So we all had a childhood, even if we have tried to forget most of it. There are parts of mine that I'm not so proud of, but there is one thing that will affect me for the rest of my life. Pokemon. It was everything. It still is everything. A small part of all of us, want to walk away from our home on an unknown route in search of the strongest Pokemon, to become the greatest Pokemon Master of all time. My day to day life slowly left me with out the comfort of Pokemon, but in the middle of the night, during one of my sleep cycles, I reminded myself what I really wanted in my life. It's a bit of a story so I hope your up for some excitement...
Everyone was talking about it that day. The news was running stories on it all day. They were all pretty much saying the same thing but the free newspaper I picked up at school had the headline “Science Creates Real-life Pokemon”. Crazy right? Real Pokemon. But my friend told me that apparently that this was all done like a year ago, and today is really just the day that they are releasing all the species into the wild, in secret crates that have been place in appropriate climates all around the world.
People wanted to get their hands on these creatures, so private sponsors we're forming teams to go out into the world and collect data and hopefully catch these Pokemon. Most sponsors were gathering either groups of three, or one more “celebrity” adventurer. But there was also the international, soulless corporations that decided that they wanted an army of catchers, teamed in twos. For some reason, I received a phone call from a Sponsor that wanted me, and two others of my choosing, to represent them in a Pokemon adventure. I would represent Ash Ketchum, and I was supposed to find people who could fit the roles of Misty and Brock.
The childhood friends I immediately went to had just gotten jobs issued through the government. Jessica Weiss, who was the first I called, had been offered a position at a research facility. She had taken a test with all the other applicants, and Jessica of course scored highest. Nick Glover, who was also very knowledgeable, was sent to Japan, where archaeologists had found fossils that may prove the existence of Pokemon back before the Ice Age. Taylor Jaussi was assigned, like me, to lead a group of three for a private sponsor. And the last person, Austin Emch, was specializing in the breeding of Pokemon and had previously declined an offer from a sponsor.
I needed a team assembled within the week, so I went to the next place I knew best, Iceberg Drive-In. Kenny Meldrum was the first one I ran into, and he had been accepted on as a Soldier Catcher for one of the corrupted major corporations. He told me that this wasn't going to be an expedition position, but he would get to guard their hidden bases. It sounded okay. Dawn Harper saw me and ran up to me. “Brad, I heard you get to put together a team. I was wondering if you still needed a Misty. Please let me be Misty??” I knew that Dawn had gotten many offers from smaller businesses on becoming their Dawn. They were willing to give her very good compensation. So I sat down with Dawn and kindly declined and eventually convinced her to take one of the jobs. I knew that was best for her. I needed to look elsewhere, but before I left, Jerry Hunt had told me that he was planning on turning the Berg into a PokeMart.
I went back to my apartment at SUU, and knew that I would find what I needed there. Sam Milliron was to become Brock of my team. I called him on my way down. He had been accepted to train as part of a fighting gym, but I got him to give it up for a Pokemon adventure. I got there and met Sam to have him help me find a female for Misty. He suggested Caitlin Hanson from across the hall. DUH, why didn't I think of it before. She was perfect. We walked right in and offered our proposal. She pretended to play it cool, but she started to giggle and accepted without hesitation. Just then I heard something that made my heart sink, “Caitlin, we just got hired on as a Corporate Catching Duo!! You can be Jessy, because I just died my hair blue and I don't mind being James:)” Oh Tia. That was Tia Peterson, and she is Caitlin's best friend. Caitlin was staring at us as she yelled back, “Oh really, that's nice. Why don't you come out of your room for a sec Tia...” Her door opened and she knew instantly why we were there. We all started yelling at each other until Caitlin broke it all up. “Everybody just be quiet. Who says I have to pick just one side? During the day, I can be with Brad and Sam, working for the Sponsor, and at night, I'll sneak off with Tia, to do dirty work for the Corporation.” And so it was settled. Caitlin was going to be playing for the good guys and the bad guys. And that was the beginning...
The world adapted to the presence of Pokemon. People starting taking their skills and training their Pokemon accordingly. Anyone could have a Pokemon, and eventually everyone did. Whether as a pet, fighting tool, or sometimes partner in crime. But no matter what the Pokemon did for them, it was their friend. And maybe that's why God brought Pokemon here, to give everyone a friend.
