Pokémon Altered Sapphire

Chapter 1: The Chosen Ones

In a small town in the Hoenn region, a Surskit skidded across a pond. Just then, a fin rose up from the water and snuck up behind it. The Surskit turned around just as the creature the fin belonged to rose up with a roar, frightening it as it quickly skidded away.

The creature turned out to be a Mudkip, and he laughed as he watched the water and bug-type skid away. "Oh man, I got that Surskit good! How was that, Torchic?" he asked to a Torchic, who was sitting in the grass a few feet away from the pond.

"Based on that roar, I'd say...six out of ten."

"Really? A six? But I nailed that sneak attack, didn't I?"

"You're no Sharpedo, Mudkip." a Treecko replied, who was lounging on a tree branch right above them. "In fact, you're as intimidating as a Magikarp."

"Hey, Magikarp are intimidating! At least, when they evolve into Gyarados." Mudkip muttered, and he sat down next to Torchic and looked up at the clear blue sky, watching as several Taillow, Wingull, and Beautifly flew freely. "Torchic, do you ever wonder what could possibly be out there? In the outside world?"

"Eh, sometimes. Just gets pretty boring around here at times and I wish I could just get out of here. Professor Birch said that there would be a day where a new trainer would come to the lab and choose one of us to be their starter Pokémon."

"Oh, I hope I get chosen! I wanna go outside this town and explore the world! I wanna see what other kinds of Pokémon are out there and how humans live!"

"Well, if I get chosen, the only thing I'd be concerned about is getting strong and fighting these humans called Gym Leaders and become partners with the strongest trainer in all of Hoenn."

"Yeah right, like either of you have a chance." Treecko scoffed as jumped down onto the grass, a smug grin spread on his face. "If there's anyone here that deserves to be chosen, it would be me!"

"And what makes you think that, Smugleaf?" Torchic asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm better than you in every single way." Treecko answered in a smug and egotistical way. "What can you do? Shoot fire from your ass?"

"I can burn that stupid, smug grin off your dopey face, and believe me, I so want to do that right now!"

"Hey guys, what's going on over there?" Mudkip asked, and Treecko and Torchic stopped their arguing and turned their attention towards the fence as something sped by. It looked to be some kind of truck, and the three Pokémon went over to see what was going on. Treecko and Mudkip climbed up the fence to get a better look, but Torchic couldn't get up there due to his lack of arms.

"Hey guys, can you help me up here?" Torchic asked, but he got no answer.

"Can you see it?" Mudkip asked as he moved his head around to try to get a better view.

"I can't see anything because your fat head's in the way!" Treecko snapped as he pushed the water-type away from him.

"Hey, it's not fat!"

"It is so!"

"Hey guys, what's going on over there?" Torchic asked, but the other two just continued arguing. He then tried to climb the fence himself, but he couldn't hold on with his feet and he fell to the ground. "Curse you, lack of arms."

"Look! Someone's coming out from the back of the truck!" Mudkip exclaimed.

"Let me see!" Treecko demanded as he pushed the mud fish Pokémon aside, and he fell off the fence and landed on the grass.

"Sheesh, someone needs to teach that mon some manners." Mudkip muttered.

"You got that right." Torchic replied.

Just then, the back door to the lab opened and a man in a lab coat walked out.

"Hey look, it's the professor!" Mudkip exclaimed, and the three went over to see what he was doing here.

Professor Birch looked down at the three and smiled at them. "Today's the day, little guys. We've got two new trainers coming today."

The three Pokémon followed him into the lab, excitement filling their little bodies. They then got onto the counter where their new masters would choose them.

"Uh guys, a little help?" Torchic asked, and Mudkip helped him up onto the counter.

"Oh, this is so exciting! One of us is gonna get chosen to go with a new trainer!" Mudkip exclaimed.

"Yeah, and it's gonna be me!" Torchic added proudly.

"Fat chance. Like you have any chance of being chosen." Treecko scoffed.

The three then began to argue and until an "Ahem" stopped their quarreling. They then stood up straight and smiled innocently at the professor.

"I know you three are really excited for this day. Brendan and May are just as excited as you are to get their first Pokémon. Speaking of which, here they come now."

The door to the lab opened, not one, but two walked into the lab. One was a girl in red and white with a matching headband, and the other was a boy in black and red with something white on his head.

"Is that white thing on his head a hat or his hair?" Mudkip asked.

"I don't know." Torchic answered.

"Ah, Brendan and May, you've arrived." Professor Birch said.

"Yep, and we're ready to get our first Pokémon." the boy named Brendan replied with a nod.

"Excellent. I have three Pokémon right here. They are the grass-type Treecko, the fire-type Torchic, and the water-type Mudkip." At the mention of their names, the three smiled widely and did their best to look cute. "Remember, you can only choose one, so choose wisely."

"You go first, May." Brendan said.

"Okay." May looked at the three Pokémon and began to decide with one she should choose. "Oh, this is so hard! I don't know which one to pick!"

'Please pick me, please pick me, please pick me!' all three of the starters thought.

"Okay, I choose..." It was really intense as the three eagerly waited for May to make her choice, and what seemed like a long and suspenseful moment, they heard her say, "Mudkip." The water-type's eyes lit up upon hearing that name. "I chose you, Mudkip!"

Mudkip couldn't believe that was actually chosen. "YES!" he exclaimed as he jumped off the counter and into May's arms. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!"

"Well, it looks like Mudkip's already taking a liking to you." Professor Birch commented. "Alright Brendan, now it's time for you to pick your Pokémon."

"Don't be discouraged, Torchic. There's still a chance that you'll get chosen." Torchic told himself.

Brendan looked at the two remaining Pokémon. "Okay, I choose..."

'Please pick me! I'm more deserving of getting chosen than Firebutt!' Treecko thought.

After some more suspense, Brendan made his decision. "I choose Torchic."

Treecko's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide as Torchic let his new trainer pick him up and hold him.

"So, you're going with Torchic? Good choice." Professor Birch said, and then he handed the two trainers a Pokédex and five Poké Balls. "I can see that you and your Pokémon will make a great team. Here is your Pokédex and Poké Balls. Now go out there and explore Hoenn! There's a whole lot out there waiting for you!"

"I can't believe it! I actually got chosen! This is the greatest day of my life!" Mudkip exclaimed.

"Later, Smugleaf." Torchic called as the two left the lab with their new trainers.

Treecko stood there in shock as the door shut behind them. Those two got chosen over him?

Professor Birch took notice of this. "Oh Treecko, you look a bit upset that you didn't get chosen. But don't worry, there's always next time."

That only made Treecko angrier. 'No! There's never gonna be a next time! Those trainers seriously picked those idiots over me?!'

Professor Birch then came back with a Poké Ball. "Alright Treecko, let's get you back in your-" Treecko slapped the ball out of his hand with his tail and then jumped off the counter and began to run away. "Treecko, where are you going?! Come back here!"

Treecko managed to get out the door and then climbed all the way up to the roof, and he could see Torchic and Mudkip leaving Littleroot Town with their new trainers. "Those idiots think that they'll be good partners, but I'll show them! I'll show them that they chose the wrong starter!"