Hello to all of you reader out there that took your time to read this. First of all, I want to thank you for visiting my story and hopefully this interest's you enough to continue. It's the first story I've ever wrote so I really hope it turns out ok -.-'
Disclaimer: Pokémon ©Shogakukan Productions Co., Ltd., 4Kids Entertainment, Nintendo & Pokémon USA.
It was quite a warm day on that morning of June; a gentle breeze swayed the transparent curtains tickling the face of a young brunette girl. The girl went to pull the curtains to the side and allow the summer air inside the house. She took a moment to observe the peaceful view that was New Bark Town. A couple of familiar faces walked nearby, all with a kind smile on their faces. The young girl's own face brightened up when a small group of Pidgey's flew above the ceiling of the house.
"Dyllan, the match is going to start!" Joe, professor Elm's young son said with enthusiasm.
Dyllan smiled in return, going to sit next to the young boy. Dyllan Gains was a 16 year old girl from Viridian City located in the Kanto region. Every year, for the past 7 years, she'd be going to New Bark Town in Johto to spend the summer with her aunt. She actually loved staying there, for everything, her aunt, the friends she had made and the overall environment – it was so much better then the one back home.
"Waa! It's a Salamence!" Joe shouted, his finger pointing towards the television.
Dyllan giggled. "A great powerhouse, but it takes more then that to win. Let's see how this dragon handles the Mamoswine his opponent just called."
Joe seemed not to understand what his friend was implying, a great Pokémon like Salamence? One of the greatest dragon-type monsters out there fall victim to a Mamoswine? Sure, Mamoswine wasn't a bad Pokémon, but to his knowledge, Salamence was way better.
The match between the two adversaries began and Salamence didn't waste any time to show off his great dragon-type moves. However, the great mammoth countered with a Protect move. He promptly followed by summoning hail into the stage and thanks to his Snow Cloak ability, Mamoswine was now harder to see and hit.
Joe pulled a face while Dyllan a smile. The young boy actually thought his friend could be right but the match had just begun and he knew Salamence would win in the end.
The Dragon Pokémon flew around the hail, getting hit in the process. His trainer called a command which Salamence proceeded to execute. A Focused Energy surrounded the magnificent body of Salamence as the Dragon rammed into the hail storm, finding and striking down the Mamoswine with a critically hit Fire Fang.
Joe cheered for the Salamence but there were many shouts coming from the crowd on the TV. The camera focused on the silhouettes trapped inside the Hail and to everyone's surprise, Mamoswine – despite having been seriously injured – held the Salamence by his tail down. The flying dragon struggling to break free; was already preparing a Dragonbreath to shoot at his opponent, but cancelled once he met the Iced Fangs of Mamoswine – freezing his entire body on the spot. Salamence was then defeated.
Joe stood with his mouth gaped, which Dyllan closed with a hand. "So, was I right or what?"
The young boy shook his head and eyed the brunette. "How did you know Mamoswine was going to win?"
It was Dyllan's turn to shake her head. "I didn't know, but since we're watching league matches I assume both trainers know what they're doing." She raised a finger in wisdom. "Though Salamence may be a magnificent Pokémon, Mamoswine has the type advantage if using Ice attacks. It was all a matter of knowing how to counter Salamence's powerful moves and strike down."
The boy seemed to understand. "You sure know a lot… Why haven't you become a trainer yet, Dyllan? You could've started last year and daddy even wanted to offer you with a Pokémon. Why did you refuse? Don't you like Pokémon?"
"Easy now, a question at a time!" the girl tried to calm the young boy down. It wasn't exactly a subject Dyllan liked to talk about, she understood the boy's curiosity, but she really didn't want to talk much about it. "First of all, of course I like Pokémon. Besides babysitting you, I help your father, professor Elm in his laboratory sometimes. I didn't begin my journey last year because I didn't feel ready, ok?"
An easy reply, she could've said so much more then that but since what she said was also true, she wasn't going to prolong the conversation.
Joe actually wanted to say something else, but they were all interrupted with a shout coming from outside: 'DYLLAN!"
A broad smile was immediately drawn in Dyllan's face as she quickly recognized the voices. Here suspicions were then confirmed when she opened the window do see three figures waving at her - Kris, Ethan and Lyra.
"Come down here!" Kris shouted.
"We're going to Elm's lab to get our Pokémon! You didn't forget the three of us were starting today did you?" Lyra winked.
Ethan pulled a cocky smirk. "Of course she did, it's Dyllan we're talking about after all," his arm rose upwards towards Dyllan. "At least come down here to see us off 'she who doesn't like us enough to join our quest'."
Dyllan giggled. "Of course I didn't forget, I simply thought you guys would go a bit later… but I guess you're all exited to start. I'll be right down."
Dyllan grabbed her backpack, Joe tagging along saying he too wanted to see them off. Out of the house and down the stairs, Dyllan was reunited with her friends. Lyra immediately hugged her.
"We're going to miss you! I really wish things would be different and you could also come with us."
A bit surprised at first, but Dyllan also retrieved the embrace. "It's ok… I'll be sad of course, but I know the three of you will become great trainers."
Ethan placed both hands inside his blazer. "Let's go, the professor is already waiting."
Joe entered the lab first, being greeted by most of the assistants until he ran to his father's arms. Professor Elm was sitting in a desk observing something in a microscope; he greeted his son warmly, doing the same to the incoming teens.
"Ah, so you have come," he was quick to point a table behind him with a set of three Pokéballs on top. "I have already prepared everything for the three of you. I presume you still remember what I said about these Pokémon and that you have already chosen your starters?"
Kris firmly nodded. "We have professor. It wasn't hard to agree who would get what starter."
The professor seemed pleased, rising from his seat and going to release the Pokémon inside the Pokéballs. Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile were summoned, squealing with happiness of being outside. The professor presented them.
"These are your starters; I hope you've chosen wisely."
Dyllan crossed her arms, causally leaning against a wall, curious as to what starter each of her friend's had chosen, since the night before they refused to reveal as punishment for not going with them. Lyra, a girl the same age as Dyllan. Due to her grandfather passing away last year she hadn't been in the mood to begin any journey. Now, along with her friends, she was more then ready to start the adventure of her life.
Her arms reached forwards and she chose her starter. "I'm picking Chikorita as my first Pokémon!"
The grass-type smiled, accepting the embrace from her new trainer. Ethan and Kris moved forward at the same time, the two were fifteen equally and had been waiting for that moment for as long as Dyllan knew them. The two nodded at one another and simultaneously chose their starters. Cyndaquil for Ethan and Totodile for Kris.
The choices had been made and professor Elm, along with his assistant, was already there to present them with the latest version of the Pokédex and five Pokéballs. The three took and stored the items in their bags, thanking the professor in the process.
"Now listen carefully," Elm begun. "The three of you represent this Town and I know you will achieve great things in your journey. Search far and train hard but always remember to keep your feet grounded. Never loose sight of your goal, ok? I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you professor." They shout in chorus.
The professor then suddenly folded his arms and faced Dyllan. "So, I see not even your friends convinced you to start a journey this year."
"Trust us, we've tried," said Ethan, both girls confirming with a nod. "She says the same excuse over and over again…"
"That she's not ready?" Joe guessed in all innocence.
There was an agonizing silence in the air for what seemed like forever, until Ethan broke it. "Yeah… that she's not ready."
Lyra walked towards Dyllan, getting a hold of her right arm. "Come on, come see us off!"
X
It took everything that Dyllan had in her to prevent the tears from falling. There they were, the three persons she considered her best friends, leaving New Bark Town. She was sad, she couldn't mask that. She had her aunt and she would be busy taking care of Professor Elm's son and the lab, but it just wouldn't be the same now. One last thing she had to admit was that deep inside herself she was jealous. Jealous of seeing her friends accomplish something she could never have, jealous of the adventures, friends and places they would see.
But above everything she was happy; after all, she too knew how much they wanted this adventure.
Dyllan grabbed both her arms as her head slowly dropped. "I-I…" she began to stammer, but managed to compose her voice in the end. "I wish all of you the best of luck!"
The three smiled –sadly no doubt. Ethan raised a thumb up towards the hurting girl. "Thanks Dyllan, we promise not to disappoint you."
"Keep a good watch on the TV for you'll be hearing about us!" Lyra said cheerfully.
Kris wiped a tear in disguise, smiling right away. "And this concludes all of our farewells… Dyllan, best of luck to you too. We'll definitely see each other again."
And the three turned their back at New Bark Town, leaving towards a new beginning in their lives – a journey of a lifetime. Dyllan watched them until their silhouettes were gone. From there she returned home where she was greeted by her aunt and the two had lunch together. Dyllan and her aunt spoke a lot during their meal, mostly her aunt calming her down about her friends.
After lunch, the young girl went to the lab where she helped professor Elm take care of trainer's Pokémon.
"Dyllan I have a favour to ask you." Dyllan turned to the professor curious in what could it be. "Do you think that you can go to the house of a friend of mine and pick up a package that he has for me? I just received a call from him and he seemed really happy about something."
The young girl dusted her hands, "I don't mind it professor." She already snickered, for she knew practecly nothing could make professor Elm leave the lab. "Where do I have to go?"
"You actually know him," Elm smiled. "It's Mr. Pokémon's house. You've been there before with my assistant, right?"
"Y-yes…" she couldn't help her surprised expression. Indeed, she'd been to the house in the past – once. Not to mention it was a bit distant from New Bark. "Does someone take me there by car or something?" she had to ask.
The professor smiled at that point, returning to his chair where his computer was.
"Actually, no. We are far to busy to send any of my assistants to go there. But I'm aware of the wild Pokémon out there and of course I don't what you to get hurt," his smile grew wider. "Your little friend will accompany and protect you."
Dylan stepped back as he finished. A smile grew in her face as well but just as quickly faded away.
"Pi-pi!" came a squeak, and a Pichu came running into Dyllan's arms. Small sparks coming from its pink cheeks in pure happiness.
"P-professor Elm… I… really don't know…" Of course she wanted it. Travel with her friend even if just for a while – to have that trainer feeling. But she couldn't, it just wouldn't be fair...
"Nonsense!" he spat. "I'm sure that your parents wouldn't mind you to have a Pokémon for a few hours. Besides, why do they even have to know that you had a Pokémon?"
Dylan looked up at the professor; he winked at her smiling. Dylan thought for a moment about the situation. The whole thing was very tempting for her. That Pichu had been found by Dyllan herself when she first went to Johto to spend the summer with her aunt. He was terribly hurt, his life slowly fading away from him. She took him in to the professor she'd met that same day – professor Elm. He stayed up all night and all day taking care of that little Pichu. Dyllan had also stayed behind, praying for his recovery. His condition was horrible, but he survived – That Pichu had survived and from then on, he and Dyllan had remained good friends.
"You're right professor!" she shouted, starling Pichu. "As long as they don't hear about this, I'm sure it won't hurt. Mister Pokémons House, was it?"
The professor laughed. "That's the spirit! I even think that your aunt will be happy with this. But don't worry; I'll inform her of your leave. You should departure right away as you will take at least two days to go and come."
Dyllan mentaly pictured the route in her mind. The professor was probably right, by foot it would probably take her that long. "You up for it, Pichu?"
"Pii-pii!" he leaped to her left shoulder, comfortably sitting there.
Dyllan was given some basic matearials for her short journey. Mostly food and an oversized rain jacket should the weather radicaly change. When ready, she was accompanied by Professor Elm and his assistant outside where they wished her a good travel.
The young girl left but held her pace at the outskirts of New Bark Town. She rested a hand above her chest, feeling her heart beat with joy. She eyed Pichu. "Ready?"
A nod was all she needed before stepping inside the road.
A/N: Here it is, the first chapter! Hope you guys liked it and leave a comment :)