Chapter 1: The First Catch

June pressed her face against the window so much that Ruby and Hop thought it would end up getting stuck to the glass. Their long trip was over and the Kanto region lay spread out below their plane like a giant green and brown carpet laid down over the ocean. June was still having a hard time believing this was really happening. She was actually in Kanto!

After June had made her intentions clear for her Pokémon journey, Ruby and Hop had been quick to book the flight to Kanto and arrange a holiday there for the family. They'd managed to rent a holiday home in Pallet Town, something that got June more excited for that was where Ash Ketchum lived. They could stay there as long as they needed to, which suited them just fine as June would need all the time there she could get to complete the Gym Challenge and maybe battle the Indigo League if she desired. Ruby had asked June beforehand what her end goal was for this journey.

"I guess I'll figure it out as I go along." June replied, "Sorry if that's not very conclusive but it's all I have for now. If I enjoy myself enough, I'll aim straight for the top and maybe become Kanto's new Champion!"

"Then what will you do if you achieve that goal?" Ruby asked.

"I'll do what you do mum: defend my title while defending the region from threats. I'd love to be as heroic as you are." June said brightly, "Imagine it now: me and my Pikachu travelling the region saving people and beating up bad guys much like you and Bugs do! It'd be so awesome!"

"Heh, I wouldn't get too caught up on the "awesome" part dear as that part can be pretty scary at times." Ruby said uneasily, "Still, I'm happy that you have your future planned ahead before this journey. Any Pokémon trainer starting their journey must have some idea on what they want to do at the end of it. And I'm sure with all me and your dad have taught you, you'll achieve your goals in no time at all."

"I sure hope so! I'd hate to be a disappointment not just to you and dad, but myself too." June agreed, "I've wanted to be a trainer ever since you taught me how to walk. It'd suck if I end up failing at my dream."

Ruby shook her head and patted June on the shoulder encouragingly.

"Don't think like that June. Low self-esteem is never helpful on a Pokémon journey." she warned, "Don't get too upset if you lose any battles or things don't go well for you. I too had some hardships I endured on my journey. I even lost a Pokémon before I reached the second Gym…" she added, sadly thinking back to the unfortunate passing of Ariel the Gyarados, "But I never let that drag me down. I just kept on going and kept on training and working hard until I eventually succeeded at what I set out to do. Remember this well June and you'll not only succeed, but have a good time on your adventures too."

June remembered those words even now as the plane began to descend down to the runway. She'd follow her mum's advice to the letter and not let any losses or hardships drag her down. She'd have an exciting time as a trainer and she'd succeed at her goals!

Once the plane had landed and the passengers had disembarked from the plane to collect their luggage, Ruby and Hop flagged down a taxi and rode all the way from the airport to Pallet Town. It took only a couple of hours to get there. Pallet Town was a small and pretty town with a few houses, dirt trails, wide open grassy fields, a radio station and a Pokémon laboratory that was once run by the famous Professor Samuel Oak. He'd since passed away from old age and left the laboratory in the care of his grandson, Gary Oak. This lab was where new trainers could get a starter Pokémon and they would choose between Charmander, Squirtle or Bulbasaur. In Ash's case, he'd gotten his Pikachu from this very same lab. June thought Pallet Town looked as quaint and peaceful to live in as Postwick Town back in Galar. The locals certainly seemed like they were happy living in this town. She and her family were going to be quite comfortable living here for the time being.

Eventually, the taxi pulled up outside the holiday house the Silverlocks had rented. The house was three storeys high and was big enough to house at least two families that were holidaying in Kanto. It had an arched doorway, large windows, pretty flowers growing in the windowsills, at least four bedrooms, a beautiful garden out the back with all sorts of colourful flowers growing in it, a red tiled roof built at a slope and a colourful tiled path leading to the door. Whoever designed this house clearly hoped that it would impress the holidaymakers who rented it. The family went inside to unpack their cases. The interior of the house was equally as inviting with its smart, polished wooden floors, luxurious carpets, white coloured walls and comfortable furniture. There was a TV to watch and the house had Wi-Fi connection for in case anyone wanted to use the internet. The family put the Wi-Fi password into their Rotom phones so they could remain connected.

June chose a bedroom on the second floor that had a single bed while Ruby and Hop chose one with a double bed. June sat down on the comfortable bed and felt herself almost sink into the soft covers and mattress. She had a feeling sleep wouldn't be a problem in this bed. She unpacked her case. She'd brought everything she knew she would need for this journey. Her parents had given her a batch of Pokéballs to use, a few potions to heal her Pokémon with, some money to but essentials and some guidebooks given to her by Sapphire to keep herself educated on the essentials of Pokémon training. Ruby had given her a Metal Coat to carry. It was an item that boosted the power of Steel attacks and some Pokémon like Onix and Scyther could evolve if they were traded whilst holding one. June had expressed a desire to own a Scizor but they couldn't be obtained in Kanto, hence why June had to bring a Metal Coat with her. It would be the only way for her to evolve a Scyther into a Scizor while she was here.

June had everything she needed. But most importantly, she'd brought the one thing she never went without: her personal sketchbook. June loved to draw in her spare time and wouldn't go anywhere without it. She was the kind of girl who also preferred to use pencil and paper, even if it was possible to use Rotom tablets for drawing. The book had a lot of drawings from over the years, mostly of Pokémon of course, and while she was convinced she wasn't professional levels yet, her drawings often got praise from those who saw them. June hoped to sketch a picture of the first Pokémon she would ever own. The book had plenty of blank pages for her to fill in and June knew they certainly wouldn't be blank for long. Feeling tired from the long flight, June decided to relax by drawing something now. She sketched some flowers that were growing in the windowsill just outside her bedroom window.

Ruby and Hop were also unpacking. As well as the mountain of clothes they'd packed for themselves and June to wear during their time here, the two had brought their own Pokémon with them and most importantly, they'd brought their own photo collection with them to decorate the place with. They were going to stay here for a while so they wanted something sentimental to put up in the house. Ruby lined up the photo frames together on a shelf in their bedroom. They were all family photos of themselves and June throughout the years from her birth to now.

The first photo showed Ruby and Hop holding their new-born daughter together after getting home from the hospital. The second showed Bugs watching over baby June while she was sleeping. They also had photos of June's first birthday, June walking for the first time and a picture of June visiting Hop's laboratory with the words "Her first day at work" written underneath. June was only four at the time and had marvelled at the sight of all the science equipment and the Pokémon that Hop and Sonia got to study together. Another photo was of June at the age of five at Wyndon Stadium watching Ruby battle another opponent. The words "Watching mummy in action" were written underneath. They also had a photo of Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire all together with June, a photo from a day at the beach Ruby, Hop and June had had together, a picture of June's 10th birthday and finally, a picture of the big family get together for June's 13th birthday. The photo had only been taken last month yet Ruby felt it had already been a lifetime ago. She admired the photos with a sad smile on her face.

"Aww my June…my baby girl's grown so fast. And now she'll be on her own journey as I did 26 years ago." she sighed to herself, "I…I'm really going to miss the times I've spent babying her and raising her up all those years. It's sure going to feel quiet without her…"

She put a hand over her mouth and tried to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. She always knew this day was coming, and yet that didn't make it feel any less emotional for her. Hop could see his wife was looking upset so he went straight over to her. He put an arm around Ruby.

"Hey, hey, baby, whatever's the matter?" he asked softly.

Ruby swallowed heavily to keep her emotions bottled in before she answered.

"Oh you know Hop, our daughter's all grown up and ready to become a Pokémon trainer." the Champion of Galar murmured, "The mother in me is just going to miss having a child to look after is all. It's so bizarre because I'm so happy for her but I also feel sad she's going at the same time. Happy and sad at the same time, I'm…I'm SAPPY!" she exclaimed.

Hop surpassed a chuckle at the last word. It sounded like something Jinx the Crobat might've said given her tendency to mix-up words. Hop embraced Ruby and let her cry into his shoulder for a minute. He too was both happy and sad that soon June would be gone from their lives for the time being and he felt he needed this as much as Ruby. Hop ran a hand through Ruby's long hair.

"I know Ruby, I'll miss her too." he said sympathetically, "But it's not goodbye forever, remember? She'll come back just as you did for your parents. Once June's done with her journey, she'll be back and we'll be together again."

"I know, I know. I'm still going to miss her like crazy." Ruby lamented, wiping her eyes, "It's funny, I never thought I'd be this used to being a parent. And yet here I am genuinely sad that my daughter's going to be leaving us for a bit. But of course, I wish her all the best in her journey. I know she's going to be amazing out there."

"She will be." Hop agreed, "And when she comes home, she'll have some incredible stories to share with us."

"And a lot of sketches too." Ruby added.

For the rest of the day, the family stayed in the holiday home in order to relax and recuperate from the long flight. As excited as June was, she didn't want to start straight away and had agreed they were best off waiting another day. She also wanted one last day with her parents before starting her journey. The three spent their afternoon and evening playing games, having dinner and watching a movie together. As June went to bed for the night, Ruby and Hop came in to wish her goodnight.

"You get plenty of sleep my girl. You wouldn't want to start off your life as a Pokémon trainer tired and grouchy." Ruby joked.

"I will mum." June insisted, "Gosh, I can hardly believe my journey's almost beginning!"

"We can hardly believe it too." Hop concurred, "Time sure does fly…you sleep well now June. We'll take you straight to Professor Oak's lab once everyone's ready."

"Sure thing. Night mum, night dad." June said happily.

"Goodnight sweetheart." Ruby said softly.

She switched off June's bedroom light and closed the door. June closed her eyes and did her best to try and sleep for the night. Despite her excitement, she was able to drift off after an hour or so and as she slept, she began to dream. The dream was the same dream she'd been having since her 13th birthday had come and gone. Here she was, standing in the middle of some grass with a Pokéball in hand and a Pikachu looking up at her. She threw the ball and caught the Pikachu in one single move. Then she and Pikachu walked off together, partners for life, into parts unknown. It was a lovely dream and one that was soon to become real…

The next day dawned with weather that couldn't have been more perfect for a new Pokémon trainer about to start on their new adventure. The sky was completely clear with no clouds in sight and the sun shone brightly. June was up quick and early, still buzzing with excitement over what was about to happen. Once she and her parents had eaten breakfast and gotten dressed, they headed out of the holiday house and straight to Professor Oak's laboratory. The lab was within walking distance so they didn't need any methods of transportation. It took them about fifteen minutes to walk there. The lab was as recognizable as ever with its trademark wind turbine, semi-circle red roof and four windows on the second floor. It hadn't changed much over the years. June felt she was visiting the home of a famous superstar rather than a laboratory with how famous it was. Ruby and Hop looked to June.

"So have you any idea on which Pokémon you'll pick as your starter?" Ruby asked.

"And before you say "Pikachu", do remember that Pikachu aren't usually given away as starters. Ash was a special case." Hop put in.

"Well I did think that if I can't have a Pikachu as my first Pokémon, I'd LOVE to have a Squirtle." June thought, "Given mum has a Charizard and aunty Sapphire has a Venusaur, it's a pity we haven't got a Blastoise to round out the trio. So why not let me do it?"

"That's a good idea." Ruby agreed, "And it'll also let you set yourself apart from the rest of us already as neither of us have a Blastoise."

"That's one thought I have going into this." June noted, "I don't want to raise a team of Pokémon too similar to you or dad or my aunts and uncles. I want to raise my own team that's unique to me and carve my own identity as a trainer! I've even made a list of Pokémon I hope to catch in preparation for that."

She showed her Rotom phone to her parents. She'd made a list of the Pokémon she was after on the notes app. Ruby and Hop nodded with interest.

"Well Kanto is home to those species so you'll find them all on your travels." Ruby said encouragingly, "You did remember to bring that Metal Coat with you ready for when you catch a Scyther, right?"

"It's in my backpack with everything else." June answered, "I bet I'll be a right sight for many trainers here: I'll be the only kid in Kanto with a Scizor!"

"Unless anybody else had the same idea, you will be." Hop noted.

"I still think it would've been wiser to bring two Metal Coats so you could have a Steelix as well." Ruby murmured.

"I could but I prefer Onix so I'd rather keep mine as an Onix. Also two Metal Coats would've been too heavy anyway." June dismissed.

She, Hop and June approached the lab. As they arrived, they quickly saw that another trainer was there ahead of them. So it seemed Pallet Town had another trainer whose journey started today. Ruby and Hop could see through the glass doors that the boy looked to be about 14 years old and sported spiky brown hair. Gary Oak was with the boy and handing him a Pokéball. It seemed the Kanto starters had all been taken for the boy didn't receive either of them. Instead, he'd been given an Eevee. That wasn't unusual as sometimes Kanto trainers were given an Eevee if there were no other options to pick from.

"Great! I love it!" the boy exclaimed excitedly, "I'll take this Eevee Professor Oak!"

"Well that's a bummer." Ruby murmured to herself, "Looks like we're too late. That boy's got an Eevee, which clearly means the Kanto starters have all been taken."

June's heart sank like a stone dropped into a well. If this boy got the last starter, that meant no Pokémon left for her to choose. She would have to come back again another day.

"Aww, looks like I won't be getting my first Pokémon after all…" she muttered.

"Now June, don't get upset. I'll see if Gary can reserve us a spot or something." Ruby suggested, "He might even have another Eevee left. You two wait here for a sec."

Ruby went into the lab to talk with Gary. Hop and June waited for her to come back. Hop patted June on the head softly, trying to make light of the situation.

"Don't worry June. You'll get your first soon." he said encouragingly, "If we have to come back another time, you'll get yours no problem."

June had to smile at her dad's uplifting words. It didn't matter when it happened, what mattered was that she would get her first Pokémon and she'd be on her way. She could wait for that. But she didn't have to wait much longer. Suddenly, June heard a rustling sound coming from near the lab. She could see something moving in the grass. It waved around furiously as something shuffled inside it. Then the grass seemed to part as the thing inside began to walk off around the corner.

"What's that?" June asked herself.

She ran off after the thing. Hop saw her run away and he chased after her.

"Gah! June, how many times do we have to tell you not to wander off!" he cried frantically.

He and June ran around the corner and gasped in amazement. The thing had come out of the grass and was shaking itself furiously, sending bits of grass flying out of its fur. The thing…was a Pikachu! Curiously, this Pikachu sported its own hairstyle, an unusual feature in the species. It had a spiky tuft of hair standing up on top of its head. Otherwise it looked the same as any other Pikachu. Its tail tip was flat, meaning this Pikachu was male. It was looking around curiously. It seemed a little anxious, like it was worried it was being followed. June didn't notice this for her excitement at seeing the electric-type Pokémon completely took over and she could only think of one thing:

"HOLYCRAPITSAPIKACHU!" she screeched at the top of her voice, "Dad, are you seeing this?!"

"I am and I'm puzzled by it!" Hop gasped, "Pikachu don't live in Pallet Town, they live in Viridian Forest! What's this one doing all the way out here?"

The Pikachu screamed a startled yelp of surprise as he heard the two's voices. He turned around to see June and Hop looking at him.

"Great, just what I need! More humans gawking at me!" he wailed in a deep voice that sounded strange coming out of such a cute looking Pokémon.

"He talks too! That's even more amazing!" June cried happily, "I've got to catch this one!"

"No, you don't have any Pokémon to fight him with!" Hop cried protectively.

"I'm not fighting him." June insisted, "I'll catch him without battling him. You can catch Pokémon without needing to fight them first."

She drew out a Pokéball and threw it just as the Pikachu tried to run away. Her aim was on point and the Pokéball hit the yellow electric rodent. Pikachu was absorbed into the ball and it closed up. It fell to the ground and shook furiously. June watched with baited breath, praying the ball would hold it. Hop whipped out a Pokéball of his own. If the Pikachu broke free, he might attack June so he was prepared to fight him if he had to. The ball shook a few times…and eventually became still. It pinged loudly to signify a successful capture. June's heart leapt in excitement. She'd done it! She'd caught her first Pokémon and it was a Pikachu just as she hoped for!

"I caught myself a Pikachu…" she whispered in wonder, "…I caught myself a Pikachu! I CAUGHT MYSELF A PIKACHU!" she squealed.

Hop was sure that the whole town could hear his daughter's joy right now. He stood still slack jawed in astonishment. He hadn't expected that to work with how desperately the Pikachu had tried to run away yet somehow June had done it! He only wished Ruby could've seen this for she'd missed out on a big moment in her daughter's life. June scooped up the Pokéball and showed it to Hop.

"Dad, dad, can you believe it?! I actually caught it! I now have my first Pokémon!" the girl in yellow shrieked ecstatically.

"Call me impressed my girl…" Hop said sheepishly as he put his Pokéball away. He wasn't sure what else he could say to that.

Then suddenly, the ball shook in June's hands and began to hop up and down as if trying to get away. June was so surprised she nearly dropped the ball.

"Golly! This one's a lively little bugger!" June cried, "Let's quick show him to mum before he tries to get away."

She and Hop ran back around to the front door of the lab with the captured Pikachu. As they ran in, they saw that Ruby was talking with Gary and the boy from earlier was still there with his Eevee in his arms. The three stared bewildered at the two.

"What's gotten into you two?" Ruby asked, "June what's that in your hands?" she asked, staring at the Pokéball incredulously, "Did…did you just catch a Pokémon?!"

"Sure did!" June announced, "There was a Pikachu outside the lab and I caught him!"

"A Pikachu?" the boy with Eevee exclaimed, "But that's ridiculous! Pikachu don't live around here!"

"That's right Trace, but sometimes wild Pikachu might stray into this town looking for food so it's not unheard of." Gary put in, "That was quite a lucky catch for you little girl."

Gary was in his thirties now, only a few years young than Ruby. He and Ash had both started their journeys at the age of ten. They'd been fierce rivals but over time they'd become friends and their rivalry had long since been put behind them. Gary still sported his trademark spiky head of brown hair and blue and yellow necklace but he'd grown more handsome and tall over the years and even the bulky lab coat he wore did little to hide his impressive build underneath. The coat had once been his grandfather's before he'd passed away. Gary now wore it in his grandfather's honour as he ran the lab.

"You bet it is! Now I have my first ever Pokémon!" June cried gleefully, "I can begin my life as a trainer at last!"

The Pokéball suddenly jerked in her hands again, making everybody jump back in surprise. June put the Pokéball down on a nearby counter. She was worried the ball would fall out of her hands or she'd drop it if it kept up like this so it was safer to put it down somewhere. Gary observed the Pokéball with interest.

"That's one energetic Pikachu." he noted, "I've never known Pokéballs to just do that when a Pokémon's inside it."

"I'd let it out June. It clearly doesn't want to stay in there." Ruby said.

June agreed. It felt cruel to just keep her Pokémon inside if he was clearly uncomfortable being in there. She reached out for the Pokéball to open it up and release Pikachu…only for the ball to suddenly open up as Pikachu let himself out. He materialized onto the counter straight underneath June's outstretched hand. June gasped as she found herself suddenly touching the Pikachu's head. She could feel his soft fur against her palm and fingers. His ears twitched. Pikachu sighed loudly with relief.

"Thank Arceus I'm outta there! Last thing I need is another panic attack!" he cried.

He then suddenly realized that he wasn't outside anymore and a bunch of humans were looking at him. One was even touching his head. He felt anxious at first but he quickly saw that these humans obviously meant him no harm. Nothing seemed particularly hostile about them and the girl that was touching his head felt very gentle on him. It actually felt quite nice to have physical contact with a human in this way.

"Say…that's nice." he purred.

June felt herself tingle with pleasure and awe as the Pikachu nuzzled against her hand. He sniffed at her intently for a minute and beamed with pleasure. It was obvious he'd decided that this girl was friendly and he didn't have to worry about her.

"It's nice to meet a friendly human for a change. Haven't seen any of those in a while." he said contently.

"Aww you poor thing." June said sympathetically. She softly stroked the Pikachu's back. The Pikachu sighed again with pleasure as June's fingers gently brushed down his back.

"That does explain why he seemed so nervous earlier." Hop murmured, "He was clearly hiding from someone."

"Who were you hiding from?" Ruby inquired.

"Team Rocket." the Pikachu muttered, "They've been chasing after me for days now. They seem to think I'm more special than the average Pikachu so they want to use me for profit! I've been trying to evade them for a while now but they keep finding me and trying to capture me!"

June now began to feel guilty for what she'd done. No wonder the poor thing was trying so desperately to get out of his Pokéball! She'd likely reminded him of Team Rocket trying to catch him.

"Oh no…I am SO sorry about that!" June shrieked, "I had no idea you were…please don't be mad at me! I swear me and my parents aren't part of Team Rocket!"

"Nothing of the sort." Ruby put in, "My family spits in the face of criminals. Now that my daughter's caught you, we can protect you from Team Rocket."

"I'd appreciate it that very much!" the Pikachu said graciously, "And don't worry, I can tell you're not Team Rocket. You're not dressed like them for instance and I don't get any bad vibes from you people."

That made everyone feel at ease knowing the Pikachu could trust them. Trace frowned upon the mention of Team Rocket. His face had become a scowl of pure hatred. Ruby noticed his reaction.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Oh? Never mind, it's nothing." Trace dismissed, "I'm just mad to hear that Team Rocket have been chasing after that poor Pikachu. I can't stand it when Pokémon are mistreated!"

"Neither of us can." Ruby concurred, "And it's rather concerning to hear that Team Rocket are still at large here in Kanto. Someone really should look into this…"

"You think we haven't tried?" Gary muttered, "Many trainers have battled them, especially Ash, but somehow they still thrive. One of these days, those punks will get what's coming to them!"

"Hopefully." Trace grumbled.

Ruby noticed again how Trace seemed so hostile over the mere mention of Team Rocket and anything to do with them. She was sure there was something he wasn't telling anyone. June had been too preoccupied with her Pikachu as the whole conversation had been going on. She held him in her arms and cradled him softly. She almost looked like she was mothering her own child.

"You don't have to worry about Team Rocket anymore mate." the silver and purple haired girl declared, "You'll be safe with me and I'll take very good care of you. And given I'm going to be a Pokémon trainer, I could train you to be strong enough to beat Team Rocket and make them pay for trying to sell you off!"

"Beat them back…I like that idea!" Pikachu said enthusiastically, "I bet I can become so strong they'll wish they'd never tangled with me!"

"I'll train you to be so!" June insisted, "My name is June and I'm very happy to be your trainer."

"Nice to meet you June. And I'm happy you're not another Rocket grunt trying to catch me!" Pikachu replied.

"Oh I wouldn't be caught dead working for them or any criminal organization." June spat, "Who wants to be a criminal anyway? I don't see the appeal in stealing and making other's lives miserable."

She playfully poked the Pikachu on his nose.

"Now then, my parents have a thing with naming their Pokémon so I think I'll do the same." the newbie trainer decided, "And I know just the name for you. I think I'll call you Ray. Do you like it?"

"Ray…" the Pikachu pondered, "Sounds pretty neat. I'll take it!"

"Then Ray it is!" June said gleefully, "Welcome to the Silverlock family Ray!"

She hugged her new partner happily. Ruby and Hop smiled with awe at the tender scene between the two. They couldn't have asked for a better start to the day. June had her first Pokémon and it had already taken a shining to her. The fact she was starting off with a Pikachu made it even better for her. Ruby took out her Rotom phone and asked for June and Ray to look at her and smile. She took their picture. Such a photo would go nicely for the family photo album. Trace approached June, still carrying his Eevee in his arms.

"So you're a new trainer too I take it?" he asked, "Do forgive me, we got so caught up in the excitement that we haven't introduced yet. I'm Trace. I believe Ruby called you June?" he asked.

June looked to Trace. Now she got a proper look at him, she could see he didn't look much older than her. He was a fit looking boy with brown spiky hair, narrow brown eyes and he dressed in a black t-shirt, green trousers, thick black socks and white, red and black sporty trainers. Unlike June, Trace lived in Pallet Town. She wondered how he must feel to be meeting a trainer from another region.

"That's me." June confirmed, "Me and my family have come from the Galar region so I can start my journey here. I don't want to just copy my mum and be the next Galar Champion you see."

"I get that." Trace said understandingly, "You want to forge your own path and that's cool. I can't say I expected to meet the Galar Champion herself and her husband and daughter. That's pretty amazing!"

"I'm sure it is but please don't treat me like some big celebrity just because I'm related to the Galar Champion." June insisted, "I haven't even done anything yet! So I'm just June, a newbie Pokémon trainer for now. OK?"

"No sweat. I can do that." Trace said kindly, "Oh and this is my first Pokémon. You probably know what it is." he added, gesturing to his Eevee.

Eevee waved a paw at June and yapped happily. Eevee were small Pokémon resembling foxes with their long ears and big bushy tails. They had brown fur and a puffy, furry beige collar around their necks. Eevee were very beloved in the Pokémon world for their cute appearance and ability to evolve into many different forms.

"Do I know what it is? Larks! EVERYONE knows what an Eevee is!" June snorted, "It's a Normal-type Pokémon with the ability to evolve into various different Pokémon depending on what stone you use or even with how friendly it is to you. There's the Electric-type Jolteon, the Water-type Vaporeon, the Fire-type Flareon and…"

"Yes, yes, I'm aware of all that." Trace said hastily, "I was hoping I could start with a Charmander myself but Eevee was all the professor had left. Doesn't matter though. Me and Eevee will be the best of friends!" he declared.

Eevee chirped in response as Trace held it up and rubbed noses with it. June felt awed at such a cute scene.

"Me and Ray will be the same!" June cried, "We'll be as close as any trainer and partner Pokémon can be."

"Oh I bet." Trace said agreeably, "With what a nice girl you are, that Pikachu's going to love you. Say…given we're both new trainers starting for the first time…how's about we have our first battle together?" he offered.

"Us? Battle? Sure, why not?" June said brightly, "I'm sure mum and dad will be OK with that."

She and Trace explained their plan to the two and they both agreed it would be a good idea. June would need to test if she was ready for a Pokémon journey and what better way to do so than with a battle? Gary took everyone outside his lab so no damage would get done. The battle would take place in a large garden out the back. There was plenty of space and nothing important in the lab could get damaged. June and Trace stood at opposite ends of the garden with their Pokémon facing each other down and preparing to battle. Ruby had her Rotom phone out to film the whole thing. Her daughter's first battle was a special event that had to be archived. Gary offered to referee the match.

"Just try to go easy on each other, OK newbies? This is your first time in a Pokémon battle after all so no need to go nuts." he insisted, "OK whenever you're ready, battle begin!"

"We'll win this one no problem!" June cried optimistically, "Ray, use Thunder Shock!"

Ray fired a big jolt of electricity towards Eevee.

"Dodge it and fight back with Tackle!" Trace ordered.

Eevee jumped out of the way to avoid Ray's attack and the fox-like Pokémon charged straight into Ray, tackling him to the ground. Despite being a newly given Pokémon, the Eevee showed surprisingly strength as it knocked Ray down. Ray was sure that this Eevee was stronger than the average Eevee. Well he was stronger than the average Pikachu so it evened things out! He picked himself up and prepared to fight again.

"Good shot Trace! But we're just getting started." June said hotly, "Now let's use a tactic my Aunt Sapphire taught…use Growl!" she ordered.

Sapphire had taught June the importance of status moves and how they can hinder and opponent's performance or strengthen your own. She hoped in this case that making Eevee's attack go down would stop its Tackles being so powerful. Ray growled loudly at Eevee, making it recoil in fright and its body flashed blue to signify a drop in its Attack. Trace frowned anxiously. This fight was going to be tricky if Ray kept lowering Eevee's attack like this. He had to finish it quick.

"Use Tackle again!" he commanded.

Eevee charged towards Ray a second time and tackled him to the ground. Ray picked himself back up and growled a second time to further weaken Eevee. Eevee charged in for another Tackle but with two Growls weakening it like so, this Tackle barely managed to knock Ray back. Feeling satisfied, June decided to go on the offensive. She ordered Ray to use Thunder Shock again. Ray launched his attack and scored a direct hit on Eevee. Eevee winced as it was electrocuted by the Thunder Shock. Eevee staggered back and shook itself to shake off the pain. Trace ordered Eevee to use Tackle again. The fox-like Pokémon sprinted towards the electric mouse Pokémon but Ray was able to dodge it. Eevee performed a U-turn and chased after him but June caught both Trace and Eevee off-guard by ordering Ray to trip Eevee up with a tail-whip to the legs. Ray's lightning bolt shaped tail lashed out and hit Eevee in the legs. Eevee fell flat on its face and skidded to a halt. A mound of dirt formed around its face from that trip up. Eevee picked itself up and shook off the dirt. Ray took advantage of this by using another Thunder Shock on Eevee. He landed a hit and Eevee cried out as it was electrocuted again. Ruby and Hop watched, feeling as excited as June felt during the battle.

"She's doing really well! Looks like our teachings are paying off big-time!" Ruby blurted in astonishment.

"I knew she would given she had some amazing teachers." Hop said with pride.

"Can't say I expected anything less from the daughter of a Champion and professor." Gary observed, "If she's this good, she'll probably be up to my level in no time at all!"

June seemed to have the upper hand for now but the battle still wasn't over yet. Trace was determined to pull off a comeback, even if it seemed unlikely. Eevee faced Ray again and lowered his head. Ray just smiled smugly and dared Eevee to come at him. Trace ordered Eevee to use Tackle again. It was the only attack Eevee could use at this moment. Eevee sprinted quickly towards its opponent. June ordered Ray to use Thunder Shock on the charging Eevee. Ray fired a jolt of electricity and he very nearly landed a hit but Eevee dodged at the last second and continued its charge. It ploughed straight into Ray's stomach, winding him and knocking him off his feet. Even with a lowered attack, the blow had still been a powerful one and for most Pokémon, a blow to the stomach was still going to hurt a lot. Ray landed down on his back and spluttered heavily, trying to catch his breath. Eevee pounced on Ray as he was down and pinned him. Ray fought back, trying to wrestle Eevee off of himself. The Normal-type Pokémon held firm, refusing to budge. Then Eevee got up from Ray and walloped him with its tail. The powerful tail strike knocked Ray aside and he landed painfully on his side. June felt nervous. Trace was proving to be a tough trainer despite this being his first match. He had potential to achieve great things if this was how good he was now.

"Come on Ray, we can do this!" June cried encouragingly, "One last Thunder Shock should do the trick!"

"We'll wrap it up with one last Tackle!" Trace commanded.

Both Pokémon launched their attacks and both were able to successfully land a hit. Eevee tackled Ray but simultaneously, Ray hit Eevee with Thunder Shock, causing Eevee to get electrocuted as it hit Ray. Both Pokémon staggered and swayed on their feet as a result of the blows. They panted heavily, clearly at the end of their strength. They wanted to carry on battling. But in the end, it was over for both of them. Ray and Eevee collapsed onto the ground at the same time. June and Trace were astonished. They hadn't thought that their first ever Pokémon battle would've ended like this! Ruby and Hop were equally as surprised. A draw was not what they'd expected.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" Gary declared, "This match is a tie!"

"No way! It looks like we're equal!" Trace exclaimed, "How about that?!"

"Flippin' heck…my first ever battle and it ends like that. Didn't expect that!" June gasped, "But I don't mind! I had a blast out there! Pokémon battles are so much fun!"

"That's what me and your father thought after our first battle together!" Ruby chuckled.

"You both were excellent out there." Hop complimented, "Both of you share much promise! I can see you two duking it out in the Indigo League already!"

"Heh, don't think too far ahead." Gary warned, "They've gotta beat the Gym Challenge first and it's a long way to go before you can get to the Indigo League. I should know given I did it back in the day."

"Oh I'm sure, but I can still see it happening." Hop retorted.

June and Trace picked up their Pokémon and comforted them with a pat on the head.

"You were brilliant Ray. Thank you so much." June said kindly.

"Great fight Eevee. You really held your own there." Trace complimented.

The two teens shook hands.

"Thanks for the battle Trace! I had a great time there!" June said cheerfully.

"I had fun too." Trace said brightly, "That was a thrilling match! But I warn you, next time we battle, I'll win!" he said daringly.

"Oooooh, is that a challenge?" June replied with a daring smirk on her face, "Well then, I assure you that next time I'LL win!"

"We'll see." Trace agreed, "All the same, good luck on your journey June. You and Ray better train together and get stronger and stronger for there's plenty more challenges for you ahead. Me and Eevee will be doing the same."

"We sure will and good luck on your adventures too!" June said encouragingly.

Ruby watched the whole exchange between the two and smirked to herself.

"Our girl's already found herself a friend and rival. She really is officially a Pokémon trainer!" she joked.

"Kinda reminds me of us back when we were kids." Hop observed.

"Heh, if those two end up falling in love, it really will be like us all over again." Ruby chuckled.

She was sure that June and Trace were going be tough rivals but good friends to one another as they journeyed through the Kanto region…

Later on, Ray and Eevee had been given a well-earned rest and both were back on their feet and ready to fight again in no time. Trace had decided to leave early and was already heading on out of Pallet Town while June went back to the holiday house with Ruby and Hop for a minute. The family returned to the house and June settled down to relax for a few minutes. She even showed Ray her sketchbook while they rested. Ray was impressed with June's drawings. He especially liked a sketch of a Pikachu she drew when she was 12.

"That's really good! Looks exactly like a Pikachu!" Ray cried, "While we're here, maybe you could draw me?"

"I was planning to do that anyway." June confirmed, "Stand on the coffee table for a minute and I'll draw you."

Ray stood on the coffee table and made sure not to move. June got to work and began sketching away. Half an hour later, she was finished. She showed the drawing to Ray. Ray admired the drawing as he found himself looking at himself depicted as a pencil drawing on a piece of paper. He grinned suavely at himself.

"Saaaaay, I didn't realize I was this good looking." he purred, "You really captured my looks down perfectly with that."

"Heh, modest aren't you?" June chuckled.

"I'm just aware of how good I look, that's all." Ray preened, flexing his stubby arms.

"As long as you don't get a swelled head about it, I'm fine with that." June replied.

She put her sketchbook back into her bag and slipped it back onto her back. She felt like it was time to set off at last. She held out Ray's Pokéball to return him but Ray shook his head.

"No thanks. Being in there reminds me of…you know what." he muttered.

"Oh right. Sorry." June said apologetically, "You can ride on my shoulder if you like."

Ray hopped onto June's shoulder and made himself comfortable. June smiled with awe. It felt strangely nice to have this little Pokémon sitting on her shoulder like that. As long as Ray was more comfortable this way, it suited her just fine. She went over to her parents and hugged them tightly. Ruby and Hop hugged her back.

"So…I guess this is goodbye." the newbie trainer whispered, "If I go on my journey. I'm going to have a great time I'm sure, but I really will miss you both too."

"We'll miss you too darling." Ruby said softly, "But no matter where you are, you know we're just a phone call away. We'll be with you if ever you need us."

"You get out there and have the adventure of a lifetime!" Hop cried, "Be sure to catch lots of Pokémon and make lots of friends along the way."

"I will, I will!" June said eagerly, "I hope you two won't be too bored without me around."

"Nonsense June. We'll be fine." Ruby dismissed, "Now you get going. Trace might get too far ahead of you dawdle any further."

"Oh mum, don't worry about that!" June giggled, "I'll be off now. Goodbye mum, goodbye dad! Thank you for everything!"

"And thank you for being such a bright light in our lives." Ruby replied, kissing her daughter affectionately on the cheek.

Hop kissed June goodbye as well. June waved to her parents as she and Ray set off out of the holiday house and headed out of Pallet Town. Her first stop ahead would be Viridian City where the nearest Gym was located. Ruby and Hop waved to June as she headed on out of Pallet Town. As soon as she was gone, Hop put an arm around Ruby and pulled her close. He grinned mischievously at his wife.

"Heh…"will we be bored" she asks." he purred impishly.

"You hush cheeky boy, she's still a child." Ruby purred back as her fingers began to toy with Hop's shirt.

"Regardless, we're gonna be alone for a while now so we best make the most of it!" Hop said with a flirtatious smile.

He then proceeded to pick Ruby up off the floor and drape her over his shoulder. The silver-haired woman laughed at the sudden action. She felt like a sack of vegetables being draped over her husband's strong shoulders like so.

"Ha, ha, ha! Hop, put me down you big goofball!" she giggled, sounding like an overexcited schoolgirl.

"No way Ruby!" Hop said impishly as he gave Ruby's bum a cheeky little squeeze, "You and your magnificent ass are coming with me! Our bedroom calls for us!"

"You're such a horny little shit sometimes, you know that?" Ruby sneered as she reached down and gave Hop a pinch on the bottom in response.

"It's only cause I love you so much." Hop purred, "Besides, you're just as much of an imp as I am so you're one to talk."

Ruby just giggled in response. Her husband wasn't wrong about that! Hop carried his wife out of the room, the two still giggling impishly together.

Meanwhile, June had just set foot outside of Pallet Town and was heading up towards Route 1. Viridian City was directly ahead on this route. Route 1 was also home to a few different species of Pokémon such as Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey and Rattata. She could start building up her team in this route. But as she entered Route 1, she didn't notice that she was being watched. A teenage girl with purple hair and dressed in the Team Rocket uniform was hiding behind a tree. She watched June and Ray head off together. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Ray especially. Her pink coloured lips spread into a smile of pleasure. She'd found the target! She took out her Rotom phone and called up her boss.

"Boss? It's Tricia. I've located the target." she announced, "Our runaway Pikachu is now in the possession of a young girl with silver and purple hair. She appears to be Galarian judging from her accent. I think she's staying with that couple in the holiday house you asked me to watch."

"Is she alone?" the boss asked.

"Affirmative. Her parents aren't with her." Tricia informed.

"Excellent. You pursue that girl and seize that Pikachu. I'll get a team to rob her parents." the boss declared, "If they have any Pokémon from the Galar region, we'll profit marvellously from them."

"Of course sir. Tricia out." Tricia concluded.

She put her phone away and stalked after June, keeping to the shadows and behind the cover of trees and bushes. The little brat would never notice she was there and that Pikachu would be back in Team Rocket's hands…

June's journey is now beginning! She has her first Pokémon! And just as she hoped for, it's a Pikachu! I'm sure she and Ray will be the best of friends on this journey. What adventures await this duo and what Pokémon will they catch? Find out as next time, "The Journey Begins"...

Trivia: Ray's first interaction with June is straight up taken from a cutscene in Let's Go Pikachu! where the same kind of interaction occurs. It was too cute not to include in my eyes. ^^ Also Ray's hairstyle is an actual hairstyle Pikachu can wear in Let's Go Pikachu! I didn't want June to just have a plain old Pikachu so giving him a design trait felt like a good idea to me. :)

And as you can see, Trace from the Let's Go games is here again but I assure you, he'll be a more interesting rival for June and not so weak like he is in the games. Before you ask, NO, he and June are NOT going to be a couple. That'd just repeat Ruby and Hop's relationship from the previous stories so he and June won't have anything romantic going on. June will get a love interest, but it's NOT Trace. That's all you're getting for now...

Also Gary Oak being the new Pokémon Professor in place of Professor Oak felt like the most logical choice to make in this case. It also ties into his anime counterpart with how he become more of a researcher than a battler after Ash beat him in the Johto League. :)

Oh and fun fact: the photo gallery of the Silverlock family over the years was my friend The Wandering Fox's idea. He suggested Ruby and Hop have something like that to give the readers a window into their family lives in a quick and non-overly expository way, so we have the photo gallery. :)

June and Trace's battle ending in a draw was deliberately done so June's journey doesn't have an identical beginning to Ruby's. I also didn't want Trace to win on his first try to emphasize that both are newbies so ending it in a draw allows the two rivals to start on the same footing so to speak. :)