My Journey

Chapter One: Jewelry From Another Planet

"Do you really want to challenge me, again?" asked Brock from across the field. I looked him right in the eye, not faltering, and nodded. "This is your third time, Sydney. Haven't you learned to give up? Go, Geodude!"

"I never give up!" I retaliated, showing my very stubborn attitude. I was going to get that badge, not matter what. "Your turn, Brielle!" My fellow Dratini leapt off my shoulder, jumped onto the battlefield, with determination set in her eyes.

"Let's do this thing, Sydney." She cried.

I nodded, letting Brock have the first move. "Geodude, tackle!"

"Brielle, look out!" I cried, and the dragon type successfully jumped into the air and avoided the rock type's attack. "Counter with a tackle of your own!"

Wait.

I should back up.

My name is Sydney, obviously. I'm eleven years old and a Pokemon trainer. And yes, I can understand Pokemon. It's a gift- literally, but I'll tell you in the long version, so it seems more enjoyable.

Yes, people have said I am stubborn. Very stubborn. Once I decide something, I do it. But, instead of droning on about many tales about how my stubbornness has gotten me in trouble, let's go back a while, so you can understand what the heck is going on.

"Good morning, Sydney." said Papa as I yawned, crawling down the stairs, then out onto our porch, just like every other casual morning. He didn't need to look up from his newspaper to know it was me.

"'Orning, Papa." I murmured sleepily, stretching. "Morning Caine, Ollie, Freya, Ellie, Regan, and Marie."

Papa used to be a Pokemon trainer, and held seven badges of the Kanto region. But he started his journey when he was twenty-two, unlike most people, who start at ten or eleven, latest twelve.

Ellie, Papa's Charizard, waved at me, and I waved back. Caine was a Houndour, Freya was a Victreebell, Ollie was a Dodrio, Regan was a Dewgong, and lastly, Marie was a Chansey. His entire team, that got him the seven badges of Kanto. If his team was so good, I don't understand why he didn't go to the other regions, but in the league (which he got 19th place in, by the way, nineteen out of fifty, pretty good) he met my mom, they fell in love...Blah, blah, blah, and here we are now, Mama lost.

Most people says she's dead; and I think so, too, but a small shred of me thinks she might be out there still.

"You going out on a walk after you take my bacon?" asked Papa.

I replied with a nod, and I skillfully swiped some bacon from his plate. "Yeah, why?"

"Nothing." Casual Papa; cryptic as usual. "I think you should take Ollie with you, just in case." I nodded in reply and called to the Dodrio, who came running, with Caine in tow, wagging her tail. Papa says that ever since the two met they have been the best of friends...Cool, huh?

"Sorry, Caine, but it's Ollie's turn today." I said to the dog-like Pokemon, gently rubbing its head. "I would take all of you if I could, but you know how that would turn out." Yeah, having a pre-teenaged girl running around town with level 80+ Pokemon isn't a good idea, and we had to learn that from experience.

Ollie cooed and leaned one of his heads down, but eventually the other two fought for affection. "Alright, alright, let's go."

I took off with Ollie down the paths of Pallet Town. It's not that big of a town, honest to Pete, but it was a nice rural area. The entire population was just in the hundreds, so it was a small town. But the Pokemon make it so much alive you forget about the little people.

Ollie and I followed a path today that took us into Route One, a cute little nature trail. You needed to make sure you had a Pokemon with you or wild ones would attack, but the scenery..."Ahh, this never gets old, does it, Ollie?" Ollie's three heads sounded like three separate grunts of pleasure, mixed together in a harmonious trio. I spotted some berries hanging in a tree and pointed them out to the Dodrio. "Hey, how about some berries, Oll-ster?"

The Pokémon nods. "Use head-butt on the tree!"

Yes, I practice my move-yelling techniques. Sometimes I try British accents, sometimes Australian. Other times I try impersonating people I know; Mr. Peters and his weird high man voice, and sometimes, even Papa. But now, I just use my own voice.

Ollie nods and took off towards the tree. A couple people who were walking on the road paid no attention to me, because I was just a regular kid who had a duper strong Papa. He could've gone to the Elite Four, too, if he hadn't met my mom.

Yet if he did, I never would have been born, so he gets points for that.

Four berries fell out of the tree, one of them I was lucky to catch. Smiling, I nodded to Ollie, and we took off towards the small stream. Its crystal-blue water reflected the sky as it ran past us, and I washed them off.

CLINK!

"Hmm?" I wonder, setting the berries aside and feeling around in the clear water. I feel a chain and pull. Whatever it is, it's stuck. "Hey, Ollie, a little support here, if you don't mind?"

Ollie calmly used one of his heads and pulled on the back of my red sweatshirt, and whatever I held came free. Okay, I admit it, I am short, and so I may have hovered an inch or two off the ground when Ollie picked me up, but I haven't hit my growth yet!

I looked at the necklace I had pulled out, and it reminded me of a talisman from Native mythology and cultures, but I couldn't put my finger on which one. The round stone shined many colors in the sunlight, and had a couple extra beads on it for added beauty. After asking around a bit, I decided this was nobody's, and you know, finders keepers.

I looked up at the sun. "Almost noon, we should head back now, Ollie." Ollie nodded and leaned down, allowing me to perch myself on his back, and he sped off like a bullet, with a girl holding on tightly to his middle neck.

"Papa, I'm hoommmee!" I cried as soon as I entered the house. Papa was sitting at the table, but there was a big box on it. "Ooh, what's in the box?"

"A surprise, from your cousin." explained Papa as he grabbed a steak knife to open it.

Jake?

I thought, grinning. Yeah, you may have heard of him. The champion of Unova? I don't see him much because he's doing work in his far-away region, but he writes to me occasionally.

But this time, it was a packaged deal.

I watched in interest as Papa opened the box and looked inside. "Oh my." Was all he could muster out. Oh my? I looked in, too.

There were a couple of objects in the bag. One of them was a bag, much better than the ratty old purple one since first grade I carry around, but a more durable, black-and-orange HIKE bag, along with a couple of Pokeballs. There was also a letter. I reached for it fast and pulled it out.

Dear Sydney,

it began

It's been a while, hasn't it? I know I haven't been in touch lately, but hey, duty calls when you're the champ of Unova.

Anyways, I heard you've been cooped up with your Papa for a while. How about an adventure?

Signed,

Jake
Champion of Unova

It was very vague, but I knew what it meant, piece by piece. Papa got the drift as he read over my shoulder, then collapsed dramatically into a chair. "I knew this day would come soon."

"What day?" I asked.

"The day you decided to leave the nest." He said. "Go on an adventure, Sydney. Have fun, and, please, don't die."

"That's a beautiful good-bye speech. But I'm not sure if I'm even-" I sighed. "Yeah, I am so going to do this." I held the bag in front of me determined. To be honest, I've always wanted an adventure. I've daydreamed of going to every region. I've thought about the battles and friends I would make. I fantasied seeing myself fight Jake in Unova.

It's something people don't just randomly go, "Oh, sure, I'll do the gym challenge. Beat the league. Sounds fun." It takes people time to decide. "Do I really want to go that path?" they ask themselves. Is it the best thing for them? Or would they be more interested in musicals, or breeding, or contests?

I decided it would be best to pursue the path I wanted to go. Sure, I'll do the gym challenge. Fight my way to Jake and defeat him...One day...

Papa nodded, smiling. "Just don't get into any trouble out there, okay? Your cousin Claire is going to leave next week, too. I'll pack your bag, if you want."

It was my turn to return the smile. "You'd do that, Papa? You'd look through my secret collection of Justin Bidoof pictures and find the perfect one? Or what about One Route pictures?" I hated those iconic pop singers, exactly why I was bringing them up. "Just pack me stuff I'll need for the journey, I'll get the clothes." I shooed Papa out of the kitchen and dumped the box onto the floor.

At least ten Pokeballs, including a premier ball, rolled onto the ground. A belt rolled out, with six little places to put the Pokeballs on. Grinning, I grabbed the first one I found and decided to try putting it on the belt, which fit the loops on my blue plaid shorts perfectly, but something happened.

POP!

The pokeball opened and out came a Pokemon I hadn't seen before. This Pokémon was snake-like, but it didn't give off a cunning vibe, more of a graceful, elegant vibe. It was completely blue, except for its nose, its underside, and ears. Purple eyes looked into mine until it curled up and fell asleep.

"Oh, um, hi." I said, grabbing for my letter. Did he mention anything about a Pokemon on here? Frantically I re-read it. Nope.

The blue Pokemon stretched and looked towards me, blinking its big, purple eyes. It cocked its head to the right. I mimicked it. It turned to the left. I followed.

"I don't know what kind of Pokemon you are." I admitted.

"Talk about ignorant. I just guess all humans are."

My eyes widened. That Pokemon...Just talked.

I freaked out. Papa found me staring at the blue Pokemon when he re-entered the kitchen. "Sydney...?"

I snapped out of my trance. "Oh, um, Papa, this Pokemon came with everything. It's um..."

"A Dratini." She replied suavely, yet a snobby tone to it.

"A Dratini." I said.

"Oh, what a rare one indeed!" grinned Papa, leaning down to the Pokémon's height. "You're so lucky to get such a rare one! I wonder how Jake got it!"

"Oh, Clair from Blackthorne City gave him me. You know, that city in Johto? Last gym leader? Dragons? Yeah, her Dragonite's my father." said Dratini.

Papa laughed, not understanding a word. "It would be cool to know what she's saying, right, Syd?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I had other thoughts on my mind. Where did I suddenly get this ability to understand Pokemon? I've been around them my whole lives, I don't understand! This makes no sense!

I looked to my chest, and saw the necklace I had found. Is this some universal translator? So I can understand Pokémon-talk? In my mind, I eventually said, Yep, it must be it. It made sense, too- how I was able to understand Pokemon after obtaining the mysterious necklace.

Cool.

"Well, Sydney, when are you going to leave? After you clean up this mess, I hope." Nervously I glanced at the mess on the floor I had created and laughed, pushing the Pokeballs into my bag, then grabbing the one ball that wasn't empty.

Dratini shook her head. "No way am I going back in that, sister!"

Great. A sassy Pokemon. A defiant Pokemon. Perfect starter for me, universe.