Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or will say I will!

(Alex is a fifteen year old boy who lives on a miltank farm in Ireland, County Wexford. He has brown, long hair and is slightly shorter than most boys his age. He loves caring for pokemon and can be classed as a pokemon breeder)

Alex brushed Leafeon's fur.

"Leeeeaaf..." Leafeon yawned, very relaxed.

"Jeez buddy, can't you groom yourself just a little bit more? I have to brush you every day," Alex said as he put away the brush.

"Leaf. Leafeon," Leafeon smiled.

"I'm assuming it's because I do such a great job?" Alex smirked. He followed Leafeon out of the barn and closed the doors. Leafeon yawned again. Alex petted Leafeon.

"Your egg will hatch soon," he said as he walked with Leafeon to the house. He locked the door behind him and Leafeon put her front paws up on the counter so she could see her egg. Alex stroked Leafeon's head and she curled up on the floor beside the stove.

"Night," Alex said and plodded upstairs.

"Alex? Did you put the miltank in the barn?" Alex's mother said. She was reading a book.

"Yup, all away. And if you ask, yes, Leafeon is in," Alex said as he shut the door to his room. He fell back on to his bed and drifted to sleep.

The next morning Alex was up early. He was always up early for a 15 year old, but today he was up earlier: he was working with his neighbours, the Clarks, to help gather apples in their orchard. He was good friends with the daughter, Alice. They had been since childhood.

Alice had always wanted to be a pokemon trainer and travel the world, while Alex liked the farm, raising and caring for the pokemon that lived there. Alice once said to him "why do we stay here?"

"What, like, on the farm?"

"No, on a larger scale. More like...why do we stay in Wexford?"

"I...I dunno. Most children go on their journey at ten, don't they?"

"Mmm-hmm. I want to go on a journey. You could come with me! We could have lots of fun adventures and battle all different kinds of pokemon!"

"Maybe...but I'm not very good at battling. I like caring for pokemon rather than battling them."

"Whatever floats your boat I guess..."

Alice asked her parents if she could start her adventure, but they said no. That it was too dangerous and risky. She was very sad and not very talkative for a while after that. She never talked about going on a journey since.

Alex pulled on his favourite chequered shirt with various reds and white and his blue jeans. He didn't imagine he could get very muddy apple picking. He slid down the banisters of his staircase and hopped off the end. He gathered up a quick breakfast and started to make off for the Clark's land with Leafeon on his family's ponyta.

The apple trees gave off a wonderful fruity smell as he rode through the large orchard. After a couple of minutes Alex could see Alice and her father, Keith.

"How'ya doing lad?" Keith called to Alex.

"Not too bad, yourself?"

"Grand," Keith replied. Alex hopped off Ponyta.

"Stay here, ok?" Alex whispered to Ponyta, "sorry, but may I feed an apple to Ponyta?"

"Of course!" Keith chuckled as he tossed one to Alex. He was lively for a greying man. Alex barely caught the apple and held it to Ponyta. Ponyta chomped away at the apple and he patted Ponyta's nose. Alice walked up behind him and looked at Ponyta.

"He's so quiet. Who's a good boy?" she said and ruffled Ponyta's ears. Ponyta rubbed his nose against Alice. She giggled.

"Munch," someone was tugging at Alex's shirt. He looked down.

"Hello Munchlax," Alex said and put out his fist. Munchlax knuckle bumped back. Munchlax was Alice's favourite pokemon. She trained him a lot.

"Since my Mom isn't here yet, how about we have a quick battle?" Alice said.

"A battle? I haven't had one in a while..." Alex said.

"Please?" she fluttered her eyelashes. Alex rolled his eyes.

"I will have to ask my pokemon," he said. Alice muttered a triumphant 'Yes' under her breath. Alex called Leafeon out of her pokeball.

"Leeeeaf," she said as she stretched out and lay down on the ground.

"I'm assuming you don't want to battle Leafeon?" Alex asked. Leafeon just lay there and started snoozing. "I guessed not. Ponyta?" Ponyta huffed and thumped his foot on the ground. "I guess that's a yes?" Ponyta nodded.

"Goody!" Alice squealed.

"I guess I can referee this match," Keith said.

"I will be using Munchlax," Alice beamed.

"All right, let the battle between Alex's ponyta and Alice's Munchlax...begin!"