Hello all and welcome back to the Other Trainers of Pallet!
Excited after taking some time off to jump back into this story for the Journey Arc and really get to what most of you are waiting for.
The starter poll has officially closed the morning of 3/23/2024 and by the narrowest margins of a single vote (seriously it was that close for a while) Joey's starter will be… revealed in the chapter! Thank you to everyone who voted and look out for future polls.
Hope you all enjoy the next phase of the story
Chapter 6: The First Step
"Notebook?"
"Right here."
"And what about your extra protein bars? Don't want you getting hungry on the road."
"Got them right here next to the berries."
"And what about your diapers?"
"I don't have any… Wendy!"
Wendy broke out into joyous laughter as Joey's face reddened from her little prank. Before he could leave the kitchen table to chase her down, the teen had dove behind Uncle Ray, sharing the same grin her brick wall of a father wore.
"Ok Wendy, that's enough. Don't go riling up your cousin on his big day."
"But I have to make up for all the time I'll miss while he's off kicking those gym leader's asses."
"Language!"
"Sorry Aunt Carol," Wendy replied, not sounding sorry at all. Joey rolled his eyes and stuffed the last spare set of clothes into his Silph Co bag, a going away present his family had surprised him with earlier that morning. It was a specially designed product by Kanto's number one manufacturing company responsible for many of the modern amenities most took for granted.
This included the mass production of pokeballs, which alone made the company rich beyond imagination, rivalling their competitors in Hoenn and Kalos. One of their more recent products was a new type of backpack that allowed people to convert its contents into energy for easier transport, much like how a pokeball allowed trainers to carry around Pokemon the size of buildings in their pocket. The sleek silver and black fabric had a small pad stitched on the side where you could recall specific items at will. This was especially useful for trainers, who often had to carry either far too much or too little at any given time.
Joey had insisted on paying them back, having just enough at nearly sixty five hundred dollars after a year of saving, but they refused wholeheartedly. Given Joey had a sponsorship from Professor Oak, his uncle argued they could afford to spend a little extra. Grandpa Russ was adamant that he'd earned it after the battle they'd had. The old man hadn't shut up about how it was the most exciting thing he'd done in years, much to everyone's shared aggravation. Everyone besides Joey, that is.
"Just make sure to be careful out there," his mother said, ignoring Wendy's meaningless apology as she handed Joey one more bottle of sunscreen. It was clear she was trying not to cry. "And make sure not get sunburned. You know how irritated your skin can get."
"I've got it mom," Joey tried to say, but she didn't hear him over her rambling.
"Make sure to eat your fill, but not too much or anything too sugary, and take plenty of breaks. I don't want you getting any cramps if you're all by yourself in the middle of nowhere. But make sure to…"
"Now don't go coddling the boy," the Amara elder's gruff voice chimed in as Joey zipped the bag shut. "He's indulged us long enough and we don't want him to be late on his first day as a trainer. Can't have that old Oak giving his grandkid a head start. You'll be leaving right from the lab, yes?"
"That's the plan," Joey confirmed. He, like every new trainer in Pallet Town, would be meeting at Professor Oak's laboratory to receive their Pokemon before heading off on their journey. It's why his family had insisted on getting up so early, even by farm standards.
"What's with this one sided rivalry you suddenly have with Professor Oak?" Uncle Ray asked through a chuckle. "Ever since Carol signed the paperwork you've been awfully competitive. Trying to live vicariously through your grandchildren again, are you?"
Grandpa Russ brushed off the obviously true statement and chased his son out of the room, claiming they needed to get started on chores before they lost too much light. Joey waved them goodbye as his uncle returned the sentiment before being punted out the front door.
"I suppose that's my cue to leave as well," said Wendy, taking one more apple for the road. "My friend Ryan still thinks he has a shot at making it to league this year, so he's giving it another go. I want to see him off before I'm up to my neck in Mareep fluff."
"Isn't he the same guy who broke his arm trying to ride his Dodrio?"
Wendy snorted. "Yeah. He claims it's the real reason he had to drop out, not his lack of skill, but he already got half the badges once, so he reckons it'll be much easier now that he knows what to expect."
Joey laughs at the thought, knowing Wendy's friend was more accident prone than Ash. After all, not just anyone can get nearly eaten by a Snorlax for wearing strawberry pajamas or stuck in a tire swing all in one weekend. "Maybe he's right. Either way, I wish him luck."
"Save some of that luck for yourself," chortled the older teen before flashing a sentimental smile. "But seriously, call if you need anything. I'm happy to share some of my worldly wisdom with you."
"What? Like where the best places to shop are?"
"Yeah, wasn't that obvious?" laughed Wendy. "You're already a way better trainer than I ever was."
With those as her last words, Wendy disappeared into the next room with a loud slam following her out.
"Well I guess that leaves me," his mother giggled as she reached into her purse. Joey didn't have to wait long for her to pull out a large booklet covered in pictures of various Pokemon titled Gotta Stick'Em All.
"Is this…"
"One last going away present. I don't know how trainers keep track of their Pokemon when every pokeball looks exactly the same, so I thought these might make it easier."
"This is so cool!" cooed Joey as he flipped through the dozens of pages, each one holding three highly detailed stickers of Pokemon, many Joey recognized and many more he didn't. He was quick to find the Johto section and grab an Ursaring sticker, which he promptly slapped on the top of his lone pokeball.
Somehow it did look a lot better than usual and Joey was quick to share his appreciation.
His mother waved it off with ease. "Now don't get the wrong idea. I'm still as nervous now as I was the day you got a Pokemon of your own, but after seeing how far you and Ursaring have gotten… I'm also extremely proud."
Joey didn't fight it as his mother pulled him into one of her famous life ending hugs.
"I'm a little nervous too," he admitted through his mother's blouse. His smile was still there, but less extreme. "But the good kind. I can't wait to be a real trainer."
"You already are a real trainer," his mother pointed out, tapping Ursaring's pokeball on his waist. "But now the rest of the world will know it too," she said with a light push. "And promise to call often!"
Joey did indeed promise as he ran down the graveled path into the heart of town towards the Professor's lab far off in the distance, realizing only much later that it would be quite some time before he would do so again.
XXX
Joey raced up the stairs, short of breath and full of enthusiasm when he reached the lab's front doors. The small lawn was not devoid of life as two friendly faces greeted him. Both were dressed in casual wear like himself, perfect for being comfortable while on the road. Gary was leaned against the outer wall of the building while Nia played a solitary game of kick the rock, sending a small pebble flying through the air before it rolled to a stop at Joey's feet.
"Joey," Nia greeted when she noticed his presence, "you finally made it." She covered the short distance in a heartbeat and gave him a light hug.
"We almost thought you'd chickened out or something," laughed Gary, bouncing off the wall to join them.
"You wish," teased Joey as Nia released her hold to glare at Gary, an impressive feat given she was still smiling.
"Can you believe this is really happening?"
"I honestly thought I might still be dreaming a couple times on the way over," Joey snickered before his brow dipped. "But what are you doing out here? Is the lab closed?"
"Nah," Gary shook his head through a humorless laugh. "We just got sick of all the noise those losers inside were making. Couldn't even hear myself think, so we decided to wait for you outside while Daisy tries to manage the chaos. We can probably head back in now that you're here."
Joey nodded before looking around again.
"Is Ash still inside then?"
At this, Gary and Nia exchanged a look.
"We haven't seen him," the bubblegum haired girl revealed, smile disintegrating in slow motion. "I can't believe he's running so late. Didn't you talk with him yesterday Gary? He knew what time to be here, right?"
"Heck if I know," shrugged the youngest Oak, ignoring the judgmental looks. "He's probably fine. I'll bet you he slept in and missed the alarm like at summer camp last year. I guarantee he'll come running over the instant he wakes up."
"Sadly you might be right," moaned Nia, clearly unhappy to admit Gary had a point.
"Should we try to call?" Joey suggested, knowing the professor had a phone inside the lab. "Mrs. Ketchum will be able to make sure Ash isn't any later than he already will be."
"Great idea!" Joey winced as Nia rewarded him with a solid slap on the back. "He might be able to ignore his alarm, but not his mother. That woman has some pipes."
"Sure, I guess," Gary replied as if it was a weird request. "Gramps is probably almost ready anyway."
Gary pushed the door open with ease, allowing Nia and Joey to follow into the madness unfolding all over the lab floor. A dozen ten year old's had taken the building by storm, running all over the place as if it were a new playground, touching everything and anything their tiny hands could reach. Most of the usual lab technicians were nowhere to be seen, nor were the Pokemon who frequently visited the lab, giving the rest of Joey's classmates free range to poke and prod at all the important research well beyond them. Several broken bottles and scattered piles of books littered the floor as Daisy rushed to clean them up before one of the children got hurt, or worse, ruined her research.
"Will you brats just stand still!" She screamed as another stack of books nearly collapsed when a boy raced by at super speeds. "Watch where you're going. Do you know how long it took me to… don't touch that!"
Daisy lunged to smack a girl's hand from a cage where a particularly unfriendly looking Spearow had been eyeing her fingers like bite sized snacks, pulling her back just before the bird could lunge. The young girl didn't seem to recognize the danger and skipped off, leaving Daisy to slump down against the filing cabinet with her lab coat pulled over her face.
"Are you ok Daisy?" Joey rushed over to help the poor girl up. Nia was just as quick to lend a hand after Joey failed to lift her the first time on his own with his noodle arms.
"Yeah, I'm fine," the female Oak grumbled into the fabric of her clothes before she spit them out. "I've gotten so used to hanging out with you and my kid brother that I forgot how… terrible you can be."
As she spoke, Daisy sent a disgusted glare at the ravenous children like she was watching them tear each other apart and not the lab itself. "I can't believe Grandpa left me to deal with you monsters."
"Yeah, what was he thinking," said Gary with an eye roll, earning him a light smack curtesy of his sister. "Where is Gramps anyway? Shouldn't he be giving out the Pokemon by now?"
"I was just about to get him," Daisy informed, not hiding any of the negative emotions festering inside her. "He's had long enough to gather all the Pokemon. Can you three keep an eye on things while I go get him?"
Joey nodded. "No problem. By the way, while you're gone, can you call Mrs. Ketchum and see where Ash is?"
"Ash?" Daisy repeated, cocking her head. "Oh right! I thought somebody was missing, but I couldn't figure out who. Sure, I'll give her a call." Daisy then took a deep breath before proceeding to blow out Joey's eardrums. "Ok you sugar fueled gremlins! Shut up and get in line if you want to get a Pokemon today or else you'll be going home empty handed. Got it?"
The kids all stopped as if time had frozen, meeting Daisy's well practiced glare before scrambling towards the center of the room to craft a lopsided line.
Daisy huffed, giving a curt nod before strolling away, but not before motioning for the three of them to join the line of trainers to be. "Go and stand with the others. I'll be right back."
"Whatever you say sis. Just don't hurt yourself going up all those stairs. Don't want to throw your back out like Gramps did playing golf."
"Ha, ha," Daisy forced out as she vanished into the Oak's living area of the lab.
"Come on," Nia ordered, grabbing both boys by the hand to drag them towards the others. "You don't want to make your sister too mad or else she'll turn all your Pokemon against you."
"As if," Gary scoffed, though he did move a little faster.
Joey shook his head as Nia led him and Gary down the row so they could take their places in line. With each step, Joey picked up on some whispers between a couple of their classmates. He couldn't make out most of it, but the words lucky and unfair were repeated several times.
None of them were doing well to hide their jealous stares towards the top three students who'd earned a regional starter and sponsorship. It probably didn't help that he and Nia both already had a Pokemon, but Joey wasn't going to let a few people's insecurities ruin their big day. Gary and Nia, on the other hand, looked about ready to say something when the echo of footsteps on wooden stairs announced Professor Oak's arrival.
"Why hello there everyone," the Pokemon Professor greeted as he emerged into the laboratory with a pep in his step and the briefcase in his right hand jingling along.
"Good morning," most of the children sang in unison, angst replaced by budding excitement. Professor Oak let out a short laugh.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Professor Oak and it is my privilege to stand before the next generation of Pallet Town Pokemon Trainers."
Professor Oak paused to let his words sink in. Many of the other kids looked thrilled to be called a trainer. Gary rolled his eyes and Nia snorted at their reactions. Joey just wore a nostalgic smile. "This world is inhabited by creatures that we call Pokémon, special beings that come in all shapes and sizes. People and Pokémon live together by supporting each other. Some people play with Pokémon, some battle with them. But we don't know everything about Pokémon yet. There are still many mysteries to solve. That's why I study Pokémon every day."
The professor then walked up to the center of the room after hitting a button on the wall, causing a cylindrical table to rise from the floor. Joey could feel his heart racing and swore Ursaring's ball began to shake.
Professor Oak flashed one of his trademark smiles, resting his briefcase on the table as it fully emerged, and unclicked the twin locks. "Your very own Pokémon story is about to unfold and it's up to you how that story is told. Maybe you'll challenge the gyms, perform in contests, or simply go out to see what the world has to offer. It won't always be easy. You'll face fun times and tough challenges along the way no matter what road you follow, but together with Pokemon, a world of dreams and adventures awaits!"
The briefcase swung open to reveal dozens of pocket sized pokeballs on display, the red and white coat sparkling under the high powered lights. It was almost mesmerizing as a few kids took a false step forward. "Now then," Professor Oak announced with a clap, breaking many from their trance, "who will you choose?"
Despite his old age, Professor Oak held far more control over the younger generation than Daisy did, able to keep them in line by the tone of his voice alone. Even with his back turned to procure the list of names, no one dared to cause trouble at risk of losing their starter. Before giving out any Pokemon, the professor went over some basic information all new trainers needed to know, mostly about how Pokemon Centers worked and how to manage the equipment and receive the league stipend each month.
Then he started handing out Pokemon.
When the first name called wasn't Gary, Joey knew he was saving them for last. As expected, those who got higher scores had first pick and went straight for the rarer options Professor Oak had laid before them. It was nothing too exotic like a Dratini or even a Scyther, but having a Mankey, Growlithe, or even a Poliwag as your starter was certainly a step up from the local Pokemon those who ranked lower were forced to pick from.
Some kids left more pleased than others after meeting their partners and obtaining their pokeballs and Pokedex from the professor along with a few notes on how to care for their new Pokemon. This went on for about an hour until only Joey, Nia, and Gary remained.
"Saving the best for last Gramps?" Gary announced after the last trainer left with their new Caterpie, though not before shooting the trio a spiteful glare. Joey bet he wouldn't last long with that attitude, but unlike Gary had the good sense to keep his mouth shut.
"I wouldn't say that," Oak chided lightly as he called them over to the center table. "All of you are starting from square one, trainer and Pokemon alike. Though, I won't deny the three of you have a bit of a head start compared to the others. Speaking of which… have any of you seen Ash? I thought he would have been here by now."
"We asked Daisy to call their house," Joey explained, gaining a nod in response.
"She did, but apparently no one picked up. I hope that means he's on his way."
"If he's late, then it's his own fault," Gary remarked to multiple frowns. "What? It's not like he scored too high on the exam anyway. You still have a Pokemon for him, right Gramps?"
Joey turned to the professor as he shot them a light smile.
"Don't worry. I've got a particular Pokemon in mind for Ash, but that's not what you three are here for."
As he spoke, three separate holes in the table opened up, revealing three more pokeballs. Each one had a little design on it, a small flame, a leaf, and a large cerulean bubble. "So which one of you will be first?"
Gary wasted no time leaping to the front as if he wasn't already next in line and selected his starter without hesitation, tossing the ball high into the air. A burst of white light erupted from the red and white container to reveal a small blue turtle with a large curled tail and brown checkered shell. It seemed a little confused at first, looking around at all the strange new people, before letting out a triumphant cry and puffed out its chest in what Joey presumed was some attempt to assert dominance.
"Alright, Squirtle, I'm your new trainer. Nice to meet ya," Gary shouted in an equal display. "I plan on being the world's greatest Pokémon trainer. That means I'll need the strongest Pokemon by my side and you're going to be the first. You up for the challenge?"
The tiny turtle Pokémon's eyes narrowed as it mirrored Gary's massive smirk. It let out another proud call and waddled over to Gary while nodding feverishly at his declaration. Gary's smirk widened further, causing Nia and Joey to exchange a worried glance while Professor Oak sighed before handing Gary the rest of his gear.
"I'm sure you two will get along great. He's a bit of a handful, this one, but I doubt you'll have much trouble bringing out the best in him."
"No worries Gramps. Squirtle and I are going to be the best team Pallet Town has ever seen. No offense you two," he added the last part with a small wave in Nia and Joey's direction. Squirtle crossed his arms after eyeing the other two humans, confident he'd picked the best one of the bunch.
Joey rolled his eyes and stepped forward to make his selection. Even after discussing it amongst themselves, a small, slightly evil part of him considered moving his hand towards Charmander's pokeball ever so slightly. The sheer look on Nia's face would be well worth the beating he was sure to receive, but Joey decided not to ruin the moment and picked up the leaf marked pokeball.
Another flash and another Pokémon joined the group. This one looked like a weird fusion of a brussels sprout and a frog. It stretched out and yawned cutely. When it noticed there were people looking at it, the tiny plant Pokémon froze and began to back away slowly.
"Hasn't even left the lab yet and already terrified." Joey ignored Gary's comments and got down on both knees, trying to look small and mimicked the Bulbasaur's posture as best he could.
"Hi there," he said in the gentlest voice possible. "My name's Joey. It's nice to meet you."
It seemed to have the desired effect as the Bulbasaur stopped backing away and actually took a step closer. It tilted its head, as if curious to inspect this new creature. David wondered how many humans it had actually met before today given he hadn't seen any of the starter Pokemon around the lab, not even sure when they arrived. To Joey's surprise, two vines emerged from Bulbasaur's side and began slowly feeling him all over, tapping and poking and brushing against his body.
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm going to be your new trainer from now on. We're going to train hard and travel the world. I'm sure together we can help you grow into a powerful Venasaur one day."
As Joey finished his elevator pitch, the Bulbasaur's timid nature began to vanish and it jumped forward to rub its head against Joey's outstretched hand. "Glad to have you on the team. I've actually got another Pokemon with me who can't wait to meet you."
Joey gestured to the shrunken pokeball on his belt, directing the grass types wide eyes towards it with youthful curiosity.
"Well that's two for two," Oak happily announced as he gave Joey five pokeballs and his long awaited Pokedex. Joey held it like a gift from above as he chuckled more ominously than intended. He immediately scanned Bulbasaur just as Gary had with Squirtle, discovering his newest team mate was male. He made a note to read through the rest of the data later and add Ursaring's to it as well.
It was now Nia's turn and the girl practically teleported passed Joey, snatching the last ball like it would vanish any second and released the final starter. The orange skinned lizard appeared before them and let out an enormous yawn, showing off many sharp teeth. The flame on its tail flickered brightly as it swung side to side.
"Oh this is so awesome!" Nia was practically drooling at the sight of her long awaited Charmander as it noticed the girl darting forward. "Hi Charmander, I'm Nia and I can't wait to battle alongside you."
Charmander tilted its head in a manner that could only be described as cute before letting out a long chirp, spitting weak cinders into the air. The flame on its tail rose suddenly, making Nia squeal in delight.
"And that's the last one," Professor Oak said as he handed Nia her equipment. "The three of you not only scored well enough on the exam to earn a regional starter, but impressed me enough to be given a sponsorship as well. My lab and all of my knowledge is at your disposal in exchange for your services to enhance my work. The data you collect with your Pokedex's will help me immensely, not to mention being able to study how your Pokémon develop under your care. Of course, how you collect that data is all up to you, but I'm certain you three will do us proud. Ash too, of course, whenever he decides to show up."
"Not like it matters. We've got more important things to deal with because now I can finally do it," Gary cried as he dramatically pointed towards the black haired boy, "Joey, I challenge you to a battle."
Joey blinked, not sure if he'd heard the youngest Oak right.
"Oh come on," Nia complained and at first Joey thought she was coming to his defense until she said, "I was just about to do that. Battle me first!"
"And wash your puny lizard away in one blast? No thanks," Gary scoffed, his Squirtle taking one look at Charmander's dopey grin before shooing it away.
"Did you really just challenge him to a battle in Grampa's lab?" Daisy teased as she climbed down the stairs. "And I thought you had more tact than that Gary. At least make it outside first."
"Are you sure you want to do this Gary?" Joey posed, his half smile up against Gary's full on grin. "I have been training Pokemon for over a year now."
"Maybe you've got Ursaring well trained, but Bulbasaur and Squirtle are both equally new to battling and neither of us have battled with them before. It'll be an even playing field where only the best trainer will come out on top and that's going to be me. At least you'll have the type advantage, even if your Bulbasaur is scared of its own shadow."
"I'm not too sure about that," Nia giggled, not elaborating on which part she was questioning. Gary ignored her teasing and stared his rival down. Joey, after shooting Gary a hard look for insulting his Pokemon, glanced to Bulbasaur and met the plant Pokemon's uncertain gaze before replying.
"Ok Gary, you're on."
"Oh dear," Professor Oak sighed, looking as though he'd expected this outcome despite hoping to avoid it. "I suppose you two can use the back field for your battle if it means keeping my lab in one piece."
Joey felt the man was being a bit overdramatic, but after spending so much time with the Pokemon Professor, that was a given. The group followed Oak outside before Joey and Gary led their new Pokemon to opposite sides of the field. As Squirtle followed Gary's command to step forward, Joey took a few extra seconds to lean down and scratch Bulbasaur behind the ear. He could feel how tense the little grass starter was.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered so the others couldn't overhear. "We can beat them. Just follow my lead and we'll show everyone just how strong you are."
The waver in Bulbasaur's eyes was replaced by a look of determination as all the fear left his body. He trotted forward and took a battle ready stance while Joey and Gary used their Pokedex to review what moves each starter knew. It was so much easier than writing in his notebook as he learned instantly that Bulbasaur knew the moves Tackle, Growl, Vine Whip, and Leech Seed.
Gary's Squirtle gave Bulbasaur a stink eye, which made the grass type growl back. Its trainer didn't seem to care as he was all too eager to partake in his first battle as Professor Oak agreed to be the judge.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road! Squirtle use Tackle," Gary commanded and without delay the tiny turtle Pokémon charged forward. Charged is probably a generous description as its legs were short and not meant for speed outside the water. Knowing his newest team mate wasn't as experienced as Ursaring, Joey made sure Bulbasaur knew to avoid the incoming attack.
Bulbasaur was happy to listen and jumped out of the way with time to spare. Squirtle ran right passed where Bulbasaur had been standing and struggled to turn after him, nearly toppling over in its haste. Seeing an opportunity, Joey took it.
"Knock him over with Vine Whip."
Thin vines snaked through the air and struck Squirtle in the side before it could fully turn around, leaving the poor water type momentarily stunned, but still standing.
Gary was not pleased and called for a Water Gun. Squirtle shook its head and fired a blast of pressurized water too fast for Bulbasaur to dodge, hitting the mark head on and pushing Bulbasaur back a few feet.
"You can take it Bulbasaur. Just stand strong."
Bulbasaur let out a grunt and dug his feet into the soil, his four legs working in unison to prevent the attack from knocking him over. In fact, it didn't look to be doing much damage at all. Joey knew grass types were resilient against water attacks, especially such a weak one, so to Bulbasaur it must have been like getting a cool bath.
Gary didn't seem to notice or care and just encouraged his Squirtle to finish things fast.
"Come on Bulbasaur! You can do it!" Nia cheered from the side.
"Don't make me look bad Gary," Daisy cheered in her own unique way. "If you lose, I'll never live it down."
"Ha, yeah right" Gary laughed as if that was an impossible outcome. "Keep going Squirtle and wash them away."
Gary's Squirtle obliged and continued firing a stream of water onto Bulbasaur for minimal damage. It might have added up after a while, but since Joey had let Bulbasaur tank the attack instead of get pinned at an awkward angle trying to dodge, the sturdy grass type still had some moves left to play.
"Use Leech Seed."
He remembered Teddiursa having issues with moving while using Swift in the beginning that left him a sitting duck, so it wasn't a far reach to assume the same of Squirtle. Gary's mouth suddenly tightened up at the realization he'd been outplayed.
Joey watched with a grin as Bulbasaur, still fending off the constant spray, managed to aim his bulb and fire a brown seed above the stream of water. Gary called for Squirtle to evade it, but his Pokemon only had enough time to stop using Water Gun before it was hit in the face.
Brown and green vines sprouted from the projectile like some kind of living rope, ensnaring the water type until it could no longer move. Red light zapped Squirtle of its remaining energy, siphoning it through the air back to Bulbasaur, who happily sighed as his own stamina began to replenish.
"Squirtle, get it off you! Do something! Rapid Spin!" Squirtle began to panic as it struggled in vain to follow Gary's commands, but wasn't strong enough to break the bonds Leech Seed had created. Before Joey could call his next attack to hopefully finish the fight, Gary held up his pokeball and Squirtle dematerialized in a red light, freeing it from the attack.
Joey was honestly surprised. He thought Gary would have kept going till Squirtle fainted.
"You got lucky," Gary snarled before heading back inside, ignoring Daisy and his grandfather's attempts to stop him. "Next time we battle I won't go so easy on you," he called as the door slammed behind him.
"I'll go talk to him," Professor Oak said after a tense moment and shuffled off to handle his grandson's unsportsman like conduct. Joey was pulled from his thoughts by Bulbasaur as he ran up and butted him in the leg. Joey knelt down and began giving the proud Pokemon some well-deserved pets.
"Good work out there," Joey applauded before reaching into his bag for the container of berries his mother had picked from her garden. "For your first battle, you really have some sweet moves."
Bulbasaur preened under the praise of his trainer, taking the three Oran berries out of Joey's hand and happily munched on the reward for a job well done.
"That. Was. Amazing! You totally cleaned Gary's clock!" Nia was literally bouncing towards him. "It would have been better if I'd been the one to do it, but you can't win them all."
"You think? I do feel a bit bad about how it went. I mean Gary didn't even have the chance to really do anything."
"Don't be," Daisy interrupted, her cute face turning ugly. "Gary's always had a big ego, but it's been getting worse ever since he passed his license exam. Losing to you is just what he needed to get some perspective and remember he's not as good as he thinks. He'll get over it soon enough and realize he was in the wrong. Besides, this will serve as good motivation for him keep working hard. My brother is a lot of things, but a quitter isn't one of them."
Joey didn't know how to respond to that as he returned Bulbasaur to his pokeball with a satisfied look on his face along with a lot of berry juice.
"Well I guess there's no point in waiting for him then," Nia pointed out as she hoisted her bag onto her shoulders. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bus to catch."
"You're taking the bus?" Joey repeated to make sure he heard right, only for Nia to nod enthusiastically.
"It's the fastest way to get from Pallet Town to Viridian without a car and I plan to reach the Viridian Forest before lunch. I'll be in Pewter City and earn my first badge in no time after that."
"Oh," Joey stated, trying to hold back his disappointment. "I thought we might travel together for a bit."
"I know, but if I'm going to prove myself as a real trainer and not just another Joy, then I need to beat the gyms as soon as possible. You understand, right?"
Nia played with her pink hair and had the decency to at least look a little sorry, but Joey couldn't hold the decision against her. It was her journey and she had to do things her way.
"Then at least let's walk back to the main road together?" Joey proposed and together the two bid Daisy goodbye as they started down the lab's long set of stairs. Once they reached the bottom, Nia enveloped Joey in another tight hug.
"You'd better get a heck of a lot stronger the next time I see you," she demanded in a friendly tone. "I don't want to hear any excuses when I beat you."
She then took off back into town, rushing to catch the last morning bus out of Pallet. Joey waited until she was out of sight to turn back around and face the open dirt path that led to Route One. It looked a lot bigger than when his uncle drove by it.
As Joey swallowed his nerves, his hands reached for the two pokeballs on his belt and pressed the release buttons.
Both Ursaring and Bulbasaur appeared by his sides, the latter taking one good look at the nine and half foot tall beast beside him before cowering against Joey's leg.
"Ursa… ring?" Joey's partner shot him a confused expression as he tried to get a better look at the timid Pokemon, tapping a claw against his face.
"I know bud, but he's probably never seen a Pokemon your size before," Joey explained, hoping to soften the blow to Ursaring's ego. "Just take it slow."
Joey then knelt down and removed Bulbasaur from his leg. "And Bulbasaur, this is Ursaring. He was my first Pokemon and the one I said was excited to meet you. Go introduce yourself."
At the behest of his trainer, Bulbasaur took a cautious step forward, then another, and then another. He was clearly trying to keep from looking Ursaring in the eye, but eventually gave into the temptation.
Joey quickly signaled his starter from behind to be gentle. Ursaring glanced between Joey and Bulbasaur, appearing to get the message as he got down on all fours to try looking smaller. His large rump teetered back and forth, making for a very amusing scene that seemed to put Bulbasaur at ease. Seeing Bulbasaur perk up, Ursaring offered a tiny smile that only showed a fraction of his many sharp teeth.
The grass type didn't look ready to flee anymore, which Joey took as a good sign, while both Pokemon began to converse.
Joey tried to decipher what they were talking about, but judged it was going well by Ursaring's mannerisms. Bulbasaur was speaking about something with enthusiasm after only a few minutes and Ursaring was happy to do so in kind, no longer crouched down and sitting at half his full height. Eventually Bulbasaur ran back up to Joey with shimmering eyes as he chanted excitedly.
Joey stared at his partner. "Just what did you tell him?"
"Ursaring," the large Pokemon chuckled and gave Joey a thumbs up, further adding to Joey's confusion. Bulbasaur calmed down enough to point a stubby clawed foot at Ursaring, then himself.
"Oh, he said you could be big and strong like him someday?"
Both Pokemon nodded, satisfied Joey had gotten the message. "Well you did start out just as small as he did," Joey mused before putting on his own grin, making Bulbasaur growl with even more energy. "And he's right. We're all going to get a lot stronger as a team, one step at a time. So let's get going and see where this road will take us."
Ursaring and Bulbasaur both growled in agreement as they followed after Joey down the slope on the road to Viridian city.
XXX
And thus completes the first chapter of the Journey Arc!
This is the first chapter that is an actual rewrite of the old version, so hopefully there is some improvement since then. I did take a few pieces from the original and tried to rework them, but I promise it won't be like that for every chapter.
Bulbasaur once again is Joey's starter Pokemon, winning by a single vote! Thank you to everyone who voted and for those who wanted Charmander, don't lose hope as anything is possible. I do have some cool ideas for Bulbasaur this time around that I think will make it a lot more fun for me to write.
Also, I've decided to consider using a Beta Reader on this story as I've gotten several good comments with really in depth feedback on how to improve the story that I would have loved to hear before writing certain chapters, both on this one and the original.
If you're interested, please shoot me a PM that includes an example of the feedback you'd be able to provide (suggestions on future captures, ideas for how to implement certain Kanto specific plot points like St. Anne or Lavender Town, or simply an in depth explanation of future ideas you'd like to suggest).