Chapter One

"Hey, slowpoke! I beat you by thirty-one minutes this morning! Up your game!" came a yell. Zack rolled his eyes. Alex enjoyed beating him because it almost never happened. "You said 9:00. I'm technically ten minutes early," he called back. "Yeah, well, then I was-" Alex paused, counting in his head. "Forty-one minutes early! Hah!"

Zack Austin and Alex Gunter had been friends since they were four. Now twelve years old, Zack had hazel eyes, and Alex had blue. Zack had caramel-colored hair swept to the side, Alex had platinum blonde spiked in the front. Zack played the guitar, Alex played the saxophone.

They did everything together, from eating dinner to catching their first Pokémon. They were about to attempt the latter. Zack's parents had just granted permission for them to go Pokémon searching in the Ilex Forest. They were both using their parents' Pokémon, a Growlithe and a Marill, as they were just now going to catch some of their own.

Zack suppressed a smile at Alex's logic. "You could have just added ten to your earlier time."

Alex then stopped gloating and stared at Zack for a few moments. Then, he said, "Let's just go to the forest. Did you bring the Pokéballs?"

"Yes."

"Okay, great. Race to that tree?" Alex and Zack were the fastest runners in Azalea Town, so Alex always wanted to race despite the many times they had tied. Zack pretended to think about it, then shook his head. "No racing, but I think you'll be able to beat any Pokémon once you see what I brought." Zack said. Alex raised an eyebrow. "Okay, then we'll walk. Fast."

Zack grinned and sprint-walked the route to the Ilex Forest.

"Hey, I have a surprise for you." he said.

"What is it?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a-"

"Get on with it!"

Zack knew Alex loved surprises, so he had bought him a special present for their first Pokémon searching trip. He took something spherical out of his pocket. It was wrapped in plain white paper with drawings of Pokéballs on it. "Happy birthday, Alex." Alex began screaming louder than an Exploud. "NO! YOU DIDN'T! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! AAAHHH! YOU'RE THE BEST FRIEND I EVER HAD!!!!"

Zack just grinned as Alex yelled and stared in shock at the Ultra Ball he had just unwrapped. He had used nine months' allowance for it, but seeing his best friend leap up and down in joy made everything worth it. Such as the example at the moment, the two friends balanced each other out. Alex was the loud but endearing kind of guy, while Zack was the strong, quiet type.

"I'm glad you like it. Save it for a very special Pokémon, 'kay?" Zack said. Alex was apparently now speechless after screaming his head off, and Zack chuckled. Then, he noticed they had arrived at Ilex Forest.

"Three Pokéballs each. I don't advise using your Ultra Ball."

"Got it. Meet you back here in, what, an hour?" Alex asked.

"I was thinking we should stick together, seeing as we're still pretty new at this." Zack answered.

"True."

They walked into the forest. "Do you see any Pokémon?" Zack said.

"As of two seconds ago? No. What Pokémon do you want to catch?"

Zack thought about it for a moment, then said, "I just want one that can beat most Pokémon, really."

"I would prefer a fire or water type. But I eventually want one that can fly. That's really what I want."

"How about a battle with whatever Pokémon we catch?"

"Sure."

They continued their walk in silence, always in the lookout for Pokémon. Zack spotted a Caterpie, which neither of them wanted, and the occasional Pidgey, but otherwise, nothing. Then...

"Hey, look!" Alex exclaimed. A tan and pink worm Pokémon peeked out from under a bush ten feet away. "It's a Weedle!"

"Don't tell me you-"

"Go! Growlithe!" The fire type Pokémon burst out of the Pokéball that Alex had thrown. It growled and looked at Alex, awaiting his command.

"Use Ember!" Growlithe shot a ball of flame at the Weedle, only for it to jump to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. The Weedle then shot sticky string out of its mouth that enveloped the Growlithe.

"Agh! What is that?!" Alex cried.

"I think it's String Shot!" Zack replied.

The Growlithe was having trouble moving. The Weedle could have escaped at any time, but it seemed to be waiting for something. "Growlithe, use Scratch on the string then on the Weedle!" Alex yelled.

Whatever the Weedle was waiting for was distracting it, as Alex's attack plan worked perfectly. The Growlithe freed itself and leapt at the bug type Pokémon, landing a direct hit on its back.

Then Growlithe, without waiting for Alex's shout, shot an Ember straight for the Weedle, leaving it with very low HP.

Zack noticed it first. "Alex, throw the Pokéball!"

Zack tossed a Pokéball to Alex. He reacted in a split second and snapped the red and white ball towards the Weedle. The Pokémon just had time to realize what was happening before the ball hit it.

White light engulfed it, sucking it into the Pokéball. It shook once, twice, then...

Click.

Alex had caught his first Pokémon.