Chapter 1

New Beginnings

AN: Welcome to a darker world than the anime, where trainers act as mercenaries, guards, and adventurers who either protect civilization and the order it has created or work to plunge the world into chaos. There will be dozens of new faces, plenty of reinvented familiar faces, and Pokémon whose abilities have been stretched and misinterpreted as I see fit.

Evolution is only the first step to becoming powerful; strategy, synergy, and a killer instinct are what separates the good from the great in this world.

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"Have you received the data I sent you?" The young man with spiky brown hair asked into the monitor. The face of an older man in a lab coat could be seen on the screen, staring intently at something off-camera.

"It hasn't fully downloaded yet. Can you describe the encounter to me?" The man responded without looking into the camera.

"It was small, barely bigger than a child… and fast. Very, very fast. It preferred to engage with physical attacks rather than creating any distance for a ranged assault… It used both Dark and Ice-type attacks and hit Machamp pretty hard with them too. Although a couple of glancing blows from Machamp injured it and one solid hit knocked it out… The rest of the trainer's team was pretty standard. A mixture of Kanto and Johto natives." The brunette responded, recalling the battle he had had earlier that day with the strange Pokémon he had never seen before.

"Were you able to question the trainer after? Where they captured it? Diet? Typical behavior? Was it another extrinsic evolution? What about…" The man in the lab coat became more and more animated as his line of questions continued. The brunette patiently waited for the older man to stop his rapid-fire questions before responding.

"All the information I could get was in the report you should be able to open soon. As Champion, I can't just interrogate every trainer that comes in here with an unknown Pokémon. Although, yes. I do think it is an extrinsic evolution. It went by the name 'Weavile'. It may be an evolution of Sneasel." The brunette responded before standing up. "I've got a meeting with the Four in a couple of minutes though. So, I'll have to go now."

"Okay, thank you for the report as always. And congratulations on the win today! I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Grandpa." The brunette smiled before logging off.

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The Town of Pallet was situated on the coast in the Southwest of the Kanto region. Until recently its only claim to fame had been the world-famous Pokémon Professor, Samuel Oak, who had built his lab there to escape the noise and distractions the core cities were infamous for. Out on the frontier of human civilization, he had been free to develop his revolutionary device capable of scanning and storing all known information about any Pokémon one could expect to find in this part of the world, the Pokédex. With the rugged, red device trainers and their Pokémon were able to fight and defend against the monsters that roamed the untamed wilds that still existed on most of the continent more effectively.

Pallet's notoriety skyrocketed a decade ago when two young prodigies left the small town and became the best-known trainers in the region. Rising through the ranks at a pace never seen before, the pair were able to complete the 8-badge circuit and challenge the Elite Four all before their 14th birthdays.

Feeling inspired by such accomplishments at such a young age caused many trainers to make the journey to Pallet at least once in their career to see where the greatness began. Changing the small villages' focus from fishing to tourism, accommodating the trainers and their teams of Pokémon that accompanied them. Inns, restaurants, and specialty Pokémon stores started appearing faster and faster and it became common to see high-level trainers wandering the cobblestone streets with a powerful Pokémon by their side.

The new Vermillion-Pallet ferry was a product of the increased popularity the small town enjoyed. It connected Pallet to the International Shipping Terminal in Vermillion, where huge passenger and cargo ships arrived. Bringing people and products from all over the world into the Kanto region and just one convenient ferry ride from Pallet.

One such ferry boat crashed through the waves in the open ocean just off the coast of Pallet. Azure water and white-capped waves stretched out in three directions as a shoreline covered in old-growth forest rose from the ocean to the north. There was no definitive line where Pallet ended and the forest began, the bustling little town took up the entirety of an open clearing on the coast, and houses and buildings could even be seen amongst the trees on the outskirts of town.

Onboard the ferry, a slender man with short blonde hair wearing a blue hoodie and faded jeans stood at the highest railing.

"There it is Bug. That's where our journey begins." The man whispered to the yellow puffball clinging to his shoulder. Admiring the rolling hills of uninterrupted emerald forest that spread out before them and the clearing filled with neat, orderly lines of wood-and-stone homes that made up the majority of the buildings. They were able to spot Professor Oak's Laboratory almost immediately. Its curving red roof and windmill are impossible to miss. The building sat right on the edge of the forest that surrounded the town.

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Stepping off the gangway onto Pallet's wooden dock and appreciative to be able to stretch his legs, Patrick scanned the crowd looking for his liaison. Spotting her immediately, he walked over to the young woman in a lab coat and glasses holding a white sign with 'Patrick' written in neat handwriting.

"Hi, you must be Ashley. Great to finally meet you in person." Patrick said with a grin offering his hand to shake.

"Hello! Yes, that's me. How was the trip from Sinnoh?" She asked politely, returning the shake.

"Longer than I thought it would be. We hit some rough weather just off the coast of Canalave City and that really slowed us down. We got to Vermillion a little later than expected but the ferry ride to Pallet was beautiful, Kanto's coast is stunning and Cinnabars volcano was huge." Patrick responded, outlining the highlights of his journey from his hometown.

"The ferry to Vermillion really is nice. I have taken it a couple of times to run errands for the professor." She said, glancing at the ferry boat rocking in the surf at the end of the dock. "Are you ready to go? Do you have any bags in storage to wait for?"

"No, just the one. I figured with all the fieldwork I'll be doing it would be best to pack light." Patrick responded, hefting his large backpack further up his back. "I saw the lab from the ferry, it's this way, right?" Pointing down one of the cobblestone streets.

"Correct, about a 20-minute walk," Ashley responded, turning and leading Patrick down the street he had referred to. "I looked into your work with Professor Rowan, your paper on Extrinsic Evolution was groundbreaking. If your theory is correct there could be dozens of new Pokémon, waiting to be discovered, if exposed to the right stimuli!"

"Thanks. Professor Oak seems to share your excitement. On the phone, he mentioned you have already found a handful of undocumented Pokémon." Patrick responded smiling sheepishly at the compliment.

Passing various homes and storefronts, the pair went on and on about the finer details of Patrick and Rowan's research, swapping stories about their respective professors and the differences between Kanto and Sinnoh. Before long they realized they had left Pallet's core behind and were walking up the hill to Oak's Lab on the outskirts of town, the forest looming behind the great white building.

The sliding glass doors opened silently in front of them as the two stepped into the cool sterile environment of Oak's Laboratory. To the right a trainer dressed in black leaned against the wall, an orange and black dog panting happily at his side. Recognizing Ashley immediately, he motioned for the two to go on deeper into the lab. The whole lab was an open concept layout that had been firmly 'closed' into various sections thanks to the large machines and overflowing bookshelves that formed the 'walls' of each section. Expertly leading the way through the maze of academia, Ashley led them past other research aides quietly going about their business. A couple were hunched over a computer, staring intently at lines of data on the screen. Another had a tape measure and was taking the measurements of a squirming Bulbasaur.

Finally reaching the back wall, Ashley stopped at a door and gave a quick knock. A muffled 'come in' could be heard through the door and the pair entered. The small office had 3 desks arranged end to end to form a nearly 20-foot-long surface to display piles and piles of notes, books, sketches, and partially deconstructed machines. A pokéball with a red and purple top and an ivory bottom could be seen lying open, nearly covered by serval drawings of Pokémon and a map.

The sole inhabitant of the room hadn't even looked up at the two as they entered. Choosing instead to look at the video playing on one of the big computer screens on the desk. Hitting pause the man spun in his chair to greet the aides. The older man with neatly combed white hair and a crisp white lab coat jumped out of his chair with the energy of a man half his age and crossed the room to greet Patrick.

"Patrick! It's so nice to finally meet you in person! Professor Rowan has gone on and on about you. And that paper you sent over! Amazing! Everyone in this building has read it at least once. Our laboratory had been beginning to play with the idea of trainer-induced evolution, but you and Rowan beat us to the punch and just laid it all out for us." Professor Oak said, energetically shaking the younger man's hand with a strong grip.

"Thank you, professor, but really. Professor Rowan did most of it. I just helped where I could." Patrick said, nervously scratching his head at the barrage of compliments. "And I am glad to be here in Kanto, I can't wait to get started on the new assignment. I haven't done much field work before this."

"Yes, yes. Sit. Let's get started." Motioning to the chair across from him. Ashley seeing that she was no longer needed quietly excused herself and closed the door. "As you know, reports of new evolutions have been circulating throughout all the regions in recent years. Evolution induced not by strength and maturity but by external objects or circumstances. 'Extrinsic Evolution' as you and Rowan aptly named it.

"The evolutionary stones were the first examples we discovered and they have been researched to exhaustion. But now we have reports of Pokémon reacting to specific armors, specific locations, or even certain times of the day. When Red and Blue first 'completed' the Pokédex we knew none of this and now we are starting to find glaring holes in the research. I need a research aide to help me fill in these holes and you come highly recommended by Professor Rowan." Oak finished, relaxing back into his chair after his monologue.

"Your work on the Pokédex is outstanding. Professor Rowan currently has aides trying to catalog all the species in the Sinnoh region using the blueprints you sent over. He said he was more than happy to lend me for this assignment… And I am more than happy to be a part of this" Patrick added quickly.

"I'm glad he is making use of it. About your assignment… I need another aide to travel Kanto and collect data on any extrinsic evolutions you may find. Blue became champion and is unable to travel like he once did, and Red is doing some tests for me on Mt. Silver. But neither of them is mobile enough to cover everything I want covered. That's where you come in. I want you to travel throughout the region and visit every gym, inn, and Pokémon center. Find every trainer you can and look for the existence of Extrinsic Evolutions in each town. I have had enough vague reports of these Pokémon, I need someone to investigate to confirm or deny their existence. If and when you find such a Pokémon, I'll make the necessary arrangements to have a local researcher rendezvous with you and you'll pass over the research lead. You will then be free to travel to the next town and start the process again." Oak finished.

"I'm more than happy to travel Kanto looking for Pokémon, but I have to ask. Would it not be easier to just message all the gym leaders directly and have them look out for extrinsic evolutions instead?" Patrick asked.

"You would think that. But high-level trainers are a secretive and protective bunch. Possessing a strong, unidentified Pokémon can be a major tactical advantage when battling other trainers and sets you apart when looking for jobs. It's easy enough to ask people to analyze their Weedle, there are tons of them, and they are weak. But a powerful, unique Pokémon? Significantly more difficult." Oak explained. "Our first major hurdle is proof of concept. Find an Extrinsic evolution, then we can worry about convincing the trainer to let us test it." Oak said before turning back to the monitor. "Here come look at this, I received this video from the Indigo Plateau yesterday."

With both men huddled in front of the monitor, Oak pressed play. The black screen sprung to life showing a huge arena with two trainers on opposite sides of a wide dirt floor. The packed earth was torn up in some places and scorched in others. Great divots were carved into the dirt and craters marked the entire area. Tiny patches of grass struggled to survive in the demolished wasteland and what had once been a tree was now smoldering to ash. Positioned in front of one trainer was a large grey humanoid Pokémon with four thick muscular arms. Standing well over seven feet, it towered over the small black Pokémon crouched on the opposite side of the battlefield. Barely 3 feet tall, the black Pokémon had a red mane of thick, shaggy fur and three wicked sharp claws at the end of each hand.

The referee safely standing behind a reinforced steel barrier raised his arm and both Pokémon tensed. Dropping his arm dramatically to his side, the fight began. Machamp immediately took a step backward and dropped into a defensive boxing stance, waiting to see what the challenger would do. The dark Pokémon studied its on-guard opponent for a moment slowly circling, intelligent eyes searching for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities to exploit. After several more seconds of hesitation, Machamp's trainer barked a command, and the overly muscled Pokémon slowly advanced, closing the distance between the two Pokémon. All four arms were tensed, elbows in, and ready to unleash hell at a moment's notice.

Seeing the opening it was looking for, the dark Pokémon dropped to the ground and dug its talons into the earth, mimicking a sprinter start. In a blur of wind and dust, the Pokémon shot forward, temporarily disappearing from eyesight only to reappear directly behind Machamp. The superpowered Pokémon barely had time to turn its head before a fist encased in sharp ice slammed into the Machamp's muscular back, between its shoulder blades. The force caused Machamp to stumble forward and drop to one knee, blood flowed from the small wound it had taken.

The black and red blur disappeared again, creating distance between the two and stopping directly in its original position in front of its trainer. Crossing its arms over its chest, it gave the grey Pokémon a cocky smile.

The Machamp regained its composure and stood back up to its full height, giving no indication that the small wound on its back had even happened. Rolling its shoulders, it dropped back into a defensive stance and again waited for the opponent to move. Emboldened by the first successful attack the black Pokémon again dropped to all fours and dug its talons into the hard earth. With another explosion of black fur and sharp claws, it shot forward. Leaving nothing but dust and two fresh tears in the earth.

As soon as the small Pokémon disappeared from view, the Machamp burst into motion. Spinning on one foot with far more grace than a creature its size should be able to, it turned to its right, eyes tracking the unseen Pokémon and two fists rocketed down towards the empty space by its side. At that same moment, the black blur reappeared, claws glowing with sickly black energy and rushing toward the Machamp's right hamstring. Attempting to cripple the giant where it stood.

So confident in its speed, it had not paid enough attention to its muscular opponent and Machamp fell on it like an avalanche. One fist almost connected, hitting the red mane but failing to contact the quick Pokémon beneath. The second fist was able to intercept the clawed arm and made contact just below the elbow. The smaller Pokémon spun like a top, the force of the blow sending it flying over the ground before rolling to a stop twenty feet away.

Shakily the small Pokémon got back to its feet. Nursing an injured arm and showing caution for the first time in the fight it glared at its opponent. Both Pokémon again stared at each other, sizing up the other and looking for weakness. With first blood drawn, the Pokémon were about to take the other more seriously. Before long, the black Pokémon once again dugs its talons into the ground, preparing to charge.

The first two engagements paled in comparison to the onslaught that unfolded. Once again disappearing in a blur of black, red, and dust the small Pokémon quickly closed the distance between the two. Feinting to the right, it switched directions at the last second to deliver a shallow cut across Machamp's bicep. The assault didn't end there as it spun and launched itself at the back of the grey Pokémon. However, Machamp was more than ready to intercept, having spun around with both right arms spread wide and palms open, ready to slap the small Pokémon straight out of the arena. With a startled squeak, the black blur managed to pivot over the higher arm with little more than a bruise.

Not stopping there, the black Pokémon re-engaged as soon as its feet touched the ground. Facing off again against a prepared Machamp. The fight continued similarly for several minutes. The small black and red blur shot back and forth, buzzing around the grey Pokémon like an angry Beedrill. Landing several superficial hits that caused blood to drip down the opponent's torso and arms. Flashes of black energy and shattering of ice marked each attack as the Pokémon began to chip away at the large grey mountain.

The relentless attack did not come without a price, the speed and agility the small Pokémon was exhibiting was starting to drain its substantial stamina reserves. The Machamp, while bruised and bloodied, continued to attack and counter with the same calm, controlled movements. As the black Pokémon started to slow down, the vicious jabs and uppercuts were coming closer and closer to the agile Pokémon.

The black Pokémon landed after its latest successful hit, a slash that had opened a gash across the opponent's entire broad chest. Spinning quickly and launching itself back towards the huge Pokémon, this time aiming for the grey Pokémon's exposed neck. In its glee to land the final, decisive blow it failed to notice a palm the size of a dinner plate barreling towards it. With a sickening thud of flesh impacting flesh, the open hand of the Machamp connected squarely with the smaller Pokémon's torso.

All the speed the small Pokémon had demonstrated earlier was nothing in comparison to the speed it left the arena as it shot away from the grey muscular Pokémon like a cannonball and impacted heavily with the concrete wall some seventy feet away from the battle. The unconscious body of the Pokémon briefly stuck to the wall, a shallow crater the shape of its body keeping it in place before it fell forward crumpling to the ground in a heap.

Professor Oak paused the video as the challenging trainer sprinted over to his downed Pokémon, Pokéball in hand.

"Well, what did you think?" Oak asked the stunned aid next to him.

"What was that?!" Patrick asked, finally finding his voice. "It was so fast and held its own against a Machamp! Judging by its attacks it would be dark and ice-typing. But I haven't seen or heard of any Pokémon in Kanto, Johto, or Sinnoh that would match that. Do you think it is an extrinsic evolution?"

"We believe so. A further evolution from the Sneasel line although we weren't able to question the trainer further." Oak explained.

"Okay, I can see that. From what I have read about Sneasel, it attacks and moves similarly but not nearly with that speed or power." Patrick said, thinking back to the Pokédex entry he had read on the ferry ride from Sinnoh. "The other trainer looked like Blue. Was that a champion title match?"

"Yes, Blue records all the matches he has with trainers in case anything interesting happens that he thinks me or Red might want to see. We have seen a few new Pokémon this way but due to his position, Blue can't be seen probing these trainers too much about their Pokémon's abilities, behaviors, etc." Oak explained, name-dropping his two prodigies.

"Wow, so do you want me to track this guy down then? Ask him about his team?" Patrick said, already planning on heading to the Indigo Plateau to start snooping around.

"No, no. That trainer headed west back to Johto after his fight. I have already contacted Professor Elm and he has sent out feelers to try and find him. You instead are going to head north towards Viridian. It has the closest Gym and will be the first city you visit on your assignment." Oak said, standing up from his chair. "Now if you follow me, I'll show you to your equipment."

Jumping up and following the aged professor, the two left his small office and back into the maze of the laboratory. Off in the corner, Patrick spotted Ashely performing an ultrasound on a very pregnant Golduck. The professor kept explaining as they weaved around various machines and bookshelves before stopping in front of a large cabinet near the back door of the lab.

"You'll first want some protection. We have standard-issue armor here that you can use. It's not fancy but will protect you well enough." Pulling out a vest, forearm guards, and shin guards from the drawers. The vest was made of black tightly woven thick material that, while stiff, could bend somewhat without limiting movement. The forearm and shin guards were made of a similar material but also covered in black hardened plastic plates woven into the fabric itself. "These can protect you against slashing moves and blunt force attacks but don't rely on them too heavily. Stronger Pokémon can break this like an eggshell.

"The road from here to Viridian doesn't contain many dangerous Pokémon. The powerful trainers that visit Pallet do a good job at discouraging wild Pokémon encounters." Oak finished, handing over the armor as he explained each piece. Patrick slipped on the forearm guards and packed the shin guards and vest to be put on later.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it. Professor Rowan couldn't stress enough the dangers of fieldwork before I left. I see he wasn't overreacting. Professor Rowan said you may be able to supply a Pokémon as well…" Patrick said, looking around hopefully for the promised Pokémon.

"Yes, of course! Rowan mentioned on the phone that you had a Pokémon, but it wasn't strong enough for protection. A Joltlik was it?" Oak said, glancing down at Patrick's belt but failing to see a Pokéball.

After hearing its name mentioned, a small yellow spider crawled out from Patrick's hood where it had been resting and clung to his shoulder. Looking at Oak curiously with its four eyes, it squeaked a quick greeting and then crawled back into the hood. Eager to continue soaking up the static electricity the fabric generated whenever Patrick moved.

"Yeah, his name is Bug. I found him in the lab a couple of months ago. We thought a machine was broken and we were prepared to get rid of it. The aides kept complaining about it having a bug. Well, I took off the back panel to see if I could find anything and I found Joltlik latched onto the power cable. So, in a way, the aides were right about there being a 'bug' in the machine. That's how he got his name." Patrick explained, reminiscing on how he and Bug met. "But, no he isn't very powerful. He can barely generate a single thunder shock."

"Well, I think I found you a suitable Pokémon to start your assignment," Oak said, leading Patrick through the back door of the lab and into the ranch portion of the complex. Behind the building stretched an open grassland of tall grass with small clusters of trees and bushes marking the flat expanse. At the far end of the field Pallet's surrounding forest was encroaching on the property. Dark trees and vines gave the resident Pokémon ample areas to relax in the shade or nap in the sun. A fountain gurgled softly to their left and pumped water from deep in the earth to the surface. It marked the source of the tiny stream which ran through the property before disappearing into the forest and to the ocean. Several Rattata were drinking and bathing in the stream before disappearing into the foliage when the trainer and professor walked in their direction.

The two took care to step over the ankle-deep water that slowly flowed down the slope and made their way towards a small copse of trees towards the back of the large property. As they approached, the sound of rustling grass and squeaking could be heard behind the short, thick bushes that grew beneath the trees. Stepping around the foliage, Patrick saw a small scuffle taking place between two small pink Pokémon.

Both Pokémon were rolling in the long grass trying to pin the other and assert dominance. As the two humans watched the pint-sized fight unfold one of the rodents quickly managed to flip the other onto its back and pin it to the ground with its body weight. The bottom Pokémon struggled for a few moments before admitting defeat and laying still.

Now that Pokémon had stopped moving Patrick could get a better look at the two animals in front of him. Barely reaching his knee, the Pokémon stood on all fours with a dull pink hide covered in tiny spikes that ran in 3 ridges along its back. On top of its head sported two huge ears that twitched and rotated in response to the sounds around it. Between the two ears on its forehead was a large sharp horn whose tip glistened slightly in the sun. Seeing the audience, it quickly hopped off its fallen opponent and bounded over to the professor on short strong legs.

"Well done, Nidoran! You have improved so much!" Oak said, encouraging the tiny pink Pokémon. Producing a small blueberry from the depths of his lab coat the Professor tossed it at the small Pokémon, who happily nibbled on the treat. "And you did a great job too! I'm sure you'll win next time." Oak said lovingly as he bent down and gently stroked the defeated Pokémon who had just flipped back over from its back. Producing another blueberry to give to the clearly upset Pokémon, Oak turned back to Patrick.

"A Nidoran, eh? Is this the Pokémon you were telling me about?" Patrick said, eyeing up the larger of the two Nidoran who had finished its berry and was standing proudly after its victory.

"Yes, Nidoran is the Pokémon I had in mind. He has gotten a bit territorial over the past couple of months and has started picking fights with the other resident Pokémon. Usually, I don't mind a little roughhousing, but Nidoran are poisonous to Pokémon not of its species and I am worried it might poison some of the other residents by accident." Oak said, who had picked up the defeated Nidoran and was scratching it behind the ears. Making sure to avoid the venomous spikes along its back.

"How poisonous are Nidoran? Exactly?" Patrick asked, cautiously looking at the pink Pokémon's many, many spikes.

"Humans aren't affected too badly. The injection site will turn red and bruise and you'll become feverish for a few days. Cold sweats, nausea, migraines, and aching joints are all likely symptoms. But the human body is large enough to fight it off. Smaller, sick or frail Pokémon are a worry though. Many of the young Pokémon I have here will succumb quite quickly." Oak answered casually, still holding the venomous pin cushion in his arms as if it were a Meowth. "Of course, I'll send you off with an ample supply of antidote just in case," Oak added, almost as an afterthought.

Feeling a little better about the existence of an antivenom, Patrick bent down to introduce himself to his new Pokémon. "Hey buddy, you are going to be coming on an adventure with me. We are going to find lots of Pokémon for you to beat up. How does that sound?" Patrick said softly, trying to be as calming as possible to the suspicious Pokémon.

Eyeing Patrick in front of it, the Nidoran sized up the new trainer and took a small step forward. A flicker of relief flashed across Patrick's face as the Pokémon seemed to accept its new trainer… Before the tiny Pokémon hissed and flexed all its spines at once making it look quite a bit bigger. The Nidoran pressed its ears back against its body and aimed its sharp horn at the trainer, a small droplet of clear liquid fell off the tip from the movement. Hissing, it took another step forward.

At the sudden sign of aggression, Patrick shot back up and was about to back away before Oak's voice cut in.

"Don't back up!" Oak said quickly. "It is challenging you for dominance. Unzip your jacket and raise your arms over your head. Try and look as big as possible. And don't look away!"

Following the old professors' instructions, Patrick slowly unzipped his hoodie and let the sides flare out, adding width to his body. Raising his arms over his head, he also spread his feet wide, taking the most dominant stance he could think of. At the display of 'strength' that Patrick was showing, the Nidoran took a small hesitant step backward but held its ground.

"Excellent, now take one quick step forward and shout at it." The professor said, happily watching the interaction between the trainer and Pokémon.

"HEY!" Patrick shouted, lunging forward, and stomping heavily on the ground. "I am bigger than you! I could punt you all the way to that tree!" Trying to keep up the aggressive shouting but unsure exactly what to say.

The shout being the final straw the small Pokémon quickly bolted into the bushes nearby and disappeared.

"The shouting was a little more graphic than I expected but overall, you asserted your dominance. Nidoran will be significantly easier to control on your journey." Oak said, letting the smaller Nidoran jump from his arms and dash into the bushes following its brethren. "A quick note, however, Pokémon have a remarkable ability to understand the meaning behind speech even if they don't understand the words exactly. So, try not to threaten your Pokémon with… punting…"

"Oh, uh… sorry about that," Patrick said, scratching his head sheepishly. "I couldn't think of anything else to say at the time."

"Well, I'm sure Nidoran won't hold it against you. Tomorrow we will work on getting the two of you acquainted and you should be field ready within the week!" Oak said, turning and heading back to the lab. "In the meantime, I'll show you the user interface of the Pokédex and how I want you to input data."

"Yes sir!" Patrick said, falling in line with the older professor as the two made their way back over the grassy field toward the lab. Neither noticed the pair of red eyes staring curiously at their retreating forms.

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AN: Thanks for making it through the first chapter! I likely won't add author's notes at the end of chapters after this one. But let me know what you think!