"5."
"Well, I guess this is it."
"4."
"This is it."
"3."
"Live free."
"2."
"Fight on."
"1."
Both waited for the inevitable.
"0."
It was a bright, sunny morning in Pallet Town. It's here many trainers begin their journey as Pokemon trainers. The lush, green and peaceful town is home to one of the world's most famous Pokemon researchers Prof. Oak. From his lab, Prof. Oak provides trainers with their very first Pokemon, a choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. They can begin their journey with one of the three. In a house elsewhere in Pallet Town, a young man was asleep in his room with a small yellow mouse Pokemon laying close to him. This is sixteen year old Ash Ketchum who's currently on a journey to become a Pokemon master. He had just returned from winning the Pokemon World Tournament in the Unova Region. Down in the kitchen, his mother Delia was preparing breakfast for him and their family's guest. Upstairs, Pikachu's sensitive nose picked up the scent coming from the kitchen.
"Cha." Pikachu yawned, and then went to wake his trainer up.
"Uh morning, buddy." Ash said, while holding his head and trying to pull himself together.
"Man, I didn't get enough sleep last night." He muttered, thinking about last night after Alexa told him about a brand new region. Ash stayed up most of the night, lost in thought about this new adventure.
"Ash are you up?! Breakfast is ready!" Delia exclaimed.
"Coming." Ash said. He ran down the hall, but was going too fast and momentarily forgot about the stairs.
"Woah woahh ahhh ow ow ahhhhh ow." Ash cried out, as he fell down the stairs and wound up in the living room.
"Ash honey, are you okay?" Delia asked, concerned.
Pikachu looked down the stairs, feeling embarrassed by his trainer's actions.
"Yeah I'm okay mom." Ash said.
"Ash, you really should be more careful coming down the stairs next time."
"I'm sorry mom, but I can't help it." Ash said, knowing what today means.
"I know you're finally heading off to a new adventure." Delia said, happy but sad at the same time. Even though she was happy her youngest son was about to continue his journey, she was sad that he was going to leave home once again but she was aware she couldn't stop him from growing up. She had the same feeling after her eldest son, Drake began his journey.
"Come on, breakfast is waiting." They went to the kitchen table and then heard a loud cry from outside the house. Both rushed outside and saw a large bird Pokemon with bright feathers and large talons. By it's appearance, it has been well trained and seems to be slightly larger than normal. Nearby was a young man around six feet tall, his body was very fit so people could tell he was very athletic. He wore a simple plain black T-shirt, black finger-less gloves with blue borders, followed by dark blue jeans and black and blue running shoes. He has the same black hair and skin color as his brother. However, instead of brown eyes he had black eyes. This was Delia's eldest son and Ash's older brother Drake Ketchum, an Aura Guardian and the Champion of the Kanto region.
"Hey well, look at you." Delia said, happy to see her son in good health.
"Hey mom, hey Ash." Drake greeted them. It felt good to be home, a year had passed since he and Ash went to Unova.
"You're just in time for breakfast. Come on, let's go inside." Delia said. They went inside and sat at the table before they began to eat.
Then a new figure entered the kitchen, feeling exhausted.
"Man, what's with the noise!?" The woman exclaimed.
"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the mattress." Ash said, as he and the others laugh.
"Don't mind that." A tall-looking man, appearing to be several years older than Drake apologized. He wore a white T-shirt, black jacket, sandy jeans and black sneakers with a cape on his back and finally a collapsible metal staff was in his hand. This particular guest is Andrew Richardson, Champion of the Sinnoh Region. He was going to accompany Ash on his journey through Kalos.
"I didn't know you slept over, Alexa." Drake said.
"Well, I was going to head to the Pokemon center for the night but your mother told me there isn't one in Pallet Town and offered to let me stay in the guest room. I agreed with her offer." Alexa said.
"It was the least I could do after you took care of my sons while you were coming home." Delia said.
"Mom, you know I'm all grown up and can take care of myself." Drake replied, slightly embarrassed.
"Twenty one or not, I know how much trouble you and your brother encounter while traveling." Delia told Drake. "Even though you're a Champion and Aura Guardian, you're still my son." She continued.
Drake knew that his mom would always worry about him and Ash traveling together and facing various situations and the two had any problem with it. It's a mother's job to worry about her children's welfare. She knew about the risks of a journey, there was danger around every corner.
"I know, and I promise to be careful." Drake said.
"Me too." Ash nodded.
"You sure have two wonderful children." Alexa said, while chewing on a pancake.
"Well, we are glad to have a loving mother that raised us well, right Ash?"
"Yep, and we'll have each other's backs." Ash said, drinking his juice.
"Well finish your breakfast, your flight leaves in two hours." Delia said.
"Yeah, I need to finish packing." Ash said, and then headed for his room.
"ASH WAIT!" He stopped and turned to his mom, who was holding onto a new outfit.
"I have a new outfit for your adventure." It was composed of a blue collared short sleeve shirt with white stripes on the sides, dark blue jeans, red sneakers, a new pair of finger-less gloves with dark red boulders and finally a red hat with a Poke Ball symbol on front.
"Wow I like the style, thanks mom." Ash hugged his mom.
"Well, I'll put them on right now and then come back down with the rest of my stuff." He ran upstairs to his room.
"What about you Drake? Are you ready?" Delia asked him.
"The thing is I have to check on something in Celadon City, so I'll be on the 1:00 flight this afternoon." Drake said, before he headed out the door.
"How have the Elite Four managed without you after all these years." Delia added.
"I asked Lance to watch over while I'm gone, he understood after Team Rocket was disbanded following Giovanni's arrest." Drake said, trying to get a unpleasant memory out of his head.
"But he told me there's a group of grunts and executives still causing problems here and in Johto as well. Also Koga told me about a village of ninjas in the Kalos Region."
"Well, I'm relieved that monstrous group won't be causing any more problems." Delia said with some uncertainty, bringing up Team Rocket caused her to relive some painful experiences.
"Mom, I know that look don't worry Ash and I know you're not that kind of person anymore." Drake said, comforting his mother. He and Ash knew what life she used to live once, but it's nothing more than a memory, albeit a very painful one.
"I'm just thankful to have you two in my life." Delia said.
"We'll always be here for you mom."
After a few minutes Drake went out and mounted his Pidgeot. "Tell Ash I'll meet him in Kalos later."
"I'll tell him, be careful Drake." Just like that Drake nudged Pidgeot and told it to takeoff.
After leaving the house Ash and Alexa were greeted by the professor's grandson Gary, his sister Daisy, two of Ash's old traveling partners Misty and Brock, as well as Riley and his Lucario.
Ten minutes later Ash and Alexa were all ready, but before they headed to the Viridian City airport they paid Prof. Oak's lab a visit.
"Hello everyone." A young man wearing a green shirt and brown shorts said.
"Hello Tracey. Is Prof. Oak here?" Ash asked.
"Yeah he's in the back, let's go." They headed to the back and found an old man around fifty years old surrounded by Pokemon as some pounce on him, showing him affection.
"Hey professor, hey guys."
"Ah hello everybody." The professor greeted as well as the Pokemon in their own language.
"Wow, Ash's Pokemon sure are unique." Alexa said.
"Yeah they are."
"Well we only wanted to stop by before heading to the airport." Delia said.
"Ah yes well I wish you two the best of luck, especially you Ash." The professor said.
"Thanks professor I'll call if I ever need any assistance." Ash said.
"You're welcome anytime my boy, well you guys better get going before you miss your flight."
"Right." Everyone said.
Everyone then said their goodbyes and drove off to the airport. After getting their tickets Ash and Alexa headed to the gate before Delia said goodbye to her son.
"Ash, Drake wanted me to tell you he'll meet you in Lumoise City later."
"Okay mom, thanks." Ash then tried to head off, but not before his mom gave him a bone-breaking hug.
"Uh mom...can't breathe." Ash struggled to say.
"Sorry honey, but please stay safe and remember to have fun in Kalos, okay?"
"Okay mom, I will." Ash said, before running off again.
"Ash wait!"
"What is it!?"
"Don't forget to change your underwear everyday, okay?"
"You don't need to remind me about that anymore." Ash facepalmed, knowing his mom would never let that one joke go.
"I love you." Delia waved.
"Love you too mom bye." Ash waved back and ran towards the gate of his plane. He and Alexa sat next to each other with Pikachu on his lap. With all the luggage on board and all calls made, the plane then took off from the runway and headed to the Kalos Region.
After they departed, Prof. Oak went back to the lab and then heard his phone ring.
"Hello, who may I ask is calling?" The professor questioned, after picking the phone up and seeing a stranger on the other end of the screen.
"Would you happen to know where Ash Ketchum went?" He asked back. "I'm Nick by the way."
"Yes, I do." Prof. Oak nodded. "They're on their way to Kalos."
"So they've gone off to the Kalos region on a journey. Hmm, then that's where I need to go to next and besides it's been so long since I've last seen them plus one of them promised me a battle the next time we crossed paths again which is going to be especially awesome because he's the one that inspired me to go on a Pokemon journey through multiple regions in the first place plus there's a few more people over there in the region that I want to catch up with. So I can't wait." He finishes with a grin on his face and a determined and excited look in his eyes. "Well, I'm sure that they'll be happy to see you there in Kalos and I'm glad that I was able to help out one of my former students especially one who has made a name for himself over the years." Professor Oak beams back to the teen who blinks in surprise before he rubs the back of his head in minor embarrassment and chuckling. "Oh, you knew about that? Well, I guess word would've eventually reached Pallet Town one way or another. Anyway, I have to go and check to see if Nurse Joy is finished with my Pokemon's check-up before I can head out to Kalos. Once again, thanks for all your help and it was nice seeing and talking you again, Professor. I'll make sure to call you sometime after I explore Kalos for a little while." The teen says finishing up with a minor bow out of respect.
"Likewise and I'll be sure to let my old friend, Professor Sycamore know that you'll be coming by his laboratory soon so you can get a Regional Pokedex and a Kalos starter for your journey. I wish you the best of luck on your journey through Kalos." The world-famous Pokemon professor replied finished with his end of the conversation. "Okay, I'll see you soon again in Kalos when I update you on my progress and I can't wait to challenge the Kalos League. Have a great day." He said as the screen turned off and he placed the phone back on its hook and stood there for a bit more thinking fist pumped in the air in front of him: "The sooner I can find them, the sooner I can show them how much stronger I've grown over the years. I can't wait for that promised battle." The familiar chime of the Pokemon Center snapped him out of his thoughts, the teen turning towards the direction of the sound and hurrying to the desk just as Nurse Joy came out of the double doors wheeling a cart carrying a happy looking Eevee which subsequently jumps off the cart and into his trainer's arms who started scratching behind one of Eevee's ears, earning a relaxed coo from the Evolution Pokemon.
"Your Eevee is in excellent condition and cleared for battling especially since his coat is one of the healthiest I've ever seen on most Pokemon." Nurse Joy speaking to the trainer while sporting a happy expression with a smile.
"Thanks. I make absolutely sure that all of my Pokemon personally get the best care possible and then some especially my partner here, right Eevee?" The teen says turning to his partner Pokemon.
"Eh-Vay" Eevee replied happily while shaking his fluffy tail.
"So where are you off to next after this?" The pink-haired Pokemon nurse asked.
"That's easy. I'm going go to the Kalos region to see some old friends of mine, catch some new Pokemon and finally take on the Kalos League!" The teen proclaimed proudly.
"The Kalos region? Ah, yes I've heard quite a bit about that region from the other Nurse Joys there saying that there's a mysterious evolution discovered in Kalos for certain Pokemon and there's a new type of Pokemon there which also apparently includes a new Eeveelution line for Eevees over there as well." Nurse Joy says recalling some information about Kalos from a while ago which left both Eevee and his trainer surprised.
"A new mysterious evolution for certain Pokemon, a new type of Pokemon and even a new possible way for Eevee to evolve?!" The teen said shocked alongside his Eevee as they turned to face each other for a moment before smiles with the looks of excitement appeared on their faces and turned back to face Nurse Joy.
"Well, that gives us more of a reason to head off to Kalos ASAP, right Eevee?" The teen asked his partner.
"Eh-Veh." Eevee agreed before noticing something important and hopping out of the teen's arms and running towards where the videophones were.
"Alright then, look out Kalos here we-" The trainer was interrupted by Eevee's crying out rushing back to the teen who noticed that Eevee was carrying a red hat with a black Poke Ball in the middle of it on his head which made his eyes widen in shock.
"Whoops. Thanks Eevee I nearly forgot that I took my hat off so Professor Oak would recognize me easier." The teen replied with a nervous laugh before taking the hat and placed it over his head and the short black hair with it noticeably spiked up the front of it and then let Eevee hop back up on one of his shoulders.
"Okay, let's try that again. Alright then, look out Kalos here we come!"
"Eh-Vay!" The duo said before they rushed out of the Pokemon Center and to the nearest airport to Kalos.