Nic Funsei: The Lost Soul

Nic Funsei was just an almost-ordinary boy in New Bark High School, or at least had been until he'd dropped a couple of weeks ago. He was only the second or third person to drop out, he knew the first had been some girl named Sophie, not many people had seen her since, and he often saw her running around town.

Nic had once lived in Pallet Town in Kanto, but his family had all passed away.

"I don't wish to live since my parents died but I have to be brave, for you, though sometimes I wish I could just die," Nic said to his little Eevee.

Before he died Nic's father gave him a baby Eevee, Nic loved the little Pokemon, it was the only connection between him and his family.

Nic had read a snippet in the paper about the Pokemon League at Indigo Plateau however hadn't considered it.

"Eevee's not strong enough for that," he thought as he walked around town with his Eevee following him.

As he walked he saw Sophie Nitamashii walking towards the west of Town with her Misdreavus close behind.

"Wonder where she's off to so early," he said to himself.

Nic didn't mean to follow her intentionally, it just seemed to happened, if she turned and saw him he'd simply say he was headed to a friends house a turn down a street.

She turned and saw him sooner than Nic had expected.

"Nic?" Sophie asked. "Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked.

Nic realized that it was only noon on a Thursday.

"I- I dropped out," he said.

Sophie seemed to get a bit annoyed. "So what your following trying to see how I get by is that it?" she asked angrily.

"No, that's not it," Nic said. "It's just-"

Sophie didn't seem to care, she just turned around and kept walking, picking up the pace, her Misdreavus looking back now and then to see if Nic was still following them...

Nic was born in Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, just east of Johto, he had lived there with his family until they had died when a group of wrong doers had broken into the house, Nic and his Eevee had escaped, after the incident he had run as far from home as he could, he ended up in Viridian City, he was adopted by a couple who soon moved to Vermillion, Nic had hated his adoptive parents...

Nic continued walking around town until he saw Sophie again, across the road. He stopped, he was out of her view behind a tree, he watched her go into an important looking building, he had been in the same building once on a school trip. It was Professor Elm's Research Lab.

"What the hell could she have business in there for," he wondered...

When Nic was 14 he jumped the SS Aqua from Vermillion City to Olivine in Johto, from there he had hitched a ride with a traveller to New Bark Town in his truck. Nic had lived there since in an abandoned house, several people knew he was there but no one bothered complaining...

Nic followed Sophie into the building, he had no idea what his excuse would be, all he knew was that there was something about Sophie that helped him ease his mind, he'd heard that her mum had died, perhaps it was that was the reason. They both knew what it felt like to lose their parents.

Sophie was talking to a man in a white lab coat when she turned around.

"Are you stalking me or something?" she snapped at him.

"No, I just thought I'd come check the place out," Nic replied make nervous waves around in the air.

"Eevee," said his Eevee. ("Dumb Ar*e.")

"Well then my lab seems to be receiving a lot of attention nowadays," laughed the man Sophie's was talking to.

"I'm Professor Elm, Pokemon Researcher," he introduced himself to Nic.

Nic saw Sophie's jaw drop.

"You're k- k- kidding," she stuttered.

"No, why?"

Sophie was amazed. "I was working for a Pokemon researcher all this time and didn't even know it!" She screamed nearly at the top of her lungs.

"I did introduce myself at the interview," explained Professor Elm.

Missy just looked at Sophie and sighed. "Misdreavus," she said quietly. ("Idiot.")

"You work here," asked Nic.

"I did," explained Sophie. "However I'm leaving town."

"Really," said Nic, he was shocked, Sophie was really the only person who could understand the way he felt, and now she was leaving. "Where are you going?"

Sophie seemed confused by Nic's sudden interest, they had been in several classes together before she'd left school and he'd barely said two words to her.

"I was going to…" Sophie dug around in her pocket and pulled out a newspaper clipping and handed it to Nic.

Nic saw it was the Pokemon League Notice he'd seen that same day.

"I was going to try and take part in that," Sophie blurted out. "I came round here because I wanted Professor Elm to know I was okay after what happened," she said.

Sophie began to walk out of the room, past Nic but the Professor Elm said.

"Sophie, if your going to compete in the Pokemon League you'll need some other Pokemon, right?" he asked.

"Yes," said Sophie. "I was planning to capture some others."

"I'll help you get started," he said. "Sophie, come with me, Nic you too."

Sophie and Nic followed the Professor into a room; Sophie had swept it a few times, and could she it still seemed rather clean.

"I'd like you both to have these," he said passing them both small computer like devices, Sophie's purple with a Pink outline and Nic's black with a yellow outline. "Those are Pokedex," he explained.

Sophie had heard the word, but never thought she'd see one for real. "A high tech encyclopaedia that stores data on any Pokemon you've seen or caught," she said, she was unaware of the origins of the words but she'd plucked them from some point in her mind.

"Exactly," said the Professor. "Sophie, as your going to capture Pokemon, I'd like you to help me fill that up."

Sophie seemed a little confused. "You fire me, then want to employ me again?"

"Well, not exactly employ," said Professor Elm. "But let me tell you, the title of Dex Holder is highly renowned and prestigious."

"Then how come I've never heard it before?" said Nic rather matter-of-factly.

Professor Elm was embarrassed. "Well I suppose you'd be the first ones to have the title, but that would make you the greatest," he added, trying to sway them.

"More like the only," thought Sophie. "But if I'm busy collecting Badges how will I have time to fill this?"

"You'll find the time," said Professor Elm, tapping her on the forehead.

"Well why'd you give me one," asked Nic.

Professor Elm looked at Nic for a minute. "I see promise in you young man," he said. "I suggest you follow Sophie's lead and leave on this quest as well.

"Before you go rushing off I have something else for you."

Professor Elm walked over to a circular table and took two Pokeballs out of slots in it.

"I now you rather well Sophie, and I can say this Pokemon is perfect for you."

Sophie opened the ball and a small blue crocodile like Pokemon materialized from the white energy. It had sharp teeth, and red spikes down it's back.

"Todidi," it said cheerily while it jumped and waved its feet in the air. ("Hello there")

Sophie crouched down so she could speak to the Pokemon face-to-face.

"Hi there," she said. "I'm Sophie," she tickled the Pokemon's belly and it laughed.

"Todo- Tododile," it said happily. ("My name's Tododile")

"I think I'll nickname you," Sophie thought for a minute as she watched Tododile snappy it's jaws at nothing in particular. "Snappy," she said finally.

Nic had also been given a Pokeball he didn't open it though.

"Right," said Professor Elm. "You two kids hurry along."

"Of course," said Sophie. "Missy, Snappy come on," and she ran out of the lab, Missy and Snappy close behind.

"Misdreavus Mis- -Vus," called Missy. ("I'm right behind you")

"Todo-," said Snappy right after. ("Me too")

Nic walked slowly out of the lab, by the time he was out side he could only see a silhouette of Sophie far down the street headed for Route 29. his brown blew in the breeze and he replaced his red cap before looking down at his two Pokemon.

"Well," he said. "We'd better go get ready," and with that he turned towards his house to gather what he needed.