Disclaimer: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures, and Satoshi Tajiri.

Chapter One: The Start of a Journey

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Spring

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Through the rising dawn, there lies a little town of Nuvema, home of the renowned expert in Pokémon:

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Professor Juniper

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She walks out of the Pokémon lab with a blue gift box in her hand, as she inhales the fresh morning air. She's very enthusiastic to give them their first Pokémon, their partners.

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I believe they're ready. They'll love these.

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With that in mind, she takes a path towards three small houses, specifically one house in the middle. Within that house lies a girl, humble in her little home, unaware that she is destined for greatness.

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As the chapter of her journey begins...

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Beep!

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Beep!

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Beep!

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A brunette girl groans in frustration at the sound of her alarm setting off. She covers herself as she reaches to shut up her alarm.

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Beep!

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Beep!

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Click!

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She takes a peek at her clock and sees that it's seven in the morning. No longer wanting to go back to sleep, she throws off her blankets and stretches out as she yawns.

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There lies Hilda, a girl of great potential, who may be stubborn but is determined to rise to the challenge. After her fifteenth birthday, she is very excited to hear from the Professor that she's ready to have her very own Pokémon. Her eyes widen to realize...

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Today's the day!

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Feeling energetic, she quickly jumps out of bed and grabs her clothes to start changing. She sports a black vest with pockets on each side, a thin white tank top underneath it, and ripped denim shorts with white flaps at the end.

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As she sets her hair in a high ponytail, she hears footsteps from the stairs, revealing her mom with a blue present box wrapped in green ribbon.

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"Good morning Sweeties!" She says with a smile.

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"Hey, Mom." She smiled as she finished tying her hair up. She turns to see her mom but is also shocked to see the present in her hand.

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"Is that...?"

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"Oh yes. The Professor dropped by to give you these, one for you and your friends." She placed the present at a table by her daughter's bed.

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"By the way, are they coming over today? I can't start without them."

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"They should arrive any moment now..."

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Ding-Dong!

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They hear the doorbell ring, and they check to window to see a boy with black hair & glasses in front of the door. Looks like one of them is here already.

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"Speaking of which, here's one of them now. I'll go greet them in. Now make sure you get everything ready, Hilda." She heads downstairs to answer the door.

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"Okay, mom!"

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Hilda quickly grabs her pink & white Poké Cap from her desk and puts it on while she glances at the box in front of her, grinning. This is it. After years of waiting, they're finally going to travel across the world with their partner Pokémon.

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Oh, I can't wait! Where are they now?

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"Hilda!"

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She turns to see Cheren coming up to her and the box. He seems neutral about it but is secretly excited for their starter.

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"Hey, Cheren." She greeted.

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"I heard from Professor Juniper. We can have a Pokémon?" He asked.

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"Yep!"

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They continue chatting as they wait for their flighty friend to show up. However, it has been ten minutes and there's been no word from her.

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"..."

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"What's keeping Bianca?" He asked, impatiently.

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Ding-Dong!

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They hear the doorbell and the sound of shuffling from downstairs. Before they could question it, a girl with blond hair underneath her green beret came up the stair, panting in exhaustion.

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"Bianca!" Hilda greeted.

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"Am I a little late again? So-oooo-orry!" She apologized, feeling a little embarrassed for keeping them waiting.

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"Bianca..." He sighed.

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"I've known for ten years that you have no sense of time, but seriously... Today's the day we get a Pokémon from Professor Juniper!"

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"Give her a break Cheren! She couldn't help it." Hilda defended.

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"Well, yeah but..."

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"I know. Sorry, Hilda. Sorry, Cheren." She bowed to both of them.

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"It's okay. So long as you're here, there's no harm done." She reassured.

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Brightened by her reassurance, Bianca smiled and joined them.

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"So, where are the Pokémon?"

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"They're right there..."

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The three turned to the neatly wrapped present, unscathed and ready to be opened in all of its glory.

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"They were delivered to your house, so you get first pick." Bianca said.

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"Naturally." Cheren pointed out. They walked closer to the table.

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"The Pokémon are waiting for use inside that gift box. OK, Hilda, you go first and take a peek at the gift box. I want to meet the Pokémon right now!"

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"Alright, Alright."

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She shifts closer to the box and reads a gift card attached to the blue box:

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Dear Hilda,

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Consider this your late-birthday present.

I've brought three Pokémon, one for you and one for each of your friends. Please settle your choices politely.

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Happy Birthday! Enjoy your Pokémon!

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- Professor Juniper

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"Thanks, Professor." She thanked her quietly.

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Without further delay, she unveils the green ribbon and proceeds to open the box, revealing three shiny red Poké Ball, each one with a sticker labeling their type:

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Grass, Fire, & Water.

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From what she read in the Pokémon Guidebook at school, these are the traditional starter Pokémon for Unova:

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Snivy, Tepig, & Oshawott.

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So, which one was she gonna choose?

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They're all so cute, so this is a tough one.

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As she ponders into it, her eyes drift to the right Poké Ball, where Oshawott is. She's not sure why but her instincts tell her to pick the water Pokémon. It just seems right to her. With this in mind, she firmly grasps its Poké Ball.

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"I choose Oshawott!" She declared.

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"OK, I'll take this Pokémon! Cheren, that one's yours!" Bianca declares as she grabs the Poké Ball containing Tepig, the fire Pokémon.

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"Hey, how come you get to pick out my Pokémon?" He countered.

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"Too late!" She giggled.

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"Oh, never mind. I wanted Snivy from the start, anyway." He grabs the ball containing Snivy, the grass Pokémon.

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"Come on out Oshawott!" She throws the Poké Ball into the air, releasing the sea otter.

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The blue otter opens his eyes and sees Hilda in front of him. He curiously glanced at her, as he does not know where he is or who she is.

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"Osha...? (Hello...?)"

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"Hi, Oshawott. My name's Hilda. Would you like to be my partner?" She asked gently.

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Oshawott looks at her for a while, unsure if he could trust her. But her smile is gentle and she sounds nice, like a friend you can count on. The sea otter smiled back at her.

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"Oshawott! Wott! (I like you! I accept!)" He cheerfully nods his head towards her, indicating that he likes to be her partner.

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Hilda smiles at his answer and hugs him a little, the latter hugging her back. She and Oshawott are going to be a great team.

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As she holds him to her arm, she looks back to see her two friends interact with their Pokémon: Bianca praising the fire pig for its cuteness & Cheren shaking hands with the grass snake. She can't believe that they all got their very own Pokémon. It's amazing!

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Bianca clap her hands as she turned to everyone.

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"Everyone has chosen a Pokémon! ...So that's that! Hey, I know!" She stated.

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She turns towards Hilda and her Oshawott.

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"Hilda! Let's have a Pokémon battle!" She declared, determined and ready to go.

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"What?" Shocked, she replied. In my room?

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"Honestly, Bianca... Even though they're still weak Pokémon, you shouldn't have Pokémon battles inside a house." He advised, not amused at her idea to battle inside someone's room.

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"Osha! (I'm not weak!)" He glared at the boy with the glasses.

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"Don't be a worrywart! These little ones are weak like you said. We have to let them battle so they'll get stronger." She explained. The sea otter didn't like being called weak.

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"I don't know Bianca..." Hilda pondered. Should she accept or...

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"Oshawott! (Hilda!)"

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"Hmm?" She looks at her arms to see Oshawott jumping out of her arm and taking a strong stance in front of Tepig, pumping up to the battle.

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"Osha! Oshawott! (Let me battle them, Hilda!)" He pointed to them, showing her that he wants to battle.

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Even though she couldn't understand what he was saying, she could see the fire in his eyes, the fire of a warrior who will take on any challenge. She couldn't turn down something like that.

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"Alright... Bianca, I accept your challenge!" She grinned.

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"It's settled, Hilda! Get ready for a Pokémon battle!"

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[Battle Start!]

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[Hilda VS Bianca]

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"Tepig, Use Tackle!" She commanded.

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Tepig charged at Oshawott and slams its head at its side. The otter collided near the bookshelf, knocking some books down.

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"Oshawott, counter it back with tackle!"

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The otter got back up and charged at the pig. It slammed it back to the bed.

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"Ahh! I won't let you get away with that! Tepig, tackle back!"

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The pig shakes away the shock and runs back to the otter, leaving a trail of muddy paw prints behind. The two Pokémon keep tackling back and forth, neither side giving up as far as the two trainers know. All the while, Cheren observes the battle beforehand, noting its speed and endurance. By his side, the Snivy acknowledges their strengths & weaknesses.

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The battle now leads to the two Pokémon, tired from the hits it took but neither one of them is choosing to back down just yet.

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At this rate, the battle could go on. I'm gonna have to change things up to win. She determined.

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"Oshawott, use Tail Whip!"

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The otter nods and awkwardly wags its tail in front of the pig, confusing it a bit. Bianca and Cheren stared gawkily at the weird gestures. The pig's guard seems to be down.

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"Now's your chance! Tackle!"

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Oshawott charged at the distracted pig at full power and throws it back, shocking the Pokémon out of its confusion.

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"Oh no! Tepig, get up!"

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The pig struggles to stand on its hind legs after its last hit.

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This is it.

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"Finish it off with Tackle!"

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The sea otter puts all of his strength to deliver one final blow to the pig. Tepig is thrown back and hit the wall beside Bianca.

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"Tepig, no!"

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The pig collapsed on the floor with swirls in its eyes, indicating that it can fight no longer.

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[Battle Finish!]

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[Winner: Hilda]

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"Alright, Oshawott! You're the best!" Hilda cheered, celebrating their first victory together.

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"Oshawott! (Yeah!)" The otter taps its shell on its tummy with pride.

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Bianca picks up the battered Tepig in her arms.

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"Tepig, are you okay?"

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The pig lifted his head to look at her and tickled her face with its snout, reassuring her that it was alright. Bianca smiled at this and turned back to Hilda.

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"Wow... Hilda, you're gonna be an awesome Trainer someday, I can tell!" She smiled.

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"Thanks, Bianca!" She smiled as well.

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"No doubt!"

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However, the celebration didn't last long, for Cheren stopped to realize the mess around the room.

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"Uh... Bianca, would you take a look around?"

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Hilda's smile fades from her face as she looks petrified by her room. Bianca looks around and saw the entire mess as if a tornado has hit this room.

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"Wh-whoa! What happened?!" Bianca gasped, surprised about the sheer strength of their battle.

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The TV has tilted a bit, books were scattered on the floor, tables were turned and pawprints of their partners are plastered onto the floors and walls. Oh boy! Her mom is going to kill her!

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"Wow! Pokémon are amaaaaazing! So little, but so strong! I'm so glad that I get to have a Pokémon!" She chirped in eagerness. However, her smile fades when she sees her friend, horrified at the mess around her.

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"...Oh. Um, sorry about your room, Hilda." She shyly apologized.

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Hilda did not say anything to her, as she was still petrified of the damage around her room while Oshawott looked concerned about his new partner. Cheren facepalmed at Bianca's cluelessness.

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"You... are completely hopeless."

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[!]

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"Hey, Cheren! How about you battle, too?"

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Hilda turned to Bianca, and snapped out of her shock, as she was confused about what she was suggesting now.

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"With all you know, I'm sure you can battle without turning the room into a disaster area like I did!"

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I guess she's not wrong. Hilda thought.

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"I believe you're right! It'll be no problem for me to keep the room from getting any messier. Besides, it's not fair if you two are the only ones who get to have fun battling."

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"Hilda, what do you think?" Bianca asked.

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She realized, only now, that her room could not possibly get any messier than it already is, as Cheren is usually more careful about his directions. She looks at her partner.

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"You up for it?"

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Oshawott nods, for he still has enough energy to battle once more. He takes his stance in front of Snivy now, who is glancing at him with his focused eyes.

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"It's decided. You'll be my opponent... in our first Pokémon battle!" He confirmed.

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"Bring it on Cheren!"

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"Let's see what you can do, Snivy!"

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[Battle Start!]

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[Hilda VS Cheren]

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"Snivy, Tackle!"

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Snivy swiftly charged at the otter and slammed it. Oshawott fell next to the tilted TV, contemplating its speed. Hilda was shocked that Snivy took down her Pokémon so fast.

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"Snivy? Sni? (What's the matter? Too slow?)" The Snivy mocked.

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"I've finally become a Trainer... Everything starts from here!"

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Oh geez. His Pokémon's speed is too much.

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"Oshawott, catch up with Snivy and Tack-"

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"Use Leer!" He commanded.

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The snake glared at the otter with vicious snake-like eyes, sending shivers down his spine. He cannot help but let his guard down.

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"Tackle!"

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Snivy charged at the otter.

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"Dodge it!"

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But Oshawott dodged the attack too late, for its tail has contacted his body and he was thrown down.

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"Oh no!" Hilda feared.

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"Deliver the finishing blow, Snivy!"

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The snake charged at its full power and slammed its head at the struggling otter. Oshawott slid down at the wall and fainted on Hilda's ruffled bed.

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"Oshawott!"

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"Osshaa... (Uuuugh...)" He drawled out, defeated with swirls in his eyes.

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[Battle Finish!]

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[Winner: Cheren]

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"This feeling I have... I'm finally a Trainer." He muttered, exhilarated by the adrenaline of their battle.

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I guess I can't always win. She poses a sad smile at her loss.

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"On top of that, we'd better go apologize to your mother about this room." He remembered, making his way downstairs with Snivy resting on one of his shoulders.

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"Oh! I'd better come too!" She ran with him while carrying her resting Tepig.

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"You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up." Hilda insisted.

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After they left, she spots her Oshawott in the corner, agonizing over his loss to another Pokémon much stronger than him (in terms of type advantages).

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"Oshawott. Don't feel bad about it. There's always next time." She reassured him.

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"Osha. Oshawott. Oshawott wott. (But I don't like to lose.)" He stubbornly pointed out to his new rival Snivy.

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Although Hilda couldn't understand what he was saying, she can see that her partner is frustrated with himself for losing. For some reason, he reminds her of a close friend that she knew...

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"To tell you the truth, I'm new to battling, so I know that we can't win. But I promise you that together, we can be the best there is." She declared, striving with resolve to become a great Pokémon Trainer.

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Oshawott, a little bit encouraged by this, jumps up to her and cheers in joy for his Trainer, also striving to be a great partner. They both laughed in the company of each other, as they promised each other that they'll both become stronger on their journey together.

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Hilda's team:

[1.]

Name: Oshawott

Type: Water

Brave Nature, "Somewhat stubborn"