Notes
Please don't mistake this for one of those fanfics with the plot of "new trainer gets first pokemon and goes on a journey with it". We aren't even going to get to that point by the time I'm done here.

This takes place in a specific AU of mine, though it can more or less stands alone from other stories in that AU. I'll just note that it's a verse where the characters age, and that should be enough necessary explanation.


Selection

1

Jonathan sat, tense in his chair, in the small room with his mother and the councilor. He tried to listen attentively to his guidance counselor, who was talking about how the school he was currently attending only lasted until they all turned about twelve. Good, Jonathan thought, he wasn't all that attached to this place, though he had lived there full time more or less since he was five. He was always provided for at the school, but he still didn't like being there at all. Though he didn't feel he was bullied too often, he was lonely, constantly feeling like the outsider. Whenever anyone talked to him it was like letting in that outsider, and soon enough he was excluded again, feeling isolated from the rest of the school.

Yeah, Jonathan thought, this loud, crowded place, he never really felt it was his home, despite the fact he stayed here even on breaks most of the time and had no actual 'home' to go back to. But still, he was anxious about leaving, both because he'd have to stay for another few years and also because it was going to be a change. It wasn't a sure thing that this change wouldn't just make things worse. There was no guarantee of things getting better. Even thinking this, Jonathan also really wanted to think there was a strong chance of getting to go to a place where he could be happy. He wanted to choose carefully so that his situation would definitely improve.

"So, what are his chances of getting into on those schools?" Cassidy asked. "Good, I hope, since he's gone here and all. His grades should be more than enough too."

"Well, yes... But there are more specific requirements to fill for any of these options in order to gain acceptance," the counselor explained.

"And you're saying his education here wouldn't cover these requirements?" Cassidy asked sharply.

"Oh, no, not at all," the counselor insisted with a wave of her hand. "The purpose of this meeting is to discuss Jonathan's future plans, so that his remaining time here can focus specifically on gaining those requirements, and getting focused assistance with studying to pass any possible entrance exams."

"I understand now. So, what school do you recommend he's placed in after his time here comes to an end?" Cassidy asked.

"Well, that depends on what type of study Jonathan himself wants to pursue."

Cassidy turned to Jonathan now. "Well, Jonathan? What do you want to do when you're all grown up?"

Jonathan jumped from having the attention suddenly shifted on him. It was uncomfortable to suddenly be at the center of the conversation, even though they'd been talking about him all along. "Um... I don't know," he said.

"Hmph." Cassidy smirked. "He's still a kid," she said, turning back to the counselor. "He wouldn't have any real picture of his future at this point."

"Yes, I understand, but we still have to make a decision to make the most effective use of his time here," the counselor pushed.

"I know that of course," Cassidy said. "Just give us the major options and we'll start considering what the decision will be."

"Well, of course there are many, many options." The counselor took out even more papers with pictures of various schools. "There are schools that focus on further general knowledge, but also those focusing on specific vocations. There are also those students who chose to take a recess from formal schooling and get real world experience, such as those becoming pokemon trainers, and those who..."

Jonathan's eyes widened and he sat up at hearing 'pokemon trainer', even as his counselor went on and on with the other options. "Becoming a p-pokemon trainer?" he said, interrupting her. After he'd spoken, Jonathan could hardly believe he'd done so, and sunk back in his chair.

"You want to become a pokemon trainer, Jonathan?" Cassidy asked.

"Yeah," Jonathan said softly.

"Well, that's not exactly an easy route to take," the counselor began. "But there are some students here aiming for that. You'd leave at age ten, so the exam for that and other training is soon upcoming."

"What exactly would he have to do?" Cassidy asked.

"Oh, well, Professor Oak in Pallet Town selects prospective trainers personally, ones that he hopes can best assist with research during their time traveling. Jonathan would have to spend some time at his laboratory and ranch, working with pokemon in the field as well as taking the written test. The knowledge gained here would certainty be an advantage."

"Do you hear that?" Cassidy turned back to Jonathan. "It's not all fun and games. You'd still have to work hard to help that professor with his research. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah!" Jonathan said, a little louder than he'd meant to.

Cassidy nodded, then the counselor did as well before speaking again. "Of course, he may not be selected, since it's a difficult process, often with a specified limited number of chosen trainers. So, we need to be prepared with something else that Jonathan can do. Let's go over our other options..." The councilor again brought out pamphlets for schools, going on and on about the information.

But Jonathan found it difficult to listen. He felt excited, thinking about heading out of here, and soon, as a pokemon trainer. He'd be free then, unchained to any building or institution. He'd be able to make friends with people and pokemon. He'd even have his own pokemon. Maybe he'd get to see his mom and dad more often, he hoped...

It had actually been a long time since Jonathan had seen his dad at all. Those years had seemed so long, but the memory was still pretty clear as Jonathan thought back on it, almost as if the visit had happened recently. Jonathan recalled his dad coming to the school, a surprise on one particular day. Jonathan had been feeling lonely then as well, but that sad, depressed mood had completely flipped around when Jonathan had found out his dad was there. When he was told his dad was waiting in the office, Jonathan had run right there, forgetting everything else.

His dad had been there waiting, and Jonathan hugged him right away. It had been a while since they'd visited together, even back then. His dad had then taken Jonathan away from this school, rather than visited in or nearby like his mom usually did. They went into the forest and played. Jonathan took off his uniform jacket, becoming almost unrecognizable as a student in his school, playing hide-and-go-seek with both his dad and his dad's pokemon. Jonathan first caught sight of the talking Meowth.

Meowth jumped in surprise upon Jonathan finding him. "Ah! Why me? Those other ones are way too obvious, and James is right behind them!"

Jonathan turned around. Victreebel and Carnivine were there, he could see now. The greenery of the forest had masked them in his eyes before. He ran over to them, going past the large grass types giving his dad a hug.

"Hey... Yeah, you found me," James said.

"Now it looks like those two have gotten away," Meowth pointed out.

Jonathan looked around, unable to find either of the two grass types. He looked around, and still couldn't even after a while.

"Hey, Carnivine, Victreebel, you don't need to hide that well," James said in a panic. "Chimecho," he said as he threw out another pokeball. "Help me find Carnivine and Victreebel," he said.

"Guess I'd better help too, huh," Meowth muttered.

The entire group looked around. First Carnivine jumped out from a bush, surprising them, and then they finally found Victreebel, just bouncing around. James returned them both to their pokeballs immediately, then sat down. Jonathan also sat down in his tiredness, and then crawled over to James, getting in his lap and hugging him again.

"I'm happy you're here, Dad," Jonathan said. His dad was different from his mom. He loved them both, but his mom could be unexpectedly sharp. His dad was softer. Jonathan had never seen a rough side of James. With his mom and dad both he could feel like he was part of a something, finally. A family. Jonathan hugged James again as he thought of this. He heard Chimecho's calming sound, which was supposed to induce a feeling of bliss, but he'd already felt that way before, with his dad near, hadn't he?

"Ah... Yeah," James said, and pat Jonathan's back. "Here, I've got us some dinner," he said.

Jonathan moved back as James went into his bag and pulled out the cans and other food for the pokemon. Jonathan ate the food happily. It wasn't the best, in a way it wasn't really even good, but it didn't matter. He was just happy to be spending time with James and all of the fun pokemon like this. He didn't want to leave.

"So, you're happy at this school here?" James asked casually.

Jonathan frowned. He hadn't wanted to be reminded of that.

"What is it?" James asked, a little surprised at Jonathan's sudden change in demeanor.

"I hate it there," Jonathan said. "Can I come live with you?"

"Hm?" Meowth tried not to look too interested, but still peered over at James for what his reaction might be.

James felt fairly confounded at this direct request, and was silent for a moment before he began to speak. "Ah... Well... You see... I-I don't really have a place that I live, Jonathan..." he said.

Jonathan looked down, frowning. He shouldn't have asked. It would have been nice to go and live with his dad, and be like a family with him, spending happy times together with him like this every day, but he couldn't have that. He should have known. Jonathan knew even then that what James wore was a Team Rocket uniform. Both of his parents worked for that organization, which was what made real 'family' impossible for all three of them, wasn't it?

"H-Hey," James said, and reached his hand down to his gloomy son's head, afraid to touch it, almost.

All on his own, the little boy moved forward and hugged James again. Jonathan wanted to cry, feeling so very disappointed. He tried his best at school, but still felt he was in such a lonely hell most of the time. In this hell, he wanted to be noticed and accepted, but was blown off and rejected whenever anyone paid a little bit of attention to him. Yes, it was a hell where what he wanted most hurt him badly and became what he wanted least. He wanted things to get better. He knew he could be happier.

And one way to be happier would be to live with his family, the people who loved him. Jonathan already was happier when his family was around and wanted to live with them so badly. It would be something he could hang onto while gladly suffering the rest of world. He could handle all of that suffering, he just wanted this little bit of happiness. So why couldn't he feel the contentment of this acceptance more often? Why did it only come once in a blue moon?

But he could feel it now. Yes, he definitely was feeling it now. He should just appreciate that, Jonathan told himself. He had this great amount of love and happiness right at that very moment. He should just be enjoying that. His dad loved him and was happy to have him there right then. Jonathan hugged James, taking in the acceptance and love of the moment.

James felt the trembling kid in his arms eventually calm down, and felt somewhat relieved. "So you... Hate it there?" James asked.

"I'm working hard," Jonathan affirmed. He didn't want his dad to think he was getting lazy.

"I'm sure you do," James said absent-mindedly. He recalled his own childhood, working hard to study everything for hours on end, and hating it. Was Jonathan in a similar sort of situation, forced to do what his parents thought was best, all while he himself was miserable? And with how young he was, he couldn't step out on his own the way James had done, not that that situation had been completely rosy, either. But this situation didn't have to be indefinite. "Jonathan, your time there won't last forever," James said.

Jonathan perked his head up hopefully. Was his dad going to take him away to live together one day? Even though James had no place to live, would he have that one day?

"When you're older, you can leave here and depend on yourself with your pokemon... Right?" James suggested.

"I can have pokemon?" Jonathan asked.

"Well... Yeah, I'm sure you can... When you're old enough... Somehow," James said.

Jonathan smiled and happily hugged James again. The current Jonathan also smiled, thinking of the memory. He participated in the conversation about schools somewhat, hastily agreeing to the school he'd go to when he was twelve. One where there was a big library where he could bury himself with his studies, away from everyone else. It was only possibly somewhat better than where he was, but not great.

But that vision of a future, it wasn't going to be his. That was just an unneeded backup. His future was going to be great, happily pokemon training, making new friends everywhere. And even if it was painful there too, even if he still had the same troubles... He'd not only have pokemon as friends, but he'd be able to see family far more often. Things would definitely be better, they'd be great! Jonathan was sure of this.


"He really seemed all enthused about that?" Butch asked Cassidy as they walked along in the Team Rocket base.

"Yeah," Cassidy confirmed. "Who would have thought? You remember how scared he was when he was little of all pokemon. But he's really matured and gotten over that, hm?"

"Yeah," Butch agreed.

"Well, I'm glad he's happy, but isn't this trainer thing a waste of time?" Cassidy asked.

"Are you kidding?" Butch said. "Being a trainer is the best for a kid his age. Even if he sucks at training, he'll learn a lot about pokemon. And it's more than that. He'll meet a lot of important people everywhere. They call that networking. It'll help him get somewhere later."

"Yeah, that's true," Cassidy said. "But the whole process still sounds kind of tough. I worry about him. He might be kind of disappointed if he fails, and he gets depressed so easily."

Butch looked to the side, pausing before he continued. "I could make sure he passes," he said.

"What do you mean by that?" Cassidy asked with an eyebrow raised. "You know I wanted to make sure to keep everything shady away from him."

"Yeah. I know that," Butch said, and it made sense, since Cassidy wanted to raise Jonathan away from a certain trend where children of Team Rocket members often became part of the organization themselves. "I didn't mean anything underhanded. It's just that I know all about this process. Oak ran the show when I tried to be a trainer, and I really don't think he's changed things much, even after this long."

"Ahh, that's right," Cassidy said with a grin. "You wanted to be a pokemon trainer yourself, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Butch said.

"But you failed at that, so-"

"That doesn't mean I don't know how this shit works. I know what he needs to study and what he needs to do. I might not have been able to be a trainer then, but I went through the process, so I know what'll make them see Jonathan as a perfect trainer candidate."

Cassidy shrugged. Butch might have failed at the time, but he was older now. It was easy to look back with twenty-twenty hindsight on how to pass a group of tests meant for some nine or ten-year-olds, she concluded. "I guess you probably do," she said. "So, you'd be willing to spend the time to help him?"

"Sure," Butch said calmly. "I want to see him succeed as much as you do."

"That's actually kind of sweet of you. Hopefully he'll be able to appreciate your help."

The next time Cassidy went to visit Jonathan at the school, she brought Butch with her. They all sat together in a lobby, no one else around to bother them. "Jonathan, are you trying hard with all of your studies? Especially this trainer thing you're so set on?" Cassidy asked.

"Yeah," Jonathan nodded eagerly. "I get to go to Oak Ranch with everyone soon!"

"That'll be fun, huh?" Cassidy said, his enthusiasm rubbing off on her. She motioned to the side. "And well, Butch thinks that he can help you with that. He know a lot about this trainer selection process. He can help you study to pass everything. That'll give you a real advantage. As long as you're willing to do the work, that is."

Jonathan looked at Butch hesitantly. This man was around an awful lot with his mom since they worked together. Jonathan had grown up around him. Jonathan didn't hate his mom's partner, actually wondered if Butch might hate him, often feeling an emotional coldness when they were around each other. Jonathan always tried to avoid eye contact or speaking directly to Butch whenever the man was around. That shouldn't stop him now though, Jonathan thought, looking back at the two adults and nodding seriously. "I'll do the work," he said.

"Will you really? This isn't a small thing, him taking this time to help you," Cassidy said.

"I really want to pass! I'll do the work!" Jonathan said. Though when he looked at the man next to his mother, he felt like sinking away. But he really did want to pass, to get out of the school he was at and to a more pleasant, exciting lifestyle. And if this man's help could give him an advantage, there was no way Jonathan should refuse it.

Sitting down with him later to study, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Butch was no-nonsense in giving him books to read, pointing out chapters to focus on, and asking him questions to make him think. "Since it increase the fire pokemon's power, you should keep your grass pokemon out of that harsh sunlight, huh?"

"I-I guess, but, don't grass types need the sunlight? Doesn't it help them?" Jonathan replied.

"So you're saying it can kind of be like a double-edged sword in battle, then."

"Yeah," Jonathan said, then thought about it more. "But if there are no fire types around..."

"Yeah. What are fire types weak to?"

"Water, and-"

"Which is weakened in sunlight, but also-"

"Rock and ground."

"Yeah. Good. And what are grass types also weak to?"

Butch continued quizzing him. Jonathan started to get tired, but still kept at it, imagining how all of this would help him once he finally was a trainer, as well as how he'd apply it. Finally, the end of the day came, and Butch was packing things up to leave. Jonathan felt really grateful to him, and wanted to thank him. He felt kind of apprehensive about doing so, but he really should, right? Butch hadn't had to help at all, and now Jonathan felt so much more confident than he had before. So when Butch turned to the door, Jonathan called out to stop him. "Ah... Barry."

"That's Butch," Butch said sharply.

Jonathan faltered upon hearing that, shrinking back. He really was anxious around this man, and now he recoiled at his harsh tone. "Sorry... Butch." Jonathan said, now staring at the ground.

Butch could have sighed to himself. It had only been a reflex response, he hadn't meant to upset Jonathan like this. It was the first time anyone had really been upset about getting his name wrong at all. People did it because it was hard to remember, people did it as a joke to laugh at him. But Jonathan looked almost like he'd been slapped from the correction. Jonathan had known Butch pretty much since he'd been born, so Butch thought the kid might have learned his name by now, but apparently that wasn't so. And Jonathan was even kind of embarrassed about it.

"Thanks Butch..." Jonathan said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah," Butch said. "No problem. I'll see you again later."

Jonathan looked up and smiled, glad that Butch didn't seem too angry after all. He really did want Butch's continued help. "I'm going to read it all," he said, motioning toward the books beside him.

"Yeah. I'll be expecting that. I'll have to quiz you to make sure. Don't get complacent with this. It'll be a constant struggle both while you're doing this assessment crap and when you're an actual trainer."

"Yeah, I know. I'll be studying, I'll learn it all," Jonathan assured.

Butch looked at the kid's hopeful face and gave a slight smile himself before leaving the study hall and then the school. Butch recalled his own wish for becoming a pokemon trainer... He had felt the same excitement as a kid, seeing a flyer on a bulletin board that Professor Oak had been looking for young trainers to assist him by going out in the field.

Butch had known this path was something that was possible for him since the professor promised right there on paper that all of the basic needs of trainer and pokemon and necessary expenses would be taken care of by the network of trainers and pokemon centers all around Kanto. The younger kid he'd once been had been thrilled at the idea of choosing his own pokemon as well as knowing he could catch all the pokemon he wanted, since the excess ones would be taken care of. So Butch knew exactly how excited Jonathan was, recalling his own hope from that long ago.

That hope had been crushed, but Butch was privy to the reasons why and knew that it would be much different for Jonathan. He looked forward to Jonathan's acceptance and payoff. He'd enjoy that. It would feel like things had come full circle and then been corrected and all. Yeah, Butch thought to himself, even if things hadn't gone well for him, he would be taking his own long-awaited gratification from Jonathan's success.


Jonathan was nervous as he went on the bus with the four other boys, all still dressed in their school uniforms, to go to Oak ranch. Jonathan sat at the front as the others loudly talked in the back. He would be contented if they didn't bother him and he could use the time to get caught up, Jonathan thought to himself. He took out his field guide, a supplemental guide that Butch had recommended, and began to read.

But only a little while into the trip, one of the other boys plopped next to him. Jonathan looked to the side and then to the back. The other boys were still talking and joking with each other, it was just this one who had gotten near him. "So, Jonathan, you're trying to become a trainer, too?"

"Yeah," Jonathan said, looking over at the boy briefly, not sure if he should stop reading or not. He knew this boy, of course, as they were classmates and had been so for years. His name was Gilbert. Jonathan didn't really know much about him, as, along with the rest of Jonathan's classmates, the one talking to him now often otherwise paid Jonathan no mind. Gilbert was pleasant enough, though.

"Me too... Well, you know that. I'm from Pallet Town, you know."

"You are?" Jonathan said. He hoped Gilbert didn't ask where Jonathan himself was from, as he didn't really have a home town that he and his parents had lived to answer that question.

Luckily, Gilbert was blissfully wrapped up in himself. "Yeah. I'm sure I'm gonna get chosen. It is a little weird going to Oak Ranch, though. I've never been before. Well, it's nothing I can't handle. I bet they're just going to show us stuff."

"Yeah," Jonathan said. "I want to see everything."

"Well, there are some really powerful trainer's pokemon there. We could see how pokemon are supposed to be," Gilbert said.

Jonathan got into a short conversation with Gilbert, even putting his book down to talk. So, he was getting to see Oak Ranch and even have a few moments of social acceptance? Well, Jonathan knew that Gilbert had likely only spoken to him for convenience sake, but he still enjoyed it. This was going to be a great day. And as they pulled up to Oak Ranch, looking up at it, he started to get even more excited.

Filing out of the bus, Jonathan saw that his classmates were calming down, not rowdy at all, just like when a teacher came in the room, though Professor Oak hadn't even appeared. Still, they walked silently with their chaperone up the steps and to the door. "Hm?" the elderly man that opened the door looked down at them, appearing confused. They all recognized him as Professor Oak and stood up straighter. Professor Oak smiled and nodded. "Ah, it's the prospective trainers from that school, of course, of course. I didn't forget that you were all coming. Well, come on, come in!"

Everyone filed in, and hesitantly followed Professor Oak down the hall. "Tracey," the professor called.

"Professor... Oh, it looks like they've shown up after all," Tracey said as he walked out of the room.

"Well everyone, this is Tracey, my assistant. He'll be helping you on your task today, which is to help take care of pokemon here inside and on the ranch," Professor Oak explained.

"We get to play with the pokemon?!" a boy exclaimed.

"Listen, you've got to take this job very seriously," the professor explained. "I have a large number of pokemon here, some for research purposes, and many belonging to the trainers who started out here, as you might. You need to feed them and exercise them, and other important jobs. Not that you can't have fun, but don't miss that you've been given a big responsibility."

The five of them all nodded eagerly.

"Good," Professor Oak said, smiling at them again. "You'll learn a lot here that might be good for your upcoming exam. And we'll also be observing you to see how you do."

"What?" several of the boys cried in dismay. Jonathan also felt tense, not liking the idea of being watched and judged.

"It's alright to make mistakes, but how you handle those mistakes will also reflect on you. Alright Tracey, get to work."

"Come on, everyone!" Tracey motioned them toward the back of the house, and then outside. "I'm Tracey. And you all are?" Tracey nodded at them as they all said their names, heading to a back storage. "Alright, we'll get to feed the pokemon soon, but first, something I've been meaning to do for a few days... A few ground and rock type pokemon have dug up the grass pokemon's area, and those holes need to be filled." Tracey handed them all shovels, and there were some groans, but then they all headed out toward the area.

"Look!" the boys said in dismay as they saw it. The whole areas was covered with holes. There was hardly even a grassy patch left.

"Just take it one at a time. This won't take as much time as you think," Tracey said.

The boys got started without another word. After watching them a while, Tracey left to get supplies for the next task. Jonathan calmly kept covering holes, but others took the opportunity to shout and play around, throwing dirt at each other while they weren't being observed. After getting bored with that, they then started racing who could scoop the dirt as quickly as possible. Jonathan heard them scream and run away. "That's not right! Go get Tracey!"

Since they'd been playing around, Jonathan hadn't taken the screams too seriously. But he was curious, so as they ran away, he went toward the hole the other had run away from. The dirt was moving a little bit, and Jonathan saw a rock pop out of the ground. Except it wasn't a rock, it was a pokemon. "Geo..." it said.

"Geodude," Jonathan said. It was a really small one. He was nervous, because rocks could hurt, but didn't scream like the others had. He went to a bush and picked off a berry. He'd been reciting the berry types while looking at the pictures, and had memorized which ones were best for certain types and which ones shouldn't be fed to other certain types. This berry, an oran berry, was fine for all types. "Geodude," Jonathan said. "Sorry about that. Do you want this?" Jonathan stood a little bit away, still kind of apprehensive, but still held out his hand with the berry and smiled.

"Geo..." the little pokemon seemed to frown. It brought itself out of the dirt pile and hopped closer. Jonathan stopped himself from flinching, though he supposed the pokemon might soon attack. But the pokemon was also apprehensive. It floated closer cautiously, then reached a hand hesitantly toward Jonathan and took the berry. "Geodude," Geodude spoke positively as it ate the berry.

"Alright," Jonathan said, sighing in relief. "You must be lost. I'm really sorry about those other guys. Do you feel better, anyway?"

"Geo," the Geodude confirmed.

"I'm glad," Jonathan said. The pokemon seemed conformable around him right now. Being on Oak Ranch, it was probably really used to humans by now, not like wild pokemon which would have definitely attacked by now.

The boys came running back, dragging Tracey as they yelled. "Geo?!" Geodude said in alarm, dropping its berry.

"It's okay," Jonathan said. The pokemon seemed to trust Jonathan's calmness, but still hid behind him.

"What? What is it?" Tracey asked, unable to make out what the rowdy boys were saying.

"It..." Jonathan began, but couldn't get their attention. "Hey!" he said loudly. He looked down at the ground and sighed as the other boys still didn't quiet down. Tracey noticed Jonathan tried to talk, and once Tracey quieted them, Jonathan spoke up. "It was just a Geodude that you guys were scared of."

"We weren't really scared, Jonathan," one snapped back at him.

"Oh, Geodude!" Tracey said in realization. "It's that skittish geodude. A new trainer sent Geodude here. She'll be happy that we know its location now."

The Geodude ran from Jonathan over to Tracey. "Geo, geodude!" it said with a relieved tone.

"Ah, you must have gotten stuck here when the grass types chased everyone out, huh?" Tracey said. "Well, I'll get you back to your friends."

"Geoo!" The Geodude said happily.

"Jonathan... Right?" Tracey said, hoping he'd gotten this kid's name right. He didn't protest, so Tracey continued. "Looks like you took care of this guy. But you do kind of have to be careful what berries you feed pokemon... I hadn't said that yet because I thought I'd gotten all the pokemon out for us to clean up. But it's okay, this type of berry is fine for it."

"Oran berries are okay for all pokemon, right?" Jonathan said.

"Oh... That's right," Tracey said in surprise. The kids that came here usually didn't have a very good knowledge base for stuff like that.

"It's minimal effect for nutrition, but it's still good for everyone, that's why I gave one to Geodude," Jonathan said. "It was scared, and I wanted it to be happier."

"Yeah... Well, we'll get a chance to feed all the pokemon soon, once we're done here. So hurry and finish up! I'll be right back after I get Geodude to where it needs to be."

"Okay!" everyone agreed, happy at the prospect of meeting more pokemon.

"Don't panic if you see another pokemon... And check the holes now before you cover them, okay?"

"Right!" the group said to Tracey.

As Tracey left, everyone got to work. "Jonathan, you work with me. I'll check the holes for us," Gilbert said.

Jonathan agreed. Everyone worked diligently, and by the time Tracey was back they were all finished.

"Good job, everyone. Alright... Now let's get started with the next job!" Tracey grinned as he led them back to the laboratory building.

Apparently, they were going to feed the water pokemon first. Jonathan and the others carefully carried out the food jars.

"Pokemon can find food themselves," Tracey said. "But there's really too dense a population in this environment to provide for everyone. So we have to provide a lot of their sustenance. As trainers, you'll also have to use pokemon foods to feed your pokemon. So, take the opportunity to learn about the different kinds."

The boys all trotted out to the pond. The water pokemon carefully approached them. As the five of them opened some of the jars, the pokemon began to gather around. Tracey put the food dishes out. "Make sure the right pokemon gets the right amount," he said.

They filled up the food bowls, and the other boys started laughing as the pokemon came and nudged them. "Alright, you guys want leftovers?" one of them said, running out to the pond. They splashed and laughed with the various pokemon. Jonathan smiled, happy he could be by all the fun but a little bit too shy to join in himself.

"Alright, we're almost done here... I'll just-" Tracey stopped as he saw Jonathan wandering around.

Jonathan had found a corphish. It sort of hissed, and he jumped a little, but then started talking. "Aren't you hungry too?" Jonathan asked. He looked around and then ran over and got an empty food dish, measure how much the water type was to have, then came back over to the corphish. He stood a little bit away, but put the food dish even farther away than the corphish was from the water. "Here you go," Jonathan said. He then walked away, and looked back as he did. The corphish wandered out and took some of the food. Jonathan smiled. So he was able to help a 'shy' pokemon.

Tracey looked on with interest. This kid was not only empathic, but pretty smart. It had taken them a while to realize that this corphish wanted to eat alone for whatever reason, far from the other pokemon, or else it wouldn't eat at all. Jonathan had figured it out right away. "Jonathan, are you finished?" Tracey asked.

"Y-Yeah, I think so," Jonathan said, looking around.

"Alright everyone, let's go! We still have several other areas to cover."

As they went on to the other areas, Tracey took the time to talk more to Jonathan. He realized that this kid knew a lot about the pokemon food ingredients, even though he didn't know how to make pokemon foods yet. Tracey was rather impressed. Before the group left for the day, Tracey went to his room and got a book about pokemon food production, and then gave it to Jonathan. "Jonathan, since you know a lot about berries that pokemon prefer, it might do you good to learn how those and other ingredients are made into pokemon foods. Here you go."

Jonathan looked at the description of the book, then back up and smiled. "Thanks, Tracey!" he said. As Jonathan left with the others and rode home listening to Gilbert talk about the various pokemon they'd seen, he felt extremely positive and hopeful, much better than he had for a long time. He had met and momentarily befriended pokemon and had impressed Professor Oak's assistant so much that he'd been leant a book. He'd certainly have to read it. And then, he'd impress Professor Oak himself with his testing results and after that, he could permanently befriend some of his own pokemon. Jonathan was so happy about the prospect. He could hardly wait.