Author's Notes:
I started writing this after playing Pokémon Violet, but you don't need to have played it for this story to make sense. There aren't any spoilers, just a few Pokémon from it.
(This was mostly written before Season 2 of Good Omens so there's no spoilers for that either)
Aziraphale whistled to himself as he strolled along a footpath. Large fields stretched out on either side of him, bordered by trees and hedgerows. It was a sunny day, and he felt on top of the world.
He rounded a corner, and a golden-haired boy came into view. The boy was sat against a large tree which stood at a fork in the path. He didn't look a day over eleven.
"Hello," Aziraphale said as he approached. "I don't suppose you could direct me to Tadfield City?"
The boy jutted his chin out, an impish grin on his face. "I could..." he began. "But only if you defeat me in a Pokémon battle! Dog, I choose you!"
A large black dog with white stripes and an orange muzzle leapt out of a Poké Ball towards Aziraphale.
"Good heavens!" Aziraphale gasped, taking a step back. Hurriedly, he pulled his Pokédex from his coat pocket and took a snapshot of the boy's Pokémon. The Pokédex was able to give him all sorts of useful information - from a Pokémon's type to its gender and even its current health.
'Houndour!' the device announced. 'The dark Pokémon.'
Boy and Pokémon both stared at Aziraphale expectantly.
The kid crossed his arms. "This is the part where you choose a Pokémon to use in battle. You do have a Pokémon, don't you?"
"Oh, yes. Terribly sorry. Hang on..."
Aziraphale had three Pokémon with him, all of which were currently in their Poké Balls indulging in well-earned naps.
Aziraphale took the Poké Ball for his Starter Pokémon from an inner pocket of his coat, a surge of nervous excitement running through him. Even though he was seventeen, he'd never engaged in a real trainer battle before. His mother had smothered him as a boy, insisting that he was too young to leave home when he was twelve years old like all of his classmates, but now he was finally on the road with his Pokémon, ready to start his Pokémon adventure.
"Oscar! I choose you!"
A small Rowlet flew from his Poké Ball with an excited hoot, wings flapping wildly. The owl Pokémon had beige feathers the exact same colour as Aziraphale's waistcoat.
Aziraphale gripped his Pokédex tightly, feeling out of his depth and worried for Oscar.
Aziraphale's Pokémon had levelled up mostly through friendly battles among themselves, nothing more than play fighting. He wasn't planning to take on any gyms during his journey, and he certainly didn't intend to become a Pokémon Champion. All he really wanted was to eat at the restaurants in every city and fill out his Pokédex by taking photos of every new Pokémon he saw. He loved reading about them. He didn't enjoy making Pokémon battle each other, even if they seemed to enjoy it, but Oscar's current enthusiasm stopping him from backing out, and if this boy and his Houndour also wanted a battle, then who was he to say no?
Aziraphale fidgeted with the corner of his tartan bowtie and gave the boy a nervous smile. "I'm Aziraphale. Lovely to meet you."
Oscar gave an annoyed and demanding hoot.
"I'm Adam," said the boy. "Dog, use Ember!"
Aziraphale yelped as a fireball hurtled towards Oscar.
Oscar tried to dart out of the way but the flames clipped him and he dropped through the air. He caught himself just before he would have hit the ground, flapping upwards, his feathers singed.
According to the Pokédex, Oscar's health was now in the red. Dangerously low.
The Houndour was a dual Dark and Fire-type, not just Dark as Aziraphale had foolishly assumed. Grass-type Pokémon like Oscar were weak against Fire attacks. Oscar didn't stand a chance.
"Oscar! Re-" Aziraphale began, about to tell Oscar to return when he was rudely interrupted by a loud squawk. Oscar had spun his head around to glare at him before defiantly fixing his gaze back on the Houndour. He clearly did not want to give up.
Aziraphale wasn't sure if Oscar was brave, foolish, or simply caught up in the exhilaration of a real battle.
"Oscar, use-" Which attack should he use? Razor Leaf? But this fire Pokémon would be resistant to it. Peck then? But the attack wouldn't be as strong… "Use whichever attack you think is best!"
Oscar rolled his eyes before swooping down to tackle the Houndour from above.
The Houndour looked annoyed more than anything else.
"Dog! Ember! Finish him!"
In hindsight, Aziraphale should probably have used a Potion on his turn instead. Oscar fainted and was quickly recalled to his Poké Ball.
Aziraphale reached into his pocket and pulled out the Poké Ball for his next Pokémon. "Caramel, I choose you!"
Milcery, the milk Pokémon, bounced joyously through the air.
"Cool!" said Adam. "That Pokémon looks like custard!"
"Caramel, use Draining Kiss!"
"Ember!" Adam yelled.
They went back and forth like this, hacking at each other's health. Caramel's draining kiss healed her after every attack she made, but it wasn't enough. The Houndour was a much higher level.
Caramel fainted and was returned to her Poké Ball.
Dog was panting now, his health low. It seemed he was Adam's only Pokémon, and Adam was clearly getting worried.
Aziraphale still had his third Pokémon. His secret weapon. He'd certainly win if he used him, but that didn't seem fair. It had been two against one already, and besides, his last Pokémon technically belonged to his mother and was for emergencies only. It would be cheating.
"You win, Adam!" Aziraphale said. "Well done!"
Adam cheered and then hugged Dog. "We did it!"
Aziraphale dutifully and happily gave Adam a decent amount of cash winnings.
Adam stuffed the money into his pocket. "I won, so technically I don't have to tell you where the city is, but I'll give you a clue." He pointed up at a wooden signpost half obscured by tree leaves. The sign stated that Lower Tadfield was to their left, while Tadfield City was to their right.
"Wonderful! Thank you for your help, Adam."
"I live in Lower Tadfield," said Adam. "Before you go to the city, follow me. There's an outdoor Pokémon Centre just over this hill. Then I'd better go home before I'm late for dinner!"
Adam led the way to the nearby Pokémon Centre, and soon all of their Pokémon had been healed.
The route to Tadfield City was a long one, winding through a large woodland known as Hogback Wood.
At dinnertime, Aziraphale set up his camping stove in a large clearing and made a delicious stew for himself and his Pokémon.
Shortly after dinner, all of his Pokémon except for Oscar returned to their Poké Balls for a nap, but Aziraphale knew they were only a Poké Ball throw away if he needed them. He set off again through the trees, Oscar flying at his side.
The foliage became denser the deeper they travelled into the woods, and soon the sun was setting, turning the sky orange and red where it could still be seen through the trees. It wasn't long before the only light came from fluorescent mushrooms, beams of moonlight that filtered through the canopy overhead, and the occasional streetlamp which had been placed sparingly along the path.
It was like being in a fairy-tale world from a picture book. Aziraphale found himself mesmerised by the beautiful things around him, struggling to stop himself from straying off the path, tempted to explore, though he didn't want to risk getting lost.
Oscar was clearly enjoying himself, looking this way and that from his place on Aziraphale's shoulder.
A large glowing mushroom wriggled itself free from those surrounding it and dashed away across the path.
"A Pokémon!" Aziraphale gasped. He grabbed his Pokédex and hurriedly snapping a photo before the creature vanished among the trees.
'Shiinotic!' the Pokédex announced. "The Illuminating Pokémon.'
"Look, Oscar! A new entry in the Pokédex!"
Aziraphale admired the slightly blurred photo he'd managed to take, showing it off to Oscar, and then he read Shiinotic's Pokédex entry out loud for Oscar to hear. 'If you see a light deep in a forest at night, don't go near. Shiinotic will make you fall fast asleep.'
Oscar gave an alarmed hoot.
"Quite right. We're lucky the Shiinotic was more interested in running away than making us fall asleep."
They made their way carefully through the trees, sticking to the winding path. Aziraphale took a photo of a napping Hoothoot in a tree, adding it to his Pokédex and shushing Oscar to make sure he didn't wake it up.
In the distance they saw dozens of lights dancing around, and as they got closer Aziraphale realised they were a group of firefly Pokémon - Volbeats and Illumises, his Pokédex told him – their bodies glowing in the darkness.
Oscar took off from Aziraphale's shoulder and glided towards them.
"Come back," Aziraphale hissed urgently. "We're terribly outnumbered, and besides, we shouldn't disturb the local wildlife."
Oscar reluctantly returned to Aziraphale's shoulder. He fluffed up his feathers in irritation as they continued along the path.
Twenty minutes later, they emerged into a small clearing.
There were several teacups floating in the air before them, mint-green porcelain glinting in the moonlight.
A smile lit up Aziraphale's face. He didn't need a Pokédex to tell him what these Pokémon were called. They were one of his favourites. "Sinistea!" he gasped, unable to contain his excitement. "Oh, aren't they adorable?"
The haunted crockery quickly fled the scene, spooked by his presence, but Aziraphale managed to get a photo of one for his Pokédex before they all vanished among the trees. He'd hoped to add one to his team, but an entry in his Pokédex was marvellous in itself. He'd never seen one in real life before.
'Sinistea,' said the Pokédex. 'The black tea Pokémon.'
Aziraphale opened his mouth to read the Pokédex entry aloud to Oscar, but the little owl was nowhere to be seen.
"Oscar?" Aziraphale glanced this way and that until he spotted Oscar at the base of a tree.
Oscar had a Sinistea backed up against the tree trunk. The cowering Sinistea let out a frightened noise, the little purple ghost trembling in their teacup as Oscar spread his wings and let out an impatient hoot, demanding to be told which attack to use first.
There was a lacy pattern on the porcelain of the teacup which resembled a face, and it had morphed into an expression of pure terror.
"Oscar, no! Leave the poor dear alone. They're frightened and clearly don't want to play."
Oscar blinked, made an apologetic sound to the Sinistea, and then backed away as the Sinistea flew behind the tree.
Oscar returned to Aziraphale with shame written across his face. He landed on Aziraphale's outstretched arm.
"It's alright, my dear," Aziraphale said, petting the top of Oscar's head. "I know you only wanted to help. Perhaps another time we'll find a Sinistea that wants to join our team. The wild Pokémon in this wood are rather shy. Now. How about we get the table out and have a snack."
Oscar immediately perked up, flying overhead while Aziraphale removed his rucksack and got out the flat-pack table. It was the work of a moment to get it built and put the tablecloth on while Oscar supervised.
Aziraphale placed his picnic hamper on the table and then opened it, revealing a full tea service and a packet of biscuits. While the tea brewed, Aziraphale laid out the biscuits on a plate and then summoned his other two Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
Caramel came out first, bouncing happily on the table, her eyes immediately fixed on the biscuits.
Next was Aziraphale's mother's Pokémon.
A huge golden sword materialised on the grass. Two arms emerged from the hilt and held onto an ornate shield. A single large eye was fixed on Aziraphale.
Aegislash had been in Aziraphale's life for as long as he could remember. For a long time, Aegislash had been significantly taller than Aziraphale, but now Aegislash only came up to his shoulders. Even when Aegislash had towered above him, Aziraphale had aways felt safe in his presence.
Aziraphale handed Aegislash a biscuit, and Aegislash held the shield in one hand in order to take it. The biscuit was devoured in one bite.
While Aziraphale, Oscar and Caramel nibbled their own biscuits, Aegislash leaned casually against a tree, listening as Aziraphale read out the descriptions of the Pokémon he'd recently added to his Pokédex by taking photos.
Aziraphale got to the entry for Sinistea. "This Pokémon is said to have been born when a lonely spirit possessed a cold, leftover cup of tea."
Out of the corner of Aziraphale's eye, he thought he saw movement. The frightened Sinistea from before was peering around the side of the tree and listening in. Aziraphale raised his voice slightly, making sure the Sinistea could hear.
"The teacup in which this Pokémon makes its home is a famous piece of antique tableware. Many forgeries are in circulation." Aziraphale chuckled to himself. "When I was a boy, I used to leave cups of cold tea hidden around the house, in hopes that one might turn into a Sinistea."
Aegislash let out a metallic laugh, no doubt remembering Aziraphale's antics - and Aziraphale's mother's irritation at all of the abandoned drinks.
Aziraphale smiled, and then he turned to face the Sinistea, who was watching them with interest. The Sinistea froze.
"Would you like a biscuit?" Aziraphale asked. "There's plenty to go around."
The Sinistea looked tempted but kept their distance.
Caramel made an urgent sound.
"Oh!" said Aziraphale as he turned back towards the table. "You're quite right, my dear lady. The tea needs pouring before it over-brews!"
There were two teacups in Aziraphale's antique set, both sporting a rather nifty beige tartan pattern around the rim. The set had been passed down from generation to generation. One cup was for himself, and the other was for his Pokémon to drink from. Fortunately, the Pokémon were always happy to share. Or at least take turns.
He filled both cups, added a splash of milk to both, and a couple of sugar cubes to the cup for his Pokémon.
A desperate sound came from the tree. The Sinistea was wiggling from side to side, excited and frustrated.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to join us?"
The Sinistea hesitated, but only for a moment. They landed on the table next to Caramel and gave Oscar a wary look. Oscar looked embarrassed.
Aziraphale placed the cup of tea for the Pokémon on the table between them. "Now, share nicely, everyone, and don't accidently drink from the wrong cup!" Aziraphale chuckled at his own joke. Caramel giggled and Oscar rolled his eyes.
Aziraphale's Pokémon let the newcomer have the first sip, and it was funny to see a teacup drinking from a teacup. The little purple ghost drank deeply and with relish, and then eagerly devoured the biscuit offered to them. Aziraphale smiled, feeling honoured to see a Sinistea up close like this.
Once the Sinistea had finished, Caramel went next, and then Oscar took his turn. Aziraphale topped up the cup from the matching tartan teapot, and then Aegislash came forward and downed it in one gulp. Aziraphale filled up the cup again, and Aegislash drank half of it before floating away. Caramel happily finished off the dregs.
Oscar flew from the table, nose-dived into Aziraphale's rucksack and pulled out a book. He flew it back to the table with some difficulty before dropping it onto the tablecloth in front of Aziraphale.
"Ah. The book of fairy tales. You'd like me to read the next one?"
Oscar nodded, and behind him, Caramel made an excited noise. Even the Stoic Aegislash twirled with glee.
Aziraphale read two stories to them. 'The Ugly Ducklett,' and 'Goldilocks and the Three Ursaring.'
Aziraphale put the book away, took down the table, and packed away everything into his rucksack. He turned towards the Sinistea who was floating next to Caramel. "We're heading to the nearby city. You're welcome to come along with us if you'd like?"
The Sinistea nodded, a smile appearing on the surface of their teacup.
They headed together through the trees, Aziraphale taking photos of any Pokémon he saw in order to add them to his Pokédex. When there were no wild Pokémon around, he took photos of his own Pokémon and the Sinistea that was travelling with them.
As the night wore on, Caramel yawned, and Aziraphale returned her to her Poké Ball so she could sleep.
When they reached the edge of the wood - which was no doubt the edge of the place this Sinistea called home - Aziraphale knelt down to talk to them. "That's the city over there," he said, gesturing to the shining rooftops in the distance. "Are you still happy to travel with us?"
The Sinistea made an excited sound and nodded.
"We're going to come back this way after spending a day or two in the city. You can return to your Sinistea friends then if you like. But you're more than welcome to join us on the rest of our travels. If you ever feel homesick we'll bring you back here as soon as possible."
Sinistea nodded.
"Would you like a Poké Ball? You can pick your own. I have quite the collection. You wouldn't have to stay in it, although I do hear it's good for naps."
Oscar nodded sagely.
The Sinistea looked interested.
"And if you ever feel poorly, having a Poké Ball means the nurses at the Pokémon Centres can heal you." Aziraphale opened his bag, taking out his collection of Poké Balls which didn't yet have Pokémon attached to them. "Would you like one? I can always free you from the Poké Ball if you don't like it or if you change your mind later."
Aziraphale hoped the Sinistea would want to stay with them, but he'd understand if not.
The Poké Balls were spread out on the grass between them. There were Great balls, Ultra balls, Love balls, Premier balls, Net balls, and many more. The Sinistea studied them all thoughtfully. The purple handle – which was part of the ghost and acted like a hand - detached itself and pointed to one of the Poké Balls.
"Aha," Aziraphale said. "The Heal ball. Good choice. That one will restore your HP and eliminate any status conditions. Is that why you chose it?"
The teacup shook from side to side.
Aziraphale smiled. "Is it because you like the colours?"
The Sinistea nodded.
The Poké Ball was a lovely combination of pink and cream, and Aziraphale noted that the button was the exact same shade of purple as the little ghost within the teacup.
The Sinistea drifted closer, tapped the Poké Ball once to make it grow larger, and then a second time, which made the ball click open. A red light surrounded the Sinistea, and then it was pulled inside.
After a few seconds, Aziraphale let the Sinistea out of the Heal ball. "How was it in there? Alright?"
A happy noise, joined by a happy smile on the porcelain surface of the teacup.
Aziraphale beamed. "I'm glad."
They followed the path towards the city, but it became clear they still had a fair distance to travel. Soon, the sky started to lighten, and Aziraphale's eyelids were growing heavy. He hadn't meant to stay up so late.
He set up his tent, and once they were inside he locked it up tight. He wasn't a massive fan of camping, much preferring the luxuries of a hotel, but he did like the convenience. His Pokémon happily returned to their Poké Balls and then Aziraphale climbed into his sleeping bag. His head had barely hit the pillow before he was fast asleep.
Despite going to bed at just after 4am, Aziraphale was wide awake and devouring breakfast by 10am. He'd never needed much sleep, preferring to read in bed until the early hours just like when he was a boy. He was a night owl, just like Oscar.
They reached the city just in time for lunch at a small café. Aziraphale brought out all of his Pokémon except for Oscar - who would be cranky if woken this early – and they indulged in an afternoon tea. Aziraphale made sure to put a few macaroons aside for Oscar to have later.
It was a relief to see Sinistea enjoying themself, devouring every morsel like it was the most delicious thing they'd ever tasted. After eating, Sinistea happily played with Caramel.
Aegislash, now full of tea and cake, leant against the table and dozed.
After lunch, Aziraphale explored the town, and then they had dinner in a fancy restaurant before going to the local theatre to see a show called 'The Taming of the Sandshrew.'
Aziraphale booked a hotel for the night and indulged in a bubble bath before curling up in bed with a good book.
The next day, after a picnic in the local park, Aziraphale went to a salon. He indulged in a manicure while Aegislash enjoyed a good clean and polish. The chatty manicurist recommended a restaurant for dinner, and she suggested that Aziraphale visit the picturesque village of Lower Tadfield – the very same village where Adam lived. Aziraphale decided to start the journey after dinner.
It wasn't long before they were strolling along the path again, heading back through the woods towards the crossroads.
They reached a clearing just after midnight, and Aziraphale set up the table and made cocoa for himself and his Pokémon. By the time they'd finished their drinks, Caramel, Sinistea and Aegislash were all exhausted from a busy day and returned to their Poké Balls. Aziraphale flicked happily through the most recent additions in his Pokédex while Oscar perched on his shoulder, watching with interest. He'd taken photos of a Furfrou and Fidough in the city, and a Shroomish in the woods.
Aziraphale was just considering setting up his tent and curling up with a good book when loud music blared from the trees. He almost dropped his Pokédex in his surprise, and Oscar let out a startled hoot, digging his claws into Aziraphale's shoulder and making him wince with pain.
Bright light shone from the trees, illuminating a man who'd just stepped into view. He had his hands on his hips and a grin on his face. He was tall, slender, and wore all black with a large red letter 'R' on his long-sleeved T-shirt. A shock of red hair poked out from under a black cap, and he wore sunglasses despite it being nighttime.
"Team Rocket!" Aziraphale gasped.
The man - who looked to be a similar age to Aziraphale - was flanked by two Pokémon. One looked like a silver car engine with an exhaust pipe, its wheels spinning as it floated in the air. Its yellow eyes were locked on Aziraphale. The other Pokémon was a snake with dark scales, dangerous-looking red fangs, and a razor-sharp tail which swished back and forth.
Aziraphale's Pokédex, still held tightly in his grip, piped up. 'Varoom, the Single-Cylinder Pokémon!'
Aziraphale glanced down at the screen and saw that the Varoom – the car engine Pokémon - was a steel and Poison-type. He hurriedly pointed his Pokédex at the snake.
'Seviper, the Fang Snake Pokémon!"
Both of them were Poison-types. Bugger. Grass-types like Oscar were weak against Poison attacks.
"Prepare for trouble at the double!" the man cried out. His stance was wide, his head held high.
Flames flared dramatically behind the man and his two Pokémon. A Charmeleon was hiding behind him, breathing fire into the air. Oscar was weak against Fire-types too. They were at a terrible disadvantage.
"Surrender now or prepare to fight with all your might!" The man threw his hands in the air. He must have been holding glitter because the air suddenly sparked around him. "Crowley!"
In other circumstances, Aziraphale might have clapped. He did enjoy a good performance, and it had been rather an impressive one, but his Pokémon were in danger.
Oscar flew forward with a battle cry, putting himself between Aziraphale and Crowley.
Aziraphale reached into his coat – this was an Aegislash situation if ever there was one - but his Poké Balls were gone. Panic gripped him. Had they been stolen already? Had he been pick-pocketed? But then he remembered putting his Poké Balls in his rucksack.
As he dashed across to his bag, he shouted at Oscar, "Use tackle!"
"Bentley, use Lick!" Crowley shouted at the sentient car engine.
Bentley surged forward - so fast as to be almost a blur - and licked Oscar with a giant pink tongue. Oscar dropped limply to the ground, not far from Crowley's feet. For a moment, Aziraphale thought Oscar was unconscious, but then he realised the truth. The attack hadn't done much physical damage, but it had left Oscar with the paralysis status condition, meaning he couldn't move. Crowley was going to steal Oscar. There was no time to root about in his bag - Crowley would be away and into the trees before Aegislash had even materialised – so Aziraphale spun on his heel and ran at Crowley.
"Yes! We've won!" Crowley cheered, punching the air. "Surrender your- Aaaagh!"
Adrenaline, fury, and the need to protect his Pokémon had Aziraphale swinging his arm back, fully prepared to punch Crowley in the face. Aziraphale might not be much of a fighter, but he was stronger than he looked, and he could punch like a Hitmonchan when he needed to.
"Ashtoreth, Glare! Glare!"
The Seviper reared up before Aziraphale, eyes glowing bright red, and suddenly Aziraphale couldn't move. He toppled backwards, his legs giving out. He'd been paralysed just like Oscar.
"Catch him!"
The Seviper coiled around Aziraphale and lowered him carefully to the ground.
There were tears in Aziraphale's eyes as he lay on his back, unable to move. Crowley was going to steal Oscar. He'd find the rest of his Pokémon in his bag and steal them too. The Pokémon that trusted him, that relied on him. His friends. His best friends.
Crowley came into view, towering over him with Oscar in his hands. There was a look of bewildered guilt on his face. "Shit. Sorry." Crowley bent over him and laid Oscar gently on his chest. "Stealing Pokémon isn't really my scene. I should probably have led with that. I'll add it to my motto thingy. I'm only gonna steal your money. And your Poké Balls. Empty ones. Which I know probably isn't much of a consolation to you right now, but I've got a job to do, so..." He straightened up before vanishing from Aziraphale's view.
"Char!" cried the Charmeleon.
"Thanks, buddy," said Crowley.
There came the sound of Aziraphale's bag being opened. Aziraphale tried to get up but failed, still unable to move, fuming as Crowley rooted through his possessions. At least the majority of his cash was hidden in a secret pocket. So long as the entire bag wasn't taken.
"Thank you for helping our cause," Crowley drawled, but there were nerves under the bravado.
The Charmeleon made an impatient sound, which presumably meant, 'Let's get out of here already!'
"Wait. I can't just... Fuck. He can't move. What if a wild Pokémon comes along and- How long does it take to wear off? Okay. Let's just- Bentley? Once me and the others are far enough away, you spray this bottle of Paralyze Heal over blondie here, alright? Then zoom away like a Zubat out of Hell. You're the fastest girl I know."
Bentley revved her engine enthusiastically.
"Great! Give us ten minutes to get out of here and then meet us where we camped last night. Got it?"
Bentley revved again.
"Thanks, Bentley."
There came the musical sound of two Pokémon being returned to their Poké Balls, and then the sound of someone sprinting away into the trees.
The next ten minutes were quite possibly the longest of Aziraphale's life, and Bentley stared down at him with vague interest the entire time before spraying the Paralyze Heal at Aziraphale's forehead.
The effect was instantaneous. Aziraphale sat up, holding Oscar to his chest protectively.
"I can help you, Bentley!" Aziraphale cried. "I can help you find your real trainer - the one you were stolen from!"
But Bentley was already zooming away through the trees, vanishing from view. Maybe Bentley had never been stolen. Perhaps Crowley had been telling the truth when he said he never stole Pokémon.
Aziraphale turned towards his bag and there, lined up before it, were all three of his other Pokémon in their Poké Balls. Relief flooded through him. He wondered if Crowley had lined them up like that to let him know they were safe or whether it had simply been to boast that he could have taken them if he'd wanted to. Next to the Poké Balls sat another Paralyze Heal, and Aziraphale quickly used it on Oscar.
Oscar burst into life, squawking furiously and glaring at the trees, but he stayed put in Aziraphale's arms while Aziraphale petted him and reassured him that everything was okay. They were safe.
Aziraphale went through his bag. Luckily, his secret stash of money hadn't been found. Crowley had taken two thirds of the cash in his wallet, leaving him with several notes and coins. In fact, he'd only taken slightly more than what Aziraphale would have given someone for winning a trainer battle. The stolen Poké Balls were more annoying. He'd had quite the collection, all in different colours. Crowley had taken most of the duplicates. Aziraphale sighed. Oh, well, it could have been much worse. At least his Pokémon were safe and sound. That was all that mattered really. Oh, but the whole ordeal had given him such a fright. The sooner he got to Lower Tadfield, the better. He'd been planning to sleep in the tent tonight, but he quickly decided to start moving again and stay in a hotel instead. He knew he'd never get any sleep if he camped out here.
It took him just over an hour to reach Lower Tadfield, and luckily a hotel called Tadfield Manor had spare rooms.
Crowley peered out of the entrance to the cave they'd camped in the night before, his heart pounding. His Seviper, Ashtoreth, had looped herself around his ankle, while his Charmeleon, Char, was curled up in front of their tent at the back of the cave.
Crowley took off his sunglasses and fiddled with them distractedly. He'd purchased them to wear with his Team Rocket uniform, hoping his victims wouldn't recognise him without them. He'd also tucked his distinctive red hair under his hat in a bid to disguise himself.
Where was Bentley? She'd been gone too long. What if something had happened to her? He should never have left her alone out there.
Or what if something had happened to blondie?
An engine revved somewhere amongst the trees and then the undergrowth shook. Bentley dashed towards him.
Crowley cheered, relief flooding through him as Bentley raced around him in excited circles. "Glad to have you back, old girl. Did it all go according to plan?"
Bentley nodded.
Crowley felt a stab of shame for paralysing blondie. Aside from being a shitty thing to do to someone, the guy was hot. Crowley had almost stumbled over his intro song when he got a good look at him. Well, it's not like he'd have stood a chance with him anyway. Especially in his Team Rocket uniform - even if it did make his arse look magnificent. A posh boy like that would never go for someone like him.
But there was no use feeling sorry for himself. He was doing well these days. Things were better than they'd been in years.
Team Rocket had saved him.
Crowley had left home at twelve years old with dreams of becoming a Pokémon Champion and making his fortune. Instead he'd run out of money, wasting it on fashionable clothes or losing it in Pokémon battles with trainers who'd easily won - mostly because they weren't twelve years old, knew what they were doing, and had actually levelled up their Pokémon. One of the problems with constantly losing battles was having to pay out every time he lost, and another was that his Pokémon didn't gain experience points and therefore didn't level up. The only reason he won battles now - in a roundabout kind of way – was because of his paralysis trick. And because Ashtoreth and Bentley were fast and usually got first hit.
It'd been a stroke of luck when Bee had found him. He'd been camping every night, living on whatever berries, veggies and mushrooms he could forage, washing his clothes – and himself – in streams. He'd known Bee from school, and although they hadn't been close, it'd been nice to see a familiar face.
She'd told him all about Team Rocket and had made the organisation sound so cool and impressive that he'd been unable to resist. Not to mention, the uniform was very much his style. Black and sleek with sexy knee-high boots.
Finally, he felt like he belonged, like he had a family. They were more of a family than his real family anyway. His mother had never had much time for him, especially once her new boyfriend was on the scene. They'd made him feel like a nuisance, like he was constantly in the way. For months, Crowley had worked odd jobs for neighbours so he could afford to leave and start his Pokémon adventure. He'd called his mum often to start with, but she never stayed on the line for long. When he realised he was always the one who called her, he decided to wait for her to call him instead. She never did. Before long, he couldn't have called her even if he'd wanted to. He couldn't afford the phone bill on his Pokédex anymore. He didn't dare ask her for help. She hated being pestered for money, and she had a terrible temper. He was better off without her. Better to have his freedom and not worry about walking on eggshells. Yeah, he was better off. He could do whatever he wanted now.
Deep down, he'd hoped leaving would make her realise she'd loved him all along.
No use dwelling on that now.
Crowley smiled at his Pokémon fondly. "Well done, everyone. You all did great! Especially for a first try! I just need to revamp the motto and then I think we're golden."
Crowley headed deeper into the cave to join Char beside the tent, but then a clinking sound had him turning back around. He heard the sound again, coming from just outside. He crept to the cave entrance to investigate.
Dozens of Sinistea were dancing in the moonlight, clinking the rims of their teacups against each other, as if to say, cheers!
"Woah! A mass outbreak of Sinistea," Crowley hissed, squeezing his hands into fists, overwhelmed with excitement. "They're so spooky!"
This was a perfect opportunity to put his secret plan into action, right here and now. He was lucky he'd just topped up his Poké Ball stash – even if it was at the expense of that poor sexy blond guy.
The wages paid by Team Rocket were not very high, but that didn't matter. Team Rocket wanted rare and powerful Pokémon, and they paid hefty bonuses for them. Crowley knew exactly how to get rare Pokémon without resorting to stealing them.
Crowley pushed a hand under the polo neck of his top and pulled out a necklace by its chain. On the end of the chain was a four-pointed blue star.
A Shiny Charm.
It would make the chances of him finding a Shiny Pokémon – a Pokémon of an unusual colour – significantly higher. He'd been wearing this very necklace when he'd picked his starter Pokémon, Char, who'd still been in an egg at the time. Crowley suspected that was why Char was a Shiny Pokémon. Chameleons were usually a reddish orange, but Char had a yellow tint to him. As a Charmander, he'd also had a yellow tint to him, and no doubt still would when he evolved into a Charizard.
Crowley had found the Shiny Charm years ago when he'd been digging a new vegetable patch for his mother in the back garden. It'd been in an old rusty tin. His mother had thought it was just a bit of old tat, so she'd let him keep it, assuming his enthusiasm was simply because of his interest in astronomy. She'd certainly have sold it if she's known what it was worth and what it could do. The Shiny Charm tripled his chances of finding Shiny Pokémon. He'd not had the patience for Shiny hunting as a kid, but he'd liked the necklace enough to bring it with him on his adventures. Now he had a mission. He had to catch rare Pokémon for Team Rocket.
A week or so ago, not long after joining Team Rocket, he'd spent two gruelling hours in an Oddish den before he finally found a Shiny. It was now in a Poké Ball, ready to be handed over at his first monthly meeting. His plan was to drip feed the Shinies he caught to Team Rocket, making sure he always had some to give them at every monthly meeting.
It only took an hour and a half to find a Shiny this time. A tree branch had several minty-blue teacups lined up along it, and right in the middle was a pink one. It floated down towards him with a battle cry, suddenly whirling on Bentley and using Astonish. Bentley flinched, but Ashtoreth was ready and used glare.
The little teacup dropped to the ground, paralysed, and Crowley threw a Poké Ball. He held his breath as the ball wobbled, and then he cheered when the Sinistea was caught, amazed that he'd caught it first throw.
Crowley celebrated back at camp by making soup for himself and all of his Pokémon. They'd earned it. While it bubbled in the pot, he gathered his Pokémon around him, including the new Shiny Sinistea.
"It's okay," Crowley reassured the Sinistea, spraying them with a Paralyze Heal. "There we are. Good as new. Oh, you're absolutely amazing. Such a lovely shade of pink. You're very special, did you know? People will be falling over themselves to look after you. You'll soon have a new trainer. Someone better than me. Someone rich who can give you everything you've ever wanted. You'll live in a huge mansion, I bet, with a massive garden. You'll be spoiled rotten."
The Sinistea let out a gleeful sound.
Crowley had said similar things to Oddish and Char. He smiled at them both as they listened in, but Char didn't look quite as thrilled as he had at Team Rocket HQ. Team Rocket had explained that Shiny Pokémon would get to live a life of luxury with wealthy trainers, and that once Char evolved into a Charizard, the richest people around would surely be desperate for a chance to be his trainer and give him the luxurious life he deserved.
Crowley's heart ached at the thought of giving Char away. Char was his first Pokémon. They'd been together for years. But Char would be happier with someone who could look after him properly, someone who wasn't poor. Team Rocket had said they'd wait until he'd evolved before they found him a new home, so it'd be ages until they needed to part ways. They'd get to spend lots of time together before then.
Crowley would have to be careful he didn't become attached to his new Sinistea. It'd be tough though. They were incredibly cute. But Crowley wanted what was best for his Pokémon. The Sinistea certainly seemed keen to find a rich trainer, and Crowley wanted to help, so that made it easier. Besides, Crowley told himself, that shade of pink clashed terribly with his red hair.
Crowley turned his attention to his Shiny Oddish, who was green all over instead of blue and green. Crowley reminded his Oddish of how wonderful he was, told him how lush and verdant his leaves were. Crowley got out his plant mister and sprayed Oddish's leaves, making him laugh. The Sinistea wanted misting too, and Crowley happily obliged, the little purple ghost dancing merrily inside their teacup as droplets fell around them.
Char stalked away. Crowley understood. Clearly the Fire Pokémon didn't want to risk getting wet.
Author's Notes:
I've based this world on a blend of the Pokémon games I've played – Violet, Sword, Yellow, Snap and Go – and the TV series, although I've only seen the earlier seasons. So there'll be things like Team Rocket, camping from Shield, magical cooking tables from Violet, and multiple gens all in one place like Pokémon Go.
I used Bulbapedia to get a lot of my info about Pokémon attacks etc, so hopefully its fairly accurate. I know that Lick doesn't have a 100% success rate of causing Paralysis like Glare does, so let's just say that Bentley has been very lucky so far. Also, paralysed Pokémon usually have a chance of being able to take an occasional turn in the games, but story wise, I figure you're either paralysed or you're not.
I had a moment while writing this where I wasn't sure if Varoom and Aegislash are gendered. (It turns out they are gendered) But you know which Pokémon isn't? Sinistea. 'Gender Unknown.' So I decided on They/Them pronouns for that reason. I also learnt that all Milcery are female. The more you know.