A/N: A couple of years ago I started a Nuzlocke in my first ever Pokémon game: Pokémon Pearl, which I've owned since 2007. I documented everything that happened in it.

Eventually I stopped playing the Nuzlocke, but a few days ago I retook it and finished it.

Now that it's over I'd love to share with the world what happened, through this fanfic.

For those who don't know what a Nuzlocke is, it's a self-imposed challenge when it comes to playing a (preferably old) Pokémon game that makes it much harder. Here are the rules I followed:

- Must catch the first Pokémon I find in every route, whether I like them or not. If I accidentally kill that 'mon, I still can't catch any other in that route.

- I must give a nickname to every single Pokémon I catch so that I grow emotionally attached to them, thus making the third rule more impactful.

- If a Pokémon faints I must consider they are dead, and therefore, never use them again. Dead Pokémon must either be released or, as I prefer to do, kept in a PC box forever.

Keeping those in mind, it was time to begin.

.

The introduction and its music have always been nostalgic to me. Professor Rowan speaks about the world of Pokémon, showing me a munchlax, then asks me about my gender because that's what old Pokémon games are like. I tell him that I am a girl and that my name is Nigra. Then he asks about my 'friend', which I happily name Abortion. I automatically become a chibi and the game can begin.

It starts with the TV screen: a documentary about how some explorers have failed to find the shiny Gyarados. Once it is over I drag myself downstairs at an alarmingly slow pace, since apparently human evolution has made me unable to run unless I am wearing shoes.

My mother is waiting in the living room. Her hairstyle makes her look like a sentient umbrella. She walks to me and tells me that my friend Abortion wanted to meet me for something he claimed was very important. She also tells me to not walk into the tall grass since I don't have any Pokémon with me.

I make it to his house and he basically runs me over, yells at me to go with him to the lake, tells me that if I'm not there in time I will make his bed for a month, starts running away, then runs back because he forgot something.

Peace and quiet returns. I enter his house, suspiciously stare at his mom as I go upstairs and... There he is once again, tells me the exact same thing and runs away.

I follow, and meet him outside the town, on Route 201. Eager as he is to speedrun towards Lake Verity in hopes of finding a rare Pokémon like the one on TV, for some plot convenience that I must yet come to understand he lets me lead at my shoeless pace, until we make it there.

Professor Rowan is by the shore, talking with his assistant Lucas, contemplating, reminiscing.

Then they decide to return to the lab and walk past us, but they have accidentally left a briefcase in the middle of a patch of tall grass.

Of course Abortion wants to peek in it. I silently remind him that we are not supposed to get into the grass without mon of our own, but he's like "it's gonna be fine, it'll only br a little moment", and of course, as soon as we get in, two wild starlys come to prey on our 10 years old asses.

I would very much hit them with one of my shoes... If only I was wearing any.

The briefcase opens, and there are three Pokéballs inside, each containing one of the Sinnoh starters.

With no hesitation (since it was the one I picked as a kid) I instantly choose the Chimchar and well... Let's just say we are having roasted chicken for dinner.

On our way back we encounter Lucas, who seems scandalized that we took the briefcase and used two of the mon inside, and Rowan, who seems completely fine with it.

They take the briefcase and the forever alone Turtwig left inside, and leave.

Abortion suggests that we go home, and the screen goes black, saving me the trouble to meander back to it.

.

Umbrella Milf tells me that I should go visit Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town, and finally gives me my shoes, thus upgrading me from my poor victorian child status to a proper citizen.

I run towards the lab, passing by a lady who works at Poké Mart and was for some reason chilling in the middle of the tall grass. She gives me a free potion because advertising is good for business and a dead customer is not a repeat customer.

Lucas is waiting for me in front of the lab, and as soon as we are about to go in, Abortion shoots out the lab like a fart and bonks on us, then yells some babbling and flees.

After that minor inconvenience we enter the lab. Rowan lets me keep the Chimchar, whom I choose to name Monke, and then gives me a Pokédex that I must help him complete.

After we exit the lab, Lucas shows me everything I already know about Pokémon Centers and Poké Marts. Then he tells me to go tell my mom about my new adventure, and believe me, the game doesn't progress until you do so.

Like some kind of omniscient force, if you go meet him before you tell your mom he's like "oh I bet you didn't tell her yet, hurr durr".

So I go tell my mom and as soon as I am about to be let out, Abortion's mom storms in looking for his son. I can forsee who's gonna be in the upcoming milk cartons.

She says he left some parcel behind and was heading to Jubilife City, and both moms peer pressure me into delivering it for him.

I am finally released and able to meet Lucas back in Route 202. He does the catching tutorial on a wild Bidoof, gives me 5 Pokéballs and the Nuzlocke can finally begin.