Chapter 3: Youngster Program (3/3)
[Words: 1786]
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Izan scrutinized the odd-looking machines that vaguely resembled speakers, curious about what exactly their function was.
To the side of the speakers was a typical researcher-looking staff member with glasses and a slick hairstyle. Holding a tablet while a Porygon floated next to him, he looked ready to collect data.
Opposite Izan stood three Pokemon. A Bellsprout, Poliwag, and a Geodude. Each one seemed more subdued than a Pokemon should be, laying there obediently.
Izan frowned at them, not liking what he was seeing. Rather than looking like living creatures with magic powers like most Pokemon, these reminded him of weapons.
Of tools.
Then again, he mused, that might be a biased opinion from his past life's idea of Pokemon.
He hadn't seen many real Pokemon, after all.
The battling room they were in didn't help him with those thoughts. Completely white walls and a white floor. The lack of lights made him furrow his brows since there was definitely light coming from… somewhere.
'Stupid alternate universe technology confusing the shit out of me' He grumbled internally, chalking it up to just a lack of information.
Rather than dwell on maybes or other things he couldn't control, he decided to get started with whatever they were doing. Looking at the staff member, he opened his mouth.
"So how is this supposed to work, anyway? Am I supposed to battle those three Pokemon with my starter choices?"
The researcher looked up from his tablet quickly, "Huh? Oh, yes, that's it. A 3-on-3 battle should suffice. Porygon here will help with compiling the data."
Izan raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "That's it? Just a battle? Would I have to come back here and battle every single time I want a Pokemon evaluated?"
There was a glint in the researcher's eyes as he pushed his glasses up.
"Of course not. Once we have the data on whichever Pokemon you choose, we'll then scan it. After that, you can just get it re-scanned at a Pokemon Center whenever you need to and they'll give you an up-to-date evaluation based on the previous data." He finished with a harrumph.
Izan blinked at the info dump before slowly nodding. "…Right. Got it, I think. Do I have to pay for a scan every time?"
If so, he might have to just scan his Pokemon once a month or something. Paying each scan would be a huge setback, even if it was just a Pokedollar a day.
The scientist tilted his head in thought, "I don't think so. Porygon here is my only Pokemon so I wouldn't know. His data is connected to my PC, after all."
"I see. Well, I sure hope it costs less than this. 100 Pokedollars for each Pokemon? Ridiculous." He muttered that last part, still lamenting over his emptying pockets.
Somehow the scientist still heard him, "Yes for you I guess it would be a hefty amount of money. Are you ready to get started?"
Izan glanced at the three Pokeballs attached to his belt before picking one of them off and holding it in his hand.
It was going to be his first battle, even if it was only for a test, and he couldn't be more excited. The sound of his heart beating heavily in his chest was the proof of that.
"Yeah, let's do this."
"Mhm. Please switch out when I tell you to. The Pokemon opposite of you know what to do already."
Izan nodded, clicking the middle button and watching as it expanded and filled his hand, a large smile adorning his face.
"Begin!"
Suddenly, the white room morphed into the illusion of a battling field in the middle of a forest.
Izan's eyes widened at the rapid change, but he threw the ball with the sticker of a lightning bolt on it into the air anyway.
"Come on out, Voltorb!"
'I've always wanted to do that!' Izan would forever deny that he almost squealed in his head.
Voltorb, the ball Pokemon in the shape of an upside-down Pokeball, materialized on the field.
Geodude opened his eyes from where he was resting and pushed himself forward with his huge rocky arms.
"Alright, Voltorb, let's go for a [Sonic Boom] to start off!"
Voltorb grunted, looked back at him, and furrowed its brows. Then it began spinning in place at rapid speeds.
Patiently, Geodude watched as Voltorb did so, doing nothing in return.
After a few awkward seconds, it glowed white and shot off a shockwave at a high speed.
…Upwards.
The [Sonic Boom] impacted the ceiling heavily and Izan blinked. And then he blinked again.
Voltorb hummed happily as it rolled over to Izan's feet and looked up at him expectantly, its usual perpetual face of anger replaced by one that resembled a smile. Even if it didn't have a mouth.
The Starter Pokemon were already conditioned to understand what to do when given certain commands like 'dodge' or 'tackle'.
Besides that, however, they weren't taught anything else. Battle was a foreign concept to them since they were raised in peaceful captivity.
Izan sighed and crouched down to it, patting it on the head. It hummed again, leaning into his hand contentedly.
'It's like a goddamn cat. How the hell is a ball cute?' Izan almost facepalmed but calmed himself and spoke softly.
"Alright, buddy. I'm gonna need you to use [Tackle] on that Geodude over there, got it?" He said, pointing at the rock Pokemon.
Voltorb opened its eyes, looked over to the Geodude, and nodded with determination.
It began rolling forward in place, picking up speed as it winded up, before shooting forward in a burst of speed.
Geodude watched impassively as it rolled towards it. Raising one of its arms, it stopped Voltorb in place easily and caused it to recoil backward.
Izan frowned at the display, 'Well, that's not gonna work. Gotta try something else.'
"Try again, but use that speed to shoot off a [Sonic Boom] right in its face!" Izan called out.
Voltorb, seemingly not understanding, began to spin in place to go for a [Sonic Boom]. This time, the wind-up was much quicker as its frustration was building.
In response, Geodude pushed itself to the side with one of its arms.
"Uh, no, Voltorb, use [Tackle] and then [Sonic Boom] after tha- Oi!"
Ignoring his words and hopping up and down in anger, Voltorb began to glow a sinister white glow.
"Porygon."
The scientist suddenly spoke and Porygon seemingly teleported in front of Voltorb, a barrier appearing in front of it. The barrier twisted until it encompassed Voltorb's form and held it to the ground.
*BOOM!*
It exploded.
Porygon floated back to the researcher calmly as the dust settled off of Voltorb. It was unharmed, seemingly, but definitely fainted.
"We have enough information already so that's alright. Please, send out your next Pokemon." The scientist said matter-of-factly.
Izan, stunned, just stared at the Voltorb's fainted body. He had many questions about that Porygon just now, but he decided to settle for facepalming and returning Voltorb.
Moving on from that disaster, he threw out Sandshrew without saying a word.
The sandy pangolin Pokemon materialized onto the field with its head raised high.
The Poliwag stepped up while Geodude calmly went back to resting behind the line.
"Alright, Sandshrew, we're gonna be fighting that guy over there, got it?" Izan said, pointing at the Poliwag.
To his surprise, Sandshrew nodded in understanding before readying itself to fight, snarling at Poliwag.
Izan, taken aback, raised an eyebrow at the researcher. "Is Sandshrew already awakened or something? I thought it wouldn't understand that."
The man looked at his tablet for a moment before replying. "No, that doesn't seem to be the case. It is particularly intelligent for its species, but it's just arrogant and would've attacked Poliwag either way."
'Ah. That'd do it.' Izan thought, getting back into the battle.
"Dash into it, and then go for a [Sand Attack] up close!"
Without missing a beat, Sandshrew ran on all fours toward Poliwag, dodging the [Bubble] that Poliwag shot at it without being prompted.
Right before it rammed into Poliwag it stopped short, kicking up the dirt with a quick [Sand Attack], blinding Poliwag.
"Great! Now go for [Scratch] on its midsection. And then a [Poison Sting] if you've got it."
Briefly, Sandshrew tilted its head at the command, before nodding and pouncing onto Poliwag, letting out a flurry of Scratches.
It cried out in pain before it finally showed some emotion, countering Sandshrew with its furious unrelenting [Double Slap] and knocking it back several feet.
Sandshrew recovered quickly, flipping backward onto its feet, looking over its shoulder at Izan.
Izan's smile widened as the battle finally felt like a real fight, excited.
Angered, Poliwag began to shoot jets of water across the field, most likely being the [Water Gun] attack.
'Oh shit! I didn't think it had [Water Gun] already.'
"Retaliate with [Mud Shot] or use [Dig] to dodge if you have it. Don't get hit under any circumstance!"
Sandshrew reared its head back before sending off multiple Mud-like shots that impacted each water shot with pinpoint accuracy.
The bout ended with an explosion of dust that settled quickly, revealing both sides mostly unharmed but panting heavily.
Both Poliwag and Sandshrew were unrefined in controlling their power, and they had little energy in the first place. That exchange alone almost exhausted them.
Poliwag suddenly centered itself, closing its eyes in concentration as it pronounced its belly. It was preparing for a move.
"That's enough." The scientist interrupted, stopping Poliwag in its tracks.
Looking extremely disappointed, Poliwag kicked at the ground before walking back and flopping onto its butt.
Sandshrew on the other hand only nodded in satisfaction before walking toward Izan with its head held high.
Izan smiled sadly that the fight had to stop, before crouching down and petting Sandshrew on the head. "Thanks for the battle Sandshrew, you did really well."
"Shrew." Sandshrew nodded, before being returned back into the Pokeball.
Standing back up, Izan was excited again to continue the battle assessment.
"Here we go, Goldeen!"
The red and white goldfish Pokemon materialized onto the field in a flash of brilliant light.
And then proceeded to flop onto the ground like a regular fish, gulping and gasping the air for water.
Izan stared. Porygon stared. The scientist stared. Even the other Pokemon just stared at it.
The heavily awkward moment was broken when a [Vine Whip] cracked and slammed into Goldeen, causing it to faint on the spot.
Everyone looked at Bellsprout in shock. It shrugged.
"I think I know what starter Pokemon I want." Izan intoned. "…And can I get a refund on that one's evaluation?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Khyrrid
Khyrrid Power stones, perhaps? Comments, maybe? How about a review? I ain't getting paid for this, so these are my motivations!
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