Hoenn's Hero

by ArielKyre96

From humble beginnings, a boy must make his way to the top, prove himself to the rest of the world. He will become the very best. A story that we all have completed through different ways, this one is based loosely on my personal Pokémon Emerald experiences. DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Pokémon Characters or places included in the story or indeed the franchise.

1. Chapter 1

The tropical breeze slid softly above the grass, tame in comparison to the speed at which the spherical blur struck the soil. It flung itself open, the target forced inside. The Lotad, soundly beaten, wasn't given a choice; it was sucked into the Poké Ball.

It was done.

He'd caught one.

An ecstatic "Whoop!" echoed around the browning forest as the Torchic slumped back to Tristan's side.

"At least," the Torchic pondered, "I'm not the only one anymore." It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the solitude of the trips he'd taken with Tristan, he looked forward to many more, but he just felt that he needed someone who considered more than which human to throw him at next. He turned to find his trainer half way down the path. He cheeped and dashed forward, as fast as his little feet would go.

The trees bustled silently, not even a whisper escaped as the leaves were tickled by the calm wind. Tristan took in his surroundings, Hoenn at its finest.

He made a special effort to avoid the tall, wavering grass, preferring to stay where he could see his own feet and those of any Pokémon that should come his way.

"Now you'll have some back up, eh?" Tristan looked behind to face his fiery buddy. It was unusual, almost unheard of, for a Pokémon to travel alongside its trainer.

The Torchic nodded his head in Tristan's direction. He looks back, longing to go on a new path. Grudgingly, he slowly turned around. He didn't even make a full turn before his feet were pulled from underneath him. His head smacked the dirt as he's dragged through the weeds. Panicked, he kicked wildly with his free foot. A burning quickly filled his blood. The Zigzagoon shoots into a nearby tree, its fur scorched.

Tristan hurried towards the small crater that had formed around his friend. He anxiously looked at the still raccoon Pokémon before scampering in the dirt back towards home.

Littleroot, though a small village, had given many people all they'd needed throughout life. Food, water, shelter, companionship. Some people hadn't moved from the place, such a person was Professor Birch. A chime tingled as the door to the Birch Lab opened. Looking up, beyond his cap, Tristan froze as he saw what stood inside.