~Episode 01~
"Professor Oak!" a boy panted as he burst through the doors of the disorganized Pokémon Laboratory. Mountains of books almost touched the ceiling, and the crash from the back room was not anymore of a reassurance. The boy wore a red bandana over his black hair. On his back was a green backpack with a map sticking out from a pocket on the side. "Professor Oak?" the boy asked, cautiously making his way toward the door the sound came from.
"Yes…?" The door slid open and the face of a Pokémon researcher with a book laying open on the top of his head, looked up at the boy. "Oh! You must be Evo!" The researcher scrambled to his feet and held out a hand, the book falling off the side of his head. "I'd recognize those eyes anywhere," the researcher commented. "You're Lou and Shin's younger brother, aren't you? "
"Yeah, Professor Oak," Evo answered. He felt rather uncomfortable when it came to others talking about his eyes or his brothers. Both subjects were rather unique; his eyes, for instance, were red. "I turned ten last week, so I came for my Pokémon."
"I was scheduled to give you…" Oak looked back at his mess and smacked his forehead. "Goodness, I had forgotten! I'm sorry, Evo! Let's go out back; Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur are out playing."
"But I thought nobody was allowed back there, except you," Evo said as he followed the Professor through the lab and to the back door. Like all new trainers, Evo was a small boy, but in his red eyes was an ember that needed something to let it burn brightly. This was just the moment that was needed.
"What is going on here?" Oak exclaimed as he opened the door. Outside of his lab was a large meadow. It usually was a peaceful place for Pokémon to roam around, but something had spooked the Pokémon… or had stolen them! Not far from them, a man dressed in black with a red R adorning his chest laughed as he stood before two Pokémon. A sack full of round objects was behind him. "Bulbasaur! Pidgeotto!" The two Pokémon turned and came to Evo and Oak.
"Drat! I did not think I would be caught!" the man said as he reached to his belt and took ahold of a ball. "This should be quick!"
"Team Rocket…" Evo muttered as he clenched his fists. "My brothers told me about you guys. They said that if I ever meet one of you, I should beat you to a pulp!"
"Saur!" Bulbasaur agreed.
"You want to battle for me?" Evo asked, looking down at the seed Pokémon.
"Bulbasaur!"
"Then I'll battle too! This is my lab, and those aren't your Pokémon! Pidgeotto!" Oak held out an arm and Pidgeotto perched itself on it. "It's two against one. Give the Pokémon back!"
"You honestly think you stand a chance?" the Rocket asked. "Show them we mean business, Rhyhorn!" The Rocket threw a Pokéball and his Pokémon appeared. It stamped its feet on the ground and kicked up dirt behind it. "Tackle!"
"Pidgeotto, counter it with Sand Attack!" Oak commanded. Pidgeotto swooped down in front of Rhyhorn, flapping its wings, and kicked up dirt in its face. It did not stop the Rhyhorn's advances and it headed straight towards Bulbasaur. "I've lowered its accuracy, Evo. Bulbasaur can counter it!"
"Thanks for telling me!" the Rocket said. "I won't give you that chance! Change of plans, Rhyhorn! Use Dig!" The Rhyhorn jumped up and immediately dove underground. Evo and Oak stood still; Evo was absolutely frozen. His first Pokémon battle ever was against Team Rocket? Bulbasaur was also frozen with anxiety.
"Evo, move Bulbasaur, now!" Oak yelled. A rumbling could be heard beneath them, and then Rhydon jumped out of the ground. It's horn connected with Bulbasaur's underside, and sent it hurdling into a tree.
"Saur!" it cried, upon impact. It trembled as it rose to its feet. "Bulba…saur!" Its eyes steadied on Rhyhorn with determination. "Bulba! Bulbasaur!" It said, looking over to Evo.
"Evo, Bulbasaur has the advantage here! Tell it to use an attack!"
"But what if I miss?" Evo asked. His fists were clenched and he appeared to be holding back tears. "This is my first battle ever, and… and…" Rhyhorn began its assault again, charging toward Bulbasaur with such a momentum that the attack would knock it. "Bulbasaur, I just can't do it…"
"Evo! Your Bulbasaur is in danger, right now, and you give up on it? How can you expect to be a Pokémon trainer?" Oak exclaimed. "Pidgeotto, use Whirlwind!" Pidgeotto flew to Bulbasaur's aid and landed infront of it. The bird Pokémon began to flap it's wings violently, creating a strong wind, but the attack failed. Rhyhorn just broke through the attempt. "Oh, no!" Oak exclaimed" It didn't work!"
Suddenly a larger Pokémon ran in front of Bulbasaur and Pidgeotto, and it pulled its arm back. As the Rhyhorn got closer, it tightened its focus. Once the Rhyhorn was in range, the newcomer let loose a ferocious punch that cracked its rock face just below the left eye. Rhyhorn tumbled backwards and skidded to a halt in front of the Rocket. The Pokémon was blue and it had a horn on the tip of its head.
"Wh-where'd that Nidoqueen come from?" the Rocket stammered. "I thought I took all of the Pokémon, on the ranch!"
"Well, if you had better ears, you would have heard me command it to use Focus Punch," a woman said. "Now, hand over that back you got there, and scram. Or I might have to try cracking your skull too."
"R-r-r-right! Here you go!" the Rocket emptied the bag full of Pokéballs he carried and released the Pokémon from them. They formed a group and stared down the Rocket, before chasing him out of the Ranch. The walked to Evo and embraced him. "You alright, Evo?"
"M-Mom?" Evo turned pink. His mother was a renowned Pokémon Trainer, when she was younger. "When did you get here?"
"Ol' Nida still has the knack for finding the bad guys, doesn't she?" Oak laughed. "It was a good thing you came, when you did. I was almost certain he'd get--" Oak looked at all of the Pokémon that were freed. "Oh no!"
"What?" Evo asked. "What happened?"
"He did get away with it! Charmander and Squirtle are missing!"
"I-I'm sorry." Evo looked down as his mother let him go. "This is all my fault." Bulbasaur approached Evo, but did not look at him.
"No, honey, it's not your fault. You and the Professor fought hard, and you got most of the Pokémon back." Evo's mom looked at Oak, he had the look that said:
"Well…"
"What happened, Professor?"
"I think we may need to talk about your son's future as a Pokémon Trainer. Can we speak in private?" Oak lead Evo's mother inside the lab, leaving Evo alone with Bulbasaur. For the hour that would pass with them discussing, Evo desperately tried to apologize to Bulbasaur.
"Bulbasaur, I'm sorry," he said. "This was my first battle! I don't know what to do. I'm not like my brothers. Battling scares me." Bulbasaur did not respond. "Hey…" Evo extended a hand and placed it on Bulbasaur's bulb, only to get it smacked away by its Vine Whip. "Ow!" After that, Evo did not bother trying to speak to it again.
"Evo, Professor Oak and I have come to decision," his mother said as she exited the lab with the Professor.
"It's okay," Evo solemnly said, "I'll head back home."
"No, Evo," Oak said. "You ARE going to be a Pokémon Trainer, and you're going to take Bulbasaur with you."
"Bulba?" Bulbasaur grew its vines out, angered by the Professor's decision.
"Bulbasaur, I know you don't like him," Oak said, approaching Bulbasaur, "but I am certain you two will bond as you search for your two friends." He petted Bulbasaur. "And I'm sure that Evo is sorry he could not get them back for you." Bulbasaur retracted its vines back into its bulb. "Now, Evo, here is Bulbasaur's Pokéball." Oak walked over to Evo and handed him a Pokéball. Then, in his other hand, Oak placed a red device along with five other Pokéballs. "And here are empty Pokéballs and your Pokédex."
"Why are you giving me these?" Evo asked. "I failed Bulbasaur in battle! I'm not fit to be a trainer."
"Your mother told me what happened to you, when you were younger," said Oak. "You need to face your fears, and I can tell that you want to make it up to Bulbasaur. " Oak placed his hand on Evo's head, smiling. "I just want you to do one thing for me. See to it that Charmander and Squirtle are given to good trainers, after you retrieve them. Team Rocket will not give my Pokémon away to anyone on the street, unless they pay a hefty price for it."
"So, you want me to look for Bulbasaur's friends?"
"Exactly. My grandson, Blue, and his rival are heading to Pewter City, right now. If you catch up with them, they may be able to help you become stronger." Oak pointed in the direction of Route 1. "Your Pokémon Journey has begun."
her
her friend Blossom
her brother Daniel
