The life of a Rattata is not usually a pleasant one. Nor is it for any Pokémon perceived as 'weak', 'useless', or 'unwanted'. Set in the not-so-distant Johto, this is a story of a young trainer and a team of such Pokémon, and their journey to the top.

"talk"

'thought'

Chapter 1: Capturing Burrow

Rattata's POV

'I was caught', the thought filled my insides with dread. The metal around me felt cold, 'GOT TO GET OUT', freezing, 'NEED TO GET OUT', burning. With growing desperation I raked my ivory claws against the metal. Body quaking, I reluctantly fell against the bottom of the Pokéball. 'Its not supposed to be like this' I thought, hissing humorlessly into the empty space. For the hundredth time I wished I wasn't a Rattata. 'No other species has to deal with this, being unwanted, useless'. Rattatas, we live hiding. Trainers avoid us and despise us. The few that capture us use us as slaves or send us to an endless nothingness 'Where will I end up?' I curl into myself, breathing in the earthy scent on my fur. 'It was the smell of the outside, the smell of home'.

Time passed by slowly. My Trainer was weird, different. He did not send me to the nothingness nor did he use me as a slave, so far. What was he waiting for? Didn't he know I was useless? 'NO HE'S MESSING WITH YOU! Waiting to hurt you.' Suddenly my world filled up with light.

Spencer's POV

"Hey there little guy it's okay, no ones going to hurt you." I said hurriedly as I saw my new charge tremble helplessly. "A name, a name, a name… What should I call you?" I grumbled quietly, sitting down to face the creature. At that moment I caught it's eyes. Crimson pools carrying too much emotion, too much anxiety, too much hurt. "Your name can be Burrow and my name is Spencer, and together we're going to be the very best." I don't think I ever saw such a disbelieving look, not from a human or Pokémon. I tried to stifle my laughter. While it is true that not many trainers choose Pokémon like Rattata, I never truly believed there was such thing as 'weak Pokémon' only weak trainers. Now that I was finally 10, I had a chance to prove it. "Okay Burrow its you and me against the world yeah?" I said gently, reaching my hand out slowly trying not to startle him. Burrow's body turned ridged and he let out a pitiful wine. 'This might be harder then I thought' I mused picking up the distraught creature 'It doesn't help that he seems so damaged. I wonder if all Rattata are like this'. I looked down at Burrow once more, holding him to my chest as I stood up. His soft purple fur brushed against my arms. 'No I have a feeling that Burrow is one of a kind'. I looked around for a sign to our next destination, the small ocean-side town of Cherrygrove. Finding one I began to walk.

Burrow's POV

Spencer was holding me close 'TOO CLOSE'. I shivered. 'Spencer' I stole one more glance at my trainer. His eyes were set on the road, relaxed determined. They were brown, light enough to see clearly. His hair, pale blond was messy. It refused to lie down and stuck up at odd angles. Overall he wasn't that remarkable. He was a gangly, pale, and scrawny kid. 'It doesn't matter what he looks like he's human HE WILL HURT YOU' my thoughts screamed. '…But he didn't' another part of me reasoned. It was true Spencer hadn't hurt me. If anything he was gentle, good. I felt the heat radiating from his arms drawing me closer to his body. 'Maybe life with this trainer won't be so bad'. My mind didn't have a chance argue, as I was slowly rocked to sleep.

A couple hours later I woke up by odd movements. Vision still blurry I looked around lethargically. The room was plain, generic, holding little furniture and even less color. 'Was that Spencer?' I watched him questioningly as he moved about the tiny room. Noticing me awake he crouched beside me.

"Shhhh its okay Burrow" Spencer whispered as he arranged the blanket around me. 'I was on a bed?' I thought sleepily struggling to listen to Spencer. "I booked us a room in the Cherrygrove Pokémon center. You fell asleep so I'd thought we'd just turn in. You had quite a long day after being captured and all..." Spencer trailed off a bit then asked. "Would you rather sleep in the Pokéball or the bed?"

'A choice, he was giving me a choice' I thought. 'Well I'm not moving now, and besides that Pokéball…' I shuddered '…who would willingly sleep in that cold metallic prison? No I'm fine here.' Snuggling more thoroughly into the blankets, Spencer seemed to understand my choice. "Okay then, as you wish Burrow" Spencer said laughing at my antics "Nothing is too good for you spoiled beast". I grumbled a bit at that and sent him a tired but fierce glare. Spencer seemed more amused then anything and laughed even harder. "Don't worry Burrow we'll work on your intimidation tomorrow. You're way too small to be threatening." Spencer climbed under the covers as I took refuge at the end of the bed. Glaring fiercely all the way. "Yeah we'll definitely need to work on that if we want to be taken seriously." He mumbled half chuckling. Lying quiet for a moment Spencer turned to me. "Goodnight Burrow. Sweet dreams" Not a moment later he seemed already captured by sleep. I stayed up for a good half-hour more just thinking. 'I was caught today… and I'm safe' the thought seemed so surreal. 'I always imagined this day to be my last. Sure it was scary, terrifying even, but I don't think I ever felt this nice.' Laying here enveloped by warmth mesmerized by the feeling of security. 'Is this what its like to have a companion? No I won't trust so easily… but' my heart lit up 'I can at least have hope.'

That night a Pokémon and his new trainer fell into a deep sleep. One was dreaming of comfort, the other dreaming of adventure. Although they were different in many ways, both dreamed of hope.