Note: I don't plan on leaving anymore disclaimers, as I already put one up.
Puncho was excited. This was the mankey's chance! He'd become one of the elite, trained to fight the worst of the worst and lead pokemon into many victorius battles! "I can do this, I will become an elite!" He said, out loud. A Chimchar laughed.
"As if. Only the best get in, and looking at you, you won't even get into the normal defense force." She sighed. "But I can't say much either. I'll probably never get in." the chimchar waited silently next to Puncho, as the line into the defense force headquarters quickly grew shorter. "My name is Embera, by the way."
"Puncho." He replied, his motivation numbed by Embera's negativity momentarily.
They entered the building along with eight other pokemon. "Welcome." Puncho almost fainted. It was really him. Napper, leader of the defense force, in the flesh. "If you follow me, we will test you all, then select which of you will be chosen to enter elite training. Just warning you, the majority of pokemon will not make it into that class, so please try not to be too upset, if turned down." With that the pokemon went through a series of exercises including fighting, running, and endurance. When they finished testing, it had been about two hours, and knew that Napper was surely not there for the tests, and that lower officials were surveying them instead.
"So... do you think we will make it?" Puncho asked Embera, nervously.
"Pfft. I doubt it. Two in how many? Four hundred applicants? Only thirty pokemon are chosen, Puncho..." She sighed. "But maybe, just maybe, we made it." She added as they walked out of the defense building and into the sleeping quarters, which was enlarged just for the occasion so that four hundred more pokemon could fit. Puncho was so excited he could not sleep. There was a chance of getting in!
"Puncho! Wake up!" Embera yelled as pokemon were hastily leaving the room. "We can't be late or we might miss the ceremony!"
Any sign of exhaustion left the mankey's face when told this. Before Embera could even say anything else he was out of the room, as if he was not there to begin with. She sighed and attempted to catch up, which only worked when they the large yard of the Defense Building, large rows of anxious pokemon in front of them hoping to get their names called.
Just as she got into a row next to Puncho, Napper walked on the rising set up for the occasion. Any conversation ended almost instantly. "So this is the day!" he said, loud enough so everyone could hear. "I will narrow all four hundred and eighty-three down to thirty pokemon, and I will make it my endeavor to mentor you and help you become true warriors!" He smiled. "Human interference will be no more after this!" Cheers of delight roared through the air.
With that, the ceremony began. He began calling names. "First up, with the highest score, was Dig the Sandile!" A sandile walked on the platform, standing on the far right corner. He went through four more names. "And up next, the 6th best of you all, was Embera the Chimchar!" Embera almost cried when she walked on the platform. "Congrats. and next, Opener the Eevee!" he said as a proud looking eevee walked his way on the platform. Nine more names pass. "Up next, with the 16th highest score, was Spots the Shroomish!" The young male shroomish happily waddled to view, standing in his spot. Puncho was uneasy. What if he doesn't get in? Embera did, surely he was almost as good. Two more "Wander the Herdier" and "Benjamin the Skiddo" were called up. Wander was pretty happy, her tail practically whipping instead of wagging. Benjamin wasn't far off, he was bouncing all around in his spot.
Ten more went up, the Politoed having of called them. "And the 28th is...Stripes the Wingull!" The wingull flew up on stage, and landed silently on the platform, staring at the audience, no emotion really showing on her face. "29th is Create the Vibrava!" The Vibrava excitedly flew up on the platform, taking the second to last spot. "And the final applicant, with the 30th highest score..." Puncho was going to rip out his fur. Embera stared nervously at her friend. "Puncho the Mankey!" Puncho's face turned from a nervous face to a face of disbelief.
He slowly walked up on the platform, taking his spot. "These are the thirty pokemon that will receive special training and will lead this region to be the greatest region of them all!" Most cheered, and others slowly clapped, upset for not getting in. "For those of you that entered and failed, you are welcome to join as a normal member of the defence force, and are still fully allowed to attempt to join the elites next year." Napper continued.
"Thank you all for coming to this event, and to you lucky few, congratulations."
The crowd did not disperse quickly. Many of the pokemon stuck around to meet the winners. Puncho looked around marveling the scene. "I actually made it..." he mumbled, passing the crowd, into the sleeping quarters. He made his way to his bed.
"Hey! You!" Said someone from behind him. He quickly turned around. It was Skiddo from earlier. "We have a special room now!" He said, running around in a circle before showing him to the other room, thirty ground-level beds specially there for the elites.
"Wow..." Puncho said, in awe. He looked around, choosing a bed near a window. "My names Puncho, by the way."
"I'm Benjamin, It's great to work with you!" He said, plopping on a bed next to Puncho.
"Yea, it'll be a lot of fun to get to know you." He said, yawning. Celebrations lasted far into the night, but several others went to the elite quarters early, picking their beds and settling in. "This is going to be a great adventure."
Author's note: Well, hopefully I'll start to get longer chapters out, but I felt it should end there. As always, it'd be really nice if you review, I take constructive criticism so, thank you!