Chapter 1

"Ouch!" Jeffix cried yanking his hand away. Trapinch looked at him puzzled. "Don't bite me like that!" he said. He placed his hand back down and Trapinch took it in his jaws, but gentler this time. "Okay, that's better," Jeffix said. "But it still tickles."

"Jeffix? Everything all right?"

"Yeah, Dad," he replied. "Trapinch is just being Trapinch." Jeffix patted his Pokémon's head that was gently clamped on his other hand. The ship rocked ever so slightly on the sea journey to Johto. Jeffix was headed to Blackthorn City, where the great Dragonmaster lived. The Dragonmaster taught young trainers the ways of dealing with Dragon-type Pokémon.

Jeffix knew that one day, his Trapinch would evolve into a Flygon, a Pokémon known as the Desert Spirit. Being from the Orré region, Jeffix knew about the vast desert that covered most of it. His father had given him Trapinch so that he would always carry a piece of his homeland with him.

Jeffix was only five, which is young for a trainer to begin their journey but Jeffix would be attending a school before setting off on any journey so his father wasn't worried at all.

"Want to go swimming?" Jeffix's father asked.

"Yeah!" he said.

"Alright then. Go get changed." He pulled out a Pokéball. "Blastoise! Go!" Blastoise jumped out of its Pokéball and off the ship's deck and into the ocean. Jeffix came back with his swimsuit and goggles on. He dove off the ship and into the water. He went pretty deep but Blastoise got him back to the surface before he ran out of air.

Trapinch stood on the railing and watched him play. Being a Ground-type, Trapinch didn't really like water. Jeffix's father patted the Pokémon on the head. "You two will make a great team. You'll go far. Just wait." Trapinch responded by nipping at his hand. "Oh you silly Pokémon."

"All passengers departing at Olivine City please make your way to the exit now."

"That's us," Jeffix's father declared. "The academy said there would be someone to meet us and take you to Blackthorn City."

"You're not coming?"

"Sorry son. I've got to hang around here for a little while. But you'll be fine. I promise. You're a Pokémon Trainer now. You and Trapinch are going to make great things happen. You'll take the Pokémon League by storm one day."

"Mr. Komer?" a man said as he approached them.

"Ah, this is the man from the academy."

"Hello, there. I'm Louis, of Blackthorn Academy. And you must be Jeffix." Jeffix looked up at the man. He wore slacks and a vest with lots of pockets over his shirt. He had ice-blue hair that dangled down the sides of his face.

"Yes, I'm Jeffix," the young boy replied.

"It's very nice to meet you," Louis said. "I see you've received a Pokémon. It looks quite happy with you."

"Well Trapinch is only a baby right now," Jeffix said. "He likes to bite my hand."

Louis laughed, "Well that's probably just its way of saying it likes you."

"Yeah, I know. But it still hurts."

"So Mr. Komer, is there any luggage that Jeffix requires with him?"

"I'm having it shipped to Blackthorn myself," Jeffix's father said.

"Well alright then," Louis said. "Shall we be on our way to Blackthorn?"

Jeffix's father turned to him. "Jeffix," he said, "I will see you again soon. I love you, your mother loves you, and Trapinch loves you too." He gave his young son a hug.

"Bye Dad," Jeffix said.

"Good-bye, Trapinch," he said as Trapinch gently closed its jaws around his hand. Jeffix's father laughed. "You know, Jeffix, you and Trapinch will make the greatest team. Then you can come back to Orré and become a Gym Leader."

"Dad, Orré doesn't even have a Pokémon League yet."

"Maybe it will by the time you've finished your training."

"We'll see, I guess."

"Good-bye, son."

"Good-bye, Dad."

Jeffix walked with Louis to the borders of Olivine City. "How far is Blackthorn City, Louis?" he asked.

"Quite a ways away actually," Louis replied, "but I've got something that will get us there in no time at all."

"Really? What is it?" he asked.

Louis reached into his vest, pulled out a Pokéball and tossed it up in the air. "Come on out, Dragonair!" The ball opened and out popped a Pokémon Jeffix had never seen before.

"Whoa!" he gasped.

"Go on, Jeffix," Louis said. "Say hi."

"Hi, Dragonair..." Dragonair then lowered its snout and allowed Jeffix to pet it. "It's so smooth!"

"Now let's climb on," Louis said.

"What?"

"Dragonair can fly. We're going to ride it to Blackthorn City."

"Wow!" Jeffix exclaimed. He scooped up Trapinch and sat down on Dragonair's back. Louis sat down behind him.

"All right, Dragonair. Let's fly! Hold on tight, Jeffix!"