Chapter 2

Heart stared into the mirror as she looked over her outfit. She had thought long and hard about what she should wear for the majority of her journey. She of course had other clothes packed away, but she needed one that would be her signature look. She had settled on black capris jeggings that were stylish and comfy. She also had a black t-shirt that had no sleeves and it hung slightly big on her with a stylized pokeball on the front in yellow. She had black jacket with yellow stripes running up the arm which tied around her waist and comfortable runners. It was a basic look, but it served its purpose, something easy to move in and an option to put on the jacket if the weather turns cold.

She turned towards the cot where her black Silph Co. backpack was, it was an amazing thing that warped space to allow the bag to hold more than it looked like it could. She had to spend most of her starting funds to get it but it was a good investment. It was sturdy, waterproof and was near indestructible. She also got packing cubes that let her organize how everything went into her bag. She had her cloth in one which was packed near the bottom. She also had one packed with an emergency kit filled with meds and other stuff she might need (flashlight, rope etc.). She had spent as much as she could on potions and sprays for her Pokémon, if she was going to be training and battling with them she might as well make sure she was taking care of them. A special cube that helped preserve food had a two week supply of food in it and lastly she had packed camping gear in there as well. She stuffed a couple of notebooks and pens in the side pockets and hung her fire starter on one of the straps in the front of the bag. Then she checked to make sure the water bottle was secured in the side pocket and nodded her head to see that everything was packed.

She wasn't sure if she prepared enough, but she had read as much as she could and got almost everything other trainers had recommended. She grabbed her special belt that had five pokeballs attached to it and clipped it at her waist. The darn things were expansive, she had thought they would be cheaper because of the games and how all the trainers had been throwing them like candy in the cartoon. It made sense that they ran about two hundred a pop, it did turn a living thing into energy and store it. She hardly had any money left in her account, she had spent all the starting funds and had to dip into her own money to get everything. It hurt her in her very soul seeing how low her funds were, but it had to be done. It might look like fun and games in the cartoons, but she didn't want to end up majorly hurt or die because she was underprepared.

As she hoisted the backpack on she felt the stares of the other girls in the room. She turned and saw all of them staring at her, she could see the jealousy in their eyes. She had never really connected with the children in the orphanage, it was probably due to the fact that she was a grown woman in the body of a child. It also didn't help that she spent most of her time doing odd jobs around the city for money or was in the library studying for the PTE. She didn't have any friends here, it didn't matter though, because she never planned to come back. She was going to enter the Kanto League and battle and she was going to earn enough money to get her own place. She ignored the other girls and the children that she passed on her way out.

Heart sat in the taxi as it drove past the wooded countryside. She was almost to Pallet Town, the start of her journey. She watched as the trees passed by and she watched with fascination as bug Pokémon went about their daily lives. Caterpie climbing the trees, their green skin blending in with the very leaves they were eating and some Beedrill buzzing around. It was all so wonderful, like a dream come true. She was going to be a Pokémon Trainer.

"So little girl" the taxi driver called back "why are you heading all the way to Pallet Town to start your Pokémon journey?"

"I'm going to get my starter," she replied, still looking out at the window.

"A starter?" the driver said in surprise. He looked back at her in the rearview mirror.

"Your one of Oak's kids?"

Heart nodded her head now embarrassed at the stare the driver was given her.

"My word," he said, giving a jolly laugh "who would have thought little old me would be driving one of Professor Oak's kids. You're something special, young miss."

Heart ducked her head and mumbled a quick thank you. She wasn't used to the praise, not even in her last life was she praised very often. Sure she had gotten quite a bit of attention the last couple of months from the caretakers at the orphanage, but that was them trying to suck up to her now that she was going to become a League and Oak sponsored Trainer. It seemed she had not realized how big a deal it was to be sponsored by both.

She chatted awhile with the driver, but then she noticed that the woods were starting to thin out a bit and in a couple of seconds they were out in the wide open countryside. The sky was so blue and there seemed to be rolling hills everywhere. She could see bird Pokémon flying through the air, they were a bit far for her to really make out what kind they were. She could see tiny dots on top of the hills that seemed like homes.

"We're almost there young miss" the driver said and then he pointed to one of the hills where a big building that seemed to stand out among the little homes "that right there is Professor Oak's Laboratory"

Heart looks up at the rounded building in awe. There it was, the Laboratory that started her childhood (to be quite honest adulthood as well) obsession. The driver looked back at her with a wide grin. The car drove through the little town and made its way up the tallest hill. After reaching the top, Heart got out of the car and checked to make sure she had all her things and then thanked the driver for taking her all the way to the front door. He waved her off with a laugh and accepted the money from her. Then he drove off waving her good-bye.

She took a deep breath and then gripped the shoulder strip of her pack and then started her way up the stairs. She walked up to the lab doors and then steeling herself she knocked. There wasn't an answer so she knocked again. Then she looked around not quite sure what to do when nobody seemed to be opening the door. She had called ahead to ask if you could come a day earlier and stay the night since Vermilion city was quite a trip away from Pallet Town. She had gotten Prof. Oak's permission and she had given a rough estimate of time for when she would show up.

All of a sudden she heard a crash coming from within the building. She jumped from the sudden noise and then she saw the door open. In the doorway an elderly man stood coughing as his hair and lab coat smoked slightly. He was a tall man with a square face and peppered hair with brown eyes. Heart just looked at him amazed, it was Professor Oak in the flesh.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

The man looked up at her and seemed to look trying to figure out who she was.

"I'm Heart Silver Professor" she filled in "I call about a week ago"

"Ah" Oak said seeming to remember her "you're the girl that was first in the region on the PTE"

Heart nodded her head, a little shy.

"Come on in my dear" he said waving to her "you should have seen the fit my grandson threw when he found out that he wasn't number one in the region, you'd think his mother died or something."

"I'm sorry?" she said, not quite sure how to answer that.

He laughed "No need my dear, the boy needed someone to pop that huge ego of his. I love the boy, but one day that big head of his is going to get him into trouble."

He led through the building and she stared in wonder at all the machines and whiteboards full of notes. She observed lab assistants typing notes up and some measuring and checking over all sorts of Pokémon. In one corner a female was measuring the wingspan of a Pideot while the massive bird had its wing outstretched. She laughed as she watched as the bird tried as hard as it could to make its wings longer. Over by the fish tanks she could see Goldeens and Horsea floating around while a young man watched and took notes.

Her head seemed to be on a swivel as she turned this way and that way trying to look at everything at once. A chuckle made her stop and look up and to the side of Prof. Oak. He seemed amused watching her. She blushed and looked away, pretending she wasn't just acting like a small child that had never been anywhere before.

Prof. Oak led her down the hallway and opened up a door. In the room where bunk beds and a couple metal lockers push up against the wall. It reminded her of the room she lived in for three years in the orphanage.

"This is where my female lab assistants sleep while they are working for me. I only have one right now so you are more than welcome to use the bed tonight" He said.

"Thank you" she said as she went inside and placed her bag under the lower bunk that didn't seem to be used and then turned back towards Prof. Oak.

"Now" he started "I can't give you your Pokémon today, since we have to wait for the others, but I can give you your Pokedex."

He waved her out of the room and started to head back to the main room. He brought her to a desk and then pulled something out of the drawer. He turned to hand it to her. She reached for the device with shaking hands. In her hand was a red Pokedex, the same one that she had seen Ash using in the shows when she was just a child in her other life. It was heavy, it felt like a cellphone. It opened up like a side flip phone and inside was a large screen and a couple of buttons. There was also a large glass bulb on the top of the thing and it seemed to house a camera of some sorts.

"This my dear" Prof. Oak said "is a Pokedex. One of my greatest creations, it houses data and information about all known Kanto Pokemon."

"Just Kanto?" She asked looking up from gazing at the Dex.

Prof. Oak chuckled "New Trainer only have access to their starting region's Pokemon in the beginning."

"Oh" Heart signed.

"After some experience" he continued "the National Dex is unlocked to them."

Heat looked down at the machine and nodded her head in understanding. She wasn't completely happy about the limited set on her, but she wouldn't fight it.

"What is this camera for?" she asked.

"That is the scanning function of the device" he replied " when you point it towards a Pokémon it will scan the it measuring height, features and other factors and record it to it's memory storage"

"What for?" she questioned.

"To gather more data of course" the professor said "it is part of your responsibility as a Trainer supported by me."

Heart nodded in understanding. She read about it in the pamphlet, Prof. Oak sponsored Trainer and in return the children would help him with his research. This includes going out into the world and collecting data and letting him study the Pokémon that they catch in return for food and shelter for them. She thought it seemed like a very good deal, it even seemed like she was coming up on top in the exchange. She was already traveling, pointing the camera at Pokémon wouldn't be such a big hassle and Prof. Oak was a well known scientist that cared greatly about Pokémon so she was very certain that he wouldn't bring harm upon hers.

"Why don't you go get settled in" Prof. Oak said after he saw that she wasn't going to argue about the job set upon her "it must have been a long trip. Tomorrow is a big day for you."

Heart closed the Dex shut and thanked Prof. Oak for giving it to her and promised to give it her all on the job assigned to her. She walked back to the dorm and decided that she would mess around with the Dex before she went to bed. She had to figure out all the functions so she knew what she was working with.