Emma

Sunlight beat down from above as the remains of morning dew left water dripping from the nearby trees. Rustboro City had brought a wall of noise from the early hours of the morning as the bustling city bust into life with cars, trucks and workers all trying to reach their destinations. Children headed to the popular Pokemon Trainers Academy as traffic jams and red lights flashed up throughout the city. It was a usual sign for Emma, a daily routine that had plagued her life ever since she was born into the family of Devon. Each day would begin with a shower, a short breakfast and then training would start where her physical attributes would be tested along side Pokemon. As if living in a test tube, her whole consisted of the same boring and tiring rubbish. Home schooled and with friends only with the Pokemon living at the Devon Corporation Laboratory, her patience and time was growing thin with everyone around her. The constant tests, the strict rules, recording of data and the lack of a real life or family, Emma knew her time would come to an end. She had to escape, even if it meant going against her father.

Devon Corporation had been founded by her own father, Devon and his various business partners including Carlton Stone, the father of Hoenn Champion, Steven. He had disappeared a few weeks ago due to the death of his son, and there had been a lack of contact and understanding if he would ever return. Emma had never met her mother, an apparent Pokemon Trainer on her own journey, and was forced to grow up under the captivity of her Father and his passion for science and inventions. Life would have looked good for those living around the skyscraper of the Devon Corporation, money was everywhere and anything she wanted, Emma would get within seconds and with no stress or fight. The only thing she had ever been rejected from achieving is the ability to travel and leave with small excuses of 'you know too much' or 'the world can be explored from your computer screen, so why go out there?'. She had hated all of it, and the experience of travelling outside the iron gates of Rustboro was something she had dreamt of for many years. From the useless training she did with Pokemon, battling, befriending and communicating, Emma had tried to escape many times with the skills learnt. Sneaking out of the building at night had been arduous, as she lived on the ninetieth floor, and she had only made it to the elevator each time to be found by the CCTV cameras. Her Pokemon had attempted to help, but they all were marked and trackable by Devon Corporation. There was no escape, and here came another tedious day!

Sliding out of bed, her room lights turning on automatically along with the window shades moving aside to reveal the shining Hoenn sun. Emma walked towards the bathroom and got changed, knowing she would only have fifteen minutes before breakfast and only ten minutes to eat. Her mind seemed to have a clock constantly ticking downwards before an alarm would appear, forcing her to move faster. Her life had been organised and embedded into her brain, and she would follow without even thinking about it. Emma grabbed her jeans, swinging them on and attached her name badge to her white lab coat before walking towards the room door which swung open at her presence. The busy corridor outside had several other scientists and innovators running up and down, also trying to stick to their own schedules. Organisation was key at Devon Corporation and Emma could feel she was running late as she moved quickly down the white painted walls. Images of various other famous researchers with her father hung around her, but she had already glanced at them many times throughout the years.

Nobody said anything to her. They were too busy to talk, and conversation would lead to nothing but pointless chitchat. After breakfast, the doors to the Devon Corporation would slide open at the ground floor where various tourists would enter and start their guided tour around some of the facilities. As usual, Emma would be placed in the battling department, a field she hated to be apart of because her Pokemon were not good at battling. Feeling the two Pokeballs in her pocket shiver at the thought of them, but it had to be done. Devon Corporation had recently devised the new battlefield system to be used in the Hoenn Championships next year, where they could modify a field to have obstacles and different terrains. This gave Hoenn a unique style of professional battling where trainers had to adapt to new situations away from just a direct battle on sand or grass, they would now have to think. Emma had spent several days battling on the field beforehand and had mastered it, not because she wanted to, but because she had to. Her Pokemon were tired and fed up with it all, and she felt bad for them.

Gulping down her cereal and milk, the same breakfast every morning for as long as she could remember, Emma knew time was running out as stress seemed to take over her mind annoyingly. Pushing the bowl away, where the white table in front of her opened up and engulfed it to be cleaned, Emma stood and glanced at the silence around her. Nobody was speaking again, they would have time to socialise at lunchtime, but she glared angrily at the walls around and how small she felt because of them. Tightening her fists, she wanted to punch a hole through them and just jump. This was not a life to be living, and the world out there constantly called for her.

A short siren appeared on the P.A system above as her Father's voice boomed, "Emma Devon, please report to the Battling Facilities. The Corporation doors will be open in precisely two minutes and thirty seven seconds. Strike One."

Strike One. A familiar set of words she had heard nearly everyday, and what she had become known as: the rebel. Her friends had managed to leave Devon Corporation by getting too many strikes, but her Father had never given her the penultimate third strike due to their family connection. She was invincible, and many people had hated that, but Strike One was common and sadness filled her as she made her way to the elevator. Pressing the button for the third floor of the building, the room shot down quickly as various windows flashed the world outside to her. Devon Corporation was invincible in the Hoenn Region, and their influence over the daily lives of everyone was enormous. Everything Emma had ever used in her life was owned by Devon from the food she ate, to the television or computer she used. Even the Pokeballs were owned by Devon Corporation, designed specifically for new uses such as the Fast Ball or Luxury Ball.

The elevator smoothly halted as the glass doors opened to the new battlefield in front of her. Emma looked at it and blinked, her shining blond hair covering her eyes slightly as she prodded it away. A large grassy plain appeared in front of her, completing clashing with the metallic walls all around with the newly designed battlefield already being used this morning. The doors would be opening any second now, and the cold voice of her father entered into the chamber from above.

Devon called, "You are set to battle a trainer from Kanto today, Emma. He's on his way through now with a friend. We will test a grass field for this first battle, understood?"

Emma responded, completely ignoring looking at her father through the glass window he stood within to her right, "Good morning, I guess?"

"Fifteen seconds, Emma."

"Whatever."

Emma was in no mood to listen to any orders with her mind wanting to leave the facility continuing to grow. The doors across from her opened up as a Devon Worker walked in, talking loudly about the specifications of the battlefield as a small group followed in looking at it in awe and how it suddenly changed into a dusty desert and then also a thick forest. After I reverted back to the original plain grassy terrain with ease and slickness, the Worker called loudly, his voice echoing, "Our battler here is the daughter of Devon himself, Emma. She is a master of the new battlefield and battles a very high level."

Another voice appeared as Emma picked out a trainer in the crowd who stood forward holding a Pokeball in his hand. He had short brown hair and a black headband over his hazel eyes which matched his clothing and attire. Her Father did say the first challenger would be someone from Kanto, and this must have been the person. He looked experienced with the cuts and bruises on his face and arms, but there was something about the trainer that she couldn't work out. Some sort of hidden tragedy in his eyes and how he spoke, his voice slightly weak. Stepping up to her position, the opposition doing the same thing, he called across, "My name is Rod, and I am from the Kanto Region. I have a Gym Battle coming up, so this will be a good warm up for me."

Emma coughed, knowing she had to respond to make this a completely real and legitimate battle, "This is the new Battlefield software Devon Corporation is testing for the Hoenn Championships. It will measure the strength of your Pokemon and how it copes with the field. We will battle one on one."

Rod responded with a smirk, confidence filling up within him, "Let's do this!"

…

Rod adjusted his headband and stood to the battling position looking at the grassy plains that had transformed magically seconds before into sprawling terrains. The technology was unreal and it was easy to see how Devon Corporation had become the leading company in innovative design for the Hoenn Region and beyond. Their group was quite small as tours were only an hour long, but Rod was eager to test out the battling system that Forrest had explained about the night earlier. A Gym Battle against Roxanne had been booked and this would be the perfect opportunity to get some last minute training in preparation. After losing to Norman, Rod was in no mood to lose again, and his first Gym Badge would finally arrive here in Hoenn.

Looking across at his opponent, the girls blond hair hovering over her face, he sensed somewhat frustration and annoyance. Was the early morning or the amount of tourists that entered each day to observe the creations of Devon? Rod wasn't sure, but his mind focussed heavily on the battle with Forrest looking on eagerly. Raising his Pokeball, Rod called, "What is your name?"

"My name is Emma, please let's battle." She replied, almost robot-like as if scripted for her, "Reveal your Pokemon."

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Eevee, let's battle!"

Emma's Eevee appeared on the battlefield, the small brown Pokemon shivered in the cooler temperatures before preparing to battle. It growled at Rod's Seed Pokemon, as it dropped to the ground from above, as his Pokedex spluttered into life, 'Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon, is known to evolve into several different Pokemon depending on the conditions.' Rod had seen several Eevee before in the Kanto Region and some of its evolved forms in various Gym Battles, but Emma's seemed a lot more confident than any he had seen before. A Normal Type would be neutral against any of Bulbasaur's moves, but Rod was here to experiment with a new attack it had learnt very recently in their training sessions around the Rustboro Pokemon Centre.

Rod took the first move as the crowd of guests clapped and applauded, "Bulbasaur! Use Razor Leef!"

The Seed Pokemon unleashed a powerful flurry of leaves from under its green bulb as they cut through some of the long grass with ease. Eevee dived to one side, but the attack immediately overwhelmed it as the sharp projectiles landed powerfully. Bulbasaur followed up with a trademark Tackle as Rod immediately felt more dominant in the battle, as if control was finally in his grasp, and he could move on to win this. Emma seemed uninterested completely, as her commands were weak and uncaring despite each consecutive attack landing with pure power.

She called back, raising a lab coated arm, "Eevee, use Double Edge. Push it back!"

Finally a meaningful attack! Eevee flashed white and charged forward as Bulbasaur was sent flying backwards, rolling in the grass with bruises now appearing against its hard skin. Rod noticed Eevee also took recoil damage as sparks flew from its body as it screeched, and decided it would be the time to involve a new attack. He cried, "Bulbasaur, regain balance and use Leech Seed!"

Forrest looked on, his face impressed with Rod's new initiative. Leech Seed would absorb energy from the Pokemon and restrict movement largely leading to a much more predictable battle. Emma's Eevee struggled to move as the brown seed landed on its head and sprouted thick vines around its entire body. It's trainer attempted more moves, but Bulbasaur's attack had rendered it useless and Rod now knew it was time to finish the battle once and for all. Emma called, slight panic in her voice, "Use Bite! Destroy the Leech Seed vines!"

"Not so fast!" Rod called, raising a hand as he adjusted his headband, "Bulbasaur use Vine Whip and finish this battle!"

The Seed Pokemon unleashed two powerful vines as Eevee was struck to one side screeching in pain as the Leech Seed zapped more power away. It looked like torture, but for Rod this was the kind of battle he had to get used to. Bulbasaur's natural moves were being used to full effect, and this battle would not last much longer now. However, to his surprise, Emma's Eevee regained balance and continued biting down hard on the Leech Seed. Each Vine Whip attack made contact, but the Evolution Pokemon would not go down with the groans of the audience members increasing. Even Forrest looked confused as to how it could continue despite the damage taken, but Rod remained focus. Was there another plot in action here?

Emma looked up and pushed her blond hair to one side as Rod finally saw her blue eyes, stunningly beautiful but slightly weary, and she called, "Eevee. Get rid of the Leech Seed and use Shadow Ball."

Bulbasaur was taken by surprise along with its trainer as a powerful black orb fired from Eevee's mouth, ripping the Leech Seed vines apart in the process. An explosion was the first result as Rod called helplessly for his Bulbasaur, the Shadow Ball attack making direct contact. The smoke was sucked away instantly by the hi-tech battlefield to reveal a struggling Bulbasaur, bruised heavily on its legs, limping in front of an Eevee ready to strike again. However, something seemed very different with the Seed Pokemon as it's green bulb suddenly illuminated and flashed brightly. The whole room was consumed as it sparkled gold and blue, the audience curiously asking what was going on, but Rod had no idea. Bulbasaur unleashed a powerful cry, echoing around the battlefield as Emma looked away blinded by the light. Rod looked on, his jaw dropping in shock as Bulbasaur's bulb blossomed into a pink bud with large leaves appearing from within.

Ivysaur appeared as it stopped glowing, and screeched loudly. Evolution. Applause from the audience woke Rod from his daze first as happiness and joy filled his entire body. A smile broke from his face as he called, "Ivysaur! You evolved, that is amazing!"

Emma finally spoke, but not to command her Pokemon, but to Rod directly, "T-that...was beautiful."

She seemed stunned by it completely, and Rod took this opportunity to strike once again, "Ivysaur! Finish this with Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur roared loudly, shaking the room, as larger and more powerful leaves shot from under its bud as they circled the shocked Eevee. All of them curved inwards and landed with several explosions and screeches of pain from the Evolution Pokemon as the battle had been won instantly. Ivysaur's strengths were incredible, and almost double what Bulbasaur was able to produce. Would this be the key to his Gym Battle win against Roxanne? Pushing the thoughts away from his mind, Rod ran forwards onto the field and gave Ivysaur a large hug as the P.A system above announced the winner. The Seed Pokemon looked delighted, but extremely exhausted from the battle as Rod spoke calmly, "You are amazing Ivysaur, thank you so much!"

Returning it to its Pokeball, Rod looked up and waved towards a clearly shocked Emma, "Thank you for the battle. This new field from Devon is spectacular!"

Emma watched on as the boy named Rod returned to the ground, giving hi-fives to the other members and his close friend. Jealousy mixed with sadness filled her body as she looked to her right, returning her defeated Eevee to its Pokeball, and caught eyes with her Father, Devon. He looked slightly upset, emotionless as always, but Emma had had enough of everything. The group disappeared from the room to continue their tour, but Emma charged over to the window and thumped it hard with her hands as the glass remained strong. Her Father shook his head and spoke on the PA system, "Emma, you have five minutes until...wait...STOP!"

His voice turned into one of shock as Emma took another Pokeball from her pocket and threw it high into the air as it exploded into life. A Torchic appeared, the small orange Chick Pokemon, as it screeched and unleashed a powerful Ember attack. The flames burnt through the glass instantly as her Father was forced to dive aside. Something exploded in the room, but Emma moved past all the glass and smoke as she jumped into the room acrobatically with her Torchic. She yelled, her voice echoing in the small room as random lights flashed around her, "I am leaving Devon Corporation, Father, and you will not stop me."

Torchic growled as her Father looked up, his eyes bleary and bloodshot, "You are not meant for the outside world, Emma. There is nothing out there but boredom and sadness. Now stop this!"

Her Chick Pokemon prepared for another burst of Ember as Emma took a step closer and angrily muttered, "Take the tag off my Pokeballs right now, or I will scorch you down!"

Devon looked up, defeated and very confused, as he nodded and touched a button on his transceiver as Emma felt her Pokeballs vibrate slightly. She could now leave without being traced with her dreams ready to be fulfilled. Why didn't she do this years ago? No remorse entered her body as anger took over completely, her Pokemon feeling the same emotions as she continued, "If you follow me, I will destroy this corporation."

"You're make a mistake Emma. You will be back before you know it."

"Fat chance of that."

Emma spat on the ground, returning her Torchic and throwing the white lab coat onto the ground where the smoke consumed it instantly. Walking past the Battlefield, Emma had only one thing in mind and one person she had to meet personally. Through the sliding doors, she felt sunlight from the lobby area and moved forwards with no regret in her heart, or in her life...