Every legend contains a kernel of truth. The legend of The Trainer is no different. Though the stories of a man raised by the Dragonite clan and trained by the Legendary Birds are merely fanciful embellishments, there was indeed a man who came to be known as "The Trainer." How he earned that title is--well, it's a rather long story. Sit down here, and hear The Trainer's Tale.
To understand The Trainer's tale, one must first know his history. Do you know the days before the nation had trainers?
Of course! Most people lived in fear of Pokemon. They could only leave their fortified cities in large groups--and even those weren't always safe!
Right. But then came something even worse. Do you remember what that was?
The Dark Trainers. People had learned how to tame Pokemon, but they used their power to become tyrants and villains.
And finally all that ended when one of the Dark Emperor's apprentices betrayed him, taking his Pokemon for himself and sharing the secrets of training with the rebels. That began a glorious day for mankind! Suddenly we were free--from the Dark Trainers, and from the fear of Pokemon!
There were still lots of Pokemon, though.
Oh yes, quite. But now a single person with Pokemon could defend himself in the wild, you see? And those people, the Light Trainers they were called back then, they were heroes. It wasn't easy to become a Trainer, though. Oh no; they weren't going to make the same mistake twice. To make sure nobody would abuse the power of Pokemon, the new Master made a law that anyone who wished to be a Trainer would have to pass his tests. And his successor upheld that law, as did his successor, and on through the decades.
But it's not like that now!
No, child, it isn't. That's because of The Trainer. When he was young, he dreamed of being a Trainer. It didn't matter how hard the tests were, he declared, he would definitely pass. So he studied hard in school, and he learned as much as he could even out of school--he even tried following some of the Trainers to work! Why, when he wasn't much older than you, that boy sneaked into the power plant to watch how the Trainers were caring for the Voltorb. Oh dear, did he ever get in trouble for that one!
Did you know him?
I did, child. I did. I knew him well. I can still remember right after he became a licensed Trainer, when he had only his first Pokemon...
Prologue over (for now)! As the grandparent said, The Trainer changed the world! But he didn't do it by being the strongest, or the best, or... Well, you get the idea. He changed the world by...
Yeah, we don't know yet. That's the thrill of story-telling! What we do know, though, is the Dark Trainers from long ago were really bad--and an attempt to resurrect that evil order would spell catastrophe for the nation. That's where this small group of heroes-to-be will come in. When people using Pokemon for malicious purposes begin to appear, our protagonist will find himself caught in the conspiracy and intrigues.
We also know that only licensed Trainers can own their own Pokemon. Over the years the process of obtaining a license has been improved and streamlined a great deal; now there are special schools for people trying to become Trainers. Students have the opportunity to work closely with Pokemon and experienced Trainers--and those Trainers have the chance to assess any aspiring Trainers. You see, a Trainer has to not only display skill in taming and handling a Pokemon, but must also exemplify a moral life. The teachings are embedded early in the schooling: a Trainer is a model for other citizens to look to; a Trainer's power is for defending the people, not for serving himself; et cetera, et cetera. The goal is to see only noble men and women become Trainers, as per the first Master's wishes. Thus it becomes all the more alarming when dishonorable persons are using Pokemon.
One more important note is that humanity lives in fenced cities for safety. Only Trainers are permitted free travel in the wilds. Most of the people remain in the cities. Many never leave their hometown; others work to save enough money for bus fare to a new city (an expensive ticket, as buses have a host of dangers to face every trip). Only crazy folks would live outside the barrier--crazy folks with a Trainer license, as civilians wouldn't be free to come and go. (Guess where Natalie's house is. ;D) Each city has a Gym, and each gym has a Leader--but there's no contest to go around fighting them. The Gym is the office for the city's Trainers (like a guildhall), and the Gym Leader is the governing authority in a town. (There are town councils, too, and good Gym Leaders have great respect for the men and women in that role. Ultimately, though, the Gym Leader is the head.)
There's the major differences summed up. This world doesn't have ten-year-olds commanding mice capable of electrocuting them... yet. Like the old-timer said, everything will change after The Trainer--one way or another! What the world does have at present is comparable technology. Sophisticated capturing devices (Pokeballs), rapid-healing ointments (Potions), modern architecture and innovative transportation (the national buses, trolleys within cities...oh, and cars are rare but mopeds aren't uncommon)--in short, not so technologically different from the canon world. (Oh, Pokemon Centers are found inside the Gyms. Healing isn't quite free, but they only charge as much as it takes to cover the cost. The new-fangled healing machines that have been developed can heal a Pokemon for ten dollars.)
The story will pick up with The Trainer (our wonderful protagonist, the hero of the tale) arriving in a new city with his Pokemon partner. Etiquette would ask him to report to the Gym first--but it's his life, and something he finds more important might demand his attention first. Questions, comments, more lore--post away!
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