The street had quietened down from earlier.

The morning rush was over and lunch was still hours away. If there was a lunch rush. People here had Pokemon to feed. Were restaurants popular here or did people prepare food for their Pokemon and themselves?

David's stomach chose that moment to growl. He hadn't had breakfast. Unfortunately without any money he didn't think he would be having any soon.

"Focus. There might be food in what I get from the program." David glanced up and down the street. He would need to try to ask someone who wouldn't mind being bothered by someone in his state and would also know about Pokemon technology.

David watched the street for a few minutes, marvelling at how people and Pokemon were acting together. There didn't seem to be many wild Pokemon in the city but he saw a glimpse of purple darting in an alley which might have been a Ratatta. Then he saw a target.

A man about his age was walking towards him from the Pokecenter. The man had his head in a flip phone while what must be a Meowth darted by his feet, nudging his steps as the man paid no attention to what was in front of him. In the games Pokecenters had computers but they were not advanced looking devices. The computers in the League Office had been massive clunky things. The phone was the first sign of technology on the level of.. of home. David buried that thought.

David waited until the man was closer before walking up to him. David took care to stay back a bit due to what he imagined he smelled like. The Meowth fixing its eyes on him was just more incentive. It was a frightening Pokemon. All Pokemon had been so far. David shuddered as he was examined by the large yellowy orbs. The Meowth's eyes were the size of mandarins with narrow vertical black slits which flickered as they took him in. The Pokemon had a shiny metallic disk on its forehead and its face was ringed by heavy twitching whiskers of the same colour as its cream coat.

"Excuse me, is that the new version?" David asked, moving in front of the man, who twitched and looked up from his flip phone. The man looked startled before he got a shine in his eyes.

"YES! It's the new blue version Pokegear - it has an even bigger screen and better connectivity!" The man held out the opened flip phone and started to wave his other hand under it in a display that would fit in any commercial. The Meowth relaxed, turning from David and curled up by the man's feet.

"I even got the special launch deal with a free Map app! No more will I have to lug that bloody case around. Hah!" The trainer seemed to be getting more and more worked up about his new purchase. "Just wait and see. This will be a game changer for the next season. Right Meowth? We're going to have so much more time for training now we won't get lost." The trainer's enthusiasm got a lazy "Meowth" back from the cat at his feet.

"Wow, that is pretty impressive. Does it have that app with all the Pokemon info and evolutions?" David replied, trying to act casual and as if he knew what a Pokegear was.

"WHAT!" the man exclaimed. "I've never heard of such a thing. It wasn't in any of the manuals!" He dropped the Pokegear down to his side and started walking towards David, stumbling a bit as he escaped from the Meowth wound around his feet. The Meowth let out a small yowl before settling back in a circle on the ground. "Do you have it on your Pokegear? Can I see it? Where did you get it?"

"Oh. No, I don't have a Pokegear." David said, trying to back away from the enthusiasm. "I just heard something about it at the Pokecenter."

"Oh." The man stopped advancing and wrinkled his nose. He must have gotten a whiff from David as he got close. The trainer then took a look at David for the first time. "Well. Em. You should get one." The trainer winced at his words before continuing. "The original version should drop in price soon." David gave him a weak smile back, not sure how he felt about his state being so obvious but he could feel his cheeks colouring.

"I'll keep an eye out." David replied but the silence that followed made it clear the conversation was dying.

"Ehm, I need to get to Route 8 but do let me know if you find out about that App. I'm Tom by the way" Tom said before nodding awkwardly and turning to prod the Meowth into moving.

"David. Best of luck with your training alright." David said, heading back into the League Office. Tom was the kind of guy that would have known about the Pokedex and David was glad to confirm its non-existence but he had had far too many embarrassing encounters this morning. There was another nugget of info there too. Route 8. Maybe he could find out where he was based off of that. However, it was now time to face the music. His test results.

David opened the office doors slowly. While he was eager to get a Pokemon, getting test results was nerve racking and he hadn't had time to prepare for this one.

It turned out he didn't need to worry. Inside the office, a woman was sitting in front of Beth and the other booth was empty. Beth looked fairly flustered and not wanting to intrude, David waited for Geodude to complete a paper stack circuit before sitting down at the desk.

The Geodude was making moving the paper into a balancing game and as David watched, it carried heavy stacks back and forth from Fuzzy's nest to the other side of the room. The Geodude manoeuvred its body and two arms so as to not drop a single page. It was fascinating to watch what seemed to be solid rock flex and move. The joints of the rock Pokemon seemed to shift and change shape before his eyes, the rock flowing. He wondered if this was a kind of training. While he knew paper could get heavy when stacked, it couldn't have been much compared to the solid rock body the Geodude also lifted each step. The only effect this seemed to have was wearing a path on the carpet underneath.

Eventually the woman exited Beth's booth, opening and exiting the door which rang a bell David hadn't heard or noticed before. A minute or so later Beth called him over. When he sat down. Beth seemed a bit shaken but gave him a smile before passing a booklet beneath the screen to him. He took it with shaky hands. His score was written neatly on the front. 46%.

"Oh" he faltered. Was 46 percent a pass? Could he fail this exam?

"You scored quite oddly with lots of points in some sections and very few in others. That said, don't worry. You are within bounds to get a Pokemon though your selection will be limited." Beth appraised him as she spoke. "You will receive a trainers licence valid for two months from the start of season, which gives you two and half months from now. You'll have to earn two gym badges to go any further." David wasn't sure if that was a fair amount of time or not but seeing as he had never owned or touched a Pokemon, he would be tight on time.

"What is my Pokemon selection?" David asked, focusing on the important part. Beth gave him a rueful smile in response to this question.

"Everyone always focuses on that part. Well I suppose it's best to get it over with if I want you to understand the rest. First, you won't be getting your Pokemon today." Beth said and laughed when David sagged.

"No league Pokemon are kept on the premises. Everyone always thinks I have a bag full of pokeballs back here but they are delivered the next day depending on the paperwork." Beth got out, still giggling at his face. "I also need you to acknowledge that until you achieve three badges these Pokemon are to be considered loaners. There are some conditions under which these Pokemon can be revoked but we can go over them later. Can you confirm you understand?" This didn't seem to be an issue for David. He had his sights set a lot higher than that.

"I understand." David said and he got a nod back in response. Beth typed a few things out with her keyboard. The keyboard was the same shape as the keyboards at home but even with the keys being upside down it was clear that they were in a different order.

"Alright, Well you have four options based on your results and means. Caterpie, Pidgey, Rattata and Diglett. Johto commons are not available as you don't originate from there." Beth glanced towards Fuzzy's nest as she said it and David wondered if Beth had made a similar choice in the past. In his mind, none of the four were great options. But he was influenced by years of playing with powerful starters. He would need to find out more about the 'common 11' when he could.

David quickly eliminated Diglett and Rattata. While he didn't have much information he knew that he hadn't really used them much before and on top of that, he didn't feel either had good typing. Bug type was never incredible but he knew that Butterfree, Caterpie's final evolution had the ability to make other Pokemon sleep and could poison them. If that worked like it did in the games it would be useful in real life. His musing was interrupted by Beth.

"While I can only advocate for a Caterpie like Fuzzy, you will need to forage for a lot of your meals if you want to make it as a trainer. Battling is expensive and you are tight on means. Caterpie is also.. difficult to battle with." Beth shrank in on herself after that statement. "Either Rattata or Pidgey would be able to help you find edible food as they have a sharp sense of smell or good eyes." With that advice, David's choice was clear.

"Pidgey. I chose Pidgey."

"Alright" Beth slid a form under the glass. "Please sign here. You can come back after lunch tomorrow for the Pokemon and your trainer's licence." When David signed and pushed the form back he was given a receipt on a sheet of paper and a small leaflet: 'How to wing it!'

"If you bring that paper to the Pokemart you will get a bag with your kit inside. Good luck and I will see you tomorrow." David could only gather up the leaflet and paper and smile at Beth. She had helped him massively.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." As he got up to leave, David remembered he still didn't know where he was.

"I was told I should check out Route 8. Would you know where that is?" David asked. Beth blinked up from the computer she had already gone back to.

"Oh, it's the Route to the east of Saffron. There should be lots of signs if you head that way. I would actually recommend Route 7 to the west for camping. Less rocks. And pick up a map case when you can.

"Thanks again and I will see you tomorrow." David gave a nod to Geodude and Fuzzy, getting quiet cries in return. Then he was out the door and back in the city proper. Saffron city proper.

Endnote:

randomdude153 - Thanks for reading! I hope I keep you guessing.

Zyani - It's a lot to adjust to. No easy ride for David I'm afraid.