In Striaton City children could be seen playing hide-and-seek with their friends and all sorts of different Pokémon. They were climbing and hiding within the trees that surrounded the small city. A young girl, aged 16 observed them from her bedroom window wistfully watching the many Pokémon. She let out a sigh and leant her elbow on the window sill, leaning her cheek on her gloved hand.
"I wish I had my own Pokémon." Kay mumbled as she stood up straight and pushed herself away from the window. Kay grabbed the two blue and white pokéball bobbles off her desk and held one in her teeth as she wrapped her wavy brown hair into the other. While repeating this action with the other bobble to complete her pigtails, Kay glanced outside and saw a pink haired girl in a Snorlax beanie walking into Striaton City from Route 3. "...Charlie?" The clashing rainbow coloured clothes were unmistakable, it was definitely Kay's older cousin Charlie.
Kay released her bobble around her hair as she dashed over to the window sill smiling down at her cousin. She then sprinted down the stairs into the kitchen where her mother was cooking stew with her bellsprout. "What's the matter Kay?" Erin asked as she continued to stir the stew. "Belle do you mind?" Erin held the wooden spoon out to the bellsprout, she smiled and obliged, using vine whip to hold the spoon and continue stirring.
"Well I-I was watching the children playing with their Pokémon outside when-" She started breathlessly.
Her mother then interrupted. "Kay we've been over this before. You're not going to have a Pokémon until you're older, they're dangerous- and don't you roll your eyes at me young lady!"
Kay smiled innocently, then excitedly said; "No-no I know that! Charlie- she's here!" Without further ado she ran toward the front door, grabbing her black boots in the process.
Erin watched as Kay hopped out the door pulling on her boots. She smiled to herself, taking the spoon back off Bellsprout and turned the stew down to a low simmer. The house was bound to be full of life with Charlie arriving. Erin had wished that she would call ahead sometimes though first.
Kay limped through the front door and turned to see Charlie just entering the Pokémon centre. "Charlie!" Kay called out, but the door of the centre slid shut behind her and she continued to walk toward the desk.
Without another thought Kay sprinted down the street after her cousin. Suddenly her foot got caught on something and within seconds she found herself sprawled on the ground in front of the Pokémon centre.
Laughing could be heard as she pushed herself away from the ground looking down at her feet. Wrapped around her left ankle was along green vine. She followed the vine discovering a small servine at the end of it, smirking down at her.
Standing next to the servine was a young boy who was wearing a bright orange cap backwards over his jet black hair, he covered his mouth while laughing at the girl who was now sat up trying to untangle the vines. "You should really watch where you're going Kay." He sniggered.
"Please leave me alone Kyle." She whispered, still fiddling with the vines. As she pulled at them they tightened around her thin ankle. "Ow! That's starting to hurt!" She tried to kick herself free.
"Aw come on Kay, you know that won't work." Kyle mocked, he stepped closer to her bending down to be at her eye level. He reached out a finger and tapped her on the nose. "You know this would have happened if I were here or not, after all-" He stood up straight with a smirk on his face. "-you've always been such a clutz-"
"I would shut up if I were you." Kyle jumped at first, then looked up at the girl who had addressed him. Soon enough he was trying to smother another laugh. Kay looked up to see Charlie was standing over her in her 'multi coloured glory'. She looked down at Kay. "What's he laughing at now?" She pointed her thumb toward him. Kay shrugged smiling up at her cousin but winced when she felt the vines tighten even more.
Charlie let out a sigh and reached into her bag. "Now where did I put them this time?" She muttered to herself. "Ah!" Charlie pulled out a small red pokéball and tossed it into the air. The ball opened letting out a red glow which grew to form a large Pokémon. As the glow faded a blastoise was revealed to be standing between Kyle's servine and Kay. "Water types are strong against grass types." Charlie stated proudly, catching the small pokéball once again.
Kay put her hands to her face trying to hide her embarrassment. Kyle laughed even harder wrapping his arms around his stomach. "Are- are you s-serious?!" He choked out. He soon composed himself, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "Actually my dear, you will find that you're now at a disadvantage." He looked back at Servine over his shoulder and nodded, Servine withdrew the vine, releasing Kay's ankle from the hold. She clumsily scrambled to her feet and stood next to Charlie.
Charlie smiled. "Stupid child. Blastoise return." Charlie held out the pokéball allowing it to fall open in her hand. The red glow engulfed Blastoise once more and he was sucked into the small ball.
Kyle stared at her. "What about our battle!?" He demanded.
"What battle? I never said I wanted to battle you. Come on Kay." Charlie grabbed Kay's hand and pulled her back towards her house. Kyle could be heard shouting insults after them, but Charlie merely ignored him as she walked through the front door and closed it behind them.
"Thanks for that." Kay whispered, she collapsed onto the floor as she pulled her boots off once more and chucked them by the door. Charlie stayed standing, leaning against the wall to pull off her bright blue converse. She glared down at Kay. "What!?"
"Why didn't you tell me Water types were weak against Grass types!?" Charlie shouted exasperated. "That huge Servine could have hurt my poor defenceless Blastoise!"
Kay couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry Charlie, but it's meant to be common knowledge, especially to Pokémon trainers like yourself!" Charlie huffed as she reached down to help up her little cousin. "Your Blastoise is beautiful though! Can I see it again?-"
"Not in the house!" Erin demanded as she bustled into the hallway. "Charlie, it is lovely to see you again!" She wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck. "Whatever brings you to the Unova region?" Erin let go once more and guided the two young girls into the kitchen.
"Well…" Charlie started as she pulled out a chair and sat at the table. "A friend of mine recently gave up battling with Pokémon, so he gave me his Charmeleon." Erin frowned a little at the mention of Charlie having her own pokémon, but didn't interrupt. She began pouring out the now finished stew. "But when I let it out of its Pokéball, he was very discoloured. When I told my friend he laughed and recommended I come to see Professor Juniper in Nu-Nuvema Town."
"Oh…" Erin leant over the table and placed a bowl full of stew in front of Charlie and one in front of Kay. "Why did he laugh?"
"Thank you." Charlie picked up a spoon and began to eat. "I'm not sure why. I guess he thought it was obvious that I should have gone to Professor Juniper."
Kay nodded with a mouth full of stew, she swallowed to say "Well Professor Juniper is the best around here." She took another mouthful from her stew. "But… Why didn't you see professor Oak?"
"Kay please don't talk with your mouthful." Erin mumbled.
Kay smiled and swallowed again. "Sorry mum. So why didn't you see him? He lives in Pallet Town in Kanto."
"What!? Pallet Town is only a few towns over from me!" She slumped down on to the table. "Why didn't you tell me?" Charlie whined.
Erin sat down at the table as Bellsprout placed a bowl of stew in front of her. "You didn't call ahead again."
"Oh. Sorry." Charlie sat up again and continued to eat. "After this lovely stew I'd better get going! My adorable Charmeleon is counting on me!"
"I've never met Professor Juniper before." Kay hinted, she glanced at her mother who sighed as she scooped up another spoonful of stew. "Maybe... maybe I could come with you?"
Erin slammed her spoon on to the table. "No Kay! It's too dangerous to walk through the long grass on Route 1." She took a deep breath. "Especially as you haven't got any Pokémon."
"Aw, but mum-!" Kay began to argue.
"What if she comes with me Erin?" Charlie interrupted. She was very used to the two of them arguing over the ownership of Pokémon by now. Erin may have meant well but for someone who loved Pokémon as much as Kay, there were always some difficulties. "Besides, I have a big strong Blastoise on my side who helped me get here from Kanto, we will be fine!"
Kay looked up at Erin hopefully. "Fine!" She agreed. Kay jumped up and hugged her mum, thanking her repeatedly. "But don't cause any trouble okay? And ask Professor Juniper if you can ring me once you get there!"