A story of Pokemon

The battle begin [part one]

A heavy atmosphere hung in the laboratory. Ash and Blue stood face to face, each staring at the other with a flame of challenge in their eyes. With furrowed brows and sharp, piercing gazes, one could literally feel the determination of the two young boys.

Professor Oak stood in front of the two boys. He had placed the three Pokéballs on the table to his right and was looking at them both with a slight, satisfied smile. "Very well, I think it's time we begin", said the professor. His face continued to show a slight smirk, that of a man who had everything prepared. It must be said that he seemed more cheerful and excited than before. For a man his age, seeing children make Pokémon fight until they faint shouldn't be an "exciting" moment. At least, it wouldn't be in a "normal" world. But in a world where poaching-I mean, hunting Pokémon is something normal, and where making animals-sorry, Pokémons fight each other is a national championship, it's not shocking at all.

"Ash, since you are the one who was challenged, you may choose your Pokémon first", said the professor Oak.

Ash continued to stare at Blue while the professor spoke. It seemed like they were in a staring duel, and the first to look away would lose.

Ash started to move towards the table where the Pokéballs were placed, his face stern. Damn, damn, damn, am I really going to do this? Ash thought. These words completely filled his mind. On the outside, his face revealed nothing, but inside, he was full of doubts and questions. Come on, pull yourself together, Ash, don't let them see you're freaking out, he told himself to calm down.

Ash was now standing in front of the table where the Pokéballs were placed, still keeping a hard look. It seemed like he was deep in thought, but it was all a bluff, a cleverly orchestrated bluff. Okay, okay, think, argh damn, I stared at that idiot to avoid showing that I was scared to death. Given the way he's looking at me, it must have made an impression on him, making him think I wasn't afraid and that he'd regret underestimating me. But it was all just a bluff, damn it. I just stared because he was staring at me the whole time, that fool. It's like with wild animals: you can't show fear, or it's over, Ash thought, overwhelmed by these reflections. How could an inexperienced kid like him expect to win? It was hopeless. Ash continued to stare at the three Pokéballs without saying a word. He paced along the table, holding his chin, his face again plunged into intense thought.

On the other side, Blue and Professor Oak looked at Ash perplexed, as if to say, "What the hell is he doing?" they exchanged a bewildered look, wondering what was going on in Ash's head. He was no longer the nonchalant boy from earlier; his attitude had changed; he was starting to think.

Alright, okay, I'm not going to spend all day on this, and besides, I don't necessarily need to win this battle, any one will do, he thought, staring at the Pokéballs. But first, I'll check something. Ash had stopped; he was now standing in front of the Pokéball on the far left of the table, the third one from the right. Ash reached out slowly, as if about to choose this Pokéball, while looking at the professor. His plan was simple: since Professor Oak knew the contents of each Pokéball, he would use him as a detector to choose the right Pokéball.

Ash continued to slowly move his hand towards the Pokéball, but before grabbing it, he stopped because he had just seen on the professor's face a horrible grimace he had never seen before. The professor's face was contorted, his cheeks raised, his lips curled back, and his eyes narrowed. Definitely not the right choice.

Not this one? The other one then, Ash continued his interrogation. Now, he turned his hand to the left; it was time to check the second ball. As soon as Ash moved his hand from the third Pokéball to the second, the professor's face changed once more, but this time, it wasn't an embarrassed face but a dark one; his forehead and his nose were wrinkled, and his white eyebrows were completely furrowed. Ash almost shuddered. "Definitely not this one, okay! Only this one left", he murmured, staring at the last Pokéball, which was actually the first one, at least if you started choosing from the left.