Sandalwood Town, or the Town of New Blooms, was the smallest town in Kalos. Connected to only Vaniville Town, this small community boasts a population of less than a hundred- all spread out a sizable amount away from each other, because what the town lacks in population it makes up for in area. Each and every person seemed to know each other, and had grown up together. The people you graduated high school with were the same people you entered kindergarten with.
Naturally, news traveled fast within the community. Before half the workers at Sandalwood ranch knew that the ranch was in financial trouble, the whole town knew.
Heck, the town knew before Amber Dupont did. And her aunt and uncle owned the place.
Adopted at a young age, Amber saw the Ranch as her home. When she learned of her family's financial troubles, she was devastated. So naturally, she hatched a plan. A reckless, rash, half cooked plan with only a small chance of success.
She was going to catch every Pokemon in Kalos.
"You what?" Jeremy asked, spitting out his grits (it was breakfast for dinner in the Dupont household, the height of their spontaneity) . He looked at his cousin like she had just morphed into a Psyduck.
"I got accepted into the Prodigy Program." she muttered into the desk. Amber had always been the quiet type- she preferred to sit back and let others talk, namely her best friend Braedon.
"Congratulations!" Aunt Lynn squealed. Though surprised, congratulating her niece came before the inevitable questions.
"Why didn't you tell us you were applying?" Uncle Jim asked gruffly.
"I, uh, didn't think I'd get it."
Uncle Jim snorted. "As if. You're probably the most talented girl at that school."
The school he was referring to was Cyperus Preparatory School for Gifted Trainers, the boarding school Amber and Braedon went to, with a scholarship she worked her ass off to get. Before summer break started, letters were sent out advertising The Prodigy Program, a research project being held by Professor Sycamore. Though calling it a "project" was like calling Arceus a Pokemon. It was so much more than that. The challenge was to catch one of each Pokemon native to Kalos. And by native, they mean all Pokemon that supposedly originated in Kalos and migrated to other regions later. That was over a hundred.
Needless to say, that was a massive undertaking. But no one said a chance at pretty much any scholarship you want was easy.
And if it could save the Ranch...
"I told you you should have entered." Jeremy exclaimed. The blond smiled widely, clearly over his shock. "And you did! But why? I mean, you were against it before."
"Braedon made me." She muttered. That was close enough to the truth. He had come up with the idea...
"Him." Uncle Jim rolled his eyes. "I suppose city boy had tried out too?"
Amber frowned at her chicken and waffles. She knew that was coming. "Yeah."
"And did he get it?"
"Yeah, he did."
Uncle Jim scratched his chin. "Well. I'm suddenly less enthusiastic about you going."
Amber bit her lip but said nothing.
"I mean, you've been getting awful close to this Braedon kid. "
"Not that close." Amber said quietly. She knew what he was implying. "He doesn't like girls anyway. And I don't like him."
"So he says." Aunt Lynn retorted. "That boy's shiftier than a Meowth. He could be lying."
Anber clenched the table. Shy or not, she had to stick up for her best friend. "Braedon doesn't lie to me."
"No, he's not a liar. Just a thief." Jeremy said with eyes more narrow than his opinions.
Amber felt like crying. "I can't believe you guys." she stood up. "I'm doing this for you, and all you want to do is be mean to my friend!"
As soon as the words slipped out, Amber regretted them.
"For us?" Uncle Jim asked.
Amber turned around. "N-nothing. It's nothing."
But uncle Jim was having none of it. "Amber, explain. Now."
Amber faced her uncle. Their was no going back now. "The Program comes with a salary per week... And the Ranch needs the money..."
"Amber, no," Aunt Lynn said. "We're not taking money that's rightfully yours. You need that for college-"
"But don't you get it?" Amber cried. She had no idea where this courage was coming from. "If I do this, I'm guaranteed a full ride to any college I want! And we can keep the Ranch! This is a golden opportunity, and you guys are willing to throw it away because you hate my best friend?" A tear fell down her cheek.
"Amber..." Uncle Jim said soothingly.
But Amber was already out the door.
Amber's favorite tree was at the center of the field.
A tall, willowy oak, her tree was a work of art. On sunny days you could sit under it and catch beams of light, created by the spaces between the leaves, in your palm. On starry nights Amber would climb the tree and gaze at the stars.
Years ago, aunt Lynn had offered to build her a tree house. Amber denied the request- her tree was perfect the way it was.
Amber leaned against the trunk and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Finally, she couldn't take the silence anymore.
Amber released Tyrunt from his Pokeball.
Similar to our T-Rex, Tyrunt was a Dragon/Rock Type with craggy brown skin like leather and teeth that could rip through steel bars.
Tyrunt was a rarity not only around these parts, but anywhere. As an extinct species, it was hard to come by, as it could only be caught when cloned from a fossil. A rich woman once brought her Tyrantrum to the ranch, and it had such a good time she donated an egg to the Ranch. An egg worth thousands of Poke. Not that Amber would sell it for anything. She loved her Tyrunt too much.
"Runt?" Tyrunt asked. Amber just sniffled, so Tyrunt caught on and snuggled close to Amber.
"I hate them sometimes." Amber muttered. "Braedon is probably the only one at school who likes me for longer than it takes to do their homework, and they act like he's somehow below us."
Tyrunt grunted in agreement.
Amber snuggled closer to him. "And now they're not letting me go on the Journey. How fair is that?"
"Who says you can't go on a journey?"
Amber looked up. "Hi auntie."
"Can I sit?" Aunt Lynn asked. Amber just nodded slowly.
Aunt Lynn sat down next to her, on the opposite side of Tyrunt. "Amber." she said. "We don't hate your friend."
"Best friend." Amber corrected stubbornly. "And it doesn't matter. You still don't want me to go."
Aunt Lynn pursed her lips. "We do. We just don't want you hurt."
"Braedon won't hurt me." Amber said resolutely. That was true- if anything, Braedon protected her. He was the one who found time between his classes and formidable stacks of homework to steal from the snobby rich kids that made fun of Amber for her upbringing and the fact she was their on a scholarship. "And Professor Sycamore wouldn't of chose him if he wasn't a good student."
Aunt Lynn nodded. "I know that. Which is why your uncle and I are agreeing to let you go."
Amber's eyes widened. "Seriously?" she exclaimed. Tyrunt jumped in the air, over Amber, and licked and Lynn.
"Get off! Gaw! Pokemon slobber!" Aunt Lynn pushed Tyrunt off. The Pokemon grinned and rolled over.
"Did you just roll over?" Amber asked him, overjoyed. "What are you, a Poochyena?"
"Tyrunt!" Tyrunt cried happily.
Amber couldn't agree more.
Braedon sighed as he waited for his dad's assistant, Mitzuki, to connect him to his father.
Don't be busy. Braedon prayed. C'mon, pick up the damn phone.
"Braedon?" Michael Lovette said over the phone. "Why are you calling? What trouble are you in now?"
"None, sir." Braedon said quickly. "I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I got accepted into The Prodigy Program-"
"So? Was their ever any doubt?" Michael praised him. But he sounded more angry than prideful. "Listen, son. I don't have time for this. Can we talk later? I have to go."
Braedon nodded, then realized that he couldn't see that. "Yes sir."
"Then goodbye Braedon. Congratulations." And without a further word, he hung up.
Braedon felt like crying. Here he was, getting the chance of a lifetime, and his dad didn't even care. It was so infuriating.
The whole reason Braedon had signed up was to get his attention. That's why Braedon did everything- that's why he stole things, why he got good grades, why he did his best and worst at school. Because he wanted his dad to take the time to acknowledge him fir once. But lately, he was getting acknowledged even less.
Fuck him. Braedon thought. I don't need him.
But he did. That was, for better or for worse, his only father.
Bradon started to cry.
Argent was done with this battle.
"Shadow Ball." Argent said boredly.
Honedge, a Steel/Ghost type Pokemon that resembles a sword with a long blue tassel, created a swirling ball of violet energy and shot it at his opponent.
"Dodge." the computerized voice intoned. The Murkrow moved like a Bullet Seed, dodging the attack effortlessly.
"Metal Sound, then Shadow Ball." Argent commanded. Honedge began to shake like a tuning fork, emitting a sound that pierced Murkrow's ears, lowering it's Special Defense. Honedge then shot another ball of shadowy energy at Murkrow, who was still disoriented from the previous attack. The Shadow Ball hit him square in the chest, knocking him across the field.
The second Murkrow fainted, it disappeared. So did the field, and Argent was left standing in a plain white room with nothing but a door.
The Virtualization room was Argent's father's design, one of his many innovations. Everything in the room, with the exception of Argent and Honedge, was an illusion created by the most cutting edge technology.
Only the best for his son, Father had always said.
"Argent?" a shy voice said.
"Come in Lucille." Argent instructed her. The girl, a mousy brunette, entered the room, leaving the door open behind her.
"I've got the files you asked for, sir." Lucille said. After working for his father for so long, she was used to calling the seventeen year old "sir". "Here they are."
She handed him his Holocaster, a device that projected holograms and worked similar to a phone.
Argent pressed the button at the bottom of the device. Two images appeared, one of a tan blonde girl with golden rimmed glasses and the other of a boy with unruly indigo hair and bright blue eyes.
"Amber Dupont, age sixteen." the machine intoned. Unlike the Virtualization room's voice, this voice was a pleasant female voice. "Trainer Level Three. Braedon Lovette, Trainer Level Three." The device then began to tell him about them- their lives, their Pokemon, their grades. Everything important.
"So..." Argent mused. "These are the other applicants."
"What do you think of them, ?" Lucille asked.
"They're adequate." Argent said. "So long as they pull their wait and don't get in my way, we'll be fine."
Argent instructed Lucille to set up the Virtualization field again. He had training to do.
A/N: So this story has the same villains as my other story, Pokemon Alliance. The two will intersect and feature parts of the other. So go read that if you haven't already.
Also, Amber is based loosely off of Yellow from Pokespe. If you haven't read the Pokemon Special Manga, do it. It's worth your time.
So how do you like Amber, Argent, and Braedon so far? Tell me in your reviews/comments.
Shout Out to Amethyst on quotev for being the best beta ever!