As Dimitri walked into Professor Rowan's lab he hoped he would get a natural performer as a partner; a Pokemon who loved attention and could adapt to a situation fast.
"Hello there Dimitri your dads said that you were gonna stop by. So are you ready to get your partner now?" Professor Rowan asks while directing Dimitri to the selection of starter Pokemon.
"Yes, I've waited for this moment for a while now and I think I'm ready," Dimitri responds.
"Dimitri I don't hope you mind me asking… How did you manage to gain so much weight since I last saw you?" Rowan asks as he looks at the roundish stomach that has taken the place of Dimitri's once a- bit- too- flat torso.
"Oh, I didn't. My parents gave me this egg and a sweater to keep it in, as a going away present." Dimitri answers, staring at the three pokeballs on the table.
"Well I'd say that's a fantastic going away present. Now then… let's get down to business. Since you're the first one here, you have the pleasure of picking any of the three Pokemon I have available. Your options are Chimchar: a fire type, Turtwig: a grass type, or Piplup: a water type." Professor Rowan brings each Pokemon from its pokeball as he says their name and type.
Dimitri watches as Chimchar jumps up and down excitedly, as Turtwig sits and scratches at the floor of lab and as Piplup rolls his eyes almost as if to say "I'm surrounded by idiots." Dimitri didn't even have to think long about his decision. Dimitri bends down and looks at Piplup. "I'd like you to come with me and be my partner. Would you like that?" Piplup nods his head and smiles.
"Excellent choice." Professor Rowan returns Piplup to his pokeball and hands it to Dimitri, when suddenly someone comes bursting through the lab doors.
"Oh please tell me you didn't pick the fire type. You did, didn't you. Why wouldn't you? Pleeeeeaaaaaasssssseeeeee let me have the fire type." The stranger yells as he yanks the pokeball out of Dimitri's hands.
Dimitri points at Chimchar's flaming tail. "Does it look like I took the fire type?"
"Oh thank goodness!" The boy sighs and throws the pokeball into the air. Dimitri catches it and starts to get visibly annoyed by the rudeness and stupidity of the boy.
"Jared didn't you turn ten in May? You should've been on your journey by now," Dimitri states baffled by the child in front of him.
"Yeah, but I had to wait, to leave because I had to attend summer school. I just found out that I passed my trainer final. Now I've got an official trainers license." Jared explains as he 'oohs' and 'awes' over Chimchar.
"Oh, of course. That was my fault for over-estimating the mental capacity of an idiot like you."
"Oh don't sweat it, I forgive you. Hey you wanna have a battle?"
Dimitri smirks and Jared looks less enthusiastic than he was a second ago. "Sure, making idiots like you look bad is so much fun."
Professor Rowan puts his hands up. "Hold it you two. First take these." Professor Rowan hands them both red devices from his lab coat pockets. "These are pokedexes. They scan Pokemon and tell you a variety of information. Use them to scan the pokeballs containing your Pokemon and see what moves they know." Professor Rowan hands each of them a pokedex and they scan their pokeballs.
"Piplup knows pound and growl."
"Charchar knows scratch and smokescreen"
"Charchar?"
"Yeah, Charchar it's a nickname for Chimchar."
"Ugh when you realize why that is a bad idea, tell me?"
"Why would it be a bad idea?"
"Can we just battle now?"
"Sure. Time to battle, Charchar." Jared throws his pokeball and Chimchar appears.
"Piplup, let's just get this over with already." Piplup appears in next to Dimitri and in front of the lab table.
"I'll be the referee. Battle begin."
"Thank you. Charchar scratch." Chimchar looks confused.
"Piplup dodge it and counter with pound." Piplup steps to the side and Chimchar hits his head on the lab table. Piplup's fin glows white and he rushes toward Chimchar.
"Charchar dodge it." Chimchar tries to dodge it but it's too disoriented from hitting his head. Chimchar doesn't see the attack coming and gets hit.
"Looks like the two of you are having a bit of trouble. Oh well. We'll just keep attacking. Piplup use pound once more." Piplup's fin glows white again as he begins to hit Chimchar. Chimchar begins to look hurt and it is clear that he has taken a lot of damage.
"Oh no, Charchar!"
"Piplup use pound once more." Piplup hits Chimchar and he faints.
"Chimchar has fainted. The battle is over and the victory goes to Dimitri and Piplup." Piplup has learned a lot from this battle. (Piplup has gained 56 experience points. Piplup is now at level 7.)
"I can't believe I lost." Jared has a sad look on his face as he picks Chimchar off the floor. "I'm sorry Chimchar. Return. I'll beat you next time, just wait and see. I bet I'll even get all eight badges before you."
"You will, because I'm a coordinator not a trainer."
"Wait, I was beaten…..in a Pokemon battle….by a coordinator?!"
"Yes, you were," Dimitri says with a look of superiority on his face.
Jared screams 'no' as he runs out of Professor Rowan's lab.
"If you like contests, I happen to know that Floaroma town is having one in three weeks. Here's a map to help you get there." Professor Rowan hands Dimitri the map and he puts it in his bag.
"Thank you Professor." Dimitri says turning and heading out the door.
"No thanks necessary; it's my job!" Professor Rowan yells as Dimitri walks out of the lab.
Dimitri heads toward the Pokemon Center, pokeball in hand, after leaving the lab. Once inside he heads to the front desk to talk to Nurse Joy.
"Hello, my name is Dimitri. Can you heal my Piplup and then bring him over to the videophone?" Dimitri puts his pokeball on the counter.
Nurse Joy smiled. "Sure thing."
"Thank you." Dimitri sits down in front of the videophone and calls his parents. "Hi guys, everything's going great. Professor Rowan was kind enough to give me a pokedex and a map to help me on my journey while I was at his lab. Not to mention the Pokemon Contest he told me about." Nurse Joy comes over and hands Dimitri his pokeball.
"Here you go; your Pokemon has been fully healed." Nurse Joy walks away and returns to her desk.
"I'd like you guys to meet my partner…" Dimitri taps the top of the pokeball with his index finger and it opens revealing a red beam of energy that manifests itself on Dimitri's lap. "…Piplup."
"You even chose a water type like Ruby! When are you gonna be like me?" Gold covers his face with his arms in false anger.
"I'm already like you. I'm taking good care of the egg, and Piplup and I won our first battle today," Dimitri states in hopes of calming down his father.
"Why would you battle with such a cute Pokemon?" Ruby inquires.
"Turquoise can battle with whatever Pokemon he wants." Gold objects.
"Dad, use my stage name it sounds better." Dimitri commands.
"Fine I'm…sorry?"
"Anyways," Dimitri rolls his eyes at his parents still on the other end, still bickering about him battling. "I gotta go; I need to get to Floaroma town. I'll miss you guys." Dimitri says sweetly.
"We'll miss you too." His parents say in unison.
"See you guys later." Dimitri says reaching for the end call option on the bottom of the screen. However, before he hits it he can hear Ruby say.
"Don't forget to brush your Pokémon's fur, it's important."
Dimitri pushes his chair back and Piplup jumps off his lap. Dimitri searches for Piplup's pokeball in his bag but when he finds it he sees that Piplup has already walked away. Dimitri quickly catches up to Piplup and as they walk out of the Pokemon Center Piplup trips over his feet while walking. As they continue down Route 202, Piplup continues to trip and becomes sad at its inability to walk. Seeing this Dimitri squats down and offers Piplup a ride on his shoulder. Piplup hopes and to his shoulder and is no longer sad.