"Rory Mulligan, was it?", the woman's eyes land on me, discerning.

  "Yes", I give her a small nod, taking a few short steps forwards, just to let her know none of this intimidates me. It does, of course it does. But she can't know that. So I let my right hand hang slightly in front of me, leaving my scar on full display. Remind her, I am not someone who can be taken lightly.

  "Rory's a friend", Cassie appears by my side immediately, grabbing onto my left hand. I find the gesture strange, as we are not close at all, but welcome nonetheless.

  "I meant to ask you a favour", I decide to take this into my own hands. Cassie's already done more than enough for me. "You see, I am in need of a pokemon", I explain calmly, "now, I know I didn't go through the process necessary, but Cassie said you might have a pokemon you could give to me". The woman stares through me, her lips twisting in a shadow of doubt, so I add: "if you'd be willing to help me out, of course".

  "Look, kid", the professor sighs, her frame softening as she waves me off in dismissal. "That's not how things work exactly", her voice starts sounding as sharp as the wind outside, "sorry, but I can't help you out".

  I give her an undersatnding nod, realising that I have gotten my hopes up in vain.

  Before I can say anything she continues: "you can put in a request for a starter right now, it can take up to a month for it to arrive, but that's the best I can do for you".

  Maybe I wasn't too rush, after all. A month. It would be tricky, making it by in that time, but I can take it.

  I'm more than ready to jump on her offer, when Cassie decides to cut me off: "Aunt Lydia, he kind of needs a pokemon right now, we were hoping you had one under your care".

  As appreciative of Cassie's enthuisasm as I am, I really see no point in her rushing this. After all, I might wake up dead tomorrow.

  "If he was in a hurry, he should've sent in a request", the woman says calmly, "sorry, but I have no more appropriate starters to give out, those don't just grow on the trees you know".

  "Come on, aunt Lydia, you don't have any pokemon you could give Rory?", Cassie pleads my case. "He's an orphan you know, that's why he couldn't send in a request earlier", apparently, Cassie's taken the role of my personal lie-crafter, and frnakly, she's much better at it than me. The orphan route can work, I'm sure.

  "Yeah, I'm fresh out of the system", I accept the imaginary life Cassie's crafted for me.

  "Yes, see, aunt Lydia", Cassie goes on energetically, "please tell me you can give him some pokemon".

  The woman gives her niece a look of desperate admiration before turning to me. "Why are you even in such a rush?", she questions, her voice firm.

  "I've got no place to stay", I decide to admit, "I need to register as a trainer so I can stay at the pokemon center".

  "Oh", the professor seems to soften up to me in a second.

  "See, aunt Lydia", Cassie jumps in again, "he just needs one pokemon so he can have a place to stay".

  "Sorry, Cas, I still can't help", the women sighs apologetically, "I do have a few pokemon I'm working with around the lab, but they are not authorised starters, even if I gave him one, they'd refuse to register him as a trainer at the pokemon center".

  Cassie steps forwards to say something again, but I place my hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "It's fine", I say calmly. "Thank you", I say to the professor, "thank you for hearing me out, professor, I'll figure something out".

  "You can still put in a request", the woman offers, her shoulders hanging low, "or you could go to Mauville and see if Watson can give you a starter immediately".

  I don't have to think too long about it. Going to Mauville was out of the question. This world, I didn't know it, and it was filled with magical animals. Moreover, I had no money that would allow me to travel right now.

  "I'll just put in a request, if that's alright with you", I say, accepting that I'll have to struggle for a few months.

  "But Rory, what will you do in the meantime", Cassie asks me cautiously.

  "Don't worry, I'll make do", I do my best to reassure her, "I'll just find a job, any job, and who knows, maybe in the end I won't even need to get a pokemon to make things work".

  "But what about comimg to Rustboro with us so you can try joining the police?", Cassie questions.

  "Maybe some other time", I shrug.

  "Wait", her aunt interrupts us, giving me a questioning look. "You want to join the police?".

  "I want to get a job, you know, so I can survive", I correct her. Gesturing towards my cargo pants, I add: "police just seems kind of fitting for a guy like me".

  "But you don't want to be a trainer?", she ignores my remark.

  "I want to be a trainer, since that gets me a place I can stay at for free, until I get on my feet, at least", I explain.

  "Let me refrain it", she sighs, "you don't want to take part in pokemon battles or the gym challenge?".

  The thought has crossed my mind, but it had trouble staying around for too long. Food took priority.

  "I might give it a try sometimes", I admit, "but no, I have no intentions of dedicating my life to it, if that's what you mean".

  "Oh", she lets out a surprised breath, her face run-over with thoughts.

  "Yeah, I just want to get a job", I sigh, failing to see why it surprises her. I am 18. I was in the army, for heaven's sake.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "If you truly don't intend on making it as a trainer", she scratches her chin, "then I might be able to help you".

  "Yes", Cassie perks up immediately.

  I'm not sure what the professor has on her mind, so I stand in silence, awaiting my fate. She walks over to yet another table, opening another drawer. Without a word, she pulls another marble-like device from it, making a hasty return to where we were standing.

  "Here", she says, handing me the pokemon ball. It feels tiny in my hands, as I twist it around and inspect it, I notice how rough my hands are. "This little guy was returned to me", she explains.

  "That's a starter?", Cassie raises her eyebrow.

  "Yes, a Charmander", the woman nods.

  "Why would anyone return their starter?", the girl seems utterly disgusted by the idea.

  "Charmander was born with an underdeveloped fire sack", the woman says simply. I look around the room, noting that Cassie and Xander have no idea what that means eaither, and I feel a bit easier.

  Leo, however, knows what's up. "Charmanders have flame sacks that tie into their respiratory system", the freckled boy offers the explanation, "if it's underdeveloped, that means Charmander struggles to use its fire attacks, the ones that stem from his breath, that is".

  "Yes, and this particular Charmander can't use those kind of attacks at all", the professor nods, clearly satisfied with Leo's explanation.

  "Wow", Cassie lets out a worried squeak, "that must be hard for a little fellow".

  "I don't think he quiet minds it, but his trainer certainly did", the professor says, "returned him as soon as he found out Charmander can't use Ember".

  "That sounds... a little bit mean", Cassie says carefully.

  "It might be", the professor shrugs, "either way, starter pokemon should be healthy, so the boy had every right to return him and request one that's properly developed".

  "But that's not nice at all", Cassie protests.

  "Cas, that's how it works, starting a journey is tough for everyone, and having a partner with a handicap would only make it tougher", her aunt responds in a firm voice. "Not to mention, it would be struggle for Charmander to evolve, if he even could reach that stage in his development".

  "Right", Cassie lowers her gaze, "I get it".

  "For you, though, I guess that doesn't really matter", she turns to look at me, "since you don't want to be a trainer, I guess you won't mind that Charmander will never be able to use good portion of his fire type attacks".

  That's just my luck. In a world of fire breathing lizards, I get one that can't breathe fire.

  But it works, it will get me a place to stay. Moreover, it's Charmander, one of the few pokemon I actually know. Somehow it feels fitting.

  "If you want to keep him, I have no problem giving it to you", the woman stares at me, "he'd just end up going back to the breeding center anyways, it might be good for him to stick around with you as well".

  "I will, I will keep him", I say hurriedly, stil sensing Charmander's pokemon ball in my hand. "Thank you".

  "I'm glad to hear that", the professor offers me a small smile, "I was frankly worried about the small guy, you really came by at the right time, I was thinking of sending him back tomorrow".

  "Looks like it was either luck or fate then", I offer a light laugh.

  "That's great, Rory", Cassie takes hold of my arm again, "come on, let him out, let's meet your partner".

  "Alright, alright", I says slowly.

  The rush I feel seems foreign. I know this was just the matter of securing my livelihood, but getting my own pokemon feels exciting. Like a long forgotten childhood dream was staring straight at me.

  Twisting the device in my hand, I press the small button, making it grow in an instant. The ball feels light and cold to the touch, its smooth surface stands in contrast to my hands.

  Without too much thought, I chuck the ball into the air, watching in awe as it unclenches its jaws. The flash of blue streams down to the ground, manifesting a small creature, one that feels awfully familiar.

  As Charmander stands on the floor, surrounded by other 4 pokemon, I realise he's the only one I recognise. That's the first thing that runs through my mind, that Charmander's the first living thing in this world that I knew.

  The small lizard looked smooth, his skin light orange with beige belly, he wagged his flaming tail around as he soaked in the room.

  It doesn't look to me like he's missing anything, and I'm certain Charmander doesn't think it either. The creature's mouth are spread in a giant smile as his eyes fly around the room.

  Before I can, Rowlet and Piplup approach him, curiously flapping their wings at my new pokemon. Charmander's more than happy to have found company immediately, as he merrily growls at them.

  He swings his body around enthusiastically, causing his tail to hit Rowlet, who jumps back in shock.

  "Hey, tell your Charmander to be carefull", Xander appears behind me immediately, his voice rough at the edges.

  "Sorry, it was an accident", I say carefully, as I step forward, taking hold of Charmander to stop him from turning around non-stop.

  "Huh, he can use fire attacks after all", Leo notes, sounding way too satisfied by the joke he had made.

  "I think he's cute", Cassie manifests next to Charmander, crouching down to pet him. My pokemon seems to enjoy it, staring up at the girl in satisfaction.

  "See, he lets me pet him", Cassie turns around, giving a challenging glance to her Sprigatito and Fennekin. The cat turns her head dismissevly, while Fennekin sinks deeper into her hiding spot. Piplup, on the other hand, takes this as an invite, and appears under Cassie's other arm, basically forcing her to pet him as well.

  "Hey Charmander", I decide I should say something as well, "uh, I hope you'll find me to be a good caretaker, I'll try my best".

  Charmander looks at me with wonder in his big eyes, tilting his head to the side, before letting out a cheerful growl. So, he accepts me, I guess. Maybe he knows I'm his only choice, so there's no room for complaint.

  "You'll need this as well", professor Lydia taps me on my shoulder, and I turn around to see her offering me the red box she had given to the other three. Pokedex, I remember. "You'll need it to get registered in the pokemon center", she notes, before turning to the other three, "for you, I went out of my way and pre-registered you, you're welcome".

  "Thanks a lot professor", Xander nods.

  "Right, saves us a trip to the pokemon center", Leo agrees.

  "Saves me a trip", Xander playfully shoves him away.

  I look over at Cassie, realising that I have no idea where the pokemon center is, or what it looks like. She gives me a reassuring wave, and I breathe an immediate sigh of relief. How glad am I to have ran into her.

  "Alright, I think that would be all I had to do here", professor Lydia leans on the nearest table, her posture easing up, "are you kids willing to listen to some more advice or are you rushing to prepare for your journey?".

  "We are rushing", Cassie chimmes in with a wide smile, and we all know she just has no patience to listen to monologues.

  "Actually, professor, Leo and I had a favour to ask as well", Xander immediately steps up.

  "Sure, go ahead", the professor sighs, "apparently, I'm a big humanitarian today".

  "Could you please referee a battle for us?", Xander asks.

  "Yes, yes I could", the woman nods along, "I expected you'd ask something like that".

  "Hey, hey, why do you want to battle Leo and not me", Cassie puffs up, punching Xander's arm.

  "No particular reason, we just talked about it and agreed to do it", Xander shrugs.

  "You could've asked me as well, you know", Cassie crosses her arms.

  "We wanted to Cas", Leo points out calmly, "but you were on and on about how cute Fennekin and Sprigatito will be anytime we tried to bring it up".

  "True", Xander nods. "Plus", he looks over at Sprigatito and Fennekin, "I doubt these two would be up for a battle right now anyways".

  "You guys are not cool at all", Cassie sinks back, accepting her fate.

  "You can always battle Rory", Xander offers simply.

  I find myself taken back by this. Battling wasn't on my mind, but Cassie has done so much for me today, even though she doesn't really know me. "I can do it, if you want to have a battle", I clear my throat.

  "No, no, it's fine", she waves me off, "Xander's right, Fennekin and Sprigatito probably don't want to battle anyways, and even if they did, Charmander is kind of at a disatvantage here, since he can't use his strongest move".

  "Alright", I nod, happy that I don't have to do this. I'm clueless at how battles work. "If you change your mind, I'm right here", I say anyways.

  "Can we head outside then?", Leo looks at the professor expectedly.

  "Yes, we can", the woman gives her approval, leading the way out of the room.