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The Johto League

Chapter 4

A Couple Of Oddballs

    My brain froze. I was totally astonished. After years of listening to pokémon conversation, I had never, ever expected to hear one speaking words.

    While I tried to recover from the shock, Gary didn’t seem surprised at all. In fact, he was complaining.

    ‘You can’t keep him here! That Meowth’s a part of Team Rocket! They’ll be implementing some sort of scheme to steal all the pokémon!’

    ‘Now Gary, I’ve told you before - I don’t think a pokémon can be bad,’ Oak reminded his grandson. ‘I found this Meowth, tired and bruised, in a field not far from here, and I brought it home just like I would have done for any other pokémon. I think he tried not to say anything to keep his identity secret, but his mouth didn’t stay shut for very long. In any case, I hardly think that having a special gift is reason enough to turn away someone in need.’

    ‘Don’t you remember, Gramps?!’ Gary sounded annoyed. ‘Team Rocket showed up here just a few months ago and tried to steal all the pokémon other trainers keep here! He’s just a rotten criminal. I can’t believe you would consider giving that kind of pokémon out as a starter!’
‘Team Rocket?’ I asked, having re-engaged my brain. ‘I’ve heard of them. That notorious criminal group that’s been terrorising Kanto?’

    The Professor nodded. ‘Yes, but I still refuse to believe that any pokémon can be evil on its own. They can only be directed or persuaded to do such things by heartless people. And I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to research pokémon rehabilitation.’

    ‘One flaw in dat theory,’ the Meowth spoke, ‘is that I decided to join Team Rocket all by myself.’

    I knelt down to get a better look. I’d never seen a Meowth before, but this one looked perfectly normal. Apart from the fact that it stood up on its hind legs like a person. The huge change from a cat pokémon’s natural posture scared me a bit. Still, I felt some sort of connection with this strange Meowth. Perhaps, being able to speak and decipher each other’s language, we shared an understanding.

    ‘Meowth? How is it that you can speak human language? I’ve never heard of any pokémon able to do that.’

    ‘I taught myself how to walk and talk like humans do. What’s it to you?’ he spoke with an arrogant tone, which I hardly noticed, as I was still in awe that he was speaking at all.

    ‘Well, I just… I can understand anything that pokémon say. Even if I’ve never met them before.’

    Meowth lost his attitude immediately and looked up, interested. ‘Really?’

    ‘Yeah. I always have. And I don’t know why.’

    I felt a pang of sympathy for the little pokémon as he scratched his head in confusion. Gary, however, still wouldn’t trust him.

    ‘If he walks and talks like a human, I don’t see why he couldn’t be evil like a human too.’ Gary sneered. ‘If you joined up with Team Rocket voluntarily, how’d you end up here?’

    Meowth appeared to be offended. ‘Hey, even the Professor said that pokémon can be misguided. I only wanted wealth and power so people would stop looking at me like an outcast. Is fame and fortune too much to ask for?’ Gary snorted. ‘I left because I realised that my dream just wouldn’t come true. I abandoned the only way of life I’ve ever known, and the only friends I had. Can’t I have a second chance?’

    I couldn’t wait any more. I prepared myself to ask the question I’d wanted to ask a pokémon all my life.

    ‘Look, Meowth, my name’s Holly, and I want to be the best trainer the world’s ever seen. The only problem is, I need a pokémon to get me started. As it turns out, it’s harder than it sounds. I want you to be my starter. What do you say?’

    Meowth paused for a moment, looking reminiscent, as if remembering a long-forgotten dream. Then he scowled and looked away. ‘No way. I ran away looking for freedom, not to be stuck in a tiny ball all day at the mercy of some human.’

    ‘But I’m not just some human!’ I protested, desperately trying to persuade him. ‘I wouldn’t keep you in a pokéball if you don’t want to. I have great dreams, and we could achieve them together. A life of crime isn’t the only way to fame and fortune.’

    Meowth glanced up and softened his expression. ‘Kid, you’ve got a lot of spirit. But I’m no fighting pokémon. I can only do two attacks, and since learning to be more like a human put my life as a true pokémon behind me, I can’t learn any more. Besides, I hate fighting, and I’ve probably only won one fight in my life.’

    ‘Ah, so that explains it,’ Professor Oak chipped in. ‘I got some very abnormal readings when I did some basic status scans. That must have been what caused it.’

    ‘Yeah, that’s right,’ Meowth muttered to himself spitefully. ‘Abnormal Meowth. Meowth the freak. That weird pokémon nobody wants to be with.’

    I leaned over to scratch the top of Meowth’s head. For a moment I wondered if it was the wrong thing to do, but Meowth didn’t protest. In fact, he liked it.

    ‘Well I do. Meowth, you’re the most amazing pokémon I’ve ever met. I don’t care if you think you can’t fight – I’ll start small and work my way up.’ I remembered trying to bargain with a Caterpie the other day, and carried on more determined than ever, ‘Think about it, you could be part of the best pokémon team ever assembled. We could go from continent to continent, winning our way through leagues. And you’d be famous. People would see you and say, “that’s the starting pokémon of one of the greatest trainers who ever lived”. I don’t just want a pokémon; I need a partner.’

    Meowth stopped to seriously think about it. ‘Hmm… I left to get a fresh start, after all…heh, why not. I’ll do it!’

    ‘You… you will?!’ I jumped up, grinning with ecstasy. ‘Yes! I finally have a pokémon!’
Gary looked slyly at his grandfather. ‘What is it with you and giving away weird starter pokémon?’

    Oak smiled. ‘Just a habit, I guess.’ Then he dug in his pocket and handed something to me. ‘Here you go, five new pokéballs to start your journey with.’

    ‘Wow!’ I accepted them gratefully. ‘Thanks Professor!’

    He turned to search in a nearby drawer and found a small red device. ‘Here it is, one of my pokédexes. You can have this to help you identify other pokémon you come across. I gave one to Gary too, when he became a trainer, in case he discovered any new pokémon for me.’ He handed me the pokémon encyclopaedia. ‘It will also serve as your trainer ID, and you can set it to auto-teleport any pokémon you catch over 6, so you aren’t breaking any rules.’

    I felt privileged. ‘Only a handful of trainers in the world get pokédexes!’ I gasped.

    ‘Well, when you get back home I suggest you change the settings so that your captured pokémon are transported to your Pokémon Representative, and not to me. Oh, and one more thing…’ Professor Oak pointed the Pokédex sensor at Meowth and proceeded to scan. Then he typed on the keypad before handing it back to me. ‘If you’re going to travel without a Pokéball for your starter, it needs to be registered to you. Pokéball capture automatically registers your new pokémon, but this time it needs to be done manually.’

    ‘Meowth. Currently registered to Holly Evergreen,’ chimed the Pokédex.

    That’s when it really sunk in. This pokémon was registered to me, and only me. We would be partners. We would be great. We would be the best duo ever!

    I held Meowth in my lap during the ride home on Fearow. Despite being an oddball, he was still a cute little furry thing at times. And the funny way he talked was starting to grow on me.

    ‘Are you sure you really want to go on a journey with a weird pokémon like me? I can’t guarantee that I’ll be any good,’ he said sadly.

    ‘I think it’s great!’ I smiled, ‘a human that speaks pokémon and a pokémon that speaks human! I couldn’t have asked for a better partner!’