Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction - Chapter 1

Wake-up Slap

"I love you."

I remember the day my father left clearly. It was raining.

My father had always loved the rain.

"Please don't go, Daddy," I whimpered. "Please!"

He ruffled my hair. Like his, it was snowy white. I got my looks from him. "I'm sorry, honey. But I have to go." He knelt down and met me at eye level. "Tell you what. In a few years from now, when you become a Pokémon Trainer, meet up with me in Unova. Because that's where I'll be. Promise?"

I held out my hand and we linked pinkies – childish, yes, but back then pinky promises were dear to me at age nine.

"Promise," I whispered. "When I become a Trainer, I'll meet you in Unova."

My father hugged me. "Then I'll see you there." He stood up, walked down the sidewalk to where his Pidgeot was waiting, and climbed on. "Goodbye, Luna. I love you."

Then he flew away, a shower of golden brown Pidgeot feathers raining down in his wake. I stood alone on the porch, my little pinky finger still extended.

That was the last time I saw him.

***

Luna stood on the deck of the huge ship called The Dewgong's Horn, gripping the edge railing as if her life depended on it. Nervously she looked down into the water below. The deep blue waves were lapping harmlessly against the side of the boat, but she still felt nervous.

At the dock, her neighbors from Cherrygrove were still waving. "Bye, Luna!" they yelled. "Good luck in Unova! Call us when you reach the nearest Pokémon Center!"

Luna waved and nodded, but was still feeling uncertain. Maybe I can still go back, she thought. It's not too late to get off. I can tell them that that I'm not ready to go yet. They'll understand. We can just go back to Cherrygrove and –

The last of the passengers boarded and she heard the crackling of a loudspeaker as the captain spoke from his cabin. "That's it, folks! We will now depart, from Olivine City, Johto to Driftveil City, Unova. I hope you enjoy the trip!" The huge ship started to move from its place at the dock, and Luna ran to the back of the boat, watching as her neighbors grew smaller and smaller until she couldn't see them anymore.

I guess that's it, Luna thought. There's no turning back. I am officially on my way to Unova to become a Pokemon Trainer!

***

My name is Luna Mond, and I'm fourteen years old. People can normally recognize me because of my snow white hair and blue eyes. My hometown is Cherrygrove City, Johto, and I just left home to become a Trainer in Unova!

She paused in her writing and looked down, tapping the end of her pencil against her cheek as she thought. Was this the right way to start a journal entry? Shrugging, she kept writing.

Luna was sitting on the deck of the large cruise ship, on a bench by the side. People were walking and talking all around her, but she hardly noticed them.

My dad left home when I was nine, she continued writing. He's a Pokemon scientist and researcher, and he had to leave all those years ago when he and my mom got divorced. Before he left, he and I made a promise to meet each other in Unova, and that's just what I'm doing now. I'm sure I'll be able to find him – even though I hear that Unova is insanely huge. In the meantime, I'm going to meet Professor Juniper in Nuvema Town and get a starter Pokémon – and then, I'm going to start my journey.

Mom is still at home. She didn't want me to leave, but I told her I had to. She hasn't been speaking to me since. She and I haven't had a good relationship since the divorce...I hate to say it, but I'm happy to be out of the house.

Right now I just left Olivine City and I'm on the boat. It'll take three days to get to Unova, from what I can tell. After I get to Driftveil City, which is where the boat gets off, I'm meeting someone who's going to fly me to Nuvema Town and meet Professor Juniper. After that, I'm on my own.

I'm so, so nervous! I'm sort of shy and I've never been that good at making friends. And despite the fact that Dad is an expert, I don't know all that much about Pokémon and battling...

I hope this journey will help me – I mean, I gave up my high school education just to become a Trainer, so I had better succeed!

Don't worry, Dad...I'm finally coming! I'm finally going to meet you!

"What's that?"

Luna nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice. It was a boy. He was wearing sunglasses, so she couldn't quite see his face; however, he had scruffy brown hair and was wearing a red-and-white baseball cap with a Pokeball imprinted on the front. He had a blue jacket and black pants, and Luna noticed for the first time that he had a small green snakelike Pokémon perched on his shoulders.

"Um...this is my journal," Luna explained shyly. "I just started it today."

"Cool." The boy started petting his Pokémon. Luna liked how he didn't really ask any questions.

She observed the Pokémon on his shoulders for a couple of minutes before she finally worked up the courage to speak again. "Um...what kind of Pokémon is that? I don't think I've ever seen one before..."

The boy smiled. "This is a Snivy. They're one of the starter Pokémon from Unova."

"Oh," she said. Inwardly Luna felt like an moron. Does he think I'm stupid for not knowing that already? Am I acting like an idiot? Oh, I wish I knew what to do! "So...where are you from?"

"I'm a native of Unova," the boy said. "I was just visiting Johto on business. How about you?"

"I'm from Johto," Luna said. "From Cherrygrove City. West of New Bark Town. Yeah." Ugh, why can't I just sound cool and confident like he is? I'm feeling so flustered!

"So what brings you to Unova?" the boy asked, taking what looked to be a Pokémon treat and giving it to his Snivy.

"I'm going to be a Pokémon Trainer," Luna said. "Or at least, I hope I will. I'm going to find my dad. He's in Unova right now. He left a few years ago when my parents got divorced. I haven't talked to him since. I think my mom has been intercepting his letters." Just be quiet, Luna! He doesn't care about that! It's like I'm telling him my life story or something!

"I'm sure you'll find your dad," the boy said, ignoring the fact that she was now blushing crazily from embarrassment. "Unova's pretty big, but the people are friendly and you'll probably have lots of help." He leaned back and stretched out his legs.

"So...um...I'm Luna," she said finally, not knowing any other way to introduce herself. "Luna Mond. What's your name?"

The boy grinned. Luna really wished she could see his eyes behind those sunglasses. "You can just call me...Blair."

"Blair?" she repeated. "Okay. Nice to meet you, Blair." She smiled and hoped that she didn't look like a fool.

"So, Blair," Luna said, "are you just starting out on your Pokémon journey? Or do you even want to be a Trainer at all?"

Blair grinned as if there was something he knew and she didn't, or that he found something ridiculously funny. Luna wondered what he thought was so hilarious.

He patted the Snivy's head. "Nah. I've been a Trainer for...well, I guess you could say a little while."

"Neat!" Luna exclaimed, suddenly more interested than before. "How many badges do you have?"

Blair was about to reply when they suddenly heard a loud crashing sound coming from the inside of the boat. After that, there was some shouting and then another crash. Both Blair and Luna turned to look at each other, then got up to go and see what was going on.

They were in the hallway of the boat. Luna couldn't tell what was happening, although the thumps and crashes hadn't subsided. Then the door to the kitchen flew open and hit the wall behind it with a loud bang. Out stepped the chief cook, his face purple with rage.

"Someone get that Pokémon out of here!" he screamed. "He's caused a mess in my kitchen!" Luna ran to the door and peeked inside just as a small bear-like Pokémon bounced over her head and made its escape down the hallway.

Even though it was only a brief glimpse, Luna was able to tell that the Pokémon was a Teddiursa. It had had the usual crescent moon on its forehead, but its paws and belly had been stained with all sorts of various foods and unidentifiable substances.

Then she actually got a look inside the kitchen. Everything was a mess. Pots and pans were all over the place, as if the cook had tried to throw them at the Teddiursa. Various messes of food were carelessly splattered around the floor and counter, and in the corner a pot of soup was bubbling over.

"Wow!" Blair exclaimed apparently not interested in the mess. "That was a...Teddiursa, right? They aren't native to Unova...I want to catch it!"

"Catch it, kill it, I don't care!" the cook raged. "Just keep it out of my kitchen!" Then he broke down into loud, unmanly sobs. He was quite obviously having a bad day.

"Come on, Luna!" Blair exclaimed. "Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him in the direction the Teddiursa had gone. She felt heat rising up into her cheeks but quickly tried to shake it away.

This is the first time a boy has ever held my hand...oh, Luna, what are you thinking?

Blair and Luna raced down the hallway after the Teddiursa. Eventually she had pulled her hand from his grip so that she could run faster. Luna thought they would never catch up to it, but then she caught a glimpse of a little brown rump disappearing behind the corner.

"That's the way out onto the deck," Blair whispered to her. "On the count of three, we both will run out there and chase it outside the doors. Then we can catch it without wrecking anything inside. Are you ready?"

"Um...yes."

"Okay. One, two, three!"

Blair and Luna ran out around the corner. The Teddiursa was cornered, trying to paw its way out the door. When it saw them coming it tried to run around them, but Luna flung the door open and Blair chased it through. They were finally out on the deck now, a safe place for a Pokémon battle.

"Alrighty then!" Blair whipped out a Pokeball and tossed it to her. "Go and catch it!"

"What?!" Luna exclaimed. "I thought you wanted to capture it!"

"Well, that's what I thought too, at first, but I think you could use some practice handling a Pokeball before you start your journey, don't you think?"

"Oh, no. No, no, no, no, NO. You take it, Blair." She tried to give him back the Pokeball.

Blair refused. "Nope. I'm not doing anything until you try and catch that Pokémon." He pointed to the Pokeball. "That has my Snivy in it. I returned him to his Pokeball before we went to see what was going on in the kitchen. You can use him to weaken the Teddiursa."

Luna looked around. Most of the people that she had seen before were gone now, probably inside. She looked down at her hand. This was the first time she had ever held a Pokeball, ever tried to battle a Pokémon.

"Oh, all right then," she said, sounding more confident than she felt. She tossed the Pokeball. "Snivy! Go!"

In a burst of red light Snivy emerged. It calmly studied Luna with a smug expression.

"Snivy, Blair is having me battle with you for the time being. So, um, I want you to attack that Teddiursa! Go ahead!"

Snivy sat there, looking completely puzzled.

"You have to command it to use some moves," Blair explained. "Right now my Snivy knows Tackle, Leer, Wrap and Vine Whip. Just give it your best shot!"

"O-okay." Luna looked at Snivy, then the defiant little Teddiursa. It was glaring at her with a look that could have melted rock. She had a feeling that this would be a tough battle.

"Snivy, use Leer!" she commanded. Snivy glared an intimidating look at the Teddiursa. It shrank back.

"Now use Tackle!" Luna exclaimed. Snivy ran towards the Teddiursa to ram into it. Teddiursa retaliated with a swipe of its paw that sent Snivy falling back a few feet.

She hadn't expected the Teddiursa to fight back like that. "Blair," she said, beginning to panic, "what should I do?"

"Just keep doing what you were doing, and try to work out a strategy," Blair told her patiently. "Wild Pokémon, or opponent's Pokémon for that matter, are always going to fight back. As long as your Pokémon can still fight it's still good for the battle."

Ohh, I don't want to do this! she wailed silently. I'm so afraid that I'll mess up!

She shook her head. But I can't let Blair see how much of a wimp I am, she thought, now more determined.  I just have to do my best! If I can't even get through this battle, then how will I be able to find Dad?

"Snivy," Luna said, "Use Vine Whip!" Green vines shot out from Snivy's back and snapped at the Teddiursa. Teddiursa scratched at them but was getting weaker, she could tell.

"Finally," Luna declared, "end with your Wrap attack!" The vines suddenly wrapped themselves around Teddiursa and held it in the air. Teddiursa struggled but couldn't escape.

"Um...now what?" Luna asked Blair.

He tossed her a Pokeball. "Here, this is empty. Throw it at the Teddiursa."

She did as he instructed. Teddiursa disappeared inside the Pokeball, leaving Snivy's vines empty. Anxiously Luna watched the Pokeball wiggle as Teddiursa struggled to get out.

Once...

Twice...

Three times...

Caught!

"I did it," Luna murmured. She smiled. "I really did it!" she squealed happily. "Blair, I caught my first Pokémon!" She walked over to the Pokeball and picked it up, still feeling as if this weren't really happening.

I battled a Teddiursa.

I caught it.

"Here, Blair," Luna said. She handed the Pokeball with Teddiursa in it to him. "This is yours. I couldn't have done it without your help."

Blair pushed it back to her. "No, you earned it. That little guy is yours."

"But you helped me so much! If it weren't for you I would've just frozen up or something or been too nervous to battle! Plus, you lent me your Snivy to battle with..."

"The pleasure was mine," Blair said, sweeping his cap off with an exaggerated bow. "'Cause I mean, c'mon, everyone needs help in the beginning. It's not a crime to depend on others for help once in a while."

Tears of happiness started forming at the corners of her eyes but Luna brushed them away before he could see. I still can't believe I did it. My journey has finally started.

This is only the first of many captures I'll make.

Dad…I'm finally coming!


To be continued…