Just a heads up. This is more of a character development exercise than a planned story with a concrete plot. I may or may not write from each POV equally. I may drop and add characters as I desire, after getting a feeling of who they are and if I like them or find them interesting or not. I'm adding this note after a review. Also, as this includes many characters who may or may not interact with each other, don't judge the whole thing based on Bonnie. She is one character. This is not something that will focus on her. I realise she is a big character and has a personality that people tend to love or hate. That is intentional.

Bonnie's Diary
11th November 2012

OMG hi! Bonnie here, and today was my first day of pokémon training! I got a bulbasaur – wow, I can't believe this is actually happening it's so amazing!

Okay okay I'll calm down… calm down. Breathe…

Aaah…

So.

Today. Was. The best day of my life ever so far! So I woke up at 6:30 which is really early for me considering how I normally like to stay in bed until I really have to get up for school, and I rushed downstairs and left asap and I kinda feel really guilty now that I barely got a chance to talk to my parents much before I left but it's fine, they know how excited I've been for the past forever! Basically since I found out I could get a pokémon, really.

Anyway, grabbed my stuff. Packed everything last night with help from my mum and dad and of course Becky insisted on 'helping' so I got her to go run to the shops and buy me some potions and put some credit on my phone.

So yeah, then I left really quickly. Didn't even stop and think how weird it would be to not be back home for ages, but obviously the excitement is really getting to me, can't you tell?

As I waited impatiently for Prof. Oak, hopping from foot to foot and being really jittery and restless like I get when I'm excited, I kept trying to remember everything I'd learnt in school about training and pokémon and all the different types and how to battle and how to get by on the road, but nothing could stick in my mind because all I could think about was that pokémon in the lab that was sitting in its pokéball just waiting for me to be its first trainer!

The old guy came ambling down the path to unlock the gates and I must have almost leapt at him, probably gave the poor old guy a right shock, haha! Oh well, he took it in good stride, brushed his lab coat down and led me in. I'd seen labs before, like in the academy where some of the older kids who want to be scientists do research and stuff, but this was the first time I'd seen the inside of a proper pokémon lab. To be honest, I didn't get to see much of it really, which was a bit of a shame, but you know, the important thing was to get my pokémon.

Oak had got a few lined up. The traditional starters – bulbasaur, charmander and squirtle were obvious favourites, but not many people know that he brings in others as well, just because those three are a bit rare and there are a lot of kids who want to be trainers of course. I think he said he'd got a sandshrew, a couple of nidoran and a paras too, but I chose bulbasaur right away because it was my favourite.

Bulbasaur's a girl. I named her Poppy, because it's a nice name and soon she'll have flowers sprouting out of her back too, once I train her and we become strong. I can't describe the feeling as I left the lab, walked down the hill with my drawstring bag held tightly over my shoulder and my hair whipping in the breeze under my white cap. I felt like a proper adventurer. Mum, dad and Becky were waiting at the gates to wish me a happy goodbye. Mum was crying, and I felt really bad about leaving her, but dad told me to be strong enough for both of us and that she'd get over it, and that I should call home lots because they all want to hear about my trip. Becky seemed to like Polly. She knelt down beside her and stroked her bulb, which Polly seemed to like. It was pretty sweet, even if Becky is the standard annoying little sis most times. I almost felt bad about leaving, but there's no way I'm putting off going for my dreams when I'd already gotten so close to becoming a pokémon trainer. I'd spent years at the trainer's academy in preparation for this after all. I am not going to be one of those clueless newbies who doesn't know a pidgey from a rattata – can you imagine?! I mean, I've got my pokédex from Oak now too but still… you've got to know the basics.

Route 1 isn't anywhere that new and interesting to be fair. Yeah it's the first step on a big journey but I'd be lying if I said I found it exciting. I've been up this hill hundreds of times before on trips to Viridian with my family or with school, so it's not too new, but I guess it's good to ease in slowly right? After all, it is my first time here alone. Well I have Poppy of course.

Our first pokémon battle was with a wild rattata! It was eating some berries and had its back to us, so I couldn't resist! Poppy tackled it before using 'leech seed' to scatter a load of seeds all over the pokémon and drain its energy. That's a pretty neat move, in my opinion. I didn't end up catching the rattata but there's always loads more chances, and rattata are found everywhere anyway.

I've gotten myself most of the way to Viridian City now, and I'm writing this curled up in a hollow tree trunk which seemed like a cool place to set up a camp and rest for the night. It's so peaceful out here, sleeping under the stars in my fluffy sleeping bag, my very own pokémon curled up beside me. I can tell this is going to be the start of a wonderful adventure.

Badges: 0
Ribbons: 0

Pokémon
Bulbasaur (Poppy) F

Items
Phone
Pokédex
Town Map

Pokéball x5
Potion x3

P5000