Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Obviously.

Quick note: I really do thank everyone thats even opened this link to view the story. Means a lot. I may not say much, but that's because I don't really know what to say. It doesn't matter if you have an account or not; any review is an amazing review. In fact, most of my reviewers don't have an account. So thanks.

"And then I got a call from Professor Elm, saying you were malnourished and hurt! I started freaking out because I'd left without even knowing, and you're like, my best friend... and I felt so horrible!"

"Lyra, Lyra, calm down! It's okay! I promise, I'm fine now, and it's all okay." The bad thing about getting hurt, is having to reassure everyone that cared about you. And usually, a freaking out girl was the worst to try to reassure.

"A-are you sure?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. It was so emotional and fragile, it almost surprised me I was talking to Lyra. She was always the strong one emotionally, never sad or upset. She never had anything to be sad about. So hearing her so upset... it was stunning and a completely new thing for me.

Chikorita and Cyndaquil had both ceased eating to witness the scene unfolding before them. They were both eating some poke'food, and seemingly enjoying it- up until Lyra began crying. From there, I had to move to her side of the booth, and try and comfort her. The good thing was I finally managed to calm her down, and now, she was only hiccuping.

"Positive. I'm glad you went ahead. I would've felt awful if you'd been forced to stay behind just because of me." I spoke in a soft, tender voice. My eyes were looking directly into her own, and I was positive they were calming her.

"Oh Kyle..." She whispered, sighing. I smiled. I knew what she was thinking. 'How could I possibly be that forgiving?'

"Don't 'oh Kyle' me missy! Now eat your food." I said with a smirk and she wrinkled her nose, but obeyed. I nodded in success as she began to eat her pancakes.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nurse Joy smirk at us. Probably the closeness, plus how we acted around each other, mixed with a few other factors ended up leading her to a result I could only imagine. I was tempted to go over and try to explain our situation; but I kind of liked being so close to Lyra, and getting up would ruin the moment.

Then, to add to my embarrassment, I saw Cyndaquil shoot me what looked like his own smirk. I was about ready to get into a full brawl. Everyone seemed to be against me; even my own Pokemon...

"Hey! Kyle! Have you seen Ly-" To make matters as worse as they could possibly get, Helgi came rushing through the automatic doors and into the Food Court area, and saw me and Lyra basically sitting on top of each other.

"Sorry... I'll, um, be going..." He said, his face turning about as red as my own. Lyra however, didn't even notice. In fact, she was so absorbed in downing those pancakes, I don't think she noticed anything. He turned, and exited the Pokemon Center as fast as he'd entered, barely containing his laughter.

"Helgi! I swear to Arceus you say anything I will personally beat your as-"

"Kyle?" I stopped mid-sentence.

"Yes?"

"Why are you yelling at Helgi? When he's not even here?" I sighed at my own misfortunes. Turning to face Lyra, I fumbled about for a reason.

"Um, don't worry about it..." I finally ended with. She shrugged, and went back to eating. I wished I could just curl back up in bed and end this day. But I knew that wasn't an option. After eating, Cyndaquil and I were supposed to go to the Poke' Mart so we could gather some supplies, bid a farewell to Mr. Vin, and be on our way. There was no point in remaining in Cherrygrove- there were no badges to be won, or any real reason to remain. We could train, but the only pokemon were back on Route 29, and that wouldn't exactly make us stronger.

I peered down at my partner who was fraternizing with Chikorita. The female leaf pokemon was giggling ever so frequently, obviously entertained by the usually timid fire-type. I saw Cyndaquil give me a quick glance, where I repaid him from earlier. Shooting him a smirk, I saw the tan fur bristle under my smirk.

So who would've guessed it? I liked Lyra and Cyndaquil liked Chikorita...

What're the odds?

"The total comes out to be 210 dollars please." Raising an eyebrow, I slung the backpack from my shoulder, onto the table to try and get the money from it. I kept my badge case and Trainer Card in my back pocket, but my money was kept in my backpack due to the large amounts. I started off with 500 dollars, and since I had yet to win a battle, I was only losing.

"Quite the amount of stuff." The cashier said as I gathered the money.

"I gotta get to Violet City, and I'd rather not have to shop again there." I said simply, finally having the appropriate amount. I handed it to him, and the clink of the register called to me. I'd need to seriously start winning battles if I wanted to have any hope in being a successful trainer. Cyndaquil was currently with Lyra and Chikorita back at the Pokemon Center.

Cyndaquil.

He was such a determined Pokemon, but so young too. So young in fact, he was at a severe disadvantage compared to other Pokemon. Already it was evident; not being able to ignite his own fire. And until he could, he wouldn't win any fights.

"Sir? Um, sir?" The cashier hesitantly poked me, causing me to blink rapidly and snap my attention back to him.

"Sorry... it's been a long day..." I said, not even realizing the time was only 1:03. The day was still quite young.

"New trainers, old trainers; your days are always going to be long." The cashier replied kindly, and displayed the stuff I'd bought. 3 Potions, 3 Paralyze Heals, Antidotes, Awakenings, and even 5 Pokeballs. That brought my total up to 10; but I knew that at times they would be needed if I were to come across a super rare Pokemon.

"Guess so... thank you, have a nice day." I said lamely, quickly stowing the items away. The cashier smiled, and went on to help serve the next customer in the store. Leaving me forgotten.

I walked outside, and averted my eyes from the strong mid-day sun. It shone bright, and came down in powerful rays sure to blind you if you looked straight on. It was this kind of weather that trainers would use to strengthen their fire-Pokemon due to the increase in heat and decrease in condensation; perfect for a fire attack.

I was tempted to go the Pokemon Center and pick up Cyndaquil for some training, but ended up walking over to the small beach. The waves were softly washing against the sand, leaving a division between the wet sand and dry land. A few old Shellder shells were scattered amongst the water and sand, drawing my attention.

I heard the caw of a few bird Pokemon; unknown to me. I thought a bit about them- their white down, and blue stripes, orange beaks...

"Wingull." Mr. Vin said from behind me. I didn't jump and spin; nor did I move in general. I remained rooted to the spot, staring into the sky. "Odd Pokemon to be seeing here... they're usually native to Hoenn, not Johto." He mused, greatly intrigued, but he snapped his fingers a moment later.

"Migration season! That's right; I almost forgot!"

That made sense. I didn't know much about Hoenn Pokemon at all, what, with them being from a foreign region and all.

"So where's your little companion?" Mr. Vin asked, sensing the absence of Cyndaquil.

"Back at the Pokemon Center with Lyra and Chikorita." I replied, not wanting to engage in conversation. Something just seemed off, and I was determined to figure out the cause.

"That Chikorita... such a peculiar Pokemon. It was heavily goading Wigglytuff- to manys, a surprise." Mr. Vin said, removing a Pokeball from his pocket. I assumed it contained said Wigglytuff, but you never know for certain.

Knowing that there was no avoiding a conversation, I turned my attention away from the rich blue sky, to Mr. Vin's grey bearded face. "Okay, so why's that such an issue?"

He sighed, "Well, it creates a tougher opponent. They're determined not to lose, and therefore, try harder and even evolve in the midst of a battle. It's the dumbest thing you could do. Even if you have a tough rivalry."

I nodded, the explanation making sense. Stopping and thinking, you were bound to try even harder against someone pushing you, and go as far as to surpass your limits, hence the evolution. It did sound dumb when phrased like that.

"I have a question."

"Knock yourself out." I muttered, decidedly picking up an old, scratched purple shell belonging to a Shellder.

"The young man; Helgi? Is he somehow related to a battling expert?" The question was expected. I wished I got to see Helgi battle, so far, he'd sounded amazing.

I nodded, "Yeah. His mom is a gym leader in the Unova region. She's one of the most powerful ones there." I said, rubbing the shell between my fingertips. Mr. Vin nodded slowly, as if expecting that answer.

"He battles with such precision, it's a sight to behold. If that Eevee was just a bit older, he actually could've won."

"But he said he didn't land an attack." I asked, remembering over conversation back when I was leaving the room. He'd specifically said he'd gotten trounced. He wouldn't lie... would he?

"No, he didn't." Mr. Vin said with a chuckle. "But he certainly would've if Chansey didn't know Double Team. Those were some great dodges... he really will be a great trainer." I nodded in belief. As I'd once said, Helgi knew precisely how to battle, and what moves were good in what situations.

"So, that leaves you." Mr. Vin said. The caws of the Wingull's had long since ceased, no longer coating the beach in noise. Now, it was almost silent minus the waves hitting the land.

"What about me?" I asked, feeling my nerves tighten. Here comes the moment he tells me off for not training well and that I shouldn't be a trainer.

"Well... you were very intriguing. It was a quick battle; but it could've been longer had your Cyndaquil been older. Both of you seem to have similar mindsets, which is why you lasted against that Slam. If you'd ordered something else... Cyndaquil would've become torn between instinct and trainer. And gotten KO'ed in the process."

As Mr. Vin explained, I felt myself replaying the battle. It was true; Cyndaquil had been immediately thinking dodge. If I'd order for him to counter or something else, he would've gotten stuck in place. Not to mention the almost hits. We needed work on communication. Once I learned how Cyndaquil thought, I'd be able to battle with him more effectively.

"Are you going to stay, or leave tonight?"

"Huh?" I asked, suddenly remembering Mr. Vin was talking. He smirked, but asked again. This time, I responded.

"I'm probably going to stay tonight, and leave early tomorrow. It's a longer road to Violet City. Much longer." As I ran through the plan, I wondered what the plan would hold. This time, as the elder man spoke, I listened.

"Smart plan. The trek will probably take a few nights. As you said, it's much longer. And more trainer populated. Maybe if you stop off at Mr. Pokemon's house, you'll find some help with Cyndaquil." Hearing help and Cyndaquil, my attention was fully devoted to Mr. Vin. The new prospect of training was greatly accepted.

"When you come to a fork in the road, go right; travel a bit and you'll come across Mr. Pokemon's house." Mr. Vin instructed, and I mentally jotted down the notes. Fork in the road; right. Got it.

I gave it a bit of thought- the Mr. Pokemon character. He sounded familiar. Perhaps Professor Elm had spoken of him before?

"Alright... thank you Mr. Vin. For everything." I said, extending my hand. He gladly accepted it and we shook. Although the day still had a few hours left, I headed back to the Pokemon Center feeling exhausted.

But as I walked, I saw a red-haired figure emerge from Route 29. I wouldn't have paid it any heed, but he shoved a young child who'd raced up to get a closer look at his Pokemon. Enraged, I saw a crowd quickly develop. However, I didn't see Mr. Vin. He was perhaps the most powerful battler here; he'd be the one I'd expect to see. But alas, he was missing.

"What was that for?" The mother screamed angrily, helping her son up. The red-haired boy paid no attention to her, and tried walking further. However, a man blocked his way. Snarling, the boy opened his mouth to speak. That's when I caught a glimpse of Cyndaquil in the Pokemon Center window.

Deciding it was best to have a helper, I rushed to the window, and tapped on it. The Pokemon turned to me and tried saying something. However, the glass absorbed the noise; so I motioned for him to come outside. Within seconds, I had my trusted partner at my side.

"Hope you're ready for a battle..." I said wearily, not liking where the scene developing was heading. So far, the boy was shouting something I couldn't make out. But the blue Pokemon by his feet was already developing a snarl- and with its sharp looking fangs, it wouldn't hesitate to sink them into someone intervening.

As I got closer, I gasped in shock. The boy ordered for a Tackle attack on the intervening civilians. Instantly, there was a circle formed and everyone nervously looked at the boy. Hopefully, that Pokemon didn't know any mouth based attacks or there could be some injuries.

"Totodile, clear a hole. Tackle." The red head said mercilessly and the Totodile obeyed, rushing forward.

"Cyndaquil! Intercept!" I shouted, and my Pokemon immediately obeyed. He lunged off my shoulder and rushed forward with shocking speeds. Any faster, it would've been a Quick Attack. Jumping into the air, Cyndaquil uttered a battle cry before connecting.

The two starters collided, but Cyndaquil had the upper-hand having surprised Totodile. Falling onto its back, it was sent sprawling. Cyndaquil landed on its feet very gracefully, and I rushed into the hole that had been created by the gap. People began cheering and jeering at the red-head, causing him to growl angrily.

"Who the hell are you?" He snarled, and I didn't speak. No point in revealing information to a villain.

"Cyndaquil, finish, Tackle."

The small echidna Pokemon raced forward and delivered a powerful Tackle, sending the Totodile straight into the red-head. From his pocket flew a small card. It landed by my feet. Recognizing what it was, I picked it up.

Silver

"Hey!" The kid snatched the card and looked around. Realizing how defenseless he was, he snarled and ran, plowing through the crowd. I smirked at his defeat, feeling pretty triumphant. The crowd around me cheering was enough to make me wonder if maybe... I belonged in the battling world.

"Thank you so much! You're very brave... thank you trainer..." A woman said to me, tears in her eyes. I recognized her as the same woman who'd confronted Silver after he ran down the boy. I smiled at her, and crouched down to the boys level.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, seeing a few stray tears in his eyes. He obviously had been crying; whether from shock or pain from falling.

He sniffed and smiled. "Mhm... thank you. You're really strong... um... mister." Realizing he didn't know my name, I chuckled.

"Not mister. Kyle." He smiled even wider, and his mother squeezed his arm as a sign of everything being okay. I nearly forgot my own mother was missing.

"Kyle... if you don't mind, we'd like you to have dinner with us if that's okay." The mother said, and I stood up straightly. Cyndaquil ran up my leg and stopped atop my shoulder. I could basically hear him saying 'Accept it!'

Smiling, I nodded. "Thank you, I'll be there."

The woman led the boy off to her house and the crowd dispersed, but not before a few compliments and thanks from the local people. I smiled and thanked all of them gratefully, before heading back to the Pokemon Center. I decided a quick check on Lyra, then going to dinner would be nice. After all, I'd noticed she was missing from the crowd.

However, when I got back, I was throughly surprised. On Nurse Joy's desk remained a note.

Kyle,

Sorry for leaving! I had to go though. You know that us trainers always have to keep moving. But don't worry; I'll wait for you in Violet City. Me and Helgi'll both be waiting. Oh, Professor Elm tried calling, but you don't have a number. So... in apology for leaving you, I left you a little present. Professor Elm's, Helgi's and my number are already programmed. Good luck on Route 30!

Lyra

I sighed, no matter how hard I would try, I'd always fall behind. It was kind of destiny at this point.

Remembering the 'gift', I opened a small box that was used as a paperweight. Inside, I was mildly surprised to find a Poke'gear, a portable phone and radio. Most great trainers had one. I used to have one, but at 12, my mom broke it, and refused to fix it. It left me pretty upset at her for quite awhile, but eventually, my forgiving nature kicked in, and I forgot about it. The one in the case looked just like the one I used to have...

"Thank Lyra..." I mumbled, filled with emotion.

The second thing I saw was a red device. It gleamed with interest and fascination as I slowly picked it up. I held it in awe, recognizing it. I opened it to confirm it.

Pokedex Version 5.02

Programmed Trainer: Kyle Helmer

The mechanized voice caused my grin to grow. I was now really an official trainer. There was a short note attached to the back.

Use this to learn about Pokemon. Good luck.

Professor Elm

"Quil?"

Remembering my partner, I decided to test out the new device. It clicked open at the Pokemon and the scanner ran a quick beam across Cyndaquil- trying to scan its data.

Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pokemon.

When angered or frightened, Cyndaquil are known to curl into a ball and flare the fire on its back. Its eyes have not yet opened.

"Wow..."

"Hey? Kyle! Are you gonna join us for that dinner?"

Outside, I heard the boy calling. He didn't know my exact location, but I smiled and stowed the 2 new devices. Cyndaquil, still trying to figure out the beam, glanced up and saw me preparing to run outside. Quick as a flash, he was upon my shoulder.

For a moment, I felt relieved of stess...

Too bad it wasn't meant to stay that way.