Taming the Primals

A/n: After three years of reading amazing fanfics on this site I decided to finally give it a go at writing one! The rating on this story is T because there will be some swearing, eventual ships, and heavier topics in here. As a warning I generally suck at summaries, so I'll do my best here (p.s. this story is gonna be a bit of a self-insert).

Brendan has always wanted to go on a Pokémon journey, like his parents did when they were kids, and now that he's 16 he and his friends from Nuevema town can start their journeys after the holidays. However, a Christmas trip to Alola might just throw a wrench in Brendan's plans. Now he has to adjust to a new life in a new region while on his journey, and there is more danger and action then Brendan could ever expect waiting around the corner. Can Brendan become a Great trainer despite all this?


Prologue; The big news

(3rd person pov)

When Brendan finally started to wake from an uneasy sleep, it took him a few minutes to realize that he was on a plane. Then Brendan realized he didn't even remember arriving at the airport, much less going through security, or boarding the plane. He looked around and saw his mom sleeping in her seat next to him, and his dad working on his laptop (like he had been doing practically nonstop for months) in his seat at the end of the row. Brendan started to wake his mother by lightly shaking her shoulder, and when she startled awake, he groggily asked her

"Mom? When'd we get on a plane, or even to the airport, and where are we going?"

"oh, sorry for surprising you dear, you were still half asleep when we told you, and still were until now." His mother said, "we got on the plane about an hour ago, and as for where we are going, we're going on a little surprise trip your aunt planed for us! She said she wanted us all to be together on Christmas!"

At this, Brendan snapped to full alertness. He was ecstatic! It had been ages since his aunt Beatrix and his cousins Hop, Gloria, and Leon! He also hoped he would see his grandparents, Grandpa Brandon (after whom Brendan was named) and Grandma Elizabeth, the two of them ran a nursery outside Goldenrod city in Johto, and because his family lived in Unova he rarely saw them.

"Are Grandpa and grandma gonna be there? Are we flying to Galar or Johto? This trip is gonna be awesome!" Brendan asked/exclaimed in rapid succession.

At this his mother said, "No pumpkin, grandma and grandpa aren't going to be there, and we aren't going to Galar or Jhoto."

"Well, wherever we are going, it'll be fun I bet! I can't wait to see Aunt Trixie, Hoppy, Lee, and Gloria again!" Brendan shouted in excitement.

With a look of realization his mother said "Oh pumpkin, I should've been clearer, your Aunt Lusamine planned this trip, not your father's sister. But isn't it exciting, we're going to Alola!"

"Aw man, you didn't tell me we were spending the holidays with uncle Mohn's Froslass of a wife!" Brendan moaned.

"You watch your tongue young man! Your aunt graciously paid for our trip so we could visit her and your cousins, be grateful!" his mother scolded him.

"But mom, Lusamine is so dull, prissy, and controlling! Tell her dad!" Brendan exclaimed.

Without even looking away from his laptop his father said "Johanna, you have to admit that Godzillamine is an utter bi-"

"Norman!"

"What? I was gonna say busy-body"

"No, you weren't" Johanna sighed. "stop acting like babies you two, Lusamine is not that bad, you're just over-reacting!"

"Tell us that after you've been around her for more than an hour." Brendan and Norman muttered simultaneously.

"At any rate," Johanna said while ignoring her husband and son's plaintive comment, "we have nine hours left on our flight. Get comfortable, relax, and for Arceus' sake stop acting like petulant children."

"whatever," Brendan muttered under his breath "this vacation 'll probably suck anyways." And with that Brendan pulled out his Nintendo Switch and booted up 'The Legend of Zelda; Breath of the wild'.


Time skip 9 hours (3:15pm Alola standard time)

Brendan Stretched and yawned as he got off the plane. As his parents and himself exited the gate, he noticed his "Aunt" (in reality she was just his maternal uncle's wife) Lusamine, and his cousins Lillie and Gladion waiting for them.

"Johanna, Norman, Brendan, over here!" Lusamine called.

"Lusamine! Hello, how are you and the kids!?" Johanna squealed as she ran over to hug her sister-in-law.

"The children and I are quite well, thank you. How are you three feeling?" Lusamine asked.

"We're doing great!" Brendan's mother exclaimed. Johanna then turned to her son and said, "Brendan don't be rude, say hello to your aunt and cousins!"

Brendan mentally rolled his eyes and as politely as he could manage, he said "Hello Aunt Lusamine, hello Lillie and Gladion." Brendan hated speaking so formally, but his aunt was a stickler for manners and formality, and she would often force him to act like a "perfect little gentleman" whenever he and his parents would come to visit.

His cousins and aunt returned the formal greeting, then his aunt and parents got distracted catching up. While his aunt was distracted, he quietly and far more enthusiastically whispered to his cousins "hey guys it's great to see you!"

His cousins whispered back "it's great to see you too!"

Brendan and his cousins began to chat about whatever came to mind while their parents chattered away, Brendan knew that chatting and hanging out with his cousins was probably going to be the only good parts of this trip…


Time skip 1 week (December 24, 8:30pm AST)

So far Brendan's predictions about the trip were accurate, it was a nightmare (at least for him, Gladion, and Lillie it was). As of yet, they had been forced to attend several Ather foundation board meetings (oh the perks of having a relative who is the president of an inter-regional corporation), stuffed into suits (or a dress in Lillie's case) and dragged to multiple extremely formal galas, and his Aunt and mother hauled them along on three long and boring shopping trips.

The worst part was that Brendan wasn't allowed to play with any Pokémon! His father claimed he needed his, but all he had been doing was working on his laptop (what had he even been doing all this time?). he was also forbidden from going near the workers' Pokémon and the Pokémon in the conservatory, as "he might hurt or get hurt by the Pokémon!" the second Bouffalant-shit for two reasons; A) he had been raised around, and taught to handle Pokémon from a young age, and B) He was sixteen! Well over the age to get a trainer's license (The only reason he hadn't yet was because his parents wanted him to get his G.E.D. first, so that he had options). The only good parts of the trip were when his cousins and himself were without adult supervision, like when the three of them were allowed to go to Hau'oli beach.

Brendan and Gladion had been sent to bed, and once they were settled and sure that their parents had retreated to their rooms, Brendan pulled out his switch, passed Gladion a controller, and booted up 'Super smash bros. Ultimate'. Around 10:30 Gladion turned to his cousin and said, "You know, if my mom catches us, we are so dead right?"

Brendan just rolled his eyes and asked, "why does your mom even make you go to bed at eight-o'-clock anyways?"

"I dunno, what's your usual bedtime?"

"Around 9:30 to 10:00, it depends."

"What, you're serious!? Man, my mom's the worst!" Gladion lamented.

"Yeah…she kinda is." Brendan nodded in agreement. "but you're probably right, we should get some sleep. Goodnight, Glads." Brendan said as he powered of the switch and climbed into bed.

"Night, ren" Gladion replied.

As he lay in the air-mattress he was sleeping on in Gladion's room, Brendan couldn't help but dread whatever tomorrow might bring, despite it being Christmas tomorrow.


Time skip, the next morning (Dec 25 8:15am AST)

So far, the morning had been actually decent! They had pound cake for breakfast, drank hot cocoa, and started to open presents. Brendan's gifts filled him with excitement, it looked like his parents had gotten him everything he would need for a journey! So far, he'd gotten a tent, a sleeping bag, cooking utensils, a pot and a pan, a portable cooking stove, a backpack with seemingly infinite storage capacity, a few adventuring outfits (think Brendan's outfit in OrAs), a hat (the hat most people mistake for Brendan's hair), and a clothesline. He was a little confused as to why Lusamine had gotten him a Pokénav, as that was the communicator style for Hoenn not Unova; however, Gladion and Lillie had pooled their money together to get him a brand new Rotom-laptop. He felt bad that they got him a super expensive gift, while he only got Gladion a new hoodie (the one he always wears) and another bag with practically infinite storage for Lillie.

"There are still a few surprises for you Brendan, let me go get your grandparents' gift." His mother cooed.

When she returned the was carrying a letter and three, large, covered cylindrical tanks. She handed him the letter and he began to read aloud:

"Dear Brendan,

We wanted to give you a very special gift before you set off on your very own journey! We want you to know that we love you and will always support you no matter where your journey takes you. With that in mind you may now uncover your gift-" Brendan paused and carefully uncovered the canisters. What he saw shocked and delighted him.

"as you can see, we have gotten you three Pokémon eggs, we are not sure what the first two will hatch into, however, we do know for a fact that the third egg will hatch into an Axew! Mr. Drayden (yes, the Unova gym leader) had us breed his Haxorus for him and allowed us to give you the extra egg. He said he would be glad to give a new trainer one of their first Pokémon! Best wishes, and good luck out there!

Love grandpa Dan, and granny Liz."

"Oh, my Arceus! Thank you, gran, and gramps!" Brendan shouted with glee.

"that's not all though…" his mother said to add suspense. "your father has a new position as a gym leader, and we are going to be moving!"

"that's awesome dad, Congrats!" Brendan said with excitement. "are we moving to Castellia city or Nimbassa city?"

"neither." His dad said casually.

"Then where are we moving? Those are the only cities back home that need gym leaders…" Brendan pondered.

"that's because I got the job as the gym leader for Petalburg city in the Hoenn region!" Brendan's father exclaimed.

"Surprise!" his mother shouted.

"What, I'm supposed to go on a journey with Bianca, Cheren, and Hilbert next month!" Brendan shouted in shock

"I know kiddo," his father said trying to comfort his boy, "but everything is final. But hey, you can still go on a journey in Hoenn!"

"But the four of us have been planning this since we were Eleven!" Brendan cried in dismay.

"I know baby," his mother said, pitying her son's predicament "But we've already sold the house, we have three months to pack up and leave. On the bright side, we've already got your trainer's license and you'll still be able to go on a journey"

"But what do I tell my friends…" Brendan muttered, still shell-shocked.

"I do not see why the boy is being allowed to go on a journey in the first place. I-" Lusamine chimed in with a haughty tone.

"Can it Lusamine! This is a Maple family discussion, that means me, my wife, and my son, stay out of it!" Norman snapped.

Lusamine turned purple in outrage and embarrassment but remained silent.

After a few minutes Brendan tentatively said "Well, it's not Unnova, but I'll make the most of it."

Norman's expression changed to one of pleased surprise. "Thank you, kiddo you won't regret it! To make things up to you I'm going to have my old pal Eugene Birch give you a Pokémon!"

"wait, Birch as in Professor Birch of the Hoenn region? Since when are you friends with a regional professor!? Brendan exclaimed in shock.

"Since we were kids" was Norman's reply.

"Wow, maybe this move won't be so bad then…"

"that's the spirit pumpkin!" Johanna proudly chirped. "you three go and play, and Brendan, don't forget to pack this evening, our flight back home leaves tomorrow afternoon!"

As he and his cousins left to walk around Ather paradise, Brendan began to feel a surge of hope. Maybe, just maybe, a fresh start in a new region would be good. However, he would have to explain his situation to his friends, he wasn't looking forward to that. He also felt like it would be unbearable to say goodbye to them, especially Bianca, whom he had a major crush on. Cheren knew this and Hilbert suspected this, but Bianca was oblivious to it. He decided then and there that he would tell her how he felt before he left for Hoenn…


A/n;

Alright, before I go, I want to thank you guys for reading to the end. I know there is a lot of exposition in this chapter, but it's necessary to understand where I am headed with this story. If you have any suggestions as to how I can improve the story, please by all means leave a review. As one last thing, while I have decided what will hatch from one of the eggs, the other two I can't seem to decide on, so please feel free to vote between these four Pokémon:

Riolu

Swinub

Rookidee

Toxel

And with that I bid you adieu, till next time!

Edited; 23/01/2023