Chapter 4 - Norman, Caroline, and Birch
Lilycove City, William's Ranch
"Ian, can you help me hold this bucket?" A woman holding a bucket extended it towards Ian to hold.
"Sure" Ian answered and took the bucket. The woman in front of him was his 2nd uncle's fiancee, Macy, and she was currently helping the elders on managing the ranch and also the deputy gym leader of Lilycove City in which the gym leader was his uncle Azim. They were supposed to marry each other but due to an unforeseen accident his uncle was injured and was in a coma for 5 years. This is also why his parents were working hard to get Xerneas' blessing to help Azim.
With Ian was his pokemon which were Charmeleon, Ralts, and Trapinch. Also with them is Budew and Azurill with Azurill being the oldest pokemon being Azurill for 5 years while Cleffa who was only 3 days old.
One week since he transmigrated he focused his study on these six pokemon with him. Taking note of the notebook he received from the system.
Charmeleon the pokemon he got from his father,it was a male and its nature was brave and unlike other Charmeleon who liked to thrash and fight, his Charmeleon was highly curious about new things. As of the moment the moves he recorded used by Charmeleon basing it on his memory were first Flamethrower, Dragon and Metal claw and knowing the two moves it also knew Slash attack. It also knows Dragon rage.
As for his Ralts, unlike those on anime his ralts was an Impish brat, he doesn't know where it got its nature on making someone angry on it before it quickly flees away using teleport. Ian noted to his notebook that because of its action its had a great growth on its growl attack and teleport in which it could efficiently and quickly use teleport when it felt someone was angry on it when it finished talking to other pokemon. And Ian felt that his Ralts were trashtalking to those angry pokemon.
As for his Trapinch it would only listen to him when he fed it and for the other times it just quietly waited in the kitchen to be fed. Azurill was a very polite pokemon, while Budew was often lost in thought. While Cleffa like Ralts was a headache as these two always make Ian clean up their mischief by apologizing to the pokemons by giving 'treats' from the system and for his elders he and his pokemon got a scolding.
After following Macy they returned to the house for breakfast, as to why the elders want Ian to help Macy in the ranch? Well the reason is that the doctor advised his family that he needed exercise and to move around. Thankfully Ian didn't inherit the weak body of his predecessor.
When they returned to the house Ian saw Grandpa Yun at the table reading the newspaper and he saw the news in the back of the newspaper which was 'Pokemon Contest'.
"Oh? Ian you're back, where's Macy?" Grandma Talya showed up from the kitchen carrying the breakfast for the four of them.
"Aunt Macy said that she needs to clean herself before she eats" Ian replied as he turned his attention back to the newspaper.
"Then why did you immediately come here? You should also clean up yourself." Grandma told off Ian but when she saw that her grandson's attention was on the newspaper she shifted her gaze on it.
"They will hold the Grand Festival here in Lilycove?" Grandma Talya exclaimed as she was also a fan of the pokemon contest as they showed pokemon's strength and beauty more than the regular battle.
"Maybe that brat Juan will be one of the judges for this festival. After all he wouldn't let a chance slip to know a talented coordinator to become one of their ambassadors. He and the Contest Committee spread pokemon contests to other regions." Grandpa Yun said as he flipped his newspaper to read the news. "Sure enough he will be one of the judges. Can't he just focus on running his gym?"
'Juan? Isn't he a top coordinator and the Sootopolis gym leader?' Ian remembered the mustache guy who was Wallace's teacher in the anime and like Wallace his ace pokemon was Milotic but he didn't know if the two of them were really using Milotic as their ace.
"It can't be helped, afterall it was his dream to spread the beauty of the pokemon contest." Grandma Talya laughed as he looked at her husband's complicated expression. "But your student is still a strong trainer, you know after all he saved his city from the water pokemon riot. Which is hard to guard against."
'Student!' Ian was shocked to hear that Juan was his grandpa's student but thinking about it his mother was an elite four, his uncles were also elite trainers so it was impossible for his grandparents to be just rich people. Well his grandma also had a special ability from Celebi so you could say that she is a strong trainer.
Now that I think about it, Cynthia and Diantha were also future champions in their own region. Ugh don't tell me I'm the black sheep of this family.' Ian also tried a mock battle against Diantha, a 3v3 fight but he only barely defeated her Kirlia. 'Well Kirlia was her ace in the anime and games but she had that Braixen, how the hell Charmeleon got defeated with one Fire Blast.'
But he remembered about the grand festival so he excitedly asked his grandparents.
"Grandpa! Grandma! I want to watch a Pokemon contest!"
"Oh you want to watch the grand festival?" Grandma Talya asked her excited grandchild as she looked at her husband who also wanted to join the fun but was hesitating to see his student due to the unfavorable separation.
"Yes!!" Ian answered immediately, oblivious to his grandpa's emotion, Ralts, who can read someone's emotion and has a confused expression as he looks at Grandpa Yun.
"Okay sure after all it will be happening here in the city." Grandma Talya nodded as Macy entered the dinner hall when Grandma Talya continued "Macy let's eat and also I want to tell you that we will be meeting our friends tomorrow with Ian. So please help us take care of the ranch. Do you have any challenger tomorrow?"
"No trainer asks to challenge the gym mom, you can rest assure." Macy shook her head as she sat down. When Macy sat down they could finally begin their breakfast.
"Thank you for the food"
________________________
After their meal Ian returned to the ranch to learn more about the pokemon. First he noted the characteristics of Charmeleon, his starter pokemon.
'Even though Charmeleon's flame on its tail looks hot but when you are trusted by them you wouldn't feel anything aside from warm, this is normal to most fire type pokemon. But most Charmeleon have an aggressive personality which can burn their trainer. Hmm.. In terms of move Blaze know Flamethrower, Fire spin, Iron Claw, Dragon Claw, Smokescreen, and Ancient Power. Unlike in the game which the pokemon forget their old moves for new ones but here for pokemon to learn new moves they need to improve their present move. Like Charmeleon who was once a Charmander who know Scratch and Ember but with the increase of their level their move also improves. Ember turned to Flamethrower and Fire Spin, Scratch turned to Slash before it became metal claw and dragon claw. Charmeleon also learned Dragon rage from its Ember but his dragon rage is close to becoming a dragon breath or dragon pulse. '
'Ralts is more like a child but I can't identify specific characteristics of Ralts as it always teleports. But what I can see is that this Ralts of mine prefer to sneak attacks for prank it even learn shadow sneak, and after pranking it would always use 'growl' before escaping with teleport, making those Pokemon angry, but why do I feel that it was just trash talking. Ralts was talented as it can use teleport, confusion, and shadow sneak at ease. Its growl can become a taunt'
Trapinch on the other hand was a lazy pokemon that always waited for food but when I purposely didn't feed it, this lazy bone caused chaos in the kitchen to get some food. It is where I learned that it knew sand tomb, and sandstorm aside for its bite and crunch. Hah what a trainer I am. If only I had those probing eyes or identification or something.
Ian continues on 'harassing' the pokemon while giving them payment as the time passed by Ian got at the edge of the ranch. With the elders' help Ian learned many things about the pokemon which he couldn't learn in games and anime. Like Zigzagoon, Ian thought that their fur would be like a spike but I was wrong as it only looked like a spike with their zigzag stripe patterns. Magnectric's fur was erected due electric charges on its body.
While studying different pokemon Ian also gave them moomoo milk. Because of his bribe he barely became friends with the pokemons easily, especially young ones.
Ian sighed as he was really in the pokemon world now, when before he was only dreaming about it. He was just afraid if the exaggerated pokedex entries were true. Like Gardevoir creating a black hole if they wanted, then this means the world is dangerous right?
Beautifly~
Beautifly~
The sudden sound got Ian's attention and shifted his attention above to see a flock of Beautifly.
"Woah!! Azu, Ralts, Dew a flock of Beautifly! Let's follow them!" Ian exclaimed and ran following the flock of Beautifly forgetting about his ace Charmeleon who was sleeping under the tree.
Budew immediately followed Ian, Azurill hesitated but still decided to follow, and Ralts puffed his chest before teleporting away. Charmeleon who woke up only to see everyone gone so he called out for the four brats, one child and 3 pokemon and couldn't find them.
"Char! Charmeleon" Ian, brats where the hell are you guys!
Now that his trainer gained a healthy body he became so energetic and couldn't stay still. Oh how I miss my old trainer who only like to sit still and read books. Charmeleon could only try searching for the four brats.
_________
Ian and the three followed the Beautifly, they found themselves in a garden full of flowers. A Beautifly approached them and the three pokemon became tense.
Mi~ (Now this is a problem) Budew said
Azu~ (I know) Azurill nod
Mi~ (I could teleport away) Ralts
Azurill being the responsible one went in front facing the approaching pokemon.
"Its okay everyone, Beautifly is a friend"
Fly~
Beautifly dance around them ( not courtship dance) as it lead the group to a flower field but stop when they heard a sound, a human voices coming towards the flower field.
"Wow what a beautiful place!" a lady exclaimed as she kneel down to take a flower. When Ian saw her, he remembered the lady as she was Macy's friend and left her pokemon on their ranch. Her two pokemon were a Sealeo and a Lapras, who were one of Ian's researched pokemon as the two pokemon were good natured so they became Ian's first target.
'Right, she's also close to Grandma'
Then a Beautifly flew near the lady and the lady stretched her arm and the Beautifly landed on her hand.
"Hello Beautifly" the lady played with the Beautifly as a man a with flowers in his hand showed up shifting her attention from Beautifly to the man.
"Caroline" the man called out as he slowly helped Caroline "You need to be careful, you're still a patient you know."
"I know I know" Caroline giggled as she look at Norman and saw that he was bringing a bouquet but couldn't help but laugh "Hahahaha,Norman you brought me flowers in a flower garden full of flowers?"
Norman blushed after hearing that and couldn't help but feel embarrassed as it was one of the ideas given to him by his friend.
When Ian heard how the two addressed themselves he remembered that Norman and Caroline were the parents of May and Max, the protagonist of Pokemon Advance, specially Norman who was the gym leader in Hoenn.
[Do you want to sign-in?]
'Huh?!'
Just as he was about to leave so that the couple could have their sweet moment, the system immediately notified him. 'But I already signed in for this day.' Ian was confused as he already got his day reward which is a pokeball protector. 'A bug? Well I would take the chance then. Yes!'
[Congratulations 'System Update']
[Note:
I thank you for your continuous devotion for our system but due to some bug you couldn't use the system for many years. As a compensation we will be reforming your system into a mission system. Don't be worry as you won't be following a set path but the path you choose.
Live well. Please don't report me to that spiky big eyed cute menace.
Sincerely,
Leery]
[Installing....]
[Congratulations Host]
[Host Information:
{
Ian Reinhart
Age: 09
Rank: Beginner
Ability: Jirachi's Blessing, Descendant of the Forest, Ultra-aura (Bug)
Title: Descendant of Elite
Pokemon:
Charmeleon Lvl 26 (Beginner Rank)
Ralts Lvl 17 (Beginner Rank)
Trapinch 15 ( Beginner Rank)
}
[Please choose your trainer path]
'Spiky Big-eyed cute menace? Why add cute? Sigh… Even if you didn't give me a new system, that system was also a golden finger. It has already given me many useful items.'
[Host, I'm still that system just upgraded to a normal version. That spiky big-eyed menace you're familiar with it, also please don't say its name as it can know our location even though it was still asleep. Host please choose your trainer path and also your sub-class. 20s left remaining]
'Eh! It can reply but I'm familiar with it.' Ian was surprised and heard that he was familiar with the being that even the system and the one that gave were afraid he rack his brain to rack on someone he was familiar with through the description. While he was mulling over someone pulled him back.
"!!!"
"Kid, what are you doing? You almost ruined the moment." The man whispered as he dragged Ian to hide in the bushes.
"Huh?" Ian was surprised as he looked back at the man "Who are you?"
Ian was surprised as his pokemon didn't even alert him to the approaching man, so look down but found out that his pokemon were gone. Even the Beautifly that with them was gone, he look towards the garden and saw that Ralts, Budew, and Azurill were dancing and cheering for the couple and Beautifly couples doing their courtship.
[Class chosen : Supporting ???]
'Huh? You already chose a trainer class for me! But didn't you guys say you won't force a path for me?' Ian roared in his mind but the system didn't mind but just gave him a mission.
"Happy Anniversary, Honey" Caroline was shocked but she happily answered "Thank you Norman!"
"Be Careful Caroline, you're pregnant" Norman hold Caroline as he carefully led his wife
With that the two embraced each other and the pokemon around them even though didn't fully understand but sensing the atmosphere between the two cheered more.
(The Beautiflys who already had a partner were looking at the two humans)
Beautifly 1: Are these human also doing a courtship ritual
Beautifly 2: Maybe
Beautifly 1: Why are they not dancing?
Beautifly 2: Look he lowered himself and took something out giving it to the other human. I saw Zigzagoon doing this type of courtship.
Ralts: This is courtship?
Beautifly 1: Look, they hugged each other! It means the courtship was success
Beautifly 2: Congratulations!
(The other Beautifly cheered too. The three brats also cheered.)
The scene was beautiful like in dramas.
'Damn if only I had a camera!' Ian lamented as his spirit for quest and his habit in his college life helping his friends find love overtook that it took him a moment to remember that he was not alone as their still a man beside him. He saw the camera on the hand of the endomorph guy.
"Hello kid, who are you?" Sensing Ian's gaze Birch looks beside him as Ian looks at him.
"Isn't it right for you to introduce yourself before asking?"
"Oh right I forgot, my name is Steph Birch." Birch scratched his head as he introduced himself
"I am Ian, Ian Reinheart" Ian also stated his name. Birch nodded as he shuffled Ian's hair.
"Hahaha were partners on this"
[Mission Complete]
[Rating: E]
[Reward: Pokeblock case, 1 Pink pokeblock, 1 rainbow pokeblock, 1 red pokeblock, 1 special pink pokeblock (for heavy eater pokemon), and 1 green pokeblock]
The system issued a mission completion reward even though he didn't do anything.
[Your pokemon help]
'Ohhh' Ian's eyes shone as he was thinking about using his pokemon in the future missions.
"Oooh, they kissed!" Birch exclaimed all as he returned to his paparazzi mode, snapping pictures with his camera.
"Eh!?" Ian turned to see the couple kissing but his mind was thinking if all his missions are like the present means he can get reward by just helping using his pokemon.
"A success then. Did you take a picture of it?" Ian asked Birch who was clicking his camera's snap button like a hundred times.
'Why not just take a video?' Ian mused as he looked at Birch's camera.
"Of course, one of the skills professors in this generation should have is fast reflexes and camera skills" Birch thump is chest
"Really? Why do I think your a good paparazzi?" Ian muttered as he remembered the other animes and perverts in real life. He look like a stalker
"Why do I feel offended?" Birch stared at the little guy beside him as he blurted out.
"Well, because you said something that others could misunderstand," Ian said as he think most people in the media were also required to have that skill.
"What is it?" Birch inquired
"Nah, secret" Ian smirked
"You brat!" Birch raised his voice which gained the attention of the couple.
"What's happening there? I think I heard Birch's voice?" Caroline query
"Let's have a look, " Norman nodded as today was his joyous day. Not even winning the league conference and becoming Top 80 elite made him this happy.
They slowly walk towards the place Ian and Birch are hiding. They saw a boy arguing with Birch.
"Wait that kid, isn't he the grandchild of Maam Talya?" Caroline quipped
"He was Ma'am Talya's grandchild?" Norman asked, surprised as he only remembered their granddaughters. Who were talented children even though they just started their journey.
"Ma'am Talya's grandchildren were talented specially that girl who has Gible and Roselia"
Birch and Ian stopped arguing with each other when they sensed that the couple was close to them.
"Cough! Congratulations to the both of you!" Birch congratulate the couple
"Hello there! Congratulations!" Ian bowed as he also congratulated the couple.
"Raa" Ralts copied Sol and bow and the other two followed suit.
Caroline saw the cute action of Ralts and she went closer and hugged the pokemon. Ralts was shocked but with his ability to sense people feeling it only felt affection so he let it be and he was used to being cuddled like this by his trainer's friends in the academy.
"Ah! I'm sorry it's just that Ralts looks like a little child and its action was so cute." She laughed while scratching her face under her ears.
"Hahaha, Hello there I'm Norman and this is Caroline, I think you saw her before." Norman introduced themselves
"Hello, My name is Ian " Ian bowed again and he also introduced his friends. Then he looked up and saw that the sun was setting.
"Well if you excuse us we need to go back home!" Ian dashed forward carrying the shiny Budew with him. While Ralts and Azurill paused and just stayed still as they looked at each other and look around..
"You won't follow him?" Birch asked the two pokemon as to why they didn't follow their trainer but moments later they saw Ian showing from behind them.
"Eh?" Ian was confused as he remembers that the way he walked through was the same path they entered the flower field. Azurill shook her head while Ralts laughed while pointing at Ian.
"You're lost?" Norman asked Ian as he remembered that Ian just run straight in front of them just to return behind them. Caroline was giggling beside him as she was amused about Ian and his pokemon.
"No! Impossible I followed the way that got us here." Ian rebuked but stopped when he heard a roar.
"Char"
"Ah oh" Cold sweat started pouring on Ian's back as he heard Charmeleon. Then something fall in front of them making the dust rise. But Ian knew who was the being that landed in front of them.
"Hello Charmeleon" Ian slowly greeted and when the dust settled Norman and the others saw a Charmeleon looking helplessly at Ian.
"Char-char" Charmeleon scolded his trainer before he look around before it swang its tail.
"Char" Follow me.
"Raa" Ralts shook its head as still couldn't get it why his trainer was bad at direction losing his way even they just follow the same path.
"Hey, what are you talking about? Why is your voice saying that I don't have a sense of direction!" Ian wanted to punch his pokemon as he remembered when he reincarnated here that his elders told him that he doesn't have a sense of direction. He can sense what Ralts said and feel because between his pokemon Ralts in a sense was his starter pokemon who hatched when he reincarnated and was closely related to him, even though Charmeleon was the starter of his predecessor.
'It was my predecessor who was the one who didn't have a sense of direction, not me!' Ian roared inwardly as he wasn't bad in direction in his past life.
"How about we take you home?" Caroline suggested but saw Charmeleon leading Ian and his other pokemon. "Can we come with you?"
"Okay." Ian replied as he can use the three adults as a ward for his elders scolding.
With the Charmeleon leading him back, while Norman and Caroline were flirting. Ian and Birch were talking about pokemon. Birch was surprised by some of Ian's knowledge about pokemon and ideas. As some ideas were not yet implemented in the present.
While the two talked with each other the flirting couple noticed the two engrossed with their knowledge sharing. Looking at this scene Caroline and Norman talk about Ian. Being closed to the
"He looks healthy, not the same as the rumour I heard from the family that the kid was sickly." Caroline narrates about the rumours she heard about the grandchild of the ex-elite of Hoenn.
Their family knows about it because their family is close to Grandma Talya. Also Norman was once a student of Grandma Talya but he didn't dwell on rumours, just focus on his training and pursuing Caroline, which is why he didn't know about Ian's situation.
When they arrived at Ian's house they saw an Altaria hovering above them and a strong wind blast as a Shiftry showed up. The two pokemon were his elders' pokemon which were protecting Ian's safety.
"I think even if he got lost someone is already guarding him" Birch murmured as they followed the lead of the Pokemon.
Unknown to everyone a small figure was slowly floating following them, its eyes were eyeing at Birch's camera which Ian was holding.