A New Beginning

by Rebecca Shapiro

  Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Sneak Peek

  Copyright

  Pallet Town, in the Kanto region, when Ash Ketchum was still too young to be a Pokémon Trainer …

  Hey, Mom!” Ash yelled, racing into the kitchen. He was waving a flyer covered with pictures of Pokémon. “Can I go to Professor Oak’s Pokémon Camp?!” He wanted to learn as much about Pokémon as he could, and Professor Oak was an expert!

  “Oh, so they have a camp for that, too! All right, I’ll fill out your application,” his mom replied.

  “Yay!” Ash cheered, leaping around the kitchen.

  “But I have an early appointment that day that I can’t change,” his mom continued. “Are you sure you can wake yourself up?”

  Ash was so excited about camp and the Pokémon he would see there that he was barely listening to his mom. “It’ll be so much fun!” he cried.

  * * *

  Meanwhile, in the forest outside Pallet Town, an enthusiastic Pichu was running through the trees. In the wilderness, there were many Pokémon who live in groups, but this little Electric-type Pokémon seemed to be all alone.

  The Pichu was playing happily when an Ekans slithered out, hissing, and charged at it. Startled, Pichu used Thunder Shock on the Ekans—which jolted it so powerfully that the Snake Pokémon thumped to the ground and slithered away in fear!

  Pichu thumped to the ground in a daze, too. It was still learning how to control its electricity, and it was exhausted from the attack.

  After it recovered, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon kept wandering through the forest. It saw many different groups of Pokémon living together, from Mankey to Nidoran to Dodrio. But there were no other Pichu.

  As Pichu stood at an overlook, feeling lonely, three Koffing floated by. Suddenly, they used Smokescreen, filling the air around the little Pokémon with thick green smoke. It made Pichu gasp and cough—and accidentally tumble off the cliff!

  “Piiichuuuuuu!” it cried as it fell down, down, down … until it landed safely in the paws of a Kangaskhan.

  The Kangaskhan was so big that Pichu was scared. It tried to scurry away. Then it realized the Parent Pokémon meant it no harm—and there was a baby Kangaskhan in its pouch who was almost as small as Pichu!

  Kangaskhan gently lowered Pichu to the ground, and the little Kangaskhan jumped down, too.

  “Kanga!” it chirped in greeting.

  “Pi, pichu!” Pichu replied.

  They were friends in no time!

  Pichu looked around the clearing and saw that it was full of Kangaskhan with babies in their pouches. Soon, one Kangaskhan called out to the group. It was time for them to leave that area of the forest.

  As the other Pokémon started to walk away, Pichu felt very disappointed. It wanted to play more with the little Kangaskhan, but instead, it was going to be alone in the forest again.

  Luckily, the Kangaskhan who had caught the Tiny Mouse Pokémon looked back and saw it looking sad. It came over, picked Pichu up—and put it right into its pouch, next to its own baby!

  “Pichu, pi pichu!” Pichu cheered. It chattered away to its new best friend.

  The group made its way to a cluster of Oran trees. The grown-up Kangaskhan plucked two Oran Berries and gave one to its baby Kangaskhan, who gulped it right down, and one to Pichu. But Pichu wasn’t sure what to do with it. It offered the Berry to its friend, but the big Kangaskhan grabbed it before the little one could eat it. That Berry was for Pichu! The Kangaskhan demonstrated opening its mouth wide, then popped the Oran Berry into Pichu’s mouth.

  “Pi pichuuu!” How delicious!

  The Kangaskhan had truly taken Pichu in, and Pichu was lonely no longer! It was happy to stay with its new Pokémon pals.

  A few weeks later …

  It was the first day of Professor Oak’s Pokémon Camp. A group of kids faced the professor outside his lab near the forest, waiting for camp to start.

  “Uh, Professor, isn’t it time to be on our way?” a young girl named Chloe asked. She was ready to explore.

  “Yes, but I’m afraid we’re missing somebody,” Professor Oak answered. “We’re waiting on a lively young man who lives in the neighborhood.” He was talking about Ash!

  A young boy named Goh piped up. “I know what! I bet he was so excited about our trip, he couldn’t sleep!”

  “You might have a point there,” Professor Oak said. “Wait, what was your name?”

  Goh pointed to Chloe. “She invited me along. I’m Goh!”

  “He comes to watch the research at my dad’s lab all the time,” Chloe said.

  Professor Oak knew Chloe’s dad. His name was Professor Cerise. “Chloe’s father does lots of research on Pokémon, just like me,” Professor Oak explained to the group.

  After a few more minutes, he decided they’d waited for Ash long enough. The Pokémon Camp began without him as the group made their way into the forest.

  * * *

  Just then, Ash bolted up in bed.

  “Oh no! What time is it?” he cried. He’d thrown his alarm clock against the wall while he was dreaming, and ended up oversleeping!

  Ash got ready as quickly as he could and sprinted out the door … but it was too late. Ash would have to wait for another day to learn about Pokémon from Professor Oak.

  * * *

  Back in the forest, Professor Oak was leading the young campers through the trees. They came upon a Trainer whose Squirtle was battling a Caterpie.

  “Whoa! A wild Caterpie!” Goh cried. They all watched as the Trainer threw her Poké Ball and caught the Pokémon. The campers were very impressed.

  “When you turn ten, you can become Trainers!” Professor Oak told them. “But before then, you’ll want to learn everything you can about Pokémon!”

  The kids all cheered in agreement, except for Goh. “There probably isn’t a thing about Pokémon I don’t know,” he said confidently.

  “Goh … ,” Chloe muttered. Her friend’s bragging embarrassed her.

  Professor Oak chuckled. “Sounds like you’re quite the expert!” he said. They continued walking through the forest, and then he pointed at a Pokémon just off the path. “Now, who can tell me something about this Pokémon?”

  Goh answered right away. “It’s the Cocoon Pokémon, Kakuna!”

  “Ooh, precisely!” Professor Oak said. As another Pokémon crossed in front of them, he said, “Then you probably know this one, too.”

  “That’s a Farfetch’d!” Goh exclaimed. “It’s got a plant stalk that it can swing like a sword and slice up all kinds of stuff!”

  The other kids at the camp were very impressed.

  “Wow!” one said.

  “You do know everything!” said another.

  Goh leaped forward and pointed at a Pokémon he saw sticking out of the ground. “That’s a Diglett! It likes to eat tree roots!” he cried. Then he saw another Pokémon and pointed at it eagerly. “The evolved form of Diglett, Dugtrio! They’ve got amazing power—they can dig tunnels at over sixty miles per hour!”

  “ ’Scuse me,” Chloe said. “We do have Professor Oak here to give us the facts on Pokémon …” She wished Goh wouldn’t act like such a know-it-all!

  Professor Oak laughed. “I have to admit, Goh is quite knowledgeable!” he said. Then he started telling the group about Pokémon Evolution. “All right. As Goh previously mentioned, Pokémon evolve. Conditions for Evolution vary among Pokémon, but—”

  Goh interr
upted him. “That Farfetch’d doesn’t evolve, right?”

  Professor Oak was startled but admitted Goh was correct.

  “It’s not like every Pokémon on the planet evolves,” Goh continued. “The fact is, there are some Pokémon who actually don’t!”

  “ ’Scuse me … ,” said Chloe, who was embarrassed again.

  Professor Oak didn’t seem to mind Goh’s disrespect, but Chloe pulled him aside. “Honestly, Goh!” she said. “This is exactly why you never make friends!”

  “Who said I wanted to make friends, anyway?” Goh replied. “What I want is to catch a Pokémon that nobody has ever seen before!”

  Chloe looked doubtful, which annoyed Goh. “Don’t make fun of me!” he said.

  “You’re talking like you’re in a dream,” Chloe answered.

  “It’s reality!” Goh insisted. “It’s my future! And I can hold that future in the palm of my hand!”

  Chloe was still skeptical. But before she could say anything, they were interrupted by a roar in the distance.

  “Nidooo!”

  “It’s a Nidoking!” Goh cried. They could see the large purple Drill Pokémon battling another Pokémon—but which Pokémon was it? Goh could see that the other Pokémon was small and light pink, and it twirled through the air with a playful giggle.

  Just as Nidoking’s Earth Power move was about to strike it, the other Pokémon suddenly disappeared in midair—and then reappeared on the other side of Nidoking!

  “You’re kidding!” Goh shrieked.

  But he was about to be even more amazed. The other Pokémon playfully attacked Nidoking—using Nidoking’s own Earth Power move!

  “Mew! Mew!” the Pokémon said, giggling and spinning in the air as Nidoking recovered.

  Nidoking was angry. It threw a huge Sludge Wave at its opponent.

  The small pink Pokémon disappeared and reappeared elsewhere, dodging the attack, and then threw Sludge Wave right back at Nidoking.

  “It used the same move again!” Goh said. He couldn’t tear his eyes off the battle.

  Nidoking was getting frustrated. It launched a Fire Blast, but the other Pokémon once again dodged the attack by disappearing and reappearing. Then it sent a Fire Blast back to Nidoking, knocking it out.

  Goh was mesmerized. “Who’s that Pokémon?” he asked.

  “Mew?” The Pokémon noticed Goh and Chloe, and then sped away through the air. Goh sprinted after it, with Chloe close behind.

  “Goh, wait up!” she called.

  They ran and ran. Goh thought he’d lost the Pokémon. Then a Magmar appeared. But it actually wasn’t Magmar at all … it soon transformed into the playful pink Pokémon!

  Goh realized this was the most powerful and fascinating Pokémon he’d ever seen. He and Chloe kept chasing it. As it ran ahead, it transformed again, this time into Tauros. It charged forward, approaching the river. Then it leaped into the air, transformed back into itself—and then transformed into Lapras before landing in the water!

  “It won’t get away from me!” Goh cried.

  * * *

  Farther ahead in the forest was a certain Pichu who had become great friends with a group of Kangaskhan. While some Chansey came by to share some eggs with the Kangaskhan, Pichu’s little Kangaskhan pal was exploring the riverbank nearby.

  A Lapras swam by it—and then transformed into the small pink Pokémon! The little Kangaskhan was transfixed. The pink Pokémon flew over to it, then played hide-and-seek with it by disappearing and reappearing again. They were both having a great time!

  When the pink Pokémon started flying away, high up into the air, the little Kangaskhan followed it, climbing higher and higher up the rocks by the river.

  Meanwhile, it was time for the group of Kangaskhan to eat their Chansey eggs, but one Kangaskhan could not find its baby. Its pal Pichu was there to eat, but the little Kangaskhan was nowhere to be seen!

  Pichu and Kangaskhan looked and looked for the little Kangaskhan. Finally, they saw it—way up on top of a cliff.

  “Kangaskhaaaan!” the Parent Pokémon called.

  By this point, Goh and Chloe were just across the river, where they’d been trying to catch up to the mysterious pink Pokémon.

  While the little Kangaskhan was chasing its new playmate, it stepped too close to the edge of the cliff. Suddenly, the rock it was standing on crumbled away, and the little Pokémon fell down, down, down …

  Goh and Chloe saw it falling, but there was nothing they could do. They were too far away.

  The pink Pokémon also saw what had happened, and it acted quickly. It used its powers to stop the little Kangaskhan in midair! Then it floated the little Kangaskhan gently down into the arms of its parent, safe and sound. The mysterious pink Pokémon zipped away across the sky. It had saved the day!

  * * *

  As Goh and Chloe were watching it fly off, Professor Oak came running up.

  “So this is where you two have been!” he said, panting. “I looked all over!”

  They told him about the pink Pokémon they’d been chasing, and asked what kind of Pokémon it might be.

  “Hmmm … I’m not certain, but it could be Mew,” he said.

  “Mew?” Goh asked. He wanted to know everything about it.

  “They say it lives in the depths of the jungle, but it’s said to be able to vanish at will, so it hasn’t been seen by many people,” the professor explained. “It’s believed to be a Mythical Pokémon whose DNA resembles the DNA of all other Pokémon.”

  Chloe was interested. “An extremely rare Pokémon?”

  “Awesome!” Goh cheered. This was exactly the Pokémon he had been dreaming of! “Man, I wanna be ten years old now so I can become a Pokémon Trainer! Then I’ll be able to catch Mew, the ultra-awesome Pokémon!”

  Time passed, and both Pichu and the little Kangaskhan grew a little bit bigger. It was becoming harder for the big Kangaskhan to carry both Pokémon, though it wasn’t ready to let them go. When Pichu tried to walk on its own to help lighten the load, Kangaskhan picked it right back up and put it in its pouch.

  But Pichu knew it was almost time to leave and strike out on its own again. It couldn’t stay with these Kangaskhan forever.

  One night, while the group was asleep in a cave, Pichu hopped out of the Kangaskhan’s pouch. Kangaskhan and its baby kept sleeping peacefully, and Pichu made its way out into the moonlight.

  “Pi-chu,” it said, looking back at the cave sadly.

  Pichu had been so happy with the group of Kangaskhan, who had welcomed it as one of their own. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon thought back fondly on all it had shared with those Pokémon, from first meeting them and learning to eat Oran Berries to playing with the little Kangaskhan every day.

  The full moon glowed in the sky as a tear dripped down Pichu’s face.

  Suddenly, Pichu was enveloped in a blast of light brighter than the moon. It was evolving! A moment later …

  “Pika?” It was now a Pikachu!

  Pikachu looked at its reflection in a puddle, then leaped around in delight, admiring its new lightning-bolt-shaped tail. “Pika! Pikachuuu!”

  It waved good-bye to its friends in the cave and then scampered off into the forest to begin its first day as a Pikachu.

  Good-byes may not be easy, but they can lead to brand-new, happy hellos …

  * * *

  Some time later, Ash Ketchum had just celebrated his tenth birthday. On the day when he was to begin his journey as a Pokémon Trainer, Ash threw his alarm clock against the wall while he was dreaming, and overslept—again! But this time, he didn’t completely miss out.

  He sprinted to Professor Oak’s lab and was given his first partner Pokémon. A flash of light revealed a very special Pikachu who had been living in the forest nearby. It was once a lonely Pichu, and now …

  “Hi, Pikachu!” Ash said as he started to hug it. “You and I are gonna be best friends!”

  Pikachu, of course, immediately jolted Ash with Thunder Shock.

/>   “It usually avoids contact with humans,” Professor Oak said. “Use caution, or you’ll be shocked.”

  Ash soon recovered, dazed but excited. “So you’re Pikachu!” he said. “My name’s Ash! Nice to meet you!”

  And so, from that moment, Ash and Pikachu’s story began. Since then, they’ve had many adventures together—and they’re always ready for the next one!

  Pallet Town, present day …

  Ash’s alarm clock beeped and beeped, though he and Pikachu remained sound asleep. In his sleep, Ash grabbed the clock and threw it across the room—which woke up Pikachu but not Ash. Was he about to oversleep again?

  Even Pikachu’s Thunderbolt move didn’t wake Ash—but luckily, Ash’s mom, Delia, came into his room.

  “Are you still asleep?” she asked. “You’ll be late getting to Professor Oak’s lab!”

  Finally, Ash woke up. He scrambled around to get out of the house as quickly as he could, and then sprinted to the lab with Pikachu close behind.

  “Professor Oak!” he called. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  The professor explained, “Actually, a protégé of mine has just opened a brand-new research facility in Vermilion City. I was hoping to invite you to the opening ceremony. You will come, won’t you?”

  “Sure!” Ash was excited. He turned to Pikachu and said, “You’ll come, too, right?”

  But just then, Ash’s mom walked up to the lab with Mimey, her Mr. Mime Pokémon partner. She thought Ash had been talking to her. “I’d love to!” she responded. “I came to deliver your lunch, but what a great idea—all those delicious sweet shops and big fashion boutiques in Vermilion City!”

  That was a surprise! Ash wasn’t thrilled that his mom would be joining his trip with Professor Oak, but what could he do? At least he knew his mom would be doing her own thing once they got to the city.

  On their drive to Vermilion City, Ash watched the countryside go by. He was daydreaming about becoming a Pokémon Master. Who knew what Pokémon he might meet on his visit?