Stepping onto the land of Kanto for the first time in years, eighteen-year-old Ren, the esteemed son of the acclaimed Ash Ketchum, had expected to feel something more. A bolt of nostalgia maybe, or a sense of grief, but anything like that was overridden by the pure relief of being on dry land again. Even without the lingering seasickness lurching in his belly, the bustling port building didn't give him a chance to reflect, and he kept having to jig with the crowd to avoid being knocked over.
Sweeping his jet black hair away from his eyes and readjusting his Trainer belt- he wasn't quite accustomed to it yet- Ren pushed through the sea of people to the exit. The boat to Pallet Town wasn't due for another couple of hours, and he didn't fancy languishing in the stuffy harbour structure until then. He was technically in Kanto for business, having gained an apprenticeship with the Pallet Research Corp, but privately he had other ideas. Either way, he wanted to make the most of any free time.
Miraculously finding a spare bench just outside the entrance, the fledgling Trainer switched on his Pokégear and sat down to absorb Vermilion City in all of its glory. Bathed in orange by the setting sun, he had to admit that this wasn't a bad reintroduction to his home region. The atmosphere was jovial, with merry tourists buzzing against a backdrop of vendors hawking their wares. The architecture wasn't anything like the stuff he was accustomed to back in Hoenn; his eyes were drawn to a particularly gaudy building emblazoned with neon hearts and various chibi Pokémon. Sparkling lights across the front declared it to be 'The Pokémon Fan Club!' Sheesh. He'd be giving that one a wide berth for sure.
There was a secret Ren had never shared with anyone; he hadn't taken a liking to the creatures known as Pokémon. It wasn't an unpopular opinion, particularly nowadays, since the conservative newspapers spewed out alarmist headlines on a daily basis. However, with his background, there were certain expectations that he felt obligated to meet. Assuming that fondness would come eventually- it was in his blood, everybody said so- Ren had thrown every ounce of himself into training. And now, after all those intense years of studying, the realisation had dawned that perhaps that passion would never awaken.
He sighed and looked down upon his pristine belt. With its single Poké Ball, it wasn't exactly an impressive sight. Contained in the ball was what should have been his pride and joy, a violet-eyed Shinx cub specially bred and raised for him alone. In truth, the electric mammal and himself hadn't been getting along too well; the blue ball of fur seemed to sense his disinterest and responded in kind.
To be a master, Pokémon master
I will be writing a brand new chapter
Poké Ball go! Go!
A familiar ditty pierced Ren's brooding, and he looked around for the source before realising it emitted from his Pokégear. Blushing slightly, he silenced it- the strangers mingling around were obviously amused by his sister's choice of ring tone, casting smirks his way. He couldn't help but smile to himself; it was just like Saffy to find a way to annoy him despite the distance now between them.
The screen showed yet another missed call from Katrinn, causing his good mood to falter for a second. For Mew's sake, what was he even supposed to say to her at this point? The display informed him that this was the thirty-third such call, approaching a new personal record of desperation for his ex-girlfriend. He remembered when he found her tenacity endearing, which was easy enough when it wasn't aimed at him.
Looking around for a distraction from his ex, and noticing that the port crowd had thinned, he decided this would be a grand time to explore the city. More importantly, it was a glorious opportunity to grab a bite to eat. His stomach rumbled with the thought, the leftover strands of seasickness dissipating the instant he thought about chowing down.
Weaving through the streets he eventually stumbled upon a familiar place for grub: a brightly-coloured 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodles' cart. His dark cyan eyes twinkled as he rushed over and admired the extensive menu, almost drooling at the array of flavours. Just as he was close to making a decision- he'd narrowed it down to the Mauville Ramen Bowl or Salveyo Yakisoba, but was honestly considering buying both- he felt the Poké Ball on his belt rumble and, with a burst of dazzling light, Shinx shot out.
He blinked in surprise as the Pokémon let out a series of short, quick yaps before turning around and diving into the crowd.
"Ah, fuck! Shinx! Shinx!" He took a last, wistful look at the noodle menu, before hurriedly giving chase, shouting out quick apologies to the people he bumped into. Shinx had been obedient up until now, sitting quietly in her Poké Ball like a regular little Pokémon, and his mind ran through the possible scenarios which could have caused this turn of events.
"It must be something to do with Shinx's Poké Ball," he decided. Some sort of malfunction as he'd neglected its maintenance lately. He'd been preoccupied with his exams, with Katrinn, with arranging this trip, with avoiding the media. It was a hot day- had the temperature regulator given up? Had a spring come loose? Was it possible the coding had become corrupted? Or was it something else entirely?
Shinx was enjoying their sudden game thoroughly. She'd only popped out for food, sensing it was close by, and now her Trainer was dancing between stalls, almost keeping pace with her as she cut a path across the city following the most delicious scent. Despite her hunger, she was having fun, and she was loving this freedom and attention! She barked happily, delighted that her Trainer was playing her impromptu game, not paying any heed to the bemused looks and cries of passersby as they dashed through the hordes.
Finally, the scent she'd pinpointed was slap bang in front of her and she skidded to a halt, turning to her owner and yapping triumphantly.
Suddenly, Shinx came to an almost-comical stop, her tiny legs working overtime to keep her upright, at a shop selling a superb array of Pokémon food. Obviously very pleased with herself, her delight was evident as she yapped noisily at Ren. He almost admired the Pokémon for her enthusiasm and energy. So that was it. No fault with the Poké Ball, Shinx was simply hungry. He grinned to himself, feeling foolish; of course, the only time Ren had taken her out of the Poké Ball was to eat. The Trainer took a moment to catch his breath, motioning for the cub to calm down.
Bending down, he opened his mouth to scold her, but then stopped himself. They'd been on the ship from Hoenn for hours. He couldn't really begrudge her some grub; he was starving too after all. He focused on the shop's offerings instead, mulling over the choices: spicy, sour, sweet, dry, and bitter. Ren frowned to himself as he pondered. Which would Shinx like? Hell, he could barely choose his own food, how was he supposed to know her preferences?
His indecision hadn't gone unnoticed by the portly shopkeeper, who was eyeing him with amusement.
"Why not let your Pokémon decide," he suggested in a high voice at odds with his gruff appearance.
Ren nodded and addressed Shinx. "Well, you heard the man, what's it gonna be?"
She tilted her head slightly to one side, not understanding. With a chuckle, the shopkeeper stooped down level with Shinx.
"A young one, eh?" he said with a smile. "How about I give you some samples, get your taste buds accustomed first, eh?"
He produced a selection of colourful treats from his pocket and offered them to Shinx.
She sniffed them curiously, and proceeded to chomp the whole lot in a single bite, cooing cheerfully as she did so.
"Shinx!" Ren chided, genuinely horrified by her rudeness.
"It's alright, it's good to see a hearty appetite," the man reassured him, ruffling the fur on Shinx's head.
Abruptly, the cubs manner changed entirely. Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her expression mournful as she tilted her head down, big eyes still focused on the shopkeeper. It was the perfect imitation of Rockruff face. She was begging, acting like Ren hadn't fed her in weeks... and she had the shopkeeper totally suckered to her ploy.
"Oh my days, you're famished!" he shot Ren a dirty glance as he dug out more food, hand-feeding the treacherous Purrloin wannabe.
"Great", Ren thought, "now he probably thinks I'm some sort of irresponsible Pokémon abuser." He hoped to Arceus that the media would never hear of this encounter; just thinking of the potential slander and headlines made him shudder. Suppressing a sigh, he rummaged through his backpack to find some Pokédollars, hopeful that paying the man would go some way to alleviate any suspicions Shinx's little act may have aroused.
After Shinx had eaten her fill she began to wander off again, taking slow lethargic steps. Ren, eager to avoid another loop of the city, scooped her up and held her aloft in front of him. "And where do you think you're going this time, little missy?" he questioned.
Her violet eyes widened with surprise. She immediately began squirming and making distressed, pitiful mews. The shopkeeper took a step forward and Ren quickly, bashfully, placed the Pokémon back on the ground, where she resumed walking as if the previous few seconds hadn't happened. He let out a defeated laugh, his own hunger pangs forgotten.
"Alright, you win." Shinx shot him a smug look. He made a sweeping bow. "Lead the way, we've still got plenty of time before we catch the next ferry."
The clearing Shinx meandered to was secluded, on the outskirts of the main city, a few small wooden benches scattered amongst lush berry bushes. Ren bit back a laugh as his companion marched from bush to bush, intent on sampling each berry on the way.
"You're gonna become a right porker for sure if you keep this up, you know," he observed lightly. Shinx cooed in response, mouth full of berries.
"What a cutie." A soft feminine voice floated to his ears. Being distracted by Shinx's antics, Ren hadn't noticed that the spot was already occupied. He looked around to see a woman, much shorter than himself, leaning down to stroke the mammal's fur.
She was pretty, despite being dressed plainly, and he guessed that she was around his age. Her maroon hair mainly hung loose, with a couple of bits tied randomly at the front. An aged Persian stood stout by her side, paper takeaway bag hanging from its mouth.
"Hey, what's the name of this little one?" she looked to Ren, and he was momentarily struck by her eyes: they were the strangest shade of violet, a colour he'd only seen before in the very Shinx she was admiring.
"It's a Shinx-" Rem started, fully intending to launch into a blow-by-blow account of the species' attributes.
"No, no, I meant her nickname." Her laugh was almost musical, the amusement plain in her gentle tone.
"A nickname? Is that what Trainers do now?" Ren thought, pretty sure it hadn't been mentioned in any textbook he'd studied.
"Pokémon love feeling like they belong… the same way we humans do I suppose. Giving them nicknames helps with bonding," the woman mused, looking at him expectantly. Even worse, the Shinx was mimicking her and had joined the staring contest. Two sets of eyes bored into his, and his head gurgled for an answer.
"Ahhh… it's Violet." He spoke the first thing that had fluttered into his brain, but as he gazed over his companion it seemed… right.
Violet cocked her head to one side, registering this new information. Ren hoped she wouldn't give the game away and he telepathically willed her to keep up the charade. He wanted to impress the pretty stranger.
"I'm Ren by the way," he grinned, hand held out in greeting.
"Jayna, it's good to meet you." She smiled back as she grasped his hand.
Violet had finally satiated her berry cravings and was now plopped at Ren's feet, sitting peacefully, the very picture of innocence. With the introductions out of the way, Ren settled easily into casual conversation with the red-haired woman. Jayna spoke briefly about her travels, telling him that she had come to Vermilion to catch a ferry to Lavender City. The Persian was curled beside her, feigning sleep, but Ren could see it occasionally glance at him with narrowed eyes. It reminded him of a guard-Stoutland, oozing a similar sense of readiness. Ren talked at length about his distinguished grades, and the top job he'd landed, careful to be charming all the while.
He fell silent when Jayna pulled out her takeaway bag and the smell of 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodles' drifted from it, hitting his nostrils and awakening his dormant hunger pangs with a vengeance. His change in focus hadn't escaped Jayna's attention. She shifted forward and squinted, pretending to get a better look at him.
"Is that drool I see?" she teased, laughing as he hurriedly wiped his mouth. He smiled sheepishly back. "I did intend to get some food but Sh... Violet had other ideas."
"Is that so?" She directed her gaze to the Electric Pokémon. "Causing your Trainer trouble at such a young age?" Jayna fake scolded the cub. Violet responded with a happy yap, making Jayna laugh again.
She rummaged through her backpack and gave a small cry of triumph as she picked up something, fixing Ren with a beaming smile.
"Here." She passed him a paper bag emblazoned with the 'Noodle, Noodle, Come Get Your Noodles' slogan. "I always get spare, you can have it though."
"Flavour?" He would have eaten it never mind the answer, he just wanted to hear her laugh again, and was promptly rewarded when she chuckled.
"Mauville Ramen," she grinned. "Why? You really gonna refuse it when I can hear your stomach rumbling from here?"
"I have standards, you know, but..." he sniffed approvingly. "I endorse your selection, so gimme that!" He started slurping, and then paused.
"Thanks for this, it kinda reminds me of home." He shot her a lopsided grin as he caught her eye, and she waved away his appreciation with a small blush, burying her face into her own cup of noodles.
A loud bell rang in the distance, cutting through the comfortable silence that had settled as they'd eaten.
Jayna glanced up at the clear sky and let out a sigh, looking to Persian. "Guess that's our cue to leave."
She began gathering her stuff, holding her hands out to take Ren's litter too. The Persian beside her stretched and let out a lazy yawn. Ren was caught in indecision; was it too soon to be adding ladies' numbers to his Pokégear? Katrinn flashed in his mind, a clear image of beautiful blue eyes and golden hair, imploring him not to leave. He pushed thoughts of her aside, pressing forward.
"Uhh, Jay?" Ren ventured, his usual confidence abandoning him as he fumbled with his Pokégear.
She spun around, her eyes lighting up with understanding as she caught sight of the Pokégear in his hand.
"Sorry, I can't give you my number-" she winced at his visible disappointment but hastily explained, the words coming out in a rush, "you could say I'm between Pokégears at the moment, it's not like I wouldn't wanna see you and Vi again." Then she offered Ren a ray of hope. "How about I take your number?"
"Yeah, sure." He replied as casually as he could muster, suppressing a shit-eating grin. "Next time, I'm taking you out for noodles," he promised.
Her eyes glittered, a smirk crossing her face. "You're on, mister. I never turn down a free meal."
Ren watched her walk out of sight with a small wave. His first day in Kanto and already he was meeting beautiful women.
He picked up Violet and held her aloft, ignoring the cubs bleating protests.
"Who knew you'd be such a babe magnet!" He practically radiated pride. "Fantastic work, Shinx!" He swung her around gently before setting her back down. "Although I guess I should be calling you Violet now, huh?"
Persian waited until they were out of earshot before speaking.
"You know who that was, right?" he questioned.
Jayna waved a hand nonchalantly. "Ren Ketchum, the shockingly handsome and charming son of that guy you were always so fond of."
"If he's anything like his twerpish dad-"
She laughed lightly at Persian's sour expression. "Relax, I'm just toying with you. We caught a good break; we know he's here for work and nothing more. He sure did prattle on, didn't he? I doubt he'll get in our way at all."