[IC] Pokemon: Luminous Dawn- Chapter 1- A Bright Future!

[Jory]

Pokemon: Luminous Dawn- Chapter 1- A Bright Future!

Accumula Town- April 6th, 2863

The sun rose slowly in the East, blanketing the Unova Region in a soft orange glow and beginning to warm the air as the dew settled. A group of Patrat quietly browse in the tall grass as one stands on a nearby log, serving as a lookout. A flock of Pidove flies lazily overhead, returning from their winter forays to the faraway Hoenn Region. In the shadow of the world-renowned Skyarrow Bridge, just across the water from the grand Castelia City, lies Accumula Town. Yes, it's a beautiful spring morning in the Unova Region. Six recent secondary school graduates are about to wake up for one of the biggest days of their young lives. You see, these are the young men and woman who have been chosen by the academically lauded Professor Juniper and her father, Cedric Juniper, to be a part of a new program. This program is meant to compare the results of a Pokemon journey at a young age with one at a more advanced age, such as eighteen. Our heroes are the first group in this program. Others will follow, but none of them will have quite the journey these six will. Little do they know that in store for them lies a journey filled not only with friendship and knowledge, but dangerous perils and villains alike who want nothing more than for them to cease existing.

Action! Drama! Adventure! All this and more awaits our heroes. But for now--

RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGG! RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Hey! I was narrating! What the hell is that noise?

7:45 AM- Jason Hooper

RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGG! RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

The alarm clock sounded harshly next to Jason's head. Suddenly, a fuzzball sped like lightning into his face, causing him to dart upright. He slapped his hand blindly across the nightstand several times before managing to find the "Off" button. He then moved his hands to his face and grabbed the fuzzball, bringing it down to chest level. A pair of gleaming brown eyes and floppy gray ears greeted him along with a happy cry. "Minccino!" the little gray Pokemon cried emphatically, pointing to the clothes and backpack that Jason had laid out the night before.

"All right, all right!" Jason said plaintively, putting the Pokemon down and swinging his legs out of bed. He stood up groggily and attempted to take a step forward before tripping and falling forward, barely catching himself before faceplanting onto the wooden floor. "One of these days, huh?" he asked himself before removing his pajamas and moving toward his clothes, beginning to get dressed. Today's the day, he thought to himself, quietly studying himself in the mirror as he finished dressing. He ran his hands through his brown hair before leaving his room and crossing the hallway toward the bathroom. The Minccino followed, bounding up to stand on one of the towel racks.

"Mincc?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Jason studied his skin for a moment, rubbing his eyes blearily. He had a relatively light complexion with a few freckles here and there. He shook his head, then rubbed his eyes again in an attempt to clear his vision. When he looked in the mirror again, he could see his light green eyes perfectly. He returned to his room, pulling on his gloves and vest and studying himself in the mirror one last time before he left the upper floor of his home. He was wearing a light brown t-shirt with a cartoonish Mankey sticking out his tongue in the middle. He had pulled on his favorite gray jeans as well as his tough new Running Shoes, which were gray on the top and white on the bottom. He remembered the conversation he'd had with his dad when they'd gone shopping to outfit him for his journey. Finally, he reached into his vest pocket and took out his XTransceiver, turning it on and strapping it to his wrist.

Key Item picked up! XTransceiver added to BAG.

"Dad, why do I need special shoes just to run?"

"They're not just to run. Those shoes are going to go through an extreme amount of wear and tear! That's why they make extra durable shoes just for Trainers! That way, no matter how many rocks you trip on or how much mud you go through, your shoes will still do their job: keeping your feet warm and dry!"

He caught himself sighing as he recalled the fun outing with his dad. There wouldn't be too many of those in the near future. The Minccino climbed on top of his backpack, waiting by the door to the room. He chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, Rascal. I know you're excited, but this is a really big day for Mom and Dad, too. Let's just make sure they're okay before we leave," he suggested, grabbing the backpack. The moment his arm touched the bag, Rascal scrambled up it and onto his shoulder. He kept talking to the Pokemon as he walked out his bedroom door and down the hall toward the stairs. "I know we've battled a few wild Pokemon and even in the schoolyard a few times, but this is going to be a whole other level of challenge. We're going to become actual Trainers! Finally, after all these years!" he gushed, beginning to hype himself up. "I just can't wait to get my first Pokemon and- Ow!" he began, cut off by a quick pinch from the little Normal-type. The Minccino was glaring at him, his little arms crossed in an adorable fit of rage. "You know what I mean! First Pokemon that wasn't supposed to be Mom's pet!" he teased right back.

With Rascal suitably subdued, he continued. "I can't wait to meet our new teammate. I even thought of a nickname for him already!" The Minccino perked up, looking interested. "I know you love how I name stuff, Rascal, so I'm going to make sure and keep it a surprise! You'll find out who it is when you meet!"

They reached the stairs and descended into the kitchen, where Jason's parents were waiting. His mom and dad rushed him, trapping him in a tight group hug. "Take it easy, son," his father said sternly. "You're going on a serious journey to become a Trainer. The world is a dangerous place. Just make sure you stay safe, okay?" he asked, an uncharacteristic softness in his voice. His wife jumped on the opportunity to strike.

"Hey, Harold, stow the mush. Our son's growing up. He's finally going on his Pokemon journey, just like he always wanted. Let's keep all attitudes positive!" she said excitedly, drawing a plus sign in the air. "We're so proud of you, Jason. Do you have everything you need?" she asked, concerned. "Have you seen the message Professor Juniper left for you on your XTransceiver?" she followed up. Jason sighed and shook his head.

"What's the point of packing the night before with you looking over my shoulder if you're just going to nag me in the morning?" he shot back, a crooked grin on his face. "But in all seriousness, that's the kind of stuff I'm going to miss while I'm gone. I'll watch the message on my way to the meetup. Don't let the house fall apart, alright?" he said as he walked toward the door, waving and looking behind him. He proudly strode into the doorframe, his nose beginning to fountain blood as he fell backward onto the floor.

Five minutes later, he exited the house with a wad of tissue pressed to his face and a sly grim plastered across Rascal's as he looked on from his perch on the new Trainer's shoulder. "What are you lookin' at?" he muttered angrily, eliciting an amused chitter from his small companion. "Yeah, it's so freakin' funny. Do me a favor and open Juniper's message, would you?" Rascal nodded and Jason lifted his wrist toward Rascal, who clicked a few buttons and opened the message. Professor Juniper's face showed up on the screen. Well, the top half anyway. Then, Rascal hit play.

"Is this on?" a woman's voice asked, the eyes on the screen darting back and forth as though reading. An angry chittering not unlike Rascal's could be heard in the background. "Move back? Are you sure?" More chittering. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? What do you mean they can hear us?" Juniper asked, moving the camera away from her face and shaking her head. She looked up at the screen, startled to see that moving back had, in fact, made her more visible. "Oh," she said quietly. She then cleared her throat and stood upright, projecting much more charisma and professionalism than beforehand. "My apologies.

"Greetings, Jason!" Jason's name sounded pre-recorded, and didn't quite match up with Juniper's mouth moving. "My name is Professor Aurea Juniper! As I'm sure you're aware, today is the day you will be receiving your first Pokemon-" Another glare from Rascal. "- and beginning your journey. As we'll be speaking in person soon, I'd like to keep this message brief. At 9:00 AM sharp, you'll be meeting with one of my researchers to be escorted to Nuvema Town, as some members of the program do not have Pokemon yet. She will be meeting you at the entrance to Route 1. I look forward to meeting you!"

Quest started! "First Steps" added to Journal.

- Meet the rest of the group at the entrance to Route 1 before 9:00 AM.

The message ended, returning the XTransceiver's screen to blank. "Alright, let's head to Route 1!" Jason said excitedly.

8:40 AM- Jason Hooper

Jason reached the sign that indicated the entrance to Route 1. He looked around, a bit puzzled that nobody else was there yet. He double-checked the text transcription of the message, confirming he was in the right place. "Huh..." he wondered. Rascal looked equally puzzled. "I wonder what could be taking everybody so long?"

BAG:

-Potion (x3)

-Repel (x1)

-XTransceiver

[K_H]

6:00 AM- Jack Helmenson

The first thing that Jack felt that morning was that of a poochyena licking his face. It was Lara's way of saying 'Good morning, and get up!' to him. Jack opened his eyes, and spoke to her, getting her to stop.

"Awright, awright, I'm up!"
He then sat up out of bed, dropped onto the floor, and changed from his pajamas to the clothes he'd prepared the night before, which were a pair of black jeans, a plain light blue t-shirt, and a durable new pair of Running Shoes, which were black and had blue stripes on them. As he got dressed, he studied himself in the mirror, rubbing the remaining sleepiness out of his eyes as he did so. he had a moderately light complexion that was moderately dotted with freckles. after blinking a few times, he finally cleared his vision, and looked in the mirror again. This time around, he could clearly see his steely-blue eyes, and noticed that the small piece of his brownish-black hair was sticking up again, even though he'd tried combing it down several times before. he'd given up on trying to keep it staying down. Maybe it was because of the way he slept? He'd probably never know. In any case, he put on his dark blue fingerless gloves, thought to himself, Today's the big day! Let's make it a good one!, and then put his XTransceiver on his wrist, turning it on as he did so.

Key Item Added to BAG: XTransceiver

Jack put on his Backpack, then remembered about the message, and played it, clicking a few buttons. Juniper's face then showed up on the screen. At least, it did on the top half of the screen.

"Is this on?" a woman's voice asked, the eyes on the screen darting back and forth as though reading. An angry chittering of some sort could be heard in the background. "Move back? Are you sure?" More chittering. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? What do you mean they can hear us?" Juniper asked, moving the camera away from her face and shaking her head. She looked up at the screen, startled to see that moving back had, in fact, made her more visible. "Oh," she said quietly. She then cleared her throat and stood upright, projecting much more charisma and professionalism than beforehand. "My apologies.

"Greetings, Jack!" Jack's name sounded pre-recorded, and didn't quite match up with Juniper's mouth moving. "My name is Professor Aurea Juniper! As I'm sure you're aware, today is the day you will be receiving your first Pokemon-" This elicited a glare from Lara. Johnny's stern look towards her put an end to that. "- and beginning your journey. As we'll be speaking in person soon, I'd like to keep this message brief. At 9:00 AM sharp, you'll be meeting with one of my researchers to be escorted to Nuvema Town, as some members of the program do not have Pokemon yet. She will be meeting you at the entrance to Route 1. I look forward to meeting you!"

Quest started! "First Steps" added to Journal.

- Meet the rest of the group at the entrance to Route 1 before 9:00 AM.

The XTransceiver then went blank, the message having ended. Jack then headed out of his room and downstairs, going to met his mom before she headed off to work. he arrived just as she was heading out the door, with Lara coming down just behind him.

"Hey, mom. Hope you have a good day at the Pokecenter."

"Thanks, Jack. You and Lara have a good day, too."

Joy Helmenson then headed out the door, going to work for the busy day ahead of her. back at the home, Jack made breakfast for himself, Lara, his dad, and his younger sister. His sister came into the kitchen a bit too soon before he'd finished making breakfast, but his dad arrived with timing that was nearly spot-on. His sister asked a question to him.

"Hey, big brother, where's Mom?"

"Like I've told you before, she went off to work."

The four of them then had breakfast, and went about the daily duties until around 7:45-ish, which was when Jonathan made sure that Jack was completely ready.

"You all set, son?"

"Yes, dad."

"Well, then, have a go- oh, i nearly forgot. is Lara all set to go?"

"As far as I can tell, yes."

His little sister then chimed in.

"Where's Lara going?"

"You didn't know? Your brother is going to be heading off on a journey today."

"Yeah, sis, I'm going to become a Pokemon Trainer."

"Awww... You're lucky. Most kids only get one chance!"

"Yeah, yeah, sis. You gave me that talk last time."

Jack's father sighed.

"Jack's got somewhere to go, miss."

"Thank you, dad."

"You're not leaving without hugging me first, brother!"

"Fine. C'mere."

Jack and his sister then hugged each other, and then he and his father did the same. Once that was done, Jack gave his goodbyes to the two of them, and then he and Lara headed off to the designated meeting place.

8:41 AM- Jack Helmenson

Jack and Lara arrived at the entrance to Route 1, and noticed that they were not the first to get there, a boy of roughly Jack's age and a minccino having been earlier than them. Jack then spoke to them.

"Oh, hi there. Are you one of the other people chosen to go on the journey?"

BAG:

- Potion (x3)

- XTransceiver

Edited January 23, 2016 by K_H

[Jory]

8:41 AM- Jason Hooper

Jason looked up from the game he'd been playing on his XTransceiver to find that another of the participants had arrived, and with a Poochyena in tow! Rascal looked the Poochyena over before giving a chitter of welcome and a nod of approval. Jason, on the other hand, wasn't so easily swayed. However, he followed Rascal's lead anyway. "Hey," he answered. "Yeah, I am. I'm actually pretty excited to get going! What's your name?" he asked, trying his best to make small talk.

[K_H]

8:41 AM - Jack Helmenson

In response to the Minccino's greeting, Lara gave a few yips of greeting, and then sat down next to Jack, who replied to the other person's question and posed one of his own.

"My name's Jack Helmenson, and the poochyena next to me is named Lara. What about your name?"

Edited January 19, 2016 by K_H

[Shadow Sketches]

8:00 AM- Alecks Hunter

The first thing Alice noticed when she walked into Aleck's bedroom was that it was extremely dark, the windows into his room being blocked by heavy curtains, though that didn't shock her as her brother has always preferred to keep his room dark as night. Once her eyes adjusted to the dark she made her way to the bed where Aleks was sleeping, the covers only covering half his body as his chest moved up and down slightly with each breath. He always looks so much younger and cuter when he's asleep she thought to herself as she shook his shoulder slightly "Alekcs wake up, you don't want to be late." Her attempt at waking him had no effect as he continued to sleep, shaking his shoulders more roughly she tried to wake him up again "Alecks! Wake up!" Still nothing happened, then she noticed his sketchbook on his nightstand next to the bed. The sketchbook was opened to a page filled with many messy drawings of a Chimchar and Ralts doing normal poses such as sitting and standing, nothing incredibly special except the amount of detail he put into every separate drawing. Sighing, she raised her hand and brought it down to slap her brother's chest as hard as she could.

"OOOWWWWWWW!!!!" Aleks raised himself, rubbing his chest like a bruised kitty. "What the hell...ugh, man that stingssss" Alice let him go on like this for a little bit before he calmed down and finally acknowledged her "What did I do to deserve that?" he whined to her, Alice stood over him with her arms folded and held his gaze "Maybe if someone didn't stay up all night drawing you would be able to wake up normally!" she scolded him. "How do you know I was drawing all night?" he said as he slowly got up and stretched his arms "You left your sketchbook open and beside your bed, idiot" she replied, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly "Now hurry up and get ready, you slept in long enough" she said as she walked out the door of his bedroom.

Once she left, Alecks went to the bathroom in the hall and took a quick shower, afterwards putting on his clothes and taking a minute to look into the mirror and see his two green eyes look back at him as he checked how he looked. His black hair was cut shorter at the sides and back, while the top remained slightly longer than the rest; he ran his hand through his hair once then left it as is, he's gotten used to having his hair look messy so it didn't bother him too much. He was wearing his usual outfit of a plain black shirt underneath a black unzipped,hoodie with dark, grey jeans. On his hands he had his finger-less black gloves on that would usually match his beanie but he decided not to wear it for now as it wasn't that cold, instead choosing to put it in his bag for later if he needed it. Before finally stepping out of his room for good he put on his Running Boots that were black with grey laces (from the makers of the Running Shoes, the Running Boots are specially designed combat boots that were made for those that wanted the perks of Running Shoes but the practicality of combat boots), and stuck his sketchbook into his bag as well. As he walked down the stairs he took out his XTranceiver from his dark grey messenger bag that he wore around his body and strapped it onto his right wrist.

Key Item picked up! XTransceiver added to BAG.

He met up with his mom and Alice as they waited for him in their living room, his sister stood up and hold out her fist once she saw him, "Good to see your looking as edgy as always" she teased. "Right back at you sis" Alecks replied as his twin sister was wearing wearing similar colors to him, bumping her fist with his own before their mom came over and drowned him in a hug. "Oh, I'm so proud of you Aleks! You get to go explore just like you always wanted!" she beamed at him "Just remember to call, you can't forget about us!" Alice reminded him, patting his back after Alecks separated himself from his mom's death hug "I know, I know! But I got to go, I don't want to be late" he said as he grabbed his skateboard from beside the door "I'll call you guys later, byee~" he cried as he walked out the door. Waiting at the edge of his house's front yard, he listened to Professor Juniper's message on his XTransveiver. After listening to it, he smiled in exitement and jumped onto his skateboard as he headed to Route 1. "This should get me there quickly!" he laughed as he went faster and faster.

Quest started! "First Steps" added to Journal.

- Meet the rest of the group at the entrance to Route 1 before 9:00 AM.

8:45 AM- Alecks Hunter

Alecks has almost reached the sign that meant the entrance to Route 1, slowing his skateboard to a halt once he reached it. He stepped off and but kept a foot on the edge of his skateboard as he noticed others already there. "Hey, what's up?" he asked.

BAG:

-Potions (x3)

-Repel (x1)

-Oran Berry (x1)

-XTransciever

Edited January 19, 2016 by Shadow Mankey

[Jory]

8:41 AM- Jason Hooper and Jack Helmenson

Jason nodded, taking note of the Poochyena's well-mannered behavior. He then turned back to Jack, forgetting what had been asked for a moment before collecting his thoughts. "I'm Jason, Jason Hooper. This ill-behaved little guy on my shoulder is Rascal. Hey, Jack, I think we went to the same secondary school. We had Mr. Dodger's history class together, but we sat on opposite sides of the room. Old codger could never resist a boring lecture, am I right?" he said, chuckling at the last bit. Jason and Jack began chatting about secondary school, asking after old classmates and comparing notes on old teachers. Before long, more people started to arrive.

8:45 AM- Alecks joined the party!

Just as the conversation was reaching that point where it gets really awkward because neither new person knows what to ask the other, a third person appeared! Jason nearly cried out in happiness as he was saved from the potentially awkward situation. "Hi! Not much, just waiting around for Professor Juniper's assistant. I take it you're another one of the research participants? I'm Jason, and this is Rascal," he said, once again indicating the Minccino. "What's your name?" He eyed Alecks's skateboard in silent admiration, wishing he'd learned how to use one earlier in life.

[K_H]

8:45 AM - Jack, Jason, and Alecks

Jack's eyes lit up, recognising Alecks from school.

"Alecks! It's good to see you again! I'm Jack. I sat next to you in Math Class, remember?"

Lara then nudged Jack's ankle with her front paw, realizing that she was without her favorite headband. Jack gave a quick glance down, and noticed the same thing. After blinking once, he took it from out of his pocket and then tied the folded-up yellow bandanna around her head above her eyes, making sure not to block her ears.

Edited January 23, 2016 by K_H

[Shadow Sketches]

8:45 AM- Jack,Jason, and Aleks

"Yea I'm one of the participants, my name is..." just then the boy with a Poocheyena next to him yelled out Aleck's name. Alecks recognized him as Jack, but only barely. Alecks has always had a a bit of a rough time remembering names, and the fact that he knew Jack from match class didn't help as Aleks was always dozing off and doodling rather than paying attention to anything that happened there. He's lucky that he managed to pass the class but only with help from friends.

"Yea, I remember you bud. But I have to say I love both of ya'lls pokemon, they're absolutely adorable!" Alecks said as he picked up his skateboard in one arm and then approached Jason and Rascal, holding out his other hand slowly to try and pet the Minccino.

[Jory]

8:45 AM- Jack, Jason, and Alecks

Rascal sniffed at Aleks's hand before nuzzling it lightly, inviting the young man to pet him. Jason chuckled. "Looks like he likes you. Be careful, though. He's a bit mischievous. You could end up with your wallet stolen," he said lightly. He looked around, grinning at nothing in particular. "Looks like half of us are here. I'm sure they'll all be here in time. After all, it's only been five minutes since I've been here and the pair of you already showed."

[Shadow Sketches]

8: 45 AM- Jack, Jason, and Alecks

Alecks laughed lightly, petting the top of Rascal's head before scratching the back of it's ears. "The cute ones are always the biggest troublemakers, right?" Aleks liked petting the Minccino, although it was so adorable it just made him ache as he still had to wait before he got his own pokemon. "I'm sure they will, it'll be interesting to see who else is participating."

Edited January 19, 2016 by Shadow Mankey

[Felicity]

8:20am Katie Narcis

Holy crap Katie was not happy to be up so early. For the sake of sleep she had to seriously question whether or not she wanted to go on a journey. Sure, she might look like an asshole and probably aggravate Juniper, or simply give a back up shmuck a happy surprise, but was there really anything legally binding?

It occurred to Katie that amidst the paperwork she had to fill out there may indeed have been some sort of binding contract so she dragged herself out of bed with a momentous struggle. She then followed her old school routine, the specific series of actions designed to save time and get her to school within the short space of 15 minutes. Eat, shower, brush her teeth, hurriedly comb her hair and leave. There was one catch.

"Katie?" Mom asked. Right. Goodbyes.

"I'm off to start my journey Mom byeeeee~" She tried, hurriedly giving her mother a peck on the cheek before leaving. Mom had other ideas. She wrapped her daughter up in a warm hug, stroking her wet hair in a gesture meant to be affectionate as well as straighten out Katie's hair, still damp from the shower. Katie's father came out of the living room, taking his own turn to hug his daughter before she left. Katie, for her art, hugged back just as tightly. She knew they were probably worried, it wouldn't hurt to give them a proper goodbye.

"Come back with a lot more friends Honey" Dad said. Mom didn't say anything. Knowing her, she probably didn't want to for fear of crying. Katie nodded, scooped up her bag, looked back, then left the house.

As she walked, Katie hunted around in her bag for her X-Transceiver. She tended to neglect it and she couldn't remember the last time she really used it. Katie preferred talking face to face. It was useful for getting messages. Like the one from Juniper that was vying for attention on the screen. Katie had checked it the night before but it was probably a good idea to check where she was going anyway.

Quote

"Is this on?" a woman's voice asked, the eyes on the screen darting back and forth as though reading. An angry chittering not unlike Rascal's could be heard in the background. "Move back? Are you sure?" More chittering. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? What do you mean they can hear us?" Juniper asked, moving the camera away from her face and shaking her head. She looked up at the screen, startled to see that moving back had, in fact, made her more visible. "Oh," she said quietly. She then cleared her throat and stood upright, projecting much more charisma and professionalism than beforehand. "My apologies.

"Greetings, Katie!" Jason's name sounded pre-recorded, and didn't quite match up with Juniper's mouth moving. "My name is Professor Aurea Juniper! As I'm sure you're aware, today is the day you will be receiving your first Pokemon and beginning your journey. As we'll be speaking in person soon, I'd like to keep this message brief. At 9:00 AM sharp, you'll be meeting with one of my researchers to be escorted to Nuvema Town, as some members of the program do not have Pokemon yet. She will be meeting you at the entrance to Route 1. I look forward to meeting you!"

9:00am. Her watch said it was 9:05. Time to run.

8:52am, Entrance to Route 1

"Here, here, I'm here!" yelled Katie, exhausted from her sprint. They couldn't say she hadn't tried. The exhausted young woman blinked at the other assembled teens. "You're all late too?" She asked, checking her watch. It said 9:15.

Bag:

3x Potions

1x Pokedoll

[K_H]

8:52 AM - Route 1 Entrance

Jack looked a little confused, and looked at his watch.

"Are you sure you set you watch correctly? Mine says that it's 8:52."

[Felicity]

8:52, Route 1 entrance

Katie spouted several venomous curses. She had forgotten she had set her watch later to get her moving faster. Whilst it had worked, she could have done without the sprinting.

Katie leant over and rested her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She drew the blonde hair that clung to her face away with a quick, practised motion as she looked at the other three. She wished she had tied her hair in aponytail. It would have made the run a lot less annoying.

"So, you guys ARE the other people, right?" She asked, waving her hand at them for a second, assuming they'd know what she was talking about.

[Jory]

8:53 AM- Route 1 Entrance

Now that Jack, Aleks, and Jason were better acquainted, the conversation began to flow more smoothly. However, at the new girl's arrival, Jason blinked several times before looking around as though puzzled about where Katie had come from. "What other people...?" he asked, doing his best not to give his ruse away as his lips ached to curl into their signature crooked grin. "We're here waiting for our Nature Scouts meeting!" he pretended to brag, putting his hands on his hips and striking a hero's pose while Rascal made the same motion on his shoulder. "Saving Unova's forests one tree at a time!" He cracked up at the last part, laughing lightly to himself as he waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm Jason, Jason Hooper. And yeah, we're here waiting for Juniper's assistant. Welcome!" he said more genuinely, sharing a warm smile with the new arrival. Jack and Aleks being so friendly had given him newfound confidence in his approach to the new participants.

[Felicity]

8:53am, Route 1 entrance

"Nice to meet you Boyscout. I'm Katie Narcis." Katie introduced herself to the trio of boys, responding to Jason's smile with a faint copy. "If you hadn't dropped the joke I woulda turned around and left. I don't care much for trees."

Katie arched a pale blonde eyebrow at the other two as she looked past Jason. They all looked normal enough. Hopefully that wasn't the case. "Are you two going to give me an intro or am I going to have to keep talking to your troop leader?"

[Chim]

8:00 AM – Brendan Fallin

A few minutes before his alarm clock would annoy him, Brendan already woke up. He stretched out, put out his alarm and slowly got out of bed. The past couple of days he had tried to get into the same morning routine so he wouldn’t miss the start of his brand new adventure. He went downstairs for breakfast and found his mother’s note. Of course both his parents had already left for work. Luckily he said his goodbyes last night before going to bed. The note was nothing more than a reminder and to wish Brendan good luck.

Ten minutes later the boy took a quick shower before getting dressed. He didn’t bother combing his short blond hair. Not important on such a big day and he would probably skip it multiple times during his adventure. His dad would preach about the importance of a decent look. Instead Brendan just stared in the mirror, wondering what kind of Pokémon he would get. He blinked a couple of times with his green eyes, realizing this wasn’t the right time and continued to dress He wore a light grey jeans and a red shirt before going back to his room to grab his Xtransceiver and backpack. He played Juniper’s message while putting on his shoes and went outside. He locked the door and hurried to Route 1. It had actually taken him a little longer than he anticipated to get ready because he kept thinking about what partner he would get.

8:54 AM – Entrance to Route 1

After a short walk, Brendan almost reached the rendez-vous point. He already saw some people talking. He held his hand high as a way of greeting when he approached them. “Hi, sorry to interrupt, I’m looking for one of Professor Juniper’s researchers. I assume this is the place?”

[Jory]

8:54 AM- Entrance to Route 1

As Katie began interviewing Jack and Aleks, Jason turned to face the latest arrival. He smiled at the young man, prompting the same reaction from Rascal. He looked somewhat familiar, as a couple of his companions did. "This is the right place. I'm Jason, Jason Hooper," he said with a crooked grin. "This is Rascal," he said for what felt like the millionth time today. "I think we had gym class together. We were on the same team in hockey." He paused for a moment, appearing deep in thought. "Your name's Brandon, right?"

[Shadow Sketches]

8: 53 AM- Entrance to Route 1

Alecks smiled and rolled his eyes as he walked up to Katie, holding his fist out to her to give her the normal fist bump greeting he used with most of his friends. "Please don't group me in with boyscouts, I don't want to turn into a camper" he joked. "I'm Alekcs, and I don't have much of an intro to give you, sorry~"

[starkidcosmo]

8:35 AM- Mio Acerbi

Meeooow!

Mio woke with a short oof as Meena, his family's Meowth, jumped straight onto his stomach.

"Wazzat for?" Mio mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He'd been too excited to sleep last night, instead opting to go over basic theory into the wee hours of the morning. Now, he was paying the price.

Meena glared, then dropped off the bed and bounded to Mio's desk. She stared pointedly at the XTransceiver seated in its case, still as shiny and new as when he first got it. Realization dawned on Mio slowly, but the panic that set in after came as fast as a Rapidash.

Mio scrambled out of bed and grabbed his alarm clock. 8:37 am, and he'd apparently hit his snooze button six times in his sleep. Groaning, he stumbled to his XTransceiver, eyes narrowing to read the 'new message' notification. It was from Professor Juniper. Mio almost sobbed as he pressed the play button. He felt like his insides were going to fall out.

"Is this on?" a woman's voice asked, the eyes on the screen darting back and forth as though reading. An angry chittering of some sort could be heard in the background. "Move back? Are you sure?" More chittering. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? What do you mean they can hear us?" Juniper asked, moving the camera away from her face and shaking her head. She looked up at the screen, startled to see that moving back had, in fact, made her more visible. "Oh," she said quietly. She then cleared her throat and stood upright, projecting much more charisma and professionalism than beforehand. "My apologies.

"Greetings, Mio!" Mio's name sounded pre-recorded, and didn't quite match up with Juniper's mouth moving. "My name is Professor Aurea Juniper! As I'm sure you're aware, today is the day you will be receiving your first Pokemon-" Meena rolled her eyes. - and beginning your journey. As we'll be speaking in person soon, I'd like to keep this message brief. At 9:00 AM sharp, you'll be meeting with one of my researchers to be escorted to Nuvema Town, as some members of the program do not have Pokemon yet. She will be meeting you at the entrance to Route 1. I look forward to meeting you!"

Mio glanced back at his clock. 8:41. He was so screwed. He strapped the XTransceiver to his wrist and rushed over to his closet.

Key Item picked up! XTransceiver added to BAG.

He threw on the most durable clothes he could find: tight, long-sleeved black shirt, green cargo pants, his running shoes, and a fake leather jacket for good measure. He snagged his sports glasses from their spot on his dresser and turned to his mirror.

He looked a little worse for wear, but luckily his smooth, brown skin didn't make the dark circles under his eyes too obvious. He shook his head and ruffled his hair, quickly turning his actual bedhead into "stylish" bedhead. Meena made a noise akin to a forced cough. Blushing, Mio tore himself from his reflection and rushed downstairs.

Predictably, his father had already left for work, but there was a note left on the counter.

Mio, I'm so sorry I couldn't see you off on the first day of your journey. I love you very much! You have my number, please call me any time you need help. Your other dad was quite the trainer back in his day, and I picked up a few things.

Again, Mio, I love you so much and I'm so sorry I couldn't be with you today.

Love,

Dad

ps: Maybe don't stay up quite so late when you're traveling around the country?

pps: Meena demanded she go with you, so she'll be doing that whether we want her to or not. Good luck with her, don't let her bully you too much!

Mio smiled, but he really didn't have time to be sentimental. He sped to the door, where he strapped his Kalosian rollerblades to his shoes. He stood and gave and experimental twirl. Meena made another 'hurry it up' noise, and he laughed.

Key Item picked up! Rollerskates added to BAG.

"Sorry, Meena. Hop on and we'll get there faster."

Meena leaped gracefully to Mio's shoulder and draped herself around her neck, sharp claws digging into his jacket. Mio pushed open the door and shot towards Route One.

8:54 AM- Mio Acerbi, Route 1 Entrance

Mio slowed to a more dignified pace as he spotted the group of people who were undoubtedly the others who'd been selected for this project. Meena relaxed her grip slightly and mewed.

"Yeah, no reason to be nervous! I'm not even late. Just... not early." Mio practically heard Meena rolling her eyes.

"Do that too much and they'll fall out." he quipped.

He rolled to a stop next to a blonde girl with long hair and waved, feeling somewhat awkward.

"Uh, Hi! I'm Mio..." he trailed off, not sure what else to say. Meena swung her back legs down, then pushed herself up to perch on Mio's shoulder. She meowed rather haughtily, eyeing the other pokemon present.

"Meena..." Mio hissed, then remembered himself. "Oh! this is Meena. She's a little... well, she's a lot nicer than she acts! Probably."

BAG:

-Potion (x3)

-Rollerskates

-XTransceiver

Edited January 22, 2016 by genderlesshawke

[Chim]

8:54 AM – Entrance to Route 1

“Oh hey! Now that you mention it! You did seem quite familiar but I couldn’t immediately place you,” Brendan smiled when Jason introduced himself. “Yep. I’m Brendan Fallin. Cute Mincinno you have. I’m so jealous! I don’t have a Pokémon yet. I wonder what I’ll get…” his thoughts trailed of again when a new arrival appeared. “So that makes six of us. And since it’s almost time, I don’t think many more will be coming. Do you know by any chance who we’re waiting for?” Brendan asked. In all his excitement he just kept talking, only to have something other to do then just wait in silence.

Backpack:
Potion (x3)
Flashlight
XTransceiver

[Felicity]

8:55 Route 1 entrance

"No introduction? Well that's lacklustre. No dramatic backstory, hidden agenda? No grand gestures that satisfy an overinflated ego I could prick?" Katie complained, disappointed by Alecks.

"I'll tell you what" Katie said as she stepped over, putting her arm over Aleck's shoulder, waving her arm at something in the far distance, the image she was building for the two. "I'll make something up for you. You are now the- Hang on." Katie paused as she saw the other two arrivals, waving with her free arm. "At least I wasn't the only one running late!" Katie wanted to get to the newcomers but she had already started on Alecks backstory.

"Ok, so, you're the long lost heir to an ancient Unovan court of nobles. Prince of Unova, fighting to reclaim the fortunes your father lost due to his horrific gambling habit. Sound good?" It almost sounded as though Katie was giving him a choice. "Of course it does. Nice to meet you Prince." Katie smiled at Alecks, bright green eyes glittering as she watched for his reaction. Her eyes periodically flicked towards the others as she spoke, still waiting on some sort of intro from the last boyscout and interested in the other two arrivals.

[Jory]

Entrance to Route 1- 8:55 AM

Jason smiled, realizing that Brendan hadn't noticed his slight blunder. He looked toward Route 1, still waiting for the Researcher to arrive. "That's odd. Professor Juniper said 9. Shouldn't the Researcher have been here like ten minutes ago to make sure we all got here on time?" he wondered out loud. He shrugged dismissively, excited to see that there were now six soon-to-be Trainers waiting at the entrance to Route 1. "I guess everyone's here. All there is to do now is wait for the Researcher's arrival."

[Shadow Sketches]

8:55 AM - Route 1 Entrance

Alecks raised his eyebrow at the strange blonde girl, an amused grin on his face but he gave in and put an arm around Katie's shoulder as well "Why couldn't I be the son of a Mad King that exiled me from my kingdom because he was given a prophecy that I would overthrow him and now I'm going on this adventure to prepare myself for the oncoming revolt I will lead against him?" he teased, Katie wasn't the only one with an imaginary mind!

"And yea, I wish the Researcher would be here already, I want to get on my way and meet my new partner after all!" Alekcs complained a little, still trying to be lighthearted.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Shadow Mankey

[K_H]

8:55 AM - Route 1 Entrance

Jack then decided to speak to the entire group.

"For the three of you who haven't met me yet, My name's Jack, and the Poochyena next to me is named Lara. As for your remark about the Boy Scouts, Katie, I'm not one, no matter how much I might seem like one." He glanced down at his watch, and then continued speaking. "And as for the Researcher, they've still got five minutes before they're late. Which means five minutes for us to get to know each other better."

Edited January 20, 2016 by K_H

[starkidcosmo]

8:55 AM- Route 1 Entrance

Mio took advantage of his apparent invisibility to take a few breaths. Meena pressed her face up against his cheek and purred lightly, before returning to her normal high-and-mighty demeanor as if nothing had happened. Mio smiled.

A boy with dark brown hair and freckles introduced himself as Jack, and his Poochyena as Lara. Meena feigned disinterest in the dark-type pokemon, but Mio could tell she was sizing it up.

"Hi Jack, hello Lara." Mio said. He cooed a little bit at Lara, much to Meena's disgust. "I'm Mio, and this is Meena, just in case you didn't hear the first time." Meena flicked her tail, directing Mio's attention to the boy with a Minccino and twitched her ears.

"Oh, Meena thinks you might be right about the researcher, um...?" Mio trailed off once he realized he didn't have anything to call the guy besides 'brunette with a Minccino.' "Maybe... we could go around and say our names? For us latecomers." he suggested, sliding his feet back and forth in place.