Iberville, Quebec, Canada

DRING! DRING DRING!

"Alright, everyone! Class is over; time for you to go home now!" Professor Jean-Francois Duguay announced upon hearing the bell ringing out loud in his classroom. At almost the same time, all the students got up from their chair and headed for the exit door with their school equipment in hand. He smiled from the satisfaction of another long, instructive day of school, remaining at his desk to arrange all of his paperwork. This almost made him miss one student who decided to remain in the classroom.

"Excuse me, Professor," the young boy said. "I just wanted to know if our meeting for tomorrow was still on."

The professor smiled at his student. "Of course, Logan. I know how much you're excited to finally start your journey, so I won't make you wait any longer. You can pass by my lab tomorrow at 13 P.M. I'll give you your official Pokémon trainer's pass and you'll be able to choose your first companion. Is that fine with you?"

"Sure. See ya tomorrow, Professor," Logan said with enthusiasm, grabbing his backpack, and heading out of the class.

Yeah, you could say that Logan Jindrak was your normal, average boy living in a normal town in Canada. Just like all the teenagers of his age, his sight was set on one goal: becoming a Pokémon trainer and defeating all eight Gym Leaders of the country for a chance to become a Pokémon Champion. Around two weeks before that day, he successfully passed his final exam at school and earned the right to leave home and travel the world as a trainer. Just the thought of all the adventures lying ahead was enough to increase his heartbeat!

The first thing Logan did after arriving home and dropping his backpack in his bedroom was heading for the bathroom and take a nice, warm shower. It wouldn't be fun to fall sick just before the day of his journey's debut. Stepping out of the shower, he gave himself a criticizing look in the mirror. Any 17-years-old boy would want to have long hair reaching at their neck, but Logan was more than happy with his short nut-brown one (a 'kiwi hair cut', as his mother liked to call it). Plus, the little hair on his chin and upper lip made him look older than he actually was. His slender body didn't have much muscle due to a lack of physical exercise. But there are those training their bodies and those training their minds. Logan was in the second category.

"Logan, come out, dinner's ready!" his mother called from the kitchen. "I turned the television on; Maddox Parks is about to have a match!"

As if having one reason to hurry up wasn't enough, Logan's mother gave him two. He dried himself up as if his life depended on it, pulled his blue pajama on, and rushed to the apartment's living room, sitting down next to his mother. The fact that Maddox Parks, Pokémon Champion of Canada, was having a live match almost made him miss the flawless taste of his mother's dry mushroom medley curry. And it was a pretty intense match.

"Wow!" Logan exclaimed, jumping in the couch and almost making his food fall on the floor. "Have you seen that?! That was sick!"

"Stop screaming, Logan! You're gonna disturb our neighbors," his mother scolded.

"Sorry, mom..."

The match ended in a few minutes and, as expected, Maddox Parks won. "An amazing performance from our Pokémon Champion, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer boomed on the screen with the same level of enthusiasm as Logan. "And now, for our next match, we're gonna see two elites of the beginner level going face-to-face: Felix Arbour vs Olyver Jindrak!"

This time, Logan's mother almost screamed. But who could blame her? It's not every day that you get to see one of your sons appear on the same television program as a Pokémon Champion. An ear-piercing shriek escaped her mouth once Olyver appeared on the screen. Standing around one foot taller than Logan, Olyver's facial hair consisted of a simple, small mustache above his upper lip. His black jacket was left open to expose his green shirt with a black Poké Ball on the front. This, mixed with his blue jean pants decorated by a silver chain, black running shoes, and red headphones around his neck, gave him a rebellious look - the kind girls really liked.

Logan needed to remind his mother not to scream after his brother's victory. His Charmeleon managed to defeat Felix Arbour's Prinplup in spite of the elementary disadvantage. He really couldn't help but feel proud of his big brother... and wished they would've spent more time together. See, when they were just kids, Logan and Olyver's parents fought all the time which eventually led to them breaking up. Their father, Daniel, left with Olyver while their mother, Nat, took Logan. Sure, they were still allowed to see each other from time to time, but it was still hard for the brothers to live apart.

Feeling like their sons should not be penalized, the two parents tried to make it up to them by developing their passion for Pokémon. They bought them toys, let them watch all sorts of shows, and even sometimes brought them to events. One day, Logan learned that Olyver left his father's home to start his Pokémon journey. Of course, since he was two years younger than him, Logan wasn't allowed to do the same for he needed to finish his studies on the Pokémon world first.

He would never forget his conversation with his big brother, the last time he visited his mother and he at their apartment, right before his departure. "See you soon, Logan. I'm leaving home now."

"Just you wait! I'll be a great trainer once I leave home too!" Logan replied with enthusiasm.

"Alright! Let's promise each other to make a name for ourselves and then have a match together when we become the strongest in our country!" Olyver replied, exchanging a bump fist with his little brother.

"The day has come, big bro. I'm gonna become a Pokémon Trainer too!" Logan happily thought while lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. As much as he would've liked to stay awake all night and think about the adventures awaiting him, he didn't want to wake up late as he had plenty of preparations to do. So, pushing all his thoughts away, he allowed himself to drift to the world of dreams...

After a good breakfast prepared by his mother, Logan dressed up - a red shirt with a blue Poké Ball on the front, blue shorts, orange and black running shoes, and black fingerless gloves - quickly brushed his teeth, and then left his apartment to go at Professor Duguay's lab. Since it was just a few blocks away, he chose to get there on foot.

"Professor? I'm here!" he announced, knocking at the door a few times.

The door opened around five seconds later. Professor Jean-Francois Duguay wore his white lab coat over a dark green shirt and grey jean pants. His orange beard was tied into two braids and his hair modeled into a mohawk. "Good morning, Logan. Or should I say good afternoon," he said upon giving a look at his watch.

"Good afternoon, Professor."

"Come in; I've got everything ready." The Professor moved aside, allowing his student to step inside. They walked across the technologically advanced lab with all sorts of machine around. Professors like Duguay were tasked by the government to make researches on Pokémon for a living. Having all those gadgets was an advantage of the job.

Once at the far end of the lab, the Professor opened a large wallet containing a few Poké Balls and proceeded to display them before his student. "Here are all the starter Pokémon I have left. There have been many young trainers who started their journey recently and catching up the starters isn't a simple job."

"Which one do you have?" Logan asked.

Professor Duguay made all the starters come out of their Poké Ball. There was a Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Treecko, Mudkip, Chimchar, Turtwig, Snivy, and Fennekin. "There they are. Now, choose your very first partner. Keep in mind that some trainers work better with certain Pokemon than others."

Logan knew that was true. Whoever a trainer chose as his starter was bound to become his closest friend and partner in battle. Enhancing why this decision was so important. He ran his brown eyes over the nine different Pokemon over and over again, trying to feel who would be right to select as his first partner. Then, after multiple back and forth, he settled on one of them and smiled.

"I choose... Chimchar!" The little orange primate jumped up in joy while all the others lowered their head in disappointment.

"Sorry, guys, looks like it'll be for another time," Duguay said as he pulled them all back in their Poké Balls. Once it was done, he took Chimchar's and handed it over to Logan. "There, Chimchar lives in this one. I'm gonna go get you a few extra Poké Balls for the start of your journey."

As the professor walked to another part of his lab, Logan extended his arm for his new companion to climb on. "So you're my first new friend, huh? Are you excited to go on an adventure with me? We're gonna travel across the country, fight many other trainers, and maybe even get to challenge the Elite Four and Maddox Parks!"

"Chimchar!" the little Pokémon beamed and started running his hands across his human friend's hair, making him laugh.

Professor Duguay returned with 5 extra Poké Balls that he gave to his student. In addition, he also gave him his trainer's pass, a Pokédex that would record information on the Pokémon he would meet, and a little electric device called Pokétch that he could tie around his wrist. "With this Pokédex, you will be able to collect and retain everything known about Pokémon you encounter," he explained. "Also, this Pokétch should also be helpful. It can show you the hour, count your steps, has a calculator, and plenty of other things. Before leaving, you should buy some items from the Poké Mart such as potions."

"Alright, Professor," Logan said, wrapping his Pokétch around his right wrist and pulling his Pokédex inside his pocket.

"One more thing. Trainers like to give nicknames to their Pokémon. Think you want to give one to your first companion?"

Logan looked at the little fire Pokémon on his shoulder and rubbed his chin, trying to come up with something. Eventually, an idea jumped to his mind and he snapped his fingers. "I got it! How about 'Pyro Kid'? Or 'PK' for short?" Chimchar let out happy exclamations, signaling his love for the name.

"PK it is then," Professor Duguay mused. "Well, that's everything I wanted to give you for now, Logan. You should go back home and see your mom before departing. There's nothing left for me to do except... wishing you good luck on your journey," he said with extending his hand forward.

"Thanks, Professor," the young boy replied, shaking his mentor's hand. "Just you wait; soon, I'll be known as one of the best Pokémon Trainers in the whole country!

###

Having received all his required equipment alongside his very first Pokémon from Professor Duguay, Logan returned to his apartment where his mother would be helping him for the last touches. Upon his arrival, she immediately fell in love with PK, melting from his adorableness. Nat filled her son's backpack with plenty of useful items such as: some snacks that he could eat on the road, bottles of water, soaps and shampoos to clean himself, a map of the region so that he wouldn't get lost, extra clothes in case he would need to change them on the run, and last but not least, an umbrella to protect himself from the rain.

"Cool! I think everything's there!" Logan announced as he looked at his filled backpack and pulled it on his back. "I'm gonna pull it in my tricycle and I should be ready to go." After saying this, Logan noticed that his mother was looking at his bedroom and sniffed a bit. "M-Mom? Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yes, it's just..." She sniffed and wiped some tears away. "I-I knew this day would come sooner or later... but I couldn't get ready for it..."

Logan frowned. He knew how hard it had been for his mother to break up with his father and having Olyver taken away as well. So, having him leaving home must be no easier for her right now. "Hey, hey, mom," he gently mumbled, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry; I'm ready to face the outside world. And I'll come to visit you when I can, okay?"

Nat rubbed her tears away and gave a little smile. "Thanks, son. But I want you to focus on your dream. Travel the world and become the Pokémon Champion you always wanted to be. I'm sure your brother will be proud of you."

"Thanks, mom." Logan wrapped his arms around his mother for a loving hug.

The new Pokémon Trainer walked out of his apartment and over to his tricycle stationed in the parking zone. Always considered to be his most beautiful gift that he received on the day of his 15th birthday, this tricycle had black paint, a wide range, and a little basket on the back so that Logan could carry items. It even had different levels of speed to set on! Using his keys to unlock the security chains, he placed them in the basket alongside his backpack and sat in the chair before rolling away from his home.

Before entering the outside road, he turned around and saw his mother looking at him from their room's balcony. She waved at him, a gesture that he returned. He then turned his head to look forward and rolled out in the outside road.

"Watch out, Pokémon world! The X, Logan Jindrak, is coming!"

Author's note: I've been a fan of Pokémon ever since I was a kid; I'm so excited to write my first fanfic about it! As you saw, it's taking place in the real world, in my home country of Quebec, Canada, to be more precise, and not in the video games' world. This means we're gonna have a whole new league for Logan and PK.

At the moment of publishing this chapter, I've started a new game on Pokémon Platinum and also bought Pokémon Shield. I kinda stopped following the franchise after the Platinum/Diamond/Pearl generation, so I'm gonna have to do some researches online. I mean, I do know about Mega Evolutions and Z attacks, but except that, not much.

I thank you all for reading this fanfic. Constructive reviews are welcome and, as always, may the gods watch over you all :)

Next: Logan begins his journey, fighting his first wild Pokémon with PK and also trying to capture some for himself.