Chinese Dragon
The smiling Professor Oak was professional and did not play favorites when his grandson entered his lab. After some warm and brief welcome words, which he would say a lot of today, he proceeded to pick up a few items resting on a table.
It was a high-tech handheld device that was compact, sleek, and portable, and could be comfortably held in one's hand. It resembled a small, futuristic tablet or smartphone with a touchscreen interface that appeared to be foldable.
The design was predominantly red, with white accents.
Sidney held one that had been given to him; it was a Pokedex.
The overall look was very futuristic, with clean lines and a polished exterior.
Sidney knew it was designed to withstand the various environments that Pokémon trainers might be exposed to, so it had a tough, almost military-grade finish that wasn't afraid of water or hot temperatures, let alone rust and dirt. It was much more solid than it appeared.
However, it did not come with a Rotom by default. In this world, professors would not give those to trainers, but those with Rotoms could synchronize them with their devices.
Rotoms enjoyed interacting with devices in general, not just Pokedexes.
Professor Oak gave a minute introduction as he handed Sidney, Green, and Leaf their Pokedex, despite the fact that he most likely suspected they had already learned about it at school. He stated, "This is your Pokedex; it is intended to catalog and provide detailed information about the various species of Pokémon encountered by a trainer."
His speech was full of thoughtful and lighthearted redundancy, so even the kids who weren't particularly bright could understand by the end.
"It is a comprehensive digital encyclopedia that collects and presents detailed information about Pokémon. It was created by Pokemon professors like myself, and it is distributed to new Pokémon Trainers as part of their journey."
"A Pokédex is friendly to use, and my assistants will give you some pointers on your way out. It is full of information about each Pokémon's habitat, type, abilities, weight, height, and unique traits. Its primary function is to help trainers identify new Pokémon and keep track of which Pokémon they have caught. Some functions may be added later according to your preferences. Just go see a professor in any town."
He even went a bit further to arouse and catch some interest.
"The early and basic ones, like this one, contain more than map functions that help trainers locate and track Pokémon; they also help you find your way in places you've already been—plus they enhance the experience by displaying various region layouts, indicating where specific Pokémon you've met can be found in the wild."
Listening to this, from the memories, Sidney suddenly realized he might have overlooked an interesting detail... Didn't this introduction to the Pokedex imply that if you'd encountered a legendary or mythical, you could find it again?
But wait… No, even if that was the case, they weren't so easy to handle or fight or catch…
He listened as his grandfather continued.
"If you enjoy collecting Pokemon, map features will help you complete a region's Pokédex by highlighting areas where certain species appear and even indicating whether a Pokemon is nearby or has changed locations, making it easier to search for and capture them."
"Any questions?" Professor Oak asked.
Sidney and the two girls shook their heads as they exchanged knowing and smirking glances.
They were aware that they only had a few minutes in the lab, but they were eager to get their Pokemon right away. After seeing their expressions of anticipation, Samuel Oak did not waste any more time with redundant words and speeches.
He smiled like someone who enjoyed his job.
Then he kept his hands in his back as he led them to the table with all the prepared starters and said, "The Pokedex has another function; it can interact with Pokeballs, whether they are owned or not, and whether they contain Pokemon. By all means, click the top button on the right side while placing it next to the Pokeball available here."
The three children did as Professor Oak instructed, the professor's gaze being fixed on a specific red and white ball on the table.
It was the one on the far left and in front of them.
When the buttons on the Pokedexes were pressed, they made a beeping sound.
The sounds of descriptions provided by the three high-tech devices began to overlap with one another the next second.
"Charmander. The Lizard Pokemon. When the tip of Charmander's tail lights up, it indicates its health and mood. Charmander's flame is an indicator of its life force; if the flame goes out, the Charmander is said to die. Charmander prefers warm environments and is commonly found near volcanic craters or hot springs."
More detailed information was displayed on the screens of the handheld devices. Throughout the commentary, Sidney focused on his own screen.
**Charmander (Fire-type)**
**Species:** Lizard Pokémon
**Pokédex Entry:**
Charmander. The Lizard Pokemon. When the tip of Charmander's tail lights up, it indicates its health and mood. Charmander's flame is an indicator of its life force; if the flame goes out, the Charmander is said to die. Charmander prefers warm environments and is commonly found near volcanic craters or hot springs.
**Known Moves:**
- **Scratch**: Charmander uses its sharp claws to strike at opponents. Effective in close combat.
- **Growl**: Emits a low growl to intimidate opponents, making them less likely to attack with full force.
- **Ember**: It shoots small flames from its mouth, which may burn its target and render their attacks ineffective.
**Ability:**
- **Blaze**: When Charmander's vitality is low, its fire-based attacks become much more powerful, as the flame on its tail flares up in desperation.
Sidney was as engrossed in the details of the Pokemon like his two classmates when his grandfather said, "As you can see, this is Charmander, one of the three available fire types Pokemon here. The two other Pokeballs behind this one contain two additional fire type starters." He took a helpful look at the two other Pokeballs in the same vertical row on the table before continuing, "Me and my colleagues will stand by and watch as you kids make your choices; the other Pokeballs contain different types and choices; when you're finished, come and see us at the other end of the room. If you're not satisfied with your pick, you can change it within the next three days; you have plenty of time."
As he left, the kids smiled, nodding impatiently and gleefully.
Despite the fact that Sidney and the two girls appeared to be free, some of the professor's coworkers kept an eye on them and were on hand to ensure that nothing went wrong.
There were 21 pokeballs, and the kids only had a few minutes to make their selection. This was why the lab would give them days to change their choices if necessary.
Another reason was generosity, as well as the fact that new trainers were not guaranteed to get along with whomever they chose. This world was no game, and selecting the first Pokemon to embark on an adventure was a serious undertaking.
Green and Leaf were suddenly very busy. Sidney approached the dragon types' Pokeball row after testing the field with his Pokedex.
He looked at the Pokeball in front of him while pressing the button on the right side of his handheld device.
**Deino (Dark/Dragon-type)**
**Species:** Irate Pokémon
**Pokédex Entry:**
Deino is a fearsome, offspring Pokémon known for its wild and aggressive behavior. At this stage, it is unable to see and will bite or charge at anything it comes across in order to understand its surroundings. Its lack of sight does not slow it down, as it defends itself with its powerful jaws and instincts. Deino's energetic and headstrong personality frequently gets it into trouble, but it never backs down in a fight, making it a tenacious companion. It is usually found in rugged, rocky areas where it can hone its strength through combat.
**Known Moves:**
- **Tackle**: Deino recklessly charges at its opponent with full force, frequently knocking them off balance.
- **Dragon Rage**: Deino uses its latent dragon energy to unleash a powerful, chaotic burst.
- **Focus Energy**: Deino's ability to land critical hits increases as it gathers strength, making its subsequent attacks more effective.
- **Bite**: Deino bites its target with sharp fangs, inflicting damage consistent with its Dark-type nature.
**Ability:**
- **Hustle**: Deino's fierce determination makes its attacks hit harder, but it can also miss because its enthusiasm affects its precision.
Sidney closed the fold over the screen of his Pokedex; there were other options, including steel types, but he made his decision before coming. He was a decisive person who disliked unnecessary nonsense. Deino's supposed blindness did not frighten him.
He had been feeling since yesterday that if he could choose a dragon as his starter whether he was playing the games or not, he would most likely do so.
There was no real logic to it; dragons sounded powerful, and often were. Deino's final evolution, Hydreigon, was quite good. Sidney desired one.
It could also mega evolve in this world.
Green and Leaf took immediate notice when they saw him pick the Pokeball with a helpless smile, and Green asked, "Have you already made your pick? That should be Deino, right?" They had also used their Pokedexes to scout out the Pokemon types, and the ones on the first page were the first they scouted, making it simple to guess. They were very perceptive young women.
Leaf had another concern, "Well, damn, Sidney… That's a dragon type. Are you sure about yourself?"
For bright young trainers, it appeared to be common knowledge that dragon types were difficult to handle and frequently returned to the lab within a few days. They didn't need Daisy Oak's guidance to figure that out.
Sidney shrugged, "Kind of." He didn't say much more before sinking his mind into his system to collect and use his reward. Green and her sister had other concerns than focusing all of their worries on him at this time, as they had yet to make their own decision when time was running out.
If they didn't pick now, they would have to come back here and do it in the afternoon. People had to have their lunches, including lab rats.
Sidney's grandfather paid and treated his employees well. Daisy, who was mostly seen as an intern, was also making good money. This was not an easy world to work in a Pokemon lab, and even interns earned a lot of money here. It wasn't a world where being an intern was considered degrading.
Sidney was about to upgrade Deino's "Hustle" ability directly. However, after some consideration, he decided to wait until he left the lab with his official printed registration in hand. He didn't officially own Deino yet.
His system assisted him with modifications, but it did not increase things like loyalty on its own. It was difficult to predict whether he would ever receive something like that, and he had yet to.
He watched and waited patiently for a while as the two finally made their decisions after some discussion and advice from each other with one minute remaining on the count to stay here.
They made some interesting choices that only surprised him a little considering how many Pokemon were here. Kanto ones. Green picked the pokeball of the Bulbasaur and Leaf picked a Squirtle.
One could argue that they did not betray their personalities. Sidney felt that their choices were reasonable and that they had made good selections if this was a game.
This was not a world where you could blast easily through Brock and the Cerulean sisters though. Gym leaders weren't paid actors. They were paid by the league, but not actors at all. Getting a badge was a big feat.
Professor Oak was startled by Sidney's choice, but he and his colleagues were not here to stop kids; if they wanted to, they would not put dragon types up for grab; no one forced them.
The trio of Sidney, Green, and Leaf left the lab a minute after new kids walked in, with Sidney eager to get home and release the starter from its Pokeball.
This world was not a game, but in some ways, it was more akin to them than other realities. It wasn't like the anime, where lab workers would take risks to allow Pokemon to roam freely inside the lab. They had made numerous other helpful preparations to ensure that they did not have to provide nursery and daycare-like services to new trainers, in addition to simply assigning starters.
They didn't have the time to play around.
"Who did you guys pick?" Gary couldn't help but ask as they walked out the door, with Ash standing beside him. They were calmer now, most likely because their nerves had grown stronger.
Sidney did not reply immediately, instead allowing Green and Leaf to take the lead and do it for him.
He was making internal inferences.
Although his system had not given him any additional prompts, he understood the simple mechanics of it, which were easy to figure out with some logic.
His system stated that he would be able to take seven quizzes per month, so logic suggested that spare, unfinished, unused quizzes and their edition rewards could be stacked and saved if not used immediately when the time came.
Now he had only used one, technically speaking, if the second one he picked up for himself was only part of the newbie package. The third, despite not having been applied yet, was used for Deino ahead of time. It was the same special circumstance caused by the new transmigration state.
Every month, he would receive seven prompts: one for himself and six for Pokemon.
What did it mean?
Didn't it mean that even if the system was stingy and didn't give him six freebies to go with his first quiz, he still had five more quizzes to take?
Sidney hadn't caught any wild Pokemon or left town yet, but it was only a matter of days. He was already planning more leisurely things he would never do if he played the games.
Everyone enjoyed flying Pokemon, but few people liked bug Pokemon. Why not capture and train one in this world?
Wasn't the reason they were disliked due to their low stats? For those who had two as well, they also had poor dual typing for the most part, but it was nothing that good abilities and other factors could not easily overcome.
"You chose a dragon type? Even Blue did not dare to do that back then." After learning the news, Gary frowned and reprimanded his brother.
Curious, Elaine came over to greet the group after saying a word to Chase and Trace, with whom she shared her own childhood dynamic.
Outside of her sister Leaf, Elaine was Green's best female friend.
Sidney was polite and friendly but he still barely paid attention to the kids around him, four of whom he would travel with, which counted Elaine.
It was Green, Leaf, Gary and Elaine.
Ash was very unclear.
Sidney grew inquisitive.
He couldn't suppress his curiosity after some time and decided to apply the monthly reward on Deino.
He wanted to see just how much an ability could be changed...
The result dumfounded him, not just because of the new overbearing power—Deino had yet to be released from the ball by him.
There was an amusing change though.
It was only the first one, but it came with unexpected boons and a lengthy description that was not divided like his, which had already been through the editor twice.
It appeared that Sidney was worried for no reason. Even if it was strange, a system would always still be a system.
They had some Chinese flair.
[Pokemon: Deino]
[Info: A young, rowdy, and blind Dragon-type Pokemon starter. Owned by Sidney Oak. Born with the ability "Hustle." Deino's "Hustle" ability works both in and out of battle, removing his blindness and making his attacks twice as powerful and precise. Deino can go blind on purpose to improve his ability to detect emotions, evil, and threats. At first, Deino, who sensed you from inside the Pokeball, was not convinced by your new ownership of him, but he is now very confused and grateful. He can see now.]