Chapter 1: Flashback
"Alright Ahti, let's go!" she yelled. The caves on Victory Road were dimly lit, dulling the brilliant color of her bright orange hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her Nidoking companion was also shadowed in the dull lighting, but his bulky silhouette could not be missed.
The two had always been fighters. They had been battling together, since they were young. Ever since that day Ahti was found, a wounded, tiny Nidoran, and taken in.
It was just outside Viridian City. The young trainer knelt beside him, assessing his wounds.
"It looks bad." She said, sorrow in her voice, to another Pokemon. The little Nidoran could barely open his one good eye, but it looked like a Pokemon he had never seen in Kanto, before. The Pokemon's orange fur matched his trainer's hair, almost perfectly.
She had always had a passion for Pokemon, and showed great compassion toward those who had been injured. Maggie, was her name. Her partner was a Buizel, named Mambo. He nudged the Nidoran, letting him know that it will be okay. Maggie was going to take care of him. The Nidoran closed his good eye, the other swollen shut, as Maggie scooped him up and rushed to the nearest Pokemon Center.
She waited there, all night. Though the Nidoran was wild, she felt she had to care for him. Surely, he would die if she left him to fend for himself. She thought about him, all through the night. Every time the nurse called somebody back, she felt a twinge of excitement and fear, waiting to hear news of her friend.
Then, finally, as dawn approached, a nurse called Maggie's name. She carried Nidoran out, bandaged and exhausted, but looking much better. Nidoran looked up, weakly, at Maggie, and yawned. Maggie thanked the nurse, and took her friend home. Although he had medical help, there was still a long road of recovery he still had to traverse.
Nidoran went home with Maggie, who continued to nurse him until he was fully recovered. However, after all she had done for him, after all the friends he had made at her family's daycare, he decided to stay. His name became Ahti, and Maggie became his best friend.
The two decided to take on the Kanto league. They shared many wins and losses, welcomed new friends and said goodbye, to old ones. The years went by, and they grew up together, winning both Kanto and Johto leagues. Maggie had been offered positions as a Poison, Ground and even Water type gym leader. She declined them all, after talking it over with Ahti and Mambo, of course, preferring to live a quiet life in the country, taking over her family's daycare.
Though they didn't battle professionally anymore, Maggie and her team was always happy to accept the challenge of a passing trainer. They had fun, worked hard, and made many friends. There just wasn't that thrill anymore, though; that thrill of battling a league, of winning badges and defeating champions. It was a craving they deeply missed, but there were other responsibilities to tend to, now.
k-thunk, k-thunk, k-thunk.
The sound of boots walking up to her, resonated loudly across the wooden porch.
Maggie sat on the steps of the porch, looking out at her beloved Pokemon playing happily with those trainers had entrusted her with, at the daycare. She didn't even have to turn around to see who was coming.
"Hi, Dad." She whispered, sounding exhausted.
He sat down, with a grunt, next to her. He heaved a heavy sigh, and watched the Pokemon for a few minutes. The two sat in silence as the sun began to set, and although neither said a word to each other, he knew what was going through his daughter's head.
"You should go."
"What?" Maggie looked up at him.
"Don't pretend like you weren't thinking about it. You and that Nidoking of yours have been itching to battle in a league, since you got offered that gym position in Unova."
"Ahti and I both agreed we needed to train more, before tackling Unova." Maggie huffed. "It just so happened that during our training, we realized we've been doing this for too long. You and Mom couldn't handle this daycare, forever."
"Now don't go blaming your mom and me." The gruff man said, calmly, as he lit a cigarette. "You were scared, and that's okay. Unova's quite a bit different and more challenging, than Kanto and Johto. But you can't just give up, because you're scared. I think you should go. Challenge the Unova league, take their gym leader offer. That's where your heart is." He smiled at her.
"What about the daycare?" she asked, worried.
"Your cousins can watch over things, while your gone." He took a puff from his cigarette. "Now, I know you love the daycare, but it's not where your heart is. Your passion is in battling, and you should be out there being your very best."
Maggie looked at him, and smiled. She threw her arms around her father, in a tight hug.
"Now, go on." He said. "Get out there and make me proud. Besides, Ahti looks like he could lose some weight."
Maggie chuckled, but Ahti just looked up and grunted, before returning to his nap.