Pokémon PrismGold

Chapter Two: 'It's Instinctive'

Shamouti island was as divided as the Teams that resided on the islands just off its shores. Consisting of three small towns located to the Western, Southern, and Eastern parts of the island. While every other part of the large island was little more than dense forest and wild mountain terrain. Each of these towns mirrored the location to the Team islands. This was done to stop the fighting among their teams. With towns that catered to each island's needs there was no need for them to cross paths with each other. However, the forest and mountain terrains of Shamouti island were neutral grounds. Which often lead to battles if the teams managed to lock eyes with the other. Fights were a matter of principal. Each Team wanted to prove themselves a master of pokemon in their own way. This was often done by trying to get ahold of rare pokemon to show their superior training methods. Teams often went so far as to recruit members from other regions just to flaunt newer pokemon that they could not get normally around the Orange Islands.

One of these such trainers was Mark Fischbach. A seventh-year member of Team Instinct. Laying casually across a bench outside the pokemon daycare center at the outskirts of the western town of Shamouti island, known locally as 'Thunder Town.' Mark was listening to a playlist of songs on his flip phone. Tapping his heel to the music, he was alert to everything from under the black brim of his baseball cap. As a member of Team Instinct, he dressed the part. Flaunting his colors with pride. His hat was black with the bright yellow bands on the sides and the obvious Team logo for Zapdos in an upside-down triangle on the front in yellow. He wore a bright yellow sleeveless tank top with Zapdos in black design with black leather pants. Along with a black leather jacket with a yellow leather Zapdos on the back. Even his shoes and gloves were detailed in black and yellow. The legendary electric bird was his team's mascot since Team Instinct had its headquarters stationed out on Thunder island. The home of Zapdos. Mark didn't expect to run into any trouble this close to Thunder town, but he always kept an eye out for trouble. Just in case.

He was enjoying the sunny morning while he waited for his teammate to pick up his pokemon and its new baby. Team Instinct was known for breeding their pokemon and bonding with them at a young age. It taught trainers responsibility and selflessness. To them pokemon were companions and partners. They were not the pokemon's master. They were the pokemon's caretaker and friend. They believed in journeying with pokemon and letting the pokemon choose when their journey together would begin or end. All of Mark's pokemon had made their own choice to join his team. He had not battled for them or captured any of them. He simply set his ball down and let them decide... Except for one. Mark closed his eyes for a brief second and when he opened them... There it was. Sitting on the top of the bench, staring at him with those glinting yellow eyes through the small cuts in the canvas of its makeshift Pikachu body. The lifeless doll like head cocked to the side awkwardly, causing Mark to let out a loud unmanly scream in horror. His Mimikyu.

Scooting back too fast, Mark fell off the bench headfirst and unintentionally backflipped hard into the soft fresh grass. Staggering up onto his knees, he shivered and yanked his earbuds out to snap out. "Son of bitch! Don't sneak up on me like that, Chad! Shit!" The door to the daycare center burst up as the staff and his teammate rushed out. Mark clutched his chest, taking deep breaths as his teammate asked him. "Mark? You alright?" Mark nodded, gesturing to Chad as he stated out unsettled. "Ya... He's just being creepy again." His teammate chuckled, telling him casually. "If he freaks you out that much why not trade him out with someone else at headquarters?" Mark swallowed, scooting away as Chad crept closer along the bench toward him. Keeping his eyes on Chad, he answered his teammate anxiously. "No... I can't do that. As fucking creepy as he is... He has sentimental value." His teammate hefted his Eevee up onto his shoulder, asking curiously. "What kind of sentimental value does he have?" Mark slowly climbed to his feet, uttering out rather grimly. "He... He was given to me by my dad... before he... It's complicated."