We stared each other down, waiting for the first move to begin are separate attacks. I was not facing down another trainer as you might expect, but a Bulbasaur. I had no pokèmon with me though.  As foolish as it sounds, let me explain.  I will, of course start from the beginning. My name is Wraith. I am fourteen years old and a new pokèmon trainer.  Yes, I know I could have started at ten, but no one, not even the pokèmon professor, would give me a pokèmon to start out with. So after much thought I decided I’d just have to take one of their pokèmon, catch one of my own, and then return theirs later.  Well, easier said than done.  Oh, I was able to get a pokèmon easily enough; it was the catching part that proved to be hard.

After I had taken one of the professors pokèmon I went into the nearby woods to catch myself a pokèmon, and I found one. It was a Mankey, and it was swinging from the tree tops, just minding its own business.  But I, being “A Great Pokèmon Trainer”, could not just sit by and allow that, now could I? So I took out the pokèball I had taken from the professor, not even knowing what it was, through it to the ground and set it free. It was a Bulbasaur, just like the one I am facing off right now.  But we’ll come back to the present later. “Bulba?”  It said confused. I thought back to all those instructional videos I had watched, and tried to think of an attack it could use. Then I got it. “Bulbasaur!  Vinewhip now!”  I yelled. “Bulba…” It started to say, somewhat angrily I might add.  Then two things happened. First of all, my yelling had caught the Mankey’s attention, and it did not particularly like me disturbing its peace so much. And as you know Mankey’s have very short tempers.  And it got the Bulbasaur mad.  See it knew that I wasn’t its trainer, and it didn’t like me taking him away.  So instead of using vinewhip on the Mankey, like I intended it too, it used it on me. Then after the Bulbasaur had whipped me up and taken off, the Mankey came down and started beating me up for disturbing it.  As you know I was already beaten up, so I tried my best to get away.  And eventually I did.

It took me awhile but I found my way back to town.  After being whipped by the Bulbasaur and then beaten up by the Mankey, I was in pretty bad shape. Nothing too serious mind you.  But I did need to go to the hospital.  After I got out everyone was pretty mad at me. Especially the professor. And then I was grounded for three weeks. Well by that time, I had had enough.  I wasn’t going to stay around this deadbeat town any longer, I decided to go off on my own and become a pokèmon trainer.  So off I went, out to become a pokèmon trainer.  Under the cover of darkness I went back to the professor’s workshop, but this time I took a pokèdex and six pokèballs so I could capture some pokèmon. For awhile I walked without seeing any pokèmon at all, then up ahead I saw a group of Sandshrew. There were about three or four of them, but I thought that if I could sneak up quietly enough on them, maybe I could catch one before they saw me. So I was very quietly, and slowly sneaking up on them, when out of the sky a Pidgey flew down and scared the Sandshrew away.

“Blast that Pidgey.”  I murmured under my breath.  But since the Pidgey was there I decided to try and catch it. “I got you!”  I yelled as I sprang up from the grasses.  I did this to confuse the Pidgey and give me enough time to capture it.  Unfortunately, it recovered quickly and sprang off the ground, and into the air.  Well I wasn’t about to let it go.  I took a pokèball in hand and through it right at the Pidgey.  Well to make a story short, it missed.  Right under the talon.  I was so close! Well, after it missed it come down of course.  Right into the tall grass.  It took me an hour to find it. Anyway, it’s been two years since that happened, and I’ve been out on my own since. I’ve had to forge for myself, and everything. But I didn’t waste that time.  I used my pokèdex to find out a lot about pokèmon. I’ve had a few more run-ins with pokèmon but no luck as you can guess. But this time, I was feeling lucky.  I was going to get myself a pokèmon… 

Well, back to the present. The Bulbasaur and I faced each other waiting for the first move. All of a sudden the Bulbasaur attacked, starting off with its Vinewhip attack. I danced to the side and threw a stick in the way of the attack. Let him beat that up. I thought. The Bulbasaur smacked the stick up, and then whipped it to the side.  Next he used his razor leaf attack. That hit me square in the chest, but I recovered quickly.  I picked up a fist-sized rock, and threw it at it, hoping to get and knock it out. Unfortunately it knocked it aside, and attacked again.

He used his Vinewhip attack, again, and again. Sometimes he got me, sometimes he missed. But in the end he had me pinned up against a tree. Fortunately I was close enough to a rock to pick it up. So I did and I threw it at him, successfully knocking him in his head and making him retract his vines. Since the Vinewhip attack failed he tried using Razor Leaf again, but I was able to dodge it. This time it used its Leach Seed attack.  I tried to dodge it, but it got my leg. It began to sap my strength and make the Bulbasaur stronger. I stood up and threw another large rock at it, but it fell short, not even close. After that Bulbasaur used his Vinewhip again, but I wouldn’t be beat so easily. I picked up a stick and knocked the vines aside. But Bulbasaur wouldn’t be beat so easily either, he used his Vinewhip attack again and knocked me into the nearby river. The river washed away the Leach Seed, but the damage had already been done.

I was too weak to swim to the shore, so I just went along with the river. I was able to break up to the surface a few times, but was pulled back each time. After a while I was too weak to pull myself back up. The last thing I saw was a black streak coming towards me, then I blacked out. When I woke up I was laying in a small cave next to the river. There was also a fire and some food next to me.  Looking around I saw no one around, so I decided to fill myself up.  There was also a small pile of wood in the corner, and since the fire was starting to die down I put some wood on.

I had been waiting for a while when I heard a splash outside. I stood up and went out side to see what it was. When I got out there I saw an utterly amazing site.  It was the thing that saved me!  A sight of all sights! A black Dratini!

It took me a while to get over the sight of seeing this new and unique pokèmon.  I mean, some trainers never see a regular Dratini in their entire lives!  And here, before me, a black Dratini!  I had been crushed by my defeat by the Bulbasaur, since I’ve lost constantly for two years.  But maybe, it all had been leading up to this.  What luck!  I heard dragon pokèmon can some times be hard to train, but I could do it!  It wasn’t for a while until I noticed there was a pile of fruit on the ground before the Dratini.

“For me?” I thought. "Yes…” the answer startled me.  It seemed to be coming from the Dratini! Was it a psychic Dratini?  Or was I just imagining it?  I wondered.  But then my attention was pulled back to the fruit in front of it.  I reached down and picked it up, and took the fruit into the cave by the fire and sat down.  The Dratini lingered in the entrance to the door, watching me.  I picked up a piece of fruit and started eating it.  The Dratini looked pleased, it was glad that I was eating.  But soon I started feeling kind of sleepy, so I decided to lay down and go to sleep.  The last thing I saw was the black Dratini coming into the cave, and then I drifted off. When I woke up the Dratini was gone, but my pokèballs and pokèdex were lying next to me.  There was still some fruit left, so I decided to finish it off.  After I finished it off, I waited around for the Dratini, but it never came.  Eventually I decided to take off.  I was disappointed cause I was hoping the Dratini would come with me.

After I left the cave I looked around, the cave was on an island; the river I fell into surrounded it.  I climbed up on top of the cave to see if there was a way of getting off without having to get wet.  When I got up there the Dratini was siting there staring off to the north. “Why’s it looking that way?” I wondered.  “It’s the way I came from.”  Came the reply.  At first I was startled, I had forgotten the strange happenings of last night.  “Two nights ago.” “What?” I said out load.  “You were asleep for two nights after I pulled you out.” “How are you talking to me?  I thought all Pokèmon could only say their names.”  “Not all, but most.”  “Then how come you can talk?”  “I’m not talking.  Do you see me moving my mouth?”  “No.”  “I am using telepathy”  “Telepathy?  But I’d have to by a psychic wouldn’t I?  And you’re a Dratini.  How could you use telepathy?  You’re not a psychic pokèmon.”  “I’m a half-breed.  I mix between a Dratini and the legendary Mew…”  “Mew…” I whispered to myself.  “Yes.  Mew.  You want me to tell my story?”  I could sense a bit of eagerness in the whispers.

If you recall, some geneticists and Sliph had found a rare and unusual Pokèmon which they called Mew.  From Mew they made a clone, called Mewtwo.  But Mewtwo didn’t like the scientists too much, and it didn’t like being trapped either so Mewtwo escaped.  Mew itsself had escaped a while back anyway and they were still repairing from that, so when Mewtwo escaped it really trashed up they’re facility.  But Sliph wouldn’t let that stop them.  They decided to go with a less direct approach.  They decided to mix the last of their Mew DNA with that of an embryo inside of a Pokèmon.  But they didn’t want it to be any regular Pokèmon; they wanted a rare one. So they made an alliance with the infamous, Team Rocket.  They would pay them a lot of money if they could catch them a few rare pokèmon for this experiment.  Team Rocket did catch some rare pokèmon.  What they caught was a Scyther, Magmar, Electabuzz, Ditto, Jigglypuff, and a Dratini, my parent.  As you can guess they picked the Dratini, since it was the rarest one of all, thought to be extinct, in fact, and because it was a dragon type.

But, Team Rocket wanted more than what they were commissioned for since the Pokèmon picked was a very rare one.  Sliph was outraged.  Eventually they came to an agreement, but neither side was truly satisfied. But Sliph had what it wanted, a rare pokèmon for its experiment. A few days later they injected the embryo that was to become me with the Mew DNA.  At first nothing seemed to be happening, but then one day they say my embryo grew two sizes that day.  In an unexpected turn of events, I grew and grew faster than was every expected, and was born three months earlier than they had planed.  When I came out they saw another strange thing; I was black instead of the customary blue color.  But soon after my parent started to get sick, at first it was thought to be just a cold, but she soon started to develop worse symptoms.

They diagnosed that in a week she would be dead.  The doctors tried to save her, but the top men pulled the plug, saying they had what they needed, a half-breed from Mew.  I had just been born a few days ago so I didn’t have the entire natural instinct most babies have.  I didn’t know what was going on.  A few times during the night I woke up to find doctor trying to save my parent.  But a few days later, she died.  At first I didn’t know what to make of it.  Then I started getting thoughts, thoughts about my birth, and the doctors, and Silph.  I knew these thoughts were not my own.  They were the thoughts of my parent.  Somehow all her thoughts were passed into me!  I soon became fully aware of my surroundings and what I could do.  So one night I broke free of my prison and started for the door, but the security guard came down and saw me and rang the alarm, but before he could do anything to me, I used Psychic on him, not even knowing how.  Lots of doctors and guards came down, but I only hurt the guards, the doctors didn’t try to stop me, and they tried to save my parent.

I was able to escape and come here, but I haven’t left since, and I haven’t been able to do any of the things I was able to on the day.  Though it was only a couple months ago.  All I can do is basic Dratini moves, since they are no pokèmon to fight.  Well, that’s my story.

So after I had told Dratini my story, which I won’t reiterate since I already told you.  Dratini and I stayed up on top of the cave until sundown, but when the time came, I went back down and into the cave to sleep.  While I lay on the ground trying to go to sleep, I thought back to that evening and all the things Dratini told me.  Eventually I was able to drift of to sleep.

When I woke up Dratini was gone again so I checked up on top of the cave again, but he wasn’t there.  While I was up there I looked around to see if he was anywhere close, but he wasn’t.  After waiting to see if he would show up I took off.  While I was up on the cave I had spotted a way off the island without having to get wet.  So I took that way and was able to get off the island dry. I had been walking for hours and it was getting close to dark.  I would have to stop soon and go to sleep.  I had been looking back every so often to see if Dratini would be coming to, but he hadn’t.  I had already given up hope, but I checked back one last time to see if he would come, not expecting to actually see him.  But this time I heard a rustling in the bush behind me.  At first I thought it was Dratini coming, but then it popped out, and it was a very bad tempered Charmeleon!  At first I was scared to death, since it was an evolved pokèmon and I didn’t have any. It seemed about to use its flame-thrower attack, when out of the bushes another pokèmon came out.  At first I couldn’t tell what kind of pokèmon it was, all I saw was a black streak, I figured it was using a speed attack. Though I hoped it was Dratini.

The Charmeleon stumbled back, struck by the mysterious pokèmon.  The Charmeleon fixed its gaze behind me, staring at something.  I didn’t quite dare turn around, but I did.  There, looking straight at the Charmeleon, was Dratini!  Dratini then launched itself at the Charmeleon, but he batted him aside.  Dratini then used Water Gun on him, and hit him.  The Charmeleon
stumbled back, hurt, since fire was weak against water.  Charmeleon used its fire spin on Dratini, and trapped him in it!  This wasn’t looking good. This Charmeleon had much more experience than Dratini.  But then, from within the Fire-spin, Dratini used a psychic attack I’d never seen before, Telekinesis!

A large rock suddenly hurled itself at the Charmeleon.  The Charmeleon obviously had never seen this attack either, and was not liking this.  When the rock struck the Charmeleon and knocked him down!  This cut short the Fire-spin he was using, and let Dratini go.  Dratini used Water Gun again and hit the Charmeleon. By this time the Charmeleon was really not liking this and decided to leave.  But before he did, he lunged himself at me and knocked me up against a tree.  Dratini shot him again with Water Gun andsent him flying.  This was definitely the last straw and the Charmeleon practically flew threw the trees.

I had a pretty bad headache by then, but I was okay.  I was about to thank Dratini for his help, but he was gone!  I couldn’t find him anywhere!  I reasoned that he used Teleport to get away.  Oh well, maybe I’ll see him again later, though I didn’t think so.  He was probably just seeing me out of his territory.

After that last battle I was pretty down, since I still didn’t have any Pokèmon and I could expect more challenges up ahead.  But I moved on ahead, though I wasn’t really in a hurry to get anywhere.  It was starting to get dark when I came upon a grove of apple trees and I decided I would camp here, since there was food.  It took me a while but I was able to find enough wood to start a fire.  So by the light of a fire I ate some fruit and looked through my Pokèdex in search of information on Dratini or Mew.  I had just found some stuff on Mew when I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the fire had gone out, but I was refreshed and ready to make a clean start.  I stood up and stretched, then got some fruit and started eating.  While I was eating I packed up and started on my way anew.  After a while I came upon a large man training a Pokèmon, I couldn’t tell what because he was blocking my view.  I decided to sit down and watch and see if I could spot some training methods when I caught my first Pokèmon.

Suddenly I heard, rather loudly, the Pokèmon say “Rai!”  Then the man quickly spun around and looked at me.  This scared me because he didn’t look too happy. “Spyin’ on me eh, baby?  Well that’s not too nice. You’re a Pokèmon trainer aren’t you?  Then I challenge you to battle.  But not here. Come to the Vermilion Gym at four, and I’ll teach you to spy.”  He said. He
then walked away, with his Raichu in tow. After I had gotten over the shock of seeing him, I looked in my Pokèdex for who he was.  The Pokèdex said that he was Lt. Surge!  The leader of the Vermilion Gym!  Oh, boy was I in for it.  I didn’t have any Pokèmon, how was I going to fight him?  With my bare hands?  Oh, great!

Greatly depressed I walked around for about three or four hours, before I checked my watch and realized it was three forty-five!  If I was going to get there on time I’d better hurry!  But, I didn’t have any Pokèmon.  “Well, are we going to get going or not?”  A voice came within side my head.  “Who said that!”  I yelled.  “Two days and you already forget me?”  I spun
around, and there behind me was Dratini!  Maybe I could fight, and beat him. “So are we going to go or not?”

Here we were facing each other down waiting for the match to begin.  It almost seemed strange, just fifteen minutes ago I had been looking at Vermilion city from up top hill with Dratini wrapped around my left arm, looking at the same sight I was.  After staring at it for about five minutes Dratini reminded me that we needed to get going to get there in time.  Then Dratini and I started down towards Vermilion City.

By the time we got there it was already four, but I had to stop by the Pokèmart to get some potions for Dratini.  I had been running but, by the time I got to the doors, I was already ten minutes late.  I was a little scared since this was my first real Pokèmon battle, and it was against a Gym Leader.  But, I forced myself to open the doors, and as I did I saw Lt. Surge waste a Bulbasaur with his Raichu.

I was very agitated, and Dratini was a little, but I said as loud as I could with out yelling,  “Here I am Surge!  Sorry if I’m late!”  I tried to sound smug, but I don’t think it worked. “Well, well.  The spyin’ baby.  I thought you wouldn’t show.  But it seems if you have more guts than I thought. I just wasted this guy, guess it’s your turn.  Hahahaha!”

“I’m not a baby!  And I’ll beat you!”  I said back to him.  “Good luck.” The guy whispered who was just beaten. “You’ll need it against him.” “Hahahaha! It’s just you and me.  Let’s go!” “Lt. Surge vs. Wraith.”  The intercom blazed.  “One Pokèmon each.  Lt. Surge will choose Raichu.  Wraith will use Dratini” “Dratini!”  Surge exclaimed.  “Uh…ain’t that a water Pokèmon?
There weak against electric.” “Well…actually it’s a Dragon Pokèmon.  And a little Psychic from what I hear.” “Ah I’ll beat you anyway.  You ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let the battle begin!”  And we’re back to the present again. “Raichu! Pound!”  Raichu leaped to pound, but Dratini jumped out of the way.  “Water Gun Dratini.”  I thought, and Dratini obeyed.  “Thundershock Raichu!” Raichu used Thundershock and it went through the water spray and electrified Dratini!  Dratini went flying backward and hit the wall.  “Oh no!”  I thought, “It can’t be over this soon!” “End a’ the match, baby.  I win!” Lt. Surge exclaimed.  But then Dratini got up.  He wasn’t about to lose this fast.  “Huh?  Thundershock Raichu!” Raichu used Thunder shock again, but instead of trying to dodge it, Dratini sat there.  “Dratini!  Dodge!”  I exclaimed out loud, and in my mind.  But he didn’t move.  Then right before
he was going to be struck be the shock, he was gone!  “Teleport!”  Then Dratini was behind the Raichu, and he used tackle on it and knocked it flying.  “Omega Kick!”  Surge yelled.  “Dratini!  Do something!”  But again Dratini just sat there.  I thought he was going to use Teleport again, but right before he was about to be kicked, he used Thundershock on him! As Raichu flew backward, Surge and I stared at Dratini.  Neither of us knew how he did that.  He wasn’t an electric Pokèmon!  He was Dragon!