Clan and the rest quickly forgot about what had just occured. Clan felt it was better to ignore a person like Paul. Besides, maybe they won't cross paths ever again.
"I guess... this leaves me with Treecko, right professor?" Bell said, not seeming disappointed in the least as she grabbed the pokeball when she saw him giving her the affirmative nod, she then released her new starter.
Treecko materialized after a flash of red light. Upon release, Treecko called out its name and calmly looked up at Belle with crossed arms.
"Hello Treecko, I'm your new trainer. My name is Belle Moonthief, my dream is to travel around every known region around the pokemon world and win through all the pokemon league conferences. Would you like to come with me in my journey together?"
"Treecko." The gecko pokemon closed its eyes and faced sideways, it then raised its three digit fist at Bell's direction.
Understanding what Treecko's intention was, she smiled as she bumped fists with her new partner.
"Now, why don't you two use those Pokedexes I gave you on your new partners? It'll act as a tutorial of sorts and give you a bit of information about your Pokemon." The Professor helped them on switching the devices on.
Both trainers nodded and held up their Pokedex's cameras to their new Pokemon so as to scan them. Before long, they each made a sound like beeping and began to recite information in a mechanical, feminine voice.
'Treecko, the wood gecko pokemon. Treecko are able to climb smooth vertical walls, and use their thick tail to attack opponents. Since Treecko build thier nest in large trees, it is said that those trees live a very long life.'
'This Treecko is male and knows the move: Leer, Pound, Leafage, and Quick Attack. It has unlocked the egg moves, Double Kick and Dragon Breath. Its has the ability Overgrow, which boost its grass-type moves when it is low on health.'
Bell grinned after being shocked. "Wow, Treecko! The Professor wasn't kidding when he said you're a rare specimen of your breed."
Treecko puffed up and seemed to be throughly proud of Bell's assessment.
'Torchic, the chic pokemon. Torchic have a fireball blazing inside its belly. When hugged, it fills its trainer with soothing warmth, as if they are holding a hot-water bottle. It can use the flame in its belly to exhale orbs of searing fire at its opponents. The fireballs that Torchic spits are of 1,800 degrees F, leaving its foes utterly scorched. Torchic are very loyal and dependent on its Trainer, following behind them everywhere they would go.'
'This Torchic is Male and knows the moves: Growl, Ember, Focus Energy and Slash. It has unlocked the egg moves, Night Slash and Peck. Its has the ability Blaze, which boost its fire-type moves when it is low on health.'
"Woah! That's some move you got there, buddy! Good attack and have some workable status moves" Clan's eyes turned into saucers.
The chic pokemon simply rubbed his fluffy head at Clan's lead, he was such a fluffy and affectionate pokemon.
"Do I take it that you are both happy by your starter?" Professor Rowan smiled cleverly.
'Happy? Is this man kidding me?'
"That's an understatement professor." Bell laughed.
Clan was grinning so much that the Professor and Belle thought his face would split in half. "I'm overjoyed professor! Me and Torchic will dominate the Gym Curcuit in record speed!"
"Torchic!" Torchic agreed to that as it spew wisp of embers from its beak.
"Thank a bunch Professor Rowan!/Yeah, thanks a million Professor!" Both of them quickly thanked the professor joyfully.
"I'll cheer you on, Mr. Eclairè. You are both most certainly welcome." Rowan chuckled at their jovial mood. "Alright, now that you both have gotten your starters, you may leave. Show your pokedexes at the town's Pokemart, they will give you free pokeballs to use. Remember to be careful on your adventures, young trainers."
Clan turned towards his Torchic. "I will return you to your pokeball now, okay Torchic? I will release you to meet my family after I got home, is that alright buddy?"
Torchic chirped and nodded. Clan smiled at his partner, still feeling the sureality of now having a pokemon, and Torchic was a very strong one too. He returned Torchic with a click of the pokeball.
Belle also had her Treecko return to its pokeball. Both of them thanked the professor for the last time before leaving. They walked through the crowd made up of the family members and friends by the first group earlier, who were still ongoing their selection process. After walking out of the building with the farewell of a receptionist, they stopped on the building's gate.
Clan turned to Bell, there was something about what she told earlier that he wanted to clear up. "Hey, Belle. From what you had said earlier in the Lab, you mentioned that it is important to strengthen the bond between the trainer and its pokemons. What do you specifically mean by that?"
Bell sweetly smiled, she didn't expect for Clan to be curious of this. It seemed those words she uttered made a mental impression to Clan. "Honestly Clan, even I have no idea." She stuck out her tongue cutely while rubbing her hair.
Clan stared at her blankly, very flabbergasted. He thought there was an underlying concepts behind those words since he had intuitively interpreted some intuitions he had held in his gut.
She laughed at him when she saw him stare at her with such a dumb expression. She wanted to tease him, but held herself since she saw he was very serious in this conversation. She put her hands behind her back and eagerly answered. "My mentor teached me those words, he is a pokemon researcher. When me and my big brother were still young, he had instil to us on how important it was for a trainer and a pokemon to gain each other's trust. He said that when a trainer and its pokemon connects through their strong bond, some amazing phenomenon could occur. This was one of the major reasons I had decided to become a trainer myself and experience what his words truly implicates."
He couldn't properly let it out and express it, but those words spark some sense to Clan. He nodded along as he listened to what she said. "Your mentor must be super cool then to have such an amazing student."
"Oh? Are you hitting on me? We just met you know, but I don't really care how fast-paced this would be, hehe~" Belle was slightly stunned by the compliment. But she didn't let go of the opportunity to tease him.
If anything those words only turn Clan's face blush. He rapidly waved his hands bashfully in front of his frame. "I-I did not mean that. I mean, I do, but I was just trying to-"
"Haha, you're reaction's so hilarious. You should work on that, or else, good-looking girls, like me, would poke fun at you for such an easy target to tease." Belle did not walked through the gate but hopped on a waist-length wall made of brick. She then hopped again to the other side. "I'd like to hang out with you, Clan. But I have to go, let's hang out next time if we have the chance, see ya! It was nice meeting you, Clan!"
"Yeah, likewise! Take care Bell!"
Clan roughly rubbed his face, was he really making wierd faces? He shook his head quickly changing his thoughts. He watched Bell's figure eventually fade away, before he then began walking his way back to his uncle's house. They are waiting for him, and his adventure awaits.
...
Clan cheerfully walked on the Sandgem's dirt path, whistling. He was whistling the rythm of his favorite song - The Awakening. Before he set off through Route 202 to Jubilife City, he first had to stop by his uncle's house for his last farewell to his family, also he had to go to the town's pokemart to get his free pokeballs sponsored by the league.
Before long, he arrived in front of Christopher's house. There was his family waiting for him, standing at the outside of the front yard.
They turned around just in time to see Clan approaching.
Noraima had been holding it in pretty good before, but now she couldn't restrain her emotions. The tears streamed down her face was practically a waterfall as she hugged Clan close against here, her clothes blocking out the tears that were coming from Clan's own eyes.
"My baby boy... you're all grown up now. I knew this day would come, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to let my precious son go."
Clan didn't know what to say, leaving his parents behind was his biggest, most unrivaled regret abput becoming a Pokemon Trainer in the first place. He knew she was very supportive of his dream, but it was obviously destroying her.
"Mom... I'll come back, don't worry." The two were currently standing with his father staring at them with a sad smile, Clint approached them and hugged his wife and son. Christopher was at the side, watching in silence but one could notice a flicker of sadness on his eyes.
"I know you will." Noraima wipped the tear falling from the corner of her eyes and reminded. "Be safe until then, okay, and call us every chance you get. Your father and I bought a laptop so we can see each other through video calls, your uncle had helped us set it up... We will miss you so much, my precious baby boy."
"Me too, mom. I'll miss you both." Clan still buried his head on his family's embrace, he hugged them tighter. "I'll call you the moment I reach Jubilife City."
"Vulpix!" A yipped of a pokemon's voice suddenly sounded out. The group turned to see a Vulpix running towards them from the door. Clan immediately recognized it to be the Vulpix, his uncle Christopher owned.
She jumped on to Clan's arms and began hysterically rubbing her furs on Clan. She was calling out to him sorrowfully, there were tears flowing from her eyes, sobbing into his shirt.
"Vul! Vulpix! Vul!"
"Hey there little girl. Are you here to send me off?" Clan held the fox pokemon and began comfortingly rubbing her fur. This Vulpix and Clan were very close, everytime his family and him would visit his uncle, he always would play and feed her the favorite berries she wanted to eat. They were like cousins, they have lots of time spend together when Clan was younger.
"Vulll!" The cute little pokemon's eyes were filled to the brim with crystaline tears, she looked up at him and yipped.
"Come now, Vulpix." Clan consoled. "I promise to call you. I'll visit you and uncle for a break sometime. And when that day arrive, I would have plenty of pokemons for you to play together with."
That produced a reaction from her. She kept her eyes on him, Clan could see she was feeling much better.
Clan continued patting her soft fur and began making promises, which he would fullfil, he was a man of his word mind you.
Clan hugged Vulpix tightly for a moment. Vulpix hugged him back happily.
"I don't like to interupt Clan. But, may you please introduced us to your friend." Clint smirked at his son and gestured on his pokebelt which had a pokeball with a fire emblem on it.
"Oh, yeah!"
Clan widened his eyes, he couldn't believe he almost forgot to introduce his pokemon to his family. He gently set down Vulpix on the ground and unclipped his only pokeball.
"Come on out, Torchic."
With a flash of red light. Torchic shook his body and upon release called out his name with a chirp. "Torchic."
Torchic and Vulpix greeted each other with their poketalk. Vulpix sniffed at him and yipped playfully. Torchic happily thrilled and began chasing Vulpix around the yard in circles after a moment.
"Wow! It's so cute!" Noraima squealed as she watched Vulpix and Torchic chasing each other around. Clint and Christopher were also gazing at the rare pokemon with interest.
"Torchic may be adorable now, but he would eventually be a very strong Blaziken when we will start defeating other trainers and train. Right, buddy?"
"Tochic!" Torchic gave him a loud confident thrill from his little frame as his body glow with passion.
"Woah! That pokemon is very fierce I can tell, just like every pokemon with a fire-typing. Not only that, it is a starter native to Hoenn correct? I didn't know they were this powerful early on" Christopher praised in amazement when he felt the heat from where he stood.
Clan proudly looked at his starter. "The Professor mentioned in his introduction that Torchic's parents are monsterously powerful. I was lucky to gain his approval to become his Pokemon Trainer. I'll try my hardest to not disappoint him."
"Do your best out there and try your hardest. You're not going to get anywhere without good old fashion hard work. Be humble and be kind, give everyone you met a chance. Stay safe and don't do anything stupid. But most importantly have fun with your pokemons, son. This is an adventure, treat it like one." Clint patted his son's shoulder.
"Yeah." Clan said feeling a little less sad. This was goodbye, for now. He would be back to go home. "Thanks, dad"
He knew his words were wise and took them to heart. He promised himself that he would make them proud.
"It's time for me to go now, mom, dad." Clan said as he glanced at his watch. He wanted to go to Jubilife City by tonight hopefully, so the sooner he set off, the more likely he wouldn't have to camp on the route.
"Take care of my boy please Torchic." Noraima asked with a smile as she reached forward to scratch Torchic below his head.
"Chic!" Torchic agreed, nodding happily at the woman.
"We love you, Clan." Clint and Noraima gave their son their last bone crushing hug.
"I love you too both!" Clan said while trying to keep his emotions he felt out of his voice.
He gave his uncle his farewell also and Vulpix, before he turned around and walked away, determingly. With Torchic who was following beside his trainer.
Leaving his family, who watched his departing figure fade away slowly.
(Guys! Good Day! I'm here to update that, I'll be organizing the other following chapters first before I'll be posting more, this would take, at most a week. I can promise you that. Thank you for reading this humble person's work and especially for : Layous, for being such a supportive and providing reader. Thank you to you, my guy. Anyways, I'll be back and expect to see your library updates of this fan fiction. Byeee~~~!!!!)