Trainer to Be

Chapter 2

I knock on Mr Pine's door and wait for someone to open it. I'm shattered, it's literally nine o'clock on a weekend, a whole two hours before I usually get up. Mr Pine opens the door, finally, revealing a cluttered mess of boxes behind him. "Leoni. Wonderful to see you again." Wish I could say the same. "Come in, come in." Reluctantly, I step inside the house and take off my trainers. I look around, boxes, boxes and more boxes. I may as well forget about battling Brooke tonight, I'm gonna be here all week. "Nora! Come downstairs and meet your new neighbour!" Mr Pine shouts up the stairs.

I hear a door open and a girl who looks about my age stomps down the stairs. "I swear to god if it's another sixty year old who doesn't even know what a video game is..." She turns the corner, spots me and stares. I wave. She's really pretty, she's got her dad's brown hair, shoulder length, and freckles but grey eyes, probably from her mum. She's on the skinny side as well, probably got her mum's physique.

"Hi, I'm Leoni." I introduce myself, may as well try to be on good terms with the new neighbour.

"Nora." She waves, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It must be nice to have shorter hair. I haven't cut my hair in a good six years and usually just whack it up in a ponytail. "You must be here to help with the boxes." She says, once her dad is out of earshot.

"Yup, got basically dragged here by my mum."

Nora chuckles. "Well, don't expect any help from me. My Dartrix just evolved into Decidueye which means I'm getting closer to the end of Sun."

"You play Sun?" I ask.

"Well yeah, isn't that obvious from what I just said."

"We should exchange friend codes some time, then we could battle each other."

"If you insist, I'll write mine down for you." Nora walks back upstairs. Now this girl seems like my kind of friend. Lazy, sarcastic and into Pokémon. We could be really good mates.

"Leoni?" Mr Pine calls. "There's a stack of boxes by the door. Could you take them into my office? It's upstairs, first door on the right."

"Sure." I shout back. I walk over to the stack of boxes and grab the first one. Beginning to climb the stairs, my mind starts to wander. Why am I even spending my Saturday like this? While lost in thought I misplace my foot, causing me to fall and drop the box. Little red balls bounce down the stairs. I rush back down the stairs to pick some up. I pick one up and examine it closely, are they Pokéballs?

Mr Pine rushes into the hall. "Oh my god Leoni!" He takes one look at the mess and face palms. Well mum, this is why you should never volunteer me for anything without my consent.

Suddenly I hear a voice from inside the Pokéball. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! As if being stuck in this damn thing isn't bad enough now I've got dropped down the bloody stairs! I must've done something really bad in my previous life to deserve this." I press my finger on the button on the front of the Pokéball, releasing whatever creature may be inside, but I was secretly hoping it would be a Togepi. On the wooden floor stood a real life Pikachu. "So, you're the menace who dropped me." He says, looking around at the Pokéballs scattered all over the floor. I nod. "Why don't you human's have any decency? I've been stuck inside this Pokéball for a year, waiting for the next ten year old to find me on April 1st. And what am I greeted with? Dropped down the stairs."

"I... I thought Pokémon did... didn't talk..." I stutter.

"Well I do you stupid child." He yells, I don't think he likes me.

Mr Pine breaks up the argument. "Ah, well Leoni. You're ten, aren't you?" I nod, I can see where this is going. "And it's April 1st today." I check the calendar on the wall, so it is. "Seeing as you've already introduced yourself to this world, why don't you get yourself a nice Pokémon?" He presses the button on the front of the Pokéball, bringing Pikachu back inside it. "Here you are, your very own Pokémon."

"What?" I say. If you listen closely you can hear a very muffled What from inside the Pokéball. I can't believe I'm going to be stuck with this thing. "Haven't you got a Togepi?"

"See Leoni, the thing is that you've already released this Pokémon." Mr Pine says, scratching the back of his neck. "Therefore, by elite four's laws, you have to keep it." He pushes the Pokéball closer to me, implying that I just man up and take it. "Which reminds me, Nora!"

Nora appears at the top of the stairs almost instantly. "What is it now?"

"It's time for you to choose your starter."

Nora's face lights up and she bounds down the stairs. "Charmander! Charmander! Charmander!"

Mr Pine searches through the pile and picks out a Pokéball which supposedly has Charmander in it. "Take care of her." He says, handing the Pokéball to Nora. How come she gets to choose her starter and I'm stuck with sarcastic Pikachu. Mr Pine goes back into the kitchen and Nora goes back upstairs. I pick up a random Pokéball, what kind of friend would I be if I let Brooke miss out on all the fun? "Leoni?" I jump, praying to any god that'll listen that he didn't see me. "Try to take the next box upstairs without dropping it." I laugh, pick up the box and begin walking up the stairs, focusing on where I put my foot every step I take.