What Would One Do
A Pokemon Fanfiction
Disclaimer: Besides all the Pokemon games and the ones I've raised, I do not own Pokemon! Though I wish I did…
Chapter One: Make It Double
The day was overcast, the sky murky and dark grey with the threat of oncoming rain. The young girl returned her gaze to the path before her and stepped down the stairs of her porch with a nervous, excited air. Today was the day, she thought. The day she'd really be a Pokemon Trainer! She nearly squealed as the title tickled her senses. She glanced over her shoulder in an almost annoyed manner, eyeing the porch behind her.
"Come on Eevee, we have to go, we'll be late!" Something akin to a mewl answered her, and a scuffling noise played across the wood as her best friend for the past few weeks scrambled down towards her, his big, adorable eyes curious as he came to rest by her booted feet. She giggled slightly at his disheveled appearance before starting on again. Professor Oak had asked her to come to his lab before noon, and because of her mother's obsessive need to see her properly fed it was already almost eleven thirty. She frowned slightly. His lab was a good three quarters of an hour from her home when one walked on foot, and she'd have to kick it into high gear if she was to make it on time. The thought alone spurred her to pick up the pace; glancing down to make certain Eevee was following her example before rushing on. It just wouldn't do to be late—again.
The exhausted ten year old skidded to a hasty pause before the doors of the Pokemon lab, panting heavily as she leaned forward to place her hands on her knees. Eevee stumbled to a halt a foot behind her, falling to the ground as short of air as she. She smiled slightly at him before plucking him from his position, situating him comfortably in her arms. The girl knocked hard on the door, and wasn't surprised by the loud crash and random sounds of hurrying echoing from behind it. The professor finally opened the door after a few minutes of tripping over the furniture, giving her a relieved smile.
"Ah, good. I was hoping that was you. Please, come in!" She smiled at him thankfully and tottered, still gasping for air, into the building.
The place was an absolute disaster; papers were strewn everywhere, chairs toppled over on to their sides, and books both open and closed resting on most of the tables. She raised an eyebrow at the mess and he gave a nervous chuckle.
"I apologize, but time seems to have run away with me lately." He walked past her after shutting the door and cleared the sofa resting in the corner, motioning for her to take a seat. "Would you like some tea?" The girl nodded.
"And could you get some milk for Eevee, if it isn't too much trouble, Professor?" He laughed and mussed her hair before taking his leave. She settled her friend on the plush seat beside her and stood, sauntering over to the desk where he had obviously been working before she arrived.
The sheaves of paper concerning his research didn't surprise her; every time she had been to see him before his desk had been like this. On the screen of the computer that rested atop the table was an index of Pokemon and their varying traits, halfway through the process of being categorized. The girl let out a whoosh of air. Who in their right mind would do this in their spare time?
She was about to retreat back to the couch when a flash of red caught her eye. She moved the large stack of papers that kept the thing out of her sight and picked it up, tilting it in every which direction as she looked it over. It was square and, as stated before, red; buttons covered most of it, but part of the thing held a blank screen. She toyed with it for a moment, wondering how it was activated, until a slight noise behind her had the girl whipping around, hiding the object behind her back as if she had been caught doing something wicked.
The Professor had returned and was setting a silver tray with their tea on the coffee table across from the sofa. He straightened from his task and eyed her oddly, before shrugging and taking the only unoccupied seat. The girl approached, carefully moving her Eevee to rest on her lap as she took a place next to him. She was so conscious of the red…thing…still hidden against her back that it felt like it burned. Professor Oak picked up his cup of tea from the tray and blew on it, dispersing the steam that had been gathering on its surface.
"So Carrie, how have you been? I haven't seen you in a few months." Carrie sighed in relief, figuring he hadn't noticed her odd behavior, and hid the thing underneath a cushion before picking up her own cup, copying his movements as she blew across its surface.
"Not too bad. Yourself?" He smiled again and surveyed the room in its disastrous glory.
"I've been busy, if you couldn't tell." He leaned forward a bit and scratched Eevee behind his ear, causing the little creature to pause in his consumption of the milk and almost purr in contentment. "I was wondering how you came across this one. You didn't have him the last time I saw you." Carrie lowered the tea from her mouth, the hot steam having heated her face until she vaguely resembled a cherry.
"Actually, you could almost say he found me. I was wandering through that field of tall grass outside of the town a few weeks back—please don't look at me like that, Professor, I know it was dangerous—and I heard this mewling sound. I followed it and found him all huddled up in a hole by himself, all mucky and scratched. I looked around to see if I could spot his family, but I couldn't find them so I took him home and cleaned him up. I've searched around, but there's still no sign of them, so I've decided I'm gonna keep him." She reached down and rubbed the Pokemon's back affectionately.
Professional interest lay heavy on his voice. "Really? I had no idea that Eevee and their evolved forms wandered this far south, especially at this time of year." Of course, it was summer, which made the idea odd. His accent took on a playful tone. "You realize, don't you, that since you've decided to keep him then I don't have to give you your starter?" Carrie squeaked and just barely managed to refrain from springing from her chair in dismay, for which Eevee was thankful.
"What!? But, but I've been waiting forever for this! Oh, please, Professor, can't I still have it…?" The Professor couldn't help but laugh at her pleading expression, his eyes softening.
"I was just joking; you can calm down. I'll still give you your starter, Carrie, don't worry." The girl immediately relaxed, her dark blue hair falling over her shady purple eyes as she melted back into her chair.
"Thank goodness. I thought you were serious." Suddenly she sat bolt upright again, her eyes gleaming in excitement. "Well? Where is it? Huh?" The Professor laughed again, standing from his seat. His tea sat forgotten on the table.
"Alright, alright, calm down. I've got it here somewhere, but first I have something else to give you." He walked over to his desk and began pawing through the things strewn across it. When he couldn't find it a frown marred his face. "That's odd. I had it right here…" Carrie leaned forward to look beyond him, and gulped audibly when she realized he was searching for the red thing she had picked up earlier. She reached behind her subconsciously and took it out, fiddling with it again.
"Uh, Professor? Is this what you're looking for?" The old man looked up from his search and his face spelled relief when he spotted it resting in her gloved hands.
"I would ask why you have it if I didn't know how curious you are." He accepted it from her and she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment, knowing his statement to be true.
"I was just looking at it. It looks funny. What is it?" He turned it over in his hands, showing her the screen and buttons she had inspected earlier.
"This, Carrie, is a Pokedex, an invention of mine. It's capable of recording and storing information about all the Pokemon in the world! Alas," he sighed, sitting down once more, "I couldn't complete the first one I made, because I'm too old to be journeying around, catching Pokemon." Carrie looked at him in disbelief.
"Oh, no you're not! You're not too old, Professor!" But he still shook his head.
"I've made quite a few of these and have given many to the trainers from around this area," he continued on, choosing to ignore her statement, "and I'm giving this one to you. Use it and record the information of all the Pokemon you come across; for this old man, if nothing else." He stood again, returning to his desk after handing the Pokedex back to her. He looked around once more until he seemed to spot what he was looking for. Carrie gasped in delight when he turned around, for it was revealed that in his hands was a Poke Ball. Eevee looked up at the sudden sound, watching the scene unfold in interest.
"What is it? What is it what is it what is it!!!" Eevee, sensing the impending danger, leapt from her lap in the nick of time; Carrie shot up from the couch, literally bouncing on the spot from the excitement coursing through her. The Professor watched her reaction in bemused amusement.
"Well, you know that I gave the Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur I had to the last three trainers to leave Pallet Town, so this was the only one left." She didn't care about that. She wanted to know now! He sensed her impatience and sighed. The haste of kids these days. "I don't want to ruin it for you, so throw it and see what's inside for yourself." He quickly handed it to her, fearing she would implode at any moment. Carrie took a split second to admire the shiny red and white metal before throwing it across the room.
"Come on out!"
And come out it did. In a brilliant flash of bright light a figure emerged, growing larger and larger until the glow cleared.
"Aww, it's a Pikachu!" The yellow mouse let out a startled cry as she gently picked it up and cuddled it, showing it to Eevee. "See? Now you have a playmate!" Carrie set the Pikachu back on the carpet and the two Pokemon stared each other down for a few moments, wondering what to do. In the meantime, Carrie turned to the Professor.
"What gender?"
"She's a girl. I caught her about two months ago when I went out into the field. She put up quite a fight." Eevee had edged cautiously closer to the Pikachu, prodding at her with his black button nose. Her long yellow and black ears twitched and she poked him back, her tiny little fingers prodding him in the forehead. It wasn't long before they were circling each other, examining their new companion inquisitively. Carrie smiled. They were both so cute!
"Thank you, Professor! She's so adorable. And look! They've hit it off already." 'Hitting it off' probably wasn't the choice of words the Professor would have used to describe the scene; more like guarded observation. He turned to her seriously.
"Now Carrie, this is important. Battling can be fun, but responsibility is key if you wish to be a good trainer. Do you understand?" Solemnity replaced the silly smile on her features and she nodded, knowing what he meant. After all, her father and mother had both been excellent Pokemon trainers, and she wished to follow in their footsteps as strictly as she could while still being herself.
"Yes I do. When do I start?" He smiled.
"You start now, of course. Try calling the Pikachu back into her Poke Ball." Carrie nodded and turned to the two creatures still cautiously watching each other and waved her hand, catching their attention.
"Pikachu, return." A red light shined through the room as the Pikachu did as ordered. Carrie placed the ball lovingly into the pouch attached to the belt that rested over her black outfit, patting it for extra security. Professor Oak regarded Eevee curiously.
"Are you going to keep Eevee around in a Poke Ball, Carrie?" She looked towards Eevee, who was staring at the small bag in which Pikachu's Poke Ball rested.
"I guess." She kneeled before her best friend, tapping him on the nose to insure she had his attention. "Eevee? Would you like to stay in a Poke Ball?" The Pokemon cocked his head to the side, his large ears flopping slightly. The Professor handed her an empty one, and she showed it to him. He simply stared at it for a few moments before gently nuzzling it, allowing it to pull him in. She smiled at the Poke Ball and placed it next to Pikachu's in her pocket. "I guess that answers that question."
The pair polished off the last of the tea, now cold, before Carrie bid him goodbye.
"Make sure you remember what I said, Carrie. Pokemon are more than just that; they are people like us, and deserve respect and love as much as we do. Care for them, and they'll love you in return." Carrie smiled at him over her shoulder as she left the building, planning to return home to pack before beginning her quest.
"I know, Professor, I know."
A/N: I've been playing Pokemon since it first came out, and I've had the same team of Pokemon for the entire time; since I've been playing so long, I've decided I might as well write a fanfiction entailing how I raised my own Pokemon. If you haven't guessed, my Eevee and my Pikachu were the Pokemon I used the most, even after they evolved, which is why they're the starter Pokemon here; kind of like a tribute, I guess, to them. I'm most likely going to continue this story, even if no one reads it, merely for the satisfaction of having written it down.
And as I'm sure you all have deduced the chapter title comes from Team Rocket's motto. It felt appropriate.