Pokémon Trainers
Chapter 1: Brand New Beginning
Seven A. M.
If it wasn't for the alarm blaring in his ears, the rising sun would've done the job of ruining his peaceful slumber, but as Damian slowly rose from his bed after punching the snooze button on his Gastly themed alarm clock, the young boy let out a beastly yawn as he could already hear his parents downstairs yelling for him in a rushing manner.
"Damian! You're going to be late! Then you're going to be mad that you don't get the Pokémon you want!"
Silly mother, Rowan thought to himself. This wasn't like the old days. These days, the acting professor of Twinleaf Town, Professor Rowan, had a plethora of Pokémon to choose from as your starter. On top of that, with today's technology, Professor Rowan operates on a reserve system, so Damian was in no rush to go stand in line for what was already his.
But that's right. Today was the day Damian left his home to go conquer his goals and dreams. Today was the day that Damian officially became a Pokémon trainer!
As he trudged his way downstairs to join his family one last time in the kitchen, he sat down as a plate was then placed before him. "Hurry up and eat now." His mom reiterated the need to hurry, unaware of what he knew. There was a reason too, because a few weeks ago, up until now, Damian's mother tried to drive home a point that he refused to take heed too.
"You better not pick a ghost Pokémon! Ever! You're not bringing any spirits into this house, do I make myself clear!?"
Those words went in one ear and out the other, because it wasn't like he had an obsession or passion for ghost Pokémon, but Damian definitely remembers and revisits in his mind the day he met that local legend just up the road, just before the Verity Lakefront. A giant Gengar he once met when he was only five, and the mysterious trainer that chased it away with an Alakazam. It was safe to say who his favorite and most hated Pokémon was, and Damian was sticking to his selection no matter what his mother said.
So, after his goodbyes with his mother and father…
He was off to see Professor Rowan.
What he expected was an empty lab so he could simply grab his gastly he reserved and head on out, eventually catching up with the others that started today and showing them who's boss. What he got.. was still five more kids also waiting for their Pokémon. "Ugh.." He groaned, coming up behind the remaining five. Once he was spotted, Professor Rowan gave a smile and wave. "Damian!" He shouted, causing the other kids to turn back and spot him as well. Twinleaf was a small town, so of course Damian could unfortunately name everyone in line right now. The girl in front with light blonde hair and blue eyes was Kodi. She was literally the girl next door. The boy behind her with the mini Afro, his name was Marcus. The next guy behind him with the short black hair was Jackson and the girl behind him with the darker blonde hair and glasses was Katherine. But the kid right in front of Damian now, with parted black hair and brown eyes, was Jerry. Damian remembers him in the worst way, because he was there the day he saw Gengar, but if Jerry was to tell the story, he'd tell you that the giant Gengar attacked him, and that mysterious trainer with the Alakazam saved him. Just as Damian lives with his truth, Jerry lives by his.
The two stared at each other, but didn't say a word as Kodi took a step forward. "I'm ready for my Pokémon!" She shouted, holding out her hand. Professor Rowan nodded. "Right! You six were the only ones to reserve their Pokémon in time, so even though you're the last of the new trainers, it's already written who you first partner will be. Now, Kodi. Here you are! Call out for your Pokémon!"
As Rowan dropped the Pokéball in Kodi's hand, she smiled brightly with reddened cheeks, excited as she brushed her nose with her right thumb before winding up and launching it forward while chanting her phrase. "Let's do this! Eevee!"
The pokeball popped open, and out came Eevee, letting loose her signature sound as he trotted and jumped into Kodi's arms. She squeezed her tightly, laughing in joy. "You're so cute! We're going to have so much fun together, Eevee!"
As the two played around, Marcus stepped up, and Rowan dropped the pokeball into his hand. In that instant, he gripped the ball tightly, grinning as he then underhand tossed it into the air. "Come on out! Ralts!" On command, the Ralts leapt from the pokeball and immediately ran behind its new trainer, hiding behind its leg. "Huh?"
Professor Rowan laughed as he handed Jackson his pokeball. "It's looks like your Ralts had as a timid nature. That's not a bad thing, so don't mistake it as cowardice." That still didn't give Marcus any assurance about it, but it was what he picked, so he sighed before giving Ralts a pat on the head. "Alright Jackson. You're next!"
He gave a simple nod before hiding the pokeball behind his back, taking a peculiar stance as if he was on a pitcher's mound. With his index and middle finger on the ball and the backside of his ring finger and pinky as well, his thumb hugged underneath the orb as he wound up, raised a left leg and then threw the pokeball forward. "Go! Elekid!" Out popped the Pokémon on command, standing before Jackson and swinging his arms like pinwheels in its own way to show domination.
"Awesome." Was his only response as Katherine stepped up. With pokeball in hand, the young girl pushed up her frames before throwing the ball high into the air. "Come on, Larvitar!"
Out it's pokeball, Larvitar looked around until it found it's first opponent. It took three running strides towards Elekid before Katherine picked it up into her arms. "Hi! I'm your trainer!" She exclaimed as the Pokémon continuously tried to escape so it could fight one of the other three roaming and playing about.
"Feisty as always." Rowan said with a sweat drop falling from his head. That's when he turned to Jerry, placing the pokeball in his hands. Jerry stared at his pokeball for a few seconds, finally succumbing to a small smile as he tossed it into the air. He didn't say a word as his Pokémon was revealed. An Abra now sat before everyone, and everyone except him and professor Rowan were confused at the pick.
"As a first Pokémon?" Katherine asked. "That's a challenge for sure." Jackson added with a nodding Marcus in the background. Kodi blinked a few times she bent down to examine the Pokémon. Eevee remained balanced on top of her head, mimicking her trainer as the blinked together.
"Of course you did." Damian grunted as he walked forward. The two exchanged looks as Rowan awkwardly handed him the final pokeball. That's when Damian turned to Jerry, a full grip on his pokeball with his right hand as his left hand pushed down his bucket hat to just hover over his eyes. That's when he took a momentous step forward and threw the ball forward. "Me and you, Gastly!"
Jerry was already showing an angered look before it even appeared, and flashbacks of that day was playing through his mind clearly as the Gastly appeared not even inches before him with its fang filled smile. A mixture of anger and fear while Damian stood behind his partner with a smirk. As Jerry took a step back from the playful ghost Pokémon, he regained himself, clearing his throat as he picked up his Abra. "What a waste of a pick. You'll lose to me and Abra each time."
"Oh yeah?!" Damian instantly took offense. He took the challenge as well. "You want to prove that?"
"Now now…" Rowan said awkwardly, failing miserably at diffusing the situation. The stare down went on for a full minute until finally…
Abra teleported away. "…Huh!? Abra!?" Jerry frantically looked around for his missing Pokémon, and that caused Damian and Gastly to burst into laughter. The two were in sync already. Abra then reappeared, back on Jerry's shoulder which caused the trainer to let out a sigh of relief, petting his Pokémon. "Never mind. I was a little to anxious, but from this moment forward, me and Abra will now set out to be the best team there is. Thanks again, Professor."
"Thanks professor!" They all shouted. Rowan laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "You six be safe out there! Enjoy every adventure, and don't forget to call home to your parents now and again, okay?"
Now, at the edge of Twinleaf, Kodi raised her fists high into the air. "Alright! I'm off! I'm sure this isn't the last time I see everyone here, so good luck to you all!"
"Eh? Leaving now?" Jackson asked. "The sun is already going down. Me and Elekid are leaving in the morning.
Marcus turned to the lowering sun. "You know, that's actually not a bad idea. It'll be nightfall before anyone can reach the next town. No need to speed run my survival skills. One step at a time, you know? Morning it is."
As Katherine also pondered her options, both Jerry and Damian took their steps forward and past Kodi, turning to each other with comical angry faces as they each took to opposite sides of the road. "Those two wankers.." Katherine said, trudging along at a much slower speed. "I want to go now, but I'm not traveling with them. Not like this."
"Hey! I'm supposed to be in front!" Kodi shouted, running to catch up as Marcus and Jackson both went back home.
This was the story of six trainers and their brand new adventure in the Sinnoh region.
