p align="justify"Bump. Bump. Bump./p
p align="justify"The constant bumps were getting annoying. emAt least I'm almost to our new home, but why did Dad insist that we move to Hoenn from Kanto? I won't know anyone…/em Back home, Arya had known all the kids her own age, and she had been looking forward to getting her Charmander from Professor Oak. emI hope there are Fire type Pokémon here in Hoenn…/em/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed as she opened her laptop, to view the video that had been sent over by Professor Birch, and started to watch. At least it was giving her something to do. Once she reached the point where she needed to put her own details in, she grinned. emSo he's going to be the one who gets to give me a Pokémon. I wonder what they'll be like! He seems nice enough./em/p
p align="justify"She put her details in./p
p align="justify""Ah so you're that Arya… I expect we'll be meeting soon. Come meet me in my lab!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned at that last line from Professor Birch. "I'll be there soon," she wrote back as the truck finally stopped moving and the doors opened a few moments later./p
p align="justify"emI'm finally here…/em/p
p align="justify"Arya hopped out of the truck, looking around for a few moments. Seemed a small town, but that was what they were used to, after living in Pallet Town./p
p align="justify""Arya! You're here at last!"/p
p align="justify"Arya jumped before grinning at her mother./p
p align="justify""I would have been here sooner if I had been able to fly over with you, mum!"/p
p align="justify""Wasn't it tough riding in the back of the bumpy moving truck all the way?"/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded./p
p align="justify""You've no idea!"/p
p align="justify"Julia nodded. Like Arya, she had brown hair, a little darker and pinned back from her face. They had the same green eyes./p
p align="justify""Well, this is Littleroot Town. What do you think? This is going to be our new home! It has a quaint feel, but it looks like it should be a nice place to live, don't you think? And you get your own room this time, Arya!"/p
p align="justify"Arya refrained from rolling her eyes. emYeah, now, when I'm already ten! The Professor already wants me over to his lab! I won't need my own room!/em/p
p align="justify""I already know this place, mum! Remember dad used to have us come to stay from time to time when I was little!"/p
p align="justify"Back then she had been happy playing with his two Slaking up in one of the trees near the house. She looked over, and yes, she could still see that oak which she had spent so much time in./p
p align="justify""Come on!"/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed, before following her mother into the house. It was a double story, and she remembered it only too well. Kitchen and dining area and television on the ground floor, bedrooms up above on the other floor./p
p align="justify"She headed past the two working Machoke, and to her room, the second door on the right. emI doubt it's really changed, even though we brought all our things over here. /em/p
p align="justify"Opposite the doorway was her desk, with a notebook, and some books. emI didn't want to bring much, but then I won't be home much as it is, so why clutter things up?/em/p
p align="justify"One corner was dominated by a huge Lapras doll, sitting on a pink rug with a few orange cushions she hadn't wanted to leave behind. Not far from her Lapras doll was her own television, and in the last corner rested her old bed, still with its pink and yellow striped blanket. At the foot of it was a small dark pink waste bin. emI won't be using that… I won't be home!/em/p
p align="justify"Pulling the pink rimmed clock down from its hook on the wall next to her desk, she walked over to the desk, found the batteries in the top draw, put them in and set it to the right time. emThere… all done…/em/p
p align="justify"Grabbing her green shoulder bag, she headed downstairs once more, running, when she heard her dad's voice./p
p align="justify""Oh! Arya! Arya! Quick! Come quickly!"/p
p align="justify"Arya darted over to where her mum was, standing in front of the television./p
p align="justify""It's the Petalburg Gym! Maybe Dad will be on television!"/p
p align="justify"emSo that's where I heard dad's voice from…/em Arya turned to watch the television./p
p align="justify"An interviewer was on television./p
p align="justify""We brought you this report live from in front of Petalburg Gym. Next up, a special look at a long-awaited meteor shower in the next star show…"/p
p align="justify"emMissed him! Drat!/em/p
p align="justify""What a shame we missed him… Why don't you go see your dad's friend? Professor Birch? He lives here doesn't he?"/p
p align="justify""I know he's our neighbor. He contacted me while I was in the truck; he wants to see me mum!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned at her mother's surprised face./p
p align="justify""Well don't leave him waiting, but remember, you're always welcome back home, whatever it is you get up to now we're here."/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded./p
p align="justify""I'll not forget that, mum, I promise."/p
p align="justify"She headed outside into the town once more./p
p align="justify"The laboratory she could see across the road, but she decided to go visit the Professor's house first. emI wonder if Brendan knows I'm here to stay now?/em He was the only friend she had made in all her visits here, and they were the same age./p
p align="justify"She knocked before heading into the house, and grinned as Brendan's mum turned around./p
p align="justify""Arya! How nice to see you again! I heard you were on your way over here! My husband's not home, but I think Brendan's upstairs. He'll be so happy to see you!"/p
p align="justify"Arya smiled./p
p align="justify""Nice to see you too, Mrs. Birch!"/p
p align="justify"She headed up and grinned as she found the door to Brendan's room open. She could hear him moving about in there, and she moved to stand in the doorway before grinning. Her friends room was the same as hers, only with blue where her own was pink./p
p align="justify""Brendan!" Brendan flinched, and looked over./p
p align="justify""Arya! You're here again? Since when?"/p
p align="justify"Arya laughed./p
p align="justify""I just arrived. Seems I'll be here permanently too!"/p
p align="justify"Brendan chuckled./p
p align="justify""Sounds great! Though do you have a Pokémon yet?"/p
p align="justify"Arya shook her head./p
p align="justify""I'll catch you one..." Brendan winced. "Oh no! I told dad I'd go help him… and I'm late. Some other time okay?"/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed./p
p align="justify""Sure Brendan…"/p
p align="justify"She followed him back out of the house, waving to Mrs. Birch as she left. Brendan had already vanished before she even got out of the house, and she shook her head./p
p align="justify"emI'll head over to the lab; see if Professor Birch is where he said he would be when I got here./em Hopefully he was there, and not off doing fieldwork as she knew he quite enjoyed doing./p
p align="justify"Surprisingly, there was no sign of the Professor in the wide room of the lab, but seeing one of his assistants she walked over./p
p align="justify""Uhm.. Excuse me? I'm looking for the Professor? He asked me to meet him here?"/p
p align="justify"The man looked down at her./p
p align="justify""Arya right? Professor Birch told me you'd be coming. You'll want to look on Route 1 for him; he's out in a patch of grass not far from the entrance to town. You'll be able to see him, and get there without a Pokémon."/p
p align="justify""Thank you, sir," Arya replied before she hurried off, able to hear someone shouting, and it sounded like Professor Birch too./p
p align="justify"emOh no!/em Arya ran toward the town entrance, where a little girl was standing, looking out, frightened./p
p align="justify""What is it?" Arya asked stopping for a moment./p
p align="justify""I think I heard someone screaming up ahead! What should I do? What should we do? Someone has to go help…."/p
p align="justify"Arya smiled./p
p align="justify""I'll go, I think I know who is in trouble, and I believe not for the first time…"/p
p align="justify"She remembered her father having to help the professor at least once while she was visiting before./p
p align="justify"She headed alone the path, and winced as she saw the Professor's bag on the ground. emNot again.../em/p
p align="justify""Help me!"/p
p align="justify"Yup it was the Professor who was in trouble, and she hurried a little further along, staying out of the longer grass where she knew Pokémon could be hiding. There was a small dog, mostly light grey but with a black face chasing the Professor./p
p align="justify"emAnother Poochyena!/em/p
p align="justify""Help!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned hurrying over./p
p align="justify""Professor?" she called./p
p align="justify""Oh Arya! In my bag, please? Use one of the Pokémon to get this Poochyena to leave me alone? You'll find Torchic, Mudkip and Treecko all in there!"/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded, and opened the bag./p
p align="justify"emI know who I want. Mudkip is a water type, Treecko is a grass type. Not my type. I want that Torchic!/em Grabbing the pokéball with the Pokémon's name on it, she pulled it out./p
p align="justify""Torchic! Help Professor Birch!"/p
p align="justify"She threw the pokéball./p
p align="justify"Out came the tiny orange chicken like Pokémon./p
p align="justify""Chic! Torchic!"/p
p align="justify""Torchic, use Ember!"/p
p align="justify"The Torchic nodded, and spat a few fire drops at the Poochyena, causing it to run away./p
p align="justify""I did it!"/p
p align="justify""Phew, thanks, Arya. Now come back to my lab, would you? Bring Torchic with you, this isn't a place for a chat."/p
p align="justify""Indeed not, Professor." Arya aimed the pokéball at Torchic./p
p align="justify""Return, Torchic!"/p
p align="justify"The Pokémon returned to its pokéball./p
p align="justify"The constant bumps were getting annoying. emAt least I'm almost to our new home, but why did Dad insist that we move to Hoenn from Kanto? I won't know anyone…/em Back home, Arya had known all the kids her own age, and she had been looking forward to getting her Charmander from Professor Oak. emI hope there are Fire type Pokémon here in Hoenn…/em/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed as she opened her laptop, to view the video that had been sent over by Professor Birch, and started to watch. At least it was giving her something to do. Once she reached the point where she needed to put her own details in, she grinned. emSo he's going to be the one who gets to give me a Pokémon. I wonder what they'll be like! He seems nice enough./em/p
p align="justify"She put her details in./p
p align="justify""Ah so you're that Arya… I expect we'll be meeting soon. Come meet me in my lab!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned at that last line from Professor Birch. "I'll be there soon," she wrote back as the truck finally stopped moving and the doors opened a few moments later./p
p align="justify"emI'm finally here…/em/p
p align="justify"Arya hopped out of the truck, looking around for a few moments. Seemed a small town, but that was what they were used to, after living in Pallet Town./p
p align="justify""Arya! You're here at last!"/p
p align="justify"Arya jumped before grinning at her mother./p
p align="justify""I would have been here sooner if I had been able to fly over with you, mum!"/p
p align="justify""Wasn't it tough riding in the back of the bumpy moving truck all the way?"/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded./p
p align="justify""You've no idea!"/p
p align="justify"Julia nodded. Like Arya, she had brown hair, a little darker and pinned back from her face. They had the same green eyes./p
p align="justify""Well, this is Littleroot Town. What do you think? This is going to be our new home! It has a quaint feel, but it looks like it should be a nice place to live, don't you think? And you get your own room this time, Arya!"/p
p align="justify"Arya refrained from rolling her eyes. emYeah, now, when I'm already ten! The Professor already wants me over to his lab! I won't need my own room!/em/p
p align="justify""I already know this place, mum! Remember dad used to have us come to stay from time to time when I was little!"/p
p align="justify"Back then she had been happy playing with his two Slaking up in one of the trees near the house. She looked over, and yes, she could still see that oak which she had spent so much time in./p
p align="justify""Come on!"/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed, before following her mother into the house. It was a double story, and she remembered it only too well. Kitchen and dining area and television on the ground floor, bedrooms up above on the other floor./p
p align="justify"She headed past the two working Machoke, and to her room, the second door on the right. emI doubt it's really changed, even though we brought all our things over here. /em/p
p align="justify"Opposite the doorway was her desk, with a notebook, and some books. emI didn't want to bring much, but then I won't be home much as it is, so why clutter things up?/em/p
p align="justify"One corner was dominated by a huge Lapras doll, sitting on a pink rug with a few orange cushions she hadn't wanted to leave behind. Not far from her Lapras doll was her own television, and in the last corner rested her old bed, still with its pink and yellow striped blanket. At the foot of it was a small dark pink waste bin. emI won't be using that… I won't be home!/em/p
p align="justify"Pulling the pink rimmed clock down from its hook on the wall next to her desk, she walked over to the desk, found the batteries in the top draw, put them in and set it to the right time. emThere… all done…/em/p
p align="justify"Grabbing her green shoulder bag, she headed downstairs once more, running, when she heard her dad's voice./p
p align="justify""Oh! Arya! Arya! Quick! Come quickly!"/p
p align="justify"Arya darted over to where her mum was, standing in front of the television./p
p align="justify""It's the Petalburg Gym! Maybe Dad will be on television!"/p
p align="justify"emSo that's where I heard dad's voice from…/em Arya turned to watch the television./p
p align="justify"An interviewer was on television./p
p align="justify""We brought you this report live from in front of Petalburg Gym. Next up, a special look at a long-awaited meteor shower in the next star show…"/p
p align="justify"emMissed him! Drat!/em/p
p align="justify""What a shame we missed him… Why don't you go see your dad's friend? Professor Birch? He lives here doesn't he?"/p
p align="justify""I know he's our neighbor. He contacted me while I was in the truck; he wants to see me mum!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned at her mother's surprised face./p
p align="justify""Well don't leave him waiting, but remember, you're always welcome back home, whatever it is you get up to now we're here."/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded./p
p align="justify""I'll not forget that, mum, I promise."/p
p align="justify"She headed outside into the town once more./p
p align="justify"The laboratory she could see across the road, but she decided to go visit the Professor's house first. emI wonder if Brendan knows I'm here to stay now?/em He was the only friend she had made in all her visits here, and they were the same age./p
p align="justify"She knocked before heading into the house, and grinned as Brendan's mum turned around./p
p align="justify""Arya! How nice to see you again! I heard you were on your way over here! My husband's not home, but I think Brendan's upstairs. He'll be so happy to see you!"/p
p align="justify"Arya smiled./p
p align="justify""Nice to see you too, Mrs. Birch!"/p
p align="justify"She headed up and grinned as she found the door to Brendan's room open. She could hear him moving about in there, and she moved to stand in the doorway before grinning. Her friends room was the same as hers, only with blue where her own was pink./p
p align="justify""Brendan!" Brendan flinched, and looked over./p
p align="justify""Arya! You're here again? Since when?"/p
p align="justify"Arya laughed./p
p align="justify""I just arrived. Seems I'll be here permanently too!"/p
p align="justify"Brendan chuckled./p
p align="justify""Sounds great! Though do you have a Pokémon yet?"/p
p align="justify"Arya shook her head./p
p align="justify""I'll catch you one..." Brendan winced. "Oh no! I told dad I'd go help him… and I'm late. Some other time okay?"/p
p align="justify"Arya sighed./p
p align="justify""Sure Brendan…"/p
p align="justify"She followed him back out of the house, waving to Mrs. Birch as she left. Brendan had already vanished before she even got out of the house, and she shook her head./p
p align="justify"emI'll head over to the lab; see if Professor Birch is where he said he would be when I got here./em Hopefully he was there, and not off doing fieldwork as she knew he quite enjoyed doing./p
p align="justify"Surprisingly, there was no sign of the Professor in the wide room of the lab, but seeing one of his assistants she walked over./p
p align="justify""Uhm.. Excuse me? I'm looking for the Professor? He asked me to meet him here?"/p
p align="justify"The man looked down at her./p
p align="justify""Arya right? Professor Birch told me you'd be coming. You'll want to look on Route 1 for him; he's out in a patch of grass not far from the entrance to town. You'll be able to see him, and get there without a Pokémon."/p
p align="justify""Thank you, sir," Arya replied before she hurried off, able to hear someone shouting, and it sounded like Professor Birch too./p
p align="justify"emOh no!/em Arya ran toward the town entrance, where a little girl was standing, looking out, frightened./p
p align="justify""What is it?" Arya asked stopping for a moment./p
p align="justify""I think I heard someone screaming up ahead! What should I do? What should we do? Someone has to go help…."/p
p align="justify"Arya smiled./p
p align="justify""I'll go, I think I know who is in trouble, and I believe not for the first time…"/p
p align="justify"She remembered her father having to help the professor at least once while she was visiting before./p
p align="justify"She headed alone the path, and winced as she saw the Professor's bag on the ground. emNot again.../em/p
p align="justify""Help me!"/p
p align="justify"Yup it was the Professor who was in trouble, and she hurried a little further along, staying out of the longer grass where she knew Pokémon could be hiding. There was a small dog, mostly light grey but with a black face chasing the Professor./p
p align="justify"emAnother Poochyena!/em/p
p align="justify""Help!"/p
p align="justify"Arya grinned hurrying over./p
p align="justify""Professor?" she called./p
p align="justify""Oh Arya! In my bag, please? Use one of the Pokémon to get this Poochyena to leave me alone? You'll find Torchic, Mudkip and Treecko all in there!"/p
p align="justify"Arya nodded, and opened the bag./p
p align="justify"emI know who I want. Mudkip is a water type, Treecko is a grass type. Not my type. I want that Torchic!/em Grabbing the pokéball with the Pokémon's name on it, she pulled it out./p
p align="justify""Torchic! Help Professor Birch!"/p
p align="justify"She threw the pokéball./p
p align="justify"Out came the tiny orange chicken like Pokémon./p
p align="justify""Chic! Torchic!"/p
p align="justify""Torchic, use Ember!"/p
p align="justify"The Torchic nodded, and spat a few fire drops at the Poochyena, causing it to run away./p
p align="justify""I did it!"/p
p align="justify""Phew, thanks, Arya. Now come back to my lab, would you? Bring Torchic with you, this isn't a place for a chat."/p
p align="justify""Indeed not, Professor." Arya aimed the pokéball at Torchic./p
p align="justify""Return, Torchic!"/p
p align="justify"The Pokémon returned to its pokéball./p