The New Girl

The little girl had came to him just two days after Sapphire had left with Ruby on their separate journeys, only, Professor Birch muses to himself, Terra wasn't so much a little girl, being thirteen of age and more than old enough to become a trainer herself.

O-only, the girl had stuttered, I'm not so good at pokémon… Nervously fumbling with the edge of her large t-shirt, she had explained her situation -- she didn't really wanted to be a trainer, but her grandmother had (she wringed her hands together here) bribed her with the promise of a party if she won all eight badges in the Hoenn region; her eyes gone all soft at the mention of a party, Professor Birch found himself covering his mouth so as to avoid laughing aloud.

Nicely, he had led her into his laboratory, and indicated the only pokémon he had left with him at that moment; her grandmother had contacted him a day before, and on such short notice… Besides, the old woman had snapped over the phone that Terra should be given not a grand pokémon, but a forceful one, with, the old lady demanded, an attitude that would set the most patient people screaming.

Which was exactly what the Treeko he had was like.

He told her over the phone that she was in luck, and, with that, she slammed the phone down on him after muttering her gratitude. Terra had been waiting outside his door the next day, her hair messy and uncombed, brown eyes flickering up and down nervously, oversized t-shirt and a pair of lanky jeans -- really, Professor Birch had thought upon first impression, faintly, what was it with female teenagers now of days and clothes? Quietly, he was glad that she was nothing like the strange seventeen-year-old girl who had turned up months ago, claiming she was here to receive her first pokémon. (A mew, she had sai-- no, chirped and squeaked.) The police appeared minutes later and took her away, so he never thought of her again, but…

Terra took one step forward, slipped on a piece of research paper Professor Birch had forgotten to tidy before he led her in, and fell -- her arms flailed outwards, and a finger pressed the button of the pokéball; white beam releasing the Treeko caught within.

The grass pokémon called out happily, as it somersaulted and landed on Terra's back.

Which wasn't, Professor Birch looks back on hind sight, so bad -- Treeko was, after all, only 11 pounds.

"Tre!"

"Ow --"

"Ko!" Treeko announced, and sat down, just like that, on his trainer.

"-uch!"

Professor Birch cleared his throat, and caught the attention of both pokémon and human; one sulky, the other in pain. "Well, it seems like the both of you are off to a great start!"

"Uhh --"

"Treeeeee, treee ko!" the gecko said, folding his arms as he shook his head, agreeing with the tone that was in Terra's tone.

Professor Birch thought back to what her grandmother had asked for, and ignored both their disagrees and complaints. "Terra, meet Treeko. Treeko, this is your future trainer, Terra, so you should really… get off her?"

Treeko hummed his disapproval. "Ko," he muttered.

"Uhm?" Terra asked.

"He likes you, or," Professor Birch explained, trying his best not to laugh, "rather, he seems to find you a very likable candidate for a seat."

The girl, sprawled on the floor in a very uncomfortable, stared up at him, turned her head back as far as she could to try and see the Treeko on her back, before she sighed and let her head drooped. "See," she said, very matter-of-factly, "I'm not good with pokémon, I never can get them to… obey me -- I don't think grandma's going to hold a party--"

Treeko jumped off suddenly, and walked over to his trainer, and swiped lightly the girl on her cheek.

"--for me," Terra finished quietly before she felt the sting on her cheek, and jerked backwards, into a sitting position. "Ow!"

"Tree," he interrupted her, "tree! Treeko tree tree ko!" As best as he could, Treeko waved his hands about and hopped left and right.

Terra watched on, amazed and hypnotised, while Professor Birch listened in, and nodded every so often. When Treeko finished, and Terra nodded, the grass pokémon turned, so his tail faced his trainer; the girl stretched her hand out and --

Treeko slapped it. Hard.

The girl recoiled, hugging her bruised hand close to her, whimpering. "Wha-what?" she questioned, glancing at delighted Treeko, and then up at him.

Professor Birch coughed and said, "You've just entered a agreement with Treeko that he would let you train him, but you have to take him further than just eight gyms… He wants to…" He stopped, taking in her pale face, "be there at the party." Terra nodded, seemingly relieved.

Of course, he left out the fact that Treeko wanted to fight both Torchic and Mudkip, wherever they were now, and the fact that Treeko wanted to fight the Elite Four and the Champion, but… Smiling grimly, Professor Birch reckoned this was an impossible dream, what with Terra's inability to seemingly get along with pokémon.

She hadn't lied; her grandmother only confirmed it. Six years old, and attacked by a wild flock of Pidgey because she was trying to find something she had left on the field, and they were nesting. Seven years old, and accidentally tripping over one of a Ninetales' tails. Nine years old and falling on a Psyduck, who evolved into a Golduck at the exact same time -- the incidents carried on.

Of course, Treeko didn't know that, so…

Professor Birch remembers his last sight of the 'happily' coupled trainer and pokémon; Terra leaving with Treeko behind her, and Terra falling backwards, after having slipped on another piece of his research papers.

Ouch.

She seemed quite a interesting character, he types on the keyboard, but her potential for a trainer…

She still holds a perspective that of a child's.

With the Treeko that I've given her by her side, this may, however, change.

Maybe, someday… She might be able to defeat the Elite Four, as per Treeko's dreams.

He signed off the letter, and proofread it. Still -- Professor Birch smiled as he wrote a few more words.

P.S. When she catches a Feebas.

He sent.

owari.

Notes: Terra began as a very interesting idea for a original trainer -- I was sick and tired of all the many destined and beautiful and powerful trainers, so I came up with Terra, the trainer who only wanted to beat the gyms for badges so her grandmother would hold a party for her; not the greatest of inspiration, but -- oh well. This is a one-shot, and I might write more on Terra in the near future, but who knows?