July, 2004.

The summer was harsh this year. The air is dry, humidity thick and the sun seemed to get closer and closer by the second. Although, no matter of the rising temperature, the lining ten years olds in Pallet Town never noticed as they waited anxiously to start their very own Pokémon journey. Kids of every height and hair color were lined up at Professor Oak's lab for a select chosen to be given the Kanto starter Pokémon. No form of praise or gift could bestow the happiness that glowed off of these future masters as the select few ran home with large grins on their faces and those red and white balls in their hands.

A maple tree that was settled neatly on top of Pallet Hill overlooked the little town, holding a little black haired, ten year old girl on a swing. She swayed back and forth lightly as she saw the tiny ant-like children run with high squeals out of the lab and zigzagging to their homes with their prizes. She sighed softly as she kicked her bare feet gently in the dirt and let a small pout come to her lips. Little Amorah Saincher stared sadly over the grassy hill, letting the wind push her swing like the imaginary friend it was. Soon she would be the only child left in Pallet that did not leave on her journey. Oh how she desperately wanted to be a trainer, raise her own team and someday be the new champion but her father never took her to fill out the papers for her trainer card.

He would refuse her before the words came from her lips.

Her mother was a great trainer in her prime. Young and relentless in battle but compassionate for trainers and Pokémon. Received all the badges and attempted to beat the elite four, but sadly that never happened. Her father was also a trainer, an ace at that. They became friends, started traveling and got married and bamAmorah was born to two great trainers. She loved her mother dearly, striving be a trainer like she once was. She remembered all the stories mother would tell her about how her Rapidash won almost every beauty contest she entered or how she was the only one in her family to tame a wild Gyarados and how proud she was when her starter Pokémon, Eevee evolved into a beautiful Espeon. Yes, she had many stories to tell Amorah and after every one, the young girl wanted to be a trainer even more.

That is, until her mom wanted to relive the glory days and go on one more adventure. She remembered how upset her father was and would counter how he was proud to be a retired Ace Trainer and that she should also and how selfish she was acting. Mother didn't listen. She packed up her team which consisted only of a Pidgeot, Espeon, Gyarados and a Rapidash then left. She hasn't been heard from or seen since. Aiden, her father, was deeply depressed and could not get the evil thought out of his mind that she had left him for another. He began to drink slightly and would never leave the couch that was stationed by the front door, waiting for his wife to walk through with a smile.

She left when Amorah was only six.

Amorah sighed as she jumped off the swing not being able to see the other kids playing with their new Charmander, Bulbasaur or Squritle. She made the relatively short walk back down the hill to her suburb style, two story home that resided on the outskirts of Pallet. She passed the large lake that held all of the water Pokemon she goes to play with. Many Goldeen, Seaking, Psyduck and loads of Magikarp lived there peacefully. She smiled and waved slightly when a Goldeen poked its head up and gave a very light Goldeen.

She reached her porch and could hear the television loudly screeching some random action movie her father was watching and groaned. She twisted the door knob and automatically, the television shut off. Amorah pushed the door open, letting it open with a low creeek and stepped in.

Her father propped up at the opening door and let a large smile grace his five o'clock shadowed face. "Aurora?" He called and just as he stood off the couch to go greet his returning wife, his daughter stopped mid step and stared at her delusional father. His face fell from his happy and relieved smile, to a very unsettling frown.

"Oh, it's only you." His voice held a large void and was very drowned out with exhaustion.

Amorah flinched slightly as her father's words sent a large sting to her heart as he lugged himself back to the couch, flopped down and began to swing from the large bottle in his hands. She sighed sadly and shut the door with a low click. She slipped on her mother's old blue bubble slippers and trotted over to the kitchen area.

Umbreon!

Amorah jumped at the sudden noise and turned around only to be met with the intense red eyed stare of her father's Umbreon. He sat perfectly still with front legs straight and his head slightly cocked to the side with his bright red eyes focused on her. To be honest, Umbreon hasn't been the same ever since mom left with Espeon four years ago. It must have been because he loved Espeon just as Dad loved Mom. She sighed and grabbed the Pokefoodz off the top counter and the loud crumpling of the bag caught the attention her father's team. When Aiden was an Ace Trainer in his hay day, he was widely known for his team to be entirely made of canine and feline-like Pokémon.

Growlithe, Mightyena, Manectric and Persian all bounded down the stairs at the sound of food being displayed and all had their tails vibrating impatiently for their share. After finally getting the Pokémon situated and at their designated feeding bowls, she walked into the living room completely forgetting about getting her own food and sat in the lounge seat opposite of her dad. He didn't notice her presence as he kept his eyes fixated on the television screen and the bottle mouth to his lips. She twisted her thumbs together in uneasiness and moved her eyes upward to face his right cheek.

She gulped. "All the kids got their starters today."

Aiden took another swing from the bottle before holding it to the top of his knee. "What of it?" His eyes never left the screen.

Her heart assaulted her rib cage.

Trying to start a conversation with her dad was hard and almost always he would end up throwing a tantrum and calling her Aurora, her mother's name.

"I was just wondering, um, if maybe next year I could sign up for a trainer card and get a starter."

Her father halted mid sip with his eyes half-lidded. He leaned over his knees to place the bottle on the coffee table, leaned back, licked his lips and slightly chuckled. He raised his right leg up to place his ankle on his left knee and stared blankly at the television.

Amorah knew she should have stayed silent.

After a few moments of silence, her father lashed out with an angry bellow. He jumped to his feet, gripped the coffee table and flipped into the entertainment area with a loud roar that made Amorah press herself into the seat back. She stared with teary eyes as her father stomped about, yelling at the top of his lungs with his arms going wildly around him. He gripped the fallen liquor bottle and with a strong toss from all the years of a poke ball, the bottle crashed into dust at the wall opposite of Amorah. She gripped her ears tightly as his yells never ceased.

"Daddy! Stop it!"

Aiden turned toward his daughter with a mean scowl on his face that could frighten any child. His arms fell to his sides and the scowl was dropped to creepy frown.

"You want to leave me too? Huh, is that it? Run away like you're mom? Well too bad! You are never going to leave me! You're all I have left and I am not going to let you leave me alone!" He yelled and thrashed about some more before he bombarded himself up the stairs and the loud crack of his bedroom door slamming shut rocked the house. Amorah, still with her knees to her chin let out a strangled sob as her hands slowly fell from her ears. Mightyena trotted over warily to the poor child as she unfolded herself from the seat. With a low growl, the large dark Pokémon stepped onto the chair with his front legs and nuzzled the hiccupping ten year old. Amorah, needing the comfort, draped her arms around the Pokemon's neck and sobbed into its black and gray fur.

After soaking Mightyena's fur, she lifted her head to meet the sad red eyes of the dark dog. He whined and licked away the stains on her cheeks then nuzzled her chin. Amorah sniffed slightly as she dragged her sleeve over her eyes. How could everything be so bad now? All I want to be is a trainer and go on a journey with my own Pokémon! It's not fair! Amorah gently pushed Mightyena away and made her way out the front door, sprinting to the large lake in the outskirts of the forest they lived near. Unknowingly to Amorah was that wise red eyes watched her every move and with a low howl, it dashed with the wind heading north to Pallet Lake.

Okay, so this breaking the most important rule to becoming a trainer. Never run into tall grass without a Pokémon. That was the very first thing they taught you in Pokémon 101. So basically this makes Amorah a rebel right? She giggled at the stupid thought and with the twigs breaking underneath her bare feet; she finally made it to the lake where four Goldeen and two Seaking were waiting.

Goldeen!

Seaking!

Amorah smiled to her friends and sat on the lake edge with her dirt covered feet in the water. She sighed happily as she kicked her feet back and forth with Goldeen and Seaking swimming around them. She giggled when Seaking began using his Water Gun on a Magikarp that was floating sideways in the middle of the lake, but soon the realization kicked in that she was the only child of age that didn't have a Pokémon. All the ridicule and bullying of the future popped into her mind and that triggered the tightness in the back of her throat. She quit kicking and dropped her head down sadly as tears fell down her cheeks through tightly squeezed eyes.

All she wanted to be was a trainer, was all that too much to ask? To be free on the open plains with friends clipped to your belt was every child's dream. To one day become a master or going over board and be the next champion, but all that would never be offered to her because her father does not want what he had for his child. How selfish could an adult be! Amorah gripped both hands to her cheeks and with her head swishing side to side she let out an anguished cry. She brought her soaking legs to her chin and hid behind them she rocked her sobbing form.

Goldeen and Seaking watched with sad eyes as their play mate curled into a ball and cried. Seaking swam to the ledge and touched a silky fin to her bare foot but she didn't notice. All her wallowing made her oblivious to everything around her. Seaking looked back to Goldeen and frowned. Without looking back, they swam underwater to leave their friend to heal herself.

Amorah wiped her eyes with her left sleeve as she rubbed her cheek with the other. She was so weak, maybe too weak to be a trainer. Her lip quivered as more tears leaked down from her eyes, with her forehead to her knees, she continued mentally bash her own mind.

Bushes rustled, the trees swayed as the wind picked up and the tiny sound of something hitting the water made Amorah tense. Lifting her head from the protection of her arms to see that the lake had become so clear, it was transparent. She raised a black eye brow and settled her gaze to the middle of the lake; her breath had hitched painfully in her tight throat. A four-legged figure stood gracefully in the middle of the lake with glowing red eyes. It's blue and white spotted fur glistened from where a spot of sunlight fell while it's flowing purple mane billowed down its back. Two ribbons swayed in the breeze on each of its sides and to Amorah, it was the most beautiful Pokémon she had ever seen. With the tears of sadness still falling from her eyes, she tucked her head back into her arms so to not disgrace herself further in the Legendary Pokémon presence.

Suicune tilted his head to the side when the human child reverted back to the protection of her arms. For many years he has been watching over the girl and ever since the first day, he has been drawn to her in a way. The over bearing need to be of protection to the girl kept him near all this time and every encounter, he has seen her shed tears. With light steps, he made his way across the lake and closer to the sobbing girl. Once to the ledge he stepped into the cool grass and circled the human girl, his white ribbon caressing her shoulder. The sobbing ceased to shallow hiccups as he touched his muzzle to her right temple and with a firm nudge, he spoke.

Dry you're tears, little one. I am here.

She heard it! Amorah heard the faint but masculine voice in her head. She lifted her head up slowly to stare into the kindle red eyes of the most famous legendary Pokémon to roam the regions. Suicune sat beside her and mentally laughed at how tiny she was compared to his size, standing up she would have to be on her toes just to pat his head. Amorah stared at the magnificence of this Pokémon and how much the eyes showed that he cared. The tears came again as the sadness of her mother leaving, the negligence from her father and the over bearing denied luck of being a trainer hit her like the Goldenrod magnet train. Amorah cried into his purple mane as Suicune craned his neck around and nuzzled her cheek with his as the words sounded again.

I am here, little one.