I wish to thank the folks over at the Pokemon RP Forums Pokeplayers and the Pokemon Roleplay Club for allowing this development to form within their numbers. Note: This story was started on a dare with one XxXRubyJanetXxX. Any and all similarities between our works is purely coincidential and accidental.
The Gengar and the Nidorano were locked in intense combat. They stared each other down until the Nidorano lunged at its opponent, missing by inches. It lunged again, missed again, and the Gengar retaliated with Hypnosis. The sleeping Pokemon was recalled and replaced by Onix! Scarlet almost couldn't contain her excitement- she loved watching the Pokemon League! But she never could manage to watch without Ash's Mother coming in and noticing her before shooing her off.
Not this time, though, she thought to herself. The announcer shouted something as Onix emerged, but she couldn't hear it properly through the window. That Ash never did notice that she was watching, at least not until his Mother walked in.
Seperated by a pane of glass, unnoticed by the oblivious Ash Ketchum, Scarlet was just as animated about the battle as Ash was- and then the door began to open. I'm not going to be caught again, she thought, but she panicked anyway and fell out of the tree she was perched in. Unable to contain the little yelp as she fell, she hit the ground with a thankfully silent thud. Figures! Well, at least I didn't get caught this time, she tried to confort herself as she gingerly lifted herself off the ground. Sore from her fall, Scarlet decided to go home. Or at least, the shabby camp she called her home.
She walked silently through the town, making sure that nobody would wake because of her. It's not that she cared for anybody losing sleep, but rather that she was usually blamed for such things. The local orphan, Scarlet (a name she gave herself because of the unnaturally bright red streak in her hair) never seemed to catch on with any of the Townsfolk. She kicked a tin can in frustration; WHY did nobody like her? The answers when she was young were never the same, but the adults used to say that she had no manners, that she had a bad attitude, that she was a brat even! They're all being unfair! It's not MY fault! Why can't they just deal with it for five minutes? She continued to brood in silence until she reached her little camp.
It may be quaint, but it certainly did its job well enough. There wasn't much in this little setup in the town square, but it was all Scarlet had to grow up with: a hammock, a couple of blankets, a suitcase of clothes that were thrown out several years ago (She didn't know why- the clothes were perfect), and a dud Pokeball. Scarlet had always dreamed of becoming a Trainer. Everyone in town kept telling her that she had a lot to learn before she could become one, but that hardly ever even registered- all she wanted was to possess the strongest Pokemon in the world, to travel far and wide battling other Trainers, and becoming the Champion of every League she signed up for. That would be just amazing! Scarlet brightened as she remembered- tomorrow was Pokemon Day! They didn't call it that, of course, and she always recieved half-glares from whoever was around when she ever called it that, but she didn't care- she'll call it whatever she wanted, and nobody can stop her.
The next morning, three Trainers would each recieve a Pokemon to begin their Journey around Kanto. This was the chance she'd been waiting for! A chance to finally get a friend that didn't chastise her, to leave this stupid town, to escape from the endless criticisms from all those who didn't understand. She daydreamed about which one she would get (she wished for Charmander) until she drifted off to sleep...
The rising sun gently roused Scarlet from her slumber. She sat up and stretched, thinking back to her dream of riding her Charizard over the Region until she reached the Indigo Plateau, before realizing what day it was. Jolted with vigor, she shot out of the hammock and bolted off for Professor Oak's lab. The Professor was an exception from everyone else in all of Pallet Town, for he was literally the only person who did anything for her. Because he taught her never to kill Pokemon for food, he offered to feed her everyday, and has ever since. Scarlet liked his lab- it was always full of amazing machines that she never learned the purpose of and always had a new Pokemon around. Ever since Professor Oak showed her that pokemon could be used to inflict devastating attacks, she had always been fascinated to the point of obsession with Pokemon Battles. He also went on about a Trainer having to care for their Pokemon, but she never listened when he started going on about it- if it doesn't help make them battle any better, she would tell herself, then they can live without it. Like I had to.
After a few minutes of sprinting, she reached the lab. Because the sun was still coming up, and still very early, none of the onlookers and well-wishers were there yet. That was fine; nobody was going to wish her any luck, she knew. She knocked on the door, aware of the fact that the Professor may still be asleep.
Almost immediately, however, the Professor answered the door with his usual grandfatherly smile. "Good morning, Scarlet. You excited?"
"Yeah," she replied, her excitement showing on her face.
"Good, because the Pokemon just came in. Come inside."
She did, and marvelled at the room as usual- the suprises inside never ceased to leave her speechless. At the opposite end of the box-strewn room were a rack of Pokeballs. She wandered over to them, wandering which ones they were. She picked up one with an odd thunderbolt on the front, trying to remember if a thunderbolt could mean anything.
"Ah, ah, ah," Professor Oak startled her out of her trance as he strode over with breakfast. "No peeking!"
"You've always let me before."
"Yes, but this time, I want it to be special in case one of them is yours."
"Oh, okay," she sighed as she replaced the odd Pokeball onto the rack. She sat down and helped herself to the wonderful plate of scrambled eggs and toast that the kindly Professor offered her. "So why does that one have a thunderbolt on it?"
"That's a rather special Pokeball," he replied. "It's designed to catch Electric-Type Pokemon more easily."
"Did you make it?"
He chuckled a bit before answering "I wish. I had that one delivered by special request from one of the largest science corporations in the world that specializes in designing Pokemon-related equipment."
"You mean Silph Co?" Scarlet asked, trying to follow the conversation as best she could. Thanks to her regular visits with him, she managed to learn a lot about the world outside of Kanto and within.
"No, actually it's a government-funded industry that has never failed to pump out revolutionaey technology since its inception called Gainsboro Industries."
"I've never heard of it."
"Neither have I until I made the order," was the unexpected answer. The Professor didn't know about something? Now that was curious!
The two made small talk over breakfast before the Professor took the dishes away. "Feel free to let some of the Pokemon out, but don't touch the ones to the right of the new Pokeball, and don't even think about touching the new Pokeball, okay?"
"Sure thing, Professor." But, as he walked away, she turned towards the rack. What the Professor doesn't know won't hurt him or the Pokemon. Besides, all she wanted was to just see what was in the Pokeballs. Glancing at the door, making sure nobody was around or could even hear what she was doing, she grabbed the middle Pokeball and activated it. What came out was a happy Bulbasaur. The Grass-Type smiled and gleefully said "Bul-basaur!" Scarlet smiled back, giggling a little, and said "Hey, little guy." The frog-like Pokemon cheerfully replied again, and the two began chasing each other around the room. This continued until the Bulbasaur looked up at the rack with interest. Scarlet could tell what it wanted. "You want a friend to join us?" After a reply that Scarlet assumed was meant in the affirmative, she picked the strange Pokeball.
The occupant, a Pikachu, was sleeping. The Bulbasaur and the girl alike wondered if they should just leave it. But then it woke up, shook the sleep from its head, and noticed the onlookers. It tilted its head, a small smile on its head, and said "Pikachu," in a way that Scarlet found irresistable. "Oh, he's so cute!" The Pokemon began romping around playing with each other, before Scarlet heard a noise from the other room. Struck with panic, she called back the Bulbasaur and the Pikachu (which attempted to escape when it noticed that he was going back into his Pokeball) and placed the balls back onto the rack exactly as she found them.
But somehow, the Pikachu managed to break free! Realizing what it could mean if the Professor noticed that the Pikachu was free, she tried desperately to entice it back into its Pokeball, but it obviously didn't like being in its Pokeball. "C'mon little guy, back into your Pokeball, or we're going to be in trouble." Tough, it seemed to say. Losing patience, she tried to trick it with a scrap of bacon from her breakfast. This didn't work; in fact, the peevish little yellow rodent managed to outsmart her and steal the bacon. Finally fed up, she grabbed the Pokemon and tried to place it back into the Pokeball. "I tried to reason with you, you little rat! Now get in there!"
Understandably angry about this, the Pikachu shot sparks out from its cheecks in protest. These activated the other Pokeballs, revealing the Bulbasaur, a Charmander, a Squirtle, and several other Pokemon that were excited to be let out of their containment. Believing it to be playtime, the horde of Pokemon ran about the room, hitting whatever happened to be in the way. Before long, half the lab was wrecked! Scarlet screamed and felt on the verge of tears- there was no way she could hide this!
"What the blazes happened here?" The Professor stood in the doorway, shocked at what happened when he was away. Scarlet blanched, but felt that she had to say something. "Professor, I...the-the Pikachu- it...it broke out of its Pokeball! I tried to get it back in, but-" WHAM! She was bowled over by a rambunctious Snorlax, which was chasing the Pikachu and the three Pokemon that she knew were to be handed out to the Trainers today. "I'll help you fix this!" She wasn't going to lose her opportunity because of this!
"Yes, you probably should," was the only reply before they got to work. They spent the next hour herding the Pokemon back into their Pokeballs, the hardest being the Pikachu. As they then began to clean up the aftermath, Scarlet couldn't help but notice that the Professor seemed to be giving her more of the work. he must have seen me try to get the Pikachu back into the Pokeball. That proves what I've said, she reassured herself as she helped stand the last knocked-over bookshelf. "Listen, Scarlet," the Professor began, "the event is about to start. We should get ready."
"Oh, I'm ready right now," she replied eagerly.
"Then would you mind finishing up putting the Lab back together? I have some things to do before it starts."
"Okay." As the Professor left, she noticed the time: 9:50. She'd missed the signup for getting a Pokemon! Five minutes later, she figured she'd have to get in to see the event. She fought back tears, but she realized that at least seeing it would be something. Who knows? Maybe Professor Oak submitted her name for her. Not quite finished with the work, she left the Lab to see what would happen.
There were lots of people blocking the door in. By the time she got to the door, the event had already started, and one of the Trainer spots onstage were still empty. Maybe if she could just get past this wall of people! One of the Trainers still awaiting his Pokemon was Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson. Scarlet scowled, seething inside. She HATED Gary. Out of everyone in Pallet Town who made fun of her, who called her worthless, or that made her life miserable, Gary was without fail the one at the front of the line to do so, and with the most rigor to boot. The entire reason her camp was even in the Town Square was because of him- her last one he trashed without remorse.
The insufferable brat that Scarlet knew as Gary stepped up to recieve his Pokemon next. The news anchors and cameramen leaned in closer, blocking her view. Try as she might, looking underneath their arms, trying to get their attention, she couldn't see a thing, and thus didn't join in when the cheering started. However, she did learn that he recieved a Squirtle from Professor Oak's amplified voice on the speakers. I can still get Charmander if I can just GET IN THERE! She thought to herself. She tried to shove her way through, but because she was trying to get past fully-grown adults, she only got a few of them angry with her.
Scarlet looked around for a window. Just then, she heard someone else be announced to have recieved Charmander. "There they are, folks!" Professor Oak announced through the loudspeakers. "We have our new Trainers! Give them a round of applause!" Everyone did except for Scarlet. She wasn't picked; this almost didn't register. There had to be some mistake- there were at least three Pokemon, weren't there? Why were there only two people? This wasn't fair! She crossed her arms, ready to pout, when the Trainers started to come out.
She hoped that going with the flow of the crowd would make her unnoticed. No such luck: Gary noticed her right away, a nasty smirk crossing his face as he noticed her. "Well, look what we got here. Too skilled a Pokemon trainer to bother showing up to get her own Starter, Scarlet?"
"Buzz off, freak." She wasn't in the mood for a confrontation right now.
"Like I've never heard that one before," he retorted in his annoying fashion. "I heard you were in Gramps' lab. What did you break this time?"
"I didn't break anything!" She was getting angry now.
But Gary wasn't letting up today. "The Pokemon getting out earlier was your fault wasn't it? I think I know exactly how it happened. 'Go, Pokemon-I-don't-know-the-name-of-because-I'm-too-s tupid-to-know!'" He mimed throwing a Pokeball, made a smashing noise, and acted as if horrified. "'Oh, no! What do I do now? I don't know what to do!'"
This was all she could take. Teeth and fists clenched in anger, she growled before shouting "YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU WHINY PEST!"
Gary seemed genuinely confused. "You're calling me a whiny pest? HA! Here's an idea: A Pokemon battle can get me to shut up. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot!" He laughed again before walking off, leaving Scarlet to sob before heading back to the Professor's Lab.
As she walked in, she was suprised to see Ash Ketchum there as well! Still in a mood, she said nothing as she watched Professor Oak talk to Ash- about getting a Pokemon? But he was late! He didn't deserve a Pokemon- SHE deserved a Pokemon! Before she could say anything, Professor Oak gave Ash the Pokeball with the thunderbolt on it and let out the Pikachu. Ash was clearly thrilled. "Hold on a second, Professor," Scarlet began, "if he-"
There was a knock on the door. Curious, Scarlet decided to open it, ignoring Professor Oak's requests that she get the door. Once she opened the door, she was staring up at a man in a suit. This man seemed like he used to be a heavily-muscled man in his youth, and, indeed, was still laden with musculature that made for an intimidating stature. He was about as old as the Professor, or at least that was Scarlet's guess, with a rather short crew-cut head of silvery-grey hair. But what stood out about this man the most to her was his face: a heavy-jawed man, this guy clearly didn't mess around whenever he did anything. His eyes seemed to analyze everything they gazed upon, determining their weaknesses. He stared at Scarlet for an instant before asking politely, but in a gravelly, foreboding voice, "Excuse me, young lady, but is Professor Oak at home?"
"Um, yes, I am," Oak replied as he came to the door. "And you are?"
"Agent Colombus, Clearance Nine," the man recited as he showed them a circular badge that said exactly that. He was with the government! Ash was at the door by now, and he was beside himself in awe. "But I thought that Clearance Nine was an urban myth."
The man, Colombus, was bemused. "I can assure you that I'm real," he replied simply as he replaced his badge into his coat pocket with a flourish. "May I come in, please?"
"Of course," Oak replied. Once they were situated, Colombus began with his business straight off the bat. "My understanding is that you've recently done business with Gainsboro Industries."
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have."
"I'm afraid that you'll need to cease doing business with them."
"Why?" As this back-and-forth was happening, the Pikachu noticed Scarlet again. it apparently hadn't forgiven her for attempting to place him back in his Pokeball. Similarly angry that he got her in trouble in the first place, the two sat there sticking their tongues out at each other.
"We've recently been getting complaints from employees. Or, rather, former employees. The company's CEO, Mr. Gainsboro has recently been laying people off, and, according to the employees, for no reason. They've not been losing money, production has been up, and a great many of these layoffs were loyal, hardworking men who've never commited a crime in their lives."
"Hmm. That certainly is strange..." the Professor pondered this for a moment before continuing, "Perhaps they're doing something...illegal?"
"That's been the suspicion of the Top as well as several of the workers. Unfortunately, all of them seem to believe that whatever is being hidden is from the company's secret projects, and all of the employees from that area of Prototyping have sworn to remain silent, even from the Government."
"So what I need to do is refrain from collaborating with them."
"Exactly. If you have anything to offer for the investigation, I would like to know about it."
Oak was a bit disappointed. "I'm afraid I don't know anything. Sorry. Is there anything else I can do to help?"
Colombus stroked his lip once before replying. "No. Thank you for your cooperation." With that, he left, without saying another word.
"That sure was strange," Ash commented. "Who knew that we'd get a Clearance Nine Agent here in Pallet Town?"
"Yes, that was interesting," Oak agreed before the subject dropped completely. After a minute more of small talk and advise from Oak to Ash, Ash left as well. "Now," Oak began as he turned to Scarlet, "what was that you were saying?"
"I just don't think it's fair," Scarlet began, "that I got here first, before anybody else, and I don't get a Pokemon, but Ash does. He was late!" The indignity of it all struck her as she spoke, and tears began to slowly form in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Scarlet, but I couldn't let you get one of those Pokemon. You're not ready yet: Training Pokemon and caring for them go hand in hand, and I don't think that you really get that yet."
"I'll never get that now." And she began to cry.
"There, there, Scarlet. There's more than one way to begin a Journey as a Pokemon trainer. I once met someone just like you who didn't get a Starter Pokemon from their home town either."
"What did he do?" she asked, but still with tears in her eyes.
"He went to work at a Gym. The Gym Leader eventually decided to let him try to train one of the Gym's Pokemon. The two caught on quickly, and they were allowed to go together. he then went on to defeat the Gym Leader and start off from there."
"Should I do that?" Scarlet was beginning to see hope again.
"Of course," Professor Oak replied with his usual smile. "I'll call ahead to the Veridian Gym for you."
Scarlet shot up in triumph and cheered. "You'll need a few things for the journey," Oak told her. He gave her several things that she was too excited to learn how to use, including several empty Pokeballs. The Professor wished her luck, and she was off, golden dreams filling her head.
And thus our protagonist begins her journey. How will she fare without a Pokemon? Why were there only two Trainers? Will Scarlet ever get her own Pokemon? What's this business with Clearance Nine and Gainsboro Industries? All this and more next chapter! If you like what you see, please leave a Review. Until next time, dear compatriots in writing!