I didn't really know what Pokémon were until I became a trainer.

Growing up, my family kept Pokémon that were easy to take care of. Our Lillipup, called Scoot, had a softer bark than other Lillipup. His claws were trimmed every week so he wouldn't scratch the furniture, and Mother requested a professional Furfrou groomer to ensure his fur was kept clean. The Finneon in our fish tank were smaller than Weedle, and Father warned me not to overfeed them. When friends came over, they'd comment on how small and stunted my family's Pokémon were.

"What's wrong with them, Nerissa?" they'd ask.

"Nothing's wrong," I retorted. "This is what Pokémon are supposed to be like. Any bigger or louder and they'd be like the scary ones in the wild."

My friends shook their heads. "Your family is funny."

"You're funny!" I sniffled. They were wrong. The Pokémon in my family's house were what Pokémon were supposed to be like. Many of my classmates complained of how their Glameow's claws tore the curtains or their Tepig's sneeze scorched the furniture. Scoot was nothing like that; he was the perfect Lillipup, the perfect Pokémon.

After I turned ten, I got to choose a Pokémon from Professor Rowan's lab. I dressed up for the occasion, wearing a white button-down shirt and a pleated dark blue skirt, white socks pulled up to my knees. I wanted to look as presentable as the Pokémon the professor would offer; as Sinnoh's most renowned professor, the Pokémon in his lab would be at least as well-behaved as Scoot.

Instead, when I arrived, Professor Rowan's assistants were scrambling to calm down a belligerent water type that sprayed bubbles far more aggressive than the tiny plip drips from my family's Finneon, and a feisty fire type that breathed even bigger flames than my classmate's Tepig. Only the grass type remained tranquil, as docile as Scoot; naturally, that was the starter Pokémon I chose.

Professor Rowan harrumphed, his white moustache twitching. "Turtwig is a reliable choice, relatively easy for a novice trainer to care for, and will grow to be a mighty giant resembling a continent!"

I almost dropped my new Pokédex. "It can be that big?!"

"I jest, Nerissa," the old professor assured me. "No Pokémon can be the size of a continent, or where would it sleep? However, Pokémon tend to get bigger when they evolve. Does that concern you?"

"Yes!" It came out louder than I'd intended. Turtwig hopped in shock, and some of the research assistants glanced at us curiously. "Scoot, my family's Lillipup, is small enough that I could carry him as a child, and our Finneon is this big." I held my hands close together to show him.

Professor Rowan's bushy white eyebrows shot up. "That," he remarked, "is quite small."

"My point is," I continued, "how can I take care of a Pokémon that's bigger than I am?"

The professor harrumphed, no sympathy in his tone. "Most trainers handle the challenge with astonishing grace. But if you're not up to the task—"

Near me, a research assistant loudly whispered, "Is he gonna take back the girl's Pokédex and starter?"

I tensed.

"—then simply refrain from evolving your Pokémon," Professor Rowan finished.

I sighed in relief; the research assistant who'd spoken looked disappointed at the lack of drama.

The professor explained in a lofty tone, "In an ideal scenario, evolution occurs with both the trainer and Pokémon wanting it. Sometimes, a Pokémon's evolution deviates from a trainer's plan, turning what should have been a momentous occasion into a disappointment. Other times, a trainer forces a Pokémon to evolve before it's ready, turning what should have been a momentous occasion—"

"Into a disappointment?" I suggested.

"—into an anxiety-inducing event." Professor Rowan glowered at the interruption. "However," he continued, "starter Pokémon connect with people easily. Turtwig won't evolve until you're ready..."

"Perfect," I said, scooping up Turtwig and the Poké Balls and getting the heck out of that stuffy lab.

I brought Turtwig to a pleasant park on Route 202 and sat it on my lap to rub its shell. A little way away from us, a youngster challenged a powerful-looking foreigner to a battle. From the older trainer's drawn-out vowels and melodic voice, I guessed he was from Hoenn.

"You dare challenge me? I am Dragon Tamer Ivan, a member of the Elite Four in Hoenn."

"And I'm Youngster Eddy! I always wanted to battle a League trainer—someone from the Sinnoh League would've been cooler, but you'll do, too."

"Such insolence! You will regret picking a fight with me, boy. This will be a one-on-one battle, and it's over when one Pokémon is unable to battle. In other words, it's over when I say it's over."

Youngster Eddy beamed. "You're going down! Staravia, I choose you!"

"Salamence, to victory!"

Turtwig leaned forward eagerly. I pulled him back closer to me so he didn't fall off my lap. In one move, I could tell this battle was not the friendly matches my classmates had that our teacher scolded them for. This was real, and dangerous.

I got up, squeezing Turtwig close to me. Turtwig cried in protest, wanting to watch the battle, but I began making my way back to Sandgem Town to evade the fray. Youngster Eddy hung his head when he realized he was far outclassed. "I can't do this. Thank you for accepting my challenge, Mister Ivan."

Ivan licked his lips. "Didn't I tell you, boy? It's over when I say it's over."

Eddy's eyes widened. "Mister—Staravia, use Whirlwind on that girl and her Turtwig!"

"Salamence, Outrage!"

A gust of strong wind from Staravia's wings blew me and Turtwig above the treeline. I held onto my Pokémon with one arm and used my free hand to keep my skirt from flying above my waist. Afraid of heights, I squeezed my eyes shut. Far below, Staravia and Eddy screamed.

I landed on soft grass. Turtwig rolled from my grip and tugged on my shirt, trying to pull me back to the battle. I pushed him away and cried into my hands, terrified from the experience. It wasn't until much later that I thought to check up on Eddy and Staravia.

They were long gone, along with Ivan and Salamence. Only a scorched path indicated the battle had taken place at all, but in time, grass would grow over it again. Ivan retired from his position in the Hoenn Elite Four, while Youngster Eddy became Veteran Edgar, who spent his days training on Victory Road.

Eddy became a high-ranking trainer, and I was left in the dust, too scared to do anything—afraid, but determined. After being traumatized that day, I vowed to build a park where only cute, harmless Pokémon can enter. That dream took form as Amity Square. It was a good run – I got the pleasure of knowing that I was creating a safe space for many trainers and their Pokémon – until a group of trainers as belligerent as Dragon Tamer Ivan barged in and turned my haven into a battlefield.