From going forward, due to planned language shenanigans in future chapters, all pokemon names and some items within spoken dialogue are Japanese with translations given in the narrative.
-/- Pallet: Part One -/-
Transcript from the ONBS' interview, published in the Orren Times.
"Oh, hi, Eva-san. What's up?"
"I-" Even though she brightened at the sight of one of the very few people outside of friends and family who consistently used her name, the words still caught in her throat. To blurt it out right away was rude, even if they'd known each other for years. "Uh-"
"Is Satoru being a pain again?" Daisy ventured and Eva blinked, opened her mouth, ready to both say 'yes' and to comment on how colour coordinated Daisy looked for once in her life, then decided against it. If the Oak heiress wanted to match her clothes and house slippers to the ceramic, sky-silver cup of jasmine-scented tea, then she could. It was effortlessly elegant as always, too, as if she had rolled out of bed dressed like that.
Of course she did. Eva thought bitterly, then squashed the childish jealousy down as hard as she could. She was thirteen, not some silly twelve-year-old who'd fiddle with her leafy print skirt like she was now. Eva forced her hands to still, to smooth out the skirt. Daisy was cool, yes, but there were more important things to focus on than some stupid desire to look good before an Oak. Looks wouldn't help her in a day or two when it was time to hit the road like an actual, proper trainer.
Not just some kid who played trainer with mum or dad's pokemon.
Legends, gods, and myths, but the day couldn't come fast enough. No-one cared what you looked like on the road, not even talent scouts. All they cared for was battle-skill.
"Eva-san?" Daisy asked, this time with a touch of concern that brought her back to the here and now.
"Not this time," Eva shook her head with an eye roll and a wry smile before she remembered her manners with a quick 'sorry!' and bowed. While Daisy might not have complained, Pallet was, by definition, a small town in the Kantan backwoods and the Oaks were a relatively old name. Not kazoku or kazoku-descended by any means, but still old. "He's at the lab."
"Still?" Daisy shook her head with a scoff. "Honestly."
"Y- Wait-" Eva started, eyes narrowed and focused on Daisy as if she'd just imparted some great revelation about the world. Or, at least, about her soon-to-be-actual rival. "He's been there since noon-hour?"
It was nearing 3 pm. Gods and legends. She knew he was impatient -everyone who'd be heading out tomorrow was- but this was bordering on the absurd.
"Since 7 am," Daisy said with a short tsk and a sip of tea. "He's lucky mum was at work by then and Aunty hadn't shown up yet..."
Eva's eyes bulged. "Nine hours? That's ridiculous."
"Yes. Even I wasn't that bad..."
"Of course not!" Eva shook her head in denial. "You at least waited for the day!"
"That I did, then I drove mum and grandpa up the wall until it was time," the older teenager said flatly, though the crinkle of her eyes and the slight on-the-spot bounce betrayed excited amusement mixed with a hint of relief? No, that couldn't be right.
Not when the day a person became a trainer was one of the greatest milestones in her life. It ranked alongside the likes of walking, first words, and first pokemon. It was a freedom yes, but it was also a massive responsibility and a sign parents thought the child mature enough to face the world with nothing but a belt of monsters and her own wits.
"And you got a hitokage as Starter, right?" Eva asked more for the sake of it. She knew Daisy'd started with a charmander and that it was now a charmeleon. Everyone in Pallet turned out to watch young trainers get their Starter.
"I did, yes, and grandma showed up," Daisy said with a smile. Eva only nodded distractedly. Now she thought about it, it was odd she couldn't hear the TV or see the pokemon. Not when Daisy never muted it and let her Starter roam the house as it pleased.
"Where is he, anyway?" Eva asked as she peered around the woman and into the house. Starters were special. Sacred. Starters were more than the first pokemon a woman owned. They were always the pokemon she Started the Trainer Journey with. To 'box, release or sell it? That doomed the trainer. Superstition or not, the data held out: a Starter was for life.
That's why Eva knew Daisy still had her Starter even though she didn't see sign of it, nor, oddly, the rest of her pokemon. Instead, she spied Shin at the table, the seven-year-old's face a mask of intense, formidable concentration as he built and rebuilt tiny connect-o-blocks in various, intricately complicated configurations while his service-mon, Karen (an electrike), lay at his heels. Off to the side was a stack of books half as high as the boy, and all of them, from what Eva knew about the odd child, were probably on electric-types.
Daisy's gaze followed hers and the woman's face settled into something neutral and unreadable. "Shin's here and he has a thing about flame-class right now."
"Oh." It was a lame reply and Eva knew it even as she swallowed the pity she wanted to give and it settled like a stone in her stomach. Having to deal with such a child, even one's own cousin, would have anyone feeling chatty after a day of babysitting. "I thought it was bug?"
Daisy shook her head. "Not anymore. So," she started as she leant against the door frame, attention on her, but Eva knew it was also on Shin. Not that the boy would ever notice anything outside his blocks. A cyclone on the Empress Tide could pull in an adult gyarados and he still wouldn't notice. Daisy stared at her younger cousin for a beat or two more before she huffed and smiled, attention now solely on Eva. "Do you know what your mum's gotten you yet?"
"Not yet, and she's avoiding the topic like it's toxic!" Eva's shoulders sagged and hands fisted against her skirt as the ground suddenly became that much more interesting. "Everyone else knows though. Eripi's getting a shiny ībui-"
"From the Motora farm." It wasn't even a question; both ladies knew all respectable eevee, shiny or no, came from them.
Eva nodded. "It was cheap-"
"Never a good sign," Daisy muttered against her mug. Eva frowned but before she could ask what was so bad about a cheap shiny, Daisy continued. "Moving on though-"
"So, Yu-chan's getting a pikachū- but she technically has it now, because their raichū had pups two months ago-"
"I remember that night," Daisy started, only for Eva to interrupt.
"You do?"
"Hm. They called grandpa out to spay it soon after."
"He was?" Eva cocked her head in confusion. "But, why him and not some other vet in town?"
"It's to do with being a League Professor."
Like that was any explanation. "Huh?"
"Right, you wouldn't have covered that in school," Daisy grinned from behind her mug at Eva's glare. "You know the Kantō League typically only has one at any one time, correct? And a bunch of others like that but without fancy titles?" Eva nodded; it was one of the first things they learned about the League-side of the government. Lots of professors but only one fancy title. Daisy continued. "Gramps was called because he has experience in spaying raichū and sometimes works with the vets out here. But, back to what you were saying."
"No wonder he's so busy," Eva shook her head, dispelled the idea there was something more to it (not her problem, anyway), and took a breath before she continued. "Anyway, on top of all that, Tomiyoto-san and Higazu-chan are getting something from the Program and-"
"So's Satoru," Daisy whispered. "But that's just your class, isn't it? Not the whole school." At her nod, Daisy continued. "I know there's always a few like you who won't know until tomorrow."
"Sure! As if! Arika's getting a shiny too, but she's not told anyone what it is, and Tomas-kun is getting a miniryū-"
Daisy's eyebrows shot up at the mention of a dratini as a Starter."Oh really now?"
"Yes! How come he gets that?! He's not - Not from a dragon clan!" Eva was more than a little ashamed to say it felt good to vent to someone not family. To someone who was just as incredulous that anyone not dragon-clan or stupid rich would get a dratini of all things for a Starter. It wasn't that her family didn't understand, but they didn't get out much it hurt and felt like she, out of all the kids in her class starting tomorrow, was the only one without a Starter lined up. That she was without and a classmate was getting a dragon-type. "I- It's not fair!"
"I don't think he's really getting that and it'll be fine."
"No, it won't!" She didn't quite stomp her foot, but it was near enough.
"It will, trust me, Eva-san. Tomas-kun won't have a miniryū and your mum's probably ordered you something from Shin'ō or Jōto and wants to surprise you."
"Like a hanekko or-or a cherinbo?" Eva's eyes lit up, never mind how much she doubted it was true, or harder it was to train up a hoppip than a cherubi. It could be done, of course. Comp-training, good feed, and lots of sunlight made a world of difference. In many respects, it was like the oddish or bellsprout lines, but far more work, though less work than shroomish.
"Exactly," Daisy said firmly. "You'll have a Starter, too. Everyone always does."
"Yea, I guess," Eva said, uncertain for all of three seconds before she shook her head. Daisy was right. She would get a Starter and she would start the journey tomorrow. But, as good as it felt to vent, as if a weight had been lifted somewhat, venting wasn't the real reason she'd come here. "So, you seen your grandfather at all? Dad said he wanted to talk to me about something this arvo."
Daisy took a sip of tea with a thoughtful hum as she tapped a finger against the side of the mug. "Did you check the lab?"
"It's how I know Satoru's there!" Eva huffed, face contorted with dislike and annoyance towards the one who'd popularised her stupid nickname. Just because she liked leaves and vines and grass-types... "It's not like another day'll hurt when he knows he qualified!"
Because of course he would. Children and grandchildren of League Professors, and those of Gym Leaders and the Elite and even Champion, automatically qualified.
"Have you ever known him to wait?"
"Nope," Eva shook her head with a snort. "Not even in school. Especially this year."
"At least he has you to check him," Daisy said and, looking back, Eva would come to understand the woman had hidden a smile. That she'd already known they'd be bitter Rivals. "But, did you look thoroughly or get into a fight with my brother?"
Eva knew her guilty face said it all.
Daisy sighed. "Go back and ask one of the aides."
"Fine. Not my fault if I punch Satoru, though." Not after what he'd said the first time.
"We don't hit boys," Daisy said with a raised eyebrow. "No matter how much they may deserve it."
"Yes, Nanami-san." It was petulant, and she knew it. But it was easy to hit a boy, to push him if he annoyed you or said something stupid. "I won't hit him. But I can still call him names, right?"
The Look Daisy shot her made Eva wish the ground would open up and eat her. It wasn't on the same level as one from her mum, though. But it was close. "You're better than him. And, Eva-chan?"
"Yes?" She asked hesitantly, shoulders half hunched in fear of more reprimands.
"Good luck!"
"Uh, thanks," Eva stuttered out before she bowed and quickly left to make her way to the Laboratory.
"Now scoot, I need to wrangle Shin into helping for dinner before grandma shows up."
"Good luck," Eva said before she bowed and quickly left to make her way to the Laboratory, not thinking much of it. Visitors and grandparents from all over had come to Pallet, and Agatha had come as well this morning. To oversee of course, because every town or city had an Elite visit for Journey Start at least once every decade.
-/-/-/-/-
The click of the main door seemed to fill the space, like an ominous prelude to a storm or earthquake that only Eva noticed as a bolt of dislike shot up her spine. Brown eyes locked on the distant form of Satoru, perched on a desk and head in his phone. There was no storm though, and lab assistants barely looked up when she entered. Why should they, when they had books to file and wrote out complicated equations to write out on whiteboards? One even fussed over what looked like some sort of holographic projector shaped like a porygon.
If she'd been an Oak, would they have greeted her? Probably.
Yes.
Her steps seemed just as loud and ominous and Eva felt small, even as fond memories wormed into her mind. Over there, on the left, the class had sat and listened to Oak as he talked about the Starter Program. Then after that, Oak had introduced the Starter-lines from Kanto and she'd fallen in love with the 'saur-line's leafy visage.
It'd been three years ago when they'd been in grade five and she'd known then what her Starter would be. What she'd train as a pokemon trainer. She'd become a flora-class expert, maybe even discover new species of them and join the ranks of those who had.
But, that wasn't enough to soothe her (she wished it was, it'd make being back at the lab that much easier) and with a huff, the teenager crossed the space that doubled as both foyer, office, and gateway to other, closed off parts of the massive laboratory. Satoru had his head in his phone -no his pokegear. If she was careful, she could get to an aide before the brat noticed her.
"Yo! Leaf!" Or, he could dash her hopes.
Eva stared wide-eyed at the older teenager, who snapped off a two-fingered salute with a wide, confident grin. "Gramps ain't here, just like the last time you checked. Or you back for round two?"
"Because it's not tomorrow," Eva shot back, hands balled as she stared at Pallet's biggest, most persistent pain her arse known as Satoru Oak. As popular as he was, she was certain it was more because of his family name than any redeeming personality traits. Not that he had any, of course. He was arrogant and brash and he'd got not only most of his class, but some of hers as well to call her 'Leaf' these last few years. "You know you don't get to pick-"
"I do too. Gramps said I would!" The boy shot back, hands balled at his side. His head whipped around as a side door's knob turned with a click -was it an aide, here to kick them out if they started a fight?- and the dark-haired boy very quickly jumped off the table with a glare at Eva, as if daring her to say anything. Eva rolled her eyes. Like sitting on a table in Professor Oak's presence was some great crime. "Oi! Gramps! It's about time!"
"I've half a mind to send you home, Satoru," the professor said tiredly. "But yes, you will get to pick today, as will Eva-chan."
"What?" She couldn't have heard right. There was no way she was getting a pokemon from the Starter Program. "T-Today?"
"What? No way! I want it now!" Satoru growled. "You said-"
"I, your mother, your grandmother-"
Eva knew her eyes widened.
"-and your father, have agreed that you pick today and set off tomorrow," Oak said firmly.
"She's only saying that because she's an Elite."
"No," Oak said, and Eva had to fight not to gape, mind still stuck on the fact Agatha of the Elite Four was Satoru's grandmother. Neither Oak nor Satoru seemed to notice. "Unless you'd rather yours last tomorrow?"
She knew the Oaks were private, but this bordered on ridiculousness.
"I- No, of course not," Satoru griped, arms crossed and face worthy of an electabuzz. "Don't look so shocked, Leaf."
"I-" Would this explain why Agatha visited the Oaks at least once a month? "K-Ki-Kikuko-san...?" Maybe they were divorced. That had to be it, especially if he didn't have her surname.
"I think you broke her," Satoru grumbled and Eva's face flushed red in anger.
"I... I didn't apply for the Program, an-and mum said she'd lined my Starter up already," Eva said slowly as she tried to force her brain away from Oak family relations. The Starter Program was a good topic and she knew she could have applied like everyone else. Officially, it was supposed to be an even spread of young trainers from around Kanto, but everyone knew it wasn't. That how many from each town or city were chosen was luck-based and only the children of Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion were were guaranteed a spot. As were the direct relatives or grandchildren of League Professors, such as Oak, and those who managed to buy their way in via an outrageous amount of money.
Eva was none of them, even if her father claimed his mother was a cousin of Bruno's father. But in the light of Satoru 'Blue' Oak being a grandson of Agatha, her own hypothetical relation to an Elite was silly. Stupid.
Professor Oak smiled slightly. "Your mother and I spoke-"
Eva stared at the Professor, eyes wide. Was this why her mum had avoided the topic? Because she didn't want to spoil the surprise? But how-
She was no-one. Agatha wouldn't-
"Of course you're getting one," Satoru interrupted and Eva wanted to punch his smug, smirking face. "Like I'd let my rival start with some stupid bellsprout or something!"
"What's wrong with that?!" Eva snapped back to reality with a snarl, eyes narrowed. Someone had to defend the bellsprout line from the brat known as Satoru. Never mind he'd all but confirmed she was his rival.
"Everyone knows a fushigibana outclasses utsubotto any day!"
"So what? That's stats only!" She'd seen a venasaur fall to a victreebel. It hadn't been pretty, though; victreebel were vicious and mean and they fought dirty. Venasaur was too, but not to that level.
"You're my rival! That's what, Leaf-chan," Satoru shot back, twisting the honorific into something crass and ruder than rude. Eva stared. Technically, this was an abuse of the system. But the surrounding laws were also vague and so a kid guaranteed a spot could pick another to be their rival, ensuring they also had a Starter Program monster. Was this why she was getting one?
Because of his ego? She wasn't the only kid who'd competed with him when and were they could over the years. Brown eyes narrowed and Satoru's smirk said it all: it was because of his overinflated ego. "Go and take your fushigidane!"
She paused. There was something about the way he said it, like he was so sure he knew her. Knew what she'd take, as if he'd built a whole plan around it. She wanted the bulbasaur with all her heart. She'd built her team around it and decided on the pokemon she'd have that complemented it. The pokemon was a powerhouse with Special moves and everyone who followed the high-level battles and show-matches had seen the footage of Erika's beast of a venasaur. Kadō had been likened to a living, breathing canon and was no slouch in the speed department either, and in the show match between Erika and Blaine, it'd taken down the magmortar in a brutal, hours long fight.
Eva wanted such a pokemon. It was something that would be epic and awesome. That they were easy enough to raise helped, too.
She must have hesitated too long for Satoru's liking. "What? It's the middle one, stupid."
Hands fisted and one look at the smug boy beside her was enough for Eva. He wouldn't be letting her go first if he didn't have a plan. If she wanted a chance to withstand the plan, she needed a tank, not a canon. "I know."
At the nod from the Professor, she walked up to the desk, eyed the red-white balls, smiled...
Then took one with a flourish. "I'll take this one."
"What!? You stinker!"
She merely smiled. She liked her choice; it was a good one even if it wasn't what she really wanted. But she refused to play into his hands; she wasn't some weak-willed woman unable to stand up to some stupid bossy boy.
"Fine! I'll take this one!" Satoru hissed as he snatched up his pokemon with a thunderous expression. "It looks stronger than yours, anyway."
Eva snorted. "Oh yeah?"
"I'll prove it!" Satoru's smirk was pure malice as he thrust the 'ball out in clear challenge. "Let's battle!"
"Not until tomorrow," Oak admonished before the pair could let either pokemon out. "I understand you're eager, both of you, but tomorrow. If I may have the pokemon?"
She was smart enough to read between the lines: They'd gotten to pick and that was all. Everything else would happen tomorrow. She huffed a little, but handed hers over without complaint, then glared daggers at her rival until he did too.
"Now, I'll see you at 10 am tomorrow at the school," Oak said as he tucked the pokeballs into his lab coat. "And, Satoru, Daisy would like you home before your mother and aunt, as your granny and I'll be joining the family for dinner."
"Yeah, yeah. Smell ya later, Leaf," Satoru waved his hand as he headed out, shoulders hunched. But no. That was her imagination- it had to be.
She made to go, to follow him, only for Oak to stop her. "Don't hold it against your mother."
Eva nodded, mind too full to truly think outside the fact Daisy had been right: her mum had wanted to surprise her. "This is real, isn't it? He... Satoru- No, Blue..." Her nose wrinkled, but she pushed on. "We're- officially Rivals now?"
Oak nodded. "He also set your Trainer Card."
"He what?" Eva's voice was small, and at Oak's nod, what remained of her plans, no, the world, fell from under her. No, no, no... "He- how- because I'm his Rival-?"
"I'm afraid so." Oak nodded sadly, and distantly, Eva was aware Satoru had done this behind the backs of the adults in their lives. Had managed it because of the Oak name. Maybe because he was Agatha's grandson. "But in a year you'll be able to change it."
She heard the words, but they sounded distant and faint, as did the (her) stammered goodbyes as she left the Lab and walked, aimless and uncaring. A year until she could change it was a very, very long time. It was forever and ever, and she loathed it already. She'd be known as 'Leaf' for a year. No, it would be an eternity of people knowing her by that stupid, stupid nickname.
Hands fisted as tears blurred her eyes and shoulders shook as she tried not to cry. It was just a stupid nickname thrust onto her by some stupid, worthless boy that wasn't worth her time.
Then why did she care so much?
-/-Translator's notes.-/-
Kazoku: Lit. "Magnificent/Exalted lineage". The hereditary peerage system in use throughout Yamatai and parts of the Sevii Islands, originally part of a wider, more complicated, nobility (still in use in Fiore, Almia, Holon, and Hoenn). The oldest families can trace lineage back to when Empress Jito unified Yamatai, and today it's common for the women, rarely men, of these families to hold positions of power throughout society.