This story was originally published as a challenge thread on the Azurilland forums for an Un-Evolved Sapphire Scramble challenge. I wrote several chapters of it, though sadly never finished it. But now, I'm going to be going through and remastering every chapter to be more a story than a challenge thread, and then eventually write and complete the rest of the story.

Because I was literally writing this story while I was playing through a game of Pokémon Sapphire, there may be certain parts that require this context, but I will be doing my best to keep everything very natural sounding, as if I'm writing the story all over again. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!


Chapter 1: Lost Pokémon!

The air was clean. It was another calm, sun shiny day in Littleroot town where Lucy was preparing for the big day of the year to finally begin. Over the last few days, she'd been working non-stop on all the preparations that needed to be in place; renting jumping castles, setting up obstacle courses, and more than anything, baking a lot of Pokémon food. She'd been working since last summer ended, and now the time of year was here once again. It was time for another month of Camp Littleroot—the Hoenn region's only Pokémon Summer Camp.

Supported wholly by the Pokémon Day Care of Route 117, and the Pokémon Fan Club, Camp Littleroot was an experience for Pokémon from all around the region. Mostly it's a time for Hoenn's stray Pokémon, wild Pokémon, and Pokémon from the day care to come and have a good time, make friends, and have a blast. This year there were 6 Pokémon scheduled to show up, and Lucy couldn't be more excited to meet some new friends. Or… so she was hoping.

That day, while Lucy was tucking her pink blonde hair under her red cap, and adjusting her black-rimmed glasses accordingly, a Pelipper arrived on Lucy's window with an urgent sound. A letter was attached to it, and it was flapping its arms frantically for Lucy to open her bedroom window.

When she did, her heart sank into pieces when she read the words written:

Lucy,

The trainer we sent to deliver the Pokémon to Littleroot Town was ambushed by Team Aqua, and the Pokémon all fled in different directions! Now we have no idea where they all are! We don't know what to do, we're trying to ask anybody who's available to keep an eye out for them. They're just baby Pokémon who don't' have any real fighting experience, and we are worried sick about them. Who knows what could happen to them?

Please alert Professor Birch as soon as you can,

The Day Care Couple.

"Oh no…oh no!" Lucy exclaimed frantically, having no clue what to do, "Professor Birch! PROFESSOR BIRCH!"

Lucy yelled, running with all the air in her lungs she could muster, and she didn't even have her running shoes on. She hadn't even had breakfast yet and, she got the urgent letter from the Day Care couple alerting her to the danger all the poor Pokécampers were in. What kind of evil people would do this to innocent Pokémon?

Racing out of the doors to her house, she galloped across the streets to get to the Pokémon Laboratory. Lucy burst through the Pokémon Lab doors, embarrassingly catching her breath since it was such a short run from her house. She wasted no time and started yelling as loud as she could to get somebody's attention, "Professor Birch! Professor Birch!"

"—Lucy!" said a distracted voice coming from the lab, "What's the matter? Why are you yelling?"

Lucy was fortunate enough to be on good terms with the Pokémon Professor, given he lived in the same town that she did. She had been given the task of running the camp this year by the professor himself—and now she had to tell him that something had gone horribly wrong, and camp hadn't even started yet.

"Professor Birch—" Lucy exhaled while clutching her knees and holding up the note she'd received from Pelipper, "this just came from Route 117- Team Aqua- the campers - LOST!"

"WHAT?!" Professor Birch yelled, "Lost where?!"

Lucy huffed and puffed and held her head to her knees, "They don't know...Apparently somewhere close to Route 110...so they could be anywhere! What are we going to do? What if they get in trouble? What if someone catches them?"

Professor Birch grabbed the note from Lucy and began skimming it over. After only a few seconds of reading his brow scowled and his face turned red.

"TEAM AQUA?!" he exploded, "Those no good rotten—"

"—Professor, what are we going to do? The Pokémon—they—I'm—I'm the counselor! If anything happens to those Pokémon it's my fault!"

"There's only one thing to do! We have to rescue those Pokémon!" The Professor answered immediately, look around the Laboratory, with a concerned look of worry, "—But we're low on people to do it. Brendan is off on his own journey, who can we trust to go?"

Lucy stood, sweating, chanting quietly to herself "Don't say me, don't say me, don't say me..." As much as she cared about the Pokémon, she had no world experience outside of her little town. She would be useless.

"Lucy!"

Birch grinned. Lucy's throat dropped to her shoes.

"You've been wanting to start your Pokémon journey for some time now!"

Lucy feigned a grin and nervously said, "Well, Professor, I…uh…I don't think being a trainer is really my cup of tea..."

"Which is exactly why you should go!" Birch exclaimed, "You're the head counselor of Camp Littleroot, are you not? That means it's your job to get out there and find those Pokémon!"

Lucy stood and contemplated the options, though there really weren't many. She would suggest that everyone split up and find the Pokémon, but that wouldn't be fair to everyone else. The Professor was right—Camp Littleroot was her responsibility. She had to go find those Pokémon, even if she'd never commanded a battle in her life.

"Ok, Professor," Lucy said, "I'll do it."

"Splendid! But first, you'll need to get a Pokémon, you can't go out into the tall grass all by yourself, you know!"

The idea of getting her first Pokémon made Lucy both excited and terrified. She loved Pokémon, more than anything, but owning one? Training one? She didn't know the first thing about battles, or even being a trainer.

Having been eavesdropping, Professor Birch's faithful lab assistant hustled over and whispered something secretive into Birch's ear. Something Birch did not respond well to. "WHAT?! What do you mean we're out of Pokémon?!"

Lucy felt immediately at ease. Maybe she wouldn't have to go look for them after all, somebody more qualified would be more suited anyway, like a gym leader.

The assistant nervously gutted out, "W-We've had 6 new trainers this month...We just gave out the last Treeko. I've contacted Professor Juniper in Unova for some backups to be delivered—"

"There's no time for that!" Birch exclaimed, then sharply turning his attention to Lucy, "Alright then, all I can do them is give you 6 Pokéballs and let you catch your own."

"W-What?" Lucy panicked, "That's not how it's supposed to go! How will I defend myself out there?"

Professor Birch put a hand on Lucy's shaking shoulder, "There are probably many friendly Zigzagoon who would be happy to help you out! Just, uh… approach them cautiously. They can territorial and chase after people. But, you know how to handle Pokémon, unlike most rookie trainers! So I'm not worried at all."

"Are you really sure about this, professor? I don't even know who the Pokémon are what they look like, the day care couple didn't get that far! And what if the Pokémon I find is…mean? And doesn't want me to be their trainer?"

"Those are questions every trainers asks themselves at one point, Lucy!" he replied jovially, "But never fear! If you show a Pokémon compassion, they are likely to show you it in return. You only need patience."

"I—"

"Not another word about it! There are Pokémon to save!"

Swallowing her gut, Lucy nodded. The Professor was right.

"Ok, sir. I'll go find the Pokémon. T-Thank you."

And with that, after taking the six Pokéballs from Professor Birch, Lucy was off into horrifyingly uncharted territory.


Lucy paced around the entrance to Route 101, stressing and worrying over what she was going to do. She didn't even know which Pokémon were lost, the trainer who was ambushed had the list and Lucy was receiving them blind! Now she had to go catch her first Pokémon all by herself?

Ever since she was a kid, it was true, Lucy had dreamed about becoming a trainer one day. But things never seemed to work out. When she turned 10 years ago, when she would have started her journey like everyone else, Lucy wanted to stay behind and take care all of the wild Pokémon that would pass by her house. She always thought she'd end up working at the day care herself, or if not that, just be one of those Pokémon that loved Pokémon but never became a trainer. Lucy knew a lot of people like that. But never the less, here she was, and she had no idea what she was doing.

But all was not lost, because just when she was contemplating retreating and asking for help, she heard the pitter-patter of what sounded like hooves frolicking through the grass. The crimson hue from the wild Pokémon's mane didn't match the usual aesthetic of southern Hoenn at all. What was a FIRE Pokémon doing here?

Strangely, the stray Pokémon began to speak. "Excuse me, is… this Littleroot Town? I'm here for summer camp..."

Lucy approached the Pokémon cautiously as she was trained to do with creatures she hadn't made friends with yet. "Yes, this is Camp Littleroot. Are you lost?"

"Oh, it was horrible!" The wild Ponyta started flailing, "I was snug inside a Pokéball, until before I knew it, I had been released somewhere! I didn't know where I was, and I couldn't find my friends...but this is really Littleroot?"

"Yes, this is Littleroot." Lucy said calmly, hoping not to frighten the scared Pokémon away, "But you're the only camper who's here so far! The rest of them, your friends, are all lost too. I'm going to find them right now. Why don't you head into town and find the Pokémon Professor—he'll keep you safe until I come back."

"What?! No! Let me come with you!" Ponyta cheered, "I'm the best fighter at the Day Care anyway, I kick everyone's butts! I'll help you find my friends."

Lucy gasped and put her hands to her mouth, "You can tell me who they are?"

"Yeah, duh!" Ponyta galloped, "So what do you say, can I go with you?"

It took some contemplating, but after some much acknowledged thought, Lucy knew what the right thing to do was. She could see in the Ponyta's eyes that it had a fire for battle, but more than anything, a concern for her friends. Lucy could feel how much she wanted to see them all again.

"Okay," Lucy nodded, "Well…you'll need to travel in one of these Pokéballs…is that okay with you?"

"WAIT—" Ponyta said excitedly, "So you get to be my TRAINER?! Seriously? I've always wanted a trainer!"

And like that, the bond between Camp and Counselor was born. Lucy reached for one of the Pokéballs she got from Professor Birch and let the happy Ponyta hop inside, before throwing it into the air so she could tag alongside her. Something felt right about it, like all of this was meant to be.

"What's your name?" Lucy asked, "Besides Ponyta, of course."

"Oh, we don't go by our Pokémon names at the Day Care." Ponyta said, "You can call me Willow! Mr. Caretaker likes trees, he named us after them."

Lucy smiled, "Willow it is then. Well then Willow, what do you say, are you ready to find your friends?"

Willow raised her hooves in the air and let out a cry of joy. The first day of Camp Littleroot had begun! Operation: Find the Lost Pokémon!