"Thank you, Professor Rowan!" another happy new Trainer exclaimed. His chosen starter Pokémon, Chimchar, grinned widely as he was held in his Trainer's arms.
The professor nodded. "Of course," he replied. He waved goodbye as the Trainer left. Then he turned to us, the two starters who hadn't been chosen.
Again.
Piplup, who had been here for two months and had five Trainers pass him by, and me, who had been here for half a year.
I had lost count of all of the Trainers I had seen.
"Don't worry, you two, someone will come by eventually," Rowan assured us.
Piplup nodded, but I did nothing. It wasn't that I had given up on the prospect of being owned, but I was tired of hearing him reassure that someone would come by. The professor meant well. He was a nice guy, albeit a little gruff, but still nice.
But him saying that all of the time... Those words had kind of lost meaning for me.
"Do you really think someone will pick us?" Piplup asked later that day while we were eating.
I lifted my head from my bowl and looked at him. "I guarantee someone will pick you next time," I told him.
Piplup frowned. "You don't believe they'll pick you?"
"Piplup, I've been here for half a year," I explained. "The professor and the researchers keep saying no Pokémon has ever stayed that long."
"But there are people out there who like Turtwigs," Piplup stated.
"Just as long as it isn't me," I sighed.
"Why? You're calm and gentle like every other Turtwig."
"I'm also more aggressive. I like to fight. People who are looking for a Turtwig don't want that."
The penguin looked down, then back up. "Maybe there's someone who would prefer that," he voiced.
I ate some of my food. "Maybe," I agreed.
Truth be told, that was the longest time between when I met a starter Pokémon and when I explained to them why I was never picked. Usually the others would ask after the second Trainer, but Piplup seemed to be a bit less curious. He was a little different for a Piplup, just as how I was a little different. He was a little less proud and more levelheaded, though he was still a Piplup. I chuckled at his proud moments, probably because they were rare, but they got him into more trouble than the Piplups I had known before.
"When do you think they'll get the new Chimchar?" Piplup wondered.
Speak of meeting new starters...
I tilted my head, thinking. "Hmm... I don't know," I answered. "The professor hasn't said anything about it, so I know just as much as you." Piplup nodded.
It turns out that the new Chimchar arrived at the end of the week. And this one was a female. "Hello," she chirped when she met us. She sounded young.
"Hello," we greeted.
"I hope we can become really great friends!" she exclaimed.
Of course, I wasn't so sure about that. Chimchar would probably get picked up rather quickly like many of the Chimchars before her. "I hope so, too," Piplup agreed. "But there's no way to guarantee, since Chimchars are popular."
The new chimp smiled. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere for a while," she stated.
"How do you know for sure?" I asked.
"The professor said so," Chimchar explained. "I'm too young, and usually the professor wouldn't take someone as young as me. But the ranch I was at was getting too crowded with too many different types of Pokémon, so he took me to clear up space."
We stared at her, not believing this. That meant Piplup and I would technically be the only starters until whenever Professor Rowan said Chimchar was old enough. We actually had a chance.
Unfortunately, fate had a funny way of toying with us. For an entire month, not a single new Trainer walked through those automatic doors. On one hand, that was beyond aggravating. Here Piplup and I were, with an actual shot for once, and no one wanted to be a Trainer. A very small part of me also thought that if a Trainer did walk into the lab, they would choose Piplup over me anyway.
But those two thoughts were massively outweighed by the time I spent with the other starters. I mean, I had made friends with the other Piplups and Chimchars before, but not like this. It was fun, and we actually learned about where each of us came from. Piplup was the most normal out of all of us, coming from a breeding ground designed to breed starters. Chimchar was from a ranch that bred all sorts of Pokémon and even held Pokémon for certain Trainers. But I was very different.
"My parents were actually owned by Nick," I explained.
"You mean one of the professor's assistants?" Chimchar clarified. "That Nick?"
I nodded, and their mouths flew open. "He was finishing up his journey and wanted to become the professor's assistant, but before he did I was hatched. He wanted to train me a bit, and so he did, but just a little. We traveled from outside the Oreburgh Gate, through Jubilife City, and then here to Sandgem Town. And when we got here, Professor Rowan was in need of a Turtwig, so Nick offered that I could be an option."
They breathed out in awe. "So that's why you like to battle?" Piplup asked. I nodded.
"Turtwig!" Chimchar exclaimed. "Can you battle me?"
I looked at her. "I... Um... I don't know if we're allowed," I answered. Her face fell.
"Hey, you three," Nick called out. We turned to the young blond-haired researcher. "How are you guys doing today?" We cheered in response, and then Chimchar started chattering at him, miming a fight between her and I. "You want to battle Turtwig?" Chimchar nodded enthusiastically. Nick looked at me. "Do you want to battle?" I shrugged. "Very well." He smiled. "Then are you ready to begin?"
We went into position. Nick and Piplup sat in the grass, watching us. Chimchar smiled. "May I go first?" I nodded. "Okay then, I'll start with Leer!"
Her eyes glowed red and she glared, and I knew my defense dropped. To counter I used Withdraw, and my defense was back to the way it was. I then charged, using Tackle, and Chimchar went flying back. Then I followed up with a Razor Leaf, keeping her up in the air. Once the leaves subsided she flopped onto the grass. She picked herself up slowly.
"Heh heh, you're good," she complimented. "But I'm not going to give up that easily!"
She jumped to me and started using Scratch. I dodged, and she did get one swipe on me, but to that I countered with Tackle, and she flew back again.
"Chimchar, I think it's time to take a break," I told her as she slowly picked herself up.
Chimchar looked at me, and then Nick said the same exact thing. So she gave in and nodded in agreement. Then she smiled.
"Wow, Turtwig, that was amazing!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, Turtwig, you were really good," Piplup agreed as he ran over to us.
"You've been practicing, haven't you, buddy?" Nick asked with a smile. I chuckled and nodded.
Two weeks flew by, and finally a Trainer came. When she was told there wasn't a Chimchar available, she looked really sad. But then she saw Piplup and her eyes lit up.
"I want the Piplup!" she declared.
Her older sister and traveling partner chuckled. "So that's the Pokémon you want?" the older girl inquired.
"Yeah!" the girl shouted.
Piplup looked very excited, but just before his new Trainer picked him up, he held out a fin to stop her. He walked over to me and gave me a hug.
"I'm really going to miss you," he said.
"Me too," I agreed. I could hear Chimchar whimper at Piplup's departure.
"Don't worry, Turtwig, someone will come, I promise," Piplup assured.
I smiled. "Don't worry about me," I told him.
Chimchar ran up to Piplup and hugged him. "B-bye Piplup," she sniffled.
Piplup chuckled. "Maybe we'll see each other again," he offered.
I nodded. "I would like that," Chimchar voiced.
The two girls enjoyed the scene and let us have the time we needed. And when we were done, Piplup's Trainer picked him up, smiled as the two of us, and the girls left.
"Is this...what it's like every time?" the young chimp asked.
"...A little," I answered honestly.
A few weeks passed once more where no Trainers showed up and, strangely enough, no new Piplups either. It was just Chimchar and I for weeks on end. And then, after my tenth month at the lab began, a new Trainer appeared. It was a boy once more, and of course he wanted Chimchar. I wasn't surprised, but she was. And she protested against it.
"No, no!" she cried. She pointed to me. "Take Turtwig, take Turtwig!" She kept chanting that over and over frantically.
The boy blinked. "You...want me to take Turtwig?" he asked.
"YES!" she shouted.
Professor Rowan looked at the boy. "That Turtwig has been here for a while," he explained. The new Trainer made eye contact with the older male. "It's quite the fighter."
Now the boy made eye contact with me. "Wow, that's pretty cool," he stated. "But I just don't want a Turtwig."
Chimchar looked crushed. "Chimchar, it's fine, really," I assured her.
"No, no it's not!" she argued. "You've been here for ten months! That's not fair! Not to mention you'll be all alone!"
"Chimchar," I began, "he wants you as a partner. I know you're upset, but do you want to force something on him that he doesn't want?" I smiled. "And I know you want to travel as well. So don't give up your chance just so I can be happy, and possibly be the only one. I'll be fine, I promise."
My friend seemed to feel better but she was still upset. "Don't give up, Turtwig," she advised. "There's someone out there who wants you and needs you, I can feel it. So don't lose hope. Promise me?"
I nodded. "I promise."
The Trainer picked up the chimp. "I'm sorry, Turtwig," he apologized. "But I'm sure there's a Trainer out there who will come to pick you up in no time."
I smiled, and he seemed less guilty. He walked towards the doors, but stopped right before so he and Chimchar could look at me one more time. With one last smile between the three of us, the Trainer walked out the door.
Now I was all alone.
No other starters came to the lab, and for a while neither did any Trainers. I tried to not think about giving up like I had promised, but it was hard. It was as if fate didn't want me to have a Trainer.
One night Nick picked me up and brought me outside. We looked at the night sky together. There were plenty of stars but it was a new moon. We watched the celestial objects twinkle in silence for a long time until Nick sighed.
"Turtwig, do you think it was a bad idea to offer you as a starter?" he asked. I shook my head. "It's just... This isn't right. I thought it would be a good idea, but if you're going to be passed up every time, that's not fair to you." He didn't say anything for a while. "If...no Trainers...end up taking you... Would you like to be a lab Pokémon?"
Not really. I wanted to travel. But if what Nick said actually happened I really would have no choice, so his offer was really more of a "this is the only other option you have". I nodded slowly.
"I hope that doesn't come true, Turtwig," he said. "I really, really do."
...
It was getting towards the middle of July. In two weeks, I would have been at the lab for a full year. If no Trainer came before then, I would be forced to become a lab Pokémon. I was holding on to very thin hope, and I thought about my situation as I sadly ate my food.
The doors opened, and I thought nothing of it. Then I heard Professor Rowan talking to someone, but they were too far away so I still paid no mind. Footsteps filled the room, and that was when I looked up. Professor Rowan had entered with a very familiar-looking Trainer:
Reggie.
I had seen him from time to time, since he was also a part-time Breeder, and he would occasionally pick up and drop Pokémon off. His visits had let me learn his name but other than that I didn't know much about him.
"So, this is the only starter available?" Reggie asked.
The professor nodded. "No one wants to take it since it's a little more aggressive than most Turtwig," he explained.
"Really?" Reggie stated, sounding interested. He smiled at me. "Well, my brother did want a Chimchar, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind having a Turtwig."
My eyes widened. I was being taken? Then they went back to normal and I looked down. I was thinking of something, and I wondered if Reggie would consider that option as well. But he didn't seem to.
"Do you have its Poké Ball?" he asked. "And everything else my brother needs?"
"Yes, of course," the professor replied. "Yuzo, would you get all of the supplies?"
His long-time assistant hurried into the room. In his hand he had a tray, with my Poké Ball, a few empty ones, a badge case, a Pokédex, and a Trainer's ID. "Right here, sir," Yuzo answered.
Reggie took the tray. "Thank you," he said. Then he looked at me. "You ready to go, Turtwig?"
I was still kind of surprised by all of this, so my nod was a little shaky. I stood up and jumped off of the table I had been on while I was eating.
"I'll see you later, Professor," Reggie called out as we walked out the door.
I turned. The two men had followed us and were smiling at me. Nick ran in and saw me walking off. He grinned and waved goodbye. I nodded in response before I jumped into Reggie's van. He closed the door, got in himself, started the vehicle up, and we took off.
I honestly couldn't believe this was happening. I was really going to have a Trainer. And yet I couldn't help but be sad at Reggie's comment. If his brother wanted a Chimchar, he probably wouldn't accept me. I frowned thinking about that.
"I'll probably be sent back," I muttered. Like I said, I had little hope left in me, and unlike all of the times before, I was beginning to have pessimistic thoughts.
The Trainer seemed to notice my downcast state, because he suddenly asked, "What's wrong, Turtwig? Why do you look so upset?" I lifted my head to look at him, and then rest it back on my feet. "Was it about what I said about my brother wanting a Chimchar?" I nodded slowly. Reggie chuckled. "I'm sorry about distressing you like that, Turtwig. What I meant to say was that my brother will definitely not mind." My head snapped back up.
"He goes back and forth all of the time. One month he'll want a Chimchar and the next he'll want a Turtwig. But even if it were in the month he wanted a Chimchar, like he's in now, he wouldn't care. The fact is one or the other is completely fine by him." Then he laughed. "As long as it's not a Piplup. Then he would out right refuse." I chuckled at that.
"I think you're perfect for him, Turtwig," Reggie continued. "You're gentle but you're also a fighter. He needs a fighter by his side, someone to help boost his confidence."
I smiled very big. Chimchar had been right; there was someone out there who definitely wanted and needed me.
...
"What do you mean you got me a Piplup?!" my new Trainer cried.
I had to hold back laughter as I hid in the kitchen. Currently Reggie and I were playing a prank on him. On the ride to Veilstone City I had learned I was actually a birthday present, so we decided to surprise him.
"I'm sorry, Paul," Reggie stated, "but that was the only Pokémon the lab had available."
Paul huffed and I heard him plop onto the couch. "It was the only Pokémon?" he clarified in an annoyed tone.
"The only one." There was a groan. "But I have to tell you, this one looks and behaves a little different than most."
Somehow, I could imagine the younger boy rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "Whatever, where is it?" he asked unenthusiastically.
"First I need you to close your eyes."
"Why? I already know what it is."
"Just do it, Paul. Come on, have some fun."
My Trainer grunted, and then Reggie walked into the kitchen. He winked, and I smiled back at him before walking out into the living room and hopping onto the coffee table. He grunted when he heard my feet tap the wood, most likely imagining a Piplup jumping up and maybe being a lighter blue or a teal color.
"Alright, Paul, open them," Reggie instructed.
He did so, and the frown that was on his face quickly melted away, replaced by a thin line. His eyes were filled with surprise, and he stared at me, not moving. It was like his brain had shut down and stopped functioning, which now would be a very rare sight. I figured I had to get his gears moving again, so I smiled even bigger than I already was before.
"Hiya," I greeted, though to him it sounded like a "Tur, twig".
He stared at me a little bit longer before his eyes lit up like I've never seen before. They were practically stars. And that thin line grew into one of the biggest grins I had ever seen and has yet to be topped. He scooped me up and hugged me tightly, but not tight enough to where I couldn't breathe. The hug was warm and loving. Not a single one of the other starters I had been with could say that they received a hug like this when they were chosen.
"You lying jerk!" Paul shouted, but he didn't sound angry.
Reggie laughed. "Happy birthday!" he exclaimed.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" my Trainer chanted. He held me out so we were looking at each other, allowing me to see those sparkling eyes and that giant grin. "Hi, Turtwig. My name is Paul. It's nice to meet you."
"Yeah!" I agreed. He pulled me into another hug.
Reggie joined his brother on the couch and explained the real situation. "A whole year?!" Paul asked. "How could no one want a Turtwig for an entire year?!" My heart swelled with happiness at that.
"Because the Turtwig that you hold in your arms is a fighter," Reggie stated.
Paul looked at me with even more amazement. "You...like to fight?" I nodded, and he smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's-"
"Hold up, Eager Bibarel," Reggie chuckled. "I told you, you aren't leaving until tomorrow, understand?"
The younger sibling sighed. "Right, sorry," he apologized. "Can I at least take Turtwig out to explore the city?"
"Please?" I voiced, not being able to help it.
The part-time Breeder laughed. "Alright, I guess you two can," he said. "Just make sure to be home before dark, and be careful."
"Of course," Paul replied. "Turtwig, do you want to walk?"
As much as I loved the warmth of his embrace, I did want to stretch my legs, so I wiggled to his knees, hoping he would understand what I meant. He did, and with a smile he put me on the floor. Then he stood up and we ran for the door.
"See you two later!" Reggie called after us.
"Bye!" we called back and ran out of the house.
We ran for a while, and when we got to a bridge, we stopped. Paul picked me up and set me onto the railing so that both of us could look at the river below.
"I guess I know a little bit about you, Turtwig," Paul said. "Would you like to know about me?"
"Yeah," I replied as I nodded, smiling.
He smiled along with me. "Well, you already know I'm ten years old and that today's my birthday," he stated. "My dream is to become a Pokémon Champion." He eyed me, which I noticed in our reflections. "Do you want to help me make that happen?" I nodded with determination, and he looked back at the water, that smile of his never leaving.
"You and I, we'll get stronger, and we'll make it to the top." Then I saw him frown for the first time as he whispered harshly, "We'll show them." I looked at him, confused, and he turned his head to meet my eyes.
"Oh... Sorry, Turtwig," he apologized. "There are these four bullies, and I just want to show them that I'm stronger than they think I am." He looked back at our reflections, and I copied his action.
"Though, I guess I'm not," he admitted. "I tend to cry a bit, and I can't really fight back. They're physically stronger than me, and I can't find the heart to bad mouth them."
To me, that made Paul seem stronger, that he wasn't willing to stoop to their level. I walked over to him and nuzzled his arm. "We'll show them," I assured, more to myself since Paul couldn't understand what I had said.
Paul petted my head with his other arm. "Thank you, Turtwig," he said. "Come on, I want to show you the city. We won't be back here for a while."
"Right," I agreed. I hopped off of the railing and followed him to wherever he wanted to take me.
We walked past a big dojo halfway on our way to the city. "That's the Gym," Paul explained. "It's going to be our fourth gym."
I nodded, and we continued walking until we got to the actual city. My mouth was open in awe and I lifted my head. There were so many huge buildings, just like Jubilife, but Veilstone also had so many trees. I didn't understand how all of this could be in one big city.
"It is a little overwhelming," Paul stated, noticing my shock. "But you get used to it. There will be plenty of cities just like this." He looked down at me and smiled, and I smiled back.
My Trainer then proceeded to show me the city's landmarks: the Game Corner, the Department Store, and a group of meteorites. We walked through the streets, and at one point Paul broke into a run.
"Come on, Turtwig, I want to show you my favorite place to get lunch!" he called over his shoulder. I ran after him, and Paul was about to turn down a corner when he ran into someone and fell down.
"Paul!" I exclaimed and ran to his side.
He groaned a little but he was fine, until he opened his eyes to see who he had run into. Then his face began to twist in fear and he started trembling. I looked and was met with four boys. These must have been the people he was talking about.
"What the heck is your problem, Polly, running into me like that?" the tallest and biggest of the four asked.
"I-I-I'm sorry," Paul stuttered. He tried backing up, but the boy violently grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him up.
"You know sorry doesn't cut it," the boy sneered. Paul gulped, and that was when I couldn't take it.
"Let go of him!" I shouted. The boys looked down, and the bully smirked wickedly. I didn't like where this was going, but I never adverted my glare.
"Is that your Turtwig?" the bigger boy asked.
Paul tried to string a sentence together, but he was stuttering so bad it was pretty much impossible. "I think there's a slight chance this is his," a boy with dirty blond hair stated sarcastically.
"Works for me, Braxton." The boy threw Paul onto the ground, right in front of me. "You want us to accept your apology, Polly, then I suggest you give a nice, big kick to that Turtwig of yours."
My Trainer's head flew up and he looked at me with big, scared eyes. "N-No," he responded quietly.
"Hmm? What's this? Am I hearing...a rejection?"
The other three laughed. "Jason, I think we need to get our hearing checked," a kid with brown hair joked.
"Or maybe Polly just needs to speak up, Chase," Jason answered. "Zach, what do you think?"
"Speak up, Polly!" the last boy cheered. He almost seemed too happy and innocent to be in this group.
Jason snickered and placed his foot onto Paul's ankle lightly, which I thought was a little strange. I thought he would try to put more pressure on it, seeing at how he had treated Paul up to this point.
"Come on, you heard the boy, speak up for us," he encouraged.
Paul gulped again. "I... I...s-said...n-no," he replied, a bit louder this time.
"Really?" The foot moved up to Paul's backside, and his breath hitched.
"I...won't..." Paul insisted.
"I suggest you do as I say, or else," Jason threatened.
The bully's voice sent a shiver down my spine. I looked at Paul. "It's okay," I told him, swinging my front right leg in a kicking motion.
His eyes widened. "Please don't make me!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Don't make me hurt it!"
"Well, tough, kid," Jason hissed. "That's what you get for crossing us."
That accursed foot moved again, this time towards the waistband of Paul's pants, as if he was going to pull them down. And judging from the panic that quickly grew on Paul's face, he believed Jason would.
"It's. Okay," I said again, more forcefully. I kicked my leg a little more forcefully, too.
Paul looked crushed, but he acted anyway. "Alright, I'll do it!" he cried.
There were snickers. "See, was that so hard?" Jason asked condescendingly as he took his foot off. Paul stood up, visibly shaking. He didn't move at first. "Well, get to it!" The bully pushed Paul forward, and he stumbled, making me take a few steps back.
Truth be told, I was scared. I didn't really want to get kicked, but I figured whatever they were going to do to Paul would be at least 20 times worse than a simple kick. That's why I think Paul ended up agreeing with me; he had realized the same thing. It didn't mean he definitely did not want to do this, and his eyes screamed that.
"I'm so sorry!" he whispered. "Please don't hate me! I didn't want this!"
He took a shaky breath and kicked my stomach. I flew back. His kick had hurt, but it really wasn't all that bad. What hurt more was listening to Paul's heart break while the four boys laughed.
"Why..." I heard Paul breathe out. I lifted my head to see him face the gang. "Why did you make me?" It sounded like he wanted to shout that, but he was too scared to raise his voice to that volume.
"I told you," Jason began, "that's the price you pay."
"But it didn't deserve it!" Paul's voice was getting louder.
"No." I was surprised Jason agreed. Then I noticed the wicked smile that grew. "But you did."
Before either of us knew it, Jason grabbed him and threw Paul on the floor again. This time he practically sat on him, his left hand pressing down on Paul's right shoulder and his left knee jabbed into Paul's torso.
Paul screamed and squirmed. "It hurts!" he shouted. "Get off, it hurts!" The boys laughed again. Then Braxton and Chase walked towards Paul and then a little past him. "Stay away from my Turtwig!"
The boys stopped and turned around. Now the four surrounded him. "Are you going to try and stop us?" Jason taunted.
"Stay away from Turtwig!" Paul repeated.
"In order to do that, you need to fight back," Jason stated. He offered his cheek, smirking. Nothing happened for a while except Paul squirming under Jason's grip. "Come on, throw a punch," Jason egged on. "It's not that hard." Then he chuckled darkly. "Oh wait. I forgot who I was talking to."
As quick as lightning the older boy punched him in the chest, and Paul screamed.
That was it.
I couldn't take any more.
"Leave him alone!" I shouted right before firing a Razor Leaf.
The sharp leaves bombarded the bullies and sent them flying back in a heap. Meanwhile I ran up next to Paul, ready to defend him again. The gang was back up on their feet, angry. But so was I. And when they began to walk towards us, I fired another Razor Leaf, this time not as strong. It was more of a warning this time.
"What is going on here?" a voice rang through the air.
It sounded like a woman, a rich woman at that. I can say that because the first Trainer I ever met had one of those as their mother, and it will be a tone of voice I will never forget. I turned to see a lady who had long peach-colored hair wearing a blue tank top, a belt of gold loops, a white skirt, and white boots. And she had shiny accessories: multiple bracelets, an expensive-looking necklace, and earrings. She was practically shining, and not in a good way.
Paul picked himself up and then grabbed me, holding me close to his chest. "I... I'm sorry, Mrs. Conlen," he said, bowing his head. What was he apologizing for?
The woman snorted. "You should be sorry," she snapped. Huh? "How dare you let your Turtwig attack those nice boys." WHAT?!
I tried to protest, but Paul pulled me closer as a signal to stop. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "We'll go home now."
Mrs. Conlen grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "Not by yourself," she informed a little harshly. "I will come with you. I don't want to see you cause any more trouble than you already have."
She then yanked on his sleeve, pulling him along with her as she walked. I was enraged with this woman. Did she not see what those four were doing to Paul? And why didn't he protest? He was innocent!
We moved fast out of the city and soon we were back at Paul's house. Mrs. Conlen knocked briskly on the door.
"Reggie Liam, open the door!" she demanded.
I heard Reggie walk to the door, mumbling in annoyance. But when he opened the door he certainly did not look annoyed.
"Gabriella, how nice it is to see you," Reggie greeted. Oh, he was good. I almost missed how Reggie was forcing himself to say that sentence. Then the older sibling noticed his brother. "Paul?"
"Your brother was causing trouble again," Mrs. Conlen explained. "But this time, he had help from his Turtwig."
Reggie looked at the two of us. "I'll make sure to talk to them," he promised.
"Actually, I was hoping to be a part of this as well," the woman stated. "This is getting ridiculous."
I saw Reggie's left hand twitch slightly. "Really, I can handle this," he assured.
"You are a good boy, Reggie, but what Paul needs is parental discipline."
The older male sighed in defeat. "Very well."
He motioned the other two humans to come in. The three of them went into the living room. Paul sat in a chair while the two older ones sat on the couch.
"So Paul, what happened?" Reggie asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
Paul shuffled. "Well..." he began quietly. "Turtwig and I were exploring the city, and it was showing me some of its moves. It used Razor Leaf, and just then Jason and his friends came around the corner. Of course, they were angry, and we tried apologizing. They began to walk away, and... Maybe they said some things Turtwig didn't like, because it fired intentionally that time. It wasn't too strong, they shouldn't be hurt that bad. But that was when you came in, Mrs. Conlen, so nothing happened after that."
I was left flabbergasted. That was as far from the truth as he could get! Why did he just straight up lie like that?!
"Then am I to assume that Turtwig is hard to control?" Mrs. Conlen inquired.
"No, it listens to me," Paul replied. "It just happened so fast, and if they did say anything, I didn't hear it."
The woman hummed in thought. "Still, it is quite possible," she said. "Maybe you should take Turtwig back and get an easier Pokémon to handle."
Paul and I were left speechless. "Gabriella, I don't think we need to go that far," Reggie reasoned. "It was one mistake, and I know Paul didn't mean it. And I know for a fact this Turtwig is easy to handle. A friend of mine has known this Turtwig since the day it hatched, and he can guarantee it."
"You are the Breeder here, Reggie," Mrs. Conlen stated. "Very well. But I propose that Paul wait another week or two before he actually leaves."
I could tell Reggie didn't agree. "I suppose you had a point," he lied. "What do you think, Paul?"
"Reggie, when you are giving punishment, you do not ask if your punishment is okay. You take action, whether he likes it or not."
"Er... Right."
Mrs. Conlen stood up. "Then it is settled. Paul, you are not leaving Veilstone for another two weeks, understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," he responded.
"Good." She walked to the door, and Reggie followed her. Paul stayed where he was. "I'll see you, later, Reggie."
Reggie nodded. He opened the door for her and stepped outside after she did. I saw him stand there for a very long time until he walked back inside, quickly closed the door, and practically ran back to us.
"Okay, Paul, tell me the real story, now," he said sternly and urgently.
"We didn't do it on purpose!" Paul exclaimed. "We really were exploring, and I was about to show Turtwig my favorite place for lunch, but I was so excited I wasn't watching where I was going and when I went to round the corner, I accidentally ran into Jason!"
His brother sighed. "Paul..."
"I didn't mean to!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to calm down? This is how you get into these situations."
"I couldn't help it!"
"...I suppose not. Continue."
"They told me I had to pay the price, and they were probably going to beat me up again, but then they saw Turtwig. A-and then... T-then they ordered me to kick him as punishment."
Reggie narrowed his eyes. "Don't you dare tell me you did what I think you did," he threatened.
Paul pulled me closer. "...I did," he answered meekly, sounding ashamed.
"Why?!" Reggie exclaimed. "What possessed you to even think that was a good idea?!"
"But-"
"Honestly, Paul, I can't believe this. This has to be the worst thing you have ever done! Do you know how disappointed I am with you right now? I should-"
"Aniki, please listen!" Paul shouted.
It seemed that "Aniki" was the magic word, because Reggie calmed down a tad and sat on the couch.
"I didn't want to! You know I would never want to! But they gave me no choice! And if I didn't comply Jason was going to...g-going to...do that...that t-thing like he almost did l-last year..." Reggie's face softened. He looked worried, a tad scared, and I thought I saw guilt in there, too. "Then Turtwig jumped in, saying it was okay. I tried to refuse, but Turtwig insisted."
Reggie looked at me. "Really?" he asked. I nodded. He looked at Paul. "So, after you did that, what happened?"
"They proceeded to beat me up anyway," Paul admitted. "Turtwig couldn't take it, so it used Razor Leaf on them to get them off of me. They tried coming at me again, and Turtwig attacked them a second time. That was when Mrs. Conlen showed up and scolded me."
"I don't get it," Reggie sighed. "I just don't get how those four have managed to fool almost everyone in the city."
Paul shuffled again. "It's not like anyone here cares for me, anyway," he mumbled sadly.
"Hey, hold up," Reggie said with a smile. "I'm here. I care for you."
"But you're my brother. You're supposed to care."
"There are siblings out there who don't."
"You mean... There are siblings who hate each other?"
"Yeah." Reggie stood up and came over to us and pulled Paul into a hug. "But I don't. I love you. I couldn't ask for a better younger brother."
I was shifted as Paul drew closer. "Thank you," he whispered. I smiled. I could feel the love as I was in Paul's arms, somewhat squeezed between the brothers (not that I minded; after all, I could still breathe, and that's what counted).
"And you have Turtwig as well," Reggie assured. Paul looked down at me, and I met his gaze. I smiled and nuzzled his stomach, and he petted my head. "Forget everyone else here, Paul, they aren't worth it."
"Okay." There was silence as we just stood there for quite a while. "I don't actually have to wait two weeks, do I?"
"Of course not," Reggie answered. "But you'll have to wake up a bit earlier than we thought."
"That's fine," Paul replied. "I don't want to stay here any longer."
Reggie chuckled. "You and me both," he said. "Which is why I'm heading off to Kanto tomorrow."
Paul looked up at him. "You're going to finish the Battle Frontier?"
"That's right!" Reggie ruffled his hair. "So wish me luck, okay?"
"You won't need luck," Paul argued. "You're one of the best."
After that we watched two of Paul's favorite movies. The first one was a comedy called Pocket Monsters, which starred a Trainer named Red, his rude Clefairy, and his capable Pikachu. Right after we watched his second favorite, The Titanic Tyranitar, which was a movie about a defense force fighting off a giant mecha Tyranitar. It was actually pretty cool, and when that movie was finished, it was time for dinner.
Reggie had made him his favorite - noodles in peanut sauce with stir fried vegetables - seeing as he was the birthday boy. Right after we had chocolate cake, with ten candles on it that Paul quickly blew out, and Reggie gave his younger brother his presents; his gray one-shouldered bag, his belt, and a bunch of empty Poké Balls.
"And, of course, Turtwig," he finished, smiling at me.
Paul smiled as well. "Yeah, and Turtwig's the best present of them all," he stated. I smiled along with them.
A little while later it was time to go to bed. We had to wake up early, after all. I jumped onto Paul's bed and curled up by his pillows. Paul had to finish getting ready, and I heard him walk down the hall to the bathroom. On the way, though, Reggie stopped him. I heard the brothers talk about the incident earlier that day, and Reggie was saying that he understood and forgave Paul, but he was still disappointed. Paul agreed and apologized, and then Reggie told him good night.
A few minutes later Paul walked in and climbed into bed. He seemed sad, so I uncurled and walked over to him, then I nuzzled his chest.
"It's okay," I told him.
He looked at me. "You aren't mad at me, are you?" he asked. I shook my head. "So then... Will you stay with me? Will you be my...friend?" I nodded, and he smiled. He pulled me in closer. "Thanks Turtwig," he mumbled sleepily. "I needed someone like you." I beamed mentally and closed my eyes along with my new Trainer.
No matter what, I would stay by Paul's side. That's what I promised myself that night.
...
"Piplup, don't take Turtwig's food!" I heard Haley scold. "If you really want more, I'll give you more! Monferno, stop picking on Shinx! Ugh, why are the two of you being such a pain today?!"
"Maybe if you were just as strict as when you battled," Paul advised in a monotone voice, "you wouldn't be having this problem."
"Pokémon need breaks just as much as people!" Haley defended. "And while I shouldn't be handing out praise to either of them at this moment, they did earn a break for their work at the Oreburgh Gym Battle."
"You bet we did!" the two troublemakers exclaimed.
I could just imagine them puffing their chests out at that. I could also hear and feel Haley fuming. It took me by surprise a bit. She hadn't gotten this angry before.
Then I heard Paul snort. "Ursaring, teach these two a lesson with Hammer Arm," he ordered.
I heard my newest teammate chuckle darkly and crack his knuckles. "With pleasure," he growled. The two younger Pokémon screamed in fear and began to run, with Ursaring chasing after them. "Oh come on, where's all that bravado you two had?" he taunted.
"Hey, you can't do that to my Pokémon!" Haley shouted.
"You weren't doing anything, lazy bum," Paul commented.
That day we learned why it's never a good idea to make Haley angry when she was already annoyed. We also learned to never call her a lazy bum. Especially when she's making lunch and happens to be using a knife to do so.
"What the fuck, are you crazy?!" Paul exclaimed as he ran away from our traveling partner, who was swinging that knife at him as she chased him.
Despite his situation, I chuckled, for two reasons. One, it wasn't as if she would actually hurt him, so the whole thing was just amusing. Two...
Well...
"Seriously," Umbreon sighed as she sat down next to me.
"It's his own fault," I pointed out.
"Well... Yeah," she agreed. "But Haley doesn't have to be swinging that knife around. Kind of overboard, if you ask me."
"I find this amusing."
"Your Trainer is about to get butchered and you find it amusing?" Umbreon asked in a disbelieving way.
"She's not going to kill him," I answered. "And he needs this. He needs to relax, have some fun, even if some wouldn't see it as fun if they were watching from the outside in."
Umbreon watched as the five finally came into our view. I had been staring at a big grassy field - which was in the direction of Floaroma Town - a little ways away from the clearing we had stopped at for lunch. The calming breeze completely contradicted the hectic yet hilarious scene that was taking place.
"I guess you have a point," the Moonlight Pokémon stated after a while. "Actually, there's something I've been thinking about for a while." Our eyes met. "Why do you follow Paul? You seem too nice and gentle to be with someone like him."
I smiled. "I like to think that if I wasn't here, he would be cold-blooded, cold-hearted, and soulless," I replied. "He'd be this machine with the skin of a human but other than that, there'd be nothing."
"When you put it that way... But how does that benefit you? That makes it sound like you're only a tool for his happiness... If such an emotion exists for him."
Once upon a time I couldn't even imagine a sentence like that being used to describe Paul. "It benefits me because I feel like I'm making a difference, even if it's small," I told her. "Because Paul was the only Trainer who wanted a Turtwig, even if he's a little more aggressive than most." She chuckled, and so did I. Our eyes met again, and I wondered if she could tell my last reason.
Because I knew that someone needed me.
And I was going to be there for him no matter what.
A/N: So a few things. First, if none of you know what the Pocket Monsters manga is… I don't blame you, but it was featured in the anime in one of the Hoenn episodes. It's actually one of Ash's favorites movies as well. Yes, that was intentional.
Second, the Mecha Tyranitar movie is the movie you can make in Black and White 2, but without any Unova Pokémon.
And lastly, I can't believe I forgot to say this in the last one-shot, but for this series I will take suggestions for one-shot ideas. As long as it doesn't have to deal with backstory, since I have everyone's planned out. But comedy-based ones, non-canonical ones, anything non-backstory based is fair game.