Chapter 1

   Bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong!  The
giant clock tower gonged twelve o’clock am.  Tony was officially twelve years old;
officially old enough to become a Pokemon trainer.  

   At six o’clock in the morning, Tony arrived at the Pallet Town Pokemon
Laboratory.  He climbed the stair case and walked through the automatic doors into
the building.   The walls were lined with gigantic machines and computers with
glowing lights and screens.  There was a single desk with an expensive pc on it.  
Tony walked into the next room and found several more desks.  The next room was
small and plain.  Tony approached a single circular table in the center of the room.  
Upon it were three Pokeballs.  

   "Excuse me.  Can I help you, sir?" an old man of about 60 walked into the
room.  Tony recognized him instantly as Professor Charles Oak, Kanto’s top
Pokemon professor.

   "Yes, my name is Tony Katum.  I’m here for my training license and
Pokemon."

   "I don’t think so.  Riffraff like you don’t get privileges like that.  You could
never be a worthy Pokemon trainer, much less a Master."

   "You can’t do that.  I’m twelve years old.  By law you have to give me my
Pokemon trainer’s license and my Pokemon.  I haven’t done anything wrong!"

   "Fine, I’ll give you your license."  Oak retrieved a plastic card from a drawer
and slipped it into a wrist computer.  Then he aimed it at Tony and clicked a button.  
A flash told Tony his picture had just been taken.  Oak told the computer Tony’s
name, birthday (which he got from Tony), and Oak’s virtual signature, which he
wrote on the screen with a stylus pen.  The card popped back out of the computer
and into Oak’s other hand.

   "Here," Oak said, handing it to Tony.  "However, I do not have to give you a
starting Pokemon: I choose to give that to people.  You, however, I don’t.  I would
be the laughing stalk of the League, giving a Pokemon to a street rat.  Now, get the
heck out of here."

   Tony spun around and headed for the door, then turned back to say, "I’m
gonna prove you wrong.  Just to show you, I will become a Pokemon Master, the
best one ever!  You’ll see.  Smell ya later, Snob!"  The doors swished open and Tony
walked out of the building.

   I’ll show him, Tony thought.  He’ll see.  He slid the Pokemon license into his
pocket.  He needed a Pokemon, but he didn’t have enough money to buy a
pokeball"

   Duh.  Tony retrieved his old Pokeball and clicked the bottom to enlarge it.  
Ready or not, ‘cuz here I come.  Tony replaced the Pokeball into his pocket and took
off to the shore.  

   Barefooted and shirtless, Tony stood in the sand facing the ocean.  He threw
three berries into the water.  They floated there for a while, bobbing up and down in
the gentle current.  Finally, a round blue head popped up and pulled the berries
under water.  It had been too quick for Tony to tell what it was.  He expected it was
a Tentacool, but couldn’t be sure.  He retrieved his Pokeball and two more berries.  
He held the ball up, ready to throw, and tossed the berries into the water with the
other hand.  They plunked into the water and almost immediately were seized by
the blue head.  Tony hurled the Pokeball at it.  The Ball bounced of the head,
opened up, and sucked the Pokemon into it in a red beam of energy.   The ball
jerked back into Tony’s palm.  It shook several times before halting.  

   "Yes!"  Tony held the ball high in victory.  "I did it!  Now I can really show
that stupid Professor.  Go Pokemon!" he threw the Pokeball which
burst and shot out white energy that formed into Squirtle.  It stood about two feet
high, almost a foot taller than most Squirtles.  Blue in color, with a brown shell,
Squirtle was a perky little Pokemon.

   "Squirtle" it shouted, excitedly.  

   "Hey, Squirtle.  I’m your new trainer.  I need you to help me become the best
Pokemon Master in the world.  How ‘bout it?"

   "Squirtle!"

   "I’ll take that as a yes."

                   *   *   *

       Tony and Squirtle started down the route to Viridian City.  Tony was
keeping an eye out for any Pokemon to aid his journey, while Squirtle was
chomping on berries.

   "Hey, what’s that smoke over there from?  Do you think there’s a fire?"
Tony asked.

   "Squirtle, Squirt!" Squirtle exclaimed as they hurried to the source of the
smoke.

   "There it is," Tony said, pointing at a cave that the smoke was coming out of
a hole at the top.  They rushed toward it but stopped dead when they heard voices.  
   The first voice sounded as if it was over a com unit or radio. "You left the
ransom note, right men?"
   "Yes sir," two voices said in unison.  
   "Good.  You stay there for the night, and then bring the girl to the base
tomorrow.  Over and out."
   "Over and out."
   Tony and Squirtle stood stunned.  Ransom?  That meant there was someone
in there that needed their help.  They silently agreed and tipped toed to the cave,
peering around the side.  Two men clad in black and white horizontally striped
shirts, blue pants, black gloves and shoes, and blue bandanas with white A’s on the
front.  Behind them against the far cave wall was a brown haired girl, gagged and
tied to a chair.
   Tony jumped into the cave, followed by Squirtle.  "Squirtle, get them!"  
Immediately the two men jumped up in front of the girl and both hurled purple and
white Master Balls forward, which burst to reveal Poochyena, a small grey and
black dog, and Koffing a floating purple ball of gas.
   "Koffing, Sludge Attack!" commanded the first man.
   "Poochyena, Tackle Attack!" commanded the second.  Poochyena hurled
himself at Squirtle, who leaped out of the way easily.  Koffing poured a purple spout
of nasty sludge. Bull’s-eye!  Squirtle was blasted into the cave wall.
   "Squirtle, Water Gun!"  Squirtle hopped up and blasted both enemy
Pokemon with water.  They fell to the ground, unconscious.
   "What?  Beaten my a little brat kid?  I don’t believe this," the first of the
men said.   Tony stood, ready to sick Squirtle on the men.  "You haven’t heard the
last of Team Aqua.  Come on George, we’re out." The men left the cave swiftly.

   Tony rushed over the captive girl and began untying her.  She was bound
amazingly professional.  Tony had untied all of the binds except the ones bonding
her hands and feet to the chair.  He struggled with them but couldn’t.  Muffled
shouts told him he had forgotten to undo her gag.  He did so, and she said, "Grab
my Pokeball from my backpack and release Aipom." Tony nodded and retrieved
the Ball from the one-pouched backpack.
   "Go, Aipom."  The Pokeball freed a small purple monkey with big ears and a
giant hand on its tail.  
   "Aipom, aipom!" The Pokemon used its handed tail to easily untie the knots.  
The girl leaped out of her chair and hugged Tony big, then did the same with
Aipom.
   "Who are you?"  Tony asked.  "Why did those guys have you hostage."
   "My name’s Nikki Tailor, and to make a long story short, the wanted money
and Pokemon from my parents.  What’s your name?"
   "Tony," Tony said simply.  "Where are you from?"
   "Viridian City," she answered.
   "Cool, that’s just where I’m heading.  You want to walk with me?"
   "Sure."  As she stood up, Tony got a good look at her.  She was awfully
attractive: medium length brunette hair pulled into a bun full of lose hairs hanging
off of it, deep chocolate eyes and a curved figure to die for.  She wore a white
sleeveless shirt and faded bellbottom jeans.  
   Tony returned Squirtle and he, Nikki, and Aipom set off to Viridian City.
                   *   *   *

   "There’s my house," Nikki told Tony.   Tony looked around.
   "Is it behind the mansion?" Tony asked.
   Nikki, slightly embarrassed, answered, "No, um, it is the mansion."
   "Wow," Tony gasped.  It was bigger than the Pokemon Lab in Pallet City.  
Viridian City was also full of houses, shops, supermarkets, a Pokecenter, a
Pokemart, and the Trainer House.  
   "Come on!" exclaimed Nikki.  "My parents will be worried sick."  She took
of running toward the house and Tony followed after her.  After four flights of mile
high staircases, they reached the giant double doorway.  Nikki pressed her finger to
the golden door bell.  Moments later, the doors swung open to reveal a tall thin man
in a tight tuxedo.  His face turned from rock hard to smiling joy when he saw her.
   "Miss Nikki, you’re back!"  Nikki seized his neck and squealed with joy.  
"How did you escape from that dreadful Team Aqua?"  Nikki motioned toward
Tony.
   "Well, Victor, he uh, rescued me."
   "Oh, thank you, my boy.  We are so thankful.  Come now, Nikki, you’re
parents are worried sick."  He led them to the living room where the ceiling was
towering high and expensive furniture surrounded a big screen television and an
unlit massive fire place.  On one of the many lovely sofas, a middle-aged couple sat
looking very worried.  The man had sandy-brown hair and wore plain pants and
long-sleeved shirt and a grey tie.  The woman wore a plain clothes and her hair
seemed slept on and unfixed.  They saw Nikki in their peripheral and jumped up to
greet her.  
   "Nikki!"  They both exclaimed and welcomed her with hugs and kisses.  
They rejoiced for a while before they noticed Tony.
   "Who are you?" the man asked.  
   "That’s Tony, dad.  He rescued me," Nikki told him.  Her dad seized Tony’s hand
and shook it vigorously.
   "Thank you, Tony.  Thank you for returning my daughter to me.  My name
is Bill Tailor, and this is my wife, Lanette."
   "Nice to meet you, my name’s Tony.  I just began my Pokemon Journey this
morning. It was nothing, really.  She needed some help, and I gave it."
   "Are you kidding?  We have to repay you somehow."
   "It’s really ok."  Bill then noticed for the first time how ragged Tony looked,
dressed in old ripped clothes.
   "You’re going on you journey looking that? You don’t have the proper gear
and supplies.  How about you stay the night here and tomorrow I’ll take you to the
department store and we’ll fix you up.  Sound good?"
   "Uh, yeah, that sounds great!"
   "Victor, would you mind getting supper started.  Nikki, why don’t you show
Tony to the guest room?"
   "Sure, daddy," Nikki obeyed.  Come on, Tony, this way."  Tony followed
Nikki up three flights of beautifully crafted staircases.  They came to a large room
with burgundy carpet.  They said goodbye and Nikki left Tony alone.
               *   *   *
   Tony sat up in bed.  He could not sleep despite the big day.  His eyes had
adjusted hours earlier and he had been sitting all night, gazing at the huge room.  It
was so different from how he had lived.  Nikki had it so great: a huge house, parents
that loved her.  He envied her.  Then he saw her.
   Nikki had walked into his room, wearing a long silky white nightgown.  She
sat down cross-legged on the foot of his bed.  "Hey, can’t sleep?"
   "No," Tony replied.
   "I was thinking."
   "Really, me too."
   "Whatcha thinking ‘bout?" she asked.
   "Ah, you know.  Life, I guess."
   "Oh."
   "What were you thinking about?"
   "Same thing.  You know, after yesterday, you know: you saving me and then
all the talk about adventures and journeys, I’ve realized I’ve lived a boring,
domestic life."
   "There’s nothing wrong with that."
   "I know, but I’m ready for a change.  Would you mind if I, um, go with you
on your journey?"
   Tony’s face lit up with shock and joy.  "That’d be awesome.  I kneed some
company and there’s no other company I’d rather have than yours."
   "Cool," Nikki said simply. "I’ll talk to my father about it tomorrow.  
Goodnight."
   "’Night."  Nikki got up and left the room.