Prelude:
On the evening of my fifth birthday Mom finally announced it was time to go to the Ranger cabin. I grabbed a notebook and pencil before following her out the door. I asked her rapid fire questions as we walked towards the edge of town, wanting to know everything about the other kids and the Ranger Master. It was the first Cadet meeting for the newly chartered Pallet town, and the parents had decided once all of the children had turned five we should start our education and wilderness training. Not only were we the last family to move to town but my birthday was the latest in the year, so everyone else had to wait on me.
We had moved to Pallet along with four other families who had approached Professor Oak about founding the town on the frontier. He had been idly speaking with his son about getting away from the big city for years, needing some time to work in peace apart from the regulations implemented by his workplace, Silph Co., so that he could work on interest projects instead of meeting company demands. The discussion had been put on hold when all active Navy were deployed to combat a sudden boom in population of wild sea monsters.
Countless families said goodbye to their loved ones as they departed, determined to battle the rampaging hordes back into the depths. They fought bravely, at great cost. Nearly all those who served were lost.
Suddenly worried about the future of his fatherless grandchild, Oak offered to take his widowed daughter-in-law away from the city. They would start again in a new town, far from any reminder of the lives they had once known.
We left Saffron with seven of his aides, five mothers, their children, and ten trainers to protect them us the creatures lurking in the wilderness. These brave men were veterans and Rangers who had faced horrors of the sea, sky, and land. Their minds had been warped by the battlefield and they longed for the simplicity of a rustic lifestyle with the simple job of protecting women and children.
While it was the duty of the Navy to protect us from the sea, the Rangers were a force trained in the necessary skills to keep routes between towns safe for travelers and traders, enabling cities to share resources. All citizens of Kanto were given the choice to join either force upon their eighteenth birthday, but without training the chances of survival were minimal. Professor Oak had guaranteed the training we would need, and offered us an escape from conscription into the Navy.
Mom expertly dodged all of my questions, saying I should try to get to know everyone on my own. She dropped me off at the cabin on the outskirts of town. It was a small, one room log house with a single smokestack jutting out of the side of the building. Mom had told me the Ranger Master kept it warm with a cast iron stove. The cabin looked like something from a history book compared to the rest of the houses in Pallet which had been built in modern styles, filling the town with a handful of identical buildings. Aside from the Ranger cabin the only other unique structure was Professor Oak's lab.
The walk from home did not take long, the town had been named after the joke that all of its construction materials could fit on a single pallet, but every step closer to the edge of town brought waves of anticipation, excitement, and dread. I was experiencing a range of conflicting emotions about meeting my fellow cadets and the Ranger Master. Mom had told me his years of service in the Navy had molded him into a powerful trainer, and it was his job to keep this part of the town safe from the monsters in the woods. Since Pallet town was too small and far away from civilization to have a formal Pokemon School, the retired veteran had volunteered to teach the local kids survival techniques.
My mother hugged me goodbye, making sure not to embarrass me in front of what would hopefully be my new friends. I opened the door and saw that I was the last to arrive, the seats around the table being occupied by several other students my age.
Almost immediately I was assaulted by a boy with a seemingly calculated mess of brown hair. "Hiya, I'm Gary Oak," he said, shoving out his hand in greeting. Trying to figure out why that name was so familiar, it took a second to realize he was attempting to initiate a handshake. I reached out only to grasp at air as his hand shot back into his pockets.
"Wow, what a slowpoke!" The rest of the kids laughed and my face burned in shame. Gary's smile broadened and he raced back to his seat at the front of the room next to a black haired kid wearing a red jacket much too large for his size, leaving me to make my way to one of the last available stools in the back of the room.
I passed the middle seats, occupied by a grinning blonde girl and a brown haired girl who stared suspiciously at me as I walked by. I took a moment to look around the room and saw it was packed full of supplies, tools, and pelts.
I made it to the last row of stools, sat, and turned to see a grizzled, leathery man standing at the front of the room. His face was blank aside from raised eyebrows; the only sign he had witnessed the exchange between Gary and me. He waited a moment more before speaking. "My name is Garry Maple-" he was instantly cut off by a loud groan from the boy who had just introduced himself.
"Ah, you must be the Oak boy," he said. "And I supposed you assumed you would be the only Gary in the class. Well, buck up, because I don't give a lick what your name is or whose grandson you are." Grandson? I thought, Oh, this must be Professor Oak's grandson!
"In fact," Garry continued, "I don't care what any of your names are. It is my task to teach you how not to die out in the wild, but in case you don't listen to what I have to say and get yourselves killed, I am going to start out by not getting attached. You will not be my friends. I will not risk my life or limb to save you. I will not even attempt to learn your names. From this point on," he paused to fetch a backpack from the corner of the room, setting it on the lectern in the front of the room, "you will be known by me and by your fellow cadets as the color of hat you wear."
"I'll take a gold one," Gary interjected, "'cause that is the color of winners."
"You will take what I give you," responded Garry. "Here you go," he handed the outspoken child a blue hat. He walked through the room passing out a red hat to the black haired boy, and yellow and green hats to the girls. He then approached my desk in the back of the small room and passed me a grey cap out of the bag.
The ranger then walked back to the front of the room, reached into the backpack, and withdrew an orange hat which he set on the lectern before setting his backpack down. "And this," he said, gesturing to the hat, "would have been Cadet Orange."
"For the rest of your training under my command I want you to remember his name above all else. Cadet Orange represents every fool kid who goes out into the wilderness and gets himself killed. For any reason. Lack of knowledge can be a cause of death as certainly as being trampled by a herd of Tauros, or hugging a Nidoran. The world of Pokemon is a dangerous place, and I won't let you forget it."
(o)|/-\|(o)
The Expedition:
I thought back to the first day of Ranger Cadets fondly as we stood at attention, waiting for Garry to finish inspecting our packs so we could be approved for our final expedition. If we were successful today, upon our return we would graduate from the Cadet program and become full fledged Rangers.
It had been thirteen grueling years of intensive survival training, but under Garry's watchful eye we had learned quickly. He was currently inspecting each pack, even though the trained Growlithe currently resting in the pokeball on his bandolier was perfectly capable of quickly completing the task. He paused at Blue's pack and, as had only rarely happened in the past, looked up at the young man with a hint of surprise flickering across his features.
"Cadet Blue, mind explaining why you have a can of coffee grounds taking up precious space in your survival pack?"
Blue answered, with a smirk, "To enhance awareness in the early morning, giving me the edge during our tracking exercise."
Garry shook his head and moved onto the next pack in the line, Yellow's. Coffee, I nearly shook my head in disgust. The price of shipping it all the way out here would have covered two weeks of rations and a weatherproof jacket.
The professor was known to have it brought in while working on especially time critical projects, but even then it was only as an extreme measure. Having that kind of edge was always the type of advantage Blue was trying to get over all of us. He had to be the best, and would do whatever it took to hold that title. Yet no matter what he did or what kinds of tricks he pulled, Red was always on his heels which infuriated him to no end and was a source of eternal amusement for the rest of us.
Yellow grounded them in her innate ability to be a source of purity and happiness. Green managed to never stand out in any aspect of our training. She somehow always scored perfectly average on every test, but I saw the way she was closely observing everyone at all times and couldn't shake the feeling that every move she made was calculated.
I drifted out of my reverie just in time for Garry to finish pack inspection and turn to address the line of potential graduates. "You are the first lot to complete my training, and this final test will prove whether you are worthy of graduating the Cadets or not. Your task is to catch your first pokemon. And to do it alone. If you manage to survive and return to Pallet with your new partner, the Professor will inspect the quality of the monster and we will enter you into the database as official Rangers." He paused to stare each of us down. "Be smart out there," he said before turning, dismissing us.
We picked up our packs and I wordlessly met each Cadet's gaze, mentally wishing them well. Blue only smirked back before turning up his nose and flaring his nostrils, somehow silently managing to communicate his chosen catchphrase.
Red stared him down, waiting for some acknowledgement of a challenge. Blue met his eyes and the two bolted off, both attempting to be the first to catch a pokemon. Yellow waved at their disappearing forms and I looked for Green, but she was already gone. How did she do that? I wondered before Yellow and I split off onto our predetermined paths.
The rules of the challenge required each of us submitted a trail plan for Garry's review. It allowed him to ensure we would not be crossing paths during the expedition. And, as he said, was "An easier way to track down the approximate position of our bodies" should we fail to return.
None of us knew the other's chosen trail, but it was a safe assumption the others would be heading toward the woods near Viridian. I had opted to scout the river which flowed out of the southern part of Pallet town into Route 21.
Garry had met with Professor Oak and convinced him to release several rare breeds of pokemon into the untamed areas surrounding Pallet, upping the ante for the Ranger Trial. Our goal became not to capture the first Pokemon we encountered, but a challenge to see who could survive long enough without the safety of a Pokemon companion to return with the most rare monster.
Upon learning of this development I immediately started planning to explore every possible nearby body of water. Ranger Rule number one of survival strategies is to always have a source of fresh water. With a water pokemon at my side, I would have that base covered. And, on the off chance the Professor had released a rare water type for this occasion, it would most likely be wandering around on this path.
I approached the heavy, rarely used gates on the south of Pallet and saw the burly, squat form of the guard on duty and knew it to be was Mike Dogwood. I showed him my official Ranger documentation and watched as his dark eyes carefully reviewed every line of the form.
Like most of Pallet's guards he was another veteran who served in the war with Garry. While he knew the Cadets were scheduled to leave on our solo expedition today he still carefully read over each line of the writ in silence, the deepening of the lines in his ruddy face indicating the idea of letting me go outside the protective city walls on my own.
His time as a trainer and and active service had showed him every possible danger in the world and it was his sworn duty to protect the residents of the small settlement. His own exposure to poison gas in the battlefield had left his lungs and vocal chords badly scarred, leaving him rendered mute.
When he got to Garry's signature and the Ranger seal at the bottom of the page, he paused. Mike had not served with Garry during the war, but knew him from work around town.
After a moment's deliberation, the guard lifted the thick timber used as a barricade and opened the gate. "Be careful, monsters live in the tall grass and lurk just under the surface of the water," he warned, his voice strained and oddly flat. I froze for a moment before graciously thanking him for his warning and assuring him I would be careful. No one had heard him speak the entire time he had lived in Pallet. For him to possess the incredible force of will to overcome his injury was astounding and instilled the importance of his warning.
I had been hearing the mothers and guards talk about the Cadet solo expedition when they thought we were out of earshot for months. They were uneasy. We were the first Cadets to be raised in Pallet, and even though they all knew Garry they feared our training would be lacking. But we Cadets were determined to prove our worth and show the world that our small, newly constructed town had raised the best trainers in the region.
I passed through the gate and made it to the slow moving river in good time, managing to arrive at my first checkpoint before mid-afternoon. I decided to take a brief rest, breaking out some trail rations for a quick meal. If I continued at this pace I should be able to make it to a point where the river ran deeper, making fishing for meals a viable option. I kept observing the nearby landscape as I ate, remembering Garry's motto, "Never let your guard down. Whether you're eatin', sleepin', shittin', or fuckin', those are the times when you are the most likely to earn the Orange Cadet hat."
After eating I packed away the food trash and covered up any crumbs left behind. I didn't want to leave any easily traceable trail for a Ratata to follow. I continued on the path, taking care to watch my steps along the riverbank. I paused, freezing in place as a Pidgeotto swooped down, snagging an unlucky Magikarp out of the river. That is probably a sign of a good stopping point for the day. I started unpacking my bags, laying out supplies, and setting up camp. After the fire pit was prepared, tent erected, latrine dug, and fishing pole assembled, I started to relax a little.
The first task was to boil some water. I knew the river flowing out of the little town was mostly clean, but it was a good habit to make sure you were always drinking clean water. Then I assembled my trusty fishing rod, cast out the line, and waited.
I pulled my cap low over my eyes as the sun began to set. I wasn't worried about not catching anything today. It would be nice, but I was still a long way from getting sick of eating trail food. Just as I was about to reel in the line for the night, I saw the bobber drop. I braced myself and waited.
I had elected to bring a good rod on this trip rather than the old one I used as a child, and the water types I might catch could prove to be dangerous at this point in the journey. I could deal with a Magikarp, if it was not too large, but anything else and I might have to cut the line. The end of the rod began to pull down and I started reel in slowly. With a splash, my prey revealed itself to be a small Magikarp. I sighed in relief and started working the Pokemon closer to shore, getting it close enough to pull onto the riverbank.
A short time later, after cleaning the fish and burying the remains, I had fresh fillet roasting over the fire. I ate greedily before taking some time to relax with a full stomach by the warm fire. Just before sunset I let the fire burn low before finally putting it out, preventing the mesmerizing blaze from attracting unwelcome monsters in the night. I crawled into my tent, zipped up the sleeping bag, and promptly fell asleep.
A scrabbling sound outside of my tent woke me with a start, I clutched at the heavy flashlight and extendable baton I had left sitting at strategic places inside of the tent. Bracing myself, I tried to calm my breathing and listen.
The sounds of the river flowing filled the night. An occasional bird would cry out in the distance, too far away to be an immediate threat. The scratching continued and I froze, wracking my mind in an attempt to identify the threat. Generally the Pokemon seen in this area were water types, but it was possible for something to have wandered away from it's nest to explore.
I carefully extracted myself from my sleeping bag, crawled forward, and unzipped the tent almost completely. If something was out there, I did not want to be trapped in the tent. There was a small possibility I could dive past it but if that was my only hope of surviving an attack, I would take it. I clicked on the flashlight and a high powered beam shot out, illuminating the grass around my campfire. Frozen in the beam was a Rattata, caught in the act of digging through the fire pit. It's eyes glowed as they reflected the beam, then it bolted off into the night.
I slept uneasily for the rest of the night, dreaming of the purple rats gnawing through my tent lining and sinking their unbreakable pincers into my unwilling flesh, my screams failing to reach the sleeping ears in the nearby town. The most frequently repeated ending for Cadet Orange was by underestimating the rodents and letting a swarm of the creatures overcome them in the night.
When daybreak finally came I was glad to find that aside from the weariness of a poor night's rest, I managed to survive the first night. I slowly started to pack up camp, building up speed as the actions helped erode the haze of sleep. I took a moment to inspect the remains of the fire pit to see if I had left anything that would attract the Rattata, but I was unable to find any remnants of my dinner left in the area. Maybe, due to their proximity to Pallet, they have learned to associate fires with food. I shuddered at the thought but made a mental note to be more careful about fire pits in the future.
I set out again, snacking on trail rations, wary of any movement in my peripheral vision. I wondered how the rest of the Cadets were doing. I bet Blue and Red would be expertly tracking every rare Pokemon in the area with inhuman speed, their drive to surpass each other fueling them to achieve incredible goals. They had proved their skills to the Ranger Master time and time again, managing to constantly impress the hardened veteran. If anyone could not only survive the wild on their own but also manage to bag a rare monster, it was them.
Yellow would be taking her time, enjoying her trek into the forest and making the most of every moment to bond with the nature around her. She had a way with Pokemon that unnerved me in it's simplicity. For whatever reason monsters seemed to be able to sense the gentleness within her. An Ekans once crept into our camp during a group expedition, Garry later claimed he allowed the creature to approach without raising alarm to see how we would react, and while Red was the first to notice it, Yellow was the first to respond. She just raised her palms and slowly approached the snake, offering her portion of cooked Rattata to the monster. Ekans took the bait and left. From that day forward Yellow refused to eat the meat of living creatures, relying entirely on foraging to sustain her.
I tried to think of what Green would be doing but it was hard to guess how she would tackle this challenge alone. She had always taken a passive approach to every obstacle, waiting for someone else to find a solution first. I sincerely hoped she would not be struggling, but it was possible that she was having a hard time. However, Garry had approved her for the solo expedition. It was either a sign that he saw something in her none of the rest of us noticed or, as he constantly reminded us, we were "attached to me like a pile of Taurus dung and I will do whatever it takes to scrape you off my boots".
Lost in my thoughts, I did not notice the subtle changes in scenery. I nearly missed the low growl that signaled the possibility of an imminent death.
Before assessing the scene I reflexively drew the extendable baton from its loop at my belt with my right hand and took a defensive stance. I lowered my center of gravity and whipped the weapon back, readying an attack if needed and holding my left arm out to absorb any incoming blow.
It was exactly the wrong thing to do. Before I could blink a blur launched itself at me, clamping down on the arm I barely managed to put between it and my throat. Fighting through the pain I managed to finally get a look at my attacker. A Rattata was latched onto my forearm, furiously scratching at the exposed flesh while its powerful jaws clamped down, moments away from breaking my arm. I had managed to twist my arm in the milliseconds before the attack, resulting in the creature working to break my radius and ulna separately rather than snap through both bones in a single bite.
I could feel a creaking in my bones had seconds to break its hold before its teeth met in the middle of my forearm. Without thinking I whipped the tip of the baton forward and, using every ounce of strength, drove the rigid object directly into the monster's nose, driving the rod deep in its nostril in an attempt to repel the Pokemon from me. It's jaws loosened and the Rattata fell to the ground, sneezing and shaking, trying to rid itself of the horrible feeling of having something shoved deep into its nasal cavity.
It recovered rapidly, dislodging the object and quickly resuming its attack but by then I was ready. With my left arm I freed and uncapped the pepper spray from my belt and launched a stinging stream directly into the Rattata's eyes, nose, and open mouth. It screeched and dashed off into the tall grass, running away from me at top speed.
I worked quickly, tearing into my pack and hurriedly opening my first aid kit. Wincing at the further pain of an antiseptic spray, I quickly evaluated my wounds. The rodent had left tiny tears in a perfect bite shaped pattern on either side of my forearm. While appearing insignificant, I could tell that they were deep cuts and possibly damaged the bone. I uncapped a bottle of fast drying adhesive and spread it over each mark and then tightly wrapped my forearm in a self adhering bandage.
The immediate danger passed, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins lessen, leaving me feeling weak and drained. I fought off the shock, knowing I still needed to investigate the scene. While Rattata have been known to attack humans they typically only resort to such aggression in defense. Either a nest of young or a food source would be nearby,both of which indicated the possibility of more monsters in the area.
I cleaned and collapsed my baton as I evaluated my surroundings. Not two steps away lay a Poliwag on it's back. At first glance, aside from the blood, the little creature appeared to be fine. The translucent skin of it's belly showing the dark swirls of the creature's underlying organs. But for this poor Poliwag the blood around it's stomach told a different story. Deep scratches showed where the Rattata had torn through its belly. I sighed, thinking of how difficult it would be to dig a grave for the water Pokemon with an injured arm; I did not want its remains to draw attention to my trail. I began packing away the med kit when I heard a soft cry.
With a start, I looked up and saw that the Poliwag was still alive, slowly writhing in pain. I rushed to its side and without thinking began to inspect its wounds with more care. I uncapped my water bottle, setting it beside the injured Pokemon while hurriedly unpacking my sewing kit. I stitched its stomach back together with lightening speed, time seeming to slow and my hands moved smoothly through each motion as I worked.
I paused incrementally to pour some of the clean water from my bottle over the Poliwag to prevent it from drying out. Hoping it was stabilized enough, I unclipped the lone empty pokeball from my belt and tapped it to the Poliwag's side. Red light poured from the ball, encompassing the monster and drawing it in. I looked at the closed ball and waited. The light built into the release button turned a solid grey, indicating the captured Pokemon was unconscious but stable. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The weight of my actions came crashing into the forefront of my mind. I had just caught my first Pokemon! It needed serious medical attention, but I was sure Professor Oak's rapid healing table could easily handle the work. Now that I had completed my task, I would need to return to Pallet to finalize my graduation from the Cadets and get my first Ranger assignment. More importantly, I needed to quickly leave before Rattata recovered and returned to finish me off. I turned and increased the speed of my hike, determined not to stop until I reached Pallet.
(o)|/-\|(o)
The Return:
It was not long before my banging on the gate alerted the guard to my presence. The noise shattered the peace of the night, and was quickly followed by a creaking of the door.
Mike's frame appeared in the doorframe for a moment before abruptly pulling me inside the gate and slamming the door shut. The light from a blinding lantern flicked on as the ranger inspected me for wounds, believing I had cut my trip short due to an attack. He saw the bandages on my forearm and gripped my good arm, steering me toward Professor Oak's lab. He clicked the radio at his hip twice, notifying the guards that someone needed to take over his post. The long hike back to town had taken its toll, and I did not have the energy to strike you a conversation with Mike during the short walk to the lab.
One of the Professor's aides, a tall lanky man in a white lab coat with shortly cropped black hair met us at the door. He peered at us for a moment with calculating black eyes behind large spectacles before noting my exhausted features, bandaged arm, and the agitated guard at my side before rushing us off to the small medical wing of the lab. As soon as he had me on the examination table he pulled out a small tape recorder, clicked a button, and started rapid firing information into it.
"Tuesday. 1 a.m. Patent is Cadet Grey, returning from solo excursion second day in. Self adhering bandages applied to patient's left forearm." He paused for a moment, gesturing for me to lift my arm as he cocked his head to the side, questioning.
"A wild Rattata bit me before I was able to fend it off. I cleaned and sealed the wound using a travel med kit," I replied in an attempt to mimic the aide's clinical tone.
"Subject will require blood tests if wild Pokemon attack broke the skin to ensure no passage of disease to Patient." He spoke as he unwrapped the bandage. Deep purple bruising had appeared around the afflicted area.
"Bite marks appear to have been successfully sterilized and sealed. Removal of glue at this stage likely to reopen wounds, interrupting healing process. Inability to inspect damaged area closer reaffirms need to take blood sample for further inspection." He clicked the tape recorder again and walked to a cabinet, retrieving the necessary supplies.
While taking the sample I told the aide about Poliwag's condition, and he assured me that the laboratories healing tools would be able to mend the Pokemon's injuries. "Leave the Poliwag with me, I will trend to it and process your blood overnight. Be here at 8am to pick up your Pokemon and get your test results. For now, go home and get some sleep."
"Thanks Andy," I said as he wound a fresh bandage over my arm and then escorted me out of the lab. Mike joined me in the short walk home where I thanked him too before sneaking upstairs to my room and falling asleep the instant my head hit the pillow.
I woke with the sun, jumping out of bed and taking a quick shower to wash away the weariness of the short night's sleep. I hurried down to the kitchen and began bustling about, preparing a surprise breakfast for my mother.
Ever since we moved to Pallet it had always been just the two of us, my mother shied away from having household Pokemon like Red's Mr. Mime. It left a lot of chores to split between two people and considering my mother would not expect me home for at least a week, I thought I could do this one small thing for her. She would probably wake just as I needed to leave so I left a note with the plate of eggs and toast explaining I was back from the trip and would likely be spending the morning in the lab.
I left my pack behind, keeping only the standard items from on their pouches on my belt: baton, knife, flashlight, and mace. I arrived early and was greeted by a weary looking Andy. He ushered me into the medical lab where he removed a clipboard from a shelf and started reviewing the computer printout after clicking the tape recorded which he kept on him at all times. "The blood work from Patient Grey showed negative signs of being infected by disease from a wild Rattata bite. Will provide recommendations for care of the wound."
With a gesture he lead me over to a large machine the size of a table, with a screen providing a medical readout on the wall. It had a highly technical display of Poliwag's status with numbers and changing graphs.
"The wild Poliwag brought in had severe lacerations across its abdominal region. The Pokemon was temporarily removed from the Pokeball's stasis field so that its stitching could be evaluated."
Andy paused to look from the charts to me for a moment, and nodded in appreciation before continuing, "Wounds had been properly sealed. However, due to severity of injury and lack of the Pokeball scanning the Poliwag in a healthy state, the rapid healing table was unable to restore the Pokemon to perfect condition."
"As a result the Poliwag will have permanent scarring on its abdomen. It also appears to have a slight fever due to microscopic life forms attached to the Pokemon, presumably transferred during the attack. As Grey does not experience the same phenomenon, it is possible this is an inter-species Pokemon virus incapable of transferring to humans. I have taken a blood sample for later studies."
Removing the Pokeball from the table and handing it to me he said, "Now, you better hurry to Lab entrance, or you will be late."
"Late for what?" I asked. The only scheduled event I had was this meeting with Andy. I suppose that with a town as small as Pallet it was possible word had spread of my early return, but that seemed far fetched.
"Were you not aware? The Professor is doing his appraisals of the Pokemon caught during the Ranger trials. You were the last to return."
Still clutching the Pokeball I ran out of the lab at top speed, throwing open the door to find the rest of the Cadets standing in a ring around Professor Oak. I caught the last of the conversation just as the door opened.
"Do we have to wait for him? I could have my Ranger assignment and be halfway to Viridian-" Blue had been saying before Oak cut him off.
"Ah, here he is now. Cadet Grey, if you would please join your colleagues," Oak spoke as he gestured for me to join the ring. "You have all proved yourselves to be exemplary students, returning from your quest after only a single day, and all of you unharmed and victorious." I felt the rest of the troupe glancing at my bandaged arm, knowing they would not miss a beat. In turn, I scanned them. They all appeared to be in perfect health.
"As I am sure you are aware, at Garry's behest I released several rare Pokemon before you left on your excursions. He believed your tracking abilities would allow you to notice the anomalies in the signs left by the local wildlife, which would prevent any of my hard earned Pokemon from escaping. I was, of course, willing to let you choose your own starters but that is not the Ranger way of doing things. Now, let's see how you did. Red, you were the first to return, let us begin with you."
Red detached a Pokeball from his belt and, smiling, pressed the release button. Scarlet light poured down to the grass and deposited a blue quadrupedal creature with a large green bulb growing on its back. "I noticed his tracks the moment I left Pallet's walls and found him rooting around in a patch of wild flowers. He was defensive at first but after I helped him find the worms he had been looking for he allowed me to approach and capture him."
"And what care is required for your new partner?" Oak asked.
A large part of our education had been supplemented by hours in his lab, tending to his Pokemon and assisting in his research. We had spent untold hours logging statistics and data into digital forms, and recording details of a variety of species of Pokemon. The Professor constantly received reports of Pokemon behavior and documented abilities and we assisted him by sorting through those papers and weeding out bogus or falsified stories. However, due to the incredible power of the monsters which inhabit Kanto, very few proved to be inaccurate.
"Exposure to sunlight and careful pruning are necessary to ensure healthy growth. Minimizing the time spent inside of a Pokeball is recommended. As omnivore, Bulbasaur can survive on a steady diet of either vegetation or meat, however it had been noted that eating only meat leads to aggression in the species."
"Excellent," responded the Professor who had turned to his grandson the moment Red finished speaking "And now, Gary," he said much more sternly, "explain yourself." I nearly flinched at the harshness in his voice. The Professor was known for his jovial nature and for him to express such frustration must mean Blue had done something notably asenine.
All eyes turned to his smug expression and relaxed stance. A small brown furred creature with four legs, a bushy tail, and large ears was sitting at his feet and he was idly tossing a Pokeball into the air and catching it with a single hand. At first, I had no idea what the source of Oak's outburst could be. Then he caught the Pokeball and flipped the release catch, depositing an orange lizard onto the ground. I simply stared.
"As you can see, on my first day I caught two Pokemon. Well, technically I caught this Charmander after tracking it down and this little guy," he paused to scratch the Eevee on the head, "just walked up to me and wouldn't leave my side."
He took a moment to smile at all of us, daring us to call his bluff. Catching two Pokemon during a Ranger trial was impossible because each of us had been provided with only one Pokeball. If Blue had broken the rules by bringing extra Pokeballs on his expedition he would have failed the trial and been permanently banned from the Ranger Association.
To have this Eevee bond with him on sight, knowing that it had once belonged to his grandfather smelled of foul play. If he had figured out which of The Professor's collection were to be released and where, it would be possible he could have snuck into the lab and fed Eevee treats so that it would recognize him and follow him around.
But unless proven, Blue had not technically broken any rules and would be allowed to keep both Pokemon. I quickly glanced around and the look on everyone's faces revealed they also realized the situation.
"I could rattle off facts about these guys all day, you know I scored the highest on all of the Pokemon knowledge tests," Gary said as he continued to pet Eevee and reached out a hand to stroke Charmander's scaly head.
Professor Oak sighed and turned to Green. He gestured, and she released a bipedal blue turtle onto the ground at her feet. "It took me a long time to find his tracks since he alternates walking on two or four legs. I found him eating berries out of a bush, and since he was a long walk from water I think they must be his favorite food. Normally Squirtle stick to eating bugs, fish, grass, or seaweed so this little guy must have a sweet tooth."
"Depending on whether the habitat is freshwater or seawater Squirtle will choose to feed on algae or seagrass, respectively," the Professor corrected. "What care is required?"
Green bowed her head and blushed at the gentle rebuke, quickly recovering and responding "plenty of exercise is needed to burn off its natural aggression. Water aerobics is the preferred means of strengthening its arms, legs, and tail."
Oak nodded and turned to Yellow who had swapped her Cadet cap for a straw hat and sported a contented yellow rodent perched on his left shoulder. The girl smiled, "She doesn't like being in a Pokeball much."
"She snuck up on me while I was taking an afternoon nap, and tried to take off with some of my trail rations. The ruckus I made upon waking up to the feeling of having my bag of nuts and cheese stolen from my own hand riled up a wild Spearow, and this Pikachu fended it off. Afterward I gave her some of my snacks and she realized it would be a sweet deal to keep me safe if I paid her in food." She reached up to scratch her partner behind the ears.
As always, listening to the girl's easy drawl set me at ease. In my peripheral vision I saw the Professor relax too. Of the Cadets, Yellow was the best at working with Pokemon. While Blue's fallacy about forming an instant bond with Eevee was riddled with suspicion, if the same story had come from Yellow it would have been accepted without question.
My feeling of calm shattered a moment later when the Professor turned to me. As the last to arrive, I would be the final Cadet to undergo his inspection. After hearing the easy time the rest of my companions had in tracking their Pokemon, I felt uneasy revealing the nature of Poliwag's capture. I had neither tracked him nor bonded with him. I had not yet interacted with the creature and had no idea how it would behave.
I took a breath to relax before releasing Poliwag. The blue toad was deposited onto the ground, waving its tail wildly in an attempt to remain balanced on its small feet. It looked around to get its bearings after being in stasis when it locked eyes with Green's Squirtle. Before I could speak, the Pokemon was off. It rushed forward on unsteady legs and bodily tackled Squirtle, catching the turtle off guard and throwing it to the ground. Reacting quickly, I returned Poliwag to the Pokeball he still held.
All eyes turned to me as Green knelt to inspect her starter for any injuries. My face burned and I found myself unable to speak. "And that," chuckled the Professor, "is why fledgling trainers should avoid allowing undisciplined Pokemon to interact." Everyone took the hint and, chastised, returned their Pokemon. My eyes flicked to Eevee who still passively sat at Blue's feet.
"You have done well," the Professor smiled as he gave his final appraisal of our starters. "You have yet to begin on the journey which will last a lifetime. Garry has taught you how to survive in the world full of the fantastic creatures we call Pokemon, and through training in the lab you have learned their abilities and care. For the first time you are traveling to unknown territory, and there will be bumps and bruises along the way." He paused to smile at each of us in turn.
"Your Pokemon have been registered to your Ranger accounts. Garry has requested I send you all to meet in his cabin to receive your assignments. By the time you have finished your Trainer IDs will be ready so make sure to stop by the lab after your meeting." The Professor dismissed us with a wave, and we set off toward the cabin for our final meeting as Cadets.
The Beginning:
We walked in silence at first before the lack of speaking nearly killed Blue. "So what the hell was that, Grey? Can't control a simple baby frog? And what was with the scar on its stomach? Did you only catch it because it was half dead?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Red interjected, "Based on the scarring on its abdomen, the wound was life threatening. The fact it is still alive is a testament to Grey's first aid capabilities. After experiencing a near death condition followed by status disorientation which, once resolved, revealed a predator common to its typical habitat, it makes perfect sense for an untrained creature to attack."
"A Rattata had scratched its stomach open," I said, providing the missing information to Red's analysis.
"Legendaries above, that is awful," Yellow commented. "You did the right thing. Poliwag's a fine starter. A little aggression can be a good thing, we all saw how that little guy ran after Squirtle even though he nearly toppled over on his little stick legs."
I could tell Green wanted to weigh in, it was hard to compete with minds like Red and Blue. The way they absorbed information and instantly responded to any situation was inhuman. But before she could say anything, we reached our destination. Blue opened the wood door and strode in, refusing to hold it open for anyone. Before we entered the cabin I reached out, touching Green's arm. She turned and I met her gaze. "I'm sorry Poliwag attacked Squirtle. I will train hard to ensure nothing like that ever happens again." Green smiled, nodded, and passed through the doorway.
We filed into the cabin and stood at attention before the Ranger Master who had rearranged the cabin for this event. The chairs had been cleared, the table folded and set aside, and a roughly carved podium had been arranged at the far side of the room. Garry stood over it, his hands clasped behind his back. He scowled deepened as we waited for him to speak.
"Sure beats the point of a wilderness survival trial if you return to town within the same day." Garry spoke, his voice tinged with anger.
"At least one of you managed to sleep in a tent for a single night." He sighed, running a hand over his balding head before gripping the podium.
"If any of you had come back on the first day after catching a Rattata I would have thrown you right back outside until you brought back a more suitable Pokemon even if you had to catch it with your bare hands. But here you are, your tracking skills having ruined all the fun of a a long term expedition with the reward of finding and catching your first Pokemon at the end. It's a good thing I expected no less of my students and filed your paperwork with the Ranger Association weeks ago."
"The Professor has registered your Pokemon, formally granting you the rights of Trainers and finalizing your graduation from the Cadets. From this moment forward you are now Rangers, and with that honor comes the responsibility of your assignments."
His gaze shifted from addressing us to the podium. "Red, you are to report to the Indigo Plateau for further instructions. Blue and Yellow, the Viridian Gym has requested you by name. Green, you are to appear before the Fuchsia Gym where you will be evaluated for placement. Grey, you have been assigned to the Cerulean Cave guard post."
We stood in shock for a moment. Most Rangers, after completion of the Cadet program, were granted leave for up to three years to travel, train, and attain proper licensing for Utility Moves by facing the gyms. To receive active assignments so early in our careers was unheard of. While we all thought highly of our skills, we had no idea how we compared to other Cadets. Garry had been reporting our progress to the Ranger Association as required, but never commented on how we were doing. We had assumed it was possible for Rangers to track the progress of Cadets and asked Garry multiple times if he would tell us how we compared to national averages but he refrained from any comment. He also refused to speak about his own time in the Navy unless it involved a cautionary tale, preventing us from learning how we stacked up against his old platoon.
"Grey, you are required to attain all certifications before reporting to your post." Garry spoke, breaking the silence. "The rest of you are to leave immediately after packing your supplies. I recommend you pack carefully and say goodbye to your mothers before picking up your Trainer licenses from the lab. And that you travel together to Viridian, the journey will be safer in numbers. You are all probably itching to hit the road and get a head start, but this may be the last time you are able to be together let alone see each other. Take your time, travel safe and smart, and enjoy your company. Squander this time and you will regret it for the rest of your lives."
Garry grabbed a folder from the podium and opened it, passing out sealed envelopes to each of us so that we would have a copy of our Ranger assignments when we reported to our posts. He then retrieved a duffle bag from a storage chest and handed out two crisp Ranger uniforms to each graduated Cadet. We beamed with pride, recovering from our shock as the sanctity of the moment set in.
"After you reach Viridian you are to meet with a colleague of mine, Fred Oldsman. He lives on the west side of town and will provide the final part of your training. Blue, if you still have any of that coffee left I recommend you offer him some. That old coot can't do a damned thing until he has his morning cup." The corners of Garry's mouth twitched into a rare smile. "Now go, and show the world how big Rangers from Pallet can get." He dismissed us with a wave and we left, listening to Blue's mutterings about how he didn't need any more training as we walked towards our homes before scattering to say our goodbyes.
I arrived just in time to hear the sounds of my mother cleaning up after breakfast. It took me a second to realize how little time the morning's events had taken. I walked into the kitchen, making some noise so I would not startle my mother. "Basil!" She said, turning off the sink.
I smiled, she was the only person in town who called me by my birth name. The Cadets had gotten so familiar with Garry's naming convention that we had long since forgotten our original names. We had even opted to have our Trainer and Ranger IDs registered with our cap colors.
"You are back so soon, thank you for making me breakfast!" She wiped her hands on a towel by the sink before rushing over for an embrace. "Did you catch a Pokemon? Let me see it!"
I hesitated but relented at her enthusiasm, releasing Poliwag onto the kitchen floor. "Wow!" My mother beamed, crouching to inspect the Pokemon closer. "He looks like he needs a rest! Why don't you leave him with me for a while? Your father was always so good with Pokemon and he taught me some tricks to help them relax." She bustled me out of the kitchen, ignoring my protests.
I headed upstairs to finish packing, taking a moment to touch the walls and memorize the space. It would likely be a long time before I returned and I wanted every detail fixed in my mind. The memory would help keep me warm on nights where I had to sleep outside in the rain. It did not take long to pack since I already had everything prepared from the Ranger trial. I shuffled some supplies, shifting from temporary to long term items. I sealed my assignment notification letter and uniforms in weatherproof plastic bags, packed them, and then returned to the kitchen.
The room had been deserted so I followed the splashing sounds filling the house to the bathroom, where I found my mother feeding treats to Poliwag who was happily swimming around in the small bathtub.
"He is such a sweetie even though he looks tough with that big scar on his belly!" she said.
Poliwag contentedly splashed in the tub, displaying no trace of his previously aggressive behavior. My mother reached into a bag she had set by the tub, retrieving another treat. "I bought these as a surprise for when you returned, a little sweetness really helps the bonding process." Poliwag swam to the edge of the tub, greedily eyeing the food. Mom reached out to pet it gently before handing over the treat, familiarizing the creature to human interaction.
"What is his name? You can't go on calling him Poliwag forever."
She was right, it was common practice for trainers to give their Pokemon nicknames to prevent confusion during a battle. Plenty of studies had been performed and proved the intelligence of Pokemon and their ability to distinguish voices, it was the humans who trained them that needed the assistance. It also made televised matches translate better when opponents faced off using the same species.
I looked to the Poliwag happily swimming and splashing in the tub and tried to think of a name. My eyes were drawn to the nasty scar it bore, stretching nearly the entire length of its abdomen. Everyone who saw the Pokemon would notice the same thing first, and it would be cruel to name it after such a physical distinction. I focused, letting all of the information I had about this Poliwag filter through my brain in the hope it would output something useful.
"Dominic," I said as I remembered the dominant nature of the Pokemon. My mother contemplated for a moment before nodding in approval. Her expression turned more tense and she turned asking, "So. When do you have to go?"
"Immediately. I am to report to Cerulean Cave after earning all of my UM licenses." I responded. UMs, the common name for Utility Moves, were heavily regulated by the Indigo Government. They were powerful moves capable of allowing trainers to surf across seas and push boulders, necessary to most explorers and travelers. But such immense power could easily result in the death of the trainer or set off a chain of events leading to a great catastrophe.
Horror stories were told from before the regulation of UMs when a novice trainer traveling through Rock Tunnel accidentally startling a sleeping Onix with Flash, resulting in the destruction of half of Lavender town. Now, a trainer must prove their skills and competence through trials in Environmental Disaster Simulation Gymnasiums, commonly called Gyms, to their leaders in order to be certified to receive UMs. Even then a licensed trainer could only have the UM applied at a local police station after providing proper documentation. By the time I had completed all of my certifications I should have a strong enough team and enough skill to serve my post.
Cerulean Cave was known to be the home of some of the most powerful monsters in the region and it would be my job to protect the nearby town from them. I might even have to trek into the depths of the cave to quell rampaging Pokemon; an impossible task without a well trained team of incredibly tough monsters.
My mother's eyes glazed over for a moment and I heard her sigh and mutter, "All boys leave someday."
She stood up, smoothing out the creases in her dress before fixing me with her gaze. "You better call. I know it may not be the most fashionable thing to call your mother, but you are all I have left. You will do great things, I just need you to check in from time to time so I know you are safe." She said, hardly a quiver in her voice. I stepped forward and embraced her, knowing how she must feel.
"I won't disappear," I promised.