Cyan reflected for a few moments. Even though he had imagined this scene in his head many times, actually being here was something completely different.
The Pokémon seemed to stare at him with great expectation and a desire to be chosen.
Charmander looked at him with its big eyes, carrying the intensity of a thousand suns. The flame on its tail flickered rhythmically and steadily, like a heartbeat.
Bulbasaur gazed at him happily, a big smile on its face. Its excitement was so great that it seemed like it might jump at any moment.
Squirtle looked at him with shining, expectant eyes. A grin formed on its face, and a gleaming glow reflected off its skin.
Cyan stared at them for a second before taking a deep breath and saying, "Alright, I've made my choice. I'm going with Squirtle."
Upon hearing those words, Squirtle nearly exploded with joy. It jumped into its trainer's arms and nestled into his warm embrace.
"Hahaha, calm down, buddy, or you're going to knock me over!"
Charmander's tail flame flickered slightly from the shock, and Bulbasaur's smile faltered briefly before both quickly regained their composure. After all, they still had a chance to be chosen.
"Ohohoho, that was a fine choice, young Cyan. Squirtle will be a great partner on your journey."
"Hmph, I was going to pick Squirtle too, but since it was chosen, that means it wasn't that great anyway," Gary grumbled after seeing his rival's choice.
Cyan kept playing with his partner, ignoring Gary's comments.
"Alright, impatient one, it's your turn to pick your starter," said the professor, referring to his grandson.
"Alright, time to show how to pick a strong and reliable Pokémon!"
Gary said arrogantly and, without hesitation, declared, "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"
The Pokémon froze for a moment. It hadn't expected to be chosen so quickly and decisively after being rejected. This emotional rollercoaster left it stunned for a few seconds before it ran up to its trainer and jumped into his arms.
"Calm down, don't be so dramatic. This is just the beginning of our great journey to becoming the best in the world," said the boy to his Pokémon in an attempt to appear serious and mature. However, his expression betrayed him completely.
Charmander was deeply shaken. It had never expected to be rejected so quickly twice in a row. The flame on its tail now looked like a mere flicker, and its eyes seemed teary as it pouted and looked down.
"Hooo, that's an unexpected choice coming from you, my grandson. I thought you would choose Charmander for the great battles ahead," the professor remarked, trying to understand his grandson's reasoning.
"It's very simple. With Bulbasaur by my side, I can approach strong Pokémon and capture them more easily."
Gary answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Ohohoho, interesting, interesting," said the professor without commenting further. "Alright, Damian, you may go ahead and pick your starter."
"Hmph. Alright, Charmander, let's go on our journey and show these idiots what being a real trainer is all about."
The young trainer said as he grabbed Charmander's Poké Ball and turned toward the exit without saying another word, not even waiting for the Pokémon to react. Charmander had to run after its trainer without having time to properly process everything that had just happened.
"Hold on, young man, I'm not finished talking to you yet," said the professor, slightly irritated by the boy's attitude.
The professor took a deep breath as he turned around and picked up some objects from a nearby counter next to the machine that stored the Pokémon.
"This is a Pokédex and some Poké Balls to start your journey."
"Thank you, Professor!" the three boys said in unison as they stored their items and returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls.
"Now you are truly ready to begin your journey. Good luck on the adventures ahead!" said the professor, excited about what awaited these young trainers.
As the three made their way to the exit, a voice called out from behind.
"Gary, wait, I need to discuss a few things with you before you start your journey," said the professor to his beloved grandson.
"Alright, Grandpa," the boy replied without questioning.
"Looks like I'll be heading out ahead of you, huh?" Cyan teased. "Try not to fall too far behind."
"Hehe, don't worry. I'm giving you a little head start to make the competition more balanced," Gary retorted.
"Haha, alright. Good luck with your journey then," Cyan said as he headed toward the exit.
Damian had already left some time ago.
Stepping outside, Cyan was met with a large, excited crowd. Obviously, they were Gary's fangirls.
"Look, another one came out," someone in the crowd said. Everyone turned to see the newcomer, but they quickly looked disappointed when they saw who it was.
The boy sighed and began squeezing his way through the crowd, looking for a way out. Once he got past them, he spotted his father leaning against a tree, waiting for him.
"Hey, champ! How did it go?" Clyve asked as his son approached.
"It was amazing, Dad! I got my starter, and the professor gave me a Pokédex!" the boy said excitedly.
"Oh, and which one did you choose?" he asked curiously.
"Isn't it obvious?" Cyan said as he grabbed his Poké Ball and released his Pokémon.
"Squirtleee!"
"A Squirtle, huh? Great choice," his father said while examining the Pokémon up close.
"Alright, I just came to say goodbye and give you this," he handed Cyan a backpack and a package. "This will help you on your journey."
"Thanks, Dad! What's in here?" Cyan asked, inspecting the package.
"It's a surprise. Open it when you're on the road," Clyve replied.
"Well, that's it, champ. Good luck on your journey," he said as he turned and started walking back home.
After taking a few steps, he felt something push him from behind.
"Bye, Dad! I'm going to miss you a lot," it was Cyan, who ran up to hug his father before leaving.
"Why so much drama? It's just a trip, you can come home anytime you want," Clyve replied without turning around.
"Alright, Dad. When I come back, I want to eat your Magikarp stew, okay?" the boy said before letting go of his father and heading off.
"Okay, okay, it's a deal," Clyve replied as he continued walking home.
If Cyan could see his face, he would have noticed his father's teary eyes, struggling not to cry.
"Let's go, buddy! Our journey begins now!" Cyan said as he ran alongside his Squirtle toward the adventures that awaited them.
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Author's Notes:
Well, guys, that's it. Writing this chapter was more challenging than I expected. I hope it turned out well!
Thank you for reading this far!
Peace on Earth and lots of love!