A New Dawn {Starter}

[Huginn]

Cadence chewed on her bottom lip in worry. "Should I really be going through with this?" she said, glancing down at Zazolai. Currently, she was hugging him close to her chest, trying to fight the ever-growing anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her at any given moment. She stood hesitantly before the doors of Pine Laboratories, fearing what lay beyond it. Was this really what she should do? What if she messed it up?

Zazo craned his neck to fix his blue jewel eyes on hers. "You wanted to do this, so yes, you should."

"But, what if I mess this up?"

"You won't, I'll be right there beside you. Even if I'm only a small comfort." He smiled cheekily.

Instantaneously, she knew what he meant. As much as she was like she was, suffering from bouts of anxiety, of worries that didn't always hold true, it was as if Zazolai tried to shoulder the worst of it for her. She was the one that managed to put on a false smile, act the part of a confident teen capable of dealing with conversations and encounters with strangers, while Zazo... Well, Zazo was the one who feared, who remained silent and stoic in the face of social situations.

She breathed in deeply, then let it out in a gust of air. "Right, well, let's get it done together then." She brushed strands of her auburn hair away from her face and gathered her thoughts.

"Let's," Zazolai replied, looking back towards the door.

Straightening, reorganizing her face into one of composure, Cadence stepped through the automatic doors and into the laboratory.

[Rin]

The Professor was in the back, reviewing grant applications on his computer. Telepa, his Noctowl daemon, sat on his shoulder, and a mug of steaming hot tea lay close to his hand. He was quite comfortable and in the zone, eyes flickering from side to side across the screen, when he heard not the sliding of the automatic doors leading to the lab, but three notes playing over the loudspeaker, signalling a visitor had entered the lobby. A new Trainer, no doubt. As he was not in the middle of any sort of important experiment, Professor Pine was happy to assist whomever it would be. Telepa ruffled her feathers and hooted happily - she too generally enjoyed seeing new trainers meet their starter Pokemon for the first time.

It was only about a minute after Cadence and Zazolai entered the lab that the Professor stepped out of the back room. He nodded at the young lady and her Sableye daemon standing in the front room. "Welcome!" he exclaimed to them, stepping forward and holding out his hand for the girl to shake. "My name is Pine, and I am the Professor who runs this building." "And I am his daemon, Telepa. Who might you two be?" the Noctowl nodded to the teenager and the Sableye.  "I assume you are here to get your first Pokemon and starter pack? The starters we currently have in stock are these--" he pointed to a chart on the wall indicating a large handful of different types of Pokemon, "--and you may request to see up to three types of Pokemon as well. We can only bring out six Pokemon total at a time, though, the room isn't quite big enough to hold all the energy!" the Professor chuckled.

[Huginn]

The room she stepped into was vast, yet it was by no means intimidating. Light shone warmly through the windows, casting a gentle illumination down upon the bookshelves that lined the walls and the sofas that spoke of comfort that lay situated close to them. Something that stuck out the most to Cadence was the posters. Many displayed Pokémon of different breeds, some posing in a natural formation, others appearing as if they were attacking something the beholder alone couldn't see. It was interesting and kind of cool, although, as Cadence moved towards them, her dæmon leaning forwards in her grasp, footsteps echoed through the reception area.

Zazolai immediately clambered up onto Cadence's shoulder and crouched there, his three-fingered hands digging into her shoulder-blade, his eye jewels fixed upon the newcomers.

Cadence's heart was hammering away in her chest and she felt as if she couldn't think clearly but, she managed to fight the rising panic and offered the professor a small smile. "It's nice to meet the both of you," she said, reaching out to shake the proffered hand. "I'm Cadence and my dæmon's name is Zazolai." She stepped back, dropping her hand to gesture to her dæmon. Shyly, he dipped his head to them both and then looked down at his hands, rubbing them together nervously. She had to be cool, stay as calm as possible. Things were going great so far. ... Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

Cadence nodded. "Yep, we are!" After so long of holding it off, she'd finally decided on going through with this. How long had it been since she first decided that she wanted to get away from Ellsport, see what else there was out there and finally go on to research Pokémon? Around a week, or two? She couldn't remember. Although, it may have been less than that. Days seemed to go by slower when you were wishing for something more than the life you were already living.

Looking to the chart Professor Pine indicated, she felt a jolt of surprise rush through her. There were so many to choose from! And they all seemed so full of potential!

Which ones should she choose? She stepped closer to it, studying each Pokémon in turn closely. Zazo stretched his purple snout towards the chart, tilting his head this way and that as he scrutinized it. "If we want to travel far on our journey," he whispered, "you should consider getting a Pokémon that will be able to fly."

She hummed in thought. "I was thinking that before... Maybe a Swablu? They evolve into Altaria, I believe? Or a Bagon? They evolve into -"

"Salamence," Zazolai supplied. "We've seen one once, remember?"

"Hmm." This was going to be difficult... Besides, it wasn't just all about the practical ones. Each individual Pokémon had their own unique personality, that would mean a lot in terms of teamwork and friendship. She wouldn't want a Pokémon that would set her on edge, nor one that strove too hard in battles, or started fights.

The choice of three different types of Pokémon had popped into her head shortly after Professor Pine had mentioned it but, this was slightly different. All of the Pokémon here were great choices and it was near impossible just choosing three from such a big variety.

Swablu or Bagon? And two others. Her eyes flicked from one Pokémon image to the next, until finally, it came to her.

She turned back to look at the professor and his dæmon with a smile. "I've made my decision. Please could I see Swablu, Nidoran and Shroomish?" At Zazo's nudge she recalled her second trio of choices. "Oh! And I would also like to request seeing a Dragon, Ghost and Fire type, please." She felt both nervous and excited. This was it, she was really going through with this. No turning back now!

[Rin]

"Fire, Dragon, and Ghost, along with Shroomish, Swablu and Nidoran?" The Professor nodded sagely. "Of course! One moment." He walked to what seemed to be a blank, white plastic wall and tapped several buttons. A lit screen appeared in the area that seemed to have been simple wall. A few unintelligible commands entered and more buttons pressed, and there were 6 clunking noises. Telepa gently hooked her talon on the handle of a nearby drawer and pulled it open. Inside were 6 Pokeballs. The Professor gathered them all in his hands and then turned around, facing Cadence. There was something of a mischievous gleam in his eye - or perhaps that was just the light reflecting off his glasses. "Ready? Go!" he cried, and released all the Pokemon at once. 








All six Pokemon were dumped unceremoniously onto the floor and started interacting with Cadence, Zazolai, and the environment around them immediately. The Ponyta pawed the ground imperiously and threw back its head, looking in fine health and well fit, if rather haughty and arrogant. Swablu twittered a pleasant tune and immediately flew towards Cadence, bobbing politely in the air as it neared her. "Mademoiselle, Monseiur," it intoned, briefly folding one wing under itself as if bowing to her and Zazolai It didn't seem quite as vigorous as the Ponyta, but very good at maneuvering in the air. The Driftloom didn't seem to notice Cadence. It drifted into the corner, looking rather lonely and downcast, although perhaps it might react if Cadence decided to talk to it. Next was the Axew. It looked tough and ready for anything - it surveyed its' surroundings quickly and then pattered over to Cadence, giving her a quick, acknowledging nod. "Good morning, new Trainer," it said to her. It seemed like the determined, take-action type. Finally were the Nidoran and Shroomish. The Shroomish backed up against a wall, leaning casually against it as if it didn't care much as to what happened around it. It seemed cool and collected. The Nidoran immediately scuttled away from Cadence, crouching in the shadows and watching the proceedings with curious, gleaming red eyes. Perhaps it was shy. 

Professor Pine nodded approvingly at the six Pokemon. "Feel free to interact with them more to get to know them," he told Cadence. 

[Huginn]

Both Cadence and Zazolai jumped as the Professor released all six Pokémon at once. They hadn't expected that! Cadence felt a twist in the pit of her stomach but, a smile worked its way onto her lips. Well, this way would work better... It would allow her to see what each individual Pokémon was like at the same time.

Almost instantaneously, the Swablu had swooped over to politely address them with a little bow and chanted greetings. "Oh, hello!" Cadence replied, offering it a little bow of her head in turn. The manner in which the Flying type held itself while soaring spoke of its skill in the air. "I'm Cadence and this is Zazolai. You're a very skilled flier," she added, flashing it a small smile.

Zazo patted her shoulder, gesturing towards the approaching Axew. "Good morning, Axew," she said. "If you don't mind me asking, what is it you're looking for most in a Trainer?"

She acknowledged Professor Pine's words with a smile and a nod. "Alright." This was nowhere near as bad as she first thought it would be. The Professor and his dæmon seemed nice and being that she almost always experienced a sense of calm around Pokémon, it made this particular eventful encounter quite pleasant, at least, in comparison to the nightmare her mind had previously conjured it to be like.

She looked around, surveying the other Pokémon in turn. The Ponyta looked as if it was in fine health, if a little haughty - its toss of its head adding to the general arrogant vibe. "Hello there," she ventured.

The Shroomish had backed up against a wall and was currently leaning against it casually. Its expression was one of calm; it seemed almost unconcerned of everything that was currently going on around it. She almost missed the Nidoran and, if it wasn't for the red gleam of its eyes, she might have overlooked it entirely. It seemed as if it was almost shy and, Cadence couldn't help but give it a soft smile - she knew how that felt. Too loud and big of an occasion could sometimes leave her feeling overwhelmed and weary. Carefully, she ventured closer to it, dropping into a crouch a little way from it. "Hi. It's quite a bit of a crowded room now, isn't it?" 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Drifloon. It had drifted away into a corner, seemingly oblivious to Cadence and Zazolai's presence. It seemed despondent and Cadence's heart went out to it.

Zazo caught her eye and clambered down from her shoulder, gripping briefly onto her side before he made the leap to the floor below. Here, in this situation, Cadence needed assistance. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out again in a gust of air, trying to dispel his worries from his mind. Rubbing his hands nervously together, he approached the Drifloon. "Are... are you alright?" he quietly asked, stopping at a short distance from it.

Meanwhile, Cadence had glanced towards the Shroomish. "Good morning," she said. "Quite an interesting start to the day, isn't it?"

[Rin]

Pine smiled as he watched the Pokemon begin to explore and frolic about. This was possibly his favorite thing about meeting new Trainers, Breeders and Coordinators - watching them and their daemons interact with the starters and choose their first partner. He stayed out of the way and against the wall near the drawer where the Pokeballs had originally been deposited into, watching Cadence and the Pokemon but not getting in the way.

Swablu shook its head modestly, eyes shining at the praise. "Why, thank you," it said, fluttering its wings gently to stay aloft. "Yet I must say it is nothing compared to the beautiful shade of your hair, like a summer sunset." It did a loop-de-loop in the air, then took a daring swoop closer to gently brush its beak against Cadence's hand, like a gentle kiss. Clearly this Pokemon would do well with the ladies, and its aerial maneuvers proved even more that it was talented at flying. However, it seemed as if it could be frivolous at times as well. Meanwhile, in response to Cadence's question, Axew straightened up and allowed Swablu to speak before answering. "Hmm, I believe that I would enjoy a Trainer who likes to explore and see the ends of the world, to experience new things and new places. I'd like to battle and hone my strength, but I would be happy to participate in Contests as well to try something new," it nodded thoughtfully. "I would definitely like a Trainer who is determined with a goal, though. I like having a task to focus on, a purpose." Clearly Axew was very serious and driven, though it looked like it might have a hard time unwinding and having fun.

Ponyta rolled its eyes as Cadence finally spoke to it. "Well hello there yourself," it grunted, snorting and flaring its nostrils. It looked over at Professor Pine and demanded, "Will you get me a glass of water? I'm thirsty." Pine shook his head and chuckled quietly, but walked over to the water cooler and filled a small cup. Trotting over, Ponyta shoved him aside and grabbed the cup. Certainly there was strength in the horse's body, but it definitely had an attitude. It would take time and care to win this one over, and it looked like it would definitely be the disobedient type. Shroomish seemed to be watching the Ponyta and its antics, because it grinned with amusement and shook its head as Ponyta started ordering the Professor around. "Indeed, quite the morning. Though you should see it when the Professor sends out three Pokemon like that Ponyta at once. It gets rowdy fast," it responded to her amiably.

Nidoran looked up sharply as Cadence approached it, shrinking back into the shadows further. "Yes, a very crowded room. But all this distraction means I can move through the shadows unnoticed," it said, with a sly sort of tone to its voice. Apparently it wasn't shy, but more of the sneaky type. As Cadence was talking to Nidoran, Drifloon didn't notice the Sableye-daemon approaching it until Zazolai was within a few feet. It squeaked and jumped with fright, drifting away from Zazolai for a few moments until it could tell that the daemon meant no harm. "Oh...oh...it's okay..." it said in a small, rather sad voice. There was a slight hissing noise, and the Sableye would be surprised to see the Drifloon actually deflating somewhat due to its nervousness. "Oh no...oh no I'm sorry!" squeaked the Drifloon again, trying to float behind a potted plant to hide.

[Huginn]

At Swablu's praise Cadence's cheeks flushed red and grew darker still as he did a loop-de-loop, swooped down and gently pecked the back of her hand. "Oh...! Um, thank you," she stuttered. This Pokémon was certainly something! "What, um, what are you looking for in a Trainer?" She thought asking this of them was the best way to finding out what the Pokémon wanted out of the journey she was to undertake. It would also help her to pick out a Pokémon out of these six fascinating types that would best suit her. Choosing one out them all was definitely going to be a challenge.

At Axew's reply, she nodded and smiled. "Well, I'll be doing a lot of exploring on my travels, it's one of the main reasons why I decided to become a Trainer. Another reason is so I can begin seriously researching Pokémon, habitats that Pokémon inhabit; the different moves that they can learn... All sorts of things. I would say that that's my main goal. My secondary goal is to learn what it is to be a Trainer; how to properly battle like one and to learn what works best for my team."

Cadence couldn't help but shoot a surprised look Ponyta's way as it shoved past Professor Pine to get to the cup of water it had not long demanded off of him. Sure, the Ponyta had responded to her greetings (though it had rolled its eyes) but, what he had done was a little rude. She couldn't help but chuckle a little though in reaction to Shroomish's reply. "I'd imagine," she said. "Have you been here long?"

So, the Nidoran wasn't as shy as she'd first thought. "That's true," she replied, looking thoughtful. "Do you prefer to stick to the shadows rather than being out in the open?"

Although Zazolai was unable to show much emotion through the reflection of his bejeweled eyes, the manner in which he tilted his head and the worried downturn of his mouth spoke volumes his gaze couldn't. Automatically, he reached out to the Drifloon, but let his hands drop shortly afterwards, not wanting to frighten the Drifloon more than it was frightened already. "No, it's okay," he said. "You don't need to apologize for it." He offered it a gentle smile. "You know, you don't have to hide over here. You can come say hi to my human Cadence if you want, she'd be happy to talk with you."

[Rin]

Swablu tilted its head, finally settling upon a nearby lamp to think. "Well, I would love a Trainer such as yourself whose beauty I can truly admire...I also would like to hone my own flying ability, so I may soar through the air and use moves with a grace that reflect's my Trainer's radiance," it stared into the distance with dreamy eyes for a moment. "Of course, that would probably be through contests and battles!" Axew smirked a little watching Swablu's dreamy expression, amused. It nodded at Cadence's explanation of her goals. "The pursuit of knowledge is always an honorable goal," it agreed, although it seemed more interested when she had been talking about exploration and working on learning how to be a Trainer.

Ponyta now had drank all the water and was trotting around the room impatiently. Its hooves made a loud, echoing clicking noise on the glass floor. Shroomish's gaze followed the fire horse's progress. "Well, as you can imagine, Shroomish aren't the most popular choice of starter, so I've been here longer than many of the others - I'm the oldest Pokemon in this room, actually. But I don't really mind. For now I take care of the younger Pokemon and break up fights and such, but I know someday I'll get to go on a journey and evolve into a Breloom." It seemed like its opinion on its life was very matter-of-fact, and it could roll with any sort of situation.

Nidoran blinked at Cadence, grinning briefly and showing teeth that seemed unnaturally sharp for its species. "Indeed. Staying out of sight in the shadows is the mark of a good assassin, after all. Defense and offense is nothing if the enemy never sees you coming." It looked proud for a moment, then shook its head. "But there is also a technique that requires hiding in plain sight. I haven't gotten the hang of it yet."

Drifloon sniffled, as if it were about to cry, but seemed slightly comforted by Zazolai's friendly coaxing. "Okay...I'll say hi to Cadence. I bet she'll think I'm weak and pathetic though....boo hoo hoo..." There was a second hissing noise as it deflated further, now sporting a large concave area in its side where it had let out air. It briefly reached out one of its feelers and touched Zazolai's small hand. Feeling more confident by the cold touch of a ghost like itself, it puffed itself up, reinflating with a whooshing noise, and nodded its thanks to the Sableye-daemon as it meekly floated closer to Cadence. "H-hello...?"

[Huginn]

"Those sound like brilliant aims!" she said. "I'll be focusing on battles quite a lot on my journey, as I'm hoping to improve my skill as a Trainer, so if I pick you to be my first Pokémon, you'd certainly be able to hone your flying ability."

She smiled down at the Axew, pleased at his reply. "Thank you, I'm glad you think so." The Dragon-type would certainly make a fantastic first addition to her team-to-be - then again, so would Swablu. They both were interested in battling and Axew had previously said how it would enjoy being in the company of a Trainer who wanted to explore the world, which was yet another reason why she had decided to go through with this.

Wow, she never thought it would be so difficult to pick a starter out of six different Pokémon, but it definitely was turning out to be.

Cadence turned to watch the Ponyta too as it paced. Then, glanced back down at the Shroomish. "Well," she began with a thoughtful pause, "I once saw a Trainer battle way back when I was younger. One of the Trainers was fighting with a Breloom and it always stuck in my mind how brilliant a fighter it was. So, that was one of the reasons why I decided to pick Shroomish as one of my starter choices. Though I know that every Breloom and Shroomish - along with many other Pokémon - can be so very different from each other in terms of what goals they have and their personalities. What is it that you would like to do if I picked you?" She tilted her head a little to the side, curious in the Shroomish's answer.

A good assassin, eh? This Nidoran seemed to know some interesting tactics. Stealth was certainly an asset in battles, though it could also be considered cheating to some. In Cadence's case, she actually saw it as something that would be incredibly useful, as well as cool. "You certainly have a point there." She nodded in agreement. "Yet you say that there's a technique that requires for you to hide in plain sight? That sounds like it would be difficult to master. How long have you been practicing it for?"

Then, she glanced towards the fire horse. She had yet to have a full conversation with it, and she felt that she should. Although, there was a tight sensation slowly constricting her chest, her anxiety in talking to this rebellious Ponyta rising up in waves, she fought it. She couldn't merely talk to five of the six and leave out the Fire-type. She needed to better determine who would fit best as a starter after all. "Ponyta?" she asked tentatively. "What is it that you're looking for in a Trainer?" The response she was expecting was obviously one that spoke of the arrogance and impolite actions she'd already seen the Ponyta pull before but, maybe, maybe that was just her feeling the extent of her nerves.

The distance between Cadence and Zazolai was sufficient enough for the daemon to accurately translate the Pokémon's words and repeat them back to his human, which he was grateful for. He felt anxious however. His coaxing broken in-between keeping an eye on other conversations at the same time as the one he was currently having with this fellow Ghost-type but, the Drifloon understood - in fact, Zazolai's words of comfort had seemed to help it. It reached forwards a feeler, touching his hand tentatively for a brief time, its touch cool, yet comforting. With a hint of confidence seeping into its bearing, it reinflated itself and gave him a nod of thanks. Another smile graced Zazo's face and, quietly, he fell into step alongside Drifloon.

As soon as he reached Cadence's side, he leapt back up onto her shoulders, turning his head to watch the Drifloon. He had to crouch and hold tight to the material of Cadence's clothes as she turned to look at it, her expression one of amiability. "Hello, Drifloon, how are you?"

[Rin]

Swablu nodded eagerly at Cadence's praise, fluttering its eyelashes at the young lady flirtatiously. Meanwhile, Axew nodded as well once more, satisfied with the discussion, then turned sat back and began to watch Cadence interact with the other Pokemon. Shroomish finally stopped leaning against the wall as Cadence explained her choice of picking a Shroomish as a starter type, apparently intrigued by her words. It straightened up and gave a smile. "Yes, that's one of the reasons I'd like to evolve into a Breloom. I can't do too much on these stubby legs, but I know I'll evolve fairly early into a Breloom compared to other Pokemon." It thought for only a moment after Cadence asked it what it would do if she picked it, and said without hesitation, "I can't stand seeing younger Pokemon bullied, and people getting wronged. I would hone my strength and use it for justice." Apparently this Pokemon who seemed very chill and nonchalant in some cases had some strong opinions.

Nidoran blushed as she asked him about the technique of hiding in plain sight. "Well, I can't really hide in plain sight like some, like the masters like Ghost-types or Mr. Mime," he said, shaking his head a little sadly. "But what I mean is, like, subterfuge through seeming harmless, but actually going about your mission. Blending in with the crowd, appearing normal until you strike!" He struck a rather silly ninja pose. It seemed that nobody had ever told him that once he evolved into a Nidoking, he would be quite a conspicuous Pokemon, but for now he was very much enjoying his 'stealth strategy'.

Ponyta whipped its head around as Cadence addressed it, snorting. It seemed rather satisfied as she asked it what it was looking for in a trainer, however. "Hah, need to ask me that? I wanna fight so I can be the strongest around!" It reared back (knocking over the potted plant that Drifloon had been hiding behind previously) and pawed at the air as impressively as it could. "Of course, you gotta be a good enough Trainer to handle this hot stuff! If you're not...too bad!" As Cadence had predicted, its answer was an arrogant one. Behind Cadence as Drifloon approached, it saw Ponyta aggressively rending the air with its hooves and squeaked again, floating backward. "Eep, eep, eep, I can't do this..." it whimpered, yeeking as Cadence turned to it and asked it how it was doing. "Oh...I'm...I'm okay...h-how are you..." it sniffed shyly, moving about from side to side in the air so its feelings swung about sadly.

[Huginn]

At Shroomish's response, Cadence nodded in agreement. It was true, Grass-types commonly were quicker to evolve compared to that of other type variations, which was yet another reason why she decided to pick Shroomish for a possible starter choice. She was pleasantly surprised at its answer to her question; hone its strength and use it for justice, huh? "That is a fantastic aspiration," she said, impressed. It seemed you couldn't always judge a book by its cover, and sometimes, she had forgotten that. At first glance she had considered the Shroomish to be aloof, distant but, in actuality it was far from it. It was instead the caring sort, one to stand up to bullies and generally bad people. It was refreshing to hear.

Meanwhile, Nidoran answered her question with a tint to his cheeks. She had to suppress the urge to shudder at the mention of Mr.Mime and Zazolai huddled up tighter to her, his side pressing coolly against neck. The image alone of those Psychic-types made her stomach churn. They were awful, so awful. She cleared her throat though and brushed a strand of her auburn hair away from her face. Focus, Cadence! Now was not the time to be distracted!

Nidoran's small little pose and enthuasism pulled a small smile from her. He was cute, but his actions and his words also spoke of something else. He seemed to be a determined little guy, one who would focus on what he was best at and also on the things he was weak in. He would do well in fights, she was sure. Still, she doubted he would remain as stealthy as he evolved - Nidoking weren't known for blending in with the crowd. But, she didn't have the heart to tell him that, he seemed so excited about the prospect of what it took to be an assassin. Instead, she said, "That seems like it would be a cool technique for you to master, and would definitely take your enemies by surprise!"

It didn't take long for the Ponyta to respond, rearing back to strike at the air with its front hooves. It seemed as if Ponyta was trying to show off, although it's aim to be the strongest around by participating in battles was a good enough reason for a bit of showing off, she supposed. Of course, Ponyta's response was as arrogant as Cadence had assumed it to be. She chewed on her bottom lip a moment, lost in thought. She... didn't really think that Ponyta would be the one for her, it was a bit too demanding and haughty, which would be something of a problem on the battlefield. Maybe it wouldn't listen to her if she was to ask it to do such and such an attack? She dipped her head in acknowledgement to its answer, however.

She pulled herself away from such worrying thoughts, focusing instead on Drifloon. She could tell it was nervous, and felt that sense of understanding and empathy from earlier ring through her. She gave it a soft smile and Zazo shot it a reassuring look. "I'm okay, too." She'd have to be careful how she worded any queries she might have; she didn't want to upset the Ghost Pokémon more than it was upset already. "Are you, interested in battling Drifloon?"

[Rin]

Shroomish nodded coolly, not one to be all flustered or blush from praise. "Thanks," it accepted the compliment without fanfare. The Axew also dipped its nose with approval - it seemed that it valued justice as well. Swablu didn't seem as impressed - it looked as if it would rather have a fun time charming others. Nidoran smiled eagerly showing its strange sharp teeth, happy to hear encouragement, as most people simply giggled or scoffed at it for wanting to be an assassin. "I will definitely do my best to learn it, I'll be the coolest ninja in the world!"

Seeing that Cadence didn't respond to it, Ponyta snorted and turned away, uninterested now that Cadence was uninterested. It began chewing on the leaves of the potted plant it had knocked over. Its mane came a bit too close to one of the branches and it caught on fire. The flaming pony snapped it up quickly, eyes darting from side to side trying to see if anyone had caught it in the act. Shroomish, Axew and Swablu had all seen, but they weren't about to make a fuss about it, knowing how touchy Ponyta was. Drifloon was too focused on answering the question to notice the wayward pony. "Ummm...hmmm...I guess I could try...it seems so scary though...and what if I hurt someone?" it seemed very anxious at the idea, but at least it wasn't saying no outright.

[Huginn]

Cadence straightened. Well, it was time to make a decision. Her stomach felt like it was twisting up on itself. She chewed on the inside of her bottom lip, trying to push past the feeling. She didn't want to disappoint or upset any of the Pokémon that she wasn't about to choose but, it would happen, she supposed. It wasn't something she could help. Every single one of them had potential. However, she could only choose one.

First, she turned to look at Swablu. "You have amazing flying abilities, and I'm sure they'll only grow from here. I, I wish you all the best in finding a Trainer that will help you to hone your skills." It would make a fine choice of starter and was a Flying-type, much like she had considered choosing alongside Zazo from the start but, quietly, she had felt somewhat uncomfortable with the flirting and charm that it showed. Not that she didn't like the Pokémon. She just would prefer a partner whom she felt a bit more comfortable around.

Secondly, was Ponyta. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you much but, I hope you find a Trainer suited for you." The Fire-type would be too difficult a Pokémon for her to handle. Though, hopefully, there was someone out there that would pick it as their starter one day.

"I hope you find the right person for you, Drifloon," she said, looking gently toward it.

"I'm sure you will," Zazolai said, much to Cadence's surprise. She glanced at him, noting the smile of reassurance he gave the Ghost-type.

Cadence turned back to Shroomish and Nidoran. "You'll both find someone soon, I'm sure of it. I wish you all the best in your training, Nidoran and hope that you will find a Trainer that suits you well, Shroomish." She inclined her head to them both.

Then, with a deep breath in, then out - a moment to steady herself in readiness - she looked back to Axew. "I'd love for you to accompany me on my journey. Together I'm sure we'll grow stronger and experience new and exciting places." She smiled at him and Zazo tilted his head down at the little dragon Pokémon.

[Rin]

Professor Pine smiled as Cadence stood up. This was it! The young Trainer was about to make a decision. Telepa gripped his shoulders in excitement, giving a small "hoo". All the Pokemon crowded around the young lady, and even Ponyta looked up, interested in what she would say. First she turned to Swablu, and wished it luck. It looked somber at the rejection, but bowed to her, saying, "I wish you luck as well, mademoiselle, monsieur. May our paths cross again." Ponyta just snorted and turned away when she turned to it, offended. It certainly wasn't aware of its brash way of acting, and so it believed itself the best of the starters by far, which one could see in the aggravated and jaunty way it clip-clopped to the center of the room. Nidoran looked a little sad, but used to the rejection - one would suppose that it was not the usual first choice of starter, and Shroomish seemed not to have a reaction. Presumably it was also used to this. As for Drifloon, it sniffled and tears welled up in its eyes, but it seemed reassured by Cadence's, and especially Zazolai's comfort. It managed to keep from deflating and nodded, though sadly.

Axew's eyes widened slightly with surprise and excitement as Cadence extended the offer of it becoming her partner, and it seemed for a moment it would take the news as calmly as it seemed to deal with other situations. But instead it jumped up in excitement, bouncing twice in the air. Its voice grew louder, until it was something of a shout of excitement. "Really?! That sounds amazing! I'd love to explore the world and become stronger together with you two. I'll do my best on your team!" The little dragon seemed to realize it was yelling and shook itself, trying to calm down. Then it quickly hopped back to its Pokeball and tapped the button so it would vanish inside. The Professor took Axew's ball and returned the rest of the Pokemon as well. "There you are, you have a starter!" he congratulated Cadence. "Here is Axew's Pokeball, and if you please stand here so I can take your picture for your Trainer's licence! I have your starter pack all set up for you as well. Best of luck on your journey!"

Cadence received Axew and her starter pack!

Name: Choice
Species: Axew
Gender: Choice
Level: 5
Ability: Ability (Rivalry or Mold Breaker) - Description.
Attacks: Scratch, Leer, Egg move of choice
Personality: Choice

[img]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/222.png[/img]
[b]Name:[/b] [i]Choice[/i]
[b]Species:[/b] Axew
[b]Gender:[/b] [i]Choice[/i]
[b]Level:[/b] 5
[b]Ability:[/b] Ability (Rivalry or Mold Breaker) - [i]Description.[/i]
[b]Attacks:[/b] Scratch, Leer, Egg move of choice
[b]Personality:[/b] [i]Choice[/i]


Pokéball x 10


Potion x 6


Antidote x 4


Burn Heal x 4


Ice Heal x 4


Awakening x 4


Paralyze Heal x 4

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/pokeball.png[/img]
[b]Pokéball[/b] [i]x 10[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/potion.png[/img]
[b]Potion[/b] [i]x 6[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/antidote.png[/img]
[b]Antidote[/b] [i]x 4[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/burnheal.png[/img]
[b]Burn Heal[/b] [i]x 4[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/iceheal.png[/img]
[b]Ice Heal[/b] [i]x 4[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/awakening.png[/img]
[b]Awakening[/b] [i]x 4[/i]

[img]http://serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/parlyzheal.png[/img]
[b]Paralyze Heal[/b] [i]x 4[/i]