Previously on Pokemon V:

"Do you at least have some Pikachu?"

"Sorry. Also taken."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Chapter 2: Better Partners

Blackthorn clapped his hands over his ears and shouted "Please! I have a way to make it up to you! Just stop with the screaming! You're murdering my poor eardrums!"

"Deal," I said, suddenly much calmer.

The black-haired professor started digging through his cabinets, muttering to himself. "I know they're in here somewhere... come on... need to find him before he starts being dramatic again... Ah! Here they are!" He turned back to us, carrying two new Pokeballs. One was marked with a fist, the other with a white star-like shape. "Foreseeing that this might happen, I've been saving these two Pokemon for you two. I thought you might like them." He handed the star-marked one to Umbri. "This one is Eevee. I figured it would fit your colorful personality."

Umbri gently took the Pokeball from the professor's hand. "Eevee... Wow. Thanks, Professor Blackthorn!"

"Don't mention it," Blackthorn smiled. He then turned to me. "And Griffin," he said. "I knew you would love this one too much to turn it down, even if I did still have Snivy here." He held out the fist-marked Pokeball. "This is a Riolu."

My jaw dropped open wider than a Golbat's. "No way. Those things are so rare!" I breathed. "I didn't even know they were native to Olympia!"

"They aren't," Blackthorn admitted. "My good friend Augustine Sycamore was kind enough to send me two Lucario all the way from his home in the Kalos Region for my research. I've been breeding them in secret ever since. This Riolu is yours now. I have plenty of them to go around."

I took the Pokeball from his hand and opened it. A white energy shot out of it and materialized into the small, bipedal canine. "Sweet," I said, grinning so hugely that I started to worry my face would get stuck like that. My smile got even bigger as Riolu scaled my leg and worked its way onto my shoulder.

Umbri opened her own Pokeball, sending out her Eevee. It jumped into her arms the second it emerged. "Wow, this little guy is cute!" she said. "Better than a Squirtle any day!" She lifted the little fur ball onto her shoulder.

"I should warn you, though, that these two are very free-spirited and a little claustrophobic," Blackthorn cautioned. "Never put them back in the Pokeball. They really seem to hate that."

"Then how did you manage to get them in their in the first place?" I wondered.

"Even I don't know the answer to that," the professor sighed. "I do have a scar or two to show for it, though... Anyway, I have some extra Pokeballs for you two, as well as the all-important Pokedex." He handed us each the listed items.

I stuffed the Pokeballs in my pocket and took a look at the Pokedex. "Lots of nice features on this thing. Inventory list. TM scanner. How do we collect data, though?"

"Just point and it'll automatically scan a Pokemon," Umbri answered, reading from an instruction manual that had been left open on Professor Blackthorn's desk. She tested it out on Eevee.

The Pokedex pinged and recited a quick blurb of information. "Eevee. The Evolution Pokemon. Eevee has very peculiar DNA, which can mutate under many different circumstances. It can even alter its own genetic code to survive in almost any environment. Recently discovered to have an eight-way split Evolution, more research is going into discovering Eevee's hidden potential."

I tested mine on Riolu. "Riolu. The Emanation Pokemon. Riolu can manipulate its own aura and broadcast it in waves to let others know of its emotions, even from a great distance. It also has spectacular endurance and stamina, enabling it to cross mountain ranges in a single night."

"Okay, that's pretty cool," I commented.

"I'm willing to bet you two will be taking the Olympia League Challenge?" Blackthorn guessed.

"You know it!" I answered. "I will be the very best!"

"Well, you can sign up straight from your Pokedex!" said Blackthorn. "There's an app for that. I also recommend you put some of those Pokeballs I gave you to use before challenging our home Gym."

"Good idea," I said. "I bet I can find some decent Pokemon on Route 1!"

"Yeah! Let's go!" said Umbri.

"Right behind you!" I said. As we ran for the door, I mentally prepared myself. Yeah. My Pokemon journey was gonna be the most epic thrill ride of my life!