A requested fanfiction I was offered. I immediately had a ton of ideas for it so I agreed to happily write it for them. So characters and plot idea rightfully belongs to the original owner, I'm just the person who's putting it all together and adding my own touches. Going to be a little slow at first, but it'll speed up as the story goes on. Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: not much: minor violence and language (rated T cause I'm paranoid and I like rating it that)

Spoilers: contains minor references to the games and the manga Pokémon Adventures

I pushed the branch in front of me away. Unmoving trees of a large forest surrounded me, looking like disciplined guards. Dead foliage crunched underneath my feet. Darkness engulfed the forest as if it was night, accompanied by a thin fog that covered the canopy from my vision. There was no sound. No sound except for my rhythmic footsteps.

I had this dream before. Many times before. I knew that. But each one was slightly different. I didn't know how they were different; they just were. As I ducked around another low-hanging branch, I was well aware if I woke up, the dream would fade. That's what happens. I would have this dream but wake up only to forget about it until the next dream.

I had no idea where I was going, but I trusted I was going there. A Figure would be waiting for me. I knew I have never seen the Figure's true feature; it was just a silhouette in my dream. But usually I would find it. It wanted me to find it. I could always find it waiting for me.

I pushed past a couple more trees, where suddenly the forest was gone. In front of me was a large clearing; maybe large enough to pass as a meadow. The grass was wild and untrimmed, but didn't look ugly at all. Above me, the night sky was littered with tiny twinkling stars, but there was no moon. There was no wind. There was no sound. But I saw it.

Standing up to a dozen meters from me was the Figure. It was completely blackened against the night, only a few features allowed me to recognize that it was actually a living creature. I sensed its eyes I could not see boring into me, watching me. Cautiously, slowly, I neared it.

Then I saw its fierce eyes blink.

"KHALIFA!"

My amber eyes snapped open. Bright sunlight shone through the closed shades into my room, illuminating the darkness. I lay motionless for a few moments, my eyes fluttering. Finally I pulled myself to a sitting position, peering around my room curiously.

"Khalifa! Are you awake?" my mother called from downstairs.

"Yeah!" I called back.

"Hurry and get ready! You were going to go visit Prof. Elm's today, remember?"

I drew a short breath. Oh, yeah! How could I forget?

"Okay! I'll be down in a few minutes!" I announced.

Before I made an attempt to get up, I let out an enormous yawn. I extended my arms to full length and raised my shoulders in a stretch. My stiff muscles loosened, I slid out of the covers and onto the floor. My bare feet sunk to the carpet, but they were removed as I scurried around my bed. I made my way to my bathroom on the other side of the room.

I peered in my closest, which was also in the bathroom but closed off by a door, to see my outfit I picked out the night before. I smiled, but before putting on, I decided to take a quick shower first.

I took care of all my hygiene needs. By the time I was done, I felt perfectly fresh and clean. I finally grabbed my outfit and tried it on. I then went and observed myself in my full-body mirror that stood in my room.

Covering my legs were black leggings with loose white shorts hanging over them. Over my shorts I wore a light blue tank top with a single black strip down the middle and black straps. To complement the outfit, I wore full-length dark blue armbands that led from my shoulder and ending to my wrists. And finally I wore my favorite hair band that almost disappeared in my busy dark brown hair.

Grinning with approval, I moved on to snatch my shoulder bag from my desk. But before I dashed downstairs, I remembered what I was missing. I crossed over to my nightstand and picked up the silver locket resting on its surface. I took a quick moment to observe its smooth metal of its egg-like shape before clicking its single switch. The top popped open, revealing a single picture I treasure more than anything else in the world.

In the image was a slightly younger version of myself alongside my father. He was a broad-shouldered, fit man with deep brown eyes and hair. We stood side-by-side with his arm over my shoulder, a gorgeous scene of a mountain valley behind us. Next to my father, though, was a towering monster, even taller than him. Its skin was covered with hard blue scales and red spikes projected from the beast's back. Sharp teeth poked out of its mouth and its reptile amber eyes gleamed at the camera. A Feraligatr.

I smiled, even though many emotions started welling up in my chest. My father was a Pokémon Ranger, going to all different places all around the world. He usually brought me along him and taught me everything he knew. We were really close, maybe even closer to than Mom and I. All until that day.

My father was assisting salvaging a reserve that suffered from a hurricane that had blown through when disaster struck. The wet and heavy soil of the valley fell loose and created a rockslide, killing both my father and his beloved Feraligatr. No longer was he part of my life.

After a long recovery from the tragedy, my mother and I moved from Hoenn to Johto to be closer to Grandpa, Mom's father. Before when I was around my father, I was constantly around Pokémon, so I didn't think about it much, but when I moved to Johto, I made up my mind. I wanted to start my Pokémon Journey.

It was a little late than most kids, me being fifteen, but I was determined. And I already chose my starter. A Totadile, Feraligatr's pre-evolved form. And I would have it. For my own. For Dad.

I closed the locket and pressed it to my chest, wrapping protective fingers around it. I allowed a moment of silence to pass before I finally placed it around my neck and headed out the door. In a fast-paced jog, I trotted down the stairs. Like I was expecting, a fresh scent of my mom's cooking greeted me. I ducked inside the kitchen to find Mom leaning over the stove, observing its steaming pans.

Eyeing the eggs and bacon slowly cooking made my mouth fill with saliva and my gluttonous appetite to surface. I obediently sat down at the table and waited patiently for my meal. The second the plate hit the polished wood, I furiously began jabbing my utensils and stuffing my face. Mom laughed.

"Someone's in a hurry," she chuckled.

I only paused for a split second with a mouth-full of food to nod vigorously.

I anxiously gripped the strap of my shoulder bag, so many emotions building up in my stomach. Finally! Finally my day had come! After a few moments of trying to adjust to my swirling thoughts, I slowly lifted my fist and knocked on the all-white door. It was only a moment later when the very same door was ripped open in an impressive speed, almost vanishing. In its place was a man about in his thirties with short brown hair and friendly brown eyes. He wore round glasses that gave him a nerdy look.

"Ah! Khalifa!" he exclaimed in greeting.

My anxiety started to show as I nervously grinned and lifted an open hand. "Hi... Professor Elm."

"Oh, come inside! We have much to do!"

Without warning, Prof. Elm snatched my exposed wrist and dragged me inside. I stumbled in with a startled yelp. My feet flailed in a weird dance before they planted on cool tile, air conditioning now surrounding me. I looked around, observing the inside of Prof. Elm's lab.

The floor was made of pristine marble tiles, reflecting the fluorescent light that beamed from above. Rows of intimidating machines, bookshelves crammed with knowledge, and mahogany desks crowded what little room there was. Anything free was broken by black cords snaking across the floor.

I blinked at the mess, not really sure what my first impression should be. But Prof. Elm was oblivious to the chaos and scurried to the other side of the room. I noticed he was heading to the back of lab without me, probably because he didn't notice my hesitation. I cringed at my mistake and dashed after him, settling by his side just he stepped through the doorway.

We walked a few steps down a dim hallway, coming to a large window impeded in the right wall. Prof. Elm paused and turned to face it, clasping his hands behind his back. I followed his example and peered through the glass. Immediately my face lit up.

Behind the window was like a patient's room. In the middle of the room was a medal table with counters and cabinets filled with various items creating a ring around the walls. A few assistants were occupied with their thoughts or whatever small task they were up to. Most of their attention was to the table. On it was my Totadile.

The Pokémon looked exactly like a miniature version of a Feraligatr, down to the same shade of scales. The little cutie was nibbling on some Pokémon food, eyes closed in pleasure. Excitement rose in my chest. I leaned forward and neared the glass, my nose an inch away.

"Oh, wow!" I breathed. "I can't wait to get him!"

Suddenly Prof. Elm snatched arm. I looked up at him as he raised a light scolding finger.

"Nah, ah!" he laughed. "Totadile isn't ready for you yet!"

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

Prof. Elm laughed again. "What's the fun of getting a new toy when it's all dirty and broken? My assistants are going clean up Totadile for you and make sure he's all healthy."

"Oh, so are you going to give me my Pokedex or go over the basics to kill time?"
"I'm sure a daughter of a Pokémon Ranger would know everything there is to know! So I'm not worried about that. But there is something I need."

I tilted my head curiously. "What's that?"

"I need you to run a quick errand for me. Mr. Pokémon, a close friend and associate of mine, contacted me with some very intriguing information. I want you to run to his house and pick up a package for me. By the time you come back, Totadile should be all ready for you!"

"Is that all?"

Prof. Elm nodded with vigor. "Yup."

I glanced back at the Totadile, a new feeling of greed rising. I turned back to the Professor with a wide smile. "Okay, I'll do it!"

A few hours later I found myself staring at a dark wooden wall an inch from my face. My legs were already on the verge of getting sore and they were littered with scars of travel. Man, I had forgotten how far the man's house was from New Bark Town.

I had to force my way through dense forest in order to reach the neighboring town of Cherrygrove City, but I had only made it halfway through my journey. After navigating through the small streets and avoiding staring strangers, I encountered a just as dense forest. And this forest had an incline. Not to mention the half of dozen trainers who were waking the dead and somehow got the idea I was a trainer myself.

Humph, I made sure to tell them my opinion and they wouldn't make any noise for a while. So by the time I had reached my destination in the middle of nowhere, I was a little behind schedule, annoyed, beat, and the forest was deathly quiet.

When I was running everywhere with my father in years past, I was completely immune to Nature's trials. I was still pretty skilled and more energetic than most people, but I was losing my touch. I had spent the last months in mild depression and lethargism, and it was starting to take its toll.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I slightly shook my head and turned the tiny golden knob. I stepped into a wall of cool air from the humid atmosphere. Just before of the front door was a polished maple table, a ring of matching chairs surrounding it. Occupying the seat on the opposite side of the door was a man.

He wore casual business attire and a tacky top hat that I knew had to be his favorite. Unkempt silver hair poked from the hat's rim, some of it connecting to untrimmed whiskers forming a beard outlining his face. His expression sagged with age: shallow wrinkles dug into his tough skin, formed by years of concentration. Thick, bushy silver eyebrows covered his deep brown eyes. Despite the man was focusing on several pieces of paper, his head immediately shot up at my entrance. His stone expression lit up.

"Oh, Khalifa!" he greeted.

"Hey, Grandpa," I replied.

Yes, my grandfather was the famed Mr. Pokémon of the Johto region. I loved him, of course, but sometimes it was embarrassing to confess my ties to him. Mr. Pokémon? I swear that was most ridiculous nickname ever. His real name was after my mother's maiden name, since he was her father. Yep, who else would marry a Ranger other than a daughter of a professor?

Mr. Pokémon—or Grandpa, I preferred—quickly rose despite his age and made his way over to me. We made a quick, but meaningful family embrace before pulling apart.

"Just what in the world are you doing here?" the old man asked.

"Prof. Elm sent me," I explained. "He said you have something for him."

Grandpa's eyebrows rose. "Oh, yes! That, of course!"

Without warning, he whirled around and scurried to the other side of the living room. His home was a simple, average house with simple décor. It seemed similar to the inside of a wooden cabin—which fit his choice of surroundings.

I stayed in my spot but curiously peered after him as he reached one of his many bookshelves. This one owned a large cabinet on either side. Grandpa pulled the right one open. His broad frame covered the inside, only having loud noises come from the antique as he rampaged through it. After a minute of awkward silence, it was broken by Mr. Pokémon's sigh of victory.

He jumped from his spot and scurried back to the table, his feet shuffling over the floors. I joined him with both hands behind my back to see his treasure.

It was an all-glass cylinder, seemingly fragile but its thickness hinted it could take quite a beating. On each end of the wide tube—which was around the size of a small tree trunk—was wadded, by cushiony white cloth. Wedged between the tiny blankets, pressing against the glass walls, was an egg.

Its background was pure white: no off-shade tint or hints of grime. The pristine color was interrupted by jagged patterns of multicolored patches of red and blue. I blinked. I've seen dozens of eggs in my lifetime, but I couldn't think of one that matched this description.

"Whose egg is this?" I asked.

Grandpa raised an intriguing finger. "That's precisely the question, my dear! This egg has gone through a dozen laboratories and fellow professors, and not one can figure it out! However, Prof. Elm says he has a solution to this mystery, which I believe you should listen to."

I glanced at him. "Do I have to?"

"Khalifa, you are just as much a researcher as you are a trainer. You should keep up with these breakthroughs, and you'll find yourself as an intelligent, beautiful woman."

"Wonderful," I muttered under my breath.

Suddenly a noise interrupted the conversation. A ringing split the quiet house, fluctuating in pitches in an alerting tone. Grandpa perked his head up and blinked, the noise alien to him. I reacted too, but I wasn't as intrigued as I looked over my shoulder and fished my Pokégear out of my knapsack. I was still curious and a little surprised, too. I wasn't expecting any calls. My suspicion grew as I noticed it was from Prof. Elm.

Never the less, I flipped it open and brought it my ear. "Hello?"

"Oh, Khalifa!" Prof. Elm wailed.

I had to cringe and jerk my head away at his pitch. After a moment of recovery, I cautiously brought the phone back.

"Prof. Elm? What's wrong?" I asked, voice filled with concern. I could tell something was wrong.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" the researcher continued to cry. "Khalifa, get here right away! Something terrible has happened!" His voice dropped to whining more "oh, dears," before finally hanging up.

I narrowed my eyes. Something was definitely wrong. I snapped my head to face Grandpa.

"Sorry, I think I'm going to have to go."