Chapter 1 - The Encounter
(Key: "(...)" is to indicate what the Pokémon are saying to each other.
Italics are thoughts.)
It was about to rain out on Route 101 on a hot summer's day in the Hoenn Region. I was just a little Ralts who was running from a pack of Poochyena and Mightyena. I didn't know where else to run, so I ran and ran until I passed a young Trainer with a Treecko on her shoulder.
I had apparently stolen some of the pack's Berries, but I didn't know that the Oran Berries belonged to them. I was an orphaned Ralts who lost my mom from childbirth, and my dad was killed by an abusive man. What else was I supposed to do? Starve? No freakin' way! Over my dead body!
The Trainer watched me and the pack run past and then she looked at her Treecko. "We need to help that Ralts, Tré." She smiled and patted her Treecko's head. "It might also help you evolve, since we have been trying to get you to evolve all day."
Tré leaped off his Trainer's shoulder and ran after the pack of Poochyena and Mightyena, with his Trainer, named Hope, running close behind.
"Use Pound!" Hope commanded.
Tré repeatedly pounded the snot out of each of the Poochyena and Mightyena, and did not stop until the pack had several bloody snouts and bruised eyes.
Suddenly, Tré was surrounded in a bright white light that illuminated the darkening forest. As the light cleared, a Grovyle stood in his place.
Thunder could be heard in the sky as rain began to fall. The pack of Poochyena and Mightyena looked at the Grovyle with angry expressions. The most powerful of the pack leaped at Tré with her claws and teeth bared.
Tré leaped out of the way and cut her deeply with Leaf Blade, slamming her into a forming puddle.
She let out a cry and coughed up some blood. She looked at her pack and howled to let them know to take her away and retreat.
The pack of Pokémon carefully lifted up their leader and ran away, defeated and humiliated, all except for a little Poochyena, who thought he could beat the Grovyle.
He lunged at Tré, but was knocked out enough to be captured when he was hit with a Pound attack from Tré.
Hope threw a Poké Ball and caught the Pokémon. "Your name shall be Mighty."
Tré called out to Hope, "Vyle."
Hope went over to him and noticed him pointing at me.
I flinched and tried not to move. I was an oddly-colored Ralts with soft blue eyes, lighter than usual pink horns, and a violet helmet on my head, so it was only natural that I was afraid that they would want to kill me for my unique appearances to mount me on a wall somewhere as a stuffed doll. However, I was very, very wrong.
"Gro," the Grovyle said with concern.
"Yeah, you're right. She'd be much safer with us," Hope said with a smile as she carefully crouched down next to me. "Hi, little Ralts. My name is Hope. If you want, I can take you with me. I can take care of you."
I looked up at Hope and nodded. I knew I could trust her. She had a different kind of feeling inside of her that the other human who had murdered my father lacked. I could feel kindness and love radiating from her.
Hope then threw another Poké Ball and caught me. "I will name you Gracie. Welcome to the team, Mighty and Gracie."
With Tré following her, Hope walked into Oldale Town, checked in for a bed at the Pokémon Center, healed her new team members, and then went up to our room for the night. "That was some day, Tré."
Her Grovyle got in the bed with her and nodded. "Vyle."
Hope let out Mighty and me. "Come on and lay with us, you two."
I curled up in my Trainer's arms, while Mighty curled up near Hope's head. With that, we all fell asleep, for our journey had just begun.
_
The next morning was a quiet one. As I awakened in Hope's arms and looked around, I noticed Mighty glaring at me from his spot on our Trainer's pillow, and I cowered with fear. "(Please don't hurt me. I'm sorry.)"
Mighty's glare softened and he went over to me. "(I forgive you.)" He licked my cheek to show he was serious and nuzzled against me. "(We can be friends.)"
I kissed Mighty's cheek and hugged him. "Thank you. My name is Gracie."
Mighty smiled and did his best to hug me back with a paw. "My name is Mighty."
Hope and Tré woke up to look at their new team members with warm smiles.
"Good morning," Hope said to all of us.
"(Good morning,)" we all said back in unison in Pokéspeech.
"Who wants to do some training so we can be ready for our first Gym?" Hope asked in an excited manner.
Tré cheered and looked at Mighty and me with a hopeful expression.
I let out a "Ralts" of approval, while Mighty growled and nodded his head.
I knew this day was going to be interesting.
Hope walked out of the Poké Center with us following her and went straight to Route 102. "We can battle against Trainers and wild Pokémon here. I want to train you guys up to get you both to evolve by tomorrow."
Mighty looked up at Hope and growled eagerly. "(Make me strong!)" he exclaimed excitedly in Pokéspeech.
Hope giggled. "I guess that means you agree! All right!" She then looked at me. "What about you, Gracie?"
I gave in when I could feel how much she loved me and wanted me to get stronger, even though I was against battling. "(Sure...)"
Hope smiled. "Okay, Mighty, we can train you first!"
"Yena!" Mighty exclaimed.
Mighty might have been the first to be trained, but soon I would have to battle. Great, just great.
