Ayy nice to see the story juiced while i was asleep, got a few reviews too! so thank you for that
Chapter 5 Eyes
*Beep Beep Beep Beep* I swear I need five more minutes…
"Hey Alex, how was your sleep? I really passed out there, all I remember is hitting the pillow then boom!" My companion Shauna was currently describing her night to me while we walked down to breakfast.
"It was alright, I went out to eat last night. I would've invited you if weren't already out of it." I'm trusting the person that can actually read with picking out a place to have breakfast. I have a lot to do today, I need to go make an appointment at the lab to see the professor, I need to figure out a living situation and I need to find a job to pay for said living situation.
The first one is easy enough but the other two… might take a bit longer. I might end up having to camp outside the city, who knows.
"So, I was thinking of heading over and grabbing my mom's package, then I might go to the battle grounds behind the Pokecenter and see if anyone wants to have a battle, you're planning on going to the lab today, right? I can come with you if you want!" Breakfast went alright, Shauna picked out a nice place that was cheap. Now we're heading downtown to go pick up the package she came all this way for, apparently its some custom made necklace for her parents anniversary and she just insisted she go on a journey to get it. After stopping by the jewelers to grab it I had her direct me to the Pokémon lab, it was a sizable building, glass skylights and a giant biodome out back. Yeah, this just felt right.
The main lobby was less of a lobby as it was a hall way directly into the center of the facility, I know they mostly deal with trainers one-on-one here but you'd think they'd have some kind of security or at least a receptions desk… oh wait there's one it was hidden behind that MASSIVE stack of articles and books, they really got me there.
"Zzzz…" is the receptionist asleep?
…
Alright then, todays gonna be this kind of day.
I look over to Shauna, "should we wake em' up?" she nods, alright then let's do this.
I walk over to the desk, being careful to avoid knocking over the numerous stacks of paper between me and my goal. Once I get close enough, I peek over the pile to see a blonde mop of hair and a lab coat flopped over the desk. Well, it's now or never… I give them a little shake "mhmn, five more minutes…" ain't that the truth. I shake them again this time they actually get up, she does a little stretch the first thing that stands out to me is the blue scarf wrapped around her neck, she has a bob cut with long bangs, pale skin and grey eyes "*yawn* oh hi there… sorry I've just been busy lately… hope I didn't make you wait too long…"
I give her a little pat on the shoulder "Don't worry about it, so anyways I was wondering if I could schedule a meeting with professor sycamore… do you do meetings or…"
"Huh? Oh… yep! I can definitely do that for you!" That surprised me a bit, she got her bearings back in a split second. Well, she is a professional after all…
"Oh, that's perfect, do you have any idea when you can squeeze me in? It's kind of urgent"
The Secretary pressed a button on her desk and a futuristic hologram computer display popped up in front of her with what I could only assume was a schedule. "Well, the professor is busy at the moment with a… private matter put I could probably squeeze you in around 2PM if you don't mind waiting a couple hours." Well, that's… a lot sooner than I was expecting, shit I'm gonna have to work out my whole song and dance now, aren't I? 'I got to make sure my case sounds convincing, or I'm utterly boned' this is what I get for putting it off.
"Yeah, that sounds fine to me, a couple hours aren't that bad right Shauna?" she nods in agreement
The Secretary looks back up at me "Well if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like some personal information that I can have on file" makes sense, I guess.
"Uh yeah my ID is physical though can your computer like… scan that or?" I say while holding out my driver's license. After a quick once over I think she knew that it wasn't gonna work "can you just… tell me what it says and ill write it down?" yeah, I figured this is how it was gonna go…
"Alex Sturges, age 18, height 168cm" I say reciting the information word for word to the woman behind the desk. Her face scrunches up in annoyance for a second before saying " I'm sorry, but the computer will only let me put one name. would you prefer Alex or Sturges?"
"Alex please"
"Alright then… I'd say this is complete come back in two hours and ill take you to the conference room, I'm Dexio by the way, Alex its nice to meet you." She then looks over at Shauna "And your name is Shauna if I heard correctly, right?" Shauna smirks, "The one and only! Its good to meet you too Dexio!"
After sharing goodbyes, me and Shauna wind up back at the Pokémon center, she's been itching for a Pokémon battle since she met me and was currently pacing around the dirt battle arena. And… I don't know somethings just felt off, ever since we got back, I've just been feeling-
E̴̢̗͓̲̻̙̬̣̜̼͕̊̎š̵̱̥̼̹̿́̓͐̏̃̍̔͊͋̀̈̕ṕ̴̲͓̠̹͎͎ü̸̧̙̻̼̘̮͉̱̠̹̳̳̅ŕ̵̨̛̳̟̞͈̥͇̪͙̭̳̭̳̗͕͋̄͒͒̑͛͒̽̕͝͠r̶̛̙̺͖̻̱͓͌͆̍̏͋
"Gah!" I nearly had a heart attack as I come face to face with the eye that've been following me, it's a fluffy little cat! And its floating…
… its and Espurr and its so damn cute.
"Woah! Is that an Espurr!? That so cool I've only seen them in books and stuff" I can hear Shauna rambling off somewhere, but I just can't look away those eyes you I don't know what is it you its like I'm staring into a you void… wait is there a you voice in my head!
The Espurr's eyes glow a deep purple and all of a sudden Skitty is released from the Pokeball on Shauna's belt. The Espurr then floats its way over to one side of the arena, wait does it want to battle?
"H-hey!" I muster my will power again "Do you want to battle?"
The cats face remained neutral, it merely nodded before I felt a psychic pull, it pulled me towards the trainer area of the arena on it's side. " do you want me to fight with you? Is that it? you wanna battle Skitty together?"
Once again, a simple nod.
I walked over to the square marked in white and Shauna, not letting this opportunity go to waste, ran over and took up the opposite position with Skitty.
"Hey Alex! Since its your first match how bout we go till forfeit instead of a knockout? That sound fair to you?"
I smirk "yeah that's fine by me, feel free to drop out whenever you realize you're in over your head, okay?"
She gives me a grin back "oh you know it, ready skitty?"
"Skit!"
I looked over at my new partner, "uh you ready?"
Once again another nod, of course.
Shauna then yelled the countdown "Three! Two! One! Battle begin!"
And so it started… 'crap I don't know Espurr's moves! Ill just try the basics, it's a psychic type rig-'
"Skitty use Tackle! Get up close and personal!" and there goes my train of thought as Skitty starts running towards our side of the area, ironically, like a speeding freakin train.
"Crap Espurr use uh... psychic!" The pink cat is stopped in place, it looks around confused surrounded by a purple aura, before its lifted into the air and then unceremoniously slammed into the dirt with a mighty *Boom* Skitty is uh… seen better days lets say… Skitty gets back up, walks a few steps then faints on the spot.
Did I just win? I think I just won!
"Skitty! Darn well, you win I guess… return Skitty!" In a red beam of light the cat is sucked back into the ball "not bad for your first battle but then again, it was mine too!" really? That was her first battle… I look over to see the defeated look on her face now I just feel bad.
"Well, hey, don't worry about it, I'm sure Skitty will get much stronger. Espurr here probably has some experience under their belt, so don't worry about it! I think you did pretty good for your first time battling. You had me sweating there for a minute haha"
I got her to crack a smile, "Don't worry I'll give you a real challenge next time!"
Next time, eh? I wonder if that is the case…
"Hey Espurr, why are you here anyways?
You.
"What?"
You.
"Like do you wanna come with me? Is that what you mean?" I get a nod from the Pokémon, wait… did I just get my first ever Pokémon?
"Alex! Congrats you got your first Pokémon! That's something to celebrate right? Cmon I'm gonna go hand Skitty over to nurse joy then we can head back to the lab for your meeting. After that we gotta go Pokeball shopping! You need a ball for your new friend here after all!"
True, this is… definitely a new experience for me I'll just let her take the lead for a while here, she's more of an expert than me.
Well, we made it back to the lab, now with Espurr sitting on my shoulder tail resting on my neck. We make our way through the main entrance and again and… wow I mean… how! All the paper is gone, all the books are stacked back on the shelf, it went from a warzone to a library here in the span of two hours!
"Ah, there you are!" I look over to the hallway to the right to see Dexio standing there, "the professor is just finishing up his meeting now. He should be ready to see you any minute, if you'd just follow me, I can take you there and we can wait for him if you'd like" She does a double take, "is that Espurr always been with you?" Shauna chuckles a bit
"Yes, that sounds good to me" I said while following her, Shauna and Espurr stayed back, Shauna sprawled out on a couch in the main room while Espurr floated itself over and casually sat down on top of her. We continued down a hallway till we reached a large wooden door "alright here we are" I could hear the muffled sounds of voices inside one high pitched the other low. As time went on, they seemed to ramp up in volume before stopping. Then the door suddenly opened and a figure in a white dress stepped out.
"Well, if it isn't Ms. Can't say, how's it been?" The woman was shocked for a second before looking me up and down and saying "Oh my! I didn't think I'd be running into you here of all places! Are you here to see that… man? Well best of luck to you, I've really got to go now. Take care Alex" and with that she turned and left.
Dexio, seemed a bit shocked "did you, I mean, you just… never mind the professor should be ready for you now" she said that last part a bit louder, probably to alert the professor I'm going to be entering now.
I enter the conference room, across the table from me is a man who by the standards of this world, looks as plain as they come.
"Hello, I'm professor Sycamore. Alex, right? I heard you had an urgent matter to discuss with me? Well please take a seat and we can get started."
Oh yes, getting started oh boy
"Professor, where should I even begin..."
Hey again! Wow I'm not even gonna pretend like a have a plan for all of this, I'm just making up stuff as i go along. also I'm not afraid to rewrite chapters so if you have suggestions you think would work better, ill happily try them out!