Journey One
The Beginning in Kanto
By: DestinyCera
Chapter One
The Late Bloomer
17...
I can't believe I'm 17 and do not have a pokémon partner yet...
The girl thinking these thoughts, whose name was Destiny, had been home-schooled her entire life. She knew little of life outside her home on the outskirts of Pallet Town. It was a sizable ranch that she and her family owned – all the children had been home-schooled by the parents' choice. All 10 of them... Destiny was not the oldest of the ten, just the oldest who had not yet left the place. Her two older brothers, Eric and Louis, had left home at age 18 to go find their way in the great big world.
One more year...just ONE more year...
Just as Destiny was thinking this and feeding the herds of Tauros, Miltanks and Bouffalants, her mother came over. Destiny had gotten her looks purely from her mother Linda. Linda wore her long Umbreon-black hair loose while Destiny wore hers in two long pigtails on the sides of her head. Their deep sapphire blue eyes always caught the light, but that light was sucked in, as if their eyes were black holes or lakes too deep to fathom. The major differences between mother and daughter was that Destiny was suntanned and strong from working the fields, while her mother was pale from all her sheltered life indoors, weak as a toddler.
"Mom! What are you doing outside? You're supposed to stay inside teaching the kids and making sure you don't catch ill." Linda was prone to catching just about any little flu bug that came about, even before the littlest children.
Linda just smiled her usual way. "Your father said I could come and bring you inside. We all need to talk." This was new. Usually father Luke came to bring the working children inside when the family had a meeting.
"Is something wrong?" Destiny asked, noticing the other 3 eldest didn't bother leaving their work of tending other herds of pokémon or crops. "Why are David, Maybelle, and Samantha staying outside for the family meeting?"
"Oh, it's not a family meeting, Dessie dear. It's a meeting between father, you and I." Linda almost purred with pleasure. This was not good – a private meeting between the parents and children was usually because a rule was broken and consequences had to be dealt out.
Before Destiny could say another word, they were inside the large old-ranch style house in one of the parlors that served as father's library. Luke – a bear of a man standing 6'6" over his 5'5" wife and 5'8" daughter – was smiling rather than looking stern. Please don't let him say he's found a husband for me, Destiny thought franticly. I'll just die!
"Destiny, your mother and I have been doing some thinking and talking on your future, either here or off the ranch." Luke said, a southern drawl revealing he'd been drinking a bit already. Since it was just barely 5 o'clock, and he seemed coherent despite the drawl, she assumed he began his drinking just a half hour before.
"Before we decide anything, though, Dessie, we'd like to know what YOU want to do. Your elder brothers have left and found homes for themselves and seem happy working as we do here. However, a letter from your eldest brother, Eric, has us concerned..."Linda continued, a hint of worry on her normally happy face.
"Yes?"
"It seems Eric thinks you'd enjoy a life as a Trainer. That is a difficult life and a dangerous one for many a boy, but for a girl, I'd wonder if that would be at all proper..." Linda cut off from her little worry by Luke roaring laughter.
"Linda, please, our daughter Destiny here is stronger than most men in their 20's, let alone most inexperienced pokémon that would try and hurt her! You should have seen her just last week, herding the Tauros – one escaped the corral, so off she runs, as swift as a Rapidash and leaps on its back, steering it with its own horns-"
"Oh goodness gracious! And you allowed her to do that!?" Linda cried, looking faint at the idea, but also strangely proud that her daughter is not as weak as she.
"Regardless, woman, our Destiny can be a Trainer if she wishes – I think it a fine idea to have a Champion in the family once more."
Destiny perked at this revelation. "Once more?"
Luke grinned. "My father was a Champion before he became a rancher – his pokémon are the basis of all our herds! That's why they are such sturdy beasts!" Seeing her eyes light on their own was enough for Luke's peace of mind. "Just say the word, girl, and you can pack and go today!"
"Really, father? Mother?" Seeing her parents nod, Destiny grinned and said what she'd been holding in since she was 10 years old. "I'd love to be a Pokémon Trainer!"
"Then get going! Time waits for no man – I mean, woman!" Luke roared laughter again as Destiny picked up the hem of her indigo ankle length skirt and ran for the stairs to get to her room in the attic.
Finally...I'm free!
As Destiny came downstairs to say goodbye to the family as they were having dinner, she paused before going into the room. Yes, she was nervous about being on her own, but it was more than that. She was sad to leave her family. They were all she knew –never having had friends outside the ranch certainly had its drawbacks now...
Dressed in work clothes she got from one of the rented help who came and went with the seasons, Destiny took a deep breath and entered the dining area. Linda looked at the plain white shirt, black vest, blue jean shorts and black sneakers with something like astonishment. Could a female wear those clothes? Oh well – she was leaving home for the first time. Perhaps this was what other women wore now outside...
Little Luke Jr., just 9 years old, the baby of the family, looked at Destiny with the large brown eyes he got from father. "Dessie, why you dressed like that?"
Of course, the question comes from the one it's hardest to tell...
"I'm leaving, baby boy..." The uproar was almost deafening. None of the other 7 children had been told of this and they were stumbling over each other's questions as to why this was happening so soon!
Luke slammed a hand on the dining room table and they all fell silent. Father was the law here and had to be obeyed. "That's better. Now, Destiny will be going to try her hand at being a Trainer. She's more than old enough to do so, and is the next to leave us anyway in a year's time. The rest of you need to finish your schooling here and help out with the ranch until your mother and I decide it's time for you to leave the nest as she is, and as Eric and Louis did. That's the end of it."
Destiny could see Luke Jr.'s eyes filling up, a soft whimper escaping him. Moved by her own sorrow and some guilt, she went around the table giving everyone a final hug goodbye, lingering in L.J.'s hold the longest. She didn't stay to eat with them tonight. They'd have to adjust sooner or later, but she wanted the process to start for all of them, including herself, now.
As she started down the main road out of the ranch and towards Pallet Town, one of the year-round help boys stopped her. "Miss Destiny, I packed you a little of the supper the others are having. Warm bread and some Cheri Berry stew, along with Pecha Pudding. I know those are your favorites..." A final gesture of goodwill to the prodigal daughter, Destiny thought.
"Thank you, Levi. I appreciate it. Take good care of the others, especially little L.J. He's going to be taking it the hardest..."
"Don't I know it, Miss. You practically reared him for your mother, her being sick from that last carrying. She feed him; you cleaned him, read to him, all that stuff."
The guilt was really weighing her down right now. It was true – Luke Jr. might as well have been her own baby...But both of them would have to learn to fend for themselves some time. Hopefully, he'd forgive her, someday. "I...I have to get going, before it gets any darker..."
Levi nodded, his strawberry blonde hair shaggy, in desperate need for a trim. His green eyes were just as sad as L.J.'s had been... "Good luck, Miss Destiny." With that, they parted company...perhaps for the last time.
"Linda, please, our daughter Destiny here is stronger than most men..."
Please let me prove my father right... I have to be strong now... I won't shame them...
The journey to Pallet Town was uneventful, despite the late hour. She didn't see a Pokémon Center, which her travel book said was where trainers were supposed to spend the night. Great... Destiny looked around and decided to sleep close to a place that had a lot of pokémon in the fields by it. At least if something happened as she slept, the pokémon would alert her to it by making some noise.
"M… Mi… Miss?"
Destiny yawned softly and noticed the sun was up, although something was shading her face. Looking up, she saw an elderly gentleman looking down at her with something like amusement as she felt a small pull at her hair. Looking at the puller rather than the man, she saw it was a young Doduo, seeing if she was friendly or not with one of his beaks, the other head keeping an eye on the elder man.
"Well, it seems Doduo likes you." The man replied, still amused. "May I inquire your name?"
"My name is Destiny Cera Lapris. I came from Lapris Ranch to try and be a Trainer."
The man nodded and held out a hand to both shake and help her up. "My name is Professor Oak, miss Lapris. I've heard of that Ranch, but I'm surprised to see one of the elder children come this way. Most trainers start at age 10."
"We are aware of that, but father, until recently, has been adamant about us helping with the ranch work and mother's schooling us. Being 17, I was just one year away from leaving the ranch if I wished, so father gave me leave to try this."
Professor Oak chuckled. "Home-schooling, hmm? Been awhile since I remember people doing that, but to each their own way." Destiny nodded as he continued. "Well, it will be awhile until I can give you your choice of a pokémon, I'm afraid. See, we are getting a trio of starters ready, my colleagues and I. However, one has taken rather ill and we fear it will perish without taking it to the pokémon center in Viridian City, but we have no trainers currently in town to take it there."
"I can help you take care of it. I was rather good with nursing the weaker animals back to health at the ranch. Father said I was his "emergency care" for them." Destiny blushed, remembering that.
"Well, I can understand your eagerness for a pokémon–'
"It's not that at all! I just can't stand the thought of a little one perishing because it didn't get the care it needed. Let me tend it while you or one of your colleagues gets the doctor, I mean nurse, from the Pokémon Center to come here. Please!"
Professor Oak sighed but with a smile at this. "Alright. You can take care of the little one, but I will warn you, you might want to put up that long hair while you do. It IS a Fire-Type."
Destiny did as asked, rolling her pigtails into two buns on either side of her head. Professor Oak chuckled at the sight when she came in, but then looked grave at the pint-sized Charmander on the scales that were on the table beside its carrier/sleeping container. It was smaller than most, barely 1'8" when it should be 2' proper. The scale proclaimed it only 16 lbs even, again lighter than it should have been at almost 19 lbs. The flame at the end of its tail was just strong enough to be candlelight.
"Oh, you poor thing!" Destiny cooed as she came closer. The Charmander tried to edge away from her and towards the Professor when she held out her hand to it. "It's okay, baby. I won't hurt you…" The little red lizard smelled her hand and calmed a bit as she gently lifted it from the scale and cradled it like she had Luke Jr. when he was a baby.
Professor Oak watched as the little creature growled happily as Destiny nuzzled her cheek to its, and nodded. "It seems you can make friends with pokémon quite easily. This one doesn't trust most of my aides, and look how it's taken to you."
"I'm pleased you think so, Professor. May I get something for it to eat?"
Professor Oak handed her the tin of pokémon food he had ready for when she asked. She took one sniff of the food and gagged. "What the he-yuck! This stuff stinks!"
One of the aides looked put out as two others chuckled. "You think you can do better?!"
Destiny blushed with her temper. "I can certainly try, with the Professor's permission. I don't think this poor little baby is sick, he's starving himself to get better food!"
The other aides laughed more as Professor Oak showed her to the kitchen where they prepared the pokémon food. "Professor, she can't take that sickling into the kitchen?!"
"I need to know what it likes and what it doesn't as to make the right blend for it." Destiny replied, even as she shifted the Charmander into her right arm and picked up the carrier with her left.
The aide in question humph-ed as Destiny mixed this and that food as the sickly Charmander watched eagerly. She would put a small bit of what she thought was good for it on a toothpick and try to get the lizard to eat it. Several times it refused, but every now and again, she got a bite. "I think I got it." She placed a small bowl of the mix in front of the Charmander and waited.
The aides and the Professor watched as well as first it sniffed the food, tentatively took a small nibble…before diving in like it hadn't eaten in weeks, which was the case!
Professor Oak was ecstatic for Destiny, and severely mad with his aide. "I thought you balanced the formula out just right for this Charmander!"
"I did, Professor! She must have put something in it that I thought was secondary!"
Destiny was smiling at the Charmander feasting when she said off-hand, "Taste is just as important as nutrition. If you can't get the pokémon to eat your mix, it still won't get the nutrition it needs regardless."
The aide was humiliated and angry. "Professor, she doesn't even HAVE a single pokémon, and yet she comes in here–"
"She will have one, once this Charmander is better and able to train." Professor Oak turned from the flabbergasted aide to Destiny. "Unless of course you'd rather have a different pokémon?"
Destiny looked into the Charmander's big green eyes and smiled softly. "No, sir, but I thank you for the offer."
As Destiny helped take care of the Charmander, she learned that the aide in question was named Hiro Hawthorn and he had a son about her age that was also becoming a trainer late because of his schooling.
One night she overheard half a conversation between the two. "Listen to me, Alan, you will be her rival! She has disgraced your father and you will do something about it! … Yes, I know you wanted a Bulbasaur, but trust me; you will say a Squirtle instead! Otherwise, you will disgrace me in any battle you have with her!"
Destiny didn't say a word. So what if he wants to use his son as a weapon against me? Charmander and I will still prevail, because I believe in it.
Finally, the day came for Alan Hawthorn and Destiny Lapris to gather up their pokémon and leave Pallet Town to begin their journey to be Pokémon Masters!
Destiny picked up Charmander, which she had since learned was a female, and christened her Pyra. Alan just called his Squirtle by its kind – Squirtle.
Just as she was leaving, Hiro tapped her on the shoulder. "Hmm?" He had a wicked gleam in his eye. What was this about?
"I think you and Alan should have a brief match now. It will strengthen your pokémon if you win and give you some pointers on how a battle should work."
"But, I've never battled Pyra, not even in her training to Level 5…"
"All the more reason TO battle! Professor, what do you think?"
Professor Oak sighed, hands proverbially tied. "It is a good suggestion, but I say let the trainers choose–"
"It's decided then! Alan! You will battle this girl, now!" Alan came over, cowed by his father, embarrassed at his loudness. Destiny felt sorry for the black haired, brown-eyed young man, but a battle was a battle, as they said.
Destiny's first move was the lower Squirtle's attack points with Pyra's Growl attack, but Alan saw that and countered by using Tail Whip to lower Pyra's defenses. Destiny, sensing something inside her, told Pyra to cut the defensive measures and attack with Scratch. Squirtle used Tail Whip twice more before countering with Tackle, but it was too late. Four Scratches and Squirtle was out for the count.
Hiro was shocked. "Wha…!? How was that possible, Alan! You had the type advantage!" The man was embarrassing himself farther by tearing at his own hair and hopping from foot to foot in rage.
Destiny sweat-dropped and looked to Alan, mentally telling him he had her pity. Alan almost smiled at her, but not with his father so near as to scold him for making friends with the 'enemy.' "Come on, Pyra. Let's get you fixed up and get going…"
Professor Oak healed both pokémon in his healing machine that had recently been installed and wished both Destiny and Alan good luck on their journey.
On the way to Viridian City, Destiny lost track of Alan. He was probably running around battling everything under the sun to work up his Squirtle. Pyra and her were taking it easy, only battling a few Rattata and Pidgey that looked aggressive. Once in Viridian City, they headed to the PokéMart and got an unexpected welcome.
"You came from Pallet Town, eh?" The storekeeper asked, pointing to Pyra. Destiny nodded. "Since you know Professor Oak, could you do us a favor?"
"What do you need?"
"His order came in. I was just about to call him to get it, but I think maybe you could help a guy out?"
Destiny laughed a bit and nodded. "Sure I can! Isn't that what everyone is here for? To help each other?"
"Thanks a bunch, miss, and true for you! Most people like to think about number one, I'm afraid, but with trainers like you out there, maybe we can turn that around once more!"
Destiny exited the store with the parcel in her bag. "Pyra, is that really how it is? People don't care about each other anymore out here?" Pyra could sense Destiny's sadness at this and hugged her trainer's leg softly. Destiny smiled. "Well, I won't fall for that! I believe everyone can help each other and that won't change for me just because everyone else doesn't believe it."
Pyra gave a little fireball of approval and they went back to Professor Oak's lab.
"Oh, Destiny! I wasn't expecting you back so soon!" Professor Oak looked surprised, but then seeing the package, guessed what happened. "Thank you, Destiny – that's a custom Pokéball I ordered some time ago. I'm glad it finally showed up, even if you had to go out of your way to deliver it to me."
"No trouble at all, Professor. You let me have Pyra, it's the least I could do for you." Destiny stroked Pyra's head, making her wag her tail, which flared a bit more from pleasure.
Suddenly, Alan came back in too. "Um, sorry to intrude, Professor, but father said you had something you forgot to give me earlier?…"
"Ah, yes! The both of you, in fact." Professor Oak threw a small glare at Hiro's back, knowing he only wanted his son to have the PokéDex instead of both trainers. Shaking his head at this silly rivalry Hiro was trying to encourage, Professor Oak got out two PokéDex and handed one to Alan and the other to Destiny. "These will come in very handy when identifying pokémon in the field. Also, each of you take five Pokéballs with you to catch more partners! I wish you both well."
"Thank you, Professor!" Alan and Destiny said in harmony then walked out.
Alan stopped Destiny just a distance away. "Talk to Daisy Oak, before father talks to her…" With that Alan walked off very quickly. Confused, Destiny did as told and got a Town Map from the girl for her journey.
Just as Destiny was thanking Daisy, Gary Oak came in and saw what was going on. Smirking, he leaned against the doorway. "Well, I take it you are Destiny?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Hiro asked me to tell my sis here not to give you a map!" Gary laughed as Daisy looked put out and Destiny stared. "Too quick for him, ain't ya?"
Destiny mustered up her dignity and smiled to Gary. "Please tell Hiro I'm sorry I got here too soon for him, but the map won't be especially necessary for me anyway. Mother's specialty in teaching us was geography, so I know where most towns are in the Kanto region by heart."
Gary smirked. "I'll pass that along." Destiny bowed to Daisy first then Gary and then went on her way.
"Pyra?" The Charmander looked up at her trainer. "This is going to be a strange journey for sure…"
"Char…"