Zelda stepped from her car onto the rough gravel road with a nervous exhale. This was the place. She needed a new start, a new job, basically a whole new life. This was where she hoped to find it. The Pokèmon Reserve. She knew very little about it but the ad in the paper had been asking for someone with a good work ethic that did not mind long days. With a room tossed in as a perk she could hardly say no.
Her boots crunched across the gravel as she approached the big porch that wrapped around the old three story house. As soon as her foot touched the first step she heard a soft noise behind her. Curious, she stopped and turned around to see a pink blob smiling up at her. Behind it a bright yellow Pichu leapt up and sat on it's head.
"Pi!" It squeaked the noise happily at her and she smiled.
"Hi there." She crouched on the step and the pink blob moved her way. As the Pichu hopped off it's head the blob transformed into a slightly off looking Pichu. "You must be Ditto," she guessed with a smile. "You're very good at that transformation, you should be proud."
"Pi!" Pichu rubbed its little head against the Ditto and then ran off, the copy chasing after it.
"Can I help you?" A deep voice startled her and Zelda whirled to see a tall and broad shouldered man at the top of the steps, a Pikachu balanced on his shoulder.
"Pika pi!" The Pikachu sniffed the air as she smiled at the man.
"I'm Zelda, I called about the job?" Her eyes roamed from the curious Pikachu to the man who stood there with a neutral expression.
"I'm Ike," he said after a moment as he held out a hand. A wave of relief washed over Zelda and she stepped up to the second step to shake his hand. The roughness of his palm felt like the exact opposite of her own soft one, but she returned the firm handshake. He released her hand and she smiled at the Pikachu.
"Who's this?" she asked and Ike held out his arm.
"Pikachu, say hi," he spoke with a slightly softer tone. The pikachu did just that. It hopped onto his outstretched arm and held out a tiny yellow paw.
"Pika pi! Pikachu!" it squeaked happily and she laughed as she stuck out a finger. The cute little one gripped her finger and shook it, making Zelda feel like she passed some sort of test.
"If you're interested in the job," Ike spoke as he walked around her and stepped down onto the gravel, "I guess you should see what all it entails." Zelda followed behind him, eyes going from the obvious muscle under his shirt to the cute pikachu that watched her.
"Pika!"
"Don't you start with me," Ike chided and Zelda smiled at them, not understanding anything but loving their interactions already. They approached the side of the house and Zelda stopped in her tracks.
"Wow," she whispered and Ike turned back to her with a raised eyebrow.
"Welcome to the Reserve," he said and Zelda looked at him before taking a few steps forward in silent awe. An Ivysaur rambled by with three Bulbasaurs following it as they chattered amongst themselves. An Oddish hopped over an Ekans, the latter obviously content to lie on the sun warmed grass.
It was a large clearing, surrounded by trees that hid other pokemon from view. Zelda walked farther into the clearing and felt Ike step with her. "This is amazing," she barely breathed the words as a Spearow landed on a nearby tree.
"I take them in, but I don't make them stay," Ike commented as he lowered his pikachu to the ground. "The point of this place is rehabilitation. All of them you see here, and the ones I'll show you in a moment, have been injured, abused, neglected, or otherwise treated unfairly. I take them in, heal their wounds, get them healthy, and then let them go if they wish."
"They were abused?" She was shocked to hear that. While she had never had a pokemon as a child she had never witnessed those around her treat theirs with anything other than the highest respect.
"Humans can be cruel creatures," Ike replied ominously as he moved farther into the clearing. "Come on, there's plenty more to see."
Zelda eagerly followed Ike into the trees, his pikachu hot on her heels. She smiled and slowed down, shocked when the small yellow being hopped onto her hip and climbed to her shoulder.
"Pikachu!" it cried happily as it settled down and Ike looked at them with a look she could not name.
"I don't keep them separated," Ike explained as he continued on through the trees, "and I don't make them stay near the house. Most of them were kept in too small of cages, locked in pokeballs forgotten by their owners... I don't want them to feel that way again. They do tend to naturally stick together with similar types, but the more adventurous ones will wander. Come here," he motioned and Zelda stepped beside him to see through the trees.
Ahead of them was another clearing, this one a wide expanse filled with bright clean water. Zelda smiled in awe as two Squirtles blew bubbles at a sleeping Snorlax that seemed content to take up the majority of the green grass as it snoozed.
"Goldeen!" The call caught Zelda's attention and she looked to see a group of ten leap from the water in a dazzling sparkle.
"Karp karp!" a slightly distressed call made Ike sigh.
"Magikarp," he spoke as he moved towards the edge of the water, stepping over the Snorlax's legs, "you gotta stop hopping out buddy." Zelda watched with amusement as Ike hoisted the massive fish in his arms and tossed it back into the water with ease.
"Squirtle!" one of the two ran over to him and Zelda watched as it blew out a steady stream of bubbles. To her amazement Ike leapt up and stood on the bubbles, letting them carry him over the water. His eyes met hers and she saw a genuine happiness there that made her heart melt.
"Seel see!" A Seel popped up in the middle of the water and Ike leapt from the bubbles onto it's back with a shout.
"Good girl Seel," he complimented as it breezed through the water back to the bank. Ike hopped from there onto the grass and knelt before the Squirtle. "You're my little troublemaker huh? Let Snorlax sleep, he gets grumpy if you don't."
"Squirtle squirt!" The duo ran off and Ike stood up. He looked at Zelda and she shook her head.
"This is amazing. What else is here?" Ike eyed her for a silent moment and she knew he was sizing her up. It felt like a pivotal moment, as if this was a silent test she needed to pass.
"I've got an incredibly difficult Charizard locked up in her own pen, but I'm handling her. There's some fire types in the next clearing, the rock ones like to hang out closer to the mountain at the edge of the property... and then inside the house I have some of the calming ones." Ike motioned for her to follow him and she gladly did, happy that she seemed to pass whatever test he had silently administered.
"Every Thursday morning the veteran's hospital sends out a group of soldiers who are having difficulty with adjusting. I usually keep them inside the house with easy to manage Pokemon. Jigglypuff, Clefairy, basically the soothing ones and the healing ones."
"You help out the vets?" Zelda was impressed but curious. "Its a noble thing to do but why?"
"I help them because I wouldn't be here without Pikachu and I know exactly what they're going through." Ike kept walking farther into the trees, effectively cutting the conversation off as she tried to process the information.
"Ike?" she called out to him as she tried to catch up, only to find her path blocked by a small swarm of angry Beedrills.
"Pika!" Pikachu leapt from her shoulder, the red spots on his cheeks sparking in warning.
"Cover your nose Pikachu!" Ike's shout made Zelda look to see him rushing back to them on the back of an angry looking Onix. As they got closer he tossed a canister onto the ground that spewed a little smoke and the Beedrills scattered quickly. Pikachu rushed back up Zelda's shoulder and buried his face in the thin fabric of her shirt.
Onix stopped before them and Ike held out a hand for her. Warily Zelda took it and felt Ike haul her up with ease. As he set her behind himself Pikachu hopped from her shoulder to sit in front of Ike.
"What was that?" Zelda asked as she warily placed her hands on the rough rocky protrusion before her.
"A repellent. The Beedrills aren't a problem on their own but when they group up like that into a swarm they're a menace. I try to keep them out but they're attracted to the fruit trees and bushes that are scattered around here. Hold on tight, Onix isn't the smoothest ride."
With that warning the rocks under her shifted and off they went. A squeak left Zelda's lips and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his middle. She felt him chuckle but was too terrified to let go as the greenery flew by.
"Char!" A bright orange flame shot at them and Zelda felt the Onix slow. She slowly released Ike and looked at the indignant Charmander glaring up at them.
"What is it?" Ike asked as he hopped down with Pikachu in his arms.
"Char char!" The little lizard ran off and Ike looked to her.
"Come on, he's got something to show us." He held out a hand and Zelda gratefully took it as she climbed from the Onix's back. The second she was on solid ground the pokemon burrowed underneath the dirt. Ike let her hand go and walked towards some trees.
"Char char char!"
"Bulba!"
"Char!"
Zelda hurried and caught up to Ike who stood there watching the arguing pokemon with a bored expression. Between the Charmander and the Bulbasaur was a small fruit, obviously the source of the tension.
"It's a real shame," Ike spoke up as he dug another piece of fruit from his pocket and the duo turned to him. "I was going to let Zelda here give this to a well behaved pokemon but obviously there's none here." Ike turned to her and held out the fruit. "Why don't you see if Ponyta wants this?"
"Char!" Zelda watched with amusement as the flame tailed one backed off and waddled over to her. "Charmander! Char!" She looked to Ike who just watched her. Internally Zelda sighed. Another test. Determined to pass, she crouched down so she was eye level with the pokemon.
"Are you going to stop fighting?"
"Char!" it emphatically cried with a nod.
"Do you promise?"
"Charmander!" With a laugh Zelda held out the fruit and the tiny claws of the Charmander snatched it from her fingers quickly. As it ran off with the coveted fruit the Bulbasaur grabbed the one they had been fighting over and wandered off into the trees.
"Did I pass your test?" Zelda asked as she stood up and met Ike's gaze. He looked down at his Pikachu and transferred it to his shoulder before he responded.
"You did. Were you raised around them?"
"No, I never had one I mean. My parents were always worried about them not being domesticated enough. I had friends with them but I was never really allowed to be near them for extended periods of time."
"I'm glad you don't subscribe to the same views as your parents then," Ike said as he began walking again. "Come on, I better show you the house if you want the job." An excited smile spread across Zelda's face and she quickly followed him back the way they had come.

XxX
The long walk back to the house was pleasantly silent. Ike had set a hard pace for her to keep up with, but she refused to comment on it as they moved. Before she even realized it they were at the back door of the massive home, and they climbed the back steps together.
"The first floor has the kitchen, living room, dining room, and various spaces for the indoor pokemon," Ike explained as he held open the back door for her. Zelda acknowledged the gesture with a grateful nod and stepped inside. Wooden flooring polished to a beautiful shine stretched out beneath her feet, leading to the vast open area with rising columns that stopped at the base of the second floor.
A happy sounding trill caught Zelda's attention and she looked to see a fluffy Eevee coming out of a side room. The little paws on the wooden floor skidded to a stop and Zelda found herself on the receiving end of an adorable growl.
"E," Ike's voice was at Zelda's side, startling her a little, "don't be like that. Say hi to Zelda, she's here to help me take care of the others."
"Ee!" The little Eevee turned her back on them and trotted off, tail flicking back and forth with such sass Zelda was taken aback.
"Sorry about her," Ike said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"She certainly didn't like me," Zelda remarked as Ike motioned to the stairs on the right side of the room.
"Eevee was a trophy to her old owner," Ike explained as they walked. "Her owner trimmed and fluffed and practically ruined her fur trying to win ridiculous beauty contests. When she stopped winning due to the excessive grooming, her owner beat her and tossed her out like trash."
"Oh goddesses," Zelda frowned after the doorway that Eevee had vanished into.
"I found her half frozen from all the hair loss." Ike pulled Pikachu from his shoulder and set him on the stairs.
"Pika pika!" The yellow fur dashed up the stairs and they followed at a slower pace.
"What did you do? She looks gorgeous now."
"I trapped her in a net and wrapped her in about four towels to transport her back here. I had to get Jigglypuff to put her to sleep because the second I set her loose she attacked me..." Ike turned to her and shook his head. "I had to shave her practically bald and she hated me for months. I couldn't feed her, couldn't play with her, forget even trying to treat her wounds. After about a month of getting attacked and growled at I locked her and myself up in the room and just sat with her."
"Did it work?" Zelda asked as they made it to the second floor.
"No. She went crazy. I didn't know she had been trained to fight but she knew some moves and I was a bleeding and burned mess after about an hour. Pikachu broke through the door and looked ready to kill her for injuring me but I calmed him down enough to bring me a potion and while I sat there spraying myself with the medicine I think something clicked in her stubborn head.
"Now she considers herself the queen of the house. If she doesn't like a different pokemon she lets them and me know. That little bit of attitude down there was her showing you that she doesn't care but, if you're willing to put in the time, you could get her to warm up to you." Ike opened a shut door and Zelda followed him curiously.
Inside was a spacious bedroom. Painted a soft and soothing blue with cherry stained wooden furniture, Zelda immediately felt at home. On the far wall was a massive window with a seat built in, looking out over the property. She went to the window and smiled in awe of the pokemon she could see from her vantage point. Flashes of red, orange, and blue shone through the trees as they milled about.
"This place is amazing," she whispered more to herself. Ike hummed and she turned to him with a slight blush.
"If you want the job it's yours," he said with a guarded expression. "It's not all cuddling Pikachu. We have to heal, feed, and clean them. They have to trust you and you have to be ready to earn it. I've had a few people take this job and think they were going to walk away with their own pokemon and that's not what this is. They aren't mine to give away. They're their own creatures, I'm just here to help them get better."
"Ike I love what you're doing here for them," Zelda said as she glanced out the window once more. "It's amazing and I would be honored to be apart of it."
"Alright," his lips twitched upwards momentarily, "you can start whenever. You want the room right?"
"This room?" Zelda asked with wonder as she looked at the space he was offering.
"Yeah, I'm not exactly going to lead you to mine." Zelda blushed at that and looked away. "If you want the room it's yours. Just let me know if you need help moving anything. We'll fill out all the paperwork when you get settled in." He turned towards the door and Zelda took a steadying breath.
"I've only got two suitcases of stuff, it's all in the car." Ike looked back at her with a hint of confusion, as if he was waiting for more information. Zelda bit her lips together, hoping he would not ask too many questions.
"You need help bringing them up?" A wave of relief washed over her with that question. As she shook her head he nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna start on dinner and see if Eevee will be polite or not. Just come downstairs when you're done alright?"
"Pika!" Pikachu hopped on the big bed and a low chuckle rumbled out of Ike's chest.
"Don't get in her way okay?" With that Zelda met Ike's eyes once more and she could not look away as he turned and left her with his pokemon.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu called and Zelda sat on the edge of the bed, happily petting his soft fur.
"Do you think this will work out better for me Pikachu? I... goddesses I can't go back."
"Pika pi?" He tilted his head and she shook the dark thoughts from her mind. This would work out. It had to.

XXX
I've been playing Smash Bros. Ultimate and Let's Go Eevee and... now I'm hooked on this idea. Hope you enjoy I already have chapter 2 written. Let me know what you think. Much love, Leigh