The week I had before my supposed journey passed faster than i expected. I had thought I would need to sneak around the place to get all the information I needed, but Selene politely and quickly retrieved almost everything I asked for.
I studied up on what being a Pokémon Trainer meant, which led me to studying Pokemon themselves. I had to learn types and what their strengths as well as their weaknesses were. Which Pokemon evolved and which ones didn't. The biology of those Pokemon and how that related to their temperament and personalities. What they needed to eat, the best environment for them to grow stronger.
Finally I learned about the journey. The standard goal of most trainers was to battle. Battle each other to see who was stronger and eventually become the strongest trainer in their region if not the world. These matches were showcased through a yearly tournament that any trainer with 8 badges of the region could participate in.
You didn't have to get all the badges in one year to compete, but that was idealized goal of all starting trainers. The more i learned the more i started to see faults in trying to follow the last order of my Master. None of this sounded like people that needed to be killed. At first I considered maybe it was because they enslaved the pokemon to fight for them, but as I learned from Professor Oak, the pokemon take just as much pride in the battling as the trainers do. These pokemon seemed to have a sentience to them that only the most powerful of A rank magical beasts had in my last life, with it usually only being attributed to the S rank legendary beasts.
With that conclusion I started leaning towards the words of the voice. To make a new life. Try to break from what I had been taught, but it was tough. I still trained diligently every morning, perhaps it was just comforting, but it helped calm my mind.
This reminded me of a story I had read during one of my early missions. There had been a book open on the nightstand of one of my targets. It was about a hero, starting from a young where he had been a farmer and suddenly he was picked up the King's royal guard. The Royal Diviner had seen the boy in a vision protecting the kingdom from a great threat. He went on to train under numerous trainers, battling his own self doubt and trying to prove himself to others that doubted him due to his origins.
I never got to finish the book, the last thing I remembered from it was the hero approaching the castle of the great enemy. It's stayed with me all these years and I wondered if I could be like that hero. But I also realized the stark differences between us. The hero didn't kill if he didn't have to, and didn't need orders to know what to do. I on the other hand had no problem with killing, and only knew how to follow orders.
An alarm rung and I turned towards the small rectangular box that they called an "alarm clock" a truly useful device that tracked time and could even alert you at specific times. My internal clock was good, but this allowed for near perfection in time management. Perhaps I'd ask them if could take it with me on my journey. Which just so happens to be what the clock was alarming me to.
I pulled on my new boots and pulled on my backpack that Professor Oak gave me. It was like the magical spatial bags from my world, holding more inside than the outward appearance would suggest. I put on my belt that I looped a small sheath through that held a short knife. It was similar to a bushman's knife from my world, nearly a foot long blade, that had a straight edge along with a serrated back that helped with sawing.
Professor Oak had praised my dedication to being prepared, though I doubt he suspected I got this with the intent to use it as a weapon. They didn't have swords here, and every knife I'd come across had been built with a focus on utility rather than killing. I didn't know if I would need it for such a thing, but I would rather have it than not, especially since my magic was still out of sorts.
I left my room and headed down the now familiar hallways, nodding to the other sides as I made my way to the room to select my Pokémon. The Pokemon I had decided on was Charmander. At the time that I had made the decision it was because I thought it would evolve into that Dragonite. Equating it to the Fire breathing salamanders of my world that could evolve and ascend to the next rank, becoming a dragon, by getting strong enough.
I wasn't far off in that it evolves but from my studies I learned it evolves into a Pokemon called a Charizard. Which also seemed similar to a dragon in my eyes, and I knew I was set on getting it. The only problem was selecting it before the other trainers did.
I knew that Gary wouldn't be a problem, like his grandfather had said he was hot headed, but he wasn't malicious in his intentions. I could tell by the way he treated the Pokémon at the lab that he wasn't a bad guy. And he had decided that he would choose Squirtle. That only left Ash and Ron.
I hadn't met either of them yet, mostly due to my holing up to study as much as possible. From what I had heard though was that Ron wasn't completely set on being a standard trainer. He more wanted to get strong to protect Pokemon, leaning toward a Pokemon Ranger route. Though that still required him to at least get 8 badges to be able to take their exam, with placing high at the indigo league increasing his chances. But from what I understood, with him starting off from Professor Oak's lab that might be enough to get him in regardless, as long as he got his 8 badges. You did still need to be a strong battler after all.
As for Ash, I had decided I would have to reserve my judgement for after I met him. Gary seemed determined to make him sound the absolute most incompetent trainer imaginable. I didn't consider Gary a liar, but I also knew from my trainings that some friends would jab and tease each other. I wasn't sure that's what Gary was doing, but even Oak admitted that Ash was a little scatter brained, but that he had a big heart.
Regardless, if anything that helped me, as I didn't have to worry about the Pokémon I wanted to be gone before I got there.
"Ah, Jarek, you've arrived." The familiar voice of Oak called out as I entered the room. I noticed Gary standing next him holding a Pokéball.
"It seems I wasn't the first though." I nodded to each of them as Gary smirked.
"Yeah, I wanted first dibs on the Pokemon. Hope you didn't have your sights set on Squirtle because I already chose him." I just smiled back at Gary's words as I walked up to the table and grabbed the ball in the center. A plaque beneath where it had set with the symbol for Fire inscribed on it.
"Don't worry Gary, I got the Pokemon I wanted right here." I responded as I turned the ball over in my hand, feeling its gentle weight in my palm. It was still so fascinating to me how these creatures could be kept inside these things they called Pokéballs.
I looked down and noticed only 1 Pokéball left and looked to Oak in confusion.
"I was sure Ron was going to choose Bulbasaur, but what Pokemon is Ash going to choose? There's only 1 left." Before Oak could reply, a short guy just a year younger than me walked in.
I realized something else about Ron now that I've seen him for the first time, he had to be Selene's brother. They were almost identical except for he kept his hair cut shorter, but he had the same red hair and green eyes behind glasses with freckles across his cheeks. He was a head shorter than my own 6'0, and he was much slimmer, though that was to be expected when one took into account my training.
He walked in with a soft smile as he saw the professor and I could see the sigh of relief when he saw that Bulbasaur's ball was still on the table.
"Well Jarek it's first come first serve, so if Ash had wanted any of these Pokémon he should have been here on time." Oak said but then checking his watch he grimaced and then chuckled.
"Or maybe I should say he should have been here early." The rest of us chuckled at his expense, but it wasn't in cruelty just innocent laughter. It was a strange feeling for myself, when I realized the smile and laugh didn't feel as forced as normal.
"Well, I'm not staying here waiting on Ash! I've got Pokemon to catch and badges to collect. Later, losers." Gary barked as he left with a wave of his hand over his shoulder. Professor Oak shook his head muttering before turning to me and Ron.
"Now then, you both have your Pokemon so let's get your starting equipment. All of you are getting 6 pokeballs and a Pokédex for your journey." He said as he passed us the items. The Pokédex being a small red rectangle that could be opened. It worked similarly to what they called a computer, able to store data and answer basic questions as well as scan Pokémon you came across.
I was continually fascinated by the "technology" of this world as I opened the Pokédex and it pulled up a Trainer profile.
{Jarek
Hometown: Littleroot Town (Hoenn)
Journey start: Pallet Town (Kanto)
Age 16
Starter:??? (Please scan)}
Under my name was a picture of myself, it was strange to see such an accurate showing of my black hair and blue eyes. It wasn't a painting, it was like that had captured my face in a mirror and put it on this device.
I looked back over the starter slot and bright up my Pokéball that held Charmander and the device trilled with the information updating right before my eyes.
{Starter: Charmander}
I nodded and looked back to see Ron thanking the Professor and leaving the room as well.
"Thank you, Professor. You've helped me a lot this past week. I feel ready for my journey now." I said respectfully and he waved it off with a smile.
"No need for that! I'm happy to help the new generation of trainers. Besides I've got a feeling there's something special about you, Jarek." He reached out a hand and we shook.
With one last look I left the room and found Selene standing just outside the door waiting. I found the smile in my face more genuine than I intended as I stopped in front of her.
"Come to see me off?" I asked and she nodded before looking up at me. Her green eyes seemed to be asking something and I caught the retreating form of her brother out of the corner of my eye.
"I'll keep an eye out for your brother." Her mouth opened in surprise before clicking shut as she laughed.
"You're too perceptive, Jarek. But thank you, that means a lot. I uh… I also wanted to ask if you would visit me.. Ah! No! I meant to ask if you plan to come back to the lab from time to time. Not for me obviously I mean that wou-" She began to ramble, only stopping when I put a hand on her shoulder.
It was such a strange feeling. I had read and learned about it from my Master's but I had never had need of comforting another, let alone a woman. She stopped babbling and looked up at me with an embarrassed look.
"Selene, I can't promise to return often." Her face fell at my words. "But perhaps I could call you when I reach each town. I appreciate everything you've done for me since I've gotten here." I said genuinely and a small smile began to form on her lips.
"Yes that will do just fine, and you're welcome. Now go ahead, I've kept you too long already. Just be careful, and good luck!" She finished cheerfully, waving as I walked toward the door that led out of the lab.
Just as my hand reached the handle I heard a commotion outside and when I peaked through crack I saw a black haired guy in pajamas running at a full sprint for the door. He didn't seem to be slowing down so
I swung the door open right before he collided with it. Except it seemed he hadn't expected that and tripped, stumbling into the building and landing on his face.
"Ow! Who opened the door?!" He groaned loudly from the floor. Before he could get up I slipped out the door and shut it behind me.