Chapter One: Prologue

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The Adventures of Reina De Zeta, Pokémon Master
*Mechanical whirring starts from what seems like nowhere, and an automated voice speaks as these words show up on a mysterious but somehow familiar screen*

      *“Full Name: Reina De Zeta
      Occupation: Pokemon Trainer
     Home Region: The Johto Region
      Home Town: Goldenrod City”*
*Screen turns off and the machine reboots, as the whirring returns, the screen flickers on as your conscience is seemingly immersed into the entirety of what is on-screen currently, and you see a typical teenage girl’s bedroom, except Pokemon League Championship Memorabilia is everywhere, and your view pans over to a young, discouraged Mocha-skinned girl. Suddenly the automated voice returns, this time inside your own head, and it says...*

*“This is the story of Reina De Zeta, a modern-day Pokemon Master, and her story starts when she turns ten years old in her hometown, Goldenrod City...”*

“Reinaaaaaa, sweetie! Today’s your big dayyyyyyy! Your Pokemon journey can finally begin! Happy Birthday!” said a loving, single Mother. “Alright, mom, I’m ready! Do you think dad’s Charizard can carry both of us all the way to New Bark Town?” asked an optimistic Reina, “Oh, sweetie I really wish I could, but I have work,” her mother answered. “I really wish I could, but at the very least I can give you your present before you head off,” Reina’s mom said as she hands Reina a small box adorned with a glittery ribbon and a silhouette of the Johto Region’s Legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh. Reina opens up the box to find a shiny, black-and-yellow Ultra Ball.

“Honey, this was a Pokemon once used by your father before you were born. Its power was, and still is; widely unmatched, though I advise you not to use this Pokemon until you’re strong enough to handle the power. It was your father’s dying wish, that you inherit his one true partner Pokemon. Be safe, sweetheart,” said Reina’s mother, hot tears streaking down her face. “Thank you, mom! I love it, I’ll always cherish this amazing gift, and I’ll know my father is with me wherever I go!” Said Reina, showing immense emotion herself, “Well, I’m off! Love ya, Mom,” and with that, Reina’s adventure began, but not the way anyone could ever expect.

In the sky right above Cherrygrove, there was a nasty storm, and the Charizard that Reina’s dad once owned, was struck by a wicked bolt of lightning, effectively knocking it out along with the young girl riding it to Professor Elm’s Lab. As the orange Pokemon hurtled toward the ground, the Ultra Ball slipped through Reina’s hand, and her finger involuntarily presses the button to open the ball, releasing the Pokemon inside. With the released Pokemon safely on the ground, it spots its former owner’s Charizard falling, and quickly runs toward New Bark Town to cushion the fall of its once teammate Charizard. The Pokemon stops right at the edge of New Bark Town and Route 29, right in the threshold of catching its falling comrade, and catches the Charizard right before it hits the ground, skidding backwards until it was just in front of Elm’s Lab. The Pokemon drops the Charizard gently and realizes the young girl unconscious on its back.

Before it could do anything else, the door of the lab slammed open, revealing a younger Professor Elm curious about the commotion outside. He notices the orange Pokemon out cold on the ground and the Pokemon that managed to save it from being injured any more than it already had. He knew this mysterious Pokemon, it was the true partner of his late friend, Reina’s father. It was then that he, too, had noticed the young girl unconscious atop the fallen Charizard, which had a thin, sticky residue on its body from where the other Pokemon had caught it.

Coincidentally, he knew who the girl was, as he had arranged to give his friend’s young daughter a Pokemon when she was of age. He rushed over to check on her and the Charizard, the mysterious Pokemon also distraught at what had transpired. Elm tried his best to help the young girl regain consciousness as one of his aides tended to the injured Charizard.

Elm ended up calling the nearest medical center hoping to get Reina some help. An emergency team was there within minutes, rushing to the scene on the backs of Pidgeot. They attempted to help the young girl until they came to the conclusion, they would need to take her to their facility to help her further.

Meanwhile, her father’s slimy former partner found the Ultra Ball that held it, bringing it to Professor Elm so he could get it back in the ball. Elm called Reina’s mother on his PokeGear, “Mina, it’s Reina she...your Charizard ended up crashing in front of my lab unconscious with her also unconscious on its back! I called the medical center in Violet City, she’s there right now. Looks bad, she must have been struck by the lightning from the storm in Cherrygrove.” As soon as she could, Reina’s mother rushed to Violet City atop her late Husband’s Arcanine. When she got there, the doctor told her that although a lot of the damage was healed with the help of Blissey’s Heal Pulse, she was in a deep coma.

After a few weeks, her mother was able to take her home, although she was still comatose. She required a feeding tube, full monitoring equipment and daily exercise to make sure her muscles didn’t atrophy. (The Charizard was alright after a few days)

Reina’s mother quit her job and survived on her late Husband’s fortune from his countless victories across several regions.  A year and a half had passed and one day, just like every other for a year and a half, Reina’s mother woke up to take care of Reina, when all of a sudden as she was flexing Reina’s left leg, Reina let out a soft groan. Her mother’s face lit up, and she called out her name,

“Reina? It’s me, sweetheart. Can you hear me? Can you hear your mother?” she asked, hoping she would get some sort of answer from her comatose daughter. Reina let out a soft yawn, slowly opening her eyes to see her mother inches away from her face, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, “Reina, oh my goodness it has been a year and a half since I have seen your beautiful hazel eyes opening on their own!” Reina’s mom said, her voice shaking with emotion, “I thought I had lost you forever, I talked to you every day, hoping it would be the day you answered. I kissed you goodnight every night, hoping to hear you say goodnight back. For a year and a half, I’ve wished, I’ve waited on you, and no-”

“Mom, what happened to me? All I remember was flying on Charizard to Cherrygrove, and then everything went black. I was out for a few hours, and then I was stuck, I could hear slightly muffled sounds, but I was stuck in this endless darkness, a wall of darkness kept me stuck, unable to move... What happened?”

Reina’s mom proceeded to tell her about what had happened on her tenth birthday, and afterwards Reina burst into tears, sat up and hugged her mother. “Thank you, mom, for taking care of me through all of this. It must have been a huge burden on you during this year and a half.” Her mother just nodded in the embrace, seeping into the embrace and started crying with her daughter.

Afterwards, Reina learned to walk again at the medical facility in Violet City, and soon she was back to being a functioning kid again. What her mother didn’t know is she was severely affected mentally by the whole ordeal, and was found to be chronically depressed about 6 months after her “first steps”. She had given up her dream of being like her father, and would reside mostly in her room on any given day.

But then one day, the day after she turned 16, Professor Elm called out of the blue hoping to enlist her help upon the resurfacing of the infamous crime syndicate known as Team Rocket.

At first, Reina declined the offer, but upon her mother insisting to at least try it out. Eventually, she accepted and called Elm back, who was ecstatic and immediately offered to send an aide to pick her up on his Pidgeot. Within mere minutes, she was at the lab. When she entered, there were three PokeBalls on one of the tables. “Welcome, Reina! And now, pick your partner Pokemon that will fight alongside you on your treacherous journey!” Each PokeBall was opened to reveal a shy Chikorita, an over-confident Cyndaquil, and a jubilant, jumping Totodile that had a mysterious scar on the right side of its face that made a hook-like shape right by the outside of its right eye...

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