Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Awakening	By : Demonic_Host Category: Pokemon > General Views: 19514 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever, owned anything related to rights to Pokemon nor do I make money off of my fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
A/N: I thought I would say this now - Ash and company will not be eternal ten year olds in my story. We all know that with how much time passed he'd be much older. So just as a break down for those that are curious (despite the fact that I don't think Ash will be appearing in this story): At the end of the Battle Frontier Ash would have been 14, May would have been 11, and Max would have been 8.
Heartfelt Interference
Chapter Seven
Age 13

A lot had happened in such a short amount of time, yet you took it with a grain of salt as it was no more than any other person dealt with growing up. Your spell at school, which had been a month in passing, had passed without any repeat. In fact, you were pretty sure it was just a bunch of nerves which had overcome you. Especially considering that it was the day before puberty finally decided to knock on the monthly door for the first time. Which was something you were trying to forget but, well it could never be forgotten from now on.
Thankfully there were plenty of distractions that kept you busy. By now you were a month in on your sixth type of pokemon. You had already completed sixth months of training for normal, fire, fighting, water, flying, and grass types. The one you were on now, your sixth type, was Poison. Each categories, of course, had a plethora of different types of pokemon to study on your road to graduating from the breeding program you'd enlisted in. There were also pokemon with dual types which would get repeated every now and again when you studied their second type. But for the main part breaking it down into the types allowed for you to study the techniques used more efficiently than if you had to learn all the different things in one lump sum.
"Stir it slower."
You looked up from the vat you had been stirring, apparently too quickly, to see your mentor for while you studied poison type pokemon. He was tall and thickly built, kind of like a machoke. His brown hair was kept cropped short and he lacked any facial hair. In fact, his whole look screamed military even though there hadn't been a need for a standing military in almost a whole generation at this point. And while most people loved to assume that such big men were softey's at heart...Felix was not. He was strict and regimented though you would say he wasn't cruel. He just liked things done to the best of everyone's abilities and took no excuses. It probably came from the fact that he trained and breed poison type pokemon as most people considered that type to be dangerous and, in a way, unfavorable. It had been his choice of course, to pursue this so there must have been something in poison type pokemon that he felt camaraderie with. Or maybe he just liked a challenge. You weren't really too sure on that.
"Like this?" You asked as you slowed down your stirring.
Felix nodded and went to grab the trays that would be used for the dehydration process. The machine in the back was already dehydrating four different types of food and, with very rare exception, always been running. Feeding a ranch full of pokemon meant a lot of food day in and day out. Thankfully the dehydrator was incredibly reliable.
When Felix came back the two of you worked on filling up the trays with large ladles. The process was familiar and calming to you at this point, so much so that you could probably do it half asleep. Filling the trays up, putting them in the dehydrator, and then breaking the slabs up into even bite sized pieces was the easy part. It was the creation of the food prior to dehydrating it which always changed up. So far you had learned how to make various different types of pokefood which including poffin and pokeblocks for each type you studied. Of course, food was often customized when dealing with pokemon on a one to one basis but for the most part this was the most efficient and healthiest way to do it. After all, pokemon types had been established for reasons. The different types reflected their bodies, in a way, and the nutrients they required to keep them running in tip top shape. Which was why it was almost amusing that the poison type Pokemon needed a mixture that smelled much sweeter than any of the other types of food you had made to this day.
"You did well for your first time," Felix said as he lifted the pans into the dehydrator one right after the other.
He did it with such ease that you were jealous. The vat, when filled, that you had just been cooking at was incredibly heavy. But so were each "pan" that he'd effortlessly slipped into the dehydrator. And it took such control to slip them in without spilling anything. All it meant was that his body size definitely wasn't for show - those were functional, albeit hidden, muscles that he used on a day to day basis. You knew that eventually you'd get strong enough to do it on your own. Maybe not as easily as Felix did but easily enough. All adults on the ranch, breeder or otherwise alike, eventually did. The daily tasks required to care for large numbers of pokemon were not for the faint of heart or the weak of body.
"Come back in an hour and finish it up," your mentor said as he started to untie his apron.
You nodded and did the same, hanging the both of them up after he handed his to you and walked out of the room.
__________________________________________________
Exhausted, you sank down onto the grass. The night was coming quickly and you still had a mound of school work to catch up on. Especially considering that you had switched to a self study track with your school after the fiasco last month. Sure you had been convinced that it was just nerves and your body's natural change hitting you all at once but, at the same time, you had been too timid to go back the next day. What if the attack hit you again? The first time, and so far the only time, you had left in the middle of the day without your parents signing you out. On top of that, you had allowed Rorsh to break the rule of pokemon being in the classrooms (well girls' lavatory and the hallway) after your teacher had already issued you a warning. Both of which were not allowed but had been forgiven under the circumstances. You weren't sure the school could forgive a second break of the code.
So with help of your parents you had signed up for self-study. You would still read the same books and do the same work, it would just be at home. All the scheduled tests you would take at the school at the same time any other student took them. You still could even attend the same events. It was just that all study was done at home. So far it had been working out for the best. You didn't have to get up quite as early in the morning. You didn't have to waste time transporting back and forth. You also got to spend more time learning your chosen trade. But it did mean that every once in awhile you got lonely. There weren't any other kids around to talk to or play with - just pokemon and the adults that cared for them. There was an apprentice or two, just like you, around but they were just as busy with their work as you were.
With a large exhale you laid back against the grass, arms extended at your side. The sky was darkening quickly. As you stared up at it the changes seemed ever so slow. It was peaceful, actually. Like something you could find yourself getting lost in until sleep took you. Unfortunately, you weren't given that opportunity as a pidgey landed right by your leg. She hoped around, scratching at the dirt as the small bird pokemon were want to do. You reached your hand out and she brushed her head against it as you smiled.
"There you are!"
The voice startled you, which caused the pidgey to jump away and take to the sky. Embarrassed at your mishap, you sat up to see who had called out. That embarrassment bloomed to take a reddening hue on your skin when you saw that it was Max. He looked rather exuberant as smiled, like somehow the long walk from the opening of the ranch to where you were was refreshing. That was strange, actually. Not that you had much to compare his behavior to, honestly, but it was generally assumed that most people didn't like trekking after another person through unknown areas.
"Hi," you said in a confused tone as you sat up.
Max pushed his glasses back up his nose as he took a spot in front of you. "I bet you're wondering why I came all the way out here, huh?"
You nodded wordlessly.
"Well, I figured that since you signed up for self-study and all that you wouldn't know about school faire coming up," he filled you in, "and since I didn't have your number, I thought it'd be okay if I came out here to tell you."
"Thanks," you replied in a soft but grateful tone. "You know you could have just left a message with the visitor building right?"
Max nodded. "Yeah I know, but it seemed better to tell you in person. Besides…"
You looked at him curiously from your spot. "Besides…?"
"I was curious about what you were doing. I mean, you just kind of dropped off the face of the planet. Did something happen?"
Obviously there had but you didn't want to tell him. It had been silly and of course the circumstances were utterly embarrassing. Plus there was the whole fact that you didn't want to mentally burden him with your own issues. Especially since you hadn't completely sorted through everything yet.
"I just wanted…" you stopped as you tried to figure out how to phrase it without actually lying. "I wanted something different. I already know what I want to do when I'm an adult, finishing school is just a formality at this point. I mean, plenty of people put off school to have their own adventures right? So I figured that just doing all the work at home while I do my real work wouldn't be that bad."
"I hear you," Max said in an understanding tone. "I didn't miss school at all when I went with my sister May on her first adventure."
You blinked. "You have a sister?"
"Yeah, she's three years older than me. She's still traveling around the world to become top coordinator."
You smiled. There was one aspect of Coordinators that you liked - that they showed off the unique qualities of their pokemon. It was the next part, the battling part, that you still didn't like. Though at least it was better than normal gym or trainer to trainer battles. Still, the idea of pokemon suffering for entertainment rubbed you the wrong way.
"Where is she now?" You asked.
Max shrugged as he relaxed back onto his hands, staring up at the darkening sky. "I don't know."
"She hasn't checked in?"
"Well she might have with mom and dad but they're back at the Petalburg gym."
Your eyebrows drew together in confusion."But that's so far away. Do you commute that everyday?"
Because if he did it would have definitely had to be by Jet or something. There was definitely no way to get across by foot and pretty much no way by car.
Max laughed, "Could you imagine trying to commute that everyday? It'd be monstrous! No...no, I live here with an aunt."
"Why?" you asked, curiosity getting the better of your manners.
"Because this is one of the better schools. I mean I could have become a trainer but I don't think I want any of the starters for my first you know? So I didn't want to go the normal route. And itdidn't feel like the right time. Still, I wanted a change of pace."
"And here you are," You added in with a small smile.
"And here I am."
"So who?" You tossed in the air.
"Who what?" Max asked, readjusting his glasses.
"Who do you want for your first pokemon?"
He smiled; it carried a heavily saturated look of remembrance. "Okay, so you know how I went on a journey with my sister? Well when we were traveling I found this Ralts who was sick. When I helped them get better we became really good friends. I promised to come back when I was allowed to become a trainer but…"
"But?" you prompted.
"But I think I've waited too long. I mean, I'm thirteen now. I should have gone back three years ago to find Ralts and start my journey. But it didn't feel like the right time and a trainer should always trust their gut."
You nodded in mild agreement, feeling a stone settle inside of you at Max's silent confession. He wanted to be a trainer. He wanted to battle pokemon against others just because it was an acceptable practice. Sure you knew that part of a Breeder's job was to raise and breed starter pokemon as well as trainer's pokemon but that was one aspect you weren't looking forward to. In fact, you were outright trying to ignore the possibility that a regional professor was the largest client you would ever land. Just like you were trying to ignore the fact that it was getting really dark outside now. You loved being outside but there was something about being outside at night that really got under your skin.
"Gardevoir or Gallade?" You tossed to him to try and change the subject.
He looked at you like you grew a second head. "What?"
"If you got to choose when the time came and we assume that your ralts was male, would you want him to evolve into Gardevoir or Gallade?"
Max pondered that question a bit, his forefinger tapping his chin. "I guess if I thought it could happen, I'd talk to Ralts first. Cause I mean it's their body right? And it's the trainer's job to do what's best by their pokemon and to adapt from there."
"Good answer," you admitted.
You looked up from where you'd been staring. You could feel Rorsh coming even if you couldn't see him yet. it wasn't like you were in the thicket of woods or anything. It was just that it was really that dark now. You began to strain your eyes to try to see him until suddenly you saw a flash of white, or at least that was the only way to describe it. It was like the world became an outline of itself and then suddenly Max was Max...only with white fire around him. And there were two others coming up over a rounded hill which you somehow instinctively knew was Rorsh and Eevee. Your hand flew to your eyes to try and block out the 'flash' but it didn't help. If anything, seeing through your own white flaming fingers suddenly made it worse.
"Is something wrong?"
Your attention was drawn to Max and you tried to smile but it must have failed. So instead you went with an excuse, "I just don't like the dark."
As Rorsh came up and pressed his head into your shoulder, you tried closing your eyes again and counting backwards. You somehow knew his jewel was glowing as he used his psychic powers to help you focus. Once you did, however, the white fire flashes went away and the world returned to normal. You let out a deep breath and round your fingers through Eevee's soft fur, drawing comfort from their presences. You'd worry more about what happened when you got home but for now you didn't want to freak Max out anymore.
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Max asked, slowly dragging his eyes away from the espeon at your side.
You heard Rorsh scuff, the sound something of a growl and a bark all rolled into one. Eevee looked to Rorsh with his head tilted, ears folded down in confusion. Which you had to admit that you were confused as well. That sensation must have gotten through to Rorsh.
"He will be worse than useless."
"Rorsh!" You snapped out in surprise at how dark and insulting that tone was.
"Uh, did I miss something?" The blue haired male asked.
"Rorsh is just in a bad mood, sorry."
"Oh so he was talking to you?" Max asked with interest. As you stood up, he followed suit. "Does that happen often?"
"Yes," you answered honestly.
"Wow."
Somehow that admiration made you feel self-conscious. Your hand went to your elbow as you bit the inside of your lip.
"Well he is a psychic pokemon…"
"That's still so cool."
You smiled slightly, looking down at the lilac furred pokemon. You had heard that some trainers could understand them because of how long they'd been together but you supposed not many people got to listen to their pokemon word for word. In that way it was pretty cool.
"Thanks. Anyways, I think you'll need to follow me...who will be following Rorsh. Because you definitely don't want to go out without knowing exactly where you're going when it's dark. We've got some pretty strong pokemon on this ranch who don't like to be disturbed by strangers."
Max accepted. Somehow you should have guessed from how silent Rorsh was being despite the fact that you offered his help without asking that something was going to go wrong. It did, in fact, go wrong. Rorsh seemed to lead the two of you to every dip and hole that he could. the only thing was that you never once tripped; every time you got near it you felt this warm blanket holding you up and moving you over said obstacle. Rorsh's gem could practically light his own path as he continued to use psychic to help you and not Max. It was definitely a feeling you were going to have to get used to. What was even worse was the fact that you were pretty sure that Eevee was enjoying Max's misfortunes as well.
So needless to say by the time you got back to your house with Max, he was really worse for wear. Your mother and father personally saw to him getting home and bandaged up from all the dings and cuts he'd gotten on the walk back. What made your parting all that much more awkward was the fact that at the end he reminded you about the faire and asked you to go with him.
Rorsh had quite literally slammed the door in his face.
"Oh my god!" you exclaimed as Rorsh sauntered away. "What...the heck...was that?"
"Your parents were waiting for him and he was taking too long in his sad attempts to court you."
Your face had to turn at least two shades darker with embarrassment as that statement came out of Rorsh's...head. Thankfully no one else could hear him so far as you knew or else it would have only been worse.
"Rorsh. Let's get this straight right here and now okay? You're not my father. If he was asking me out on a date that's not for you to decide okay? It'd be just like if another pokemon was flirting with you - as long as you were okay with it, I wouldn't do anything."
"I am not you."
"Obviously!" you said in exasperation. "Eevee, tell him what he did was wrong."
"Nope," you heard the small voice in your head, the one that wasn't Rorsh's, as Eevee yawned in the corner seemingly uninterested in the conversation.
You gripped the bottom of your hair and pulled. Great. First the white fire and now you were imagining voices that didn'tbelong to psychic pokemon.
- 6
- 7
- 8
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Awakening