My Pokemon Adventure by Melissa Nichols (speed reading book TXT) 📕

“Kiara, you come before me today to ask me for your first Pokémon.” Professor Danvers said, sitting in his chair, staring at a screen with three Pokémon on it. I easily identified them as the region’s three starter Pokémon.

“Yes, sir.” I replied, my head bowed in respect. I was very nervous because Professor Danvers had the power to refuse my request.

“You first placed the request last week and you reached your tenth birthday yesterday. Therefore, you are now of a legal age to be raising Pokémon. And during the week since you submitted your application, I have thought very hard. I have weighed the pros and cons and I have reached a decision.” He continued, pacing the length of his office. My heart thudded in my ears. Here was the moment of truth. My entire future lay with Professor Danvers. He could accept and allow me to live my dream, or he can refuse and basically banish me to the small and dreary town of Coldriver. “I have, here, three PokéBalls. Each contains one Pokémon. I will show you the three available Pokémon and you may choose which one you can have as your first Pokémon.”

My head snapped up as I realized what he was saying. He had accepted my request!

“Really? Oh, thank you, Professor!” I exclaimed, all but jumping up and down on my tiptoes.

“Your three options are…” He paused to pick up a PokéBall, push the button and throw the Ball into the air. What appeared was similar to a horse, only it had a man and tail of fire. “Ponyta, a Fire-type…” I recited as he summoned the second Pokémon and it appeared at his feet beside the Ponyta. It was a Water-type and was small, white and absolutely adorable! “Seel, a Water-type and…” A moment later, the third Pokémon was out of its confinement. It was green with a leaf-bud collar and it had a leaf on its head. “Chikorita, a Grass-type.”

“Ponyta is a Fire-type with a very easy-going personality. She is easy to train but not very sociable. She would do well with a trainer who only wishes one Pokémon. She will grow fast, but she will not always obey her owner’s commands.

“Seel is, if you might not have already guessed, a Water-type. She is very eager to please, will always do her best, needs little training and has a perfect score of obedience. She has a sweet personality, would never harm her trainer nor another Pokémon unless in defense of her trainer or her trainer commands her to attack.”

“Finally, we have Chikorita, the Grass-type. She is very calm for a Chikorita, will require minimal training and has a fantastic rate of accuracy. She is a little headstrong but will yield if she knows her caretaker is a good trainer and person with a kind heart. She is strongly recommended to first-time trainers, like yourself.” Professor Danvers introduced each Pokémon to me in turn. During his brief explanation, I absorbed the information and weighed one Pokémon against the others while sizing them all up.

My favorite element was Fire, but the Ponyta looked like she would singe me in a second and not even hesitate to do so. I would not be taking her.

The Seel was adorable and seemed like the absolutely perfect starter Pokémon, but being a Water-type put her at many disadvantages in battle. If she fainted too many times, it would be very hard to salvage a relationship with her. Not her.

Which left the Chikorita. She was ideal for me. Grass-type could be very tough if properly trained, had few weaknesses in battle and she seemed to be speaking to me. She wanted out of here, to see the world and be by my side. She did not like being cooped up in the small confines of Coldriver. I could relate. I have been itching to leave and Chikorita and I share the same desire to explore the world. Yes.

“I have decided on the Chikorita, sir.” I said, standing up after crouching by each Pokémon to do the assessments.

“Very well. I have here everything you will need to know about how to care for your Pokémon. A book on the healthcare of Pokémon, a list of healing items you will need and what they do, five PokéBalls and five hundred Poké. It’s all in this backpack, and in the appropriate pockets. Now, take the PokéBall. But it has to be right in front of Chikorita or she will be confused and not wish to go.” Professor Danvers explained. We crouched in front of Chikorita and I took her PokéBall. The message was immensely clear. ‘You belong to me now.’

“Good. Now, Tod, here, will be your mentor until he deems you ready to take on the world by yourself. Oh, and I am also giving you this Tailow. He will come in handy when you wish to send your unwanted Pokémon back here, as well as exchanging letters with family and friends. Just send him back to me and I will distribute the letters.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, Professor.” I said, bowing my head in respect and appreciation. While I petted Chikorita and Tailow, Professor Danvers talked to Tod, the assistant who had Tailow on his shoulder.

“Now, do you have any more questions, Kiara? No? Then off with you! You have a long way to go and only so much time.” He said, all but shoving the four of us out the front door. Tailow was almost locked in the building behind us!

He flapped onto my shoulder and squawked a protest to almost being left behind.

“Well, then maybe you should keep up next time.” I said, gently chastising him.

“We should tell our parents of what’s happened. Meet back here in one hour?” Tod said, establishing the pecking order from the get-go. Fine by me!

“Good idea. Mother would have a heart attack if I vanished. Oh, wait until everybody hears about this!” I started walking to my house at the end of the street in the back of the town.

Fifteen minutes later, I was closing the door to my house and answering questions by my large family. Three sets of twins, six boys and three girls and myself and Mother and Father. Sixteen children all together. I am currently the oldest child in the household, while my older brothers and sisters have married and moved out.

Mother demanded the explanation, the children asked me questions non-stop and Father just sat back watching it all. Tailow was shaking and hiding in my hair from the massive commotion. I opened the door, offered my finger as a perch and whispered to him “Tailow, why don’t you go wait for Tod?” He took off like an arrow, he was so eager to get away from my crazy household.  I didn’t blame him, either.

Before I knew it, I was trying hard to get away, claiming my hour was up and I had to meet Tod. I told everybody to writ e me letters as much as they pleased, to forward them to Professor Danvers and I would send Tailow back here every so often with a few letters of my own. That seemed to keep them quiet because the children raced upstairs to start their letters while Mother and Father gave me some items, like extra tennis shoes, a few thousand Poké, many Berries for Poffins, and Mother’s insistence that she would save money for me. She would put some of the family’s earnings aside, and would add what money I sent with a letter to the pot. Father gave me his old fishing rod so I can catch Water-type that never left the water on their own.

I thanked them, hugged them, kissed each parent on their cheek and left the house.

I sprinted to the meeting spot with Tod, knowing I was going to be late.

At last, out of breath and about to collapse, I stumbled to Tod and explained why I was late.

He seemed to understand about the delay.

He let me regain my breath a little before turning toward the gates of town.

“Are you ready to go?” He asked. What a stupid question!

“Definitely!”

“Then let’s go.”

And so I left Coldriver for the first time. My journey had begun.

I was awakened at dawn by three very insistent Pokémon. They probably have to use the bushes. I thought, opening my eyes and reaching for the tent zipper. All three rushed out, but Ponyta tried to shove me outside. They were giving me a wake-up call.

“Okay, okay, Ponyta. I’m up. Good Pokémon.” I groaned, standing on my feet and stepping toward them to pet them. I yawned and stretched out my arms. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I went back to my tent to change out of my PJs and into my day clothes and boots.

When I exited the tent, my bed all rolled up, I was surprised to see Tod already changed, tent packed and tied to his backpack, and training his Pokémon. These were new Pokémon, so I inched forward.

“What Pokémon are these, Tod?” I asked, tapping him on the shoulder so I wouldn’t scare him.

“I’m currently working with a Charmander. Next will be Marill, the blue Pokémon that looks like a ball. And the yellow one with the stripes on his back and with the lightning-shaped tail is Pikachu.  You might want to get their information into your PokéDex. Umm, you did get one, didn’t you?”

“I don’t think I did, no. But I do have a camera and a scrapbook. Which reminds me! I still need to take Ponyta’s, Rita’s and Tailow’s pictures and put them in the book! Can I take a picture of your Pokémon, too?”

“Sure. But it’s a lot easier with a PokéDex. I think I have an extra.” He said, digging in his pocket. “Ah! Here, Kiara.” He exclaimed, producing a gadget and holding it out to me.

I debated between which of the two systems I would go with. If I took a picture, I would have it planted firmly in my mind, but if I use the PokéDex, then there would be no guarantees as to my memory.

“No thanks. I’ll stick with my camera. Thanks, though.” I said. I rushed back to my tent to get the camera. I found it by my rolled up bed. I checked to make sure it has film before taking it outside. “Ponyta, Rita, Tailow, come here, please!” I called them. They came and I singled out Rita. She was confused, but she stood still while I took her picture. The picture slid out of the slot so I carefully I grabbed it and put it aside. “Good girl, Rita. You can go back with the others. Ponyta, you’re next.” I said. The two Pokémon did as I said. Ponyta stood like a statue as I took her picture, but she had her chest sticking forward and head held high. She was very proud.

Next, was Tailow. For his picture, I had him sit on a branch of a nearby log. He cowered as I focused the camera on him