A man in his mid fifties stood looking out at the water, he wore a brown cowboy hat, a heavy jacket, and brown slacks. To his right stood his friend and fellow officer Ben Cane, and to his left a boy about six years old lay in the snow, making snow angels. His name was Jacob Brooks. "We'll be moving to the Hoenn Region in May." The man said to Ben. "Someday you'll explain all this to little Jake right?" Ben asked "Yeah, I will." Replied Jake's father. "Jake. Let's go home, I've got your Christmas present and I'll give it to you now if you promise to be good." Little Jake's eyes became the size of quarters. "Whatizzit, Whatizzit? I'll be good," he said as he jumped up and down like he was on springs. "Alright, here it is." He handed Jake a small ball shaped object in wrapping paper. After unwrapping it, Jake could clearly see that it was a pokeball. He pushed a little white button in the center, causing it to open up. Red light shone from inside the ball as a Pokemon appeared in front of him. It was a bluish-purple catlike Pokemon, and Jake knew exactly what it was. "Oh, wow a Shinx!!" Jake shouted with obvious joy. "His name's Rascal, he's followed me home the last three nights, and so last night I caught him for you." Jake's father said with a smile as he took his hat off and put it on Jake's head, which slid down below his eyes. Jake tilted it back so he could see and smiled back at his father. "Rascal an' me are gonna be champions, Daddy and nothing will stand in our way." 10 years later Standing on the deck of the S.S. Aqua, Jake Brooks stared into the great white void that enveloped the ship and the city they were pulling into. It was seven in the morning and the fog was just clearing, as the ship slid through the harbor with out hardly a sound, and slowly made its way into the port where Jake would get off and meet an old friend. Jake was 16 years old, wasn't slender yet he wasn't fat, but average more or less. He wore a blue jean jacket, a white t-shirt, blue jean pants, steel toe construction boots, and a brown cowboy hat. Jake’s pale gray eyes flickered. As the ship's crewman let down the ramp, Jake slung his olive green duffle bag over his shoulder and started down the ramp to dry land. It's been ten years, Jake thought to himself, as he eyed the town that lay before him. His father had been a detective here at that time, but (for reasons unknown to Jake) decided to leave Olivine City. Finally after thirty minutes had passed as Jake looked out over the water he heard: "I'm sorry Mr. Brooks but you’re loitering, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Jake whirled around to see a man with slightly graying hair, a brown suit, and a badge clipped to his belt that read "Olivine Police". With a grin Jake asked "And if I don't?" "I'll have to haul you downtown." The officer replied, also grinning. After a long silence Jake walked up to the officer and said, "How are you Uncle Ben." as he stretched out his hand to the older man. "Pretty good. And yourself?" "The years haven't been kind." Jake said thinking about his father. "I was sorry to hear about Big Jake." Ben said taking Jake's duffle bag, "He was a good cop, and a good friend." "Well now that I'm here let's get down to business," Jake snapped out of his sorrow and into work mode, "you said that you needed my help." "You've no doubt heard the news lately," Ben started. "Yeah, crimes involving theft in the Johto Region are going up." "Right and we need a trainer at the Pokemon League conference at Indigo Plateau who's working for the good guys." Ben finished Jake's sentence. "Why though?" asked Jake in a puzzled way. "We believe they're planning to hit all trainers who enter the Pokemon League tournament." Ben said as they walked into the Pokemon Center. "Nurse Joy this is my good friend Jake, and he hails all the way from Mauville City in the Hoenn Region, and I was wondering if you could let him spend the night here in the Pokemon Center." "Of course Chief Cane, we could let him stay here with us." Nurse Joy said with a warm smile. "How come I can't stay at your place Ben?" Jake asked. "I'm going to be out of town meeting with the other Chiefs of Police in the Johto Region for the next three days. Four days from now you better be ready to work, because were going to New Bark Town to get you registered for the Johto League." "Hey Ben," Jake said just as Ben was about to leave, "why me?" Ben smiled an old man's smile, "Because I thought you needed an excuse to challenge the Johto League." After Ben left, Nurse Joy showed Jake to his room, "You'll sleep here for the night." She said to him with yet another warm smile. Nurse Joy left the room and Jake began unpacking his bag. The contents included: a week's worth of clothes, a plate, fork, knife, spoon, and various other items. As he made sure everything was there he also made sure to shake the bag out. "Huh?" Jake said as a small black box about the size of a Nintendo DS fell onto the bed. Inside was one badge in the top left corner of the box, with a label under it that said Violet City. Jake went down stairs to Nurse Joy with the box. "Can I use your phone?" "Of course, it's for public use." She said with out looking at him. On the phone to the Olivine Police station, Jake listened to an automated voice prompt, while dialing the appropriate numbers. "Olivine Police Department, can I help you sir?" Jake looked up to see Officer Jenny on the screen smiling at him. "May I speak to Chief Cane please?" Jake asked looking down at the lone badge. "Certainly." She replied and in less than a second Ben was on the phone. "What do ya need Jake" said Ben in a lazy tone. "Can you tell me if my dad was a trainer before he was a cop?" Jake asked hoping for a straight answer. "Yeah, you found the case didn't you?" Ben said leaning forward. When Jake nodded he began his story, "When your father and I were a little younger than you we both took the Johto League Challenge. Your father picked Cyndaquil and I picked Charmander, and we both set off. Your father and I were quite the rivals back then; we couldn't even stand the sight of each other. When I finally got to the first stop on the map: Violet City, your father was already walking out of the Violet City Gym with the Thunderhead Badge, which was the badge back then because the Gym Leader was in to electric Pokemon. It's only become the Zephyr Badge in the last fifteen years." "Why didn't he get the other seven badges?" Jake asked now having more questions than he did before. "Something came up, I don't know exactly what." Ben answered in a nearly puzzled tone. "Listen kid, I gotta go, but I'll see you in about four days." "Thanks Ben." They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Jake went outside and down to the water, with the box in his hand, and stared out at the harbor. He looked down at his waist and put his hand on one of the two pokeballs that were clipped to it. Taking it from his waist, he summoned his friend Rascal. Jake stood on the shore where he and Rascal had first met, "Well buddy, we're goin' on a trip." He pulled his hat down tight, and grinned, "And nothing's stopping us now."