Chapter 30: A New Partner
Alex stood in the quiet conference room, the four Poké Balls resting on the table before him. Each one held a potential partner, a new path, a different set of challenges and opportunities. Nurse Joy – Sarah – had left him to his decision, the weight of the choice settling heavily on his shoulders.
He picked up the first Poké Ball, the one containing the Nidoran♀️. He knew, from his countless hours playing the games, that Nidoran♀️ was a solid choice. Poison-type, with a good evolutionary line leading to Nidoqueen. Strong, versatile, and relatively easy to train. It would be a practical choice, a sensible choice, especially given the dangers of Viridian Forest.
He put it down, then picked up the second ball – Nidoran♂️. Almost identical in terms of practicality. Poison-type, strong evolutions, a good addition to any team. Nidoking was a powerhouse, no doubt about it.
But… there was something… *uninspired* about choosing either of the Nidoran. They were *too* obvious, too… predictable. He knew he needed to be practical, to be strategic, but a part of him, the part that had always loved the challenge of the games, yearned for something *more*.
He moved on to the third Poké Ball. Machop. A Fighting-type. Strong against Rock-types, which meant it would be useful in the Pewter City Gym, against Brock. A solid choice, no doubt. But… again, it felt… too straightforward. Too obvious. And he already had Mankey, didn't he? Another Fighting-type, albeit one with a more aggressive nature. Did he really need *two*?
He sighed, placing the Machop's Poké Ball back on the table. He picked up the last one. The one containing Abra.
He held it in his hand, feeling the smooth coolness of the metal against his skin. He knew what this choice represented. A gamble. A risk. A *huge* potential payoff, but only after a *lot* of work.
Abra. The Psychic-type. The one that knew only Teleport. The one that was notoriously difficult to train, fragile, and vulnerable. The one that, according to every game guide he'd ever read, was more trouble than it was worth… until it evolved.
And then… Alakazam. One of the most powerful Psychic-types in existence. Fast, devastatingly strong, capable of sweeping entire teams with its Special Attack. And beyond that… *Mega* Alakazam. A force of nature.
He closed his eyes, picturing it. Alakazam, *his* Alakazam, standing beside him, its psychic power radiating outwards, a silent, formidable presence. It was a tempting image, a vision of future strength and dominance.
But the *present*… the present was a different story. He thought of Viridian Forest, teeming with Bug and Poison-types. He thought of Ace, his loyal but still relatively inexperienced Pidgey. He thought of Spearow and Mankey, still freshly registered and needing training. He thought of the challenges ahead, the timeline deviation, the looming threat of Team Rocket, the mystery of Project Eclipse, the desperate search for Emma…
Could he afford to take on such a challenging Pokémon right now? Could he afford *not* to?
He opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the Poké Ball in his hand. It wasn't just about power, he realized. It was about… potential. About the journey, the challenge, the satisfaction of taking something weak and fragile and nurturing it into something extraordinary. It was about… believing in the impossible.
It was, he realized with a sudden surge of conviction, a very *Alex* thing to do.
He made his decision.
He took a deep breath, a small smile playing on his lips. "Alright, then," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Let's do this."
He pressed the button on the Poké Ball, releasing Abra in a flash of white light.
The Pokémon materialized before him, small and almost impossibly frail-looking. It was bipedal, with a vaguely fox-like appearance, its body covered in yellow fur. Its large, almond-shaped eyes were closed, as if it were asleep. It swayed slightly, its long, thin tail twitching nervously.
Alex crouched down, his gaze softening. "Hey there," he said softly, his voice gentle and reassuring. "I'm Alex. I'm… I'm going to be your trainer."
Abra didn't respond, its eyes remaining closed. It simply stood there, swaying slightly, seemingly oblivious to his presence.
Alex reached out a hand, hesitantly, then stopped. He didn't want to startle it. He knew how easily Abra could Teleport away.
A sudden thought struck him. *Wait… shouldn't this be impossible?* He hadn't registered Abra yet. He distinctly remembered the rule about unregistered Pokémon being unusable. He frowned, trying to recall the exact wording Professor Oak had used… *stasis… non-battle purposes…*
But Nurse Joy had said these Pokémon were "carefully bred and raised" at the Center. And this was a "special welcome gift," part of the sponsorship. Maybe… maybe there was a special exception for starter Pokémon provided by Pokémon Centers.
He turned towards the door, "Excuse me, Ms. Sarah," he asked, "How come I could bring out Abra? I thought—"
Nurse Joy smiled. "It's alright, Alex. These starter Pokémon are a bit special. It's standard practice, you see. They're League-registered and bred specifically for distribution to new trainers during Trainer's Registration Week. We pre-register them with the League so that trainers like yourself can have a chance to see them, interact with them a bit, before making a final decision. Once you've chosen, I just transfer the registration to your Trainer ID. It's all perfectly above board."
"I see…" Alex nodded, understanding dawning.
"It's okay," he murmured, turning back to Abra. "I'm not going to hurt you. We're… we're going to be a team."
He waited, patiently, giving the Abra time to adjust to its new surroundings, to his presence. He knew this was just the beginning of a long, challenging, and potentially incredibly rewarding journey.
He recalled it.
He pulled out his phone and opened the *Pokémon Status module*, selecting Abra. The information appeared, crisp and clear, on the screen:
[Pokémon Status]
• Abra ♂️
Level: 5
[Type]: {Psychic}
[Ability]: Synchronize, *Magic Guard (Hidden)*
[Nature]: Timid
[Stats]:
* HP: 20/20
* ATK: 5
* DEF: 4
* SP. ATK: 17
* SP. DEF: 10
* SPD: 15
[Moves]:
* Teleport (Beginner: 0/100%)
- Power: --
- Accuracy: --
- Type: Psychic
- Effect: Flee from wild Pokémon battles.
* *Encore* (Beginner: 0/100%)
- Power: --
- Accuracy: 100%
- Type: Normal
- Effect: Forces the target to repeat its last move for 2-6 turns.
Alex stared at the screen, a slow grin spreading across his face. *Magic Guard*? And… *Encore*?
This changed everything.
—
Chapter End