Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Defiance ❯ A New Purpose ( Chapter 1 )

Summary: Have you ever wondered why, in the pokèmon world, male trainers are so predominant? Determined too be a pokèmon master, as so many other children do, Reana sets off on her pokèmon journey at the age of sixteen. However, she runs up against stiff opposition when she refuses too conform too the typical female trainer role, and dares too win a gym badge. However, her troubles don’t end there- because Team Rocket is pursuing her, and her new travelling companion, Logan, is as mysterious as they come… And all the while, she’s still trying too earn her gym badges.

Hi all! Yeah I know I really should be working on my other stories, but my Muse is quite adamant- this is what I’m working on instead! Luckily for all you people out there, I already have four chapters done… ;; now I just have too remember too post them! I have a lot planned out for this story, and I even have a vague idea for a sequel… if I can finish this first, though. I have a lot of sub-plots going, and I’m hoping that they’re subtle… .;; Well, as usual, if you have any comments/criticisms, just speak up! And if your going too flame, please give a reason other than something pathetic like ‘I hate your story, blah blah blah.’

If you have any need too contact me, I’m on MSN most of the time, at: . Well, I’ll leave you too your reading- Enjoy!

Chapter One: A New Purpose

Sunlight gently filtered in through wide upper storey windows of the small, cottage style house, surrounded by fragrant gardens. A girl slept peacefully on the bed, half tangled in her sheets, tendrils of tawny gold hair encircling her neck. She moved, and with a groan, rolled underneath her pillow. The sun continued to merrily shine on, revealing a very messy room; complete with miscellaneous stacks of… stuff… all over her desk, and various scattered pokèmon toys and posters decorating the walls and furniture.

Grumbling once more, she rolled further into her bed covers- or so she thought. A moment later, a dull thump echoed throughout her room, as she plummeted to the floor. “………………” Was the girl’s comment, before she wearily stumbled to her feet. Swaying, and quite unsteady, she managed to walk out of her bedroom door, and across the hall to the bathroom. Once there, she splashed some water on her face to wake herself up. Partially, to say the least. With a heartfelt groan, the teen rubbed her face dry, and stumbled back to her room.

As soon as she entered her doorway, she tripped flat on her face. “Mmm… so that’s where my dressing gown went.” She was heard to mumble, before she crawled on all fours to her chest of drawers. Reana was not a morning person. But who would be, when a sugar happy next-door neighbour’s darling had kept her up till at least midnight? ‘And then the brat fell asleep as soon as her parents arrived…’ She growled to herself, hauling her body into a standing position.

Squinting at the bright light, she pawed through her clothes, before tossing some of them onto her bed. A sorrowful whine was heard as far as the stairwell, as Reana failed to locate her favourite shirt. Her mind moving sluggishly, she struggled to recall where her shirt was. ‘Floor? No. Desk? No. Umm.. Laundry? Hang on there…. yes! That’s it- it got cleaned!’ Congratulating herself for remembering such an important fact at the ungodly hour of two thirty pm, Reana began the slow and laborious process of dragging her sorry carcass to the stairs, down into the laundry, and to the clean clothes press.

But whilst she was staggering down the hallway, she conveniently forgot one very important fact. Her cousin Gary had invited friends over today……

“So Brock, how’s your Pokèmon Breeding Centre been going?” Gary Oak’s clear-cut, cultured voice resonated throughout the small, homey lounge room, directed at a tall man with shaggy brown hair, deep hazel eyes, and a dark tan. “Actually, quite well. Though, you wouldn’t believe how many people have asked me yesterday after that Golden Rod City Shopping Centre advertisement, if I could breed them a fluorescent Mareep!” He said with a deep laugh. The two people sitting adjacent to him burst out in laughter as well, imagining the situation the breeder had been in.

“Bet you would have tried anyway, if the client had been pretty, and female,” Ash teased, raking a hand through his thick sable locks. Beside him, Misty snorted. “He’s mature, unlike you Ash,” Misty replied, one cerulean blue eye half cracked open, from underneath a shock of flaming orange hair. Across from her, Brock was rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Hey, Misty I am not-“ Ash began, and soon the two teens where arguing once more. Gary gave them an amused look, before turning back to Brock. “So, what else has been happening?” He queried.

“Stupid clothes- it should be illegal for them to move like that!” Reana grumbled to herself, trying to track the clothes that where zipping around the air before her. And it wasn’t just her imagination either, as her cousin’s well fed, sleek Umbreon was contentedly purring from atop the dryer. Reana promptly switched her attention to it. “I’m gonna get you Umbreon!” She yelled, followed by several loud crashes. The four teens in the lounge room stopped talking long enough to watch a scantily clad girl tear out of the hallway, hunting a very scared Umbreon.

Mewing pitifully, and clutching something in its mouth, the dark pokèmon cowered in Gary’s lap. “Ah ha! You t-shirt thief! I’ve got you now!” Reana yelled out triumphantly, attempting to dive tackle the elusive pokèmon. Unfortunately for her, Umbreon decided it was time to move- causing her to fly head first into the couch. Picking herself up, and slightly more woozy than before, Reana set off once more, yelling death threats. Curious, Ash got to his feet and followed.

“Reon?” Umbreon mewed hopefully, pushing Reana’s shirt forward with one paw, from where it had been backed into a corner in the kitchen. Reana grinned nastily, and picked it up. “Oh Umbreon, dear, come here…” She cooed, before pouncing on it. Claws scrabbled futilely on the linoleum for a moment, before Reana scooped the dark pokèmon up, and marched over to the cupboard. She reached in, and grabbed a packet of cheezels. Cackling insanely, she sat down at the kitchen table, and with Umbreon still under one arm, proceeded to eat them as slowly as she could.

Umbreon promptly set up a howl at the injustice of this, before stealing a cheezel from the box. This set off a wave of fresh exclamations from Reana, but her prey disappeared in a beam of red light. Twitching a little, Reana turned in her seat, to view her very unimpressed cousin. “Erm, hello Gary, just having some cheezel’s with your t-shirt mauling Umbreon…” Laughing nervously, Reana promptly bolted for the stairs, still clutching the box of cheezels. Behind him, Misty wriggled free of the doorway, to serve him a questioning look. “That was my cousin,” Gary said with an irritated sigh, as if it explained everything.

He looked thoughtfully at the pokèball in his hand. ‘Nah, Umbreon wouldn’t have…’ He thought to himself. But Umbreon did.

A minute later, a screeching wail sounded from the upper storey. “NOOOOOO my favourite t-shirt! That horrible Umbreon mauled it, and slobbered on it, and even got cheezel’s on it!” Reana sobbed, clutching her t-shirt to her chest. A minute later, it was lying in the middle of the floor. “I think I’ll wear blue today,” She decided.

Downstairs, Gary’s left eyebrow twitched substantially as he took a small sip of tea. Ash stared incredulously at the stairs. “Are you absolutely sure your related?” He asked hopefully. Gary nodded sadly, after a moment of staring at his teacup. “Then may I be the first to offer my condolences,” Ash said cheekily, holding a hand out.

“It’ll have to do, but I’m gonna get that nasty little sneak of an Umbreon,” Reana told her reflection. Today, her hair was held up in a pale aquamarine ribbon, matching her short-sleeved shirt. Over this was her favourite dark blue vest, complete with zipper pockets. She wore a pair of baggy cream cargo pants, secured by a dark green belt. White fingerless gloves adorned Reana’s hands, and scruffy sneakers peaked out from underneath her pants. Nodding at her reflection, she grabbed her backpack from her bed, and marched down the hallway. Chasing a psychotic t-shirt eating Umbreon tended to wake one up quickly.

“Bye Gary, I’m goin’ up to see Professor Oak, kay?” Reana called out over her shoulder, as she dumped a few sandwiches, some fruit, and a drink bottle in her backpack. And with that, she slammed the front door, not even bothering to listen for Gary’s reply. Whistling a jaunty tune, she skipped down the tree-lined avenue that eventually wended its way up to Professor Oak’s hillside laboratory. Along the way, she called out greetings to people she knew, receiving friendly responses.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh springtime air, Reana began to jog. And that’s when she noticed the ominous sound of an Arcanine’s footsteps… Groaning, she tried to ignore it. But the mighty firedog kept pace with her, muscles like silken steel rippling under his luxurious coat, his breathing deep and even. She was halfway to her destination when she gave in. “Okay, what did I forget this time?” Reana demanded, throwing her hands up in the air. Gary gave her a mild, rebuking glare.

“I told you I was going up to see gramp’s today,” He informed her, as though she had erred grievously. Reana’s nose wrinkled, before she poked her tongue out. “Whatever,” She commented, before flouncing off. Rolling his eyes, Gary moved his Arcanine to once more keep pace with her. “We were ‘sposed to go together.” He reminded her, a tinge of sarcasm darkening his tone. Reana shrugged, and ignored him, as well as the muffled giggles from Gary’s passengers, and muted laughs.

Reana stopped, before swinging around to face him. “We are going together, you dufus,” She told him with an expressive eye roll. Gary mumbled something under his breath, before urging his ever-patient Arcanine a little faster. “Well, hurry up then!” He snapped at her. Reana paused, and skipped a little faster. But only a little. This time Misty let a giggle loose, and unfortunately, Gary heard it. A faint pink tinge staining his checks, he growled at his cousin- “I’m taking my guests up to the lab. See you there, slowpoke!” And with that, his Arcanine bounded up the gently inclining street.

Reana shrugged, pulled a face at his retreating figure, and ducked down a small alleyway. Mere moments later, she emerged in the sunshine, facing a grassy field. Grinning with delight, she began to alternatively skip, bound, or run throughout the grass, making her way to the Laboratory that stood some mere one hundred meters away.

“Hiya Prof!” Reana chirped, as she waltzed in through the wide, front door. Having lived in Saffron with her parents for most of her life had encouraged her to think of Professor Oak as just that- the world famous pokèmon scientist. Hence why she called him ‘Prof’ or something to that extent, instead of grandpa. “Why, hello there Reana, your just in time!” Traci, Professor Oak’s assistant told her with a cheery wave. Grinning back, Reana lobbed her backpack at a couch, and skipped along behind Traci as he led her out back to the pokèmon preserve.

The sight of wide, rolling grass plains, a large, artificial lake, and many different, and varied pokèmon habitats greeted her searching eyes. At that moment in time, Professor Oak was struggling to escape a large Muk that was intent on ‘hugging’ him. With an exclamation of dismay, Traci rushed forward to help Professor Oak. Cocking her head to one side, Reana skipped a few steps forward, and grabbed a handful of pokètreats from a nearby feeder.

“Muk…Here Mukky Mukky Muk!” She called out in a singsong voice. The large gooey pokèmon paused from suffocating the Professor with exuberance for a moment, before eagerly making its way over to Reana. “Muk! Muk muk!” It exclaimed, arms spread wide for a hug. Reana smiled, and knelt down on the grass, arms spread for a hug as well. As Muk reached her, she braced herself, with one knee raised, the other flat on the ground.

So when Muk greeted her enthusiastically, she managed to stay somewhat on her feet. After receiving the pokètreats, Muk slipped and slid off, on some unknown business.

“You okay?” Traci asked Professor Oak nervously, hovering around. Smiling, and running a hand through his silvery grey hair, Oak just smiled. “Of course I am Traci, no need to worry. Ah, there you are Reana, come along then,” And with that, he began to stride off purposefully in the direction of a large corral. The two teens hurried to catch up to him, as he was moving quite quickly for someone of his years.

Soon enough, they reached a corral containing one of the most beautiful Rapidash the Reana had ever seen. The pokèmon was obviously male, and had long clean legs, a finely chiselled muzzle, and corded steel rippled beneath his satiny coat. But the most unusual thing about the stallion was his colour. Instead of his coat being cream, as was usual, it was instead a deep, golden hazelnut. His flames where a combination of deep, ruby red, and variations of amethyst.

“This is the first pokèmon I’ve seen in a long time with such radical changes,” Professor Oak explained. “But for some reason, he won’t let anyone, or thing, pokèmon or human, within more than 10 metres of him. It’s most puzzling.” Professor Oak frowned. “And such an interesting specimen too,” He added. The stallion snorted rudely, pawing the ground with one cobalt hoof, and tossing his head angrily.

“What can we do too help Prof?” Reana queried, never taking her eyes from the magnificent pokèmon before her. The professor swung around, and gave her a deep, thoughtful look. “I thought perhaps, to get him accustomed to humans, very slowly of course. Are you willing to give it a try?” Reana stared at him with a mixture of shock, and intense surprise. “Would I ever, can I start now?” Reana yelled excitedly. Traci laughed, and put a hand on her shoulder.

“You’ll have to go slowly of course- try just sitting on the fence for a few days, and then start moving closer.” He suggested. But Reana had already produced a carrot from nowhere, and was perched in the exact centre of the corral. Professor Oak looked at her in shock, but didn’t dare yell out for fear of scaring the Rapidash. But to their surprise, the pokèmon simply ignored her. Looking at each other with helpless shrugs, they left a small mixed bag of pokètreats and carrots near the corral gate, before moving back down to the main laboratory.

Reana eyed the stallion over, watching as he nosed at a loose net of hay. After a moment, she broke off a piece of her carrot, and lobbed it at him. The vegetable struck him fairly hard on the shoulder, and the stallion swung around to glare at her. A moment later though, he had searched the carrot out from amongst the compacted grass of the corral, and crunched on it. Eyeing the human over warily, the fire pokèmon continued to eat, his flames crackling quietly in the soft breeze.

“Hey there beautiful, what’s made you so wary? Just come on over here and have some more carrot.” Reana spoke in a low, soothing voice, lobbing a bit of carrot at the Rapidash once more. Giving her a disdainful look, he once more searched it out and ate it. Keeping up a meaningless stream of words, Reana lobbed yet another piece of carrot at the pokèmon. The stallion’s ears perked up, and he turned around to snatch it from mid air. Grinning, Reana tossed him the last piece of carrot, before moving with slow, exaggerated movements to the bag of treats.

Within 15 minutes, she was once more in the centre of the corral. This time, she lobbed a whole carrot at the Rapidash- but it landed around a little closer to her. The pokèmon eyed the treat wistfully, but kept his distance. Seeing this, Reana broke a carrot into four, and tossed one of the pieces a little closer. As he picked his hooves up, and minced towards it, Reana remembered something that Professor Oak had told her a while ago. ‘Hooves ten times stronger than diamonds…fastest land pokèmon ever discovered…’ She shuddered slightly, thinking how easy it would be for the pokèmon to maim, or even kill her.

Shoving the thoughts firmly to the back of her mind, Reana concentrated on the pokèmon once more, very aware now, of how even a small noise could spook him…

“So, Professor Oak said she was up here somewhere, right?” Misty inquired, looking around with interest at the many varieties of pokèmon playing in the sun. “Yeah, she’s probably fooling around.” Gary said with a disdainful snort. “Hey, didn’t Professor Oak mention something about an unusually coloured Rapidash? I’d really like to see that,” Brock said eagerly. Gary shrugged. “Sure, it’s over this way,” he told his companions, setting off in that direction. “I wonder how strong it is…” Ash murmured, earning a jab in the ribs from Misty. “The Professor said its wild,” She told him, stressing the last word. Ash merely rolled his eyes, before striding ahead to catch up with his eager companions.

Gary kept on walking, passing the small valley that contained the pokèmon in question unawares, excitedly describing the different variations of pokèmon he had found, simply by changing their diet.

Inside the corral, the Rapidash began to prance, snorting nervously, as the four young adults passed by. Several minutes after they had passed, he finally calmed down again, though he now ignored the treats Reana was throwing at him. Giving the fire pokèmon a disgusted look, she slowly made her way from the corral, carrying the rest of the treats with her. “Suit yourself.” She told the stallion in a careless tone, before wandering off to watch a mother Pidgeot clucking over her hatchlings.

The stallion waited a few minutes, making sure the human was actually gone. His nostrils delicately sniffed the air, taking in the information it fed him, such as the activities of the pokèmon around him. With a disdainful snort, the Rapidash stallion shook his fiery mane. He, was Lord of the Plains, King of his Herd. No mere human contraption could hold him! He rolled a deep sapphire eye at the fence surrounding him, and began to trot around it, trying to determine if he had enough room to jump.

He didn’t. He had enough room to exercise-minimally- but there was no way even he could possibly escape from this man place. The stallion nickered angrily, his silky tail swishing behind him as he paced, his flames flickering quietly in the silence. And then a thought struck him. The stallion looked around a moment, before backing away from the fence, and summoning up a fire spin. The torrent of red gold flames spewed from his mouth, roaring, encircling and trapping a singular piece of the fence. The flames roared, spinning in a whirlwind, heat boiling off it in waves.

The stallion snorted softly with satisfaction, and waited for his attack to die down. After a few minutes, it slowly did so, and the Rapidash walked over to the fence. He picked up a hind leg, and kicked as hard as he could. The sturdy structure shook with the blow for a moment, before slowly subsiding. Surprised, the stallion turned around, his eyes widening with astonishment. For all the ferocity of his attack, the wood was barely even singed!

All the frustration, humiliation, and anger of being caught with ropes and nets, being carted over land, and finally dumped in a human cage spewed forth from him in a violent, shrilling, clarion call. The stallion screamed his defiance, ramming the fence over, and over again, his thoughts fixed only on escape.

As the stallions rage echoed throughout Professor Oak’s pokèmon preserve, several things happened. Four teenagers, inspecting a mixed group of Eevee and Growlithe, stood up quickly in astonishment, their heads turned towards the sound. In the large, white laboratory building, a tall, sprightly old man with a shock of silvering hair shot too his feet with a curse, hurriedly grabbing an engraved white and gold ball. And in a small patch of forestland, a girl with tawny gold hair fell abruptly from a tree.

“What the hell?” She cursed, as she landed amongst a few bushes, which unfortunately for her, where very prickly. “AIIIIEEEE!” She screamed, leaping from them, and frantically pulling thorns and sticks from tender places. That done, she turned wide emerald eyes in the direction the sound was coming from. “Oh no…” She whispered, before hurriedly blasting out a triple tone note from the whistle hanging around her neck.

A minute later, a Ponyta mare came trotting amongst the trees, looking around curiously. Reana hurried over, giving her a pat. “Amena, please take me to the new stallion, its urgent!” She pleaded. The mare looked at her for a moment, through deep, liquid brown eyes, before finally nodding. Reana hugged her, and quickly vaulted astride her back, wrapping her arms around the ponyta’s neck, and clenching her legs firmly around her middle. “Go!” She whispered into her ear.

The mare shot off like a rocket, her diamond hard hooves pounding across the forest floor. A moment later, and they where out in the open- not that Reana noticed of course. Her eyes where tearing slightly from the speed she was travelling at, and her surroundings where a blur anyway. Suddenly, Amena stopped, digging her hooves into the soft grass, and throwing Reana from her back. She gave the grumpy teenager a friendly nicker, before cantering off back to her herd.

Rolling her eyes, Reana hurriedly scrambled to her feet, her mouth dropping in shock as she saw what was happening before her. The Rapidash stallion was slamming repeatedly into the fence, over and over, without a thought for the consequences. Already, large bruises where forming on his chest, and his whole body was lathered with sweat. Small nicks and cuts covered his body, and there was a crazed, desperate look in his wildly rolling eyes.

With a wild scream, he charged the fence once more. Reana winced as his body hit, and he stumbled backwards a few steps. “Stop it!” She yelled, running forward, and waving her arms around, trying to distract him. The stallion eyed her for a moment, before screaming, and charging at the spot in the fence before her. He reared, hooves churning the air, before bringing them down on the fence, which merely creaked. The stallion screamed with rage, lining himself up for another charge, even as his body quaked and shivered with weariness.

“Calm down, its okay,” Reana blurted out, trying to disguise the quaking fear in her voice, as she moved closer to the fence. The Rapidash half-heartedly slammed into the fence, before tottering backwards. With a keening cry, he toppled onto his side, wallowing in the dust for a few moments. Reana’s heart caught in her throat, as she watched him pitifully try to regain his feet. After several tries, he did so, only to stand legs splayed, head low, and sweat foam splattered. He sucked in deep, shuddering breaths, his whole body shaking with the effort of merely standing up.

Not even bothering to think, Reana hurried into the corral. The stallion watched her with dull eyes, to weary to even snap at her. As her hand gently touched his neck, a spasm ran through him, and he whickered shrilly, trying to back away. Reana frowned. ‘He-he’s afraid of me!’ She thought, too shocked to utter a word. Shoving the revelation to one side, she began to gently urge him to walk, carefully keeping clear of his flames. After a moment or so, he wearily picked up a foreleg, placing it on the ground before him, and picking up the opposite back leg.

Reana continued with him like this for sometime, slowly keeping him moving, in order to keep the blood flowing so he wouldn’t freeze up. She was just completing a third circuit, when Professor Oak arrived on a bicycle, holding a large pokèball. He hurriedly held it out, shouting, “Return!” A thin beam of red light shot towards the Rapidash, who slowly dissolved into a shapeless mass of red light, before being sucked back into the pokèball.

Reana sucked in a shuddering breath, only just realising how close she had come to loosing her life, as the wild pokèmon could have killed her at any moment. Beyond the fence, a cry rang out, and Gary, with Ash, Misty and Brock in tow, hurried forward. “Reana you idiot, what where you thinking?” But Gary’s voice was shaky with fear, as he pulled the surprised teenager into a fierce hug. “Don’t ever do anything like that again! That pokèmon could’ve killed you!” He scolded, sounding to all ears like a mother Pidgey scolding her chick. Reana giggled a little, and gently pushed away from him.

“I’m sorry Gary it’s just…” her eyes clouded over momentarily, as she remembered the last, tense few minutes. “You didn’t see him.” She concluded with a shake of her head. “There was this, crazed look in his eyes. Like he’d rather die trying for freedom, than let himself live in captivity.” She spoke softly, yet her words entranced her audience. Professor Oak sighed, before a grim look changed his features. “I think I’m going to find out just how this pokèmon was captured.” He told them, walking over to his bicycle, his usually friendly face set in grim, angry lines.

The five teens exchanged glances, before moving off without a word. As they moved away from the corral, Reana perked up. “Hey, can I show you these really cute Vulpix babies?” Misty eagerly agreed, as did Brock. “C’mon, their over this way!” Reana yelled out, bolting off in the direction of the forest, forgetting to wait up for anyone else.

  //x-o-x\\

“No.”

Reana gave him a half-hearted glare, stomping her foot petulantly. “C’mon, you know you want too...” She wheedled, hands clasped before her. Traci raised an eyebrow, and continued making entries on the computer. There was a minute of silence, before the tawny haired teen huffed grumpily, throwing herself at a nearby couch. “You just want me to fail my pokèmon journey!” She suddenly called out, pouting with her arms crossed over her chest. Throwing his hands up in annoyance, the dark haired researcher turned and fixed her with a stern look.

“Reana you know the reasons why. One; all starting trainers are required to have a level 5 pokèmon- nothing above that. Two; the pokèmon you want is wild and dangerous. Three; Professor Oak said no. Four; how do you know that you could even control it?” Having finished his mini lecture, Traci sighed and turned back too his computer. Making a rude noise, Reana heaved herself off of the couch and stomped off. “Fine, ruin my life then!” She yelled dramatically, slamming the front door.

Rolling his eyes, Traci just sighed, and continued feeding data into the computer.

  //x-o-x\\

“Pleaaase Gary?”

“No, Reana.”

“C’mon Gary, just let me borrow one!”

“Reana, you have to register and everything first-“

“I can do that after I’ve caught one!”

The slender, tawny haired teen stood in the centre of the lounge room, arms folded across her chest, and glaring at her cousin. Gary Oak sighed, absently blowing a strand of auburn hair from his deep brown eyes.

“I’ve explained this before Reana-“

He began, but was cut off once more, by an irate teenager.

“I don’t care! If it was someone else you’d be more than happy too help, and you know it! All I want is a little help too capture a starting pokèmon, so I can go on my journey!”

Gary rubbed at his forehead, and felt a headache begin too form. “Reana, you need too get permission from your parents, get the gear together, register, plot of course- you can’t just jump into this! The world is more dangerous than you think it is!” His voice rose slightly, anger and frustration weaving together.

Cold emerald eyes spat daggers at him.

“Okay, I get this. It’s fine for ten year old males too go traipsing off around the countryside, but me, a sixteen year old female can’t, because you said so!”

Her voice was dripping with scorn, and Gary was shocked at how quickly her mood had changed. Shaking his head slightly, he replied, “It’s not that Reana; you know how much we’d worry about you as well-“ His voice trailed off, as she gave him a cold look. After a moment, she simply walked upstairs- no stomping, no noise- simply quiet, controlled anger.

Gary briskly shook himself off, shrugged, and turned the television on. ‘I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately,’ the pokèmon researcher thought.

‘ I can’t believe him!’

Reana stalked around her room, bare feet sinking into the plush blue carpet. Finally, she threw herself at her bed, her anger dissipating in a heart felt sigh, as she gazed out of her window. ‘I can’t get why he’s being so overprotective of me. I mean, there’s plenty of female trainers out there, and one of the elite four is female!’ The teen paused too consider the thought, and a set of glaring coincidences began to fall into place in her mind, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

‘Almost every trainer I’ve seen that’s a female, wears one of those stupid hip packs, and never a back pack. They always have cutesy pokèmon, or put up a good fight and eventually lose. And… every one is attractive, with form fitting clothes- and the strong trainers are all in their twenties. Each and every female trainer hangs out near a city as well…’

She sat bolt up right in bed, her eyes widening above the pillow clutched too her chest, and she began too pace once more, thoughts whirling madly in her mind.

‘Whenever I wear baggy clothes, or a backpack too school that a guy should wear, everyone teases me more. I never thought of it in that way before though. And everyone stares at me, like I’ve done something wrong…’

Her eyes narrowed, and she began twirling a strand of tawny gold hair around one finger. “I can’t believe how backwards this place is!” She cried, flopping back onto her bed once more. Obviously, too the people of Kanto, women where still placed in subjective roles- but Reana had an uneasy feeling that it went further than that…

Sighing, she let her eyes drift around her small room, finally settling on a picture on her dresser. A tall, sandy haired man was standing there in bathing trunks, one arm slung around an attractive, cinnamon haired women too his left. Standing between them, in a blue bathing suit similar too her mothers, was a small child, with thick, tawny blonde hair. The woman’s blue eyes twinkled, matching her husbands green, as all three beamed at the camera from a wide expanse of beachfront.

Her lips quirked slightly, as Reana remembered that holiday; her parents had taken her too the Olivine Beach, an exciting holiday in Johto. For most of her life, she’d lived in Saffron with her parents. But after a confusing set of events, they’d been transferred up to the Goldenrod Silph Co, and had been thrown into full time jobs. Realising that they couldn’t raise their 10 year old daughter properly, they arranged for her too stay with her Aunt during the school year, and visit them during the holidays.

Staying with her Aunt Penelope was pretty cool, even if Gary did get really annoying sometimes. He was only a few months older than her, but acted like it was years. Her parents still sent her lots of presents though, and they brightened up the normally mundane lifestyle of Pallet Town.

‘Hey, that reminds me…’ Breaking out of her memories, Reana rustled around under her bed, finally drawing out a large, flat wooden chest. As it was quite late in the afternoon buy now, she shuffled closer to her window, and opened the box too let the fading light of the sun reveal its contents. Inside where many things, messily arranged, from letters, too small tokens, too small gadgets. Giving the box a critical eye over, Reana promptly dived in, pawing through the assorted objects within.

Around half-an-hour later, and the overhead light had been turned on, illuminating the even messier state of her room. Her bed had several additions too it- a pile of gadgets, in rainbow colours, stacks of letters, and small piles of chips, stamped with a logo.

Briefly, Reana had lived with her parents in Goldenrod. When they had been called up too the big city, they had started off with part time hours. This left a lot of time for family outings, and their favourite thing too do had been to go down too the Game Corner. The tawny haired child had loved the bright lights of the slot machines, and her father had an uncanny luck with them, earning many tokens.

After a recent upgrade, customers where able too exchange the money they won from the machines for tokens, representing the amount. Certain amounts of tokens allowed you too buy items, technical machines, and even pokèmon. Of course, different colours had different values, ranging from the common red tokens, too the rare silver ones. After Reana had moved in with her Aunt, her parents had sporadically sent tokens with their letters, too remind her of their time together.

Grinning widely, the teen carefully put everything back in the box neatly, along with the various gadgets her parents had sent her for presents, all of which where useful- when she remembered they where there. A quick glance at the calendar confirmed her suspicions. Three days till she could visit her parents! School had broken out a week before, but as it was the Christmas holidays, her parents where buried under work. They had called the night before, confirming the reservations on the various trains and such that she would take, and had sent the tickets in the mail.

The thought of beginning too pack had entered her mind, but a vigorous growling halted any further thoughts. A delicious smell wafted up the stairs, and minutes later Reana had gone screaming down the stairs, hollering, “DINNER! Dinner! Dinner!” Sounding for all the world like a starving teenager. Her Aunt simply laughed, instructing her too sit at the table. Beaming at her adopted family, the teen waited patiently for her dinner, thoughts of her parents lingering in the back of her mind.

  //x-o-x\\

“Oh, CRAP!”

One of the most versatile words in the English language, ‘crap’ described her situation perfectly. It was Saturday morning, and she had been packing her bag, in order too go visit her parents. Most of her stuff had already been stored in a special pokèball her parents had sent her, leaving only a few things that had too actually be packed. Unfortunately, her trusty old back pack had just broken- the bottom had caved in, and the sides had split open.

Grumbling, she unpacked everything, grabbed her wallet, and stalked downstairs. “I’m going out!” She yelled, pausing briefly in the doorway, as her Aunt yelled back “Don’t forget that lunch is soon!” Calling back, “okay!” in response, she shut the door, taking in the sight before her for a moment.

Pallet was structured quite simply- Professor Oaks lab was up on a large hill, extending backwards, with the main road of the town gently winding its way up towards it. The shops and such where down near the road that lead too Viridian, which was where she was headed. Smiling pleasantly at the people she passed on the shaded pathway, the teen tried too ignore the looks she was receiving. Since piecing the puzzle together a day or so ago, she had become sensitive too the looks and whispers she received, finding it uncomfortable.

Today she was dressed in a pair of baggy cream cargo pants, and a loose black t-shirt. Her tawny gold hair was let free, and swung near her elbows with every movement. Her sneakers scuffed the concrete, and she stumbled as the path converted too bricks. Shaking her head slightly, her emerald eyes flicked up and down the street, before decisively settling on a small shop too the left, several metres down. Crossing the road, she ambled through the doorway of the shop, smiling at the tinkle of the bell that accompanied her.

Waving the assistant away, she browsed through the displays of the small travel shop, looking for a new backpack. After her brief argument with Gary, Reana was determined that she would become a trainer- she’d show that jerk what girls where made of, and the rest of society at the same time. She knew that her parents would help whole-heartedly, and so could barely contain herself, wishing too get there even faster, as it was only a week too Christmas.

Displayed on a shelf, a large blue backpack caught her eye. Walking over, she examined it closely, after checking that the price was within her range. It was one of the new backpacks, which had optimised storage, and specialised compartments. Each was neatly labelled with a tag, and alongside the pack was a small instruction manual detailing its features. Humming happily, Reana picked it and the small booklet up, and walked too the counter. Immediately, the store clerk stiffened, eyeing her with a faint trace of disgust. “Is… this for you?” He queried, looking like something had died recently within the vicinity of his face.

Startled, Reana scrambled for an excuse, feeling like a child caught with her hand in the candy jar. “Umm, no, you see its for a cousin really, who goes out in the country a lot…” Evidently her excuse was enough, as the clerk immediately relaxed, and happily accepted her money as she bought the bag. Holding it loosely in one hand, covered by a plastic bag, she hurried back too her house, feeling quite uncomfortable. ‘I… didn’t think that people would have that much of an aversion for someone breaking out of the traditional mould…’

Biting her lip anxiously, Reana hurried home, and hid the bag in her bedroom, underneath the covers of her bed. She stared at it for a moment, looking like and innocent hump shining in the late evening light. Sighing, the teen walked back downstairs, conflicting emotions whirling through her, muddling her already confused mind. ‘Maybe this won’t be so easy…’

  //x-o-x\\

The wind whipped her hair back from her face, and Reana let out an excited whoop of joy, as the Pidgeot she was riding swooped and dived through the clouds. Letting out a large trill, it folded its wings, crest flaring, as it dived for a brief moment. Eyes squinting shut, the teen’s stomach dropped out of its customary place, as adrenaline raced through her veins. Behind her, another Pidgeot carried her baggage, maintaining a straight course. This year, she was catching a flight too Saffron, and form there riding the Bullet Train into Goldenrod. The countryside below her was a patchwork of greens, with yellow occasionally, where a summer crop was ripening.

The wings of the large birds where extended, as they glided, occasionally moving slightly too adjust their course. A Pidgeot was large too start off with; standing at slightly above an average mans height. A large, tri-coloured crest shot from their forehead, extending in a silky length to mid back. Tan and beige feathers, speckled with cinnamon and white, shifted and moved, catching air currents, and reading the atmosphere. Grinning madly, Reana clutched onto the special saddle, as her ride launched into a series of dizzying barrel rolls.

A harness encircled her body, a wide strap around her waist and chest, attached too a saddle type object resting upon the Pidgeot's back. Strapped firmly in place, Reana was in no danger, even when flying upside down. She had been flying for quite some time, and if she squinted, she could almost make out a large city in the distance. Grinning, she let her hold on the metal handles relax, snuggling further down into the saddle, and feeling a tad chilled.

The teen was rugged up firmly, with jeans and a long sleeved shirt on, with a special suit on over that too keep her warm during the flight. It was a bright orange, and too her it seemed rather tacky, even if it was used for safety purposes. Grinning once more, she began looking around her with interest, yet again, observing the clouds. She became absorbed in this, noting the different textures, shapes and colours, before the teen made a game of guessing what cloud looked like a pokèmon.

Before she knew it, both Pidgeot had begun a rapid descent from the clouds, the air screaming around them as they shot like bullets from the sky. Noting the colour of the air begin too change, a trickle of fear began too constrict her stomach, forcing it down even further, even as her heart leapt into her throat. Saffron was clearly visible, from the wide belt of suburbia surround it, too the up beat, modern architecture of the inner city. Too its north was the Bullet Train Station, which was where the Pidgeot where headed.

Suddenly, they began too swoop and bank, turning in tight corkscrews. For a moment, all Reana could do was struggle not to throw up. It was only as they drew closer too the station, that she realised the large bird pokèmon where rapidly losing the speed of their descent, in order too land safely. Clenching her eyes shut, she waited for the Pidgeot too land. After what seemed like an eternity of the Pidgeot Express Mid-Air-Roller-Coaster, they finally set down.

Cracking her eyes open slightly, Reana saw that they where in a special landing area. Sand billowed in gusts around them, and after several minutes, it finally settled down enough for handlers too walk over and help her down. Grinning too them, she turned and bowed slightly too the Pidgeot that had carried her. “Thank you!” She chirped, before turning and doing the same for the pokèmon that had carried her luggage.

The pokèmon inclined their heads, before walking off, wings spread slightly for balance, towards a large corral containing food and water troughs. Straining too walk on unsteady legs, she picked up her backpack, and headed towards the train terminals. Joining the milling throng of people, she sat down on a bench, hunting around in her bag for her ticket. Finding it, she packed her bag up, and walked over too a large booth. The women inside, who had a neon green, spiky haircut, pointed her towards a platform sporting a large ‘3’ on its central post. Thanking her, Reana dove back into the crowds.

People and pokèmon where everywhere, and the large terminal seemed too amplify the noise. Feeling a headache begin too build, Reana strained too make her way too her destination. It took her around ten minutes, as she was constantly buffeted by people on all sides. When she finally reached the train platform, the crowds had thinned slightly. Clutching her ticket in one hand, she was about too collapse onto a bench, before she realised that her train was almost ready too leave.

Panicking, she bolted onto it, shoving her ticket at the operator nervously, eyes wide, and her hair disarrayed from the flight. The old man was rather round, and he simply smiled, before stamping her ticket and handing it back. Managing a weak smile in return, she checked her ticket number, glancing up and down at the small booths on the train. Spotting hers, she walked slowly, the muscles in her legs feeling like jelly. A true smile lit up her face at the sight of the thick, red cushions, and she gratefully curled up on them, yawning.

‘Just… a small nap..’ She thought, her eyes slowly drifting shut.

  //x-o-x\\

“Reana honey, wake up.”

A warm, mothering voice roused her from her dream of winning the Silver Conference, and Reana yawned heavily, slowly sitting up and stretching. Arms extended above her head, she strained her body for a moment, before curling back up and making a satisfied noise. There was a short laugh from above her, before strong, capable hands gently lifted her up. A rustling sound indicated her bag being picked up, and Reana lazily opened her eyes, blinking sleepily.

“Hey mom, hey dad. Can you pick me up?” She queried, yawning once more. Her father chuckled, shifting his hand from her shoulder too her waist, enveloping her in a hug. “C’mon pumpkin, time too get off the train,” He teased. Pulling a face and stretching slightly, Reana finally woke up properly. “I wanna sleep s’more but!” She complained, and her mother laughed, a melodic sound. “You won’t get your surprise then,” her mother warned, blue eyes dancing with mischievous humour.

Emerald eyes opened fully, and the teen immediately began bouncing, chanting, “Where, what, when can I have it?” This time, both parents laughed, ushering her off of the train platform. Poking them both, she danced around impatiently, as her father unlocked the car. “Daddy, please tell me!” She whined, as her mother ushered her into the back seat. Green eyes squinted as her father made an obnoxious face, before grinning at his daughter.

“It’s a Christmas present.” He told her, making the teen groan in disappointment. “Oh, that is so not fair!” She complained, as her mother turned around in her seat, grinning. “Have a good school year honey?” Reana nodded, and began too excitedly tell her parents about the many projects she had done, about her art work, what she had done at Professor Oak’s lab- everything she could think of. A year was condensed into several minutes, as the sleek blue car wove its way through the traffic, the city of Goldenrod rising up around it.

  //x-o-x\\

“Waaiii! It’s so cute!” Reana squealed, clutching a toy Vulpix too her chest, and squeezing it tightly. On the thick, plush cream couch, her parents shared knowing glances, before laughing at the confused expression on their daughters face. She was holding up a large square box wrapped in green foil, with neon pink Stantler. Slanting her parents a look, she shrugged and tore into it.

All around her, wrapping paper and packaging lay scattered over the floor, and a neat stack of parents lay beside the adults on the couch, opposite the large Christmas tree. The teen’s presents had been stacked in a large pile, and her tawny gold hair caught the early morning light, turning it a washed out silver-gold. There was silence for a moment, before the present was dropped with a loud clatter, and Reana launched herself at her parents. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” She yelled, hugging them fiercely. Her mother smiled, patting her daughter on the head. “I think she likes her present,” She remarked too her husband, who grinned.

The tall, sandy blonde haired man stretched slightly, before replying with a wink, “She had better!” Reana poked her tongue out at him, before diving back towards her presents. After a moments thought, she re-arranged them, humming happily as she arranged them in piles.

Too her right where stacked the trainer gear her parents had brought her- several more item balls for storing items, a special device for storing berries and pokèblocks, a fully stocked first aid kit, a pokènavigator, a pokègear, and another item ball containing pokèmon statistic enhancers. In the centre where several plush toys, mostly fire pokèmon. Finally, too her left where several outfits and accessories, and spare changes of clothes.

Reana squealed softly again, dragging her pale blue backpack over too her. She promptly dumped its contents on the floor, kicking away wrapping paper as she did so. The teen spent several minutes putting everything in piles, before she snatched her pokègear, and began fiddling with its different applications. Her parents retreated too the kitchen, glowing with happiness as they readied breakfast for the small family.

The minute the plates hit the table, Reana was sitting down, knife and fork raised as she beamed at her parents. “Food!” She cheered, before digging in.

  //x-o-x\\

Faint dinging noises, cheering shouts, heartfelt groans, and the clack of counters rang throughout the large arcade, combining with the masses of milling people, made up the atmosphere of the Goldenrod Game Corner. Pleasant music tripped forth from hidden corners, swirling around decorative pot plants before mingling with the general noise. At the back where several large desks each with two pleasantly dressed employees, who seemed to serve customers sporadically.

Two adults walked up to the desk on the right, placing a small bag on the counter. Between them, a blindfolded teen was swinging her head around, listening too everything. The attendant listened patiently too the man, before nodding and opening the small pouch. In it where many red tokens, stamped with a stylised Ponyta. There where also a few orange tokens, sporting Diglets. The young woman efficiently stacked the tokens up into neat piles, grouping the piles as the number of tokens increased.

Finally, she swept them off the counter into a large bucket, taking a small tin from underneath the counter. Unlocking it, she counted out several gold tokens, stamped with a stylised phoenix. When she was done the box was hidden once again, and the women scooped up the tokens, asking the attendant something. As the adults watched her point something out, the teen began too whine, and fumbled for her parents sleeves, yanking the cloth when she found them. The man laughed, teasingly patting her on the head, before leading her after a male attendant that had walked over at the girl behind the counters request.

Giving the small family a smile, she turned too her next customer, name badge glinting in the warm lights. The young man, trim in his uniform of black pants, a white top, and sleeveless red vest, lead the three down a small corridor, and the noise from the arcade behind them slowly dimmed. After several minutes walking, he unlocked a door and ushered them into a large room. Inside was a large pokèmon crèche, and they received a brief explanation of the facilities. By this time, the teen was fairly squirming with impatience, her hands clutching at her baggy cream cargo pants.

Smiling, the women took the blindfold off of her daughter, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth too stifle the instinctive squeal of delight bubbling in the teens throat. Teasing her gently, the women gingerly removed her hand, the teen gazing round with wide eyes. Many different pokèmon met her emerald eyes, ranging from large, muscular Rhyhorn, too dainty Skitty. The rarest pokèmon from all three regions of Kanto, Johto, and Hoen where gathered in the room, and the teen didn’t know what too choose.

Her eyes skipped over the small, mouse like pokèmon with its back flaring in flames, and a small, bird like pokèmon with a chubby red body. She scanned the room, taking in each and every pokèmon, before a faint glimpse of white and silver caught her eye. The room was littered with toys, cushions and beanbags, and the pokèmon she had glimpsed was curled up on the highest stack of these, looking incredibly bored. Its fur was a plain white, but littered with silver streaks. A large, sickle like blade arose from its forehead, and its face was black. To one side of the blade, was a large, polished blue stone set into the pokèmon’s forehead, as was the sickle. A deep blue tail, threaded with lighter colours, rose from the hindquarters, the fur slightly jagged. The feline pokèmon yawned, showing off a pink, curling tongue and long, pale cream fangs, before settling down too sleep.

The teen gazed at it for a moment, before turning too her parents. They discussed the pokèmon for several moments, before turning too the male attendant. He glanced at the pokèmon, and cited a number. Slightly surprised, the man handed over two of his gold coins, and the attendant fished a pale blue pokèball from a drawer in a large desk. He then handed them a sheaf of papers, and returned the small, white feline too its pokèball, handing it too the teenager who bounced up and down happily.

Emerging from the corridor, the noise of the arcade almost seemed too hit them like a physical blow, as the small family stepped off the smooth white tiles, and back onto the scruffy red carpet. Once again, they talked for some time, before heading for the middle counter, which had a large sign over it, depicting a small box, and the letters ‘tm’. Here, they purchased several technical machines, devices that artificially taught pokèmon moves. The teenager deliberated over them for some time, thinking carefully. The man handed over a single gold token, and received several silver, and a few bronze, in return as change.

Finally, the small family proceeded too the last counter on the left, where the woman cashed the tokens in for money. Placing it into wallets, and splitting it evenly, the family headed out of the noisy arcade, and back into the warm sunshine, the teenager clutching the blue ball in one hand, and grinning.

  //x-o-x\\

Humans. The mighty stallion snorted softly, pawing the ground. First the puny two leggers had captured him in a degrading manner, not fit for a lowly Rattata, let alone the Lord of the Plains. His silky mane crackled in the evening twilight, deep ruby and amethyst reflecting the tones of the dying sunset, as his depthless sapphire blue eyes regarded the area that he had been unceremoniously left in. The two leggers had taken him too a place where many pokèmon resided, keeping him in a small corral. The cobalt hooves momentarily stopped their frustrated attack against the soft, loamy earth, as the Rapidash remembered the sweet scent of the young two-legger who had given him a sweet root vegetable.

Stomping a hoof into the heavily trodden grass, he threw back his head, absorbing the scents of the plains, as they where carried too him on a soft evening breeze.

Far too the west forest pokèmon resided, but that was none of his concern. The thick scents of earth and dust made him sneeze, as the mountain range too the east registered on his sense. Eyes narrowing thoughtfully, the pokèmon swung his head too pick up scents from the south, muscles like silken steel rippling beneath his deep golden hazelnut coat. From the south came a clean, sharp scent of salt and sea spray, the tangy stench of seaweed upon the beach, the scrubby dunes slowly flattening out too the plains.

Rubbing his head against one foreleg, the stallion cropped a mouthful of grass as he considered where he had been left. His home range was close but… the rank scent of young male Ponyta was thick in his nostrils, mixing with the familiar scent of mares and foals. Abruptly, the stallion reared, hooves striking at the air. A scream of challenge rose up from the grasslands, the shrilling clarion call of a mature stallion startling many of its inhabitants. Dropping back onto all four legs, the Rapidash whinnied softly, before beginning a ground eating lope, his feet drumming the rich grass in a familiar three beat pattern, as he moved at a slow canter.

Soon… soon he would reach his herd and all would be well- there would be no need too worry about humans, only the wild pokèmon who hoped too prey on his herd. His flames crackling in the darkness, they illuminated his path, as the miles disappeared beneath his cobalt hooves.

The Lord of the Plains had returned.

  //x-o-x\\

“Oh wow, isn’t Absol just the cutest?” Reana squealed, observing the pale blue pokèball in her hand. After blindfolding her, her parents had taken her for her surprise- a starter pokèmon! Afterwards, they had gone to the huge Goldenrod mall, and shopped for all the essentials a new trainer would need, that she didn’t have. It was now a week afterwards, and the baby pokèmon was currently sleeping in its pokèball. Her parents nodded, before pointing out an interesting statue. The small family was currently wandering around the large park at the centre of Goldenrod, and the crushed gravel path contrasted sharply with the thick, green grass too either side.

For Reana, it was a welcome break from the narrow-minded attitudes of a small town, and she found the life and energy constantly moving in Goldenrod interesting. She could wear whatever clothes she felt like, and not have too worry about receiving haughty, disapproving stares- because in the city, where many people dressed in such bizarre outfits, she paled in comparison. Bouncing along happily beside her parents, she hooked the pokèball back onto her belt, racing over too a small set of swings, flanked by large shade trees.

Yelling out too her parents, she challenged them, and the two adults where eager too accept. Soon, all three where soaring through the air on the swings, feet moving backwards and forwards as they pumped for height. Minutes later and they had all collapsed onto the grass in a heap, laughing at the figures they saw in the clouds. Relaxing with her parents, Reana carefully recorded every detail in her memory- because it would be all too soon before she’d have too leave again, as her parents holidays where quickly retreating into the distance.

  //x-o-x\\

“Bad! No, don’t do that!” The chastising voice of the teenager echoed throughout the spacious apartment, and a violet-eyed Absol regarded her innocently, before continuing too vigorously scratch the couch. When it was forcefully removed from the furniture, the small, feline pokèmon set up a howl of protest, as it was dragged off too a bedroom, a human competing with it. “You do not eat the furniture, you do not randomly attack people, and my hair is not edible!”’ In a counterpoint too the Absol’s cries, the teens voice also rose in a wail, and she unsuccessfully tried too free her long strands of tawny gold hair from its mouth.

“How many times have I told you- Absol, get back here NOW!” Seizing a chance for escape, the small pokèmon wriggled from her arms, and shot up the hallway. Feet sinking into the carpet, the teenager shot after the baby pokèmon, howling threats at the top of her lungs. A minute later and she skidded into the kitchen, feet slipping on the tiles. With a screech of pain, she fell onto her backside, looking around frantically for her pokèmon.

Moments later she heard a throaty growl resound around the modern style kitchen, complete with shining steel appliances and warm wood countertops, as her pokèmon launched himself from the top of the fridge at her. Paws windmilling, he landed heavily on her stomach, where he promptly wound his tail around his body and began purring, as he curled up into a satisfied ball. Moaning softly, the teen collapsed back onto the tiles, rubbing her temples. “You are a brat Loki, ya hear? A BRAT!”

Receiving nothing but a slit pupil led, satisfied violet gaze in return, she struggled too regain her breath as she got too her feet, holding Loki with one arm. Glaring at him, she dangled the pokèmon at arms length from by the scruff of his neck. Shaking him softly, she looked him in the eye. “Just one more time Loki, and it’s a pokèball for you!” Almost instantly, the calculating look on the pokèmon’s face dissolved into a piteous wail, as he strained too snuggle up against her body.

Rolling her eyes, Reana cuddled him up against her chest, and walked back into her room. Holding him with one hand, she began the slow process of packing. Most of her stuff was going into the item balls- which weren’t actually balls, more so CD Discman shaped, with a small, clear panel set with several coloured buttons. Placing a stack of clothes in front of it, she pressed a large green button, moving off the bed as it slowly began too assimilate the clothes into data.

On the sly, Loki began chewing on a strand of hair dangling over the teens shoulder, as she ambled around the small room, checking too make sure that she hadn’t forgotten anything. Mentally, she ran over a checklist of everything that had been packed. ‘Lets see- food in one item ball, some in my pack, same with my clothes- I still have some more too go though- my presents all in one ball, along with pokèmon training books, those pokèmon enhancers dad got me, and other stuff I bought, and I have two spare balls.’ Nodding too herself, Reana opened the top drawer of her bedside table, revealing an odd collection of pokèball’s.

After thinking for a moment, she minimized five of them, and attached the balls too her belt. The rest she put in a special compartment of her backpack, which she then zipped shut firmly. Reana pawed through her pack for a moment, absently flicking one of Loki’s ears as he began too yank on her hair, checking that she had everything. Satisfied, she turned around, and was startled by the loud beep of the item ball, announcing that it was finished. Quickly bring up a list on the clear panel, Reana reviewed the items, before nodding too herself, and quickly locking the ball. When that was accomplished she stored it at the bottom of her backpack, wrapping a spare t-shirt around it.

Receiving an innocent look from Loki as she glared at him, Reana looked out of her window for a moment, surveying the gentle rise of the buildings of the city, broken up by small parks and trees along the street sides. For off too the northeast she could glimpse the tall, multi-storied Goldenrod Mall, which she had happily explored with her parents. A faint tinge of sadness echoed through her thoughts, as Reana realised that she might not see them for quite some time, once she had begun her journey.

Sighing too herself, she checked over her bag one last time. Everything was ready for her departure tomorrow, and her pokègear and pokènav gleamed on her bedside table. Once again startled from her thoughts, the emerald eyed teen let out a commingled scream of pain and frustration, as her Absol sunk sharp baby teeth into the finger that had been petting him. But before she could retaliate, the small feline had scurried out of her arms and her bedroom, cackling madly. Her eye twitching, the teen shot off in pursuit, an enlarged blue pokèball in one hand.

“That’s it Loki, your- no, don’t smash that- dammnit you stupid mongrel, I swear your mother was a rabid beast, and your father a disease ridden camel!”

Review if you like, but I’d love too hear what you guys think of this story! Any constructive criticisim is welcome- though, do you think I use too many ‘commas’? I’m not sure, so please RR postamble();