Kitten: Well, here's to hoping SOMONE is reading this... So, with a grand total of four views at the moment that I am writing this, I can say with all honesty that I'm happy with it still! Ahahaha, so, fun to write and hopefully fun to read, I CONTINUE.
Colton: Draconis Kitten Sweetie does not know Pokémon.
*Pokémon*
Whatever little scene was going on in the house instantly disperses as we run out to where my brother is standing in the back of the house.
Around Five Ponyta are dashing for their parents, the four Rapidash at the ranch trying to beat back a pack of fifteen or more Houndoom. The rest of the enclosures are sealed off, but the Houndoom are making short work of that, one of them hopping the small wall around the Torkoal and wreaking havoc.
"How did the Rapidash and Ponyta get out?!" My mom asks frantically, my dad already having run off to find his trusted partner Arcanine.
"I let them out when one of the Houndoom blasted a hole in the wall with Hyper Beam!" Colton shouts, dashing off to the Cyndaquil and evolutions enclosure. "We need to open all the enclosures so the Pokémon aren't sitting Psyduck!"
My mom dashes to the Growlithe and Arcanine enclosure while I dash to the Vulpix, Coal following at my heels and looking a bit nervous. The Houndoom don't bother or see us yet, most of them surrounding the struggling Rapidash and Ponyta herd. The colts I had tried to calm before were hiding behind a pair of Rapidash, crying for help pitifully.
I open the enclosure hurriedly, Vixen the first one out. The other Vulpix rush out, the children hurrying to hide somewhere and the adults dashing off to go help the Rapidash. The only Ninetails on the ranch dashes to my mom to help her with the other Pokémon. Vixen and Flare stay with me and Coal, Flare for cowering behind my legs.
"Come on, we have to let out the Torkoal!" I command, the three following me as I run to the enclosure. Halfway there, I watch horrified as two or three of the Houndoom drag out a weakly struggling Torkoal, struggling to bring him out of the enclosure.
"Put him down!" I shout, knowing the Houndoom won't listen to me but not knowing what else to do as I rapidly approach the enclosure. Before I can get there, a fast moving white blur knocks two of them over, and the Torkoal falls back down to the ground.
A cry of pain distracts me from the now not in danger of getting eaten yet Torkoal, and I turn to see what looks like a young Houndour trying to attack the baby Vulpix. Vinny tries to Roar him away, but still can't find his voice after the competition I had.
Realizing that none of them know what to do but Ember the thing as their backed into a corner, I look down at my pack of three Vulpix with me, and come to the conclusion that this is going to be my first battle. Of course it's a life or death match. Of course.
Coal looks fired up, and his eyes flash as he tries out Extrasensory on it. The Houndour doesn't even flinch.
"Coal, it's a dark-type, use Ember instead!" I command, running over with the three Vulpix at my heels. The Houndour turns to use, and changes his target, drawing closer in a stalking motion to attack us.
Coal grows ever frustrated, his eyes flashing uselessly as he keeps trying the ineffective move on the oncoming predator.
"Coal, Ember!" I snap, growing panicked. When Coal doesn't obey once again as the Houndour lunges, a well-aimed Ember hits him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground with a snarl of annoyance.
Looking down, I see Vixen flaring her tails in a way that tries to make her more threatening. Flare pokes her head over Vixen's tails, watching the Houndour timidly. The Houndour gets back up, snarling at me and the Vulpix and lunging again. Vixen shuts him down again, knocking him down with a fiery look flashing across her eyes. A smirk spreads across her face, and Coal seems to get the idea, helping her to Ember the thing back.
The other Vulpix look intrigued, and all run out to help, and soon, the Vulpix force eleven sends the outnumbered Houndour packing.
"Vixen?" I say incredulously. She smiles a smug smile up at me, and Coal angrily huffs, still not comprehending why his special move didn't work on them. I look down at the two, and it occurs to me that maybe Coal isn't the best idea to take with me on my journey.
A Houndoom snaps me out of my reverie, the pissed off dog slinking over to use with the Houndour we drove off trailing behind, looking smug.
"Mom?!" I shout, panicked. Vixen, Coal, and Vinny don't back down, staring deftly at the oncoming predator. Vixen even has the courage to shoot an Ember at it. The Ember hits the Houndoom, and it barely flinches, turning it's head up. It smiles an evil smile, and lets loose a burning hot Flamethrower on the three Vulpix standing before it.
I feel my heart nearly stop beating, and the world going silent. The Vulpix got torched. Every single one of them. I know for a fact they could not have survived that.
When the Houndoom ends, looking smug, the three Vulpix still stand, an even bigger smirk on all their faces as a red light seems to surround them, then fade.
"Flash Fire..." I say, unable to believe I had forgotten that. Of course, they can't get hurt by fire-type moves. But if the Houndoom has Early Bird, then maybe they can hurt it.
"Ember," I command, watching as the three release a much larger attack than before, hitting the Houndoom who flinches away in discomfort. Ah, how I do love thee, Early Bird.
Getting pissed off, the Houndoom opens it's mouth and starts charging a blinding white beam, a small ball of it growing ever bigger. I shout for my mom in a panic again, grabbing Flare and Vixen off the ground and commanding the rest of them to dodge it. I dive out of the way as the others scatter, and the white beam scorches through where we were just standing, the Hyper Beam hitting out house with a devastating explosion.
"Mom!" I shout again desperately. The Houndoom grins and strolls over to me, still having a small recovery from the attack. Right as it's about to lunge for my throat, Mom's Ninetails rams it's side, snarling. Her eyes glow purple, and the Houndoom blinks, swaying in confusion.
"Sarah!" Mom yells in terror, kneeling down at my side after commanding Ninetails to use Quick Attack. "Oh My Arceus, Honey! Are you okay?!"
"F-Fin, Mom..." I say nodding. Mom nods, biting her bottom lip in an effort not to cry, then looks back over to Ninetails.
"Finish it with Fire Blast!" She commands. Ninetails nods, and just before doing so, Vixen hits her with Ember for good measure. I can't stop the small smile from spreading across my face as the predator howls to the now losing pack, which flees hurriedly.
I look down at Flare and Vixen in my arms, Flare just so relieved everyone is gone yet still hiding in my dirty yellow jacket, and Vixen jumping out of my arms to prance around in pride. Despite the mortal terror, I have to admit that it was the most exciting thing to ever happen to me.
But I'm hoping I can change that.
"Yes." My mom looks over to me, puzzled as Dad and Colton round up the other Pokémon. I look over to her, propping myself up on the elbows. "I'm sure I want to become a Pokémon trainer."
*Pokémon*
"Just make sure she doesn't exert herself too much and she'll be perfectly fine," the pink-haired nurse says with a comforting smile. My mom nods with a hand on her chest, looking to the unhappy Rapidash in a splint.
"I'm going to miss you, sis," Colton says with a small smile, patting me on the back. I bite my lip in an effort not to cry, nodding and hugging my sixteen year old brother.
"I'll miss you too, Colton," I choke out, my voice muffled by his shirt. He puts his head on mine for a second then releases me, looking about ready to cry himself.
"Don't be such a crybaby," he says in a teasing manner. I giggle, wiping away the tears in my eyes and hugging my softly crying mom.
"Sorry I have to leave, Mom..." I whisper out, now crying myself. My mom doesn't reply, just squeezes me tighter. Vixen looks up at me, laying her head on my leg when she notes my distress. My dad comes over silently, wrapping me and my mom in a big good-bye hug.
"I'm going to miss you, Sarah," he says sorrowfully, but with a small smile o his face.
"But who am I to stop you?"
"Are you ready to leave, Sarah?" Nurse Joy asks with a warm smile on her face.
"Almost. Can I talk to the Vulpix quickly?" I ask. Nurse Joy nods patiently, and I crouch down to face Flare, Coal, Vinny, and Vixen.
"Good-bye, Flare. I hope you find a nice family to take care of you," I say sadly, petting the sweet Vulpix on the head. She looks up at me happily, licking my face. I look to Coal and Vinny next, Petting Coal with my right hand and Vinny with my left. "Sorry it didn't work out, Coal. I hope you understand." The Vulpix pouts, but nods grudgingly. "Sorry I have to take your sister away from you, Vinny," I say. Vinny nods sadly, and nudges Vixen.
"Vul Vulpix. Vul Vul Pix," Vinny says to his sister, licking Vixen's forehead. "Pix Vul."
I scoop up Vixen, who's still looking to her brother, and look to Nurse Joy. "I'm ready to go." She nods, and starts to lead me to her van, taking me to the Celestic City bus stop so I can catch the bus to Trainer School in Jubilife City.
"Vulpix Vulpix! Vul Vul Pix!" Vixen calls over my shoulder. A chorus of voices, both human and Pokémon, follow us out to the van where Nurse Joy starts up and drives away with me in the Passenger seat.
I watch the ranch disappear outside the window, then look down to Vixen. She looks up to me with a small smile, and I stroke her down her back.
"I guess our adventure begins now."
*Pokémon*
"I'm so bored, I could cry." Vixen looks up at me as if she's agreeing with me, the four hour bus ride barely thirty minutes in.
"Vul Vul Vulpix, Vul Pix Vul Pix," Vixen grumbles, looking up at me. I stare blankly at her, conveying the message that I have no clue what she's saying. Vixen sighs irritably, and I realize rather unhappily that she's going to be the one teaching me for quite a while. The fox paws me until I give her my backpack and unzip it for her, and she quickly roots around, messing up all the stuffed my mom packed for me so very organized.
"Pix!" She chimes happily, pulling out a bag of fresh Cheri berries and ripping the thin plastic bag, eating at least five or them without the spice affecting her all that much.
I roll my eyes at her, organizing my items once more since she messed them up. As I do, I notice my mom packed me six extra Poké Balls instead of five.
"That's strange..." I say to myself, getting ignored by my companion. "I can only carry around six Pokémon, so why do I have-" I cut off, looking at a Poké Ball to Vixen awkwardly. "Oh. Hey, Vixen..." Vixen looks up at me, done with her meal. "I haven't captured you yet... Can we fix that?" Vixen blinks blankly, then gives an odd, bark-coughing sound that I figure is laughing, then nods to me. I tap her with the red and white ball, feeling oddly accomplished.
Until she breaks free of it.
"Uh, hello!" I voice incredulously. "That just wasted a Poké Ball! Why did you break out of it?" Vixen pouts, looking to the ball unhappily and nosing it away.
"Vul Vulpix Pix Vul," the red fox murmurs unhappily. "Vul Vul Pix Vulpix."
"I. DON'T. UNDERSTAND. YOU," I say loudly, as if that'll help with the language barrier between us.
"VUL VUL PIX," She replies just as loudly, staring at me defiantly. We glare at each other for a second before I sigh and pull out another Poké Ball.
"Can we try again?" I ask hopefully. Vixen looks uncomfortable, but nods reluctantly. I tap the sphere to her head, watching as she gets sucked into the contraption. One shake later, she bursts out once more, kneading the seat and whining unhappily. "Vixen!"
"Vulpix!" She whines, curling up behind my backpack to hide from view. I sigh, packing all but the two wasted Poké Balls up and taking the two now non-working shells up to the front to throw them out. The bus driver yells at me to sit down, so I hurry back to my seat, afraid of the chubby man with little hair.
"Ugh, I just want to get to Jubilife for the Trainer School test thing," I say with an aggravated sigh. Vixen nods, and I chat with her for about an hour until she starts getting tired, and drifts off into sleep.
Taking the hint, I curl up in the corner of the seat, yawning, then drift off into sleep.
*Pokémon*
"Pix."
"Nuuuuh..."
"Vulpix."
"Nuuuuuuuuuuh..."
"Vul. Pix."
"Five more minutes..."
Eventually, Vixen grows so annoyed with me, she bits down on my hand to wake me up.
"GAH! VIXEN!" I yelp, reclaiming my hand and shaking it in pain. "What the hell?!"
"Vulpix!" She snaps at me, pointing her paw out the window to the sign outside. The sign reads 'Jubilife City' and I realize that there's a line of people getting off the bus.
"Oh, crap, thanks, Vixen!" I say with a sheepish look. Vixen rolls her eyes at me, and I sling my backpack on, scoop her up, and get off the bus, giving a small 'good-bye' to the irritable bus driver. Stepping out into the city, I can't help but notice how it's just as busy as the ranch ever was, but all the moving and talking is done mostly by people, and not Pokémon.
"So what do you think, do you think we should be the nerds that go to school and learn everything first, or just wing it on the test and hope for the best?" I ask my Vulpix who technically isn't mine by law until I capture her. She just looks up at me with a small smile on her face that causes e to grin. "Test it is."
We start towards the big Trainer School with two wings, one for the classes, and one for the kids taking the tests seeing as there is no set time for the Trainer Test. I walk up to the ig double doors, surprised when they swing inwards themselves. A girl with a Bidoof runs out crying, not even acknowledging me.
"Uhm... I'm less confident now..." I say awkwardly, Vixen nodding awkwardly. But we suck it up and step inside, the cream coloured marble showing us our reflections.
"Hello, welcome to Trainer School!" A nice-looking receptionist says warmly, her amber eyes glistening with a scary amount of happiness. "How may I help you?"
I awkwardly shift my weight between my two legs repeatedly, looking down at Vixen one last time before talking to the receptionist. "I'm here to take the Trainer Test so I can become... a Trainer..."
"Lovely!" She says happily. "Do you have a Pokémon with you to test with?" I nod, bending down and scooping up Vixen, figuring she just didn't see Vixen when we came in. "Good! Now sign both of your names on this sheet please..." I do as she says, filling out the sheet for an awkward, silent minute with my information. "Now, please go into the room to your right and wait for the testing to begin!"
"That was easy..." I whisper under my breath to Vixen as we make our way to the waiting area. Within the first three minutes of waiting, we see three people walking out unhappily, no Trainer's License in hand. Not five minutes passed before a man in a white coat came out, his bald head shining oddly under the artificial light of the light bulb.
"Sarah and Vixen?" He calls out, the three other to-be trainers and I looking up at him.
"That's me," I say with a nod, rising out of my uncomfortable, plastic, grey chair and following him to an examination room. One of a doctor's check-up room more than a test-taking room. Vixen looks around the small room uncomfortably, squirming in my arms and adjusting to hide in my dirty, yellow jacket.
"So, Sarah, you're here to become a Pokémon Trainer?" The doctor asks conversationally while looking over the paper I filled out with my name, birth date, and starter Pokémon. I nod, affirming. "Thirteen is a bit old to be starting a journey, don't you think?"
"No, not really," I say with a shrug. "I think whenever you want to become a Pokémon Trainer is a good age; as long as you meet the age requirement of ten." My answer seems to please him, and he puts my sheet down, picking up a clipboard with a different paper clipped to it. Eyeing me multiple times, he begins filling out the form with my info.
"Thin. Long, chestnut hair. Grey-Blue eyes. Medium size. Now for specifics," he says aloud, weirding me out just a bit. He gets me to stand up, and I can't help but notice how Vixen is pacing impatiently in the tiny room. "On the scale." I obey, stepping onto the machine. The digital scale below says '99.7' pounds, which surprises even me. I would have sworn I was heavier than that... He then takes the rod next to the scale, lining it up with the bottom of my feet (he had me kick off my shoes on entry) and measures to the very top of my head. "Hm, 5'3". Average height for your age group."
I then have to sit back down on the chair and undergo random tests of all sorts. Blood pressure, heart rate, reflexes. I also had a light shined in my eyes multiple times, making a pedo comment that I have pretty eyes. I ignored him.
Then he has Vixen do the same as well. I was surprised to learn she's actually underweight by 1.3 pounds, being 20.7 instead of 22. But she's also taller, 2'3" instead of a solid 2'. Oh, and she's level five, not level four. I guess she leveled up. The doctor tested her fire sac too, having her repeatedly use Ember on a scarred wooden plank. I think it's safe to say she had a bit too much fun scorching wood.
"Good, everything is functioning fine in both of you. You're both healthy and fit enough to go on the journey you want to." I cheered softly, high-fiving Vixen who had to jump to reach my hand. "Now if you could return your Pokémon, that would be wonderful, because you have to go to testing now."
Crap.
"Go on," The doctor urges, waiting for me to take out my Poké Ball and return her like a normal trainer should be able to do.
"Uhm... The thing is... I haven't actually captured her yet..."
Priceless facial expression. Priceless. And if I would stop being afraid he'd kick me out, I'd laugh.
"You mean you brought a wild Pokémon in here for your Trainer Test?!" The doctor asks incredulously, pushing up his circular glasses as if they had fallen when I delivered the news.
"It's not like I haven't tried!" I protest, realizing right after I said it how bad that sounds. "Okay, the thing is, I got her from the ranch my parents own, and she willingly agreed to come with me! But every time I try to catch her, by her own consent, of course, she breaks free of the ball, acting all scared the second she exits."
The doctor (Dude, I just realized I don't know your name...) nods slowly as I tell him this, and looks to my Vulpix. "May I take her for a moment?" He asks, looking to me for consent. Vixen and I share an uneasy glance, but I nod. He takes her out of the room, probably to another testing room, leaving me alone in the white office.
An excruciatingly boring wait of fifteen minutes later, he comes back with Vixen in his arms, yelping and squirming to get away.
"What did you do to her?!" I snap protectively, taking Vixen from him and holding her protectively in my arms.
"Nothing, nothing," he says calmly, holding his hands up in innocence. "I just tested her for Claustrophobia. The tests were positive. Your Vulpix is afraid of small, confined spaces, and that includes a Poké Ball. So once you do capture her, I advise you keep her out every second you can in case of a panic attack."
I look down at my shivering fox Pokémon, shocked. "But... But she was fine inside the enclosures..."
"Were they small and confined?"
"... No..."
"Exactly. You may go now." I stare at him after his casual dismissal, suddenly deciding I don't like him all that much. I exit the doctor's office, waiting in the waiting room for the instructors of the second test to coe and take me to the next stage of the test.
"Vixen..." I start unhappily. My vulpine friend looks up at me with what looks like shame o her face, probably knowing what I'm about to ask. "Can you stay in the Poké Ball for just ten seconds? Once I capture you, I swear to Arceus above that I'll let you out as soon as I can."
Taking her nod of approval as a 'yes', I pull out a Poké Ball and tap her with it, hearing a small yelping sound right before she enters.
One shake. Hurry up.
Two shakes. Hurry up, please...
Three shakes. OH COME ON PLEASE I NEED TO GET MY VULPIX OUT OF THERE.
The button flashes red to show she's mine now, and I quickly release the shivering Vulpix, scooping her up in a hug to try and comfort and shush her.
"Sarah?" A round-ish girl asks, waddling out of a room to look at me, I now being the only one in the room. "It's time for the written portion of the test. Please return your Pokémon and follow me."
Oh fun.
*Pokémon*
Kitten: Since I couldn't find a better place to stop it, this is where I leaveth you.
Sarah: You're a terrible person! You made my Vulpix claustrophobic!
Kitten: Shut up, I'm talking to the readers! ANYWAY, sorry I couldn't leave you with a more interesting chapter, but I promise that the next chapter will be so much better. You know you have to have filler, detail chapters like this.
Sarah: *still grumbling about Vixen*