(Author's Note: This is rated PG - M, updates will be irregular and there will be hiatuses) Chapter One: Dashed Dreams Taking a deep breath, the girl filled her lungs with brisk morning air. She had much to do so unfortunately she had to put an end to her swim sooner rather than later. With a heavy weight upon her heart she stood, water trickling down her freckled skin. After a stretch and a yawn she waded towards the bank, ripples surrounding her. She pulled herself out of the water unceremoniously, almost slipping upon deep green moss. With a small smile on her lips, she padded towards the slumbering hypno she considered as family. She gently poked his forehead, stirring him. Soon, his earthy brown eyes pulled open, boring into the girl's blue-grey ones, his mind puzzled as to where he was. "We're in the woods near home, grandpa," she reminded him with a giggle, standing upright. He heaved himself to his feet, resting his weight upon his walking stick, his breath hitching with the effort. The girl watched him with concern. "We're not far from home," she assured him, skipping towards a nearby path. She cheerily pushed her way through the narrow path, humming a tune to herself as she did so. Her feet fell heavily on the cool cobblestone as she ran in the direction of her home, carrot orange hair billowing behind her. Hypno tried his best to keep up, in spite of his wheezing chest. Within several minutes, the girl had come to her destination, waiting for her weary grandfather to catch up. The house was as old as the city itself though it was well kept by her pretentious mother. It had a traditional appeal to it, complete with a slatted roof and walls of bleached plaster. "Take your time Grandpa!" she called as he neared her. The old Pokémon increased his pace slightly anyway. The girl smiled at him, relieved that he was able to walk all that way. She twisted the brass unlocked doorknob and let herself in, holding the door open for the hypno. He hobbled over to his favourite seat and set himself down. The girl just shook her head in pity before heading for the kitchen. "Hi mum," she chirped a little hesitantly. The woman was pouring some Pokémon kibble into bowls with deliberate and precise movements from practice. There was flour clinging to her apron and the scent of freshly baked muffins wafted in the stuffy kitchen. "Charlotte!" she snapped, her piercing green eyes meeting hers with a glare, her glasses slipping on the bridge of her button nose. She pushed them up with a flourish. The girl backed away, wondering what she had done to anger her mother this time. She then noticed a trio of very hungry looking Pokémon behind the counter. One was a stantler with large antlers, another was a balding noctowl and the final was very grouchy looking clefable. She knew these Pokémon very well, well enough to know not to get in the way of them and their food. "Go get ready," she said, gaze softening as she placed the bowls before the three Pokémon. They instantly began stuffing their faces, crumbs flying here and there — one hitting the small girl in the middle of her forehead. Charlotte's smile wavered. Her hands began to shake a little along with a rise of anxiety. She wasn't ready for today even though she had known this day was coming for a long time. "Some baby Pokémon have been delivered to the lab," she informed, hanging up a tea towel and turning to her daughter, "I would like you to go visit them for me." The mother grinned to herself as her daughter's eyes lit up with excitement. No matter how upset she was about the circumstances, the prospect of meeting Pokémon always brought joy to her. But her excitement soon died down as she remembered what she was really there for. "Okay," she said softly, almost forgetting to answer. "I'll go get dressed." She added. She forced a smile but her mother caught on immediately. "Charlotte, wait," snapped her mother once more, "I'm not finished." Charlotte's false grin drooped as she turned back. Her mother's gaze had an edge to it once more — a particular sharpness that Charlotte had become accustomed to. The cheery mood she had been in was dampened as a silence passed between the pair, the munching of Pokémon the only sound in the room. "No hesitating or worrying," she said. Charlotte would have been overjoyed at the chance — what child doesn't want a Pokémon? But she knew what her mother meant by all this. She would not be given a Pokémon just to love and nurture as a companion — this was a rite of passage that sent all trainers on their journeys. She wanted to get swept up in the duties and traditions of trainers in the slightest. Her mother tapped her nails on the linoleum, gaze hardening as her daughter began to argue. "We...we've talked a-about this," she muttered. "I don't want to be a trainer. I want Pokémon, y-yeah but I just w-want to keep..." She trailed off with a frustrated sigh — her mother was too intense for her to argue against. Charlotte was aware that things would end this way. She had spoken at length about it with a good friend of hers and he had managed to reduce her fears towards the idea. "You are becoming a trainer and that is final," said her mother, "It runs in your — our - blood." Charlotte was silent, her fixed on her dirty feet. Her mother sighed softly as she shook her head in dismay. Despite her harsh attitude towards her daughter she still loved her deeply and wished for her to be happy. Therefore she had to put aside some of her own beliefs and ways to make a deal with her daughter that would ultimately benefit them both. "If you wish to become a ranger so much, collect all the badges of this region. Then I will allow you to follow that silly dream of yours." Charlotte's gaze remained on her feet, eyes stinging. She had cried enough about this — she had no more tears to give. She didn't want to challenge all those strong people - Pokémon would get hurt and she didn't want that. She just wanted to be a ranger and help everyone like her heroes on the television. "Charlotte," she said, much kinder this time, "Do it in honour of our family, for your dreams. This is very important. You may not realise this now but in the future you will look back upon your journey with a smile." After another awkward, heavy silence, the young girl spoke up, meeting her mother's gaze with determined eyes. "I know and I'll try," she replied. "But only if you really promise to let me be a ranger after this." "I promise," her mother hesitantly replied, holding her pinkie finger aloft. Her daughter smiled slowly, though there was still apprehension in her blue-grey eyes. Charlotte was frightened and reluctant to do as her mother instructed - it was dangerous and difficult out there but it was for her mother and her dream. "Pinkie promise," she chirped, wrapping her pinkie around her mother's. The mood lightened, as if a weight had been taken off their shoulders. Charlotte left the living room to get her things ready. She would have to pass through Violet City in order to progress, but she would not be returning home. This would be the last time she would see her home for a long time. She threw on her day clothes, tugged a brush through her messy locks and slung her rucksack, which she had prepared yesterday, over her slender shoulders. It was lighter than she expected, making her worry that she was not bringing enough. Once she had prepared herself as much as possible, she headed back downstairs and towards the door, turning towards her mother. She was now sitting on the couch with an espeon curled in her lap, worry etched in the wrinkles of her face. Hypno was awake now and staring at Charlotte with pride gleaming in his beady eyes. "Will...will I be okay?" she asked, hovering around the door, feeling as though her exit was a little unceremonious — this was meant to be important and she felt like she was missing something. "You will be fine," she said as she stroked the espeon's ears. As she stared at the form of her daughter by the door, her heart couldn't help but ache. She hadn't let her daughter stray too far from her line of sight before — this world was incredibly dangerous and packed with monsters that could maul her if they were provoked enough. She looked so small standing there. Her blue-grey eyes were wide and shimmering with nerves, anticipation and fear. She's a girl who would work tirelessly to get what she wants, to follow her dreams, to do what she believes is right. But her curiosity, fear and shyness always got in the way. "Okay," Charlotte agreed, "Oh! And I'll get to say hi to Gold while I'm there too," she added as an afterthought. "He can probably give me some advice." Her mother nodded, her expression becoming serious as she got to her feet, the espeon leaping off her lap and trotting at her heels. She sauntered up to her daughter, peering down at her through her spectacles. "On your way back through the city, you are to challenge the monks to help you prepare for your journey," she instructed. Charlotte nodded reluctantly — she knew how strong those monks were and was scared but at least they were kind. She rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders before pulling her into a hug. Charlotte buried her pudgy face into the woman's shoulder, taking in her comforting scent of baked goods and Pokémon fur. She clung to her like she would never see her again, her body shaking all over. Her mother broke off from her, tucking a stray lock of tangled orange hair behind the young girl's ear. Hypno's bones audibly creaked with the effort as he got to his feet and drew Charlotte into another hug. Once she pulled away, she felt a sudden weight at her chest. Looking down, she found that her grandfather had slipped his pendent around her neck. Surprised, she looked up and opened her mouth to protest but he held up a hand and shook his hand. Her mother smiled softly at him, then at her daughter. "He'll be watching over you so make sure you don't get into any trouble — we'll be the first to hear of it." Charlotte giggled half-heartedly. Both she and her mother were surprised that the hypno had given up the pendent — it was one of his species most prized possessions. "Remember to call me every day from the Pokémon centre," she said firmly. "Take good care of your Pokémon and remember what I have taught you."
Chapter Two: Trainers It was a lengthy trek, taking until late morning for Charlotte to reach New Bark Town. She had made sure to avoid the tall grass, even taking detours to assure she wouldn't have any surprise encounters. Her heart skipped a beat upon catching sight of the whirring wind turbines, the breeze picking up as she approached the town. She passed by white picket fences, the grass tickling her ankles. The ocean glittered in the distance and the faint roar of the waves could be heard. The air smelt like freshly cut grass and sea salt. It was a beautiful scene and she was quite distracted by it until she remembered what she was there for. With a rapidly beating heart, she scanned the pale green houses with an excited grin. Her eyes rested upon a building that was larger than the others with a wooden sign that read 'Pokémon Lab'. She wondered why she hadn't spotted it the moment she walked into the town. "Oi! Charlotte!" exclaimed a familiar voice. She turned towards the sound, ears pricked and eyes wide with anticipation. Suddenly, a pair of arms snaked around her, seemingly out of nowhere. Fearfully, she screamed and kicked at her captor. Unfortunately, he was much stronger than her and just laughed loudly at her attempts. Then she realised it was only Gold. She stopped struggling and he let go of her, still laughing. A blush crept over her cheeks in embarrassment. She crossed her arms, trying to make herself look tough. "Don't do that," she huffed. However, she couldn't help but begin to smile; after all, it had been just under two years since she had last seen him. She had missed him. The story of how they met is a simple one: Gold had travelled to Violet City during the early days of his adventure and, through a series of events, they became friends. "If you don't want me to scare you then pay more attention to what's going on," he grinned, flicking her forehead. She smiled weakly, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "Yeah," she giggled. For a moment, she wondered if this was the same boy she knew a couple years back. There was little difference in his appearance; same raven black hair that stuck at odd angles out of his cap, same cheeky golden eyes, and same mischievous grin. He trusty fire type still stood by his side, though he had now fully evolved into a typhlosion. No matter how hard Charlotte stared at him, she couldn't figure out what was missing. "Anyway," he said, smirking, "I bet you're here to hear about my epic journey." She wanted to see him and hear his story, sure, but she was here for the new Pokémon. She found herself caught between staying to hear Gold's story and meeting some Pokémon. After a mental debate, she decided she'd see the Pokémon first, then promptly attend Gold's adventure lecture. "Of course!" she said enthusiastically, not wanting to offend him. "But I have to see the new Pokémon first. I'm...uh...supposed to be getting one for my journey." Remembrance flashed in Gold's eyes as he recalled seeing a delivery truck roll up to the lab the day previous. It must have contained a shipment of starter Pokémon for the coming of age trainers. A large grin grew on the boy's face as he gazed down at the short girl. It was about time: she was eleven and had barely set foot outside of Violet City. "Oh, yeah! Old man Elm said that your mum called him about that!" exclaimed Gold before he grabbed her wrist roughly. "Let's go then!" He basically dragged Charlotte towards the lab. She almost tripped over a couple times on the way there but he mercilessly continued tugging her onwards, spouting random stories on the way. She found it funny actually, both her clumsiness and his boastful tales. As soon as they reached the lab, the older boy unceremoniously shoved Charlotte through the electronic sliding doors, chuckling. He smiled mischievously and waved at her through the glass, eager to see which Pokémon she would choose. Charlotte just waved at him awkwardly before turning her back on him and heading deeper into the lab. She fiddled with the zip of her jacket nervously as her eyes searched the room for any signs of somebody professor-looking. Orderly rows of shelves filled the room, containing many strange scientific doodads that Charlotte couldn't even begin to recognise. There were a few work desks here and there, papers and books stacked upon them, big words written on them that she hadn't learnt. She was constantly reminding herself not to touch anything. She reached the back of the room, spotting some machinery. One of them she recognised as a healing station similar to that of a Pokémon Center, hooked up to a large laptop on a nearby desk. Another large machine caught her eye, though she had no clue what it was. Her eyes traced over the three circular indents behind a thick shield of glass. Each indent held a glossy Pokéball. "Hello there," said a sudden voice, followed by the loud smack of a pile of books being placed down. Charlotte screamed loudly in fright, accidently tripping over a bundle of cords and landing heavily on her behind. She immediately noticed that it was just the professor she had been looking for earlier. "Oh sorry for scaring you!' apologised the professor, trying to comfort the girl. Charlotte nodded, waving her hand back and forth as if dusting the comment away, unable to speak still. She carefully got to her feet, backing away a little in order to keep her distance from the man. He looked and acted exactly the same to the way he did on the television. "N-no problem," she replied meekly, her stuttering making things more awkward, "I-I came here to see the new p-Pokémon." "Oh...," he muttered, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to remember anybody calling him about this issue in advance. He vaguely remembered a stern woman yelling at him over the telephone about something to do with her daughter. He nodded in understanding and set down the remaining books and papers he was carrying. "Well, let's have a look at them." Charlotte nodded, though she remained cautious. She generally didn't talk to people she didn't know well simply because 'stranger danger' - she did not know what they were thinking about her, or what they were planning to do with her. She picked at a loose thread on her shorts, her hands shaking slightly. The professor opened a panel on the side of the machine, tapping in a code using the keys. With a whir of hydraulic powered gear, the glass shield began to slide down. Charlotte's eyes lit up with pure glee as the professor removed the pokeballs, ready to display the Pokémon within. He gestured to the girl with a nod of her head. She slowly approached the man, as if the pokeballs would disappear if she made too much noise. "Now which one would you like to look at first?" smiled the Professor. She pointed to a Pokéball in his right hand, unsure which one to pick first as she knew that all three of them contained amazing Pokémon. Upon pressing the button on the centre, a burst of red light erupted from the ball which quickly materialized into the form of a small Pokémon. It tilted its head as it studied her with expressionless, ruby red eyes. A forest green leaf that was longer than its body sprouted from its head, shaking slightly from side to side. There was a necklace of buds around its neck which Charlotte assumed would blossom into flowers. A soothing aroma wafted from the Pokémon; calming her down. "A chikorita," she recognised. It made happy little noises upon hearing its name, its eyes filling with kindness. Her fear quickly draining away, Charlotte gingerly reached out to pet it. "Now for cyndaquil," smiled the Professor, releasing the Pokémon hiding within the second Pokéball. Charlotte's eyes were drawn from chikorita to a flash of bright red light and flames. This Pokémon peered up at her with a mildly irritated expression, its eyes squinted closed. It had dark green fur with a creamy white underside, flames rising from four red spots on its back, flickering to and fro. Charlotte, just like she had done with chikorita, reached out to pet it. However, this Pokémon took it much differently. It began to growl the closer the girl's fingers got to it, prompting her to draw her hand away quickly, worried that it may try to hurt her. "Don't mind him, he's just a little bad tempered," soothed Professor Elm, not wanting the Pokémon to give the wrong impression. "That's okay," replied Charlotte cheerily, scooting a couple meters away from the Pokémon, "I bet he's just nervous." Cyndaquil made a huffing sound, turning its fiery back to the girl and professor arrogantly. Chikorita just sighed, as if she had been dealing with the fire type her entire life. "Now for the final Pokémon, Totodile," concluded the Professor, pressing the button on the final Pokéball. In another burst of crimson light, the final starter Pokémon materialized upon the table. This one merely glanced at Charlotte with his big blue eyes, sparkling with unshed tears. Upon realising that someone was watching, it wiped its tears away with its scaly paw. It was bigger than the other Pokémon, standing at around two feet tall. It had blue, scaly skin with a thin patch of yellow scales across its belly. An array of red spikes trailed down its spine, its mouth lined with sharp fangs, one of which being larger than the others. Charlotte's smile softened as she reached out to pet this Pokémon, wondering why it was so sad. The Pokémon tensed, unsure whether it should let this stranger touch him. It backed away from her a little in its hesitance. "Don't be sad," she muttered in an attempt to soothe it. "We don't know why he's been so upset," said Professor Elm, scratching his scalp in confusion. "We've been treating him with the upmost care and love like all the other Pokémon here." Charlotte nodded, not in understanding, but to show that she heard him. She dropped her hand back to her side, unsure of what to do now. Her eyes glanced from Pokémon to Pokémon and she smiled at each one, pleased that she had been given the privilege to meet such rare Pokémon. Now she had to choose one. This Pokémon would become her partner who she would nurture and care for with all her heart. It would defend her and offer her its company in return. She could barely believe that she was free to choose from any one of these Pokémon — they were all great. Her brow furrowed as she tried to come to a decision. "Take your time," said the professor. "Choose whichever one resonates with you the most." She turned her attention towards totodile. She wasn't sure why she was so drawn to him but something about him evoked a feeling of unexplainable fondness and a desire to protect him. She stared at each Pokémon, but every time her eyes seemed to wander back to the totodile. The water type gazed at her with mixed expressions of curiosity, wonder and fear as the girl's blue-grey eyes settled upon him. "I...choose you," she muttered, almost under her breath. There was no helping it — she was completely biased. She wanted nothing more than to make him happy and take him out to see the world with her. The Pokémon's eyes widened in surprise dumbfounded that he had been chosen as a partner on such an important journey. However, the shock was short-lived. His lips parted in the toothiest grin Charlotte had ever seen, his eyes squinted closed, cheeks dusted with pink. He had no idea who this girl was but that didn't matter — he'd finally be given the chance to battle. "Alright you two," the professor interjected, the girl and Pokémon turning their attention towards him. He held a tray out to her and she peered at it curiously, taking note of what was displayed. Five minimalized pokeballs, a pastel pink, brand new Pokédex and a metallic badge case was present. She picked up the pokeballs, tucking them into a compartment into her backpack. While she was putting away the badge case and inspecting her Pokédex, the professor returned totodile to his Pokéball and handed it to her. She clicked it into her belt. She was hit with a wave of disbelief at the fact that she had a real, live Pokémon strapped to her belt. Awed, she switched on her Pokédex. After a period of loading, a menu screen was displayed. From there, she could view her personal details and information about the Pokémon she had seen so far. There was a separate section for the Pokémon in her team. She could see a little totodile icon beside a bar of green, with the number 'five' beside it. "This Pokédex will serve as both your personal ID and the identification system necessary for storing information about seen and caught Pokémon. It will track the strength of your Pokémon through the Aptitude Recognition Scale, ARS." Charlotte was beside herself with joy and gratitude as she bowed before the professor. "T-thank you for my Pokémon and Pokédex - I-I couldn't have a-asked for more," she stumbled, cheeks dusted pink. He chuckled heartily in response. "Well, I suggest that it's high time you got going," he said. Charlotte nodded as her gaze drifted towards the window. Gold was no longer standing there which meant he probably got bored of waiting and wandered off. Her nerves began to build up again. She was officially a trainer now, meaning that once she headed out onto the routes again, there was a high chance of her being asked to battle. "Yeah...I guess so." The electronic doors opened and closed, letting the young girl out. She sighed heavily, feeling a little dizzy and nauseous. As a trainer, many adventures lay in the future along with new dangers and struggles. She was downright terrified but she knew that there was absolutely no turning back now — she had to be strong. She was distracted from her thoughts a sharp shake to her shoulders which prompted her head to loll back and forth. "S-stop!" she said, startled. Once she was released, she found that it was Gold who had disturbed her. He chuckled and bent down a little to her eye level. "So which one did you choose?" he asked, eyeing off her belt with curiosity in his golden eyes. Charlotte grinned as she removed totodile's Pokéball, a rush of joy and pride overtaking her as she eagerly let him out of the ball. In a burst of red light, the Pokémon appeared at their feet. The totodile glared up at the trainers with wide eyes, feet shuffling a little. He was about as clueless as Charlotte was in terms of how to deal with his new situation. He glanced rapidly between her and Gold, tapping his tail on the ground nervously. "Totodile huh? I'm more of a cyndaquil kind of guy," he jested, gesturing to the typhlosion at his heels. Said Pokémon was busy staring at totodile intensely, making him feel more uncomfortable. "But totodile's cool, don't get me wrong." Gold knelt down to the Pokémon, placing a heavy hand on top of his head. "Nice to meet 'cha." It was then that the Pokémon was startled enough to bite down on his hand. Gold yelped in shock and pain, stumbling over backwards. He waved his arm up and down, trying his hardest to loosen the Pokémon's grip on his hand. His typlosion was trying to help by tugging on the blue Pokémon which only caused more pain for Gold. Charlotte was in a panic, fumbling with totodile's Pokémon as she withdrew him. "S-sorry I don't k-know what got into him," Charlotte apologised, reaching out to take Gold's hand and inspect it for wounds. He pulled away though, chuckling a little sheepishly. "Nah, it's nothing. Didn't even break the skin," he chided. "He's got a strong jaw though — he was holding back. In time he'll get less freaked out around trainers, trust me." Charlotte did trust him. She nodded as he got to his feet, dusting dirt of his clothes. He had offered her quite a few titbits of advice the first time they met, and during their consecutive video calls, all of which she had tried to take into consideration. Some of it, however, probably wasn't useful or entirely legal though. "I hope so," she muttered. Gold placed a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to look up at him. Gold opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted. "Struggling with baby Pokémon Gold?" They turned towards the sound of the voice, seeing that it was a red-headed boy around Gold's age who had spoken. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his black and red lined jacket, his lips twisted into a menacing smirk. At his heels stomped a large feraligatr, one that glared just as sharply as his trainer did. Charlotte cowered behind Gold as he stepped forward. The flames on his tyhplosion's back flickered and flared stronger in defence. "Me, a Pokémon breeder, struggling with baby Pokémon?" Gold snorted. "Really Silver?" The boy stopped a few feet away from Gold, still smirking. "That wasn't your Pokémon was it?" Charlotte simply gazed at him with wide, blue-grey eyes. She had never actually seen Silver in person, only on news programs and such. She had always found him intimidating, even on a screen. The boy gave off a menacing aura, acting like he had the power to do whatever he wished with little effort. And that feraligatr looked like it could tear her to shreds. She was relieved that Fang was safe inside his Pokéball — he probably would be just as scared as she was. "Nope," replied Gold, ruffling Charlotte's carrot-orange hair. "It's my friend here's. She literally just got him." Silver's gaze turned to the girl, steely gaze boring straight through her. She shuddered. "You better start disciplining him. Otherwise he'll never be strong," he advised. His feraligatr huffed in approval. "Weak trainers make for weak Pokémon, remember that. And right now, you look pretty weak to me." Gold rolled his eyes. He was used to this kind of thing from Silver. He was different from when he first met him: just that little bit kinder towards his Pokémon and the people around him. But that didn't mean he'd completely changed. Charlotte simply nodded, unable to open her mouth to speak. "Oh come on, Silver. Don't be an ass," defended Gold. "Anyway, what brings you back here? I thought you were done with this place." "Professor Elm says he needs us to do something for him," Silver explained in a monotone, like he didn't care. Gold seemed annoyed by this. "But I've done tons for him already. I filled up an entire Pokédex and helped get rid of yet another Team Rocket infestation. What more could he want?" he complained, folding his arms behind his head. "I have better things I need to be doing," said his rival, annoyance tinting his tone as well. "But apparently this is urgent and he needs 'the aid of the best trainers in Johto'." "I thought he hated you for stealing that Totodile and being an all-round douchebag," said Gold, confused as to why Elm had suddenly become so forgiving after holding a grudge for so long. Silver shrugged, though his hands tightened into fists. "Like I said, it must be pretty damn important if he needs us. I wouldn't have shown up here if it wasn't important." They glared at one another for a few moments. Charlotte didn't really understand what they were talking about or that look in their eyes. It was like they were having a conversation only they could understand. "Fine, fine, I'm coming," groaned Gold finally, getting to his feet. He was pouting like a child. "I'll be back soon," he said to Charlotte. "You head over to Cherrygrove. I still got to tell you my story. Oh, and I got something to give you too." Charlotte nodded with a smile on her face at the promise of a present. "O-okay! Bye!" she yelled after him, waving as she watched the rivals head off in the direction of the lab, their Pokémon bickering behind them. For a moment, Charlotte wondered if she'd end up with a rival like that. The air smelt like it does in New Bark Town, but with an added fragrance of sweet flowers. Cherry blossom trees shook in the breeze, scattering pink petals all over the ground. The ocean was not far from them, the sound of waves relaxing Charlotte. She fiddled with a petal in her hands as Gold went on about his journey. She had let totodile out again, cautiously. He was currently sitting beside her, eating some cherry blossom petals absentmindedly. His gaze was fixed on the ocean, as if he was mesmerised. Charlotte had scanned him with her newly acquired Pokédex: he was level five, had the ability Torrent, and knew the moves scratch and leer. She decided to name him Fang. Gold laughed at the name but totodile seemed pleased with it. "...Then I lost but only just, it was down to one on one," concluded Gold, making a dramatic pose, "I would have won if the wind wasn't blowing so much at that moment. But get this, after our battle? The guy totally disappeared like a ghost or something." He finished speaking, an arrogant grin on his face. He loved boasting about his adventure with his Pokémon, especially to those that were easily impressed. Charlotte began to clap enthusiastically, having been listening to him the whole time with an excited smile, and reacting to everything he said. A light tint of pink spread over Gold's cheeks, his grin becoming goofy as he greedily took her praise to heart. "So, what do you think about trainers now?" he asked. He knew she still was very hesitant towards the concept due to her dreams of being a ranger, and her beliefs surrounding that. Charlotte thought for a moment. It sounded like trainers did amazing things, sure, but that didn't mean she was any more inclined to fully embrace it. From what she had seen on television, there were more bad trainers than there were rangers. She didn't want to let Gold down but she was just not completely comfortable with pitting her beloved Pokémon against others. "They're okay...I-I guess. As long as they're good people and take care of their Pokémon," she replied quietly, focusing on Fang. He was busy trying to scratch an itch on his back with his stubby arms. Slowly, she reached out to do it for him. He flinched but allowed her to touch him anyway. Gold nodded approvingly. "I feel the same way. What's the point in being a trainer if all you're going to do is treat your Pokémon like shit." Charlotte snapped her head towards him like she had just been zapped by an electric Pokémon. "...treat Pokémon like garbage, I mean," he corrected with a chuckle. Charlotte hummed in compliance, feeling rather weary all of a sudden. It was only midday and she was already tired from all the walking and excitement. She would sleep well tonight. The thought of her having to take on the monks that afternoon was enough to keep her awake. She stared at Fang, hoping that the grass types would go easy on him with his typing and all. Charlotte thought hard about life with a Pokémon, all the doors that were now being held open to her. She could walk around in tall grass without getting hurt by wild Pokémon, she could sail the seas, climb mountains, touch the clouds, make her mother proud; so many things. But no matter what fantasies she conjured, they remained only that, fantasies, something that would never happen. Without realising it, she began to go on about all these desires to Gold. "Then when Fang gets big we can cross whirlpool islands and...," she trailed off, trying to think of other things they could do together, having listed off many, many suggestions to her friend, wondering what he would think of them. He tried his best to listen but his mind had a habit of drifting elsewhere when he was bored. "Gold, have you ever done stuff like that?" she asked out of the blue, innocent eyes gazing into his. He felt as though he was obligated to answer, say something that would encourage her to put up with being a trainer for as long as possible. "Yeah...I've done all of that for sure," he said with a cocky grin, ruffling her already messy hair once more, "And maybe you can too...probably not as awesomely as me though." "I hope I can, that would be cool," she smiled, lying on her back and gazing at the cloudless sky. As she did so, she absentmindedly stroked Fang's back, the young Pokémon making clicking sounds that were similar to a Meowth's purr but with more pitch to it. He was more relaxed now but Charlotte could tell that his muscles were still tensed. Fang didn't trust her yet — they had only just met. "Don't you think so Fang?" The water type nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. "Oh yeah!" shouted Gold suddenly, startling Charlotte and Fang. "I've got a present for you." Curious, Charlotte perked up like a growlithe being offered a treat. Fang also seemed interested, though he was less curious. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands," the boy said mischievously, rummaging around in his backpack in search of the gift he had procured for his friend. Charlotte frowned, wanting to see her present straight away. Nonetheless, she closed her eyes and held her hands out, holding her breath in anticipation, curiosity bubbling within her. She waited for what felt like forever until the golden eyed boy set a glass case into her outstretched hands. It was heavy enough that she almost dropped it. "Surprise!" he cheered. Charlotte's eyes flew open as soon as the words left his lips. She gasped in astonishment upon seeing the contents of the glass case: a delicate egg sat upon a violet cushion, speckled with triangles of various colours and shades. The young girl's heart skipped a beat once she realised that this was hers to keep. Fang's clawed hands pressed against the glass as he gazed intently at the fragile object within. She had just received her first Pokémon not long ago and already she had received another? She felt like she was about to pass out with astonishment. "A-are y-you sure I can h-have it?" she stuttered through her excitement. "Yeah, duh, why would I give it to you otherwise, dummy?" he chuckled, drooping his arm around her shoulder in a strange one sided hug. "Plus, I have plenty of eggs just like that one back home," he added, a look on his face Charlotte couldn't read. Long story short, Gold had recently taken in a female togetic which was very popular with males. "Hey Charlotte," said Gold. His voice was distant and wistful, a tone she had never heard him take before. She turned her full attention towards him. He locked gazes with her. "You enjoy this adventure okay? You got to have fun or else it's just not worth it. Do what you want and don't let anyone hold you back. Live a life with no regrets." She looked at him like he was the wisest boy on the face of the planet, prompting him to laugh. "Heh, heh, or something like that. I thought you deserved a kind of inspirational speech before you get going." Charlotte giggled. "Thank you Gold, for everything." He had really helped streamline this whole 'becoming a trainer' process. "Oh come on, don't get sappy with me!" he pouted and folded his arms in a lame attempt to look displeased. "This meant to be a beginning not an end!" Without warning, Charlotte brought him into a hug, blushing as she wrapped her arms around his chest. He hesitated for a moment before embracing her. He was a little surprised to find how tense Charlotte was — she must be really nervous. He didn't blame her; she wasn't nearly as brave as he was. "Geez," he muttered as they broke apart. "Oh...I guess it's time to head back," Charlotte said, breaking away from her friend. Embarrassed by the hug, she avoided eye contact. She still had to take on Sprout Tower, as much as she didn't want to force her little partner Pokémon into battling so soon. Alas, that was the fate of a trainer's Pokémon. "Sorry Fang but...I guess our first battle's going to be a little sooner than it should be," Charlotte apologised in advance. She had expected the young Pokémon to get a little upset or worried but, to her surprise, a cocky grin drew up the corners of his mouth, as if he had been waiting for those words all his life. Her heart fell as she returned him to his Pokéball and tucked the Pokémon egg into her rucksack. She got up out of the flowers, dusting dirt and petals off of her, before saying her goodbyes to Gold. "I'll see you around Johto, Charlotte," he beamed, waving her off. She returned his wave as she ventured in the direction of Violet City. Adrenalin and anxiety pounded through her veins at the thought of the battles that were to come. She couldn't help but think of the worst.
Chapter Three: Unwanted Battles By mid-afternoon Charlotte had returned to Violet City, tuning into the bustling sounds and voices of trainers and travellers who were now well into their day. She had taken special care to avoid both tall grass and trainers this time but she knew she couldn't avoid it forever — Fang would need to grow stronger in order to face off against gym leaders. She didn't want to think about gym leaders yet, especially not the gym leader of her own city. Long story short, his family doesn't get along well with her mother and as such he wouldn't go easy on her. Her mother never told her much about the incident but apparently there was 'foul play' involved. Sending Fang out, she set her eyes on the tower poking out amongst the trees and houses. The Pokémon barely recognised her as being there — he was overjoyed to be outside and in a brand new place with new sights, smells and tastes. He would have scurried off if he hadn't noticed his trainer. Charlotte's sneakers clunked against the dark violet, wooden bridge, following by the tap of Fang's clawed feet. Her eyes skimmed over the watery pond as a politoad splashed past, wandering up the ancient pagoda before her. Her partner did the same, mouth agape as he leaned right back, unable to see the top due to his short stature. The lanterns hanging from the eaves of the wooden pagoda emitted a vague glow that was easily missed in the midday sun. Roof tiles were missing here and there but all in all, the pagoda was well cared for, even after all the years it had been left standing. The people of this city really tried their best to keep the city's rustic façade. Charlotte stopped in her tracks, as if caught by an invisible force. There was no way she could do this; it was too soon and too hard. She hovered around the entrance of the pagoda, worries streaming through her mind. Fang thought that all trainers would leap at the chance to battle. Apparently he was taught wrong. He began to get a little impatient, wanting to participate in his first battle as soon as possible. He began to inch closer and closer to the entrance to the pagoda. Ultimately Fang simply ignored his trainer and headed into the pagoda without her. Charlotte noticed soon after he did so, panicking even more. She called his name as she hurried inside after him, berating herself for not paying attention to her newly acquired Pokémon. Wooden bellsprout statues were situated on each side of the entrance. Bald monks dressed in long, deep violet and white robes bustled about, going about their daily business. A tourist or two milled around, taking photos of the pillar in the centre of the room. Fang was instantly drawn to the pillar's hypnotic, swaying movements. The entire pagoda seemed to creak and groan with each sway, as if about to collapse. Yet it stayed strong. Charlotte was less awed by the interior of the tower than her Pokémon as she had visited it many times before. However, the swaying pillar always entranced her and it was a good thing it did as she soon spotted Fang near it. The girl wandered to his side, relieved that she had caught up with him. Side by side, they stared upwards at the pillar, utterly enthralled. As such, they failed to notice one of the monks approaching them from behind. "That pillar was once a hundred foot long bellsprout," he spoke, startling them. Charlotte nearly jumped out of her skin as she whipped around. Fang emitted a short growl and bared his fangs as his eyes locked on the monk. The man held his hands up in innocence, apologising for startling them. Charlotte sighed in relief upon realising that he was not a ninja about to attack her. Fang closed his jaw and gazed blankly at the monk, admiring how shiny his head was. "Have you two come here to challenge my brothers on the upper floors?" he asked, tucking his hands into his sleeves, a gentle smile on his lips. Charlotte stared down at her feet, feeling nervous once more. "Yes...I guess s-so," she muttered. "You must be a new trainer," chuckled the monk. "Don't worry; they will have mercy on you." Charlotte sighed in relief again; glad that she wouldn't be having any epic, hardcore battles right away. Feeling a little reassured, she straightened up and smiled sheepishly. "I j-just got my s-starter a few hours ago." Her totodile nodded vaguely in confirmation. "Oh dear," chuckled the monk again, "Well, most of my brothers are training right now but I'm sure a few of them will be willing to have a battle with you and your partner. Don't worry, you shouldn't have to fight too many." "Thank you," said Charlotte, feeling a little less nervous after hearing the monk's kind words. After another 'Fang biting things he shouldn't' moment, the monk led the girl and her Pokémon towards a ladder, clutching his bite-mark ridden scalp. An occasional shout could be heard from upstairs. Shakily, she began to climb up the ladder with her totodile hitching a ride on her rucksack. Upon reaching the second floor, she studied her new surroundings with butterfree fluttering in her stomach. Fang hovered around her legs, eyes wide with excitement. Monks were busy battling, calling out attack names for their nearly identical Bellsprout. The loud noises from their attacks echoed around the room. Despite the Pokémon's small size and goofy appearance, these ones were clearly formidable. The look in their eyes matched that of their trainers, determined and utterly committed to their training. Charlotte shuddered nervously as she watched them, feeling awkward, like she wasn't meant to be there. Scenarios ran through her head, the majority of them being situations in which she embarrassed herself or lost the fight and her Pokémon were badly injured. What if her mother got angry at her for losing? How does one go about battling anyway? She was terrified. Fang harboured no such thoughts, he was entirely enthralled by the training bellsprout, admiring their strength. She took a deep breath and rummaged around in her bag for the notebook she had brought with her, along with her Pokédex. Sitting down, she flipped through the book for the information about battling. Upon finding it, she read it over a few times before checking Fang's moves. She didn't have much to work with considering their lack of experience. Nevertheless, reading over her mother's words comforted her. Her totodile was beginning to yearn to battle one of those powerful bellsprout. He knew that after a quick lashing from its roots, he would be out cold due to his weakness. That didn't matter to him — the more thrilling the battle, the better. Sighing expansively, Charlotte called to Fang as she began slowly approach a monk. He was sitting with his back to the wall, feeding his Bellsprout some Pokémon food. They seemed to be close — who knows how many years they had been training together. She didn't want to disturb him but she knew she must and she was getting tired of being so nervous. The monk looked up at her once he noticed her standing before him. Her gaze was focused on the swaying pillar as she asked him, "C-can I battle with you?" The monk smiled at the shy girl and nodded in agreement. "Sure, there is no need to be nervous," he said reassuringly. "I'll go easy on you," he added upon seeing the water starter Pokémon at her side. Fang frowned at this — he didn't want to be given any mercy he could take them for sure. The monk assumed that this was the girl's first battle together and guided her through the set up. He told her to stand a few metres back from him so that there was plenty of room to fight and allowed her to have the first move. Charlotte knew about all this but his babying was reassuring. Charlotte's heart beat rapidly in her chest, pumping fear and adrenalin through her veins as she watched her Pokémon step out before her, preparing to battle. The young Pokémon was filled with excitement and anticipation, eager to see where this battle was going to end up. His tail was wagging as he resisted the urge to leap straight into battle. "Okay," Charlotte muttered under her breath. "I should start with a status weakening move." "F-Fang use leer," she said meekly. Fang didn't need to be told twice. Promptly, he turned to his opponent, a spritely bellsprout, his eyes locking with the grass type in a glare. His lips pulled back, revealing sharp, pearly white fangs, a low growl gurgling at the back of his throat. Bellsprout seemed intimidated by Fang's cold glare, shuddering and back away from him a little. "Relax bellsprout and use vine whip," called the monk calmly — he had done this a thousand times. Bellsprout crawled forward on its roots, languidly lashing its leaves at Fang's scaly skin. He winced and recoiled in pain, teeth gritted. Excitement still glittered in his eyes — he was determined to win this first battle. "Okay, um, use scratch," she called. She didn't really know if she was doing things right but she figured that because bellsprout had been frightened by leer, he wouldn't be able to defend himself as well. Fang leapt forward, grinning wildly as he struck the bellsprout, slashing at its face with his clawed hands, leaving stinging scratches before jumping back to the space in front of his trainer. He struck before the frightened Pokémon could react and, just like Charlotte had predicted, it did more damage than normal. "Good move, that's the way it's done," encouraged the monk. "But in a serious battle, the opposing Pokémon will not wait until the other has finished its move. In fact, many of your opponents will be very crafty with their attacks in order to outsmart you." Charlotte absorbed his advice with a nod, her attention trained onto the bellsprout as she awaited its attack. Fang did the same, his lips curled with an arrogant smirk after having delivered his move so successfully. "Bellsprout, plant your roots in between the floor boards," he commanded, his Pokémon responding immediately by extending its gnarled roots between the floorboards beneath it. Charlotte, confused, did nothing but watch. Fang remained on edge, glancing about him in case of a surprise attack. "Do it." Suddenly, roots curled around Fang's heels, prompting him to flap his arms desperately in order to stay balanced. Before he could do anything to free himself, vines slashed at his skin, making him growl in pain once more, painful red marks appearing in the places he was hit. Not only that, but the vines absorbed some of the moisture from his skin which was crucial in maintaining his strength. Fang staggered backwards, his previous arrogance disappearing from his mind entirely as he tried to stay composed. "A-are you okay Fang?" Charlotte asked him fearfully, worried that the bellsprout had seriously hurt him. Even though it was not her getting hurt physically, it hurt her emotionally to see the Pokémon she had chosen as her partner being wounded. This was precisely the reason she was so against becoming a trainer. Fang gazed up at his trainer, determination in his eyes. He used his claws to cut away the roots, freeing himself. Judging from bellsprout's flinching, the action hurt it a little. Charlotte noticed this, hoping that she wasn't hurting it too much. "Scratch," she commanded, hoping that this would be the last attack she would have to land on the other Pokémon. Fang leapt forward, slashing his claws against Bellsprout once more. This time, the plant Pokémon was not so resilient, tumbling to the ground in a heap of vines and leaves. For a moment, Charlotte wasn't sure what had just happened but she quickly realised, with a big, relieved smile that she had won her first battle. Fang turned to her, the same look on his face. "We won!" the girl cheered. Fang poked his tongue out at the fainted bellsprout as it was withdrawn into its Pokéball. Charlotte was relieved that the battle had not been the calamity she had worried it would be. "Uh...is your Pokémon okay?" she asked, concerned for the health of the Pokémon Fang had just beaten up. "Don't worry, it'll be fine," he comforted. Totodile hadn't hurt it enough for things to be serious. "Congratulations, you two," he clapped, proud of her. The last time he had seen her was when she was a little girl who rarely strayed from the door of the pagoda out of shyness. She had come so far. Charlotte's nerves had disappeared, but her shyness remained, her eyes turning to the floor as she recovered from her victory. Fang quietened down immediately, though the exhilaration of battle lingered. "But I'm going to warn you in advance, the higher you climb the more powerful my brothers and their bellsprout become. They will not go as easily on you as I did," warned the monk as he handed her a few coins of prize money. Charlotte was hesitant in accepting the money but the monk insisted, telling her that it was simply a common practice among trainers. Charlotte thanked the monk for the battle, bowing slightly, before walking away, wondering if she should go for another battle or not. Most of the monks were training so fortunately, there were only two other monks in the room she could battle if she so wished. She didn't have any medicine for Fang with her, a very concerning fact, so she knew she would have to be careful if she were to continue. She decided to consult her Pokémon on the matter. "Should we keep going?" she asked him. He returned her stare with an excited gleam in his big blue eyes, nodding his head rapidly. Charlotte took a deep breath, sighing heavily. And so, the girl and her Pokémon struggled through the following battles, learning things they never would have learnt in school. Charlotte learnt about critical hits, dodging and learnt that using leer and scratch in sequence was actually rather effective. Things were immensely difficult and as Charlotte progressed through the various monks, she began to get more and more concerned about Fang's health. Upon facing her fourth opponent, Fang learnt water gun which came as a shock to the new trainer at first. Unfortunately, the move was completely useless on grass type Pokémon; they absorbed it straight through their skin. Charlotte found herself battling a monk significantly stronger than the others once she progressed to the second floor. Fang was rather worn out by that point, his skin dry and sore after being attacked so many times by vine whip. Nevertheless, he was eager to take on his next opponent, thoroughly enjoying his experience. Charlotte on the other hand, was very worried about Fang's condition and had wanted to turn back, but he had progressed without her consent. However, she was beginning to get into the role of a trainer, not minding battling so much. She called out moves; her Pokémon followed them and won against the opposing Pokémon, the both of them getting stronger in the process. It gave a sense of accomplishment and pride after each victory for both Pokémon and trainer. Not only was that but the battle itself was invigorating and exciting, unpredictability never failing to make the battle more interesting. The opposing monk sent out a Bellsprout, just like every other monk Charlotte had challenged so far. Fang trotted in front of his trainer, finding that he was a lot slower and wearier than he was earlier. Despite his waning strength, he grinned maliciously at his opponent, preparing to use leer. However, before Charlotte could give her Totodile commands, the monk called, "Bellsprout, use growth." The pair watched confusedly as Bellsprout used a move they did not recognise. The plant Pokémon's spritely body began to glow a bright, forest green as it grew in size. Once the light began to fade, Charlotte understood what the move's effect was - increasing the Pokémon's strength. The bellsprout was now an inch taller than it normally was, making Charlotte wince at the thought of how much its vine whip would sting. "Leer," Charlotte commanded, hoping that they would be able to get a move in before Bellsprout did. Fang growled ferociously at his opponent, raising his claws and narrowing his eyes in a menacing glare. This Bellsprout appeared to be less cowardly than the others; only showing a flicker of fear in its eyes. "Now for scratch," said Charlotte, repeating the move sequence that they had been successfully using thus far. Fang sprung forth, if not a bit sluggishly, claws raised in preparation. But before he could strike, the monk yelled sharply, "Vine whip." Charlotte's heart stopped for a split second as she frantically called out to her young Totodile to dodge but alas, he heard her too late. She flinched as Bellsprout's strengthened vines slammed upon Fang's skull, shoving his face into the floor boards. In doing so, he managed to puncture his tongue with one of his many fangs, blood leaking from his mouth. He swayed dangerously as he stood up, trying his best to make it back to his trainer without collapsing. He promptly fainted at Charlotte's feet. Her eyes went wide with fear and shock. Tears stung her eyes as she took the injured Pokémon into her arms. This is exactly what she had feared. She had let him end up like this, having been too naïve to bring healing items with her and was unaware of his limits. She began to shudder upon seeing the blood in his mouth, her heart beating as rapidly as a torchic on meds. "Don't blame yourself," said the victorious monk, returning his Bellsprout to its Pokéball with a flash of red light. "The young one was not ready to challenge a grass type Pokémon stronger than itself. I suggest you catch some Pokémon that would cover your Totodile's weaknesses." Charlotte barely heard him; she was too busy panicking over what to do next. The carrot haired girl got to her feet, cradling Fang gently. She knew that she must take him to the Pokémon center, where they would be able to heal him up to full health. She bowed quickly before running off towards the ladder, tears dripping from her eyes, feeling critical of her foolishness.
