Author's Note: Kinda short again but a bit longer. Meh. Eevee's cool though.

Chapter One: Vs Eevee!

Ren hesitantly entered Viridian's Poké Mart. The clerk probably recognized her by now from all the packages her mother had sent her to get, which was pretty embarrassing… Plus, she could never remember his name.

"Oh, Ren! Hey!"

Ren winced as the clerk waved at her and beckoned her over. She slowly walked over to the counter, and he grinned as she approached. Reaching under the counter, his dark hair fell into his face slightly as he picked up the package. He stood back up and handed it to her.

"It's pretty light this time, just a couple potions," he explained casually. "So, how's Melodie's Growlithe doing?"

Ren's mother had had the Growlithe since about three years before Ren was born, and it was getting rather old. At fourteen, he was worn out, and half the trips Ren made were for potions for him.

"Um," Ren replied. "Not really good, I think."

"That's too bad. Well, tell your mother hi for me!"

"O-okay."

Ren quickly ducked away and exited the Poké Mart. The potions rattled slightly in the box, and Ren quickened her pace so she could get home faster. The longer she took, the more likely she was to lose the package.

Trying to avoid the grassy areas, Ren hurried down the path from Viridian to Pallet. She usually liked to go the grassy way, as she could stop for flowers, but the shorter way was just sticking to the direct path.

Thankfully, Ren managed to get back to Pallet in less than twenty minutes, and soon enough she was standing at her front door, fumbling for her house key. Taking it off the chain in her pocket, she unlocked the door and set the package on the table.

"M-mom! I'm back!"

"Oh, good! You were quicker this time, Ren."

Mrs. Mason entered the front room from the kitchen, smiling. She opened the small box, taking out one of the potions.

"Growlithe!" she called gently.

The small red puppy Pokémon crawled out from under the table. Ren gulped slightly. Watching Growlithe take his medicine always made her a bit queasy.

"Hey, Mom, I'm, uh… going back outside," she said slowly.

"All right," Mrs. Mason replied, looking more at Growlithe than Ren.

Ren quickly opened the door and went outside again. She went around the back of her house and started walking towards the path to Viridian. She wasn't planning on walking all the way back—just going part way to look for flowers or something, as her own back yard was weed-choked.

Before she got very far, however, Ren froze. A little yellow mouse-like Pokémon was untangling itself from a patch of grass. Pikachu were supposed to be forest-dwellers, Ren remembered from one of Gino's smug lectures. Maybe this one was lost?

Sparks started flying from its cheeks when it turned around and saw her. Ren nervously took a step backwards, preparing to run away. However, before she could, a brown blur tackled the Pikachu.

"All right, Eevee, Tackle again!"

The Eevee pulled back slightly and once again collided with the Pikachu. Surprised, the Electric-type tumbled over, and a Pokéball then whirled through the air. It struck the Pikachu, and barely twitched before it closed.

Ren's heartbeat slowed down slightly, but got confused when she looked at the Eevee again. Where had it come from, anyway?

"So, Ren. I really hate having to help you out like that, but catching that Pikachu was more of a help for Uncle than you."

Gino was leaning on a nearby fencepost, smirking, as he withdrew Eevee. Ren sighed and looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Wh-where'd you get an Eevee?" she asked quietly.

"From Uncle," he said mockingly, tossing the Pokéball between his hands. "And anyway, I've got to get going and give him this Pikachu."

"That won't be a problem. I'm right here, Gino."

Ren's eyes widened again. The voice belonged to a gray-haired man in a lab coat, who looked at Gino rather wearily.

"Your sister said you'd gone out again. I was going to check up on Eevee for you, but…"

"Sorry," Gino responded, looking away and not really sounding sorry.

"You're Ren, right? Gino's… said a lot of things about you," the man smiled, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm…"

"Professor Oak?" Ren gasped, shaking his hand.

"Why, yes," Oak replied mildly. He then turned to Gino. "Gino's my nephew."

"Huh?"

"My mom's older brother," Gino grumbled, still looking away.

"Hm. Gino, can I ask you something?" Oak started.

"Yes?"

"I've already got a pair of Pikachu in my lab. Can you give that one to Ren?"

Ren blinked, staring back and forth between Oak and Gino. She was still trying to process the fact that they were related when they seemed like total opposites, and now Oak wanted her to have a Pokémon?

"It was going after her a second ago," Gino replied distastefully. "Why should I give it to her? She probably couldn't—"

"That's enough, Gino. I think she can do it."

"I—you do?" Ren asked.

"Yes," Oak smiled. "I don't think you'd be as hard on it as Gino would, and that would be a help to something as wild as that Pikachu."

"Aw, whatever," Gino muttered. "Here."

He reluctantly handed Ren the Pokéball, and Ren felt her fingers getting warm as she took it. A total accident had spawned her getting her first Pokémon…

"Take good care of it, Ren," Oak continued. "Oh, and… I'll have a Pokédex sent to your house later. Now come on, Gino, I still need to give Eevee his check-up."

"I'm coming already!"

Ren blinked as she watched the pair leave, still slightly confused. However, she smiled tentatively as she looked at Pikachu's Pokéball, wondering what exactly to do with it. She turned back towards her house, smile spreading into a grin as she slipped the Pokéball into the pocket of her skort.