CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
  The light burned my awakening eyes into attention. I jumped up and through my 
blankets and comforters off, tripping to the ground. Today would be the first day of my 
Pokemon adventure, and I couldn’t be more excited. I would make my way to Professor 
Maple’s laboratory and he would give me my first Pokemon. 
  I threw on a black t-shirt, camouflage cargo shorts, and a black baseball cap over my 
sandy blonde hair, and ran downstairs where my parents and breakfast awaited me.
  “Good morning.” I said to them both, after sitting down and beginning to scarf down my 
food.
  “Good morning, Tanner.” Dad replied.
  Then, Mom looked at me as if she had an idea.
  “Tanner,” she began “Why don’t you take our little neighbor boy Adrien over to 
Maple’s lab? He would love to go and since he’s only seven years old, it could be a great 
experience for him.” 
  I stared at my mother in disbelief. I couldn’t believe she just said that.
  “Mom, why would I take him? He’s an idiot! I hate that kid!” I cried.
  “Tanner, you know he would like to go and watch you get your first Pokemon.”
  I leaned back in my chair, angry.
  “Fine, I’ll take the little brat.”

  After I finished my breakfast, I packed up my backpack with potions and antidotes and 
Pokeballs, and headed down the road. As I approached Adrien’s house, I shuttered in 
hatred. I walked up to his front door and knocked.
  Almost immediately, the door flung open and there little Adrien stood, wearing a pink 
tie-dyed t-shirt and orange shorts. His face was young and curious, and full of youth.
  “Hey Tanner!!!” He cried, jumping up and hugging me.
  I shortly hugged him back, and then pushed him away.
  “Hey, Adrien…” I forced myself to say.
  He looked up at me with youthful and big eyes. I struggled to ask him the question that 
my mother had demanded me to ask.
  “Do you want to come with me to Professor Maple’s lab?” I asked.
  Adrien’s little face lit up like Christmas tree lights.
  “Yes, Tanner! I would love to see you get your first Pokemon!” Adrien exclaimed.
  He and I departed from his house and continued on down the short path to Professor 
Maple’s extravagant laboratory that seemed very out of place with the suburban 
atmosphere of Pallet Town’s calm country side. The lab was huge, with various 
environment-friendly features such as a sunroof and other solar powered things.
  Adrien and I knocked on the door. After sounds of shuffling inside, Professor Maple 
greeted us with a smile. He was wearing a white lab coat and khaki pants. He was around 
sixty and had gray, balding hair.
  “Hello, Tanner! I knew you would be coming by!” He shook my hand and looked 
skeptically down at Adrien.
  “This is my friend Adrien,” I said, “He’s seven years old and he wants to be a Pokemon 
trainer someday.”
  Professor Maple grinned and leaned down so he could look into Adrien’s eyes.
  “Hi, Adrien! Nice to meet you. I’m sure Tanner is very happy that you came along to 
see him get his very first Pokemon!”
  “I want a Pidgey!!! Pidgey is the best Pokemon in the world!!!!” Adrien blurted.
  I elbowed Adrien and spat, “Shut up, idiot. Make a good impression.” 
  Professor Maple laughed, “Adrien, I will give you your very own Pokeball and maybe 
you can catch a Pidgey someday. They are all around this area, all you have to do is 
believe that you can do it, and you will have your very own Pidgey.” 
  “Yay!!!” Adrien screamed.
  As we made our way inside, I couldn’t help but notice countless pieces of Pokemon 
memorabilia all over Maple’s lounge area. I also noticed Professor Maple’s trusty 
Pokemon Furret and Xatu, the first two Pokemon he ever caught from his notorious Johto 
journeys from years ago, walking around as they pleased.
  Maple led us upstairs to where all of his scientific work happened. There were many 
machines and computers all around. Adrien immediately wondered off as Professor 
Maple and I proceeded to the back of the room where there was a table with three 
Pokeballs on it.
  “The first holds the grass Pokemon Bulbasaur. The second ball holds the fire Pokemon 
Charmander. The third holds the water Pokemon Squirtle. You may choose one to begin 
your journey with.” Professor Maple said.
  I looked down at the three balls. I already knew which one I would choose. I reached 
out and took the second ball. Charmander was mine.
  “I see,” Maple said, “You chose Charmander. That’s an interesting choice.” 
  I held the ball in the palm of my hand. I felt as if I was going through a rebirth, and my 
life was starting over here.
  “Can I name it?” I asked.
  “Of course!” Maple laughed, “Name all your Pokemon! It makes them grow closer to 
you. By the way, that Charmander is a female. I raised it from an egg myself.”
  I thought for a moment. I wanted to think of a cool name that my new friend would like. 
I also wanted the name to have meaning.
  “I’ll name her Charai!” I announced. I directed the ball to the floor, “Charai, I choose 
you!” 
  A blast of red energy protruded from the red and white sphere, and an orange, lizard-
like creature with a flame at the end of its tale stood on the floor. She smiled.
  “Char!” She said.
  I patted her head. 
  “Nice to meet you, Charai. You’re my first Pokemon.”
  As Charai and I made acquaintances, the professor noticed that Adrien was in the corner 
of the lab, eyeing a shelf full of many different kinds of Pokeballs. Professor Maple 
walked over to Adrien.
  “I almost forgot, Adrien,” Maple said, “I was supposed to give you an empty Pokeball 
so you can catch a Pidgey!” 
  Adrien beamed at Maple with his large, youthful stare.
  Maple took a normal, red Pokeball from the shelf and handed it to Adrien.
  “Here you go!” 
  Adrien held the ball as if it were a million coins.
  “Thank you sir!” Adrien hugged Professor Maple.
  Maple smiled and patted Adrien’s back in a fatherly manner.
  I came over with Charai at my side and shook Maple’s hand.
  “Thank you for this opportunity, sir. I won’t let you down.” I stated in gratitude.
  “No problem, young man! You are a strapping lad and you will be a great Pokemon 
trainer!” 
  Professor Maple and I left the lab but Adrien stayed for a moment. He then looked up at 
the Pokeball shelf again, and noticed a blue Pokeball with a capital ‘M’ in the middle.
  “Shiny!” He said, and he put the red Pokeball he received from Maple back on the shelf, 
and took the blue Master Ball instead.

TO BE CONTINUED…