‘’Now, now everyone, silence… silence! I know you are all excited, I know I was at your age, but I can’t be distributing your long-awaited first pokeball if it is not orderly.’’

Mr. John, our homeroom teacher exclaimed to the class. He wore his usual blue jeans, complemented by his white blouse and belt. Two pokeballs hung from it. One containing his first partner and the ever-popular Shinx who usually roamed the room during class and distracted my friend from their work. The second was a grumpy Surskit who disliked being dried. Mr. John likes to joke that Surskit only likes him because of how sweaty he is. The joke is frequently accompanied by a soak not long after.

‘’As you have learned over the past few months, pokeball allows you to capture Pokemon. Now that you have the chance to catch one, you need to make sure you choose your first Pokemon well. Remember to spend time with your friend first before catching him. Nobody wants a grumpy Aron who doesn't listen to you when you say not to eat your chair. Speaking of eating, you should also make sure you can feed your Pokemon.’’

Bored, I started looking around. We all knew by heart what he was saying. My friends sitting beside me where all restless and Ari was squirming on his chair with how excited he was. It is a wonder that he hasn’t fallen off it already. I could see the leg scraping the floor. The noise it makes is annoying and hurt my ears.

Shin!

And it seems that I wasn’t the only one either.

‘’... And it seems that you all can’t contain your Vigoroth. Please stand up and make a line towards my desk. I will be distributing the long awaited pokeballs.’’

The announcement was celebrated by loud cheers. Ari practically jumps from his chair to be the first to get a pokeball. With all the loud noise going around, I wasn’t pressed to stand quickly. Even if I didn’t show it, I could barely wait for myself. I haven't found a Pokemon to bond with yet, but with the capacity to catch my very own Pokemon I will double my previous effort.

‘’ Do you know which Pokemon you want Alice ‘’

Sven voices came from behind. I turned and stared at him for a few seconds while I thought of an answer.

I didn’t really know which Pokemon I actually wanted. Near Jubilife there weren't that many species near the safety of the roads. Amongst the Bidoof infesting the wood, Budew and Shinx were the most appealing. While they weren't rare, I already saw plenty of both. Shinx are aggressive and liked to keep in groups. I didn’t want to stumble on a small pack hunting. Budew, while more peaceful, was known to poison people. My dad even got stung once. He was sent to the poke centre for an entire weekend to recover. I don’t want to get stung.

There also have been sightings of Ralts and Seedot so if I’m lucky I might be able to get a rare Pokemon.

‘’Well, I’m not sure yet. I am thinking of going for a Budew… maybe if I am lucky I will be able to find a Ralts.’’

‘’Ralts… they’re pretty rare, right?’’

I nodded

‘’ We can go hunting for our Pokemon together then.’’

Sven is a good friend. If I remember right, he is going for a Starly. He always found flying type fascinating. He is always talking about them. He even showed me some rare ones in the pokedex.

‘’You still want a Flying team? going for Starly?’’

‘’Yep.’’

He answered with a small grin on his face.

‘’How many badges will you be trying for at the circuit?’’

‘’humm… well, I will try to at least get one, maybe two. Apparently with what is going on with the terrorist this year they will increase the difficulty.’’

Terroriste? Oh right, I think I remember. The news keeps talking about them constantly. Team galactic if I remember right. They attacked valley windworks and even caused a power outage in the nearby cities. Tho the news at this point is a month old. They are clashing against the league every day apparently. Well, I don’t particularly care unless the world is ending.

‘’Will you do the circuit? Travel with me or someone else?’’

His questions stopped my previous train of thought. They are not new, everyone is asking it to everyone else, but I’m still not sure if I want to participate. I’ve tried battling in the turn-based simulator on my console at home and it doesn’t really appeal to me. I kinda just want to live my life with a friend. Not much more. Maybe I should just try it anyway to experience the adventure. The once-in-a-lifetime experience everyone does in their life.

‘’I don’t really know. Maybe once I have my Pokemon… I will?’’

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‘’Waiting is a great idea, Alice.’’

Mr. John speaks from behind me. I turn to face him. He looked directly into my eyes, sporting a gentle smile.

‘’ At your age, all I wanted was to be like my idols, to be the very best and all. I went on my journey… and never left Jubilife. Too nervous to actually take the Bagon leap. I ended up battling trainers like me for a few months before stopping altogether. The rest is history and I'm now a teacher. So take your time to decide what you wish to do. There is no wrong answer.’’

His speech comforts me. To be reminded that I have options in the end. It's comforting.

‘’Thank you, Mr. John.’’

‘’No problem Alice. Here both of you, you're the last ones, your very own pokeball. Have fun caching your first partner.’’

With those words Mr. John left back to his desk to finish his work for the day. We had officially finished classes for the year. Sven was already making his way outside. The new weight in my hand, presented the next step of my life.

I left school.

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Walking back home alone, as usual, I looked around to pass the time while my leg took me there. Mount Coronet acting as a constant ever imposing background when I could see it peeking behind the buildings.

People walk accompanied by their Pokemon. A street performers played the drum with their Ambipom while a Monferno danced to the beat. A small audience of humans and Pokemon look on the cheerful trio. It even seems like a chore of Kricketot and a Kricketune joining to make a merry melody. I decided to slow down to enjoy the atmosphere and music. It soothed my ears for the little time it lasted.

After my impromptu stop, I arrived home to my parents watching the news again. If it weren't for them and their constant worry, I wouldn’t know a thing about team Galactic.

‘’Hello, my little Buneary. How was school?’’

‘’It went well. Even got my first Pokeball because it is the last day.’’

‘’oh! Already? Congrats, Alice! Do you want to celebrate somewhere, go do something?’’

I like my mom. She can be a bit forgetful sometimes, but she never misses the opportunity to support and help me. She can be a bit overbearing at times, as all parents are. Recently, though… her issues recently are a bit worse. She seems stressed over something. Her hair is growing more dishevelled by the day and she smiles a bit too much to be normal. I know the source of her worry… probably… it is not hard to see her clued to the TV and the Pelipper news network. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn’t trying to hide it. It was even worse when her worry also spreads to my dad too.

He wasn’t an avid watcher of TV a few months ago. He likes spending time with me and prefers being out of the house with us or his friends for his circuit days. Recently, even with his temperament growing more like a momma Kangaskhan, he weirdly tells me to spend more time outside when he is occupied. Not that I have a problem with that. The silence of nature and the need to search for my Pokemon will make those break in between the gloom enjoyable.

‘’No, not really. Last class was loud, I prefer the calm of my room.’’

‘’OK then. Love you’’

‘’Love you too Mom’’

They turned back towards the TV and I made my leg move towards the kitchen. When I walked back home, I’ve gained a small hunger. The Munchlax in me craved a nice grilled cheese sandwich. While there I said hello to gear, our family’s Bronzor. You could probably find at least twenty other gear’s out there in Jubilife, the name wasn’t very original after all. How my dad found one is still a mystery he refuses to tell. According to my mom who did hear it, it wasn’t a great tell nor was it funny, he just came across one by accident. I am pretty sure she lied when she told me that. Her smile was too all-knowing and smug for that to be truthful. Maybe it is one of those things you'll know when you're older.

‘’...Team Galactic has been seen to mobilize in mass towards mount coronet! They seem to be bringing a large amount of reported stolen goods from the past few months of increase crime activities!’’

Noise from the TV caught my attention. With Team Galactic fresh in my mind from earlier today. The mention of the criminal syndicate took the attention from my sensitive ears. With the grilled cheese in the pan while the cheese melted, I peek my head from the chicken into the living room. My eyes trail on my parents face. Confusion is apparent from their wide eye faces as they look at each other. They increase the sound of the TV to hear better.

‘’...This is unprecedented in all of our history! We have never seen this much mobilization of criminals in any country! Is team Galactic bigger than the league thought! We are trying to reach them for urgent commentary!’’

Long distance images of grunts and their Pokemon speeding at great speed on roads and highways with even more of them just flying or riding their Pokemon. You could see Ace trainer tailing them in an attempt to catch some of the criminals. They didn’t seem very successful.

‘’One of our reporter was able to get in contact with officials in the league for an interview!’’

The previous images were cut in a moment to be replaced by a shaky camera looking straight on the sweaty face of the league official. Wearing casual clothing the men were clearly as surprised by the increased activity of the team then the rest of the population. Even before the camera completely settle from its movement, the men with quick tressed breath.

‘’Sinnoh is in a state of emergency! Most if not all able body trainers are called to report to your local poke centre! The League needs your help in this unprecedented event against national security!’’

The screaming man's voice echoed from the TV speaker louder than a flock of angry Starly. Anxiety started pooling, my chest constricted from the sudden stress. He continued uninterrupted.

‘’Champion Cynthia and all gym leaders are already mobilizing to stop their plan! But we will need help from everyone capable of helping so all trainers need to mobilize to the nearest poke centre!’’

We were all shocked.

Nobody expected this to happen.

Where did everything go wrong?

…

Silence hung heavy in the air.

My parents finally gathered their wits and prepared for action. More accurately they talked of their next step with each other, still unaware of my presence behind them.

‘’ What should we do? Do we go to the centre?’’

With a shaky voice, my mom was the first to speak. It seems that all the stress and recent paranoia was founded in reality. We were in danger… maybe. Team Galactic current action, while chaotic and dangerous, didn’t seem to actually be a danger to the general population. Yet the league thought otherwise. My father spoke next.

‘’I … I think we should go, yes. I will go tell Alice.’’

He turned in my direction before stopping as he faced me. An action followed by my mother not long after.

‘’Have you heard the news, just now?’’

I nodded.

‘’OK, good, we…’’

He fell in heavy thought while he figured his next action. It was my mom who found a plan first.

‘’OK! Alice! I want you to go gather your things. Take your new pokeball, a few books that you like and… some food just in case. Stuff them in your backpack and wait for us to return. We will get our Pokemon and go to the centre as the men from the league said. Go!’’

A quick nod and we were all in action. The plan from my mom grounded me from my panic as I collected everything that I judged necessary. I was back in the kitchen when my parents left, collecting berries and canned goods. In my haste I also collected my grilled cheese to eat later when things would calm down.

A few minutes later, I was outside with a full backpack sitting on the steps of our apartment. I always enjoyed the sight from here. The usual golden glow of the setting sun behind mount Coronet, a comforting image of peace and tranquility, was today distorted and stress inducing. My imagination running wild with what the Galactic peoples are searching on its peak or deep in its cavern.

In my Haze, I saw the mountain explode…

In my Surprise, I saw the mountain disappear…

In my Pain, as the LOUDEST noise I have ever heard shattered my eardrum…

In my Terror, we were consumed by an expanding void…

…

‘’I’m I dead?’’

…

‘’why is it so dark in here?’’

…

‘’Mom? Dad? Hello?''

…

‘’anyone here?’’

…

I don’t know how long I was there… in the void… alone. Floating on an invisible ocean. Crushed by a pressure that didn’t exist. As the very world devoured my flesh.

I could only scream.

I didn’t hear my voice.

Please help me!

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No… This won’t do…

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

In a flash that lasted but the time for me to close my eyes.

I was out of the void.

Surrounded by trees.