Chapter 1

"Ugh, beat me AGAIN!"

I nearly threw my controller onto the ground in frustration. This was the fifth time today!

I knew it was a mistake to teach Gardevoir how to play video games. He's too good at it!

Gardevoir gave me a sideways look, then set his controller down. He's probably done now, probably due to my frustration.

My mom decided that this would be a good time to intrude in my room, the family pet, Skitty, following behind her.

"Still playing video games?" she asked me, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

I sighed, "we're done playing."

Mom turned my console off as Skitty hopped into my lap. "Mew!" she squealed, happily.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to Pokemon University?" mom asked, picking up my hamper.

I shook my head. "I don't feel ready to give my life to school."

I looked up at some framed photos of when I was younger, at my first Pokemon Contest. When I was ten, I started participating in the competitions. I did fairly well, I did win a few in the years I performed. Now, I'm almost eighteen, lived at home since I decided to retire at sixteen, and never able to live my dream of going to the Kalos Region to participate in Showcases. Mom always said it cost too much to go, so I had to stay here, in Kanto.

I looked up at one of my photos in particular. It was me, at eleven years old, holding my Ralts. I found him in the wild, catching him fairly easily for a Ralts. He was always by my side, even through his evolutions. Now, he sat by my side, as Gardevoir. All of the Pokemon I had in my youth, I either set free in the wild or given away to other trainers. But not Gardevoir. He was special. He was my best friend. These days, he doesn't even stay in his Pokeball unless it's an emergency. He has his own bed, he sits at the table for meals, he even does chores with me. It's almost as if he became human.

"How's the egg the professor gave you?" mom asked, breaking my thoughts.

I looked over at the egg. The professor and my mom are conspiring against me to try to get me out of the house and doing stuff. It was still there, nesting in a pile of blankets.

"It's fine, but I don't think it's ready to hatch," I remark.

"Well, dinner is almost ready. Can you feed Skitty?" mom asked. I nodded, waiting for her to leave.

I stood up from the floor, walking closer to the egg. Gardevoir followed close behind.

I looked at him. "Yes, I know," I huffed, "I should be more serious about it."

I rubbed the egg gently, warming it up. I felt something move inside, but it was a faint movement.

Skitty tapped on my ankle. I looked down at her, as she mewed her head off.

'Yes, yes," I said, leading her to the kitchen. I fill Skitty's bowl with food before washing my hands.

Gardevoir and I joined mom at the table, where she began to serve us spaghetti and salad.

"Lavender," she said before I could take a bite, "your sister has earned her fifth badge today."

"Good for her," I remarked before slurping up a noodle.

Mom looked at me, then said, "I've been talking to the professor, and I think it's time you go out and do the same thing."

"But mom," I said, "I'm too old to start training."

"You don't need to battle gyms and earn badges, you just need to do something. Go explore, challenge other trainers, catch more Pokemon. The Kanto Region is huge. Maybe you can get a job and finally earn money to go to Kalos. There are Showcases for every age!"

I sighed. She's not going to back down from this.

"I only have Gardevoir." I pointed out.

Mom shook her head, "you have your egg once it hatches. You also have Skitty."

"But...Skitty's a family pet," I said, looking at her munch her food.

"I...mostly got her for you," mom revealed. "I was hoping you would train her and put her to good use. That's why I adopted her."

She stood up, walked to a shelf, then picked up Skitty's Pokeball. "She's yours, now."

I picked up the ball. I'm actually doing this, huh?

"I guess I'll leave in the morning," I sighed, excusing myself from the table.

I fell onto my bed, not bothering to change into pajamas. Gardevoir, holding Skitty's ball, walked into the room. He set the ball onto my bedside table, then sat down on his own bed. Skitty cracked the slightly-open door wider, then ran in, jumping into my bed.

I lifted my head up to look at Gardevoir. "You ready for tomorrow?" I asked.

Gardevoir nodded his head, then lay down in his bed.

I settled down in bed, Skitty sleeping by my head. I really am doing this.