"Ember, now!"

  Cinders erupted from the beak of a small, orange chick. The Pokemon flew through the air, its small chicken-like legs dragging it through, plunging towards the ground where its opponent stood. A small green gecko with cat-like yellow eyes, a pink coloured stomach and neck, finished off with a large bushy tail.

  The Pokemon stood its ground, its eyes flickering over to its trainer, who stood shrouded in a deep shadow. But, the trainer seemed to hesitate. The firey Ember coming the Grass type's way did not. It struck right in the Pokemon's pink chest, burning it a dark black. Its yellow eyes shut, its knees keeling, before the rest of its body fell after.

  "Alright, Torchic!"

  Out came a shout from the opposite side of the battlefield. A young pale boy stood with his fist raised, and a bright smile etched onto his face. His hands combed through his messy hair, unable to quite keep his glee at winning the battle held back. He swished his half open jacket around, revealing the navy blue shirt he wore underneath. Then, leaping onto the battlefield, he ran after his Pokemon.

  The crowd's roars melded together, a complete blur. Only his Pokemon mattered. And, how well Torchic had done! His black and white trainers skidded to a halt, the rubber on the bottom of his soles burning as the young boy skidded to a stop. Holding his arms open, Torchic jumped into them, spinning then holding his starter high. Torchic smiled down at him. The boy smiled back.

  His name was Lucas.

  "We did it, buddy!" Lucas exclaimed, as Torchic ran to sit on his shoulder. Lucas nuzzled Torchic on the head, ruffling its feathers, the Chick Pokemon letting out a small caw. Then, Lucas glanced to the ground. Suddenly, he found himself at the other side of the battlefield. So far, that he could now stand over the defeated trainer.

  Lucas glanced around, his eyebrow cocked up in suspicion. His eyes tracked Treecko behind him, still laying on the ground, fainted. The trainer must've just forgotten to return his Pokemon. No matter, they'd do it later. Lucas extended his arm, as a show of good sportsmanship. It felt only natural after a hard fought battle!

  "Amazing match, I can see your imp-"

  Lucas found his hand empty.

  Slapped away without any remorse.

  The shadow didn't even look up to make eye contact with Lucas. It remained, crouched down, clenching the floor. Lucas felt chills run down his spine, taking a slow step back. Like a switch had been flipped in his head. Nothing sat right with him. The boy's hand shook, glancing to his Pokemon partner.

  What was a Torchic doing on his shoulder, chirping like they'd known each other their whole lives? He didn't own one.

  What was he doing battling like he had any idea what battling was like? He'd never been in one.

  Most importantly...

  Why on Earth did the crowd sound like beeps from an alarm?

  A sudden force whapped Lucas right in the face, the world around him suddenly fizzling away into nothingness. In its place arrived a familiar place. His bedroom, snuggled in with the same comfy duvets. Ringing echoed through the room, coming from his chest. Shooting up in alarm, he looked for the source of the noise, only to find his Rotom Phone, vibrating so strongly it shook the entire bed.

  The young boy sighed, picking up the phone and silencing it with a strong press of the stop button. Then, he placed the phone on the desk by his bed, and laid his head back on the pillow, recounting on the dream. The details of the dream were already beginning to get pretty hazy, with Lucas unable to put his finger on all the details. But, a lone thing stuck out. Torchic.

  The boy suddenly shot up, a giant smile spreading out on his face.

  "Today's the day!" he exclaimed, grabbing his Rotom Phone and checking the time. 8:30.

  "And I got up in time too!" Lucas continued to holler, like it was some sort of achievement that he'd manage to wake up at an appropriate time. But, if there were any day to wake up ready and prepared, today was it!

  His feet skidded against the floor, pulling open the blue blinds, letting a window open and feeling the cold breeze pass through the room. He stuck his head out, smelling the fresh flowers bursting from his back garden, and tracked a Swellow darting across the sky. Everything felt right. At least in this time.

  Quickly, he slipped into his trainer's uniform. The one of his dreams. Quite literally, in fact. His old pajamas were flung into his backpack, alongside a bundle of Potions, Pokeballs, Antidotes, and all the rest of his equipment that he would need for his new adventure. He guessed that he'd receive some from the professor, but his mother told him it would be better to be prepared than to be sorry. Which, he couldn't find a reason to argue with. So, here he stood, backpack bulging with goods. Slipping his Rotom Phone into his pocket, he opened the door, leading out to the rest of his house. But, before he could bring himself to leave, he took one last glance around.

  Lucas couldn't help but feel a small twinge of sadness, looking upon his room for the last time. At least for a long while. Pokemon adventures were long and hard. He'd be going without the comfort of his collection of plushies, bundled up inside of his closet. Without his games console that sat at the edge of the room, next to a small monitor with many stickers stuck to bottom of the stand.

  So many memories made in such a place. But, as he turned away, his mind remained filled with thoughts of his adventure. The glory. The friends he'd make along the way, Pokemon and people alike. The memories. All fresh, new and for the taking.

  He couldn't wait to get started.

  It became clear to everyone else in the house that he couldn't quite wait either, as he trampled down the staircase, sounding like an elephant with how loudly his shoes thudded against the stairs. Stumbling at the bottom, overcome with the weight of his backpack. It seemed the weight didn't clash too well with his usual style of doing everything in a rush. But, he just about managed to stay standing when he reached the bottom floor of the house, glancing around.

  "Arceus, Lucas, do you wanna bring down the whole house?" a boy around the same age as him sat at a table just to the side of the stairs. Lucas' jaw hit the floor gazing upon him, rushing to his side and giving the boy a massive hug, before settling into the seat beside him.

  "Harry!" Lucas exclaimed, glancing up and down at his friend's outfit. They were matching in style, but not in colour. Harry had chosen to go for a red motif to his outfit. His jacket fit that theme, coloured blood crimson, with a white t-shirt underneath. A mirror to Lucas' style. His eyes were a deep red, cutting and sharp in their colour, staring into Lucas' deeply blue eyes. Combed over hazelnut hair finished his appearance. Lucas leaned against the desk, his palm brushing against his cheek. "When did you arrive?"

  "Your mom let me in around half an hour ago. But, you were still asleep. So, she let me have some pancakes." Harry gestured to an empty plate, traces of syrup and chocolate spread littering the tray. "They're gone now, if you couldn't already tell."

  "Yeah, I got the picture." Lucas folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. "So, you could've woken me up?"

  "I could've."

  Harry smiled, and Lucas waited, tapping his finger against his arm. A long silence followed, with Lucas expecting something...more. Harry just sat there, not saying a word, his expression ever the same.

  "...and?"

  "And I didn't," Harry answered, the smile on his face growing, snickering at himself. Lucas rolled his eyes, just as his mother came into the room, whisking together another bowl of pancake mix.

  "It was a joint decision, don't worry," she spoke with a smirk much the same as Harry's.

  "Good morning to you too, Mom," Lucas answered with another roll of the eyes.

  "Just messing with you, sweetie," she added. A small splatter of the mix flicked up onto her pale nose, and she raised a finger to swipe it off, testing the mix for its taste. She already knew it was a good set of pancakes, Harry had proved that. But, more than anything, she just wanted a taste of it herself.

  A long floral apron dotted her torso, wrapped tightly around her waist. Eyes as green as the grass blossoming in the garden out back locked onto Lucas, a bright white smile spreading across her face. She continued to whisk, a couple droplets splashing into her shortly cut brunette hair. A ladle scooped through the mixture, before carefully dropping down into the pan below with a healthy spread of butter.

  "Your favourite?" Lucas' mother asked, and Lucas nodded enthusiastically. Grabbing a bottle full of honey, she started working it into the pancake mixture as it cooked, coating the eventual fluffy inside with a sweet coating of honey fresh from Sinnoh. A spatula flattened down the pancake, before flipping it over, letting it cook for only a few moments more. Soon enough, Lucas had a sickly sweet pancake on his plate that he devoured just as quick as his mom could make another one. A cycle of him eating, her making another one, until Lucas leaned back in his chair in satisfaction.

  "Thanks Mom!" he chirped, patting his stomach.

  "Yeah, thank you Miss Maya," Harry added, sitting up from his chair and politely beginning to wash up the plate. But, before he could get his hands into the soapy water, Maya grabbed his arm, saying,

  "Harry, you don't need to wash up! You've got a massive day ahead of you, we've got no time for that!" she chuckled. Harry sighed, gently removing Maya's hand from his arm. He'd normally have insisted, but she was right. Today was the big day. Everyone said as much.

  "My mom knows best!" Lucas chirped, running up behind Harry and giving him another hug.

  "You're just saying that so you don't have to wash up," Harry joked.

  Lucas' cheeks turned a tint rosy, muttering back, "Maybe."

  "Well, I don't mind. It's a big day for the both of you. And, I'd rather you not be late." Maya looked at the clock on the wall. "And, I think you'd better get going. I'd just like a word with Lucas first."

  "Hm? Can Harry hear it too?" Lucas asked.

  "If he wants to. But, it's mostly a mother and son talk."

  Harry shrugged, breaking from Lucas' hug. He reached to the floor next to the table, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder,

  "I'll just wait outside. Don't take too long, k?" Harry turned to face Lucas, his fingers first pointing at his own eyes, then at Lucas. Lucas just giggled. Harry smiled, turning the knob of the door then gently closing it behind him. Lucas turned back to Maya, smile still bright. His mother looked down at her boy, smiling, then crouching to come face to face with him.

  "So, what did you want to talk about?"

  "You. Keeping safe."

  "Mom, don't be such a worrier! I'll be fine, I'm sure! I'll have my Torchic by my side, and we'll be able to take on the world!" Lucas chirped. Maya chuckled, looking to the ceiling.

  "I think you'll be fine. But, I don't know for sure. The worlds a more dangerous place than you think. You've seen what Pokemon are capable of doing. How strong they can get, even in the wild. Sometimes...you and Torchic won't be enough."

  Maya spoke with a heavy sigh. Lucas' face dropped. Her eyes glanced to meet her son's expression, sighing again. Then, she chuckled, her hand gently rubbing against the top of Lucas' head. "I'm not trying to scare you into not being excited for your adventure. You'll do so many wonderful things, meet so many people and make so many friends. But, I just think you should try and get someone else to tag along with you."

  "Like, as a travelling group?"

  "Yes. Try and travel with someone else if you can. Harry could be a good person to travel with, or the girl who's getting her starter with you two."

  "What if she doesn't like me though?"

  Maya chucked, shaking her head and giving Lucas a kiss on the forehead. "I'm sure she'll like you. I know I'm your mother, but you're personable and kind! If she doesn't agree to travel with you for at least a Route, that's her loss. You just have to promise me you'll try and find a group to travel with, even if it's not the two getting starters like you."

  Lucas felt a gentle touch of her finger boop his nose, Maya repeating, "Promise. Promise that you'll travel together and stay out of danger when you can."

  "I promise," Lucas answered. Maya sighed, embracing her son as tightly as she could. Lucas' head settled onto her shoulder, burying into the white dress Maya wore underneath her apron. Tilting his head to the side so his speech wouldn't be muffled, he muttered, "I'll miss you a lot."

  "I will too, sweetie. But, I'm only a phone call away." Maya lifted Lucas' chin up, coming face to face once more. "And, if the world beats you down, or your adventure gets too tough, you can always come home."

  "Thank you. Thank you so much." Lucas wrapped Maya back in one more hug before she could so much as attempt to push Lucas forward. Despite being on the cusp of his first adventure, getting his first Pokémon, he just wanted to hug his mother for the last time in a long time.

  Maya felt her heartstrings tug, tears threatening to tear their way down her face. She couldn't let herself do it. Stowing herself the best she could, Maya dragged herself up, picking up Lucas' backpack from underneath the table. She carefully adjusted the straps around Lucas' shoulders, ensuring they fit snugly around her little boys body. Lucas spun on his foot, asking,

  "How do I look?"

  "Like a future winner of the Ever Grande Conference," Maya answered with a smile.

  "You're only saying that because you're my mom," Lucas answered with an eye roll. Maya politely giggled, muffled by a fist covering her mouth, before straightening up her posture and adding.

  "Alright, maybe that's true. But, removing my mom-tinted glasses, you look like a proper trainer." Maya gently placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder, "And, you'll be one in only a short while."

  The door to Maya's home shuddered open, Harry taking a small glance around at the room, before his eyes settled on Lucas and Maya. "I hate to interrupt your mother and son moment, but we're running on a tight schedule here."

  "Right, don't want you to be late." Maya nodded, planting a kiss on Lucas' forehead once more. "Take care, sweetie."

  "Thanks Mom!" Lucas jumped into action, running towards the door and slipping through the door. His arm arced in a wave, crying out, "I'll call you when I get to the next town! Love you!"

  "Love you too!" Maya exclaimed back, the door staying open just long enough for Lucas to hear the response, before it thundered closed, plunging the room into silence. Maya glanced back to the table, finding an empty plate still dripping with sticky honey. The plate grated against the table as she picked it up, placing it into the sink under the weight of soapy water.

  Streams started flooding Maya's eyes, forming solid currents that weaved their way down her pale cheeks.

  "It all flew by so fast..."

  "Morning Lucas! Morning Harry!"

  "Morning Miss Harris!" Lucas called back with a bright smile towards an elderly woman tending to her garden. Harry gave a small wave, before turning his attention straight forward, towards the large bank they had to walk down to make it through to the Birch's lab. Just as many people in Littleroot referred to it just as the Birch House, however. It always had an inviting exterior, with the laboratory just being a side effect of the line of work that the Birch's had chosen. Harry glanced towards Lucas, asking,

  "So, who do you think you're choosing?"

  "You already know the answer," Lucas responded, making eye contact with Harry.

  "I know. I'm just trying to subtly remind you of our 'deal'," Harry answered, his hand outstretched towards Lucas. Sighing, Lucas reached into the front compartment of his bag, retrieving 1000 Pokedollars and slapping the pile of notes into Harry's hands.

  "Two, four, six, eight, yup, ten 100 Pokedollar bills. Thank you for your patronage, Lucas."

  "I guess this is the part where I ask you what you're choosing. Since you're now bribed not to pick Torchic."

  "Well, I always liked Treecko, so Treecko it is."

  "So, I didn't even need to pay you?"

  Harry snickered, "Lucas, as soon as we got accepted by the professors, you immediately made the offer to bribe me without even knowing what starter I wanted. I'm not gonna say no to free money."

  Lucas glanced away, his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "You're a bad friend."

  "Maybe. But, I'm a bad friend and 1000 Pokedollars richer, so who's the real winner?" Harry snorted, sighing as they came closer to the Birch lab, seeing it rear its head just in the distance. "Besides, we've still got the other girl to worry about. What if she's a really big Torchic fan? Might've bribed the wrong person."

  A firm fist to the shoulder brought Harry's teasing to an end, giggling. "Sorry, it's just funny to see you so worked up."

  "It's not funny." Lucas pouted at first, before a smirk appeared on his face. "What will be funny is when my Torchic burns your Treecko to a crisp."

  "Well, yeah, type advantages and all that," Harry answered as non-chalantly as he could, not admitting he thought he'd lose the fight too. If he admitted that, Lucas would hold it over his head forever! Or give him a lecture about self confidence. Either way, Harry didn't like the result.

  "Surprised you didn't pick the Water type just to give me a tough time," Lucas retorted, and Harry shook his head from side to side.

  "Mudkip isn't for me. Treecko is. Plus, I'm not that mean."

  "You just stole 1000 Pokedollars off me."

  "I have my moments of meanness," Harry retorted with a smirk. Lucas rolled his eyes, before taking his eyes off of Harry and back onto the path that lay before them. Just moments away from getting their first Pokémon.

  The lab was a house. Just, an especially Pokemon themed one. So much so as having a giant Pokeball, engraved with marble, just above the front door to the house. To the left side of the house, you could see two desks opposite each other, covered with sticky notes and various research equipment.

  Then, on the right side of the house, you found a typical modern kitchen, with an oven next to lots of cabinets, and an air fryer tucked neatly into the corner next to a smart toaster. A strange balance of work and home life that the two professors had somehow made work for themselves. But, neither Lucas or Harry were particularly bothered about those details. Their heads were only filled with thoughts of their future Pokemon.

  "Hello?" a voice from the other side of the door asked, coming only a few moments after Lucas had eagerly pressed the doorbell. The door slowly opened, as a woman popped her head out, her hair tied up in a ribbon. She looked at the two of them, then threw the door open, chirping. "Harry! Lucas! Wonderful to see you!"

  "Morning Professor May!" Lucas chirped, straightening up his backpack. Looking down at his phone, he saw they were a couple minutes late. Bowing his head, he apologized. "Sorry we're late, but we're ready now."

  "No need to apologize. After all, Brendan's even later than you both."

  "Hm? He's not here?" Harry asked, his arms folding. May shook her head from side to side, chuckling,

  "He thought he'd get some field research done early in the morning before you came. But, he must've lost track of time." May turned towards the left side of Littleroot, the bottom of the hill where the road led into Route 101. She took a step outside, pointing down the route, "Ellie went chasing after him. You'll probably meet up with her there."

  "Ellie? Is that the girl getting a starter?" Lucas asked, looking back at the route.

  "Yes, our little apprentice. Surely you've seen her before, with either me or Brendan? Blonde, green eyes?" May asked. Lucas and Harry both turned to each other, shrugging their shoulders. May sighed, "I guess she doesn't get out the house as much. She's a little shy, you see."

  "She must be to avoid us for so long," Harry remarked.

  "Yes, but she's got experience with Pokemon. So, she'd be a good place to start if you're looking for tips."

  "Well, we can't let her get first choice of starter, can we? She'll pick the best one and beat us!" Harry said, looking to Lucas. Lucas giggled.

  "That's all you're concerned about?"

  "She could be picking Torchic right now."

  Lucas immediately sped off out of the front porch of the Birch house. May watched with amazement, the boy not even slowing down to let Harry catch up to him.

  "He's too easy," Harry muttered, looking to May. May laughed, sighing,

  "Ellie's already picked Mudkip too, he has nothing to run for."

  "At least he's picking up the pace."

  "Maybe a little too quickly."

  "What do you me-"

  Harry turned from May to find Lucas nowhere in sight. Not even in the horizon of the route.

  "Oh for Arceus's sake..." Harry muttered under his breath, waving back at May as he sped off from her front lawn, eager to chase Lucas down. He was not at all confident that Lucas could make it on his own without directions, much less trying to find a professor amongst the tall grass.

  May returned the wave, chuckling as she watched them run off. Sighing, she remarked, "This year's group will be interesting."

  A buzz came from inside the house, and May walked back inside the house, closing the door behind her...

  "Come here little guy..."

  Lucas crouched to the ground, reaching beneath the tall grass. His arm outstretched, a single Sitrus Berry left sitting in the centre of his palm. A warm smile painted his kind face, wiggling the berry in the palm of his hand, as if to tempt the creature with the treat even more.

  The Taillow spat in front of him. By all accounts, Lucas should've given up with his attempt to make friends. Taillow were aggressive and tended to cry and scream at those they didn't like. But, once he had heard the growl coming from its stomach, Lucas couldn't bring himself to give up on trying to feed the small bird. Even as it rejected his push to be friends.

  Lucas glanced down at the berry again, and Taillow did too. Lucas sighed, gently dropping his hand to the ground. Then, it turned, letting the berry drop from his palm onto the floor. Taillow remained stationary. So, Lucas had to be the one to make a move.

  Taking a few careful steps back, he let Taillow inspect the berry closer, without the threat of Lucas overhead.

  "See? It's safe," he told the Taillow. He doubted the Flying type could understand him in the slightest. But, regardless, he wanted to try and soothe whatever worries it had. Its claws dragging across the ground, Taillow approached the berry closely. Then, it started pecking slowly. Then, those slow pecks turned into a large bite, as it scooped the entire berry into its mouth.

  Lucas chuckled, setting another berry on the ground, then flicking it across to Taillow. The bird squawked as it was struck with the berry. Lucas chuckled again, much to the bird's displeasure. Taillow spat on the ground again, making it clear it wasn't a fan of Lucas' demeanour, even as it greedily took every berry flicked its way.

  "Lucas?"

  The young boy turned at the mention of his name, sticking his hand out from beneath the tall grass. It waved around, a sign of his location, hidden where the Pokémon lay. Splitting the tall grass apart, Lucas appeared before Harry. Crouched down, his backpack open, waving with a massive smile on his face.

  "What are you doing in the tall grass?" Harry groaned, not a fan of all the running around he had to do, only to find Lucas at the very start of the route, hidden in the grass.

  "Oh, I'm-" Lucas turned, noting the Taillow's absence from the scene, pouting. "I was making friends..."

  "Well, shouldn't we be making friends with our starters instead of random wild Pokemon?" Harry asked, and Lucas nodded, admitting,

  "I just saw a hungry Pokemon, and couldn't let it go. Sorry."

  "Don't apologise, let's just..." Harry glanced around the route. Despite being close to Littleroot, Lucas' detour to chase the Pokemon had lead them off the beaten path into the territory of tall grass. Tall grass so high it made seeing what lay underneath a near impossibility, person, Pokemon or otherwise.

  But, if Harry were to hazard a guess on where a professor so interested in habitats and Pokemon would be on the route, it would be midst the tall grass. Which only made their lives more difficult. "Have you started anything on actually searching for Professor Birch?"

  "Nope, as I said, I got distracted," Lucas responded, bringing out his Rotom Phone and checking for any calls. But, all he received was a message from his mom asking if he had gotten his starter yet. Closing his phone, he sighed, "Brendan hasn't sent us anything either. Guess we'll just search?"

  "Aimlessly?" Harry questioned, and Lucas nervously shrugged his shoulders.

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  "I don't really have a better plan, do you?"

  "You're very lucky that I don't, otherwise I'd be making fun of you," Harry responded, digging his hands into his pockets, wading through the tall grass. Lucas shot up to his feet, following Harry through the wilderness.

  "Try not to get distracted," Harry added, just as Lucas almost dove into the tall grass to inspect some scuffling amongst it. Lucas sighed, letting his better judgement and trust in Harry break through his natural curiosity. He went onto his Rotom Phone, sending out a message to Brendan. But, he was left on delivered, with no recent activity. Harry looked back at the phone, then sighed.

  "If their apprentice doesn't have contact, nor May, I doubt he'd respond to us," Harry commented.

  Lucas pouted. "I wish he'd have been a little better prepared." Lucas scratched his chin, brightening up and asking, "Maybe it's a test of some kind? Like, we're meant to scout him out in the Route?"

  "Seems like a cruel test. And, a long one at that," Harry spoke, moving through the tall grass, approaching a hill. The two of them scaled the small hill, using the top as a vantage point for the rest of the route. The entire route's hue glowed distinctly emerald green. Perhaps the greenest place in the entirety of Hoenn. Tall grass played a major part in building the route up, sprouting up in every pocket of the Route, unavoidable even if you were just going for a walk.

  Trees dotted the route too, providing a clear boundary for where the edge of the route stood. The trees had been afforded the perfect room to grow and block off any exit to the Route that wasn't through conventional means, a feat that Lucas wondered how they'd even manage to do. But, thankful he was for that, knowing he'd get lost without the guidance of those trees.

  Even with their high vantage point, however, they couldn't seem to find any trace of the professor, nor of any starters. There were a few people wandering around, on their daily stroll with their Pokemon by their side. Lucas recognized a few of them from Littleroot, although a couple were new faces. As he watched a woman in the distance, playing with her Skitty, he could only imagine the fun he'd have with his own starter when they met. Battling, taking care of each other, travelling the region. Whimsy and joy filled Lucas from head to toe.

  "You see anything?" Harry asked, breaking Lucas from his daydream. Lucas immediately took the sign to concentrate. After all, he couldn't begin making that daydream a reality if they couldn't even track the professor. "Looks like there's nothing here," Harry added, letting his eyes wander once more for anything of interest. But, he never did find anything.

  "Did he seriously go deeper into the route?" Lucas asked. Harry shrugged, looking back over the route,

  "I doubt he's near to any people. So, we've just gotta keep trekking until we find him."

  "Shouldn't be too bad, right?"

  "Come here, little guy..."

  Lucas had once again become distracted. Not that Harry really minded this time. It had been a long search and a lot of running around. Plus, a lot of coarse throats from shouting out for the professor, with whatever name they could think of. At some point, it became a competition to shout the silliest name that somehow still sounded vaguely like Professor Birch.

  "Dr Acacia!"

  "Man Oak!"

  "Mr Wood!"

  They got more than a few unsavoury looks from anyone who happened to be passing by as they underwent their antics. But, they laughed it off. It was hard to bring down the high mood they both shared. It would take more than a few weird looks from strangers, that's for sure.

  The silly names soon passed over to the apprentice that they knew would receive a starter too. Although, it became harder to make funny names for someone they barely knew.

  "Ellie?" came the shout that initially started their silly game.

  "Random girl I don't know!" Harry soon chimed in, earning Lucas' annoyance.

  "Random girl I don't know who will definitely pick Torchic!"

  That one really earnt Lucas' annoyance. Enough for a small kick to the shin, and a break from searching for a little while.

  Harry laid his head on a rock, glancing up at Lucas, watching him attract the attention of yet another Taillow. Unlike the previous Taillow, however, its disposition turned bright and bubbly as soon as it laid its eyes upon the bag of berries. Like jiggling keys in front of a baby. This Taillow simply couldn't resist, and went running into Lucas' arms.

  "There we go!" he exclaimed, rubbing the bird underneath its chin. Harry coughed, having to wonder how Lucas could still use his voice after so long shouting. Harry was more than happy to sit back and give it a rest while they waited for something to happen. Or, while they waited for a response. But, boredom soon got the better of him, having to watch as Lucas played food provider for all the hungry Pokemon of the route. While cute, it didn't particularly get them anywhere. So, it was up to Harry.

  He tapped Lucas on the shoulder, gesturing towards his phone and, more specifically, the empty chat messages between him and Brendan. Lucas snapped his fingers, the Rotom Phone buzzing out of his pocket. Taillow cawed and quickly left at the sight of the technology, but Lucas wasn't too eager to chase. He just had to find out if they'd received a response. But, nothing.

  "Come on, surely there's something of a clue!" Lucas groaned, laying back in the tall grass, covering his eyes with his hands. Taking advantage of Lucas' limited vision, Harry snatched up the bag of berries, beginning to snack on them while looking down at his friend.

  "Maybe he went back to the lab already?" Harry finally managed to croak out, his voice still coarse. But, the juice from the berries helped alleviate some of the dryness in his throat. Even if it still made talking a pain with food stuck in his mouth. Lucas shot up, snatching his berries back, saying,

  "We could try to go back to the lab. But, if they were back there, we'd have already received a text. Probably from May. She seems more prepared than Brendan."

  "So, what do we do?" Harry asked, coughing and spluttering, knocking his fist against his ribcage to try and rid himself of his cough.

  "We wait here until something happens."

  ...

  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

  ...

  "Well."

  Harry turned towards the source of the noise, digging his hands into his pockets. Lucas shot up instantly, bringing up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulders.

  "That's the something you were searching for, right?" Harry turned ever so slightly to Lucas to look him in the eyes, smirking. But, Lucas didn't quite share the same expression. He clenched his backpack strap tightly, walking forward, hearing the scream still echo through his mind. He didn't understand it. But...

  "It's Brendan."

  "Sure about that? Or, are you just hoping it is so we can get this over with?" Harry wandered to Lucas' side, his eyes glancing between the thick bushy trees, tracking the direction with which the shout came from. "I doubt Brendan would be screaming like that, he's got the team of a champion."

  "I know it doesn't make much sense, but..." Lucas shook his head. "Regardless, someone's in trouble. We've gotta help them."

  Harry nodded, letting Lucas lead the pack as they rushed to the aid of whoever screamed like hell had broken loose. Harry wasn't entirely convinced that the person they were going to help would turn out to be Brendan. But, Lucas was right. Even with no Pokemon, the two of them could still try and help whoever was in danger. After all, Route 101 was supposed to be a pretty safe route. There was a reason that many people strolled around with their untrained Pokemon, secure in their safety. So, whatever the commotion, it wouldn't last long. Right?

  "We're coming!" Lucas shouted back, diving through the denseness of the forest, pushing aside branches and bushes alike. He felt nestles and branches cut into his legs, but moved through regardless. He couldn't quite hear the scream anymore. Instead, loud barks and growls filled the air. Lucas pivoted on his feet every few moments, shifting his direction closer and closer to the source of the sound.

  Even Harry struggled to catch up, resorting to full sprinting to his side so he could match every time that Lucas made a split second decision. They hopped over a few ledges, Harry landing with more grace than his faster friend, but Lucas always picking up the pace to stay neck and neck with Harry after. The two smirked at each other, finding the chase more akin to a race than they expected. A competition, despite the goal being the same.

  "We're here!" Lucas announced, bursting onto the other side of the large bramble bushes. Harry emerged by his side, taking a look around at the scene. He grinned, knocking Lucas on the shoulder,

  "Dude, you were right!"

  Lucas shot a serious glance at Harry. Harry looked back at the scene once more.

  "Oh. You were right."

  Brendan sat, buried in the tall grass, blood staining the top tips of the blades of grass. He winced and clenched his ankle. Attempting to come to his feet, he came crashing down again, his foot unable to take the weight of his body anymore. The sound of barking echoed through the route, Lucas and Harry finding a crowd of Poochyena, all with their teeth bared and hunger engraved into their eyes. They swarmed around Brendan, and the two froze for a moment.

  "Water Gun!" a voice from behind Brendan suddenly called, quite highly pitched. Out from a bush came a long stream of water, pushing the Poochyena furthest to the front of the pack away, while wetting the fur of the other members of its pack. Mudkip soon stepped into the light of day, stomping its way in front of Brendan, growling and barking at the Poochyenas.

  The trainer responsible for the save soon appeared from the shelter of the forest. Her blonde hair glistened in the shine of the sun. Her eyes were fiercely concentrated on the battle, yet there remained something gentle and innocent shining in her iris. Her outfit mostly fit with modesty too, not looking much like a trainer, but rather a more studious girl. A long, red, wooly sweater, even in spite of the weather.

  Black leggings draped down to some small black boots, with fur dotting the top edge of the footwear. A long duffel bag slung over her shoulder, decorated with white straps stretching down to the bulk of the red bag. The blush on her face shone in the sun, only accentuated by the labor she'd put herself through to run to Brendan's aid. Brendan smiled, marvelling and exclaiming,

  "Ellie! Wonderful timing!" he clapped, in spite of his clear pain and poor condition. The man then heard the slightest ruffling of grass behind and turned, finding Lucas and Harry stood there too. "Oh, all of you are here! What a great opportunity to meet each other!"

  "Brendan, there's a time and a place, not when there's five angry Poochyena!" Ellie exclaimed, trying her best to steady herself and stow her fear, but being unable to hide the shake in her voice as she stared down at the Pokémon. She glanced back at the two trainers, shouting, "Help me! Don't just stand there!"

  "Right, in my bag!" Professor Birch professed, pointing towards the tall grass, where a worn rucksack lay between the grass and dirt. Lucas instantly jumped at the opportunity, spilling the rucksack's guts to the world, letting them drop out all at once.

  "The Pokémon for you will be labelled with small sticky notes!" Brendan added, watching the boys scurry through the Pokeballs in the bag. It took a moment to scurry through the bag. It should've been expected, but neither were quite prepared for the amount of papers, Pokeballs, and other items that lay inside the rucksack. They worked to separate the items, searching for a post it note labelled Pokeball just as Brendan had suggested.

  Soon, Lucas' eyes were grabbed a hold of by a Pokeball. Fresh and new, without a scratch or scrape on the paintjob. And, a post it note. As soon as Lucas read Torchic on one of the Pokeballs, the whole world couldn't stop him from taking it.

  He launched himself at the Pokeball, grabbing the device and holding it close. With his heart beating fast, he ripped the post it note from the ball, holding out the device in front of himself. Then, he lobbed it across the battlefield.

  "Torchic, I choose you!" the boy cried, letting Torchic appear before him. His eyes sparkled with wonder. A day he'd waited for what felt like forever. Ever since he'd first seen a Torchic, and decided that was the Pokémon for him. The memory stuck out to him, despite being so young. Lucas might be so bold as to say it was his first memory. Enamoured by the creature then. He, and everyone else in his life, expected that love to fade. It tends to happen with age, after all.

  But, seeing the Pokémon standing before him, he couldn't remember why he'd ever thought such a thing. His heart pounding so quickly must've been a sure sign that the love still beat on. Brendan smiled, watching the sparkle in Lucas' eyes, muttering to himself,

  "It never gets old."

  "Treecko, let's do this!" Harry shouted, releasing Treecko while keeping his eyes firmly on the pack of Poochyena. He'd rather see its capabilities in battle first, rather than clambering over the Pokémon like Lucas did with Torchic. Treecko appeared from its Pokeball, picking a strand of tall grass and placing it in its mouth, before planting its feet, ready for war.

  "Water Pulse!" Ellie cried, panting as she watched her Mudkip drive the Water attack through the crowd. But, its strength was only enough to knock down a couple, and the others would soon get up to help. She needed the assistance of the other starters more than ever. Taking her attention from the battle for a moment, she called out, "Alright, you've had your introductions, now stand here and fight!"

  "Right, let's make this first battle a good one, Torchic!" Lucas called out, pointing his finger forward. Torchic chirped, springing from its feet straight into the fray of battle. It huffed out steam from its nostrils, staring down at the angry Poochyena. It may not be exactly how Lucas pictured the first battle in his dreams, but he'd be sure to win! "Alright Torchic, use-"

  The first obstacle presented itself to the trainer. Lucas hadn't really an idea what his Torchic's capabilties were. He knew a couple of moves they should've learnt, but who knows how a professor would train a starter? Not to the ordinary standards, that was for sure. Would he accidentally push Torchic too far by calling out for moves it didn't know? Or, was Torchic capable of more than he gave the Pokemon credit for?

  "Treecko, use Pound!" Harry commanded his Pokémon into battle instantly, Treecko facing a Poochyena head on. Treecko ran up, using its quick feet and superior movement to bait the Poochyena into a tackle, then smack it to the side with a heavy handed fist. Lucas watched in awe as Harry smartly commanded his Pokémon. Harry chuckled, retorting,

  "What? Did you not read up on any of Torchic's moves? And here I thought you were a true Torchic fan."

  "I did! I just-" Lucas stuttered, but didn't waste any more breath trying to debate it. After all, actions speak louder than words. And, hesitating now was even worse than doing nothing! Especially in the heat of battle! "Torchic, use Scratch!"

  Torchic nodded, barely dodging out of the way of the approaching Poochyena, letting the Dark type fall forward. Then, once it fell off balance, Torchic dug its talons into the Bite Pokémon, making it regret ever attacking Torchic. Lucas chuckled, clenching his fist and yelling,

  "Great job, Torchic!"

  "Kids, be careful of the one in the middle!" Brendan called out, pointing attention to the one Ellie had managed to score a hit on with her initial Water Gun. Its fur became soaked as soon as it was struck by that attack. But, it didn't stay that way for long, as plunging flames ripped from its fangs. Lucas froze, his head twisting. He couldn't have expected the Dark type to learn such a move. And, even moreso, that it would be so ruthlessly aggressive when it charged, its jaws snarling and snapping.

  "Treecko!" Harry called out, capturing the attention of his starter. But, he hesitated to give the command to dodge. So, Poochyena quickly jumped on top of the Grass type, sticking its red hot fangs into Treecko's torso. Harry felt his heart begin to race, crying out, "Get out of there! Fight back!"

  Treecko attempted to raise its fists to smack Poochyena. But, the four pawed dog pinned down its arms with its stubby legs, preventing the Wood Gecko from doing much more than struggling.

  "Help Treecko!" Lucas cried out. He watched Treecko continually try to struggle, crying out as Poochyena's fangs stuck straight into its body. Burns built up around the bite marks, diminishing Treecko's power further. Lucas had to help, even if experience wasn't on his side. He'd rather lose than do nothing.

  "You too, Mudkip!" Ellie cried, the two starters joining side by side to rush down the Poochyena. But, as they approached, they found two Poochyenas approaching them from each side. The Poochyenas leapt and bounded towards the starters.

  "Dodge it!" Ellie managed to mutter out, her reactions and experience in battle lending herself well. Mudkip ducked out of the way at the last second, letting the Poochyena soar out of the way, not harming the Water type.

  But, when faced with Poochyena approaching his starter, Lucas froze. The words couldn't leave his mouth in time. Torchic looked to the side, blindsided, before crashing down the Earth, with Poochyena's claws pinning the Fire type down.

  "A-Attack back, Torchic!" Lucas cried out. In the panic of the battle, he seemed to have forgotten all the moves that Torchic could possibly learnt, and resorted to Torchic hopefully knowing what it could do to deal with Poochyena. But, Torchic scrambled just as much as Lucas did, if not more. Its legs kicked and it screamed, crying out for help. Just the same as Treecko, Poochyena had locked Torchic down with its paws, pinning it to the floor.

  Lucas had half a mind to dive in and protect his Torchic personally. It hurt to have to see his partner getting bitten all over, as the Poochyena satisfied its intense thirst for battle. But, ultimately, it didn't have to come to that. Mudkip, fresh off of avoiding the other Poochyena's attack, came bounding into battle. It crashed head first into the Poochyena, sending it flying from off of Torchic's body.

  "Torchic, are you okay?" he cried, and the fire chick groaned. But, through its groans, it stood up, watching Treecko continue to get mauled by the Poochyena. Lucas slowed his heart rate with a deep breath. Inhaling through his mouth and nose, letting his heart rate slow down once more. His fist clenched, his body tense. Then, the command left his mouth before he could process the thought that spurred it.

  "Ember!"

  A blazing bullet ripped through the air, striking Poochyena before it could even react. Catapulted from atop the Grass type, before thudding against a tree. Torchic itself even seemed surprise with its efforts, looking down at its legs, bouncing nervously on the spot. But, Lucas couldn't have been more pleased. His eyes sparkled, exclaiming, "That was amazing!"

  "Looks like a little sharpshooter!" Brendan commented through winces of pain.

  "Water Pulse, protect Treecko!" Ellie cried, trying to remain locked onto the battle, even as Brendan remained in agonising pain just behind her. Treecko glanced around, feeling the weight from its chest be loosened drastically. It still winced with the burns from the Fire Fang, but showed its grit in battle, continuing to fight despite the injuries. Harry folded his arms, looking to his partner with a smirk.

  "Alright, let's see what you can do. Dive into the grass!" he cried, Treecko nodding and slinking into the tall grass. The Poochyena's looked around, trying to track the Treecko in the midst of the grass. But, between the sway of the wind blowing, and the other two starters, it was hard to keep track of its movements.

  Rustling erupted all around, but only one of the sources would be their enemy. Making a quick decision, Poochyena pounced on one of the rustling spots. But, it only managed to catch a Wurmple. Only then did Treecko pop out from the grass, pouncing on a Poochyena with a smirk on its face.

  "Pound!" Harry cried, watching as his Grass type struck hard into the Poochyena. Strong hooks to the body, then a big uppercut to the head, launching the Poochyena straight into the air, before slinking back to the ground. Acting like that attack had been nothing.

  "Glad I chose you," Harry remarked on Treecko's effortlessly cool nature, the Grass type turning back with a confident smirk. His eyes then glazed over to his teammates, Mudkip firing off Water Guns, keeping all of the Poochyenas back, while Lucas had the time of his life with his Torchic.

  "Ember! Ember! Ember!" he cried. Torchic fired off Embers like bullets from a pistol, soaring through the air, striking down every Poochyena that dared come near. But, there stood one particular Poochyena that wouldn't go down without a fight. Its red hot fangs erupted, snarling and biting down on the Ember that attempted to knock it down. The Ember only provided fuel for the flames running around the edge of its mouth, running straight towards Torchic. Anger burned in its eyes. Lucas froze again.

  "We got you, Lucas!" Harry cried out, as Treecko suddenly came in from the side, whacking Poochyena right in the cheek, launching the Dark type across the battlefield, right in the sight of Mudkip.

  "This is over!"

  Ellie snapped her fingers, Mudkip releasing a fully charged Water Pulse, striking the Bite Pokemon in the side. The dog howled in pain, the Water type attack being the final move to put its flames to rest. It collapsed to the ground, with the rest of its pack gathering around.

  Lucas stood on guard, as did Torchic. But, upon seeing their leader fall, the rest scuttled out of the scene, dragging their friend along with them. Ellie took a deep breath, collapsing to the floor, where Mudkip ran into her arms. Harry raised his fist to the air, then dropped the fist to the ground, Treecko jumping up and delivering a solid fist bump.

  Lucas trudged onto the battlefield, finding the blades of grass tattered by Torchic's flames. His Pokemon had been extremely strong in the fight, and he couldn't be prouder. Yet, a part inside of him blamed himself for the fact that Torchic had even got hit at all. It was a strong Pokemon. Its Ember was like a bullet already! Maybe, Lucas should start with that part first.

  "Hey, buddy, good going out there!" Lucas spoke. Torchic jumped, turning to face Lucas, looking up to its new trainer. Lucas smiled awkwardly, extending a hand towards Torchic. "I'm Lucas! Nice to meet you!"

  Torchic looked up at his extended hand, tilting its head. It went to move its arm to match the motion, only to find that it had none to take the high five. So, instead, it slowly raised its leg to meet Lucas' handshake. It tried to hold the position, but found itself off balance, wobbling back and falling to the ground. Lucas chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and muttering, "A little bit of a stupid gesture. I'm new to this."

  He helped the Torchic back to its feet, swiping off the blades of grass that stuck to its deeply orange feathers, then spraying a small amount of potion over where Poochyena's claws had left its mark. "Sorry I couldn't command you better, you probably could've handled that better on your own."

  Torchic tilted its head curiously, then spat on the floor. It shook its head, and dived onto Lucas' chest. Its claws dug into his navy blue shirt, using the fabric as a platform to leap higher. It soared high into the air, then took a seat on Lucas' shoulder. It chirped, and Lucas giggled with delight. "Guess that's a sign you trust me?" he asked. Torchic responded with a fierce nod, understanding every word of Lucas' crystal clear. Lucas rubbed the Pokemon's head.

  "You're already buddies, how sweet," Harry spoke, outstretching his arm, where Treecko laid. It had its tail wrapped around his jacket, clinging to the underside of his arm for dear life. "I'm not sure if this is an act of endearment of not. But, whatever it is, its not outright rejecting me. So, its a good start!"

  "It looks pretty endearing. Maybe it's just practicing climbing?" Lucas suggested.

  "Well, whatever it is, I hope it chooses a nicer place to sit than my arm. Its aching having to hold out my arm for this long."

  Lucas chuckled, turning from Harry towards the professor. Then, just to Birch's side, a panicked apprentice. She ran her fingers through her hair, stress eating away at her movements, egging on her irritable habits.

  "How on Earth did you even get a bite this nasty?" Ellie fussed, looking at Brendan's wound. He'd managed to hide it in the tall grass, not wanting to put the kids off of battling against the Poochyena. But, it looked to be a rather nasty wound.

  Blood seeped out of the bite marks, dripping onto the tall grass below. The lab coat and trousers had soaked up a good portion of the leakage from the wound, but now that Ellie took a good look at it, it started to leak out in the open once more. Even worse, it wasn't an ordinary bite. Burn marks sat around the edges of where Poochyena had locked in its teeth. "Oh Arceus."

  "It looks nasty, but I've had plenty injuries like these before!" Brendan insisted with a smile. But, a smile could only hide the winces of pain so much, especially as Ellie did her best to clean up the wound, just as May had taught her.

  "That doesn't make it better!" Ellie exclaimed, her cry attracting the attention of the two boys to come over. Brendan smiled, waving at them and saying,

  "Wonderful, we can talk now! Boys, I'd like you to meet Ellie." Brendan gestured to Ellie. But, Ellie didn't return the glance, fiercely concentrated on wrapping up the wound before it got any worse. Potion, bandages, then some tape wrapped around it to bind it all together. Brendan could've done it himself, but Ellie didn't trust him to treat it as soon as possible unless she did it. So, here she was, working away. Brendan chuckled, speaking, "You'll have to excuse her, she's shy."

  "And, busy, cleaning up your wound." Ellie sighed, taking a deep breath and containing her frustration, "It's nice to meet you."

  "It's nice to meet you too! I'm Lucas!" Lucas chirped, extending his arm again. But, it wouldn't be the first time extending his arm would be a stupid gesture.

  "Good going, dude. Extending your hand to someone who has their back turned and their hands busy," Harry commented with a snarky smirk. Lucas kicked him again, prompting Harry to skip the insulting part of the introduction process. "My name's Harry."

  "Well, nice battling with you both. I've just gotta get Brendan back to the lab quickly, so if you'll excuse us..." Ellie attempted to help Brendan up from the floor, only for Brendan to drop back down in protest.

  "Oh no, no, no, this is your adventure! You can't waste your first day taking care of me!" Brendan protested.

  "Are you off your rocker? How can you expect to make it back to the lab with that wound there!" Ellie retorted, shaking her head from side to side.

  "I have Tropius to carry me. Plus, I can always call May to come around. You needn't worry about me," Brendan insisted. Ellie raised her mouth to respond once more, only for Brendan to raise a hand, beckoning her to silence. His hand then melded into a lone finger, pointing to Lucas. "You should be meeting your fellow starter owners properly!"

  "Yup! Me and..."

  Lucas turned, only to find Harry noticeably absent. In a panic, he turned all around. His eyes snapped from place to place, trying to track any signs of where he could've possibly went. He was here a second ago? How could he have escaped? And, within such a short period of time! Upon finding nothing, Lucas took out his phone, quickly texting out a message. But, Harry beat him to the punch.

  Soz, didn't wanna listen to them argue

  "That guy..." Lucas muttered, groaning as he stepped forwards, extending his hand once more. "I've already introduced myself, but I suppose you've never properly introduced yourself?"

  "Oh, I'm so sorry, I got caught up." Ellie took Lucas' hand, giving it a single firm shake, before breaking her hand from his grasp. "Ellie. The professor's apprentice. Nice to finally meet you. Even if I'd rather we'd meet under better circumstances." Ellie glared at Brendan, and the man chuckled.

  "I'm always catching up on research, especially on special Pokemon, like that Poochyena with Fire Fang. But, that's not important." Brendan reached across the plains, his arm extended to grab at his rucksack. But, it was too far away, and the man eventually resigned to sheepishly asking the two, "There's something in there I'd like to show you. Do you mind helping me?"

  "Of course!" Lucas jumped at the opportunity, running over to where he had first spilt the contents of Professor Birch's rucksack. Except, this time, he looked over the contents a little more carefully. There was all sorts of stuff laid there, to the point where nothing stood out of significance, because everything looked significant!

  The stacks of notebooks filled with research, the many Pokeballs, empty or otherwise, and a copious amount of chewed up pens. Ok, maybe that last one wasn't as significant in Lucas' mind.

  "What did you want us to look at?" Lucas asked, as Ellie huddled over his shoulder, too glancing down at the contents of the bag.

  "There should be some orange devices there, with a lick of black paint down the centre. Shaped like a..."

  "Game Boy Advance?" Lucas' face lit up, examining the devices. A notch on the side in the shape of a Pokeball, two clicky buttons on the right, with a screen right in the middle. A speaker sat at the bottom of the plastic, as well as two fat buttons on the top, as well as a power button right on the back. Just as Brendan described, orange, with a black outline running through the centre of the Pokedex. Brendan chuckled, explaining,

  "Yes, it's rather reminiscent of the designs of the Game Boy Advance. My father used to modify Game Boy Advances when they were all the rage to make them Pokedexes, and I always liked the design. So, I've got this custom made Pokedex for you to enjoy!"

  "Does it play games?" Lucas' eyes sparkled as he turned to Brendan, only to be met with disappointment when Brendan shook his head.

  "Only for capturing Pokemon's information, and recording all of your progress. It can even see Pokemon's moves, typings, all the information you could ever need!" Brendan glanced to his apprentice, "And, there's one for you too! And, one for Harry, but the boy seems to have fled before we could properly get acquainted. I'll send him the Pokedex app later then, and ask you to deliver the actual Pokedex to him."

  "App?" Lucas asked as Ellie reached down, taking up one of the Pokedexes and slipping it into her duffel bag, while grabbing the other Pokedex and stuffing it inside Lucas' bag for safekeeping.

  "There's a special app on your Rotom Phone for starter trainers just like yourself." Professor Birch began to explain. "Usually, its quite limited in its use, but with access from a professor, it becomes just as good as an actual Pokedex. I'll send you the link and login later!"

  "Thank you so much!" Lucas chirped, his Torchic following in tandem with its own chirp. The boy slipped the Pokedex away into a back compartment, gathering all the items in Brendan's bag and handing the rucksack back to the professor. "And, here's your stuff, sir!"

  "Thank you, Lucas." Brendan smiled, digging into his bag and retrieving a worn out Pokeball. With a flick of his wrist, he slung the Pokeball out into the plains, the Pokemon emerging from its capsule. Its great form stretched up to the skies, wings flapping, its long neck reaching towards the sky. Lucas felt his breath being taken away as he glanced upon its form, grinning from ear to ear.

  "This'll be my ride home. Why don't you scan it with that new Pokedex of yours?" Brendan asked.

  "Of course!" Lucas eagerly jumped at the opportunity, switching the Pokedex on and gearing the camera on the back towards the large creature. The screen displayed many different images of the creature, as the speakers blared out in a kind, female voice.

  Tropius, the Fruit Pokemon.

  The bunches of fruit around Tropius's neck are very popular with children. This Pokémon loves fruit, and eats it continuously. Apparently, its love for fruit resulted in its own outgrowth of fruit.

  "Wow, I just assumed they were for decoration!" Lucas exclaimed, pointing towards the yellow fruits hanging off its neck, looking similar in vein to bananas.

  "They're quite tasty, but they're not fully ripe yet. Maybe one day, you'll try some." Brendan spoke, lifting himself to his feet. Ellie, ever eager to help, was there to assist him in his path to his ride out of Route 101.

  "Its worth the wait, trust me." Ellie added, sighing with satisfaction, remembering the first time she got to try Tropius' fruit. With a heavy heave, Brendan was lifted back onto his Tropius, with Ellie standing far back, gesturing for Lucas to do the same. Tropius' wings flapped strong and firm, wind currents whipping up around the Pokemon. The tree branches shook, the tall grass underneath quaked, and Lucas had to plant his feet firmly as to not get blown away. Torchic, too, clenched its feet onto Lucas' jacket for dear life. Ellie and Mudkip stood defiantly strong despite it, clearly more used to enduring such wind currents than Lucas and his partner.

  "Take care of each other, you two!" Brendan waved them off, soaring into the air, rucksack in tow. They elevated into the sky, clearing the trees, then soaring into the horizon.

  Lucas watched on with a smile, rubbing Torchic on the nose. "What an adventure already, right?"

  Torchic chirped in agreement, trilling gently as it received more gentle rubs under the chin. Ellie glanced up to the sky, then at Lucas, finding the two getting acquainted. Yet, Pokemon and trainer acted like they'd known each other all their lives. Clicking together. Instantly.

  "Who was the other person again? Seems like you knew each other," Ellie commented, marking the footsteps in the tall grass, not sure if they were from Brendan and her carrying him to Tropius, or from the other trainer's hurried escape. Lucas chuckled.

  "Oh, that's my best friend, Harry! We've known each other years now, we're besties."

  "I didn't think besties run off from each other..."Ellie commented, not with a joking tone, but a rather flat tone, gazing more into the forest. Her thoughts seemed to be marked blank, like the sentence didn't connect correctly with her.

  "Oh, it's not like that! He's probably just excited to be on his own, with his new Pokemon and all. Besides, he sent me a text saying he's ok!"

  "If you insist." Ellie responded, before immediately cringing. A great first impression to make, questioning the friendship between two people when she'd only known them for a few moments. Not that she'd know much about that either. She muttered something under her breath, taking a deep breath, prepared to turn to Lucas and explain herself. "I'm sorr-"

  "Oh, aren't you a cutie?" Lucas spoke in a baby voice, watching as Mudkip waddled up and rubbed against his leg. Ellie hesitated for a moment, watching and waiting for Mudkip to do something brash. Spray water in his face, or tackle his shins. But, it never did anything of the kind. Lucas sat down, and rubbed Mudkip's head, continuing to talk in that baby tone. Yet, Mudkip never had a single problem with that.

  "You did so well in that battle, you and your trainer must be really strong together!" he spoke once more, Mudkip nodding with pride. Both in itself, and that of the work it did with its trainer. Lucas chuckled, then glanced up at Ellie, "Sorry for stealing your Pokemon, it just seemed like it needed some pats and cuddles."

  "No, no, it's fine..." Ellie muttered, bringing a finger up to her lips. Torchic soon jumped off of Lucas' shoulder, ever as eager to get in on the affection giving. Lucas chuckled, insisting there was enough to go around, ruffling the feathers atop the Fire-type's head. Torchic chirped, while Mudkip nuzzled into his other hand, its fin brushing against his soft hand. Ellie stood in wonder.

  "How...do you have any experience with Pokemon before?" she murmured.

  "Not really...my mom has a few Pokemon but I don't see them much." Lucas glanced up, tilting his head. "Why? Is there a problem?"

  "No. Its the opposite, really," Ellie muttered, walking towards Lucas, crouching down and looking at her starter, melting into Lucas' touch. "I've never seen it warm up to someone so easily."

  "Really? I-I'm flattered," Lucas responded, caught off guard. It did seem like Mudkip liked him. But, he trusted the Water type made friends with everyone. Not that he would be an exception. "You sure I'm the first?"

  "Absolutely. Even Brendan and May when it first met them," Ellie explained, "I guess it has gotten better behaved since then, but..."

  "But what?"

  Ellie glanced at her starter, then made eye contact with Lucas. Lucas felt a small flush, her eyes staring so intently at him.

  "Do you wanna be friends?" she asked plainly.

  "Like, friends that travel together friends?"

  "That's...a whole other sentence I didn't say."

  "Ah right, too soon, sorry," Lucas apologized, his face going even flusher with embarrassment. Probably a bit soon to ask if someone wanted to travel together. Ellie glanced to his flush face, then at Mudkip. Mudkip had a pout on its face, shaking its head. Ellie suddenly realized, cringing once more, elaborating,

  "Wait, no, no, I'm not against the idea! I just...didn't expect it."

  "Oh, so you will travel with me?" Lucas' eyes glistened, looking as Ellie took a step back, hesitating to come to a definitive response. She looked down to Mudkip for support, as the Water type rapidly nodded its head.

  "Well, Mudkip seems to be warming up to you." Ellie tilted her head slightly. "So, I suppose it wouldn't be bad to travel for a little bit."

  "Awesome!" Lucas exclaimed, looking down at Mudkip. The Water type hopped from his lap, bouncing over to Ellie, rubbing its spiked cheek against her leg. Lucas gently lifted his partner onto his shoulder once more. "Comfy, buddy? Ready for our adventure?"

  Torchic trilled out an excited chipper, as Lucas began to stroll forward, Ellie in tow, bright light of the sun shining down upon him. His first time away from home. His odyssey, his adventure, his quest to become the very best.

  And he'd do it all with a smile.