Chapter 1

Redwald was in Professor Oak’s office. He just met his first partner, a brown, quadruped Pokémon. He was keeping his bushy tail between his legs which Redwald assumed his Pokémon was being delibrate. Redwald thought it would be the best to break the ice in the room. He put a forced half smile and reached his hand to him. “I am Red.” He said. He expected some kind of a response from him but instead the Pokémon turned his back and lied on the table.

“Why don’t you let your Pokédex recognize him, Redwald?” The woman in the office said. She was quite young and her voice was rich. Redwald nodded his head. “You are right, mom.” He said. Then he took his Pokédex out of his pocket.

In the early morning, Redwald found his invitation letter from Professor Oak and put it in his bag. Then the day really began for him. He changed his outfit, had his breakfast and finally entered her mother’s bedroom. A Pokémon was lying on the bed.

“Are you awaken, Meowth?” Redwald asked. Meowth turned his face to Redwald and ran to him. Redwald pet his head. As he let his hand tangle around his fur, Meowth purred. “I am leaving now.” He said. “Professor Oak probably won’t let us leave the laboratory until the end, so I may not see you in a while. But don’t worry, I will definitely see you once more before I set off.”

Meowth licked Redwald’s hand. That was the sign of him saying I love you. “I love you too, Meowth.” Redwald said. “I will check your milk before I leave. But mom should be home in the noon, so feel free to drink as much as you like.” Then he left his mother’s bedroom.

His house was around five minutes away from Professor Oak’s laboratory. Redwald took the invitation letter and read it once again.

Congratulations, Redwald Walker. ''Out of more than 100 applications, you have been chosen to take part in Professor Oak’s summer camp for the Pokémon Trainer Licence. The camp will start next Monday and be over by the end of the summer, right before the beginning of registrations of the next season of Pokémon League in Kanto. During these 10 weeks, you will be given a starter Pokémon and some necessary devices for your training. In the meantime, all the participants will be tested with three tasks. Those who pass all the three tasks will be awarded with a Pokémon Trainer Licence.'' My best regards Professor Oak

Redwald found the letter quite inspiring for himself. During his five minutes of walk to the laboratory, the sun shone bright in the air in this ordinary summer day. All the trees and the bushes were glowing so bright that they were almost smiling at him.

“I will be the best one.” He repeated himself. “I know exactly what I have to do. This is my destiny.”

The garden of the laboratory was not crowded, but the intended trainers arrived in Pallet Town earlier. They were meeting each other and the assistants. But Redwald was familiar with this place already. He walked straight to the door and came inside to find his mother’s office.

When he knocked the door and came inside, his mother was busy with paperworks. “Welcome, honey.” She said as soon as she saw her son. “I was just dealing with your paperworks.”

“Which team am I drawn in?” Redwald asked. His mother, Fennel, put a smile on her face. “You are in the Red Team.” She said. “There are only three students from Pallet Town, anyway. The rest is from completely different places.”

“I am leaving to the classroom then.” He said. Her mother said nothing but smiled. She opened her arms and expected a hug. Although Redwald did not enjoy hugging his mother for no reason, he put a forced half smile on his face and responded her hug move with a real hug. Fennel put a kiss on his forehead. “Everyone is proud of you, Red.” She said. “Me, Professor Oak, even...”

Redwald interrupted her word. “Thank you.” Then he left his mother’s office. He found the classroom for the Red Team and came inside. Four of the students were already there. Two of them were having a conversation. A lonely guy was watching outside of the window. He was probably lost in his own thoughts. The girl in the corner however caught his attention. Redwald did not want to stare at her directly, so he pretended he did not realise her at all, but he was absolutely sure that the girl was watching him carefully since Redwald came in the classroom. Still, Redwald sat on a table and waited.

The other three students came in the classroom in the next 15 minutes. A whish dominated the silent classroom after them. Redwald did not listen to them or talk to anyone. Eventually Professor Oak and Fennel came in the classroom.

“Welcome, young trainers.” Professor Oak began his speech. “I know you are impatient to finally do something after 15 years of waiting, but I will keep you a bit more.” He was being friendly. “First let me introduce me and this place to you.”

“My head assistant Fennel behind me and I prepared the two teams here. You are called Red Team. You will take classes as this group for most of the time, but there will be some events in which both Red and Green Team will be united. If you have any problem, please come to me or my assistant Fennel. Our offices are in the hallway. Also, please remember that this place is not a school. We have serious researches that kids should not be involved. So please do not cross the line and enter the places you are not supposed to. The line is the entrance, the garden and this floor of the laboratory. The upstairs are definitely not allowed to any student at all. Also do not leave the laboratory without a permission. Your safety is our priority.”

Redwald felt that the friendly attitude was completely gone. Professor Oak was as serious as he could be. He could not risk their safety or the researches he had been running.

“We have all the informations needed about you and keep them in a file. Your attitude will have an impact in the end of the camp process. So watch out your actions.”

Then Fenel took over the speech. She read a list of all students with a specific time next to their names. The pattern was 15 minutes away from the student before them. After Fennel was done with reading all the names, she asked everyone to be at Oak's office at the time that was specified.

When Redwald came in Oak’s office, Oak’s Pokémon assistant Clefable had already prepared everything for him. Redwald was familiar with the Clefable. He first greeted her, then he found his Pokémon on the table. Professor Oak and Fennel were watching everything from behind.

Professor Oak handed over a Pokédex. It was a device to identify all the Pokémon in Kanto. “You know how to use it, don’t you?” He asked. Redwald nodded his head. “Why don’t you let your Pokédex recognize him, Redwald?” Fennel asked. He took his Pokédex out of his pocket and turned it on.

Eevee was careless about his trainer. He turned his back and kept slacking off. “Give it some time, Redwald.” Fennel said. “Eevee is hard to deal with, but once you get through his heart and trust, nothing will there be over you.”

“That’s what I’m counting on, mom!” Redwald said. He tried to look confident although that kind of beginning was nothing but stressful and hesitant for him.

While Greta waited in the hallway, she realised her hands were shaking. “This is just a meeting.” She repeated herself. “Just... calm... down...”

But she could not help.

At the moment Greta turned her back, she encountered a girl whom she would never want to see in a moment like this. The blond girl had a hat on her head. She wore a blue dress and a brown jacket. But the only thing that was remarkable was the evil smile she had on her face.

“I wouldn’t expect to see you in a place like this, Greta.” The girl said. Not only Greta was restless, but now also annoyed.

“Leave me alone, Madison.” Greta responded. She turned her back to walk away but Madison put her hand on Greta’s shoulder. “Hold it, darling.” She said. They were looking in the eye of each other again.

“You left the school out of nowhere. We couldn’t hear from you at all.” Madison said. Greta was absolutely sure that Madison eventually found out the truth but she was just playing with her now.

“There is nothing to hear.” Greta broke it short. “If you excuse me, I need to concantrate on my meeting with my Pokémon.”

“Why are you even here, Greta?” Madison apparently had no intention to break it short. “I always thought you would stay home with your parents and eventually marry someone your parents think the best for you.”

“This is none of your business, Madison.” Greta raged out. Her voice echoed through the hallway. She was about to ask to leave her alone for the last time until Professor Oak’s office door was opened and Fennel appeared.

“Is everything okay here?” She asked. Greta was so close to cry out of anger but she kept her nerves calm. “It is, Mrs. Walker.” She said. Fennel let the young girl in the office go with his new Pokémon and invited Greta inside.

Inside, Clefable brought the wheeled chair away and instead returned with a Pokémon, a PokéBall which belonged to her and a Pokédex. Then Clefable handed over the Pokédex.

“It is yours now, Greta.” Professor Oak said. “Please use it wisely.” Greta responded him with a smile. Fennel interrupted it and pointed out the Pokémon on the wheeled chair. “This Pokémon is going to be your partner during your camping here, Greta.” She said. “Please remember that in the end of 10 weeks, she will be asked if she wants to stay with you or stay in the laboratory.”

“That is the best probably.” Greta said. Then she extended her hand to the little, blue Pokémon on the chair. “Hi, you.” Greta said. She had a big smile on her face. The white hat she had on her head reflected a light on her face which made her smile so frank. “I am Greta, your partner in the camp. And you are...”

Then she turned on her Pokédex. The device identified her.

“This is my pleasure.” Greta said. But Nidoran was still shy to respond her.

“Don’t let her spoil your mood, Greta.” Fennel said. “You are the calmest student we had so far. Please keep up your faith. Nidoran is just a shy Pokémon to the strangers. Once you get along well with her, everything will turn out to be better.”

“Don’t worry, Professor.” Greta answered. “Everything will turn out to be better for both of us.” Greta then put Nidoran’s PokéBall in her bag and carried Nidoran on her arms before she left the office.

When Blake came in Professor Oak’s office, he saw everyone waiting for him. Silently he stood in the middle of the office and expected to hear some words. But everyone was in silence.

“Why do I have a feeling that there is going to be lecture out of my entrance?” He said by breaking the silence eventually. Professor Oak nodded his head. He was partly right, apparently.

“Blake, I know you’ve been going through a stressful period right now. You are mad at pretty much everything, including me.” Professor Oak said. “But there is one thing you should know...”

He was about to complete his sentence until Blake raised his finger and stopped him. “No, grandfather. There is one thing you should know and that is the fact that you are denying everything that I can see. Stop defending my parents and let me face the truth, will you?”

“But that is not the fact, Blake. They did not take you with them because joining this safari is not safe for you, especially when you are not qualified to train a Pokémon.” Professor Oak said. He was using his words quickly to not let Blake interrupt him again. “But once you are done with your journey, your father and mother will be willing to take you with them.”

“That’s another lie of you!” Blake raised his voice. “I can’t stand you and your lies anymore! All I want is complete this process and leave this place for once and all!”

“You know, Blake, in order to get your licence, you need to put out your best.” Professor Oak said. Blake closed his eyes and nodded his head. “I know, grandfather. And believe me, I am going to be the best one yet to be seen.”

Fennel was curiously listening to Blake.

“I will go on this journey and I will train the best six. In the end, I will become the next Champion of the Kanto League. When this day comes, everyone will talk about me! All the TVs will be broadcasting me to the whole region. When this day comes, my parents will come out of nowhere and want to see me, be proud of me. But do you know what will happen next?”

Blake was talking so cold blooded that Professor Oak was kind of afraid to ask. But Blake said anyway.

“I will not see them! I will not be proud of them to be my parents because I will be there all by myself!” He shouted out as he wished. “Am I clear?”

“You have wrong thoughts, Blake.” Professor Oak said. But he knew it meant nothing to him.

Redwald was in the backyard, sitting on the grasses with his Pokémon. But his Pokémon pretended like Redwald did not even exist. He just turned his back to him and slept. Redwald did not want to push Eevee into a relationship, but he was thinking of how to get along with him.

Then the girl Redwald thought she was watching over him appeared. She had her blue Pokémon with her. Her white hat was glowing very bright under the sunny day of the summer.

“Excuse me.” The girl said. Redwald was surprised. She was the girl stared at him in the classroom after all. “Yes.” Redwald said. He had no idea how to react this introduction. Greta sinked to her knees and put a frank, half smile on her face. She took a deep breath and asked, “Do you remember me?”

Humans

 * Redwald Walker
 * Greta Parker
 * Professor Oak
 * Fennel Walker
 * Blake Oak
 * Madison Dickens
 * Other Students