Hidden Monsters
Rated: T/M
Disclaimer: Other than the copyrighted Pokemon stuff, this is actually my brainchild. Paws off, pease!

- The Beginning -

Touko stared blankly at the chalkboard, wondering if and when education would come in handy. Like the majority of her class, she was planning on going on a Pokemon journey after she graduated instead of going to college. Because of that, she didn't understand why, exactly, one had to go through twelve levels of grades before getting a Pokemon. Okay, the electives concerning Pokemon and hoe to go on a journey were a necessity, but, really, classes like calculus for the older kids? Touko was going to be a Pokemon master, not a rocket scientist for the Silph Company!

"Read chapter one, class, and fill out the packet coinciding with it." Mrs. Thompson, her history teacher, said; she had to explain what "coinciding" meant because of all the hands went up. Touko wasn't a genius, but she wasn't like the kids in her class, either. Despite being eleven and in the fifth grade, she knew what "coinciding" meant. Grumbling to herself, Touko pulled her history textbook from her backpack and opened it to the first chapter; her complaining stopped, however, when she saw it dealt with mostly Pokemon. Maybe history wouldn't be such a bad class after all!

"Like the Mayans predicted, 2012 was the end of the world as it was once known. A meteorite crashed into our planet, although it wasn't like anything anyone expected. With it, it brought chemical compounds released into the air upon impact that changed the previous animal life into what we know as Pokemon, or Pocket Monsters, because the Silph Company was able to mass-produce a way to change Pokemon matter from the original size to microscopic proportions inside of Pokeballs that fit in one's pocket.

"The change from 'animal' to 'Pokemon' was gradual at first while humanity regained solid footing on the new Earth. The meteorite had changed the different landmasses all back into one like the land mass once known as Pangea. After a decade of getting back to 'normal', humanity realized the 'animals' they had known were no longer in abundance compared to how many 'Pokemon' were around. Scientists that would later create the Silph Company took DNA strands of every animal they could, creating the DNA bank we rely on heavily for foodstuffs currently. The plant life had also changed, presenting tall, thick grasses to hide Pokemon and trees strong enough to house their new, heavier tenants.

"With the new powers Pokemon possessed, mankind was able to do things it never had before, like flying with the birds. Pokemon, plant life, and scientific advancement vary with every region. So far, five have been inhabited, starting with the Kanto region and ending with the Unova region. The Unoa region is the most heavily populated and the most advanced with its scientific discoveries and advancements as it is where the Silph Company first was founded. Similarly, the Kanto region, being the furthest away, is much more behind than Unova."

Touko stopped there as the book went into things she already knew, like how, to become a trainer, kids had to be over eighteen with a high school diploma. She was able to fill the packet with ease, spending the rest of her history period daydreaming about the day she'd start her Pokemon journey.

- (7 years later) -

"So, we're just waiting for Bianca, aren't we?" Cheren sighed, eyeing Touko up. He had already gone through college to get his Bachelor's degree, but he was stuck on what profession he wanted to go into. Cheren had the brains to become a head producer for the Silph Company, but he didn't find that future appetizing. It sounded like all deskwork to Cheren. Because he'd gone off to college, Cheren hadn't seen Touko since she was just hitting her growth spurts at fourteen; he'd been her babysitter up until she had turned thirteen when her mother was away at work in Castelia City. His face flushed slightly as the thoughts of how well she'd grown up entered his girl-starved mind.

Cheren, standing at a gangly 6'2" with nothing but skin and bones, had never had a girlfriend in all of his twenty-two, almost twenty-three, years; he was the classic image of a "computer nerd" or "geek" with his glasses and long-ish dark blue hair. Touko and Bianca had been the only girls that had paid attention to him outside of the "school" or "work" worlds other than his relatives, and while Bianca wasn't as dumb as a post, there was something that always vexed Cheren's high intellect when she was around. With Touko, who had blossomed into quite a young woman and had been the one whom he'd gotten along with the most, Cheren knew she might be his only prospect at a "loving relationship" he had only seen but never understood or experienced.

"Yeah, she's always been fashionably late." Touko laughed, rolling her eyes. All three of them had agreed to meet at her house before heading over to the laboratory in Nuvema Town owned by the Pokemon professor Juniper. Cheren had also babysat Bianca, most of the time at the same time as Touko; the girls had become friends in primary and then let Cheren in on their duo to make it a trio. Nevertheless, since Cheren had gone to college and had not contacted them at all, Touko was a bit uncomfortable being alone with him. The way his eyes lingered on her "assets" just added to her anxiety.

"Well, she should—"

"Soooo soooorry, y'all! My daddy isn't so sure about me going on a journey and all, so I had to convince him to let me go with y'all!" Bianca's voice followed her pounding footsteps up the stairs to Touko's room. Touko smirked when Cheren's eyes, once narrowed in vexation, widened in surprised when he saw how well Bianca had filled out. Touko had a more athletic build while Bianca had the dream body of any red-blooded straight man.

"Bianca, really, you should have called or something. We weren't going to wait forever." Cheren chided, placing his hands on his hips. Bianca apologized again, turning a bit pink in shame.

"I would've, Bee. Let's go see Professor Juniper, shall we?" Touko said, shooting a glare at Cheren before linking arms with her best friend. He just shrugged in response, following the pair out of Touko's house and to the laboratory. Surprising the trio was the man waiting at the back with the starter Pokemon they were going to receive; he was old, way older than anyone Touko had ever met. The man couldn't have been younger than seventy with his white bed-head hair, exceptionally wrinkled face, and heavy reliance on a sturdy wooden cane.

"That's the legendary Professor Oak, kids. Professor Juniper will be back shortly; she had to go take a call. It was the president on the Silph Company." A lab aide said upon seeing the confused guests.

"Oh, okay. Thank you!" Touko said as Cheren grabbed both her and Bianca, dragging them excitedly to the old man identified as Professor Oak.

"Professor Oak, it's a pleasure finally meeting you. I'm Cheren, and these are my friends, Bianca and Touko. I've heard so much about you, I—"

"Well, well, well. In my day, the children that got Pokemon were actual children. You are the kids Professor Juniper is giving these starters to, aren't you?" Oak interrupted, squinting up at Touko, Bianca, and Cheren. Cheren turned red, nodding silently.

"Oh, yeah! You started Red on his travels, didn't you? And met Kotone just as she was beginning her journey?" Touko blurted out excitedly. Growing up, she'd herd the tales of brave Red form Pallet Town that had defeated Giovanni, impish Kotone from New Bark Town that quashed Team Rocket's hopes of ever returning, cool Ruby from Little Root Town that had demolished Team Aqua and Magma, and beautiful Hikari from Twinleaf Town that had brought down Team Galactic. All four were now the Pokemon champions of their regions, and all four had met Professor Oak at some point in their journey. It was a sign, Touko decided, that she was meeting the renowned Professor Oak!

"Yes, yes I did." Oak replied, looking at Touko shrewdly. There was real zeal he could see in her that wasn't from meeting him, the professor, but him, the man who'd met champions. Cheren he could see potential in, but he knew something would hold the young man back since it was obvious he didn't seem interested in Pokemon at all. Touko he could see even more potential in as she was now shooting questions at him regarding Pokemon and the present region champions. Lastly, the girl named Bianca was cooing over the starter Pokemon that were outside of their Pokeballs.

… Outside of their Pokeballs?

"… heard Kotone is having her first kid with Silver, the fourth in the Johto Elite Four, and I was wondering if—"

"Young lady, please do not play with those Pokemon! You should not have released them; they are dangerous creatures when provoked!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Professor Oak, sir! I-I didn't know! I just—"

"It's alright, Bianca. Why don't you choose which one you want now?" A new voice, a woman's, intervened. Touko turned her attention to the woman approaching that was obviously Professor Juniper. Finally, the moment had arrived!

"Oh, um… y'all pick first. I can't decide; they're all so cute!" Bianca said, smiling weakly as she dried her tears.

"Bianca, you don't choose a Pokemon based on its cuteness; you pick on based off its power! You'll just be getting it killed if you battle with it based off of looks. It'd be better to make it a companion Pokemon than a battling tool." Cheren declared, glaring daggers at Bianca.

"Cuteness can mean power, too, Cheren." Touko defended her friend, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She's just going to get hurt because they're going to die after she's gotten attached to them if she picks them off their cuteness! It's better to pick the strongest and most ugly. Pokemon are just a means to and end, anyways." Cheren sneered, walking over to the starter Pokemon who looked highly offended. While it wasn't ugly, he picked up Snivy because it was the least cute.

"I'll show you the power of cuteness, dick." Touko snapped, looking at the two remaining Pokemon.

"Pick me!" An unknown voice tittered.

"Did anyone say anything?" Touko asked cautiously, glancing back at the two professors, her two friends, and the few aides working. With blank responses on top of head shaking, Touko shrugged, turning back to the Pokemon coming to the conclusion she was imagining things. The little blue and white Pokemon, Oshawott, was practically having a seizure, squeaking and jumping with glee.

"Guess I'll take you then, lil' guy." Touko laughed, picking up his squirming body; a bright, otter-y grin lit up his face.

"I'm going to call you Prince, buddy. You like that?" She inquired, taking the lick he gave her on the nose as an affirmative answer.

"Then I get Tepig. I'm going to call him Jackie." Bianca smiled brightly, picking up her little fire pig.

"How about we battle now? I'll show you power is everything." Cheren suggested, kneeling down to pat his unnamed Snivy on the head.

"You kids head outside for that; I don't need my lab in a mess. However, before you do that, you'll need your goggles and Pokedex." Juniper said, laughing slightly, though it wasn't out of mirth. Just like Oak, she had mixed feelings about Cheren going on a Pokemon journey; his words made her heart sink. Even with the Silph Company running around like it owned he world and everything living on it, it saddened Juniper to think there were people out there that just saw Pokemon as living, breathing tools.

"By goggles you mean Silph Co.'s new product for trainers? The ones that tell you a Pokemon's health, 'level', and when it gets poisoned, et cetera?" Touko asked eagerly, wanting to drool. The new glasses, or goggles, were state-of-the-art items so far only given to the richest or most powerful trainers.

"Yes, Touko. The president was just telling me to give them to new trainers since they're not selling as well as he'd like. He thinks trainers like you will be able to spread the word about them along with rave reviews to anyone who asks." Juniper explained, heading over to her desk. She unlocked a drawer and opened it to reveal three shiny Pokedex paired with equally shiny and new Silph Company "Battle Glasses." Touko grinned as she was handed her set of technology, immediately logging in Oshawott, Tepig, and Snivy's data to her Pokedex.

"Thank you so, so much, Professor Junirper! You won't be disappointed!" Touko wanted to hug the professor but decided hugging Prince was better since she was able to share her exultance with her new partner.

"Hurry up, I want to battle!" Cheren sneered, shoving his Pokedex into his back pocket unceremoniously with out logging in any data. He tapped his foot impatiently for Bianca to put the data in her Pokedex before dragging the girls, literally, out of the Pokemon lab.

"I've seen many heroes born into the world of Pokemon… all have been Pokemon whisperers." Oak said softly so only Juniper could hear after the front door had been shut for a while, giving her a sidelong look.

"I won't tell Silph if you don't." Juniper replied gamely, shaking on the deal.

"You think Touko might be the one to finally overthrow Silph?" She inquired quietly, gazing into Oak's eyes. While she trusted her lab aides implicitly with her own life and affairs, Juniper was not about to risk someone else's. Although they said they enjoyed their work, anyone could be a Silph spy or fall to a handsome bribe.

"That Oshwaott – Prince… he was screaming at her to pick him. She heard him once, but I think it might be some time before she hears everything. Your Touko could very well be Unova's heroine… but she won't get there alone. Someone is going to have to open her eyes for her that isn't afraid of Silph or Team Plasma." Oak replied steadily, still in low tones.

"She won't be it, then. No sane person is willing to speak up against Silph, especially with Plasma running amok." Juniper sighed, deflated.

"We'll see."

A/N: So, yeah, I was thinking of Pokemon while testing was going on… and this came into my mind. This is just a thought, not totally completed, so bear with me. Also, until my summer break comes, I don't know if this will be updated frequently… I just posted it now to see if anyone would be interested. It's not your regular Pokemon fanfiction (rating might change to M because of that). xD SoulSilverShipping may or may not be mentioned again. ;P I might have to do a Johto version of this because I love them so much…

Oh, and I'm using Touko's Japanese name because, no offense to anyone, I don't like the name "Hilda." :|

~ Tobi