Episode 1: A Clash of Rivals

"Glancing behind her, she saw what looked like a black cloud that was fast gaining on them. So she invoked the sapphire--Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... sang the brown haired boy with tanned skin on Ash's PokeNav screen, making a prop sapphire glow in response to his voice.

"Watching all the Brock stories you have one last time before you leave, champ?" Ash's father smiled as he arrived.

"Not all of them--I woke up early to finish packing, and decided to watch my current favorite while I waited for you guys to get up." Ash replied as he stopped the video and stashed the PokeNav in his bag, in between a few whistles and some camping gear.

"Just remember that Brock is also your first opponent on the road to the League--and he takes his battling as seriously as he does his performances." Ash's father cautioned as Ash quickly got dressed.

"My little boy...I never dreamed this day would come so quickly." Ash's mother smiled while choking back tears at the same time. "You've grown up so much..." she started as she readied a camera to take a picture.

"Wait!" Ash paused to grab a familiar red cap with a black L-like design on a white background from the hat stand and put it on. "Okay, take all the pictures you want, Mom!"

He patiently posed as the camera flashed, then made his way downstairs for a quick breakfast.

Later, in Oak's Lab...

After bidding his parents farewell one last time, Ash made his way to the familiar lab that made Pallet Town famous. He'd visited there many times, both on his own and with friends, and the windmill made it easy to spot among all the other buildings in town.

A few other trainers had arrived to receive their first Pokemon, but Ash winced when he saw a spiky brown haired boy waiting at the table filled with Poke Balls. Gary...do not stoop down to his level...do not stoop down to his level...

He noticed a particular Poke Ball that had star stickers on it, making it stand out from the many others that held either a Bulbasaur, a Charmander, or a Squirtle. I wonder what kind of Pokemon's in there? he wondered. A Legendary, maybe? Or a rare Pokemon from a different region?

"Gramps, I'm fed up with waiting!" the spiky haired boy whined, snapping Ash back to reality.

"Just be patient, Gary, you'll get a Pokemon too." the professor assured Gary as he continued passing out Poke Balls to the other trainers in line. Although a few wisps of brown peeked through Prof. Oak's dull gray hair, he still had an air of youthful wisdom and kindness as he handed out Poke Balls.

Before long, it was Ash's turn to approach the table--most of the other early risers had left, but most trainers would not arrive until later in the morning.

He looked over the hundreds of Poke Balls lying on the table, but he kept coming back to the Poke Ball with star stickers. Something special had to be in there, he thought. If its not a Bulbasaur, a Charmander, or a Squirtle, then what is it?

Prof. Oak noticed Ash studying the hundreds of Poke Balls. "If you're curious, Ash, that starry Poke Ball is one I saved especially for you...so go on and take it."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled, and reached out for the starry Poke Ball...

"What about me?" Gary's question startled him.

"I'll give you one later, okay?" Prof. Oak assured Gray before motioning to Ash.

But before Ash could take the starry Poke Ball, he gasped as Gary snatched it off the table. "Hey!"

"This Pokemon's mine now, Ash!" Gary smirked, tossing the Poke Ball from hand to hand.

Tears welled up in Ash's eyes--Prof. Oak had said the starry Poke Ball was his, and now Gary, his self proclaimed rival, had taken it?

"Don't think cryin's gonna make me give it back." Gary continued taunting Ash. "I have this Pokemon now--deal with it."

Ash growled at he tried to restrain himself from shouting a comeback at Gary. "No, Ash...he wants you to shout a witty comeback, and you'll just be arguing all day...do not stoop to his level." he reminded himself as he wiped away his tears of anger and composed himself.

"Ash...come over here, please." Prof. Oak snapped him back to reality.

Ash hurried over to the professor's desk as Prof. Oak unearthed another Poke Ball from a drawer. "Another secret Pokemon? What's in there?"

"This is a Pikachu I caught earlier this morning." Prof. Oak explained. "It seems to dislike being confined, so it may be happier just walking by your side."

With that, he heaved the Poke Ball skyward, making a small yellow mouse with a thunderbolt tail materialize on the desk. "Pikachu!" it smiled at Ash.

"Hello!" Ash replied. He reached out to pet the mouse, but it charged a warning spark. "Okay, okay, I won't pet you right now..."

Professor Oak offered Ash a small red device and a string of five Poke Balls. "Here you go...five empty Poke Ball, and the latest edition of my portable Pokemon encyclopedia--the Pokedex. This one is named Dexter."

Interested, Ash pointed Dexter at the yellow mouse before him.

"Pikachu, the mouse Pokemon. It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs." Dexter explained.

"Let's see...what am I gonna name you, Pikachu...." Ash thought.

A memory of one of Brock's Gaelic songs gave him an idea. "Tintri!"

"Pika!" The Pikachu smiled.

"An interesting choice--a short misspelling of the Eire region Gaelic word for 'lightning', tintreach. Prof. Oak replied. "I hope you'll take care of him."

"I will, Professor!" Ash smiled before smiling at his new Pikachu. "Ready to go on an adventure, Tintri?"

[You bet! You seem like a nice human, too.] Tintri replied.

He was about to depart the lab with Tintri when he heard Gary say "What's the hurry, Ash? Let's check out our Pokemon! No sense in just waltzing out the door without seeing how powerful they are!"

"Is that a challenge?" Ash snapped back.

"Yeah...I challenge you!" Gary replied.

"If you two are going to battle, I'd prefer you did it somewhere away from the lab." Prof Oak interrupted. "I don't know what I would do if any of my research was lost due to a careless battle."

Gary just sighed. "Fine...battle on the town square in five minutes. Be there, or be square."