Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. However, I do own this fic.

Pokémon: Emerald Legends

By: Chartlesaur

Chapter 1: Exam

It was a typical morning as the sun rose in the town of Littleroot. As the darkness disappeared from the skies, shadows began to cast from the many buildings. People all over the town began to stir and prepare for a brand new day. They were greeted by beautiful singing from wild Taillows. Some may wonder what a Taillow is but many know that they're a Pokémon, creatures other than humans living on the planet.

Most people got up that morning with nothing special planned. It was just another school day for students and another workday for workers. However, to a young boy it was the most important day of the year (besides his birthday of course). Tyson Woods, ten years old, brown-haired, and extremely excited, got up and dressed. He looked in the mirror and saw himself looking back with a grin. He was ready.

"Tyson! Your breakfast is getting cold!" his mother called.

Tyson's parents ran a Pokémon School in Littleroot Town. His father, Ronald Woods, taught Pokémon Training, Strategies, and Stats with retired trainers living in the town. Jane Woods, however, was a teacher of Pokémon Coordinating, Communications, and Legends. There were other subjects too but those were the main focus.

Tyson grabbed his green backpack and headed downstairs. He was so happy that he started to run but ended up tripping on the steps and crashed down the stairs with a bang.

"Are you alright? Did you fall down the stairs again?" Mrs. Woods asked with a very slight tone of worry.

"I'm fine! I'm pretty much used to it by now." Tyson got up and walked into the kitchen.

It was 7:32. Tyson ate his eggs and bacon quickly.

"Don't rush it. You have plenty of time before your exam." his mother commented.

"I just don't want to be late. I spent all night studying and it'd be a shame to not get my license just because I wasn't on time. Besides, I'm supposed to meet Rika to go over our notes before the exam."

"Just don't worry about it too much..." Jane started to look a little sad at the thought that her son was about to leave home to go on a journey.

"What's wrong?" Tyson wondered.

"Oh, it's nothing. Anyways, we better get going. Your father's already at the school. If you're meeting Rika, we might as well leave now if you want time to study."

The two finished up their breakfast and proceeded to the car. Tyson took out his study notes and began to read them over. The exam that he was studying for was the Pokémon License Exam. It was a new rule that all potential trainers, coordinators, basically anything that requires traveling, must write and pass the test. The rule was started mainly for safety since statistics showed that many trainers didn't study their Pokémon using their Pokédex and end up hurting themselves or their Pokémon. Of course, many people responded negatively but the majority agreed that it was a good idea.

Tyson and his mother finally arrived at the school. The white building itself was two floored so it appeared to be pretty big, especially when added with the size of the gymnasium and the training fields outside. Kids from as young as six years old and as old as eighteen years old could be seen doing just about anything Pokémon related on the school grounds. Some ran around pretending to be Pokémon, some reading Pokémon magazines, some were even trading Pokémon cards. However, almost all the ten year olds were studying for their exam, since that was the age in which they could take it.

Rika was sitting in front of the main doors with her notebook opened. She was currently studying Pokémon Evolution, the topic that she had the most trouble with.

"Yo, Rika!" Tyson exclaimed as he got out of the car.

His friend looked up.

"What took you so long! I've been here since seven! I really needed your help with this evolution stuff!"

"There's a greeting..." Tyson muttered as he walked towards her.

"Seriously! I said seven, not-" Rika took a quick glance at her watch, "Eight eleven! And another thing, YOU were supposed to send me data on the three starter Pokémon last night! I waited for two hours! Sometimes you are so- Oh! Good morning Mrs. Woods! I didn't see you there."

"Good morning. I have to go inside but I'll see you two later. Good luck on your exam!" Jane Woods entered the school, leaving Tyson and Rika alone.

Tyson sat down and took out his notebook, while Rika turned the page in hers.

"Honestly, you're always letting me down." said Rika.

"At least I don't let you down when it's really important." Tyson smiled.

"Yeah, that happened like twice. Anyways, I don't understand this whole Upgrade thing."

"It's used with Porygon. If you let Porygon hold it, it'll evolve into Porygon2..."

The conversation went on as the two old friends helped each other study. Eventually, the school's "bell", Aipom, used his Screech to signal that students should head for class. It might be loud but people that are late can't say they didn't hear the bell!

Yes...

A small figure sat on a throne-like chair inside a dark room where almost nothing could be seen. The figure was fully covered with a black cloak except for one eye. It was a dark eye for it glowed with evil.

You three pass...

Three Pokémon kneeled before the figure.

The Creature of Disaster...of Moon...of Darkness...

There was silence for a moment in which the three kneeling Pokémon didn't dare to move or speak. The room was still just as dark as the figure thought to itself.

Yes...Revenge will be mine...

Tyson wrote the exam fairly quickly. In fact, most people did or tried since it was about thirty pages long. It covered just about everything from Pokémon lifespan to safety from specialized attacks in a multiple-choice format.

Rika skipped the evolution part and completed everything else. When she came back to it, she couldn't get any of the answers!

Why should you be wary about evolving a Magikarp? Rika read the first question over and over but couldn't answer it. She went to the next one with the same results.

Forget the answers! I don't even get the questions! She thought to herself.

"Ten minutes left!" Professor Birch announced. The professor took time off from his researching to oversee the examination. Besides, he had to bring the starter Pokémon.

Rika went into a state of panic and started to sweat. There was nothing else she could do so she decided to just guess the rest.

I can't get all of them wrong...

After the ten minutes were up, all the papers were collected. They were to be marked by machine so the students could get their results right after lunch. Every ten-year-old went out of the classroom with hopes that they passed.