Mirages & Bitmaps 01: Choices
#1 of Mirages & Bitmaps
A/N: Okay, here we go. Welcome to the first installment of Mirages & Bitmaps. Won't be any sex stuff for a while yet, seein' as we have t' get th' characters introduced, yea? So, on to the character development. Reviews are good, so let me know what you think. Critique is welcomed, so don't be shy.
Oh yea. Should anyone happen to have watched that banned episode of Pokemon featuring Porygon, could they get me that doctor's name? Ah had t' make one up for this. But ah DID describe him as best as ah could.
Pokemon is copyrighted to Nintendo and Gamefreak. All original characters are mah own, so don't sue me, cause ah sure ain't makin' money off this.
Mirages & Bitmaps
Chapter one: Choices
"Look, I don't see why you're being so picky about this. You're a new trainer, and new trainers get the standard starters," Professor Oak sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "The only reason you're here now before the other new trainers get their starters is because you missed your first time. Since then, I've given you four times to pick your pokemon first, and you still haven't made up your mind." He shook his head and glanced at the potential trainer skeptically. "Are you sure you're really ready for your pokemon journey, Miss Ceila?"
"Ah told you, call me Cici," She said, hand over her eyes. "An' yes, ah know ah'm s'posed t' pick from th' starters but... Well, no offense t' any of em, but they don't really.. grab me, y' know? You're always sayin' that a pokemon and a trainer should form a bond right off th' bat. Well, these fellers here are cute and all, but not really me." She sighed rubbing the back of her neck, looking embrassed. Cici was rather short for her age, 16 years old and standing at only 4'1". She wore jeans and T-shirt, her hair falling about her eyes, the long bangs in the front waving gently as she sighed heavily. "Ain't there anything else, professor? Anything at all?"
Professor Oak considered her for a moment, before finally answering. "Well, you do have a point. A trainer and their pokemon should be comfortable with one another, I agree. Let me ask you, Cici. What is it you love to do more than anything in the world?" He asked this of all potential trainers, to gauge their reactions. Most didn't have an answer, so it made it easer for Oak to sell them on one of the starters a bit easier.
Cici looked a bit surprised at the question before replying,"Well, ah tinker wit' computers, you know that. Heck, ah even helped you out on some of your system problems, remember?"
Oak chuckled and nodded,"Oh yes, I remember. That day a few months back, I was having problems with the pokeball transporter and the storage system's files conflicting." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'll give it some consideration then. In the meantime, if you're not choosing one of these, I need to get them back into storage for tomorrow," he said, returning Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle back to their pokeballs. "I'll give you a call when I get you a pokemon, alright?"
Cici smiled and nodded,"Awright. Thanks a bunch professor." The girl shook Prof. Oak's hand before heading out the door, waving goodbye.
"Hmm. That girl is going to be something special, I can tell." He chuckled and sat back at his computer, considering for a few minutes before using the vid phone. After a few rings, an odd looking man answered, with a mop of poofed green hair atop his head and large swirly glasses perched upon his potato shaped face. "Professor Oak! What a great pleasure!"
Oak smiled back,"And you, Dr. Sento. How's your new lab? Working well for you?" He asked,
Sento smiled,"Oh, yes, much better now. What can I do for you, Professor?"
"Well, it involves a certain Pokemon you're working on..."
***********************************************************************************************
Cici pedaled along her way home, near the outskirts of Pallet Town. 'Soon,' she thought,_'Soon, ah'll have mah own pokemon an' be on mah way!'_She giggled, biking her way along.The sun was setting, leaving the world in a golden color that steadily grew dim. Cici, ever adventurous, turned off the main road and traveled along the bottom of the cliffs through the old bike trails she'd worn over time. Along the trail she noticed a few small pebbles falling from above. _'Now what's that about?'_she thought, slowing to a stop, a rumble causing her to pause.
A glance up caused her eyes to widen in shock as the cliff suddenly seem to give way, crumbling apart right on top of her. She barely had time to draw a breath in shock before a flash of white hit her, knocking her senseless...
When she opened her eyes minutes later, she realized she was still alive, and more importantly, unharmed. But how..?
A noise to her left startled her from her shock, Cici turning to catch a glimpse of something she never thought she'd see: an Absol, standing majectically, it's gaze focused intently on her. Cici was unsure what to do for the moment. She didn't want to startle it, but as she started to stand, the Absol took off, disappearing into the forest. "Wow..." was all she could say, before finally looking about herself and dusting off.
Her bike was gone, buried beneath the rubble, and with the light fading fast, she'd never get it out in time. "Ah, craptastical. And ah bought that mahself too." she said frowning, hands on her hips. "Well, looks like ah'm walking." She sighed, walking the rest of the way back, her mind flashing back to the Absol. 'It saved me. Wish ah could get a pokemon like THAT one day.' She shook her head, knowing full well that Absol were rare and not generally well liked by the public; the nickname 'Disaster Pokemon' made it unpopular, to say the least. Others had argued that Absol showed themselves to warn of danger, not to cause it. Cici liked to think that they were good, noble creatures, like she'd heard from the professor. She looked back and sighed. 'Oh well. No sense in thinkin' 'bout that.' She dashed off, heading home before night fully closed in.
***********************************************************************************************
"Daddy! Ah'm home!"
Cici stumbled into the house shortly after sunset, the porch lit up by the outside light. She turned on the living room lights, looking around. "Daddy?" She called out again, before heading to the kitchen.
A note hung on the fridge, catching Cici's eye. She pulled it down and read:
**'Cici-
Had to work late.
Dinner's in the oven.
Love you,
Dad'**
She smiled and sighed. Her dad had been working a lot lately at the store. Hopefully, he'd get some relief when she went off on her journey and got some free time to himself.
After reheating dinner, she settled onto the couch and drifted off, watching some TV, mostly about the upcoming Pokemon Championship battles. She'd never make it to this one, as a trainer or otherwise, but it was still fun to watch on TV. 'Ah may just be there one day tho',' she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep, stretched out on the couch.
***********************************************************************************************
Cici woke early the next day, going about her usual routine. With her Pokemon journey coming up, she would need to be ready, so she began listing off the items she'd need and packing.
"Lemme see. Spare clothes, a Pokenav, food rations..." Her life savings were in the local bank, and she'd managed to save quite a bit, more so since she was starting her journey a bit later than most. "Need t' pick up some Pokeballs later." She glanced at her computer and hmmed. 'Guess it wouldn't hurt t' being along some files. Ah can work on stuff while ah'm out trainin'.' She thought, and began uploading some of her project files along with various other texts and pictures, including some of a more 'adult' nature. 'Heh. Can't blame me fer bein' a teen..'
While uploading files, she came across the folder marked 'Mirage'. Cici frowned, thinking once more. She'd come across that bit of info while fixing Prof. Oak's systems and she'd managed to track some of the data to the local police systems. Fortunately, she'd been undetected, though what information she'd gotten hadn't been much. Mirage pokemon that could be manipulated to be all powerful and made invulnerable sounded good, but was far too much of a cheat.
'But if such a system could be used for practice,' she thought, rubbing her chin,'Ah could train mah pokemon wit' ease, instead of havin' t' risk their lives needlessly.' She sighed and shut the folder, loading it up to her Pokenav.
She accessed the Nav, the device much more advanced than it's predecessor, and able to link up to the newest model Poketch, giving it much more adaptability. Unfortunately, she didn't have a Poketch yet, the thing never having been sold in Pallet. She'd have to pick one up when she went to one of the bigger cities.
After finishing her packing, Cici went about her usual chores until her father came home later that evening, looking rather tired. "Whew, another day like that and I don't think I'll last,"he said flopping onto the couch.
"Well, I'll have dinner done shortly. It's only frozen lasagna, so.." she said sheepishly, grinning at her father.
"Hey squirt. You're still here? I'd have thought for sure you'd take one of those starter pokemon this time and skedaddled," He chuckled, grinning.
"Nah. Professor Oak's still got th' same three starters, every time. Ah'd figger he'd finally understand that ah don't want one of them. They just don't feel right, y' know?" She said, leaning over the couch and sighing. "He said he's gonna try an' scrounge up a special pokemon for me tho'. Guess we'll see." She chuckled and smiled, SHrugging her shoulders, her bangs swaying in front of her face.
"Well, just remember, if it doesn't work out, you can always come home, kiddo." Her father smiled and grabbed her in a headlock, pulling her on the couch playfully.
"Gah! Okay, okay, ah know! Ah promise, if things get too rough, ah'll come home." She hugged him tightly, before asking quietly. "You gonna miss me?"
"Kiddo, I was missing you already. I'd thought you'd have left this morning after getting back from the professors yesterday." He ruffled her hair and grinned half heartedly. Of course I'm gonna be sad to see you go, but it IS your choice. I can't stop you from following your heart. You just be careful out there. It's not the same as it was when I was younger." He frowned and looked toward the door. "It's a lot more dangerous out there on the road..."
"Ah'll be fine, ah promise, daddy. no worries." She kissed his nose and smiled, hugging him again when the phone rang.
"Now who could that be?" Cici got up and walked over to the vidphone. "Hello?"
"Miss Ceila?" Professor Oak appeared on the screen, holding the head set.
"Oh, hey Professor! What's shakin'?"
Oak grinned at her through the screen. "I just called to ask you to come by tomorrow morning. Your pokemon is here. And this is it. If you don't take this one, then I'm afraid I can't help you." he said, growing a little stern. "Now, I expect you here in the morning around 10am. See you then, and good night!"
Cici hung up the phone, blinking in shock. She turned and looked at her father, who smiled back, looking just the tiniest bit sad. "Well. Guess this is your last night here then?" He asked, the girl just nodding a bit and flopping back onto the couch beside her father. "It's really happenin', ain't it..?" Her father hugged her reassuringly,"Look, if you don't feel up to leaving yet-"
"No way!" She said, sitting up and chuckling a bit, rubbing her eyes. "Ah'm gonna do this, no matter what!" She turned to look at her father,"But... could you be there t'morrow?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, kiddo,"he said, hugging her again and kissing her forehead. The two sat there for a moment before the smell of smoke came wafting from the kitchen. "Oh no..."
***********************************************************************************************
The Beginning...