Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Sin City ❯ Chapter 2

I sit in the reception of the Pokemon lab in Pallet Town, which looks like a hospital waiting room, except all the people around are giggling kids. They make me feel old. I need a fix but that's been true for days. I'm torn between the fear of not being fully alert when I meet Professor. Oak, and the fear of concentrating so much on how I feel now that I won't be alert anyway. An aide, one of those Pokemon researcher wannabes that hang around these places, says he'll show me the way. He leads me through some corridors.

“I'm surprised you're only starting your Pokemon journey now. Were you a trainer before who decided to give it another go or something?” he asks.

I want to enquire as to his name but I don't wish to answer a question with a question. Polite till the last. At least with strangers. With those I haven't had a chance to push away yet to the point where my behaviour doesn't matter.

“There were some problems with my Pokemon licence application.”

“Do you mind if I ask what they were?”

“I'd rather just keep that between me and Professor. Oak.”

“He's not here. He's at a conference on importing Pokemon from Hoenn. Actually I think they're recording it for the Discovery Channel.”

I'm not surprised to hear that. If there's a televised event to do with Pokemon anywhere, you can bet Pallet Town's resident scientist will be there.

“Is there someone else ruling in his stead?”

“One of his friends from way back, Bill Sullivan, is filling in for him. He's also known as Bill the Pokemaniac. I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard of him.”

“I'd still rather explain it to as few people as possible.”

“Fair enough, but whatever you tell him he's gonna tell me. He wants to make sure he doesn't miss something that might be more helpful to Professor. Oak than he'd imagine.”

“What's your name?”

“Stephen Malgon.”

“Ok. This is a hard subject to talk about. The reasons I was refused permission to train Pokemon are painful to recall. If I do tell them to anyone, they stay between him and me.”

 

 

It looks like a whirlwind hit Professor. Oak's office just before I arrived. Pokemon books and loose papers are piled everywhere. There are actual Pokemon too, in glass jars with labels on them. Some of them are on the floor, where you could easily stand on them, sending jagged pieces of glass into your own flesh. It looks like one of the Pokemon has escaped, though I suspect it's now hidden it's self under some of the clutter by now. At least there are no socks or old pizza boxes on the scuffed, coffee stained desk that occupies most of the free space in the room. It doesn't seem to be Bill's fault though. Even if he has floppy, Hugh Grant style hair, he's certainly kept his clothes neat, even if they are literally two hundred years out of date. I begin to regret choosing to enter the Pokemon world if everything else in it is destined to be this eccentric.

“Hello, I'm Bill. I've been justifiably nicknamed the `True blue Pokemaniac.'”

“Vul Vulpix.”

He gets down on the ground now, shoving papers aside, trying to reach Vulcan's eye level. He ruffles his hair (or coat. I don't know what the technical term is.)

“I see your Vulpix recognises me.”

He stands up.

“I apologise for whatever inconvenience of Professor. Oak's sense of interior decoration might cause you. His impracticality exceeds even my own. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No. I admit my value system in regard to etiquette is old fashioned but I find it ingratiates me with most people. Please tell me how I can help you.”

“I want to start my Pokemon journey. You should have my licence somewhere here, though I won't blame you if it takes a few months to find it.”

“I have your file here also. It's not important but I need to check it as company policy. It's just a formality but those responsible for government bureaucracy can be very demanding. Perhaps you could assist me in finding it.”

Now I begin to worry at the though that yet another will discover the imperfections, to say the least, of my past, and reject me for them. I am forever trying to escape the shadow of similar “Formalities.” Non the less I search with him in the vein hope that avoiding the look of a small impropriety will ingratiate him towards me.

“Are you feeling all right? You appear to be shaking. Are you could? I could easily increase the temperature in here,” Bill says.

“No. I'm fine.”

 

_________________________________________________________________ ____

 

“Possession? Not with intent to distribute I hope. Is the explanation for your recent disappearance from the annuals of public life connected to incarceration?” he asks, after reading the newly found file for a couple of minutes.

“No, and it's behind me now anyway.”

“It appears to me that there's a strong possibility you've merely moved on to something even more self destructive. I wish I could say it's none of my business, but I am forced by law to approve your Pokemon licence in Professor. Oak's absence.”

I close my eyes and sigh tiredly. I imagine one of those dreams where your always trying to get to a goal in the distance, but it keeps moving further away. The thing I'm reaching out for in this dream is a sense of hope.

“Vul Pix Pix Vulpix Pix.”

“Vulcan's right. I've already been looking after him for a long time. They say we've all got to start somewhere. No one has ever given me a chance at this dream. Someone has to eventually don't they? Please! I just want to get away from all those things you've got written down.”

“In my view society does owe everyone a second chance, and your Vulpix certainly seems to respect you.”

“Vul Vulpix Pix.”

“He said he's called Vulcan.”

“Fair enough. Unfortunately I have no choice but to send your file to the gym leaders for approval. However, given the opinions I just expressed, I can assure you I will fight hard to persuade them on your behalf. If the majority agree to it I will give you the licence. If not it will be illegal for you to use your Pokemon in combat.”

At least he didn't have the power to separate Vulcan and me. I don't think I could stand that.

“I don't understand. I though the new government legislation states that if I have already been prosecuted for a previous crime, which happened at least five years ago, in which no one was injured, you would be allowed to train Pokemon.”

“Those principals were put in place to give equality to those who will never break the law again. Unfortunately I am concerned about future misdeeds you have the potential to commit.”

Vulcan is obviously on my side, growling menacingly at Bill, who looks down at him nervously. Despite how grateful I am to my Pokemon for his efforts, I decided it would be better to calm him down. I knell on the floor, to get to his eye level.

“I'm sorry…” Bill says looking down at me “…but there's nothing else I can do in this context. Return tomorrow at ten. I should have an answer for you by then.”