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???

A door…

Behind it, a box…

Through the door…

Locked, behind me…

Locked, in front…

Not locked…

Stuck…

“Force it open…”

Which one…?

“Your choice…”

How…?

…

…

…

22/06/2007 – 07:30 AM

I came to consciousness, jeez, when did it get so bright? Elaine and I were in the same position we were when we went to sleep. I lifted my top arm, which seemed to wake her up.

“Morning, Elaine.”

“Vuha, Ch- Jack.”

I am so glad this isn’t a dream.

09:00 AM

“We ready to go?” I asked the twins.

“I am,” Lucas replied, “but Dawn’s still in the bathroom.”

“Hold on!” She shouted, “I’m brushing my hair- Piplup, stop! I’ll be there in a second.” It sounded like she would take a while.

I decided to use this wealth of time to initiate conversation, “Hey, Lucas?”

“Yes?” he replied.

I asked, “Have you ever met Professor Rowan?”

“I just did yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah I meant before that.”

“Um… I don’t think so?”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s pretty stern-looking,” Lucas described, “like when he talked to Barry and me, it felt like I was in trouble and talking to the principal.”

“But he’s nice, yeah?”

“I… think so, yeah.”

In trouble with the principle, huh? “I made a song a few years ago about a principal.”

“You make music?”

“Well, it’s something I do for fun.”

“Could you show me that principal song?”

“Uh… I don’t have the backing music with me so I can’t do the whole thing.”

“That’s fine, you could sing without music, right?”

“I could, but…”

“You don’t want to?”

“Not really.”

“Oh… That’s okay.” He seemed really down about that.

I had one point sung what’s colloquially known as ‘The Bin Song,’ where I play the role of an evil principal who is stealing a rubbish bin, in front of kids at my old Primary School. For the rest of the week, I was pestered to sing it again. Why did I even mention it?

We had to wait for Dawn for another ten minutes.

09:40 AM

What happens when you walk through tall grass? You encounter a Pokémon. While we were walking to Sandgem, I heard some rustling grass and then I felt a knock on my back, I almost fell face-first into the glades but Lucas managed to break my fall.

“What the hell!?” I exclaimed.

“Are you okay?” I heard Lucas ask.

“That hurt, but I’ll be fine. What the heck was that?” I turned around to see a large brown wombat of sorts with large front teeth glaring at me. A Bidoof. “Bastard…” I muttered. First wild Pokémon encounter, okay. Should be some easy experience. Keyword being ‘should.’ I unclipped Elaine’s Poké Ball from the bottom of my bag, enlarged it by pressing the button in the centre and threw it up in the air. “Elaine! Confusion!”

The ball popped open and Elaine lept out in the form of white light, before materialising into her physical form. She landed in the grass with near no sound of impact. “Vu!” After landing she thrust her arms towards the growling Bidoof. “Vu… Wah!” Her white arms vibrated intensely, then the Bidoof vibrated just as so.

The Bidoof grimaced and shook their head, “Bwehf!” before dashing towards Elaine. “Bwf, Bwf, Bwf.”

“Elaine, dodge sideways!” I called.

Elaine turned to face me, then turned back to the charging rodent. She sidestepped to the right, only for the Bidoof to Tackle her in the shoulder, “Vah!” forcefully turning her body.

Dammit. “Confusion again!”

The Bidoof charged in my direction before coming to a skidding halt and began to charge back at Elaine.

Elaine, standing with her left side facing the bucktooth, raised her left arm. It vibrated with invisible energy as the eyes beneath her green hair began to glow a hot pink. “Vu… Wah!”

The dashing Bidoof, continued its charge with sudden feverishness, before it tripped over its front foot, “Bwoof!” passed by Elaine and skidded across the ground to a sudden stop.

“You won!” Dawn shouted.

“That was amazing,” Lucas commented.

Elaine turned to see the Bidoof slowly getting up and limping slowly away. She turned to me, “Jack!” ran up to me and punched the air. “Vivah!”

“Elaine, you’re awesome. First battle and it’s a two-hit K.O.” I said as I picked her up and placed her on my backpack, she stood up to just over my head.

She wasn’t able to dodge that tackle… maybe there’s no dodging every attack like the anime? I’d have to test battles out a bit more.

“Excuse me?” A sudden voice called. I turned around to see a man a couple years older than me, he was wearing an apron with “Sandgem Poké Mart” inscribed on it. “I couldn’t help but notice that fight with that wild Bidoof, would you like a free Potion to heal your Pokémon’s wounds?”

Oh, the clerk with the free potion!

“Wow, free stuff!” Dawn, shouted, “You’re so lucky Jack.”

I replied, “I’m pretty sure this is just an advertising campaign, it’s nothing special.” Wait, crap. That was rude.

“Yes, we’re running a special campaign, and as a part of that we’re giving out free potions.” At least he doesn’t seem offended. “Each of you gets a free commemorative Potion.”

“All of us?” Dawn echoed.

“You’re very kind sir,” Lucas commented.

The clerk handed us each a bluish-purple spray bottle with light grey bubbled shape at the top. It was a design that seemed to target children.

“Thank you very much!” Lucas said as he received a Potion.

As the clerk gave me one, I said, “Thanks.”

“Awesome!” Dawn exclaimed.

“Be sure to visit the Sandgem Town Poké Mart for all your Pokémon and traveling needs!” He suggested before walking off ahead of us, presumably back the way he came.

Traveling needs? He separated that from Pokémon needs, so does that include camping equipment and food?

09:55 AM

We had reached Sandgem Town, the first building to our left when we entered was signed as being “Rowan Laboratory.” It had a long road leading up to it, the building seemed to have a large windmill providing it with its energy.

“There it is!” Dawn shouted when we saw it.

“You all ready?” I asked the two of them.

Dawn responded, with an excited “Heck, yeah!” The Piplup in her arms chirped, echoing the young girl that was holding him.

We were about to knock on the front door before it suddenly opened and a blonde-haired kid ran into Lucas. “What the…” Barry exclaimed, “Oh it’s you guys.”

Lucas had his hands over his nose, “Ow… could you please watch where you’re going?”

“You were the one who ran into me!” Barry retorted.

“Hey bro, you okay?” Dawn asked.

“I’ll be fine, I was just surprised,” Lucas replied after checking that his nose wasn’t bleeding.

I asked the bundle of violently clumsy energy, “You met with Rowan, right?”

“Yeah, I did.” He answered. “That old guy… He’s not scary so much as he is totally out there!”

“Isn’t that a bit rude to say?” Dawn chided.

“Aww, it doesn’t matter.” Barry countered. “I’m out of here. See you later!” Instead of running towards Twinleaf, he ran deeper into town.

All of us sighed in unison.

We entered the building, inside was a room with a high roof with the floor and walls lined with clean metal panels, there were people in lab coats standing over desks which were covered with computers and research papers. There were dome-like structures of complex machinery that served no visible purpose.

We were greeted by an older man, perhaps in his late sixties. He had white hair and sideburns that extended to connect with his moustache. His square face was hard and stern, it gave off the impression that he is a person you should not mess around with. I could see why Lucas likened him to a school principal.

“Well, well, look who’s here.” The man spoke with harsh yet controlled gravel. “Lucas, was it? I see you have brought some friends. My name is Rowan, but people call me the Pokémon Professor. And you are?”

“H-hi!” Dawn suddenly shouted, “It’s a pleasure to meet you! I-I’m Dawn, Lucas’s sister!” There’s no need to worry, Dawn.

“I see,” he turned to look at me, “and you young man?”

I replied “I’m Jack. Jack Harvey. I’m from Dochaku.” Might as well stick with that story, since it’s not entirely false. I’m from a Dochaku in a parallel universe.

“Well, that’s quite a long way you’ve traveled.” The professor commented, “Now tell me, what brings the three of you here.”

I explained, “We were at the Lake yesterday afternoon, and Dawn found the Piplup she’s holding.”

“Go on?”

“I was wondering if it belonged to you, perhaps?”

“It’s likely that it is.” Rowan walked up to Dawn and the Piplup, “Soon after I gifted Lucas and Barry their Turtwig and Chimchar respectively, I noticed that the Poké Ball holding Piplup was empty.”

Dawn asked, “So it’s yours, sir?”

“Hold on a moment.” He interrupted. He stared at the duo for a moment. “Tell me, young lady, what do you think of this Piplup?”

“Huh?” She blinked, “I uh… He’s a bit of a troublemaker.”

The Piplup turned to Dawn, his head was trembling, and whatever brow it had turned sharp.

“Don’t look at me like that, you were the one who attacked me when I found you.”

The Pokémon turned their head away upwards as if to say that he was better than her.

“Now that’s just rude!”

The Piplup didn’t move and simply just chirped.

“Ehem.” Rowan interrupted the two bickerers. “It is true that this Piplup belongs to this laboratory. Yet, I believe that the two of you meeting yesterday was no coincidence.” He walked to a nearby desk and retrieved a Poké Ball from it. “I think it would be best if that Piplup were to be yours.”

“What?! Really?!” Dawn yelled.

“Certainly. Just seeing you together shows how close the two of you have grown.”

“But,” Lucas questioned, “weren’t they just arguing?”

“Yes, indeed. However,” Rowan countered, “if Piplup truly disliked your sister, he would have run away from her.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right.” Dawn figured.

“I imagine as siblings of close age,” Rowan continued, “you and your sister bicker often, yet you still care for each other, yes?”

“Well…” Lucas muttered, “I guess that’s true…”

“It is clear to me that such a relationship has been made between Dawn and Piplup, and me taking him back now would be a tragedy.”

“So I get to keep Piplup?!”

“Of course. He is yours to keep.” He announced as he handed Dawn the Poké Ball he took from his briefcase.

“I can’t believe it… my first Pokémon!”

Dawn’s Piplup puffed out its chest in a show of pride.

“Thank you so much, Professor Rowan!”

“You are most welcome.” Rowan’s moustache covering his lips curved upwards, I think he was smiling.

“I guess that makes us officially partners, Piplup!”

He chirped with excitement.

“On the topic of first Pokémon,” Rowan turned to Dawn’s brother, “Lucas? Let’s have a look at your Turtwig.”

“Oh, of course.” Lucas grabbed his Poké Ball clasped to his belt, and threw it up. “Come on out.” The Ball popped opened and summoned Lucas’s Turtwig which materialised without much vigour and just stood there. That was until it eventually walked up to Lucas and looked up at him, to which the kid responded by picking his Pokémon up.

“Hm. Entrusting you with that Turtwig was no mistake, it seems.” Rowan stated, “When I first saw you and your friend about to step into the tall grass without Pokémon, I was shocked. I was astounded by these foolhardy children. But now, you’ve astounded me in an entirely different way. Already, there is a bond growing between you and that Pokémon. I feel privileged to have met you. I’m sure Turtwig feels the same way about you. That’s why I’ll ask you to cherish that Turtwig of yours. And for you, Dawn, to cherish your Piplup.”

“We will, Professor!” Lucas responded.

“No need to worry!”

“I am glad to hear that.” The Professor turned to me. “Jack was it? Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

“Uh…” Start these kids’ adventures. “I don’t really have anything else, what about you?”

“Hm? Oh yes, there is something,” he exclaimed before going over to his desk to retrieve two red devices I recognised to be Pokédexes and a pink device that looked to be the same shape. “If I may ask, now that you have received your first Pokémon, what are your plans?”

Dawn responded immediately, “I’m going to be a Top Coordinator!”

“I see, and you Lucas?”

“Uh… I don’t know… I guess I’ll go with Dawn to cheer her on?”

“And-”

I interrupted. “Oh, I already have a Pokédex, you don’t have to worry.”

“I see. Lucas, Dawn? If I may ask, there is something I would like you two to do for me.”

“Sure,” Lucas affirmed, “what is it?”

“First of all, I want to know exactly what kinds of Pokémon live in the Sinnoh region. To do so, it is necessary to collect data using the Pokédex. This is what I wish to ask of you. I want to entrust you two with these Pokédexes. Will you use it to record data on all the Pokémon in Sinnoh for me?”

The twins were silent for a while. Until Lucas broke the silence by asking, “You want us to do something that big for you?”

Dawn continued, “That seems like a lot of work. I mean, all the Pokémon in Sinnoh?”

“This is entirely your choice, and you are free to do so at a pace that suits you. I only ask that you register the Pokémon you come across in your adventures. Your friend Barry is doing the same thing while taking on the Gym Challenge.”

“Barry is?” Dawn echoed.

The two new trainers stared at their devices. Lucas held a red one while Dawn held a pink.

“I’ll do it!” Lucas announced.

“Me too!”

“Hm! Good answers!”

“Those Pokédexes are very high-tech devices. They will automatically record data on every kind of Pokémon you encounter. Dawn, Lucas, I ask that you go everywhere and meet every kind of Pokémon in this region!”

I commented, “I’ll be sure to keep an eye on them, that they’re taking out their Pokédex at every opportunity.” I had considered showing the professor my completely filled Pokédex, but I decided against it as I wanted these kids to fulfill their destiny so to speak. Showing Rowan my complete dex would have invalidated their adventure, and they absolutely needed to explore Sinnoh.

“When you walked up Route 201 with your Pokémon,” Rowan continued to speak to the Diamonds, “what did you feel?”

“It was amazing!” Dawn exclaimed.

Then Lucas said, “I felt like I could do anything I wanted.”

“I’ve lived for sixty long years. Even now, I get a thrill when I’m with a Pokémon. Now you should know there are countless Pokémon in this world. This means there are just as many thrills waiting for you out there! Now go! Your grand adventure begins right now!”

Did you have to say it with that much grandeur?

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