Welcome to Crystalline Heights. I suppose I'll simply start by saying that this is my first foray into a Pokémon-based fanfiction, and so I'm not quite sure how it will turn out just yet. Hopefully, though, it'll turn out okay. This story will probably be quite long, as well, much like my other stories. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy reading.
Crystalline Heights
Chapter 1: A New Look On Life
"That's great, James!" thirteen-year old Emily Nagata chirped, looking at her friend's excited face over the video-phone screen. James Marien, like most kids his age, had already started his own Pokémon journey, and was currently in Pewter City. "When are you going to try for your first badge?"
"Probably tomorrow. I want to do some more training first. After all, Brock's supposed to be pretty tough. I think that me and Squirtle can handle it, though. Don't you, buddy?" James responded, looking beside him at the smiling face of his companion and starting Pokémon, Squirtle.
"Squirt-squirtle!" the tiny turtle Pokémon replied, nodding his head energetically. James just laughed, as did Emily.
"That's the spirit!" James said, turning his attention back to Emily. "Hey, Em, I'm gonna go. Give me a call later, won't you?"
"Sure!" Emily replied. "Good luck with your training!"
"Thanks. I'll do my best against Brock!" James told his friend, the both of them waving to each other before the call ended. Emily just sighed softly, walking back to her bed from her desk.
Emily was a cute girl by many standards, with shoulder-length blond hair flowing over the back of her pink, short-sleeved shirt. Her white pants blended in well with her small, white tennis shoes, which had small designs of blue waves on them. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement, both for her and her friend James. After all, soon she would be leaving on her own journey. She would've already left, truthfully, but she wasn't able to travel to Pallet Town when Professor Oak gave away starting Pokémon to new trainers. So, she had to wait until she could find a Pokémon some other way. She didn't mind, really. In her mind, it just gave her more time to prepare. Just like her sister.
Emily's older sister, Elizabeth, had left 5 years ago on a journey of her own, to someday become one of the world's best Fire Pokémon trainers. Elizabeth had done quite well for herself, too. She had competed in all three of the major known Pokémon Leagues, earning a 5th place finish in the Kanto league, 7th place in the Johto league, and a 4th place finish in the Hoenn league, which was also the region where she was currently staying. To be more precise, in Mossdeep City. Emily was a bit envious when she found out that the current Hoenn League Champion, Steven Stone, was also a Mossdeep resident, but soon decided that picking on her sister about wanting to be with Steven was more fun than being jealous.
"Emily," her mother, Jennifer, called from downstairs, "could you come down, please? We have something for you!"
"Coming!" she called down, standing up quickly and running down the stairs into the kitchen. Her mother was waiting there, with a box sitting on the table beside her.
"Go ahead and open it," Jennifer said, pointing to the box. "It's from your sister."
"Sis? Wonder what it is this time?" she replied eagerly, opening the box quickly and pulling out the contents. Inside were several photographs; one of Elizabeth standing next to her Charizard and Houndoom outside of the Johto league stadium, another of her standing on a beach somewhere with a sunset in the background, among other pictures. Emily quickly looked through all of the photographs, grinning the entire time.
"She always has to show off," Emily said, laughing and handing her mom the photographs. Her mother just smiled, taking the pictures and beginning to look through them herself. Emily returned to the box and reached inside, then gasped as she pulled out the next object. It was a Poké Ball, with a small note taped to the top. Emily put the Poké Ball down carefully, before removing the note and reading it.
Dear Emily,
I know how much you must miss me, and I miss you too. Mom told me how you wanted to start your journey soon, and how you missed getting your first Pokémon, so I decided to give you some help. I think you'll like it.
Elizabeth
"Why don't you go outside and see what it is?" Emily's mother said, a smile on her face almost as wide as her daughter's smile. Emily just nodded hastily, running outside with the Poké Ball in hand. Throwing it to the ground, Emily watched the Poké Ball open, light escaping and forming into a small figure, a light blue creature resembling a baby seal.
"Spheal!" it said happily, hopping up and down a few times as Emily hugged her mother.
"I love it! Did you tell Sis to find one for me?" she asked. Emily's mother just shook her head.
"I told Elizabeth what happened, how we couldn't take you to Pallet Town when Professor Oak handed out starting Pokémon. So, Elizabeth agreed to capture a Pokémon for you. I trusted her to know what kind of Pokémon you would like to start with, and it looks like she was right."
"So, does this mean..." Emily began, looking up at her mother with anticipation. Her mother just nodded.
"That's right. If you want to start your journey, it's up to you. I won't try to stop you."
Emily let out a cry of happiness, throwing her arms around her mother in a crushing hug, before gasping.
"I've gotta tell James!" she yelled, sprinting back towards her room after recalling her new Spheal.
"That's great, Em!" James exclaimed, watching Emily's excited face from the video-phone in the Pewter City Pokémon Center. James was proud of Emily; after all, he knew just how much she wanted to go on her own journey.
"I know! I'm going to leave later today!" Emily replied, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm so excited!"
"You're not leaving yet?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not just yet. I've still got to get ready, you know," Emily replied.
"Hm...here's an idea. How about I meet you in Viridian when you're ready to go?" James asked, smiling.
"You'd...you'd come all the way back to Viridian just to travel with me?" Emily said, stunned.
"Of course! You're my friend, Em. Besides, you don't have a Pokédex, do you?" James replied.
"No..."
"Then it's settled. I can come back to Viridian and meet up with you, and then we can go to Pallet Town to get a Pokédex for you from the Professor. It won't take me long to get back through Viridian Forest."
Emily didn't respond right away. She really didn't know what to say, after all. James was being so nice to her, taking time out of his journey to help her get started.
"James...I don't know how to thank you," she finally stammered, still smiling. James just shrugged.
"Don't mention it, Emily. It's pretty boring traveling alone anyway. I'd much rather have someone to come with me, you know?"
"Squirtle!"
James laughed slightly at his friend's outburst. "Looks like Squirtle agrees, too. I guess I'll meet you back in Viridian. Take care, Em," James said, waving to his friend.
"Bye, James!" Emily said, waving, before the connection ended. With a short squeal of happiness, Emily ran to her closet, taking out a backpack and beginning to stuff things into it. Several Poké Balls and a Potion were the first things to enter, and the backpack slowly began to fill as Emily continued to prepare her supplies.
"How do I look?" Emily asked her mother, spinning in a circle once to show off. Her Poké Ball containing Spheal was clipped to a special belt her mother had bought her earlier, and her backpack was slung over her right shoulder.
"I think you look terrific," her mother responded, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'm glad that you're finally able to start your own Pokémon journey. Just promise me you'll be careful."
"I will, Mom," Emily answered, nodding. "Besides, I'll have James with me. So I won't be alone."
A knock at the door gathered the attention of both Emily and her mother, who calmly walked over and opened it. Standing there was a young boy, his short and slightly messy black hair peeking from under his blue and white cap. His blue vest covered a short-sleeved, white t-shirt, and a belt much like Emily's was wrapped around his jeans, two Poké Balls clipped onto the right side. He also had a small backpack, slung over his left shoulder.
"Hi," James said simply, looking up at Mrs. Nagata. "Is Emily here?"
"James!" Emily cried, running to the door to greet her friend.
"Good to see you too, Emily," James replied, hugging the younger girl. "Ready to go?"
"You bet!" Emily said excitedly, nodding quickly before turning back to her mom and hugging her. "Bye Mom! I love you!"
"I love you too, Emily," her mother replied, giving the girl a small kiss on the cheek. "Be careful, Emily. You too, James."
"We will, Mrs. Nagata!" James said, motioning to Emily. "Come on! If we hurry, we can reach Pallet Town before the Professor leaves the lab." Emily just nodded, following James as he began to run back towards his hometown of Pallet Town.
The sun was just beginning to set in the sky when Emily and James arrived in Pallet Town, quickly making a beeline for the lab. Stopping in front of the door to the laboratory, both of the new trainers took a chance to catch their breath from all the running.
"I need to run more..." Emily moaned, bending over and putting both hands on her knees.
"Well, at least we made it," James said, pushing open the door to the lab and stepping inside. "Professor?"
"James, is that you?" the voice of an older man called from the back of the lab.
"It's me," James said, heading further into the lab. "I brought a friend who needs to see you." Emerging from the back of the lab, pieces of a small machine in his hand, Professor Samuel Oak stepped into view, smiling as he saw the two young trainers.
"Ah, James, good to see you," Professor Oak said, placing the metal parts on a nearby desk. "And you are?" he asked, turning to Emily.
"My name is Emily Nagata. It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor," Emily said, giving a short bow to the Professor, who smiled.
"I've heard a bit about you from James. It's nice to finally meet you, Emily," the Professor replied, nodding. "What can I do for you?"
"Emily needs a Pokédex, Professor," James explained. "Do you have any left that she could have?"
"You're in luck," he replied, walking over to a desk and rummaging through it, before pulling out a small red machine. "I happen to have a few left." Stepping back to the duo, Professor Oak handed the machine to Emily, before continuing. "This Pokédex is the newest model available. It has data on most of the known Pokémon from not only here in Kanto, but from Johto and Hoenn as well. I hope that you will put it to good use."
"I will, Professor," Emily said, taking the Pokédex and looking it over.
"Now, if you will excuse me, I need to lock up the lab. Thank you for stopping by," Professor Oak said, beginning to retreat into a back room.
"Bye, Professor," Emily said, James waving at the older man before the two stepped out of the lab.
"So? What do you think?" James asked, pointing to the Pokédex. "Neat, huh?"
"Yeah, it's great," Emily replied, pulling the Poké Ball off of her belt and throwing it, releasing Spheal in a flash of light. As Spheal let out a cry of happiness and rolled around the ground, Emily aimed the Pokédex at Spheal, a button on the top lighting up as information rolled across the screen.
Spheal
Type: Ice
Level: 5
Info: Spheal, the Clap Pokémon. It is completely covered with plushy fur. As a result, it never feels the cold even when it is rolling about on ice floes or diving in the sea.
Attacks: Powder Snow, Growl, Defense Curl, Water Gun.
"I just know that Spheal will make a great partner!" Emily said, putting the Pokédex away as Spheal toddled over to her.
"I bet so," James said, watching Emily pick up the smaller Pokémon in her arms before looking up at the sky. The sun had nearly finished setting. "Let's head for my house. We can stay there tonight, and head back for Viridian in the morning. What do you say?"
"Sounds good to me," Emily agreed, as the two trainers began to head towards the west side of town, awaiting the first steps in their journeys.
Well, two young trainers, one of which has quite the set of footsteps to follow in. Next chapter, Emily makes her first capture, and also gets a lesson in Pokémon battles the hard way. Anyway, please read and review! I'd like to get some opinions on the opening!
