Hiya people! Ok, so this is my first fanfic so tell me what ya think of it!!! K? It's not perfect and it's a little far-fetched (no pun intended) cause I wrote it for my little cousin who wanted more than anything to go on her own Pokémon Journey. Soooooo……yeah. Here it is!
In front of her lurked the woods, filled with wild Pokémon and the beginning of her journey. Behind was home, though everything had changed and she couldn't go back, not now. The only way to go was forward to face everything she feared most. At least she didn't have to do it alone.
"You ready?" Rea asked the Espeon at her side, her first Pokemon. Where she came from they had been given one of the evolved forms of Eevee since Professor Maple (ever noticed they're all trees?) studied them and wanted good homes for the ones she was though studying. The Pokémon and the girl were telepathically linked, but since they didn't know each other very well the link was weak. Professor Maple had told her it would get stronger as they learned to work together better and Rea hoped she was right. More than anything in the world she wanted to be friends with her Pokémon like her parents had been with theirs.
So far she had learned that the Espeon's name was far too complicated for her to pronounce, but they had agreed on the name Essa. Other than that Rea had a hard time understanding her. Right now she was trying to tell her something, though she couldn't quite understand.
"An emotion?" She asked slowly, then sighed and shook her head. "That's all I can get. I'm sorry." The Pokémon closed her eyes a moment and concentrated on what she was thinking. "Yes, I understand that." Rea nodded and kneeled down closer to her. Essa placed a paw on her knee, making the link ten times stronger. "I see. You're scared too. Neither of us have been away from home before. There's a first time for everything? Boy, you sound like my mom." The Espeon took her paw off her trainer's leg and walked toward the dark forest, then stopped and looked back. Rea grinned. "All right then, I'm coming."
The two marched along the path to Violet City where the first gym was. Surprisingly the woods weren't as dark as they looked and soon Rea was enjoying the peacefulness of the shady area. It almost seemed a shame when they finally came out of the forest and into the crowded city.
"Whoa, would ya check this place out?" Rea muttered to herself as she looked around. Living her entire life in the tiny town of Cobalt (and the towns are all colors…), this place was enormous.
"You're new here, right?" A boy's sneering voice broke into her thoughts suddenly.
"Yeah, how'd you guess?" She replied, a bit surprised. The boy looked to be about eleven or twelve and tall with mouse-brown hair. He was giving her a look that clearly said her thought he was better than she was.
"It's easy to tell. You a trainer?"
"Well, uh, yes. I guess. I'm just starting out."
"Aren't you a little old to be starting out? I thought most people started at ten or eleven. You've got to be older than that. What happened, they wouldn't let you start?"
"I'm fourteen and where I come from they haven't sent out new trainers in nearly twenty years." Rea told him. She wasn't sure she liked this nosy kid. What right did he have to go poking into other people's business? "And besides, I'm not the only one to start out late. One of us is fifteen."
"Oh really? Well where I come from we've been sending out people who became great Pokémon trainers. I've already won nine out of ten battles." The boy bragged. "Oh, my name is Tad. Tad Markenson. When I become famous you can tell all your friends that you met me. See ya." He walked off toward the Pokémon center.
"Alrighty then." Rea blinked, then looked down at Essa. "Sheesh, can you say conceited?" The Pokémon nodded in agreement. "Ugh, after that I'm not so sure I'm hungry anymore." Her stomach growled loudly. "Second thought, maybe I am. Let's get go something to eat."
They headed for a small diner where they got a surprisingly good meal with a trainer's discount. (trainer's meal 15% off and Pokémon eat free!!!) On their way over to the Pokémon Center they noticed something going on in the ally and decided to check it out.
"P-p-please, don't hurt me! I don't have any money! Ow! I p-p-promise! No, please!" A small voice cried out.
"Look here squirt, you hand over your money NOW or your cute little nose will be on the other side of your head."
"I p-p-promise, I don't have any money!"
"Right. Get him Machop!" The bully ordered.
"Essa, get that Machop with a glare!" Rea ordered, suddenly standing in the ally.
"What the…" The bully looked at his Machop, frozen with fear, then to his buddies. "Look girly, no one messes with us and gets away with it. Right Tommy?" He glanced at the little boy cowering next to a trashcan. "Get her." His flunkies moved in on Rea, but she just stood there, waiting for them. They laughed thinking she was scared but suddenly she closed her eyes and when she opened them her normally brown eyes were glowing blue.
"Hey Sean, what's goin' on?" One of the guys asked, turning around. The rest of the guys turned too, confused.
"Just get her!" He screamed, panicking. They turned once again, about to seize her when something strange happened.
"They're floating!" The little boy gasped. And indeed they were. Using the psychic powers that had made her such a good partner with the Espeon Rea had lifted them seven feet in the air.
"Aaaaaah! Let us down! Please, we'll do anything!" Sean yelled, flailing his arms fruitlessly. Giving a short nod, Rea dropped them into the dumpster.
"Next time, pick on someone your own size, who can stick up for themselves." She snapped, glaring at them. "It's cowardly to pick on someone who can't fight back." Her eyes had changed back to their normal brown.
"W-w-we promise!" The gang cried, scrambling out of the dumpster and running out of the ally. Sean paused only to recall his still paralyzed Machop before tearing after his gang.
"Wow, who are you?" Tommy asked, getting up and brushing himself off.
"My name is Rea." She smiled at the little boy. "You know Tommy, you shouldn't be out this late."
"I know. I was on my way home when those guys stopped me. I tried to get away, but they were too strong." He replied digging his toe into the dirt.
"Yeah, they are big. Well, you'd better get home before someone worries about you."
"Uh huh." He started to go but turned around at the last minute. "Will you come with me?"
"Oh no, I couldn't." Rea shook her head.
"Please? My grandma would want to meet you. It wouldn't be a problem, I promise!" Tommy gave her puppy-dog-eyes, making her laugh.
"Oh all right, but I'll only say hello."
When they got to his house Tommy explained the entire story to his grandmother, who insisted that Rea stay for supper because "we're so glad Tommy's all right. We need to celebrate!" And so she ate yet again, taking seconds before she could convince the older woman she was stuffed and couldn't fit another bite into her. After dinner Tommy begged Rea to explain how she got her first Pokémon, what it's like in Cobalt town, what her friends were like, what her family was like and how she could make bullies float in the air before his grandmother put her foot down and insisted that it was way past his bedtime. When the energetic little boy was finally tucked into bed his grandmother insisted Rea stay the night. Not being able to argue Rea agreed and camped out in the living room, Essa curled up next to her sleepingbag.
The next morning the smell of frying bacon woke her up and she slid out of her sleepingbag, already dressed, and went to the kitchen.
"Good morning young lady." Tommy's grandmother greeted her with a smile. "I'm glad you're up, I wanted to talk to you before Tommy got up."
"Really? What's wrong?" Rea asked, setting the table.
"Oh, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to ask you a favor. Now mind, you don't have to agree to it, you've done enough in saving Tommy and all, I just thought I may as well ask." The older woman cracked several eggs into the fryingpan and began to scramble them.
"Go ahead. I'd be glad to do whatever I can." Rea replied.
"Bless you're heart child. I just wanted to ask if…well, you see Tommy's parents are dead now, been dead for about a year. He's taken it rather hard, not showing it on the outside, but he just hasn't been himself. He just turned nine and I think it would be a good thing for him to get away from here for awhile, before he starts his own journey. He should see the rest of the world and meet other people. I know you're going out to collect badges, but I thought if you took him along with you it might do him some good. He'd behave well, I know he would, and it'd give you a bit of company." Tommy's grandmother smiled kindly. "You've done so much, I'd understand if you didn't want him along though."
"No ma'am! I'd love to have him along. As long as it's all right with Essa." She nodded to the Pokemon at her feet. Essa jumped up and nodded vigorously. "Seems like a yes to me."
"Oh, you two are wonderful!" The older woman hugged them both. "When Tommy comes down to breakfast I'll ask him."
"Ask me what?" Tommy appeared in the doorway, dressed but obviously only half-awake.
"Oh child, glad you're up. We were talking you see, and the idea came up that maybe you'd like to join Rea on her journey. Now mind, you're not old enough to try for badges yourself, but you could go along and learn a bit if you'd like." His grandmother told him, buttering toast and adding it to the plates already heaped with eggs and bacon.
"Really Grandma? You mean it?" The boy looked from his grandma to Rea then back again excitedly, hardly daring to believe it.
"Yup." Rea replied grinning.
"But only if you want to." His grandmother added, fighting to keep a straight face.
"Want to? Of course I want to!" He cried, jumping up and hugging his grandma.
"Whoa child! Eat some breakfast first, then we'll talk more about it." She laughed and set the filled plates in front of him and Rea. Bringing the third over she sat down next to her grandson and began to eat. Their breakfast was anything but peaceful, though Tommy managed to spread the excitement to everyone and they finished eating quickly. Rea helped with the dishes while Tommy and his grandmother packed his own backpack for the journey. Finally, boring stuff done, the fun part began.
"Now, make sure you come back for dinner and bed in good time. Tomorrow the real trip begins." His grandmother reminded, then turned to Rea. "There's a small park near the Pokemon Center where trainers go to train. You can practice there before you head on to the gym leader. I must warn you, he's tough."
"That's ok, Essa and I make a great team." Rea replied determinedly. Essa nodded in agreement.
"I'm sure you do, the way you saved Tommy and all. Now, I have something for you two." The older woman reached in her pocket and pulled out two minimized Pokéballs. "Tommy, this one's for you. And Rea, I want you to have this. A friend of mine who is working mainly on catching every Pokémon caught it, but already had one. It's levels are fairly high and it should serve you well in your battle against Falkner. Tommy, this is you're first Pokémon and though you can't win badges yet I want you two to become good friends so you'll be ready when the time does come." Tommy grinned, happier than he'd been in a long time.
"C'mon!" He tugged on Rea's hand. "Let's go to the park and train our Pokémon!"
"All right, I'm coming." Rea told him grinning, but she quickly turned to his grandmother first. "Thank you so much, I don't know how I'll every repay you."
"You don't have to. Everything you've done for my grandson makes me in your debt. Now we're a bit closer to being even." She smiled as the girl tried to say something else but was pulled out the door by Tommy. "Have fun!"
The boy tugged Rea the entire way to the park, Essa trailing behind. When they finally reached their destination he stopped and sat down on a bench, petting Essa who sat curled up next to him.
"So, you ready to check out our new Pokémon?" Rea asked, sprawling out on the bench and enlarging her Pokéball.
"Yeah! You want to go first or should I?" Tommy also enlarged his Pokéball grinning in hardly contained excitement.
"You can go first." She offered.
"Nah, you go first."
"Ok." Rea grinned at him. "Pokéball, go!" She threw the Pokéball, which opened in a flash of light and released an enormous Pokémon that immediately let out a roar.
"Whoa, what's that?" The boy asked, his eyes as big as dinner plates.
"Onix." She muttered, staring at the rock serpent. Standing up she walked over to the huge Pokémon. "Hello, what's your name?" She asked, slowly reaching out a hand and waiting for the Onix to allow her to touch it. Slowly it lowered it's head and brushed gently against her fingertips, allowing her to understand it. "Nep is it? I'm Rea. Ever battled before? Good, we'll need you're help. Levels? Don't worry about that, we'll level you up in no time." At hearing this conversation, or at least half of it, the boy's jaw dropped.
"You can TALK to it?" Tommy he gaped at her in surprise.
"Yeah, a little. It's a gift that my family's had for years. Usually only the men, but I got lucky. As you get to know them more the easier it is to understand them without touching." She grinned. "Comes in handy sometimes."
"I believe it." The boy replied, still amazed.
"All right Nep, return!" Rea recalled her newest Pokémon and looked back at the boy who was staring at her open-mouthed. "Stop imitating a Magikarp and find out what Pokémon you've got." The boy, suddenly reminded what he had been so excited about held up his Pokéball and took a deep breath.
"Go!" Tommy called as he tossed the Pokéball into the grass. A Pokémon was released, this time far smaller than the last.
"Vul!" The Pokémon cried.
"Oh my gosh," Tommy gasp. "Vulpix."
"Are you all right Tommy?" Rea asked, concerned that the boy had suddenly gone ashen.
"Yeah, it's just that…Vulpix. My parents were Vulpix breeders and they told me that when I was old enough I would get my very own, one I chose. When they died another man took over and I went to live with Grandma. I thought I would never get my Vulpix back." He looked at the Pokémon a long time, then reached out his hand. "Vulpix, do you remember? It's me, Tommy." Vulpix cocked it's head and blinked.
"Vul?" It asked curiously. There was a moment when nothing moved. Then the small Pokémon started forward, toward the boy. It stopped right before it came to his hand and sniffed him, considered a moment, then with a yip of joy leaped into his arms.
"Oh Vulpix, it's so good to see you again!" Tommy laughed, hugging it tightly.
They spent the afternoon in the park, Rea training with her two Pokémon, and Tommy getting to know his Vulpix better. When the sun finally began to sink in the sky they headed back to his grandmother's house where they ate supper and got ready for bed.
Rea climbed into her sleepingbag but couldn't sleep. She was too excited. Tomorrow she would challenge the gym leader for her very first badge. Essa padded over and lay down next to her, silently telling her she had to sleep. Finally, after lying awake for a long time, Rea drifted into a light sleep, dreaming of the next day.
There it is! Thank you for reading it! Now don't think I actually believe all the "I'm a psychic" stuff, but it made it more interesting. Please tell me what you thought of it!!! Please!!! I don't care if it's good or bad I just need your opinion! ^_^ Muahahaha!