Defying Fate - Chapter One

Character Guide:
Zak
Celeste
???

Chapter One
Home

A small town on the outskirts of the bustling and loud Goldenrod City. This town could almost be compared to a village, it was so small. But what it was lacking in population, it made up for in beauty.

The trees were always green, the grass always neatly cut. It was one of Johto's landmarks. Not many people traveled to the area, but those who did were amazed by how fresh and clean the air was and how clear the water in the nearby lake was.

The day was unlike any other. Two of the local teenagers had passed their Trainer Exam, which meant they would be embarking on their first journey across the region. Since everyone knew everyone and because the area was so small, the people of the town held a congratulatory festival to celebrate.

These two kids were known as Zak and Cele (short for Celeste). The two of them hung out all the time, usually because they were the only two people in the village who were the same age.

"--You do know what limbo is, right?" The two in question were walking through a field, wasting time until the festival. The girl had long brown hair, a blue bandanna wrapped tightly around her forehead. She was dressed in a dark blue shirt, raggedy denim pants, and black and blue shoes. Zak, on the other hand, had short brown hair with blond highlights, a red bandanna around his head. He was dressed in a black top and denim shorts, gray and red shoes on his feet.

"Yeah, it's a dance." After saying that, Zak began to dance, pretending he was actually limbo-ing while chanting 'How low can ya go?' a few times. As he continued dancing, he was met with a smack on the head. Celeste was apparently not too pleased with his actions.

"Besides that! Sheesh. Remind me, why do I hang out with you?" "Because you love me and you really don't have much of a choice, because there isn't much of a selection of people our age in the area. Then again, there isn't anyone our age in the area." Zak smirked and shrugged, not really knowing the real answer to her question. "Tough luck." He didn't even remember how they met or when. It was almost like she just appeared randomly, yet didn't cause any disturbance or raise any attention, like she had been there forever.

Once again, Zak received a hit to the head. "Would you mind stopping that?" A groan is heard as he rubs the spot where he was hit. "ANYWAY! Back to the question, that I expected you'd know the correct answer, too. Limbo is where sinners who weren't assigned to Hell resign. In other words, people who sinned enough to not go to Heaven, yet didn't sin bad enough to reside in Hell, that's where they end up. Or so I've heard from a random beggar in the city." Zak sighed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm not THAT stupid. But anyway, why are you bringing this up?" Cele shrugged and jumped onto a small boulder that was sitting in the field.

"Just a way to start conversation, I guess." Celeste sighs as she gets comfortable. "I'm so excited about tomorrow. We're finally getting our first Pokemon so we can travel the region." Zak nodded and sat down in front of the rock. "Yeah. It should be interesting. Oh, before I forget." Zak tilts his head up to look at Cele, hoping she's paying attention. "Did you hear there was a third trainer showing up at the lab tomorrow? I got a memo from the professor telling me that it's first come, first serve. We might want to leave a bit earlier than we planned so we can be sure we get what we want."

Celeste, curled up on the rock, lets out a whimper and a whine. "But...But...I was hoping to sleep in a little. I figured since we didn't have our exams to worry about, I could relax. Now you're making me leave early just because some twerp is stepping in? You're crazy...yet right at the same time." She pauses to look down at Zak with a look that practically asks 'Did I say that?' before shaking her head and continuing with what she was saying. "I do want to get Chikorita, and I know you want to get Cyndaquil."

"Glad you agree. We're leaving twenty minutes early. Make sure you have everything packed." Zak stands up and stretches, taking a deep breath while doing so. "We should head back and get ready for the party." A swift breeze blows through the field, causing the grass to bend and sway to create a calming and beautiful sight. Cele stands up and hops off of the rock, pushing her hair out of her eyes as the wind forced it into her face. "Okay. Let's go. But can we race? I'm tired of going slow all the time." "Fine. Ready? Go!"

The two kids took off running, however Zak slowed down to let Celeste run ahead. She didn't notice he was walking behind her and continued to sprint back to the village. He sighed and shook his head, muttering to himself. "But if you always rush through things how can you enjoy the things surrounding you?" He took another deep breath and looked up at the clouds in the sky, his hands resting behind his head. "I'm gonna miss this place. It's so nice and quiet, but maybe I'll find more places like this during our travels."

As he continued walking, a figure loomed in one of the surrounding trees. The figure appeared to be a male kid, around the same age as Zak and Cele. He seemed to be watching Zak as he walked along the trail back to the town. "So...These are the two, eh? Glad I'll be meeting them tomorrow. I'm sure it will be fun." The figure let out a small chuckle before disappearing without a trace. Thinking he heard something, Zak stopped to turn around. Seeing nothing out of place, he shrugged and continued on his way, enjoying the breeze and the sounds of nature.