Chapter 3: The Boy Who Cried Tactical Nuke
What do you get for the boy who has everything?
Katsuki Bakugo has it all and he knows it. He was the son of the greatest fashion designer in the Yamashita region. He had a dadbeat dad who gave him everything he could ever want. He was a Pokemon genius who had been studying battle techniques and strategies since he was two, and at seven years old, he already surpassed all of his pathetic baby classmates and their pathetic baby Pokemon.
Despite not even having a Pokemon himself yet! That's just how smart he was!
Oh, sure, he wanted a Pokemon. More than anything. It was the one thing his parents won't give him, even though actual preschoolers have Pokemon. Even though whenever he borrows one from one of his classmates, he kicks total ass with it! His parents kept saying something about how "Trainers don't start their journey until they're ten years old." or "You're not ready for the responsibility yet." or whatever, but they were squandering his potential! It was so frustrating!
Katsuki tried everything. He told them over and over that all of his buddies think it's unfair. He told them over and over that owning and raising a Pokemon was scientifically proven to improve children's "cognitive development" and "empathy" and "emotional maturity" whatever that meant. He told them over and over about the aforementioned "toddlers have Pokémon" thing. None of it worked.
So there was only one obvious thing to do, really. The next time he was roaming around Musutafu City with family, he sneaked a Pokeball out of the Pokemart displays and into his bag. And, as soon as he and dad were home alone, he rushed out of the house with his carefully acquired Pokeball and ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the waist-high grass of Route 8.
It was mainly covered in Deerling and the occasional Trumbeak. Those wouldn't do. Not at all. He only had one Pokeball, but he knew better than anyone else how weak Deerling and Trumbeak were for a serious trainer like himself. He wanted something else - a Pawmi, maybe, or a Fletchling, that started strong and could evolve into even stronger forms.
That's when Katsuki saw it. Or, rather, he heard it.
A Pokémon meowing.
Katsuki recognised its cry, from his studies - a Litten. But he had never seen one in person. They were offered as starter Pokemon in Alola and one of the many different starter choices here in Yamashita, and they weren't typically found in the wild.
Katsuki grinned. This opportunity was so perfect for him that it felt like destiny was reaching out to him, ready to send him to the stars. Litten was a strong Pokemon who evolved into Torracat, and then the ever unbeatable Incineroar. If he had one of those, nobody would be able to beat him. He'd be far better off with the Fire Cat Pokemon than he'd ever be with a Deerling.
Getting down on his stomach, he crawled through the tall grass towards the sound of the Pokémon. He didn't pay attention to anything going around him. He didn't care. All he wanted was to get that Litten.
When Katsuki peered out of the grass, his clothes and arms scuffed with dirt and grass stains, he finally saw it for himself. A red and black feline Pokémon, belching flames at a crowd of Flying-types swooping around it. Katsuki noted that the Litten was favouring its left front leg - its right leg seems to be cut and badly bruised, likely by the length of which the fight had been going on.
Perfect, Katsuki thought, taking the stolen Pokeball out of his pocket and feeling it expand to its full size in his hand. The Litten was already injured! That will make it way easier to catch!
Katsuki considered his strategy. He didn't have any Pokémon of his own. No thanks to those old hags.Katsuki was not stupid – everyone knows wild Pokemon are dangerous. If you just run at them, arms swinging, you're going to get hurt. It was common sense. But if Katsuki couldn't do that, then how would he get his own Pokemon?
But if he could manage to distract them...
Katsuki reached into a patch of grass next to him until he found a small, yet quite jagged, pebble. He tossed it at the crowd of bird Pokemon and quickly ducked back into the grass. Just as planned, the Flying-types scattered away in alarm, leaving the Litten wide open for Katsuki to then stand up, and then throw the Pokeball he rightfully stole right at its head.
With a satisfying bonk, the Pokeball bounced off its head and floated into the air. The Litten lowered its head and growled at the Pokeball, then started to hiss at it as the Pokeball opened. Before long, the Litten was surrounded by a multicoloured flash of energy. The Litten merged with the energy, which was pulled into the Pokeball, which closed and fell to the ground.
1…
2…
3…
Click!
Katsuki jumped up into the air and cheered, and then raced over to pick the Pokeball out of the grass. It felt so solid and real in his hands, even though it didn't weigh any differently. It was his Litten. He, the amazing Katsuki Bakugo, caught it.
"Katsuki Bakugo!" Katsuki's mother, Mitsuki Bakugo, scowled at him as soon as he walked through the front door of his house. "Where the hell have you been?!"
"Just exploring." Katsuki shrugged nonchalantly, taking his shoes off. "You know me, it's a big, big world, but you know where to find me."
"You were instructed to stay with your father, and look at you! You're all dirty!" Mitsuki exploded. "Go take a bath!"
Katsuki grumbled, but did what he was told. He couldn't imagine what his mother would do to him, or his new Litten, if she or his father found out what he did. He needed to train his Pokemon in secret.
When he came out of the bath, both Mitsuki and Masaru had angry looks on their faces, while a police officer stood next to them, a blank expression on his face.
"Uh, what's going on?" Katsuki asked, acting like he didn't steal a Pokeball or had gone out on his own and didn't tell anyone.
"One of the city's Pokemarts have camera footage of you stealing a Pokeball from their display." The police officer recounted. "My quirk is to detect what was caused by quirks and what wasn't, and my quirk told me that the camera footage wasn't altered, nor were you under the effects of a quirk."
"So what, you gonna arrest me or something?" Katsuki inquired, crossing his arms like he didn't care.
"Since you're just a kid, I won't arrest you." The officer shook his head. "However, you have to either return the Pokeball you stole, or pay for it."
"Well, I already used it, so I'll pay for it." Katsuki replied, shrugging.
"What do you mean you used it?!" Mitsuki angrily asked.
"I went out to Route 8 to catch myself a Pokemon, but the one I tried to catch broke free." Katsuki lied. "I couldn't return it, even if I wanted to."
Mitsuki let out a breath that she didn't realise that she was holding.
"Alright, I hope you've learned your lesson." Mitsuki shook her head. "But, just to drive this home, you're grounded."
"Aww, what?!"
The next day, Katsuki brought his new Litten, which he nicknamed Kaen, to school to show off to his friends.
Kaen, though, didn't seem to be a fan of people. If anyone got too close to her, she would lower her head and hiss, and he'd have to tell people to back off so she wouldn't bite, or scratch anyone. Even Katsuki himself couldn't get too close to her. This wasn't how he was expecting things to go. He was expecting that Kaen would follow his commands immediately. That's what happened with most trainers' first Pokémon, after all, whether ones they got from their families or the ones they got from Yamashita's Professor.
In the meantime, there was someone who hadn't come up to view Katsuki's new catch, and he'd been wanting to show it off to her more than anyone.
Katsuki saw her in the back of the classroom, staring at the floor, her familiar green hair covering most of her face, and her Dusk Lycanroc's head on her knees.
Deku
Mitsuki loved Deku. Masaru loved Deku. Teachers loved Deku.
Katsuki hated Deku. That snot-nosed brat got all the attention and didn't even do anything to deserve it. She had a Dusk Lycanroc - a fully evolved Pokemon, and was even allowed to keep it out of its Pokeball during class. She didn't ever battle, and she definitely wouldn't even be that good at it. But the worst of it all? Deku was QUIRKLESS.
That made Kaen the perfect way to one-up silly little Deku.
Katsuki walked over to Deku's desk, his lackeys following behind him, and slammed the Pokeball down onto it. Deku jumped, her head whipping up to stare at the blonde boy with what he liked to imagine were wide, frightened eyes.
Katsuki laughed.
"Guess what I got, Deku?" Katsuki smirked, as if the answer wasn't obvious. "That's right. I caught myself a Pokemon. A rare one, and a strong one. Want to see it?"
She just stared at him, expression blank. What an idiot.
"Well, I don't care." Katsuki sneered, snatching the Pokeball back from the desk. He threw it to the ground. "Go, Kaen!"
In a flash of light, Kaen came out. Even before the light faded, she already started to look frantically back and forth at the people nearby. She raised her hindquarters, lowered her head, and started to hiss.
"Impressed?" Katsuki smirked as he crossed his arms and waited for Deku's reaction.
She said nothing, of course, but Katsuki was annoyed to see that she didn't look impressed at all. She never really looked like anything, so he didn't know what he was expecting. Getting on her hands and knees and finally acknowledging Katsuki as the best trainer ever? As if.
"That's right, I'M the better trainer." Katsuki scowled. "Got it?"
A little while later, during lunch, Katsuki ventured outside, where Deku mainly spent her time when class wasn't in session during the school day. He needed to show off how good of a trainer he was, if not, the best.
Deku was busy throwing a ball and her Lycanroc was happily chasing it, the vest it usually wore off. That just pissed off Katsuki even more than he was that day. Strong Pokemon shouldn't be having fun! They should be out in the world, battling! But what pissed Katsuki off the most was how Deku had somehowobtained it AND it was allowed to be outside of its Pokeball during school, when everyone else had to keep their Pokemon in their Pokeballs.
He walked up to her, smirking with Kaen's Pokeball in his hand.
"Oi, Deku!" Katsuki shouted, getting Deku's attention. "I want to battle!"
Deku silently nodded, taking out a Pokeball of her own, making Katsuki confused. Throwing it, a small Spearow came out.
"Go, Peaker!" Deku exclaimed.
"Alright..." Katsuki grumbled, throwing Kaen's Pokeball. "Go, Kaen!"
Deku's Spearow squawked at her a couple of times, giving Deku a sorrowful look.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't like being inside your Pokeball." Deku apologised.
The Spearow squawked again, causing Deku to smile.
"Right, thanks." Deku nodded. "Peaker, use Peck!"
The Spearow shot towards Kaen, wings beating hard in the air. Kaen let out a short hiss, and leapt right at the oncoming bird. Sparks of fire flailed off Kaen, the move causing her to glow as she pounced at the Spearow.
"You see that?!" Katsuki grinned. "That's called Flame Charge! It lets her-"
The Spearow managed to dodge out of the way, letting Kaen hit the ground.
Katsuki stared as he realised Kaen's attack had failed.
"What?!" Katsuki yelled.
"Peaker, use Peck again!" Deku instructed, raising a hand.
The Spearow began rushing at Kaen again, just like before.
"Flame Charge!" Katsuki commanded, clenching his fists. "Don't let-"
But this time Kaen was too slow to respond. The Spearow's beak connected, and knocked her back with the force of the attack.
"That was a critical hit!" Deku said.
"Don't tell me what it was, Deku!"
Kaen was reeling, and let out a whine as she tried to hold herself straight up. Her eyes were watering from the pain. Katsuki just kept staring, dumbfounded. This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
"Peaker, use Peck again!"
As expected, the Spearow obeyed Deku's command and started rushing toward Kaen again. Kaen tried to jump out of the way, but fell into the dirt. Her leg was still in pain from before, and the Spearow was too fast for her to escape.
"Dammit!" Katsuki growled.
The Spearow then landed on Deku's shoulder, smiling.
"You did great, Peaker." Deku smiled. "Especially for our first time."
First time? FIRST TIME?! Katsuki's first time battling with his own Pokemon ended with him LOSING, while DEKU's first time battling ended with her WINNING SPECTACULARLY.
Katsuki was fuming at this point. He returned Kaen to her Pokeball and turned his back to Deku.
"Whatever..." Katsuki grumbled. "See you after class, Deku..."
Deku didn't respond as Katsuki stomped back into the building, trying to pretend not to hear the giggles of the other kids around him.
Classes passed by like they did any other day, but the thought that he lost his very first match with his own Pokemon was eating away at Katsuki. It was supposed to be his triumph, but it ended up being an embarrassment. It was a complete disaster.
Katsuki swore to Arceus that he'd give that Deku a black eye after school.
When Deku ended up with more than just a black eye, who's to say that Katsuki was responsible?
Katsuki made his way back home that afternoon, furious and bitter from his loss to Deku earlier. It was so stupid! It didn't make sense! Sure, he had just started training his Litten, but he was a lot better than her at battling! He should have won that! But he didn't, because she was a useless, quirkless loser.
"Katsuki!"
Huh?
Katsuki looked up and saw his mother walking over, a stern look in her eyes.
"What do you want, hag?" Katsuki grumbled, taking his shoes off at the door.
Mitsuki scowled at her son's insult. "I need to talk to you, brat."
"Ugh, what now?!"
"Sit down and listen." His mother commanded, crossing her arms. "I don't want any attitude from you."
Katsuki grumbled and slumped onto the couch.
"I got a call from your school today." His mother took a seat next to him. "Apparently you got in a fight with a classmate after school."
Katsuki scowled, looking away.
"It was just shitty Deku." Katsuki mumbled. "Why should it matter?"
"I don't care if it was Izumi." Mitsuki shook her head, her tone turning more stern. "I don't want to hear about you picking fights with anyone."
"But she was asking for it!" Katsuki protested. "She was being stupid!"
"What did she even do?!" Mitsuki snarled.
"She beat me in a Pokemon battle!" Katsuki exploded. "Deku took down my Litten and insulted me afterwards!"
"You mean your friend's Litten, right?" Mitsuki suddenly asked.
Shit.
"Yeah! Yeah, that's what I meant." Katsuki nodded, hardly breaking a sweat. "But you get the point!"
"That still doesn't explain why you got in a fight with her." Mitsuki crossed her arms and gave him a disapproving look. "If you got in a Pokemon battle with someone and lost to them, why did you then start to throw punches? That sounds a lot like you just lost control of yourself and are now trying to make it look like you had reason to be acting like a little brat."
"Ugh, shut up, old hag!" Katsuki stood up, glaring at his mother. "Why can't you just get off my back about this?!"
"Because you can't keep acting like this, brat!" Mitsuki got up and met Katsuki's glare with her own. "I don't care if you're mad at someone. I don't care if they were mean to you. If I hear about you acting like this again, I'm going to extend your current grounding! Got it?!"
"UGH, FINE!" Katsuki yelled back. "Whatever, then!"
With that, he stormed off into his room and slammed the door behind him. Katsuki threw himself onto his bed and let out a frustrated scream into the pillow.
This was all so frustrating! How was it fair? No matter what he did, everything kept going wrong! Sure, he had his Litten, but he was so bad at battling with her that he even lost a fight to Deku, of all people!
Needless to say, when Deku didn't show up to school the next day, Katsuki was livid. He needed answers.
Class was starting without Deku sitting in the back of the room, like usual. She was completely absent. Normally, Katsuki wouldn't have cared whether or not she was there. She was always just a nuisance.
But this was different. She humiliated him. Then she didn't even show up afterwards. How annoying.
After class, when everyone had gone out to lunch, Katsuki stayed behind, hoping to get a word from the teacher.
"Where the hell is Deku?" Katsuki angrily asked the teacher
The teacher looked up and raised an eyebrow at Katsuki. "I don't see why you'd want to know."
Katsuki was caught off guard for a moment. "What do you mean, you don't see why I'd want to know?!"
"Why are you so concerned about it?" The teacher asked with a hint of irritation beginning to show in his voice. "You two are hardly even friends, let alone acquaintances."
"I just need to talk to that sorry ass!" Katsuki justified.
The teacher narrowed his eyes at Katsuki, leaning back in his chair. "That sorry ass, as you put it, won't be coming to school for awhile, if things go right. And it's not your business why."
Katsuki nearly choked at that statement. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
The teacher regarded him coolly, the annoyance still evident in his features. "You're not as dense as you act, but perhaps you really have no idea what the problem is. Maybe I should spell it out for you."
Katsuki just gritted his teeth, his rage building up. "Fine. Spell it out for me, then."
"The problem is you." The teacher said matter-of-factly, the annoyance from his voice fading away to reveal a more tired and frustrated tone. "You're the problem."
"HAH?!" Katsuki let out an outraged shriek. "How the hell am I the problem?! I didn't do anything!"
"Oh really? Well then, when spelled out, what does "Deku" mean?" The teacher asked Katsuki.
Katsuki raised an eyebrow at that. "'Deku' means worthless, or useless, loser."
A look of disappointment appeared on the teacher's face, and perhaps a hint of frustration as well.
"You really don't get it, do you, Bakugo?"
Katsuki clenched his fists, the anger rising. It was infuriating being treated like this. He should be able to do whatever he wants.
But he knew better than to start a fight with the teacher.
"Enlighten me, then." He growled.
"Have you ever asked yourself why you bully that girl?" The teacher asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Huh?!" Katsuki snapped. "I already told you-"
"No, you haven't given a real reason." The teacher interrupted, his tone growing more stern. "You just keep on going on about how useless and worthless she is. Do you know how that looks? Do you not see what people think of you when you say that?!"
"She is useless! She's a weak, quirkless nerd who gets everyone's sympathy and attention when she doesn't do anything!" Katsuki yelled.
The teacher looked at him with a blank stare. "So it's just sheer jealousy. That's your excuse."
Katsuki was starting to lose patience. "Why else do you think I do it?! She's pathetic and annoying and everyone likes her even though they shouldn't!"
The teacher took a deep breath. "Did you know that you have more friends, a better situation, and far more opportunities for yourself than she ever will? You know that you're the privileged one, right?"
For some reason, that statement from the teacher was pissing Katsuki off even more than usual. "Huh?!" He snarled. "What do you mean?! I'm better than her every way possible! So what if I'm the one with everything?! It's because she's weak!"
The teacher just shook his head, beyond pissed off at this point. "You don't even realise how lucky you are, do you?"
"Of course I know how lucky I am!" Katsuki shot back. "I'm the lucky one! I'm supposed to be the winner! It's that worthless Deku that-"
The teacher slammed a hand down in front of him. "Enough! Do you think it's fair? Do you think it's fair that you have everything, just simply because you were lucky enough to be born with a quirk?!"
"Yes!" The world practically exploded from Katsuki's mouth. "Of course it's fair! That's how things are supposed to be! My Quirk makes me better than that Deku in every single way!"
"Katsuki Bakugo, you know nothing!" The teacher exclaimed.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"
"It means you know nothing! You don't know what it's like to not know how someone will treat you after you tell them you're quirkless! You don't know if they'll instead despise you or not! How they will only see what you are missing and not what you have! You will never know how Izumi feels having to deal with life without something literally everyone else has! You will never know how most girls feel as a girl being taught that anywhere she goes is dangerous! How, no matter, what she is a target and she can't be certain who might have a freaking gun! You will never know how some people feel like with a quirk they never chose dictating what kind of character others see them as! You have a quirk that can take you places, anywhere you want, but others are stuck! Stuck as villains that nobody trusts purely off the fact they were BORN with a unique quirk! You will never know how Mutant-types feel when out in public and being discriminated against, just because they look different! You will never know! You will never understand the hell we all live through! But you could at least show some sympathy! Try, for once in your spoiled, silver-spoon-filled life, to sympathise with people less fortunate than you!"
Katsuki let out a frustrated grunt. "Sympathy?! And let that Deku think she's not useless and pathetic and a waste of space?! Not a chance!"
"Go to the principal's office... Now." The teacher ordered.
"What?! Why the hell do I-?!" Katsuki started.
A firm glance from the teacher froze him mid-sentence.
Katsuki let out another frustrated groan, but turned and stormed out to the principal's office.
Over the next few months, everyone started acting weird about Katsuki. Deku returned to school soon enough. Katsuki didn't get a choice in the matter, he didn't get a single day off. She's exactly the same as she once was. She's quiet and expressionless but Katsuki could swear she was judging him anyway. She's stupid but gets every answer right on everything. She's ugly and gross, yet now everyone looked at Katsuki like he had grown a second head and it made Katsuki want to scream.
Katsuki didn't even have his lackeys to fall back on anymore. They didn't want anything to do with him either. It wasn't because they're suddenly moral paragons, especially after what he did to Deku. After all, that bastard deserved it!
Even the girl who clearly had a crush on Katsuki, Tejina, was giving him the cold shoulder. He tried to make small talk with her before class started, but she just ignored him.
This wasn't what he'd wanted when he got his own Pokemon. He was supposed to finally beat Deku at her own game, damn it, not make things worse for himself! It's not like Katsuki was ever everyone's favourite, but at least until now, he had respect.
Why couldn't Katsuki get all the attention that dumbass Deku got? Why couldn't Deku be like everyone else? Katsuki had everything Deku didn't. A strong quirk, a normal family, friends.
"Oi, Deku."
As soon as the last class of the day ended, Deku packed her bag and got up to leave. Ignoring Katsuki's request for her attention. That annoyed him, but he wasn't done talking to her.
"DON'T IGNORE ME!"
Katsuki's yell caught Deku off guard. She turned, just a bit, to look at him with that same blank expression.
"Why the hell are you ignoring me?!" Katsuki asked heatedly.
"I'm not ignoring you." Deku said, her tone soft and tired. "You've made it clear you don't want to talk to me."
"Oh, quit acting like such a victim." Katsuki replied. "I could say the same. I've been trying to get your attention all day."
"I'm not acting like a victim. I didn't want to talk to you, so I didn't talk to you. Simple as that." Deku said, her quiet voice having a hint of irritation to it.
"Ugh, you sound so annoying!" Katsuki growled, clenching his fists.
"Am I being annoying, or are you just realising I won't let you push me around anymore?" Deku asked, her expression unwavering.
Katsuki just responded with an annoyed frown. That wasn't what he was expecting.
"What got into you all of a sudden?" He asked, trying to get his footing back.
"I could ask the same of you." Deku replied, crossing her arms. "I haven't done anything to you since that battle. Why do you care so much about getting my attention, all of a sudden?"
"I..." Katsuki opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
He did go out of his way to try and talk to her, but he couldn't explain why. He just had an impulsive need to insult her. He just had to...
He was just acting as he always did. So why did this feel so different?
"Look, if you like me, I'm not interested." Deku glared, picking up her bag and walking out of the classroom, forcing Katsuki to wallow in his feelings.
"...WHAT?!"
Katsuki stood frozen for a moment, stunned. The door closed behind her, but that was the least of his problems.
...like her? Where did she get that idea from? Of all the things he was feeling, that was one of the things he was most certain he wasn't feeling. He certainly didn't like Deku.
...right?
The bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Everyone else was already leaving by the time Katsuki had collected himself. But he couldn't afford to wait any longer.
He charged out the door, desperate to catch Deku before she left school. He couldn't just let her get away with calling him out like that, especially with an accusation so ridiculous.
However, when Katsuki reached the school gate, Deku was nowhere to be found, instead seeing a Fearow and a Spearow flying off, coincidentally flying in the direction that Deku would walk home.
Katsuki growled, letting out a frustrated scream into the sky.
He really wasn't in the mood to chase her down at this point, or to wait till the next day to see her. What, was he supposed to just forget about this?
He let out a frustrated sigh.
He supposed so. He'd have to see her on Monday.
The weekend that followed was agonisingly slow. Katsuki couldn't focus on anything.
He didn't feel like doing anything he normally liked. All he could think about was that idiotic Deku.
She made him so mad, for so many reasons. She'd stolen his spot in class. She'd shown him up in their battle. She was ignoring him.
And now, she had the audacity to think that he likedher.
That was the most infuriating thing.
The thought of her thinking he saw her as anything more than as just an easy target, someone he could push around and humiliate, someone who he could just get away with doing whatever he pleased to. It almost made him shiver from how infuriating the thought was.
Dammit, why did it make him feel so weird?!
The weekend was over, and Monday morning arrived. Katsuki was one of the first to arrive at the classroom. He was sitting at his desk, his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently on the floor.
"Damn it, where is she..." Katsuki muttered.
But, when Deku didn't show up to school after that, Katsuki didn't bother after that. He was DONE.FINISHED. COMPLETED. He may have lost the battle, but he KNOWS that he will win the war. And from that day onward, he became the boy who cried Tactical Nuke.
Chapter 4: New Friends, Old Tribulations
Izumi wasn't sure what to think of her new school. Apparently it was full of people who were children of Pro Heroes and other big people. She was enrolled in said school after a certain blondie wouldn't leave her alone. Well, there was more to the reason, but those woes have already been told.
Izumi sat in her new classroom, shifting nervously. Dusky sat her head on Izumi's lap, ready to comfort her, if needed.
Thankfully, class started without her getting too overwhelmed and having a panic attack.
"Good morning, class!" The teacher greeted as he entered the room. "Starting from today, we have a new student. Care to introduce yourself?"
Izumi stood up, trying to look as confident as possible.
"Uh, hi, my name is Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama, and it's nice to meet you all." Izumi introduced herself, soon sitting back down.
"Which Pro Hero are you related to?" Someone asked, kind of loudly.
"One of my mothers is Mirko." Izumi replied.
The classroom had been quite silent before the question, the only sound was that of someone scribbling diligently in a notebook, but that question was the only thing that could have gotten a reaction like this. The entire room was suddenly filled with chatter, the students gossiping amongst themselves and asking each other how she was related to the Rabbit Hero.
Izumi shrank back slightly, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of social interaction. The kids around her were asking a million and one questions, and she could hardly string together a coherent thought.
"W-Well, what, uh, what Pro Heroes are you all related to?" Izumi asked, hoping to break the ice.
"The Nocturnal Hero: Batticus is my dad!" Someone replied.
"The Ritual Hero: Backpack is one of my parents!" Someone else replied.
The class went around, saying who their parents were. Some were in the top 100, some weren't, but some were close. There were Pro Heroes like Sawamular, Number Five, Lamphead, AirCon, Photo Finish, etc. It made Izumi quite excited.
The class continued around the room, each student revealing one of their parents to be a Pro Hero, and Izumi felt equal parts excitement and anxiety. These were actual Pro Heroes' kids, and they were just going to school like normal, with her.
She couldn't help but think she was somehow invading their space. Sure, Rara was a famous Hero. But here Izumi was. In a school where almost every student had a Pro Hero in the family, and she still felt like she was somehow the odd one out.
Izumi just hoped that she would make some friends.
At lunch, Izumi found herself basically lost. She had no idea where she was meant to go and what was going to happen. Normally, she'd take Dusky outside to play fetch and eat her lunch outside. But were such things allowed here? Would it be discrimination against a disabled student if not? Was Izumi overthinking everything like usual?
As she tried to get her bearings, Izumi felt very out of her element. She was in a strange new place with strange new people, and she felt more than a little alienated. She was about to make her way to the cafeteria when someone spoke to her.
"Hey, are you alright, Midoriya-Usagiyama?"
Izumi spun around to see a friendly-looking girl with a big grin on her face. She had long black hair tied into a spiky ponytail with a large strand hanging on the right side of her face. Her smile and kind eyes gave her a very mature appearance.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Izumi replied with a shaky smile. "Just, uh, just trying to figure out where I need to be for lunch."
"Oh, well, you can just follow me." The girl replied. "I know where the cafeteria is."
The girl stuck out her hand for Izumi to shake.
"Oh, right, sorry! I'm Momo Yaoyorozu, but please feel free to call me Momo."
"Well, in that case, you can call me Izumi." Izumi smiled, shaking Momo's hand.
She's strong, and also very kind. Izumi thought as she shook her new friend's hand.
"Alrighty then! Follow me, let's go grab some lunch." Momo replied as she started heading towards the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was exactly what Izumi predicted, crowded, loud, and hectic. They were lucky enough to see a spot, and made their way over to the table. As they sat down, Izumi realised that she and Momo were the only ones at the table, and the other tables were all filled with groups. She suddenly felt a bit insecure, wondering if maybe Momo felt obligated to sit with her since she had been nice.
"Not a fan of crowds?" Momo asked, startling Izumi out of her thoughts.
"What? Oh! Uh, I'm fine. I just..." Izumi trailed off, thinking about her time before coming here. She was used to being by herself, even if she didn't always enjoy it. Not to mention, her ever-present sensory issues, and her social anxiety.
"No, I get it." Momo said in a kind and sincere tone. "Crowds can be a bit overwhelming, right?"
Izumi couldn't help but smile in response. In the short amount of time she had known Momo, the black-haired girl had already figured out a few things, and was quite understanding. It was almost as if she could read minds.
"That, and sensory stuff." Izumi admitted. "I have... a lot of issues with noise."
They sat in silence for a bit, Izumi getting lost in her own thoughts again. The cafeteria felt even louder than it had before, the noise almost giving her a headache.
"You know..." Momo said, breaking the silence. "I think I have something that could help."
Izumi looked at Momo questioningly, confused as to what she was talking about. The other girl reached into her backpack. After rifling around in it for a few seconds, she pulled out something wrapped in red cloth.
"Here, put these on." Momo instructed.
Confused, but intrigued, Izumi undid the cloth to reveal a pair of headphones. They looked like noise-cancelling headphones, but sleeker and more high-tech. They were a shiny black with bright yellow accents on the sides.
"These are state-of-the-art noise-cancelling headphones." Momo explained. "They block out any noise you want to block out. I figured you'd probably like a little peace and quiet. At least, during lunch."
Izumi couldn't believe it. It was like Momo had been reading her mind the entire time. She put on the headphones, and immediately felt relieved. The cafeteria was still noisy, but the sound was dampened a lot by the headphones. They were also surprisingly comfortable.
"This... Thank you." Izumi said, a small smile appearing on her face. "How did you know?"
Momo shrugged as she put away the cloth she had been holding the headphones in. "I just... I guess I just realised that you seemed like someone who'd like a bit of quiet. Guess I was right."
"I... How do you do that?" Izumi asked, almost bewildered. "It's like you can read my mind!"
There was a pause as Momo studied her, the other girl's dark eyes flicking around, as if she was searching for something. After a few seconds, the other girl's gaze softened and her lips turned upwards in a small, knowing smile.
"Actually, it's more like I've met a lot of people who aren't so good with crowds and loud noises." Momo explained. "And I've learned what they need."
Once again, what the other girl was saying hit eerily close to home, and a small nagging thought wormed its way into Izumi's head.
"And, as for the sensory stuff..." Momo said after a pause. "You're not neurotypical, are you?"
That question hit Izumi like a tidal wave. It was so to the point and so blunt that, even though she was expecting it, it took her a few moments to respond.
"No..." She replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not neurotypical. I'm... I'm autistic."
As she said that last sentence, Izumi braced herself for the other shoe to drop. For Momo to suddenly realise what a burden she was taking on by associating with her. For her to look down on her and start talking to her in a condescending tone.
But none of that happened. Instead, Momo put on an understanding smile and spoke in a compassionate tone.
"Yeah, I figured you might be."
What?
The thought of someone realising she was autistic so quickly and not only not caring, but almost acting like it was normal, threw Izumi for a loop. Her initial surprise soon gave way to suspicion. Why wasn't she bothered by it?
"You seem surprised." Momo stated, seeming to sense her confusion.
"I... I just..." Izumi hesitated. "I don't know. It's just... I'm not used to people realising so quickly... and not being bothered by it..." She finished meekly.
"I guess you're just used to people being idiots." Momo said with a shrug.
That sentence made Izumi chuckle involuntarily. It wasn't often that she met people who felt comfortable talking to her in such a blunt way.
"I... Yeah, I guess you're right." Izumi admitted, her surprise giving way to a comfortable feeling. "But still... I'm just used to people making a big thing out of it, asking me a million questions, talking in that tone..."
"Oh, the baby voice?" Momo laughed. "Yeah, that must suck."
Izumi was starting to really like this girl.
"Yeah!" Izumi replied, still chuckling a bit. "It's so infuriating. Like, I can speak and understand just fine, thank you very much. But every time I tell someone I'm autistic, they start talking like that. They treat me like a toddler."
"People are just the worst, sometimes." Momo said, shaking her head. "And they think they're being helpful and inclusive when they do crap like that! It's stupid."
"Exactly!" Izumi agreed. "And it's like they see it as a character flaw or a disease or something. I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes it really feels like they're saying something's wrong with me."
She sighed. "I wish people would just treat me like I was a normal person."
"But you are a normal person." Momo stated firmly, her voice filled with conviction.
She...
Izumi's eyes widened momentarily, as the girl's words sunk in. It wasn't like she didn't already know that, of course, but hearing someone else say it, so confidently and bluntly, made her heart soar.
"You are a normal person." Momo repeated. "The fact that you're autistic doesn't change that. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron."
She means it.
Izumi couldn't help but marvel at Momo's sincerity. It was refreshing and comforting to meet someone who didn't see her autism as a problem, but rather just another fact of life. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Thanks, Momo." Izumi smiled giddily. "I can tell we'll be good friends for life."
And that they were. Despite how weird it sounded, Izumi really liked having someone she could talk to and share things with, someone who understood her. Someone who accepted her without judgement, without fear. Someone who treated everyone equally, even in their most difficult situations.
They stood together from that day forward. When one of them had troubles, the other tried to help out and vice-versa. It felt nice having at least one friend. One whom Izumi could rely on for everything, and trust, and support her no matter what.
Of course, when the topic of quirks came up, one day, Momo quickly found out about the Pokewatch, as Izumi liked to call it.
"So, what's your quirk?" Izumi asked Momo.
"Oh, my quirk?" Momo replied lightly. "It's called Creation. I can basically create anything from my body fat, so long as I understand how it works at a molecular level."
"Wow..." Izumi's eyes widened with amazement. "That's so cool! So you can just, like, make anything you want? Out of nothing?!"
"Well, not exactly out of nothing." Momo corrected. "Like I said, I have to use my body fat as fuel. And the bigger the object, the more fuel it takes. But yeah, in principle, I can make pretty much anything I can think of."
"What things have you learned to create?" Izumi asked, getting more intrigued by the second.
"Oh, well, let's see..." Momo mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I know how to make a lot of things. Everything from flashbangs to smoke bombs to grappling hooks. I also make stuff like support items, tools, and stuff like that. Oh, and a taser, of course. Never know when you need one of those."
"Have you ever tried adding additional properties to them?" Izumi asked. "Like, adding a fire extinguisher to a flamethrower. Have you ever tried that?"
Momo pondered for a moment. "Huh... You know, I don't think I've ever tried that..."
She turned to look at Izumi, a sly smirk on her face. "You've got a very interesting way of thinking, you know that?"
"Huh?" Izumi laughed, not quite sure how to react to the compliment. "I mean, I guess, I just-"
"No, I mean it." Momo said firmly. "The way you think is... different from most other people I know. And it's not just your autism. You think outside the box. It makes you very good at finding creative, unexpected solutions. It's impressive."
"I guess it's just thinking creatively." Izumi shrugged. "As someone who overthinks a lot, my thoughts can turn into some interesting stuff."
"So I've noticed." Momo chuckled. She looked at Izumi with renewed admiration, impressed by her friend's out-of-the-box thinking. "It's a good thing, you know. It's what makes you special."
"Oh, uh, thanks." Izumi blushed slightly, barely trying to hide a smile.
Momo grinned. "Anytime. You know, I'm kinda envious of you." She admitted.
Izumi seemed very surprised by that. "Huh? Why?"
"Well, your brain, for one thing." She said. "The way you think, the way you solve problems... I've always been a straight-A student, but you have an almost innate understanding of a lot of things. It's hard to explain. You're intelligent in a way I'm not."
Izumi was silent for a moment, taken aback by Momo's words. She had never really thought of herself as particularly intelligent. She had her moments, sure, but even then she usually only got things right by accident.
Still, hearing such high praise from someone as intelligent as Momo was... nice.
"But anyway, what's your quirk?" Momo asked. "Does it have to do with your watch? I've never seen anything like it."
"Well, technically, I don't have one, but at the same time, I do, if that makes sense." Izumi explained. "This." Izumi lifted up the Pokewatch. "Is what I call the Pokewatch. I was born quirkless, but one night, this thing fell from the sky, and it allows me to transform into Pokemon."
Momo's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, so you don't have a quirk, but you can turn into Pokémon? That's crazy!"
She leaned in, curious and perplexed. "How does that even work? Do you pick which Pokémon you turn into? How do you control it?"
"I just press a button, and this dial pops up, then I twist the dial until I find the Pokemon I want to transform into." Izumi explained.
"Oh, wow! Can I try?" Momo asked.
"I'm sorry, but this thing doesn't want to come off of my wrist." Izumi apologised. "Otherwise, I'd totally give you a turn."
"Oh, that's alright. I get it." Momo replied, clearly still intrigued by the Pokewatch's capabilities. "But I have so many questions! Can you transform into any Pokemon, or just a few?"
"I'm not sure how many Pokemon I can transform into, but I know it's at least 11." Izumi replied. "Gyrados, Fearow, Tyranitar, Swampert, Toxicroak, Volcarona, Hawlucha, Kommo-o, Turtonator, and Grimmsnarl, if you're wondering."
Momo's eyes widened as she listened to the list of Pokemon. "Whoa... That's quite a variety!" She was clearly impressed, but there was a hint of curiosity still present, and she couldn't help but ask another question. "But why those specifically? Is there a reason?"
Izumi shrugged. "Beats me. It was completely random. Well, probably not completely random, but not for any reason I can determine. I guess this thing was just designed that way."
"Wow..." Momo was awestruck by the Pokewatch's capabilities. "That's... really impressive. You basically have the power of almost a dozen Pokémon at your disposal. That's incredible." She shook her head in disbelief. "I still have so many questions..."
"Honestly, I do, too." Izumi admitted. "Like, where did it come from? Who created it? What other features does this thing have?"
"No kidding." Momo agreed. "It's like you just got handed a Swiss Army knife, but it's a million times cooler." She studied the Pokewatch on Izumi's wrist, her mind reeling with possibilities. "I bet you could do all sorts of things with this thing..."
"Yeah, I know..." Izumi agreed, looking at her own Pokewatch. "Trust me, I've spent a while contemplating all the possible ways I could use this thing. But even though I've been using it for about a year, I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface of what it can do."
"I bet you've come up with some pretty creative ideas, though." Momo said with a smile. "You're good at thinking out of the box, remember?"
Izumi blushed lightly at the reminder. "Thanks." She said quietly.
"That's another thing I admire about you." Momo continued, unaware of the minor fluster she had caused. "You're not afraid to throw away the rulebook and go your own way."
"And you think that's a good thing?" Izumi blurted out, despite herself. She wasn't used to being complimented on things that were often criticised as social flaws.
"Are you kidding?" Momo asked, giving her friend an incredulous look. "Of course it's a good thing. You don't confine yourself to what other people think is normal. You do what you want, regardless of whether it's considered typical or not. It means you're braver than most people I know."
'Most people I know'
Izumi's brain clung to that phrase. She knew it was just a turn of phrase, but still, the words struck a chord in her.
Maybe... Maybe Momo really did think she was braver than most people. Maybe she really did think she was strong and capable in her own way, even if she was different.
Over the next few months, Izumi had learned more about what she could transform into. She could turn into 18 Pokemon. Sceptile, Turtonator, Gyarados, Volcarona, Smeargle, Fearow, Toxicroak, Luxray, Swampert, Sylveon, Hawlucha, Armarouge, Tyranitar, Excadrill, Frosmoth, Ceruledge, Kommo-o, and Grimmsnarl.
She had always considered her watch to be pretty neat, but the more she learned about it, the more she came to realise how utterly strange it was.
Why was she able to transform into so many Pokemon? Where did the watch come from? How had she, of all people, gotten her hands on it?
She had tried to find answers for these questions, of course, but she'd made no progress. Even Googling the thing didn't bring up any results. Not that it would, hut Izumi thought she'd try.
The more time passed, the more Izumi came to terms with the fact that she might never find out the answers to these questions. It was a thought that didn't upset her as much as she thought it would. After all, as long as she had the Pokewatch, there was no real need to find out.
It also didn't hurt that her new school year was off to a promising start, at least in terms of her social life. She'd made a friend, one who seemed to genuinely like her, support her, and understand her. And that friendship had grown into, as one might put it, best friend status.
Izumi really couldn't imagine anything better than having Momo as a friend. She was smart, kind, strong, and reliable. But most importantly, she appreciated Izumi for who she was, quirks and all.
They spent more and more time together, whether it was during classes, lunch, or after school. They would study together and chat, usually at the library or each other's houses. Izumi found it easy to talk to Momo, even more surprisingly, it was becoming less and less embarrassing to tell her about her 'weird' interests.
In fact, Momo seemed to enjoy hearing about them. She didn't find those interests strange or off putting, but rather, found them intriguing, and even fascinating. She enjoyed listening to Izumi nerd out about things she liked, and genuinely found the knowledge she often spouted to be interesting.
"We're here, Izumi." Inko said to Izumi, the two, alongside Rumi, Dusky, and Peaker, who sat on Izumi's shoulder, getting out of the car.
It was the day that Izumi would finally get a starter Pokemon of her own. Sure, she had Peaker, but this would make it feel more official.
Izumi looked up at the Pokemon Laboratory, while fiddling with her jacket. However, this wasn't out of nervousness. It was more like Izumi was waiting for something, or rather, someone.
"Izumi!" A familiar voice called out.
"Momo!" Izumi called back as Momo and her parents, Tomi Yaoyorozu and Meisei Yaoyorozu, arrived. "Are you excited about getting your starter?"
"Of course, I am!" Momo beamed.
The two ten-year-olds rushed in, the adults following soon after. Once they were inside, they were met by a man who was a middle-aged Pokemon Professor with gray hair and sports a light lilac polo shirt underneath his lab coat.
"You must be Izumi Midoriya-Usagiyama and Momo Yaoyorozu. Pleasure to meet you." The man smiled. "My name is Professor Oak, but most people affectionately call me the Pokemon Professor. But I'm sure you already knew that. I'm guessing that you're both here to get a starter Pokemon."
The Professor smiled at the young girls, his kind eyes meeting theirs as they nodded in confirmation.
"Well, you've certainly come to the right place." He said cheerfully. "I've got quite the selection of starter Pokemon for you two to choose from. If you could follow me, I'll show you to the Pokemon Room."
The Professor gestured for the pair of young girls, plus their parents to follow him, leading them through the Pokemon Laboratory. They walked past several research rooms and even a small veterinary clinic before finally reaching the Pokemon Room, where all the starters were.
"Welcome, young Midoriya-Usagiyama and young Yaoyorozu, to the Pokemon Room." Oak smiled. "Normally, in other regions, there would only be three options, however, we have several, most of which have originated from other regions. Go on, have a look through, and see which one works well for you."
Izumi looked right at Momo, as Momo looked right at Izumi.
"Let's split up, ok?" Izumi offered. "We'll meet back here when we've both chosen our Pokemon."
"Sounds good." Momo nodded, the two splitting up.
The room was rather spacious and had Pokemon running around and having fun.
Izumi roamed around, not sure which Pokemon to choose. She saw a Chimchar and a Scorbunny playing some sort of game that was a mix of soccer and basketball, some Rowlet sleeping in a nearby tree, though a couple of Grookey were trying to wake them up, and over in a lake-like area, a couple of Squirtle, a Totodile, and a few Mudkip were swimming around in the water.
The sight of all these potential Pokemon was a bit overwhelming. How was she supposed to choose one? They all looked cool!
Izumi continued through the room, eventually coming across a large group of Litten playing around with each other. The kittens were playing a game that looked almost like tag. Every so often, one of them would jump over a rock, then start chasing the others. They didn't seem particularly bothered by her presence, giving a curious look in her direction before resuming their game.
As she was watching the Litten, another sound caught Izumi's attention. She looked up, seeing a bunch of Popplio and Piplup playing around in the shallower parts of the pond. The Popplio were spraying some of the Piplup with a Water Gun, and the Piplup were retaliating with an Ice Beam attack. Watching the two species engage in their mock battle, it looked to Izumi like the two groups had decided to make it a contest to see who could throw more water at their opponents.
Popplio was a cute Pokemon, and the more she thought about it, the more her decision jumped around in her mind.
Izumi sat near the edge of the pond, watching the Popplio and Piplup have their fun. The Popplio would let out a playful cry before spraying an unprepared Piplup, or a group of them would use their Water Gun in unison to send a stream of water arcing through the air. The Piplup would retaliate by creating small ice blocks and flinging them at a safe distance with Ice Beam. It was a fun game, and the two sides seemed evenly matched.
Izumi, not wanting to ruin the fun, looked around to see if there was a Popplio not joining in, or seemed lonely.
After a while of searching, Izumi spotted a single Popplio by the edge of the pond, not participating in the game, but instead watching it. The Popplio seemed happy enough, but there was something about her that made her seem a bit lonely.
The other Popplio and Piplup were all having fun playing their game together, but this one had been left on her own. She didn't seem upset, but it certainly seemed out of place.
Curious, Izumi walked towards the Popplio. She noticed her approaching and looked up at her with a curious expression.
"Hey there, why aren't you playing with your friends?" Izumi asked, crouching down to the Popplio's level.
The Popplio's expression changed from one of aloof curiosity, to one that seemed almost... dejected. She looked at the other Popplio in the water, then back at the ground.
When the Popplio spoke, it seemed to do so with an attitude of resignation.
"My friends were a Litten and a Rowlet." The Popplio said quietly, not meeting Izumi's eyes. "They were already picked."
Izumi froze, the words hitting her like a punch in the gut. Her heart ached for the little creature. She could only imagine how terrible it must feel to watch your friends go off to their new lives without you.
"I'm... I'm really sorry to hear that." Izumi said softly, kneeling next to the Popplio. "That must be really hard..."
The Popplio nodded, looking even more downcast. It was clear that this was a sensitive subject, and that she was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
Izumi wanted to say something, anything to comfort the Popplio, to take away some of its sadness. But what could she possibly say? What could make this situation better?
"Do you perhaps... Want to be my friend?" Izumi offered. "I know it might not be the same, but..."
The Popplio looked up, slightly surprised at the offer. She seemed to contemplate Izumi's words for a moment, her expression going from one of resignation to one of hope mixed with hesitation.
"Y... You'd really want to be my friend?" The little creature asked in a small voice.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Izumi replied, giving the Popplio a kind smile. "I think you seem like a really cool Pokemon, and I don't really have any friends other than my Spearow, my Lycanroc, and the one I came with, so..."
The Popplio looked up at Izumi with curiosity, tilting her head to one side. "You don't have a lot of friends?" She asked, a slight hint of incredulity in her voice.
"Yeah, not really." Izumi admitted, a slightly ashamed expression on her face. "I don't really... get out much, and I sometimes get picked on for being... different from other people."
"Different? How?" The Popplio asked.
"I'm autistic." Izumi replied.
"Au-ti-stic..." The Popplio repeated, sounding out each syllable. "What does that mean?"
"Autism is... um, how to say it?" Izumi pursed her lips, trying to find the simplest way to explain. "I guess you could say that it means that my brain works a bit differently from most people. Mostly because I think and behave in ways that are... well, different from most people."
The Popplio seemed to consider this for a moment, tilting her head in thought.
"So, you're unique." The Popplio concluded, a small smile on her face. "I've always liked unique things."
This made Izumi smile. For some reason, hearing that she was 'unique' and that the Popplio liked it made her feel... good. Almost proud, in a way.
Usually, in her experience, 'unique' was something people used as a synonym for 'weird' or 'abnormal.' It was strange to hear it being used as a positivething. Sure, both Momo and Izumi's mothers made it sound positive, but Izumi didn't always feel like that.
"Yeah." Izumi answered. "I guess you could say I'm a 'unique' person."
The Popplio's smile widened slightly, and the look on its face seemed to change from contemplation to a sort of determination.
"I think... I think I'd like to be your friend." The Popplio declared.
Izumi felt her heart swell with joy. This little Popplio wanted to be her friend? Sure, it had kind of implied that it would take what it could get, but it still wanted to be her friend.
"Really?" She asked, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. "You really want to be friends with me?"
"Well, you're offering." The Popplio smiled.
Izumi was suddenly thrown off balance and almost fell backwards as the Popplio practically threw itself at her. As it wrapped its flippers around her in a hug, she couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and overwhelming joy. The Popplio's small body felt warm and soft as it pressed against her, and its flippers seemed to grip her tightly, as if it was afraid she would disappear if it let go.
"Alright then." She said, after taking a moment to process. "You're my friend now."
Izumi looked down at the Popplio once more.
"I'm Izumi, by the way." Izumi introduced herself.
"Izumi." The Popplio repeated. "Can I have a cool name like that?"
"Oh, sure." Izumi nodded. "Anything in mind?"
"Ashika!" The Popplio exclaimed.
"Ashika." Izumi tested how the name felt on her tongue. "That's a nice name. It suits you."
Ashika gave her a happy look, clearly proud of her new name.
Izumi was suddenly snapped out of the moment as she heard a familiar voice call out to her.
"There you are, Izumi!"
She looked up to see Momo walking towards her, looking a little out of breath.
"I was waiting for you for a while, but you didn't show up." Momo explained. "Is everything ok?"
"I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine." Izumi smiled. "I chose my starter. A Popplio. She's named Ashika."
"Oh! That's great!" Momo's face broke out into a big smile, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"What about you? What did you pick?" Izumi asked, curious to see which Pokemon her friend had chosen.
"I chose a Fennekin." Momo nodded. "I'm not sure what to nickname her, though."
"You could try something fire-themed." Izumi suggested. "Like... Ember? Or Cinder? Or Ash? Or something like that."
"Mm... Too... Stereotypical." Momo shook her head. "I want to be unique with my Fennekin's name."
"Hm, what's her nature?" Izumi asked Momo.
"I'll have to check, but judging from how she's acted, I'm going to assume Careful." Momo presumed.
"Then how about Grace?" Izumi suggested.
"Grace... Not bad." Momo nodded, putting a finger on her chin as she pondered the name. "I like it. It's simple, but in a good way. Yeah, I think I might use that. Thanks!"
Izumi stood up, allowing Ashika to remain in her arms.
"Come on, let's go and register our Pokemon."
Momo nodded, the two of them, plus their Pokemon, heading out of the Pokemon Room, where Professor Oak and their parents were waiting for them.
"Ah, I see you two have found your starters." Oak smiled, looking at Izumi and Momo with their partners in hand. "Great work!" Oak exclaimed. "Have you two picked out a name for your new friends yet?"
"I named mine Ashika." Izumi nodded, giving the Popplio in her arms a gentle pat.
"And I named mine Grace." Momo smiled. "I have a sort of... feeling that it suits her."
"Sounds like you two have already started to form a bond with your starters." Oak chuckled. "I have to say, I'm glad. It warms my heart to see starter Pokemon find good homes."
"We'll take good care of them." Izumi assured.
"Of course you will." Oak nodded. "One of the best things about starter Pokemon is their loyalty. You've likely made a friend for life."
Izumi's eyes widened at the thought. A friend, for life... She'd never really had that before.
Sure, Momo was a good friend, but there was always a chance of them drifting apart as they got older, right? People were like that; it was just a fact of life.
But to have a friend that would stay by her side forever, come what may? That was...
She looked at Ashika, who smiled up at her, and her heart melted.
The Popplio was so small and cute, and the joyous look on its face made Izumi feel... something. Warmth, maybe? She felt a desire to protect the little creature. To shield her from anything that could hurt her. To make sure she never had to feel alone. To be sure that she was always happy.
She held the Popplio to her chest, hugging her a little tighter.
"Looks like you're already making a strong bond." Inko mused, watching the two of them interact.
"Yeah." Tomi agreed, nodding with a smile. "It's a beautiful thing to see."
"Mhm." Meisei agreed, a little smile on her face as she watched the two girls with their starters.
Izumi blushed a bit at the attention. She wasn't used to getting compliments on something like this. Most people wouldn't have cared, or would have found her weird if she gushed about a Pokemon like she was.
Thankfully, everyone here was different. They thought this was cute, not strange. They thought her interest in it was endearing, not abnormal. In fact, everyone was smiling, watching the two young girls and their new partners interacting.
It was an entirely new experience for Izumi.
Professor Oak smiled warmly at the group. "You girls have chosen wisely. Your starters are some of the best and most loyal Pokemon around."
Both Izumi and Momo nodded in agreement. Ashika and Grace both looked up at them with bright, happy eyes.
"Now, before you leave, I have one last thing for both of you." Oak informed them.
The Professor walked over to a nearby table and opened up a drawer, pulling out a small, cardboard box. He set it down on the table in front of the pair of girls and their Pokemon.
"What's that?" Izumi asked, peering curiously at the box.
"It's something that every young trainer needs." Oak explained. "Your first Pokedex."
The two young girls' eyes widened in surprise and amazement. A Pokedex... Their very own Pokedex.
Izumi and Momo looked at each other, both feeling a sense of excitement and awe. They had heard of Pokedexes before, of course, but they had never imagined that they would get their own.
Izumi held her hand out, Peaker flapping her way onto it. Izumi then opened her PokeDex and scanned Peaker.
"Scan Completed. Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokemon. Type: ERROR. Very protective of its territory, it flaps its short wings busily to dart around at high speed."
"Huh? Error?" Oak raised an eyebrow.
"That's strange." Izumi pointed out. "Normally, Spearow is a Normal/Flying type."
"Indeed it is, young Midoriya-Usagiyama." Oak nodded. "If it's ok with you, may I see your Spearow for a moment?"
Izumi turned her head to Peaker.
"Are you ok with that, Peaker?" Izumi asked Peaker.
"Might as well." Peaker shrugged, flapping over to Professor Oak.
Oak scanned Peaker with the device once more, and raised his eyebrows.
"This is most certainly odd." Oak commented, scanning her again. "It would seem your Spearow is a special case."
Izumi looked concerned, "Is she alright?"
"Oh, she should be fine." Oak said reassuringly, "It's just I've never seen a Pokemon get scanned as an Error before. It would seem Peaker is a rare one."
"What exactly caused the error?" Izumi asked.
"Your Spearow has a rare disability that causes a dual-type Pokemon to be a monotype of their secondary typing." Oak explained. "In this case, your Spearow is a pure flying type Pokemon."
"Will it affect her development?" Izumi asked, worried.
"Oh, no, no." Oak shook his head. "Currently known, it causes the Pokemon to not be able to learn any moves of their, would have, primary typing."
"Well, that's not too bad, at least!" Izumi smiled. "She can still learn Flying type moves, just not Normal ones."
Oak nodded, "Indeed. And there's always the possibility that new research could discover a way around the issue. But for now, Peaker appears normal and healthy."
Izumi breathed a sigh of relief, stroking Peaker's head. "Thanks, Professor Oak. Thanks for clarifying all that."
"What's the name of this disability?" Inko asked Oak, curious.
"It's called TypeLock, and it's a rare genetic mutation that can happen in a dual type Pokemon. It's not completely understood what causes it, but it's thought to be a randomly occurring mutation during the Pokemon's embryonic development process." Oak explained, tapping away on his computer.
Izumi and Inko listened closely to Oak's explanations. "It sounds like Peaker might have a unique ability in the end too, if I'm understanding this correctly?" Izumi said, tilting her head slightly.
Oak nodded. "That's right, Peaker's disability could also be seen as a potential advantage. It gives her more focus on her Flying-type moves and can make her an exceptional aerial fighter."
"Now, is that everything?" Inko asked, Peaker flapping her way back to Izumi's shoulder.
"Yes, that's everything for now." Professor Oak smiled. "And I believe there are some other trainers waiting to receive their starter Pokemon right now, so I better get to that. Thank you for being so cooperative and understanding!" Oak said, before walking off to greet the next trainer in line.
Izumi nodded and smiled as she watched Professor Oak talk with the next few trainers in line. She was still a bit concerned about Peaker's... specialsituation, but overall she was happy with the news. Peaker would be just fine, even if it meant she was a little different. Besides, as someone with some unique physical challenges, it was honestly kind of nice to see that she wasn't the only one, even if Peaker didn't have quite the same issues.
"Woah! You have a big house!" Ashika exclaimed.
"Oh, thanks." Izumi smiled, taking Dusky's vest off. "It's not that big, but it makes do."
"Why don't you show Ashika around the house?" Inko suggested. "Rara and I will get started on dinner."
"Ok, Mama." Izumi nodded, looking back down at Ashika. "Why don't I show you my bedroom?"
"Bedroom? What's that?" Ashika asked.
"Oh, well, it's a special room where people go to sleep or have some alone time." Izumi explained.
"So, it's kind of like a cave or a den?" Ashika asked.
"Yeah, kinda." Izumi nodded.
Pretty soon, the two walked over to Izumi's room.
As soon as Izumi swung open the door, the room was revealed. The walls had dark green wallpaper with golden constellations and stars, and there were a couple of glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling. A bed sat in one corner, while a bookcase filled with books was in another.
"Wowww..." Ashika's eyes widened in awe. "This room is so pretty!"
"Oh, thanks." Izumi blushed.
"I especially like those stars on the ceiling." Ashika said, pointing to the ceiling.
"Oh, yeah, those are pretty neat, aren't they?" Izumi smiled, sitting down on one of the bean bags. "I've been thinking of adding more to the ceiling."
"More? But why? It's already so nice and pretty like this." Ashika asked, flopping down on the beanbag next to Izumi.
"Yeah, but I feel like it could be even prettier. Plus, some of those 'stars' aren't actually stars at all." Izumi explained, pointing at one of the stars on the ceiling. "Most of those are just glow-in-the-dark plastic, they're actually more like planetarium lights than actual stars."
"Oh, really? What's a planetarium?" Ashika asked, looking up at the stars on the ceiling, before looking back at Izumi.
"Well, a planetarium is kinda like a room that has a special ceiling that looks like the night sky." Izumi explained. "It's like a room with the sky in it, but better, because they can project stars from all over the galaxy, or even make the image move. I once got to visit one on a school trip."
"Woah, that sounds really amazing!" Ashika's eyes lit up with wonder and awe, imagining a night sky that moved and danced all around you. "You really went to a room like that?!"
"Yup!" Izumi nodded. "It was pretty fun. The teacher was giving a little presentation about different constellations, and then he turned off all the lights, and the room kind of lit up with stars. He showed us all the different constellations in the sky at that time. Some of them were really pretty."
"That sounds awesome..." Ashika sat up a bit, then pointed up at the 'stars' on the ceiling. "So wait, then why do you have glow-in-the-dark stars up here?"
"Well, Mama and Rara put those up when I was small." Izumi explained, getting up from the beanbag and standing next to her bookshelf. "When I was little, I used to be afraid of the dark, still am if I'm being honest. I'd get scared of whatever was under the bed. So they got those stars and put them up on the ceiling so I could look at them when I got scared at night, and then it would help me sleep. I even made a game out of it, sometimes, where I'd try to see how many constellations I could make out when I was having trouble sleeping."
"I see." Ashika nodded, her eyes shifting from the stars, to Izumi, and back again. "So why do you still leave them up? Don't they make you feel like a little kid?"
"I guess they do." Izumi admitted. "But I don't really care to take them down. They remind me of being a little kid, and they're still kind of nice to look at, even if they're not real. It's like... It's like a kind of special magic, you know?"
"Special magic, huh..." Ashika repeated, tilting her head. "Yeah... I think I understand."
She looked up at the stars again, staring curiously as she tried to make shapes out of the plastic pieces.
Finally, Peaker spoke up, whispering, just loud enough for Ashika to hear.
"Hey, you should show Ashika the watch." Peaker suggested, motioning to the Pokewatch on Izumi's wrist.
Ashika's attention immediately turned to the Pokewatch. She'd noticed it on Izumi's wrist before, but hadn't given it much thought until now.
"Oh, the... thing on your wrist?" Ashika looked at Izumi's wrist, the Pokewatch still attached. "What is that?"
"You know what a Ditto can do, right?" Izumi asked.
"Ditto..." Ashika thought for a moment. "Isn't that the one that, like, can become any other Pokemon?"
"That's right." Izumi nodded. "The Pokewatch allows me to do something similar."
"Wait, really?" Ashika's eyes widened once again, excitement growing in her voice. "How does it do that?!"
"Why don't I show you?" Izumi suggested, lifting the Pokewatch's dial up and twisting it around a bit, before pressing it down again.
In a flash of light, Izumi transformed into a bipedal, avian Pokemon. Its underside is mostly white with colourful plumage, and a mask-like face with green markings and orange around its eyes and top of its head with three orange feathers sticking out. The symbol of the Pokewatch was on Izumi's chest.
"Wassup, motherSawsbucker?" Izumi squawked.
"Woah! That's so cool!" Ashika exclaimed.
Ashika hopped off the beanbag and rushed over to Izumi, circling her around curiously.
"You look totally different!" Ashika stated the obvious.
"Yep, that's kind of the point." Izumi nodded, or as close to a nod as she could do in her current form. "I can turn into, currently, 18 Pokemon with this watch."
"That's so cool!" Ashika continued to circle around Izumi, clearly in awe. "Who else can you turn into?"
"Well, as you can see, I can turn into Hawlucha." Izumi explained. "But I can also turn into Fearow, Smeargle, Sceptile, Luxray, Excadrill, Sylveon, Turtonator, Frosmoth, Ceruledge, Armarouge, Grimmsnarl, Kommo-o, Volcarona, Toxicroak, Swampert, Tyranitar, and Gyarados."
"Wow, that's just... Wow." Ashika was at a loss for words. Her mouth was hanging open, as if she could barely wrap her mind around Izumi's ability. "You can become all those?!"
"Yep. All the ones I listed." Izumi nodded, looking a bit amused at Ashika's reaction.
"And you can turn into all of them whenever you want?" Ashika clarified, amazed at the concept of such an incredible ability.
"Well, whenever I revert to my original form, I have to wait a little while before I can transform again." Izumi explained. "Though, the minimum I ever have to wait is five minutes."
"That's still really cool, though!" Ashika exclaimed. "If someone's in trouble, you could turn into basically any Pokemon and help them out!"
"I suppose that's true." Izumi agreed, her expression growing a bit more thoughtful. "I'd be pretty useful in an emergency, huh?"
"Of course you would! You'd be great, no matter what!" The little Popplio nodded enthusiastically. "Any problem that would come up, you could definitely solve it!"
"That's, kind of..." Izumi wasn't sure how to respond to that praise. Sure, she'd hoped she could help people out with this Pokewatch, but hearing that she could help with 'any problem' almost seemed like too much confidence. "I don't think I'd go quite THATfar..."
"Why not? You could put out fires as Swampert, take down baddies as Armarouge, save people from collapsed tunnels as Excadrill, or even save a Skitty from a tree as Hawlucha, plus more!" Ashika listed off.
"Well, it's just..." Izumi took a moment to collect her thoughts. "It's just, that's a lot of trust to put into one person, y'know? What if I do something wrong? What if I mess up and get someone hurt?"
"But you'd try your hardest, right?!" Ashika retorted, a quizzical look on her face. "I mean, if someone was in trouble, you'd give it your best shot and try to help them, right?"
"I... Well, of course I would." Izumi answered, caught a bit off guard. "I just don't think I have what it takes to solve ANY problem. I mean, what if something happened that even being a Pokemon couldn't fix? What then?"
"I..." Ashika fell silent momentarily, trying to formulate a response to what Izumi had just said. "Well, maybe you couldn't solve everything, no one could. But you'd be pretty great at helping out with lots of problems! That's gotta be plenty, right?"
"...Yeah. I guess you're right..." Izumi couldn't argue with that logic. Sure, her watch probably wouldn't be enough to solve every problem she came across, but... it wasn't about being able to solve something like a math problem. It was more about doing her part in a crisis situation. And if she were in one of those, she'd definitely rather be able to turn into Hawlucha or Excadrill than not.
"...Yeah. You're right. You're absolutely right." Izumi finally agreed.
"See? I knew you'd be great at helping people!" Ashika said, a wide smile on her face.
"That's just Izumi for you, always as humble as can be." Peaker chuckled.
"Hey, I'm just being realistic!" Izumi protested, folding her arms across her avian chest.
"Sure, just 'being realistic.'" Peaker rolled her eyes, letting out a little sigh. "You know you could probably solve more problems than most trainers, but you're just too stubborn to admit it."
"Well, I don't want to become cocky, like other heroes." Izumi shook her head.
"There's a balance, you know." Peaker huffed. "It's one thing to be cocky, but it's never a sin to be proud of what you can do."
"I... Yeah, I suppose you have a point there..." Izumi admitted reluctantly. She knew Peaker and Ashika were right, really, but it still felt weird having them act like she was some kind of hero.
"But seriously." Peaker continued, "You really should think a bit more of yourself. You're a lot more capable than people are going to give you credit for."
"Capable or not, I..." Izumi took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to articulate her thoughts. "I just don't want to get anyone's hopes up, y'know? I don't know what I'll be able to do in a crisis. It might not be enough, even with this Pokewatch."
"I..." A strange thought occurred to Izumi. Ashika and Peaker were completely, unflinchingly, utterly confident in her. They truly believed that she could accomplish something good in a crisis. Their faith in her was almost... overwhelming...?
"...How are you two so sure that I'd be able to help people?" Izumi quietly asked.
"You saved me from that horde of Impidimps that one time, remember?" Peaker recalled.
"And you were nice enough to let me come with you!" Ashika reminded Izumi.
"I..." Izumi took a moment to gather her thoughts. It was true that she'd done those things, but it didn't seem like enough to inspire this kind of confidence.
"I... suppose I did." She finally admitted. "But... those just seem like things any decent person would do."
"Well, what's wrong with that?" Ashika asked, tilting her head to one side. "I think being helpful and nice to people is great!"
"It is, but..." As much faith as these two had in her, Izumi couldn't stop self-doubt from creeping into her mind. "There's more to being an actual hero than just being a good person. I'm not a hero. I'm just... me. I'm just average."
"Yeah, right." Peaker scoffed. "You're anything but average. You're smart, you're kind, you've got a lot of guts, and you have a power that most people would probably kill to have. You're basically perfect for the job, don't you see?"
"I mean..." Izumi tried to deny it, but Peaker's list of compliments left her without a response. "I... I guess... I guess I wouldn't be the worst hero, huh...?"
"Not even almost." Peaker nodded. "Heck, you're practically a natural for it. You've even got a great look for it; you look like a girl with a purpose. Not to mention you're already pretty fit."
"R-Really?" Izumi blushed at that, trying to keep her tone nonchalant. "I... I never really thought of myself as... 'heroic-looking,' really. I just... do what I need to do."
"Exactly my point." Peaker smirked. "A good hero isn't someone who struts around in a spandex outfit and tries to look like a model. A good hero just does what they need to, and you fit that description perfectly."
"But..." Izumi couldn't deny what Peaker was saying, but she still felt self-conscious about it. "What if... What if I'm just not good enough? What if I can't help, in the end...?"
"Hey, you might not be able to help everyone right now." Peaker admitted. "But that's what getting stronger is for, right? You're still a beginner, and we're probably going to get into some trouble in the future. So, you've just got to focus on getting stronger so that you can do what you can, then worry about what you can't after we get there."
"I... I guess you're right." Izumi nodded at that. She still had a lot to learn, and a lot to practice, but... she didn't mind trying, either. "I suppose... as long as I get to save at least one person in trouble, I don't mind at all."
"Exactly." Peaker nodded, a hint of a smile on the Spearow's beak. "You've got to start somewhere, and I think a good person, with a lot of potential and a whole bunch of useful skills, is a great place to start."
However, before the conversation could continue, the three heard Inko shout, "Dinner's ready!"
"Oh, great, dinner's-" Izumi stopped short. Right, she was still in Hawlucha form, wasn't she?
"Oh, right." With another flash of light, she reverted back to her normal form. "Every time I've used the Pokewatch, it seems like I get more used to being in a different form. Anyway, come on, let's go eat."
"Ooh, food!" Ashika said, running out of Izumi's room and to the kitchen.
"Well, let's follow her before she decides to eat everything." Peaker said, taking flight and following Ashika to the kitchen.
Izumi chuckled and headed out after the two of them.