"Wake up, sweetheart." For a moment, there's nothing but silence within the small bedroom. The occasional tweet from the birds outside the window could be heard, but there is nothing but silence aside from it…and the impatient sigh from the older female in the room. "Honey, wake up! Professor Redwood is expecting you today." A groan comes from under the light blue sheets, and the body that the groan emitted from seems to twitch slightly. Still, there is nothing but silence after that. The older voice sighs softly. "Starmie, give her a small water gun."
"NO!" The body pops up from the sheets. Her big brown eyes are slightly reddened and her flaming red hair is disheveled all over her head. "I'm up, I'm up!" She scrambles out of the bed as her mother and the Starmie seem to stare at her in amusement. "You're not funny, mom." She groaned, and a giggle came from the older woman.
"That'll teach you to go to bed on time. Now get dressed, you're probably already late." Her mother complains, and she groans in return as she grabs a couple towels and heads to the bathroom. "Just like her father," The woman mumbles, shaking her head.
After a hot shower and a change of clothes, the young girl comes downstairs. Her style of clothing would be slightly familiar to some: a yellow tank top accompanied by a black windbreaker along with a pair of shorts was her choices of outfit. Along with it was a pair of sneakers and knee-high socks. Her hair stayed down, but the hat that sat on top of her head was her most prize possession; it was the hat her father gave her as a child.
"There you are, short stuff," Her older brother teases, and she grimaces before she slightly shoves him. It wasn't as if he was too far off, however; at a solid 6'3", he was a tower compared to the girl's 5'5". "Breakfast is on the stove. And hurry up, will ya? Redwood's probably waiting on us right now." The girl waves him off but does make an effort to quickly fill her plate with eggs, bacon and toast. She sits down with a glass of orange juice and begins to eat.
"Hey, big brother?" She speaks, and he looks back at her with pensive blue eyes, just like their mother's. But unlike her hair, his was long and pulled back into a ponytail, some black strands hanging out here and there. He looked more like their father in this way. "Do you think this will be fun? I mean...Allen went on his journey three years ago, and we barely ever see him unless he calls us on the cross-transceiver," She explains, and a big smile crosses his face at the mention of their eldest brother.
"I think so! I mean, I think this is every kid's destiny, to go on a journey with Pokémon." He replied, before there was a knock at the door. "I got it!" He loudly announced to the household, before running to the door, and looking through the peephole before opening it. "Oh, Professor Redwood! We were just—"
"No need to explain. I would've waited a little longer but some things have come up. I'll have to confer with you here and now," She said, walking inside. Professor Allison Redwood, the daughter of the world-famous Professor Oak, was the wife of one of his younger Aides and hailing from the Kanto Region. Since her arrival in the Zangen Region Twenty years ago, she had been working towards the research of the relationship between Pokémon and their counterparts. Around a child's pre-teen years, she was allowed to give them a Pokémon and help them start their journey, no matter what their goal was. "Where is Melissa? Furthermore, where is your mother?" She asked.
"Right here!" Both females replied simultaneously-the young girl named Melissa came from the kitchen, wiping her mouth with a napkin. The kids' mother came from downstairs with her Starmie hanging close behind.
"Hello Professor, I didn't expect you to be here," The woman replied, and Redwood shook her head with a smile. "Would you like some tea or coffee?" She asked.
"I'd love to say yes Misty, but I am on a pressing schedule. I came specifically to see Ashton and Melissa. Please have a seat kids," Redwood instructed, and Melissa sat next to her brother on the small love seat. "Usually I am far more prepared and uniform, but my flight from Silver City to Cianwood City in Johto leaves in a couple of hours." She explained. "As me and your parents have discussed a long time ago, I was appointed to come and give you two Pokémon when you were ready for your journey, as I did your older brother Allen three years ago," Redwood paused to look at the children, seeming to smile in her thoughts. All three of the kids reminded Redwood of their parents. "Seeing as I'm on a tight schedule, we shall skip the formalities and get straight to business."
She sat a large box on the table and opened it-inside were two poke balls, shining as if they were brand new toys. Next to them, she sat two notebook-like machines. "I'm hoping you two know what these are." She said.
"Yeah! That's the Pokedex, your father made those," Ashton exclaimed, and Redwood nodded with a grin. "They record information on all Pokémon we see and catch." She said, and Melissa nodded.
"And these are Poke Balls, tools made for catching Pokémon," Melissa added, and Redwood clapped, a grin spread across her face.
"Very good! The tutoring at the Pokémon Academy did you well." Redwood slid the box a bit closer to the children. "The one on the left is yours, Ashton. Melissa, you'll take the one on the right. These Pokémon were hand-picked by your father. He figured you both could learn a lot from them and them from you." She explained.
Ashton reached out first, touching the Poke Ball and inspecting it before standing up in the middle of the living room. He held it up, and looked at it pensively. "Come on out," He said, and in a flash, a new presence was in the living room. It was a small green Pokémon, standing on four small legs and looking up at him with red eyes. The leaf that sat atop its head seemed to sway on its own accord. "Oh wow, a Chikorita!" He exclaimed, and a small smile crossed the Pokémon's face. "Dad knew! I love grass Pokémon," He said, kneeling down to pet his new Pokémon.
"Go ahead Melissa, check yours out," Misty coaxed, and her daughter nodded before she grabbed the Poke Ball with shaky hands. As her brother did, she got up and released the Pokémon from its ball, only to squeal in delight at the Pokémon at her feet. It resembled a small turtle, blue with big violet eyes and a small smile.
"A Squirtle!" She said, and automatically dropped to her knees as the Squirtle seemed to stare at her in a quizzing manner. "Hi! I'm Melissa," She smiled, and although it didn't move, Squirtle returned the smile and seemed to relax in its new settings.
"Wow, he really did pick them well," Misty chuckled. "I have something for you two," She said before she went into the closet, pulling out some things. "I have your bags along with your maps of Zangen. Here's a journal in case you want to write something down, and of course, your running shoes." She said, and the kids not only tried on their new shoes but rummaged through their new things.
"Alright, you two." Redwood brought their attention back to the task at hand. "On Route 1, one of my Aides will be out to greet you. Her name is Rosa, she knows all there is to know about Pokémon battling and training. She'll teach you what you need to know." Redwood packed her things and stood at once. "I should be going now! The airport waits for no one, and I'd be foolish to miss my flight. The best of luck to you both," And with that, Redwood had left.
"I'm so proud of you two," Misty replied, and the kids looked to her with huge smiles. "I'm sure your father is too, and that's why he picked these Pokémon especially for you." She walked over to Ashton and rubbed his hair. "Listen, Ash. Take care of Melissa. She's not only your friend and fellow trainer, but she's your family. Protect her from harm, okay?" She said, and he nodded as she kissed his forehead. "And Melissa? Be good, and don't be so stubborn like your mother, okay? But no matter what, follow your heart." She said, and Melissa smiled.
"Yes mom. I love you," She walked to Misty and hugged her waist, before Misty leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"I love you too, mom." Ashton replied, hugging her as well. "We'll come back when we can!" He said, getting himself together to leave. "C'mon Melissa, we've gotta get to Route 1," He said, and Melissa nodded.
"Okay. Squirtle, return." She said, and before long both Squirtle and Chikorita were back into their Poke Balls. The kids said their goodbyes to Misty, and were off to head into the world of Pokémon. Misty watched them run farther and farther away until they were out of sight, and she closed the door. "Well Starmie, they're finally off." She said to her old friend and Pokémon partner, and it walked to her before gently patting her leg in what seemed to be reassurance. "Do you think they'll be okay?" She asked, and it swayed its body. "...I think so too. Come; let's go work on the garden."