You are Gary Oak, one of the last Humans in Pallet Town.
On the day before your conscription, your childhood sweetheart, Leaf Ketchum, revealed to you that she's ending her training early and becoming a Trainer with you, quickly diffusing what would have become the fight that ended your relationship. Although you were worried about her, you were also touched and relieved.
The 5 Ancient Houses that founded your settlement have each sent a representative to be a candidate for your first Pact, and you are about to choose one of them in the ceremony where you will officially be appointed as a Trainer.
Library A compendium on the world and everything within it.
Stone is the primary source of energy in present-day civilisation.
Made out of condensed Mana, it naturally forms in places with high concentrations of elemental energies. This is why large veins of Stone can be found in places such as Viridian Forest, Cinnabar Volcano, and other similar Mana hotspots. However, Wild Pokémon have been observed to be drawn to the manifestation of Stone, which is why these mines have naturally become breeding nests for Wild Pokémon.
Stone also tends to form from the bleed-off of Mana when the elements are manipulated by a Pokémon, in particular when elemental Mana is used in combat. This causes small fragments of Stone to sometimes manifest during and after battles, and also the reason why large or prolonged battles tend to attract increasingly more Wild Pokémon.
Early discoverers once sought to build Stone farms within the safety of civilisation, but they soon discovered that Stone does not form within the radius of an Everstone. While this later became an indicator of the presence of an undiscovered Everstone, it is presently one of the main factors that contributes to the energy crisis of the world, as the only way to obtain Stone is to venture into the Wilderness.
As most present-day technology is powered by harnessing the energy within Stone, the foraging of these energy sources used to be one of the main duties of a Trainer party, along with the exploration of uncharted territory and the continuous search for undiscovered Everstones. In more recent years, however, these responsibilities have been slowly assumed by the Scouts, a newer arm of the League dedicated to its less combat-oriented duties.
Stone has been observed to manifest in six known variants, each corresponding to one or more of the Pokémon elements. These include the Leafstone, Firestone, Waterstone, Thunderstone, Dawnstone, and Duskstone.
In a tear-stained voice, she whispers this soft word into your ear. Slowly from behind, her slim arms reach out to wrap around you.
It's comforting, yet heartbreaking at the same time.
"Hey," you say back. It's all you can do to not turn around and reciprocate the gesture.
Your eyes remain transfixed on the monolith towering before you. Dark and rough like slate, it's made of a mineral known as Everstone. It's the only reason any settlement still survives -- including Pallet Town.
But staying safe in its radius of protection is a surefire way to bleed any settlement dry of resources, because the same thing that keeps the Miasma out is also what keeps Stones from forming. That's why every Human man and woman, once they come of age, is conscripted into the League.
Tomorrow is your turn, and then in a year, hers.
"Sometimes..." you start to say. Then you take a breath, and recompose the words you meant to say. "Leaf. Have you ever regretted it? Being born Human?"
Her arms tighten around you.
You could have been born Pokémon. As a simple Bulbasaur tending the fields. Or as one of the Pikachu engineers. You could have even been born a Charmander and become a chef. Anything else but a Human, fated to throw your life away as a Trainer.
"Yeah," she finally confesses. "You know what? Sometimes I do."
You shake your head. Of course.
It hasn't always been this way, but things have changed. Things have deteriorated to the point that your two families are the only Humans left in Pallet. Maybe it's a little better in the bigger cities, but you doubt it's by much.
Nowadays, every Human is a precious resource that must be utilised. Without a Trainer, almost any Pokémon who steps out of an Everstone's radius and into the Miasma will instantly turn Wild. Then who would venture into the Wilderness and mine the Stones that purifies your water, fertilises your soil, or keeps you warm?
So every Human leaves their home to become a Trainer, wading into hordes of Wild Pokémon, risking their life just to secure even one more vein of Stone.
"But Gary."
"..."
At your silence, she releases you from her embrace. She turns you around to face her, and you offer no resistance.
Her eyes are swollen and her cheeks wet, as you suspect they have been since the previous night. Or even many, many nights.
The sight grips your heart like a vice.
"There are good things, too."
"Leaf..." You shake your head again.
"We Humans don't go insane from the Miasma, Gary. And our Pokémon, too. We're also the ones keeping the Everstones working, right..?"
You know all of this. The same shit that your sister preaches about in the Church, day after day after day. That's not the point. That's not your point at all. "Tomorrow might be the last time we see each other, Leaf."
"Gary, come on--"
"No! Listen to me!" You snap. "My parents. Your father... Fuck. Your brother, too. Every single one of them left, promising to come back. And maybe they did once, twice -- however many times. But eventually, they stopped coming back, didn't they?"
"..."
"And after I'm gone, next year, it'll be you. And then what?"
The only ones left in Pallet will just be Gramps, and Daisy, and her Mom. Pallet is doomed. She can't not know that.
Breathing hard, you continue. "That's life as a Trainer, Leaf. To die with your eyes open, far away from your loved--"
At nineteen years of age, you've gone through three harsh years of training.
You've learned how to navigate, forage, and hunt. You've learned how to find shelter and how to administer first-aid. The techniques to determine what sort of Wild Pokémon you might be facing, and the strategies to either kill or escape them. How to keep your Pokémon sane in the Miasma.
Your body has grown strong enough to run, crawl, jump, climb, and swim.
And your Domain has grown strong enough to allow you to form a Pact with a Pokémon. It is the day before you are to do just that, and finally become a Trainer.
But now... Before you stands your childhood sweetheart, Leaf Ketchum. You thought that tomorrow or even today would be the day that you would part, but... Perhaps not?
Even if it means you'll be Trainers together... She's not ready. She hasn't completed her training. Not only is she likely to slow you down, but her Domain is definitely too weak to Pact with one of the stronger Pokémon. And the thought of you being the one responsible for her death... You can't risk her like that, even if it means you're going out there on your own.
[x] You almost can't believe it. "Really..?"
Leaving early... It hasn't been done in years, and the last one to do it had been her Dad, but there's precedent. And although it'll be risky, two Trainers means you'll be starting with two Pokémon instead of just one. Truth be told, there's nothing that would comfort you more. With her by your side, and you by hers... Together, the two of you might just be able to make it through this.
[x] Write-in.
Adhoc vote count started by wdango on Apr 30, 2019 at 12:59 PM, finished with 36 posts and 23 votes.
Oh wow, this is a fun premise! I'm interested and invested.
Also superceding waifu fights is always something I support. I like this.
I am torn on which option to vote cause I feel like the first one is more interesting characterization-wise, but I do want Leaf to stay relevant in the story.
Why would I want to read a story about some guy going off to get himself killed, when I could instead read a story about a battle couple going off to get themselves killed?
You know what? Kuuderes are underrated. Also, she might be the type to not bother listening to our entirely well-reasoned objections and just tag along anyway!
You know what? Kuuderes are underrated. Also, she might be the type to not bother listening to our entirely well-reasoned objections and just tag along anyway!
"No! Listen to me!" You snap. "My parents. Your father... Fuck. Your brother, too. Every single one of them left, promising to come back. And maybe they did once, twice -- however many times. But eventually, they stopped coming back, didn't they?"
"..."
"And after I'm gone, next year, it'll be you. And then what?"
The only ones left in Pallet will just be Gramps, and Daisy, and her Mom. Pallet is doomed. She can't not know that.
Breathing hard, you continue. "That's life as a Trainer, Leaf. To die with your eyes open, far away from your loved--"
You know what? Kuuderes are underrated. Also, she might be the type to not bother listening to our entirely well-reasoned objections and just tag along anyway!
Admittedly I was being more tongue in cheek regarding the sentiment of the vote, rather than the preceding personality bits.
Being cold and blunt about shutting someone down while the inner priority is actually in regards to keeping your loved one safe, is a pretty kuudere thing to do.
This is the direction I prefer for the story. If Leaf comes she's probably gonna die and I'd rather not angst about that, and as long as she's alive we can avoid all romance! Perfect arrangement really.