Hey readers this is my first ever Pokemon fanfic. i love this pairing i really don't know why but i do. Hope you enjoy this story about Lyra's journey in the world of pokemon.

Disclaimer I DON'T OWN ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH POKEMON ):

Chapter 1: A Champion's Advice

Every so often his gaze would drift over to her. His best friend sitting was sitting underneath a tree with her knees drawn to her chest. He was starting to get worried but he didn't dare approach her…yet. The events of the day were still fresh in his mind as they were in hers. He had watched from the sidelines as each one of her pokemon were taken down by the master of the elite four. He thanked Nurse Joy for taking care of their pokemon and quickly ran outside. It was about time that she got up and did something productive.

"Your pokemon are going to be fine. Nurse Joy's taking really good care of them." he said not knowing what to say. "Lyra I know that this wasn't what you wanted but you have to get up and prepare for next time."

She lifted her head and stared at him through puffy eyes. "Ethan I don't think that there's going to be a next time." she said sounding defeated.

"Of course there's going to be a next time! You can't just give up after one defeat! You lost to the champion so take your loss and make something out of it! Train your pokemon and train yourself! You've seen the way he battles now, use what you saw in your battle and morph your strategy around that!" he yelled angrily at his companion who sometimes needed that kind of push.

"When did you get so smart?" she asked him still with that defeated tone in her usually cheerful voice. "I want to try and I know you're right but what he said is what's eating me."

"Oh." was all Ethan could think of as he recalled the harsh words that the champion had said to his childhood friend. "Yeah that would eat at me too."

"Yeah he told me that it was evident by the way I battled that I really didn't care about my pokemon. I replied that I did and he said that if I did I would have been able to defeat him. Then he turned to leave and with one last look back at me he told me to come back and face him when I have discovered how to truly love my pokemon, when I found out who I really was trying to be."

"I didn't know that he could be so cruel." Ethan said staring up at the leaves of the tree only to be hit in the face by an oran berry. He caught a glimpse of the purple pokemon running away. "Hey that wasn't nice."

"I think you have yourself a new friend." Lyra said with a small laugh. "Maybe you should try to catch it."

"I think I will." he said as the purple monkey took his hat and ran off with it. Ethan took off after the monkey leaving his distraught friend to her thoughts.

Lyra watched as Ethan called out his Croconaw. She smiled as she watched her friend battle the mischievous Aipom. Eagerly she watched as he threw the pokeball and as it shook a couple of times before it stopped. Ethan grabbed the ball from the ground and held it out for her to see, she gave him two thumbs up which he returned with a goofy grin. He walked back to her and threw a red and white ball at her.

"What's this for?" she asked confused by his action.

"Maybe it's time you caught yourself a new pokemon." he answered and she smiled at him.

"I think you're right." she said getting up only to be tackled to the ground by her pokemon all of whom were wearing some kind of bandage. "Hey guys it's nice to see you too. Don't worry about me I fine now. Ethan found a way to get me pumped and ready for next time. Before we have the chance to face the champion again we have a hole lot of training to do."

"That's the spirit Ly and don't worry me and my buddies will help you any way we can." Ethan said excited that his friend was back.

"Ethan what do you know about love?" she asked suddenly causing him to fall down in shock. She helped him get up. "It was just a curious question no need for the overreaction."

"Sorry it just caught me off guard. Well I don't know much about the subject but what I do know is that when you love a person you'd do anything for them. You'd be whatever that person needed weather it be a friend or a rival. Most importantly you'd wait for them." he said surprising Lyra, the group of pokemon, and himself. "It's the same thing with pokemon. If you truly love someone then you'd put them before yourself."

"Ethan." Lyra said softly. She stared at her usually goofy friend with wide eyes. "Thank you for answering my totally random question."

"No problem." he said scratching the back of his uncapped head. His eyes widened with realization at the fact that he had been so excited about gaining a new friend that he had left his hat in the same spot where Aipom had dropped it. Lyra and her pokemon laugh as the watched him run in a strange manner to his hat. "Not funny Ly."

"Yeah it was you should have seen yourself." she said through her giggles.

Ethan mumbled something unintelligible as he walked back to her. Instead of looking down at her and giving her an earful his gaze fell upon the red haired guy leaning against the doorframe watching them. Lyra's pokemon stiffened and she slowly turned around the smile on her face fading as she spotted him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked the venom in her words made Ethan flinch but not the dragon master. He remained silent. She shot him an icy glare that melted before it reached the air around him. "I asked you a question."

"This is a pokemon center." he answered simply. "Have you forgotten that it's open to the public?"

"No." she mumbled. She turned to her best friend and her expression softened. "Can you take my pokemon back inside they're still not fully healed?"

"Alright but just say the word and my pokemon and I will come." he said and she nodded. He turned to face the five pokemon. "Come on guys Nurse Joy would have a fit if she found out you had been out."

As soon as he was gone Lyra turned back to the guy who handed her a cold defeat on a silver platter. "There is another reason as to why you are here."

"Yes you are correct." he said walking over to her so he wouldn't have to yell and be overheard by the people inside the building. "Nurse Joy called me. She told me that your pokemon would make a full recovery but she wasn't sure you would."

"So you made it your duty to come and make sure my battle scars would heal." she said icily.

"Drop the ice Lyra you know I'm not the bad guy." he said and her thoughts drifted off to the incident at the Lake of Rage. "I'm here to give you some advice. There is a whole world out there with many different kinds of pokemon and people. Leave Johto and go exploring with your pokemon and that friend of yours. I can assure you that along the way you will discover yourself and your love for your pokemon. Try new things because just as there are many different types of pokemon there are different styles of battling. Catch different kinds of pokemon and create life long friendships. When the time comes and you still want to battle I'll be waiting."

"How will I know when the time is right?" she asked.

"You just will." he said looking up at the darkening sky. "So what do you say?"

"I'm going to do it. First stop Kanto. I'm going to train hard and discover myself and my own unique style of battling. Then when the time is right I'll challenge you again but the outcome will be different." she said her determination showing in her eyes.

"Just what I wanted to hear from the girl who took down Team Rocket." he said. He looked down at her and smiled at the determination she was showing. "We will meet again Lyra that I am sure of."

To Be Continued...

So what did you think. I promise you that there will be romance just in further chapters. Please do me a favor and give me some much loved feedback. thank you!