Hazel and Soru raced through the streets of Littleroot Town. There were hardly any businesses; the town was mostly comprised of small neighborhoods. It was the kind of town that you could get into a fight with someone, and everyone would know within ten minutes. All in all, the town wasn't big at all.
However, because Hazel and Soru had been given the chance to travel with Pokémon, it made the trip to get their Pokémon seem like a long one.
"Wait up, Soru! Why do you have to run so fast?" Hazel cried out desperately while she tried to keep up with her friend's incredible speed.
Soru laughed. "We don't have that far to run! Littleroot is a small town!"
"That doesn't mean that I want to run!" Hazel yelled angrily. She didn't have to run anymore, though. Soru stopped and folded his arms.
"Look, we're here." Soru pointed at the lab, which was right next to them.
Hazel panted hard and wiped sweat off of her forehead. "We could've walked!"
The lab looked like an oversized house. It had wooden gates around the sides to keep all of the Pokémon in the back from running away. It was two stories, and the second story had many windows.
"The sooner, the better!" Soru said with a smile, squeezing Torchic roughly.
"Torchic!" It cried out angrily.
Hazel sighed and pushed the lab door open. When they walked in, they found the professor at his desk, reading through random sheets of paper. The duo approached him, but he didn't notice. It was as if he was blind to the world outside his work.
"Professor Birch," Hazel said quietly.
"Huh?" He grunted without looking up. He didn't even acknowledge that he had company.
Soru frowned and took in a deep breath to yell, "Are you alive, dude?!"
Birch suddenly shot up from his desk and looked around frantically. "What? What did I miss?" He noticed the two kids and smiled before scratching the back of his head. "Oh, it's you, Hazel. What are you doing here?"
Hazel groaned. "Of course. The day I show up, he doesn't know what he's doing."
"She wants her Pokémon!" Soru snapped. "C'mon, man! We have a journey to get on with!"
"Oh, that's right!" Birch said with a smile. "Well, let's get on with that!" He walked over to a table and put down a messenger bag. "Your new Pokémon lies in this bag." He grabbed into the bag and pulled out three Poké Balls.
"Torchic, Mudkip, and Treecko!" Hazel announced. "I am totally ready!"
Professor Birch nodded and pressed the buttons on two of the Poké Balls. From one of the balls emerged a blue Pokémon with orange cheeks and a dorsal fin for a tail. The other was a Torchic. "This would be Mudkip and the other, Torchic."
"Torchic!" Soru's Pokémon called out happily to the other Torchic.
The professor picked up the last Poké Ball and pushed the button. The white flash emerged and a small green Pokémon that stood on two legs was formed. It glared at Hazel. "The last one of the trio, Treecko."
"I don't like the way it looks at me," Hazel mumbled.
Soru looked at the three of them. "Any of them would be an awesome choice! The Treecko seems like a beast, and we both know that Torchic is, like, awesome!"
Hazel nodded and then looked at the Mudkip. It was staring at Hazel with the big eyes that could melt anyone's heart. "It's so adorable!"
"Yeah! Best friends think alike! So, you're picking Torchic?" Soru interjected with a grin.
Hazel grinned and shook her head. "I think that I'll be picking Mudkip."
At the sound of this, Mudkip jumped up happily.
Soru sighed, "Oh well! Any of the choices would be awesome." Soru glanced at the Treecko and Torchic before mumbling, "I guess."
"So, you're picking Mudkip?" Professor Birch asked, scratching at his bushy brown beard.
Hazel nodded. "I think that it'd be a fun partner to travel with!" She grabbed it and pulled it into a hug.
Treecko glared before kicking its Poké Ball's button and letting itself be absorbed back into the ball.
"Treecko…" Professor Birch mumbled. "Always playing 'hard-to-get.'" Birch looked back at Hazel. "Alright, it looks like you can now begin your adventure. I'll go get some, uh, stuff you'll need for your journey," Birch said before he took off from the big room that they were in and into the adjacent room.
Soru patted Hazel's back. "It's going to be so fun traveling throughout Hoenn!"
Hazel merely sighed at his comment.
"You okay, buddy?" Soru asked. For once, a serious expression was painted on his face.
"I don't want to travel through Hoenn," Hazel stated.
A shocked expression appeared on Soru's face and he dropped Torchic. "You what?!"
"Torchic!" His Pokémon screeched, letting out a small burst of flames at Soru's shoes. He yelped in pain before apologizing to his Pokémon.
"I don't think that traveling throughout Hoenn is what is best for me," Hazel said. This time trying to make it not seem as bad. "I really want to travel to faraway places like—Kanto."
Soru gulped in a big breath of relief. "That's a relief! I thought you were trying to say you didn't want to travel with me."
"You'd come along with me?" Hazel asked, astonished at Soru's quick recovery.
Soru nodded. "I just want to travel around. I didn't make any plans about our journey other than traveling together, so what's the use of being picky about where we go together?"
Hazel almost began to tear up but instead gave Soru a hug. "I thought that you were going to flip…"
Suddenly the loud noise of someone clearing their throat could be heard and the two trainers turned towards the door where a man stood. He wore light brown cargo pants and a white sweatshirt with the collar of a green polo showing. His hair was a dark blonde and combed very nicely.
"Dad!" Hazel cried out while running to give her father a hug. "I've missed you!"
"I wouldn't miss your tenth birthday!" Her father announced.
Soru kicked at the floor. "You'd miss every other birthday though," he muttered under his breath.
"Now, what's this about you going to Kanto?" Her dad asked while letting ago of the hug. "Wouldn't it be so much better to travel around in Hoenn where you'll have more support?"
"You want to travel in Kanto?" Professor Birch's voice boomed from behind everyone. He approached the trainers while holding five Poké Balls.
Hazel nodded. She was beginning to think that she didn't make a great choice.
Professor Birch smiled then noticed that Hazel's father was standing next to her. "Oh, hello, Hoku. How's the gym coming along?"
"It's still under construction. Now, let's get to the point," Hoku said rudely before turning back to Hazel. "Why would you want to travel in Kanto?"
"She needs the adventure!" Soru said with a smile. "We've been around Hoenn before because of family trips. There is no trip like a trip into… mystery."
"I think it's a great idea, actually," Birch added. "The journey through Kanto would be great for a first time trainer."
"I guess that I'm outvoted here," Hoku mumbled like his daughter would. "I only have one condition!"
"What is it?" Hazel and Soru asked in unison.
Hoku grabbed ahold of Soru's collar and pulled him close. "You watch out for my daughter, and protect her with your life!"
"I promise you, sir!" Soru said with his teeth clenched. Hoku let go of his collar and a stern expression appeared on his face.
"You should meet up with Professor Oak. He'll get you started over there and everything. Do you plan on taking the gym challenge?" Professor Birch said in a jumbled mess.
Hazel put her finger to her lips and looked at Mudkip, who she was still holding her arms. "Do you want to take on the gym challenge with me, Mudkip?"
"Mudkip!" It cried out happily.
"I guess, that is a yes!" Hazel announced.
Professor Birch smiled. "Looks like we have a representative from Hoenn going to Kanto!"
"You better win it for us," Hoku added hastily.
Soru grinned and gave her a one armed hug. "I will make sure that she wins the league in Kanto!" He then looked blankly at the ceiling. "I need to call my mom!" He darted around frantically looking for a phone before Birch handed him one.
"He's such a wild boy," Hoku mumbled to Hazel. "What's wrong with him?"
Hazel giggled because her mother would usually compare Soru to Hoku.
Soru held the phone up to his ear and waited for something to happen, but the answering machine answered. "Hey, mom! It's easier this way since you can't argue. I'm going to Kanto with Hazel, and I want you to know that, like, I love you, and there is no need to miss me! See you whenever Hazel wins big and we're on TV!" He then hung up and took a deep breath of relief.
"Feel better?" Hazel asked.
Soru simply nodded.
Birch grinned and handed Hazel a note. "Take this with you to the boat at the south of town. The captain will take you to the Kanto region where you'll meet Professor Oak."
Hoku grabbed ahold of Hazel and gave her a hug. "Good luck, sweetie…"
"Thanks, daddy… I'll miss you!"
Soru grabbed ahold of Hazel's arm and tugged her away. They made their way for the exit. It was now off to the Kanto Region.
A/N Sorry for such the delay. I've been very busy this month with school and work. Thea has had hardly any time to write either. Things may start slowing down. I also started playing Hey You, Pikachu. I may disappear.
Much gushy love- Don't eat that onion, Pikachu!