by Bloth Hoondr » Thu Jun 28, 2018 8:59 pm
username; Lloril
name; Alastair
gender; Nonbinary | They/Them
prompt; 954 words
Alastair sat in the backseat of their parent’s van, slightly shaking and grumbling to themself as they stared at the Gameboy Advance in their hands. This was it, this was their crowning moment, the most important choice any kit makes in their whole lives. Who will they pick to be their starter Pokemon?
Now, Alastair may not be the most sociable and has somewhat of a difficult time making friends which is why when they told their parents about how everyone plays Pokemon, they bought it hoping it would be a step in the right direction for their kit.
It was going to be a difficult choice, one they could not go back on, it would surely determine their future for years to come! They clenched their fist and steeled themselves, luckily they were all on a family vacation but by the time Alastair returned to school, they must have already made their choice.
As the cheery 8-bit music of Prof. Elm's lab looped back at them, they bit their lip and slunk further down into their seat, seatbelt digging into their cheek. It would be silly to think that just because they had a Pokemon now the others would be more willing to approach them now but Alastair had to try! Either way, the situation was a win-win in the friend category be it another kit or their new virtual partner.
The choice was in their hands.
They made their sprite move circles about the table and eventually settles on the right most pokeball, Chikorita.
Just from its cry and preview sprite the little grass type was absolutely adorable and Alastair couldn't help the little "aww" that escaped from their mouth. Not many in class chose this as their starter because their reasoning was Meganium wasn't "cool enough" and although they did help their mother tend to the vegetable garden, they didn't feel Chikorita would be their best choice.
Next was the class favourite and Alastairs least favorite, Totodile. It wasn't that Totodile was a bad or uncute Pokemon, it was just that everyone in class had one! Not to mention the kits that were more keen on rough housing has 'em too, boasting about whose Feraligator was stronger. They shuddered and gazed out the car window. Sure their own Totodile didn't have to be mean, its how they were raised that mattered! And if they chose it, they would love it to the fullest.
So full of righteous energy, Alastair nearly forgot the last Pokemon and before they clicked accept, quickly backpedaled and clicked on the last Pokeball.
It was love at first sight. The trill of the cry, the squinty eyes, the roundness and absolute cuteness of the Cyndaquil floored them. They gasped and hugged the GBA close to their chest, squealing with delight. How could no one in their class have a Cyndaquil yet! Well, it was probably because everyone always chose the water type but darn it they would be the first! You can't just rely on your starter, Alastair thought, Pokemon was a team effort and even if Cyndaquil was weak to fire they would catch a whole bunch of other Pokemon to support them!
Alastair never mashed the A button faster in their life.
----- Years Down The Road -----
Alastair was right and wrong about their predictions back on the schoolyard. They gained quite a few friends who fawned over Quill the Cyndaquill and even convinced a few other kids to chose it as their starter when they got the game. They were teased a bit though but having a partner who would never judge them gave them the strength to stand up to the bullies and if they had all that bark then they better show their bite in a battle. Sure enough, all those Feraligator owners only trained their starters and Alastairs grass types made quick work of them.
As the years passed, Pokemon was always a good conversation starter. Alastairs parents were so happy to hear their kit was making friends and talking to others that they brought them to local tourneys. They were underestimated a lot because of their age but if there was one thing Alastair threw themselves into as much as Pokemon, it was strategy. Along with normal coursework they bought guides and listened to older players and soaked up information like a sponge whiched spurred them to train and teambuild even harder for the next competition.
In High School, it became easier to talk to others and make friends, especially when it came to talking about their interests. They still carried their love for pokemon and with each new game brought new mechanics and a new challenge which their friends supported wholeheartedly and on top of other hangouts and activities, loved to learn from Alastair and found their info-dumping cute.
As Alastair stared down their opponent at the World Finals, they couldn't help but remember when they were young, a time when choosing a starter was life or death. Through those games and through their friends and family's support, they were able to get this far. Sure it may still be a kit's game but for them, it was their life. Not in an obsessive way, just that picking their first Pokemon led them down a brighter path and opened up not only a world of adventure but a world of acceptance. They shook hands and set up their sides of the booth. While the other seemed to have countless Ralts good luck charms, Alastair set up their side with an old, beat-up Cyndaquil plush and an old copy of Pokemon Gold.
3DS in hand and a smile on their face, it was time to let the game begin.
Last edited by
Bloth Hoondr on Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.