Welcome back to another chapter! It's a bit longer than the others, despite me trying to keep them shorter, but I couldn't help myself. Excited for this one, especially since we introduce some more "canon" materials, so hope I portrayed everything well enough. Finally getting some real plot developments, so buckle up!
Another poll update: As of writing this, Bulbasaur is still pulling ahead if just barely by 10 votes.
Chapter 4: A Package Deal
It was another beautiful summer day in Pallet Town. Very few clouds blocked the blue skies above as the sun's warmth radiated over all it touched, illuminating the world in its dazzling glow. Sadly for Joey and Teddiursa, they were too busy dealing with a sudden downpour curtesy of one Nia Joy to enjoy it.
"Use Egg Bomb again!"
"Block it with Swift!"
Nia's Chansey pulled another large white egg from her seemingly bottomless pouch and hurled the explosive shell with all her might. Teddiursa, meanwhile, opened wide to release dozens of razor sharp, star shaped projectiles across the field. The two attacks collided midair, resulting in another massive explosion, blinding both trainers, Pokemon, and their audience of two.
"Again with this?" yelled Gary, unsure where the aim his frustrations.
"Ah! It's so bright," cried Ash as he tried to peek through his fingers at the dazzling display.
Joey didn't bother, knowing it was pointless after the last time their attacks had caused a similar effect not five minutes prior. He did hear Nia shouting to her equally blind Chansey to fire another Egg Bomb the moment she could see. As if they were going to wait that long.
"Teddiursa use your nose to find Chansey and hit it with Rock Smash!"
Joey heard Teddiursa's growl of affirmation alongside Nia's squawking about the decision. It might have been an unusual order to most, but Joey trusted Teddiursa to track down their opponent by smell alone. If he could find the extra bottles of honey in the house no matter where his mother hid them, then finding a Pokemon right in front of him shouldn't be much of a stretch.
His vision returned just in time to see Teddiursa cocking his orange fist and Nia yelling at Chansey to dodge a few seconds too late. The egg Pokemon skidded back, her surprising bulk keeping her from toppling over, but Nia's partner did let out a whine of pain while rubbing her bruised stomach.
Nia let out a furious growl that brought a smile to Joey's face. "Don't let that pipsqueak get the better of you. Seismic Toss it!"
Joey's smile dropped as he ordered Teddiursa back, but with amazing speed Chansey pulled Teddiursa into a tight hug, refusing to let go in spite of all his struggles. Try as he might, Teddiursa was unable to wiggle his arms free, leaving Swift as his only option, but while the point blank attack did appear to irritate Chansey, it did little to loosen the pink powerhouse's grip.
Chansey then leapt into the air, again impressing Joey with the raw athletic prowess, and began spinning to carry out the devastating attack. He tried to ignore Ash's gushing from the sideline or Gary's snark about how the match was already over, instead giving Teddiursa a new set of instructions.
"Bite Chansey's arm now!"
All three of his friends stared at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Nia yelled as if he'd just said the sky was purple.
"Teddiursa can't learn Bite," Gary was quick to clarify, making Ash ask why bother calling for it in the first place. Nia smirked.
"Guess the pressure's finally getting to you Joey. This match is… what the?"
Her proclamation was cut short by a high pitched cry high above them. Chansey was no longer spinning, instead clutching a tiny stub of an arm while Teddiursa was free falling alongside it. Joey sent the dumbstruck Nia a grin of his own.
"Teddiursa might not be able to use Bite as an actual attack, but those fangs in his mouth aren't there for nothing."
"Well I'll be. Can't say I've seen that kind of move before," Gary commentated with genuine praise, a rare sight to be sure.
"An attack that's not an attack? I didn't know you could do that." Ash was jumping from one foot to another, eager to see what would happen next. Joey nodded before turning his attention to the airborne Pokemon.
"Yeah, but this one is. Use Slash!"
"Fight back Chansey! Pound!"
Both Pokemon moved at once, but Teddiursa was just a tad faster. His claws lit up with a bright white aura of normal type energy before spinning around to rake them across Chansey's pink body. His opponent was not helpless, however, and slammed an equally glowing appendage down on Teddiura's head. Both Pokemon crashed into the ground with a hard thud, though Chansey managed to land on shaking feet. Teddiursa was quick to stand back up, swaying side to side and coughing from the small cloud of dust kicked up by his less than graceful landing.
Both Pokemon stared each other down, breathing as hard as their trainers in preparation for the next move to be called.
"And that's it!" Gary called, signaling for the battle to stop.
Joey and Nia both quickly ran to their downed Pokemon before either could collapse.
"You did great out there bud," he said alongside a plethora of head scratches. "If we'd gone a little longer I'm sure we had things in the bag."
"Teddiursa," his starter said as if the answer was obvious. Joey chuckled at his Pokemon's sass, which he'd seen develop quite a bit over the past three months. His comment earned a derisive laugh and they looked up to find Nia and her Chansey giving them both the stink eye.
"Oh please, you think you were going to win? Chansey and I were in control the entire time."
"Chansey," the pink Pokemon nodded with her whole body. Joey had to marvel at how different she was from other Chansey he'd met, looking more prepared to break bones than mend them.
"Oh I'm sure after a few more Rock Smashes you'd be singing a different tune."
"Like we'd let you hit us with another one."
Joey and Nia stared each other down, their Pokemon doing the same, before all four of them burst out laughing.
"Oh man, that was great. You really caught us off guard with that Seismic Toss."
"Are you kidding? What about that your Slash attack? That was so fast in midair too. And I can't believe your Teddiursa found us even while blind."
As the two went back in forth, Teddiursa and Chansey engaged in their own conversation, sharing in some joke neither trainer could follow.
"Ok, break it up you two," Gary ordered, walking between them and clapping his hands together. "You can gush over each other later."
Joey rolled his eyes at Gary's comment while Nia sputtered, her face glowing red. Ash was too busy laughing.
"Shut it Gary," she snapped back as Chansey disappeared into her ball. "You're both just jealous Joey and I are having awesome battles like this all the time while you have to keep on waiting."
"Oh please," Gary snorted like he'd heard a funny joke. "The only reason I don't have a Pokemon yet is because Gramps doesn't want to be seen playing favorites. Unlike some families who don't have a problem breaking traditions."
"I'm not jealous either," Ash chimed in, still looking to be on an adrenaline high from their battle. "I'm super jealous! I wish my mom had some crazy family tradition too so I could get a Pokemon right now. But she said I have to be patient and wait like everyone else. So unfair…"
"Everyone does things differently," Joey pointed out after returning Teddiursa to his ball so the small bear could rest. "And I'm sure Nia didn't mean it. She's just sore because she didn't break our tie from yesterday." The girl in question didn't deny it as she crossed her arms and huffed. "You'll both have your own Pokemon soon enough and then we'll all be real trainers together."
Gary smirked and give Nia a smug look she did her best to ignore.
"Speaking of which, how's Wendy doing? I haven't heard anything about her in a while now."
"Yeah," Ash cheered up at Nia's question. "Did she catch any more Pokemon? How many badges does she have now? Her Raichu was so cool."
Joey's smile faltered slightly at the mention of his cousin's journey before sharing an update. Last he'd heard, Wendy and her friends had reached Cinnabar Island to enjoy the summer weather at the height of tourist season. Her social media accounts were leaving very little to the imagination and told Joey she was having a great time along with the occasional phone call to confirm it.
What he didn't hear as much about, however, was her league challenge.
From what he did learn through their limited conversations, after earning a badge in Celadon city and spending time with her mother, Wendy's team had been utterly crushed by Koga and his powerful poison types. Even her newly evolved Hypno was no match for even a single one of his Pokemon, prompting Wendy to head for Cinnabar.
At first Joey thought she was going to seek out the elusive fire type gym, one of the eight pillars of Kanto rumored to be hidden amongst all the shops and hotels. Her Poliwhirl might have stood a chance had she prepared this time beyond type advantage, but apparently that was never in the cards as Wendy spent all her time treating it like one long vacation while she could still afford it.
Needless to say, his friends were less than impressed.
"Aw man. I really thought she might have a chance," Ash lamented, disappointed to hear of Wendy's unofficial resignation from the gym challenge. "I can't believe she'd just give up like that."
"I know, right?" Nia fumed, pacing back and forth. "She waited years for this chance and is just giving up?"
Gary shrugged. "It's not like she's the only one not to make it to the league. Most people who can't cut it as top trainers give up eventually. Even my parents stopped trying after a few years of trying, which is better than most. I feel bad for them really, but not everyone has what it takes to stand with the best of the best."
Joey wanted to defend Wendy's honor, but nothing they said was technically untrue. While he too had been disappointed to hear of his cousin's surrender, Joey couldn't say he was surprised. Wendy had never really been focused on training Pokemon and was always more interested in the travel. That's why it took her so long to beat their grandpa's Skarmory in the first place. She treated her Pikachu as more of a pet back then, training casually when it was convenient, very much the opposite of what Joey was doing with Teddiursa.
"I heard her social media accounts are getting a lot of traffic though," he said instead. "The hotel she and her friends are staying at even paid them to do some sponsored content or something. Maybe she wasn't the best trainer, but I'm sure Wendy would make a great influencer."
"That's great. Good for her," said Ash with a brilliant smile. "What's an influencer?"
"Who cares? Gary offered noncommittally. "The only sponsorship I care about if the one my Gramps is going to give me for being at the top of all the trainer classes this year."
"Right behind Joey, you mean," Nia giggled much to Gary's annoyance. "And don't forget about Ash and I. We're all gunning for those sponsorships too."
"It would make things a heck of a lot easier. I don't think my mom would be too keen on all my Pokemon in my room," Ash joked with an awkward laugh.
"Especially if you caught something like a Muk. Even Gramps wouldn't be too thrilled to have one of those running around his lab."
"But if I'm going to be a Pokemon Master, then I'll need to catch every Pokemon," Ash whined. "And what's wrong with Muk?"
"A better question is what's right with it."
Joey chuckled, imagining the horrors a Muk would unleash upon the farm simply by being there. "My folks probably wouldn't love it either. I'd love for the Pokemon I catch to live on the farm, we've got the space, but my family wouldn't be too happy about having to support them all for me. The extra stipend we'd earn every month would go a long way."
"Plus the chance to earn a rare Pokemon at the start doesn't hurt," Ash remarked, referring to the regional starters usually offered to the top three performers on the licensing exams. Rare might have been a stretch as Professor Oak wasn't the only one to give them out. Every town and city received a set for their top performing trainers of that year and even in Pallet alone, Joey could always find a family with at least one Kanto starter if he looked hard enough and most hadn't gotten one from the Pokemon Professor.
"Too bad Ashy boy will miss out on getting one," Gary laughed, ruining the nice moment.
"What did you say?" Ash stomped up to the youngest Oak with murder in his eyes. "And what makes you so sure I can't get one?"
"Because there are four of us and only three starters," Gary plainly explained, making Ash falter. "Maybe you can beat out Nia, maybe, but there's no way you'll outrank Joey or myself. But I'm sure he'd be willing to give you something good. After all, I heard him talking to Daisy a few nights ago about how this year's sponsored trainers are dropping like flies before the season is even half over. He's barely got any new data to work with."
"Really?" Ash said hopeful before being dragged back into another argument with Gary about how gullible he was. Nia sighed and moved to break up their fight before it got ugly, redirecting the conversation to what Pokemon they'd both want to catch on their journeys. Joey tuned most of the debate between them about why Arcanine was better than Ninetails, his mind wandering to issues closer to home. As much fun as talking about their potential adventures might be, for Joey, first he had to earn it.
"What do you think Joey?"
"Huh?" Joey jerked back to see his friends looking at him expectantly. "Sorry, I zoned out for a second. What were we talking about?"
"Ash and I were calmly explaining to Gary why Nidoking is far superior to Nidoqueen."
Joey blinked, unaware of when they'd switched to the new topic.
Gary moaned. "Forget it. It's getting late anyway and you look pretty beat as it is. Smell ya later."
Gary then walked off down the road back towards town and his grandfather's lab. Ash too ran off in the opposite direction, saying if he was late to dinner again his mother would ground him until it was time for their Pokemon journeys to begin. Nia offered Joey to come by her place and continue hanging out. Her mom could even heal their Pokemon for another battle or five, but Joey declined, needing to get some sleep for his trip to Viridian the following morning.
She was clearly disappointed by his answer, but accepted it and sped off to get her Chansey looked at. Joey planned on doing the same, just with a mixture of Sitrus Berries and potions. After all, they had a hard day of Trainer Tasks in store.
XXX
The next day came all too soon and brought with it a ton to do. Like every weekend, Uncle Ray left Joey at the Pokemon Center and went to meet with the local stores interested in the farm's goods. While there, Joey would occasionally battle with other trainers around his age or skill, not that either category had to include the other, though most of his time was occupied by Trainer Tasks. He'd settle for the typical one star requests to load some trucks or clean a garage, but on days when Primo showed up, things got a lot more exciting. With all the two star tasks Joey had been able to complete over the last few months, his savings had jumped to twenty five hundred dollars.
If he kept up this pace, he could have more than double that amount in place for when his journey truly began in another eight months.
On top of that, Primo was a treasure trove of battling knowledge, even letting Teddiursa take a shot at one of his weaker Pokemon. Joey found the term to be rather subjective as Teddiursa's best efforts were no match for Primo's Vaporeon, earning the latter quite a scolding from Nurse Joy when Joey brought his half frozen starter to her desk.
Sadly Primo did have other responsibilities today, leaving Joey to waste time on as many one star tasks as possible. Unlike Pallet, there were more than enough to keep Joey busy well into the evening as he scanned the board for one final request before his uncle came to pick him up.
"Promote a new pizza joint, plant new Zen garden, perform at… man how many birthday parties does this city have?" Joey muttered to himself as he scrolled through the options.
Nothing stood out as something they could tackle in the next hour until one delivery task caught his eye, specifically because of the destination.
"Deliver an important package to Pallet Town. Three stars?" Joey read aloud, his voice jumping at the task's rank and fifteen hundred dollar reward. Most deliveries were one stars with a few exceptions to dangerous, out of the way places, but Pallet Town was an hour away by car or Pokemon, a day's walk at most. He scrolled down to the bottom of the page for more information, where instead it read to ask Nurse Joy for further details.
Curiosity more than a little peaked, Joey pulled the task down and walked over to the front desk where Nurse Joy waved to him.
"Good evening Joey. I'm happy to report your Teddiursa is in good shape. He'll just need some rest after all your running around today."
"Thanks a lot," he replied eagerly as he returned Teddiursa's pokeball to its rightful place on his belt. He then laid out the Trainer Task on the counter. "Also, I was wondering if you could tell me about this task here."
Nurse Joy picked it up and began reading. "Now I know it's a three star task," Joey was quick to tack on before the pink haired woman could point it out. "I was just wondering if it's another special task like the last one since nothing about it really screams difficult."
A chuckle escaped Nurse Joy despite her effort to hide it behind a hand and Joey had the distinct feeling he was being made fun of.
"Oh no, it's nothing like that. You see, this package is going to Professor Oak and he paid extra to have the request bumped up to a three star task. Apparently he didn't trust it going through the regular post."
She then place hand against her cheek. "We might have to send it that way though since nobody seems to be going to Pallet Town as of late. I certainly hope he won't mind."
"I can take it," Joey said without thinking, sobering Nurse Joy up rather quickly as he could sense a lecture coming on. "Hold on, hear me out. I live in Pallet Town. I'm literally waiting for my uncle to drive us back and I know where Professor Oak lives, so why don't I just take it with me?"
His words seemed to delay whatever response Nurse Joy had wanted to give. "He gets his package, you don't have to risk sending it by mail, and I get paid at the three star rate. Everyone wins."
"Well…" she hummed, looking around the quiet center before glancing down to her Chansey for a second opinion. The pink assistant gave a pleasant cheer Joey took as a good sign when Nurse Joy nodded and turned to face him with a smile. "I suppose you have proven yourself trustworthy. Ok Joey, I'll approve the paperwork for this task."
"Yes!" Joey shouted, jumping into the air like he was trying to fly. He was quick to regain control of himself and coughed. "Um, I mean, thank you for the opportunity. I promise I won't let you down."
Nurse Joy laughed again and this time Joey was certain it was at his expense as she began filling in the paperwork and gave him a note for the local Pokemart where the package was being held. He was to show it to the manager as proof of him being responsible for the delivery.
As soon as Uncle Ray arrived at the Pokemon Center, Joey wasted no time dragging him to the car and insisting they head to the Pokemart right away. His uncle was rather impressed when Joey explained the situation, shocked that he'd gained Nurse Joy's trust to carry out such a request. The Pokemart's manager must have felt the same as even after showing him the note, he still insisted on calling the Pokemon Center to hear it from Nurse Joy herself.
All it did was delay their return trip home as Joey cradled the small package in his lap. Part of him wanted to take a small peek and see what all the fuss was about. Maybe it was the new version of the Pokedex rumored to be coming out next year or some super rare pokeball from another region. Thankfully cooler heads prevailed and the box unopened, even after showing it a grabby Teddiursa.
He left it under his bed while helping his mother prepare dinner, checking on it once more before drifting off to sleep. There it would wait patiently until Sunday when Joey could deliver it to Professor Oak.
It wasn't until three in the morning that Joey jolted awake, realizing exactly what that entailed.
XXX
It was late morning when Joey found himself strolling up road out of town where Professor Oak's research lab was located. It was purposefully built here so the professor would have access to the most untouched land with all sorts of natural biomes that existed around Pallet Town from the common grassy plains to the colder mountain climates far off in the distance. Deep lakes, sweltering caves, a lush jungle, and even a small desert area or so Gary had said. Joey still had some ways to go, but could already see the large staircase leading up to the building where a large windmill spun without a care in the world.
In all honesty, Joey was a bit nervous to meet Professor Oak. The closer he got to his destination, the tighter his grip on the cardboard box became, just short of tearing the package open.
Joey knew he was being ridiculous.
This wasn't the first time he'd met Professor Oak, having visited the ranch several times to play with Gary and Ash and Nia or when the man came to their school as a guest speaker. Heck, he'd even attended the lab's Pokemon Summer Camp three years in a row.
Still, all of those times weren't like this one. Joey wasn't just one of Gary's friends or some random student in the background. He wondered if Professor Oak would even remember him.
Lost in thought, Joey almost slammed head first into the lab's front door, stumbling to keep his balance. It took Joey a minute to regain his bearings as he stared up at the imposing structure, almost too intimidated to knock. After about five minutes of doing absolutely nothing, Joey scolded himself for being so timid and forced his hand against the door several times, each knock resonating louder than he thought was normal. The sound of footsteps approaching made him go ridged. Just when he thought about dropping the box and making a break for it, the door swung open with a familiar face staring down at him.
"Yes? Who is… Joey? What are you doing here? It's been so long since I last saw you."
"What are you talking about? I saw you last week when you picked Gary up from school. You took us all to lunch."
The seventeen year old girl let out a small gasp and clasped a hand to her chest as if she'd been struck by an arrow. Joey chuckled at the sight. Daisy always was something of a drama queen. Her long brown hair flipped back as her pretty blue dress danced back and forth, obscured slightly by the white lab coat draped over it.
"Can't you just play along," she scolded after fixing her wrinkled clothes. "Seriously though, what are you doing here? If you're looking for my brother, our parents took him over to Ms. Ketchum's place a while ago. They got back early from their conference and wanted to catch up with everyone. I'm sure they'll stop by to see your mom sooner or later."
Joey shook his head.
"That's great, but I'm actually here to see Professor Oak. I've got a Trainer Task to deliver this package from Viridian to him personally."
Joey raised the box in his sweaty hands into Daisy's line of sight, causing her to blink twice before her perfect smile returned.
"Oh that's right. Gary told me about all the work you've been putting in with those Trainer Tasks. Saving up for your journey, huh? Wish I had thought to do that. Well don't just stand there. Come on in."
Daisy stepped aside and it immediately felt as though Joey had entered a strange new world. About a dozen men and women all wearing the same lab coats as Daisy zoomed through the lab from one station to another. Some were busy reading large stacks of books while others typed mercilessly away at various computer sets. A few were busy working with actual Pokemon, mostly Rattata and a few Nidoran, as they conducted several tests in a blocked off section of the lab floor. One had a human wearing a blindfold while navigating some kind of maze with only a Rattata to guide them.
Another had two Nidoran, one male and one female, hooked up to several monitors as they ran on a miniature treadmill with an image on the screens in front of them changing every ten seconds. On the lab's second floor, Joey caught sight a large wing that had to belong to a Pidgeot based on its coloring, but he couldn't get a good enough look to see what it was doing up there.
A cough broke the spell cast by the lab and he turned to find Daisy wearing an amused look. "Come on. Grandpa's out back."
"What are they all doing?" Joey asked as he hurried to catch up to Daisy's long strides across the lab floor.
"They're all busy gathering data," the female Oak replied, taking on the same voice as his teachers. "Grandpa knows a lot about Pokemon, but his main field of study is on Human and Pokemon relations, so we assist him by researching all kinds of Pokemon to supplement his work. He's outside right now observing how flocks of Pidgey and Spearow interact in the wild."
"What does that have to do with how humans and Pokemon get along?" Joey asked, not seeing the connection.
"Because learning about how Pokemon adapt to new stimuli in their environments helps us gain a better understanding of their very natures. And knowing that allows us insight to how we humans can in turn adapt to live in harmony with them."
Joey fought the urge to frown, not totally sure he understood what Daisy was getting at, but didn't want her to know that.
"Looks like everyone's doing something different. So what are you researching specifically?"
"Oh, nothing special," she brushed his question off. "Just digging through some old notebooks from Sinnoh about the ancient clans who first settled the area. It talks a lot about how they dealt with Pokemon and… let's just say relations back then were a lot more cut throat."
Joey gulped, understanding her meaning a lot better this time. He too had read several books about how savage Pokemon used to be. They were still plenty dangerous now, but it was a different world with very different rules.
"So speaking of which," Joey said as he attempted to change the subject to a more positive topic, "any chance the Professor's Pokémon are around today? Gary is always going on about how cool his old team is, but we've never really gotten to see any of them besides his Arcanine and Alakazam."
"Of course you'd ask about them," snickered Daisy as she shook her head. "You and my brother are such dorks. Sorry to disappoint, but most of his team lives in pretty isolated areas. They rarely ever come down to visit the lab, if at all. Heck, even Arcanine and Alakazam aren't here today."
"Really?" Joey tilted his head, surprised that both of the ranch's guardians were missing in action.
"Alakazam got loaned out to one of Grandpa's field teams after a few of their psychics fell ill. Food poisoning, if you'd believe it. As for Arcanine, she just had puppies, so she's on bedrest for the next few weeks. Maybe you can see them later if she's in a good mood."
Joey didn't get to ask anything else as they'd reached the other side of the lab and walked out into the open Corral, which reminded him more of his family farm than anything else.
Wild Pokemon were everywhere. In the field, the river, the trees. Wherever Joey looked, there were dozens of them all living their best lives. A colony of Jumpluff floated on the breeze over the water where a Dewgong sunbathed peacefully on a large rock. Next to them was a garden of various grass Pokemon all dancing in the sunlight and splashes of water coming from a mischievous pair of Vulpix.
"There's so many of them," muttered Joey, mystified at there being so many different Pokemon in one place. Even Paloo Ranch couldn't host this many without going out of business in a week. This time Daisy's laugh wasn't enough and she had to drag Joey along to keep him moving.
"Grandpa," she yelled, snapping Joey back to reality as he saw a man sitting at a wooden bench half a football field from the lab itself. "There's someone here to see you."
Professor Oak lowered his binoculars and turned around, giving Joey a good look at the legendary man. He looked rather young for someone in his sixties with a full head of grey hair, unlike his own grandfather who was starting to lose more of his by the day. He wasn't dressed in anything to outlandish either, wearing a simple red vest and brown pants combo with his lab coat pulling it all together.
When he saw them approach, a smile dawned on his face.
"Oh Daisy! You're just in time. Come, come and take a look at this."
He gestured to a few other sets of binoculars laying on the table and returned his magnified gaze back towards a row of trees on the other side of the field. Joey looked to Daisy as she stuck her tongue out and shrugged before following her grandfather's lead. Joey, not knowing what do to, placed the package down on the bench before grabbing a pair himself.
"Where am I looking Grandpa?"
"A little to the left. Right between the top branches. Do you see them?"
Joey did as Professor Oak instructed and was greeted to an odd sight amongst the large tree branches and leaves. Dozens, if not hundreds, of Pidgey and Pidgeotto curled into nests made of twigs and straw, inaudibly cawing at one another and fluttering up and down the make shift levels. What made it strange, however, was the fact it wasn't just the Pidgey line making itself at home. A flock of Spearow was also nesting on the opposite end of the tree with a very large Fearow flexing upon the highest branch. It snapped at a few Pidegy with its long beak when they got to close, earning it a harsh warning from the Pidgeotto parents, but neither side made to do anything more before peace was reestablished.
"Did you see that?" Professor Oak asked like he'd witnessed a divine miracle. Surprisingly, Daisy spoke in the exact same way.
"I know. I can't believe it either. Please tell me you wrote that down."
"I've been watching them all day. Believe me, it's recorded."
"Uh..." Joey spoke up, hoping not to ruin the mood as both Oak's turned on him. "What exactly are we looking at?"
"What are we looking at?" Professor Oak repeated as if Joey was speaking in tongues. "Why something incredible my dear boy. Did you see how those Pidgeotto and Fearow interacted?"
"Yeah, they looked like they were about to fight, but didn't."
"Exactly! Spearow almost never get along with other Pokemon in the wild, especially the Pidgey line, always fighting over territory and forcing the smaller group out. Usually it's the Spearow who start it, but as you can see, both species are sharing the space with little more than a squabble. And do you know why?"
"Probably because there's so much space," Joey pointed out, earning a nod from the Pokemon Professor. "Pokemon usually fight because of limited resources, but your lab has more than enough for everyone to share."
"You're correct," said the giddy professor. "It proves that Spearow can, in fact, be docile so long as they don't feel threatened by any perceived risks to their flock. If that's the case, then if we humans can better understand what the Spearow view as a risk, then we can apply the same principals to our own cities and towns to reduce the number of Spearow attacks."
He let out a jovial laugh, though not on the same level as Primo's. "As they say, Spearow are fast and speedy all the time, but being pecked is not good to rhyme."
Professor Oak laughed again before going silent. He blinked several times before his eyes narrowed into slits aimed right at Joey. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
Joey felt his face go nuclear as Daisy cackled with gusto.
"Oh Grandpa, don't tell me you're going senile. This is Joey Amara. You remember? Gary's friend from the Paloo Ranch?
"Ah yes! Joey, how could I forget. It's nice to see you again. Apologize, but it's been a rather hectic day and my minds all over the place lately."
Joey chuckled awkwardly, not sure if the professor was being honest or just trying to save face. "It's no problem, really. Sorry for interrupting your research."
"Think nothing of it. Always happy to meet others interested in learning more about Pokemon. Now how can I help you? If you're looking for Gary, he's…"
"Daisy already told me," Joey jumped in. "But I'm actually here to see you. I was in Viridian City and Nurse Joy asked if I could help deliver this package to you."
He gestured to the box waiting patiently on the bench and Professor Oak's eyes grew huge. The older man sped around the table with an eager energy of a ten year old or Teddiursa about to eat some honey.
"Oh goodie. It's finally here. I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to it." He then paused and looked back and Joey with a sideways frown. "You said Nurse Joy asked you to deliver this? But what happened to the Trainer Task I submitted?"
"That's why I'm here," Joey elaborated with a waver in his voice against the man's stern gaze. "I've been doing Trainer Tasks in Viridian for a while now, so when nobody else was able to take it on, she trusted me to handle it."
The skeptical look Professor Oak wore cracked into a shocked look before melting into a warm smile.
"Well I must say that's rather impressive for a boy your age. And thank you very much for your efforts. I've been waiting for far too long."
As Professor Oak began tearing away the wrapping, Joey couldn't help leaning in for a better view. Even Daisy was casting a mildly curious glance from her place across the table.
Professor Oak's hands were a blur as one by one the layers of cardboard, bubble wrap, and Styrofoam were ripped away. "Yes, yes. After all this time, it's finally here. The answer to all my worries. I've finally obtained the ultimate treasure."
"What exactly did you order Grandpa?" Daisy asked, now giving the box her full attention. "Is it those new parts for the Pokedex you were talking about last week."
"What?" Professor Oak asked, scandalized. "No, no. Those are coming in the mail. This is far more important. This… is the final piece of my official Pokemon tea set!"
And out of the box came a large blue tea pot with delicately painted images of the Kanto starters decorating the sides.
Joey and Daisy stared in uncomfortable silence, glancing at one another as they watched the older man nuzzle the tea pot against his cheek, shouting about his morning tea time ritual being complete now that he could do away with the dime store copper pot he'd been saddled with. A short cough from his granddaughter reminded Oak he wasn't alone and he turned to face both of them with a mildly embarrassed grin.
"Are you done fawning over your pottery?" Daisy prodded.
"For now," Professor Oak replied. His gaze fell back to Joey, who felt more than a little out of place. "So Joey, if you're taking on Trainer Tasks, then you must have a well-trained Pokemon by your side. I believe Gary mentioned something about a Teddiursa?"
"Yes sir," Joey nodded, making the older Oak laugh.
"Wonderful, wonderful indeed! Would you mind if I took a quick look at him?" Professor Oak asked, a bit giddy. "I'd love to see how he's developing under your care."
Joey couldn't say yes fast enough, fumbling with Teddiursa's pokeball as he tried to unhook it from his belt. He only hoped the flash of Teddiursa being released was enough to cover up his red face.
"OMG, it's so cute!" Squealed Daisy as she latched onto Teddiursa in the mother of all bear hugs. Teddiursa cast Joey a silent plea for help escaping the crazy girl's clutches when she turned on Joey, her eyes literally sparkling. "Oh please let me borrow him, just for a weekend or two? I know I can turn this adorable face into a contest star like the rest of my Pokémon."
"Teddi…" his starter growled, looking more uncomfortable from the overly affectionate petting.
"Maybe we can talk about that later when my Pokemon isn't being suffocated."
Daisy realized then what she'd been doing and quick placed Teddiursa back on the ground, offering a somber apology to the small bear. Teddiursa was quick to forgive her as he was more interested in the unfamiliar territory they'd stumbled into. He looked to Joey with a questioning growl.
Joey chuckled. "No, the farm isn't being invaded. All this land belongs to Professor Oak." Joey gestured to the man who gave Teddiursa a short wave.
"Why hello."
"He was actually hoping to have a look at you." When Teddiursa still looked confused, Joey added, "Like how Nurse Joy does at the Pokemon Center."
This clicked with Teddiursa and he waddled up to the professor with arms spread wide.
"Well aren't you a kind one," joked Professor Oak as he knelt down to inspect the Johto Pokemon. "It's not often you find a Teddiursa so confident around strangers. Usually they stick close to their parents or I suppose trainer in this case."
"He used to be a little shy, but grew out of it fast," Joey elaborated. Teddiursa snorted proudly, taking the comment as a compliment as Professor Oak continued his examinations. After a few minutes of muttering to himself about Teddiursa's soft fur and strong muscles, the professor stood back up and nodded.
"Well I can say without a doubt you've been doing a fine job raising your Teddiursa," Professor Oak declared, much to Joey's jubilation and inflating Teddiursa's ego based on how much his chest puffed up. This earned another small laugh from the humans around him. "Yes, he's in perfect shape and it's clear you two have already developed quite the bond in such a short amount of time."
Professor Oak paused, glancing off into the distance, yet not looking at anything in particular. "Joey," he said, grabbing the young boy's attention. "What are Pokemon to you?"
"What do you mean?" Joey asked.
"What I mean is, when you think of Pokemon, what is the first thing that comes to mind? I've asked many different trainers this, old and new, and I always find their answers say a lot about the type of trainer they are. So what about you? How do you view your relationship with your Pokemon?"
Joey thought on the question for a moment. What were Pokemon to him? On instinct, he looked down at his partner, who was too busy being admired by Daisy at a respectable distance to notice. A smile blossomed on Joey's face as the answer became clear.
"They're our friends," he said with certainty. "Teddiursa is my partner and together we make each other stronger."
Professor Oak burst into another short laugh, this time with some other emotion mixed in Joey couldn't quite place.
"I couldn't have said it any better myself young man. It certainly sounds like you're well on your way to being a real trainer. I'm just glad Gary has friends like you to motivate him and…" The eldest Oak looked to be short on words. "Humble him a bit as well."
This time Joey shared in the laughter.
"Believe me, he doesn't make it easy sometimes, but he wouldn't be Gary otherwise. We all motivate one another so we can all become great trainers someday."
"Teddiursa!"
"Right. Great trainers with even greater Pokemon."
"Ursa," the small bear nodded at the correction.
"Indeed. Like Pokemon, trainers need to constantly test and challenge themselves in order to truly grow. Speaking of growing, how would you like to join us for lunch?"
Joey snapped back at the casual offer mixed into Professor Oak's words of wisdom.
"It's the least I can do after you so kindly brought me this little beauty," Professor Oak insisted, gesturing to his new tea pot.
"Yeah, you should totally stay," Daisy was quick to chime in. "Especially if it means more time with this cutie."
She went in for another hug, but Teddiursa was ready and managed to summersault over her attempt to grab him, snickering the entire time as Daisy pouted. Joey didn't know what to say. Of course he would love to join them, but at the same time didn't want to push his luck and risk doing something embarrassing.
Just before Joey could hesitantly accept the offer at his stomach's insistence, a chorus of squawks echoed from the forest, grabbing everyone's attention. From the heavily fortified line of trees emerged a storm of feathers as Pidgey and Pidgeotto took flight, scattering in all directions with the Spearow flock not far behind.
"What's got them all spooked?" Daisy asked her grandfather, who grabbed the nearest binoculars.
"I'm not sure," he replied, a little more tense than before. "Neither species would up and abandon their nest like that unless they sensed some… my goodness!"
Joey didn't need his own pair of binoculars to see what had the professor shook as a wave of Pokemon flooded out from the forest's edge onto the open field. Herds of Nidoran and their evolved forms stomped through the grass and normally stoic Xatu were zooming through the sky in a panic. Several Poliwag dove into the river, disappearing into its depths along with a massive Onix that exploded from the ground, sending dirt everywhere as it leapt over the river before sinking back into the earth.
Joey could have sworn its rocky hide was littered with scratches too fresh to have been their long.
"What in the world's gotten into all these Pokemon?" Daisy asked again, her voice wavering. Professor Oak threw down his binoculars, the kind face he'd worn now gone.
"Something must be wrong in the Corral," he surmised, already heading in the direction of the panicked stampede. Daisy and Joey were right behind him with Teddiursa rushing to catch up.
"But what could make all these different types of Pokemon freak out like this?" Joey asked the obvious question. "I've never seen an Onix run like that and it looked like something had attacked it. There were gash marks all over its face."
"There isn't a lot on the ranch that could do that," Daisy pointed out. "Maybe another wild Pokemon made its way onto the property and is making a claim on their territory?
"No," the professor said, not slowing down in the slightest. "A single Pokemon couldn't disrupt the entire ecosystem we've spent years cultivating. It has to be something more…"
As if to answer his question, another loud rumble echoed from within the heavily blanketed forest. He heard a loud roar before seeing it, but Joey recognized the sound of an engine revving as a huge truck burst from the thicket at high speeds. The numerous Pokemon scattered in all directions to avoid being run over, dashing into one another in tumbled heaps as the monster of a vehicle passed them by. It leapt across the river like it was alive, kicking up much dirt and mud as it skidded to a halt less than twenty yards away.
The side door swung open as a large man stepped out, his combat boots leaving deep impressions in the grass. He wore black cargo pants with too many pockets and a blacker vest over his sleeveless red tank top. Joey couldn't see his eyes behind a pair of shaded glasses, but he could tell the man was staring their way. A soft cry distracted him from the lone intruder and drew his attention back to the truck.
Joey thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, or at least he hoped that was the case, when they spotted two large cages stacked side by side in the truck's rear. Both were filled to bursting with various Pokemon, each stuck in uncomfortable positions as the lack of room forced them closer together. A Mankey was vibrating with anger as a Weedle below it jabbed with its stinger. Another Nidorina was biting at the metal bars and Joey could see it was already missing a tooth.
"What do you think you're doing to those Pokemon?" Professor Oak roared in anger. The man didn't look too put out, running a hand through his shiny purple dyed hair.
"Well howdy there," the man greeted with a southern accent. "It's an honor to meet the mighty Professor Oak. Might I say what a lovely home you've got yourself here."
"Can the flattery and answer the question," growled Daisy with more authority in her voice than Joey had ever heard. "Who are you and what are you doing here? This is private property."
"Pardon miss, forgot my manner for a moment. The name's Stix and I'm a Pokemon Hunter."
"Pokemon Hunter?" Joey parroted. Professor Oak's eyes narrowed as he breathed hard.
"They're people who are hired to track down certain Pokemon for a paying client," the eldest Oak explained, restraining some of his growing rage to not lash out at Joey. "Most are on the level and even work as contractors with the league, but sadly some of them are only in it for the money. Those sorry excuses for trainers only care about making a quick buck, willing to do whatever it takes to collect rare and powerful Pokemon for sale at the highest bidder."
The knot in Joey's stomach grew tighter with every word. He cast the man a disgusted look as Teddiursa growled at his side. All this did was make the Pokemon Hunter laugh.
"Right you are. And these fellas right here are my souvenirs for a job well done," Stix added, patting one of the cages in a loving manner. All the Pokemon nearest tried to squirm away best they could. "But they're not what I'm here for. I've been staking your place out for weeks just waiting for the perfect moment to strike when your little pets weren't around to get in my way."
"Just what are you after?" Oak demanded, taking a step forward. If Joey didn't know better, he'd almost thing the professor was using his body as a shield between the hunter and himself.
"What do you think?" Stix laughed again before pointing to the lab standing behind them. "I decided to help myself to some of the wild Pokemon you've got running free, but the real prize is all those super powered ones your so called trainers were kind enough to gather in one place."
His fanged grin widened. "I can't even fathom how much the lot will sell for."
"Sell for?" Joey snapped, making his presence known. "Those Pokemon don't belong to you and you can't just take them like some product on a shelf. You don't have any right to call yourself a trainer."
"I'm no trainer kid," the man snarked back, grin unaffected by Joey's words. "I'm a Pokemon Hunter. And as for taking them, you'll find I can do whatever I want. After all, I'm the one with all the power here."
At this point, Daisy jumped forth, her lab coat thrown to the side and a pokeball in hand. It opened to reveal a vaguely star-shaped Pokemon with long, pointed and black, oval eyes. A curled lock of fur bounced over its forehead as the Clefable stretched, its dark pink wings fluttering gently.
"Clefable," it cried, seeming to pick up on the trouble instantly and gave the intruder an unwelcomed glare. Joey gulped. Why were cute, pink Pokemon all so terrifying?
"You wanna bet?" She snarled in a threatening manner before glancing back at the two males, who stared at her in shock and concern respectively.
"Daisy, what are you…" Oak began before his granddaughter cut him off.
"Take Joey back inside and call the police. Have the team start transferring Pokemon while I deal with this bozo."
"Ha," Stix mocked. "You? Deal with me? I didn't know they made 'em cute and funny these days."
Daisy replied with a feral hiss. Joey wanted to say more, but a firm hand grabbed his own as Professor Oak began dragging him back towards the lab with Teddiursa on his heels.
"What are you doing?" Joey struggled, unable to break the man's strong grip. "We can't just leave her."
"My granddaughter can handle herself," Oak stated as they picked up speed. "She might not battle much these days, but all those Pokemon Contests keep her team in good shape. What matters now is getting you out of harm's way and calling the…"
"Nobody's going anywhere. Use Rock Tomb!"
"What are you…?"
Daisy's question was interrupted by a tremor that turned the earth on its side. Then the ground split and a massive Rhydon erupted from underground, red eyes already zeroed in on the retreating pair. Daisy and her Clefable were too slow to react as jagged stones formed around its spike covered body, each the size of its bulky tree trunk arms before launching overhead. Joey saw them coming when a force shoved him to the ground, sending both him and Teddiursa rolling in a heap before they were blinded by dust.
"Grandpa!" Joey heard Daisy cry and rebounded to his feet. He looked at where they'd been standing in horror as the giant stones had completely surrounded the professor. The man looked to be unharmed as far as Joey could tell, but all of his struggles did little to move the tightly compact rock. The Rhydon whirled its horn and bellowed, a deep laugh to match its trainer.
"Professor, are you ok?" Joey dashed over to try moving the rocks to no avail before calling Teddiursa over. "Quick Teddiursa, use…"
"Don't try it kid," Stix suddenly called in a semi serious voice. "You try breaking him out of there or even think about making a run for it and you'll be a lot worse off than the old man."
"You won't get away with this," stated Joey.
"And you'll have to get through me first," challenged Daisy, taking a ready stance as did her Pokemon. "We won't be caught by surprise again."
"Surprise?" The hunter jeered. "My Rhydon can outmaneuver that pink doughball any day."
"Daisy," Oak called from his prison. "Release your other Pokemon now! This isn't the time to be playing fair."
At the command, Daisy's cavalier attitude faltered slightly.
"Uh… I may have left them inside, ha ha…"
"You what?"
"They're in my room, ok!" She screamed back, red faced. "How was I supposed to know we'd be dealing with an invasion today? But don't worry. Clefable has never let me down before and I know she's not about to start now."
"Fable," the fairy Pokemon nodded as she squared up to battle, but not before giving the Rhydon another spiteful look. The drill Pokemon snorted, scratching its cream covered underbelly without a care.
Joey wanted to believe Daisy's words, but even her confidence couldn't hide how she aggressively chewed at her lip. A solitary glance at Teddiursa found the little bear was giving Rhydon a hate filled look of his own, one far beyond anything Joey had seen from his starter.
"Not like it matters," Stix dismissed. "You are no match for my Rhydon. Show 'em what I mean with another Rock Tomb!"
Rocks hurdled down from the sky, but a powerful Psychic sent them flying back towards Rhydon with a new coat of radiant blue energy. The redirected attack did little to damage the rock Pokemon's tough, stony skin and it bellowed at the slight before charging with its drill at the ready. Joey and Teddiursa watched as the two larger Pokemon went at it, trading blows of Horn Drill and Meteor Mash. Sparks flew from every clash, but while Daisy's move had a favorable type match up, her Pokemon was already losing ground.
Strong as it was, apparently only training for Pokemon Contests on weekends didn't keep Clefable in as good battle condition as Oak thought. That or she'd been slacking with her training. Either way, Rhydon was slowly advancing with each collision, meaning Joey had to do something fast.
"Teddiursa," he whispered, pulling his starter away from the duel. "While Stix is distracted, sneak around the field and use Rock Smash to free the Pokemon."
"Teddiursa," came a hushed reply and as Stix wildly cheered on his Rhydon to finish off the fairy type, Teddiursa stealthily advanced as quickly as his little legs could carry him. Nobody seemed to notice the side quest he'd sent his starter on, least of all Stix who commanded an unexpected Poison Jab that sent both trainers for a loop as the super effective move connected.
"Oh no," Daisy cried as her own starter stumbled back, shaking off the blow in time to flutter away from another Horn Drill that left a human sized divot in the ground. Clefable struck back with an Ice Beam, slowing Rhydon's assault long enough to evade another helping of Rock Tomb. That's when Joey saw Teddiursa in position, having made it to the truck unseen. Their eyes locked and Joey knew it was time.
"Now Teddiursa!" He screamed, gaining everyone's attention. Stix looked downright bewildered until the sound of metal being crushed boom across the field. Everyone turned as one to see Teddiursa slam his orange paw down on the second cage door, pulverizing its lock so the captured Pokemon could follow the first batch to freedom.
"What in the seven hells do you think you're doing you little runt?"
"If you're not going to let us leave, then we might as well join in, right Teddiursa?"
"Teddiursa! Ursa!" His partner confirmed, evading Stix's attempt to grab him before running to deliver another Rock Smash to the confused Rydon's leg, allowing Clefable to finally land a clean Meteor Mash at the behest of her trainer. Before Teddiursa could retreat back to safety, Rhydon moved with unheard of speed and slammed its oversized palm down on the smaller Pokemon. Teddiursa fought back, but was unable to escape from the rock type's grip.
"What were you thinking?" she exclaimed, crossing her arms in an X pattern. "This is way out of your league Joey. Recall your Pokemon right now."
"Listen to her Joey. Your Teddiursa will get hurt if it tries to take that brute on."
"We can't just sit back and watch Pokemon be mistreated like this," Joey argued defiantly, looking back at the professor with a steely gaze of his own. "Besides," he turned to Daisy with a cheeky grin, "we'll stay out of your way and leave the heavy lifting to you."
Daisy sputtered, unsure how to reply when Stix snorted with his entire body.
"I'd say you're in way over your head boy. How are you going to help when you're baby Pokemon is shielding my Rhydon."
To make his point clear, Rhydon flexed its muscle, causing Teddiursa to squeak out a pained cry. Clefable let out a horrified shriek at the despicable act that made Joey flinch, but instead of giving into fear he gritted his teeth and made an on the spot decision. "Use Swift to free yourself."
Teddiursa managed to nod and opened his mouth as a hailstorm of stars flew forth directly into Rhydon's face. The normal type attack didn't do much damage, if any, but did daze Rhydon enough into loosening its grip so Teddiursa could slip free. To his right, Daisy let out a sigh of relief.
"Great. Now call Teddiursa back before it…"
"Climb on Rhydon's back and start using Lick!"
Daisy's exacerbated cry was overshadowed by Teddiursa's affirmative grunt as he shot forward, using tiny claws to scale Rhydon's back like an experienced mountain climber, giving the aggressive rock type a tongue bath accompanied by a faint purple aura. Try as it might, Rhydon couldn't grab hold of Teddiursa, who was expertly abusing the drill Pokemon's blind spot to avoid its less than nimble arms and continued repeating the same attack to seemingly no effect.
"What are you doing?" Daisy demanded, looking as confused as her Clefable as it watched the scene, unsure if it should attack or not. "If you're not going to listen to me, you could at least hit it with something stronger. Why didn't you use Rock Smash?"
"I see," Professor Oak chimed in from his immobile spot further back. He let out a hum, observing the battle with an intense degree of focus. "Not a bad strategy Joey. Not bad at all."
"What are you… forget it. Clefable, get in there and help Teddiursa with Meteor Mash!"
Clefable broke out of its stunned state and began charging forward at less than impressive speeds with its fist coated in a swirl of blue and white.
Stix growled at the sight of his bruiser being shown up by something barely a tenth its size and a giant plush doll. "Get that runt off of you!"
Rhydon had finally had enough of being made the fool and swung its entire body hard, finally detaching Teddiursa as the bear flew at Clefable, who halted her attack to catch the younger Pokemon. They shared a quick exchange before Teddiursa jumped down and took a ready stance.
"Ice Beam," Daisy called and her Pokemon fired another blast of cold energy at the Rhydon as the Pokemon Hunter told it to dodge. Rhydon attempted to follow the order, but suddenly its entire body seized up. Yellow streaks of static mixed with some purple wrapped around Rhydon, causing it to lose control of its body, so all it could do was wobble in place as the Ice Beam struck.
"Teddiursa use Rock Smash!"
Teddiursa charged in under the fading beam and smashed his paw into Rhydon's frozen chest, causing the ice to shatter as the larger Pokemon toppled over, still entrapped by the status condition.
"What?" Stix yelled in shock. He pointed a finger at Joey. "What did you do?"
"Yeah Joey. What was that?" Daisy asked, sounding a little mystified.
"Your Rhydon is paralyzed," Joey revealed through the biggest grin his face could produce. "I knew we couldn't overpower Rhydon, but we could try and slow it down enough to give Daisy an easier fight." He shot the older girl a smug grin. "You're welcome by the way."
Daisy stared at him for a moment before suppressing a laugh.
"Ok, you got me there. Now let's finish this. Meteor Mash, go!"
"You heard the lady. Rock Smash!"
Both Pokemon rushed towards their downed opponent, alternating between super effective hits of steel and fighting. Rhydon used its tail to force them back, but even after getting to its feet, the rock and ground type was unable to keep up. Teddiursa had no issues skating around another Rock Tomb, going so far as to destroy one with a well-timed punch and peppered Rhydon with a constant stream of stars. Clefable, on the other hand, was no longer on the back foot and fired everything she had to put Rhydon in the dirt.
"Enough of this!" Shrieked the Pokemon Hunter. "This battle was supposed to be a cake walk. If this goes on any longer, people are going to get wise. Rhydon," he called, grabbing the Pokemon's attention as it blocked the onslaught of Swift and Ice Beam. "Finish this with Earth Power!"
"What?" Daisy shrieked and Joey didn't blame her. Both trainers called to their Pokemon, who tried to spread out, but the fissure Rhydon created when it slammed a fist into the dirt moved too fast. Joey was once again tackled to the ground, this time by Daisy as she shielded him, but not enough to hide the giant explosion an unsafe distance away. It was a miracle they hadn't been caught up in it as the dust settled, revealing a giant hole on the ground about twenty yards in circumference with no noticeable bottom. Their Pokemon, however, weren't as lucky.
Clefable stood, barely able to do so without swaying, and her pink body was littered with blue and purple blotches from the impact of debris. She was still in the fight though, unlike Teddiursa, who Joey ran towards after coughing up a mound of dirt. He slid on his knees and immediately saw his friend was unconscious, battered, and covered in dirt. Joey was quick to return Teddiursa, wanting nothing more than to rush him to Nurse Joy, but knew the battle was still going on.
Stix didn't show any sympathy as he ordered another Poison Jab on the injured Clefable. Joey wanted to do something, but without Teddiursa he was totally helpless to do anything but watch as Daisy tried to counter the incoming attack. His view was then interrupted when a massive shadow soared overhead, making the enemy's Pokemon hesitate. Joey barely had any time to process before the entire field was swept up in a wind storm that came out of nowhere. Through squinted eyes, Joey saw something land in the field between Rhydon and Clefable, massive wings slowing its descent.
"Well it's about time," he heard Oak mutter before calling out to the large creature. "Nice of you to join us Dragonite. As you can see, we are in need of your help."
"Baooooooooooo!" Roared the massive dragon type, allowing Joey a clear look at its nearly ten foot frame. Its light orange scales shimmered beautifully in the summer heat, giving the pseudo legendary a holy aura about it. Joey had always heard Dragonite were friendly behemoths, unlike most other dragons, but seeing the look this one had definitely made him question that statement. Faster than Joey could follow, Dragonite's thick tail moved and suddenly the rocks around Professor Oak shattered into gravel. The older man stretched out, cracking every bone in his body as he sauntered forth.
"What's that thing doing here?" Stix questioned, taking a step back towards his truck. "That Dragonite is supposed to be up in the mountains, even higher up than your Charizard. What gives?"
"My Dragonite can fly over seven hundred and fifty miles per hour," Oak casually bragged. "Even my Arcanine can't move that fast on her best day. The only thing faster than him is gossip, which I'm sure the Pokemon on the ranch have been spreading ever since you first showed your face around here. I'm only surprised it took him this long to show up."
Dragonite snorted as if offended and the professor gave him a playful look.
"Those Pokemon did what?" Stix grated his teeth together and Professor Oak laughed.
"Pokemon are more than the tools you see them as to make a quick buck. It's amazing how different species who keep apart, fight almost constantly, and even hunt one another at times can put aside their differences to defend what matters to them all. We humans could really learn a lot from them."
Professor Oak then turned to both Daisy and Joey. "Thank you both for stalling him, but we'll take it from here."
Dragonite bellowed again, kicking up more wind simply by moving. Stix, for all his supposed intelligence, didn't seem to think now was a good time to cut his losses and run.
"Like hell you will!" He screamed as if to intimidate Oak's beast. "Rhydon bury your so called legend with Rock Tomb."
More rocks appeared around Rhydon as it ignored any sense of self-preservation to follow the Pokemon Hunter's order. Professor Oak said nothing as Dragonite opened his mouth and a small ball of white and orange light swirled into a bigger and bigger orb. When it nearly became too much for the dragon's mouth to contain, it shrunk to the size of a pea before a massive beam of light shot forth.
The Hyper Beam ripped a singed trail through the field despite never actually touching, vaporized the incoming rocks, and knock Rhydon off its feet. The heavy Pokemon was rag dolled as it soared through the air, landing atop Stix's truck with swirled eyes in unconscious heap that crushed the vehicle like a trash compactor. Its trainer stared at his defeated Pokemon, then up at Oak and his own, before collapsing in a shaking heap himself, seemingly unable to process what had just happened.
Joey stared in awe at Professor Oak and his Dragonite. They weren't just another strong trainer and Pokemon. No, this is what a true champion looked like. And in that moment, Joey wanted nothing more than to be exactly like them.
XXX
It was dark by the time Joey made it to the gravel path leading up his driveway to the front door of his house. Most kids would be in major trouble coming home this late, but in a safe place like Pallet Town it was only a minor offense, plus having Professor Oak vouch for him didn't hurt. Joey's hand traced the surface of Teddiursa's pokeball where his starter slept after Professor Oak had dutifully patched him up. The professor had assured Joey his Pokemon would be fine after a few days off from training.
And what a day it had been. It hadn't taken the police long to arrive after Professor Oak and his lab team had secured Stix. Apparently they'd already been called once the other researchers inside had heard the commotion of their battle. The only reason they didn't come out to help was because none of them were any kind of real trainers. Stix behaved for the most part besides cursing and complaining about all his wasted efforts, though wasn't stupid enough to try anything when Oak's Dragonite was still hanging around.
While healing Teddursa with his own personal equipment, Professor Oak thanked him once again for helping defend the lab and its Pokemon, even going so far as to offer Joey a standing invitation to visit the lab whenever he'd like. All Joey wanted was for him to keep this incident in mind when the professor was picking who to sponsor. Professor Oak laughed as he stated Joey certainly has potential, something he'll be keeping an eye on, much to Joey's internal delight. To top it all off, Joey was invited to spend the rest of the day at the lab and join them for dinner, giving Gary quite the shock when he returned home.
"I'm home," Joey announced as he took his shoes off after quietly closing the door.
"In here Joey," he heard his mother call back to him. It wasn't surprising she was up, probably too worried about him after hearing what happened from the professor to sleep without seeing him in still one piece. When Joey rounded the corner to the living room, he was greeted by not only his mom, but Uncle Ray as well. Neither looked pleased to see him.
"Is something wrong?" Joey asked, a sliver of worry tingling down his back. "Sorry I'm so late, but Professor Oak called you, didn't he?"
His mother's frown deepened. "Oh yes he did. The professor was kind enough to share all about your little adventure today."
Joey didn't like the way she said that and swallowed hard. Uncle Ray let out a mangled sigh.
"Just what were you thinking? Fighting a dangerous criminal like that? You've only been a trainer for a couple of months."
"It's not like I planned to fight him," argued Joey, a frown of his own beginning to form. "You know I went to deliver a package. The guy just showed up and attacked us. What was I supposed to do?
"You should have run," his mother interjected, "or stayed out of the way and left it to Professor Oak. What if something had happened to you?"
"I wouldn't have been able to run even if I wanted to. The guy made that very clear," grumbled Joey, crossing his arms. "And I couldn't just stand there while Daisy fought alone. The Pokemon were in danger! Teddiursa and I had to do something or who knows what might have happened."
"Exactly!" His uncle exclaimed. "Anything could have happened, including you getting seriously hurt. Teddiursa got lucky this time, but what if he hadn't been? I know you're training a lot, but if this is how you're going to abuse the privilege of being a trainer, then maybe you aren't ready to be one in the first place."
"You can't take Teddiursa," Joey said instantly, hand going to his lone pokeball.
"We're not taking your Pokemon," Joey's mother said immediately, shutting down the threat and casting her brother in law an aggravated look. "I'm not that cruel, but you are grounded for the next month. You come straight home after school and can't leave the farm without my permission, so those weekend trips to Viridian are on ice. Now go to your room. I'll be up in a minute to discuss the rest of your punishment."
"But…"
"Now."
Joey chocked on his words before silently stomping up the stairs, shooting his mother and uncle the most evil look a nine year old could produce before closing his bedroom door with a bang.
He threw himself onto the bed and collapsed into the covers, muffling his annoyed scream so his grandfather wouldn't hear. None of this was fair. He'd helped save Professor Oak's ranch, one of the most important places in town, if not the region, and now he's being punished for it? Joey didn't have long to stew in his growing frustrations as a knock on the door alerted him to the fact his mother was walking in.
"What? You want to yell at me some more in private now?" He snarked, earning him a disapproving look.
"Don't get smart with me young man. You're already in enough trouble as it is," she scolded, making him recoil into the bed sheets. Her expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry for losing my temper, but I'm right to be mad. You really scared me today."
"I know," Joey mumbled into his cheek. There was a long silence where neither parent or child spoke.
"You know," his mother spoke up again, "for a while, I kind of hoped you'd lose interest in training Pokemon."
Joey's head shot up and turned to his mother, certain his face was one of absolute disbelief. He couldn't believe his mother would think something like that, much less say it to his face. "I know it's not a cool thing to say, but kids who want to be trainers tend to grow up so fast. Most parents have to worry about their children tracking dirt in the house or eating too much junk food, but for me it's always is Joey going to hurt himself training his Pokemon to blow up the house."
"Come on mom. You know we'd never blow up the house. Well not our house." Joey's joke didn't land as his mother only half smiled.
"I'm… I'm worried about something happening to you. I know you want to be a Pokemon trainer now, but once you get out into the real world and see how hard it is that might change. You might be disappointed and try turning your fantasy into reality and end up in some trouble you can't get out of. The last thing I want to see you put so much of yourself into this, only to fall short and stumble around for years like…" She paused, unable to finish her sentence, looking deeply into her lap.
Joey sighed, knowing what she meant.
"I'm not going to end up like dad."
His mother whipped her head around to meet his unflinching gaze. "I know being a trainer isn't easy. I know that it can be dangerous. But I promise I won't ever let it consume me. That's why I'm doing everything I can to prepare and start off right. Studying, training, battling, all to give me the best chance of success. Maybe it still won't be enough, but I won't accept defeat until I've given it my all. And even if after all that I still fail, then you'll get your wish and I'll wind up back here as a Mareep farmer or something."
"I think we both know you wouldn't be happy doing that," laughed his mother, bringing a light smile back to his face. "Though if I'm being honest with you, in my less than objective opinion, I'd say Professor Oak is right. You really are something special. You've got such a strong relationship with Teddiursa, something that took Freeta and I years to build. I wouldn't be lying when I say you certainly have a better chance of making it to the league than Wendy ever did."
She then took a quick glance at the door and leaned in close. "Don't tell your uncle or cousin I said that."
Joey giggled as his mother proceeded to tuck him in. "By the way, you're still grounded."
"Yeah, yeah," Joey grumbled into the sheets as his mother headed out, but not before tucking him into the covers. "Wait, mom. Can my grounding start tomorrow night? I really want to take Teddiursa to the Pokemon Center tomorrow just to make sure he's really ok."
His mother spend a good minute pretending to be deep in thought before agreeing and wishing him a good night.
"Sleep tight my little Pokemon Master. I know no matter what happens, you'll be amazing."
XXX
Joey's Team:
Teddiursa (Ability Pick Up)- Slash, Swift, Lick, Rock Smash, Baby Doll Eyes
EDIT 3-Mar-2024: Ok due to an overwhelming negative response I've gone back on my 4 move limit. Besides moves that are genuine redundancies like Scratch vs Slash (because why would I ever use the former at this point) the Pokemon can learn more than 4 moves.
Also, for those who didn't pick up on this, a lot of this is inspired by the Oak's parcel at the beginning of the Fire Red/Leaf Green games. As for Primo, since nobody said it last chapter, he was inspired by the old man in those games who give the Teachy TV.
Next chapter is the last of the Prologue Arc and will feature a decent sized time skip. It's also the last chapter before our starter polls close, so hope you're excited about that. Until then, taking all bets! Skarmory or Teddiursa, who are you gonna choose?