The room was filled with cheer and the sound of off key singing. Red sat there listening, clearly embarrassed at being sung to, as the two men across from him preformed a horrid rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song. Though thoroughly embarrassed, Red couldn't help but smile. Things had turned out better than he could ever have imagined and world of new possibilities stretched out before him.
"MAKE A WISH! MAKE A WISH! MAKE A WISH!" They chanted, waiting for Red to blow out the candles. Red looked down at the cake in front of him, it was frosted with blue and red icing, and thought of what to wish for.
What more could he possibly wish for? He thought, looking up at his family. He blew out the candles, wishing for nothing more than for his family to have wonder life.
"So I think we need to start compiling a list," August said between bites of cake. "We need to make sure we have everything before we leave. I would hate to be out there and get stuck in a situation where we needed something we had forgotten to bring. We need…" He trailed off, losing himself in thought, and started silently counting off things with his fingers.
"I think...Thank You," Red said, thanking Professor Oak and taking the piece of cake he offered. "I think we should first worry about obtaining our Trainer Licenses and how we plan on getting our first Pokemon since neither of us actually have one." Per the law, a person under the age of eighteen could not capture, carry, or battle with a Pokemon unless under the supervision of a licensed adult. Once a person had come of age they may apply for and obtain a Trainer License.
"Which reminds me." Red said, turning to Professor Oak. "How exactly do we get Trainer Licenses?"
"Well," Professor Oak started, swallowing his piece of cake before continuing. "You first need to seek out an Official Member of the Pokemon League and request a mentorship with that person. During this mentorship they will guide you on basic survival skills and the basics of being a Pokemon Trainer. Then once they have deemed you fully capable of handling yourself and your Pokemon, then you and your mentor can fill out the appropriate paperwork and send it into the Pokemon League."
The two boys sat there and just looked at Professor Oak, flabbergasted looks upon their faces. Professor Oak chuckled, seemingly to enjoy the looks they were giving him, and moved his seat back a little placing the bag from earlier in front of him.
"Thankfully for the both of you," He said, undoing the drawstring on the bag in front of him. "You have been receiving a mentorship from an Official Member of the Pokemon League for years ." He removed two small rectangular objects from the bag, one red and one blue, and handed one to each of the boys. "From me."
"You are a member of the Pokemon League?" Red ask, holding the red rectangular object in his hand and looking at it curiously. Ironically enough red was his favorite color.
"How did we not know this?" August asked, also studying the blue rectangular object in his hand. Blue had always been August's favorite color.
"Well for one neither of you had asked me," Professor Oak rummaging around in the bag again and produced a black lacquered box about a foot in length. "And two I may have purposely neglected to mentioned it to the two of you."
"But why?" Red asked, setting the red rectangle on the table. "I don't understand how us knowing would have been detrimental."
"I will admit that part of the reason I did not mention it to the both of you was for selfish reasons. I had hoped that removing the temptation of mentorship would keep you from wanting to become trainers, but I knew that at least one of you would leave when they came of age no matter what I tried. Knowing that I made sure to incorporate majority of what a mentor would teach you into your everyday lives without you even realizing it. This way the things you needed to know came naturally to you right from the beginning instead of later on in your journeys. Which brings me to the devices I just gave you." Professor Oak indicating the red and blue rectangular devices each of the boys had.
"What are these anyways?" August asked, clearly unsure of what he was holding.
"What you have in your hands is a device called a Pokedex. It is a resource tool for trainers that the Pokemon League and I have been working on for a long time. The two devices you hold in your hands are prototypes. I had them built in order for the two of you to field test them for..."
"So what do they do exactly?" August interjected, always the curious one.
"Well if you had just waited a moment long I had been about to tell you." He halfheartedly scolded August, shaking his head and smiling.
"The Pokedex was designed as a multi-purpose tool for trainers including a comprehensive index of all currently known Pokemon and various information regarding them as well as being a communication device and an Almanac containing maps, weather, locations, and information for wherever you travels may take you. It also has the ability to gather information from the Pokemon you encounter and add that information to the database. Right now the information is rudimentary at best which is why I am asking you to field test them."
"All that in such a small device?" Red asked, clearly impressed.
"Technology has come a long way over the last few years thanks to the Silph Company. It is with their help that I had been able to bring this concept into a reality. I will show you how to properly use them later so for now you can put them away. Now to move on to your true gift." Professor Oak indicated the black box he had set on the table.
"I thought long and hard as to what would be the first gift for the two of you and since I had expect this day would come sooner rather than later, I decided this would be the most appropriate gift." Professor Oak opened the black lacquered box and inside rested two shiny, red and white Pokeballs resting on a bed of white satin.
"Are those?!" Red began, the excitement at the sight of the Pokeballs seeming to have struck him speechless.
August had also stopped fiddling with the Pokedex, having ignored Professor Oak's request to put them away, at the sight of the Pokeballs.
"I spent a long time contemplating what would be the most appropriate Pokemon for the each of you and in the end I believe I have achieved just that." He handed each of the boys one of the Pokeballs and placed the now empty box back into the bag.
"Why don't we go outside and allow the two of you to meet your new companions?" He didn't have to tell the two of them twice for the had been out the door before he had even gotten up from his seat. Professor Oak laughed to himself, admiration at the two of them clear on his face, and went to join the two of them outside.
Not far from Professor Oak's Laboratory was a large open field that was frequently used by the town for various events. Today it was to be used as a meeting ground for two boys and their Pokemon.
Red stared at the Pokeball in his hand and could hardly contain his emotions. So much had happened since he had woken up this morning and he was becoming overwhelmed with all the different emotions. He couldn't believe how everything was playing out.
August was standing close by utilizing the Pokeballs function to shrink down to pocket size and return to normal.
The two of them waiting for Professor Oak to arrive.
Professor Oak arrived shortly after, his Pikachu having rejoined him on his shoulder, with an amused look on his face.
"I know you are anxious, but I have a few things I would like to say before we begin. From here on out I am to act as your Mentor first and your Father second. I have managed to teach you most of what you need to know before you become a trainer, but there are a couple of things we still need to cover. The first is how to capture a Pokemon. I know you know the general idea of how it works, but it is different when you actually do it. The second is Pokemon Battles. We will tackle both of these over the next few days, but for the rest of today I want the two of you to bond with your new companions. It is important for trainers, especially first time trainers, to develop strong bonds with their Pokemon. With that being said, August I would like for you to go first."
August had looked shocked for being asked to go first, Red had been as well, but Red knew they both knew that Professor Oak did nothing without a reason. August straightened himself up, wearing a face of total seriousness, and threw his Pokeball. The Pokeball soared through the air and landed upon the ground; opening in a display of light and depositing its contents before returning to his hands.
On the ground before him was a pink and blue Pokemon that resembled a duck made out of geometric blocks: a Porygon.
"How did you…? This is…" August had become completely speechless, something few have ever witness. "I don't know what to say...Thank You!"
"There is nothing you need to say for your reaction said it all and you are welcome. Now I believe it is Reginald's turn."
Now that it was his turn, Red could do nothing but stare down at the Pokeball in his hand. He had prepared for this day for so long that now that it was here if felt so surreal. Like at any moment he could wake up and discover that everything had been just a dream.
Well if this is a dream. He thought. I better make the most of it! With that in mind he smiled and threw the Pokeball into the air.
The Pokeball sailed threw the air and landed on the ground not far from Red. When Pokemon first appears from it's Pokeball it is nothing but a ball of light before quickly taking shape of the Pokemon and appearing as normal. He wasn't quite sure the science of it himself, but remembered once reading it dealt with a process that converted living organisms into a form that could be contained within a Pokeball. The Pokemon was now taking shape, the light fading as it finished, and Red dropped the Pokeball to the ground.
"Why…" He asked confused and hurt, backing away.
Before him stood a small orange, bipedal lizard with a small flame emanating from it's tail: a Charmander.
"Why would you do this…"
You are weak…
"How could you…"
This world is not for the weak…
Unable to handle the sight of the Charmander or the man he considered his father; Red ran as far away from them as he could. He had been wrong. This wasn't a dream...it was a nightmare.