Season One, Episode 1
Fly
A Pokemon Center - one of dozens in the sprawling metropolis that is Saffron City - and just as much of a shelter for battered trainers as it is for their injured Pokemon.
We move around the lobby to look at the various people inside. A man slumps over in a chair, asleep, with his Ponyta resting beside him. An older woman carries a large tub of dirt with a lone Diglett popping up. Alone, in the corner, sitting on the floor, is Troy.
Troy is maybe 20, thin, longer blonde hair, and sloppily dressed. Definitely not a contender for Pokemon Master. But there's an air of concern in his eyes. He's carrying a bundle of some kind, and as we move in closer we see that it's a Pidgey. Badly injured. Whatever scrap these two got into, it was a bad one. The lobby is quiet, save for the other man's snoring, but a quiet ding lets us know someone is about to enter the lobby. Dr. Christian, a well-built black man, maybe early 60's walks through a sliding door.
Dr. Christian (to Troy): Are you ready?
Dr. Christian's office is well-organized and sterile, a sharp contrast to Troy and Pidgey in their current state. The doctor checks various vitals on his observation table. Pidgey breathes heavily, letting out the occasional coo. Troy stands in the corner.
Dr. Christian: You told the nurse when you came in that you'd been attacked by…
He glances at his notes.
Dr. Christian: Multiple Primapes?
The two of them lock eyes. Troy's face tells the doctor all he needs to know.
Dr. Christian: I see.
As he continues to examine the Pidgey, Dr. Christian's face grows more and more concerned. He glances at Troy, trying to communicate that things might not be okay.
Dr. Christian: Route 7 is dangerous, son. Has been for a while. Frankly, choosing not to run away when this attack started was irresponsible.
Troy just stands there, taking that in. He flinches a little at that comment. This is all his fault.
Troy: Can I…can I make it right?
He looks down at the Pidgey. Its breathing has slowed. It's grown silent.
Troy: I need him to make it.
Dr. Christian: I can handle a Pokemon with battle-scars, son, but your Pidgey here -
Troy moves forward, towards the table, in a display of energy we have not yet seen from the young man.
Troy (interrupting him): What about, like, a hyper potion? Or, or a -
Dr. Christian: You use a hyper-potion after a gym battle, a friendly duel. Not after you let your Pokemon get ripped apart by wild animals.
Troy breathes in. Acceptance starts to wash over him. But that doesn't mean he'll quit. He looks at the doctor with a seriousness in his eye we haven't seen before.
Troy: Then let me say goodbye or tell me what I need to do.
Dr. Christian sighs as he takes a seat at the small desk-space in the office. He adjusts his glasses, pokes at a few things on the tablet in front of him.
Dr. Christian: There's an experimental treatment used, with some success, on flying Pokemon. To my knowledge, it hasn't been tested on a Pidgey in this condition, but if you have the resources, there's no reason why we couldn't give it a shot.
Troy: Experimental. So can you do it?
Dr. Christian: Well - it's not illegal and it's not necessarily unsafe. And in all honesty -
He turns to look at the broken Pidgey.
Dr. Christian (continuing): - your Pidgey needs a miracle. The technique is pretty simple.
Dr. Christian reaches into a drawer and pulls out a small disc - a Hidden Machine.
Dr. Christian: The DNA of a Pokemon is extremely versatile and we can use digital data to alter or unlock the potential of that DNA. Some colleagues of mine have experimented on using these to reboot a Pokemon's entire physical state - healing parts of the Pokemon that were otherwise out of reach to modern medicine.
Troy: So that -
He points to the disc.
Troy: That can save him?
Dr. Christian slides the disc back into the drawer. We see Troy's eyes follow it.
Dr. Christian: That's an HM 04. It might do the trick, but to be certain we'd need an HM 02. That one is specifically tailored to flying-types like your Pidgey.
Troy: So you have one?
Dr. Christian stands up, starts packing his things to leave. He shakes his head.
Dr. Christian: I'm afraid not, son. We'd need special funding - this is experimental after all. You want an HM, you've got to go to the source. Luckily for us -
He opens the blinds near where Troy is standing. Looming in distance is the tallest skyscraper in the city - the headquarters of Silph Co.
Dr. Christian: It's right down the road. We can keep your Pidgey comfortable here. Your best bet? Talk to Silph and tell them about your Pokemon. Maybe someone in that tower has a soul.
The doctor gives one last glance at the Pidgey.
Dr. Christian: You've got maybe two days. I'm sorry.
He leaves the room, leaving Troy to look onward at Sliph Co. in the distance.
The Silph Co. lobby is massive, with a half dozen reception desks, and businessmen moving in and out of elevators. Just like in the Pokemon Center, Troy stands out here - the odd man out. He approaches a desk.
Troy: I'm looking for someone who can help me get an HM? It's for a Pokemon I have at the Pokemon Center down the road.
Receptionist: Okay, just one second.
She gives Troy a thorough glance-over as she types at her desk.
Receptionist: And you…work for a Pokemon Center?
Troy: No, I just have a hurt Pokemon and -
Receptionist: So are you…with a university? Or a professor?
Troy: No. The doctor at the Pokemon Center -
Receptionist: I'm sorry, sir. We're not a Pokemart. Have a nice day.
Troy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of money. Given the looks of him, it's probably all he has.
Troy: Please. Is there a professor nearby who -
Receptionist: I'm very sorry about your Pokemon. But this is not a storefront and you are holding up a line.
Troy turns his head. Several business-types are behind him.
Receptionist: I'm really going to have to ask you to leave.
It's night time now, rain pouring across a crowded apartment complex. One door opens and a man steps out, shrouded in tight-fitting dark clothes and a cap. It's Troy. He walks down the stairs, onto the ground level, not seeming to mind the rain.
In his right hand, we see a Poke Ball.
He walks past a ramen cart, a post office, and a Poke Mart. The rain picks up and we can see the Silph building looming in the distance, getting closer and closer.
Eventually, Troy makes it to Silph. The main entrance is locked - he won't even try that. He makes his way down an alley looking for a side entrance. He finds one, but it's an exit-only. No handle, no way to get in. He gets down on his knees and tries to pull the door ajar from the bottom. No luck. Then, from the other side of the door, he hears steps.
Quickly, he runs to hide behind a nearby dumpster.
Out of the door comes a janitor, an old man with a bag of trash. He wedges the door open with a tool, tosses the bag, and makes his way back.
We see Troy press his Poke Ball firmly on the man's back.
Troy: There's an Arbok in here. Try me.
Janitor: If you want money, kid, I'm the wrong guy to rob.
Troy: Shut the fuck up. Close your eyes and count to ten.
The old man raises a brow, thinks about calling the bluff, but complies.
Janitor: One…two…three..
The door shuts.
Inside the building, Troy nervously sneaks around the hall. Making his way into the entrance lobby he was in before, he approaches an empty desk. Everyone is gone. He pulls his hat low as he notices security cameras pointing towards the door.
He taps on the computer in front of him, but he's prompted for a password. He opens a drawer, yanks out a folder, and looks through the various papers. Finally he finds what he's looking for - a building directory.
His finger scans the list before it lands on 'Pokemon Machine Research Lab - Floor 4.'
He slips the folder back in the drawer and approaches an elevator.
The elevator opens on the fourth floor and out walks Troy. The lights are all off - except for one office at the end of the hall. Whistling can be heard. Troy isn't alone.
Immediately, he runs into the closest room. There's a beat as we look on at the empty hallway until a Silph employee pokes his head out.
He looks around, wondering why the elevator would go off.
Employee: Hello?
Nothing.
Satisfied, he returns to the office.
In the room, Troy is hugging his back to the wall. He waits maybe twenty seconds and then gets to work pulling out drawers. Most are filled with discs like the doctor pulled out and are neatly labeled. HM 01…HM 02. He snatches it out of the drawer and puts it in his pocket.
Then, the elevator dings.
A security guard steps out.
Guard: Hello?
The employee from before walks out of his office, confused at first, but relieved to see the guard. He walks out into the hall to talk to him, both men standing by the room Troy is in.
Employee: Oh, hey Marty.
Guard: You're late this evening! Wife giving you trouble again?
Employee: Nah, just catching up on some of this paperwork. I should've listened when they told me not to get into management
Guard: Listen, I ran into Vito out back. One of the custodians? He said some punk used him to get in here. Probably one of those 'Save the Pokemon' types. One thing after the other in this place.
Employee: Yeah? I'll tell you what - that elevator just went off a few minutes ago. I thought it was you.
Immediately, the guard looks suspicious and turns to face the entrance of the room Troy is in. He notices one of the drawers ajar. He reaches to his belt and pulls out a Poke Ball. He throws it against the wall and out comes a Growlithe.
Guard: The noses on these things. Watch this.
The Growlithe immediately starts sniffing into the room. We follow it in, but it's empty. The Pokemon doesn't hold up though. It circles around the room a few times before stopping in front of a low cabinet, letting out a loud bark.
The guard walks in, turns the light on.
Guard: You got something buddy?
He stops by the cabinet and squats down, patting his Growlithe.
Guard: Let's see here…
He reaches out, opens the cabinet…revealing a hunched up Troy inside.
The police interrogation room is cramped, just big enough to fit a handcuffed Troy and Officer Jenny of the SCPD. Several finely polished great balls line her belt. She leans over the desk glaring down at her suspect, while Troy slumps over, defeated.
Jenny: So we've got breaking and entering, threatening someone with a Pokemon, attempted theft…you're looking at up to five years in jail, young man.
She waits a second - hoping to get something, anything out of Troy.
Jenny: Giving me the silent treatment isn't going to do anything. You've got no parents on record, no job, and as far as I can tell, no Pokemon. You should know how Saffron feels about drifters.
She huffs, really hoping she can pull a confession out of this guy. He looks dead inside. By getting caught, Troy has sentenced his Pidgey to death.
Jenny: You'll be put in a holding cell if you won't talk to me. Are you sure there isn't anything you have to say?
She turns her back, puts her hand on the door.
There's a beat. And then, something happens. Troy's eyes widen. Hope.
Troy: I want to call my lawyer.
Jenny turns around, a look of astonishment on her face.
Jenny: You? Have a lawyer?
Flashing back to the Pokemon Center as Troy enters with his injured Pidgey. He speaks to the receptionist, who advises him to wait for a doctor. It might be a while. He trudges to the corner and sits on the floor. Above him, a TV set plays for those in the waiting room. As the TV cuts to another commercial, we zoom in and see exactly what Troy sees.
The commercial is poorly shot, poorly edited, and, to the casual observer, completely asinine. It opens with a man, sitting on his bed, in boxer shorts.
Man: I was training my Jinx, minding my own business, when the cops showed up!
Animated jail bars appear over the man as his wardrobe changes to an orange jumpsuit.
Man: I better call Saul!
Another vignette - this time a man in a fine dining restaurant. A woman next to him is dressed in an imitation 'sexy' cop costume.
Man: How was I supposed to know I was eating Slowpoke tail?
Woman: You're under arrest!
Man: I better call Saul!
There's a flip edit to a man, dressed flamboyantly, sitting on a desk. His hair is a weird combination of mullet and combover. He dramatically tears off his glasses and points to the camera.
Saul: Hi, I'm Saul Goodman. Did you know that you and your Pokemon have rights? The region charter says you do - and so do I. I believe that until proven guilty, every man, woman, child and Pokemon in this nation is innocent. And that's why I fight for you, Kanto!
We cut to Troy as he watches, seemingly bored, and pan once again to the same patients at the Pokemon center we saw at the beginning of the episode.
A wide shot of the Pokemon Center encompasses everyone until we hear the gentle ding of the door. Just as before, Doctor Christian emerges from the sliding doors.
Dr. Christian (to Troy): Are you ready?