The sun rose early the next morning, its warm rays casting light upon the open area's of route 101, and every now and then forcing its way through the leaves of the tree's. One such ray of light found its way through the trees and was staring down my closed right eye,
"Hmm..."
I slowly sat up and pulled my hat down over my face, blinking several times and observing the surrounding area.
In my haste to get away from town, I walked down route 101 for quite some time before I hung a right and walked off the trail and into the woods. I wanted to stay out of sight and out of mind... from what everyone was saying the region was dangerous, that meant everyone and anything. So I found a suitable tree, and snuggled up next to it as warmly as I could. Eventually I ended up taking my fleece jacket out of my bag and dropping it over myself, it was during the night I made a mental note,
"Purchase all weather blanket."
I quickly packed up my things and shouldered my backpack, heading back towards the route. After a few minutes of walking and munching on some trail mix I saw the dirt road of the route again, and I started following it away from littleroot off in the woods. I was still cautious about being this close to town incase my mother got some crazy ideas to come looking for me... and none the less, I didn't know how safe the routes actually were.
I stopped and thought for a second... I really had no idea about anything outside of Littleroot... I didn't know how to be a trainer, the rules or ways... I was basically flying blind.
Shrugging off the thoughts, I continued on my haphazard path through the tree's following route 101, making a second mental note;
"Purchase Trainer Handbook."
Sometime around noon I found myself sitting cross legged under a tree with two Pokeballs and a handful of poke-bait laid out in front of me. I just kept staring at them both as if they were going to magically tell me what to do.
I had no Pokémon, so naturally I was going to catch one. Most people get their starters from Professor Birch in Littleroot, or their parents buy them one... I didn't have those opportunities. I didn't feel like walking up to the Professors Pokémon lab would be a good idea since I was trying to do this trainer thing discreetly. And obviously my mom never bought me a Pokémon, even as a pet, because she didn't want me to even think about leaving. I crossed my arms and sighed, I really had nothing to go off of.
About two hours later, I found myself laying under a bush on the edge of a clearing. Out in the middle of said clearing, was a small dirt mound I built up and all the Poke-Bait I had... so far... nothing was working.
I rolled onto my back with a sigh, "Damn it... this is ridiculous!" I looked at the Pokeball in my hand... it was tiny, only about as big as one or two knuckles in comparison really. I had found out that if you pushed the center button it expanded to it's normal size and it fit in the palm of my hand.
I pushed the button a few times. Small, large, small, large, small, large. I sighed and looked up through the leaves of the bush I was hiding under,
"Man what am I doing..."
"Pix?"
Startled I sat up and got a mouthful of leaves. Spitting some out I looked around for the sound I just heard,
"Ah... hello?"
"Pix."
I jumped again, hearing the sound for a second time, I expanded the Pokeball in my hand as if it would protect me,
"W-who's there!?"
I froze when I felt a nudge against my ankle. My eyes met with the deep brown eyes of a fox looking creature,
"Vvvvuu?"
"Ah!"
I jumped backwards and ran toward my dirt mound in the center of the field. I got down behind it and peeked over back at the orange fox now sitting with its head cocked back at the bush I was under.
I kicked myself mentally and stood up. I was sixteen years old! I wasn't afraid of a little fox Pokémon! And as it so worked out, I was going to catch said fox Pokémon!
"H-hey! What's up... man?"
The fox merely blinked at my greeting,
"Uh. Come here often?"
The fox again was un-phased by my words and stood up, beginning to strut off,
"Hey! Wait! Uh..." I looked at the bait on the mound, "W-want some food!?"
The fox stopped and turned around, it's nose twitching. I outstretched my hand towards it and motioned for it to come closer.
The fox looked confused but slowly I assume it's hunger outweighed its caution as it started to plod along towards me.
I squeezed the Pokeball in my opposite hand tightly, this was it. I just had to wait for it to start eating the bait, and I'd... wait... what do you do?
My eyes widened in fear as the Pokémon began to nibble the bait away in front of my eyes. I moved my other hand slowly and aimed the Pokeball at the fox... nothing happened. I shook the Pokeball, I moved it closer and further away. The bait was nearly gone and I had no idea how to catch this Pokémon. I was panicking, I racked my mind for any ideas but then,
"Pix?"
I looked down and the Pokémon was looking up at me, the bait gone,
"Uh..."
I looked at the Pokeball in my hand and laughed awkwardly. In a desperate attempt I just dropped it.
The Pokeball hit the fox on the head and it flinched,
"PI-!"
The Pokeball opened and in a red flash the fox was gone. I looked around rather confused, but then the wiggling Pokeball caught my attention. The ball was wiggling and blinking red. After a brief lapse of confusion I realized I was in a sense, "Catching" the fox Pokémon. I dropped down to the ground and stared at the Pokeball,
"C'mon... c'mon..."
Eventually, there was a small click, and the ball stopped wiggling. I continued to stare... and stare... and in a moment of pure happiness I jumped up and held the Pokeball above my head,
"Yes! Oh man... this stuffs not that hard!"
I sat down and looked at the Pokeball. My first Pokemon, my starter was this little orange fox. The thoughts of, is it strong? Did I chose wrong? All vanished from my head the second they came, this was my starter, my Pokémon... I was officially a trainer! I was-
"Hey!"
I looked up startled and was awarded with the site of a girl and an older man in a suit staring at me from the edge of the clearing,
"You caught my Vulpix!"
My heart sank,
"W-what?"
The girl crossed her arms, "Well... it wasn't my Vulpix... but I paid the Breeder to release it and I was looking for it so I could capture it!"
I looked down at the Pokeball, my Pokeball... the fox- the Vulpix was meant to be that girls and her scary looking... bodyguards? I looked back at them again and she raised a hand,
"Well!? What do you have to say for yourself?"
I looked back down at my Pokeball... my starter and then back at her... and without a second thought, I bolted.
The girl was obviously shocked, and she yelled in protest after me as I broke into the tree line on the opposite side of the clearing,
"H-hey! Mr. Harris shoot him!"
WHAT!? Shoot me? My legs and my brain must've had the same idea, because I started clearing ground significantly faster. I ran and ran, ducking through the tree's and jumping over logs. I eventually ducked behind a thick oak and slung my backpack off, digging into my bag and grabbing my Dad's helmet, putting it on and buckling the chinstrap... it was surprisingly heavy.
Slowly... ever so slowly I peeked around the side of the tree, back the way I came... all was quiet. No one was to be seen,
"Oh thank god."
I slumped back against the tree and took the helmet off, laying my face in my hands, shaking. Did I just steal? No, no she said it wasn't hers... she should've just looked harder... but shoot me?
"Damn it... why is being a Trainer so stressful?" I paused and laughed aloud in response to my own question.
That night as I was sitting under yet another tree further down route 101, I sat and ate cold beans out of a can with a spoon. They weren't super tasty, obviously since they were cold, but I forced myself to eat them all. I suppose being a trainer requires some sacrifices... like warm food all the time.
As I was getting down to the last bit of the beans, I sat up in realization that I had a Pokémon now. I may not be the best Trainer as of yet, but I do know that they need to be cared for. I reached into my pocket and grabbed one of the Pokeballs, enlarged it and shrugged, putting it down on the ground,
"Uh... come on out?"
Nothing.
I smacked my hand to my forehead and grabbed the ball, held it up and dropped it. There was a bright flash of light and then suddenly the orange fox was standing before me, blinking,
"Pix?"
"Hello!" I cheered, I put the beans down and waved, "Uh, so much has happened. Let's see. My names-"
"Pix!"
The fox jumped into my lap and started pawing my legs energetically, my smile growing even wider,
"Yeah! I uh, I'm your Trainer!" The Vulpix tipped over the beans and started munching on them, "Yeah! I brought you back out for food, and uh. I guess we're like, y'know, traveling pals yeah? What was your name... Vulpix?"
"Vuuu!"
"Okay. Vulpix. Hmm, I can't say I know what kind of Pokémon you are... I uh, I've never been good at this sort of thing... next town over is Oldale town though, it's about the same size as Littleroot. They have a Pokemart though, gotta get some stuff... lots of books too, probably a map as well... man we gunna be outa cash soon, what doya- oh."
Vulpix had his whole snout stuck in the bean can and he was flailing around frantically. I couldn't help but sit against the tree and smile for a few seconds,
"Hey, c'mere. No-no left! My left! Damn it Vulpix c'mere- left!"
