Pokémon: Roots of Pallet – Episode 1: The Boy Who Dreams Big
"Everyone has a dream in their heart, a journey to take, a destiny to fulfill. Somewhere, perhaps closer than one might think, there is a world full of wonders, where incredible creatures called Pokémon coexist with humans. In this world, dreams walk side by side with friendship, love, and trust."
The morning sun cast its first rays over Pallet Town, a small and welcoming city in the southwest of the Kanto region. The quiet streets filled with the sound of Pidgeys singing, while the wind caressed rooftops and rustled the leaves of the trees.
At the top of a hill near the forest, a six-year-old boy stood still, as if absorbing the world around him. His dark brown eyes reflected the blue sky, and his black hair, along with his signature red cap, swayed gently in the breeze.
"Wow..." Ash Ketchum whispered, his chest full of anticipation. "I can't wait to get my Pokémon. When that happens... it'll be the start of everything!"
But his thought was interrupted by a familiar voice:
"Ash! Daydreaming again? I bet you've told that same story a thousand times."
Gary Oak, with his lively eyes and spiky brown hair, appeared from the left side of the path. He always had an energetic presence, like he was ready to challenge the whole world.
Ash smiled, unbothered by the teasing.
"So what? Dreaming is free!"
The two laughed and walked together down a wooded trail, picking red berries from a low tree. A curious Caterpie watched them from between the leaves, and Gary, always the more studious one, pointed discreetly:
"That's a Caterpie. Did you know it evolves twice and becomes a Butterfree? They're great for using Sleep in battles."
Ash listened intently, clearly admiring his friend's knowledge.
"Wow, you know a lot! I wish I could remember all that like you..."
"Just pay attention, dummy. And take notes! I've got a notebook just for the Pokémon I've seen!"
They continued walking along the path.
"Did you see the movie Wings of the Storm? That trainer with the Zapdos was crazy. He summoned thunder while his Arcanine jumped from rock to rock!" Gary said excitedly.
"Of course I saw it! I watched it twice. His Arcanine was strong, but he also knew how to really trust his trainer. I wish I had a Pokémon like that."
As they laughed and ate berries, Ash couldn't shake a recurring thought:
"Gary and I are always competing — who runs faster, who climbs higher, who hits the target more times with the slingshot, or wins at card games. Sometimes we tie... but in school tests, he always wins."
Gary was Professor Oak's grandson, read books on Pokémon evolution, and always seemed a step ahead. Sometimes Ash felt like he was falling behind... but he never gave up.
"It's not anger... it's drive. A drive to catch up. To prove I can do it too."
It was like a flame burning inside him.
"Hey, Ash..." Gary said, biting into a juicy berry. "Did you know if a trainer's good enough, they can challenge the Pokémon League? Like, battle the Elite Four."
Ash chewed his berry silently, thinking.
"One day... I'll fight in the League. No matter how many times Gary gets ahead. I'll become the greatest Pokémon Trainer in the world."
On the trail back to the village, the two were caught off guard by a calm, slightly teasing voice:
"Still talking about battles and noisy movies again?"
A girl approached, walking lightly with a serene expression. Her light brown hair flowed in waves down to her shoulders. She wore a sky-blue shirt and a simple skirt. It was Green.
There was something different about her. She didn't speak loudly or try to stand out, but her words always made others stop and think. She seemed to see the world in a deeper way, as if she understood things beyond the surface.
"Hey, Green," Ash said, smiling awkwardly.
Green crossed her arms with a faint smile.
"You two get excited about every lightning strike in a movie like it's the first time. But no one talks about what the trainer felt when they had to let their Pokémon go at the end."
Gary frowned, confused.
"We like the action!"
"And I like what's left after the action's over," Green replied with a shrug. "Some stories leave a mark. It doesn't matter how many Pokémon are in them. What matters is what they say without needing to explain it."
Ash looked at her in silence.
"Green... she's different from us. She feels the movies. She feels the stories. It's like she's always thinking a little further ahead."
She always seemed calmer, more mature, and knew words Ash was still learning at school. She wasn't the type to argue. She just said something... and made others stop to think.
Gary just muttered:
"You should watch more battles and fewer sad endings."
Green smiled.
"And you two should pay more attention to how Pokémon feel."
Farther ahead, a cheerful and familiar voice called out to the group:
"Ash! Gary! Green! Lunch is ready!"
Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother, appeared with a floral apron and a warm smile, waving from in front of the house. Some nearby neighbors chuckled at the sight of the three friends running back down the road.
"Coming, Mom!" Ash replied loudly and politely. "Thanks for calling us!"
Gary crossed his arms and laughed.
"You're like a trained Growlithe when your mom calls."
Green giggled softly.
"You're so proper when you talk to your mom, Ash."
Everyone laughed. It was a simple, ordinary moment. But in Ash's heart, there was a certainty burning like a flame. He looked back toward the mountains and the flowers swaying in the wind, and thought:
"I'll travel this whole world and meet every Pokémon."
To be continued...