So I've been playing a lot of Pokemon lately, and then this happened. Based primarily on the game 'verse with Marvel universe characters, some as trainers, some as pokemon. The rating is pretty much for language. Please enjoy!

Hello there! My name is FURY. People affectionately refer to me as the S.H.I.E.L.D. DIRECTOR.

Now tell me. Are you a boy? Or are you a girl?

►BOY

Let's begin with your name. What is it?

►COULSON

Right... so your name is COULSON.

►YES

This is my second in command. ...Erm, what was her name again?

►DOUCHE

...Er, was it DOUCHE?

►NO

►HILL

So it was HILL?

►YES

That's right! I remember now! Her name is HILL!

COULSON! Your very own S.H.I.E.L.D. mission is about to begin! Let's go!

Phil Coulson woke up with a confused frown.

It… wasn't the strangest dream he'd ever had. At the very least it was somewhat based on actual events, because today was the day – the day his new mission began. What time was it? Was it daylight savings time? He wasn't late, was he?

He quickly changed and hurried downstairs. As if on cue, the second his foot hit the ground floor, the device on his wrist buzzed with an incoming call from his mother. He lifted his arm and clicked a button, bringing forth a projected screen.

"Phil! So your S.H.I.E.L.D. Comm Device is working again, I see?"

"It never stopped, Mom, I just had to download the upgrade," he replied with a helpless smile.

"Oh, you mean for the map feature, right? Do you know how to use it?" she asked, her expression turning thoughtful. "Don't you just click the map icon in the corner to open the interface?"

"Ah, yeah. Mom I don't mean to be rude-"

"Oh! That's right! Director Fury was looking for you. How exciting! Well, I won't keep you. Bye!"

Phil frowned and wanted to ask how she knew about that, but she'd already disconnected so he just lowered his arm and considered the news himself. Today was the day, and he was going to get his very own pokemon.

It wasn't as though he hadn't commanded pokemon before – or worked with them for that matter – but they were all S.H.I.E.L.D.'s. As an agent, most of his assignments were human focused. While he had been perfectly content with that, you couldn't just say no when someone as big of a deal as Doctor Strange said you had great potential as a trainer instead. Correction: Fury wouldn't let you. Not after he'd lined up the top trainers S.H.I.E.L.D. had to offer and they were all dismissed in favor of the guy waiting to file a report.

That was yesterday, and now Phil was going to become a trainer. His inner ten-year-old screamed with glee at the chance to go on a pokemon journey, even if it was around two decades too late, but his current self was a bit uncertain. Still, orders were orders, so he would reserve judgment. One way or another, it was sure to be interesting.

As usual, the moment Phil stepped onto the Helicarrier he became Agent Coulson, professionalism personified. He made his way to Fury's office, mindful of some of the other S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel as he passed by. The trainers in particular regarded him with disdain when they thought he wasn't looking, but it was easy to ignore.

Reaching Fury's office, he raised a hand to knock, but was interrupted by a familiar face.

"Hey, Coulson!" called Agent Sitwell, Coulson's partner on the field. "You're getting your first pokemon today, right?"

"Hey Sitwell; yeah," he said, somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry, it looks like you're going to need a different partner here on out."

"Yeah, yeah. It's not your fault Fury called in a favor from Doctor Strange – or that you were singled out. Anyway, who knows? Maybe I'll be reassigned too," he mused before chuckling. "You're looking for Fury, right? He's down in the lab with the pokemon."

"Oh- really?" said Coulson, frowning and checking his S.H.I.E.L.D. Tech. "Thanks. I had better get going, then," he said, and turned to leave.

"Wait a sec," said Sitwell, reaching into his pocket. When Coulson turned back around, Sitwell was holding up a uniquely shaped white and purple bottle. "This is a potion. Use it in case your new pokemon gets hurt," he smiled.

"That much I already knew," Coulson smiled back as he accepted the gift, sliding it carefully into his pocket. "Thank you," he said earnestly, and bade his fellow agent farewell.

Fury was down in the lab, back turned to Coulson as the agent stood in the door frame, preoccupied with something on the corner table. That was just fine, because Coulson found himself preoccupied with the table on the right; the one that held three pokeballs.

His curiosity piqued as he wondered what sort of pokemon were inside. Would there be a fire type pokemon, like Growlithe, or maybe a fighting type like Tyrogue? Would he even recognize any, or instead have no idea what he was choosing between? There were reportedly over seven hundred different known pokemon, and… well, he knew the first 150 like the back of his hand? Kind of. Maybe.

"You can come in," Fury called, without bothering to turn.

"Sir," Coulson acknowledged, walking into the lab.

Fury took another moment to finish up whatever he was working on at the table before turning around and walking over to Coulson and the pokeball table.

"Do you know why you're here, Agent Coulson?" the director asked casually.

"Because Doctor Strange singled me out among S.H.I.E.L.D. as the trainer with the greatest potential," he replied factually. Fury only nodded, so Coulson took the opportunity to continue. "What I don't know is why the sudden interest in pokemon trainers, and why you called Strange down here in the first place to identify the ones with most promise. What is this new mission, Sir?"

Rather than responding immediately Fury strode over to the PC, typing up quick commands. Suddenly the wall lit up with a projected map of the Marvel region – it matched the upgraded one Fury had given him the download for. It wasn't so much an upgrade as it was a S.H.I.E.L.D. modification that included useful annotations, designations for various safe houses across the region, and a few small icons of a yellow skull against a green circle dispersed throughout different locations.

"Have you heard of Team Hydra?"

Coulson blinked. "The pokemon crime syndicate? I thought they were only a minor threat, Sir."

"'Were' being the key word here," said Fury. "With more appearances and still an irritatingly limited knowledge of their operations, our intelligence has reason to believe that Team Hydra could become a more serious threat. If it ever does come to that, S.H.I.E.L.D. will need more elite trainers. Trainers who could bring together a team of remarkable pokemon, to fight the battles that we alone can't."

Coulson went quiet for a moment. "So you're not just giving me a pokemon to compete in the Marvel League," he joked lightly, in place of a direct response. Everything Fury had said… Coulson didn't doubt his skills as an agent, not in the least, but as a trainer? Just because some guy wearing a cape of all things said so? It was a lot of pressure, and he had no experience.

"I'd encourage that, actually," said Fury. "The more league badges you have, the more respect you command – not just from pokemon, but people, too. Trust me Coulson, you wouldn't believe the number of people who try to keep you from going on 'this bridge' or 'that route' because the 'pokemon are dangerous' and they don't think you have enough badges," he seethed. "The motherfucking audacity…"

"Speaking from experience, Sir?" Coulson raised an eyebrow.

Fury didn't respond. "Besides," he went on instead, "gym battles are good practice for the real fights. So you go right ahead," he waved a hand, "participate in the Marvel league, collect gym badges, challenged the Fantastic Four for all I care – just keep the real mission a priority. On that note…" with the click of a button the map disappeared, and Fury walked over to the table with the pokeballs. "Are you ready to select your first pokemon, Agent Coulson?"

"Yes, Sir," Coulson replied, pushing his nerves aside as he looked once again at the pokeballs on the table, eyes glowing with excitement. Fury chuckled.

"These pokemon aren't as experienced as the ones you've worked with before," he warned. "In fact, their experience is relatively low. It's the job of a trainer to see to their growth, and in your case, grow with them. But," he reached out a hand and set it on the first pokeball, "that doesn't mean I didn't personally capture each of them for their potential."

There was that word again: potential. A sudden thought worried him. "Will I be assigned more pokemon as I progress through the region, Sir?" he asked.

Fury gave him a plain look. "You won't be assigned shit. The pokemon you choose today will become yours and yours alone, and the rest of your team is on you. Now, are you ready to see your choices or not?"

Coulson couldn't help but smile in relief. "By all means, Sir," he took a step back.

It was just as Fury picked up the first pokeball that Coulson heard the door open behind him in a near-slam. Fury looked over Coulson's shoulder and raised an eyebrow, lowering his hand.

"Is there a problem, Agent?"

Coulson stepped aside and turned to see the S.H.I.E.L.D. second in command, ex-field agent and current pokemon trainer, Agent Maria Hill. She surprisingly didn't have any pokemon of her own, but most of the pokemon at S.H.I.E.L.D. had been trained by her.

Right now she wore her standard field uniform and her lips were pursed in a tight line as she stalked into the room, a single pokeball clutched in her hand.

"Yes," Hill said shortly, holding up the pokeball, "there is. This pokemon may have impressed you, Sir, but respectfully, it's better off boxed – or gotten rid of entirely."

Fury did not look impressed. "It is a single, low-level pokemon, Hill, and the one I assigned you for this mission. I understood the difficulty after it made rounds with some of the less adept trainers, but now you're telling me that even you couldn't handle it?"

"With more time I could, easily, but the mission begins today and I can't work with this one. No trainer can, not unless you want to delay the mission for this."

"No," Fury sighed in irritation as he looked at the pokeball, "not for one pokemon. All right, Hill; you've worked with all three of these starters. Go ahead and select your preferred."

With relief Hill looked to the table, frowning at the empty space before her eyes flashed to the pokeball Fury held. Quickly she advanced forward, depositing her pokeball to the nearest stand – a stand which happened to be the otherwise ignored Phil Coulson – and claiming the pokeball from Fury, eyes shining with satisfaction.

Coulson, for all his professionalism, couldn't help but feel somewhat cheated when she took the pokemon that Fury had been about to show him. Fury must have picked up on that, because he cast him a gruff nod.

"Sorry Coulson. Agent Hill is going on this mission too, and as both S.H.I.E.L.D.'s senior trainer and second in command, her pokemon selection takes priority."

"Understood, Sir," Coulson nodded, as his attention drifted to the pokeball that had been shoved into his hands. "What's wrong with this one?" he wondered. When he looked up, both Fury and Hill were looking back at him, the latter with a less than friendly expression.

Hill clicked her tongue impatiently. "It's constantly loafing around, quick to flee the training room if it gets even the slightest opportunity, tried avoiding its pokeball through the damn vents of all things, and disregards its trainer's commands in favor of its own."

Coulson looked back at Hill.

Why did it feel like he was the one being criticized, here? Not that those traits described him, but the tone she took was very berating. He just offered her a small shrug. "Maybe it knows its own capabilities better."

The trainer's eyes narrowed. "Maybe you're right, Coulson."

"Agent Hill," Fury interrupted. He was ignored.

"Maybe you should demonstrate how to use that pokemon. You do have the potential for it." She spoke icily. Coulson's hand tightened around the pokeball. A battle? Now?

"Agent Hill, that's enough," Fury cut in again.

"Director Fury," Hill said patiently, eyes still steady on Coulson, "you're sending him on this mission too. He's going to come across other trainers. You know what happens when two trainers lock eyes, right?" She asked, speaking to Coulson again.

His arm began to shake, which- honestly, it didn't make sense; even at his most nervous, maintaining resolve was what he did. It became a lot clearer when he realized that it wasn't him shaking, but the item in his hand.

He dropped his eyes from Hill to the pokeball, lifting it up to get a better look at the opaque object as it struggled in his grasp. The pokemon inside… did it want to battle?

The pokeball gave another violent shake, and Coulson took that as confirmation. He looked back up at the other agent. She was smirking.

"Well?"

Rival HILL wants to battle!

"I accept your challenge."

Go…!