Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything! Except my characters and storyline.

La de da de da. Yep. My first poke fic. Review nicely please!

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A sunny day was shining on the city of Altomare with it's busy streets and sailing Italian-like boats was a young girl, no more in her teens, sitting on a bench along an alleyway with a statue of a Seaking spitting out water in front. Her long blue crystal hair flowed to her shoulder blades topped with a red pokeball bandana. The girl's emerald eyes were like puddles on a rainy day. With her hand holding her chin boredly, she hunched over and gave a moan. But, why must she be sad on a happy day? Pidgeys and Spearow's soared with joyful chirps. Water pokemon all around with their trainer's and owners danced with merryment and yet she sat alone with depression.

I'm so bored! My mother and father move out and enjoy a cruise around the ocean for a year while they leave me stuck here with nothing but food and shelter!

Well, there's your problem for you. How 'bout we take a flashback?

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"Oh you'll be fine honey!" her mother reassured her. "It's just a year."

Just a year?! A year?! 'Yes, a year. That's not to long mother. I'm sure I'll do nothing bad in a year!'

"But what am I supposed to do? Stay here and be a good girl all year?" she said taken aback.

"Heather Jean Dullane! You know that a girl of 14 can take care of herself! Anyway, if there's ever an emergency you can go to Claire's house. Her mother is always happy to take you in!"

"Come on honey" Heather turned to see her father with heavy trunks. "Our ship will leave any minute!"

"Ok." her mother replied, opening the door and giving her daughter a goodbye kiss. "See you next year!"

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Heather sighed. This wasn't what her plans were going to be this year. She was hoping her parents would take her to the lab in a town not far away from here and get her first pokemon. Her dreams were to become the greatest pokemon trainer around Altomare. Heather's friend, Claire, already had a pokemon. The cutest little Azurill named Daisy.

Claire had told her earlier she was about to go on her journey for the Hoenn league, and she was hoping to tag along. But how could she travel with no pokemon to fight in battle with her?

Heather decided it was about time to head home and do nothing for the rest of the day. Just when she had stood: BANG! Heather fell to the ground cradling her head. Something hard had crashed into her skull - or merely thrown. She glanced forward to see a heavy looking pack with pokeballs pouring out of it. After a recovery she heard a mocking voice call "Sorry! Did I accidently hit your head? Well, it was in the way of that building I was trying to hit."

Heather turned to see a girl who looked about two years older than her. She had creamy blonde hair with cascade blue eyes, wearing a pink mini-skirt and a tank top. Next to her stood a Totodile with a pink bow around it's neck. The girl gave a snicker and the female Totodile followed.

Heather knew this incident was done on purpose. Her hands balled up to fists, just ready to smack her, but stopped from raising her hand and picked up the pack, gathering the pokeballs inside. She had decided to play nice towards this girl.

"Here you go" Heather handed - more like shoved - her the pack.

"Thanks" the girl replied, dumbfounded, but then smirked. "I'm Ruth and, for a note to yourself, get a smaller head."

Heather pretended to take this insult lightly. "I'll think about it."

"Do you have a pokemon?"

"No."

"Want to battle?"

"How can I battle with no pokemon?"

"It's easy. Just pretend that you're a weak pokemon trying to fight my Totodile."

"Um...no thanks."

"Go Magenta! Water gun!"

Without hestation, the Totodile sprayed a splash of water at her. Heather's hair was soaked.

"I told you I can't battle!" she yelled.

"To bad. Magenta feels like battling" Ruth replied with a light shrug as if she had no control torwards her pokemon. "Okay Magenta! Give her a good bite!"

Magenta charged torwards Heather with her shiny teeth showing. Heather's temper was rising as she raised a balled fist. Right when they were about to clash a water pokemon tackled Magenta into the ground.

"Claire! Daisy!" Heather exclaimed, runnning over to her. Daisy ran to Claire's side and nuzzled Heather.

"Zurill!" Daisy chirped happily.

Ruth took Magenta in her arms to make sure she was okay from the hit and then had another smirk.

"You weren't worth my time" she murmured and disappeared through the alleyways.

Claire gave a sour face. "Who was that? Your stalker?"

"What do you mean?" Heather questioned.

"Well, I was walking around and saw you moping around" she explained. "I guessed you were still mad about your parents leaving, so I decided to catch you and cheer you up. Then, I stopped because I noticed that girl following you and wondered why she would follow a random girl doing nothing. After you sat on the bench she called out her Totodile and started to whisper to it. I thought she was trying to be nice since you looked sad and all, but that all changed as soon she threw her pack at you. Right when that Totodile used water gun I called out Daisy to tackle her."

Heather thought about this. Why would Ruth just follow her and hate her all of the sudden? Did she hate the way she walked for crying out loud?

Well, Ruth is going to be sorry after that! As soon as I get my first pokemon she's toast! Hm, toast. I haven't had breakfast toda-

Rumble.

Heather's stomach had blown the horn and she flushed with embarassment. Claire and Daisy laughed.

"Hungry? How 'bout we stop by the Cascade Cafe?" Claire decided.

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Heather greatfully wolfed down pancakes and sausage as the waitress set the plate of food on the small table. Daisy was enjoying pokemon food while Claire chomped eggs and bacon. After a moment of eating, Claire set down her fork and knife with stains of egg yolk on them.

"So, have you thought about joining me on journey? I'm going to be leaving soon and I just can't travel without you."

Heather gave a sad face. "Claire, you know I can't go without a pokemon. Did you see how helpless I was back there in the alley? There's no way I could survive out there!"

"I can easily get you a pokemon! Azurill can weaken it and then you can throw one of my pokeba-"

Heather shook her head. "No, I can't do that. I want my first pokemon to be special. I want to know that I got it on my own without the help of someone else's pokemon. That's why I decided to travel to that lab outside of town to get my first pokemon." She was half-surprised those words tumbled out of her mouth, not really planning before to travel to that lab. But the more she thought about it, the more it sounded like a good idea.

Mom and Dad wouldn't mind if I leave the house, right? I could leave a note explaining everything and they wouldn't kill me when I get home, right? Right?

Claire frowned.

"Well" she was hesitant. "If you change your mind let me know, okay? I leave tommorow night and I've got to pack. Come on, Daisy."

Claire stood and left to home with Daisy behind her.

For the rest of the day, Heather pondered whether to go ahead and catch a pokemon with Claire or just travel to the lab. By the middle of the day, the lab had won. She ran home and tore a piece of paper out of her notebook. Her handwriting seemed perfect as she sped through her letter:

Dear Mom and Dad,

Sorry to say that I'm leaving town. I'm going to the lab I asked you to take me to earlier and recieving my first pokemon. After that, I'm travelling with Claire for the Hoenn League. I know this is unexpected for you guys, but I've been thinking about this for awhile. Don't worry and hope you had a nice cruise!

Love, Heather

Heather took the note and skimmed through it. She had to admit, that she was a little guilty for leaving the house so unexpectedly, but this was her dream. To be the best trainer in Altomare city and, at that moment she realized, defeating Ruth - her new rival.

She hastily got her backpack and packed clothes, toiletries, pillow, sleeping bag, and some pokeballs she had bought when she was little. Once she reached the kitchen, she grabbed some chips and other food and forced it down her pack.

There she stood at the door making one last glance at her house, wondering if she was making the right decision.

This is it. I'm going to be a trainer and no one is going to stop, or beat, me. Not even Ruth or Claire.

Heather shut the door to her home that was packed between two other houses and headed for the last boat ride to Lorodon Forest. In that forest would be Professor Ken's Lab. As night approached, and as she sailed on that boat, Heather knew her first pokemon was waiting for her. Where an eternity of adventures awaited.