8 A Trainers First Partner (1/2)

”I-I am sorry mum.”, seeing his mother sad again, Arthur couldn't help but apologize.

”It's okay Arthur. It wasn't your fault, well not entirely. Things would have been different if your father was still there ...”, her eyes lost themselves in the air for a moment, deep in thought. Then she snapped back to reality and looked straight into Arthur's eyes:

”Arthur, what you did was very very foolish ...”

”Yes, yes I kno-”

”Let me finish first. It was foolish and very dangerous. Going alone into the wild, without any equipment or Pokemon, you didn't even notify me or anyone else!”, just as she was about to burst out in rage she suddenly calmed down,

”That's why I realized ... that I can't ... protect you forever, *sigh*. You will follow your own path Arthur, sooner or later. You will spread your wings and carve out your legend into this world. The most I can do is to prepare you as best as possible before that time arrives. But up until now I have failed in that regard. Very badly.”

”No, you didn't! I was-”

”Manners! Arthur McNeal, never forget your manners!”, she reprimanded him

harshly.

”Yes mum ...”, he quitened down again.

”Well, I can't always be by your side and take care of you. However, you still need someone to be there with you. Someone to protect you outside in the wild, someone you can rely on when you are surrounded by countless enemies. Your ... *sob* your father told me he was never afraid when he faced seemingly unsurmountable challenges during his adventures, because, because he had his partners always with him by his side.

You need a partner Arthur. I should have known that long ago but I was just too selfish and overlooked the burden you had been carrying all along on your back.”, after that last sentence her creased forehead relaxed a little and a huge burden got lifted up from her shoulders. It was the right decision, she told herself and walked upstairs while telling Aunty Latia,

”Aunty, could you take Alicia out for a moment please? I and Arthur need a

moment alone.”

Aunty Latia understood they needed a private moment and brought Alicia out.

After a couple seconds, his mother came back with a small bag, letting out a long

sigh.

”Mum, are you ok?”, he asked her worriedly,

”Where have you been?”

”I-I, during those few weeks I had a lot of time to think ... and plan. I did the transfer from the ranch just yesterday before you were released. I thought it was finally time.”

”Transfer? What are you talking about?”

He was still confused but her next actions made his eyes go wide open!

”Arthur, this, this was a present from your father actually.”, her eyes got a little teary and her voice started shaking again,

When she opened the lid, what revealed itself inside was a shiny red and white ball!

”What?!”, Arthur exclaimed under his breath. A Pokéball?! For me?! Deep inside, he had always felt jealous about the other children who got their own Pokémon. They could play and train with them all day and do fun stuff. He knew it wasn't possible for his family to help sustain another Pokémon but this didn't lessen his dejection at all.

But now the situation had seemingly changed. He could finally become partners with a Pokémon as well!

”Wait, you said this was from dad?”

”Yeah, he found this Pokemon when he did some work abroad. It was gravely wounded and your dad as a Ranger felt responsible to save it. It probably got into a fight with other Pokemon and lost the battle and escaped.

Ever since then he had kept it at a Ranch and waited for you to grow up.”, she explained to him.

”But, mum, we can't. We can't afford this. We shouldn't ...”, he wanted to dissuade her, he could put down his interests for his familiy's sake, but his mother cut him off sharply,

”Arthur, there is NO price in this world I am NOT willing to pay when it comes to you and your siblings well-being. The fact that you got injured and endangered yourselves is entirely my fault. You need a Pokemon no matter what. Don't worry, your mother will make this work out somehow. Just enjoy yourselves, it's your first Pokemon after all!”, she tried smiling everything off but Arthur saw through her facade. Still, he asked her hesitatingly:

What Pokemon is it?”

”See for yourself!”, she said and smiled at him.

Arthur gulped down his excitement. As if time had turned back, he remembered an alternative version of his tenth birthday. This time instead of the usual present he could be like every other normal child and summon his first Pokemon!

He picked up the ball with the greatest caution and pressed on the silver button. A click sound responded to his motion and the ball jumped open and a red stream of light poured out of it on the ground. Two meters ahead of him a figure gradually took form and the red light increased in density and apparently in mass as well.

The mysterious Pokemon was around Arthur's waist height and had a humanoid form. It stood on its two feet and white hooked claws on its limbs got recognisable. It had a darker blueish skin colour as well as three red feathers on its tail and one on its left ear. It had a yellow marking on its forehead and chest area.

Its narrow red eyes stared deeply into Arthur's as if scrutinizing the person it had been summoned by.

”It's ... it's a Sniebel!”, Arthur thought out loudly and exclaimed under his breath. He remembered his Pokedex and used it to scan the Sniebel:

[”Beep. Scan begins ... Pokemon recognised as Sniebel, dark/ice type, place of origin ....”], after that rows of information appeared on the screen. Strangely it felt very familiar to Arthur somehow and also incredible how many information this PokeDex had access to. Almost like a computer.

It looked like Sniebel were commonly found in mountain forest areas. They moved in pairs or bigger groups and were agile thieves when it came to stealing Pokemon eggs from other Pokemon. Several of them together could even overwhelm Pokemon with Ranks higher than themselves.

Its claws were retractable and could gain lengths that were as long as its own arms, and when it came to mobility they could be used to scale tress by punching their claws into the bark of trees.

Its red pupils allow it to catch more light in the dark which enhances its ability to see in the darkness at night.

But before his brain could process alle these new information, the actual Pokemon in front of him ... disappeared!

It vanished into thin air! From one moment to the next, Arthur's eyes lost track of the Sniebel that had just stood before him seconds ago.

”What? Where is it!”

”Oh, so that's what they meant with being careful about it!”, his mum regretfully said realising her mistake too late,

”Quick Arthur, go find the Pokemon and send it back into the ball. Don't worry, you just need to be within its immediate vicinity and then activate the mechanism again! I will go look after your sister and your Aunty, just in case. Mr.Nyao, stay with Atiqo and help him!

”Nyaoo!”, Mr.Nyao had appeared right after the moment the Sniebel had disappeared from sight. It might have sensed the change in Cathelyn's mood and immediately hurried to her side.