Disclaimer: Pokémon isn't mine, if it was, why bother writing fanfiction?

Chapter One

Failsafe

"Call me an idiot, but unlike you I don't have to do anything. No responsibilities except to keep me and my team alive. No rent to pay, no boss to work my ass off for. Nothing, just me, myself and my pokémon. And then they call me the idiot.
Joseph Mayne, pokémon trainer (1st of December, 2532)

Nimbasa City Stadium, April 18th 2523

Adam watched as the cameras around him flashed, momentarily blinding him as he tried to focus on the president.

"Today we are here to see the fifth generation of Failsafe trainers leave into the wide world!" the man said into the microphone, his voice echoing through the stadium filled with people.

"Five hundred young men and women whose records show us they have the limitless potential to become great will support us as marvellous trainers and coordinators! After a short, mandatory five-week training camp we deem them fully capable of going out into the wild! While their peers will go to secondary schools across the continent they will travel, experiencing life in a totally different and just as important way. And today is that day! Today they will set out, leaving their homes behind to excel in a different way! Today, we celebrate their courage and see them off like the heroes they are!"

The people applauded, cheers ringing through the stadium and making Adam's ears hurt as he tried his best to appear calm and collected. He didn't like standing here, at all. Dressed up and untameable hair tamed with cans of hairspray and lots of gel, it felt wrong. But, he had no choice. The president surely did a good job of making it sound like an honour to be here, but it wasn't. Failsafe merely meant 'too dumb for a decent education' and ultimately sends you away so the government doesn't have to waste money on you. It also meant 'too poor', 'not dumb but not cut out for anything' or 'your parents wanted you gone' because yes, there were lots of parents that signed their children up for this. Because after all, why go through the trouble of getting your kid a pokémon if you can get him the full starting-kit by just signing his name on a list and hope he gets chosen? There were even kids signing themselves up for various reasons. Understandable, as for some it was a way out of a horrible life, but still.

It was five years ago that the first 150 Failsafe-Trainers left. Chosen from hundreds of either willing or unwilling candidates (and those applied by their parents, school or orphanage) around the age of 13 they were handed letters detailing the new law, called either the Failsafe programm or the Failsafe law. To those involved, it was a law. Obey it, or .. well .. everyone just obeyed it. For the public, it was a programm. One you should be happy with once you got in. And after five short weeks of being told just what would be expected of them whilst given a more in-depth explanation about pokémon they attended the ceremony and left. The public only knew half of the truth. They believed it was for the best, that they were happy to go. But they aren't, Failsafe means a way to get rid of the less productive, wealthy or intelligent members of society by making them a pokémon trainer. Something you need no skills whatsoever for. Perfect for dumb kids showing no signs of intelligence. It truly was a Failsafe, when all else fails turn them into a trainer. And next to being a way to get rid of the weaker stock it was a way to make pokémon training interesting and fun again, like it had been in the past. And that was just half of the chosen people, it was common knowledge that 50% of the candidates were the hopeless while the other 50% were those that could have done anything but really chose to apply. Or were applied by their parents, once again, not uncommon.

Adam gritted his teeth, staring at the president with disdain. Be glad, mister president, that you have a squad of competent psychic pokémon doing your security. Otherwise there might be, say, around 250 of the 500 that are very angry, vengeful kids just given a pokémon wanting a piece of you.

It was also because the trainer population kept shrinking, most of the smart kids weren't as eager to start a journey as other years. Training had become sort of uncool for most of them. Parents thought it to be one of those professions only those who fail at life could successfully be. And after the Failsafe law it really was a profession, trainers got a meagre amount of money from the government each month. It wasn't enough to live from but they were supposed to get the rest by winning battles. Or getting a side job. Sure, there were some that really aspired to be trainers, but the majority of children and teens didn't. And that's how Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova formed the Failsafe law. So in case that no one wouldwant to become a trainer they could fall back on this law, and to bring training back into the spotlight as a worthy thing to pursue. By now, five years since the first batch of Failsafe-trainers departed, one hundred children from each continent are chosen to participate, or in some cases, forced to. And with the ceremony being held in Unova this year it meant listening to president Casey's honeyed lies. And for some reason, the crowd loved it. For them, failsafe trainers were some weird reality soap. It even worked. The amount of new trainers had tripled in just five years. Still, three times a small amount is still a small amount, but it appeared to work. People saw them as role models, each and every failsafe trainer getting past the sixth gym was considered a local, and sometimes even national hero. More so when you looked at the death count. Those that survived that long must be very special and awesome, right? Pokémon training was a high-risk high-reward kind of job, if you got far you could make lots of money in tournaments and also by just doing the league challenge but the risks were sky high, something even the dumbest idiots knew. Each pokémon has at least two creative ways to kill you, ranging from burning, drowning, chocking an poisoning and blunt force trauma to being ripped to pieces or having completely fried brain cells courtesy of angry psychic.

And that was what failsafe was all about, Adam thought to himself as his eyes narrowed, simply getting rid of those you don't want and helping those you do want by giving them free publicity and the whole starting kit jazz. Just because I don't dislike becoming a Failsafe trainer doesn't mean I don't have my doubts. Seeing how the majority seems to die within a few months.

But I won't end that way, Adam thought, fully convinced he would be part of minority that would end up successful, I won't end up as another nameless body in a morgue. I made my lists and I know what to do! And I'm not dumb! Just not that smart, but not dumb!

"-And now, each young trainer will be given a pokémon from a region other than their own. Starting alphabetically with last names starting with the letter A, I welcome Diane Aberts from Unova to the stage!"

A pudgy girl with glasses climbed the stairs leading to the stage, her eyes grim but a big, fake smile plastered on her face as she was handed a standard issue pokéball from president Casey who then shook her hand. She threw the pokéball in the air and a Growlithe materialised next to her.

"And what will you name him?" President Casey asked sweetly as he smiled at the girl.

Diane Aberts seemed to think for a minute before saying, "Chip," into the microphone president Casey held her way.

"How lovely, put your hands together for Diane Aberts and Chip!"

And the crowd did, clapping happily as she girl exited the stage.

Next came a boy, David Almer from Kanto, followed by another boy and then a girl again. This went on for half an hour, neither the crowd or the president ever losing their enthusiasm (no matter how false on the president's side) as person after person was introduced and given a pokémon.

"And now, I welcome Adam Carter from Unova!"

Adam climbed up the stairs, hands balled into sweaty fists as he gulped and stared at the thousands of people around him and the even bigger amount of people watching this on the television. He could feel his heart beat erratically, the tiny beads of sweat travelling down his forehead and was completely aware of the fact that everyone was watching him. He was face to face with president Casey as the middle-aged man handed him a pokéball with a horrible fake smile. Showcasing shiny white teeth that gleamed unnaturally.

Adam threw the ball into the air, secretly a bit curious about what was inside as the beam of bright red light shot down to the stage and began to take form.

Finally the red light seemed to melt away, leaving a Ponyta standing on the stage. Flaming mane and tail burning intensely as the pokémon stared at what would be its new trainer with curiosity.

"What will you name him?" President Casey asked, grey eyes staring at Adam's own green ones intently.

"Alexander," Adam said immediately, already having thought of a male and female name for his new business associate, or pokémon or even friend , depending how you looked at the situation as a job or as a long-term holiday or even a jail mate if you found it to be like prison. Which many did, by the way.

"That's great, put your hands together for Adam Carter and Alexander!" President Casey said into the microphone, his voice never changing a bit as Adam made his way down again to sit on his designated chair. Alexander already back into his pokéball.

As he sat down in the too-uncomfortable chair he thought of what would happen next. His new pokém-Alexander, he thought, I should start calling him Alexander, wasn't what he had thought of when thinking of possible pokémon he could be given. Alexander included he had only counted three other fire-pokémon, Diane Aberts' Growlithe and a boy's Charmander. Now I have to re-budget, he thought grimly as he thought of his savings. Adam and his parents had known for quite some time that he would be a Failsafe candidate. And so they made the adequate preparations, Adam had taken up a paper round and started saving both his salary and his pocket money and whatever he got from relatives whilst his parents put aside a small amount of money every month. He could probably buy himself some decent stuff without having to resort to begging. And if money truly became a problem he always had his family to fall back on, unlike some others.

But Alexander would complicate his whole plan. He'd hoped for either a simple, calm grass-pokémon that demanded very little care or food as they were capable of foraging for themselves. But fire types were heavy eaters, needing lots of calories to keep their body temperatures high enough to produce fire. They were demanding, needy, and often ill-tempered. They did have the whole 'destructive power' thing that attracted younger kids and pyromaniacs, and they tended to like battling, but they were unstable. Alexander would need special food, medicine and probably a vitamin pack as well. Not to mention what he would need, fire-proof gloves, burn ointment and to go through the trouble of registering Alexander to with one of Unova's government agencies that kept track of both foreign and potentially dangerous pokémon. In short, all kinds of new trouble.

It was an hour later that Adam had given up on even trying to look interested. He had effectively re-evaluated his budget plan and came up with ways to save money in the long run. Having a pokémon capable of running very fast for long periods definitely saved money in the vehicle department. No shady Pidgeot-pilots for him. But he would need proper fire-proof tack, which would be expansive. Adam looked around through half-lidded eyes as he yawned. And what he did wasn't even the worst, hell, he even saw some kids sleeping in their respective chairs. The audience and president however were as enthusiastic as ever, applauding each and every child that received a pokémon. So he closed his eyes too and leant back, keeping his mouth shut to prevent any drooling and let his thoughts wander.

Adam awoke with a start to a thundering applause echoing through the stadium, it kicked him awake from his slumber and he felt himself heat up as he wiped the thin trail of drool from the corner of his mouth. Adam Carter, drooling in front of thousands, now live on television.

He yawned again as he looked up to the podium where president Casey was illuminated by the spotlights, a stark contrast to the already darkening skies as he said the last words of his ending speech.

"-And to honour tradition, all trainers will depart from their respective nation's starting town two days from now! Give them another applause!"

And the crowd did, applauding enthusiastically as they rose from their seats. Adam merely snorted shortly, green eyes focusing on the president with disdain. He didn't mind being a failsafe trainer, he'd long since accepted that fact, it was the spectacle around it that disgusted him. Carter males don't like spectacles. Especially if said spectacle involved them.

And then, like they had rehearsed, all failsafe trainers stood up. Some did need to be woken up, but in the end they all managed to form the long line to the field's exit while the crowd kept clapping. How come their hands haven't disintegrated with all the clapping they did, Adam wondered as he mindlessly followed the one walking in front of him.

Once they walked through seemingly endless halls filled with reporters, 'important' people and family members they were escorted outside where a squad of Kadabra and Alakazam waited to teleport the new trainers and their family home. Adam mindlessly awaited his turn, not reacting until the Kadabra's trainer called out his name for a second time.

"Come on Adam, your mother is waiting," a man of medium height but with a stocky build said as he clapped Adam's back.

"Yes, yes," Adam mumbled as his father pulled him along to where the man and his pokémon were waiting.

"Adam and William Carter?" the man in uniform asked as he read the names from a list before looking up at them questioningly.

"Yes, that's us," William Carter said as he nodded at the man.

"Hold onto the Kadabra please," the man replied in a clipped tone as he grabbed the pokémon's one hand before watching Adam and his father do the same.

Adam barely had time to take a deep breath and prepare for the worst when he felt like his whole body just disintegrated into millions of tiny pieces. For a split second he panicked before he was suddenly there again, standing in front of his house as if nothing ever happened.

"I will be back the day after tomorrow, a quarter past one sharp. Please be prepared to leave immediately, I have a tight schedule," the man said before he and the Kadabra disappeared from view again.

"Yeah, thanks-" Adam said awkwardly as he watched the spot where the man was just a second before he followed his father into their house.

"I'm home!" Adam called as he kicked out his shoes, leaving them on the 'welcome home' mat lying innocently on the floor as he watched his dad do the same.

"Welcome home honey," his mother said as she emerged from the living room and kissed his father before giving Adam a kiss on his cheek, "I'm proud of you, just so you know."

"I know, thanks mum," Adam said, trying his best not to sound overly emotional as he placed the pokéball containing Alexander on the cabinet standing in the hallway, he would get to that in the morning. Not now. Now was the time to sleep, close his eyes, lean back and pretend he didn't have to sleep alongside some country road the day after tomorrow. That he didn't have to share the same space with something that was on fire the whole time and could kill him with a well-intentioned nudge, or a sneeze, or trample all over him when he gets scared. So yes, suffice to say, Adam Carter, despite his planning and preparations, wasn't looking forward to leaving in 48 hours. At all.

A/N

Adam Carter is someone that has been bothering me for a long time and I finally gathered the courage and time to write his story.

And yes, this is the same Adam from Purple Glory's last chapter, the chap that might just be a psychopath. This is takes place 11 years before Purple Glory starts, and in those 11 years lots has changed. Also, you probably know his whole team except mystery roaring-pokémon if you read chapter 20 from Purple Glory, but that doesn't mean he doesn't/didn't have others. He certainly is a twisted guy, I give you that. But, no more spoilers, I've got some explaining to do.

1. If no one likes pokémon training,why do they like the whole Failsafe thingie?
 Why do some women like horribly sappy-cliché soaps? No one knows, but as long as they don't have to do the training they (the crowd) won't mind and even enjoy it. Same with zombie apocalypse movies, you don't want to be the main character but love the movie nevertheless.
2. The whole law thingie sounds stupid and hard to get.
It is, expect more information in coming chapters. Adam doesn't know the whole story and only has his perspective on the whole issue.
3. If no one wants to be a trainer, why not hide if you're chosen to do the failsafe thing? It's not that bad, they just don't want to. It's like being forced to become a fulltime dog-walker-person-thing. It gives you little respect (No offence, I respect dog-walkers and enjoy walking my dog too) but it's not like you feel the need to hide yourself and your family. You are forced to, yes, but it's not like you're being brought to prison.
4 Alexander the Ponyta? Really?
It was either a Ponyta or a Sandshrew and I like things that can set other things on fire.
5. Does Adam hate being a Failsafe trainer?
No, he has known for about five years he would be on the list. He doesn't like what it stands for, but has accepted being one. Doesn't mean he enjoys it.

Anyway, thanks for reading.