KRD: Hello everybody, it's Kamen Rider Duelist here! I know it's been a while since I've uploaded anything here on FanFiction. You know how real life can be. I'm just glad to have anything uploaded at this point. But I digress. I'm doing a new story, but this particular one is going to be different from what I'm used to. It's a self-insert story. Yes, I said it. I'm putting myself in this story. And it's going to be in Pokémon. Helping me is none other than Gundam-Knight-Chris!
GKC: Cheers, everyone! Hope you all are enjoying yourselves.
KRD: Yeah, as I said earlier, this is going to be a Pokémon self-insert story. Partly because Ash's journey is coming to an end. After 25 years, he finally became a Pokémon Master, and we're here to celebrate it!
GKC: Indeed! What better way then by starting a new Pokémon Journey. With new friends and adventures.
KRD: Exactly! So now came the question. Which Gen am I going to explore? And the answer was obvious. At least for me… it's none other than Gen 5! That's right, I'm heading to the Unova Region!
GKC: Yep, the one Gen that has the Legendary Dragons. Or as I like to call them, the Yin-Yang trio.
KRD: Tao Trio to be more precise. But yes. Plus, the Unova region is based in the U.S., and both of us are from the U.S., so we gotta represent!
GKC: Yeah, we do!
KRD: That being said, since Gen 5 is our choice, we have to further choose either Black or White. Truth or Ideals. And the answer to that, is mixing the two, along with the anime. Keep in mind though, while Pokémon is still a show for kids, we're gonna spice things up with more dark stuff. So this story's gonna be Rated M. You have been warned.
GKC: Which also means, there will be material not suited for young readers.
KRD: Also, we are not region locking the Pokémon when it comes to the teams, so yes, you're gonna get a different variety of Pokémon from all the regions, including the newest one from Paldea. So look forward to it! All that's left is an appropriate title. Since we're taking both routes, how about Pokémon: Path of Truth and Ideals?
GKC: Works for me.
KRD: Sweet! Then let's dive into the world of Pokémon: Path of Truth and Ideals!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. All creative and production rights for Pokémon Black and White belong solely to Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, Hitoshi Yamagami, Shusaku Egami, Hiroaki Tsuru, Shigeki Morimoto, Shigeru Ohmori, Tetsuya Watanabe, Ken Sugimori, Takao Unno, Toshinobu Matsumiya, Shota Kageyama, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato, and Minako Adachi. All IP rights for Pokémon Black and White belong to GAME FREAK inc., Nintendo, and the Pokémon Company.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Unova!
"Yes! I got it!" I cheered, holding a package in my hands, while bringing it to my room. I never thought I'd get my hands on this, but finally, after bidding for this on eBay and waiting weeks for it to arrive at my house, I finally have it! I finally have Pokémon Black Version in my hands!
Oh, sorry. I haven't introduced myself, have I?
My name's Kris. I've been an avid fan of Pokémon, my whole life, for the past 25+ years I've been on this green Earth, as a Gen-Oner. Yeah, I know I'm 30 years old. Don't judge me. No matter how old you are, the fact that Pokémon is still bringing me joy, makes me feel like a kid again.
Plus, having played the games and watched the anime, can you really blame me that most of the girls in the franchise are waifu material? Okay, stop giving me those looks. I know I'm twice their age, but I'm not a creep!
Besides, I'm not playing just because of the girls, the Pokémon are just as interesting. You learn a lot about these creatures who can do pretty much anything supernatural on a daily basis. And there's a plethora of them to choose from, though unfortunately, Trainers are only allowed to have six on their belt. As the saying goes, 'beggars can't be choosers'.
When it comes to assembling my squad, I always have the Starter first, and that version's legendary Pokémon last. Then I build my lineup based on their types so that I have a good range and variety of Pokémon moves to beat any team… in theory anyway. At the end of the day, it's a matter of preference.
Oh, and the story as well. The story within a Pokémon game is what always hooks me to playing it. Gens 4, 5, and 6, I feel are the strongest, when it comes to telling their stories. 4 and 6 in particular were because you get to save the entire world. And Gen 5 was a special case for me, because it gets you really hooked about putting your beliefs, truth, and ideals on the line.
As for mechanics, Mega Evolution I feel, was the peak of Pokémon. While Z-Moves, Gigantamaxing, and that new mechanic Terrastilizing looks cool in concept, to me, I think Game Freak is just trying to do too much. That's especially the case for the new generation of Trainers that play Pokémon for the first time. But that's just me.
Now where was I? Oh right, opening up my newly acquired package.
I promptly took the box and opened it up with a box cutter in hand. And lo and behold, there it was. Pokémon Black Version in pristine condition. I checked the case and the cartridge inside, and it was as advertised on the eBay page.
With a goofy grin on my face, I grabbed my Nintendo 3DS and inserted the cartridge in the slot. I then turned it on and when the Menu Screen popped open, I moved my cursor to the game and pressed the 'A' button.
I let the opening credits roll and after a moment longer, the box's legendary Reshiram, and the title appeared on the dual screens. Hehehehe… this is gona be great! I was about to start a new game when… wait… is Reshiram staring at me?
"What is your Truth?"
…huh?
I shook my head and looked at the screen again. I looked left and right, and even outside my door. There was no one but me. Did Reshiram talk to me?
No, there's no way. There wasn't any kind of voice acting in the main games since its inception.
"What is your Truth, human?"
…
…
…
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I dropped the 3DS to the ground and crab walked backwards against the wall! No way! Reshiram actually talked!
"That was entirely rude."
I slowly crawled over to my 3DS and with trembling hands while kneeling on the floor, I picked it up. "N-No way… you can actually talk to me? That's impossible!"
"What is the possibility when the Truth is staring directly at you?" Reshiram countered.
"…That's admittedly a fair argument." I muttered, but then comically shook my head. "Wait, hold on, forget the argument, why is this even happening? What's going on?"
"You are needed, human. Destiny calls for your aid." Reshiram answered.
"Me? Why me of all people?" I asked, confused. "I'm sure there's someone who's more qualified."
"Indeed, there are. But I chose you." The white dragon stated.
"Well… what exactly do you need my help with?" I inquired further. "Because if this is something life threatening-"
"Do you believe the Truth of Life is without struggle?" Reshiram retorted.
Man, for a legendary Pokémon, arguments are probably the only strong point. Types and moves be damned. The only way to win is by arguing.
"Okay, fair point." I replied. "But say that I do agree to this, who's messing with Unova? Team Plasma? Ghetsis? Colress?"
"Yes."
…
…
…
"Okay, so all three of them…" I deadpanned. "Wait… what about N?"
"To find the Truth, you must walk the path." Reshiram stated. "So I ask you again, human. What is your Truth?"
"My Truth…" I muttered, as I pondered on this. After considering my next words, I answered the legendary. "My Truth… is that all life is precious. And that it must be protected, no matter what path that life takes."
"Interesting." Reshiram mused, pondering on my words. "Very well, I shall now bring you to my world. Fair warning. This may tickle a bit."
Crap! Not that quote from Kamen Rider Decade!
Before I could say anything else, my whole world was engulfed in light.
So this is what being isekai'd feel like.
I groaned, as my head throbbed nonstop. It wasn't painful, but it was certainly annoying. The feeling of light-headedness and dizziness certainly didn't help, as I felt the need to vomit whatever I had for lunch prior to this. Just where the heck am I anyways…?
"Hey, I think he's coming to,"
Huh? Who's voice is that?
I slowly opened my eyes and… there were three people looking over me.
The first was a tall, thin boy with medium length, messy mud brown hair and brown eyes. His attire was a black T-shirt underneath a sky blue jacket that had a sea blue neck, cuffs, and a white zip with gray, slightly baggy pants, tightened by a black belt with a silver metal buckle. He also wore a scarlet red cap that had a black Poké Ball logo, and a pair of shoes with black panels and white soles. His look was completed by a black and blue messenger bag with a large white Poké Ball in the center.
The second was a tall, slender girl with long dark brown hair in a ponytail and blue eyes, her head covered by a hat that was white and pink with a pink Poké Ball on it. Her attire consists of a white tank shirt that reached her waist underneath a black waistcoat and a pair of denim shorts with white tear details on them. She wore black wristbands with a small pink stripe on both of them, with matching black ankle boots, pink laces and soles, and a pair of black socks underneath. Her look was finished, with a pink messenger bag around.
The last person was much older than them with the same long dark brown hair as the girl but it was left loose and free. She also had brown eyes and seemed thin yet quite mature. She wore a simple blue blouse with gray sweatpants, along with a black apron. There were also pink slippers on her feet. Despite her age, she still had a sort of youthful energy and vigor.
"Hey, you okay?" The teenage girl asked. I looked around and noticed that I was in their house, meaning I was laying on a bed in their guest room.
"I… think so." I said, slowly sitting up. "Ergh, owowowow…" I cringed, holding my head.
"Here." The older woman offered me a glass of water and what I could probably think are painkillers.
"Thank you…" I said, before downing the pills and drinking the clear liquid after. "Where am I?"
"You're in Nuvema Town." The teenage boy answered.
Nuvema Town? Wait… if that's true, then that means these two are… Okay, hold on, calm down, I gotta play it cool. I need to act naturally before I do anything else.
"How did I…" I trailed off.
"We found you outside, unconscious." The boy said.
"Thankfully, you weren't hurt. It's not a good thing for a boy to be sleeping on the ground." The older woman told me.
"You… didn't see how I got here? You just… found me like that?" I winced. Then again, it'd be crazy If I told them that I got sucked into the Pokémon world. But on the other hand, I have no reason to lie to them either. "I mean… the last thing I remember was that I was in my room, about to play a video game and the next thing I knew, I saw this Pokémon staring at me from the screen, talking to me, and then… well… here we are."
"That's… a little weird. Was it a Porygon?" The girl questioned.
"No. It was white, looked like a dragon, had some bird and mammal traits, wings for arms and had some kind of jet-engine-like tail." I described.
"Reshiram?" The older woman pondered.
"Is… that what it is?" I blinked.
"It's one of the legendary Pokémon, native to Unova. From the sounds of it, you're not from Unova."
"No, I'm uh…" I trailed off. Okay, moment of truth. "Would you believe me if I told you I was from a world where Pokémon don't exist at all?"
…
…
…
"What?" All three of them asked, obviously baffled by my statement.
"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true." I sighed. "My world doesn't have any Pokémon at all. Nothing but fantasy and fiction."
"Okay, I think we just picked a crazy one." The boy said dryly.
"Now, now, Hilbert, let's not jump to conclusions." The older woman placated, before turning her attention to me. "Is what you say really true?"
"Yes ma'am." I nodded. "If you want proof, have a Psychic-type Pokémon read my mind. I have nothing to hide."
"We don't have any." The boy, Hilbert, stated.
Okay that didn't work. Plan B it is. "Okay~, are any of you familiar with The Multiverse Theory?"
"I heard about it from Professor Juniper one time. It's an ongoing theory that states that there are multiple alternate realities in the universe." The girl stated.
"Well, that theory is now law with my being here in this world." I said. "I wish I was making this up, but it's true."
"So you come from an alternate reality with no Pokémon and were brought here by Reshiram, the Legendary White Dragon." The older woman listed.
"That's correct." I nodded, staring her straight into the older woman's eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, she came to her conclusion.
"I see. Then I suppose you are."
"Wait, you believe him, Mom?" The girl asked, the older woman in surprise.
"You should know by now Hilda that I can spot a liar by looking at someone's eyes. And I found no deceit in him." The older woman, who was Hilda and Hilbert's mom, smirked to which both the teenage boy and girl pouted. Huh… So Hilbert and Hilda are siblings in this version of the Pokémon World, eh? Granted, they're game counterparts to each other, but I'm not complaining if they're family here.
"I guess parenting those two worked wonders for you, huh?" I chuckled sheepishly.
"Oh, they have their moments when they can be right terrors." The siblings' mother gave her children a sly smile.
"C'mon, mom, we weren't that bad." Hilbert groaned with embarrassment.
"You're worse than me." Hilda chuckled. "And you're supposed to be the older of us twins."
"Hey!" Hilbert snapped.
I couldn't help but laugh at this, "I think we're all gonna get along just fine." I smiled. "Oh, right. I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Kris. In my world, I'm from a country called the United States of America. Or U.S.A. for short. Nice to meet you."
"Wow, you really are from another world." Hilda blinked with mild amazement, before shaking her head. "But any case, I know you already heard our names, but I'm Hilda, and that's my older twin brother Hilbert." She introduced.
"Hey there." Hilbert waved.
"And I'm their mother, Hilary. It's nice to meet you, Kris." the mother smiled back.
"Likewise." I nodded. "So~ what now?"
*GRUMBLE!*
I blinked as did Hilbert, Hilda, and Hilary when my stomach growled for food. "Uh… I don't suppose you have any food, do ya?"
Hilary giggled, "Well, it's a good thing you mentioned that because I was just finishing up lunch."
"Great! Can't wait to try what food in the Pokémon World actually tastes like." I grinned widely.
After getting my bearings, I slowly made my way towards the guest bathroom to wash my face. I turned on the faucet to watch the cold water rush down my hands before cupping my hands to gather, then splash it on my face. I then grabbed the hand towel nearby and wiped my face clean, before looking in the mirror to…
Wait… hold on! Holy crap, my face! It looks so young! My black hair doesn't have any strands of gray hair sticking out either!
I looked down and over myself, realizing my body had changed too!
No way! I'm half my age! I'm 15 again!
"Hey, are you doing alright, in there?" Hilbert asked from outside the bathroom door.
I snapped out of my stupor. "U-Uh yeah! I'm fine, just finishing up!" I said, before wiping my face again and sighed to myself. I then opened up the door to see Hilbert standing there. "What's up?"
"Mom's got lunch ready if you're still hungry." Hilbert said.
"Oh right, thanks." I smiled sheepishly. Following Hilbert into the kitchen, Hilary served up some homemade sandwiches and some kind of chowder in a bowl.
"Here you go. Don't hold back." Hilary smiled.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hilary." I nodded kindly before starting to dig in. "Oh wow, this is delicious!" I then took a sip of my appetizer. "And this chowder is good too!"
"Thank you, the chowder is an old family recipe that my grandmother taught me." Hilary answered.
"And she's made great stuff too!" Hilbert chimed, eating his lunch with a ravenous appetite.
"Hilbert, you're going to choke." Hilda scolded her brother, to which karma bit him by choking on his food, causing him to wash it down with his chowder.
I chuckled at this, "So~ are you two Pokémon Trainers?"
"Not yet. We're actually going tomorrow to Professor Juniper's lab to get our Starter Pokémon." Hilda answered.
"Oh, really?" I blinked in surprise. So Reshiram sent me here just before the game's events started. "Do you have an idea of who you'll choose?"
"Why, you interested in being a Trainer?" Hilbert asked after he managed to regain his breath.
"Are you kidding? I've always wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer!" I said excitedly. "Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to catch Pokémon, collect Gym Badges, and be the best like no one ever was!"
…
…
Why are they giving me weird looks?
"So… why not be one? Also, aren't you still a kid?" Hilbert pondered.
"I've dreamt about this since I was 10!" I cried out comically. "What's so wrong about that?!"
"Nothing but the way you made it out sounded like you were an old guy." Hilda pointed out. I gawked at this in dismay. I mean… she's not wrong, but… for her to call me an old guy… damn, that just hurts. Maybe I'm still the same age, just stuck in a 15-year old body.
Case in point, I curled up in my seat in the fetal position. "Okay, ouch… I'm not that old…"
"Whoa, whoa, dude. You okay?" Hilbert asked, concerned.
"I'm fine… just my pride as a guy being stabbed, is all. Nothing to worry about…"
"Wow, you don't have a lot of confidence, do you?" Hilda said with a giggle.
"Hilda." Hilary chastised her daughter.
"Sorry, sorry." Hilda waved off apologetically. "But seriously, I think it's admirable that you want to make a name for yourself as a Pokémon Trainer."
I looked at Hilda with hope sparkling. And I can see the actual sparkles emitting out of my eyes. "Really? You mean that?"
"Well, yeah. Being a Pokémon Trainer is basically a way of life. Sure, you could just get a normal job and live a regular life, but that's boring." Hilda answered.
I then suddenly held her hands much to her surprise as I cried comical waterfall tears. Yeah, actual waterfall tears. "Thanks, Hilda~! That means a lot to me~!"
"Uh, no problem?" Hilda looked at me in surprise while her cheeks looked a little red.
"Hey, how long are you two gonna hold hands?" Hilbert asked, looking a bit miffed with a twitching eyebrow.
"Huh?" I looked at him, then looked at Hilda, and then her hands. "Gah!" I freaked out, before letting go and backing away. "S-Sorry about that…"
"I-It's fine." Hilda stuttered.
"Oh dear, you two only just met. I'm too young to be a grandmother." Hilary dramatically sighed mockingly, the back of her hand on her forehead.
"M-Mom, don't say that!" Hilda stammered with a heavier blush.
"Seriously, mom!" Hilbert exclaimed.
"Oh relax, you two, I'm only joking." Hilary giggled.
"You have a strange way of telling jokes, Mrs. Hilary…" I deadpanned with a sweat drop.
"Tell me about it…" Hilda groaned.
The next day had come by too soon, after spending the day with the family. Mrs. Hilary was gracious enough to let me spend the night at their house in their guest bedroom before the twins and I set off for Professor Juniper's Lab. But before that, Hilda wanted to take me to the town's local clothes store and whatever I wanted, it was on her.
"Well? Whaddya think?" I asked, showing them my fresh set of clothes. My attire was a silver jacket that had a gold-trimmed long-sleeved overcoat and darker colored 'shoulder pads' on my shoulders. My sleeves went past my wrist, forming a slight upward V-shape, and I wore this over a golden yellow short-sleeved shirt. As for my pants, they were a pair of navy blue pants with gray pinstriped patches on my hips that are outlined in white. The bottoms of my pants are neatly tucked into my shoes and are supported by a white and blue belt with a square belt buckle, wearing suspender-like straps on my waist with gold buckles.
"Not bad." Hilbert nodded with a thumbs-up.
"Clothes make the man." Hilda added with a smile.
"Cool. Then it's onward to the Professor's Lab!" I grinned as the three of us made our way. "So what's Professor Juniper like?" I asked.
"She's nice." Hilda answered.
"Don't forget eccentric." Hilbert added.
"I take it that she's a bit quirky then," I smiled sheepishly.
"You could say that…" The boy remarked.
"But she is second to none when it comes to knowledge about Pokémon, and her expertise truly shines in Pokémon history and its origins." Hilda pointed out.
"Huh… I guess a fascination in history is something we both have in common." I mused to myself. And it was true. From elementary to high school, history was one of my stronger subjects.
"Well, you two will have a lot to talk about." Hilda quipped.
"Not when I'm going on a Pokémon adventure with you two." I chuckled.
"I don't know. You might have a lot in common." Hilbert chimed.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on. If you're trying to hook me up with the Professor-" I raised my hands.
"Dude, don't get ahead of yourself. Professor Juniper is in her twenties. She wouldn't go for kids." Hilbert pointed out.
Oh, if only you knew that I'm about twice your age in my world…
"Hey, you two! Let's get going or we'll be late!" Hilda shouted.
Hilbert and I looked at Hilda… who was already ahead of us, making us realize that we needed to catch up. "Wait for us!" We cried out, running after her.
"I hate it when she does that!" Hilbert exclaimed.
"Never thought your sister to be an eager Bibarel type." I added.
"She's always had the most active energy between us." Hilbert commented.
"Gee, now who does that remind you of?" I rolled my eyes with a smirk, thinking that Mrs. Hilary was the same.
"Don't let mom hear you say that or she might scold you."
"Heh, noted."
It wasn't that after catching up with Hilda that we finally arrived at the entrance of Professor Juniper's lab. It certainly looked futuristic as it was a two-story building with yellow walls, a lot of windows, and an orange roof. And there was a futuristic tower not far from a building and a greenhouse several feet farther from that.
"Well, here we are, boys!" Hilda said with a beaming smile. "The first step on our Pokémon journey!"
"Yup! I'm ready!" I grinned. Honestly, I can't contain my excitement! I'm actually going to see Pokémon, live and in the flesh!
"Then let's not wait around any longer!" Hilbert declared, moving towards the doors of the lab. The doors promptly slid open to reveal a reception area where there was an aide sitting at their desk, to which they looked up and noticed the twins and I.
"Oh, are you…" The aide began.
"Yes. Hilbert and I are here to see Professor Juniper." Hilda nodded. "Is she in?"
"Give me a minute." The aide brought up a work phone and made a call. "Professor? The new Trainers have arrived." They waited for a bit before nodding. "Yes, I'll send them in immediately." They ended the call and looked at us. "Head on in. Professor Juniper is in her lab. It will be down the hall and straight ahead."
"Thank you." Hilda nodded.
"And who's that?" The aide asked, looking over the twins' shoulders.
"Oh, that's our new friend. He's here for a Pokémon too." Hilda answered.
"Hi." I waved weakly.
"Hm, I'm pretty sure it was only supposed to be two of you." The aide said. I felt my stomach drop at the proclamation. Then the aide shrugged, "But I'm sure the Professor made a miscount. Head on in."
I sighed in relief, before following the twins down the hallway.
Everywhere I looked, even if it was just a hallway, everything looked futuristic and techy. We eventually found ourselves in front of a pair of sliding doors, which promptly opened when we were near its proximity. Upon entering, we were met with the sight of a laboratory. There were large computer tech on one side of the wall, shelves of books on another, and many other gadgets and gizmos that littered the lab. In the center was a cylindrical tech platform that had a glass dome and inside it… were three Poké Balls. No way… real actual Poké Balls! They're not the plastic kind or the collectibles made out of metal that don't open! I mean actual real Poké Balls!
"Oh, there you are." A female voice spoke, drawing our attention to the speaker.
And lo and behold, there she was. Juniper, the Unova region's Professor and expert on Pokémon origins. She was a lithe woman with fair skin, green eyes, and poofy honey-colored hair, wearing a pale greenish-blue lab coat and a white blouse, along with a short green skirt and athletic white shoes with red stripes. She also has red rectangular earrings in both of her ears.
"Good morning, Professor!" Hilda greeted with a smile. "We're here to start our journeys as Trainers!"
"Right, Hilda and Hilbert, right?" Juniper asked with a smile before she noticed me as well. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know I was getting a third Trainer too!"
"Hi. My name's Kris. I uh… just arrived in town yesterday." I waved sheepishly.
"Oh that's right! Professor, he claims to be from a world where Pokémon don't exist at all!" Hilda remembered.
"Really?" Professor Juniper looked at me with a gleam in her eye that made me uncomfortable.
"Um… yes. It's true." I gulped. "The thing is… and this will sound strange, but… Reshiram brought me here to this world. I was in my room about to play a video game when Reshiram appeared and talked to me."
"…"
"…"
"…Well, not the strangest thing I've heard in my life." Juniper shrugged.
What the heck!?
"You're… not surprised by this?" I asked incredulously.
"We live in a world where creatures like Pokémon with the power to control the elements, move mountains, cause tidal waves, and change the laws of physics themselves are present." Professor Juniper pointed out. "It's not really all that strange, at this point."
"Oh…" I muttered disappointed. Wow… talk about anti-climactic. I half-expected Professor Juniper attempting to do multiple experiments on me like some mad scientist and-
"But this is also a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study an otherworldly human being!" Juniper exclaimed with sparkles in her eyes.
Theeeeere it is.
"Er-hem." Hilbert cleared his throat intentionally. "Professor, don't you have certain Pokémon that you need to give away?"
"Hm? Oh, yes! Your Starter Pokémon!" Professor Juniper hopped over to the table where the three Poké Balls sat. The glass dome opened, the two halves sliding away and curving downwards into the cracks of the cylindrical platform. "Like all regions, Professors such as myself give out three Starter Pokémon to new Pokémon Trainers. You can choose one from them." She then picked up one of the Poké Balls.
"First up is Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokémon!" She said, throwing the Poké Ball in the air. My eyes went wide with glee as the ball opened up. White energy streamed out of it before molding and shaping itself into the Pokémon when the light faded.
It was a serpentine creature with mainly a green body, tan stomach and lower head, with the end of its tail being shaped like a leaf as large as its head. Though unlike most other snake-like creatures, it sported arms and legs, being green and tan, respectively. The arms are plant-like, ending in three prongs that act like fingers. Its head is a teardrop shape with the top half being green and the bottom half, in front of the neck, being tan. Its eyes are in the intersection between the border of the green and tan parts of its head while its eyes are surrounded by a yellow marking and are usually half closed. Near the bottom of its neck is a yellow collar which comes up on either side of its body, and comes together in the center of its back, making a line to the bottom of the leaf tail.
"No way… a real Pokémon!" I said, as I squatted down and looked at Snivy with an excited smile and sparkles in my eyes. "This is a dream come true for me!"
"Snivy?" The grass snake gave me a weird look.
"Wow, you really are from a different world." Professor Juniper blinked.
"Of course I am. Where I'm from, Pokémon are nothing but fantasy and fiction, but this is the real deal!"
Apparently, Snivy didn't seem to like what I just said. It gave me a glare and the collar of its neck produced two vine-like whips that-
*WAPISH!*
"Ow!"
-smacked me in the face with its Vine Whip.
"Hey, you alright?" Hilda asked incredulously, as she helped me sit up.
"Yeah, ow…" I winced in pain, rubbing the cheek that had the welt as Snivy looked away with a huff. "Geez, testy much?"
"Oh, don't mind Snivy. It's rather proud of itself and I think your comment about Pokémon being fantasy and fiction didn't quite sit well with it." Professor Juniper said with a sheepish grin. She then turned towards another Poké Ball and grabbed it. "Next up is Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon!" She said, before throwing it up and the same process happened.
This one was a small quadrupedal mammalian Pokémon that resembles a piglet. It has a plump body, which gets fatter towards its rump, and is mainly a bright fiery orange color. Its ears, forehead, backside, tail, and the tips of its front feet are black, alongside its long ears, large eyes with black pupils, and a distinctly pig-like pink nose with two large nostrils. It has a short yellow stripe extending vertically across the front of its face, just above its nose and has a short curly tail with a round red orb at the tip.
"Awww, it's so cute!" I squealed in delight as I scratched under its chin. The piglet snorted and made happy grunt noises as I was doing it. "Who's a goo~d little piggie~?"
"Tepig!" It chimed with a happy snort before blowing out embers that slammed into my face.
"Ahhhh! Hothothothothot!" I cried out running around like a crazy madman. "Water, I need water!"
"Oh, I got just the thing for that!" Professor Juniper grabbed the last Poké Ball and tossed it in the air. "Here's Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokémon!"
Coming out of its Poké Ball was a bipedal, mammalian sea otter-like Pokémon with fur covering its entire body. White fur was on its face and arms, with light-blue fur on its chubby torso and had a dark blue tail, feet and ears. Its face features freckles on each cheek and also has a tan-colored scallop shell attached to its stomach called a "scalchop".
"Oshawott, use your Water Gun." Professor Juniper said.
"Oshawott!" The Sea Otter Pokémon said, before spraying water on my face.
"Graaghgagrgahgrghag!" I gurgled out before the little otter stopped and my face was soaking wet, along with my hair. "Thanks…" I deadpanned.
"Glad to help!" Professor Juniper beamed.
"Osha!" Oshawott tapped the shell on its body. To which the shell fell off its body. "Osha!" It cried out, trying to pick it up, only for it to accidentally kick it away and repeating the process a few times.
After being presented with a towel to wipe my face and hair, Professor Juniper then proceeded, "Now that you've seen these Pokémon, which one will you start with?"
"That's a little tricky. Three of them. Three of us." Hilbert said, scratching his head.
"Well, I know who I'm choosing." I smiled, as I approached Tepig and picked it up into my arms, holding it out like a stuffed animal. "Whaddya say buddy? Wanna partner up with me?" I asked the fire pig.
"Te, Tepig!" Tepig said happily.
Juniper smiled, "Looks like Tepig likes you, Kris."
"Then that's that." I nodded, holding the Fire Pig Pokémon closer to me. "I choose Tepig."
"Alright, that just leaves Oshawott and Snivy." Professor Juniper looked at the twins.
"You first, sis." Hilbert gestured to his sister.
Hilda stepped forward and looked at her only two choices. Without a doubt, she picked up Snivy, "This one. They'll be my partner."
"Snivy."
"Then I guess I'm left with Oshawott." Hilbert said, picking up the Oshawott.
"Oshawott!"
"Alright, you have your chosen Pokémon. Now it's time for you all to receive these." Professor Juniper brought up a suitcase, opening it to reveal three devices inside. They were black and rectangular in shape, about the size of a smartphone. There was a panel on the back that slides upward to make them dual screen. Two of them had a red Poké Ball logo and one of them had a pink one.
"Is that… a Pokédex?" I asked in awe, picking up one of them. No way, an actual functioning Pokédex! This is so cool!
"Yes it is. And it includes information on any and all Pokémon."
"Wait, you mean it's not region locked?" I inquired. That didn't make any sense. The game only allows the Pokédex to go into National Mode after the Player goes into the Hall of Fame. How did the Pokédex go into National Mode right at the get-go? I hope my coming here didn't set off any paradoxes or events that are not supposed to happen… let alone contradict any laws of this world.
"Something wrong with that?" Hilda asked.
"Huh? Oh, no. Not really. At least I don't think so." I mused. "Does this mean that Pokémon not native to Unova are here too?" I asked the Professor.
"Well, on occasion, there have been Pokémon that were either smuggled or bred over in Unova. They're still rare though and most non-native Pokémon run up a pretty high amount to get." Professor Juniper explained.
"I see…" I muttered.
"Well anyways, there're a few more things to give you." Professor Juniper said as she handed all of us five extra Poké Balls each and some sort of Starter Kit that included 5 Potions, an Antidote, Paralyze Heal, Burn Heal, Awakening and an Ice Heal. "Everything you need to start out on your journey is in here in this Starter Kit. I'd explain everything on what you may encounter down the road but I'm quite busy so I've downloaded a Trainer Handbook in your Pokédex. Be safe, have fun, and make lots of good choices!"
"Thanks, Professor! We'll be sure to use them wisely." Hilbert nodded with a smile, as we took the Starter Kits to put in our bag.
"Hold on, what do we do about money?" I asked. "And we're not registered to take on the Pokémon League yet."
"You'll have to register at the Pokémon Center in the next town. As for money, since you're now officially Pokémon Trainers, if you battle and win against your opponent, they automatically transfer a set amount of Poké Dollars to your account." Professor Juniper explained. "However, I should also inform you that as Trainers, you are legally responsible for the management and care of your Pokémon."
"We understand Professor." Hilda said. With a nod, Professor Juniper gave us our Pokémon's respective Poké Balls, and we promptly returned them into them. The red beams of energy hit the Starters before they turned into energy and were absorbed into the balls.
"Oh, and there's one more thing. I promise this is the last." She said, before handing us three watch-like devices. Two being blue and one being red.
"Watches?" I asked, as Professor Juniper gave them to us.
"Not just any watch, it's the XTransceiver. It's a powerful communication tool, and allows the user to contact other Trainers. As long as your register each other's XTransceiver codes to add them to your Friends List, and communicate with other Trainers worldwide. It also has a functional map app so you know where you're going."
"Huh… neat." I mused. "We could use this too in case we get separated for whatever reason while we're traveling."
"Exactly. And with that, I bid you all a good adventure! You'll be meeting many Pokémon and people with different personalities and points of view! And I really hope you find what is important to you in all of these travels as you grow as a person! That is the most important goal for your journey! I hope that your journeys prove to be the adventure of a lifetime!"
"Yes Professor." We all nodded.
"Well, good luck, you three!" Professor Juniper told us before shuffling our butts out of her lab.
"Alright, it's off to adventure." I grinned. "So where should we head first?"
"Let's see." Hilbert said as he activated his XTransceiver and loaded the map app. "The next town would be Accumula Town. We can register for the Pokémon League at their Pokémon Center."
"Great. But first." I said, as an idea came into my head. "Why don't we all have a Pokémon Battle?"
"Huh? Right now?" Hilda pondered in confusion.
"I'm game." Hilbert grinned.
"Sweet! Nuvema Town should have a local Pokémon battlefield right?" I asked.
"Sure do. This way!" Hilbert said, before running off towards a direction with Hilda and I following.
It wasn't long before we finally arrived at the local Pokémon battlefield where the three of us were ready to do battle. The twins did rock-paper-scissors to see who would fight against me first, and Hilda won the bout. He was a bit miffed, but nonetheless allowed it as he sat on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Hilda and I took our respective spots on both ends of the field, ready to start our battle.
"This is a one-on-one Pokémon Battle! Each Trainer will use one Pokémon each, and will end when one side is unable to battle!" Hilbert announced.
"This is it, Hilda! Our first Pokémon Battle! Hope you're ready!" I grinned, as I held my Poké Ball.
"I should be asking you that." Hilda snarked with a grin on her face as she brought up her own.
"Are you kidding? For me to be a Pokémon Trainer and being able to have a Pokémon Battle, is another dream come true for me! And I intend to savor every moment of it! So here we go! Tepig, it's Battle Time!" I said, throwing the Poké Ball with a spin to it, which then opened up, letting the Fire Pig Pokémon out before his Poké Ball flew back to me, to which I caught.
"Tepig! Te!" The Fire Pig Pokémon cried out, snorting out embers out of its snout.
"Alright, Tepig, this is our first battle! Let's make a good impression!" I said.
"Tepig!"
"Well, get ready, Kris! Snivy, let's go!" Hilda declared, throwing out her Poké Ball and releasing the Grass Snake Pokémon.
"Snivy!" It said its name in response.
Pokémon Battle
1-on-1
Kris vs. Hilda
BATTLE START!
"Tepig, start off with Tackle!" I commanded. Tepig nodded, then scratched one of its front hooves against the ground before charging at the Grass Snake.
"Snivy, dodge then use Scratch!" Hilda commanded her Pokémon. Snivy side stepped Tepig's tackle attack and retaliated with a swipe of its grass-like limbs.
*SLASH!*
"Tepiiiiiig!" The Fire Pig Pokémon cried out as it slid back, and stopped itself.
"Shake it off, Tepig, you got this!" I said. The piglet shook off the pain and stood tall. "Good boy, now use Ember!"
Tepig snorted as it jumped up and breathed in through its snout before firing a stream of embers towards Snivy from its snout.
"Ah, Snivy, dodge it with Vine Whip!" Hilda said, panicking a bit from the Fire-Type move that could seriously hurt her Pokémon. The grass snake grew out the two whip-like vines and propelled itself away from the embers, and then proceeded to use one of its whip to try and entangle or smack Tepig.
"Tepig dodge those!" I called out.
Tepig hopped and dodged the vines using his little feet. Unfortunately, he misstepped and gets whacked in the face by a Vine Whip. While it didn't affect the Fire Pig, it still hurt.
"You got this, Tepig! I believe in you!" I said. "Use Ember on one of Snivy's vines!" I said. This surprised Hilda as Tepig breathed embers out of its snout, which started a fire, starting from the tip and making its way towards Snivy. The Grass Snake Pokémon panicked as it was in pain. The Vine Whip was part of Snivy's body so it was feeling the heat.
"Snivy, shake it off!" Hilda told the Grass Snake. Snivy frantically started swinging its vines in an attempt to douse the flames.
"Let's try this again! Tepig, use Tackle one more time!"
Tepig flares his nostrils before taking off at full speed towards the panicking Snivy. Before it could react, the Fire Pig slammed into the Grass Snake.
"Sniiiiiiiiiiii!" The Grass Snake Pokémon cried out as it was sent to the ground.
"Snivy, are you okay?!" Hilda asked worryingly, as the Grass Snake slowly attempted to get up on its feet, until eventually it did. "Thank goodness, can you keep going?"
"Sni! Snivy!"
"Alright Snivy! Let's keep going!"
"Whaddya say, Tepig? Ready for more?" I asked.
"Tepig! Tepig!"
"Alright then! Tepig, use-"
"Poison Jab,"
HUH?!
BATTLE STOPPED!
Without warning, something blurred by and without warning, something purple suddenly hit Tepig straight on the snout, sending him flying. Not only that, the same blur targeted Snivy and met the same fate.
"Tepig/Snivy!" Hilda and I cried out, rushing over to our Pokémon.
"Who the-" Hilbert gawked.
"Hmph, how pathetic." A voice spoke, surprising me and the twins. We looked towards the source of the voice and saw a guy our age with short, messy black hair and purple eyes, with skin complexion being pale white. His attire consists of a gray t-shirt with a black and gray hooded jacket that's unzipped. He also wears gray jeans and wears white tennis shoes on his feet.
The purple blur came back to this guy which I recognized to be a Croagunk.
I, for one, am obviously pissed. "What was that for?!" I snapped.
"I wanted to test out a new move. Your weakling of a Pokémon just had the honor of being my training dummy." The newcomer said with a shrug.
"We were having a Pokémon Battle! And you interrupted!" Hilda huffed angrily, her hands on her hips.
"Well, let's not stop now. I still need to test out my Croagunk's abilities." The teen said with a smirk. "In fact, I'll take all three of you on."
"Are you serious?!" Hilbert gawked incredulously.
"I don't care. Fight me now." He demanded.
"And what if we say no?" I asked.
"Hmph… Croagunk." The teen ordered.
*WHAM!*
My eyes widened considerably when that Croagunk suddenly rushed me and unleashed a Poison Jab on my gut, before jumping back to his Trainer. Not only was the wind knocked out of me, I immediately gagged and coughed out blood as I reeled from the pain, crouching over as I fell on my knees and held my stomach.
"KRIS!" Hilda cried out in horror and she rushed over to my side.
"I never said you had a choice." The teen smirked wider.
"You scumbag!" Hilbert growled. "Why would you do that?!"
"I told you before. I need to test Croagunk's abilities." The teen said. "And I chose you three to be my test subjects."
"But that was still no reason to attack him like that!"
"Heeeeeeeeeh, heeeeeeeh, heeeeeeeeh…" I wheezed, hoarsely trying to gasp for air.
"I got you, Kris! Just breathe!" Hilda said worriedly, holding onto me for support.
"Still want to refuse a battle with me?" The teen taunted.
"Tepig! Tepig!" The Fire Pig Pokémon cried out angrily, as it got in front of me, and blew out black smoke and embers, glaring daggers at the trainer. "Tepiiiiiiiiiiiig…"
"Te… pig…" I uttered out. I know he's trying to protect me. But that Croagunk… it's too strong…!
"Oh? Seems that little piglet wants to be first. Croagunk, Poison Jab."
"Croa… GUUUUUUNK!" The Toxic Mouth Pokémon immediately went in, dashing towards Tepig, surprising my Pokémon.
"Gh… use Smokescreen!" I wheezed out. Snapping out of it, Tepig blew black smoke out of its nostril, creating a black plume of smoke to cover the area, and Croagunk slowed down before stopping completely to look around its surroundings.
"Coward…" The trainer spat in disgust.
"Like you got any right to talk about cowardice when you attacked us out of nowhere!" Hilbert retorted.
"Tepig, use Ember…!" I cringed in pain.
"Kris, stay still…" Hilda murmured.
"I'm fine… I can handle it…"
Tepig came out from behind and snorted out embers from its snout. When Croagunk turned around, it was already burned by those embers, causing it to back off, reeling from the heat, before Tepig retreated back into the smokescreen.
The teen growled, "Croagunk, use Poison Sting in the smoke!"
The Poison Frog Pokémon's cheek sacs filled with poison before it started firing purple needles in any and all directions, firing blindly. Some of them were even directed towards us.
"Gah! What are you doing?!" Hilbert cried out as he was dodging them. Hilda and I weren't so lucky as we were hit by some of them.
"Gh… that idiot…!" Hilda hissed.
"Get used to it. You newbies will be in the middle of attacks like these in every battle." The teen coldly remarked. He looked around his surroundings and Tepig still hadn't revealed itself. "Alright, enough games. Croagunk, use Brick Break to clear the smoke!"
Croagunk's arms glowed, then jumped up before hitting the ground. The impact caused a massive burst of wind to blow away all the smoke, revealing Tepig's position.
"Tepig?!" The Fire Pig Pokémon looked surprised.
"Teach this pig a lesson, Croagunk. Use Poison Jab." The teen ordered.
Croagunk's arm glowed purple then rushed towards Tepig to deal a decisive blow, striking Tepig on the head, it was stunned and his face turned purple due to the poison taking effect as he fell limp to the ground.
"Tepig, no!" I cried out.
"Finish this, Croagunk! Use Brick Break!" The teen ordered.
"Croagunk!" The Toxic Mouth's other arm glowed white, as it then raised its arm high to deal the finishing blow. Tepig tried to stand up and act defiantly, but to no avail as Croagunk brought its arm down on him, hard.
"TEPIIIIIIIIIIIG!" I shouted, as dust plumed out. Moments later, the dust cleared and Tepig… wasn't moving. "Tepig!" I cried out, staggering over to my Pokémon, my one friend…
"Croagunk,"
*WHAM!*
"Gahhh!" Croagunk got me again, as he did another Poison Jab on my gut.
"KRIS!" Hilda cried out as I fell to the ground again.
"Bastard… you…" I seethed, growling at him.
"I'm not through with your pig yet." The teen remarked.
"But you won! The battle's over!" Hilbert snapped. "Just leave us alone already!"
"It's not over til I say it is." The teen stated. "In battle, you ensure your victories are complete." The three of us looked at this teen in shock and no doubt that we were all disturbed by what he said.
"W-What?" Hilda stuttered in horror.
"Leave my Tepig alone!" I shouted.
"Oh, I will. Once I'm done with him. This is punishment for your weakness and cowardice."
"You're a disgrace to Pokémon Trainers everywhere!" Hilbert shouted.
"I don't care what you think. Strength is everything and you show it by ensuring your complete victory and dominance over them. Croagunk, put this pig out of its misery."
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"Absol, use Thunderbolt!"
HUH?!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky and hit Croagunk, sending the poison frog flying until it landed at the teen's feet.
"What the-?!" He cried out in shock.
"Attacking a Pokémon like that is a disgusting practice. You have no right to be a Trainer." A new voice spoke. All eyes, including my own, went to the source and focused on a young man who looked to be in his late teens to early twenties. He had curly brown hair that looked like a forest of fur, brown eyes, and a small trimmed beard. He wore a white-blue jacket with a green shirt underneath. It was finished with gray pants, black-navy hiking shoes, and a pair of burgundy gloves, alongside a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and a dark blue-gray baseball hat.
That didn't even surprise me most until I saw the Pokémon that stood beside the newcomer.
An honest-to-God Absol!
"Tch, what's it to you?" The teen spat. "What I do with my Pokémon is none of your business."
"You were about to kill my Tepig!" I snapped.
"Ah, so you're one of those Trainers." The young man sighed. "And here I thought I had gotten away from idiots like you."
"What did you say?!" The teen snarled. He focused on his fallen Pokémon. "Croagunk, get up! Shut this loser up!"
"I wouldn't try it. My partner doesn't like it when people threaten me." The young man warned.
"Sooooooooool…" Absol growled as electricity crackled around their form.
"Tch…!" The trainer clicked his tongue in annoyance, before returning Croagunk to its Poké Ball. "Whatever. I did what I came here to do." He then looked at me. "You got lucky. The next time we meet-"
"Keep walking or else." The young man warned.
"Hmph…" The teen trainer huffed, before walking off.
The young man sighed, "Well, that's the end of that for now." Then he focused on us. "You three okay?"
"I guess…" Hilbert grumbled.
"Bastard hit me with a Poison Jab… twice…" I said, as I coughed out blood again.
"Kris, stay still. You're still hurt." Hilda said with concern.
"Forget about me… Tepig needs more help than I do." I cringed in pain, hunching over, while trying to steady my breathing.
"Well, lucky for you, I got some items in my bag that should help." The young man dropped on one knee, pulling off the backpack he carried to rummage inside until he took out two items, a Berry Case and a yellow crystal that I recognized as a Max Revive.
"That's a Max Revive." Hilbert said. "Those things are expensive."
"Don't I know it…" The man groaned. He stood up and approached Tepig, picking the fire pig up in his arms then he offered the Max Revive. "Here, take a bite out of this. It will make you feel better."
"Piiiiiiig…?" The Fire Pig looked up at the man tiredly.
"It's okay, little guy. I promise you'll be good as new in no time." He smiled at him.
Tepig looked at the Max Revive and took a bite out of it. It chewed a bit before its eyes shot open and it beamed happily, "Tepig!" He cried out, as it got out of his arms and jumped around. "Tepig! Tepig! Tepig!"
"No way… just… like that…" I muttered in surprise.
"Max Revives were designed to be edible. They're kinda like rock candy for Pokémon." The young man explained before he approached me with the Berry Case. Opening the tin, he pulled out two berries, a Pecha Berry and a Sitrus Berry. "Here, eat these." He offered the berries to me.
"Thanks…" I said, slowly reaching out. Taking the Pecha Berry, I took a bite out of it. "Wow, it's sweet…" I was amazed. It's like a mix of an apple and a strawberry put together. I then bit into the Sitrus Berry, wincing a bit at the taste. I wasn't a fan of sour things, but it was tolerable. "Tastes like an orange and a kiwi…"
He smirked, "Want to know something? If you eat them together, they have a pretty unique taste."
I raised an eyebrow and decided to try them together. My eyes widened and my body stiffened. "Mmph! T-This is…!"
"Like eating an cherry pie?"
"Yeah… it's delicious~!" I moaned in delight.
He gave me a dry look. "Don't do that."
"Ah…" I gawked in slight horror, before looking sheepish. "S-Sorry… hehe… but thanks nonetheless. You really saved us."
"Tepig! Tepig!" The Fire Pig Pokémon snorted in anger. I couldn't blame him. He wants payback.
"Your Tepig's got a lot of fire in him. Pun not intended." The young man said with a grin. "Guess he wants another shot at that punk."
"Who was that guy anyway?" Hilda wondered.
"I've been hearing about a Trainer like that ever since I arrived." The young man stood up after returning his Berry Case into his bag. "His name is Nathan. He's got a rather… rotten reputation."
"Yeah, that's for sure." Hilbert huffed. "He interrupted Kris and Hilda's battle when it happened. I was ready to help out with my Oshawott too."
"It wouldn't have mattered. You three are just starting out, yeah?" The young man asked, to which we all nodded. "From what I saw, his Croagunk is at a far higher level than your Pokémon. They wouldn't have lasted long."
"And he didn't want to take no for an answer either…" I added. "I hope we don't see him around anytime soon…"
"Oh, trust me. When you meet someone like that the first time, you're bound to meet them again." The young man explained. "Frankly, your best bet is to train, battle, gain experience, and get stronger."
"And we plan on it." I said. "Besides, he made a huge mistake thinking he can just lord all over us for the sake of doing it."
"Good mindset. Keep that with you." The brunette said with a grin before he looked down at his Absol, which remained dutifully by his side. "Well, girl. Shall we get going?"
"Sol." The Absol nodded in agreement.
"Thanks for helping us, uhh…" Hilda trailed off, "What was your name?"
The young man looked at us as he readjusted his hat. "Call me Holmes. Maybe we'll meet again one day. See you." He said with a smirk as he and his Absol left down the path we came from.
"Well, I guess we'll have to call it a day." Hilbert said.
"Yeah… maybe… we should hold off the journey for tomorrow…" I winced, while looking at the twins. "If… that's alright with you two…"
"Yeah, not a great start but maybe we'll have better luck tomorrow." Hilda agreed. "Come on, let's go home." She said, helping me up to my feet. While the Sitrus and Pecha Berries helped, the twins didn't want to take any chances, so they helped me walk, just so I wouldn't fall over.
When we came back home, Mrs. Hilary was confused as to why we were back so early. The twins explained everything that happened, and like any mother, she was shocked, distrubed, and angry that such a thing would even happen. So, she made it her mission to really prepare us for the journey ahead by giving us a lot of things.
Let it be said that a worried mother is a scary mother, especially when said mother adds in a baseball bat for… reasons. I think there was barbed wire wrapped around it too…
When it was nighttime, the household was quiet. Everyone was asleep, but me. I couldn't stay asleep as I looked out the window while Tepig was curled up on the bed. I was thinking about everything that happened today. And I kept thinking back to what Nathan had said.
"In battle, you ensure your victories are complete."
"Strength is everything and you show it by ensuring your complete victory and dominance over them."
"Hmm…" I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips.
I didn't think it would be like this… the fact that there are people like him out there that would do anything to achieve victory for the sake of it by any means. The very thought of it sickens me. And not only that, there was the problem of Team Plasma, Ghetsis, and N. The team itself supposedly promotes the separation of Pokémon and humans for the greater good. N only believed in that because Ghetsis showed him the bad side of Pokémon coexisting with humans. He never showed him the other side of that coin. If N were to meet Nathan, it would only enforce, if not, significantly solidify his beliefs that Pokémon and humans should be separated. And Reshiram is entrusting me to make sure it doesn't happen.
"Kris…?"
I turned around and saw Hilda, standing there at the doorway. From an obvious standpoint, she wasn't wearing her hat, allowing me to see what was hiding underneath it. And she was wearing a set of pink pajamas.
"Uh, hey." I waved, as she approached and stood next to me. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, no. I was just worried about you, but I guess I was concerned for nothing." Hilda said with a sheepish chuckle.
I hummed softly as I looked back out the window at the night sky. "I'd be lying if I said I was alright…"
"Are you… still bothered by what Nathan did and said?" Hilda asked.
"Yeah…" I trailed off. "It really sucks… that there are people like him out there in the world who would do anything to get what they want. My world's no different, and it really puts things into perspective, when reality as you know it, sinks in and twists your rationale."
"So… what's that mean?" She asked.
"It means for me, this world isn't really what it's cracked up to be…" I sighed. "I let my naïvety get the best of me, thinking what kind of amazing adventures I'll have with you guys. Meeting people, seeing a lot of other Pokémon, challenging the Gyms, facing the Elite Four, and the Champion… and then people like Nathan come along and just ruin all of that…"
"Oh, well, I guess that's understandable." Hilda replied. "But Pokémon aren't just cute and cuddly. They're also dangerous in the wild. And they're living beings as much as we are."
"Yeah, I understand that more than anything." I said, as my stare at the night sky never left me. "Right before I came to this world, Reshiram asked me what my Truth was."
"Your Truth?"
"Yeah, and I told it that, 'All life is precious. And that it must be protected, no matter what path that life takes.' Maybe… I was brought here to realize that."
"Well, the only way to do that is by getting stronger." Hilda pointed out with a grin.
"Eh?" I looked at her, caught off guard by not only her grin, but the fact that she killed the serious mood.
"Reshiram brought you here, right? So, in order to solve problems, you gotta get stronger!" Hilda repeated. "I mean yeah, it doesn't just mean muscling your way through by battling. There are other ways of getting stronger."
"You mean training both physically and mentally?" I asked.
"Exactly! That's what it takes to be a great Trainer!" Hilda cheered with a cute smile.
I couldn't help but chuckle at this. Never in my life had I met someone with such a positive attitude and has a bright outlook on things. "Heh, yeah, you're right. Thanks, Hilda. I needed that."
"No problem! But I hope we meet that Holmes guy someday!" Hilda said, her eyes sparkling like stars. "I wanna battle him and his Absol!"
"Easy. We'll battle him one day." I sweat dropped. "Like you said, we gotta get stronger first. And that starts by getting back to bed. It's a big day tomorrow and we need all the rest we can get."
"Good idea. A girl like me needs her beauty sleep," Hilda said with a bright smile. "See ya in the morning!" She chirped before leaving my room with a spring into her step.
Maybe this adventure won't be so bad after all.
SAVE FILE
Player Name: Kris
Pokémon: Tepig
Badges: None
Player Name: Hilda
Pokémon: Snivy
Badges: None
Player Name: Hilbert
Pokémon: Oshawott
Badges: None
Saved on: 12/18/22