Shane and Terra exited the ship with the rest of the class, and scattered around their instuctor. The majority of the students were chatting amongst one another. The topic, of course, being the same thing that Shane and Terra discussed earlier: starter pokémon. They were having a group discussion over how they were being distributed. A whistle then sounded, and everyone quieted and turned toward the instructor.
"Now, everyone, we have arrived in Pallet Town," stated the teacher. Shane rolled his eyes. Everyone in the class figured that one out. "We will walk toward the distribution area together. Don't get lost." The class nodded, and started following the teacher, continuing their discussion.
"I think it's some kind of analysis test," suggested a girl with brown pigtails.
"Na. We'll probably get to choose a starter from Professor Oak," said Jake. Shane heard that comment and couldn't help but roll his eyes. Didn't Jake bother reading the paper?
"Yeah. You're probably right," said a boy with black hair. Shane sighed once more, and decided to ask Terra that question.
"Terra, does anyone else around here actually bother to keep up with current events?" asked Shane, curiously, but annoyed with these impossible scenarios around him.
"I have no idea, but I very much think you're the only one," replied Terra. Shane sighed once again. Maybe they should learn to read the paper, or at least watch PNN on the television. It would only help them out if they did. His thinking, however, was interrupted by the arrival at the place, and the teacher entering, coming out later with an official.
"Good Morning, Cinnabar Children. Now, today is your lucky day as you will receive a starter of your own. Just remember everything you learned in class on your journey, however. Now, your teacher has kindly given me a class roster. I'll call you up here, and you can then tell me what type of pokémon you want. I'll grab the correct bin, and you'll randomly choose a ball from there. After that, please proceed to the next table with the nice official to collect our other items. Have a good journey." Shane didn't like these officials for some reason. He just wanted this over with.
"Terra." stated the official. Terra gulped, and slowly made her way toward the official. She didn't like being first, but her last name did start with an A. Why did people always have to go alphabetical by last name? "Now, Terra, what type do you like?"
"Any type. I don't really care that much." The official nodded and brought out a bin from behind the table. The label on the bin read RANDOM. Terra sighed, and put her hand in.She dug really deep, looking for a lucky ball. She finally found one that felt good, and withdrew her hand, ball intact.
"Very good. Don't send it out now. I don't want everyone else distracted. Just move to the next table." Terra nodded.
"Jake," stated the official in a bored tone. Jake grinned and came up. Shane didn't really like Jake that much, and Jake didn't like him. "Now, what type do you like?"
"I want a dragon type," exclaimed Jake. The class looked at him in utter shock. The official sighed, and turned toward him.
"I'm sorry, uh," the official glanced down at the list,"Jake, but you can't get a dragon type from us. You see, dragons are very dangerous pokémon that could severely injure or kill you. They are very tough for expert trainers to handle. For a newbie, it would be near impossible. As such, please choose another type. Oh, and no Dark either, so you're narrowed down to fifteen. Dark pokémon are very dangerous and deadly as well." Jake frowned. He did not like this dumb official and these even dumber rules.
Shane frowned as well. He liked dark-types for some reason. There was nothing dangerous and deadly about dark-types in general. True, they could be dangerous if you provoked them, but you could just as easily provoke a non dark-type. Shane really didn't like this government's dumb regulations. Well, he'd have to stick with his second favorite type in that case.
"Fine, then. I'll go with a fire-type," said Jake. It was very clear that he was annoyed at his first choice being denied. The official, however, either didn't notice, or chose to ignore it. He pointed out the fire bin, and Jake rummaged around in it for a ball, and finally clasped it in his hand. Shane sighed. It was clear to him why Jake wanted fire. He was hoping for a growlithe so he could evolve it, and try to scare Shane with it.
The reasoning behind that motive was simple. Once, when Shane was around four, his paremts were out, and he was bored. He decided to wander into his neighbor's backyard, only to have her Arcanine attack him. He came out of it with third-degree burns, and a broken arm. When Jake learned of this, he kept on teasing Shane about it.
"Shane," stated the official after calling more names. Shane sighed and proceeded forward. "Now, kid, what type would you like?"
"Electric," replied Shane. He tried not to let his disappointment at the lack of dark-types show. He would just have to catch one or two of those later. Besides, electric was his second general favorite, and would work for a starter. He, like those before him, then rummaged for a bin, his hands searching for a lucky ball. He finally settled on one, and clasped it, joining the line at the next table.
"Hello, kid. Now, you just have to take one of the following items. Make sure to hold onto them. They are all very important for different reasons. You don't want to lose them," explained the official in a monotonous way. Shane groaned. He just stated the obvious. That, and he hated being called kid. He was sixteen, after all. Besides, kid was also the term for a baby goat. He wasn't a goat.
The first item was a trainer handbook which Shane grabbed and tossed in his pack. He'd organize the thing later. He wasn't even sure if he'd use that book. The second one was that TR Prevention brochure that he read about in the ship earlier. Knowing the government, they were both filled with very obvious stuff, but maybe he'd skim through them if he got bored.
The next item was merely a box with trainer supplies in them. Shane, too, put it in his pack for organizing later. The last and next thing, however, was the most important. Their trainer licenses were there, and freshly printed and laminated. Shane found his and took a closer look at it.
It had his name on it, along with a very bad picture. However, all the other cards had bad pictures, so it didn't bug him that much. There were some blank areas on the back with lines that Shane had no idea what it was for. There was also more room on the front for things, but go figure. The government was nuts.
"Terra, let's go see who we have as starters!" said Shane to Terra. Terra nodded, and removed her red-and-white ball. She threw it out, and a creature appeared. It was a reddish feline with a white underbelly. Her eyes opened, revealing two hazel eyes that looked at Terra in a trusting way.
"Skitty," she called out, curiously approaching Terra. Terra grinned and bent down to pet her. The young Skitty relaxed under her touch, and began to purr.
"It's so cute, isn't it Shane?" said Terra, picking Skitty up into her arms. The curious Skitty playfully swatted at some of her hair. Terra grinned at that. "It looks like I'll have to buy you a string to swat at, huh?" she asked, jokingly.
"Yeah, it is cute. A string is a good idea, by the way. These starters are still pretty young," replied Shane. He then threw his ball on the ground, curious as to what it was. A green canine with some yellow markings emerged.
"Electrike," he called, staring at Shane. Shane grinned and bent down to get a closer look. He didn't know too much about them, except that they were electric-types, and not found in Kanto.
Terra put down Skitty, and Skitty approached Electrike, curious at the new face. Electrike wagged his small tail, and approached Skitty until they were nose to nose. Electrike sniffed the Skitty's bark. "Trike," he called out. Electrike then playfully pounced on Skitty. Skitty pounced back and they started a game.
"They're so cute together," said Terra. "We have great starters. However, these two are native to Hoenn. Why would the government hand out Hoenn starters? Not that I'm complaining or anything, but it's strange."
"And you accuse me of reading the papers too much?" questioned Shane. "You're right, it is strange. I don't know why for sure or anything, I can't read their minds. Maybe they just felt like being nice, but there could be more to it," explained Shane, sharing his theories. "So,. what's the plan now, Terra?"
"Well, we should probably go shopping together. I need to buy some things for my Skitty, and stuff my mother and father forgot to pack for me. I suppose we will both head our seperate ways tomorrow. Can we meet up later, when we reach Virdian and Pewter though? It would still be nice to get together once in a while," said Terra, explaining her idea.
"Of course, Terra. My mom also forgot important things, and I have to reorganize my backpack. She put everything in the wrong compartments," replied Shane.
"More like she overlooked your secret compartments. Anyway, let's see what items these league officials gave us," replied Terra. She pulled out the kit and groaned. "Two potions and two antidotes! That's it? They didn't even give us any balls. They're mad."
"Well, it looks like we have more to buy then originally planned," replied Shane.
Shane and Terra recalled Skitty and Electrike and headed to the supermarket. It sold varous things. Shane and Terra had to stock up on other pokémon curatives, and pokéballs. Shane found a map of Kanto and handed one to Terra. Terra found a shelf full of pokédexes and called Shane over to take a look.
Shane sighed and choose a black and gold one. Terra went with blue one, and those were added to their purchases. Now, they just needed Pokémon food, and bowls for it, along with toys. They grabbed those, and checked out all their purchases.
After reorganizing his backpack, Shane grabbed his pokédex to take a closer look. He turned it on, and entered his personal information. The thing updated, and Shane decided to record Electrike onto it. Electrike, who was out of his ball, digging a hole in the dirt, looked content with himself. Shane pressed a button, and pointed the dex at Electrike. It was then recorded on, along with information on various aspects.
"Well, Electrike, we might as well turn in now. Let's find a place to sleep, shall we?" asked Shane/ Electrike nodded, but allowed himself to be picked up by Shane, followed by licking his face.
"You really like me, don't you?" he asked him. The Electrike nodded, which Shane thought strange, until he recalled something his dad told him long ago. Pokémon can understand every word you say, but they can't talk back to you directly. Shane, however, figured that he could still figure out Electrike's personality. He was like most young creatures, very curious and carefree. Shane wondered how long it would last, and wondered how he was supposed to explain the concept of battling, let alone if he could even put Electrike through it.
Ir was at that moment that Shane reached the Pallet Pokémon Center and requested the room. The nurse there compiled, and he lay Electrike right down on the bed next to him, and went to sleep.
