Dylan's Daring Adventure

New Beginnings

It was the first day of summer in the Bell Region, the sun was shining brightly, and the air was refreshing in the little beachside town of Cobalt Port. People walk with Pokemon next to them as the waves wash against the beach. The smell of ocean mist and food cooking filled the air as it emanated from the open window of the pastel green-colored home, decorated with a garden consisting of blooming lavender, sea pink, and allium flowers. At the front was a sleeping Arcanine on the porch resting as he guarded the home and family inside, letting out a lazy yawn. The large dog smacked their lips before going back to sleep. Past the brown door was the tidy living room with pictures of family and friends. Colorful tchotchkes of the glittering rocks and carved wooden sculptures lined the shelves, and the sleeping feline Pokemon lay on the furnishing. In the kitchen was a young man in his later twenties wearing a sky blue shirt and khaki shorts who were cooking some fresh paella with plenty of shrimp.

He tasted the dish and said, "Needs more garlic and sitrus berry juice," as he added some minced garlic and a squirt of sitrus berry juice before letting it simmer for a bit. Next to him was his Pokemon Riolu named Luca, who was watching videos on his tablet on performing special moves and new combinations with them. The little blue pup continued to watch his tablet as the young man placed the lid on the paella. He left to check his rotom phone for anything new. There was the usual e-mail from a girl he loved. They usually video-chatted with each other occasionally. Still, he never dared to tell her how he genuinely felt. It was a bitter, sweet feeling, but he knew if it would come to visit her, it would take quite a bit of money.

The following few notifications were from the many applications and accounts he made for blogs, social media, and art websites like Poketerest. Then, he noticed a text message from the job application posted by Professor Myrtle. It was to explore the Bell Region and see everything it has to offer. This was his chance to do a job that wasn't behind a desk or for some snobby tourists. The opportunity to see his distant crush, finally being able to confess his feelings for her without fail.

Immediately, he yelled out in pure joy as they hopped around and held the device close to his chest. Luca was startled and yipped before he fell over. Luca landed on the floor and growled in annoyance as they climbed back onto the counter to resume watching their tablet. Dylan calmed down after apologizing to Luca and reading the message's details. "Hello, Dylan. I thank you for applying for our explorer position! We are glad to announce that you qualify for the official Bell Region Exploration team. With this, you will be granted access to our state-of-the-art communication and data-gathering device: the Pokedex.

You shall be provided a stable weekly pay with the opportunity to earn more money with each discovery and data entry. You have an appointment at seven in the morning tomorrow to meet with Professor Myrtle in Cobalt Port's Pokemon laboratory, where you will be given a starter of your choice, six standard Pokeballs, your Pokedex, and an official exploration team badge. The explorer's badge will allow access to make free calls on all Pokemon center call boxes, discounts on select products, and a digital registry of any gym badges you have earned. Once you have gained eight gym badges, you can rank up and receive more rewards from the agency.

Please come with the QR code in this text message, dress casually, and be well-supplied for your journey. If you already have any Pokemon with you, you will still receive a starter Pokemon for your trip. Thank you once more, and welcome to the Pokemon Exploration Agency." Dylan leaped in joy once more, scooping Luca away from his tablet and hugging him tightly. "We did it, buddy! We're going on a journey! Finding new places, making friends with Pokemon, and I'll finally see her... Amaya." Dylan sighed dreamily as he squeezed Luca too hard and received a slug to his chest, causing him to topple over and wheeze in pain.

"Y-Yeah... I earned that... Ouch." Dylan groaned as Luca felt bad, patting his friend's head softly and sighing with annoyance. After rising from the pain, Dylan quickly began to pack for his new adventure. He grabbed his large Alice pack and began to fill it with the essentials. He packed five sets of clothes, some light sleepwear, his black outdoor jacket, a pair of shorts for swimming, and his running sneakers. He added his portable battery, waterproof tech pouch, and three charger wires with separate plugs. There was also his Bayleaf bar of soap, a towel, a leather belt, a small flashlight, his wireless headphones, a survival knife he brings when he goes camping, and a small ignition rod for campfires.