[Gen 3] Dr. Suon and the Orbs of Hoenn

Introduction

Hi guys. It's my turn now to create a Challenge Log here. I thought it would be an extra challenge for me to write a bit of fiction around one of my challenges.

First of all, I'm not a writer. Never written anything before (except for school, many years ago). Also, I'm not a native English speaker, so obviously that makes it harder as well. Still, what started as a few ideas for a short story, already developed into the first chapter, and I haven't even started the journey yet.

I haven't written the full story yet (I've barely started the game itself...), but I will post a new chapter every time I finish one. This means that anything can still happen, which probably makes it even less polished than it already is, but all the more interesting.

Please, feel free to post your feedback. There is always room for improvement.

DAY 1, 09:41 a.m.

"No Sir," she said, for the tenth time this flight, with clenched teeth. "I know where we're going, Sir. We're not lost!"
"Alright, alright, no reason to get grumpy. It just seems we're a bit far south, you see. According to the boss, its vitally important that Mr. Suon and I arrive in Rustboro City before eleven. You know how the boss can..."
"'Dr.'"
"be... euhm... excuse me?"
"'Dr.' It's 'Dr.'"
"Euh... 'dr'?"
"No, 'Dr.'"
"Ah! Euhm... I'm sorry, mister, I don't seem to be able to hear you properly over the sound of the helicopter. What is 'dr'?"
" Not 'dr'. 'Dr.'! I have a Doctorate in History and Mythology, and should therefore be addressed as 'Dr.' Suon."
"Ah... euhm... okay then," professor Birch responded after careful consideration. "Dr. Suon. Well. As I was saying, May. It is very impor..."
Professor Birch's speech got cut off once again, but this time by a loud noise, coming from the left side of the helicopter, a sound similar to the sound you hear when you're inside a car during a car wash, program 3.
Trying to avoid the beam of water, which caused the noise, and that not only caused heavy turbulence, but also obscured the view, Captain May Birch steered the helicopter swiftly to the right, only to be hit by another beam coming from that side.
Two seconds later it seemed as if the aircraft got hit from everywhere. The three passengers inside could not see what caused the flood of water and could only hear the deafning sound of what could only be compared with the sound of twenty old, almost finished washing machines and tumble dryers in an old, small launderette in an old, small town in Italy.
May tried with all her might to keep the helicopter straight, whatever straight was, but failed to do so. She turned her head in shock and looked at the faces of her father, who showed nothing less than absolute terror, and Dr. Suon, who showed nothing more than a slight interest. She decided to panic.

From a short distance, the people of Littleroot Town heard an explosion, saw black smoke coming from over the treetops, decided it was probably a self-destructing Voltorb and got on with their day.

Day 1, 11:01 a.m.

"They are late!" shouted Mr. Stone with a red face. He grabbed his hat and threw it at the junior researcher that was standing in the doorway, who seemed too scared to move and just let the hat bounce against his chest.
"Where are they? It is very important that they get here as soon as possible. The faith of Hoenn depends on it!" Mr. Stone walked to the window and scanned the air above the skyline of Rustboro City.
The junior assistant closed the door quietly behind him and went down the stairs, back to the laboratory, where his colleagues all stared at him in anticipation.
"Yes," he said finally, "he mentioned the faith of Hoenn. Again."
One of the young, white coated researchers jumped up with a big smile and raised his hand. The others sighed, got their wallets out of their pockets and gave him 200 Pokédollars each.


Day 3, 08:27 a.m.

Dr. Suon awoke with a loud yawn, sat up, rubbed his eyes, grabbed his glasses, put them on, and looked with sleepy eyes in the direction of where he heard the soft rustling noise.
"Oh, I'm sorry, doctor, I didn't mean to wake you," May whispered. "I thought this was a good time to change my dad's bandages. He's finally sleeping."
"That's okay, Captain. I slept like an angel, I'm well rested now," Dr. Suon replied.
"Yeah, we noticed. How can you sleep like that in the middle of the woods with someone screaming for two days straight?"
"Hunger, my dear. Not a craving, no. Hunger. It is also what woke me up. Professor Birch's screaming helped keeping the wild Pokémon away, but after 36 hours it didn't bother me too much anymore." Dr. Suon absently stared up at the high trees for a few seconds, and added: "Strange thing, the human body."
Just before the helicopter crashed, caused by a flock of startled Wingulls using Watergun, Dr. Suon managed to open the left hatch and got everyone to jump out. He and May got lucky and landed softly on a sleeping Slaking, which awoke forty minutes later, yawned a few times and slowly retreated further into the woods. Professor Birch, however, managed to land softly on a pack of Mightyenas and got bitten in its left leg twice, before the pack retreated further into the woods. The helicopter crashed into the trees and is somehow still hanging there.
It might be interesting to mention, although of no importance to the story, that a scared Voltorb saw all this happening and spontaneously self-destructed.

"Yes," May said, while she tightened the bandage around the small fleshwound. "We need food. Also, we probably need a tetanus shot or a Lava Cookie for my father. I say we pack as much as we can carry and start looking for civilization."
Once the three survivors where safely on the ground, professor Birch wasn't able to move. Nor have a conversation with, for that matter. So they used all the material that fell out of the helicopter during the crash to set up camp and stayed there, not knowing where to go anyway. Now, two days later, they are still in the same spot.
"You're probably right. Let's wake up the Professor."
"Too... Au!.. late..." Professor Birch mumbled. "But the pain is less than it was earlier. I can walk."
May searched for a big, strong stick and gave it to her father to walk with. Then, since they have two academics in their midst, they blindfolded May, spinned her around a few times, made her point in a random direction, and started their hike. Twelve minutes later, they reached Littleroot Town.

"Of course, mister President. Naturally, mister President. Right away, mister President." Professor Birch hung up the PokéNav they found in the laboratory in Littleroot Town and turned to May and Dr. Suon. "He said we should head to the Devon Corp Office in Rustboro City immediately. He said the faith of the Hoenn depends on it."
"Yeah, he says that a lot," Dr. Suon noted. "Look, we need to figure out who owns this laboratory, we can't just use it without asking. Judging by all the stuff, it's probably a Pokémon Professor like you, Professor Birch. There's no one here now, but maybe we can find someone in town who can help us."
Dr. Suon and May left Professor Birch behind in the laboratory and searched for some life in the small town. "Where do you think all the people went?" May asked. "Did someone die?
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe someone did die."
Suddenly, from around the corner of one of the houses, a little girl in a yellow dress appeared, stopped walking and stared at the two adults.
"Aren't you going to the wedding?" she said.
"Wedding?" replied Dr. Suon. "Who is getting married?"
"No, silly! Hihi." The girl kept staring at the researcher and the pilot, and resumed: "The professor died. Everybody's at the wedding!"
"Ah. I see. You mean funeral."
"No, silly! Nobody is getting married. They are putting Professor Tilia in the ground. She died."
"Euhm... okay, gotcha kid. Sorry." They saw a small grocer, which was closed but the door was still open, got some food and snacks, left 300 Pokédollars behind and went back to the laboratory.

"Look what I found!" shouted Professor Birch, still with a mouth full of the Rage Candy Bar he was eating enthusiastically. He was holding a suitcase, which he placed in one of the only tables that still had some free space. Everybody mustered around it while the professor opened it. In it where two Pokéballs.
"If we're gonna have to walk all the way to Rustboro City, we need some company. The road can be dangerous without a Pokémon companion. Here you go." He gave one ball to both Dr. Suon and May.
"And what about you, dad?" May asked.
"Haha, I already got one!" Out of his lab coat, he took a Pokéball and out appeared a Treecko. It sat down immediately and closed his eyes."Meet Hapdortelmagaham. He's a bit lazy."
"Euhm... Happel... what...?" May looked confused at the green pocket monster.
"Hapdortelmagaham," said Dr. Suon. It's a nice name, Professor."
"Thank you."
"Euh... okay... I guess..." Still confused, May opened hers. A Mudkip popped out, smiling a happy smile. "Oooh, it's so cute!! Hello little fella. What's your name?"
The Mudkip looked at May with a confused look. "Alright, Muddy it is. Doctor, show us yours."
Dr. Suon tossed the Pokéball for a bit in his hand. "Sorry, but I really don't think it is appropriate to take these Pokémon."
He never really wanted his own Pokémon, too much caring and all. But Professor Birch insisted. "We're probably going to split up when we walk to Rustboro City. The snacks helped a lot, but my leg is still sore and I'm just gonna slow you down. We need you at the office as soon and as save as we can."
Dr. Suon was convinced. He clicked the button of the ball, and out came a Torchic. The two stared at each other for a while and then both nodded, as if accepting each other as partners. "Hello, Dr. Chook, thank you for assisting me."
"Peep, peep," replied Dr. Chook.