The weather was changing, putting an eerie chill to the air in Johto. A very spacious ranch is shown in the moonlight. Many Pokémon are sleeping under the stars whilst some are still active, playing games with one another. Only one room is lit in this big house, and a young man is sitting in his study looking over a photo and newspaper articles. In the photograph stands the young man with soulful blue eyes, short brown hair, and a well-trimmed beard alongside his six Pokémon. This young man is Bear, the former Pokémon League Champion of Kanto and Johto. After losing the title as league champion, Bear had quested to complete his Pokédex given to him by Professor Oak eight years prior.
The morning came early for Bear. His Umbreon, a black dog-like Pokémon with blue rings and yellow eyes, had awakened him due to the Pokégear ringing nonstop. After rolling out of bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes Bear looks at the missed calls on his Pokégear. Two are from his mother back in Kanto and one is from Professor Oak. The messages remind him of the same thing; tomorrow is his younger brother's graduation from the Pokémon Academy founded by Red and Blue in Pallet town, and the day after that he sets out on his own journey. It seems that Bear doesn't get a moment of rest, because Professor Elm is now pounding on his front door. "Bear answer the door this is urgent," shouted Elm. Unlike Professor Oak of the Kanto region, Elm is a young, thin man with wire rimmed glasses and short brown hair and is easily excitable.
Opening the door to an almost frantic Pokémon Professor is one thing, but the surprise in store for Bear is almost unimaginable. "Bear, the research that Professor Oak and I have accomplished on Pokémon and their breeding habits is astounding!" Elm exclaimed. "We also have evidence of prehistoric Pokémon breeding, therefore we predict that the 'Legendary' Pokémon also have to breed, or else they would become extinct as well. The reason these Pokémon are classified as 'Legendary' is due to the infrequent sightings of them."
"I understand this Prof. Elm, but I don't really see your point."
"You yourself have captured 'Legendary' Pokémon, Bear. Entei, Suicune, and Raikou presented themselves to you because of your abilities as a trainer. That is why I wish you to take these with you to Kanto when you leave for Ethan's graduation," pulling two Pokémon eggs, each about the size of a bowling ball, from a padded carrying case, "And give these to Professor Oak."
One egg is a beautiful fire orange with gold flames starting at the bottom and going to the top. The other is a pale blue with what appear to be silver waves around its mid-section. "Bear, these eggs are very important to our research. One was found on the beach of Cianwood City and the other near Ecruteak City, and we have no idea what Pokémon lies inside each egg. That is why Prof. Oak would like to take a look at them for himself, but he needs to be able to present the graduating trainers with their Pokémon and Pokédex."
"And that is the reason you tasked me with this?" interrupted Bear.
"I did not suggest this, Oak did" stated Elm.
"I guess I can't let Prof. Oak down," said Bear dejectedly, "He's part of the reason I have all of this." Walking over to a display case, Bear opens it and pulls out a Pokéball. Worn with age and faded it seems this lone Pokéball has been through a lot. "Elm, give me fifteen minutes an ill be ready to head out." says Bear as he walks outside and Elm soon follows him out. "Blaze come here!" shouts Bear, and soon after a rather large Charizard lands near him. This Charizard is different from most, instead of the red-orange color to the scales, this Charizard's is as black as coal.
"Is that a black Charizard?" Elm asks astounded.
"Yes, it is."
"Where did you get such a magnificent Pokémon?"
"From Prof. Oak, of course. Blaze was my first Pokémon. I grew up admiring Oak's grandson, Blue, and his Charizard and always wanted one." Bear said full of memories, "I made it my goal to be the top of my class so I got to choose first out of every one else. There were nine of us, and unfortunately I was at the bottom of the nine... I was for sure that the Charmanders were all taken, but when it came my turn there was one Pokéball left, and it had a Charmander that wasn't the normal color, it was lighter and I'm assuming that is why he was left."
"That doesn't explain why this Charizard turned out to be black instead of its normal color." Elm excitedly rambled.
Bear chuckled climbing on Blaze's back, "Elm, next time you talk to Professor Oak, ask him about his theory on 'shiny' Pokémon. That should clear things up for you. Now if you'll excuse me I'll be on my way to Pallet Town." With a gust of wind from Blaze's wings the duo became airborne. "I know you don't like flying long distances with me on your back, Blaze, but flying is the quickest way home."
"Home... that's a place we haven't been for quite some time."
Shortly before noon, Bear lands in front of a quaint little house with tan siding and a red roof. His childhood home where he grew up with his brother and two sisters.
This house is located on a small acreage on the outskirts of Pallet Town. On the front porch sits Bear's mother, a woman in her forties of average build with emerald green eyes and raven hair, his younger brother, Ethan, a blond haired blue eyed young man with a more muscular build and slightly taller than Bear, and an old man with gray hair that could only be Prof. Oak.
Dismounting from Blaze, Bear slowly walks up the steps.
I had been four years since he had been home. The feeling of past memories was almost too overwhelming. "Hi everyone..." was all Bear could utter.
"Hello Bear, I wish you would have called ahead. If it wasn't for Prof. Oak, I would have never known you were coming."
"Shelly's right Bear" scolded Oak, "you did the same thing when you left on your journey."
"I'm sorry for not calling ahead, but I was just too excited about Elm's discovery." Bear forced out apologetically. Pulling the eggs one by one from his bag, Bear hands the blue and silver egg to Oak, who nearly drops it from astonishment. "That's the one from Cianwood City, and this beauty is from Ecruteak City," Bear nods to the gold flamed egg he's holding.
"They are quite remarkable, and I think I have decided just what to do with them, says Oak. "Elm's research has proven that Pokémon eggs hatch faster with human interaction. Bear, will you journey with your brother until these eggs hatch? You get to carry one and Ethan gets the other. But first, I think Ethan should introduce you to his starter Pokémon." The look of confusion on Bear's face allowed Oak to correct his mistake. "It's been a while since you attended the trainer's school. We start the children at twelve, like you did, only they have six years of nurturing and caring for their Pokémon before they are allowed to go on their journey. This cuts down on the number of new trainers abandoning their Pokémon." Satisfied with the answer Bear turns to his brother, "Alright lets she your friend."
Pulling out a shiny new Pokéball Ethan shouts, "Come on out, Torrent." Out pops a happy looking Squirtle. Only this Squirtle is a baby blue and has a green shell. "So, looks like baby brother has himself a 'shiny' Squirtle," says Bear with mild amusement. "Kinda following in my footsteps aren't we?"
"How did I know you were going to say something stupid like that? Ever since you won the championship I've always wanted to be like my big brother, but everyone always said that I was following in your footsteps when my journey has yet to begin," says Ethan almost complaining.
"Okay Mr. Smartass, I'll let you pick what egg you want to hatch," Bear challenges.
"I want to battle, my Torrent against your Blaze, winner gets first pick... and I don't want you going easy on me."
"I have a better idea, I'll use one of my other Pokémon as to keep it a little fairer. Go Rhyhorn!" Rhyhorn is a stocky slate colored Pokémon on all fours with a horn on its short snout. Noticing Ethan and Blaze's obvious disappointment Bear followed up with "Maybe you can battle Blaze later when he isn't tired from a long flight." Blaze seemed to approve of this idea by laying down near the porch and promptly falling asleep.
Walking about twenty-five yards from where his brother stood, Bear and his Ryhorn stop. "Your move Baby bro." Bear says jokingly.
"Alright Torrent, start off with a Bubble attack!" shouts Ethan, followed by a barrage of bubbles flying toward Rhyhorn.
"Rhyhorn, Protect followed by Thunderbolt!" the bubbles pop about three feet in front of Rhyhorn and a bolt of lightning shoots from Rhyhorn's horn and hits Torrent throwing the small Pokémon back and causing him to faint.
"That was so unfair," exclaimed the boys' mother. "Mom, I was preparing him for the battles ahead, even if he faced Blaze he wouldn't have won."
"Still this was your brother's first battle with Torrent, you could have humored..."
"It's okay, Mom," interrupts Ethan, "The real issue is to make sure Torrent is alright and get him healed."
"That's very mature of you," says Prof. Oak, "But I think Ethan should take the blue and silver egg, and Bear should take the orange and gold egg. Ethan has a strong connection already with his Squirtle and Bear obviously has a strong connection with his Charizard. The pattern on each egg represents Water and Fire, and that is how I made my decision."
"Alright let's just spend the rest of the day preparing for our journey tomorrow, I'll help you pack." said Bear grabbing Ethan by the sleeve and putting a Potion in his hand, "But use this on your Squirtle."
"Just wait until Dad get home he's going to love hearing about how you kicked my butt in my first battle," chuckled Ethan.