The amber sun rose over the region of Sesame, warming its vast forests and lengthy beaches and highlighting the snow-capped peak of Dill Rook. Far to the South of Dill Rook lay a little town named Chicory. Its inhabitants were few, and the nearest city was a good hour away. Chicory was so insignificant, so rarely visited, that it was not considered to need a Pokémon Centre. In a small cottage near Chicory Forest lived Nurse Hope and her daughter Rose. Nurse Hope was an expert in the production of herbal medicines; her potions were disliked by the majority of Pokémon, but they healed where the popular medicines failed.

As the rays of sun illuminated the windows of Chicory Manor, on the hill overlooking the town, a boy started from the house and made his way through the quaint village, before he arrived at the small cottage by the forest.

The boy knocked on the door rather harder than he had intended to, but he was so excited he couldn't seem to contain himself. The door opened after a few minutes of his impatient waiting, and a girl with dark curly hair stood in the doorway, a green bottle in one hand.

"Tripp? What're you doing here? It's six in the morning!"

Tripp walked into her cottage and kicked off his shoes - he was comfortable here.

"I've got something to show you!" he said, turning around to find that his friend was no longer there. He proceeded to the upstairs medical room where he knew he'd be sure to find her. A woman was bustling around the room, picking up various bottles and strings of dried herbs, whilst a very sick-looking Doduo lay on her medical examination table. The woman looked tired; she had dark circles under her eyes, and her blond curls were tied in a messy bun, but she smiled as she saw the tall boy in the doorway.

"Oh, morning Tripp, help yourself to anything – Rose, can you pass me the Thyme please?"

The dark curly haired girl – Rose – handed her mother the bunch of dried herbs, and both females sighed in relief when, after being administered the herbs, the Doduo gave a cough, and its eyes opened blearily.

"Thank goodness!" Nurse Hope exclaimed, wiping a hand over her perspiring forehead, "That was quite easily the most deadly Weedle sting I've ever had to deal with!" she said, before falling heavily backwards into a chair.

"Weedle?" repeated Tripp with a laugh, "What's so dangerous about a Weedle?"

Nurse Hope and her daughter exchanged a dark look.

"The higher level Weedle reaches without permitting itself to evolve, the more deadly its sting." Rose told him knowledgeably; being the daughter of a nurse, at sixteen she already knew a great deal about Pokémon.

"Wow!" Tripp said sheepishly, "I didn't realise Weedle could be so cool!"

"Nobody seems to," Nurse Hope replied, "it's all about Beedrill with teenagers! And Tripp – do me a favour and tell the young man sat in the living room that his Doduo is recovering; I daresay he'll be happy to hear it!"

Half an hour later, the three were sitting down to a cup of tea, when Tripp remembered; he couldn't believe he had forgotten.

"Rose!"" he yelled, causing her to spill her tea in her lap, "I meant to show you!"

"Show me what?" she asked snappily, she did after all have scalded legs.

"My dad came back from Cerulean City last night, you know, just checking up on his Pokémarts and stuff, and he brought me something back…"

Rose surveyed Tripp closely. His family were very wealthy, having founded the Pokémart, but his blue eyes were sparkling in a way she had never witnessed before. Her own brown eyes widened considerably as he took a Pokéball from his belt and enlarged it. Even Nurse Hope began to pay attention at this point – she was used to seeing Tripp's merchandise from other regions, but this was different - and very exciting too.

"No way," Rose breathed, "you got your first Pokémon?!"

Tripp grinned before opening the Pokéball, and in a flash of white light, his first Pokémon appeared.

"Psyduck," it squawked.

"Whoa!" exclaimed both Rose and her mother at the same time.

"Where did your father find a Psyduck, Tripp?" Nurse Hope asked frowning; the species had been on the brink of extinction due to a rather nasty oil slick many years before.

"Well, my mother loves water type Pokémon – as you know - and she set up the Psyduck conservation centre in Cerulean. This is the first egg to have hatched from the two rescued Psyduck, but there're a whole bunch more!"

"That's very impressive," Nurse Hope smiled, "I haven't seen a Psyduck in at least eight years!"

"I've never seen one!" Rose said, laughing as Psyduck walked into the table repeatedly, "Why has he got his eyes closed?"

"It's just Psyduck's chronic headache," Nurse Hope answered, "It's a very common occurrence, especially in a young one."

Tripp looked horrified.

"You mean he's always going to walk into stuff?"

Nurse Hope laughed, "No, no, luckily for the poor thing he'll grow out of it once he evolves."

This comment caused Tripp to remember the second part of his visit; he looked to his friend hopefully.

"Rose?" he asked tentatively.

"Hmm?" she answered; she was still preoccupied with Psyduck, who was now repeatedly bumping into her knees.

"Will you help me train him?" he asked, before casting a wary glance at her mother, "that is uh – you know…if you don't need her help and everything?"

Nurse Hope laughed once more.

"Tripp, you don't need my permission! Of course she can help you!"

Rose herself looked surprised.

"I can?"

Her mother rolled her eyes.

"Just to prove how serious I am, you can go now - go on – scram!" she said fondly to the two teenagers who, in their shock, left the table as though in a trance.

-o-

They walked through Chicory Town towards the forest, deep in conversation.

"I mean, I'm sixteen!" Tripp was saying, "and I'm seventeen in a couple of months, most kids get their first Pokémon at ten or twelve at the latest!"

"That is true," Rose pondered as she watched a Taillow fly over the forest, "and haven't you always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer? Why did your parents leave it so late?"

Tripp frowned slightly, looking to the ground.

"I think it's my mum, you know what she's like, I'm her only child…I think she's a bit funny about letting me leave…"

"Yeah," Rose replied, now looking over to Tripp's Manor on the hill, "but you have to start somewhere, and now you can!"

Tripp smiled as this fact did indeed register with him.

"You're right!" he laughed, "I'm sure my mum just needs to get used to the idea; I mean, she was a trainer herself! She was in the Elite Four!"

Rose laughed along with him, "I always forget that. You'd never look at your mum and think she used to travel with Pokémon, she's such a socialite now!"

"Yeah, she gave it up when she married my dad; you know when she was in the Elite Four, he used to always challenge the League but he could never get past her? He was pretty good at Pokémon, my dad, but I think he gave it up when he married my mum because she was so much better than him he was embarrassed…"

The teenagers burst into unrestrained laughter, but it silenced immediately upon their entering the forest. It was eerily quiet.

"Never much liked this place," Tripp said nervously.

"Don't be silly!" Rose giggled; she frequently visited the forest in order to collect toadstools for her mother…she had, however, never ventured so far in so as to meet a wild Pokémon, and was starting to feel apprehensive herself.

"Let's just hope we don't meet a macho Weedle," she attempted to joke, but upon seeing Tripp's face grow white, she kept quiet.

They walked in silence for a while, their eyes darting restlessly. Rose grabbed Tripp's arm, causing him to yell out in fight.

"Shh," she whispered and pointed to a nearby Pecha berry bush; it was rustling slightly. Tripp gulped and took a step back, but sighed in relief as a Pichu gingerly made its way out of the bush, berry in hand.

They stood watching the Pichu eat its berry; it hadn't appeared to notice them.

"Well?" Rose asked her friend in amusement.

"Well what?" Tripp whispered, not taking his eyes off the wild Pokémon.

"Aren't we here to train?" she whispered mischievously, her brown eyes dancing in the murky light that was filtering through the leaf canopy.

"Oh, yeah!" Tripp exclaimed, startling the Pichu, who looked up at them from its berry.

"Go! Psyduck!" Tripp shouted.

Rose blinked; nothing had happened. Pichu too blinked, and looked questioningly at the two.

"Whoops," Tripp scratched his head in embarrassment, "I er, need to throw the Pokéball don't I...?"

Rose shook her head in exasperation, but laughed all the same.

Twenty minutes later, and the battle was still underway. Rose was surprised; she didn't have a Pokémon herself, but didn't think first battles were supposed to last so long. Psyduck, however, was proving to be the stronger, and Pichu was weakening.

"That's great!" Rose shouted "Stop, any more and it'll – TRIPP NO!" she screamed. But he had already ordered Psyduck to use its third water gun in a row, and Pichu was down, unconscious.

Tripp turned white.

"You idiot!" Rose shouted, rushing over to where the Pichu lay motionless, "you crossed the boundary! I told you to stop when I said so!"

She picked the Pichu up in her arms; it was barely breathing.

"I'm sorry," Tripp started "I didn't –"

"It doesn't matter," she snapped, "I have to go."

She ran out of the forest carrying the injured Pokémon, leaving Tripp to wander back home alone, miserably.

-o-

The midday sun beat down on her back as Rose ran through the village and kicked the door of her cottage open.

"Mum!" she shouted desperately, kicking her shoes off, "mum!"

As she ran into the kitchen, she felt her blood ran cold; there was a note on the table. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but now really wasn't a good time.

Rose,

I've gone to Fennel City - It's an urgent call, Elliot's Buizel is seriously injured. I doubt I'll be back before nightfall, there're some noodles in the fridge for dinner, don't wait up for me!

Mum x

Rose choked back her tears with difficulty. Nothing could be done. The nearest Pokémon centre wasin Fennel City – the Buizel must have been in a bad way to require her mother's care…not unlike this Pichu.

Rose swallowed and looked down at the little injured creature in her arms before making up her mind in a split second.

-o-

Over an hour later, she flopped into the chair in the medical room. She wouldn't be sure for a while if she had succeeded, but Pichu's breathing had steadied…for the moment. As she looked towards the little bandaged Pokémon lying on the examination table, she felt her eyes begin to droop with fatigue…

As Tripp reached his house, he opened the colossal front door and made his way into the expansive hallway. Neither of his parents were home, both leading rather busy lifestyles, so he went up the spiral staircase to his bedroom, and lay back on his king-sized bed. Psyduck was wandering around his bedroom tentatively sniffing things. Tripp smiled as he realised that he finally had his own Pokémon, but he bit his lip guiltily when he remembered the Pichu, and he wished more than anything that he had listened to Rose when she told him to stop – he just got carried away. He wasn't a Pokémon abuser was he? Not like that Team Rocket from years ago, who forced and tortured Pokémon into doing horrific things for them? He shuddered, he didn't want to become that, and was going to prove it.

-o-

Rose awoke with a start; she looked over at the Pichu, and to her relief saw him sitting up himself, before opening his little mouth and yawning. When he saw her, he began to jump up and down excitedly, before falling back from exhaustion.

"Oh, you poor thing," Rose smiled, handing the little Pokémon an Oran berry, "here - this should make you feel better."

The Pichu took the berry from her, and began to tuck in happily. Rose watched him for a while, before hearing a rather loud knock at the door. She realised that it was probably this that had woken her in the first place.

She wasn't surprised to see Tripp standing there, his dark hair plastered to his head from the heavy summer rains. He walked inside without a word, and looked at her, his eyes melancholy. Rose realised she was no longer angry with him now that the Pichu was okay - he hadn't meant it after all.

"Did –"

His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before trying again.

"Is Pichu all right? Did your mum manage to fix him up okay?" he kept his blue eyes glued to the wooden floor. Rose stared at him levelly.

"She wasn't in," she said, her chin held high in defiance. True, she wasn't angry, but she wanted Tripp to know that what he did wasn't right, or in any way acceptable. However, when she saw the despair in his eyes when he registered this fact, she couldn't help but end his evident misery.

"It's all right though, I healed him," she grinned.

Tripp laughed shakily in relief, "You did?" he cried happily, but then his eyes widened as he looked at her.

"By yourself?"

The Pichu had looked pretty worse for wear. Rose shrugged nonchalantly.

"Lucky I know my stuff, huh?" she said, sitting down on the sofa.

Uncharacteristically of him, Tripp stayed standing.

"Rose, I-I'm sorry, I know –"

She stood abruptly, silencing him, her face was passive, but her brown eyes were light.

"Tripp, it was an accident. You've never battled before," she said, smiling warmly at him, and he sunk to the sofa, his face in his hands.

"I-I was so worried! I thought I'd killed the little guy! I started to think I was like Team –" he stopped himself, and flushed slightly.

"Go on," Rose grinned.

"Nothing," Tripp mumbled, his flush growing more pronounced.

Fortunately for him, Pichu, now fully recovered, bounded into the living room, and jumped from the sofa onto Rose's shoulder. She laughed merrily.

"I see someone's feeling better!" she smiled, tapping Pichu's little nose as he squeaked in pleasure.

"You coming?" she asked Tripp, who had reclined back on the sofa in relief.

"Coming?" he repeated, baffled, "Where?"

"Chicory Forest!" Rose said, "I have to return this little guy where we found him!"

Tripp frowned slightly, but said nothing as he followed his friend out of the cottage, the Pichu squeaking happily on her shoulder.

-o-

"Rose?" Tripp asked, as they entered the forest. She looked to him expectantly; he had been rather quiet on their walk.

"Well, this Pichu…he seems to like you…couldn't you, well – you know?"

"Spit it out," she told him, smiling curiously at her friend.

"Couldn't you keep him? You know, as your own?"

It was Rose's turn to frown. She watched Pichu scramble up an oak tree and swing from a branch, before landing lightly on the mossy ground, and wiggling himself into a bush.

"He's wild Tripp," she said, but he could see the sadness in her eyes, "and I'm a nurse! I don't have time for my own Pokémon, I have to help mum."

"So that's what you want to do?" Tripp asked, his gaze set as he stared at the bush Pichu had disappeared into, "nursing?"

"Well," Rose said, "I enjoy it, and I've always been helping mum, I feel like it's my calling, you know? What's the matter?" she asked, concerned; his blue eyes had hardened considerably, and he sighed quietly before answering.

"I have a Pokémon now, I…I have to go on a journey - I mean, I need to go and train! I need to get strong if I have any chance of becoming the Champion…"

Rose snapped her head in his direction; she didn't know he was so serious about his Pokémon career.

"And being here isn't going to help me and Psyduck," he continued, "there's nothing here…" he looked to her pointedly, "well, except…"

She looked at him, her brown eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Except for what?"

"You," he said bluntly. Rose was taken aback; she had never heard him speak in such a serious manner. He noticed her eyes widen, and regretted what he said.

"I-I don't mean it like that!" he exclaimed, mortified that he might discover what he felt.

"I know!" Rose replied with attempted indifference. She felt…disappointed?

"Of course I don't!" Tripp laughed, "You're like a sister to me!" His blasé attitude covered up his embarrassment. If they hadn't avoided each other's eyes, Rose would have realised just how red Tripp was, and he would have noticed just how shocked she looked.

"What did you mean then?" Rose asked, attempting a smile.

"Neither of us have siblings, and we've practically grown up together," he said truthfully, "I just assumed we'd go on a Pokémon journey together when the time came."

They had left the forest, and at this point in their conversation, they had nearly reached Tripp's Manor House. He held the door open for her as he waited for her answer. She was silent until she reached the kitchen.

"Tripp…Pokémon training, it's not for me…" she saw the light fade from his bright eyes, and felt guilty, "I mean, it's not as though I could anyway, my mum needs all the help she can get! And I enjoy nursing!"

"But, what about your dad?" Tripp asked in a rush, and regretted it almost instantly. They had never discussed Rose's father, who had left home when she was only five to pursue his own Pokémon dreams.

"What about him?" Rose asked. Her voice was calm, but her face had drained of all colour.

"N-nothing," Tripp mumbled, "forget it."

"I'm not made of glass," Rose smiled, "But I honestly don't know Tripp. If you're trying to imply that Pokémon training runs in my genes, I couldn't answer you. We haven't heard hide nor hair of my father since he left – he could be dead for all we know."

Her voice was once again calm, but Tripp knew her better than that, and he rested his hands on her shoulders, much to her shock.

"I'm sorry," he said looking into her eyes earnestly. She didn't know what to do, and so nodded in response. He let go of her, and the two looked away from one another, highly embarrassed and very confused as to what had happened.

"I'd better be getting –"

"Do you want me to take you -?"

They spoke at the same time, and flushed again.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Tripp tried again.

Rose smiled, and his breath caught as she raised her eyes to his, her dark hair tumbling past her shoulders.

"Yes please," she smiled, and his heart beat in his chest hopefully.

AN:

So this is how it begins! Rather tame I know, but I can't have them sucking face and ripping each other's clothes off in Chapter One (; I'd love to hear your thoughts (:

Love A x