Chapter 2: Setting Off
After recovering from the electric shock, I held onto Pikachu firmly and looked toward Professor Oak.
"Professor, please give me the rest of my gear. I'm about to leave on my journey," I said, eager to get moving.
"Alright, I'll give it to you," Professor Oak replied, a teasing glint in his eye. "But... are you planning to go on your journey in those pajamas?"
I scratched my head in embarrassment. Professor Oak reached into his pocket and handed me five empty Poké Balls and a Pokédex.
"Keep these safe. They will come in handy when you need them," he advised.
Just then, my mom arrived at the lab, carrying my backpack and the outfit I had prepared for my journey.
"Ash, did you get your Pokémon?" Mom asked. She looked down at the yellow mouse in my arms. "Oh, it's a Pikachu! It's so cute. But shouldn't it be inside a Poké Ball?"
Mom's words made me realize she was right. Pikachu should be in a Poké Ball like all the other Pokémon.
I set Pikachu down on the floor and pointed a Poké Ball at him. "Pikachu, get back in the Poké Ball."
I threw the ball toward Pikachu.
Pikachu, who had just breathed the air of freedom, heard my voice and thought, I just got out of that ball, and now this boy, Ash, wants to send me back inside? You go, I don't want to.
Whack!
Pikachu used his tail to hit the Poké Ball right back at me.
I caught the ball and threw it toward Pikachu again. This back-and-forth happened three times. Finally, Pikachu got annoyed. With a powerful swing of his tail, he smashed the Poké Ball back toward my face with extra force.
Bonk!
It hit me square in the face. "Ouch!" I winced in pain.
"Oh, look at you two playing catch! It looks like you've already become friends," Mom said with sparkling eyes.
To prove my mom completely wrong, Pikachu unleashed a massive electric shock on everyone.
ZZZZZZZZZAP!
Professor Oak, who had just taken off his rubber gloves, was caught in the blast too. We were all fried crisp.
After the chaos settled, I finally changed into my travel outfit.
...
I said my goodbyes to Mom and the Professor and started walking down the road of Route 1 with Pikachu. However, Pikachu was throwing a tantrum, so I had to tie a rubber clothesline around him and drag him along, making sure to wear my rubber gloves.
Pika... Pika!
I don't want to go with him! He's dragging me against my will! And my Thundershock isn't working because of those gloves! No, I won't give up!
Pikachu dug his heels in and refused to walk.
Seeing this, I sighed and gave up. I looked at Pikachu. "I'll untie you from this rope, and I'll take off the rubber gloves too. I really just want to be friends with you, Pikachu."
Seeing the sincerity in my eyes, Pikachu hesitated for a moment. He seemed ready to walk with me, but he decided he still wasn't going to listen to my orders.
"Pikachu, why won't you stay in the Poké Ball?" I asked, frustrated. "All Pokémon stay in their balls. Look, even the Pokédex says so."
I pulled out the Pokédex, opened it, and pressed a button. A robotic voice spoke out:
"While being trained, a Pokémon usually stays inside its Poké Ball."
Hearing this, Pikachu rolled his eyes. Does he think I don't know that? I just came from that old man's lab. You think you know more than me?
Pikachu jumped up and pressed one of the buttons on the Pokédex. The voice spoke again:
"However, there are many exceptions. Some Pokémon prefer to stay outside."
The Pokédex seemed to agree with Pikachu. Pikachu puffed out his chest with pride. I was stunned. I didn't expect the Pokédex to switch sides so quickly!
I pretended to be oblivious to my defeat, whistling a tune as I kept walking. Pikachu chuckled to himself at my expense.
Rustle...
Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps. I looked toward some bushes a short distance away.
It was a small, brown, plump-bodied avian Pokémon with a cream-colored underside and flight feathers. It had a short crest on its head and angular black markings extending from behind its eyes.
"It's a Pidgey!" My eyes lit up. "Pikachu, go! Battle time!"
But there was no response.
I looked back and saw Pikachu sitting there, cleaning his paws, pretending he hadn't heard a single word I said.
I got angry. "Fine! I don't need your help. I can catch a Pokémon all by myself!"
I pulled my pajamas out of my backpack. I crept slowly toward the Pidgey, and then—Swish!—I quickly threw the pajamas over it to cover it.
"I did it!" I thought I had won.
But suddenly, my pajamas began to inflate. A small cyclone formed underneath the fabric.
WHOOSH!
The force of the wind blew me backward, and I fell to the ground.
The Pokédex voice chimed in:
"Pidgey used Gust. It is dangerous for a Trainer to attempt to battle a Pokémon directly without their own Pokémon."
Hearing the Pokédex, I felt like even the machine was making fun of my failure.
The Pidgey flapped its wings and took to the skies, leaving me staring blankly after it.
Suddenly, I heard the rustling of bushes again. Another Pokémon sound! I immediately thought it must be another Pidgey. Determined not to repeat my earlier mistake, I didn't reach for my pajamas this time. Instead, I picked up a stone from the ground and took careful aim at the Pokémon.
Thwack!
The stone hit its mark. The Pokémon that emerged looked absolutely furious. As I looked closer, I saw it had a spiky dark brown head crest, pinkish-red wings with lighter tips, and a beige underside with two faint stripes. Its back was covered in black feathers, ending in three brown tail feathers.
My heart sank as I realized what it was. "A Spearow!"
I knew immediately I was in trouble. Unlike other Pokémon that might let a grudge go, Spearows are famous for their fiery tempers and their need for revenge.
To be continued...