Chapter 1
Beep beep beep.
Someday, I will break that alarm by throwing it clear across the room. But not today. I slammed it hard to stop the annoying sound and looked up at the clock. 6:30am. That means my alarm had gone off three times before this. Why did I have to be up so early? It was Saturday. I couldn't remember as my dream self began to call me back to rest my head and fall asleep. As I started to slump into my pillow and pull the covers over my head, the door to my room swung open, which was impressive since there was junk spread out everywhere that should have barred anyone from entering.
"Machamp! Champ!" a voice called into my dark room. I groaned. My fifth alarm clock had just decided to go off.
"Hmmm, five more minutes," I moaned sleepily. My eyes were already getting heavier as I was dropping back into unconsciousness. The covers flew off me and cold air hit. I shot up in bed and glared at Machamp. He had a squished face that had large, pale lips. Three tough structures stood on top of his head like plates. He wore a pink apron that said "Kiss the Cook," but I knew that underneath he wore only his shorts and belt. But the weirdest part of him was that he had four arms. He had two arms at the normal area on people, but there were two extra arms sprouting out from on top his shoulders.
Machamp was what people around here called a Pokémon. Where Pokémon came from was anyone's guess, but they have always been around since human walked the earth. There have been some scientists who have been debating where they came from for decades. The rest of us humans just know that they have amazing powers that they can summon, and that they can be great companions. I didn't particularly care right now, though. I just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Machamp!" he waved all four of his hands frantically, trying to make me not fall back asleep, which only worked in making me dizzy. I sighed. I couldn't stay angry at him. He was only trying to help wake me. I moved to the edge of my bed and rubbed my eyes. It only helped a little. I still felt tired. I saw Machamp studying me, determining if I would make another attempt to lie back down.
"Don't worry, Machamp. I'm up now." No thanks to you, I thought. I slid out of bed to prove it. He turned and left, satisfied that his job was done. I stepped out in the space I left for myself to walk around my room. It consisted of a route from the door directly to my bed. I yawned as I stretched my arms outwards. I know I was forgetting something, but I couldn't place it.
"North, you up?" a voice called beyond my bedroom door.
"Yeah, Dad, I'm awake," I called back. The house wasn't that big, so shouting out loud is the fastest way to communicate. It was only my dad, Machamp, and me who lived there. You know, quality father-daughter bonding. And my mom? Let's just say she took off to have an adventure when I was five and conveniently never came back. But I didn't really care anymore. That had been nine years ago. I was over her.
I got dressed quickly. I bet my dad knew the reason why I was awake so early. Before I left my room, I looked in the mirror to make sure I was ready for whatever the day was going to throw at me. My black shorts hugged the curves around my hips. The deep purple shade of my shirt brought out the amber color of my eyes. Technically they were green, but the color was so light that they looked amber. So I stuck with it. I let my slightly wavy almond hair dangle down below my shoulders. Sometimes I'm just too lazy in the morning to attempt to put up my hair. I looked down at my feet. My combat books clashed with the whole outfit. Perfect.
I walked out into the hallway and went down a staircase that led to the first floor. There were only two rooms on the bottom floor, one of which was my dad's room and other being the kitchen/living room. As I neared the bottom, I could smell pancakes and bacon. My stomach growled loudly as my mouth watered. Funny to think that I hadn't felt hungry until I tasted the rich smell in the air. I followed my nose to the kitchen where I found my dad and Machamp preparing a buffet for breakfast.
"Well, look who's finally up!" my dad said cheerily. On sight, not many people think of him as the jolly type, mainly because his entire body is covered in pure muscle. He looks like the kind of guy who could rip apart a tree from its roots, which might be true because my dad believes that the body is a sacred temple that should be taken care of and improved as best as possible. He exercises all the time and trains others as a job to keep fit. Machamp was his best friend and they did everything together, including taking care of me. My dad had once tried to make me like him and be all muscle. I refused with all my heart. I'm okay with just being healthy, not bulky.
Despite being incredibly tired, I smiled. My dad always made everything better somehow. He just had this air around him that made people relax and enjoy themselves.
"Morning, Dad. Why I am up this early again?" I sat down at the kitchen table. He turned to face me with eyebrows raised.
"You really forgot that easily?" I shrugged. It happens. I never really got into the habit of writing things down.
"Today is your class trip to Professor Palm's laboratory," he said as he turned back to the pancakes. He started to pile them on a plate while Machamp finished the bacon.
My class trip to Professor Palm's lab. Wonderful. Now I remember the rest of my class making so much hype over it, but I couldn't care less. His lab was where kids would go to get their Starter Pokémon. Professor Palm was a researcher who studied the relationship between a trainer and his first Pokémon companion, or Starter. Something about the connection with a person and his first companion was incredibly special. Some years back, a kid as young as ten could choose from three Pokémon to be his Starter. Now, a kid had to be at least thirteen, and he could chose whatever Pokémon he wanted as his Starter. But I was already fourteen (I'm one of the older kids in my class) and still didn't have my Starter. I didn't really want one. I wasn't the most social person in my class, and it was hard to make friends, especially with Pokemon. I had tried to make friends with a wild Nidoran before, but it didn't really work out. I ended up being sick for a week after having a slight poisoning incident. When I recovered, I couldn't find him anywhere. I guess I wouldn't want to hang out with a weird girl like me, either.
Pancakes and bacon brought me out of my thoughts. My dad had placed my plate in front of me with a look of concern. I must have been frowning, so I looked up at him and smiled. No need to concern my dad with these kinds of things.
A knock on the door made me jump. My dad frowned, a look of confusion on his face. He was as surprised as I was that someone would come to our house this early in the morning, but it's happened before. Mostly it was just his clients coming around to ask about training. I heard him open the door, and his voice carried something other than surprise, though I couldn't place it.
"Lividia, what are you doing here?" he asked. A woman's voice responded with a thick accent, though I had no idea where she got it from. It made her sound high-class and arrogant. I instantly didn't like her.
"Why, Daniel, you look absolutely delightful this morning! Are you still working out?" an obnoxious laugh filled the hallway. Daniel was my dad's first name. Who exactly was this woman?
A nervous chuckle escaped my dad. "Well, I'm a physical trainer now. It's good work." He hadn't moved an inch from the doorway, blocking my sight of the woman.
"Well, darling, are you going to invite me in? I smell something wonderful!" He hesitated, as if wondering whether letting this lady into our home was a smart thing to do.
"Actually, I had just finished eating breakfast and was about to go out for a run with Machamp." A lie. Why was he lying? I got up from the table to move towards him and see who this woman was, but was stopped by Machamp. He didn't look happy and he moved me farther back from the front door. There was so much tension in the air that I could practically reach out and grab it.
"Dad?" My dad stood straighter and turned his eyes towards me. They were warning me, but about what I had no idea. I sat back down at the table under his stare. His shoulders slumped a little, like he had given up, and he moved out of the doorway, allowing the woman at the door to come in. She waltzed right past him with a confident smile plastered across her face, as if she had just won the gold prize. He led the woman towards the kitchen. I caught a glimpse of blond hair and a beautiful dress before my eyes were drawn towards her face. It was like looking at perfection. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with intelligence, her face absolutely flawless from any blemish. Her makeup looked so natural that I almost believed she wasn't wearing any. Her hair was tied up in a professional bun, though it didn't look like it was put up hastily. It was more artsy, like she had taken her time to match her perfect hair with her perfect face. Even her outfit was perfect. The deep greenish-blue of the long dress made her face radiate with beauty. She was beautiful, and she knew it. Her eyes caught mine and she smiled.
"Is this your daughter?" her voice held that rich accent, and somehow it matched her appearance. Her eyes scanned me like I was an expensive toy that was bright and shiny. I squirmed in my seat. I didn't know what to do with that gaze turned towards me. Thankfully, my dad saved me.
"Yes, she is. North, this is Lividia. She was a…coworker back in the day." My dad moved to stand almost between me and Lividia, though we were still able to see each other. I looked at my dad's face. He was studying his old coworker like a virus that was in danger of spreading. I now knew what I heard in his voice: fear.
"Such a darling thing. Please, dear, call me Liv. It is far shorter and easier to handle." She smiled at me with a knowing smile, as if we had just shared a secret.
Before I could say anything back, my dad cut in, "North was actually just on her way to her school trip." He looked at me with such intensity that my stomach churned. Who was this woman to make my dad fear her so much? What work did he used to do? I guess I would ask him when I got back later in the afternoon. I gave a slight nod of acknowledgment so that he knew I understood.
Lividia looked at me with a slight raise in her eyebrows, but the smile never left. "Oh? Well, then run along, dear. Mustn't keep them waiting. It's all about the timing for these things." That last part seemed to be pointed at my father. He clenched his jaw and tensed. I had to leave. Somehow, I knew this was business between this strange woman and my dad, and I didn't want to be caught in the middle.
"Yeah, I was just heading out." I didn't need anything to bring with me, so I just walked out the front door without a glance back. I had no idea what had just happened, but I'm sure it wasn't good. I had never heard about what my dad used to do before he was a physical trainer. I guess he could have had another job before I came along, but he never told me about it.
I walked out to the dirt road. We lived about a twenty minute walk from the main town. My dad loved the outdoor scenery in the country. A bonus for us is that the lab was only ten minutes away. It was surrounded by fields, ponds, and any other kinds of terrain Professor Palm had created to keep a wide variety of Pokémon close to his lab. A forest cut a line between the wide ranging fields and the wild. At least I knew there would be a lot of cool Pokémon to see. Maybe the class trip will keep my mind occupied.
The walk was never long because the natural beauty of the countryside always kept my attention. I could see a flock of Pidgeys in formation as they flew over me. There was a large grazing field to my left where Tauros were resting peacefully. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as the sun rose above the tree tops. I smiled. I loved it out here. I felt wonderful in the morning sun. The sleep had finally fallen away from me like a winter coat being shed for spring. It was refreshing and helped me forget just a little about the strange encounter this morning.
I could see the giant building on the side of a hill that signaled the entrance to the Pokémon lab. It was rounded like a dome. The bright whiteness of the building stood out against the brilliant blue of the sky. The building had been there for years. In fact, it was the quiet nature of this town that had attracted Professor Palm to set up his work here.
I walked to the front of the building and made my way up the steep steps toward the entrance. As I walked through the doors, I could see a group of excited kids, all my age, waiting in the smaller room that led to the actual laboratory. They were all talking to each other excitedly, and I could catch the words "journey" and "adventure" in each conversation.
I snorted. A journey. It was funny just to think about it. The kids from school always talked about when they get their Starter, they would just go out on a journey right away to become the strongest Pokemon trainer and to see the world. The thing is, it was rare for a kid to actually go on a journey. Most realize that they don't want to go through the hardships of living in the wild, not knowing when their next meal will be. For me, I was definitely not going on a journey. I mean, sure I would love to see what the world outside this small town holds, plus I would be able to hold my own in the wild. However, that would mean leaving my dad alone. I couldn't do it.
"Ah, there you are North," my teacher, Mrs. Kole, said after I joined the rest of the mass of students. She was an elderly woman with a warm smile on her face and streaks of gray and white in her hair, but don't let that fool you when she passes out homework. Deep down, she's just another evil teacher bent on forcing us to learn. The horror of it all. "I'll go tell the Professor we are ready for him."
Most of the kids were with each other in groups, excited about which Pokémon they will choose to be their Starter. So many of us in a small space made me cranky. I looked around, wondering when it was going to begin so that I could go back outside. It was probably not the right mindset, but the morning seemed too beautiful to waste to be inside. I inched my way to the back of the crowd as the students seemed to cluster close to the inner lab doors. All the chatter grew louder as the set of giant double doors swung slowly open. A tall, geeky guy came out with Mrs. Kole. He was probably around the age of fifty, but had a young looking face. His hair looked like wet sand and round glasses rest on his nose. He wore long red pants with bright blue converse on his feet. His lab coat trailed down all the way to his calves, hiding a disgusting yellow shirt underneath. All-in-all, a fashion disaster, though he didn't seem to notice. Or care.
"Welcome students!" Professor Palm said with a grand gesture to indicate everyone in the crowd. A bit of a theatrical guy. "You all know why you are here, yes?" he asked with a grin. I got the feeling he was getting more excited than my classmates. I guess he doesn't usually get a big group like us to research all the time, so we must be a treasure trove for him.
"Yeah, we're here to pick our Starters!" one of the boys from my class yelled back. He got some whoops and yeahs from the people around him. I could see the anticipation on everyone's faces. They wanted to go outside the lab and choose a companion. The professor better hurry if he didn't want a mob to crush him.
"Of course you all will be picking your Starters," he began, "but remember that your companion must choose you, too. If you don't get along with your Starter, then there will be a rough road ahead. Pokémon are just like us, and some become our best friends. It is 87% likely that you will still have your Starter by your side throughout your entire life. Remember that."
I thought about it. I had always thought that Starter Pokémon would just be like any other Pokémon I would meet. But to have that same Pokémon with me for the rest of my life? No Pokémon would stay with me that long.
"Now, the Pokemon will be in their comfortable environments. You must approach them carefully and respectfully. Remember that and we won't have any problems. Also, if a Pokémon doesn't want to go up to you or interact with you, don't bother it. If you antagonize any of these Pokémon, they will not hesitate to protect themselves. Got it?" Many nods and some yessirs came from the crowd.
"And after you have found your partner, please come to me so I may put your information in the files." He paused and looked at his watch. "Okay, you all may go in. I wish you all the bes…" the stampede of kids burst forward before he finished. They were all running for the doors that led to the different terrain environments outside where we will meet our Starters. At least the Pokemon will be more comfortable than me.
I walked slowly behind the rushing crowd. Soon, we were all outside and I could hear laughing and shouts as my classmates spread out. I guess I had to start somewhere. Making my way past the rounded hill towards the shaded trees of the forest, I wondered again if I had to have a Starter. There was no rule that said a person must get along with Pokemon. Of course, that wasn't the problem. I thought that I actually did get along with Pokemon, if only they got to know me more. Machamp was with me since the day I was born, so he was forced to get close to me and couldn't run away when we were in the same room. But I don't think I can just grab my Starter and shove him into a room to be with me until he liked me.
I followed a group of five girls towards the tree line. Most of the Pokemon terrain was hidden inside the forest. Even though I didn't have high hopes of getting my Starter, I could at least have a look around. And maybe with a group I could get closer to the Pokemon. It was worth a shot.
We moved through the trees and first came upon the water terrain. It was a huge lake with a giant tree near the edge of the water. The five girls all giggled and made excited sounds as they got closer. The lake was beautiful as it sparkled in the sunlight, and I could make out the many shapes of Pokemon in the water. There was a school of Goldeen going about their business. A few Staryus danced around each other. Some Squirtles were gracefully swimming beneath the surface, probably trying to show off to anyone who came by.
I looked along the edge of the lake and there was a Polywag that seemed to be waiting for us to approach. One of the girls walked farther ahead and crouched down to be level with it. She was talking with it excitedly and Polywag seemed to be happy with what she was saying. She spread out her arms in welcome and Polywag just jumped into them. I think I just witnessed the first making of a Starter and Trainer bond. Was it really that simple? Go up to a Pokemon, ask if it wanted to be friends, and then boom? Well, then this was going to be easier than I thought.
"Hey, Rachel, you got him?" One of the girls in the group called out. Rachel waved back at us and lifted Polywag in her arms, hugging it close to her. She ran towards us and showed Polywag to all her friends. They all squealed over it. She even showed it to me, though Polywag wasn't too happy about getting any closer. It almost jumped out of her arms to get away, but Rachel soothed it by speaking low and calm, saying everything was alright. She looked at me worriedly, and I knew what she was thinking. She wanted me to leave. Everyone in my class knew the problem I had with Pokemon. They knew how much they were terrified of me and didn't want to get near me. I never protested, or called them liars when they talked about me. It was true. I was never welcomed among the Pokemon, and that seemed to make people nervous around me. If Pokemon didn't trust me, then they wouldn't, either.
"Hey, thanks for letting me see your Polywag, Rachel, but I'm going to head back to the fields," I said hurriedly. I wanted to get out of here before the girls accused me of running all the Pokemon away. I could see the eagerness of my departure across all of their faces. At least they hadn't turned me away openly, but they were still glad to be rid of me. I walked back the way we had come. I didn't think I was going to have much luck at any of the other terrains either.
As I left, I walked into Professor Palm. Literally. I had my head down and was thinking about what had happened and didn't watch where I was going. I guess he hadn't been paying much attention either, because he was also caught off guard.
"Ah, sorry, Professor Palm, didn't see you there," I mumbled.
"North! Oh, well I see that things aren't going along very well?" he asked with a broad smile, not meaning to be hurtful. Palm was probably one of the few people who actually accepted me. He didn't mind Pokemon wondering away from me. In fact, he thought it was fascinating and took time to grill me questions about my diet or if I was wearing any perfume. Because of the research he does with the bonding of Pokemon, I was an oddity and fascination to him with Pokemon steering clear of me. I used to feel incredibly uncomfortable with him around me because I felt like another research tool to him, but soon I realized that Palm found everyone interesting, just on different levels. And I was in his top bracket. So, I didn't take it personally. I actually took some fun out of it and played pranks on him when I could, like telling him I ate a ton of garlic every day. He ended up smelling like garlic for two weeks until I told him the truth.
I sighed. I didn't want to tell him about what had happened. It hit too close to home. So I told him a partial truth.
"Professor, I just don't want a Starter Pokemon. None will ever get close enough to me to even meet me, let alone build on a relationship with me. I'm a lost cause. Sorry for not being able to help out with your research."
The Professor was still smiling and looking at me as if I had just said the most interesting thing he had ever heard in his life, but I could see his eyes grow solemn.
"You know, North, you are a lot like a certain type of Pokemon I know," he said as he turned to look off into the deeper forest, seeing things that I couldn't. I just stared at him. Palm has never compared me to a Pokemon before. I mean, other people of compared me to Slowpokes and Magikarp, but no one was ever serious about their comparisons. But Professor Palm seemed genuine.
"What do I remind you of?" I asked, half expecting a joke answer, half wishing a true answer. He turned his eyes back towards me and I could see the seriousness in them.
"A Cubone."
"Cubone?" I asked. I thought hard about what I learned about Cubones from school. I knew that they preferred solitude, but would occasionally be found with companions. They wore the skull of their dead mother, though I always found that part painfully sad. I didn't have a mother myself, and carrying a piece of her with me for the rest of my life seemed too heartbreaking. All-in-all, they were isolated, lonely Pokemon. "You think I'm that isolated?"
He shook his head. "I think you are that strong." I frowned. What kind of answer was that? I'm strong because I don't have a mom just like a Cubone? A light chuckle escaped him as he saw the confusion wash over me.
"Try not to dwell on it. But just know that strength does not have to be tangible to be true." With that cryptic advice, he left me to move on and see how the rest of the class was coming around. I kept on walking towards the tree line. Professor Palm always seemed to get my thoughts off things. I'll have to thank him for saving me from myself one of these days.