"Fifteen? But that's so long to wait!" Ash blurted out, his earlier excitement plummeting like a deflated balloon.
"Fifteen? That's practically an eternity! Why would they suddenly change the rules like that? What am I supposed to do until then? Just sit around and watch everyone else have Pokémon battles?"
"That's ridiculous! Fifteen? What are all the younger kids supposed to do?" May added, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"It's not fair! So many kids dream of starting their Pokémon journey early. This is going to crush so many hopes!" She looked at Professor Oak, her tone bordering on accusatory.
"Why didn't anyone say anything about this sooner?"
"Grandpa, that's a huge change! Why wasn't this announced earlier?" Daisy questioned, her voice filled with surprise and a hint of worry. "This is going to be a major disappointment for all the other kids in Pallet Town!"
"Calm down, kids. It's not a decision made on a whim," Professor Oak said with a sigh, raising his hands in a placating gesture, his expression weary.
"The United Regions has been discussing this for quite some time. There have been… incidents. Younger trainers sometimes get into situations they are not equipped to handle, both for their own safety and the well-being of their Pokémon."
"You should know how the Pokémon Trainer profession has always dominated the world, with so many youngsters aspiring to become top trainers," he continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone.
"So, as a way to encourage young ones to experience more of the world and explore other avenues before dedicating themselves entirely to Pokémon training, the United Regions has increased the age requirement.
The idea is that until they become adults, they will have already experienced various other options and perhaps discovered other passions.
They believe this will lead to more well-rounded individuals, regardless of whether they pursue Pokémon training in the end."
Professor Oak's words held a somber truth. Pokémon-related professions did indeed heavily dominate the market, but the path to success was narrow, and many individuals ended up not achieving their dreams and struggling to find fulfilling careers elsewhere.
"So, in order to decrease the rate of people not finding any other profession after failing to make it in the Pokémon profession, this was deemed a necessary measure,"
Professor Oak finished with a thoughtful sigh, the weight of the decision evident in his voice. He looked at Ash with a sympathetic gaze.
"So… I have to wait until I'm fifteen years old?" Ash exclaimed, his voice filled with utter dismay, the joy of getting a Pokémon just moments ago now overshadowed by this unexpected hurdle.
His shoulders slumped, and the earlier spark of excitement completely vanished from his eyes, replaced by a look of utter dejection. "Fifteen? That's like… forever from now! I wanted to start my journey! I wanted to become a Pokémon Master!"
May frowned slightly, considering Professor Oak's words. 'That actually makes a lot of sense,' she thought.
'It would give kids more time to figure out what they really want to do before dedicating their lives to Pokémon training.
It might even make the competition less cutthroat in the long run. Still… I can see why Ash is upset.'
Daisy nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "I can see the logic behind it," she said, turning to her grandfather. "It must be tough for so many young trainers to face disappointment early on.
This might give them a chance to mature and explore other options before committing to such a challenging path. But still, it's a big change."
As for Ash, the reality of having to wait so many more years hit him hard. He felt like his dreams were being pushed further away than ever. "Fifteen years!" he repeated, his voice cracking with despair.
He then dramatically collapsed onto the floor, his arms and legs splayed out like a fallen star. "That's practically forever! What's the point of even having a Pokémon now if I can't even use it in official battles for so long?"
"Now, now, look at the bright side, kiddo," Professor Oak said, chuckling softly as he watched Ash's dramatic display. "Doesn't this just mean you have even more time to train and prepare before you take on the Pokémon League? You can become the strongest trainer Pallet Town has ever seen! Think of all the incredible things you can learn and the amazing bond you can build with your Pokémon in all that time!"
May knelt down beside Ash, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Yeah, Ash! Think about it. You have all this extra time to bond with your Pokémon and learn everything there is to know.
You'll be way ahead of the competition by the time you're fifteen! You could even become a local legend before you even get your license!"
Daisy also offered a comforting smile, though a hint of concern still lingered in her eyes. "That's right, Ash. And you can explore other things too! Maybe help out more at Mom's restaurant, learn even more about different kinds of Pokémon from Grandpa – he has so much knowledge to share – or even develop some other hobbies. This could be a really good thing for you in the long run. You might discover talents you never knew you had!"
Ash lay on the floor for a moment longer, letting their words sink in. 'More time to train… explore other things…' he thought. His mind started to race, the initial disappointment slowly giving way to a glimmer of hope.
'They're right! If I have to wait until I'm fifteen, that gives me so much more time to get stronger, to learn about all sorts of Pokémon, maybe even travel around a bit with Mom and Dad before I officially start my journey! And helping Mom at the restaurant
…..that could teach me discipline and teamwork! And Grandpa knows everything about Pokémon!' A wide grin suddenly spread across his face.
"Yes! You're right!" Ash exclaimed, jumping to his feet with renewed energy, his earlier despair completely forgotten. "I didn't think about it that way!" His eyes sparkled with excitement once again.
He turned to Professor Oak, his expression suddenly becoming incredibly endearing, his eyes wide and innocent. "So, Gramps," he said in a sweet, almost sugary voice, tilting his head slightly, "now that I have all this extra time to train… could you maybe, just maybe, give me my very own Pokémon to start training with right away?" He clasped his hands together, his gaze pleading, his best puppy-dog eyes on full display.
"Brat, you know how to act cute, huh?" Professor Oak remarked, a chuckle in his voice as he observed Ash's sudden change in demeanor. He sighed, a thoughtful look on his face as he stroked his chin. "Now that I think about it… I actually did prepare a Pokémon for you a while back. Let me see if I can still find it in this mess." He gestured around the chaotic lab with a wry smile.
He then got up from his chair and carefully navigated his way through the piles of research papers towards his cluttered desk, narrowly avoiding tripping over a stray Pidgey feather duster.
He rummaged around for a moment, his hands disappearing under stacks of books and strange devices, muttering to himself about where he could have possibly put it.
"Hmm, where did I put that thing… Ah!" he exclaimed triumphantly, pulling out a single, pristine Poké Ball from under a pile of what looked like fossilized leaves.
"Here you go, Ash," Professor Oak said, handing the Poké Ball to the eager young boy with a wink. "Go on, open it. Let's see who your new partner is."
Ash's hands trembled with excitement as he held the Poké Ball. With a flick of his wrist, he pressed the button. The Poké Ball sprang open, releasing a flash of red light that materialized into a small, orange lizard with a flame burning brightly at the tip of its tail.
"Char… charr…" the Pokémon let out a series of soft, cute sounds, its large, innocent eyes blinking, looking around the messy lab with curiosity.
"Aww, so adorable!" both May and Daisy exclaimed in unison, their faces softening at the sight of the charming creature. May reached out a hand, but hesitated before touching it.
As Ash looked at the little Charmander, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. It was as if he had known this Pokémon before, a comforting feeling settling in his chest. 'This Charmander… it feels like it was meant for me,' he thought, a warm smile spreading across his face.
Professor Oak coughed lightly, drawing their attention back to him. "Good thing you asked for a Pokémon now, Ash. If you had waited much longer, I was just about to give this Charmander away to another young boy who has been begging me for one for years."
Hearing him say that, Ash's curiosity was immediately piqued. "Who is that, Gramps?" he asked, tilting his head, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Who else would want a Charmander?"
Professor Oak rubbed his head, a thoughtful frown creasing his forehead as he tried to recall. "Hmm, let me think… it was perhaps something like Damian or… Cross? Actually, it was two boys from different families, if I remember correctly. They both came by quite often, asking about starter Pokémon."
Hearing those names, Ash felt a strange jolt of familiarity, a faint echo in the back of his mind. But no clear memory surfaced. He racked his brain, trying to place the names, trying to remember if they were kids he knew from around town, but they remained just out of reach, like a half-forgotten dream.
"Forget it if I can't remember it," Ash thought, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. He then reached out his hand slowly towards Charmander, his fingers gently stroking the top of its head. "Let's get along from now on, okay, buddy?"
"Char… chaarr," Charmander responded, nuzzling its head into Ash's hand, its tail flame flickering happily, a sign of its contentment.
Seeing the heartwarming scene unfold before them, a genuine smile touched everyone's lips. It was a sweet moment of connection between the boy and his new Pokémon.
Then, Daisy suddenly remembered something, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at her grandfather with a hint of accusation. "Grandpa," she said, turning to Professor Oak with a thoughtful expression, "don't you still have that egg you received from Dad for Ash's second birthday?"
She looked pointedly at her grandfather, emphasizing the importance of her question. "If Ash is finally getting a Pokémon now, you should definitely give it to him, right? It's been waiting for him all this time."
"What egg?" Professor Oak asked, his brow furrowing in confusion as he tried to recall. He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"That egg you got from my father-in-law, for Ash's second birthday," Daisy repeated, emphasizing the details and looking slightly impatient with her grandfather's forgetfulness.
"Ah, that egg! I remember now," Professor Oak exclaimed, snapping his fingers, a look of realization dawning on his face. "Honestly, it's been two years, and it still hasn't hatched. I was starting to think it was a dud. Maybe it's just a really slow hatcher."
"It's not! You already confirmed it wasn't a dud back then! You used that special scanner on it, remember?"
Daisy exclaimed in mild shock, her voice rising slightly in disbelief at her grandfather's memory.
"Honestly, Grandpa, if it ever hatched and you had forgotten about it, I think you might have just given the Pokémon away to someone else!"
Daisy sighed, shaking her head in slight disbelief at her grandfather's absentmindedness. "You really need to be more careful with these things, Grandpa."
"Haha, I might have done that," Professor Oak chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Especially since it's probably another Charmander egg! I might have just given it to those boys who were so persistent. They seemed like they really wanted one."
"Grandpa! It's not something to laugh about!" Daisy said, her tone a little exasperated, her hands on her hips. "That egg was a gift for Ash from Dad! You should have given it to him a long time ago! What were you waiting for?"
"Another Charmander?" Ash mumbled to himself, a flicker of surprise in his eyes as he continued to gently pat the head of the orange lizard in his lap.
Charmander looked up at him, its large eyes blinking innocently, and then let out a soft "Char… charr," almost as if in agreement. (A brother?) the little Pokémon seemed to think to itself, a warm feeling spreading through its small body.