nothing too extreme though…yet".
"A prankster huh? I like the sound of that", said Blue, eagerly.
Professor Oak picked up the first Poke ball and gave it to Leaf.
"I accept Bulbasaur as my first Pokemon," she said. "Mainly because I heard my mother was a florist and also, Blue, grass type pokemon always beat water Pokemon".
Red and Leaf bursted out laughing and Blue threw them a sour look, then found himself laughing with them. Professor Oak stood there and rolled his eyes.
Then Leaf threw the Poke Ball in the air and out came a small, quadrupedal Pokémon that has blue-green skin with darker patches and landed next to her. It has red eyes with white pupils, pointed, ear-like structures on top of its head, and a short, blunt snout with a wide mouth. A pair of small, pointed teeth are visible in the upper jaw when its mouth is open. Each of its thick legs ends with three sharp claws. On Bulbasaur's back is a green plant bulb. (Bulbasaur (Pokémon)
"Bulbasaur", it said.
"You're gonna have to work very hard with Bulbasaur", warned Oak, again. "Bulbasaurs are known to be tough Pokemon and can be hard to work with".
After this was done…
"I hope on this journey you'll find more out your parents", said Oak.
"I hope so too", said Red. Blue and Leaf nodded in agreement.
"Before you leave, I have something for you Red", said Oak. He went into a closet and pulled out a red hand-sized rectangular device with buttons and lights on it and gave it to Red.
"It's a Pokedex", said Oak. This is designed to identify pokemon, moves, training, and gives advice to trainers and so on and so forth. Besides, I am giving you one because I am assuming that you three will be traveling together, am I correct?
"Yes", said Red.
"Also, can I ask a favor from you three?", asked Oak. Can you all catch every type of Pokemon you see please? It's been my dream to create an encyclopedia ever since.
"We'll do it on one condition", said Red. "If you have any Pokemon left, can you save one for Ash?"
"Very well", said Oak. "It so happens I have some extra Pokemon around here somewhere. Off you go".
And so Red, Blue, and Leaf left Professor Oak's lab and then went to grab their stuff from their houses. While in the house, Red packed his stuff in his yellow backpack and put it on his back. Before he left, he saw his mother sitting at the kitchen table, looking very worried.
"What's wrong?", asked Red, concerned.
"Ash slipped into a coma", Delia said, looking ahead.
Red stood there in disbelief, staring at Delia, shocked.
"How? He was just fine this week and yesterday", Red said. "No seizure and no head injury".
Delia said nothing for a moment.
"I don't know, Red, I don't know", she finally said. "I went to wake up Ash and had no response. Then I called the doctor and the doctor came over here and exhammined Ash. He concludes Ash in a coma. Ash is going to the hospital in Vermillion City right now. An ambulance is on the way over".
"Is there anything I can do for him?".
"Yes, go on the Pokemon journey for him. Ash would have wanted that. Do it for him, in Ash's name".
Red smiled and went out the door. When he stepped on the porch with Blue and Leaf. Leaf is carrying her bright yellow messenger bag with her and Blue putting a light blue pack around his waist. Red saw a group of people with signs including Blue's parents and Leaf's parents and finally Delia came out the door.
"Show us your Pokemon ", the crowd said.
Unable to resist showing off, Red, Blue, and Leaf withdrew their Pokémon and out came Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. The Pokemon stood there silently and smiled. Impressed, the crowd cheered and applauded. Before long, Red, Blue, and Leaf returned their Pokemon.
"Good luck, Red, Blue, and Leaf," came the crowd, repeatedly
Red stood around with Blue and Leaf and all three smiled. As they walked through the crowd, Red saw his mother in tears of joy and gave her a thumbs up. As the three trainers left town, they were greeted by Professor Oak and Gary, who apparently turned down his opportunity to become a Pokemon Trainer. Red went to see Ash, still in bed and say goodbye to him. He said goodbye to his mother too.
"I am so proud of you, Red", she said in tears and she hugged Red.
Red smiled.
Letting go of Delia, Red noticed Blue and Gary staring at each other and Blue turning away to leave. Red also saw Leaf saying goodbye to her niece, Green. Before he could leave, Gary came to Red and told him:
"Grandpa, Mrs. Ketchum, Green, and I will look after Ash for you".
Red, Blue, and Leaf raised their hands and gave everyone a salute.
Now the Journey begins…