Max stared nervously out to the road, the eleven-year-old girl being carried onto a stretcher. Then he saw it. Green-flecked amber eyes, just like the girls, stared out of the bushes, and then it was gone. The girl! But that was impossible. The girl was almost comatose from the car accident. He bowed his head, crying as he saw his sisters body being carried in a body bag, but felt nothing but contempt when he saw her no-good ex husband's.

He hadn't been there, and when he'd finally showed up, he'd killed his little sister. He was the reason she's been exiled from the family. And now, with his own little girl to care for, now he'd need to take care of Rei's. But he'd do it. That poor girl had nothing. He drove home, but he couldn't get those amber eyes out of his head.

a few months later

They didn't know. It was better this way. Uncle Max Curston tried to be nice, really he did. But he hadn't known her since birth to like her. He didn't need to know. He and Aggie, his wife, had ranted about how Papa had been a no good lout, but Mama had explained it all. There were some difficulties with Papa's family, and to keep us safe, Papa had left. To keep us safe...

On his death, unknown to the Curstons, Father had been a very rich person, and it said on my fifteenth birthday, I'd inherit his 11.4 billion dollar account. Papa's lawyer friend Lawrence, had told me all this when he came to visit me in the hospital. I wondered what Papa had done for a living, but I didn't let it haunt me. How much was a billion anyway? I only knew up to 100,000. I'd turned ten a week ago, so only three more years, and I'd be rid of my awful cousin, Angel.

God, that witch was anything but. Aggie and Angel both hated me. It was pure and simple. What did I do to them? I slept in the attic, though it had been my responsibility to get rid of all the Zubat who'd been there prior to the accident. They treated me like crap, basically.

Uncle Max came into the attic, grinning. I was wearing dark clothes, which I wore in Papa's and Mama's honor. I promised that someday, when I found myself again, I'd stop. But now, 'myself' was lost.

I wore dark blue jeans, and black t-shirt. Uncle Max came and sat on my old bed, wincing as it squeaked and creaked. It kept me awake at night a lot. He pasted the grin onto his face.

"Guess what, Raono?" He started. Raono. I hated that name. I was Rei. No one called my Raono before Mama and Papa died, but then, before they died, I hadn't known I had any relatives besides them

"What?" I asked politely. He smiled uneasily at me. He seemed to be unsettled by me. But he had that grin packed on hard.

"We're going to the trainer's registration today with Angel, would you like to come?" Pokemon. Memories flooded me, times with Mama's Chansey, playing around with her Crobat, Daddy playing with me and his Hitmonchan. That had always been fun. Mama had been a professor. But what was that?

"Let's go, Raono." he said after I nodded. I bounced lightly to my feet, and then followed him. Aggie glared at me as I got in the car, waving sweetly to Angel from the doorstep. I didn't know why she hated me. I guess she wasn't a loving person, like Mama.

"What kind of Pokemon are the starters, anyhow, Daddy?" Angel asked curiously. He handed her a brochure. I leaned over to see, and then smiled. Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Totadile, Chikorita, Cyndaquill, Treeko, Mudkip, Eevee, and Torchik. Ten starter Pokemon. The Meyatex Region was known for having Pokemon from all over the world, from Kanto, from Hoenn, from Johto, and from La 'Mier. So we had starters from all of them, except La 'Mier. That was a bit of a hard one.

When we got there, and aged woman looked at us over her spectacles. There were nine other children waiting patiently, or impatiently.

"Ah, you've arrived, Max." She croaked in a gentle voice. I could tell Angel was repulsed by the old lady, while I kind of pitied her. She looked like she was lonely. I could tell she was fond of all the children. Uncle Max bowed his head respectively.

"Yes Ma'am. I've brought along my niece, Raono." I winced again at the name. Rei. Rei! She scowled at him.

"I do not have enough Pokemon for an extra!" She said furiously. Angel gave me a look.

"I'm getting the last Pokemon, not you, Raono." I blushed furiously, feeling let down. I scuffed my foot on the floor while the children stared at the adults. She sighed.

"Children, do you see those laptops?" We all nodded. "Go to them, and answer all the questions." We nodded. There was even an extra laptop for me.

Name: Raono (Rei) Osacura

Hobbies: Singing, karate, swimming, and drawing.

Birthday: May/22/1990

Height: "4'6"

Weight: 65 lbs

First choice Starter: Don't care.

It was easy enough to answer all the questions, but I guess it didn't matter since I wasn't even getting a starter. After all the information was entered, Professor Rose stood up.

"Okay children, come along. Angel Curston?" Angel stepped forward proudly. Professor Rose handed her the ball.

"Ashton Cutter?" she called, one by one, till apparently, I was next.

"Rei Osacura?" I stepped forward shyly, smiling at the old lady. She smiled at me, and handed me a pokeball. I stepped outside quickly after gratefully thanking her. Angel was waiting outside with her Chikorita, smirking.
"What'd you get?" I smiled at her, throwing the pokeball.

"Go!" She burst out laughing clutching her sides, as I stared in disbelief. A Magikarp? They were one of the weakest Pokemon ever known. I blushed in humiliation, returning the Magikarp to its ball. I turned to her boldly, hiding my shame, scolding myself that I should appreciate any Pokemon. How did poor Magikarp feel? "Well I think if I train it well, when it evolves, it will be way stronger then your Chikorita." I said defiantly. She started laughing again.

"Don't insult me. Gyarados are weak against grass types, anyhow." I nodded glumly, heading back into the lab, where people were chattering about their cool Pokemon. I smiled weakly at Professor Rose, who looked worriedly at me.

"Do you dislike your starter? Most people would just throw a Magikarp away…" I smiled a little bit more at her. Poor lady. She tried her best.

"It's… fine." I said resolutely. Her gaze sharpened.

"Don't lie to me girl." She said, her voice as sharp as her gaze, "You're as easy to read as a book. You feel let down." I turned away, blushing furiously. She got her withered hand and looked severely at me. "Never lie about how you feel for a living thing. Someone will get hurt." She whispered sadly. I nodded, braking away.

"I've another, if you want. It's a bit younger then the rest though." I nodded eagerly. She handed me another pokeball. I threw it in the air, releasing the creature in a flood of red light. It was a Vulpix, a little smaller then normal, I noted. I picked it up, tickling it tummy. It tails wagged as it squealed. I handed Magikarp's ball to Professor Rose, who shook her head.

"Poor dear needs a good home, and you seem like an honest little girl." She said, smiling. She turned to the rest of us. "Now everyone, as you know, do to the law decreed as of four years ago, trainers are not allowed to venture out till their fifteenth birthday, and until then, your children will be schooled at the Academy to learn what they need to for their quests." She said sagely. People nodded, most people already knew this.

As she began to hand out Pokedexes, Vulpix began to run around, making me chase her. "You can only have six Pokemon, no more, no less, until you turn fifteen. Then they will come to me, and you can switch off when you wish."

two months later

I giggled as I watched Vulpix, now named Talia, romp in the snow. I'd named the Magikarp Kirin, and a few weeks ago, he'd evolved into a big strong Gyarados. I clambered onto his back, followed by Talia. She'd gotten average sized now, with a healthy ember attack that I'd trained her to use with quite some power.

I was at the pond in the forest. The forest itself was on not really for from the house. I wished I could give Kirin more room to swim then this, but this was the closest body of water with any amount of area, and even so, Kirin could barely fit into it. I jumped off, sighing as I heard Uncle Max call my name.

"Time to go guys." I muttered. I jumped off Kirin, and returned him to his Pokeball. Surprisingly Kirin only ate once a week , and he enjoyed feasting on the local bug Pokemon. I hated bugs, but I also hated seeing them go down his hatch. Talia walked by my side, singing her odd little song.

"Vul. Vul. Vul. Vulpix vul Vulpix." She sang. I giggled and picked her up, spotting uncle Max, who looked at me worriedly.

"Good heavens Rei, I was worried about you." He said snappishly. He hated it when I just disappeared, though I wondered why he worried so much. I didn't think he really liked me. He calmed down a little. "That man, Lawrence, is here to speak to you." He said. I squealed with joy. I used to play with Lawrence all the time when I was little, and I liked him a lot better then my current family. I ran all the way, Talia keeping up just barely.

I saw him, as always, in a black business suit. Lawrence was a lawyer. (Go figure.) He had a briefcase with him, carried by a buff looking Machop I knew as Tim. I tackled Lawrence, hugging him tightly. He laughed. He was a handsome man in his late twenties, who was good with kids. Especially me.

"Whoa! Settle down, Rei." I giggled and let go, hugging Tim in turn. Talia stared at the two strangers. She hid behind me. I laughed and picked her up, while Lawrence smiled.

"Lawrence, this is my Vulpix, Talia." He smiled, petting her.

"Hello Talia. I'm Lawrence, Rei's Godfather." he said warmly. Talia sniffed his hand, her fox-like face looking very cautious, then licked it. Lawrence laughed his booming laugh. I giggled and brought him to the backyard, where no one could hear us. It was something I always did with Lawrence, Papa, or Mama. They'd always said it was important.

"So, you're a Pokemon trainer now?" He asked. I nodded.

"Professor Rose says it's not official till our fifteenth birthdays. I've got a Gyarados and Talia." He stared at me in shock.

"Sweetie, aren't you a bit young for a Gyarados, they're supposed to be really temperamental." I smiled at him.

"It's okay, Kirin's really sweet, despite the fact he likes snacking on bug Pokemon…" I said, trailing off at the end, wincing as I remembered him snap up a bunch of helpless Caterpie. Lawrence smiled crookedly at me.

"We all need to eat, sweetheart." I nodded sadly. Caterpie are so cute though… He handed me a thick bundle of dollar bills. I recognized a twenty on each one.

"This'll keep you happy till I next visit you. I saw your aunt Aggie, scary coot, isn't she." I laughed till I cried while Lawrence grinned. He became serious. "I got Crobat to do some spying the last few days, and I don't like what he reported. They seem to be really stingy with you, Rei." I shrugged.

"It's not their fault. They just don't like me." I said simply. He grinned.

"You make everybody sound like a good person in that weird world of yours, you know that?" I grinned at him.

"Papa said that being optimistic was a good thing." Lawrence grinned wryly at me.

"Optimistic, not blind. They're treating you completely unfairly. It's wrong. They cosset their own daughter, but a niece comes along and they treat her like dirt. You do most of the chores, but you don't get an allowance, and the Angel girl does almost nothing but paint her nails and she's got a big screen TV. Now I'm just giving you an allowance." I nodded, smiling. "I have to go now, sweetie, I've got to be in court in two days, can't miss it." I waved good bye, shoving the money in my short's pockets.

"What did he want?" Aggie asked, coldly, but curiously. I smiled at her. I knew better then to tell her, no matter if they thought I was dumb.

"To say hi to his goddaughter." I said absently. They stared at me. They obviously didn't know that Lawrence is my godfather. Oh-well. I strolled upstairs, carrying Talia in my arms.