Chapter 1--Willow
Willow had lived on Winter Isle all of the 14 years of her life. She had only one Pokemon, and most people assumed that she was too old to start a trainer quest now. Winter Isle, it is true, was famous for producing trainers later in life, but all the same, Willow did not look like becoming one. She was awkward and shy, and usually self-conscious. Even her scatter-brained, insensitive mother believed that Willow was a hopeless case. However desperately Willow wanted to be a trainer, she knew that the people of Winter Isle would never give her a chance. Maybe they were right; maybe she wasn't cut out to be a trainer. But she had to try. It was customary for all children to become Pokemon trainers in the Equinox Islands. Willow would not be left behind in this, too. She had one Pokemon, Blizat; although it had a stout heart, it was no stronger than she herself. For those two, the quest looked as though it were over before it had even begun. But Willow wasn't going to give up yet. If only there was some way she could prove to everyone that she could be a trainer! Most of all, if only she could convince herself.
-o-o-o-o-o-
The advertisement had proclaimed, "Trainers welcome! Tickets to Kanto--special low price!" Willow wanted to travel to Kanto, the famous home of the Guardian. Kanto was legendary for producing great trainers out of people who looked unpromising. Surely, Kanto could do the same for her? Willow begged her mother to go. Her mother, thoughtless as she was, said yes, hoping to get Willow out of her hair for a while. Willow probably would have been in trouble if it had not been for her Aunt.
"Willow, a journey in a foreign land might be dangerous! Be careful. Here, take this money for a map and some Pokeballs. Take this too; they were mine in my youth, and I'm sure they will serve you well." Her Aunt gave her a pair of gloves, such as any respectable, well-prepared trainer should wear. "Willow, I know you can do this. Have faith in yourself and your Pokemon; good luck!"
With that, Willow had booked passage on the ocean liner Wave Race. She was sure she could be a good trainer, especially away form all those people at home who thought she couldn't do it. She could! As Willow looked at the passenger roster, she realized with dismay that Grant, her next door neighbor, had also booked passage! Oh, no! Grant was mean, and he hated Willow. He considered her his rival, since she was the only person he could be sure of beating in a battle. Now what could she do? Oh, well. The only thing to do was lie low, and hope that no one challenged her to a battle before they reached Kanto.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Willow was wandering the corridor, looking for her room, when Grant bumped into her!
"Ha! What are you doing here, Willow? You don't have a prayer in the Indigo League in Kanto! You're certainly not going to get very far with that stupid little rat Pokemon of yours! Hey! Why don't we battle right now? I'll cream you!"
Willow bit her lip, pushing her pale, shoulder length light-brown hair back behind her ears. Blizat, the ice Rattata Pokemon, was not particularly strong against Grant's Pokemon, Eeevee, but...no trainer could refuse a battle challenge! What would she do? She had no choice but to except.
"You're on, Grant! Go! Sleet!" A bluish rat about a foot long with a curled tail, rounded ears, two protruding front teeth, and a white belly appeared.
Grant smiled maliciously, dark blue eyes glittering with anticipation. "Ha! I'll use my Eevee! Go!" Grant threw his Pokeball as well, sending out the fluffy, brown fox, which stretched, blinking its wide eyes and twitching its creamy-tipped tail.
The battle was short, and not a good one for Willow. Eevee was faster and stronger than Sleet, and Willow lost in no time, being very inexperienced.
"Oh, no! Sleet, are you okay? You'd better return now." Willow sighed, gray eyes glittering with tears as Grant laughed again.
"Ha! I'm gonna go look for some tougher trainers! Fighting you just isn't a challenge, Willow! See ya...if you even make it to the Indigo League!" He walked off, running a hand through his dark brown hair to make it stick up even more.
Willow wanted to cry. Maybe I should just go home right now, she thought. Willow looked at her gloved hands. Someone did have faith in her. She couldn't give up yet. She just couldn't!
-o-o-o-o-o-
Luckily for Willow, the ship had an on-board Pokemon Center facility, and Sleet was as good as new in no time. On her way back to the cabin, Willow heard a commotion. She ran over to see what was going on. The irate captain was shaking a small, fuzzy yellow Pikachu at the crowd of passengers, coal-black hair sticking every which way in his agitation.
"All right, whose is it? It's ruining the supplies! Which one of you irresponsible brats does it belong to? No one? Then it's overboard for you, you little pest!" He swung his thickly muscled arm toward the ships railing; no one made a move to help the poor Pokemon, which shut its eyes in fear, lightning-bolt-shaped tail and long, pointed ears limp.
To her surprise, Willow found herself shouting, "Wait! That Pikachu is mine!"
The furious captain turned to her. "WHAT? It's YOURS? Well, take it quick, and don't let me see it again! If that little rat so much as shows its ears during the remainder of this voyage, it's HISTORY! Do I make myself clear?" He dumped the Pikachu into her arms, causing it to squeak as the breath was knocked out of it
Willow trembled with fear, but looked the captain in the eye. "Yes, sir. I'm sure he wouldn't WANT to look at someone like YOU ever again!"
The captain turned towards her, but Willow had already raced below, carrying the apparently abandoned Pikachu with her.
-o-o-o-o-o-
"Hey, Pikachu...you can come out now! It's okay, the captain's gone!" The Pikachu did not seem concerned. It made a face at her before going back to its nap, yawning and rubbing the bright red circles-its electrical spots-on its face. "Oh! What am I going to do with you? If I can't even get you to listen to me, how can I take you with me? I guess I have to now, though. You don't belong on this ship. How could you have gotten here in the first place?"
It never occurred to Willow that the Pikachu might have been abandoned by an irresponsible trainer, but it was. The next morning, Willow found a note shoved underneath her cabin door.
"Dear trainer, I am afraid that you have just taken in my old Pikachu. Rafael is disobedient, unruly, and weak. Take good care of him, because I certainly don't want to! Sincerely, a trainer."
Willow looked at Rafael. "Poor Rafael! Your trainer must have abandoned you. Well, you're my Pokemon now. Don't worry; I'll take good care of you."
Soon, a ship-wide announcement was given. "To all trainers: the ship has reached Pallet town port. Please disembark now. Thank you and have a nice day!"
Willow smiled. "Come on, Sleet, Rafael! It's time we got going; we have a Pokemon League Competition to sign up for!"