While Cyan waited for the other travelers to arrive at the professor's lab, on the other side of town, a Dodrio was loudly chirping from a rooftop.
A young trainer, still asleep, woke up in a panic upon seeing the sun outside. "Oh no, what time is it?!"
He rushed out of the house, still in his pajamas, while praying. "Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur—any of them is fine for me! But please, save one for me!"
Meanwhile, at the professor's lab, Cyan suddenly heard the sound of a car engine along with a crowd, accompanied by a chorus of girls chanting, "Go, Gary! Gary is the best!"
"This guy always has to make a grand entrance, huh?" Cyan said, rolling his eyes.
"Hey, Gramps, I'm here! I came early because I wanted to be the first to choose my starter Pokémon," Gary declared, throwing the door open without even knocking. "I bet I was the first one here," he said confidently.
"Hahaha, sorry to disappoint you, kid, but young Cyan arrived long before you," the professor replied while ruffling his grandson's hair. "He even helped me organize things here in the lab."
"Gramps, don't mess up my hair! You'll ruin my style," the boy complained, pushing his grandfather's hand away.
"Look who's late! I expected more from Professor Oak's grandson," Cyan teased.
"I knew I smelled fish around here... Now I understand why," Gary shot back provocatively.
Sparks flew from their eyes as they stared each other down—until they both burst into laughter. This kind of playful banter was normal between them.
As the two talked and laughed, the sound of the door opening could be heard.
"Hmph, I bet I was the first one here. This just proves how I'm going to be the greatest trainer of all time," a rather arrogant boy said, puffing out his chest.
"Oh no, not this guy," Cyan groaned, crossing his arms.
"I really don't like him," Gary muttered, rolling his eyes.
This boy was Damian, a kid with dark blue hair and a smug, showy expression. He wore sunglasses on his head, a red scarf, a pink shirt, and a brown sweater—a true fashion nightmare.
"Hoho, sorry to say this, young Damian, but you were actually one of the last to arrive. Only one person is still missing."
"W-what?!" the boy stammered in disbelief. "F-fine," he muttered, looking down as he walked to a corner of the room.
The four continued waiting as the designated time approached.
"Well, that's it. Time to choose your starter Pokémon," the professor announced, glancing at the clock on the wall, which read 10:30 AM.
"But Professor, Ash hasn't arrived yet," Cyan said, worried about his friend.
"I understand, young Cyan, but nearly everyone is here, and we can't delay the Pokémon distribution any further."
"But..." the boy tried to protest.
"Forget about that loser, Cyan," Gary cut in. "This just proves he's not ready to be a Pokémon trainer yet."
"Haaa," Cyan sighed, not insisting further, and followed the professor into a back room of the lab.
Once inside, they found three Poké Balls attached to a machine that seemed to be analyzing the Pokémon to ensure they were healthy and ready for the journey ahead.
"Well, these are your future traveling companions," the professor announced enthusiastically. You could see in his eyes how excited he was to present the Pokémon to the new generation—perhaps even more excited than the trainers themselves.
Bleeem—a glow emerged from the Poké Balls, revealing the three little creatures waiting for their new trainers.
"This is Charmander, the Fire-type Pokémon. They say Charmander is an extremely strong Pokémon with excellent potential, perfect for those who seek excitement and the heat of battle," the professor introduced, making sure everyone was paying attention.
"Charmander-char!"
"This is Squirtle, the Water-type Pokémon. Squirtle is a cheerful and fun Pokémon, very versatile in both battle and companionship—perfect for those who want to enjoy an exciting and joyful journey while exploring and meeting people across the region."
"Squir-squirtle!"
"And this is Bulbasaur, the Grass-type Pokémon. Bulbasaur is calm and gentle but still very strong and powerful. It's perfect for beginners and for those who want to bond with a wide variety of Pokémon without scaring them away."
"Bullbasauur!"
"Wooooow!" the three boys exclaimed in unison.
"So, young trainers, what will be your choice?" the professor asked after taking a sip of water to recover from his monologue.
"Me first, Gramps! I choose—" Gary started excitedly.
"Hold on, my boy. Young Cyan was the first to arrive, so it's only fair that he chooses first," the old man interrupted, cutting off his grandson.
"But, Gramps..." the boy complained.
"No more! Sometimes, you have to acknowledge that others deserve a chance too," the professor reprimanded his grandson.
"Alright..." Gary muttered, looking to the side, clearly a little upset.
"Thank you, Professor!" Cyan said energetically. "I'll choose..."
Author's Notes:
After years of training, I can finally put my cliffhanger dao to use 🙏🏻
Jokes aside, are you excited to see Cyan's starter choice? I think I left a few clues if you pay attention to the descriptions and some small details throughout the text. But can you guess which one he'll pick? Let's see if you're good at reading between the lines! Comment which starter you think Cyan will choose and why.
Thanks for reading this far!
Peace on Earth and lots of love! 🫶🏻