Usurper

Chapter 11: A Father's Love

Usurper Chapter 11: A Father's Love

It was a quiet day in Viridian City. But for young Leo Ketchum it may as well have been the worst day of his life. He was being forced out of the house by his father to go on a Pokemon journey against his will. "Father, please reconsider!" shouted young Leo. But his father was having none of it. He slapped the boy and kicked him out of the door and threw a light backpack behind him. "You will return triumphant or not at all. Get out of my sight you disgrace." Leo sobbed outside his door. Hoping against hope that his father would let him back inside. Dawson Ketchum was a famous battler and former elite four member, he was considered one of the greatest trainers of the last generation. After an hour or so, Leo checked his bag. Inside was simply a Poke Ball and a sticky note. "Catch yourself a partner and leave town." Leo grabbed the Poke Ball and was about to stomp on it before he realized what would happen if he did. So, Leo took a deep breath, picked up the bag and walked towards Viridian Forest.

Later that day......

Leo had been searching for hours for a Pokemon but he couldn't find any. The ones he saw ran away from him or seemed too strong so he let them be. After all, a bad confrontation with a Fearrow could mean certain death for him. Eventually, Leo gave up. He sat down on a Log on the outskirts of Viridian forest and pondered life. Until, out of the corner of his eye he saw a pidgey. He sprinted towards it, expecting it to fly away. But it never did. It chirped loudly and backed away, but one of his wings seemed to be twisted in an unnatural way. Leo approached the small pidgey who looked like he was accepting death. Leo gently stopped and stuck out his hand with the Poke Ball in it. "Look Pidgey, I need a Pokemon. I'll help you recover and you help me become a trainer. Deal?"

Pidgey stood still for a moment, pondering Leo's deal. Pidgey chirped happily and Leo nodded. He gently threw the ball at Pidgey and three shakes and a click later it was over. Leo Ketchum had caught his first Pokemon.

To say the next few weeks were hard would be an understatement. Leo didn't have a trainer ID, so he couldn't stay at a Pokemon Center or use it's services. To save up for one he had to battle to win money. And in order to win battles, one has to beat Pokemon with a healthy Pokemon. Pidgey couldn't fly with it's broken wing, so Leo made it the best damn tackler in the world. After beating every bug catcher child who was within the area he finally had enough. And Pidgey and him rested easy for the first time ever.

But it wasn't smooth sailing from there. His first gym battle was a disaster. The father of the current Pewter Leader Brock, Johan obliterated his poor pidgey. Leo decided to catch his second Pokemon to counter the rock types. Eventually settling on a Poliwag left abandoned by its mother near a stream.

Leo's first real challenge came when he met his rival. A man named Giovanni. In the deepest cave of Mt. Moon he fought over a moon stone with him. Giovani's Nidorino and Ryhorn defeated his team. Leo let out a sigh and gave Giovanni the stone. Over the next few months, and eventually years, Leo slowly progressed through the Kanto Gym challenge.

His Pidgey evolved while fighting Grace the Water Type gym leader and her Starmie.

On his way to Vermillion, he took a long detour and he caught an Electabuzz outside of Rock Tunnel. Defeating a young Lt. Surge took everything he had but with the help of his new capture, anything was possible. In his Celadon City Gym he lost to Lydia, the older Grass type Gym leader. After stumbling across a Magmar, he burned his way through the gym. He went to Saffron City and fought at the fighting type gym. His Pidgey evolved there and swept the leader clean. In Fushia, after a vicious fight against Koga he emerged victorious, winning at the last second. In the Cinnabar Gym, he defeated Blaine with heroics from his Electabuzz and Pidgeot. Finally the time came for Leo to challenge the final gym. Only to meet his rival at the entrance.