The alarm went off thirty seconds early. Mirus knew that it was thirty seconds because he had woken up a minute earlier by accident and waited for it to go off. He grumbled and opened up the back, showing the wires and microchip inside.
As he was putting the back on again, Michelle came into his room with an armful of her Pokemon plush toys, throwing them onto his bed. She climbed on after them and gave him a sticky hug. It was sticky due to the orange juice spilt down her front, but he hugged her anyway. He wiped off the juice on a Ponyta plush's tail. Luckily Michelle didn't notice, because she was fingering one of Mirus's posters.
He sighed and fed the plushies back into the four-year old's arms and led her out of the door, before wiping orange smudges off the Charizard's head. He then put the digital alarm clock back and got dressed and cleaned his teeth.
Mirus was fifteen, and was usually shy around other people, unless he was extremely nervous, where he was shy around everyone. He had longish green hair and was tall for his age. His hair was green because he had tried to dye it blond. Unfortunately it hadn't worked. Still, it matched his eyes, or so his parents said. His eyes were deep blue, so deep they looked almost purple. They were hardly noticeable, Mirus thought. He was one of those people who were so strange they were normal, or so normal they were unique.
His parents were still asleep, so Mirus slid down the banisters, which creaked, and went to get himself breakfast in the kitchen. The clock on the wall told him that it was nine forty-four. As he went to get milk from the fridge, he saw a note saying,
"If you're going out to try and get a pokemon again, take your phone out with you, and come back by six. Make sure you eat something. And if you leave the village then you'll be..."
The rest of the writing was squeezed on in writing too small to read, so Mirus flipped it over and scrawled "I know" on the other side. His parents had finally let him search Vermil for pokemon, as long as he didn't leave the village at all. So far, he'd found no pokemon to catch, apart from several in the outside route. So still none. He only wanted a pokemon to keep him company and battle at school. Everyone else had pokemon there, except him, so he could never join in.
Mirus bolted down the cereal, and grabbed his backpack. It was the holidays, he remembered, so plenty of time to catch a pokemon. His friends wouldn't be coming to school in September, because they would be on pokemon journeys. More left every single year. He sighed and thought again about a pokemon. His parents would never let him leave, pokemon or not. Still, he'd learnt more about pokemon studies than most people.
He took his bike and cycled out into the roads. Vermil was a small village, about a mile away from Vermillion City, where its name came from. It was surrounded by areas crammed full of pokemon, but Mirus never saw any in the village itself.
He stopped his bike at the village park, and tied it up. There was a worn sign stated, "Pokemon trainers welcome," and went on to explain that any pokemon here could be caught unless they belonged to trainers already. Mirus left the entrance and walked in.
Trees cast green shadows everywhere, and one of two times they looked like pokemon. After the first half-hour, Mirus became less jumpy and started looking properly.
It was no good, he realised, there were no pokemon here. He'd been looking in this place for almost a year, and still nothing. He kicked a bush angrily, and froze.
Something was there. Something, half-hidden behind a tree, was standing there, looking around nervously. Mirus, heart in mouth, crept up behind it, before picking up a stone and hurling it at the figure.
There was a shout of annoyance, and it stood up taller. A girl's voice said. "Who threw that?" She darted round the tree and glared at him.
Mirus looked at her, worried. "I'm sorry," he said. "I thought you were a pokemon." He suddenly realised how stupid that sounded, and stopped.
To his surprise and relief, the girl laughed. "Easy mistake to make, I suppose." Her expression turned serious. "How about a pokemon battle?" She looked around his age, but a little younger, maybe forteen. She had brown-pink hair that was cropped short and ragged about her ears, and ice blue eyes.
He hung his head. "I can't," he replied. "I've got no pokemon."
"No pokemon? I suppose that explains why you threw a rock at me." She rubbed her head.
"Sorry."
"No, that's okay. I'm used to it." She widened her pale eyes, as if she'd made a mistake, before they narrowed, daring him to comment. "So why haven't you got a pokemon?"
"My parents won't let me."
She laughed again. "They won't let you? And you listen to them? Geez, I don't listen to my dad."
Mirus said nothing, and waited for the girl to finish.
"Anyway, you haven't got a pokemon. I admit, you don't look like the kind of guy who'd disobey his parents."
"Where'd you get your pokemon?" Mirus asked eagerly.
She laughed. "I caught my ekans in the outside route."
Mirus sighed. He should have thought of that. "What's your name?"
"Heron."
"Heron?" he asked.
"Yeah. What about it?"
He shook his head. "No, nothing."
"What's yours?"
"Mirus."
"Mirus the virus."
"Hilarious."
"Thanks. I pride myself on my humor." Heron grinned, so Mirus wasn't sure whether it was sarcastic or not. "Anyway, what about you and your pokemon?" She tutted. "We can't have that, can we?"
Mirus gave her one of his looks, that told her not to press the subject. She ignored him.
"How about I find you a pokemon?"
"You would?" His eyes lit up and he grinned. Inside though, was a feeling that he should catch his first pokemon by himself.
"Yeah, sure. I know where there are hundreds." She stopped. "But that would just be me, right?"
He rubbed his neck and nodded.
"Thought so." Heron looked over the other side of the park. "There's a man over there who used to be a trainer, but now runs a breeding centre. Let's see if we can find you an egg."
"An egg?" The excitement was back.
"Yup."
"Wow, thanks. How come I never knew about him?"
"Well, it's not exactly a public buisness."
"I haven't got any money."
Heron waved a hand. "Don't fret about that. Rick doesn't mind about money, only helping young trainers with no pokemon. I got my Onix from him."
"Onix?" Mirus pictured himself with a pokemon. He grinned, confident that he'd finally be getting a pokemon of his own. Thoughts of what his parents would say pushed themselves to the back of his mind. "Perfect."
"Come on, then!" Heron yelled happily, grabbing his wrist and starting to run. Mirus yelled, more out of surprise than anything, but was soon running after her.
They made it through and out of the park quickly, through the trees, through a flock of startled Mareep and a corn field, and into a small copse again. Heron let go of his hand and ran on to the other side. Mirus followed, still smiling.
The house that he saw was large, fringed on one side by trees, one by fields, one by a lake and the final by what looked like a hilly path into the mountains. The side with the field had a fence surrounding a large area, where Mirus saw several pokemon playing, eating, or sleeping. He followed his friend through a fence, and up to a door, which she knocked on.
"Who is it?" asked a voice.
"It's me, Heron," Heron called. "I've got a friend with me who can't get a pokemon."
The door opened, and a man of about fifty or so looked out and smiled. "Heron! I remember you!" He gave her a quick hug. "And who's this?"
"My name's Mirus," he replied, starting to feel nervous.
"Hello, Mirus. Come for a pokemon?"
Before he could answer, Heron laughed. "Of course he has. Thank you, Mr Rick."
"Mr Rick. Cheek! It's Mr R Samuel to you, with the R as a mystery." He ruffed her short hair. "Well, you might as well have a look around."
Mirus nodded furiously and stepped inside. He smiled at the sight before him; the walls where filled with shelves, and the shelves filled with eggs. Hundreds and hundreds of Pokemon eggs, each on their own cushion, all in different orders, labeled to say what they were.
He leaned closer to read a tag for the nearest shelf: "Pichu eggs- Due to hatch by..." and a date for a week's time.
Mirus and Heron found themselves in a room crammed full of eggs, and sat down in chairs next to a wobbly-looking shelf.
"Right, Mirus," Mr Samuel said, "What brings you here?"
Mirus explained as quickly as he could, about always wanting a pokemon, but never being allowed one, just wanting a friend and companion. Mr Smual nodded all the way through, and at the end spoke.
"That seems fair to me," he said, making Mitus half jump. "Many trainers-to-be have been in your position, and have come to me- take Heron for example."
Heron grinned. "I remember you every time I beat another trainer," she said.
Mr Samuel shook his head. "Honestly! Now, Mirus, what sort of pokemon where you looking for? Someone easy to train? Loyal? A bit of a rebel? Tough? Shy?"
"I was thinking... tough, and a good friend, but knows when to turn back."
Mr Samuel nodded. "Of course. I think I might have just the thing. Wait here." He left the room, only to return a few moments later with a large egg clutched in his arms.
"Take this. it should hatch soon- take good care of it."
"What is it?"
Mr Samuel tapped his nose. "Good things come to those who wait."
"I don't mind waiting," Mirus smiled. "I've been waiting for years."
----------
E/N: Yay! For those people who like reading looong chapters, this is a story for you. Hope you liked. Please review!
As he was putting the back on again, Michelle came into his room with an armful of her Pokemon plush toys, throwing them onto his bed. She climbed on after them and gave him a sticky hug. It was sticky due to the orange juice spilt down her front, but he hugged her anyway. He wiped off the juice on a Ponyta plush's tail. Luckily Michelle didn't notice, because she was fingering one of Mirus's posters.
He sighed and fed the plushies back into the four-year old's arms and led her out of the door, before wiping orange smudges off the Charizard's head. He then put the digital alarm clock back and got dressed and cleaned his teeth.
Mirus was fifteen, and was usually shy around other people, unless he was extremely nervous, where he was shy around everyone. He had longish green hair and was tall for his age. His hair was green because he had tried to dye it blond. Unfortunately it hadn't worked. Still, it matched his eyes, or so his parents said. His eyes were deep blue, so deep they looked almost purple. They were hardly noticeable, Mirus thought. He was one of those people who were so strange they were normal, or so normal they were unique.
His parents were still asleep, so Mirus slid down the banisters, which creaked, and went to get himself breakfast in the kitchen. The clock on the wall told him that it was nine forty-four. As he went to get milk from the fridge, he saw a note saying,
"If you're going out to try and get a pokemon again, take your phone out with you, and come back by six. Make sure you eat something. And if you leave the village then you'll be..."
The rest of the writing was squeezed on in writing too small to read, so Mirus flipped it over and scrawled "I know" on the other side. His parents had finally let him search Vermil for pokemon, as long as he didn't leave the village at all. So far, he'd found no pokemon to catch, apart from several in the outside route. So still none. He only wanted a pokemon to keep him company and battle at school. Everyone else had pokemon there, except him, so he could never join in.
Mirus bolted down the cereal, and grabbed his backpack. It was the holidays, he remembered, so plenty of time to catch a pokemon. His friends wouldn't be coming to school in September, because they would be on pokemon journeys. More left every single year. He sighed and thought again about a pokemon. His parents would never let him leave, pokemon or not. Still, he'd learnt more about pokemon studies than most people.
He took his bike and cycled out into the roads. Vermil was a small village, about a mile away from Vermillion City, where its name came from. It was surrounded by areas crammed full of pokemon, but Mirus never saw any in the village itself.
He stopped his bike at the village park, and tied it up. There was a worn sign stated, "Pokemon trainers welcome," and went on to explain that any pokemon here could be caught unless they belonged to trainers already. Mirus left the entrance and walked in.
Trees cast green shadows everywhere, and one of two times they looked like pokemon. After the first half-hour, Mirus became less jumpy and started looking properly.
It was no good, he realised, there were no pokemon here. He'd been looking in this place for almost a year, and still nothing. He kicked a bush angrily, and froze.
Something was there. Something, half-hidden behind a tree, was standing there, looking around nervously. Mirus, heart in mouth, crept up behind it, before picking up a stone and hurling it at the figure.
There was a shout of annoyance, and it stood up taller. A girl's voice said. "Who threw that?" She darted round the tree and glared at him.
Mirus looked at her, worried. "I'm sorry," he said. "I thought you were a pokemon." He suddenly realised how stupid that sounded, and stopped.
To his surprise and relief, the girl laughed. "Easy mistake to make, I suppose." Her expression turned serious. "How about a pokemon battle?" She looked around his age, but a little younger, maybe forteen. She had brown-pink hair that was cropped short and ragged about her ears, and ice blue eyes.
He hung his head. "I can't," he replied. "I've got no pokemon."
"No pokemon? I suppose that explains why you threw a rock at me." She rubbed her head.
"Sorry."
"No, that's okay. I'm used to it." She widened her pale eyes, as if she'd made a mistake, before they narrowed, daring him to comment. "So why haven't you got a pokemon?"
"My parents won't let me."
She laughed again. "They won't let you? And you listen to them? Geez, I don't listen to my dad."
Mirus said nothing, and waited for the girl to finish.
"Anyway, you haven't got a pokemon. I admit, you don't look like the kind of guy who'd disobey his parents."
"Where'd you get your pokemon?" Mirus asked eagerly.
She laughed. "I caught my ekans in the outside route."
Mirus sighed. He should have thought of that. "What's your name?"
"Heron."
"Heron?" he asked.
"Yeah. What about it?"
He shook his head. "No, nothing."
"What's yours?"
"Mirus."
"Mirus the virus."
"Hilarious."
"Thanks. I pride myself on my humor." Heron grinned, so Mirus wasn't sure whether it was sarcastic or not. "Anyway, what about you and your pokemon?" She tutted. "We can't have that, can we?"
Mirus gave her one of his looks, that told her not to press the subject. She ignored him.
"How about I find you a pokemon?"
"You would?" His eyes lit up and he grinned. Inside though, was a feeling that he should catch his first pokemon by himself.
"Yeah, sure. I know where there are hundreds." She stopped. "But that would just be me, right?"
He rubbed his neck and nodded.
"Thought so." Heron looked over the other side of the park. "There's a man over there who used to be a trainer, but now runs a breeding centre. Let's see if we can find you an egg."
"An egg?" The excitement was back.
"Yup."
"Wow, thanks. How come I never knew about him?"
"Well, it's not exactly a public buisness."
"I haven't got any money."
Heron waved a hand. "Don't fret about that. Rick doesn't mind about money, only helping young trainers with no pokemon. I got my Onix from him."
"Onix?" Mirus pictured himself with a pokemon. He grinned, confident that he'd finally be getting a pokemon of his own. Thoughts of what his parents would say pushed themselves to the back of his mind. "Perfect."
"Come on, then!" Heron yelled happily, grabbing his wrist and starting to run. Mirus yelled, more out of surprise than anything, but was soon running after her.
They made it through and out of the park quickly, through the trees, through a flock of startled Mareep and a corn field, and into a small copse again. Heron let go of his hand and ran on to the other side. Mirus followed, still smiling.
The house that he saw was large, fringed on one side by trees, one by fields, one by a lake and the final by what looked like a hilly path into the mountains. The side with the field had a fence surrounding a large area, where Mirus saw several pokemon playing, eating, or sleeping. He followed his friend through a fence, and up to a door, which she knocked on.
"Who is it?" asked a voice.
"It's me, Heron," Heron called. "I've got a friend with me who can't get a pokemon."
The door opened, and a man of about fifty or so looked out and smiled. "Heron! I remember you!" He gave her a quick hug. "And who's this?"
"My name's Mirus," he replied, starting to feel nervous.
"Hello, Mirus. Come for a pokemon?"
Before he could answer, Heron laughed. "Of course he has. Thank you, Mr Rick."
"Mr Rick. Cheek! It's Mr R Samuel to you, with the R as a mystery." He ruffed her short hair. "Well, you might as well have a look around."
Mirus nodded furiously and stepped inside. He smiled at the sight before him; the walls where filled with shelves, and the shelves filled with eggs. Hundreds and hundreds of Pokemon eggs, each on their own cushion, all in different orders, labeled to say what they were.
He leaned closer to read a tag for the nearest shelf: "Pichu eggs- Due to hatch by..." and a date for a week's time.
Mirus and Heron found themselves in a room crammed full of eggs, and sat down in chairs next to a wobbly-looking shelf.
"Right, Mirus," Mr Samuel said, "What brings you here?"
Mirus explained as quickly as he could, about always wanting a pokemon, but never being allowed one, just wanting a friend and companion. Mr Smual nodded all the way through, and at the end spoke.
"That seems fair to me," he said, making Mitus half jump. "Many trainers-to-be have been in your position, and have come to me- take Heron for example."
Heron grinned. "I remember you every time I beat another trainer," she said.
Mr Samuel shook his head. "Honestly! Now, Mirus, what sort of pokemon where you looking for? Someone easy to train? Loyal? A bit of a rebel? Tough? Shy?"
"I was thinking... tough, and a good friend, but knows when to turn back."
Mr Samuel nodded. "Of course. I think I might have just the thing. Wait here." He left the room, only to return a few moments later with a large egg clutched in his arms.
"Take this. it should hatch soon- take good care of it."
"What is it?"
Mr Samuel tapped his nose. "Good things come to those who wait."
"I don't mind waiting," Mirus smiled. "I've been waiting for years."
----------
E/N: Yay! For those people who like reading looong chapters, this is a story for you. Hope you liked. Please review!