Partners - Pilot
"Please step forward to choose your starter." Professor Cliff states, peering at the first of the group of 5 students lined up for graduation. It'd finally come. The day I graduate and become an official trainer. It felt like yesterday that I'd entered the school on my first day, excited, tense, ready to learn... And looked upon as insane. From Mitz's palm, I could see the expressions on the other trainers' faces... Oh, I should explain that I had to stand in Mitz's palm due to the fact that I'm too short to stand in line normally. At my height, a mere 3.5 inches, I'd be more likely to end up flattened before I ever managed to lay eyes on my first partner. I wasn't looking at her, but I'm certain Mitz was beaming down at me with pride in her eyes. She'd been waiting for this day with even more anticipation than I had... Even going as far as to return from her own adventure just to see me. I was thankful for it, though, she'd always been a great friend. Had I not the goals I do, I'd have been traveling with her... and we might be more than friends. Mitz, a mouse norm, stood easily 5'9". Not so tall compared to some others, but a giant to me.
The line moves again, the first boy chooses an Oshawott. It seems excited to have been chosen and the two quickly shuffled off to the side to enjoy some time getting to know one another. I wasn't certain which pokemon I'd get... or how I'd handle it. As an Illian... that is, a citizen of smaller stature, it was generally looked down upon to become a trainer. We're too small, it presents a great risk to our own health as well as the well-being of our starter pokemon (nevermind any pokemon we, somehow, manage to catch after that). We aren't like normal-sized people... we're not as physically powerful. Hell, out in the wild, we're looked at as food for anything not herbivorous. Imagine being eaten by your own pokemon? Its happened.
I couldn't accept this answer, though, as a child. Couldn't accept that I was simply unable, by nature, to be a trainer. I saw the bond between normal-sized trainers and their pokemon and, even back then, I knew it's what I wanted.
"Emolga." The next boy stated, picking up his pokemon and, like the first, shuffling off to the side.
I recall daydreaming while in line, thinking about some of the things that'd gotten me to this point; partially out of excitement, partially to try and pass the time. I loved thinking about my past, looking at the decisions that I'd made and how they led me to the present. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember a lot about my early life. At least, nothing completely coherent until after around four or five years of age. This is uncommon for an Illian... we normally remember everything starting at age one. Me? I only have dreams... or nightmares. Whatever you'd call them.
_A crash resounds through the stormy night and the wall behind my parents house shatters to pieces. A large charizard lands right atop of our house, followed closely by two strange figures; one holding a weapon that had, undoubtedly, been used to harm that poor pokemon and destroy the wall.
We'd escaped the wreckage, but weren't out of the woods yet. The charizard was trying to stand, trying to regain composure. In its struggles, a single foot lifted over all of our heads; orange and dirt-colored sole hovering like the hammer of a god. "Dad!" I scream at him, as he's starting to fall behind. It seems purposeful, though. Why?_
"Eevee." The next boy picked his pokemon, bringing me one step closer. I grinned widely now, counting how many were left before I'd finally choose. Of course, I was the last in line, so I'd, inevitably, have the only pokemon left. This was okay with me, though. I knew fate and I were on good terms, somehow. Today was a good day.
"Bulbasaur"
I see my father disappear beneath the heavy, orange paw. My mom and I are safe. I suspect because of him. Our reprieve isn't long as another loud, booming noise sounds from the weapon the charizard's assailants are carrying. It's a direct hit and in its flailing, the charizard's foot twists and slams into my mother, who had been holding me. Everything goes black.
"Almost your turn!" Mitz grinned down at me, mousey face twitching with excitement. I grinned back at her and stood in her palm to lick at the looming mouse's muzzle, flicking my tail behind me. "I'm so excited, Mitz! W-which do you think I'll get?"
"The best one, of course!" Her pink finger prods at me, knocking me down into her palm and pinning me in place. I struggled for a bit, wrestling with her finger. "Then I'll be able to take you." I state.
"Hah! You wish." The mousegirl snickers.
'Pikachu'
_One of the strangers that'd been attacking the charizard, a female squirrel, is revealed in a flash of light caused by the thunderstorm. I woke up to see my mom beneath that squirrel's foot. I don't know what happened, or why, but the squirrel was killing her.
'Shit' I remember the disgust in the squirrel's voice as a light shines overhead. A pikachu, fastest I've ever seen, slams into her belly, knocking her backwards several feet and landing before my mother, growling protectively. _
"Nowra?"
_Dr. Cliff 's face fills my vision, his warm hands holding my body firmly. That pikachu settles next to him, looking up with a worried gaze. I don't see my mother, but I do see an emergency crew. _
"Nowra? Nowra. Comeon, it's your turn. Stop daydreaming"
"Oh! Uh, sorry!" I look at the pokeball Dr. Cliff holds. "Your starter. I bet you wanna know what it is, don't you?" Dr. Cliff smiles widely, beaming with almost as much pride as Mitz. I was the first Illian he'd ever put through his school. Probably one of the few Illian trainers in the entire world. Mitz settles me onto the ground and Dr. Cliff tosses the ball into the air. I watch in anticipation as the ball whirls and then hits the ground.
'We're your parents, now. It's okay, it might be difficult but we'll make it through together.' The warm grin on the two wolves' faces make me smile back at them. I'm not certain of why. At this point, I barely remembered what had happened. Over time, though, I'd regain some pieces and lose others. It takes years for me to completely recover and begin retaining my memories properly.
The ball hit the floor and a light exits the interior. I stared upwards in awe, ears pressed to my head. I came up to just below the massive thing's knee.
"Char."