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- Seen Apr 17, 2021
Disclaimer:
This is my first fan fiction I've tried writing, so I'm really not sure how to approach the writing process. I wouldn't mind some constructive criticism so I could improve my craft. I feel like the battle I portrayed in this chapter is lacking something, but I'm not sure what it is.
Rating: T for Teen.
Foreword:
This story takes place approximately a decade after Team Rocket's defeat in the Pokémon Manga Series. In this universe, a young man or woman must be at least age 16 to apply for a trainer license. The protagonist, Atticus James Viridian, hails from the Kanto region; however, he grew up as an orphan living at the Pallet Town Orphanage. When he turned 16, he dropped out of school to become a Pokémon trainer. This story tells his story starting from the day he took off on Route 1 to fulfill his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.
---------------------------
On a warm, mid-July afternoon, a young man named Atticus Viridian trekked along the well-worn dirt road that stretched between Pallet Town and his destination, the town his ancestors apparently founded: Viridian City.
Atticus was a young man of about sixteen years, maybe five foot, six inches but had the kind of build one could only describe as "skin and bones." He had messy, dirty blonde hair that fell over his forehead, covered his protruding ears, and settled on the collar of his jet black shirt in the rear.
He wore ragged blue jeans and a pair of blue tennis shoes that were long overdue to be replaced. Atticus' favorite navy blue, zip-up hoodie was draped over his back and held into place by the backpack that held all the necessities: food rations, cooking supplies, a map of the Kanto region, a basic first-aid kit for both humans and Pokémon, and a collapsible tent. On his hands were the black, leather fingerless gloves he had been given as a gift from the orphanage.
On his belt were six Pokéballs, three on each side. While the three on his right side contained nothing, the first on his left held his partner Pokémon. It was his precious childhood companion Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee was a small, four-legged creature with thick brown fur, a fluffy tail with a touch of tan on the tip, and a mane of the same tan shade as the tip of its tail. Although they had many adventures before along the outskirts of Pallet Town, Atticus and his partner had seldom left the safety of their small town together, save for the few field trips the orphanage took to larger cities like their current destination.
Desiring the company of other, Pokémon or otherwise, Atticus released Eevee from the small red and white capsule that contained it. His Pokémon let out a cry of joy as it emerged in a flash of white light.
"You know what?" Atticus asked his miniature friend.
"Vee?" responded Eevee, who like most Pokémon had their ability of speech limited to a range of sounds based on their name.
"I've been thinking," said Atticus, "why we haven't run into any other people out here on the trail. I mean, we've seen plenty of wild Pokémon off the beaten path, but none of my own kind, trainer or otherwise."
The young man had spoken too soon. Off in the distance, behind the tall oak trees that peppered the lush fields on either side of the path, Atticus saw a flock of tiny white and brown birds scatter toward the sky. He could even make out the sound of electricity crackling from behind the trees, deducing that this was the reason for the flock of tiny birds, called Pidgey, fleeing from the area. Running toward the area, Atticus was able to make out the figure of a young man and a small yellow rodent with bright red cheeks: a Pikachu. Knowing how rare this rodent was, Atticus was immediately impressed that this mysterious young man captured one.
As he got closer, Atticus was able to make out the features of the mystery trainer. He was probably a few inches taller than Atticus and significantly bulkier, clear evidence of keeping himself in top physical condition to match his Pokémon companions. The young man had jet black hair, parted down the middle and majestically flowing to shoulder length. He had piercing black eyes to match his messy hair, but his outfit was anything but. Clean, tan slacks complemented his white dress shirt with vertical blue stripes while glossy black dress shoes adorned his feet.
"Ah," he said as he looked in the direction of Atticus. "You must have been impressed by my Pokémon's glorious display and came running in the general direction to catch a glimpse up close."
He had expected to find someone in the wilderness eventually, but never would he have anticipated finding someone dressed so well. Although this stranger looked like he would be better suited behind a desk, Atticus would soon find out that he was more than he could bargain for. Before he could open his mouth to introduce himself, the stranger spoke up.
"The name's Seth. Seth Evans," he announced. "Remember my name because one day it will be enshrined in history as the name of the world's greatest Pokémon trainer."
Atticus scoffed at Seth's confidence. "Are you kidding me?" he said. "The only way you're going to be the best trainer is if you can beat me."
"If you think you're hot stuff, why don't you try beating me and my Eevee? After all, I'm just a rookie trainer. Clearly out of your league," he concluded with a touch of sarcasm. Eevee looked fiercely at Seth, giving Atticus the impression that his Pokémon was on the same page as him. If they walked away from this opportunity to test their skills, they would regret it for the rest of their career.
Looking amused, Seth responded, "That does sound like a treat and," glancing around the open meadow, "this does appear to be the perfect location for a small skirmish."
"Eh…okay," shrugged Atticus as he took his place on the far side of the meadow. Eevee stood about five yards in front of him, prepared to handle whatever this Seth and his electric mouse could throw at them.
"I'll allow you to make the first move, as it is only proper that a gentleman allows his opponent to do so," said Seth, trying to sound polite but one would interpret his speech as arrogant.
"If you say so," responded Atticus. "Eevee, start things off by tackling into Pikachu. Full force!" Eevee took a step and a half backwards before rushing toward Pikachu, kicking up dirt in its path. Seth waited until Eevee was within three yards of his Pokémon before ordering a swift move to the left, easily evading their incoming opponent. Atticus gasped at the reaction time of Seth's Pokémon, having only seen such agility while watching the Pokémon Network.
"Is that all you've got?" Seth taunted. "We'll show you how a truly elegant Pokémon strikes its foe. Pikachu, use your Thundershock on Eevee!"
The same crackling electrical sound came from within the rodent's body as sparks flew from its red cheeks. "Pi-ka-CHU!" it shouted as a burst of electricity flew from its body toward Atticus' Eevee.
"Burrow underground to avoid the attack!" desperately shouted Atticus, knowing that a direct hit would mean bad news for his partner. Eevee, who had trained on the hard clay earth on the outer edges of Pallet Town, was easily able to dig through the relatively soft dirt of the meadow. The small creature was barely able to avoid the burst of electricity, but the effort was a success. The slightly annoyed look that grew on Seth's face was all Atticus needed to know he was doing well.
"Damn. It's okay Pikachu, we've faced worse before. Sense the vibrations in the ground to track where Eevee is. When you feel it digging toward the surface, use your Iron Tail technique on the ground right above it."
Meanwhile, Atticus gave much more calm instructions to his Eevee. "Emerge about twenty yards out from where you currently are, and then quickly burrow back into the ground." He calculated that this would put Eevee far enough from where Pikachu was. On top of that, he assumed Seth was far too cautious to rush toward where Eevee would emerge. As soon as his Pokémon erupted from the ground, Seth ordered Pikachu to fire a bolt of electricity in the general direction; however, Eevee dove back underground in plenty of time.
"You're going to have to try harder than that Seth. We could do this all day if we wanted to." He pondered on that thought for a moment. "Then again, we might just get bored with this and go on the offensive."
Eevee continued to peek its head out from the dirt, causing Seth to order another electrical strike from his Pikachu. By now, the Evolution Pokémon had managed to pick up on the pattern so it more easily avoided the attacks Pikachu could throw at it. Atticus could sense the tension in the air as he considered going on the offensive before he wore his young Pokémon out.
"Hey Eevee," announced Atticus, "why don't you emerge from one of your holes and launch a Shadow Ball technique on Pikachu?"
Atticus felt it was time to unveil his pride and joy, the culmination of the last three months of training to prepare for his journey. It took him and Eevee an extensive period of time, but they finally perfected a special attack that gave him some ammo at a distance.
"When he shows up, deflect that Shadow Ball right back at him with Iron Tail!" Seth ordered his Pikachu, not realizing that the attack would pass right throw the Normal-type Eevee.
Eevee emerged from the hole directly to the left of Pikachu and simultaneously fired a gelatinous black and purple blob of energy toward the rodent. Seth's Pikachu braced itself for the incoming attack, its brown-tipped tail now aglow with white energy; the rodent easily deflected the predictable technique, firing it back toward its creator.
The Shadow Ball passed right through Eevee as the Evolution Pokémon leapt back into the ground from which it came, causing Atticus to burst into laughter. This only frustrated Seth more. The sophisticated trainer was clearly letting his emotions get the better of him, a character flaw that he often regretted as heat of the moment.
"I thought you were the greatest trainer ever, or at least will be?" Atticus mocked his opponent. "Why would you think of reflecting back a Ghost Attack at a Normal Pokémon? It just seems stupid to me."
"You just got lucky. I slipped up when I least expected it."
"You expect to slip up, like, ever?" Atticus tilted his head in confusion.
"Let's just end this," Seth muttered under his breath. "Pikachu, use your Thundershock attack once more!"
"Don't let them have all the fun! Use your Shadow Ball again!"
The two Pokémon's attacks met in mid-air, causing a fierce explosion that threw the inexperienced Eevee and its more experienced foe, Pikachu, backwards. Thick black smoke covered the field, hindering either trainer's vision of the attack's aftermath. After a few moments, the smoke cleared to reveal that both Pokémon remained standing, breathing heavily as they shook off the pain from their respective attacks. It was only a matter of time before one or both of them collapsed to the ground.
<I can't lose, not in Atticus' first fight> Eevee thought to itself as its legs shook from the pain that was slowly buckling down on it.
Meanwhile, Pikachu thought <What's with the staggering power this Eevee shows? Clearly this is no ordinary trainer, especially for some no name rookie.>
Both Atticus and Seth showed concern for their partner Pokémon, both of which were clearly hurt from the explosion and the subsequent impacts they made as a result. From a spectator's perspective, it appeared as though Pikachu was in better fighting condition than Eevee, but the average spectator could not take into account the passion of the Pokémon fighting, which remained equal throughout the struggle.
"Let's end this, Pikachu. Use your Iron Tail on Eevee while it's trying to maintain its composure!" shouted Seth, feeling victory within his sight.
"This won't end well if we just lay down and do nothing!" exclaimed Atticus. "Show Pikachu your speed with a Quick Attack!"
Pikachu leapt toward Eevee, its tail glowing with a strange white power that made its tail texture consistent with that of iron. Meanwhile, Eevee launched itself toward Pikachu at high speed, leaving a trail of similarly white energy in its path. The two Pokémon collided at a point approximately in the middle of the field, between their two trainers. The impact of the combined blows sent the two reeling backwards toward the ground. Atticus and Seth urged their Pokémon to rise back to their feet while equally hoping that their foe could take no more. When at last a Pokémon hit the ground, they both did so simultaneously. The match, Atticus' first and one of many for the young Seth, had ended in a draw.
"That was a well fought battle. I'm extremely pleased with your performance, Pikachu," he said as he pointed a Pokéball at Pikachu. When the red beam of light connected with the Pokémon, its mass was converted into red energy that was brought back into the capsule device.
Seth then looked toward Atticus, smiling. "The same could be said for your Eevee, who fought marvelously today." After pausing for a second, he continued, "I'm guessing since you're a rookie trainer, you don't have any other Pokémon with you, correct?" Atticus nodded only made the smile on Seth's face bigger. He had an edge on his newly found rival, having already captured two Pokémon since leaving his hometown on his own journey.
After Atticus recalled his Eevee into its Pokéball, he approached Seth with an outstretched hand. Seth knew this gesture well, as he too extended his hand to shake that of his opponent. With a sly grin on his face, he questioned his new rival.
"I never did get your name, now did I?" Seth suddenly asked, catching Atticus off guard.
"Sorry about that," Atticus apologetically responded. "It's Atticus Viridian and before you ask, I don't know much about the family that shares my surname."
"I've heard of that family name before. The Viridian Family is pretty well known for founding the city to the north of here, correct?"
"Could it be he has some association with them? The infamous group founded by the Viridian Family?" Seth thought, keeping this information to himself.
"I guess. Like I said, I don't really know much. I grew up in an orphanage for the past decade, so I don't remember much about my parents or any other relatives. I figure they're all dead or just don't give a damn about me."
"Either way, I hope to see you around sometime. We'll have to battle once more when you've collected more Pokémon, yes?"
"It's a deal," Atticus said, waving as he walked off in the distance, further from his new rival but closer to his next destination.
---------------------------
Knowing that Eevee was in no condition to engage in combat with another Pokémon, Atticus stuck to the dirt path as he had done previously. He wanted to avoid encroaching on the territory of a Pokémon that might become aggressive toward him, knowing that he was no match for an angry Pokémon.
"Maybe I should try to catch something, even without Eevee's help," he pondered as he spotted a lone Pidgey off in the distance. "It probably got stranded from that flock that Seth scared off," he assumed.
He noticed that the small bird was tending to its left wing. It appeared as though the wing had been afflicted by the electrical attack Seth's Pikachu surely launched at the flock in some strange training exercise. Creeping toward the Pidgey, Atticus grasped an empty Pokéball in his hand. Although he understood the theory behind capturing a Pokémon from his days in the Pallet Town Pokémon Academy, he had never attempted to capture one on his own.
Atticus raised the arm that was holding the empty Pokéball just as Pidgey turned to face his direction. The tiny bird Pokémon had been around long enough to recognize the device in the young trainer's hand, so it struggling to take flight with its clipped wing. A grin crept across Atticus' face as he realized the brown and red bird's efforts were useless. With a quick push of the central button, the capsule device approximately doubled in size. In the same motion, Atticus hurled the Pokéball toward Pidgey.
"Come on," he urged, clenching his teeth in anticipation.
The Pokéball hit Pidgey as it was making one last attempt to flee, converting the bird's molecules into a red light of energy and pulling it inward toward the capsule. The Pokéball landed on the ground while making just the slightest noise.
"Now we wait," said Atticus as he watched the Pokéball shake furiously for a few moments.
Eventually, the struggle began to slow to a halt, sealing Pidgey's fate. The light on the center of the Pokéball, which had glowed red from the moment the device landed on the ground, faded to confirm the capture.
---------------------------
Meanwhile, the famous Professor Oak has had a fateful encounter in the nearby Viridian City. A mysterious criminal, wearing a black robe with a thin veil to hide their identity, sprinted far ahead of the older man, grasping in their hand a sole Pokéball.
Just a few moments earlier, the figure had gotten the jump on the world famous Professor Samuel Oak. The stranger had intended on stealing the entire briefcase, which contained three Pokéballs, but in a struggle to get away they were only able to escape with one.
Professor Oak paused to catch his breath, wishing to rest for a short period of time before continuing to pursue his attacker. As he stood under the sinking sun, he felt with despair that he would never catch the criminal. He was a much older man, nearly in his seventies, with sleek gray hair and a long white lab coat and a red dress shirt underneath.
"In my younger days, I would have taught that troublemaker a lesson with my elite team of Pokémon," he lamented. "It's a real shame that the police presence around Kanto has declined in the years following Team Rocket's defeat, otherwise I could've had at least half a dozen officers on my attacker within minutes."
He settled on a nearby bench, clenching the briefcase that contained two rare Pokémon. Expecting his attacker to return to finish the task, he nervously hoped he could hold them off at all with the two Pokémon he had with him. The follow-up attack never happened, but little did the professor know that a savior was coming to his rescue just minutes from then.
---------------------------
After meeting a new rival in Seth, our protagonist Atticus Viridian makes his way to the town his ancestors founded (even if he has no idea who they are). He managed to catch a second Pokémon, Pidgey, despite not weakening it with his already exhausted Eevee.
When he arrives in Viridian City, will he first encounter Professor Oak or will he run into the mysterious figure who robbed the researcher? Consequently, would he be able to handle a more experienced trainer who was bold enough to rob the most famous man in Kanto?
Next time: The Mysterious Thief of Viridian City!
This is my first fan fiction I've tried writing, so I'm really not sure how to approach the writing process. I wouldn't mind some constructive criticism so I could improve my craft. I feel like the battle I portrayed in this chapter is lacking something, but I'm not sure what it is.
Rating: T for Teen.
Chapter 1
A New Day! Eevee vs. Pikachu!
A New Day! Eevee vs. Pikachu!
Foreword:
This story takes place approximately a decade after Team Rocket's defeat in the Pokémon Manga Series. In this universe, a young man or woman must be at least age 16 to apply for a trainer license. The protagonist, Atticus James Viridian, hails from the Kanto region; however, he grew up as an orphan living at the Pallet Town Orphanage. When he turned 16, he dropped out of school to become a Pokémon trainer. This story tells his story starting from the day he took off on Route 1 to fulfill his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.
---------------------------
On a warm, mid-July afternoon, a young man named Atticus Viridian trekked along the well-worn dirt road that stretched between Pallet Town and his destination, the town his ancestors apparently founded: Viridian City.
Atticus was a young man of about sixteen years, maybe five foot, six inches but had the kind of build one could only describe as "skin and bones." He had messy, dirty blonde hair that fell over his forehead, covered his protruding ears, and settled on the collar of his jet black shirt in the rear.
He wore ragged blue jeans and a pair of blue tennis shoes that were long overdue to be replaced. Atticus' favorite navy blue, zip-up hoodie was draped over his back and held into place by the backpack that held all the necessities: food rations, cooking supplies, a map of the Kanto region, a basic first-aid kit for both humans and Pokémon, and a collapsible tent. On his hands were the black, leather fingerless gloves he had been given as a gift from the orphanage.
On his belt were six Pokéballs, three on each side. While the three on his right side contained nothing, the first on his left held his partner Pokémon. It was his precious childhood companion Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee was a small, four-legged creature with thick brown fur, a fluffy tail with a touch of tan on the tip, and a mane of the same tan shade as the tip of its tail. Although they had many adventures before along the outskirts of Pallet Town, Atticus and his partner had seldom left the safety of their small town together, save for the few field trips the orphanage took to larger cities like their current destination.
Desiring the company of other, Pokémon or otherwise, Atticus released Eevee from the small red and white capsule that contained it. His Pokémon let out a cry of joy as it emerged in a flash of white light.
"You know what?" Atticus asked his miniature friend.
"Vee?" responded Eevee, who like most Pokémon had their ability of speech limited to a range of sounds based on their name.
"I've been thinking," said Atticus, "why we haven't run into any other people out here on the trail. I mean, we've seen plenty of wild Pokémon off the beaten path, but none of my own kind, trainer or otherwise."
The young man had spoken too soon. Off in the distance, behind the tall oak trees that peppered the lush fields on either side of the path, Atticus saw a flock of tiny white and brown birds scatter toward the sky. He could even make out the sound of electricity crackling from behind the trees, deducing that this was the reason for the flock of tiny birds, called Pidgey, fleeing from the area. Running toward the area, Atticus was able to make out the figure of a young man and a small yellow rodent with bright red cheeks: a Pikachu. Knowing how rare this rodent was, Atticus was immediately impressed that this mysterious young man captured one.
As he got closer, Atticus was able to make out the features of the mystery trainer. He was probably a few inches taller than Atticus and significantly bulkier, clear evidence of keeping himself in top physical condition to match his Pokémon companions. The young man had jet black hair, parted down the middle and majestically flowing to shoulder length. He had piercing black eyes to match his messy hair, but his outfit was anything but. Clean, tan slacks complemented his white dress shirt with vertical blue stripes while glossy black dress shoes adorned his feet.
"Ah," he said as he looked in the direction of Atticus. "You must have been impressed by my Pokémon's glorious display and came running in the general direction to catch a glimpse up close."
He had expected to find someone in the wilderness eventually, but never would he have anticipated finding someone dressed so well. Although this stranger looked like he would be better suited behind a desk, Atticus would soon find out that he was more than he could bargain for. Before he could open his mouth to introduce himself, the stranger spoke up.
"The name's Seth. Seth Evans," he announced. "Remember my name because one day it will be enshrined in history as the name of the world's greatest Pokémon trainer."
Atticus scoffed at Seth's confidence. "Are you kidding me?" he said. "The only way you're going to be the best trainer is if you can beat me."
"If you think you're hot stuff, why don't you try beating me and my Eevee? After all, I'm just a rookie trainer. Clearly out of your league," he concluded with a touch of sarcasm. Eevee looked fiercely at Seth, giving Atticus the impression that his Pokémon was on the same page as him. If they walked away from this opportunity to test their skills, they would regret it for the rest of their career.
Looking amused, Seth responded, "That does sound like a treat and," glancing around the open meadow, "this does appear to be the perfect location for a small skirmish."
"Eh…okay," shrugged Atticus as he took his place on the far side of the meadow. Eevee stood about five yards in front of him, prepared to handle whatever this Seth and his electric mouse could throw at them.
"I'll allow you to make the first move, as it is only proper that a gentleman allows his opponent to do so," said Seth, trying to sound polite but one would interpret his speech as arrogant.
"If you say so," responded Atticus. "Eevee, start things off by tackling into Pikachu. Full force!" Eevee took a step and a half backwards before rushing toward Pikachu, kicking up dirt in its path. Seth waited until Eevee was within three yards of his Pokémon before ordering a swift move to the left, easily evading their incoming opponent. Atticus gasped at the reaction time of Seth's Pokémon, having only seen such agility while watching the Pokémon Network.
"Is that all you've got?" Seth taunted. "We'll show you how a truly elegant Pokémon strikes its foe. Pikachu, use your Thundershock on Eevee!"
The same crackling electrical sound came from within the rodent's body as sparks flew from its red cheeks. "Pi-ka-CHU!" it shouted as a burst of electricity flew from its body toward Atticus' Eevee.
"Burrow underground to avoid the attack!" desperately shouted Atticus, knowing that a direct hit would mean bad news for his partner. Eevee, who had trained on the hard clay earth on the outer edges of Pallet Town, was easily able to dig through the relatively soft dirt of the meadow. The small creature was barely able to avoid the burst of electricity, but the effort was a success. The slightly annoyed look that grew on Seth's face was all Atticus needed to know he was doing well.
"Damn. It's okay Pikachu, we've faced worse before. Sense the vibrations in the ground to track where Eevee is. When you feel it digging toward the surface, use your Iron Tail technique on the ground right above it."
Meanwhile, Atticus gave much more calm instructions to his Eevee. "Emerge about twenty yards out from where you currently are, and then quickly burrow back into the ground." He calculated that this would put Eevee far enough from where Pikachu was. On top of that, he assumed Seth was far too cautious to rush toward where Eevee would emerge. As soon as his Pokémon erupted from the ground, Seth ordered Pikachu to fire a bolt of electricity in the general direction; however, Eevee dove back underground in plenty of time.
"You're going to have to try harder than that Seth. We could do this all day if we wanted to." He pondered on that thought for a moment. "Then again, we might just get bored with this and go on the offensive."
Eevee continued to peek its head out from the dirt, causing Seth to order another electrical strike from his Pikachu. By now, the Evolution Pokémon had managed to pick up on the pattern so it more easily avoided the attacks Pikachu could throw at it. Atticus could sense the tension in the air as he considered going on the offensive before he wore his young Pokémon out.
"Hey Eevee," announced Atticus, "why don't you emerge from one of your holes and launch a Shadow Ball technique on Pikachu?"
Atticus felt it was time to unveil his pride and joy, the culmination of the last three months of training to prepare for his journey. It took him and Eevee an extensive period of time, but they finally perfected a special attack that gave him some ammo at a distance.
"When he shows up, deflect that Shadow Ball right back at him with Iron Tail!" Seth ordered his Pikachu, not realizing that the attack would pass right throw the Normal-type Eevee.
Eevee emerged from the hole directly to the left of Pikachu and simultaneously fired a gelatinous black and purple blob of energy toward the rodent. Seth's Pikachu braced itself for the incoming attack, its brown-tipped tail now aglow with white energy; the rodent easily deflected the predictable technique, firing it back toward its creator.
The Shadow Ball passed right through Eevee as the Evolution Pokémon leapt back into the ground from which it came, causing Atticus to burst into laughter. This only frustrated Seth more. The sophisticated trainer was clearly letting his emotions get the better of him, a character flaw that he often regretted as heat of the moment.
"I thought you were the greatest trainer ever, or at least will be?" Atticus mocked his opponent. "Why would you think of reflecting back a Ghost Attack at a Normal Pokémon? It just seems stupid to me."
"You just got lucky. I slipped up when I least expected it."
"You expect to slip up, like, ever?" Atticus tilted his head in confusion.
"Let's just end this," Seth muttered under his breath. "Pikachu, use your Thundershock attack once more!"
"Don't let them have all the fun! Use your Shadow Ball again!"
The two Pokémon's attacks met in mid-air, causing a fierce explosion that threw the inexperienced Eevee and its more experienced foe, Pikachu, backwards. Thick black smoke covered the field, hindering either trainer's vision of the attack's aftermath. After a few moments, the smoke cleared to reveal that both Pokémon remained standing, breathing heavily as they shook off the pain from their respective attacks. It was only a matter of time before one or both of them collapsed to the ground.
<I can't lose, not in Atticus' first fight> Eevee thought to itself as its legs shook from the pain that was slowly buckling down on it.
Meanwhile, Pikachu thought <What's with the staggering power this Eevee shows? Clearly this is no ordinary trainer, especially for some no name rookie.>
Both Atticus and Seth showed concern for their partner Pokémon, both of which were clearly hurt from the explosion and the subsequent impacts they made as a result. From a spectator's perspective, it appeared as though Pikachu was in better fighting condition than Eevee, but the average spectator could not take into account the passion of the Pokémon fighting, which remained equal throughout the struggle.
"Let's end this, Pikachu. Use your Iron Tail on Eevee while it's trying to maintain its composure!" shouted Seth, feeling victory within his sight.
"This won't end well if we just lay down and do nothing!" exclaimed Atticus. "Show Pikachu your speed with a Quick Attack!"
Pikachu leapt toward Eevee, its tail glowing with a strange white power that made its tail texture consistent with that of iron. Meanwhile, Eevee launched itself toward Pikachu at high speed, leaving a trail of similarly white energy in its path. The two Pokémon collided at a point approximately in the middle of the field, between their two trainers. The impact of the combined blows sent the two reeling backwards toward the ground. Atticus and Seth urged their Pokémon to rise back to their feet while equally hoping that their foe could take no more. When at last a Pokémon hit the ground, they both did so simultaneously. The match, Atticus' first and one of many for the young Seth, had ended in a draw.
"That was a well fought battle. I'm extremely pleased with your performance, Pikachu," he said as he pointed a Pokéball at Pikachu. When the red beam of light connected with the Pokémon, its mass was converted into red energy that was brought back into the capsule device.
Seth then looked toward Atticus, smiling. "The same could be said for your Eevee, who fought marvelously today." After pausing for a second, he continued, "I'm guessing since you're a rookie trainer, you don't have any other Pokémon with you, correct?" Atticus nodded only made the smile on Seth's face bigger. He had an edge on his newly found rival, having already captured two Pokémon since leaving his hometown on his own journey.
After Atticus recalled his Eevee into its Pokéball, he approached Seth with an outstretched hand. Seth knew this gesture well, as he too extended his hand to shake that of his opponent. With a sly grin on his face, he questioned his new rival.
"I never did get your name, now did I?" Seth suddenly asked, catching Atticus off guard.
"Sorry about that," Atticus apologetically responded. "It's Atticus Viridian and before you ask, I don't know much about the family that shares my surname."
"I've heard of that family name before. The Viridian Family is pretty well known for founding the city to the north of here, correct?"
"Could it be he has some association with them? The infamous group founded by the Viridian Family?" Seth thought, keeping this information to himself.
"I guess. Like I said, I don't really know much. I grew up in an orphanage for the past decade, so I don't remember much about my parents or any other relatives. I figure they're all dead or just don't give a damn about me."
"Either way, I hope to see you around sometime. We'll have to battle once more when you've collected more Pokémon, yes?"
"It's a deal," Atticus said, waving as he walked off in the distance, further from his new rival but closer to his next destination.
---------------------------
Knowing that Eevee was in no condition to engage in combat with another Pokémon, Atticus stuck to the dirt path as he had done previously. He wanted to avoid encroaching on the territory of a Pokémon that might become aggressive toward him, knowing that he was no match for an angry Pokémon.
"Maybe I should try to catch something, even without Eevee's help," he pondered as he spotted a lone Pidgey off in the distance. "It probably got stranded from that flock that Seth scared off," he assumed.
He noticed that the small bird was tending to its left wing. It appeared as though the wing had been afflicted by the electrical attack Seth's Pikachu surely launched at the flock in some strange training exercise. Creeping toward the Pidgey, Atticus grasped an empty Pokéball in his hand. Although he understood the theory behind capturing a Pokémon from his days in the Pallet Town Pokémon Academy, he had never attempted to capture one on his own.
Atticus raised the arm that was holding the empty Pokéball just as Pidgey turned to face his direction. The tiny bird Pokémon had been around long enough to recognize the device in the young trainer's hand, so it struggling to take flight with its clipped wing. A grin crept across Atticus' face as he realized the brown and red bird's efforts were useless. With a quick push of the central button, the capsule device approximately doubled in size. In the same motion, Atticus hurled the Pokéball toward Pidgey.
"Come on," he urged, clenching his teeth in anticipation.
The Pokéball hit Pidgey as it was making one last attempt to flee, converting the bird's molecules into a red light of energy and pulling it inward toward the capsule. The Pokéball landed on the ground while making just the slightest noise.
"Now we wait," said Atticus as he watched the Pokéball shake furiously for a few moments.
Eventually, the struggle began to slow to a halt, sealing Pidgey's fate. The light on the center of the Pokéball, which had glowed red from the moment the device landed on the ground, faded to confirm the capture.
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Meanwhile, the famous Professor Oak has had a fateful encounter in the nearby Viridian City. A mysterious criminal, wearing a black robe with a thin veil to hide their identity, sprinted far ahead of the older man, grasping in their hand a sole Pokéball.
Just a few moments earlier, the figure had gotten the jump on the world famous Professor Samuel Oak. The stranger had intended on stealing the entire briefcase, which contained three Pokéballs, but in a struggle to get away they were only able to escape with one.
Professor Oak paused to catch his breath, wishing to rest for a short period of time before continuing to pursue his attacker. As he stood under the sinking sun, he felt with despair that he would never catch the criminal. He was a much older man, nearly in his seventies, with sleek gray hair and a long white lab coat and a red dress shirt underneath.
"In my younger days, I would have taught that troublemaker a lesson with my elite team of Pokémon," he lamented. "It's a real shame that the police presence around Kanto has declined in the years following Team Rocket's defeat, otherwise I could've had at least half a dozen officers on my attacker within minutes."
He settled on a nearby bench, clenching the briefcase that contained two rare Pokémon. Expecting his attacker to return to finish the task, he nervously hoped he could hold them off at all with the two Pokémon he had with him. The follow-up attack never happened, but little did the professor know that a savior was coming to his rescue just minutes from then.
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After meeting a new rival in Seth, our protagonist Atticus Viridian makes his way to the town his ancestors founded (even if he has no idea who they are). He managed to catch a second Pokémon, Pidgey, despite not weakening it with his already exhausted Eevee.
When he arrives in Viridian City, will he first encounter Professor Oak or will he run into the mysterious figure who robbed the researcher? Consequently, would he be able to handle a more experienced trainer who was bold enough to rob the most famous man in Kanto?
Next time: The Mysterious Thief of Viridian City!