Chapter 51 – A New Beginning
I was 12 years old when I began my second Pokemon journey, which was in Kanto, home of the originally discovered 150 Pokemon. After having taken off for a year so that May and I could breed Flamefox and Amber as a favor for Professor Oak, I was anxious to begin my journey through Kanto. Being at Professor Oak's lab and Pokemon sanctuary had given me the rare opportunity to train all of my Pokemon, a few each day, and get them leveled up. This time around, I would have a lot more well-trained Pokemon in my arsenal for switching out during my journey, giving me a great advantage! In my last few days at Professor Oak's lab, I got to see this year's new trainers come in for their Bulbasaurs, Squirtles, and Charmanders, Professor Oak's 3 Pokemon of choice for most beginner trainers. I could see the excitement in their eyes as they received their first Pokemon, pokeballs, and Pokedex – Professor Oak did not give out Pokegears like Professor Elm did. I, too, soon decided it was time to pack up, choose my 6 Pokemon, and get under way. Professor Oak had given me special dispensation to carry 7 Pokemon on my person a while back, as long as I only battled a maximum of 6 in official matches, so that Inferno could be with Firestorm, but I decided that I didn't want any special treatment, even if I was a gifted trainer. I hated to separate Flamefox and Firestorm, especially since Flamefox missed Amber so much. May was back home in Violet City, with Amber, relaxing from her Kanto League championship win. But bringing along 3 fire types was just too many of one type in my party, and I figured Firestorm and Inferno would enjoy some time off, so I decided they would stay here, at Professor Oak's.
The morning I was to leave, Flamefox, Firestorm, Inferno, and I were in my room at Professor Oak's, packing up some last minute things, when there was a knock at my door. "Come in" I said. The door opened, and in ran Amber! May walked in after her. "Wow, this is a surprise! What are you doing here, May?" I asked. She answered, "I just stopped by to see you off on your journey. And Amber really missed Flamefox." Amber had run over to Flamefox and they were licking each others faces. Then May said, "I see you're ready to go." I replied, "Yeah! I'm anxious to get started in Kanto! I can't wait to win my first badge!" Then I asked her, "So what are you going to do now? Go for the Johto League again – or the Orange Islands?" She answered, "Neither. I was only interested in winning one League championship. I want to learn more about Pokemon breeding next. But for now, I'm taking some time off, like you did." I said, "That's a good idea. Winning the League championship can take a lot out of you! To tell you the truth, I'm glad I took a year off. But don't give up on your training. Even though I took a year off, I still trained my Pokemon every day!" She replied, "Of course I'll keep up my Pokemon training. I want to keep them strong and in good shape. And it'll give me something to do while I travel with you in Kanto." I stopped packing and just stood there, stunned, looking at her. Then I asked, "Travel with me in Kanto?" She answered, "Yes! You don't know how much I missed you while I traveled through Kanto! No trainer should have to go it alone. It gets very lonely with no one to talk to. My Pokemon are good company, but I missed human contact." I then asked her, "But won't you get bored? I mean, you've already done this." She answered, "No way! I could never get bored travelling through the picturesque scenery of Kanto. And I can be your guide! It can be my way of paying you back for helping to guide me." I said, "Aw, May, you don't have to do that. I don't want to hold you back." She said, "You wouldn't be holding me back. I can still battle trainers and catch more Pokemon, even though I'm not entering the League. Now I don't want to hear another word – I'm going with you whether you like it or not!" I smiled at her and said, "Thanks, May. You really are a true friend!" She said, "As are you!" and she hugged me. Flamefox and Amber nuzzled, as did Firestorm and Inferno. Then May added, "Besides, I never want Flamefox and Amber to be apart ever again!" I said to her, "You know, that gives me an idea, that is, if it's okay with you." She asked, "What is it?" I answered, "I was going to leave Firestorm and Inferno behind so that they could be together. If I brought them and Flamefox, I'd have 3 fire types, which would leave me at a big disadvantage." She said, "That's true. But Professor Oak said you can carry 7 Pokemon with you, as long as you only use 6 in battle." I said, "Yeah, but I don't like having special treatment from other trainers. After all, we're in this together." She said, "I see your point." I continued, "But since you're coming along and not battling in the League, you could take Inferno along as one of your Pokemon!" She said, "That would be fine! I was only going to bring my fire types, anyway. I have Amber, Fierymane, and Redfur. Inferno is more than welcome to join my party." To that I said, "Thanks again, May! You're the best!"
After I finished packing, I put on my backpack and decided which 6 Pokemon I was bringing with – Flamefox and Firestorm, along with Tauros, Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Fearow for now. However, this journey, I would end up doing much more switching out of Pokemon than I had in Johto. Anyway, I said goodbye to Gary and Daniel. They wished me good luck. Daniel loved helping us raise the Vulpix pups, and he petted Flamefox and Amber quite a bit before we left – Vulpix was his favorite Pokemon, too, and I had a feeling that Professor Oak would get him one someday, when he began his first Pokemon journey. But he was only 7 right now, so he had to wait a few more years. Anyway, Mrs. Ketchum and Ash also stopped by to see us off! Ash was now 9 years old – in another year, he'd be starting his first Pokemon journey! I'm sure he was excited about that! Professor Oak walked with us to the edge of town. He said, "Kanto is home to the original 150 Pokemon. I'm sure you'll run into all sorts that you didn't see in Johto. Now remember, if you need anything, call me." I said, "Will do! Thank you, Professor Oak, for everything!" He replied, "You're quite welcome! But I should really be thanking you. If not for you and May, I might not have had a breeding pair of Vulpixes this year. Take good care of them and keep training them well!" We both responded, "We will! Thanks, Professor!" With that, we were off! I walked with Flamefox and Firestorm, and May walked with Amber, Redfur, and Inferno. Once May and I were pretty far out of town, I released Tauros and she released Fierymane, and we each mounted onto our Pokemon's backs and we headed into Kanto, a whole new world for me and my Pokemon!
As our Pokemon galloped us along, I said to May, "I almost forgot how it feels – to begin a new Pokemon journey, I mean." She said, "Yeah! It's exciting, isn't it? You never know what sort of adventures will be coming your way!" I said, "Maybe there's some cool Pokemon in the wild areas up ahead that I can catch!" May said, "I hate to disappoint you, but mostly there are just Pidgeys, Spearows, Rattattas, Mankeys, Nidorans, and a bunch of bug types – mostly beginner stuff!" I said, "Oh. Well, you never know – maybe we'll run into something!"
Riding through the forested route that led to Viridian City, I thought I saw something yellowish-brown sitting in a tree. My first impression was a Beedrill! I said, "Get ready, Flamefox!" May asked, "What is it? What do you see?" I answered, "I think there's a Beedrill up ahead in that tree. I just want to be safe, in case there's a nest!" May looked and said, "That isn't a Beedrill! Look closer!" I took my binoculars out from my backpack and looked. "May, I can't believe it! That's an Abra!" She said, "That's what I thought! But there aren't any Abras around for miles!" I said, "He must have lost his way! I'm gonna try to catch him!" May said, "Abras are tricky to catch! They can teleport to safety." I said, "He's asleep! We'll just take him by surprise!" Then I turned to Flamefox and said, "You're up, boy! Sneak up on him, then hit him with a flamethrower!" Flamefox quickly and quietly ran ahead, and stopped under the tree where Abra was asleep on a branch. He crouched down, then let loose his flamethrower attack from his mouth! He hit the Abra, and he fell from the tree! I shouted, "Good, Flamefox! Use quick attack!" He shot at Abra in a blur, but Abra dematerialized before us! "Rats! He used teleport!" I shouted. May said, "I told you!" Suddenly, the Abra re-materialized a few feet away. I said, "This might require team effort!" I tossed out a pokeball and shouted, "Go, Fearow!" Fearow materialized in flight, and I shouted, "Use drill peck!" Fearow flew down at Abra from behind, and knocked him over with a volley of pecks from his beak! He then circled around, and flew at Abra again. Abra vanished again! I said, "Exactly what I hoped! Flamefox, use dig! You know what to do!" As Flamefox used his brown paws to quickly burrow underground, May asked, "I don't get it! How can Flamefox attack Abra using dig if he doesn't know where he will re-materialize?" I replied, "Back in Johto, I learned a special skill Flamefox has. We took part in a random target contest, where targets popped up from the ground at random. Flamefox anticipated each and every target perfectly and won! I found out he is very good at anticipating targets. I can guarantee that wherever Abra appears, Flamefox will find him. Suddenly, Abra materialized in a tree branch above us! May said, "So much for that theory!" Just then, Flamefox shot up from the ground in a fury of dirt and slammed into the Abra in the tree, taking him completely by surprise! May said, "On the other hand…" Abra was now sufficiently weakened, and as he lay on the ground, I tossed an empty pokeball at him. The light of the pokeball engulfed him, and he was captured! "Yes! Excellent work, Flamefox and Fearow!" I shouted, and Flamefox leapt into my arms for a hug. The pokeball dematerialized, being sent directly to Professor Oak's lab. May said, "Good catch, Joe!" I said, "Thank you. Not bad for just starting out in Kanto!" Then I recalled Fearow and took out my Pokegear. "What are you doing?" May asked. I answered, "Calling Professor Oak. I want to start training that Abra, so I'm going to switch out Fearow for a bit." Professor Oak answered his phone and said, "Hello, Joe. I just got the Abra you sent me. He's a wily little fellow! We had a hard time getting him back into his pokeball after we treated him for his battle with you. In fact, I had to have an Alakazam disable his teleport ability." I said, "Well, I'd like to switch out Fearow for him." Professor Oak said, "Very well, but be careful. Psychic Pokemon can be difficult to train." I replied, "I think I'm up for the challenge." Professor Oak said, "Okay, you know the drill – put Fearow's pokeball on your pokedex and press the white button and the balls will be switched. I did so, and soon, Abra's pokeball was in my hand. I said, "This is great! I never trained a psychic type before!" May said, "They can be very mysterious and elusive. It might not be easy." I said, "I've beaten enough of them in my battles. I think I can handle training one." Then I released him, saying, "Go, Abra!" He materialized from his pokeball, and I said, "Okay, Abra. I've never trained a psychic type Pokemon before, but I think we'll get along just fine! Let's do some training!" With that, he vanished! "Abra!" I shouted. "Vulpix!" Flamefox said. "What is it, boy?" I asked. He pointed ahead, and there was Abra up in a tree. I shouted, "Abra, come back!" As we ran towards him, he vanished again! "I don't belive this!" I shouted. May said, "I told you they can be elusive!" We ran after him – he kept vanishing, then reappearing in trees, like he was toying with us! As we ran ahead, there was another Pokemon trainer! He said, "Hi, I'm Max! Wanna battle?" I answered, "I would, but I can't right now! My Abra has run off!" He laughed and asked, "What kind of trainer can't keep his own Pokemon in check?" I said, "For your information, I won the Johto League championship a year ago!" He said, "Sure you did! And I caught a Moltres!" I said, "That does it! Abra missing or not, I'll battle you!" Then I said, "Go, Flamefox!" and my Vulpix took a battle ready stance! Max shouted, "Go, Mankey!" and released the fighting monkey-like Pokemon from it's pokeball. He shouted, "Mankey, use low kick!" to which I responded, "Flamefox, use agility!" Flamefox easily dodged the attack. Then I ordered, "Flamefox, use body slam!" Max shouted, "Use your body slam, too, Mankey!" My Vulpix and Max's Mankey ran at each other, but before they reached each other, Abra materialized between both of them! He made them each stop in their tracks with a confusion attack, levitating them into the air! "Abra, stop it!" I shouted. He released them from the attack and they each landed safely on the ground. Max said, "I'll show you! Mankey, hit that Abra with your karate chop!" Mankey ran at Abra, but he teleported before Mankey reached him, then reappeared behind him! Mankey kept trying to hit him, but he kept appearing and disappearing! I shouted, "Abra, use your disable!" He listened to me, and Mankey couldn't move! I said, "Now use psybeam!" He launched a beam of psychic energy at Mankey, which knocked him out! Max said, "That's not fair, using 2 Pokemon to battle against one!" I replied, "Flamefox didn't really battle – he didn't get in any attacks. Abra did all the work. Incidentally, good work, Abra!" Abra looked at me and I said, "Welcome to the team!" With that, he vanished again! Max recalled Mankey and said, "Well, you are a strong trainer, but your Pokemon obedience skills need work." With that, he walked away. I said, "I don't get it! Abra battled for me and obeyed my every order, but then he vanished!" May said, "Psychic Pokemon are very elusive and tricky. I told you that. But I really think he likes you. He just has a funny way of showing it." We mounted back onto our riding Pokemon, and continued ahead, towards Viridian City. Abra, although out of his pokeball, kept following us, disappearing and reappearing in the trees.
We spent the night camping in the woods. May and our Pokemon had fallen asleep, but I was still awake. I could see Abra sitting on the limb of a tree by the firelight. I climbed up the tree, and sat on the same limb. I said, "It's okay. I won't try anything." We both sat there, watching the fire, the sleeping Pokemon, and May, who was asleep in her sleeping bag, with Amber. I said to him, "I don't know what to make of you. I'm glad to have you on my team, and you are very good in battle, but why are you so quick to vanish?" He just sat there, and I said, "I've never trained a psychic Pokemon before, as I already told you, but I'd like to believe I'm capable. I just hope I live up to being a worthy trainer for you." He moved closer to me and put his claw down on my hand and nodded. I said, "But next time, please don't just jump into someone else's battle." He nodded once more, then vanished again. I said, "Good night, Abra. Thanks." I felt at that moment he had accepted me as his trainer, but he still needed to be a free spirit, so I respected his wishes.