You guys ever have to prepare for an event that would have visits of an estimated 4000+ kids, only for it to be postponed and instead have a project moved earlier to compensate, have no advanecments due to preparations for the event and have to panic and burn all motivation to write? No? Anyways sorry for this lacking chapter, I just want it out. Enjoy!

The following days work was a bit dull. The professor had congratulated me on my exam results, so much so that he would have to adjust his initial plans for my stay. He explained It wouldn't take long but it was also not his highest priority, sadly his time was rather limited given his work. Instead, I was to help act as a research aid to the scientist under him for the following days. While interesting and informative, research also tends to be repetitive. You have to replicate results you see.

Following the end of my work as a research aid, I decided to head to the beach with my Pokemons. It quickly became our favorite sport to train, play and even found a spot not frequented to be in peace. Well it wasn't usually frequented.

Today, as we relaxed on the beach following a laid-back training session, a girl wandered into our spot. I saw her wave from the distance and responded with a wave of my own, piquing the curiosity of my partners who had just been frolicking around.

The girl made her approach towards us with a friendly disposition and a hinto of excitement in her stride. It wasnt long before she was in front of us, allowing me to take a good look. She appeared to be around my age, her brown, wavy hair tucked under a sun hat, framing her maroon eyes and complementing her sun-kissed skin. Dressed in a white shirt paired with blue jean shorts and sandals, she was as beach casual as can be.

Hi! My name is Mariel, what's yours?" she introduced herself with a bright smile.

"Hello Mariel, I'm Lucas, and these are my partners, Juno the Starly and Minerva the Budew," I replied, smiling back as my Pokémon greeted her, clearly intrigued by her presence.

"Are you new around here? I'm here all the time and haven't seen you before," Mariel inquired.

"I guess you can say that. Im here on one of professor Rowans mentorship programs" I nodded.

"Wow, so you must be pretty smart, huh?" Before I could respond, she quickly added, "Are you as good at battling as you are smart?"

I gave an awkward chuckle and shrugged. "I've never really battled other trainers, just wild Pokémon."

"How about battling me, then? It'll be fun," she proposed, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

I considered her challenge, glancing at Juno, who seemed eager. My hesitation prompted Mariel to sweeten the deal, "We could grab ice cream near the Pokémon Center afterward."

With a smile, I agreed, "Alright, let's have a match."

"Great! A 2 on 2 match?" Mariel's excitement was palpable.

I shook my head, "No, it'll have to be 1 on 1. Minerva is still too young to battle."

I smiled and nodded in confirmation. "Alright, lets have a match".

"Yes! Oh this is gonna be so much fun! So a 2 on 2 match?" Mariel asked as she shifted her feet in excitement.

I shook my head, "No, it'll have to be 1 on 1. Minerva is still too young to battle."

"Standard rules, then? Four moves each and the battle continues until one side forfeits or is incapacitated?. I nodded in agreement, ready to put Juno's training to the test. We quickly went over the match's specifics and the boundaries of where we'd compete before getting into position.

As we readied ourselves for the impending clash, I quickly activated my PokéNav, intending to record every moment of the impending battle for future reference. "Time to show them what we've got, Juno," I urged my Starly, receiving a spirited chirp from her in response as she gracefully took to the sky.

With a self-assured grin, Mariel beckoned forth an Azurill, a sprightly companion that radiated confidence with each buoyant bounce much like the owner. The air buzzed with charged excitement, our focus locked onto the PokéNav's countdown beeps, ready for the alarm that would commence our clash.

The moment the signal blared, Mariel's command surged forward. "Start with Water Gun, Azurill!" she directed, setting the tone for the battle. Expecting a ranged assault, I swiftly countered, "Juno, Quick Attack to dodge and retaliate with a successive Fury Attack!"

Juno executed a meticulously practiced arched flight toward the Azurill, fully anticipating a surge of water. Yet, the Water Gun's trajectory surprised us all. It aimed downwards, carving an unexpected trench along the beach and flooding it with water before lifting the stream in an attempt to blast my Starly. Unfazed by the twist, Juno pressed on with determination, maintaining her flight as she set her sights on the Azurill. The tiny creature positioned itself within an impromptu puddle created by the previous attack, a clearly practiced maneuver that caught my attention. With a swift tuck of her wings, Juno poised herself for a precise dive, all set to unleash her meticulously choreographed five-hit Fury Attack combo.

Timing her command carefully, Mariel ordered her next move as Juno neared. "Now! Splash into Soak, Azurill!"

Clicking my tongue in realization, I knew Juno's commitment to her dive for a Fury Attack would make changing her flight path difficult. "Juno, use Tackle and pivot out of the puddle's range!" I commanded swiftly.

Azurill propelled itself out of the puddle while scattering water everywhere as it spun in air coiling itself in preparation for a strike with their tail, aiming to push Juno into the water with a forceful stomp. Yet, Juno skillfully adjusted her balance, executing a shift just out of reach of Azurills tail and allowed her to skim the sandy shore as she continued her previously committed dive. A cloud of sand billowed in her wake, the brief spectacle punctuated by a swift splash of water energy that engulfed the Azurill in a dazzling display as soon as it landed within the puddle once more.

Mariel's frustration was evident in her voice as she gave her next command. "We almost had them! Use Bounce and chase after her!"

My own response was to instruct Juno to confront Azurill head-on with a Wing Attack. The clash between the two unfolded with intense energy, Juno's strike meeting Azurill's flailing tail with a resounding impact that sent vibrations rippling through the air. The collision shook Juno, but her determination remained steadfast. In response, she countered with a forceful flap of her wings, channeling the power of her Flying type into the blow. The result was a tilt in our favor, leaving Juno in a more advantageous condition.

I cheered and began relaying the next set of orders "That's it girl! Fury -".

However, Mariel's next move cut me off abruptly. "Water Gun!" Her command was swiftly answered, and I watched as the blast transformed into a close-range, even more powerful stream than its previous firing. The Azurill's recent type attunement to Water-type had bolstered the move's strength significantly. Juno attempted to evade while launching her own attacks simultaneously, but the forceful stream found its mark, striking her chest directly as she pecked at Azurill sending her hurtling across the sandy terrain.

Juno struggled to rise from the sand, her dampened feathers indicating the toll the attack had taken. She fought to regain her composure and take flight again, but the battle's intensity had left its mark. With a sigh, I acknowledged that Juno had given her all. "That's enough, Juno. I forfeit," I reluctantly announced, a touch of regret lacing my voice.

I approached my Pokémon who was sulking, her usual cheerful personality replaced by a sense of disappointment. Kneeling, I wrapped her in my arms, providing warmth and comfort, Juno nuzzling into the hug. I turned my back to the cheering duo of Mariel and her azurill to shield my Starly from the sight. "You did great, girl. This result is my fault. Our opponent really took me by surprise," I murmured, trying to reassure her.

Juno chirped her protests, struggling slightly in my embrace. "No, girl, it's not your fault," I continued, my tone soothing. "It's on me. I was outsmarted by their strategy."

Sometime during our quiet conversation, Mariel approached us, her tone friendly yet tinged with uncertainty. "Hey, you both did great for a first fight. I hope there are no hard feelings."

I stood up, offering a small smile that didn't reach my eye. "None at all. That was an impressive display from both of you," I replied, handing her the wager we had set before the battle.

"Why did you try to force us into the puddle? I get using Splash to power Azurill's water moves, but what were you planning to do if Juno was hit?" I inquired as I grabbed my belongings.

Mariel took a moment, then shared, "You caught a glimpse of it at the end there. Flying types tend to lose their edge when they can't zip around as usual. It hits rookies harder, especially when it messes with their natural typing," she explained, motioning for me to tag along into the city as I finished gathering my gear.

"In the end, it was a win-win scenario for us. You'd either be disoriented and struggling to fly, or we'd get a power-up in our moveset. Bit of advice? Work on ways to set up your future matches. There's a reason the pros kick things off by tweaking the battlefield or the atmosphere," she added, giving a friendly wave to an old couple out for a walk.

"Yeah, we'll start working on it, won't we, girl? I just didn't think we'd need to do that at our level, you know," I admitted, and Juno chirped her agreement. "We figured we could outspeed most of our opponents."

"Yeah, most rookies don't. Took a lesson from my big bro to figure that out," Mariel reminisced, glancing at her Azurill with a mix of pride and fondness. "He's the one who gave Azurill to me. Taught me everything I know."

"Wow, he sounds awesome. Is he challenging this season's league?" I couldn't help but ask, curious.

She shook her head, a proud grin on her face. "Nope. He was top 16 last year, though, and he's currently one of Crasher's Ace Trainers."

"You mean Crasher the water gym leader?" I asked a bit bewildered

She bobbed her head in response. "The one and only. He sent my brother the offer the moment his match ended."

We continued our conversation as we made our way toward the Pokémon Center to check on our partners. The trip felt very short as we chatted animatedly. We soon arrived at the center and left our pokemon in the tender care of the resident nurses after assurances the treatment for battle weariness would be quick and continued to our next destination.

Just a block away from the center was a small Ice cream shop where we entered for some cones that were paid with my wager. I couldn't help but chuckle at this, realizing that win or lose, I was destined to foot the bill. Not that I minded, Mariel was easily one of the friendliest persons I had met. We spent some time getting to know each other and parted ways after receiving our partners from the pokemon centers we promised to meet up again at the beach for some training sessions.

A/N

First trainer fight of the series. I've decided that pokemon fights will be more akin to a duel than outright slugfests in most cases. Expect one or two shot (moves) fights in this series. Don't expect mastery from the get go either. Just like in real life fighting in a game and fighting in a ring is very different and I'll try to reflect it. As for the result. I decided to simulate the battle. The opponent got a crit in and that made me have to rewrite the ending . Ah well. Dont worry, I won't gamble all fights, Im not a fan of a Mc that only wins or always loses. High stake fight will never be random.

Active Team:

Juno - Starly (F)

Minerva - Budew (F)

A/N 2

Stressed out but I feel like if i dont release the chapter I might never return to it. I originally wanted to expand upon the interactions inside the lab and with his new friend Mariel but you'll just have to imagine it instead.

A/N 3
I was reading another fanfic and I read something important I feel I should point out for this story. Lucas is an Insert but it is not really a "self" insert. Its not me. Hes a nerd who played the old pokemon games in his childhood who up until the events at CERN had other concerns which leads to the next point:

Spoiler for Shadistro
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler

Two main reasons. The most present for now is that Lucas had a good life before being displaced. The second is that without having started his journey he has only been living a farmer's life but with Pokémon so other than his new family there's not much yet to "keep" him here. Will he find a reason to stay? Would it be duty, love, tragedy, adventure or does he find a way to leave? I don't know.