"The decision was made, and our destinies set. Everything we were about to encounter for the rest of our travels for the next several years had been set in motion and engraved in stone.
It was too late to turn back, thought that was probably for the best. Alyssandra was right, had we gone back it would've been harder to leave.
The morning we started out on our adventure I was still a little homesick, despite my best efforts, but it was what happened that day that kept pushing me forward. The knowing that I would encounter something new and wonderful just like that every day...and it was all because of that one Starly. This Pokémon had changed my life from the moment I met it..."
Sam poked at his eggs then rolled some sausage around in his plate.
He didn't have much of an appetite; he was too preoccupied with his thoughts about what he was about to undertake. Just yesterday he had received his first Pokémon from Professor Rowan-a Piplup-as had both of his friends. Together they had all decided that they would go on their Pokémon adventure together, right from Sandgem Town, and although Sam had agreed, he still had his doubts.
Sam felt bad about leaving his grandmother, but he could always get one of the family to go take care of her if she needed it. Professor Rowan and Jeremy's mother had promised to look out for her while he was gone as well. And yet, Sam still felt regret and a longing to return home.
Perhaps it was just fear; a fear of not being able to achieve what his grandfather had, or to live up to the family's expectation.
From what Sam heard, the Accardi side was known for producing great trainers as well, and Sam's other grandfather was a family legend, even so many years after his passing, people didn't stop comparing Sam to him.
"You okay?" asked Alyssandra. She gently placed a hand on Sam's arm. "You haven't eaten a single thing."
Sam sighed. "I'm just not hungry. I know I have no reason to be, but I feel guilty for leaving so suddenly like this."
"Don't worry, Sam," reassured Jeremy. "Your grandmother seemed proud of you when we called her yesterday, remember? You seem to really be fulfilling her hopes for you by becoming a Pokémon Trainer."
Sam gave a small smile. "I suppose." He knew his grandmother wouldn't want for anything if it really came down to it. The family was rich, and Sam was happy to share his wealth with her if she needed.
Sam then looked over at his friends. He realized that if they were going to be travelling together, and to do that they would need to trust each other. Trusting meant no secrets, meaning they needed to know about Sam's family.
"Can I confide in you guys?" Sam asked apprehensively. There was a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Alyssandra rolled her eyes. "No, we've only been friends for eleven years," she replied sarcastically. "You can't tell us a thing, nope!"
"Please, Sam," said Jeremy. He waved his hand dismissively. "You need to have more faith in us than that. Whatever it is you can tell us. Are you still nervous about leaving?"
"No, not exactly," said Sam.
"Well, then, what is it?" asked Alyssandra. "You can tell us anything."
"Well," started Sam. "You need to promise to not judge me or anything all right?"
"We promise," replied Jeremy and Alyssandra in unison.
"All right, well," started Sam. "My family is rich, and so are my grandmother and I. We own a series of successful Pokémon Ranches throughout all the regions. My grandmother and I receive monthly stipends from the ranch due to our shares in it, and I'm next in line to take over the business."
There was a pause of silence; Sam feared he had just done something regrettable.
Finally, Jeremy replied with a nonchalant. "Is that all?"
"What do you mean?" wondering Sam in bewilderment. "You mean you're not surprised? I mean, I know it doesn't seem like much but—"
Alyssandra smiled. "We already knew about that," she said touching him on the arm again.
"You what?' asked Sam. He was completely shocked.
"There aren't that many Accardis out there," Jeremy said, then laughed. "It wasn't that hard to figure out."
"Why didn't you say anything all this time?" Sam asked. He couldn't tell if he was hurt or impressed.
"We figured you didn't want people treating you different. If you didn't want to tell anyone, we'd respect that," answered Alyssandra. "But now that it's out in the open, you know we're your friends. We'd never do that to you."
Sam smiled. "I'm glad I have friends like you. You guys are great."
Alyssandra and Jeremy smiled, and together replied. "We know!"
"Now, we'd better finish eating," stated Alyssandra. "We're supposed to get on a video call with your parents, Jeremy, and your grandmother, Sam. Also, we're expecting our stuff to be transferred over."
"I almost forgot!" exclaimed Jeremy. He began to shovel food into his mouth at a rapid rate.
"Calm down," said Sam as he ate through his eggs. "You're going to choke. By the way, Lyss, what about your parents? Aren't we going to call them too?"
Alyssandra shook her head. "They're at the Pokémon League spending some time with Valentina before they go on vacation to the Resort Area up in northern Sinnoh. I had the house to myself before we left yesterday. But I made sure I sent them a message by Pidgey and left them a video message at home, so they don't think I've just been kidnapped. They should get the memo in no time."
The group quickly finished their food and ran from the table towards the line of videophones and transfer stations in the entrance hall of the Pokémon Centre.
"Who should we call first?" asked Alyssandra.
"Let's call my house," said Jeremy. "Knowing my mother, your grandmother's been invited over and is already there Sam."
Alyssandra nodded in agreement, and then began to dial the number on the keypad. After several rings, the screen turned on and revealed Jeremy's mother in her kitchen.
"Hello, kids!" She exclaimed happily. "Are you ready to go out on your adventure today?"
Jeremy nodded. "Yes mom. Dad went to work already?"
"Yes. He left an hour ago. He wanted me to wish you the best of luck, though," she replied. "I'll tell him you said hi, dear. So, how are you all feeling?"
Alyssandra replied first. "Well, a little nervous to be honest," she answered. "But I'm sure we'll do fine once we camp out the first night. My sister Valentina told me that's when everything starts to sink in."
"I'm sure she's right, Alyssandra," said Jeremy's mother. "After all, she is the Pokémon Champion of the Sinnoh League."
"Yup!" replied Alyssandra.
Sam and Jeremy could tell there was a tinge of pain and apprehension in her tone. She had always spent her life being compared to Valentina.
Valentina was an incredibly skilled trainer, even from a young age back in trainer school. She was the star student, top of her class, and a leader in the student body.
Things hadn't gotten better since Alyssandra's older sister was had been crowned Champion of the Sinnoh League a few years back. She was seventeen at the time, and even now at nineteen was the youngest trainer to take on the position full time—though not the youngest to earn the title. That particular honour belonged to Sam's grandfather and Professor Rowan.
"And what about you, Sam?" continued Jeremy's mother. "I understand you were having some doubts about leaving your grandmother alone."
"I'm fine now, Mrs. De Oliveira. Thanks for asking," replied Sam. "Actually, speaking of my grandmother, is she there? If so, can I quickly speak to her?"
"You know me very well," Mrs. De Oliveira said with a chuckle. "She's right over here having a coffee; I'll go get her. Just hang on a second."
There was a pause as Jeremy's mother disappeared from the screen, then the screen came to life again as a small, kind woman, with grey hair entered the screen.
As she adjusted her circular framed glasses and smiled at Sam. "Look at you. You look like your grandfather—like a real Pokémon Trainer."
"Grandmother," said Sam. "I am a real Pokémon Trainer."
"I know that, dear," she said. "I just mean that you look like someone who's accomplished so much, even though you're just starting out."
"Well, give it a few months and who knows, I may be the new Champion," joked Sam.
"Oh, I wouldn't doubt it," replied Sam's grandmother. "Your grandfather and Professor Rowan beat the Sinnoh League and defeated the Champion in eight months. They turned down the job though and only took the title; those two always did prefer to travel."
"Yeah, I remember," said Sam nostalgically. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
Sam's grandmother nodded. "Yes, I'll be fine. And I'll be cheering you on every step of the way. I know you'll make me proud."
"I will, I promise," said Sam confidently.
"Now, are you ready to go off on your adventure?" asked Sam's grandmother.
"Almost," answered Jeremy. "We just need the supplies we sent for. Are they getting transferred over?"
Sam's grandmother nodded. "Oh, yes," she answered. "Your brother brought everything over to the Pokémon Centre here in Twinleaf, he should be transferring them as we speak. Also, Sam, I've made sure that the family is aware of your adventure, and they will be sending your share of the monthly profits to the First Bank of Sinnoh. I've opened up an account for you, and placed all of your savings in it, is that all right?"
"That's perfect," he said. "We'll need to finance this somehow."
Alyssandra and Jeremy looked at each other, confused, and attempted to argue back, but Sam raised a hand to silence them.
"Also, I've packed a map and included in some special 'gifts' into all your backpacks, as a present for starting your adventure. I hope you like them all," interjected Jeremy's mother as she returned to the screen.
"What are they?" asked Jeremy.
"I can't tell you that. That'll ruin the surprise," his mother replied with a wide smile. "Now, I need to get to the chores, and you need to get to your adventure, so I will see you all later, all right? Don't forget to call when you reach the next Pokémon Centre!"
"We promise, mom," replied Jeremy.
"Good, sweetheart," she replied. "Good luck all of you! Have fun and be safe!"
"Thank you!" replied Alyssandra and Sam.
"Bye!" added Jeremy's mother and Sam's grandmother in unison. "We love you!"
"Us too!" replied the kids, and with that the screen went black and the conversation ended.
As the phone hung up, there was a small flash of light and a warped sound, and three bags appeared in the capsules that were hooked up to the large transfer machine.
The kids grabbed each of their backpacks. They opened them up and rummaged through them for the gifts that Jeremy's mother had mentioned. What they found were three, equally sized, similarly wrapped boxes with nice, curly bows on them.
They lifted the lid on the boxes; and saw that each of the boxes contained a brand new Pokétch. A red one for Alyssandra, and a blue one for both Jeremy and Sam. The group instantly slid their new Pokétch on and pushed the centre button to turn them on and begin setting them up.
"Oh, cool!" said Alyssandra as she examined the device. "A Pokétch! I've heard about these, but I've never actually seen one. I heard they do anything, and that they come with all sorts of applications. This is so cool! We need to thank your mother the next time we see her."
"Your mother's really nice," added Sam. "This is really kind of her. She didn't have to."
"Speaking of not having to," began Jeremy after setting the time on his Pokétch. "What did you mean by 'finance this'?"
"I meant what it sounded like," Sam answered plainly. He heaved his backpack onto his shoulders. "I'll finance our journeys. Trust me, I make enough in shares to be able to, and since I've spent very little over my life, I have a lot saved up."
"We can't let you," protested Alyssandra. "We don't want you to actually fund our adventures. It's not fair to you."
"I know," smiled Sam, as the group left the Pokémon Centre. "But I want to. It's the least I can do for dragging you all out here, even if you came voluntarily. Besides, not all our meals and lodging are going to be free like they are at a Pokémon Centre. Most new trainers and coordinators don't make enough to support themselves that much at the start. I'm not saying gorge ourselves all the time, but I'm saying that we'll be able to at least not worry about wanting."
"We're not going to be able to change your mind, are we?" asked Alyssandra.
Sam shook his head. "Not at all."
Sam, Jeremy and Alyssandra paused as they approached the entrance to Route 202.
When they viewed the road ahead of them, with their bags on their back and their Pokémon on their new Poké Ball belts, they knew that as soon as they took their first step there would be no turning back.
"This is it," said Jeremy. "This is going to be the first step on our journey."
"And we're going to take it together," said Alyssandra.
Sam laughed. "Of course, we're going to take it together. We're the only ones here."
"That's not what I meant!" exclaimed Alyssandra fervently. "I mean we're going to take hands and take this first step together."
Jeremy and Sam laughed, as if Alyssandra was joking.
When Alyssandra didn't laugh along, Jeremy realized that she was totally serious. "Oh, you can't be serious. How cheesy is that?"
"I mean it, hand in hand." Alyssandra said firmly. "Let's take our first step together."
Sam scratched the back of his neck. "You're not going to let us get out of this are you?"
"Nope," said Alyssandra defiantly.
Jeremy and Sam sighed, and took one of Alyssandra's outstretched hands—albeit rather reluctantly.
"Let's get this over with, all right?" asked Jeremy rhetorically.
Alyssandra took a deep breath. "On the count of three, all right? One. Two. Three!"
Sam, Jeremy and Alyssandra walked forward together, taking their first steps onto Route 202 in unison.
"We did it!" exclaimed Alyssandra with excitement.
Jeremy smiled smugly. "Calm down. We took our first step. It's not like you just beat the Pokémon League or anything."
Alyssandra stuck her tongue out at him, but her attention was quickly redirected towards a small creature at their feet.
"Hey, look," said Alyssandra. "It's a Starly."
Everyone looked down and saw that Alyssandra was right. On the ground at their feet stood a Starly, hopping around happily.
"Wait a second," said Sam inquisitively. "I don't think that's just a Starly, I think that's the Starly from before. The one I rescued at Lake Verity."
"Really?" asked Alyssandra in amazement. "I thought it was still with Professor Rowan?"
"Well, he did say that the Starly would be released soon," explained Jeremy. "But I never thought it would come seek us out like this."
"What do you think it wants?" asked Alyssandra.
The Starly cried out in excitement.
Jeremy studied the Starly carefully and watched as it jumped over to Sam and kept pecking at the empty Poké Balls on his Poké Ball Belt.
"I think it wants to travel with us," stated Jeremy conclusively. "And it wants Sam to be its trainer."
Sam looked down at the Starly. He thought over what Jeremy said until something jolted in his stomach. "Is that true, Starly?"
The Starly nodded and flapped its wings.
"I'll take that as a yes," said Sam. "All right then, well, I guess I just need to catch you then huh? I'm going to throw this Poké Ball at you. It's going to capture you, but don't worry, it won't hurt, it just means that I'll be your trainer officially. Is that okay, Starly?"
The Starly nodded, and flew around in circles around Sam's head, tweeting its name happily.
Sam smiled, and pulled out an empty Poké Ball from his hip. The Starly landed on the ground in front of him and Sam threw the Poké Ball. The Poké Ball hit the Pokémon—who stood there, un-fazed by it—and absorbed it into a red ray of light, sucking it into the Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball bounced when it hit the ground and rocked back and forth a few times. It beeped and whirred as the button in the middle-flashed red with each rock. Finally, the Poké Ball stopped whirring, and with a dull beep, the light in the centre stopped glowing.
The Starly had been caught.
Sam smiled and picked up the Poké Ball. He looked hard at it, as if looking at the Starly through the Poké Ball. "We'll make a great team, Starly. I won't make you regret joining our little family."
"Oh! Family, I like it!" exclaimed Alyssandra.
"You can't be serious," Jeremy groaned in protest. "We're friends, we're good friends, can't we stay that?"
"No!" stated Alyssandra. "We're family; all of us. Our Pokémon, you, me, Sam; everyone! As long as we're travelling, we will be like a family!"
"Why did I agree to this?" asked Jeremy sarcastically.
Alyssandra gave Jeremy a playful shove and stuck her tongue out at him once more.
Sam laughed and stood between his friends, placing his arms around both of their shoulders. "Come on now, family," he stressed. "Let's not fight. Let's get with walking. We're burning daylight with our arguing, so learn to argue and walk or don't argue at all."
When Sam pulled his weight off his friends, the three of them looked at the long path ahead of them and scanned the dirt road of Route 202. It was then that they knew their Pokémon adventure had truly begun.
Just like they had so easily taken their first step, they just as easily took their next steps, and began to walk down the path to their futures.
