The group moves quickly through Route 29 and walks into New Bark Town. There are four buildings, and the students look around lost.
David steps forward and points to the first building on the left. "That is Professor Elm's laboratory."
The students slowly make their way to the door, but pause when they hear yelling inside.
"Totodile, stop trying to bite Cyndaquil! OW! Cyndaquil put away your flames, you burn my ear! Chikorita! This is no time to cuddle!" The footsteps behind the door would suggest a struggle between two fully grown men.
David sighs, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let me go in first..."
David pushes through the students and opens the door. Inside is a man in a white coat. A Totodile hanging from his right shoulder, snapping at a Cyndaquil that is noticeably agitated, on his left shoulder. The man has a Chikorita in his harms and notices them come in quickly.
He laughs nervously. "Oh! Welcome! Sorry for these three. They do not get along well."
David smiles. "Not a problem. I know how it can be. May I?"
"By all means." Professor Elm replies.
David glares at Totodile. "Get.. down."
Totodile jumps quickly off of the Professor's shoulder and stands still.
David then slowly approaches Cyndaquil, petting his head softly. "Now now, calm down."
Cyndaquil puts out his flame and allows David to take him off Elm's shoulder.
Chikorita continues to nudge Elm's chin, as he pets her. "Thank you very much!"
"My pleasure." David says, petting Cyndaquil. "I have brought you a new group of trainers."
"Oh! You are the group Professor Ivory called me about!" Elm sets Chikorita down and outstretches his hand. "That means you must be Doctor David Brown."
David repositions Cyndaquil and takes Elm's hand. "Indeed I am."
"The pleasure is mine, sir." Elm smiles. Elm then steps past David and outstretches his hand to Kyla. "And you must be the up and coming Kyla."
Kyla takes his hand. "That is me!" Kyla turns and slowly presents everyone else. "This is Blare, my adopted little sister. And these are Clare, Deanna, Sam, Josh, and Heng, our newly graduated students."
Elm bows. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I am Professor Elm." He turns back to David. "Ivory was unclear on how much she had already got them geared up."
"As far as I am aware, they have already received their starters and Pokeballs, but that is all, up till now." David replies.
Elm looks back at the students, carefully noting their equipment. "I see. Well, I was prepared for more, which is good." Elm turns and walks to a shelf were seven bags lay. "I am just going to ignore the fact that you already have Pokeballs in your possession, for the sack of our time." Elm picks up a few bags and begins handing them out. "Inside each of these well-made bags, you will find a Pokedex, a mega evolution wrist band, six Pokeballs, a map of Johto, two potions, and a modest amount of money provided by the Pokemon League."
The students look through the bags, finding all the listed items.
"I would also like to note, you will have to enter your personal information, into the Pokedex, the first time you turn it on." Elm says, as the students do so quickly.
The students quickly switch over any clothes and other items to their new bags.
They then stand and bow. "Thank you, Professor Elm." They say in unison.
Elm's eyes go wide with surprise. "I have never had such a well behaved group of trainers come through that door before. I honestly expected much more random questioning and noise."
David nods. "They were taught by myself, Kyla, Ivory, and Ebony after all."
Elm looks slowly back at the students with a sympathetic expression. "I am so sorry."
"For what?" Clare asks.
"That you five ever had to endure any amount of time with that mad woman." Elm says, picking up a piece of paper.
"He means Ebony, right?" Blare whispers to Kyla.
Kyla nods silently.
Sam speaks up. "How do you know Professor Ebony?"
Elm looks away, covering his mouth with the paper. "A.. I'd rather not say."
The students look at David, who silently shrugs in response.
Elm waves the paper. "Unless you have any further questions, you are all free to begin your journey at your own pace."
The students bow again and leave.
David, Kyla, and Blare thank Elm again and leave shortly after.
Once through the door, Blare grabs David's shoulder. "You know something about Elm and Ebony, don't you?"
David shrugs off her hand. "I do, but it is not my place to say."
"Oh, come on! We will not tell anyone!" Kyla urges.
David sighs. "They.. use to date, back in university."
Blare and Kyla turn to look at the door, with sympathetic expressions.
"That poor man." Kyla says, sadly.
"I can only imagine those emotional.. maybe physical, scares." Blare adds.
David nods. "I don't think anyone would admit to dating that woman."
They look around, not seeing the students.
"Did they run ahead of us?!" Blare exclaims.
David sighs. "It was bound to happen."
Kyla stroll down the road, followed by the others.
Once on Route 29, they see Sam and Heng locked in a heated battle. The two Pokemon out is Geodude and Treeckon. Geodude seems to be struggling to keep up with the energetic Treeckon. It is not long before Geodude falls over, his HP down to zero.
"Ha! Now admit it, Sam!" Heng pushes.
Sam throws up her arms. "Fine! I fell asleep during that class! Are you happy now?" She recalls Geodude.
"Now say you snore like a chainsaw!" Heng laughs.
Sam looks angrily at Heng, turns, and stomps away.
The other students, who were standing around until now, collect their things and slowly follow.
"That was quick." Blare says.
Kyla smiles. "A little healthy rivalry forming.. I hope."
Some of the students walk around, through the grass, while others continue on.
The others continue back to Cherrygrove City.
Blare looks around confused. "The first city from the starting town and they need a Pokemon center?!"
David nods. "Most trainers would have been coming straight from Kanto, after facing the Elite Four. Likely their team would be pretty bad off."
Blare looks at David and Kyla. "You both faced them, right?"
They both nod.
"And?" Blare presses.
"Very pleasant people." David smiles.
Kyla shrugs. "I have had worse battles."
As they talk, a few of the students hurry into the Pokemon Center.
Clare peeks her head out. "Hey, Miss Kyla?"
Kyla and the others approach the Pokemon Center door.
"Yes, Clare?" Kyla responds.
"We are staying here for the night and plan our move towards the first gym." Clare replies.
"Is everyone here?" Blare asks.
Clare opens the door wider, revealing all the students to be inside. "All of them. Even Sam is here. I fully expected her to push on in a rage." Clare replies.
David waves at Clare to follow him and stands before the students. "Okay students...."
"David! They are not students anymore!" Blare rebuts.
Kyla puts her hand on David's shoulder and whispers in his ear. "Having trouble letting go, sweety?"
David nods silently. "I prefer being a Doctor and a teacher."
"You need me to tell them it is okay to split up?" Kyla asks, softly.
David thinks for a moment. "Yeah, I will let you handle this. I..."
"I understand." Kyla gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and steps forward, raising one fingure in the air. "Okay, everyone! The first day is over and we understand you want to make a joint plan to get to the first gym. That is fine, in fact, we had planned to travel with you, at least, that far..."
"Are.. you leaving us, Miss Kyla?!" Sam asks.
"The idea is that you all go at your own pace. In the worst case, you all have our numbers." Kyla pauses for a moment, looking at the scared faces of some of the students and then turning to look at David. "It is hard for us too, letting go.." Kyla turns back with a smile. "But you all knew this day would come, eventually. We will see how you do with the first gym, then you will realize how ready you are to move forward at your own pace."
The students hang their heads a bit.
David speaks up. "We started our journeys with a lot less than you. You are more capable than you think."
"Believe in yourselves the way we believe in you!" Blare exclaims in a cheer.
Kyla flexes her arm. "And I expect to see you at the tournament."
The students remain silent until Sam speaks up.
"You're ON, Miss Kyla! I will accept your challenge!" Sam exclaims.
Heng stands up. "Well, I can't have Sam outshining me, so I am game!"
Deanna laughs. "I may not be any good, but I am excited to see how it goes."
Josh and Clare look at each other.
"I'm in if you are." Josh says.
Clare shrugs. "Someone has to keep you out of trouble."
Blare chuckles. "You will all do great!"
Nurse Joy rolls a cart into the room. On the cart are trays with Pokeballs. "Your Pokemon are healed."
As each of the students takes their labeled trays, a few of the others notice how many Pokemon they have.
"Deanna? When did you get your third Pokemon?" Clare asks.
"On Route 29." Deanna replies.
Clare looks at Heng's two Pokeballs. "I guess you and I are behind."
Heng crosses his arms. "I am not behind, I am just a picky trainer."
Kyla glances at David with a smile.
"They were bound to be like their teachers." David smiles back.