The Dezen Discovery Chapter 3, a pokémon fanfic

The Dezen Discovery

By LoneGrowlithe

Chapter Three

The room Larana and I shared seemed to have once again been struck with pandemonium. I was looking mournfully at what had once been my Skitty pokedoll, now it was only a pile of torn fabric and the stuffing strewn about the floor of the room I shared with Larana. I also noticed that the bottoms of the curtains hanging in front of the window were absolutely torn to ribbons, and I turned to glare at the perpetrator in question.

"You are so lucky you're cute," I hissed at the snickering Kitana on top of one of the cupboards, "Of all days for Larana to be kept back after school."

I looked again at the mess of destroyed pokedoll on the floor, and at Kida again, still very much angry at her.

"Get down from there."

Kida snickered at me again and stuck her tongue out at me cheekily, before promptly sitting down and proceeding to clean one of the puffs of creamy fur about her forefeet, positively ignoring me.

"You're going to be flayed alive when Jessica sees this you know," I commented to the cat, indicating the mess she had made.

Kida just looked at me with apparent boredom and then continued grooming. I sighed heavily; in the four weeks since Larana had first received Kida on her birthday as a gift from her brother Tommy, it had been discovered by the whole household that the kitten Pokemon was a mischievous and naughty creature.

She had clawed curtains to ribbons, broken lamps and vases, torn up pillows and pokedolls, and even torn apart one of David's shirts while he had been wearing it, although he had deserved it, considering he had called her a mangy flea ridden feline at the time and she had probably seen cause to retaliate.

So, because of her 'property damaging curiosity' or however Jacob had put it, she had since been confined to the room Larana and I shared whenever she was free of her pokeball. And considering that Larana preferred to leave the Kitana free of confinement, it was pretty much all the time, and it also meant that she was free to wreak complete havoc on our room.

I glared up at Kida once more, before with a huff, I grabbed an old denim jacket off the hook on the back of the door, thankfully out of reach of Kida claws, and stepped out of the room, closing the door securely behind me so that Kida wouldn't escape into the rest house and bring down Jessica's wrath upon me. Pulling on the jacket as I leapt down the stairs, I decided that I was going to get out of the house for a while and head to the community centre nearby.

Jotting down a quick note to Jessica and Jacob, so that they knew where I would be, I left the house, and jogged down the road towards a building that stood out from all of the rest, mainly for the fact that it was the biggest building in the area, rising up a full four stories and the whole exterior painted a blinding white. The community centre offered a variety of activities for bored kids in the neighborhood, ranging from having indoors and outdoors playing fields and a whole level dedicated to game play alone.

It even offered classes for bidding young kids who were ready to head out on their first journey with a Pokemon they had obtained, teaching them survival skills and how to live while traveling. Larana herself had been attending these classes, although she had made no attempt at telling any of us when exactly she might be leaving on her own journey with Kida.

It didn't take me long to reach the centre, and I made my way absently through the front door, pausing only to give a small wave of greeting to the receptionist at the front desk before making my way upstairs. The interior of the building was vastly different than opposed to its exterior.

The walls, which once had been white, were splattered with all different colors of paint, and looked all the more that someone had just taken small blobs of the different colored paints at a time and thrown them at the flat surfaces. Even stranger, were the covers to the lights; the glass of them warped and molded into crazy shapes and colored myriads of different colors, sending splashes of multicolored light all over the place. Another noticeable feature was the carpet, which was actually made to simulate grass, was laid out through the whole of the building.

I paid little heed however to the things surrounding me, as I had seen it all dozens of times before, and instead just walked along absentmindedly until I finally reached my destination, the community centers Games room on the fourth floor. Upon entering, loud blast of sounds assaulted my ears and I winced, I hated loud noises. Dozens of kids were milling about the auditorium sized room, all participating in random activities, while music blared from speakers on the small stage set up in the far corner.

It wasn't long before I got involved in an activity with some other people I knew frequented the community center. I was so deeply engrossed in a game of monopoly with them, that I almost failed to notice as an old friend from school had entered the room a half-hour later. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he slouched his way over to one of the multiple couches to be found in the room and took a seat.

I quickly excused myself from the small circle of friends I had been playing with, letting them fight it out between themselves who got what share of my game money, and made my way over to my friend. He was a lanky teen, who had a laid back attitude over life. His honey hair was cropped very short, and his blue eyes hidden behind a pair of dark shades. He was wearing his preferred attire of a Jersey and baggy pants, to combat the constantly cool temperatures that reigned over Dezen year round.

"Hey Joe," I smiled broadly, punching him lightly on the shoulder as I sat down next to him on the couch, noting his apparently crestfallen expression, "something wrong?"

"Hey," he replied sullenly, "Nothings wrong."

"Oh really Joseph," I bristled with fake anger, using his full name just to irritate him, which apparently worked as he scowled at me, to which I flashed back a smile, "I know there's something wrong, so you might as well tell me before I force it out of you."

"Fine," He sighed, giving in uncharacteristically quick, "I got a reply back from the Pokemon League Officials, the ones that were judging the contest," my interest was piqued and I nodded sharply, intent on hearing more, "Well, I didn't win," He finished and his expression seemed to become even more sullen than it had started.

"Aww, I'm sorry Joe, Maybe next time," I comforted him, trying to cheer him up, but in my stomach Butterfrees started to swarm.

If Joe had received a reply, I was due to receive one any day, and I was feeling nervous now. It must have shown on my face, for Joe looked at me, and bared me a little smile.

"I wonder if you've won," He spoke, and I just nodded.

"I wonder too."

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School the next day found me far from my studies, and I knew full well that I wasn't the only one, for half the people in my class just seemed to be zoning out into space, oblivious to what was going on around them. The reason was the same for all of us though; we were nervous, and anxious to know what our replies from the competition officials would be.

My current teacher happened to have noticed the lack of interest most his students were exhibiting, and left them well enough alone, but I hadn't minded, I was content to just look out the window and think…dwell on the possibility that maybe I may have won, and wondered what Pokemon I might get for a starter, and where I might be beginning my own journey with my first partner.

Time seemed to pass very quickly today, and for that I was thankful, for when the final bell rang, signaling the end of school for the day, I eagerly snatched up my bag and was blazing my way out of the school and towards home. It felt to me as though it took ages to get home, even though I ran at a flat run, familiar scenery passing me by in a blur, and was finally relieved to be bounding up the front steps and in the door.

I sincerely hoped that the mail had been delivered today and hopefully with it, the exact thing I had been waiting for for so long. The door slammed behind me after I had leapt through, but this time I had taken special care not to let the end of my braid be caught as it had so many weeks before. My first stop was the kitchen, and rushing my way over to where a pile of mail lay, I flipped through it with all the manner of Linoone.

But when my hands came up empty, I uttered a slight "damn" and with that, dropped the now un-important stack of mail back on the counter and made my way dejectedly for the stairs. I had barely begun my ascent however when I heard a meaningful, yet faked, cough from behind me which piqued my interest, and I turned to find Jacob standing behind me, having just emerged from the living room.

"Afternoon Jacob," I smiled sheepishly, I was getting an eerie feeling that I was in trouble for something, just what exactly, I didn't know.

"Good-afternoon Danny," he replied back, his voice level and even toned, and the feeling I had seemed to get even stronger, "You seem quite excited today."

"Uh….yeah, well, um," I was lost for words, and embarrassed so I quickly made an excuse for a strategic retreat, "I'm just going to go to my room. Bye."

I started, trying to make a quick dash up the stairs, but once again was stayed by Jacob as he suddenly held up several envelopes, all of them a powdered shade of red. My attention now solely focused on them, I failed to see Jacobs amused smile as he removed one of them from the small number and passed it to me through the guard rails.

"T-t-thank you," I managed to stammer out as I took the envelope in my hands, before numbly starting my way up the stairs again.

"You welcome Danny," Jacob replied, humor in his voice, before it turned stern, "And don't let that cat out."

I barely heard him as I wandered to my room and entered; barely managing to close the door after me in time as a fuzzy brown blur came rocketing from beneath one of the beds, only to be abruptly stopped as it collided with the door I had barely managed to close.

"TAAANAAA," Kida yowled pitifully as she looked at me, and then back at the door.

I rolled my eyes, she wanted out, and I wasn't about to let her, "No way, not after what happened last time you got out. So stop meowin' at me."

I threw my bag into a corner of the room, it sliding to join a pile of what happened to be heaps of paper and books for school, before collapsing onto my bed, looking at the envelope I held, trying to gather up the courage to open it. Kida, almost unnoticed, leapt up on the bed next to me and curled up by my side, and I gave her a few scratches behind the ears before returning my attention to the envelope.

Damn…I was so scared about opening it, but I really wanted to know what was inside, but was scared about the fact that I had probably not placed anywhere. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage, before opening the envelope and removing the papers inside. Unfolding them, I began to read them aloud to myself.

"Miss Danielle Waverson," I snorted with a slight of laughter at being referred to as a Miss, "We are incredibly pleased to inform you that you, with your marvelous essay on tropical Pokemon, have been awarded fourth place in the yearly Trainers Chance Competition.

Enclosed in this envelope you will find an information document on the Awards Ceremony, your Trainer Identification Card, and an Information Pamphlet to supply you until you receive a proper Trainers Guide at the Awards ceremony.

Aaron Jenson

Head of Trainer Regulations

Jhoto," I finished, my breath suddenly taken away from me as I seemed to lose the ability to breathe.

I sat for a moment or two, until the need to breathe became urgent and I gulped in a welcomed breath of fresh air. I skimmed over the letter again, hoping that I hadn't read wrong, and then felt an incredible excitement welling up in my chest, before I suddenly leapt up and started jumping up and down on the bed joyously, the papers falling forgotten from my hands and to the floor.

Kida was bounced up into the air with an almighty yowl, landing daintily on the carpet before bolting for cover under Larana's bed. I didn't give much care however, to caught up in my jubilant jumps of excited victory. I was jerked out of my happy daze when the door was suddenly flung open and Larana and Jacob stepped inside, both with amused, curious, yet also annoyed expressions on their faces.

"What's going on Danny?" Jacob asked rather sternly and I smiled sheepishly, and when I failed to say anything, Jacob spoke again with a demanding voice, "Well?"

I kept my silence, but yet the smile seemed to have become a permanent fixture as I jumped off of the bed and bent down to pick up the scattered papers. I handed the initial letter to Jacob, the one I had read first, but kept the others to myself skimming them over while Jacob read what I had handed him.

I skimmed over the document detailing the Awards ceremony. It basically told me the date, place and time of the ceremony, but also detailed what Pokemon were available and the presenting professors.

Professor Oak from Kanto was the first. The world renowned, yet aged professor was close to retirement, and eventually his grandson would take his place as foremost professor in Kanto. But the aged professor himself would be the one present at the ceremony, and bringing with him the Pokemon Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Pidgey.

Next was Professor Elm from Jhoto. Almost as highly known as Professor Oak, Elm was also the head of the Pokemon Preservation Council worldwide. He himself would be bringing along the Pokemon Totodile, Cyndaquil, Chickorita and Pichu.

Lastly was the top ranking professor of Dezen itself, Professor Bramble. One of the top in the field of studying Pokemon habitats, he would be presenting the native Pokemon of this region Asydri, Leafius, Cascardron and Zaep at the ceremony.

Also awarded, along with the Pokemon, were packs of all of the stuff a beginning trainer would need, and then some.

Excitement welled up in my chest again, and I started bouncing in my spot. Finally I was going to be a trainer, and was also going to get my first Pokemon, I couldn't wait. I let my eyes trail back over to Larana and Jacob, both of whom were just finishing reading the paper I had given them.

Larana looked at me with a surprised look on her face, before it broke into a grin.

"This is awesome Dan' Now you're a trainer too," She smiled and leapt at me, pulling me into a crushing hug, "we could go traveling together."

"Yeah," I agreed hugging her back, before looking at Jacob whose stern expression had changed into a soft proud one.

"Congratulations Danny," Jacob smiled and pulled me into a hug also.

"Thanks Jacob," I smiled back at him happily.

"So, what else did you get?" Larana asked excitedly as she tried to extract Kida from under the bed.

"Information stuff mostly, like when the Awards Ceremony is and all that," I told her, "But I also got my Trainer ID card."

"When is the ceremony," Jacob abruptly asked, and I was prompted to look at the sheet again.

"Two weeks from now…on the twelfth of the month of Kyogre," I read from the sheet, and read a little more, "Also says I have a pre-paid bus ticket from here to Judan village."

"You mean you're starting here, in Dezen, Awesome," Larana cheered, finally able to coax her kitten Pokemon from under the bed and had her gathered in her arms, "We could both come home anytime we want to visit."

"You really want to travel with me?" I asked, curious, "it'd mean you'd have to wait another two weeks."

"I don't care," Larana declared expressively, "I'd much rather go with a friend than strike out on my own."

"Then we better get started," I smiled as I bounced over to my desk and pulled out a spare notebook and gathered a pen.

"Start what?" Larana asked confused.

"A list of what we need of course," I smiled cheekily at her before sitting on my bed.

Jacob smiled at us both fondly, "I leave you two to plan," and with that he left the two of us be.

"What do we need a list for, you'll be getting most of the stuff you need at the ceremony," Larana inquired as she sat on her bed, letting Kida down to sit at her side.

"For you of course silly," I looked at her pointedly, "You're going to need travel stuff as well, and not to mention stuff for Kida. I'll need to take some stuff along too; I won't have everything in the pack I'll get."

"Guess your right," Larana resigned looking down at the spot on the bed beside her and then looked around in confusion, "Where'd Kida go."

I looked around too, at the shredded bottoms of the curtains, then to the open door, before looking over to the cupboard before doing a double take, "Oh damn, the doors open."

Larana and I looked at each other for a moment, before leaping to our feet and bolting for the door, hoping to find Kida before trouble happened. We were too late however, because from downstairs came a loud crashing sound as something was broken, followed by the loud yowling of Kida and a violently colorful string of language coming from who could only be Jessica.

I winced, looking at Larana carefully, "I never thought Jessica would know words like that."

"I didn't think so either," Larana winced too, before sighing and heading for the stairs, "Guess I better go face the music."

"You! I'm gonna get it too," I said as I fell into step beside her, and she gave me a questioning glace to which I replied, "I'm supposed to watch her as well."

Larana nodded as we started down the stairs to go face the wrath that was Jessica.

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"Now, are you sure you two have got everything," Jessica was fussing over Larana and I incessantly, "You should both go through your bags one more time, just to make sure."

I snickered whilst Larana groaned. Jessica had been extremely fussy over the two of us for the past three days, but this could have been the worst point, seeing as how, in barely an hour, Larana and I would be on a bus towards the coastal village of Judan, where I would be attending the Awards Ceremony for the competition before the two of us headed out on our travels around the continent.

When the rest of the household had found out about my winning the competition, it had been met with congratulations and scorn all around. While most of my family had been happy for me, there were those who got a case of the green eyed monster, one of the worst being David. As a result, some fights had started out between me and him after he'd thrown insults at me which I just had to retaliate to.

The past two weeks had been chock full of preparations for mine and Larana's departure as well. We had both been attending pre-journey classes in which we learnt a lot about traveling, like how to ration food, and also pokemon care classes. We'd also managed to spend a fair deal of money just getting half the stuff we needed, mostly for Larana's sake, but Jacob had also given us both a fair amount of money which should last us a while in our travels, so long as we didn't flaunt it.

"Yes Jessica, We have everything," Larana moaned, putting a hand to her head, "We've got blankets, clothes, food, even that little information pamphlet Danny's. There's no need to fuss."

"What about her," I snickered, bouncing on my feet, as I pointed at Kida who was sprawled out on the kitchen table, yawning blearily at being awake at such an early hour.

"She'll be in a pokeball for the bus trip," Larana supplied, grumpy as she shifted her backpack more comfortably on her shoulder, while I nodded in affirmation.

"Ah, good then, can't have her causing havoc among the other passengers," I grinned ecstatically, "Or you for that matter…I wonder if we can find a pokeball to put you in."

Larana glared daggers at me while I just returned a cheeky smile, and then ducked as Larana lashed out at me, only just managing to swipe my braid as I dropped into a crouch.

"Ooooh, touchy," I snickered as I stood and sauntered out of reach, poking my tongue out at her.

"Mew forbid," Larana muttered grumpily as she glared at me, "Why the bus has to leave at four in the morning is beyond me."

I bounced around for a little while longer, while Jessica just watched us smiling, and getting somewhat teary at the thought that we would be leaving soon. Then Larana yawned, and a grumpy look settled on her face again as she muttered about the extremely early time.

"Oh come now," I laughed as I leapt forwards, and tugged at the end of her jet black Ponyta tail, "You've gotta be a bit happier than that."

Larana swiped at me again, only to miss once more before yelling as her temper broke, ignoring the fact that most of the household was still asleep, "What the hell is up with you."

"I couldn't sleep last night," I countered, "So I stayed out here all night and read books, jumped around and drank coffee."

"Coffee," Larana exclaimed incredulously, "That stuff makes you a lunatic."

She was telling the truth with that, I was more or less completely wired, and when I was happy and hyperactive, not mention having had no sleep, I was usually a force to be reckoned with, and incredibly annoying to most people.

"I couldn't sleep," I shrugged and danced about again, impatient to get going.

"So you got coffee," Larana shrilly proclaimed causing Kida to yowl and Jessica hurried to shush them both.

"Well, why not, I would have been awake all night anyway," I snickered behind my hand, if looks could kill; I would have been dead around about now.

"Now girls," Jessica jumped in, trying to soothe us both, as we were probably inches away from a fight, "This is no time for fighting, every one is asleep."

Although we didn't fight yet, the room now silent, Larana continued to be grumpy, occasionally shooting me dirty looks, while I was mainly oblivious, jumping around the kitchen happily in coffee and sleepless induced hyperactivity. The silence got to me quickly though, I was preparing to crack another comment at Larana to tick her off more when Jacob waltzed into the room, dressed in casual clothing much like Larana and myself were.

"Alright girls," Jacob declared as he looked us over, "Gather your things, we'd best get going or you'll miss your bus."

I jumped into the air happily and snatched up my bag from one of the chairs pulled out from the table and heaved it onto my back, it would only be temporary until I got my award pack at the ceremony, and then danced towards the door enthusiastically, pausing only to give Jessica a good bye hug and the promise to call as soon as I could, before I was out the door.

Larana shuffled along at a slower pace, also giving Jessica, whose tears that had threatened to fall earlier now doing so, a hug and promising the same thing I had, she also paused at the door too, only to turn back to the table as she retrieved a red and white sphere from her pocket at pointed it at Kida. The kitten Pokemon had fallen asleep on the table, and was returned to her pokeball without question, before Larana sought to join Jacob and me outside by the mini van.

It was no more than twenty minutes later that Larana, now more awake but no less grumpy, and I, more calmer than I had been earlier, stood at the bus terminal, our bags loaded onto the bus, a bright blue beast with white writing on the side reading Suicune Travel Services and a silhouette of the mentioned Pokemon in white, and we ourselves bidding Jacob farewell.

"Now be sure to call when you have the chance, otherwise Jessica will go insane with worry," Jacob relayed to us the same things he had probably told Tommy when he had left on his journey, "And do be sure to make sure the money I've given you last, get money cards as quick as possible, so that your money won't get stolen from you."

Money cards were special cards all trainers were obliged by law to get, and thankfully only cost a minimal fee at banks when applied for. The cards themselves were much like Trainer ID cards, but showed you how much money you had in your account, and whenever a battle, all battles were held with stakes, was finished, the loser would have a quarter of their total amount on their cards transferred to the victors account automatically. Larana and I planned to apply for our own when we reached Judan Village.

"We will Jacob, don't you worry about that," Larana assured as she was enveloped by Jacob with a hug.

"Yeah," I agreed as I also was given a hug by Jacob, "We'll remember to call when we can."

"Alright then," Jacob smiled at us proudly, almost looking as if he were to cry of happiness, "I'm sure you both will make fine trainers, you'll both do fantastic."

We smiled back at him, practically wallowing in the praise, before we started to head towards the bus as the boarding call was made.

"Try not to get hurt," Jacob called after us and I smiled.

"That last ones from Jessica isn't it," I commented with a laugh as we reached the nearby bus, turning to wave at Jacob before we got on.

"You got it," Jacob called back grinning and waved back at us as we boarded the bus.

"Bye Jacob," we chorused to Jacob together before disappearing into the bus' confines, I followed soon after.

We took our seats, me snagging the window seat halfway down the bus and leaving Larana to take the aisle seat next to me. I looked out the window at Jacob as the bus' doors closed and began to leave the brightly lit terminal, and waved a last farewell to him, my heart beginning to ache as I remembered that it would probably be a long while before we saw home again as he waved back.

Larana waved too, and a quick meeting of eyes showed that she pretty much felt the same thing. The bus pulled out of the terminal and onto the main road, and within ten minutes we had left the city, our home for ages behind, and the first length of our journey had begun.

TBC

Wow, his chapter sure took a long time to finish, I had major writers block, but yay, it is finally done, and more than twice as long as the last version of this chapter, and as usual my disclaimer or whatever.