Pokemon Trainer Vicky
Chapter 88

"Gib."

"Is that so?" I asked, as I sat beside Gible out on the grass. I honestly don't know if she even noticed me being gone for the conference, but when I came back she'd been… Close. Walking over to stand near me or settling next to me.

Training was over. My little baby dragons had done well, but Gible was still just sitting next to me.

"Gib gib." She muttered, as if she didn't hear me, but when I shifted to look at her, her eyes shifted to me, and there was nothing of the feral there. She was calm.

"You want to play a game?" I asked her, and she blinked lazily at me.

"Gib."

"Okay, C'mon." I reached out with a hand and she noticed and then reached out to grab my hand. We walked towards the porch and only once we were there, did I settle in for the game. Grabbing the pack of berries I'd prepared beforehand.

"So you want one?" I asked her, and she started drooling.

"Gible! Sit." I said using a firm voice, and she of course didn't do anything. "That's the game, okay? I'll give you an order and if you do it, you'll get a berry."

"Gib?"

"Okay you get one to start." I offered her one and she reached out slowly, as we'd been working on and a moment later she grabbed the berry with her claws and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Gib." She muttered as she drooled and chewed.

I really hope she wasn't chewing on her hands again.

"Okay. So if you want another one… Gible Sit." I offered and once again she just stared at me. Hmm, this still wasn't working.

"Jangmo-o!" I called out loudly, and then just smiled as I saw him come rushing out of the woods.

"Jang!"

"Hey buddy. I'm trying to teach Gible here a game, do you want to be my example?"

"Jang? Jang!"

"Thanks." I whispered at his confident assurance.

"Jangmo-o! Sit." I called out, and he sat down, and so I passed him a berry, which he happily bit into and started chewing up.

Gible stared, a little bit of drool sliding down the corner of her mouth.

"Gible! Sit." I said, and she just continued staring.

"Hmm… Jangmo-o. Can you try explaining it to her?"

"Jang jang!" He yipped before turning to Gible and chattering at her.

Which was probably about as effective as talking to a wall as she just focused on the berry.

"Jang?" He offered turning from her and looking at me, and shrugging.

"Right. Well, let's try again. Gible, sit." I ordered and waited. She blinked slowly and then looked from Jangmo-o to me as she realized I spoke.

"Gib." She muttered as she waddled over and made grabby hands at me. "Gib, gib?"

Awww.

My heart melted. I slumped. Maybe it was still too early for this?

I picked her up and settled her in my lap and then gave her a berry to snack on, while I instead worked on her food defensiveness. Stroking and touching, even reaching out and adjusting the berry in her hand which to my surprise other than continuing trying to eat, she didn't react badly to my actions.

She was definitely getting better.

"You want some more too?" I offered Jangmo-o, who yipped and leapt up onto the porch to settle in next to me. I ended up just having a snack lunch with my two little dragons instead of training, but we'd get there. I guess food wasn't really a good choice to try and train her with.

I'd have to come up with something else. Maybe get Dragonite involved?

"No, I really want to figure this out between us." I told Gible as I hugged her. "One day you're going to understand, and you'll listen to my words, and when that happens we'll go battle, and the two of us will have so much fun. You'll love it." I told her and she glanced from her berry up at me for a moment before focusing on her food.

"Heh. The moment you use Draco Meteor against some poor kids Rattata." I snickered evilly at the idea, because that would be a hell of a move to pull out of my pocket.

"Gib." She said looking up at me. Her berry gone, but instead of asking for more she snuggled into my arms. Her little claws covered in berry juice grabbed my forearm, and then slowly just. Curled up against me.

Well, it wasn't training, but it was trust, and that was more important.

"Jang?" I looked up at the armored pup as he sort of tippy tapped for a minute. He definitely wanted something.

I opened up my arm and he hurried over and joined the cuddle pile. To my surprise despite rubbing up against Gible, she didn't react negatively, just giving a quiet. "Gib." As he disturbed her and then I had two babies in my arms.

—--

"Everything okay?" I asked, looking up from the living room TV. The door bell had rang and Mama had rushed for it telling me to keep watching TV.

Which was all a little weird as she was usually telling me to get the door.

"It's fine." She said with a fake smile that made me stand up and head to the door. I peaked out the window and saw men in suits heading back into their car.

Government?

"Are they a bunch of League guys?" I asked and I could hear Mama sigh.

"Technically yes. The League Researchers are chomping at the bit. It's nothing to worry about. They should know better to try and strong arm us."

"Researchers? Why would they come here?"

"Well those lot weren't. Those were just stooges." Mama said and I couldn't help but chuckle at her rude interpretation.

"What'd they want?"

"Nothing." She said again just a bit too fast.

"Well that's a lie." I muttered following her into the living room where she took a seat.

"It is a lie. Because they should know better than to bother us at home." She grumbled.

"Well… What did they actually want?"

"You." Mama said and I had to feign a smile at that. Yeah, the fame was pretty crazy. Even if most of the people left me alone when I had to go out, there was still this constant staring and discussion about me wherever I went.

"Well I'm not for sale." I told her with a smirk. "You're stuck with me!"

"Terrible. Maybe I should shop around a bit, see what I could get for you?" Mama teased and then opened her arms for a hug which I slid into.

"So they want me for something?"

"You won the conference Vicky. Everyone is going to want something from you, but you don't owe them anything. So just… Don't worry about it."

"Hmm… If I go talk to a professor, do you think it'll make them leave me alone?" I asked, and Mama stiffened a bit.

"You don't have to."

"I actually wanted to go see Professor Cerise. He was nice and I know he's a good guy."

"Cerise… Vermillion Cerise?"

"That's the one."

"Ah, that's right, he was in charge of the Milotic examination." Mama muttered. "It… probably would get the League to back off." She trailed off.

"Well I did tell him I might consider visiting." I said and then nodded. "Yeah I think I will. I want to complain about the Pokedex anyways."

Mama snorted and hugged me tight. "Well if you say you want to. Then it's okay." Mama said, before pushing me up, and I rose up then stalled out in confusion as Mama grabbed the remote and changed the channel.

"I was watching that." I whined.

"I thought you were going to see this professor?" Mama said innocently, and I realized her goal here.

"You just want me out of the house so you can watch your shows!" I gasped out at the betrayal!

"Professor Cerise is in Vermillion better hurry before it gets dark." Mama said with a smile, but it wasn't even noon yet!

I slumped. "Fine!" I grumbled and as I turned to go I saw Meowth leap down from the curtains where he often hid from the Growlithe to settle on Mama's lap. He sent me a little smirk as he settled in.

Ugh. What a pair of sneaks. Those two are made for each other.

I headed to my room and started getting dressed. Just my casual stuff, even if I took a moment to look at my Dragon Trainer outfit that was hanging up in my closet.

Not sure if I'd end up wearing that exact outfit again, I mean, I'd grow a whole bunch in a year, so most of it wouldn't fit after that… Yep. Definitely.

Hmm. It was still chilly though. I reached out and grabbed my cape and threw it over my shoulders. Yeah, capes were warm while flying.

I grabbed my stuff, including what Pokemon I had with me. I was actually pretty empty at the moment. Arcanine was with Papa helping do some Growlithe training, since I hadn't planned on actually doing anything today. Almost everyone else was at the stable to relax today, but I'd need a pick up Dragonite if I was going to Vermillion, and who would be the best to talk about to a professor?

I shrugged and grabbed my other supplies, including my Pokedex notes.

Maybe I'd talk to Cerise about an electronic dex? It would certainly be better than the stupid paper one.

I raced off, and waved to Mama as I passed the living room. "I'm off to the Pokemon Center!"

"Be safe!"

With a quick release, the only Pokemon that was with me today was released.

"Hey Blue Heart! Want to go on a flight with me?" I asked with a big grin.

—---

As usual people were staring at Blue Heart both on the flight over and when I arrived. "Thanks Blue Heart. You're the best." I told him as I reached up and squished his cheeks as he rumbled at me.

A moment later he was back in his pokeball and I was back inside. "Hello Nurse Joy!"

"Oh Victoria!" The Viridian Nurse Joy greeted me with a happy smile and a wave, but she refocused on helping a trainer she was working with. I hurried to the vid phones.

"Ferrous Residence."

"Oh hey Elizabeth." I greeted the girl's face as she appeared on the vid phone.

"Oh Vicky. Pokemon transfer?"

"Yep Dragonite for sure, and I need a few others, I'm going to visit Professor Cerise today. So… Brave if you can replace her easily, but otherwise Gible and Jangmo-o, and Mimikyu if he wants to break from his project."

"Got it. I'll go grab them." She disappeared off for a while as I sat there swinging my legs, and a moment later.

"Alright sending them over. Couldn't replace Brave she was out in the forest somewhere." Elizabeth said as she re-appeared. And I watched as she loaded the pokeballs into the system.

"Thanks Elizabeth… Have a nice day?" I said a bit awkwardly, but she just took it with a nod.

"You too. Bye." The phone line ended was almost a relief. Whew!

The pokeballs arrived and I quickly headed out to head to Vermillion City!

—--

Dragonite landed on the sidewalk with a puff of air and I looked around.

"I think this is it?" I offered. I hadn't actually looked into where Cerise's lab was before taking off, and had to stop to ask an Officer Jenny about it.

"Pree?" Dragonite offered with a shrug, but did stand up straight to look around.

"Well I'll head up and knock and see if it's the right place." I was about to return Dragonite when we both heard it.

"Yamp! Yamp-yamp-yamp!" The barking quickly grew very close and out of the bushes up the path to the large almost castle-like house popped out…

"Yamper?" I muttered as the little dog pokemon started barking up a storm at both Dragonite and I.

"Yamp yamp!"

That's right Cerise had a Yamper in the anime… Does that mean he actually went to Galar here too? I guess it must, I don't know how else he'd get one.

"Hi Yamper." I offered as I kneeled down at it barked and growled at me, sparking a lot. "I'm looking for Professor Cerise." I offered, and the name snapped the pup out of his guard dog tactics.

Sorry Yamper, you might be a walking taser, but I was way more scared of Guard-Growlithe, than I am you. You little squishy boy!

The urge to hug the pup was there, but that was a terrible idea. What kind of idiot would just grab a random pokemon and start hugging them without getting their permission first?

"Yamper!" A new voice called out, and I stood up, looking for the row of hedges which I noticed looked brand new. Many of them were still growing. The fact they were so new meant as I stood up even I could see over the top of them…

Well I could even if they were grown in if they were properly maintained! I'm just a little small still!

But there was a young boy. He met my eyes over the shrubs as he came around the corner, and then looked up at Dragonite, his eyes widened.

"Hi! I'm loo-"

"AAAAAAH!" He squealed, and it could only be described as a squeal, as he pointed. "Your Victoria Ferrous! You won the Conference!"

"Oh, yeah, that's me I wa-"

"Oh oh! Wait wait! I have to! I need!" He stuttered as he sort of started pacing and then spun around jogging in place before rushing off to the building.

"Yamp? Yamp!" Yamper chased after him a moment later forgetting Dragonite and I were even here.

I looked at her, and shrugged, and she did the same.

"I still don't even know if this is the right place." I muttered tiredly, but the Yamper was pretty conclusive I supposed. How many other places are going to have a Galar pokemon just in the front yard?

I walked forward, Dragonite following me as we both looked around the place. It was… Nice?

Obviously a lot of money had put into fixing it up. The actual building was old brickwork and looked old, but it was clean and well maintained.

I headed up the meandering sort of path to the front door which I noticed was left ajar…

"Umm, hello?" I called out as I pushed open the door a bit, but didn't enter. The boy probably left the door open when he rushed off. Jeeze.

I waited a moment wondering what to do when I heard the scramble of dog claws on wood, and shoes rushing forward.

"Hey! Parker! What are you doing! Slow down!" Another voice shouted out and then down the stairs I could just see the boy literally rail slid down as he was in a rush and I winced as he nearly ate shit because of it, before he skidded to a stop.

"P-Please! Sign my copy!" He roared out and bent over offering.

I winced. And Dragonite peered down before she started snickering as I did everything to not look at it.

"Parker! Why are you running inside the-Oh!" A much more mature voice called out and down the steps came Professor Cerise, the mans face shifted into a bright smile. "Ms. Ferrous!"

"Just call me Vicky." I offered a little hesitantly, as I tried to avoid what was happening.

"Please!" The boy repeated.

"Parker! Leave Vicky alone." Cerise offered with a sigh, but I had to sigh myself.

"I… Sure I guess?" I offered as I looked down… At my own face on the front of a VHS.

The star badge tape… Ah, the consequences of my own actions, the true villain of my life, we meet again.

"Thank you!" He shouted far too loudly, and Dragonite was clutching her belly and just laughing, and laughing.

—---

"Forgive my son Parker, he was very excited to watch the conference in person this year…"

"It's fine." I waved him off with both hands. I was sitting on an expensive couch across from the professor, and he was looking sympathetic, but very happy I was here.

"You really made his day. I've already had to put in the order for the conference VHS. Unfortunately, it's a little backlogged… I think that's mostly your doing." He added a bit teasingly, and I just puffed and exhaled all the feelings I didn't want to deal with.

"Yeah… So um… I'm here?" I offered, and he sat up straight.

"Yes! Thank you so much for visiting! I hope the trip wasn't too long?"

"Oh no, Dragonite got me here in like ten minutes."

"That's… Amazing." The man's eyes practically sparkled. "Dragonite are known for being incredibly fast, but to get direct first hand accounts is… Difficult. At least those that aren't set during wartime." He added the last bit quietly.

"Well, Kanto has some Dragonite now." I couldn't help but say.

"All thanks to you Dragon Master." Cerise offered to my surprise he wasn't teasing but serious as he gave me a little bow.

"You don't have to say it like that." I offered, embarrassed, but the man instead smiled kindly at me.

"It's an amazing achievement. I was actually hoping I might be able to discuss with you some old rumors and lore around some dragon types, to see if we can't clarify some of it… But that wasn't what I wanted to focus on. The unreported pokemon from Kitakami. If you don't mind, I'd love to do some studies on them. Learn everything we can about them to add them to the Pokedex."

"Ugh." I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose at the mention of that thing. "But yes. I don't mind. As long as it's not invasive… And I'm there. I don't want anyone getting bothered." Like with my Milotic.

"Of course! I wouldn't want to do anything that would upset your Pokemon… You have an opinion of the Pokedex?" He said the last part hesitating a bit.

"It's terrible." I admitted bluntly. "Unless it's a common Pokemon it seems to be completely made up nonsense."

"Ah well… Professor Westwood tries his best… He's just a little eccentric."

"A little-" I cut myself off because bad mouthing the guy was probably not fair. "It kinda sucks though." I muttered irritatedly, and Cerise actually smiled at that.

"It does. The slow updates and the fact that a lot of information is false is one of the things I focus on as a professor."

"Is that why you went to Galar?" I asked, and the man blinked and just shook his head. "No, I was chosen for the Galar expedition as an intern, it is what gave me the respect I have today, but it's not really connected. I'm surprised, you even know that, most people don't really know about my work."

"You have a Yamper." I pointed out, and while the dog pokemon wasn't in the room, I could still faintly hear him barking up a storm.

"Ah, a gift from a colleague in Galar, Professor Magnolia." He said with a wistful smile.

"Sounds like you miss it, Galar I mean."

"Ah, well… I didn't spend as much time there as I would have liked. The expedition was only for a single year… I know the distance is incredible, but the world is growing smaller every year, and I'd hoped to continue learning. The Galar region is… Amazing."

"Eh, Dynamax is a bit… I'm not a fan." I said, waving my hand back and forth. Definitely one of the worst region mechanics.

"You read my report!?" He said suddenly looking excited, his face lighting up. "I was responsible for exploring the Dynamax phenomenon while I was there!"

"Oh. I uh… Don't think I read your report?"

"Oh… One of those articles about it? I promise it wasn't a lie, I saw it with my own eyes."

"What? Wait, people are trying to say it was fake?"

"Indeed." He offered a bit grumpily, and I scoffed.

"It's completely real, obviously." I said, and my words perked him up. He looked like a puppy getting a treat.

"Thank you. I had a lot of pushback when I submitted my report here."

"Stupid. As if everything in the world exists within Kanto. We don't even have a quarter of all the pokemon in the world native here. Of course there are things out there we don'- Professor?" I asked as suddenly my hand was grabbed by the older man and his eyes sparkled like he was a kid.

"Exactly! You get it! You really understand! Ms. Ferrous, no Vicky, please! Become one of my Research Fellows! You have an outstanding ability to gather rare pokemon, and more than that, train them to amazing heights! Despite everything I try, I'm just a researcher, my battle ability is… Not great." He admitted a bit embarrassed. "I need someone like you, so we can discover all the secrets this world still has for us to discover!"

He was really excited.

"I don't really know anything about research…" I tried to demure.

"That's fine! You have your own talents, and it's really not that hard. Nothing you won't already do. Most of it is just putting words to what you've already learned, and sharing it so we can verify things, and-" He started rambling and I realized it. This guy… He loved this world.

It was funny but I loved this world. This new world I found myself in. Yet despite that, the bitterness I'd felt living my last life, in my old world. To think… I'd need to die and be reborn to replace the love for the world I lived in now, but this guy… He just loved his world right from the start. No reincarnation, no perspective needed.

"I'll help you… At least somewhat, but I think I'd like to see what happens before I really agree agree?"

"Thank you! Vicky you won't regret it at all!" He cheered excited like a kid almost and I couldn't help but laugh along with him at the energy in the room.

"Well I guess we should talk about my Pokemon first?"

"Yes exactly! Come, I'll show you my lab, and you can meet my assistants!"

I rose up and followed after him, I don't think I could do the whole Professor thing… But maybe I could be the trainer that brings him all the information.

The Red to Professor Oak. The one that completes the pokedex of sorts, although I wasn't about to start capturing every pokemon… But I could certainly fill in blanks and show the secrets that I already knew about.

That idea was something… Kinda fun.