Chapter 11 – Route 1
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Time to start the Jr. League!

But first, a side note: I don't think I explained the process right in previous chapters, so let me see if I can remedy that. 

Finn and Lara are 16 but have the equivalent growth of 18-year-olds. 

What, why, and how?

In the Pokemon universe, 10 years old is basically considered an adult. They have full autonomy to go wherever they want and do whatever they want. This world took everything from the shows, manga, and games and condensed it into a working timeline with realistic interpretations of what it was given. 

This lead to human growth during childhood actually being shortened by two years. The Pokemon world changed it so humans were adults at age 16, while also reducing the growing period to become an adult. All so it could fit into the narrative of younger people going out into the world. 10 in the shows, manga, and games becomes 16 and 16 becomes the physical, emotional, and mental equivalent to 18 in our world. 

Hope that clears it up!

I thought this was a neat idea, but if people have issues with it, I can always just scrap it and boost up the ages by 2 years in the story.

Anyway, back to the story!

Chapter 11 - Route 1

"Lara, my darling, my sweetheart, love of my life?" I say in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Please. Stop. Running off in different directions on your own. We already lost a day yesterday because you were chasing after a pink Mankey..."

"I swear I saw it again!" She says pouting and blowing her cheeks out, "It was behind a tree, just over there, looking at us! I think it is following us, Finn!"

I say nothing and just nod at my fiance. If she says she saw it, then I am sure she saw something. I help her up off of the tree stump she has been sitting on for the last hour.

Something new I learned about my fiance? Yeah. She sucks at following directions and reading maps. I had to institute a hand holding rule because she kept disappearing when I would turn and look around. She had just run off into the mountains and forests surrounding Route 1 and I had to spend over an hour looking for her. If not for Grace picking up her trail, who knows when we would have found her. My silly fiance was sitting here, crying, and just waiting for me to come and rescue her. Another thing I found out about my fiance? She has separation anxiety and has panic attacks when she feels she is lost or without me or her family for too long. I really hope I didn't cause this during "The Dark Days"... 

I pull her into a hug and say, "It's alright love. If there is a pink Mankey, we will help you find and catch it. Isn't that right, girls?"

Pyra, Grace, - Who was with me when Lara ran off...who runs off without their Pokemon!?! - and Angie all cry out in agreement, while Lara picks up Grace and offers a quiet apology to her. 

The first day on Route 1 was hella boring. Why? It is just a few minutes' walk from Pallet Town to Viridian City, right? Nope. The route does follow a similar design to the one familiar in Max's memories, but each of those jumping ledges represents a marked rise in elevation and are miles apart. Route 1 is made up of sprawling grasslands that slowly give rise to hills and even more grasslands. It is surrounded on both sides by mountainous forest areas that are not safe or part of the "Jr. League Route." 

As mentioned in my journal entry years ago (A/N: Prologue chapter that goes over world building so I don't have to go into it in detail here =P), the Jr. Routes are safe and have signs and directions all around. Every mile there is a board set up telling trainers what Pokemon are found in this area, where the next PokeCenter or rest stop is, as well as Pokemon Ranger notes about any issues they might be facing here. One common note on Route 1: "Don't go into the forests."

We ran into no trainers on the first day and only saw Rattata, Raticate, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Spearow, and Fearow the whole day. Lara and I figure we headed out too early and most new trainers probably got a late start or took a couple of days to prepare before heading out. Oh well, battles will come. I was so freaking excited, I was vibrating whenever we came over a rise, expecting to see someone or a group of people battling. Reality is rarely as fun as fantasy.

I thought about catching a Pidgey, but Pyra will be a Flying-type and I didn't want to just catch one just to bank it in the PC. That could get expensive, fast. Depending on what they eat, Pokemon sent to the PC reserve can cost a lot in upkeep each month. The average, if I remember correctly, is $10,000 Pokebucks (~$1000 USD) per Pokemon per month. Food, shelter, care from PokeZoologists, access to areas they would feel comfortable in...it adds up quickly. Compound that by multiple Pokemon and you get why people stick to small teams and why the idea to "Catch Them All" is just a childhood fantasy. Having to take care of Pokemon is also a reason most young trainers stick to the same types. They eat the same food and require similar care techniques. For poor kids just starting out, this is sometimes the only option.

I decided I would be focusing on a small tight-knit team of different types that will help me along my journey. No "Just For Now" Pokemon for me. If I caught or got a Pokemon, I intended to use them forever. This was still going to cost a ton, as Pyra already eats about 3 times what a normal Charmeleon would, but I have money and I will make sure to use it to treat my team to only the best. There was no limit to the number of Pokemon you could have with you, but 6 was generally considered the breaking point. Past that, it became too much to feed, manage, and care for all of them equally in a time-efficient manner. This was also solidified as the soft-cap as the most Pokemon you could use in a League sanctioned battle was 6. Even World Trainers followed this rule.

Lara shares my same thought process and will be going with a small team of mixed Pokemon types of her own. She has the additional responsibility of making them "Marketable" Pokemon for her career. Actors and actresses often used their own Pokemon in movies, so it was important that the Pokemon themselves match the theme of their partner's acting persona. She has been considering catching a Pidgey for her team but hasn't decided yet. I mentioned to her a few years back that an Aerodactyl is one of the fastest and best Flying-types in Kanto according to Max's memories and now she is set on getting one. Not so hard to do anymore. 15 years of restoring fossil Pokemon and letting them bread has them having a large population on ranches. They are exorbitantly expensive, but Lara is a celebrity and can afford it. How does this fit her actor theme? She was going for cute and easily underestimated, but with powerful unexpected Pokemon. Perfect for the main protagonist type.

"How cool would it be for me to fly into concerts on a prehistoric Pokemon!?!" 

I was used to seeing Pokemon, but actually SEEING them in their natural habitats was amazing. Lara and I stopped for long moments to watch packs of Rattata and their parent Raticates running across the fields or the flight of flocks of Spearow lead by a Fearow. One brave, or stupid if you ask me, Spearow even chose to pick a fight with Angie. 

The bird Pokemon swooped down from the air and started wildly landing a Fury Attack before backing off and circling around. Pyra and Grace immediately went into older sister mode and were ready to kill the glorified chicken, but I raised my hands.

"Angie's got this. Don't you girl?"

"Jolt!" She says confidently, ignoring the now bleeding wounds in her side.

"That's my girl. Plan C-3!"

Angie cocks her head to the side cutely and looks back at me. Lara giggles and Pyra and Grace chuff in amusement at the adorable baby Pokemon.

Plan C-3 was supposed to be Swift into Take Down once the Spearow fell. Egg moves for the win! Instead...

"Just...*sigh* Just use Thunder Shock, girl."

She is just a baby after all. She will get it with time.

"Jol-Te-On!" She yells as electricity gathers in her yellow coat of fur. It arks around her several times, building in intensity and volume, before finally blasting off her from the tip of her snout like a bolt of lightning. It slams into the Spearow and the bird plummets to the ground. It looked like it was going to be a rather painful landing, maybe ever a broken wing, so I took off at a dead sprint. I dove and caught the small bird Pokemon in my arms before it could slam into the ground. Cuts and the start of bruises formed on my exposed skin as I landed and skid on the uneven and rocky ground, only briefly padded by knee-high grass. 

'Phew. Safe.' I think as I look at the feisty bird in my arms. I take a super potion out from my jacket pocket, thank Arceus it didn't break, and open the Spearow's beak to spray it twice for good measure. The bird twitches open its beady eyes and looks up to me as I smile down on it. 

"Glad you are doing okay, bud. Be sure to pick your battles better in the future."

It caws at me, I think in thanks, and I am about to let it go to fly away as a shout stops me in my tracks.

"Finn! Behind you!" Lara shouts worry and fear in her voice.

I turn, very slowly, to see a giant golden Fearow starring me down at eye level, it's massive and very sharp beak less than an inch from my face. Great. My first encounter with a wild variant colored Pokemon and it wants to kill me.  

"Fearow!" It screams and wind blasts my hair and clothes back as it unfurls its enormous wings that spread to over 20 feet. The fucker is 6 feet tall standing!

Pyra and Angie are at my side in less than a second. Pyra in her full 8 1/2 foot, pink glory. Angie...well Angie is cute. Her hackles rise and she lets out an adorable puppy growl. Not the time for this, Finn. Focus.

I am making sure to hold the now puffed up in pride Spearow in front of me, not restricting its movements at all. The ungrateful little bastard stares at me with a smirk and a side-eye. I still have the Super potion in my other hand and I am about to try and defend myself to the hulking bird, when Pyra growls something out in the Pokemon Language. 

"Char. Charmeleon char char Meleon." She says pointing first to the Spearow, then to Angie, then to me with the Super Potion.

"Fearow...Fear?" Says the giant avian Pokemon, cocking its head to the side and staring down at the Spearow in my hand. 

I swear to God, the Spearow clicks its tongue. It deflates and slowly nods before flying off my hand and landing on the ground near its other 20 brother and sister Spearows. I hadn't even noticed them down there. I was a little busy.

"Fearow!" The Pokemon screeches loudly again flapping its wings and I am considering running when...

"Finn...Don't...move..." Prya says in a low feminine voice next to me. Wait. What the fuck? Pyra says!?! What!?!

My eyes bug out and I give Pyra a sidelong glance, but listen to her words all the same. I would trust her with my life...and am, in fact, doing that now.

The Fearow flaps its wings again, before cocking its head towards its neck and moving it in towards me. I stand perfectly still as the Fearow rests its forehead against mine for a few moments. The feathers are soft but firm. I can tell they could take a lot of damage without being broken or falling off. They are also warm and I feel...something from them. Like the bond I share with Pyra and the newly forming one with Angie, but much weaker...and different. I try and match the feeling and send it back. Whatever the feeling is, it doesn't feel hostile or bad in any way. 

The Fearow twitches slightly and pulls back, giving me a wide-eyed look before a soft cawed, "Row." It pauses for a moment, thinking about something, before nodding its long-beaked head and moving close to my head again, this time beak first. I worry I might lose an eye, but it is for not as the Fearow...knights me? with its beak. Two light taps on each shoulder and then back to the forehead thing with the feeling being pushed through. I respond with the same feeling back again and the connection seems...stronger somehow. Still different from the bond I feel with Pyra, Angie, or even Grace, but seemingly firm and powerful. 

After that, the Fearow hops back, caws once more, and takes off into the sky with the Spearows all trailing behind. The little shit of a Spearow caws loudly at Angie one more time, before jumping up and taking flight to catch up to its flock.  I stare after them for a long moment as Lara comes up and hugs me tightly from the side.

"Well, that was fucking terrifying." She says watching the flock fly off into the distance. 

"Agreed...Pyra...how...?" I start, spinning to face my now sheepish looking Charmeleon. 

"No...first, what the fuck was that? What did that Fearow do? What was that feeling?"

At this, Grace, Angie, and Pyra all smile and start chuffing in their amusement. 

"Fearow...was...-"

"Holy shit, Pyra can talk!?!" Lara interrupts slack jawed.

"We will get to that," I say patting my Fiance's head, "Go ahead, girl."

"Fearow...thanking...Finn...for...teaching...son...." Pyra starts in her slow, broken version of our language. Her voice reminded me of a sultry alto singer's voice. Not unpleasant at all, and seeming to lose all the animalistic tendencies of her own language. Makes sense, I suppose. Persian talked normally after all...

I could tell she was focusing really hard right now. "She...thanked...in our...voice?...no...language..." She corrects herself with a nod of her head. She then looks up at me with her equivalent of a smirk. "Feeling...was...our language...Finn...said...'Family' ...Pokemon use...voice...and feeling...to talk..." She explains further with, "Voice...shows emotions...feeling...shows things?...um...con-concepts..." She continues. God, but I am proud of her. She must have worked really hard for this.

"Finn said...'Family'...Fearow...thinks...you want..." Grace and Angie start cackling now - yipping for them. "Finn now...Fearow's son..." She finishes and joins in the laughter. 

I...I...what?

"Pffft." Lara snorts and joins in as well with a full belly laugh.

I stand there, shocked silly. I asked a Fearow... to be my mother? I now have two mothers in this world...Better not tell my mom about this...

"Okay? ...okay then...um...right. Be careful about sharing feelings with Pokemon...got it." I say, rubbing the bridge of my nose and looking at my family rolling around on the ground laughing. Lara is crying doubled over she is laughing so hard. 

"But still, Holy Shit, Pyra! You can talk!"

She finishes laughing at my expense and stands up, making sure to stomp out the fires she caused with her tail. She looks back at me, now incredibly shy, before looking down and explaining, "I...ask Persian...to teach...I want...to thank...Finn...for my name ...it...is...important...to Pokemon... Finn gave me...powerful name..." Arceus, I am tearing up looking at my giant baby girl. She did this for me? To talk with me? To Thank me? That has to be one of the greatest gifts anyone has ever given.

"Pyra wants...to share...her...love...for Finn...and Lara...Now...I can...and can...for Grace...and Angie...too..." She says, continuing to look down shyly and not meeting my eyes. "Not...good yet...wanted to...wait...surprise Finn...but this...seemed...important."

I rush in to hug her. I smack into her giant form and bowl us both over onto the grass thanking her and giving her all the love and affection I possibly can. Lara dives in too followed shortly by Grace and Angie. It is a giant dogpile of love and praise for the Pokemon that has gone through so much just to have a better way of communicating with us. With me. If you don't cry happy tears in this situation, then can you even be considered human?

We lay there in the grass, cuddled up close as clouds pass overhead in the blue sky. I notice Angie is still wounded and curse myself for not remembering to healing my Pokemon. She is mostly fine now, the shallow cut has closed, but I still pull her onto my lap and spray a super potion in her mouth. Nothing but the best for my girls.

"Hey, Pyra?" Lara asks pulling her red fluffball into her own lap and looking down at her, "What does Grace say about me?"

Pyra, who has shrunk back down and is holding her tail out of the way while we cuddle snorts and a plume of smoke shoots from her nostrils. "She says...you...are...too loud...at night..."

Now it is Lara's turn to look shocked and she blushes deep scarlet from the tips of her ears to her chest while all my Pokemon resume their laughing fit, me joining in this time, and Grace looks at Prya in accusation, betrayal obvious in her eyes. 

* | * | *

"You can do it, Angie!" Lara calls to be struggling Pokemon. She decided that she wanted to work out with Pyra and me, despite us telling her she didn't need to. The "Work Out" is mostly just calisthenics with running mixed in since we don't have any equipment with us...should have bought a bigger house... I am training my Joleon for speed - duh - and she is currently running on a makeshift obstacle course I have setup. We run it, record the time, let her rest, and then repeat. So far she is showing steady improvements from yesterday. I made sure to take measurements of the course before we left the location we put our house down on the first night so that we can have consistent times and numbers. 

Angie dashes in a zig-zag pattern of the course and comes to the huge turn. She wiped out here by moving too fast along it several times yesterday and twice today. This time, she takes the turn like a pro and rushes for the straightaway to the finish as fast as she can - which is hella fast! She makes it to the end where I am smiling and holding my arms out wide for her. Jumping the last 6 feet into my arms, I catch her and we all cheer and lavish her with praise and pets. 

"What's the time?" I ask while running my hands through Angie's coat.

"48 seconds! A new record!"

"Great work, girl, We are all so proud of you." She coos and then hops out of my arms only to hop up into Lara's. Lara beams a smile at me...I see how it is...

I shake my head and look at the last rays of the setting sun. "Alright everyone, great job today. That is it for training. Girls, head inside for Lara to give you a bath while I clean up out here. Angie, no electricity this time, alright? I am counting on you to keep her well behaved Pyra and Grace." The older Pokemon nod as the younger one pouts.

"Don't stay out too long, babe, we have to plan the next route after Viridian City tonight. We should be there by tomorrow and I refuse to go into the forest." Lara says with a shudder. She doesn't like Bug-Type Pokemon. She is gonna flip when I catch a Caterpie. I grin evilly to myself as I call back,

"Yes, dear~~."

I am going around, picking up and storing the free weights and other equipment we were able to bring when a flash of pink in my peripheral vision catches my attention. 

'No way! Oh boy, am I gonna get rewarded tonight if I catch this thing for her. Pink Mankey, come to dadd-'

That is as far as I get as I spin around slowly, as to not scare it, and lay my eyes on the Pokemon. Not a Mankey. 

I fall back onto my butt watching the mythical Pokemon dart around Angie's track laughing and flipping midair. Flying without wings. 

"Mew." {Adorable, isn't she.}

I jump out of my skin and scoot back on my ass seeing another Mew is floating just above where I was sitting previously.

"Mew mew." {Do not be frightened Finn, we are not here to harm you.}

"What?...How...In my head?" I stammer stupidly. 

"Mew. Mew mew mew. Mew mew. Mew." {How am I talking in your head? Simple: Telepathy. As for what I am doing here talking to a newbie trainer like yourself, we both know the answer to that, Finn. I am the Watcher. Oldest of my kind and servant of Lord Arceus. Your idea has intrigued my lord and he wishes for me to assist you. I, however, have much too many tasks of my own to help you myself, so I offered my Lord a different solution.}

Here, I take a good look at the Mew before me. He, the voice is clearly a male and an older male at that, is nearly 4 feet tall, has light greyish-blue skin, and is scarred all over his body. One of his eyes is completely white with a long jagged scar running through it and down his face.

'How did that happen?' I wonder. I have never seen a pokemon this damaged before. 'More importantly, what could do that to a mythical Pokemon?...'

"Mew! Mew Mew." {Ha! Just some old battle wounds from eons past. Don't you worry, Finn, the one who gave me this blinded eye entered an eternal slumber long ago. Now, I don't have much time so we must rush this along.}

The smaller, very pink Mew rushes past the finish line of the track and seems to do a happy dance midair at her victory before rushing over to the two of us.  

"Mew!" She exclaims to the Watcher before diving into his chest. It is kind of weird to me because when they touch, they simply sway back and forth mid-air in sync. There is no real momentum behind the interaction, despite the speed at which she dived into him, just a light sway from both of them as if the force was dispersed by something. While they continue to have a brief conversation in their language, I have a second to get my shit together. I stand slowly after taking many deep breaths and wait politely for their conversation to end. 

The Watcher turns to me and speaks again.

"Mew. Mew mew mew. Mew." {Finn, this is my daughter. I have tasked her with being your guide while you travel. She will help you locate and talk with the Pokemon you seek. I had intended to leave you with an experienced member of our clan, but this little rascal escaped her protectors before we assigned anyone. We found her, as if by fate, trailing behind you and Lara and watching your encounters. She seems quite taken with your fiance."

'Fuck. Holy Fuck. Many Fucks. All the Fucks. A fucking MEW was going to travel with me? Guide me? A mew. HOLY FUCKING FUCKS!'

"Mew. Mew, Mew mew mew." {Indeed. I do not believe in coincidences, Finn. She found you at the exact moment we wanted to interact with you. This is a sign to me, if no one else. She is inexperienced, but I believe you and this journey are just the things to train her. She will join you for as long as you choose to continue this endeavor, disguised as another Psychic-type Pokemon, and she has agreed to follow you into battle. She will become a partner to you, not unlike Pyra.} He continues. 

"Mew! Mew~~ Mew!" {Hiya Finn! I am excited to work with you. Lara is sooooo~ pretty! I can't wait to meet her!}

'Wow.' I think I may be broken.

"Mew mew mew. Mew? Mew. Mew. Mew." {Teach her and treat her well. I will be watching over you both. Let us all hope mine and Lord Arceus' trust is not misplaced. What was that saying you said? 'Do. Not. Fuck. With. Arceus?' I rather like that. Be sure to add me to that as well.} He says and starts chuckling as both his eyes glow neon purple menacingly. Looks like being blind in it doesn't hinder him at all...

I feel as if I am a bug looking at a foot that could squish me at any time it chooses.

"Mew. Mew, Mew?" {That was the point. Now, what Pychic-type Pokemon did you want on your team? I am sure you and Max worked out a perfect team composition. She will take on that form and stay like that while in public.} This last part is actually toward the female Mew and holds a tone of warning to it. She bobs her head, clearly not intimidated at all.

'He knows about Max...Arceus knows about Max...' 

"U-um..." My voice is dry and cracks, so I swallow once and then try again, "I-I was going to pick up an Abra. Alakazam is a super-powerful Pokemon in the Kanto region. T-That is what Max and I agreed on at least..."

"Mew. Mew mew. Mew mew, mew..." {A fine choice. You will need to grow in power before taking on this endeavor, but The Three who will meet you are already aware you are coming. Focus on finishing the Jr. League and she will guide you when the time is right. My time is up. Good luck, Finn. Be good daughter. Until next time...} While he talks, light suffuses both of them for a second and after the female Mew is wobbling in the air a bit. He turns to his daughter at the end and they lock eyes. He nods once, then simply vanishes.

I am left alone with a floating pink Mew who turns to me with a flip and says, "Mew! Mew~ mew!" {Free at last! Come on, Finn! Let's go meet and play with everyone~~! I have never had friends of different species before! I hope I can get a cool name like Pyra and Grace have~!}

A name huh? What name is worthy of a creature of such majesty? A Mew. THE legendary Pokemon. The first mythical Pokemon. Her name would have to encompass all the stars in the-

"Celeste..." I say, more to myself than to anyone.

The Mew pauses in her b-line towards the cabin door. "Mew...Mew." {Wow...that is a good one...'Heavenly,' huh? Okay. Thanks, Finn...You're a pretty cool guy.}

I smile at her and say, "I am looking forward to working and growing with you Celeste. We are gonna go far."

"Mew. Mew~~~ Mew~!" {You think so? I am excited to find out...I hope Lara likes me. She is so pretty~, her voice is so soothing~, and her boobs look like perfect pillows~~!}

"Um...Yeah, she is amazing!" I say with a twinge of unease.

"Mew? Mew!" {Do you think she will let cuddle with her at night? I want to always be around her... She is like the sun! The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one.}

"The one for what?" I ask feeling that unease growing by the second.

"Mew! Mew!" {Dad says you will know the one you are supposed to love and be with forever when you meet them. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was my one!}

"Um...Celeste...She is my fiance and a human and a girl..." I try to reason with the pink Pokemon.

"Mew! Mew~!" {That doesn't matter, I can be anything she wants me to be! Don't worry, Finn, I will share her with you~~!"}

And with that, she flings open the cabin door with her Telekinesis and enters in with a happy, "Mew!" Shortly followed by a squeal of delight from Lara.

Thus began my grand quest to save endangered legendary Pokemon all over the world with a mythical Pokemon at my side as a guide...who was also in love with my Fiance...

Hiya everyone! This one took me all day to write. haha Lots of cool stuff going on and lots of Pokemon adventures. I really hope you enjoyed it!

Battles will start next chapter when they reach Viridian City.

Side Note: Anyone else hear this song every time I mention Viridian City? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOsdy1ZsXUs

Lastly, before any of you ask or even consider it. No. The thing with Celeste and Lara is one of adolescent love, as Celeste is basically a child. There will be no sexual interactions with Pokemon in this story. I repeat NO R18 Action With Pokemon. That is not the kind of story I am trying to write.

There will be some fun comedic moments with it, however, as I need to throw some wrenches in our Protagonists plans after all. =P

Hope you liked it and I look forward to writing more!

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