(Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon. this is a fan-based storyline meant for entertainment purposes only. Pokemon is the property of the pokemon company and all related parties. Please support the official release.)
Chapter 2: The Scanner
As I walked into the lab I saw the operation table already prepped and ready to administer the treatment. The scanner works a lot like the ones in that anime show dragon ball z. But instead of reading power levels it reads a Pokemon's stats, type, level, and even how much health it has left. It can also display a map of each region, display the time and day, show your Pokemon's stats if its hooked up to your Pokedex (which it will be.), be used as an "item finder", and use a calling system that call any phone or video phone. Plus it's got its own journal system, basically a video log for your adventures. It can even show you what's in your inventory. The only downside to it is…it needs to hook up to your brain. The process is long and many things can go wrong. But that was the old version….Right? I'm getting the one of a kind version, the type that stays with you forever and can be updated. It's also self-repairing so there are no worries of it damaging anything in your brain or central nervous system. In fact, it would probably make you healthier due to the nano machines in your brain and in your nerves. They keep the hosts brain intact and healthy. I think its still a very painful and possibly life threatening process but totally worth the risk. Rachel was behind me with my egg in her arms and I could tell she was scared for me. We were close friends back in school and she has always cared about me…I just wish she was more then a friend.
"Cal, are you sure about this?" She asked me, clutching my egg.
"Rachel this is a once in a lifetime chance. I'd be nuts to pass this up." I said as I removed my shirt and tank top.
"You're crazy for doing this to yourself." She said in a small voice.
Rachel had looked away quickly and seemed to be blushing. But I must have been mistaking. There was no way she would find me attractive…. I'm to…uncultured for her. She likes those sophisticated guys not the adventurous smart asses. I allowed myself to be distracted by these thoughts as I climbed onto the operation table. There was an outline for me to lie in so I would be in the right position for the machinery to work its magic. Assistants started an I.V. drip for me and stuck all kinds of sensors on my body.
"Now Cal. The restrains are for your uncontrollable body spasms. You WILL have them. It's nothing that has to do with you personally its just precautions. Your unconscious mind will act on instinct and attempt to get whatever it is that's hurting you off. We can't have you ripping out the device as it fuses to your retina and brain. It also has to tap into your central nervous system." Oak said as he walked up to the table and began pressing buttons. "So this will take a while."
Before I could ask why he would need to mention retrains steel bindings clamped down over my wrists, ankles, waist, torso, and head.
"….You'll have to forgive me if I feel slightly uncomfortable with the situation."
"You were the one who wanted this Cal." Oak said
"….Words eaten Professor." I said with a forced smile.
I couldn't entirely say I didn't bring this on myself but still; this was not exactly a relaxing device. At least not until installed. One of the Professor's aids walked up to me with something in her hands.
"This will keep you from panicking Cal." She said as she put some kind of blindfold on my eyes.
The only thing I could do was listen to the sounds of the machinery. I felt a hand close around my own and I heard a voice through the other noise.
"Its gonna be okay Cal. I'm not going anywhere until you get up off this table."
It was Rachel's voice. I squeezed her hand as I felt something press to the spot just behind the edge of my right eye socket. Then it started to hurt, and the rest all happened so quickly I couldn't have prepared for it if I had tried. Something shot straight into my skull and it felt like someone had stuck a knife in my eye and then pushed it into my brain. I gasped and let a scream escape my lips as my body began to struggle. The pain seemed to travel through my body to my Super-Dex arm and it felt like it was on fire all over again. The pain only kept getting more intense as my entire body suddenly felt like it was getting impaled. It went on for far to long in my opinion, I just kept screaming as it got worse and worse then it all just stopped at once. The only thing I could hear at that point was my labored breathing. Then I heard another sound: sobbing. It was Rachel….but…why was she crying? Did something happen? The blindfold was removed from my eyes and the light sort of blinded me for a second but as I orientated myself I realized that one of my eyes were seeing odd colors. The steel clamps released my limbs and I slowly sat up still gasping a little. My right eye was seeing everything in a dark blue hue.
"Well Cal….you sure know how to keep an old mans heart rate up." Oak said as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Was I really that loud professor?"
"More like your vitals were that loud my boy. I've never seen someone's heart almost explode before. And though I am very grateful yours only gave us a fright it was still…unsettling. The installation was a success though, I almost wish you hadn't said yes to this."
I looked over at Rachel who was in tears and holding my egg to her chest wouldn't meet my eyes. I saw the aid coming over again and this time she was more pale then polite.
"Step over to the mirror and admire your new accessory." She said a little shaky as she removed the sensors and the I.V.
I stood up, walked over to the mirror and saw what had caused all the pain. It was a small, thin, white, smooth rectangular chip on the side of my eye. Coming out of its tip across my eyes line of sight was a holographic screen. Reminded me of the snag machine they developed for the shadow pokemon crisis in Almnia. I looked at professor Oak and thankfully he was smiling again. Still looked pretty shaken though.
"You should be able to find out all of the functions on your own. Its pretty….self explanatory." He said, smirking like it was some sort of inside joke that only he knew.
I just took that as my okay to go. Not after being told to contact them if anything went wrong and other such things. I don't think that was possible with a few indestructible pieces of machinery that were water resistant and unable to malfunction. I got dressed and walked up to Rachel who, thankfully, had regained her composure. Then she surprised me by setting my egg down on the table and throwing her arms around me.
"….Don't you ever scare me like that again…" She said as she pulled back to look at me.
"Come on Rach you know it takes more then that to finish me off." I said, smiling reassuringly.
She didn't seem convinced as she kissed me on the cheek. Wait….she…KISSED me?! On the cheek mind you but she KISSED me. ME!
"I have to go….be safe okay…I want to see you again." She said before she ran out the door.
I was still in shock as she left. That really…actually happened. I was standing there for a good five minutes before Oak tapped my shoulder and snapped me out of it.
"You had best be going Cal. You have a very long road ahead of you. And your egg needs hatching."
"Uh…right." I said dumbly as I grabbed my egg and walked to the door.
"Here. Take this with you." He said as he handed me a pokeball I had never seen before. "It's for the pokemon that comes out of that egg."
I nodded as I left and began to walk home. I had to get my pack at my house first so that was stop number one. As I stepped out into the sunlight my scanner activated and my super-dex beeped at me. I turned my palm up and a holographic image of a menu appeared. I took a few minutes to customize it so that it was easy to access and quick to activate certain things. My mind controlled my scanner though, all I had to do was speak or think what I wanted and it did it for me.
"Phone. Call home." I said very clearly, testing out the voice controls.
The image brought up a screen that had the words "calling" scrolling across it. Then a video came up of my mother.
"Hi sweetie! How did it go?" she asked with a smile.
"Very well. Hang on I'll switch to video mode. Transfer. Video call." I said as I turned my palm up.
The holographic screen came up once again only this time it was a video screen with my mom on it. She was well dressed as usual in her summer cloths.
"Oh my goodness honey what is that on your face?!" she said in her shocked tone.
"Uh…it's the scanner mom. I told you they offered it."
"And you actually took it!? That procedure could have killed you!"
"But it didn't." I returned, smirking.
"Just get home in one piece okay honey?"
"You know I'm like right outside right"
"Your point?" She countered smirking.
Okay I walked right into that one. I chuckled as I walked through the front door. She just gave me that mom look as I hung up the call. She came to me and hugged me. I loved my mom, always worried but always supportive. Then she noticed the egg I was protecting from her death grip.
"…What's with the egg sweetie?" she asked me, obviously expecting me to have a pokemon.
"He only had three pokemon and this egg. So I took the egg."
"…you took…..the egg…and you have no idea what it will be."
"I honestly don't care what it is." I said nuzzling the little bundle of mystery.
She just sighed and moved on to the next obvious question.
"And what is that on your hand? A new glove?"
I rolled my eyes and explained to her all that went down. In the end she just kind of accepted it, which by the way made her a great mother.
"Be careful out there for me baby. By the way, I have a present for you" She said smiling.
She pulled out a beat up old box from inside the closet and blew the dust off of it.
"This belonged to your father." she said somberly as she opened the box.
Inside was what looked like a torn up headband. I picked it up and knew exactly what it was. This headband was said to bring out a trainers true strength; belonging to a legendary trainer whose name was lost to time. I took off my hat and put it on. After it was on tight I put my hat on over it. The result was two long pieces of worn cloth hanging down from the back of my hat. I looked at mom and hugged her tightly. I know how much this meant to her. I felt her start to cry and I comforted her the way a son always should.
"….I'm gonna come home mom…I'll make you proud" I said as I pulled away.
"I'm sorry sweetie I just…you look so much like him…." She put a hand over her mouth as tears continued down her cheeks. "….He would be proud of what you're doing…..you take care of your pokemon you hear me….they are your team…and you are their friend…not master."
"…..I'll do it mom….I'll finish this journey….I'm gonna come back and visit once I finish the Kanto league….just you wait."
With that I grabbed my pack and gently laid my egg in it. As I stepped out into the sunshine I was ready for the biggest journey ever attempted by any trainer…Yeah. I think I got this covered.
