Pokemon Pangaea
Chapter 1 Part 1: Amphípolis
(OOC: Curious questions; I know some roleplays do this but others don’t – how many Pokemon are we allowed to have on our team? Is it just six, or is a rotation team? If it’s six, if we catch more Pokemon more than that, where do we transfer them to/what happens to them?)
Unlike some others who enjoyed boat rides, Rebekah was not one of them. Stuck in the back in the shade, she attempting to hold in her meal she had just bought before getting on the boat, all the while, covering her body in sun block to protect her fair, er - no pale, skin. Getting something to eat beforehand was just a bad idea.
After finally calming her churning stomach, Bekah slumped down in a shady seat, icy blue eyes looking at the other trainers on the boat. Some had Pokemon with that, and just seeing the trainers playing with them, it made her incredibly jealous. Some were much younger than her too, which made her feel worse.
For the last thirty minutes of the ride, she tilted down her hat to cover her eyes, from the blazing sun and the trainers alike.
The boat’s horn signaled its arrival to the docks of Amphípolis, and little by little the people and Pokemon began filing off towards the small fishing village. The sun was brilliant overhead, so, Rebekah quickly dug into her bag for her pair of sunglasses and slipped them on, finally landing on the wooden dock of Amphípolis. She waved her hand like a fan in front of her face in hopes to cool herself, but the hot temperature was still very overbearing. Was it always this hot at ten in the freaking morning?
Nonetheless, Rebekah couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved. A smile spread across her face as she remembered exactly why she was here – she was here to go on a Pokemon adventure, and away from her doting, over-protective parents. Unlike countless of her friends who started their journeys earlier than her, she was stuck trying to find jobs in Sunyshore City just to make extra money, always hoping she could be allowed to begin a journey. But she never had – she had to take it upon herself now.
“Good morning,” the voice caught Bekah off-guard as she was lost in her thoughts. So, she turned towards the source of the voice, and it belonged to an older, elderly woman, with dark skin, much darker than Bekah’s. Confusion was written across Bekah’s face as she observed the lady and her assistant standing on the dock in front of her, the dark-skinned lady holding a suitcase in her hand.
“Excuse me, where are my manners,” the lady raised her empty hand and laid it across her chest, her expression apologetic. “I am Professor Cypress, and this is my assistant.” She moved her hand outwards in a well-mannered gesture. “Now, you are?”
Rebekah looked at her for a moment before taking her hand in a shake, grinning warmly. “I am Silver – er, I mean Rebekah Argent from Sunyshore Town. Sorry, a lot of people call me Silver; it just stuck.” Rebekah raised a hand to rub the back of her head, embarrassed.
“No need to explain Miss Argent,” Professor Cypress said with a carefree smile and a roll of her shoulders. “I could tell from your silver hair. You see, I was sent pictures and information on all the young adults that were to become trainers here. I saw your silver hair immediately and that’s how I recognized you. Silver’s a fine nickname too, I like it.”
Rebekah blinked, shocked, but then grinned brilliantly. “Oh, why thank you, Professor,” she laughed lightly.
“Now, we’re not here entirely to chat,” the professor said, gesturing her assistant to take the suitcase. And when the assistant did, Professor Cypress flicked open the locks before digging inside and taking out a Pokeball, that fit perfectly in her palm. “Contained inside this Pokeball is your starter. It was pre-determined for you, hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” Bekah grinned as she took the Pokeball from the professor, looking down at the red and white sphere with awe. It’s been years since she held one in her hands – at least, ones that contained Pokemon. And this one was hers. It made her gitty for her adventure, but it also almost brought tears to her eyes. After years of begging to go on an adventure, and now it was all here – right in front of her, and the region was ready for her.
“Now, that isn’t it,” the professor said and Bekah looked up. Professor Cypress had a red and black device in her hand, and Bekah immediately recognized it as a very expensive but informative Pokedex. The other hand had five smaller Pokeballs. “These are for you.”
With her free hand (the other still holding the Pokeball with her starter), Bekah took the Pokedex in her hands. “I want to warn you though, Miss Argent, many of the natives here haven’t been introduced to technology like this, and many would love to get their hands on it. So, take care of it and don’t flaunt it around in public.”
Rebekah nodded her head, “Yes ma’am.”
“Now, these five Pokeball are empty. You can use them to help capture Pokemon. I’m sure you know how to do that, Miss Argent?” the professor asked with a grin and a wink of her eye.
“Oh yes, weaken down the Pokemon with mine and then throw the Pokeball. If it calms and clicks, it means the Pokemon is caught,” Rebekah said with a grin. After putting the Pokedex safely in the right pocket in the inside of her jacket, she reached forward for the empty Pokeballs, only to put those in the left pocket inside of her jacket.
The next thing Professor Cypress dug out was a trainer ID card. She handed it to Rebekah as she spoke, “This trainer ID will help you get free service and free help in any Pokemon Center on the region. It is also your proof that you can compete in the Pangaea Pokemon League. Don’t lose it, because it’s the only one you can get.”
Rebekah nodded firmly. “I’ll take excellent care of it.” She slipped it into a smaller, see-able, but air tight pocket inside her pocket. She’ll be sure to get something to make sure it’s on her all the time.
“Alright,” Professor Cypress was still grinning. She placed her hands on her hips as her assistant closed the suitcase. “Now, that I gave you what you need, do you want to meet your starter?”
A shock seemed to pass through Bekah, “Oh! Yes! I do,” and with the Pokeball still in her hands, she took a step back, and tried to shake the excitement and uneasiness she was feeling. “Alright, partner, come on out!” With a small toss into the air, the Pokeball opened in a flash of white light that was immediately transported to the dock floor. The Pokeball flew back into Bekah’s hands just as she looked down at the form, the white glow softly fading.
And when it finally did, Rebekah beamed a smile. It was a big purple fuzz ball that had two white antennae sticking out above pink insect eyes. It moved its small hands lightly and with a chirp of its name, Bekah saw the two little fangs. “A Venonat!"
The insect Pokemon tilted its head to the side, looking up at Bekah. Oblivious to the professor and her assistant still there, she kneeled down eye level with the Pokemon. “Hello there,” she said warmly, putting out a hand to allow the Pokemon to smell it to know she meant it no harm. “I’m Rebekah, and I’m your new trainer.”
The Pokemon exchanged a glance down to her hand, sniffed it a few times, before-
It ran in a sudden bolt around Rebekah, chirping its name excitedly, running around and around Rebekah, the professor, and her assistant, before finally calming down and jumping up and down at Bekah’s side.
“Veno! Veno! Nat!” it chirped, and Rebekah looked down at it in surprise for its sudden action, but then began to laugh.
“Well, it looks like your Venonat has already taken a liking to you,” Professor Cypress said with her own laugh. “Now, you know if you ever need some help, I’m just one call away. Your Pokedex has my number automatically recorded into it.”
“Wow, thank you,” Rebekah beamed as she looked up at Professor Cypress from her spot still kneeling down. She had placed a hand on her Venonat’s head, rubbing lightly. She couldn’t have asked for a better starter.
“Great, then your adventure awaits,” the professor nodded, she and her assistant stepping aside to allow Rebekah past. And Rebekah got up, still grinning towards the professor.
“I can’t thank you enough, Professor. I’ll be sure to call you any chance I get,” Bekah promised. “Now, come along Venonat, let’s begin our journey, don’t you think?”
“Venonat!” the insect Pokemon jumped a few times before running to join Bekah, right behind at her heels.
Rebekah hoped that whatever awaited her in the region, it would help her and her new Pokemon to grow.