I Don't Own Pokemon
It had been a few days and I was currently in the lab still, helping out Juniper with a side-project of hers which involved commutation between Pokemon. Needless to say as I could 'understand' Pokemon, I was here to confirm if what she thought the Pokemon was saying was correct. I'm just glad that's all she knew about my sort-of-secret, otherwise I believe I wouldn't escape this place until I answered at least a couple hundred questions.
And even then I would probably be tracked down and dragged back to the lab for at least another three rounds of questioning. While it was interesting to know that apparently my apparent mastery over language was very well known in town and even a few of the Professor's friends. Which was a little concerning that I was a little more known in this region than I already thought I would be.
Anyway, back on the topic at hand, the Professor was currently letting out the Pokemon that were used in her test back out to the back of the lab where a ranch was located. It wasn't as interesting as one might think it was, all I did was listen and then translate what the two speakers were saying. So I was a little glad when the last sawsbuck was led back outside. As the Professor walked back into the lab though, I started the conversation that I was meaning to get around to.
"Hey Professor, a few months back you said that you could only approve a trainer with over a years experience at training to carry more than the limit of six Pokemon" She looked over at me, then up at the roof as she crossed her arms, seemingly in thought trying to recall what I was talking about. Which was fair, if I remember right she had pulled an all nighter when I called her. After a second, she snapped her finger as sh said.
"Oh yeah! I remember that, you sent over that empty pokeball that I had to manually register. So I guess you're asking if you qualify now?" I gave her a nod, which seem used to let a look of thoughtfulness to come over her face for a few moments before nodding to herself as to confirm whatever decision she had come to make. I didn't have to wait for long in suspense as to what her decision was, as she turned her focus back to me as she said.
"I don't see why not...Actually wait here for a moment, after all if you're going to be getting a seventh Pokemon sooner or later, then I think it would be nice if you could actually get a proper Unovan starter" With that she walked out of the room, tilting my head to the side as I watched her speed-walk down the corridor. I was given way to many context clues to not figure out what she had in mind but that didn't mean it didn't surprise me.
As she walked back into the small side room of the lab, I reached my hand out and caught the pokeball that she had tossed be. Looking at the non-primed ball in my hand, I noted the Grass type symbol, in the form of a leaf, on the ball telling me which of the three possible starters was in the ball in my hand. I looked up at the Professor and raised an eyebrow, after all I didn't understand why she was giving them to me. After a seconds she just shrugged before saying.
"I never did give you a gift for, well, any of the dozens of accomplishments you've achieved in the last year. Mostly just slipped my mind I guess but this is as good as anything" Huh, I wasn't expecting that, I'm not the best at predicting behavior or actions, and I haven't known this person for that long but a present is pretty unexpected. Still none of that really mattered, I looked down at my occupied hand and thought on it for a few moments, and after a moment I said.
"Alright then" She nodded before turning while telling me she was going to assign the Pokemon to my register and extend my carry limit. As she left, I gave the ball another look as I wondered about the type of Pokemon that was now apart of my team. I still wasn't sure about if I would regret taking them, I've had the six of my team for over five months now since I've gotten another Pokemon. I just hope everyone would get along, so with that I primed the ball and sent the Pokemon out.
As the grass snake Pokemon appeared in front of me, I looked down and then knelt down as well, to be on the Pokemon's level. I gave the Grass type a small smile, which I noted Snivy examined with an almost careful deliberation before nodding to me. They were careful, very much so, though that didn't stop me from picking up the faint look in their eyes, they were excited, after all they thought no one would be training them until at best the next new trainer came. Though they were very good a hiding it.
"Hello there Snivy" They looked at me for a few seconds, judging my words against whatever information base they had to compare, using that they responded with.
"I'm fine Chief" A bit lackluster for the amount of thinking he used to come to that wording but I didn't bother thinking anymore with that. It was just something I could tell would be apart of who he was, I was more curious about the probability of a different title being used for him to address me by. Also, Chief? I could understand Mismagius calling me Captain, it suited her type of madness, but Chief, while I didn't know much about this Grass type yet, it didn't match as well, whatever I'm over thinking.
"That's good, fine is only one step away from being happy. Still nonetheless, I hope you enjoy being on my team, though fair warning you're going to have to work pretty hard to get catch up with the rest of the team. Of course that is if you want to battle in the first place, if you don't then well that's more than fine" His eyes widened slightly, showing his surprise at my comment which was fine.
I already knew he would have that reaction, I could see it would happen, he was a very careful Pokemon, I could already see the thoughts going through his head about why I would say that, when he was probably aware of me to some degree if his already knowing I would be his trainer would be any indication, Juniper would have said something about me to him, so he would know my team only battles.
"Why would you allow that Chief?" Allow? I don't like that wording, it implies a lot of things about before myself, and the type of thought process that went through the Pokemon in front of me. Still, I didn't let that effect me for the time being, I've met other people who were just as careful if not more so without some kind of trauma in their past.
"Why wouldn't I? You're on my team but you're also you're own Pokemon. If you don't want to battle, then you won't, simple as that. You're already going to be traveling around with me, it wouldn't be fair to control what you'll be doing on these travels. So just tell me and I'll do my best to help you with it during our walk about of Unova while we're here" He looked at me for a few moments with a considering look before saying.
"I don't know what I would like to do" I just gave a nod to that not looking particularly surprised, as he didn't seem one to battle, he didn't have the same energy or eagerness for battling that I've seen in the others so he wouldn't have a immediate affinity for battling which he would have told me so I could help train him. Though he could change his mind later, but that was for, like stated, for later as I told him.
"That's fine, Lycanroc wasn't sure about what to do for a while either, so no shame in taking your time in deciding what you want to do" He seemed to think on my words for a moment, probably making a note to ask my team about that later when he meets them. Distrust is never something I like dealing with, it's always a headache tiptoeing around topics, choosing words carefully to not add pressure or stress to someone so they can open themself up to you.
Though I've hardly ever done this for someone I've liked or wanted to get along with, so this was a bit more interesting and I was being a bit more careful than I would normally be, as careful as Snivy himself I reckon, but thankfully I don't have to do most of the work. I'm sure I just have to let my family be themselves and he'll come around sooner or later and understand that he doesn't have to be so guarded around me.
Still, that was to be worked on later, as I slowly stood up, as I looked around for a moment before saying to the snake, who was looking up at me.
"I'll be staying around here for maybe another day before heading out. If you want, I can leave you out so you can have one last look around the place for a bit and come and get you later. Otherwise, we'll be heading out now to a small patch of forest I found that I've enjoyed camping out at" He seemed to consider it for a moment before telling me his decision.
"I would like to stay around here until you plan on leaving" I nodded as I gave a good bye as I turned and began to make my way out of the lab. After all, I did need to get back to the place where I have been camping out, otherwise my team is going to get antsy wondering why I've been gone for so long when I said I would at most only take an hour or two, and considering Juniper held me up for another thirty minutes of experimenting, well I should make sure they haven't destroyed anything yet.
I would have stayed at my parents house, but I only had to take two steps inside my 'house' before immediately turning and walking out, I didn't not want to stay in a house that had basic Pokemon breeding anatomy on the wall. I already knew they were Pokemon breeders, which in itself was bad enough to know, but the living room, well, it was like walking into a really and I mean really disturbed Sex Ed teacher's classroom, expect even worse because I'm still not mentally use to half the things my body now considers as normal.
Needless to say, I now saw my parents, and to a lesser extent myself because some of the revelations I learned about myself when I saw a few of the more weirder poster on the wall, in a much more horrific light, and I wasn't ok with that at all, so to the forest it was, plus it's not like my parents could say anything, after all they were still in Kanto. Apparently they had decided that, that trip to Cinnabar was to tempting to pass up, so I went back to Unova without them.
Anyway, moving past that mentally scarring memory, I continued on towards the place I had been camping out at.
Thankfully the forest was still intact, which was a good sign, as last I heard from my Son, was that he was planning on playing tag and wanted to get everyone involved. I thought about telling them not to, but decided against it after some consideration, they were a bit cooped up and because of how use to training they've become over the last year or so, there was a lot of pent up energy everyone wanted to get out of their system.
Though, that might have been something I should have used as a reason for them to not play tag, as they could probably level the entire forest and the town itself with energy to spare if the six of them weren't careful. Still, like I said, as I stepped into the clearing, were I had been camping out, the only tells of there being a game that was played was three particular trees that seemed to be missing.
I smirked as I got a look at Luxray as he walked up to me, he seemed confused by my expression as I made a gesture of dusting of my back. He twisted his neck to look at his own back and I could feel his embarrassment as we both looked at the wood chips and dust on his back that had been press into his fur. At least I knew how they moved the trees now.
"So what all have you all gotten up to, well besides the game you were starting when I left, I can see how that went" I could almost see the blush from under his dark fur as he tried to mutter to himself about they tried to be careful, but I heard anyway and laughed as quietly to myself as I could as he did his best to collect himself before telling me.
"Not much, we talked for a bit then some of the wild Pokemon from around here showed up and then we all played around for a bit then we all just waited around for a bit" I nodded as I gave him a pat on the head as I walked forwards with my Son walking forwards in pace with me. The team all had already noticed my presence as they moved forwards to greet me as I said to them all.
"I know everyone is feeling a little cooped up, so I just wanted everyone to know that we're going to be heading out tomorrow. And that we'll be having a new companion coming along with us" The reaction was instant, with them getting excited with the idea of getting back on the road, and then even more excited by the idea of a new teammate. I could see everyone was thinking about who this new Pokemon would be and what they would be like so I let them know.
"They aren't with us yet. We'll pick him up tomorrow on our way out, so don't get to built up in suspense when you'll have to wait a bit before you met him" They seemed a little disappointed that they wouldn't get to know their new team member just yet but none of them seemed to raise much fuss over it, though Mismagius was pouting a little. Actually I wasn't sure I would be able to save Snivy from her...quirkiness I guess?
He didn't seem like randomness as a whole, at least from what I've gathered, and I can understand that, I'm way to paranoid in general to really appreciate it myself. But I've been around quirky for a long time, and my Ghost's particular brand for over a year. I've actually come to find it more assuming than anything at this point, but I doubt Snivy would see it the same. Well, if anything, it'll be interesting to see how that goes.
Still, I've got a day before I have to worry about it, and for right now, I'd rather mess with my team by teasing them about the fact that I already know who's going to be joining us. It'll be fun watching them guess and talk about it, I wonder if any of them will be able to guess the type of Pokemon Snivy is. Though my wonderment was interrupted as I listened to a small rustle from behind me.
Turning to look over my shoulder, I listened to the faint cuss of a familiar voice. It seems a limp doesn't help ones ability to sneak around, who knew. Turning my body to face the same direction as my face was pointed as I made my way forwards. As I got to where I could see her, I just raised an eyebrow as I looked on as Riolu glared at me while she was rubbing a pain that was coming from her bad leg.
"I feel like I should be more curious about both how you got out of the lab and how you found me, but I think that would be less interesting as to why you did either in the first place" She seemed to hold back a pout or maybe it was a growl, then again for all I knew she was holding herself back from jumping at me and trying to rip out my eyes, I don't know her well enough to tell which one of the three it was, but I'm pretty sure it was one of those three.
"Why should I explain myself to you?" I raised another eyebrow at that before telling her.
"Maybe, and I do mean maybe, because it involves me" I haven't been able to really not have to cut back for awhile when just having a pointless argument with someone. After all, this is what this is, a pointless argument and we both knew it, well I suspect it at least, right now I'm about sixty percent sure as to why she was here.
"Oh and what if I'm here for one of you team members? Or do you just naturally assume everything must revolve around you?" She's better than I thought she was, though this does make my total bump up to about eighty. And to be fair, I'm in a story starring myself, literally everything revolves around me, just not this version of me, though I won't say that of course.
"You were hiding, quite badly at that, if you wanted to talk with someone you wouldn't have hid in the first place. So maybe the world doesn't revolve around me but that doesn't mean that you aren't currently in my own little orbit, and I like knowing what goes on in it. So why are you here" She frowned at me before spitting out.
"Taking a nice stroll through the forest, to bad you had to interrupt me, then again you're probably to stupid to notice the difference between walking and hiding, last time I checked those were two very different activities" And that makes a hundred, she's her because she wants to talk to someone without them feeling bad for her, and what better way to show that then by arguing.
"Really, I'm stupid? Last time I checked it usually isn't the genius that walks in the forest with a bad leg, certainly not the mark of genius for them to be on their own on top of that" She didn't even look offended that I was mocking both her being a cripple and her intelligence, instead she just got ruder.
"Oh please, one leg down and I could still beat you into the ground. Besides what do you know about being a genius? After all you clearly aren't one, I mean you're to stupid to understand or even accept that you're an emotionless husk" Going for the emotional dysfunction, something she knows I don't like to be told but don't actually care to be offended with.
"Really we're still on whose's smarter? Because you're the one that's arguing with the trainer with a team twenty feet away from him that could level a large city to the ground by playing a game of tag without being extremely careful" I noted she was holding back a small smirk while I also noticed that my team was currently watching our exchange of words like it was a tennis game.
"Fine moving past whose smarter, instead lets move back to the fact that you messed up my walk" I rolled my eyes as I could feel a small smile almost appear on my face before I stopped it from appearing, I had already mentioned who it had been far to long since I could just say whatever the hell I wanted and not have to worry about hurting someone's fragile feelings, so I'll admit to enjoying this as well.
"Yeahs sure, lets talk about who you think siting in a bush is the same as walking. I know both must require a lot of attention to do for you, but I do believe you've gotten them mixed up" As she opened her mouth again with another insult already heading my way, I let the grin slip out slightly, as I wondered how long she would be able to hold up before stopping, because I knew I wouldn't be the one that ended this, so far I was having a great time.
I feel like people make the lucario line in Pokemon to noble and good to not some times have jerks come out from their species. After all, some of the most generous and and in general nicest people I've met have been rude, blunt and over all pricks in day to day life, but when you need them they can be the most understanding of all. Of course I'm not adding myself in that category, I'm a prick because of no other reason than I don't care. Anyway, See ya.
