I do not own Pokémon. Credit goes to Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak.
Four years have passed and today was the day Leaf was going to begin her Pokémon journey.
She checked her messenger bag in her bedroom. While Cleffa sat next to her on the bed, she took the time to examine her wallet and her Pokégear before sliding each of them into the pockets of her bag where she could access them easily. She scooped several Poké Balls and stashed them into one of the exterior pouches of her messenger bag. She packed a few Potions in her bag's medicine pouch before she closed it.
She reached for a hairbrush and brushed the knots out of her waist-length brown hair. After she set down her brush, she slipped out of her pajamas and put on a sleeveless turquoise shirt with a black trim around the collar and hem. She slipped into a red miniskirt with pleats on its back. She reached for a pair of loose turquoise socks and slid them on her feet before she grabbed a pair of black wristbands from her bed to put onto her wrists. To finish the look, Leaf grabbed a white bucket hat trimmed with a red stripe embellishing the Poké Ball logo. Her brown eyes locked onto Cleffa and she brushed her hand along its head.
"You wanna come down for breakfast?" Leaf asked.
"Cleffa!" Cleffa jumped up and down happily, "Cleffa!"
Leaf slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and left her bedroom with her Cleffa following close behind. They descended the staircase and made their way to the dining room, where Kisa was sipping coffee with a piece of toast on her saucer and Oliver was preparing some congee in a pot.
"Morning, dad," Leaf fluttered her hand happily.
Her dad made a brief glance at Leaf.
"Morning, Leaf," Oliver replied, "I just finished your congee and it should be ready."
"Thanks!" Leaf chirped.
Leaf sat down at the table and gave her bowl of congee a little stir, relishing the sight of mushrooms, soybeans and fish, her favorite congee toppings. Cleffa sat down on the booster seat attached to a chair next to her. It was only minutes later when Oliver finished cooking his serving of congee and poured the contents into his bowl, sitting down across from his wife. Leaf noted another bowl of congee and nudged it towards her Cleffa.
"Careful, buddy," she advised, "it's really hot."
Cleffa sniffed at its congee with diced Hondew berries mixed in while Leaf blew at a spoonful a few times before taking a bite. As they savored the meal together, Kisa reached for the envelope and nudged it towards Leaf.
"This came from the school this morning," Kisa explained, "I'm sure the professor's waiting for you at his lab."
Leaf took a moment to open the envelope. She smiled when she pulled out her Trainer's License.
"I-I'll be sure to…stop by the lab," she replied as she rocked back and forth.
Leaf didn't take much long to finish her breakfast. She tilted her head towards Cleffa and smiled as it rubbed its sated belly. She took a moment to tuck her new license into her wallet.
From there, Leaf followed her mom straight to the front door. Stepping down onto the genkan, the young girl put on a pair of white slippers embellished with a red stripe and dark grey soles.
"Now," Kisa told her daughter, "you have your Pokégear with you, right?"
"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.
She turned to give her mom a hug.
"Now once you're done visiting Professor Oak," Kisa added, "you'll come back here to say a proper goodbye before you set off, ok?"
"Ok," Leaf smiled, "I'll be right back!"
Kisa released her daughter from her embrace, so Leaf stepped out of the house and wandered through Pallet Town. It didn't take long for them to find the laboratory. They set foot inside, only to notice two boys standing before Professor Oak. She watched curiously as the professor handed them each a Pokédex.
"Hey," Gary grinned, "thanks, Gramps!"
Finally, he had it. Gary couldn't help but stare at the Pokédex he had in his hand. He had seen his grandfather work on it whenever he wasn't showing Leaf how to take care of the Pokémon out in the yard. Red, who was now standing at his side with his own Pokédex in hand, made a brief glance at Leaf and smiled at her.
"M-Morning, Red!" Leaf chirped nervously.
Professor Oak then focused his gaze at the young girl.
"Why, hello," he greeted, "you're just in the nick of time as I'm handing out these wonderful Pokédexes."
Leaf tilted her head slightly.
"Pokédex?" Leaf paused.
Leaf approached Professor Oak as he reached for another Pokédex and handed it to her.
"These encyclopedias, which you can call a Pokédex, will help you along in your travel," Professor Oak explained, "they'll give you the type of Pokémon you meet, and they'll give you information about the moves the Pokémon you catch know. Take good care of it."
"Sure," Gary promised, just as Red did.
He certainly was glad to have the Dex, and his license his grandfather handed him the day before, though it wasn't going to be the highlight of the day.
"But before you go," Samuel added, "you three need to pick your own Pokémon. I can't let you go on your journey without a Pokémon to accompany you."
Leaf happily fluttered her hands, still keeping a firm grip on her Pokédex. The Pokémon professor turned his gaze to the oblong table holding three Poké Balls.
"When I was young," he continued, "I used to be a serious Pokémon trainer. But now, in my old age, these are the three I have left. As such, you may pick only one."
Gary tilted his head towards Leaf and winked at her.
"Ok," Gary proclaimed, "ladies first!"
Leaf stashed the Pokédex into her messenger bag before she approached the table. She examined each Poké Ball and read the labels in front of them. She reminisced on the days when she could see them during her visits at the lab during the weekend. Then again, there was one particular Pokémon that she felt drawn to the most.
She soon grabbed the Poké Ball containing a Bulbasaur.
"Seriously?" Gary sighed, "Bulbasaur?"
Red elbowed Gary in the side.
"Don't question it," he grumbled.
While Leaf took a step back, Red strolled over to the table. He examined two of the Poké Balls in a moment of silence before he picked up the one in the middle.
"I'll pick this Charmander," he said.
With that, Gary smirked. The instant his rival took a step back, the redhead bolted for the table and grabbed the last Poké Ball.
"Thanks for the opportunity for me to pick this Squirtle," Gary teased.
The redhead aimed the Poké Ball at his rival.
"Hey, Red," Blue beckoned, "why don't we have a battle right now?"
Professor Oak facepalmed while Leaf gave the boys a blank stare.
"Not in the lab, boys," the professor scolded, "take the battle outside."
Red and Gary returned their gaze to Professor Oak.
"Fine," Gary muttered.
Gary trudged out of the lab with Red following close behind. Professor Oak sighed before he and Leaf walked side by side to the front door. Setting foot outside, they watched as the boys made a battle stance in the town square.
"Am I actually going to see a Pokémon battle?" Leaf blurted, "for real?"
Leaf fiddled with her Poké Ball until it opened up and summoned the Bulbasaur. The grassy amphibian stared deeply at her new trainer while she crouched to the ground.
"Morning, Bulbasaur," Leaf greeted with a smile, "I'm excited to travel with you. Are you?"
A moment of silence passed as Bulbasaur blinked twice.
"Bulba!"
Bulbasaur pulled out a vine and offered its tip, allowing Leaf to shake it.
"I'll take good care of you," Leaf added, "and we're going to have lots of fun!"
"Saur!"
Leaf scooped Bulbasaur into her arms and stood up before she returned her gaze to Red and Gary, who sent out their Charmander and Squirtle respectively. A middle-aged man standing near the town's welcome sign glanced over his shoulder and noticed the two boys, so he stepped over to the edge of the town square.
"Hey," he called over, "are you two battling?"
Gary and Red made a brief glance at the middle-aged man.
"Well, duh," Gary shrugged.
Red smirked and shook his head to himself.
"This a good spot, sir?"
The middle-aged man nodded as the boys returned their gaze to each other.
"All right," he proclaimed, "let's begin this challenge with Satoshi Akai, aka Red, versus Gary Oak of Pallet Town."
The makeshift referee extended his arm forward.
"Begin!"
Gary pointed to Charmander.
"Let's go, Squirtle! Get it!"
Squirtle didn't hesitate to charge at the fire lizard, who was scratching the ground in anticipation.
"Use Scratch!" Red commanded.
As soon as Squirtle got up close, Charmander swiped its claws hard.
"Tackle!"
The Squirtle blocked the claws with its shell before lunging towards it. With a heavy blow, Charmander crashed into the ground, but quickly got back to its feet, growling at its opponent. The fire lizard taunted Squirtle to come at it with its claw.
"Char…"
"Tackle again!"
Squirtle charged towards it obediently. Charmander jumped out of the way before Squirtle could ram into it again. The fire lizard then swiped its claws at the water turtle, leaving welts in its head. It yelped and attempted to lunge at it again, withdrawing into its shell briefly. Charmander thought over its strategy for a few seconds before it moved the tip of its tail closer to Squirtle's shell. After a few seconds, Squirtle popped its head out in an attempt to bite the tail, but the fire lizard quickly yanked the tail out of the way before its opponent could get the chance.
Squirtle realized its mistake and tried to roll, tucking back into its shell and seeing if it could lunge for another Tackle. Charmander leapt up and landed onto the water turtle's shell, though Squirtle stayed tucked in once he felt the contact. The fire lizard kept a tight grip even as Squirtle started spinning. Gary smirked at Red.
"Slam him into the ground!" Gary commanded.
Squirtle attempted to keep spinning. Not a second later, the water turtle leapt up, head and limbs emerging from his shell and rammed Charmander into the ground. He jumped back after the impact to watch the lizard. Red grimaced as his starter Pokémon growled in pain.
"Come on, Charmander," Red encouraged, "get up! We can do this!"
After a matter of seconds, Charmander slowly staggered back to his feet and let out a harrumph. Squirtle glared at his opponent as he scratched the ground, waiting for his next command.
"Tackle again!"
Squirtle charged at Charmander.
"Scratch," Red instructed, "and break his defenses!"
Squirtle turned until his shell faced Charmander, but the fire lizard kicked his opponent in the side. Charmander then swiped his claws again, landing successful hits on the water turtle. Squirtle bit one of Charmander's arms, but realized his mistake when the fire lizard landed another successful Scratch on him. The water turtle tried to scramble away, but another Scratch from Charmander knocked him down for the count.
"Squirtle is unable to battle, Charmander wins!" the referee announced, pointing at Red as the victor.
Gary's eyes widened in shock and disappointment, withdrawing his fainted Squirtle into his Poké Ball.
"What?!" Gary exclaimed, "did I pick the wrong Pokémon?!"
Red crouched down and gave his Charmander a pat on the head.
"Nah," Red remarked, "it's just a matter of luck."
Professor Oak ushered Leaf, Red and Gary back into the lab shortly after the first battle was concluded. The professor took Charmander and Squirtle over to the healing machine.
"I'm sure that was a great learning experience for everyone?"
Red and Gary nodded while the redhead scratched his head.
"I'm…amazed Charmander beat Squirtle," Leaf admitted, "even if Squirtle had the type advantage."
"Can't accuse you of cheating," Gary huffed, "can I, dude?"
Red simply shrugged. Leaf took a moment to adjust her hat. After a few minutes, a beeping sound came from the healing machine, so Professor Oak handed Charmander and Squirtle back to the boys.
"Now, you three need to listen carefully," Professor Oak warned, "right now, Team Rocket is at large."
"Team…Rocket?" Gary paused.
Leaf froze and her eyes widened. She lowered her gaze to the floor, trying to hide her fear.
"Are they that bad?" Red pondered.
"This is serious," the professor insisted, "we have more and more reports of Team Rocket activity. Even though their actions take place in the entire region, they seem to be elusive to the point the police can't do anything to stop them."
Leaf hugged her arms to her chest.
"They will attack any trainer unprepared and steal their Pokémon," Professor Oak continued, "but that's not the only thing they could do to you."
Professor Oak noticed as Leaf shivered in fear.
"Especially Leaf," the professor added, "she's much more vulnerable than the both of you."
Red and Gary shared a brief glance to understand what the Pokémon professor meant. They did recall the times they noticed Leaf's odd habits and strange ways she processed the world in her head. The Bulbasaur studied his trainer and huddled up to her reassuringly.
"Saur?"
Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and glanced down at her Bulbasaur, giving her gentle pats on the head.
"I see what you mean," Red assured Oak, "we'll stick together, and that's a promise."
"I'm sure you three will make a great team," the professor nodded in agreement.
"Fine," Gary groaned as he facepalmed.
"Of course," Professor Oak continued, "while your Pokédex can record plenty of details of Pokémon you see, it's a matter of deciding which Pokémon you think you have the capacity to care for. When that happens, you'll have to catch said Pokémon, right?"
"Yeah, that's right," Leaf nodded.
Leaf opened up her messenger bag and showcased the supplies she managed to stock up, eliciting befuddled looks on Gary and Red's faces. Professor Oak guffawed at the sight.
"My," he commented, "aren't you well prepared, young lady?"
"Dang," Red nodded as his expression changed to hint how impressed he was, "nice."
As Leaf closed her messenger bag, Professor Oak stepped towards the desk and pulled out ten Poké Balls, handing five of them to each of the boys.
"Now," Professor Oak continued, "when a wild Pokémon appears—"
"It's fair game," Gary interrupted, "I get it. You weaken it first, and then you catch it with a Poké Ball."
Leaf sighed as she facepalmed.
"No, idiot," Red shook his head, "you can't just go charging into the fray."
The Professor turned his gaze to Leaf.
"Would you like to give us your input?"
Leaf thought over the question as she tapped her foot.
"I guess," she stammered, "you start by approaching it with caution so you don't startle it?"
"Yeah, you don't want it to run," Red agreed, "you gotta get it interested in battle, preferably without triggering its territorial or egg-protective state."
Professor Oak nodded as he placed his hand on Red's shoulder.
"I'm glad you kids have a grasp on what I could ever ask of you," he said, "I'll wish you good luck on your journey."
Leaf took a moment to enter Professor Oak's number into her Pokégear while Red and Gary accepted a handful of Potions from the professor's assistant. Once Professor Oak waved goodbye to the three new trainers, they made their way outside of the lab.
"Hey," Red asked Leaf, "you wanna stop by your house and say goodbye to your parents?"
Feel free to drop a review, because Leaf and Mewtwo could use them to offer each other emotional support!