End of an Era: Trainer's No More

[Khina Bree]

If anyone out there can see this, then listen to these instructions very closely.

I never thought a time like this would ever come, not in my lifetime, but it has: Pokemon Training has been outlawed. All trainer licenses revoked, trainers forced to release all captured Pokemon, the PC system shutdown, the League disbanded. Everything we've known and loved for so many years, gone. Just like that. There was no warning. None of us knew what to expect. We were blind, blind to the world of politics and corruption. Unable to see that the ones we had in office were the ones who we should have been the most afraid of.

It's been three months since Genesis launched their master scheme, using the majority vote to push through the ban on training. Three months since we had to go underground. Three months of secrecy and hiding, trying to live long enough to win back the world we once knew from the likes of the Genesis Organization. Three months is far too long for the strongest of us to be incarcerated for doing nothing wrong. The Leaders, the Elite, the Champions, all of them. Gone. Vanished. Arrested for refusing to cooperate. A handful of them dead after deadly force was granted, Arceus rest their souls. We lost some good people that day, including the leading Pokemon professor, Samuel Oak. No one has seen or heard from Blue, and no one has any word on Steven Stone.

If you're hearing this broadcast, then know that you're not alone out there. Sector Seven is here. We can help you, we have food and shelter, and are safe from Genesis. This is Master Lance, and we're taking Genesis down.

[Khina Bree]

Three months prior

Littleroot Town
7:34 am

The bus pulled away, leaving its passenger drop off at the stop on the north side of town. The bright morning sun reflecting off of his ruby-red hair and making his golden eyes really twinkle, but his sullen expression contrasted with his pleasant appearance. Swiftly and purposefully, he set off to the south end of town, looking for "Birch Labs" where he hoped to get an official Trainer's license and some information on the whereabouts of his friend, Nicholas.

Memories came to mind as he walked, recalling when Nicholas wanted to become a trainer.

Fallarbor Town
A few years ago

"I wanna be, the very best," the young brunette suddenly burst into song near his friends, "like no one ever was!~"

Smack smack, smack-smack wen his redheaded friend's walking stick across his head in tune, "Enough Nicholas. We get it, you're going to get a license soon."

Nicholas rubbed his head with a chuckle, "You're such a stiff Zic."

The two of them share a laugh while the pink haired girl beside them sighed, "You two are something else."

Zic and Nicholas looked to her, "Would you rather we be any less, Samantha?" Zic asked her. "Hmm, nope!" she giggled.

"SO," Nicholas resumed his previous conversation, "I'm thinking of picking Treecko. My favourite colour is green, so why not?"

"Do you plan to only capture green Pokemon then?" Samantha mused.

"Heck yeah!" he responded cheerfully.

Zicari cleared his throat, a normal sign that he was about to enter nerd mode, "Well, most green coloured Pokemon are Grass or Bug types, so you'll have a serious issue against Fire types. I'd recommend you at least get yourself a Water Pokemon."

"Right...so Mudkip it is!"

Zicari faceplamed, "I didn't mean for your starter..."

The memory quickly transitioned to a later one of Zicari finding Samantha on the outside of town, face down in the dirt, bleeding from her skull. He remembered holding her in his arms, longing to have been there to save her. As the tears ran down his cheek, he overheard someone saying that Nicholas was the last one to have seen Samantha alive and rumors of him being responsible for her untimely death.

Zicari shook his head, snapping him back to the present and just in time. He had just walked past the door to the labs. Thankfully a noisy young trainer had entered with a loud "Whoo!" or else he may have kept on walking.

[Khina Bree]

Standing just outside the lab, Kya McVay took herself a deep breath to shake the last of the jitters from her system. It was a very exciting moment for the sixteen-year old. SHe was finally setting off on her Pokemon journey and the first stop was Birch Labs to get her partner Pokemon and license. Kya brushed her auburn hair from her face again, silly wind kept messing it up, and waited. She wasn't positive what time the labs opened, so she watched for someone else to enter.

It didn't take long before she witnessed a young boy in a reversed ball-cap enter the lab with a loud "Whoo!" and figured it was okay to enter. She strolled across the street, bumping into the distracted red-headed man as she did.

"Oh, sorry about that!" Kya apologized quickly to him, "Didn't see you there."

The man looked the auburn-haired girl up and down, taking in details. She wore a red crop-top shirt with a short zipper, loose fitting, charcoal coloured jeans with a pair of athletic sneakers. With as much midriff as she was showing, and judging by the loose fit of her attire...she was from a warm area and possibly a bit of a brawler. He nodded, "It's fine miss. I was distracted as well. Are you heading into the labs?"

"Oh, yes I am actually. Here to get my first Pokemon and start my journey."

"Interesting. I'm here to get my trainer license as well, though I already have a Pokemon," he replied, "I'm Zicari by the way. Zicari Gildenhart."

She smiled and nodded, "Kya. Kya McVay."

The two walked into the labs, catching up with the young man with the reversed hat and baby-blue shirt. He turned to the two of them, "Sup?"

Kya nodded with a smile, "Hi. I'm Kya, here to get my partner Pokemon and license."

The boy gave a bow, not a formal one but clearly he was goofing around, "Pleasure to meet ya, name's Eddie. Eddie Fenix from Cerulean City. I'm looking for a fresh journey to embark on."

Zicari cleared his throat, feeling a bit like he'd been in this situation before, "I am Zicari Gildenhart from Fallarbor Town."

"Oh we're neighbors then," Kya piped up, "I'm from Lavaridge."

"I uh...don't know the region so well yet so," Eddie rubbed his head, "not entirely sure where those places are."

"I'd suggest getting a ma-" Zicari began to say, but was interrupted by Kya, "Oh why don't we all travel together then?"

"A great idea!" Eddie proclaimed.

Zicari's eyes closed and he sighed, "I was planning to travel alone."

"Nonsense!" Kya replied, "We'd have a lot safer time and more fun if we go as a group!"

'Going to regret this so bad...' Zicari thought.

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