It was a beautiful evening in Olivine City. The disappearing sunlight was glinting off the calm ocean waters. Sailors and fishermen alike were gathered around the shoreline, looking to catch Pokémon that only appeared at twilight. The Ampharos stationed in the Olivine lighthouse had clearly gotten a late start, but soon enough the light shone brightly to mark the paths of nightly ships, or crazy swimmers.
Every single house on Napiden Lane was almost identical. The roof shingles were of the most brilliant sapphire, complemented by light blue trim and pure white siding. Everyone in Olivine took pride in their gardening. Bordering every driveway in the city were huge, white roses, surrounded by brilliant green lawns. Every house on the street was also deathly quiet. Every house except number 416, home to the Rogene family.
15-year-old Faris Rogene was multitasking, as usual. She was in her extremely untidy bedroom and had a phone crunched between her right shoulder and ear. Her hands both flew across her computer keyboard, while she chatted excitedly with a friend.
'No way! I don't believe it. Did he really say that?' She laughed. 'What a complete moron!…I know. Thriller is so much better than his Kakuna.'
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Raziya Rogene had her nose buried in a chemistry 10 book. Her pencil snapped for the fourth time the entire study session, and she exploded.
'FARIS! STOP BRAGGING ABOUT YOUR POKÉMON!' She slammed her book shut and screamed up the stairs. 'YOU ARE NOT THAT GOOD!'
She gathered the schoolbooks and threw them into her shoulder bag.
Faris sighed. 'Yah. Just Raz again. She's such a loser sometimes.'
'YOU SHUT UP!' Raziya stomped up the stairs.
'Listen, It's getting late and Raz is going to blow up soon, so I'd better go.' Faris said into the phone. 'Goodnight.'
Just as Faris hung up, Raziya appeared in the doorway of their bedroom. 'Are you aware we have a chemistry test tomorrow! I have been studying all night and you just keep talking on the phone about your stupid Pokémon! I'M SICK OF IT!'
A smile began to curl on Faris' face. 'You know what?'
'I'll tell you what!' A third voice said. 'You two had better keep it down or you'll be grounded for life! That's what!' Amaris Rogene yelled from the next room over. 'Now go to bed! Both of you!'
Faris continued to smile. 'Keep it down, sis.'
Raziya kicked a pile of clothes to the side. 'God! You're so messy! This is my room too you know!'
'Girls!' Amaris yelled again.
'Sorry mom! Goodnight.' Faris quietly shut the bedroom door.
Raziya sat down on the bottom bunk of their bed and began to write furiously in a small pink book, while Faris walked over to the closet. Careful not to damage anything spread out on the floor, she grabbed two nightshirts and threw one at her sister. 'Go to sleep.'
'Shut up!' Raziya hissed.
Faris shook her head and changed into her nightshirt. She climbed up to the top bunk, purposely knocking Raziya's pink book from her hands as she passed her sister.
'Hey!' Raziya quickly picked up her book and glared at Faris.
'Oops.' Faris grinned and clicked off the lamp.
In the very early hours of the morning, Raziya was the first on awake in all of Olivine. She had already showered and eaten breakfast, and was now in her room, folding her favourite clothes and placing them neatly in her shoulder bag. Raziya was running away.
She made her way towards the door silently, and then retraced her steps.
Right. Pokémon.
She pulled open the second drawer of her desk. She loved her desk, everything about it. The pale yellow color, the texture, the swirly carvings. But most of all, it was the only thing she didn't have to share with Faris. She sighed and looked at her sad collection of pokéballs. Four red and white spheres were nestled in between a few books. Raziya pulled them out and tucked them into the special pokéball compartments, which were located at the very front of her shoulder bag. She sighed and longingly ran her hand over the two empty pokéball pockets.
'…Don't do it!' Faris suddenly said from the top bunk.
Raziya froze and slowly turned around.
That was close. She thought after realizing Faris was still sleeping. Thank god she's such a heavy sleeper.
Raziya zipped up her bag, swung it over her shoulder, and made left the room. Once she got to the kitchen she read over the note that she left on the fridge.
Dear Mom,
Don't worry about me, okay?
I have to go away for a while, but I'll call, I promise.
Love your mediocre daughter,
Raziya
Okay. Let's go. She opened the front door and took a deep breath of morning air. Raziya took one last look at her perfect little house, and her perfect little city. She turned her head and gazed out to the ocean. Sailboats were zooming across the water, barely visible in the moonlight. She checked her watch. 4:17 AM. Tying her hair back into a ponytail, Raziya silently got on her bike. She rode down the road, not looking back even once. Jasmine, the Gym Leader of Olivine, was sitting on the roadside, staring up at the moon with her Steelix. They exchanged awkward smiles. It wasn't every day you see a young girl biking at four in the morning. Jasmines gaze returned to the moon, and Raziya carried on. Though Jasmine and Faris were close friends, Raziya had never favoured her too much. She thought Jasmine was a bit too much of a hippie for her. Jasmine always liked to be with her Pokémon. No matter where she was, Jasmine never kept both of her Pokémon in pokéballs. Raziya thought of her Pokémon crammed into her backpack and felt guilty. As soon as she turned the corner off of Napiden Lane, she released her Sandshrew from his pokéball.
Sandshrew climbed up onto her backpack and squealed in her ear. 'Shrew!' he said.
Raziya laughed and then blushed. She looked around, to see if anyone heard her.
No one was there, so she began to converse with Sandshrew. 'What's it like inside a pokéball?' She asked.
'Sandshrew.' He replied simply.
'Is it small?'
'…Sand!' He was obviously tired of the topic. Sandshrew jumped up onto Raziya's head and began clawing at her hair.
'Stop it!' She giggled. 'You're messing up my hair!'
Sandshrew obeyed, and worked his way underneath her hair and back onto the pack.
Travel by bike was quick. They sped through the city and started down Route 39. There were some trees, but not enough to block the moon from lighting their path. Raziya passed MooMoo's Miltank Farm, and smiled at the Miltanks snoring under a tree.
After what seemed like days, the sun was almost fully in the sky. Raziya immediately noticed their surroundings had changed.
Apparently, so had Sandshrew. 'Shrew?' He asked.
'I think we're on Route 38 now.' Raziya looked around and spotted a building in the distance. 'That's the entrance to Ecruteak! I'm sure of it.'
Sandshrew was happy with this reply. 'Rew! Sandshrew!'
They advanced on the building, and noticed many morning Pokémon stirring.
A grazing Tauros gave Sandshrew a menacing look, and Sandshrew bared his tiny teeth in return.
'Sandshrew!' Raziya sternly said.
'San…' He stuck his tongue out at the Tauros.
'Don't be rude.' Raziya said, but had to smile at his cheekiness.
She glanced down at her watch and realized it said 31:00. 'Crap…must be broken…' She muttered.
They approached the building, and entered.
'Hello.' She awkwardly waved to the guard as she walked her bike through the building.
'Do you have the time?' She asked.
'It's about…8:30-ish?' the guard guessed.
'Okay, thank you.' Raziya smiled.
'Sandshrew!' Sandshrew waved as they exited.
On the other side of the building was the quiet town of Ecruteak.
Raziya hopped back on her bike and looked around. The sun was now shining brightly, and people were just starting to stir. At the far end of town there was a huge tower, surrounded by a beautiful green forest. Closer to where she was standing, there was a tower of equal magnificence. Raziya made her way towards a Pokémon center, located in the middle of town. Ecruteak was almost as big as Olivine, but with less buildings.
Sandshrew was beginning to doze off on top of Raziya's backpack.
'We're almost at the pokécenter, we'll have breakfast there.' She assured him.
Sandshrew replied with a yawn.
They reached the pokécenter, and Raziya locked her bike up outside. They then entered, and seated themselves at a table. A pretty young nurse came from a back room and greeted them with a smile.
'Good morning! Can I help you?'
Raziya smiled back. 'We're just going to sit here and eat. Is that alright?'
'Oh of course. Have a nice day!' She walked back into the other room.
Raziya pulled a small, black, lunch bag out of her pack. She retrieved two sandwiches from inside and placed one in front of Sandshrew.
'Shrew!' Without hesitating, he greedily began to eat it.
'Chew your food Sandshrew!' Raziya laughed as he inhaled most of his breakfast.
Raziya finished her sandwich and let Sandshrew curl up in her lap.
About five minutes later, Raziya returned Sandshrew to his pokéball, being careful not to wake him. She then gathered her things and left the pokécenter.