[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/osu-game-font/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200215/150751d99848d4fb5899526f7d0eb5ee.png[/img][/url] [url=https://fontmeme.com/osu-game-font/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200215/05a41304d34443e21aa4d2ff5fe839e3.png[/img][/url][/center] [hr][hr] As the sun rose high in the sky above the idyllic little buildings that made up Pallet Town, the sea breeze seemed to carry a fresh scent on it. A familiar scent, but also the scent of a new beginning. The sound of waves lapping at the beach was calming, as if to soothe anxious nerves that may be unready to take such a bold step on a brand new journey. A journey that was sure to be filled with ups and downs. New friends, new adventures, and a ton more cliches that could be spat out by a random bot. One such person had seen them all through his many years in Pokemon research, and yet the day of handing out Pokedexes and Pokemon trainers always excited him. He straightened himself up in a long mirror, and smiled confidently. [color=gray]"Ah Pokemon League registration day!"[/color] Professor Samuel Oak exclaimed to no one in particular. [color=gray]"How I love it so! Getting see all those youngsters with their bright eyes and fresh faces ready to take on the world of Pokemon! Then I send them off with nothing but tiny creatures to protect them from forests and caves full of things that want to eat them alive! It's times like this that keep me young!"[/color] He brushed off his jacket for a third time before he stopped at the sound of footsteps clomping up the stairs. A young man of 22 emerged from the ground floor, looking slightly irritated. He carried his bomber jacket a lot easily than Professor Oak wore his lab coat, which had the sleeves rolled up for some reason. As he brushed his hand through his sharply-spiked brown hair, Gary Oak let out a sigh. [color=8dc73f]"Gramps?"[/color] the Viridian City Gym Leader asked. [color=8dc73f]"Who are you talking to up here? Yourself?"[/color] [color=gray]"No, my boy, I'm talking to the Pokemon! They always listen to me! Or at least they will until I give them to their trainers!"[/color] Oak didn't turn from the mirror for a second while answering his grandson. Which means he didn't see how irked Gary was becoming. [color=8dc73f]"You don't have any more Pokemon to give away, Gramps. Not since you gave that Bulbasaur to that homeless guy 10 years ago and he went on a spore-fueled rampage through Celadon City. The cops were asking what you were going to do about all the property damage, remember?"[/color] [color=gray]"Ah yes, I know Johnny was very thrilled to get his Bulbasaur. But, if there are no Pokemon here, how will the new trainers get their first partners?"[/color] [color=8dc73f]"Pretty sure they all caught their own."[/color] Professor Oak shook his head. [color=gray]"Kids these days with their smartphones and their zero-calorie colas. They think they are invicible! Well these 10-year-olds will learn soon enough how harsh the world of Pokemon can be."[/color] This drew a facepalm out of Gary. [color=8dc73f]"They definitely aren't 10-year-olds, Gramps. Pretty sure they are all my age at least. I think half of them were out at the Green Bull last night drinking!"[/color] Another shake of the head came from the professor. [color=gray]"They grow up so fast."[/color] As he moved though, it was clear that his hair wasn't moving at the same rate at he was. Gary looked at the professor skeptically. [color=8dc73f]"What is going on with your head? ...Are you wearing a mop?!?[/color] [color=gray]"How dare you! This is my natural hair!"[/color] Oak asserted as he [url=https://cdn.gamer-network.net/2020/usgamer/grand_oak.jpg/EG11/thumbnail/1920x1080/format/jpg/quality/65/pokemon-homes-professor-grand-oak-memes.jpg]finally turned around[/url] to address his grandson. [color=gray]"I grew it myself!"[/color] [color=8dc73f]"You were buzzcut and balding last week!"[/color] Gary exclaimed. Now that he could see Oak's face, it appeared the mop wasn't the only cosmetic adjustment made. [color=8dc73f]"...Did you glue Mareep wool to your chin?"[/color] There was definitely something stuck there in an attempt at a soul patch. [color=gray]"This is my hip new facial hair that all the kids respect!"[/color] Oak seemed to be having trouble with the main facial accessory he was sporting as he was now holding it onto his face. [color=gray]"Plus it goes great with my new glasses!"[/color] [color=8dc73f]"Those aren't glasses!"[/color] Gary asserted. A quick look around at Oak's workbench revealed what it actually was on the professor's face. [color=8dc73f]"You cut arrows out of a Mountain Dew bottle and stuck them over your eyes, Grandpa!"[/color] [color=gray]"Don't call me Grandpa! I am the mighty Grand! Grand Oak![/color] the professor stated triumphantly. [color=gray]"And you're just jealous because I have the only pair in the world!"[/color] He pounded his fist into his palm. [color=gray]"Now come on, we got to get those new trainers their Pokedexes! I made them myself you know!"[/color] Gary was well beyond irritated with his older relative at this point. [color=8dc73f]"No you didn't. We had to start getting them shipped in from Kalos five years ago. Because the last one you built didn't contain Pokemon info. It was just a bunch of grocery lists and crude drawings of Pokemon made to look like humans. And I immediately had my Arcanine burn the hell out of that one, even if it couldn't burn that sight from my eyes."[/color] Gary shuddered. [color=8dc73f]"Now let's go get this over with.[/color] [color=gray]"Yes, it's time for those trainers to get on their way! Let's go get them started... uh..."[/color] Professor Oak looked very confused all of a sudden as he stared at his grandson. [color=gray]"What was your name again?"[/color] A visible vein bulged above the Viridian Gym Leader's left eye. [color=8dc73f]"GARY! SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, OLD MAN? GARY MOTHERFUCKIN' OAK! WE HAVE BEEN OVER THIS A THOUSAND TIMES! IT'S GARY!"[/color] Clarity reached Oak's face. [color=gray]"Ah yes! I remember now! Your name is Gary! Well, come along Gary! No time to dilly-dally! We have trainers to christen!"[/color] The elder gentleman marched towards the stairs, everything falling off his face aside from the wool soul patch as he left his grandson to seethe. [color=8dc73f]"I can't believe I have to put up with this shit. I'm a gym leader. The best one. Make that loser Brock do this. Or that Tracey guy. Asshole must be off scarfing donuts or something. Definitely not doing his damn job! Gonna have Arcanine flame-broiled that douche..."[/color] Gary tromped down the steps after his grandfather, hoping he remembered the way to the main portion of the lab. [hr][hr] The door swung open on one of those picturesque homes along the beachfront, allowing a young woman to enter the sunlight for the first time today. She appeared dressed for colder weather, with a black-and-gray striped zip-up hoodie covering a black lace tank-top and a pair of black jean shorts. Her legs were protected from the sun by a pair of orange stockings that poked out of her combat boots. Still, the woman squinted as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. [color=cc5500]"Ugh. Kanto is way too shiny,"[/color] Lilith complained to something in particular, even if it didn't want to show itself yet. [color=cc5500]"Still, can't beat the price on that FlyB&B, huh Sia?"[/color] A purple light flickered next to Lilith's black-and-orange locks as the rest of her companion materialized on her shoulder. Sia flicked the wax from her eye before it immediately settled back into place. [color=a187be]"Lit...wick?"[/color] [color=cc5500]"Ah, you don't care about trivial living matters like that. You just liked that giant dark closet."[/color] This got a smile out of the Ghost/Fire type. [color=a187be]"Lit! Litwicklit!"[/color] Lilith smiled her usual sly grin. [color=cc5500]"Yeah, it was more than suitable. All right, let's go see this Professor and begin this quest,"[/color] she stated, trying to work herself into character. There would surely be other trainers there, and they would need to know they were dealing with someone who commanded the souls of the damned. [color=cc5500]"Sooner we get out of this depressingly cheerful town, the better."[/color] Sia nodded in approval as the pair shut the door behind them. With a wheeled duffel bag in tow, they headed towards the giant hilltop laboratory that overlooked the town.