Author's Notes
This is a novelization of Jared Knabenbauer (ProJared)'s Nuzlocke playthrough of Pokémon FireRed.
I recommend watching it. It's really good.
Nuzlocke
Chapter 1 – Till Death Do Us Part
Squirtle felt a strange combination of excitement and fear. In one way was he just about to start the adventure he was destined to do. Squirtle was one of the three Pokémon chosen by the professor to help new trainers get on their feet and to start a trainer career. His race was one of the stronger water-Pokémon in the Kanto region. He had trained up till this point since birth, just to have an advantage against the wild and captured Pokémon. He couldn't wait to get out there and prove himself worthy.
But the other way, he knew that this could very well be the last moments of his life. He had heard countless stories about Pokémon owned by beginner Trainers that had lost their lives very early in their adventure. Inexperienced trainers who doesn't think of consequences, not realizing that they are dealing with life and death. All battles always ends with a victor... and a corpse.
Squirtle was supposed to be a new Trainer's guide, and he knew it. Didn't mean he had to like it.
"So, today is the day... isn't it?" asked Squirtle.
"Sure is."answered Bulbasaur, Squirtle's best friend.
The two of them had trained together since they both were hatched from their respective eggs, and they shared a special bond by both being starter Pokémon. They were also, at the moment, sharing a meal together. Perhaps their very last one. "Oak said that two trainers will pick us up in about two hours."
Squirtle knew very well that they were coming today. He was just trying to start a conversation with his old friend. He could not stand the silence between them that had gone on for several days. All they could think about was their coming adventure, and it seemed like all the joy and fun that the two of them had before the news was completely vanished.
"Do you think Charmander is still...?" Squirtle started, while taking a bite of his PokéSnack.
"Still alive?" Bulbasaur ended.
Squirtle nodded. Even if it was obvious how Squirtle's sentence would have ended, he couldn't help to feel that Bulbasaur could always read his mind. He had always admired Bulbasaur for his sharpness. Charmander had always pointed out the different personalities of the three of them. Bulbasaur was the calm and collected, Squirtle was the fiery and strong-minded and Charmander was the amusing one (at least from his point of view).
"Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't heard anything from Oak. For all we know, he can still be out there." Bulbasaur continued.
"Kicking ass." Squirtle added.
Bulbasaur smirked. That was the first time in a long while the two of them made a funny remark.
"Still kicking ass. And who knows, at this very moment, he might even be a fat, lazy Charmeleon." Bulbasaur continued.
The two of them laughed.
Squirtle and Bulbasaur was sitting on the professor's table. It was now two hours later, and after having spent these hours just talking like they used to, it had lightened the mood. But sitting like this, waiting on the inevitable, the conversation shifted back to a more serious tone.
"Bulbasaur, I don't want to be a drama queen or anything..." Squirtle started. "But I just want to know, wherever we will be going, whoever our trainers will be and whatever will happen to us, we will still be friends. Right?"
"Of course." Bulbasaur answered.
"And um... if we were to perhaps battle against each other... would we-"
"Yes. Trusting our trainer is one of the most important things in battle. If we choose to ignore our trainer's commands, the battle will go terribly wrong. It could end us with us dying, or worse, your entire team." said Bulbasaur, calm and collected as ever.
"So yes, if we were unfortunate enough to battle, it would have to end with either of us killing one the other."
Squirtle sighed. "Let's just hope it won't have to come to that."
Strangely enough, Bulbasaur smiled back. "If I had to be killed, it would be an honor if you were the one to do the deed."
"Gee, thanks. The same. I guess?"
"It would also be a humiliation. Water is weak against grass, remember? My trainer must be a real dumbass if I ever lost against you." Bulbasaur joked and winked toward Squirtle.
"Funny." Squirtle said and managed to crack a smile.
Squirtle and Bulbasaur could hear the two newly-arrived trainers outside the room they were sitting in. The two of them could not make out the conversation the trainers had with Professor Oak. They were both very nervous. Squirtle wiped his forehead. It was all sweaty.
Suddenly they heard the door opening. In came a man with short, brown hair and a pleasant face. The man walked slowly towards the two Pokémon with a smile on his face.
"Hello!" the man said excitingly. "My name is Jared."
The two Pokémon couldn't say a word (which didn't matter, because normally humans can't understand the special language Pokémon use). Even Bulbasaur had lost his cool.
"See, I know it's hard for you. Oak said that the two of you were very close. And I know you must be nervous about me suddenly jumping into your life and ordering you around and stuff." Jared continued.
Bulbasaur managed to produce a nodding motion toward Jared.
"But I should I make it clear. Whoever I pick will be in safe hands. I studied really, really hard at Trainer School, and I know everything there is about battling. I promise."
There was something about Jared's voice Squirtle liked. He sounded positive and felt jumpy, but he was still very calm and professional. But his face gave away that also he was a bit nervous.
"So who wants to follow me? Any volunteers?" said Jared and looked at the two Pokémon. Squirtle snapped out of his paralysis and was slowly raised his hand. Bulbasaur volunteered as well, but not after having a ten second thought to himself.
Jared stopped smiling. "You know, I bet both of you are really good, and because I don't want to make the choice personal, I um... I came ready." he said and picked up a ten-sized dice from his pocket. "Rolling 1 to 10. 1 through 5, Bulbasaur. 6 through 10, Squirtle." He checked with Bulbasaur and Squirtle, who just nodded. "Let the dice... decide."
The dice landed on the table and spun around.
"8. Squirtle!" Jared exclaimed.
Squirtle felt, once again, strange combinations of feelings. He was of course happy he got himself, what it seemed to be, a decent trainer. But this was it. The last time he would be safe. What waits for him is a troublesome journey filled with danger. But he managed to give his trainer a smile. Then, he felt tap on his shoulder. It was time for goodbyes.
"Good luck out there, Squirt. May we not meet on the battlefield." Bulbasaur said. Squirtle could see Bulbasaur tried his best to not show his disappointment.
"Same. This isn't a goodbye, by the way." Squirtle answered. "Until later, okay?"
"Of course." Bulbasaur smiled.
Jared had meanwhile picked up Squirtle's PokéBall from a nearby table, and was now pointing it at Squirtle.
"Alright. I got a Squirtle." Jared said to himself. "Though I will have to name you..."
He thought for a short while, and then said "What about Lagiacrus? It's pretty badass."
And so Squirtle, now named Lagiacrus, went into the PokéBall for his very first time.