Adventures of Adevre

"How lovely! Three trainers at once! Our little town doesn't usually see so many new faces!" A pink-haired woman smiled sweetly. Juniper shifted stiffly, a bit claustrophobic standing sandwiched between these other trainers. As it happened, this Town Hall shared a conjoined lobby with the attached Pokecenter. After checking in at the front desk, the receptionist sent all three of them into the slightly smaller Pokecenter nook to recieve their kits while he processed their paperwork. 'It's only for five minutes,' she breathed, clenching her fists. Huddling up in close quarters with a couple trainers- and potential rivals- in this pokecenter to get her training license was a small price to pay. 'Five minutes,' she repeated to herself, gritting her teeth. For a task so simple, this Pokecenter Nurse sure was taking her time. 

Literally jittering with excitement, the trainer to her right lightly and accidentally bumped her. Up close and personal gave her a better look at him than in passing on the bus. The fur on his orange hoodie waved with his every movement and tickled her arm, and she scooted away. You couldn't see his smile for the face mask he wore, but his squinting eyes told all. For as long as she'd waited for this very moment, his unbridled enthusiasm was somehow killing her own. Not a word had to be exchanged for Juniper to decide she didn't like him. The other girl at least was quiet. Sparing a glance to her left, she noted the other trainer withdrawn into herself, nervously tugging the edges of her vest. This one was more tolerable... if Juniper didn't have to look at her. From the back, her backpack had concealed the garish yellow fabric flashing from underneath an equally bright purple vest. That long turquoise hair topped it all off, trying to escape the clashing color scheme in a tight ponytail. Before her negative thoughts could take her any further, the nurse returned with her arms full, and in one smooth motion arranged a neat spread before each of the three trainers. 

"Now, to my understanding you each already have a starting partner, yes?" she beamed. Juniper and the softspoken, fashion disaster of a trainer both nodded affirmation.

"Sure do, Miss...?" Cockily showing off his pokeball, the trainer in his fur-lined hoodie leaned up close on the counter. Leaning forward and with his back to her, Juniper noticed black stripes running horizontally on the back of the hoodie. She might not have made the connection that they were growlithe stripes if she hadn't seen his pokemon previously.

"Aloe, Aloe Joyce," the nurse pointed to her nametag. 

"Miss Joyce," Hoodie repeated with a wink. Juniper rolled her eyes. She just wanted her kit and to be out of here.

"Wonderful! Although our town cannot provide pokemon to new trainers, thanks to our Aspiring Trainer program, we can provide each of you with a starter kit; equipment for you all to begin your journeys." Nurse Aloe panned her hand out to the displays set before each of them. "In your bags you will find a small tent, a multipurpose cooking pot, and a map of the region- on the back is a map specifically of our own town and surrounding wild areas. Although not much, this should get you started should you need to camp out in the wild area. In this outer pocket are three pokeballs, compliments of our local Pokemart. And here, perhaps most importantly..." Aloe reached beneath the counter, emerging with three dark, slender, shiny metal bricks. "Are your phones!" 

Juniper gripped hers hesitantly, clearly puzzled. Before she could speak up, the quiet trainer piped up with the question on all their minds.

"Um, excuse me? Are we going to get Pokedexes, Miss?"

"A good question!" A bit of light seemed to die from her eyes. "Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, Mayor Whitmore made the call to exclude Pokedexes from our starting package."

"What?!" Juniper burst, fists slammed on the counter. Nurse Aloe seemed unfazed, hands politely clasped at her waist. "Filling a pokedex is... is a sign of a trainer's strength! A record of their accomplishments! How can they just take it out of a starting pack for trainers?"

"I guess it's lucky we're getting anything at all," Fashion Disaster meekly chimed in. Juniper settled down, still grumbling, only slightly guiltier.

"I understand the frustration. Mayor Whitmore opted for cell phones over pokedexes, as in addition to all a phone's basic functions, many new phones are coming out with pokedex technology."

"Oh, like a Rotomphone!" Fashion Disaster piped again. The life in Aloe's eyes continued to fade.

"Unfortunately, these older phone models are not compatible with rotom-conversion."

"Thanks for the junk," Juniper muttered under her breath, silently pocketing the machine.

"The mayor did personally commission a Tillshire-specific pokedex app, however," Aloe feebly attempted to save the situation. "It contains basic information on every pokemon native to our town."

"Well, that's handy," Fashion Disaster perked up.

"However, to encourage trainers to explore our humble little town, their pokedex entries will be locked until you catch or encounter one. And our app itself does not include information on non-native pokemon." 

A heavy, fuming sigh was forcibly expelled from Juniper's lungs. 

"I'm sure we'll make it work," Hoodie assured kindly, leaning ever farther across the counter, a coy look in his eyes. The nurse began to shift uncomfortably, and hurriedly reached into one more drawer for three envelopes. 

"And this," she quickly handed out, "Is the rest of the grant money, for each of you to spend as you see fit. You're sure to find any resource and amenities we haven't been able to provide out in our community."

"I'm sure we will." Hoodie was practically draped across the counter now, right up in the Nurse's face. She was visibly uncomfortable. Juniper and Fashion Disaster went stiff, unsure of what was about to happen. Juniper's hand instinctively inched toward her pokeball, lest he cause problems. She was more than ready to throw hands. Hoodie just bent in close to her ear, and whispered ever so seductively, "You know... it's free real estate."

"WELL." A loud voice boomed. The broad-shouldered, dark skinned gentleman who checked them in loomed behind them, and grabbed Hoodie by his... well, hoodie. The trainer, though fully grown, looked like a child in the receptionist's grip. "I've got each of your licenses printed, and it seems you've all received your starter kits in full. You best be off then." He hastily and roughly ushered all three trainers out the back door, practically booting them off the stairs. He waved politely, forcing niceties. "Welcome again!" Punctuating his departure came the shockingly forceful slam of the sliding glass door.