Prologue:
At the sight of the empty space where Chikorita's Pokeball should have been, James frowned and averted his eyes.
"Today James, please, I have other matters to attend to." Elm requested, his patience long gone.
"Err, where's erm…where is Chikorita?" James asked.
"Chikorita? Are you kidding? He's long gone, everyone wants him, but Tododile and Cyndaquil are both equally great Pokémon, they're really energetic. Won't they do?" James shook his head.
"No, not really. Are you sure there are no Chikoritas left?" At his persistence, Elm sighed.
"No James." He replied firmly. "We've been through this and what you see before you is all I have left. You can wait another year if you want?" James shook his head again; he'd waited too long. He stared at the remaining balls, tears pricking his eyes. Today was supposed to be the beginning of his own adventure, something he'd dreamed about for years – and yet even this was going wrong and he'd barely left his doorstep. He gulped back the tears and reached out, choosing at random.
"Cyndaquil huh? That's nice…" Elm paused and realised he had nothing much else to say, so he began the arduous task of removing James from the lab. "Okay, off you go then," Elm started, trying to suppress the irritation that had crept into his voice. "You have an adventure to go on and it won't start itself you know? This is your chance to take hold of your destiny." He paused again, furrowing his brows as the boy still hesitated in departing.
Disappointment apparent on James' face, he stared at the ball in his hand. "Okay, thanks for everything Elm. I'm going to say goodbye to my mum before I leave. I'll miss you Elm, remember when I was five and-"
"Okay just get out already and spare me your fucking life story." Elm cut him off, finally cracking and losing his patience. James looked at whom he regarded as his mentor with tears streaming down his face and, in that moment, Elm felt a stab of guilt. He sighed once again.
"James, I'm sorry, it's been a long day. Here, why don't you take this with you on your adventure? A colleague of mine gave it to me as a gift but I have no use for it, it's called a Pokedex. I'll program it for you." Elm pressed a few buttons and handed it to James. As he received it, the smile at his gift quickly faded.
"Prof., you listed me as a girl…" Elm laughed.
"Sorry kid, I'll change it when you grow up and stop crying, now get going already."
"Geez, alright I'm leaving…" James headed towards the door of the laboratory still clutching the ball in his hand. Before he exited, he turned and smiled.
"Bye Elm."
Without replying, the Professor gestured for James to leave with his hand. As the door closed Elm sighed at the waste of a Pokémon and Pokedex.
"Awkward as fuck, like always."
It was twenty minutes before James made it home; he spent a long time hiding in the nearby woods crying. Not only had he been insulted like never before but his new Cyndaquil couldn't even beat a Hoothoot. Depressed as his day of majesty was crashing around his ears he dejectedly sulked home, greeting his stepmother, Elaine, briefly before crashing out on his bed.
"Aren't you supposed to be leaving deary?" Elaine's voice strained to achieve a caring tone as she regarded her stepson on the bed.
"You know I wanted a Chikorita right? Well Elm didn't have one and I got stuck with a useless fire Pokémon."
"Well you need to start your adventure James." She replied, encouragingly. He sighed and turned his back to her. Fearing her peace was at stake she pulled out a Pokeball. "You know Chikorita is a grass Pokémon, I just happen to have a Ralts here. Just like Chikorita she's a grass Pokémon too." James looked at Elaine, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I spent some time in Hoenn with Elm when we went there to complete some research together, remember? I caught a Ralts whilst I was there."
"No way is it as good as Chikorita."
She chuckled, "Oh come on, that useless Pokémon couldn't last one round against a Ralts, they're on completely different levels." Please dear God let this work she thought to herself.
"Really! Can I have it!" She smiled, victorious, not only would her stepson leave but she'd be rid of the worst Pokémon she'd ever owned. Invigorated, James snatched the Pokeball and sprinted outside. "Bye mum, I'll be sure to come back and visit." Elaine met this statement with a weak smile.
"Be sure to win many gym badges before you come home so I can see them all." That should keep him busy for a few years. Elm, who'd come outside to see if James had finally left, burst out laughing as he overheard her suggestion.
"Be sure to stop by Kanto before you get back. Forget eight, I want to see all sixteen badges." Elm and Elaine shared a secret grin before she gestured suggestively and strode back into the house.
His adventure was beginning; he'd be the world's best Pokémon trainer soon. He smiled as New Bark Town, the town he'd spent all his life in, disappeared behind the trees and into his past. For the first time that day he felt truly happy, as if his entire life was on the brink of changing. "It seems like this is a whole new world that I live in." He stated, "a whole new place to be. With a brand new attitude…"