Bouncing and shaking, being tossed from one side of the moving truck to the other, Keran grit her teeth. It shouldn't have been too much longer until this horrible thing stopped and she would be at her new home. Her family had been here for ages, but she was coming over now at the urging of her father. Apparently someone he knew desperately wanted to meet her and who was she to say no?
With a quiet sigh she attempted to look down at the little screen in her hand. The local pokemon professor had sent her a video message and she had nothing else to look at. Okay, so it was Professor Birch. She could live with that. Wasn't too far off from Professor Elm. Another tree, which was easy enough. The silver haired woman started chewing the inside of her lip, listening to Birch's words. It was mostly the same thing that was sent out to every trainer in the area. A quick introduction to the pokemon of the region, himself, and all that fun stuff. What hers did include that others wouldn't, was a phone number and a request to stop by the lab as soon as she was settled in. Probably because she was 'moving in' next door to him.
The second the truck stopped, Keran was thrust forward, pushing her into a stack of boxes intended to break any falls like this. Seriously, she was going to have to talk to whoever was driving this thing, this ride was ridiculous. The large door started sliding up as she righted herself. A cheery face, a very familiar one at that, greeted her from the near blinding light outside of the truck.
"Keran! You finally made it! Why in the world would you ride in the back of a moving truck all the way here? Come in, come in!" Her mother urged, worried about the daughter that had far too much of a sense of independence. If only the girl would rely on others more. It wasn't like there weren't tons of people willing to help her.
Ker plastered a smile on her face, pretending that this was exactly what she wanted. "It was the only way I could make sure everything got here in one piece Mom!" She shook her head, still displaying the fake smile. She'd spent so many years perfecting it, she was almost positive no one could tell the difference any more. "Do you know where Professor Birch is?" She asked, goal oriented. She wanted to get everything over with before she bothered trying to settle into a home she didn't plan on staying in. Mostly, she wanted to get to a pc and withdraw her pokemon to be alongside her. It had been a horrible trip without them.
"He's just outside of town doing some research. The movers arrived just a few minutes ago. Let's get your things inside and maybe a lunch?" Her mother offered, trying to spend just a few minutes with her daughter before she rushed off.
"Alright." Ker agreed, finally hopping out of the back of the truck. This was going to be a long day. Maybe two. She stretched, tiny shirt raising just enough to bare a little of a fairly pale stomach. As soon as her mother spotted her attire, a look of disapproval crossed her face. Ker didn't particularly care what the older woman thought, but didn't make an effort to make it worse.
"Mmmmn!" She sniffed the air, trying not to make this any worse on herself than it was going to be. Nice to the mother, she did give birth to her after all. "You made pie? Smells delicious~" Ker's stomach growled in unison. Okay, no matter how much she disliked her family, her mother could cook.
"Pecha Berry. Your favorite" Aniise grinned, hoping to please her daughter as much as possible. She loved the girl. So much. Even when the feeling wasn't returned.
Several hours passed, and a couple of pies devoured. Two women had watched a couple of very muscled machamps move a bunch of heavy boxes around their shared home, and even help unpack the heavier things.
"Okay, I think we've spent enough time catching up. I really need to find Professor Birch and get to a pokecenter. I miss my pokemon." Ker threw in the towel. She had the required machines to speak with her pokemon and even bring them to her, but there wasn't a huge chance of her staying here long enough to set them up, use them, or even maintain them. It would just be a lot easier to use the ones at the pokecenter. They were the most up to date ones anyways. Hers were… Sorely lacking. Ker silenced any protests from her mother with a glance. Sharp green eyes returned from their near glare to look at the front door. It wasn't the first time she'd turned her gaze to that fateful door. The wonders it held, just past it. Mostly, it held her precious pokemon.
"Okay, okay. I know I can't keep you any longer. Just make sure you swing by next door and say hello to Professor Birch's son. He's about the same age as you, I think you'd like him" Aniise asked, trying to hopefully pair her daughter with a nice young man. She really wish the girl would just settle down already. It wasn't like anyone was getting any younger, and she wanted to see grandchildren soon!
"Yeah, sure whatever Mom." She waved it off, figuring it was late enough she would have to go to his house anyway. Two birds, one stone. Keran twisted the knob, pulling the door open at the same time. "See you… Well who knows. See you later." She promised, not really planning on coming back while her mother was awake.
The trip to their neighbor's was short. Insanely so. Ker, so used to running everywhere, barely managed three strides between her newest home and the home directly next to them. Yeaaaaaah, she wasn't staying in this tiny town. They didn't even have a pokecenter! She knocked on their front door, plastering on the same friendly smile she used for her mother. Once the door opened, Ker raised a hand to her face and wiggled her fingers. "Hi Mrs. Birch, I'm Keran. I just moved in next door, I'm sure my mother has told you all about it by now." She introduced herself. She had been too many places, met too many people, to not be wary of anyone offering their hand to shake. "I'm looking for your son and husband?"
A smile was returned, as the older woman directed Keran up the stairs. Apparently Professor Birch was still out. Maybe he'd be back later or Brendan would know. Keran thanked her hostess, proceeding up the steps to meet this fellow her mother was so keen for her to meet. Probably another obsessed pokemon trainer that wanted nothing more than to be the best. Ugh. She'd met too many of them in Johto. She knocked gently on the door frame, announcing her arrival.
A brown haired boy, obviously distracted mumbled about something before realizing he wasn't alone. "Pokémon fully restored… Items all packed, and…" He turned around, "Y-you… Who are you?" He paused, letting her supply her name, "Keran? Oh, you're the new person who just moved in next door?! Huh… I didn't know that you'd be a girl. Dad — I mean, Professor Birch—told me you were the kid of a Gym Leader, and I sort of hoped you'd be a guy. My name's Brendan. Well, I guess we are still neighbors, so… Nice to meet you! Let's be friends, OK? Huh? Hey, Keran… Don't you have any Pokémon? If you want, I can go catch you one. Aw, wait, I forgot… I'm supposed to be going out to help my dad catch some wild Pokémon. Some other time, OK?" Ker was baffled by the entire thing. Didn't he know she had gone toe to toe with the champion in Johto? Was she not that famous out here? And he had just ran past her like she wasn't really standing there. Arceus, was this guy completely daft? Ker shook her head, and followed his steps right out the door.
A short while later, Keran was wandering the streets of the new city, just looking around. Something told her she'd not regret it. As luck would have it, a little girl came rushing up to her saying she heard someone screaming just outside the town. Without hesitation, Keran put her long legs to use, rushing to where the girl had said the screams were coming from. And sure enough, there was someone rushing out of the grass, being chased by an irritated pokemon. She face palmed a little, unable to believe someone could get so easily scared by such a small pokemon.
"HELP! Please help! I've got some pokeballs in that bag right there, please please stop this pokemon!" He hollered, adding to the irritated pokemon's plight. Ker chuckled, picking up the first pokeball her fingers touched. Felt warm, must be fire type. With a practiced throw, Ker released the pokemon inside and began a battle she wasn't expecting to partake in.
"Use Tackle!" She spoke, having never seen a pokemon like this in her life. Who knew what moves it knew, and even more, who knew how well it was going to listen to her. The fluffy red and orange bird looked at the human ordering it around, squeaked, and complied. This human was strong. "Good, dodge, use Ember." Ker ordered again, wincing when the little bird pokemon didn't dodge. Maybe she was just used to how agile her pikachu was. Little mouse never took a hit.
With the little bird thing fighting almost admirably, Ker turned her attention to the scared person that called for her to help. It was none other than the professor. Brilliant. "Hold off, that's enough." She called to the bird pokemon. The attacking pokemon, a grey and black dog, was whimpering. Tail tucked between it's legs, and clearly ready to be done with everything today. Ker was all too happy to let it go. She'd no interest in catching anything today. "Return Fireball." She nodded to the pokemon, holding out it's pokeball. A familiar and comforting sound, a pokemon returning or exiting it's ball. She let a small sigh of relaxation escape her, habitually tucking the ball into the notch on her belt. It wasn't enough, but it was a small comfort.
"Are you okay Professor?" She asked, picking up the dropped bag and offering it to him. He smiled wide, nodding. Of course he was fine. "Lets go back to your lab and get you some water or something?" Ker offered, putting a hand on his back while pulling his arm over her shoulders.
A short walk later, they had managed to get safely inside Professor Birch's lab, and a pot of water for tea on the stove. "So, this little guy is named Torchic?" She received a nod, confirming what he'd just said only a moment before. "Seems like a nice pokemon. Very strong." She pat the the pokeball on her belt, reminding herself it wouldn't be long before her own pokemon would be returned to her. "Any chance I can train him?" Birch just chuckled. He was about to answer when the kettle started to whistle. Ker stood, turning the stove off and grabbing it. He was trying to recover from a serious embarrassment. She wouldn't let him up if his life depended on it. That aside, she was asking him for a favor.
"Please do. I'm sure he'll be a lot happier with you than he would be with me. Your father actually asked me to help you with anything you wanted." Birch was still grinning, watching the young woman move. She was tall, pale, and a beauty. If he wasn't happily married, she was the exact kind of woman he'd have gone after in his younger days.
"Thank you Professor." She handed him a steaming cup. "I didn't mean to come here for pokemon. I actually meant to ask if you could show me how to transfer my pokemon from Johto over to here. I understand it's a rather large undertaking." Ker settled down in the chair across from him.
"Aaaah, I thought you might ask me about that. And I have bad news for you Keran. I can't do anything to help you there, but I know who can." He offered, grey eyes following her fluid movements. "There's a young woman just outside of Fallarbor Town. Her name is Lanette, and she is the only name when it comes to storing pokemon for any reason. She should be more than capable of helping you transfer your pokemon over. I'm sure it's very uncomfortable without them." He offered, gently blowing on the tea she'd provided him with. Taking a sip of the still scalding hot drink, he looked up from the tea to her. "Keep the torchic, I'll upgrade your pokedex for this region. Brendan will help you with anything you can use him for." Birch smiled again, "Just please do me a favor."
Ker raised an eyebrow, looking at the professor. He knew exactly how skilled of a trainer she was. He also knew she didn't truly need a hand with anything. "Thank you again Professor." She smiled, still eyeing him. What could he possibly want with her?
"Brendan wants to fancy you as his rival." Birch's grin shifted into a wide smile. "He has the potential to be as great as you already are. Could you play along and help him improve himself and his team?"
Aaaah. There it was. A fairly reasonable request. It appeared that Professor Birch knew her better than she realized. "Of course Professor. I couldn't possibly be a part of the elite four without offering any assistance to trainers just starting out." She'd been offered the position when she'd come so close to beating the champion. So so close. If only Pikachu hadn't lost her nerve when she went up against their friends. Of course, it was still under wraps that she had joined the elite trainers of her home region. No one else knew of her accomplishment. Not even her family.
"You took the job then?" Birch asked, receiving a nod in return. "Good good. You make a fine leader for the young and new." She snorted with laughter, clearly not believing him. "Either way, our secret yes? If you get a call asking for your presence or attention, call me. I'll arrange you a 'research trip' to return." The professor offered. She was an important trainer, he felt the urge to do everything he could to help her.
"Thank you Professor." she tilted her head his direction, smiling. She had taken the job only under the condition that she was allowed to go off and have a vacation immediately after the failure at the league. Her duties were limited anyway, being the newest member they didn't feel the need to burden her with a lot. "I think that about takes care of our business. Thank you for your help, again." Ker gently set her cup down, standing. Birch offered her a dazzling smile, clearly happy to be of any kind of assistance, and she returned it with a kiss to his cheek. "Don't listen to my mother, she's a nut job." She said, just as cheery as she had been only moments prior.