Sun filtered brightly into a room, dancing across the bed of a young girl sleeping within. The room itself wasn't anything spectacular, white walls hung with pictures of different Pokemon the girl liked and empty drink containers sat on the nightstand. Dirty clothes were piled in a corner and yet some didn't even make it that far, littering the floor. The girl obviously had a love for reading as there was a bookshelf in the corner overflowing with books of all colors and sizes. Despite its simple appearance, the room was homey.

When the sun got to the point of getting into the sleeping girls eyes, she rolled over and pushed her face into the pillow, groaning slightly and trying to go back into the land of sleep. She would have been successful if her door hadn't been shoved open with such force it slammed against the wall and a small shape hadn't shot across the room, leaping onto the bed and jumping up and down screeching, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARLEY."

"Go away Lottie," Marlene growled while pulling the blankets up over her head. She gave a solid kick to her sister's legs to get her point across and down her sister went. Right on top of her.

"Come on Marley! You can't sleep your life away! Aren't you even a little bit excited?" Lottie questioned while sitting on top of her sister, purposefully shifting all her weight to crush her. She started bouncing up and down again in excitement. "Mom said Addy and Lily could come over! And you get your first Pokemon today! How can you not be excited? How can you not be awake?!" She cried dramatically.

At her sisters words, Marlene lurched out of her bed, Lottie tumbling to the floor. She had completely forgotten what this birthday had entailed! Her first Pokemon! And suddenly Marlene was wide awake, scrambling for clothes while Lottie gave a quiet "humph" and crossed her arms.

"You could have done that without me ending up on the floor," her sister complained. "I would have gotten off of you if you would have just accepted your fate and gotten up."

"That's not my fault, you know by now I don't like to be woken up like that," Marlene trilled back. It was true. One time when Lottie attempted to wake her sister up that way, she ended up on the receiving end of a bucket of cold water during her next shower. Needless to say, Lottie hadn't attempted it again but the nine-year old must have thought Marlene would have gone easier on her today.

"Well Mom is up and cooking breakfast and says we can go to the Pokemon Lab later today to pick him out. She said we can go get Abby and Lily when we're done eating."

Ah, the Pokemon Lab. Marlene had dreamed of going there for years. Ever since they bumped the age of receiving your trainers license to 14, they had to find a way to pacify young hopeful trainers. So they promised that when a young trainer to-be turned 10, they could get their starter Pokemon. The Pokemon would technically belong to the parent but the child would be tasked with looking after it. This was supposed to allow the trainer to-be to get to know and earn the trust of their partner Pokemon. Because of this, almost every trainer out there had a starter from one of the regions and soon, Pokemon Labs sprouted up in many cities, including their very own Pine Town. Marlene, who was turning 10 today, would be able to receive her partner but would not be able to start her journey for another couple of years.

Now completely dressed, Marlene raced her sister down the stairs, taking them two at a time. They crashed into the kitchen where their mom stood, adding the final touches to their breakfast with a flourish.

"Happy birthday Marley!" her mom exclaimed when she turned to see where the commotion had come from. Sarah Martin was very beautiful, standing with long blonde hair that flowed down her back and hazel eyes that sparkled as she looked at her daughters. She was just as kind as she was beautiful and it only took one look at them when they did something wrong for them to immediately regret whatever action they had taken. "Come on, I've just finished breakfast!"

And indeed she had. Eggs, bacon, and toast were all piled high on the table and orange juice and an array of jelly sat next to it. Lottie and Marlene immediately sat down, piling their plates high while their mother followed at a slower pace, grinning at the girl's enthusiasm.

As they ate, Marlene studied her sister. She looked just like her mom in every way, from the blonde hair to the hazel eyes, all the way down to the way she put her hand on her hip and scrunched her face when thinking. While she looked exactly like her mother, Charlotte Martin was the exact opposite in personality. For one, she would hurt you for calling her anything but Lottie. For two, where their mother was calm and patient, Lottie was like a storm. She could argue with the best of them and always dove head first into things without thinking them through. Which is where Marlene stepped in, dragging her sister out of messes that included but were not limited to: sneaking out when in trouble, feeding her mom's Pokemon the food she didn't want to eat, and picking fights with the local schoolkids.

Lottie and Marlene were almost exact opposites. Where Lottie looked like her mom, Marlene took after her dad. With her light brown hair that turned golden when it hit the light just right and her brown eyes, Marlene looked exactly like a female version of her dad. According to her mom that is, Marlene had never actually met her dad. He had disappeared when she was still a baby, not even knowing her mom was a month pregnant with Lottie at the time. Marlene often wondered what had happened to her father but she never questioned her mom extensively. The last time the sisters had tried, their mom shut down for the whole day and only Flora, her Maganium, could make any sort of headway in the comforting department.

But while Lottie hated her full name, Marlene didn't mind hers. Where Lottie was loud and argumentative, Marlene was content to sit back and plan out how she was going to get out of something. Where Lottie was a troublemaker, picking fights and calling taunts, Marlene was a peacemaker and a mother hen to boot. They were as different as can be but it worked for them.

After breakfast, they attempted to help their mother clean up but she shooed them away saying, "I am not making Marley clean on her birthday! Both of you get going, Lily and Addy will be waiting!"

They were off without another word.

Skipping down their front porch, they took off like rockets for the house next door. The sunlight was bright and the weather was nice – a beautiful day really. Knocking on the door, they waited on the front porch for it to open. It didn't take long before it was flung open and there stood Mrs. Anderson.

"Marlene dear, happy birthday! And hello Lottie, how are you?" She said. Turning into the house, she shouted, "Addy! Marley and Lottie are here!"

"We're good Mrs. Anderson! And thank you," Marlene replied as there was a great crash and Addy came tumbling down the stairs in all her glory. Jumping up, she first tackled Marlene with a hug shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" into her ear and then hugging Lottie in the same style. Rubbing her sore ear, Marlene just grinned in response.

Addison Anderson was a prankster if there ever was one. She would break any rules without a second thought and was even worse than Lottie when it came to fights. Short for her age, Addy was considered small and could easily fit in tight places. This didn't bother her as she happily declared to anyone that would listen that 'I'm not small, I'm fun sized!' Marlene honestly couldn't tell where Addy kept all her boundless energy. At 8 years old and youngest of the group of 4, Addy would be the last to receive her starter Pokemon. Either way, it didn't matter. Marlene, Lottie, Lily, and Addie had made a pact when they were young to all leave on their journey at the same time and while Marlene had to wait the longest, being the oldest, it was important to her that she started off with her friends.

With a chorus of 'Bye mom' and 'Bye Mrs. Anderson', the three were off to get their fourth friend. Lily lived a little farther than Addy did and the three followed the well-worn path to Lily's house. Pine trees lined the road and stretched out behind the houses, giving the town its name. Leaves littered the ground and even more were falling from the trees overhead. Autumn was in full swing and the reds and yellows made a beautiful sight in the sun.

Coming up to Lily's house, they knocked on the door and it swung open immediately showing their friend. She grinned and hugged Marlene in a much calmer fashion than Addy, saying "Happy birthday Marley," before moving on to the other two.

Lily Roberts was one of Marlene's most favorite people. With her long, naturally curly brown hair and bright blue eyes, Lily was very pretty. Where Addy was hyperactive, Lily was peaceful. Between Marlene and Lily, they could usually calm down the other two and get them to cooperate with what they were doing. Lily would help Marlene think things through and get them out of hard situations. But while Marlene over-analyzed everything, Lily wouldn't stay worried on one thing for too long. Their moms had met after the disappearance of Lily's dad a couple years after Marlene's. Ever since the girls had held a bond of understanding. Were their fathers alive? Why did they leave? Did they even care? These were questions both girls had pondered together.

"Bye mom, I'll see you later!" she tossed over her shoulder and they were off.

They spent most of the day playing games and debating on which Pokemon Marlene would get. Each were determinedly stuck on their opinions and types, but Marlene had already made up her mind on what type she was going to go with. Fire had always been her calling.

Later in the afternoon, though, after the girls had headed back to the Martin's house, her mom had a surprise announcement.

"Listen, Marlene. I know you really want to go out to the Pokemon Lab but I have something to give you first. It's going to take a little explaining so you all might want to sit down."

Once they were all settled on the couches in the living room, Marlene's mom took a deep breath and began.

"Before your father left, we discussed what we thought to get you when you were old enough for a Pokemon. He was always an eager person and he knew you growing up with just the right starter would help you in the future. This was before the laws to getting a trainer license changed."

Here she stopped and looked at Marlene full in the face before continuing. "Now, on the night your father left, he left behind an egg. A Pokemon egg. For you. And while I will completely understand if you still want to pick out your own Pokemon… I thought you might want to see it before we left."

During this whole exchange, Marlene's face had turned from confusion to delight. Her father had left her a Pokemon? That must mean he cared about her, at least to some degree! And then her mind was off, thinking about what it could possibly be and how he could have possibly gotten it. Starters were only given to new trainers. But her mom had said this was before the new laws…

"There isn't anything for me, is there?" came a timid voice. Looking at her sister proved to be a different story. Lottie looked sad, fidgeting with her hands and staring at the floor like she already knew the answer and was extremely saddened by it. Marlene felt instantly guilty. Their father had left before even knowing about Lottie. There was no way he could have thought to leave her something as well.

They were proved right a second later when their mom's voice answered. "I'm sorry Lottie. You know your father didn't know. I really am sorry." She looked it too. Lily and Addy had stayed silent throughout the whole exchange but now they both moved closer to Lottie, offering comfort silently.

While Marlene felt incredibly sorry for her sister, she also felt excitement. Looking at her mom, she said, "Okay. Can I see it?"

As if expecting this to be her answer, her mom got up off the couch and disappeared into her room for a moment. There was the sound of a drawer opening and closing and her mother reappeared, Pokeball in hand. She took a moment to explain. "See, your father left this here as an egg. But I didn't want you to have it too early, it would be dangerous to give you an untrained starter at such a young age. When they created the rules about getting your Pokemon at 10, I decided then would be the perfect time to give it to you. So when it hatched, I captured it in this Pokeball to give to you when the time was right."

She handed the Pokeball to Marlene and took a step back. It was just a regular Pokeball, red on top and white on the bottom. Marlene already had plans to decorate it but she'd wait until she knew what was inside. It was smooth to the touch and as she enlarged it her anticipation grew. Lily, Addy, and even Lottie leaned forward in their seats as Marlene pushed the button and, in a flash of red light, a Pokemon appeared.

The first thing she noticed was that it was small. It could easily sit on her shoulder or in her backpack. Its underside was a soft cream color while the top of it was blue. It had a hunched over, mouse like appearance and a long snout. Its eyes were closed but every few seconds it would open them up, look swiftly around and then close them again. Marlene didn't know much about the Pokemon. It looked cute. But she deflated slightly when she realized it probably wasn't a fire-type.

Until it caught on fire.

Not literally but it might as well have. With a sharp cry of 'Cynda-quiiiiiil' it's back flared up and fire danced along, lighting up the room and throwing shadows across the walls. All four of the younger girls jumped in surprise while Sarah looked on, grinning. The fire died down on the Pokemons back and it looked around again.

Grinning like a maniac, Marlene got on all fours and crawled up to the little Pokemon, hand outstretched. It approached her, sniffed her hand, and, deciding that she was worthy, let Marlene pet it. Sitting down on the floor, the Pokemon happily jumped in her lap and licked her on the face. Giggling, she beckoned for her friends to come take a closer look. They happily obliged, jumping up and hurrying over to see the little thing.

"Are you going to keep it? Oh please tell me you are, it's so cute! And you should nickname it, oh we should do it right now! Come on Marlene!" Addy could really be hyper sometimes but Marlene actually agreed with her. The Pokemon was extremely cute and she would be willing to keep it as long as the Pokemon itself was okay with staying with her.

"What do you say boy? Want to be my partner?" Marlene said looking down at the Pokemon with wide eyes.

She immediately snatched her hand away as the Pokemon burned her.

"Ow! What was that for?" She said, looking down at the tiny thing indignantly. For its part, the Cyndaquil just stared at her, an offended look on its face.

"Cynda Cyndaquil!" It said looking straight at Marlene. Marlene ran over what she had said. Surely nothing was that offensive? It took her a moment and then –

"You're a girl!" she exclaimed. The mouse gave a quick shake of its head in affirmation. Well it makes sense Marlene thought. I would be offended if somebody mistook me for a boy.

"Okay, girl. What do you say? Want to be my partner?" she asked again.

"Cynda!" came the happy reply while it licked her face again.

"Good!" This came from Lottie who was petting the Pokemon looking happier than before. "Now that that's settled, why don't we all try and come up with nicknames. Any suggestions?"

"Blaze?"

"Cindy!"

"Ember."

"You know," said Marlene's mom watching as the little thing roamed around the room, sniffing things as it went. "Cyndaquils aren't known to be adventurous. They're actually quite shy. But yours seems to be extremely curious."

As she said this, the cyndaquil got its nose stuck in the crack between the wall and the TV and Marlene was forced to get up and move the TV out of the way to get it out.

"How about Star?" came a quiet suggestion. Lily continued, "Stars burn bright in the sky and are beautiful. I know when I look at stars I think on all the adventures I'll have some day. Besides it's more unique than Blaze," here she shot Lottie a look.

"Star is such a stup–" Lottie began, glaring right back.

"No!" Marlene broke in, smiling. "It's perfect!"

Lily smirked in triumph as Marlene got up and walked over to the little Pokemon.

"Hey there," she said, picking up the cyndaquil and holding it close. "What do you say to the nickname Star?"

"Cyndaquill Cynda-Cyndaquil!"

"I'll take that as a yes!" Marlene said, grinning, as Star reached up to lick her again. All of the girls fell to laughing and petting the mouse Pokemon as the day ended and Marlene was the happiest she'd been in a long time.

(A/N)

I've decided that the prologue wasn't a lot to go on so I've written out the first official chapter. This chapter has a lot going on with the introduction of our four main characters. I always knew I wanted my main characters first Pokemon to be a Cyndaquil as they are my favorite starter. I always keep a female named Cinder but I wanted something a little more unique than that for this story. I've already got the starters of Lily, Lottie, and Addy picked out (which will be revealed in the next chapter or two) and we will do a time jump to when the girls start their journey. But before that, we'll have to go through a little trouble with the four ;)
I still haven't officially decided on whether or not I will be completing this story but I really wanted to give the first chapter a shot

Thanks!

Thatonebookworm