Okay, so this is just another new region with fakemon stories. If you are tired of these already, feel free to leave. Otherwise, do give it a shot and criticize as you will. Any response is appreciated.
Here are the links to the other chapters:
Chapter-2
Chapter-3
Chapter-4
Chapter-5
Chapter-6
Chapter-7
Chapter:1
I woke up early this morning. The light in our room was dimmed, as it was usually kept during the night. The soft leather beneath us felt cold, but not uncomfortable. A gentle whizzing sound was issuing from either of the many complex looking instruments around the room – from which I did not know. The sound was not disturbing, rather soothing in a way. This was the check up-room of the Pokémon laboratory. Curtains were drawn on the large windows that opened to the front garden. The large operation table on which we were lying, was in the middle of the room. A set of couches strewed the wall opposite the windows. The wall above it was covered in see-through glass. The door in the corner stood ajar. The lights in the corridor were still out, that much I could make out from where I was lying.
The laboratory was huge. Even the backyard garden comprises of twice the amount of open land of what we had in our breeder’s home. Then in the south east corner there was the rocky terrain, and beside that the sandy arena, and in the northernmost corner there was a huge lake where the water Pokémon of the lab dwell. Even a small part of the Evergreen forest was inside the lab compound. But the tall, lanky Professor, who took us in, would never allow us near that part. “Wait till you start the big journey,” he would say whenever any of us wondered aloud what was in there.
The Professor was a good man, of that I am sure. He was a jolly fellow, who went by the name of Professor Fir. He had been taking really good care of us– me, Torchant and Platypi, since the very first day he picked us up from the breeder’s home. For now we are ‘his’ Pokémon, as they put it. Torchant simply adores the professor. For the first few weeks in here she would not stop talking about how great the professor was. She was like “the professor’s this, the professor’s that” all the while. Platypi just could not stand that. He was very distant with the professor at the beginning. But after a while he also joined the fan club. It took a while for me too to get used to the new environment, and I guess I was a bit judgmental by nature. It took time for me to like someone. But the professor is such a nice fellow; it did not take much to like him.
Now that almost a month has passed since we first arrived here, I think I have got pretty attached to our captor. Not only him, but to all of what we have been living into. The morning strolls, the lazing hours in the noon, the afternoon exercise, everything has been so endearing. I know I would miss it once I get out of here.
Deep in these thoughts, I turned around. The room looked bigger and somewhat unfamiliar than usual in this early hour. Though we have been living here almost a month now, it never really became a home to us. We always knew that we were meant to be ‘out there’, not ‘in here’ – the Professor has always reminded us of that. We were not just three Pokémon; we were the ‘starters’. That might mean something important to the human, but to us, it was just a tag we were carrying around. It had its benefits though. The nurse lady, whom we have been visiting for regular check-ups, was extra nice to us, and this assistant guy has been giving us some really great munches. But all those would apparently change today.
<Today, the big, big day – the day we all have been waiting for – we get ourselves our human trainers> I thought to myself.
Honestly though, I did not know how to feel about that. I guess nobody really knows until they get on with it. But that did not stop us getting excited over it. We had been talking to all the big guys in the lab, older Pokémon that is, about how it feels to be on the road, to travel with a human trainer. All of them had given their personal opinions on the matter, and none so far has been a negative one. The elder Noctowl, who has been in training for twenty long years, and had journeyed with his fellow trainer on and off for quite a long time, commented that it is different for everyone; that we, all Pokémon, will eventually learn to get attuned with our human partner if things work out between the both sides. I did not fully understand what it meant though – I was after all only two months old.
But I think, I have seen, or felt – to be exact, of that side of the matter. After a while with the professor, I slowly started to understand him – what he likes and what he does not, and more importantly why his likings were as such. The most interesting part was the gradual changes in me. I automatically started to act as the professor, and that was not just me but all three of us. Probably, that was what the wise lady Noctowl meant about ‘getting attuned’.
I yawned, and looked around. Torchant was lying on my right, snoozing slowly and deeply. Her bright ruby-red body was glowing softly; her undeveloped wings rose and fell as she breathed in and out rhythmically. As I watched her, she twitched a bit, her eyelids, which covered her big dark eyes, were stirring. Was she dreaming? Torchant has been a good friend. She was cheerful, polite, and unlike Platypi, was cool headed. I could always relay my thoughts to her. She was very patient whenever I was worrying out loud. Platypi, on the other hand, would take a mickey out of me whenever I would get emotional. ‘Old boys don’t cry’ was what he believed in. Silly him! I guess Torchant, among the three of us, was the most excited about going on a journey with a human. Platypi, who was snoring pretty loudly from a couch across the room at this moment, was indifferent to it. As for me, I thought I would wait till I find out who gets to train me to make any judgment.
The sun had risen unnoticed by us all. I was so deep in thoughts that I did not even notice the Professor walked in right in front of me. He must have slept in last night. He sometimes did that when he has too much work. The white lab-coat that he was wearing last night was still on him – a bit crumpled, his hair messy, and his glasses askew. Tall, and lanky, the professor always looked lost as to what to do with his hands whenever he stood still. Rubbing his eyes vigorously, he walked over the windows, drew out the curtains and threw open the panes. A cool morning breeze washed over us.
“Morning!” said the professor, straitening his glasses.
<Good morning, professor!> I greeted back. I don’t know why, but seeing the professor first time everyday felt contenting. There was something assuring about it.
<Morning! Morning!> chirped Torchant beside me. I did not notice when she woke up. Sleep was still lingering in her starry eyes. I smiled at her, and she smiled back.
<You woke up before me today> she said in a soft voice.
<Yeah, I did. Were you dreaming? I was watching you – your eyes were twitching.>
<Yes, I was. That same old dream, you know.>
<The one with the flowery meadow?> I asked.
<Hmm..hmm!>
Torchant has been dreaming about going to the journey ever since the professor explained it all to us. At first I thought she would not like it, leaving the professor behind and all. But she proved me wrong. The idea completely swept her off her spindly feet. She has been dreaming about running along a flowery meadow with this imaginary girl trainer almost every night afterwards. She got the idea from a Bellosom apparently.
“Big day, huh!” said the professor, as he dropped himself on the couch next to where Platypi was still sleeping. He stroked his head fondly.
“Wake up, Platypi,” he called.
And after a nudge or two, Platypi woke up with a start.
<What the….morning already?....Are they here?.......Where am I?> he looked foolishly around.
All three of us were laughing. Platypi could be so funny sometimes.
“Calm down, you,” said the professor. “It’s only eight. I told them to come at ten. That’s still two more hours for you to freshen yourselves up.”
<Why did you wake me up so early then?> complained Platypi. He nudged his yellow beak on his webbed front paws and resumed the sleeping stance.
The professor stood up with an effort, stretched his arms, and yawned broadly. “As for me, I need to go and change. Nurse Joy said she might turn up for the big event, you know.” He winked at us and left smiling.
We cheered. The professor nurtured a soft spot for the Nurse Joy. We have seen him go all groggy whenever the pretty nurse was around.
<The professor and the Nurse, they make an adorable couple, don’t they?> sighed torchant.
Platypi acted as if to vomit. I laughed.
At nine o’clock by the grandfather clock in the hallway, the morning bell rang throughout the lab. It’s a routine alarm that means the morning activities are to be started soon. All the Pokemon gather around the feeding bowls, and the professor, along with his many assistants, starts serving breakfast. This was the usual routine. We had been dining in the front yard with some other fellow Pokemon since the day we arrived here. Today, however, we were served in the check-up room. An assistant lady has given us a bath a while ago, and we felt much more awake because of that.
The morning air always made me hungry. So, I dug in as soon as my bowl was served. Torchant was nibbling with his blocks. She looked quite tensed. Platypi was eating with a grumpy expression on his face.
<Everything alright Platy?> I asked.
<Fine> he said moodily. Maybe he too was nervous, more so than he was letting on.
We finished our food in silence. Torchant finished last. After that we went through a check-up session.
“You guys want to go out and play for a while? It’s still half an hour to ten,” said the professor.
<No> I said. I did not feel like going out. All the other Pokemon would surely be cramming up to ask how we were feeling. I did not feel like to be in the spotlight at this moment. Torchant decided to stay put too, but Platypi slid out of the table, and slowly walked out of the room.
Yet another silent half an hour later, through which I have worried myself silly for no reason at all, the clock struck ten. Almost at the same time the front door-bell chimed. Torchant jumped beside me.
<Here they come now> she said slowly. I nodded.
<What happens if none of them likes me?> said Torchant, sounding almost fearful.
I have had the same worry at times throughout the last week. I guess it would not matter anyway. The professor’s lab is as good a home as any. I would not mind if I would have to remain here for the rest of my life, and I told Torchant so.
<But let’s hope for the best, shall we?> I said expectantly. Torchant smiled.
<You are a good friend Petalip. Whatever happens we will remain friends, okay?> said Torchant.
<You bet> I assured her.
I walked in the lab with my heart thumping like crazy. There’s just that much excitement my fifteen year old mind can handle. It had been almost a year since I decided to be a Pokémon trainer, and almost every night ever since I had been dreaming of a crowded stadium, a dusty fighting arena, and an opponent across it. But now that I was standing on the verge of it, I felt like I would not be able to handle the fervor. You would think a whole year would tune it down a level.
As I walked past the well lit hallway with my two companions – the other two wanna-be-trainers, I tried to see myself in them. In front of me walked a girl. She was talking to the lab-assistant who was leading the way. I knew she was called Jenna Davis. Her father, Mr. Juann Davis, was a renowned artist. Her mother, on the other hand, had been a pokemon coordinator, and a very good one at that, until she left the career for some family problem of which no one knew anything exactly. It was big in the local newspaper a few years back.
I never really had a chance to talk with Jenna before, ever. She was a pretty girl, I would give her that much. Her hair was a dark bronze and fell to her waist. She had an almond shaped face with bright pearl blue eyes. She was wearing a trendy multicolored long skirt, a white top and some light jewelry, giving her a very polished, posh look. The only thing I know about her is that she has a very charming smile, which she has given me one at Fir’s door a while back.
But I knew of her kind. They live in huge mansions, they drive rich cars, and they did not usually mix with the average class like us. I did not know if Jenna was a snobbish, wealthy, daddy’s girl type cry baby or not, but for now I would settle on an image just like that. 'I am nothing like her,' I thought.
Beside me walked a good looking boy with messy blond hair, a roundish face and sharp, brown eyes. He was smiling for some reason. As I looked at him, he returned my gaze still smiling. I smiled back. This kid seems okay. He was sporting a jeans jacket over a white t-shirt. His baggy jeans had many pockets. I could not help but notice that he looked pretty cool overall. I might be somewhat like him, I thought.
“Hi, I am Shaun Rayman,” I introduced myself, offering him my hand.
“Roger Hale,” he shook my hand.
Hale….Hale….Why did that name sound familiar? And then it dawned on me. ‘Hale’ from the ‘Hale Corporations’.
“You are not by any chance related to the Hales of Hale Corp., are you?” I asked.
“Yeah, I am. William Hale, the founder, is my father.”
Well, of course he was. Who did not know about William Hale? But more importantly….
“But then Gordon Hale is…” I stammered.
He picked on, “My uncle, yes.” He said that so simply.
I whistled softly, utterly impressed. Gordon Hale, the famous Gordon Hale, the enchanting, mighty, maestro of the sky-Gordon Hale. He was the very famous gym leader of Clouden city. But even more impressive was the fact that he literally ruled the sky. His acrobats with a hang-glider were legendary. He was an icon of sky sports. There was none to rival his talents in that area. One among the many reasons I wanted to be a trainer in the first place, is to meet with, fight against and earn a badge from Gordon Hale.
“That’s cool, really!” I gave him that. His smile broadened.
“Do you see much of him though?” I asked.
“Uncle Gordon you mean?” he said questioningly. I nodded.
“Yeah,” he laughed, “We live in the same house you know.”
The Hale Mansion he means, I said to myself. So I ended up being with two of the richest kids in the country. Typical! If I had known of this beforehand, I might have decided on waiting for one more year before getting on with the trainer journey. What was the difference between fourteen and fifteen; nothing really.
We have been walking for quite sometime now. The lab was simply too big. The building did not seem so immense from outside. As we walked through the hallway, we got glimpses of different rooms. People in white lab coats were working with very complex looking machines on who knows what. They eyed us with interest as we moved onward. Jenna was still absorbed in conversation with the assistant guy. Her braided hair danced at her wake. I sped up a bit in order to hear if they were talking about anything interesting. But then they halted suddenly, and I almost crashed onto Jenna. Roger caught me by my hand, and I was saved from the embarrassment.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“No problem,” he whispered back.
I am starting to like this guy. Maybe we will become good buddies; maybe he will travel with me. That would be cool.
We were standing in a wide veranda. The assistant guy left us here a few minutes back to go and look for Professor Fir. The whole front garden was visible from here. All three of us stood there with our backs to the railing facing a room with its door slightly open. There was a huge glass panel almost all over the wall in front of us. Our reflections were clear as crystal on it. In the middle stood Roger, his arms crossed over his chest. Jenna stood on his right, giving us furtive glances every now and then. I was examining all three of us in our reflections.
Jenna talked first.
“Umm, I have not introduced myself,” she said politely, “I am Jenna Davis.”
“Roger Hale,” delivered Hale, and shook her hand. I followed suit giving her my name.
“Have you two decided on what Pokémon you want to get?” Jenna asked.
Roger nodded a yes. I shook my head. “No,” I said.
“Well, I would love to get a Torchant,” said Jenna, and looked at Roger to verify if her choice had twinned with his.
Roger smiled, “Not a Torchant, no.” He did not really talk much.
Jenna looked kinda relieved. “As I was saying,” she went on, “I love Torchant, but Shaun, if you want to have one I am ready to swap.”
I was a bit put off by this show of generosity. I shrugged. At that moment Professor Fir came striding in.
“Hullo kids,” he greeted us in a booming voice.
I had seen Professor Fir before in television and magazines, but I have never met him in person before this. He was unusually tall, almost six feet seven or eight inches by the look of him, and very slim. He had graying hair which seems to be receding, with much of his forehead already exposed. He wore horn-rimmed glasses of thick lenses, which effectively blocked his eyes from view. Overall he had a very kind looking face, which even to a degree seemed foolish. But Professor Fir was one of the leading scientists of the era; his knowledge in Pokémon genealogy was unparalleled. He had very recently discovered the mystery of branched evolution. A very potential topic which, as ‘The Pokémon Herald’ says, might lead to a completely new set of Pokémon.
“Hello Professor,” we chimed back in unison.
“Professor Frederick Fir, that’s me,” he said smiling, “and you two must be Mr. Rayman, and Miss Davis.” He shook hands with both of us.
“And I already know Roger!” the professor said. “How’s your father doing?”
“He is alright professor, thanks for asking,” said Roger.
When we looked at them questioningly, Professor Fir explained, “I had the opportunity to work with Roger’s father, Mr. William Hale, last year. Great man, great man!”
“William Hale is your father?” It was Jenna this time. Roger nodded.
“But that means you are the nephew of…” she gasped. It was all over again.
“Now that we have been introduced and all, shall we proceed to our business?” asked Professor Fir.
“What business?” Jenna asked stupidly. She was still eying Roger like she could not really believe her eyes.
“Your Pokémon, I mean,” said Professor Fir patiently.
“Oh! Yes, yes,” said Jenna getting red in the face.
“Well then, the three starter Pokémon are in this room,” he beckoned towards the glass-wall. “They have already seen you, and now all that remains is for you to go and choose the one you like. But before you go, I would like to tell you about the three Pokémon we have here today.”
Professor Fir paused. All three of us were giving him undivided attention.
“About the three species, you mean?” Jenna asked.
“Not about their species, No. You will get that information from the Pokédex that you will receive today. I mean to explain the nature of these three Pokémon. I picked the trio one month ago from a breeder farm in Limestone town. I have been observing them ever since. I have studied their general behavior, their response to critical situations and as such for the past couple of weeks. I relay this to you so that it might help you to choose wisely.”
The professor has turned very businesslike. Even his facial expression has changed. He now looked anything but foolish.
“First we have the fire sting Pokémon, Torchant. The one I have here is very friendly. Easy going and curious. The other two of the trio had been to some arguments at times, but the Torchant – not once. On the contrary, I have seen her to run between the two trying to break up their fight.”
“The bud Pokémon, Petalip, on the other hand seems to be a proud Pokémon. The one I got here is a male one. You can tell since they have longer crest feathers, you know. Petalip, I would say, is quite judgmental. He has an own way of doing things, and he does not really like others to interfere. But I have also seen him to get pretty emotional at times. This might mean that he is not so secured inside.”
“And last but not the least I have a Platypi to give away today. Oh, platypi has been a laugh. He is strong, platypi is. With a bit of training, he will be an excellent fighter, of that I am sure. He wants to learn, and likes to experiment. I think he is the only one who has got on with training himself and has acquired the first elemental attack.”
Professor Fir stopped, and surveyed us from his abnormal height. “Now that you know what I am offering, let’s go see them, shall we?” With that, he led us into that room. Jenna entered first, and then Roger and I followed at last. The room had huge windows on the other wall. Copious amount of sunlight was flooding the room. In the middle stood one of those examination tables, and on that stood three pokemon in a row – the fire stinger: Torchant, the budding pecker: Petalip, and the little fin pokemon: Platypi. All marvelous Pokémon, eying us expectantly. The task that remained was to choose one. The one which would be the very first, with which to create that special bond, which was supposed to be the most important of them all. The task remained to choose one.
___________________________________________________
There you go, the very first chapter. Do leave a comment. Thank you.
Here are the links to the other chapters:
Chapter-2
Chapter-3
Chapter-4
Chapter-5
Chapter-6
Chapter-7
THE RAINDEN SAGA
Chapter:1
I woke up early this morning. The light in our room was dimmed, as it was usually kept during the night. The soft leather beneath us felt cold, but not uncomfortable. A gentle whizzing sound was issuing from either of the many complex looking instruments around the room – from which I did not know. The sound was not disturbing, rather soothing in a way. This was the check up-room of the Pokémon laboratory. Curtains were drawn on the large windows that opened to the front garden. The large operation table on which we were lying, was in the middle of the room. A set of couches strewed the wall opposite the windows. The wall above it was covered in see-through glass. The door in the corner stood ajar. The lights in the corridor were still out, that much I could make out from where I was lying.
The laboratory was huge. Even the backyard garden comprises of twice the amount of open land of what we had in our breeder’s home. Then in the south east corner there was the rocky terrain, and beside that the sandy arena, and in the northernmost corner there was a huge lake where the water Pokémon of the lab dwell. Even a small part of the Evergreen forest was inside the lab compound. But the tall, lanky Professor, who took us in, would never allow us near that part. “Wait till you start the big journey,” he would say whenever any of us wondered aloud what was in there.
The Professor was a good man, of that I am sure. He was a jolly fellow, who went by the name of Professor Fir. He had been taking really good care of us– me, Torchant and Platypi, since the very first day he picked us up from the breeder’s home. For now we are ‘his’ Pokémon, as they put it. Torchant simply adores the professor. For the first few weeks in here she would not stop talking about how great the professor was. She was like “the professor’s this, the professor’s that” all the while. Platypi just could not stand that. He was very distant with the professor at the beginning. But after a while he also joined the fan club. It took a while for me too to get used to the new environment, and I guess I was a bit judgmental by nature. It took time for me to like someone. But the professor is such a nice fellow; it did not take much to like him.
Now that almost a month has passed since we first arrived here, I think I have got pretty attached to our captor. Not only him, but to all of what we have been living into. The morning strolls, the lazing hours in the noon, the afternoon exercise, everything has been so endearing. I know I would miss it once I get out of here.
Deep in these thoughts, I turned around. The room looked bigger and somewhat unfamiliar than usual in this early hour. Though we have been living here almost a month now, it never really became a home to us. We always knew that we were meant to be ‘out there’, not ‘in here’ – the Professor has always reminded us of that. We were not just three Pokémon; we were the ‘starters’. That might mean something important to the human, but to us, it was just a tag we were carrying around. It had its benefits though. The nurse lady, whom we have been visiting for regular check-ups, was extra nice to us, and this assistant guy has been giving us some really great munches. But all those would apparently change today.
<Today, the big, big day – the day we all have been waiting for – we get ourselves our human trainers> I thought to myself.
Honestly though, I did not know how to feel about that. I guess nobody really knows until they get on with it. But that did not stop us getting excited over it. We had been talking to all the big guys in the lab, older Pokémon that is, about how it feels to be on the road, to travel with a human trainer. All of them had given their personal opinions on the matter, and none so far has been a negative one. The elder Noctowl, who has been in training for twenty long years, and had journeyed with his fellow trainer on and off for quite a long time, commented that it is different for everyone; that we, all Pokémon, will eventually learn to get attuned with our human partner if things work out between the both sides. I did not fully understand what it meant though – I was after all only two months old.
But I think, I have seen, or felt – to be exact, of that side of the matter. After a while with the professor, I slowly started to understand him – what he likes and what he does not, and more importantly why his likings were as such. The most interesting part was the gradual changes in me. I automatically started to act as the professor, and that was not just me but all three of us. Probably, that was what the wise lady Noctowl meant about ‘getting attuned’.
I yawned, and looked around. Torchant was lying on my right, snoozing slowly and deeply. Her bright ruby-red body was glowing softly; her undeveloped wings rose and fell as she breathed in and out rhythmically. As I watched her, she twitched a bit, her eyelids, which covered her big dark eyes, were stirring. Was she dreaming? Torchant has been a good friend. She was cheerful, polite, and unlike Platypi, was cool headed. I could always relay my thoughts to her. She was very patient whenever I was worrying out loud. Platypi, on the other hand, would take a mickey out of me whenever I would get emotional. ‘Old boys don’t cry’ was what he believed in. Silly him! I guess Torchant, among the three of us, was the most excited about going on a journey with a human. Platypi, who was snoring pretty loudly from a couch across the room at this moment, was indifferent to it. As for me, I thought I would wait till I find out who gets to train me to make any judgment.
The sun had risen unnoticed by us all. I was so deep in thoughts that I did not even notice the Professor walked in right in front of me. He must have slept in last night. He sometimes did that when he has too much work. The white lab-coat that he was wearing last night was still on him – a bit crumpled, his hair messy, and his glasses askew. Tall, and lanky, the professor always looked lost as to what to do with his hands whenever he stood still. Rubbing his eyes vigorously, he walked over the windows, drew out the curtains and threw open the panes. A cool morning breeze washed over us.
“Morning!” said the professor, straitening his glasses.
<Good morning, professor!> I greeted back. I don’t know why, but seeing the professor first time everyday felt contenting. There was something assuring about it.
<Morning! Morning!> chirped Torchant beside me. I did not notice when she woke up. Sleep was still lingering in her starry eyes. I smiled at her, and she smiled back.
<You woke up before me today> she said in a soft voice.
<Yeah, I did. Were you dreaming? I was watching you – your eyes were twitching.>
<Yes, I was. That same old dream, you know.>
<The one with the flowery meadow?> I asked.
<Hmm..hmm!>
Torchant has been dreaming about going to the journey ever since the professor explained it all to us. At first I thought she would not like it, leaving the professor behind and all. But she proved me wrong. The idea completely swept her off her spindly feet. She has been dreaming about running along a flowery meadow with this imaginary girl trainer almost every night afterwards. She got the idea from a Bellosom apparently.
“Big day, huh!” said the professor, as he dropped himself on the couch next to where Platypi was still sleeping. He stroked his head fondly.
“Wake up, Platypi,” he called.
And after a nudge or two, Platypi woke up with a start.
<What the….morning already?....Are they here?.......Where am I?> he looked foolishly around.
All three of us were laughing. Platypi could be so funny sometimes.
“Calm down, you,” said the professor. “It’s only eight. I told them to come at ten. That’s still two more hours for you to freshen yourselves up.”
<Why did you wake me up so early then?> complained Platypi. He nudged his yellow beak on his webbed front paws and resumed the sleeping stance.
The professor stood up with an effort, stretched his arms, and yawned broadly. “As for me, I need to go and change. Nurse Joy said she might turn up for the big event, you know.” He winked at us and left smiling.
We cheered. The professor nurtured a soft spot for the Nurse Joy. We have seen him go all groggy whenever the pretty nurse was around.
<The professor and the Nurse, they make an adorable couple, don’t they?> sighed torchant.
Platypi acted as if to vomit. I laughed.
At nine o’clock by the grandfather clock in the hallway, the morning bell rang throughout the lab. It’s a routine alarm that means the morning activities are to be started soon. All the Pokemon gather around the feeding bowls, and the professor, along with his many assistants, starts serving breakfast. This was the usual routine. We had been dining in the front yard with some other fellow Pokemon since the day we arrived here. Today, however, we were served in the check-up room. An assistant lady has given us a bath a while ago, and we felt much more awake because of that.
The morning air always made me hungry. So, I dug in as soon as my bowl was served. Torchant was nibbling with his blocks. She looked quite tensed. Platypi was eating with a grumpy expression on his face.
<Everything alright Platy?> I asked.
<Fine> he said moodily. Maybe he too was nervous, more so than he was letting on.
We finished our food in silence. Torchant finished last. After that we went through a check-up session.
“You guys want to go out and play for a while? It’s still half an hour to ten,” said the professor.
<No> I said. I did not feel like going out. All the other Pokemon would surely be cramming up to ask how we were feeling. I did not feel like to be in the spotlight at this moment. Torchant decided to stay put too, but Platypi slid out of the table, and slowly walked out of the room.
Yet another silent half an hour later, through which I have worried myself silly for no reason at all, the clock struck ten. Almost at the same time the front door-bell chimed. Torchant jumped beside me.
<Here they come now> she said slowly. I nodded.
<What happens if none of them likes me?> said Torchant, sounding almost fearful.
I have had the same worry at times throughout the last week. I guess it would not matter anyway. The professor’s lab is as good a home as any. I would not mind if I would have to remain here for the rest of my life, and I told Torchant so.
<But let’s hope for the best, shall we?> I said expectantly. Torchant smiled.
<You are a good friend Petalip. Whatever happens we will remain friends, okay?> said Torchant.
<You bet> I assured her.
***
I walked in the lab with my heart thumping like crazy. There’s just that much excitement my fifteen year old mind can handle. It had been almost a year since I decided to be a Pokémon trainer, and almost every night ever since I had been dreaming of a crowded stadium, a dusty fighting arena, and an opponent across it. But now that I was standing on the verge of it, I felt like I would not be able to handle the fervor. You would think a whole year would tune it down a level.
As I walked past the well lit hallway with my two companions – the other two wanna-be-trainers, I tried to see myself in them. In front of me walked a girl. She was talking to the lab-assistant who was leading the way. I knew she was called Jenna Davis. Her father, Mr. Juann Davis, was a renowned artist. Her mother, on the other hand, had been a pokemon coordinator, and a very good one at that, until she left the career for some family problem of which no one knew anything exactly. It was big in the local newspaper a few years back.
I never really had a chance to talk with Jenna before, ever. She was a pretty girl, I would give her that much. Her hair was a dark bronze and fell to her waist. She had an almond shaped face with bright pearl blue eyes. She was wearing a trendy multicolored long skirt, a white top and some light jewelry, giving her a very polished, posh look. The only thing I know about her is that she has a very charming smile, which she has given me one at Fir’s door a while back.
But I knew of her kind. They live in huge mansions, they drive rich cars, and they did not usually mix with the average class like us. I did not know if Jenna was a snobbish, wealthy, daddy’s girl type cry baby or not, but for now I would settle on an image just like that. 'I am nothing like her,' I thought.
Beside me walked a good looking boy with messy blond hair, a roundish face and sharp, brown eyes. He was smiling for some reason. As I looked at him, he returned my gaze still smiling. I smiled back. This kid seems okay. He was sporting a jeans jacket over a white t-shirt. His baggy jeans had many pockets. I could not help but notice that he looked pretty cool overall. I might be somewhat like him, I thought.
“Hi, I am Shaun Rayman,” I introduced myself, offering him my hand.
“Roger Hale,” he shook my hand.
Hale….Hale….Why did that name sound familiar? And then it dawned on me. ‘Hale’ from the ‘Hale Corporations’.
“You are not by any chance related to the Hales of Hale Corp., are you?” I asked.
“Yeah, I am. William Hale, the founder, is my father.”
Well, of course he was. Who did not know about William Hale? But more importantly….
“But then Gordon Hale is…” I stammered.
He picked on, “My uncle, yes.” He said that so simply.
I whistled softly, utterly impressed. Gordon Hale, the famous Gordon Hale, the enchanting, mighty, maestro of the sky-Gordon Hale. He was the very famous gym leader of Clouden city. But even more impressive was the fact that he literally ruled the sky. His acrobats with a hang-glider were legendary. He was an icon of sky sports. There was none to rival his talents in that area. One among the many reasons I wanted to be a trainer in the first place, is to meet with, fight against and earn a badge from Gordon Hale.
“That’s cool, really!” I gave him that. His smile broadened.
“Do you see much of him though?” I asked.
“Uncle Gordon you mean?” he said questioningly. I nodded.
“Yeah,” he laughed, “We live in the same house you know.”
The Hale Mansion he means, I said to myself. So I ended up being with two of the richest kids in the country. Typical! If I had known of this beforehand, I might have decided on waiting for one more year before getting on with the trainer journey. What was the difference between fourteen and fifteen; nothing really.
We have been walking for quite sometime now. The lab was simply too big. The building did not seem so immense from outside. As we walked through the hallway, we got glimpses of different rooms. People in white lab coats were working with very complex looking machines on who knows what. They eyed us with interest as we moved onward. Jenna was still absorbed in conversation with the assistant guy. Her braided hair danced at her wake. I sped up a bit in order to hear if they were talking about anything interesting. But then they halted suddenly, and I almost crashed onto Jenna. Roger caught me by my hand, and I was saved from the embarrassment.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“No problem,” he whispered back.
I am starting to like this guy. Maybe we will become good buddies; maybe he will travel with me. That would be cool.
We were standing in a wide veranda. The assistant guy left us here a few minutes back to go and look for Professor Fir. The whole front garden was visible from here. All three of us stood there with our backs to the railing facing a room with its door slightly open. There was a huge glass panel almost all over the wall in front of us. Our reflections were clear as crystal on it. In the middle stood Roger, his arms crossed over his chest. Jenna stood on his right, giving us furtive glances every now and then. I was examining all three of us in our reflections.
Jenna talked first.
“Umm, I have not introduced myself,” she said politely, “I am Jenna Davis.”
“Roger Hale,” delivered Hale, and shook her hand. I followed suit giving her my name.
“Have you two decided on what Pokémon you want to get?” Jenna asked.
Roger nodded a yes. I shook my head. “No,” I said.
“Well, I would love to get a Torchant,” said Jenna, and looked at Roger to verify if her choice had twinned with his.
Roger smiled, “Not a Torchant, no.” He did not really talk much.
Jenna looked kinda relieved. “As I was saying,” she went on, “I love Torchant, but Shaun, if you want to have one I am ready to swap.”
I was a bit put off by this show of generosity. I shrugged. At that moment Professor Fir came striding in.
“Hullo kids,” he greeted us in a booming voice.
I had seen Professor Fir before in television and magazines, but I have never met him in person before this. He was unusually tall, almost six feet seven or eight inches by the look of him, and very slim. He had graying hair which seems to be receding, with much of his forehead already exposed. He wore horn-rimmed glasses of thick lenses, which effectively blocked his eyes from view. Overall he had a very kind looking face, which even to a degree seemed foolish. But Professor Fir was one of the leading scientists of the era; his knowledge in Pokémon genealogy was unparalleled. He had very recently discovered the mystery of branched evolution. A very potential topic which, as ‘The Pokémon Herald’ says, might lead to a completely new set of Pokémon.
“Hello Professor,” we chimed back in unison.
“Professor Frederick Fir, that’s me,” he said smiling, “and you two must be Mr. Rayman, and Miss Davis.” He shook hands with both of us.
“And I already know Roger!” the professor said. “How’s your father doing?”
“He is alright professor, thanks for asking,” said Roger.
When we looked at them questioningly, Professor Fir explained, “I had the opportunity to work with Roger’s father, Mr. William Hale, last year. Great man, great man!”
“William Hale is your father?” It was Jenna this time. Roger nodded.
“But that means you are the nephew of…” she gasped. It was all over again.
“Now that we have been introduced and all, shall we proceed to our business?” asked Professor Fir.
“What business?” Jenna asked stupidly. She was still eying Roger like she could not really believe her eyes.
“Your Pokémon, I mean,” said Professor Fir patiently.
“Oh! Yes, yes,” said Jenna getting red in the face.
“Well then, the three starter Pokémon are in this room,” he beckoned towards the glass-wall. “They have already seen you, and now all that remains is for you to go and choose the one you like. But before you go, I would like to tell you about the three Pokémon we have here today.”
Professor Fir paused. All three of us were giving him undivided attention.
“About the three species, you mean?” Jenna asked.
“Not about their species, No. You will get that information from the Pokédex that you will receive today. I mean to explain the nature of these three Pokémon. I picked the trio one month ago from a breeder farm in Limestone town. I have been observing them ever since. I have studied their general behavior, their response to critical situations and as such for the past couple of weeks. I relay this to you so that it might help you to choose wisely.”
The professor has turned very businesslike. Even his facial expression has changed. He now looked anything but foolish.
“First we have the fire sting Pokémon, Torchant. The one I have here is very friendly. Easy going and curious. The other two of the trio had been to some arguments at times, but the Torchant – not once. On the contrary, I have seen her to run between the two trying to break up their fight.”
“The bud Pokémon, Petalip, on the other hand seems to be a proud Pokémon. The one I got here is a male one. You can tell since they have longer crest feathers, you know. Petalip, I would say, is quite judgmental. He has an own way of doing things, and he does not really like others to interfere. But I have also seen him to get pretty emotional at times. This might mean that he is not so secured inside.”
“And last but not the least I have a Platypi to give away today. Oh, platypi has been a laugh. He is strong, platypi is. With a bit of training, he will be an excellent fighter, of that I am sure. He wants to learn, and likes to experiment. I think he is the only one who has got on with training himself and has acquired the first elemental attack.”
Professor Fir stopped, and surveyed us from his abnormal height. “Now that you know what I am offering, let’s go see them, shall we?” With that, he led us into that room. Jenna entered first, and then Roger and I followed at last. The room had huge windows on the other wall. Copious amount of sunlight was flooding the room. In the middle stood one of those examination tables, and on that stood three pokemon in a row – the fire stinger: Torchant, the budding pecker: Petalip, and the little fin pokemon: Platypi. All marvelous Pokémon, eying us expectantly. The task that remained was to choose one. The one which would be the very first, with which to create that special bond, which was supposed to be the most important of them all. The task remained to choose one.
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There you go, the very first chapter. Do leave a comment. Thank you.
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