《Vigilance》


 Commencement

    This fanfiction is inspired by the following stories:


    The New Normal


    When the Moon Rises


    Borne of Caution


    The Natural


    The Other Trainers of Pallet


    These Silver Eyes


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    Chapter 1 : Commencement


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    Vera stared at himself in the mirror, his eyes skimming up and down his entire reflection. His skin was as pale as ever and his hair was a dark violet, short, and messy, with a tuff of white curling up from the front. He ran a hand through it in a futile attempt to make it look neater but, well, it wasfutile.


    A sigh left his lips as he let his hand fall to his side before he began to inspect his clothing.


    He wore a pitch-black shirt and over that was a white bomber jacket. His pants were colored a light grey with a zip on the left leg right above his knee. A pair of white and blood red sneakers enveloped his feet and on both his hands were black fingerless gloves. Finally, to complete his attire, he attached a white belt with six magnetic clips on it to his waist.


    Once he deemed to himself ready, he turned away from the mirror and made his way over to his bed where a few sets of cloths lay folded on the covers next to an open silver-black backpack and a grey Pokegear. Though Vera had never been one to care for his appearance, today, he felt like he had to at least make an effort.


    After all, today was the day he wouldfinallybe receiving his Trainer''s License and his first Pokemon.


    Before Kanto and Johto became one; before the formation of Indigo, children were usually awarded their Pokemon Trainer License at the mere age of ten. In fact, there were some children who were given licenses even younger.


    Though that had always been tradition, it had become a necessity when Kanto came into conflict with the Johto Region ¨C an event which would forever be etched in the annals of history as the bloody War of Ashes. More and more trainers were needed so that they could be conditioned into soldiers and sent to the battlefronts. It was an ugly thing to do but one that had been needed at the time.


    However, with the climax of the War of Ashes, the unification of Kanto and Johto, and the ascension of Samuel Oak as the first ever Indigo Pokemon League Champion, things had changed and in many cases, for the better.


    Of course, since the war had ended, children were no longer made to be soldiers. Many had thought that the new Champion would bow in the face of tradition and return things to the way they used to be before the conflict. However, that would not be the case.


    According to the new policy Oak had introduced, children would be awarded their Pokemon Trainer Licenses at the age of twelve and only after they completed the Trainer Licensing Examination and proved that they were capable of handling Pokemon in the first place. There had been too many instances of unprepared trainers going off into the wild and then meeting their ends at the hands of an enraged Ursaring, a vengeful Gengar, and many other wild and aggressive Pokemon.


    Then came the concept of sponsorships and the policy about team limits.


    Before the formation of Indigo, trainers carried as many Pokemon as they could. However, that led to many Pokemon either being neglected, abused or discarded by careless trainers who had caught more Pokemon than they could handle. In order to combat this, Champion Oak decreed that it was illegal for trainers to carry no more than six Pokemon at a time. This law was also applied to Gym Leaders and the Ranger Corps as well, who were often given leeway due to their positions. Even the Champion nor their Elite Four were exempt.


    Of course, just because trainers could only carry six Pokemon at a time, didn''t mean they couldn''t catch more. However, there was a limit to how many Pokemon a single trainer could catch, and that limit depended on their sponsor.


    A sponsor was someone who had the resources and willingness to support a young trainer''s journey. In return, the trainers would represent them by either using their items or winning tournaments under their name. These sponsors could range from wealthy patrons and research institutions to Gym Leaders and even Elite Four members.


    Each sponsor would set a cap on the number of Pokemon their trainee could register under their name, and in return, they would fund the trainer''s supplies, and equipment by granting the trainers a stipend. This sponsorship system was designed not only to ensure that trainers were supported in their journey but also to help regulate the number of Pokemon in captivity, promoting responsible training and management.


    Of course, having a sponsor was not a necessity or a required thing. There were many elite trainers who made it to the top without the help of a sponsor, among them being the former Elite Four Agatha, the Viridian City Gym Leader Giovanni, and the second Champion of Indigo - Pryce. However, for trainers without a sponsor, the maximum amount of Pokemon they could catch weresix. This was mainly due to the fact that trainers without sponsors had nowhere to store extra Pokemon.


    There were many great sponsorships for aspiring trainers to apply for. The best of them came from Gym Leaders or Elite Four members, unsurprisingly, though they were also very difficult to acquire.


    However, the one sponsorship that every trainer in Indigo wanted above all else was Samuel Oak''s sponsorship.


    After the first Indigo Champion retired from his position and handed the reigns of the joint-regions to Pryce Yanagi, he picked up a career as a Pokemon Researcher, taking up residence in small town of Pallet. In a matter of months, his reputation as a researcher skyrocketed. He published numerous articles and studies about different Pokemon, their environments, their typings, their characteristics, and much more. Soon, he became the greatest Pokemon Researcher in not only Indigo, but across other regions as well.


    His greatest achievement to date, however, was the creation of the Pokedex ¨C a tool filled with all the Pokemon data he had acquired throughout his years as a researcher. Though at first, the Pokedex contained information on Pokemon only found in Indigo, it quickly grew and evolved to include Pokemon from the other regions as well once foreign researchers decided to pitch in and help Oak.


    Anyways, alongside his Pokemon research, the famed Professor also began a sponsorship program. Due to Oak''s own popularity, it very quickly became the most coveted sponsorship for trainers in all of Indigo. Unfortunately for them, the sponsorship was greatly exclusive; it was only granted to three or four exceptional trainers picked by Oak himself every two years.


    And this year, the four trainers chosen to be sponsored by Samuel Oak were: Blue Oak, Katrina Belmont, Ash Ketchum¡­


    And of course, Vera himself.


    All sponsorships had some pretty cool quirks but there was no doubt that a sponsorship from Oak was a cut above the rest.


    Perhaps the greatest boon was that those sponsored by the Pokemon Professor would receive a Pokedex from him. Thus, they were referred to as Dex Holders as they were the only ones permitted to carry the revolutionary device.


    To be a Dex Holder automatically made you something special to the eyes of other people. Simplyearningthe recognition of the famed Professor put you ranks above the ordinary trainer.


    It also made you someone to look out for.


    Other benefits of Oak''s sponsorship included a sizable monthly stipend, as well as his lab and all of its knowledge.


    Oh, and a specially designed Silph Co. backpack.


    Silph Co. was Indigo''s number one manufacturing company responsible for making all the modern amenities that were often taken for granted these days. They were easily one of the most profitable companies in the world, easily rivalling ¨C and in some cases surpassing ¨C their competitors which were the Devon Corporation of Hoenn, and Orion Technologies of Sinnoh.


    Other than the mass production of various different types of Poke Balls, Silph Co. was also responsible for creating other amenities ¨C for both trainers and civilians alike. One of there most recent products was a type of backpack that converted its contents into energy for easier transport. All the backpacks had a small pad on the side which allowed their users to recall specific items at will. This was especially useful for trainers who often had to carry too much at a given time.


    Professor Oak had personally ordered four of these backpacks and then gifted it to his sponsored trainers on their twelfth birthdays. Seeing as how expensive they were, it was definitely a gift that Vera had ever been expecting to get.


    Vera placed his final set of clothes into his silver-black backpack and watched as it dissolved into particles of energy ¨Chow freaking cool was that?!¨C before he finally zipped it up and swung it over his shoulders. He then grabbed his Pokegear off the bed and attached the device to his belt. His mother had purchased it for him a few days ago so that he could keep in touch with them. It also gave him access to the Poke-Net, contained a map of the entire Kanto Region, and had the option to download maps of other regions.


    A nifty little device that would certainly prove useful on his journey.


    "Vera, are you ready? You''re going to be late!" His mother called out.


    "Coming!" He replied as he cast one last look at his room before he quickly opened his door and stepped out.


    As soon as he stepped into the kitchen-dining room, the smell of rice and eggs filled his nostrils. His mother, a slender woman with soft features and hair as black as midnight, moved with grace as she placed a steaming bowl of rice and a plate of eggs on the table, just as he took a seat.


    "Hey, squirt! Looking good!" Vera groaned when he laid his eyes upon his sister who was also seated at the dining table.


    "Great. You''re still here?" The twelve-year old boy said with mock annoyance and Raina Arden laughed.


    "Of course, I am. I don''t leave for Hoenn until tomorrow evening and there was no way I was going to miss my baby brother''s first day as a trainer." Raina grinned, watching him with that familiar teasing gleam in her eyes. "Besides, someone''s gotta make sure you don''t trip over your own feet before you get your first Pok¨¦mon."


    Vera swallowed his food, shooting her a deadpan look. "If anything, you''re more likely to trip over my feet than I am, clumsy."


    His mother''s soft laugh broke through the sibling banter. She slid a glass of juice over to Vera, giving him a gentle look. "Now, now, Raina, don''t tease him too much. Today is a big day for him, after all."


    Raina''s face fell in mock sadness and resignation. "Fine, fine, I''ll concede¡­fornow."


    Vera rolled his eyes at his sister but couldn''t help smiling a little at her antics. Raina was his senior by two years and a trainer who had been sponsored by the former Indigo Elite turned contest star, Lorelei. How she scored such a sponsorship, he would never know but apparently Lorelei had taken a liking to her and decided to sponsor her for her journey, even giving her an Eevee as a starter - a rare Pokemon capable of evolving into numerous powerful forms.


    Since beginning her journey, Raina had quickly made a name for herself as a talented trainer. However, her interests lay not in Pokemon battling but Pokemon Contests. In her first year, she had reached the semi-finals of the Indigo Grand Festival, while, in her second, she had made it to the finals but lost by a hair''s breadth to a talented trainer named Aria from Kalos. And now, she was planning on trying her hand at the contest scene in the Hoenn Region.


    Yes, she was indeed a talented trainer and in some instances, Vera did admire her. However, she was also thebaneof his existence, never failing to find ways to embarrass him.


    Just your typical annoying big sister.


    "You need to be at Professor Oak''s lab at nine o''clock, right?" Kaeda Arden asked as Vera took a bite out of his eggs. He quickly swallowed the mouthful and then turned to his mother.


    "That''s right." The twelve year-old said with a nod. "What time is it now?"


    "Eight." Kaeda replied as she too took a seat next to Raina, ruffling her daughter''s hair. Raina scowled and batted her hand aside like the brat she was. "It''s better to get there earlier rather than later, so I think you should set off as soon as you''re done eating. You''ll be leaving right from the lab, right?"


    "That''s the plan."


    "And you have everything packed?" His mother asked.


    "Yep." Vera patted his silver-black backpack. "Don''t worry about me, Mom, I''ll be fine. I''m not a klutz like Raina here."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?!" Raina exclaimed in indignation. Vera sent her a smug look.


    "What do you think it means,klutz? I mean, not just anyone can nearly get eaten by a Snorlax for wearing strawberry pyjamas. Are you sure we''re related?"


    Raina''s face flushed bright red, and she jabbed a finger at Vera, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled for a comeback. Vera just smirked, fully enjoying the rare moment of having his sister on the defensive.


    "Oh, please! That was once!" She sputtered, folding her arms and glancing away with a pout. "And besides, that Snorlax was practically blind. It''s not my fault it mistook me for a berry¡­"


    Vera and Kaeda shared a knowing look, the same one they always exchanged whenever Raina tried to explain away her more embarrassing incidents. Vera couldn''t help the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Moments like these, annoying as they could be, were rare for him and his family, and he wanted to hold onto it for just a moment longer.


    "Well, we better get used to it now. If she gets trampled by a Wailord in Hoenn, it won''t be any surprise." Vera replied casually, sending a wink Raina''s way. She just glared back at him, but he knew she wasn''t really mad.


    Around ten minutes later, Vera had cleared his bowl of the last bits of rice and was now standing up. He swung his backpack over his shoulder, feeling the weight settle.


    "Alright." He said, trying to keep his voice steady as his mother and sister stood up with him. "I guess I''d better get going then."


    Kaeda stepped forward, pulling him into a tight hug that he returned, savouring the warmth. Raina, standing just behind, nudged him with her elbow when he let go, her smile laced with a mixture of teasing and encouragement.


    "Good luck, Vera." she said, giving him a small nod. "Try not to get yourself eaten on your first day."


    Vera scoffed. "I don''t needyouof all people to tell me that, Raina. Try not to get mauled by a Roselia."


    Raina frowned. "Roselia are vegetarians. How could I possibly get mauled by one?"


    "I''m sure you''ll find a way." Vera joked.


    And with that final insult, he ignored his sister''s cry of rage, gave his final goodbyes and a promise to keep in touch, before he turned, took a deep breath, and made his way out the door, excitement and nerves twisting in his stomach.


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    Given how close his residence was from the lab, it took Vera ten minutes before he finally reached the lab doors, skidding to a stop once he saw his fellow sponsored trainers standing outside in the lawn. Both of them were dressed in casual wear much like himself, perfect for travelling.


    "Look who finally showed up?" Blue''s voice filtered into his ears as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards him. On the bench in the lawn, Katrina was sitting with her nose buried in a book. She hadn''t seemed to notice his arrival and Vera knew better than to bother her when she was reading. "And here I thought you''d chicken out."


    Vera rolled his eyes but grinned, nonetheless. "And give you another chance to gloat,runner-up? I think not."


    Blue''s eye twitched at the nickname Vera had taken to calling him ever since the results of the Trainer Licensing Exam had come out. The grandson of Professor Oak had not taken it well when he learned that he had been ranked second ¨CbelowVera who had earned the highest grade in their class.


    And of course, Vera loved to tease him about it.


    "The first thing I''m doing when I get my Pokemon is kicking your ass, loser." Blue seethed and Vera simply laughed at him. Arceus, riling up Blue was almost as fun as teasing Raina or Ash.


    Speaking of which¡­


    "Where''s Ash?" Vera wondered as he looked around for the fourth member of their quartet and easily the most boisterous. Given how dedicated Ash was to becoming a Pokemon Master, he''d have thought he''d be the first one here. Yet there was no sign of him.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "We haven''t seen him yet." Katrina answered as she finally joined the two of them, her book tucked underneath her arm.


    "Oh, so you finally noticed Vera was here, did you, Odd Girl?" Blue mocked and Katrina sent him a lazy smile.


    "No, I knew he was here when I heard your nasally voice greet him." Blue growled at the insult, but Katrina ignored him, opting to pat the book under her arm. "I just wanted to finish my book first before getting up to say hello."


    "Arceus, you''re such a weirdo." Blue stated as he crossed his arms and scowled.


    "Look who''s talking." Katrina countered as she lifted a finger and poked his spiky hair. "Do you just wake up with a bedhead or do your purposely style it this way?"


    Before Blue could blow a gasket, Vera intervened. "Going back to Ash, he did know what time we had to meet up right?"


    "Heck if I know." Blue huffed, still miffed at the constant insults Katrina always threw at him. "I''ll bet you he overslept and missed the alarm like he always does. I guarantee he''ll come running as soon as he wakes up."


    "I can''t believe I''m saying this, but Blue is right." Katrina agreed. Both Blue and Vera sweat-dropped when they saw the sickened look on her face as she spoke those words, as if agreeing with Blue about anything was akin to being inflicted with the plague.


    "Well then, should we wait?" Vera questioned, somewhat uncertainly. Ash was his friend and the right thing to do would have been to wait for him, but he also didn''t want to waste anymore time. Judging from the looks on Blue and Katrina''s faces, they felt the same way.


    "I don''t know about you two, but I''m not waiting for Ashy-boy." Blue declared firmly. "If he''s late, its his own fault. I want to get my Pokemon and start my journey as quickly as possible."


    "Blue''s right¡­again." Katrina actually gagged this time when she spoke. "Who knows when Ash will get here? Besides, if that idiot were in our place, he wouldn''t wait for us either."


    Vera scratched his chin thoughtfully for a moment before he finally nodded. Blue and Katrina were right. And hereallydidn''t want to wait any longer, especially now since his future starter was waiting for him just behind the lab doors.


    Just then, the doors of the lab opened and out stepped Professor Oak, wearing his ever-present lab coat. His eyes were kind but sharp eyes as he looked over the three of them, his face lighting up with a warm smile.


    "Well, well, it seems you are here on time!" Professor Oak exclaimed, as he crossed his arms behind his back. "Good. Being punctual is important in life. No one will take you seriously if you arrive late." Vera, Blue, and Katrina exchanged an exasperated glance as the old man began rambling. Neither of them were exactly keen on listening to another one of his lectures. Of course it would be rude if they just interrupted him, so they let him finish while paying only minimal attention. "Now then¡­have any of you seen Ash? I thought he would be here by now."


    "Well¡­" Vera started, scratching the back of his neck. "We think he might be¡­uh, running a bit late."


    "Knowing Ash, he probably overslept," Blue chimed in, rolling his eyes. "And he''ll come barrelling down here at the last second like always."


    Professor Oak chuckled. "That does sound like Ash. He has a boundless spirit, though he may need to work on time management." The Professor''s eyes twinkled knowingly. "But I suppose the three of you are eager to get started?"


    Blue practically lit up, stepping forward. "Of course, Gramps! I''ve been ready for this since the moment I could walk!"


    Katrina snickered. "I just hope we''re not giving Ash too much of a head start. He''s got his work cut out for him if he wants to catch up."


    Professor Oak held up a hand, silencing their chatter with a gentle authority. "Very well. We''ll begin. I''ve got a particular starter in mind for Ash anyways, so he won''t be left out. Now please, follow me, children." He led them through the doors, and the three of them followed behind.


    Inside, the lab was as lively as ever. Machines hummed quietly, and various assistants shuffled around, updating charts and sorting through Pokemon data. But Vera''s eyes immediately went to the three Poke Balls on a raised platform in the centre of the lab. Each ball bore a symbol representing one of the classic regional starters: a leaf for Bulbasaur, a flame for Charmander, and a water droplet for Squirtle.


    The three aspiring trainers came to a stop in front of the platform while the Professor paused next to it, turning around to look at them. "I am sure you three already know who the regional starters are, so I won''t bore you with my usual speech. Instead, we will begin with the selection immediately. You will pick in order of your test scores so that means you can go first, Vera."


    "Alright, Professor." Vera said, throwing a smug grin in an irate Blue''s direction as he walked up to the platform. He didn''t waste any time on making his decision; he already knew which of the three Pokemon he wanted to pick.


    Calmly placing his hand on the Poke Ball marked with the water droplet symbol, Vera pressed the button in the middle, releasing the creature within. In a flash of white light, a blue, bipedal turtle-like creature with a curly tail and wide, expressive eyes materialized on the floor in front of him. It stretched out and yawned cutely before it noticed Vera and tilted its head curiously.


    "Hi there, Squirtle." Vera spoke in a gentle voice as he lowered himself down into a squat, trying to make himself appear as approachable as possible. "My name is Vera. I''m hoping to travel and see the world, getting the change to battle against all kinds of opponents along the way. I hope we can be friends and do it together. I''m sure I can help you grow into a powerful Blastoise one day. So what do you say? Do you want to become my partner?"


    Squirtle stared at him for a moment, its large eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and excitement. Then, much to Vera''s surprise, Squirtle let out an enthusiastic cry of "Squirtle!" before bounding forwards and wrapping its stubby arms around his leg. His surprise quickly vanished, being replaced by laughter as he scooped up the Tiny Turtle Pokemon into his arms, gently rubbing its smooth and round head, affectionately.


    "I believe that is a yes." Professor Oak happily announced as he then handed Vera five shrunken Poke Balls and a sleek, silver Pokedex. Squirtle quickly climbed onto Vera''s shoulder as the dark violet-haired boy gingerly took the device into his hands, holding it as if it were a gift from Arceus above. Almost immediately, he scanned Squirtle with the device, discovering that his first ever Pokemon was a male. He made a note to read the rest of the data later.


    "Blue, you''re next." Professor Oak announced.


    As soon as his name left his grandfather''s lips, Blue practically teleported to the platform as soon as the words left his grandfather''s lips and immediately snatched up a Poke Ball without hesitation, tossing the ball high into the air. A burst of white light erupted from the red and white container to reveal a small green, quadrupedal Pokemon with a bulb on its back and sharp red eyes. It seemed a little disoriented at first, glancing around at all the strange new people, before letting out a confident cry and planting its feet firmly on the ground in what Vera presumed was some attempt to assert dominance.


    "Alright, Bulbasaur, I''m your new trainer. Nice to meet ya!" Blue shouted in an equal display. "I plan on being the world''s greatest Pokemon trainer. That means I''ll need the strongest Pokemon by my side and you''re going to be the first. You up for the challenge?"


    The Seed Pokemon''s eyes narrowed as it mirrored Blue''s massive smirk. It let out another assertive cry and trotted over to Blue, nodding feverishly at his declaration. Blue''s smirk widened further, causing Vera and Katrina to exchange a worried glance while Professor Oak sighed before handing Blue the rest of his gear.


    "I''m sure you two will get along great. Most of the Bulbasaur line tend to be gentle creatures but this one in particular, is a bit of a handful. I doubt you''ll have much trouble bringing out the best in him, though."


    "No worries Gramps. Bulbasaur and I are going to be the best team Pallet Town has ever seen. No offense you two." He added the last part with a small wave in Katrina and Vera''s direction. Bulbasaur narrowed its eyes at the other two humans before snorting, confident it had chosen the best trainer of the bunch.


    Finally, it was then Katrina''s turn. Just as her friends had done earlier, the girl spared no time in picking up the final Poke Ball and releasing the starter within. The orange skinned lizard appeared before them and let out an enormous yawn, showing off many sharp teeth. The flame on its tail flickered brightly as it swung side to side.


    "Sweet." Katrina grinned at the sight of her long awaited Charmander, who looked up at her curiously as if just now noticing her presence. "Hey Charmander, my name is Katrina. Hope we can get along, partner."


    Charmander tilted its head in a manner that could only be described as cute before letting out a long chirp, spitting weak cinders into the air. The flame on its tail rose suddenly, making Katrina''s grin grow wider.


    "And that''s the last one," Professor Oak said as he handed Katrina her equipment. "The three of you not only scored well enough on the exam to earn a regional starter but impressed me enough to be given a sponsorship as well. As trainers sponsored by me, you will each be given a monthly stiped of 3500 Poke-Bucks and will also have access to my lab and all of its knowledge. Of course, in turn, I may ask you to run errands for me when needed. Furthermore, the data you collect with your Pokedex''s will help me enhance my work greatly, not to mention being able to study how your Pokemon develop under your care. Of course, how you collect that data is all up to you, but I''m certain you three will do us proud. Ash too, of course, whenever he decides to show up."


    "Not like it matters. We''ve got more important things to deal with because now I can finally do it!" Blue cried as he dramatically pointed towards the other twelve year-old boy. "Vera, I challenge you to a battle! Get ready to have your ass kicked!"


    "Language!" Professor Oak chided with a resigned look on his face, as if he had known his grandson would pull a stunt like this. Vera had also been prepared, seeing as Blue had all but announced his intentions to battle him moments ago outside the lab.


    "Well, at least he sticks true to his word." Katrina commented from her place next to Vera. Her Charmander was hovering close by her legs, watching the proceedings curiously.


    "Well, what''s it going to be?" Blue asked as he stared hard at his friend and rival. His Bulbasaur appeared just as confident at his trainer as he stood next to him with his arms crossed. Vera returned Blue''s stare with equal force before glancing down at his Squirtle, meeting the Tiny Turtle Pokemon''s gaze.


    "You''re on, Gare-bear."


    Professor Oak then cleared his throat, drawing all eyes onto him. "If you two insist on battling then I propose you use the back field. I''d rather have my lab remain in one piece."


    The three trainers and their Pokemon followed the Professor outside to the large field behind the lab. Almost immediately, Blue and his Bulbasaur took their place on one end of the field while Vera and Squirtle stood at the other. Vera looked down at his starter, taking in his confident look as well as the glare he was sending to his fellow starter. The dark violet-haired boy chuckled and bent down to rub his brown-checkered shell.


    "This will be our first battle, Squirtle." Vera informed as his Pokemon looked up at him curiously. "Just follow my commands. I''ll make sure we win and knock Blue down a notch or two. And I think that Bulbasaur of his needs some humbling as well."


    Squirtle narrowed his eyes at his trainer''s words before crying in affirmation. Vera grinned before he held his Pokedex in front of his starter to review what his move set was. Instantly, he learned that Squirtle could use Tackle, Water Gun, Withdraw, and - much to his immense surprise - Aura Sphere, which was highlighted as an egg move. From across the field, Blue - who had also decided to check out Bulbasaur''s move set - had a shocked look on his face as well.


    "Judging from the surprise on your faces..." Professor Oak began to say as he stood next to Katrina, a playful smirk on his face. "...no doubt you have discovered that your Pokemon are more special than you thought they would be. Each of them have been specially bred with an additional egg move that will give you an edge in your journeys. Think of it as another perk of my sponsorship."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Katrina immediately whipped out her Pokedex to scan her Charmander while Blue cheered in triumph. No doubt, whatever move Bulbasaur had, it was something good.


    Vera, on the other hand, continued to sift through the Pokedex. Aura Sphere was a powerful and rare move to have, no doubt, and he was sure it would prove valuable to him. Furthermore, since the Tiny Turtle Pokemon had been born with the ability to use Aura Sphere, no training was needed. Unlike moves that had to be taught or trained, those a Pokemon was born with were deeply embedded in its genetic makeup, enabling the Pokemon to use them instinctively from birth. These moves are a fundamental part of the Pokemon''s biology, much like natural reflexes, and do not require additional training to master.


    Squirtle also had the ability Torrent, but that didn''t come as a surprise to him as all the Squirtle line had this ability.


    This was so much easier than having to scour through books, Vera thought as he put his Pokedex away, watching as Blue did the same from across the field.


    "I will act as the judge for this battle." Professor Oak announced and both trainers nodded. "The match will keep going until one Pokemon has been defeated. Is that clear?" Cue another pair of nods. "Good. Now without further ado, let the battle begin!"


    The moment Professor Oak''s voice dropped, Blue leaped into action, his arm slicing through the air as he shouted, "Bulbasaur, let''s show them what we''ve got! Tackle!"


    Bulbasaur''s red eyes gleamed as he launched himself forward, his stubby legs moving with surprising speed. The small but determined Grass/Poison-type closed the gap in seconds, barrelling toward Squirtle with unrelenting energy.


    "No way we''re letting that hit! Squirtle, Withdraw!" Vera commanded.


    With a flick of his tail, Squirtle ducked his head, arms, and legs into his shell just as Bulbasaur slammed into him. The impact sent Squirtle skidding back, but his sturdy shell absorbed most of the damage. As the Tiny Turtle Pokemon popped back out, he grinned confidently, and Bulbasaur snorted in irritation.


    "Nice defense!" Vera praised, flashing his partner a quick thumbs up. "Now, hit back with Water Gun!"


    Squirtle inhaled deeply before releasing a sharp blast of water, the stream striking Bulbasaur right on the forehead. The force of the water blast forced the Seed Pokemon to his knees and sent him sliding back a few feet. However, to his credit, Bulbasaur managed to shrug off the attack before stomping his foot hard on the ground. Vera frowned when he saw that.


    Because Bulbasaur was primarily a Grass-type Pokemon with an additional Poison-typing, he was resistant to water-based attacks. Of course, that didn''t mean they did no damage at all but their power would be cut in half upon striking the small green amphibian. And unfortunately, Bulbasaur''s attacks would be super effective against Squirtle. He''d have to play his cards carefully here.


    Blue''s smirk deepened. "Not bad, but it''ll take more than that. Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!"


    "Dodge it, Squirtle, and close in!" Vera shouted.


    Upon his command, two vines shot out from Bulbasaur''s bulb, snapping toward Squirtle with impressive speed. The Tiny Turtle Pokemon, however, managed to dart to the side, narrowly avoiding the vines as he charged forward. Using the momentum he had built up, Squirtle let out a fierce cry before he rammed into Bulbasaur, driving him back another few feet.


    Blue narrowed his eyes. "You''re going to regret that! Bulbasaur, let''s turn up the heat - Leaf Storm!"


    Vera''s gasped as Bulbasaur let out a fierce bark before a torrent of glowing razor-sharp leaves erupted from the tip of his bulb. The storm of leaves roared toward Squirtle with devastating speed, the aquatic turtle frozen in place. There was no doubt about it;thiswas Bulbasaur''s egg move. That explained why Blue had been so excited earlier. If Squirtle got hit with that...


    The dark-violet haired boy narrowed his eyes. No, he would not let that happen. "Withdraw, now!"


    Squirtle snapped back to reality upon hearing his trainer''s call and quickly retreated into the safety of his shell just as the Leaf Storm struck. The onslaught battered his tough exterior, deflecting many of the leaves, but the sheer force of the attack sent him spinning backward. As the storm subsided, Squirtle emerged from his shell, wincing as he shook off the lingering pain.


    "You okay, Squirtle?" Vera called, concern flickering in his voice. Squirtle gave a determined cry, planting his feet firmly despite the bruises on his body. The dark violet-haired boy grinned. "Good! We''re still in this! Hit him with Water Gun!"


    Squirtle inhaled deeply and fired another jet of water. Bulbasaur tried to dodge, but the blast struck him directly again, forcing him back several steps.


    Blue''s smirk faltered slightly. "Don''t let him recover! Leech Seed!"


    Bulbasaur launched a small seed from his bulb. It hit Squirtle squarely on the chest, sprouting vines that wrapped tightly around his body. Squirtle writhed as the vines pulsed, sapping his energy and transferring it back to Bulbasaur, who stood taller, his energy replenished.


    Vera clenched his fists. "Squirtle, don''t let that stop you! Use Rapid Spin to break free!"


    Squirtle tucked into his shell and spun rapidly, the motion causing the vines to slacken. With a final burst of effort, he snapped free of the draining tendrils, landing on his feet and glaring defiantly at his opponent.


    Blue wasn''t done yet. "Vine Whip, now!"


    "Intercept it with Water Gun!" Vera countered.


    As Bulbasaur''s vines lashed out, Squirtle spat out another burst of water which collided mid-air with vines, sending them snapping backwards and away from the tiny aquatic turtle.


    "Bulbasaur, we''re finishing this! One more Leaf Storm!" Blue cried out in frustration.


    Once again, Bulbasaur unleashed a swirling barrage of glowing leaves, the storm tearing through the battlefield. However, it was weaker than it had been the first time the Seed Pokemon had used it. Even if their Pokemon had powerful egg moves, using them over and over was not a feat so easily achieved. And Vera was all too glad to use it to his advantage.


    "Squirtle, unleash a powerful Water Gun ¨C power through it!"


    Squirtle planted his feet firmly and fired a high-pressure jet of water straight into the heart of the Leaf Storm. The Water Gun was much more powerful than the previous ones the Water-type had used, and the force of the attack easily split the glowing green whirlwind, spraying leaves in all directions as Squirtle surged forward through the dissipating storm. That was when Vera saw his chance and took it out without hesitation.


    "Let''s end this! Aura Sphere!"


    Squirtle''s eyes narrowed with determination. He brought his stubby hands together, forming another brilliant orb of bluish energy. The glowing sphere pulsated as the small aquatic turtle locked onto Bulbasaur, who was still recovering from his failed Leaf Storm.


    "Bulbasaur, dodge it!" Blue yelled.


    Bulbasaur attempted to heed his trainer''s call but that second Leaf Storm had taken too much out of him. And though Squirtle was no better, he still had enough energy to let out a resounding cry before launching the azure energy sphere at his opponent. The Aura Sphere streaked across the field in a matter of seconds before striking its target dead centre, exploding on contact. The impact sent the Grass/Poison-type hurtling backward before he hit the ground with a heavy thud, laying still.


    "Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" Professor Oak declared, raising his hand toward Vera. "The victory goes to Vera and Squirtle!"


    Vera let out a whoop of triumph, rushing to meet his partner, who stood victorious but visibly tired. "You were incredible, Squirtle," Vera said warmly, scooping the Tiny Turtle Pokemon into his arms. Squirtle nuzzled him affectionately, letting out a soft cry of victory.


    On the opposite end of the field, Blue scooped up his exhausted Bulbasaur and murmured words of praise before recalling him back into his ball. Then he walked over to Vera, the disappointment clear on his face for all to see. Yet despite that, he gave his friend and rival a begrudging nod.


    "Not bad, Vera. But don''t let this win go to your head. This was only the first battle. Next time, I''ll beat you."


    Vera chuckled, holding out his hand. "I look forward to it, Blue."


    Blue paused for a moment, then took Vera''s hand in a firm shake.


    "That was absolutely brilliant!" Professor Oak exclaimed as he and Katrina walked up to them. "You both battled splendidly, especially considering you just received these Pokemon. I must say, I am gladly impressed."


    "Yeah, it wasn''t bad." Katrina drawled, her Charmander scampering up to chatter excitedly with Bulbasaur. "I kind of want to battle you two as well. Though, I think I''ll save it for next time." She then hoisted her backpack onto her shoulders. "So what''s your guys'' plan now?"


    "I''m taking the bus and heading straight for Viridian." Blue revealed immediately. "I''m going to catch a few Pokemon along the way and then try my hand at the Viridian City Gym. I''ve heard the Leader is crazy strong."


    "He is." Professor Oak confirmed. "However, his Gym is also veryexclusive. It is classified as one of the most difficult gyms in Indigo as only trainers who have won at least six or seven badges are deemed worthy to challenge him. Giovanni is not one to waste his time on newcomers."


    "Oh¡­" Blue deflated at his grandfather''s words.


    Vera placed a comforting hand on Blue''s shoulder. "Guess we''ll need a few more battles under our belts before we can aim for Giovanni, huh? Good thing there are plenty of other gyms along the way."


    Blue''s scowl softened a bit as he shrugged Vera''s hand off. "Yeah, yeah, sure. I guess Pewter''s going to be my first stop then."


    "Well, I''m going to head home first." Katrina announced as she adjust her backpack strap. "My mom wants to speak with me before I leave. It''s probably going to be some lecture again though, so,fun." She then turned to Vera. "What about you, Wonder Boy?"


    "I guess I''ll be heading to Viridian first using the more traditional method. Meaning, I''ll walk." Vera stated. "I want to take the time to train Bulbasaur up a bit and maybe catch another Pokemon. I hear the Pewter City Gym is usually a 2-on-2 battle, so I''ll have to expand my team a bit."


    Blue laughed. "Well, if that''s what you guys are gonna do, then you''ll be left eating my dust!"


    "And here I thought that losing against Vera would have humbled you a bit." Katrina clicked her teeth and Blue''s grin fell away, a scowl taking its place. "As much as I''d love to sit here and boast about how great you are, I have to get going. Come on, Charmander."


    With that, the ashen-haired girl bowed to the Professor before taking her leave, her little fire lizard scampering in close proximity to her, sniffing curiously at everything unfamiliar to it.


    Once her figure disappeared from view, Blue turned to look at the Professor. "Gramps, can I use the Pokemon Healing Machine in your lab to patch Bulbasaur up?"


    "Of course, my boy." Professor Oak stated, a warm smile on his face. No doubt, he was pleased that Blue was already thinking about his Pokemon''s wellbeing. That was who Blue was though. He tended to come off as arrogant and cocky but he truly loved Pokemon. Deep inside, he was a kind boy. That''s why Vera was friends with him and why he tolerated his less admirable qualities.


    Blue then turned around to look at his rival. "I take it, you''ll be leaving as well now?" Vera nodded in confirmation and the grandson of Professor Oak grinned. "Well, then you''d better get a whole lot stronger the next time we meet. I don''t want to hear any excuses when I beat you!"


    Then, with a smirk and a flick of his wrist, Blue ran back into the lab, leaving Vera, Professor Oak, and Squirtle alone in the field.


    The former Champion turned to look at Vera and patted him on the shoulder. "I suppose it''s time for you to head off as well, my boy. I do hope you enjoy experiencing all the wonders that the Pokemon world has to offer. Though do be careful and make sure to stay in touch every now and then."


    "Yes, Professor." Vera replied with a bow before looking down at his starter. "You ready to go, partner?"


    "Squirt!" The Tiny Turtle Pokemon cried gently though his red eyes shone with determination.


    With that settled, Vera sent one last wave to the Professor, before he stepped back onto the gravelly path, thus beginning his trek to Viridian City.

 Companionship

    This fanfiction is inspired by the following stories:


    The New Normal


    When the Moon Rises


    Borne of Caution


    The Natural


    The Other Trainers of Pallet


    These Silver Eyes


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Chapter 2 : Companionship


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    A cold breeze brushed past Vera as he continued his trek through Route One. It was far vast than he had thought it would be. All around the beaten path was a luscious green forest that Vera was sure was teeming with Pokemon. Two hours had come and gone since he left Pallet Town, and he still had ways to go before he reached Viridian. It would at least take him half a day of walking to get to the city, longer if he decided to take a break.


    Blue should have already reached Viridian by now, he mused. Though Vera had left before him, his friend had expressed his desire to take the Arcanine Bus Transit which was a much quicker way of travelling from city to city. From Pallet Town to Viridian City, the time taken to travel by bus or car was usually only an hour, sometimes even less than that. As for Katrina, he knew that though she enjoyed walking, she also refused to fall behind either himself or Blue. So she''d probably take the bus like Blue had, or her mother would drop her off at Viridian after they were done with whatever business they had.


    And Ash, well, he would definitely be walking. The last member of the Pallet Quartet absolutely hated travelling around in cars or buses. It made him feel suffocated and trapped and Ash was the type of person to enjoy his freedom. Of course, that also meant that he would be lagging behind the rest of them, something he was sure would irk the raven-haired boy. But at the end of the day, he had no one to blame but himself. He was the one who hadn''t woken up on time and now he''d have to face the consequences for it.


    However, Vera couldn''t help but wonder what type of Pokemon Ash would get?


    Vera quickly held up his arm in front of his eyes as he stepped up a ledge, shielding his face from the sun high above. Many new trainers often travelled in groups. In fact his mother had even mentioned him travelling with Katrina, Blue, or Ash. He had immediately shut down the idea. He wanted to travel alone; that had always been his plan from the get-go. Not that he didn''t enjoy the company of his friends because he did, but he believed that if he travelled by himself, he''d learn a lot more life lessons that way. After all, the more challenges a person faces, the stronger they become.


    As he walked along the forested path, Vera kept a look out, his eyes darting left and right as he searched for any creatures hidden within the trees or the foliage which he could catch and add to his team. He wanted to add at least one or two more Pokemon to his team before challenging the Pewter City Gym. While the Kanto Region had a vast variety of Pokemon native to only it, it was not uncommon for Pokemon species from other regions to migrate here. Vera didn''t really have anything specific in mind, but he knew he wanted something strong. No doubt Blue and Katrina would be having the same train of thought he was, and the former had probably already gained new additions to his team.


    Squirtle was trotting ahead of him, looking around curiously and in awe with his cerulean eyes, occasionally running back to bump into Vera''s leg. Vera had let his starter out to join him on his walk, not only for the effort of bonding with him and enjoying the fresh air but also because walking would help build up the Tiny Turtle Pokemon''s leg muscles and stamina. It wasn''t much, but any training they could get would do them big favours in the long run.


    A sudden overhead screech made the trainer look up to the sight of three Pidgey flying close to the ground. They landed near a massive tree in the distance, preening their feathers and scouring the vast area that surrounded them. They were a common sight in Indigo, perhaps one of the most common Pokemon around. Pidgey themselves weren''t the most powerful Pokemon around, however, their final evolutions were quite formidable. The mental image of his sister''s Pidgeot flashed in his mind ¨C a Pokemon who was a speedy battler and one of Raina''s aces.


    For a moment, Vera contemplated catching one of them but then decided otherwise. Though he acknowledged the physical prowess of Pidgeot, he did not want to take on anything he wasn''t a hundred-percent committed to training or had good reason to catch. That wouldn''t be fair to it, him, or the other members of his party. It was a rookie mistake many trainers made, but one he knew to avoid early on. Maybe he''d find a Pidgey to join his team in the future, but not now.


    Vera could hear Squirtle''s soft cry as the two of them stared at the Flying-types for a few seconds longer before they finally flew off their perch and into the sky. With their departure, Vera and Squirtle continued on their merry way.


    As they continued to venture deeper into Route One, Vera started to notice more and more Pokemon around them. One time, they passed by a tree where a group of Mankey were perched on, feasting on a couple of berries. Another time, Vera spotted a Sandshrew pop its head out of the ground before disappearing just as quickly. Pidgey continued to soar high above and he even saw a couple of Spearow staring hungrily at a large Raticate surrounded by smaller Rattata.


    A few times, some of those Pokemon began to inch closer to him but Squirtle''s presence quickly warded them off. Though he was still in his first evolution stage and barely beginning to tap into his potential, compared to the Pokemon that lived in these areas, he was pretty much king. Though, just as it was with any king, there was always someone trying to overthrow them.


    A few Rattata and Pidgey had been bold enough to try and strong arm him and at one point, even a Sentret had blocked their path. Squirtle had repelled all of them with ease, though Vera could tell that the exertion of battling was starting to get to him. However, before he could even think of resting, a screech sounded from above and he looked up to see a Spearow diving down in their direction, eager to sink its beak into Squirtle and maybe even Vera himself.


    "Squirtle, brace yourself!" Vera called out, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. The Water-type tensed as the Spearow dove down, its sharp beak glinting in the sunlight. Then, at the very last second, Squirtle leapt to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.


    "Good! Now hit it with Water Gun!"


    A powerful stream of water burst from Squirtle''s mouth, striking the Spearow mid-air and forcing it to the ground. The Flying-type squawked in pain, flapping its wings furiously to shake off the blow, droplets of water flying everywhere. It wasn''t down yet though; Spearow were notoriously scrappy, and this one was no exception.


    The wild Pokemon launched itself back into the air, circling Squirtle and eyeing him for another strike. Vera narrowed his eyes, quickly analysing the situation. Spearow had the height advantage, but it seemed inexperienced - reckless even. It made sense considering their species weren''t exactly known for thinking rationally.


    "Keep your guard up, Squirtle."


    The Spearow dove again, this time aiming for Squirtle''s exposed side. But Vera was ready.


    "Tackle, now!"


    Squirtle darted forward with surprising speed, meeting the Spearow head-on. The two Pokemon collided, but Squirtle''s sturdy shell and determination sent Spearow tumbling back with a sharp squawk of pain. The Tiny Turtle Pokemon barked out a triumphant cry, standing his ground. The Spearow glared back with anger and humiliation before squawking one last time and flying off in defeat.


    "Nice work, Squirtle," Vera praised. His starter let out a cheerful cry in response, waddling back over to his trainer and nuzzling his leg affectionately. Vera knelt down and patted his partner with a smile, but his gaze shifted back to the sky where the Spearow had disappeared. His smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful frown.


    Spearow were traditionally one of the most violent Pokemon that early trainers came across. They were known for being territorial and aggressive to anyone who antagonized them. Squirtle''s triumph over the Spearow who had attacked them would not sit well with the rest of its flock and Vera had no intention of having his little Pokemon battle a horde of killer birds. Especially once he noted how the Water-type was panting. No, they had to get out of the proximity of the Spearow''s territory and quick.


    "Hey, Squirtle, why don''t you go back into your ball for a bit?" Vera suggested and the Tiny Turtle Pokemon looked up at him curiously. "Don''t worry, I''ll let you out if I require your assistance. In the meantime, you can get some rest in. You''ve earned it."


    Squirtle let out a soft and contented cry as Vera gently tapped the button on the Poke Ball. A red beam of light engulfed the Tiny Turtle Pokemon, and in a flash, the Pokemon was safely returned to his resting place. Tucking the ball securely into his bag, Vera stood and glanced around.


    The path ahead was still shaded by the thick canopy of trees, their branches twisting and weaving together to form a natural roof. The air felt cooler here, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves painted dappled patterns on the dirt trail. It was beautiful, but Vera couldn''t shake the unease that the encounter with Spearow had left behind. He quickened his pace, hoping to put as much distance as possible between himself and the bird Pokemon''s territory.


    After another hour or so of walking, twisting and turning down paths, following the map on his Pokegear, Vera finally broke out of the forest treeline and found himself on a path littered with stones next to a calm stream. He breathed a sigh of relief as he walked closer to the water and bent down. Slinging his backpack of his shoulders, he unzipped it, pressed a few buttons on the pad and in a flash of light, a canteen materialized inside the bag.


    Arceus, he was seriously loving this bag right now. There was almost zero weight on his shoulders when he carried it around and finding and sorting through items was as easy as recounting his ABC''s. He couldn''t help but wonder what other items Silph Co. had produced. He supposed he''d find out once he reached Saffron City where the main headquarters of the company were located. He''d heard that they sometimes held fairs to show off new or existing products.


    Twisting open the cap of the canteen, he dipped it in the water and filled it up. Once it was filled to the brim, he put it to his mouth and drank deeply. In only around three hours, he had practically emptied the canteen. He''d have to come prepared with more water next time; he had been lucky to find a stream here.


    Closing the canteen once more, he slipped it back into his silver-black backpack before zipping it up and slinging it back onto his shoulders. Then he straightened himself up and continued on his way down the stone laden path.


    Every now and then, a Goldeen or a Seaking would pop their heads out of the surface of the water before diving back inside. Vera kept glancing at the stream whenever the water splashed but overall ignored the Pokemon that revealed themselves. He already had a Water-type in Squirtle; he didn''t need another one. He wanted to become a Generalist Trainer rather than being a Type Specialist.


    To highlight the difference between the two, a Generalist Trainer focused on building a diverse team of Pokemon from a variety of types, ensuring versatility in battles and the ability to adapt to different opponents and challenges. This approach would allow the trainer to cover a broad range of type advantages and strategies, promoting creativity in battle tactics and fostering a well-rounded understanding of Pokemon strengths and weaknesses.


    In contrast, a Type Specialist ¨C just as their name indicated ¨C would dedicate their training to mastering a single Pokemon type, creating a highly focused and synergistic team. Specialists often excelled in battles by leveraging the unique traits and combinations of their chosen type, but they often struggled against opponents with strong counters to their specialization.


    There were many Type Specialists in the world; almost every Gym Leader and Elite Four fell into that category. Champion Lance was also a Type Specialist as he had a team of formidable dragons. As for Generalist Trainers, he knew that Champion Cynthia of Sinnoh, Alder of Unova, and Diantha of Kalos, fell into that category due to their diverse teams. The newly crowned Hoenn Champion, Steven Stone was somewhat of a mix of both. Though he was often fashioned as a Steel-type Specialist, he had non-Steel-types on his team as well, such as his Cradily, Armaldo, and Claydol.


    As Vera continued his walk alongside the stream, the sound of rushing water and chirping Bug-type Pokemon created a soothing backdrop. The unease he had felt earlier began to fade, replaced by a sense of calm as he enjoyed the beauty of Route One. Despite its reputation as an easy route for beginners, the path offered plenty of surprises for those willing to look closer.


    The dark, violet-hared Dex Holder paused when he spotted a small group of Caterpie inching their way up a tree, their antennae twitching cautiously. He crouched down for a closer look, intrigued by their methodical movements as they wove strands of silk between the branches. It reminded him of something Professor Oak had once told him ¨C that every Pokemon, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, had a unique role to play in the world.


    But as much as he admired the Caterpie, they weren''t what he was looking for right now. He straightened up and adjusted the strap of his backpack before pressing on.


    The path began to climb slightly, leading him up a gentle hill. From this vantage point, he could see the faint outline of Viridian City in the distance. A small smile tugged at his lips. He wasn''t far now ¨C maybe another hour or two, assuming he didn''t run into any major delays. With that in mind, he continued his trek.


    It was a few minutes later that Vera encountered yet another obstacle. However, this one was different than the previous Pokemon that had crossed his path. He had just rounded off a bend in the path back when he felt a cold chill pass down his back and he froze in his step, his eyes widened in slight fear. The temperature around him seemed to drop and mist began to thicken all around him. The atmosphere was different here ¨C quiet and eerie, as if the area had been placed under a spell.


    Then he heard the cackling, the sound echoed within his eardrums. He also felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck, like he was being watched. Vera turned his head slowly, scanning the dense forest around him. Well, he tried to, but the mist made everything much more difficult to see. But then he saw it ¨C a pair of sharp and glowing red eyes floating in the midst of the cloud. Another series of cackles ensued, and Vera decided that enough was enough. Unclipping Squirtle''s Poke Ball from his belt, he released his starter, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon appeared on the ground in front of him with a cry.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Almost immediately, as if he could sense that something was wrong, Squirtle snapped to attention and glared into the swirling mist ¨C or rather, the glowing red eyes that were floating in the mist. They didn''t waver under the small aquatic turtle''s glare though; instead they pulsed faintly, and the creature laughed again, as if mocking them.


    "Stay alert, Squirtle," Vera murmured, his voice low but steady. He instinctively shifted his stance, ready to defend himself or Squirtle if things got out of hand. He''d read about wild Pokemon such as Abra or Stantler using illusions to scare off intruders, but this looked like something else. He knew he hadn''t accidentally walked into a Pokemon''s territory; he had seen no signs. No, this wasn''t a Pokemon trying to ward them off. Something was playing with them. Something had actively sought them out.


    If only he could figure out what it was¡­


    Vera''s eyes suddenly widened, and he slapped his forehead in frustration, earning himself a confused look from his Squirtle. Amidst his fear and nervousness, he had completely forgotten that he had a freaking Pokedex that could identify any Pokemon that was registered to it. He was such a goddamned idiot!


    The dark violet-haired boy quickly pulled out his sleek, silver Pokedex and held it up in front of him, facing the glowing red eyes that were now bobbing lazily. Almost immediately, the device pinged and on the holographic screen, appeared a list of information:


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    Dex No: 092


    Name: Gastly


    Type: Ghost/Poison


    Classification: Gas Pokemon


    Information: Gastly is largely composed of gaseous matter. Despite lacking substance, it can envelop an opponent of any size and cause suffocation. It is said to be the soul of a Pokemon who died from poison-related incidents.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "A Gastly." Vera whispered, his fear giving way to a mix of relief and excitement. Gastly and it''s evolutions were the poster-children for Ghost-type Pokemon within the joint-region of Indigo. Elite Agatha''s prized Gengar had rarely been felled by any opponent she had face and was considered a Champion-level Pokemon. They could become powerful and deadly Pokemon if trained properly, though many trainers failed to bring out their true potential. Training a ghost was no easy feat.


    Vera''s eyes snapped away from his Pokedex when he saw the mist around him start to thicken even more, cloaking the area in a spectral haze. The glowing eyes of the Gastly disappeared for a brief moment before reappearing closer, accompanied by a shadowy figure that materialized from within the fog. Vera couldn''t help but grin, his fear all but gone, as the silhouette grew clearer, revealing itself to be a round, ghostly shape with a wide, jagged grin and gaseous tendrils swirling around it.


    The Gastly cackled again, its laughter echoing unnaturally through the forest. It floated lazily toward Squirtle, who crouched low, muscles tense and ready for Vera''s command. The poisonous ghost cackled as it phased in and out of existence, appearing suddenly in front of the Tiny Turtle Pokemon and making unnatural and strange faces. Squirtle snorted in indignation and spat out a burst of water, but the Gastly easily evaded it.


    Many Ghost-type Pokemon had that kind of dark sense of humour ¨C they were pranksters by nature, but they also had a tendency of becoming violent. Ghosts were considered to be the freest of all Pokemon as they were not bound to a single region, nor did they have a territory they tended to live in. Sure, they sometimes grouped together in clusters in a dark forest or a haunted house, but more often than naught, they were solitary creatures who roamed the earth, going wherever they wished.


    As he watched the ghost dance around gleefully, a particular thought came to mind, and Vera grinned.


    "Hey Squirtle! Get ready to battle!" The Tiny Turtle Pokemon huffed and stomped its foot, eager to give the infuriating ghost a piece of his mind. Gastly hovered in the air above, staring down at them with its malevolent grin, waiting to see what they would do next. Unfortunately, due to its Ghost-typing, Normal and Fighting-type attacks were out which meant he couldn''t have Squirtle use Tackle, Rapid Spin, or Aura Sphere. That meant the only attack that Squirtle had which would actually deal damage to Gastly was¡­


    "Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Vera commanded sharply.


    Squirtle didn''t hesitate. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and unleashed a powerful jet of water from his mouth, aiming directly at the mischievous Gastly. The ghost cackled again, its form blurring as it phased out of the way, the Water Gun slicing harmlessly through the mist.


    "Figures it wouldn''t be that easy," Vera muttered under his breath, watching the Gastly rematerialize behind Squirtle, its jagged grin widening as it prepared to strike. "Behind you!"


    Even before he had shouted, Squirtle was already spinning on his heel, with a snarl. Without needing further instructions, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon leapt into the air, snapping at the Gastly with its mouth. Much to Vera''s shock, dark energy was coating the Water-type''s fangs as he lunged at the poisonous ghost. A quick scan of his Pokedex revealed it to be Bite ¨C a Dark-type move that had a natural advantage against Ghost-types. Gastly''s grin faltered, and it quickly lunged back to avoid the darkness-coated fangs.


    It seemed all those battles Squirtle had won earlier in the route had proved valuable as they had pushed him to learn a new attack.


    "Great job, partner, you learned a new attack!" Vera cheered and Squirtle cried out in response, thumping his chest in triumph. "Now let''s do this! Use Bite, back to back, and keep it on its toes!"


    Squirtle nodded before he lunged again. Gastly, now wary, darted backward, weaving through the mist with agility that bordered on unnatural. But Squirtle was relentless, his darkness-coated teeth gleaming as he snapped at the gaseous Pokemon with each strike. It was a game of cat and mouse ¨C or turtle and ghost, in this case ¨C but the longer it dragged on, the clearer it became that Squirtle wasn''t just chasing Gastly. He was forcing it to keep moving, to stay on the defensive.


    "You''re wearing it out," Vera observed, his excitement growing. Gastly''s movements were still quick, but there was a slight lag now, a hesitation in its phasing. It was tiring. "Alright, time to corner it! Squirtle, Water Gun ¨C but this time, aim wide! Drive it to the ground!"


    The small aquatic turtle immediately complied, turning his head to spit out a sweeping blast of water. The jet arced through the air, cutting off Gastly''s escape routes and forcing it lower and closer to the ground. The Gas Pokemon hissed, its mischievous cackling now completely replaced by a growl of annoyance.


    "Now, go for it! Bite!"


    With a burst of speed, Squirtle lunged forward, his jaws closing around Gastly''s gaseous body. The ghost shrieked, its form trembling as the Dark-type energy surged through it. Squirtle released his grip and landed on the ground, glaring defiantly up at the spectral foe. Gastly, on the other hand, floated unsteadily, its movements sluggish and erratic. Vera could tell it was on its last legs ¨C or whatever the ghostly equivalent of that might be. His grin widened as he unclipped an empty shrunken Poke Ball from his belt, the metal cool against the skin of his palm as he enlarged it.


    "Let''s make this official!" He said, raising the Poke Ball. "Gastly, you''re coming with me!"


    Then, he threw the ball, watching as it soared through the mist toward the ghost. The ball struck Gastly, opening with a flash of light that enveloped the Pok¨¦mon. Gastly let out one last, indignant wail before being drawn inside. The ball snapped shut and fell to the ground, shaking violently as the Gastly struggled to break free.


    Vera held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the ball wiggle once, twice... and then, with a soft chime, it stilled.


    "Yes!" He shouted, punching the air triumphantly. "We did it, Squirtle!"


    Squirtle raised his arms in victory, a wide grin on his face as he hopped up and down, as the mist around them began to fade away. Vera scooped up the ball, turning it over in his hands as he stared at it with a mix of awe and excitement, before he shrunk the ball to the size of a marble before attaching it back to one of the magnetic clips on his belt. Then he knelt down to pat his starter affectionately.


    "You did amazing, buddy." The dark, violet-haired Dex Holder praised, and the aquatic turtle grinned at the compliment. "Let''s find a spot to rest and get you cleaned up. You''ve earned it."


    Squirtle cried out in agreement and after a few minutes of walking, Vera finally found a place to rest ¨C a small clearing with a few flat stones scattered around, perfect for sitting. The sunlight filtering through the trees created a dappled glow, creating a serene atmosphere. Vera set his backpack down and let out a deep breath, relieved to finally take a break.


    While Squirtle let out a pleased cry and waddled over to a patch of soft grass, lying down with a contented sigh, Vera unzipped his bag and pulled out a can of the standard Poke-Chow sold in the markets as well as one large bowl. He also unclipped Gastly''s Poke Ball from his belt, releasing the Ghost/Poison-type Pokemon in a flash of white light. Time to get to know his new teammate.


    Gastly appeared, slowly floated into the air in front of him. The poisonous ghost stared down at Vera with an unreadable look in its red eyes. Vera took a step forwards as Squirtle shifted and pushed himself to his feet, moving close by in case the Gas Pokemon decided to attack. "Hey there, Gastly! My name is Vera and I''m your new trainer. I hope we can get along."


    The Gastly kept staring at him blankly, not showing any sort of reaction to his words but Vera knew that it could understand him. Pokemon seemed to have an innate ability to understand the human tongue for how else could they respond to their trainer''s verbal commands in battle.


    Suddenly, the Gas Pokemon vanished, turning incorporeal. Vera blinked in confusion as he looked around for his new Pokemon. Gastly couldn''t have just run off...could it? His unspoken question was quickly answered when he turned to look and right and found himself staring into white and red eyes. The poisonous ghost let out a shrill screech and Vera screamed, jumping backwards and landing on his ass. His reaction provoked a torrent of joyful cackling from the impudent ghost at his expense. Gastly then floated over to his left, still laughing.


    "So you''re a of a trickster, huh?" Vera scowled at the Gastly who simply grinned malevolently in response. Vera shook off his annoyance and then turned his attention to Squirtle, who stood awkwardly, looking a little guilty. "Oh you thought it was funny too, huh?"


    The Tiny Turtle Pokemon said nothing but instead looked to the side guiltily, still holding back a reaction. Vera pulled out his Pokedex again and pointed the research device at Gastly to bring up the rest of its data. From the device, he learned that his newly-caught Gastly was male and knew the moves Night Shade, Lick, Confuse Ray, Hypnosis, Haze and Curse. He also had the ability Levitate. The Dex Holder whistled as he studied the Ghost/Poison-type''s current move set. The Gastly''s prankster-like nature and his tricky moves, coupled with his ghostly form and abilities, would no doubt help him become a dangerous Pokemon in battle.


    Vera grinned as the Gastly drifted around his head gleefully. "Welcome to the team, Gastly."


    The Ghost/Poison-type began performing barrel rolls through the air and cackled as Vera popped open a can of Poke-Chow, emptying its contents into a bowl for Squirtle. The aquatic turtle came closer and sniffed the food before he sat down and began scarfing it all into his throat. He then glanced over at Gastly who had stopped dancing through the air and floated over in their direction.


    "I''ve heard that ghosts usually feed on darkness or life-energy from the things around them for nourishment." Vera began as his mind went back to one of his lessons at the Pallet Town Trainer School that had been dedicated entirely to Ghost-type Pokemon. "But to be honest, I''m not really sure how that works."


    Gastly paused for a moment as if mulling something over before he floated closer to the ground, his slanted red eyes focused on a few flowers that had sprouted amidst the grass. Vera leaned forward in interest and even Squirtle stopped eating to see what the poisonous ghost was going to do. For a few seconds, nothing happened but then Gastly''s red eyes pulsed faintly, and he opened his mouth wide. Nothing seemed to be entering though, but when Vera glanced back at the flowers, he saw that they were starting to wilt. Once the stems dropped lifelessly, Gastly turned back to Vera and cackled.


    "Huh." Vera stated with an impressed look on his face. "That''s¡­pretty goddamn cool. You aren''t going to do that to me or Squirtle though are you?"


    Gastly floated in front of him, his expression unreadable as he stared at Vera, his red eyes gleaming in the dappled sunlight. The ghost didn''t answer verbally, but Vera could sense a certain amusement radiating from him. The eerie cackles had quieted, replaced by a quiet hum as the Pokemon hovered just inches above the ground, his gaseous body rippling slightly in the breeze.


    "I didn''t think so." Vera said, shaking his head with a smirk. "You''re not that mean, are you?"


    Gastly grinned back, his jagged mouth stretching into an exaggerated, almost comical grin, as though to affirm that no, he wasn''t going to harm them before he rose further into the air and began bobbing and weaving playfully. Vera chuckled at the sight before he sat back down on the rock he had taken as his seat and pulled out his own lunch from his bag. It was nothing special really, just a couple of cheese sandwiches his mother had packed for the road. He made a mental note to go shopping for supplies once he reached Viridian City.


    Vera had accumulated a decent amount of money before leaving for his journey ¨C 3500 Poke-Bucks from Professor Oak''s sponsorship with an additional 2000 given to him by his mother as a gift. While the latter was in the form of cash, the former had been deposited into his bank account by the Professor. He could access it via his Pokedex. Not only was the technical device used to study Pokemon, but it also served as his portable bank and his Pokemon Trainer Licence.


    It truly was an all-purpose tool.


    Of course, he could also make money while on the road, mainly by battling other trainers. It was law for trainers who had a sum of over a 1000 Poke-Bucks to pay a fee upon losing a battle with another trainer. The amount usually depended on how many Pokemon were used during a battle. If it was a one-on-one battle, then the loser had to pay 250 Poke-Bucks. For every other Pokemon used, an additional 100 was added onto the sum. That''s how many trainers, especially those who didn''t have sponsorships, were able to afford the lifestyle they had chosen.


    The only thing money was really spent on for trainers was necessary items such as Pokemon food, Potions, status heals, as well as Poke Balls and their variants. Of course, he couldn''t forget the necessary items that trainers needed for themselves ¨C toiletries, food ingredients, Repels, etc.


    He would also have to register for the Indigo Pokemon League once he reached the city as well, he mused as he finished up his sandwiches. That, he could do through the Pokemon Center using his Pokedex. Speaking of the Indigo League¡­


    "Hey guys?" Squirtle paused in his eating and looked up at him while Gastly stopped playing and floated down over to him. "I want to talk to you about something. I mentioned to you, Squirtle, that my goal was to travel the world and battle powerful opponents. I want to prove my strength as a trainer and make you guys, as well as other Pokemon I add to my team, strong as well. And the best way to do that is to participate in the Indigo League Gym Challenge."


    He paused for a moment, watching as a curious shine appeared in his Pokemon''s eyes, before resuming his explanation.


    "The Gym Circuit is a challenge for sure, but I aim to conquer it. There are sixteen Gyms scattered across Kanto and Johto, each run by a powerful Gym Leader specializing in a certain type. To compete in the Indigo League, we''ll need to collect eight badges from whichever region we are registered to. Since I''m a Kanto-resident, we have to collect all eight badges from this region to qualify. Once we have those, we''ll get the chance to prove ourselves in the Indigo League tournament."


    Squirtle let out a determined cry, thumping his chest with one of his stubby arms, while Gastly cackled and performed a barrel roll in the air. Vera laughed at their enthusiasm. "That''s the spirit! But it''s not going to be easy. These gym leaders aren''t pushovers, and the trainers we''ll meet along the way are going to be tough too. That''s why we''ll need to train hard and keep getting stronger."


    He stood up, stretching his legs, and looked toward the horizon where the late afternoon sun hung low in the sky. "Right now, we''re headed to Viridian City. There, I''ll register for the league and then we''ll train for a day or two. Then we''re going to need to travel through Viridian Forest to get to Pewter City. That''s where we''ll find the first Gym and win our first gym badge."


    Vera''s voice lingered in the air as his words sank in. Squirtle looked at his trainer with renewed determination while Gastly only grinned malevolently. The moment felt electric, even in its simplicity. A team had been forged, and they were ready to take on the world together.


    "Alright then." Vera said with a grin. "Let''s wrap up here and get moving. I wanna reach Viridian before nightfall."


    Squirtle quickly finished off his meal with one last contented chew before standing up. Once Vera had packed everything back up, he attempted to recall his Pokemon. Squirtle went back into his ball with no complaint, but Gastly recoiled away from the beam and glared at his new trainer. Vera blinked in confusion.


    "What''s wrong, Gastly? Do you not want to go back into your ball?" Gastly bobbed sideways as if to say no and the dark violet-haired boy chuckled. "Well, that''s fine. There are many Pokemon that don''t like staying in their Poke Balls so if being out here with me is what you prefer, then you can do what you want. But stay where I can see you. I don''t want you causing too much trouble once we reach the city."


    Gastly cackled once more, clearly pleased with the fact that Vera wasn''t forcing him back into his ball. He floated forward, his gaseous body rippling in the light breeze, and then, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, he dipped into Vera''s shadow.


    Vera felt something cold wash over him as the ghostly form of Gastly vanished into the darkness beneath him, becoming one with his shadow. Ghosts were capable of traveling through shadows, he knew that. He had even seen Elite Agatha''s Gengar slide out of her own shadow once during a match against a challenger and had thought it was absolutely epic and one of the best entrances of any Pokemon in any tournament.


    And now he had an impudent Gastly nestling within his own shadow.


    "Well, I guess that could work." The Dex Holder remarked with a grin.


    A soft, eerie chuckle echoed from the depths of his shadow, sending a slight chill down his spine, but he ignored it, opting to hit the road once more. He continued to travel through the forest for about another hour before moving back down the hill and onto the plain dirt path. After a couple of turns around bends as was illustrated from the map on his Pokegear, he finally caught sight of his destination:


    The bustling urban city of Viridian.

 Gold and Amethyst

    This fanfiction is inspired by the following stories:


    The New Normal


    When the Moon Rises


    Borne of Caution


    The Natural


    The Other Trainers of Pallet


    These Silver Eyes


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Chapter 3 : Gold and Amethyst


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The city was undeniably far larger than Pallet Town ¨C though, to be fair, almost every city in Indigo was. Towering buildings stretched along the road, their reflective surfaces catching the sunlight as cars glided over the smooth, tar-paved streets. Yet, despite its size, it didn''t quite measure up to the sprawling metropolises of Saffron, Celadon, Goldenrod, Blackthorn, or the newly declared Lavender City. Still, that didn''t diminish the city''s unique charm ¨C or its notorious reputation.


    After all, Viridian City was home to Kanto''s most formidable Gym Leader.


    Every region had that one Gym Leader who stood head and shoulders above the rest. The one who could easily rival an Elite Four member in skill and reputation. Johto had Pryce, Hoenn had Wallace, Sinnoh had Volkner, Unova had Drayden, Kalos had Wulfric¡­


    ¡­and Kanto had Giovanni.


    The Master of Ground-type Pokemon and an Elite-class trainer. It was no wonder Professor Oak had advised Blue against challenging the Viridian City Gym. As the former Champion had said, Giovanni wasn''t the type to waste his time on novice trainers or anyone who hadn''t earned at least seven badges. He was a cut above, a final test for only the most seasoned challengers. Vera, of course, knew better than to make the same mistake. He wasn''t about to walk into that gym unprepared. Not against someone like Giovanni.


    The Pokemon Center wasn''t too far from the entrance to the city, Vera noted, easily spotting the large building with a shiny red roof that gleamed under the light of the setting sun. It was a welcome sight after the long walk from Pallet Town. The building was clean and modern, with large glass windows that let in plenty of natural light. Inside, the air was cool and refreshing as well and the lobby inside was massive, buzzing with activity. He could see countless trainers of all ages sitting in the lounge area, chatting with one another, tending to their Pokemon, or standing in front of the video monitors.


    Vera had to manoeuvre his way through the crowd as he made his way to the front desk, where the ever friendly Nurse Joy ¨C he had been previously informed about her and her duplicates by Raina and Professor Oak ¨C greeted him with a smile. Even though he hadn''t seen the other Nurse Joys yet, it was jarring to think there existed so many duplicates of the same person. Not to mention the fact that they were natural duplicates. Someone had actually given birth to countless lookalike.


    Weird.


    "Welcome to the Viridian City Pok¨¦mon Center! How can I help you today?" She asked.


    "Hi, I''d like to register for the Indigo Conference." Vera said, pulling out his Pokedex. "And I''d also like to get my Pok¨¦mon checked out, if that''s possible."


    "Of course!" The pink-haired nurse said with a warm smile as she took his Pokedex and slid it into a slot behind the counter. Almost instantly, Vera''s information appeared on the monitor¡ªhis picture, full name, gender, age, registered Dex number, and details about his Pok¨¦mon. "Ah, I see you''re one of Professor Oak''s sponsored trainers," she noted. "You know, his grandson was here just a few hours ago to register for the Conference as well."


    Vera blinked. Just as he had expected, Blue had arrived ahead of him. "Do you know where he is now? He''s a friend of mine, so I want to meet up with him."


    Nurse Joy offered an apologetic smile. "I''m afraid he left for Pewter City right after his Pokemon were healed. You might be able to catch up with him as soon as we are done here."


    Vera nodded but already knew he wouldn''t be rushing after Blue. As curious as he was to see what new Pokemon his friend had added to his team, he preferred to travel at his own pace. Besides, after the long trek from Pallet, he could use some rest.


    Who knew, he may end up seeing him anyways in Pewter. Vera had heard that there was always a long wait for the Pewter City Gym at the start of every circuit as that was the one trainers tended to challenge first. It was sort of an unspoken rite of passage for those undertaking the Gym Challenge.


    He could already imagine the frustration on Blue''s face. The thought brought a pleasant smile to his face.


    A soft chime quickly pulled him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see that Nurse Joy had completed his registration for the Indigo Conference and was now holding his Pokedex out for him to take back, a kind smile on her face.


    "All set! You''re officially registered for the Indigo Conference Gym Challenge. Good luck, Vera! Now, let''s take a look at your Pokemon."


    Vera nodded in thanks as he attached his Pokedex back to his belt ¨C it had a separate section for that ¨C before unclipping Squirtle''s Poke Ball and placing in in a tray held out by a Chansey ¨C the common partners of Nurse Joys. Then, he snapped his fingers and from the darkened shadow that was attached to him like a leech, his impudent ghost rose with a cackle. Gastly''s unconventional entrance caught Nurse Joy and a few of the nearby trainers by surprise.


    "Well, that''s certainly an¡­interesting way to introduce a Pokemon," she said with a light chuckle, her eyes flicking to Gastly, who was now floating lazily in the air, his jagged grin wide and mischievous.


    Vera scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah¡­I just caught this Gastly a few hours ago. He doesn''t really like staying in his Poke Ball much."


    Nurse Joy nodded with a hum. "That makes sense. Ghost Pokemon tend to enjoy their freedom to the fullest. Staying confined in a Poke Ball can almost seem like a prison to them. However¡­" Nurse Joy hesitated, her gaze flicking between Vera and the mischievous Gastly, who was now floating in lazy circles above the counter, his jagged grin widening as if he knew exactly what was coming. "I''m afraid we can''t treat your Gastly unless he''s in his Poke Ball," Nurse Joy explained gently, her tone apologetic. "The healing machines are designed to work with Pokemon inside their capsules. It''s just¡­safer that way."


    Vera exhaled sharply, crossing his arms as he stared up at Gastly. The little ghost had stopped spinning, now hovering upside down with narrowed eyes and a glare that practically screamed defiance.


    "Alright, Gastly," Vera started. Time for some tough love. Of course, he would never force his Pokemon to do something they didn''t want to but when it came to making sure they were healthy, he would have no compromise. Besides, as much as he would allow Gastly to act according to his nature, he needed to set down some ground rules so that things didn''t get out of hand. ""You heard her. I need you to go back into your Poke Ball for a few minutes. Just long enough to get checked out and healed. Then you can come right back out, okay?"


    Gastly''s swirling form crackled, his usual playful energy replaced with something more volatile. He let out a low, guttural hiss before shooting higher, as if daring Vera to try and stop him.


    Vera groaned, running a hand down his face. "Really? This is what we''re doing?" He threw a glance at Nurse Joy, who offered him a sympathetic but amused smile. "Come on, don''t be like this. Nobody''s trying to lock you up forever."


    Gastly let out a sharp, almost menacing snarl. His gaseous body pulsed, a shadowy flicker of irritation, before he shot off in a chaotic zigzag through the lobby.


    Nearby trainers paused to watch. A few chuckled, entertained by the sight of a trainer struggling with his own Pokemon, while others looked unimpressed by the disruption.


    Vera threw up his hands. "Oh, fantastic. You''re embarrassing me in public. That''s great, thanks."


    Gastly whipped back around, his glare unwavering. His form crackled again before he released a sharp, mocking cackle and dove straight through the counter behind Nurse Joy, his shadowy form half-phasing through the surface.


    The nurse flinched slightly but quickly smoothed her expression, offering a patient chuckle. "Well, he''s certainly got a strong personality."


    "That''s a polite way of putting it." Vera muttered. He let out a slow breath, then pulled out Gastly''s Poke Ball. "Alright, fun''s over. Gastly, return!"


    A red beam shot toward the Ghost-type - but Gastly flickered out of reach, slipping right through the energy like mist. His grin widened, sharp and smug, as if to say, ''nice try.''


    Vera''s jaw clenched. "Unbelievable."


    Gastly circled around him, his laughter now dripping with smug amusement. He wasn''t just being stubborn and angry - now, he was enjoying his trainer''s frustration as well.


    Vera inhaled deeply, forcing his voice into something softer, though the exhaustion was clear. "Look, I get it. You hate being confined. But I need to make sure you''re strong and healthy. That''s my job as your trainer and its what you agreed to when you joined me. You don''t have to like it, but you have to trust me."


    Gastly paused mid-hover. His glare didn''t disappear entirely, but something in his posture shifted. He floated there, watching Vera for a long, tense moment.


    Vera crossed his arms. "Just for a second, alright? You can haunt me later if it makes you feel better."


    Gastly grumbled something unintelligible, his form flickering with frustration. Then, with a dramatic, drawn-out sigh, he dipped lower and finally allowed the Poke Ball''s beam to take hold, pulling him inside.


    Vera let out a long, exhausted breath, shrinking the Poke Ball before setting it on the tray alongside Squirtle''s.


    Chansey chirped sweetly as she took the tray, waddling back over to Nurse Joy''s side.


    Nurse Joy smiled knowingly. "That was impressive. Ghost-types - especially those in the Gengar line - can be incredibly stubborn. But I think he''s already starting to trust you."


    Vera let out a short laugh. "If that''s what trust looks like, I''m terrified to see full-blown affection. Let''s just hope he doesn''t make this a habit."


    The pink-haired nurse chuckled softly. "Don''t worry. With time and patience, Gastly will come around. Ghost-types are just¡­unique. They like to test their trainers, but once they fully trust you, they''re incredibly loyal. Now, why don''t you go and wait in the lounge area for a bit. I''ll call you when your Pokemon are all healed up."


    Vera bowed his head in thanks before turning around and making his way to the lounge area where a couple more trainers were seated. He found an empty spot on the couch where he could see the counter and with a sigh, plopped down tiredly. He allowed himself to take a few deep breaths, resting for a moment. He''d have to get used to travelling long distances like this. To be frank, the distance between Pallet and Viridian wasn''t even much compared to others. The trek through Viridian Forest to get to Pewter would take him even longer ¨C approximately a day or two if Raina''s warnings were to be believed.


    He''d have to improve his own physical condition as well when training his Pokemon. Trainers were always supposed to be in top-shape ¨C especially those who were travelling.


    After a couple more minutes of just relaxing, Vera decided to pull out his Pokedex and scour through it for a bit. Another nifty function of the device was that it could show all the moves a Pokemon was capable of learning, including TM moves.


    TM moves could be administered two ways ¨C one was through watching the example videos that the Pokedex provided. The second way was by purchasing a TM disk and inserting the disk into a small slot above the button on a Poke Ball. All he had to do was hold the button and the slot would open up. Then he could insert the disk, transplant the memories of the attack directly into his Pokemon''s brain and take the disk out. The best thing about TMs was that you could use them as many times as you wanted.


    Of course, they were also expensive which meant Vera had to save up quite a bit before purchasing them.


    In the meantime though, he studied the moves that his current Pokemon were capable of learning. Both of them already had a decent move pool but he wanted to expand on it even further.


    For Squirtle, Vera wanted him to focus on refining both the accuracy and power of his Water Gun while also becoming more comfortable with using Aura Sphere. However, beyond that, he knew expanding Squirtle''s arsenal of Water-type moves would be the most beneficial right now - especially with the Pewter Gym battle ahead. The best moves for him to learn at this stage were Water Pulse, and Rain Dance. Water Pulse would provide extra firepower, while Rain Dance would boost his Water-type attacks across the board. Since he was a pure Water-type, mastering these moves should come as naturally to him as a sponge soaking up water.


    Of course, Vera also needed to devise a solid strategy for Squirtle''s battles, but that would come later - after Squirtle had added these moves to his arsenal and mastered them to an efficient degree.


    Gastly, on the other hand, was a trickier case. Most of his current moves leaned toward status effects and sensory disruption, such as Haze, Confuse Ray, and Hypnosis. When it came to direct attacks, he had only Night Shade and Curse - but the latter significantly drained his own health as well, making it unreliable as his main offensive option. Unlike Squirtle, Gastly was never meant to be a frontline fighter, but Vera still wanted him to hit hard when needed.


    His vision for Gastly? An absolute menace on the battlefield. His ability to phase through solid objects, dip in and out of shadows, and strike before vanishing made him perfect for hit-and-run tactics. If Gastly incorporated his natural prankster tendencies into battle, he''d be able to frustrate opponents to no end. Add in his array of status-inflicting moves, and he could become an absolute nightmare to deal with. And once he evolved into a Gengar¡­


    Vera cackled to himself, drawing a few odd looks from the trainers nearby.


    With this plan in mind, Vera decided the best moves for Gastly to learn were Poison Gas, Shadow Ball, and Hex. Poison Gas was a natural choice¡ªGastly''s Poison typing already made him adept at toxic attacks, and spreading a noxious cloud across the battlefield would force opponents into a bad position. If he combined it with Confuse Ray or Hypnosis, his foes would be completely at his mercy.


    Hex was another perfect fit. Given Gastly''s numerous status-inflicting moves, Hex would allow him to take full advantage of a debilitated opponent and deal devastating damage. Finally, Shadow Ball was a must-have. Not only was it one of the most powerful Ghost-type moves, but it also had the added effect of lowering the opponent''s Special Defense, making it an invaluable tool for Gastly''s offensive arsenal.


    With that decided, Vera switched off his Pokedex and attached it to his waist, just in time for Nurse Joy to call out his name. Lifting himself up from the couch, he quickly approached her and Chansey who was holding the tray with Squirtle and Gastly''s Poke Balls.


    "Your Pokemon are all in perfect health and ready to go." Nurse Joy exclaimed cheerfully, and he nodded with a grateful smile as he took his Poke Balls and attached them to their respective clips on his belt. "Are you planning on heading out immediately now?"


    Vera shook his head. "No, I think I''m going to stay in Viridian for at least one more day. I also want to get some rest."


    "If that''s the case, then I can give you a room in the Center." Nurse Joy told him. She turned around and walked back to the counter, rummaging around in a drawer for a couple of seconds before pulling out a key with an orange tag attached to it. "Aside from camping out in the outskirts of the city, or booking a room at the Continental hotels, trainers can also stay at Pokemon Centers. Of course, we only have a vacancy of 50 maximum, but luckily for you, there are a few rooms empty. Staying here is also free of charge, so you can focus on resting or training up for Gym battles."


    Vera took the keys from her hands and nodded gratefully. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t relieved. He had someplace to stay instead of camping out in the outskirts of Viridian. Not that he minded, of course. In the future, he would be doing that but when in cities or towns, he''d rather sleep in an actual bed.


    After another bow of gratitude, the violet-haired Dex Holder made his way to his assigned room. After climbing a single flight of stairs, he reached the place that would be his home till at least the day after tomorrow and unlocked the door.


    Inside, the room was simple but comfortable ¨C a single bed, a small desk, a chair, and a window that let in plenty of natural light. There was also a door leading to a small bathroom with a shower. It wasn''t luxurious, but it was more than enough for a weary traveller. Vera dropped his bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. The walk from Pallet Town had taken more out of him than he''d realized.


    After a few minutes of rest, Vera decided to let his Pokemon out to stretch and relax. Besides, he had promised Gastly he''d let him out as soon as the healing was done with, and he intended to keep that promise. He unclipped Squirtle''s Poke Ball and released the Water-type, who appeared with a cheerful cry. Gastly''s Poke Ball was next, and his impudent ghost burst free from the capsule with his usual evil grin. But Vera managed to catch a hint of relief in his eyes.


    "See?" The violet-haired Dex Holder spoke up, grabbing Gastly''s attention. "What did I say? I won''t keep you confined in that battle if you don''t want to. But for health check-ups, I''m gonna need you to meet me halfway. How''s about it?"


    Gastly hovered in the air for a moment, his jagged grin softening just slightly as he considered Vera''s words. The mischievous glint in his red eyes didn''t disappear entirely, but there was a flicker of something else ¨C something that might have been understanding, or at the very least, a begrudging acceptance. He let out a low, guttural hum, his gaseous form rippling as he bobbed up and down in what Vera could only interpret as a nod.


    "Good." Vera said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I''m glad we''re on the same page. You''re part of the team now, Gastly, and that means we look out for each other. Got it?"


    The impudent ghost cackled softly, his form shimmering as he floated closer to Vera. The Ghost/Poison-type''s grin widened, and for a moment, it almost seemed like he was enjoying the camaraderie. Almost. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he zipped around the room, phasing through the walls and furniture in a display of his ghostly abilities. Vera couldn''t help but laugh, shaking his head as he watched the mischievous Pokemon.


    "Alright, alright, show-off." Vera said, leaning back against the bed. "Just don''t break anything, or Nurse Joy might kick us out."


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Squirtle, who had been lounging on the bed, let out a soft snort of amusement. The Water-type seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, his bright blue eyes following Gastly''s movements with a mix of curiosity and mild exasperation. Vera reached over and gave Squirtle a gentle pat on the head, earning a contented cry from the Tiny Turtle Pokemon.


    "You did great today, buddy." Vera said, his voice warm with pride. "All those Pokemon you battled, and then your victory against Gastly? You''re turning into a real powerhouse."


    Squirtle puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with the praise. He thumped his tiny fists against his shell, letting out a determined cry that made Vera chuckle. Gastly, who had been floating near the ceiling, let out a mocking cackle, but there was no real malice in it. If anything, it seemed like the Ghost-type was starting to warm up to his new teammates.


    "Alright, you two." Vera said, leaning back against the headboard of the bed. "We''ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I want to spend some time training and getting used to working together as a team. But for now, let''s just relax and take it easy. We''ve earned it."


    Squirtle let out a contented sigh, stretching out on the bed as if he owned it. Gastly, however, seemed less inclined to settle down. The mischievous Ghost/Poison-type floated over to the window, his red eyes gleaming as he peered out at the city below. Vera could only imagine what was going through his mind.


    "Don''t even think about it." Vera said, catching the glint in Gastly''s eyes. "You''re not going out there to cause trouble. We''re staying in for the night."


    Gastly turned to him, his grin widening as if to say, Who, me? Trouble? Never. But he floated back toward the bed, his form rippling with faint purple hues as he settled down near the foot of the bed. Vera couldn''t help but smile.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The next day, Vera woke up quickly, and after a hearty breakfast at the Pokemon Center''s cafeteria, he gathered his things and made his way to the outskirts of Viridian. On his way to the city, he had found a nice and empty grassy spot by a small lake and wanted to go there.


    Vera arrived at the grassy clearing by the small lake, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. The gentle ripples on the water''s surface reflected the brightening sky, and the sound of rustling leaves in the light breeze created a peaceful ambiance. Just as he thought, it was a perfect spot to train, away from the hustle of the city yet close enough that he could return before nightfall.


    His Pokemon seemed to think it was neat as well. Squirtle let out an eager cry the second Vera released him, darting toward the water''s edge. The little turtle peered into the lake, tilting his head as his own reflection wobbled in the ripples. Gastly, on the other hand, slipped out of his shadow and materialized just inches from Vera''s face with an echoing cackle and a mocking grin. The violet-haired Dex Holder huffed and shot a narrowed glare at his ghost. He knew why Gastly seemed to be in such high spirits.


    Yesterday, when Vera had been trying to get Gastly to return to his Poke Ball, he had made a foolish deal with the impudent ghost.


    You can haunt me later if it makes you feel better.


    He had just said that to convince Gastly to allow himself to be recalled and then had forgotten about it. Much to his chagrin, however, Gastly had not forgotten. In fact, the Gas Pokemon had taken great pleasure in reminding him the second Vera''s eyes had fluttered open that morning ¨C materializing above his bed with a grotesque, stretched-out face, hollow eyes, and a tongue lolling like a deflated balloon.


    The resulting scream had been music to Gastly''s ears, and he didn''t even have ears.


    It was only later, after Vera had calmed down, did he find out that Gastly had actually learned Scary Face for the sole purpose of trying to give him a heart-attack. He truly was committed to the way of the prankster, it seemed.


    Huh. Go figure.


    "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Vera huffed like a child ¨C he was a child, Arceus-dammit! But despite his irritation, a smirk tugged at his lips. Gastly''s antics were exhausting, but they were also¡­kind of impressive. The Gas Pokemon had mastered Scary Face overnight, purely to scare him. Imagine what he could do with actual battle moves.


    Vera suddenly clapped his hands together: "Alright, rally up, guys!"


    Within seconds, his dutiful Squirtle scurried over to him and stood at attention like a soldier ready to serve their commander. Gastly took longer, drifting over to where Squirtle stood, and hovered in the air while staring at him curiously.


    "As I told you two yesterday, I''ve devised a training plan for us to follow. However, before we begin, we need to exercise. So Squirtle, you will be running laps around the lake for five minutes. I will be running with you as well." The Tiny Turtle Pokemon thumped his chest in understanding. Vera nodded in approval before turning to his ghost. "Gastly, I want you to come up with us as well, but instead of just flying around the lake, I want you to dip in and out of shadows while completing your run. Is that understood?"


    Gastly responded by puffing out his cheeks in an exaggerated pout, his form wobbling like a deflating balloon. Vera crossed his arms. "Don''t give me that look. If we''re going to battle as a team, you need stamina too. Ghost or not, you''re not skipping cardio."


    With a dramatic sigh that sounded more like a deflating tire, Gastly dipped downwards, melding into the ground and becoming a patch of shifting darkness. Then, the shadow zipped towards the lake edge, the ghost popping out momentarily before becoming a shadow once more.


    "Cheater." Vera muttered, but he was already jogging after Squirtle, who had taken off with surprising speed for such stubby legs.


    For the next five minutes, the trio of human and Pokemon ran laps around the lake ¨C or in Gastly''s case, flew. Vera kept pace with Squirtle, his boots crunching against the damp grass as they circled the lake. He wasn''t out of shape by any means, but he could already feel the burn in his legs. A reminder that if he wanted to be an effective and efficient Pokemon Trainer, he couldn''t just rely on his team getting stronger ¨C he had to keep up too.


    Gastly, meanwhile, was having way too much fun with his "training." Every so often, he''d pop out of the ground right in front of Vera or Squirtle, making exaggerated faces or cackling ominously before slipping back into the shadows. At one point, he emerged directly beside Vera and whispered something in a low, raspy voice that sounded suspiciously like, "You will never escape..."


    Vera nearly tripped over his own feet.


    "Knock it off, you menace!" He barked, shoving a hand through Gastly''s incorporeal form, which only resulted in his fingers feeling cold and tingly. His mischievous ghost burst into laughter before sinking back into the ground like a satisfied trickster spirit.


    Squirtle, for his part, didn''t even acknowledge Gastly''s antics. He was too focused, his little legs pumping as he powered through the laps, determined to follow orders to the letter. Vera had to give him credit ¨C his starter was nothing if not diligent.


    It also made him think about Squirtle''s future role in the team. Since he was his first Pokemon, Vera wanted him to be the second-in-command ¨C the one who kept the rest of his Pokemon in line. He had already shown a decent amount of discipline and listened to his orders without hesitation.


    Vera shook his head. He''d talk to Squirtle about it later. For now, he wanted to focus on running. By the time they finished, Vera was panting, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Squirtle was also a little winded but still standing strong. Gastly, of course, looked perfectly fine, floating lazily in the air as if he hadn''t been exerting himself at all. He seemed to be able to slip in and out of shadows quite easily, but Vera would only be able to properly analyse how quickly he was able to do so during an actual battle.


    For now though, it was efficient.


    "Alright¡­" Vera exhaled, straightening up. "Good warm-up. Now, let''s move on to actual training." With that said, he turned to his starter first. "Squirtle, you''re going to focus on Water Gun and Aura Sphere. I want precision over power for now ¨C hit exactly where I tell you to. That''ll help with accuracy in battle."


    Squirtle gave an eager nod, already stepping forward in anticipation. Vera guided him towards a nearby try before pulling a marker from his bag ¨C yes, he had markers, pens, papers, and a notebook ¨C and drawing a large X on the bark. "We''ll start with stationary targets, then move on to moving ones. I want you to fire your Water Gun and aim only for this spot right here. Understood?"


    Squirtle nodded before he inhaled deeply and launched a pressurized stream of water at the tree. Much to Vera''s pleasure, the water-based attack struck the edge of the mark with a sharp thwack. The Tiny Turtle Pokemon ceased his attack and looked somewhat miffed, but Vera bent down and rubbed his smooth head reassuringly.


    "That was really good, Squirtle. You just need to adjust your aim a bit. Why don''t you try again."


    Squirtle narrowed his eyes, recalibrated, and fired again. This time, the Water Gun struck the mark squarely in the middle, sending droplets flying.


    "Nice! Keep that up. Once everything is perfect with Water Gun, I''ll have you practice with Aura Sphere."


    Squirtle nodded before going back to his task of refining his accuracy with Water Gun. Vera then turned his attention to Gastly. The ghost floated expectantly, a smug look in his gleaming red eyes.


    "Alright, trickster." Vera smirked. "Let''s put those pranking skills to good use. We''re going to work on Poison Gas and Hex."


    Gastly''s grin widened at the mention of Hex. He already seemed excited about adding more sinister tricks to his arsenal.


    "For Poison Gas, the goal is control." Vera continued, pulling up a video of the move being used by a Weezing on his Pokedex. He showed the video to Gastly, and the Ghost/Poison-type watched intently. "I don''t just want you spewing toxic fumes everywhere. I want you to be able to spread it in a focused area and disperse it at will. If you can fine-tune it, you can force your opponent to move exactly where you want them."


    Gastly let out a thoughtful hum before inhaling deeply. A faint purple mist began to form around him, swirling like an eerie fog. It was thin at first, barely noticeable, but then it thickened, darkening into a proper smog of toxins. Just as he had thought, because Gastly was partly Poison-type, the move came easily to him. The problem was ¨C it spread too wide, dissipating in the breeze rather than staying concentrated.


    "Too unfocused." Vera pointed out, fanning a hand in front of his nose. "Try to keep it tighter."


    Gastly huffed but nodded. He tried again, this time attempting to condense the gas into a denser cloud. It still spread, but there was definite progress.


    "Better. Keep practicing that control. Once you get it right, we''ll move on to practicing Hex." Gastly let out a mischievous giggle, clearly enjoying the idea of using his abilities to mess with opponents.


    For the next hour, Vera rotated between Squirtle and Gastly, ensuring they both made steady progress.


    Squirtle had successfully improved his accuracy on stationary targets with Water Gun, so he had him move on to Aura Sphere. The Fighting-type move was a bit harder for him to refine but by the thirty minute mark, he was able to fire a stable orb of bluish energy and hit the mark without fail.


    "Alright, well done, Squirtle." Vera praised and the Tiny Turtle Pokemon thumped his chest in response, a wide grin on his face. "Now, for the next step, I want you to increase the power for both the attacks while maintaining accuracy. Once that is done, I am going to have you learn a few new moves."


    Squirtle cried out in excitement before resuming his training, only this time, firing stronger Water Guns and Aura Spheres against the tree. Gastly, meanwhile, had managed to condense his Poison Gas into a thick, rolling cloud that lingered exactly where he wanted it ¨C though he still occasionally let it expand just to watch Vera wave it away with a scowl. Training with Hex came to the ghost easily as well, though only in battle could he tell how effective it would be.


    By the time the hour was done, the tasks assigned to the two Pokemon had more or less been completed. The next step would be to have Squirtle practice hitting moving targets. To train him for that, Vera gathered a few small rocks from the lake with the intention of throwing them in the air for his starter to attempt to hit. As for Gastly, since he had learned Poison Gas and Hex quicker than expected, Vera planned on having him start learning Shadow Ball.


    For now though, it was break time.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Hey, I''ve been looking everywhere for you!"


    Vera had been happily lounging underneath the shade of a tree and eating a bagel he had snagged from the Center earlier in the morning when he heard the call. Gastly who eaten his fill of life energy from a nearby bush and Squirtle who had been munching away on a batch of berries ¨C Vera learned that he liked wiki berries the most and made a reminder to purchase more of them before leaving Viridian ¨C both looked up as well as a young boy around Vera''s age approached them. He wasn''t alone; trailing slightly behind him was a brown-haired girl the same age.


    Both looked to be trainers, if the Poke Balls hanging from their belts were any indication. Yet the thing that stood out most about them were their eye colours. They were unique and reminded him of the sea blue of Blue''s and the verdant green of Katrina''s. The girl had eyes the same shade as amethyst and the boy, his eyes were coloured a striking gold, sharp as sunlight on a coin.


    Vera blinked as the boy grinned at him, hands stuffed into the pockets of his red and black jacket. His unruly black hair stuck out from under his cap, giving him an effortlessly roguish look. The girl beside him, with soft brown hair tied into pigtails and warm amethyst eyes, smiled more politely, though there was an unmistakable spark of curiosity in her gaze.


    "You know me?" Vera asked, sitting up straighter. Squirtle immediately abandoned his berries and moved over to his side, trying his best to appear intimidating to the two strangers. Honestly, it would have been more effective if he didn''t have berry juice smeared all over his face. The fact that he was naturally adorable didn''t help matters either.


    "Well, not really." The boy admitted with a shrug, unperturbed by Squirtle''s showing. "We actually saw you yesterday in the Center. You were arguing with your Gastly."


    Vera''s cheeks burned slightly, and he threw a nasty glare at his impudent ghost who merely cackled, looking far too pleased with himself. "Oh¡­yeah, I apologize for the disturbance I may have caused. You see, Gastly really doesn''t like to stay in his Poke Ball."


    The golden-eyed boy stepped closer, the morning light catching the unusual hue of his irises like doubloons at the bottom of a stream. "Disturbance?" The boy threw his head back with a laugh that startled a flock of Pidgey from the nearby trees. "That was the best entertainment we''ve had since hitting Viridian." He jerked a thumb at the girl beside him. "Lyra here thought you were gonna cry."


    The girl ¨C Lyra ¨C elbowed him sharply. "I did not."


    "You muttered it."


    "I said he looked frustrated."


    It was weird, Vera decided, to see two people holding a conversation about you when you were standing right in front of them. They seemed like a close pair and also nosy seeing as they decided to seek him out after seeing him struggle with Gastly.


    Speaking of Gastly, the little ghost was currently circling the two newcomers like a shark eyeing its prey. The Ghost/Poison-type drifted uncomfortably close to Gold, his grinning face beginning to ripple. Vera may not have been with him long, but he could tell when Gastly was planning something. Unfortunately, though he had caught it, he wasn''t quick enough to stop the menace from carrying out his plot.


    "BLEGHHHH!" Gastly vanished and popped into existence right in front of the golden-eyed boy, making a terrifying face in an attempt to frighten the newcomer. Regular people who have screamed at the sudden fright, Vera knew he would and already had. Even Lyra jumped back with a start. But to the boy''s credit, his grin just grew wider.


    "Tch. Cute." He flicked Gastly''s forehead - or where a forehead would be - making the ghost recoil in mock outrage. "That your idea of a scare, spook? Not bad. But my mom''s Misdreavus does this creepy lullaby thing that''ll make your hair stand on end. You should trade notes."


    Vera groaned as Gastly''s outrage evaporated and he erupted into delighted giggles, swirling around the boy. He then sharply snapped his fingers taking on a sterner look.


    "Enough Gastly." Gastly suddenly froze, gave his equivalent of a pout and then slunk back to hover behind Squirtle. Vera shook his head at him with exasperation before turning to the newcomers. "I''m sorry about him. He''s a menace¡­but he''s my menace. Now, what brings you two here? Stalking random trainers for fun?"


    The boy popped off a Poke Ball from his belt and began to spin it on his finger with practiced ease. "Scouting strong opponents. Name''s Gold." He jerked his thumb at his companion. "And I''ve already introduced Lyra. Nurse Joy told us your name is Vera. She also told us you''re one of Professor Oak''s new sponsors. Is that true?"


    Vera narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "So what if it is?"


    "We don''t mean anything by it." Lyra immediately spoke up, no doubt noticing how Squirtle had taken a threatening ¨C it really wasn''t ¨C step forward, a growl rumbling from his chest. "We''re sponsored trainers too. Gold and I received our starters from Professor Elm back in New Bark Town just a few days ago."


    Vera blinked, his suspicion melting away as surprise took its place. Sylvester Elm might not have been as renowned as Samuel Oak, but in the scientific community, his name carried significant weight ¨C standing alongside luminaries like Albert Rowan, Bartholomew Birch, and Cedric Juniper. Vera had heard rumours that the other top regional professors, inspired by Oak''s initiative, had begun offering sponsorships to young trainers. Still, he never expected to cross paths with them so soon.


    That also begged another question¡­


    "If you guys are from Johto, then what are you doing here?" Vera couldn''t help but ask.


    "Oh, I just wanted to start my journey in Kanto, that''s all." Gold remarked casually. "I''ve lived in Johto all my life and because of my parents'' jobs, I''ve had to travel with throughout the region a lot. They''re Rangers, you see, so they''re stationed in a new place every two years."


    "I met him a year ago, when his parents were posted to New Bark Town." Lyra picked up where her friend left off. "And I decided to join him in Kanto, for no other reason than to look out for him."


    Gold rolled his eyes at Lyra''s comment but didn''t argue, which told Vera everything he needed to know about their dynamic ¨C Lyra was the responsible one, and Gold was the troublemaker who somehow always needed supervision. It was oddly familiar, reminding him of his own dynamic with Blue and Ash. Katrina always steered clear of their fights, so he was left being the peacekeeper.


    He then glanced at Gastly, who was now mimicking Squirtle''s growling face with exaggerated spookiness and sighed. It seemed his Pokemon could relate to the same dynamic as well.


    "So," Vera said, crossing his arms and turning back to look at Gold and Lyra. "You guys tracked me down just to chat about sponsorships?"


    "Nah." Gold grinned, finally stopping the spinning Poke Ball with a snap of his fingers. "Like I said, scouting strong opponents. If you''re Oak''s pick, you''ve gotta be decent, right? Let''s battle."


    Squirtle perked up immediately, fists clenched in anticipation. Even Gastly paused his antics, floating closer with interest. Vera hesitated, but only for a second. A battle would be a good test of their morning training ¨C and if these two were sponsored by Elm, they wouldn''t be pushovers.


    "Fine." Vera agreed, standing and brushing grass off his pants. "But let''s keep it one-on-one for now. I''ll use Squirtle."


    Gold''s grin turned razor-sharp. "Perfect. I''ll go with Cyndaquil." He enlarged the Poke Ball he had been spinning and tossed it into the clearing. In a flash of light, a small, blue-gray creature with a beige underbelly materialized, its back already smoking with embers. A quick scan of his Pokedex told Vera that it was the Fire-type starter of Johto, Cyndaquil.


    The mousy little Pokemon let out a spirited cry, stomping its tiny feet as if ready to explode into action. Squirtle didn''t back down though, choosing instead to step forward, meeting Cyndaquil''s challenge with a determined glare.


    Lyra moved to the side, arms crossed. "I''ll referee. No cheap shots, no interference ¨C understood?"


    "Yeah, yeah." Gold said, waving a hand.


    Vera nodded. "Sounds fair."


    Gastly, meanwhile, had drifted over to Lyra, eyeing her with mischievous curiosity. The girl didn''t flinch, though her amethyst eyes tracked him warily. "You''re not planning any tricks, are you?" she asked.


    Gastly''s grin widened. Who, me?


    Vera shot him a warning look before refocusing on the battle as Lyra bid it to begin. He had the type advantage here and though he knew not to rely on it entirely, it did help turn the tides in his favour. "Squirtle, start strong ¨C Water Gun, full pressure!"


    Squirtle inhaled sharply, then unleashed a blistering torrent of water, the attack slicing through the air like a bullet. However, Gold''s grin didn''t waver in the face of the super-effective attack even though it looked to be a direct hit. Vera soon saw why he was so confident when he called out an order:


    "Dodge left, then Smokescreen!"


    Cyndaquil rolled with surprising agility, the Water Gun barely grazing its fur. Before Squirtle could react, the Fire-type exhaled a thick, choking smog, black as pitch, flooding the battlefield in seconds. Visibility dropped to zero.


    Vera clenched his teeth. He''s trying to control the field and give himself an advantage. Smart.


    "Don''t panic." The violet-haired Dex Holder called to Squirtle. "Withdraw and listen ¨C try to track its movement!"


    Squirtle nodded and then tucked into his shell, cutting off his sight but sharpening his focus on hearing. The smoke swirled around his shell, muffling sound, but then, a faint scritch-scritch of claws on dirt was heard.


    Without even waiting for a command from Vera, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon still hidden in his shell, used Rapid Spin and tore through the smoke. Cyndaquil barely had time to react before the spinning shell clipped its side, sending it skidding back. The smog thinned just enough for Vera to see Gold''s smirk flicker.


    "Not bad," Gold admitted. "But let''s heat things up ¨C Ember and make it burn!"


    Cyndaquil''s back erupted in flames, and it spat a barrage of fireballs in the Water-type''s direction. Squirtle twisted his body, trying to dodge the array of fiery projectiles but because they were so clumped together, he ended up being hit more than he evaded.


    "Again!" Gold barked.


    "Water Gun ¨C widespread! Wash them away!" Vera commanded.


    Squirtle hissed in pain as burns covered his body but powered through it and spat out a jet of pressurized water before swinging his head to the side and arcing the Water Gun. His attack crashed midair with the Embers and detonated them in a burst of steam, obscuring the field once more.


    Gold''s eyes gleamed. "Swift!"


    "Water Gun again!" Vera shouted.


    Star-shaped projectiles shot from the haze, homing in unerringly. Squirtle attempted to wash them away with Water Gun just as he had done with the Embers, but he was too slow and was instead, hit by the striking stars ¨C each smashing into him one after the other.


    Damn. Swift never misses. Vera''s mind raced as Squirtle slowly pushed himself back up. The injuries were piling up; he wouldn''t be able to last long. He had to disrupt their rhythm and force an opening for themselves. Suddenly, an idea hit him, and he called out an order:


    "Bite the ground and then fling it!"


    Gold blinked, momentarily thrown by the odd command ¨C but Squirtle didn''t hesitate. Lunging forward, he clamped his jaws into the earth, tearing up a clump of dirt and grass before hurling it straight at Cyndaquil''s face.


    "Quil ¨C ?!" The Fire-type recoiled as the debris smacked into its eyes, blinding it momentarily.


    Vera seized the chance. "Now ¨C Aura Sphere!"


    Squirtle cried as he formed a pulsing blue orb between his stubby arms before hurling it at the Fire-type. The Aura Sphere exploded on contact and sent the fiery mouse skidding back. But Vera wanted to pay it back for all the punishment it dished out on his starter.


    "Don''t let up and use Tackle while it''s still blinded!" Vera commanded quickly.


    "Cyndaquil use Ember!" Gold shouted.


    Squirtle surged forward, braving through the storm of wild fireballs before slamming shoulder-first into Cyndaquil, knocking it onto its back. Gold barked a laugh.


    "Alright, that was clever." He admitted. "But we''re not done just yet! Use Flame Wheel!"


    Cyndaquil winced as it jumped to attention once more and curled into a ball, igniting in a whirling inferno before rocketing forward. Squirtle barely leapt aside, but the flames licked his shell, leaving a smouldering scorch mark as a brand.


    Cyndaquil''s faster, but Squirtle''s tougher. We need to end this before stamina runs out.


    "Rapid Spin ¨C into Water Gun!" Vera commanded. "Aim for the flames!"


    This was a strategy that Vera had been planning on using against Brock. However, he hadn''t practiced it with Squirtle first and there was a slight amount of fear that his partner wouldn''t know how to carry out his command. It was a risk he was taking, that''s for sure.


    Luckily though, Squirtle seemed to understand what was being asked of him and quickly tucked into his shell, spinning like a drill. Then he unleashed a spiralling jet of water mid-rotation. The dual-force and widespread attack struck Cyndaquil head-on, dousing its flames and throwing it back.


    Gold''s grin sharpened. "Hang in there, Cyndaquil! Quick Attack ¨C now!"


    Just as Squirtle popped out of its shell, Cyndaquil blurred forward, a streak of motion, and slammed into him. Both Pokemon skidded apart, breathing heavily.


    Silence.


    Then Cyndaquil wobbled, its legs buckling before it collapsed, unconscious.


    "Cyndaquil is unable to battle!" Lyra announced with no small amount of surprise. "Squirtle wins!"


    Squirtle pumped a fist in triumph ¨C then promptly fell over as well, utterly spent.