PEOPLE. I AM ALIVE. I know I should update Zoro's Logbook. But I felt inspired to write a Nuzlocke fic. It just poured out of me. I couldn't stop it. :V

Expect updates bi-weekly, depending on my schedule.

As always, reviews would be nice. And I don't own anything, as usual.

Well, here goes!

XXX

Two paths diverged in a road, and I…..

I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

XXX

Sara woke up in an unusually grumpy mood, which made no sense. After all, this was the day she left Pallet Town (finally) and started off on a journey of her own.

She had no reason to be cranky. But she unexplainably was.

Still lying in bed, Sara reached out an arm lazily and groped around the bedside table for her glasses. She found them eventually, after a great deal of lethargic searching.

Jamming her glasses on her face, Sara sluggishly got out of bed and remained standing in the middle of her bedroom for three minutes, unwilling to undertake the effort of going downstairs for breakfast.

The sooner you get down there, the sooner you get out of here, Sara told herself. Clawing her messy black hair into a makeshift ponytail, she lurched downstairs.

XxXxX

Breakfast was a moderately simple affair. Sara's mother chatted on aimlessly about how proud she was and how excited she must be about her journey. Sara picked at her food.

Her mother supplied her with a backpack (Sara preferred them over satchels) and a hug.

"Be careful out there, Sara. You don't know how dangerous it might be—"

"I know, we've had this talk before," Sara muttered, but patted her mom on the back reassuringly. "I'll write, okay?"

Her mother smiled. "Alright, now off with you!"

Sara walked towards the Pokemon lab. It was a perfect day for traveling—the weather was pleasantly warm, with just a few white clouds and the hint of a breeze. Even Sara was cheered up slightly by the good weather.

Sara reached the lab. She took a deep breath and pulled the door open.

XxXxX

Gary wasn't there, which Sara supposed was a bit of a relief. However, Professor Oak was likewise nowhere to be seen.

One of the aides looked at her sympathetically.

"Sorry, Sara, but the Professor just left. I don't know where he went."

Sara hissed in annoyance and left, weighing her options. Professor Oak often went to Route 1 to study Pokemon; maybe she could go there.
Sara hurried towards Route 1, and lifted her foot to step in the tall grass…

"Stop!"

She whirled around.

Oak was standing behind her, a stern expression on his face. "You can't go into the tall grass without a Pokemon!"

Sara opened her mouth to explain that she had been looking for him so she could GET a Pokemon, but Oak interrupted her.

"Well, then, come on. Back to the lab we go! Gary's sure to be waiting there already."

Sara sighed and followed Oak back to his lab.

XxXxX

As Professor Oak had predicted, Gary was already there.

"You're too slow, Sara," he jeered. "Hurry up!"

"Right, then," Oak hurriedly began, anxious to avoid any potential arguments. "These Poke Balls contain Pokemon I have raised." He indicated three Poke Balls resting on a table.

"You may each take one. Sara, you may choose first."

Sara walked towards the table, ignoring Gary's complaints about how she got to go first.

Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, huh…..

Sara plucked up a Poke Ball and pressed the button.

A flash of white light, and…

A Charmander grinning a toothy grin appeared. "Yo. You called?"

"You want the Charmander?" Oak asked. Sara nodded.

You need a name…. "I'll call you Conan," she said aloud.

"Conan…." Conan said thoughtfully, rolling the word around his mouth.

"Huh. I like it! Sure, you can call me Conan."

(Conan, lv 5. Brave Nature)

Gary quickly grabbed another Poke ball. Out popped a Squirtle!

"Cool!" Gary exclaimed. "It looks way stronger than yours, Sara."

Sara sighed. Typical Gary. She turned to leave.

Gary ran after her. "Sara. Let's have a battle!"

Sara sighed. "Alright. You up to it, Conan?"

Conan grinned. "Anytime!"

"Squirtle! Go! Tackle!"

Squirtle launched itself toward Conan, knocking Conan backwards. Conan got up, relatively uninjured. Conan retaliated by swiping at Squirtle with sharp claws.

"Keep it up, Squirtle! Withdraw!"

Squirtle withdrew into its shell. Sara groaned in annoyance.

"Keep Scratching, Conan!"

Conan hammered away at the shell, and eventually Squirtle poked its head out.

"Now!"

Conan only got one shot in, but it was enough.

Squirtle slumped to the ground.

"DARN!" Gary snarled, returning his fallen Pokemon. "I picked the wrong one!"

Sara rolled her eyes and left the lab.

XxXxX

"You did pretty good back there, Conan."

"Are you kidding?" Conan grinned. "I did AWESOME!"

Sara snorted. Trainer and Pokemon were walking along Route 1, taking out Pokemon that jumped out at them. Conan had mastered Ember by the time they reached Viridian City, and was happily flaunting it by shooting sparks of fire into the air.

"Show-off," Sara muttered. "Come on, let's go buy some Poke Balls. We need more teammates."

When they entered the shop, the shopkeeper greeted them with a smile.

"Welcome! Say, are you from Pallet Town?"

"This guy's either psychic or a stalker," Conan mumbled, staring at all the colorful merchandise.. Sara stifled a laugh and nodded.

The shopkeeper beamed. "Great! Here, can you take this parcel to Professor Oak for me? I'd appreciate it!"

"Do we HAFTA?" Conan whined.

"I won't sell you anything until you deliver it," the shopkeeper announced. Sara groaned. Conan growled.

"Come on. We might as well hurry."

XxXxX

They were able to get back to Pallet Town fairly quickly. Upon entering the lab, they were instantly greeted by Oak.

"Ah, my parcel! Thank you for delivering it to me!" Oak exclaimed.

It's not like we had a choice, Sara grumbled inwardly. "Well, I'll be leaving—"

Gary dashed in. "WHY'D YOU CALL ME?" Sara groaned.

"Ah, Gary! It's a good thing you're both here. I am going to tell you two about one of my newest inventions…."

Sara tuned him out easily. Next to her, Gary looked bored, and she guessed that he wasn't listening, either.

"…..So, I'm going to give you both a Pokedex! Fill it with data!"

Sara took the Pokedex and stared at it. It didn't look all THAT special.

Gary tossed the Pokedex in his hand, grinning. "Don't worry, gramps! I'll fill the Pokedex! Sara, you won't be needed!"

"I hope he drops it," Conan muttered. Sara sighed, grabbed 5 Poke Balls from the Professor, and dragged the irritated Charmander out of the lab.

"C'mon, it's time to get some teammates."

XxXxX

-Route 1

"I wonder what we'll find," Conan mused as they tramped through the tall grass.

Sara snorted. "There's only Pidgey and Rattata here. Not much of a choice."

"Yeah, but still," Conan pressed. "We're gonna get our first teammate!"

Sara patted him on the head. The two walked on until….

"Ah-ha!" Conan exclaimed. "There's a Pidgey! Let's get it!"

Conan leaped towards the startled Pidgey, who immediately tried to take flight. Conan knocked it down with a swipe.

"Quick! While it's stunned!" Sara threw a Poke ball and the Pidgey was engulfed in a red light.

"Did we get it?" Conan said excitedly.

"I think so."

Sara walked over and picked up the Poke ball.

The Pidgey appeared in a flash of light. It looked at them irritatedly.

"Hmm. So you're my trainer now, huh? I was careless. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to catch me."

Sara nodded indulgently. Conan grinned his toothy grin. "I'm Conan, and this is our trainer, Sara! What's your name?"

The Pidgey didn't say anything, and for a second Sara was afraid he might rebel. But then he smirked.

"You might as well know…..I'm Mozart."

XXX

Well? How was it? Reviews would be greatly appreciated. GREATLY. The more reviews, the more I'm inspired to write.

(Mozart, lv 3. Hardy Nature)