Smoke.
The first thing I notice is the smell of smoke filling my nose, as I slowly wake up. Then I see the smoke is filling my room once I'm able to get a look around my room.
I sit straight as I start a wet hacking cough that stings the back of my throat. I'm gasping for any clean air I can get when I remember our fire drills from school that tell you to get as low as possible as wait for help. But I'm panicking. I've always been sickly and it's getting harder and harder to breathe.
I drop to the floor and start crawling as fast as I can toward my door.
"MOMMY!" I choke out
I'm racked with another fit of hacking coughs as I reach the door and open it. But I don't hear any reply, only a coughing mixed with faint screams coming from the ground floor.
I made it to the staircase and started going down as fast as I could sliding down it on my back. Just like I do when I'm racing Pancham down the stairs.
Wait, where's Pancham?
That's answered for me when I see Pancham lying on the ground about 5 feet from the front door. I can feel tears starting to sting and prickle my eyes as I take in my friends form.
A gift my parents got for me when we went on vacation back to their home region of Kalos.
When I make it to her I cradle her small form in my arms and let out a sharp cry as I sob into her furry chest.
"P-pancham? Please be okay! Please, Pancham!"
She's been my best friend this last year. My parents decided to get her when she was just a newborn Pokémon for my 9th birthday; because of my sickness I could never play for long especially outside, so she always kept me company.
The sound of coughing and whimpers break me out and remind me of what's going on. I keep Pancham hugged into my arms and follow the sounds and that's when I see my parents covered in flames while being pinned under some fallen debris.
"!"
My words are caught in my throat, I can't seem to say anything and I can't tell if it's from the smoke or everything that's going on.
I start to reach out towards them and continue my sedated pace towards them, I can feel the heat slowly rising as I get closer. I barely register it though. My mind is completely focused on my two favorite people that are trapped and slowly burning, and I can't seem to look away.
My whole body is confused. My brain is telling me to run out of the house as fast as I can, but the rest of me wants to rush to my parents and try to help them no matter if I know I can't lift that huge piece of wood laying across their back. My indecisiveness costs me when more flaming debris falls on top of me, crushing my stomach first into the tile floor.
I quickly snap awake, a yell caught in my throat as I notice I'm heavily sweating with my heart beating like a drum, and blood rushing in my head.
"A dream… That dream. I haven't dreamt about that night I'm several years, I wonder why know" I whisper while holding a hand to my chest, breathing deep through my nose and slowly back out my mouth to calm my racing heart.
That's when I feel Pancham stir to my left, I notice she's looking at me with worry filled eyes. I pick her up and hug her to my chest as a few stray tears fall down my cheeks. She spreads her arms and hugs me back. She never questions it, no matter when it is she always lets me hug her when somethings bothering me.
"Thank you Pancham." I whisper out in a raspy voice.
"Cham" she nods
I haven't had that dream in almost 2 years now. I know it plagued my dreams the first year after it happened, it could be because it's the anniversary of that night but I didn't have it happen last year? Maybe it's because I'm planning on leaving on my Pokémon journey.
It happened a week before my 10th birthday, and I've been living at Professor Oak's lab coming up on 3 years. I'm almost 13. And I've been planning for a while now to tell Oak that I'm going through on my Pokémon journey. It just so happens that Gary, Ash and some other kid I don't know are starting their journeys then too. Only difference is they are 10, like most trainers who start out on their journey.
Because of that night and my already existing illness I was too weak to go when I was 10, not to mention I was just getting out of the hospital at the time. I still can't walk for very long without having to take a break, but I just can't stay here anymore. I just have to get out.
After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, I make my way to go find Professor Oak. Finding him in his lab with Pancham following right behind me I steel myself.
"Morning Professor." I wave in greeting
"Well good morning Jace and Pancham, it's almost your birthday, anything I can get you?" He turns toward us
"Actually yes. I want you to sponsor me for my journey to be a trainer." I nonchalantly suggest with a slight grin on my face
"What!? Are you sure Jace? You can barely do any physical activity without running out of breath. I don't think this is a good idea." Shaking his head at me with a worried expression.
"Sorry Professor, but I've already decided."
"And you won't reconsider? No matter what?"
"Nope" I confirm with a slight shake
"Very well." He sighs "It looks like you, Ash, and Gary are all leaving in the same day. Maybe you could travel with one of them?" He asked hopefully.
"Sorry Professor, but you know those 2 and their rivalry, even if they say they wouldn't mind, you and I both know they wouldn't want to go as slow as I'll have to go."
"Alright, make sure you're ready one week from now. And please be careful."
" I will Professor, thank you." I say as I turn and start walking away.
Alright now I need to go and buy any and all supplies that I'll need. Thankfully I have plenty of money that I got after my parents died. Enough that I shouldn't have to worry unless I just start blowing it all on useless things, and that's just not me.
Okay, I have plenty of clothes. I already have a Silph co bag that is bigger on the inside and reduces weight so that no matter how much is in it, it only weighs 20 lbs. I will need a tent, I'm gonna make sure to get a nice sturdy one that's insulated so I won't get cold, and big enough to fit multiple people or Pokémon so that I have plenty of room. Pokémon food for Pancham, cookware and ingredients for myself. Refillable canteens and also bottled water. Couple refills on my medicine. Fire starting set, soaps and deodorants.
That should be everything, anything I forget I can just get once I make it to Viridian, I already have potions and an abundance of various berries that should suffice until I make it there and visit their pokemart.
One week later
The day is finally here, the day I set out on my journey as a Pokémon trainer. Everything is in my bag, I made sure to groom Pancham especially well and fed her already. Now I'm in the bathroom looking at my reflection. I'm standing there with some of my wild brown hair coming out of my dad's old Purple and Gold cap. The hood of my purple sleeveless hoodie pulled up and over the top of my hat. The purple hoodie has gold stitching, and extending past the hoodie is my black long sleeve shirt that covers my arms, and purple gloves that also have purple and gold stitching. I'm also wearing blue jeans, black socks and my usual purple and gold sneakers with a black rubber sole.
Looking at the reflection of my stormy grey eyes, I can see and feel my own determination. I'm ready. Exiting the bathroom I grab my pack and turn towards Pancham.
"Are you ready Pancham?" I smirk
"Pan Pancham!" She smirks back
"Then let's go."
Opening the door I make my way to where Professor Oak is giving the new trainers their Pokémon and necessities.
When I enter I see Gary, and another kid I don't recognize, but I don't see Ash anywhere surprisingly. Walking up to stand on Gary's left while I wait for us to be able to choose our Pokémon.
Oak comes out of a back room and walks up to a device in the middle of the room that is currently holding 3 poke balls in a triangle formation.
"Well, seems Ash isn't here yet, but we might as well go ahead considering it's already 5 minutes past the time I told everyone."
"Alright, we'll start from the left and go to the right. That means you're up first, Jace choose wisely."
With a nod I walk up to the machine and select Bulbasaur. I'd thought about this a lot, with planning to fight Brock first and then Misty, bulbasaur would be perfect until my other Pokémon get stronger. With a slight grin, gone so fast I doubt anyone saw it I turned towards Oak. As he handed me a Pokédex and 6 poke balls.
"Thanks Professor, see ya" with a two finger salute with my back to him.
"Take care Jace, make sure to input all your info onto the Pokédex, it should already label you as a sponsored trainer."
Walking down the winding steps to the dirt road, I take one last look at Pallet and then take my first step on my journey.
"Let's go Pancham"
"Pan!"