TEEN: Avarice

[Catzeye]

Warning: This story will involve some profanity, violence, death and the use of a drug(steroids). Please do not read if that offends you in any way.

Welcome to my first serious fanfiction story. This story is set in a region called Arcana and it is about what happens when trainers put their Pokemon on steroids. I hope that you will enjoy this story. I appreciate any constructive criticism because I truly want to grow as a writer.

Spoiler

Prologue: Blatant Disregard
Chapter 1: Moving Yet Again
Chapter 2: Pandemonium

Prologue: Blatant Disregard​

21 years ago

“P-President sir, I’m t-terribly sorry. B-but the workers and th-their Pokemon just c-can’t possibly r-r-re-reach the qu-quotas you set” a young researcher stammered to the man sitting behind the mahogany desk. He regretted suggesting drawing sticks to tell the commander in chief of Arcana the bad news of the research. It was just his luck that he was the one who ended up with the shortest stick. The researcher looked up to meet the hard gaze of the president. Cold grey eyes pierced scared brown ones, causing the researcher to drop his head and bite his quivering bottom lip.

“What the hell! Those miners and lumberjacks swore to me they were the best in the trade.” The president exclaimed, pounding his fist on the desk causing his coffee mug to rattle. The researcher who stood before him leapt back and yelped in surprise.
So this is what the meant when they said President Warburton had a temper, the young researcher though to his self. Without warning the president jumped up from his desk and began pacing, his mullet swishing behind him. Wrinkles began to appear on his forehead as the man was trying to gather his thoughts. As he continued pacing in his office, occasionally he would mutter something incomprehensible to himself.

“I’m just g-going to go” the young researcher said as he was slowly headed for the door. He didn’t think it was polite to stand and watch a man pace and mutter to himself. The president looked up to the man to tell him ‘Okay’ but stopped. The sight of the young researcher gave middle-aged man a bright idea. A smirk formed on his lips which caused shivers to run down the young researcher’s spine.

“You. Get your fellow scientists to come up with a way for those workers to meet my quotas. I want whatever you guys come up with done in a year. Got that? ” President Warburton said in a firm tone. The young researcher stared in shock for a second, before nodding swiftly. With that the researcher spun on his heels, darted out the door and dashed through the corridor without once looking back.

The president watched the man flee out of sight before running his hand through his light blond hair. A small sigh escaped his lips as he went to sit back down in his red velvet chair. If there was one thing President Alan Warburton couldn’t stand, were incompetent people. Those workers he brought in from the other regions told him they could cut down those trees and mine those stones. But according to the report he was just briefed on, these lumberjacks and miners weren’t half as good as they made themselves out to be.

“That little boy and his team better come up with something.” President Warburton said gruffly before taking a sip of coffee. He was determined to make Arcana the number one exporter of raw goods in the world. But more importantly he wanted to have enough money to flaunt in the faces of everyone who doubted him.

----Avarice----​

Meanwhile the young man who had the lovely task of reporting the results of the research to Arcana’s president burst through the doors of the research lab and fell to the floor pale as if he had seen Giratina. His colleagues stared at him in bewilderment. Was going to give a report really that bad of an experience? But then they remembered who they had sent. Timmy Smith, the man who was afraid of his own shadow.

“Mr. Smith, get off the floor and tell us the results of the meeting” snapped the female standing in the front of the little crowd. She had thick wavy brown hair and an olive skin tone. Her name was Dr. Henrietta Cornell, the top scientist in the Arcana region, and she had no patience for Timmy’s sniveling. Shakily, he stood up and straightened himself up before speaking.

“P-president Warburton wants us to find a way to allow the workers and their Pokemon to reach his daily goals” he said. Murmurs spread across the lab.

“Is the president serious?”
“I have research I need to focus on!”
“Those quotas are ridiculous as they are. What the hell does he expect us to do about it”
“And that’s not the worst part” Mr. Smith added, “He wants the product we come up with done in a year”

Hell broke loose as everyone felt that the president was out of his mind. How could they come up with something usable in such a short amount of time? The researchers worried about their jobs if they couldn’t make the deadline. The image of repo men coming to take their houses and cars frightened them. It caused the usually calm, rational scientists to freak out. Timmy Smith curled up in the fetal position due to the perceived hopelessness of the situation. Dr. Cornell, while undeniably pissed at the situation, kept a cool and collected appearance for the most part and shouted for everyone to shut their traps.

“Look everyone” she said “I understand that President Warburton’s request is absolutely insane. But I do know a way we can get him a product in the time allotted”

All the scientists looked at their superior in surprise. Mr. Smith uncurled himself and looked up to Dr. Cornell.

“I’m sure most of you are aware of those steroids designed to power up Pokemon in a short amount of time. We could just create a similar drug to give to the workers’ Pokemon. They have recipes for it all over Internet” She continued, feeling quite proud of herself for her ingenious solution. No extensive work necessary. Everybody could get back to the research they came to this colonial region for.

However, her colleagues stared at her with sheer horror on their faces. Everyone knew that steroids were made illegal by the International Pokemon League Association. Sure Arcana was a colonial region, and therefore not subject to intense scrutiny as regions like Kanto, but they still couldn’t just blatantly disregard the rules. They IPLA would have their degrees, and their professional lives would be ruined. It wasn’t just the legal implications that frightened them, but the moral ones as well. Having gone to college, they had witnessed videos of Pokemon who were put on these drugs by their trainers or organizations like Team Rocket. They witnessed videos of the Pokemon going into uncontrollable rages attacking anything in sight, including their own trainer. So to hear the top scientist in the region suggest without hesitation to do it was simply unreal. Worried murmurs spread amongst the researchers.

“Look I don’t know about you guys, but I just want to continue my soil research. So we just modify one of the recipes, call it a vitamin or something and the president leaves us alone. Case closed” Dr. Cornell finished. Some of the scientists actually agreed with Dr. Cornell’s proposal while others were still opposed to the plan. Surprisingly, the one to speak up was none other than timid Timmy Smith.

“C-can’t we th-think of another option? Like an exercise program?” Timmy Smith pleaded. The thought of knowingly making something harmful didn’t sit right with him.

“Mr. Smith you were the one who informed us that President Warburton wanted a product from our department within a year did you not?” Dr. Cornell asked.
“Yes I was”
“Then tell me, do you really expect us to come up with an exercise program to fit all those different Pokemon working in those forests and mines within a year when we can make a drug that is one size fits all?”
“But this is illegal. This is immoral. I say screw President Warburton’s time limit!” Timmy yelled. Everyone, including Dr. Cornell was surprised at his outburst. Never had they heard Timmy speak in a tone that was more than a timid whisper in all their years of working with him.

Dr. Cornell ran a hand through her thick hair as she contemplated what Mr. Smith had said. True, she would like nothing more than to screw with the president’s plan to expand the market for Arcanan wood and stone. However, she knew she’d be out of a job and out of money to finance her research if she did. President Warburton was serious when it came to matters of money, and would not hesitate to do whatever it takes to make sure his pockets were filled. Calmly she walked over to Timmy and gently laid her hands on his shoulder. Timmy stared into her eyes with a fierce expression she had never seen before in his eyes.

“So Mr. Smith, let’s say we ignore President Warburton’s words. In a year, are you ready to be the one to tell him that we decided to ignore his demands and that we cost him millions in revenue?” she asked in simple tone. She watched as the color and fight drained from his face. Dr. Cornell knew that Timmy was absolutely terrified of the Arcanan President.

“Look,” she said, trying to comfort him “I know you don’t want to do this. But this is the easiest way to get that man off our backs”

With that Dr. Cornell turned away from Timmy Smith, and asked the other scientists if they had anymore objections. No one spoke up, so plans to create the performance enhancement drug started immediately.The scientists began to scurry around the lab. Some went online to research recipes for the drug. Others began looking for required materials.

However Timmy Smith slipped through the chaos and walked out the lab without anyone noticing. He walked straight towards the parking lot and got into his Jeep. He plugged the keys into the ignition yet he didn’t start the car. In his mind the events that occurred just a few minutes ago were swimming in his mind. One statement kept on repeating itself in his head.

But this is the easiest way to get that man off our backs.

“But the easiest way is not always the right way” Timmy Smith said quietly to himself. He stayed in the car pondering whether or not he should help out with the project or quit and find some work somewhere else.

----Avarice----​

Dr. Henrietta Cornell stood in the same spot that Timmy Smith stood in one year before. She watched as President Warburton scanned over the report. Dr. Cornell kept on tapping her foot, a sign that she was nervous about the situation. She had every reason to be nervous since her team of scientists had just recreated a drug that was deemed illegal by the IPLA. All she ever wanted was to study the soil in the Arcana region. All the sureness she had in her plan a year ago had left the building.

I hope this man isn’t a stickler for the rules, she thought as the man in front of her placed the document he was reading to the side and looked up at her. A small smile played upon his lips.

“So you plan to put those workers’ Pokemon on steroids?” he asked. Dr. Cornell looked at the man in shock. There was nothing in the document that explicitly referred to the drug as a steroid. She had underestimated President Warburton’s intelligence.

“That was the only option our team deemed viable given your time constraints” she replied. Her heart pounded against her chest as she awaited his answer. He gave her hard stare that caused her to shudder a bit.

“Okay then, have them on your steroid by the end of this month” President Warburton said simply. Dr. Cornell’s jaw hit the floor. She was astounded that he actually agreed to use her plan despite knowing that it was illegal. She wasn’t about to question his decision though, the sooner he got what he wanted to sooner he was out of her hair. At that point that was all that mattered to her.

“Will do sir” she said after regaining her composure. With that she walked briskly out the door.

 

[Catzeye]

Alright so here is the first chapter. Credit to Rediamond for the name Vitanergy.

Chapter 1: Moving yet Again​

Friday, July 15th 2015

It was a nice late-July day in Goldenrod City. Downtown Goldenrod was teeming with merry trainers young and old, from all over the world. Some of the newer ones had come to town thinking they’d have an easy time beating a Normal-type gym leader. They would be in for a nice surprise when they met Whitney’s Miltank.

Farther away, in the quieter suburbs, there was one young lady, perched on her family’s balcony, who was bored out of her mind. Alexis Palmers was a 17 year old who had never been on a Pokemon journey. Her dad only allowed her to get the Trainer’s permit, which was necessary to legally own Pokemon. Her dad always told her she wasn’t fit to be a travelling trainer, although Alexis obviously felt otherwise. She would ask her mom, since only one parent was needed to sign the consent forms for a full Pokemon License, but her mom could barely get out of bed some days. Asking her to drive to the Trainer’s Commission Center and sit through the consent process would just be too much to ask.

A calm breeze blew through the air, which toyed around her neck length red hair. Alexis sighed as she gazed upon her neighborhood. For her, getting a chance to have an adventure would be the best thing to ever happen to her. She didn’t care what type of adventure it was, so long as she could make interesting memories for her Pokemon.

Only seven more months and I’ll be free, Alexis thought wistfully. In only 7 months she’d be 18, a legal adult in the Pokemon world. She could get her Trainer’s license herself with no parental consent. She could finally have access to all the privileges her peers had. More importantly, she would be able to prove her dad wrong about her not being cut out for Pokemon training. Alexis began to daydream about the adventures she would have. She imagined herself directing her Pokemon in contests, in battles and in Pokeathlons…

The loud roar of a Hummer broke through Alexis’ fantasies and causing her to yelp in surprise. She looked down towards her driveway, and sure enough, her dad’s Hummer was pulling into it. It was only one o’clock, and her dad usually didn’t get home until six. The fact that he was home this early meant one thing; they were moving yet again.

“Why can’t we stay put in one place for once!” Alexis grumbled to no one in particular. She immediately went back into the house to face her dad. He promised he would not move the family anymore.

He better have a good excuse for this, Alexis thought as she tore down the hallway towards the stairs.

----Avarice----​

Alexis went downstairs to find her dad on the phone with one of his business associates. Mr. Palmers was one the best marketing managers around. He has helped promote Devon Corp, Silph Corp as well as many other big time firms. In order to better oversee the advertising projects, Mr. Palmers often moved his family across the regions.

“Yea Carlos we’re moving to Arcana. Their president offered me contract that is twice the amount I’m being paid here! He wants me to work on a new marketing scheme,” said Mr. Palmers. He had not noticed his only daughter eavesdropping on his conversation.

“You know about Arcana right? They’re the one that produces the top quality lumber and rock quarry for the Pokemon League. Apparently they want to expand their market for housing and what not. They must have heard of my skills!”

Alexis rolled her eyes at her dad’s conversation. She knew by now that her dad never misses an opportunity to work for someone who will offer him a bigger paycheck. That still didn’t change the fact he promised that they weren’t moving again until Alexis was adult. Then at least when they moved, she could choose whether or not she wanted to come with them.

“We’re moving within a few weeks. I trust you’ll finish the rest of the project for me. I know you can do it. Goodbye and good luck Carlos!” With that Mr. Palmers hung up and began to work on his laptop.

Alexis was already upset that her dad broke his promised, but then it hit her. They were moving to Arcana which just happened to be a colonial region. A region with no wild Pokemon whatsoever. There were no official Contests, Pokeathlons, Musicals or Leagues. Those regions were only useful in exporting raw materials to regions like Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova.

In other words, Alexis’ dream to go on a journey just got flushed down a toilet like a dead Magikarp.

“Dad!” she yelled. Her dad peered up from his computer to see a fuming teenage girl. Both father and daughter had the same green eyes, although Alexis got her hair color from her mother.
“What’s the matter sweetie?” her dad asked, eyes wide with concern.
“We’re moving again? And to a colonial region at that?”
“You heard my conversation on the phone didn’t you?”
“No, I’m a psychic type Pokemon,” Alexis replied bitterly. She watched as her father’s eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed into a frown. Her dad was never one for wisecracks or for eavesdropping. Normally she would quickly apologize, but not today.

“Do you even care about my hopes and dreams? You promised that we wouldn’t move again!” Alexis blurted out after a tense few seconds of silence. Mr. Palmers eyes widened in utter disbelief before narrowing. A low growl rumbled in the depths of his throat.

“Alexis Renee Palmers! How dare you imply that I don’t care about my own family? I’m trying to provide for you and your mom. We need this money,” he roared at his daughter who slightly flinched at his ferocity. However she stood her ground and didn’t retreat from his rage.

“You promised we wouldn’t move again! How am I going to start my Pokemon journey in a freaking colonial region?” Alexis exclaimed, clenching her fists.

“You and that damn dream of being a Pokemon trainer. How many times do I have to say that you aren’t fit to be a trainer?”

“You always bring that up dad! Give me two good reasons as to why I can’t be a good trainer.”

“Well for one, you scream and bawl like a baby whenever a thunderstorm hits,” her dad starts while gauging the reaction of his teenage daughter. Alexis tried unsuccessfully to fight down the blush creeping up on her pale cheeks.

“Thunderstorms only pop up every once in a while,” Alexis said indignantly.

“And you are out of shape like I don’t know what. How could you survive in the wilderness? You can’t even run a mile in 10 minutes,” her dad pressed on. “You need to lay off those Twinkies.”

A jolt ran through Alexis’ heart. Slowly she looked down to her midsection where there was a slight bulge. She knew she wasn’t the fittest girl in the world, and that she could stand to lose a few pounds. But she wasn’t even close to being dangerously overweight. Her thoughts went to a boy from her 10th grade class who was 90 pounds overweight and had diabetes. Yet he still got to go on a journey. Hot tears began to form as her father’s words replayed in her mind.

“Alexis, you weren’t ready for Pokemon training when you were 10 and you aren’t ready now. I wish you’d stop chasing this pipe dream of yours,” Mr. Palmers said in a calmer, gentler tone. His daughter looked up at him with tears running down her cheeks. A jolt ran through his heart seeing this yet the middle-aged man said nothing. A somber silence filled the room. Alexis had nothing more to say to her father.

Suddenly, upstairs a loud moan could be heard breaking the silence. Both father and daughter winced at the sound. They both knew that Mrs. Palmers was in the throes of another intense headache. Mr. Palmers went upstairs to check on his wife while Alexis just stood in place, tears dripping onto the floor.

----Avarice----​

It was mid-August when the Palmers family boarded the small, nearly empty jet to Arcana. Mr. Palmers was grinning with anticipation for what lay ahead of him in the colonial region. Mrs. Palmers tried to keep a smile on her face, though it was hard with the constant throbbing in her temples. She hoped that this job her husband was getting would help cover the costs needed for her surgery.
And Alexis was positively ecstatic. Her constant scowl and furrowed eyebrows showed her happiness for moving for the umpteenth time. Red hair swished back and forth as the teenager marched to seat and plopped down with a “Humph”. The five other passengers looked at her strangely while her parents sighed at their daughter’s antics.

The flight was long- about six hours to be exact. Alexis spent most of the time gazing out the window, watching the puffy white clouds and the seemingly endless sparkling blue ocean. They passed over Unova and kept on heading west. Her dad, worked on his laptop as her mom took pills to try ease her constant headache. The pain didn't respond to the medication.

Ding! “We are now approaching the eastern coast of Arcana,” said the flight attendant over the intercom.

The first thing that Alexis noticed was that it was quite huge. The region was covered mostly with forests and two large mountain ranges. As the plane flew overhead, occasionally she saw small clearings with a few buildings close together. They were settlements for the lumberjacks and miners who were too far away from the major human settlements which were confined to the east side of the region.

I’m going to hate it here, she thought. There won’t be anything to do here. At least when I turn 18 in February I can get to do whatever I want. Although it won’t be much since I’ll be stuck in a place that has no gyms, or contests or Pokeathlons.

Alexis felt a jolt as the wheels were coming out from underneath the planes. Slowly the plane descended towards the runway. The people aboard the flight winced as their ears popped from the change of altitude.

In a few minutes their plane landed on the strip and began taxiing to the hanger. Alexis noticed that her dad’s Hummer was parked near where the plane was supposed to come to a complete stop. She figured her dad would want to get her mom to the new house as soon as possible. Glancing over to where her parents sat, she saw the pain written all over her mom’s face.

“Don’t worry mom, you’ll be able to get back in bed and rest soon,” Alexis said quietly.

----Avarice----​

The drive to the new house was about another 30 minutes. Apparently there was only one road from the airport to the city. Alexis faced the window, watching the scenery as it went by. It wasn’t much, just a bunch of trees and a few billboards every now and then. The only thing that was worth mentioning was that every billboard advertised the same thing.

“What the hell is Vitanergy?” She grumbled underneath her breath.

One billboard had a Machop grinning and flexing it pecks at the passerby. Next to the blue humanoid was bold red text saying “Make your Pokemon stronger with Vitanergy!”

Another had a blonde female with cheesy wink and grin. In her outstretched left hand was a little blue pill. The text on this billboard read “Vitanergy is just so awesome!”

Alexis placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. She couldn’t believe how utterly cheesy, cliché, and stupid the advertisements were.

No wonder they need my dad, these ads suck major ass, she thought. Although she was still thoroughly pissed off at her dad for breaking his promise, she could never deny her dad’s talent at being an advertising director.

The Jeep slowly pulled up into the driveway of the Palmers’ new home. It was two-story brick building, with windows in gold-painted frames. A white picket fence surrounded the small front yard and slightly larger backyard. A small black mailbox with silver letters reading “Palmers” stood just in front of the sidewalk. Alexis looked around at the other houses in the cul-de-sac, and noticed they were all pretty similar in style.

As soon as the ignition was cut off her dad jumped out of the car and ran to the other side to help her mom to the house. Meanwhile Alexis decided to take a trip to her new backyard. There wasn’t much there, just an oak tree and a porch. She noticed the grass had been recently cut. Alexis plopped down on the grass, not caring that she would most likely wind up with grass stains on her jeans. Slowly she reached into her pockets and pulled out three half-red, half-white spheres. These devices, known as Pokeballs, contained the only three Pokemon Alexis had. Each one her Pokemon came from a different region she had lived in, specifically Johto, Hoenn and Unova.

“Well guys, welcome to our new home. For the umpteenth time,” Alexis said in a resigned tone. The only thing she could do was count the days until her eighteenth birthday.