Hey guys, thanks for looking up my fan fiction. This is my first attempt to write a fan fiction, but after reading a few, I came up with my own.

Fair warning: several of these ships (as it does have shipping) are unconventional. That is because I decided to use my personal favorites from the entirety of the Pokémon franchise that I felt deserved some recognition. That being said, however, these ships are an underlying element to the overall story, not the main focus.

Well that's enough of that. Now let's get on with the story!

XXXXXXXX Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or any of the characters in the franchise.

"This place is huge!"

"I can't believe we're finally here!"

"This is so exciting!"

"Do you think we'll get vacation time while we're here?"

Comments and questions of the like muffled together over the large crowd of collected trainers. There must have been at least 300 Pokémon trainers, each from far away regions with very different experiences and skills. But they each shared two things in common. The invitation that brought them all to this single place, and the fact that someone believed that each one of them had the potential to be the best.

One trainer, a young man no older than twenty, stood amongst the crowd, calm and steady, like an island amid a wavy ocean. He wore all black pants and boots, black, fingerless gloves, and a black jacket with a turquoise blue, cotton collar over a navy blue t-shirt. A silver bracelet fit snuggly onto his right wrist with a peculiar stone adorning it as a centerpiece.

This young man stared up at the building before this mass of trainers. It was an enormous, circular structure which, he assumed as the others did, was designed to be a grand coliseum for the newly christened region.

"And this is why we're here," he thought to himself. "We are here because we have been chosen, chosen to become leaders for this new region. But is that really something I want?"

"No way! Alain!? What are you doing here, man?!"

A familiar voice caught the young man's attention. He opened his eyes and turned to his left to see a familiar face working through the crowd to get to him. He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw his longtime friend Ethan Gold standing in front of him. He was wearing a red athletic jacket with a white collar over a black t-shirt. A single strap bag hung on his back. He wore black shorts that hugged his knees at the base. And on his head was an Ultra-Ball designed cap he recognized all too well.

"Ethan Gold," the young man in black said with a half-smile.

Ethan was a year younger than Alain. They had met back when Alain was 7 and Ethan was 6 when Alain's family relocated to Goldenrod City. Ethan was the first real friend Alain ever had. They grew up together, they played together, trained their Pokémon together, went to school together and everything. Even when Alain moved away with his family to Lumiose City in Kalos when Alain was 14, they stayed friends via pokegear and email. Sometimes they even took trips to visit one another. But here, on this day, would have been the first time they had stood face to face in a little over two years.

"Alain Noble! You made the cut, dude! That's awesome! Not that I'm surprised though. I mean, you are one of the best trainers I've ever battled," Ethan declared, beaming with a smile.

"I could say the same for you," Alain replied. "I have to say, it's a breath of fresh air that I actually know somebody here. I thought I was gonna be spending the next few months surrounded by complete strangers."

"Sorry, pal. Not on my watch!" Ethan exclaimed.

He swung his right arm out wide, hand cupped, and swung it at breakneck speed towards Alain's face. Alain mimicked the motion in half the time, catching Ethan's hand and locking grips with him. Both smiled, still clutching at the others hand. "And just so you know, Alain, I'm gonna be the one to win this thing. And when they ask who the champion of the Capella region, they're gonna be saying 'Ethan Gold!'"

"Make my day, old friend," Alain retorted with a competitive smile.

Their reunion was interrupted. Another young man came up to them. He had taken notice of their interaction and gravitated towards them. He was wearing a black shirt with a slick looking red pattern and long black pants. Like Alain, he also sported fingerless gloves, but instead of black, his were red. And over his dark hair, he wore a white, spiky knit cap with a green band around his forehead. A white pokeball design fit onto the center of the band. He had a friendly demeanor, but beneath that, both Alain and Ethan could sense a fierce competitive will.

"What's up, you two?" this young man asked.

"Just a couple of old friends catching up," Ethan replied. "What's your name?"

"Brendan Ruby. I came all the way out here from Hoen. And you guys are lucky! I haven't seen a single person I know since I got here."

"Well the invites were pretty exclusive, from what I understand," Alain replied, crossing his arms.

"Well, hey, I hope this isn't asking too much, but, I've noticed a lot of people here forming groups and alliances and stuff. So maybe we might make one."

Brendan was nervous. He didn't know these two very well, and he'd just asked them to strike up an alliance with him in a competitive setting. He didn't know what to expect. While he might have seemed confident and steady on the outside, but on the inside, he shook like a Wurmple staring down a starving Swellow.

"Sure!" Ethan responded. "It's cool with me. Alain?"

"Fine by me. You seem like a nice enough guy, Brendan," Alain responded with a smile and uncrossing his arms.

"Yes! Thanks guys. I won't let you down!"

After a brief moment of silence, Ethan grew a bit restless, in the mood for some conversation. He took a look around before leaning in towards Brendan. "So Brendan, see any cute girls here?"

"You better believe it! I mean, I know that's not why we're here, but, you know…" Brendan began to smile.

"Yeeeaaaah, never hurts to look, am I right?" Ethan jabbed at Brendan with his left elbow.

Alain chuckled as he listened to Ethan and Brendan talk girls. Ethan had been that way since they started school. He would always try to talk to the prettiest girl he could find. When they were little kids, it was one thing, but it took on a whole new form when they hit grade school, and especially in high school. Ethan seemed to love three things in life: women, Pokémon, and food, almost exclusively in that order. But he couldn't blame Ethan or Brendan for wanting to look around.

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"Ugh! Bianca, will you stop acting so nervous? You made the cut. You got an invitation. You're plenty good enough to be here!" Hilda yelled.

She planted her balled up fists against her hips as she stared at her timid friend. The two couldn't be any more opposite if they tried. Hilda's long, dark brown hair would flow all the way down to her feet had she not tied it back with her dark blue scrunchie. She sported light blue, cut off short shorts that had, at this point, caught more than a few glances and a whistle here and there. She also wore a sleeveless white shirt with a thin, black vest over it. Her body style suggested she could be a model, though she would never admit it.

Bianca, on the other hand, had very short cut, bright blonde hair. A small frame of round lens glasses sat on the bridge of her nose gingerly over her big, bright green eyes. She wore white t-shirt with a black v-like shape centered at the collar bone that shaped awkwardly due to her voluptuous breasts. On top of that she sported a light orange jacket. A long white skirt concealed more than 80% of her legs minus the base of her shins and her feet.

She withdrew as Hilda brow beat her for a moment of self-doubt that Bianca had been notorious for having throughout their friendship. Bianca hated it when those piercing russet colored eyes pushed against her with that intense aura. But she knew her friend had a point, as she always did. She had to muster up her courage and stop being such a coward.

"Of course. You're right, Hilda," Bianca said, finally perking up.

"Damn right I'm right!" Hilda replied, finally backing off a bit.

"Besides, boys don't like a woman to be so shy and timid."

Hilda's eyebrow arched upward. "What are you talking about?"

"If I'm going to find myself a man, I can't act as frightened as a little girl. So not sexy."

"Are you serious? We get invited with the top trainers from all around the world for the chance to be the new champion of a brand new region and all you want to think about is the guys?!"

"It's not just the guys. It's the fact that the men here are among the best. They are the strongest, smartest, most talented men in the world as we know it, meaning they have tons and tons of potential as future lovers and maybe even husbands. THAT'S IT!" A fiery aura erupted around her. "My goal is to find my love and future husband in my time here. Ours will be…A LOVE THAT WILL CONQUOR ALL!" A megalith of mountain erupted from beneath her, raising her into a bright, sunlit sky and a massive wave of ocean water crashed over the side of it.

But back in reality, her friend looked on in utter confusion and mild embarrassment. Unfortunately, this was nothing new, and Hilda was all too used to it by now. Bianca had been spewing nonsense about marrying the most powerful trainer she could find and being the best possible lover to him, accompanied with plenty of references to her above average breasts and her willingness to do whatever it took to please her man. Hilda just couldn't understand the fire-hot devotion to finding someone to lock down with forever, but she herself entertained the idea of a strong, handsome trainer sweeping her off her feet. But of course, her fantasies were much more, appropriate, than Bianca's.

Hilda leaned her head back and took a deep breath. "You're hopeless."

"Hilda, I just had the most wonderful thought. What if while we're here, we try to match you up with someone? I think that's a fabulous idea, don't you?"

"WHAT?! Why me?!"

"Why not? I mean, how long has it been since your last actual boyfriend, or even date for that matter?" Bianca grinned and peered through her glasses.

"I just…I haven't had the time. Besides," she said, crossing her arms and turning away slightly, "that's more of something you're interested in."

"Oh, come on Hilda, don't be such a stick in the mud. Haven't you imagined what it must feel like to have the man of your dreams caress your body while you…"

"Okay that's enough! We are here to compete and show we have what it takes to become elite four or gym leader status. That's it. Leave your perverted thoughts in your own head!"

Hilda did her best to hide that she was blushing. Old memories of boyfriends past starting filling her mind. She hadn't been with very many guys, and of them, fewer even got to the point where she would let them touch her that way. But whenever she did, it always felt good. Some better than others. Wait, what was she thinking about this for? There was no way she would let herself get distracted. She was on a mission. To become the Capella Region Champion.

"Okay, okay, you win," Bianca replied with a smile. "But you really do need to consider what I said. It wouldn't be a bad time to try finding someone. After all, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Excuse me?" a tiny voice piped up behind Bianca.

She turned and stepped aside so that Hilda and she could see who had spoken to them. It was another girl. But something was different about her. She seemed so young. Her face was like a porcelain doll adorned with pale green, jewel-like eyes, and long, honey-blonde wavy hair that flowed to the base of her back. She wore a black, sleeveless top matching her black, knee-high shoes, and a vermillion medium length skirt reaching just past the middle of her thighs matched the vermillion felt hat on her head.

"I've been looking around, but I don't see anybody I know here. And nobody here wants to be partners with me. And you both seem really nice. Can I…maybe…be in a group with you?" she asked, turning her face away to hide her flushed cheeks.

Hilda couldn't help but smile. This girl was certainly brave if she was willing approach two strangers knowing that they could completely reject her company. But Bianca was practically beaming.

"Of course you can!" she exclaimed.

She threw her arms around the now smiling girl and pulled her in for an unstoppable bear hug that might make a fully evolved Aggron faint. Hilda laughed. Bianca was always welcome to making new friends. "Oh, Hilda, isn't she just darling!? I'm so happy! We haven't even been here a day and already we have a new friend!" She twirled around twice, still holding onto her new friend before setting her down.

"What's your name?" Bianca asked.

"I'm Serena!" she replied with a bubbly smile.

"You have such a beautiful name, Serena! I'm Bianca White."

"It's very nice to meet you, Bianca!"

"And this lovely lady over here is my very good friend Hilda Black," Bianca said, aiming Serena's attention to Hilda.

"Nice to meet you, Hilda," she said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, too." Hilda returned the smile.

To anyone else, the smile would have seemed forced. But the fact of the matter was she was happy Serena decided she wanted to join up with them. If for no other reason, it kept Bianca from digging into her fantasies and emotions, as well as kept her spirits up. And Serena seemed like such a nice girl, even if she was a little younger. For how well she was getting along with Bianca, Serena was beginning to grow on Hilda.

"How old are you Serena?" Hilda asked.

"Yes, now that you mention it, you do seem a little younger than most of the people here. How old are you?"

Serena scratched the side of her cheek nervously. "I'm…16?"

Then we are older than her, Hilda. By quite a bit I might add."

"Oh…" Serena replied.

"You see, I am 21, and Hilda just turned 19 last month," Bianca said with a smile.

"Does that mean, that we can't be friends, since you're older than me?"

"What?! No, of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?" Hilda answered.

"Hilda's right. We don't care about that. You had enough courage to come up to us and ask us to be your friends, and that's enough for us."

"Really?" Serena's face brightened up.

"And from now on, Serena, you can call me Big Sis."

"Really!? I've always wanted a big sister!" Serena exclaimed.

"Wish. Granted." Bianca winked.

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Misty, Dawn and Zinnia, three longtime friends - Dawn and Zinna from childhood, Misty joining the two at the start of middle school - stood, each silent, staring up at the wall in front of them. They had expelled all excitement the night before on the train ride from Hearthome to Sunnyshore, and on the ferry ride from Sunnyshore to Capella. The bus ride to the coliseum was quiet, and here in front of the arena, there was tension. The girls didn't want to wait any longer. They wanted the show to get on the road.

"I don't understand why this is taking so long!" Dawn said, stamping her pink boot into the dirt. The girls had decided before leaving to wear something athletic rather than getting prettied up. Capella was a new region to them, and if their outfits were too frilly, they would be out of luck. And at this moment they were grateful for it. In her usual outfit - a cute top and her favorite pink miniskirt that match her boots - Dawn would have felt far too exposed for her liking, given the high volume of guys surrounding her. Misty didn't mind so much. As a performance swimmer back home, she was used to being looked at by high volumes of people.

Misty and Zinnia both were right at home wearing shorts that cut off mid-thigh and figure-fitting tops. Misty just happened to utilize more color in her wardrobe. Zinnia donned a black top with short sleeves tucked into dark gray cut off shorts. Misty leaned toward the lighter colors. Light-blue denim shorts with a yellow, sleeveless top.

"Be patient, Dawn. An adventure will start only at the right moment," Zinnia said.

"I get that, believe me, I do. I'm just so tired of waiting. We've been here so long. I just want to know what the holdup is!"

"Actually I agree with Dawn. Why do you think they're keeping us waiting for so long?" Misty chimed in.

Zinnia shook her head. "I don't know. But I know there must be a greater purpose behind it all. Our patience will be rewarded, my friends if we just hang on!" She turned about and gave her friends a smile.

But neither Dawn or Misty were in a mood to smile. Dawn kept circling around a thought in her head - if the best of the best Pokémon trainers from all over the world were being gathered here to decide who would be the Champion, Elite Four, and Gym Leaders of this new region, then that meant he would be here. The one person she wanted to see less than anyone in the world, the one person she knew she would see, she could feel it. Paul.

For Misty, being there was a battle in her own mind about whether or not she was good enough to be there in the first place. She was shipped off to boarding school in Hearthome City after her parents decided she would be unfit to run the Cerulean City Gym. Misty loved water Pokémon, and being in the water so much. But she just wasn't good enough in her parent's eyes. The Gym would be under the leadership of her older sister Violet. She didn't want to hate her sister for that, but at the same time, she couldn't help it. Especially since Violet was always the one to tease her.

Zinnia had no reservations whatsoever. She seemed thrilled, in a calm way. Absorbed in the honor of simply getting to be where they were. Her friends had never seen her behave like this. So calm. Normally she would be talking to everyone around her, gathering information, learning what she could. But right now, it was all about the moment, the opportunity, the challenge, and the promise of adventure. Nothing could bring her down. "I won't let you down, Aster," she thought to herself. A light breeze blew, catching the tattered khaki coat she wore as a cape.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Suddenly, a noise blasted over the crowd, followed by a force that shook the ground around the coliseum. The gates were opening. For some onlookers, it was exciting. For others, it was terrifying. Ethan and Alain had braced themselves to withstand the surge of wind and the shaking of the ground. Misty, Dawn and Zinnia looked on with satisfied faces. 'Finally,' they thought simultaneously. Their wait was over, and the challenge was about to begin.

For Hilda and her group, a small amount of anticipation set in. Not fear, though. Only a sense that a struggle unlike anything they ever faced was upon them. Serena nervously clutched Bianca's arm. Bianca kept her gaze locked onto Hilda. She had never admitted to anyone before what she really thought about Hilda, but Hilda was her source of courage. Had she not been standing there, so strong, so brave, Bianca might be huddled with Serena on the ground.

Alain, Ethan and Brendan braced themselves against the shaking ground and howling wind caused by the opening of the door. They each felt the same sensation, a rush of adrenaline, a touch of fear, a dash of courage, and a pinch of fighter's spirit kick in all at once. They looked at each other, and then back at the gate. "It's time," Alain said.

Amidst the crowd of trainers flooding into the coliseum were two trainers of a different sort with one thing in common: they felt nothing like fear upon the opening of the gates. One, a golden-eyed, spiky blonde - haired young man crossed into the coliseum with an eager grin on his face. The other, a purple-haired, grey eyed young man crossed into the coliseum composed and steady as stone.

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And there you have it. That's the end of chapter one. Sorry if it was a little long, I had quite a few characters to introduce. If you're wondering about the identities of the last two guys, don't sweat it too much. You probably already recognize at least one of them. If not, they will be identified soon. I'm not revealing any ships right away, but feel free to take a few guesses if you feel so inclined. Might just get a response. Also if there are any Pokémon you all would like to see in later chapters to be used, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks again for reading. I'll try to update as often as I can!