The air in Violet City was hot and humid. Heavy rain had soaked eastern Johto overnight, and most people would stay indoors on a day like this, avoiding a great deal of discomfort and profuse sweating. On a small field in the northern part of Violet, though, two people and a massive rocky turtle stood on a soggy baseball diamond. A tall twelve-year-old wearing a black and yellow baseball cap stood on a raised mound in the centre, while a mustachioed man watched him closely. The older man called encouragement to the boy, who stared at the turtle in intense concentration.
“Last one,” the man said. “Hit your spot.”
The rock turtle moved his clawed hand, setting a target. James Enfield fiddled with the baseball in his left hand, trying to find a grip he liked, then pushed off and threw it as hard as he could. The ball whizzed through the air and sailed just below his target, clanking off the backstop behind the rock turtle. James breathed hard as he settled down. His father Matt, standing nearby, shrugged.
“Didn't miss by much. Had a lot of venom behind it, but heat is the easy part.” As the rock turtle rolled up into a ball, James looked over at Matt with an imploring look.
“If you'd just let me...”
“No. I've seen you sneak that curveball in before, and I haven't said anything about it. But you're not throwing it regularly until you're at least fifteen.”
James sighed. It had been easier to take on the Johto Gym Leaders than it was to convince his father to let him start practicing his curveball. Since he'd finished his journey across the Johto region, James had been pitching in a youth baseball league in his hometown. He had quickly earned a reputation for blazing the ball past most hitters, but also for a wild streak characteristic of young power pitchers; many a hitter had grimaced angrily at him after being hit by one of his fastballs. James wanted to add a pitch to fool his opponents, but Matt had insisted that he learn and maintain proper form before he did. James, though impatient to a fault, had never defied his father's orders and thrown a breaking pitch in a game, but had gotten away with tossing in one or two of them during practice sessions.
“Dad, I could really dominate if I could just...” Matt shook his head.
“That's enough. I'm not letting you blow your arm out at twelve just so you can show off. When you're older, we'll look into the more advanced stuff. For now, we're focused on hitting your spots.” He smiled. “Your balance is looking better, though. That will help you improve your control.” James grinned in spite of himself, then took a red and white ball from his pocket and aimed it at the rock turtle. A beam of red light surrounded him, and then retreated back inside. Father and son left the diamond and started walking back home.
“Golem was a good pick for this.” James said offhandedly as they walked. “He doesn't mind getting hit.”
Golem was just one of the six Pokémon on James' team, but he'd been a solid presence for the better part of two years. Like most kids his age, James, along with his neighbour Jennifer Richards, had traveled the Johto region and taken on the Pokémon League challenge. Success and failure had attended each in fairly equal measure, although Jen's overall win-loss record looked a lot better than his, and they'd both competed in the Johto League Silver Conference. James' tournament had ended in spectacular fashion—well, spectacular was the way your average sportswriter would describe it, anyway. He had advanced to the Victory Tournament, and had ended up battling his father in the block's first round. Matt had lost only two Pokémon against James' six, and hadn't had a particularly difficult time moving on to the tournament quarterfinals. Matt had been knocked out in the next round, and he had spend much of the ensuing time helping James improve his pitching.
They reached their house, a modest one in the shadow of the Sprout Tower, fairly quickly, and James headed upstairs to take a shower, Matt promising to have an ice pack ready when he returned. Before he even started, James looked himself over in the mirror.
The most striking part of James' face were his eyes: deep-set, slightly upturned, and with cold, blue-grey irises that belied his energetic nature. These, combined with his thin face, created a resemblance to some predatory bird or other. His dark brown hair hung into his eyes and kicked out at the back, making it look even longer under a hat, while his long arms hung loosely at his sides. Two thin lines ran along his right cheek, barely visible to all but the closest observer thanks to modern medicine. These scars were the souvenirs of a Sneasel attack after James' elimination from the Silver Conference, and they always itched the worst after he'd emerged from the shower, much to his chagrin.
James showered quickly, pulled on his favourite red shirt and black pants, and headed back downstairs, where his father helped secure the ice pack to his shoulder. After Matt had advised him not to leave it on if he fell asleep, James went back to his room. The room was a mess as usual; books were stacked on the desk near the window, and a pile of clothes lay on the desk chair. Posters of the Electabuzz baseball team hung on every wall. In pride of place, facing the bed, was the one of star pitcher Corey Demario, ace of the staff and hero to many fans, James included. At the foot of the bed lay his own ace: the fire badger Typhlosion, James' starter Pokémon and best non-human friend, asleep at the moment. James paused to scratch the Fire-type's ears, then dropped onto the bed, staring at the low ceiling before sleep overtook him.
----------------------------------------
In the yard next door, Jen Richards was playing with her own Pokémon team, keeping particular eye on a small electric mouse. Pichu was shy, unusual for her species, and was rarely seen out of the company of Jen's Elekid, a creature resembling a power plug, who acted as her self-appointed guard. Golbat, a large blue chiropteran, hung from a nearby tree, trying to sleep. Magmar, a Fire-type whose body looked like a bloated duck's, sparred with Tentacruel, a blue jellyfish who was using Surf to keep himself from flopping on the grass. Finally, the winged Togetic flitted happily between her teammates, skimming the edges of the nearby trees.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Jen had only lived in Violet City for a few months before starting her travels two years earlier. Shortly after her tenth birthday, John Richards had moved his family from Snowpoint City in the far-off Sinnoh region, leaving the wintry northern port and his job at one of the biggest shipping companies in the region behind. The move had happened just after a relative's funeral, but Jen doubted the two events had anything to do with one another. John hadn't told his daughter the reason for their move, anyway, but Jen didn't think it was very important that she knew. She'd seen people come and go all the time, in both cities, and figured it was just a part of life.
Jen was tall for a girl of her age, with angular features and straight black hair that reached just above her shoulders. Her most expressive feature was her wide, jade green eyes. She wore faded jeans, white sneakers with blue stripes down the sides, and a white t-shirt that was a size too big, making it look like it was hanging off of her in places. Her mother had questioned Jen's decision to wear a too-big shirt, but Jen couldn't explain why if she'd wanted to. The shortest answer was that she felt more comfortable, and her mother had accepted it.
As she watched her team play together, she thought about her experiences travelling through Johto. She had lagged behind James in terms of straightforward power, but she had successfully compensated for her team's shortcomings by developing a strong tactical awareness, her first battle with Mahogany Town's Ice-type specialist Pryce notwithstanding. Her main goal was to bond with her team, and raise them according to their individual strengths. Jen's ambition was to eventually become a Pokémon breeder, and her team selection accordingly included four baby Pokémon, two of whom had evolved during her journey. She was already planning training for the team, looking to shift away from an over-reliance on certain members; Elekid and Magmar had shouldered most of the battle load, and the others needed to catch up.
Jen smiled as she looked towards the sun as it set over the far side of the city. She and her team had rested well since their return from the Silver Conference. Soon, it would be time to get back to work.
----------------------------------------
A few days later, James and Jen sat poring over a map of the neighbouring Kanto region in the Richards' living room. With the youth baseball season ending in less than two weeks, James was eager to get travelling again.
“There's the cut-through to Viridian City,” Jen said, pointing to a small red line linking New Bark Town to the small Kanto city. “Once we get there, we can either hit the gym immediately, or start north through the forest.” James nodded.
“If we can, I want to hit the gym right away. It should be similar enough to the ones here.” Jen shrugged as she reached for a glass of iced tea.
“We'll decide that when we get there.” She swallowed half her drink in one gulp. “I mean, I'm planning to keep the same team I have now, since half of them need catchup training.” James frowned.
“I'm still deciding which plan to go with.” When Jen looked confused, he clarified. “I haven't decided whether to bring my whole team, or to just leave with Typhlosion and Elekid. I want to expand my team beyond just the six I have, and there are some solid choices out in Kanto.” Jen shrugged again.
“I guess it's up to you.” She shuffled the maps and landed on a brochure outlining the Kanto gyms. “The gym types are completely different to the ones out here. It's like looking through different sections of The Beginner's Guide to Pokémon.” James shrugged.
“Maybe the two regional conferences took turns picking types out of a hat.” He ducked as Jen took a mock swipe at him for his bad joke.
“Who's to say, really? I'm sure Kanto trainers who cross into Johto think the gym types here are the oddball ones.” As she finished her drink, her father John Richards, his dark hair receding over his grey eyes, entered the room.
“You kids doing all right?” he asked, and they both signalled an affirmative. John smiled as he observed them. “You're lucky I don't still have my old shipping maps, Jennifer. Those would keep you guys busy for months.”
“Maybe if we're bored, we'll call the company and have them send some,” Jen answered with a giggle. A shadow seemed to cross John's face, but he recovered quickly.
“Have you decided when you're leaving yet? I know James still has some baseball to play, but it never hurts to have a plan.” Jen shook her head.
“We're still working on that. That, and we're deciding which team members to bring. I'm bringing everybody, but James hasn't made up his mind yet.” John smiled.
“I'm sure you'll do fine, whatever you decide. I know you guys will keep an eye on one another as you travel out there.”
“Oh, we will,” Jen answered. “The Pokémon in Kanto seem different enough to the ones here, so we'll have plenty of challenges to keep us going.” John smiled, then walked back out of the room as the two youngsters continued their planning.
----------------------------------------
The next couple of weeks slid by quickly. James' team was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, but they didn't go down easily, which was fine by everyone involved. After a quick roundup with the parents and players, everyone went their separate ways. James returned home with a plan in mind, and he gathered his team in the yard as the sky darkened.
“All right, guys, here's the deal.” Pidgeot, a large bird with red and yellow plumage on her head, fluttered down from her perch to hear better, and the shadowy Gengar ceased his attempts to wind up Ursaring, an ill-tempered bear. “We went through a lot during the last go-around. You guys have been a strong team.” He paused, not wanting to say the next part, but knowing he had to. “But I'm only taking Typhlosion and Elekid out to Kanto. If we're going to challenge for the league, I'll have to catch some different Pokémon, mix it up a little.” After he let the other team members voice their frustrations, he continued. “Don't worry, I may still need you if I get stuck. Just think of it as a long rest. I wouldn't be in the position I'm in without any of you.” After a few moments of resigned quiet, James turned back into the house.
“That looked like it went better than expected,” Matt remarked as James shut the back door. James shrugged.
“It was kind of my plan all along, I just didn't know if I could follow through on it.” Matt nodded.
“That won't be the last tough decision you'll have to make on your travels. Team lineups, party slots, all that comes with the territory. And that's not just with your Pokémon either.”
“Yeah, I know, baseball's the same,” James said with a sigh. “It's going to be rough out there, no matter who comes with me. I've never been through Kanto before, and the only person I know who can tell me what to expect—besides you!” he added quickly, as Matt raised an eyebrow. “The only other person I know who can tell me what to expect...well, Hunter could be anywhere. I haven't talked to him since the Silver Conference, and Fuchsia City isn't exactly next door.”
“Speaking of next door,” Matt cut in, “when are you and Jennifer planning on leaving?”
“Within the week, I think,” James replied. “She wants to do some last-minute planning before we head out.”
“You'd better get some sleep, then,” Matt said. “I always plan better when I've gotten a good amount of rest.” James nodded, accepted a fist bump from his father, then went upstairs to rest before the big adventure ahead.