Chapter 1:

Moonlight bathed the third story balcony in a soft glow. A woman in her late thirties gazed into the night, her hands resting on the railing. A man stepped outside through the open door, and stood there silently for a few moments, and then spoke. "The arrangements have been made."

The woman turned, looking at the man with blue eyes behind a pair of red-rimmed glasses. "Does Elm mind doing it the last minute?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. He had been wondering when she would begin her journey."

The woman sighed. "Me too." She looked away.

The man took a few steps until he was standing next to her. "It is just her personality. She is merely pursuing other things. She is satisfied with staying at home."

"You pamper her. She knows nothing of the world."

There was a silence. The man stated calmly. "Her clarinet skills are quite remarkable. I have never seen a student who learns so readily. She is really quite talented."

The woman sighed again and shook her head. "Forgive me, John. You have been like a father to her since Daniel died."

"It is the least I can do. I just worry about her; surely you have heard the rumors."

She scowled. "I have left that life behind. I am no longer one of them."

"Will they feel the same way? I doubt that."

The woman nervously fingered her long black hair. "I have asked the gym leaders to keep tabs on her." She said quietly.

"But we could wait until the threat is gone," the man began, his voice picking up in intensity and speed. "She could begin when the times are safer. There is no need to put her in any danger."

"No, we have put it off long enough." She spoke sharply, but then she shook her head. "Besides, the arrangements have already been made. You should get some sleep John, it is late."

"What about yourself? You will have to leave for Saffron tomorrow."

There was a silence, but the woman turned her head, showing a slight trace of a smile that had curled her lips.

As the man walked back inside, he spoke. "Good night, Sabrina."

Pidgey sat on the low sides of the ship, some swaying and some bobbing their heads to the light airy tune that seemed to dance in the wind. The girl herself swayed as she played, her blue eyes half closed. As the last notes soared out of hearing, a young bird Pokémon hopped nearer to fourteen year old girl. "You play well. Mostly all we get here are sailors singing songs about the sea, and we can't even tell them to spare our ear drums."

A blush formed on her light skinned cheeks. "Thank you. That's one of my favorite songs."

A rough carrying voice called out, "We have docked at New Bark Town!"

The girl's long waist-length brown hair tied back in a ponytail was tossed by the wind. "Sorry, I must go now. I don't want to keep Professor Elm waiting."

As the girl walked away, the Pidgey flitted after her, stopping occasionally to sit on the ship sides. "I suppose you are becoming a Pokémon trainer? We get a lot of beginners here. A lot of us here flock over near the route hoping a newbie wants to catch us, but right now I still to get stronger before finding a trainer."

"I hope you find a kind trainer someday. You seem like a good Pidgey." Somewhere 10 deep chimes sounded out, causing the girl to hurry her steps. "I really got to go now. Bye."

The Pidgey with a flap of its tawny wings swooped into the air and caught the breeze. He tilted her wings and slowly circled. "Farewell." The Pokémon was sent careening in the opposite of the direction towards a flock of more Pidgey. "Maybe you'll meet up with one of my friends today."

Clarinet still in one hand, the girl waved as she ran off the ship into streets. She slowed down a little to put the instrument in her bag and stopped in front of a big "You are here" map. After looking at it for a moment and adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose, she sprinted down the road again. In the distance windmills spun slowly, like giant white flower showing off their three whirling petals.

She finally stopped in front of an average sized building. She hesitated a moment, but lightly knocked on the front door. A voice called out, "Come in," and she slowly pushed the door, which opened without a sound. Inside was a normal looking entry way like any home might have, but two paths branched out, one led to a small living room and a carpeted staircase, while the other led to Prof. Elm's lab. The girl went into the lab, where machines lined the walls and papers littered the tabletops and floors. In the back of the room she could see a scrawny man wearing a lab coat bend over a table which was overlooked by a window through which streamed cheerful sunlight. "Prof. Elm?" the girl asked uncertainly.

He turned, revealing his tousled brown hair and spectacles. "Oh, I suppose you must be Elaina?"

"Yes," Elaina said, looking at her feet. "I'm sorry for being late."

Elm glanced at the wall clock. "On the contrary, you are right on time." He threw the notebook in which he had been writing in on top of a table. "I suppose you are quite ready to receive your first Pokémon?"

"Oh yes." Elaina turned her head and look at a waist-height machine in the corner of the room, with a clear glass dome for a top. "Do I choose one of the standard starter Pokémon?"

Elm's mouth elongated into a wide grin. "Actually," he began, "your mother has sent a special Pokemon for you to begin you journey with. I trust it will be to your liking." Elm reached his hand into his pocket, but it returned with nothing in its grasp. Elm frowned and tried the other one. "Well, I trust it will be to your liking if I can actually find it." He searched the paper strewed tables and noticed a lump under the notebook he had tossed on a desk. The notebook fell to the floor as he reached under it and a red and white spherical capsule. "Here it is." He held it in his outstretched hand.

Elaina eagerly stepped forward and took the Pokeball. She pressed a white button in the center, and an intangible beam of red light shot out from it to the floor. The light near the floor began to take a form. The beam retracted, leaving a creature just over a foot tall. Like a small child who has just woken up, it yawned and stretched out its two white arms, looking as though it wore a snowy nightgown that trailed behind it. It looked around curiously, though its head was mostly covered by what looked like a light green helmet that was adorned with two bright red protrusions, and only its small mouth was visible.

"Oh, a Ralts!" Elaina quickly knelt on the floor beside the Pokémon. She spoke softly. "Hello, what's your name? Oh, I can understand Pokémon."

The Pokémon gazed up at Elaina with unseen eyes and spoke with a voice that told his gender. "My name is Dashion." He said timidly.

"Well, I guess I'm your trainer now." Elaina replied.

Elm watched on silently. "I see that you have some of your mother's gifts. Do your psychic powers allow you to do anything else."

Elaina stood up, Dashion in her arms. "Not really, understanding Pokémon is the only I can do. I can't even use telepathy." She looked down at Dashion. "Thank you for giving me Dashion."

"Oh no, you should be thanking your mother; she's the one who thought you would like a Ralts as your starter. I better get you the rest of your supplies." Elm opened a drawer and began putting them on a clear spot on a table, telling what they were as he took them out. "Here's a map of the Johto region, here's a badge case, here are five Pokeballs, and here is your Pokedex, it will tell you about most Pokémon you meet."

"Thank you." Elaina set Dashion down, took off her backpack, and deposited the items in the pack. "Is there anything else before I set off?"

Professor Elm shook his head. "Actually, you are nearly good to go. You should stock up on supplies while you are here, and then you should go north on Route 29 to Cherrygrove City. From there I suggest heading straight to Violet City, where the first Pokémon Gym is. I assume you are going after the gym badges."

Elaina nodded. "I don't have any other plans."

"You are good to go then." Elm smiled. "Have a fun journey."

"Thank you." She backed out the door with Dashion following close behind. "Good bye." Elaina closed the door and stepped into the streets. She spoke to Dashion hesitantly. "Well, I guess it begins now. I already have supplies, so we should probably head to Route 29 now."

Dashion only nodded.

"Here," Elaina set down the backpack she had been carrying in her hand and unzipped it partially. "You can ride in here."

Dashion jumped in the backpack that was nearly as tall as himself. After nestling himself, Elaina picked it up and hoisted it onto her back. She could feel Dashion pushing back her long hair and heard his voice from just behind her head. "I hope I'm not too big."

"No, it's all right. You're not that heavy." Elaina stood straight up and began walking to Route 29.