Arriving home to Ruter Town, Jackson Hollister smirked as he walked through the town. Not much had changed to him over the ten years he had been gone. Graduating number four at Pokemon Tech, Jackson decided to go back home and go on his first journey. He was going to start at the new region that had opened recently in his area, the Weschu Region.

Jackson's shaggy forest green hair was being blown in the brush of wind that went by. He knocked it out of his sky blue eyes. The pale complexion of his skin reflected well with his dark hair. He was tall even at the age if fifteen. He was around five feet, ten inches. He was a tall, scrawny kid without much muscle at all to him. His light blue polo shirt blew along with the wind. His jeans were baggy around his thin, if existing, hips, but were just the right length. Around right wrist, there was a brown leather band.

Two girls were walking past him. One had curly and wavy blond hair with fire red streaks in it that stopped around the crook of her neck. She had on hemp chocker with beads and a fire stone in the middle of it, and a chain around her neck with a pokeball hanging off it. Her lips were painted a dark red. She wore a black tube top, showing much cleavage, and black, baggy capris with cargo pockets and chains hanging off. The other was taller than the girl in black. She had straight dark, brown hair that went to her waist. She had on a pair of gawky black earrings with an odd design. She had on a black camisole and black jeans with a belt, a pokeball on her hip.

"Uh, Ladies, I haven't been here in a while and--"

"Shut it, Loser," the brown haired one snapped. "You're lost and you're wondering if we could help you to the Dogwood Laboratory, right? Well, too bad, newbie! Find your own way!"

"Bekah!" the blond exclaimed, "That was rude! I remember when you were a newbie. I helped you to the lab, the gym, and through your first match."

"Uh…Can someone just help me to the lab?" Jackson asked.

"I will," the blond smiled. "Tell Matsuya that I'll be back soon."

Jackson walked with the blond in silent at first. He looked down at her. She was about six inches shorter than he was. She was small and cute. He noticed when she was fighting with Bekah that her eyes were an ocean blue. Jackson opened his mouth to start a conversation.

"I know you aren't ten," the girl said before he could speak, "so why I are looking pokemon-less and without a clue in the world with what you're doing?"

"Well," Jackson chuckled, "I've been at Pokemon Tech since I was five. I'm fifteen now. I thought it would be best to leave now and start on my own journey."

"Smart idea," she smirked. "Oh! My name's Hannah."

"Hey Hannah," Jackson smiled, "I'm Jackson."

"I was at Pokemon Tech for a year, but they didn't like me too much so I quit," she said.

"Really? What did you do for them to not like you?"

"I had a pokemon already," Hannah laughed. "I had a Flareon and a Houndour. They weren't captured or anything, not until I was ten, but they were my sidekicks. Yew, the houndour, hated to leave my side, but he would attack anyone who got close to me. Sage, the flareon, tried to keep him under control, but she couldn't all the time. It wasn't my thing. So I just went out on my own at ten and started my journey. Been out for six years, I still find things about Pokemon I didn't know."

"Really?" Jackson asked, amazed by her. "What pokemon did you start out with?"

She put her thumb under the chain around her neck and pulled it out a bit to show-off the pokeball, "A Squirtle. I named him Blast, for a blast of water. And now I sound like a retard because he's a Blastoise. So he's Blast the Blastoise."

Jackson laughed, "Retard."

"I was ten!" she laughed. "Well, my two fire pokemon are named after plants!"

Jackson just laughed at the girl.

"Shut it, Newbie!" Hannah tried to hide her own laughter.

"Jackson! Jackson Hollister! No way!" a girl squealed, lowering her sunglasses to look at Jackson with leaf green eyes.

"Riley Abercrombie! No way!" Jackson ran over to the girl and hugged her.

"How have you been Jackson? You've been away forever and you never came to see me!" the girl exclaimed, hugging him back.

Jackson let go of Riley and looked her over. A girl around five, six. She had dark blue hair with wonderful green eyes. She wore a short black skirt and a blood red camisole with black heels. Around her hips she had a belt with a single pokeball.

"One pokeball?" Jackson asked.

"Well, I had so much going on with my family that I haven't had a real passion to get out, and plus, there's Ruter Beach," Riley laughed.

"So you're just starting too?" Jackson asked, astounded.

"Yeah!" Riley laughed. "You and I going to rivals! That's so great!"

"Its great to be rivals?" Hannah asked from the side, seeming a bit annoyed by something.

"Oh! Riley, this is Hannah. Hannah, this is Riley Abercrombie, my childhood friend," Jackson introduced the girls.

"Oh! I know you!" Riley giggled.

Hannah seemed to tense up, "Oh really?"

"Yeah," Riley smiled, "you're one of those girls by the beach who puts on shows with her pokemon. I love your Ninetails! What's her name?"

Hannah sighed, "Oh, thanks. His name is Cain."

"Thanks," Riley giggled. "Well, Jackson, I'm off for my journey. See you at the Lavender Plain."

"See ya, Riley," Jackson hugged her, and the two went their separate directions.

Jackson looked at Hannah, standing by his side and muttering to herself, "Are you okay, Hannah? You seemed sort of pissed off."

"Sorry," Hannah smiled, "but she's one of the girls that try to distract me during my performances. She's really annoying. My friend, Matsuya, has a small crush on her."

"I wish I could defend her, but I haven't seen her since I was like eight," Jackson laughed.

"So, Jackson, what pokemon did you plan on getting? Like type?" Hannah asked.

"I'm not sure, what pokemon do they have?" he asked.

"Well, I just talked to Professor Dogwood, yesterday actually, and she told me that she had up and ready to go Chikorita, the grass type, Charmander, the fire type, and Mudkip, the water type," Hannah explained.

"I was actually debating on either a fire or grass," Jackson told her.

"Well, I would go with Charmander, but that's just my love for the Kanto pokemon," Hannah laughed. "Chikorita is a good choice too, though. They both become really strong. It depends on how hard you plan on training your pokemon."

"What do you mean?" Jackson asked.

"Something they don't teach you at Pokemon Tech," Hannah laughed. "Well, with Charmanders, they need a lot of intense training. They are sweet as Charmanders, but if you play too nice with them, when then evolve into Charmeleons, they hate you. Charmeleon are very prideful. You cannot train them out of their stubborn mind. You have to teach them young that you are the trainer and they can't set a foot out of line without severe consequences. I don't mean beating, but training. Charmeleon hate training. Well, after they're too stubborn as Charmeleons, Charizards are so much worse! They don't mind training, but if you even lose control once, the go all crazy and crap. Its all about know what you're doing, and keeping your head in the game. Yet, you HAVE to start at Charmander.

"With Chikoritas, they aren't that hard to train. They have a bit of a problem with getting too attached and that can get worse. Chikoritas have SO much power, but they don't know it. To get a Chikorita's power to its maximum point, it takes a lot of training. They are good fighters and such, but if they are too clingy and their power isn't reached, they'll retreat to your side if they are too scared to lose in battle. Even as Beyleaf and Maganium, they will be really bad to get out of that clinginess."

Jackson looked at Hannah. Ten years at Pokemon Tech, and he never knew a thing about this sort of things. All he knew were the proper techniques of how to train a pokemon, and how to take care of them. Jackson, just two weeks ago, thought he knew everything there was to pokemon training. He never realized how wrong he was.

"How do you know all this?" he asked her.

Hannah shrugged, "Practice and studies, I guess. I'm a Pokemon-Human Interaction researcher. I like to look into how trainers train pokemon and what the outcome is. I've done several experiments myself actually."

"What's the oddest thing that ever happened to you on your journey?" Jackson asked, wondering on these things.

"Well, it was on my third day. I was just getting beyond Pewter City, and I found this egg. And I was like, COOL! So I raised my little egg. I named the egg Chester. Well, the egg hatched when I found myself in Saffron City. And I was hanging out at the gym and talking with Sabrina about how she trains her psychic pokemon to be so powerful, well, all of a sudden, my back pack starts to glow. I grab the egg and run outside with Sabrina. Well, out of the egg comes this huge blast of fire. I screamed when it happened, it scared the hell out of me. Well, into my lap, a little bundle of flames fell, but it wasn't hot. So I'm looking at Sabrina and then to this thing in my lap. And it moves. I notice what it was then. In my possession, I held the newest baby legendary bird, Moltres. I was so scared and shocked. I named her Majesty," Hannah exclaimed, using her hands to exaggerate things.

"So you own a Moltres?!" Jackson exclaimed.

"Nope! I trained a Moltres," Hannah smiled. "I raised her for a couple months, and decided that it was best for her to travel. So I bought this really expensive piece of equipment to make sure that no one could capture her. And so I know she's mine, Majesty as a green sash tied around her ankle."

"That's so cool! Do you ever get to see her?" Jackson asked.

"Every blue moon," Hannah said. "She's usually seen around islands. I haven't gotten to battle with her in years. She's one of the reasons that I don't really have friends."

"Huh?"

"Well, I'm perfect," Hannah explained. "Not to sound egotistical or anything, I am considered perfect. I don't screw up on anything. I'm a prodigy. I never had any trouble with pokemon. And they mostly all love me. Especially fire types. I have a personality that pokemon just adore. Yet, most humans think I'm just an annoying bitch who is just perfect in every way, shape, and form."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're amazing and really fun to talk to," Jackson smiled, looking as Hannah blushed.

"You better not say that," she said. "If my boyfriend hears, he'll have a cow. Even if you are just a friend. He's really over-protective of me."

"How old is he?" Jackson asked.

"Nineteen," she admitted. "He owns an apartment around here so I live with him. He doesn't like my family so he doesn't allow me to live with them."

"Allow you?" Jackson asked. "What does he do to you if you don't listen to him?"

"Hannah!" a deep, scruffy voice came from Jackson's right. "What the hell are you doing with this little prick?"

The man caused Hannah to tense up. He was buff and tall. He had black shaggy hair and scruff on his face. His strong dark blue eyes glared at Jackson. He had on tight black pants and no shirt. On his arms, tattoos of several different things made his arms hardly visible.

"I was talking him to Professor Dogwood's lab. He was really lost and I needed to help him," she stuttered out.

"Why didn't your little friend take him?" he asked.

"She was busy, Mike," Hannah panicked. "He needed my help."

"Let the little twit find his own way! And lets go home! I need to talk to you," he growled.

"No!" Jackson stepped in front of Hannah. "She's not going with you."

"No, Jackson," Hannah smiled, "its fine. I need to check on my pokemon anyway. Alright, you're going to follow this road until you hit a fork. At the fork, you need to turn left. Follow that road until you see a dead end. Walk through the woods, just straight, and you can't miss it."

Hannah smiled at him and walked off with Mike. Jackson watched them walk. Once they were almost gone, he noticed that Hannah stumbled forward and hit the ground, and Mike jerked her up. He didn't want to bother her more. He kept walking. Jackson followed the directions and found his way to the Dogwood Lab, but Hannah's fear never left his mind.

He knocked on the door. A woman answered. She was a bit on the pudgy sided and looked like she was in her early forties. She had curly red hair that framed her face and dark eyes of brown. Jackson didn't remember Professor Dogwood looking like that, but he figured it rude to ask.

"Hi, Professor Dogwood," Jackson smiled.

"Honey! I'm not the Professor, I'm just an assistant. The professor's out back."

Jackson walked outside to the stables to see the professor helping a Ponyta. She looked back at him and he smiled. She was just about as he remembered her. She was tall, around five ten. She had a beautiful pale complexion. She had dark blue hair and even darker brown eyes which were framed by thin black-rimmed glasses. She wore a red shirt with a black skirt at heels with a lab coat.

"Jackson Hollister! Its so good to see you again! My, my! How you have grown!" she smiled.

"Nice to see you too, Professor," Jackson smirked, "you look great!"

"Flattery gets you everywhere, Hollister," Dogwood smirked. "So what are you here for? Come to say hello to such an old friend."

"Yeah, that, but I want to get my first pokemon, and," Jackson looked down, "I want to ask you about someone."

"Who? A girl that you like?" Dogwood smirked. "You know, Riley Abercrombie was asking about you and I was tell--"

"Not her," Jackson cut her off, "but Hannah, a performer down at the beach or something."

"Oh! Hannah!" Dogwood smiled as she walked with Jackson following her, "Well, she's a very special girl. I worry about her though. If you want to know about her being single or not, she has a boyfriend."

"Yeah, I met him," Jackson growled. "What's his deal?"

"Well, I haven't talk to her recently, but I talk to her two friend, Bekah and Matsuya," Dogwood explained as she picked up a Growlithe pup. "They say that he's really rough with her. She has bruises like everywhere, but she hides them with make-up. She's horrified of him, but she respects him. From what Matsuya told me, he's the only person that has ever been able to beat her up and make her feel so weak and child-like."

Jackson pet the pup, "I need to do something about it. I need to help her. She helped me. What's with this guy though."

"He doesn't like fire pokemon at all. The only one she's allowed to have on her is her Blastoise which doesn't attack until she commands it, its totally obedient to her, and her only. And then her Bellossom, which is too scared of anything to use any attacks to battle. She doesn't even keep her two longest pokemon with her. They stay with me," Dogwood sighed, calling in Sage and Yew, the pokemon Hannah was talking about.

"Jackson, I want you to take these two if you plan on saving her. They need to help Hannah too. I want you to do it. Sage, Yew--Help Jackson save Hannah from that man. To do that, you have to listen to him and if he makes a mistake, don't disobey him. Can you two do this?"

The pokemon nodded. Professor Dogwood returned the two pokemon. She gave Jackson the directions to Mike and Hannah's apartment and he left. Jackson was filled with pure rage. He hated the idea of all violence to women. It disgusted him. Who could beat up anyone that was smaller, weaker, and in love with you?

Getting to a run down apartment, Jackson let out the Flareon. He knew that the Houndour would have to wait because of his over-protectiveness. He looked at the Flareon. Her coat was so smooth and silky. The sheen in its coat was gorgeous. Jackson had compliments for Hannah on this pokemon. He nodded to the Flareon. Jackson walked up the stairs with Sage by his side, and knocked on the door.

"H-Hello?" Hannah answered the door, tear streaked cheeks and bloody lip. "Jackson, what are--SAGE!"

"Get your stuff, Hannah, you are getting out of here," Jackson said, looking at the girl who hugged her Flareon so tightly.

"I can't leave," Hannah exclaimed, standing up to look at Jackson.

"Who the hell is at the door?" Mike yelled, walking out of a room.

"She's leaving," Jackson glared as Sage snarled.

Mike seemed to tense at the sight of Sage, "Fine, she'll leave. ONLY! On the fact, you beat me at a pokemon battle."

"That's fine with me," Jackson agreed.

Walking outside, Jackson noticed Hannah's new apparel. She had on a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants. She didn't look at all like the girl had he met earlier. Was he forcing her to dress like this?

"Hannah, I know I can't control your pokemon," he whispered to her, "but you can only save this battle, and its only if you really want to leave this place. You can travel again and see all your pokemon."

"How do I know what to do?" Hannah asked.

Jackson smiled, tugging lightly at the chain around her neck, "You know how."

Jackson stood on the beach, ready to battle. He held Yew's pokeball tightly in his hand. He could feel the urge that the pokemon had to battle. Jackson hadn't had that feeling before with a pokemon. The ones at Pokemon Tech were so use to battle and non-attached to most people that they didn't have an urge to battle at all.

Jackson felt a need for this battle. He never really had a point of battling at Pokemon Tech. It was all for grades and learning's sake. It wasn't much to battle for. Now, he had something. He had to fight for a woman's freedom, her pokemon's wants for her to be around, and to shove a scumbag into the ground. He hadn't thought about how much pride a pokemon trainer had, until right now.

"One-on-one," Mike said.

"Fine with me," Jackson smirked. "Go get them, YEW!"

He released the houndour. As Yew came from the pokeball, he did a flip and landed on his paws. He let out a threatening howl and a low, dark growl. Mike threw a pokeball out and release a Golem. Jackson knew one thing about pokemon that wouldn't change in a million years: they all had weaknesses. Fire was extremely weak against rock.

"Alright, Yew! Let's use Shadow Ball!" Jackson yelled.

It was the first thing to come to mind that could work. Yew worked up the dark energy. It looked extremely powerful. As Yew launched the huge ball, he jumped back to give it more power. It was hurled at the Golem. Golem rolled up and took hardly any damage. Then, it began to roll toward Yew at high speeds. Jackson and Yew both noticed the crowed that was joining to watch the battle. Yew jumped on top of Golem and began to run on top of the pokemon, pleasing the crowd with his wonderful show routine. Jackson looked around at the applauding crowd, and the happy, giggling Hannah. She made him smile.

"Use Agility!" Jackson yelled as Yew did a back flip off Golem's back.

As softly as Yew landed, it didn't distract the Golem. He raced toward Yew and rolled over him. Yew, growled and stumbled to his feet, only to be knocked over again. He yelped in pain. Jackson got nervous. He stumbled into the big leagues too quickly and he knew it. Yew was weak when not with Hannah. Jackson saw Golem up in the air: an earthquake attack. Jackson knew it was over.

"HYDRO PUMP!" the female voice yelled.

Jackson opened his eyes to see a Blastoise in glorious beauty using a wonderful talent of its strongest attack. Golem was shot through the air and into the water. Hannah threw off the t-shirt and sweat pants she had on. Underneath those clothes, she had a black tank top and black running shorts. She smirked.

"Mike, its through. I'm sick of seeing you beat me down! You don't deserve me. You were easy to run over at first, but when I tried to get on equal ground with you, you beat me to being lower than you. You had total advantage. You were my weakness, but something--someone--came out of the blue and saved my soul. Now, you're all washed up," Hannah laughed.

"You whore! You never knew how good you had it! Now, who's going to take you in you dirty slut?" Mike yelled.

"I don't need a man," Hannah smirked, looking down at Sage and walking over to Yew, picking him up, "because all I need are my pokemon. Sage, Flamethrower."

Sage sent her flamethrower at Mike. Mike ran out of the way. Hannah laughed. She hoisted Yew onto her back and looked at Jackson. She winked at him and moved her head for him to follow. Jackson watched as Hannah swiftly returned her blastoise and reattached the pokeball onto her chain. Sage and Jackson looked at each other and followed Hannah.

"Hannah! That was amazing!" Jackson grinned, chasing after her.

"Thanks, but it was really rusty," Hannah sighed. "We were off center target by seven degrees and Sage was a weak when she started her flame."

"Seven degrees and weak?" Jackson was so confused.

"I'm the best," Hannah stated, "and I have that reputation to live up to. If my fans see me slacking like I am, I'll be done for. So its more intense training for all of us, Sage. Don't you agree?"

Sage nodded in agreement with a dignified, "Flareon."

Jackson looked at Yew, "Sorry, Yew, I guess I wasn't ready yet to mess with perfection."

Yew gave a friendly grunt, but moved no more.

"Thank you, Jackson," Hannah smiled, "and I know exactly how I'll pay you back."

"How are you going to do that?" he asked her.

"I'm going to travel with you and help you through your journey! I'll be like your coach!" Hannah grinned happily, "I know it will help. A lot of people drop out of journeys because they can't figure out how to control their pokemon or find out where they're going. I know how to train any pokemon and I can always find my way. I can help you be the best. Do you accept my offer, Jackson Hollister?

"Of course, I do!" Jackson grinned and hugged the giggly Hannah.

The two got back to the Dogwood Laboratory within twenty minutes. Hannah gave Yew to the assistant to take care of him. Hannah grabbed Jackson's hand and ran him to the back where the pokemon where. She whistled loudly and let out a sound that made a noise like a mix between a frog and a cricket. As soon as she did it, pokemon started to come from all over to her. She smiled as she jumped off the fence and raced toward a Rapidash. She met it and hugged it tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Rapa! Oh, Rapa! I missed you so much!" Hannah cried, clinging to the horse.

Rapidash neighed to her trainer. Just as she did so, an other pokemon soared down next to Hannah. A Fearow glided down from the sky and landed on Hannah's back. It let out a loud cry and flapped its wings.

Hannah giggled, "Kenya! Ha! My baby!"

Kenya jumped off of Hannah's shoulders to the ground next to her. Hannah flung herself around the large bird. The bird nuzzled Hannah lovingly. Kenya looked over at Jackson and cawed. Hannah looked over and waved to Jackson.

"Rapa, Kenya--Come and meet my new friend, Jackson," Hannah smiled.

Jackson smiled and ran over to Hannah's side. He put his arm around her shoulder and looked at her pokemon. He could see that gleam of pride in her eyes. There was a loud howl, and Hannah's expression seemed to brighten up. She looked around, but was soon tackled to the ground by a Mightyena.

"Layla! Oh, my Layla!" Hannah smiled as she cuddled with her pokemon.

She stood up and walked with Jackson back to the lab. He couldn't get over that bright smile of her's. It was beautiful. She was just full of life once again. To him, she was like most ten-year-olds who start on their pokemon journey. Bright eyed and Freckled face boys and girls run off from home all excited about the journey ahead of them, and Hannah was starting back up on the journey that had been on delay.

"Jackson!" Professor Dogwood ran out, "Have you decided on your pokemon choice yet?"

"Yeah, I actually have," Jackson smiled. "I want Chikorita."

"Alright, let me get her for you," she smiled and walked inside.

"I can't believe Amelia hasn't gotten married yet," Hannah sighed. "Let alone, have a boyfriend! She's so pretty! All these guys love her, but she's so ditzy when it comes to boys."
Jackson laughed, "Really?"

"I've try to hook her up so many times, but she gets easily distracted by her pokemon," Hannah laughed. "I think I'm going to hook her up with Professor Elm. They would make one hell of a cute couple."

"Here she is!" Professor Dogwood walked out, pokeball in hand. "She's a little angel. I know you'll take good care of her, Jackson."

"Thanks, Professor," Jackson smiled. "Go! Chikorita!"

A little Chikorita came out of the pokeball. She looked around with a little "Chika?" She had a marker on her that made her look like any other Chikorita Jackson had ever seen. On her cheek, she has a small mark that looked like a Three-Leaf Clover. He smiled at her.

"Hello Chikorita," he knelt down, and he held out his hand for her.

"Chika? Chika!" Chikorita ran straight into his arms.

Jackson wrapped his arms around her and laughed, "My, you are affectionate."

"Are you going to name her?" Hannah asked. "Like Sage and Yew?"

"Uh…Chikorita, do you want a name?" Jackson asked her.

She nodded excitedly.

"Uh…let's see…I know!" he grinned.

"What is it?" Hannah and Professor Dogwood chimed in.

"Clover!" Jackson smiled.

Professor Dogwood smiled, "You two ought to be getting off, now, so you can make it to the next town by dusk, or you might be a little later. Hannah, you know how to get there, right?"

"Yep," she smiled. "I gotta go back to Mike's apartment though."

"Why?" Jackson asked.

"To get my stuff," Hannah grinned. "I need my PokeNav, my bag, my money, my address book, and my primping stuff."

Jackson sighed, "Girls."

They left the lab after a few short good-byes, and then to Mike's with no issues. The two were off to the next town, and starting off on a brand new journey.