Chapter Text
“A perfect score?” mused Professor Birch, eyes glinting as he stared at this year’s Pokémon Licensure Examination results. The PLE’s were a series of tests that all aspiring Pokémon trainers took prior to their accreditation. It gauged their aptitude and knowledge of all things Pokémon and ascertained their readiness to go out into the wild and travel.
Although getting a high score didn’t guarantee your worth as a trainer, attaining a perfect score was still an impressive feat. It showed that one had a grasp on theory, at the very least.
“So there are people like that out there,” mumbled the professor. Looking with interest at the name next to the score.
“Dad! I got my results!” yelled Brendan Birch, Professor Birch’s firstborn, as he barged in on his father’s study. “I passed!” he said, waving a piece of paper around in jubilation.
“Congratulations, son,” said Birch, smiling warmly at Brendan, “And I know. I just got the results too. Second place? Not bad at all.”
Brendan’s grin widened, “Isn’t it? That means—“
“That the League will sponsor you during your journey, yes,” nodded Birch.
“And that I can choose my official starter from the Hoenn three! Neat!” exclaimed Brendan, doing a little jig amidst the mess of his father’s study.
“That, you can,” Birch said, turning back to the paper in his hand, “And oh, look! May got third place, so it seems both of you will get one of the Hoenn three as a starter, not to mention the League-sponsored perks you’ll be receiving.”
“May got third place?” Brendan repeated, blinking, “I thought for sure that she was the one to beat me this time.”
“Your scores are pretty close. You’re just a point ahead of her, in fact,” Birch said, setting the PLE results aside to look something up on his computer. He logged in the new trainers’ database and typed in the name of the person who aced the exam, curious.
“If I’m second, and May got third—then who got first place?” asked Brendan.
“I’m looking him up right now. Oh— he’s from Lavaridge… He went to the local high school there…” Birch trailed off as he continued to peruse the profile.
Brendan walked closer to the desk, looking over his father’s shoulder at the computer screen. A picture of a grimacing boy stared back at him, his blonde hair in disarray, blue eyes huge behind black-rimmed glasses. Brendan scanned the page before darting back to the trainer’s name.
“Caius Edric, huh?,” mumbled Brendan, before he asked his Dad, “So what score did he get?”
“He aced the exam,” said the professor, still scanning Caius Edric’s page, “He’s a whole 148 points above you, son.”
“Whoa,” breathed Brendan, impressed, before he rallied himself, “Well, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be a great trainer just from his exam results! He could be one of those nerds who’re all book smarts without practical knowledge,” he said bluntly.
“Or,” grinned Professor Birch, “Maybe you’re just jealous that he’ll be getting first pick of the ‘mon?”
Brendan groaned, “Don’t remind me! Man, I really hope he doesn’t pick Treecko! I’ve been wanting a Sceptile since forever! They mega evolve into—“
“Grass and Dragon type, I know,” said Professor Birch, amused at his son’s oft-repeated desires for a Sceptile. “You’re in luck, because one of the perks this year are the mega stones for each Hoenn starter. And you know what that means.”
“What?” gasped Brendan, “No way! They’re giving us Key Stones too?”
“They are. Fresh from the production lines in Kalos.”
“No way!” repeated Brendan, his voice higher and louder, his eyes sparkling in excitement, “Aw man, I can’t wait! June can’t come fast enough!”
In a small room in a house at the edge of Lavaridge Town, a young man with blonde hair sat hunched in front of a rather dated computer. His long, bony fingers gripped at the mouse, and the only sound in the room for a few seconds were the clicks of the mouse as the young man perused something on the screen.
The silence was broken by a small gasp and the inquisitive voice of a silver-bodied Pokémon floating behind the young man. “Dum? Bel?”
Before the young man could answer, the door to the room opened with a loud smack.
“CAIUS!” yelled an older man in excitement, waving a white envelope in the air, “LOOK WHAT ARRIVED VIA TAILOW JUST NOW! Your results for the PLE’s!” The older man limped into the room, the sound of something wooden sending small thump-thump-thumps as it collided with the floor.
The young man, Caius, sighed. He reached for the envelope, “Thanks Dad, but I already know my results. They posted it PrygOnline just now.”
He placed the envelope on his lap as the older man seated himself on the nearby bed.
“Well?” asked the older man, “How did you do? You know whatever your results are, I’ll always be proud of you, kiddo.”
Caius stared into his father’s solemn eyes and sighed wearily, “I aced them.”
Garrett Edric blinked in surprise, “What?”
“I said I aced the exam, Dad. I took first place.”
With a look of delighted surprise on his face, his Dad placed an arm on Caius’ shoulder and squeezed. Sounding a bit choked up, the older man said, “I’m proud of you, Son. So proud.”
Caius smiled faintly at his father, before looking down at his lap. He opened the rather thick letter, which included details of the League sponsorship he just qualified for, and handed the letter to his Dad.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for you,” mumbled his father as he read over the contents of the letter, “It says here you’ll be receiving a Tier One Hoenn Pokémon for your trip, the latest Hoenn-League Issue PokéPhone, and 2,000 PokéDollars every week for 12 months, starting June, at the opening of the Trainers’ Circuit, and ending at the Circuit’s close.”
“Yeah,” said Caius, bowing his head, “Apparently the next Conference is in May of next year.”
His father lowered the letter he was reading and looked at Caius carefully, “You don’t sound too excited about any of this at all. Aren’t you looking forward to leaving on your journey with Silver?”
“Dum! Dum bel dum bel dum!” chirped the aptly named Silver, a shiny Beldum Caius’ mother sent him for his 10th birthday, before ceasing all communication and leaving him and his father to rot.
Caius tensed. He was not looking forward to this conversation, “I did the best I could for this exam because I know these results will benefit me when I apply for University. But Dad, I’m not going on my Trainer’s journey.”
Garrett blinked. Then he frowned, “What are you talking about? The journey’s a right of passage! Everyone your age is going!”
“There are some who don’t—“
“And they regret it for the rest of their lives! Son,” said Garrett gravely, “What is this really about?”
“Dad,” said Caius equally serious, “I just don’t want to go. I’ll be attending University this fall instead.”
Garrett stared at his son for several long moments. Then looked at Silver.
“Beldum?”
“I don’t know either, Silver,” sighed Caius’ Dad, stumped. He tried reasoning with Caius again, “Son. The Trainer’s journey is a really important right of passage—“
“So you say,” said Caius, a little amused at his father’s attempt at making him change his mind.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity—“
“Untrue. I can go later on if I still want to.”
“—that everyone goes through—“
“Also untrue,” piped Caius, “Lots of people don’t go on them.”
“And their lives are lesser for it! Caius! We’re going around in circles! PLEASE!” yelled his father, “What’s this really about?”
“Nothing!” defended Caius, “I just don’t want to go!”
“But Son! You love Pokémon—“
“So does everyone else,” snorted Caius.
“Not as much as you do,” said his father, “You’ve practically read every book there is on them. Well,” Garrett backtracked, “Every book you can get your hands on, at least. And you’ve studied your fair share of trainer battles. You talk about the right way to train them, talked about the right berry to protein ratio that a Zigzagoon should eat, for Arceus’ sake! If that’s not obsession, then I’ll eat my wooden leg!”
Caius looked away. Tensed. The vein near his jaw bulged.
“Son, you have to go on this journey. It’s unthinkable that you don’t.”
“Belduuuuuuum,” said Silver, floating closer to Caius, nudging his head at him in comfort. His one red eye looked at his trainer in apparent sadness. Caius sighed and ran his hand on Silver’s head.
“Besides,” Garrett said, eyeing the collar around Silver’s “neck”. “I bet Silver’s itching to have that Everstone removed. He needs to evolve, Kiddo. And you can only do that legally once you get your third badge.”
“But Dad... if I go,” Caius said quietly, before he heaved a great big sigh and said, “Who’s going to look after you?”
Garrett’s eyes widened in surprise, “Is this what you’re hung up on? Me?” Then his voice wobbled, his eyes watered, “Son, you know I’ll never be able to forgive myself if I hold you back, right?”
Caius’ eyes were suspiciously watery as he looked away, still stroking Silver’s head, “I know that, Dad.”
“I love you, Son, but you can be really stupid sometimes,” his father said, choked up, “I’ll be fine! Besides, it’s not like we won’t be calling each other often while you’re on the road!”
Caius nodded, before he stilled. Hesitating, he said, “All right. But you gotta do something for me, or else I won’t go.”
“What is it, Son?”
“I won’t leave until you accept a trained psychic type Pokémon to help you around the house.”
Garrett sputtered, “Son! Those are expensive! How are you—? Don’t tell me you’ll spend your hard-earned money for me! That’s for your journey!”
“The League will be financing me, remember? 2000 Poké a week.”
“That’s not enough—“
“PLUS!” interrupted Caius as he raised a finger, “All the money I’ll be winning from trainer battles.”
That silenced Garrett. He sighed, running a hand across salt-and-pepper hair as he thought about his son’s proposal.
“All right. Fine. You win,” Caius’ father relented, “But I’ll pick the Pokémon! And it better be the cheapest of the bunch! Your old man can still look after himself, you know?”
“I know, Dad,” Caius said, “But we need someone else in the house to help you with your physical therapy and exercise. Besides, a Pokémon can help you with the chores as well.”
Garrett wiped his eyes with his sleeve and sniffed. Caius stared intently at everywhere else to give his Dad a semblance of privacy.
“You’re a good kid, Caius,” his Dad said, “And I’m so very proud of you.”
Caius smiled softly.
“Bel! Dum bel!” piped Silver.
“And you,” Garrett pointed at the dual Steel-Psychic type Pokémon, “Take care of our lad on the road all right?”
“BELDUM!” yelled Silver, twirling in the air before chittering at the father and son duo.
“Of course he will, Dad,” said Caius, “He’s been with me for forever now. He’s always had my back.”
The father and son smiled at each other warmly, before they were interrupted by Silver’s chattering once again.
“All right,” said Garrett as he slowly stood up, “Both of you better start thinking about what to pack!”
“But Dad! June is months away!”
Garrett laughed good-naturedly and limped out of the room, parting with, “And you better bring enough underwear!”
“DAD!”
When the door closed and Caius was left alone, he sighed. Silver drifted closer with an inquisitive chirp.
“It’s going to be tough on Dad to have both of us out of the house. It’s good that he agreed to the Pokémon. I knew bringing up not going on my Trainer’s journey would soften the blow of accepting.”
“Beldum? Dum bel dum bel dum?”
“Hm? Of course I was just bluffing about not going! I just really wanted Dad to accept the new Psychic-type I ordered for him. It’s already trained, too. It should have a gist of what it should do once it gets here.”
“Dum. Bel duuuuuuuum,” Silver judged.
“I know it was underhanded of me, but do you honestly think Dad would accept the Pokémon we bought for him if I didn’t start with the whole not going on my journey schtick?”
“Dum. Dum dum bel,” Silver conceded.
“Don’t worry, Bud. We’re going out there, too. And once I get my third badge, you can finally evolve into a Metang like you’ve been waiting to for years now.” Caius brushed his fingers against Silver’s head and said quietly, “I promised you that we were going to the top together, didn’t I?”
“Beldum!”
“That’s right. I always keep my promises.”
Turning back to the old computer, Caius sent an email to the Pokémon Breeder in Kanto to get the Mr. Mime ready for transport in the next few weeks, and clicked for the tab back to the examination results.
Right below his own name were the names Brendan Birch and May Maple. Both of their surnames sounded awfully familiar. No doubt both were the son and daughter of Professor Birch and Norman Maple, respectively.
Caius smiled, pleased at the results of the exam. He bested both the son of a Regional Pokémon Professor and the daughter of a gym leader. He bested all 1692 examinees— overtaking them all to take the number one spot in the exam, and nabbing the coveted League sponsorship. Now he just had to prove himself in the battle front, as well.
Caius reached for Silver and rubbed his head again. Silver crooned and closed his one red eye.
“To the top, together,” Caius whispered.
June can’t come fast enough.