Serena and I made our way to Aquacorde Town in no time, finding Shauna along with two guys sitting at a cafe table. The town itself wasn't much bigger than Vaniville, with only a couple houses. However, this place did have a couple shops, even a place that I assumed was kind of like a Pokemon Center.

The whole town was cobblestone and a water fountain was placed in the middle. Around it were patches of grass that looked almost decorational. To get out of town, an aqueduct that acted as a bridge crossed over a river that led to a forest.

Shauna waved us over. "Over here you two!"

We joined her and I took the seat between her and Serena, looking at the two guys. Plainly said, they were the exact opposites. The kid that introduced himself as Tierno was a bit heavy with a circle of black hair on his head that stuck up in three spikes. He wore a black shirt with a Vanillite on it along with orange shorts.

The kid sitting next to him, Trevor, was smaller than him as well as really skinny. He wore gray shorts with a light green and white t-shirt. A camera hung from his neck and his orange hair almost looked like a helmet.

"So," I said when we were all introduced. "What's the deal with meeting here?"

Shauna brightened. "Well, Tierno, Trevor, and I were tasked by Professor Sycamore to gather research on Pokemon a month ago. We got our starter Pokemon then."

She patter her bag, which is where I assumed her pokeball was. "I recieved Bulbasaur. These two-"

"I got Squirtle," Tierno said proudly, releasing his Pokemon, which spurted water into the air. "He and I got some fine moves when we battle."

"And I got Charmander," Trevor said with a smile, his Fire type climbing onto his lab. "A little rowdy sometimes, but he does just fine."

I frowned. "Doesn't Kalos have its own starter Pokemon?"

Shauna nodded. "Oh yeah, definitely. But when it was time for us to get them, all they had were the Kanto starters."

She brought out a metal and glass container from underneath the table. "However, that's not the case with you two."

She pressed a button on the rectangular object and the glass lid lifted to reveal the pokeballs placed on a cushion. The one on the far left had a Grass type symbol on it while the middle one had the Fire symbol. And where the pokeball should've been on the right, there was nothing.

Serena raised the question before I could. "Where's the Water starter?"

"Well," Shauna looked at the other two and they shrugged. She turned back to us. "We have him, but I don't think you two would want him."

"Why not?" I questioned.

She sighed. "It's better if I show you."

She nodded at Trevor and he took out a pokeball. He opened it and a Froakie appeared on the table. However, it wasn't a normal Froakie. His yellow eyes were paler than regular Froakie eyes and his blue skin was so pale. He also didn't look happy. More depressed actually.

"What's wrong with him?" Serena asked.

Froakie seemed to look more sad after hearing that, but I'm pretty sure I was the only one to notice.

Shauna gave him a sad look, rubbing his head. "Froakie here is what trainers commonly refer to as a "shiny" Pokemon. Super rare, but what most don't realize is that shiny Pokemon often don't live long lives like regular Pokemon. Professor Sycamore only projected Froakie to live for about two more months."

"But there's nothing wrong with him physically?" Serena asked.

Shauna shook her head. "No. It's just the matter of his lifespan."

She went into details on it, Tierno and Trevor helping, but I reached out a hand to the Water starter. I touched his white hand and I knew I could feel something. He lifted his eyes to look at me. I could feel it. Behind those depressed pale yellow eyes, I could feel determination. A determination to prove oneself.

"I'll take him," I announced.

The conversation stopped abruptly and Froakie uttered a croak of confusion.

"What?" Shauna asked, confused.

"I said," I continued to look at Froakie and his eyes widened in wonder. "I'll take him."

I looked at Shauna. "From what I've heard, I take it no one wanted him?"

She nodded and I went on. "Then that means he's going to live a short, unfulfilled life. A life where he should spend it doing what he desires to. Journey, battle, experience having someone who cares enough for him to give him all that and more."

I grabbed his pokeball from where it sat on the table. "Tell Sycamore I'll take him."

Tierno and Trevor's jaws actually dropped, but Shauna looked unsure. "I honestly don't know if you could take him. And we're unable to contact the Professor here."

"Then," I said. "Take me to where we can."

"I," then Shauna looked confused. "Wait, we?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we."

She sighed. "We'd have to travel all the way to Lumiose."

I shrugged. "I'm fine with that. Just how long will it take?"

Shauna perked up. "Actually, not that long. You see, the three of us arrived her via Pidgeot. I'd say we could be back here in the evening at the very latest. That takes in account of a lunch break."

She grabbed three pokeballs from her purse, then looked at Tierno and Trevor. "Sorry guys. One of you is going to need to stay behind."

"That's alright," Trevor said, holding up his camera. "I was hoping to get some good birding done here."

"And I can stay behind as well too," Tierno said. "To keep Trevor here some company. Squirtle and I can practice our dance moves as well."

Serena hesitated, then said. "I'd love to go, but my mom is expecting me back soon."

I nodded. "That's fine. And hey, could you tell, um, my folks where I'll be going and when I'll be back?"

She nodded. "Sure."

She turned back to the two pokeballs and picked the Fire starter. "I'll take Fenniken."

Shauna smiled. "Good choice there. And here."

She took a red object out of her purse and handed it to her. "It's a Pokedex. Whether you use it or not to help the Professor's research, it's still a invaluable item."

She took the container next and handed it to Tierno. "Here. Look after this will you?"

He nodded and Shauna brought out two Pidgeots. "Get on."

I looked back to Froakie, who was still staring at me in amazement. I smiled. "You and I are going to be partners. Trust me."

He smacked the pokeball in my hand and was sucked into it with a flash of red light. Clipping the ball next to Arcanine's, I lifted myself onto Pidgeot's back."

"Let's go Pidgeot," Shauna said. "Back to the Lab."

With a burst of speed, we achieved liftoff. We soared high above Aquacorde Town before zooming Northwestwards. We flew over the vast countryside, passing occasional farms, and followed the river from Aquacorde Town for half an hour minutes. I grinned, feeling the wind rush past my face. Soon, we left the river and headed North. After another twenty or so minutes, Lumiose City came into sight.

Even during the day, Lumiose still looked grand, its tall and shiny towers reaching high. The Lumiose Tower was especially appealing. The city itself was circle shaped, but if you looked down on it from above, it looked more like a pokeball.

We flew over one of the corners and turned around, coming in for a landing at a mansion looking building. It had a lot of windows and a fence surrounding it. On either side of the gate were two Pokeball statues. We landed inside the gate and hopped off.

I was shaky for a moment. I hadn't done something like that since Charizard.

Once I regained my balance, I asked, "This is the lab? Looks more like a mansion."

Shauna nodded. "It is, but Sycamore turned it into a lab, with all the modern tech for studying and researching Pokemon."

I nodded. I guess I was used to tiny shacks being a Professor's lab. We went up to the large doors and Shauna pushed them open. We stepped into a large entrance hall, the carpet soft and blue, huge stairs leading up to a second floor. Several computers and machines I didn't recognize lined some of the walls and doors to separate rooms lay open. Scientists in white lab coats hustled back and forth between rooms, not paying us any mind.

Several Pokemon were out and about, including a couple starters. A Floette floated by and a Simipour walked alongside a scientist, waving their hands as if communicating. I jumped aside to let a Chespin and Litleo run by me and the Fire type chased the Grass starter out the door.

I nodded my approval. "A nice place for Pokemon."

Shauna grinned. "I agree. That's one of the main reasons I work here as an assistant."

She led me up the stairs and into a door on the right. We walked passed a couple scientists before walking into a large room with a desk off to the right. I assumed this was where Professor Sycamore worked.

Shauna tapped her chin. "Now, where could he be?"

She walked off to the left to a lady working at a desk. She looked in her mid-fifties and wore reading glasses on a chain. She was filing some papers, but looked up when we approached.

"Excuse me," Shauna asked. "But where is Professor Sycamore?"

"Out in the field," She said, stacking papers neatly. "He has one of his Holo Casters on hand if you need to contact him right away. Go to the main Holo Caster out in the entrance hall to call him."

Shauna nodded. "Thank you very much."

She went back to the door and I followed. We went back to the main hall where Shauna went up to one of the machines on the left wall. It looked like a bigger version of Trevor's camera and it sat on a short pillar. It was at waist high and Shauna pressed a button on it. The screen on it flickered for a second, projecting upwards in a blue hologram the word, "Connecting..."

After a couple seconds, the image turned into the upper waist of a man. He wore a lab coat over a shirt with an open collar. Some of his hair was pointed behind him to his left in a style I had never seen before. Must be Kalosian.

He smiled. "Hey Shauna. How's everything going?"

She smiled. "Great. I went to Aquacorde Town as instructed and did most of what you asked for."

He frowned. "Most?"

Shauna gestured to me. "This is Zeno. He's the kid who moved into Vaniville Town. He wants Froakie."

"Oh," realization spread over his face and he turned towards me. "Excuse me for not introducing myself earlier. I am Professor Sycamore, a Pokemon Researcher."

I nodded. "Shauna already introduced me, but I'm Zeno."

"So," Sycamore said, folding his hands together, getting straight to business. "Has Shauna told you about the Froakie?"

I nodded and held up his pokeball. "I know he has only two months to live. And that's precisely why I want him. I'm going to journey through the Kalos region, enter into the Kalos League, take down gyms, and compete in the Pokemon League. All with Froakie. I want to give him what no other trainer will."

I let him out and he appeared on the Holo Caster in front of Sycamore. The Water type looked at the Professor, hope evident in his eyes.

I continued, my hand on Froakie's head. "I look into his eyes and I don't see a soon-to-be dead Pokemon. I see a Pokemon willing to prove himself to the world that he can be what no one else thinks he can be. Please, let me have him as my starter Pokemon. I'm begging you."

I gripped the edge of the Holo Caster tightly with my free hand, Shauna looking at me with admiration.

Sycamore looked stern, his arms crossed. Then he burst into a wide smile. "Wonderful!"

He clapped a couple times, startling Froakie and I. "Absolutely wonderful! That's what I've been waiting to hear."

My mouth hung open. "You mean I can have him?"

Sycamore laughed. "Of course! A trainer with your heart will bring out his full potential! I'm sure of it."

Hands on his hips, he nodded at me. "Zeno, go on your journey through Kalos. Give Froakie the full experience of what it means to be a Pokemon."

He leaned forwards. "Might I suggest backtracking to Santalune City? That's where the Pokemon gym for new trainers is. Go there and show Froakie what it's like to battle."

Froakie's eyes had widened and tears had formed. "Froak froak!"

I smiled. "Of course."

"And," Sycamore went on. "When you make it back to Lumiose, I should be back in my lab. So stop by and I can check up on Froakie."

I nodded. "Will do Professor. I assure you, Froakie is in good hands. I'm not some newbie trainer."

Sycamore chuckled. "You sure don't look like one. Now get going! I expect great things from you."

The Holo Caster turned off and Froakie jumped into my arms. "Froak froak froak!"

I laughed and hugged him. "You and I Froakie, we'll beat the gyms and the Pokemon League. Together."

"Froakie!" Froakie cried.

I let him climb onto my shoulder and Shauna smiled. "You two are perfect for each other."

We went outside and I tickled Froakie under the chin. "Let's get our adventure in Kalos started!"

"Froakie!" he cried, pumping a fist into the air along with mine.

I hope this chapter touched all your hearts. If it didn't, you're all monsters. Besides that, Zeno's new journey in Kalos begins here. Instead of just simply trying to live a life as a Pokemon trainer to escape his past, he has a purpose. Now sit back and enjoy. I'm getting these chapters out as fast as I can. Not too fast mind you. I gotta make sure they're presentable. And with that, I'm outta here. Toodles