Three years have happened since I met Emily.
For three years I'd wake up to her smiling face, go for a fly with her, have lunch together, go our separate ways, and I would practice my powers until I fell asleep under the very same tree every night.
Of coarse some things changed.
As she got older and bigger Emily was able to handle faster and faster speeds with more maneuvers. As I got better with my powers I came up with plenty of tricks and got strong enough to get Emily out of any danger she might stumble into.
A few things though have stayed constant. Emily constantly surprises me with her maturity, adaptability, and kindness. Another thing that has stayed constant as a result is she wants to introduce me to her parents.
Until today, I told her "No, I can't reveal myself....."
But this morning she refused to accept that.
"Come onnnnnnn!!! My parents won't do anything! They can keep a secret!" She whined.
I rolled my eyes and said "What do I say about whining Emily?"
She groaned "It's petty and won't make you budge...."
I nodded and said "However...... I recently perfected a trick or two that could make it so I could meet them..... in disguise of coarse...."
She lightly smacked me and said "Why didn't you say so before you poop head!"
I smiled and said "Watch....."
I transformed into a younger version of myself.
"What do you think?" I asked.
She said "I don't get what's so special..... it looks like how you normally look when you....... wait.... did you just talk?!"
I nodded and said "It took wayyyyy to long to figure out, but I managed to mess with this form's vocal cords and now I can speak while in it!"
I changed back and finished "only problem is the form takes way too much energy so I can only stay like that for a couple hours. But I found a way to extend it by switching the vocal cords on and off!"
She smiled and said "That's amazing!!! We have to go now!"
I tilted my head "Now?"
She grabbed my claw and said "Now! Come on!"
I smiled and changed into the simple version of my human form as she dragged me along the path.
"Come on Lati! Use your legs!"
"No...... just because I can do this doesn't mean I'm ready....."
She sighed "I know, but we've put this off for too long. My parents know you're a pokemon. They wanted me to catch you....."
I shivered.
She nodded. She knew how much I hated the idea of being captured. Even if it was by her.
I took a deep breath and stood up straight before walking by her side.
I knew I'd have to reveal myself to her parents eventually, but thankfully from what Emily did tell her parents, they trusted me.
My form was mainly to get me there without having to hide or risk being captured.
As we made our way into Rustboro, I was happy that no one batted an eye. We were walking towards the apartment complex that Emily had lived in all these years.
We walked up to the top floor and got to her door.
She knocked and entered dragging me inside with her.
As soon as we entered I saw it was quite the nice place. There was a large amount of fancy knick knacks all over the place from a novelty bird and cup to a cabinet filled with glass figurines.
Then I noticed the couch with both of the parents on it. Both were starring at me.
Emily's mom had the same hair, but hazel brown eyes and was wearing a nice spring dress.
She had a look of confusion on her face.
Emily's dad was a big, strong looking man. He had brown hair and a scruffy beard. His eyes were a more piercing version of Emily's. He wore work jeans and a black tank top.
He looked ready to kill me.
Emily cleared her throat and said "Mom, Dad. This is my friend. This is who I've been playing with every day for the last three years."
Before her dad could explode I decided to change myself to my true form.
I hovered slightly above Emily as she finished the introduction "This is Latios. Although I call him Lati."
Both of them starred at me dumbfounded before both of them passed out.
"Oh no..... I broke them....." I told her in mock worry.
Emily rushed over to them and managed to slap them both awake.
They both looked at her and Emily said "Mom! Dad! Are you two okay? You fainted when you saw Lati....."
They both turned their gaze back onto me
Emily's mom looked ready to faint again out of sure disbelief and panic.
Emily's Dad looked like he didn't believe his own eyes.
So I attempted to diffuse the situation.
"I know this is very hard to take in. If you want me to change back or leave I understand....."
Thankfully that snapped Emily's mom out of it and she said "No! No! No! It was just unexpected that our daughter had actually befriended Latios himself!"
Her dad chimed in "Aye, it boggles the mind!"
I smiled.
"I assure you, she is the best friend I've ever had."
They both smiled and said "Awwww......"
Then they seemed to remember something.
"Wait...... if you two are best friends, how come you won't become her pokemon? Wouldn't you want to be with her at all times?"
I sighed and told him "I have had those exact thoughts myself. The thing is..... I would despise being under anyone's control but my own. A pokeball would rob me of that freedom. It's what I treasure most, for very personal reasons I haven't even told Emily.
She respects my wishes and that makes her all the better of a friend. I can't thank her enough for her companionship over these three long years. So I have a preposition for your daughter and only her.
In two years time, she will be ten. She will be able to go on a pokemon journey.
When that time comes I will run away.
If Emily is able to find me and win in a battle against me, I will allow her to be my master.
She will have as much time as she wants, I will not leave the region, and she can even use whatever items she may have stockpiled to aid in my capture.
However in an effort to preserve my freedom I will dawn disguises, use every trick up my sleeve, and run whenever possible. Even then I will train to make myself capable of fighting if and when you corner me."
I turned to Emily and stared her in the eyes.
"I truly do want to be with you Emily. However I want to enjoy my freedom as long as possible so I came up with this.
What do you say?"
She teared up and quickly ran to me before wrapping her arms around my neck.
"I feel the same way Lati! I accept your challenge!"
And with that embrace the countdown to the hunt started ticking away.
Over the next two years we still played. We still ate together, and now I even made trips into the city and didn't always sleep under my tree.
At the same time there was a tension and anxiety that built up between us.
Then the fateful day had come. Emily had turned ten and she was able to be a trainer.
We sat under my tree for the final time just relaxing when she broke the silence.
"Any advise good buddy?"
I was extremely happy that she still trusted me with advice after the undoubted stress my challenge put on her.
I nodded and told her "This test has no time limit. For that reason I recommend taking it slow.
Get to know all of your pokemon well and treat them kindly like how you would treat me.
I'd take up a separate challenge or path to hone my skills and judge how close you are to capturing me.
For example, gaining badges.
You will need strong pokemon to be able to catch me. Badges can help quantify how strong you are. For example, with my current strength I could take on a full team of pokemon strong enough to get four badges.
But keep in mind I'll be training like crazy so don't expect five to be enough. By the time you get them I will have gotten stronger.
If you are as smart as I know you are, you'll develope a great strategy to finally get me before you know it."
She squeezed me and said "I think it's time to start...."
I nodded and started to fly off.
"Goodbye for now my friend. May we meet again sometime soon!" She called to me as the distance increased.
"Bye!!!! I'll miss you too!!!!"
And like that I was off flying at mach 2 to my destiny.
I landed near Fortree city. It had a low population, plenty of places to hide, and plenty of strong pokemon to train with.
Emily's POV
I took a deep breath as I saw him fly away.
His words echoed through my mind.
Get to know my pokemon..... treat them like how I'd treat him.....
Take my time since it will take a while for my pokemon to get strong enough to handle him....
I know he wouldn't lie to me.
Now what should I pick as my starter?
Once I get to Littleroot I have a choice between Treeko, Mudkip, and Torchick.
Treeko will be fast enough to catch him, but will lack any effective methods to take him down.
Mudkip will defiantly have the power to take him down, but his speed will be a huge problem.
Torchic would be a good balance of the two.
Then his other bit of advice rang through my head.
Have another goal to pursue in the meantime. Something to test my strength. He suggested the gym challenge.
He also said that he could handle someone with four badges and a full team.
I shouldn't base my choice on just capturing him.
"That's it! I know who I'm going to pick!"
I ran home and my Dad and mom were already ready for me. They had my backpack and had plenty of items.
Dad took out a custom pokeball. It was blue with a red triangle on top just like Lati's marking on his chest and head.
"This is a gift from both of us. Just for him. We had it custom made. It has the same effects of a luxury ball, so he'll be nice and comfy when you succeed."
I teared up and hugged my dad tightly.
"Thank you soo much dad! I will treasure it always!" I told him as tears of joy cascaded down my face.
Dad looked ready to tear up too and said "Go. Go and make me proud. My Skarmory will take you there.... then you'll be on your own."
I nodded.
He pulled out a pokeball of his own and tossed it. Out came Dad's good old Skarmory.
It screeched before staring at my Dad.
"Take my daughter to Littleroot. Then come right back okay?"
Skarmory nodded and let me onto his back.
He took of and started flying at a slow, but steady pace to the lab.
Several hours later an exhausted Skarmory set me down in front of Professor Birch's lab.
I fed Skarmory before walking into the lab.
I was met with the sounds and sight of a very active and bustling laboratory. Assistants of the professor scurrying left and right.
I walked up to one of them and tapped his shoulder.
I asked "Where is Professor Birch?"
"Ah you must be the new trainer! He's in the back room you can't miss it!" He told me pointing to a deeper area of the lab.
I nodded and walked past him.
I found the door no problem and entered.
The Professor was hunched over and talking. As I got closer I heard him say "Alright you three, we have a trainer coming to pick one of you. Be on your best behavior okay?"
I heard the squeaks of three pokemon.
I tapped his shoulder and he jumped.
He turned and saw me.
"Speak of Giratina and he shall appear! Nice to see you Emily! How is my favorite niece?" He said happily.
"Hi uncle Birch!" I cheered as I looked behind him and saw the standard Hoen starters behind him.
"Oh my gosh they're all so cute!" I couldn't help but squeal.
The Treeco crossed his arms and looked away.
The Mudkip tilted his head asking "Kip?"
Meanwhile the only female of the group jumped in the air excitedly and spewed embers from her beak.
I chuckled and said "My aren't you excited?"
Uncle Birch smiled and asked "Do you know which one you want to take with you?"
I nodded and quickly snatched up the Torchick in my arms. She chirped happily and nuzzled into my arms.
The Treeko seemed to be acting tough, but I could see that he was a little saddened by my choice. Mudkip still continued to be confused and out of the loop.
Uncle Birch smiled and said "Good choice!" Before handing me Torchick's pokeball.
I asked "So what happens to these two?"
He smiled and said "Simple, they stay at the lab until a trainer needs one of them. Thankfully a couple other trainers are coming in tomorrow!"
They both seemed happy at those words.
Uncle Birch went over to a desk and said "Here..... this part of a standard package we give to everyone that gets a starter from this lab." He handed me a package that felt surprisingly light.
I opened it to find five pokeballs and a pokedex.
"Uncle Birch, I don't need a pokedex. My friend already told me all about all the pokemon in the region! Plus I don't plan on catching that many pokemon....." I told him.
He shook his head and said "I don't know who told you about what a pokedex does, but they obviously didn't have all the facts. Sure, it records data on pokemon, sure it tells you about pokemon, but it's more than that.
A pokedex also acts as your trainer ID. Without a proper trainer ID you can't enter contests, gym battles, or the pokemon league.
It also acts as a passport if you go into other regions.
Plus if you were to be questioned by a police officer at all it would be incredibly suspicious if you didn't have an ID.
Honestly a pokedex is even better than a standard trainer ID because it means you were approved by the national pokemon association and are trusted to be a model trainer."
I stared at him dumbfounded.
I guess Lati didn't know that a pokedex had all these functions......
Then again he isn't Arceus so he doesn't know everything......
I nodded and put the pokedex in my bag.
I smiled as I thought
Ha! I can't wait to rub it in his face!
"Well, I'd better be off! See you later Uncle Birch!"
"Goodby Emily. Be safe." He waved goodbye as I turned and left.
I set Torchick down once we got outside and said "You ready to start training Amber?"
She tilted he head for a second before she chirped happily.
"So you like that nickname huh? Alright then! Amber it is! Let's go!"
And just like that we started training.
Lati's POV
As I explored the outskirts of Fortree city I learned something very quickly. Regular wild pokemon are against fighting legendary pokemon.
They were very friendly and respectful, but even when I was asking to spar with the local pokemon they refused to harm me.
It was incredibly frustrating.
At least until I ran into a trainer. I had found a kid training a Ninjask.
He spotted me as I flew by and yelled "Ninjask! Use faint attack!"
I felt a pain in my side and starred angrily at the offending pokemon and trainer.
I used dragon breath and saw the ninja bug pokemon fall over.
"Noooo! Ninjask! Return!" He said putting his pokemon back in his pokeball.
He pulled out a second pokeball and yelled "Go Vigoroth!"
I used psychic and sent it into a tree.
"No! Vigoroth!!! Get up!" He said.
Vigoroth slowly got back up and he said "Use Strength!"
The Vigoroth coated itself in a red aura before running at me faster than I was expecting and slammed his fist into me.
I flew back a few feet before I caught myself.
I once again used psychic and slammed the Vigoroth through the tree I slammed him into.
It fainted.
The kid threw a random pokeball at me that I dodged. When I looked back at him he had started to run away.
I noticed in his rush to leave he dropped something. It was surprisingly a wad of pokedollars.
I transformed into an adult version of my human form.
I picked up the cash and put it in my pocket.
I smiled
This is the start of my training..... for now I need to find some oran berries.....