[Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon]

Hey there! Just some quick notes before we get this started: this fic will be a mix of gameverse and animeverse, and the rating may go slightly above T due to language, minor adult content, and violence. Though school is right around the corner for me, I will attempt to get the first few chapters and general plot up as soon as I can! Anyway, I hope you readers enjoy this and stay tuned along the way! Thank you!

PROLOGUE-

"Where the Path Begins"

"Today is the day! Journeys always start somewhere- mine starts here. Professor Juniper sent a woman to help me start. Her assistant, more like it. I'll be traveling all over Unova. I'm set with everything- supplies and all! There's no doubt I'm ready for this. It's obvious my mom's been reluctant about letting me do this, but she knows how many battles I've won and how well I can fend for myself. Lately, I've also been looking through my old textbooks and reading up on all kinds of Pokemon. I wonder what mine will be like..."

The relaxed silence was broken by a voice that echoed from below the staircase, "Mei, are you ready yet?"

"As I'll ever be!" She called back with a bright smile as she gathered her journal and pen, stuffing the items into the bag strapped over her shoulder. The pacing and flitting gaze had already been done with and she was certain she fully prepared. After all, she's been anticipating this for weeks now. Mei took a quick glance at her mirror, adjusting her visor and bag strap. She was clad in a thick rose cardigan, shorts, and leggings to accommodate the Autumn weather. She had postponed receiving her very own Pokemon for six years, as most would receive their first at age ten or eleven. Though her new Pokemon would not be the first one she'd handled. Regardless, she was exhilarated. When the time would come for her to receive her own Pokemon, she'd jump on the opportunity like a caged Pidove. Every other night, she'd dream of her adventure. She'd dream of the Pokemon she'd meet and the places she'd see. Trotting down the stairs, she grabbed her Xtranciever from the living room table. Her mother's hands were busy scrubbing at the dishes, the hiss of running water mingling with the murmuring of the television set.

"I'll be heading out now, Mom." Mei gave the older woman a peck on the cheek as she made her way to the door.

"Remember, big green hat! Her name's-"

"Bianca, got that!" She nearly memorized the instructions by now.

The girl waved goodbye before exiting the house, the door closing behind her with a clunk! She was met with the crisp, morning air of a drowsy Tuesday.

"Hey!" Mei's attention was drawn to the raven haired childhood friend that made his way over, his little sister following closely at his side. He placed his hands on his hips. "Have you gotten your Pokemon yet?"

She chuckled lightly and shook her head. "Not yet, but I'm on my way right now. Professor Juniper's assistant is giving me one and I'm going to meet her."

"If you get a Pokemon, take really good care of it, ok?" Hugh's sister piped in. He glanced at her, before nodding in concurrence.

Mei knelt down and look into the girl's eyes, speaking with a sincere and genuine tone, "You can bet on that."

"Well, enough with the chit chat, let's go get your Pokemon. I've got something in mind, but I need someone I trust other than my partner Pokemon. I'm not saying you're better than me, but I've got to be honest, you have some potential." Mei crossed her arms and shot him a light, playful glare that said "I'm not sure whether I should thank or punch you". In fact, Hugh knew Mei had potential from the first time she'd handled a Pokemon. He turned to his little sister and gave her back a soft pat. "You can head back home, 'kay?"

The young lass nodded and beamed a smile, "Okay, big brother! Bye-bye, Mei!" And with that, she gave her brother's companion a quick embrace before trotting back to the house.

He watched her go before looking back at the brunette. "Alright, let's go find that girl!"

"Where do you think she'd be?"Mei heard her friend muse, scanning the passing faces as they made their way down the block.

"I'm not so sure but we can drop by the cafe and check there. It's nearby anyway." It'd be understandable to check the more popular areas of the city, such as the cafe, first. Personally, there wasn't much to Aspertia and even if it was time consuming, there weren't many places to check. Aspertia was a fairly small city, so the task of finding this woman should not have been so difficult. Though it proved otherwise.

Mei brought her scarf above her mouth, relishing the warmth as she took in the early morning vibe of the city. Life moved at the very same steady, normal pace. She'd greet the same old woman by the flowershop down the block on the right. Mr. Harb would be on a jog with his Herdier by 9 PM sharp. Today seemed no different, but in truth, it was a turning point to be marked in a journal.

Hugh, in the meanwhile, moved off some feet away to take a look down another street. Allowing her thoughts to carry her away for a moment, Mei's face was suddenly met with knitted fabric, "Oof!" Nearly stuttering a quick apology, she peered up at the tall figure she so happened to bump into. Maroon locks contrasted sharply with the cyan orbs that were so preoccupied with glaring at her. A Munna bobbed drowsily beside the stranger, appearing as if it would almost drift into slumber. The man was dressed appropriately with a navy blue sweater and cream muffler wrapped comfortably around his neck. His tone was nastier than she had expected as he growled, "Watch where you're going."

Mei was taken aback by the harsh and rude response, pursing her lips and biting back her own retort. Luckily enough, Hugh came back in time before a scene was caused and took hold of her arm. He knew Mei would have been quick to act and apologized in her stead, even if he didn't appear so willing to either. "Uh sorry, sir..." Hugh gave his friend a swift look as if to say, "C'mon, don't waste your time on him."

The man's gaze lingered a bit longer, shifting between the two before it was averted. He mulled them over curtly, "Tch. You better be."

Mei was never one to have too short of a temper, but when the chords are struck, it wouldn't be pleasant. Her companion had to pull her forward and away. The ravenette grumbled under his breath, "Geez, what's his damage? Stick up his ass?"

She looked past her shoulder at the cantankerous stranger. Mei scoffed and adjusted her cardigan as Hugh released her. "Whether he has a stick up his ass or not, he needs an attitude check and fast." Hugh snickered at Mei's comment with a small smirk spreading over his lips. The duo continued on their way.

"Wait a minute, I think we should check the lookout before anything else. There could be a good chance she'd be there."

Mei tapped her chin. It was the most popular location in Aspertia City, and it earned such a title for its magnificent view. They were simply checking places nearby, but what Hugh was saying seemed logical enough. "Y'know that's a pretty good idea! Let's go!" She immediately took off to the destination with Hugh following suit.

Mei and Hugh raced up the concrete steps with no time to waste and sure enough, a big green hat was in plain sight. Bianca was standing by the railing, enchanted by the breathless sight of the nearby lake and string of mountains in the distance.

Mei took a step forward whereas Hugh stood his ground behind her. "You go on ahead, I'll wait here. Don't take too long!"

She nodded, "Sure." Hastily making her way up the stairs, she approached the blonde.

"What a view! It's sooo pretty!" Bianca, who'd been busy marveling the lookout, beat Mei to a greeting as she was aware of her presence. She turned and gave a bright smile, "Oh, hello! My name's Bianca, I'm an assistant to Professor Juniper! By the way, do you know someone by the name of 'Mei'?"

She confirmed the inquiry politely, "That's me!"

"Ah! It's very nice to meet you. I have a really important request to ask you! Will you help us complete the Pokedex?"

Mei answered with no hesitation, her eyes bright with excitement, "I'd be glad to!"

Bianca beamed at the girl's eagerness. To see rookie trainers off as they leap into a new world of adventure gave her a strong sense of enthusiasm and liveliness in her own sense. "Thanks so much! Your support will help Professor Juniper's research move forward! Anyway, filling up the Pokedex is totally fun!"

"It's an honor to help out, really! I wouldn't expect anything less than enjoyable from this."

"Alrighty then! Ta-daaa!" She presented Mei with a case containing three Pokeballs. The brunette's heart raced at the mere sight of them. "In here is the Pokemon that will be your partner! Go on, pick one!"

Mei bit her lip. She knew as much as having to choose between three basic types of Pokemon: Fire, Water, and Grass. After lengthy debates with herself, she simply couldn't reach a conclusion on which Pokemon she desired the most. Since she didn't know which Pokemon was in each Pokeball, she decided that she'd pick at random. She closed her eyes, hand hovered over the one on the farthest left...then the middle...the farthest right...and back around. Her hand grazed across the cool material of a Pokeball and it closed over it. Eyes still covered, she took the ball into her palm and pressed the button to release the chosen Pokemon.

"Tep...Tepi..." Mei finally allowed herself to open her eyes. Before her was a rather skittish female Tepig.

"Good choice! By the way, would you like to give a nickname to Tepig?"

The Fire type had stumbled to hide behind Bianca's leg, giving a curious look at Mei. "Hm, I'm thinking...Lulu? Do you like that?" The Pokemon took a step away from the safety of Bianca's legs, nose twitching curiously with the nickname.

Bianca clasped her hands together, "What a cute name!"

"Thank you!" Mei giggled and knelt to reach out and caress Lulu's head, taking the Tepig into her arms when it seemed ready.

"Now that you've got your Pokemon, I'll give you this, too- a Pokedex!" Cradling Lulu with one arm, Mei accepted the device gratefully with her other hand. "Do you know how it works?"

She'd dreamed of the day she'd finally get to hold one! "Yup! It records the data of the Pokemon I come across."

"Mhmm, so Professor Juniper wants you to carry it, visit a lot places, and meet all the Pokemon in the Unova region!"

"Hey, how long are you planning to keep me waiting?", Hugh called from behind Mei, coming up from below the stairs to see what has been holding her up. He immediately took notice of the Tepig in her arms, a small grin playing at his lips. "So that's your partner, huh? That's great! My sister already said so, but take really, really good care of your Pokemon." That's when he noticed what was in her other hand. "What's that you're holding?"

Mei began, "It's a Pokedex. Professor Juniper needed help taking down information on all the Pokemon in Unova, so I agreed to take one on my journey."

Hugh seemed to be pondering over something before speaking up defiantly, "Please give me a Pokedex, too! I want to get stronger. If I have a Pokedex, I can learn more about Pokemon...that'll make me tougher, won't it?"

Bianca laughed uneasily, "Um...who are you again?"

"I'm Hugh. I'm going to travel the Unova region with my Pokemon partner in order to search for something very important!"

The blonde was silent for a moment, green orbs focused in contemplating before she finally reached a decision. "Well, ok! I don't really get it, but going on a journey is always good! Anyway, I just happen to have another Pokedex on me! It looks like Pokemon distribution has really changed compared to two years ago, so the more, the merrier!" She retrieved the other device and passed it to Hugh, who gave a small bow and 'Thank you' to express his gratitude. Bianca added, "Oh, I thought of something really cool! You both have Pokemon, right? Why don't you have a Pokemon battle?"

Mei turned to the boy with a wide smirk. "That sounds like a great idea. How 'bout it, Hugh?"

He couldn't agree more. "Sure, let's see how good a Trainer you are!" Taking a Pokeball from his bag, he withdrew an Oshawott. Mei recognized the Pokemon as the one he had hatched from an egg.

She gave her partner a light scratch under the chin, which was gladly accepted. "You ready for your first battle, Lulu?" It gave her a look of sheepish concurrence. Hugh and Mei made some distance between them and Bianca settled in the sidelines.

Hugh advocated, "Ladies first."

Mei leaned down to allow Lulu to step off and away from her arms and onto the makeshift arena. She was undoubtedly pumped. She had battled countless times in the past, but not with Pokemon that were her own. "Lulu, get a head start with Tackle!" The Fire Pig, on the other hand, was not accustomed to battling, but it put its best foot forward and took off. It barreled towards the Oshawott, but the attack was easily dodged with a sidestep.

"Give 'em your own Tackle, Oshawott!" The Tepig was caught off guard and she came to a skidding stop to turn and evade the move. She wasn't quick enough to avoid the opponents attack and was thrown back near the lookout's railing. Mei flinched and watched in anticipation and worry as her Tepig struggled to get back on its feet.

She would have to try a different tactic for now as mere Tackling won't make the battle advance. It would be best if she lower the opponent's stats before taking anymore steps forward. "Let's try Tail Whip, Lulu." The Tepig turned and wagged its tail.

Hugh scoffed. Perceiving the move as a wasted turn, he commanded, "Tackle, again!" The water type charged at the other, but the tables turned as it was able to jump and avoid the attack this time. Mei watched closely.

"Quick, another Tail Whip!" As Oshawott recovered from the impact, Lulu came around again to repeatedly swing its tail across the opposing Pokemon's face.

With Oshawott's Defense lowered considerably, Mei continued with Tackling and dodging. Soon enough, Hugh's Pokemon ran short of stamina and the battle came to an end as Oshawott fainted. Her first battled resulted in a victory! She gave a triumphant whoop and she took Lulu into her arms in a proud hug.

Admitting defeat, Hugh sighed praised his Pokemon for its effort before returning it to its Pokeball. She was stronger than he anticipated. But it was just beginners luck, right? Besides he wanted go easy on her. "Hmph. It's different than battling with wild Pokemon. Well, whatever. I'm just happy to know you're a trainer I can count on. I'm heading off first. Get stronger, okay?" He thanked Bianca once more before turning and making his way back down the stairs. Mei and Bianca soon took their leave to the Pokemon Center.

With Lulu in top condition again, the two girls exited the Pokemon Center and were soon greeted by Mei's mother and Hugh's little sister.

The older woman took notice of the blonde, "Oh! Nice to meet you! You must be Bianca, right?" She looked over to the Pokemon that stood by her daughter's side. It shied away behind the brunette's legs, heat radiating from its body due to the older woman's attention. "Mei, you picked Tepig? Aw she looks like a sweetie!"

Hugh's sister came forward to hand over two Town Maps. "This is from me!"

Mei accepted them with a wide smile, "Thanks so much!"

Bianca piped in and wondered, "Huh? There are two of them..."

"I want Mei to give the other one to my big brother."

Mei's mother nodded, "That's a good idea! Even if it is a single road to the ocean, having a Town Map is always nice." Turning to her daughter, she took hold of her shoulders, speaking firmly, "Now I want you to take good care of yourself. Even if I'm not around to nag you, don't' stay too late and always get a good nights rest! Stay bundled up in weather like this or else you'll catch a cold. D-"

Mei rolled her eyes with a grin, "Mom, I know all of that already!" She was soon pulled into her mother's tight embrace. Arms closing around her back, she pressed her face into the crook of her mother's neck. Ah, she told herself she wouldn't cry!

"Okay, okay, I just...wanted to make sure." Her mother pulled away slightly, "G'bye, kiddo. Stay safe, alright? And don't forget to enjoy yourself! This is supposed to be exciting! Take Tepig and go see many different Pokemon and people."

"I sure will, Mom. I'll probably drop by every now and then, too!"

Bianca sniffed "Aww, you guys! Just watching this makes me happy!"

The group soon dispersed with some kind goodbyes. Bianca headed back to the Professor's lab in Nuvema. Mei's mother would take Hugh's sister back to her house and carry on with the daily chores. As for Mei...well, she had the entirety of Unova before her eyes. Her adventure was just starting to unfold.