Chapter one – Preparing for a New Adventure

So, it is finally time to resume my writing and I figured that starting out like this would be the easiest way for me to get into Morgan's character.

One thing I'd like to address is that I picked my favorite Pokémon for Morgan's team. And yes, they are probably cliché Pokémon, but I don't care about that. These Pokémon have managed to worm their way in my heart and they deserve a bit of love from me for all that we have been through.

Now, without further ado, here is the first chapter of Meet the Team – Morgan.


"Morgan, are you awake yet? Your father and you have a meeting with the breeder in an hour, please make sure that you are up and about in 15 minutes. Preferably in normal clothes and not your pajama's," Valerie Marlow yelled trying to wake her youngest daughter, Morgan, who had recently returned home from journeying in Kalos and Johto.

"I am already up and ready to go, mom." Morgan was standing next to her mother, her shoes in hand, backpack already on her back. Valerie swallowed a scream at the sudden appearance of her daughter, who was snickering at the reaction.

"Just put on your shoes and I will tell your father that it is time to leave," Valerie sighed before walking into the living room to give some last instructions to her husband about what had to be done at the contest hall today.

Morgan just sat down on the stairs and pulled on her shoes. It never got old to scare her mother like that. She wasn't a child that liked to sleep in anymore. After all the early Taillow gets the Wurmple. Tying the laces together, Morgan took a moment to look around the house.

Home. It had been a while since Morgan had been home. It really didn't feel like it anymore. She had been on the road for the better part of two years and now being home was boggling to her. It was comforting that little had changed since she had last been home. Her room was still the same as she had left it when she first set out to try her hand at being a trainer. Eight years seemed to have gone by so fast

Purdy, her mother's Skitty, was meowing to get some attention from Morgan and the girl indulged the Normal-type, even picking her up for a quick cuddle.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you, Purdy. Be sure to guard the house while I am gone, alright?" Morgan set the Skitty down and watched her run into the living room at the same time as her father was walking back into the hallway.

"You ready, sweetie?" Her father, Roger, asked and Morgan jumped up from her spot on the stairs and together they walked out of the door.


It was a complete chaos at the breeder, Morgan and Roger just smiled as all the young Pokémon were running by like little toddlers on a sugar high. Roger noticed how his daughter's eyes shone as she took in the small Pokémon and them, her.

"Ah, Mister and the youngest Miss Marlow. How great is it to see you again. Miss Marlow, that fight in the Silver conference with that boy…. That boy with the Absol. Right, Taidana Kumo. It was a spectacular battle. That he won the Conference afterward didn't come as a surprise." The owner of the hatchery had come to serve them himself and Roger greeted the man with much enthusiasm.

"Mister Gunther! How have you been?" Morgan bounded up to the old man and gave him a hug. He had often collaborated with her parents to hold mock contests at the hall where people could use the Pokémon bred at the hatchery and often enough all the Pokémon would be adopted at the end of the mock contest.

"You know the way, Miss Marlow, I will see you when you have picked a few of the Pokémon to look at? That should be enough time to get a feel for the youngsters we have at the moment." Gunther shooed her off and she left through the doors to go to the big yard.

"She is going to go straight for one of the Litleo or Growlithe." He said to Roger, who couldn't help but agree.

"She never quite got rid of her love for fire. That Taidana boy sure had to have noticed after her Torkoal set his Sceptile on fire."

The two men chuckled loudly.


Morgan was in heaven as she looked at all the young Pokémon running around in the yard of the hatchery. Lots of the Pokémon wore colored bands already, signifying that they had been reserved by other trainers already. She was wondering about the Pokémon that she was going to choose today. She remembered the times that she had sat down at the small desk in her room and just wrote out her dreams for the future and what she had hoped to happen while she was traveling.

She snorted loudly as she remembered the stories that she had written where she had been a Dragon-type trainer. She knew better now. They were a bit too temperamental for her taste. During her time away she had found out that she and dragon-types did not go together all that well. She sure had had a lot of ambition when she was younger. League champion, Elite Four member, stopping evil from taking over the world, befriending legendary Pokémon. Big dreams for a little girl just starting out as a trainer. She couldn't deny that it was something she still wanted. Something that she still dreamed about.

"But the Bagon that were headbutting the rocks next to their Salamence mother were to be avoided at all cost. Maybe one of the Electrike, or the Poochyena instead? As she took in the variety of Pokémon that were running havoc, her hand wandered to her belt. The feel of the cool, pristine Moon Balls comforted her as she yearned to fill them up with new Pokémon.

She missed her old Pokémon, but it was time for a new start honestly. She had been traveling with the same team for almost 8 years and they deserved some rest and relaxation for all their hard work. She shook her head and tried to concentrate on the Pokémon in front of her again. It didn't do to dwell on the past.

One of nearby the Litleo had been stalking up to her ever since she had walked into the yard, curious about the girl with vibrant red hair and Morgan just pretended that she hadn't seen the dual type coming closer. As the little cub pounced, Morgan just caught it midair and placed it on her lap.

"Hello, little one. I think you need to have more lessons on how to successfully stalk someone." She booped its nose and it sneezed in response. Morgan laughed as she started to pet the Litleo, careful not to touch the red fur on its head. It wouldn't be hot unless it was angry or wanted to fight, but it didn't hurt to be careful until she knew the Pokémon.

"I see you have met Sarabi's little girl, Miss Marlow?" Gunther suddenly appeared behind her.

"Call me Morgan, Miss Marlow makes me feel so old. Yep, she needs to learn how to make less noise though. I was able to hear her walking up to me. Right?" She smiled over her shoulder to the master breeder before turning back to Litleo.

The Litleo started purring as she reached a hard to reach spot just behind the Litleo's ear.

"What is the info on this little one?" Morgan asked Gunther, who didn't hesitate to whip out a notebook and expertly flipped through the pages.

"Here you go, Miss Morgan, all the info on this little one. It is a shame she hasn't been claimed yet." He smiled knowingly at her and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"You kept her away from everyone when you heard that I was going to come in to get a new Pokémon, didn't you?" She asked. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Miss Morgan," he tried his best to look innocent, but Morgan knew better than that.

She handed the notebook back and just kept petting the little snooze ball that had taken her lap hostage. A few of the other Pokémon did come to investigate Morgan, but none of them were as interested at the Litleo that had been the first. She decided that the Litleo in her lap was the one for her and carefully stood up and walked inside after given the Pokémon the time to say goodbye to her mother. Seeing her father standing in the lobby, annoyed as he held his X-transceiver a full 4 inches away from his ear, had Morgan raising an eyebrow.

"I know, honey, I will be there soon, just need to convince Morgan that she needs to hurry up and pick a Pokémon." Here he glanced at his daughter, who just held up the Litleo that had picked her.

"Couldn't Dave picked out another day to let some of the lights fall down on the stage? No, I understand that the champion is coming to judge the contest and that everything needs to be perfect. We will head straight to the contest hall after we are done here."

"Ah. that explained her father's rather sour face. One of the employees at the contest hall had messed and seeing as mister Champion of Hoenn was going to be there, her mother was in a fit because the stage probably looked like she had trained there with her Sandslash. Morgan wondered if her mother had forgiven her yet for doing that.

"I think I am all finished, to be honest, seems this little one wants to go with me." She offered to her father.

"You still dislike the champion? What was his name again? Wally?"

"You caught me. Wallace, the champion of Hoenn and Master co-ordinator is coming to guest judge the upcoming contest." Her father rolled his eyes and Morgan laughed in response. Her father wasn't the biggest fan of the current champion.

"What exactly did he do that pissed you off again?" She asked, trying to contain her laughter.

"He flooded the waiting rooms at the hall during one of the contests a year ago. He just said it was a hazard of being a water-type trainer." Her father started ranting and Morgan was running out of breath, she was laughing so hard. The Litleo just looked at Morgan and wiggled around so she was facing the laughing Morgan and booped the girl on the nose, causing Morgan to stop laughing and stare at the Pokémon with wide eyes.

"Seems she is just as cheeky as you are." Roger laughed at the baffled face Morgan was making as he paid for Litleo.

"You have a name for the cheeky little bugger yet?" He asked as Morgan finally snapped out of her surprised state and pulled out one of the Moon Balls that he and his wife had gifted their daughter.

"I think I am going to call her Bolero." As she gave the ball a look, she nodded. "Yeah, Bolero."

"Alright, then, time to go and clean up Dave's mess. I might even let you try out Bolero on his ass for upsetting your mother." Roger laughed as Morgan rolled her eyes.