Lacking the money to stay in a motel in Accumula Town, Kaminari and Tsunami set up a small tent in the park and rest there for the night. Despite her heart pounding with excitement for the journey ahead, she immediately slips into a deep slumber with Tsunami resting comfortably on her stomach.

They are woken abruptly at sunrise by the sound of a police whistle. "Hey!" a voice yells in the distance. "You can't camp in the park!"

In an instant, the girl shoots up, causing her Oshawott to tumble off of her torso. She hurriedly stuffs the cluttered mass of cloth and sticks into her bag before returning a started Tsunami to his Poké Ball and bolting through Accumula Town towards the checkpoint in the west. The lights in the buildings that Kaminari is chased past flick on as grumbling residents rise to find the source of all the commotion. The girl giggles gleefully as the elderly people poke their heads out the windows and inform her of the time. Never has she felt so alive.

Finally, she dives into the checkpoint and laughs at the cop, who cannot leave Accumula Town without permission. He brandishes his baton at her and voices a few inaudible words as Kaminari pivots and strides away from the town.

Inside the checkpoint, plenty of trainers stand around, talking with each other or catching up on the latest news at the electric screen. A man in a blue hat sits with his feet up on the counter in the corner of the room, casually sipping his lemonade and reading a Castelia Times newspaper. Kaminari grinds her teeth when she spots an article about Team Plasma, but says nothing to the lazy guard as she passes into Route Two.

Not far along the road, the teenager's X-transceiver begins ringing. She's delighted when the gentle face of her mother pops up on the small screen. "Hey Mom!" she gasps, still breathing heavily from her sprint. "What's up?"

"Did you just make it to Route Two?" her mother asks, observing the scene on her own watch for signs of the road. "Okay," she says when she sees a dead leaf float past the screen. "Stay where you are. I'll see you in a second."

Just as she promised, Kaminari's mother shows up a moment after she hangs up the call, approaching her amazed daughter from behind. "Hi, Sweetie! I forgot to give you these when you left Nuvema." She exclaims, digging through her purse until she yanks out a pair of black boots- identical to the ones her daughter has on. "These are running shoes. I used to wear these when I was your age. Here, try them on!"

Glancing down at her aching feet, Kaminari grumbles "Now I get running shoes?" she pulls the old boots off of her sore feet and replaces them with the cushy ones, shocked by how comfortable they feel. "Wow…"

"Well, I have to run. You know how Bianca's parents get. Her father's probably banging on our door as we speak!" she chuckles. "Just remember that you're never alone, because you always have little Tsunami by your side. And… you know… you can always come home if you need to."

"I promised you that I wouldn't come back until I've reached my goal." The teen replies stubbornly. "A promise is a promise, no matter who I make it to."

Kaminari's mother sighs at her daughter's pride. "All I'm saying is to take care of yourself out in Unova. I'm sure you know that it's no perfect region. People aren't afraid to hurt others or Pokémon, and you are not an exception."

"Then I'll make it a perfect region!" she declares boldly. "Just watch, Mom. By the time I'm done, nobody will be hurt in Unova ever again!"

The mother smiles warmly and hugs her child. "I suppose there's no harm in dreaming." She whispers. "Go out there and get what you want. I know you will, if you put your mind to it." She releases the girl and wipes her eyes. "I'd better hurry. Don't forget to call me on your X-transceiver!"

With that the adult hurries away, not wanting her daughter to see her tears of both joy and sadness.

After catching a Lillipup and a Purrloin, as well as battling a few trainers, Kaminari emerges at the end of Route Two at noon. Just ahead lies the first city she's ever seen, twice the size of Accumula. Its paved streets are carved with elegant patterns, and their buildings have more luxurious interior designs, with soft carpets and plushy sofas. Striaton City.

Her eyes filled with admiration and wonder, the teenager takes her first step off of Route Two and immediately hears a shrill call from behind her. "Nari! Wait up!" Bianca rushes up to her and bends over with her hands on her knees, breathless. "Geez, you travel so fast…"

"You think I go quick? Cheren's already up ahead, probably battling the Gym Leader." Kaminari groans at the thought of getting so far behind her rival. "What do you need?"

Bianca perks right up. "Battle me? Pleeease?" she whines. "My Pokémon and I have become so much stronger!"

Kaminari isn't nearly as enthusiastic as her friend, but she still unleashes Tsunami, who cries fiercely. Bianca excitedly releases her Lillipup from its Poké Ball, overjoyed about having another opportunity to redeem herself. "Use Tackle!" she cheers.

"Tsunami, Tackle him back!" Kaminari orders confidently. The otter and dog collide midair, though ultimately the two go in Lillipup's direction. Although he was still damaged by the attack, the puppy yaps mindlessly at the Oshawott and bounds back to his trainer.

"Good girl!" Bianca praises the dog. "Go for Leer!" With intimidating eyes, the puppy glares at Tsunami, who just rose from the ground.

Kaminari, clenching her fist, commands her partner to attack once more. "You're too strong to let this mutt faze you, Tsunami. Use Water Gun!" With a smirk, the Oshawott unleashes a blast of water that flips the proud Lillipup on her side, knocking her out.

The blonde blanches as she withdraws her fainted Pokémon. "O-okay, this little one's up next…" she stutters, tossing out Tepig's Poké Ball. She smiles and wags her little tail at the sight of her old friend. "Don't you have other Pokémon, Nari?" she asks, puzzled by her opponent's decision to leave her damaged partner in battle. "Why don't you use them?"

Kaminari glances down at the other two Poké Balls in her hand. She couldn't explain it; they just didn't seem like her partners in the way that Tsunami did from the beginning. "Eh, I don't need 'em."

"A-alright…" Bianca stutters. "Tepig, use Ember!" The pig gains a fighter's demeanor and exhales a series of small flames from her nostrils, sending them Tsunami's way. She hops around gleefully at successfully performing the attack until she realizes that it barely hurt her opponent. "Whaat?" her trainer musters, shocked.

Kaminari smirks and points at the quivering fire-type. "Water Gun!"

With all his might, Tsunami attacks Tepig with a forceful shot of water. "Oshawoooott!"

"Teeeeep!" the poor pig wails before keeling over, defeated.

The brunette scratches her smiling partner behind his ear and lifts him to her shoulder. "Water triumphs over fire, Bianca." She informs her bewildered friend. "It's one of the type advantages."

Her friend shakes her head as she returns the fire-type to her Poké Ball. "Type advantages, critical hits, stats, status conditions… this is a lot to handle." Her eyes dart up to her sympathetic friend and she instantly brightens up. "But that was a great battle!" the girl chirps. "You're one tough cookie, Nari! I'm going to keep training so I don't lose anymore. Bye-byeeee!" The teenager hikes back into Route Two, allowing Kaminari to head into Striaton City at last.

After placing Lillipup and Purrloin in the PC and healing Tsunami at the Pokémon Center, Kaminari and her partner take the chance to explore the city. Their noses follow a delicious scent through the city all the way to a large building with giant spoons above the door. World Renowned Striaton Restaurant is carved into the sidewalk right in front of the stone steps. "Shaaa…"Tsunami gawks, his stomach rumbling.

The teenager trots up the steps, but is stopped at the door by an old man in sunglasses. "Hello there, young trainer!" he says. "Are you here for a gym battle? Unfortunately, the Gym Leader is not here at the moment. I'd recommend searching for him at the trainer's school."

"Wait…" Kaminari and Tsunami peek curiously through the window. They see an empty restaurant and a red curtain with the fire symbol on it. "You're telling me this place is also a Pokémon gym?"

"That's right!" the man in the white suit says.

"Well, we just want a bite to eat, so if you could just let us in…" she starts, trying to step around the welcoming man.

"I apologize, but we are closed until the Gym Leader's return."

With a disappointed sigh, Kaminari trudges away, her stomach growling louder than an agitated Purrloin. Her Pokémon and her search for the trainer's school that the man spoke of, but instead their attention is taken by a clearing in the trees to the east of the city. A sign sits on the road that simply reads The Dreamyard. "No harm in going to check it out." Kaminari shrugs and saunters into the new, quiet area.

The area seems to be the ruins of an abandoned factory, with a cracked, cement wall and a small tree blocking off most of the place. A couple of trainers wander around, searching for an opponent. Kaminari shrugs and dives in, defeating them both with ease. She comes across a little girl and expects her to jump on the opportunity for a battle. Instead, she approaches the teen and looks up at her with twinkling eyes. "Excuse me, Miss, but Oshawott is your starter Pokémon, right?" she asks.

Tsunami grins and nods at her proudly. "Sha, wott-wott!"

"Then that means you don't do well against grass-types." Kaminari scowls at the remark while the girl takes out a Poké Ball. "Then, you might want to take this Pansear. He's a fire-type, so he beats grass-type Pokémon."

"I know how type advantages work." Kaminari sneers at the oblivious little kid. "So, what do you want to trade for it. I've got a real nice Patrat that-"

"No trade." The girl shakes her head. "I can't take care of him anymore, and you seem like a caring trainer. What do you say?"

Kaminari stares hesitantly at the gleaming sphere before carefully taking it into her hands. "Thanks, kid." She adds as she walks away, scanning the ball with her Pokédex. "Yep, that's a Pansear." She says to herself, glancing over the picture of a fire monkey. She reaches his stats screen. "Oh… you're a timid fellow. Hey, at least you're cautious, right?" She puts the ball and the machine in her bag as she jogs away. "Alright, Tsunami, let's find that trainer's school."

After wandering through Striaton City for what seemed like an eternity, the famished teen and her starving partner finally find a building with desks and bookshelves behind the windows. They rush inside and shout "Hey! Who's the Gym Leader?" Every child looks up from their book to treat the new trainer with a judgmental glance before returning their attention to their reading.

Kaminari spots Cheren at the back of the room, ignoring her while he writes out a strategic formula for victory on the chalkboard. She charges through the neatly placed desks like a bull through a china shop, causing her friend to rolls his eyes and continue acting like he doesn't know her. The girl staggers up beside him and watches him write meaningless numbers on the board. "What're you doing, Four-eyes?" she whispers.

"I'm calculating a formula I can use to win by giving items to my Pokémon." He replies with a snort.

"That's lame." Kaminari spouts. "I'm looking for the Gym Leader. Did you beat him yet?"

Cheren's cheeks turn bright red at her question and he becomes flustered. "No. And he's not here- he left for the gym a while ago. Go annoy someone else."

With a smirk, the girl grabs her friend and rubs her fist in his hair. "Aw, there's no need to get upset." Tsunami laughs and joins his trainer, tackling the indignant Snivy at Cheren's feet and giving him a noogie with his furry paw. Kaminari nods to the formula on the board. "I'll help you test out that little theory of yours with a battle."

The boy brightens up at her comment. "Really? Alright, let's get to it." He and his friend both call their partners back into their Poké Balls. "Okay, go!" Cheren commands, both of them flinging out a ball and unleashing a one of their partners. Snivy pops right back out of the boy's ball while a red monkey is released from Kaminari's ball of choice. "What? No fair!"

The brunette shrugs. "C'mon, there's no way I could know that you would start with Snivy, no matter how predictable it was." She smiles at her Pansear for the first time. "I know you too well, Cheren. Meet Zest, my new fire-type."

Zest looks up at his new trainer with humble eyes. "Seeeear!" he gushes, enjoying the sound of his nickname. His tail nervously swishes from side to side in response to the arrogant glare of the Snivy. "P-Pansear…"

"Don't let 'em get to you, Zest." Kaminari comforts her timid partner. "Use Incinerate!" Zest focuses closely on the intimidating Snivy, causing three small pillars of flame to surround his opponent. "Paaaan!" he screeches.

Snivy cries out in agony, but still stands. "We can still pull this off, Snivy." Cheren maintains. "Just eat your… Are you serious, Nari?" The teenager's agitation grows when he realizes that the oran berry he gave to his partner has been burnt to a crisp. The grass-type throws the fruit like a toddler having a fit, but Zest jumps up and swallows the berry whole.

"Oh yeah, you like roasted berries, right?" Kaminari recalls something the Pokédex said about Pansear. Zest turns back and nods, blushing. "Sweet, I'll keep that in mind."

"Enough!" Cheren shouts. "It's my turn. Snivy, use Vine Whip!" Green vines appear from the creature's back, which he uses to strike his opponent repeatedly. "Sni- vy, vy, vy!" he cries as Zest winces with each whip. The vines retract into Snivy's back, but Zest is not harmed greatly.

"Darn it." Cheren mutters. "I forgot about that."

"Alright, Zest, Incinerate him!" The Pansear raises the three pillars of fire around the other creature, knocking him out. "Nice job!" Kaminari thrusts her palm out for a high-five, but the Pansear flinches, anticipating an attack.

"Let me guess." Cheren says, putting Snivy back in his ball. "Now you're going to send out your Oshawott, right?"

"No. Why would I?" Both Zest and Cheren eye the girl in shock. "He can handle another Pokémon, right buddy?" Zest whines and shakes his head. "Don't be so humble, of course you can!"

"Whatever you say." Cheren responds, sending out his Purrloin. "Use Growl!" he commands immediately. The cat performs a sweet, endearing growl that earns him the pity of Zest. "Loin, Purr-loin."

"Not this again." Kaminari groans. "Zest, go for Incinerate!" Once more, the monkey attacks with fire, though this time it does very little.

Cheren doesn't hesitate for an instant. "Purrloin, attack him with Assist!" Snivy's Poké Ball shakes in the teen's hand and a blue beam of energy shoots from the sphere to the cat. Purrloin leaps in the air and lands on Zest, tackling him. Proud, Cheren's partner trots away from the monkey, who just suffered from a critical hit.

"I thought Purrloin couldn't learn Tackle!" Kaminari pouts, withdrawing her poor partner.

"He can use Giga Impact if he wants with Assist as long as one of my party members knows it." Cheren grins deviously. "What now? Are you going to send out that measly little rat of yours?"

"You wish I was sending out Patrat!" she cries. "Get out here, Tsunami!" Kaminari whirls out the Oshawott's Poké Ball, causing the brave otter to pop out with a vengeful battle cry.

"Who says I was talking about your Patrat?" Cheren smirks at the stunned Oshawott. "Aw, what? You're sad because your Pokémon was knocked out for the first time? Get used to that for now on, Nari." The boy turns his attention to his own partner. "Scratch him."

"Use Tail Whip, Tsunami!" Kaminari musters, glaring at the cat. Purrloin runs up to the otter and scratches him with his claw. Unfazed, Tsunami whirls around and wags his tail around cutely before staring at Purrloin with large, sparkling eyes.

"Hmph." Cheren exclaims. "Never thought I'd see you use a status move. Whatever. Assist!" Another blue beam shoots to Purrloin, allowing him to use Vine Whip on the otter with a grassy tail.

Tsunami grits his teeth and grunts but doesn't fall. Kaminari growls at her rival's luck. "Tackle him. Now!"

Glad to oblige, Tsunami jumps up and belly-flops on the cat, defeating him. He stands victorious over his opponent, staring down at him smugly. "Wott."

"Hah!" Kaminari shoves her finger in Cheren's face. "My measly little rat just pummeled your kitty. How does that feel, Four-eyes?"

"Do you do this when you battle Bianca?" The boy mutters, slapping a few Pokémon Dollar in Kaminari's open palm. "Here, you should try using items with your partners, too. It might help you win against the Gym Leader." He drops three oran berries into her hand.

"Thanks, Cheren." His friend responds genuinely, calming down. "Really, that was a fun battle." With that, she sprints out the door and down the street toward the Pokémon Center.

Author's Note: Hey, readers! I just wanted to say that I'm grateful for all of your support. Also, I have a couple of polls that I would like you all to vote on, however, I'm only able to place one of them on my profile at a time. I'm pretty new to FanFiction, so I'd appreciate it if you guys voted on the polls or informed me on how to make both of them visible to all of the readers. Thank you!