The news reporter grinned excitedly into the camera with her microphone in hand, it shook with the anticipation flowing throughout her body. The annual OI Trainer Program lottery had become a big spectacle to the point where families would put down everything to watch it together. The amount of people with their names on the list for selection numbered in the hundreds of thousands, a lucky twenty were to be selected to receive a helping hand in starting their pokemon journey.
"We've had a week of build up! We've caught up with former winners who have gone on to do great things! But now...we are only FIVE minutes away from this years draw!" The excitement in the reporters voice was shared by everyone watching, whether they knew someone with their name in the draw or not. "Who will be lucky enough to be selected this year? Stick with us until after this short break to find out!"
The reporter faded from the screen as the obligatory commercials ran advertising everything from biscuits to life insurance. With the number of people tuned in the cost to run an advert would have been extortionate, the viewing numbers triple any of the standard programming. Somewhere the station owner would be rubbing his hands together as he counted the extra zeroes.
"Welcome back folks! It's now time for use to go to the stage and get this years draw underway! Good luck to everyone!" The reporters reappearance was shortlived as she was replaced with a view of the stage. On it was the familiar face of Professor Arianna Oak. She was the current lead professor and owner of the Oak Institute and the primary reason for the OI Trainer Program existing. As the camera zoomed in on her she smiled and began to speak.
"Once again it's time for us to help a group of twenty people realise their dream of exploring this wonderful region in the search for pokemon. We have done this for quite a number of years now and it never fails to grab the publics attention...the support they show the Institute and these new trainers really gives me hope for this world of ours." There was a round of applause from the audience in attendance. Arianna raising her hands gesturing for quiet. "Thank you. I just want to say that the work the previous trainers have done is beyond measure. There are the obvious well reported instances of them stepping up to help out people and pokemon alike, but each and every trainer who has left here has done something to make this world a better place. I have full confidence that this years group will do the same." The applause rang out once again, this time Arianna leant forward towards the microphone in front of her. "So without further ado, let's get this started!"
The cheers became rapturous as the draw began, people within the crowd overcome with excitement. The crowd was made up of people whose names were in the draw, taking the chance that they would be lucky enough to have their name called. For those at home watching on TV, the screen showed the screen of the randomiser. The hundreds of thousands of profiles rotated in and out for a few seconds before finally coming to stop on the first person. A picture of a young teen, his hair fiery red and eyes a deep brown, was on the screen next to the name Gregory Handscombe. There were claps from within the arena as the profile appeared in front of them, each person hoping that it would be their name next.
The draw carried on much the same way for the following ten minutes until it was completely finished. The generator made way on the screen for the finalised list of those lucky enough to be selected for this years OI Trainer Program.
Gregory Handscombe, Victor Willows, Harry Thompson, Tim Smith, Samantha Riley, Rebecca Pierce, Lewis Morgan, Bobby Neil, Lance Goodthrust, Karl Symonds, Alan Stevens, Magnus Barry, Aubrey Longfellow, Corbin Sullivan, Malie Makana, Mark Longfield, Hannah Carey, Vivienne Nexane, Eddy Kaufman and then last on the list was Damian Grant. A mixture of all genders and races made up the list, all twenty people to soon become pokemon trainers. The excited reporter returned to the screens one more, her face lit up even more that it was previously.
"Well that's it for this years lottery folks! Stay tuned for The P Team! If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them....maybe you can hire The P-Team! Goodnight!" With that the broadcast ended and the draw was complete for another year. Behind the scenes the Institutes team was hard are work informing those lucky enough to be selected. A draft letter was created and sent out with the next steps.
With the letter sent out, the twenty people lucky enough to be selected for the program made their way to the Institute ready to start their adventures. Coming together from all over the world for all different reasons, these people were starting something bigger than any of them could have ever imagined.
Sully entered the reception of the Institute to find a lone desk sat amid a vast, open area. Behind the desk was a young woman, her black hair neatly tied up into a ponytail. She caught a glimpse of the young man entering the building and cast him a smile with her bright smile. Still taken aback by the sheer size of the Institute's building Sully was unaware of the receptionist try to grab his attention. She continued to smile a little longer before calling out to him.
"Excuse me sir. Can I help?" Her words snapped Sully back into the real world and he turned to looked her. He rubbed the back of his head and approached the desk. "I'm sorry," he said, "I just can't get over the size of this place."
The receptionist covered her mouth as she laughed trying not to seem rude. "It's okay. We get that reaction alot. While it's not the tallest building in Kanto it certainly covers the widest area. With the building itself and the grounds for the pokemon to roam in, it covers an area equal to a small city." Sully's jaw dropped as the sheer scale of the Institute was starting sink in. The receptionist giggled once more making Sully close his mouth.
"So I presume you're here for the trainer program?" Sully nodded in acknowledgement, he could feel his mouth getting dry as nerves started to set in. "So what's your name?" Sully provided a one word answer, the dryness of his mouth wouldn't let him say much more either way. "Corbin Sullivan." He reached deep into his pocket and unwrapped a sweet, putting it in his mouth in a hope to stop his sudden onset drymouth.
With his response the receptionist focussed on the computer in front of her briefly, her fingers tapping away rapidly at the keyboard. When she was done she looked back to to him. "Ok great. So everything is in order with your registration. I'm just going to need you to head to the orientation room. If you head down the corridor to your right, follow the signs and they will take you to where you have to go." Casting a glance to his right Sully could see a long, brightly lit corridor. He turned back to the receptionist to bid her farewell. "Thank you for your help. Take care." As he turned to leave the receptionist spoke one last time, "It's no problem. Good luck on your journey."
Sully began to make his way through the corridors, stopping occassionally to peek through a window. One window kept his attention longer than the others however. Within it was a single scientist but he wasn't alone, the room was filled with pokemon eggs. As far as Sully could see the room kept going backward, endless rows of eggs being carefully looked after. Each was situated in a padded case with a name tag, but they were too far from the door to make any names out. After separating himself from the egg room he moved onward.
Rounding the last corner towards the orientation room caused Sully to stop still. The painted walls had made way for glass panels allowing Sully to see outside. He was presented with the sight of a wide open field flanked by thick forestry. At the far end of the field sat a small mountain that had a river running down it to a lake at the bottom. Across his entire line of sight were pokemon, their numbers nothing like anything he had seen before. Stepping forward towards the glass on one side Sully pressed his face against it trying to get as close as he could. The Institute had built what he could only describe as a Pokemon Utopia, a sanctuary for injured or discarded pokemon with it's own breeding program. This is amazing... Lost to the world once again, Sully spent ten minutes staring out of the window. When he finally came round he walked the length of the corridor and entered the orientation room.
The room wasn't the biggest he had seen during his walk through the Institute but it was certainly as fancy. It was spotlessly clean from top to bottom, the tops of the tables cleared apart from two boxes. At the back of the room was a man wearing a white lab coat and behind him was a tube that disappeared into the ceiling above. "Welcome to orientation Sully. I'm Professor Hackett." Hearing his name threw Sully for a moment before realising the receptionist would have passed on his details. "Hey there."
Gesturing to the boxes in front of him the scientist called Sully forward. "If you want to come over here were can get you set up and off to the waiting rooms." The soon to be trainer listened to the request and crossed the room, stopping opposite the table the scientist waited at. The man reached into a box and pulled out what was clearly a Pokedex, handing over to Sully.
"As promised in our letter here is your very own Pokedex. In addition to being a log of what pokemon you encounter it has additonal functionalities. It is a mobile telephone, GPS, diary, music player and has many other functions. I could list them all for you now but you'd never get started on your journey." Sully looked down at the pokedex in front of him, sliding it open to reveal a simple menu to each function. "Seem's easy enough to use." The scientist smiled and continued on.
"Exactly. It has come pre-programmed to include the phone numbers of your emergency contacts and Professor Oak. In addition to this we have..." As the man spoke he pulled out a card from the other box, "...your OI Card. This will get you fed and transported anywhere in Kanto at no cost to yourself. In addition it can also be used to book you into hotels." Taking the card Sully gave it a once over before placing it into his wallet. Looking back up Sully was greeted by a handful of Pokedollars. "Take this courtesy of the Institute. It is entirely up to you how you spend it." Sully smiled as he placed the currency in hit wallet. It's not much but it's a start. Sully kept his thoughts to himself to stop himself coming across ungrateful.
"Thanks for that. I can't believe how generous the Institute is being." The scientist smiled, moving to speak before he was interrupting by the sound of a buzzer. He turned around and grabbed hold of something from the tube behind him. Sully leant over to his left to catch a glimpse of what the scientist held, clearly making out the distinctive design of a pokeball. He felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the small ball, as soon as he had it in his hand it meant he would then be a pokemon trainer.
The scientist spun back around to see Sully leaning awkwardly around him, laughing it off. "Excited are you?" Sully straightened up, looking around the room as a poor attempt to hide what he was doing. "Seeing as you can't wait i'll give you the honour of opening it up yourself." Reaching out the man placed the pokeball into Sully's hand, the weight of it not quite what he expected. He gave it a once over with his eyes before pressing the button on it. The ball opened and an arc of light erupted from it, striking the top of the table in front of him. As the light began to take form it started to become clearer just what Sully had gotten.
With the light now faded a small pokemon remained staring up at him with it's big black eyes. The two looked back and for at each other for a brief moment as if both were stuck. Then in unison both let out a cry. "Nice!" shouted Sully, "A piplup!" With his excitement the Piplup had yelled out it's own name as pokemon often did, before launching itself at Sully. It leapt onto his coat, climbing up it. Sully laughed as the small creature took a seat on his shoulder, reaching around the side of Sully's head to hold on. "It seems he likes you." The scientist was clearly stating the obvious, Piplup had taken to Sully better than the young trainer could ever have hoped.
Sully turned his head slightly, being careful not to knock his new pokemon off his shoulder. "Hey Piplup, my name is Sully." The pokemon jumped from Sully's shoulder with an overdramtic dive, flipping in the air. After it landed it threw a few punches into thin air. With it's last punch it struck a pose, looking back at Sully. The pokemon said it's name once before stopping the pose and taking a seat on the table. Sully laughed at the small pokemon, "We are definitely going to get on well."
With Sully focussed on Piplup the scientist received a phone called. It was only brief before he returned his phone to his jacket pocket. "Unfortunately i'm going to have to ask you to move on to one of our waiting rooms now Sully. The next trainer is here so if you could please exit through that door over there. I wish you and Pipluck luck on your journey." Sully nodded in recognition. "Come on then Piplup lets go."
The pokemon leapt from the table and walked next to Sully towards the door he was directed to. As he passed through the door way a voice called to him form behind, "Don't forget to pick up your pokeballs from the table." Sully turned back to the man, "Ok no problem. Thanks."
Just past the doorway was a table with packs of pokeballs on it, each pack with a name on it. Looking down at them Sully recognised the names as the other people selected for the program. He picked up his pack and placed it inside his coat. Once again he was in a corridor, this time it led to a small area with several doors. Each was numbered from one to six with an electronic sign above it. One to four said spaces while five and six said full. He looked down at Piplup and spoke. "I'll let you pick the door Piplup." The pokemon spoke before barreling towards door number three. It leapt up and twisted the door handle, it's momentum swinging the door open.
The room looked comfortable with its carpeted flooring and inviting seating. The walls were adorned with pictures of previous trainers who had gone through the trainer program in previous years. In between them was a large TV with the words 'PLEASE WAIT' emblazoned across it. Looking down to talk to Piplup Sully was shocked to see him missing. He scouted the room before noticing the pokemon bounding towards a table in the far corner, the top of it covered in a range of snacks and sweets. "Hell yes!" Sully quickly crossed the room and began to stuff his face with the assortment of food. Piplup leapt up next to him and started to tear into a selection of pokemon treats. Both paused for a second looking at each other, food smudged across both their faces. Without a word they returned to stuffing food into their mouths.
Minutes later both were led out on a couch nursing their overfilled stomachs. "You clearly like food as much as me." The Piplup tried to speak it's name in response but instead let out a deep, wall shaking burp. The pair laughed before slowly drifting off into a deep sleep as they awaited the next arrival.
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