Ooooh, that Gary! He really knows how to get on my nerves. Professor Oak said Gary had over 100 types of Pokemon... I guess he's nearly caught them all now. Oh, he's always one-upping me!
But he said before... Mewtwo is the only one of its kind... so, if someone else were to catch it first, Gary wouldn't be able to catch all the Pokemon there are!
I've gotta go tell Misty and Brock! We can catch it, no problem! Ash Ketchum, future Pokemon Master, is on the job!
***
When my father left home, I was only 4 years old. Mom said he'd be coming back really soon. Still no sign of him. Then, as I got older, she told me why he left; to become the world's best Pokemon trainer.
Is that true, or was she just humouring me?
Anyway, I wanted to be just like my father. I only have good memories of him, but Mom always talks about him with a stressed out look on her face.
But when anyone asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, the only person I could think of was the first man I knew... and I'd always liked Pokemon, although most trainers wouldn't let me see their Pokemon.
I decided I'd be a great Pokemon trainer too!
When I told Mom that, she was horrified.
-- flashback --
"Ash, how could you think of such an impractical thing? Don't throw your life away like that!"
"But... I really wanna..."
"For yourself, or because of your father? He wouldn't have wanted you to become a trainer!"
The seven year old version of Ash Ketchum started crying. Ehh, of course, I wasn't as tough as I am now!
"Mom... why?"
"He wouldn't want competition! And I don't want you to throw your life away like that on a stupid dream!"
I was shocked that my mother was talking to me like this. She'd never sounded so harsh before, and she'd always encouraged me to follow my dreams.
"But... I like Pokemon."
I think I must've seemed very young and pathetic then because her whole attitude changed and she bent down to hug me and wiped my face.
"Of course you do, Ash. But you can still have fun with Pokemon without becoming a trainer."
"But the *sniff* trainers around here won't lemme play with their Pokemon 'cos I'm *sniff* not qualifikied."
"Qualified," she corrected with a smile, "but when you're older, I'm sure -"
"But I wanna be a trainer! I went up to the big house on the hill yesterday and -"
"What did I tell you about bothering Professor Oak like that? You should leave him in peace from now on."
"But he likes showing me things! He showed me how Pokemon go inside Pokeballs! I want Pokeballs! And a Pokemon of my own!"
"Well," she said nervously, "I suppose I could try to buy you a Pokemon... they're so expensive these days..."
"I'll catch my own! When I'm a great trainer!..."
Mom sighed and realised that she wasn't going to have success in getting through to me. Since then I think she was so upset because it meant I'd be leaving home for so long. We'd been pretty close.
But then why did she bring my father into it?
-- end flashback --
My father was great. I remember him giving me horsey rides and telling me about all the great Pokemon out there. I remember he took me to a Pokemon festival to see a lot of different species. I remember his laugh and the way his eyes sparkled blue as he looked at me, his only son.
I really did like Pokemon. And there was nothing that I was really good at... sport wasn't my thing, the neighbours complained when I took up music, Mom's face would always turn a funny shade when she looked at my report card... I didn't want to stay at school until I graduated, if I could try my luck as a Pokemon Master.
My Mom's reaction to my decision wasn't the end of it, oh no. Almost everyone I told laughed or said that it was a stupid idea. But every time someone said that, I wanted to try even more. I am NOT going to give up in anything.
Misty calls it stubborness. All I know is that I've got this far with it, so it can't be that bad.
My journey didn't go off to a good start, and sometimes I feel so dumb because I've never been very good at studying so I don't know as much about Pokemon as most people. But, who really cares? I want to become a Pokemon Master and I will become a Pokemon Master and I WILL defeat Gary Oak...
Oops, where did that come from?
Still, a powerful Pokemon like Mewtwo could be a really good addition to my team!
"Pika pi, pikachu pika ka, chuu?"
I look down and grin at Pikachu. He knows what I'm thinking.
"Definately, Pikachu. You'll help me catch it, won't you?"
Pikachu looks a bit doubtful, but nods. He doesn't like Gary any more than I do.
We've reached Misty's house now. We've had a break for a couple of weeks, now it's time for a new adventure!