Chapter Text
She learned early on that she was absolutely, 100% lost. It felt like she and her mother lived in the middle of a small city and, according to a helpful little kid, the professor lived on the outskirts. Only problem is that she didn’t know which outskirts. Sighing, she scratches her neck, fingers tangling into hair she wasn’t use to.
“You sure do sigh a lot for a pretty girl.” The boy who spoke was cute, if not baby faced. His hair fell around his ears in messy curls, the honey brown hues looking lighter in the sunlight. He was tall, in that boyish way, not super lanky but built like a runner. The baby face made it hard to pinpoint his actual age.
“So? What of it?” Years of cat calling made her jaded when boys try and chat with her, she felt her hackles rise in challenge.
“Haha,” The boy seemed to be easy going, not even flinching at her prickly words. “Nothing, sorry. Are you lost? I can point you in the right direction.”
She looked him up and down discretely, he was wearing a uniform of some sorts. All brown, almost looked like a jumpsuit, a blue and white bird etched into the shirt with ‘Reliable Deliveries’ underneath, a pair of brown worker boots completed the outfit. He also carried a heavy looking box in his arms, something that big would prevent him from running after her. Good.
“Uh…” But should she trust him? At least with directions she could. “Yeah, I need to get to Professor Oak’s lab? I’m picking up my starter today…”
“Ohh, a new trainer!” The guy adjusts his package, shifting his weight when he does. She also shifts her weight, onto the balls of her feet, in case she had to run for it. “Did you forget the way though? Aren’t new trainers suppose to go to the professors house three times a week to get acquainted with their Pokémon first?”
“Uh… I’m bad at directions?” She just really wished that this guy would tell her where to go so she can go now.
“Oh, well then.” There was his easy going smile again, and he starts walking down the street. “I’ll take you there.”
“No, no, that’s fine. Just point the general direction and I’ll be fine.”
“Nonsense, I’m going that way too. I have to make a delivery to the Professor anyways, so two Pidgey, one stone.” Well shit, man.
“Uh… Alright then…” And then she finds herself following this strange, happy man down the street. They were walking for a few minutes before the man spoke again.
“So are you excited to start your journey?”
“Yeah, totally.” Please stop talking to me.
“What’s your starter going to be?”
“What was yours?” She countered, one hand tightening on her bag strap.
“Hm? Oh!” He never lost his easy-going smile, she even noticed the girls they passed would smile bashfully back. “I’ve had Mona since I was a little kid, the cutest little Wingull. My father gave her to me when I started learning about the family business.”
“Oh?” From her understanding people couldn’t get Pokémon until they were 18? Maybe? She was seriously confused.
“Yeah. See, our family business is Reliable Deliveries, and our Pokémon typically do the deliveries. We specialize with Pelipper because they’re known to hold packages, eggs, and baby Pokémon. So, since I’m going to inherit the family business, dear old dad got me Polly.”
“And why isn’t … Polly… delivering the package instead?” Not that she cared, but he was taking her to where she needed to go. And while she didn’t want to talk to him, it beat awkward silence.
“Oh, Polly has a fever right now,” Was his easy answer, he pauses a moment to adjust his package. An even as she made that observation it sounded dirty. “She recently evolved and she isn’t use to her new body yet. Mild fever is typical, so it isn’t anything to worry about. Until she’s better I’m just doing the close to home deliveries.”
“That’s… actually very kind of you.” They fell into a sort of calm silence, or maybe she was just so deep into her thoughts that she didn’t hear anything he might have said.
See, Rin is confused. She grew up with Pokémon, just like other children, but she never had dreamed about wanting to live with them. She was that child that cried and cried and cried when she thought she was taking them away from their families. While she didn’t cry much anymore the thought still made her unbearably sad.
To see someone, someone who was born and raised in this world, treat their Pokémon with kindness and respect made her feel more hopeful about her situation. These thoughts clouded her mind as they reached a winding driveway, and still when they entered the mansion-esc building.
The professor’s lab seemed to be set up like how it was in the game. The first half of the building had tall bookshelves, scattered desks filled with piles of papers, and aids running this way and that. When they saw the two they whisked the delivery boy away and told her to head through the large arced doorway that split the book shelved walls.
In the back was a little different. There was a grand staircase right in front of the doorway that split in two at the top, it had a nice red rug separating feet from wood and lovely looking mahogany banisters. To the right of the staircases was a hallway with three closed doors; Rin’s fingers itched to open them but managed to not. To the left, there was a short hallway that had only one archway doorway; from what she could see it looked like a lab. She went there.
The room was far bigger than she was prepared for, with a large bay window at the far end that looked out to a split image of the city and hills of grass. Along the rest of the walls were tools and cabinets befitting a laboratory, and for some reason it was obnoxiously cold. She liked it.
Sitting in the middle of the lab was a medical table with three inconspicuous white boxes, each one having a different colored top; green, red, and blue. She could probably assume that those were her Pokémon. Weren’t Pokéballs supposed to be round?
“Hello?” She enters the lab a little more, shifting and shoving her hands deeper into her pockets. When no one answers she tries again. “Anyone here? My name-“
“Who are you?” The interrupting voice sounded colder than the room; Rin’s fingers twitched again. When she didn’t answer it took on an annoyed tone. “Well?”
She turns around, trying to locate the voice. It was a kid, no older than ten, with wild ginger hair and an annoyed frown on his face. He was standing on the last step of the stairs, one hand gripping the hand rail and the other shoved into his short pocket. He honestly looked like a prat.
“I’m looking for professor Oak.” The boy’s scowl deepens, and it caused Rin’s eyebrow to rise. “Who are you?”
“I’m the best trainer in the world!” Jumping off the last step he stalks into the lab, doing an odd mix of puffing out his chest and trying to keep his scowl in place. He reminded her of those little kittens that were fluffed up because they got scared. Cute.
She tries not to smile, but can tell she fails when his face flushes red.
“Well, Master Trainer,” Maybe this title will smooth any ruffled feathers. “Can you get the professor for me?”
His face started to resemble a tomato, but he still ran off through a doorway near the windows; a doorway she didn’t see due to the cabinet placements. Until he came back she wasn’t sure what else to do, so she just shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and slowly rotated to look at everything. Other than the low hum of the computers it was awfully quiet. Despite looking around she was starting to doze.
“Ah, you must be Rin!” A voice startled her out of her doze, and she whips around quickly, trying not to look like she got surprised. Holding the hand of the little boy, this handsome silver fox wore a doctor’s lab coat and a nice black-slacks-light-blue-collared-shirt combo. “And I see you’ve met my grandson, Ash.”
Wait, wasn’t that the name of the main character?
Were you going to rely on the gameplay to get you through this?
No… No, not exactly. But I was hoping to not be blindsided.
The look on her face must have exposed her line of thinking because he laughs good heartedly.
“Yes, my daughter and son-in-law decided to name him Ash, after the Hero. Just like my parents name me Samuel, after my grandfather’s grandfather.”
Not like I needed their life stories.
Not like it hurt any to hear it.
Goodness was that inner voice mean.
“Well, then, Rin.” His gentle prompting pulled her attention back to him. “Its now time to officially choose your Pokémon. Are you ready?”
“Officially?” The word caught her attention more than his handsome face. Squinting her eyes at him, she watches as he moves to the medical table. “What does that mean? Did I already choose my starter?”
That would be bad.
“Well, no. Not exactly,” Going into lecture mode, the professor continued. “Everyone who is interested in becoming a Pokémon trainer, as you know, has to go through training once they turn ten. It takes almost a decade for the training to be completed, and their national rank determines what they’re able to start with. It doesn’t affect what Pokémon they’re able to get later on in their journey, just the one they start with.
“The top 1% are able to start with any baby Pokémon, they also get the added pleasure of being able to go with a dragon type if they so choose so. Most 1 percenters usually do, and they’re eligible for every license- the trainer, breeder, and contester- as well as the pleasure of being able to get free access to the Pokémon center. The top 5% are unable to get dragons, but unlike everyone else they’re able to choose Fairy or Dark types; they, too, are able to get all the licenses if they so choose to. The top 10% have the option of Psychic and Fighting, and they’re the last ranks that can get breeder licenses, everyone else cannot.
“The top 15% are able to get steel, electric, or anything else that isn’t for the top 10 and above. So they can’t choose dragons, fairy, dark, psychic, or fighting, but they’re able to choose anything else. They are also only able to choose the trainer license, the contester, or both.
“The top 20%, which you’re in have the options of the typical starters, and they’re the threshold for contesters. As you know, you’re still able to have free access to the Pokémon centers- everyone from 25% and up are able- and you can have the option of either one of the typical starters or any others that are lower than your current rank.
“The top 25% have the choice of any starter, as well as those below their rank, and they’re the last group that can use the Pokémon centers for free. Top 50% have water types or lower, top 75% is grass, and top 85% is bug. Now the top 85% is also the threshold of the trainer license. If anyone falls below 85% they have to either continue their training, or give up.” Here the professor sighs. “There was a lot of reform to do when they realized that a lot of the people in Team Rocket were dropouts or underachievers; they wanted to give every child a fighting chance to better themselves and become more experienced.”
“Now,” It sounded like he was getting to the end of his lecture, thank fuck. “Once you enter your last year of training you start to do aptitude tests and then, upon a final essay laying out what you’re wanting to do in life and your preference, we provide 3 Pokémon for you to choose from. From those, if you’re uninterested, we will provide three more the following week. We are trying to prevent Pokémon abandonment, and this seems like the best result.”
“Once I graduate my starter will be a dratini, or a Pikachu!” Ash pipes in helpfully, looking like he had heard this same lecture multiple times before.
“Ah, okay.” That would explain why some people in the games had caterpies as starters. LOL. “So, what are my options?”
“Based on your essay we’ve decided to start you with one of the three starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle.” The professor smiles kindly. While he had lectured, he had moved behind the medical table. Now, his hands swept out to showcase the three little boxes. “But the final choice is yours, we understand that sometimes a student will have their heart set on one starter but decide the last minute for another.”
Oh, thank fuck. But even as she thought that her throat felt unusually dry. Once she chose a starter everything would be real, in a sense. Her fingers twitch as she looked at the boxes, who would be the best choice for her? One who would help her go out into the world and find someway to send her home?
“Ah,” Scratching the side of her thumb with her forefinger, she stares at the boxes. “I was thinking… maybe the Charmander would be my best bet.”
“Oh?” Was it her or did he sound disappointed? Her eyes narrow. “Oh! I see. I honestly wasn’t expecting that with what you’re essay said, but it is your choices.”
With a flip of his wrist, the box was opened, and nestled inside of dark velvet was a miniaturized Pokéball. It looked so… inconspicuous sitting there. She felt her heart leap up into her throat, chocking any word that tried to escape. Instead, she slowly walks to the table and reaches for it.
“Now,” His voice stopped her fingers a hair breath away from the ball, her other hand’s fingers twitched in anticipation. “This Pokémon may be hard for you to handle. You spend your time studying grass types, and how to train and handle them. Are you still sure?”
She looked up at him, studying his face. He was handsome, especially up close, but it was the kindness in his eyes that had her sure he only meant the best for her. She could always appreciate someone who was truthful.
“Yes.”
He nods, pushes the box until her fingers brushed against the ball, and smiles.
The Pokéball was small in her hand, being able to be cradled in her palm quite easily, almost like a large marble. But while the red and white steel looked cold it seemed to radiate heat. Like how jewelry felt after laying on your skin for a day. Warm, but not uncomfortably so. It made her miss home so very much.
She had watched enough Saturday morning cartoons to know that the little white button would make the ball grow. Once larger the ball felt fuller in her hand, more solid. Odd.
“Release it!” Ash suddenly speaks up, bouncing on the balls of his feet like only a child could.
Rin gives the child an amused smile before holding the ball out. She spoke in a clear, confident voice that beseeched compliance. “Come on out, Charmander.”
The white light was momentarily blinding as a form was materialized, and once it all faded she had to wait for a moment for her brain to catch up with reality. Standing just a few feet away, a boy looked up at her with apprehensive blue eyes. His curly hair fell in red ringlets around his chubby cheeks, his hands were shoved in an oversized pale orange jacket, and despite her gaping, he never took his eyes off of her.
She waited for there to be a catch. For someone to pop out and yell ‘bazinga!’ or ‘You just got pranked!’ but no one did. And she forced herself to take him fully in.
Underneath his orange jacket he wore a plain yellow shirt. His pants were a darker orange- what was that? Burnt orange? Blood orange? – tucked into black combat boots. The only other thing was the swarm of freckles scattered on his face, and a simple silver necklace hanging from his neck.
“W… What?” Maybe it was the disgust in her voice, or maybe she had flinched from him, but the boy’s face changed from hesitantly apprehensive to downright angry.
“Something wrong?” The professor didn’t seem to notice. “This is your Charmander.”
“This... He’s… He’s a kid!” She finally blurts out, swinging her hand in front of her to point at the redhead.
“You’re just a stupid trainer!” His outburst was as equally surprising as her, little flames spitting out at her as he spoke the words. He spoke with a rasp, as if his throat was sore or something, but his eyes were clear with disappointment.
“I-! H- He talks!” She was stunned, stumbling over her words as her eyes flicked from the professor to her so-called Pokémon.
“Of course-“
“Of course, I talk, you stupid trainer!” Charmander snaps at her, the flames going from small puffs to little tonguelets. “If you don’t want me that’s fine! You can choose one of the other TALKING Pokémon.”
He spoke with his feet shoulder width apart and his shoulders hunched up as if his hackles were raised. He took a step towards her, and she watched as betrayal swam in his big blue eyes. And she just couldn’t help the way her heart went out to him.
To have someone not want you, even after taking you under their wing; to have someone tell you that they didn’t want you, or to shun you, to push you away. She felt like a large crack formed in her heart, and even though it was so confusing to have a person be called a Pokémon she knew that there was no way her heart wouldn’t reach out to him.
Giving a sigh she squats down in front of the red head, her hand momentarily rubbing her mouth as she does. Once she was down to his level, they shared a moment of silence, his eyes never leaving hers as her eyes looked him up and down. Up this close she could see faint freckles scattered across his eyes, nose, and cheeks; oddly his chin and neck were free of the brown spots.
“I’m sorry.” She starts, slowly reaching forward to offer her hand. “I’m sorry. It’s not an excuse, but I was very surprised to see you. I was… expecting something else. I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings, I didn’t mean to. I will completely understand if you decide you don’t want to be with me.”
That got a surprised response from all three of them, each one of them letting out their own shocked gasps; but what was surprising to her, was that the Charmander automatically latched onto her hand at her response. His skin was, unsurprisingly, extremely hot.
“I…” He looked genuinely distressed, large eyes swimming with confusion. “I want to go with you. I … I want to grow stronger.”
Hearing the determination in his voice, she smiles warmly.
“So, what do I call you?”
“C-Charmander.”
“Haha, no.” Her free hand reaches up to touch his cheek. “That’s not your name, what did your mother call you?”
“Rin!” Interrupting their conversation, the professor slams his hands onto the table. “As his trainer you’re responsible for giving him his name.”
She levels a calculating, cold stare on the professor, suddenly losing all hot feelings for him. “You’re right. I am his trainer. But he obviously has feelings, he can talk for fucks sake, so why wouldn’t I ask him what his name is. I will not give him a random name when I’m perfectly capable of learning who he is.”
Here she stands up, and despite her being short she squares her shoulders to make herself feel and look more powerful. “As his trainer it’s my responsibility to make sure that he’s taken care of, correct? Then first order of business is to make sure that he will answer when I call. What better way then use the name he was raised with?”
“Ketsui.” The Charmander’s voice cut in before the professor could answer her questions. “My kaa-chan called me Ketsui.”
“Well then, so shall I.” He gave her a small, almost shy smile. And, just like that, she took the first step in finding her way home.