The Hoenn Journey (A Pokemon Fanfiction)
Disclaimer: The only things I own is Tai and Bouncer (MEH BOUNCER!!) XD
By: Tai Sky
Chapter One: Friends for Life
The sun poked over the horizon, filling the region of Hoenn with its bright rays. As the night transisted to day, all of the Pokemon that came out at night hid in trees, under bushes, in high treetops, dug underground, or found some sort of shadowy place to take up residence until it was dark again. Pokemon that enjoyed the light, however, came out in the open, glad at a chance to stretch and make the most of their day. One such place was the Pokemon Lab in Littleroot Town, near the southern border of Hoenn. Being such a small place, it didn't take long for the sun to illuminate the tiny town and awaken the many Pokemon near it.
Professor Birch, a somewhat pudgy man with green eyes and thick brown hair, yawned as he sat up on the couch he had fallen asleep on the previous night. He stretched his arms toward the sky and let loose a yawn that could have passed for an attack a Snorlax might use. As he stood up scratching his back, he opened his eyes and squinted at the luminous sunlight streaming in through the open blinds on the lab's windows. He had been so busy preparing for today that he had fallen asleep without bothering to pick up the multitude of papers scattered across the tiled floor, or close the mini-blinds before night had fallen. However, that didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that he had been able to get the three Pokemon ready for the three trainers that would be arriving today.
A sharp knock came from a door to the far south of the lab. Birch looked at the wristwatch he always carried and saw that it was only 5:30 in the morning. Who on earth could want to speak to him at such an early hour of the day? His assistant wasn't due to arrive until 10:00, and he hadn't expected the trainers to arrive until noon. As the knocking grew sharper and more frequent, Professor Birch just shook his head in disbelief. He had better see who it was before they woke up all of the sleeping Pokemon. He briskly walked to the sturdy oak door and grasped the bronze knob. He swung the door open with another yawn and blinked a few times at who he saw on his doorstep.
A boy of about 16 crossed the threshold of the lab, his golden-brown hair flying behind him as Birch closed the door as quietly as possible. Other than the boy's mop of untidy hair, crystal blue eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses framed his face, making his eyes appear to gleam. The boy wore a light blue shirt with forest-green sleeves cut off before the elbows. A weathered brown belt overlapped the faded denim jeans he wore, which stopped just before his blue-and-white sneakers. On his back was a small yellow pack with strings hanging down, allowing the boy to tighten or loosen the mouth of the sack. A smile spread across the boy's face as he spoke, revealing a mouth full of teeth.
"Hi, Professor Birch! Sorry to come at such an early hour, but I'm just so eager to start my journey, I simply couldn't wait!"
Birch just scratched the back of his head and returned the smile. How had he not seen this coming? He might of known that Tai would have been the first trainer here. Having been a student at the Pokemon School in Rustboro City for the past six years, naturally he would want a Pokemon right away. Most trainers got their Pokemon when they turned 10, but Tai had waited until he graduated from Pokemon school at 16, to make sure he was well prepared.
"I take it you're all prepared?" Birch asked with a yawn.
"Yep, Tai replied, nodding his head. "I've got the PokeGear from Mom, the PokeNav I bought in Rustburo, and the PokeDex you gave me before I left. I've notified my parents already, so all I need is a Pokemon and I'm set!" The smile on Tai's face was so big it could have rivaled that of a Gengar.
"Follow me, then," Professor Birch said, leading Tai to a round table with three red-and-white balls on top: PokeBalls. One had a small flame on it, one had a tiny water droplet, and the last had a miniscule leaf painted on the front. As Birch pressed a button on the front of each ball, they opened up, letting forth a surge of white light. From the ball with the flame sprung a small orange chicken with beady eyes. A yellow trim of feathers around its neck, and a yellow crest on its head. From the ball with the water droplet came a small blue creature that looked like a cross between a fish and a frog. It had large green eyes, a blue fin sticking out of its head and rear, and two orange whiskers on each cheek. From the ball with the leaf erupted a small green gecko with a red belly, large yellow eyes, and a thick green tail split into three, but still connected.
"I trust you know what these Pokemon are," Birch said. "This is a Fire-Type, Torchic," he indicated to the chicken. "This is a Water-Type, Mudkip," he pointed to the blue creature. "And this is a Grass-Type, Treecko," he nodded his head toward the gecko.
"Each Pokemon is freshly caught, and very eager to receive its first trainer. They're all good Pokemon, but remember that the type you choose will determine the advantages and disadvantages you have in battle."
Tai glanced down at the three amazing creatures at his feet. Such small wonders, but with significant powers. How could he ever choose just one of them? He was about to just play 'Eenie-Menie-Miney-Moe' and get over the tension when suddenly the gecko Pokemon ran forward and wrapped its arms around Tai's right leg. Startled, Tai staggered backwards. The Pokemon held firm, though, and Tai lost his balance, falling into the mess of covers on the couch the professor had been using for a make-shift bed. The Pokemon let go of Tai's leg, but then proceeded to bounce up and down on Tai's stomach. Tai threw the covers off his head and stood up. The gecko hoped ontop of his head, though, and stayed there. When Tai tried to shake the Pokemon off, it griped his hair firmly and refused to let go. Tai remembered that Treecko had suctioncups in their fingers, and so he stopped resisting.
"Ha ha ha ha!" Birch laughed loudly, hands gripping the sides of his white lab coat. Tai gave him a 'what's-so-funny' look, and the professor stood erect, wiping tears from his eyes. "I don't think you have a choice in this matter," he continued. "Treecko are very protective Pokemon. It isn't easy to gain thier trust, even small ones. But this little fellow appears to have taking a liking to you! Pokemon can sense the nature of a trainer, and that effects their behavior toward that person. Obviously this little guy senses that you're an extremely kind person, and wants to be your partner!"
"Well," Tai said with a thin smile, "I suppose its better then taking a chance and randomly picking one with a guessing game. This Treecko has a very thick tail, plus its belly is a deep crimson, so I'm assuming that its male. Now, what do I name you?" Not many trainers liked to name their Pokemon partners for whatever reason, but Tai felt like this creature on his head would become like family to him, so he decided to name it. "How about...Levin?"
The Treecko stuck out its tongue at the name.
"No? Then what about...Gecko?"
Again the Treecko didn't like the title.
"Okay, fine, Mr. Stubborn. No, that's not the name I meant!" The Treecko had been pulling Tai's hair at the sound of 'Mr. Stubborn'. "Do you like...umm, let's see...what about Bouncer?"
The Treecko was ready to pull another fistful of golden-brown threads when it heard the suggestion. It clapped its hands happily and smiled greatly.
"Okay, Bouncer it is!" Tai said, smiling just as brightly, ignoring the slight pain in his head. Professor Birch handed Tai five PokeBalls, which he stuck in his pack, and the ball with the leaf on it, so that he could return Bouncer to it if need be. He decided, however, to keep the guy on his head, where he was apparently more comfortable.
As Tai left the lab with a big smile and a friendly wave, Bouncer lazily snoring on his head, Birch did the same before closing his door. Professor Birch returned the remaining Pokemon to their PokeBalls, then yawned yet again. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was now 6:00 am. Time to go back to bed...
End of Chapter One