Salutations everyone! This is my first work on here , and it's based on my favorite franchise; Pokémon! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed making it, and I hope to hear from you all soon! :)
This story takes place in the Unova Region, and is based on the games Black and White. It follows the journey of three new characters instead of the original protagonists, along with their friends. Cheren, Bianca, and the two protagonists from the games still exist, but they have completely new backgrounds and are in their mid 20's at the beginning of this story. N still plays the same role as he does in the game, but is a bit younger than what I assume his canon age is. I want to explore his character more and add my own twist to him :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any related material. All I own are my own characters and plot twists.
WARNING-adult themes, violence, and other Mature rated things will be explored in this work. Please read at your own risk.
Now, without further ado, please enjoy my take on Pokémon Black and White!
Life...the great miracle, and the great mystery. Since the beginning, humans and Pokémon alike have searched for its meaning. Many strange and wonderous legends have evolved from the pursue of life's mysteries. But none is stranger than this tale...
-Introduction of Pokémon: The First Movie
Nuvema Town, Unova Region. Mid-day.
It was a peaceful afternoon in the breezy town of Nuvema. The trees swayed with the salty breeze, and people milled about outside, talking to each other or tending to their yards, or even just relaxing with their Pokémon.
Outside of a quaint, but still large and nice house, an elderly woman was watering her flower-bed. The sun was glinting off of her silver hair, making it look much brighter. She placed the hose down and glanced at the door to the house, raising a slim silver eyebrow.
"Huh...she's awfully quiet in there," she mumbled to herself, placing her hands on her hips, "I would have expected her to be outside and enjoying the nice weather. Than again.." she smiled gently, and shook her head, "Today is a pretty special day...she's probably trying to collect herself. Either way, I should get in there and spend some time with her."
She began walking towards the door, when it slammed open with a loud BANG. She stumbled back a step, blinking in slight shock.
Standing at the door was a young girl, probably only in her mid-teens, with short golden hair and wild bangs. She was on the shorter side, with sun kissed skin and a slight dotting of freckles over her nose. Her eyes, which were a bright, afternoon-sky blue, were wide with excitement and an equally excited grin was stretched over her face.
"Gran!" The girl called out, "Come inside for awhile! I want some advice on what to put in my travel bag!"
Gran blinked once more, before frowning and stomping her way up to the girl and grabbing her by the ear, causing the girl to yelp in slight pain. "Elysia Amber Anders! What have I told you about slamming doors!? Next time you slam that damn door I'm going to have Watchog use Slam on YOU!" Throughout the older woman's scolding, Elysia whined loudly and tried to get away, pleading with the elder to let her go ("I'm sorry Gran! I won't do it anymore! OW! Gran please, mercy!").
Meanwhile, a man in his early forties had stepped into the doorway and sighed at the sight before him. Honestly, you'd think for being so similar, Elysia and his mother would argue less, but he supposed that may have been the reason they argue as much as they do. His eyes, which were identical to his daughters, had a very exasperated look in them, and he ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair.
"Hey, ma...can you let her go now...? She has to finish getting ready and she can't really do that with you gripping her ear like a pissed off Krabby." He asked, and his mother glared at him for a good few seconds, before huffing and releasing Elysia, who crumped to the ground holding her ear and still whining.
Gran huffed and placed her hands on her hips again, "Alright, stop whining and lets go get that bag packed. Knowing you, you would only put food in there and nothing else. Harlow, make sure she hurries up." With that, she passed her son and walked into the house. Harlow sweat-dropped. Sometimes, that woman was scarier than an angry Ursaring...
Elysia had stood up by than and was practically vibrating with excitement again. She was so excited! She was going to be starting her journey today, and she was going to get to experience so many amazing things. So many places, people, Pokémon...Mew, she was so ready!
She rushed past her dad, who just looked after her fondly. He remembered when he started his journey...he shook his head with a little chuckle; that was such a long time ago...he looked at the bright blue sky fondly and breathed in the crisp air, a serene smile on his face as he relived memories from a very long time ago.
Meanwhile, Elysia had rushed into the living room and was watching as her Gran wrote her a list of things she would need to buy from the Poke-Mart, and what she should always make sure to have on her.
"Hey Gran, how did you feel when you started your journey?" She asked, tilting her head. She had talked to her grandmother about her life as a trainer, yes, but she had never really asked her what she felt at first. and, to be honest...she was nervous. Just because her Gran and Dad were both amazing Trainers, she was worried she just...wouldn't be good at it. That she would fail before she even began. Gran hummed, and continued writing.
"Well...I was excited, of course, but I was also nervous. I had my doubts, as everyone does at the beginning. Such as if I would be a good trainer, if my Pokémon would like me, and if I would really be able to accomplish what I dreamed of. But you know what?" She turned to Elysia, and her purple eyes were soft, as was her face, "I knew that no matter what happened, it would all be okay. I still had my family, and my friends. Including your grandfather. And above that, I knew that despite all the challenges, there would be some amazing things to experience and that I would always treasure those experiences." Elysia smiled brightly and gave her Gran a tight hug. Like always, her Gran knew just what to say to make her feel better. She pulled back and stood up, placing her hand on her heart.
"I promise to make you and dad proud Gran!" She exclaimed, a determined glow in her eyes. Gran smiled softly and reached up and took her other hand.
"You silly girl...you already have. Becoming a Trainer is only an added bonus. You make us proud just being yourself."
Elysia and Gran smiled at each-other and a serene silence surrounded them as they enjoyed the moment.
Soon though, said moment was interrupted by Harlow who walked into the room with a bright smile on his face.
"Sorry to intrude, but we have a visitor," He turned back to the door and waved whoever it was in, " You can come in Miss"
And the woman who walked in caused Elysia's breath to catch in her throat and her spine to straighten. The woman who walked in was no other than Professor Juniper herself. Elysia had known the woman most of her life, though they had never really talked, due to Juniper being a very busy woman and barely ever leaving her lab, and when she did it was to go out of town. And now, the woman was going to give her a Pokémon and help her start her journey!
Juniper smiled brightly at Elysia and held out a hand, "Hello dear! Sorry for being a little late, but well..." She sweat-dropped, looking to the side and chuckling nervously, "Lets just say one of these Pokémon are little more spirited than most starters should be."
Elysia took her hand and shook it, shaking her head, "No worries at all ma'am! But...can I ask what you mean by that...?" she asked, tilting her head.
Juniper sighed and chuckled again, "Well, once your friend gets here, you can see for yourself. Speaking of, when should he be arriving?" She asked, since she had noticed only the three family members.
Just than, the sound of the door opening caught their attention and they turned to see a young man, who seemed to be around Elysia's age, walk in.
"Hi everyone, sorry I'm late. The Center had some new arrivals and my family needed my help." He said, walking into the room to stand next to Elysia. Elysia smiled brightly and gave her friend a quick hug in greeting, "Hey Lan! Great timing, Professor Juniper only just got here as well!"
Lan was a handsome young man with wild and spiky dark brown -almost black- hair and sharp, dark orange eyes and dark skin. He was clearly wearing his travelling outfit, which was an orange long sleeve shirt with horizontal black strips on it, a light brown vest with a high white collar and a white strip going down along the zipper. He was wearing a pair of khaki pants with a lot of pockets, a pair of dark brown and orange running shoes, and a dark brown saddle bag with dark orange trim.
He smiled at his childhood friend before turning back to the Professor. He held out his hand and smiled a little shyly, "Sorry for not introducing myself and saying hello Professor. My names Landreth Mindon, but I go by Lan. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Juniper smiled back and took his hand and shook it firmly, "No worries dear, I was just as late. Your family runs a Pokémon Rehabilitation and Rescue Center on the south side of town, correct? I've heard some very good things about your family and -by extension- you." Lan smiled and chuckled shyly at the praise, "Yes we do. I work there Part-time and help take care of the older Pokémon since my parents are usually busier with the baby Pokémon."
Juniper smiled brightly. These two kids were both quite impressive and would make marvelous trainers. She walked to the table that was in the center of the living room and placed her silver briefcase atop it. She pressed a button on the front and it opened, revealing three Pokéballs. She took a step back and looked back over at the teens and motioned for them to come closer.
Elysia and Lan walked forward to stand in front of the case, and stared at it with awe. Juniper smiled; she would never get tired of the look on kid's faces when she presented them with their first Pokémon.
She cleared her throat, and placed her hands on her hips, "Now, inside of these Pokéballs are your choices for a starter. The first one-, "she pointed to the one of the left, "-is Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokémon. Snivy is a Grass type, and is very intelligent and calm. They get more powerful when exposed to the sun, and is more adept at using its vines rather than its hands." She released the Grass Snake Pokémon, and both Elysia and Lan oooh'ed at the cute green Starter. Snivy smirked and crossed its arms, clearly enjoying the attention.
Juniper then pointed to the one in the middle, "This one contains Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon. Tepig is a Fire type, and can blow fire out if its nose. It enjoys roasting berries before eating them. It's surprising nimble." She released the chunky Pig Pokémon from its Ball, and it oinked happily and blew a puff of fire from its nose. While both Elysia and Lan were impressed, Lan looked much more interested in the Fire type than Elysia did.
Juniper sweat-dropped when it came time to introduce the third - and final - starter, "Now...this one is a bit wild, and I apologize for not being able to get another one with an easier nature to handle before today." Lan and Elysia looked at each-other and blinked before turning back to her.
"This one contains Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokémon. Oshawott is a Water type, and uses a weapon on its stomach called a scalchop to slash at foes and to crack open hard berries." She released the adorable Water type from its Ball, and Elysia gasped in excitement. She had always had a soft spot for Water types due to her Grans Gyarados.
Unlike the other two Starters, Oshawott had a very irritated look on its face, and just sat there glaring at the ground angrily. Both Snivy and Tepig sighed at the Sea Otters attitude and shook their heads, Juniper groaned and placed her hand on her face.
"This little guy doesn't enjoy being in a Pokéball at all, and is also pretty confrontational with other Pokémon. Whenever he meets another Pokémon he always attacks it, looking for a battle. Sadly, because of his attitude, no beginning Trainer will take him and there really aren't a lot of Pokémon he can battle at the lab. So he's developed a pretty bad attitude, as you can see."
Oshawott huffed and crossed his arms. Juniper sighed, "I completely understand if neither of you want him. A Pokémon with his attitude is very hard for beginning Trainers to handle."
But Elysia had stopped listening awhile ago. She was staring right at the little otter Pokemon, and she had a very strange look on her face.
Just looking at the Oshawott, Elysia could tell he was a fighter. His large black eyes had a very stubborn glint to them, and his body was tense, clearly wanting to get up and move.
With that thought, she nodded and hummed to herself, before looking back up at the Professor, "I want Oshawott."
Juniper gapped at the girl, shock coloring her face. The other two Starters weren't any better, and Tepig even snorted in shock.
None of their reactions were as strong as Oshawotts though. He jumped up and chirped loudly, looking up at the teen with huge black eyes.
Someone...wanted him...? None of the trainers before her had even looked TWICE at him. They always chose one of the other two, and eventually Juniper stopped taking him with her when she went to meet with new Trainers.
Juniper cleared her throat, her face still showing a lot of surprise, "Y...You do? May I ask...why?" she asked, genuinely not understanding why she would want such a difficult Pokémon as her Starter.
Elysia smiled brightly and nodded, "Yes, I do! And it's actually a pretty simple reason." Elysia looked down and knelt before Oshawott, becoming eye level with him.
"He's clearly a fighter. All he wants is to become stronger, and that's exactly what I wanna do too! So, I figured why don't we just become strong together? And I can tell he's a pretty cool guy under all that sass to, right Oshawott?" Elysia laughed and tilted her head, grinning at the little Water type.
Juniper smiled a cheerful grin and let out a bellowing laugh, "Gosh, you are so much like your Gran. You always like to surprise everyone, huh?" Lan and the other two adults in the room also smiled; they knew Elysia better then anyone, and none of them were that surprised by her choice.
Elysia held out a hand to Oshawott, and smiled a much more softer smile, "So Oshawott, whaddya say? Do you want to be my Partner?"
Oshawott stared at her, still in shock, but after just a few seconds his eyes started to well with tears and he launched himself at Elysia, chirping wildly as he buried himself into her chest. Elysia gasped and stared down at Oshawott for a second before giggling and wrapping her arms around him. "I'll take that as a yes, then."
She stood up, Oshawott still tucked in her arms, and Juniper handed her his Pokéball, "Congratulations Elysia, you are now the proud Trainer of the Sea Otter Pokémon Oshawott. Take care of that little trouble-maker." Elysia smiled and tucked the Pokéball in her jean shorts pocket.
Lan stepped forward, "Well, while all that happened I made my decision Professor." Juniper smiled brightly at him, "Ah, and which one have you decided on Lan?'
He smiled and reached forward to lay his hand gently on Tepigs head, "I choose Tepig! My dad had an Emboar, and I've always loved the whole evolution chain!" He said excitedly. Tepig oinked happily and jumped into his arms just as Oshawott had to Elysia. Juniper grinned and handed him Tepigs Pokéball and said the same thing she had to Elysia, just changing the names.
Snivy huffed and tried to look unbothered, but you could tell she was a little disappointed in not being chosen. Juniper gently rubbed its head and smiled sadly at her, "Ah, sorry dear. I'm sure you'll be chosen next time. You're a fabulous Pokémon and any Trainer would be lucky to have you."
"Actually, I have a request Juniper, if you don't mind." Gran, who had remained silent this whole time, spoke up. Everyone turned to her and watched the old woman stand up and make her way over to Snivy and Juniper, her cane making little clicks on the ground.
Juniper blinked, "Of course Isla, what is your request?" Gran looked down at Snivy and smiled, before looking back up at the young woman.
"Well, I was wondering if you'd let me have Snivy, if its alright with Snivy of course." Everyone was pretty surprised by this, none more than Elysia though.
"Wait, are you serious Gran!? I thought you were done battling?" Elysia asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. Isla smiled and nodded, "Yes, I am, but..." She looked down at the Grass Snake Pokémon and reached a hand out to gently rub its head. Snivy cooed at the attention and practically melted at the woman's touch.
"My husband started out with a Snivy, and him and my husband were the best of partners. He passed away a little after my husband did, and I assume it was out of pure grief from losing him. And this little one reminds me so much of my husbands Snivy…" She smiled a sad smile, "And we were never able to breed his, since neither of us believed in forcing Pokémon to breed unless they found a mate. So I don't have anything left of my husband since all his other Pokémon either passed away or were given to his remaining biological family."
Juniper, whose eyes had gotten a little misty, reached a hand out and laid it on the woman's shoulder, "As long as it's alright with Snivy, it's alright with me."
Gran smiled gratefully at the Professor and picked up the little Grass type and held it up until they were eye level with each-other, "Well Snivy, I understand if you would rather wait until another new Trainer comes around, but if you would like to stay with me you can live here with my other Pokémon and I. We would all love to have you."
Snivy thought about it. Did she really want to go on a journey...? She had never been very into battling, and enjoyed the quiet days in the lab where she could take naps in the sun or tend to the garden. A journey just sounded like a lot of work to her.
Snivy smiled and cooed loudly, climbing along Grans arm to rest on her shoulder and nuzzle the side of her head. Gran smiled brightly and looked back at Juniper, who was already holding out Snivy's Pokéball.
"Snivy was never really into battling like the other Pokémon were," She began, "Nor did it take any interest in Contests or any other sort of activity that required a journey."
Harlow smiled, "Well, I guess its a prefect match then." Everyone nodded at the fathers comment, and Snivy cooed loudly in agreement.
Juniper turned back to the teens and placed her hand on her hip, "Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have a lot of work to do at the lab so I must be on my way. But later, when you get ready to leave stop by my lab, I have another gift for you both." Elysia and Lan both nodded and confirmed that they would. Juniper packed up her things and everyone made their way outside. Juniper gave Gran a hug goodbye and shook Harlows hand before making her way down the pathway to the road. Before she reached the end though, she turned around and waved goodbye once more before calling out her Stoutland and climbing onto it and taking off down the road.
Elysia sighed, "Well, I should probably go upstairs and get into my traveling outfit," She turned to her childhood friend," Will you wait for me Lan?" she asked and he nodded.
"Yeah, of course. While I wait I'm gonna call my parents and show them Tepig." He looked down at his Partner and smiled wide, "My dads gonna love you!" Tepig oinked happily and blew a small puff of fire out of her nose. Since that was taken care of, Elysia made her way up to her room.
It was a pretty simple room, but in a stylish way. She walked over to her closet in the room, depositing Oshawott on her bed and she went. She placed a hand on her chin; what should she wear...? It should probably be durable, and easy to move in. Plus easy to wash. And also comfy. She should also bring a few other things in case of the weather changing.
Elysia wasn't the most feminine girl, she mostly lived in t-shirts and jeans, and jean shorts in the warmer seasons. It was summer for most of Unova at the moment, so jean shorts for sure...
After a few more minutes of debate, Elysia made up her mind. She stepped into her closet and changed into her choice.
When she walked out, she looked herself over in the mirror and smiled to herself; she looked pretty good if she did say so herself!
She was wearing a pair of dark blue denim stressed mini-shorts that had the pockets hanging of the bottom, a grey t-shirt with a single thick stripe over the chest, and a pair of dark grey combat boots with red bottoms and red laces. She also wore a matching baseball hat that she turned around to face backwards. She also had elbow compressors as she knew she would be doing a lot of throwing and holding. They were the same color as her shorts with red stripes on each end. She had also added a dark grey jean vest for extra storage space.
She turned to look at Oshawott who was watching his Trainer in fascination. Humans sure were weird...weird hairless Mankey's who're very private when it comes to their afor-mentioned hairless Mankey bodies.
Elysia did a little twirl in front of Oshawott and struck a pose, "What do you think buddy? Think I'm journey ready?"
While having no clue what fashion was, Oshawott still thought his trainer looked good and gave her what she assumed was his version of a thumbs up and a wink
"Osha! Osha-wo-wott!" ('Yeah! You look great!'), He chirped.
Elysia laughed and walked over to him and scooped him up into her arms, "Well thank you kind sir, you're far too kind!" Oshawott chirped and puffed his chest out. Yeah, he was pretty nice! Elysia sweat-dropped. He must not understand sarcasm yet...
She made her way down the stairs just as Lan finished his call. He looked over to his friend and grinned, giving her a thumbs up, "Lookin' good Elly!" Elysia scoffed at her friends use of her childhood nickname but didn't comment on it, choosing to go over and sling her dark grey backpack over her shoulders.
Lan chuckled to himself; he remembered the days she would get so mad at him for that nickname. She would get so mad she would cry, which would freak him out every time and scare him into apologizing.
He gazed at his friend, a fond expression on his face. Elysia has grown up a lot. Sure, she still has a problem with being a little over-emotional, but she has a much better lid on it then she used to. It was a little strange watching her grow; he made him almost a little sad.
Then again, he figured he had matured a lot as well. But no matter how much they both matured, they were and still would be the best of friends.
Elysia turned back to him, her usual Meowth-ate-the-Chatot grin on her face, "Hey, stop dozing off! We should leave now so we can get to the next town before tomorrow." Lan nodded and heaved himself off the couch, placing Tepig on the ground so she could walk alongside him.
"Alright, lets go!"
Elysia took off and gave her Gran and Dad both a hug goodbye, and promising them to check in when she reached the next town. When Elysia walked over to stand with him in the doorway, he waved goodbye to the two adults.
And with that, the two teens walked out the door, ready to start their journey.
There were a few beats of silence.
Harlow broke it and sighed, "So, how long do you think it'll take those two to get into trouble?" Gran snorted and rolled her eyes, turning and waddling over to the kitchen.
"The fact they made it out of the door without attracting trouble is a miracle all on its own. I give it a day."
Harlow sweat-dropped. Though his mother was a bit harsh with her reply, he couldn't exactly deny it.
He sighed, scratching his head, "Maybe I should start praying again..."
Nuvema Town, Unova Region. Mid-day. Outside of Professor Junipers Lab
Elysia and Lan stood outside the lab and marveled at the impressive building. Though the lab was in their hometown, they had never had a chance nor a reason to go in it, or even near it. It truly was impressive though, and Lan could tell that it was kept up with wonderfully. Tepig and Oshawott cooed at the sight of their old home.
Before they even had a chance to enter, Professor Juniper walked out of the sliding doors and greeted them, "Hello dears! Great timing! I was just about to head out to do some field research, so I wasn't going to have a chance to give you your gifts in person, but now I can! Come inside for a few minutes!" and with that, she turned around and walked right back in the building, Elysia and Lan following her. They walked in and looked around the lab. Workers were doing different tasks, such as tending to Pokémon, filing papers, and another such duties. Juniper walked up to her desk and picked up something off it.
She turned around to face the two Trainers and smiled widely at them. "Now, there is one last thing I'd like to give you. It's called a Pokédex!"
Lan and Elysia both perked up at that. Since they both came from parents who went on journeys, they both had a vague idea what a Pokédex was and what it could do.
Juniper continued, placing a hand on her hip and holding the two devices with the other, "The Pokédex is a high-tech device that automatically records the Pokémon you encounter! So, I want you two to visit many places and meet all of the Pokémon in the Unova Region! And possibly even some Pokémon from other Regions! Elysia! Lan!" She held her head high and pointed at them with the hand holding the Pokédex's, "You'll go on an adventure to complete the Pokédex, will you not?"
The two teen nodded, excited grins on their faces. Juniper smiled and winked at them, "I'm not done just yet! Here is what I need from you. What I want to hear are the courageous words of people who will blaze new paths around the world! I want you two to travel to many distant places and meet all of the Pokémon in the Unova Region!"
"We will!" the two new Trainers cried out, Elysia fist pumping the air and Lan placing his hand over his heart. Juniper smiled an almost impossibly bright smile at the two's excited and promising reactions.
"Both of you, thank you! You have given me the best possible answer!" She said, and walked forward, handing them both a Pokédex. Elysia looked down at the small, rectangular piece of machinery. It was grey with a single screen and a blue Pokéball design on it. She glanced over to Lan to see him studying his as well. They were mostly the same as far as she could tell, except his had an orange Pokéball design.
Juniper smiled as she watched the two teens study their new devices. She couldn't wait until they figured out how to properly use them.
"Now," she said to get their attention. Once both teens had looked back up at her, she continued, "Next, I need to teach you how to meet Pokémon. Please meet me on Route 1, ok?" And with that, she walked past the two teens and out the doors. Lan and Elysia blinked after her, before taking off out the doors.
Elysia and Lan made their way to Route 1 with Oshawott and Tepig trotting next to them. As they neared the beginning of the route, they could see Professor Juniper standing before a patch of long grass.
Before they walked any farther, Elysia turned to Lan and smiled, "Well, this is it. The beginning of our journey. How do you feel about it?" Lan shrugged, smiling back at her, "Well, I cant deny I'm nervous, but I'm also excited. So, I'll choose to focus on that." Elysia laughed, and the two teens made their way towards the female Professor.
Juniper turned around once she heard them approach and smiled, "Great, you're here! Now, I'll explain how your Pokédex works. The Pokédex's pages update automatically whenever you meet a Pokémon. Moreover, it's set up so that you obtain even more information when you catch a Pokémon! To make this clear, I'm going to demonstrate how to catch a Pokémon."
Juniper walked towards the long grass and looked around, and within moments a small, brown rodent Pokémon leaped out of the grass. Juniper kept her eyes on the wild Pokémon, but continued talking to the teens.
"Now, when you encounter a Pokémon you've never seen before, use the Pokédex to scan it to get some basic information! Elysia, use your Pokédex and scan this wild Pokémon!" Elysia nodded and pulled out her Pokédex and pointed it at the Pokémon. The Pokédex lit up and the Pokémon appeared on the screen, along with its name.
"Patrat, the Scout Pokémon. Patrat are extremely cautious, so they take shifts to look out for potential foes. Unfortunately, they have trouble seeing danger coming from behind." Elysia's Pokédex chirped, and she looked down at the device with slight awe. She had no idea it could talk!
Juniper smiled, "Good! Now that you've scanned the Pokémon and have a basic understanding of it, it's time to call out the Pokémon you're going to have help you catch it! Minccino, I choose you!" She tosses her Pokéball into the air and the small duel colored ball split open and blue light poured out, and took the shape of a small and grey bipedal Pokémon with large ears.
"Minnnncino! Min!" It cried out, taking a battle stance once it's eyes landed on the other Pokémon.
"Okay Minccino, use Pound on that Patrat!" Juniper commanded, and her furry companion nodded and charged at the other rodent Pokémon. Patrat tried to block the other Pokémon's attack, but only managed to just barely take the full brunt of it without fainting. Juniper turned her head slightly towards the teens and continued to explain.
"Did you see that just now? Here's how it goes, step by step. First, you have to make the Pokémon tired. Pokémon who have all their energy are much harder to catch. If you can, use any moves that inflict a Status Condition! Now, it's time for the finale!"
She pulled an empty Pokéball out of her lab coat pocket and tossed it at the Scput Pokémon. The ball shook on the ground for just a few moments, but made a cheerful clicking sound and stopped wobbling from side-to-side. Juniper smiled and walked towards the ball and picked it up, and placed it back in her pocket. Her Minccino was doing a little victory dance, and once she realized her trainer had picked up the Pokéball she dashed over to her and scuttled up her body to rest on her shoulder.
Juniper walked back towards the teens and almost laughed at the awed looks on their faces, "And now, you know how to catch Pokémon! The more Pokémon you catch, the more information you'll learn about not only Unova but many other places as well!"
"Now," she said, before digging around in her pocket and pulling out ten shrunken Pokéballs, "To get you guys ready for your journey, here's some Pokéballs! There's five for each of you, enough to fill up the remaining slots in your teams."
Lan and Elysia reached forward and took the items, placing them in their backpacks. Elysia grinned at the Professor once she was done and nodded, "Understood Professor Juniper!"
Juniper smiled at the two and began walking back towards Nuvema Town, pulling out her Pokéball and releasing her Stoutland, "I hate to rush off like this but I have some things I have to do. I hope to see the two of you soon, when you've both had some amazing and unforgettable experiences! Goodbye youngsters!" She called back and climbed abroad her huge canine Pokémon before taking back off towards Nuvema, Elysia and Lan waving after her.
"The Professor sure is cool huh? I hope one day I can have that kind of relationship with my Pokémon." Elysia said, looking down at her Oshawott. The little Water type chirped happily and hugged her calf, causing the teen to giggle at her Pokémon's cute antics.
Lan nodded, picking up Tepig and holding her tightly in his arms, "She is. As for me, I hope for the same thing but I also want to know as much about Pokémon as she does. The more I know about Pokémon the better I can help them." Elysia smiled at her friend fondly; she knew that he wasn't interested in the Gym Challenge like she was, but his convictions about his dream always amazed her.
Lan sighed and cracked his neck, before turning and facing down the Route, "We should probably get going if we want to reach the next town by nighttime. Let me check the map and see what town it is." He pulled out his Pokédex and pulled up the town map app- (Yes, I know that's not an actual function of the Pokédex, but logically I believe it would be. The Pokédex is a tool given to people who want travel the nation, it would only make sense if it had a Region Map app on it with a GPS tracker to see where you currently are. Kind of like Google Maps but Pokémon.) -and looked for the red dot that signified where they were.
"According to the map, the closest town is a place called Accumula Town. Let me see what it has to offer," he clicked on the 'more info' option and read through, "Well, there isn't a Gym, but there is a Pokémon Center. So we can at least sleep there for the night and get any items we might need."
"Sounds good to me, let's get going!" Oshawott chirped along with his trainer and the two began walking down the route, Lan and Tepig close behind.
Soon, with very little trouble from wild Pokémon (Though they did run into a group of Lillipup that didn't take very kindly to Oshawott and Tepig running around by their home and kicking up a bunch of dust). So it was a pretty calm journey. Soon, they had made it to what they both assumed was Accumula Town. It was a pretty, modern-ish town with a lot of hills and the occasional strong breeze. Within seeing-range was the Pokémon Center, it's bright red roof an unmistakable landmark.
"Hey Lan, I see the Pokémon center! It's still early on in the day, so instead of staying there the whole time, why don't we get our Pokémon healed and rent a room and maybe go do some training?" Lan agreed with Elysia's suggestion and the two made their way to the Pokémon Center.
They walked into the doors and immediately noticed a small Poké Mart to the right of them, and a Nurse Joy at the main desk with a bipedal pink and cream Pokémon at her side. Elysia pulled out her Pokédex and scanned the new Pokémon.
"Audino, the Healing Pokemon. Audino has incredibly sensitive hearing and can use its ears as a radar to pick up the faintest of sounds, along with a Pokémon's condition and mood."
"Hello! Welcome to the Accumula Town Pokémon Center. What can I do for you kids today?" Nurse joy asked them once they had stepped up to her desk. Oshawott jumped onto the counter and starting chirping loudly at the Aundino. Audino blinked it's wide blue eyes at the small otter Pokémon in confusion.
Elysia quickly grabbed Oshawott and held him tightly in her arms, "I'm so sorry about that! Whenever Oshawott meets a new Pokémon he likes to challenge them to a battle, but I forgot to tell him the Audinos in Pokémon Centers don't battle!" Oshawott looked absolutely distraught by this. He wanted to battle that Pokémon! Why couldn't he battle it?
Tepig, who was getting tired of Oshawotts complaints, snorted at him and blew a cloud of fire into his face, "Tepig tep Tepig! Pig Tepig!" ('Knock it off sog-brain! Audino are healers, not fighters!')
Oshawott pouted and crossed his little arms. Tepig could have just said it nicely...
Elysia and Lan both sweat-dropped at their Pokémon's interaction, red embarrassment coloring their cheeks. Nurse Joy on the other hand was actually very amused, "Well, it seems that Oshawott enjoys battling a lot. They're going to grow up into one strong Pokémon one day, as long as it keeps that attitude." Oshawott perked up at the Nurses words and proceeded to puff his chest out, causing Tepig to roll her eyes heavily.
"Anyways, would you like me to heal your Pokémon for you?" Nurse Joy asked. Lan nodded and placed Tepig on the counter so she would be ready to go back. Audino, hearing this, went into the back and rolled out a tall mental cart, and gently placed Tepig on top of it. While this was happening Elysia was explaining to Oshawott exactly why he couldn't battle the healer. When that was done he was also placed on the cart and wheeled to the back.
"We'd also like to rent a two bed room for the night" Lan said, already pulling out his wallet. Nurse Joy held up a hand and shook her head, "No payment needed dear. Rooms are free and so is the healing of your Pokémon. The League decided it was time to stop forcing Trainers to sleep outside due to low funds." Both the teens perked up at that. Neither one was low on cash, but now they could focus on saving any extra funds for more expensive items, like stones or TM's, rather than worry if they had enough for rooms at the Pokémon Center.
"Thank you so much Nurse Joy!" Elysia said, bowing. Nurse Joy giggled and shook her head, "Don't thank me hun. Thank the Pokémon League. They've really stepped up on not only Pokémon care but Trainer care as well," while she was talking she had pulled a small, silver key out of her apron, "Now, here's your room key. There's a shower and a small fridge filled with water and some Pokémon food, and breakfast will be served in the cafeteria at 9am tomorrow morning. Your Pokémon will be out in just a moment. Have a nice day you two!" And with that, she walked to the back, passing Audino who was rolling the cart with both Tepig and Oshawott on it out. Elysia and Lan thanked the Pokémon and greeted their starters happily. Oshawott made his way to his trainers shoulder while Tepig made herself comfortable among the spiky brown locks of hers.
"Well," Elysia started, placing her hands on her hips, "we can either go chill in our room or go check out the town. I'm not really tired, plus it'd be fun to explore a bit."
Lan nodded, "Yeah, you're right. Let's go drop off our bags and then go see the town. Sound good to you Tepig?" Tepig oinked happily and blew a little fire out of her nose.
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After having dropped their bags off in their room for the night, Lan and Elysia made their way out of the Pokémon Center, laughing and joking around with eachother and their Pokémon. Lan, being the ever observant one, glanced over when he heard two people talking about something going on in the Plaza.
"Hey, Elysia. Those two people over there just said there's something going on in the town plaza. Wanna go check it out?" Lan asked, picking Tepig up and placing her on his head, which was quickly becoming the small Fire Pigs favorite spot. Elysia nodded, "Sure, why not? Maybe it's a mini festival or something!"
The two teens followed the two men to the Town Plaza, where a decent sized group of people had gathered before a line of people dressed as Knights. A man dressed in a strange robe stepped out from behind them and placed himself before the crowd. His hair was a very light green, and his face was old and wrinkled.
He looked out over the crowd and bowed his head slightly, "My name...is Ghetsis."
Elysia, for some reason she couldn't explain, instantly felt incredibly on edge as soon as the man named Ghetsis spoke. She clutched Oshawott tighter to her chest. Out of the corner of her eye she could tell Lan was having the same reaction.
He continued, barely missing a beat, "I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon Liberation."
Instantly, the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. Sensing the crowds confusion and distress, Ghetsis began walking back and forth on in front of the crowd, and continued his speech.
"I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokémon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need eachother. However..." he stopped his pacing once he had reached his original spot, and stared into the crowd, "...Is that really the truth?"
Elysia and Lan looked at one another, exchanging a confused and worried glance. What was this guy talking about? Of course it was the truth! They had both seen the wonders of the partnership between humans and Pokémon. Why would someone even question that?
Ghetsis continued, "Have you ever considered that we humans...only assume that is the truth?"
The crowds unease was beginning to grow. Trainers who stood with their Pokémon were looking at them, the mans words beginning to place a seed of doubt within their hearts. All except one young man in the very front row, who didn't say a word or even physically react.
"Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers...they get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work...can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?"
Elysia opened her mouth, intent on telling that weirdly dressed nimrod right where he could shove his theory, but Lan gently laid a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "just wait. I think we need to hear the rest of this before we speak out." Elysia scowled at that but complied.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, Pokemon are different from humans," Ghetsis continued, "They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility towards these wonderful beings called Pokémon?"
The crowd murmured a few answers, none having a definite answer. Elysia tapped her foot impatiently; Mew, she was getting tired of this guys voice!
Ghetsis, having heard someone say 'Liberation', stopped and pointed at the crowd, "That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokémon be truly equals!"
Lana jaw dropped in shock. This man was telling people to release their Pokémon! Is he insane?!
"Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokémon...and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."
And with that, Ghetsis backed up and was surrounded by the strangely dressed men and women. The strange group walked out do the Town Plaza and out of sight.
After they had left, and older man in the crowd turned to the group, "about that speech...what do you think we should do?"
A younger man scoffed, "Liberate Pokémon? That's not even possible!"
The crowd conversed for a few more moments, people expressing their unease or irritation with what they had just heard. From what Lan could tell most of the people in the crowd didn't agree with them, but a few people were looking a little doubtful and even scared. But soon the crowd dispersed, leaving only the heavy feeling of tension in the air.
Unknown to Elysia and Lan, one young man stayed behind and was watching them intently, his eyes shadowed by the black and white cap he wore.
Elysia, who just couldn't hold it in anymore, growled loudly and stomped her foot, "Who does that guy think he is!? Liberate Pokémon!? What a bunch of fucking nonsense! Ughhh, it makes me mad just thinking about it!" She screeched, stomping her foot repeatedly. Oshawott, who was now on her shoulder, chirped right along with her. "OSHA! OSHAWOTT!" ('YEAH! STUPID HUMAN!')
Lan barely paid any mind to Elysia's rant. He was staring down at the ground, his eyebrows tightly scrunched together and his fists clenched, "That guy...there's something off about him. And also about his reasoning for wanting to liberate Pokémon." Tepig nodded her agreement and snorted angrily. She loved her trainer! No way would she ever want to be separated from him!
The other male jolted in shock. Those two Pokémon...they were openly refusing the idea of being liberated! But why...? He needed to talk to them more. He has to know what they truly feel...
He walked forward, his footsteps catching the attention of both Lan and Elysia. They looked over to see a young man with bright green hair and steel grey eyes.
He stood before the two teens and studied them. They looked no different then any other trainer he had met before. Except...the girl. While she was relatively plain, her eyes stood out to him. They were bright blue, like the afternoon sky, and in them he saw no trace of selfishness. And when he looked into the other boys eyes he saw the same thing.
"Your Pokémon..." he started, eyes wide "Just now, it was saying..."
Lan and Elysia glanced at eachother in confusion.
"Hold on, you're talking to fast", Lan said, holding up a hand, "And what's this about Pokémon...talking?"
"Yes, they're talking," he continued, glancing between Oshawott and Tepig, "Oh...then, you two can't hear it, either...how sad." He sighed and looked away from the two Starters to look at the two other teens, "My name is N."
Lan waved, "My names Lan, and this is my partner Tepig." Tepig snorted in greeting.
Elysia smiled and held out a hand, "My names Elysia! And this is my partner Oshawott!" Oshawott chirped a cute hello, "We both just started our journey today! Professor Juniper asked us to complete the Pokédex. My main goal is to become the Champion though!" N smiled and reached out to shake her hand. When the twos hands touched, a bolt of electricity shot up their arms. Elysia gasped lightly and pulled her hand away, and N did same. The two stared at eachother for a moment before M cleared his throat and looked away. For some reason that...disappointed Elysia.
His eyes were strangely pretty, she realized.
"The Pokédex, eh?" He started, a sad look appearing on his face, "so...you're going to confine many, many Pokémon in Pokéballs for that, then. I'm a Trainer, too, but I can't help wondering...are Pokémon really happy that way?"
Elysia stepped forward, "I think Pokémon would let us know if they weren't happy about it. They aren't helpless creatures. They're powerfull beings who choose to stay by our side because we become better just by being together!" Oshawott cheered loudly at that, waving his scalchop in the air. N blinked, before smiled and pulling out a Pokéball from his belt.
"Well then, Elysia, is it? Let me hear your Pokémon's voice again!"
Elysia grinned wildly and stepped forward, "Alright, let's do it! Lan, will you referee?" Lan have her a thumbs up and made his way to the side of the plaza.
N and Elysia made some distance between themselves, and once their were in their correct spots Lan called out, "Ok! This is going to be a One-On-One battle between N and Elysia! Trainers, please send out your Pokémon!"
N tossed the Pokéball into the air, "Purrloin, lend me your strength!" Out of the dual colored ball came a cute purple feline Pokémon. Elysia pulled out her Pokédex and scanned it.
"Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. Purrloin use their cute looks to steal from unsuspecting victims to see the looks on their faces. Because of their cuteness people forgive them easily."
"A Purrloin, huh..." Elysia muttered, "Well, let's give it our all! Oshawott, let's crank it up!" Oshawott chirped and jumped onto the battlefield, taking a defensive stance.
"Alright, Purrloin use scratch!" N yelled out, and the purple feline raced forward towards Oshawott.
"Oshawott, when I tell you to, roll to the side!" Elysia commanded, and Oshawott nodded. As Purrloin raced closer, Oshawott held firm.
"Just a little more..." Elysia mumbled, her eyes trained on Purrloin. She waited until it was almost directly in front of Oshawott before yelling loudly.
"NOW OSHAWOTT! ROLL!"
Oshawott quickly fell down and rolled to the side, causinh Purrloin to stumble and slam face first onto the ground. N gasped barely stopped himself from running out to help his friend.
"Purrloin!" He yelled out, worry clouding his voice.
"Alright! While it's down use Water Gun!" Oshawott nodded and pelted the downed feline with a thick stream of water. Purrloin cried out and tried to escape the torrent, but it just kept pushing it back down.
Purrloin, not able to take the attack anymore, fainted. Oshawott ceased his attack.
"Purrloin is down. That means the winners are Elysia and Oshawott!" Lan called out, and Tepig cheered loudly from his head.
"Alright! Good job buddy!" Elysia said, picking up the extremely happy otter Pokémon and twirling around with him. N ran into the battlefield and collected his fainted Pokémon into his arms, a sad look on his boyish face.
"I'm sorry Purrloin..." Purrloin, while very tired and weak, shook her head and gently licked N's cheek, letting her trainer know she wasn't mad at him.
Elysia, who had stopped twirling around with her partner, walked over to N and kneeled down, "Here, let me see Purrloin for a second." N held Purrloin tighter to him, distrust apparent in his eyes. Elysia held her hands up and gave him a gentle smile, "I won't hurt her, I promise. I have a berry here that will make her feel a lot better. My grandma grows them." She showed him the deep blue berry in her hand. N, realizing she wasn't going to hurt Purrloin, gently placed her in Elysia's lap. Elysia held the berry up to Purrloins face and helped the Pokémon get the first few bites. After that, Purrloin obviously had a lot more energy and began chowing down. By that point, Lan had made his way over to the two and was just watching the scene with a strange look in his eyes.
N glanced up at Elysia and tilted his head. She sure was strange. She was clearly an easily angered person, but had a very gentle side to her. What an odd girl...
Elysia stood up and dusted off her shorts before smiling at N and holding a hand out, "There, Purrloin should be feeling a lot better. I would still take her to a Pokémon center though, just to make sure." N gently took her hand an let her help him up, Purrloin cradled tightly in one arm.
He bowed slightly, "Thank you for helping Purrloin..." Elysia laughed and waved her hand, "It was no biggie!"
N tilted his head, "while I appreciate your kindness towards my friend, I still don't believe trainers and Pokémon should be together. Humans oppress Pokémon. I must liberate all Pokémon, for they are all my friends."
Oshawott, who was now resting on Elysia's shoulder, began chirping wildly at N, "Oshawott, osha! Wott oshawott! Oshawott!" ('So you can understand us, big whoop! Elysia doesn't need to hear me to understand me! She listens with her heart, not her head, you green haired weirdo!')
N gapped at the little water types harsh words. He had never heard a Pokémon speak out so violently in support of their trainer.
Elysia, clearly understanding some of what Oshawott was getting at, grinned and gently scratched his head, "That's right buddy!"
N shook his head and began walking in the opposite direction, "Despite what your Pokémon is saying, I know what my path must be. I must help all Pokémon. And the only way to do that is to separate humans and Pokémon." And with that, he walked out of the plaza and out of sight.
Lan and Elysia watched him go. They were both quite complexed by the strange boys words. Separating humans and Pokémon...what would a world like that even be like?
"Well, that was interesting." Lan said dryly, an eyebrow raised. Elysia nodded, still staring off after the strange tea haired boy.
Lan placed a hand on her back and smiled, "why don't we head on back to the Pokémon Center and get a good nights rest? I'm pretty whipped." Elysia sighed and nodded, holding Oshawott tightly to her. The small otter Pokémon sensed his trainers unease, so he snuggled into her as far as he could.
And with that, the two teens made their way to the Pokémon center, their heads and hearts heavy with the words of Ghetsis and N.
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Well, this is the end of the first chapter! Please let me know if there's any mistakes, and if you have any suggestions on how to improve my writing please let me know! I hope you all enjoyed this first bit to my tale, and hope you join me against for another chapter in about a week!