"Daiki, your brother and sisters all woke up on time for your birthday," his mother said, sitting at the edge of his bed mattress. "And you were the last one to get up. Even our lazy Abra was up before you were."

Daiki pulled the covers over his head as his mother opened the window blinds. "Well, then Abra had already gotten his 18 hours of sleep that day."

His mother lightly began rubbing his back, and then lightly smacked it. "Come on," she stood up beginning to close Daiki's bedroom door behind her. "Your Pokemon journey starts as soon as Kin's party is done."

He sat up, looking to the closing door. "Fine," he shouted. "But why do old people have to always wake up so early!?"

"You'll be the old one soon enough, Daiki."

Daiki had turned 10 years old only three days earlier and promised he'd only start a journey with his siblings Aoi, Kohaku, and Kin. They meant the world to him. They'd all been born one day after the other in the same week, catching Daiki's attention when he looked at the events on the calendar a few years ago. And on the days they were all born, their parents had given them each a diamond necklace; the color of their eyes. Every now and then, they would shine.

Now in his traveling clothes, Daiki walked out of his room, being sure to lock it behind him, and out to the backyard. The sweet melody and scent of his mother's Bellossom's dancing in the border line of the backyard fence reached him.

Kin ran up to him as he jammed his fists into his jeans pockets. "Daiki! You're always late for everything!"

"Actually its called being 'fashionably' late and it's cool. And be glad I'm gonna be leading you guys on this journey," Daiki lowered himself and voice to Kin. "'Cause if I wasn't, I'd be Kohaku would probably get you guys lost in the Sahara Desert somewhere."

"I can hear you." Kohaku said from a distance, hands angrily on her hips.

"Well, then you know it's true for sure!"

"Kin," Aoi had said. "There's one more gift from Daiki and me." He pointed to the shoebox sized box wrapped in yellow wrapping paper and tied shut with a delicate pink bow.

Almost instantly Kin snatched it and shook it lightly next to her ear. "Ooh, what is it?"

"You wouldn't be asking that if you'd open it already…" Daiki muttered.

With a single tug, the bow came undone and tore off the paper in a few seconds flat. She flung the shoebox lid into one of the many bouquets of balloons tied to the picnic table. In a small white cushion, about the size for a large necklace, was a Pokeball. Kin's eyes were shining and her smile was the widest any of them had seen. She tossed it into the air to release the Pokemon she'd been waiting to get. "Come out and play!"

"Pich, Pichu!" A Pichu with a pink bow similar to the one that was wrapped on the box was placed gently on its head smiled.

"Ah! It's so cute, I love it!" kin hugged the small electric mouse, then her two brothers. "Thank you! And this means I'm ahead of choosing my starter Pokemon than you guys!"

Kohaku slumped with her shoulders. "I'm guessing you didn't like my gift..?"

Kin waved both of her hands in a panicked way. "No, no, no, no, no! Don't get me wrong, I've always loved getting pairs of socks…"

Daiki stuffed his hands into his pockets, laughing twice. "Yeah, and they were all used, too! Just having the thought of someone else's sweaty feet inside of them makes them just about a thousand times better!"

Just hearing that, Kin began to gag in disgust. Kohaku extended one finger to her older brother's face. "You shut yer yap."

He ignored her so-called "threat" and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, ruffling her hair. Because of their closed eyes, neither noticed their necklaces glittering a mixture of pink and green.

"I want you boys to watch your sisters with a very sharp eye." Their dad had said, hands on each of their shoulders.

Aoi rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Dad. I will; Daiki over here will probably just lean up against a nearby tree, not looking at anything, really. I'm sure he hasn't noticed but it's really become a routine; inside or out."

"Hey,--" Daiki cut himself off, and then shrugged. "Meh can't really argue with that."

Their dad laughed. Well then, I will give this Pokenav to you, Aoi." He ruffled his hair as he handed him the small device. "I've already programmed myself and your mother in it, so be sure to check in often and not worry her."

"What?" Aoi asked slyly, examining the Pokenav. "And you're not gonna be, Dad?"

Their dad smiled. "Just be careful, you two."

The brothers walked over to their mother and sisters in front of the fence gate.

"Now, I want you kids to go straight to Professor Birch's lab," mom said. "You pick each of your Pokemon and do what he says to get through Route 101 and to Petalburg City. Are you sure you've got everything packed in that bag, Aoi?"

They all groaned. "Mom…"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just check in with us every now and then!"

Kin stepped closer to her. "Don't worry, mom. As soo as we leave Professor Birch's lab,--"

Kohaku began pushing her though the gate door where their brothers were waiting. "We'll never be leaving his lab if you never stop talking, already! Now, hurry up and let's go!"

While being pushed, Kin smirked. "You're just jealous I got a Pokemon before any of you guys!"

With this hands clasped behind his head and looking up to the clear sky, Daiki said, "You wouldn't even have that Pichu of yours if it weren't for Aoi and me, Kin."

"Keh!" She stiffened in defeat.

"Just get on your dang bike and ride!" Kohaku said.

"Excuse us!" Aoi called while walking through the automatic doors of the Pokemon Research Lab. "We're looking for Professor Birch!"

He walked up to them grinning. "Well stop looking. I'm Professor Birch." He shook Aoi's hand.

Aoi was always known for being the polite and know-it-all out of their little group. Daiki knew a lot of stuff, the girls too, but they didn't really pay as close attention that Aoi had in school.

"You must be the Chiasa kids," Birch continued. "I'm sorry to say this, but I'm afraid we only have three Pokemon available in our stock right now."

The golden bells in Kin's hair rang as she shook her head. "Don't worry about that! I got mine earlier today!" Her Pichu scurried up her back and on top of her head, smiling from eye to eye.

Birch smiled and clapped once. "Well that is perfect! I've got the starters right over here. If you'll just follow me," He led them to a medium sized table with three red-and-white Pokeballs placed on top of it. Picking up the one in the middle, a Torchic popped out. "Now, this one is Torchic, the fire--"

"Dibs! Total Dibs!" Kohaku tightly hugged its neck, filled with affection.

Aoi looked back you Birch. "Yeah, Kohaku can have Torchic. Daiki and I already decided on which Pokemon we'd get. I'll take the Mudkip."

"And Treecko for me," Daiki said simply.

Birch let out both the Mudkip and Treecko before placing a hand on his chin. "Very interesting… you're all starting out with the Pokemon type that matches both your eye and necklace colors."

The siblings blinked, and then looked at their Pokemon, then at eachother. Aoi said, "To be honest, we never really even thought of that before. We just decided which one to get. But I am planning on catching a lot of water Pokemon while we travel."

"I'm looking for grass," Daiki said without turning his face away from Treecko.

"Cute and fiery for me!" Kohaku raised both arms above her head.

"And I love electrics," Kin said.

The room fell silent (not counting the electronic beeping and buzzing of all the machines in the laboratory). After a few moments of thinking (pretty much about nothing), they all simply said, "Weird…"

Birch laughed. "Oh, and before you kids leave, I need you to promise me two things."

They all nodded.

Finger number one: "You'll keep me updated on your Pokedex progress," he said handing them each a small green, blue, red, and yellow device. Finger number two added with a small smile. "And, you'll give these Pokemon the love and respect they all need."

They returned his smile and said their promised with the poem their grandparents had taught them. "Now a promise made is a debt unpaid; and the trail has its own stern code; A promise we make, for granted we will not take; This promise we shall take for hold."

Birch blinked. "Very impressive; best promise makers I've ever met. And to make sure you do keep it, I've registered myself in your Pokenav." He glanced out the window behind the four. The gleam of the late afternoon sun peeked behind their heads. "And if you want to get your journey started, I'd recommend you guys get a move on!"

"Yeah," Daiki said. "Guess we should."

Kohaku sighed. "I've been trying that kind of statement for years just to get Daiki outta bed, and you get him up and ready to go just like that?!"

Pushing her through the door, Aoi said. "Maybe your time will come, Kohaku. Thanks for everything, Professor Birch!"

"With any luck," Kin said, Pichu practically glued to the top of her head. "We can handle everything from here!"

As if the scurrying Torchic had used fire spin, Kohaku burst into flames. "'With any luck'?!"

When Kohaku finally calmed down, the four hopped onto their bikes with their starters either clinging onto their heads or relaxing in the baskets found behind the seats. Keeping an eye out for eachother was the best they could do, and it's just what they'd intended to do.

Now leaving their hometown of Littleroot and with Route 101 in sight, all they could hope for was good luck and fortune.