Hi okay dang I haven't written a fanfiction in literally a millennia. This is an idea I've been kicking around lately and I've decided to finally sit down and write it. It's a biiiit of an AU, but it takes place in the Johto region at the moment. It may change to other regions later, but for now that's where we are. In a possibly not-too-unrealistic future for Trainers at that.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any assorted names, places, and concepts. They all belong to Nintendo and Game Freak. I only own my own twists and my own characters.
Also a warning: Blatant mentions of misgendering and minor senses of dysphoria, along with some bullying and such. Nothing too major but I still think it warrants a T rating.
When you're sixteen years old and about to receive your Partner along with the rest of your graduating class in the small town of New Bark, any kid would be anxious beyond all possible belief. There was a great amount of pressure on that commencement ceremony, and you'd only find out if you made it when you received an invitation during homeroom. With typical class sizes being about thirty-six, only eighteen in each of the four class designations would get the chance to go to the ceremony, and you wouldn't know until the week before.
It was a stressful ceremony, and a lot of times kids would throw up the first day of their last year if only because they knew what would be coming by the end of it.
The division between classes was referred to as the First Wave and the Second Wave. The Second Wave of students, the bottom eighteen of each class, would be having a later ceremony that wouldn't be receiving nearly as much press and social attention, if it received any at all. Unfortunately, Johto really only concerns itself with the top of the class and the ones most likely to succeed against the League and against the Champion.
So when I received my invitation as part of the First Wave, I immediately felt at ease. No child in the family I came from had ever ended up a Second Wave graduate, so I was glad to know I was in the top seventy-two even if that isn't exactly the greatest thing to put on a resume.
My mom was over-the-moon and my brother ruffled my hair, going, "You're just a week away from that squirtle, Squirt."
I wanted a squirtle so terribly. Max received a charmander as his partner, and I wanted to get a squirtle to show I could have a natural type advantage over him. The method of picking partners implied a lot of things about the person receiving them, and I wanted to show my getting a Water-type would make me the better Trainer and a good rival to him. I looked up to him a lot, after all.
I took my invitation up to my room as my mom and brother celebrated for me, and as soon as I shut my door I tossed the envelope onto my bed.
"To Ms. Allison Grant"
They got my name wrong again.
My mom wanted me to wear the dress my older cousin Jennifer had worn to her graduation in Sinnoh, this blue and flowing thing that reached my knees before puffing out into a skirt. She wanted me to wear black tights to slim my legs and cover the fact I didn't shave them, and a pair of creamy white heels with a sapphire clip in my hair and mascara and lipstick painted over my face like I was a clown.
I pretended to go along with it while my brother picked out his own clothes for me, a white button up t-shirt with a black vest and tie, and black dress pants with loafers. Simple, but for me it was effective, and to please my mother who wanted me so desperately to wear blue, Max and I went out together and bought a new suit jacket that made my shoulders broad and helped me hold my head high.
I was pleased with how I looked in the mirror, and it would just have to be something my mother and everyone else in the world would have to deal with.
I don't want to make a big deal about this, but I guess since it's important to the story I'll tell you. My mother, most of my school, and practically everyone else in New Bark Town sees me as a girl. I grew up little Allie, with curly blonde hair that reached the middle of my back and the brightest smile a kid could manage.
But even back then I told my brother in the middle of the night to call me Alvin.
It's sort of amazing, how I could put up the act until I made it to high school. I started a very slow transition by cutting my hair off just before the year started, and I cut all skirts out of my wardrobe and stopped caring about makeup or impressing people with my looks. Everyone thought I was going through a rebellious tomboy phase much later than everyone else, but I just told them that my name is Alvin and I tried my hardest to get my teachers to call me that.
It took a lot of arguing before we could settle on Al.
I was going to register myself as a male Trainer. I didn't have the money for any sort of surgery yet, so I was stuck binding and wearing my brother's hand-me-downs since he was one of the few who understood, but I refused to be a female Trainer. I didn't want to do that when nothing about me was female.
Especially the Partner Evaluation.
My last week of school passed in a blur, and the ceremony came around with my classmates and their families crowded into the stadium I was so familiar with as a member of the school's Battle Team. The Battle Team were also the only ones at school who really accepted me, as technically no girls were allowed. When I tried out everyone tried to tell me I couldn't, but when I assured them I was a boy I was finally allowed to fight against the Captain at the time. I didn't win, but I had managed to knock out three of his four pokemon so he counted that as my pass.
I was Vice-Captain this year alongside our year's Captain, Blake Morrison.
Our accomplishments were going to be read out as we walked up to the front of the gathering when our names were called, and once we received our praise we would be allowed to pick up the Soul Ball that held our future. I'll explain that in a bit.
I was in class 4-2, so we were the second ceremony of the weekend and ours was in the late afternoon. 4-1's was in the morning and 4-3's would be tomorrow morning, and this was because each division of eighteen would be getting assigned one of the eighteen known starter pokemon involved in the United Regions, or UR. So in a way, each ceremony was letting you know where you fell in the top eighteen of your class until the final results were posted and showed you the top 72, which would only happen after tomorrow's 4-4 ceremony.
"Welcome, everyone, to New Bark Academy's seventeenth annual graduation commencement." Polite applause followed the words of Dr. Black, our school's headmaster. "As the seventeenth graduating class, all of you have a great opportunity on your hands. To receive a Partner in the First Wave is a privilege not every Trainer gets to have, and to be one of seventy-two within our school means that you are one of many many more within this region and even within the world itself."
"Basically fuck you guys for succeeding," grumbled Alejandro Santana a couple of rows away, which led to a few snickers from those around him. "Get on with it, Headmaster! You can be long-winded later!"
"Mind your manners, Alejandro!" Our headmaster's face flushed a dark crimson, and it almost seemed like his feathers had been ruffled. We all understood how his starter had been a torchic. "N…Now then, without further ado, let's begin the testing. In no particular order…Samantha Moyer, to the stage please."
A short girl with curly red hair and freckles was quick to stand up. I knew Sammy vaguely, mostly because we were involved with different social activities. "Samantha took part in the school's gardening club and was involved in a great deal of pokemon rights campaigns. She maintained a 3.4 GPA over the course of her time at the school, and she ranked in the top ten for Most Likely to become a Breeder."
Her dress was a cream color that suited her complexion well, and she shook hands with the headmaster before he motioned to the table in front of him. Two Soul Balls were placed there, one blue in color and one in pink. If the color designation didn't already make it obvious what they do, one was for sorting a male Trainer's partner and the other for a female Trainer's.
Sammy picked up the pink Soul Ball and placed her thumb on the white button in the center. She winced as her skin was pricked. That was the odd thing about this Partner method: each set of Soul Balls was programmed with the database of students, and once it pricked for the blood test it took student records and compared them to genetic records in order to determine the type of pokemon the student could handle as their partner.
It took all of three minutes, and once there was a confirmation sound Sammy threw the ball up and into the air. What emerged surprised all of us: a small charmander, clearly a male, landed on its feet in front of her before turning around and offering a bright smile. Her cheeks turned pink, having not expected such a creature as her Partner before she knelt down, offering her hand to the lizard and having him sniff and lick to show his acceptance.
"Congratulations to you, Samantha!" She scooped him up into her arms and beamed at the cheering crowd, immediately heading back into the waiting chairs to greet her father as he patted her shoulder affectionately.
Max whistled from beside me. "A tiny little thing like that earning a Fire type instead of Grass…Sure is an interesting way to start."
I nodded. I wasn't surprised that our class was producing a broken stereotype right off the bat. After all, the Soul Balls were gendered but the Partners didn't necessarily have to be gender stereotypes.
Which was why I was eager for my squirtle.
"Raymond Carter. A member of the baseball and soccer teams, Raymond maintained a 3.2 GPA and has ranked in the top ten Future Rangers." Ray was a pretty fit kid, but he didn't stick out much. He was more suited to helping people than he was to pokemon, so I wasn't surprised when he was listed as a future Ranger. That's what they usually did anyway.
Grabbing the selected blue Soul Ball and taking part in his analysis, he ended up releasing a male totodile. He grinned in excitement at the little gator, who jumped into his arms eagerly. It was good that a future Ranger received a Water-type as that would help with a number of possible disasters.
"Evelyn Daniels. A member of the photography club and scholastic team, she held a 3.9 GPA and has ranked in the top five Future Professors." That one didn't surprise me. Evelyn's dark purple hair was neatly braided over one shoulder as she hurried up to the front, shyly fidgeting with her glasses and with the fabric of her skirt. Her Soul Ball produced a rather proud female piplup that huffed indignantly, puffing up her feathers for all of us to witness as she struggled to coax her to calm down.
"Aw yeah Evie!" Sammy cheered excitedly for her friend, who blushed as the piplup hurried off stage and she awkwardly followed it. Thankfully the other girl decided to go help, hurrying after the two with her charmander hot on her heels.
"Alejandro Santana. Member of the Battle Team and star of the basketball team, he maintained a 3.0 and has ranked one of the most likely to become a Gym Leader!" Alejandro whooped and hollered as he made his way up, grabbing a ball for himself and tossing it across the stage.
All of us knew he wanted a Fire type, and we all assumed it would be a chimchar because of his clownish nature. But instead we were all greeted with a small and male tepig that curiously sniffed and snorted his feet before looking up at him and huffing out a bit of smoke. Despite his initial confusion he was quick to grin, grabbing the pig and lifting him up for us all to see like he was a litleo.
"I probably got the best starter of the bunch!" He proclaimed, and our Battle coach had to usher him away which made us all snicker. It had been a welcome relief to see something much more relaxed than Evelyn's awkward presentation with her very stubborn piplup.
"Rhea Matthews. Captain of the Coordinator Team and president of the journalism club, she maintained a 4.0 and has been ranked the number one future Coordinator." My face paled when I saw a familiar head of wavy black hair, her violet eyes scanning the crowd and seeming to hesitate on me as she reached the front of the stage.
She looked good in her tight velvet red dress and black gloves that reached the elbow. She was probably the prettiest and arguably most popular girl in our grade, and her reputation was known among everyone. Even Max let out a small whistle beside me. "Ree's lookin' like she's in charge like usual. That megawatt smile must be fueled by a pikachu."
We used to be friends, Rhea and I. Close ones at that, and she would braid my hair on the floor of my room and tell me how envious she was of the curls while she only had simple waves. When I cut it off before school and she saw me in the hall I remember her look of shock and how she didn't really treat me the same after that. By the end of the first week she'd shut me out completely.
She threw the pink Soul Ball with only a Coordinator's grace, and when a cyndaquil emerged I heard Blake behind me mumble, "And no one was surprised." It was true. She was bound to get a fire type, and to get one so adorable that grew into something intimidating and fearsome? It was like the little girl was made for her. She cradled the bashful thing against her chest and giggled cutely, practically radiating happiness as she exited the stage and went back to join her mother. I could swear she sneered at me as she walked past, but I couldn't be sure.
"When are you going to get called?" I looked past Max to my mother, who was staring at me with a look that was a cross between worry and irritation. But I shrugged. It wasn't my fault it was random and not alphabetical.
"Mae-Lin Kwong. Captain of the scholastic team and a member of the cheer squad, she maintained a 3.8 GPA and has ranked most likely to create a new Trainer invention!" Mae-Lin was a very shy girl, with pale blue streaks in her jet black hair that was done up in a ponytail most of the time. Her pokemon ended up being a bulbasaur which thrilled her to no end, though the bulbasaur himself was more interested in the other pokemon he saw out in the crowd.
I liked Mae-Lin. She was quiet, but she was polite. She would definitely be going places. That was more than I could say about some of my other classmates.
"Emma Kalles. Member of the cheer squad and the journalism club, she maintained a 3.1 and is most likely to become a pokemon news reporter!" Emma was a close friend of mine and Rhea's and she was slow as she walked onto the stage awkwardly in her heels. I pitied the poor girl; she suited flats much more but was probably forced by her mother.
Her Soul Ball produced a turtwig, which again surprised no one. He seemed to study her slowly and they both cocked their heads to the side at the same time before smiling in the same easygoing manner, and when she offered him her arms he hopped right up and started chewing on her hand. That was definitely a good sign at least.
My mom tried to whisper for my attention again. I still wasn't worried. My name hadn't been called yet, but neither had a squirtle shown up. She then hissed about how she was still mad at me for my choice of clothing when she had insisted on the dress, but I waved my hand to get her to shut up. Exasperated, she turned around in her seat to whisper with Blake's father, and the two were caught in some sort of discussion while I turned to Blake and whispered, "What are you thinking, Captain?"
"Our choices are starting to narrow down." His brown eyes squinted in thoughtfulness, his eyebrows knitting together. His nose even scrunched up a bit like a buneary. "But don't worry. I know we'll both be getting Water types."
I grinned. Between the three possible starter types, Grass was considered the tamest and easiest to raise and Fire was the most difficult to handle. Water was perfectly in the middle but also was pretty versatile. I was looking forward to seeing which Water type Blake would get.
"Rosa Barreda. Captain of the cheer squad and the softball team, she maintained a 3.6 GPA and will most likely become a pokemon doctor!" Rosa had spiked brown hair and the widest brown eyes I'd ever seen, and I could have sworn she would get a Fire type. But instead she produced a treeko and I also could see how that fit as it scampered up her body and latched onto her shoulder almost immediately, and she laughed heartily before strutting off to her very large family that was in the midst of a standing ovation.
They sure loved her dearly. And I had a feeling she would be making them proud.
"Tyler Martin. Member of the Battle Team and star of the football team, he maintained a 3.8 GPA and is ranked most likely to become part of the Elite Four!" I cheered excitedly alongside Blake as Tyler went on stage, and he sent a wink to all the girls before giving us on the team a thumbs up. Tyler was a charismatic guy, and he was extremely popular among the ladies in our year and even the ones before and after us. His Partner was a male Mudkip, and even though the thing was slimy when he picked him up I couldn't remember the last time Tyler looked so genuinely happy. So besides Alejandro, we Battle Team members had been getting Water types.
"Ty's looks good." A voice I didn't want to acknowledge spoke up from in front of me, and Nathan turned to look at me with a sly smirk. "Gettin' nervous, Allie? No pressure though. I bet you'll get the cuuuutest Partner available."
"It's Alvin," I corrected bitterly, and his twin sister Lauren shot me a somewhat apologetic look before looking back at her brother in a scolding manner.
"Oh, right. You're really wanting that squirtle, aren't you? Don't worry, if you don't get it I'm sure whoever does will take good care of it." I can't tell you why exactly, but Nathaniel Harris had it out for me ever since I joined the team. I always thought it was because he was mad I beat him out for the position of Vice-Captain, but that was Blake's choice to make and not mine. I hadn't even planned to run or campaign or anything. Blake just…Picked me. I never questioned it for one second.
His sister Lauren was one of my friends when I still would hang out with Rhea and Emma. She was the only one of the three who would still talk to me sometimes, even if it was just to apologize for someone else's behavior. The girl was way too kind.
"Blake Morrison." When he stood I diverted my attention away from the nuisance to look behind me, smiling reassuringly as Blake stood up and straightened his red tie. "Captain of the Battle Team and member of the baseball and football teams, Blake maintained a 3.8 GPA and has ranked number one in most likely to become the new Champion! Congratulations Blake!"
I was ecstatic, cheering probably even louder than his dad and older brother as he slowly approached center stage and sent all of us a little peace sign as he grinned his own megawatt smile. If Rhea's was powered by pikachu his was running on ampharos energy.
His Soul Ball didn't take nearly as long as it had with the others, and when he threw it out came a froakie that had we Battle Team members whooping the loudest yet. A greninja in Blake's hands spelled trouble for everyone involved, and I was beaming with pride. Blake had been my neighbor and my friend since I could remember walking, so I was really glad he was getting that sort of an opportunity.
When he came back with the froakie resting comfortably atop his head of messy black hair I stuck my tongue out. "Lucky bastard."
"Says the future squirtle handler," he commented back airily, but his excitement could be felt even through his attempt at teasing. I was so pumped I could hardly focus.
"Haruka Sugiyama. Member of the Kimono Dancer club and the volleyball club, she kept up a 3.4 GPA and is most likely to succeed the Kimono Dancer's studio." Haruka's black hair with pink streaks didn't go unnoticed, as I knew she and Mae-Lin were close and had done their hair together that way. It was a subtle sign of their friendship.
Haruka was the more energetic of the two, though, and when she ended up releasing a Chimchar everyone cheered and Alejandro cheered the loudest with a crow of, "That's my girlfriend right there!"
They were adorable in all honesty. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped when she blushed, carrying the chimchar on her head like Blake had done with his froakie as she headed back to her family. "One day," I mumbled to Max, "I'll get to cheer like that for my significant other too."
"I look forward to you being the one getting cheered for," he teased back, and I blushed as I shoved at his shoulder.
"Eric Jacobs. Member of the Battle Team and captain of the baseball team, he maintained a 3.5 GPA and is most likely to complete the Gym challenge!" Eric was pretty stoic when he reached the stage, shrugging his shoulders a little before shooting a smirk towards the team members. His starter was a fennekin, and Blake and I snickered because now he and Alejandro were the two Fire types among all the Water.
"They might drown," Blake whispered, and I snorted and had to cover my mouth when my mother looked over with a warning glance. She already wasn't happy I was cheering with the Battle Team, as she had wanted me to be on the Coordinating Team like I'd been in middle school, but I just wasn't in the mood to be concerned.
Her scolding glances wouldn't be able to knock me down anymore once I was a Trainer.
As if hearing my thoughts, the Headmaster called out, "Allison Grant." I didn't move, my whole body suddenly gluing itself to my seat as my good mood came crashing down.
I'd sent in the slips ages in advance to get them to call me Alvin. I was trying so hard to get them to acknowledge that. To realize all my hard work was for nothing made my skin crawl with dysphoria, my entire body on fire as I felt my family's gaze lock tightly onto me and my frozen form. I couldn't bring myself to talk, far too stunned to comperehend a thing.
"Allison Grant? Is Allison in attendance?"
"She's over here, sir!" Nathan was all too eager to help out, standing from his seat and pointing at me so that all eyes in the audience were in my direction. My face felt hot.
I felt my brother's hand touch my shoulder and he squeezed, so I was quick to stand and pull myself away before quickly walking to the stage. Dr. Black cleared his throat. "Right, well…Vice-Captain of the Battle Team, Allison maintained a 3.8 GPA and is most likely to become a Day Care Lady."
That had to be a joke. I heard snickers from within the crowd, and I kept my gaze firmly on the ground as I reached the table with the two Soul Balls. I didn't want to shake the headmaster's hand. "…Alvin."
"What?"
"My name's Alvin. I…I sent the form to get you to use that at least ten times."
"It says Allison in your official registry, so that's what I will call you." My hands clenched into fists at my sides. "Now then…Pick up the pink Soul Ball, if you'd please."
"…I'm a boy, so I need to use the blue."
"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Ms. Grant. Pick. Up. The pink. Soul Ball."
A tense silence followed his command. I slowly but steadily reached for the blue only to have my hand literally smacked away. I was shocked, and I heard chairs scrape as Alejandro and Blake moved to assist me before they got held back by their parents. I heard hurried whispers from everyone around as I forced myself to look up at Dr. Black.
His expression was cold for the first time that ceremony. "Don't make me issue a demerit and force you into Second Wave."
Bile pooled in the pit of my stomach and I forced myself to grab the pink ball, hating the feel of it in my hand and actually flinching when my blood was drawn. I hated it. I hated it so much. The analytical process took its time, so I was forced to share the stage with a man I then despised for what felt like an hour until I finally felt the small vibration of a pokemon.
I threw the ball up instantly, waiting to see the blue head and the brown shell of a squirtle, but I received no such thing.
Instead, I was faced with a stout and mint green pokemon with a green leaf atop her head. Big red eyes blinked up at me, and we stared at each other before she smiled and let out a happy, "Chiko!"
I was face to face with a Chikorita and I knew for sure I was going to throw up.
"I can't fucking believe it." At first I thought the voice was mine, but as my brain slowly tried to process everything around me I realized the voice was Nathan's. "I said she was gonna get something girly and she totally did. The Vice-Captain of the Battle Team earned the literal weakest link."
Soon enough he was laughing, and it wasn't long before a lot of the crowd followed suit. Only the Battle Team and my brother weren't laughing, and my hand fell limp at my side as my hand gripped the ball so tight it turned white. My chikorita looked concerned, but instead of paying attention to her I immediately darted off stage, and she had to stumble after me in order to follow as I slammed myself into my seat and covered my face with my hands.
This wasn't what I wanted. Far from it. Somehow I had the feeling if I'd been allowed that blue ball I would have gotten the squirtle, but even then I knew that was impossible. Something in my genetics, something in my grades or my social standing or anything really, made it so that I got the most worthless and useless Partner out of the entire assortment.
I was ashamed, and despite my brother's comforting hand on my shoulder I could feel my mother's enraged aura from across him.
"Nathaniel Morris," Dr. Black called next, and I looked up to see him practically skip across the stage and to the table. "Member of the Battle Team and Vice-Captain of the basketball and soccer clubs, he maintained a 3.4 GPA and has been ranked in the top 10 most likely to become an Elite Four member."
He picked up the Soul Ball and tossed it, revealing the blue skin and brown shell of the squirtle I so craved.
I couldn't take it anymore. Instead of waiting out the rest of the ceremony to see the last four partners, I stood up and ran out of the stadium without once looking back. At first I thought no one was following me, but the small pitter patter of feet against the linoleum of the lobby made me realize my mistake as I turned around and saw the chikorita struggling to keep up until she tripped and fell on her face.
She let out a whimper before getting up again, and I found myself stopping so she could catch up to me. Her eyes were wet, and I slowly realized she was crying for me because I was so distraught. I knelt down, intending to pet her and reassure her that I was fine, when she suddenly ran forward and headbutted my chest.
I was caught off guard by a strangely soothing scent, and I realized she was letting out a Sweet Scent for the sake of calming me down. I felt tears brim the edges of my eyes and I broke down in the middle of that empty lobby, holding her in my arms as I wept in pure frustration.
This poor pokemon was my Partner, and I had started out hating her. What kind of terrible Trainer could I be?
I shifted so I could sit on the floor, and she settled in my lap before looking directly up at me with a heartbroken expression. "…I'm sorry I ran away."
"Chi."
"I'm sorry I didn't…Care about you right away."
"Chiko chi."
"…Thank you for comforting me."
She smiled brightly. "Chikori!"
In that moment, I knew the two of us had to escape while we had the chance.
Since there was an after-party once the commencement was over, I had about three or four hours to prepare. I scooped my chikorita into my arms and hurried home, and thankfully even though New Bark had modernized over the years it was still small enough that I could reach my house in no time.
I raced up the stairs to my room and set her down on my bed, and I grabbed my backpack before I got to work stuffing it full of clothes, prioritizing my binders and my underwear before I grabbed the hand-me-downs Max had given me over the course of my high school career.
The chikorita sniffed some of the clothes, probably familiarizing herself with my scent, and I packed my hygiene supplies before grabbing a few personal mementos, namely a bandana given to me by Rhea and a small photo album given to me by Blake of all the four years we spent with the Battle Team.
I wanted to travel with Blake. It was the norm to travel with at least one other person to avoid trouble in the wild, buddy system and all that, but choosing your actual partner was considered a big deal especially in the First Wave. I wished we could all travel as the Battle Team, but that was probably too much wishful thinking.
Plus it would be more fun to battle later on.
I took my partially full bag downstairs to the kitchen, and I set about packing pokemon food and some medical supplies Max had bought for me. I had already received my Pokedex and my Trainer's license yesterday, and thankfully both of those let me choose my gender myself without assigning it to me. Once all of that was packed I heard the pattering of paws again to see the chikorita looking at me curiously.
"...You need a name," I mumbled to her, and her leaf flicked curiously. "Let's see…You're not the squirtle I wanted and you're not even a boy, so…Forgive me if I take a bit…Sakura?"
We both frowned. "No. Too cliché. Then…Momoko. Or Momo for short."
She seemed satisfied with that and I nodded, packing the last of my stuff along with my wallet which I'd had with me and adjusting the Communicator on my wrist. "Alright then, Momo. Stay still."
A green light began to emit itself from my Communicator, and it scanned over Momo and registered her as my Pokemon. I typed in her name before hitting enter, and just like that she was mine and was assigned a number.
"Okay. I think I have everything I can get from here. Now we're on to the hard part…Running and not looking back."
I had a new mission. Without my squirtle I couldn't exactly prove my initial point, so I had a new one. Even a boy like me could rock having a female Chikorita, and I didn't have to follow my projected designation at all. Day Care Lady my ass.
I'm going to become the Champion before Blake if it's the last thing I do.
This is a pretty self-indulgent fic, and because of that I don't really have a set update schedule or even a set plot. All eighteen members of 4-2's First Wave are going to have a significant place in this story, not just the Battle Team members. But unfortunately, Alvin's perspective might play a bit of favoritism on occasion. For those of you willing to stick around and see what this fic results in, thank you very much!