I do not own the rights to Pokemon.
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It was a windy morning as the sun was rising over New Bark Town, Johto.
A young man with bright, shoulder-length red hair walked into the city. His silver eyes and bright red hair made him stand out catching glances from the town's inhabitants as he passed them by. He pulled up the collar of his black coat to shield him from the wind, and to obscure his face somewhat from passing eyes.
He'd learned that Nathan Elm, a resident Pokemon professor, had gotten ahold of some Pokemon. Three of them, guarded by some old egghead who never leaves this small town? Easy pickings, he thought. But that didn't mean he could just march through the front door and run out with them under his arm. He took a look around, for a good place to survey Elm's lab.
As he did, his striking silver eyes made contact with the warm, brown eyes of a young girl as she was exiting her home. She had on a red shirt, a pair of denim overall shorts, and puffy, white hat. Her brown hair was styled into pigtails. The air about her was far too cheery for his liking.
The girl smiled at him, but the red-haired boy just scowled. "What are you looking at?" he asked abrasively, and pushed his way past her, almost knocking her to the ground.
"Hey!" the girl shouted after him, her voice taking an offended tone. He didn't stop or look back. He didn't even acknowledge her protest at being pushed aside. He didn't have time to waste on weaklings like her.
After surveying New Bark Town for a suitable area, he had settled on watching the lab from the window on the side, towards the town's exit. He shouldn't have much of a problem making his getaway once he grabbed the Pokemon he was after.
He looked in through the window, and watched his quarry.
Looking into the lab, the redhead saw a man in a long, white coat and glasses sat at his desk, looking over notes on his PC and nearby stacks of paper. There were bookcases near the front of the lab, an opening between them revealing the front door to the lab. But where were the Pokemon at?
"Professor Elm!" came a cheery voice from within the lab.
The man in the white coat looked up and smiled. "Lyra!" he said, happily. "So good to see you! I wondered when you'd arrive."
He stood up and hugged his visitor – that brown-eyed girl from before. The observing young man narrowed his eyes. What was she here for?
"I was wondering if you could do me a favor, Lyra," Professor Elm asked. "I'm conducting new Pokemon research right now, and I was wondering if you could help me with it. You see, I'm writing a paper that I want to present at a conference. But there are some things I don't quite understand yet. So, I'd like you to raise a Pokemon that I recently caught!"
Lyra's eyes lit up and the smile on her face grew even wider. She bounced up and down excitedly. "Of course I'll help you!"
So, she was going to get one of Elm's Pokemon. Unfortunate, but not the end of the world. The young man could make do with two.
Professsor Elm laughed at Lyra's eagerness. "Wonderful! There are three rare Pokemon we've recently found over here!" he said, motioning to a special case. He pressed a button, and the glass around the outside retracted, and three Pokeballs rotated around inside.
That's where they'd been stashed.
"Go on! Pick one!" Elm said.
Lyra grabbed the Pokeball the in the middle, and pressed the button in the center of it. The ball opened up and a small, blue reptilian Pokemon stood on the ground in front of them.
It looked around for a moment, then smiled, and began hopping up and down on the floor. "Toto Toto Toto Toto!" it cried rapidly, its toothy grin wide.
Lyra screamed, overjoyed and picked up the Pokemon, hugging it close. "It's adorable!" she shouted.
Elm smiled. "So you like Totodile, then? The water Pokemon?"
"I love it!"
Elm chuckled. Meanwhile, the young man watching through window grimaced. How could she be treating a Pokemon like that? They weren't pets. They weren't friends. They were tools.
"I think that's a great Pokemon too," Elm said, smiling.
The young watcher smiled. Elm had forgotten to close the case with the other Pokemon in it.
Elm removed his glasses and began to wipe the lenses with his coat. "Lyra, I have one more favor to ask you."
"Do I get TWO Pokemon?" she asked excitedly.
The boy looking in through the window scowled. She'd better not get another.
Elm chuckled. "I'm afraid not," he said, Lyra's face briefly losing its signature smile, but regaining it almost immediately. "I have an acquaintance people call Mr. Pokemon. He keeps finding weird things and raving about his discoveries. I just received an email from him, saying that this time, it's real. It IS intriguing, but we're busy with our Pokemon research. Could you go in our place?"
"Sure thing, Professor!" Lyra said, grinning.
"Wonderful!" the Professor responded. "Mr. Pokemon lives a bit beyond Cherrygrove City. It's almost a direct route to there."
"You can count on me, Professor!" Lyra reassured him.
"Here's my number," Elm said, handing Lyra a slip of paper. "Call me if anything comes up. Thank you so much, Lyra!"
Lyra took the paper and nodded. She turned to her Totodile and said "Come on, Toto! Let's go!"
"Toto Toto!" the little crocodilian cheered as he followed his trainer out the door.
The redhead gave a disgusted sigh as he watched Lyra leave. Absolutely pathetic, the way she was acting. Never, in a million years, would anyone catch him acting like that. He turned his attention back to the window.
He needed an opening.
Professor Elm sat back down at his desk. A good while passed while he looked over his notes, and then his Pokegear began to ring.
"Hello?" he said, answering it. "Hi, honey! What is it? …Yes? …Oh no… He ate WHAT? …I'll be right up!" He hung up the phone and dashed out the lab's door.
This was perfect! He just had to go in and… steal the Pokemon.
He hesitated for a brief moment, but shook his head and recommitted himself. If he didn't take it, he'd never prove his strength. He'd never become the best. And those Pokemon would just be wasted on another weakling like that girl.
He opened the window, and climbed through.
He stepped into the lab, and made his way towards the case, and grabbed the first Pokeball. He looked at the label on the ball.
"Chikorita…," he said aloud to himself. He smiled, and turned to the other ball.
"HEY!" called a voice from behind him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
The boy turned to see another man in the lab, with dark hair and thick glasses, wearing the same long, white coat as Elm looking out from behind the bookcases.
Damn! He hadn't realized Elm had an aide with him.
The aide made his way towards the boy. The thief cursed under his breath and cut his losses. He had one already, that'd have to do. He dashed for the door, pushing the aide to the floor as he ran.
It wasn't what he wanted. But it was a start.
Lyra hummed happily as she made her way back to New Bark Town, carrying a large Pokemon egg in her hands – Mr. Pokemon's discovery –, all wrapped up in case she dropped it. So far, she hadn't.
Totodile was curled up inside his ball, strapped to her belt. His short legs had gotten tired from trying to keep up with Lyra's pace, so she gave the little guy a break.
She couldn't wait to break the news to Prof. Elm and her mom – about how she'd met Prof. Oak at Mr. Pokemon's house, and gotten a Pokedex. She wondered what she'd do with it, and how they'd react. Ethan would probably be happy for her once he heard!
And, of course, there was the news of the egg. Prof. Elm was going to be so excited!
And she couldn't have done it without her new friend, Totodile! The little guy had kept her safe on the whole trip, and was so brave when fighting wild Pokemon. He deserved a treat once they got back.
She wondered what exactly Prof. Elm was talking about, though, when he called her saying something terrible had happened. Did it have to do with his son? Or maybe it was-
Her train of thought was interrupted. Just as she left Cherrygrove, she saw a familiar face. The young, red-haired boy who had so rudely knocked her aside earlier. She frowned at him, but she knew there was no way she'd ever match that scowl he wore on his own face.
The boy approached her, his silver eyes boring into her. "You got a Pokemon at the Lab," he said. He then added, "What a waste. As sorry as it is, that Pokemon's too good for a wimp like you."
Lyra frowned again. "You don't know the first thing about me or Totodile! He's a good Pokemon!"
The boy narrowed his eyes. "Yeah?" he asked, his tone somewhat mocking. "Well, I have a good Pokemon too." He reached for his belt, grabbing a ball from it. "I'll show you what I mean!"
He tossed the ball at the ground, opening it up and releasing the Pokemon inside of it.
It was a small, green thing with a leaf coming out of its head.
"Chika?" she said inquisitively, looking around.
Lyra let out a small squeal. "It's so cute!" she said.
Her opponent glared at her. "Bring out your Pokemon! Now!"
Lyra set the egg down, and grabbed Totodile's ball. She released him from his ball, and realized she was about to have her first battle with another trainer. She was excited by the thought.
"Toto!" her Pokemon called out, bringing her mind back to the battle.
She grinned determinedly, and shouted, "Totodile, use Scratch!"
The Pokemon let out another cry of half its name and leapt towards his opponent, his claw scratching across the grass Pokemon.
The other trainer growled as his Pokemon staggered back.
"Stand up! Fight back!" he shouted. "Use Tackle! Now!"
"Chika!" the Chikorita said, her voice sounding unsure. But she obeyed, ramming into the Totodile with all her might, knocking the lizard onto his back.
"Get up, Totodile! You can do it!" Lyra called out. The crocodilian quickly leapt to his feet, determined to continue. "That's it," Lyra encouraged him. "Use Rage!"
The boy bared his teeth angrily as his Pokemon took another hit.
The battle continued on for a while longer. But in the end, Totodile was victorious. With one final swipe of his claw, the Chikorita fell down, and made no effort to get back up.
"Great job, Totodile!" Lyra cheered, her Pokemon bouncing up and down happily with what energy he had left.
The boy growled and returned Chikorita to her Pokeball. "Hmmph," he grumbled. "Are you happy you won?"
Lyra turned to face her opponent. What was his problem with her? Why was he so angry?
"Who are you?" she asked.
He narrowed his eyes. "You wanna know who I am?" he spat. "I'm Silver. Remember my name, because I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokemon trainer."
Lyra smiled at this. "I'm Lyra," she said to him.
"I didn't ask," he replied bluntly, and knocked her aside once more as he walked away.
She should have been angry at him. But, for whatever reason, she wasn't. She felt sorry for him.
The way he treated his Pokemon, and the look he had on his face? He wasn't happy. He probably hadn't been happy for a long time.
But what could it be? What would cause someone to be so bitter and angry at everything like that?
And his talk of being the best? The way he spoke of it, there was more to that than just a young man's dream. He had a deeper motivation, she could tell. He had something to prove – both to the world, and to himself.
Lyra sighed, sad for Silver.
"Toto?" her Pokemon said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
No sense in dwelling on it, she thought to herself. She wasn't likely to see him again – unless he achieved his goal of being the world's greatest.
"It's nothing, Toto," she said, a somewhat sad smile on her face. She rose to her feet and grabbed Totodile's Pokeball from her belt. "Come on, let's get back home!"
Returning Totodile to his ball, and grabbing the egg she had acquired from Mr. Pokemon, she began to make her way back to New Bark Town.
"Use Peck!" the old man ordered his Hoothoot.
"Razor Leaf! Now!" Silver barked at Chikorita.
"Chika!" the Pokemon acknowledged, the swift leaves cutting into her opponent.
"Hoot!" the owl Pokemon cried out in pain before it fell to the ground.
"Good," Silver remarked, pleased that Chikorita had improved to this point.
The Elder looked sad as he returned the bird to its ball. "Hoothoot, return." He turned to Silver. "Congratulations, young man. You have beaten me."
"Of course I did," Silver replied, his tone full of arrogance. He never had any doubt.
"You are very sure of yourself," the old Sage said.
"I've got every reason to be," Silver spat. "I'm not a weakling. No way I'm about to lose to one."
"You are indeed skilled as a trainer," the Elder continued. He handed Silver his reward. "As promised, here is your HM. But let me say this: You should treat your Pokemon better."
Silver rolled his eyes, making a disgusted noise.
The Elder disregarded his disrespect and continued. "The way you battle is far too harsh. Pokemon are not tools of war…"
"Oh, shut up!" Silver ordered, returning Chikorita to her ball. "That's ALL they are. Tools to get what we want. If you think otherwise, you're an idiot." He turned away from the old man and made his way towards the stairs. As he was about to go down, he saw HER come up.
Lyra.
Dammit, why was she here?
"Silver?" Lyra asked, her tone sounding surprised.
"Hmmph," Silver grunted.
"So good of you to come here!" the old man called to Lyra, applying a potion to his fainted Pokemon.
Silver was planning on just marching out without a word, but decided to speak to Lyra instead. "He's supposed to be 'The Elder,' but he's weak. It figures. I'd never lose to an idiot who babbles on about being nice to Pokemon."
Lyra frowned at his statement. "You are supposed to be kind to your Pokemon, Silver!" Lyra admonished him. "That's why Totodile and I are such a good team!"
"You and your lizard are a good team because you're both weak!" Silver growled. "And I couldn't care less about weak Pokemon. All that matters are strong Pokemon that can win."
"Is that why you beat me, then?" Lyra asked.
Silver narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. "Watch it, Pigtails," he warned her. "You have no idea who I am."
"I know you're unhappy," she answered. "And I know that's why you're so angry. That's why you won't be kind."
"A weak runt like you doesn't know anything!"
"Silver, there's nothing weak about kindness!"
Angrily, he pushed her out of his way and stormed off down the stairs.
Just who did she think she was? Did she REALLY believe that her victory in Cherrygrove meant something?
No. It was just a fluke. Beginner's luck.
There was NO WAY that this nonsense about being nice to your Pokemon had anything to do with it.
Force and fear were the motivators.
Kindness? Garbage. Absolute garbage.
And happiness? What did that have to do with anything?
Strength was all that mattered.
And he would prove it to her.
He was strong. Soon, everyone would see it. Lyra. The Elder…. Giovanni.
Everyone would see that he was the strongest.
That his way was right.
He kept repeating that to himself in his head, over and over, as he made his way out of Sprout Tower, heading into the night.
"Snap out of it, dammit!" Silver snarled at his confused Chikorita as they battled within Union Cave. "Razor Leaf!"
The disoriented grass type stumbled around before squinting at the weakened Zubat, the winged leech struggling to keep in the air.
Finally, instead of hurting itself again, she managed to hit her target with her attack.
The Zubat let out a screech and fell to the ground, not even bothering to try and get back into the air. It raised its head, looking up at its opponents.
Silver scowled at the pitiful sight as he drew a Pokeball, and threw it at the barely-conscious bat.
The ball closed around the Pokemon, and didn't move at all. The Zubat was too beaten up to put up a fight anymore.
"Return," he ordered sternly, recalling Chikorita back into her own ball.
Silver stood there for a moment, reflecting on the pathetic, sad look the Zubat had given him before he caught it. He'd beaten the thing into submission. He'd beaten it to the point that it couldn't even hover in the air any longer, and just laid there on the ground.
The Sprout Tower Elder's words rang in his head. "The way you battle is far too harsh. Pokemon are not tools of war…"
He grimaced at the thought. The old man was wrong. He HAD to be. That's why he lost! His ways? His nonsense about kindness? It was weak, and so was he for thinking it.
But then… that would mean Lyra was weak too.
But she beat him.
He'd told himself several times already that it was just a fluke, but that was becoming less and less convincing.
And then those words she'd said to him. More garbage about kindness not being weak – and his happiness? He shouted wordlessly in frustration, and slammed his fist into the cave wall beside him.
"Unhappy?!" he growled to himself. She didn't know the first thing about him! She didn't know ANYTHING!
She wasn't even around anymore! Why was she still bothering him so much?!
He huffed in frustration, and looked down at his hand, blood dripping from two of the knuckles.
He clenched his fist once more and forcefully punched the wall again.
His "harshness" didn't matter. If that Zubat couldn't take it, it was because it was weak. If his opponents were kind to their Pokemon, they were weak.
He wasn't weak.
HE WASN'T WEAK!
Repeating his mantra of strength to himself, Silver ventured further into the cave to train.
Almost a full day later, he emerged from the cave onto Route 32. His training had paid off, he felt.
His Chikorita had evolved into a Bayleef. He'd pushed her and pushed her to this point.
He'd proved that this garbage of "kindness" was just that. Garbage.
Turning westward, he made his way towards Azalea Town.
"Yeah, I know!" came a deep voice from nearby. A large, bearded hiker was on his Pokegear, talking loudly to someone. "Yeah, at the Slowpoke Well! …I didn't see it, but I heard about it. …Yeah, Team Rocket was behind it!"
What?
No, that couldn't be right.
"Who'da thought they'd come back after all this time?" the hiker continued.
Silver scowled. Those Rocket weaklings were back? Good. He could prove how strong he was and crush them. He made his way towards Slowpoke Well.