Vol. I, Part 1: Chapter 1

  Summer had officially arrived in Aspertia City. Sixteen-year-old Nathan Blake, who went by Nate, had just graduated from the Trainer School in his hometown. Aspertia wasn't like the other major hubs of Unova. It was small, homely, and tucked out of the way. Unlike the bustling streets of Castelia, Aspertia didn't see many tourists. It was the kind of comforting place where everyone knew everyone.

  Nate had lived here his entire life. He and his best friend, Hugh, shared the same dream: traveling the region to become the greatest Pokémon Trainers in history. They spent hours talking about entering the Pokémon League and battling champions like Alder, Lance, or Cynthia. But to Nate, it felt like just that. A dream. He didn't think a small-town boy stood a chance at becoming a legend like Alder. Sure, he had graduated second in his class, right behind Hugh, but the Pokémon League felt like an impossible reality. To make matters worse, he didn't even have his first Pokémon yet. Hugh, on the other hand, had already raised a Tepig from an egg.

  Nate often confided in his mother, Delilah. She knew how much he loved Pokémon, but she also knew the risks. To succeed as a trainer, you had to be the absolute best. While she supported him, she often pushed for a more pragmatic approach, suggesting he become a teacher. Nate certainly had the knowledge for it, but he knew in his gut that teaching wasn't his path.

  The problem was, he didn't know what the right path was. School was out, he had nothing lined up, and as the summer days stretched on, he and Hugh found themselves still stuck in Aspertia with nowhere to go.

  “Dad said he needs extra help at the ranch today,” Nate told his mom, walking into the kitchen. “There’s a special order of Mareep wool going out.”

  “Are you going to go help him?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I'm taking Hugh, too. He's always willing to work with Pokémon if you ask him.”

  “Alright, go on ahead then.” His mom waved, and Nate headed out the door.

  He hopped on his bike and rode over to Hugh's house. When he rang the doorbell, Tammy, Hugh's eight-year-old sister, answered with a bright smile.

  “Hi, Nate!” she chirped.

  “Hey, Tammy! Is your brother home?”

  “Yup. I'll go get him,” she said, darting back inside.

  Moments later, Hugh stepped into the doorway.

  “Ready to go?” Nate asked.

  “Yeah, just give me a sec,” Hugh said, turning back toward the house. “Tammy, tell Mom and Dad I'm going to Mr. Blake's ranch today! I won't be back for a while.”

  “Okay, I will!” Tammy called back.

  “Thanks. Alright Nate, let's not keep your dad waiting.”

  Nate and Hugh biked toward the outskirts of the city where Floccesy Ranch was located. Nate's dad worked as a farmhand for the owners, an older couple named the Carringtons. The ranch was famous for its Mareep herd, and summer was the busiest season for the wool trade since the Pokémon naturally shed their heavy coats in the heat.

  “Hey, how's your sister doing?” Nate asked as they pedaled.

  “She's fine,” Hugh replied shortly.

  “She's not… still feeling down about Purrloin?”

  “No, she is. But she’s little. I don't think she fully understands what happened,” Hugh said, his voice tightening.

  “Oh, I see. Still no word from the police?”

  “No. Not a damn thing.”

  He takes this even more seriously than I thought.

  A month ago, Hugh had given Tammy a Purrloin for her birthday. She loved it, and it loved her. But one day, while Hugh was supervising Tammy at the park, a thief bearing the Team Plasma logo snatched the Pokémon. Hugh had tried to stop the thief with Tepig, but they got away. They hadn't seen Purrloin since.

  When they arrived at Floccesy Ranch, they were greeted by Ellie Carrington, the granddaughter of the owners. She was about Tammy’s age and full of energy.

  “Heya, Nate! You brought a friend to help us out?” Ellie asked.

  “Yeah, this is Hugh, my friend from school,” Nate said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Hugh said politely.

  “Nice to meet you, too! Nate, your dad's over in the barn getting shears ready. You can start by helping him out,” Ellie directed.

  The boys walked over to the barn, passing several pens filled with grazing Mareep. The Carringtons kept several Herdier and an Ampharos to help manage the flock. Inside the cool shade of the barn, they found Mr. Blake and the janitor, Mr. Orville, prepping the shearing stations. Standing beside Mr. Blake was his partner Pokémon, Riolu.

  “Hey, Dad! I brought Hugh with me,” Nate called out.

  “Well, Hugh! Nice to see you here,” Mr. Blake said with a grin. “Ready to sweat and shear?”

  “You bet,” Hugh replied.

  “Excellent. We need to start herding the Mareep into the barn so we can get them set up at their stations. Mr. Orville, Riolu, and I will guide them to the shears, so I need you two to be the herders. Sounds easy enough, right?”

  “Don't worry, the Herdier will do most of the work for you boys,” Mr. Orville explained. “Just make sure the Mareep don't wander too far off from the pack.”

  “Alright, we'll get to it,” Nate said.

  Although it was still morning, the sun was already beating down. Nate and Hugh signaled the Herdier to help them move the flock.

  “Herdier are excellent for moving large packs,” Nate explained to Hugh as they walked. “Mareep are skittish and a little dumb, but the Herdier do a good job at keeping them calm.”

  “I take it you come to your dad's ranch a lot?” Hugh asked.

  “Not really. But with school over, I’ve been helping out more. Gives me something to do while I figure out my next move.”

  “Yeah, you and me both,” Hugh sighed. “We may have graduated at the top, but that doesn't guarantee success out in the real world.”

  They opened the pen closest to the barn. About a dozen Mareep were inside. The Herdier trotted in, circling the flock to bunch them into a single group.

  “Alright Herdier, good job! Keep them together,” Nate encouraged.

  “So what do we do now?” Hugh asked.

  “We just funnel the pack to the barn. It's easy. Just stand with your arms out to guide them where you want them to go.”

  The boys positioned themselves to create a path. Mr. Blake and Riolu stood at the barn entrance to ensure the Mareep went inside smoothly.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “You boys are doing great! The Herdier should be leading them now,” Mr. Blake yelled over the bleating Mareep.

  Nate and Hugh guided the flock to the entrance, where Mr. Blake and Riolu took over to settle them into the shearing stations.

  “Alright, easy does it now,” Mr. Orville said, guiding the first Mareep.

  “Well, that wasn't so bad,” Hugh remarked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

  “Herding is the easy part,” Mr. Blake laughed. “Shearing is the hard part.”

  Mr. Blake handed Nate and Hugh a set of shears. “I'll have you two shear one Mareep together so you get the hang of it. Riolu is going to watch to make sure you do it right.”

  Riolu nodded seriously and directed the boys to a waiting Mareep.

  “Hey, Riolu. You've been working hard with Dad?” Nate asked.

  Riolu nodded triumphantly. The Pokémon had only been with Nate's dad for a few weeks. Riolu had shown up at the ranch one day, hungry, tired, and on the verge of collapse. Mr. Blake had nursed him back to health, and since then, Riolu had stuck around, acting as an extra farmhand. Technically, he was still a wild Pokémon, but he certainly lived here now.

  “Hey Nate, think you're going to catch your first Pokémon soon?” Hugh asked as they worked.

  “I hope so. I think about it every day. I always wonder which Pokémon will be my first.”

  “Why not Riolu?”

  Riolu smiled at the compliment, seeming to like the idea.

  “What do you say, Riolu? Want to become partners?” Nate asked jokingly.

  Riolu glanced at Mr. Blake, who was busy shearing a few stations away.

  “I don't think Riolu wants to leave my dad,” Nate said softly. “Dad’s grown attached to him, and Riolu is a big help here. I wouldn't want to take him away.”

  Riolu nodded in agreement.

  “Well, you have to think about getting one soon,” Hugh said with a smirk. “I'm already planning on getting a second. I can't have my best friend falling behind on becoming the second-best Pokémon Trainer in the world.”

  “In your dreams! Try first best!” Nate shot back.

  The two continued working. It took time to get used to the texture of the wool. They had to wear thick rubber gloves to prevent static shocks, which made handling the shears clumsy. But with Riolu's guidance, they successfully sheared their first Mareep. Meanwhile, Mr. Blake and Mr. Orville had already finished three each.

  By the time the boys finished their second attempt, the older men had cleared the rest of the group.

  “Thanks, boys! Now we need to get these Mareep back into their pen and move on to the next group,” Mr. Blake said.

  They repeated the process. By the second pen, Nate and Hugh were experienced enough to shear their own Mareep individually. Riolu still supervised but mostly just kept them company.

  “You're doing great, Nate.”

  Nate paused. He heard the voice clearly, but he couldn't tell where it came from. He turned around. “Thanks, Dad.”

  But no one was behind him. He looked around. Hugh was in the next stall, focused entirely on his work.

  “You say something?” Nate asked.

  “No,” Hugh said, eyes fixed on the wool. “Just focusing.”

  Nate turned back to his Mareep. Was that Dad’s voice? Now that he thought about it, it didn't sound like anyone he knew. It was strange but undeniably comforting.

  Riolu appeared from behind the Mareep, looking up at him.

  “I don't suppose it was you who said that,” Nate mused. “How am I doing, Riolu?”

  Riolu nodded, signaling approval of Nate's work. Nate shook his head, smiling. Riolu was a curious Pokémon. They were incredibly rare, so having one randomly show up at a ranch in a small town was almost unheard of.

  Once the pen was finished, they all decided to take a lunch break. Ellie arrived with her Ampharos, carrying a picnic basket of sandwiches and lemonade.

  “Hey, Nate, you want to see what Ampharos and I have been working on?” Ellie asked, bouncing on her heels.

  “Umm, sure. What is it?” Nate asked between bites of his sandwich.

  “Watch this.” Ellie got into position. “Okay Ampharos, Thunder Punch!”

  Ampharos's fist crackled with electricity. It wound its arm back and thrust it directly into an empty wooden barrel. CRACK! The barrel shattered upon impact.

  “Woah, that was a strong hit!” Hugh exclaimed.

  “Ellie, did you teach Ampharos that yourself?” Nate asked, impressed.

  “Sure did! It wasn't easy, but we finally nailed it!”

  “That's really impressive,” Nate said.

  Ellie blushed. “Thanks, Nate.”

  “Ellie, what did you do?” Mr. Orville groaned, walking over to the splinters. “Oh no. Ellie, we use that barrel to transport food for the Mareep!”

  “Oh no! I'm so sorry, Mr. Orville! I didn't mean to, honest.”

  Mr. Orville sighed, rubbing his lower back. “Well, it's okay. We have another barrel of decent size down by the river. My back is killing me from shearing all morning, though. It'll be tough hauling that thing back over here.”

  Nate felt bad for the older man. He didn't know how long Mr. Orville had worked for the Carringtons, but he clearly worked hard.

  “Don't worry about that, Mr. Orville. Hugh and I can get it for you,” Nate suggested.

  “Oh, thank you, Nate. That's very kind. The two of you should be able to carry it with ease. It's tied up with a rope near the bank.”

  “We'll be right back!”

  Nate and Hugh walked down to the river, which wasn't far from the barn.

  “I guess this is it,” Hugh said, looking at a barrel tied to a wooden stand. “Looks as big as the one Ellie broke. Should be good enough.”

  “Alright, let's bring it back,” Nate said.

  Hugh untied the rope and tried to lift the barrel.

  “Wow! This thing is heavy!” Hugh grunted, struggling to budge it.

  “Let me help.”

  Nate grabbed the other side, but even together, the barrel was absurdly heavy.

  “I think there's something inside,” Hugh panted. “Let's set it down and check.”

  They tipped the barrel onto its side. Hugh grabbed the lid and popped it open. Immediately, a yellow Pokémon tumbled out onto the grass. It had been asleep but was now blinking awake, clearly agitated by the disturbance.

  Hugh jumped back. “A Pokémon?”

  “That's a Psyduck!” Nate said.

  The Psyduck was not happy about being evicted from its bed. It quacked angrily and shot a blast of water at them.

  “Ahh! It doesn't look too happy!” Nate yelled, dodging the spray.

  “Alright, Tepig, let's go!” Hugh shouted, summoning his partner from its Poké Ball.

  “Careful of those Water-type moves, Hugh,” Nate warned.

  “Right. Okay Tepig, use Tackle!”

  Tepig charged, scoring a direct hit on the yellow duck. Psyduck recovered quickly, firing another Water Gun.

  “Watch out! Dodge!” Hugh commanded.

  Tepig jumped aside, narrowly escaping the jet of water.

  “Alright, Tackle again!”

  Tepig charged. This time, Psyduck was prepared. It shut its eyes and clutched its head. Suddenly, Tepig stopped mid-charge, levitating in the air surrounded by a blue glow. Psyduck released its mental grip, and Tepig was flung backward into the dirt.

  “What was that?” Nate asked, worried.

  “Probably Confusion,” Hugh said, gritting his teeth. “Tepig, don't let that happen again. Use Ember!”

  Tepig shook the dirt from its body and launched a volley of fireballs. The attack hit, but the damp Psyduck endured it with ease. Brandishing its claws, the wild Pokémon charged with a Scratch attack.

  “Tepig, Tackle it!” Hugh shouted.

  As Psyduck swiped, Tepig launched its body like a cannonball, slamming directly into the wild Pokémon. Psyduck fell backward, dazed.

  “Alright, go Poké Ball!” Hugh shouted.

  He threw an empty ball. It struck the Psyduck, opened in a flash of red light, and sucked the Pokémon inside. The ball landed in the grass. It shook once. Twice. Three times.

  Click.

  “Awesome! No way you just caught yourself a Psyduck!” Nate cheered.

  “I… I did,” Hugh stammered, staring at the ball in disbelief. It was his first wild catch. He broke into a wide smile and turned to his partner. “Tepig, you were amazing! We caught our first Pokémon! I couldn't have done it without you, buddy!”

  Tepig squealed happily and ran to its trainer. Hugh picked up the ball.

  “Okay, Psyduck. Come on out.”

  Psyduck emerged in a beam of light. The rage was gone, replaced by a look of mild confusion.

  “Hey Psyduck, how are you feeling?” Hugh asked.

  Psyduck looked at Hugh with a puzzled look on its face. It then swiveled its head to observe its surroundings. Feeling contempt, it sat on the grass, clutching its head. Within seconds, it fell asleep.

  “Wow,” Nate laughed. “I guess it really was just trying to nap.”

  “You're right. Alright Psyduck, you can rest now,” Hugh said, returning it to the ball. “We should head back to the barn.”

  With the barrel now empty and significantly lighter, the boys carried it back with ease.

  “Did ya get lost? Sure took a minute,” Mr. Orville joked when they returned.

  “Sorry,” Hugh said with a grin. “We just got sidetracked.”

  “It's alright. Lunch break is over, boys. Let's get back to the Mareep.”