This story is more for my own appeasment than anyone elses, so If you don't like it, oh well.
Thoughts
"Speaking"
Flashbacks
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters, but I do own my OCs, so don't even think about stealing them.
Alex tried to keep from squirming in her seat with excitement as her father drove the jeep down the dirt road to Pallet Town. Her dad, Professor Birch, couldn't understand why she wanted to start in Kanto, and not Hoenn, but he didn't question her much. Instead, he promised to drive her to Professor Oak's lab, he needed to talk to him anyway. Glancing over at her dad, Alex felt a smile tugging at her lips. He looked so worried, but it was expected; her mother had died from getting poisoned by a Bedrill, and now her father was paranoid something would happen to her. It didn't matter though, nothing was going to stop her from this journey, not even her father.
Soon the trees disappeared, and a small town could be seen at the bottom of a hill. Pallet Town was the home to the world famous Professor Oak, a friend of her father's. Bouncing up and down, Alex tried to stifle a squeal of excitement from escaping. She was finally going to be starting her journey, and she couldn't wait. Already she could picture herself competing against the Elite Four for the title of Champion. When the jeep turned onto the long drive for the lab, Alex couldn't stop the squeal this time. Looking at his daughter, Professor Birch smiled. She was ready, he knew she was, she was too much like her mother for him to keep her locked up in the lab back at home all day. It pained him to see her leaving so soon, but she was her mother's daughter, and his wife would have been damned before she kept her child from becoming a trainer. Besides, she was ready to go, dressed in a green polo shirt, and black biker shorts and gloves. A green bandanna kept her hair from becoming windblown, and black and white running shoes provided the comfortable support she would need on her journey. Her small, white hip bag was sitting on the floor at her feet, with a black backpack in the back seat, containing her sleeping bag and other necessities.
Helen, just the thought of the woman made Professor Birch's heart clench slightly. She had been such a wonderous woman, so kind and thoughtful to those around her. The Pokemon at the lab surely loved her, and mourned with him when they learned of her death. Alex had only been three at the time, so she really wouldn't remember anything of her mother. But the professor was reminded of her everyday, just by looking at Alex. She looked just like her mother, from her pale skin and black hair, to her emerald green eyes and bright smile. Not only did she look like her mother, but she acted just like her. The Pokemon took to her as soon as she started helping around the lab, and she learned how to handle so many different situations from them. Now, the professor knew he couldn't keep her back, she was ready for this, she needed it.
Parking the jeep, Professor Birch stepped out, turning to the back, he grabbed the following behind him as they both set out toward the door of the lab, she clipped on her hip bag, and adjusted it securely to her waist. Walking through the large doors, Alex looked around eagerly, taking in all the sights of the new place. Whipping around wildly, Alex could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. She was so wrapped up in her surroundings, she failed to realize that her father had walked off to talk to another man, both watching Alex with an amused look.
"She's grown quite a bit since I last saw her." Professor Birch looked at his friend, before turning to look warmly at his daughter. He squeezed the strap of the backpack, which he had been holding the entire time, turning to Professor Oak, he nodded.
"Yes, she helps out a lot back at the lab, and knows how to handle pokemon quite well." Professor Oak smiled as he watched the girl wander about. He could tell she was going to be a good trainer, just like her mother was. Steping forward, Professor Oak walked over to Alex. As he approached, she looked up, her eyes shining eagerly as the professor walked over to her.
"Hello Alex, how are you today?" Alex smiled lightly.
"I'm alright Professor, how are you?" Professor Oak laughed slightly before nodding.
"I'm fine my dear, I'm fine. Are you ready to pick out your Pokemon now?" Alex's eyes glittered as she nodded eagerly.
"You bet I am, and I know just the one I want too!" The Professor chuckled before motioning for her to follow him to a room right off the one they were in. Alex followed eagerly, her eyes glittering with the thought of the adventure soon to start. She knew exactly what Pokemon she was going to get; the same Pokemon her mother started out with when she was Alex's age. Following close behind the professor, Alex waited patiently as he pressed a button on a machine, and three poke balls rose from the tubes. Inspecting the poke balls carefully, Alex picked up the pokeball in the middle, and sent out the Pokemon contained within.
"Squirtle squirt?" Alex blinked as she stared at the small blue turtle standing on it's back legs. It's muddy brown eyes were looking around in something akin to disinterest, and a bored expression was settled on it's face. Scrunching up her nose, Alex made a face as the Squirtle turned to glare at her irritation. Holding out the poke ball, she returned the Squirtle and shook her head, before putting it back on the machine.
"Not a fan of Squirtle?" Alex turned and blinked at Professor Oak. He was watching her with a kind smile, while her father was standing at the back of the room watching with a blank expression. Grinning weakly, Alex rubbed the back of her neck.
"That's not it, the Squirtle just didn't like me all that much I guess. I didn't really like the look he gave me either." Professor Oak nodded in understanding. That particular Squirtle didn't really get along with anyone but his grandson, and that was only because they were both arrogant. Turning back to the machine, Alex inspected the two remaining poke balls before grabbing the one on the left. Throwing the ball up in the air, the young trainer-to-be watched as a small red lizard emerged from the ball. Both professors saw a flicker of interest enter the girl's eye as she examined the fire type Pokemon. Professor Birch knew his daughter had a admiration for fire types, as she seemed to spend most of her time around them back at home. For a moment, all was still in the lab as the Charmander examined Alex, and she willingly returned the favor.
Then, all hell broke loose as the small lizard seemed to grow angry all of a sudden, and Alex had to dive for cover as a jet of flames rushed out at her. A squeal of fear left Alex's mouth as the Charmander kept it's attack up, attempting to fry the innocent young girl. The professors made a dive for Charmander's poke ball, but it was knocked away as they instead collided with each other, making the ball roll under a nearby desk. Charmander turned to see what the sudden commotion was, and simply stared at the grown men on the floor. Alex saw her chance, and made a dive for a nearby couch, in an attempt to hide from the angered Pokemon. Whipping back around, Charmander only seemed to grow angrier when he realized she was running, and quickly shot his flames after her. Giving a scream of fear, Alex threw her hands in front of her face and cowered, expecting to feel the flames scorching her small form.
When no pain came, Alex lowered her hands slightly and peaked over her fingers. Standing in front of her was the same Squirtle as before, but he was not alone. A boy her age was standing next to the small turtle, and he had a poke ball in each of his hands. His one hand was raised, and Alex realized the poke ball clutched in it was the one that belonged to the temper mental Charmander. Looking around, she let out a sigh of reliefe when she saw that there was no lizard left, and no damage had been done to the lab. Turning back to the two in front of her, she jumped slightly when she realized that Squirtle had walked over to her, and his cruel expression from before was missing. Instead, the small turtle seemed to be looking at her with something akin to concern, as he looked at her with careful eyes.
"Squirt squir?" Alex looked at the Squirtle in a daze, not really paying attention to what it was trying to communicate to her. Instead, she just sat there with slightly wide eyes, after processing the fact that she had just nearly been fried to death before she even really got a chance to become a trainer.
"He's asking if you're alright." Jumping slightly, Alex raised her eyes to the boy who had saved her. He was looking at her in a similar way as the small Squirtle, with his eyebrows furrowed and his black eyes watching her curiously. Nodding slightly, Alex pushed herself up and started to stand on her shaky legs. After making it up, Alex stumbled slightly as she tried to take a step. A hand shot out and grabbed her upper arm, helping hold her up, and move her to the couch.
"You should really be careful, you can't just get up and walk around after what happened." Alex looked up at the boy, who was now watching her with a confused gaze. His eyebrows, which matched his red-brown hair, were furrowed once again, and his mouth was set in a slight frown. Catching her gaze, the boys eyebrows relaxed, but the frown remained. The two pre-teens openly stared at each other, one with a blank look, the other with a dazed expression. Their contact was broken when Professor Birch suddenly walked up and pulled Alex into his arms, letting out a noisy sigh of relief.
"Alex sweetheart, are you alright?" Alex blinked, snapped out of her daze by her father's voice. Letting her tense shoulders droop slightly, she nodded.
"Yeah dad, I'm fine. Charmander's aim sucked, missed me both times." Smiling slightly at her father, Alex brought her hand up and messed with her shoulder-length bangs. Professor Birch only gave a weak laugh, shaking his head.
"Leave it to you to downplay a situation like that." Looking at his daughter in obvious relief, a sudden serious expression crossed Professor Brich's face. "Just remember Alex, there might not be someone there to save you if anything like this were to happen on your journey. What would you have done if that was a wild Charmander, and you were alone?" Alex looked blankly at her father for a moment before giving a small mischivious grin.
"I think I would be very crispy right now dad." Professor Birch only gave a groan of agitation. Sometimes, he really hated the fact that Alex took after her mother so much. Always the sarcastic ones, the both of them. Before the professor was given a chance to nag his daughter however, Professor Oak cleared his throat, and both Birch family members remembered they were not alone. Turning to the eldest person in the room, Professor Birch and Alex watched Professor Oak as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled at them. Charmander's poke ball had been put back in it's spot, and Squietle's poke ball was still in the boy's hand. Alex's eyes landed on the last poke ball of the three; the one that contained the Pokemon she had been intending to get from the start. Charmander had just distracted her, she had meant to return it as soon as she realized it was not the one she wanted, and then the Pokemon had attacked.
"Well, I take it you don't want Charmander then?" Turning back to the others, Alex felt her cheeks get hot as Professor Oak watched her with a knowing look.
"Hehe, no thanks. I really like fire types, but I get the feeling that one really didn't like me." Professor Oak merely smiled at the girl, and blinked as he realized he had forgotten something important.
"Ah yes, Professor, Alex, this is my grandson Gary. I had forgotten he was supposed to come meet me to get his Pokemon today. Apparently, he came at a very convenient time." The boy, now known as Gary, nodded at both the people on the couch. Alex stood and walked over to the two, and stuck her her hand out to Gary.
"Hi, my name is Alex. My goal is to become one of the best trainers there is. Oh, and thanks for saving me, I really appreciate it." Gary looked at the girl in front of him, who stood only 4'6" tall, compared to his 4'10". For a moment, he did nothing, but then a cocky smirk slid across his features, and he shook Alex's hand.
"No problem. You may want to re-think that goal of yours though; we can't have people who can't even control a starter pokemon running around with pokemon of their own, it's just plain dangerous." Alex's eyes widened, and a stunned expression dominated her face. For a moment, she openly gaped at Gary, and then her cheeks turned bright red, and her eyes narrowed down to green slits.
"Why you arrogant jerk! I'm being polite and thanking you, and you insult me?!" Alex's words had a hissing noise to them, as she was forcing them out from behind her clenched teeth.
"Heh, you have manners, I'll give you that, but that won't help your poor training skills any." Alex only seemed to grow angrier at Gary's words. After glaring at him harshly, Alex turned and walked over to the remaining poke ball and tossing it into the air. With a beam of white light the pokemon within was released. Standing before everyone was a small green dinosaur with a plant bulb on it's back. Settled on all four feet, the Bulbasaur looked around it with wide eyes. Crouching down to it's height Alex stuck her hand out for the small green grass Pokemon to sniff. Looking at her hand with curiosity, Bulbasaur leaned forward and took a tentative sniff of the girl's scent. Bulbasaur's eyes widened a moment later, and it gave a happy cry as it leaped into Alex's arms, making the her giggle with appreciation.
"Well, well, it looks like you found your Pokemon Alex." Turning to look at Professor Oak, Alex nodded happily as her new Bulbasaur rubbed the side of his face into her gently. Giving a nod of his own, Professor Oak stepped back as Alex stood, Bulbasaur still clutched in her hands. Walking across the room to a desk, Professor Oak picked up two red devices, and walked back to the middle of the room. Alex had walked over to Professor Birch to introduce her new friend, and was talking excitedly to her father. Gary was standing in the same spot as before, his arms crossed across his chest. He was watching Alex with the same confused look in his eyes as before, but he tore his eyes away as his grandfather reached him. Professor cleared his throats, and Alex walked back over to him with a curious look, examining the devices in his hands. Holding them out, Professor Oak waited until both pre-teens took one, and then explained.
"These are pokedexs. They will document any and all Pokemon you run into on your journies, including the ones you do not catch. Very handy devices these are, as they can give you needed information on any Pokemon you fight. Both will also act as your IDs and identify you as trainers. Your license are already in them, as well as your information. Good luck to the both of you on your journies." Looking at her pokedex, Alex suppressed a squeal of excitement. This was it, she was finally going to start her journey as a trainer. As long as she had her Bulbasaur by her side, and her dream in her heart, she wasn't going to stop. Grabbing her Bulbasaur's poke ball, she returned her first Pokemon. After clipping the poke ball to her belt, and slipping her pokedex in the white hip bag she had, Alex turned to her father.
"Don't worry dad, I'm going to make you and mom proud." Professor Birch gave a sad smile, and pulled his daughter into his arms, giving her a last hug before she left him for her journey.
"You already have Alex, trust me." Alex smiled with delight, and wrapped her arms around her father's waist tightly. After holding the embrace for a moment, Alex pulled away and grinned eagerly. Professor Birch sigh, and then held out her backpack, which had been dropped on the floor in all the commotion. Alex took the bag, the grin still caught on her features. She wanted to appear confident to her father, and everyone around her; though if the truth be told, she was terrified. Never had she been without her father for more than a week, and going away for so long scared her. Shaking the feeling off, Alex pulled on her backpack and sighed, the grin finally falling from her one final time to Professor Oak, Alex gave him a grateful smile.
"Thank you for your help Professor Oak. I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help me get my Pokemon and start my journey." Professor Oak merely chuckled lightly, before walking over and patting Alex on the head. He then stuck his hand into his pocket and came out with five empty poke balls, and handed them to Alex. Taking the poke balls, Alex put them in her hip bag, and excited grin on her face. Looking Professor Oak in the eye once more, Alex grinned again as he nodded.
"Good luck my girl." Turning to the last person in the room, Alex's kind smile turned into a determined frown, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Gary was looking at her with the same egotistical smirk as before, and it was grating on Alex's nerves.
"You...well I'm just going to kick your butt in everything. I'm going to become a top trainer, and leave you in the dust." Gary's smirk only widened at Alex's declaration.
"You keep thinking that, maybe when I turn out to be the better trainer you won't feel so pathetic." Alex only gave a shriek of anger at Gary's words, and then turned and ran out the room and down the hall. Gary followed a moment later, a satisfied look on his face as he trailed after the ambitious and lively girl. The professors moved to the window and watched as the front door to the lab was thrown open, and Alex darted out and down the drive to the lab, no doubt heading for the forest. Stopping at the end, Alex turned and searched the windows of the lab. Spotting the two, she raised her arm and waved happily, a confident smile on her face once more. When Gary stepped out however, a scowl overtook her happy look, and she turned and ran again, heading toward the adventure that awaited her. Gary simply walked down the drive, and stopped at the end as a crowd of admirers gathered around him instantly.
"So, how long do you think it will be before we hear that they've realized they have feelings for each other?" Professor Birch turned to his comrade with a weak smile. The thought that a boy might chase after his daughter one day had always worried him, but seeing how Gary and Alex reacted to each other today, he realized that thought was coming closer to being a reality.
"You noticed it too I guess?" Professor Oak nodded slightly, while his eyes rested on his grandson at the end of the drive. His cheerleaders were gathered around him, all vying for the younger Oak's attention.
"I've never really seen him act that way around a girl before...well, I mean besides the arrogance." Professor Birch scoffed ligtly, a tired grin on his face.
"Hopefully Samuel, it won't be for a few years yet. If it's any sooner than that, I think I might have to hunt down your grandson." Professor Oak laughed out loud at this, and nodded his head to Professor Birch's words.
"Yes, but eventually it will happen." Heaving a sigh, Professor Birch looked at Gary's form one last time, and then stepped away from the window, and walked over to the couch. Dropping down onto it, he covered his eyes with his hand and groaned.
"Unfortunately, I think you may be right."
-_-_-_-With Alex-_-_-_-
Alex walked at a quick pace, holding tightly onto her poke ball. Finally, she was out on her journey, and there was nothing that was going to stop her; not even Gary Oak. Narrowing her eyes, Alex fought a blush as the image of Gary with that cocky smirk of his entered her mind. She had a feeling he had girls falling all over him, and if there was one thing she would NOT be, it was a fan-girl. That was something she absolutely refused to do, even if it killed her. Feeling her own smirk starting to bloom, Alex nodded her head.
You better watch out Oak, because from now on, you're my number one rival.
Well, how was that? I don't think it's that bad personally, and it's helping me get my creative juices flowing. I really don't care if you guys think this is a dumb idea, and a story based on an OC is stupid. Like I said, this is for my own amusement than anyone else's. Anyway, I'll start working on the next chapter soon. I'll try to keep it believable too, so no, Alex isn't going to become some amazingly strong trainer really soon; she has her own challenges to go through before she starts becoming any good. Anyway, review please.