Beyond the Adventure - A Pokémon Story

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

                The morning sun beams warmly against my face as I gaze out at the ocean’s horizon.  The Whirl Islands are barely visible from the Goldenrod City’s pier, shrouded in haze off in the distance.  I have always found the view to be serene, and frequently come out here early in the morning, before the newly built Global Trade Terminal opens.  The bustling noise of people mulling about never appealed to me and I feel this new building will only ruin the tranquility of the pier.  I long to escape the big city and head out on my own.  I was offered a Pokémon by Professor Oak when I was twelve years old to challenge the Pokémon League.  Unfortunately, ever since my father died, my mother has been struggling to find her own job, so she needs me here to help make ends meet.  I declined the offer, explaining why, but Professor Oak insisted I take one anyway.  I chose a Cyndaquil, but it has not seen much battle.  I challenged Whitney once, but Cyndaquil and the HootHoot I had caught earlier got destroyed.  Now we keep them simply as pets in the house.  I currently work at the department store, helping the Machoke down there move boxes and unload trucks.  It is rough work and does not pay much, but it is something.

                I close my eyes against the sun’s rays when I am suddenly knocked over something hard from behind.  I look up and come face-to-face with… a Pokémon?  All I see is a yellow face with big red eyes.  I blink a couple times, then sit up.  This creature before me is unlike any I had seen before.  It has black arms and furry yellow legs.  The oddest part of it is the huge black mouth hanging off the back of its head, lined with sharp teeth.  The creature stares at me with a slight, almost mischievous grin.  I have no idea what to make of it.

                “Uh… hello, there,” I say to it.

                The creature does not make a sound.  Instead, it continues to stare at me with those big red eyes, silent.  I run my fingers through my messily spiked silver hair.  Its stare starts making me uncomfortable, so I reach into my pocket and procure a couple Oran berries.  I offer them to the creature.

                “Do you like berries?” I ask.  Surely it must.  I have yet to meet a Pokémon that refused berries.

                The Pokémon looks at the berries, then back at me.  I smile and nod, extending my hand further.  Finally, the creature smiles, turns around, and chomps down hard on my hand with its giant gaping jaw.

                “YOW!!!” I yell.  I try to pull my hand away, but the creature does not let go.

                A man, who had apparently heard my yelp, came running from the Global Trade Terminal.  He rushes up to me and manages to soothe the Pokémon.  It lets go of my hand.  I gently rub it.

                “I’m terribly sorry about that,” the man says.  “This little guy got away from me.  It’s been quite the handful since its arrival.”

                I rub my throbbing hand, and look at the man.  “Arrived?  From where?”

                The man shrugs.  “We had a malfunction this morning and this guy came through without a trade being initiated,” he explains.  “We haven’t even opened yet and already we’re having problems.  The computer’s data got corrupted, so we have no idea where it came from.”

                I look down at the Pokémon.  It looks back up at me.  It is kind of cute, but if it came through the Global Trade Terminal, it must belong to someone, and since it came through without a trade being initiated, that someone did not get a Pokémon in return.  Surely, the owner would want it back, right?