Chapter 12: Unused and the Overused part 3

And, here we are, readers! Part 3 of the starter Pokémon section! Woo hoo!

Moving on, it's important to remember that you shouldn't always pick the most original Pokémon ever to give your OC. It truly is fine to give them a regular region starter if you want. Heck! Really, you can give them whatever. It's not the Pokémon that you give them that's important, it's how you give them the Pokémon.

Plus, it's depends on how well you execute the plot and characters during the first chapter, but no pressure Now, one must always remember that along with the starter Pokémon, readers will commonly be hooked on a story because of how they get their starter, or even just how their starter is introduced.

If you begin the first chapter of your story with a kid waking up, getting dressed, and then obviously skipping off to get their starter, you really shouldn't expect too many reviews. As stated in the boring Sue chapter, people are pretty sick and tired of hearing about the same old thing in every single Pokémon trainer story. Which is why there are examples below for the bad way and the correct way to give your OC their starter.

C Bad Example - Getting Your Starter

Ken's alarm beeped for the umpteenth time that morning. The just turned ten year old boy's green eyes flew open, and he glanced at his clock. He let out a gasp of surprise. It was almost nine o clock, and he still didn't have his starter! He was going to be late!

In a flash, Ken hopped out of bed and dressed in a totally awesome outfit. He put on a blue and white striped polo shirt over a white undershirt. He then pulled on a pair of new dark blue jeans which he tied with a dark woven belt. He would keep his Pokéballs on this. Next he pulled some socks on and a pair of sneakers. Last of all, he stuffed his shaggy brown hair into a new blue baseball hat. Soon, he was all ready to go!

He ran down the stairs to the kitchen where his family was gathered around the breakfast table. How odd that despite being up early, Ken's family members had not bothered to wake him? Oh, well! Moving on!

His father gave his oldest a pleased smile as Ken sat down at the table while his little brother, Mark grinned and began to talk his ear off. Being the good for nothing else kind of woman, his mother tore away from her peaceful cup of coffee and began to serve and pile plates high with toast, pancakes, and BACON!

"So, which starter are you going to choose, Ken?" his father asked, finally thinking up something interesting to say.

Ken shrugged, cause like everyone else he didn't know what starter to pick! "Bulbasaur is too easy, and Squirtle is cool. Charmander's tough, but I have a feeling that I'm late! What if all of them are gone?" He threw his hands into the air and looked scared.

"Nonsense!" His mother barked, giving him yet another helping of BACON! "Eat up!"

They ate breakfast, stupid stuff was discussed, blah, blah, blah….

Oh, hey, now he's actually at the lab! Is there anything interesting going on now? Nope! Professor Oak is giving a dull lecture…

Blah, blah, blah…Oh, look, he's done!

"Now, Ken, I'm sorry for wasting your time with a lecture, but all of the starters are gone." Professor Oak said with a not so apologetic look on his face.

"What?" Ken cried, childishly. "But I have to get a Pokémon, Professor! I just have to!"

"Well…"

Blah, blah, more lecturing. Blah, and he finally gets a Pokeball, which he opens to reveal one of the following: Pikachu/ (Like Ash!)/Vulpix/(Like Brock!)/Togepi (Like Misty!)/Dratini (Like Mary Sue!)/something not usually found in the Kanto region/ Mew(Like…no one?)

Blah, blah, starter doesn't like kid at first. Blah, blah, kid saves starter. Look, now they're buddies!

If you did not see multiple things wrong with that story intro, then you must be more tolerant of horrid, overused clichés. Not only is the intro of waking up and being late overused, it's dumb. Every author tries to make their OC be like Ash way too often, and it's pretty stupid. Don't be a Mareep, people!

BE ORIGINAL!

Also, if you don't want your OC to have a regular starter, don't have it be the fourth choice that a professor gives out. That's also clichéd. Either make it so they've had the starter since before their tenth birthdays, or have a family member give it to them.

Heck, you could even have them spend their allowance to buy a Pokeball which they could chuck at the first wild Pokémon that they see. That's something authors never bother to use.

Last of all, don't give them a Pikachu for a starter, especially if it doesn't want to evolve. Yes, Pikachu is cute, and yes, it's popular. But for the Pokémon franchise, popular really just translates into "Everyone has one". There's always Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu, and that other little electric mouse thing from the Unova region. Use them! They're ignored, yet adorable.

Now, before I show the Good C examples, I'm going to suggest several decent trainer stories for you all to read and enjoy. First, there's Ever After by Flaaffy. It hasn't been updated in forever, but the OC's starter is not only original, but is dim witted as well. Plus, the main character is one of the most realistic OCs that I have ever seen.

Next, there's Path of the Chosen 1: The Beginning by Ferngirl. This story also has an original starter, though the second Pokémon to be caught is a Pikachu. Still, a good read! There's also Enigmas: All That Glitters, by Alphinia. That story is a favorite of mine, and is one of the few trainer stories to peak decent interest.

Two last titles I'll give you for now are Trailblazer by Music10111 and StarCrossed by BrownMage. Trailblazer is much more entertaining, plus the main character, a teenager by the name of Brenda, is extremely relatable. StarCrossed is good for a quick read, but is worth a one chapter look.

Now, for the decent way to get starter.

C Exhibit-Getting Your Starter

Danni crouched behind the creaky, old oak tree on the first route ahead of Oldale Town. She pushed her blond bangs out of her eyes, and kept her gaze on the clear pond ahead. A single Surskit was currently playing around on the water's surface, skating and sliding over the cool, blue waters.

A single Pokeball was clutched tightly in Danni's sweating palm. She was so excited, but she had to keep the cries of the aforementioned emotion in, as to not scare the Surskit off. They were rare enough as it was, and this would be Danni's only chance. The fifty bucks spent to buy a Pokeball would be wasted, and she could already hear her mother's scolding voice.

"Danni, why couldn't you just catch a Wurmple or something?" Danni whispered under her breath, doing a rather nasally imitation of her mother's voice. "Danni, why do you have to be so stubborn? Danni, why can't we call you by your real name, Annabelle?"

She had to quickly dismiss these thoughts of irritation, and focus on the task at hand. With the Surskit distracted with its reflection and joyful play, Dannie dashed from her hiding spot and without any hesitation she hurled the Pokeball at the Water/Bug dual type.

Surskit had no time to skitter out of the way before the red and white sphere shaped capturing device concealed it, and the captured Pokémon returned to Danni's hand. Holding the Pokeball tightly in her fist, Danni beamed with pride and skipped on her way home. There would be nothing for her mother to say now!

Surskit, Ralts, and Skitty are three Pokémon that are the most difficult to catch in the Hoenn games. All three are accessible in Pokémon Ruby, and all three can be captured before you battle the Rustboro gym leader, Roxanne. Only one of these three Pokémon is overused, being the infamous Ralts.

The other two, Surskit and Skitty, might be rare, but it makes more sense to give your OC one, especially since they are never used…period! Please, when consuming this story take a side dish of originality, will you? Read the suggestions stories for examples, or just take what I say to heart.

BE ORIGINAL!

Now, that that's done…the next two chapters will address some issues in trainer stories, but after that we're back to the main topic of OCs. The OCs of certain people will be exhibited for scrutinizing, but no mean comments will be received.

Until then, R & R, people!