Like No One Ever Was (Pokemon SI)

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons

Shout out to my 21 Patreons supporting me, especially Ace Tier Patreon RageLord, thank you all so much!

"So, what sort of Pokemon should we get?" O'Nare asked expectantly of me, eliciting a surprised blink from me, sitting opposite her. The wind rushed by us as the Flying Taxi rapidly took Billy, O'Nare, and me to the Porto Marinada for the upcoming auction.

That wasn't the only place we were stopping by, however, as there was a Pokemon ranch not far off the port city, nearby the plains around Caseroya Lake. We elected to stop by there first to get my parents their first Pokemon.

"Well, that's entirely up to you. Any Pokemon can be strong, so if you're worried about that, don't be - I can make training plans to help you with whatever Pokemon you pick. So if you're worried about defending yourself or those around you, don't- well, you can put that to the side for the moment," I corrected at the last moment. I shouldn't be telling them not to have any fears, especially not after that big heart-to-heart we had before. They are going to worry, and there's nothing I can do to stop that. But they're also willing to trust me, and that's enough.

A tiny, niggling doubt wormed in my mind about the potential dangers of Turo and his experiment, but I squashed it with practiced ease. At this point, I don't even know if I or anyone will end up in danger. If my plan works, I'll be able to talk him down. If it doesn't… well, then I should at least have time to call my parents and let them know, as well as hopefully having the backing of the Pokemon League to stop him. He might be their golden goose, but being La Primera will give me a lot of weight to throw around.

Rationalization complete, I continued. "Just try and focus on getting to know the Pokemon and see how compatible you are. What they like and dislike, etc."

"But don't certain Pokemon act in certain ways? Like Meowth liking money?" O'Nare pointed out.

"Yes," I agreed hesitantly. "There are always outliers, though. And much like people, even a Pokemon that greatly fits a stereotype will have their own quirks and reasoning for their actions. It took me ages to figure out the real reason why Dun didn't immediately tunnel away from me when we met." He wasn't quite so battle-hungry or fierce back then. No, it was because he wasn't good at drilling into the ground. Now though, both of those things have changed; he could carve a tunnel miles long in no time at all but wouldn't turn away from a fight if he had the chance.

Pondering if I should mention how they would impact their partner Pokemon and change them, and be changed in turn, I closed my mouth upon truly looking at them. Their emotions were a flurry. The mild disappointment of quick, easy, simple answers faded fast with their optimism and excitement shining forth once again.

Literally shining, at least under my Aura Vision, which I consciously ignored. I tried not to pry into people's feelings too much with that aspect of my Aura. It felt more intrusive than picking out tells with my merely enhanced 'regular' eyesight. Also, it's not that accurate, and I don't want to become reliant on it. The only reason I'm relatively sure it's correct right now is because of how open they are with their emotions right now.

"How do you best understand what a Pokemon is feeling?" Billy asked. "If I'm to show them my best self, I need to know how to communicate with them."

"Oh, how dazzlingly Glitterati of you!" O'Nare swooned while I sighed.

"That's a tricky one. I admit, I don't have an exact guide for how signs or body language can be interpreted from other- from Pokemon. The best advice I can give is to establish basic concepts, yes or no stuff, easy-to-pick-up emotions, and just go from there in trying to learn more about them." It might be Aura that's helping me, or just what I've unconsciously picked up. In either case, it'll be tricky for them to learn quickly, not that we really have a time crunch.

I decided to clarify that point. "You also don't have to pick a Pokemon immediately. The auction isn't for a few days, and even after that, we'll spend some time practicing for our match against Tyme. And if you aren't certain by then, you don't have to make a decision right away!" My parents shared a quick glance, clearly bemused by their daughter lecturing them on such things.

At least they don't seem dismissive of my words. Though it's not like it isn't all true. Sometimes you connect with a Pokemon right away, but for many people, especially those not as interested in battling, it can take a while.

"Thank you," O'Nare said. "We appreciate your expertise on the matter. And perhaps we can show you a thing or two about how a Glitterati wins an auction," she proclaimed with a high laugh. That will be interesting to see. As much as my parents can have a skewed sense of money, for once, we're talking about something within their 'regular' price range. Will they just try to dominate the Lucarioite auction with money to crush out all the competition? I considered it for a moment before mentally discarding the idea. They've probably got shrewder plans than that. An auction like this will attract other big spenders too.

Despite how it was portrayed in the games, the auction house did announce what was going on sale ahead of time, at least for the rarer finds. It was still fairly short notice, but the wealthy and influential individuals of Paldea would have enough time to get to them, or at least contact someone nearby to bid on their behalf. I think there's even a small industry for stand-ins that live nearby and can be hired and directed to bid at the direction of their patrons for those that don't have the time to come.

We did, however, and my parents felt it would be a good experience for me to get a better understanding of what some of what life in our family's circles was like. Not that I haven't lived it, but… I've kinda avoided those things. With my physical age and lack of inclination, I haven't attended quite so many parties or social gatherings people of my family's stature would usually go to.

The Taxi descended near the ranch, and from above we could see how far it spread, the large penned field stretching out over the land. Not too far away from it, I could see a Pokemon Center atop the hill, overlooking Porto Marinada. It's funny; I know there wasn't anything like this in the games. Obviously, it couldn't have perfectly shown what really living here would be like, but it still feels a little surprising to see just how full of life the land is.

Exiting the taxi, we stood in front of the large building ahead of the field. A sign hung above stating 'Big Jim's Ranch.'. What is this, a used car dealership? Though, with the Cyclizar I saw dozing in the field, I suppose in some sense, it's not that far off.

Eagerly, my parents stepped up, Dad knocking on the door. There was a rustling sound inside before the door opened, revealing a stout man in a cowboy hat. His graying mustache almost hid the smile he flashed at us.

"Howdy there, I'm Big Jim."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Billy Glitterati, and this is my wonderful wife O'Nare and our adorable daughter Nemona."

"Pleasure. It's getting a bit late, but are ya'll here to check out the ranch?"

"Yes! We would be delighted to see all the Pokemon you have. Lead on!" O'Nare vibrantly declared.

"Whoa, whoa. Hold yer Ponytas. I'd be happy to help ya, but let's go over some ground rules first. Come on in," he waved us inside to a place that seemed like a cross between a reception and a living room.

"Mabel!" He called up the stairs, and a girl, the only other person I could hear in the house, came running down. She was a teenage girl with bright orange hair tied in pigtails and a smattering of freckles across her face.

"Yea?"

"Get our guests some refreshments, as well as the release forms." Jim turned back to us, gesturing for us to take a seat on the couch while he sat in a chair opposite us. "You mentioned wanting to take a gander at the Pokemon here. I take it that means you aren't settled on any particular Pokemon? We got a wide catalogue to peruse if ya'd like."

Mom shook her head. "No, our daughter advised us it would be best to get to know the individual Pokemon first."

"Well, I can't argue with that. All of our Pokemon here are top-notch, but it's always good to get to know them first if you have the chance. Though it's gettin' on in the day, we'll be closing the ranch soon to give them the chance to get some shut-eye. We got some rooms on the second floor ya'll can stay in to visit them bright and early in the morning, however."

"Thank you, but we've already booked a hotel room down in Marinada," Dad said. "We'll be eager to see you again in the morning, though." Probably a good thing too. This place is very well equipped for a hotel room, but it's not up to the levels of extravagance my parents are used to. They're never rude about it and are always so optimistic and bright, but I have noticed they're more comfortable when surrounded by the finer comforts.

"Sounds good. And are you looking for a Pokemon too, little missy?" Jim asked me, and I shook my head.

"Nah, I think I'm full up at the moment," I replied, hooking up my belt to clearly show off the seven Pokeballs on it. "Maybe in the future." Though I honestly doubt it. The service is nice for people who don't want or are not able to go out in the wilderness to meet new Pokemon, but if I wanted anyone else on my team, I'd go exploring for them.

"Whoa, you're Nemona!" Mabel exclaimed, having re-entered the room holding a stack of papers in one hand and a tray with some snacks and water with Pinap slices.

"You know this little lady?" Jim asked.

"She's a famous Trainer that's been doing great on the Gym Circuit! Everyone's talking about her online; she already has four badges." The cute girl gushed.

I couldn't help but brag a little. "Five, actually. Just beat Grusha today before we flew here. Oh, that reminds me." Turning to my parents, I said, "We should post the video of the fight up soon."

"Well, I'll be," Jim laughed. "Didn't expect to be meeting someone so famous." I raised an eyebrow slightly. Think Mom and Dad are still a fair bit more famous than I am. "What brought you out to my humble ranch?"

For a moment, part of me felt like deflecting before I shook it off. The question is harmless, and I don't have anything to hide. Besides, it is kind of unusual to beat a Gym Leader atop Glaseado Mountain and then fly down to Porto Marinada all in one day. "We were heading to the auction house, and your ranch was highly recommended. We thought we'd stop by to check it out before we needed to get there," I said.

"Can I see the video?" Mabel asked eagerly, practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Now honey, we got to give our guests time to check out the Pokemon first," Jim said, eliciting a pout from his daughter. "And that means going through the paperwork, just to make sure everythin' is above board and safe."

He led us through the paperwork quickly, summing up the process. Basically the forms were there to waive any right to press injury charges if we did something stupid (though I wasn't sure how binding that part could actually be), to understand that we couldn't get a refund after obtaining the Pokemon, and that we weren't allowed to catch any Pokemon on the ranch that hadn't been transferred to our care.

"Do people actually do that?" I asked, and Jim chuckled.

"No one has on our ranch, but I've heard all sortsa stories from other breeding ranches. Betta safe than sorry."

My parents read the paperwork quickly but thoroughly before signing it, and I did the same. From there, the father-daughter duo led us out to the ranch.

The long stretch of land was divided into different pastures, with different environments to suit the different Pokemon. The first was just open, grassy terrain, very flat. There were plenty of Pokemon of all sorts gathered there, though I noted that many of them were of the Field Egg group.

Beyond that was another very grassy stretch, but this one had many trees and thickets growing about. Grass and Bug Types skittered around within, as well as many Flying Pokemon perched above. I've seen instances of Pokemon that could be natural enemies co-operating in the wild, but it is rare, and hardly as peaceful as this place is. Feels a little weird with how close this is to the wilderness.

Much of that probably had to do with the staff guarding the place, both human and Pokemon. While the human handlers were easy to make out, there were a few Pokemon, like the Killowattrel flying overhead or some of the Granbull walking around the edges of the perimeters. They kept an eye on the Pokemon within and for any dangers that might approach from the outside, each wearing brass collars to indicate their position (and the fact that they were not up for sale adoption).

Or in the case of some of the more aquatic Pokemon, a fin ring, like on the Gyarados in the third section. It had many ponds dug into the ground, with a canal network connecting them. There was plenty of space for some land Pokemon as well, especially those that enjoyed being nearby the water.

There's also some that don't seem to fit, like that Camerupt, which looks like it'd be better suited to the final section, all rocky and barren where the Carkoals are playing. Then again, there are a couple of inconsistencies, but it looks like the Pokemon are free to wander between sections so long as they don't cause any problems.

A bit of roughhousing seemed to be fine, a Raichu watching over a Growlithe and Houndour pup play-fighting each other, but would quickly step in when disputes grew more serious. I shivered slightly, feeling the brass-collared Vespiqueen's Pressure from afar as she stepped in between a Tangela and Pidgey fighting over some berries, the two quickly losing interest in the fight at her intervention.

"Whadya think?" Mabel asked, a big grin on her face as she saw us looking out over the field. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Billy and O'Nare watching it all in awe.

"So energetic!"

"All these Pokemon, each shining with Glitterati potential!"

My parents gushed over the Pokemon and the teenager laughed. "Well, go on! Feel free to get to know them." She passed them some bags of PokeTreats and the two of them nearly sprinted off to greet the Pokemon.

I couldn't help but laugh joyously at the sight, which prompted a question from the girl beside me. "Are you gonna visit the Pokemon too?"

Shaking my head, I responded. "No, I've got plenty of Pokemon right now, so I'll just watch for the moment." Also, I don't want to get too attached, because I know if I did, then I'd try to add them to my team, regardless of previous determinations. Pokemon are just too awesome!

There were plenty of incredible specimens on the ranch. While many of them were common Pokemon to Paldea, Flittles, Rockruffs, Wingulls, Pawmis, and the like, they were all in excellent condition. There were also several that couldn't be found easily here, like Cherrims and a Butterfree. Remember using one in a mono Bug Run for Ultra Sun. That was fun; Compound Eyes and Sleep Powder into Quiver Dance was great cheese.

There were many exclamations of joy and delighted surprise from my parents as they played with the Pokemon. Their 'Glitterati Generosity' led to them coming back several times to grab more bags of PokeTreats to feed the various ranch Pokemon. Sadly, the good times came to a close quickly, as Big Jim announced, "Alright, visitin' hours are over." When they came back, he asked, "Didja find any Pokemon you liked?"

"Oh, there was this absolutely adorable Hoppip-"

"Did you see the fur on that Tauros? Gleaming near Glitterati bright!"

"And the Oricorio danced wonderfully in the sunset-"

"What were those blue and red fish Pokemon?"

"Carvanha," I helpfully mentioned, barely heard over their energetic ramblings. The elder Glitteratis continued for a while, but it was clear from how they weren't settling in on any one Pokemon yet.

Something Jim noted as well. "Sounds like you got a big choice ahead of ya. Come back tomorrow; it'll give ya more time to get to know 'em," he said. We agreed and left, heading off to our hotel room for the night.

Spoiler: A/N:

Bit of a shorter chapter this time but that's just how the split worked this time. Hope that it was enjoyable regardless. If you liked it, please leave a comment here or join the the Discord to talk about it. And if you like my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the later get early access to the chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[unlawfulwaffle362]

I hope they get at least a Shuckle. Not only are they OP, they make booze too.

 

[Skyfyre]

I hope they get at least a Shuckle. Not only are they OP, they make booze too.

Click to shrink...

Shuckles are pretty strong. I've got one planned but it's for a different Trainer though.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter