A/N: I finally posted this! It's been seething in my computer for weeks. I hope you enjoy!
Meet Selena Stone, age thirteen. Long, light brown hair, green eyes and a taste for trouble. Born and raised in Cerulean City, Selena longs to leave and go on an adventure like most kids her age were doing. Her older brother and only sibling, Joshua Stone, left five years ago for the Pokémon League after defeating Misty, the local gym leader.
After claiming the badge and prize money, Josh told his parents he wanted to venture out into the world so he could find his calling. Their mother and father supported his decision without hesitation.
Now, only a week shy from thirteen, Selena is more than ready to make the same trip her brother did and find an adventure of her own…
"But mom!" Selena whined.
"Josh got to leave at eleven, I'm almost fourteen and you won't even let me leave town without an adult!" Selena's mom, Crystal, sighed in exasperation.
"Josh was far more responsible than you are; even now you still forget to clean the bike racks like your father tells you to. And besides, you're not fourteen until next Thursday, so stop all this nonsense about leaving and eat your breakfast."
Selena huffed; it was the third time this week she tried to convince her mother, the more stubborn of her parents, and she got the same lecture every time. Her father was always at work in the local bike shop, so everything had to be approved by mom.
'I see no difference between me leaving and Josh leaving…' Selena thought miserably, angrily taking a bite out of her toast.
After breakfast, Selena went back up the stairs into her room to change. She threw on her black and red plaid shirt with the metal rings she liked, a red tank top and the black short sleeve jacket her grandmother had gotten her last year. Selena thanked God her grandma had good taste.
She grabbed her blue backpack and some money she had saved. While no one in the family knew where her brother actually was, he sent them letters every month or so to tell them all how he's been.
To Selena, he sent a letter every two weeks, always including some money or a gift or two from wherever he was at the time. She had a total of about 4500 yen now and was planning on buying some Pokèballs, even if she wasn't allowed to leave, her parents never said anything about catching a Pokémon of her own.
Selena ran full tilt down the stairs, almost colliding with her mother.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Crystal asked, eyeing her daughter suspiciously. Selena running that quickly never meant good things.
"I'm going to go hang out with Seth," Selena said instantly.
"He's going to take me out to the field so I can watch him catch Pokémon. Maybe I can finally get my own…"
'Yeah right, if I had my own Pokémon to battle with in the first place…' Selena thought. Crystal smiled.
"Well you two have fun then, and stop by Mr. Spencer's house before you go out to the field, I heard he had a surprise for you."
Selena slid past her mom, nodding as she went. After pulling on her red sneakers, she set off for Mr. Spencer's house.
Mr. Spencer was an elderly man who ran a daycare and breeding center just outside of town, and being Selena's next-door neighbor, he often brought her to the center to play with the Pokémon.
The only thing he didn't like about his job was when people forgot to pick up their Pokémon. He always called them "Lazy Bums".
Mr. Spencer waved to Selena as she walked up the driveway. He was outside tending to his berry trees. He used the berries as a food source and medicine for the Pokémon he raised.
"Hi Mr. Spencer!" Selena called. Mr. Spencer stood, brushing his pants off before walking over to Selena.
"I'm guessing you heard I had a surprise for you," Mr. Spencer chuckled. Selena nodded slowly, not quite sure what to say. Mr. Spencer walked toward his house, motinoning for Selena to follow. The screen door creaked when it opened.
"I heard from your mother that you want to become a Pokémon trainer. Is that right?" He asked, leading her into the kitchen. Selena nodded silently, wishing she were far away on an adventure, just like her brother Josh.
Mr. Spencer smiled knowingly and left the room. He returned shortly with a small box. Selena's heart jumped when she saw the air holes in the sides.
'A Pokémon?' she wondered, gazing at the box. Mr. Spencer chuckled at her expression and set the box on the table in front of her.
"Some lazy bum left the egg here and this is what hatched out of it". He smirked at the delighted look on Selena's face. Something scratched the inside of the box.
"Open it quickly before she decides to come out herself." Selena reached for the box slowly, undoing the red ribbon. She stuck this in her pocket before carefully lifting the lid, as to not scare the Pokémon inside.
A small head poked out of the box. Selena grinned.
"A Vulpix! I've always wanted one!" Selena stared at the Vulpix for a second. Her forehead wrinkled in thought before she turned to Mr. Spencer.
"Pix?" the Pokémon asked.
"I thought Vulpix were red and orange, this one's almost yellow." It was true; her new Vulpix sported a shiny golden orange coat instead of the usual flame red. Mr. Spencer nodded in agreement.
"That is true, most Vulpix do have a red coat, but this one's special." He winked.
"Just like you."
Selena turned back to her new Pokémon and smiled. The Vulpix stared back at her before losing interest and began cleaning its strange colored coat.
"I think I'll name you Foxfire," Selena said, addressing Vulpix.
"What do you think? It is going to be your name." Foxfire blinked for a moment before leaping out of the box and into Selena's waiting arms. Selena laughed gleefully, petting her new Pokémon.
"I guess you approve." Selena turned to Mr. Spencer.
"Thank you, I've wanted a Pokémon forever and I knew my parents wouldn't get me one. Thank you."
Mr. Spencer smiled and nodded.
"Go out and train your new Vulpix, I'm sure it would like some fresh air."
"Thank you again Mr. Spencer!" Selena called back, running out the door with Foxfire hot on her trail.
'My first Pokémon! I can't wait to show Seth!' Selena thought happily. Seth's home was two streets down from hers and closer to the country. Selena had always envied Seth for his proximity to wild Pokémon.
Seth was waiting outside for her, wearing his usual black pants and white shirt. He had on a blue vest she had never seen before and a pair of matching fingerless gloves.
He had recently mussed up his usually neat black hair, much to Selena's displeasure. His first and only Pokémon, Bulbasaur stood beside him on the front lawn. Seth's jaw dropped when he saw Foxfire.
"A Pokémon! You finally got a Pokémon?" He exclaimed, pushing his slipping glasses up the bridge of his nose. Seth bent down to examine Foxfire.
"A Vulpix, huh? Why is it such a weird color?" Selena shrugged, slightly irritated as to her best friend calling her first Pokémon "weird" for any reason.
"Vul?" Foxfire asked.
"She's unique, Mr. Spencer gave her to me as a birthday present." Selena said a matter-of-factly. She bent down to look at Foxfire.
"Don't worry Foxfire, I like you no matter what color you are," Selena said, smiling. Her Vulpix tilted her head, examining her new trainer. Selena pulled the red ribbon from her pocket and tied it around Foxfire's neck like a collar. Foxfire attempted to look down at it before looking back at Selena.
"Now you have a little red on you, it shows your true heart as a Vulpix, even if you're not red on the outside." Selena explained. Foxfire nuzzled her hand before licking it. Seth watched the pair with fascination.
'I forgot how much Selena cares for Pokémon and their feelings…it's pretty amazing…' Out loud he said, "That's pretty cool how you talk to Pokémon like that. I think you and your Vulpix will become best friends." Selena looked up at him in shock; he never said such mushy stuff.
"Just don't forget about me," Seth said, jabbing a thumb at his chest. His eyes widened in realization.
"Oh! I almost forgot…" Seth pulled his green travel bag off his back. He opened it and pulled a small metal box from it. The box was about seven inches by four inches and had a glossy blue gray sheen. On the top of the box was a black Pokèball. Curious as to its contents, Serena slid closer to Seth, peeking over his shoulder.
"Now," he said in a serious voice, pushing his glasses up his nose again, his golden brown eyes flashing. Seth wiggled his eyebrows at Selena.
The effect was very comical and sent Serena into a fit of giggles. Seth spun the box on his hand like a ball, sending a smug grin Selena's way.
"Showoff…" Selena muttered, letting Foxfire climb up on her shoulder. She shoved Seth playfully, trying to get the box from him. It shouldn't have been too difficult, seeing as Selena was three inches taller than him and more athletic.
But Seth was faster and kept it away from her just long enough to annoy her. Selena huffed, glaring at him and his box. Seth grinned triumphantly, mussing up his own hair for just to irk her.
"Here," he said, opening the box. Selena gasped. Inside lay a Cascade Badge, the reward for defeating the local gym.
"Beautiful isn't it? I won it just yesterday from Daisy; too bad Misty wasn't here though. Probably out with her boyfriend Ash…"
Selena had no time to argue that matter, even though it was their favorite subject to fight on.
Seth thought Ash Ketchum and Misty were an item while Selena thought they were just friends. The little blue badge glistening in the box was far more important than their usual bickering. She stared at it in silence, feeling betrayed.
"Me and Bulbasaur here battled her yesterday afternoon. I got these," He tugged at the vest and wiggled his fingers, showing off the gloves.
"With the prize money. I have just enough left to buy some supplies. Oh you should have seen the battle…"
Seth's voice faded into the background as all kinds of thoughts raced through Selena's head.
'Does this mean… he's leaving? Just like Josh?' Selena sniffed.
Seth looked up his new badge, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Selena? Why are you crying?" he reached up, wiping away a tear she had shed unconsciously. Suddenly Selena was very angry.
"How could you?" She yelled, making Seth jump.
"Are you going to leave now? Leave me behind like my brother did? I have no one here to hang out with besides you…" Seth stared at her in shock. Selena no longer cared that she was crying.
"Selena, I-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Selena cut in. She scooped up Foxfire, petting her, then glared at Seth.
"Go off and have an adventure," she said viciously. Her voice quieted to barely above a whisper.
"I'll just stay here and rot!" With that, she whipped around, not even giving her best friend a chance to speak, and sped off toward home.
Seth stared at his friend's form, slowly getting smaller as she ran home. He sighed, looked down at his trusty Bulbasaur.
"Man, Bulbasaur, I didn't even get to give her the birthday present I bought her…" Seth reached in his bag and pulled out a metal badge case, identical to his. "Selena Stone" was engraved inside.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please Rate and Review! Message me if you have any suggestions!