Forum Legend

[sandragon13]

Welcome, reader, to my story. This is a project that I have been working on for the past two and a half years. It has finally reached the point, I believe, that I can share it with a viewing audience. Writing is my passion, and this is probably one of the best, and definitely the longest, story I've ever written.

This first chapter is the only one in the story that is written in first-person, and the only one that applies to only one character. If you don't like this style, please come back when the second chapter is posted, just to give it another chance.

Comments and criticism are greatly appreciated, anything you can offer for this story, I'd love to hear.

So now, I welcome you, dear reader, to the first chapter of...



Chapter 1: Meetings and Mysteries

The first reaction as the loud buzzing voice wakes me from a particularly comfortable night’s sleep is that the Ninjask are swarming again. Turning over it becomes clear that the alarm clock, registering 9:00 in red digital numbers, has completed its task, droning at a seemingly inhuman volume for the early hour. The raspy voice through the worn speaker reports typical summer temperatures: mid-to-high 90’s, low humidity; a long, hot, normal summer day in Lavaridge Town.
With great effort I attempt to rouse my still-sleeping arm, cold and powerless next to me. Finally I muster the strength to draw the lifeless limb upwards, fighting the pins and needles that rack my skin. Deactivating the alarm, I sit up and stretch the stiffness from my arms and shoulders. Looking down towards the foot of the bed, I can see Mystic shift her paws and open her brown eyes, blinking sleepily at me. She knows it’s Saturday, she also knows what time to get up on the weekend. Gazing into her auburn eyes, I can sense an intelligence beyond that of a house pet, beyond that even of some people. She knows that something is amiss today, something unusual and fresh. The playful sparkle returns to her eyes, as if reassuring me of my slight nervousness.
My name is Ashley. I live in Lavaridge Town, on the slopes of Mt. Chimney, in the Hoenn region. I’m 15 years old, living with my parents in a residential area a few blocks from the Gym. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I have Mystic. She’s a Vulpix, my partner since I adopted her from a breeder who visited the Gym when I was 12. Mystic and I are apprentices under Flannery, the Lavaridge Gym Leader. Flannery’s so cool, the way she handles Fire Pokemon with intense, but temperate, training. Sometimes she lets us fight Gym challengers if she’s skeptical of their ability.
Putting my feet on the cool wooden floor, I take a look around my room…I try to take in all of the memories, the friends, the people I have met and Pokemon I have seen. On the pallid walls hang some of my medals, awards for various athletic achievements from Lavaridge Middle School. Soccer, track…I guess I’m an OK athlete. I love playing soccer with Mystic in the meadow down near the Jagged Pass, to the East of town. It teaches both of us to stay on our toes, to never get caught flat-footed, and use speed to our advantage. Today, however, my walls and closet are rather bare, many of my possessions packed away in trunks and bags and piled downstairs.
I get dressed, and look at my reflection in the mirror on the closet door. First a black short-sleeve teeshirt, then my favorite shirt, the red one with the collar. My shorts are gray, with a black belt. For footwear, I don my boots, brown, slightly worn, and comfortable. All of my clothes and other things are packed, stored in the luggage sitting by the front door. On my nightstand, I pick up the envelope, torn open along the top, and slide it into my pocket. I sling my bag, simple and red with a black drawstring, over my shoulder, and, Mystic at my side, I head downstairs.
My parents are both already at work on the other side of town. There’s some leftover pancakes on a plate on the kitchen table, alongside a handwritten note. I recognize my mom’s penmanship, flowing and rushed. I drizzle syrup onto the pancakes, put some Pokechow into Mystic’s bowl, and pick up the letter. I’ll read it later, I say to myself, as I fold it and put it in my bag. Hastily my partner and I eat our breakfasts, we can’t be late for the train out of Mauville City. We still have a bike ride to get to Mauville, since the rail line doesn’t reach this far north. The message, folded in my pocket, said that in Mauville, I’m to meet up with four other trainers at the MagLev station. The letter also said that all luggage would be accounted for, letting me ride my bike to Mauville City instead of needing a ride. All it required was that luggage was to be left outside.
Glancing at the Meowth clock on the wall, I realize that I’m running late. “Hurry up, Mystic, we’ve got to get going!”
“Vul! Pix!” came the reply, as she finished the last bits of Pokechow in her bowl.
“Alright, Mystic, return,” I stated, holding out the fox Pokemon’s ball. The Vulpix disappeared in a flash of red light, drawn inside the red-and-white sphere. I clipped the ball to my belt, re-slung my bag over my shoulder, and turned to look, one last time, at the dwelling that had been my home for all of my 15 years. A slight sigh escaped my lips, as I turned and opened the door. Dragging my bags of clothes over the threshold, I piled them against the plaster wall outside the door. I unchained my bike from the side of the garage and wheeled it to the front of the house. Again I turned, and, with one last glance at my home, climbed onto my bike and began pedaling downhill, towards the pass that connected Mt. Chimney and the surrounding mountains with the bustling Mauville metropolis.
As if on cue, as Ashley rode down the hill towards the main road, a man arrived at her house. He appeared in a flash of light, accompanied by a Kadabra. The man, wearing a long coat despite the sunny weather and summer heat, reached into an inner pocket and drew out a pair of pokeballs. Releasing them, two Abra materialized before him. The sleepy psi pokemon each took a seat atop a large trunk, the trainer's belongings. The man and his Kadabra each laid a hand on the last remaining trunk, each resting his other hand on the other’s shoulder. The quartet closed their eyes, and in a silvery flash, all of them; Pokemon, man, and luggage, were gone.

-sandragon13

[sandragon13]

Got it.

Here's chapter 2, if anyone's interested.

Chapter 2: Mauville Madness

The MagLev train terminal in Mauville City, like the city itself, is a bustling hub of activity, especially now, in the late morning. People and Pokemon of all sizes and descriptions can be found here, transferring from one terminal to another, to destinations on all ends of Hoenn. The unmistakable shape of the building, three hemispherical domes arranged in a triangle, gives it the appearance of a Magneton from above. The building has a very modern appearance, gleaming chrome handrails and plate-glass windows pouring in the rising sunlight. Evelyn had been here before, of course, because she had been born here in Mauville. She loved the energy of the place, how you could almost feel the electricity in the air. The 15-year-old reached up and readjusted her bandanna, took another look around the busy terminal. It had only taken her a few minutes to catch a cross-town bus to get here, she thought, where could those trainers be? Pulling the letter out of her pocket, she double-checked the location it listed.
“Yep, right here,” she said to herself, “right in front of the Raichu statue.”
Turning around, she gazed at the larger-than-life mouse Pokemon, carved of some yellowish stone in a dramatic pose. Immediately to the left of the statue, in a reflective chrome panel on the wall, she saw a tall figure dressed in a blue shirt and gray pants slow, turn, and begin to walk toward her.
The young man strode toward her on long legs, cautiously at first, as if reconsidering his action.
“ ‘Morning. My name’s Del…is this the meeting place for the Acadamy?” He held out a large hand confidently.
Evelyn replied, somewhat warily, “Yeah, this is it. I’m Evelyn, by the way.”
She held out her hand, considerably smaller than his. He took it and delivered a firm, but not painful, handshake. Both trainers took a seat on the bench beside the statue. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the crowds of people ebb through the station.
“So,” Del said, breaking the awkward silence, “where are you from?"
Evelyn sighed. “I’m from right outside of Mauville, in the plains between here and Verdanturf. How about you?”
“Rustburo City’s where I was born,” Del replied, “but I spend a lot of time up in the mountains between there and Fallarbor.” He looked at Evelyn, a kindness in his eyes. “I guess you could call me the outdoorsy type.”
Evelyn smiled, and looked back toward the crowd. Del turned and looked out toward one of the large windows across the wide hall. Evelyn turned her gaze back towards Del, and got her first real good look at him. He was tall, and stocky, with long legs and large hands. He wore his gray hair in a gentle wave, complementing the color of his pants. He wore a blue short-sleeve shirt, the collar of which had a white insignia on it. A single pokeball was clipped to his belt. Under the glare of the lights above, Evelyn could see the scratches and chips in the red paint. Outdoorsy type indeed, she thought, but at least he’s a trainer. She looked out the window, past the city, to the plains beyond. That was her home, a small farm where she lived and worked with her family. They raised all types of Pokemon there, along with several varieties of fruits and vegetables. She had helped raise a small herd of Mareep there, including her partner Rie. Her family would surely miss her help during the apple harvest in the fall, she thought to herself.
Amy’s gold eyes shot rapidly around the sunny terminal, trying to find the Raichu statue. Again she unfolded the station map, tracing her route from the Northeast Terminal, where she had arrived, through the central atrium, along corridor “B”, to where she stood, outside a pair of restrooms. I’m close, she thought, so very close. A flash of silver on the far side of the room caught her attention. Glancing over, she saw what she had been searching for: the stone Raichu statue. Beside it, two people, a guy and a girl, were talking to each other. Both wore blue shirts, of different shades. The female trainer’s shirt had navy stripes, and she wore khaki pants. An azure bandanna was draped over her blonde hair. The young man was tall with gray hair, a dark blue shirt, and gray pants. This must be the place, Amy thought. She walked over towards the statue.
“Hi, is this the meeting place?”
“Yep,” said the male trainer. “The name’s Del.” He held out a hand, and shook hers.
“I’m Evelyn,” said the bandanna-bedecked girl, with a kind smile.
“My name’s Amy, nice to meet you both. How long have you been waiting?”
Evelyn sighed, and replied, “I’ve been here an hour, but Del got here maybe 20 minutes ago.”
“And we’re still waiting on two others?”
“That’s what the letter said,” yawned Del, stretching his arms.
Amy reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water. Taking a sip, she looked at her companions. Nice enough people, she thought to herself, hoping they thought the same of her.
The three trainers sat on the bench and chatted, awaiting their two missing companions’ arrivals.
“Are you all going to the Academy?”
The three teens turned, and standing before them was a girl with dark red hair, a red shirt, gray shorts, and long brown boots. Amy was the first to respond.
“Yep, that’s us. My name’s Amy.”
Del and Evelyn similarly gave their names. The red-shirted girl introduced herself as Ashley, from Lavaridge Town.
Evelyn said, “I wonder when the last trainer will show up?”
As if heeding her question, one of the spotlights that illuminated the statue inexplicably went out. Everyone looked up at the extinguished bulb, and as their gaze fell back towards the floor, a black-clad figure stepped out of the darkness…
-sandragon13

[sandragon13]

Chapter 3, here we go.

Chapter 3: Terminal Velocity

The shadows that shrouded the figure approaching them seemed to begin to peel away as it stepped closer to the light. His head was bowed, showing a mass of unruly brown hair. He was wearing a black leather jacket of some sort, over a red shirt. Silver headphones sat around his neck, the cord snaking its way down into his pocket. A pair of gray cargo pants and matching shoes completed the look. Finally the young man raised his head, and the other trainers beheld his face. He’s handsome, Amy thought to herself. A strong-looking face was punctuated by his rather large, dark eyes, seeming bottomless in their murkiness. His jaw was set, his mouth a thin line. Finally he spoke, in a subdued, flowing voice: “My name’s Chester.”

The new arrival continued on, “I’m from Fallarbor Town, in the north of Hoenn. You all got letters too?”
“Yeah, we did”, said Ashley, the first to speak. “I’m Ashley,” she said, somewhat shyly.
“I’m Evelyn,” said the bandana-wearing girl, “and this is Amy, and Del.” Del looked around at this assembled group, wondering what had drawn them all here.
“We’re all here then, I guess,” he said with a stretch. The trainer stooped as he stood, a good few inches taller than Chester.
“Where do we go from here?” Amy said, reaching into her back pocket for the letter, in the same envelope that had been sent to each of the other trainers. Reading the typed print carefully, she reported to the others, “We have a train to catch.”

The five trainers strode down the modern, chrome-and-glass terminal, towards the southernmost departure point in the massive complex. Amy was tracing their path with her finger on the station map, leading them toward terminal “L”, destined for all stations in the southern portions of Mauville City, and ultimately, Slateport City. Their letters said to take this train to Slateport, where they would meet a ferry to Union Island, far off the southern coast.

Del, Amy, Evelyn, Ashley, and Chester boarded the high-speed, mag-lev train, jostling among the crowd of businessmen and families headed for Slateport’s beautiful beaches, possibly envisioning a weekend of sun and relaxation by the water. The teenage quintet found seats in the bustling car, humming quietly down the gently curving track. Chester sat quietly to one side, listening to his headphones intently. Evelyn and Ashley discussed interests, as Del and Amy talked about their families. “Growing up on a farm,” Evelyn said, looking out the window at the rapidly passing trees and low hills, “it taught me a lot about responsibility, working hard and respecting the environment.” Ashley nodded in agreement. “Yeah, my mom and I grew a vegetable garden out behind our house. A lot of people in Lavaridge do it, because the volcanic soil’s really good for growing plants...” Outside the car, a flock of Wingull soared in the warm breeze. “We must be getting close,” Del said, trying to peer over the next hill. Suddenly the train crested the rise, giving a glimpse of the ocean, sparkling a sapphire blue in the midday sun. The yellowish beach ringed the water, a wide swath of sand stretching from the water to the line of shorefront buildings. The whole of the city lay before them, a truly breathtaking sight. On the right-hand side of the harbor, the huge stone pier stretched along the beach, providing ports for large ocean liners and tankers. Amy pointed at the massive structure, “That’s where we need to go.”

After some time the train pulled into the station in the center of town, flooded with tourists and vacationers. Evelyn lead the way, being most familiar with this seaside town. The flagstone streets were packed with people and bicyclists, along with dozens of Pokemon. The glass-sided buildings around them seemed to stretch upwards for miles, as Wingull and Swellow flitted between them. To one side, a sushi shop featured a chef and his Crawdaunt filleting pieces of fish before a crowd of tourists. A juggler and his Machoke passed a trio of Voltorbs between each other in front of a gaping audience. Street vendors displayed their wares on tables, laden with shells, sand from various locales around the world, and other objects.

Through the busy streets the five trainers kept moving, southward, towards the harbor. Finally, the skyscrapers gave way to the sea, and suddenly, they were on the Waterfront, Slateport City’s famed seaside boardwalk. The boardwalk was surprisingly sparse for the time of day, but the beach beyond, however, was loaded with sunbathers. In the distance to their right, they could see the harbor, where huge oceangoing ships floated at anchor. “Let’s get going, we have to be on the ship by 2,” Del reminded the group, “and it’s after 1 o’clock already.” Chester took off his leather jacket, revealing a bright red teeshirt underneath. “It’s hot,” he remarked, moving his headphones to their position around his neck and squinted into the bright sunlight. “What am I doing here?” he thought to himself.
-sandragon13

[pierulz]

It reminds me of waiting for BT to post another chapter of EL lol. This is really good, I'm glad there's at leats one fan-ficer person writer here.

[blobbob]

i cant believe u actually read that pierulz i didnt read it but im not saying its bad but thats long post