Work Text:
“This place is shit, Del.”
The girl looked over at her starter. Most kids in Kanto received a Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Delia had received a Vulpix. Her mother had insisted. Of course, her daughter had to have a kit from her mother’s prized Ninetales. Probably in the hopes Delia would be a coordinator. Delia sometimes wondered if that would have been better for her if she became one.
“We’ll be fine, Niney. It was all we could get on such short notice,” the nineteen-year-old said with an eyeroll. Sure, Ninetales was right. The inn room they found was small, and they couldn’t stay long term, but it was only temporary. Just until she could access her bank account. And find a house. And probably a job.
The Ninetales rolled her ruby eyes as Delia started rummaging through her bag. The egg came out first, with the young champion placing it as gently as possible on the bed. Next were the Pokéballs.
“Is letting everyone out right now a good idea?” the fire-type asked as ball after ball was pulled out of the bag. “Dragonite, Tyranitar, and Hydreigon are huge. And you can’t possibly expect to fit one human and fourteen mons with a fifteenth on the way in here.”
“Niney, quit complaining,” Delia said with another eyeroll as she released her other Pokémon, ignoring the growling Ninetales in the process.
Delia and Ninetales watched as the rest of the teenager’s mons stretched from the long trip from the Indigo League. The young champion had to hold her tongue as her starter trotted over to her Houndoom, nuzzling when they met. Hypocrite.
Delia was distracted by Tyranitar, who was frantically looking around the room. “Egg?” she signed.
Delia pointed at the bed. The brunette’s heart melted a little as her friend carefully picked up the egg, nuzzling it close to her.
Scizor chittered at its trainer to get her attention. As Delia waited for it to finish speaking, Espeon jumped up onto the bed, Gengar right behind him. Not even a minute in our new home, and those two are already starting something, their trainer thought fondly.
“Scizor wants to know where we are,” Espeon translated for the bug.
“Viridian City.” At the many looks of confusion, the teenager continued to explain. “My parents found out. They kicked me out.” Delia watched as the confusion melted away into panic and rage.
“What happens now?” Golduck asked. There was no point in finding out the how or the past. They needed to plan for the future.
“I didn’t have a lot of time to pack. Was only able to grab the essentials.” That statement was met with more glares and looks of concern. “There’s a lot to worry about. But my biggest concern is finding a place to register you all.”
More confused looks. “You’re all still registered at the League,” the trainer explained. “And humans are weird about only carrying six mons. Taking all of you might be seen as some kind of violation.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” Ditto asked as it slithered up to its trainer. Delia bent over to give the mon an easier access to her arm and shoulder.
Delia bit the inside of her lip. She didn’t have a good answer. Becoming a pro-trainer was never her choice. It was either that or become a coordinator. No in between. She was good at it. So was her team. But Butterfree was really the only one who wanted to be a battler. “I’m…not sure, honestly. For now, let’s work on what we can. I don’t know about you all, but I’m starving.”
“Ice cream?” Gengar asked as he attempted to push Espeon off the bed.
Houndoom snorted and Absol rolled his eyes as Espeon pushed the ghost-type. “Seriously? We haven’t even gotten a chance to settle in yet and you’re already thinking about treats?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not the one who plopped his furry butt down the second we were let out."
“Ok, break it up you two,” Golduck said as he pushed his way between the two. The feline and ghost looked like they wanted to continue arguing, but with the water-type, along with Ninetales and Scizor backing him, both settled down. For now at least.
“Yeah, we can get ice cream,” the nine-teen-year-old agreed. “This whole situation sucks, but at least were free.”
The room fell silent as huge grins broke on both trainer and Pokémon’s faces. They were free. They were finally free.