This story is in an alternate universe from the games, where it's a tad more realistic, and the characters and regions represent more of their real-life equivalents better. If you don't like that, it's okay! But I've left who the characters are just below, so it may be easier to follow along.
Date: February 15th, 1995
Setting: Masara Village, Kanto Region, Hisui
Characters: Satoshi (Red), Shigeru (Blue), Fuguri (Leaf), Professor Ohkido (Professor Oak)
Pastel trees and grass, a clear morning sky, and quaint little houses lined up in rows. Masara Village is the picture of serenity. Melted in the sprawling wilds between Kanto's major cities. They have fences up, but the most dangerous Pokémon they get around here is a Weedle, whose poisonous sting is easily cured with a homemade antidote.
Satoshi shivers despite the sun. He breathes hot air upwards to his nose in an attempt to defrost it but has no such luck. The tip remains cold and brittle. He lets out little puffs of frozen breath with each step he takes, reminding himself of the coal train that passes through every fortnight. The fields on the outside of town are filled with farmers, up early to start the day of labor. They mill about the crops with dozens of Scyther, harvesting away at all the produce. He's going to miss this place.
When Satoshi reaches the lake, he crouches to avoid the freezing wind blowing off it. He watches the water ripple from the Magikarp underneath, lazily floating about. He'd come down here as a child with Shigeru and play on the shoreline. The fish would drift around their legs, and he would watch then too, mesmerized by the patterns they'd swim. He stays here for a while, watching the world wake up. It's peaceful.
Like all peaceful moments lately, it's interrupted by the guilt settled in the pit of his stomach, creeping up into his chest. Gnawing at him. He can't stop thinking about his mother. She says it's good to go see the country now that he's eighteen, but he can't help picturing her all alone in their house. She seemed genuine, but he swears she had uncertainty in her eyes. The slight crease of her brow and a slight lip tremor. He keeps imagining her by herself in their home, with no one but the walls to listen to her. After everything she's done for him, he's expected to just leave her here and travel across the country. Is she sacrificing just another thing for him?
It's times like these when the anger for his father grows.
He's staring at the water when he notices movement in his peripheral. At first, he's not sure who it is, but his heart beats a little faster when he catches the brown eyes, and his fingers start picking at his pocket. They haven't seen each other in months, and they haven't been friends for years.
Shigeru has his hands on his waist, hip cocked. Satoshi must have a sour look on his face because he shoots the look back.
"Why am I not surprised that you're down here?" He signs.
"Because it's my spot." Satoshi shoots back. "Why are you here?"
Shigeru raises his hands angrily, but they drop back by his sides. His face drops to indifference, and he shrugs.
He passes Satoshi and leans down near the waterline. His fingers glide through the water. A warm breeze ruffles his brown hair, and for some reason, Satoshi's chest is filled with some sort of sentimental feeling. 'For some reason'; Satoshi knows exactly why.
Their childhood was essentially the two of them attached at the hip. Both of their mothers working, fathers absent. Shigeru's older sister had school. They'd spend every day in the sun, exploring the woods or swimming in the lake. Satoshi taught him how to sign. Hours together, all for naught it seems. The breeze blowing off the lake is a harsh reminder of where they're at now. Warm and gentle when they were kids, but today it's cold.
Satoshi stays where he is, alternating between watching the lake and Shigeru's back. He stays near the waterline for a long time, barely moving except to readjust his hair or legs. Satoshi considers just leaving. What's the point of hanging around? He was here first, but bringing that up seems childish.
Shigeru suddenly gets up and turns back.
"How's your mom?"
The sincerity in his eyes feels like a knife in Satoshi's heart. Even after all this time, Shigeru still cares about his mother.
"She's fine. How's yours?"
"Fine."
They stare at each other for a few moments. Shigeru raises his hands again.
"Are you all packed for the trip?" he signs.
Satoshi raises an eyebrow. Why is Shigeru asking about this? Why is he suddenly interested in the things in Satoshi's life? "Obviously."
Satoshi stares at Shigeru, unsure of how to proceed. A Pidgey flutters past, and Shigeru follows it with his eyes. His eyes flit from the bird to Satoshi's shoulders, and he raises his hands again.
"You're talkative today, aren't you?"
"Are you expecting an in-depth discussion on the weather?" Satoshi angrily signs.
"I just thought we could be civil. It's been long enough; I was sort of hoping you could be an adult about it all."
"Why are you being all righteous? It's embarrassing for you that you haven't changed since you were twelve. Have your other friends gotten sick of you?"
It's a low blow, and Satoshi knows it before he's finished signing the sentence. Shigeru's usually calm face contorts angrily.
"Well, you mustn't know everything because I'm not the one whose only friend is his mother."
They glare at each other. Embarrassment, shame, anger, and other feelings he doesn't have the capacity to acknowledge burn in Satoshi's chest. He swallows hard. He's not the one that ruined their friendship. It's interesting to see the person Shigeru hides away from everybody. The person buried deep beneath the charmer he projects.
Shigeru's arms twitch, but Satoshi's the quicker signer.
"Don't." He signs.
"Don't what?"
"Just… don't. I'm leaving."
Shigeru seems to deflate. He rolls his eyes out of his head and turns away, just to instantly turn back around.
"You always do this. You make things so complicated. I know you love your mom, but you can't rely on her for the rest of your life. You agreed to do this study, so go through with it. Stop overthinking it! If you pull out now, you're really putting Grandpa in a tough spot."
So this is what it's about. The Professor told him that Satoshi's getting cold feet about the research project. Satoshi feels small. And stupid. He turns away, and Shigeru reaches out and touches him on the shoulder, doing the last thing Satoshi wants to happen at this moment.
Satoshi sharply turns. "Get OFF me."
"You're really gonna act like a baby? You're eighteen years old."
Satoshi takes a step forward, enraged, but oversteps and comes face to face with Shigeru. He inhales. Shigeru's a good foot shorter than him, and he gets a great view of his eyelashes. It's difficult to break away, but Satoshi shoves him slightly and tromps off. He knows he looks stupid, stomping away, but to be honest, he doesn't care.
Shigeru doesn't follow him. He fumes, hating him for ruining the morning. All Satoshi wanted was a final goodbye to Masara Village before he's gone, and now that's screwed. Shigeru's constant need to spite him is infuriating.
He stomps back to his house, and he's sweating when he reaches the front door. He kicks his shoes off and slips into his house. He thinks he's alone. Then the scent of breakfast furls through his nose. Despite himself, the corners of his mouth tilt upwards. He works hard to keep a grumpy face. She's flipping eggs at their tiny stove. Her long, brown hair is tied back messily. She's still in her scrubs, which are damp with sweat at the neckline.
He tuts. "Mom, I could have cooked. You should've told me you'd be finishing so early. I thought you were coming back this afternoon."
He moves to take over, but she's finished flipping eggs onto the toast. She turns and pats him on the cheek.
"Would you have eaten at all? You're only getting home now."
He wasn't planning to eat, but no small chance he'd say so. He shrugs. "I was gonna eat whatever when I got back."
"Mhm. Okay," his mother chides. "Now that you're here, set the table. I'll be out shortly."
He dawdles to the dining table, bunching cups and cutlery up in his arms on the way. His mother follows him out, holding two plates and balancing a jug of orange juice in her armpit. Once his hands are free of utensils, he takes the juice and sets it between them. His mother smiles at him, and he wants to bury his face in a pillow. This is exactly why he was considering staying, but he knows she'd be angry with him if he did.
She places the meals on the table and takes her place across from him.
"I spoke with Professor Ohkido yesterday afternoon when I was passing through on the way to work. I poked my head into his lab. He's keen for tomorrow."
Satoshi doesn't look up from his breakfast. He can't bring himself to look into her eyes. It doesn't matter; he can feel her gaze resting on him.
"He told me you're having second thoughts," she continues. "And you're stupid for it."
He lifts his gaze from his meal and meets his mother's knowing smile.
"Why are you torn?" She asks. "The possibilities on this trip are limitless!"
Satoshi stays quiet. Not because he wants to but because he can't put his thoughts into words. His mother is the one person he knows rarely judges him, but for some unknown reason, he can't shake off the feeling of being stupid and self-centered. No matter which choice he leans towards, it holds repercussions for someone. Each decision weighs heavily on him. He can't bring himself to betray the Professor, given all the support, but at the same time.
"I just can't leave you alone," he manages to get out.
"Oh, honey," his mother says. She skirts around the edges of the table and comes over to him, enveloping him in a hug.
"You won't be leaving me alone. I am almost forty; I can handle myself. I have friends, you know."
In the comfort of his mother's embrace, Satoshi tries to let go of his guilt. A skeptical part of him resists fully embracing her reassurance, convinced that she, in her selflessness, is lying. Despite exhaustively contemplating every retort he can come up with, he's unable to come up with anything good enough. The inevitability of his departure looms, leaving little room for hope of staying home.
"You've got a brilliant mind, Satoshi, and helping Professor Ohkido with his research is the perfect fit for you. Exploring Kanto, and then hopefully the rest of the country, will be amazing. You've earned this opportunity, hun."
She playfully ruffles his hair, and she settles back into her seat across from him with a warm smile. "I'm expecting a couple of souvenirs!"
After breakfast, he exchanges a few more words with his mother before she slips into her bedroom to sleep before her shift tonight. Satoshi spends the day grappling with a mix of excitement and anxiety about his impending journey.
As night descends, the weight of his emotions settles deeper into his shoulders. He tosses and turns, battling restlessness, unable to escape his racing thoughts until the late hours of the night. Each moment that passes amplifies the feelings of helplessness, casting a long shadow over him. He manages to slip into a thin sleep around two. At five-thirty, his alarm rudely yanks him back into the waking world.
His eyes burn and beg to close, but he forces himself to avoid falling back into sleep. When he feels himself begin to snore, he rolls off the bed and hits the floor loudly. That wakes him up enough.
His mother managed to sneak in a sweet surprise before she left for work—a pair of tempting brownies accompanied by a note.
"Good luck, my love! You're going to have the time of your life, and you deserve to. Don't worry about me. We'll still call whenever you get to a telephone. I love you so, so much."
He slips the note into his pajama pocket and wraps the brownies in cling wrap. After a quick breakfast of oats, he changes into his travel gear, tucking his mother's note into the front pocket for safekeeping. He thinks he can read it if he feels lonely, knowing he'll call her in Tokiwa when he gets there anyway.
His stomach does a backflip as he realizes today is truly the day. He double-checks the supplies in his backpack. When he hits the nearest city, he can do more suitable shopping for whatever Pokémon he's got, but there are still the essentials: emergency rations, spare clothes, gum, miniature medkit.
After triple-checking the bag, he finds himself hesitating at the door. Professor Ohkido's lab isn't far from his house; that's how Satoshi initially met Shigeru. One of the Professor's Rattatas had made a run for it, and Shigeru was circling their house, looking for it. Satoshi offered to help, and they were inseparable from there. Satoshi urges himself forward, securing the front door behind him. His legs take on a life of their own, leading him toward the lab.
Somehow, Kanto's most esteemed research center seamlessly integrates into the rural village surroundings. On the exterior, at least. A nondescript, beige building with no particularly captivating features except for the windmill sprouting from the back. Satoshi's firm knock on the door resonates, and he waits for one of the professor's lab techs to let him in. It only takes a minute for the door to swing open, and a young woman signals him to enter.
"Satoshi! It's been way too long. Are you excited?" she asks. "My brother won't stop talking about how eager he is to take on the Gyms."
Satoshi stares dumbly at Nanami. "The Gyms?"
Wasn't this supposed to be an academic pursuit? Challenging Gym Leaders seems like an unnecessary detour, doesn't it? After all, the Pokémon League is reserved for the most prestigious and skilled trainers. Satoshi can't help but find irony in it. Shigeru, tromping down to the lake and shaming Satoshi for his doubt, had been silently harboring League ambitions all this time. Satoshi almost laughs. Shigeru is using his grandfather's project as a gateway into the competitive realm of the League.
Nanami raises an eyebrow. "Of course," she signs. "Who wouldn't take them on when the opportunity is handed to them on a silver platter? You're traveling the country anyway; might as well test your battle skills."
She lets him in. The lab glimmers with lights scattered around various machines. Satoshi has spent years in this lab for one reason or another, yet there are machines that continue to elude his understanding. It's comforting and exactly the kind of environment where Satoshi could run a practice. The lab assistants are familiar, the chairs molded for comfort, walls painted with preferred colors. It's easy to immerse oneself in work here.
He wanders to the back, where Professor Ohkido's office is situated. His office, brighter and more sterile than the rest of the lab, is a stark contrast. Satoshi isn't late, but everyone else is early. Professor Ohkido leans back in his chair, conversing with a girl Satoshi's never seen before. Shigeru is vaguely listening, focused instead on squinting to read the wall of text on his grandfather's computer.
The girl notices him first and says something to the Professor. Shigeru turns and purses his lips in greeting. Satoshi can barely stand to look at him. The girl moves to Satoshi with an outstretched hand. She's almost as tall as him. Athletically trim and pretty, with big brown eyes that look soulfully into his own. A bitter taste lingers in his mouth when she speaks to Shigeru while passing by him. She greets Satoshi and introduces herself with a firm handshake.
"Name… Fuguri."
Professor Ohkido says something to her, and she turns to face him. Satoshi's lip reading is flawed, but it's not difficult to see him establishing to her that Satoshi is deaf. Her head bobs up and down in understanding. She mouths a 'sorry.'
"Don't worry about it," Satoshi says. "It's not something you can assume."
Despite herself, she bears a guilty expression. He'd assure her not to worry, but he senses she wouldn't believe him. People never do. The compulsion to overcompensate for their mistakes often negates whatever he says. In truth, he doesn't mind. Mistakes are easy to make.
The Professor rises from his chair and approaches a table adorned with three Pokéballs. With a methodical touch, he releases each one in succession, unveiling a burst of light that introduces the Pokémon he's presenting: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Each one of them is a foreign species, not commonly found here.
The Pokémon look cutely up at them. Satoshi considers them carefully. Ruminating on his personality, he contemplates which Pokémon would align best with him. In the practice sessions at school, his battle approach leaned towards a defensive stance compared to the likes of, say Shigeru, for example, who focused on acting fast. Overwhelming his opponents. Satoshi watches and waits, preferring to observe his opponent's moves before deciding on his own.
The Charmander nips at the air, and Satoshi notes her ferocity and energy. Training Fire-type Pokémon demands considerable determination. While Satoshi possesses determination, he's self-aware enough to admit he'd be out of his depth. So that leaves Bulbasaur and Squirtle.
"I've only got the three. Deciding who gets who is up to you, but I will remind you that the choice is mutual. The Pokémon will pick you just as much as you pick them."
The trio remains silent, unwilling to step forward as the first picker.
"Someone has to go first," the Professor reminds them.
Fuguri suggests Satoshi go first to make up for earlier, against his insistence that it's fine. Shigeru shrugs nonchalantly. The last thing Satoshi wants is to be given special treatment, but he refrains from arguing. It will cause a bigger issue than it's worth. Satoshi steps up to the table. Off the bat, the Squirtle shows no interest in him. He observes Satoshi but, unlike the other two, doesn't inch closer to scrutinize him. Satoshi wasn't invested in the Squirtle, but it's awkward to be disregarded in front of the other two.
Satoshi offers his hands to the remaining two Pokémon, allowing them to sniff his palms. The Bulbasaur licks him, and he has to stifle a giggle. The Charmander wags her tail, but her interest in him is noticeably less than the Bulbasaur.
Satoshi locks eyes with the Grass-type. A sturdy little thing. He can't help but dote on the wide mouth the creature has. The Bulbasaur licks his palm, and the Professor's hands clap together gleefully in Satoshi's peripheral.
"Wonderful!" He signs.
The Pokéball is handed to Satoshi, and he tucks it into his jacket pocket. He picks up the Bulbasaur, naming him Goro after the Pikachu main character in a show he loved as a kid. Satoshi can't help but think of 'big baby' when he sees him. He affectionately pats Goro's scaly skin as he observes the others making their selections. Fuguri and Shigeru make their choices, but in the end, it doesn't matter, as the remaining two Pokémon show interest in only one of them. Shigeru gets the Charmander, and Fuguri is chosen by the Squirtle.
The Professor guides them through the last steps of their task, placing guides and maps in their bags. Then that's that. Shigeru and Fuguri leave together, but Satoshi lingers. He hangs back, certain that there's something he needs to say, yet unsure of the exact words.
Professor Ohkido obviously notices. He beckons Satoshi over and offers the rolley-chair. He waits patiently, watching with those kind eyes. Satoshi sucks on his teeth, wasting a few seconds to figure out what his brain is trying to push out of his mouth.
"I don't know what to do," he says finally.
"I hope your journey takes you beyond Kanto and across the entire country," Professor Ohkido signs warmly. "Savor the adventure. You've earned your place in this project through hard work, and I selected you for that very reason. You've got to live your life. When is it your turn to do what you want?"
"So I shouldn't stay home," Satoshi signs, working hard to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
Part of Satoshi wishes Professor Ohkido would tell him he'd be better off staying here, giving him permission to keep comfortable here in the village. Instead, sees him out of the lab.
Satoshi wishes Professor Ohkido would suggest that he's better off staying in the village, granting him permission to remain where he's comfortable. Where everything makes sense. Instead, the Professor accompanies him out of the lab without offering much more than a few motivating comments.
"Contact me when you get to Tokiwa!" He says. Then Satoshi is left with a closed lab door on his back.
He loiters around the outside of his home, drinking in the final moments he has with the familiarity. From here on, it will be the Pokémon Center. Probably a tree if he can't make it to a center in time.
He trails the village pathways, allowing them to guide him to Route 1—a straightforward stretch connecting Masara Village and Tokiwa. It's all greenery and nothing more. As he steps across the border from village to wilderness, a deep breath swells his chest, filling his lungs.
