Nuzlocke: The Gold Standard Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Begin At The Beginning.

How to Begin a Story – Dark and Stormy Nights, A Lack of – The Bedroom Symphony – A Small Surprise – The Author Attempts to Explain a Mystery - Reflections on Towns by a Soon-to-be Trainer - An Inadvisable Wardrobe - Professor Elm's Curious (but Highly Professional) Studies - The Incorrect Starter - Not Much of an Adventure - The Wicked Witch of Route 40 - The Amazing Appearing Professor - An Unfortunate Collision


There are many stories in the world, and many of them have certain ways of beginning. Dark and stormy nights. Mysterious coaches/storms/swords that have been handed through generations. Tales of How The World Used To Be. You know. The classics. People may call them clichéd, but they only become clichés by being the hammers and screws of an author's toolkit. These faithful old classics have served well, and have done well most stories over the course of literary history.

This, however, is not most stories. For a start, it's only one of them. But even so, this is not the way most stories behave. If it was then Colin would be an Espeon, Lee would have got his date, certain people would not have died the way they did (or, ideally, at all), and some particular figures wouldn't have shown their faces in this particular series. That's how it should have gone. And we'd all finish and be better people, even The Author and the readers in a certain way. Instead, like many people since the dawn of time, some people will finish upset, annoyed, stressed or, like almost everyone since the dawn of time, dead. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. The best we can hope for is to have an enjoyable time until then, and if we can't wait for a dark and stormy night then we'll just have to go ahead without one.

Here goes nothing…


---


It did, at least, have the common decency to start in a small town away from most of the world. And, even better, it began on the morning that a youngster would embark into the wider world on his own on a fetch quest epic journey. If one was to look through the window of the house in which he lived (without attracting police attention) then one would be able to see him sleep, possibly dreaming of his future glories…

He shouldn't be snoring. That ruins things somewhat.

The noise from his mouth was eventually broken somewhat daringly by his alarm clock, which despite the overwhelming opposing majority was declaring that it was time to get up.  It didn't work. It simply added to the existing aural assault, providing an uncertain and irregular bass role. Any minute now a bird outside is going to start tweeting a counter-melody, and when that happens there's nothing left but for The Author to get out Pokemon Platinum and hope that a new run turns out better this time.

Fortunately this did not happen, as an overriding new part was added to the impromptu composition. It went something like this:

'TIME TO GET UP, SWEETIE!'

And the kind of dischords this creates can naturally only lead to the whole piece collapsing. Shame, in a way, but it least meant we can finally start the story. About time, too.

Slowly, Mike opened an eye.

He didn't like getting up in the mornings. And today was shortly after his birthday too, and the last thing he wanted to do was to get up. Still, there wasn't much chance of getting another wink now.

'I'VE GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU!' came his mum's cheerful voice from downstairs.

Mike yawned, stretched slowly and levered himself out of bed. Time for a new day. And, if he could guess what this surprise was, it'd be a pretty good one too.

The mysterious onlooker from the window might have been surprised at what they saw happen over the next few minutes. Whilst Mike didn't like getting up in the slightest, he was unknowingly very good at it. After the original bleariness was dispersed he was actually pretty much on all cylinders within a few minutes. Casually humming a tune that DJ Ben, one of his favourite musicians ever, played every Saturnday, he pulled on a red jacket and reached out to the small bedside table to pick up something. It wasn't there. It took him a few seconds of feeling around before he remembered with a sigh that his Pokegear was still in for repairs. Still, it'd be fine. It'd be back soon.

'YOUR BREAKFAST'S GOING COLD, MICK!' came another cheery shout.

Mike gritted his teeth. Regardless of the fact that it happened to be his actual name, he still hated being called that. 'COMING!' he shouted, grabbed his cap from where it always hung on the doorhandle and hurried downstairs.

'Hey, mum,' he said as he hurried downstairs, combing his hair as he went, 'you said there was a-'

'Surprise!' came his mum's cheery reply. Just below her bright smile, her opened hand held out-

Mike's smile broke open. 'Oh, no way!'

'They got it finished really quickly!' his mum answered the unspoken question. 'I knew you'd be pleased to have it back.'

'You bet I am!' Mike said with a smile as he re-strapped the new, fixed Pokegear to his wrist where he always kept it. 'Seriously, thanks so much.'

'Oh, I'm not the one who fixed it. Now, come and have your breakfast before it congeals.'


---


'So, is there anything you were planning to do today?' Mike asked as his mum finished folding up the sofa bed. He still never really understood why she preferred to sleep there, and whenever he asked his mum had simply smiled knowingly. Best not to ask.

'Oh, you know. The usual stuff. Nothing special.'

'Oh, right. In that case, I was going to head out for a bit. Don't worry, I'll be back by lunch-'

An arm barred the door. 'I don't think so.'

'Um, mum…?'

His mum smiled. 'There is another surprise, you know…'

'Uh, what…'

'You're about to be…'

There was an awkward silence.

'… An… official Pokemon trainer!'

Mike stared at the small card that his mum had produced from a pocket. '… Seriously? Really?!'

'Seriously. Congratulations, darling.'

Mike took the card in awe and turned it over. 'Woah… I've been looking forward to this for ages…'

'I know, sweetie,' his mum said in the sympathetic voice that mothers use in just this sort of occasion. 'Well done.'

'Well… in that case…' Mike paused slightly as he realized he could now say this, before loudly announcing 'I'm off to Prof. Elm's lab to get my starter!'

'Go get 'em, honey.'

'I will do! Thanks, mum! I've gotta go!'

The door swung shut within a few seconds.

Mike's mum sighed happily. 'That kid… Still, good he's happy. I wonder which starter he'll pick up…'

She bustled off, the thought of having a cute little Pokemon around making her smile.


---


'Ahh…' Mike stretched and yawned slightly in the sunshine. Small as it might be, he liked New Bark Town. It was refreshing. You got some peace and quiet to yourself and people actually knew each other, rather than big cities like Goldenrod or Saffron. They were great places, he knew, he'd been a few times, but you didn't get this sort of peace that you got in a small town like New Bark. It was really nice.

He gave a little smile thinking of Goldenrod City. He'd be heading there sometime soon, but not for shopping. He'd have a Gym to tick off…

'Hey!' A sudden gust of wind made his much-loved (or at least much-worn) cap fly off through the air, prompting much shouting and what would have been public spectacle if there'd been much of a public as he chased after it across the small village. After a desperate cartoon-style leap he managed to grab it, only to tumble to the ground and hit something as he fell. It was only after looking up that he realized that it was someone's leg.

'Oh, sorry!'

'You'd better be!'

Mike slowly raised his eyes. There was a lot of black, for some reason, except it wasn't real black. This was the slightly lighter black of someone trying to say 'I'm a very mysterious and suspicious person', rather than proper black, which simply meant that you couldn't find a differently coloured jacket that morning. There was also red edging, which was probably him trying to say 'I'm a lot meaner than I look' in the most sophisticated way he could think of, which surely must be some sort of oxymoron. It occurred to Mike that a lot of money had been spent on a wardrobe whose only intention was to make you look like you'd just been rejected by Team Rocket. He was wearing purple outdoor trousers. Mike subjected this to some thought and couldn't come up with a decent reason why.

Crowning above it all, an angry expression glared down from it position between large amounts of unnaturally red hair.

'Well?'

'What? Oh, sorry.' Mike pulled himself up. 'You ok?'

'Hmph.' The boy went back to what he'd been doing, namely, staring the window in front of him into…

'Oh hey, that's the Pokemon Lab!' Mike said, excited to see in it with a soon-to-be Trainer's perspective. 'You getting your starter too?'

There was silence from the other trainer, then 'Yeah. Kind of.'

'Cool! Which one are you going for-'

'Why don't you just shut up,' the boy said aggressively, turning to glare at Mike, 'and find out when I'm the League Champion?'

'Sorry, just asking-'

'Push off!'

This was accompanied by a hard shove, before the boy turned back to the window, muttering under his breath.

Mike dusted himself off. What's his problem? he thought, but had enough sense to not actually open his mouth. Besides, he had more important things to do at the moment.

After all, he was outside the Elm Pokemon Lab.


---


'Er, excuse me…'

'Quiet, please.'

Mike stalled. 'Sorry?'

The Aide lifted his head from the design schematic. 'Could you please be quiet? Sorry, but Professor Elm is in the midst of some highly complex and professional research, and he needs the utmost peace for his results to come out correctly.'

There was the sudden sound of several loud bangs from the back of the lab, followed by a 'No! Bad! Down, boy!' and the unmistakable noise of something being hit repeatedly against a table edge.

'I'm sure you understand,' the Aide said.

'Um, ok… What's he working on?'

'I believe he's currently working on Pokemon that evolve when subjected to conditions different to the usual experience or stones. Did you know, for example, that some only evolve when happy?'

'Really?'

'Yes. Strange creatures, aren't they?'

There was a loud growl, a curiously electrical buzzing, a thump and then a relieved voice saying 'Right, that's the last of them.'

'Ah, I think he's finished,' the Aide commented. 'Do you need him for something?'

'He told me to come and see him. I'll, uh, go in now.' Mike stepped into the back of the lab in time to see Professor Elm pull a chair upright. There were some rather curious marks on the walls, not all of them burns.

'Ah, much better,' the Professor said relievedly, before turning round and discovering that he had company. 'Oh, er, ah! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there! Sneaky one, aren't you… er, Mike, wasn't it?'

'Yes, Professor,' Mike said, very carefully stepping over the patches on the floor, some of which sizzled. 'I, er, given that it was my birthday last week, I'm here for-'

Elm smiled and waved a hand. 'Oh, I know what you're here for. Every kid does eventually, no? Just a second.' He climbed up on top of a table and from a shelf high on the wall extracted a rack of three Pokeballs from many other sets like them that lined the shelves all up the wall. Carefully climbing down, he placed them on the table before Mike. 'These, my lad, are the official starter Pokemon.'

Mike looked at the names written on the rack below the Balls. He wasn't an expert on Pokemon – not yet, anyway – but he had a vague felling that they weren't quite right.

'These Pokemon,' Elm continued with the smile of motivational speakers throughout the multiverse, 'will go on to be one of your best friends throughout life's journey, will provide joy and excitement with others and will help you even in losses and deaths. They will be your invaluable partner. Choose, my lad.'

'Uh…' Mike looked at the Pokeballs again, then lifted one out. 'In that case, my starter Pokemon shall be Kingdra-'

'Not them!' Elm suddenly shouted as he swiped the rack and ball out of Mike's hand and hurriedly put them back in their position on the shelves. 'I'm so sorry, those are some the Pokemon we currently using in our research into how types weaknesses balance each other out. Ahem.' He reached out a different rack of three Balls from slightly lower down the wall, which he placed on the table. 'These are the official starter Pokemon.'

'Right.' Mike looked faintly unimpressed. Nevertheless his eyes scanned over the three Pokeballs. 'Hm… I choose…'

His fingers wrapped over a Pokeball and lifted it out. After holding it for a few seconds he said 'This one!' and pressed the button.

A red light spewed out of the Ball onto the floor, eventually reforming into the shape of a small, green, quadruped creature that looked up at him as if expectant.

'Chikorita?' Elm said. 'Hm, not many people go for that one.'

Mike didn't reply. It was dawning on him that if he was going to be sending Pokemon into battle all the time, it would be better if his jaw didn't visibly drop whenever it came out of the Pokeball. 'I don't mind. I like this one.' He reached down to the Chikorita. 'Hi there, little guy.'

Chikorita smiled widely almost instantly. 'Hiya! Nice to meet you!'

'Mike's your Trainer now, Chikorita,' Elm explained. 'You're going to go with him now, understand.'

'Got it!' Chikorita replied cheerfully. He turned to Mike. 'Hi, I'm Sammy!'

'Uh, hi,' Mike said with a slightly awkward smile. 'I'm Mike. Nice to meet you.'

'Actually, Mike, while you're here,' Elm cut into the moment, 'could you possibly do a favour for me?'

'Sure, what?'

'Oh, good. See, one of my friends who lives past Cherrygrove that we all call Mr. Pokemon says he has something very important for me, but I'm a little,' he gestured to the burnt and steaming walls, 'busy at the moment. I couldn't ask you to go for me?'

'Sure!' Mike looked down at Sammy. 'Want to come out with me on a little trip?'

'Yeah!' Sammy raised a leg as if striking a dramatic pose. 'Let's go get 'em!'

'Eager, isn't he?' Elm said with a raised eyebrow. 'Thanks, Mike. Come back safe with the, well, whatever it is. Ok?'

Mike nodded. 'Ok. Let's go, Sammy.'

'Yeah! Let's go!'

As the two walked out, the whole course of the story may have turned out differently if they had noticed the red-haired and darkly-expressioned boy stood outside.


---


'So, where are we going?'

Mike smiled as the pair strolled along Rt. 29 towards Cherrygrove City. 'We're just going over to Elm's friend's house to pick something up. Sorry, it's not much of an adventure.'

'I don't mind,' Sammy said with a smile. 'I just love travelling anyway.'

Mike smiled. 'You know Sammy, I like you already.'

Sammy paused, frowned as if thinking and then said 'Um, how do you know my name's Sammy?'

'I, er…' Mike sighed. 'I just know what Pokemon are saying, ok? I didn't want to mention it at the Lab. I mean, no-one has a problem with it, I just didn't want to make it awkward. You ok with this?'

Sammy, naturally, bounced back cheerily 'I think it's really cool! It's great to have a trainer that actually understands what I'm saying!' He paused and smiled awkwardly. 'I really like you, you know. You seem like a really nice guy.'

Mike smiled back. 'Same here, Sammy.' He suddenly bent low and snatched up the little Chikorita, who laughed delightedly. 'I mean, if we're going to start of together, it probably helps if we both like each other, eh?'

'Yeah! Let's go!'

'Got it!'


---


The house hadn't exactly been easily accessible. At the back of the Route, up against the rock side, surrounded by trees and tall grass, it was just some screeching crows, a murky moonlit evening and some gingerbread frosting from being your standard witch's cottage. Eventually Mike braved himself to knock on the front door. It did not echo like the crack of doom, and Mike suddenly realized that he'd been expecting it to.

'Come in,' a man's voice called from inside.

Carefully, Mike pushed the door open, Sammy following behind. A fairly old man looked up as they did so from where he appeared to have been drinking tea. 'Ah, hello there! I don't get that many young visitors! Please, make yourself at home. What brings you here?'

'Er, Professor Elm sent me,' Mike replied, when it became apparent that he wasn't going to be pushed into an oven. 'He said that you had something you wanted to give him. Er. Do you?'

'Hm? Ah, yes! Thank you for reminding me! Just a second, please.' Mr. Pokemon – for it was he – strode over to a desk-like table and carefully lifted a large egg from off it. 'This little treasure is quite the rarity. I imagine he'll have a field day with it, don't you?'

'Oh, most definitely,' Professor Oak replied as he stood up.

As Mike remarked later, it wasn't as if Oak had been hiding or anything. He'd simply been sat at the table very quietly drinking tea and had faded into the background. It was a trick of the mind. He'd become as unnoticeable as the very best of serving staff. Then he'd suddenly moved and Mike had realized that there were in fact three people in the room. It was so surprising that he almost fell over.

'He always loves that kind of thing,' Oak commented as Sammy stared and tried to work out how the old man had magically appeared in the building. 'I remember when I worked with him once on a particular project. A great mind, of course, yet absent-minded at the same time. How very paradoxical.' He turned to Mike and smiled. 'I'm so sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I am Professor Oak. And you?'

'Um, Mike,' Mike replied. 'Are you seriously Professor Oak?'

'Why, you think I do it for humorous purposes? I'm afraid I don't.'

'But you're really famous! You've got a radio show and everything!'

Oak smiled. 'And yet I am not allowed to visit a friend and colleague of mine? Professors get time off, you know.'

'Elm takes quite a bit of time off, I'd say,' Mr. Pokemon said with a smile.

'Evidently not,' Oak replied smoothly, 'otherwise this fine lad wouldn't be here. Now, knowing Elm, he wouldn't even think of letting you come all the way out here without your own Pokemon, yes? May I see the creature in question?'

Sammy was produced.

'Hm…' Oak stroked Sammy and tickled him under the chin, making him laugh. 'What a cute little fellow. I can see that he's happy, so you must be taking good care of him. That's good in a Trainer.' He looked back up at Mike. 'You know, I think you have a lot of potential. Maybe have a word with Elm about the League Challenge.'

Mr. Pokemon raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing. Mike was just astounded to have Professor Oak – the Professor Oak, Gary 'Blue' Oak's grandfather – tell him that he had potential. Wow…

'Thank you for this. Anyway, I must be leaving now anyway. I've got to be in Goldenrod in ten minutes for my next radio recording.' He waved a hand as Mr. Pokemon opened his mouth. 'Oh, don't offer me transport. The walk does me good. Anyway, I find that one of the perks of old age is that you can be as late, deaf or confused as you like and no-one can object. So long for now.' Humming the tune that played over his Pokemon Talk Show, Professor Oak walked out.

A hand landed gently on Mike's shoulder. 'I think you should head back too,' Mr. Pokemon said from behind him. 'After all, you have an Egg to deliver. Best of luck to you, sir.'

Mike nodded. 'Thank you, sir.' He looked down. 'Let's go, Sammy.'

'Alright!'

Unfortunately Mike had barely got out the door before his Pokegear went off, holding it up to his ear, he opened the call.

It was Professor Elm. He sounded stressed.

'Mike!'

'Yes, Professor?'

'Get back here quickly! There's been a disaster!'

Mike thought back to the curious stains in the Lab earlier. 'Will I be able to help with that kind of thing, sir?'

'Just get back here! I want all the help I can manage!'

'Coming,' Mike said with a faint sigh. 'Come on, Sammy. Let's see what Elm's pets have done this time.'

'Alright,' Sammy replied, a touch of concern in his voice.

At a slight run, the pair hurried back along the Route and rounded the corner into Cherrygrove City. Unfortunately, this left Mike in the perfect position to crash into someone for the second time that day, and this time he was considerably less happy about it.