"Pikachu!"
The spiky black-haired boy bolted upright in bed. He stared at the familiar sights of his room and scratched his head.
"Just a dream, huh..."
He glanced at the clock on his nightstand.
Eight-thirty.
"Ah! Is it already that late?!"
The boy scrambled out of bed. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, threw on his clothes, and dashed downstairs. His mother had already prepared breakfast.
"Thanks for the food!"
He devoured the meal like a whirlwind. Marching to the entryway, he slipped on his sneakers and grabbed the red-and-white cap from the shoe cabinet.
"I'm heading out!" he called out as he threw the door open.
"Don't run so fast! You still have plenty of time, Ash. Are you listening to me? Ash? Ash!"
"Honestly..."
Watching the boy sprint off into the distance, his mother shook her head with a helpless sigh.
"That child is always in such a rush."
...
His name was Ash Ketchum. He was an ordinary boy from Pallet Town with dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master.
Today was the day he would receive his very first Pokémon. He had been so excited last night that he stayed up late, making it highly likely he would oversleep and miss his appointment. But thanks to a sudden nightmare, Ash had miraculously woken up before the deadline.
Even with the thrill of finally getting a partner, Ash couldn't completely shake the lingering shadows of that dream.
He couldn't remember the exact details. But a vague, unsettling feeling gnawed at him. It felt as if someone had stolen everything that rightfully belonged to him.
Ash quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.
He didn't have time to dwell on it. Professor Oak's laboratory was right in front of him.
"Professor Oak! I'm here to get my Pokémon!"
"Ash? Why are you just getting here?" Professor Oak looked at the frantic boy with visible disapproval. "Everyone else has already picked their partners and left."
"Huh? But isn't it exactly the agreed-upon time?" Ash checked the clock. "It's exactly nine o'clock."
"Couldn't you have arrived ten minutes early? Do kids these days not even know how to hustle?" Professor Oak drawled slowly.
"I don't really get what you mean," Ash replied honestly. Then, his face lit up with excitement. "Never mind that, Professor! Where are the Pokémon? Where is my partner?"
"What's the rush?" Professor Oak walked over to the console and pressed a button.
A mechanical pedestal slowly rose from the floor. Four Poké Balls rested on top of it.
"I already made my choice last night!" Ash didn't hesitate for a second. He snatched up one of the spheres. "I choose you! Come on out, Charmander!"
Click!
Nothing happened.
"Professor? Why is the Poké Ball empty?"
"Charmander was already taken by someone who actually knows how to hustle."
"No way..." Ash deflated slightly, but his gaze immediately darted to the remaining spheres. "Then I choose you, Bulbasaur!"
Click! Still empty.
"Squirtle!"
Empty.
"Misaka Mikoto!"
Still completely empty.
"Why are they all empty, Professor?!"
"Well, it can't be helped. That's what happens when the competition is fierce." Professor Oak looked at Ash. "There is actually one Pokémon left. But this particular one has a few quirks, so it hasn't been chosen yet."
Already desperate, Ash didn't hesitate.
"I'll take it, Professor Oak! Please!"
"Are you sure? Alright then." Professor Oak pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket. "Here you go."
"Come on out, partner!"
Ash confidently hurled the Poké Ball.
Click!
A flash of bright white light filled the room. When it faded, a small, blue Pokémon appeared right before Ash's eyes.
"Fro?"
"Whoa! What kind of Pokémon is this?" Ash stared at the creature in absolute awe. Then, he muttered under his breath. "Wait, why isn't it a Pikachu..."
"This is a starter Pokémon from the Kalos region. Its name is Froakie."
"Froakie, huh?"
Ash nodded approvingly. He leaned down, extended a hand, and smiled at the blue frog, who was currently looking around the room.
"Hey there, Froakie. I'm Ash. I hope we can be great friends."
"Fro...?"
Froakie followed the outstretched hand and slowly looked up at Ash's goofy, beaming face. Seeing the absolute sincerity in the boy's eyes, the small Pokémon let out a soft cry.
It reached out and placed its tiny paw in Ash's hand.
Ash's smile grew wider. But in the very next second, he heard Professor Oak's voice sound out slowly behind him.
"However, this Froakie has a slight attitude problem."
Before Ash could process the warning, the Froakie in his hand vanished into thin air.
A blur of motion flickered right in front of him. Ash watched, utterly helpless, as Froakie hovered in mid-air.
In the blink of an eye, the small blue frog extended its foot and unleashed a vicious, full-force kick straight into his face!
Smack!
The sheer force of the blow sent Ash spinning into a magnificent 720-degree aerial backflip.
"Its speed is quite staggering."
Professor Oak finally finished his sentence.
"Ouch..." Ash groaned, clutching his stinging cheek. He looked up in total shock at Froakie, who had landed gracefully and was now standing with its hands clasped behind its back. "Is this Pokémon always this brutal?"
"Indeed. That's why it is virtually impossible for a novice trainer to command it," Professor Oak explained. "Do you want to wait for a different Pokémon? The next batch won't arrive for another week."
"It's fine! I'm sticking with Froakie!"
Ash didn't hesitate at all. He reached his hand out to Froakie once more, flashing an even bigger, unbothered grin.
"You're super strong, Froakie! My name is Ash, and I'm training to become a Pokémon Master!"
"I might be weak right now, but I'm going to get stronger. Really strong! So, Froakie, will you lend me your strength?"
"Fro, fro..."
Froakie stared at the boy. Even after taking a brutal kick to the face, this human was still radiating pure kindness and excitement.
He hesitated for a moment. This human seemed very different from the others.
More importantly, kicking him felt completely different from kicking anyone else. It felt incredibly satisfying.
Froakie fell into deep thought.
A Pokémon Master? Hmph, how amusing.
In the very next second, Ash blinked, and the Froakie in front of him vanished. Before he could even react, the Poké Ball in his hand flashed with a red light.
Froakie had recalled itself back into its capsule.
Ash froze in surprise, but his bright smile quickly returned.
"I'm looking forward to traveling with you!"
"Fro."
From inside the Poké Ball, Froakie let out a quiet cry that nobody else could hear.
Don't get the wrong idea. Your face just feels better to kick than the others. You'll make an excellent punching bag.