When Journeys Begin

Prologue [1]

7:15am

My alarm sounds by my bedside table, waking me up from my sleep. I reach for it but give up and let it ring as I fall back into a deep sleep.

..... "SALEM, WAKE UP! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!!"

Fuck! I almost forgotten today was the day I'd finally be able to get my first pokemon. I wonder what it'll be? I quickly grab my things and hastily get dressed. Running down the stairs I see my brother, Zen, looking up at me with a pissed face.

"We were supposed to be half way to the lab by now if it wasn't for you sleeping in again. Didn't mom tell you to set an alarm???" I payed him to tention as I grab a piece of toast left out from breakfast earlier. Not that I was awake for it. "Yeah, alright. Let's go, I'm done now aren't I?" Zen just shakes his head and we head out, saying goodbye to our mom before we leave.

-

8:00am

The wooloo graze the feilds we walk by, I had always loved their cute little faces.. when they weren't headbutting everything that came in their way. There was this boy next door who took care of them. Hop was his name. His brother is rarely home, being the champion and all, it's a bit sad seeing him alone with all the wooloo sometimes.

thud

"Ow.. I think I broke my butt." Caught off guard, I broke into laughter. It was that sheppard boy, Hop, who had bumped into me. My brother just stared at us unnamused. We both burst into laughter, still on the ground.

"Gee, sorry 'bout that. I'm Hop!" He said after we finally stop. "I'm Salem, this egghead with me is Zen, my baby brother." I get a small kick from Zen in response. Hop helps me to my feet.

"We're late." Zen says simply. Realisation hits me. Oh dear Arceus, THE LAB! "Shit, our pokemon!" I grab Zen's arm and bolt to the lab. Hop just stares for a moment before joining us, "Ah.... you too?! Wait for for me!"

-

8:30am

The three of us arrive at the lab, panting at the door trying to catch our breaths. "We... made it." I manage to breathe out.

Just before Zen grabs the door handle it opens revealing Sonia and... Leon? "Lee! You're here?! When- what???" Leon smiles at Hop, us? Wait. Leon? Leon the champion of Galar?

"Ahem. You're all late." Sonia says, mostly in a joking manner. Hop chats with his brother, a small reunion of sorts. "Sorry, Salem here slept through his alarm. AGAIN." Zen accuses me. I know it's true but I'm not letting him be right. Sonia giggles, leading us to the pokemon we'd call our partners. Cheesy, I know. But I'm a sucker for these monologues.

"Hop, if you'd spare a moment from talking to your brother." Hop gasps excitedly, going to stand beside me and Zen. Sonia releases the pokemon out their pokeballs for us to see.

-

9:06am

One of the pokemon: Scorbunny, a rabbit fire-type, escaped it's pokeball before Sonia could get to its pokeball. It made a shrill of excitement when it saw the three kids. "This one's been hyper lately. Couldn't get it to calm down." Sonia exclaimed as she grabbed the other two balls.

The second one: Sobble, a lizard water-type. It looked timmid and pretty scared of it's surroundings. "Awh, shy one is it?" Zen cooed at it, he has a soft spot for pokemon even though he doesn't look it due to his seemingly cold nature. Sonia nodded petting the small pokemon's head.

The third pokemon: Grooky, a chimp grass-type. It made a noise sort of like a greeting and used it's wooden stick to hit the table lightly. "Okay, here are the pokemon you'll get to chose as your starter. Courtesy of Leon here!"

The kids beamed, especially Hop, I mean it was his brother who was gonna lend his first pokemon to them. Not to mention their first partner! "No way! This is so cool, Lee!! Do we really get to keep 'em?!" Leon laughed and ruffled his younger brother's hair. "Mmhm all yours kids." Hop cheered as I looked to my brother with a big grin on my face, his mimicking mine.

-

9:15am

"So which ones are ya gonna pick?" Leon asked Hop who tought for a moment. "Hmmm." He then looked to me, "I think you can pick first! I mean I did bump into you earlier.. and made you guys late." The last part was in a whisper so the others didn't really catch that.

I nod, "Thanks, and no problem from before. We're good." I say to make Hop more at ease. I go up to the pokemon who looked excited to see me. Smiling, I watched them for a moment. "You look like a nice one, aren't ya!" Picking up the scorbunny. "Nice choice, Salem!" Hop said loudly making scorbunny return the gesture with a loud shout of excitement. I chuckle, "I think I'll call 'im Scrat."

"I think it suits him." Zen says, looking at the other two options. "You can pick the next one, I can go last." Hop offers, still a bit sorry for earlier. Zen immediately picks up the sobble, holding him carefully in his palms. "You both really suit each other y'know." I butt in making the others laugh. "What're ya naming him?" Hop asks as he picks up the grooky. "Hm. I think Cam fits nicely." This earns a squeak from Cam.

"That leaves you with me, buddy! You shall now be known as Boomy." Leon snorts at the name. "Boomy?" I question Hop with an ammused face. He only nods, looking at.. "Boomy" proudly.

"Nice to see you kids with your first pokemon." Sonia comments while handing each of us their pokeballs. Some extras and a few potions aswell. Leon nods, "why don't you have your first battle then too? We have an area back home we can use."

"Yes, yes, yes!!! My first pokemon battle!" Hop shouts, almost dropping his grooky. Let's just say he now stays on Hop's shoulder. Sonia bids us farewell as we leave the lab with Leon and our new partner pokemon.