"If something irreplaceable was taken from you, what would you do? What action would you take? What sacrifice would you be prepared to make to see its return…?" – A fallen king of an era long ago


With a sudden jolt, the delicate egg began to shake. Tiny cracks formed on the outside of the shell, as the creature inside struggled to free itself. Linus stood, watching in excitement, as a bright white light radiated from the egg, momentarily blinding him and his companions. When the light faded, the small, new-born pup looked up at the Trainer, its large round eyes sparkling with new life.

"Hi there, little guy…" Linus said, stooping down to pet his new Eevee. Yipping in delight, its tail wagged as it patiently looked up at him. Grinning, Linus gently picked him up, cradling Eevee in his hands. "Welcome to the family…"


*6 months later*

"Umbra, use Payback!" Linus shouted. Obediently, the Umbreon took a fighting stance, a haze of purple energy radiating around its body, before charging the opposing Medicham. As its opponent collapsed to the ground, unconscious, Linus grinned. "Great job, Umbra!" Running over, he gave Umbra a hug, his Pokemon giving a delighted "Umb!". Standing up again, he shook his opponent's hand, smiling in acknowledgment. "Good battle! I hope we can have a rematch sometime!"

As he chatted with the other Trainer, Linus thought back to the time a few months before, when he had first hatched Umbra, reminiscing on how much his Pokemon had grown. Umbra had quickly become the centre of his team, and whenever they were in a tight spot, he always counted on the Umbreon to bring them out of trouble.

Upon saying farewell to his opponent, a tall, rugged man, far taller than a regular human, came over to him. "An excellent battle, Linus," AZ commented, smiling. "You and your Pokemon have grown so strong…"

"Well, you should be congratulating these guys, not me!" chuckled Linus, indicating to his Pokemon. "It's their efforts and teamwork that makes us strong."

"Indeed, though without a leader, even the most powerful of allies can crumble," AZ replied. AZ had been travelling with him for several years. They had first crossed paths a few days after Linus had first started his journey in the Kalos region, and since then he had become a close friend and mentor to the young trainer.

Hearing the beat of wings, Linus looked up into the bright summer sky, seeing a shadow circle overhead, before landing on the grass nearby. A young girl around Linus' age jumped off the large Skarmory. Recalling her Pokemon, she dashed over to the pair, her long auburn hair flowing in the breeze. "Linus…! When's the battle starting?" she panted. "I overslept and completely forgot what time you'd agreed…" Looking around, the girl sighed. "I missed it, didn't I…?"

Linus nodded, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, Holly, you just missed it! It was fun though! We won all thanks to this guy here!" He grinned down at Umbra, who barked his approval.

"Aww… Next time, can't you wait for me?" Holly asked with a frown, a little disappointed. Sighing, Linus laughed. "You never change, do you, Holly?" he thought to himself. The two had been childhood friends, both having grown up in the Hoenn region together, and had kept in contact from the day they had both set out on their separate adventures on the same day. Since they had both arrived in Kalos around the same time, they had decided to travel together throughout the region, splitting up from time to time in pursuit of their respective goals. While Linus was more interested in training to become the world's strongest Trainer, Holly was more research orientated, eager to complete the Pokedex and encounter every Pokemon known to man.

"Say, how about we head over to Anistar?" Linus suggested. "It's close by, and I think we could all use a bit of time to recuperate! It's been a while since we've taken a bit of a break from our travels, and there's that great restaurant we went to last time!"

"Sure, that sounds good!" Holly replied with a smile. "Race ya!" She quickly raced off down the grassy hill, laughing as she ran.

"Hey! No fair!" Linus cried, running after her as he tried to catch up, Umbra hot on his heels. As he watched the two dash down towards the city, AZ smiled to himself. He was still searching, searching far and wide for his beloved Pokemon, who had fled him long ago. Strangely, in spite of his loss, he felt content. Since he had come to know these two young trainers, the pain and anguish of the past had all but dwindled to nothing, and while he kept up his search, he found his life instilled with a new meaning.

"Every day is an adventure, a joy that should be cherished…" he said to himself. "One day I will find you, but until then, I shall live out my days in peace, awaiting the day you return to me…" Adjusting the pack on his shoulders, he set off at a leisurely pace down the hill, following his friends into Anistar City.


Author's note:

Hi there! This is my first official chapter of my first official fanfic! It was certainly enjoyable writing it, and I look forward to writing many more chapters. If ayone wants to comment or review my work, I would greatly appreciate it, as any helpful tips or constructive criticism would be very helpful. Thanks again!