Pokemon Obsidian

[panahinuva]

Today was the day! The big day, circled on the calendar of every aspiring pokemon trainer in Slateport city. It was the day that Professor Evergreen visited the city to distribute pokemon to all the junior trainers who had passed their certification exams!

The professor, a young woman with dark blue hair, a pair of small round glasses and a lab coat over a red jumpsuit, sat at her booth in the city market. She had tried the pokemon center a few years back, but had found that the place got so crowded with kids that actual trainers found it difficult to get their pokemon healed. So she had her booth set up, waiting for the trainers to arrive.

There was a tent set up nearby for the new trainers to meet up, talk, form groups and battle without fear of causing a ruckus in the street.

[SoraWolf7]

The first to arrive was a fit young boy with scruffy black hair tied down with a cerulean-blue bandanna and a scar running along his cheek to his ear, running to the tent alongside his Squirtle, who had an eye-patch covering its right eye.

"C'mon Squirtle, we're almost there!" he cheered, his Squirtle replying in agreement.

He stopped at the tent, panting only lightly in time with his Squirtle. "Captain-in-Training Edward Rogers reporting in, Professor Evergreen!" the newly introduced Edward announced in a chipper manner, saluting like a sailor. His Squirtle saluted afterward, as if waiting for the cue. "Along with First Mate Squirtle!"

He looked around. "Are we the first here?"

[panahinuva]

The woman smiled and nodded, saluting back. "Indeed you are, Captain Rodgers." Evergreen replied with a smile. "And I see you already have a loyal pokemon first mate, so here's your trainer card and pokedex." She handed him a shimmery piece of plastic and the small tablet. "You're welcome to head out on your journey, or stay in the tent and meet your fellow trainers."

[Qwerts]

A perky young woman with bluish-gray hair, green eyes and a huge smile, wearing simple, causual clothing, walked toward the tent with a boy in tow. The boy seemed to be 'round 11-13 years old and some people gave him second glances, thinking he was a girl at first. He was already quite tall for his age, a respectable 5'1, most of his face hidden by thick silver framed glasses with thick silver-ish lences hidding his eyes. He seemed to be a little distraught walking around in public like this. A strand of purple-gray-ish hair somehow managed to fall out of his Pokémon cap which he quickly tucked back in, before re-adjusting his white sleeved red and black jacket, making sure the zipper was almost completely closed, only leaving enough place for his neck to not be squashed under the jacket's fabric, showing a little bit of what was either a white T-shirt or shirt. The young woman stopped a little before the crowd thickened, before turning to the young boy. "Well, here we are!" She said cheerily to the young boy, "Are you sure you wa~" But she felt the glance of the boy thru his thick glasses and stopped before saying more.

"I. Am. Sure." He said on a forced tone with no intonations at all.

"Look,", she said, lowering herself to be to eye level with the boy, putting her hand on his shoulder, making the boy cringe, "I know what dad did to you. And grandpa and I think this adventure, this voyage, will help you let of your past behind." She continued, a mix of worry and sympaty and other feelings in her voice.

"I. Know." The young boy simply answered, still looking like he felt bad for being touched, "You. And. Grandpa. Think. This. Is. What. I. Need. ... And. I. Agree." The boy replied.

"Oh, that's wonderful!", The cheery young woman exclamed happily, "You know, this is the first time you're not shaking like a branch when I touch you, even though I'm your older sister! I think you're off on a good start, but I still wonder wh~" She said, again to be cut by the piercing glaze of the boy.

"Because. That. Way. I. Deal. With. That. Other. Problem. Of. Mine." He simply answered, still uneasy that his sister was touching him on the shoulder.

"Oh. I see. Well, if you feel that's the way to go, then just do it that way! I'm sure one day will come when you won't need to do it anymore!" She added happily, letting go of her younger brother.

"Well, then, let's go see prof. Evergreen! I hope she remember me from her classes! They were soooooo crowded! All the students loved her! I did send her a letter about what you had to go thru and everything, but, I really do hope she remember me! ... And that she has gotten my letter!" The young woman added, before walking to the booth, with her younger brother in tow once more!

"Hey! Prof Evergreen! It's me Letia! You remember me, right? And you got my letter, right?" Letia almost yelled as she got close to the Prof's booth, her brother trying to hide in her shadow, or something along those line.

There were so many people. Scary. Really scary. Men mostly. More scary. Seems like whatever the poor boy's father did on him left deep scars that were yet to be all healed.

[Mitsunami]

"There it is...the Hoenn region..."

Out on the horizon, Ed would be able to see a small ship approaching the port if he looked...and standing next to the starboard rail, a thin young man in a camouflage bandanna was grinning as he clenched one fingerless-glove-clad fist. "And the site of our newest league conquest! We'll go all the way this time, right buddy?"

As he spoke, he fingered a Safari Ball that was clipped around his neck...then smiled wider as he tapped the central button, enlarging the ball to its full size. "In fact, let's let you get a proper first look!"

Unclipping the ball, he hurled it upwards. "Yanma, come out!" he called, before the whirling ball burst open with a flash of light, forming into a speedy bolt of red and green as the dragonfly pokemon zipped down to hover next to its trainer.

"Excited, Yanma?"

"Yan! Yan-yanma!" the bug pokemon responded, smiling as it circled the boy's head, then fired off several waves of energy from its wings at the sea out of sher exuberance. However, had it been paying attention, it probably would have noted that its Sonicboom attack had collided with a glowwing yellow ball that was sticking up on a stalk out of the waves...now followed by the irritated face of an adult Lanturn. Screeching a battle cry, the pokemon gathered up all of its energy into its antenna's yellow bulb, performing the Charge technique...followed by a strong shockwave of electricity, the blue waves of the Discharge attack speeding at the ship.

Yanma let out an earsplitting squeal of pain as its trainer looked up, surprised, then horrified. "Yanma!"

As his bug-type partner fell to the deck, he approached it, eyes wide in disbelief. "Oh no...no, this can't happen...Yanma, are you alright?!"

The dragonfly gave a weak reply, struggling to get up, then collapsed in a dead faint, electricity still crackling over its clear wings. Unsure about returning the bug to its ball in such a condition, the trainer instead picked it up. "This is really bad...Yanma, hang in there! We'll be at shore soon!"

---------------

A young girl in a black vest, aqua-green shirt and tights and a black skirt approached the stand, trying not to look too interested. "Um...this is where...new trainers register, right?" she mumbled, glancing at the professor...then spotting Ed and hurriedly looking away, as if she didn't want to let anyone know she was here.

Before Ed could question her, they'd both nearly get run over by a young man cradling what looked like a badly injured Yanma in his arms, the pokemon covered in black marks and smoking slightly.

"Out of the way, clear the road! Come on, pokemon emergency, move it, all of you!" he screamed desperately, madly dashing past the assembled crowd and towards the pokemon center.

Once inside, he'd rush straight to the front desk. "I need help over here! Anyone, please, my Yanma is hurt really bad!"

[panahinuva]

"Of course I do, Letia!" Evergreen replied cheerfully. "Good to see you again. I got your letter. So this must be Jason." She smiled at him. "I've got a pokemon all prepared for you." She reached under the desk and handed the boy a pokeball, a pokedex and a trainer card.

Evergreen was about to talk to the the girl when the boy charged up, yelling hysterically. She watched him go with some concern before turning back to the girl. "Ah, sorry about that. I hope he's alright...Anyway, what's your name? I need to check if you're on the passing list." She replied.

[Silver]

"Oh my, looks like a show already." A taller woman said while she watched a boy rush into the pokemon center. "Come on Val, the professors right over there. Hey! Greenie! How've you been. Haven't had the chance to see you since I went digging in those old ledgends." Behind her a somewhat shorter girl hid in her shadow trying to make herself as small as possible, a Vulpix next to the younger of the two.

[Geno XIII]

A large plume of dust could be seen in the distance coming from a dark skinned girl sprinting along the road. Garbed in only a pair of worn levi shorts and a sunset patterned halter top, she looked more at home on the beach than a pokemon journey.

"YEAAAAAAAH!! Today's the day! Carpet de-yum! I'm here for the the first soulmate of Geana Chateau's elite pokemon fighting force!!" she shouted with extreme gusto at the waiting professor, once she came screeching to a halt. Her loud determined voice hiding the fact that she had slept in and had to sprint on foot halfway across town after forgetting to bring her bike.

[Qwerts]

Jason just timidly took the ball, the card and the dex, saying nothing. "You could at least thank prof Evergreen, Jason." Letia said, gently scolding her little brother.

Jason looked at Letia then at the prof and then at Letia again. "Thank. You." He simply said, again, his voice emotionless, almost artificial.

"I'm so sorry, professor.", Letia said bowing down lightly, apologizing, "But you know what he's been thru. I'm sure dad didn't want to hurt him. But... Jason... Has been deeply hurt. It's almost as if he has no personality of his own. And the way he talk... Grandpa and I... We just hope this will make him come out of his shell, to show his true self to others. I'm sure it's hidden deep somewhere in him. But... I just... I know he'll be able to do it with the right companions." Letia said, looking sad for a while.

She was about to say more when a young boy just passed them by, yelling loudly. While this happened, Jason freed his pokémon from its Pokéball. When the light of the ball died down, an orange chick-like pokémon stood. Jason looked at it for a while, before starting to talk. "Torchic. Chick. Pokémon. Fire. Type. Unknown. Level. Analysis. Incomplete. Due. To. Lack. Of. Information." He said.

The Torchic looked at its trainer with a WTF expression on its face. What kind of trainer did it got? When the rucus died down, Letia looked at Prof. Evergreen once more. "Are there good kids here that you think could handle being with him despite his... Difficulties?" She asked her once teacher.

[panahinuva]

"Of course." Evergreen replied. "I'm sure more trainers will be gathering in the tent soon. You're welcome to wait with Jason in there until he meets up with a group." She smiled warmly at the boy.

[Mitsunami]

"Um..." The aqua-haired girl was getting a bit unsettled with so many people around...similar to someone trying to read something privately on a crowded bus and watching for shoulder-readers.

"Yes," she finally replied, nodding. "My name is Marie Fontaine...you should find my name under the roster for Pacifidlog Town's new trainers...I think I'm the only one to come out of there. It's kind of a small place..." she muttered, still sneaking cautious glances at the others.

[Qwerts]

"Oh, thank you, m'am! That's such a relief." Letia said happily.

Jason just kept staring at his Pokémon while the Pokémon wondered if Jason was just thinking of making it his dinner or something. The Pokémon was a little scared of its trainer. He seemed like he was missing a bearing or two. The more Jason stared at his Pokémon, the more the little thing got scared. It even started to slowly back away from the boy. Then, before it could even run away, the boy grabbed it and hugged it, his tension leaving him and seemingly becoming calm.

"Wow... That's the first time I see him that calm." Letia said in disbelief.

[panahinuva]

"Ah, Marie." Evergreen said, tapping her list. "Here we are. Here's your trainer card, your pokedex and starting pokemon!" She handed the girl a piece of plastic, a tablet computer and the pokeball.

Evergreen turned back to Letia. "It's amazing how pokemon interact with young trainers. Shy ones get so much more confident with a strong friend like a pokemon at their side." She smiled. "It's pretty incredible."

[SoraWolf7]

Ed happily took his Trainer's card and Pokedex and looked at them in the sun. "Here we are Squirtle, step one of our journey," he said before all the commotion happened. "Looked like his pokemon fainted," Ed bluntly stated. "I guess they ran into something on the way here."

"Squirtle squirt," Squirtle agreed as the two walked outside the tent. The pair then sat down in the dirt and looked at each other.

"Okay, so we could either start now or wait to see who else is starting today..." Ed reasoned. "Well, what do you think, Squirtle?"

"Squirt Squirtle," Squirtle replied, nodding.

"Okay, we'll stay here," Ed replied. "Looks like half the new trainers are nervous... Still should be fun seeing if I can make someone my rival!"

[Silver]

"Didn't hear me, must be too many around, come on sis, wasting daylight." The older one moved towards the group bringing Valerie behind her. "Come on don't be shy Val you met her before and..... you never actually looked at her did you?"

Valerie nodded to her sister. "Sorry Malerie..."

"Cripes sis you gotta look at people too. Can't just rely on that. Shes right there see her?" She pointed at professor evergreen as they got up close. "Hello professor. Brought my sister out to get her license. You know see the land meet new people that sorta thing. Got a spare?" She smiled warmly even while Valerie stayed back meekly.

[panahinuva]

A large plume of dust could be seen in the distance coming from a dark skinned girl sprinting along the road. Garbed in only a pair of worn levi shorts and a sunset patterned halter top, she looked more at home on the beach than a pokemon journey.

"YEAAAAAAAH!! Today's the day! Carpet de-yum! I'm here for the the first soulmate of Geana Chateau's elite pokemon fighting force!!" she shouted with extreme gusto at the waiting professor, once she came screeching to a halt. Her loud determined voice hiding the fact that she had slept in and had to sprint on foot halfway across town after forgetting to bring her bike.

Evergreen laughed. "Well, we've got some seriously enthused people today. I see you on the list, so here's your pokeball, pokedex and trainer card." She handed the girl the three items, the red and white ball, the piece of shiny plastic and the small tablet computer.

Evergreen then turned to the new arrivals. "Ah, Malerie and her sister, Valerie. Here you are." She handed the girl the three essentials, then smiled. "Shy, huh? Don't worry, lots of shy people here today. Just head into the tent and I'm sure you can find some traveling companions.

Ed would notice people entering the tent. A few battles had already started amongst the new trainers.

[Qwerts]

"Yes, I should know. Grandpa and I have a Pokémon farm. It's just that it's the first time I see him react this way to a Pokémon." Letia said.

The Torchic didn't even knew what to do. Its trainer seemed to be some kind of crackpot kid. First he had stared at her as if he had wanted to eat her and now it was hugging her kindly. The Pokémon was confused about how to react to such a human. "Chiiiiccccc!" She whinned in confusion at how her trainer acted.

Jason for his part, was completely obvious to the outside world, just happy to cuddle with his Pokémon. "I think I should get him to the tent." Letia said to the prof, "thank you again." she added, before turning to Jason.

"Jason? We'll go to the tent. To meet kids your age. Perhaps we can find you good traveling companions?" Letia asked her brother.

Jason looked up still hugging the distraught Torchic. "If. You. Think. So." He said, getting up, taking all of his new things, before putting his new partner on his shoulder.

"Let's go then." Letia said, guiding her brother to the tent. As for the poor Torchic, she didn't even dared to move, frightened of making her partner go nuts without any reasons.

[Silver]

"See, it's perfectly fine, go on and make some friends Val. Don't worry I'll be around." After some prodding Valerie reluctantly went into the tent. "There she goes. Keep an eye on my sister Red. Shes your responsiblity as much as you are her's. Ok, Levi, Tein, come on, we have shopping to do." The vulpix yipped an affirmative and headed into the tent while a Doulblade followed Mal as she left.

Inside the tent Red found Valerie easy enough. Moving to the corner shere she stood Val knelt down and started to pet her. "So many different ones Red...."

[Mitsunami]

Marie nodded and took the items...then hurried out of the tent, wanting to be away from the others. Once she was outside, behind the tent, she looked to either side...then smiled and blushed with a bright, happy expression.

"Finally...finally, my journey to being the best and most resplendent among all coordinators is at its start! Now, let's get a look at my partner...come out!"

Throwing the ball, she watched with shining eyes as a green, slender pokemon appeared, offering her a half-lidded look with its eyes and a small smile. "Sni~~vy!" it squeaked.

"Eeeee!" she squealed, rubbing her hands together as she danced on the spot. "It's sooo cute! I'm gonna win my first contest for sure!"

------------

Inside the pokemon center, the bandanna-wearing trainer who had rushed through the crowd was pacing back and forth in front of the treatment room, looking anxious.

"All my fault...should've just kept it in the ball until we arrived...had to get overexcited..." he grumbled.

[SoraWolf7]

Ed walked into the Pokemon Center with Squirtle and noticed the fellow bandana-wearer pacing the floor. "Hey, I think I saw you earlier," he said, hoping the boy would notice him. "What's up?"