AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey there, this is an idea that I have developped on the course of a few months since I started (again) playing and watching Pokemon with my boyfriend. In order to make a quick resume of what I am going to create, and in order for you, the reader, to see if this is, after all, your piece of cake, I am going to give you a few major spoilers: this is more than a love story; this is the story of two friends who grew together and fell apart, who developped themselves and grew more and more with every region they visited. In this fanfic some of our favorite trainers will make "guest appearences" so you should stick with me because, may God help me, even I have no idea how this is going to go or end. I brace myself now and proceed to give you a glimpse of what is to come. Reviews are more than welcome, they help me grow. Enjoy :)

CHAPTER ONE

Pallet Town has been too quiet in the last few days, at least that's what Jay thought; the warm summer breeze ruffled the hair that was sticking out of his green cap as he watched over his friend with little pink ribbons tug onto her pigtails. "She is turning eleven, she should quit wearing her hair like that if she is planning to become a Pokémon trainer." , he thought, as the girl flashed him an angry pair of big, green eyes.

"Come, now, Jay, it is about time that we should return home. Our mums are going to be angry if we are late again."

He looked at her; little Amelia seemed to bloom on the course of the last year. He thought it was only the beginning for her. He couldn't wait for tomorrow when they were going to receive their very own Pokémon from Professor Oak. Tomorrow was little Amy's birthday and, even though he postponed his journey with a year, he was as excited as her. Amelia grabbed his wrist and dragged him to her place. Amelia's mother, Christie, greeted them and waved as Jay made his way home, which was right next to hers. As he entered his bedroom he felt a lump in his throat and thought "There's only one more night left. Starting tomorrow, I will have my own Pokémon and my destiny awaits. Tomorrow I will make the first step towards my goal: to become a Pokémon master." He already knew who he was going to choose: Charmander was his only option and he knew that Amy was going to choose Bulbasaur since it has always been her favourite Pokémon. "Look at it, Jay-Jay, it's so cute! The way it wiggles its little feet!" she used to say about the Bulbasaurs that passed the nearby forest where they used to play. He grabbed his Charmander plushie and fell on his bed. He closed his eyes and only then he realised how tired he was.

"Jay-Jay, wake up! We're going to be late and all the starters will be gone by them. Come, on!", Amelia cried from the outside of his room, hitting the door with her little palms. Jay looked at the clock on his wall which showed that it was eleven o'clock. He realised that he had slept dressed up so he didn't need to change, he opened the door as fast as he could only to greet an angry girl.

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOME KIND OF JOKE, JAY?! I'VE WAITED FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR YOU TO GET OUT OF BED! COME ON, WE DON'T HAVE ANY TIME LEFT!" she said, then ran outside his house. Jay put on his shoes and ran after her. In a few moments they were inside the professor's laboratory.

"Professor Oak, we're here! Sorry for the delay, I overslept." he said, in the most calm voice that he could pull off at that moment. The Professor turned to face them and smiled.

"Well well, I thought you weren't going to show up, Jay, since you didn't last year either, but now that your friend is eleven, I think it's the right time for both of you to start your journey. By the way, happy birthday, Amelia, I have a gift for you and a late one for you, Jay, since you refused it last year. First of all, let me introduce myself formally since this is a crucial moment in your life's journey and I think you would like to remember me for who I truly am: My name is Oak! People call me the Pokémon Professor! This world is inhabited by creatures called Pokémon! For some people, Pokémon are pets. Other use them for fights. Myself… I study Pokémon as a profession."

Amelia smiled widely as the Professor walked towards a table.

"Here you have them, your choices: I bet you, Jay, are more familiar with them than Amelia, so I'm going to introduce these three one more time." He grabbed the first pokéball; from it emerged a blue, turtle-like Pokémon. "This is Squirtle, the turtle Pokémon. He is a water type, very efficient in battle with fire-type Pokémon but weak agains grass-type, which brings me to your second option." Squirtle entered his pokéball as Professor Oak grabbed the second one from which emerged a green creature with huge, red eyes. Amelia's eyes widened at its sight and the Professor proceeded to explain. " This little guy here is Bulbasaur, the seed Pokémon. He is a grass-type and very powerfull I may add, he tried to use Vine Whip against my shelf of chemistry instruments and broke three glasses." Bulbasaur obediently entered in his pokéball as the last Pokémon made its appeareance. "As I think you have guessed already, this is Charmander, the lizard Pokémon. It is a fire-type as you can see from the flame on its tail."

Jay watched Charmander closely as the Professor returned it into its pokéball.

"This are your option, it is up to you now to make your choice. Which one of them is going to be your friend?"

Amelia rushed towards the second pokéball:

"I've made up my mind a long time ago; Bulbasaur, I choose you!" she said, raising her hand in the air while holding the pokéball.

Jay grabbed the third one and smiled.

"Charmander is going to be my companion in this journey." he said, eyes on the little white and red ball in his palm.

"Very well, both of you, you have made great choices, even though I feel bad for poor Squirtle, I'm sure someone will come to get him soon enough, after all, you might not be the only one that has overslept, Jay.", the Professor said, making Jay blush to the top of his ears. "I have one more request, young ones", he said, holding two red agenda-like devices in each of his hands " this, here, is a Pokédex, a device that registers each Pokémon that you see and catch. Your mission is to encounter as many Pokémon that you can in the Kanto region and to register them in this device. This will help develop my research. I would do it myself but, as you can see, I'm mostly trapped in this lab and I'm starting to grow old, therefore I would rather prefer to finish my research rather than travelling far and wide which I have done when I was your age."

He gave both of them a Pokédex, then grabbed a few pokéballs from a shelf.

"These are also for you, to help you catch yourself new friends. Now go, what are you waiting for? The world is open before you, young ones! Make me proud and become the best that you can be!"

"Thank you, Professor!" they both said, then took off.

"What now?", Jay asked.

"Well, first, a quick stop at my place. Mum has something for both of us, she told me this morning." Amelia smiled.

They stopped at Amelia's house where her mum gave each them a pair of shoes and a backpack.

"Here I have put food and fresh clothes for both of you; Jay, you mom left to work already but she told me to wish you the best of luck in your journey. Also, take care of my little Amy, you know how clumsy she is. I swear, one day she is going to trip over her own feet."

"Mooooooom..." Amelia whined, grabbing the stuff that her mother was holding.

"Now, now...Go, children, and don't forget to do your best." she said, kissing the top of her only daughter's head and hugging Jay.

The two children walked shoulder to shoulder (well, more like shoulder to head, seeing that Amelia was so short) towards the woods.

"I still can't believe it; my very own Pokémon! And it's a Bulbasaur!" Amelia said, freeing Bulbasaur from its Pokéball. She watched it carefully, then kneeled before it, smiling. "Hey, little one, don't be scared. You're so adorable!" she said. Bulbasaur eyed her carefully then started to sniff the hand that she stretched. All of a sudden, Bulbasaur bit it.

"Ouch! There, there, if we're going to be partners, you shouldn't bite me." Bulbasaur sniffed then turned its back on her.

"Um, Amy, I think it has an attitude problem." Jay said.

"Quiet! I'm going to fix it! Me and Bulbasaur are going to be great partners, you'll see! Just wait until we make our first catch. In fact, Bulbasaur, I'm going to name you only so that we recognise each other. My name is Amelia, by the way, and your new name is going to be...I know! Petal!"

Bulbasaur eyed her curiously, making a quiet sound, then blinked happily. He then raised itself on its vines and jumped in her arms.

"Oh..." Amy laughed. "See, grumpy? We're buddies already!" she stuck her tongue out at Jay, action that Bulbasaur also imitated.

Jay giggled then got out his partner. He looked at Charmander which seemed to have a much more docile nature than Bulbasaur who was rather sassy. He kneeled and pet the small dragon's head.

It was only the beginning of a long journey as the sun shone above Pallet Town which our heros left behind them.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That's it for the first chapter. I'm waiting your opinions :) I truly hope you liked it.