Ah, so finally Pokemon Uranium has been released. So, what's the first thing I do? I play a Nuzlocke Run of it. I've been holding out forever on playing this game, so I'm hyped. So let's go, first of all, let's get an introduction from the star of this story, Umbra, the mystical ambiguously-gendered rookie.
Post Production Note: Uranium no longer has official download links available for it. This does not mean that Uranium is finished as a game. I'll be bringing new news each chapter about the game, but make sure to check out the community.
Hi there! I'm Umbra. At the moment, you guys don't need a last name or my actual gender. But hey, I might as well give 'em to ya! After all, you guys are gonna be living in my head for a fair bit, huh?
So, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Umbra, Umbra Tenebris. The child of Kellyn, a talented Pokemon Ranger, and Lucille, a Nuclear Scientist . I'm actually male, but I like to keep my hair long and tied back, so a lot of people think me to be female.
Let me tell you a bit about the past. My mother, as I said earlier, was a Nuclear Physicist. She was good at her job, until that fateful day. During a routine inspection things went tragically wrong. The scientists monitoring the reactor that my mother designed noticed a massive leakage of heat from the reactor. Meltdown was imminent.
My mother ordered total evacuation. With the help of Cameron, a visiting specialist who had been checking the electronics system of the reactor, all the scientists managed to escape, except for my mother… According to Cameron, she disappeared down some stairs, running towards the Reactor.
She was never seen again. The radiation from the reactor rendered the land around the power plant where she had worked uninhabitable and dangerous to human life, preventing any searches from looking for her.
My father, Kellyn… changed after Lucille died. He grew cold and distant, more dedicated to his job. Eventually, he became the Chief of the Tandor Pokemon Rangers… But he was too busy to care for me. And so, I was shipped off to my Auntie in Moki Town. And that is where I've lived for 10 years now.
Auntie has been sick, caring for a child at her age has taken its toll on her. And so, when the local Professor began looking for an Assisstant, I jumped at the chance. Not only would I have a job, I'd also get to travel and get my own Pokemon too!
Two of us from Moki Town applied, me, Umbra, and my childhood friend Theo, a younger boy that is always following in my footsteps. I hope he is up to this...
And so, my journey is about to begin. Tomorrow I report to Bamb'o, the Professor.
And as such, I begin my journey… in a land of savage beasts and beautiful scenery.
"Urgh.." I rolled out of bed and sat up…
"Umbra, come downstairs! You're going to be late!" Auntie called up the stairs. Being late on my first day doesn't sound too good, does it… I thought
"Coming Auntie," I called down the stairs. I rolled out of my covers and threw on the clothes I'd organised the night before. A white undershirt, with a red hoodie pulled over the top of it, knee-length black jeans on my legs and, finally, I tied my usual bandana around my neck. It was the last thing I had to remember my mother by. As I rushed down the stairs, I tied my hair back in a ponytail with a green band.
"Look at you!" My auntie said when she caught sight of me. "You've grown so fast… I just wish that your father was here to see you. Even though he isn't I'm sure he's still proud of you. Maybe you'll run into him on your journey. I'm almost certain that you will."
I was unsure. I hadn't seen my father in a long time. He occasionally sent presents on my birthday, but he rarely came to see me.
"But I'm keeping you. Here, before you go, I got you a present, go on open it!" Auntie handed me a box wrapped in bright paper. I tore the wrapping off. Inside was a shoe box.
"They are the latest in sports shoes," Auntie told me.
"Aw, Auntie, you shouldn't have." I told her.
"I did, it's a big day after all." She patted me on the head as I swapped the shoes.
"Now off you go!" Auntie handed me a piece of toast as she waved me out the door. "Don't forget to come back and show me your first Pokemon!" She called from the kitchen table.
With toast in mouth, I set off, the sound of running water from our small pond reaching my ears. Bamb'o's Pokemon Lab was set on the hill behind our house. As I made my way towards there, I passed an old man on his morning walk.
"Morning there, Young Umbra!" He called
"Morning Georji!" I replied.
"Off to become the bread-winner, huh?" He asked, falling in step with me
"Yessir." I replied.
"Very good. Nice to see such a responsible young person." He told me. "I might have to go and visit your auntie more often! Bwahahahahahaha!" With that he continued on his jog. I shook my head.
As I approached the lab, I heard a voice call out from behind me "Hey! Wait up!"
Naturally, the voice belonged to Theo.
"Where do ya think you're off to, huh? Tryna get to the lab before me? Tryna get the better Pokemon? I'm onto ya, pal. And I'm going to get the strongest one first. Try and keep up." Upon finishing this sentence, he sprinted off towards the lab.
"Oh no, you don't." I took off after him. Pushing and shoving, we made our way into the lab. Professor Bamb'o looked up from his notes.
"Well, if it isn't Umbra… and this kid… I like your hairstyle kid." Bamb'o told Theo.
"Did you seriously forget my name, pops? It's Theo… Th-E-o." He replied.
"Don't be rude." I hit Theo over the back of the head.
"Ow. Dude."
"Anyway, you guys are here just in time! It's a big day after al- Umbra, you got something on your chin."
"Hmm? Oh, it's jam. I ate my toast on the way here." I wiped my chin.
"That's good, a healthy breakfast is essential. I, for one, didn't eat today… Anyway, so today is a big day. It's your first day as Field Reseach Assistants. In case you don't know what I do, I research Pokemon Elements, such as typing. Your job, is to travel across the region and capture many different kinds of Pokemon, to help me with my research." He lead us over to a machine.
"In here, I have three Pokemon. One of these shall accompany you on your journey, as a partner and as a friend. But before I can give you your starter Pokemon, you must take the Pokemon Trainer Aptitude Test!"
Theo freaked out. "Test? I didn't study for any test!"
"Don't worry Theo, it isn't the type of test you study for. It just helps to determine what type of Trainer you'll be and what starter is ideal for you." I reassured him.
"Quite right. Different Starters are better at different battling styles, and since your Starter is your lifelong partner, you must be able to strongly bond with it." Bamb'o nodded in my direction.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Can we hurry up please?" Theo hastily cut the lecture short.
"Patience, Theo." I told him.
"Alright. So the Aptitude test is designed to group potential trainers into three types of battlers; Offensive, Defensive and Balanced. Defensively minded trainers will recieve the Grass Starter, Orchynx. Offensively minded trainers recieve the Fire type starter, Raptorch. Trainers of a balanced mind recieve the Water type starter, Eletux. Each of these starters have a different style to them." The professor paused and looked at me. "Are you ready, Umbra?"
"As much as I'll ever be." I replied nonchalantly
"Good, you can go first." Bamb'o passed both of us a piece of paper with three questions written on them.
"Aw man, paper? Come on, Prof, I haven't written in ages!" Theo moaned.
After filling out the questions, I passed my paper back to Bamb'o. "Very good, Umbra. Theo, you can begin." The Professor began perusing my paper quietly.
At about the same time that Theo finished his test, about 5 minutes later, the Professor looked up at me and said, "Alright, Umbra. I've finished analyzing your results. Based on the data here, for a trainer like yourself, I'm going to give you the Fire Pokemon, Raptorch. Ah, thank you Theo." Bamb'o indicated for me to take the ball that contained Raptorch.
His analysis of Theo's paper took much longer than his analysis of mine. Finally, he crumpled Theo's in a ball.
"Alright. After much *serious* analysis, I've decided. You know what you want in life. But, it may be because, at 11 years old, you're rather young to have fully decided, but I sense a seed of greatness to you. And so, I've decided to give you the Grass starter, Orchynx." He picked up a ball from the machine behind him and tossed it to Theo.
"All right!" Theo jumped up and down on the spot, ball in hand.
"You know what this means Umbra? I have a Pokemon… and you have a Pokemon. It's time to have a battle!"
CLIFFHANGER