Starting With Nothing [LAB/MOD]

[Deleted]

Status: Determined

So the time has come.

After a long boat ride and a painful goodbye to his mother, Nate has finally managed to leave his home on Mt. Pyre with nothing but the clothes on his back, and a burning passion for a fresh start. The Hoenn Region would be left behind and only sit in his memories from here on out. Would he ever return to that fateful place? Maybe one day. When his mission of strength and hope has ended, when a solid team of trusted Pokemon has been built, and when he is crowned Champion of this region, only then will he have perhaps accomplished what he needed to in order to leave an imprint on the world he sees can be crafted. But for now, he has....well, nothing. He was very far from any sort of foundation for what he had dreams of becoming. He has yet to manage much of anything except getting on an uncomfortable boat.

"I can do this. I have to do this." He had to keep telling himself this. His team of Pokemon, whomever it may be that joins his cause, would grow to be as strong and as mighty as his dad was before he had passed. He wanted his fire to burn brightly into his team like his dad burned into him. If they could feed off of his passion, they would be the perfect team. Anyone who would try and extinguish that spark, would quickly realize that such a task will not be so easy, and may get burned in the process. "Man, starting this journey without a Pokemon in the beginning would be super tough. I wonder if this town has anyone that could help point me in the right direction to start my team." After getting a goodnight's rest upon docking at a small town known as Greenberry, Nate was itching to get moving on his adventure.

"There must be some-....there!" He looks around frantically and full of excitement and an undying eagerness for a place of resource to be a guide for Nate to be on his proper path, and he sees a building that stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of the structures in the town. He rushes over to the entrance and looks at a sign just outside the building reading its contents. "A...lab? Ha! It's a Pokemon Lab! I hear these places try to help new trainers all the time. Is it unlocked?" He tries to open the door and it easily swings open. He steps in to a spacious lab full of wall to wall machinery and odds and ends he has never seen before. It was a technological paradise. He looks around curiously with the same drive and energy he had entering the town and asks for someone. "Hello? Can anyone assist a traveler looking to start his exciting new Pokemon doting life?" Immediately he knew someone had to be around. It looked well occupied and used in terms of space. He hoped his regalia he was harrowing was not going to scare them. It was only sentimental after all. And he was unaware if anyone in this region even knew anything of Team Magma.

[Mod Kris]

@natefyre

A stranger's voice called from the front room of the labs, and it was answered by a drawled out, "Shoooooos...?"

Not too far away from the stranger was a Gumshoos, staring patiently at said stranger. In fact, the Gumshoos barely moved, save for the tiniest nod as if the Pokemon was giving the stranger a quick once-over. It was probably curious as to the stranger's appearance, both in the lab and perhaps the stranger's attire.

...Or the Gumshoos could be nodding off for a midmorning nap. That was entirely plausible.

Nevertheless, either the stranger's call or the Gumshoos's response to the stranger's call seemed to have summoned Professor Cypress from the back room.

She had peaked her head out due to the noise and one of her eyebrows raised at seeing someone unfamiliar in the lab's front room. And in a rather bright outfit, at that.

The outfit seemed older than the person wearing it, if the professor could gauge such a thing. If he intended to cause trouble -- for she believed that's what the outfit used to symbolize years ago in another region if she recalled the news from that time -- then it would be odd of him to ask for assistance.

"Good morning," she greeted, coming further into the front room. "I'm Professor Nia Cypress. What can I help you with?"

[Deleted]

Status: Intrigued

It appeared that Nate's presence in the lab attracted a Pokemon, who curiously gave him a once over and it seemed to have alerted another in the room; a person that seemed to be wearing the attire of a professor, so they must own this lab, or at least work here. Nate made it automatically clear that though he wore some interesting clothing, he meant no harm. "Hello, are you the owner of this laboratory?" Nate rubs his arm and shyly introduces himself. "I'm Nate. I'm new at this Pokemon Trainer thing. I hear we go to these kinds of places first to start us off? Not sure if I need to quality for something or..." Nate was not feigning sheepishness, he was a broken young man and this was the only place he knew to come to help see his vision through. To build his strength enough and a team strong enough to one day become a Pokemon Champion. He was haunted by his father's death and why he chose a life of crime. The garments he dawned were a painful memory to remind him to never end up that way. And use the regalia to spread a new message, unite new trainers with him to bring a team of hope and light to this region. To stop other criminals and thieves and protect those that need it.

"Don't mind my look, it's...sentimental. Soon it will have a new message. A good one. Or, at least that's my hope." Nate looks at himself from top to bottom and dusts off some of his attire. "These clothes belonged to my dad. And it was a life he was forced into. I need to build a Pokemon team and take the Gym Challenge to help build a better world. One that's positive, one where others can look up to me." He said these words trying not to choke up. "But right now, I'm kind of a nothing. Usually I'm one to make jokes and all that even in these situations, but, I'm kind of recently missing home a bit. Trying for a fresh start. Still a bit down on myself, but the sooner I can get started on my journey here the better." He was as honest as he could ever be, he only hoped she would believe him.

"So...whatdya say? Think I'm worth giving the nod to?" He didn't know how many people wanting to be trainers came into the lab asking for Pokemon, or if the Professor even denied people that right. He wasn't sure how any of this worked or how harsh of a judge, if any, the Professor was. Or if she even could say no to those seeking a Pokemon. Maybe there was special laws or something on this region for Trainers that Nate has yet to understand. He will surely find out her decision that is for sure.


Worst case scenario, he obtains some Poke' Balls and tries his luck in the nearby wild for his first Pokemon. He always got along with wild Pokemon, especially the ones on Mt. Pyre, he became fast friends with the Shuppets there and they always played with him. But who knows how they would react to him in this region. He was on unknown territory, and he was scared. Nobody for support, no friends or family, but he had to do this, he had to start fresh and try, or else he would never believe himself to be strong.

[Mod Kris]

@natefyre

"The head of Greenberry Labs, yes," Professor Cypress confirmed when the young man began to turn shy and ask about where to go to get started on a Pokemon journey.

She smiled and said, "It's wonderful to meet you, Nate. You've come to the right place to get set up. What we do is put you in our PC storage system so the seventh Pokemon that you catch and beyond will be instantly transported here under our care until you request to switch Pokemon out."

Nate confessed that he was feeling a little homesick and was taking on this adventure as a fresh start for his life and, apparently, his father's legacy.

While the professor hoped his father's legacy didn't include any criminal activity -- or, rather, criminal activity that he condoned -- the outfit still made her pause mainly because of how much it stood out.

"Considering the organization that used the outfit has been gone for some time," the professor said, "and was never prominent here in Ascua, I don't believe you'll have any issues regarding your attire around these parts. You may earn the odd look here or there as it is a little bright, but I don't believe you'll have any other trouble."

At least, Professor Cypress hoped not.

"You absolutely sound like someone we would be happy to give a starter Pokemon to," she said. With a quick, "Gumshoos, wake up and watch the door," earning her an affirmative, "Gum," which sounded an awful lot like a teenager's, "Yeah, yeah, sure," Professor Cypress motioned for Nate to follow her to the next room.

A few computers were set up, and the professor sat down with Nate at one to be sure he was connected to the PC storage system. She also gave him a package that had a few starting supplies -- five pokeballs, two potions, and two antidotes.

"You'll be meeting a lot of people throughout your journey," Professor Cypress said. "People who will cheer you on, be supportive, and others who may view you as a rival in the bid to reach the Pokemon League's Hall of Fame. Throughout it all, your best partner will most likely be your starter Pokemon. Treat it well and it will protect and treat you just as well in return.

"At this moment, I have three Pokemon available for starting trainers," she continued. "A Phanpy, a Sentret, and a Ralts, all having been bred from the ranches on Gaia Island. Do you have a preference, or shall I pick the one I believe would be best for you based on our meeting today--"

There was a crash in the front room, a startled shout of, "Shoos!" and Professor Cypress immediately went to investigate. There was Gumshoos staring down at a little Shuppet, who appeared to have phased through the wall and ended up colliding with a couple of piles of books. It bobbed up and down in front of Gumshoos, looking wary and confused until it spotted Nate.

"Hold on, Gumshoos," Professor Cypress said. To Nate, she asked, "Do you know this Pokemon? The Shuppet seems familiar with you."

[Deleted]

Status: Surprised

Nate was happy to hear his attire would be no issue. He wanted to have it on to honor his dad and spread a new positive message in this interesting new region to him. He would ensure it was a message others would happily follow and feel good about. Once the introductions were out of the way, Nate excitedly let the Professor explain his first steps for his big journey.

He listened intently while the Professor went on to lay out the PC ideology and what she could give him to kick off his adventure. She also added information about what "Starter" Pokemon she had available to him to gift. Three solid choices as Nate only briefly knew of the options provided to him, mostly the Ralts whom he remembered seeing within his region a few rare times. The other two he only knew of from hearing about their breeds and from watching a trainer or two utilize them in a battle or task around his home land. He had quite the tough decision to make - all of them sounded like capable choices and all bred on this island with care.

However before Nate could make his choice properly, and was lost in his thoughts with a curious hand to his chin, a bustling was heard within the lab. Professor Cypress and her Gumshoos were instantly alerted and turned their attention to its source. It was...a Shuppet? And not just any Shuppet, apparently one that had a weird fascination with Nate. When the Professor asked if Nate was familiar with it he was unsure what to say.

He walked over to it and knelt down beside it where it began to almost perk up and fill with joy. His presence seemed to ignite something within it. He looked deeply into its eyes and after a few moments his gaze widened. He nearly shed some tears at its sight. "No...it cannot be...Shadow? Is that you?" At this question, the Shuppet threw itself into Nate's arms and nuzzled him. Nate gladly obliged and gave it a long embrace. He warmly wrapped his neck around its head and slowly pet it. He looked up at the Professor while still sharing this moment with it and smiled. "Professor Cypress. This is Shadow the Shuppet. A Pokemon from my home on Mt. Pyre that seemed to have somehow followed me here from the boat. This sneaky little fellow was a young Shuppet I helped take care of and raise with its family that had a nest near my cottage at the bottom of the mountain. It always liked to follow me around whenever I explored the area. It's family always seemed to be too busy to pay much attention to it. But why...why follow me?" Nate released his hug from the Pokemon and studied its eyes a bit more. It responded with a worried murmur. "Shupp...Shupp." Nate was moved by its response.

"I see. How...very kind and selfless of you little one." Nate throws a comment to the Professor regarding its reaction. "Professor, it seems as if this little guy wants to come with me on my journey. It was worried about me going off alone. So I guess it tagged along to ensure I was safe and supported. I really am at a loss of its loyalty." He takes a moment to think about what to do next and goes on with his thoughts. "Don't you miss your family?" He asks the Shuppet as it simply nuzzles Nate again in response still wanting to be by his side. Nate comments to Professor Cypress again. "Well Professor? What do you reckon I do next? I imagine it likely will take the place of the Pokemon you planned to give me if it wants to come along. It followed me all this way...so I think its decision is made." Nate pets Shadow again and grins wide. Perhaps giving into its desires and putting it in a Poke' Ball may be the next move. He waits for the Professor to confirm this.

[Mod Kris]

@natefyre

The Gumshoos seemed to snort and possibly scold the Shuppet under its breath as it began to right the books that had been knocked over. It didn't seem to care that Nate and the Shuppet were having a meaningful reunion. Professor Cypress, on the other hand, was looking thoughtful at this turn of events and remained patient until Nate turned to her to give an explanation.

It wasn't unheard of for a wild Pokemon to be impressed enough with a trainer to wish to go with said trainer. After all, most wild Pokemon could be considered jealous of trainer-raised Pokemon, envious of the care, love, and thrill of battles that trainer-raised Pokemon received.

"Well, it has a name and everything," the professor said with a smile. "If you're certain it has no trainer already, then this is a decision between itself and you.

"I will say you are correct in that I will not give you a starter Pokemon," she confirmed, "as that hardly seems fair. You understand I'm sure."

She nodded towards the starting packet of supplies that she had already handed him. "You've pokeballs in there. If the Shuppet truly wants to go with you, I suggest you catch it to make it official."

If this was the effect Nate had on the wild Pokemon in his hometown, then Professor Cypress was certain he'd do just fine on his journey.

[Deleted]

Status: Determined

It was settled then. If this Shuppet was attached to Nate enough to follow him to a completely different region, then it must want to be his Pokemon. He nodded at the Professor, then at the Shuppet. "Very well." Out of his supplies given to him by Professor Cypress, Nate rummages through them and takes out a Poke' Ball. With a tap of his finger the device enlarges to a decently sized spherical shape and he takes a moment to feel it in his hands, sinking in the rush of obtaining his first Pokemon and relishing in his mind that he will have many more moments like this and many other Pokemon to catch. He stands focused and filled with adrenaline looking down at Shadow, and with a smirk and a gleam in his eyes, he tosses the Poke' Ball at the Pokemon.

Shadow closes his eyes as the ball tosses towards him and keeps a frozen grin on its face. He doesn't move, he doesn't hesitate, he lets the device absorb it. A red beam of light fires out of the Poke' Ball and consumes Shuppet sucking him inside of it. The ball clicks to the ground afterwards and begins to wobble here and there, after a few shakes and a couple flickering lights, the ball makes a noise and stops moving. Nate takes a breath as if he had just got through an intense encounter and exhales deeply. He bends down to pick up the Poke' Ball and tosses it right back into the air. "Go, Shadow!" The Shuppet appears from it and instantly dances around Nate with a happy jaunt. 

Nate gives a short chuckle and kneels down to pet it again. It was his first Pokemon, and he was truly excited that it was one he could really trust and count on. And one that had alot of love for him at the get go. He stands back up after enjoying some more time with Shadow and properly thanks the Professor. "Well Professor Cypress, I can't thank you enough for helping me understand the world of Pokemon more, and for helping me get started on the journey here. I am very ready to raise a team with care and help them grow to be as strong as my dad was. And I'll do him proud by not giving up to be the best I can be. Not sure what the future holds and what other Pokemon I'll meet along the way, but I am hopeful that I'll have a solid team soon enough." Nate looks down at his Shuppet with visions of great things in his eyes and his mind racing to a bright future. Shadow looks up at his Trainer equally excited and elated to be by his side through it all, and the two then both look at Professor Cypress as if already in sync with each other's thoughts and say their goodbyes.

"I hope to see you around Professor, and hopefully next time have an unbeatable team and a better idea of what I want to do with my life so you can be the first to know and be thanked for helping me start my new chapter today. Keep up the good work huh? I'm sure I'll see you soon." Nate waves goodbye and the Shuppet gives a brief bow, they both then begin leaving the lab matching each other's movements and entering the great unknown.