Okay, here we have a Pokémon fic. This one has my personal favorite Pokémon in it and I can say that if I were in the main character's position, I would do the same. Ralts and every evolution after it can be some of the best Pokémon. I love Gardevoir the most, and only female will do for me. If I had a female Gardevoir, I think I could die a happy demon lord. Still, I think this fic starts out nicely, and it introduces a new way to splice human and Pokémon DNA.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokémon, but I would be so happy to have a Shiny Gardevoir of my own. I would always make sure she would be well taken care of, even at the cost of my own comfort.
…

I lobbed the empty sphere absently with my right hand, catching it and lobbing it back up and catching it again. I looked around and sighed.
…

My name is Gene 'Zero' Alastor. I'm just a guy who got lucky and inherited more money than I could ever spend in my life, and to top that, the money kept growing almost as fast as I spent it. When I wake up, any damage I'd done the day before would be unnoticeable. I am the apparently the last living heir of an ancient bloodline.

I stand at six feet tall and I weigh one hundred and eighty pounds. My hair is blue, a natural trait of the bloodline. My eyes are bright blue, something that some people just don't let go easily. My skin is slightly pale, making my body hair stick out somewhat.

I wear a black duster jacket and a black shirt. Black leather fingerless gloves cover my hands, and studs adorn the knuckles for personal defense. Black denim jeans and black cowboy boots make people think I'm a sheriff when I pass by. My black Stetson hat doesn't help convince them otherwise, but my black sunglasses do a little bit. A black scarf with frayed ends covers my neck and mouth, and I appear suspicious, but I'm usually just travelling. In all, I look like a modern Cowboy who moonlights as a Pokémon trainer. In truth, I'm a Pokémon trainer with a Pokémon.

I'm twenty years old, and I'm a bit odd. I'm twice the age of any beginning Pokémon trainer and I've had a unique pokeball for eleven years. It's black and purple, with bright pink bumps on top. It's called the Masterball. It catches any Pokémon without fail. I could have used it in the eleven years I've had it, but I've just let it sit on a catch along my black leather belt. I want to raise a Pokémon, but I want a specific Pokémon to start. I want to raise a Ralts. I'm not picky about gender but I just want a Ralts to call my own little friend.
…

I lobbed the ball one last time and pressed the button. I sighed again and looked around as I set it on my belt. There were supposed to be a large number of Ralts in the area, but I couldn't see a single one. I kicked a rock absently and stretched. I looked around again and groaned.

"Is it too much to ask for any Ralts?" I muttered. "I just want to raise a little Ralts. I'm just looking for a little help here Arceus." I looked at the sky. "Just a chance to prove I'm worthy of my dream." A small drop of water hit me directly between my eyes. I looked down and wiped the drop away as three more hit my hat. "Pleased give me a sign that this rain will make a little Ralts hide by my legs to avoid the rain." I looked at the clouds in the distance. I sighed and shook my head. "Why would a supreme being waste any time on me? Ten years with hundreds of unanswered prayers." I looked into the clouds again. "Why would Arceus answer me now?" I walked into a clearing where I had set up a tent. "At least I have this." I smiled as a light wind moved one of the flaps. "Maybe tomorrow I'll find a Ralts." I walked over to my tent and stepped in. I looked around and sighed. "Expecting a Ralts in your tent Zero? You really are hopeless." I could have used my money to have someone find a Ralts, but that wouldn't make me happy. I wanted to find one on my own. That would make my ten years of waiting all the better.

…

I heard a noise from nearby. It sounded like it was right outside my tent. I slowly opened my left eye and looked at the flaps. A small blue Ralts ran in and shook the water off of its tiny body. I felt my heart beating faster, but I checked the impulse to grab the Masterball next to my right hand, which was in front of my face.

'Thank you Arceus.' I thought. 'Please let me at least see this little one up close.' The Ralts walked up to me and shivered. I looked closer and saw that it was a girl. She turned her head to look at me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Ral?" She called quietly. She looked curious, but I wasn't about to scare her away. She moved closer and I gulped. "Ralts?" She moved closer to my face and looked into my eyes. She tilted her head as I smiled wider. She moved her right hand to my face and ran her hand along my left cheek and smiled. "Ralts." She moved closer and nestled against my chest. I moved my arm slowly and moved part of my blanket over her body. She watched me closely but she didn't seem scared. She yawned and closed her eyes. "Ral." I smiled and closed my own eyes.

'I hope she'll stay.' I thought. 'If she doesn't run from me when I get up, I'll catch her.' I smiled wider. 'I'm sure we'll make a great team, even if we don't battle. I'll finally have a friend.'

…

I opened my right eye and saw her looking around my tent. I smiled as she looked over at me when I heard movement outside of the tent.

"Gallade, Gal, Galla, Gallade." A male voice called. He sounded worried, and worse, he was a Gallade, a male Ralts' evolved form when exposed to a special stone. He would have sharp extendable blades on his elbows.

"Devoir, Gar, Garde, Gardevoir." A female voice called. I felt my heart race. If they were this Ralts' parents, I would be in for a difficult time. I sat up slowly and the Ralts watched me as I grabbed the ball and pressed the button. I looked at her and put the ball in my left duster pocket. "Gardevoir." She sounded worried as well.

"Ralts?" The Ralts called at me. She held her arms at me and I felt a sense of worry and loss. I held my right hand out to her and she stepped onto it and grabbed my forearm as I sighed.

"Well, it was nice meeting you." I said quietly. I grabbed my hat with my left hand and put it on my head. She held to my arm while I held her in front of my chest and stood up. "I hope I don't get you in trouble." I love Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, and Gallade. They're a family of powerful psychic Pokémon and they all look so amazing. They're almost human in appearance, which makes me feel so curious about them. "And if you don't get in trouble, I hope I get to walk away alive." My voice was barely a whisper as I stepped out of my tent. I looked around and stood up. I looked over the tent and saw them.

"Devoir!" The Gardevoir called. The Gallade looked at me curiously as I slowly stepped out from behind the tent with my left hand held up in defense.

"Hello." I said. They stared at me when they saw the Ralts. "I hope I'm not bothering you." I looked at the Ralts. "She got caught in the rain and walked into my tent." The Gallade stared with clenched fists while the Gardevoir held her hands over her mouth. "She was wet and she walked up to me and went to sleep. I covered her with my blanket to keep her warm." The Gallade took a step toward me and I froze. "Is she your daughter?" He nodded and I kneeled. I held my right hand near the ground and looked at the Ralts. "I think you should get back to your family." She looked at them and clutched harder to my arm and shook her head. I looked up at the Gallade and chuckled nervously. "Maybe you can talk to her?" Gallade stepped over as I lowered my head. "Don't mind me; I'm just going to fear for my life." I saw his hands move to the Ralts and she clung even tighter to me. His hands moved away and I closed my eyes. 'Is this how it all ends? Killed by the Pokémon I love so much? What a freaking rip-off.'

"Gardevoir." The mother said. I gulped.

"Please little Ralts, you should go to your parents." I said quietly. "They're worried about you." She shook her head. "Please, I don't want you getting into trouble because of me." She hopped up and started climbing my arm before sliding back down. I chuckled nervously and looked up to see her parents looking down at me curiously. I moved my left hand to my head slowly and removed my hat. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Gallade." He said sternly. "Gal, Galla, lade, Gallade." I gulped as he knelt in front of me, Gardevoir following suit.

"Devoir, Gar, Gardevoir?" She asked. I shook my head slowly.

"I don't understand what you're saying." I said nervously. She grabbed my left hand with hers and my hat with her right. She set it between her and him and looked at my eyes. "I wish I could help you, but she won't let go." She nodded and placed her right hand over my right eye. 'Arceus, you're divine planning is very confusing, but please, if it's okay with you, I would like to live.' She moved her hand all over my face, obscuring my vision.

"Gallade?" He asked. I looked at him as she moved her hand away. She nodded and he grabbed my chin.

'Here I come Arceus.' I thought. 'Please let it be quick at least. If nothing else you'll give me without strings, let me die a quick and painless death.' He turned my head and looked at me while Ralts clung tightly to my arm. When he let go he stood up and stepped back while Gardevoir grabbed my hat and floated further back. The Ralts turned and let go of my arm. She suddenly floated off of my hand and landed by him. I felt my muscles loosen for a moment when my body began moving of its own accord. I stood up and felt my heart hammering in my chest. He extended the blades on his arms while Ralts looked away. 'Beheaded by a Gallade.' I closed my eyes gently. 'I can deal with that. There is some honor in that.' I felt one of his blades against my face, going up my right eye. It stung and I opened my left eye quickly. 'What?' he looked at me for a moment when my right arm rose on its own. 'Oh no.' The back faced him while Gardevoir covered her face with my hat. The Masterball floated out of my pocket and my left hand grabbed it with a snap reflex that was not my own. I looked at Gallade as both of his arms grew pink energy blades. 'Psycho Cut, the closest thing I can get to an honorable death?' He swung both of his arms and an 'X' was traced on both sides of my right hand, without hesitation. It stung and it bled slowly.

"Gallade, Galla, Gal, Gal, Gallade, lade, Gallade." He said quickly. The Masterball floated from my left hand and into my right, stinging the cuts worse than before. He walked over to me and looked into my eyes. Time seemed to stop for a split second and he stepped away. I dropped to my knees again, my hand clenched tight around the ball as it hit the ground. "Gallade." I looked up as the Ralts walked over slowly. Gardevoir floated slowly beside her and set my hat next to my right arm. She leaned in and looked in my eyes as well, but she seemed sorry.

"Gardevoir." She said quietly. I looked down as the Ralts prodded the ball. A black beam came out of the button and the ball opened despite my grip and she was pulled in. The ball didn't shake, but the button pinged once. She was mine, unless I released her. Gardevoir put her right hand on my shoulder and I looked up at her. "Gardevoir." I nodded. She was telling me to keep her safe; it was the only thing I could think of that she could have meant.

"I'll keep her safe." I said quietly. "I promise." They nodded as I looked at the ball. I looked up and they were gone. I flicked the button with my index finger and she appeared in a flash of black and red. She looked up at me as the ball closed. I pressed the button again and it shrank. I smiled as she stepped over to my wounded hand. I lifted it and put the ball on the catch and grabbed my hat. "Hey little friend." She smiled as I put my hat on. "I think we should get going. We've got some travelling to do." She nodded as I held my left hand out to her. She stepped on it and I raised her to my chest. I looked at the tent and shrugged. Nothing of remote value was inside, and I didn't care about it in the first place. I could get more, and none of the items were very special to me. I stood up and started walking away. Perhaps one day the tent would help some other traveler find shelter.

…

It had been a week since I had encountered the wild Gardevoir and Gallade, and I had named the Ralts Liz. My cuts had healed but they had left visible scars. I thought of them as badges of honor, given by a Gallade in exchange for his daughter. She was already quite powerful, and she was a Shiny Pokémon to boot. I was very proud of her. I sat in the hotel suite while she slept on a pillow. I was staring intently at an empty soda can while it shook.

'Come on you tin coward.' I thought angrily. I had somehow become able to use psychic power, but I needed to practice. I wasn't even able to lift an empty tin can. 'You tin weakling, you're going up.' It began lifting when it collapsed into itself. I smiled. 'Not what I wanted, but it's a start.' I stood up and stretched. 'I'll try again when I'm not so tired.' I turned and walked over to the bed and sat on the side opposite of my sleeping partner and looked at her. 'Sleep tight Liz.' I smiled. 'You're the closest friend I've ever had, and I've only known you for a week.' I moved under the covers and closed my eyes, the right one stinging slightly.

…

"Okay Liz, let's try Psybeam again." I said calmly. "You can do it." She nodded and put her hands together and a small sphere of multicolored energy formed between them. I smiled as a small thin beam struck a tin can and made a large dent, sending the can into the air. She looked happy as she looked over at me. "Good Job Liz. You're getting the hang of it." She hopped up as I walked over to her. She was standing on a small stump by a cottage in the woods. I placed my right hand on her head and rubbed her hair. "Keep this up and you'll be the strongest Ralts in all of Kanto." She giggled and swatted at my hand. I moved it away and then level with the stump. She walked onto my hand and we looked down the dirt path. "What do you say Liz? Should we head out for Professor Oak's lab in Pallet?" She nodded and pointed down the path. I saluted with my left hand. "Yes Ma'am." I walked down the path with a big smile.

…

"So, you're here for my prototype Pokédex?" Oak asked. I nodded as Liz looked around the lab from my left arm. "You're from the Hoenn region aren't you?" I nodded again.

"I figured it would be a good change of pace to tackle Kanto first." I said. "The Gym Leaders here are strong, but they should be easier to deal with than the guys back home." Oak nodded while Liz looked about. He walked over to a table and pulled out a small blue notepad sized object and handed it to me.

"This is the prototype Pokédex." He said. "It has data from every region as opposed to my earlier models. However, this data cannot be transferred to the current models." I nodded. "Be careful with it and remember that it contains your trainer data."

"I'll be careful Professor." I said. "It must seem strange that a twenty year old is just registering to be a trainer." He nodded.

"Yes, but as you said, you were waiting to catch your dream Pokémon." He said. I nodded with a smile. "Your love of Pokémon will make you a great trainer. I hope you have a wonderful journey."

"Thank you professor." I said.

…

I walked along the path to the Viridian Forest with Liz in my right arm. I stopped at the entrance and nodded.

"A difficult path lies ahead." I said. "But there isn't a Pokémon in there that can stop us." Liz nodded and pointed ahead while I chuckled. "At once ma'am." She giggled as I walked in. I looked around, keeping to the main path. "Such a nice forest. I wouldn't mind coming back here to camp one day." Liz nodded with her arms crossed.

"Ralts." She said in agreement. I looked around and spotted a Weedle crawling around. She pointed at it.

"You want some backup?" I asked. She nodded and I shrugged. "You'll have to weaken it." She nodded again. "Hey Weedle!" It looked over at us and gave us an angry glare. "Let's teach this little guy the meaning of respect." I dropped to my right knee and set her down. She hopped off of my arm and I smiled. "Let's give him a taste of Confusion." She nodded as the Weedle threw itself into the air. Her eyes glowed blue and the small yellow bug slammed into the ground and skidded. It raised its head and glared at her. "Heads up, he's going to use a String Shot. Use Confusion to counter it and then a Psybeam." She nodded as the Weedle fired the string. It stopped into a ball and fell to the ground. The Weedle looked surprised as Liz held her hands in front of her. It suddenly leapt as Liz fired the thin rainbow colored beam at it. The beam connected and sent it flying several yards. When it hit the ground I pulled out a red and white ball. "Okay Liz, here comes your first battle partner." She hopped as I pressed the button and stood up. I took a pitching stance and threw the capsule like a baseball. It tapped the horn on the Weedle's head and opened. The red beam pulled him in and landed softly on the ground. It shook three times and the button pinged red. I knelt down as Liz jumped several times. "Good job Liz, our first battle, our first win, and our first catch." She turned and smiled as I held my right hand in front of her. She hopped up and high fived it. "It was all you Liz, all you." She giggled as I lowered my hand. She hopped on it and I brought it up to my chest.

"Ralts?" She said quietly. She looked around while I picked up the pokeball. "Ralts." She tugged at my shirt and pointed to my right. I turned to see a boy walking toward me. He had a Pokéball in his right hand.

"Hey, are you a Pokémon trainer?" He asked. He wore a blue shirt with brown shorts and blue and white sneakers. I nodded and he pointed his left index finger at me. "Then I challenge you to a battle." I looked at Liz and she nodded. I flicked the button on the Pokéball and put it on my belt. He threw his ball and a Kakuna appeared. "You can do it Kakuna." I smiled and set Liz on the ground. "What kind of Pokémon is that? I've never seen one like that."

"This is Liz, a Ralts." I said calmly as I stood up. "She's a psychic type, from the Hoenn Region." The boy nodded.

"She may be a psychic type, but you can't beat us." He said. "Kakuna, use String Shot."

"Liz, Confusion and Psybeam." I said quickly. The String Shot stopped in midair and formed a ball, landing harmlessly on the grass.

"Kakuna, Harden." The boy called. Liz pointed her arms as the Kakuna tightened its muscles. She charged the beam as her eyes glowed blue.

"Ralts!" She yelled. The beam fired twice as wide as before, knocking the Kakuna back several yards and onto its side.

"Kakuna!" The boy called. He ran over as Liz lowered her arms. He picked up the Kakuna and it had closed both of its eyes. "You did good buddy." He held up the Pokéball and the red beam returned it within. "We'll get you back to the Pokémon center." He looked up at me as I picked up Liz. "You're pretty good. How long have you been a trainer?" I shrugged.

"About a week and a half." I replied.

"Seriously?" He asked. I nodded. "You're like twice my age and you're just starting?" I shrugged.

"I had a goal to have my first Pokémon be a Ralts." I said. Liz nodded. "Ten years I searched, but Ralts are fast and difficult to catch."

"How did you finally catch her?" He asked. I moved Liz to my left arm and smiled.

"It's a Bit of a story, but I'll just say that fate gave me the chance." I said. The boy nodded. "Well, we have to head out for Pewter." I held out my right hand and he shook it. "Keep training kid. You'll be a great trainer one day." He nodded.

"Thanks." He said. "Maybe we'll meet again someday. I'm Tim." I smiled as he let go of my hand.

"I'm Zero." I said. "See you around Tim." He nodded and walked past me. I looked down at Liz as she giggled. "Let's get going shall we?" She nodded as I pointed my right hand down the path. "Onward to glory." I began to take a step when my stomach rumbled. "And perhaps lunch." Liz giggled as I walked on.

…

I looked at the Masterball as Liz got to know Sting the Weedle. My blood had somehow permanently stained a red 'X' on the top. I lobbed it once and looked as Liz and Sting watched me. I caught it and smiled.

"How are you two getting along?" I asked. I spun the ball on my index finger while Sting hopped once and Liz giggled. "I'm glad we're okay Sting. Sorry if we caught you at a bad time." Sting shook his head and crawled over to me while Liz walked behind him. I held out my right arm and he crawled up to my right shoulder and rubbed his head against my cheek. "Thanks Sting. I just know that we'll all make a great team." Liz hopped onto my hand and I brought her up to my chest. "Whoever the Gym Leader is in Pewter won't stand a chance against us."

…

I sat up and stretched. Liz was sleeping on a small bunched up towel and Sting was on a low branch of a tree. I grabbed my hat and put it on and got out of my sleeping bag as quietly as I could. The sun was barely rising as a flock of Pidgey flew into the air. I grabbed a couple of bags of Pokémon food I had made a few days ago and poured the contents onto some plastic plates. Sting moved and I saw him climbing down the tree while Liz yawned. I set the plates down and grabbed a small bowl and a box of cereal. I set those down beside me as Sting crawled up to his plate and started eating. Liz walked over to her plate and dug in as well. I grabbed two small dishes and filled them with mil and set them near the plates before filling my bowl with the rest of the milk and poured in a healthy amount of cereal.

"Hey Ash, wait up." A girl called.

"Why don't you hurry up?" A boy called back. I looked over behind some bushes as a boy stepped out. I held out my right hand at him with wide eyes.

"Watch out!" I called. It was too late as he tripped over my sleeping bag and landed face first on the ground as the girl and a Pikachu walked out. "Well, I tried." The Pikachu hurried over as the boy got up and groaned. "Are you okay?" He nodded.

"I'm fine." He said.

"Serves you right for not watching where you're going." The girl said as she crossed her arms. She promptly tripped over the towel Liz had slept on before I could warn her.

"And that is what happens when you gloat." I said wearily. She got up and dusted herself off as I pulled out two more bowls. "Well, now that you're here, why don't you join us for breakfast?" They all looked at me as I poured some Pokémon food on a plate and set it beside Liz. "Well, you did trip over my sleeping bag and the towel. It would be the least I can do."

"We don't want to be a bother." The girl said as the boy sat down. I poured him a bowl and looked into my bag. It had a cooling pack in it, but I was out of milk. "Ash, what are you doing?"

"We haven't had any breakfast, and we don't have any left anyway." He replied. "Don't tell me you aren't hungry." I nodded and filled the second and pulled out two cans of condensed milk.

"I'm fresh out of regular." I said. I pulled out two bottles of water and set them beside the cans. "Sorry." They shook their heads. "Well, dig in." Ash poured some water onto a dish I had set out and pulled out a pair of Pokéball.

"Come on out guys." He said. He summoned a Caterpie and a Pidgeotto and they shared the plate with the Pikachu.

…

The boy had introduced himself as Ash Ketchum of Pallet town and the girl's name was Misty. He had just become a trainer a few days after I had left. They had just entered the forest after I had and he had immediately caught the Caterpie and Pidgeotto.

"So you're a Pokémon trainer too?" He asked. I nodded.

"I just started a little over a week ago." I said. "I caught Sting yesterday and Liz was the first Pokémon I ever caught." I rubbed her head with my right hand while Sting slept on my left shoulder. Liz was sitting on my left arm with a smile. "How about you two? What are you up to in this neck of the woods?"

"I'm going to Pewter City to earn my first badge." Ash said proudly. "I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokémon Master." I chuckled.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you do." I said. "With confidence like that, I bet you'll go far." He smiled while Misty scoffed. "What about you? What are you hanging around with Ash for?"

"He destroyed my bike and I'm not going to leave his side until he pays me back." She said. I chuckled. "Why are you here?" I shrugged carefully.

"I figured I'd try for the Pokémon League challenge." I said plainly. "After I caught Liz in the Hoenn Region I came here to take my chances." They nodded while I rubbed Liz's head gently. "I got my Pokédex from Professor Oak and I went through Viridian City and now I'm here with Liz and Sting."

"Maybe we'll meet up at the League." Ash said hopefully. I nodded.

"I hope so." I said. "Maybe we'll meet up before if we're lucky." He nodded as his Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder. They waved and walked down a side path. I turned to the main path and nodded. "Well, there's no time like the present."