Chapter 1

"Am I in the right place?" Brady questioned looking at a map. He was in a city, he just wasn't sure if it was where he wanted to go. "This might be Eterna City." He thought. "It's bigger than I thought it would be, though." He walked through the entrance and gawked at the superior city. "Whoa, it must be awesome to live in a place like this." He muttered. Then, he heard a loud commotion near the middle of the street. Huh? Curiosity getting the best of him, he sauntered over to the group of people. He pushed his way to the front.

"Oddish, Chlorophyll now!" He heard a girl shout. Followed by, "Oddish!" After that, he heard a male voice yell, "Totodile, use Sheer Force!" It was a Pokémon battle! He had never seen one up close before. Before he knew it, Oddish was out cold.

"Oddish!" The girl yelled with a pained expression. She pulled out a Poké ball and called Oddish back. They stood up and shook hands. "Good match." She said.

"Yeah, you weren't bad." The man agreed. They then turned around and walked over to the sides.

"Alright, which two trainers are competing next?" A man hollered towards the crowd. Brady couldn't help himself. He ran to the middle of the crowd and stood with a Poké ball in hand. "Looks like we got ourselves a fearless trainer!" He shouted. "Who's brave enough to face this one?" It was a minute or so before someone finally stepped up.

"I'll challenge him." He heard a male voice say. The boy that was facing him looked about the same age as him. He took out a Poké ball from a strap on his belt.

"Get ready to start!" The man shouted. Both boys got in fighting positions. "Ready, set, BATTLE!"

"Alright, Charmander, let's go!" Brady shouted throwing the Poké ball. Once he did, an orange, lizard shaped Pokémon with a flame on its tail shot out.

"Char!" It bellowed. The fiery haired competitor launched his Poké ball with a smirk on his face.

"Cyndaquil, this one's yours!" The freckled boy yelled. Out popped another fire type Pokémon, with flame shooting out from its back.

"Cyndaquil!" It squealed.

"Alright, Charmander, flamethrower!" Brady ordered.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaaar!" Fire spurted out of its mouth. Almost like it just ate a chili pepper.

"Dodge it, Cyndaquil!" The boy hollered.

"Quil!"

"Flame Charge!" Cyndaquil did as it was told. Brady reacted quickly.

"Charmander, Smokescreen!" A thick fog emanated from the Pokémon's mouth. Cyndaquil halted to a stop as the smoke approached him.

"Cyndaquil, find a way out of the smoke!" He instructed. Cyndaquil ran around looking for an opening….he couldn't find one.

"Charmander, Tackle it!" Brady commanded.

"Char!" Brady's opponent became aware of the situation.

"You Tackle it to Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil and Charmander sprinted to each other like bulls, and once they got close enough, they rammed in to each other with full force.

"Chaaaar!"

"Quiiiil!" They both fell backwards from the force of the hit. However, Cyndaquil was the first one to respond. This was it.

"Charmander, get up, quick!" Brady panicked.

"Cyndaquil, Tackle it again!" He called out. "Then use your Flamewheel!" As Charmander was just getting up, Cyndaquil tackled it to the ground again.

"Chaaaar!"

"Charmander!" While Charmander was down, Cyndaquil used Flamewheel.

"Cynda-QUIIIIIL!" It rolled in to the lizard Pokémon with flames surrounding its body.

"Chaaaaaaar!" As Charmander plummeted to the ground, it lost consciousness. It laid on the ground useless.

"We have a winner!" The man shouted. People cheered and roared as Brady took out his Poké Ball.

"Charmander, return." A red beam shot out of the ball and Charmander disappeared. "I know you did your best, it's alright." He sighed to himself. His first real Pokémon battle, and he lost. He thought this would turn out better, but it was his first time. The winner also called back his Pokémon.

"You did great, Cyndaquil!" He said before the Pokémon vanished. Both trainers walked up to each other and shook hands.

"You're good." He said. "I haven't had a battle like that in a while." Brady smiled.

"That was actually my first battle, it was thrilling!" The trainer stared in amazement.

"Well, that was pretty good for your first time."

"Thanks, if I could, may I ask what your name is." Brady inquired the young trailer.

"It's Mason." He said with a smile on his face. "And yours?"

"Brady." He introduced. "Your Cyndaquil's trained well."

"Thanks." He said. "Your Charmander knew some moves to." Brady smiled almost smugly.

"Thanks."

"Well, it was great battling with you, but I need to get back home." He said waving goodbye. Brady waved back. At least he wasn't one of those trainers that look down on you if you lose. It kind of inspired him in a way. He seriously was a great trainer, but he wanted to be better.

"Alright, now, where's the Eterna City gym?" He wondered. It was a few hours of wandering around in confusion before he found what he was looking for. "The gym!" He exclaimed happily. He sprinted inside the gym, but stopped as he realized one thing. "No one's here?" He thought. "There has to be though, I need to battle the gym leader!" He searched for any sign that someone might be here. Nope. He stomped his foot. "Gosh, darn it!" This just wasn't his day. First, he lost his first real battle. Second, he goes to fight the gym leader, but he/she's not here. He sighed in defeat. "Oh well, guess I'll come back tomorrow." He turned and made his leave; utterly disappointed.

The next day, after finding a hotel to sleep in, he dressed quickly and headed over to the gym. He ran into it again, still no one there.

"Oh, come on!" Now he was agitated. "I just want to get this battle over with!" He sighed, defeated once more. Then, he left the same way he did the other day. It was now noon, and after looking around the city, decided to go back; just to check. While he was walking to the gym, he noticed someone on the side. Black vest, Nike sneakers, fingerless gloves, and red hair. It was the same trainer from yesterday! "Hey!" He yelled to get his attention. The trainer jerked up in slight surprise.

"Oh, it's you." He said. Brady jogged over to Mason, but before he got to close, he heard a fierce growling; which made him halt in his tracks.

"Houndour, chill. I know him." Mason said using a "stop" hand motion. The black and red Pokémon stopped growling at Brady, though he still looked like he didn't like him. "Do you need something? A rematch maybe?" Brady chuckled.

"Maybe some other time." He said. Mason tilted his head.

"Then, what is it?"

"Well, I went to the gym to battle several times, but he/she's never there." He admitted with irritation in his voice. "I was wondering if you knew what was going on by any chance?" He was shocked when he saw the trainer sigh.

"Yeah, she likes to venture off places." He said. "Some of the places she likes to go to are the old chateau, and the villa. You could check for her there." His face sparkled.

"Thanks, dude!" He thanked shaking his hand.

"No problem." Brady ran off pulling out the map.

"Ok, according to the map, the chateau is on this route." He planned. He put the map back in his pocket. "Let's get going!" After an hour or so of running, and sometimes getting lost, he finally found the chateau. He stared up in amazement and dread. There was no way he was going in that creepy place. Why would anyone go in there anyway? That's like, immediate death. He settled for skimming the outside. No trainer here. So, he pulled out his map to find the villa. "Back in town?!" He complained. It would've been easier to check there first. Guess he wasn't being very smart at the moment. He began running again, even if he didn't want to. He had to get that badge. He just had to. Once he found the villa, he entered the villa in hopes he'd find the gym leader. After browsing, he finally found a women with short, orange and black hair.

"Excuse me." He asked taping her shoulder. She turned around after feeling the tap.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"You don't happen to be the leader of Eterna City's gym, are you?" He questioned the women. She smirked.

"I am, in fact." Oh my gosh, FINALLY! It only took, like, forever! Brady's expression turned from relief to serious.

"Well then, I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

"If you feel like losing that bad, challenge accepted." She said. "But, we should do it in a more appropriate setting." After the fancy transition, they appeared at Eterna City's gym. Gardenia, the gym leader, pulled out her first Poké ball.

"Cherubi, go!" She threw the ball as a cherry looking Pokémon came out. In that case….

"Alright, Charmander, let's go!" He called out summoning the flame lizard again.

"Char!"

"Cherubi, use Magical Leaf!" Leaves levitated off the ground, then attacked.

"Dodge it, Charmander!" Charmander jumped. "Flamethrower, now!" On cue, flame spurted out of Charmander's mouth.

"Chaaaar!"

"Cherubi, dodge. Then tackle it!" She instructed. It did as it was told.

"Dodge!" Brady yelled, but was too late. Charmander was struck.

"Chaaaaaar!" It yelped.

"Now, Solar Beam!" Charmander was struck with the beams. K.O.

"Charmander, return!" He said. He only had one more Pokémon left, he was getting worried.

"Cubone, let's go!" He shouted. He threw his last Pokémon into battle. The dinosaur popped out and stood front and center.

"Cubone, bone, bone." It said. Gardenia called back her Pokémon as well. When she threw her Poké ball, a turtle with leaves on its head shot out and said, "Turtwig!" Crap, he knew she would have more, but her Pokémon were probably a lot more experienced. Plus, a lot more powerful. He couldn't give up now though, he had to give it his all. If not, what would all of this mean?

"Cubone, Bonemerang!" As told, Cubone took his bone and threw it at the opponent.

"Dodge it, then use Razor Leaf!" Turtwig dodged the attack and used its razor leaf. The leaves hit Cubone square in the face.

"Cubone!" Brady wailed. "Come on, get up!" Even if he was injured, he stood up and continued fighting.

"Tackle it, Turtwig!" She yelled. Brady reacted, maybe a little too quickly.

"Cubone, run and head-butt it, now!"

"Cubone!" Both rammed in to each other with full force. Turtwig's a little stronger though.

"Cuuuuubone!"

"Cubone!" Brady screamed. Crap, his sister gave him that Pokémon, he couldn't let the Pokémon overdue himself! He needed to do something, but what. Dang it, he most likely wasn't thinking when he did this. After thinking, Brady ran in to the middle of the battle and comforted Cubone. He lost fair and square, Cubone was knocked out.

"Finish it, Turtwig!" Following its master's orders, it charged towards both Brady and his Pokémon. His eyes went wide; she was still attacking?! Going with his instincts, he braced for impact. However, nothing came. What happened? Wasn't he just about to get tackled by that Turtwig? He decided to sneak a peek at what happened, and once he did, was utterly shocked at the sight before him.

"M-Mason?" He questioned to no one in particular. Mason just simply turned and smiled.

"Mason, what are you doing?!" Gardenia shouted. "You should know that you don't interrupt a trainer's battle!" Mason glared at the gym leader.

"You could've killed this guy's Pokémon!" He scolded. The leader flinched.

"Mason," Brady spoke up again. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here." He answered in an almost disappointed tone. Brady gaped.

"What?!"

"Yeah, Gardenia's my aunt." Holy, what the what? Mason was the gym leader's nephew?! And he just protected him from getting injured? They had just met the other day; why did he come in to a battle that wasn't even his?

"Mason, this battle needs to be finished." She said. "Move out of the way." He refused.

"This battle's already finished." He said turning his back towards her and looking at the trainer below him. He held out his hand, offering to help him up. Brady just stared for a minute, maybe two. He then took Mason's hand, which he was then brought back to his feet.

"Thanks." Was all he could think of saying. The boy in front of him smiled and nodded. As if saying, "No problem."

"I'm sorry my aunt nearly murdered your Pokémon." He apologized.

"You don't need to apologize, you didn't do anything." He said. With that, he called Cubone back into his Pokéball. "Anyway, I lost before that. I'll have to try again some other time." He admitted sadly; after that, he turned and walked away from the gym. So much for getting his first badge. He went back to the hotel and started packing his stuff back in his backpack. In the process, he sighed disappointed. "I came all the way here, and I couldn't even earn a badge." He muttered. "What a rip-off." As he slung his bag over his shoulder, he made his way out of Eterna City. While walking towards the entrance, he heard someone call out to him.

"Hey, Brady!" He turned around to see the red haired boy from before.

"Mason, what do you need?" He inquired.

"You forgot this." He held out something tiny with little green triangles.

"The- the Forest Badge?!" He stuttered. "How'd you get that?!" He smirked deviously.

"I might've taken it when she was distracted."

"But, she's your aunt…..right?"

"Tsk, it's not like I'm fond of her." He scoffed. "Anyway, this is yours." Brady blinked in surprise.

"I-it's mine?!" He sputtered. "But, I didn't earn it; I lost!"

"Yeah, but Gardenia went over the line." He said. "Take it, really. It was one of the best fights I've ever seen." Brady smiled and took the badge.

"Thanks." He said. Then, Mason rubbed the back of his head shyly. Brady noticed this and spoke. "Was there something else?" With that, Mason stood tall in a fake bravely manor.

"If you'll let me, I would like to travel with you!" Brady's eyes widened, and Mason glanced down at his Houndour. "We both would." He chuckled at his words, Brady did too. "We were watching your battle with Gardenia, and….." His words trailed off. "…and we saw you run out to comfort your Pokémon. It was a beautiful image." He admitted with his cheeks tinted red. Brady didn't know what to say, or how to answer. With some thought, he decided on what he wanted to do.

"Sure, you can tag along!" Mason looked up at Brady hopefully. "I mean, you seem like a cool guy." It was then that Brady lifted his hand and formed a fist. A 'fist pump' some people call it. The red head in front of him laughed.

"Yeah, alright." Mason copied Brady's hand and their fists clashed. As they left the wondrous city known as Eterna, Brady realized that he not only earned his first badge, but he also befriended a fellow trainer like himself. And as they ventured off into the forest, a new adventure began.