Note: The release dates refer to both Pokemon Red/Blue and Pokemon Yellow, which were released at different times. This sort of incorporates both, though? So I put both to be safe.
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The door of the Egbert household slammed open and then shut again, releasing a wide-eyed, panicking brunette into the bright morning sunlight. John was off like a rocket, running for the familiar white domed building just down the street, berating himself the whole way.
He couldn't believe that he had actually slept in on the most important day of his life. After all, it was his 13th birthday. He was supposed to get his very first Pokémon and start on an adventure with his three best friends.
"But not if I'm late!" He cried out and put on an extra burst of speed.
When he finally reached the lab, he was a little dismayed. There, waiting outside, were two bikes—one purple, and one red with a playing card in the spokes of the wheel. Dave and Rose were already here, and Jade had undoubtedly met them. His heart fell, but he pushed on inside.
"Uncle Hass!" He yelled before the door had even had a chance to close behind him. "Uncle Hass, is there a Pokémon left?" The old man in question turned to him, his moustache twitching in what John recognized as irritation. Uncle Hass was actually his great uncle (and his second cousin and friend Jade's grandfather) as well as a professor of Pokémon who had decided to settle down in the little town of Pallet.
"That's 'Professor' in these walls, John, and you'd best remember it," Professor Hass replied, his tone brooking no argument.
"Sorry, Professor," John said sheepishly, but his previous vigor came back quickly. "But are there any more Pokémon?" Before Professor Hass could respond, John finally noticed his three friends. Dave, Rose, and Jade all watched him with varying levels of amusement, and each held a pokeball in one hand. John's heart sank then. Dave had boasted about how his Charmander (which he had been positive he'd get) was going to be the best and coolest Pokémon ever. Rose had once confided to him that she quite liked Squirtle. And Jade had always gushed about how cute Bulbasaur was. He'd always been happy for them, and honestly didn't know which Pokémon he wanted to choose, since he really liked them all, but the fact that they were all there meant that all the starters were gone. He had a feeling he knew Professor Hass's answer before it had even been given.
"Actually, my boy, I have one left," the professor replied.
"Really?" John leaped in excitement. "Yes! What is it? Bulbasaur? Charmander? Squirtle? I really don't care, I'm just excited to get a Pokémon!"
"None of the above, actually," Hass said. He retrieved a fourth pokeball, this one emblazoned with a yellow lightning bolt. "It's a Pikachu, an electric type. It was found making havoc in Viridian City recently, until it was caught and brought to me." He smiled sheepishly. "I haven't quite gotten around to taming it, but you've always had a knack with Pokémon, John. I think you can handle it." He held out his hand, and John gingerly took the pokeball in it. For a moment, he lamented over the fact that Uncle Hass was getting him to do his dirty work (that seemed to happen a lot, whenever Jade and John had helped him care for Pokémon over the summer), but that feeling was quickly replaced with joy. A Pokémon! A real Pokémon! Without even thinking, he let it out of the pokeball.
Pikachu was a small, yellow mouse-like thing, with bright red cheeks. It blinked soft brown eyes at him, looking a little surprised by its new surroundings.
"Aw, it's so cute!" John heard Jade exclaim as he bent down in front of it.
"Hey, buddy," John said. "You and me are partners now. So, how about it? Wanna be friends?" He held a hand out to the Pikachu. It looked from the hand to his face and back again before reaching out a paw. John grinned. It wasn't so much of a trouble—
And that was when the shock of electricity hit him.
Even after he had jerked away from the contact, his muscles still twitched from the stimulation. It wouldn't kill him, but fuck, that hurt! He heard Dave's sniggering and stood up, only then realizing he'd fallen over after the shock. He glared at his friend.
"Looks like you've got a winner there, Egbert," Dave said, and John sighed.
FILL: TEAM KANAYA <> KARKAT - POKEMON (1998, 1999)
---
The door of the Egbert household slammed open and then shut again, releasing a wide-eyed, panicking brunette into the bright morning sunlight. John was off like a rocket, running for the familiar white domed building just down the street, berating himself the whole way.
He couldn't believe that he had actually slept in on the most important day of his life. After all, it was his 13th birthday. He was supposed to get his very first Pokémon and start on an adventure with his three best friends.
"But not if I'm late!" He cried out and put on an extra burst of speed.
When he finally reached the lab, he was a little dismayed. There, waiting outside, were two bikes—one purple, and one red with a playing card in the spokes of the wheel. Dave and Rose were already here, and Jade had undoubtedly met them. His heart fell, but he pushed on inside.
"Uncle Hass!" He yelled before the door had even had a chance to close behind him. "Uncle Hass, is there a Pokémon left?" The old man in question turned to him, his moustache twitching in what John recognized as irritation. Uncle Hass was actually his great uncle (and his second cousin and friend Jade's grandfather) as well as a professor of Pokémon who had decided to settle down in the little town of Pallet.
"That's 'Professor' in these walls, John, and you'd best remember it," Professor Hass replied, his tone brooking no argument.
"Sorry, Professor," John said sheepishly, but his previous vigor came back quickly. "But are there any more Pokémon?" Before Professor Hass could respond, John finally noticed his three friends. Dave, Rose, and Jade all watched him with varying levels of amusement, and each held a pokeball in one hand. John's heart sank then. Dave had boasted about how his Charmander (which he had been positive he'd get) was going to be the best and coolest Pokémon ever. Rose had once confided to him that she quite liked Squirtle. And Jade had always gushed about how cute Bulbasaur was. He'd always been happy for them, and honestly didn't know which Pokémon he wanted to choose, since he really liked them all, but the fact that they were all there meant that all the starters were gone. He had a feeling he knew Professor Hass's answer before it had even been given.
"Actually, my boy, I have one left," the professor replied.
"Really?" John leaped in excitement. "Yes! What is it? Bulbasaur? Charmander? Squirtle? I really don't care, I'm just excited to get a Pokémon!"
"None of the above, actually," Hass said. He retrieved a fourth pokeball, this one emblazoned with a yellow lightning bolt. "It's a Pikachu, an electric type. It was found making havoc in Viridian City recently, until it was caught and brought to me." He smiled sheepishly. "I haven't quite gotten around to taming it, but you've always had a knack with Pokémon, John. I think you can handle it." He held out his hand, and John gingerly took the pokeball in it. For a moment, he lamented over the fact that Uncle Hass was getting him to do his dirty work (that seemed to happen a lot, whenever Jade and John had helped him care for Pokémon over the summer), but that feeling was quickly replaced with joy. A Pokémon! A real Pokémon! Without even thinking, he let it out of the pokeball.
Pikachu was a small, yellow mouse-like thing, with bright red cheeks. It blinked soft brown eyes at him, looking a little surprised by its new surroundings.
"Aw, it's so cute!" John heard Jade exclaim as he bent down in front of it.
"Hey, buddy," John said. "You and me are partners now. So, how about it? Wanna be friends?" He held a hand out to the Pikachu. It looked from the hand to his face and back again before reaching out a paw. John grinned. It wasn't so much of a trouble—
And that was when the shock of electricity hit him.
Even after he had jerked away from the contact, his muscles still twitched from the stimulation. It wouldn't kill him, but fuck, that hurt! He heard Dave's sniggering and stood up, only then realizing he'd fallen over after the shock. He glared at his friend.
"Looks like you've got a winner there, Egbert," Dave said, and John sighed.
This was going to be a long adventure.