[hider=Pokémon S/L/A Version - Episode 1]
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[b][u]Episode 1: The Pokémon Fair[/u][/b][/center]

This was the day. The annual Pokémon Fair had finally arrived in small Newfin Town on the southeastern peninsula of the Sohan Region. Twelve-year-old Sol could hardly contain his excitement. Professor Cherry had come from her laboratory to his small town and was giving away Pokémon to a number of kids his age.

There were three special Pokémon he could pick from if he got to Professor Cherry's stand quickly enough: Seedhog, the Grass-Type Hedgehog Pokémon; Falcoal, the Fire Bird Pokémon; and Pixidrop, the Water Nymph Pokémon. He knew that his friend and next-door neighbor, Luna, would want Pixidrop, no questions asked, so Sol refused to challenge her for that. But there were still two others. He would have to decide when he got there. The sun was up, it was six o'clock in the morning, and Sol was full of excitement.

Pulling on his signature marigold-colored baseball cap and running so fast his satchel trailed behind, the bright-eyed Sol was out the door in a matter of seconds. Then he remembered he had forgotten his shoes, ran back in his house, snatched up his shoes, and hopped toward the door once again while jamming the sneakers on his feet.

"Got everything, honey?" his mom called after him.

"Yes, mom!" Sol said back toward the kitchen where his mother had been.

"Alright. Take care!"

"See you after the fair!" Sol shouted lovingly as he bolted out the door a second time.

Much of the fair was still being set up, but there was one stand that Sol knew would have been up half an hour ago. Almost not stopping himself in time, Sol would have plowed into the kiosk which Professor Cherry stood behind, except that he tripped on a shoelace he had left untied and fell flat on his face in the grass in front of the Pokémon Professor, who sat reading the “Sohan Daily” newspaper. At the sudden collapse of the boy, Professor Cherry stood, peering over the stand at the face-down Sol.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?" the blonde-haired Professor exclaimed.

Pushing himself to his feet, Sol clumsily replied, "Um . . . yeah." Brushing the dirt off himself, Sol continued, "Are they still here, ma'am?"

"Are what still here?" Cherry replied.

"The three starters."

"Yes, of course! They're--" she began to explain, but she was interrupted by a second person who had come up behind Sol.

"Way to make an entrance, Sol. In such a rush you can't even keep from falling over."

"Shut up, Astral," Sol retaliated, wheeling around to face the three-inch-taller, sneering bully.

"Are both of you here for your first Pokémon?" Cherry asked.

"You bet," Astral cockily stated.

"Then you'll find the three mainline Starter Pokémon here in these Pokéballs," Cherry explained. "The index cards in front of them tell you which Pokémon is in each. They're first-come, first-served, so young man," she said, gesturing at Sol, "since you were here first, why don't you pick first?"

"Really?" Sol said, his excitement bubbling again. He took a few seconds, looking between the Pokéballs that held Seedhog and Falcoal, and at last reached for Seedhog’s Pokéball.

"Your choice is Seedhog? He'll be a loyal companion. I've heard they're very protective of their trainers if taken care of," she told him.

"Cool," Sol thought aloud. Before he could leave the table, Astral marched up, shoved him aside, and snatched Falcoal's Pokéball off the table.

"Falcoal is yours, Astral? Be careful training that one. They're easily provoked."

"That'll be no problem," Astral said.

"Looks like they'll get along well," Sol muttered, unheard by either of the other two.

"Did I miss them all already?" a feminine voice said wearily. Sol turned, and saw Luna, worn from trying to rush to the stand before her Pokémon-elect had been taken.

"Not all of them," Cherry said, smiling. "There's still Pixidrop, if you'd like that one."

"Would I ever!" Luna exclaimed, her face brightening at the mention of the Pokémon she had so long desired.

"She's yours, then." But before Cherry had even said the words, the Pokéball had been taken up by Luna, who looked like she could burst with happiness. Sol beamed; Luna's joy was too contagious, unless you were Astral. "Now," Cherry continued, "all three of you will be in need of a few things if you're intending to become trainers. Firstly," she produced three oblong red devices from beneath the table, "you'll need the most up-to-date Pokédex. It can record information about virtually any Pokémon by simply scanning it, as well as tell you what attacks and abilities each Pokémon has available to it. I would highly recommend scanning your starter Pokémon into it before you battle."

This was met by statements of interest by Sol and Luna, but Astral merely looked like he was ready to get as far away as possible. Cherry then pulled out the next two kinds of equipment at one time, the first being an emerald-green machine that looked like a touch-screen cellular phone, and the second being a number of mint-condition Pokéballs. "Next, there's the Pokétracker, which functions as a cell phone, GPS, and essentially a multi-purpose computer all at one time. It can even tag Pokémon and track them down using a non-hazardous chip that you launch from the device using a button on the side. Most Pokémon don't even realize it's there, unless they are highly intelligent.

"Then, finally, there are the Pokéballs, which are used as a means to catch Pokémon once you weaken them enough. Of course, once you use a Pokéball, whether it succeeds in the capture or not, it cannot be used again, as it programs itself to be compatible with whatever Pokémon it attempts to capture. My laboratory is, however, developing a special kind of Pokéball called a Recycle Ball, which will be able to be reused after failed attempts at Pokémon capture or after the release of an already captured Pokémon.

"And that, I believe, is the extent of everything. Five Pokéballs apiece. If you ever need to restock, just look for a Pokémon Center. They'll have whatever you need."

---

Sol had just let his mom see his first Pokémon. The plump little Seedhog stood about knee-height to him, with a long snout and light brown skin. It had no fur, but on its back appeared to be over-sized blades of grass, which were in fact as hard--and sharp, for that matter--as knives, as Sol found out when he had bent to pet it and Seedhog responded by puffing up the spines (or rather, the grass) on its back. Now Sol wore a bandage around his index finger. Apparently Seedhog still had a sense of protection for themselves over their trainers.

Now he also knew what moves the little Pokémon had at its disposal: Tackle, Leer, Leech Seed, and Razor Leaf. He was itching for a battle, but didn't know if he should try against another trainer or a wild Pokémon first. Of course, he would have to leave the comfort of Newfin Town and go out on Route 501 for that, first. Maybe if Astral hadn't left, yet, he would battle him.

And then fate laughed in his face. Not only was Astral still in the town, but he was picking on Luna by the town gate, not letting her go out onto Route 501. Setting his resolve, Sol marched purposefully up to Astral, who had just knocked Luna to her backside, and bravely declared, "Leave her alone!"

Astral, a smug look on his face, turned to Sol. "Yeah? And what'll you do to make me?"

"A Pokémon battle. Right here, right now. I win, and you stop." Sol knew he was out of his mind, but he had to do something. He sure couldn't beat Astral up.

"You're on, runt!"

"No!" Luna shouted. "Sol, Seedhog has a Type disadvantage. Falcoal would win in a heartbeat!"

"I have to do this, Luna. I can't just let him bully you like this."

"Then be ready to lose. Go, Falcoal!" Astral shouted, tossing Falcoal's Pokéball forward. The orb popped open, and after a white flash, the orange and black Fire Bird Pokémon stood in front of the hotheaded bully. Though its wings were too small to allow prolonged flight, it still hopped and flapped its wings, hovering in the air for a couple of seconds before hitting the ground again. Its eyes were narrowed in fierce anger just like its trainer's, and the plume of fire that rose from just above the eyes of its round head only intensified its angry look.

Sol set himself into a ready stance. "Go, Seedhog," he declared, throwing the Pokéball toward the soon-to-be battlefield. The determined hedgehog came out of the Pokéball with a loud shout of its name before landing in front of Sol and almost exactly matching its trainer's stance.

"We'll make short work of you. Falcoal, use Peck!" Astral commanded, and the bird lunged at Seedhog, but Sol was prepared for Astral's direct assault.

"Dodge it with a somersault, Seedhog!" Seedhog obeyed, and rolled underneath Falcoal, turning as Sol shouted the next command. "Now, [i]Tackle[/i]!" Seedhog let another shout of its name, and jumped at Falcoal, slamming into it with a huge amount of force.

Falcoal was quick to recover, though, and Astral's command to use Smokescreen was just as swift. The small bird jumped over Seedhog to return to Astral's side, releasing the stream of smoke at the Grass-Type. "Now use Scratch, Falcoal!"

There was no dodging an attack Seedhog couldn't see coming. The small Pokémon burst out of the cloud of smoke with a cry, and collapsed on its back. "It's okay, Seedog, get up and use Razor Leaf!"

Falcoal jumped out of the smoke that was now clearing, intent on another attack on Seedhog, but it was met by a barrage of flying leaves that knocked it back to the ground. "Come on, Falcoal! You can take a hit like that, can't you? Use Peck!" Astral shouted, thinking he had Seedhog in checkmate.

"Don't let him get you, Seedhog! Dodge it with a somersault again, then use Leech Seed!" Sol commanded. He could feel his heart pumping faster than it ever had before. It was now or never.

The bird leaped into the air, and as it descended on Seedhog, the latter barely dodged, then turned and spat three seeds from its mouth that exploded into a net of ivy when they hit Falcoal. Once the attack began sapping Falcoal’s energy, it collapsed, unable to hold itself up.

"Use Smokescreen, you useless bird!" Astral furiously screamed at Falcoal, but all it could do in response was cough a few puffs of smoke.

"You ready, Seedhog? Let's wrap this battle up! Tackle attack!" Sol said; the little Seedhog rammed into Falcoal again, this time knocking the Fire Bird Pokémon out.

"Return, Falcoal," Astral moaned. "Don't think this will be our last battle, Sol. I [i]will[/i] defeat you. I'll become the Pokémon Champion, and we'll see who's smiling then." Astral turned and stormed away down Route 501, leaving Sol and Luna to their celebrating.
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