(Two Years Later...)
"It's raining, it's pouring..." Haru mumbled under his breath. He sat on the floor, arms crossed and cushioning his head on the window seat as he looked out to the steady rain that fell. Of course, it wasn't too unusual for this time of year, and it would soon pass to let the sun shine through again on their quiet little town of Konoha. His mother Kushina was out on a Ranger mission, and his father was also tied up with an engagement. Haru snorted, smiling to himself. It was that reason alone— the obligations and required events that the Pokémon Champion had to do— that Haru wasn't too keen, or too hurried to follow in his poor father's footsteps.
The number of times mom yelled at him for missing a special event or holiday alone… Haru shivered. Besides, he thought to himself with a frown, he wasn't even very sure of what he wanted to be.
Sure, being a top trainer, even Champion, sounded quite nice. But then, his mother had also told him many wonderful and exciting tales of the days when she threw herself into being a Pokémon Ranger— the Tauros Stampede, or the case of the Finnicky Abra... but she had also done a few Coordinator Competitions, and he did admire the complicated and amazing combos the Coordinators would come up with when his cousin Karin from the island of Uzu would visit and take him to the competitions. It might not be very popular among boys his age, but being a coordinator was demanding in its own right, and he knew better than to belittle it.
Or, and here he smiles with a little more genuine enthusiasm, what about a Pokémon photographer? Ever since his ninth birthday, Haru could be seen with the ever-present camera. Then, on his eleventh birthday, his mother and father surprised him with a professional Nicon camera, complete with retractable tripod and different lenses. They had been so impressed with his fervor and talent at taking photographs, they thought it would be the perfect gift.
"Vee?" Haru turns his head to see his Eevee, Yasu, sitting down by his ankles, bushy tail wagging.
"Hey Yasu... just thinking about our journey we'll be taking soon." Haru informs him, before turning back to the window. The Eevee he had rescued just two years ago had grown and come a long way from that timid and shy little creature who preferred to tremble in Haru's arms. Though he wasn't scared by any means, Yasu was quite the pacifist. Haru wasn't worried though, Yasu had shown his willingness and determination to be a good battle-type Pokémon.
"Vee..." Yasu cooed, stretching up as high as he could to place little paws on the window seat.It's raining... just like that day. He thought with a quick, happy look to Haru. He looked out the window with big ears perked, tail slowing down to a swish.
"Yeah..." Haru agreed, though he could only guess at the thoughts running through his Eevee's head. "It was raining just like this when we first met, right Yasu?"
"Vee!"
"Yeah..." Haru agreed in a dreamy tone of voice. After a moment he blinked twice, as if blinking away the dreamy film that had come over him. "Yeah! The rain has been pretty significant... Yasu, what if this is our sign?"
Come again? Yasu looked at him, confused. Haru elaborated with an excited grin. "You know how I've been waiting for the perfect time to start our journey? Just going with the rest of the class to the Pokémon Academy, and being strung along with some kids I barely know is too boring, too cliché, too ordinary! Right, weren't we waiting for the moment, the time of most meaning?" here he slumped and pouted. "Even if mom won't let us leave on a full moon just because it's night time... feh, what are flash lights for?"
... You're getting off topic here. Yasu muttered.
He placed his paw on Haru's arm to remind him of what he was talking about. Haru blinked, looking down at the paw, before lightly hitting his head.
"Ah, right! Well anyway, this could be our perfect moment Yasu! Like the rain that linked us together in the bonds of friendship, so shall this rain link us forever as trainer and Pokémon— the new sun that shines upon the ground refreshed from the rain, droplets shining like diamonds, lighting our trail! Yasu, its freaking perfect! " he yells excitedly, jumping up and thrusting his fists high into the air.
Yasu just shakes his head and wanders off into the kitchen for a berry.
Haru, now taken with his idea, scrambles into his room. He had packed his traveling backpack over two weeks ago, checking it over and over again almost obsessively, either adding things or very rarely taking things out. A sweet orange, black and blue backpack he had searched all over for. Clothes, a tin of berries and pokéblocks, his camera equipment and a few other things. Snatching up his bag, he ran out and placed it by the door.
Scampering back into his room, he took his last shower in civilization for what could be a while, and changed into his traveling clothes. He had fought his mom for ages on this outfit, and though he'd had to make some concessions, overall he was fine with the outfit. An orange and black hoodie, white t-shirt with an orange swirl on the front, and black shorts.
Tugging at his shirt, Haru looks around his room for several moments. "Okay." He affirms to himself quietly, a small smile on his face. Closing the door behind him, he walks into the kitchen and calls for his Pokémon.
"Yasu!" the little Eevee pops up from behind the fruit bowl. "How did you get up... never mind. Come on, let's start our journey today."
"Vee!" Yasu cheers, running across the island countertop and jumping into Haru's arms. Haru zips up his jacket and places the Eevee inside of it, the little brown head poking out and nudging his chin. "Okay, now on to Professor Sarutobi's right?"
Haru walks out the house, locking it up and placing the keys back in his backpack. The rain is steady yet light, a refreshing spray against Haru's visible skin. Not bothering to put the hoodie up, Haru trots down the lane and into town, passing stores and the old park he used to play at. The Sarutobi Research Lab is a large brick building with circular windows and a big paddock in the back where the reserve Pokémon are kept. Stepping into the building, he shakes his head like a wet dog and calls out.
"Professor? Professor Sarutobi, are you in there?"
"In the back lab Haru, come in!" A voice thick with age and hidden knowledge beckons him to the back areas of the lab, and Haru walks through. He nods or chirps a cheerful hello to any of the lab assistants that are in. Walking into one of the last lab rooms, Haru sees the Old Professor, famous for his research and advanced knowledge of Pokémon, sitting in a large rolling chair as he analyzes slides. The old man turns and smiles, the wrinkles around his mouth stretching the skin.
"Haru, what can I help you with?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asks genially, turning the chair around to face the young blonde boy.
"Professor... I want to start my Pokémon journey today!" Haru declares proudly.
Hiruzen raises a white eyebrow, crossing his ankles as he holds his chin in his hand. "Haru, you know generally we assign children who are just starting out to groups of three in order to assure better safety, as well as assure parents their children won't be alone in case of emergencies."
Haru nods. "Sure. But it's not required, right? Besides, the number of the class this year is odd, there'd be one team with four people. And I don't want to wait, today is the perfect day! It's the perfect moment!"
Hiruzen chuckled, the boy before him had often taken to spouting off a rant on the necessity of starting one's Pokémon journey in the right way, at just the perfect moment for years. "I thought you were originally supposed to start off under a full moon?"
"That was scrapped by the judge and jury." Haru mumbled petulantly, pouting for a few moments before quickly bouncing back into a happier mood. "But now, when the rain is refreshing the earth and the sun is about to come out of this new world— come on, that's cinematic perfection!"
"Right, right..." Hiruzen sighed, before getting up and gesturing for Haru to follow him as he walked out the room. "I'm not going to be the one to take any fall out from your mother. And wasn't Iruka watching you while she was gone? He won't like this."
"Iruka is busy doing research stuff for you out in the forest. And I have left a long, detailed letter of 'see you later' to both mom and dad. Everything is cleared." Haru assures the old man.
Hiruzen snorts. Right, because Kushina and Minato Namikaze will be reassured by a letter. He doesn't say that though, and instead leads the boy into the room where the other children would receive their starter Pokémon and equipment in the next week following the break.
"Well, seeing as you have your Eevee you won't need a starter... then here," he hands Haru a black and orange metallic rectangular object. "Your Pokédex that you needled and worked for hours in my lab to get customized, and... five Pokéballs. Your Pokédex is both your ID and your key to get into certain places, such as the sleeping quarters in the Poké Centers. It also tells you your Pokémon's stats and the information of any wild Pokémon you meet out there." Hiruzen details, smiling as Haru excitedly starts his Pokédex and scans his Eevee.
Eevee
Eevee, the Evolution Type Pokémon. Depending on circumstances, Eevee can evolve into many forms. This Eevee is level 10.
Haru didn't bother checking the moves; he just wanted to see if it was working properly.
Closing it up and putting it away, he turned back to the Professor with a grin. "Thanks a lot, Professor!"
Hiruzen nodded. "It's fine, now... are you sure you wouldn't want to wait?"
Haru shook his head. "No—now or never."
"Very well then, it's your journey in the end." Hiruzen clapped a hand on Haru's shoulders and grinned encouragingly. "I hope you succeed in your goals, Haru, and good luck out there."
"Thanks Professor." Haru replied sincerely, a bright smile lighting up his face. "Well... the time is now! Maybe after I win my first three badges I'll come back for a visit!" Waving, Haru leaves the building, the rain now to a drizzle. The sun would be out soon...
"Well!" Haru claps his hand, sauntering out into the drizzle and smiling at the cool mist upon his skin. "Let's make a promise, Yasu... to really live life to the fullest from here on out! We're trainer and Pokémon now! Travelling the lands, battling and winning! Man, I'm pumped just thinking about it!" Haru yells out, the enthusiasm so much that he breaks out from his slow walk into a full blown sprint.
The town flies by in a blur, trees blending into green borders along the colorful buildings of his home. The rain is dying down, the clouds breaking apart into small chunks of fluff as the sun finally breaks through. It's exactly the perfect moment that Haru was talking about.
He's out of town limits now, and officially en route to being... whatever it is he wants to be. The possibilities are endless.
The rain now cleared away, Yasu jumps out of Haru's jacket to pace alongside his friend. Haru looks down and grins at Yasu, who yips back at him. "Man, the only thing that could make this better is to see... I don't know... Ho-oh!"
Haru throws his head back in a teasing fashion, making a show of searching for the legendary bird. He stops, and Yasu trots along a few more steps before turning back when he realizes Haru wasn't beside him. Just what is he seeing now? Yasu wonders.
"Yasu... what is that up there?" Haru asks, pointing to the sky. Yasu looks up and squints his eyes. He didn't see any—what was that large flying object in the sky.
"Oh my god, if it is Ho-oh..." Haru murmurs. They watch the shape fly with intense gazes, waiting for it to get away from the sun so they could see it and not a silhouette.
It turns and dips... it... It...!
"Oh. Nope... no... that's a Fearow." Haru corrected himself, slowly looking down to Yasu. Haru and Yasu stared at each other for a few seconds before Haru burst into laughter.
"Well whatever, we don't need Ho-oh to find happiness. Let's go!" Haru declared, pointing off into the distance. At a more controlled pace, but no less enthusiastic than before, Haru and Yasu continued on.