*cough* well. yes another story. if you read any of my other stories be reassured, i'm still working on all of them, however slowly... in actuality this story is not new, i've had it written/typed on my old computer that does not have internet access for probably a year or more. i just never really made the decision to submit it because it's one of those 'i'm writing this for myself' kind of stories, but i really like it so i finally decided, what the heck, i'll submit it, if someone else wants to read it, that's awesome, if no one does, oh well, i'm still writing it for me.

also, i have terrible spelling resulting from my dyselxia. spell check catches most of my mistakes, but not always all of them. i also have a horrible habit of substituting another word for the one i mean, if you notice any of these or other mistakes fell free to send me a message so i can fix them!

all characters (except nurse joy, who is not even present in this chapter yet) belong to me as well as the plot with the exception of going around the world earning badges from gyms. the towns and gyms are ones i created. basically i just used the most basic plot of the pokemon games and wrote my own story about it. i'll probably use pokemon from all across the board, not limited to one region.

pokemon does not belong to me (obviously)

oh! and everything that is in italics in this chapter are flashbacks, with the exception of a thought or two, i'm not sure if i have any character thoughts in this chapter, so... onward!

Chapter 1: The Day it Began//Flashbacks

I woke up on the most important day of my life excited and nervous. It seems like I had been waiting for this day since the day I first heard the word 'pokemon'. Today was the day I would be gifted with my first pokemon and allowed to travel the world on my pokemon journey. What pokemon would I get? What would Dai get? Dai was my friend since birth practically. He and I were neighbors, but then again, in a town this small, everyone was your neighbor, and you knew everyone. And everyone knew your business. Partly I was excited to leave just to see the big cities I've heard of from some of the other inhabitants of our town.

My parents, my father in particular, were very proud that I was going to be taking this journey, my da was, and still is, a gym leader, and I think he hopes that one day I'll take over for him, but I just don't feel that that is for me. Dai and I had been discussing our futures since we were five.

'"I'm going to be a pokemon master!"' he claimed with a sparkle in his eye and I nodded seriously, I believed him-if he said he was gonna do it then I believed he could achieve it. I always looked up to him, he was only a month older but that was enough for me to believe he was capable of anything. And he was always protecting me, even though I didn't need it and he tended to make matters worse, but I never said anything, just smiled and cried 'arigatou gozimasu Daikun!' and hugged him. We grew out of that obviously. But when he shared his dream to be pokemon master, I shared my dream of being a pokemon breeder. '"A breeder?"' he asked and I would nod vehemently.

'"Yah! I will go around to all of the gym's first of course, but then I want to settle down and be a breeder!"'

'"What? You wanna be like those old couples with the nurseries?"'

I smacked him lightly, '"No stupid, I want to be a breeder, not run a nursery. Besides, that way I can breed you strong pokemon for the elite four battle so you can become a pokemon master!"' and I meant it too. Dai tilted his head and regarded me, a serious look on face that replaced the mocking one.

'"...Really? You would do that? But what about you going through the elite four?"' he asked, tone serious.

I gave him a strange look, '"What are you talking about, of course I would! And I don't think I plan on going to the elite four, just all the gyms-"'

'"But won't your da be disappointed?"'

I thought for a moment, '"I suppose he might be, but if I don't want to he's not going to try to force me, he'll support my decisions."'

'"You're right, and I will too!"'

I snorted, '"That's 'cause I'm gonna breed you good pokemon!"'

He looked sheepish, '"Noo-oooo..."'

We also often speculated what our starter pokemon would be, and which pokemon we would catch and have in our party. One such time we were in a meadow filled with pokemon Uncle Professor had caught for research. The professor wasn't really my uncle, but once again, in a town this small you knew everyone, and when someone is around a lot they get to be like family. I started calling the professor "Uncle Professor" at a young age and it just stuck. Dai and I loved hanging out in that meadow so we could get to know many different kinds of pokemon before we were old enough to leave and find them for ourselves.

An oddish waddled up to me and snuggled next to my leg.

"Hello little one!" I called happily and it said 'oddish!' cheerfully.

"So what is your favourite pokemon?" Daio asked.

"Vaporeon," I answered without hesitation and Dai snorted.

"You've never even seen a vaporeon."

"Yes I have! When I almost drowned in the ocean, when I found that waterstone, one saved me!"

"Stupid, vaporeon aren't in the wild!"

"Are to!" I stomped my foot to make my point and the oddish gave a distressed cry. "Oh!" I swopped down and circled my arms around the small plant -ike pokemon, "I'm so sorry little one, it's alright, don't be upset!" I said calmingly and the oddish calmed, and snuggled against me.

Dai snorted, "By the look of it you're more likely to end up with an oddish as your starter."

"Oh, and just what do you think you're gonna get?"

"Oh, that's easy, it'll be something awesome and powerful, like a charmander that'll be a charazard one day."

I rolled my eyes, "Hardly. You'll probably get something like a slowpoke, lazy and slow." I didn't bother mentioning that slowpokes, despite their speed, could actually be rather powerful, I hoped Dai didn't know that.

"Will not!" He didn't know, I rolled my eyes again. "Oh yeah? Then what do you think you're gonna get."

"An eevee I hope." It was Dai's turn to snort.

"No one has received an eevee in the history of our town, what makes you think you'll get one?"

I shrugged, "I just hope, that's all." I sighed sadly, I knew it wasn't likely I would have my wish granted, in fact I realized it was near impossible, I just had always hoped I would one day own an eevee. I fished a treat out of my pocket and gave it to the oddish, trying to smile while blinking away the tears that threatened in a sudden wave of sadness.

"There you go little one," I told the oddish and it chowed down on the treat, exclaiming its namesake excitedly. Dai was silent for a while and I didn't say anything, just kept blinking to keep the tears from welling up.

"Hey, I could be wrong you know," he finally said in an apologetic voice, "And even if you don't have an eevee for your starter, it's okay. You can always catch one in the wild yourself! And then when you become the breeder you say you are gonna be you can breed it and raise all the eevee evolutions! You already have a waterstone, so you're partway there!"

I smiled faintly, "You think so?"

Dai grinned and poked my nose, "Would I have said it if I didn't?"

My smile widened a little, "Maybe."

He grinned, "Hey! You dare not to trust the word of someone of superior intelligence?!" Dai joked.

I put on a thoughtful look, "Maybe I would trust it if it actually came from someone with superior intelligence..."

"Hey!" Dai exclaimed and I giggled.

"We better go, Uncle Professor will be wondering where we went! Come on Daikon," I teased then shot off, laughing.

"Hey! I thought you promised not to call me that?!"

I snickered and kept running, "When did I do that daikon?"

"I'm not a radish!" Dai complained, trying to catch up, but I had a head start.

I stuck out my tongue, "If you say so Daikon!"

We were so close, since practically birth, so when the fall apart happened, there was no way I could have expected it. It had seemed like a normal enough day. We were older now, if not still children, nine years old, in only a couple months Dai would get his first pokemon, and a few months after that I would follow. He always promised when we were young that he would wait in town, after he got his pokemon, until I turned 10 and received my own. Then we would leave together and head out into the world.

That day we were climbing on some rocks just outside of town, remarking on the sights when some of the rocks began to slide. Dai and I had good holds so it wouldn't have bothered us except for the sudden appearance of a geodude, it startled me and I lost my grip, sliding back the way I had come with wide eyes. I bit my lip to keep from screaming and alerting more powerful or dangerous pokemon of our location. It was the first time Dai didn't try to save me, the first time I really needed him and he wasn't there. As I fell away from the rock face and into the water bellow I saw him, his face a mix of passion and anger, seemingly unaware, or unbothered by the fact that I was falling. I watched, tears in my eyes as his face never even turned my way. I mouthed the name 'Dai' then was swallowed beneath the surface of the river, water rushing into my mouth and down into my lungs. I don't know if the splash I created turned Dai's head, if he suddenly looked, shocked and ashamed, having never realized his friend was in danger. Or if he even bothered to look. I sank beneath the surface, eyes still open but my vision was hazy, aided by the water's affect on the filtering light. A dark shape passed by my side and I felt smooth scales then a gentle, soft nose. I turned to try to see what it was but all I saw was a delicate blue face and fins on a lithe body before my vision blacked out and I couldn't feel anything anymore.

I woke later to shouting voices and coughing. Violent coughing. Water was in my mouth and my chest hurt, as if there had been great pressure there.

"Step back, step back, give her room to breath," said a familiar voice. I continued to cough and I slowly opened my eyes. People were standing all around. I was lying on the riverbank, still soaked. Uncle Professor was kneeling on the ground next to me.

He began to speak and my eyes roved over the crowd, seeking out a specific pair of eyes, "Thank goodness you're alright, when we found you washed up like that–well, you can only imagine. But when Dai came to tell us you'd fallen in and then no one could find you-" I wasn't really listening to the professor. Finally my eyes locked on Dai, standing to the back of the crowd.

When he noticed my gaze he turned around, "Daik-" I tried weakly but it died on m lips, and I started coughing violently once more and Dai walked away. That hurt me deeply, I curled up on the wet ground and continued to cough while adults worried and hovered. Finally someone lifted me and carried me to a warm bed. My mother took off my wet clothes and replaced them with dry ones and tucked me tightly into bed. My teeth chattered and adults stood about and spoke in hushed and relieved voices, just out of sight, perhaps in the next room. I hardly saw or heard any of it, I was too busy thinking of Dai, walking away from me. I curled up under my blankets and cried until I fell asleep.

After that I didn't see much of Dai, it was heart-wrenching that every time I saw him, or tried to speak with him he would remove himself as quickly as possible. Soon I found myself avoiding him as well, simply so it wouldn't hurt to watch him walk away from me again and again.

Then came the day Dai received his starter pokemon. I was in the meadow with the same oddish from all those years before when it happened, fulfilling a favor for the Professor. I was trying to convince the Oddish that it really did want to evolve into a Gloom, honest. The professor asked me to try to convince the oddish as it seemed to like me.

Now before I go any farther I should explain something about receiving starting pokemon in our town as it is slightly different from many other towns. Instead of choosing between three pokemon, all the pokemon in existence are a possibility. And the trainer does not pick which, rather the perfect match is found for that person, whether they like it or not.

I sighed, regarding the oddish in my arms. Dai was probably right, I'd end up with an oddish for a starter, and it'll probably be this one for that matter. A stubborn oddish that doesn't want to evolve.

The professor personally catches all the starter pokemon. Once the pokemon had secretly been decided upon the professor would go out to catch it, some trips taking a very long time considering the locations of some pokemon–but it always seemed to be worth it. The trainer and pokemon were a prefect match and so they had a good start and went off to be successful. It hadn't taken the professor very long to catch Dai's pokemon, he was only gone a day. That made me curious, whatever Dai's match was, it was close by.

I'll never forget the exact moment Dai received his starter, I heard it, even in the field as I was.

"NO! I refuse! That is not mine!"

Dai?! I had thought, my head shooting up at the shout coming from the lab.

"It is your perfect match, your pokemon. It is yours whether you like it or not."

"No! It not mine. Never! How could that be my perfect match! It- it almost-"

"Like it or no, it is yours and your journey is upon you. You'll need its help to succeed. How about you go show him to Makoto? She's in the meadow now, trying to get an oddish to-"

"NO!" Dai's voice cut in, cutting me like a knife, I felt a tear run down my cheek and plink into the grass below.

"Oddish?" the oddish asked in concern, rubbing its leaved head against my cheek.

Another tear trickled down my cheek, followed by another, and then they just wouldn't stop.

"Oddish! Oddish, oddish oddish oddish oddish!" the pokemon exclaimed in concern, dancing around the grass, trying to figure out what had upset me.

"It's-it's...oka...okay, o-oddish," I said between sobs but that only seemed to upset the pokemon more as my tears began to fall harder. As if reaching a decision the oddish suddenly became very still and began to glow.

"Oodddddiiiiishh!" It called as its form melted and grew in the light. The light receded and there stood a Gloom.

"Glooooooom!" the gloom cried happily, spreading its arms to display its success but it only made me cry harder, it made me feel bad for confusing the poor pokemon that obviously cared about my distress.

"Gloom!" the pokemon cried in distress and wattled toward me. It gave me a hug, saying "gloooooom" in a comfortingly matter. I sniffled.

"Tha-thank you, Gloom. Come on. We best go show the professor that you've evolved." I gathered the gloom up in my arms and wiped at my eyes, still sniffling and walked toward the lab were the professor was. I didn't hear Dai yelling anymore so I assumed he'd finally taken his pokemon and gone.

I opened the lab door and wiped at my eyes again then looked up to see both the Professor and Dai still standing there. The professor was holding out a pokeball and Dai didn't seem to want to take it, both turned at the sound of the opening door.

"Ah! Excellent! You got the oddish to evolve!"

"Gloooooooom!" the gloom responded in a doleful manner. Dai stared at me for a second, noticing the tear lines and then snatched the pokeball from the professor's hand and walked right past me and out the door. For a split second I thought I saw a look a sadness cross Dai's face, but I must have imagined it. He had become as stony as the rock pokemon who startled me off the ledge all those months ago, and he didn't seem to be changing back anytime soon.

I shook my head to rid it of the painful memories and pulled on my fingerless green gloves. One thing was for sure, I wouldn't be getting that gloom, starter pokemon had to be at their first evolution, else it was like cheating. I ran my fingers through my hair in lue of a comb and took a deep breath, wondering once again what my destined starter would be. The professor had been gone a week trying to catch it, and that made me curious. I still don't know what Dai's was, the professor wouldn't tell me. One more calming breath then I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked down the stairs. The bag contained gifts from neighbors and friends for my journey. A couple potions, some antidotes, five pokeballs, my cellphone, and my waterstone to name a few.

"Good morning honey! You all ready?" I nodded. "I made you food to go because I know you wouldn't eat now whether I try to make you or not." I nodded and put the container my mum handed my into my bag.

"Oh your father wishes he could be here so much but he's so busy with challengers he couldn't get away from the gym. He can't wait until you go to challenge him, tell you what, I won't tell him what your starter is, it'll be a surprise, you know, when he battles you!" I smiled.

"Yeah."

"Alright honey, don't want to be late. Off you go and good luck! I expect you to check back every once in a while, take a load off and give your pokemon a rest, you hear?"

"Of course mum. I love you and I'll see you again soon."

We hugged and then she ruffled my hair and pushed me out the door. I waved at the end of the walk then hitched up my bag and headed toward the lab and Uncle Professor.

well if you read it i am very grateful and thank you for spending your time doing so. i hope you enjoyed it. feel free to leave a review if you wish.

also, if anyone was curious, 'daikon' is a type of large east Asian radish.