(A/N: this story takes place in my own rendition of the Pokémon series. In it, trainers have three different options to pursue. Trainers can do gyms and contests, as usual, but then the Battle Tents from emerald version form their own special league. Seven symbols from the tents give you access to the facility of the region, where you battle a single frontier brain that is the leader of the region. I start in Hoenn, and travel to others from there. Enjoy!)

Chapter 1
My First Pokémon

My alarm clock rang out, waking me up from my slumber. I lived in one of the three houses in Littleroot town, the one next to the Pokémon lab. One of the other homes was lived in by Prof. Birch, leading Pokémon researcher in the Hoenn Region. The other house was being moved into today, by a family from Petalburg. My father wanted us to greet them when they arrived.

So I jumped off of my bed, and pulled on my red and black shorts, with the red as stripes down the side. A black t-shirt flew on, along with an open jacket that matched the shorts. Red fingerless gloves and crimson sneakers followed, as well as a set of black headphones over my spiky green hair. Lastly, I put a small necklace on, with a half-blue and half-yellow gem on the end of it. (I'm not repeating this, since I, like most trainers, do not change their general appearance during their adventure)

I went downstairs, made my own breakfast as usual. My father worked as a programmer for Devon Corp., so he practically lived in Rustboro. At least he could come home for most holidays; my mother worked in a special research facility in the Orre Region. They're so secretive that most of the rest of the world does not know what they do.

"Sorry I'm late, son." My dad said as he crashed into the living room. He ran in about three seconds ago, tripping over the family's pet, Joshua the Eevee. He hissed in annoyance, then fell back asleep. "So, how's my favorite fifteen year old?"

"Sixteen, dad. You missed my birthday by a few weeks."

"I did? I'm sorry, you know with where I-"

"Yeah, its fine. I didn't want any big celebration anyway." All that really happened was my friend Brendan and I ran along our usual path in the woods, to our secret hideout- a tree fort we built when we were younger. Several Pokémon lived in there now, along with a grouchy Shiftree. We leave him alone, though.

"So, you got your first Pokémon yet?"

"No, plan on getting it today along with Brendan and the new guy who's moving in."

"Hah! I guess I'll be here for something, right?"

"Yeah, guess you will." The two of us walked outside to the house in the northwest of town. A moving truck was already parked outside, with several Machoke moving supplies inside. A Woman stood outside, probably the mother of the family moving in. "Hello, welcome to Littleroot. I'm Zack, and this is my dad."

"Oh, hello. I'm Caroline. My-" she was cut off when a boy dressed in an outfit similar to mine, but green and orange instead of red and black, crashed into her. He wore a green headband instead of headphones on his white hair.

"Ow… sorry, new neighbor." Brendan said as he helped Caroline to her feet.

"It's no problem. And you are?"

"Brendan. Brendan Birch."

"Nice to meet you, all of you. My daughter, May, is upstairs. We came here so she could get her first Pokémon and start her journey."

"So are we!" Brendan exclaimed.

A large crash sounded behind us. Two Machoke were lifting a couch off of a third, on whom the furniture fell on. "Mom? Is everything okay down there?" I heard a girl's voice say. That must have been May.

"Yes, dear. The movers just dropped the sofa, that's all. Why don't you come in and meet the neighbors? They're also getting their Pokémon today." We heard a muffled okay from the window, and May walked out of the door several seconds later. (Think of her anime appearance-that's how she looks.)

"Hello, I'm May. Nice to meet you…" she was obviously looking for our names.

"I'm Zack. This," I pulled Brendan away from the flowers he was admiring "Is my friend Brendan."

"You kids ready?" a voice said behind us. It was Professor Birch, Brendan's dad and lead Pokémon researcher in Hoenn. "Follow me, you three. Time to get your Pokémon." We said our goodbyes to our families, and followed Birch to the lab. He gestured to a table, and three standard Pokéballs were on it. I knew them to contain the starters of Hoenn; Treeko, the grass type, Mudkip, the water type, and Torchic, the fire type. "These three Pokéballs contain the first companion of hopefully many you will get over the course of your journey. Choose, choose."

"Ladies first," Brendan said to May. She nodded, and picked the one on the far left. Inside was a Torchic, a small orange chicken. It shook its body upon release from the Pokéball. Brendan chose the one in the middle, and out came a Mudkip, which lazily flopped on the ground after release.

Mine must contain a Treeko, which it did. However, it turned around, and smashed the Pokéball it was contained in to smithereens. It jumped out the window, and ran. "Wait up!" I shouted, flying out the door to the lab after it. I chased it far into the woods, much farther than I had ever been in before. I lost track of it, and found myself lost.

{Help! Help!} I heard. I guess I should explain- I can talk to Pokémon and understand them as if they were humans. I always could, but I never told anyone before, since it would only make them think I was crazy. I guess you could call me a "Poké-whisperer" or something. Someone, anyone, Help!

I ran towards the sound. In a small clearing, I saw several Poocheyna backing a Ralts into a tree, the small psychic type unable to run or attack. I stepped in between them in instinct, and tried to talk the Poocheyna out of their attack. {What's going on here, you guys? Six on one seems a little unfair.}

The lead dark-type replied to me. {What's it to you, human? Your kind rarely even considers the problems of us in the wild.}

{I think I see bullies when I see them. What did this poor girl do to you?}

{She trespassed on our territory. Knowingly, too.}

{I just wanted some food…} the Ralts said. Now that I look at her, I saw she was different than others of her kind- her hair was blue, not green, and her eyes as well as the horns on her head were orange, not red.

{See? She was hungry. Tell you what; I'll take her with me, and you will never have to see her again. Agreed?}

I picked up the Ralts as the lead Poocheyna said {Fine. But if we catch her anywhere near here again, she's gonna get it.} the small wolf Pokémon retreated back into the forest as I tried to find my way back to Littleroot.

{You didn't have to help me…} the Ralts said.

{I know someone in trouble when I see it. You got a name? I'm Zack.}

{I don't have a name… my parents threw me out of our home because of my abnormal color.}

{No name and no home? Well, I'm leaving on a journey around the world. Why don't you come with me?}

{Well… okay. Do you live in the small town on the edge of the forest?}

{Yes, I do. And I also think you're going to need a name. How about…. Kiara?}

{I like it. I'm glad to meet you, Zack. And thank you for helping me.} She pointed in the direction to my left. {Littleroot is that way…}

{Oh, thanks.} I eventually made my way back to the village, Kiara sitting on my shoulder. My dad saw me, worn as I was from the trip and several plant parts hanging off of my clothes. "Hi, dad." I said.

"Zack, thank Arceus you're okay! What's that on your arm?"

"She's a Ralts, dad. And she's gonna be my first Pokémon."

Prof. Birch ran up to me next, closely examining Kiara. "Fascinating! An oddly-colored Ralts specimen!" Kiara was leaning away from him, obviously scared of him.

"Hey, she's a little scared. I saved her from a pack of Poocheyna. Can I have a Pokéball?" Prof. Birch handed me one, but it was black and gold instead of the normal coloration.

"It's a luxury ball. I don't have any normal ones on me, so there you go! An unorthodox ball for an unorthodox starter!"

I knelt down on the ground, and Kiara jumped off of my shoulder. If you want to come with me, you have to go in here. But you don't have to stay in there if you don't want to.

Okay. she touched the ball with her hand, and was sucked in with a flash of red light. Seconds later, the Pokéball went still, signifying that she was registered in there. I let her out immediately afterwards, and she sat on my shoulder again.

"Excellent, excellent! It is late, however. Even though May and Brendan have already left, I'm afraid you have to wait until tomorrow to get your Pokédex and start your journey." Birch said.

"No problem." I walked into my house, my dad asleep on the couch in minutes. I changed into blue pajamas with a Pikachu print on them. Kiara sat on the bed next to me, and I pulled the covers up over the both of us.

{Goodnight, Zack.} she said.

{Goodnight, Kiara.}

(A/N: Yep, another new one to go with the Kingdom Hearts one. And, here's a little question to hold you over until the next chapter: who is my next Pokémon? The breed has already been stated. If you guess right, there will be cake. Nanoman, out.)