"You WHAT?!" the dark figure growled, clasping his hands together, as if
holding his rage between his two palms.
"We failed to catch it," the pink-haired woman replied, bowing her head.
The figure took a few deep breaths to calm itself. "You know how crucial that Pokemon is to my plans.. If we don't have it, we don't have the key."
"Understood," the pink-haired woman bowed, turning on her heel. "I've gotten reports that it's headed for New Bark Town."
"Find it, and capture it. Take as many Pokemon as you need!"
"I won't let you down again.."
------
"We're sorry, Eric. You don't qualify to participate in the Johto, or Kanto Leagues. We cannot give you a starter Pokemon, or a Pokedex. We're sorry." With those harsh words, Professor Elm turned back to his research, a Cleffa, brought in by a trainer. "But.. Professor Elm.. You told me.."
"No but's. I have made my decision, and my decision is final. Until you pass the test with better scores, good day." Professor Elm replied, not even bothering to turn around. Eric heaved a frustrated sigh, and walked out. His mother had gotten him basically everything he'd need to start his journey. 6 Pokeballs to start out with, his PokeGear, a backpack in which to put everything, and, most importantly, a nice, neat stash of food, enough to last him, if he rationed, up to Mahogany Town.
Well, Professor Elm's decision or not, he was going to go take the league on anyways. However, the realization hit him; he didn't have a Pokemon. Professor Elm's job was to give him a Pokemon to start out with. Making his way back home, on the outskirts of the woods surrounding New Bark Town, he opened the door. His mother had had a Pokemon given to her, and had had it most of her life. It wasn't trained, and it was mostly pretty lazy, which was emphasized when the swinging door slammed into the Weedle. It hissed, and made its way outside.
"Honey, look who dropped in!"
What a pleasent surprise. A Vulpix that had been in the area over a year ago had returned, mysteriously, that same day. It seemed to enjoy having their company, but Eric had seen other Vulpix before. This one was... odd looking, to say the least. White streaks of fur lined its back and sides, and it wore a military camoflauge pack around its neck. It was like it travelled, or something.
"Oh. Him again." Eric muttered, pulling out a chair at the same table, and sitting in it. He grabbed a cracker, and bit into it, awaiting his mom's lecture about his low test scores. "Honey, I heard from Professor Elm that you scored so low on your test, that he couldn't give you a starter Pokemon.."
Eric groaned softly, and rolled his eyes. That's the last thing he needed right now, was a lecture, not after being shot down like he was. Standing, he left the room before the lecture could become heated, and slammed his door behind him. Despite how old he was, he felt the urge to cry. He had waited his whole life to become a Pokemon Trainer, and, as it seemed, it was being kept away from him. He plopped helplessly onto his bed, allowing his mind to roll some ideas around. A soft thump on his bed brought his thoughts away from how he could catch a Pokemon to start with, to the Vulpix sitting on the end of his bed.
"Oh, hi, Kazin."
"You come to finish the lecture?"
Kazin muttered, allowing his thoughts to reflect back to his younger days.
"You're still a pup," Eric said, bringing Kazin around to reality.
Eric blinked in utter disbelief. A rare Vulpix was offering to help him find a starter Pokemon. Things were already looking up. "Well, I have you for a temporary starter, but.."
Kazin replied, staring at him with his brown eyes.
"But, I still need a Pokedex."
--------
The window was unlocked, which was surprising to both boy and pokemon, allowing Kazin to slip right into Professor Elm's lab. Professor Elm was working the late shift again. With a soft thump, Kazin fell to the floor, and immediately crept behind a nearby table. Professor Elm always kept the PokeDex where he could find them, so getting to it wouldn't be a problem. It'd be getting away with it, that'd be the tough part. Creeping beneath the desk, his ears picked up the murmurs of Elm, obviously going over something that had to do with Delibird. Another of life's great mysteries.
Professor Elm turned to put the book on the bookshelf. 'Perfect time to strike,' Kazin thought, moving out into the open, and onto the desk Eric had carefully picked out so that he could see it. He picked up the Pokedex in his mouth, and made a run for the open window. At that same moment, Elm had turned around, to notice the Vulpix. "H-Hey! You!" he yelled, getting up from his seat to give chase, "Give that back!". Too late. Kazin had already dove out the window, and rushed out into the woods.
--------
"Professor Elm? Are you home?"
A slight knock came at the door. One of the scientists studying with Professor Elm lifted himself from his book and comfortable chair, and opened the door. "May I help you?"
"Ah, yes. I'm Eric's mother... He wasn't in bed this morning, when I woke up. I was hoping that maybe Professor Elm had seen him..?" his mother asked, smiling, though the worry in her eyes was obvious. "I'm sorry, miss. I haven't seen your son, nor has Professor Elm."
Eric's mother looked at the ground silently, and gave a slight nod. "Alright. Thank you."
--------
"Yaha!" Eric grinned, pulling the backpack onto his back with little effort. "The Johto League will soon face the wrath of Eric Malone!"
"You know that the time you spend with me, means that people won't try to catch you. Besides, I could catch you at any time."
Kazin muttered, sitting, so that his 'trainer' stepped ahead a bit.
"Ah.. true.."
Both set their pace to normal once more. "So," Eric inquired, glancing down at the Vulpix. "You intend to leave for your travels again as soon as I get a Pokemon?"
Eric frowned a bit, but allowed it to melt away with the bright sun above. "Such a pity, I think I was getting used to having you around."
Kazin yawned. Sleep was scarce the night before. It made him wonder how the aspiring trainer could have so much zeal after missing so much sleep to get as far away from New Bark Town as possible. "I know.. but... hey, did you hear that?"
The bushes across from them rustled silently, the leaves swaying in an irratic pattern that suggested that it wasn't the wind moving it. "What do you think's in it?"
In a storm of leaves, a Pidgey emerged, taking flight, but staying just off the ground enough to take a look at who had passed by. "It's a Pidgey!"
the Pidgey replied, glaring.
Kazin muttered, sitting down, and staring up as the Pidgey prepared itself to tackle him.
---------
End Chapter 1
"We failed to catch it," the pink-haired woman replied, bowing her head.
The figure took a few deep breaths to calm itself. "You know how crucial that Pokemon is to my plans.. If we don't have it, we don't have the key."
"Understood," the pink-haired woman bowed, turning on her heel. "I've gotten reports that it's headed for New Bark Town."
"Find it, and capture it. Take as many Pokemon as you need!"
"I won't let you down again.."
------
"We're sorry, Eric. You don't qualify to participate in the Johto, or Kanto Leagues. We cannot give you a starter Pokemon, or a Pokedex. We're sorry." With those harsh words, Professor Elm turned back to his research, a Cleffa, brought in by a trainer. "But.. Professor Elm.. You told me.."
"No but's. I have made my decision, and my decision is final. Until you pass the test with better scores, good day." Professor Elm replied, not even bothering to turn around. Eric heaved a frustrated sigh, and walked out. His mother had gotten him basically everything he'd need to start his journey. 6 Pokeballs to start out with, his PokeGear, a backpack in which to put everything, and, most importantly, a nice, neat stash of food, enough to last him, if he rationed, up to Mahogany Town.
Well, Professor Elm's decision or not, he was going to go take the league on anyways. However, the realization hit him; he didn't have a Pokemon. Professor Elm's job was to give him a Pokemon to start out with. Making his way back home, on the outskirts of the woods surrounding New Bark Town, he opened the door. His mother had had a Pokemon given to her, and had had it most of her life. It wasn't trained, and it was mostly pretty lazy, which was emphasized when the swinging door slammed into the Weedle. It hissed, and made its way outside.
"Honey, look who dropped in!"
What a pleasent surprise. A Vulpix that had been in the area over a year ago had returned, mysteriously, that same day. It seemed to enjoy having their company, but Eric had seen other Vulpix before. This one was... odd looking, to say the least. White streaks of fur lined its back and sides, and it wore a military camoflauge pack around its neck. It was like it travelled, or something.
"Oh. Him again." Eric muttered, pulling out a chair at the same table, and sitting in it. He grabbed a cracker, and bit into it, awaiting his mom's lecture about his low test scores. "Honey, I heard from Professor Elm that you scored so low on your test, that he couldn't give you a starter Pokemon.."
Eric groaned softly, and rolled his eyes. That's the last thing he needed right now, was a lecture, not after being shot down like he was. Standing, he left the room before the lecture could become heated, and slammed his door behind him. Despite how old he was, he felt the urge to cry. He had waited his whole life to become a Pokemon Trainer, and, as it seemed, it was being kept away from him. He plopped helplessly onto his bed, allowing his mind to roll some ideas around. A soft thump on his bed brought his thoughts away from how he could catch a Pokemon to start with, to the Vulpix sitting on the end of his bed.
"Oh, hi, Kazin."
"You come to finish the lecture?"
Kazin muttered, allowing his thoughts to reflect back to his younger days.
"You're still a pup," Eric said, bringing Kazin around to reality.
Eric blinked in utter disbelief. A rare Vulpix was offering to help him find a starter Pokemon. Things were already looking up. "Well, I have you for a temporary starter, but.."
Kazin replied, staring at him with his brown eyes.
"But, I still need a Pokedex."
--------
The window was unlocked, which was surprising to both boy and pokemon, allowing Kazin to slip right into Professor Elm's lab. Professor Elm was working the late shift again. With a soft thump, Kazin fell to the floor, and immediately crept behind a nearby table. Professor Elm always kept the PokeDex where he could find them, so getting to it wouldn't be a problem. It'd be getting away with it, that'd be the tough part. Creeping beneath the desk, his ears picked up the murmurs of Elm, obviously going over something that had to do with Delibird. Another of life's great mysteries.
Professor Elm turned to put the book on the bookshelf. 'Perfect time to strike,' Kazin thought, moving out into the open, and onto the desk Eric had carefully picked out so that he could see it. He picked up the Pokedex in his mouth, and made a run for the open window. At that same moment, Elm had turned around, to notice the Vulpix. "H-Hey! You!" he yelled, getting up from his seat to give chase, "Give that back!". Too late. Kazin had already dove out the window, and rushed out into the woods.
--------
"Professor Elm? Are you home?"
A slight knock came at the door. One of the scientists studying with Professor Elm lifted himself from his book and comfortable chair, and opened the door. "May I help you?"
"Ah, yes. I'm Eric's mother... He wasn't in bed this morning, when I woke up. I was hoping that maybe Professor Elm had seen him..?" his mother asked, smiling, though the worry in her eyes was obvious. "I'm sorry, miss. I haven't seen your son, nor has Professor Elm."
Eric's mother looked at the ground silently, and gave a slight nod. "Alright. Thank you."
--------
"Yaha!" Eric grinned, pulling the backpack onto his back with little effort. "The Johto League will soon face the wrath of Eric Malone!"
"You know that the time you spend with me, means that people won't try to catch you. Besides, I could catch you at any time."
Kazin muttered, sitting, so that his 'trainer' stepped ahead a bit.
"Ah.. true.."
Both set their pace to normal once more. "So," Eric inquired, glancing down at the Vulpix. "You intend to leave for your travels again as soon as I get a Pokemon?"
Eric frowned a bit, but allowed it to melt away with the bright sun above. "Such a pity, I think I was getting used to having you around."
Kazin yawned. Sleep was scarce the night before. It made him wonder how the aspiring trainer could have so much zeal after missing so much sleep to get as far away from New Bark Town as possible. "I know.. but... hey, did you hear that?"
The bushes across from them rustled silently, the leaves swaying in an irratic pattern that suggested that it wasn't the wind moving it. "What do you think's in it?"
In a storm of leaves, a Pidgey emerged, taking flight, but staying just off the ground enough to take a look at who had passed by. "It's a Pidgey!"
the Pidgey replied, glaring.
Kazin muttered, sitting down, and staring up as the Pidgey prepared itself to tackle him.
---------
End Chapter 1