Professor Birch had just returned from a busy afternoon observing a flock of Swellow and was getting ready for dinner when he was interrupted by a knock at his front door.

"Yes? Can I…?" His gaze fell upon a dark-haired boy in a baseball cap who was accompanied by a Bulbasaur.

"Hi, Professor Birch. Do you remember me?"

Professor Birch smiled in recognition. "It's nice to see you again, Ash. I wasn't sure you were going to return to Hoenn, given the circumstances."

"Actually, I'm still not certain that I want to participate in the Hoenn League," Ash said doubtfully. "I'm not even sure now that I want to continue training."

"Ash, I'm sorry about what happened to your Pikachu," Professor Birch said, leading the boy into his office. "I just wish I could've done more to help you. I've told Officer Jenny to keep a lookout for the creeps that did this. Matter of fact, I wish I could have five minutes alone with them." Professor Birch clenched one of his huge fists.

"It's okay, Professor Birch. I took care of it. And besides, revenge is wrong. It doesn't make anything better. Matter of fact, all it does is makes things worse."

Professor Birch unclenched his fist and smiled at having been taught a lesson in wisdom by a boy less than half his age. "You're right, Ash. You're absolutely right." The professor then noticed Ash's badly bruised nose. "If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your nose? Did you have an accident on the way over?"

"Oh, that." Ash wasn't particularly keen on sharing the fact that he had nearly killed Meowth on the way over to Littleroot. "It's okay, Professor Birch. Don't worry about it."

"I don't know about that, Ash. It looks like it might be broken." Professor Birch tilted Ash's chin up so he could examine the boy's injury.

"No, really, Professor Birch. I'm fine." Ash was already feeling guilty about what he had done to Meowth. He didn't think he deserved any sympathy for the consequences of his actions. "It doesn't hurt that much, honest."

"Still…I think you need an ice pack on that. It looks pretty swollen. Come back with me to the treatment room, and we'll fix you up. Besides, I'd like to show you something."

Ash reluctantly followed Professor Birch down the hall to the treatment room where he gave the boy an ice pack. "There. That should help the swelling go down. Make yourself comfortable, and I'll be back in a minute." Professor Birch returned a minute late with a Poké ball and handed it to Ash.

Ash studied the red and white ball curiously. "What is it, Professor?"

"Open it and find out."

"Okay. Poké ball, go!" Ash threw the ball and a green, lizard-like Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. "Oh, it's a…that grass-type Pokémon I saw the last time I was here. Treekip or Gecko or…"

"Treecko," Professor Birch corrected him. "But this isn't just any Treecko, Ash."

"Huh? What do you mean, Professor Birch?"

"Ash, this Treecko belonged to someone very special." Professor Birch's smile faded. "Treecko belonged to my niece, Lindsey. She was a Pokémon trainer just like you, Ash. Matter of fact, she was just about your age." Professor Birch opened his wallet and handed the boy a picture of a pretty girl with straight, dark hair the same color as Ash's.

Then it struck Ash. "Wait a minute…was my age?"

"Lindsey was killed a few months ago in a car accident," Professor Birch said sadly, studying his niece's picture. "And Treecko, like me, is still grieving for her. And that's why I think you should have Treecko."

"Me? Why me?"

"Ash, Treecko needs a trainer who understands what it's like to lose someone you love – someone who's sympathetic to its grief. And I can't think of anyone who is better suited for the job than you, Ash. You and Treecko need each other."

"I…Professor Birch, I don't know…" Ash said doubtfully, recalling his actions toward Meowth and Bulbasaur. The boy was uncertain if he could ever trust himself around another Pokémon again.

"Ash, Lindsey and Treecko were in the middle of training for the Hoenn League Championship when the accident happened. They could've won it all if Lindsey hadn't died."

"Wow. You and Lindsey must've been an awesome team, Treecko," Ash said admiringly, giving the Pokémon's head a light pat.

"They were, Ash. Kind of like how you and Pikachu were. Professor Oak told me about all the competitions you and Pikachu have been in. Placing in the top sixteen in the Indigo League – an impressive accomplishment for a first-year trainer, the Orange League Cup, the Whirl Cup quarterfinals, the Johto League semifinals…you're obviously a very talented Pokémon trainer. One who could make it to the Hoenn League Championship."

Ash was ready to tell Professor Birch that he wasn't planning on continuing his Pokémon training after everything that happened earlier. But as the boy's gaze met Treecko's, the words stuck in his throat. Deep down in his heart, Ash couldn't abandon a Pokémon that had lost its trainer. And despite everything that had happened, Ash still wanted to be a Pokémon Master more than anything else in the world.

"Whaddya think, Treecko?" Ash said, kneeling down next to the Pokémon. "Would you like to come with me and Bulbasaur?"

The Pokémon looked up doubtfully at Ash. "Treecko."

"Don't worry, Treecko," Ash reassured the Pokémon, stroking its scaly head. "I promise that I'll take good care of you. And I swear that I'll never hurt you or another Pokémon ever again as long as I live."

"I know you'll do my niece proud," Professor Birch smiled. "Being the Hoenn League Champion was Lindsey's dream."

"Don't you worry, Professor Birch. We'll win the Hoenn League Championship," Ash said confidently. "And we'll do it for Lindsey. Right, Treecko?"

The Pokémon smiled and nodded. "Treecko."

"Come on, Treecko. We'd better get going." Ash gathered up his backpack.

"Leaving so soon?" Professor Birch said, following Ash down the hallway to the door. "I was in the middle of making my world-famous spaghetti. You're welcome to stay for dinner if you'd like."

"Sorry, Professor. Treecko and I have got to get on our way to Petalburg Gym and our first Hoenn League badge. Right, Treecko?" Ash smiled at his new Pokémon, who smiled confidently back.

"Good luck to you, Ash," Professor Birch said, shaking the boy's hand.

"Don't worry, Professor Birch. With Treecko and Bulbasaur by my side, there's no way we can lose." Ash reached inside his pocket and lightly touched the plastic bag containing the lock of Pikachu's fur. "Because we're gonna win this one for both Lindsey and Pikachu. Right, Bulbasaur?"

"Bulbasaur!" the Pokémon agreed.

And the three headed off down the path for Petalburg Gym.

To be continued…