The Super Secret Mission

"Flamethrower!"

The young boy grimaced, eyes glued to the television, as a cloud of flames and smoke enveloped the Rapidash onscreen. It was a goner for sure, this time. He waited to hear the announcer declare the opposing Arcanine the winner, but when the air cleared, Rapidash was still standing, looking stronger than ever.

"What's this?" the announcer commented. "Looks like this Rapidash has got the Flash Fire ability!"

Narrowing his eyes, the boy muttered to himself, "Flash Fire?" He immediately pulled his laptop in front of him and began to look up the unknown ability. He'd recently began watching battles from the Pokémon League on TV to study different types and their effectiveness. Battling was never his strong suit, not that he'd ever tried it, but he figured if he was going to learn all he could about Pokémon, it would be a topic he'd have to look into eventually. It was actually pretty interesting, though there was so much to memorize, it was understandable how the Arcanine's trainer forgot about Rapidash's Flash Fire.

Suddenly, the room fell silent. The crowd had stopped cheering, the Pokémon had vanished, and the trainers gave no more orders. Someone had turned the TV off.

Whirling around to look behind the couch he occupied, the boy glared angrily at the bearer of the remote. "Mom!" he shouted. "I'm studying!"

"Study later," she said in an irritated tone. "It's your sixteenth birthday, Green, and you have yet to spend one minute of it with me. It's nearly time for dinner and all you've done is watch - what is this? The Magenta Tournament or -"

"The Pokémon League!" the boy, Green, whined. "Hosted at the Indigo Plateau. Mom, it's only live once a year! I have to keep watching!"

Placing the TV's remote in her apron pocket, his mother responded, "Well, you'll just have to pick up with this tomorrow. Would you please come have dinner with me? I've made you a cake and everything."

Green groaned and closed his computer. He followed his mother down the hall and into the kitchen, where she had laid out a large plate of pasta and breadsticks. They both took their seats at their small dining table and began to eat, Green trying to finish as quickly as he could without his mother noticing. He wanted to get back to watching battles immediately.

"Slow down," his mother harped. "You'll hurt yourself."

He glared at her once more, wishing she would let him get back to his research, but he knew she was right. Green was usually a pretty obedient kid. He was always willing to help around the house and spend time with his mother, but whenever he was studying a new subject, he preferred to remain in his own little world. Swallowing his pride, he murmured, "Sorry mom."

About halfway through the meal, Green's mother set down her utensils and cleared her throat. "Alright Green, I'm sure you've been waiting all day for this." When her son stared at her with a confused expression, she rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Your present, I mean. I thought you would be at least a little excited about your birthday, you know."

"Oh. Right," he said. Honestly, he had almost forgotten about the significance of the day. If it wasn't for his mother's frequent reminders, his entire birthday would have slipped right by without him noticing. "What is it?" he continued. She handed him a small box and he opened the lid carefully. "Whoa." He admired the gift for a few moments, genuinely surprised. "A watch? Mom, where'd you get the money for this?"

As her son slipped the silver wristwatch over his left arm, she said, "I didn't have to pay for it. It was your father's. I figured now you're mature enough to keep from losing or breaking it, and I know how you cherish each hour of the day. Maybe this will help you to keep a more organized schedule." They both laughed, as it was well known that Green could get pretty hectic and easily lose track of time.

"Thanks, mom," he said, a smile finding its way onto his face. He stood to hug her when the doorbell rang. Seeing as he was already up, he told her, "I'll get it."

Green shuffled down the narrow hallway that led back to the living room and pulled open the front door, only to be greeted by a puff of confetti. He flinched, taking a step back as a familiar feminine voice chimed, "Happy birthday!"

When the handful of confetti had made its way to the ground, Green realized it was only his best friend, Red. She had never failed to miss one of his birthdays, and he should've anticipated her arrival. He was actually surprised she hadn't showed up sooner. He chuckled and mumbled his thanks, redness flushing across his cheeks. "Actually, I came over for another reason, too," she added. "It's Professor Oak. He wants to see us. Something about a favor or whatever. Around six, he said."

"Six? It's already -" Green glanced at his watch, which read '9:28.' "Uh, I should probably set this," he mumbled.

"Is that what your mom got you?" Red asked eagerly. "Gosh, let me see it! It looks expensive. How much was it?"

Green blushed again as she slid the watch off his wrist and examined it. "I'll tell you on the way over. We've gotta get going." He turned and called to his mother, "I'll be back, mom! I'm heading to the lab!"

Green and Red stood awkwardly in the strangely vacant Pokémon research center. They had visited enough times to let themselves in, but this time, there was no sign of Professor Oak, or his aides, whatsoever. It must have been well past six by this point, and Red was considering heading home.

"Where do you think he is?" she asked, and Green shrugged. He often studied with the professor, so he figured he might be on his way back from the Viridian Forest or somewhere.

A few more minutes passed before the front door slammed open. Footsteps approached the duo casually, and when the new arrival came into sight, they were disappointed to see that it wasn't the professor, but his granddaughter instead.

"What's this?" she said in an obnoxious tone. "Red? What do you think you're doing in my lab?" She took brief notice of Green and added, "Didn't anyone tell you? No pets allowed."

Seething with rage, Red stepped in front of an ashamed-looking Green and barked, "Knock it off, Blue. And this isn't your lab. Your grandpa called us over, if you must know."

Scoffing, Blue boasted, "I'm sure he invited you two losers to watch me receive my new Pokémon. That's why I'm here. But don't worry, he probably won't give you guys any. Pokémon are only given to kids he deems worthy."

Blue took her place at the other side of Green as she and Red began to argue. Green remained silent. Anything he said would probably spark a round of insults from Blue. He usually let Red do all the fighting.

As they bickered, he couldn't help but notice the extreme difference in style between the three teenagers. They were all the same age, and yet they were so unique to one another. There was Blue, whose wardrobe reflected her I-don't-care personality. She had long, auburn hair and electric blue eyes that popped out of her tanned skin. She wore a pair of light jeans with a tear in the one knee and a tight, dark blue hoodie, unzipped over a white T-shirt with a V-shaped neckline. Dangling from her neck was the silver pendant she's had since she was a kid. Her wild, wavy hair was barely contained under her navy, beanie-style hat. The girl was attractive in a strange way. She was confident in how she looked and didn't have to dress nicely to prove that she was cute.

Then there was Red, whose apparel was the complete opposite. She was fiery and adventurous, as proven by her clothing choice. Her black hair was about the same length as Blue's, but much neater. Her bangs, which were swept to the side, were contained by her red headband. Her skin was light and she had simple, hazel eyes. She had always thought they were rather plain, but Green thought they proved she wasn't totally nuts. The rest of her appearance would say otherwise. She had on a pair of dark jeans which were ripped to shreds. Underneath, you could see bright red tights, and even those were slightly torn. Her pants were tucked into her dark combat boots, which were scuffed from years of use. She sported a black, button-up shirt, but instead of buttons, it had silver clasps. The collar peeked out over her unzipped, dark red windbreaker, the sleeves rolled up only a quarter of the way. Green couldn't help but notice she wore her simple ring which displayed a tiny ruby. She always had that ring on. Green assumed it held some sort of significance to her, but he couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Then there was him. He felt awkward compared to the other two, even if his personal style wasn't terribly laughable. He wore a black collared shirt with a green and gray plaid design. It was unbuttoned at the top to reveal a plain gray T-shirt underneath. Over this all, he had on a dark green cardigan. He wore it because it was comfortable, not too concerned with how it looked. His dark jeans were plain and fell over his green, high-top sneakers. His pale skin was only clearly visible on his face and occasionally his arms when he rolled his sleeves up. His green eyes were hidden in the shadow of his messy brown hair. If it wasn't being kept tidy with a dark green bandana, his bangs would have reached the bridge of his nose. The only other sort of jewelry or accessory he didn't feel silly wearing was the watch he had just received from his mother.

Lost in thought about the different personalities of himself and the other sixteen-year-olds, Green didn't notice the middle-aged man come shuffling down the stairs of the laboratory. It wasn't until he cleared his throat - rather dramatically - that the teenagers turned their attention to him. Red and Blue stopped arguing and each shoved their hands in their pockets, now worked up from whatever the had been debating. Green exchanged a look with the professor and suppressed a chuckle. They both knew how heated the two girls could get sometimes.

"Welcome," Oak started, a friendly grin on his face. You could definitely see the resemblance between him and Blue. They had the same ambitious grin and wild hair. "And a happy birthday to you, Green." As he said this, Red reached over and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, flashing a bright smile. Blue rolled her eyes.

"Get on with it, Gramps," she moaned. If she was excited about whatever he had to say, it didn't show.

"Settle down, Blue. I just got here after all." He said this with a chuckle. He adjusted his labcoat, looking like he was trying to keep something from falling out of his right pocket. "Now that Green has turned sixteen, I figured it was time for Pallet Town's three most capable teenagers to bring a bit of honor to this place. We haven't had a successful trainer for quite a while now, and I think it's about time to change that."

As he spoke, Red's eyes lit up with excitement. She had always craved adventure, and she could sense that now it was just around the corner. Blue, obviously having been informed about the situation beforehand, looked around aimlessly. Green, on the other hand, widened his eyes in shock. Did he just call me capable? he wondered. Green had always thought he was nothing short of mediocre. He wasn't as outgoing as Red or Blue and would probably get lost at the first turn out of Pallet if he had ever been allowed to leave. He occasionally helped Oak with a bit of research, however. This must have been the only reason he was summoned along with Blue and Red. That was the only thing he'd ever done that was almost notable.

"I've got three Poké Balls here," Oak continued. "Each one containing a special kind of Pokémon. I want -"

"I knew it!" Blue interrupted, suddenly tuning into the discussion. She had obviously missed the part about Pallet producing three extraordinary pupils, but neither Green nor Red said anything to inform her of this. Instead, Blue went on to brag, "See that, chumps? I told you he'd give me one. It's about time, too. Maybe I'll let you two carry my supplies around, if you're lucky." She turned away from the two, her eyes sparkling with determination. "This is it," she mumbled. "My own adventure. Finally!" At last, Oak bursted out laughing. Blue turned to him suddenly and demanded, "What is it, Gramps?"

"Blue," he said, trying to break the news to her as gently as possible. "I did say all three of you would be given this opportunity. Green and Red will be accompanying you. No great trainer travels alone, after all."

Blue's face shifted from one of glee to one of horror. She'd have to stick around with these two losers? There was no way. She knew he had to be kidding. Red turned away so she could laugh at the girl's downfall while Green continued to think to himself. Professor Oak was really trusting him with his own Pokémon? Was this really happening?

"Fine!" Blue said, crossing her arms. "Whatever. Just give me my Pokémon."

Pulling the Poké Balls out of his pocket, Oak said, "Alright, alright. Here." He pressed the release buttons on each Poké Ball and set the inhabitants free. Bursts of red energy surged forward, materializing into three Pokémon Green had only seen on TV before. He knew each one was rarer than rare.

"This one's Bulbasaur," Oak informed. "The grass-type. This particular one's a bit shy, but I'm sure he'll be a great companion to one of you." The green Pokémon scuttled behind Professor Oak's leg, clearly unsettled by the group of teenagers. He looked down, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. Green figured he wouldn't stand a chance in a fight.

"And here we've got Charmander," the professor went on. "The fire-type. She's a feisty one, she is. Loves a challenge. She'll fight well for one of you. I have to warn you though, you've gotta keep an eye on her flame. The one on her tail. If that thing goes out, she'll be in huge trouble." Green studied the Charmander. She had her arms crossed defiantly and eyed each of the kids down, obviously scoping out which would be the worthiest. Green knew she'd be a huge responsibility, with her tail and everything, but he could probably take good care of her.

"And finally, this here's Squirtle," Oak finished, gesturing to the bored-looking turtle Pokémon. It blew bubbles slowly out of its mouth, waiting for each to pop before blowing another. "He's a little stubborn, but worth raising. A water-type, as you could probably tell."

Having explained each Pokémon, Oak concluded, "And that's all there is. Remember, no matter which you choose, you've got to love and protect your Pokémon with every ounce of power you've got. They're friends, after all. Not tools." Noticing the eager looks on each kid's face, the professor laughed heartily and said, "Go ahead."

Red was the first to claim a Pokémon. "I want this one!" she decided, taking the fire-type's Poké Ball from Oak. "What do you say, Charmander? Wanna be mine?" The Pokémon looked thrilled, as if Red was the trainer she had hoped would choose her. She nodded firmly and ran to the girl's leg, wrapping her small arms around it tightly. Red laughed. "She likes me already!"

"No fair!" Blue protested. "Why does she get to choose first?" She felt her rivalry with Red surfacing again, and determined to always get the better of her, stated, "Fine! I'll take this one." She snatched Squirtle's Poké Ball from her grandfather. "Let's see your wimpy Charmander stand up to this!" Squirtle looked mildly amused with his new companion, but maintained a bored expression.

Green looked at Bulbasaur cautiously. He was still hidden behind the professor and seemed to want nothing to do with the trainers. "Hey," he said gently, crouching down so they were on the same level. "It's okay, I won't hurt you. You wanna tag along with me? Please?" Bulbasaur said nothing, but looked up at Oak, as if asking for help.

"Go on, Bulbasaur. He's a good kid."

With that in mind, the little guy hesitantly shuffled out of its hiding place and approached Green, who had his hands outstretched. "It's okay," he repeated, and the Pokémon nuzzled his head against Green's hand, a small smile taking over his lips. "That's it!" Green laughed as Bulbasaur lightened up and bounced around, quickly warming up to his new friend.

"Pathetic," Blue commented. Everyone turned to look at the girl. Both she and her Squirtle had their arms crossed and were glaring at the others in the room. "That thing won't stand a chance against us, right Squirtle?" Squirtle nodded.

Bulbasaur took refuge behind Green, who stood up slowly. He wished he had the courage to defend his Pokémon, but the words wouldn't come to him. Thankfully, Red growled, "Leave it alone, Blue. It hasn't done anything to you."

"You think you're so tough?" Blue countered. "I'll take you on right now. Let's go!"

"Oh it is so on! Let's get 'em, Charmander!"

The two Pokémon lept into position, ready to duke it out, when Professor Oak cried, "No! Not in the lab!" The kids turned to look at him. "I just cleaned. Take it outside, girls."

No one argued as trainer and Pokémon alike darted toward the front door, leaving Green and his Bulbasaur behind. They watched the others go before Green turned back to the professor.

"Here you go, Green," the man said warmly, handing him Bulbasaur's Poké Ball. "Don't lose that, now."

"Thanks, professor," Green said, fully prepared to head home, thinking they had discussed all they needed to. He turned to leave, but Oak stopped him.

"Wait!" he called. "I have one more task for you, Green." Confused, the boy said nothing, but instead stood before the professor, waiting to be given instructions. The man hastily rushed over to a package on a nearby table, snatching a strange, red device from it. He brought it back over to Green and handed it to him. "This is for you. It's a Pokédex."

Eyes narrowed, Green took the device. "A what?"

"A Pokédex! It's a researcher's most treasured tool! Well, it would be," Oak's voice faltered, "if there were more to go around." He perked back up when he told the new trainer, "This will keep a record of every Pokémon you encounter and send any information you gather right back here to my main system. It's like a mobile Pokémon encyclopedia!"

"Wow," Green admired, taking a sudden liking to the Pokédex. "Why do I have it?"

"Well, I've only got one right now. I couldn't give it to Blue. She'd break it in the first hour. And if I gave it to Red, my granddaughter would surely get jealous. But you," he eyed Green with a sense of admiration. "You're very mature for your age, Green. And I've seen how you work. I know you'll take good care of it and get me the most research possible. You just can't tell the others! I don't want them coming back here with pitchforks, now do I" He laughed once again.

"Of course not!" Green agreed. "I'll keep it a secret. But what am I supposed to do with it, exactly?"

"Simple. I can't leave the lab as often as I'd like. I've got to stay here and keep an eye on all that's going on. But you're young and determined. I need you to collect as much data as you can for me. Of course, to fully understand a Pokémon, you'd have to capture and study it, but I'll be content if you could just register each one out there using this. It's a huge start."

"I can do that!" Green exclaimed. It didn't sound like a terribly tasking job. He was sure he could get it done, and learn a little at that. He was always up for learning new things.

"Excellent!" Oak cheered. "If that's all settled, then, I've got a bit more to explain to you. Come with me, if you don't mind."

Green, now bursting with anticipation, followed the man further into the lab. He had a new job to accomplish. He had to get out there and learn about Pokémon for real, not just from the safety of his living room sofa. It was like he was on a super secret mission, something he couldn't explain to the other two. His head was buzzing. If it weren't for the very much real Bulbasaur trotting along at his feet, he would have thought it was all a dream.

A/N: Hi!

So this happens to be my first ever Pokémon fic! Well, first that I'm publishing, at least. As you could tell, these are NOT the usual characters, but instead, their reversed genders! I've also changed their stories and personalities a little, so they're totally (almost) new.

I've also edited a bit more, as you can tell. My trainers aren't ten, because let's be real, who would let their ten-year-old explore the country? I still wouldn't let my kid do that at sixteen, but at least that's a little more believable. There will certainly be a bit more edits as we go along, but I assure you, none of these are due to lack of knowledge. I've been in love with Pokémon since I could toddle. If anything is different, I most likely did it on purpose.

However, I'm not a robot. Everyone makes mistakes, and while I try to be as accurate as I can and make no grammatical errors, it will happen. So if you notice anything like that and would like to let me know, just review! I'll look it over for you. Even if you don't see anything like that, review anyway! I love reviews. They make you feel important. Sometimes I like to reply to you guys just to chat a bit, so if you randomly get a message from me, that's probably why.

And that's all I've got for now. Let me know what you think so far! Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

- Connor