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Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own my OC Jake.
Jake and Professor Rowan were watching the television in his laboratory. The entire lab was silent as everyone's eyes were stuck on the flashing screen. Even the starters who were normally talkative were quiet as the TV continues to blare. The Pokémon Sinnoh News Channel was live with something that no one expected to happen.
"Breaking News: Long time Sinnoh Champion now dethroned! New Champion: Tobias! According to the Pokemon league, Cynthia has been defeated after defending her title for a long time. She was known to be a challenging trainer and has been ranked as one of the top undefeatable champions in the world. But her reign as Sinnoh Champion is now over. Now Tobias, the mysterious Darkrai trainer, is the newest champion.
"Tell me Tobias what words would you like to say to the trainers coming to challenge you?" the reporter asks him.
"Defeat me and you will be a legend." Tobias said.
"There you have it folks! Train hard and become a new legend! Up next on the Pokémon Sinnoh News: Entering Pokémon Contests 101! How to become a coordinator-"
Jake watches as Professor Rowan shuts off the T.V. A flicker of worry crosses the professor's face as he walks over to a newspaper. The Sinnoh starters watch the professor curiously but he pays them no heed. He comes back to Jake with a newspaper and shows the front page.
"Breaking News: Former Champion Cynthia gone missing! After having a battle with Tobias and losing her title, Cynthia has mysteriously gone missing. Tobias and the Elite Four are searching for her whereabouts. If you see Cynthia or know what happened to her, please contact police immediately and/or alert the Elite 4."
"I don't know why but I can't help but feel worried about Cynthia." Professor Rowan says. He folds up the newspaper and tosses it aside to a chair. Chimchar walks over to it and glances at it curiously.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Jake asks.
"I can't say. While it is true Cynthia is very strong, this news is rather troublesome. I bet her family is worried about her very much. As am I."
Jake can't help but hold onto the grey, metal bracelet around his wrist. His PokeCommunicator felt cold to the touch. This was huge news. Even though he never met Cynthia, she was someone that he looked up to. Then again, many people look up to her since she is probably the strongest Champion in all of the pokemon regions. So to hear news that she was missing was rather unsettling. Where could she have gone?
On top of that, Tobias was the new pokemon champion. How could anyone have hopes in becoming champion against him? He probably had an army of legendaries. Most people fell to just his Darkrai alone. So who even had hope of defeating him? Jake shook his head. No. He can't start doubting stuff now. Things would work out. The police would be able to find Cynthia.
"Well there is no use in worrying now. Jake, what pokemon would you like your starter to be?"
Jake looks at the pokemon on the table. The Turtwig lays on its stomach, peacefully snoozing without a care in the world. The Chimchar lost interest in the newspaper and now runs around in a circle, trying to see its tail. The Piplup puffs up its chest and has a look of pride on its face. What was even stranger was the fact that Piplup was wearing a pair of glasses. Red on the outside and blue lens on the inside. Strange fashion choice. Then again, Jake's glasses were just ordinary so there really wasn't any room for complaint.
Jake couldn't help but feel rather hesitant at the choices in front of him. Normally, people were supposed to feel excited about getting their starter pokemon. But Jake felt apprehension cling onto him. It was stubborn and he couldn't shake it off.
"Is something that matter, Jake?" Professor Rowan asks. His eyebrows furrow at the fact that Jake didn't choose anyone right away.
"Ah...No Professor. It's just-that-ah...How do I know one of them won't leave me like my Charmander did back in Kanto?" Jake asks.
"What do you mean?"
"Well...back in Kanto..."
(Flashback)
"Are you ready Charmander?" Jake asks.
The orange lizard pokemon puff up his chest puts two claws on its sides. His face lit with pride and his tails swags like a newborn Growlithe. Jake couldn't help but feel the excitement. He had his own starter pokemon and he was actually in a pokemon battle. His PokeCommunicator was off, but it didn't matter. Jake knew that Charmander was just as excited as he was.
"Char!" Charmander says.
"Squirtle. Let's do this!" called out his opponent.
"Squirtle!"
"Charmander! Use Ember!" Jake said.
Charmander let out small bits of fire from its mouth. True, it was nothing impressive like a Flamethrower or Fire Blast but it didn't matter. This was his first battle.
"Squirtle! Bubble!" His opponent calls out.
The blue turtle dodges some of the embers and quickly lets out a stream of bubbles from his mouth. Some of the bubbles collided with the ember attack, successfully nullifying it. Unfortunately that didn't stop Squirtle. It let out another stream of bubbles at Charmander. For a split second, Charmander seem like it was paralyzed. It's legs wouldn't move and it gazes at the bubbles with wide eyes.
"Dodge it!" Jake said.
Jake's words snap the Charmander out of his shock and he quickly leaps out of the direction of the bubbles. Jake sighs. That was close one. Charmander would have taken heavy damage from that attack. Maybe it would be best if they try to use another ember and burn the Squirtle.
"Charmander! Use Ember again!"
Charmander charges forward to Squirtle and begans to swipe its claws at the turtle pokemon. Charmander tries to scratch Squirtle in the face, only for the turtle pokemon to keep ducking into its shell. Jake is shocked. He didn't tell Charmander to use Scratch. Why wasn't he listening to him?
"Squirtle! Tackle him!"
Squirtle slams his body into Charmander and catches the lizard off guard. Charmander falls onto the floor as Squirtle is on top of him. Before Jake could say anything, Squirtle unleashes a massive stream of bubbles at Charmander. Charmander lets out a scream of pain and then faints on the ground. Jake couldn't believe it. He had just lost their first battle.
After the battle and Jake's opponent left, Professor Oak had healed his Charmander. Jake sat next to his Charmander in Professor Oak's lab. His Charmander looks at him with agitation and fury in his eyes. They had just battled with a trainer that had a Squirtle in the Pokémon Lab. They had lost their first battle. That apparently set something off in his Charmander.
"Char! Char! Charmander!"
Jake felt his eyes stung. He felt like Charmander just stab him in his heart. Jake didn't even need the PokeCommunicator to understand what his Charmander was saying. Before Jake could say anything, his Charmander leaps out of the window. Jake and Professor Oak quickly runs to the window, only to see Charmander running far away.
"Wait! Charmander! Please come back!"
But he never did. Charmander was gone for good.
(End of Flashback)
"Charmander didn't see anything good in me and probably thought I would just make him weak. Professor Oak and I tried to find him but he was gone. Maybe he found a much better trainer than me," Jake said. He tries to keep his voice steady as the Professor studies him. "After that, I didn't really want to start my pokémon journey in Kanto. Professor Oak offered to give me another starter but after what happened, it was hard to do that. He suggested to me that I should first try another region and then I could try again in Kanto. That and I have some important things I have to do in Sinnoh that my grandmother wants me to do."
"Understandable," The professor says as he scratches his tone. He has a thoughtful look on his face as he looks up to the ceiling as though carefully pondering what he should say. "However, its important to realize that pokemon are just like people."
"Just like people?"
"Indeed. Every person has a different nature and personality. Just like people, pokemon have different natures and personalities. Not every pokemon in the world would act like your Charmander."
"The Piplup looks like it says otherwise." Jake said to himself mentally. The position it held itself in just reminds him too much of his Charmander. He didn't dare say it out loud though.
"Do you know what starter you wish to start with?" Professor Rowan asks.
"Uh...Not really. Do you have any suggestions?" Jake pauses for a moment. Can you pick for me?"
"Jake. Take Piplup." Professor Rowan says.
Jake blinks. He didn't think the professor would choose Piplup for him. Especially after he told the professor about how his Charmander abandoned him. Mental note: There is a reason why you choose your own starter. He was going to make sure he didn't repeat that mistake when he went to the other Pokémon regions. He didn't dare say anything though. He didn't want to appear ungrateful in front of the professor. Piplup comes down from the laboratory desk and walks over to him. He puffs up his chest while looking at him with his glasses as though to reassure Jake that he was the best choice out of all the starters. Jake had severe doubts about that.
"By the way, since you are still a novice trainer, I asked someone to help you learn how to catch a pokemon," Professor Rowans said. "She should be here any moment now."
"Hi Professor!"
A girl with blue hair walks inside with a Piplup next to her.
"I would like you to meet Dawn. Dawn this is Jake." Professor Rowan said.
"Nice to meet you Jake." Dawn says as she extends out her hand.
"Nice to meet you too Dawn." Jake said.
"Come on. Let me show you how to catch a pokemon."
With that, the two left the lab.
Barry stands in front of a very large building in the Battle Frontier. To be precise, it was the Battle Tower. Barry inside and hits the elevator button to go to the top floor. As he was going up, he couldn't help but wonder why his dad called to meet him. It was rare for his dad to ever talk to him since he was always busy as one of the leaders of the battle frontier. Of course, Barry was proud of his father. He just wished that he spent a little bit more time at home now and then. Barry grips his bag tight. He wants to show his dad how much stronger he had become. Maybe his dad was going to challenge him to a battle? That would be exciting. Empoleon would have a great challenge against his dad's Rhyperior.
The elevator stops and Barry gets out as fast as he can. Barry slowly turns the doorknob to his father's office. He opens it to find Palmer pacing back and forth in his room, talking in his cellphone.
"Scott. It would benefit both the frontier brains of Hoenn and Sinnoh if we came together," Palmer said. His voice was strong with excitement. This was the first time Barry ever saw his dad excited in a phone call. The times his dad was always excited was when he was battling. "It would be one colossal collaboration. People from all over the world could come over. We could host the biggest tournament in the entire world."
Barry looks at his father with amazement. His dad wants to bring together the Sinnoh and Hoenn Battle frontiers to make one giant battle frontier? That was amazing. His dad was so cool. But that was only to be expected. Still though, his dad did ask to see him. Might as well ask.
"Hey dad. Did you want to tell me something?"
"Take a seat Barry," Palmer waves his hand. "Sorry Scott, as I was saying-Wait Scott-Please reconsider. Scott? Scott?" Palmer closes his cellphone. His hands grip around it and look as though it would crush it like a victim caught in the Crush Grip of a Regigigas.
"Stupid fool. Doesn't understand an opportunity as big as this." Palmer said. He goes over to his desk and he takes a seat. Barry takes a seat in front of his father's office.
"So what is it dad?
"Just a father to son talk. That's all."
"Sure dad. What?"
Palmer sighs as he puts his hand through his hair. Irritation and agitation were clear in his face.
"Why can't you be more like Ash?"
The room becomes silent. Barry grits his teeth. Ash. Of course. It was Ash this. Ash that. Ash. Ash. Ash! His father never saw the potential in Barry as he did in Ash. Palmer would always reminiscent that the battle that he had with Ash between his Rhyperior and Ash's Grotle.
"I know you see Ash Ketchum as your friend and that he could never be on your level. However, if Ash Ketchum was my son, I would be more proud of him than anyone."
That set something off in Barry. What gave him the right to spew this out all of a sudden? "What could Ash ever accomplish to make you proud of him?"
"He beated the Hoenn Battle Frontier."
Barry looks with shock. Ash beated the Hoenn Battle Frontier? But, that was impossible. The Hoenn Battle Frontier was said to very strong and nearly impossible to beat. How could someone like Ash beat the Hoenn Battle Frontier? There were rumors that even some of the Battle Frontier members had legendaries like Articuno or Regirock, Regice and Registeel. No. This has had to be a lie. After all, if Ash really did beat the Hoenn Battle Frontier, then he should have been able to handle Tobias.
"You couldn't even get through the Pokemon League. Sure, Ash does lose leagues. But the fact that he beat the Battle Frontier in the Hoenn region is no small feat. You wouldn't even be a challenge."
Barry felt shock at this. It wasn't his fault that he lost. Paul was just lucky. Barry had the perfect strategy. It all just amounted to dumb luck in the end. He had no doubt in his mind that he would have defeated Paul in a full 6 on 6 battle. Ash wouldn't have even been a challenge for him.
"I don't mean to sound harsh Barry," Palmer said, "But I just want you to make some kind of accomplishment, you know? You're my son and I want you to be something. After all, I need you to follow my foot-"
Barry storms out of the room and slams the door shut. Anger courses through all of his body. His dad just said to his face that he was worthless. All because of Ash Ketchum. Barry swore. He would make Ash pay. He would fine him billions of dollars to the point where Ash would be bankrupt. He would crush Ash in battle and he would show his dad that he was the best.
Now it was time to hunt down Ash.
