Creation began on 04-12-16
Creation ended on 04-16-16
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Faith in yourself, faith in your team
"…And that's why I'm calling you, Prof. Oak," said Shinji to the elder over the video phone at the Pokemon Center, informing him of the two Pokemon that weren't in the Pokedex. "I'v checked several times, and these two just don't show up in the Kanto Pokedex. They may not be from around this region at all."
"You may be right," responded Oak, who had also been informed of what the two Pokemon looked like by Shinji. "You may have caught two Pokemon native to the Johto Region."
"The Johto Region?"
"There are many regions with Pokemon that you'll only find in one or a few of them. Johto is the region neighboring the Kanto Region. It's also the region the trainer I told you about is in right now trying for the Johto League."
"But…if there are Pokemon from that region that are over in this one, I won't know about them through the Kanto Pokedex, even if I end up catching them. Can I update the Pokedex to include Pokemon from the Johto Region?"
"Yes, of course," Oak answered him. "Just insert it into the slot under the monitor and I'll begin the updating."
"Thank you."
Shinji took out his Pokedex and inserted it into the slot. A small bar appeared on the bottom of the monitor, indicating the time it would take to complete the update.
"Once it's fully updated, you'll have information on Pokemon from the two regions," Oak told him. "Also, don't forget that if you have six Pokemon with you, any more that you capture on your journey will be transported automatically to my lab. Just contact me at a Pokemon Center whenever you want to swap one of your Pokemon on hand for whichever ones end up here."
"Okay, thanks." Shinji told him, and the slot ejected his Pokedex. "Okay, it's been updated. I'll give it a try when my Pokemon have been revitalized. Goodbye."
He hung up and hoped he would have new information on his two Johto Pokemon.
-x-
"…So he's alive?" Asuka asked Misato after the purple-haired woman informed her of the recent discovery found on Kensuke's camcorder.
"Yeah, but this is the strange part is this," Misato explained. "He's in another place that Ritsuko describes as an alternate universe, someplace outside of our time and space. In her words, years could be passing by wherever he is while days could go by here, or the reverse."
"So we could be old and dead by the time he comes back?"
"If he's able to come back at all. NERV has a lot of technology suited for the Eva, but nobody's ever developed technology based on interdimensional travel…and I don't know if Commander Ikari will authorize any time and resources for that type of research."
"So…what, we just forget about him?" Asuka asked her.
"We may not have a choice," she answered.
-x-
"…Time to find out what type of Pokemon you two are," said Shinji as he held up his Pokedex in front his Johto Pokemon.
"Chikorita, the Leaf Pokemon. Chikorita use the leaves on their heads to check the humidity and temperature of their environment, but can also use them to release sweet-smelling aromas to distract their enemies." The Pokedex revealed the identity of the Grass-Type, and then looked up the other one. "Larvitar, the Rock Skin Pokemon. Larvitar consume the soil surrounding them as they hatch from eggs underground, unable to see their parents until doing so. Larvitar are viewed among the most difficult of Pokemon to train because they are hard to find in the wild."
"Chikorita and Larvitar," Shinji addressed them, coming up with their nicknames. "I think I' call you…Sakura and Toji, respectively."
"Chika," the Chikorita, now going by Sakura, responded.
"Larvitar," the Larvitar, now going by Toji, responded.
"Welcome to the team," Shinji gestured to Misato, Kensuke, Kenji and Rei.
-x-
"…Well, I'm sorry, but the contents of the ship's cargo are confidential, Dr. Akagi," a woman around her age uttered to the faux-blond woman as they were on the docks in front of the S.S. Rocket. "Even I don't have any idea what is so special about whatever it is that is being guarded in there."
Ritsuko didn't believe this woman for a second, as an earlier report from Section Two had revealed a similar recording from one of their cameras that was picked up by the Aida boy.
Whatever is in there, it is clearly worth the secrecy and security, she thought.
-x-
"…The S.S. Rocket belongs to the Giovanni Corporation," went SEELE 01 to Gendo during a new meeting. "They don't answer to any other agencies, including ours. They're entitled to their secrecy so long as they don't interfere with our affairs."
"Yet, they could possess something of interest to us that could be used against the Angels," Gendo implored.
"Maybe, but we have no business with them," went SEELE 09. "We could schedule a meeting with their board of directors, but that won't be for another week or two."
-x-
Standing in front of the Pewter Gym, two days later after exploring what Sakura was capable of, Shinji, with his roster of Pokemon selected for the upcoming battle, breathed in the feeling of success in first gym battle before it even starts.
"Let's get this over with, Misato," he told his partner.
"Eee," she responded, and he opened the door to the gym.
It was dark, almost like a cave, and the ground was gritty, just like that of outside.
"Hello," he called out. "Is anyone here?"
Flash! A light turned on and illuminated the large room, revealing a large, dark man whose eyes looked like slits, which made Shinji wonder how he was able to see.
"Yes, I am here," he told the boy. "How may I help you?"
"I'm here to face the Pewter Gym Leader," Shinji told him.
"I take it that this is your first gym you've visited?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, the rules here are quite simple. We each use two Pokemon, and when one of our two Pokemon are unable to continue battling, that's when the victor will be decided upon. Can you handle such a challenge?"
"It's what I'm willing to risk my first battle."
"Then let's begin."
The stadium was a large terrain of rocks; what better place for Rock-Types to have an advantage against other types?
"Misato," Shinji said to his Eevee, "I know that you're my first Pokemon, but can you accept that I'll be battling with Toji and Sakura instead?"
"Eee," Misato accepted his decision not to let her battle.
"Okay."
The Pewter Gym Leader, rising from his floor mat, took out a Poke Ball and threw it towards the battlefield, unleashing his first Pokemon.
"Let's see how you can fare against this!" He told Shinji, as the Pokemon was revealed to be a large rock with arms.
"Who's that Pokemon?" Shinji questioned, taking out his Pokedex to identify it.
"Geodude," it went, "the Rock Pokemon. Mostly found near mountains. If ever stepped on, they angrily use their arms, able to shatter boulders with tremendous force."
"Yikes," Shinji reacted to the information on this Pokemon, and took out Toji's Poke Ball. "Come on out, Toji!"
His Larvitar emerged from the ball and onto the field, staring down Geodude.
"Let the match begin!" The Gym Leader declared. "Geodude, Rock Throw!"
"Dude!" Geodude responded to its master's order, using its arms to shatter the boulders around it, sending fragments of rock towards Toji.
"Toji, evade!" Shinji ordered, and the Larvitar ran behind a nearby boulder, dodging the stones. "Use Leer than Bite!"
Toji jumped from behind the rock and gave Geodude a stare that was menacing.
"Dude! Geodude!" Geodude grunted, feeling affected by Leer; Shinji had much of what he could about the types of attacks that Pokemon could use, and that Leer was used to lower your opponent's defensive stats, leaving more vulnerable to offensive assaults.
Toji then jumped towards Geodude, baring his fangs at the Rock Pokemon, and going for the right arm!
"Tar!" He grunted, biting as deep as he could.
"Dude!" Geodude reacted painfully, levitating allover the field; it was trying to shake Toji off, but Toji held on tightly. "Dude! Geodude!"
"Now, use Chip Away!" Shinji commanded.
Toji released Geodude and performed Chip Away with his small claws, attacking Geodude in its face, sending small fragments of its rocky form scattering to the ground beneath them.
Geodude fell to the ground, its eyes looking like spirals.
"Dude," it groaned.
"You've defeated my Geodude," the Gym Leader gasped. "Impressive. Not many trainers have managed to best it on their first try."
"I'm putting my faith in my Pokemon. I trust in their abilities." Shinji declared.
"We shall now see how you fare against my strongest Pokemon. Geodude, return!"
As the Gym Leader recalled his defeated Pokemon, he took out another Poke Ball and threw it towards the field, where it opened and unleashed a new Pokemon. This one surprised Shinji, as it reminded him of a rhinoceros, only covered in a bulky, rock-like armor.
"Rrrraaurgh!" It growled.
"Whoa," he reacted, taking his Pokedex and identifying this Pokemon.
"Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokemon," the Pokedex revealed. "The bones of this Pokemon are many times stronger than those of human bones. It can charge with enough force to shatter a steel wall. Because of its small brain, it can forget why it charges."
But Shinji looked at this Rhyhorn and felt that it was nowhere near as dumb as its kind were stated to be. He then looked at Toji, who looked like he had some strength left in him to keep going, but took his size into consideration.
"Toji, can you keep going?" He asked him.
"Larvitar," Toji nodded that he could continue.
"Alright, then. Use Leer!"
-x-
"…The Giovanni Corporation has been around since before Second Impact," said Ritsuko to Gendo and Fuyutsuki in the former's office. "They had a contract with the military for a new type of alternate energy source that replaced their need for oil and gasoline, but expanded upon alternate energy by getting patents for new forms of cybernetics that connect to the nervous system and the development of skin regeneration for burn and cancer victims."
"If they have a contract with the military, then we have no ground to investigate their activities," went Fuyutsuki.
"They had a contract with the military. Past tense. Three years ago, the Giovanni Corporation ended its business venture with the military and went solo. Whatever they've been working on ever since has been under the radar."
"We can't actually believe this corporation has done anything that could relate to the Third Child's disappearance."
But Gendo was convinced enough that these people had something associated with the boy's displacement in another. This only made him want to find out what they were up to on that boat.
-x-
SLAM! Toji was slammed into one of the stalagmite-like rocks and fell to the ground, injured beyond a doubt by the Rhyhorn.
"Tar…" He groaned, and fell face-first onto the ground in defeat.
"Return, Toji," Shinji expressed, recalling his Larvitar into his Poke Ball. "You did your best."
"I gotta hand it to you," the Gym Leader told him. "Not many have lasted three minutes against my Rhyhorn. My eldest son has an Onix, and not many beginning trainers could stand up to it."
"Thank you. My next combatant will be Sakura. Come on out!" Shinji spoke, throwing out his Chikorita's Poke Ball.
"Chika," greeted Sakura, facing the Rhyhorn.
"Grr!" It growled at her.
"A Grass-Type, huh? You saved your best for last. Rhyhorn, use Take Down!"
Rhyhorn charged towards Sakura.
"Evade it, Sakura! Use Vine Whip!"
Sakura jumped up and two of the tiny buds around her neck extended into two vines. She used her vines to hit Rhyhorn in the sides, causing it to change its course and smash right into a stalagmite, reducing it to rubble.
"Grr!" Rhyhorn roared, slightly irritated that it hadn't defeated the Grass-Type in its initial attack against her.
"Chika," Sakura chirped, her vines retracting into her neck.
"Time to finish this," the Gym Leader uttered. "Rhyhorn, put it down with Horn Drill!"
Shinji gasped at that. With his learning of the effects of different moves, Horn Drill was one of the moves that, if used successfully, would end the battle instantly. His Chikorita would fall, unable to continue the match. A K.O. move among K.O. moves. But he knew the move would have to hit Sakura to knock her out.
"Get ready," he told her, just as the Rhyhorn's horn started glowing as it charged towards the smaller Pokemon. "Now, Sakura, use Sleep Powder!"
Sakura then waved her leaf, releasing bluish-white sparkles into the air.
The Rhyhorn continued to charge towards her, but then its pace slowed down, its eyes looking drowsy and ready to shut.
Sakura stood her ground in front of it, ready for the worst to take place.
Rhyhorn then fell to the ground, two feet away from Sakura, fast asleep.
The Gym Leader couldn't believe this! His Rhyhorn had never been put to sleep before since he resumed control of the gym so that his eldest son could pursue his own goals, and he had never seen a Grass Pokemon like this that could use Sleep Powder before.
"Rhyhorn, return," he accepted this defeat, recalling Rhyhorn into its Poke Ball. "Congratulations, young man. You're not what I expected, but you two of my best Pokemon."
Shinji bowed his head and Sakura rushed over to him, jumping onto his right shoulder. He didn't really think he would've been able to win his first gym match, but he believed in his Pokemon, and they came out on top.
The Gym Leader came over and presented him with a small pendent that looked like a sculpted piece of stone.
"The Boulder Badge," he informed him. "Proof of your victory over the Pewter Gym."
"Thank you very much," Shinji accepted the badge. "We did it, Misato. We got our first badge."
"Eee," Misato congratulated him.
"Chika," added Sakura.
-x-
"…So, you won your first badge?" Professor Oak asked Shinji at the Pokemon Center that night.
"Yes, we did," he corrected the elder; while the badge might've gone to him, it was his Pokemon that fought for it. "I'm hoping the next gym will be different, just not with a Geodude or Rhyhorn. I've kinda had enough of Rock Pokemon for one day."
"Eh-heh-heh. That's understandable. You should try your hand at the Pokemon Gym in Cerulean City where they use Water Pokemon."
"Cerulean City? Okay. I shall contact you again at another, Professor Oak."
As he hung up, Shinji turned to face his Pokemon as they were eating dinner (although Rei had eat while inside a fish tank), and noticed how Misato seemed down. He came over and asked her if there was something wrong, even though he couldn't understand what she was likely to say to him in response.
Misato looked over at Toji and Sakura, who seemed content with their dinner, and Shinji suspected that she was depressed at not being able to battle for the badge.
"The next trainer we face, Misato," he assured her, "you're first up."
"Eee," she accepted and held him to it.
To be continued…
A/N: How's it so far for y'all?