Flames of Hoenn

Chapter 2: Beginning of a Journey

      Numb. Cold. Terry had stopped feeling. Here was his big moment, with every one of his classmates staring up at him. Here was the moment he had dreamed of since he has little and only barely beginning to see the joy that Pokémon can bring. And Birch had left the building without a word. Pokémon-less. No hint of what to do or where to go. Terry stared at his hands. Do I deserve to have a partner, then? Was this meant to happen? He then felt someone shaking his shoulder, and burst back to life.

      It was Nancy, Birch’s assistant. “Come with me, Terry. Let’s go find the professor.” She had a sad, yet somehow knowing smile. Terry nodded numbly, and they started to walk out of the room. As he passed his friend and the two new trainers, he noticed a couple things. There was Lydia, putting on a brave face for him, giving him a good-luck-thumbs-up. But he’d known her long enough to see that her eyes were welling slightly with water. He saw the boys, Derik and Q. Derik was giving him a sympathetic look, though he seemed to be bouncing slightly at his recent accomplishment. Looking at him, Terry started to pick up a few memories. Derik. This was the guy that once tried run away from home. His parents lived in Lilycove, and had left him in Sootopolis for fear of raising him poorly. He had thus become Juan’s pupil, though he didn’t look anywhere near as girly. Tousled and curly blond hair, bright blue eyes, and unblemished skin. Why on Earth am I even thinking about this? Creepy, much? Then he looked at Q.

      Q had a sickening smirk planted firmly on his lean face (which was also sickening, Terry thought). Why would he be happy about this? Then things started to click. Q. Q. As in Quinn. His ACTUAL rival, not like how he was with Lydia. This kid had tried so many times to beat him up, physically and intellectually. Physically, Terry had him outclassed always. He loved to go rock-climbing with his Dad on the edges of Sootopolis’ rocky cliffs. And Lydia’s father, an avid gymnast, had been his coach since his was little. But intellectually, Quinn (why on Earth would he think that Q is cool?) was incredibly intelligent. They had been back and forth for victories in that department. But Quinn had left home after a few years to live with his Dad, the Elite 4 member, Drake, on Ever Grande Island. He must’ve come back for this critical moment in his life.

      After looking at Q, he felt no better than before. Honestly, he was feeling horrible. That was when Nancy opened the door. Bright. Why was it so bright? Probably because he’d been in a building for a while. “The same thing happened to me, you know.”

      Shaken out of his stupor, he stared quizzically at the assistant.

      “You wanted to be a trainer?”

      Nancy laughed, giving him a smile. “I was going to be the Champion! Oh, I used to get into all sorts of trouble, mock battling students, forcing others to be my Pokémon. It was good fun. I even tackled a Center Nurse when I was caught trying to steal Pokémon!”

      Terry laughed, trying to imagine her tackling anyone, let alone a nurse!

      “What happened?”

      At that question, she seemed to get a little far off, her eyes softening as if recalling a happy memory.

      “I threw a fit. Quite the tantrum. Back then, Birch’s father was the professor for Hoenn. He just laughed, knelt down beside me, and asked me why I had decided to become a trainer. I told him, ‘I love Pokémon! That’s the only way to be with them all the time, right?’ In response, he made me a Junior Lab Assistant. I’ve been here ever since.”

      Still thinking about her story, Terry didn’t even notice as she directed him over to a cozy little home, with a mailbox in front of it. Birch, it read. Nancy, without knocking, opened the door and took Terry inside.