A New World, a New Identity

by Snek

Chapter 7

“Gaah!” Tyler recoiled from the attack and clasped his sore stomach. He made to tackle his assaulter but fell forward, slamming his muzzle into the grass.

Damian came over and helped him up again. The training Tyler had decided to do after Shadow and Valerie had departed wasn’t going well. The only move he had figured out was tackle, but that wasn’t saying much. He had started on attacking rocks in Fancy Pants’ backyard but had quickly decided that until he was stronger that was much too painful a method.of practice. Damian and BBK had soon after volunteered as practice dummies, and so far hadn’t even flinched at Tyler’s attacks.

Damian suggested learning via simulated battle rather than using living punching bags. All this really entailed was Tyler taking repeated Rock Smashes and Tackle attacks to various parts of his body, and missing every tackle attack he attempted. He had discovered that his Ability was Static when he accidentally paralyzed BBK, but that was all the progress so far. Luckily BBK knew Safeguard so they could continue training without Shadow around.

“I wish those two would hurry up and get back! I feel like crap!” The Key Pokemon was currently draped over a tree branch in the yard, unable to do much more that rejuvenate the safeguard when she could.

“Woah woah, watch your language BBK!” Tyler taunted as he was finally getting air back in him again.

“Fuck off.”

The Flaaffy let out a snicker, and finally straightened up to his full height of two and a half feet. “Okay, let’s keep going.”

Damian nodded and readied himself. Tyler did so too, concentrating on doing something for once.

The Scrafty began his charge, his hand glowing, Tyler scrunched his eyes, focusing all his will into a Protect, what BBK had recommended as a beginner move. He tensed his muscles, he began to feel some energy flowing in his body, focusing around his neck he began to feel something happen.

POW!

The Rock Smash attack connected with his jaw, and the energy he had amassed dissipated, and the little pink Pokemon was sent reeling, collapsing on the ground again. “Uuuugghhhh.” The former human then closed his eyes and just dealt with the dull throbbing pain in silence.

“Congratulations,” said Damian, interrupting his trainers self resignation session.

“For what?”

“Open your eyes.”

Tyler followed the directions of the Fighting-Type. Instead of seeing nothing but dirt, grass and horizon there was a large mass of white. Upon closer inspection he found it to be wool. “Cotton Guard,” he mouthed. He suddenly felt himself picked up and nonchalantly tossed over his Pokemon’s shoulder.

“Well congrats on using your first move, but if you hadn’t noticed the sun is starting to set, we should probably head inside and get cleaned up for dinner.”

As he walked off the little keyring Pokemon, still draped on a tree branch called out, “Hey you assholes! Don’t you dare leave me out here!”

The Scrafty waved her off and yelled back, “I’ll be back in a bit calm your… um… calm down!”

The little Electric-Type, just grunted in response. The days activities were suddenly taking much more of a toll on him. He was glad to have finally used his first move, but the use of his starter Pokemon’s signature move left him on the melancholy side. “I hope we find you soon queen.” He muttered, then fell asleep as he and his Scrafty passed through the double doors into the mansion.

---

One year earlier

Tyler swept back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. None of these trainers coming for the Hoenn League Championships had any idea how to clean up their shoes, the floor was covered in mud and dust. He grunted in agitation. Every year the same thing, all these “pro” trainers and tourists would come through, take up all the hotel rooms and parking spots, make big messes for the locals to clean up, then leave. He was sick of it.

Hearing the sound of irritated grunting he looked up from the floor and his broom, seeing an ace trainer struggling with a bottle of protein, her hair dyed a ridiculous shade of green. He leaned his broom up against a nearby shelf and walked over. “Hey, you need any help with that?”

She shot him a glare and retorted, “Fuck off, I can do this myself!”

The boy sighed, another thing many of the visiting trainers shared is an overblown ego and an unwillingness to accept help. He went and picked his broom up again but before he could get back to sweeping he heard the sound of glass shattering on the floor, and an enraged yell.

Sighing at the prospect of more to clean up he turned back around, the jar of protein now caved in on the tile floor of the Pokemart. The trainer looked to him and immediately demanded, “I want a refund!”

He just shook his head, “Sorry, but the product wasn’t defective. You already paid for it and it was your own fault for breaking it.”

The trainer went slightly red, and restated, “I want a refund! The jar was defective and wouldn’t open!”

Tyler shook his head, he tightened his rubber cleaning gloves, and reached into the pile of glass and mush, and pulled out the still mostly whole top of the jar, which with little effort he managed to turn and remove, then handing the remains to the trainer. “The jar was fine, you were just too stupid to realize you needed to unscrew it.”

This was the final straw for the trainer. “How dare you! I hereby challenge you to a battle!” She then pulled out a Pokeball and pushed the button, a Hariyama coming out in a flash. “Right here, right now. If I win I get the refund times three!”

Tyler looked away. “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t? There aren’t any other customers right now! We can go outside too! Cmon!”

“I said I can’t. Now leave me alone so I can clean up YOUR mess.”

“Not until you give me a proper excuse for chickening out!”

Tyler blushed. Usually people gave up on challenging him by now. “Fine, I can’t because I don’t have a Pokemon to battle with.”

“Well then go get it from your house! I can wait! My next match isn’t till tomorrow morning.”

“No, I mean I don’t have a Pokemon at all. I’m not a trainer.”

“Well why the hell not? You’re way above the age of getting a trainer license!”

Tyler’s hand tightened into a fist. “That’s none of your business. Now leave.”

“Not until I get my damn refund.” She looked to her left at the register. “You know what? Hariyama, keep an eye on this loser while I get my money back.”

Before she could get to the register to retrieve her PokeDollars a refined sounding voice called out, “You shall do no such thing young lady!” A psychic grasp then encircled her and her pokemon, and teleported them outside, ten feet above the ground.

Once the trainer got back up she looked back to the doors of the store, an aged man and a Medicham standing guard outside of it. “Go. Now. Before I call the police.”

With a mumble of irritation the trainer recalled her Pokemon, and walked off, shooting a dirty look over her shoulder.

Turning back around the man entered the store again. “Malachi, please clean up this mess” he said gesturing to the broken jar and its contents. The pile disappeared with a small flash, and a small thunk could be heard in the trashcan behind the counter.

The man turned his attention back to the teenager standing in the store, an old wooden broom clasped in his hands. “Hi Uncle.” Was all he offered.

“Hello to you Tyler. I’m glad to know I came at a good time,” he looked to the register. “Elizabeth already has enough trouble as it is trying to run this store. I can’t stand the thought of young hooligans like that girl robbing her of her earnings.” Looking back to Tyler, now sporting a slight smile. “Well on a lighter note now, I have finally decided to retire, from my old career that is. I’m getting too old to run around judging contests, and you’re getting a little too old to be stuck living with his mother. I propose we trade places for a time, you can go out on your own Pokemon adventure! And I shall stay here and take your place in helping run the store.”

Tyler’s eyes widened. This was the chance he had been waiting for for five years! “R-Really Uncle?”

“Of course I mean it! Your mother and I have already talked it over, I’ve been in town for a few days already you see. She should be here soon, I believe she is retrieving your new trainer gear from your apartment.”

Just then the doors to the Pokemart slid open again, and a woman holding a large backpack in her arms came in. She was in her late thirties, but you wouldn’t guess it from looking at her. Her hair was already graying in most places and the lines on her face were those of a woman with ten more years than her. Seeing the ecstatic look on her son’s face she sighed. “Gordon, I thought we agreed that you would wait to tell him until we were both here.”

The older man reddened some, “Sorry LIzzy, I guess I just got caught up in the moment. But don’t worry, I saved the best part for when you’re here.” He then reached into his pocket and drew out a bright red ball, a cherish ball. Tyler’s eyes widened even more. Cherish balls were extremely rare! He knew his uncle was rather famous and influential as a contest judge and former top coordinator, but this was far beyond what he thought his Uncle’s fame could do.

Gordon’s arm stretched out to Tyler, offering the priceless orb to him. The astounded teenager took it, and held it in front of his eyes for what seemed like ages.

His mother cleared her throat, “Well what are you waiting for? Open it!”

Snapped out of his daze he obliged, and pushed the button on the side. There was a flash, and before him stood a shiny Swablu. “Swab?”

Tyler sat down in front of it and offered out a hand to it, and pet it. “I- I don’t know what to say!”

“How about thank you?” offered his uncle.

The new trainer nodded, “Yeah! Thank you so much! H-how did you get him?”

“Her, Tyler. It’s a girl. I received it from an old friend of mine, a popular contest star by the name of Lisia. You should thank her if you ever run into her at one of her contests, and definitely her Altaria, Ali too! After all, she’s his daughter”

The little Swablu was now happily in the arms of her new trainer, humming contentedly as he stroked her head.

Elizabeth chimed in once again, “I believe you should give her a nickname don’t you?”

Tyler nodded his head vigorously. “Of course!” He looked down to his new Swablu, noticing an unusual tuft of fluff on the top of her head, somewhat resembling a tiara. “I’ll name her queen!” The newly named “Queen” spread her wings and chirped happily at the dubbing.

Tyler stood back up and placed the Pokemon atop his head, the golden bird wrapping her wings around his cranium. “I’m gonna go and get my license right now!” He started for the door but was stopped by his uncles hand.

“I’m afraid that with the League Championships going on for the next week here in town it could take some time to schedule a trainer license test. However, I made a call to my old friend Professor Birch in LIttleroot. He has all the proper certification to give trainers their license, so…” He pulled out a plane ticket. “You have a flight to Oldale young man!”

Comments

[Snek]

5815797 whatever, I'm going off of Thadius's canon, and in that canon the Griffin that Mary works with didn't know what pizza was, along with all of the ponies it's mentioned too. The mlp universe doesn't always make sense and as such we must sometimes omit things from the canon we attempt to piece together