Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon in general, but I own Hikaemi Island, the Hikaemi League and my characters.

Chapter Two

Koda looked down at Mizuki, then toward the place she'd lead him – honestly hoping that she'd made note of where they were going, because Koda himself had been so wrapped up in his book, he hadn't payed any attention to what was going around him. Taking the backpack from his back, which he carried with him everywhere – whether it was sitting at home or not, it never left his back – and put the book inside the front pocket, closed it, and put it back onto his back again.

"Well then, Mizuki, shall we go in?"

Mizuki nodded, suddenly turning all shy and stated, "L-Lead the way, Koda-kun." Dashing behind him, and making sure to get a firm grip on his left arm.

Koda sighed, and looked toward the building in front of him. Very high-tech, it had a small rose garden outlining the small brick fence, but the building itself took up most of the room, on one of the walls, a sign read; 'Professor L. Gum'.

"This is the place, Mizuki. Come on, let's go in."

Mizuki nodded – again, and Koda lead the way.

Stopping at the doorstep of the Laboratory, he searched the wall for a doorbell, knocker or well, something to signal his arrival. To his delight he found a doorbell just inches away from the door, and well, rung it.

About two minutes later, it was answered by a tall man, in a white cloak with thick glasses – about the same height as Koda, and Koda was tall. "Yes? How can I help you? I don't think I've seen you around here before."

His voice was strict, and it made Mizuki even more nervous. Giving a side-glance toward Mizuki, Koda answered both the question and comment in reverse order. "Yes, well, we're new in town. Only arrived today, actually. And we were wondering whether we could see Professor Gum? You see, Mizuki here," he indicated to Mizuki with his spare arm, causing her to blush a deep red for no apparent reason, "has turned 10 today, and she wishes to get her first Pokemon."

"Ah, a first time trainer, hey?" The man asked, bending down so that his face was just inches away from Mizuki, "Well then, I think we have just the solution for you."

Surprisingly, the man smiled, causing Mizuki to relax slightly.

"Please, follow me."

After following the man who identified himself as one of Professor Gum's assistant: Professor B Twig, the pair were standing in a rather technical room. There were machines for all different things. Cast offs from the old Pokemon Centres, old cloning machines, new machines for keeping Pokemon healthy, and even machines for making food. The possibilities were limitless. Seeing as the machines took up most of the room, five chairs had been arranged rather tightly in the middle. Koda and Mizuki had taken a seat at two of the chairs, while Professor Twig had left to get Professor Gum.

"Excited, Mizuki?" Koda asked, turning his head to face Mizuki, who was more nervous than excited and was rocking back in forth.

"Y-Yes, of course, Koda-kun."

"You look nervous." Koda pointed out, lightly putting a hand on her shoulder to forcibly stop her rocking. Mizuki only nodded.

"Don't worry, when I got Ninetails, I was just as nervous." He patted her shoulder, "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

"When you got Ninetails, Koda-kun, he was a Vulpix right?" Mizuki asked, turning to face Koda, who nodded in answer to her question. "Did you evolve Ninetails with a Fire Stone?"

"I did at that." Koda stated, nodding his head, before chuckling. "Almost straight away. I made a beeline for the nearest store, brought the stone, and evolved her on my first day as a trainer."

"Really? You can do that?"

"There's nothing to say that you can't." Koda pointed out, and was about to say more before Professor Twig came back with Professor Gum. Professor Gum was rather old looking, about the same age as the famous Professor Elm – whom Koda had received his first Pokemon from. He was balding at the front of his head, and patches of hair were missing from the back of his hair. The hair that was left seemed to stand on end; perhaps he'd had one to many electric shocks.

"So you're the beginner trainers?" He asked, looking them both over – then looking Koda over, seeming to wonder why it was that a 16-year-old boy would be just starting his journey until Koda corrected him.

"Trainer." He was indicated to Mizuki by placing a hand on her blue hair.

Professor Gum chuckled, "Ah yes, trainer. Thank you uh…"

"Koda."

"Yes, thank you Koda." He flashed a smile in Koda's direction, more in the 'thank you for not making a big deal out of this' manner.

Koda simply shrugged as if to say, 'don't mention it.'

After Professor Gum had settled on the chair opposite Koda and Mizuki, and once all three of their hands had had tea pasted into them (Professor Twig had left to resume the work he was doing before Mizuki and Koda had arrived), Professor Gum decided to try and spark up conversation.

"So, where're you both from?"

Koda took a long sip from his tea, before replying. "Pallet Town."

"That's in the Kanto region, isn't it? Ah yes, that's where Professor Elm lives. You got your first Pokemon from him then? Which did you choose? Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle?"

"None of them. When I got there all the other trainers had snagged them, so I had no choice. I got a Vulpix, which I evolved into a Ninetails."

Professor Gum forced himself to suppress the laughter that came to his mind at the thought of a boy choosing a Pokemon that was considered most trained by girls around the world, and from suppressing the laughter – he choked on his tea.

Mizuki seemed quite alarmed and concerned that the Professor had choked, Koda just looked annoyed.

"Have you considered challenging the Gyms here?" Professor Gum asked suddenly, looking directly at Koda.

"Well, Larry," Professor Gum had insisted that Koda and Mizuki call him by his first name for whatever reason. Koda assumed that he got called by his first name by basically everybody, or was annoyed by being called 'Professor', 'The Professor', or 'Professor Gum'. "I would challenge the Gym's, but I don't have a partner."

"Maybe Mizuki could be your partner." Professor 'Larry' Gum suggested, indicating with a gaze at Mizuki, who sat dumbstruck by the idea – although she had no idea what it was.

"When you see what Pokemon we have to offer you, my dear," Larry said, looking at Mizuki, "you'll find it's a perfect fit to train for the Gym's."

That's right. Koda thought, watching Gum talk to Mizuki, although Mizuki wasn't replying, she was just blinking, you choose between dog types of Pokemon here. Although, he was going to let the Pokemon that Mizuki had to choose from be a surprise – he'd completely forgotten he'd read it aloud in the book. Larry, though, had no idea that he'd read the Guide Book, so it seemed he really did want it to be a surprise.

After a long conversation, Professor Gum had not only discovered the pairs likes, dislikes, ages, thoughts and well, personalities – he'd gained the trust of Mizuki. Which for strangers to do was very hard. Mizuki was always very shy, and only spoke when spoken too, and to strangers, normally faltered.

"Now then! How about we sought out this First Pokemon business?" Larry asked, moaning as he stood up – he was getting on in years.

Mizuki jumped, it'd come on so quickly, but when he ushered her to stand and follow her to another room, she did. (Not after grabbing Koda's arm to pull him along too, though.)

Once all three were in the room, Gum began engaging Mizuki in a conversation about 'how to use her new Pokedex', while Koda looked around the room.

This room was just like the others, although it didn't have any mechanics – apart from a stand that appeared to rotate, which held three Pokeballs small indents in the machinery, and a singular table which at the moment had five empty Pokeballs on it (the Pokedex was now in the hand of Mizuki, and she was being instructed on how to use it by the Professor.) The walls however, were the same grey as all the other walls.

It took over half an hour to teach Mizuki how to use the Pokedex, but once she was confident with it, Larry went straight on to how to use Pokeballs – which only took five minutes at most – to deciding which Pokemon she wanted as her first Pokemon.

"First up," He stated, standing beside the rotating table that held the three full Pokeballs, "I should tell you what type of Pokemon that we offer first trainers.

First trainers on Hikaemi Island that receive Pokemon from me, they all receive dog-type Pokemon."

"Ah, so that's why you said it would be a perfect battle partner for Koda-kun's, Ninetails, Larry-san?"

"Indeed. But, anyway, the Pokemon you have to choose from are:

Vulpix," he released what appeared to be a fox from the first ball. It's base colour was a light brown, although it had rather evident dark brown socks on all of its legs, a cream coloured underbelly, and a crest of red fur (the crest was made of six curls), along with six large equally curly, red tails. "Vulpix, as you know, evolves into Ninetails."

"Electrike," he released a rather green Pokemon, with an amazingly flat heat that was outlined with yellow. It had a yellow stripe from its eyes to the end of its nose, a yellow stripe from its shoulders to the tip of its tail, and a yellow tip on the end of its tail. This very short-legged Pokemon was obviously electric, while Vulpix was obviously a fire type. "Electrike evolves into Manectric." Larry pointed out, before grabbing the Pokemon that contained Mizuki's final choice

"And, Eevee." The last Pokemon to be released looked just like a puppy. Its chin fur engulfed its entire neck like a Lion's mane, although it didn't cover the head – and it was cream in colour. It had very large ears, and a fluffy tail that was also dipped in a cream colour. Its base colour was a light brown. "Now then, unlike Vulpix and Electrike, Eevee evolves into five different evolutions. It could choose to evolve into Umbreon; it would do so at nighttime, probably while you are asleep. It could choose to evolve into Espeon; it would do this in daytime. However there are three other choices that only you have power over. A firestone will evolve Eevee into a Flareon, a Thunderstone will evolve Eevee into a Jolteon, and a Waterstone will evolve Eevee into a Vaporeon."

Mizuki's eyes lit up at the word 'Vaporeon'.

"I've always wanted a Vaporeon. I choose Eevee."

The Eevee was overjoyed at being picked – and even more overjoyed when Mizuki mentioned getting a Waterstone for it, to evolve it, or well, her, into a Vaporeon.

"Well then, take good care of Eevee, Mizuki." Larry said, resting against the door of his Laboratory. Koda and Mizuki were now standing outside, a new full Pokeball in Mizuki's hand. Mizuki bowed, and said, "I will, Larry-san. Take care now."

"Take care." Larry replied, to both of them, and Mizuki and Koda headed down the driveway, and back toward the road, and headed back where they'd came from.

"Um… Koda-kun." Mizuki asked, looking toward the oldest of the pair. Koda blinked, turning his attention toward Mizuki. "I-I saw a Pokemart on the way, do you think we could stop there to get a Waterstone for Eevee?"

Koda smiled, "You really want to evolve him into a Vaporeon, eh?"

Mizuki nodded. Although Koda wasn't all for the idea of evolving it first up, he couldn't talk. After all, he'd admitted to doing the same with Ninetails, so he just said 'yes' to her request, and followed her toward it. After all, with dog type Pokemon, they could learn the quick moves in whatever form they were in.

"Welcome to the Pokemart, how can we help you?"

After looking for ten minutes to the stone in the mart, Mizuki had it clutched in her hand – rather tight. She was paranoid that she was going to drop it. Then, they had to wait in the queue for another 15 minutes, and it took five minutes for the lady to price the item – Koda insisted on paying, as a birthday present to the ten-year-old, whom was overjoyed – and well, all in all, they'd spent half an hour in a Pokemart.

But, after all that was over, standing out on the street, Mizuki didn't even wait to get home to withdraw Eevee from her Pokeball.

"Eevee! Look what I got for you!" The small dog tilted her head as Mizuki unwrapped the parcel to produce a see-through blue coloured stone with what appeared to be a drop of water in the middle.

"Ee?" Eevee asked, blinking its eyes at the stone, before standing for a better look – Mizuki had to kneel down first, of course.

"It's a Waterstone." Mizuki explained, "It's going to turn you into a Vaporeon! Isn't that great?"

The Eevee seemed as overjoyed as the its trainer was about being able to become a Vaporeon, and it was more than eager to have the stone touch its fur.

So, Mizuki did just that. She touched the Eevee with the stone, and held it there for ten seconds, and the droplet within it faded away, and Eevee began to glow – glow and change.

When the whole ordeal was over, the once Eevee, and now Vaporeon shook the new fin-like material around its neck, which was coloured white. Its main colour was a light blue, although the large fins coming out its forehead and the sides of its head, the thick muscle on those were coloured a deep blue. The fin in particular was coloured a yellow. It had a deep blue ridge – the same colour as its forehead – heading down its scaly body to its tail, which was that of a dolphin.

"Hello Vaporeon!" Mizuki said, grinning in her Pokemon's direction. "Do you like your new look?"

Of course, Vaporeon hadn't even seen itself yet, but Mizuki could tell that Vaporeon knew that it had scales, and the crest of fin around its neck, and it could quite easily see the fin it had for a tail.

"Um… Koda-kun…" Mizuki stated, standing up to her full height, looking straight at Vaporeon. "I… I was thinking about the Gyms, and I've decided, that, if you need a partner, that, I-I'll be your partner, Koda-kun."

Koda looked down at Mizuki, who was blushing furiously and smiled. "Alright then. We'll have to train together a lot though."

Mizuki just nodded, a smile forming onto her face.

Chapter two; Finished! Yay!