Chapter 1: Run Away Home
A year has passed since Shawn Helms and Fiona Potter left Pallet Town. They competed in the Pokémon League and were now on their way to the Orange Islands to compete in the Orange League.
Shawn's family had moved back to Viridian City before they left, thinking that it was better living near the Viridian Forest. It was peaceful with Pokémon roaming everywhere.
In a cottage, shouts scared off Pidgeys and Spearows roosting nearby. Katherina Helms, age 10, was arguing with her mother, Jamica Helms, again.
"Why can't I become a Pokémon Trainer!?" Katherina demanded. "Shawn's become one, and he's already on his way to the Orange Islands! And I'm already 10! So why can't I!?"
All her life, Katherina wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer, but Jamica didn't agree with her. "Katherina, do you know that being a trainer requires skills and experience?" her mother questioned evasively.
"I know that! I have skills and experience! Era and Otachi think so too!" Katherina yelled.
Era and Otachi were Pokémon Katherina had had for 5 years. Era was an Eevee, her first Pokémon, and Otachi was a Sentret, her second Pokémon.
"And what if you get hurt?" Jamica asked.
"So!? I can heal myself! And I can bandage myself too."
"You're still too young. Pokémon battling is violent and dangerous. You're not becoming a Pokémon Trainer, and that's my final answer!"
Katherina was in tears. She always asked to be a trainer, and her mother always gave her the same answer. Hatred burned inside her. She hated Jamica.
"Why can't you understand!?" Katherina screamed and ran to her room with Era and Otachi following behind her. Jamica ignored her cries and sat back in her chair.
Katherina slammed her bedroom door shut and wept on her bed. Era jumped onto her bed and snuggled against her cheek to cheer her up. Otachi leapt onto the bed and gave a sad squeak. Katherina wiped her tears and looked down at her Pokémon.
"I-its o-okay." Sniff. "I'm fine," she assured them.
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and held her hand above Era. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Glittering lights sparkled, surrounding Katherina and Era. A warm sensation calmed them down. A voice spoke in Katherina's mind. Era's voice.
[You shouldn't be angry with your mother. Maybe you're not ready to become one.]
As the lights died away, Katherina looked at Era.
"Era, I want to be one. I'm ready for it. It's all I've ever dreamed about," she said. She made a final decision that would change her life.
"I don't care what Mom says. I'm gonna become one even if it means to run away."
Era and Otachi gasped. They knew what she was talking about. They shook their heads, trying to change her mind.
"No. I've made up my mind. Tonight. I'm running away. You don't have to come with me," she said as she walked to her closet and pulled out a bag. She threw out her clothes and dug through the drawers.
"You can stay here and look after Mom and Sandy while I'm gone."
Her Pokémon couldn't believe what she was saying. They looked at each other, and, after a moment's pause, nodded, agreeing on something. Era looked at Katherina.
[We'll go with you,] she said. Katherina looked at them, stunned.
[You can't become a Pokémon Trainer without any Pokémon,] Otachi squeaked. Katherina sniffed and rushed over to hug them.
"Thanks," she said as she held back tears.
~*~*~*~*~
Night has fallen. Bug Pokémon cricked and sang in the forest. The treetops rustled in the wind. All was quiet in the cottage.
Katherina quickly climbed out of bed and slowly took out her bag hidden under it. She was in her already. She wore a shirt, a jacket, jeans, and sneakers. She tied her blue hair in a ponytail and wore a cap facing backwards.
She had packed everything she needed; her clothes, a food supply, her bankcard, a book, pencil, and colored pencils, necessary things, and a tent.
Era and Otachi jumped out of their baskets and sprinted quietly after her. She threw her bag over her shoulder and reached for the window.
"Kat, you're not leaving, are you?"
Katherina nearly jumped with fright and spun around. Sandra, her eight-year-old sister, was wide-awake. She was looking at her with such sad eyes. She had read Katherina's mind. Katherina sighed, walked up to her, and sat next to her.
"I have to. I can't stay here any longer. I want to become a Pokémon Trainer. Please understand, Sandra," she explained to her.
"Will you come back?" Sandra asked.
Katherina looked away. "Maybe. I'm not sure."
"You're afraid to go, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Half of me wants to stay. But I have to go. I know I have to. Listen, do me a favor."
"Look after Mom while you're gone?"
Katherina smiled at her little sister. "Yeah. Thanks... I'd best be going now."
"Don't forget to write," Sandra whispered as Katherina got up from the bedside and smiled at her.
"I won't."
With that, she opened the window and jumped out. Era and Otachi leapt out behind her. Sandra rushed to the doorway and saw her older sister run to the stables. After she disappeared into the shadows of the stables, Sandra closed the door and dragged herself to bed.
Katherina quietly walked into the stable where they kept their Pokémon. Jamica looked after injured Pokémon and kept them until they were better. A Butterfree slept soundly off to one side. A Paras was eating the straw.
Katherina went to one part of the stable and called something. "Duo. Here, Duo." A Doduo trotted slowly up to Katherina and nuzzled her with its beaks like a cat. "Hey, I hope you don't mind if you come with me. I'm running away from here to become a Pokémon Trainer."
The Doduo looked at her, startled, and shook its two heads.
"I know I shouldn't. But I can't turn back. It's now or never. And I need you to travel with me. Is that okay?" She looked down. "Shawn might be angry when he sees one of his Pokémon gone...but I need your help. Will you come?"
Duo turned to Era.
[Don't look at me,] Era told him. [We tried talking some sense into her, but she wouldn't listen.]
Otachi sighed and nodded. Duo looked at Katherina and slowly nodded.
"Thanks," Katherina whispered. She was greatly thankful.
Mutely, Katherina and her Pokémon walked out of the stable and into the forest. Duo carried her bag and tent on its back. They reached the entrance without getting lost. Katherina looked up at the night sky, and then looked back.
'Goodbye,' she thought. She turned back to her Pokémon.
[So, where should we go now?] Otachi squeaked.
Katherina looked towards the horizon and grinned. "Let's go...to Pallet Town...The place where Pokémon adventures begin."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vickie: So how was it? Is it good? Please, PLEASE, review!
A year has passed since Shawn Helms and Fiona Potter left Pallet Town. They competed in the Pokémon League and were now on their way to the Orange Islands to compete in the Orange League.
Shawn's family had moved back to Viridian City before they left, thinking that it was better living near the Viridian Forest. It was peaceful with Pokémon roaming everywhere.
In a cottage, shouts scared off Pidgeys and Spearows roosting nearby. Katherina Helms, age 10, was arguing with her mother, Jamica Helms, again.
"Why can't I become a Pokémon Trainer!?" Katherina demanded. "Shawn's become one, and he's already on his way to the Orange Islands! And I'm already 10! So why can't I!?"
All her life, Katherina wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer, but Jamica didn't agree with her. "Katherina, do you know that being a trainer requires skills and experience?" her mother questioned evasively.
"I know that! I have skills and experience! Era and Otachi think so too!" Katherina yelled.
Era and Otachi were Pokémon Katherina had had for 5 years. Era was an Eevee, her first Pokémon, and Otachi was a Sentret, her second Pokémon.
"And what if you get hurt?" Jamica asked.
"So!? I can heal myself! And I can bandage myself too."
"You're still too young. Pokémon battling is violent and dangerous. You're not becoming a Pokémon Trainer, and that's my final answer!"
Katherina was in tears. She always asked to be a trainer, and her mother always gave her the same answer. Hatred burned inside her. She hated Jamica.
"Why can't you understand!?" Katherina screamed and ran to her room with Era and Otachi following behind her. Jamica ignored her cries and sat back in her chair.
Katherina slammed her bedroom door shut and wept on her bed. Era jumped onto her bed and snuggled against her cheek to cheer her up. Otachi leapt onto the bed and gave a sad squeak. Katherina wiped her tears and looked down at her Pokémon.
"I-its o-okay." Sniff. "I'm fine," she assured them.
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and held her hand above Era. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Glittering lights sparkled, surrounding Katherina and Era. A warm sensation calmed them down. A voice spoke in Katherina's mind. Era's voice.
[You shouldn't be angry with your mother. Maybe you're not ready to become one.]
As the lights died away, Katherina looked at Era.
"Era, I want to be one. I'm ready for it. It's all I've ever dreamed about," she said. She made a final decision that would change her life.
"I don't care what Mom says. I'm gonna become one even if it means to run away."
Era and Otachi gasped. They knew what she was talking about. They shook their heads, trying to change her mind.
"No. I've made up my mind. Tonight. I'm running away. You don't have to come with me," she said as she walked to her closet and pulled out a bag. She threw out her clothes and dug through the drawers.
"You can stay here and look after Mom and Sandy while I'm gone."
Her Pokémon couldn't believe what she was saying. They looked at each other, and, after a moment's pause, nodded, agreeing on something. Era looked at Katherina.
[We'll go with you,] she said. Katherina looked at them, stunned.
[You can't become a Pokémon Trainer without any Pokémon,] Otachi squeaked. Katherina sniffed and rushed over to hug them.
"Thanks," she said as she held back tears.
~*~*~*~*~
Night has fallen. Bug Pokémon cricked and sang in the forest. The treetops rustled in the wind. All was quiet in the cottage.
Katherina quickly climbed out of bed and slowly took out her bag hidden under it. She was in her already. She wore a shirt, a jacket, jeans, and sneakers. She tied her blue hair in a ponytail and wore a cap facing backwards.
She had packed everything she needed; her clothes, a food supply, her bankcard, a book, pencil, and colored pencils, necessary things, and a tent.
Era and Otachi jumped out of their baskets and sprinted quietly after her. She threw her bag over her shoulder and reached for the window.
"Kat, you're not leaving, are you?"
Katherina nearly jumped with fright and spun around. Sandra, her eight-year-old sister, was wide-awake. She was looking at her with such sad eyes. She had read Katherina's mind. Katherina sighed, walked up to her, and sat next to her.
"I have to. I can't stay here any longer. I want to become a Pokémon Trainer. Please understand, Sandra," she explained to her.
"Will you come back?" Sandra asked.
Katherina looked away. "Maybe. I'm not sure."
"You're afraid to go, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Half of me wants to stay. But I have to go. I know I have to. Listen, do me a favor."
"Look after Mom while you're gone?"
Katherina smiled at her little sister. "Yeah. Thanks... I'd best be going now."
"Don't forget to write," Sandra whispered as Katherina got up from the bedside and smiled at her.
"I won't."
With that, she opened the window and jumped out. Era and Otachi leapt out behind her. Sandra rushed to the doorway and saw her older sister run to the stables. After she disappeared into the shadows of the stables, Sandra closed the door and dragged herself to bed.
Katherina quietly walked into the stable where they kept their Pokémon. Jamica looked after injured Pokémon and kept them until they were better. A Butterfree slept soundly off to one side. A Paras was eating the straw.
Katherina went to one part of the stable and called something. "Duo. Here, Duo." A Doduo trotted slowly up to Katherina and nuzzled her with its beaks like a cat. "Hey, I hope you don't mind if you come with me. I'm running away from here to become a Pokémon Trainer."
The Doduo looked at her, startled, and shook its two heads.
"I know I shouldn't. But I can't turn back. It's now or never. And I need you to travel with me. Is that okay?" She looked down. "Shawn might be angry when he sees one of his Pokémon gone...but I need your help. Will you come?"
Duo turned to Era.
[Don't look at me,] Era told him. [We tried talking some sense into her, but she wouldn't listen.]
Otachi sighed and nodded. Duo looked at Katherina and slowly nodded.
"Thanks," Katherina whispered. She was greatly thankful.
Mutely, Katherina and her Pokémon walked out of the stable and into the forest. Duo carried her bag and tent on its back. They reached the entrance without getting lost. Katherina looked up at the night sky, and then looked back.
'Goodbye,' she thought. She turned back to her Pokémon.
[So, where should we go now?] Otachi squeaked.
Katherina looked towards the horizon and grinned. "Let's go...to Pallet Town...The place where Pokémon adventures begin."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vickie: So how was it? Is it good? Please, PLEASE, review!