Based off of Ferngirl's Path of the Chosen 1: A Beginning story
Twelve years old, and I finally passed the trainer's test. No more school for me! It had almost killed me, waiting for my birthday so I could take the test to train pokemon. But here I was, finally out of school and ready to get my first pokemon from Professor Oak. I tossed my blonde hair out of my face, my dad's zubat tangling in my hair. The blind bat squeaked in discomfort. I reached back, rubbing his head apologetically. Weepinbell, hanging from my arm, rumbled softly in agreement. He belonged to my mom. Both of them always walked with me to school, an extra layer of protection. I didn't mind. It was fun hanging out with them.
I still had to wait another week before I could actually get a pokemon. Living in Aqua Town sucked sometimes. It was just a small little town a short distance from Pallet, barely even on the map, but still close enough to travel there to get a starter from. At least I had the gift Ben gave me. I rubbed my hand absently over the empty pokeball my best friend had given me. He might not be as crazy about pokemon as I am, but he certainly knew me well. He'd put up with me working on memorizing all 149 pokemon in Kanto, and chattering away about who I would want on my team. It was because of him I was waiting another week, as he still had a week to go before his birthday to take the qualifying test. Not that I doubted he'd pass it.
Daydreaming about who I'd finally choose, I almost didn't notice the voices until I was right on top of them. Startled, I looked around, no one in sight. They must have been on the other side of the bushes I'd been walking past. Why would anyone go into that old field? It was rusty, and a nasty nest of rattatas had moved in there. They had bit a couple people who'd disturbed them. My curiosity getting the better of me once more as I slipped around to a gap in the bushes and looked through. It was probably nothing, some idiots getting in a fight from the sound of it, but I couldn't resist looking.
There were idiots in a fight alright, but it wasn't a fair one. A raticate, beedrill, and spearow were all ganging up on a spindly ponyta. Three ugly boys about two years older than me were commanding them to attack. I could clearly see that the ponyta was favoring its left foreleg, yet the boys weren't stopping. A broken scream ripped from the young pokemon's throat as the spearow dived in, narrowly dodging a hoof strike.
"Hey! Let that pokemon go!" The three boys turned around and stared at me. Was that me? That was...foolish. I mean, it wasn't right to let them keep bullying the ponyta, but they were older than me, and I had no pokemon besides my family's pets. Sure I used them in practice battles sometimes, but that wasn't the same as a real pokemon battle. Still, I'd spoken out now, and I couldn't just walk away and let them continue hurting the poor ponyta.
"This is none of your business pipsqueak. Leave," the biggest boy ordered. I gulped, but straightened up. I wouldn't back down, not before bullies like this. Desperately I looked at the ponyta. The beedrill dove in, stinging its flank. The ponyta screamed again, trying to fall back. What could I do? I could order zubat and weepinbell to attack, but it would still be unfair with the ponyta badly weakened. I couldn't defeat their pokemon and hope the ponyta wouldn't collapse from the poison in bedrill's stinger while I tried to defend it. Absently, I stroked the empty pokeball Ben had given me trying to think.
Wait. That was it. They couldn't hurt the ponyta if it was captured, and it was surely weakened enough by now to not be able to break free! As soon as the thought was in my head I had thrown the capsule at the ponyta. Thankfully my years of fantasizing had paid off, letting me catch the pokeball perfectly after the ponyta was sucked in.
"Hey! Give that to us, now!" The leader of the group ordered furiously. I clutched the small pokeball tightly and shook my head. He scowled.
"I'm not sure you understand. Give us the pokeball, and we won't use our pokemon on you. Got it?" Glancing at the pokemon now turning their attention to me with their previous target gone, I gulped. Still, I couldn't just give up.
"Zubat, supersonic! Weepinbell, vinewhip!" Zubat immediately released a high pitched attack that left my ears ringing slightly. At least I was behind him and didn't get the worst of it. Dizzy, the pokemon stumbled back into their masters, pushed further by the vinewhip. I turned and ran then, Zubat and Weepinbell right on my heels. Perhaps I should have stayed and fought, but I had two pokemon to their three, and zubat wasn't a fighter. Their attacks had earned me the time necessary to get out of there though, and lickety split I was racing down the street to the local pokemon center, desperate to get help for the ponyta.
Bursting in I held out the pokeball I'd caught the ponyta in. "I need help! Three boys were beating up this ponyta, it needs help." Nurse Joy quickly stepped out from behind the desk.
"Oh dear. I'll go take care of it immediately. Wait right here. I promise your pokemon will be just fine." I blinked. My pokemon? Zubat nuzzled into my hair as I blinked, bright blue eyes wide with shock. That was right. I'd caught the ponyta with the pokeball Ben gave me. If someone else had owned it my plan wouldn't have worked. I felt a little foolish, realizing that my entire rescue plan had hinged on something I had no idea would work or not, but the ponyta was mine now.
Realizing I was way late heading home I walked over to the phone and called home. My mom picked up quickly.
"Cara! Where are you? The pokemon center? What are you doing there?" she said in rapid succession, no room for me to jump in. Grinning I shrugged.
"I caught my first pokemon. It's pretty injured, so I need to heal it up before I come home." Mom frowned in surprise.
"Your first pokemon? How? I thought you were waiting for Ben to get your starter?"
"It's a long story." I explained what had happened over the phone while I waited for Nurse Joy to finish working on my ponyta. Once I was finished my mom agreed to come over with Dad to pick me and my new pokemon up once it was completely healed. She also told me to tell the police what had happened. If there were pokemon abusers in the area they'd want to know.
I dialed the police and shyly told them my story. They thanked me for my time and told me they'd be on the lookout for the three boys I'd described. Once I'd hung up I saw Nurse Joy come back out.
"How's my ponyta?" I asked. It felt odd to refer to it that way. My first pokemon, and it wasn't even one of the normal starters! It felt so surreal. Nurse Joy smiled.
"She's going to be just fine. We've cured her of her poisoning, and most of the other injuries she had. The biggest worry is that leg of hers. She'll stay overnight so we can continue monitoring it. You should be able to pick her up in the morning if all goes well."
"Can I see her?" Nurse Joy nodded.
"She's still asleep, but you can check in on her if you'd like." I nodded eagerly and followed her to the back room. The young ponyta looked so small on the table, covered in blankets with her leg still kept in a cast to help it heal properly. I ran my hand over her pearly fur, slightly in awe.
"She's going to be just fine," Nurse Joy reassured me. I smiled at her.
"Can I wait here until my parents come?" I asked.
"I don't see any reason why not," she replied.
"Thanks." Settling into my chair I studied my ponyta. I was going to have to name her. I wondered what she'd be like. Would she be friendly? Bold? Perhaps she would be skittish, and I'd have to gentle her. I drifted off, imagining the powerful bond that would form, and what it would be like traveling the world with her at my side.