Chapter 3 The Start
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I had been right, she had been completely furious. Rattling off all the ways I could have been hurt. That I missed two healing sessions, and that I should not be wandering around in a unfamiliar town alone and without protection.
She was even madder when I did it the next day.
And the day after.
It's pretty easy to get out of this place. Alcatraz it is not.
It was day four now and I had just returned from my new job. My goal was just within sight now. Just one more week and I would be able to get a pokeball, and some scolding wasn't going to stop that. Don't get me wrong I appreciate everything Joy has done for me and I don't enjoy making her mad. But regardless of the fact that I look like a twerp I was a grown ass woman and I had shit to do. If I'm old enough to own a fire breathing monster made of lava then I'm old enough for a part time job.
I took a deep breath, readied myself, and rolled into the center, the automated doors gliding open in my presence. And was surprised at the cold quiet. Nurse Joy sat behind the counter glaring at me, but being silent. I glared back, as the doors slid shut behind me we settled into a aggressive stareing contest.
This lasted at least a minute before she squeezed her eyes shut. Victory! I head my head high and made to head to my room. She turned back to me as I rode past her.
"You had some visitors."
Wah? Visitors? I don't get the towns folk poking around here anymore now that they could just have me show up to there houses.
"Who?" Who could have possibly visited me while I was away. Oh god I hope it wasn't a relative. She would know I was lying and I would be taken to some random town and would have to come up with a whole new lie and pretend I was a dea-
"Some of the towns folk, they said they were dropping off some things for you. It's in your room." And with that she went back to 'work', which was wait for a trainer to enter, or for a bunch of kids to drag in a half dead delinquent, pointedly ignoring me.
Towns folk? Giving me things? Nani?
I raced towards my room now, the sweet siren song of free stuff pulling at my broken body. The door swung open with that now familiar ease and revealed my treasure.
There was an entire knee high tote of clothes sitting at the base of the bed, the pokemon center logo told me that it came from multiple sources. Tupperware containers full of homemade food sat on the small sink and table. Most looked like actual dinner food but at least two had some kind of cobblers in them. There was even a well worn backpack leaning against the bed frame, it was brown and canvas with a lighter league logo, like Ash's first hat, on the front pocket.
But the first thing I noticed wasn't any of that. No, they were amazing gifts and their mere presence cut my staying and planning time in half. But the real gems were on my bed proper, three scarlet and ivory beauties sat, caressed by a single sun beam.
Pokeballs.
It looks like chatting up half the town had had some benefits.
I couldn't wait, not now, it was so close, I could taste the power. I barely thought to swipe the bag and shove a few things into it, mostly the pokeballs and some food, before blasting out into the hallway.
Joy didn't seem surprised, infact she seemed almost resigned to my antics. That actually tugged at my heart strings more than anything else shes done. She's done alot for me, gave me a place to stay, unruptured my organs, and fed me. So I reversed as quick as I could till I was next to her. She raised an eyebrow at me, seemingly sure I was gonna say something rude, crude, or full of tude.
"Thank you for saving my life"
she sat up, a look of astonishment on her face and mouth just slightly ajar at the first sign of politeness she had ever seen from me. "Here" I sat one of the mushy doughy fruit desserts on the counter, I think it was rawst cobbler. "Sorry for being a pain."
She looked at me with an expression of confusion, she might have tried to ask me a question or say something. But I was already speeding out the door.
Racing towards my destiny.
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Ok so maybe rushing into the woods in a wheelchair with nothing but a stick to protect myself was a bit stupid. But what was youth if not stupidity run wild. Also I should've brought a map. Because I'm lost. In the woods. Which may or may not house a pokemon that mualed 'me'.
Fuck
It was really cool in here though, I had been following a path that seemed a bit overgrown. It split a few times so I hope I'm good at guessing games on my way back. There seemed to be pokemon everywhere. Starlys, burmys, I even saw a beedrill. I did not fuck with the beedrill, or anything else, but especially the beedrill.
The whole place felt alive in a way the town hadn't, like it had always been here, and always would be. Sounds of pokemon poured from the trees in all directions.
However I was in a wheelchair and while the town was meerly wheelchair inaccessible. The forest was wheel chair hostile. I had fallen over three times now and was covered in dirt. I'd like to point out I don't really need the thing anymore, I could use crutchs if I wanted, and more than once Joy has tried to convince me to do so. But I was a bit lazy and crutches suck. So I was keeping this thing until I could walk proper.
On the plus side I think I've found something strong. I had found a area where the trees bark had been stripped up to about knee height and the wood underneath forcefully beaten into splinters. There had to be at least nine or ten of these trees, most of them dead or dying from the damage.
A steady thumping sound was echoing through the woods and so I slowly snuck as best I could. My chair was thankfully well greased.
My hefty club was suddenly feeling inadequate and small. My heart was thumping in my ears.
The slight creak of my chair shifting suddenly sounding like thunder, yet the thumping persisted.
Instincts screamed at me to stop and run. Yet I persisted
I was able to peek over a bush to finally see.
Awwww, it's a widdle buneary. I let out a sigh of relief, these things were super shy and meek in the anime.
The adorable little thing was very rabbit like, if rabbits stood on there back legs and punched trees with there ears. The thing was going ham on it too. The sound of thumping had been it constantly whipping the base of an oak with its strange and powerful ears. A large patch of bark having been stripped away by the constant beating. The look of determination and the gritting of its teeth suggested that it was training. For what specifically there was no way of telling. But a pokemon that wanted to become stronger and a trainer that wanted to battle were always a perfect match.
It was about 20 feet away from my hiding spot when I rolled into view, a pokeball in my lap and the club resting in my good hand. From what I remember bunearys are a shy and nervous bunch, I figured keeping my distance and maybe offering some food would help. In fact I would probably have to come here often to eventually gain its trust enough to get close. This was going to be a long difficult task, but its ambition and determination would make it the perfect starter.
Welp here goes nothing.
"Uh, hey ther-" as soon as I spoke its head snapped to look at me. The look of disbelief on its face boiled to anger and despite everything I knew about bunearys, (not much) it let out a war cry and charged me.
I was being attacked by a wild pokemon, a creature of elemental ability and godlike potential, it was terrifying.
Or it would of been it weren't so slow.
It wasn't that slow mind you, I'd say it was about as fast as a chihuahua. But I was a good distance away, giving me plenty of time for a wind up. It jumped, death in its eyes and ears curled for optimal pain.
THOK
And was immediately shitwrecked by my Great Big Stick of Fuck You. The thing soared through the air in a graceful arch before slapping into a tree, and falling to the ground. Little swirls in its eyes both reminded me of the weird anime nature of this reality and told me it was knocked out.
Well then.
Guess I don't need to do the whole slow freindship thing now. I rolled closer before dropping the pokeball onto the kamikaze rodent. The ball opened on a hinge and converted it into crimson energy before sucking it up and snapping shut with a satisfying click, the button on front flashed red a few times but it didn't wiggle before a second click told me that I was now a pokemon trainer.
A feral smile split across my face. I had just taken a immeasurable step in my journey. The sheer glee that shot through me was only contained by the plaster casts and knowledge of pain should I move to much. Instead I picked up the sphere that held my future. I needed a one liner, something to cement this moment in my mind.
"Bitchin"
Eh, good enough.
Now how the fuck am I going to get out of here?
(-¤-)
Turns out the answer was reverse track myself, wheelchairs left pretty obvious trails.
"Alice"
I spun towards Nurse Joy. Chansey was already at my side, both using healpulse and admonishing me for skipping a few healing sessions again.
She held my new bunearys pokeball. And while she had been mad that I'd run into the woods she seemed to finally start understanding that I was a little to wild to control. I had also decided to not tell her how I caught it. She was already stressed enough as it was.
"We need to talk."
Ruh roh
I wasn't sure what to think of that but those four words were always trouble. "Look I know I've been reckless, but you've been way to over protective. I can take care of myself."
She narrowed her eyes at that, "Really? Because a couple of weeks ago I had to perform invasive surgery on a little girl that was mauled in the woods all alone." She walked closer to me as she explained to me her perspective, her voice calm with a edge of hardened steel.
"Yeah well..." I uh, didn't have a response to that. I guess I have been kind of a shit head. "Alright point taken, but you can't just keep me stuffed up in here."
"I can and I will." Her voice stern and lecturing. "I've already called Klygear, you have officially been laid off for the time being." Fucking what!? Poor Klygear, he didn't deserve what was probably a very nasty lecture.
"Why!? I need money!" God damn it, being a kid sucks, this wouldn't be a problem if I kept my real body.
"Because you should already be out of that wheel chair, darn it Alice you should be walking around just fine by now." She jabbed her finger towards my legs still in their braces. "But instead you've been skipping healing sessions to roam around town."
I opened my mouth to argue but she used her extended fingure to forcefully shut my jaw. Damn.
"And now" She continued "you decided to run back into the same woods you almost died in. So until you are fully healed you are staying here in the center. But." She shut me up before I could protest. "You can go outside so long as I'm with you. Not into town proper but at least into the clearing around the center."
I wanted to argue with this but she was right. I really needed to get healed up and the sooner the better. Besides I'd already caught my starter, hunkering down for awhile wouldn't hurt. I let out a begrudging "Fine."
She breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Now, here is your buneary," she handed over the ball. "He's in good health, but when he woke up he was very aggressive. I know you've never done this before and your situation is a bit odd, but be warned, your pokemons behavior at a center reflects on you as a trainer" she leaned in real close now, she was actualy a bit threatening. And would actually be kinda hot i wasn't litteraly too young to feel that kind of attraction, what can I say I like a strong woman. "Make sure your pokemon behaves before you drop it off at a center. Understand?"
Gulp "Yes ma'am." I nodded. With that she backed off.
I held his ball in front of me wondering just how to train him. I had done some quick research while waiting for Joy to do her thing. Weights were a must, buneary weren't baby pokemon and developed at a average rate, so making him do some endurance training won't hurt him any. Though I wonder what I should call him now. The way he charged me reminded me of how I met one of my friends in high school. He had mistaken me for the dude that boned his girlfriend and tackled me. He got a black eye for that. I miss that idiot.
So I named him Jack.
Nurse Joy left and as soon as I was done with my session I found her and dragged her outside. The area around the center wasn't much to look at, there was a small clearing of grass and a shed. Pretty boring honestly.
I took a deep breath and released Jack. He was maybe two foot tall counting the ears and two different shades of brown. I don't know what you were expecting, he was a normal buneary. Except that horrible little scowl he had. Dude looked like someone had just took a shit in his birthday cake.
Nonetheless first impressions count and considering that ended quickly and painfully for him I'll just give that a mulligan and try again. "Hey there my names Alice I'm your new trainer." Joy gave me an amused look, hostility from before forgotten in favor of veiwing the magic of freindship.
Each word only made him scowl harder. Jeeze I could feel the hate radiating off of him. I turned to Joy, still not sure what to do, but she just shrugged. "Ok" I went back to addressing Jack before I had an idea. Digging in my new bag for one of the food containers I brought with me. I was pleased to see it was the last of the cobblers, light blue, maybe oran berries?
Popping off the lid I held it out to him. "Come on don't be like that, sure we didn't meet on great terms but we both could help each other out, I wanna be a good trainer, you wanna be strong. Lets work together." I smiled trying to look as freindly as possible.
He never stopped glaring as he stared at the messy dessert. After what seemed like a full minute of nothing happening he slowly reached out a paw.
And slapped the plastic bowl out of my hand.
I just stared at the mess for a moment, lamenting the loss of such a wonderful dessert. "Alright listen you little shit." I heard Nurse Joy gasp at my language but I ignored her. "You wanna get stronger, I saw you out there, you were training yourself for something, a lot, and you still lost to a crippled human child who can't even walk."
He hissed at me then, the first noise I had heard him make since his screech in The woods. "Shut it!" I snapped back. "You were going about it all wrong and if I threw you back in the woods you won't be any closer to your goal in a month than you are right now!" He was glaring again but he was listening. "But I can change that, if you listen to me then I promise I will turn you into a fucking monster in the battleground. You'll go from slapping trees to thrashing dragons."
He was still glaring but at least seemed to be thinking it over. Eventually he looked back at his gloopy mess splattered across the ground and then to my club, leaning against the wall of the center. Slowly, reluctantly, he nodded.
It wasn't loyalty, it was barely cooperation, but I'll take it.
"Great!" I exclaimed as tension in my body that I hadn't noticed flowed away. "So lets figure out your move set, show me what you can do."
That turned out to not be much, he knew Pound, Defense curl, Sweet kiss, what might be Foresight, and Frustration. The last one being his most powerful hands down. That made sense though since its power was determined by how stressed out and frustrated he was and he was an incredibly pissy thing.
With today coming to an end and the sun beginning to set I motioned for him to follow me inside. It's been a long day, but a good one, I still have some clothes to dig through and dinner to eat. Hmm maybe shareing my food with Jack will help chill him out a bit. Pokemon like food.
"Alice, what did you mean when you said that buneary 'lost' to you?"
Well uh...
Shit
"Ok don't be mad."
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Alice Thorn
Feb 1
Team
Jack
Buneary
moves: Pound, Foresight, Frustration, Sweetkiss, Defense curl.
Ability
Limber
40¥
In Box
N/A
