Chapter 1.1
| ♀ | Lv. 5 | Defense Curl, Foresight, Ice Punch, Pound, Splash.
Route 219
The boat ride to Sandgem Town wasn't supposed to be particularly long, or that's what the captain said at least. "No more than a couple hours, lass!" He was an older gentleman and his boat was fairly small. Not many passengers were aboard, just mostly fishermen and the like. Sadie sat at the back of the deck, occupying a whole table by herself. The sun had already risen and was beginning to beat down hard. Luckily, the ocean mist was able to keep her skin cool. Hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses, Sadie began to close her eyes. She hadn't slept well the night before and was desperate for some rest. Drifting between dreamland and reality, a deep voice startled the brunette awake.
"A pretty little girl like you shouldn't be out here all alone." He was burly man with a beer belly and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His voice was husky, presumably from years of smoking.
As he introduced himself, Sadies nose began to crinkle. "I can handle myself. Thanks." The sun was shining into her eyes, so she couldn't get a good look at the mans face.
"Im a lonely fella. Care to spare me some time? I just want a bit of company." His pleas were relentless and Sadie was getting fed up. They wouldn't reach their destination for another hour and she wasn't sure if she could endure for that long. Sighing, she picked up her bag and followed him to his table.
"So why are you on this boat with a bunch of sea men by yourself?" he asked. He seemed sincere, but Sadie still felt abrasive.
"Im going to be a Pokemon trainer." she answered. She wasn't willing to share more information and the man could tell. Instead, he shared stories of his own travels and how he even entered into the Pokemon League. This somewhat impressed Sadie, but she still scorned him for interrupting her nap.
Soon before long, land was approaching and Sadie would finally be able rid herself of that overgrown tick of a man. As they docked, the man stood up and pushed his chair in. Sadie thought he was just being polite, but as he began walking towards the boats exit, she realized just how wrong she was. "What are you doing?" she asked. The words hissed out of her and this made the man chuckle.
"Who? Me? I live here!"
Sandgem Town
Sadie stood in disbelief. All she wanted was some solitary time to herself and this guy just wouldn't budge. The salty smell of the sea, the secondhand smoke, and the stench of body odor was beginning to get to her and if she didn't lose him soon, she was going to lose her mind.
Practically sprinting off the boat, she managed to squeeze through the fishermen, lose the guy, and make her way to the nearest convenient mart. Praying that there was some sort of public transportation system for the region, she cheered out loud when she saw on a map inside the store that a bus stop was near.
All I have to do now is make my way to… Her thoughts paused as she searched the map.
Twinleaf Town and I can finally start my journey!
Twinleaf Town
The bus ride from Sandgem was much shorter than the ferry trip Sadie had taken earlier, lasting less than half an hour. Before she exited the bus, she asked the driver if he knew where the lab was at and he directed her. "It's just a few blocks away. It's one of the only large buildings in Twinleaf. You can't miss it!"
The bus driver had been right. The lab felt extremely out of place compared to all the other buildings. The town consisted mainly of housing and gave off a very cozy aura. Pushing through the double doors, Sadie entered the lab and introduced herself. "I'm Sadie and I'm here to start my jo—"
"Ahh, young blood!" A man in his thirties stood before the brunette, inhaling and exhaling loudly. His nose twitched a bit, which made Sadie feel a bit embarrassed.
"Damn fishermen," she cursed under her breath. When the professor asked what she had said, she quickly denied saying anything. "Ooh, nothing! Just a bit groggy this morning, eheh…" she said, awkwardly laughing. "If I ever see him again I'm gonna—"
"Right then!" answered the professor, cutting Sadie off before things got out of hand. Examining the girl, he snapped his fingers together and gave her a wink. "You must be here to get started on your Pokemon journey!" The professor grabbed a box from a stack and removed the cover, revealing a Pokedex, some empty Pokeballs, and other miscellaneous items. Digging through a couple cabinets, he pulled out a single Pokeball and plopped it into the box. "I've got all you need right here. I picked out a very pretty Pokemon for a very pretty girl," he said as he handed Sadie the box. "Good luck!"
Holding her trainer kit, Sadie was practically pushed out of the lab by force. Mentally, she was comparing the fat old fisherman from earlier and the professor, trying to decide which one was worse. Taking a seat in front of the lab, Sadie sat on the floor and unboxed her trainer kit. She put everything inside her purse except for the map and threw away the boxing. She was already exhausted and it wasn't even midday yet. Sighing, she unfolded her map and concluded that Route 201 was her next destination.
Route 201
Seated cross-legged under a pair of neighboring trees, Sadie had perfect view of her surroundings. She had been sitting her for a while, just taking in the scenery. Piles of snow dotted the landscape, chilling the air every time a breeze rolled by. The cold wasn't unbearable by any means, but she had begun to form goosebumps on her legs. The fact that she was an entire region away from her home was mildly frightening, but she managed to keep her nerves down. Rummaging through her bag, she pulled out two red items: a Pokeball and a Pokedex. Flipping open the device, she scanned the brown bunny that now stood in front of her.
"Buneary, the Rabbit Pokemon. By extending its rolled-up ears and striking the ground, it can bounce so high it surprises itself. Its known moves are Splash, Pound, Defense Curl, Foresight, and Ice Punch."
Sadie jumped a bit as the machine began to speak. Its voice was monotone and factual, but had a friendly tone to it. "I guess nows the time I name you, huh?" The Buneary nodded in assurance, eagerly awaiting its fate. After a couple seconds of silent thinking, the perfect name donned onto her. "How does Mjrn sound?" she asked. Bunearys ears began to spring up and down, giving an enthusiastic approval to her trainer. Sadie raised her hand to cover her mouth as she laughed at how silly Bunearys reaction was.
Maybe this journey won't be so bad, after all?
Right as the two were about to leave, loud chirps and caws began to echo through the route, reminiscent of a cockfight. Shifting to her left a bit, Sadie saw that there were in fact two birds engaging in a battle. A trainer and his Piplup were fighting against a wild Tailow and the Tailow seemed to be in the lead. "Mjrn, look," she said, pointing Buneary in the direction of the battle. "That loser is so done for." The Tailow wasn't even half health and the boy had already lugged a Pokeball at it. As the flying-type withdrew from the Pokeball, Sadie couldn't help but burst into laughter. Watching her trainer, Mjrn too began to chuckle, though she didn't really understand why. "I've never even battled a wild Pokemon before and even I know better than that!" Wiping away a single tear, Sadie began to pack up her belongings and head over to the next town. "Come on, Mjrn. Let's go."