Amar woke with a start, jolting upright as sweat trickled down her face as she panted heavily. Pale blue eyes darted around to view the surroundings. It was clearly very dark, with a crescent moon hung high in the starry night sky, the light given very little justice to the grounds below and giving the tall rocky hills shadows to cast into the darkness.
The flames of a campfire now glowed red with burning coals and ash. The young trainer panicky search with her eyes for her starter and there he was, at the end of her bedding. Seeing her faithful Wartortle sleeping close by as usual, gave comfort to the lady but it wasn't enough. Hearing a sound within the bushes, she sprung out of her sleeping bag wearing nothing but a purple baggy t-shirt and black workout shorts.
Disturbing her water Pokémon's beauty sleep, she quickly gathered the twigs, leaves and branches she had prepared to feed the cooling coals, and lit a match as her heart pounded and thoughts swarmed in her mind of everything terrible possible thing that could happen to her, just waiting in the darkness.
Her fear of the dark was intense. Amar despised in every ounce of her being, of the shadows and it was her ultimate weakness. A few quick pokes and wave of a cardboard piece, the fire grew and burned steadily, brightness lifted the dark void and relief washed over the eighteen year old who might as well been a child in teenager form.
Sitting close to the flames, she looked around for her cell phone and when she finally found it, by her sleeping bag with her annoyed Wartortle who was glaring daggers at his trainer but paid no mind to him as she saw the time.
12:48am.
Amar groaned, it had only been at least two-three hours of sleep she had gained since they had settled on route 3 after completing the first GYM, Brock and gaining the boulder badge. She wished she had continued forth, as the map read that there was a nearby Pokémon center just up ahead on Route 4. Of course, she just wanted to stop and catch a few Pokémon while she was here, battle some trainers and whatyaknow got distracted from the time and before you knew it. The sun went down and the moon rose.
Jupi, sort for Jupiter, stood watch with his arms crossed and a serious face played on his blue features. He was quite aware of the discomfort his trainer had for the dark, slowly getting use to it even though he felt his trainer should have a bit more… spine but, oh well.
The two in the beginning weren't so hot. Though the short journey proved to them both that they could actually be… decent together. Mostly ever since he evolved from a Squirtle and into a maturing, promising Pokémon with potential. Their hardship grew into friendship.
Amar sat back down near the fire, sitting Indian style as she knew she wasn't going to bed again anytime soon and looked over to Jupi with a small smile. She loved the Pokémon the day she got him. Even before then she had a love for the Water starter and knew that he would be the one to start out with and began to think back on their not so long ago meeting.
"Squirtle eh?"
Professor Oak smiled as the turtle creature blinked up to view his new owner, rubbing his eyes as they adjusted to the bright lab lights.
The young girl clapped with a smile squeal, excited to be meeting her first Pokémon and starter. The one that she would be going on adventures with, partners, friends, BESTIES!
Even to the point of having butterflies in her stomach all night long and barely sleeping a wink as daylight approached fast with every hour that went by and visiting the lab way before anyone else!
"Yes, I am in full confidence that he is the one!" Amar said, biting her lower lip and she calmed down, blushing with embarrassment for being so cheerful and practically feeling as though she just got a puppy for Christmas as a five year old.
Jupi looked over, feeling eyes prying into his very soul and locked eyes with his trainer just… staring him down. He shifted on his feet, feeling a little weird out at how obsessive his owner seemed to be on him. "Wartortle." He frowned as he spoke to Amar, breaking her trance.
She jumped, completely forgetting where she was for a moment and laughed softly. "Uhm, yeah sorry was just thinking.. Taking my mind off of… well you know." She looked around at the shadows, the light of the fire keeping them at bay.
Taking a deep breath, she sighed "It's… not too bad."
The Wartortle shrugged, listening but not responding.
"The dark you know? I'm just not use to being away from home… kind of scared actually." Amar poked at the fire with a twig, red ash floated into the cool air, sizzling.
"It's something new, something different and so use to everything being a day-to-day thing that change is a little nerve wrecking for me."
A yawn escaped her lips and she glanced back at the phone.
1:28am.
'Well, time did go by a little bit and I guess I should try to sleep some more...'
Amar crawled back into her sleeping bad, snuggling herself down until she felt comfortable and peeked over at Jupi.
"You can sleep too... Sorry for waking you up. I think it'll be okay from here. Good Night."
Closing her eyes, she thought more of how the few days went by as she slowly drifted to sleep.
"He won't bite will he?" Amar asked, lowering herself to the Squirtle's level as she held out her palm nervously.
The Pokémon responded with little to no interest in the soon to be trainer, only sniffing her hand and snorting, giving a shrug of 'whatever' and looked over to the side.
"Apparently not" The professor observed amusingly, finding the interaction of Trainers meeting Starters very interesting as each one has their own beginning in how they've met for the first time.
"Now I must warn you, though I am sure you've noticed already. This Squirtle is a bit more serious than most and is possibly a bit more difficult to train so I suggest being patient. As always, the beginning is rough but I am sure once you two get going on the long road ahead…" Oak paused to smile, eying the pair as memories of his own youth flowed by him. "You two will be alright. Just be careful. Oh, here take these with you as well as this."
He handed a Pokedex and five poke balls. "To record any Pokémon you come across and to catch. I wish you the best of luck!"
Amar accepted the gifts happily as she pocked everything in her trusty backpack that held everything she thought she would need for this epic adventure. Extra Clothes, some food to nibble, map, matches, rope... Typical things one would need for survival considering she IS going through mother natures land mostly and the Cities are from far Pallet Town.
Looking over to her new found starter, she held out the pokeball the squirtle belonged to. Feeling slightly awkward in this situation, knowing he needs to go back into the safety of the ball, she stuttered: "R-return?!"
Squirtle stared at his trainer with a confused look, feeling slightly insulted as he simply inched away from the darting beam of red light that would've absorbed him within.
"Squirtle." He said, giving Amar an eye that was daring her to try to put him inside that Pokeball. How dare she? Who does this human think he is? He didn't even recall her introducing herself to him. "Squirtle Squirt Squirt!" He shouted, throwing his little arms in the air before crossing them over his chest with his left foot patting the floor as he awaited for her to do the PROPER thing first.
Amar blinked slowly, feeling be-dazzled as to why he was acting this way. "Uhm, is there something wrong with him or this Pokeball?" She looked over to Oak who was observing the whole scene, hands behind his back as he hummed to himself.
"Well, it appears you've made him upset with you. I told you. He is a very serious Pokemon and it might be he is expecting a serious Pokemon Trainer which.. "he coughed into his hand, and gestured to Amar.
"You being a rookie. Read his body language. Treat him as though he was an actual person. I mean.. Would you want to suddenly be snatched into a ball without knowing why or who was doing it?"
She shook her head no, and gazed down at the water Pokemon with a different light.
"Oh.. I am terribly sorry.." Amar smiled softly and kneel down, "Hey.. I really am.. New to this and I'll try to be at least decent. My name is Amar, is there a name that you would like to be called?" The squirtle seemed interested now and approached her with a hand out, "Squirtle Squirt." Amar reached out and grabbed the hand, shaking it in partnership. "Alright, we're finally getting somewhere. Uhm.. Would you like to be called Jupi? I've always admire the planet Jupiter.. Very huge and powerful name I feel."
The pokemon tilted his head to the side, considering the name and shrugged. "Squirt" and waved his hand, not really caring what he was called but nodded in agreement just so she would understand him, seeing she is a bit ditzy it would appear. Jupi sighed, so much for getting a serious trainer...
"Well, we won't put you in the Pokeball then, sorry for that too. I'd feel much comfortable having someone at my side along the journey. Plus.." Amar whispered close to Jupiter.
"I'm afraid of the dark..."
Jupiter stared with a 'you've got to be kidding me'. Where a trainer was suppose to take care of the Pokemon. It would appear HE might have to do that with his trainer. He slapped his face groaning, and started to walk out of the lab grumbling. Oh what a wonderful joyous day.