It's been a long time since I last uploaded anything to . Following the advice of the anonymous user, I have lurked, not posted anything, and discontinued all of my ongoing works. And it remained that way for over a year. In that year, Digital Earth was completed, but never revealed. I've decided that it's now or never. I'm here to improve my writing, and stating that "Everything about this piece is bad" isn't going to help that.
This piece is meant to be as focused as I can make it. Since I have a penchant for making too many characters, I've limited myself here. A maximum of one Pokémon can be used in the Pokémon League. Let's see how this turns out! If you have comments, please rate and review!
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The Flame of Destiny: Prologue: Randrake
Randrake, A massive continent in the Pokémon world, filled with the most natural settings in the Pokémon World. There were few towering cities; forests, lakes, mountains, and rivers covered the landscape. It was almost untouched by human technology compared to the great cities of Unova or Kanto.
Randrake was not like other regions. Unlike in many regions, the Ranger Union had a strong presence in the region and kept order in the wilderness while the normal police took care of the cities. Humans coexisted peacefully with Pokémon, as partners and equals. In other regions, the Pokémon League was an annual event that required 8 gym badges to participate in. Trainers from across a region would train a team of Pokémon and challenge other trainers in a massive, well-publicized tournament. In Randrake, the Pokémon League was held every 2 years, but only one Pokémon was allowed per trainer. And so, this exotic region made its name as a place for nature and a place of the strongest, most powerful trainers in the Pokémon World.
The Flame of Destiny: Chapter 1: Draxel
## Randrake Arc, May 10, AW667
Reinsgard in the morning. The sun shone brightly through the windows, the curtains gently flowing with the morning breeze. On this particular day, it was very calm, and for Draxel Freystor, this was the most important day of his life as he knew it.
"Mom... 5 more minutes…"
Draxel, hugging his pillow, shifted around in bed. Then all of a sudden, his leg rolled into empty space, and the rest of his body fell along with it.
"OW!"
His head smashed down on the wooden floor, the blanket and pillow coming down with him. The sheets gently collected on the white mound of blankets.
"Ugh…"
Draxel, now fully awake and inured, pulled himself out of the cocoon, rubbing his eyes while swearing under his breath. There was a creak as the door opened and a little girl's head peeked into the room.
"Draxie~~~"
His little sister, Marisa, bounded over to him. She jumped up and landed on the covers, hitting Draxel's exposed and bony legs hard.
"Oww!" he complained.
Draxel yawned, still dizzy from the fall. His 12th birthday was here and…
Oh yeah. It was his birthday. It was the birthday he had been waiting for.
He jumped out of the cocoon, tripping on his sheets, and made a break for the door, stumbling a few times on the way.
"Draxie! Mommy told you not to run around without a shirt!" Marisa cried out, running after her brother.
"I don't care! I'm going to get a Pokémon today!"
In Randrake, unlike in other regions, it was customary for a trainer to get his or her first Pokémon on their 12th birthday rather than their 10th. In the small mountain village of Reinsgard, there weren't many other children, so Draxel was very excited about getting his very own Pokémon.
"Draxel! Your shirt!" his mother cried out as Draxel ran down the creaking wooden stairs, feet rattling the old planks.
"I don't care about my shirt!"
His mother, stirring breakfast in a pot on the stove, watched as Draxel barely dodged the chairs in the center of the room and smashed into the door face first as he reached for the doorknob.
"Draxie~~~ I told you that I locked the door" Marisa called out from the top of the stairs.
"…Y…you could have told me that earlier. Eh….ehehe…"
Draxel removed his face from the door and faced his mother.
"…No comment."
He drooped his head.
"Fine, fine."
Draxel soon returned to the ground floor, this time with bright red shorts, a white sleeveless T-shirt, a cap, and a backpack. His mother handed him some breakfast on a small plate, still warm.
"Eat now, so that you don't complain later."
By the time she finished her sentence, half of the omelet had been devoured and Draxel was stuffing his face.
"Draxie… you're not going to be popular with those table manners." Marisa said, hugging her mommy.
"Mmmh! Mmh! Mmmmhmhmhmh!" Draxel replied. He could care less about his popularity when food and getting his first Pokémon were of the utmost importance.
"So Draxel's going to get his first Pokémon, right?"
In the meadow across from the Pokémon Ecology Laboratory, a boy and a girl sat on the grass with a Pikachu.
"Pika~~~ch-chu!"
Pikachu sneezed as fresh spring pollen entered its nose.
"Chuuuuu…"
Coated in pollen after having rolled in flowers, suffering was inevitable. Pikachu, teary eyed, cuddled with his trainer.
Pikachu's trainer was a tall boy. He sported soft brown hair and looked like a pro sprinter. His arms were lean from swordplay, and his sleeveless vest flaunted that.
"Kieren!"
Kieren turned around.
The girl sitting behind him was busy adorning her hair with flowers.
"Kieren. Can you hold these flowers for me?"
Kieren blushed, and then took the daisies from the girl, who nonchalantly arranged some flowers in her hair.
The girl chuckled, then looked up at the sky.
"…It must be nice to see the world. I'm going to be staying here in Reinsgard with Clefairy. Good luck on your journey. I hope you find a nice girlfriend."
Kieren blushed, then watched as Draxel rushed over to the lab.
"Well, looks like Draxel's going to get a Pokémon. I'm going to Lorrestine. Bye."
With that, Kieren stood up and walked off, Pikachu jumping onto his head.
*Gasp* *Gasp* *Gasp*
Draxel arrived at Prof. Tamarack's lab gasping for breath.
"Finally… the moment is here…"
Leaning on the door, he straightened his body and turned the doorknob.
Inside, the lab was how it always had been. Prof. Tamarack was a renowned ecologist, and behind the lab was a massive space for all kinds of plants to grow. The lab itself was clean and shiny, and the bright green from the plants at the end of the hall provided some variety.
Draxel stepped into the building. He walked down the main hall towards Prof. Tamarack's lab. The shiny white walls were polished clean, like they always were. Soon he arrived at the door to Prof. Tamarack's office, and he knocked, impatiently awaiting a response.
"Why if it isn't Draxel."
The professor stood up from his desk and made his way to the door.
"Please come in." the professor said as he opened the door.
Draxel stepped inside, trying to contain his pent-up excitement. Prof. Tamarack sat back down in his chair.
"I understand that you are very excited. Please sit down and more importantly, calm down a bit."
Draxel did as he was told and sat down in the chair across from Prof. Tamarack.
The professor coughed, then began to rummage through his desk. After a few slams and a few creaks, he found what he was looking for.
"Here."
Prof. Tamarack handed Draxel a Trainer Card, then a shiny new PokéDex.
"Here you go. This is your trainer card, and here's a PokéDex. Knowing you, you already know how to use both."
Draxel picked up the red PokéDex and flipped open the cover, revealing the screen and buttons. An automated voice began to speak.
"Welcome to PokéDex Registration. Please swipe your Trainer Card so that this PokéDex may be registered as belonging to you."
Drexel swiped his Trainer Card down the electronic reader on the side of the PokéDex.
"Confirmed. Draxel Freystor. This PokéDex belongs to you."
"Now. Please place your right retina in view of the camera."
After a retina scan and a fingerprint scan, the PokéDex beeped and turned to a screen.
"This PokéDex has a number of helpful features. Select 'Pokémon Scan' to obtain information on a Pokémon. If it is unknown, its data will be added to our database. Select 'Pokémon Database' to access the Pokémon Database. You will be able to access data on hundreds of Pokémon from here. Select 'Help' for more information."
Draxel closed the PokéDex, full of anticipation.
"Draxel, calm down." The Professor said, shaking his head and sweatdropping.
He stood up and pushed his seat back. He walked over to the door, then beckoned for Draxel to follow him.
Outside, Prof. Tamarack faced Draxel.
"Let's see… we have a number of young Pokémon that you may consider taking with you. Follow me."
Prof. Tamarack led him to a fenced nursery. Audino and Chansey tended to the Pokémon inside the fence, noting the Professor's presence.
Prof. Tamarack opened the door to the fenced area, and Draxel followed him in.
"Pi~cha!"
Immediately, an adorable Pichu walked up to him and shocked him.
"#$Y#*$##$#$#®†√¥©¥©¥¥∞§¥ç√¨¶§!"
Prof. Tamarack chuckled as Draxel fell to the ground, hair sticking up like that of a porcupine.
"This Pichu loves to shock others. It also likes people very easily."
Draxel looked away, tending to some minor burns on his face.
"I think I'll pass."
After a long period of searching, Draxel was losing his eagerness. After seeing every Bulbasaur, every Jigglypuff, and every Chimchar, none seemed like they'd make a good partner for him.
"Are there any more?" he asked.
The Professor nodded.
"…The runts and babies are still here. But…"
Draxel cut him off.
"Let me take a look anyways."
Professor Tamarack obliged and led him over to the small building on the side of the enclosed area.
Inside the small building attached to the fenced area was the internal nursery for baby Pokémon. The moment he stepped in, he knew which one he wanted.
"That one." He said, pointing his finger at a Charmander that was hiding in a corner.
Prof. Tamarack raised his eyebrows.
"Are you sure? That one's very shy."
"I'm sure."
Draxel walked over to the Charmander. As his shadow fell over it, it whimpered and tried to curl into a ball in the corner.
"Don't be scared!"
Draxel knelt down, the shadow lifting off of the small orange body.
Draxel positioned his head so that he could look at it. Slowly but surely, it turned its head until a corner of its eye could see Draxel.
Draxel stared at it. It stared back.
After about 10 minutes of staring, Draxel stood up, making sure that his shadow wasn't falling on it. He then moved his hands forward and picked the Charmander up. It squealed in displeasure and struggled to get out of his grasp.
"Char! Char!"
It kicked furiously, its small body helpless.
"…It was born quite recently. Take good care of it."
Prof. Tamarack placed a Pokéball next to Draxel, and then left, leaving the two alone with the Chansey and crying baby Pokémon.
Draxel soon arrived back home.
"Draxie~ what kind of Pokémon did you get~" Marisa inquired, kitty eyes staring Draxel down.
"Well…"
Draxel held up the Pokéball and let out the Charmander on his bed.
Upon seeing the massive faces above it, it cried out and curled back into a ball.
Marisa brightened up with a Yachiru face.
"It's so cuuuuute!"
She immediately began to tickle it. Giggling, she poked it and tickled it until its whimpers transformed into giggles.
Draxel watched, mesmerized. Marisa was ALWAYS good with baby Pokémon. Unlike him.
After the Charmander recovered from its laughing fit, it looked up at Draxel and Marisa.
"Chaaaaarr…"
Draxel picked it up and hugged it.
"Draxie! Your shirt!"
Draxel forgot that Charmanders had tail flames.
"Oh $#!+!"
He immediately dropped the Charmander and stripped off his shirt. The Charmander fell safely on a pile of bed sheets. On the other hand, Draxel was busy freaking out about the fire.
"What the hell am… ARGHHH!"
He spazzed as he tried to put out the fire. Meanwhile, Marisa gave the Charmander a piece of chocolate from the bar she was nibbling on.
"Chaar…"
Marisa and Char watched Draxel freak out, eating chocolate as if they were watching a movie.
After the incident, they returned downstairs.
"Are you going to leave today?" Draxel's mother asked.
"No. It's too young to bring out right away."
"That's unusually thoughtful of you." His mother said.
"…Maybe it is."
After the meal, the Charmander fell asleep. Draxel placed it on a flat stone in his room and let it sleep.
"…Sleep tight, Char."
## Randrake Arc, May 11, AW667
Dawn came soon enough. Draxel was fully packed and ready by daybreak.
"OK. Char, wake up!"
Draxel shook Char a bit.
"Chaaaar…"
Char rubbed an eye and slowly stood up before facing Draxel.
"Your name's Char from now on, OK? We're going to go on a journey together."
"Char."
Char allowed himself to be sucked into the PokéBall. Draxel walked down the stairs, making sure to not wake anyone.
"…Everyone… bye. I'll come back to visit some day."
And so their adventure began.
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Wow. So that's Chapter 1. Please Rate and Review, and tell me if there are any spelling/grammar errors or if stuff's not clear. Every comment counts!