Turning your head, you saw your village Elder, with his long and tangled grey hair and gnarled cane, walking towards you. "You sure are up and early, young Tera. Hah, do I wish some of the other youths around here shared your enthusiasm, as-" he let out a great, creaking yawn "-little of a chance I had to sleep in today".
He raised his cane to the northwest to point out the tallest mountain around, clouds of snow and smoke shrouding its peak. "Our Great Ancestor, or 'Mt Wheedle' as the white man calls it. For as far back as time stretches, that has been where our tribe has ritually begun its Journeys with Pokemon, and my thanks goes to that Professor for agreeing to honour our traditions by meeting you there. Well child, get crackin', there's a whole world out there".
That would've finished his send-off to you, but you both were suddenly caught off-guard when you heard the whirring of the shadow hovering up above, the glint of its camera catching your eye.
"What the-? No girl, that's no Pokémon. Gah, I thought I sent a request that no drones would be flown over our lands, but I'm not surprised that wasn't heeded. Xatu!" the Elder snapped as he took an Apricorn from the folds of his robe, unscrewed its top and let out the yellow and pink totem bird, which levitated its way up to near the drone to strike it with an Air Slash's consecutive blades of wind.
These sent the drone reeling backwards, spinning back over multiple times, but then something happened, as its camera flashed and its system made a series of buzzing noises. The Elder's Xatu however didn't seem fazed by this, and instead opened its wings, eyes on its chest glowing, and shot out a glowing cloud Discharge.
The weak spot that it made for itself having been struck, the drone sputtered and sparked before plummeting straight to the ground. Calling Xatu back into the Apricorn, the Elder slowly moved over to the smouldering wreck of the drone and muttered "Altering its element like certain Pokémon would, or that's my guess anyway? Hmm, this is some strange technology I've never seen, in all my years. Well, perhaps Emerick can make something of it".
Those kids outside the Game Corner were already running over to check out what'd become of that drone, so you instead decided now would be best to finally start heading out. Before you left though, you caught sight of one person who didn't look to have heard the drone crashing, instead their attention was fixed on one of the many murals that dotted your town, most of which depicted past elders, their Pokemon and the surrounding scenery.
"Hmm yes, fascinating" their almost frog-like voice mumbled "Although, not as impressive as some of the street art they have in the cities- Oh," he then turned around. You could see he was wearing thick, shimmering glasses, had scraggly black hair, and wore a grey coat with navy-blue trousers.
"Hello there, would you know where this Professor Redwood would be? My name's Raine, and I seek out only the rarest, most out-of-the-norm Pokémon… so naturally I was swarmed with Sentrets and Pidoves on the way here. Point is, I heard Redwood was just the man to see about rare Pokémon and was vaguely told he was out somewhere around here".
You told this Raine you were just on your way to see the Professor at Mt Wheedle, to which he said "Really now, rather a dramatic location wouldn't you say? Oh, I see, it's out of respect for Native Tradition. Well now, that sounds like something indeed rare" Raine had on a sly grin, with his eyes covered it was hard to make out how positive he was exactly, "So, mind if I tag along?".
It occurred to you to say this was technically a Rite of Passage unique to your people and not something anyone could just tag along to, the Elder certainly wouldn't approve… but, it didn't look like this Raine was someone you were going to just shake off, so you nodded.
"Ah, glad to hear" Raine said, before wasting no time in heading off "Shall we proceed?".
Not that it was that long a walk up to the eastern foothills of Mt Wheedle, past the surrounding hayfields in the valley that sprung up past the edges of the reservation, the overcast grey gloom up above not exactly making the start of your adventure the most cheery. Going along a cleared pathway in the midst of the dry grass, Raine and you soon came to an outcrop marked by three squat wood carvings of the Pokémon Temto, or were those possibly actual Temto? It was hard to tell with that Pokémon species.
Though you were told this be where you'd received your Starter, as you'd seen what few Trainers in your reservation that could afford a Pokémon journey make their way up here, Raine and you still looked to be the only people in sight. Raine kept himself busy by glancing at the intricacies on the Temto carvings, but you wouldn't have to wait long, as a voice came from directly behind you.
"My my, Tera and Raine I presume?"
You sprang around to see that same tall labcoat-wearing man you'd seen on that old video last night, if noticeably older now and with white streaks popping up in his frizzled brown hair. "Allow me to introduce myself; Professor Abner Redwood, but just Redwood will do, only my mother calls me Abner. Now Raine, m'boy, I've already heard quite a lot about you. Word has it you've already built up a reputation as a rare Pokémon enthusiast?" he inquired, leaning closer.
Raine was quick to nod. "Y-yes, it's been my dream to build up a unique, never-before-seen team of my own" he said, his voice though having a shakiness to it he didn't have when just talking to you.
"Good to hear, I can appreciate a protégé who won't settle for less" Redwood beamed back to Raine, before turning to you "Well now Tera, the one the League picked through lottery in their Native Fund sponsorship, if I'm not mistaken? We don't see much Native Trainers these days, and a sure shame too, as the Native cultures always appeared so much more in touch with Pokémon. Oh, but of course your tribe would have their own name for such creatures, am I correct?".
You looked downcast, having to admit to the Professor that everyone in Sitka just called them 'Pokémon' these days. You knew your tribe would've had their own word way back when, but when outsiders came to Panowe years ago, it would've been erased along with thousands of other words in your people's tongue.
"Oh, er, I see" Redwood coughed and stepped back a little "Guess sticky matters like those are why I study Biology and not Linguistics. But to business" he then pulled out a small case containing within it three PokeBalls "I wouldn't wish to keep you waiting much longer, but I was told a third young trainer would be arriving here, but I can't seem to see him anywhere…".
"Hey, how's things?" a fourth voice came, speaking in a half-murmur, half-grumble. You then saw another boy with red-streaked bright white hair, light blue jeans and a fur-lined jacket over a ripped shirt, coming over towards the three of you slumping all the way. "Told this was where we were 'sposed to meet up?" He said in a tone without anywhere near the enthusiasm someone about to receive a Pokémon should have.
"Ah, good timing Aeron. Tera, Raine, you are in the presence of none other than the son of the inventor of the Panowe Pokémon Storage System!" Redwood said as he gestured over to the newcomer, who hearing the Professor's words immediately slunk back in response.
"Really, it's no big deal," Aeron sighed as he stared at his shoes "I mean, I'm no celebrity, like Dad and I don't really talk much anyway. Still, good to meet you guys" he said to the two of you.
"Pleasure's all mine," Raine grinned back, before the young collector said "Well this is intriguing, the son of a tech genius and an… Affirmative Action recipient, not exactly an everyday pairing". He may not have meant that badly, for all you knew, but you still had to wince a bit being reminded of that.
"Now then, Trainers of Tomorrow, onto what you all came here for!" Redwood announced and sent all three PokeBalls flying with a shake of their case.
Out came the same three Pokemon species you saw on that tape, the Grass-Dragon Steglas, already munching on a spare piece of grass and basking in the sun, the Water-Electric Squark squelching and crackling away, and in your case the Fire-Steel Cosmouse, which you knelt down to scoop up in your hands as it kept twitching and scurrying around. She already seemed much more comfortable being held by you, with her fidgety motions giving way to little squeaks and nuzzles.
Give a nickname to Cosmouse(F)?
[ ] Write-in.
[ ] No need.
"Ah-ah!" Raine exclaimed, as he instantly brushed past you to claim Squark "Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for".
"Oh, Grass Starter heh?" Aeron mumbled, his stare being met back with Steglas' equally blank expression "Yeah, I'm cool with it".
"My, I'm glad to see we could get the Starters so quickly" Redwood smiled and clasped his hands "So, how about taking them for a spin? Who would like to take their first real step as a Trainer and battle first?"
[ ] Challenge Rayne with Squark to a battle.
- [ ] Try Scratching Squark down.
- [ ] Try Tail Whipping Squark to lower its guard.
- [ ] Try kicking up dust at Squark.
- [ ] Write-in.
[ ] Challenge Aeron with Steglas to a battle.
- [ ] Try Scratching Steglas down.
- [ ] Try Tail Whipping Steglas to lower its guard.
- [ ] Try kicking up dust at Steglas.
- [ ] Write-in.
