Ch. 1: New Beginnings
The bells of Umooja Town's premiere trainer school ring loud for Arjana's youngest trainers. Today is a special day! BD Craig, scientist, teacher, professor, and gym leader, prepares his class for the start of the rest of their lives. The start to the most coveted adventure in the Arjana region, becoming a Pokemon trainer!
BD: Congratulations, emerging trainers! You have studied hard, learned all about status effects, IV's, and pokemon moves! Today is the day those studies pay off!
Jade: We get to pick our own POKEMON!
BD: Not so fast, young Jade. Like we have studied, the efficacy of a trainer is most prominent when the bonds between the pokemon and the trainer are most prominent.
Blitz: IN ENGLISH!
BD: We are letting the Pokemon choose you. Gather outside students, what awaits is the Pokemon who will accompany you for the rest of your journey.
Sixteen bright eyed ten year old pupils shuffled into the school garden. Their eyes lit with joy watching all the Pokemon playing about. Until now, the only Pokemon BD had let them see so up close were his prized Chansey and Audino. In front of their eyes now were Pokemon, big and small, in their most natural state. A scyther and mienfoo performed aerial feats while engaged in friendly sparring. An eevee rested calmly on the back of a marching turtwig. A mudkip and froakie laughed as they playfully sniped a distressed Scraggy in the distance.
BD: Okay pupils, stand in a line and your new partner will come to you.
Jade and Jaden stood close to each other, twins, but most importantly, best friends. Jade, very protective of her brother, clutched his hand tightly in anticipation. Jaden's eyes fluttered across the garden, scanning the beautiful array of Pokemon. He had long enjoyed the artistry and beauty of Pokemon, hoping to sharpen his drawing skills to match that of their artist father, while Jade envied her mother's relentless battling career as the chief of the Arjana Pokemon Police. Jade eyes shot straight into the direction of a pouncing Growlithe coming closer to the group. She wanted so badly to raise an Arcanine like her mom's, a fierce and loyal Pokemon that she could ride around on.
Michael L: Hey, the Growlithe's sniffing my shoe. Is that a good thing? I think he likes me.
BD: We seem to have our first pair. There's almost no bond more pure than the one between a trainer and its Growlithe.
Jaden gripped his sister's hand tighter, pinching her out of her disappointment.
Jaden: Don't worry sis! Look at all of these beautiful Pokemon. The perfect partner will find you.
Lacero: What is this one slithering on me?
BD: Oh that's a very rare Pokemon that has chosen you! It's a Dratini!
Lacero: Maaaan, I wanted something that looked tougher.
BD: Trust me, Lacero, that Dratini will be pretty tough and you will learn to love it and train it properly!
Trainers continued to meet their new partners, sharing it vast arrays of excitement, shock, and even disappointment.
McKayla: I got a SCYTHER!
Xavier: Sup little Froakie.
Carrie: It's me and my Mienfoooooo!
La Toya: Ewww, why does this one smell so bad? Please, Professor, don't make me have to pick it!
BD: Grimer's a lovely Pokemon, La Toya. I'm sure you will learn to love it and its eccentricities.
Vulpix: Vulpix…?
Vulpix: Pix-Pix?
Jaden: Oooooh, look at the two Vulpixes Jade! I want the pretty one!
BD: Those are a Kantonian and Alolan Vulpix. One is a fire type and one is an ice type.
Vulpix: [Purring against Jaden's leg] Pix…
Jaden: Oh aren't you just the cutest?! I'll name you, Yuki!
Jade: What?
Jaden: It's the cartoon about the snow witch.
Jade: Nerd.
Jaden: You're not gonna name your Vulpix?
Jade: Nah, she's perfect just the way she is. Right?
Vulpix, feeling offended, scorches Jade with an ember, turning her braided hair into a torched afro.
Jaden: I think your Vulpix might be a boy, Jade.
BD: Listen up, emerging trainers! I have more exciting news for you. I want you to all spend some time getting to know your Pokemon and start your first bit of training. You will partner up and at the end of the week, each team will be battling against my Audino and Chansey to earn their first ever badge, the HEALER BADGE! Have fun!
The kids scattered across the garden, negotiating alongside their new partners and trying to form the best pairs for the team.
McKayla: Listen up! As your current class president, I am honored that so many of you will obviously want to be my partner.
Darrion: NO ONE CARES! SIT DOWN!
McKayla: Scyther and I have decided that the most responsible thing to do will be to pair up with the weakest link in the class to give the most unfortunate of us a shot. So, La Toya, look no further, YOU will be my partner.
La Toya: Girl what?!
Grimer: Grimer, Grime?!
McKayla: No time to waste, we need to start going over all of our battle strategies!
Scyther: SCYTHER!
Blitz: What about you, Jade? Wanna partner up with Machop and I?
Machop: Machop!
Jade: Ummmm…. My partner will be my brother.
Blitz: Oh yea, hey Jaden.
Jaden: HI!
Jade: Aren't you gonna be partnering with your sister?
Braxton: Of course he is! Why would you even ask something so foolish?!
Jade: Because he asked-
Braxton: Enough from you. I don't even know why we're talking to COPKIDS! A couple pigniteskins if you ask me!
Jaden: HEYYYY!
Braxton: Let's go Blitz. We have some real training to do.
Braxton: [Being dragged away by Braxton] See ya' around Jade.
Jade: That Braxton really gets under my skin.
Jaden: Don't think too much about it. They've been living in an orphanage since Mom put their folks behind bars. Just let her have it.
Michael L: Jaden, Jade!
Jade: Hey Michael L and Michael S.
Michael S: How you feel about having a real life battle? Us two, versus you guys?
Jaden: Right here, right now? Do you even know what moves your Pokemon can do?
Michael S: Me and Riolu are pumped!
Michael L: And I know your mom has an Arcanine, so I thought my Growlithe and I could pick up a few pointers from you?
Jade: Fine, let's do it!
Jaden: But-
Jade: Don't worry Jaden, what could possibly go wrong?
The Michaels and the twins went to the opposite sides of the garden. McKayla cleared the way to referee as the rest of the class looked on in excitement, many secretly waiting for their own turns to test their battling skill.
McKayla: This will be a 2v2 double battle match. Winners will be determined when both Pokemon on the opposing side are unable to battle! Are we ready, guys?!
Jade: Let's do it!
McKayla: Then, please, CALL OUT YOUR POKEMON!
Jade: Vulpix, I choose you!
Vulpix: VULPIX!
Jaden: Do your best, YUKI!
Yuki: PIX!
Michael L: Growlithe, you're up!
Growlithe: GROWL!
Michael S: RIOLU, let's go!
Riolu: RI- RI!
McKayla: Challengers, you can call the first attack.
Jaden: Okay Jade, let's think about a strate-
Jade: Vulpix, EMBER ON GROWLITHE!
Vulpix begins to chase Growlithe while spewing weak embers. The growlithe manages to dodge by running circles around Vulpix. Vulpix's consistent barrage of embers fog its vision with smoke as Growlithe continues its effortless dodging.
Michael S: Riolu, intercept, and use quick attack.
Riolu quickly dashes and tackles Vulpix out of the way, knocking Vulpix into an unsuspecting Yuki. Jaden cries out in agony at his hurt Pokemon while Growlithe readies a bite attack, chomping at both Yuki and Vulpix. The attack sends the two Vulpixes tumbling towards their worried trainers. As the Vulpixes struggle back onto their feet, Growlithe and Riolu corner them. Vulpix stands his ground with Yuki cowering behind him.
Jade: We're losing out there, Jaden. Do something!
Jaden: Ummm, Yuki, use powder snow!
Michael L: Beat it back with EMBER,Growlithe!
Yuki charges a rapid fire of snowballs out of its mouth towards Growlithe and Riolu, but it is met with Growlithe's fiery ember. The force of Growlithe's ember overcomes Yuki's powder snow and impacts Yuki head on. Yuki faints as Vulpix is left up against the Riolu and Growlithe.
Jaden: Oh YUKI!
Jade: Vulpix, we've still got some fight in us! Use-
Michael L: Growlithe, BITE!
Michael S: Riolu, QUICK ATTACK!
The two Pokemon charge at the proud Vulpix too quickly for Vulpix to react, overcoming Vulpix and leaving him dazed on the ground and fainted.
McKayla: Both Vulpixes are unable to battle. Michael and Michael are the winners!
Michael L: Great first match Jade, Jaden!
Michael S: You guys got OWNED!
Riolu: RIOLU!
McKayla: It's okay guys. You should go have BD's Chansey and Audino heal your Pokemon.
Jade and Jaden rush back into the school to find BD, carrying their defeated Vulpixes. Chansey and Audino immediately take hold of the Vulpixes and begin healing them up in another oom, as the twins are forced to wait patiently.
Jaden: ...Are you mad at me, Jade?
Jade: It's like I was by myself out there.
Jaden: You went in without a plan!
Jade: You didn't cover my back!
BD: You both didn't listen to each other, or your Pokemon!
Jade/Jaden: Hello Professor.
BD: I'm sorry to intrude. However, Pokemon battles are more than you just calling the shots or hoping for the best. You have to get to know your Pokemon and become more in tune with them. Before you send your Pokemon off to battle, learn what their battling style is even like. Not all Pokemon will be battle ready out the gate like that Growlithe and Riolu.
Jaden: What do you suggest we do, Professor?
BD: Take a couple of old rods and go to the lake right outside of Umooja town. Spend some time bonding and training with your Pokemon there. You'll get a better sense of how your Vulpixes like to battle and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
-End of Chapter 1-