Thread: Pokemon Adventures: Beyond the Horizons

Pokemon Adventures: Beyond the Horizons

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Another story in the world of Pokemon based on an adventure between Cian Hartley and the many people who joins him along the way. A ten year old who has come to dislike Pokemon and the garbage he reads in comics on hero's is none other than Cian himself. It all starts with the Pokemon License exam that he fails. In fear, he starts a journey illegally as a Pokemon Trainer to make his mother happy. What will his horizons bring him on his journey?

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Index -
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two (In Progress)

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Announcements:
I have much planned so far. Right now, it is all about getting into writing mode for the next chapters as well focusing on my other fanfictions as well my own life (psh). There are many characters who you will not see for a while. Keep in mind that they will come back. Such characters include the Azurill. At chapter 10, you readers will get to decide for a one-shot, who you want Cian to meet. This is a universe where Ash does not exist and Red is a comic hero, but I enjoy the idea of how characters act to one another and will allow the privilege for loyal readers to come to a conclusion on who you want Cian to run into - let it be a character from the anime-verse or game-verse.

Prologue


"Please! Just give me a chance!"

The older man shook his head to the young lad. His hand was placed on the young lad's head as he spoke. "Life does not serve well to those who fall to nothing, those who beg and to even accept mercy?" The old man laughed. He shook his head and turned to leave the sixteen year old.

"No! I won't let you leave!" The sixteen year old shook his head. He stood to his feet in the dim-lit room. "If you leave, then I'll -"

"You'll what?" Without a glance, the old man spoke to the lad. His back did not turn for a split second. "You said it yourself, why should anyone care?" The corner of his lips tilted upward into a grin. A low chuckle was emitted and he left the room.

"Who cares what you think!?" His impulsive cry echoed through the room. Immediately his hands curled into fists. Both of his eyebrows furrowed in a scowl that showed nothing more than discontent. Then the atmosphere changed. He dropped his shoulders to relieve the tension. His eyes widen as his eyebrows returned back to normal.

The young lad dropped his head. No morsal in his body could produce another tear. Maybe it's best that everything was left to another person. He cupped the Pokeball in his hand that hung from the necklace he wore. A simple, ordinary Pokeball that held colors of red and white. An eyebrow arched when he eyed a small, cherry wood jewelry chest.

He unclutched the Pokeball and carefully placed his hands on both sides of the chest. The light caught a flow of a jacket as the lad moved the chest closer to the candle. He inserted a key into the chest and the top opened with a click. A creek was made as he opened it. Unknown letters were carved across the bottom of the top. In a swift movement he grasped the Pokeball and tore the necklace away. The Pokeball strapped to the necklace was laid gently inside the cherry wood chest.

"Whoever shall find the remains in this chest is fated to encounter the wrongs that I've placed," the Lad said. For the last time, he shut the chest. "It is only in my hopes and dreams that whoever lays their hands on it will take it upon them to do more right than wrong." He scooped up the jewelry chest and left the room. In his mind he thought back to the foreign Unkown letters that were carved in the chest.

A dream is the bearer of a new possibility, the enlarged horizon, the great hope.*

The book was closed shut and the teacher stared over to his students. "Solaris holds much history, that young lad we have come to know as Stavros is one of the greatest legends yet." He stood fairly tall with his long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. His fingers adjusted his square frame glasses. "The reason I chose this story particularly in event to the test for your Pokemon License is that when you begin your journey, is that I encourage each and every one of you to expand your horizons as well hold hopes for one day you will all reach your own personal goals." Although much of the class had found story time to be nothing, but a mere snooze hour, many were in whispers in the excitement for the big day. The big day where all the students would participate in a comprehensive test that will allow them the rights and privilege to own a Pokemon License. No person can become a trainer without a license or qualify in any event that calls for Pokemon Trainers. Not many students are reported to not qualify as he or she had failed the test. Unfortunately, this class had the highest possibility to have a student do just that.

"It's just a folk tale," a boy muttered. He sat bored to his mind in the back of the room. His blue-green colored eyes stared far beyond towards the window. A bit of his face was recreated in the reflection. His teal colored hair went pass his ears to almost his shoulders. Then his bangs ran across his face in somewhat choppy lengths. "These so great legendary, heros, they're not good people, they say all that crap because you all are saps." Not a pitch was changed in his voice. It wasn't high, but it wasn't low. His voice was a complete monotone. "It is as if they take the garbage we read in comics and put them into real life then call it inspirational," he stated and held his hand in the air to emphasize quotations around the word inspirational.

A loud ahem spread throughout the room. His head hardly turned for him to glance to where that noise came from. "Cian!" A loud girl's voice boomed across the room. She had an orange blonde colored hair. At each side of her head were these curls clipped up and then she had these amber colored eyes that could incinerate everyone's eyes out. She slammed her hands onto the desk and said, "You have some nerve to still be here if you think that way!" Her hand rose and she pointed a finger straight at Cian while her eye twitched in rage. "You think you're so great because you choose to believe that all of this is crap, if you think any of what you say is valid, you're so wrong!" She dropped the finger and waved her hand to the side as she exclaimed, "You're the least productive student in this class and do you have any idea how much that reflects me entirely?!" Cian stared dully at the enraged female. The girl crossed her arms and turned her head away. "You don't even care about Pokemon!"

In the back of the room was a small play area. In that area was an Azurill who bounced around happily. He stopped and stared at all the students in the room. "Marsha is right!" A plain and simple looking, brown colored hair boy spoke out.

"Of course I am," Marsha insisted and placed a hand on her chest, "Which is partly why I can't wait to leave this place to escape the likes of you!"

Cian stood from his desk and raised his hand as he placed his opposite hand on his chest, "I, Cian, have been voted off the island." He dropped his hand and gathered his books. Marsha paused herself and blinked at the cumbersome student. Wait, what was he doing? The teacher looked nervously between the students who held dislike for Cian. He wasn't the most disciplined person and he severely lacked obedience.

"OK now...Cian," the teacher tried to console Cian to stay. "Cian, you can't leave the class..." How would one go about stopping a student without it seeming like physical or verbal abuse? The professor sweat-dropped.

"Professor, you just can't let him leave like that!" One of the girls said. Marsha gritted her teeth and grabbed a book to throw in direction at Cian. His head ducked as he made his way to the door. Why does that kid always have to ruin everything?! He had never shown to have interest in really anything at all. The only reason that he bothers to come back is because his mother would have her with him in the most unpleasant manner if he were to not attend. That and if he were to not pass, his mother's head would explode.

Professor had to advert the class attention on something else. It was no use. If Cian was gone for the day, he was done. Not even his mother that he fears will convince him to rejoin the class. "Alright class, there isn't anything we can do," Professor said.

"Of course there is something we can do!"

"Yeah! You're the best teacher! Someone like Cian should not reflect your work!"

The students started to uproar at how their most hated classmate should not be let go so easily. "Class!" Professor piped up, "Please, thank you, I ask that you take your seats to review your guide booklet, leave any other matters private." He bowed and took a step out of the classroom. Guess if he must do something he should try, even if the result is Cian kicks his butt later.

Inside the room, Marsha sat at her desk unhappily. How could she be all cheery? She thrived to do well and for the results to show. That won't happen if Cian were to be such a nuisance as he always is to the class. Whenever the Professor goes over subject material, he'll hardly pay attention or argue concepts with the teacher. It was more than obvious that Cian wasn't meant to be a trainer or have any relation to Pokemon! The last Pokemon in the classroom almost died because Cian failed to care for it! Marsha gripped her pencil hard enough that it snapped in half. Cian's going to get it if he dares to mess up with her one bit.

Meanwhile, Cian had left the school building that served as a gym, in a foul mood. His hands stuffed into his pockets as he wore that same blank expression. Rumors in Pokemon School have said that he would not even smile if anything great were to happen or cry if he were to find out that his death were tomorrow. His actions delivered his attitude most the time as well helped people to assume when he was in a rotten mood. No one figured out why he acted how he did. Some came to the conspiracy it was because he lacked a father. He countered that to say that his old man would have just pushed his mother around all day. Another conspiracy was that he was lonely and wanted friends. The newest student tried to befriend him as he thought that he need this "help". How do these ideas cross their minds? It's beyond him.

Speaking of that newest student, his name was Kenta. "Aye, Cian!" The blonde haired male gave a fellow salute from the stoned wall he sat on. There was an awkward silence that filled the air as Cian continued to walk wherever he was headed. "OK, uh, nice to see you...too?" Kenta held an unsure grin that twitched at some points.

However, not everyone can entirely be hated and isolated. There is always bound to be that one person to visit. A person who wasn't his mother who would yell at him. Not any of the construction workers who took their lunch breaks and tried to talk Cian into being a good little boy (words that sicken him). Who was this person? An older female who was the daughter of Professor Stockwell. She had a brother who was around Cian's age, but he was in a different, more prestigious life style currently. Has Cian met him? The same time that her brother had a broken nose. No word was spoken if Cian had socked him or not.

It was a light auburn colored hair female. She had her hair somewhat short with a blue bandanna to fit. Phoebe was her name and unlike her brother, she didn't want to become a trainer. In fact, she was a complete pacifist. So, she put her time forth to study Pokemon breeding and her father lent her a part of his acres to do her work. Cian found himself a spot in the wild grass to lie down.

"You're here early," Phoebe giggled as she held a basket of berries at her side. She lifted her sunflower decorated hat to smile down at the boy. "Would you like some oran berries?" Not a response was made. "OK, I'll leave some next to you, just in case, have a nice nap Cian." What was with her and that smile? Cian sometimes could not stand it when she would smile down at him like that. It ticked him more when anyone else would pass by and he had to pretend as if he didn't care. How does one show to not care if they lack to do the opposite? At the same time, Phoebe could really drive him up a wall. He did enjoy the fact he was able to watch her work in her green apron. The typical Pokemon breeder outfit.

A couple hours had to pass by until he could head home. It was hard to say if his mother knew he left straight out of class today. How she finds out is because some people are too noisy for their own good. Then there are days when she didn't even know. Those days seemed to appear less and less. Actually, he recalled that he tells her he left school. Why bother to lie if it would be a pain in the end? It was not worth the trouble to lie. For an hour, Cian slept away the best he could. Then he decided to sneak some of the oran berries that Phoebe left him. Damn her and providing irresistible sweets.

'Forget it.'

Cian stood to his feet and began on the path back home. It wasn't too far away from Professor Stockwell's laboratory and research facility.

"Listen boss, it's not here!" Normally, guys in big, long trench coats aren't around here. He eyed Cian then spoke down to him, "Get lost, you little punk."

Cian didn't pay any single amount of attention to him. His purpose was to get home where he could access a fridge. After that he figured that he could shower and brush his teeth (at the same time), then head to bed. Most students were heads over heals dedicating their time to studying. He only glanced solemnly at the review booklet to convince his mother that he bothered to read it. Why would someone bother to come to Solaris?

Solaris is merely a small town on the Eastrum Island. Eastrum does hold a small region for trainers, but all of them head off to different regions. Some of the different regions are Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova. Then there are other islands that have their own regional league. Would it be best to bother himself to turn back? Cian stopped and mentally reminded himself that he might grow tension to his own self-conscience.

Though, that guy had moved in the same direction. Cian turned and the guy removed his phone from his ear. "Don't mess with me kid," he seethed.

"Yeah, whoopie, I'm scared," Cian said without much focus on his sarcasm, "You should just leave, there's nothing interesting here."

The man furrowed his eyebrows as he grabbed Cian by the collar of his hooded top and asked, "You best be telling the truth boy."

"My lips do not lie," Cian bluntly answered him.

After the man unclenched him, he turned to walk back to where he came from. He also seemed frustrated. Cian shrugged it off and returned back onto his own path home. There were many flower gardens that varied long and wide. He stopped as a small stoop and stepped onto the patio. When he opened the door and stepped in, his mother stood there. She had her black colored hair tied up in a messy bun and eyes that stared in anguish. Arms were folded in front of her chest.

"Cian..." she said.

Chapter I

Let the Examination Commence

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Someone had called and thus, his mother had found out. How he stood in class to declare that all the Professor read was merely folktale galore. Students could imply that he stated their goals were meaningless to follow. Unlike the class representative Marsha, many students were unsure or at least their parents were worried when they received a call on Cian's behavior. Then he had left class, which left the Professor's position to be questionable.

What was worst? The fact that he held no conscience to learn what he had done was wrong or that already his classmates anticipated the following Saturday's exams? Multiple students studied their noses glued to their review booklet. Cian? He relaxed on the couch and lazily flipped through the channels on the TV. His mother shook her head a lot of times when she glanced over to the living room where he was located. How does one develop to be completely incompetent? The signs were obvious that he held little to no interest in Pokemon. Yet he acted as if he could easily leave the Island he claims to be not of worth for someone to visit. Would it be best to make him stay home? That would be playing by what he wants and not make him learn his lesson. Only problem is that if she sent him back to school, there's potential for him to speak out amongst the class to degrade their antics. Each student with him being the exception had looked forward to obtaining their Pokemon License the second they stepped into that school.

Eileen stood from the kitchen sink and stared over her shoulder pass the alice blue colored walls that had a tiled pattern to the entrance into the living room. The kitchen was quite small with very little counter space. Her black colored hair was as always in the messy bun that it was with strands hanging out. In the corner she was at with washing the dishes, she glanced to the lilies in the vase behind the sink. A sigh escaped her as she placed a blue plate in the rack next to the sink to dry. "

Cian, I'm going to go out for a while, will you be OK here alone?" Eileen leaned back to try and glimpse at her boy. A mere wave of the hand signified that he would be alright. Her head shook in dismay and she slid off her frilly yellow apron that she then placed over a chair in the other corner. The kitchen slash dining room had a wooden petite, circular table with four single, wooden chairs. It would be an issue if they ever had people over due to the lack of room, but it was not a problem since Eileen went to other places and her son lacked to have mutual friendship with anyone.

She stepped out into the living room and leaned over the arm of the sofa to kiss her son's forehead. "I won't be gone long, OK?" Those familiar blue-green colored eyes shifted to stare up to her own brown colored eyes. "Do you want anything from the grocery store?" Her son rolled onto his stomach and stared to the TV.

Why can't she, his own mother, even get him to utter a single word when asked a question? People would think that she spoiled her son, but this wasn't a child to do any sort of acts such as that. His last birthday they ended up doing nothing and the cake she bought was given to the neighborhood children. He did still eat some chocolate though. "While I'm gone, I want you to study, alright?" She grabbed a white jacket that she folded over her arm as she opened the door. After she stepped down, the door closed with a click.

Cian bothered to tilt himself up to stare to the door. His mother should already know that he doesn't study. Now with her gone, he could return back to watching his TV in the silence that he had come to enjoy so much. The window on the wall behind the sofa was semi-open with a light breeze that swirled in. He shifted to where he could lie on his stomach and rest his chin on his left arm while he used his right hand to switch the channels continuously. Nothing was ever on or at least nothing that he wished would be on; there was one channel that discussed the fact some sort of organization that was under suspicion by the Police Department to be around Solaris in the Compass Island Region. There was the Eastrum and Westrum islands. Huh. Boring. Cian pressed his thumb on the upper part of a vertically long button to forward to the next channel. All he was doing was mindlessly turning channel after channel.

Cian pressed the red button and sat up to turn his head left, then right. He held a puzzled expression, one of the many expressions he lacked to show anyone. "Mom," he said and there was no response. "Where'd she go?" Guess if she wasn't here, then he might as well just lie back down. He rested himself with the right side of his cheek resting on the arm of the sofa. The breeze pushed through his hair to provide him a cooling sensation that comes from living near the ocean waters. What he awaited to get over with was none other than the Pokemon License exam.

That morning had come around quickly. His mother even decided to make something other than her tofu. She was humming as she walked around the kitchen. Wait - walking was not the right word. More like she was dancing all throughout the kitchen that made Cian arch an eyebrow. Just act as if everything is normal. Well, usually when nothing goes according to plan, it's quite simple and that's how he had come to live his every day life unlike so many others out there in the world. Cian was not that child who had trouble waking up in the morning. It's the opposite where sometimes he had to wake his mother up. Did he purposely do so? Often than not, he would wake his mother as he prepared to attend school or head out to Professor Stockwell's.

"For my little man," his mother said, she held her other hand closed into a fist near the cheeky smile on her face. In the other hand she set down pancakes that were a questionable color in the shape of Pokemon. Some of the Pokemon included those that Cian had grown to have on his walls. They ranged from Mudkip's to Seaking. Then there was a pancake in shape to that of the old Phanpy slide he still had in his room. Her arms snaked their way around the teal colored hair boy who stab the Mudkip with a fork. He held the Mudkip and stared at it with a blank expression before eating the Pokemon shaped pancake. "Take your time," she laughed in joy, "My boy's going to be off on his own journey, it makes me so happy!" When she pulled away, her hands clasped together as she started to talk about what she will do to prepare for her son when he leaves.

There was one thing that went straight through Cian's mind while he sat there. If he did not pass this stupid Pokemon License Examination, what will he do then? His mother just had to be all jumpy and joyful at the fact that he would be sailing out of here to some fated region. Why was it that his mother never made anything that easy for him? Well, it should not be that hard of a test, right? If need be, he can sit near Marsha and copy off of her. Then his other option was to guess every answer. Then again his guessing wasn't that great. On a true or false, he always marked C or just put neither. He finished his breakfast, got ready, and headed off to school for the exam. Everything that went on that morning had replayed in his mind. His arms were cross as he still took into thought of every little detail.

Students around him who were going to take the exam had met in small groups of three and discuss eagerly the exam everyone (everyone who isn't Cian) anticipated to pass. Damnit. Cian hit his head against the wall. What he had to do was pass this test. It's easy - all of it is! These are the so-called basics that everyone claims to be a piece of cake. He was on his way in and he took his seat that was the last one near Marsha. Her arms were crossed with her eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed; she unlike Cian had done everything in her power to study, to kiss all the teachers asses, in hopes that she will pass by with high regards then head out of here to one of the different regions. Already an anger mark had grown onto her as she clinched her fist. Her eyes snapped open and she stared straight at Cian.

"Don't think you'll be cheating off of me anytime soon," Marsha rose her voice and spoke directly toward him. Anytime soon? Cian took those words to heart. Those words were then ripped out of them. "I mean it that you won't use me at all," she claimed in her triumph then placed a hand on her chest. Strangely, the atmosphere changed and Cian felt small in that demeanor. Her heavens were filled with a pink and white background as she found herself at peace. "I'm a perfect student, with all the work I had to do with the teachers, they have come to like me and the other students all admire me, I'm an idol to almost everyone," she rambled off in a dreamy voice, then stopped and turned her head to face Cian again, "Which is why I won't let you ruin that, it's nice to know I won't see you after this!"

"The test is just about the basics," Cian said with a shrug. His body relaxed more into his seat as he talked. "You make way too much out of this." Just something that he should point out. But strangely, that ticked her off. A blunt object such as a bag hit his head. Cian grabbed it as he glanced over at Marsha. What's so wrong with what he said? Damn that girl was pissed off.

"OK class," one of the three professors said, he stood up there with his broad shoulders high and mighty, "It is my honor to carry on with you through your Pokemon License Exam, you all have worked hard, and your efforts will show."

Papers were passed out. Cian got a stack and grabbed one then passed it back to the kid behind him. Then everyone had grabbed their pencils. These number two, fancy, new, and freshly sharpened pencils. Him? He had a number two pencil that was a teal color. It wasn't new and had shorten down throughout the year. His teeth gently chewed on the eraser that he had mindlessly nibbled when the Professor went on and on, it was the only thing he could do to occupy himself without dying out of boredom.

"As you know, cheating will not be tolerated," a second Professor spoke and added emphasis to it. "If you studied, you will pass with flying colors." His glasses were adjusted. Huh, all the Professors wore glasses, is there a Professor-wearing-glasses convention in town? "In the even that you had not studied, either you are a naturally smart student or you deserve the grade that reflects how less you worked than you should have," he explained and went over the whole filling in circles.

Marsha stared shocked at Cian as he just started to fill in a couple bubbles on his scan sheet. The professors didn't even say a word or mention that they had started! No one said a thing and even if Cian was right there in front of all three of the professors, they didn't do a thing about it. Then the third Professor started the exam. "You all may start," she said and gestured to the board, "As of 1300 hours, your examination will be complete and Sunday you will be notified what you received, then you may come in on Monday granted that you passed to be issued a sheet of paper with a passport to a region that you are chosen." The rest of the class that was full had opened their booklets and started to fill in their scan sheets.

OK. This is just the basic stuff. Cian stared at the scan sheet and then drifted off to the booklet. Water types should definitely be able to defeat Grass types. It just makes sense how water could collect inside the Grass type until its stamina can no longer withstand it. How much more basic can any of this get? If there is oil in water, then fire than definitely hold up against aquatic type Pokemon. Cian had with a bored emotion, rested his chin on his left palm while he filled in the circles on the scan sheet.

Why was it so hard to get pass these pages? Normally he didn't study and when he does, it was also quite impossible to do just that. Then the other option was Marsha. She had cleverly positioned herself to not allow him to cheat. When it comes down to how she positioned herself, he could not play the role where she had been the one to copy off of him. The questions were asking about attacks, their element types, abilities, statistics, and then there were two pages full of scenarios where it was required to answer in full sentences on what it was that he had to do to solve the situation. Tackle was one of the very basic attacks, that he knew. Everything else seemed too questionable to his dismay.

After he answered the questions he thankfully knew, he read over the scenarios. What would he do in the event that one of his Pokemon was poisoned? Well, that's the Pokemon's decision on what he or she has to do. They have these instincts or whatever the Professor said. So, clearly, they could find their special ointment and treat themselves. Say that a Pokemon could not move, what did that mean? Cian recalled that Pokemon do not move because they are nervous. That is similar to any human. The other option is that they can be so angry that they had to resist from moving. Since Pokemon were carnivorous animals, he decided to state that they're so angry that they can't bring themselves to move.

What would happen if a Pokemon were close to fainting? That was an easy one in Cian's opinion. It meant that the Pokemon had to continue fighting. Just because said Pokemon is close to faint doesn't mean that the battle is over. Cian finished his last sentence and then placed his scan sheet inside the booklet. Now all he had to do was wait until tomorrow.

"What the..." Marsha whispered to herself. Her mouth was open as she stared at Cian. No, she didn't know what to say. After she was a third away from being done, here is Cian who completed his work. That's not right, is it? Why should she care? He didn't study and more than anything, he either guessed or didn't answer a majority of the questions. "I'll figure this out..." she whispered under her breath and rested her chin on her knuckles. When she was done, they both had to wait for the rest of the class or until 1300 hours.

The Professors had asked some of the students to head out. That left the rest of the students who were still taking the exam to be in the room. Whispers spread amongst the children as they headed out the doors to the playground. A couple of the Pokemon were outside playing on the jungle gym equipment. Marsha was at the back of the group. She kept her eyes solely on none other than Cian. She had to figure him out!

Why was it that he could get his test done!? Why was it even driving her up a wall? Her amber eyes watched as he sat by himself on top of the tower where the curly slide was located. While the rest of the class was playing tag or with the other Pokemon, he just sat there. Sure, she didn't come out here to spend time to play with anyone and usually, she just spent her time studying. That or helping out the teachers such as cleaning the chalkboards. Her eyebrow twitched and she decided to turn away before it turned worst.

Guess the only thing that she could do was head home. There were parents who would come to pick up their children. Already she could see a couple parents coming to pick up their children and one of them was the mother to Cian. No, she had not seen her before and could not come to care for the life that Cian lived. Or for that matter, the life that everyone else lived.

"I swear he's going to be the last thing on my mind when I leave this stupid Island," Marsha swore. A brisk step was made when she turned around with her orange blonde colored hair flowing with her walk. Unlike a lot of the other children, she was the daughter of the father who helped to manage Eastrum. Her mother was another story as she was everywhere to run campaigns and to collect money for charity. Yeah, her parents were great. They were so great that everyone wanted to get their pictures with them. Of course, none of the children here in Eastrum understand that sort of thing. They lived these superficial lives. Especially Cian, he probably lives such a superficial life that his mother goes along with it and adores to him to no end.

Not that she had a right to really rag on him. Neither his mother. "I mean, why should I really care at all," Marsha muttered to herself as she walked pass people. "Listen to yourself Marsha, you got this far, so focus on everything that is to come your way," she added and then continued, "You're a strong, independent, and self-sufficient woman, take your pride out there into the world and show everyone how great you are!" Her hands were in fist and she punched the air with one. "I will become better than most people, if I can be at the top of my class, then I can work my way to become champion!"

Warily she dropped her fist as she entered the mansion. None of the cars were home except for one or two of the cars the people who were hired to work here could use. Well, to really explain it, her parents had a really different life that didn't include their daughter. Her eyes stared down and she headed inside.

"How was your day Miss Marsha?" One of the butlers asked as he offered reading material.

"Oh..." Marsha smiled and stared a the butler, "Cian and I promised each other to work hard, he really cheered for me and I cheered for him, but he's going to out do me, I can tell, then we went out to play with the others, but I figured I come home."

"It's nice to know that you get so well with your friends," he nodded, "Wise choice, you do have to catch up on your other studies too, your parents I'm afraid are not going to be able to make it to say goodbye."

"Oh, that silly stuff," Marsha laughed and waved her hand at the tall, gray haired butler, "My parents are busy making the world a better place, I love that they do that, I really do." She bowed to excuse herself and took the books into her arms before she ran upstairs. The second she hit that step and was in her room with the door closed was the longest breath she held. Then they all spilled out. Warm, wet tears that burned the corner of her eyes.

= * =

Thank goodness he was out of there. Cian was waiting to be let go so he could escape a room full of people. The professors got it through their small brains to excuse the students who were done such as him to prevent disturbances. Some children who had finished were already showing signs that if they did not move soon, they would become restless and it would not work out for the other students. Everyone quietly left the room. It wasn't until long till loud whispers filled the hall. Cian managed to sneak his way through the large crowd of children. Then there was a point where he wasn't walking, but he was moved anyways. How? He was in he middle of the group of children and they were all heading out at such a fast pace that their body movements just happened to push him along.

Ugh. He moved every part of his body that he could until he could squeeze himself out of the group's hold. When he saw the chance, he scrambled himself out of the group and headed straight toward the highest part of the play ground. Most of the other children would want to play with the Pokemon. Some of the Pokemon included an Azurill who happily bounced around on his tail. Then he stopped as he came to stare at Cian and froze. A couple children came over to play with him. The only trouble was that he was completely frozen. His blue-green colored eyes stared down a ways. When would his mother get here?

No, he did not want to play with any of the other kids. Tag can become too violent as well require too much physical effort that he did not want to be bothered to do so. The last time had been around with any Pokemon to so-call "play" with was nothing more than an utter disaster that the Professor had been taught to never try again at all throughout his career as a Pokemon Academy teacher. Sure, he wasn't the only one. For god-knows what it was that Marsha was doing. She after all was going home to her good life to be worshiped by parents. No, he didn't really care. It's just that he came to be annoyed. Everyone could do what they wanted and well, anything they wanted to do, he just didn't have the interest. More so he never had the neck for it to play with the other children. Sharing was never something taught in his book that he kept anything such as his tricycle to himself. Children begged to try to get a ride and he would just pedal on by them.

"Cian," a familiar voice called. Cian gazed down to see that it was his mother. She actually did something her hair. While it would look maybe greasy or unkept, today it seemed as if she really tried. Just the small things in life that he tends to notice. Carefully he got down as to not give his mother a heart-attack. "We're going to celebrate," she said and held up a finger, "I know just the thing!" Just the thing? Cian arched an eyebrow as his mother dragged him home by the arm. "While you may not be that boy who is always outside hurting himself, you applied yourself to at least get your license and to make your mother happy," she said and stared back down to her son, "And I am happy, you're the most important person in my life, and I love you Cian."

"We're in public," Cian said as he arched an eyebrow to everyone who passed by them.

"I know we are," she said and stared forward, "But you're my handsome young man, and I want everyone to know how much you mean to me!"

Cian rolled his eyes. Could anyone be in a bigger hole than he was right now? If he doesn't pass the license, then his mother would be forever crushed. They say that it is best to take people into consideration. So, he does that with his mother and since she always seemed to stared out beyond the horizon with those empty, brown colored eyes, the least he can do is work to make her world a bit brighter. Yet, he didn't want to go out there into the Pokemon world. What was he going to do now? Cian stared at her mother's shadow that somewhere along the line had crossed over with his own shadow.

What was he going to do if he didn't pass the exam?

Cian is a very brilliant character from what I've read so far. I really love the emotion and sense of realism you give him with his dialog and the bits of description you give him as he acts.

As for the story, I'll comment more on it as it moves forward, but really great work so far!