AN: Heya everybody. Welcome to story number six!
As decided by the poll on my discord, the one to be released today is a new Poke story.
The general idea is for an OC, NOT and SI, without the usual style of a psychic or aura power. His power will be his connection with the 'Dark' element of the poke types.
The dark type power isn't meant for edginess. It's supposed to be something like how Agatha is with her ghosts or Lance with his dragons.
I wont spoil more than that. Just know it's not that he's going to be emo or something. he will be a casual dude.
I'll be playing with concepts of the poke world and going my own route for somethings.
So for all you poke fans, this is AU. I'm no poke fanatic. I barely know anything without my beta who is a poke fan. I just do what seems fun and roll with it.
Pairing is MOSTLY decided. It's not a typical choice, no Cynthia/sabrina/or canon tag alongs. Poke world has a LOT of options, and I narrowed it down to 3 options. I'm deciding whether to pick one or two of them.
Enjoy everybody.
And remember to join the discord if you want to vote for the next story to come out tomorrow.
P.S. I actually managed to finish this chap up today. So yay. Not sure how I feel about the ending but meh.
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except stuff and my own original content.
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Chapter 1: Professor Ivy.
Professor Ivy, world renown for her research on Pokemon physiology. A woman of great beauty who used nothing but her wits and hard work to pave her way onto the stage alongside the famous minds leading the world.
With each professor dedicated to a sole region, Ivy had taken the orange leagues as her territory, a large archipelago of islands south east of Indigo and north east of Hoenn.
She set up shop on a secluded island with a very unique ecosystem and made a home for herself with only her three assistants, and a small dock and Pokemon center on the other side of the island for visitors.
It was her own island to play with and she set up numerous projects to further her research.
It was just a day like any other. She woke up slowly, washed up, threw on a fresh lab coat over her usual swim suit she had taken to wearing most days, and went down to grab something to eat.
She sighed at the sight of her dusty kitchen.
'I swear, those three are perfect assistants in every way except anything that has to do with domestic issues.'
Ivy shrugged and poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a bagel before heading to the terrace.
It was how she usually started her days ever since things got settled in here.
Looking out at the view of the glistening ocean, hearing the waves wash up against the sandy beach within eye sight, and listening to the soothing sounds of Wingull and various Pokemon going about their days always brought a smile to her face.
Holding her warm cup of coffee between her hands and sipping adorably, something she wouldn't ever let others see, she traced her eyes over her little slice of heaven.
'Ahh~ all those years of demanding work. This is what life is all about~.
Ocean, peaceful waves on the beach, a child passed out on the sand, gentle rays of sunlight….'
She took it all in and sighed in bliss.
For a second.
Then two.
'Wait…'
She paused as her eyes opened wide and focused back on the sand.
Her sight zeroed in on the clear image of a small humanoid figure sticking out like a sore thumb on the golden beach.
She shot up without a second thought, spilling her cup on the table, not that she noticed, and jumped right off her own second floor balcony and landed in a roll.
No one ever said she was frail woman despite her looks.
"Hope! Faith! Get the first aid kit!" She yelled back with an authoritative tone, knowing her assistants would hear her as she took off running to the beach.
She was by the child's side, for she could easily see it was a child, in minutes, checking for a pulse and flipping the boy onto his back.
'Good, he's still breathing.'
She quickly checked for injuries and sighed in relief seeing nothing more than bruises, shallow cuts, and light rashes from salt water.
At least from what she could see.
"Oi, kid, you alive?" She called out with concern in a cool tone, lightly slapping his cheeks.
She could hear her assistants rushing in the distance as the boy groaned.
Blurry red eyes opened to look up at her.
"Who…" His voice was rough, cracked, and confused.
Ivy tried to smile at the kid.
"Hey, it's going to be alright. I'm professor Ivy, everything's going to be fine."
The boy's blurry red eyes focused on her. "Ivy?"
She nodded with a smile. "Whats your name kid?"
The boy took a few moments to answer as a hand went up to hold the side of his head.
"Gray."
"Just Gray?"
"I…I don't know, I can't remember."
Ivy's eyes widened a bit in pity before she placed a gentle hand on his head.
"It's ok, Gray. Everything's going to be fine."
He didn't get a chance to say anything further as her assistant's arrived.
It was a rush of movement and activity as three young women rushed up to them and began following Ivy's orders like faithful soldiers to get Gray ready to move inside the lab where they had advanced machinery to check on him.
It was only when he was ready to be moved that Ivy's eyes found something else lying next to the boys side.
A large gleaming grey colored egg laying innocently in the sand, only feet away.
Ivy gently picked it up with a thoughtful eye and traced her eyes from the egg to the young boy being carried on a stretcher to her lab before following after them.
*line break*
~Five Years Later~
Staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Gray couldn't help but examine himself after getting out of the shower.
Standing at 5'5 with an athletic build and a clear budding six pack full of small scars and scratches from time playing with Pokemon. Black hair framing his face and falling behind in a simple braid, and clear red eyes looking back at himself.
It had been five years since that eventful day he woke up on a beach with Professor Ivy hovering over him.
Five years since he began a new life.
Not that his old one was very memorable considering he was missing the memories of the years prior.
Bits and pieces really. Some shouting, running, an explosion. Not much to really go on besides that something happened and he ended up washing up on shore.
But there was one thing, one memory that seemed ingrained almost. A symbol he couldn't help but unconsciously trace in the sand.
A symbol of a triangle made of bones with a circle in the middle instead of straight lines.
Ivy told him she didn't recognize it and he believed her and left it alone. The symbol didn't drag any emotion with it, just that it seemed engraved in his mind as if a hot iron left its mark.
Either way, he ignored it.
What was he supposed to do? Waste his life chasing after some truth?
No, he was happy as he was.
Professor Ivy took him in, gave him a home, gave him an education, care, and a job. No matter how she tries to phrase it like she only took him in to further her research and because she needed an extra hand around the place, it didn't fool anyone.
Not him, her three loyal lab assistants, and certainly not each and every Pokemon she shoved in his face as she went on to tell them about him.
It got to the point that Gray befriended most Pokemon with their equal deadpan stares as they sighed and just waited for her to stop talking and you know, breathe.
His faithful and troublesome brother and him have a contest to see how many berries they can sneak by and snack on by the time she realizes and clobbers them.
They both learned the hard way that running didn't help them. Not from her. Not from Professor Ivy.
This island was hers as much as it was the planets. You don't hide from the amazoness hiding behind the image of a frail beautiful woman in her own territory.
The rest of the world might see her for the mask she wears, but Gray knew. Those close to her knew.
Don't mess with Professor Ivy.
It was the golden rule.
Rule #2 was that if you thought you could mess with her, to slap yourself and read #1 again.
Gray chuckled and shivered at the memories as he stepped out of the bathroom wiping his wet hair with a towel.
Her fearsomeness aside, Ivy had been the closest thing to a parent or aunt he could imagine. She taught him how to decide for himself if something was right or wrong. Taught him of the world. Drilled necessary information into his head, whether the information was necessary for any random person or a lab assistant is beside the point.
She didn't tell him what was white or black but always gave him the choice to decide.
And honestly, in the darker corners of his mind, he could admit that he might have been a bit lost in life without her.
Thanks to his 'traits,' once puberty hit him, well… her beatings did not go uncalled for. He was a wild little shit for a little while there, not that she ever blamed him for it.
She understood, and that made him happier than anything else.
A loud yawn got his attention as he threw his towel in the hamper and smiled at his brother.
"Come on buddy, it's our big day."
A red eye matching his own peered at him for a moment before a yawn was his answer.
Gray's eye twitched at the sight and grabbed his clothes.
"Don't be a lazy bum. Just cuz your losing your bed doesn't mean it won't be here when we come back. Besides, we sleep outdoors more than we indoors these days." His brother whined in protest.
Throwing on his grey multipocketed outdoor pants, a black tank top and v neck loose shirt, Gray sighed at his friend and turned to look at him.
Four legs, a bluish-black skin tone, smooth and thick white fur, and clear almond shaped red eyes. A single bluish black oval adorned his forehead, feline like facial features a scythe-like tail wagged carelessly behind, and a crescent-shaped horn jutting out from the side of his head.
His brother, faithful partner, and the biggest troublemaker around, his loyal Absol, Omen.
Grey kneeled in front of his partner as a red eye opened back up.
"Come on O, we can't waste time today." Omen whined again.
"I know, I know, leaving home is scary but we can't stay holed up here forever. Don't you want to explore? Get stronger? Become unchained and unstoppable, free as the wind?" A third whine and a paw over his eyes was the answer.
Gray sighed again and decided to break out the big guns.
"No more Professor Ivy to reign us in if we have fun."
Eyes shot open and in the blink of an eye the sleepy and dangerous looking canine stood tall and barked at him, a smirk on his face at the sight.
"Haha I thought that would motivate you."
Gray leaned in and threw an arm over Omen's head, pulling their foreheads together and looking him in the eyes.
Red meeting red.
"Jokes aside Omen, it's the real deal this time. No one to hold our hand. I have your back and you have mine, were brothers till the end, and we need to watch out for each other. Can I trust you?"
A growl and pressure on his skull was his answer.
A dark shadow like substance pulsed from Omens skull into Gray's and an understanding was met as they both smirked before he pulled away.
"It's the big leagues from now on, we had our time to laze about and have fun. We didn't focus enough on training but we've had enough experiences to stand tall, I'm counting on you buddy."
Omen pawed the bed powerfully at that and the frame creaked.
"Oi, I appreciate it but no breaking the bed."
Omen hopped off with a panicked look, his precious bed was at risk much to Grays amusement.
He strapped his pokeball belt to the belt of his pants on his left side, displaying five balls, four of which were unused and a sixth clearly missing.
Gray called over his shoulder as he went to grab his bag. "Come on, let's get your brother."
A bark of agreement followed as Omen rushed out of the room and into the hall. Gray's eye twitched a second later at a loud crash and call of "Omen! Don't eat that!" coming from Faith or Hope. He honestly couldn't tell the triplets apart very well even after five years.
Shaking his head with a smile, he slipped on his heavy deep brown boots and grabbed his loaded up and packed travel bag. He couldn't help but smile at its slim and straightforward design.
'Even after knowing about it for years, I still can't help but marvel at technology sometimes.'
The travel bag, like many other things in today's day and age, utilized the digital compartmentalization that revolutionized human society.
It only took around fifty years after the invention of the pokeball, without any distractions like war, for scientists to figure out how to use the process on inanimate objects instead of Pokemon. There were size limitations and a bunch of scientific terms that he never was able to wrap his mind around but basically, there are limits.
No matter how much they pushed, they couldn't use the technology on things bigger than a large box. The only thing Ivy said that made sense to him was that the tech needed to feed on energy a Pokemon passively gives out, and items didn't have that so they had to make it work another way which never worked for things to big.
Anyway, it was very convenient for traveling. Each pocket in the bag had its own space that could fit three times a normal bags size without adding to much weight to itself.
It was also waterproof, tearproof, and fireproof. Tested and insured. And also paid for with his own limited funds. He specifically saved up to buy it as well. Good gear makes for a pleasant experience traveling.
He packed it full of necessities, nonperishable foods, camping equipment, and other such things. It took a while to get it right but he was satisfied with it.
Gray smiled as he slung his bag on over his shoulder and took one last look at his room, the place he stayed in for the last five years.
'It was fun.'
He turned and walked out into the hall.
Ivy's lab wasn't massive like some other's he had seen while working as Ivy's lab assistant, but it was very warm and homy.
It was a two story building in a tropical climate with a lot of windows to allow for fresh air to flow in, and green plants and flowers spread around to bring things to life.
None of the sterile blank white walls that other labs have.
Exiting the hallway into the large kitchen/dining area, he smirked at the sight before him.
Hope, at least he thinks it was hope, was cleaning up a broken pot as a very innocent looking Omen was laying his head on a certain purple haired woman's lap while she drank her coffee and read a document.
"Sorry about that Hope, want some help?"
She shot him a teary look. "It's Faith! And no…it's fine, the flowers are fine."
Ivy didn't turn away from her document but the clear smirk on her face as she listened and Omen's innocent whine was clear to his hears.
He sighed fondly and put his bag down to go grab a new pot and broom to clean up.
It only took a few minutes to his experienced hands to get things cleaned up. Honestly, in a house of four women, the young male was the one doing the majority of the cleaning and cooking.
"There good as new."
Gray wiped his hands as Charity? No, it was Hope, smiled cheerfully. "Thanks Gray!"
"No problem Hope, Omen's my responsibility."
"It's Faith! Bah, your leaving so I'll let it go. I'm going to miss you Gray!"
Gray smiled at her genuinely and gave her a hug as she yelped in surprise. "Same here Faith, thanks for everything."
"It's Fait…you called me by my name…*sniff*."
She teared up and latched onto him and began crying loudly. "*Sniff* Don't go Gray! Who's going to cook the meals without you!"
Gray sweat dropped and patted her back a few times.
"Wow, I feel so…loved…"
Ivy snorted from where she sat and called out without turning.
"Leave the boy be Faith, you can say goodbye with your sisters in a bit."
Faith sniffed and let go. "Mn, ok boss. I've gotta go get them!"
She ran off without another word leaving a twitching Gray behind with a damp spot on his shirt. He looked at it disgruntled and tried to wipe it off as he walked to Ivy.
"Thanks for the save Professor."
She chuckled and set down the document she was reading, settling the hand on Omen's head and idly scratched behind his ears much to his joy.
"Don't thank me yet. Soon there will three of them full of estrogen squeezing you." She finished with a smirk.
Gray paled. "Right, I think I should go."
Ivy laughed and waved her hand. "Nice try. Sit and eat."
Gray sighed and did as the great one commanded. Struggling was useless.
He grumbled and bit into a bagel.
"Do you have your ticket?"
"Yes."
"Bag fully packed?"
"Yes."
"Brushed your teeth?"
"Yes."
"Fed Omen?"
"Ye….no."
Omen whined.
Gray grunted at Ivy's smirk and got up to get Omen his food. The traitor didn't say a thing till that point. He called over his shoulder while getting his bowl ready.
"By the way, is Aslan ready to go?"
Ivy sipped her coffee and pointed her finger to the side. Gray followed it to see a pokeball resting on the counter on top of a few boxes.
Gray smiled at the sight and moved over to pick it up and hit the release button.
A red beam shot out and materialized into a form by his feet.
It was a quadrupedal, feline Pokémon resembling a lion cub or lynx kitten. Its front half is light blue, while the rear is black. There is a short tuft of fur on its head and smaller tufts on each cheek. It has large, oval ears with yellow, star-shaped markings on the insides, yellow eyes, and a tiny, red nose.
"Shinx!"
A young male Shinx appeared and called out loudly, announcing his grand presence to the world.
Gray and Ivy smirked at the adorable sight while Omen rolled his eyes and went to eat his breakfast.
Gray knelt down to show his second Pokemon some love.
"Hey there Aslan, feeling better?"
Aslan called out in agreement and body tackled Gray in excitement, nipping at him happily. However even a young one year old Pokemon was a lot for a young teen and Gray got the wind knocked out of him.
"*Oof*, happy to see you to buddy."
Aslan responded happily and licked his cheek sending a bit of static through him on contact not that he minded.
He had grown used to Aslan's overly excited personality these months.
The story of how he got himself a Shinx is a pretty short and simple one.
Six months earlier, Gray followed Ivy to meet up with Professor Rowan at his lab in Sinnoh, a trip taken mainly by teleportation, to discuss a project they were working on.
While there, Rowan asked him to deal with an issue at the electricity feeding station set outside for electric Pokemon to feed on, and the sight he came across was interesting to say the least.
Gray and Omen were approaching the station when they came across a months old tiny Shinx being picked on and bullied by a trio of Elekid's, stopping him from reaching the feeding station.
Gray didn't need to speak Pokemon to understand the situation with how they were trying to intimidate and beat up the much younger Pokemon.
And yet, the little baby Shinx didn't back off. It fought back tooth and nail and took no shit from them without giving something back, whether it was a slash of a claw or an ineffective weak static shock.
But what really surprised him was when one of the Elekid's punched him only for the little shinx's jaws to glow with a shadowy light and chomp down with a Bite attack.
Unfortunately, an untrained and wild baby Shinx wasn't much of a match for three older wild electric types and it was on the losing end, it's surprising dark move, later discovered as an egg move, didn't help much against its foes.
Gray and Omen shared a look and nod before Omen moved like a shadow and appeared behind the little Shinx, not that it noticed. But it's bullies did.
Shinx roared in defiance even while bloody, black, and blue, and it's foes trembled and stared wide eyed before a deeper and louder growl had the three take off running.
Shinx jumped at the sound and turned around to see the much larger wolf like Pokemon with its gleaming red eyes and sharp head blade as Omen really played it up for fun, and in a move that really took him by surprise, the little electric type attempted to intimidate him.
Omen was downright baffled at the little thing and turned aside to look at Gray asking for help. Things went from fun to awkward and he chose to tap out rather than deal with it much to Gray's amusement as he came up next to him and knelt down not to scare the little Shinx.
Gray didn't try to catch him, just calm him down. It didn't go so well and soon Gray and Omen's hair and fur respectfully was standing on end as Omen knocked the little shit out with a paw to the head.
The little guy proved his durability however as he came to a bit later just as Gray was done fixing the issue with the feeding station, a couple cables were chewed through and needed replacing.
With some gentle coaxing and realization that no one was attacking him, the little Shinx happily ate up a meal of electricity and then passed out with a happy smile.
Gray shook his head fondly at the sight and picked the little thing up to take back to the lab to be healed.
A few days later, it came as no surprise to Rowan and Ivy when the baby Shinx which had taken to following Omen and Gray around as they did various tasks decided to join their team and family.
It wasn't even some fancy moment like shouting how he defeated a Pokemon and grandly threw a Pokeball to nail the downed foe and turn them into an ally.
No, the little thing just played with his pokeball belt and caught itself by accident while playing with the growing and shrinking ball.
When released it just seemed happy to know it would stick around with its new friends.
Gray named him Aslan after a story he once read about a mighty feline who was king of his pack. The name seemed fitting since whenever Aslan met someone for the first time, he would blast his Intimidation inborn ability and try to seem well…intimidating.
It was downright adorable with him so small, but when he one day became a Luxray it would be very far from adorable and straight up terrifying.
Aslan seemed fitting.
Gray got his breath back and gave his little one some love and affection as he purred under the head scratches before he managed to shoo him off and stand back up.
"You forgot something." Gray turned a confused look at Ivy only to follow her finger back to the counter where two boxes sat.
"The boxes?"
"Mhm."
"Want me to move them somewhere?"
"No you lovable idiot, they're presents."
Gray narrowed his eyes at that and approached the boxes very carefully. Aslan ran around him to yell intimidatingly at a plant while Omen sat down a safe distance away on the couch. The traitor.
Studying them carefully revealed nothing. Just two seemingly innocent boxes. "You don't give gifts without catches."
Ivy rolled her eyes fondly. "You try to do something nice once in a while…"
Gray snarked back without looking. "Your last 'gift' had me swimming for my life away from an angry Carvanha."
Ivy waived her hand uncaringly. "Semantics. You were perfectly fine."
"Oh, you could tell from your deck chair on the beach?" Ivy huffed in playful annoyance and Gray shot her a playful smile in return.
Gray was her lab assistant, and Ivy tended to ask questions and desire finding answers to things that require a more delicate touch. As in his touch while she recorded the results.
Not to say she treated him badly since they often switched off who did the testing and who recorded, but it led to dozens of quite dangerous situations for the two, well three if you include Omen but the damn guy was more likely to pour oil on a fire then help.
Despite his races ability to sense incoming danger and disasters, he had a habit of going toward danger rather than away from it.
And he never failed to drag his brother into them and see what happens.
Gray loved the bastard and their play wrestling, I.E. fighting was of great amusement to Ivy. She figured it was a good thing for him to realize how little a human could effectively do bare handed against a Pokemon not taking him seriously.
Not that it didn't have results as Gray learned very well how to dodge, maneuver, and all together do everything possible not to make direct contact with a charging Pokemon if he didn't want to.
His own team aside since he loved them just as they loved him. It also helped build some muscle on his young puberty induced body as even the many chores he did around the lab didn't tire him out as much as wrestling with Omen and Aslan did.
Back to the boxes however, Gray eyed them carefully and brought them back to the table where Ivy rose a brow.
"Not going to open them?"
Gray pulled a chair right next to her and sat down. "Just making sure you're in the splash damage range in case this blows up."
Ivy rolled her eyes and reached over to slap the back of his head gently before pulling him into a side hug. "Wow, I can feel the love."
"I'm the epitome of affection."
They shared a laugh before she jerked her chin at the box and Gray stopped messing around and opened them.
The first held a high tech looking wrist watch that looked familiar to Gray's eyes. "Is this a Pokegear?"
Ivy hummed in acknowledgement. "Mhm. It's the newest model being released over in Johto so I asked Elm to grab me a couple so we could stay in touch while you're on the go. I wanted to get you one of Oaks prototype Pokedex's but the stubborn man refuses to share his invention until it's been perfected. Only a few of his sponsored trainers have them for the moment."
Gray picked up the dark grey colored wrist watch with its LED screen and light heavy duty feel and smiled softly as he leaned into Ivy's side. He would never admit it but after five years he was feeling a bit sad about parting from the scary and loving woman who practically all but adopted him. It warmed his heart to hear he would be able to stay in touch even in the wild.
"Thank you Professor. You didn't have to but I love it."
She smiled warmly and jerked her chin again.
"Go ahead and put it on, see if it fits. I got the model for your size but its best to double check. You're a bit bigger than most kids your age."
Gray chuckled at that and clipped the watch on.
"Who's fault is that? Its move or die in the Ivy way of life."
A genuine laugh came from her as she roughly rubbed his head.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a gentle and fragile woman."
Gray laughed and didn't comment further for the sake of his own health as the arm around his tightened.
Omen smirking at him from the side.
The watch fit like a glove and Ivy was quick to point out the various functions.
The two falling into their usual habits of professor and student for a bit with the closeness and affection of a beloved aunt and nephew, or perhaps even a mother and son.
The watch was simple and had a few functions from a clock, calendar, stopwatch, alarm clock, map, phone, memo pad through text or speech, and a radio and music player.
It couldn't tell you anything about a Pokémon's data but it didn't have to. Trainers before the Pokedex just asked their partners to demonstrate all the moves they knew and went from there.
Things like natures and abilities were discovered through time spent together.
The Pokedex was revolutionary in how many calculations it could do in seconds. But its not like the world didn't know how to function without one.
"Now you don't need to worry about oversleeping."
"Ha! Whose the one who does the chores around here?"
Ivy pouted. "You sure you don't want to stay?"
Gray chuckled and flicked his watch. "I wouldn't say its not tempting…"
Ivy smiled warmly and ruffled his hair gently, laying her chin on his head and pointing to the second box.
"Open it."
Gray grumbled about not being a headrest as he opened the box and his eyes widened a bit from seeing the contents.
Ivy commented from the side. "I wanted to get you something useful, stylish, and memorable, and I settled on combining them into this."
Gray lifted the necklace from the box, admiring the tough chain and it's central piece. It looked like a dog tag, but it was thicker and made of some kind of dark red wood.
On the front a piece of a black material was embedded into it.
"It's a piece of Omen's broken horn from that time a year ago. We both know it's usefulness for you." Omen hopped over to smell the necklace and nodded his head as Ivy reached over to scratch him with a smile.
Gray nodded quietly as he felt it's edges with his fingers, the horn resonating deeply with him, but he paused at the feeling of a latch on the side.
Curiously, he flicked it and the dog tag opened. It's contents making his breath hitch for a moment.
A picture of him, Omen, Ivy, and the three triplets sitting by a campfire. Gray leaning into Ivy like he did now with Omen laying across his lap and the triplets standing around them doing their own things.
It was a from a memory of a little camping slash research time they did in the forest side of the island.
And on the other side was an engraving.
{If found injured or unconscious, please return this idiot to XXX.}
Gray chuckled dryly. "Really?"
Ivy was smiling widely. "Don't you think it's fitting?"
"While your in reaching distance, I will agree with you."
"Smart boy, I have taught you well."
The two looked at each other and breaking into laughter as Omen playfully tried to steal the shiny necklace.
Soon enough, the time approached and Gray got his bag settled on his back. His watch and necklace now comfortable sitting on his person.
Omen by his side.
The triplets already said their goodbyes, and now it was just him and Ivy.
The two stood by the entrance a bit awkwardly.
Gray felt like there was so much he wanted to say but didn't know where to start.
Ivy was of a similar mind, as many conflicting emotions fought inside herself. She wasn't a woman of emotional displays.
In the end, Gray just gave her a hug and bottled up his emotions, unsure of what to say. "Thanks professor, for everything."
Ivy nodded with a small smile. "Don't worry about it kid. Give me a call every now and then, the triplets will miss you."
Gray nodded resolutely. "I will."
"Good." Ivy responded a tad to quickly.
Again there was an awkward pause. "Well, I'm off I guess."
"Yeah, be safe. You too Omen."
Omen bumped his head affectionately against her and got a final head pat.
Gray took a final look at her and left, unsure of how to truly express things.
However, they didn't get more than a minute out before Ivy appeared on the railing of the balcony above the entrance.
"Gray! Omen!"
The two froze with their backs to the lab's entrance.
She smiled down at them with love and affection.
"Take care of yourselves you hear?"
It was a simple sentence, but it smashed through all the barriers he put up on his emotions as all the time he spent at the lab flashed before his eyes.
Waking up on the beach with her hovering over him.
The years he studied under her.
The years he was taught right from wrong.
The years in the forests.
The years being cared and watched out for, following behind her like a lost pup under the watchful gaze of a mother wolf.
It all came flooding through like a tsunami.
His heart screamed and he followed.
He spun on his heel and bowed his head and body. "PROFESSOR IVY!" He shouted with tears on the edge of his eyes.
"THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME ALL THESE YEARS! I'LL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A PARENT, BUT I'D NEVER WISH FOR IT TO BE ANYONE BESIDES YOU! SO THANK YOU… MOTHER!"
He finished his words and took off running without turning back, hid head down as tears fell freely and embarrassment colored his cheeks.
Omen howled in reply with his own message before shooting after his brother and keeping pace.
Ivy watched them go with her own teary eyes and a smile. "Be safe…my stupid sons."
How long the two ran they didn't know, but by the time they stopped, they stood at a cliff edge on the island, the grass covering the landscape, and the ocean waves churning beneath them.
The exact ledge was in the one spot of shade, a shadow casting a dark glow that seemingly melded with it's two visitors in comfort.
Gray rubbed his eyes as a memory flashed in his mind.
*Flashback*
"Dark type?"
Gray tilted his head in confusion as Professor Ivy sat behind her desk with her feet up.
"Yeah, you're a natural dark type human."
"I heard you but what does that mean?"
Ivy hummed and tapped a finger against her desk. "How should I put this… there are two types of people that fall into your category, with you being the very rare type.
The first category is very well documented by a wide range of scientists, predominantly Professor Oak in Kanto.
You learned how Pokemon are split into eighteen distinct types right?"
Gray nodded his head. "Yeah, it was one of the first things you taught me. Normal · Fire · Water · Grass · Electric · Ice · Fighting · Poison · Ground · Flying · Psychic · Bug · Rock · Ghost · Dark · Dragon · Steel · Fairy."
Ivy smiled at that. "Good, I'm glad you paid attention. Now what we have discovered is that each 'type,' especially Pokemon with a pure singular 'type' has their own energy. Think of it like a color that bleeds off them into the world.
Humans could be considered normal types but we don't bleed energy like Pokemon. In fact, perhaps I should just say humans are like blank white slates.
Over prolonged periods of time, and with excessive exposure, humans can become stained by a Pokémon's energy.
Let's use the example of Fire types. If you are a blank white slate, and you come into contact with red, what do you think would happen?"
"You would turn red instead of white?"
Ivy smiled again before re-entering her lecturing pose. "Yup! Humans who are around specific types of Pokemon for an extended period of time become stained for lack of a better word by their Pokémon's types.
Now this does not hurt anyone and neither does it usually result in anything drastic.
Very, very rarely does it evolve into a human gaining the ability to do something a Pokemon can do.
Most of the time in what we have been able to understand, humans simply gain resistance to the type in general.
Fire type specialists are harder to burn, have higher body temperatures, and their personalities tend to get 'fired up' so to speak."
Ivy and Gray shared a laugh at that before she continued.
"And that goes for every type. Prolonged exposure to their energy can affect us. The more Pokemon of a type they have, the longer they are exposed to it, and according to Oak at least, the deeper the bond, the faster the effects begin to show.
An example would be Lt. Surge in Vermillion city of Kanto, who is often seen wrestling and play fighting with his electric type Pokemon, Pokemon who generate enough electricity passively on their skin to at the very least knock someone unconscious or possibly injure them severely.
Surge shows no discomfort from the physical contact and when asked by young trainers, he would just say to 'toughen up' and 'don't be a wimp.' Contrary to his words however, he does not encourage young teens to go kill themselves. Most are not brave enough as it is but the few hot headed ones get a serious talk from Surge before they can injure themselves.
Anyway, it doesn't result in any physical change in appearance for the most part, flying type specialists won't get feathers or beaks or something.
But it does happen. Not as much as you might think but it does."
Gray couldn't help his curiosity from speaking up here.
"Does everyone know about this? I mean, is it public knowledge?"
Ivy hummed at that and tapped her finger.
"Yes and no. It's not exactly hidden knowledge, but it's also not something every day civilians would know."
"But doesn't everyone have at least one Pokemon?"
Ivy looked at Gray strangely at the question before she remembered she was speaking to a child.
"Ah, right. I sometimes forget how young you are with how mature you are. Let's see… I'm going to give you some estimates, I want you to do the math."
Gray nodded and she went along.
"The invention of the pokeball caused a massive change in human history and it's been around for about a century and a half now, with it becoming sleeker and smoother in design and performance as the years went on.
Before that point however, Humans were much more vulnerable to wild Pokemon. Most humans who had Pokemon had raised them from the time they were born to create a strong bond.
Others were much more violent and cruel in how they tamed a Pokemon.
It was how humanity could survive in this world.
But with the pokeball things changed and humanity could start to even the fields a bit more, creating safe areas for cities and towns in otherwise dangerous areas, while leaving the old roads and paths in between to be reclaimed by nature.
After all, with access to flying and teleporting Pokemon, what need did we have for roads?
There was much conflict and issues in between that I won't be getting into right now, but basically, humans could more commonly own a Pokemon and things eventually evolved into what it is today.
In this golden era, humanity has grown to a population of around one and half billion over seven regions, various independent cities, and island archipelagos, like the Orange Islands here.
However, society doesn't run by everyone being a Pokemon trainer. Trainers are actually a small part of our world.
Most humans do not desire conflict and fear danger, which is perfectly normal and understandable. They just want to live their lives and follow whatever passions they desire.
While Pokemon are an integral part of our society, it's not as if every person has one.
The vast majority of humans are what we consider civilians, people without a Pokemon. Or perhaps, those with a family Pokemon like a Meowth or something small and cute.
Being a Pokemon trainer is a very tough, expensive, and dangerous profession. But in honor of the old traditions and to ingrain the sheer power and potential Pokemon have, our society encourages young children starting from the age of fourteen to go out and be a trainer.
It's meant to open horizons, encourage respect, and build character.
Children are always excited to go out into the world, to be a powerful trainer and be great. But harsh reality shows them fantasies are dreams that require you to struggle to reach them.
Traveling this world is not a simple affair when any random hungry Pokemon could see you as a snack. Not to say that everyone is willing to attack a human, but if something is hungry enough, the line between human and prey becomes thin."
Ivy paused to take a breath and narrowed her eyes on Gray to make sure he understood her point. When he nodded she continued.
"So as I was saying, Pokemon Trainers are not a long lasting profession. And you also have to remember that it's not as if every 14 year old in the world even wants to do it.
It's like a rite of passage but it's not mandatory.
Many young teens continue with school and pursue other paths in life.
Then you get the trainers. The first two years are the real trial by fire for them. They learn how harsh the trainer life is, how expensive it is, how dangerous it is, and they are either tempered or brake.
Most people will release the majority of Pokemon they caught as they can't pay for their expenses, and then with only a few Pokemon by their side, they will pursue other career options.
So here comes the math.
Let's say, for example, that 40% of 14 year old's decide to try being a trainer.
In the first year, at least 10% will drop out.
Another 10% will remain in or around a single city. After all, when you're in a big city, there are plenty of trainers to battle and you can sleep in a warm bed at night. Not to mention cities usually have small scale tournaments and contests so why leave at all?
The third 10% will push through, try to gather eight badges, and challenge the league at the end of the year.
Few will manage it, but they will persevere and come back and try the second year, and the year after that. Eventually, the ones that can't do it will drop out.
It does cost a small fee to challenge a gym after all, and money doesn't grow on trees.
But some will manage it. Probably not with the main eight gyms, but there are minor gyms for a reason.
However, many of these trainers will still fall in the preliminary matches of the regions end of the year tournament.
The Kanto league, or Indigo Plateau Conference to be specific, only allows 248 participants in the main bracket contest.
That's why they have preliminaries beforehand to trim the herd so to speak.
But any trainer who gains all eight main gym badges is granted a free pass through the prelims. Don't take that as something simple as well, the number of people who manage that each year is less than fifty.
Even still, you won't see more than six hundred people enter the contest at the end of each year.
The final 10% are the ones who through one reason or another, continue their trainer careers. They adjusted to the life and go travel other regions, finding their own passions.
Many of them end up joining big organizations like the League, the Rangers, or any number of smaller groups. It's a wide world out there.
When you do the math of it all, the numbers of our 1.5 billion population who actually train, keep, and have strong Pokemon are quite small.
Many of which disappear or die due to their profession. And that's not counting the numbers of wars between regions since the creation of the pokeball.
Those have done more than enough damage on the numbers of trainers out there. Even decades since the last war, we are still recovering.
So back to my point and the original question, the reason why the information on humans being affected by Pokemon is not hidden but still very well unknown is because there just are not that many people who achieve it.
The ones who do are already old enough that they don't desire the spotlight and keep most of their discoveries to themselves or small circles.
The most commonly known types of people are psychics. Most civilians believe they were just born with such abilities but that's not correct.
They are trainers who were exposed to psychic energy long enough to become changed by it, and in fact, psychic humans are the most well documented for their abilities.
They are one of the few types to generate real Pokemon moves like teleport and telepathy.
Still, you won't see much from them until their older years.
We have documented results of each type affecting humans in numerous ways and most of the time things are subtle.
This is all the first category of people. Do you follow me?"
Gray swayed a bit but still nodded.
"It's a lot to take in if I'm being honest."
Ivy chuckled at that.
"Don't worry kid, I'll give you a book on it to read through later."
Gray nodded in thanks.
"I appreciate it. But I'm assuming your telling me all this because it's relevant to my question of what human dark types are?"
Ivy nodded and put her feet down, sat up, and held her head on hands with her elbows on the desk.
"Yeah, you my young mature friend, have fallen into the very rare but still heard about second category. You won the lottery in a manner of speaking."
Gray didn't know how to take that but from the sparkle of curiosity and something akin to how a researcher feels when looking at a particular juicy lab rat, he didn't want to question it.
"You see, very rarely, due to simple birth or a traumatic event in their lives, humans, who are naturally blank white slates, become deeply stained in another color.
Now, even if a human colored red by fire type energy gets a few benefits, they will never generate their own red energy. It's a bleed off effect from their Pokemon, even if it sticks around for a while, it will eventually fade without constant exposure.
But the rare second category has people who generate the energy on their own.
This is much less documented but we have examples.
Gym leader Sabrina in Saffron city in Kanto.
Gym leader Morty in Ecruteak City in Johto.
Elite four Agatha of indigo.
Tate and Liza in Mossdeep city in Hoenn.
And many others, the famous ghost type user Pheobe, the old elder of Pewter city's gym.
There are many cases we documented with only few willing to undergo study for brief pockets of time.
These people are naturally stained in certain colors or 'types' and generate it passively. Usually resulting in a variety of effects, most probably only known to them.
Sabrina is the most powerful Psychic seen in generations.
Agatha is more ghost than human.
Morty has shown his use of will o wisp in a private study.
The old leader of Pewter city could cover his skin in rock as hard as diamond and was often seen as more rock than human, just sitting in meditation for weeks at a time.
It's really all quite fascinating and researchers, at least the most skilled ones, have been baffled by it for a long time."
Gray tilted his head in a way that Ivy found adorable but wouldn't admit to and asked the first question on his mind.
"Why do you know all this?"
Ivy smirked at that.
"Well, researchers have even smaller numbers than trainers, but even then, it takes a special kind of person to be a Pokemon researcher.
And most tend to be….hmm… how should I put this.."
She mumbled a bit and her smile turned wry.
"Well, crazy is one way of putting it and just very determined is another. Many researchers develop a sort of tunnel vision on their choice of study and it tends to swallow them whole for years on end."
Gray couldn't help but smile at her sigh of suffering.
"Yeah, yeah, we have all been there Gray. It's part of the process to get anywhere as a researcher. But to get to the level of a professor, you actually have to have results and be able to show others just how much you know of your choice of study. There are other requirements as well but my point is that most of us research types tend to be overly focused on one thing at a time.
The few who branch out and have the brain for more tend to look into other topics of study.
I personally excel in Pokemon physiology and my topic of study took me down that particular rabbit hole. Trust me when I say I was…absorbed…for a while. It actually took a combination of professor's oak and elm to snap me out of it. I was almost late to present my thesis that got me my rank as a professor in the first place."
The laughter at that was shared by both of them. Gray in honest humor and Ivy in humorous reminiscing.
"So you learned about it thanks to your topic of study?"
She leaned back in her chair and nodded.
"Yeah, it was a wild ride and a real eye opener. Me, Oak, and Elm actually opened a joint side project on the topic but it kind of fell by the wayside with more prominent projects. We don't really have as much free time as we could have wished. Something I hope to continue now that you're here."
That researcher glint came back to her eyes at that last line making Gray sweat in his seat. Thankfully, she moved on after a moment.
"Anyway, back to the point, you my young friend are a rare breed. And it's been confirmed that the gifts of your kind are not passed on through your genes to your descendants. At least not like you who possess an inborn passive generation of energy.
Pewter city's family for example have an affinity for rock and ground types but they don't possess the sheer ability and understanding of the old stone."
"So what exactly can I do? You said I'm a dark type."
She shrugged. "I really can't say. I think the last recorded natural dark type was before even Samuel's time and things were much less documented back then. The only notable dark type specialists I can think of off the top of my head are the rascal, Sidney, in Hoenn's elite four, and the up and coming Karen in indigo's elite four trainee's.
Dark types really are not a common choice for specialists. It requires a special type of person. Dark energy is….hmm.."
Ivy frowned and looked on at the curious and hungry eyes of Gray for a moment before sighing.
"Alright, you've shown to mature enough so I'll just be brutally honest with you and give you the textbook answer.
The Dark type is represented from traits that are considered feral and untamable, specifically that born from adverse and intense complex social conditions; to that of traits that evoke a negative leaning nature - from having a nocturnal day cycle, exhibitions of unusually cruel, crafty, and clever intelligence, belligerent aggressiveness, the sentient awareness and choice to harm and/or inflict ill will, and to that of the negative end of nature and reality; such as the shadows, declination, "the survival of the fittest", destruction, comings of darker times; and to the unknown but potentially dangerous aspects of the mysterious and enigmatic. It should be further noted that the type of Dark does not automatically associate with the concept of evil, as both evidence exists of cruelty capable of Pokémon not just of the type, like Ekans and Spearow, and that it is the trainer that influences majorly how a Pokémon matures and acts.
Many Dark types are rather just born with features that define them as a type, as they understand of the powers that come with it, such as Absol and Sableye, and/or are defined so by the perspective of humans with necessary purpose in the environment and their species but whose actions and traits are at most taboo and are discouraged in human society."
She finished with a pointed look at the large young canine pup resting his head on Grays lap currently in bliss from his Gray's scratching it's head gently.
"What this means in essence, is that Dark energy is inherently different from most of human nature. While there are plenty of trainers that have a dark type, most of them are not 'pure' dark types like Absol. It takes a special kind of person to bond with a pure dark type.
That's why they are so rare, not even criminals favor it. Dark does not equal evil, it's simply foreign, wild, untamed, crafty. You can train a dark type to interact with the world but you can't train another type to act like a Dark type.
What this means for you as a person, I can't say. The energy has it's qualities, but you are your own person. You decide how it changes you."
She measured a hard look at Gray to make sure he understood.
"I mean it Gray. Most people won't speak favorably on Dark type Pokemon, and it will be hard for others to understand what is natural to you, but don't let that stop you from being yourself. Be you, nobody else, and find what you love in life.
And follow that love for as long as you can. Don't think I reached my current status without a love for what I do.
I love it, I crave to learn more, I dream about it when I sleep and it's in my thoughts even now as we speak.
There are limits of course, things I wouldn't do, just as there are things I would do. Those of you born with a type are often seen differently by others.
Many of the examples I gave you have their own reputation, but no one is outright disliked for it.
Sabrina can be cold and detached, but she isn't malicious or harmful. Morty is an interesting guy. That old fossil in Pewter was more stone than human but he never bothered anyone. Agatha acts as a bridge between ghost and human issues.
But with all that, they still have records of things they have done to show they are more. When pushed, they will respond, they will defend themselves and do what they believe is right by their morals and responsibilities.
I know this is a lot to tell a ten year old but I want you to understand all this before puberty kicks in and you start growing.
Your path is yours Gray, I can only function as a lamppost in the dark. And I'll be here every step of the way, to remind you and help you when you need me."
*Flashback end*
Standing on that ledge with his partner and brother by his side, Gray let the wind carry away a sole remaining tear as he smiled at the warmth Ivy's words stirred in him.
His earlier embarrassment long gone.
'My path is mine to walk and choose.'
He opened his eyes and revealed the red iris's to the world as a soft smile rested on his face before he turned to face the docks.
"Come on boy, our journey is awaiting."
Omen silently nodding and budding his head softly against Grays side as the two walked away from that ledge.
A ledge they would return to over the years, looking back on how far they came, and how far they still had to go.
Time would come and go, and the destination was set. Melancholy as it may be.
But for now, it was the journey that mattered, and all the experiences they would have, one step at a time.
The two would face them together.
As teammates and brothers.
And one day, as champions and legends.
Chapter end.
AN: Let me know what you think. Yay or nay?
