Pokémon: ICE COLD

“I choose this one!”

Lucas's gloved finger pointed at the shiny red pokéball sitting in the far right side of the brown briefcase.

“Ahh…the penguin pokémon, piplup. Extraordinarily defiant, I have to say. But…for those that can distil it stubbornness: an excellent partner in any area. Marvellous choice,”

Lucas's heart almost blew up.

His cool blue eyes sparkled like a pale lake on a sunny day or something.

“Thank you so much, Professor Rowan! You have no idea what this means to me–I can finally head out on my own adventures, just like my dad!” Lucas said. His voice was so saturated with excitement you'd probably smile like an idiot just hearing how happy he was.

The four of them stood there in the middle of a frosty field of grass lightly coated in snow like those sugar-frosted jelly sweets his mother brought him every time she returned from a big contest.

“It's awesome that you chose piplup, now we have the same partners,” Dawn said, her cheeks rosy from the cold. She had a warm smile as gentle as the falling snow.

“I couldn't choose anything else, that'd ruin everything…”

“That's awesome, you already have everything planned out?” Dawn asked, her pink boots crunching the snow beneath her as she moved closer to Lucas. Her ears and nose were a tinge red, matching her rosey-red trench coat.

Lucas shook his head.

“No, that's not it. I feel like I'm literally not allowed to choose any other pokémon. Yeah, like everything's planned out, but something just wouldn't feel right if–"

“Okay, okay, enough waiting!”

That was Barry. He didn't like waiting. Not at all.

With his bright blonde bangs and tangerine eyes, he was like a yellow bolt of lightning. Never able to sit still, that one. Always buzzing like a beedrill. He swiped one of the pokéballs out of the case with a blurry hand.

Professor Rowan watched, remembering when he witnessed children just like these in this exact scene once before. Nothing changed.

This was good.

“I choose you, turtwig! Together, we'll take over the entire region–we'll have our fight with dad in no time!” Barry held the sleek orb in his hand to the sky with a grin.

This was a delicate time. A very important moment. The Professor fixed his tie and cleared his throat. Dawn immediately knew what that meant.

“Well, gentlemen…I'll leave those two in your care. Go out and see the world, and don't forget to open yourselves up to new experiences. Dawn…”

“Coming, Professor!” She said, shutting the briefcase and locking eyes with Lucas, “You should stop by the lab in Sandgem, it'd be great to see you again–you too Barry. Bye!”

“Bye! Thanks again, Professor Rowan! I'll definitely come visit you guys!” Lucas waved, his cold misty breath dancing in the noon air. His heart was still swollen with excitement, about to burst from being overloaded with glee!

The Professor stopped and looked back at the boy dead in his eyes. "I look forward to seeing how you'll turn out at the end of all this, Lucas Grey..." he said.

Lucas smiled, overwhelmed by emotions!

Professor Rowan was such a kind person, so wise too–definitely someone to look up to. He set such a good example and–

“Lucas, I challenge you to a battle right now!”