JX Valentine
Your aquatic overlord
- 3,277
- Posts
- 20
- Years
- Harassing Bill
- Seen Aug 19, 2020
It took Emma only a moment to reach the other room, but it felt like forever for her. The excitement overwhelmed her, and she found it difficult to maintain her usual composure. Nonetheless, she took a deep breath and steadied herself.
That's right, she thought. Don't act up. Just act like a perfect lady, and they'll give you what you want.
She straightened and held her head high as she entered. Her face wore nothing but a small smile as she approached both Professor Oak and Elm. Of course, she'd heard all about the both of them. She knew of their reputations, vague ideas of what they studied, the achievements they held… And why wouldn't she? She always valued knowledge as her key weapon. Though she couldn't claim to know everything, she always took pleasure in the advantage she held over the other children, in the dumbfounded looks she received when she could answer a teacher's questions while they sat silently.
But to see the people she'd read so much about standing right in front of her, that feeling of sheer pride tasted better than anything else she'd felt in the classroom. Who cared about some dumb kid who didn't know the nation's capital or what Oak did in 1987? She was meeting Oak himself – Elm too.
The children back home, she thought, would be insanely jealous.
So, with a curtsy, she said her hellos and introduced herself politely, just the way she imagined a lady would. Oak smiled, perhaps reminded of his own granddaughter or perhaps because Emma's act seemed all-too genuine. Elm, meanwhile, nodded and offered a soft smile of his own, one tinged with the weariness of the morning.
"Emma Finn," Elm repeated. "I admit neither of us were as familiar with you as we were with the children from our own hometowns. However, we've heard plenty from both your parents and your teachers."
He turned, rummaging through a set of Poké Balls on the shelf behind him. It would be a long while before it was going to be empty, Emma knew. As he sorted through each ball, he continued.
"You're ambitious, hard-working, unusually polite for a girl your age, a perfectionist…"
Oak nodded and sat back in his chair. "It took awhile for us to find a good match for you, but I think you'll see this one can't be any better."
"Oh, most definitely." Elm turned, a ball in his hand. "Take it, Emma. This is your partner."
Emma had been quiet as she waited patiently. She had meditated on her pride, on how accurate she thought Elm seemed to have her, for the past few minutes, but now that he turned to face her, all of those thoughts immediately vanished at the sight of the Poké Ball. Her Poké Ball. Her hand trembled as she reached towards it and took it. The plastic and metal felt cool to the touch, and it fit her hand perfectly. With a smile, she bowed.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," Elm replied. "Open it and see your new Pokémon."
Emma didn't need to be told twice. With a flick of her wrist, the ball flew straight up into the air and cracked open. White light poured out of it, descending to the floor. As Emma snatched the ball from the air, she watched carefully, waiting anxiously for her Pokémon to form. She couldn't guess what it was. It was small, but then again, many basic Pokémon were. For all she knew, it could be the Chikorita she'd hoped for or a common Rattata or a cute Poliwag…
Instead, it formed a cat with cream-colored fur and a coin on his head. The Meowth opened its mouth to meow once before he finally opened his eyes and stared directly at his owner. His cat grin widened, and he rose to all four paws. Emma sucked in a breath as she watched and felt him rub against her ankles, the rumbling of his purring resonating through her bones and ears.
For once, she didn't know what to say. She stooped down and picked up the cat, who seemed very nonchalant about being around humans, much less being picked up by one.
"It's beautiful," Emma gasped.
As if he was insulted by the idea of being called an "it," the Meowth grinned and dug his claws into Emma's arm. Immediately, she yelped and dropped the cat, who landed neatly on his feet and promptly sat down to lick his paws. She began tearing up as she rubbed her arm.
"It would be a he," Oak told her. "I'm sorry, Emma, but it seems that while this Pokémon doesn't mind humans, he seems to be very sensitive."
Or vain, Emma thought bitterly.
With a forced smile, she knelt. "It's all right, Professor Oak." Then, to the Pokémon, she added, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Let's start again. My name is Emma Finn, and I will be your partner. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The Meowth paused in grooming himself to give Emma a sidelong glance. Apparently, he wasn't very forgiving, either. With a sigh, Emma held up the ball and recalled the cat. She stood slowly and curtsied again.
"Thank you very much for the Pokémon, sir," she said. "I'll take very good care of him."
Elm and Oak could only smile at this claim. They knew they'd matched Pokémon with trainer well.
"Are you all right, Emma?" Elm asked. "Do you need a bandage for your arm before you go?"
Emma shook her head. "No thank you."
And with that, she turned to the door and walked out into the other room. No way she was about to show that she was weak.
That's right, she thought. Don't act up. Just act like a perfect lady, and they'll give you what you want.
She straightened and held her head high as she entered. Her face wore nothing but a small smile as she approached both Professor Oak and Elm. Of course, she'd heard all about the both of them. She knew of their reputations, vague ideas of what they studied, the achievements they held… And why wouldn't she? She always valued knowledge as her key weapon. Though she couldn't claim to know everything, she always took pleasure in the advantage she held over the other children, in the dumbfounded looks she received when she could answer a teacher's questions while they sat silently.
But to see the people she'd read so much about standing right in front of her, that feeling of sheer pride tasted better than anything else she'd felt in the classroom. Who cared about some dumb kid who didn't know the nation's capital or what Oak did in 1987? She was meeting Oak himself – Elm too.
The children back home, she thought, would be insanely jealous.
So, with a curtsy, she said her hellos and introduced herself politely, just the way she imagined a lady would. Oak smiled, perhaps reminded of his own granddaughter or perhaps because Emma's act seemed all-too genuine. Elm, meanwhile, nodded and offered a soft smile of his own, one tinged with the weariness of the morning.
"Emma Finn," Elm repeated. "I admit neither of us were as familiar with you as we were with the children from our own hometowns. However, we've heard plenty from both your parents and your teachers."
He turned, rummaging through a set of Poké Balls on the shelf behind him. It would be a long while before it was going to be empty, Emma knew. As he sorted through each ball, he continued.
"You're ambitious, hard-working, unusually polite for a girl your age, a perfectionist…"
Oak nodded and sat back in his chair. "It took awhile for us to find a good match for you, but I think you'll see this one can't be any better."
"Oh, most definitely." Elm turned, a ball in his hand. "Take it, Emma. This is your partner."
Emma had been quiet as she waited patiently. She had meditated on her pride, on how accurate she thought Elm seemed to have her, for the past few minutes, but now that he turned to face her, all of those thoughts immediately vanished at the sight of the Poké Ball. Her Poké Ball. Her hand trembled as she reached towards it and took it. The plastic and metal felt cool to the touch, and it fit her hand perfectly. With a smile, she bowed.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," Elm replied. "Open it and see your new Pokémon."
Emma didn't need to be told twice. With a flick of her wrist, the ball flew straight up into the air and cracked open. White light poured out of it, descending to the floor. As Emma snatched the ball from the air, she watched carefully, waiting anxiously for her Pokémon to form. She couldn't guess what it was. It was small, but then again, many basic Pokémon were. For all she knew, it could be the Chikorita she'd hoped for or a common Rattata or a cute Poliwag…
Instead, it formed a cat with cream-colored fur and a coin on his head. The Meowth opened its mouth to meow once before he finally opened his eyes and stared directly at his owner. His cat grin widened, and he rose to all four paws. Emma sucked in a breath as she watched and felt him rub against her ankles, the rumbling of his purring resonating through her bones and ears.
For once, she didn't know what to say. She stooped down and picked up the cat, who seemed very nonchalant about being around humans, much less being picked up by one.
"It's beautiful," Emma gasped.
As if he was insulted by the idea of being called an "it," the Meowth grinned and dug his claws into Emma's arm. Immediately, she yelped and dropped the cat, who landed neatly on his feet and promptly sat down to lick his paws. She began tearing up as she rubbed her arm.
"It would be a he," Oak told her. "I'm sorry, Emma, but it seems that while this Pokémon doesn't mind humans, he seems to be very sensitive."
Or vain, Emma thought bitterly.
With a forced smile, she knelt. "It's all right, Professor Oak." Then, to the Pokémon, she added, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Let's start again. My name is Emma Finn, and I will be your partner. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The Meowth paused in grooming himself to give Emma a sidelong glance. Apparently, he wasn't very forgiving, either. With a sigh, Emma held up the ball and recalled the cat. She stood slowly and curtsied again.
"Thank you very much for the Pokémon, sir," she said. "I'll take very good care of him."
Elm and Oak could only smile at this claim. They knew they'd matched Pokémon with trainer well.
"Are you all right, Emma?" Elm asked. "Do you need a bandage for your arm before you go?"
Emma shook her head. "No thank you."
And with that, she turned to the door and walked out into the other room. No way she was about to show that she was weak.