Fandom Pokémon (Kanto)

[GojiBean]

Was it normal to be awake at 5am on a Monday morning?

Well... Normal or not, Yume was far too excited about today to bother with sleep. Her blood was pumping. Her heart was racing. And her mind wouldn't stop cranking out "what if" scenarios about what might happen.

Today was the day! Her journey with Enjō ("Blaze" in Japanese), her shiny Charmander, would begin today!

Enjō was slightly oversized for his species, coming in at exactly 3' in height which was just above her hip line. She could easily stand and rest her hand on top of his head which, more often than not, came much to his delight. And although he was an affectionate little fire lizard he had his naughty moments from time to time. When she first was introduced to him he tried to bite her ponytail. And on their first walk-around in Professor Oak's lab he tried to tackle her after while playing chase rather than simply tapping her with his paw.

Either way, she was already in love. Enjō was such a cutie. Especially with his big round eyes. She'd been smitten the instant she laid eyes on him and couldn't resists his charms.

Before she could leave with Enjō on their journey together, however, they needed to wait for the rest of their Group.

The Pokémon League was very strict about the rule of new Trainers forming groups to start their adventure. Given that Pokémon by nature were wild animals and therefore highly unpredictable it was deemed unsafe for new Trainers to venture out alone. It had since been passed as law that all new Trainers had to earn at least two Gym Badges before they'd be allowed to separate from their starting group and venture off on their own. Those groups were usually a minimum of 3 people in size. Sometimes, depending on the age range and the experience of each Trainer involved based on studies or experience with Pokémon in the family, the groups would be larger.

In this case, the group was larger. But for Yume, this was fine. She'd never had a problem meeting new people before and was excited to see who she'd be grouped with!

Once they all arrived they'd be cleared by Professor Oak to take their first steps out towards Route 1, towards Viridian City. That road would be a three-day journey for them on foot. Maybe half a day if they'd had a vehicle. But as far as Yume knew none of them had such a vehicle. Let alone one which could hold upwards of five or more people which was the expected group size.

Either way, she was excited and stood near the exit to Pallet Town where Professor Oak was minding a small terminal which he'd be using to scan everyone's PokéDex's to verify their Trainer Status before giving them the thumbs up to leave.

With Enjō out of his ball and standing beside her slowly wagging his tail in content joy, she patted him on the head and kept her eyes up for the first arrival.

"This is it, Enjō. I can't wait!" She chirped.

 

[ClownCentipede]

"Jiying, I promise I did not get us lost this time, the meeting spot it just over there, look someone is already waiting." An amused, if slightly tired, voice spoke up.

As a non native to the Kanto area it was a little hard to navigate the setting and that meant that Revel had maybe possibly gotten lost one or two times as he and his Charcadet, Jiying, made their way to the meet up spot. It didn't help that Revel had a bad habit of wandering off if even the smallest thing caught his attention. Because of this his silly Charcadet, not even a solid 3' tall, was taking himself as the mans guard to make sure he wasn't getting hurt.

Jiying was adorable, Revel wouldn't give him up for the world and the two had a good relationship, though he could tell there were times his reckless curiosity was close to driving the poor pokemon insane with worry. The Charcadet also had the habit of being a little too overprotective when Revel was meeting new people.

The two of them had thankfully been dropped off very close to this meeting point of Palette Town, just up the road really, so besides some curious young rattata they had a peaceful walk to the lab. Revel had behaved well and not wandered off so Jiying was just strolling by his side, bright blazing blue eyes taking in all the sights around them there were different from the home he knew. When those same blue eyes caught sight of the people Revel pointed out the little pokemon took point as a guard, as if it's small frame could protect Revel from a dangerous world.

Revel could only laugh and indulgently allow this as he approached the two other people, adjusting his glasses when they tried to slide down his nose.

"Hi there, I should be one of the trainers you're waiting on, I'm Revel and this is Jiying~" Retrieving his slim pokedex he grinned and held it out so his trainer information was displayed and ready to be checked over.

 

[Necromantic]

It could've easily been said that Sage didn't like waking up. The longer she got to stay in bed, the better. Teddy was an intelligent bear, she could manage to take care of Hana for a bit in the morning (read as: Both teaming up in an effort to drag Sage out of bed to make breakfast). Yet, sleeping in even a little bit simply hadn't been a possibility for her, despite the jet-lag that she hadn't gotten over yet. Getting two people and a pokemon fed, dressed, and then shoving a teddiursa sized hoodie on her Pokemon had been an arduos start to the morning. At least Hana was getting better at dressing herself, even if she still couldn't tie her shoes.

Teddy threw a fit when they started to walk out the door, not wanting to leave yet, so Sage had to carry her. With her beloved pet tucked under one arm like she was a football and Hana holding her other hand, Sage looked miserable.

"Dy'athink anybody will have Gyarados? There's so many on tv, I wanna see a big fishie! And a Scizor! And, and a Pinsir!" At least one of them was in a good mood.

"I think you need to lower your expectations... Wait, what were you watching with all of those?" Weren't the pokemon she was listing a bit too scary for cartoons aimed at little kids?

" Tv!" Hana beamed, apparently not realizing she hadn't actually answered the question. Sage should've known better than to ask.

The landscape of Kanto...Made Sage wish she was back home. She'd never been a big fan of rural landscapes, and the walk to the lab she was supposed to meet the people she'd be traveling with wasn't managing to change her mind on this matter. Shouldn't there have been more roads, not just dirt paths? A concrete sidewalk? Vending machines? Even if the landscape was currently simply a result of Palette Town's location, it was still making Sage feel like this trip was a mistake. Couldn't she have gone with a group that started in Kalos or maybe Alola? Galar, even?

"What kind of Pokemon are we gonna catch? I want so many Sizzlipede! And Cutieflies!"

"I'll remember that." No she wouldn't, and nor would Hana once she saw a weedle or something.

Oh, she could see some people nearby, two with their own accompanying pokemon. Was she really already at the pokemon lab? Her Rotom phone chime 'Destination ahead' from where she'd left it in Teddy's paws. Teddy, unconcerned about the directions because she was busy being carried, tapped at some Fidough that popped up on the screen in her puppy collecting game. A game that worked wonders in distracting the three girls that used the phone, really.

"Okay, you two, behave yourselves- No chasing after their pokemon."

Two begrudging affirmations, as if Sage had ruined their plans to ambush the Charmander.

Sage only spared the trainers she'd be traveling with a quick wave before she knelt down to put her lazy Teddiursa on the ground and take her phone back. Open the camera, usher her sister and Pokemon into the frame, and give excited expressions and strike cute poses as if Sage wasn't exhausted and irritated.

"Bout to meet my groupies, totes excited to meet them! Guess their starters! Bet they'll be adorbs! ...Add a few Luvdisc and fairy Ponyta emojis.... Aaaand posted." She finished up the post, as if she couldn't already see the people she was meeting and their starter Pokemon. It didn't matter, not like she was livestreaming this meeting.

 

[Gravitational Force]

Isaac technically didn't oversleep.

After all he woke up before he was supposed to meet the others, what did it matter that it only left him an hour to get ready and go?

Still, where his alarm clock failed his Pokemon didn't. The Gastly Isaac had befriended thoughtfully awoke his trainer with a Lick. A version of the move that wouldn't harm Isaac, but it was a decidedly unpleasant way to wake up nonetheless.

Scrambling out of bed, grabbing his clock, and gasping in shock, Isaac set about completing his morning routines in record time before sprinting out the door, his Gastly following behind him with a wider smile than usual on its face.

Isaac finally makes it to the rest of the group, desperately trying to catch his breath. He spots his Gastly giving him a smug grin and just sighs.

"It's not funny! Unlike you I can't fly!"

He looks up at the rest of the group.

"I'm not late! I just needed to make sure I had everything packed!"

Sure enough Isaac's got a large backpack that's stuffed to the brim with everything he thought might be useful.

Pulling out his Pokedex he scans each Pokemon present just in case the information could come in handy.

At the same time Isaac's Gastly is flying around the group, getting in close to each human and Pokemon to get a good look at them, making silly faces the whole time.

 

[DracoNightshade]

Riley sighed as he took in the morning air while his Chikorita is enjoyed the morning sun as the duo walked down the path to Pallet Town. "This is going to be one interesting day. What do you think Vera?"
"Chika!" The large Grass type agreed with her trainer. Neither of them had ever left the Johto region before and were interested to see Kanto. Especially considering how protective his parents were since the accident that cost him his left arm. Speaking of...
"Let's stop for a bit Vera. I have to change my sock." Spotting a decent size boulder, Riley quickly made his way over and sat down, his Pokemon right behind him as he removed his prosthetic arm from the stump of his left elbow and got to work.
~Ten minutes later~
Riley fastened his arm securely. Luckily, there was no need for repairs, just had to clean and dry the stump and slip on a new sock full of talcum powder while the old one was temporarily placed in a Ziploc bag. "That's better. Let's go Vera, the sooner we meet our assigned group, the sooner we can get back on the road."
Getting back to his feet, Riley dusted himself off and jogged the rest of the way with Vera by his side. Once he identified the lab, Riley picked up the pace as he saw a decent size group at the entrance with Pokemon socializing. "I think that's our group, try to stay out of trouble."
Riley waved at the group. "Hey, hope I'm not late."
Meanwhile, Vera decided to introduce herself to the other Pokemon.

 

[GamerKitty205]

Alessia liked being punctual— Being on time was great! And so she had an alarm set early, a reasonable bedtime and pre packed bags. Instruments in her plan of not being the very last to arrive. Of course all of that was instantly dashed as her honedge began to throw a fit.

It took much too long to placate the pokemon. Though Alessia understood why— if Caliburn had it their way the only time they would interact with other people is through battle. A reality quite far out of reach.

Much later than she had planned, Alessia jogged over to the group with Caliburn in tow. The ghost type immediately floated off to the growing group of pokemon, watching to see who looked like the biggest threat. Alessia waved as she approached. “Hey! Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

 

[RipEverything]

Three months ago…

A strong wind blew, sending fallen leaves scuttling on the cobbled path that meandered through the hospital courtyard.

In a way, they were like Kayla's memories, briefly touching the ground of her conscious awareness, lifting off before she could seize them. When she was first transferred here, she could barely recognize her long, blonde hair. Her slate gray eyes were as foreign to her as the region in which she now found herself. She'd followed the doctors and nurses' every instruction. Yet they couldn’t tell her exactly how she'd lost her memory and who she'd been before.

"Today is your discharge date," the nurse who'd wheeled Kayla out to the courtyard informed her. The first few weeks of her months in the hospital, she'd essentially been confined to a wheelchair, unable to walk even a couple steps without getting dizzy. She didn't need it anymore. She occupied the chair now because she'd resigned herself to the likelihood that she'd be here forever and that it was pointless to exert herself.

Kayla glanced down at Sole, the Venipede at her side. The Pokemon seemed to recognize her, though she couldn't say the same. If it had been with her since before she lost her memory, then she wished it could speak the human tongue and reveal to her all the missing pieces of her recollection. Too bad Pokemon couldn’t talk.

“Today… is my discharge date?” Kayla repeated.

"Yes. But we don’t want to leave you to fend for yourself. Upon release, you’ll be enrolled in an outpatient program.”

——

In the night silence of Pallet’s local dessert shop, Kayla stocked a display case. Her manager had scheduled her to work by herself this evening, anticipating the slow spell.

The quiet wasn’t a bad thing. It gave Kayla the chance to reflect on the last three months. She was grateful for the job to which the hospital had referred her, though she hadn’t been sure how it qualified as an outpatient program. After a few weeks’ labor, she began to understand. Her hands, which she hadn’t applied to anything for the time she’d spent in the hospital, benefited from the repetitive motions.

“Well, it’s just you and me,” Kayla addressed Sole.

“Veniiiii!” her Pokemon replied, sweeping the bakery floor with Poison Tail. The two had grown close—not enough for her to remember how they met, but suffice for her to learn his quirks and train him to help her with basic work tasks. In a matter of days, they’d finish the outpatient program and travel Kanto. A change of scenery would likely jog her memory better than staying in the same town.

The chime on the door jingled, and the first customer she’d had in the last half hour entered the dimly lit, pink-walled room. He was of average height, with khakis, a tight-fitting black shirt, and a Growlithe at his heels.

“Welcome, sir,” Kayla greeted.

“Hello,” came his preoccupied reply, his eyes meeting the display case before they did hers. If he hadn’t been wearing shades, his gaze would have been piercing, Kayla surmised from his creased brow.

“I’ll take a mochi donut,” he said finally.

“Of course,” Kayla replied. In one hand, she took a leaf of pastry tissue and fished for the dessert. She boxed it, rang the customer up, and bagged the item. In the brief moment that his credit card passed to her, she noticed something. The man was muscular, and his hands were thick like clubs. Strong enough to kill, she thought. Her mind tended toward morbid things when she was alone on the job.

“Thank you,” he said, card back in his possession. The man sat at one of four tables in the corner of the cafe, holding the dessert box open for his Growlithe to sniff. Kayla got the feeling that he wasn’t an ordinary customer. Then again, an amnesiac girl’s definition of “ordinary” in this unfamiliar region was not the most reliable.

Kayla made her way to the back of the store, where she rifled through the kitchen cabinet. She found the shipment of sugar that they’d gotten recently and set it on the prep table. The bag looked different from the usual. Perhaps they’d ordered another brand. Either way, she’d incorporate it into the key lime pie that she was about to make as she waited for customers. First, she had to fetch the whisk that she’d left up front.

But when she returned to the register, the man with the Growlithe was standing there, flashing what was ostensibly a police badge. Just as she’d thought, he hadn’t been a regular patron.

“Kayla,” he said, reading her name tag. “You’re under arrest.”

——

The woman spent the next few days in a jail cell. She hadn’t resisted apprehension, though the charges brought against her were false. She didn’t have any drugs in her possession, and she certainly hadn’t sold any to the undercover police officer. This was another one of those times that she wished Sole could talk, so he could attest to her innocence. The Pokemon was nowhere to be found, though. He had a habit of running off and must have done so through the bakery’s back door.

Her coworkers, who should’ve been implicated in the same crime, weren’t here either. Many of them lived in other towns and cities. The cops had likely not caught up with them yet.

“Solitary confinement seems a little harsh,” Kayla stated to no one in particular. She’d been alone for a short while, yet she already felt like she was losing her mind. Maybe she deserved it. She was the worst offender Pallet Town, which didn’t experience much crime, had seen in a while.

No, what was she saying? She didn’t belong here, and certainly not today of all days. It was the one where she was supposed to begin her journey, and if she languished here any longer, she’d be late.

But there was nothing she could do. Eventually, Kayla nodded off, just as she’d done so many times in the last few days after stressing herself out.

Her dreams were as broken as her memories. In one scene, she was in a ruined laboratory building, severed wires raining sparks from a rent in the ceiling. She had the arm of an Alakazam, a roar like a Mightyena’s. Enemy trainers surrounded her. In another, she was trapped underwater and beating at the insides of a bubble. No, the bubble was her head, and something was hitting it repeatedly. It almost felt-

Thud!

She jolted awake. Her hand flew to the back of her skull, where the blow that roused her had landed. The wall behind her had collapsed, and her Venipede stood in the center of the hole that it had created with Rollout.

“Are you… breaking me out?” Kayla asked her Pokemon. “We can’t just escape prison… can we?”

This time, Sole didn’t need to speak human. For he sped away so fast that the words “yes we can” hung in the wind. She had no choice but to follow.

A group of trainers had gathered at the edge of town. She checked her Pokedex for the hour. Was she simply lucky she’d made it at the right time, or had Sole deliberately freed her when she needed to be?

“My name’s Kayla,” she breathlessly introduced herself. “We need to go. Now.”

 

[GojiBean]

Professor Oak approached the group with a hearty chuckle.

"Ohh ho ho ho ho! My, my. Looks like we've a lively group this time."

He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"AHERM!... Pardon. Welcome, everyone! Today, you'll embark on your next big life adventure alongside your Pokémon companions. But, let me warn you... While the world of Pokémon can be a beautiful, amazing, wonderful place it can also be a dangerous, unforgiving and unpredictable place. One moment you could be calmly watching a young wild Pokémon eat fruit in a tree when the next you're running for your life from a larger predatory Pokémon who sees you as an invader to its territory."

He came forward and stood next to Yume and patted Enjō a few times on the head, much to Enjō's quiet delight as he closed his eyes and leaned into the pats.

"Your Pokémon are young and inexperienced. So, battling against larger and more seasoned wild Pokémon would be most unwise. I advise you, young trainers, to tread with a healthy respect and caution along your journey. But as long as you stick together and take good care of each other and your Pokémon companions you should be just fine."

He walked over to the terminal he'd been standing by previously, beckoning everyone over. Yume approached with Enjō right beside her, followed by the others.

"Miss Okabe, we'll start with you. Please bring out your PokéDex and hold the sensor up to the terminal's scanning beam."

Yume had an older model of the PokéDex which her father had purchased for her when she was eighteen. But circumstances had prevented her becoming a Trainer back then. Nowadays the PokéDex had more advanced and streamlined models. But it served the same function and was still kept up to date with the latest firmware so it had all the functionality to analyze any newly discovered Pokémon as they became part of the server lists which it would draw from to tell them about any Pokémon who were scanned.

Spoiler: Yume's PokéDex

Yume did as instructed, holding the PokéDex up so the blue sensor was scanned by the terminal beam. It made a single "Beep" sound before Yume's picture and PokéDex ID Number were displayed on the screen.

"Excellent. That's all there is to it! Now, the rest of you, in orderly fashion if you please, bring your PokéDex's up and scan them just as miss Okabe did."

Yume stood to the side and would offer a smile to everyone as they came to scan their PokéDex's.

Once everyone had been scanned and confirmed, Professor Oak smiled.

"Well done, everyone. You've all been verified. Now, as is customary with new Pokémon Adventure Groups I'd like to say one last thing for all of you before you depart."

He cleared his throat.

"Take a look at your Pokémon companions, if you would, please... Those faces are real. They're living, breathing, thinking creatures with hearts and souls just like our own. They have feelings. They have fears. And their hearts are filled with love waiting to be shared with you if it's not being shared already. Not that I believe any of you see them this way, but these are not the faces of creatures whose existence is solely meant to bring you fame, fortune, and glory. They're not tools or a means to an end. They're your family. Please never forget that."

He looked around the group with a solemn, serious expression.

"... It saddens me to say that there are those in this world who see Pokémon in the way I described. They're tools, or a means to an end to bring fame, fortune and glory... And even worse, there are those who see them as slaves to be used to spark conflict everywhere they go. You may know of whom I speak. The infamous group of ne'er do wells known as Team Rocket. Lately their methods have grown increasingly ferocious. And they're not above using extreme violence to get their way. I believe it was just last night in fact that there was an attack on a Pokémon Center in Sinnoh where both a Nurse and one of the Center's Blissey were shot and killed during the attack. Therefore, if you see any signs of Team Rocket activity I implore each and every one of you to find shelter and avoid them at all costs. I know that there may be some among you whose hearts burn with a desire to make these ruffians pay for their crimes. But justice should never come at the cost of your safety or well-being. Your lives are worth more than a single moment of would-be heroism."

Yume couldn't help but notice a twinge of cynicism and defeat in the Professor's voice as he spoke. Did he...

"Anyway, I've rambled long enough. This world is now yours to explore my young friends. I wish you all the very best." He said with a smile and nod of his head as he stepped aside to give them passage to the archway leading out of Pallet Town and to Route 1 ahead.

 

[Necromantic]

The variety of people that'd she'd be teamed with was looking...Well, first impressions could wait a minute, they'd barely spoken. Right now, what mattered most was judging if their pokemon really did count as "Adorbs". Chikorita was pretty cute, so was Charmander. Gastly sort of counted, right? Charcadet wasn't bad, it was small and looked like it could tumble over at any given moment. Was a sword really cute? Venipede, as much as Hana might've begged to differ, probably didn't count, but the way it scurried ahead of it's trainer was certainly charming.

The Pokemon were saved from being posted on Sage's Social media for the time being by Professor Oak's introduction. Explaining the dangers of the world, scanning her Rotom Phone to register it's Pokedex, a reminder that their Pokemon were living beings, and even news of a Pokecenter being broken into and the deaths associated with it. Not for the first time, Sage wished she hadn't needed to bring her little sister nor pet along. Yet, she didn't really have any other options, with nobody else to take care of them. Hana, for her part, wasn't old enough to understand the gravity of what Professor Oak was saying, and was busy cuddling her fake egg.

Teddy hugged Sage's leg, glaring at the other Pokemon for a moment. While friendly, having so many other Pokemon to meet was still enough to make her apprehensive. None of them were even soft, fluffy little bears like her, so she didn't have the even the vaguest common grounds with them.

"...Before we go, everybody, I'm Sage! Nice to meet you!" More faux energy. Keeping up appearances was important. She held up her phone, giving everyone a cheerful smile. "Let's get a picture together before we leave!"

RipEverything

 

[Gravitational Force]

Isaac shrugs and moves up to scan his PokeDex. He's got a newer model that he's spent the previous few days memorizing the uses of. The instruction manual might have been a little confusing, but Isaac's pretty sure he's got it all figured out.

Hearing Professor Oak talking about possible hazards makes Isaac think about problems the group could encounter.

"Here's hoping we don't run into anything too dangerous. I'm just looking for a bit of fun, not-No! Gastly, that is NOT food!"

Isaac's Gastly is gnawing on a tree. It's not strong enough to bite through it, but the bark's got some small tooth-marks and given enough time it might bite through it. It stops when Isaac scolds it, then sticks its tongue out and makes a rude sound before mockingly calling out its name and flying in an orbit around Isaac.

Isaac sighs. He hasn't had time to fully train his Gastly, he convinced it to partner with him by feeding it. Not that full obedience is a reasonable expectation. Like Professor Oak said, Pokemon are partners, not tools. Still, there was some mutual respect and he'd keep building on that.

"He keeps chewing on things, I don't know why. Anyway, my name's Isaac. And you've already met my Gastly. Don't worry, he's mostly harmless."

Isaac tips his hat. His Gastly flies into it, lifting it into the air before exiting it so that it falls back onto Isaac's head.

Isaac considers Sage's offer as his Gastly keeps making faces.

"A group picture? Sounds good, let's do it."

It'd be a good souvenir.

 

[DracoNightshade]

Following the lead of the others, Riley had his old Pokedex scanned and turned to the others. "I'm Riley Grant, that's my partner, Vera. Nice to meet y'all."
The large Chikorita shied away from the Bug, Fire, and Poison type Pokemon. Despite her greater size, Vera was still rather nervous around strange Pokemon that held a type advantage over her and stuck close to Riley.
"It's okay Vera. No one is going to hurt you." Riley rubbed her head in an attempt to calm her before looking up to the others. "I'm not typically the most photogenic, but I'll join if it's meant to be a group photo."

 

[RipEverything]

Kayla should've spoken up, or taken a second to catch her breath before she started talking. Maybe then the professor would've heard her over the group's chatter and not made them stand through a long speech.

Just when it ended, Sage further delayed her escape with a group picture.

“…Fine,” Kayla agreed. She wasn’t a Pokemon, but she had a special ability that activated in dire situations—her customer-service personality. Taking a photo ensured that she wouldn’t lose this memory, like she had so many others. Maybe one day she’d look at it fondly. But for now, she masked her displeasure with a perfect smile.

It faded when she glimpsed a street cop in the distance, walking in their general direction. She pulled Yume and Sage close, then motioned for Sole to enter the frame. The Venipede raced up her spine to take his place atop her head. Hopefully she was harder to recognize, sandwiched between two others and partially obscured by a Pokemon.

When the picture was taken, Kayla walked ahead of the group so that the crowd hid her from the officer’s view.

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

 

[GojiBean]

Yume listened intently to the Professor before he wished them well and began the trek back to his lab.

Meanwhile, the others began gathering for a picture which she couldn't help but respond to with a smile and a chuckle.

"I'm afraid I'm not the best with photos, but I'll be happy to try!"

No sooner had she said than than she found herself pulled into the group by Kayla. With a smile that was halfway between "this is fun" and "am I looking at the right spot?" she was forever captured in that midpoint mentality awkwardly holding up her fingers in the peace sign with Enjō peeking over and around her hip to get in the shot as well.

With the photo taken, Yume sighed and looked out towards Route two and Kayla who said she was going on ahead. Not entirely sure what the rush was about, Yume looked towards the others with a smile and nodded her head in the same direction before taking her first steps out of Pallet Town and on to the Route 1 dirt road.

Even now as they were only just leaving the path ahead was beautiful. Lush green rolling hills with flowers galore and lightly wooded regions to either side a few hundred feet out, it was easy to see why so many people started their journeys here. It offered both beauty, security with long lines of sights, and very few dangerous species to worry about. Most of those who were dangerous stayed in the woods or the mountains beyond the horizon near the Kanto Pokemon League to the West of Viridian City. Those mountains were clearly visible from here, but much further away than they looked. Reaching them, even if they had all 8 badges to pass the gates, would take almost five days by car. They were on foot, so it'd take even longer.

But, that wasn't their destination. No. They were heading towards Viridian City to as their first major milestone towards achieving their dreams.

Yume hummed softly to herself as she and Enjō close beside her, seemingly uninterested in the other Pokemon and instead more intent on staying by his Trainer's side.

Glancing over her shoulder at the others she couldn't help but ask, "If I may ask, everyone, what's your big dream?"

 

[Necromantic]

"Sweet! Alright-" Sage's words were cut off when Kayla pulled her in for the picture. Huh, a little forceful there, but that was fine. She scooped Teddy up to put on her shoulders and Hana, being used to this kind of picture taking, smiling cheerfully at the phone. Get the guys and their pokemon in the frame, and Sage's Rotom Phone hovered in front of them long enough to take a group picture of everyone before it returned to her pocket. A lasting memory of what could, in all reality, be the only chance they'd get for a group picture like this.

Well, they were only just stepping out onto Route Two, a place chosen as the safest place for new trainers to start, so she doubted there was any huge dangers as long as she didn't go throwing rocks at unsuspecting Pokemon. They'd need to walk a bit further before anything became a real threat, unless somebody decided to crash a car into the area they were walking.

...Best not to let her imagination wander too much. The view in front of them was lovely, she could see some Skitty playing around a tree, and there were certainly no wayward cars in the area. Right now, they might as well have been at a park without the convenience of a vending machine anywhere nearby.

"Dreams? ....I want to be a Professor, I'll start working as an Aid back home once I get some practical experience, just graduating the courses on it isn't enough." Sage answered Yume's question, punctuated with an awkward smile and chuckle. Thank Arceus adventurers were paid, even if-

Stop catastrophizing, that was a bad habit. Hana started to walk away, having seen a caterpie inching it's way along in the grass, not knowing about the danger disguising herself as a cute little girl, and Sage caught her by the shirt collar before she could toddle away to terrorize the local wildlife.

"...And to raise her to stop bringing wild Spewpa into our house."

"But Teddy liked them..."

Teddy yawned and made herself comfortable on Sage's hair in response to this accusation. There was no bad time for nap time, especially when the other option presented to her was getting off of her trainer's shoulders and interacting with fellow pokemon or actually walking. Maybe if any of them were fluffy, she might've been amenable to greeting them, but they weren't. Spewpa were fluffy, so they'd probably get a pass in the critical eyes of the spoiled Teddiursa.

 

[Gravitational Force]

Isaac considers the question as he admires the scenery. A view like this deserved to be appreciated fully. He removes his hat to get a better look.

"My dream? I don't really have one. I'm doing all this for the adventure, afterwards I'll probably find somewhere quiet to make a living."

His Gastly chooses that moment to swallow a small rock and then spit it into Isaac's hat.

Isaac sighs and dumps out the rock.

"Well, as quiet as Gastly can be anyway. I don't think he's badly behaved, I think he's just high-energy."

Gastly adds evidence to that by finally running out of gas (not literally since the Pokemon's body is mostly gas) and choosing to hide under Isaac's hat.

"He's actually pretty timid, he just tends to be so excited about things he forgets it until he gets tired."

Isaac pulls a piece of candy out of his bag and holds it up over his head. His Gastly extends their tongue to grab it and then pulls it into their mouth, chewing with relish.

 

[RipEverything]

Three months ago, when Kayla was released from the hospital, it had been winter. Now, she could tell from the trees that bloomed white at the bounds of Route 1 and the flowers that dotted the rolling hills, it was the middle of spring. Their surroundings were bright and inspired, just like their first steps on this journey.

The dirt road snaked between the route's uneven terrain. Similarly, the answer to Yume's question eluded Kayla.

"I don't have one," she responded, amused at the fact that someone whose name translated to "dream" was asking hers. "I was recently discharged from the hospital with a bad case of amnesia. All I know is that I'm originally from Kalos, and I'm traveling Kanto to recover my memories."

She wasn't sure how much of her recollection she'd be able to regain in a region unfamiliar to her. Unless... she'd been here before. Could that have been why she was transferred to a hospital in Kanto, rather than one in Kalos? Maybe there was something for her in this place.

A distant melody broke Kayla's thoughts. When she drew closer, she saw that it was a street performer, plucking his guitar to a tune she recognized. She closed her eyes and listened to the music. But with every chord, she felt a twang of pain. Her face tensed, and she cupped her forehead in her hand.

"Hey, are you all right?" the performer stopped his song to ask.

"I, um..." she started to say, but her vision blurred as if reality were fading to a dream. One second, she glimpsed the guitarist's concerned face, and in the next, herself and several others dancing to his same tune around a campfire. They were celebrating something, a Lechonk roasting on a spit and a basket of Pokeballs resting beside the flame. It was as if someone was trying to change the channel on what she was seeing. She blinked and suddenly regained awareness, her eyes settling on the instrument in the man's hand. "I'd... like to play your guitar."

"Uh..." The performer hesitated, until Kayla dropped a few dollars into his open case. "Sure."

Her fingers found the notes like crumbs on a trail, letting each ring for a second to ensure that the melody was intact before playing the next. Then, she picked up speed. It was like she’d plugged into something. As she strummed, she felt like she was racing through a forest, swatting away the notes like leaves. She didn’t even stop to think that she’d done this before.

“Nice!” the man exclaimed as she played.

For her, it was more than a performance. The guitar had caused her to remember something, and she had to reach the end. But a chorus of squawking interrupted her right then. With her eyes closed this entire time, she didn’t realize she’d drawn an audience. A flock of Spearow landed in a circle around where she playing, and they didn’t look friendly. Sole came up beside her, prepared for a battle.

 

[GojiBean]

Yume listened intently to everyone's replies and nodded her head. Sage wanted to be a Professor. Isaac wanted adventure. And Kayla didn't have anything at the moment due to having succumbed to amnesia. The poor thing. Yume couldn't help but lose her smile for a moment or two after hearing that. But she also couldn't think of anything to say in response, either.

As they continued they eventually encountered a street performer whom Kayla asked if she could play his guitar. He was hesitant, but relented after she gave him some money. And as Kayla slowly began to play, picking up speed as she went almost as if in a trance, Yume couldn't help but marvel at how her fingers moved and found the notes she was looking for despite her eyes being closed. It was quite something. And as Kayla stopped playing Yume clapped for her performance.

However, the joy was short-lived as a flock of angry Spearow descended upon them and landed around where Kayla had been playing.

"Oh, dear."

Her mind raced to find all the information she could which might help the situation.

She knew Spearow were highly territorial creatures and often traveled in small to medium-sized flocks. This one consisted of four members in a semi-circle formation between Kayla and the others. Suddenly, Yume spotted something. The primary feathers on the Spearow on the far right were worn down. And the coloration of its legs was desaturated compared to the others. It must have been old. Hearing its squawky voice, raspy and weak compared to the powerful chorus the others created, brought a twinge of pain to her heart. But she knew there was nothing for it. They had to drive these birds away if they were going to be allowed to continue forward.

"Enjō!" His eyes snapped to her, and she pointed at the aging Spearow. "Tackle it!"

Enjō growled and charged the older Spearow who turned its head just in time to see the oncoming fire lizard, but not in time to avoid the Tackle he sent its way which looked more like a body slam. Did he know that technique? Question for later. For now, she had to make sure Enjō would be safe from that beak and the talons. Even if it was old, they were both still sharp and could do some damage if he wasn't careful.

Following the skid across the dirt it was forced to endure as a result of the Tackle, the Spearow hopped to its feet and flapped its wings to kick up a dust cloud which it sent Enjō's way.

"Oh dear. Enjō! Come back to me!"

Enjō did as ordered. But this was a mistake. The stunt drew the focus of the Spearow which turned is body to blow the wall of dust their way which also happened to be near the others.

"Ohh, no." She muttered as she raised her arm to shield her eyes with Enjō doing much the same as the dust cloud engulfed them.

But as it did, she had a thought.

"Enjō. Can you smell it through the dust?"

Enjō gave a short bark of a reply, and Yume took that to be a positive response.

"Follow your nose and bring it to the ground. And be careful of its feet. Don't let it scratch you."

Enjō kept his eyes firmly shut as he crouched down on all fours and wandered forward through the cloud. Step by step he followed his nose which, despite now having dust in it, could still detect the Spearow's scent. He also heard it squawking in effort as it flapped its wings desperately to keep the dust cloud going. But it wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. Not at its age. Enjō lined himself up with the source of the scent and dove forward, forehands outstretched, and landed on top of the Spearow pinning its wings to the ground which brought the dust cloud slowly to an end.

Yume coughed and cleared her throat and wiped her face with her sleeve before looking up to see the Spearow on the ground struggling against Enjō who had sat on top of its stomach to prevent it using its legs and feet against him.

"Great work, Enjō! Now-"

Yume looked on in horror as Enjō's mouth opened and it sunk its teeth into the aging Spearow's neck, clamping down like a vice and choking it to the point it couldn't breathe.

"Enjō! No! What are you doing?! Let it go!!" She shrieked.

Enjō released its grip and looked back, blinking in confusion as Yume jogged up and pulled him off the Spearow who lay on the ground choking and gargling blood as it flowed freely from the fang marks.

"Oh no. No. No, no, no, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen!" She knelt down next to it trying to stop the bleeding with her hands and lost all thought and focus of whatever else was happening around her.

 

[Necromantic]

So Kayla didn't know what she wanted to do beyond recovering her memories. Sage quietly pulled out her phone and took another picture of the girl as she was in the moment; A picture she didn't intend to post on any of her social media, a simple memory of her in the moment. In a world where they could never know when something would be gone, be they memories or people, it could never hurt to have something around to remind them.

And Isaac didn't have any goals for now. That made sense, they were all still young. Sage also caught a quick picture of his Gastly spitting a rock into his hat. Yeah, that little guy was definitely cute, too. Sage lagged a bit behind everyone else, allowing the energetic façade to break once she thought nobody else could see her. Slumped over a bit, though still careful to make sure Teddy didn't didn't go tumbling off her shoulders, and lazily cropping the pictures she'd taken so she could post pictures of everyone else's Pokemon online without showing their faces. Caption for it....'Totes the cutest!' Yeah, that worked. Comments on her previous post were looking more alive than she felt.

Sage's eyes only left her phone once she hesrd some music being played. Kayla had borrowed somebody's guitar...Well, it seemed like even if her head didn't remember anything, her muscle memory sure hadn't forgotten. A nice melody, but not really Sage's music preference-

But it looked like it was the preference of some irritated looking Spearow. Shit, had Arceus heard her thoughts and decide to send a flock of birds even if she wasn't throwing rocks at them.

A small bird shouldn't be that big of a problem. They might've been territorial and had sharp claws, but if it came down to it she could still probably fight off a single bird with her fists. However, she really didn't want to hurt them, they were innocent Pokemon, they didn't deserve to be attacked for what they perceived as protecting their home.

"...Please try not to hurt them!"

The one closest to her had an Ouran Berry on it's back. Something that it intended to be it's lunch, no doubt. Couldn't Kayla have attracted a pack of Greavards? Those puppies were friendly even in the wild, then they wouldn't have needed to battle anything.

"Teddy, covet, then fling!" Sage ordered, despite the guilt she felt about stealing the Spearow's lunch. Teddy hopped off her shoulder with a bit more apprehension than would've been ideal, punching the bird in the face with one paw and swiping the berry off it's back with the other. They probably needed to work on her definition of how 'Covet' worked, but it was good enough for now.

And they'd definitely need to work on Fling because, after avoiding a couple pecks from the Spearow, all she did was throw the berry really hard, without the normal dark aura that would be associated with the move. A berry to the face wouldn't do any real damage, but the Spearow seemed disoriented by it splattering against it's face. Couldn't see as well, eyes stung, probably more irritated than it'd been before.

Hana, still overall unaware of the present danger, clung to Sage's shirt when she heard Yume yelling. Scared of whatever her pokemon had done that made her shriek like that, it seemed. Sage protectively wrapped her arms around her.

The Spearow scratched at Teddy with it's talons, luckily only managing to catch the hoodie she was wearing, leaving little more than a graze on Teddy's skin. It looked like it was...Stuck. Which should've been good, but it's talons were so close to Teddy's body. Spearow were light, Sage probably could've psychically moved it, but they wouldn't stop it from flailing around. Even then, telepathy was hard to use on something that would fight back. Maybe it really would've been best to try kicking the bird to try scaring it off before it could get so close to her pet.

No, that was just her fear of Teddy being hurt speaking, she could never hurt a Pokemon like that.

"L-Lick! Try lick!"

Teddy licked her opponent, and it looked pretty grossed out by the ordeal. But, luckily, she actually managed to use this move properly and the bird fell over on it's side, temporarily paralyzed.

Sage picked her sister up, and approached the Pokemon Teddy had been battling. It looked scared... Of course it did, fear was a crucial reason it was so territorial. Spearow was small, and they were all so big compared to it. She knelt down, gently tugging it's talons free of Teddy's hoodie. It twitched to try lashing those talons at her, but the paralysis stopped it from actually managing anything.

This spearow looked very young. It'd probably hatched very recently.

"Shh... It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Soothing words. Even wild Pokemon were generally intelligent enough to understand humans. It's eyes darted toward the Spearow that Yume had been battling, but Sage didn't look to see what had happened.

"...I don't know what happened there, but I'm sorry." But she could guess, based on Yume's reaction. Keep the Spearow's attention on her, she probably couldn't win it's trust, but all she wanted to do was calm it down. "I'll take it to a Pokemon Center." It'd probably drown on it's own blood before she could, based on the sounds it was making, and even if she could get it to one the most likely scenario was that they'd euthanize it. Even if she could sprint to Oak's lab, she doubted he'd be able to do anything else. Yet, that affirmation looked like it got it to relax a little.

She turned her gaze up toward Kayla and her Venipede. Calming a Pokemon so it didn't attack them if the paralysis ended sooner than expected could end up being a waste of time if somebody else's Pokemon got hurt, and the one in the most danger was probably the one that would look like a tasty snack to a Spearow.

Teddy, raised in the comfort of a house and only interacting with other pets, wasn't a good fit to protect anyone. She was trembling just from the brief scuffle with a Spearow.

...So, if Sole seemed to be in danger, Sage resolved that she would need to actually punch a bird.

 

[RipEverything]

“Did you learn her whereabouts?” asked the undercover cop.

“Yes,” replied a policewoman. The two were standing at the gaping hole in Pallet Town’s solitary confinement quarter. “Kayla Mire was last seen leaving Pallet Town for Viridian City.”

“That’s great news,” he said. “I’ll catch her there. This time, I’ll make sure I get the chance to interrogate her.”

Noise was spilling into the prison through the hole in the wall. Outside, law enforcement had gathered at the bakery that employed Kayla, cordoning the establishment off with yellow tape and searching its interior. Her boss, a woman in her fifties, was in handcuffs and sitting in the back of a police car. The raid had already taken place and uncovered copious amounts of contraband, despite her protests that she didn’t know anything about how they’d gotten there. Ask Kayla, she suggested. Though the young woman had mentioned the fact that she’d been hospitalized with memory loss during the interview process, she never disclosed why. From her frequent headaches and the way she often spaced out at work, her boss had long suspected she was a recovering drug addict and let the police know as much.

“And the first thing I’ll ask her,” the undercover cop added, “is if she knew that the baked goods she was selling were laced with drugs.”

She did not. The entire week since they’d received the latest shipment, she thought she’d been baking with sugar. Except for the policeman, she’d sold it all to just a handful of customers. They were equally strange, and all had catering orders as if they were distributing the goods to a large number of people.

——

Sole was a capable Pokemon. The fact that he'd broken Kayla out of prison, without her commanding him to do so, was proof. With Poison Tail, he batted away the two remaining Spearow, which circled overhead and took turns swooping down at him.

"Come to me," Kayla called. The Venipede retreated to his trainer's side. "I'll give you a boost."

The new memories she'd made were serving her well. In Sage's group picture, Sole had been Kayla's makeshift hat. That became her strategy. He raced up her spine once more and jumped off her head, hurtling toward a Spearow with his tail glowing bright purple. Venipede whipped his body around and knocked the bird to the ground.

"Defense Curl, now!"

Kayla's plan was to lure the second Spearow toward him. Which wasn't hard, considering bugs were its natural prey. When the bird dove, Sole rolled up into a ball. Its beak bounced off the Venipede's hard shell, and in that second of recoil, he lashed out with another Poison Tail. Sole seemed to know what to do without her trainer needing to say it.

Kayla risked a glance at Yume and Enjō. She wasn't fazed by the sight of the blood. She thought back to the Lechonk that had been roasting on a spit and remembered, she'd killed Pokemon before.

"What are you so upset about?" she asked Yume. There was a slight smile playing on Kayla's lips, as if she were trying to comfort her. But there was an airy look in her eyes, like someone who didn't realize how cold she sounded. "It's just a Pokemon."

 

[DracoNightshade]

"I really just want to explore the world." Responding to the talk about dreams, Riley kept his two cents brief. Vera rubbed her head against his right leg.
While he was certainly impressed with Kayla's skill with the guitar, Riley groaned when the flock of Spearow started attacking. "Ugh, I hate these guys."
Riley raised his mechanical left arm before it started spinning just above the now bent elbow joint at high speed, looking like a big green fan. Luckily, the attacking Spearow had enough sense to realize just how dangerous this strange limb could be if they were hit with it and steered away from it. Vera made sure to stay close to the mechanical arm and hopefully off of the Flying type Pokemons' radar.
Riley soon grimaced. His arm had started to create something of a vacuum and it was beginning to get difficult for him to breathe. He had to stop windmilling or risk passing out from a lack of air. Riley gripped the metal encasing what was left of his upper arm and gritted his teeth as he willed the appendage to stop. It took some time for it to do so, and during that short period he paid little to no attention to what the others had dealt with just then.
As soon as his arm was back to where it should be, Riley had placed his hands on his knees and breathed deeply, almost gasping for air. Having caught his breath, he turned to the others. "Is everyone alright?"

 

[GojiBean]

Following the swift backlash by the Trainers and their Pokemon the Spearow all departed. But even with the chaos dying down as things settled Yume could barely think straight. The sight and feeling of what was happening under her hands kept her attention. However, it wasn't long before her worst fears became a reality as the old Spearow fell still and silent under her attempts to stop the flow of blood. And it was then that Kayla approached with a question.

"What are you so upset about? It's just a Pokemon."

Yume's eyes went wide and glossed over with all the life seeming to fade from them as the pupil smeared into the iris, and she very slowly turned her head to lock eyes with Kayla.

"..."

That empty, dead stare lasted for a long moment before she returned her gaze to the now deceased Spearow which she gently picked up and cradled to her stomach.

"How old was it?" She asked, though it was unclear if she was just thinking out loud or actually addressing anyone specific such as Kayla.

"It's a male... Was it a father? Were the others its children or grandchildren? Were they seeing us as threats who got too close to their nest?"

She lifted it up and examined its body.

"Enjō didn't cause the damage to the feathers on its wings. Was it suffering from an illness, or was the damage the result of declining health from its age? And this-" She looked at an old wound on its left leg which was visible thanks to it not being distorted or blocked from it kicking and flailing around. "What caused this injury? Was it a territorial bout? Was it attacked by a predator? Was it a scrap with one of its own over food or space in the nest?"

She cradled it to her stomach again and stood up while turning around, eyes still devoid of life and brimming with tears, and seemed to stare through Kayla rather than looking directly at her.

"Pokemon exist in a natural order. The strong prey on the weak. Sometime we humans even hunt and eat Pokemon for sustenance or survival. But no matter how or why their lives come to an end the fact remains that they're living, breathing, thinking, feeling beings with emotions and histories all their own. No matter its health troubles, this little one's time wasn't over yet. And it shouldn't have ended here... Not like this."

Finally, the life seemed to return to Yume's eyes as her pupils solidified, and they locked squarely on Kayla's.

"How could anyone so casually dismiss such a needless loss of life?" She asked in a soft, yet firm voice.

 

[Gravitational Force]

Isaac is unsure of what to say, but he does know there are a lot of wrong things to say.

There are a lot of big emotions happening and it's all he can do to-

He notices his Gastly moving towards the dead Spearow and quickly pulls out its Pokeball, returning it before it does something stupid.

 

[DracoNightshade]

Riley tested his arm to make sure it still worked properly before making his way over to Yume, Vera right behind him. Riley rested his titanium palm on Yume's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "Hey, it wasn't your fault. Come on, I have an idea."
Walking off the road, Riley made his way to a sunny spot and pulled a folding shovel out of his pack and started digging. "Vera, find some berries."
The Chikorita was not sure what her trainer was thinking, but she did as she was commanded. Luckily, it did not take as long as she thought it would. Unluckily, they were a bit too high for her to reach and she had no idea how to use Vine Whip. With no other option, according to her anyway, Vera repeatedly Tackled the tree in an effort to shake some loose. It took a few tries, but eventually a few ripe Oran berries fell from the branches above and landed nearby. Sadly, Vera's head often made more contact with the trunk and she was left with a bit of a headache. Needless to say, the oversized Chikorita was feeling quite unsteady after that, trying to keep her balance while looking like she was drunk.
Meanwhile, Riley had finished digging and realized Vera was looking dizzy. "Oh, boy."
Walking over to Vera, he saw the fresh berries on ground and rubbed her head. "Good job girl. But we definitely need to teach you how to use Vine Whip."
Riley returned her to her pokeball and collected a dozen berries before returning to the others.
GojiBean

 

[RipEverything]

Kayla blinked. She regarded Yume as if she were from another planet.

“Thinking, feeling beings with emotions and histories all their own?” she answered. “You mean the same emotions that drove the Spearow to attack us for no apparent reason?”

She looked at Sole. His Pokeball was intact, which was all that kept Pokemon from being ruled by their instincts.

Otherwise, they were just wild animals that made the simple act of getting around dangerous. The only way they and humans could inhabit the same world is if the latter subjugated them, suppressed their savage ways and subordinated them completely to the trainers’ objectives.

In other words, Pokemon were tools at best, despite Professor Oak’s insistence to the contrary. That fact had never resonated so clearly in Kayla’s mind. It was like the memory she’d regained had set something in motion.

“Pokemon are a lot like tools,” Kayla said. The words escaped her mouth like the notes that she’d played on the guitar, as if she were compelled. “Unless you can find a way to use them, they’re just wild animals that make the world a more dangerous place. Like you saw just now. And I wouldn’t touch it if I were you. Those things carry diseases.”

——

Officer Sean Patterson cruised down the road from Pallet Town to Viridian City, his trusty Growlithe, Blaze, seated in the passenger seat. The afternoon sun cast long shadows on the pavement, and the gentle hum of the car’s engine was the only sound breaking the serene silence of the route. Sean kept his eyes on the road, his mind half-focused on finding Kayla Mire in Viridian City.

Blaze, usually alert but calm, suddenly perked up. His ears twitched and his body tensed. Sean glanced over, noticing the change in his partner's demeanor.

"What's up, buddy?" Sean asked, his voice filled with concern. Blaze's ears were standing straight up, and his nose twitched as if trying to catch a scent. But it wasn't the scent that was bothering him—it was a distant sound. A faint melody, carried by the breeze, reached their ears. Someone was playing a guitar, the notes soft but clear.

Blaze let out a low growl, his eyes scanning the roadside as if searching for the source of the music. His agitation was palpable, his body on edge.

"Easy, Blaze," Sean murmured, reaching over to pat the Growlithe's head. "It's just some music. Nothing to worry about."

But Blaze's agitation didn't subside. His growl grew louder, and he shifted restlessly in his seat. Sean furrowed his brow, puzzled by his partner's unusual behavior. Blaze was normally so composed, especially on patrol.

Sean slowed the car, his eyes scanning the area. The trees lining the road rustled gently, but there was no sign of anyone playing a guitar. The melody continued, soothing yet somehow unsettling to Blaze.

"What's got you so worked up?" Sean wondered aloud, his hand still on Blaze's head. The Growlithe's growls began to subside, his body slowly relaxing as the music faded. The tension that had gripped him moments before seemed to dissipate, leaving him calm once more.

"That's better," Sean said softly, giving Blaze a reassuring scratch behind the ears. The Growlithe let out a soft woof, his tail wagging slightly as if to apologize for his earlier behavior.

Sean shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "You're a strange one, Blaze. Maybe you're just not a fan of guitar music, huh?"

He resumed driving, keeping an eye on Blaze out of the corner of his eye. The Growlithe had settled back into his usual position, head resting on his paws, eyes half-closed. Whatever had agitated him was gone now, leaving the serene afternoon undisturbed.

As they continued down the road, Sean couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious guitarist and why the music had affected Blaze so deeply. But with Blaze calm once more, Sean pushed the thought aside, focusing on the road ahead.

 

[Necromantic]

Swipe. Tap. Delete. It could still be recovered, probably, but meeting somebody who thought like this wasn't a memory worth keeping. A different group picture could be taken later, one without Kayla.

"Then release Sole into the wild and leave, Kayla." Sage stated, pulling Hana closer to her. Right...Right, this was why she wanted to be a Professor. Because of people like the thing that'd done the disservice of being a "person" travelling with her. She could continue to play the role of somebody cheerful and social to everyone else, but not this one. "I'll do your Pokemon a favour and crush his Pokeball for you, k~ay? Humans without empathy are little more than beasts, so maybe I should capture you and train you myself."

As much as she wanted to take Sole's pokeball and shatter it, to free an innocent pokemon from something that only saw him as an object, she'd refrain from doing so for now. Sage wasn't a beast, and even if Kayla had been downgraded from a person to an inconvenience, she still had self control. If Kayla was actually a person, people were capable of change, so learning that living beings weren't toys was possible. Then again, if Kayla spoke like that around Hana again, Sage might just decide to let her fists do the talking.

So, Sage turned her attention to something more pleasant. She picked up Teddy, lifting up her hoodie to check for any injuries. Just a little scratch, it wasn't even actually bleeding. She'd clean it off once they took a proper break. She kissed the Teddiursa's forehead, and Teddy responded by affectionately hugging her face. Sage was so relieved she was okay, even if Teddy didn't quite understand the concept of battling. Hopefully, she'd be able to catch and train a friendly breed of Pokemon and Teddy wouldn't need to learn much about battling....

And speaking of, taking her eyes off Hana for five seconds seemed to be a mistake, because she promptly toddled a few feet away and picked up a distressed looking Metapod from the grass. How'd she know it was there? Sage would never understand how Hana could just find bugs wherever she went.

"Lookie, I found a pod!" Hana stated cheerfully, ignorant to how the Metapod was trying it's best to wiggle out of her grip. At least it wasn't one that had claws this time.

"Put it back down, you don't need a Metapod!"

Hana put the Metapod down with an unhappy "hmph", and it did it's best to rock away as fast as it could. A valiant effort, even if the bug wasn't actually moving quickly.

"Let's keep going, everyone~ This kind of conversation isn't worth continuing. I hope we see a group of Yamper, they're super cute!"