~NUZLOCKE~ Chapter 1: Beginnings

   "Tobias! Time to get up! Professor Oak is waiting for you!"

   Light fills his room and penetrates through his eyelids, filling his vision with the color red. Tobias rolls over in bed, groaning and pulling the blankets up over his head in a vain attempt to shut out both the light and his mother's voice. An impossible feat to be sure. Shortly after, his mother leaves his room and shuts the door, leaving him to silence, save for his breathing and her muffled footsteps. It doesn't last, though, when he hears the screen beside his bed on his wall flicker to life and a voice say, "Toby."

   "Hey Dad." Tobias blinks open an eye and peeks out from under the covers at the image of his father on screen, meeting his father's dark eyes with his own.

   "Your new life is about to begin, and you're still sleeping," his father said, in the flat tone that parents take on when they are disappointed in their offspring. Even through the screens, he was still an intimidating man. "Your sister has already begun her journey, and she is three years younger than you. Take some initiative."

   Tobias sighs and sits up, his black hair a mess of tangles and cowlicks. Sam. His sister recently left Kanto on a ship to go live with their father in Johto. She had always been far more ambitious than he had, so they had never gotten on very well, causing him to be glad when she left.

   Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tobias sits up. "Sorry Dad." He swings his legs out of bed and stands. He was of slightly taller than average height, and quite thin, though strong. "I'll call you when I've left Oak's." He pulls on his sweater and pants and opens the door.

   "Professor Oak's. Show him some respect. And alright. I love you."

   "I love you too, Dad." He steps out of his room and closes the door. He never called him.

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   "Thanks for breakfast, Ma! I'll come back real fast to say goodbye after I've left Oak's!" he called back, looking behind him and waving to his mother. She was smiling and waving back to him. Her eyes glistened with tears held back. They had been there when he'd hugged her earlier. She was a master at maintaining her composure. After two, and now three of her family leaving, she'd better be.

   It was a lengthy enough walk to Professor Oak's laboratory, and Tobias was already late. The other two were probably gone, having chosen their Pokemon and received Oak's blessing. The thought dismayed Tobias, but he pushed the idea away. They were his friends. They wouldn't leave him behind, right? He grinned. Of course they wouldn't.

   He quickened his pace, just in case.

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   He was almost in a flat-out sprint when he burst through Oak's laboratory doors. "Sorry I'm late!" he called out, doubled over and panting, pausing between each word to take a breath. As the task became easier for his lungs to handle, he stood up and took in the scene before him. Oak stood in the center of the lab beside a large wooden table. On this table rested three pokeballs, each on their own stand. Accompanying each is a small screen depicting the Pokemon contained within. Leaning against this table, talking to each other, were two others, a boy and girl. The boy stood a couple inches taller than Tobias, was a bit heavier set, and had lighter hair. He wore a white sweater and blue jeans and a grin. The girl was a little shorter than Tobias was and sported her long black hair in a ponytail. She turned to look at him with her bright blue eyes and smiled. Nathan, the boy was a year older than Tobias, who himself was sixteen, while Cadence, the girl, was a year younger.

   "Toby! I'm so glad you made it!" Cadence cried, while Nathan folded his arms and smirked in his direction. "Finally. Sleeping in again, eh?" He gives Tobias a friendly punch in the shoulder. Rubbing the point of contact, Tobias mutters softly, "What? I like sleep. Is that so bad?"

   "Well I, for one, am happy you're here Toby, especially now that we can choose our first Pokemon," Cadence added excitedly. "Right Professor?"

   "Right indeed, Cadence.You and Nathan know everything, but please bear with me while I catche Tobias up to speed." The professor turns his attention to the latecomer. "You know you are about to embark on a wondrous journey, but before you do, you must choose your first Pokemon, who will not only protect you from harm and serve as your friend, but they will teach you the true meaning behind what it is to be a Pokemon Trainer."

   He turns to face the table and gestures to the first pokeball there. "This is the Grass Pokemon, Bulbasaur. Of the three, it would seem it is the easiest to train." On the screen, the Pokemon slept soundly with what looked like a smile.

   Next, Oak positions himself behind the second pokeball. On screen was the shell of a Squirtle. It's head and limbs were retracted, only its tail visible, twitching in sleep. "This is the Water Pokemon, Squirtle. This Pokemon, while definitely more independent than Bulbasaur, is still easier to tame than our third and final Pokemon. Speaking of..."

   He takes a step over behind the final ball. On the screen, the Pokemon would appear to be sleeping, were it not for one eye peeked open. Tobias thought its eye looked like polished garnet. "This is the Fire Pokemon, Charmander. Of the three it is the most difficult to raise, requiring great amounts of patience to form even the most trivial and basic of friendships."

   "Now," continued Oak, "the time has come at last, to choose your Pokemon." Tobias looked from one Pokemon to the other. How could he choose? They all seemed perfect.

   Thankfully, Professor Oak solved that problem for him. "Cadence, since you arrived so early today, you may choose first. Nathan, you may go next." Oak looked at Tobias and said, "And the latecomer may have the remainder." Noticing Tobias' look of wonderment as he studied each Pokemon, Oak smiled and added, "Which I think is fine with him."

   Cadence, who had been watching the Squitrle's twitching tail, reached out and grabbed its pokeball. "I choose this one!" She smiled and looked lovingly down at it. Wow, Tobias thought. She already loves her Pokemon so much! The screen attached to the Squirtle's empty stand went black.

   Next, Nathan stepped forward and placed his hand on the Bulbasaur's pokeball. He said nothing about his choice as he removed it from the stand. Its screen also went black. Oak smiled approvingly and looked to Tobias. "That leaves the Charmander for Tobias."

   Tobias picked up the pokeball, watching the Chamrander on the screen. In the brief moment before it went black, the Pokemon appeared to be watching him with that big, dark red eye. Then the screen finally went dark.

   "Congratulations all of you on obtaining your very first Pokemon. Would you like to give them a nickname? Some trainers like to name their Pokemon in order to increase the bond between them."

   Tobias thought about it. What could he name his Charmander? Then he remembered its...her eyes. The way she looked at him. Like a polished garnet. "Garnet," he muttered. As he did, he felt the ball twitch in his hand, as though she'd overheard him and approved of the name. "I'll call her Garnet."

   Oak smiled and nodded. "Beautiful and strong. A fitting name for a Charmander." He looks to the other two and asks, "What about you two? Will you name your Pokemon?"

   Nathan shrugs, but grins. "I suppose if he's doing it, sure." He holds up his pokeball and says, "I'll name her Lily, after my grandmother." Oak nods his approval. "And an apt name for a Grass type Pokemon." Looking at Cadence, he asks, "What about you?"

   She looks thoughtful for a moment, then puzzled for two. "I don't quite know yet. I do like the name Django though...." Her pokeball wiggles a little in her hand, causing her to jump a little. Oak laughs and says, "It would seem he likes it." Cadence nods and smiles, looking down at it. "Django it is then."

   "Very well! Cadence and Django! Tobias and Garnet! Nathan and Lily! Your new lives have just begun and your new adventure is about to unfold! With you new companions, there is nothing that is impossible! Go see where the road takes you!"

   The three of them grinned at each other. Nathan folded his arms. Tobias ran his fingers through his hair. Cadence grabbed their hands and led them out the door at a run, and nearly tripping out of excitement. Oak waved after them.