a wonderful world -- to get lost (open)

CORA MEADOWS

The world of Pokemon was a vast one, but Cora had to start somewhere. As she left the lab, she came to the realization that she was never good with directions. Even with a convenient map provided to her, it would be a difficult trek if she was constantly questioning where she was going. Head was down almost nose touching the paper map in front of her as she walked towards the main, but tiny, parts of Pallet Town. It had been quite empty looking when she first arrived so when her shoulder collided with the side of a tall brown-haired man, she gasped and shrunk into her shoulders as if she was a turtle trying to hide into her shell. "s-sorry..."

Not even realizing, her pokeball containing her Charmander, which she had mentally named Kole, had fallen from her hand to the ground conveniently falling directly onto the button to open the ball. A laser-like red beam shot out from the ball in an ark and began to take the shape of Charmander. Magenta colored eyes couldn't tear themselves away in awe as she watched her very first Pokemon appear in front of her and this stranger. CHAR! The small flame lizard outstretched his tiny t-rex arms as if he had been slumbering in that pokeball for quite some time. Immediately he understood that Cora was his trainer - Professor Oak had prepared the little ones for this day that was destined to come. Waddling over to her, he plopped down and began playing with his tail.

Cora glanced back over to the stranger who had obviously stopped when they collided. She was unsure what to do in this very moment. Everything seemed to stand still. Some people were not fond of Pokemon but he was wearing a belt very similar, quite possibly the same style as the one she just received from the Professor. "I, um, am a bit lost. Do you happen to know the way to Route One?" It was a good thing she was able to slightly warm up her voice back at the lab as she was still quite mute in her volume when she spoke. Rose colored lip bit down on her bottom lip as she fidgeted her hands a bit. Already she had made her way into conversation with a person instead of getting to talk to a Pokemon that couldn't talk back.

CORA MEADOWS

So lost in her own thoughts, Cora didn't even realize that the man had his own Charmander following him around already. It seemed that Kole hadn't a care about the other fire lizard or maybe hadn't recognized it until it spoke. Flame tail spun around as he twirled on his rump to face the other trainer's Charmander. Chaaar. Charmander! As if he was a person, he waved at the other Charmander, content with sitting at his trainer's feet.

A few stray strands of dark maroon hair fell in front of her eye, reaching up to tuck it behind her ear. This man had said more words to her in their short interaction than she likely has in the last month. It was rather difficult to keep up with the conversation. A simple nod sufficed in a few spots where he inquired about her also getting the same starter Pokemon as him, as well as being lost and terrible at reading a map. "I...don't travel too often." As he continued to talk, her eyes were still yet to directly latch onto his gaze, but at the mention of their travels together, her orbs shifted from the ground to meet with his honey colored ones. "Oh well I -" The thought of two strangers venturing together that both were directionally challenged sounded like a terrible idea, but Cora looked back down at her Charmander that had now picked his body up from the floor and was examining this man's Charmander. It sure would be nice to not be alone at least... "Yea, we could do that, right Kole?" The blazing reptilian had no idea that she was speaking to him yet, not having been told his name and quite obviously more interested in his "family" member.

Just before they were about to try and head in the correct direction towards Route One, one of Professor Oak's aids was sprinting right at them waving his hands in the air frantically. "Oh miss! Miss! Thank goodness I caught you. This egg just arrived at the lab from your parent's house right before the sale. It was found hidden in some bedding in the barn. The real estate agent figured you would want it." Eyes widened in amazement. All of the herd of Ponyta, Rapidash and Miltank had been sold even if it was difficult to swallow at the time. But now there was a chance to keep a piece of her parents. The only two Rapidashes that were left in the barn overnight together were her parents' prized racers. It was the breeding pair they had longed to see a baby come from. Cora was handed the green spotted cream colored egg in both of her hands, dropping the town map in exchange. She was so in shock of all of the happenings she just stood there for a minute, which felt like an hour, before placing it into her bag wrapped with one of her hoodies. Glancing back up at the stranger, she wasn't sure what he'd say but realized they were still strangers, not acquaintances. "My manners... I am Cora. Cora Meadows." She extended her pale skinned arm straight out in front of her, still a few feet away from him. If they were going to travel together, even if for a short time, they should probably be able to call each other by their names.