Vanessa's Tale

Note: Yup, another new (and reluctant) trainer embarking on a journey in the Kanto region. Hopefully the story itself will be a bit less banal than my title suggests. Somewhat inspired by my recent playthrough of Pokemon FireRed. And no, my name is not Vanessa. :p Slightly AU, since I doubt Daisy is this bitchy in the games, and there might be some other stuff I'll change along the way as well.

Chapter One: Ember!

Finally. Warmth. It felt good to get in from the chilly winter air, to open my notebook and to actually get to writing out what had happened to me these past few months. I tapped my pencil against the table, contemplating the first sentence I would write in my journal. It would have to be catchy, original somehow…it would have to be memorable. I thought for a moment.

Ah, screw it. I began to write.

My name is Vanessa Middleton from Pallet Town. I am 18 years old…19 in April, to be exact. It's the middle of February, and I'm huddled in the Cerulean City Pokemon Center, trying to keep warm. My only companion at the moment is Mandy, who stands complacently at my side. She is probably the best friend I've ever had, honestly, and I often feel I don't give her the credit she deserves. I sure as hell don't deserve someone as great as her, anyway.

I gazed fondly at the Charmeleon nearby, its tail flame flickering gently each time the double doors of the center opened to admit a new trainer and their Pokemon.

It all began a few months ago…

***

The alarm clock rang, and I jolted awake. Brushing my hair quickly to the side, I milled over the fact that this was the day I would begin my Pokemon adventure. Most young kids looked forward to this day with relish. Ten year-olds all over Pallet – all over Kanto – were getting up, flushed with excitement at the prospect of starting their journey.

I was a little different. I had spent eight years dreading this day.

I had never cared much for Pokemon. I cared more for books and other scholarly pursuits, choosing to read more often than to watch the older trainers parade their starter Pokemon around Pallet. I had no obvious reason to feel this way, no reason to feel so detached from the outside world of Pokemon. I had had no shaping experience that had forever alienated me to the idea of training monsters and toting them around with me. No Spearows had terrorized me when I was younger. I hadn't been attacked by a pack of rabid Ekans. No, it was just…me. I felt I could live a life free of Pokemon, perhaps become a history professor in Celadon or in another big city. According to my mother, however, this was impossible.

"You can't succeed in this world without knowing at least a little bit about Pokemon, Vanessa," she had told me a few days before my much-delayed journey would begin. "Even professors and archaeologists begin a journey of their own, and even if they don't make it to the Indigo League, they at least learn a little something about the outside world." She shook her head at my remonstrations. "Pokemon are essential to success these days, and I don't know how else to teach you that than to send you out."

Luckily, my mother had shared my view that sending a child as young as ten on their adventure was ludicrous. She suggested I wait for a few more years…say, when I was thirteen or fourteen. When I was fifteen and still showed no interest in leaving town, she sensed something was wrong. After consulting Professor Oak, he advised her that I should leave the year I turned eighteen, right when his granddaughter Daisy (who would by that point be sixteen) would begin her journey. For some reason Professor Oak had held her back from starting at ten as well. This, he assured my mother, would give me the push I needed to head out. Some kind of rivalry and competition would do me good, he told her.

Well, he was right about one thing. I couldn't stand Daisy. She was about one and a half years younger than me, and had always been a royal pain in my ass. We were polar opposites, her interests being in dolls, hair, and makeup rather than books. Most of the time these silly rivalries fade with age, but in our case the mutual hatred grew with each passing year. Jumping in my face with Clefairy dolls, pelting me with rocks when I would play outside, and now taunting me because I hadn't wanted to go on a Pokemon journey at the "right age." She kept up a friendly façade in front of most people, but I knew better. I took most of what she threw at me in stride, but I let loose the occasional profanity when she crossed the line with her comments. She would certainly be someone I'd be more than happy to best in competition.

Just…not with Pokemon.

That morning, I sat at the table eating the breakfast that Mom's Chansey had prepared for me. Chansey had been the only Pokemon I'd really known growing up, and she had in no way given me a bad first impression of the Pokemon world. She was kind and obedient, and would often play with me when I was younger. Still…she wasn't the only one out there. I knew that, and that was what made me apprehensive.

After breakfast, I slipped on my backpack, feeling for all the world eight years younger than I really was. It wasn't the most comforting feeling. I exchanged parting words with Mom, and she cupped my face in her hands, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"I know this will be good for you, sweetie. I really do. Call me whenever you need me…you've got the cellular phone there."

I nodded. "Yeah…thanks, Mom. I'll miss you. Just don't be too disappointed when I head back early."

She smiled through tears. "Now, I seriously doubt that…"

I shrugged. "Always a possibility. You're the one who's making me go off on the damn thing. And you've got your expectations so high…"

"Oh, as pessimistic as always, I see," she said, punching me playfully on the shoulder, but then pulling me into a hug. "I'm going to miss you around. Goodbye, Vanessa."

I pulled away quickly. "Yeah…goodbye, Mom."

I made the short walk over to Professor Oak's lab, passing my diminutive neighbor Ash on the way, who waved at me wildly. I advanced through the sliding glass doors as soon as they admitted me. Professor Oak was sitting at a table in the back of the lab, poring over a thick textbook. Three Pokeballs sat on the table to his left.

He tucked his reading glasses into his coat pocket as I approached. "Ah, Vanessa. Finally."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Finally, Professor…?" I had known Professor Oak for years, so I felt I had some flexibility with him, even though he was such an authority. I just didn't appreciate his tone, that was all.

He chuckled in his odd way. "You misunderstand me. I know you really don't want to do this, but I have a feeling you will love it. It's one of those things you really have to…participate in to get, Vanessa."

"Oh, joy."

"We may as well get started," he said, standing up so that he was now in front of the three Pokeballs and right across the table from me. "Now, is there anything in particular you need to know about starting out? You have money and a map, correct?"

"Right in here," I said unenthusiastically, pointing to my backpack. My mom had taken the liberty to stock me up. I guessed it was six or seven years' worth of pent-up excitement that sent her into her "pre-journey" packing craze. I hadn't complained, since she had spared no expense to make sure I was well-supplied.

"And you know the rules of battling and such, I assume?"

"I've, uh…read some things," I said quickly. It was true. I'd leafed through some of Mom's old trainer prep books, not that I'd figured they would do me much good. I wasn't planning on battling that much. But Professor Oak didn't need to know that.

"And you know which three starter Pokemon Pallet hands out, yes?" He tapped his fingers on the table, indicating the three Pokeballs.

"Yeah…Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle."

Oak nodded. "Good. And any idea on which one you want to pick?"

I shrugged. It really didn't matter to me. "How about the, uh…the one on my left, there. Surprise me."

He looked askance at me. "Vanessa, this is quite a decision. This is your starter Pokemon, and it will be with you throughout your entire journey. You don't need to think this over some more?"

I was beginning to become frustrated. "Look, Professor Oak…you know as well as I do that the only reason I'm going on this journey is because of you and my mother. I don't mean any disrespect, but…" I sighed, fiddling with the strap on my backpack. "You're going to have to excuse my aloofness at the moment."

"Quite right," he mumbled. "I'd hope you'd have changed your attitude on the whole thing by now, but perhaps that was a pipe dream from the start."

I smirked. "Probably."

Oak picked up the Pokeball I had selected. "There's probably no arguing with you, then. At least you've agreed to attempt the journey, at any rate." He held the Pokeball out in front of him. "Let's see which one you've selected."

The Pokeball opened and a white light emanated from inside, spilling out onto the ground next to me. The light took the shape of a short, stocky creature on two legs, with a tail that was almost half as long as its body. The light dissipated, and I was left staring at an orange Pokemon that vaguely resembled an ancient reptile.

"Say hello to Charmander," said Professor Oak, who couldn't keep the grin out of his voice. He must have known that I wasn't nearly as excited as he was, but his love for all things Pokemon could not be subdued in this instance. He rambled on. "And…she's a girl from the looks of it. The females tend to be smaller than the males."

I didn't know quite what to think about the Charmander. It looked around the room in wonder for a few seconds, then plopped down on the ground only to yawn and scratch its head. Looked like a real winner to me.

"Um, she's…great." I bent down. "Hey there…girl. How are you?"

The Charmander gazed up at me, bright blue eyes reflecting my own. No response. She may as well have been looking at a wall.

"Do you want to name her?" Oak piped up. I started.

"Name her? Eh…"

"Oh, come now, Vanessa," said Oak, patting me on the shoulder. "You need to strike up a friendly bond with your Pokemon to even have a hope of being successful. It's been shown that trainers and Pokemon with the deepest relationships win the most battles." Oak was really getting delusional in his scholarly exaltation. Did he seriously think I was the competitive type?

Before I could say anything in response, the doors of the lab slid open once more to admit a thin girl with curly brunette locks. I could tell from there that it was Daisy, her elegant jaunt giving her away even at a distance. But beneath that demeanor was someone who did bring out my competitive side, if I had one. She was so fake at times that it made me sick, and I was sure she wasn't much of the battling type or the adventurous type. Fifteen years as her neighbor had taught me that. I was sure that, had there been any other way for her to get her name out there besides taking up a starter Pokemon, she would have declined this opportunity. But at least I admitted to myself my lack of inclination to begin this journey. She hid everything with her cute act and the fact that she was a famous Pokemon professor's granddaughter. Something in me fired up at the prospect of having to compete with this girl, of all people, and I looked purposefully at Professor Oak.

"I'm calling her Mandy," I said, hugging the Charmander to me in one swift motion. The little Pokemon squirmed against me at the sudden movement, but luckily I felt no heat from her tail. One of the little facts I'd remembered from those trainer books had been that those who are compatible with fire-type Pokemon won't be burned by them. Things were looking up a little in that respect, at least.

"Mandy?" Professor Oak blinked. "And why?"

"You know…Charmander…Mandy…she's a girl. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Well, sure it does," said Professor Oak, scratching his chin. "Just doesn't seem much like you, is all."

"Grandpa!" squealed Daisy when she reached the back of the lab, enveloping him in a hug. "I've waited for this day for so long!"

Professor Oak returned the hug, then held her apart from him tenderly. "Yes, finally time for you to go on your adventure as well! Vanessa's already chosen her Pokemon, though, so I'm afraid you're only left with two, dear."

Daisy looked straight at me for the first time, eyeing the small Pokemon I was still clutching to me. We must have made for an interesting sight. "Oh…hello, Vanessa."

I nodded back. That was all the politeness she was getting from me today, if I could help it.

"Cute Pokemon you have there," she continued.

"Yeah, and she's got an even cuter nickname," I said disdainfully. "She's now 'Mandy,' if you can believe it."

"Charming," said Daisy. "Well, that's alright, Grandpa. I didn't want Charmander anyway. I wanted Squirtle, and I know exactly what I'm going to call mine."

"Oh? Which name did you pick out?"

"Bubbles!" she squeaked, bouncing up and down on the tips of her toes. I fought the gag reflex. So much for winning out with a girlier nickname.

"Go ahead and take his Pokeball, then," said Oak, motioning to it. "He's yours."

She picked it up and opened it, gazing for the first time upon her starter. Her Squirtle was significantly bigger and bulkier than my Charmander. It looked…abrasive. It shared something with Daisy, then, if its personality turned out to be the same. I noticed Mandy quivering as the Squirtle turned its gaze on us.

"Well?" said Daisy, turning to me as I got up from my squatting position with Mandy. "Don't you want to battle them, Vanessa?"

"Oh, I wouldn't give you the satisfaction," I scoffed, readying my Pokeball so that Mandy could return. "Going for type advantages alone is cheap anyway."

"You should know that our Pokemon haven't learned any elemental attacks yet," countered Daisy, stepping forward. "Unless you're too scared for little Mandy to faint."

Oh, she would pay for the "cowardice" taunt, even if it WAS cliché as hell.

I glared at her. "You are NOT better than me in everything, Daisy, even though you might think it. And looks and a bubbly attitude don't get people everywhere in this world. You've actually got to be smart, believe it or not."

Professor Oak looked taken aback by our exchange. He had seen us quarrel before, but this took on a newer, more intense level of rivalry. "It's just a Pokemon battle…Daisy, Vanessa…"

"Tackle that Charmander, Bubbles!" snarled Daisy, and her Squirtle hurtled towards Mandy, who was busy staring at Professor Oak's computer screen nearby. The attack took her completely off guard and she fell to the ground, whimpering softly.

"I said I didn't want to battle!" I shouted. "Are you deaf as well as stupid?"

Daisy flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave me a confident grin. "I knew you wouldn't agree to it. It's just fun to see you get mad."

Mandy, slowly struggling to her feet after the Squirtle's attack, was also cautiously backing away. "Oh, don't take that, Mandy!" I said, suddenly enraged at Daisy's cockiness. "Scratch it, or growl at it…or something."

"Pfft. Real confident, Ness." Daisy had her hands on her hips, in a similar pose as her Squirtle. Mandy got up slowly, but only continued to stare fearfully at Bubbles. "It looks like your Pokemon's not going to do anything."

"Mandy, scratch!" I said with more conviction. Still nothing. Mandy looked as if she were about to fall over as it was. She didn't seem to be very aggressive, even in the heat of battle.

"In that case…tackle it again, Bubbles!" This time, the Squirtle collided with Mandy with even more force, and Mandy trembled as she tried to stand up again. She managed to get back on two feet once more, but was no more eager to fight than she had been at the outset.

Great. Out of all of the Pokemon out there, I had gotten the pacifist. Not that this was a necessarily bad thing for me, but I had really wanted to kick Daisy's ass. I clenched my fists.

"Brute force doesn't make a battle," I said. "Mandy, growl at…Bubbles." I spat out the name.

This seemed to work better than had my other commands. Mandy steeled herself and let out a fierce snarl that seemed to shake the Squirtle, who shook its head quickly. The next tackle that it aimed at Mandy was slightly more feeble and misguided, however, and it went crashing into the wall instead.

"Bubbles!" squeaked Daisy, running over to check on her Squirtle. Mandy looked a little more proud of herself, but then quickly collapsed onto her stomach. She was down for the count. I crouched down.

"You need to keep your chin up, you hear me?" I whispered forcefully. "Do you really want to be walked over by people like her?" Mandy twitched at my words, but gave no other tangible reaction.

Professor Oak returned awkwardly to the discussion from his place on the sidelines. He had been shocked into silence by the battle, it seemed. "Well, er…t-that was certainly an exciting exchange!" he stuttered. "A little rivalry is always good to get people going."

The short silence that followed seemed to confirm his words, in a way.

"Pokedexes!" Professor Oak suddenly blurted, and he rushed to his desk where he grabbed two small red devices, rectangular in shape. He passed them to both of us, obviously glad that he had something else to talk about. "These are like mini Pokemon encyclopedias. I developed them! They can tell you anything you need to know about any Pokemon on your team, as well as any Pokemon you encounter in the wild. And as my other little gift to you…" He dug around in his pocket, pulling out twelve miniature Pokeballs and handing six to Daisy and six to me. "Six Pokeballs to begin with. You're going to have to buy the rest at PokeMarts, I'm afraid."

"It's not a problem, Professor," I said, pulling out Mandy's Pokeball and watching as the thin red light caught her up. I didn't really want to see the pained look on her face anymore. "We probably need to head out. Sorry for the commotion, but…Daisy WAS the instigator."

She pouted, and I smirked. "Well, V-Vanessa doesn't know that Pokemon are supposed to be for battling. That's the whole point of being a trainer, isn't it, Grandpa?"

Professor Oak's expression seemed stuck between bemusement and exasperation. "There is more than one path to success with Pokemon, Daisy. Maybe you shouldn't be so coarse with others. And you, Vanessa…keep a cool head out there."

I turned to walk through the double doors, making sure to avoid Daisy's gaze. "Duly noted, Professor."

--A little long for a first chapter, perhaps, but I really wanted to establish their rivalry before continuing on. Next chapter up as soon as I find a good stopping place.