A Journey begins (Darren McDonald)

Darren woke up to the sound of his Dad yelling at him, same as normal. "Darren, it's eleven already! Get up!"
"Dad, it's the weekend!" he moaned, sitting up as he came into the room. Dad gave him a look.
"Don't you remember what's happening today?" he sighed, irritated.
What's happening? he thought.Of course! he realised, leaping out of his bed and rushing over to get changed as Dad left the room. How could you forget that, you moron! Darren scolded himself, pulling on a silver t-shirt with a Pokeball logo on the sleeve. He pulled on his jeans, fastened his belt, and ran downstairs to the sitting room and through to the kitchen, where he got his breakfast, pouring some cereal out into a bowl and scoffing it down.
His parents came into the sitting room just as he flopped down on the sofa. "Well, looks like he did remember." laughed his Dad. "That's a pound you owe me, Jackie."
"Hang on!" he said indignantly. "You guys had a bet? Seriously, Mom. I mean, Dad, maybe, but.."
"Hey!" his Dad protested. "That's unfair!" Darren just glared at him, getting up. "We got your stuff ready last night." Dad said with a smile. "And of course you need your friend." he said, handing Darren a Pokeball.
"Right." Darren said, heading over to the door. "Bruce, come on out." he said, realeasing his Tyrogue.
"Well, Mom, Dad. I guess its bye for now. I'll head out to train before challenging the Gym." he said, looking at them. They nodded sadly, choked up. So he turned and walked along the stone street, towards the gate to Route 7, Bruce by his side.

They were interrupted by a strong volt of electricity shooting across them. A Pidgey flew out in a flutter of feathers, closely followed by a Voltorb. It stopped, shooting a sideways glance at Darren and Tyrogue before rolling towards them, quickly and decisively.


Level 12

Darren looked at the pokemon coming towards him. "Cool!" he yelled in excitement, grabbing his pokedex and pointing it at Voltorb. " Level twelve?" he said anxiously to himself. "Bruce is only level five, but.. I don't wanna run fromthe first pokemon I meet...Uh.." his mind went blank for a moment, and he rashly sent out his Tyrogue.
"Use Fake Out!" he yelled.

Level 5

Voltorb flinched as the attack hit. It tried to use Sonicboom at Tyrogue, dealing fixed damage as it unleashed the attack.

"Try and dodge it!" Darren yelled to Bruce desperately. The Tyrogue jumped, but the attack caught his leg and he was sent sprawling in the grass. Bruce got to his feet, running towards the Voltorb. "Use Brick Break!"

The Voltorb tried to roll away but it didn't do much and the Brick Break hit. It shuddered a bit and unleashed another Sonicboom.

"Drop to the ground!" Darren yelled, but Bruce was too slow, and the Sonicboom hit him point blank. "No! Bruce!" Darren yelled, seeing his Tyrogue go flying and land sprawling on the ground. "C-can you keep going?" he asked, worried. Bruce managed to just barely pull himself to his feet, but was exhausted, and had to use all his strength to stay upright.
We won't win this.. Darren realised. I guess there's only one option..
"I hope this works!" he yelled, tossing a Pokeball at the Voltorb, just as Bruce collapsed on the ground, fainted.

The pokeball shook furiously before the tired Voltorb finally succumbed.

Congratulations! You caught a Voltorb! Do you want to nickname it?

Darren looked at the Pokeball in pure shock, returning the fainted Bruce, and running over to pick it up. "I'm gonnna call you Proton." he said happily, turning and heading back to the Pokemon Centre.
When he got there, he gave Bruce's pokeball to Nurse Joy, and headed outside. "Come on out, Proton." he said, releasing the Voltorb. "I'm Darren, Proton. I'm gonna be your trainer."

(You can control your captured pokemon.)

The Voltorb stared at his new master. It rolled just a bit and didn't move. It recalled itself back into it's pokeball and stayed there.

(Ok)

"Well that went well.." Darren sighed, heading back in for Bruce. "We should challenge the Gym, but maybe you should level up first.. We could head somewhere else, I mean.." Bruce glared at him. "Fine.." Darren muttered. "We'll train a little more, then go to the gym. Come on, Bruce."

A Magby appeared, blowing small flames in the air.


Level 13

"Hey, a Magby!" Darren yelled excitedly, sending out Bruce. "We'll win this one! Use Brick Break!" Bruce rushed forward, launching a powerful strike at the Magby.

The Magby, not expecting an attack got hit on the head. It sat down clutching it's head with tears lingering around it's eyes. It was only a baby. But it could try. It got up and tried out an Ember, releasing small searing flames towards the Tyrogue.

Bruce batted the flames away, and looked at the Magby sadly. It's only a baby.. Darren realised. "Bruce, wait!" he said, cautiously walking towards the Magby. He kneeled down in front of the small pokemon. "Magby?" he asked cautiously. "I'm Darren."

The Magby raised it's head and looked at the strange trainer. It released a single tiny flame at Darren then sat down and giggled. It started waving it's hands madly at Darren.

Darren laughed a little, relieved that the pokemon hadn't attacked him. He rummaged in his bag, and found a packet of pokemon food, putting a little in a bowl, and placing it down in front of Magby.

(Sorry for the late reply.)

Magby looked at it curiously before dipping a paw in the food. It got down on all fours and smelt it and then sucked the dirty hand it had dipped in the food. Liking the taste of it, it started gobbling up the food and decided that only food was a lot better than food and mud. It happily sat down, gobbling up and waxing happier with each mouthful.

Darren smiled and looked at the young Pokemon. "Magby... Do you have any friends around here?" he asked. "You're a bit young to be on your own."

(Wow, I'm even later this time.)

Magby gave a small sound, clearly puzzled. It didn't really understand this trainer but it liked him.

Darren smiled and rummaged around in his bag, pulling out a pokeball. "Do you want to come with me, Magby? I'm going on a journey. I mean, you won't even have to battle if you don't want to.. But I can look after you, you know?" he blurted nervously. "Please?"

Magby stared at the strange spherical object. It was yet to learn the objectives of a human trying to catch pokemon with pokeballs. It gave a small happy sound and knocking the pokeball in Darren's face, happily clambered onto Darren, landed on his head, sitting comfortably on Darren's hair. Suddenly it toppled backwards into Darren's bag but appeared happy and comfortable.

Darren was a bit shocked, but the Magby seemed happy enough in his bag. He smiled at it. "Like it in there, do you? Well, you can stay in there for now, anyway." he said, hoisting the bag onto his shoulders, slowly so as not to disturb Magby.

Suddenly a Nosepass crashed though the undergrowth and looked at Darren, obviously startled.


Level 13

Darren almost jumped,but then remembered the Magby in his pack and stopped himself. "A rock-type..." he murmured. "Not much good for a grass gym, and I still have to level up these three.. Bruce." he continued, nodding to his Tyrogue, "Use Brick Break."

Bruce rushed forward from his place beside Darren, and launched a brutal punch with a clenched fist, aiming for the side of the Nosepass's nose.