New Beginnings – A Pokemon Slice of Life. [OC/Isekai/Move Tutor/Breeder]

 

In a tiny meadow in a forest clearing, dirt flew out of a tiny hole in rhythmic fashion. 

Ethan Reed, a lost man making due, cupped his hands and yelled into the tiny opening in the ground. “I think that’s enough, little guy. Come back up and I’ll get you sorted with a tasty treat.” 

He took a few steps back, more than aware of what was about to happen. He’d been through this before. A few seconds later, from out of the hole, a small white rodent with blue stripes, a large fluffy tail, and two yellow circles on its pudgy cheeks erupted out from the hole with vigor. 

Ethan shielded his eyes from the sun above and watched as the rodent soared through the sky in glee. It flailed out its arms and legs and with the backdrop of the sun, stuck a pose for all to see—which was just Ethan. 

“Pachiiii!”

“Yes, yes. You did a great job. Come on over here and I'll give you your payment.”

Ethan walked off toward one of his many berry trees to fetch the little rascal some food for his services. The Pachirisu—that’s right, the Pokemon—quickly finished his little dance before scrambling up Ethan’s leg and plopping himself on his shoulder. It chittered in happiness and anticipation of its well-earned treat. 

Ethan knew well that the Pachirisu didn’t need to help him. He had, and will continue to, steal his berries from him from time to time, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Not without a Pokemon of his own. Thankfully, this little guy decided that helping him around his little plot of land was fun… sometimes. 

Ethan slowly picked a few ripe berries that seemed to be Pachirisu’s favorite. He’d collected quite a few berries and grown them into trees over the past few months, but with no one to talk to or books to read about what they could be, he didn’t really know what most of them were. 

Oh, he knew what some of them were. He wasn’t a complete novice when it came to Pokemon, but he most definitely wasn’t an expert. He knew of Oran, Sitrus, and Leppa’s, which he had here on his small plot of land, but beyond that, he was flying blind. 

Sure, if he had someone come up and tell him ‘Hey! This one’s a Chesto Berry!’ He would know that it restored a pokemon from sleep… but he didn’t know what it looked like. Previously, they were just pixels on a screen. He didn’t pay that much attention to them back then. 

He wished he did. 

The berries he was currently picking were definitely weird. They were about the size of a strawberry, but with a less rounded tip. They were mostly blue, but a few streaks of tan lines streaked around them in a circle. He’d eaten a few in the past, but they were very sour and not to his taste. Pachirisu and a host of other nearby Pokemon loved them, though, so he kept them around to grow.

The now impatient Pachirisu strolled down his arm with haste and swiped the berries from his hand as he was midway through picking them and quickly escaped through the maze of berry trees. “Pachiiiiii!” He chittered in a laugh from off in the distance, no longer to be seen. 

Ethan sighed and frowned as he lazily made his way through his neat rows of berry trees toward his shelter. His toes sank into the grassy field and dirt along the way, a strangely comforting feeling when he was all alone. 

Once back at his shelter, which was a very crude shack he had wrangled up in between two tilted trees, he entered inside through the hanging vines and grabbed some water from an enormous bowl made of solid rock. It was like what he’d imagined a large birdbath would be, if he was being honest with himself. Much too large to be a bowl for sure. He’d paid a passing Geodude some berries to carve it for him, and it’s worked well for him ever since. 

After cleaning his hands and having a drink. Ethan sat down on his grass mat—his bed—and thought about what his life has become. 

A few months ago, maybe half a year? He’d been riding the train back home from work while playing Pokemon-GO on his phone. He wasn’t ever good at the normal Pokemon games, but this one took little effort and he generally liked the franchise. Anything past the fairy type and mega evolutions he wasn’t very familiar with, as he had begun his adult life and lost time for delving deep into the nit and gritty of Pokemon anymore, but he was vaguely familiar with the giant pokemon and the ones with weird crystals on their heads. 

As he was playing, he heard an enormous boom, and then he was here. That’s it. No special meeting with God, Arceus, Jirachi… nothing. Just… here, in this little meadow stuck surrounded by forests. 

At first, like anyone would be, he was confused and scared. He’d traveled through the surrounding forest plenty, trying to find food, water, shelter, people

… but he’d always come back after finding no signs of anybody. He’s been alone here for months…

Embarrassingly, the first time he’d seen a Pokemon, he didn’t even know what it was. To this day, he still doesn’t know what the first one was. It was small, barely a foot tall, and had a weirdly human face with earmuffs… but it was in a puddle and looked like a dark blue tadpole. After seeing such a horrifying sight. He screamed and ran away. 

Of course, he eventually figured out he was in the world of Pokemon once he saw some more familiar looking ones, such as Teddiura and its horrifying mother Ursaring, who roared with enough force to knock him on his ass and send him packing. 

But most of the Pokemon around him were friendly. Yeah, they stole his berries and generally ignored him, but they never actively sought to injure him or anything like that. They let him be and as long as he didn’t threaten them, they didn’t really care. Pachirisu was a good example. He’d come by, watch him for a bit, maybe help him out with something, then saunter off his some well-earned berries. 

Some of the more eager ones stayed around and made their homes next to his. Mostly little grass Pokemon like Hoppip and Oddish, but they never interacted with him when‌ he walked over and tried to talk to them. They were content to soak up the sun and what not? He wasn’t actually sure. 

“Teddi Ted!” 

Just as Ethan was lost in thought, the joyful sounds of a Teddiursa outside broke the silence, making his eyebrows raise in surprise. They’d come by every once in awhile with their mother to steal some of his berries. Much like all the others… but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Thankfully, their mother didn’t mind his presence much. Why not go say hello? 

With a nod Ethan stood and left his hobbled together home and spotted two Teddiura sprinting through his lines of trees. Their mother, Ursaring, stood a good seven feet tall and watched them play with a calculating, hover mom eye. She instantly noticed him, but dismissed him as a threat immediately. 

He sat outside his small hut on a nearby log and watched as both Teddiursa stuffed their mouths with an assortment of berries. Their small stubby arms coated with berry juice as they play fought with one another. “Te Teddi!” 

Ethan smiled as the two stuffed animal looking Teddiursa got really into it. With a raised eyebrow, he noticed that they were even using moves. One of the Teddiura’s picked berries and coated them in a black film before throwing them at the other. It was probably the move Fling. The other caught them out of the air with a glow of white and then tackled them with the same color. Covet and Tackle.  

Ursaring took notice and uncrossed her arms with a smile as she watched them squabble. 

After a few more seconds, Ethan noticed that during their fight, that they were growing closer and closer to him. They were still a good fifty feet out, but even he knew that getting close to a Teddiursa with their mother around was a bad idea. He also knew he shouldn’t move from this spot, lest he earn himself suspicion. 

After some more Tackles, which looked to do nothing to one another, some Scratches, and even some cute looking Licks. He could see that they weren’t being so nice to one another anymore. 

And they drew closer. 

Ethan kept flicking his eyes toward the Ursaring, but she didn’t seem to care. 

Their little squabble escalated until they were standing just a few feet away from him, their voices and grunts growing louder and more intense. Ethan was extremely nervous and didn't want to make any sudden movements. If he did, he was afraid their mother would strike him down. 

Soon, one of them pinned its sibling and kept licking its face repeatedly at the mewls of the other. It cried, and big blobby tears materialized and strolled down its cheeks. The one pinning it, faltered and started to let go, only to be whacked upside the head with a darkened fist. Payback, he guessed. 

The Teddiursa who had been crying with Fake Tears pushed off the dazed one and then made his escape… directly into Ethan’s knees. The Teddiursa rocked back and fell on its butt before blinking and looking up at him. 

As Ethen stared down at the Teddiursa who had run into him. Fear rooted him in place as he saw the looming shadow forming overtop him. 

“Ursaring. Urrrs.” 

It didn’t sound unfriendly, it wasn’t a roar, but it was a reminder. Most definitely a reminder. 

He tore his gaze away from the confused teddy bear and looked up at the Ursaring who stood next to him. She didn’t look mad, but she pointed at the Teddiursa. “Ursaring. Urrrs.” 

Is it trying to talk to me?

“Uhh. Hello. You… have wonderful children?” 

Ursaring rolled her eyes, reached out, and ever so gently pushed Ethan forward with her enormous paws. Ethan stumbled forward onto his knees and was now face to face with both of the Teddiursa, who stared at him with tilted, adorable, and curious heads. 

One of them walked forward and patted around his face with its stubby arm. It was soft, like that of a teddy bear and its eyes were almost a solid black. It had little nubs for fingers, which patted around his cheek before it stopped and turned toward its sibling. 

Its sibling walked up and did the same. Then, it felt around his tattered, hole ridden, white collared shirt and ripped cargo pants. It sniffed, and then reached into his pocket and found a berry, which it quickly ate with relish. 

Ethan wasn’t sure what to do, but piss his pants was quickly climbing the list, if his fear was anything to go by.

“Ursa” 

Ethan looked up again, and saw the Ursaring nodding towards her children.

“Can I touch them?” 

Ursaring nodded and plopped down onto the ground right where she stood. Dust and dirt blew out in a wave from the force and it gently knocked the two, now laughing, Teddiursa backwards onto their backs. 

Ethan, with a thudding heart gently reached forward and helped them up by grabbing their stubby arms. They looked at him with smiles and he quickly patted their heads when he had the chance. Just like their arms, they were soft and fluffy. It didn’t make their mother any less scary though. 

“You two are little rabble rousers, aren’t you?” 

Ursaring let out a mocking huff in obvious agreement, causing the two Teddiursa to laugh. They quickly started playing and tackling each other again, this time without moves, much to the relief of Ethan.

As he watched them play, mere feet in front of him, he spoke to the Ursaring. “You know, I thought you’d be mad. I thought you’d kill me for them getting close. Even I know not to mess with an Ursaring and her cubs.” 

“Ursa.” The Ursaring nodded, but then pointed off at the berry trees all around. After that, she softly jabbed him in the chest. 

“You let them near because they eat my berries?” 

Ursaring nodded and continued to watch her children play. 

No longer as afraid as he once was, he decided if he was going to have guests, that he should be a proper host. “You guys want some water? I got some inside my home.” 

Both Teddiursa immediately stopped playing and rushed into his house without a single word. Ursaring groaned and stood up, causing a shadow to loom over him once more. She wandered up and pulled the vines aside, peeking into his home. Once happy with what she saw, she came over and plopped down once again in the same spot. 

Ethan tapped his fingers nervously on his knees as he sat there, next to a Pokemon that could end him with a casual swipe of her paw. He didn’t know what to talk about. He had only ever chatted with a few Pokemon before, but they were all little and appeared harmless. Of course, they could, but they never hurt him before. Thinking that this Ursaring must be older, to have children of her own, he asked some questions. “Do you know where any other humans are?” 

Ursaring nodded and gestured off into the forest.

“The forest as a whole? Like, they wander through it?” 

Ursaring nodded again and huffed. 

“Do—Do you know where they come from? Is there a town or city nearby?” 

A negative shake of the head was the response. 

Ethan sat there, debating whether he could ask a favor of a powerful pokemon. She was… nice. This was probably the furthest thing to normal, but it was the current status quo. 

“If you ever find a human out there wandering about… can you tell them I’m here? That I need help? I’ve been out here for months and, to be honest, I have no clue where I am.” 

Ursaring turned away from watching his vine doorway to look him in the eyes. Time seemed to stand still. Her gaze pierced his very soul and eventually, she frowned with sadness. She gave a slow nod. 

Relief flooded through his being as the affirmation. He wouldn’t be stuck here forever… He would just need to wait and then someday, someone will come for him…

“Ursar.” 

At the call, the two, now wet, Teddiura jumped through his vine door. Ursaring stood with a sigh and patted Ethans head. She waved towards her children, then wandered off toward the surrounding forests once more. 

Ethan waved as they left, and the two Teddiursa waved back with excited hands. The Ursaring gave him a nod, before entering the treeline. 

Soon, someone would come. They would arrive, see his situation, and help him find civilization. Until then… He’d just keep doing what he’s doing.