Oak Chapter 1

Hi everyone! This is the first fanfiction that I have written for three years. This story takes place in Kanto, 40 years before the events in the games and anime, but for the sake of convenience, we will pretend that everyone knew about Johto, because face it, it doesn't make sense that the people of Kanto never noticed a region so close to them.

Constructive criticism is good, but please, do not flame.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon

13 year old Samuel Oak awoke in the middle of the night. He crept out of his bed fully dressed, light-footed as a Persian, slung a fully packed bag over his shoulder and stepped down through the unlit halls of his home in Pallet town. A floorboard creaked underneath his foot, and he froze, not daring to make a noise, in case he woke up his father, sleeping in the next room. If his father woke, his weeks of planning with Aggie would be for nothing. His father didn't approve of 'scrabbling around in the bushes with dangerous wild animals' as he called Pokémon training, but he didn't understand. Sammy needed to be a trainer. He needed to know more about Pokémon, how they lived, their habitats, their strengths, their weaknesses. People were going to be setting up a league for battlers soon, and if that happened… well, Sammy couldn't very well stay back in Pallet, could he?

He finally left the house, breathing the cool night air in deeply. He held his arms close to him, glad for his long sleeved shirt and long pants. His bangs of brown hair hung in his eyes, he crept silently, freezing at every Pidgey perching on a roof, every Rattata scrabbling across the grass, until he reached a house a few doors down from his. He gently threw a small rock at one of the higher windows.

'Aggie! Aggie, you ready?' he whispered as loud as he dared.

A girl, with shoulder length dark hair and brown eyes leaned out the window, flashed a grin at Sammy, and put a finger to her lips. She ducked back into her room, and in less than a minute, was out of the door, and with Sammy.

'So, are we still going through with this, Sammy?' asked Agatha, mischief glinting in her eyes. Agatha, like Sammy, had parents that didn't approve of her love of Pokémon. So, together, she and Sammy had hatched a plan to get out into training before their parents could stop them

'Of course we are! We've come this far, we can't very well back out now, can we?' replied Sammy.

'Good, I was wondering if you would chicken out.'

Agatha smirked again. 'It would be just like you to do it'

Sammy was starting to be annoyed. 'Oh yeah? When have I ever chickened out on you, Aggie? Huh?'

Agatha mockingly pretended to think deeply for a moment. 'Let me think… The time back in school when the Magikarp-'

'We agreed never to talk about that again!' hissed Sammy, cheeks flushing. Agatha ignored him.

'And when I dared you to touch the Beedrill hive…'

'Quite frankly, that was just dangerous.'

'And there was the time when I told you to throw a rock at that Spearow… Well, you did throw it, but you screamed like a girl when it chased after you.'

'That was just stupid. Honestly, I can't believe I did it at all, looking back. Only you, Aggie, could make anyone other than a complete and utter idiot throw a rock at a wild pokemon.' retorted Sammy.

Agatha laughed, and shook her long hair out. 'Well, looks like I wouldn't have needed to be there, in that case.'

'Hey!'

'Whatever, chicken. Anyway, come on. Those Pokéballs aren't going to get themselves!' She grabbed Sammy by the hand, and started dragging him towards the shops.

They travelled together a few houses down, until they reached a general store. Agatha rummaged in her pockets, and pulled out a slightly rusty key. Her father owned the shop, and so had given her the key so she could get in while he was on a night shift.

Uncharacteristically, Agatha actually looked a bit worried here. 'Look, Sammy. Even though my dad owns the store, we could still get in real trouble if we are caught. Like, breaking the law trouble.'

This caught Sammy by surprise. The gravity of the situation, and what they were going to do, set in by Agatha's dropping out of her usual nonchalant air. He nearly gave up then and there. But then, he thought of how much he wanted, how much he needed to be a trainer, and his decision was made.

'Then we won't get caught.' Said Sammy, with steel in his voice. Agatha looked up, and her lips curved back up into a smile.

'Well, it appears you do have a backbone after all.' She said, with the characteristic laughter in her eyes.

'I didn't have one before?' asked Sammy 'Anyway, come on, Agatha, unlock the door, the longer we're out here, the more likely we are to get caught.'

'Right' said Agatha, as she slotted the key into the hole. Together, they ventured into the closed, dark store.

'Where are the Pokéballs?' whispered Sammy. 'I can't see them anywhere!'

'They're in the back.' replied Agatha. 'Keep quiet.' They continued through the store, until they reached a locked cupboard at the back. Agatha's key unlocked it, and they saw the balls. They were a chrome colour, with a dull red screw-top lid. They were divided with a black line through the middle. (A.N. The Pokéballs are the same kind as the ones used by Sammy in Pokémon 4Ever)

After staring at the contraptions, Sammy picked one up and held it in his hand. The smooth surface felt so… right in his hand. He was dimly aware of Agatha picking some up, and stuffing them into her bag. He put the ball down into his, and took 10 more, just in case. Agatha locked eyes with him, and he knew there was no turning back now.

Brimming with newfound energy, they left the store. They walked through the dark streets, until they reached the path leading to Route 1. They stood there, staring into the trees for a moment, until Agatha broke the silence.

'Well… we're going to be travelling alone so… I guess this is it?' She said awkwardly. 'Um… I'll see you in Viridian, I guess.' She began walking down the path.

'Wait up Agatha!' called Sammy. 'You don't have to leave just yet, I mean, it's just Route 1!'

Agatha looked back with an eyebrow raised. 'You'd really miss me that much?' she quipped. As Sammy flushed and stammered, she laughed. 'Oh, lighten up, I'll see you in a couple of hours at the most.' She continued walking, and was soon out of sight.

Sammy stared after her for a while, but hitched his backpack around his shoulders, and headed off. Within a minute, Pallet town was completely out of sight, obscured by the thick layer of trees.

In the shade of one of the bushes by the side of the path, eyes gleamed out, staring after Samuel and Agatha. After a moment's pause, it loped out of the shadows, and after the two humans.

Some hours later…

Sammy continued through the thinly forested area, surprised by the lack of wild Pokémon attacks. From the descriptions he had gained from his father of the routes between towns, he had expected to be attacked every time he took a step. But so far, other than seeing Kakunas and Metapods asleep on branches, and the occasional Rattata or Pidgey, who stayed out of his way, the path had been completely Pokémon free! However, he did get the unnerving feeling that he was being followed, but every time he turned to look, he found nothing.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look, and found himself staring in horror, as the creature that had been following him since Pallet Town sprang out of hiding, and jumped, claws bared, towards him.

Well, that was Chapter 1. I hope you enjoyed it. See you next time, and please review, there is no better feeling for an author than having the counter go up since you last saw it.

For those who care, Sammy looks like he did in Pokemon 4Ever

LordMagikarp