Pokémon: The Original Shipping (RedxBlue)

Lv 3: Gramp's Lab

There was no need to rush over there. I was in no hurry to get to Gramp's Lab, and it wasn't like he'd never arrived late to anything himself before either. Yeah right. Taking my time also meant less time spent around Daisy. I loved my sis, but she was just so annoying sometimes.

Wow, things really have changed around here, haven't they? I thought to myself, looking around at the new neighborhood on my way through some of the freshly paved streets in Pallet.

I had been gone from home longer than I had thought. The once small and quiet farming town had sprawled into a massive suburban area. There used to only be a couple houses every here and there, all separated by fields and prairies. Now, there were houses stretching from Route 1 to Gramp's Lab, which was still located at the southern edge of the town.

Things really have changed, except for one thing...

As much as I hated to admit it, Daisy made a good point, which got me thinking. A girlfriend? Had the thought ever crossed my mind at all before? I knew the real reason wasn't because I was too busy, not that anybody else needed to know that. The answer was obvious, but it just wasn't the time to be dealing with that right now.

"Hmph. Like there are even any girls that seem interested in me right now anyways."

Barging through the green metal door of the large, yellow-brick building, I let myself inside the Lab without much thought to it.

"Gramps, I'm-"

Thanks to my careless and loud intrusion, I bumped into a girl, about my age, nearly dropping her to the ground. It also seemed as if I had frightened her because she stood completely still, covering the lower half of her pink face with a clipboard, without saying a word. The white lab coat she wore told me she was probably just another one of Gramps aides, not one I was familiar with though.

"Ah, Blue! You're here." Gramps walked in, placing a metal try with three small Poke Balls on the table as he made his way over to greet me. "It's good to see you're doing well."

"Of course I am." I replied, noticing that his aide was still staring at me, Frozen, all red in the face.

"Oh, Blue! This is my new assistant, Daphne White. Daphne, you of course already know my grandson, Blue."

She does?

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She hesitantly began to speak. "Hello, it's nice to meet you."

"Uh, nice to meet you too." I told her, simply out of politeness. Thankfully Gramps also sensed the awkwardness looming around us, chuckling to himself before moving things along.

"Come on Blue, we have a lot to talk about."

...

"Are you sure you'll remember all this? You won't forget at the last minute, will you?" Gramps asked me for the billionth time.

"Don't worry about it Gramps." It wasn't Team Rocket science, granted it was a lot to keep track of.

"So I'll have all the equipment ready and loaded on the truck by tomorrow morning. Once you get to the port on Route 21, take the ferry down to New Cinnabar Island. Deliver everything, unharmed, to the new Pokemon Lab. You should be able to find Blaine there, explain to him how to set up the equipment like I showed you, and then you should be all set to go."

"Blaine? The Gym Leader?"

"Why yes. He's in charge of the construction and development of the new lab." Gramps turned towards me, handing me back one of six Poke Balls from his Pokémon Scanner, "are you sure you only want to take one Pokémon with you?"

Taking one last look at the other five, I let out a low sigh.

"Yes. I'm not going to another region to compete in battles, though it would be a piece of cake if I did. I'm going to study. Just one will do. The rest will be better off here with you."

"That's very wise and mature of you Blue. I'm most impressed, and so proud." Gramps congratulated me.

"Well, I should probably get going." I excused myself, rushing over towards the exit. "I still have to figure out what to pack and what else to leave behind."

"Well, good luck with that, and be sure that both you and your sister stop by my house later for dinner."

"Surething, Gramps. Smell ya later!"