Been posting these chapters up on Deviantart, but saw others have posted their chapters here as well and wanted to share here as well.
This is based on the first time I started a Nuzlocke, but after a while, I wanted to improve it and here I am.
I will give warning that there will be some mature content from language to violence in future chapters. If that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, I suggest leaving now before it happens.
So without further ado, I'll post the rules for those unfamiliar with Nuzlockes:
1. Nickname all caught Pokémon
2. One Pokémon per area
a. Miss it, no second chance
3. No duplicates
4. Legendaries "may" be caught
5. No items during any battle
6. Revives and rare candies are banned
7. If the Pokémon faints, it's considered dead and must be boxed/released
8. If all Pokémon faint, it's game over
With that done, hope you enjoy.
A young girl no older than thirteen made her way up to a building.
She wore a light blue hooded sweatshirt, with blue jeans and a pair of sneakers. Her black hair shaped her face nicely, complimenting her green eyes and tanned skin.
Reaching the door, she twisted the handle and went inside without needing to knock or wait for permission. She was expected to come by and was free to walk in.
Going inside, she took in the sights of the tall bookshelves filled not only with books but various pictures and knickknacks from the owner's younger days. She loved listening to the stories behind each one.
On several tables were littered with various papers, mostly research notes judging the numbers and equations. She barely had a clue what they meant, a few things making sense, the rest going over her head.
Going further in, more towards the back of the room, she stopped by a bookshelf when seeing a man standing there. She gave it a light knock to make herself known.
"Professor Oak?"
He turned when hearing her, a large smile forming. "Alex, I'm glad you're here. I hadn't seen you the last few days. I was worried you wouldn't show up today."
He walked over; giving her a strong hug, the young girl returning the favor.
Professor Oak had brown hair, a little gray starting to form. Like his hair, his face was beginning to show his age. He wore a white lab coat with a yellow t-shirt underneath. He had on brown lacks and similarly colored shoes.
The girl, Alex, gave the man a nervous smile as she toyed with the corner of her hoodie. "Sorry about that, since my mom had broken her leg, I've been helping her out with most of the chores."
"That makes sense; I hope she's doing better."
"She's starting too. Plus she has her Pokémon to help her out with anything I can't do."
"Well, when you return home, be sure to send my regards to your mother. And if she needs any help, don't hesitate to ask me or Anne."
"I will, Professor, thank you."
"Thought I heard you," a voice spoke up.
"Hey, Azure," she greeted a boy happily.
"Hey, Alex," he answered with the same enthusiasm.
The boy was about her age, only he was a couple years younger than her.
He was dressed mostly in blue, given it's his favorite color. Like the professor that stood with them, he had brown hair, only a bit darker and a little more unkempt.
"So, Dad what'd you want us for?" the boy asked.
At this, the professor couldn't hold back a wide grin, "Remember the Pokémon I told you I ordered? Well, they've finally arrived."
"You're kidding? Really?" Azure asked, practically bouncing in excitement.
"Yes, really," the older man laughed. "Now, I still need to do a last physical to make sure they're in top health. I should be done by tonight, so the two of you can come by tomorrow morning to pick one."
"Guess that makes sense," the boy sighed as he stretched himself. "But that isn't the only thing you called us out here, isn't it?"
"Perceptive as always," Oak laughed, patting his child on the head. "There were a few things I also wanted to mention. Things the school could have left out or not talked much about when you two went there."
"What could they have left out though?" Alex asked, concern showing.
"Nothing serious I would hope," the professor reassured. "To start off, I'm certain both of you understand that there are risks being a trainer. You could get yourselves hurt if you're not careful just as much as your Pokémon can."
"They covered some, mostly how to do basic first aid if we hurt ourselves and we're not near a Pokémon Center," Azure chimed in.
"That's good to hear, though I don't think you two would be in too much danger even as beginners. Between here and Vermilion City is rather straightforward. Plus there are rangers and police often patrolling forests and such. So if you were in trouble, you can be certain to find them or have your Pokémon find one for you if you couldn't move for any reason."
"That's good to know," Alex smiled before it faded slightly. "Umm… Professor? Could I ask you something?"
"Certainly, Alex, what's wrong?"
"Well, I wanted to know… How likely is it for a Pokémon to die? Mom said it can happen but not to worry, but…"
Oak gave her a comforting look, giving her a pat on the shoulder, "I understand your concerns, it's perfectly normal to worry. Come on, why don't we sit down?"
Oak guided the two towards some chairs, fetching themselves some tea before he began his explanation.
"To start things off, your mother is right. While Pokémon could potentially die on your journey, you shouldn't stress yourself out over it. Modern medicine has come a long way to treat Pokémon. It helps keep them strong and healthy, curing most injuries and ailments. Now that doesn't mean they'll miraculously heal, especially over a serious injury or any illness they may have caught. They need time to recover even after given medicine."
"It'd be like taking cold medicine. It doesn't always work right away or you need to give it time to go through your system completely before running around," Azure said, his father giving him a smile.
"That's correct. However, as I said, modern medicine's come a long way. It's harder for Pokémon to die so long as they're brought to a Pokémon Center quickly enough. Any that do die though are often from certain diseases we've yet to find cures or treatments for as well as old age."
"What about battles though?" Azure interrupted.
"Thankfully for you two, there are laws where trainers could face fines if they were to kill another trainer's Pokémon, including wild ones. The exception to it though is if it was done out of self-defense. Just be aware that even with laws in place, it doesn't mean everyone will follow them, especially wild Pokémon. There are species out there that are aggressive, so you need to be careful around them."
"That's actually a bit of a relief to hear," Alex sighed, a small smile forming. "I was worried for a moment because I don't want anything bad to happen to any Pokémon I get."
"I know the feeling," Oak comforted as he poured themselves more tea. "Is there anything else either of you wanted to ask?"
"I wanted to ask you about pokéballs. I heard a few of my classmates talking about different grades," Azure piped up.
"Good question," he smiled. "Right now, there's a limit on what kind of pokéballs certain class of trainers may carry. As you'll be beginners, you'll only have access to standard pokéballs. Once you've trained for some time, you could apply to have access to higher grades such as great balls and ultra balls."
"I don't remember the teacher ever saying anything like that before."
"Same."
Oak gave a small chuckle, "It's often overlooked as it's constantly switching from barring new trainers using them or not."
"How come?" Alex asked.
"There have been some cases where trainers get cocky and try to tackle something they aren't ready for. Usually, this is a Pokémon that is too strong for them like a Rydon or a Tauros. Trainers forget this when they get higher grades of pokéballs, thinking that's all they need to catch them."
"I'm guessing they and their Pokémon get badly hurt?" Azure asked.
"I'm afraid so. Last year there were at least ten deaths from novice trainers who've tried catching a Pokémon too much for theirs to handle."
"If it's to keep them from doing something stupid, I have no complaints. A pokéball is a pokéball, having a standard one just means I have to work harder to weaken it. And to do that is to make sure my Pokémon are strong enough to do so," Azure grinned.
"I'm glad to hear that. It's good to use your head," Oak chuckled, ruffling his son's hair much to the boy's embarrassment.
"Dad!" he pouted, trying to fix his hair back up. "Speaking of Pokémon, is it okay if we see the starters?"
"I'm sorry, Azure, but I can't," Oak apologized. "They're pretty tired from a long trip and need their rest."
"Alright," his son sighed, sipping his tea.
"You heard your dad, we'll see them tomorrow. Also, I heard from some townspeople talking about you being on TV, is that right?"
"Guess word's spread pretty quickly," Oak laughed, a blush forming. "I'll be doing a small interview for tomorrow to discuss the beginnings of starter Pokémon being handed out here. You two will get first pick. The other candidates will come by in later months to get their own once more come in."
"What about the third Pokémon though?"
"I've got a trainer in mind who might be interested after you've picked yours. And if turns out he doesn't want whatever is left, then I'll look for another who would. Now, with these Pokémon, as you've heard, they're rare. Finding one in the wild is very difficult, almost impossible. Because of this, I expect both of you to take good care of them."
"Of course, Professor," Alex smiled before continuing. "Even if they weren't special, I'd still love whatever I got. Just the idea of traveling is great, better with having a partner."
"Same here," Azure grinned.
"I'm glad to hear that from both of you," the professor smiled. "Pokémon are very precious to us. They protect us from harm, lending their strength when needed. It's our job to take care of them so their efforts aren't wasted and they know they're appreciated."
"You tell me that every day," Azure teased, making his father laugh in response.
"I suppose I do sometimes sound like a broken record," he responded, a blush having formed before getting serious again. "But I do mean what I said. Just because you're given a Pokémon or even capture one doesn't mean you've earned its trust. It's a give and take relationship. Both sides need to give their all if they intend to work together."
"Sounds a little like friends, it isn't one-sided," Alex commented.
"Same with relationships, like you and Mom," Azure added.
"That's a good comparison," he laughed warmly.
They sat and talked some more, questions asked here and there, but mostly having fun at this point; the serious portion is now done.
When it was getting later, Oak got up, taking their cups and the pot to the small sink to clean them later. Afterward, he led them to the front doors, hands on their shoulders.
"Don't stay up too late, you two, it's going to be a big day," he teased, looking more towards his son. "And make sure you've packed all that you'll need for your trip. Be sure to pack only the essentials."
"I will," Alex grinned.
"Same, plus Mom would kill me if I waited until the last minute," Azure laughed nervously.
"She certainly knows how to get things moving," Oak chuckled, looking nervous as well when thinking of his wife.
"See you at home, Dad," Azure waved as the two started to leave.
"Bye, Professor," Alex copied.
Oak smiled as he waved back before heading inside.
Now that they were back outside in the fresh, afternoon air, the kids took it in. The warm sun felt great despite how hot it became.
With summer having officially arrived less than a week ago, it was the perfect time, the perfect season for new trainers to start.
"Hey, Azure?"
"What is it?"
Both were wandering around, having no reason to go home just yet. There was still a fair amount of light left.
They walked through town, coming across a small battle area trainers would do practice battles. It was currently occupied by some trainers battling each other. One guy had a Chansey out while another was battling with an Arbok.
Both watched in amazement as the Pokémon fought each other with vigor, excitement, and joy shining in their eyes as it did with their trainers.
"Are you nervous about becoming a Pokémon trainer?" Alex asked suddenly as they continued watching.
The Chansey had lost, the trainer recalling her with a reassuring smile, likely telling the ball she did well. He threw out another ball, calling out a Vaporeon. The other trainer recalled his Arbok, switching for a Haunter.
"No way!" he exclaimed proudly, the girl elbowing him, making him give a sheepish look. "Okay, yeah, I'm a little nervous about traveling."
"Same here, but at the same time, I'm really excited."
"I know what you mean. To think we'll get to travel and explore all over. We'll get to see all sorts of Pokémon, battle different trainers all over, and best of all, catch our own."
As they talked, the trainers that had been battling finished. The trainer with the Chansey and Vaporeon managed to win, albeit it was very close. The two men, however, seemed to be good friends by the way they talked afterward. They continued talking as they walked off to heal their partners up.
"By the way, which starter are you thinking of picking?" Alex asked as they decided to wander some more.
"I'm not too sure, torn between Charmander and Squirtle. Bulbasaur's cool too; guess I'm not really going to know until tomorrow when we see them. What about you? What are you thinking of picking?"
"I'm having trouble choosing between Charmander and Bulbasaur. They're both really great looking Pokémon from what I've heard. And their evolutions look really amazing on TV. I bet they'd look better in person."
"What about Squirtle?"
"They're cute, but I can't really see myself raising one as my first Pokémon. Maybe down the road if I came across a wild one I might try."
"Huh? Guess that'd make sense, but you never know. You could see Squirtle and feel a connection with it," Azure mused. "That's what Dad told me how he felt when he got his very first Pokémon."
"That's true," Alex smiled, clasping her hands behind her back, gazing at the sky. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the younger boy started talking again. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"Welcome back from space," he teased, ignoring the pout she made. "I asked why you were thinking of maybe getting a Charmander. Not a lot of girls pick fire types unless it's a Vulpix or maybe a Flareon for their Eevee."
"Well, Charmander are really cute for starters," Alex giggled.
"Point taken, but I doubt that's all."
"Nope, I also think Charmeleon's cute too, but they're also really strong. But my favorite is Charizard. They're so majestic looking, like something you'd see a knight or king with, either riding or fighting alongside them."
"That's really cool. You know, I remember my dad once saying something about Charizard being a family crest or something for a noble family. Don't know if such a family still exists or not, but it's cool to think it might or even had existed at one point."
"Oh wow, really? That's so cool!"
"I know," Azure grinned. "But even without that, Charizard are still cool Pokémon given they look like dragons."
"Maybe that's why they were picked for a noble crest?"
"Probably."
Alex was about to say something before remembering something, causing her to fish through the pocket of her hoodie.
Azure looked at her with a raised brow, watching as she pulled out a couple of potions.
"I know we're going to be essentially rivals, but I thought to give you these," the girl offered, handing them over.
"Are you sure?"
"I am, don't worry. My mom and I had been out shopping and I wanted to get you something for tomorrow."
"This is awesome, thanks," Azure grinned as he accepted them. "Hey, how about I tell you something cool I heard about at school."
"What is it?"
"It's about the Viridian Forest."
"What about the forest?"
"I heard some of the other kids talking about how some saw or heard of someone talking about seeing a weird colored Pokémon."
"Weird colored?"
"Yeah, supposedly it's a Pokémon whose colors are off. I don't know if that's true or if possible."
"Maybe it's some kind of change in the color of their fur or skin? Not every Pokémon's going to look the same," Alex suggested.
"Maybe, it would make the most sense. But the way they were going on about it, it didn't sound normal. I tried asking, but they didn't know what the Pokémon is. The most I got was that it was native to the Viridian Forest."
"Weird, have you asked your dad about it?"
"Not yet, I wanted to try and find out more about it first. You know, make sure it's real and not some made up story being spread around Viridian City."
"What will you do if it's real?"
"If it isn't too strong, I was thinking I might try to catch it."
"Somehow I'm not surprised," Alex laughed.
"This is going to be so awesome though. I think I'm more pumped about catching Pokémon than anything."
"That's really…" the girl paused, recalling something that made her frown. "Azure, don't you remember about the new law?"
The boy stopped in his tracks as it dawned on him, his smile fading as well. "Right…"
Both recalled hearing on the news recently as well as overhearing various gossip in town, mostly from trainers passing through about a new law. It had just been approved within the last couple months by the board members of the Pokémon League and legalized by a group of judges.
It was a capture restriction on all trainers, specifically novice and beginners like themselves. A handful had been exempted due to a specific profession that required them to catch multiple Pokémon daily.
The reason for the restriction had been due to an increase in poaching from various hunters and Team Rocket, the latter especially. Certain species were hit hard, their numbers dangerously low. They were mostly rarer or unique species often coveted by collectors.
With this law in effect, trainers couldn't freely catch any Pokémon that they saw. Instead, they were bound to catching only one per area, notably ones listed on maps. Trainers also couldn't catch multiple Pokémon of the same species, including their evolutions.
To ensure trainers wouldn't break the law, accidentally or not, pokéballs now had a program in them to register where a Pokémon is caught. How exactly it worked, neither child knows and doubted they'd understand if they tried seeking the answer out. Pokéballs that didn't have that feature were to be traded in for the newer models. If they didn't, they would face a penalty if caught with them.
However, there were a few exceptions made, namely for trainers who wish to specialize in raising specific types or a specific species of Pokémon.
These trainers would have to undergo a screening and fill out paperwork in order to receive a secondary license. It would act as proof that they're allowed to catch multiples in an area as well as species should trainers or police question them.
It would limit only to their main type and limit how often they can go out to catch Pokémon. They would be given a set number of pokéballs each month programmed to their profession. If they lose them, they would have to pay the fees to replace it, having them broken or destroyed didn't count.
They would then have to proceed to fill out forms at the end of each month, providing information on the Pokémon they've caught and where. This way they could continue getting more pokéballs or be notified they couldn't catch anymore in that area thus would have to move on or wait until allowed.
Simply remembering all of that made Alex's head spin, certain Azure feels the same.
Part of her wished she had been born a few years sooner when the law wasn't in effect when the poaching hadn't become such a problem.
The positive thing she has going for herself is having not chosen to raise any specific types or select species of Pokémon. She planned to raise whatever she caught to the best of her ability. She felt it would be her best choice so when she's older, she could think about whether she wants to raise a specific type or not.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Azure started talking, wearing a cheeky grin, "Hey, at least we're being allowed to pick whatever we want. We don't have to get stuck catching the first thing we see or forced to skip an entire area because of the same species."
"That's true," she agreed, relieved by that. "Although, I won't be surprised if they did add such a feature if this were to happen again."
"Let's hope not," the boy sighed, choosing to change the topic. "Let's just hope that rumor about the weird colored Pokémon is true. It really sounds cool. I'd love to see it."
"Me too."
"Would you catch it if you saw it?"
"I don't know. I guess it would depend on what it is. I don't want to catch it just solely for its looks."
"Yeah, guess that's true," Azure laughed. "But if it is indeed real and it's wild, should we want it, may the best trainer catch it." He held his hand out, the girl taking it as they shook.
"Okay then," Alex smiled. "So what next?"
"How about some ice cream? We're not far from the parlor," Azure suggested.
"Good idea!"
Both ran towards the shop, having to wait in line for a bit before their turn came up. That was fine by them, it gave them time to not only count their change but decide what flavors and toppings they wanted.
Once procuring their treats, they found a bench to sit with some decent shade.
"By the way, my dad is supposed to get a new assistant working in the lab. He's supposed to be from Johto."
"Johto? That's really cool."
"Yeah and get this, he's only a few years older than us. I think his name was Nicholas Elm or something. He's supposed to be really smart."
"How do you know?"
"I saw a letter that was from Johto and asked Dad about it. He told me that he actually hired this Elm guy to work for him as well as give extra tutoring in whatever he wanted. Supposedly he wants to become the lead professor for Johto."
"Oh wow, that's quite a dream to achieve," Alex awed.
"I bet, but knowing Dad, he'll help him succeed," Azure stated proudly. "But I'm willing to bet he's doing it because he's had board members bug him about being the lead professor for Johto and Kanto."
"That might be too much for him."
"That's what I think."
Finishing up their cones and looking at the clock tower, both knew they should head home so they can get ready.
"I'll see ya later, Alex!" Azure called as they parted ways.
"See you tomorrow!" she called back.
Like the boy, she broke into a run, her house not far. Reaching the front door, she stopped to unlock it and go inside.
"I'm home!" she greeted while taking her shoes off at the mat.
"In here, honey," a woman called out.
Alex immediately went to the source, finding her mother sitting on the sofa; cast covered leg propped on pillows.
"Hi, Mom, how was your day?"
"Little boring, but could be worse," the woman shrugged. "Thankfully Butterfree helped me get a few things I needed."
Alex held back a smirk when spotting a crumpled potato chip bag stuffed behind a pillow. "Needed huh?"
Her mother pouted before it quickly faded into a smile, "So how did things go?"
"It went great. Professor Oak told us the starter Pokémon finally arrived, he's just doing one last checkup before he lets us pick."
"Same old Sammy," her mother laughed warmly. "The man simply loves Pokémon so much. I swear he sees them as extended family."
"But that's what makes him so great."
"Too true, so is there anything else?"
"Just to be careful, make sure were know the current laws that would heavily affect us. The lesser ones we don't have to worry about since we'll be newbies."
"And he wouldn't expect you to remember everything without carrying several law books," her mother joked.
"Yeah," Alex laughed. "He also told us to make sure we get to bed early so we could be up early and we have everything packed."
"Good thing I got that new bag before I broke this." She gestured to her leg just as a Butterfree fluttered in, landing on the back of the sofa. "Hey, Butterfree."
"Ree?" it cocked its head to the side before noticing Alex. "Ree! Brrree!"
"Happy to see you too," the girl greeted as she leaned over to scratch its head. Turning back to her mom, she gave her a smile. "I really can't thank you enough though for the bag. I'm making sure to pack only what I need to reach Viridian City."
"That's good to hear. And you're good on money?"
"Been saving up since Azure graduated."
"Glad to hear."
"By the way, do you know when Dad's coming home?"
"Not for another couple of months I'm afraid," her mother said sadly. "He really wanted to come home to see you off."
"I know, it sucks he had to get called out now," Alex sighed with a thin smile.
They talked some more, later turning the TV on to watch Oak's first televised debut on the introduction of starter Pokémon at his lab.
As it got closer to dinner, Alex looked at the floor, insecurity starting to set in.
"Mom? Do you think I'll be a good trainer? Like you and Dad?"
"Of course you will, sweetie, maybe even better than us. We taught you everything we know and with Sam's help, got you enrolled in a wonderful school. He even let you and Azure help look after Rattata and Pidgey he had for his studies."
"That was a lot of fun to learn about differences between the same species of Pokémon," Alex said.
"I'm sure it was," her mother smiled. "But more importantly, you have a big heart. That will mean a lot to the Pokémon you meet."
"Thank you," the girl said, giving her mother a hug after twisting around to do so. "There was something else I wanted to ask."
"What is it?"
"Well… I was thinking about taking the Pokémon League Challenge. I've been seeing a lot of ads on TV and off the radio. I even heard a lot of trainers passing through town that they were thinking of signing up."
"Really?" her mother asked, excitement shining in her eyes.
"I thought that it might be fun to try," Alex said, blushing. "I know it'll be hard work and there's going to be a lot of trainers to face, especially the gym leaders and if I'm lucky, the Indigo Plateau Conference."
"Not gonna try going for the Elite Four?" her mother teased.
"I don't think I'd get that far, but it would be cool if I did," Alex said a nervous smile forming before turning more confident. "But that doesn't mean I won't give it my all!"
"That's the spirit! Even if you don't get far, it's still worth trying."
"You think so?"
"Of course it is. Even if it turns out challenging gyms isn't your thing, by doing them, you'll get to see different people. You could find something you really enjoy and want to pursue as a future career."
"That's a really cool idea to think about," Alex beamed as she started to get up. "I'll get dinner started."
"Once you're gone, I'm gonna have to get used to ordering takeout until this cast is gone," her mother joked.
"That's right, Professor Oak said that if you ever needed help, don't hesitate to ask him or Mrs. Oak."
"The man can barely cook!" she barked out laughing.
Alex was giggling as she walked into the kitchen, pulling pans and ingredients out to start cooking.
"This is probably the last time I'll get to make food like this for a while," she said to herself as she chopped vegetables.
That was one of the things her father insisted on teaching so she would know how to recognize certain edible vegetation. He also insisted that she try to keep the book he gave her for her birthday on hand to use as a reference.
He's gotta be so proud of her right now, wishing he could have been here to see her off with her mother.
After dinner and cleaning up, Alex started going through her bag to make sure she had everything she needed.
Once she was done, she climbed into bed, both excited and scared for tomorrow.
Alex - Pokémon 0 - Badges 0 - Deaths 0
I've finally come up with a real name for this run than calling it Nuzlocke Blue solely, though I guess there's always room for improvement.
While a Nuzlocke, I have this set in the "anime" verse. However, it is set about 20 years before Ash's timeline. Due to this, many familiar characters will be younger or not added depending on their age or what could be their age if not noted.
For gym leaders, those that wouldn't be around in some manner would be replaced with a different character, prior gym leader(s) if existing or an OC to fit the proper roles. (Help with their ages would be very appreciated)
Those who don't have a known surname or proper first name, I picked what looked common or seemed suitable. The names could change if I learn the actual names or a better one shows up.
If you enjoyed this, please leave a review and any helpful critique that may better improve the writing.
