Prologue

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="14800640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <B>Prologue</B>   |   <A HREF="ll_opag1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 1"><U>Chapter 1</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/oldnews.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Old News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/zrfic/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>My Fanfics</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/zrart/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>My Fanart</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/a-j/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Authors A-J</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/k-z/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Authors K-Z</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/art/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Fanart List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/ffsubmit.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Submit a Fanfic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/fanart_submit.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Submit Fanart</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub46.ezboard.com/beeveesmb" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub46.ezboard.com/beeveesmb"><U><B>Message Board</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Prologue</I></div> <div> <U>Prologue- Testing Times</U> </div> <bR> <div> 'Natalie! Natalie! Wait up!' I cried, my satchel bumping against my legs as I ran. </div> <div> Natalie didn't take any notice of me. As usual. She's even stopped calling me Tammy now. If she's in a <I>very</I> good mood, she might call me Tamara once or twice. Not that I appreciate it. I hate that name. Ugh. </div> <div> But as if Tamara wasn't bad enough, she mostly calls me RUNT! I told mum once. She just laughed, and said 'You'll be glad the day you get your Pokémon license, won't you?' I laughed along with her, but that didn't shift the sickening feeling in my guts. </div> <div> I ran faster and faster. 'Natalie! NATALIE!' Still she took no notice, and ran on. </div> <div> I'd never be able to catch her now. She's twenty-one, three years older than me, gods sake, the tallest, slimmest girl in Pokémon school, taller than the teachers, with legs twice as long as the littlest kid. Me. </div> <div> 'Natz!' I was out of breath running now. But there was no need to worry. The pain was over. I was at school. </div> <div> Pokémon school, for trainers aged between 18 and 21, is the last boost before trainers are eligible to take their pokémon license at twenty-two. Today was the last test. To get to class 2. </div> <div> I settled myself in my desk. The computer flashed up questions. I answered them one after another. They all seemed easy to me. Looking around, I saw all the other trainers kneading their foreheads in desperation. That was when I knew. </div> <bR> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </div> <bR> <div> 'Pankhurst, Tamara Verity' </div> <bR> <div> I heard my name being called and plodded through to the next room. The examiner droned on and on. I wasn't listening to a word of his drone, until-'We have discussed this with the Professor and it is universally agreed that you may take your license three years early.' </div> <bR> <div> I couldn't believe my ears. You wait, Natalie. I'll show you who's runt. </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>