Well I managed to go through the rest of Oak's boring speech with out embarrassing myself without anymore problems.
Which, considering my recent performance, was honestly a miracle.
I still find it weird that Bowesette is on ME instead of evil me but hey life gives you lemons you don't make lemonade because I'm pretty sure that would me a Diddy...
the floating very pretty demon princess from the future.
You don't make lemonade out of lemons like that.
You run instead.
Or pretend nothing is happening and hope the problem goes away.
So far, option two had worked about as well as you'd expect.
I sat there quietly while the ceremony finally wrapped up. Trainers started lining up to receive their Pokémon, the excitement in the room rising like someone had flipped a switch.
Teenagers who had been bored five minutes ago were suddenly vibrating with anticipation.
Parents were taking pictures.
Professor Oak looked like a man who had just survived a war.
And me?
I got up and joined the line like everyone else.
Because no matter how weird things were getting, I was still here for one thing.
A Pokémon.
Preferably one that didn't come with time travelers, prophecies, or interdimensional drama attached.
Unfortunately, my life had never been that cooperative.
Behind me, Bowsette floated upside down again.
"Just remember," she whispered cheerfully, "you need to seduce a heroine before the future collapses."
I stared straight ahead.
I refused to respond.
I had learned my lesson.
[III hours later... Hey, the author is into Roman numerals; don't judge. Well at least no harshly... ]
I waited in line like everyone else getting a Pokémon. Kids were practically vibrating with excitement while Professor Oak handed out Pokéballs like he was passing out candy on Halloween. Meanwhile I just stood there trying very hard not to think about the floating time-traveler behind me whispering things like "Remember, seduction first, destiny later." If anyone overheard that, I was pretty sure I'd get disqualified before I even started my journey.
If they don't throw me into the crazy box first.
When my turn finally came, Oak studied me over his glasses like he was trying to decide whether I was going to become a promising young trainer or a future headline in the Pallet Town Disaster Report. "Anansi Dredd," he said slowly. "Anansi," Professor Oak said, dropping the formal tone he used in public. His shoulders relaxed a little now that we were alone. "It's nice to see you again."
Professor Oak had always been professional. In front of others he treated every trainer the same and never played favorites. But we had known each other for years.
"Hello, Mr. Oak. I'm just happy to finally start my journey," I said. "Gigi will probably be happy too."
That immediately caught the attention of both Oak and the floating Bowsette beside me.
"Why is that?" Oak asked.
"The letter."
"A letter?" Oak repeated slowly. His expression shifted into disbelief. The idea of his granddaughter using old technology like handwritten mail clearly did not compute.
I reached into my backpack.
Thanks to the tech gloves I wore made from the same tech that make Pokeballs, the storage system in my backpack worked like a video game inventory. My fingers passed through the bag's interior space and pulled out exactly what I wanted.
A pink envelope.
I handed it over.
Professor Oak immediately noticed the scent. Mint, lavender, and pine. Subtle but fresh.
Bowsette floated closer, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as Oak opened it.
Inside was a neatly written letter.
Dear Anansi Dredd,
I have something very important to tell you, but it should be said in person.
So you have to meet me at the Pokémon League after you collect all eight badges.
I wanted to explain it here, but I wanted be stronger so I have to wait.
I'll all be there waiting for you.
ALSO DON'T YOU DARE LOSE.
I'M USING THE COUPON PROMISE.
— Gigi Oak
Oak slowly lowered the letter.
Bowsette narrowed her eyes. So it begins....
I nodded thoughtfully.
Gigi must have written it for the and Goh must helped but they are into that type of stuff. I'm still on the fence about Goh being a guy. For the love of everything, Goh hates male swim trunks, and the voice coming out of that mouth is way too girly.
And Goh dressed "bad" too. Long black hair reached just past the back of Goh's neck, with two tufts in front of each side of their face. Each tuft was pink on the left and sky blue on the right, matching the color of their contact lenses.
Thick eyebrows that doesn't look bad at all, and various amounts of piercings that don't look scary.
I have no idea how my sister and Goh managed to do that.
Finally all Goh's wears is variations of shoulder jackets, off-shoulder crop tops, spiked choker around the neck, and finally pants brands that for the life me way too expensive and model like to understand why look so good, Jordans, and painted nails.
I repeat I'm still on the fence that Goh is a guy even so I'm 100% sure Goh did not write that letter.
Gigi has the neatest handwriting out of everyone. Well maybe except Serena. Nothing had been erased on the letter, though there were eraser shavings inside the envelope.
I find that hard to believe since Gigi is like the best speller in the world. "A very confusing challenging letter, don't you agree? Other than getting badges she don't talk about what she wanted to talk about." I said honestly with prim poise.
Silence followed my observation. Not the normal kind either, but the long awkward silence where everyone just stares at you like you missed something obvious.
Hey… what is with those looks?
Bowsette looked thoroughly disappointed as Professor Oak stared at me with the most deadpan expression I had ever seen. Five full minutes passed before he finally spoke again.
"Anansi... you are really dense."
"What do you mean I'm not dense? I scored fifth place!" I said proudly.
"Dense as a door," Oak continued calmly, rubbing the bridge of his nose like a man questioning every life decision that had led him to this moment.
"Whenever a girl…" he paused and muttered something under his breath, I couldn't hear him "...actually several girls…" before continuing. "When girls tell a boy to meet them somewhere special after accomplishing something big, it usually means they want to confess their feelings."
"Not a chance."
Bowsette actually gaped at the immediate rejection. For the first time since appearing in my life, the demon princess looked genuinely horrified.
Because to her it sounded like the mission had just become a million times harder.
I folded my arms and shook my head. "Gigi been my friends for years. She basically family. Like Misty is family, and sure she fights Leaf like crazy." Than I just remember the sheer amount of girl fighting.
Melody has beef with Yellow of all people, which I still don't understand because Mel is too carefree and Yellow is too nice. It makes no sense. Giselle and Ashlyn act like mortal enemies but they still get along.
Also Janine and Gigi keep fighting. But they are all family and family fights.
Bowsette slowly lowered her head into her hands.
"I now understand the difficulty of my mission in my heart, not just in my head."
Professor Oak tried to speak. "I… I…"
He stopped and just sighed instead. The sigh of a man realizing the boy in front of him might be brilliant in some areas and catastrophically oblivious in others.
"Anansi."
"Yes?"
"Let's just get you your Pokémon."
That sounded reasonable to me.
Finally.
The entire reason I had been standing here for hours.
My first Pokémon. Preferably one that didn't come with time travelers, prophecies, or interdimensional drama attached.
Unfortunately, judging by how my life had been going lately… I wasn't feeling very optimistic about that.
Professor Oak moved to the back counter and lifted one of the Pokéballs waiting in the tray. He paused for a moment before handing it to me, the kind of pause that suggested he had already decided something long before I walked into the lab. "This one should suit you just fine, Anansi."
The moment the Pokéball touched my hand, something strange stirred behind my eyes. Not a voice, not a system window, but a quiet certainty settling into my thoughts like facts I had always known but had only just remembered.
Pokémon: Dratini ♂
Type: Dragon
Ability: Marvel Scale
Hidden Ability:
Nature: Calm
Rank: (S+)
Moves: Wrap, Leer, Thunder Wave, Dragon Breath, Dragon Rush, Dragon Dance, Dragon Rage, Dragon Tail, Agility, Extreme Speed, Aqua Jet, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse, Slam, Safeguard, Flamethrower, Mist, Supersonic, Light Screen, Shock Wave, Whirlpool, Water Gun, Brutal Swing, Zap Cannon, Reflect, Mud Bomb, Rock Blast, Aqua Ring
I blinked slowly at the ball in my palm. A Dratini… that was already rare enough to make most trainers jealous, but the information didn't stop there. The strange awareness lingered in my mind, like a silent appraisal of potential.
Rank S+.
Which meant this little dragon had serious room to grow. Also, why is my system cheat different from my evil half's?
From what I could tell, the rank didn't guarantee immediate victory or strength. It simply showed how far a Pokémon could eventually push itself with proper training – the ceiling it could reach one day.
I let out a slow breath and clipped the Pokéball to my belt. Whatever strange ability had just triggered, it definitely wasn't the same broken power my so-called evil counterpart supposedly had. Mine just told me what a Pokémon could become.
Still.
Looking down at the Pokéball holding my new partner, I couldn't help but smile.
Because if this little dragon really had that kind of potential… then our journey just got a whole lot more interesting.
"Now I must tell you about that Dratini," Professor Oak said, pointing
as he looked toward the Pokéball on my belt. His tone shifted slightly, less ceremonial and more like a mentor explaining something important. "He is the son of one of Lance's Dragonite."
Oak paused for a moment before continuing, clearly choosing his words carefully. "Lance entrusted the offspring of several of his Pokémon to the League's care a few years ago. The idea was to allow them to grow outside the intense expectations of a Champion's team." His eyes flicked briefly toward me. "That Dratini is one of them."
"He is… somewhat out of the norm for Pokémon his age," Oak added. "Most young Dratini are shy and avoid conflict whenever possible. This one did the opposite."
According to Oak, the little dragon had spent an unusual amount of time wandering the Safari Zone's battle-heavy areas. Instead of hiding, he apparently challenged or defended himself against nearly every Pokémon he encountered.
"He has been exposed to a wide variety of attacks," Oak explained. "Fire, Electric, Ice, Ground, Dark… you name it. Over time he began learning many of the techniques used against him."
I knew dragons could learn almost every move type if given the chance, but damn this was awesome. Granted, dragons grew very slowly in the wild and even with a trainer they grew slower than most trainers were comfortable with.
Their potential, however, was almost endless. A Dragon-type would continue growing in strength for as long as its trainer kept pushing forward.
Enough with the pet talk though. Oak handed over the rest of the starter package: a Pokédex app installed on a compact Game Gear-style device, a starter pouch with basic items, and finally my trainer identification card.
The last thing he slid across the table was a small envelope containing my new League bank account information.
"Congratulations, Anansi," Oak said simply. "Your journey officially begins today."
[xxXXXX]
Supplemental Pokédex Data Entry #7284
Subject: Dratini
Classification: Dragon Pokémon
Primary Habitat: Freshwater rivers, deep lakes, coastal estuaries, and sheltered ocean currents
Dratini are among the rarest naturally occurring Dragon-type Pokémon in the known regions. Unlike many Dragon species that prefer mountains, caves, or volcanic terrain, Dratini are semi-aquatic serpentine creatures that spend most of their lives in water. They are capable swimmers and can remain submerged for long periods, though they frequently surface to breathe and bask in warm sunlight. Because of their rarity and elusive behavior, sightings of wild Dratini are uncommon, and many populations remain poorly documented.
Dratini typically inhabit bodies of water with high mineral content and low pollution. Researchers have noted that they prefer slow-moving rivers, secluded lakes, and coastal waters with abundant aquatic vegetation. Areas with natural caves, underwater rock formations, or dense kelp forests appear to provide ideal shelter for young individuals. In some regions, particularly remote preserves like the Safari Zone or protected dragon sanctuaries, stable Dratini populations have been observed for decades.
Behaviorally, Dratini are surprisingly cautious for a species that will eventually evolve into the formidable Dragonite. Young individuals are naturally shy and avoid confrontation whenever possible. When threatened, a Dratini's most common defense is to retreat into deep water or conceal itself within aquatic vegetation. However, when escape is impossible, they will rely on paralysis-inducing techniques such as Thunder Wave to disable predators long enough to flee.
Despite their timid reputation, Dratini possess exceptional adaptability. Their dragon physiology allows them to gradually learn techniques outside their natural elemental typing when exposed to repeated battles. Researchers believe this is linked to the unique cellular structure shared by many Dragon-type Pokémon, allowing them to replicate certain energy patterns after repeated exposure. This phenomenon partially explains why dragons are capable of learning such a wide variety of moves across different elemental categories.
Dratini are primarily carnivorous but will occasionally consume aquatic plants and mineral-rich algae as supplements. Their diet typically consists of smaller Water-type Pokémon, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and fish species. Young Dratini have been observed hunting cooperatively in rare cases, particularly when siblings from the same clutch remain together during early development. As they mature, however, most individuals become solitary.
The species follows a slow developmental cycle. Dratini grow at a noticeably slower rate than most common Pokémon species, which is one reason many trainers struggle to raise them effectively. Their evolution into Dragonair typically occurs only after extensive physical growth and battle experience. In the wild, this process can take many years, though proper training and bonding with a skilled trainer can accelerate development somewhat.
Dratini reproduction remains one of the least documented aspects of the species. Mating typically occurs during seasonal migration periods when multiple individuals gather in warmer ocean currents or large freshwater basins. Courtship behavior often involves graceful swimming displays, glowing body patterns, and synchronized movement through the water. Eggs are usually laid in concealed underwater nests, often protected within rocky crevices or dense vegetation.
A single clutch usually contains only one or two eggs, which contributes significantly to the species' rarity. Parent Pokémon are known to guard the nest aggressively until the eggs hatch. Newly hatched Dratini are extremely vulnerable and remain under parental protection for several months before gradually becoming independent.
As Dratini evolve into Dragonair, their territorial instincts become more pronounced. Dragonair often establish large aquatic territories and are known to influence local weather patterns through subtle atmospheric manipulation. Many ancient myths describing "water spirits" or "river guardians" are believed to originate from historical encounters with Dragonair populations.
Because of their rarity, power potential, and symbolic connection to legendary dragons, Dratini have long been sought after by elite trainers. However, modern League regulations strongly discourage capturing wild individuals unless they are part of managed conservation programs. Many Dratini currently partnered with trainers originate from protected breeding programs overseen by regional Pokémon Leagues.
For trainers fortunate enough to partner with one, Dratini represent both a challenge and a long-term investment. Their slow growth demands patience and dedication, but their evolutionary line eventually produces some of the most versatile and powerful Pokémon known.
In short: raising a Dratini is less like training a typical Pokémon and more like cultivating a future legend.