-Chapter One-

It's been three long years since I've been back home. My home. The Hoenn region. Years ago, me and my closest friend parted ways in this very region. She wanted to inform new trainers to all the wonders there are to becoming a Pokémon trainer. I wanted to see the world and all the Pokémon that inhabit it. After all these years, I'm finally back. But even more so, I'm back in my home town; Petalburg City.

"I never knew you lived in the Hoenn region, Axom. I always thought you were from the Kanto region like us." Brock said as we made our way through a beaten path in a forest. Brock was the Pewter gym leader back in Kanto. Ash seemed to have impressed him in their gym battle and now Brock has been traveling with us. To be his first gym battle and to beat Brock's Onix with a Pikachu was nothing short of amazing.

"Yea, I grew up here in the Hoenn region. In fact, the city we're on our way to now is my hometown." I answered as I looked around the woods. These woods hold great memories for me. This was where me and Emi used to play before we were trainers. This is also where I caught Umbreon when he was an Eevee. Actually, he was injured when I first met him. I was walking from Petalburg City and saw him sitting under a bush. I wanted to be friendly and tried to pet him. But he seemed to be scared of me.

"No, it's okay," I said kneeling down to the bush, "My name's Axom. It's nice to meet you." Eevee looked at me cautiously then moved from out of the bush, or at least he tried. I noticed that his leg was injured. "Are you injured? Come here, Eevee."

I started to go through my bag and pulled out a hyper potion and some bandages. I was a new trainer, so I packed a lot of medical supplies. Eevee limped over to me and stopped, never taking his eyes off of me. "This may sting a little, but it'll feel much better afterwards. I promise." I said then sprayed the potion on his leg.

"Eevee! Eve!" he cried out in pain. I rubbed the back of his head and smiled gently.

"See that wasn't so bad! Now the worst part is over with. Just let me bandage you up, okay?" I tied the bandage around his leg and rubbed his head again. I went inside my bag again and pulled out a couple of Oran berries I picked from a tree just near the entrance to the woods.

"Here, eat these. These will give you energy." I watched him as he ate three Oran berries one after another. He looked up at me and smiled.

"Eevee!" he spoke with a bright smile on his face. I looked around. There wasn't any other Eevees nearby.

"Are you alone? I can't just leave you here…do you want to travel with me? At least until your leg gets better." I stuck my hand down and he licked my palm. I had a great smile on my face and I picked him up and carried him in my arms. That whole day, Eevee stayed with me and never left my side.

That night was my first night sleeping on the ground and away from my bed and my parents. I was scared and I couldn't sleep at all. I guess Eevee took notice and walked over to my head and licked my cheek. He then hopped on top of my sleeping bag and snuggled onto me.

"Thank you, Eevee." I said then drifted to sleep. That next day, I woke up and noticed Eevee was gone. I initially thought that he had left. I got up and began to pack my sleeping bag. Then I heard a Pokémon cry out. It sounded like Eevee. I ran over to the noise and saw a couple of Nuzleaf surrounding Eevee. Eevee stood his ground and gritted his teeth at the Nuzleaf, but he was in no condition to fight.

"Mudkip, help Eevee out and use Tackle!" I yelled as I threw my pokéball in between the Nuzleaf and Eevee. Mudkip formed out of a red light and tackled one of the three Nuzleaf. I ran over and picked Eevee up and pointed to another Nuzleaf.

"Use Tackle again!" I yelled. Mudkip tackled the second Nuzleaf, but the third hit Mudkip from behind with a Razor Leaf. He fell to the ground and fought his way back up. The three Nuzleaf gathered around him and they all used Tackle one after another. Mudkip hit the ground and didn't move. I pointed my pokéball at Mudkip and brought him back inside. The Nuzleaf started to move towards me and Eevee. I began to back up and I held Eevee tighter in my arms.

"I won't let you hurt my friend! I'll battle each of you myself if I have to!" The first Nuzleaf used Razor Leaf against me. I turned my back and tried to protect Eevee. It felt as if each leaf had gotten stuck in my back. The other Nuzleaf used Tackle and knocked me to the ground and kept tackling me. I kept Eevee covered in my arms. "I'd rather get tackled a thousand time than let him get tackled once!" I yelled out. Eevee pulled away from me and growled at the Nuzleaf.

Eevee ran and tackled the first Nuzleaf then the second. But how quick he was moving seemed to be more than just an ordinary Tackle. Eevee was using Quick Attack. Eevee stared at the third Nuzleaf and bit it. That move was obviously Bite. The Nuzleaf shook Eevee off and he slid across the ground. Eevee bared his teeth as the other Nuzleaf got back on their feet. Eevee opened his mouth and a black ball began to form from it. I stared in disbelief as the ball grew bigger and bigger, almost bigger than himself. It was a Shadow Ball, but it was much bigger than any Shadow Ball I've seen before.

Eevee lunged forward and shot the overgrown Shadow Ball at the Nuzleaf. It exploded on impact and sent them flying back more than a few feet. The Nuzleaf limped up from the ground and ran off into the thick of the woods.

"Eevee," I spoke, still in disbelief from the strength he had, "I had no idea you were so strong." Eevee looked back at me and smiled.

"Eev! Eevee!" he said and walked back towards me. I slowly got up from the ground and felt my back. It wasn't as bad as I thought. The Nuzleaf did little more than cut my shirt. At the most, I'm just a bit sore from getting tackled so many times. Eevee walked towards a bush and pulled a branch that had a few Sitrus berries on it. The branch seemed to have been broken off of a tree. I looked at Eevee.

"Is…this for me?" I asked. Eevee smiled and picked one of the Sitrus berries of and rolled it toward me. I picked it up and bit into it. "Thank you Eevee! It's great!" I smiled at him and picked him up. But instead of staying in my arms, he hopped up on my shoulder.

Later on that day, we finally made it out of Petalburg Woods and onto Route 104. I looked at the clear skies and took in a deep breath.

"It looks like we made it out of the woods." I said as I continued to stare into the blue sky. I petted Eevee again and smiled. "It was all thanks to you Eevee, thank you." I kneeled on the ground and began to untie the bandage from around his leg. I looked into Eevee's eyes and smiled.

"Do you feel any better?" I asked as I put the bandage in my bag. He smiled contently and hopped onto me. "Okay then Eevee, show me!" I got off the ground and stepped back couple of feet. I pointed to my chest and stared at him.

"Use Quick Attack right here!" Eevee watched me and was hesitant to move. I chuckled and anchored myself to the ground as best I could. "It's okay! Give me your best shot!" I said pointing at my chest again. Eevee crouched down and charged at me with great speed. I barely caught him when he made contact with me, but it wasn't enough to stop him from knocking me back to the ground. I stood up and sat Eevee on the ground.

I stared at Eevee as I thought about how much we got along during our brief time together. "It looks like you're feeling better. I…guess this is where we part ways Eevee." I sniffled after my statement. I couldn't help but get a little choked up. After all, Eevee saved me from those Nuzleaf that attacked me. He helped me get through my first night alone. At that moment, it was hard just to look at Eevee. I turned away and began to walk down Route 104, but then I heard Eevee cry out again. Not like he was in physical pain, but as if he was heartbroken.

I turned back to Eevee and he ran to me, his eyes beginning to water. He hopped on my chest and, once again, knocked me to the ground. He stood on my chest and repeatedly licked my cheek. I sat up and held Eevee on my lap. I petted him gently on his back and sniffled again. Eevee looked up at me with his big brown eyes and continued to cry out.

"Eevee, would you like to come with me on my journey?" I asked him hopefully. He smiled and stood up, placing his front paws on my chest. "Okay, then I'll catch you."

I stood up from the ground and dug inside my backpack. I pulled out a pokéball and pointed it at Eevee. "Alright Eevee, you'll be the first Pokémon I catch!" I threw my pokéball at Eevee and he was brought inside the pokéball by a red light. The button in the pokéball was pulsating red and the ball itself rolled on the ground a bit. After a few seconds, the button turned white again and the ball became still.

It took a few seconds for me to realize that I caught my first Pokémon. I walked over to the ball and picked it up. I pressed the button again and Eevee materialized in front of me. I picked him up and held him high in the air. "Eevee," I spoke with a huge smile on my face, "From this day on, we're partners! We'll take on the Hoenn League and meet a whole gang of friends along the way!" I sat Eevee on my shoulder the same way he hopped on it before and petted him again. I looked down Route 104 and walked down the dirt road with my newest and soon to be best friend.

-End of Chapter One-