AUTHORS NOTE
I do not own Pokémon, I wish I did, But I do not
It was a clear sunny day in the small town of Littleroot, and there was a cool breeze in the air. The sun radiated down and washed over the grasslands giving them a golden brilliance that shimmered on the flowers and hills. The bright blue sky was not speckled by a single cloud and the heat battled against the brisk spring afternoon. All was at peace in Littleroot. The sounds of Taillow could be heard in the air and the rustle of Zigzagoon in the grass could be seen just outside the limits of Littleroot Town. It was a special time for new aspiring trainers. They would be receiving their starter Pokémon and beginning their own adventures to compete in the Hoenn League.
Professor Birch looked around his lab thinking about the email he received from two of his colleagues, Professor's Oak and Rowan. They said each of them had a beginning trainer moving to the Hoenn region and to his town. Oak and Rowan said they would be giving them the starter from their home region since they missed out on that chance.
Professor Rowan sighed and looked up with a smile on his face, excited to meet these two young men and tell them of the changes that the Pokémon Circuit has enacted for the upcoming season.
A few blocks down from the Professor's lab two sets of moving vans were around two houses. It appeared that Littleroot Town had some new residents. The peaceful sounds of the waves and wind were shattered by a crash from within one of the moving vans and the cry of, "OH DAMNIT". Out of the van walked a boy of 11 with short brown hair pulled into a spike at the front. He had tanned skin, green eyes, and was wearing tan cargo shorts with a grey baseball tee with orange sleeves and black shoes with orange accents along the bottoms, laces, and in between the mesh. His name was Matthew "Matt" Fox. Matt moved to Hoenn from the Kanto region, while he was growing up he had become friend with the local Professor and had begun to see him as a grandfather type figure. Matt was very disappointed in not being able to begin his Pokémon journey in Kanto and have his choice of one of the starter Pokémon there. While he was on the ground in the moving van he heard from outside, "Hey are you okay in there man?"
Looking up, Matt saw a boy with dark skin, around his age. The boy had straight hair but slightly spiky in the back, brown eyes, and slightly taller than Matt. He was wearing an outfit that added to his mysterious physique, with black sneakers, cargo shorts, and a grey and black hoodie.
"Yeah I'm fine thanks" Matt said standing up and dusting himself off. He replied with a grin, "I'm Matthew Fox from Pallet Town! But you can call me Matt! What's your name?"
"Dante Zamora from Twinleaf Town, pleased to meetcha Matt." The newly dubbed Dante said with a grin.
"So are you new around here as well then Dante?" Matt asked with genuine interest in what appears to be his new neighbor.
"Yes I am! My family and I just moved here from the Sinnoh Region. I rather enjoy how warm it is here but I just wish that I coulda began my journey with the Pokémon Professor Rowan gives out." Dante replied with a touch of disappointment to his voice.
"I'm in the same boat as you, I wanted the Pokémon from Professor Oak but I heard the ones from Hoenn are strong too" Matt said with a big grin on his face.
Dante smiled and helped Matt up and asked him when he planned on going to the Professor's Lab. Matt replied with, "I was actually about to go there now. I would like to get started on my journey right away!"
"Mind if I come with you? My mom said that I should get my journey started as fast as possible." Dante asked with hesitance.
"Sure! I would love to have some company" Matt replied enthusiastically.
Matt and Dante both ran to their respective homes and bid goodbye to their families saying that they were heading out to start on their journeys and visit the professor's lab. After the goodbyes with their families they met up and headed off to the lab.
When the boys reached the lab Matt knocked on the door and waited for it to open. When they walked in both were surprised. Professor Rowan was standing in front of a giant television screen that was split in half that had two other professors on the screen.
"Professor Oak/Rowan!" the boys cried in happiness.
"Hello Matt I'm glad to see you here so soon. Are you ready to start your journey?" Professor Oak asked Matt just as excited as the young boy for him to start his journey.
"Yes I am Professor! I can't wait to get my first Pokémon and start my journey." Matt said happily smiling the entire time.
Meanwhile Dante and Professor Rowan were having a similar conversation and both seemed ecstatic to see each other again.
"Okay boys listen up," Professor Birch started causing all talk to stop, "The Professors and I have decided that you will not be getting a starter Pokémon from this region."
The boys were shocked and stared open mouthed at the three professors.
"Instead, you shall be receiving one of the starters from your home region!" Birch stated with a smile very pleased with the response he got from the boys was what he expected, "Now please state which starter you would like to receive."
Matt jumped first and stated with conviction, "I want Charmander, Professor!"
Oak smiled on the screen and clicked some buttons off screen and a bright flash of light happened on the Pokémon transporter next to Birch. When the light died down there was a pristine Pokeball on the machine.
"Matt there is your Pokémon and I am glad to have given you the Pokémon that you wanted." Oak stated with a big smile on his face.
"Thank you Professor!" Matt stated holding the Pokeball in front of him.
Birch smiled at the interaction and asked Dante, "And what about you Dante? Which Pokémon would you like?"
Dante seemed to quiet down in thought and said with content, "I would like Piplup Professor."
Rowan smirked knowing that Dante would take this Pokémon and had already begun to transfer him to Birch's Lab. The light once again flared and a new Pokeball was sitting there for Dante to take.
"Thank you very much Professors!" Dante said with a giant grin on his face.
Dante and Matt looked at each other and nodded having the same thought running through their heads and threw there Pokeballs in the air. The Pokeballs flew up into the air and popped open and in a flash of light two Pokémon flashed out and in front of their respective trainers.
Matt smiled down at his orange bipedal lizard with a blazing orange skin and sharp white teeth. The Charmander smirked up at his trainer and tossed out a little fleck of fire crossing his arms and looking at Matt with a gleam of mischief in his eyes. Dante looked down at his small blue and white penguin and waved down at him. Piplup looked up and started dancing around a looking up at his trainer with the most joyous filled look that the little penguin could give to anyone. The boys grinned holding onto their new best friends and started dancing around with them.
The Professors were laughing at the boys antics and Birch decided it was time to tell them more about the new changes that were happening this year in the Pokémon Circuit.
"Boys, there is more I have to tell you" Birch said watching as the boys stopped dancing and set down their Pokémon and stood at attention to hear what the professor had to say, "Good, now the Pokémon League as a whole has decided to try something new out. All battles from the first gym to the Tournament itself will be in double battle format with two different trainers. Gym Leaders will have a team of 12 Pokémon to use and both challengers will be using a full team. This means that we are sending trainers out in teams of two starting this year."
Matt and Dante were stunned that the League would change to double battles and they then realized that they would be able to go on together as a team and not have to battle each other in the Hoenn League.
"Now here are five more Pokeballs for each of you and the newest model of PokeDex" Birch said handing the boys their items necessary for being a trainer and smiled at them, "Now that you have your PokeDex and Pokeball do you have any questions?"
"No Professor" The boys chorused together.
Birch smiled and nodded and said, "Well, it's time for you two to head out into the wonderful world of Pokémon. I hope that you have a great journey and be sure to call now and again. Also, any Pokémon you acquire after your first six Pokémon will be transported to whichever professor you choose."
"I would like mine to go to Professor Oak, sir" Matt said grinning at his region's professor.
Birch nodded and typed away at his computer and Matt's Pokémon now would be sent to Oak's Ranch instead of his Lab. He looked at Dante and said, "I shall assume you want yours to go to Rowan?" Dante nodded and grinned at his professor. Birch chuckled and typed away at the computer and had set it for Dante's Pokémon to go to Professor Rowan's lab.
"Well off you go boys and do have fun and stay safe out there okay?" Birch said to the two new trainers.
"Yessir!" Matt and Dante affirmed in unison.
The boys ran out of the lab waving and shouting goodbyes to the Professors with their Pokémon running after them. The boys ran back to their homes to grab their backpacks. Inside Matt's house he ran to his room and got his decent sized backpack that was black with metal bars on it for water bottles to be clipped to it. On his way out he gave his mom a kiss and hollered goodbye to his dad who was in his office working. At Dante's house he calmly walked to his room and got his green and brown backpack with a built in camelback. He waved goodbye to his mother, father, and grandmother and headed back outside to meet up with Matt.
"You ready Dante?"
"You bet Matt"
The boys ran to the exit of Littleroot Town, the sun beginning to descend above the planet. It hit the area in tints and hues that seemed like a deep orange firebomb had conflagrated the skyline. It fell over the small houses and polite gardens along the dirt road, and reminded them of the coming summer. The purples and yellows from the sunset accented the sky and made the boys feel at home during the beginning of their journey. They grinned at each other and took their first steps towards adventure.