"Hey, it's time to wake up."
Cole groaned as the voice interrupted his vague thoughts, subconsciously drawing the covers over his head. He thought he heard someone sigh at a distance – or was that just his imagination? All he wanted was some sleep; it had been a while since he'd had a comfy bed . . . right?
"Come on now, up, up."
The voice sounded closer.
In response, Cole let out an audible sigh as he buried his head into his pillow, leaving only his jet black hair visible. Maybe if he ignored them, they'd just go away and let him sleep.
"You leave me no choice then . . ." the voice responded again, their footsteps heavy against the floorboards.
Good, he thought vaguely, drifting off again.
He had no plans on getting up early.
Shaking their head at Cole's actions, they crossed the small room, smirking slightly as she pictured his response. Upon reaching the far wall, Erika reached out, grabbing a handful of the dull curtains. Glancing momentarily at Cole's sleeping figure, she chuckled slightly as she pulled the curtains back with a flourish. As the bright sun poured into the room, Cole groaned in protest as he gripped the comforter tighter.
The day couldn't start off that bad . . .
"Honestly," Erika mumbled. "You're turning me into my mother!" And just like that, she reached forward, pulling the comforter back.
Cole let out a stifled yell as he made a move to grab it back. His nose curled up, a grumble escaping his lips as his eyes opened, the sun assaulting him. Blinking a couple times, his hand now blocking the sun, he noticed Erika leaning against the window frame, a smile on her lips.
"What'd you do that for?" he grumbled, flopping back down in the bed, adding the pillow over his head.
Erika shrugged; her hands on her hips. "In all fairness, I did tell you to get up, but someone didn't want to listen. So, I did what my mom always did," she let out a laugh, pushing herself away from the wall. "Now, get up and get dressed. Don't make me come back up here again . . ." She said with a laugh, crossing the room. "You've got five minutes," she added before closing the door behind her.
I wonder what his mother was like, she thought to herself as she started down the hallway.
Cole sighed, narrowing his eyes at the bright world outside the window. Frowning slightly, he reached over to close the curtains, engulfing the room in dim darkness again. "School . . ." he mumbled, running a hand underneath his eyes. "Just what I always wanted . . ."
Shaking his head, the black haired youth grumbled to himself as he pushed himself out of the bed. Moving across the room, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, he turned on the small touch lamp on the dresser. Running a hand through his messy locks, dressed in Erika's brothers' old clothes, he frowned at the reflection in the mirror.
His hair stood up in every which direction – something told him it was more then just bed head though. As he took in his tanned skin, he wondered idly where he had been.
"Hey, looks like you made it out of bed alright," Erika said, opening the door as she knocked. "Your clothes are still hanging to dry outside, so, unfortunately, you'll just have to wear some more of my brother's old things in the meantime." she said, passing Cole the folded clothes in her arm. "The school opens up in an hour, so get changed and then come down from breakfast, alright? We've got a lot to do."
Cole nodded as he turned on his heel, closing his door behind him. As he dropped the clothes on the bed, he heard Erika's shoes clicking against the hardwood underfoot as she disappeared downstairs. Glancing back at the old clothes, he shrugged, reaching for the baggy, worn out jeans.
###
Melody pushed her bangs back, allowing the sound of the calm waves to quiet her thoughts. Humming lightly to herself as the warm wind rustled around her, she pulled the old ocarina from her messenger bag, fingering the correct holes. Closing her eyes, she brought it up to her lips, playing the familiar tune she'd heard since her childhood. She knew she didn't need to practice – she could play this in her sleep – but with the festival starting later that night, she wanted to be prepared.
Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps on the rocky path behind her, listening to her playing. Playing the last note, Melody let out a sigh, dropping the ocarina from her lips, returning it to her messenger bag. She paused however, catching sight of sandal's behind her.
"Hmm . . .?" she mumbled, glancing up. "Oh, hi Karol."
"Melody," her sister responded with a nod, moving to sit down on the ledge as well. "I have good news."
"Uh huh," Melody shrugged, returning her sapphire eyes to the glinting water. "I'm so excited for tonight."
"Right," Karol laughed, rolling her eyes. "I know sarcasm when I hear it, Melody. Anyway, the trainer woke up about half an hour ago . . ."
"Hooray," she mumbled, her tone dead. "Elder Terrance must be beside himself with joy," she shook her head with a smirk before stopping mid sentence. "I still can't believe it . . . it's just my luck though, having to get a girl trainer! Why couldn't I get someone cool like Paul or . . . no, maybe not Harley."
How was it that her sister got everything she didn't?
"Harley," her sister said with a sigh, shrugging. "Well, that was interesting to say the least.
Melody shrugged, leaning back on her palms. "I still can't believe you actually gave that guy the Traditional Welcome Kiss. I tell you though, I refuse in this case."
Karol let out a laugh, ignoring the scathing look Melody sent her. "Well, you'll be happy to hear that Elder Terrance and the council have agreed to overlook it in this case."
"Good!" Melody huffed, kicking her feet against the ledge. Slipping down into the sand, Melody stretched her limbs out. Brushing the sand off her jeans, she grinned at Karol, pushing her sunglasses up her nose again. "Well, I'll see you in a little bit then; I've got some things to do."
Karol nodded, watching the brunette start down the beach as she leaned back on her palms. "Just don't forget you're the main event!" she yelled after the retreating figure, who merely waved her off, shouting something incoherent back.
Frowning, she shook her head, closing her eyes momentarily. She couldn't say she was looking forward to wearing the traditional headset. In that case, Melody had it lucky.
But, naturally, Melody didn't see that.
Melody shrugged off her sister's comments as she slipped her headphones onto her head, turning the volume up. The main event . . . the playing of the ocarina and reciting the old legend – no doubt she could do that in her sleep too.
###
Jackie drummed his fingers on the windowsill before him, staring blankly at the wind beating against the window. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he thought back to the eventful morning, one thing after another.
To start off, Willow had overslept, leaving the blonde haired Ranger to appear outside her door, rudely waking her up. With her hair sticking up in every direction, dressed in purple pajamas, she'd woken up in a hurry – appearing in the training hall half an hour later, ready to go.
After giving her a lecture of being on time, he began drilling her to test her skill in Pokémon knowledge. He did admit he was surprised at her knowledge, the red haired teen just shrugging when he asked her how she knew all this.
With that, he'd decided that after lunch they'd start looking at the skills she possessed on the field. He wanted to test her tactics and decision making abilities that Pokémon Rangers had to be well equipped with.
That's why he had told her to come back at one. He wanted to study her endurance and ability on the makeshift field in Hall E until five, when dinner was served.
Overhead, the clock chimed quarter after one.
Letting out a groan, he rolled his eyes, shooting the door a glare.
His eyes narrowed as the door slowly creaked open, Willow sheepishly stepping into the room, a forced grin on her features. Jackie's eyes narrowed again, making the red head pause.
"Er . . . hi Jackie . . ."
"Willow," he nodded in her direction. "What time is it?"
Her teal eyes flashed to the clock overhead. "It's one fifteen."
"What took you so long?" he asked matter-of-factly, moving away from the wall.
"Um . . . I took a wrong turn in the Treecko Wing and I might have ended up in Squirtle Corridor . . . this place is really confusing!" she huffed, hands on her hips.
Jackie let out a laugh, stopping before Willow, reaching out to rustle her hair. "Well, whatever, it really doesn't matter now, does it? We're heading over to the Scyther Wing for Endurance Training."
"Great . . ." Willow mumbled, smiling half heartedly. "I wasn't a fan of gym class."
Jackie laughed. "You washed up on the wrong Island then, kiddo. So, are you coming or not?"
"Yeah, let's get going!" she said with a nod. She had to show Solona what she knew. "So, what goes on in these Endurance things . . .?"
"Well," he said, ushering her through the door. "We've got to see how you work under pressure above all else. How well and quickly you can calm the Pokémon in distress and smooth the situation out. Naturally, for all of this, time is of the essence, but don't forget any task . . . or, well, you'll hear about it," he laughed, smirking in her direction.
Without a doubt, Willow knew he meant Misha Varsa.
"What's the record to beat?" she asked nonchalant, trying to change the subject.
"In the enclosed area, two and a half minutes," Willow shook her head, from the look on his face. Willow figured he'd set the record. "It took me two and a half months to get that timing down," he added with a shrug.
"Two months, you say?" Willow mumbled, following behind the blonde Ranger.
She watched Jackie's every move as they moved down the hallways – vaguely paying attention to where she was heading – her mind whirling. She fumbled idly with the communicator on her wrist, a plan forming in her mind. Not paying attention, she didn't notice Jackie come to a stop at the end of the corridor until she almost walked into him. Mumbling a sorry, she watched as he took out an ID card from his pockets, slipping it into the slot above the door handle.
"You better park your pride here," Jackie said with a laugh, pushing the door open. "Everyone loses the first time."
"Humph," Willow grumbled, tossing her head high as she stalked past him. "We'll see."
She was going to wipe that smirk off his face.
###
Jessie couldn't believe her luck as she took in the food laden table before her. Her cerulean eyes watched the others sitting at the table as she warily reached forward, adding everything within reach onto her empty plate. With her plate full, she couldn't help but grin, her eyes widening slightly.
Something told her that this didn't happen often.
Tentatively, she reached for the fork beside her plate, glancing briefly at the two across from her. Taking in the sight of the elderly couple, she smiled at them as she brought the chicken to her lips.
What was she supposed to say?
"We must say, we are glad that you have finally awoken," Elder Terrance said, breaking the silence. "You arrived on the Island just in time," he added, his wise eyes staring at the red head.
Jessie paused, looking at the elderly couple. "Where –?" she shook her head. "How did I get here?"
"My granddaughter found you, washed up on the shore yesterday morning." Samantha said, smiling kindly at her. "I will say though, you did give everybody quiet a startle at first. As for where you are, you're currently on Shamoutti Island, just on the outskirts of the Orange Islands."
"The Orange Islands?" she mumbled to herself, frowning slightly. "Well, I guess I should thank the both of you for the hospitality and the food. I should be –"
"Oh no my dear," Elder Terrance interrupted, waving the comment aside. "You arrived on our Island at just the right time, as our yearly festival is upon us. To tell you the truth, you actually awoke just in time for tonight's activities."
"Wait – a festival?" she grinned, her mind whirling. "I haven't been to one of those in ages!"
Terrance let out a laugh, hiding it behind his hand as he glanced at the woman beside him. "Hear that Samantha? The girl likes festivals."
Jessie raised an eyebrow. "What are you . . .?"
"It's the festival of the Chosen One – it's to celebrate the relationships between the Pokémon and us humans. The first trainer that appears on our Island in the days prior is always our guest of honor. In this case our trainer is you."
"But . . ." Jessie trailed off, frowning. "I don't have any –"
"We found you with a Poke ball," Samantha cut in, guessing her thoughts. "Although there wasn't any Pokémon inside, you are still our first trainer to arrive this year."
"It was empty?" she mumbled to herself, glancing up at the ceiling. "But where . . . it was . . ." she shook her head. "This is . . . I'm so confused!"
Her fork dropped to the table in a clatter, the red head letting out a surprised cry before burying her head in her hands. Elder's Terrance and Samantha exchanged glances, resulting in Terrance shrugging. Samantha shot him a look as she pushed herself out of her chair before bustling over to where Jessie sat, tentatively putting her hand on the girls' shoulder.
"It's alright, sweetie, don't stress yourself out. We'll find your Pokémon friend. He can't have gone that far, maybe he'll appear at tonight's festivities," she said calmly, looking at the bright side. "Come now, we have to get you ready for the festival, we already have your outfit all laid out for you."
Jessie nodded, smiling up at the woman standing beside her. At Samantha's motions, Jessie picked herself up from the chair, and allowed the elderly woman to grab lead her away. Standing taller then the older woman, she couldn't help but grin as she was led down the brightly lit corridor.
The floorboards creaked under foot, and all she could think was that something was wrong. That something – someone – was missing.
###
Brock sighed, trying to clear his mind. The pier underfoot creaked and moved with the motions of the wave, the water splashing up between the wooden boards. He could hear the calls of the seaside market behind him, calling out to the people as they past by. The sun beat down on the tourist town, the ships' hulls towering overhead. That was one thing the picturesque town didn't lack, there seemed to always be ships coming and going, which had gotten him wondering.
His slate eyes glanced at the towering hulls overhead, wondering where they were headed. He couldn't explain it, but he found himself wishing he was on one of these ships heading out. All of the sudden, Brock had an interest in heading out and seeing the world. He couldn't live in the Pokémon Center forever . . .
The thought had crossed his mind the night previous as one of Nurse Joy's Chansey arrived at the rectangular table, dropping off a couple of trays. Brock listened idly as the trainers at the other end of the table discussed their battle strategies and their latest catches. He found himself tuning out the idle chatter, his nose curling up at the taste of the bland food.
Upon returning to his small room, his mind whirling, he pulled out the desks' chair, placing it in front of the window. Walking over to the night table, he grabbed the pad of paper, returning to the desk. Slumping down into it, he flipped open the pad, frowning as he glanced out at the harbour.
He didn't know what had brought it on, but all he could think about was Rice Cakes – the recipe fully formed in his head.
Two hours later, the pad was half full, one recipe following another.
"Excuse me?" A harsh voice said, thick with accent, cutting into Brock's thoughts. "What do you mean the customers are tired of my cooking? It is a delicacy!"
Brock blinked, hearing the echo of the voices against the hulls. He frowned slightly, crossing his arms across his chest as he paused on the pier. "We have been serving them the same thing up and down the coast for the past month. For the journey to Sinnoh, they want new food to be served. You're a chef Alvin, you should be able to –"
"I've cooked what I've known – your customers are too demanding. Their money has gone to their heads."
Hmm, Brock thought to himself, his mind whirling, his pace slow.
A slight grin broke on his features as he noticed two figures standing up ahead, half hidden by a towering ships' hull. "Um . . ." he said lowly, stopping a couple feet away from the two. "I think I can help you . . ."
The two's conversation came to a stop, glancing over their shoulders at the tanned teen. The chef had a look of annoyance on his face at the irruption, his comment dying on his lips as the captain held up a hand for silence. In his crisp white uniform, the captain glanced at Brock, his face expressionless. The chef's eyes were narrowed at the sight of Brock with his brown shaggy hair hanging around his ears, his clothes baggy, and a couple Poke balls on his belt.
"Is there something we can 'elp you with?" The chef, Alvin said; his voice monotone, his accent think. "We're busy 'ere."
"Ah, yes," Brock said, jumping slightly at the harsh tone. "I just happened to overhear your conversation . . ."
"You 'ave no right, this is a –"
"Hold on," the ships' captain said, holding his hand up again. "What would you have to offer us?" he asked, holding Brock's gaze, making the teen fidget under his stare. "This is a Five Star luxury cruise ship that sails the world."
"I have quite a few recipes –"
Alvin scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Where 'ave you gone to school?"
"Er . . ." Brock floundered, his expression falling.
Smirking, Alvin turned his back on Brock, having no further use for him. On the other hand, however, the ships' captain frowned, his sharp eyes taking in Brock's appearance. "We are heading to Cianwood in the Johto Region before continuing on to the Sinnoh Region. If your skill is as good as you believe, we will give you until we reach Cianwood – a two weeks journey from here – to prove yourself to myself, Alvin here and of course, the customers' appetite . . ."
"Oh," Brock said, shaking his head at his mistake. "It's Brock."
He still hadn't figured out his last name, but the two before him didn't seem to care.
"Well, we're setting out at eight am sharp – if you're not here, you're done." Brock nodded, fiddling with the notepad in his back pocket. "You have a lot to prove, young man. Now, if you'll excuse us."
Brock nodded again, taking his place. "I thank you both greatly for this opportunity. I'll be here bright and early then."
Turning on his heel, he waved over his shoulder as he headed back down the pier, a grin appearing on his features. As his feet hit the wooden pier, rocking with every step, he couldn't stop the ideas whirling around in his brain. He had no idea where these ideas were coming from as he made his way back to the Pokémon Center.
###
Erika pushed her hair back, the wind blowing her hair in all directions. Nodding to herself, she reached forward, knocking on the wooden door before her. Her emerald eyes glanced back at the dark haired teen behind her as her arm fell back to her side. Hearing a muffled response from the other side of the door, she beckoned Cole forward, rolling her eyes as he dragged his feet.
"Come on, at least look alive," she mumbled to him. Shaking her head, she reached forward for the doorknob, pushing the door open moments later.
"Hello Professor Goodshow, thanks for setting aside time to see me today." she said formally, pausing just inside the office, Cole in the doorframe.
"Of course my dear," the older man said, waving her inside. "If I do recall correctly, you were the top in your class Miss. Erika Evans."
Erika laughed, her lips turning up in a smile, a light blush gracing her cheeks. "You have a good memory, but I haven't come here today to revisit the past," she said, the carpet muting her footsteps as she crossed the room, sitting in the chair opposite the desk. Cole followed after her, slumping into the seat beside her. "I know it's a bit late – what with the applications being due months ago – but this here is Cole Thompson. His parents sent him to me from Petalburg in the Hoenn Region to apply to the academy –"
"Now Erika," Professor Goodshow interrupted, suppressing a laugh. "You know that in my thirty years of working here, that I've never bent the rules for any students' parents or guardians."
"Oh, I know that," Erika sighed, rolling her eyes. "I still remember that detention from my third year here. I know you're a stickler for rules," – here, Goodshow let out a laugh – "But, that's beside the point," Erika said, waving the comment away. "If you just think it over, that's all I'm asking."
"Erika –"
"It's a Pokémon Academy," Erika said, a glint in her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "How about a test then, give Cole here a second year –"
"Skip two grades? Erika, you're pushing your luck here."
Cole sighed, slumping down further in his chair, a slight frown on his face. He glanced from Erika to Professor Goodshow as he closed his eyes momentarily. He wasn't going to admit it, but Erika sure seemed good at arguing her point. He could see Professor Goodshow giving in to the intense blue haired girl; she seemed to have a way with words.
"I'm in retail, I'm persuasive by nature," she chirped, winking at him. "There's a reason I have the most sought after perfume in all of Celadon."
Cole held back a laugh, a smile appearing on his lips as Erika voiced his thoughts.
Goodshow sighed, leaning back in his chair as he ran a hand over his face. "I see you haven't changed much from your Academy days. I'll give him one chance Erika – one – but he has to score at least an eighty five percent or higher to be considered."
Erika frowned, but nodded after a moment, glancing over at Cole, who'd been silent this whole time. "You hear that, Cole? You're going to have to make yourself really stand out, got that?"
Cole nodded mutely, looking from Erika to Goodshow and back again. "I'm confident in myself, no problem."
I've seen my fair share of Pokémon anyway, he thought idly, pausing a second later. Where did that come from?
He didn't even have a Pokémon . . .
"You'll have to come back around two," Goodshow said with a frown. "The boards going to question me on this, you know."
"Yes," Erika said, moving to stand up, motioning Cole to do the same. "I owe you one for this – bring Miranda around the shop sometime, alright? I know her birthday's next month, so anything she wants is on me, alright? No charge, we'll be seeing you later then." With a wave over her shoulder, Erika pulled the door open, disappearing out into the hallway.
Cole blinked at the transaction going on before him, smiling tentatively at Professor Goodshow. "Thanks for all this," he said, before turning to follow after Erika. The blue haired woman was waiting outside in the hall, rooting through her purse. "Erika, I have to ask," curiosity eating away at him, "What did you do in your third year?"
Erika paused, letting out an awkward laugh, making Cole raise an eyebrow. "That's a secret. A-hah," she exclaimed, finding her keys. "I have to open my shop up soon. You're going to have some time to kill, so why don't you have a look around the city?"
"Alright," Cole said, following after her. "I'll see you in a bit then."
"Don't you get lost!" Erika called after him, cringing at the thought that she sounded like her mother. "I've pulled all these strings for you."
Cole laughed, pushing open the Academy door. "I heard you – see you in a bit!"
Erika sighed, her keys jingling in her hand as she caught the Academy doors, her heels hitting against the cement.
She never thought she'd become like her mother so soon . . .
###
James took a swig of his water as she stowed his scissors in the pouch tied around his waist. Sighing to himself, he sat himself down upon the rickety old stool he'd found down an alley the night previous. He glanced around the busy streets, watching the people go by.
He could feel the weight of the money in his cargo pants' pocket; he hadn't expected his talent to be this well received. Staring blankly ahead, he wondered idly about the apartment for rent sign he'd seen on Second Street. Stowing his water bottle back in his shoulder bag, he frowned, pondering what restaurant he should get lunch from.
Lost in thought, he didn't hear footsteps hitting the cement, their eyes trained on the single figure underneath the unlit streetlight. Pushing her long hair back, her faithful Vulpix at her heels, she smiled at the people she past by, knowing a majority of the townspeople's names by heart.
"I see you've gotten off to a good start here," she said, coming to a stop before him.
James blinked, jumping out of his thoughts as he looked up. He paused momentarily, his eyes widening as he took in the blue haired woman standing before him in a white button up outfit, Vulpix at her feet. "S-Suzy Lamont . . ."
He'd seen her face on the magazine covers at the stall down the street.
She nodded, briefly smiling. "So, I see you've heard of me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I must say, my clients seem intrigued by you."
James blinked, surprise etched on his face. "I . . ." he shook his head. "I apologize."
Suzy giggled slightly, waving his words away. "One of my regular customers informed me of your arrival in town. I saw your work yesterday from the crowd," – here, James took a breath, Suzy's face unreadable – "Which leads me to my request. If you're as good as you say you are; this should be no problem. My Vulpix doesn't let anyone but myself groom her. But, I wonder how you would handle this situation."
James glanced down at the fiery type at Suzy's feet. He'd read about Suzy and her Vulpix in enough magazines to know the two like the back of his hand. The fact that he knew so much about the two before him and the bottle cap collection in the bottom of his bag, but so little about himself . . . made him wonder.
"You want me too . . . but you never . . ."
Suzy grinned, nodding at the comment. "I hear that you're good for an amateur – but can you handle a professional's Pokémon? If you can do it without getting to many burns, we'll talk business."
Intrigued, James pushed himself off the stool, glancing down at the fire type's shiny coat. "I assume that you don't want to do it here then, Miss. Lamont, so, when should I stop by the Salon?"
"I close to the public at six, Mr. . . ." she trailed off, looking him in the eye.
"Jim Kanilan," he supplied, holding out his hand to her. "I'll see you then."
"Indeed," Suzy said, shaking his hand. "Make sure you bring your best supplies. My Vulpix is very picky."
Jim nodded, letting go of her hand, allowing his hand to fall back to his side. He had all the confidence he needed; he wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.
###
The automatic doors swung open to allow Brock entrance to the Pokémon Center, the foyer bustling with trainers milling around, the phones lining the wall occupied. Without batting an eye at him, Brock crossed the open pass, a grin appearing on his features as he reached Nurse Joy's desk, leaning casually on it. Catching sight of him, the pink haired nurse grinned as she looked up from her computer screen, turning the sheet she was working on over.
"Well, you look happier then you did yesterday," she trailed off, her bangs falling in her eyes as she glanced up. "What's gotten into you?"
Brock shook his head, waving the comment aside. "After tonight, I wont be needing my rental room here anymore," – not that he had any money to pay for it – "Your dinner last night reminded me of some old recipes . . . I have a majority of them written in here." He waved his small notepad before him. "I have a temporary position upon the cruise liner Alavanti until they reach the Johto Region."
He could hunt for forgotten memories later.
Nurse Joy allowed a small smile to appear on her features. Leaning back in her chair, she folded her arms in front of her, taking in the teen before her. "I see, well, I wish you luck in your journey. Now, you'll get to see the whole world now."
Brock nodded; he hadn't thought of that yet. He'd been going over the conversation on the pier in his head, worrying slightly about what he would do if in Cianwood City, they decided they didn't need his recipes. "Well, I don't know how much sightseeing I'll get to do," he added after a moment, letting out an awkward laugh. "But, it's a good opportunity."
Nurse Joy nodded, the phone on her desk starting to ring. "If you're ever in the area again Brock, come back and say hi – best of luck on your journey." she said, reaching for the phone.
Both of them, she thought inwardly.
It was another slow night, leaving the Pokémon Nurse sitting alone at her desk, having just hung up from her cousin in Cinnabar Island. Sighing, she pushed her pink hair back, drumming her fingers against the desktop as she glanced at the clock hanging behind her.
Seven fifty five pm.
Usually Friday's were never this slow. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that there had been no cruise ships docking in the town today or maybe it was that the tourists roaming the town just weren't Pokémon Trainers.
Needless to say, she wasn't used to her Pokémon Center being practically empty. Even her Chansey's had nothing to do as they paced back and forth in the foyer, glancing out the windows now and again.
Lost in her own thoughts, the pink haired woman jumped as the automatic doors whirled open, allowing a single person entrance.
"Welcome to –" she paused, midsentence. "Oh my, are you alright? Come, sit down."
The person standing in the doorway, looked no older then fifteen, drenched and looking like he had just survived a hurricane. Pushing herself away from her desk, her Chansey's already leading the youth towards the seats as her heels clicked rapidly against the tiled floor.
"You look like you've run into some trouble," she said slowly, worry etched across her face as she came to a stop before him. "Are you okay? Chansey – go get some blankets for him, please."
"Chans," the Pokémon replied, turning around, quickly moving across the foyer and out of sight.
The tanned teen nodded slowly at her question, slowly glancing up to look at the pink haired woman. "Yeah . . ." he said slowly, his voice hoarse. "It just feels like . . ." It sounded like his voice hadn't been used in a while. "Something's missing."
Nurse Joy frowned, crossing her arms in front of her as she sat down on the edge of the chair behind her. "Well, you have your Pokémon and your backpack," she said, looking him over as Chansey arrived, blankets in hand. "Thank you Chansey. Now, you should really dry up, I have some empty rooms available. I'll look after your Pokémon for you in the meantime."
Brock thanked her, taking the offered blanket from her. Unfolding it, he threw it around his shoulders before fumbling with the Poke balls on his belt, handing them off to Nurse Joy afterwards.
"Chansey here will show you to your room, alright? Your Pokémon will be fine in my care," she added after a moment.
The teen nodded, picking himself out of the seat, his feet squelching in his shoes as he followed after Chansey.
"It looks like he was drowned," Joy mumbled to herself, frowning as he disappeared around the corner.
"I wonder . . ." Joy mumbled, drumming her fingers against the desktop. "It couldn't be . . ." she said, the pieces falling into place.
Shaking her head, she scooted her chair closer to her computer, curiosity gnawing at her as she grabbed her mouse. Clicking on her directory, she quickly scrolled through it, coming to a stop as she found Vermillion City. Clicking on the link, she sighed as she leaned back in her chair, waiting for the connection to be accepted.
Surely her sister at the Pokémon Center there would be able to confirm her suspicions. It couldn't just be a coincidence – could it?
###
A/N –
Chapter Three down and things are starting to turn.
Now; Character Profiles.
Name: Erika Evans
Age: 25 Years Old
Birthday: March 21st
Hometown: Celadon City, Kanto
Bio: Erika grew up in Celadon City and has spent a majority of her time in the bustling city. As a child, she had a slight fear of Pokémon, a reason she could never really explain. Her parents were botanists, whose flower shop was run out of the Greenhouse behind their house. Although she wasn't a fan of Pokemon, she still helped her parents out in the shop; hiding behind the counter as her parents Grass Type's ventured now and again into the front. It wasn't until Erika was eight and the store was busy that she was sent into the Greenhouse to locate a plant for a customer. Having never been by herself in the Greenhouse, Erika became easily lost and with a Grimer Pokemon having managed to set up residence in there as well (a door had gotten left open again) only to become cornered by the Sludge Type, a Gloom passing by moments later.
As Erika became ten years old, she opted out of starting out on her Pokemon Trainer journey. Instead, with her Gloom at her side, her parents enrolled her at the Pokemon Academy. As she learned the ins and outs of Pokemon – everything from their biology to the basics of taking care of them – she continued to work at her parents Greenery. Upon graduating five years later from the Academy, at the top of her class no less, Erika returned to the Greenery, taking over for her parents as they retired.
With her suggestive selling and knowledge on all products, Erika found their profits increasing year after year, which led her to buy a storefront on the main street. Yet again, the profits increased as she gained more attention from travelers and trainers moving between Vermillion and Saffron City.
With the annual Pokemon Trainers setting out each year, and the numbers of the Academy's decreasing each year, the Pokemon League found there was an increasing demand on their current four Gym Leaders. With Kanto's cities growing larger, they decided to open up an extra four Gym's – Pewter, Celadon, Fuchsia cities and Cinnabar Island being added. With her grades from the Academy and her strong bond with her Pokemon it wasn't a surprise as the League approached her, citing they would like offer her the offer of Gym Leader.
With that, Erika became the Gym Leader of Celadon City, while maintaining the Greenery turned Perfume Shop. When she first sees "Cole" standing lost and confused outside her shop, she finds herself interested in the dark haired youth. Her curiosity is only intensified when she confronts him in the Celadon Park where he appears confused again, unsure what it is he is truly after. Intrigued by him, Erika watches his actions and movements, the mystery of him getting the better of her. What type of ten year old didn't want to have his own Pokemon Journey? If there's one thing Erika doesn't like, is a mystery keeping her up at night.