But anyways, enough about my plans for the future. Let's start things off with the first adventure, in Kanto.
DISCLAIMER: To make me feel like I'm making progress, I will post each chapter in sections, if they are long. I tend to get carried away sometimes and I may get a really long chapter or something very short--it all depends on my mood. But if its long, I get impatient and try to rush. So, this is my attempt at remedying that. XD
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~Kanto Saga~
~Chapter 1.1-Poképhobia~
~Chapter 1.1-Poképhobia~
Evo sat between two girls in Professor Oak's lab, waiting for Professor Oak to let them into the backroom. It was that time of the month again, when Professor Oak hands out three starter Pokémon to new trainers. For Evo, he was not exactly the most excited. His teeth were clenched and he held onto the straps of his backpack for dear life. The thought of having a Pokémon partner scared him half to death and he was still too attached to his home, even when the other ten year olds all were just itching to leave home and start their journeys. Yet here he was, wearing his green vest and t-shirt with a blue stripe across the middle. The brown cap on his head bore the white Pokéball symbol, as did most trainer merchandise nowadays.
"Which one are you getting, Violette?" asked the girl to Evo's right. Her hair was cut short and she wore a blue bandana around her neck with a partial Pokéball pattern, like the one on Evo's hat, cut off at the edge. She wore biker-shorts underneath her skirt with a pair of loose socks over her calves. The other girl she was speaking to, Violette, was older than the girl and Evo. She stood over them and the most notable aspect of this bespectacled girl was that there was already a Pokéball on the slanted belt around her waist.
"Bulbasaur," she said with a curt tone. "The first two gyms are weak to grass type. So, that is naturally the best choice."
"What about you, Evo?" the girl asked. "Or are you too scared you'll get Charmander?" The girl went to school with Evo, and knew everything about him. Evo suffered from a debilitating Poképhobia that started a long time ago. He was only coming to get his Pokémon. He did not plan on training it or doing anything, once he left the lab. If he had the choice of leaving or not, he would never let his Pokémon out of its ball. He did not want to go on this journey and he did not want to meet more Pokémon. Everyone called him, "Evo the Scaredy-cat." Although an uncreative nickname, it stuck. From all the times Evo jumped whenever he saw a Rattata scurry across his foot or find a Pidgey pecking at his window, Evo's name had garnered unwanted attention from the children all over.
"I…"
"Well, it doesn't matter anyways," the girl replied. "I'm taking Charmander!"
"S-So, that leaves me with Squirtle," Evo muttered, looking up at the poster by the door the Professor was to come through. Of the three Pokémon, Squirtle appeared the least harmless; no toxic spores or hot flames to deal with. However, he had never seen a Squirtle before or did much reading on it. He read so much about Pokémon in school. He had already decided that he would never capture a poison type Pokémon for safety concerns. The very thought of them brought his gaze to his right index finger. There was nothing there, but--
"Sorry for making you three wait." Professor Oak opened the door and came out with three red devices in his hands. "I had forgotten where I put your Pokédexes." He let out a nice laugh and passed them out to the three kids. "So, you three are Ari, Evo and Violette. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." The professor extended his hand and the three took their turns shaking it. "Now, which one of you is Evo?"
The three children stared at the professor, clearly confused. Had he not just said their names a second ago? Evo stepped forward.
"Y-yes?"
"Oh, forgive me!" Oak laughed, patting Evo on the shoulder. "I sometimes even forget my own grandson's name! I must be going senile already." Oak continued laughing, until he noticed that not one of the three new trainers were laughing with him. "Evo, I heard all about you; I made sure to reserve a special Pokémon for you."
"I-I was hoping to get a Squirtle," Evo said softly, his eyes looking away from the professor. "If that isn't too much trouble, I'll just…"
"Trust me," Oak answered. "I believe the two of you will make great partners! Come on in!" Oak lead the three inside. "Evo, since your starter is already decided, you will go first." Oak brought the boy over to his desk, where three Pokéballs were lined up. Taking the middle one in hand, Oak called out the Pokémon inside. "Come on out, Charmander!"
"But I wanted that one!" protested Ari. "Evo's a scaredy-cat! He'd never even train it!" The small lizard Pokémon that had emerged from the ball, frightened by Ari's voice turned and hid under Oak's desk.
"Now, now," Oak said. "Evo's mother requested that I choose his partner for him." Oak knelt down and poked his head under his desk, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a small treat for Charmander. "It's alright, girl. I want you to meet someone." Charmander hesitantly came out from under the desk and took the treat as Oak picked her up in his arms. "I do not know why, but this Charmander is afraid of humans."
Evo gasped. the only thing keeping the Charmander looking at him was the taste of the treat in her mouth.
"So, she's like Evo, then," Ari said. "Two scardey-cats. I don't want one of those then. I'll take the Squirtle!" Ari impatiently reached for the Pokéball to the right.
"I was planning on taking Bulbasaur anyways, Professor," Violette commented as Ari called out her Squirtle.
"I'm naming you Koopa!" she exclaimed. Of all the people in the room, only Evo knew where Ari would get such a name. After all, he owned the same game as her back home. The newly named Squirtle was eager to see its new trainer. Koopa leapt into Ari's arms and looked at Charmander.
"Squiiiiirtle!" It jeered, bringing one of its arms up to its head and pulling down its lower eye and sticking out its tongue.
Charmander scarfed the rest of her treat down and answered with a louder, "Charmander!"
"Evo," Oak said. "I'd like to talk with you after the girls leave."
"Then should I take my Pokémon, Professor?" asked Violette.
"I don't see why not."
"Very well then," Violette answered. "Come with me, Bulbasaur." She picked up the last Pokéball and called out Bulbasaur, which appeared at her side. Before it could even say goodbye to Charmander and Koopa, Bulbasaur had to follow Violette out of the lab as she turned and left.
"Well then, time to go too, Koopa!" Ari said, carrying her Pokémon out. As she went off into the distance, Evo could hear her exclamations of, "Let's capture a Pidgey! Then get a Nidoran!"
The very name--Nidoran-- sent a chill down Evo's spine. His thumb began to massage his index finger. It was all he could to keep himself calm, but it was to no avail. Turning around, all he could see was Charmander's flaming tail and imagine how it could hurt him. What if its ember attack missed and hurt him? What if…
"Evo," Oak said, thrusting Charmander into Evo's arms. The feeling of Charmander's warm body against his felt strange. The two desperately wanted to be away from the other. "It is possible for Charmander to like people. She gave me a chance, just like you are giving her a chance. You both can learn a lot from each other."
"But I don't want to leave," Evo protested. "Why is my mom making me go?"
"It's natural to be afraid, Evo," Oak explained. "And what happened to you was truly unfortunate."
"What do you know!" Evo replied. "Chamander would just burn me the first chance she got!" At this, Charmander pushed herself away from Evo and nestled against Oak. Her eye looked back at Evo, as if she was saying,
"I wouldn't!"
"Evo, not every Pokémon is like that Nidoran," Oak replied. "Your mother told me everything."
"What?" Evo massaged his finger more, the very name of the Pokémon that made him like this making it harder and harder for him to think straight.
"I remember your brothers," Oak said. "They told me that when you became a trainer, you'd choose Charmander, right?"
"That was a long time ago," Evo answered. "I didn't think Pokémon would…"
"Hurt you?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"I've heard the story, but will you tell me it?" asked Oak. "I think Charmander would like to hear it as well."
"But I…"
"Do you want to know why your mother is doing this to you?" Oak asked. "It's because you must live with Pokémon regardless of where you live. you must conquer your fears, Evo."
"But that won't do anything," Evo's fists clenched, his jaw tightening. "Charmander won't grow stronger with me! She'll hurt me and then I'll come back home sick again!"
"Charmander's flames will not hurt anyone that she cares for," Oak explained.
"She ran away from me," Evo retorted. "Why can't you see we both don't want to leave?"
"You'll have to trust me," Oak answered. "If you can't trust Charmander, believe in my words. You will become great friends, I'm sure of it." Oak placed a hand on Evo's shoulder. "Now, can you tell us what happened five years ago?"
"F-Fine…"
+Five Years Ago+
Lou and Shin had just become Pokémon trainers and had just left your lab. Lou had Bulbasaur and Shin had Squirtle. I remembered that their Pokémon looked so cool! When I met them, Bulbasaur and Squirtle were so nice to me. They even played with me, while Mom prepared my brothers' things for their journey. I desperately wanted to go with them. My brothers are the coolest people I know and I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to travel with them, so I packed my things and followed them out to Route 1, when they left--Mom didn't know, of course.
"Where will you go?" I asked my brothers, as we got closer to the road.
"Well, I'm going to head straight for the top," answered Lou, the oldest of my brothers--they were identical twins. "I'll battle all of the gym leaders and become the next champion!"
"I guess I'll do the same," added Shin. "But I wish there was some competition that did not involve battling."
"What, Shin? You scared about losing to me?" Lou teased.
"No, it's just that… never mind," Shin answered. "Besides, Evo, didn't Mom say you had to stay home?"
"I'll turn back, once we reach the ledges!" I told them. "I want to see Bulbasaur and Squirtle battle some Pokémon!" I would not have stopped complaining, if they sent me home right away, so the three of us went looking for a Pokémon to battle. We went into the tall grass, and I went looking on my own. It did not take me long to find a Nidoran--male ones are pink, right? Well, anyways, I picked it up and carried it over to my brothers. I know what you're thinking,
"Well, no wonder it hurt you!"
I was a kid; how was I supposed to know that when it turned around and lowered its head, it didn't mean you could pet it? So, I tried to pet it, before the battle and it pricked my finger. I didn't feel anything at first, but then during my brother's battle I began to feel very sick. I threw up and kept on throwing up. Shin finished the battle by capturing the Nidoran and he helped my brother take me home.
