Double Farewell

The new fully registered trainer; Cinder Lark, ran towards the gate that seperated Pallet Town from Route 1. Cinder saw his two friends, Dom and Diana who stood there waiting for him with their backpacks carried behind them.

Both of the siblings looked at Mareep in curiousity, which was following Cinder in tow from behind.

"Woah! Your Mareep looked so cute, Cinder!" Diana asked excitedly. "I didn't know electric-types could be so adorable."

Mareep looked uncomfortable under the attention, as it hid behind Cinder's legs for cover.

"Well, electric-types are practically fierce and aggressive. Its type disposition carried that prominent and notable trait since most of the pokemon possessing an electric-typing are. Although, Mareep's species is altogether one of those pokemon that carried mild nature despite the fact." Cinder was able to find this particular information in Mareep's introduction in the Pokedex as it was included.

"Which means what exactly?" Dom mutely asked, not understanding a word Cinder uttered.

Cinder sighed exasperatedly. "...which means it isn't like most of it's bredren that held the same typing."

"Oh... I understand now." Dom scratch his head as his eyes lit up in apprehension.

"What moves does your Mareep learned?" Diana asked as she was swooning all over Mareep, who was tempted to tackle or even shock the girl with it's electricity, but at the end decided not to since she meant no harm. Nevertheless, the electric-type was annoyed.

"You first." Cinder said.

"My Venus knows Growl, Tackle and Vine Whip. His egg move hasn't been unlocked unfortunately, which is Power Whip."

"Venus? You gave your pokemon a nickname?" Cinder asked. While thoughtfully glancing at Mareep, wondering if his starter also would like to have one.

"Mhm." Diana nodded. "It is so I would not confuse my Bulbasaur to other of his kind."

"That's logical" Cinder agreed with her, maybe later he should ask Mareep. He then answered her question as he filled Dom and Diana of Mareep's moves.

"That's amazing! To actually learn two egg moves, it must have good potential underneath those wool." Dom teased.

Diana also was amazed.

"You're really lucky. Though, my Nidoran is also as good." Dom said, not willing to be topped.

"Alright, we should get moving let's talk on the way." Cinder reminded. "It's around five hours till sundown, I really want to cover as much ground as possible so we could arrive at Viridian faster."

Dom and Diana grinned and nodded their assent. They wanted to get their journey underway as much as Cinder did. With that they set off down the worn dirt road of Route 1, eager to venture out to the wild.

The worn out, dirty road that led outside Route 1 left the group venturing inwards a forest that outlined the north-west boundary of Pallet Town.

The group were now officially starting their journey towards a world fraught with dangers.

...

By now, the three had already gotten their own pokemon outside their pokeball, making their starters get to know each other and hang out, they wanted their pokemon to spend some time together besides they really didn't want their pokemon feel all copped up inside the pokeball.

"Mareep, do you want a nickname?" While they were walking, Cinder asked. Mareep looked up at him questioningly. "Well, I just thought that Diana's idea is great, so I thought if you wanted one unique for yourself too."

Mareep thrilled without much of contemplating. Cinder grinned at that, he already thought of a few electric related nicknames that would suit the wool pokemon. "How about Shocker?"

"Reeeep!" Mareep shook his head with disgust at that.

Cinder understood and got rid of that one off his list immediately. "Tesla... Lectro?.. Bolt... Mareepsus... McKing... Storm?"

He suggested a few names which Mareep shook his head everytime he disliked it. The pokemon paused when Storm was mentioned, then it thrilled happily at that one.

"Storm? You like that one?" Cinder happily obliged. "Then Storm it is then."

Maree- Storm, happily accepted its nickname. It sounded powerful and amazing to the pokemon so he selected that out of all the mentioned few Cinder suggested earlier.

"I can't wait to catch other pokemon, train them, make friends and grow our team in the future. So Storm, have I ever told you about my dream to become the best pokemon trainer there is?" Cinder's eyes were blazing with fire as he spoke. "No one really had any idea what the very best means. But every trainer, ever since they started mostly had that goal."

The newly dubbed Storm nodded, signifying it was listening to it's trainer speaking. Storm agreed that he also wanted to have friends, people or pokemon alike, traveling together with them. The pokemon understood that if it was just Cinder and him, it would have been much duller, but with Dom and Diana, including their pokemon he enjoyed it because he could be able to converse with different individuals, importantly it keeps the journey more interesting. Storm was able to quickly make friends with Venus and Samael too(Dom's Nidoran, he also decided to name his pokemon after Diana's advice.).

"-Blue and especially Red, that guy has brains which Professor Oak even admitted in front of us was very brilliant. Those two are rivals, neither of them might notice me since I haven't interact with them much except the time when we were younger, but I will prove to them that we are stronger."

Right. Blue and Red, Storm remembered those two helping the kind old man on his non-harmful experiment carried out on him. Additionally, he knew both of those little helpers also were given a starter pokemon, like how he was given to Cinder, with his consent of course. Besides, Storm had a burning passion for pokemon battling, he was as mild as his species but he was more interested in battling than them that's for sure, he may not be able to express it to his trainer with verbally like how Cinder was able to, mainly because he was able to understand human language, unfortunately, not the other way around. He would train with Cinder, grow stronger and evolve to a powerful Ampharos, and when he did he would prove to everyone how mighty he is and not just some cute/adorable pokemon everyone would swoon over. However, that was for later and Cinder was still talking.

"My plan is for us to form a team, a team of impressive pokemons so that we would be able to win against every gym battle, and then together, we'll go take part in the Indigo Conference. You are already my starter, which meant that you are going to be the leader of the pokemon we will catch in the future, and that is why... We need to train. I want to help you become the strongest ever there is... Ever!"

Now that Storm could agree on. He turned towards his trainer and barked agreeably.

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

When Cinder and Storm finished their discussion they turned towards the two people and pokemon nearby, Dom, Diana, even the pokemons; Venus and Samael were clapping with the pair of siblings as they stared at both of them with awe.

"I didn't know you had it in knew, Cinder." Dom smirked teasingly.

Diana was also amazed. "To think... To think you actually wanted to compete against Blue and Red."

"What's wrong with a little motivation." Cinder brushed off their antics as he shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, I'm not joking or anything, I'm serious. I want to become a trainer which would face all the challenges ahead thrown our way. Storm is motivated enough to join me in that journey."

"Did you actually think we were serious?" Dom put his hand over Cinder while grinning. "I also wanted to become the very best there is, ya know. We believe you can do it, however, we will also are as driven as you are. Who knows maybe I or even Diana would become stronger faster than the three of us."

"Right!" Diana agreed with strong conviction. Bulbasaur mirrored it's trainer as it extended a vine overhead.

"Just know you two, Nidoran and I will become strong. From now on all of us are rivals!" Dom declared.

Diana was a bit nervous, nevertheless, she was determined.

Cinder laughed as they walked. They encountered a few wild pokemon along the way, but Cinder decided not to battle for a while yet, it was the same for the other two. They decided to familiarize themselves first with their pokemon's moves and abilities so that they would avoid creating trouble for themselves.

Cinder also figured it would be a better idea to get some training done before they really attempt to fight/catch a pokemon.

All the while, Cinder was tempted to disclose and shock his childhood friends of the mysterious pokemon egg he was carrying inside his black backpack. But decided against it in the end. They would soon find out in the future when it hatch anyways, and it would save him some troublesome explaining to Dom, that guy would be envious and he wanted to avoid being pestered all the time in their way. While Diana would become so curious at it that he may not even be able to take it back from the girl anymore.

So with that, he kept his pokemon egg hidden from them.

...

They spent the rest of the day walking along the trail together, chatting about each other's goals and plans. Diana was just as determined as all the boys out there to become the very best pokemon trainer there is. Her idol wasn't Lance, the champion like most though, but Agatha, the Ghost-Type master specialist of the Elite Four. Of course, a lot of trainers looked up at the Elite Four, but plenty were scared of Agatha, generally because of her deamor appearing in battle or in interviews, she was mysterious and eccentric that many trainers marked as dangerous. Cinder and even Dom was astonished to hear her saying that old woman was her idol. They understood, but still held some puzzlement within their hearts, after all Diana was gentle and timid, they couldn't found themselves to believe she actually idolized Agatha more than other trainers that were renowned.

The sun began to set, they walked on the trail a bit more to find a resting place. Luckily, there was a clearing that was comfortable to sleep in. The clearing has decent cover from any natural rainfall they might get and was out of the way enough to keep them out of trouble.

After setting up camp, they gathered together fire wood for the night. They ate dinner soon after, with sandwiches and protein bars. While for the pokemon, they prepared pokemon food for them that were contained within a can.

After conversing with each other a bit more, they decided to sleep so they could rise early tomorrow and reach Viridian by morning.

...

Waking up the next morning, they tidied up their sleeping bags and other things before they continued on their way.

"I think I'm going to stay in Viridian for a day or two. I really need to get some training done with Storm. I also planned to buy a TM for him, a move that would be a great addition to his movepool. How about you two?"

"We're leaving right after resting for quite a bit. We want to try battling the bug-types with our pokemon in Viridian Forest." Dom explained on their behalf. "Sorry, Cinder, but I think we're gonna part ways much sooner than expected. While Nidoran would be weak against Pewter City's Gym, I want to catch a grass or water-type to help Nidoran on his battle with Brock. We would still train in Pewter City a few days before challenging him, so maybe we could be able to meet there again."

"Sound like a plan." While Cinder was a bit sad, including Storm. They were able to compose themselves and not dwell to much to it. "Alright then, Viridian City isn't that far away from here, so we could probably make it there before noon if we hurry."

Dom and Diana nodded.

"You look tired, Storm. Do you want to rest in your pokeball some more?" Cinder noticed his pokemon was still a bit sleepy so he smiled as he suggested.

Stormy nodded, happy to receive his trainer's care and attention.

Cinder smiled as he returned Storm back on his pokemon with a flash of red light.

"Let's get going."

...

"Do contact us through the Pokedex when you arrive at Pewter City, Cinder." Both the siblings were sad to part with Cinder, but they gotta do what they gotta do. Dom and Diana were impatient to battle with their starter for the first time but was not able to because the wild pokemon around the forest of route 1 wasn't ideal, either too strong or was fast enough to avoid them. That wouldn't be the case in Viridian though, there the wild pokemon appearing would be much abundant.

"I will, take care you two."

"You too, Cinder. We're off."

After exchanging a quick handshake with Diana and a fist bump with Dom, Cinder and Storm, who was out of his pokeball waved their hand/hoove towards the departing Dom and Diana.