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A Winkle in Reality: Capter 10.
🕑 Added 2025-05-19 15:00:13 +0000 UTCFinally made to Kanto! Whooooo... only took 10 chapters...
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The bark dug into my back through the thin t-shirt, dirt and leaves clinging to my blood soaked pants legs and shoes. It was morning by the time we finally emerged from the hideout, the sun reflecting off the morning dew covered flowers like a plane of crystal, baking the viscera into my skin.
I didn't care, giving a weak smile to the Gardevoir, Radiant-Moon Slowking had called her, as she cradled my Gastly poisoned hand in between hers. She smiled back radiantly, literally, soft pink light emanating from her body, concentrated on the healing she was giving me.
“Thanks.” I rasped, throat dry and filled with the taste of iron. I collapsed as soon as I got out, barely making it to a tree. The several days of no sleep other than unconsciousness and however long I was in the PokéCenter was finally catching up to me. My whole body arched, my limbs like lead and lava at the same time. Only Radiant-Moon's efforts kept it even slightly bearable.
The Gardevoir inclined her head at me, still smiling, and I felt her push her emotions at me, modesty and gratefulness. It wasn’t like my brief experience with telepathy. There was no pain, though that was probably a me thing, or intrusion. It felt like she opened up her soul and hugged me with it. Tension leaked from my body as I luxuriated in the comfort, body and mind.
A thump! beside me made me crack open an eye. Slowking had sat down, leaning on the same tree. He looked kind of ridiculous with his short, stumpy legs splayed out before him, but I could find no amusement in the sight with the uneven coating of blood that still stained his pink skin.
“Thank you Radiant, but I will take it from here. Could you see to the others, please?”
Radiant-Moon bowed her head again, deeper than she did to me, and cut off the healing energy. I groaned as the pain came rushing back, if diminished from before she began. The Gardevoir gave me one last soul squeeze and a flood of apologetical emotions and floated away to tend to the more injured. Others were already hard at work, smaller green haired Pokémon that reminded me of a younger, skirt wearing Gardevoir and weird pink star shaped creatures with short fingers bounced between the wounded, prioritizing the ones that had to be carried out.
I flexed my hand and winched. It was way better, but still stiff and discolored towards the tips.
“The rest will fade before long. There are those that can not say the same.”
I gazed out over the field of Pokémon.
“How many?”
“How many dead? 29 of ours. I expect another 7 will not make it to tomorrow. Not terrible all in all.”
I looked at him incredulously. “36 dead isn't terrible!?”
He did the same humm I was starting to associate with him trying to figure out how to explain something in a way I could understand.
“Even a single death is of course a tragedy. I have watched each and everyone of them grow from eggs to the fine Pokémon you see before you. I assure you, I know the names of every fallen, and will carry them with me as I do many others. But for what we accomplished today.” He shook his head. “An easy choice for everyone here. A grave threat to us, true monsters, have been removed and hundreds of young ones are being released from their storage even now.”
I saw a Caterpie crawl as fast as possible to greet a pair of Butterfree, Poochyena playing with Mightyena, and Mankys scream and holler together with Primeapes.
“I guess.”
Silence fell over us for a moment.
“And how many of them?”
“Humans? As far as I can tell, around 20.” I avoided thinking about the reason he couldn't tell how many bodies there were. “Pokémon? Around 90 dead. 32 captured.”
“Huh.”
“You seem surprised.” He noted.
“Yeah. I don't know, just thought you would’ve tried to take more of them alive. The Pokémon, that is.”
He hummed again. “We took those that surrendered. I do not doubt that some of them had been put through excruciating trials and that they were not in their right mind, yet if they were given the choice between saving themselves and us taking further casualties in the attempt… another easy choice for most. The captured ones are those that survived their injuries or surrendered, though there were few of those. They will all face questioning regarding their reasons for turning against us. The ones with reasonable excuses will be given all the aid they need. The rest…” he narrowed his eyes.” Well, they will be dealt with as well.”
There wasn't any need to ask what he meant by that. I absentmindedly stroked Siren as she rested between my legs, leaned up against the egg, as another silence descended over us. Even despite the growls, yips, and other celebrational noises rang out over the clearing, I felt my eyelids grow heavier and heavier.
I was so fucking tired. Physically and mentally. I needed to sleep. To rest.
Which is why I almost growled myself when my companion spoke up again.
“Speaking of things to be dealt with, we have taken stock of most of the things down there. Or, as best we could, anyway. I can not claim to be overly familiar with human science.” I should be excited. There was probably quite a lot of loot down there. “There were a fair amount of various chemicals and equipment, though I am afraid that it will all be burnt. There is likely much of it that could be of use to you, but anything even tangentially related to the horrors they performed will be destroyed or used to heal as much of the damage as we can. Apologies if you had you eye on something.”
I shook my head. “I don't want anything from that place.” It wasn't the smart decision, but even a Potion would only bring back memories that it had likely been used to keep the experimented on Pokémon alive and prolong their suffering.
“Nothing? Oh. In that case, I suppose I will add this to the fire then.” Reality glitched and the Slowking was suddenly holding a backpack. The Silph logo on the efront revealed it as a space expanded model. “There were a lot of those pieces of painted paper you humans use to barter with. I had thought it might be of use to you, but I guess not.” His dopey smile had a teasing edge to it.
“Money?...” I hesitated. It wouldn't be right. ”... I don't know. They likely made it by selling Pokémon.”
“Presumably, yes. We do appreciate the thought. Your empathy does you credit. But being completely honest with you, we would think less of you if you turned this down. We will be hording the medicine and food that is left over and take great joy in thinking of those we took it from with every use. Practicality has its place.”
Well, I didn't want to offend. “If you insist, then.” I took the offered bag. “How much is in here?”
I got a shrug in response. “How would I know? There are 11573 separate pieces of paper, if that helps.”
That was fair. Why would he know human currency?
“Thanks.”
“Thank you. I shudder to think how long it would have taken to find out about this if not for you.” He sighed. “I have been remiss in my duties. Too much peace as of late. I have gotten complacent. But enough of an old Slowking's mistakes. What is next for you my friend? Other than rest, of course.”
Siren gurgled supportively at his words, giving me her best stern look. I snorted as she ended up looking more stoned than anything else.
But that was a good question. What was next? I’d been so busy since waking up on that beach I hadn't really thought about it. I’d only had one goal, and I guess I didn't actually reach it.
“... I want to find Proton. I know,” I said, raising a hand at the look I got from both Pokémon, “I know. It's not that simple. The battle taught me that much at least. Even if I knew where he was, I’d never reach him. But, in the long term. I'm going to get him. In fact,” my hands clenched as resolve hardened in my heart, “fuck the entire Team Rocket. I'll take them all down.” Which meant the boss.
Giovanni. The Viridian Gym Leader.
“But for now,” I sighed, letting the anger flow out with the air, “I guess I'll stick to the plan and go to Pallet Town. Try to become an official Trainer with Oak. Somehow. I don't know how I'll convince him. Fuck, I don't even know how I'll get there.”
“Pallet Town, Pallet Town, why does it sound familiar?” Slowking ruminated on it for a moment before lighting up with realization. “Aaah, yes! Pallet Town! Some of the sea born and winged Pokémon that call Sevii home has told me of it! It is a very large Pokémon elder care of some sort, yes?”
I snorted at the description. “Not sure about elder care, but it's a big place with lots of Pokémon, yeah. Professor Oak, the… head scientist of Kanto? Or something? I don't know, they call him the Professor. He studies Pokémon-human interaction, or something, and the Trainers under him send rare or interesting Pokémon back, or if they just have more than they are allowed to carry. The Professor takes care of them in return for being allowed to study them. I think even wild Pokémon hang out there, as long as they don't cause trouble.”
“Sounds like quite the place! I have been told of readily available food sitting out for everyone, and a human, presumably this Professor of yours, watching them from a tree while talking to himself.”
“He does seem to be the… eccentric type.”
“That is not far from here, actually. Should you wish it, I would be happy to take you.”
The offer shocked me. “Really? Are you sure you can leave right now? They might need you.” I gestured to the Pokémon surrounding us.
Slowking waved me off as he telekinetically lifted us both to our feet. “They will, but I highly doubt the Moon will fall to the earth in the couple of minutes the trip will take. That being said, I would prefer to leave as quickly as possible. Are you ready?”
“Uh, I guess?” I was caught off guard by the sudden development, though I wasn't about to protest a free teleport. I recalled Siren and picked up the egg. “Here.”
The Psychic-Type looked between the egg and me several times, before shaking his head. “No. I believe that egg is better off in your care.”
It had been a really fucking long day, and I didn't think anything could surprise me anymore, yet I found myself absolutely flabbergasted. “WHAT!? Are you serious!?”
He looked very amused. “Certainly. You are one of the best candidates to care for that egg in particular.”
I grinned, a joyous feeling warming my chest. I’d almost forgotten what positive emotions felt like. “Thank you! Wait, what do you mean this egg in particular? Do you know what's in it? Or why it's so fucking huge?”
Slowking merely smiled enigmaticly and waved his stubby fingers at me in invitation. I sighed at the crypticness and accepted the handshake.
I had the foresight to close my eyes this time, so I missed the stutter in the fabric of existence. It felt like a long blink as I closed my eyes in one place and opened them in another.
We were standing on a beach, the waves lapping at the shore behind us. The sand gave way to grass, huge open plains laying before us, partly sectioned into farms. Grains of various kinds were the primary crops, yet long stretches of soil had bushes filled with colorful berries, some of which I’d seen on the Sevii Islands. Simple farmsteads of a similar type to what I’d expect on earth were dotted in between the fields and the tips of a larger cluster of buildings that I presumed was Pallet were barely visible over the top of a hill.
It was a truly picturesque view and the closest I’d gotten to what I remember my home world looking like, yet instead of nostalgia, all I felt was exhausted at the thought of having to walk all the way to the town.
“You couldn't have dropped me closer?” I complained. It wasn’t very fair of me, the teleport was already more than I’d ask for, but I was in pain and tired.
“Experience has taught me that limiting my direct interaction with humans is for the best. Their faces are highly amusing when they hear me speak, but the consequences are rarely worth it. I do apologise, my friend, but you will have to do the rest by foot. One last tribulation before your well earned rest. I have faith in you.”
“Thanks, that means so much to me, you fucking…” I trailed off, mumbling insults under my breath. I rubbed at my eyes, grimacing as dried blood flaked off. Not the first impression that I wanted to make, but fuck it. “Seriously though, thank you. I would’ve died in that basement if not for you guys.”
“A mutually beneficial arrangement, for which you owe no debt. All I would ask in return is that you learn some caution and patience. Emotion can take you far, and should never be ignored, yet is dangerous if not tempered with reason.”
I bowed my head to him. “I'll try. I can't promise anything, my emotions have been all over the fucking place even before all this, but I'll try.”
“I would suggest meditation.” Slowking offered, turning to look out over the water. “Not only is it a relaxing practice, but many have found it beneficial when trying to tame themselves. Especially those that come from worlds beyond this one.”
I blinked. “You've met other dimensional travelers!?”
Slowking nodded. “Indeed, so have you. All humans origin from beyond our skies.”
My mouth dropped open. “WHAT!?”
All I got was that dumb fucking smile. “Until we meet again, my friend.”
“NO! Fuck that, you can't just say that and fuck off! And no, we won't meet again. I'm never setting a single fucking foot on Sevii ever!”
My companion merely kept smiling at me, clearly knowing something I didn't. A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“No. Naw. Nope. Fuck that. I'm not helping with the Lugia shit! That's Ash's job, not mine!”
Slowking looked taken aback at my words. “The “Lugia Shit”? Ash? Is the time of prophecy so close?”
“The fuck do you mean? You read my mind!? How do you not know that!?”
“Ah.” He seemed almost embarrassed, refusing to meet my eyes. “If I could make a confession, my friend.” He waited for my impatient nod. “I skimmed your memories, that is true, but only since you awoke in the desert. Everything before that is heavily shrouded in Distortion, and it did not seem necessary to exert myself when I had already ascertained your intentions.”
Every time I thought I’d reached the limit of my ability to be surprised, I was proven wrong. “You gaslit me!?”
“I do not know what that means. Anyways,” he clapped his hands and started backing away, “it truly has been an experience meeting you my friend. Despite your denial, there is no doubt in my heart that we will see each other again. Especially if the prophecy is truly at hand. Our time together has been short, yet I know you enough to be sure that you will not be able to stay away if the world is at risk. You are a better person than you believe. Until then.”
And then he was gone. I wanted to scream, yet the surge of energy didn't stick around and I couldn’t muster the will. Instead, I just turned back to the dirt path that led in the direction of the town, released Siren into my arms next to the egg, and started walking, one arching step at a time.
“Hey Princess. Here we are. Pallet Town. Or, almost, at least. Just have to… have to walk a little more. Again. I hate walking.” I rambled at her. She wiggled to get higher in my grasp and gave me a little lip smack on the underside of my jaw in comfort.
The fields of crops passed by while I did my best to distract myself by pointing out things to Siren and explaining them. The sun rose higher and higher in the sky and it was nearly noon by the time I finally stumbled to the top of the hill I’d seen from the beach.
“There it is. I can't believe it.” my chuckle sounded deranged even to my ears and Siren gurgled concernedly. I petted her as I slowly walked with stiff legs down the path, careful not to fall from the decline.
“Left. Right. Left. Right. You know, this… this reminds me of the desert. So. Much. Fucking. Walking.” I complained. “At least this time I have you to keep me company.” I cooed at my Feebas, getting a half-happy and half-worried sound in return.
In the games, Pallet Town had been four or five houses, one of which was Oak's Lab. It was a tiny place. I’d known from the farms that it was probably larger in real life, and had confirmed it from the hill, yet it was still an experience actually entering the radically different town.
The dirt road turned into paved cobblestone as it ran parallel to a river I hadn't noticed before. Brick houses with red roofs stood side by side with trees and flowers, nature interwoven with infrastructure. As I progressed further, I saw that the outer houses themselves were built with a noticeable curvature to them, clearly designed to fit within a large circle. Inside the circle itself, the buildings were normal, yet again erected in a straight line along the road. There wasn't any of the normal clutter from an expanding town, alleyways and branching paths from people building new buildings as the need came up. Each house was perfectly spaced, with a large garden behind them and a strip of grass and flowers in front. All of them painted white, with the same barely slanted red roof.
I was a little, or a lot, loopy, but even I could see that Pallet Town wasn't a natural settlement that grew over time. It had been carefully designed and built after someone's specifications.
I knew the townsfolk had noticed me. I saw them pointing and whispering from the corner of my eye as I nearly fell with each step down the path, but I didn't have the energy to bother with them. I was so close. I just needed to get to Oak's.
Finally I got to the center of the town, a large stone circle with a fountain in the middle. It seemed to be the town square based on the shops I saw through bleary eyes. Flower shop, restaurant, what looked like a sort of convenience store, anything one could need day-to-day, there was a store for it. One store, I discovered as I dazedly spun in circles. There were no competitors, only the single store per purpose.
What a weird place.
What I didn’t see, however, was anything that screamed Pokémon Lab, or like, Mayor. Nothing official looking, no matter how much I spun around.
“OH MEW!”
My spinning was interrupted by one of the inhabitants finally taking exception to the bloody child that stumbled into their midst. I swayed in place as a woman ran up to me. My vision was swimming, but I could just barely make out her features.
She was a slender woman with fair skin and brown eyes. Her hair was smooth and red, held up in a ponytail with a green scrunchie. She wore a pink short-sleeved jacket with a yellow undershirt, a purple skirt, light green shoes cladding her feet. She appeared to be fairly young, early 30's if I had to take a guess. Her expression was currently one of horror as she took in my appearance.
“Oh Mew, are you okay!? What happened, where does it hurt!?” She crouched down next to me and started patting me down, looking for a wound to explain the blood.
“Do you know where Professor Oak is?” I asked weakly. Not a good or reassuring response, but it was the best I could do.
“What!? The Professor!? Why do you- never mind. We need to get you inside! You're bleeding! Come on.” She stared trying to pull me towards the restaurant I’d seen earlier, but I resisted, almost falling over.
“No. No, I-I need to see Oak. I… I need to. Please.” I just had to see Oak. Then I would’ve made it. Then I could rest. I would’ve fulfilled my promise.
She must have seen something in my eyes as she hesitated for a moment before giving in. “Okay, okay, the Professor has the best medicine anyway. I'll take you, just hold on, it's just up the hill. MIMEY!”
I looked in the direction she indicated and let out a half-groan, half-sob. Next to the town, in the opposite direction I’d come from, was a large hill, tall enough that it towered over the generally hilly area. Trees covered the top, but I could just barely make out red tiles among the leaves.
Footsteps behind me made me turn back around and immediately regret it. Running up to the woman was what I assumed was a Pokémon. It was bipedal, with blue growths resembling clown hair extending from the sides of its pale pink head, and a magenta circle on each cheek. Its jaw was curved inwards, resembling the mouth of a wooden dummy. It had a round, white torso with a magenta spot in the middle, light pink arms and legs that connected to its body via magenta spheres, and small white coverings over its knees. Its white hands resembled gloves with magenta pads on the tips of its white fingers and its dark blue feet curled upwards at the tips.
The weird-ass clown danced as it reached us, hopping from one foot to the other with a disturbing smile on its face.
There was definitely at least a 50% chance that it was just a dude in makeup.
“Mimey, take us to the Lab!” The woman quickly said, the Mr. Mime nodding and placing a hand on her shoulder. It reached out towards me, making me try to lean away.
“I don't want the pedo to touch me.” I mumbled as it grasped my shoulder with its weird fucking fingers. By then it was too late, space twisting as we teleported.
Slowking’s teleportation had been like a frame drop in reality. You were in one place and then in another instantly. Seamless.
Mr. Mime, Mimey, didn't teleport like that.
A kaleidoscope of colors exploded into existence, reality stretching and contorting like silly putty. I felt an intense pressure squeezing me while being thrown around, like being stuck in a rubber tube that was doing cartwheels. Time and Space became meaningless as I was hurled through a wormhole, every sensory input smacking into me at once-
-the ground slammed into the bottom of my feet. My knees gave out and I barely managed to twist enough to land on my side with a groan, Siren and the egg safe in my arms. Kind of safe at least, as while I fought against the nausea, Siren lost the battle and gulped up what little contents her stomach contained all over my shirt.
Not that it really made a difference. The shirt was already ruined with blood, sweat, and who knew what else. She warbled a groggy apology to which I responded with a groan I hoped she understood to be forgiveness.
“I'm so sorry, are you okay!? Mimey's not the best teleporter, I'm afraid. Can you stand?”
The woman helped me to my feet, steadying me when I nearly fell again. I mumbled a “thanks”, taking in our new surroundings.
We were standing atop the hill, right in front of the door to a massive building, in comparison to the rest of the town. The yellow brick building towered over our heads, three stories high, with large windows facing out towards us under a red roof. The Lab was divided into two sections, the one before us with a domed roof and the aforementioned windows, while the side building seemed more like a very big residential area, formed like the other houses down below.
I didn't even wait for the woman, whose name I’d never gotten. I staggered up to the large door, dismissing the movement I saw in the edge of my vision. The button to a doorbell hung ignored on the wall as I leaned my face against the heavy wood and started hammering my fist against the door as hard as I could.
Which wasn’t that impressive at that moment. I wasn't sure anyone would even notice if the woman didn't lean around me and hit the bell.
It didn't take long for the door to open, making me almost fall face first into the man on the other side, only held up by a hand on my shoulder. I didn't even look at the person who answered before starting to talk.
“Are you Professor Oak?”
“What? No, I'm- OH HO-OH! WHAT HAPPENED!?”
I wanted to fucking cry.
“Then get out of the fucking way.” I grumbled, nearly shoulder checking the guy as I shambled into the Lab proper. I heard the woman exchange some words with him, but didn’t catch them.
The inside was huge, the room extending all three stories, with staircases leading to walkways on the sides. The ground floor had a large clear area in the middle, extending to the back where a huge set of double doors presumably led outside. Bookcases, filing cabinets, machines, and computers littered the edges in a chaotic mess that only the people who created it could live with. It honestly seemed mostly like a normal laboratory, if a lot bigger and with pictures of Pokémon everywhere.
It was a lot fucking better than the Rocket lab, that was for damn sure.
I hobbled deeper into the building, trying to find the old man. Someone, I think the guy from the door, ran past me while the woman caught up and started guiding me over to the back left of the room, where a door sat in the wall. I went to repeat my tactic from the other door, but the woman beat me to it, holding me back, and up, while gently knocking herself.
“Professor? Professor Oak!? PROFESSOR OAK!? SAMUEL! SAMUEL OPEN THE DOOR!”
It took less than 10 seconds before she was banging even harder than I’d have, screaming all the while. I frowned.
Why couldn't I bang on the door? It was my visit.
The door opened and a man poked his head out. He appeared to be middle-aged, with peach colored skin, gray hair sticking out in every direction like he just got out of bed. Thick, bushy eyebrows, one lifted questioningly, hung over dark brown eyes. A white lab coat hung open over a light maroon polo shirt, a brown belt, beige pants, and matching brown loafers on his feet.
“Delia? What's the ruckus about? Is it Gabite again? I told Marcus- MEW! What happened?!”
I’d already recognised him, but I had to be sure.
“Are you Professor Oak?” I hated the way my voice warbled.
“Wha- Yes, yes I am. MARCUS!? MARCUS! I NEED CLEFABLE, IV DROPS, AND THE-”
“Can I be a Pokémon Trainer?” I didn’t really care what he was shouting about, I just needed him to say it. Confirm that I made it.
That I didn't fail again.
“What!? My boy, you're bleeding. We need to get you-”
“It's not mine. Can I be a Pokémon Trainer? Please? I just… I need to be a Trainer. I need to.”
The Professor and the woman who was apparently called Delia, which rang all kinds of bells I couldn’t focus on, exchanged a quick look, before Oak turned back to me.
“Yes, yes, of course you can be a Trainer. But first we need to get you looked at.”
I don't think anyone was particularly convinced about my wellbeing as tears started rolling down my cheeks, but it didn't matter. I’d sit through however many check-ups he wanted.
I did it. I became a Trainer, just like I promised Ra and the gang.
I didn’t fail.
I barely noticed the arms catching me as I descended into full on sobs.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Clefable hummed a tune as it ran its glowing hands up and down over my torso. The sheets of the bed I’d been placed in felt soft and smooth under my fingers, the pillow whispering my name, beckoning me towards the sweet embrace of sleep.
My rather embarrassing crying fit had caused a second round of panic. Before I could gather myself enough to protest, I'd been carried into a side room filled with medical equipment and stripped of my ruined clothes. It had taken several scans from both machine and Pokémon before the adults conceded that I wasn't in immediate danger of keeling over and calmed down a bit. The following shower I'd been shown to had been a wonder of comfort, going a long way to making me feel a little more sane and human.
Being the Pokémon Professor of a region apparently paid well. Oak had amazing water pressure.
My fingers brushed over the raised skin on my forehead. I hadn’t had the chance to look in a mirror since… Well, ever. The closest I’d gotten was the oasis I found Siren in. So it took me by surprise when I saw my appearance and the physical reminders of the recent chaos.
A scar ran from near my hairline on the left side, down across my forehead, splitting my eyebrow in two on its way. The damaged tissue was a soft red in color, looking weeks old rather than the two days it had actually been. Another mark, a thin one rounding my jaw on the right side, was fully healed, nothing more than a silver sliver of skin.
Human medicine seemed to have greatly benefited from shit like potions. I wondered if it had any connection to Aura.
I suppose I’d finally have the chance to look into those things.
A couple of bruises dotted my torso as well, the origins of which I couldn’t explain, nor did it really matter as they faded under Clefable's attention. It was very skilled, as far as I could tell anyway. I didn’t notice a big difference between it and Radiant-Moon, which was as high a praise as I was qualified to give. It had taken less than 10 minutes to clear up the last discoloring of my hand.
A knock on the door echoed through the large room, clearly designed as much, if not more so, for Pokémon as for humans. I called out affirmatively and the door swung open.
The older man, Professor Oak, walked in and gave me a short smile. I’d been too out of it earlier, and still was to a degree, but a minor feeling of giddiness welled up. It was actually Professor Oak. THE Professor Oak. The man had been a huge part of my childhood, despite being a cartoon character, and his face had been burned into my mind. He looked exactly like I thought he would as well, middle aged, yet filled with energy, a youthful spring to his steps, eyes blazing with life.
It was wild. I’d been in the Pokémon world for a couple of weeks by that point, but this was the first character I’d met that I recognised. Technically there was Slowking, yet it was different. Oak being around gave me a decent idea of the timeline. Oak looking like I remembered him meant I couldn't be far from the start of the games or anime. Which was…
Honestly, it kind of fucking sucked. The world was on the verge of ending several times a year and it was left up to children to prevent it. Combined with Slowking's certainty that we’d meet again and that I’d help with the Lugia thing.
Well, things might get rough in the future. Beyond just having to take down a several region-wide terrorist organization led by one of the highest standing members of the government. Or at least, I presumed the Gym Leaders were high ranked. Anything else didn't really make sense.
Though to be fair, a lot of them were kids, which kind of threw a wrench into that idea. Then again, children did seem hyper-capable around these parts.
I was dragged from my thoughts as a chair was placed before me, the Professor sitting in it the wrong way, leaning his arms on the back rest.
“Thank you Clefable. He is already looking much better. Amazing work as always.” He smiled at the Pokémon, making it jump from foot to foot in joy, falling much slower than it should, like gravity was more a suggestion than a law.
“Yeah, you really did. I feel great.” I backed up the words to the star shaped creatures further joy. It started spinning around while jumping, giving an impromptu ballet performance. Both Oak and I clapped at the sight.
“You're getting better and better at that! Keep it up and I'll have to fight off Wallace from taking you.” The Professor chuckled. “If it's not too much trouble, could I ask you to go take a look at Hitmonchan and Machoke? Yes,” he answered the Clefable's exasperated look, short arms planted on its hips, “they had another of their competitions. At least they didn't involve Champy this time.”
The Fairy-Type shook its head with a sigh and bounced out the door with a wave. I waved back, a thought occurring. If I truly was at the start of either the games or anime, Fairy-Type might not have been discovered yet, or at least not fully.
There might be an opportunity there.
The door clicked as Oak closed it and retook his seat. We looked at each other for a moment before the Professor began.
“Hello there. As you might have heard, I am Professor Samuel Oak, the Pokémon Professor of Kanto. What's your name?”
“Peri. It's short for Periwinkle.” The name had grown on me. It's what Ra had known me as, Sharon, Rat, the gang.
“Well, my boy, that was quite a fright you gave us, though it's good to see that you're well. But what happened? That amount of blood…”
I opened my mouth, ready to explain everything that had happened since I left Orre, only to pause. For all that he looked like the Professor Oak that I grew up with, I'd been reminded time and time again that the world was not the same as the one I remembered, no matter the similarities. Oak might’ve been a good man when he was fictional, but who could say what he was like in reality?
The Rangers were also supposed to be good, helpful people, and they served children up to terrorists over decade long grudges.
It might be better to keep the specifics to myself.
“We were on a boat from Orre when we were attacked. They… they killed everyone else.” Even the shortened version hurt to get out.
The Professor sighed, leaning over to pat my knee. “I'm so very sorry to hear that. No child should have to experience such things. Do you know who it was?”
“No.”
He didn't appear convinced by my mumbled reply as I avoided eye contact.
“I can't imagine what you went through, and I don't mean to make you relive it, but I can't help if I don't know where to start.”
I couldn’t hold back a snort at that. Help. Right.
“That's what the Rangers said.” Fuck. The bitter words slipped out.
“The Rangers? What Rangers?”
I sighed in defeat. I fucked that up real fast. He might’ve agreed to me being a Pokémon Trainer, but at this rate he’d be more likely to kick me out.
“The Rangers on the Sevii Islands.”
“The Orange League?” His eyebrows shot up. “What about them? Couldn't they find the culprits?”
I snorted again. “Oh they knew exactly where they were, and ran to tell them that I survived as soon as they heard. Dickless fucks.”
“Tell who? I'm afraid I don't follow.”
I sighed as had seemingly become my habit as of late and started from the beginning. I didn't spare any details, telling him of waking in the desert, Ra, Siren's egg, the gang, our plans to come to Pallet Town, Proton, the Sevii Islands, and finally the attack on the Rocket Lab. The only thing I didn’t reveal was Slowking, or at least the specifics, merely mentioning that a powerful Psychic had helped me.
By the time I was done, the Professor had turned pale and was pacing back and forth. I watched him nervously. I’d just admitted to being the leading cause for dozens of human deaths and over a hundred Pokémon.
He picked up on my unease and crouched down before me, taking my hands.
“I'm so, so sorry. You have been through so very, very much. It's okay now. I promise. You're more than welcome to stay here and I swear that should you pass the exam, I will sponsor you as a Trainer. It's the least I can do to make up for the failings of the adults that should have taken care of you. You're safe now. I promise.”
The tears threatened to return as I nodded silently, trying to keep myself together. I lightly changed the subject to try and distract myself.
“I-I have money. I can pay-”
“Nonsense.” He assured me. “You have more than earned that money, and I would ask nothing other than maybe a little help around the preserve every now and then. It's part of the schooling anyway.”
“Schooling?”
“Yes, Trainer School. Or my own little version, anyway. I can't in good conscience send children our into the world without them knowing what they're doing. I'll warn you, I get a lot of requests and my standards are high. You're starting a little late, so you'll have to catch up a bit, but I doubt it'll be a problem for you, if the way you speak of your Pokémon is true. Oh, speaking of, I would also quite like to study that egg of yours. It's not everyday one encounters a Titan natured Pokémon, especially not as an egg.”
"Titan natured?”
He waved a hand dismissively. “I'll explain later, or in class if nothing else. The day has been more than long enough for you and I imagine you would like some rest. One last thing, how old are you?”
I shrugged a little uncertain. “Around 10, I think?”
He nodded. “Three years should be plenty of time for you to learn the theory if you dedicate yourself.”
I blinked.
“Three years?”
He smiled at me, oblivious to my confusion. “Yes, the standard age for new Trainers is 13. In fact, you'll sit your exams at the same time as my grandson! I'm sure you'll get along famously!”
My jaw dropped.
“WHAT!?”
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Yeah, Trainers start at 13 in this story. That's both so I can do a bit of a timeskip, and because I don't wanna write 10 year olds.
Thank you for reading.
