Soren Rivers
I walked into Professor Coriander and Professor Syagrus' lab early the next morning. Usually I wasn't one to get up early but today was special, today I got to pick my first pokémon and start my journey to become the best trainer, possibly even champion! Walking through the automatic doors I found Professor Syagrus patiently waiting for me.
"Welcome Soren, I bet you're ready to see all the starters we have available to choose from today." She greeted me before leading the way towards a table where a large group of pokéballs were sitting. "Now have you thought about what one you want?"
Of course I had, that's all I had been thinking about... but there were so many to pick from. Charmander would become a powerful charizard but I had always loved mudkip too, especially its final evolution. I looked at the screen behind the table that displayed the pokémon in their pokéballs before seeing three new looking pokémon near the end of the line, the owl one looked like a good choice too...
"We also have other pokémon that aren't the traditional starters as well to look through if you'd like." Professor Syagrus paused as she noticed the direction of my gaze. "Oh yes, we just got those three straight from Alola. That one is Rowlet."
I nodded before moving back over to mudkip's pokéball, as cool as all the other ones were I had the perfect name for this one in mind. "I'll pick mudkip."
"Alright." She handed me the pokéball. "Why don't you call him out and get to know each other? I'll be right back with your pokédex."
I called out my new pokémon and grinned as mudkip gave a greeting. "Hey mudkip, I'm Soren."
"Kip!" It looked at me cheerfully.
"I'm going to call you Finn, do you like that name?"
"Mudkip" Finn gave another sound of joy before turning his head as a door opened. I looked up as well to see Professor Coriander walking out along with a girl who looked like another trainer, she was holding the black and red starter from Alola while a silver colored eevee was by her side.
"Wow, Is that a shiny Eevee?" I asked in surprise, they were already an uncommon pokémon to find but for one to be shiny and to see someone with said shiny, that was unexpected.
"Um, yeah." She nodded with a glance down at her pokémon. "Her name is Curse."
"I see. Where did you catch her?" I questioned, wondering if I could find one and fighting the urge to pet Curse.
"My parents bred her for me for when I started my journey, though I still had to wait a few years. I get to start now though!"
"That's good." I responded.
She nodded before glancing at Finn. "Hey, since you're a new trainer we should have a battle!"
"Okay." I agreed before walking outside with the other trainer behind me. "You ready Finn?"
"Kip!" Finn got into a battle stance while my opponent took her spot across from me.
"Alright, Curse, are you ready to battle?" She looked down at the silver eevee.
It gave a confident cry before running out to meet Finn on the unofficial battlefield. "Wait, you aren't using Litten? But it's your starter."
"Technically, Curse is since she's the first pokémon I got, but if you don't think Finn can win... I guess I could give you the type advantage."
"No way! I don't need a type advantage to win!" I was a bit insulted but the smile she had was making it hard to take the insult, if that's what it had been, seriously.
"Alright then." She shrugged. "Curse, use tackle!"
"Vee!" The shiny eevee launched forward, immediately following the command.
I was a bit surprise at its speed but remembered I had to focus, Finn was waiting for my own order. "Finn, dodge and use water gun!"
Finn rolled to the side just in time before unleashing a burst of water from his mouth, which sent Curse to her side. It didn't look like it did much damage but if I could keep getting a few more hits in I'd be fine.
"Tackle!" The other trainer was already giving the next command. "Get close and then use sand attack in its face!"
"Dodge again and use tackle!" It was obvious Finn couldn't dodge, the eevee was already slamming into Finn's side by the time I gave the command, leaving my new pokémon on the ground wiping sand from his eyes. "Finn, get up...!"
"Mud..." Finn shook his head, still trying to wipe off the sand, but obeyed and squinted at Curse.
"Let's finish this, use tail whip and another tackle!"
I had to think fast. "Finn, wait until it's in front of you and then use water gun again!"
His accuracy would be down but at a close range like that Finn should be able to hit the shiny eevee and do some extra damage. However Curse didn't use tail whip, instead the eevee walked up to Finn and gave him these wide adorable eyes that seemed to make Finn hesitate. The hesitation was all it took for Curse to leap out of the way of water gun as she used tackle, which sent Finn rolling across the ground.
"Wait... was that a new move?" The girl seemed a bit surprised before smiling again. "Alright! That's great, Curse!"
"Finn, can you keep going?" I wanted to win but Finn looked pretty beat up.
Still, he shakily got onto his feet again and looked back at me with determination. "Kip!"
"Good, use water gun one last time and follow up with tackle!"
"Okay, Curse, time to wrap this up for real this time! Use tackle!"
Our pokémon rushed to follow our commands, I clenched my teeth slightly as I watched, Finn was slower and tired out but surely we could win if the two attacks landed... The eevee slammed into a tree trunk as the water gun landed a direct hit and the dripping wet pokémon sank to the ground, struggling to get back up, we were actually going to win! I watched happily as Finn went in for the final strike before noticing Curse's muscles tensing right at the last second. I didn't have a chance at warning my pokémon as the shiny eevee gathered up its strength and pushed itself forward, using a close range tackle right into Finn's face. Finn rolled back across the ground before coming to a stop and falling limp.
"Finn!" I ran forward and picked him up.
"The winner is Jay Wolfe!" Professor Coriander announced, huh, he'd been so quiet during the battle I didn't realize he followed us outside.
I sighed and looked down at Finn, I'd have to let him get some rest before starting out. "You did great for your first battle."
A shadow fell over me a moment and I glanced up to see the girl, Jay, as she walked over. "That was a great battle. Finn did great."
"Thanks, your pokémon was good too." I stood up and held out my free hand. "I'm Soren River's by the way."
She smiled and took my hand. "Jay Wolfe, though I guess Professor Coriander just said that."
"Let's get your pokémon inside to heal up, you can continue this while they're resting okay?" Professor Coriander asked as he led us back into the lab. "It'll give Professor Syagrus a chance to go over some of the basics to you two as well."
I returned Finn to his pokéball and handed it over to Coriander, though I noticed Jay hesitate before doing the same with Curse. I watched the professor walk over to a machine to heal them before walking over to a comfy couch and slumping back into it to wait.
"You can sit down too if you want, I can move over a bit." I eventually offered a few minutes later when I realized Jay hadn't joined me.
She froze in her pacing before shaking her head. "I'm fine."
"Okay." I shrugged.
For a second I thought she was about to respond but Professor Syagrus spoke first as she walked into the room. "Okay, I have your pokédexs and some spare pokéballs for both of you. If you'd like to follow me I can show you how to catch a few pokémon."
I already had the gist of what to do after watching so much television about trainers and seeing some of the newer ones as they left but considering I had nothing better to do I might as well go. I hurried after Syagrus before pausing to look over my shoulder at Jay, wasn't she going to come?
"Hey, you're going to miss out!" I called back.
Jay didn't look too concerned. "I already know how to catch pokémon. I grew up around them and learning to do stuff like that."
"I see. But why was she suddenly acting so cold? Did I do something?" I shook the thought off, okay, yes I could tend to offend people but I hadn't done anything to offend her yet. Right?
"I see." I waved in farewell. "I'll see you when I come back then."
Jay merely gave a slight nod and smile. "Later."