Induction_Ch1

Em fumbled with the lock to her parent’s house when a familiar voice called out.  The deadbolt clicked into place, and she turned to her friend.

Mat strode towards her across the lawn, tall and confident, a lighthearted if somewhat antagonizing grin on his face.  He had short, if styled, hair, a dark blue color that matched the accents of his black shirt. “Congrats to your Greninja.”

Em glared at Mat through her outward calm.  “Thanks.  We finally did it.”  A gust of wind whipped at them, and she shook a few strands of light blond hair from her eyes.

“Maybe she can give Lucario a challenge now.  Were you gonna try to catch me off guard in a battle?”

Her hand twitched, not quite into a fist.  His grin screamed “nice try.”  It infuriated her.

They both graduated at the top of their class, but he had always been just a little better.  And he never let an opportunity to remind her slip by.

She shot him a flat stare.  “So, were you just waiting out here for me to gloat, or was it coincidence.”

“Coincidence of course.  Don't be so vain.”

“Of course.”

Mat grinned.  “You know what that means.”  His face split even wider.  “Have you asked your parents yet?”

Em glanced towards her currently-empty driveway.  “Not yet,” she muttered.

“Oh come on!  You know they already expect it, and it's not like they're going to say no.”  His eyes lit up, the look of intensity she remembered from the academy.  The raw energy and drive behind that look always reminded her of why he was the better trainer.  Not that it made him any less irritating.

“So what about you?”  She crossed her arms.  “Did you ask?”

“Of course.  The going away party has already been planned.  You can come if you'd like.”  He winked at her.

Em shook her head.  “Well, you must be busy with all the celebration, so I'll get out of your hair.”  She stuck her tongue out at him and spun on her heel before striding away.

Once out of sight, she sighed.  Her stomach twisted.  She'd been trying to work up the courage to ask her parents for almost a week now.  It took her and Mat less than a year to complete the league's requirements for a full trainer license, much quicker than most.  She'd only turned seventeen herself a month ago.  Her parents surely wouldn't deny her the right to travel abroad and put her efforts to good use.  Right?

Em pulled out Greninja's pokeball and held it firmly.  “We'll get out there, don't worry.”  She smiled and patted the small sphere.  The Pokemon Center lay only a few more minutes walk away, where she could register that she trained a fully evolved pokemon, the league's final requirement for a trainer license.