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“Wake up, sleepyhead!” Donghyuck screams right into Mark’s ear, and at that moment, Mark wishes his mom had sent her Chatot to wake him instead. He groans, pulling his blanket over his head. Even Growlithe is resistant to getting out of bed, but Donghyuck won’t have any of that today. He jumps on top of Mark who makes a choking noise, and Growlithe yelps as it falls to the floor.
Donghyuck starts shaking Mark, yelling. “Get up, get up!” Mark feels his head throb when Donghyuck finally stops pretending his body is a pokédoll, but the other is glaring at him, so Mark must’ve forgotten something important that he should’ve been out of bed and ready a while ago. “Just ‘cause you already have a Pokémon doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be excited for me getting one, you promised to go with me!”
Oh. Oh. That’s what he has forgotten.
“I’m up, chill.” Sitting up, Mark pushes Donghyuck away, who’s in a new outfit. He’s wearing a red windbreaker that matches his hair, a glaringly yellow shirt underneath it, different from his usual bland colored shorts and t-shirt. “You look ready to take on the world?”
Donghyuck smirks, standing up and doing a twirl. “Of course, I’m going to become the best coordinator this region has seen, I gotta dress up to match the image.”
“True.”
“So where’s your travel clothes?”
“My what now?”
Donghyuck stares at Mark in disbelief. “We’re starting our journey when I get my Pokémon, or did you forget that, too?”
Mark gapes, stutters, stops, gapes again. “Like, today? We’re going today?”
Sighing, Donghyuck beacons Growlithe to follow him, turning around to walk out the door. “Yes, now get dressed, your mom already packed your bag for you.” Growlithe makes a happy sound, and Mark grumbles while his two best friends disappear from his sight.
He chooses a black jacket from his closet, because if Donghyuck’s going to outshine everyone on and off the stage, Mark better look as dull as possible.
—
The professor’s lab is in their town, so Mark is grateful he can go home and eat lunch before Donghyuck drags him away and out into the world. The furthest either of them had been on their own was the lake just south of town, and they had been lucky no wild Pokémon had jumped out and attacked them. Mark’s Growlithe is kind of a pacifist, unless there’s an actual battle going on, and Mark’s only fought in one his entire life.
Donghyuck opens the lab door without even knocking, walking right in. “Hello?” He calls, his voice echoing through the room. The professor is nowhere in sight, and Mark breathes a sigh of relief because maybe they don’t have to leave today (Mark wants to go home and watch the special screening of someone challenging the elite four in another region on the tv).
They walk further into the lab, Growlithe leading the way while trying to sniff out the person they’re looking for. When they reach the main part of the big room, Donghyuck halts, staring at three Poké Balls laying on a table. He reaches out carefully, as if he’s about to touch the sun, and Mark’s about to grab his arm to stop him when a door next to them flies open.
“YOU!” Donghyuck jumps away from the table, and Mark yelps, hands flying behind their backs to look innocent. Growlithe seems to be whistling. “You’re late by five minutes, I’ve been waiting!”
Professor Doyoung looks as intimidating as always, even with what seems to be Starly feathers in his hair. The door he just came through leads to the field behind his lab, filled with Pokémon Mark and Donghyuck sometimes play with, but only when the professor is out travelling for research purposes.
Sweat pools at Mark and Donghyuck’s hairlines when Doyoung comes closer, face set in stone. And then, he grins.
“I’ve been so excited for this day to come, you can’t believe how great this is gonna be!”
They share glances while the professor smiles with his eyes closed, because what happened to the angry looking Bunnelby from before? Now he looks more like a happy Buneary. Has Professor Doyoung always been this nice?
The professor gestures towards the table, to the three Poké Balls that wiggles slightly, the inhabitants wanting to get out.
“Here we have the starters you can choose from.” He starts by pointing to the one with a leaf on it, a fond look in his eyes. “This is Chespin, a Grass-type, and next to it,” he points to the middle one, a water droplet adorning the ball. “The Water-type Froakie, and last but not least, Fennekin, a Fire-type.” The third ball had a flame on it, and Donghyuck stares at it for a good second, before shrugging and grabbing the Poké Ball with the Water-type.
“That was fast?” Mark raises his eyebrows, and Donghyuck shrugs again. Professor Doyoung also looks a little taken aback.
“You don’t want to look at them before choosing?” He asks, Donghyuck shaking his head at the inquiry.
He taps the Poké Ball he chose, grinning. “Bubble Beam is a hit in the contest world, I’ll get far with a Water-type helping me launch my career.” (It’s also because Mark has a Fire-type, so it’s easier to beat him, but he doesn’t say that). He throws the Poké Ball in the air, calling out Froakie, who lands on the ground in front of him. It makes a noise, and then does an awkward pose which Donghyuck and Doyoung coos at. Mark doesn’t quite see the cute appeal, just a shy Pokémon who doesn’t know how to act upon being spectated. How far Froakie will get in the contest world, is something only time can tell.
“It looks like you, Mark!” Donghyuck comments excitedly, and Mark chokes on air.
“It seems like Froakie has already taken a liking to you, Donghyuck.” Doyoung comments, studying the frog-like Pokémon intently. He stands up and nods his head, and then he turns to the two young trainers again. “Before you go, I have something for you.”
The professor opens maybe five of the many cabinets in the room, before he lets out an ‘a-ha!’ and returns back to the table. In his hand is a red device, looking pretty fancy, and he holds it out.
“This is a PokéDex, and I need you to fill it out for me.” Suddenly the ‘have something for you’ turned into ‘have something you need to do free of charge I never give more gifts than needed’.
Donghyuck backs away, holding his hands up. “Not it.”
Holding back the urge to roll his eyes, Mark accepts the PokéDex, observing it. “So, uh,” he asks, looking at the professor. “What do I do with it?”
“You try to see and collect as many Pokémon and data on them as possible, of course!” Professor Doyoung is grinning again, looking as excited as Donghyuck did just a few moments ago. “And you also have to report back to me how Pokémon communicate, it’s dire for you to do so. It’s what I research after all, Pokémon communication!”
“Why?” Donghyuck asks before he can stop himself, and then the river breaks from the dam.
“Well, you see, Pokémon and humans understand each other to a degree, but what about Pokémon-to-Pokémon interactions? How do humans manage to grow a deeper bond with Pokémon, and how can you tell a Pokémon is really happy? Sad? Content? It’s a mystery still unknown to the world, and I will solve all when it comes to—”
Mark and Donghyuck sneaks out the door, unnoticed.
—
After going back to their own houses and eating lunch, they meet up by the entrance to Route 5, Donghyuck and Froakie showing up earlier than Mark and Growlithe. Froakie seems to be laughing at something Donghyuck said, it’s small body shaking with glee, Donghyuck beaming like the sun. Mark smiles, realizing Donghyuck was always meant to have a Pokémon by his side.
“Hey, losers!” Donghyuck greets when he spots Mark, and Froakie copies the finger gun gesture his trainer shoots at them. “Since we both have Pokémon now, how about a battle?”
And really, how can Mark say no to that?
[You are challenged by Pokémon Trainer Donghyuck!]
“C’mon, Growlithe!” Mark yells, Growlithe barking cheerfully as it jumps in front of him. “You’re gonna regret challenging the future Champion, Hyuckie!”
“You’re lucky you get to fight me, up and coming top coordinator, before I rise to fame!” Donghyuck does a pose Mark knows he’s practiced in the mirror, sending Froakie to stand in front of him, ready to battle.
Mark doesn’t hesitate, knowing what move to start off with. “Growlithe, use Bite!”
Growlithe charges forward, fangs barred as it launches itself at Froakie, who barely dodges the attack. Growlithe goes for it again, and this time it gets the target, Froakie crying out as it’s bitten. Donghyuck counters by commanding Froakie to use Pound, which it quickly executes before Growlithe can get away.
“Now Froakie, use Bubble Beam!” Donghyuck shouts, and Mark grits his teeth.
“Brace yourself, Growlithe!”
But nothing happens.
Froakie stares at Donghyuck like he’s grown two heads, and Donghyuck stares back like it’s his first time seeing a Pokémon. Sinking to his knees, Donghyuck curses everything in the world, both good and bad, and Froakie blows a single bubble onto his trainer’s face. It knows Bubble, apparently, not Bubble Beam.
“How am I gonna become the best coordinator this region has seen now!? ”
Mark can’t help it, he doubles over laughing.
—
“There you go, buddy.” The ranger smiles, putting the Silcoon back into the tree it had fallen from. The other Cascoons and Silcoons sitting on the branches hums happily, showing their gratitude to the human who helped their friend. One of them uses String Shot to make a ribbon in the ranger’s hair, who chuckles as he climbs down from the tree, showing off his new accessory to the Bug-type Pokémon who cheers with glee.
“Stay out of trouble!” He waves goodbye, wandering off to a clearing in the thick forest he knows isn’t far from where he currently is. It wouldn’t be the best of ideas to fly away on his Charizard where the leaves are pretty much blocking out the sun entirely, as it would ruin the flora and balance of the little area it would affect. That’s something he never wants to do.
As he reaches his destination, his PokéTech starts ringing, and he quickly apologizes to a nearby Shroomish that was dozing off but was rudely awakened by the sound.
He answers the call, putting on his best smile. “You’ve reached Pokémon Ranger Jaehyun, how can I help you?”
“Hello, Jaehyun!” Officer Jenny greets, looking as pretty as ever, but also just as stressed as ever. “I never got a report on the Girafarig incident, has it been taken care of?”
“Yes, something came up so I was late reporting back, I apologize.” Jaehyun bows his head, and Officer Jenny quickly dismisses his apology.
“It’s fine, I can always count on you to take care of things around here.” She smiles, then checks a list in her hand. “It seems to be last thing on the list today of reported incidents, so you’ve got the rest of the day off!” Jenny pauses. “You won’t take the rest of the day off, will you?”
Jaehyun grins, “You know me so well.”
After turning off his PokéTech, he releases Charizard, who proudly stretches its wings. It bends down to touch its nose against Jaehyun’s forehead, closing its eyes, and Jaehyun mirrors the action. They pull away, Jaehyun climbing onto Charizard’s back, who awaits orders patiently.
“For some reason,” Jaehyun mumbles after thinking of where to patrol next. “I say we should head west, we haven’t been there in a while, so who knows what’s going on over there.”
Charizard takes off immediately, dodging branches until it reaches the top of the trees, overlooking the forest. It flies westwards, Jaehyun humming a gentle song while holding on, not knowing that two new trainers just started their journey from that direction.