Cock-a-doodle-doo!¡±
The rooster¡¯s crow roused Ash from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. The sun was already high in the sky.
¡°Oh, no!¡± Ash cried. ¡°I¡¯m late!¡± He leaped out of bed and ran out of the house.
Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander - anyone of them is fine, just please save one for me! Ash thought as he sped down the road.
Breathless, Ash finally saw Professor Oak¡¯s lab up ahead. A long row of steps led up a hill to a big, white building. At the bottom of the hill, a large crowd had formed.
¡°Gary, Gary, He¡¯s our man! If he can¡¯t do it no one can!¡± a group of cheerleaders called out.
I¡¯ve already missed it! Ash thought. He ran through the crowd accidently knocking down the cheerleaders.
¡°Hey, watch where you¡¯re going!¡± said an angry voice.
Ash looked up. He had bumped into Gary, another kid his age and Ash¡¯s biggest rival. He was holding a red-and-white Poké Ball.
¡°S-sorry, Gary,¡± Ash muttered.
¡°MISTER Gary to you. Show some respect,¡± Gary replied. ¡°Well ,Ash, you snooze, you lose. I¡¯ve got a Pokémon, and you don¡¯t.¡±
Ash couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You got your first Pokémon?¡±
That¡¯s right, loser, and its right inside this Pokéball,¡± Gary said, sneering. ¡°And it¡¯s the best one. It helps to have a grandfather in the Pokémon business.¡±
The crowd cheered again. Gary waved and set off on his journey.
Ash¡¯s heart sank. Since Professor Oak was Gary¡¯s gradfather, he probably did get the best Pokémon. How could I let a bully like Gary beat me? Ash thought. I¡¯ve just got to get one!
Ash ran up the stairs - right into Professor Oak.
¡°So you decided to show up after all,¡± the professor said. ¡°Are you sure you are ready?¡±
¡°Of course I¡¯m ready!¡± Ash said.
Professor Oak looked Ash up and down.
¡°You look like you¡¯re ready for bed, not for Pokémon training.¡±
Ash cringed. He was still in his pajamas! He was in such a hurry he had fogotten to change his clothes.
Blushing, Ash replied, ¡°I got messed up this morning. I was a little late, but beleive me, I¡¯m ready for a Pokémon.¡±
Ash followed Professor Oak up the steps and into the lab. The large room was filled with shiny silver machines. In the center of the room was a silver table with a glass dome on top. Three Poké Balls sat underneath the dome.
Ash began to get excited. He was finally going to get a Pokémon! Professor Oak pressed a button and a dome opened up.
Ash turned to Professor Oak. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it a lot, but I¡¯m not sure which one to choose.¡± Ash said.
Professor Oak opened up the Poké Balls. They were empty!
¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he said. ¡°These Pokémon were all taken by trainers who were on time.¡±
Ash was devastated. ¡°Does this mean I don¡¯t get a Pokémon?¡±
Proffesor Oak hesitated. ¡°There is no one left, but I¡¯m not sure. There is a problem with the last one.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care! I¡¯ll take it!¡± Ash pleaded.
The professor preseed a button on the table. A small circular plate in the table¡¯s center slid open, and a Poké Ball emerged. The professor handed the ball to Ash.
¡°Here¡¯s your pokemon, Ash.¡±
Ash held the Poké Ball in his hands. A real Poké Ball! The ball opened up. Bright flashes of yellow electric light filled the room. When the light stopped, a Pokémon sat on the table in front of him.
¡°Pikachu,¡± said the Pokémon.
Ash was thrilled. The Pokémon was about a foot tall, bright yellow, with brown stripes on its back. It had pointy ears, red circles on its cheecks, and - best of all - a tail shaped like a lightning bolt.
¡°That¡¯s its name - Pikachu,¡± the professor explained.
¡°It¡¯s so cute!¡± Ash said. ¡°It¡¯s the best one.¡±
The professor smiled nervously. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±
Ash reached down to pick up the Pokémon. ¡°hi, Pika - aaaaah!¡± A jolt of electricity surged through his body. Pikachu was shocking him! ¡°Pikachu is a lightning mouse,¡± said the professor. ¡°It¡¯s usually shy, but it can sometimes have an electric personality.¡±
¡°I see what you mean,¡± Ash said, still smarting from Pikachu¡¯s charge.
Professor Oak held out his hands. In one hand was a small, red electronic device. In the other there were six empty Poké Balls.
¡°This is your Pokédex, Dexter,¡± the professor said. He gave Ash the handheld device ¡°It is voice activated, and can answer all of your questions about Pokémon. It¡¯s also your ID and cannot be replaced. So don¡¯t lose it.¡±
Professor Oak handed Ash the Poké Balls. ¡°Use these Poke Balls to capture new Pokémon.¡±
¡°Thanks, Professor Oak,¡± Ash said.
¡°It's time to begin your journey, Ash.¡±
Ash picked up Pikachu and followed Professor Oak outside. The crowd was still gathered at the bottom of the stairs, banging on instruments and cheering. This time, they were chanting Ash¡¯s name.
Ash¡¯s mom stepped out from the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± she said, hugging Ash. She handed Ash a knapsack. ¡°I¡¯ve packed everything - clothes, clean underwear, your favorite snacks, a clothesline, rubber gloves to do your laundry. . . .¡±
Ash blushed. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re embarrassing me in front of all these people!¡±
¡°Listen to your mother. Those rubber gloves she packed will come in handy!¡± the professor said.
¡°Why?¡± asked Ash.
¡°Rubber blocks electricity,¡± Professor Oak explained.
Ash fished the rubber gloves out of his knapsack. With a Pokémon like Pikachu, he was going need all the help he could get!¡±