Hello there! I am thinking about modifying this chapter in the near future, for whatever reason, if you decide to stop reading, or not to read any of the following chapters, it would be extremely helpful to have any indication as to why you have stopped here. Thank you for reading!
PRAISE FOR INFINITE LEGACIES:
Unsure about reading? Here's what my reviewers have had to say about the story!
'I really like how in the previous chapters Flame was pretty intelligent and could handle himself, but when Frost shows up, his character seems inferior by comparison. It could be him becoming flustered, but it's an interesting dichotomy that shows off just how strong Frost is.'—KokoroEcho (Chapter 7)
'I like the comparison between Flame and Selina. She seems neat and tidy, he seems . . . unkempt, haha. And I like that every chapter isn't about Pokemon battling. Stuff between characters is good too.'—CrescentApple (Chapter 12)
'Brilliant. Your storytelling is harmonious along with the beautiful grip you have on the story's plot. To be honest, this is the best plot continuity I ever came across on this website. Please finish the story.'—SudiptoDam19 (Chapter 14)
'The comment about Shuppet and how it could have collected Flame's negative thoughts from earlier was *chef's kiss*. This was an absolute slobber knocker of a battle. I'm so looking forward to where Flame goes from here. This win definitely feels earned for Flame, as you've taken your time getting to it. Because of that, you have easily one of the best fanfics on the site.'—KokoroEcho (Chapter 24)
'"His confidence had hardened until it turned to arrogance" - Dayum! For fanfiction characters, I think Declan is in my top three. I just really love how you write him. He's such a well-rounded character, and especially the way that he felt like he should have done more for Frost was incredibly touching. No! Bidoof is an HM slave?! No!'—KokoroEcho (Chapter 25)
POKÉMON: INFINITE LEGACIES
THE CIPRYS REGION
CHAPTER 1
WELCOME TO CIPRYS! A NEW BEGINNING!
A woman in a white lab coat looked fondly over the crowd before her, a Bulbasaur near her side. "I offer my deepest congratulations to each and every one of you!" she addressed those before her, staring deeply into their eyes as if she held a magnifying glass over their hearts.
"Bulba," Bulbasaur agreed with a yawn. "Bulbasaur."
"You have all studied hard for many years to reach this moment," the professor continued, "to gain your Trainer's License, to venture out and discover the wonders of our beautiful island paradise for yourself! Our ocean and sky, our forests and plains, our towns and cities, and—most importantly—our Pokémon are waiting to be discovered by you!"
"Don't forget tomorrow to come down to the lab one last time, I promise, to choose one of many starter Pokémon. And always remember, as your teacher, I look forward to seeing you again one day, learning how you responded to the challenges you undoubtedly will face on your journeys. So, without further ado, welcome to the world of Pokémon! Whatever dreams you may hope to achieve and whatever legacy you may hope to leave behind you, trainers, good luck and always give it your very best shot and you will never fail!"
A trainer with flames in his eyes looked back at her.
A trainer with platinum-white hair looked back at her.
And many others looked back at her, all with different dreams.
Their journeys in the world of Pokémon are only just beginning . . .
The story of the Ciprys region is only just beginning . . .
The legacies of Flame and Frost—and many more—are only just beginning . . .
This is Pokémon: Infinite Legacies.
"Today's the day—are you excited?"
Flame buckled up his bag, turned, and gave a thumbs-up. "You bet I am, Grandpa!"
"Ah, I remember when I was your age . . . but don't you worry, sonny, I won't bore you with the details. Just be careful out there, okay? There's a reason the Pokémon League raised the age limit for you young trainers, y'know."
"I know, Grandpa."
"And don't you forget those running shoes your mum sent you."
"They're in my bag."
"And, oh yeah, before I forget, I have something to give you. A present, if you will."
Surprise widened Flame's eyes as his grandpa took a Poké Ball out from his pocket. "Are you sure?" Flame said.
Flame's grandfather smiled. "Of course, I'm sure! I wouldn't be saying otherwise. She hatched from her egg not too long ago, as you know from all the time you've spent caring for her—and like you, I get the impression she's itching to head out on an adventure. Even with you visiting the Professor's lab, a Pokémon trainer can never have too many Pokémon. Besides, I did owe you a graduation present. She's with Juli at the lab. I asked her to check up on her before you left, just to be safe, so just remind Juli before you leave."
Flame accepted the gift, happily: "Thank you, Grandpa. I can't wait to begin my journey, but I'll miss you. You've been great."
"You as well, Flame, you as well. Now, before you reduce this old man to tears, get out there and make me proud."
Flame said, "I will," and hugged his grandfather before exiting the doorway and heading out onto the wide, marble streets of Festivalight City.
Excitement filled his eyes and formed a wide smile on his face. The moment he'd been waiting for ever since he'd been a little kid was unfolding right before him and he was on page one with hundreds left to turn. "The time is now," he hummed, "Time to make a mark, time to claim my legacy," as he made his way to the Professor's lab, the rising sun turning the sky a tropical blue above his head.
At the laboratory, a large cylindrical machine said, "Trainer—select your Pokémon!" to a 13-year-old boy, dark-haired and slim.
The heads of the all the starter Pokémon appeared on a screen, in small squares:
The Kanto starters—Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle—rested in the top row.
Below were the Johto starters: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile.
Hoenn followed with Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip.
Then Sinnoh's trio of Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup.
The Unova starters—Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott—were beneath their Sinnoh counterparts.
Next, representing Kalos, were: Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie.
And then the Alolan trio—Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio—appeared in the second-last row.
Coming Soon! was written over the very last row. Outlined in a bright reddish pink, the main lettering was a rich, cool shade of ocean-blue with an electric-yellow slash cutting diagonally up from left to right. And, if you looked closely enough, you could just about make out the darkened heads of a certain mischievous chimp Pokémon full of boundless curiosity; a certain cute rabbit Pokémon who's red-hot with energy; and a certain water lizard Pokémon, small and timid.
Flame was the one who stood before the giant screen. There are so many to choose from . . . he thought, and I can only pick one.
Ciprys' resident Pokémon Professor, Julietta Aconite, stepped closer. "It's a tough decision, I know. Even if you minus Galar's faraway trio, you still have 21 different pokémon to choose from."
"Why exactly are there so many Pokémon to choose from, Professor? In the other regions, you can only pick from three."
"Hmm . . ." considered Professor Aconite, "that's a good question. Well, it's essentially because Ciprys is toward the centre of all the other regions. Therefore, we can connect with them more easily than others and our climates overlap. Plus, we have all kinds of different regional Pokémon here—alongside some Ciprys-exclusive Pokémon, of course—so it's understandable that we allow trainers to utilise starter Pokémon from those regions too."
The young trainer nodded, but his concentration was on the 21 Pokémon—and on making perhaps the biggest decision of his life. This Pokémon would be his partner forever, their hearts intertwined until their last breaths. He had to choose the right Pokémon for him.
"Take all the time you need," Professor Aconite encouraged, suspecting indecision in her former student.
"I already knew who my partner was going to be before I came here, Professor," Flame admitted, "and there's no reason to change my mind. I choose the fire-type Pokémon, Litten!"
Professor Aconite smiled knowingly. The admirer of Solomon, the boy named Flame, chooses fire—why am I not surprised?
The state-of-the-art machine zoomed in on Litten, said "Congratulations, young trainer!", and dispersed a red-and-white Poké Ball.
Professor Aconite picked up Litten's Poké Ball and handed it to Flame.
The Poké Ball felt lighter in his hand than he thought it would, and it felt neither cold or warm, just somewhere in between. He could hardly believe that Litten was inside, that he held life in his hand. They'd had a whole lecture on the technology, mechanics, and history of the Poké Ball once, but it'd lasted for four hours, and he'd dozed off halfway through.
"I think you made a good choice," Professor Aconite told Flame as he minimised Litten's Ball and deposited it in his bag. "Now," continued the Professor, "here are five more Poké balls and your very own Pokédex. You'll need to rest your Pokémon at Pokémon centres and buy your own potions and status healers along the way, and should you run out of Poké Balls, those too—but these should give you a good headstart in beginning your journey. If you ever need any advice, or just someone to talk to, you know how to contact me. Best of luck, Flame."
Flame already knew all of this, of course, but could understand why the Professor was reminding him. "Don't worry—I know," he responded. "Thank you for all your help, Professor. I'm not sure I would have graduated without it."
Professor Aconite smiled again. "You don't need to thank me Flame. You worked hard, and you're going to be a gifted trainer, I'm sure. Now, just before you go, allow me to transfer your grandfather's Pokémon into your possession."
Once the transfer had been completed, the Professor and Flame wished each other goodbye for a second time. Flame knew that Professor Aconite's guidance had helped him in his darker moments and the occasion ended with a hug.
Flame exited the laboratory thinking of the last three years—his experiences, his teachers, his friends—and feeling a little nostalgic. Despite all the bad moments endured and the struggles to make the grade, the positive memories outweighed the negative ones.
But this was it. The time had come. Finally. He could look at the sunset and reach for the sun and feel that his dreams were closer to becoming reality than ever before. The past was the past, and he was looking forward to the future more than anything else. Pulsing with excitement, he walked with purpose toward the nearest Pokémon Centre to stock up on supplies for the long journey ahead.
Author's Notes:
Hello! Please, please review in good spirit and respect my right to use grammar as I wish! I am aware of certain arguments over capitalisation and such things, but I do not wish for my reviews section to be cluttered up with such comments, nor do I wish to argue with anyone over it. My main concern is writing the story of this here journey! Thank you. I hope you will continue to read and enjoy the rest of Pokémon: Infinite Legacies!
My aim is for my chapters to be generally around 3,000 words so that it isn't too time-consuming for me to write them, or for you to read them.
I would have had the iconic theme of Season 1 instead of the lyrics hummed by Flame earlier on, but I'd rather avoid any copyright issues that might have emerged as a result of using the prior.
Disclaimer: A worldwide phenomena, Pokémon was created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995 and copyright (as of 2019) belongs to the Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures companies. I make no claim to the creation of Pokémon, but I am the creator of the characters, the narratives, and the world that appear in this work of inspired fiction (unless otherwise stated). Some aspects of Pokémon may be adjusted and additional concepts included with the goal of making this story a greater and improved experience for all to enjoy. As the creator of Infinite Legacies, I am the owner of this work of fiction.
'Welcome to Ciprys!' and 'A New Beginning!' (previously Prologue and Chapter 1) were combined together on the 1st January 2020.