A Trainer's Journey

Chapter 1
Elekid vs. Squirtle!​

Just a few miles from Pallet Town, a boy walked down a winding dirt trail on his way to the famous Professor Oak's laboratory. The sun was high in the sky, as it was mid-day. There were tall, shady trees keeping the sun from beating down on the boy. He had just turned 13 years old and on his own for the first time in his life.

He was wearing blue jeans and a white tee-shirt. Over his shirt he wore his favorite windbreaker, which was a darker shade of green, about that of the foliage around him. His shoes were broken in and showed sign of wear and tear from use. His long dirty blonde hair glistened in the slight bit of sun that peaked through the trees.

Walking beside him was his partner Pokemon and his best friend, an Elekid he had received as a birthday gift while he was still in school a year ago. The two of them had been through many adventures together and had a strong bond. Elekid had no real fighting experience but had practiced using various attacks it had mastered such as Thundershock and Leer.

The boy's name was Ron, and his dream was to be the greatest Pokemon trainer in the world.

"This is such a drag. A famous Pokemon professor couldn't have just set up shop in Saffron City, could they? No, instead they have to be in some small-time town miles away from where I live."

Elekid just nodded, as was his tendency whenever his trainer went on rants about something. For being best friends they were completely different. Ron was always talking, while Elekid would simply let his body motions do the "talking."

Ron settled on a rock to the left of the path and took his black travel pack off his back. He reached into the side compartment and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. Upon unraveling it, the paper was revealed to be a complete map of the Kanto region.

"Okay, so I'm about a mile away from Pallet Town. Once I arrive there, I should be able to find Professor Oak's lab with ease."

Once he decided that this plan of action was best, he rolled the map back up and put it back where he got it from. He stood up and stared down the dirt path.

"Well, this is just one small step in my goal of becoming the greatest Pokemon trainer of all time. Of course, looking at it now it's not exactly a small step…unless I was a giant."

Ron laughed to himself and imagined a giant taking a small step and making it from where he was right now to Pallet Town. After this little moment he began walking again. Elekid followed.
As he walked down the path, Ron thought out loud.

"You know, I've never been in a real Pokemon battle before. I wonder how I would fare against a real opponent."

Of course, he had been an avid fan of the Pokemon Battle Network, which showcased various league battles. Many hours of his life had been spent watching Pokemon trainers on TV, battling in large arenas across the world with many different types of Pokemon.

Suddenly, a voice came from out of nowhere. Ron looked around to find the source of the person's voice.

"You know, if you keep talking to yourself like that, people will think you're crazy or something."

A boy about the same age as Ron stepped out from the shadows. He was a little taller than Ron. He was also wearing a pair of jeans, but aside of that this kid dressed completely different from Ron.

He had on a black and red polo shirt and around his belt were a few pokeballs. His travel back was a bit smaller than Ron's and instead of being black it was red like parts of his polo shirt. His black, neatly trimmed hair made him seem a lot more professional than Ron, and the boy's tone gave Ron the first impression that this kid thought he was the greatest person ever.

Ron asked, "Who are you?"

The boy responded, "First tell me your name, then I'll tell you mine."

This kid was really starting to strike a nerve in Ron. First, he makes a rude comment about Ron thinking out loud. Then, he refuses the common courtesy of telling Ron his name when asked.

Reluctantly, Ron gave him name first. "My name is Ron Williams, and I'm from Saffron City. And you are?"

The boy said, "My name is Seth I'm from Pallet Town, which is right down the road if you didn't know. I was just searching for some wild Pokemon around these parts when I heard someone talking to themselves."

Ron replied, "Yeah, and you figured out that was me."

It just struck Ron that Seth was a Pokemon trainer, which meant that this could be this first real test as a Pokemon trainer.

"Hey Seth, do you think you could have a battle with me?"
For the first time, Seth actually seemed interested in something Ron said.

"A battle? Sure I'll mop the floor with you. How's a one-on-one sound to you?"

Ron expected that sort of response from Seth, even after only knowing him for a few minutes.

"Sure. I'll be using my Elekid. How about you?"

Seth didn't answer, but instead took a pokeball from his belt. The red and white colored sphere enlarged before being thrown a few feet in front of Seth. From out of the pokeball came a Squirtle.

Squirtle was a small, turtle-like Pokemon. Its body was a light shade of blue, while its shell was more of a orange-like color. It stood by its trainer's side and awaited an order.

Ron smiled, knowing that his Elekid had the advantage in this fight. So much for Seth being able to "mop the floor" with him. It might be the other way around though.

"Elekid, let's start things off with a Thundershock attack!"

The small electric Pokemon began swinging its arms around at a rapid pace. Sparks began to shot out from its arms. When the Pokemon felt as though it had built op enough energy, it let lose a stream of electric energy.

Seth cried, "Squirtle, hurry up and dodge the attack, then tackle into Elekid!"

Squirtle nodded to its trainer and evaded the electricity coming at it, but barely. Seeing an opening, Squirtle ran in at Elekid, ready to throw its body at the electric Pokemon at full force.

Ron smiled, this was what he hoped would happen.

"Elekid, brace yourself for the attack!"

Squirtle slammed into Elekid, sending it back a few feet. Elekid had managed to endure a bit of the force from the attack, but that wasn't enough for it to hold its place on the ground.

"Nice job Squirtle," exclaimed Seth, "Let's try that again, it seems to be working well."

It was at this point that the reason Ron smiled earlier was made apparent. A few sparks flew from Squirtle's body, the small turtle Pokemon was unable to move, it had been paralyzed.

Ron happily said, "That's Elekid's special ability Static in effect. When a Pokemon comes in contact with my buddy here, they have a chance of becoming paralyzed as a result of coming in contact with an electric Pokemon."

Seth looked frustrated. "You think that'll be enough to beat us?!"

Ron exclaimed, "I think so. Elekid, let's finish this right now. Use your Thundershock attack one more time and really let Squirtle have it."

This time the attack hit its mark, shocking Squirtle pretty badly. A flash of yellow light overcame Squirtle, and by the time the light faded away, Squirtle was left lying on the ground with a few parts of its body looking a little crispy.

Seth's Squirtle had been defeated. "Gah! Squirtle couldn't cut it."

He pointed a pokeball at his fallen Pokemon, and when the red light emitted from the pokeball came in contact, turned the Pokemon into a flash of red that returned to the pokeball from where it came.

Seth looked at Ron. "You're a pretty good trainer. I have to give you credit for that win. However, don't expect for such an easy win next time. I won't lose to you again!"

With that Seth turned away from Ron and began walking down the road where Ron had come from. Ron figure that he was off to look for wild Pokemon like he had planned to do prior to running into Ron.

"Nice job Elekid! I knew you could do it."

Elekid shouted its name in a rare show of emotion. "Elekid!"

Ron decided that he might as well give Elekid a chance to rest in its pokeball after a battle. He reached to the lone pokeball on his belt and pointed it at Elekid. The red beam of light emitted from the pokeball came in contact with Elekid, returning the Pokemon back to its pokeball.

Following a quick pause to look at the pokeball of his victorious Elekid, Ron returned the pokeball to his belt and began to walk down the road.

The sun was still high in the sky, at this point it must have been about one p.m.. Ron had to hurry because the encounter with Seth made him behind schedule. He had to get to Pallet Town quickly so that he would have time to fill out the proper paperwork and such that was required of a starting trainer.

Eventually the dirt road turned into a cement road, and tress became less and less of a commonplace in the scenery. Because of this, the sun began to beam down onto Ron's head. Ron never did like too much sunlight, but he figured that he could bear with it for the time being.

The road began to go uphill, and suddenly at the top of the hill Ron saw the small town of Pallet.

"Well, I made it. Now I have to find Professor Oak's laboratory so I can register as a Pokemon trainer and receive my license."

Ron's adventure was finally about to begin.

Chapter 2
Professor Oak's Lab! The Adventure Begins (seriously)!​

Ron made his way down the road, searching left and right for the famous Professor Oak's laboratory, where he could actually fill out his paperwork and become a Pokemon trainer. A lot had happened in the last hour, as he had his first Pokemon battle. It wasn't exactly a hardcore battle, but it was something.

He began to talk aloud, as was his custom.

"I think I really lucked out in that battle. If Seth had challenged me to anymore than a one-on-one challenge I would've been pretty screwed. I mean, aside from the Elekid I got for my birthday a year ago, I don't have any other Pokemon that I could use to battle with."

Ron needed to work on his multitasking abilities, because he couldn't even walk and talk at the same time sometimes. As he was talking, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. It wasn't long before he walked right into a sign not even two feet off from the road.

The first thing he did was check to see if he was bleeding. Luckily he just got a good bump on the head. Looking up at the sign he had hit into, he noticed it was a information sign. It had a green background surrounding by a white border. The white letters on it read:

Professor Oak's Pokemon Laboratory Straight Ahead

"Lucky me! I just happened to run into the sign I was looking for."

This time, his conversation with himself was noticed by a young man on the other side of the road in one of the small houses that seemed to populate this town more than people.

The man mumbled to himself, "Crazy tourist. Even though we live in a small town here, we have thousands of trainers pass through here every year just for the sake of talking to that old man up on the hill."

Ron pretended not to notice the man. It was none of his business what Ron did, and the last time Ron checked, talking to himself was not against the law anywhere in Kanto. He did make a mental note to check up on whether or not that was being proposed as a law or not.

After that strange mental note was stored into his long term memory, he looked down the path to see where the laboratory actually was. It didn't take long, as the path ahead forked. To the right was a small archway with the words "Professor Oak's residence" centered at the top.

"Well, this must be the place," thought Ron.

He walked through the archway and took note of the surroundings. Everywhere he looked there was lush green grass on the hill before him, save for the dirt pathway that led upward towards a large building that was none other than the famous Professor Oak's residence. To the right of the building there was what looked like an oversized pinwheel, which was slowing spinning because of the slight breeze that day.

After admiring the scene around him, he began to trek upwards toward the actually residence of Professor Oak, the place where some of the greatest Pokemon research of the world took place. He approached the large oak door and used the bronze knocker to attempt to get the attention of the old man that was surely in the laboratory at this hour.

"He really should have a doorbell, this place is huge."

Regardless of what Ron thought, it was only a matter of time before he heard the old man's voice from somewhere beyond the door.

"Just a minute, I'll be right there!"

Before long, the door creaked open. A man that looked to be in his fifties greeted Ron at the door. He was wearing a pair of black shoes and stainless white lab pants. Over his dark red shirt he wore a white lab coat, just as spotless as his pants. He had grey hair that covered his head, and a smile that told Ron that he was truly a kind old man.

"You must be Ron. I've been expecting you. Please come in."

Ron walked into the hallway of the building, looking beyond the hallway and seeing nothing but door after door. The entrance to the laboratory was very plain. The walls and doors were white, only distinguishable from the walls because of the bronze doorknobs on them.

Ron asked, "Professor, I'm pretty sure you know why I'm here. I want to register as a Pokemon trainer."

Professor Oak smiled, "Indeed I know why you are here. It just so happened that I had your trainer registration papers transferred here from your old school over in Saffron City. You went to the Saffron Pokemon Academy correct?"

Now this was unexpected. Ron had believed that he had to fill out all the paperwork himself, but apparently his old school had taken care of all of that for him. That seemed funny to him because he wasn't exactly a standout student at the Saffron Pokemon Academy. Though he received excellent grades in all of his Pokemon related courses, he only received average grades in his general courses.

Ron smiled, remembering the good old days at the Saffron Pokemon Academy. He then responded, "I'm guessing they send you a copy of my transcript along with all of the standard registration papers correct? If you're wondering about my simply average grades in all of my general courses, all I can say is that I honestly never was interested in things like math and science."

At this Professor Oak could do nothing but laugh in response. Ron took this as a hint that Professor Oak never really took much interest in anything like that either, as he made it in life as a very successful Pokemon Professor.

With that, Professor Oak led Ron down the hallway to a room labeled "Pokemon Lab Rm. 9." The door opened to reveal a small and standard seeming laboratory scene. There were computers for research and a few shelves with books on them. There was a area of tables and desks that took up an entire corner of the room. There were books scattered everywhere and a few devices that Ron could not identify as anything he knew of.

"Since the paperwork had already been completed by your old school, all I need is a signature from you to register you as an official Pokemon Trainer. After that, you will be eligible to compete in Gym Battles for Official Pokemon League Badges so you can participate in the League Championships."

Ron nodded. Of course he knew what receiving his Pokemon License meant. He had dreamed of this moment all of his life and spent much of his free time away from schoolwork or the television set reading up on things such as the Pokemon League Official Handbook, which he had carried with him almost everywhere back in Saffron City.

Ron was handed a clipboard and pen so he could sign off on his registration paper. After scanning the paperwork that his old school had sent to make sure everything was accurate, he signed off where he needed to and handed the clipboard back to Professor Oak. He set it off to the side and began to talk again.

"Now Ron, there is something I'd like to ask of you now that you are an official Pokemon Trainer."

From his desk he pulled a small red device He pushed a small release button on the side of it, revealed the interior of the device. Ron noticed many buttons on it and a small screen on the top. He wondered what this strange device was.

"This here is the Pokedex. This device is used to gather information on the many Pokemon species of the world. I would greatly appreciate it if you took it with you on your journey. You can scan Pokemon with it to find out information on them, and you can also use it as a way of identifying yourself as an official Pokemon Trainer. You see, I spent a good bulk of the early morning programming a small information chip with all of your information and slipped said chip into the Pokedex's Trainer Information slot."

Ron looked in amazement at the strange device.

"So this Pokedex has information on every and any Pokemon that I may come across in my travels?"

Professor Oak smiled, "You catch on pretty quick there Ron. Yes this device does have information on the Pokemon of this world. Scanning the Pokemon will allow me to, upon sliding the Pokedex into a specially designed computer, check which Pokemon you came across in your travels. Then other researchers and I can use that information to determine what Pokemon are appearing more frequently than others."

"And you're leaving this all up to me? I'm honored."

For the first time, Professor Oak shook his head as to say no.

"Actually, I've given a Pokedex to generally every Pokemon trainer that has registered as a Pokemon Trainer with me. You see, I need more than one trainer in order to determine how much of a certain species has come up, as you're sure to only scan a Pokemon once foe the information."

With this, Professor Oak grabbed a tray with five Pokeballs on it. Ron didn't know whether this Pokeballs were empty or not, so he wondered what they were for.

"Here Ron, take these five empty Pokeballs. Consider them tools to catch your first few Pokemon with."

Ron figured that Professor Oak must know that Ron already owns a Pokemon, but it would be best to ask.

"Professor, I take it that you know I already have a Pokemon then?"

The Professor nodded, "Yes Ron, I know that you have a Pokemon. The Saffron Pokemon Academy did make sure I knew that before I went ahead and gave you a Pokemon."

Ron said, "Well, if you had offered me a Pokemon, I would have declined and ended up telling you I had a Pokemon already anyway."

"So I take it you'll be on your way now? I'm sure you'd like to get on the road and begin your adventure as soon as possible."

Ron was about to say yes and be on his way, but then a question came to mind. He wanted to know if Professor Oak knew Seth, since Seth did mention that he lived in Pallet Town.

"Professor Oak, do you happen to know a trainer named Seth?"

Professor Oak seemed interested by this question.

"Yes I do know Seth. He lives here in Pallet town. I gave him his first Pokemon, a Squirtle. He's a strange one though, as he's had his Pokemon trainer license for over a month now and still he hasn't left really left home."

Ron said, "So I take it he just trains on his own in the woods around Pallet Town then?"

Professor Oak responded, "Yes he does. I take it you ran into him outside of Pallet Town and he challenged you to a battle or something?"

Ron went on, "Yeah, he did challenge me to a battle. I managed to beat his Squirtle with my Elekid, but I'm guessing that was all luck."

Professor Oak smiled at the beginner trainer. "A win is still a win Ron, but remember that he does have a bit more experience than you and in the future he may battle you again and win."

Ron said, "I'll keep that in mind Professor. Thank you for everything. Take care!"

With that Ron walked out of the room and down the hallway to the main door. Professor Oak accompanied him to the door, but the two of them parted ways as Ron opened the door and ran down the hill. Surprisingly he didn't trip or anything, as he was going down the hill full speed, the wind blowing in his face.

A smile spread across his face as he felt a sense of triumph in his heart. He was finally an official Pokemon trainer, and the open road lay ahead of him. His chapter in the history of Pokemon trainers was about to begin!

The sun was still high in the sky, but just by looking at where the sun was in the sky, one could tell that it was getting later into the day. Ron had just left Pallet Town, heading north along Route 1 to Viridian City. Ron really only had to go to Viridian City because it was between Pallet Town and Pewter City.

"Well, according to the map, I have to go straight through Viridian City to get to Pewter City. Of course, I'll have to venture through the Viridian Forest, among a few other different Routes, but it really shouldn't be that long of a trip."

A slight yawn was a reminder to Ron that he would have to stay the night in Viridian City, and if it took him more than a day to get through the forest, he would have to sleep in the wilderness somewhere for a night.

"I really should have brought along a tent or a sleeping bag at least. Maybe a store in Viridian City will have one or something. Otherwise it looks more and more like I'll be sleeping on the dirt surface of the wilderness somewhere."

He really didn't like the prospect of sleeping on the ground in the middle of a dark forest. There was no telling what kind of wild Pokemon might try to attack him, or even worse…eat him.

The thought of a Pokemon eating Ron made him laugh for some reason. He just couldn't imagine a Pokemon that would eat people living in the Viridian Forest. From what he had heard mostly small bug Pokemon lived in that forest. Anyway, he didn't know why he was thinking about this, because he should be paying attention to his surroundings.

…Luckily there weren't any signs to be seen in any direction; otherwise he may have a repeat of what happened in Pallet Town earlier that day.

"Funny that it just occurred to me that I can actually catch Pokemon now because of those Pokeballs that old dude gave me. This should be interesting, I've never really tried to catch a Pokemon before…probably because I never had the means to."

Ron glanced around at his surroundings. There were some nice tall trees with bright green leaves, some large grey boulders, and some…wait….Ron noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Noticing things in his surroundings wasn't a strong point, but this time he must have been super focused.

A small bird landed a few yards away from where Ron was standing. It looked to be only about a foot tall, its feathers were a combination of a light tan and a reddish brown. Without even pulling out the Pokedex, Ron knew what the Pokemon in question was.

Ron whispered to himself, "Wow a Pidgey. I know they're pretty common, but I've heard they're a good test of a beginning trainer's skills. Also now that I think of it, most of the teams I've watched battle on TV have the evolved form of Pidgey on it."

Ron couldn't exactly remember the name of this Pokemon, but he made a mental note to look into that a little later when he had more time. Right now he had an important task at hand.

For the first time in his life, he was going to attempt to capture a wild Pokemon. Although he had learned about how to catch Pokemon back at school, actually catching one in real life was a completely different task all to itself. He wished that the academy had spent some of its money on things like Pokemon catching simulations instead of those stupid textbooks…but that was in the past now.

"I guess I'm going to have to weaken this Pidgey first. Let's go Elekid!"

Ron grabbed Elekid's Pokeball from his belt. In a flash the Pokeball enlarged and opened up, revealing Ron's electric Pokemon. Sparks flew from Elekid's body as it took a battle pose, awaiting the commands of Ron.

"Alright Elekid, this is it. We're going to try to capture this wild Pokemon and add it to our team."

Elekid looked at his trainer, and then nodded as if understanding what would be expected of him in this battle. Over the course of the last year, Elekid and Ron had begun to trust each other intensely, sometimes just looking at each other in order to communicate.

"Let it have a taste of your Thundershock attack!"

Elekid rotated its arms like windmills, faster and faster until sparks begun to fly from the electric Pokemon's arms. When enough energy was built up, a stream of electric energy flew from Elekid's body, striking the Pidgey. Like when Squirtle had been hit by the attack, Pidgey was overcome by the attack. This felt almost too easy for Ron.

"Now that should be enough. Nice job Elekid."

Ron grabbed an empty Pokeball from his belt and enlarged it in his hand. He aimed the Pokeball well, as it collided with the small bird Pokemon and opening up, taking Pidgey into the Pokeball in a flash of red light. The Pokeball settled on the ground.

"Did I catch it?"

The Pokeball began to wiggle back and forth as the light in the center of it flashed on and off. Gradually the Pokeball stopped moving and the light stopped flashing on the Pokeball, indicating that the capture was successful.

Ron stared at the Pokeball for a few seconds. He just couldn't believe what he had just done. The Pidgey was his, not only that but Pidgey was the first Pokemon that he had captured all on his own. He walked over to the Pokeball and picked it up.

"Now's the time where any other trainer would do some stupid victory pose and say 'I caught Pidgey,' but I'm not exactly that sort of trainer. I'll just put the Pokeball on my belt and calmly walk away."

Cliché victory poses were probably Ron's least favorite thing that any of his teachers discussed back at the academy. In his Creative Training 101 course, his teacher had an entire day of class devoted to victory poses. Ron instead got out his notes from another class and began to read over them, finding that dong that was more productive than listening to the teacher.

"Now that I think about it, Creative Training 101 was the only Pokemon related course that I didn't get an A in. Must have been that I'm not into creative things when it comes to Pokemon. That or I just don't like acting like an idiot when it comes to things I do involving Pokemon. I'm a professional Pokemon trainer now, after all. I battle, I don't coordinate. Being creative isn't really my thing, is it Elekid?"

Elekid laughed alongside its trainer, sharing the feeling that Ron had toward coordinating and Pokemon Contests.

Ron looked up at the sky, noticing that the sun was beginning to set in the sky. He obviously didn't pay attention to what time it was, because the sun was beginning to set and he had no idea how far away he way from Viridian City.

"Let's see…the map said it would be about three miles to Viridian City from Pallet Town. I would guess that by walking about a mile every twenty minutes. That means that it should have taken me approximately an hour to get to Viridian City, give or take a few minutes. Pausing to catch Pidgey took me about ten minutes, and I think I've been on the trail for about forty minutes or so, not including the battle. That means I should be a mile away from the city."

Ron really needed to stop over-analyzing every single little detail of the smallest things like that. Either way, his calculations meant that he was still a good twenty minutes away from city if he kept walking at the same pace he had been going at. Hopefully the sun wouldn't just decide to set all of a sudden, otherwise he would be able to reach Viridan City in plenty of time.

Well, he continued walking about a mile down the road until he noticed a sign on the side of the road. It read:

Viridian City: Straight This Way!

"Sweet! I'm almost there. Isn't that great Elekid?"

Elekid nodded and the two of them began to run at a bit faster pace than they had been walking. They were obviously excited about reaching Viridian City, probably because both of them were beginning to get very tired.

"When we get to the Pokemon Center, we're going to have to let you and Pidgey recover from the battles you've been through today. After that we can get something to eat and get some rest. By tomorrow we should be heading into the Viridian Forest."

And so, Ron arrived in Viridian City. There, he and his Pokemon should be able to get some well-deserved rest. Hey, maybe he'll even remember to pick up a sleeping bag like he planned to? Find out next time on the exciting adventures of Ron the Pokemon Trainer!

Chapter 4
Meeting at the Pokemon Center! Seth's Past Explored.​

The sun was setting on what had to be one of the greatest days of Ron's young life. In the course of the day, he had won his first Pokemon battle, officially registered as a Pokemon trainer, and caught his very first Pokemon in the wild.

"On top of all I've done today, I've managed to get all the way to Viridian City. I never realized how close together Pallet Town and Viridian City were. Makes that journey from Saffron City seem a little too long."

However, this was only one small step in his goal of becoming a Pokemon Master. The gym here in Viridian City was way too advanced for a trainer with his experience level, plus he had heard that no one had challenged the Viridian City Gym in awhile anyway because the leader went missing.

If Ron even wanted to challenge a gym leader, he would have to travel north through the Viridian Forest, a journey that would take a few days at the least.

"For all I know, I could end up lost in the Viridian Forest for a week or so. I best stock up on supplies and stuff before I leave this city. Who knows when I'll see civilization again?"

He looked around at the quiet surroundings of Viridian City. Ron did notice that this city was a big change from the rural setting of Pallet Town. The large buildings and more modern looking houses made Ron almost feel at home here in Viridian City…it reminded him of home.

"Viridian City is nice; I wouldn't mind retiring to this city when I'm all done as a Pokemon trainer. Would get me out of the spotlight I'm always in back at home, but would keep me in the city setting I've grown so accustomed to over the years."

Right…Ron's past wasn't exactly something he liked to discuss with other people. It was the reason he had become a Pokemon trainer, so he could escape the pressure of being the son of a gym leader. That's right, Ron's father is none other than the Saffron City Gym Leader and the reason that he left Saffron City.

Ron was so sick of people comparing him to his father when he was Ron's age. They always would tell Ron that when his father was thirteen, he was already an accomplished Pokemon Trainer who was the favorite to become the new Gym Leader when the former one Sabrina had decided to retire.

"I never wanted to be like my father, to have to stay in one place all the time. He even tells me today that he wishes he would've gotten a better chance to see the world. In a way he inspired me to become a Pokemon trainer."

As he was walking, Ron was keeping an eye out for the Viridian City Pokemon Center. He knew that it was where any trainer could stay for the night and get some rest. In a way, Pokemon Centers were like hotels, and in another way they were like hospitals. Ron looked around for the large white building with a red roof and Pokeball symbol over the door, because he knew that was what a Pokemon Center looked like.

"Now I'd expect the Pokemon Center to be in the middle of the city, but that's just my way of looking at things I guess."

For was surprised that the people that designed Viridian City thought the same way that he did. Sure enough, the Pokemon Center was right in the middle of town. It looked exactly like the Saffron City Pokemon Center that Ron had passed from time to time when he and Elekid would roam the streets, trying to stay out of the public eye as much as possible.

Ron approached the doors of the Pokemon Center, which opened automatically to reveal a large lobby. Ron saw dozens of Pokemon trainers either sitting down on one of the couches scattered around the lobby or in line for either Pokemon care or a room for the night.

"Right, so this is what a Pokemon Center is like on the inside. It's a wonder I never went into one of these things."

A young girl just stared at Ron as he talked to himself, obviously not used to someone like that.

She had long brown hair that went down past her shoulders, and overtop her head she wore a black snow cap with a yellow Pokeball image emblazoned on it. She had on a black, sleeveless shirt and yellow shirt that went down to a few inches above her knee. She was carrying a black messenger bag with a yellow flap to keep the bag closed.

Standing next to her was a small lizard like Pokemon, which Ron quickly scanned with his Pokedex:

"Charmander, the fire lizard Pokemon. The flame on its tail indicates its level of power and fighting experience. It is said that when the flame goes out, Charmander will die."

"Wow! A Charmander is one of the Pokemon that Professor Oak gives away to new Pokemon trainers."

The girl responded, "Yeah, Charmander is my Pokemon. I just received my Pokemon training license and received this Charmander as my first Pokemon. By the way, my name is Emma."

Ron said, "Nice to meet you Emma. My name is Ron, and I'm also a beginner Pokemon trainer."

Emma smiled at Ron, "It's really nice to meet another beginner out there, and I was starting to feel as though I was the only one. Hey I was just about to grab something to eat, would you mind joining me?"

"Ron nodded, "First I'm going to give my Pokemon to the people here at the Pokemon Center so they can treat my Pokemon's wounds and such. After that I'd be glad to join you for some food."

Ron didn't realize how hungry he was, and he didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to sit down and talk to a nice girl like Emma. However he cared about his Pokemon and wanted to make sure they would recover from any damage they may have sustained from their adventures today.

He waited his turn in line at the counter, and when it was finally his turn he was greeted by a smiling young lady with bright red hair. She was wearing a nurse's uniform, so Ron guessed that this was none other than one of the famous Nurse Joy that ran the Pokemon Centers across the world.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center in Viridian City, where we always do our best to make sure your Pokemon are kept in fighting condition. My name is Nurse Joy, how can I help you tonight?"

Ron said, "Well, I was wondering if you could take care of my Pokemon. They've been through some tough fights today and I was wondering if you would be willing to help them recover."

Nurse Joy smiled, "Of course, I'd be glad to help your Pokemon. Just put their Pokeballs on this tray and we'll take care of the rest."

She reached for the top tray on a pile to her left. It had spaces on it for six Pokeballs. Ron grabbed for the two Pokeballs that contained his Pokemon from his belt and placed them on the try. He handed the tray to Nurse Joy, who in turn handed the tray to a small bright pink Pokemon wearing a nurse's hat. Ron noticed a small pouch on the Pokemon that held an Egg in it. He wondered what the egg carried inside of it.

The Pokemon let out a cheerful cry of "Chansey!" before going through the automatic door to the back room of the Pokemon Center, where Ron knew his Pokemon would be treated for their injuries.

Nurse Joy turned to Ron, "As soon as your Pokemon are back to fighting condition, we'll call you on the intercom system. What's your name young man?"

Ron responded, "My name is Ron. Thanks a lot Nurse Joy, this means a lot to me and my Pokemon."

Nurse Joy smiled, "Anytime Ron. Before you go, there is one thing I'd like to ask you. Will you be staying the night at the Pokemon Center?"

Ron didn't expect this question, but it was welcomed. He knew eventually that he would have to figure out this whole hotel thing in the Pokemon Center.

"Yes please, I'd like a room if it isn't any trouble for you."

Nurse Joy reached under the counter and grabbed a key. Then she handed the key to Ron. It had the number 215 on it.

She explained, "This is your room key, and the number on it corresponds to the room number. Room 215 is on the second floor."

Ron thanked Nurse Joy once again and went to search for Emma. It wasn't long before he saw her standing near the entrance to the cafeteria. Ron noticed that she had returned her Charmander to its Pokeball, which was no surprise to Ron because any sensible trainer would keep their Pokemon in its Pokeball at most times.

Ron approached her, and she looked up when Ron called out her name. She smiled as she led Ron to the line where they could get their food. It was just like the cafeteria at the academy, except with better food. Ron picked out a Caesar Salad with fresh lettuce and crunchy croutons. For a drink, Ron grabbed a bottle of water from the open ice box. Emma grabbed a warm cup of Chicken Noodle soup and bottled water from the same ice box Ron had gotten his drink from.

They went to a table in the corner and sat down. Ron started the conversation.

"So Emma, where are you from?"

She looked up from her soup, "I'm from Pallet Town myself, how about yourself?"

"I'm from Saffron City."

Emma looked a little shocked. "You came here all the way from Saffron City? Wow that's a long way to travel. It must be nice to live in such a large and well-known city like that."

Ron nodded, "Yeah, it is a nice city. There are some pretty famous landmarks like the Kanto-Johto Monorail system, Sliph Co., and the Fighting Dojo."

Emma chimed it, "Don't forget the Saffron City Gym. The leader there is one heck of a Pokemon trainer."

Ron didn't want to brag about being the son of the very gym leader she was talking about, so he kept his mouth shut about it for the time being.

There was something he wanted to ask her though. She said she came from Pallet Town, so maybe she knew something about that trainer Seth that Ron had met outside of Pallet Town. After all, if they both lived in the same small town and were the same age, weren't they likely to know each other?

"Hey Emma, you wouldn't happen to know a trainer named Seth would you? He's about as tall as I am, wears this black and red polo, and has short black hair. Sound familiar to you?"

Emma nodded, much to Ron's expectations. "Yeah I know Seth. He went to school with me, but he left a little early to become a Pokemon Trainer instead of finishing his junior high education. He acts kind of cold toward other people, but that's just because he doesn't have any parents."

Those words were like an echo in Ron's ears…"…no parents…no parents…no parents…" This would explain Seth's aggressive nature, as most of the time people that didn't have parents growing up act aggressive in order to make up for the lack of comfort they received as a child.

Ron felt shocked, "I never knew…I just thought he was a competitive person. Poor guy…"

Emma sighed, looking down at the table before looking back up at Ron. "Well, he had every opportunity to get adopted by a loving family, but he always refused adoption offers. He's a loner by choice."

Ron wanted to delve more into this conversation, but before he could say anymore, he heard Nurse Joy's voice on the intercom.

"Attention. We need Pokemon trainer Ron at the front counter. His Pokemon are ready to be picked up."

Ron smiled at Emma, "It was really nice meeting you. Thanks for telling me what you know about Seth. I hope to see you around sometime, maybe we could battle or something?"

Emma nodded, "That would be nice Ron. Actually, I was about to go on my way also. Maybe our paths will cross again someday. Until then, good bye."

Ron left money to pay for his food and left the cafeteria. Emma left also, and the two of them said their good byes once again when they reached the lobby, where Ron would go to pick up his Pokemon. Within no time at all, he was over near the part of the counter will a sign hanging over it saying:

Pokemon Pick-up

Ron expected to see Nurse Joy over here waiting for his arrival, but instead he just saw the same Chansey from before…or was it another one. Ron talked to the nurse Pokemon.

"Uh…hi. I'm Ron, and I'm here to pick up my Pokemon."

Chansey nodded, and the jolly pink Pokemon went and got a try with two Pokeballs on it from a table on the other side of the counter. The Pokemon handed the tray to Ron, who took the two Pokeballs from it and put them back onto his belt.

Chansey let out a high pitched "Chansey!" before going to the back room, perhaps to assist Nurse Joy, who was no where to be seen in the lobby.

Ron looked up at a clock, which read 7:47. It was getting late, and Ron wanted to be able to get up as early as possible to get to Viridian Forest. He found the stairwell, which he walked up to reach the second floor. He began to walk down the hallway, looking for his room. It was only a matter of time before he found a plain white door with a bronze plate on it. On the plate was engraved the number 215, the same number that was on Ron's key.

Inserting the key into the lock, Ron opened the door. He took a look inside the room, which was very plain. There was a wooden framed bed with two soft-looking pillows and a cotton blanket on it. Next to the bed was a small table with a simple-looking lamp on it. Ron noticed a closet off to the side, but instead he just threw his things on the carpeted floor next to his bed, which he proceeded to collapse onto…falling asleep.

"Ah! Where the heck am I?"

Ron had been asleep when, during one of his random dreams where he was rolling down a hill, he fell off the bed and hit his head on the floor with a loud "Thud!" The funny thing was that when he woke up, he had no idea what he had just dreamed about before falling off the bed.

"This happens all the time, and I still have no idea why. Maybe I should go to one of those people who interpret dreams…oh wait."

It occurred to Ron that he could only get a dream interpreted if he actually knew what happened in the dream. It would seem quite silly of him to turn up at a sleep specialist's office and ask him why he was falling off the bed at night without being able to tell him what the dream was.

"Well, I shouldn't worry about this falling of the bed thing. Most of the time I drag the pillow or blanket along with me to soften the blow. Could be my unconscious mind at work, but regardless I'm fine."

Ron lifted himself up from the floor, and then picked up the pillow that had rolled off the bed with him. He set it back on the bed and stretched a little bit. He grabbed his backpack, along with his Pokemon's Pokeballs, from the floor he had set them on before falling asleep. He then grabbed the key to the room from the small table near the bed and headed out the door and into the hallway, where he bumped into a familiar person.

Emma laughed, not expecting Ron to just pop out of a random door as she walked down the hallway.

She looked at Ron, "Hey Ron! Funny thing is, I decided I was best off staying here for the night and got a room. So I guess you're heading out to the Viridian Forest right?"

He nodded, "Yeah I plan on it. First I'm going to have to go to the Pokemart and get a tent or sleeping bag or something. Seems I forgot to bring one with me when I left."

"I guess you're a little confused," said Emma, "You can't get a tent or sleeping bag from the Pokemart. You'd have to go to the general supply store if you want to do that."

Ron shrugged, "Well I guess I would have figured that out eventually, but thanks to you I won't seem like an idiot at the Pokemart."

Emma smiled, "Well, I guess I'll see you around then."

Ron said, "I hope so, I still need to get around to battling you right?"
Emma nodded and the two of them went their separate ways when the reached the bottom of the stairs at the end of the hallway. Emma went to the main desk where she was going to give her Pokemon some rest, and Ron dropped off the key to his room in the drop-off box and headed out the sliding door.

The sun shone down on Ron. He always did like bright sun welcoming him in the morning as he went outside to greet the new day. He stared down the road, searching for any sign of a general store. He noticed the Pokemart with its blue roof similar to that of the Pokemon Center, but he saw no sign of a general store of some sorts.

"It would've been so much easier if the Pokemart just stocked tents and sleeping bags like I thought they would. Instead they have to make some completely different store for those kind of supplies…the kind of store that probably doesn't have a freakishly blue roof that makes it easy to spot."

Ron decided the best thing to do first would be to search north for the general store, since he would be going in that direction eventually if he wanted to reach the forest. It wasn't too long before he came along a old-fashioned, wooden store. It had a front porch lined with small benches and a soda machine, but more importantly a sign over entrance that read:

Viridian City General Store

Ron walked up the steps and opened the door which, unlike the door of the Pokemon Center, had to be opened by actually opening the door with a twist of the plain-looking doorknob.

Once inside, Ron was greeted by a kind looking old man with a blue pair of suspenders and a red shirt. Ron noticed the man's long white beard and bald head, the seemingly standard looking for an old man. Ron approached the counter and started conversation.

"Hello sir, I was wondering if you happened to have a tent or sleeping bag you would be willing to sell me."

The old man smiled, "Of course we have all sorts of camping supplies. We have everything from your standard tent and sleeping bag combo to state-of-the-art cooking devices and anything else you can imagine."

"I'd just like the standard tent and sleeping bag combo please."

The old man was a tad disappointed that he couldn't sell any of his more expensive gear. Surprisingly, Ron already had some cooking gear and even a few of those "quick and easy" meals that he noticed were for sale at this store.

The old man went to the back room to fetch what Ron needed. He returned with an easy to carry, portable tent and sleeping bag combo kit Ron had heard much about. The tent and sleeping bag were both rolled up together in a convenient carrying case that could easily be fit into one of the compartments of his backpack if folded up properly.

"Alright, one tent and sleeping bag combo kit for ya. That'll be sixty dollars."

Ron reached for his wallet from the front right pocket of the jeans he was wearing. Out of the wallet he pulled three twenty dollars. He handed the money to the old man, who put it into the cash register. With the transaction complete, the old man handed Ron his purchase, which Ron immediately put into an empty compartment of his backpack. Much to Ron's expectations, the kit fit nicely into his backpack.

The old man said, "Have a nice day young man, and good luck getting through the Viridian Forest. I hear people have been spotting a monster in those woods these days."

Ron thanks the old man for the warning and left the store, heading north toward the town exit. He could see the forest begin to take over the scenery, as the large buildings that populated Viridian City began to give way to equally towering trees. The concrete path turned into a dirt path, which Ron used as a reminder that he was now in Pokemon territory.

Once in the Viridian Forest, Ron began to talk to himself about what that old man had said about a monster in the forest.

"If there really is some sort of monster in this forest, it has to be a Pokemon…right?"

He silently agreed with himself and walked down the dirt path, always turning around every few seconds or looking deep into the trees to make sure that nothing was following him. It wasn't long before he saw a figure in the distance that looked like it could be a human.

Ron approached the figure and realized that it was in fact a human. He was wearing shorts and a white tee-shirt, along with a weaved hat and bug-catching net. The boy began to speak to Ron.

"Well, you're not that monster that they keep talking about in these woods. Who are you?"

Ron reached out his hand to shake the hand of the boy. He said, "My name is Ron. I'm a traveling Pokemon trainer."

The boy smiled, "The name's Sam, I'm a bug catcher. It's good to see another Pokemon trainer around here. I have friends that look for bug Pokemon around these woods, but it's not often I see someone from the outside. Not after the rumors of the monster of Viridian Forest started spreading around. How about a one-on-one battle?"

Ron nodded, as he was eager to have another Pokemon battle after that battle with Seth. He quickly grabbed a Pokeball from his belt, just as Sam did the same thing. They both sent their Pokemon out of their Pokeballs at the same time. In two flashes of red light, two Pokemon came out of their respective Pokeballs.

From Ron's Pokeball came the small bird Pokemon that Ron had caught the other day, the Pokemon that represented the beginning of his journey…Pidgey.

It let out a cry, "Pidgey."

Taking its place in front of its trainer, Pidgey stared at its opponent, which came out of its Pokeball at the same time. That Pokemon was a Caterpie, a green worm with a light yellow underside and large red antenna. Ron got out his Pokedex, scanning the Pokemon:

"Caterpie: the tiny caterpillar Pokemon. This small bug Pokemon attacks by shooting string from its mouth to trap its foes, then strikes them with a full force tackle."

"Oh wow, a Caterpie. I've always wanted to see one of those in combat."

Sam said, "Well you're about to see one in combat right now. Caterpie, shoot a String Shot attack at Pidgey to stop it in its tracks!"

Ron wouldn't let this fight end that quickly. If the Pokedex was right, and Ron was pretty sure it was, if Caterpie got Pidgey trapped it would only be a matter of time before this fight was over.

"Pidgey, gain height in the air to avoid the attack, then sweep down low at Caterpie, kicking up the dirt on the ground as you pass to blind Caterpie!"

Pidgey flew upward, just avoiding a stream of sticky string that shot upward towards where Pidgey was. When Pidgey noticed the string pass it, the bird began its dive, getting to about a foot above the ground. As the agile Pokemon approached Caterpie, it flapped its wings hard and flew upward again, leaving a cloud of dirt in its wake.

Ron underestimated the strength of the attack, as the cloud overcame Caterpie almost completely. The Pokemon was in a panic, as it didn't know where it was or where Pidgey was. Seeing the confusion in the eyes of Sam, Ron knew it was time to strike for a hit this time.

"Pidgey, tackle into Caterpie at full force. Give it all you got!"

Pidgey swooped in at full force, aiming to hit the small bug Pokemon dead-on. Caterpie was hit and was sent flying backwards from the attack. Following the attack, Pidgey flew back toward the vantage point it had high above the trees.
Caterpie recovered from the blow and prepared itself to continue the fight. At this time, Ron began to notice something in the bushes. Sam noticed it too. Before wither of them could react, a long green vine shot out from the bush, hitting Caterpie. This time Caterpie didn't get back up.

Sam stared in amazement, "What the heck is that? Could it be that monster people have been talking about?"

Ron grinned, knowing that if this really was the monster, he could begin his legacy right here and now by capturing whatever this strange beast was…it was a Pokemon…right? Find out next time!