Platinum Soul • Pokemon fanfiction

Chapter 1 • A Fresh Start

"Wake up, you lazy Shellos!"

I groaned sleepily as Charity slapped the back of my head with one of my pillows. Cool dawn light filtered into my room through my now-drawn back curtains, coincidentally hitting the rays right onto my face. With a muffle, I buried my face into my pillow, not wanting to get out of bed just yet. It was so early — around 6:45 in the morning, to be exact. My older sister always woke me up way earlier than necessary.

"Five more minutes.." I grumbled.

"Last time I left you for 'five more minutes,' you missed the bus!" my sister, her platinum-blonde hair tied back into a loose bun, responded tartly with an exasperated roll of her pale blue eyes. She picked up the pillow again and threw it at my head, resulting in my face being sandwiched. I hardly budged, and she groaned.

"Don't make me have Prince peck your back again," Charity warned, catching my attention almost instantly.

"Okay, okay! Give me a minute!" I pulled the pillow off my head and rolled over to sit up. My sheets dropped down from my white shirt, and I stretched and yawned sleepily. It was dark in my room — minus the faint dawn showing through the nearby window — so I turned my lamp on. Warm amber light pooled from its bulb, casting shadows onto the carpet.

"Alright, now you're up!" Charity said, folding her arms. "Get up and get dressed! Mom made breakfast in the kitchen, and Prince is already awake. Honestly, Gabe.. Your Pokémon is up and ready before you are!"

I flashed an unimpressed expression over to my elder sister. "It isn't my fault Prince is an early Doduo," I grumbled, mind promptly flashing to the young Piplup I received on my sixteenth birthday. "I'm not a morning person, mind you."

"I know," Charity replied with a playful smile. "Otherwise I wouldn't be in here every morning. Now c'mon already!" The girl waved her hand limply, smile vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "I'm coming back in here with Prince if you aren't downstairs in ten." Without another word, my sister disappeared out of the room, and I could hear her steps as she retreated to the first floor.

I stared at the door before grunting and throwing the sheets off my legs. "Sisters, I swear."

I attended the Jubilife City Trainers' School, however with March coming to a close, it was time for early graduates to finish up their classes. Near the beginning of my previous year, students were given an option to either (1) continue their lessons at school, or (2) graduate early and embark on a journey the following year. Not wanting to really pursue anything that required more school, I went for the latter option. It required having to double-up on tough classes, but it was definitely worth it. Plus, with Prince, I was able to also sign up for Pokémon care classes. Because of all the time I spent with the penguin Pokémon, I was rather close to him.

After getting changed into my comfortable school uniform and getting ready, I hurried down the stairs with two minutes to spare before Charity came to check on me. In the kitchen on the first floor, the aroma of eggs and fruits filled the air. My mom and sister were both sitting at the table, Prince and my sister's Luxray, Lucky, were eating their food together, and they both looked up at me as I took a seat.

"Look who made it out of bed in decent time," Charity greeted teasingly as I grabbed a plate and used a fork to pick up two eggs available on a plate that held a couple of them.

I casted the girl a frown before sticking my tongue out. "Okay, I get it." I swore my eighteen year old sister acted like she was ten sometimes.

"Don't tease him, Charity," our mom interrupted, taking a tentative sip of her black coffee from an off-white mug. Her Empoleon and Prince's mother, Queen, was nowhere to be seen, leading me to believe that she was probably with my dad or in her Pokéball. She then looked at me with a tired yet kind smile. "How did you sleep, Gabe? You still feeling better?"