Chapter 1

Anna woke up. It always took her ages to get up in the morning, considering her bedhead went everywhere. Elsa would always help her with that… if she was there. She looked around the house, but her sister was nowhere to be seen.

Anna waited. Maybe she went out to get groceries or something. She sat there silently for hours, her head undone, but Elsa didn't come back. She panicked. Elsa had always been there for her, the one constant in the sea of change her life had become ever since their parents' disappearance. No matter what happened, her sister was always there by her side. Elsa would listen to Anna cry about their parents, and she would comfort Anna by confiding her long-time dreams of being a Pokemon Master – which she gave up to take care of Anna all those lonely years ago. Anna never grew tired of it – she'd gasp in awe, and all the grief would be forgotten, if only for a while.

Then again… did Elsa's disappearance have something to do with last night?

Elsa was coming over from the next room, saying, 'Anna, it's time to go to bed! You've got an early birthday tomorrow!'

She walked inside and found Anna dressed up in a classic trainer's outfit, with a cap and Poke Balls and everything.

'Look Elsa! Tomorrow I'm going to be 10 years old! I could be a real Pokemon trainer, and play in the Gym Challenge or something!' She mimicked throwing a Poke Ball out into the air, not noticing the hurt, agonized look on Elsa's face.

'Yeah… I wish I could too…' Elsa muttered under her breath. She looked outside the window and seemed to come to a decision. 'Anna? No matter what happens tomorrow, just remember that I'll always be with you, okay?'

Anna replied, 'Why would you say something like that?' But Elsa didn't respond, and just left the room.

Shaking off her thoughts, Anna looked outside the window in search of a blond-haired, slim figure dressed in a pale-blue jacket, white mini-dress and a cerulean cap. Nothing. With a jolt, she realized she'd have to venture outside if she wanted to have any chance of finding Elsa.

That was a big no-no.

For months after their parents' disappearance, she shut herself in her room, refusing to come out and face the harsh reality, relying on Elsa and occasionally their kind neighbors to bring her food and water. After all, she was just 7 years old at the time. It took herculean efforts from her sister just to coax her out of the place, and even then she adamantly refused to go outside. She couldn't bear being the subject of people's pitiful glances, and having to deal with others saying 'I'm sorry,' or 'You can always call on me for help,' as though they understood the pain of losing not one, but two of the most important people in her life. In fact, she hadn't set foot outside in almost 3 years.

For Elsa… she had to try somehow.

She opened her dust-filled wardrobe, choosing the warmest clothes she had. It was cold in the region of Arendelle year round, so she picked a dark-blue jacket, along with a pair of earmuffs, and for the first time in forever, she walked out the door.

Her plan was to find Professor Spruce. As prominent scientific researchers, her parents were very close to the professor. Before their disappearance, whenever they went on expeditions, they'd tell the two sisters to find Spruce in case of emergencies. She'd set up her lab somewhere in the village, and that's where Anna was headed.

Crocus Town was a small one, where everyone knew each other, so Iduna and Agnarr's reclusive daughters had become something of an urban legend. Everywhere she went, she was met with incredulous gasps and the dropping of jaws. Eventually, she arrived at a huge complex at the center of town, avoiding as many people as she could. There was a colossal glass house where she could see numerous, diverse species of Pokemon frolicking around, so she knew she was at the right place.

Next to it was a small cottage home, posing a stark contrast with the adjacent building. As she reached the door, she saw a notice on the wood that said: Currently doing research in Route 1. Will be back in an hour!

An hour? She couldn't wait another minute! Making up her mind, she reached the only path that led outside town. Seeing the rows and rows of trees, as well as the blades of grass swaying in the wind, it had a certain mystery to it that made her hesitate. It was only the thought of her missing sister that fueled her resolve, and she took a few cautious steps into the long grass.

As she walked, although it was right at noon, she could feel shadows closing in on her, as though the trees had a life of their own. The air was filled with the clutters of birds, the chirps of bugs, and she was startled with every sound. The forest, once open and welcoming, now seemed dark and foreboding. With every step she took, she became more and more uncertain. Am I walking in circles? Every patch of grass she passed through looked the same as the last. Was she lost in the woods, with no one to help her?

All of a sudden, she noticed a rustling in the long grass right next to her. A fearsome red spider with gleaming purple eyes and white mandibles popped out as though conjured by magic. Through her parents' old books, the small part of Anna that wasn't panicking recognized it as an Ariados – venomous, elusive and incredibly dangerous. She was frozen in place, unable to move as it crawled towards her, its feet making a sinister scuttling noise.

All she could do was watch as the Ariados pounced…

And got knocked out by a fireball!

Anna spun towards her unlikely savior, which turned out to be a Vulpix, a fire type six-tailed fox. It ran up to her, licking her feet affectionately. A young woman appeared behind it, who couldn't have been more than 30 years old. She had frizzy red hair arranged in a ponytail, electric blue eyes and she was dressed in a pink tank top and jogging pants. This was a woman who went out a LOT, Anna thought. The woman sprinted over to her, panting heavily.

'What are you doing out here?' she asked in a disapproving tone. 'You shouldn't be wandering around here without a Pokemon, you know! Honestly, it's a miracle you made it this far! You're lucky Vulpix noticed you.' The little fox responded to the sound of its name, leaping back to her side.

Anna stuttered, still shaken from the near-death experience. 'Are… are you Pro-professor Spruce?'

Her head bobbed back and forth. 'That's me. Are you here to deliver the components I ordered? About time! You didn't have to come out here, that's so sweet of you…' Suddenly, the professor's eyes widened with recognition. 'Oh. My. God. You must be Iduna and Agnarr's daughter Anna! Your sister just came to me last night, and now you're out as well? You two are going to be the talk of the to—'

Anna interrupted at the mention of Elsa. Her eyes twinkled with hope and curiosity. 'Wait, Elsa was at your lab last night?'

Spruce replied, 'Yup. You didn't know? Alright… looks like we got a lot to talk about. Follow me!'

They stepped inside her lab, where Spruce gave Anna a cup of tea. 'Seriously, don't do that again, alright? You don't step inside the long grass without a trusty partner by your side!'

'Sorry,' Anna replied sheepishly. Just then, the Vulpix bounded over and jumped onto Anna's lap, nuzzling her contentedly.

Anna giggled and patted Vulpix on the head. 'This one seems to really like me, don't you think?'

Spruce smiled. 'Of course – she originally belonged to your parents, after all.' Seeing the incredulous look on Anna's face, she held up her hands and said, 'Okay, hold up. I've got a lot to explain.

'Your parents have always been good friends of mine. When they left on that voyage, they left me two Vulpix and made me promise to give them to you two when you started your journeys. Personally, I objected to them going, but your parents were very adamant…'

'What were they trying to find?' Anna asked curiously.

'The one thing they didn't tell me,' she said mildly. 'The point is, Elsa always had this dream to be a Pokemon Master. I've been expecting a visit for years now. Suddenly, you two come within a day of each other? This is insane.'

'What did Elsa say to you?' Anna continued her questioning. 'Where did she go?'

'Now that's the real million-dollar question. To make her dreams come true, of course!' Spruce raised her hands excitedly. 'To be the girl she wants to be in this wor –'

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Spruce said, 'I'll go get it,' and stepped outside the room.

Anna was left alone with her own thoughts. Coming to think of it, Elsa always had a wistful look on her face whenever she was talking about her aspirations, as though the mere thought of them brought her pain. To make her dreams come true, Spruce had said. All this time, in those conversations that seemed so long ago, Elsa had been talking about the price she took, the burden she borne, the goals she willingly threw away to take care of her beloved sister – and Anna didn't even notice. How could she have done that? Glistening tears started to form in her eyes. Vulpix stared worriedly at her, purring soothingly.

She shook her head. Regretting the past wouldn't help anyone. The next right thing was all she could do. She was going to set things right between them.

Right at that moment, Spruce came back, with a sleek red device in her hand. 'Well, my components came after all! About time, am I right?'

She noticed Anna staring at her with a determined look, radiating confidence and conviction. 'What happened while I was gone? You seem like a completely different person now,' she joked. Even Vulpix, who was still on Anna's lap, nodded in agreement.

Anna declared, 'I'm going on my own journey to find Elsa! I'll prove to her that I'm not a burden, and we can do this together!' It was quite simple from her perspective. Even though Elsa was the one who deserted her, Anna felt that she herself was in the wrong, and she was committed to making amends. She didn't have a plan yet, but… she could always formulate one later. Right?

Spruce grinned. 'I hoped you'd say that! I've already packed some stuff for you! Outside on the sofa, you'll find a backpack full of supplies.' She rushed to a cupboard, grabbing five red-and-white spheres. 'These are Poke Balls. After you weaken wild Pokemon, throw this at them and the Pokemon should go right in!'

Then she gave Anna the red device. 'This baby here is a Pokedex, a high-tech Pokemon encyclopedia! Finished it with the parts I got just now… Anyway, point this at a Pokemon and it'll tell you all you have to know!' Spruce eyed Vulpix meaningfully. 'As for your starter Pokemon, normally I'd allow you to pick from three, but in this case…'

Anna jumped up and down in excitement. 'Of course I'll take Vulpix! This buddy saved my life!' It nuzzled her affectionately, wagging its six tails.

Spruce nodded, her face taking on a more serious expression. 'Listen. The journey will not be without dangers, and I should know. My specialization – field research, got me into loads of tough spots. But if you stay careful, and love your Pokemon, then you guys can overcome anything, you got me? And remember: beware Team Sin.'

Anna frowned. 'Team Sin? What's that?'

Spruce forced a smile, her eyes filled with… was that fear? 'Forget it. Now go get Elsa, kiddo!'

Minutes later, Anna was facing the entrance to Route 1 yet again. 'Here I come, Elsa,' she whispered. She charged into the forest, her trusty Vulpix running alongside her.