This Could Work

"At least I didn't copy my sister" Alex sighed in disappointment as he looked down at the Grass Snake Pokémon that stared at him curiously. It tilted its head to the left as the Pokémon investigated it's trainer with its wide hazel eyes. After a few seconds the starter Pokémon launched its self onto Alex's front and climbed up his chest onto his shoulder and sat, staring at the side of his head. The once curious look in the Pokémon's eyes now replaced with one of confidence.

"Snivy!" the creature squeaked,

"So I guess I'm stuck with you then?" Alex moaned,

The Snivy gave Alex a look of disgust before it jumped off his shoulder elegantly, landing on the laminated floor of the exam hall. It turned and faced Alex again as if it was waiting for something.

"Oh right!" Alex exclaimed sarcastically , "I'm supposed to nickname you right?"

Snivy rolled its eyes,

"I'll name you after I go and get my Pokedex, then I'll be able to tell if you're a boy or a girl" Alex stated, "so I'll just put you back in here for now". He clicked the button on the pokeball and Snivy was sucked inside instantly, not having a moment to protest.

Alex stared at the pokeball in his hand, he didn't like Snivys, they were too cocky and confident. According to a study he had read online, Snivy was the worst starter pokemon and had the highest percentage of failure out of all of them. This was due to them believing they could take on the world before being trained and the fact the majority ignored their trainers as they thought they knew better than them.

"Great" Alex whispered to himself, before he ran out of the exam hall.

He pushed the large metal doors of the main hall open as he ran inside, slamming the left door into the wall as he did so, causing the hall to echo with the bang he had caused. Over 100 faces stared at him as he entered; they were all seated facing the stage, where the headmaster was congratulating them for passing their exam. The Headmaster or – Mr. O'Donoghue – was stood showing the rest of the students how their pokedexes worked, but thanks to Alex, had been interrupted and did not look happy. The elderly headmaster removed the large glasses from his face slowly and wiped them on his dark blazer, before placing them back on his small ears, all the while keeping his angry eyes focused on Alex.

"Sit down" he said harshly

Alex looked back at his fellow students who still stared at him impatiently; he noticed a waving hand appear over the flurry of un-amused faces, after closer inspection Alex noticed that this hand belonged to Rocky and quickly began making him way through the tide of chairs to reach him, avoiding harsh glares and sly comments in the process. He reached the seat next to his friend and sat down immediately, Alex looked at his black converse to avoid the gaze of the people around him.

"I hope there will be no more interruptions" O'Donoghue said bluntly before carrying on his lecture on pokedexes and pokeballs.

"Dude where have you been?" Rocky whispered to his red haired friend, "Aren't you glad a saved you a seat?"

"I'll tell you later" Alex replied quickly, not wanting to be heard by the others around him.

Alex phased in and out during the headmaster's speech, he already knew how one worked. They'd been taught about it enough during the course of the year, so Alex just sat and fidgeted whilst he was speaking and only looked up once the end had finally arrived.

"I wish you all the best of luck, and that maybe out of all of you, a new champion will await" O'Donoghue nodded as he said this and walked off the stage, before walking out of the doors.

Alex stepped out of the hall with Rocky after receiving their pokedexes and pokeballs. He looked across the school field that faced the doors he had just came out of, there were flocks of Pidgey being chased by trainers eager to catch their second pokemon. Alex laughed as he saw one fat student fall whilst chasing one of the pokemon.

"He'd probably eat it" Rocky commented, before laughing at his own joke.

Alex chuckled and walked down to an empty patch on the field, he dropped himself and took out the pokeball he had received, he stared at the ball as he spun it in his hand, wondering whether the Snivy contained within would actually listen to him. A shining red light dazed Alex and stopped his thoughts, he turned to see a smiling Chimchar and an excited looking Rocky.

"Bro, I totally got one", his green haired friend exclaimed, "I'm gonna train him into a kickass Infernape!, isn't that right Bruce?", the fire monkey raised its small fist in the air.

"Bruce?" Alex enquired

"You know it!"

Alex turned his attention from Rocky to Bruce,

"Nice to meet you" he said, offering his hand. The Chimchar shook it before walking back over to Rocky and sitting next to him.

"What did you get anyway?"

Alex released the Snivy from its pokeball, and checked his pokedex for its Gender. The screen showed that his Snivy was male and that it knew Tackle and Leer. He closed the red machine and looked at the pokemon before him.

"Alright Kyle, prove to me that all Snivys aren't bad" Alex challenged the tiny pokemon.

The Green Snake nodded confidently.

"Snivy?" Rocky asked confusingly.

"I was last in line.."

"So that's why you were late?"

"Yeah"

"Fancy a battle?"

Alex was caught off guard, "What like right now?"

Rocky smirked, "unless you're chicken"

Alex stood up and faced his friend, "Bring it"

The two new trainers faced each other as did their pokemon, each eager to win their first battle. A small crowd had circled their once empty spot, all looking eagerly to see who would come out on top. One of these people in the crowd was Saria.

"Look who's here" Rocky said smugly, knowing of Alex's supressed feelings for the female student, he often teased him about it but did hope he'd grow a pair and ask her out one of these days.

Alex blushed as her noticed her, his face turned the same colour as his crimson hair.

"Alright Bruce, let's start this!" Rocky jeered, "Scratch!"

The chimp launched itself towards Kyle, paws raised and claws showing. Ready to make contact.

"Dodge it Kyle! And follow up with a Tackle"

The Snivy narrowly avoided the incoming attack, Bruce swiped but ended up running straight past his foe. The Chimchar turned to see where his target had disappeared only to be met with a powerful tackle, sending Bruce through the crowd and into the dirt face first outside of the makeshift "arena". Kyle stood confidently with a smirk on its face, having successfully executed his trainer's tactic.

Bruce got back to his feet and wiped the dirt from his face, keeping its eyes fixated on the Snivy before him.

"Scratch!" Rocky shouted again

Bruce began bounding forward, with its paw raised once more

"Let's finish this" Alex roared, "Use Leer to throw it off, then tackle!"

Kyle stared into the angry eyes of the Chimchar in front of him, and a shine appeared in his eye. Bruce stopped his run and stood – dazed, wondering what had just caused him to feel so lightheaded. Before Rocky had a chance to shout more orders, his Chimchar was sent flying with a powerful tackle and landed in the dirt again, this time however not getting up.

Rocky ran over to his Chimchar, and was relieved to find he was only knocked out, Bruce was recalled to his Pokeball. He turned to face Alex.

"Well done dude, you kicked my ass" Rocky admitted

"He does know moves other than scratch"

"I'll beat you next time", Rocky stated ignoring Alex's comment, "I'm heading to the Center, to get Bruce healed up."

Alex watched Rocky walk towards the gate, and turned to look at a smug looking Kyle.

"This could work.."