"So he's already given you that Treecko as your first Pokémon, hasn't he?" I nodded, and Dad looked away for a few moments, thinking. "Sit, Spencer. There's a bowl of food there for your Pokémon." I put Trent down and sat down at the table, and Dad sighed. "Now, you're probably thinking that I'm going to tell you that you can't start your journey yet again. If you are, though, you're wrong. It's time you learned why we never let your start your journey, and it's time you made your own decision. I'm not going to lie, you'll probably find the reason very difficult to believe, but I want you to listen to me until I've finished explaining. Understood?"
"Yes, Dad. I understand."
"Good. Now, you know that I used to live here in Hoenn before I moved to Johto with your mother, right? But have you ever noticed how I only have three Pokémon from the region? Isn't that a bit strange, considering I was the league champion once?"
"Yeah, a bit. I never really thought about it, though." To be honest, I only barely remembered that Dad had been champion; the position changes so quickly that it's lost a bit of prestige from the old days. Only truly extraordinary trainers could hold the title for more than a few weeks.
"Well, it'd directly related to why you were never allowed to challenge the league. You see, Spencer, our family is... cursed." If I'd been drinking something, I would have done a spit take.
"You're kidding, right? That's the best thing that you can come up with?" Dad glared sternly at me and I sank into my chair.
"Believe it or not, son, it's the truth. If you decide to follow through on your dream, then you'll find out soon enough." This was ridiculous, and every bit of logic I had was screaming out, telling me not to believe Dad. But the sober look he wore went a long way towards throwing all that logic out the window.
"The curse started eight generations before me," he continued, "but nobody remembers how anymore. The curse was supposed to last for ten generations, and it has two parts to it. The first part isn't truly bad; it limits you to catching only the first Pokémon you battle in an area."
"But how will I know if I'm in an area I've already caught a Pokémon in? And what exactly constitutes an area?" I figured I might as well play along with the curse thing until I could disprove it.
"Areas seem to correspond to the routes, forests, and caves that link cities in the region, though that's hardly a solid rule. And if you try to catch a Pokémon in an invalid area, then your Poké Balls will just lock up and not work. But don't just think you can see a Pokémon, decide you don't want it, and wait to battle a different Pokémon. The curse is a bit picky, and it might consider that running away from a battle." Dad stopped for a moment, as if he was dreading what he had to say next. "Any other questions about the first part of the curse?"
"No, Dad," I shook my head.
"Well then, the second part. This is why I only have three Hoenn Pokémon left." He took a deep breath, looking around the room. He looked at our new cabinets, the TV, and Trent, eating from the dish of Pokémon food and looking up at us. It took him half a minute to finally say what he had to. "If your Pokémon faint at any point... they die." I couldn't think of anything to say to that. I still wasn't sure if it was real, but... that would be a terrible thing to say for the purpose of a joke, and Dad's face still looked as serious as ever. By the time I said anything, it sounded awkward and forced.
"Why... why didn't you tell me earlier? If I'd known... I never would have wanted to be a trainer. I never..." I looked up at Dad, who was shaking his head, and trailed off.
"No, you still would have wanted to be a trainer. It's too deep in our blood. Or maybe it's part of the curse, I don't know. Be honest, you still want to be a trainer now, even knowing this." I nodded, but Dad wasn't looking. "And besides, if you turn away from the curse, or fail to overcome it... it's extended for another two generations."
"You have to be kidding me!" I slammed my fist into the table and stood up, livid at the injustice of the situation. "I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't, then?" Dad didn't say anything, and without anything to feed my anger, I eventually calmed down, and sat back down. "So how do I beat the curse then?"
"Simple. You just have to become a league champion."
"So not only do I have to do something pretty difficult in itself, I have to do it while putting the lives of my Pokémon, my friends, on the line?" Dad nodded, and I sighed.
"I managed it, and it sounds like you're a natural battler. I know it's a scary idea, having your friends die under your command, but I truly believe you can do this." Dad stood up and grabbed the trainer registration form. "I want you to sleep on this. If you still want to be a trainer after a night's sleep, then I'll sign these forms. If not, then that's your choice." He looked seriously at me one last time, before smiling as if we'd just been discussing the weather. "So, what do you want for dinner?"
The next few hours passed unspectacularly. We ate dinner, watched some television, and talked like normal, but I was out of it the entire time. I went to bed about three hours earlier than normal, but I had a hard time getting to sleep. When I finally did, it was fitful, and I woke up often. I had constant nightmares, perversions of the very same dreams I'd had as a kid, running countless battles through my mind where the combatants died. By five-thirty, I was tired of getting up and decided to just get dressed. I grabbed a glass of juice and went outside to sit on the porch, watching the morning unfold.
"I don't know what to do, Trent," I said to Trent when he joined me a few minutes later. "You were there... you heard everything that Dad said?" Trent nodded. "It's not unreasonable for me to be worried, is it? Even though I'm still not sure it's real?" I sighed, wondering why I was bothering with rhetorical questions. "What do you think I should do, Trent? Should I challenge the league, despite the risks?" Trent did nothing for several minutes, staying so still that I thought maybe he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open.
"Tree-treecko," he nodded, finally breaking the silence.
"And will you stay with me until the end? Through thick and thing, good times and bad?" He nodded again before climbing swiftly up to my shoulder, and I couldn't help but smile. "Alright then, buddy: you and me, from here to championship! We're not gonna let some silly curse that may or may not exist stop us!" With a renewed resolve, I went back inside and got the two of us some breakfast. I didn't know where we'd go, or how we'd get there, but I knew that the two of us were made to adventure, and that was what we were going to do. When I was halfway through my toast, Dad walked downstairs, already fully dressed.
"Ah, up already. Have you decided yet?" Dad again was looking far more serious than I was used to seeing him, and it was fairly unnerving.
"Yeah, I have." As I spoke, Mom appeared behind Dad, still looking half asleep. "I've done a lot of thinking, and I've decided that I can't just ignore this. I'm going to challenge the league." Dad nodded, smiling slightly as he handed me the completed registration form.
"I knew you would, Spencer. Your journey isn't going to be easy, but you'll come out a better person for having faced it. And I know that you've got what it takes to come out on top."
"Here, honey," Mom said as she handed me a backpack. "That should have everything you need for your journey, and some money to support yourself until you start making an income." Mom yawned before she stepped in and kissed me on the forehead. "Be safe."
"And if I don't see you at the gym in a few days, I'll assume you've been kidnapped," Dad laughed. And that was pretty much it as far as goodbyes; I finished up my breakfast and Trent and I walked down to Birch's lab, where May was already pacing back and forth in front of the door.
"It's about time," May said, throwing up her arms. I noticed Pepper sleeping up against the lab wall. "You have your forms, right?"
"Of course I've got the forms! Did you really expect to forget them after ten years of waiting?" May laughed nervously.
"Sorry, but I've been waiting too, you know? Plus, I'm kinda giddy from lack of sleep, 'cause I was so excited! How about you?"
"Well, I can certainly say that I didn't get much sleep either."
"What a great way for us to start our journey, so tired we can barely think straight! C'mon, we've wasted enough time out here, and we should head inside!" Trent barely jumped off my shoulder in time to avoid May's arm as she wrapped it around me and pulled me along. "He's here, Dad!"
"Glad you could make it, Spencer," the professor said as he limped to meet me. His leg was wrapped up tightly in gauze. "Have the forms?"
"Right here, sir," I said as I handed them over. He looked over them quickly and nodded, finding everything to his satisfaction.
"That's good! It would have been terribly tragic if you'd left May waiting for two hours, only to not come along," he smiled.
"But May, it's not even seven yet!"
"I know, but I was just so excited! Pepper's not too happy though, since I kept him up all night with my deranged, half-asleep ramblings!"
"Well, Trent got plenty of sleep; he's rested and ready!" As if to prove my point, Trent ran out between the two of us and struck a few poses to show how much energy he had.
"Enough bickering, you two! There's still a few things I need to give you before you become trainers, and I won't have you fighting in my lab!" He looked at the two of us and smiled. "Good. Now first, take these," he said as he pulled out two small, red, rectangular devices from his pockets, handing one to May while opening the other and typing some information in. "These are your Pokédexes, and they also have a digital copy of your trainer license on them." He closed the one he still had and handed it to me. "Don't lose it, please. They're invaluable tools, as I'm sure you know. And of course, you're going to need some Poké Balls so you can catch some team members!" Professor Birch fished out five small, red orbs for each of us and handed them over. "You already have your starters, so... that's it! Have fun on your journey, and make lots of friends!"
"Professor Birch... thanks. For talking to my father, I mean. If it weren't for you, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to do this at all." I wasn't sure, but I could have sworn that Birch's smile disappeared for a split second. When I looked to confirm my suspicious, however, it had returned.
"Don't mention it, Spencer! Just make sure you stay safe, alright?" The professor turned to May next, pulling her into a tight hug. "And you stay safe too, honey. You know your mother and I love you."
"Yeah, Dad, I know," May said as she struggled to get free. Birch laughed and let her go.
"Have fun, you crazy kids." And with that, we left. May nudged Pepper, still sleeping by the doorway, as we walked outside.
"So Spencer, since we're like the textbook definition of rivals now, there's something we need to do," she said as Pepper yawned and stretched out in the sun.
"Oh? And what's that?"
"Battle, of course!"