Chapter 1: Setting Up the Journey
Notes: The Pokémon world is here. It's nearby our own homes. The Pokémon world exists in a planet very similar to our planet Earth, just way bigger. The oceans are bigger, the place we call Pacific Ocean is where the giant continent of Colum bus lies, divided into 4 regions (Kalos, Kanto, Johto and Unova). Where the Indian Ocean is located Sinnoh lays on its calm and somewhere in the middle of the At lantic, peaceful Hoenn is seen as the star. Well, these regions aren't important. What is important is Central Columbus, a magnificent metropolis that controls the other six regions and hosts the Interna tional Pokémon League, a magnificent event where people from around the world compete in the well-known Pokémon League. Statistics show that from 7 billion people in the world, 5 billion were or are Pokémon Trainers. There are many ways of getting prepared for the Pokémon Journey; one of them is entering the Pokémon Academy. Most people say that en tering the academy is the best choice you can do. The problem is that it may take years from graduating at the Pokémon Academy. You enter there 10 years old and only God knows when you leave. But out of 3 billion trainers we choose four from the APVP (Vale do Paraiba Pokémon Academy) at São José dos Campos hoping to become a Pokémon trainer.
"I can't believe we passed the test", squeaked Luana. The funny girl worked very hard.
"Neither do I!" happily said I, Henrique, who for at least 6 years have been trying to pass the test.
"I'm so happy all of us have passed the test!" said Julia, she accompanied me through my entire journey and was happier that I had made it. "Where's Rafael?"
"Celebrating with his friends", said Luana with a soft smile.
I always knew that Luana and Rafael had a sort of confusing love-hate rela tionship but I knew that they actually loved each other.
"You seem happy for him", my thoughts turned to be true when she blushed.
"Well, this is a very hard test… you know several try but only a few actually manage to pass."
"Cut the crap, Luana", Julia is Rafael's best friend and she knows well his heart to know he also loves her. "Look, if you really like him just ask him out!"
"Who shall Luana ask out?" that was the perfect moment for Luana. Before she made up an answer, Rafael appeared with his sweet smile. "Hey, folks. Hello, Luana."
What was that? Luana always received special treatment. It might seem foo lish, but that's the reason I and Julia always thought they loved each other. The look at Luana's eyes every time he said it, left clear she liked the compliments and everything. But it was so sweet we became diabetic, that's when I decided to cut the crap.
"So, have you decided your starters?"
"Actually, yes", Julia always had a ready answer for any of my questions, I fascinated her and she fascinated me. "MY starter will be a Snivy, the local Grass-type."
"Technically, Snivy is Unova's regional Grass-type", Rafael also had the an swers at the tip of the tongue. "Snivy were introduced here, after the 2nd Midnoc cean War." War was his specialty, mainly the Midnoccean Wars, separatist move ments, the first one served as a reason for creating the Metropolis. During the second one, Brazil allied with Unova, Sinnoh, Kanto and the Metropolis, the so-called Voltammeter. "I would choose Chimchar, Fire-types always had charmed me, and by the way I think it is cute."
"No, Water-types are strong and cute", Luana and Rafael were like the Sun and the Moon, so different yet so equal. "I will definitely choose Squirtle. Well He nrique, what will you choose?"
"I don't know", I would choose any of them, but I was thinking on the Midnoc cean Wars, next year would be the 100th birthday of the end of the 1st Mid noccean War. "Are you ready for the 'boom'?"
The boom, this is how the elders called the start of the 2nd Midnoccean War. On the 40 year birthday of the 1st war three bombs exploded during the memorial ceremonies, the rebels enhanced chaos all over the globe world as the Metropolis and its allies would try to end the war and arrest the culprits. It all took 10 long years. They were just waiting for the next boom.
"Next year is the 100th birthday, my grandmother said that we should wait heavy security on the ceremonies, we don't want a 3rd Midnoccean War." Julia's family was heavily damaged by both wars; she knew well what the dangers of a war were.
"Maybe they won't use bombs", Luana however loved action, adventure and had a very fertile imagination. "Lt. Surge said that they once used Pokémon as the weapons on a war."
"The Metropolitan-Unovian War", Rafael hated this particular war. "They used Pokémon as weapons this is disgusting." Everyone thought this was horrible. "Mark my words: if war is happening, Pokémon certainly won't be used."
"Let's stop thinking about war and this stuff alright." I never liked wars. "There won't be a 3rd Midnoccean War! What may happen is a rebellion; my father said the Metropolis want to annex Outpherm and Termellia."
"Are they mad? Outpherm has way superior technology, while Termellia's specialty is weapons, of all kinds." Outpherm and Termellia where frequently for gotten. Small regions that were recently colonized. Luana was from Termellia, and was very proud of it.
We all came from different places. Rafael and Julia were from the Metropo lis, thought initially they were arrogant idiots, they soon became my good friends. Luana was from Termellia, she always said Termellia should be the true metropolis, people think she is mad, but this madness is why I like her. And there's me, I grew at Brazil, born ad raised a strong family. I never knew what was being unhappy.
And the alarm sounds. It's time to go home. I cannot wait to tell my family the news.
"Bye, folks. See ya tomorrow!" Tomorrow was the great day, I couldn't wait. I entered the bus. Some were chatting happily, others, well the others were basically sobbing for not passing on the test.
"Did you passed, Henrique?" Aline was good friend Henrique confided his secrets.
"Yes, I did! Did you?"
"Of course I did! Four years studying and I'm finally here. Poor Fernando here, however, needs to do a reposition test. Pray for him."
"Best of luck, Fernando!" I was tired, really tired, what woke me up was Aline saying that this was my stop. I live in Cacapava, small town that borders São José dos Campos. I got home and told my mother everything.
"I can't believe on it! You finally managed to win it, darling!" My mother, Duceli was a Top Coordinator, a good one. She always suffered racism because she is black and I'm white, genetics can be quite confusing. My brother, Gustavo, is busy with his own business. He digs up books studying for his first test. "Poor kid has been studying for hours. Well, I'm calling for father for saying the good news."
My father, Claudio, was once a World Champion. He is good. He currently works at São Paulo but dreams to get back on the road.
"Fire-types are strong against Ice-, Grass-, Bug- and…"
"Steel-types", Gustavo really was trying "Since when are you studying, Gu?"
"10 or 11 hours, I guess." He would collapse if he kept studying. I closed his book and I knew he was tired when he took a full minute to notice it.
"Eat something and go to bed. I know how bad this test is, but I trust on you." Moments like this were very rare. I and Gustavo would always hate each other in our strange love-hate brotherly relationship. "Best of luck"
I was also very tired. At 9 pm, I was trying to sleep, but I simply couldn't. I looked at the clock, it was 11 pm and I couldn't sleep.
"I have to sleep. I have to sleep." I was saying it to myself constantly and then I slept. I had the oddest dream. My friends and I were walking through a meadow and suddenly a mysterious shadow covered us. A black thunder hit the ground and the demon creature that had haunted my nightmares reappeared, bigger and strong. It then ended like it started, all by sudden. I looked at the alarm clock. 6 am. I have to get up and prepare myself for the best day of my life, I'm chosing my first Pokémon.