They say that there are two types of trainers in this world – those who focus on friendship, bonding with their Pokémon to help them grow; and those who focus on training powerful Pokémon that compliment each other. But when I started my journey I wanted to be different, I thought that why can't I be both? Why can't I have strong Pokémon with good typing while having close friendships with them?

My friends told me I was mad, well I call them friends. We used to be friends but we all fell out 5 years ago. Now I just hang around with them during school but don't do much other than that. We were friends until on day when we were all ten years old…

I remember it clearly; all 5 of us were playing around in the park when our fathers came up to us with a pokeball in their hands. "Kids," said one of them, "we have presents to give you." We all ran up to them as happy as can be. Our fathers all gave us our respective pokeballs and walked back to our mothers while we opened them one at a time.

"Awesome! A Poochyena," said Alex.

"A Zigzagoon! Thanks daddy!" said Sam

"A Tailow! I always wanted a flying type," said Tom

"A Ralts! I got the rarest Pokémon," said Tyler, jokingly mocking the rest off us. I just stood there, to happy to hit the button on the front of the ball to release my mysterious first Pokémon. "Come on Ben, open your pokeball," said Alex.

"I'm sure it's not as awesome as Tylers' Ralts," I said shyly.

"Come on Benny, we won't know until you open it," said Tyler. I submitted to them and opened my pokeball. After a blast of light a Beldum appeared hovering head height off the ground. We all stared in awe at the steel/psychic Pokémon. I couldn't believe it; I had a extremely rare and powerful Pokémon. After that we all played with our Pokémon, looking at what nicknames would be right for them and seeing what moves they have.

I just stared at my Beldum in awe. But this Beldum was different from pictures I have seen of it. This one grey instead of blue. Back then I didn't know what shinnies were , something I would come to regret as my "friends" started to become jealous of me. I started becoming distant from my old friends over the next two years. I was still good friends with them but we were nowhere near as close as we were before that day when we were ten.

When Alex, Tyler and I had turned 12 we decided to get our starters at the same time. We had a battle before hand to see who would be the first one to choose their starter. I won quite easily with a combination of Iron Defence and Iron Head; in retrospect, this was probably not a good thing. So when we met up with Professor Birch to get our starters I was the first one to choose.

"Alexander, Tyler and Benjamin," he said in his famous deep voice, "I have with me the three starters. Treeko the grass type, Torchic the fire type and Mudkip the water type. Who will be the first to chose their starter?" he continued. I cheerfully stepped in front of my friends, "that would be me sir," I said happily.

"Okay Benjamin. Which Pokémon will you choose to be your starter Pokémon?" This was a stupid question, I always knew what Pokémon I would pick when this day came around. "I choose Mudkip!" Professor Birch looked down at me curiously, "Mudkip? That's an odd choice for the first person to choose. But nether the less – I give you the water type starter, Mudkip. I trust that you will raise and train it well."

"I will sir. I will love it with all my heart forever," I stated.

"Excellent," Birch said cheerfully as he handed me the pokeball that contained Mudkip. "Now, what about you two?" he said to Alex and Tyler, "which starters will you choose?"

"I will choose Treeko," said Alex.

"Then I guess I will choose Torchic," said Tyler.

Professor Birch handed them their respective pokeballs and headed off. I didn't really know what happened after that as I had run home so I could introduce Mudkip to Beldum.

It was then I figured out the method I would use to train. I would befriend Pokémon of different types so I can have a balanced team. A flying type like a Tailow. A normal type like Slakoth. A grass type like Shroomish. And to top it off I could capture a dragon type like Bagon. As I went to bed that night happy and full of thoughts of my future of travelling the Hoenn region.