It was a crisp morning in Viridian City, and the Orquiza family's clinic bustled with activity. The clinic wasn't just any place for healing Pokémon—it was part of a long lineage that stretched back generations. My mother, a Nurse Joy, wore her usual pink uniform and a warm smile, even when she looked exhausted. She always said helping Pokémon gave her life meaning, but I wasn't so sure I felt the same.
Growing up, I was always told I'd be a Nurse Joy, just like her, and her mother before her. In our family, it wasn't a question of "if," but "when." That's why they trained me from an early age, drilling me in healing techniques, potion brewing, and the gentle art of caring for injured Pokémon.
But in secret, I harbored a different dream.
I remember the first time I saw a Pokémon battle on TV. It was a league match, the thrill and intensity flashing across the screen. Trainers commanded their Pokémon with skill and passion, while the Pokémon moved with grace and power. Then, the Champion appeared, battling with an elegance and strength that left me in awe. I wanted to be like that—not a caretaker, but a fighter. I wanted to stand alongside my Pokémon, striving for victory and achieving things my family had never dreamed of.
But in the Orquiza family, dreams like that didn't exist.
At breakfast, I mustered the courage to speak. It wasn't easy, knowing that my mother's hopes and my future were about to collide. My heart thumped as I finally opened my mouth.
"Mom, I need to talk to you."
She looked up, her gentle expression never wavering. "Yes, Joytrice?"
I took a deep breath. "I don't want to be a Nurse Joy. I want to be a Pokémon Trainer."
Silence filled the room. My mother's spoon paused halfway to her mouth, her usually soft face now stiffening into a frown. I glanced around the table. My father looked uncomfortable, but it was my mother's reaction that terrified me most.
"What are you saying?" she asked, her voice tight.
"I… I want to be a trainer. I want to enter battles and compete. I don't want to stay here and be a Nurse Joy," I stammered, feeling the words spill out in a rush. "I want to go on my own journey!"
Mom set her spoon down, her eyes sharp. "Joytrice, this isn't just a job. It's our family's legacy. You have a duty to carry on this tradition. Pokémon need us to care for them, to heal them. That's our purpose."
"But why can't I choose my own path?" I pleaded, desperate to make her understand. "Why do I have to be what everyone else in our family was?"
She looked at me with a sigh, as if she were talking to a child who didn't understand the world. "Because this is the life we've built, Joytrice. This is what's expected. Think of your sisters, your cousins—all of them are carrying on the family name with pride. You're needed here."
"But… I don't belong here." The words slipped out, but I didn't regret saying them. It was how I felt, and I had to speak my truth, even if it hurt her.
"Enough," she said, her tone firm and final. "I won't hear any more of this nonsense. You're young. You'll understand the importance of this someday. But for now, you have a responsibility."
Her words were a wall I couldn't break through. Frustrated, I stood up, my hands clenched into fists. She wouldn't listen, and I was tired of pleading for something that, to me, felt like breathing.
That night, as the rest of the house lay quiet, I made my decision. I gathered a small bag, packing essentials: potions, food, a few healing supplies, and a Pokéball with my trusty Chansey inside. Chansey was my companion, my first friend. We'd been through so much together, and I knew she'd stand by me, no matter what.
With one last look around my room, I slipped out of the house, my heart heavy but filled with a sense of freedom I'd never felt before. I was leaving behind the Orquiza family name, the expectations, the limitations. This was my beginning.
As I stepped onto the path outside, Viridian City stretched out before me, bathed in the pale light of dawn. For the first time in my life, I didn't know what lay ahead, but I didn't care. I would chase my dream, wherever it led me.
My journey as a future Pokémon Master had begun.