Kiyomi: this is just an experiment, opinions are valued.

Prologue

Going on a Pokémon journey. It's what every teen wants, in a way it's a test, a test of strength navigation, maturity and independence. As not only do you have yourself to look after, you have your Pokémon to look after too.

You have to face all weather, wind, rain sun and snow. Keeping yourself in top condition as well as your Pokémon. If you get ill through your own negligence no one will look after you. Also maturity as Pokémon trainers are required to keep a level head then comes maturity, to accept loss graciously and learn from your own mistakes and improve on them. Independence speaks for itself, especially looking back over the previous statements.

A big responsibility to take on. In some ways I don't know why people are so desperate to become one. But in another way I understand the strive for independence. Also travelling with friends must be fun.

My name is Crystal Heart, to be totally honest I think it's a stupid name but that's what's on the birth certificate. I personally prefer Crissy or Crys pronounced Chris. I live in an orphanage, that would make me an orphan right? Wrong, I do have parents.

My mother didn't stick around after she found my father had an affair. My father regretted it and turned to alcohol while the woman who he had an affair with looked after me. I liked her, she was called Lyra. She never tried to replace mom, she was more of a sister. Dads depression spiralled out of control when he found out my mom had been hospitalised after falling down a mountain. Stupid thing to do. Lyra decided to call social services saying if didn't deserve to see my dad like this and it wasn't fair.

Not long after I was taken into care I found out dad hung himself. I have no idea whether my birth, mom recovered or not. If she did, she didn't bother to contact me or attend his funeral.

It doesn't bother me, I do miss my father but bearing in mind I was 7 when he died 6 when I was taken into care. I think of myself as an orphan really since last I heard my mom resembled more of a vegetable than anything.

I'm writing all of this down in my journal or dairy as I like to call it. As to where I live, I live in an easily forgotten town named New bark. No one remembers it really; it only got put on the map when a kid named Ethan moved here and became the champion a few years ago.

If you are reading this you are probably thinking why write all of this down. The thing is I forget things sometimes and also I want to be able to look back at my life and try remembering every moment, from my wins and fails.

I started this when I received the news that I was going to be part of a new scheme to introduce the under privileged to possible carers. I'm not the only one who is in the scheme. Several others have been introduced from bigger cities in different regions.

So in a nutshell, a mad professor named after a tree has decided out of all the orphans here I am the only one ready at this minute to take on a Pokémon journey, and do some research for him. On what I have no idea. It's either this on in a few weeks go to a halfway house and leave everyone anyway. So I chose this.

That takes me up to now.

"Nee-chan?" a small hand tugs on my sleeve, causing me to close my journal.

"Yes Anna?" placing my hands under her arms lifting her up onto my lap.

"You know when you go travelling, will you come back?" She asks her blonde pigtails sticking up at odd angles.

"Of course, and when I do I promise to bring you a special present."

"Sweeties?"

"Even better than sweets. I promise."

"Nee-chan, can I come with you, please?" She asks sweetly,

"Afraid not, come on its nice here anyway." It's true in every book orphanages are cruel horrible places but this isn't. Far from.

"Jonas picks on me, he's not nice." She pouted looking like a 5 year old

"You have my full permission to kick his butt." Jonas does get annoying, but he doesn't mess with the big kids.

"Will you do it for me?" damn this kid can be persuasive

"Fine. But you have to be good for Marcie."

"Deal ..."

"Crystal! Your turn to put the trash out." Oh great my last night here and I get trash duty. That's Daisy for you, she's the oldest. Technically she should be in a half way house, but since Marcie developed a dodgy hip she got employed by her to keep everyone in check.

Dinner was pretty uneventful; Jonas left all of his veggies on his chair again and sat on them lovely. Marc decided he was a mole and crawled under the table with his eyes closed. Jess, she poked Sophie in the eye with her fairy wand since Sophie said fairies didn't exist. I think jess is Tinkerbelle's human sister. Daisy's boyfriend phoned blue dude as he wants to be called answered and told him to get lost in swear words. Oh did I mention I had to stop blue dude from trying to fly out of his bedroom window when he got told off for swearing. And Anna spilled orange juice on Jonas, by accident.

Out of all the kids I have the best relationship with the mysterious Blue Dude, Jess and Anna. They are good kids. Blue dude, I have been sworn to secrecy as a superhero doesn't reveal his age, Jess is 9 and Anna is 6 and half.

That night was so hard for me. Packing all of the needed belongings into a rucksack. I sweet talked Daisy and Anna to keep some things in their rooms for me. Some stuff I can't travel with, for example my father's ashes, my baby box and half of my clothes. A rucksack will only fit so much especially when you have to get a tent, a bed roll, a sleeping bag, a bit of food, medicines and clothes.

With the help of one of those flat pack things that suck the air out I managed to squeeze everything in, including my plushie on top. Many years ago Lyra won for me at a fair, she said that once she used to travel with Pokémon and every kid should have a plushie. So I got a Growlithe one. It has always been by my side.

Lying looking up at the ceiling I wondered, what on earth will happen when I meet this mad professor.

Why me?