The bright yellow sun crested over the edge of the world, casting its light across it. The dew that coated the leaves and the grass dried quickly and gave the greenery an unearthly gleam. People woke over the hours of the sun's first rays, and each set about their business. The few in Twinleaf town were not exempt from the daily risings and soon the townsfolk had joined the waking world and set about their business. A fraction of the people in the town worked and the rest were content to just wander in straight lines for the majority of their life. However, once on occasion, there comes one who is discontented with this life, one who yearns for adventure. One who wishes to be, The Master.
Mike rolled in his bed, snoring loudly, disturbing the Starlys that had nested outside of his window, who, in their freshly woken state, gathered their chirping hatchlings under their wings and took to the sky. Mike lay on his back; his closed eyes staring intently at his short, sloped ceiling, blankets were wrapped, completely, around his waist exposing his strong, short legs and round belly that shook with each breath. His face was circular with full checks and stumpy nose. A few sparse blemishes dotted his forehead and high on his cheeks, but were covered by his low hanging curly brown hair. He rolled again, onto his arms, both of which gave a satisfying cracking from his joints. He nestled his face deeper into the feather pillows and inhaled deeply through his nose, releasing it in a bellowing growl, shattering the brief image of peace. Over his snores a sharp rapping noise came from his door. "Hey, get out here. Hey, heyyyyy..." The last word was dragged out for over a minute before the speaker needed to take a breath. Mike wrinkled his brow and rolled away from the door.
"Fuck off Tommy..." Mike grumbled, just loud enough to be heard on the other side of the door.
"Hey, sleeping ugly! Get up, we're going adventuring today!"
Mike groaned loudly as he swung his legs over the edge of his warm bed. "Not again...ever since that stupid show all you want to do is 'adventure!" Mike stood slowly, taking great care not to hit his head again on his roof. "How much adventure can we really have here anyway? This town is dead, only missing their coffins!" He leaned over and grabbed a pair of jeans from the floor. They were faded from use and torn from many outings into the woods near his home. He groped for his desk, and once found, his fingers closed around a shirt, while his other searched still for his glasses. Once both were in hand, the black shirt slid over his arms and chest. Lastly he put on his glasses, opening his eyes for the first time since the he woke up, a dark blue with a few flecks of green around the border. "I mean, really man, we're gonna be stuck here until we die."
He swung open the door to find Tommy trying to knock again. The two were able to look each other in the eye which had gotten them branded the shortest in the town, as both were 5'3. He wore his customary clothing, jeans cut off at the ankle, his orange and white striped shirt and his green scarf. Mike remembered asking why he wore it constantly, yet Tommy had never told him, he had just looked ashamed and scared. His blond hair curved into three points that were jelled into place. "Let's go!" Tommy said as he spun on his heel and hurried to the door.
"Where?" Mike called after him as Tommy snapped the front door open.
"Lake Verity!" Tommy cried back as the door swung shut. Mike scurried down the stairs and vaulted over his kitchen table, sending the place mats scattering across the room. A woman shrieked from the kitchen and he winced. Mike turned slowly to face his mother, grinding his teeth.
"Sorry mom..."
"Sorry? SORRY? I work hard all day, never taking a break, never complaining and you come along and wreck it!" She glowered at him, finding a way to tower over him from just above four and a half feet. "And what was Tommy here to ask you? Where are you going? When will you come back? Who is going to be there..." The questions flew at him non-stop, never time to answer, but he knew that the best time to answer them all would be at the end of the tirade.
"To hang out, the lake, soon, people, yes, no, hell if I know, eating there, nope, yeah, mmhmm, sure, ok." He had learned each of the questions, in their order. On the last word, he turned and bolt from the house, clearing the first three steps in a single bound, leaving an angry fuming mother to deal with when he got home.
Tommy led the way to the lake, blazing the trail, as was his skill towards, the lake. Starlys chirped and scurried about the trees while Bidofs ran into the underbrush away from the tromping giants. Tommy whistled while he walked a familiar tune that they had grown up to as they sat in front of the television. "Come on, I've got a real good feeling about today!"
"Yeah, just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before, add neasum." Mike snorted as they trudged along, his boots made a suckling noise with each step. "Why're we doing this again...I could be sleeping today instead of being coated in sweat and smelling the, I must say, lovely scent of Bidof shit."
"You bitch a lot, don't you?" Tommy asked him over his shoulder as they passed the threshold onto the lakeside. "Hey look at that." Tommy pointed straight ahead at an old man and a young girl. "A sweater vest? That's interestingly retro." Tommy laughed, alerting the old man and the little girl of their presence.
"Ahh, you two will do." The old man took long strides towards them, a briefcase hung by his side. Mike had a better look at the man now, his short white hair that shift with him as he walked. He had on dress pants and shoes, which seemed very impractical for the forest. The girl was dressed slightly more than the old man in a pair of sneakers and a sleeveless black dress. She sported a black hair that hung passed her shoulder blades but morphed to a startling white on the top of her head that framed her forehead.
"Are you sure sir?" She asked him timidly and softly as she examined the teens in front of her.
"Yes! Of course I am! These two will work perfectly with..urm, the other one we found!" He spoke verbosely, each word said with a purpose, as if every word was its own sentence.
"You mean Sammy?" The girl asked exasperated.
The man sighed "You do not need to correct me on every little thing Dawn." He glared at her. She lowered her head, chagrined. "Now, you two. Be in Sandgem by noon tomorrow. "With a quick nod he stepped by them curtly and strode off once again, the girl trailed behind him, leaving two very confused boys standing in the forest coated in sweat and mud, inhaling the, I must say, lovely scent of Bidof shit.
"I told you so." Tommy said, never looking away from the pair who quickly disappeared from sight.
"Shut up." Mike replied, his eyes locked like Tommy's.
"What should we do?" Tommy sounded nervous.
"What, too much 'adventure' for you?" Mike sneered, though not too cruelly.
"No, just...what do we do?"
"Whatever we do, I'm not telling my mom.
11:59 the next day
Mike stood outside of the professor's lab, fidgeting in place. The building was imposing, built of dark wood and fresh bricks with a dark red wood roof that towered over him. He and Tommy had gone in almost an hour ago and Mike had been told to leave until their meeting was over. Mike ran his tongue across his lips, cleaning off the sweat that had built up over them in the past hour. He had tried wandering the town but had felt the pressure build more with his movement. His blood rushed in his ears as his heart franticly pumped blood. His throat was scratchy and dried quickly every time he drank from his water bottle, gulping it down with extreme force.
Then Tommy was there. Mike had blinked and found him staring with at him with his dark brown eyes. "Don't worry, he isn't as bad as he seems." Then he was gone, again in the blink of an eye. Mike sighed and stared at the open doorway. He crossed the threshold into the lab.
Scientists bolted back and forth across the floor of the single room, visiting computers and reading out results of tests that flew completely over the head of Mike. He slipped between them deftly; the entirety of them never knew he had even been there. It was a skill he had been born with, never being seen, yet able to pass through the crowds unmolested. He finally saw the professor in all the madness, the old man was hunched over a computer table; his gaze was full of anger and frustration. Mike stopped behind them, standing at attention, his spine straight and his legs locked in place tight together. The old man turned around, his glasses were pushed up on his knuckles as he rubbed at his eyes. He finally saw Mike and snapped at him "This is a science lab, not the bloody army boy!" Mike nodded and relaxed slightly, spreading his legs out to be comfortable. "I didn't say to act like you're at one of your socials! Good, now I've something I want you to have." Rowan turned, and picked up the same briefcase from yesterday. He cracked it open and held it out. Two pokeballs rolled around within the case. "I've two pokemon here for you to choose from, yes, all yours. There are two conditions however. First, take this." Rowan handed him a small rectangular computer.
"A pokedex?"
"Yes, you must be familiar with the technology? That saves me some explaining. Ah and here comes condition number two." The door creaked open and in stepped the second condition. Mike turned his head and saw her enter. She was slightly taller than he was, by about two inches. She barrelled past the researchers; Mike got a good look at her. She wore black jeans that fit her form and a black hoodie that hung from her shoulders, making her body seem slimmer than it actually was. A strand of her blond hair covered her left eye and hung just below the back of her neck. "Ah, hello Miss. Comat. Mr. Houle, this is Samantha Comat, the second condition."
"Or you could just call me Sam. Pleasure to meet you." She spoke with a high voice that was full of confidence. She had a slight northern accent to her speech.
"Mike." His voice had been stuck in his throat and the word came out garbled. He cleared his throat and said again "Mike." He smiled awkwardly and she laughed.
"If the kind prof hasn't told you I'll be accompanying you on your trip. I would have gone with the other one, but he left before I could get here as i understand it."
"Yes, yes, but I see more potential in this one!" Rowan exclaimed and clapped him on the back. "Now, you fill up that pokedex and Samantha will explain the rest. Oh! Don't forget your pokemon." Mike grabbed one of the balls and Samantha the other. "There you both go, be safe and learn all you can."
The two left the town and made way to the path out of the small hamlet. "So...what exactly will you be doing with me on this trip?"Mike asked as they left the town.
"My father is an old friend of Rowan's; he managed to swing it so Rowan would let me go, but only if two other people would take the remaining pokemon. I'm an artist and I want to see the world and paint some epic trainers. You'll have to do." Mike blushed as she said that.
"You heard him I have potential!" Mike defended himself
"He thinks the same thing of every trainer. Anyway, let's get going and you can prove yourself."