Hi all! This is a rewrite of an older story that I grew bored with that I just have to resurect because there aren't enough Steven Stone stories out there (If it looks similar to a story that was originally posted on the account Aceth, it's because it is ;) That was my old account). This definitely does not stick to the game, so be sure to pay attention to family relations and what not. Reviews are much appreciated, and I absolutely love constructive critism as it shows me what I need to work on. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1:
I never wanted to become a Pokemon Trainer. Actually, I just didn't like the idea of Pokemon battles, the Pokemon were ok.
My father had given me my first Pokemon, and eevee, in the hope that I would be like him one day, but instead I had done the opposite of what he had intended. Yes, I raised the eevee until it evolved with the help of a waterstone, and yes, I had spent a good amount creating and training a team, but I had done so with the knowledge that I would never become a trainer.
I wanted to be a coordinator.
It amused my family how it was that I wanted nothing to do with battles, but my Pokemon lived for the rush that battles brought with them. I tried to coerce them into contests, but we were never very successful because Vaporeeon and the others just did not put up with the glitz and the glam that accompanied contests. They craved power.
Eventually I succumbed to their wills, and that's how I ended up in a rickety old moving truck that was on it's way to Hoenn. Not that I wouldn't have moved to Hoenn anyway, but I knew that along with giving up my home, I would be giving my dream to become a top coordinator
My father had accepted a position as gym leader in in Sootpolis, and, not wanting to separate the family, my mother had decided to take me out of school in Kanto and relocate us to Hoenn, to Little Root Town. You may ask why not Sootpolis? Because my mother took pity on me.
My brother was lucky, he was already out of the house, so he didn't have to leave with us. Never mind that he decided to travel to Hoenn, if only to start a gym challenge in another region. The point was, he had had an option not to come. I on the other hand, had no say in the matter. But my mother did realize that I would die of boredom if I was trapped on an island, so Littleroot it was. My dad's friend was the gymleader near there, so I think that friendliness between him and my dad was a contributing factor to the move, but I couldn't be sure.
Dad had bought my mother and I a house there, and had recruited Norman and his wife to make sure it was furnish. I was thankful for that when we got to the house, there wasn't much to unload and with the help of Norman and his son, I think his name was Brendan? Anyway, they were a big help, and in under three hours we were all settled in.
Norman informed us that there was going to be a housewarming party for us later that week, and left us to adjust. I of course, didn't catch this, mom had to tell me later. I was preoccupied by Norman's boy, he was pretty cute, and he was flaunting it.
"So, he was cute," my mother said when the door was closed, giving me a wink. Eww. I hate it when my mom tried to act cool. Not that I was cool, it's just my mother was even less cool, if that was possible.
"Yea, he was alright," I said noncommitdedly, opening our fridge, the only familiar appliance in the new house.
My mother seemed to sense my unhappiness, because she walked up behind me and put and arm on my shoulder. "See, it's not so bad here Samantha. Everybody is so nice and helpful... I know you'll like it here." No I wouldn't. I missed home much more than I thought I would, but now that I had seen Hoenn, I felt the longing like a stabbing pain in my stomach.
"Sure," I muttered turning away. It would do no good to voice my reservations about the move, nothing I said would change anything. All it would accomplish would be making my mother feel sorry for me.
Mom left me alone to look around the house. It looked a lot like our old place, I decided as I crossed the wooden floor away from the island in the kitchen which I had been leaning on. The flat was large, and already furnished with light green furniture. Actually, there was to much green. The walls, the furniture, ceiling... everything besides the floor seemed to sport some hue of green. I'm sure my mother would change that quickly enough.
I assumed the bedrooms were upstairs, so I climbed the carpeted steps and found that I was right. There were two bedrooms, the smaller one with my things in it was the farthest down the hallway. The walls were, no surprise, green, with white trimmings around the ceiling. I guess mom had already unpacked my belongings and laid them on the bed for me, because my clothes lay at the foot of my bed, and a journal next to them.
I hadn't brought a lot with me to Hoenn, but I had left a lot behind. Only the necessities had made the trip with me. Well, necessities plus the journal. I picked up the book and glanced at the cover before flipping it open. Every page was blank, but I already knew this. My mother had given it to me and told me to write about the mood. Apparently I needed somewhere to vent my feelings.
Tossing the journal back down, because I refused to call it a diary, I pulled on my favorite grey cardigan and switched shorts. Satisfied, I went down stairs. My bedroom would remain how it was, I wouldn't be staying in it along. I predicted that it was only a matter of days that mom would shove me out the house and force me to begin the gym challenge.
I was hungry, so I grabbed an apple out of the fridge and took an appreciative bite. My mother saw me and gave me a half smile. "I'll have to go shopping for meats and coldcuts soon, I'm afraid all we brought with us were unparishables. It's three o'clock here, no wonder you're so hungry dear. Back home you would have eaten breakfast hours ago." I grimaced at took another large bite into the succulent fruit, sighing in satisfaction as the juices slid easily down my throat, appeasing my stomach. "There's still a lot of unpacking to do," she continued as I munched happily, "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to go and meet the neighbors. Go play with that Brendan boy!"
Sometimes I think my mom thinks I'm three. "Go play with Brendan." I would go talk to him, but playing was out of the question. Anyway, that sounded far better than unpacking.
There was only one other house in sight, so I assumed it was Norman's family's. My knuckles rapped against the doors three times and I stepped back to wait for a reply. The door quickly swung over and I found myself looking up to a blonde woman with a rather maternal air.
"Hello honey," she began. Yep, definitely a mother. "Anything I can do for you?"
"Umm, I was the- I just moved- I live over there," I said indicating behind my shoulder, pointing to nothing in particular.
However, the woman seemed to understand because she quickly enough exclaimed, "You must be the Shepherds! I heard my son and husband went to go help you settle in. My name is Margaret, Maggie if you would like. I'm Birch's wife."
Wasn't 'Birch' the name of a Scientist? "I mean Norman's wife," Margaret said, sensing my confusion. "Professor Birch is the one your probably thinking of dear, Kurt is Norman's older brother. Norman went back to Petalburg after he finished helping you all move in." Oh.
"You must be Charles's daughter! I've heard a lot about you-" Oh really? I frowned. Who could have told her anything about me? "Do tell your parents to come over later, I must meet them- Norman holds your father in high regard you know! Pardon me, did I catch your name?"
"Samantha, Samantha Shepherd. I'll be sure to convey your invitation to my mother; my father's already in Sootpoli."
"You poor thing, why don't you come in," Mrs. Birch said kindly, ushering me into their house while I tried to figure out why I was referred to as a 'poor thing'. The house looked very close to the one that I now lived in; though the flat was cluttered with desks and tables with paper work spilling off the sides. Files and books were laid open on the counters, stacked up precariously, threatening to fall with the slightest shift. I took an absent minded bite of the apple I was still munching on. "You've met my son? He might be around you age," Margaret tittered as she offered me a drink why I declined.
"I'm sixteen," I offered helpfully.
Mrs. Birch clapped her hands together in delight. "Our son, Brendan, just turned seventeen." She turned, her blonde, wavy hair gathering around her chin. "BRENDAN!" I heard a muffled his of pain and a door from somewhere upstairs opened with a bang.
"Mom! What is it..." I smiled as I recognized the part of the phrase that had been left out. It had better be good.
Brendan came into view, his platinum blonde hair, which I was previously positive was dyed but not so sure know, was sticking out in disarray with a red hair band holding it in place, a thin gash with blood dripping slowly out of it on his right palm; he rubbed it hastily on his jeans. He looked at me in surprise. "It's you!" he exclaimed.
"You two have already me-Brendan, what did you do to your hand?" His mother asked. Brendan, green eyes continued searching my face with interest, saying nothing.
"Brendan!" Mrs. Birch said slightly impatiently.
"Oh, Torchic was getting a bit ancy while I was trying train..."
"In your bedroom," Mrs. Birch said with exasperation as she hurried up the stairs. Brendan and I watched each other wearily. Oh damn, my mother had been right before. He was pretty cute, but after giving him another glance, I realized he really wasn't my type.
Even if he wasn't, I could still enjoy looking.
"So... your Samantha?" He asked flicking a stray hair out of his eyes before shoving his hands in his back pockets.
"Yep."
"Your dad's Charles?"
"Yep."
"Is 'yep' the only word you can say," he asked in exasperation, apparently sensing a trend.
I looked at him seriously. "Nope."
He cracked a slight smile. "Think you're funny do ya now?" Funny? I had never been described as funny in my life. Until now, my sarcasm had never been interpreted as witty. "So you want to be a trainer?"
Saying yes seemed easier than explaining to him my reluctance, so that's what I did. "I already have a Pokemon too."
"Really," Brendan said, shifting uncomfortably. "Well that's something. I was going t- Shit," he said, glancing at his watch for the time. "I'm supposed to be helping my uncle in the field today. Tell you what, later tonight I'll come by and take you to the Pokemon Center. Norman set up a welcome gift for you, and I'm in charge of delivering it. Bye now!" He passed me quickly, and left the staring blankly after him.
Ok, well it could have been worse. I let myself out of the house and wandered around town, just smelling the flowers. Really, what else was there for me to do? The trees surrounding Little Root were so different than the towering figure of Mount Moon that cast a shadow on the little town I grew up in and until recently, spent my whole life. The wide trunked trees spread majestically over head, their branches intertwining into patterns that were never repeated exactly the same way. I saw a bird Pokemon that looked remotely like a pidgey flutter from a branch to a nest, breaking the silence that I had grown to accept as normal. I liked the silence, it gave me peace of mind.
After avoiding the house for a few hours, I was not about to spend my afternoon unpacking, I was eventually forced to retreat back towards the flat by a swarm of persistent mosquitos that seemed to really enjoy drinking my blood.
There was a rolled up sheet of paper on the floor mat as I let myself in, and I picked it up, unfurling it.
Mina,
The movers are gone and If I'm not back yet it's because I'm out shopping. You can make whatever you want for dinner, I'll most likely be out till dark. If Brendan comes by, go with him, I already know all about it. I love you sweetie, and good luck!
Much Love,
Mom.
I loved how my mom's notes never made much sense. I couldn't cook, so cereal it was. Frosted Flakes were my comfort food, so I poured some into a bowl and curled up on the living room sofa. Not even five bites into my dinner, their was a rapping on the door, so I went and answered it. To my surprise, it was Brendan. "Hey," he said in greeting, letting himself in. "So, are you coming?"
"Coming where?" I asked perplexed.
"To the Pokemon Lab of course. For you present?"
"Oh, right," I agreed, not knowing at all what he was talking about. He moved to the door, expecting me to follow him.
"Wait, where's your stuff?" He asked, barring my exit from my own house. Rude. "Your clothes and bags and whatever else you'll need on your Pokemon Adventure," he said, enlightening me. I needed that stuff? "This is part of your present, your dad talked to my Uncle, and they decided it's time for you to start your Pokemon Journey."
Though I was not thrilled by this news, Brendan's excitement was contagious. He waited for me when I scrambled up the stairs and grabbed a bag. All my things were still on my bed, so I sorted them into two piles, the smaller of the two being on what I would bring with me. I fount a small bag and packed my clothes in it. On top, I lay the journal. I nodded in approval of my work and took one last sweeping glance around my room that I wouldn't even spend one night in.
I rushed back downstairs, and Brendan was waiting for me. We both walked outside, and I shut the door behind me. I suppose if I was to become a trainer, I better make the best of it. With that in mind, I followed Brendan towards the Pokemon center.
Steven's POV
My hands pushed the heavy doors forwards and I walked deterimadly into the conference room, staring straight ahead and meeting nobodies gaze. I heard the scrape of chairs as the eleven gathered, the newest gym leader hadn't been included in this meeting, all turned to look at me as I entered, nodding respectfully. I sat down at the head of the table, folding my hands on the table.
The conference room had a long table in the center that seated fourteen, and all the seats but two were filled. I had called an emergency meeting of the gym leaders and elite four to discuss the growing threat of the the terrorist orginazations: Team Magma and Aqua.
"Steven," Flannery nodded towards me respectfully. I shifted uncomfortably.
Glacia, who was to my right glanced at me sympethetically before clearing her throught pointedly. Immediately, everyone at the table was involving themselves with something, as to give me a chance to clear my head of unpleasent things.
Phoebe started. "We all know while why were here-"
"-Team Magma and Aqua are completely incompotent. I don't see why we are wasting our time worrying about them," Sydney said abruptly, leaning forward.
I looked at him sharply. "It is our duty to protect the people of Hoenn, or have your forgotten what they did."
Silence fell around the table; the gym leaders and elite four members alike looked at each other and started whispering. My knuckles whitened as I tried control my temper. If they had something to say to me, why couldn't they just come out and say it.
I was younger than all of them, only just nineteen but they usually respected me, the Champion was the chair after all.
"There's been some activity in Petalburg, so Norman," I nodded to the well built gym leader who specialized in normal type Pokemon, "I will be accompanying you back to the Petalburg. The rest of you, keep watch over your cities and report to me if anything is array." My gaze swept the table, making eye contact with with everybody exept for two...
I stood up abruptly and walked out of the room and out of the complex. "Metagross," I whispered, calling on my invisible friend. Red eyes appeared to my left and I smiled saddly. I placed my hand on one of his legs and felt the sudden jerking sensation as I was jerked through nothingness and my eyes met black.