Ken was determined not to pause on his way to Prof. Yurnable's laboratory; he was about to begin his pokemon adventure, and above all else, his own weakness was not going to keep him from starting his independent life. The scrawny preteen used his fishing rod as a walking stick, its thread rubbing uncomfortably across his sweaty palm. The sun was hot on the empty road, and Ken did his best to walk along the edge and catch the shade of the trees, but as this was failing, the young man succumbed and leaned on his rod, taking some deep breaths. Frustrated with himself, Ken kicked the dirt softly, wanting desperately to be licensed as a trainer. With another childish huff he stood up to his full, rather unimpressive height, and pulled off his cap to wipe his tan brow, his pokemon would have to forgive him, and besides, the lab wouldn't be out of starters so early in the morning ... he hoped. Next Ken wiggled his scarf around his neck, although it hung open, it was too hot to be wearing, but the soon-to-be-trainer thought more that it was too heavy to be carrying, despite the fact that his pack held only one change of clothes and three days worth of rations. Rested now, Ken swallowed, proud and prepared as he finished his trek to the laboratory, easing open the doors to the cool refreshing inside; which smelled as sanitary as a hospital. Keeping the door only so far open as a smidgen, Ken knocked on it so that it might be heard indoors before introducing himself in his girly ten-year-old voice, "Hello? It's Kenichi Yoshida, from town? I'm here about my starter pokemon..."

Ken chuckled despite himself, amused by the disgruntled appearance of the professor, and eased by the man's good humor; he covered his mouth as nonchalantly as possible in respects. He straightened up as Prof. Yurnable list the pokemon in stock, his eyes ever wavering to the last poliwag. When asked if he would like to see the other pokemon, Ken hesitated, looking Prof. Yurnable in the eye; he was interested, but his love of water pokemon did have him greatly biased towards the rambunctious poliwag. "Well, sir," Ken began, albeit meekly, "I think I've already made my decision, even if it is excitable or disobedient," he paused to wonder which was more likely, "I would like to claim the poliwag before anyone else arrives." The young boy's eyes drifted to the funny little armless pokemon as it waddled about, falling on its bottom and wrinkling its harness. Ken squinted slightly, with a smile on his lips, it was odd that anything without four limbs (or more) should be wearing a harness and it seemed to be a very strange invention. "May I ask though," he continued more confidently, "why is it wearing that ... thing? And about the state it put you in before I arrived?"

Ken shifted in place, a bit disturbed that the professor was so shocked that someone would want this pokemon, and he wondered what would happen to it if no one claimed it. He took it carefully into his hands, holding it ungainly away from him, staring deep into the poliwag's large dark eyes. There was a sure moment of connection, that is until the poliwag started squirming uncontrollably and yelping as it flapped its tail. Taken by surprise, Ken lost his grip on the pokemon, and as the poliwag flew up, it slapped the young boy across the face with its extra appendage.

"Wagwag! Wagwag! Wagwagwag!" squealed the little pokemon as it marched in a circle, obviously proud of achieving freedom of his movement. He spun back around and winked at the red-faced trainer; Ken looked back up at the professor meekly. "I see what you mean, about him being cheeky," he said softly as he knelt to the pokemon's height and smiled at the thing despite his frustration. Ken reached his arms out around the poliwag, watching the pokemon's eyes as he let his limbs float just around him. Suddenly the poliwag jolted to the left, and Ken quickly cradled the tadpole-pokemon in his arms, murmuring victoriously, "Get back here you."

The violet bubble wormed about for a bit longer, slapping its tail and kicking its legs against Ken's middle, but he held firm. When the motions stopped, both pokemon and boy red in the face from their efforts, the two rose their heads to look at each other again slowly. Irrationally, a smirk slowly travelled over Ken's face, which grew into a smile, and before he knew it he was laughing, the poliwag just staring at him; and probably Professor Yurnable too. He turned to the man, still chuckling softly, "Yes," he confirmed, "I still want him."

"Poli!" the poliwag exclaimed; Ken's new poliwag.

Ken nuzzled the top of his head against Poliwag's, still cradling him with one arm as he shuffled over to the chair and took hold of the pen. He read the form over twice before attempting to fill it out, and then released Poliwag when he realized that he should pack away his new possessions before he forgot any of them. Poliwag's pokeball was labeled like his harness, and Ken mulled over whether or not he should tuck him away too. 'Not yet,' he decided, 'soon ... but not yet, I need the little guy to trust me.'

"Finished," Ken called to the professor, handing him back the paperwork, which read ::