Chapter 1 – This is Kalos

The cheers of the crowd were all around him, filling the air as much as the oxygen he drew in with every heaving breath. The din pounded in his ears and energized him, encouraging the adrenalin to flow through his tingling veins and set his heart a-racing. He stood alone on the barren field, in the middle of the fight of his life, and it was so thrilling that he couldn't stop a crazed grin from pulling at his lips.

A mighty dragon Pokemon dove from the sky, its wings spread and jaws slavering with white-hot flames. In seconds, it would be upon him, but he didn't back down. No, he bravely stood his ground with confidence that some would consider suicidal, and stared the mighty beast straight in the eyes as it speared straight for him.

Throwing his arm out, he spoke out in a great bellow. "Toothless, use Dragon Rush!"

A shadow fell over the ground and a terrifying roar split the sky. The enemy dragon halted its assault, hesitating as an aura of fear overcame it. A brilliant cerulean glow blazed to life above them, outshining even the sun as Hiccup's ace Pokemon came plummeting down like a meteor. It was no meteor, though – the only extinction it brought was the opponent's as it drove into the ground in a flaring explosion of light and energy.

Hiccup was forced to cover his eyes, intense winds whipping at his jacket. But the devastating impact lasted only a few seconds, and soon died down enough for him to turn eager eyes back to the field. The vision that greeted him didn't disappoint – his own dragon stood atop its unconscious enemy's steaming form, wings flapping and a roar of victory blasting from its open maw.

"BOOOOOHMAAAAA!"

"And Leon's last Pokemon goes down!" the voice of the announcer rang out across the stadium. "The victor is clear! Ladies and gentlemen, Galar has a new champion – Champion Hiccup and the indominable Toothless!"

He sprang forward, unable to sit still, and ran with arms outstretched toward his faithful partner. "Toothless!" he cried, overjoyed. "We did it, bud! And it was all thanks to you! You're amazing!"

The dragon bounded toward him as well, its flapping wings sounding like thunder and its feet pounding craters in the floor. Suddenly, he began to have second thoughts, fear slicing through the joy, and he backpedaled.

"No, Toothless, wai–"

Too late. The size and weight of a car, his Pokemon leapt at him in mindless enthusiasm, seconds away from crushing him…!

"OOF!"

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was jolted awake by an impact that jolted through his body, pain exploding in his head and upper back. Eyes flying open, he reflexively tried to jump to his feet – only to find that he was unable to, his feet tangled in the blanket he'd dragged down with him.

Blinking, Hiccup calmed down enough to realize what had happened. He was lying on the floor of his bedroom, looking at the side of his bed as the warm glow of the morning sun flooded through the nearby window. His head rolled over the wooden floorboards as he took in the unfamiliar sights – not of his Pokemon biology books or Galar League posters, those were familiar, but of the room itself. This wasn't his room. Where was he, again?

"Oh, right," he muttered to himself, the memories floating back to him through the pain still pounding through his skull. "We aren't in Galar anymore. Mom and I moved to Kalos… along with Toothless and…"

"Tariiiii~."

A sweet, chirruping song floated through the bedroom as a large bird Pokemon settled atop his recently vacated mattress. It ruffled its fluffy wings and bent its neck toward him, looking down with a cheerful chirp and a smile on its beak.

"Morning to you too, Cloudjumper," Hiccup muttered, now knowing exactly why he'd fallen out of bed. "You know you could just peck me, or something, to wake me up, right? Not sure trying to break my neck is really necessary."

"Tyltariaaaaa~," was the Altaria's innocent reply.

With a sharp huff, Hiccup extracted his legs from the bedsheet and rolled into a sitting position, flexing his shoulders to make sure he hadn't dislocated anything. Once he was sure his arms were still functional, he cast an exasperated glance at Cloudjumper and said, "Well, I'm up now. You can go tell Mom that I'm coming; I just… need to…"

A realization hit Hiccup right at that moment, and his voice trailed off as he scanned the room – the room he now understood was empty aside from him and Cloudjumper. He frowned, knowing very well that there should be one more.

"Wait, where's Toothless?" he asked.

A glance at Cloudjumper only got a shrug out of the Dragon-and-Flying-type, who then, his job done, hopped off the bed and scurried quickly through the half-open bedroom door. At the same time, Hiccup smelled the faint scent of breakfast drifting from downstairs, a sign that his mother was already up as well. Maybe Toothless had already gone down to eat – though that would be odd, as even when he was hungry, he tended to wake Hiccup up first.

Hiccup made himself presentable, whipping out a pair of plain sweatpants and a green shirt before finishing the ensemble with his favorite jacket, a sleeveless garment that was waterproof on the inside and sporting a layer of synthetic brown fur on the outside. He checked himself in the mirror at his table briefly, and a freckled face with bright green eyes and an unkempt mop of dull brown hair stared back at him. Satisfied, he pulled the door open fully and thudded down the stairwell.

He didn't need to be familiar with the house to find the kitchen. The stairs brought him directly to the spacious living room, of which the kitchen took up about a third, a bar of sorts marking the boundary between soft carpet and clean tile. Hiccup couldn't pick out a shred of the telltale blue of his Pokemon partner amidst all the slate grey, putting a frown on his face as he headed over to join his mother in the kitchen. Valka was already toiling over the stove, the steam from several pans' worth of eggs and sausages blowing through her curly red-brown hair.

"Oh, mornin', Hiccup," she greeted with a kind smile, her voice carrying the lilt of a faint Galarian accent. "And here I thought I'd have to come up and wake ya myself."

"Yeah, no, never again," Hiccup shuddered instinctively at the thought. And he'd always thought his dad had an impressive yell… "I can't find Toothless, though. Have you seen him?"

"Come to think of it, no," Valka replied, her expression becoming thoughtful as she mulled it over. After a second, she shook her head and returned to the stove. "I wouldn't worry 'bout it too much. Little bugger's probably just explorin' 'round the property now that he's had a full night's rest."

Hiccup nodded, turning around with the intention of heading for the back door and searching the garden. But his mother's voice called him back – "Hold it, Hiccup. Not before ya sit down and eat. Then ya can take Toothless' meal out to him once ya find him. Can't be startin' your first day in the new house with empty stomachs."

When his mother said something, she always meant it, so Hiccup relented and took a glass of Miltank milk with him to the kitchen table. With a few strokes of her spatula, Valka slapped two eggs and two sausages onto a plate that she set in front of him. He tucked in after a thank-you; she joined him after fixing a plate for herself.

"Sorry again for springin' the move on ya on such short notice," Valka said, giving him an apologetic smile. "Ya aren't regrettin' comin' along with me instead of stayin' with your father in Galar?"

Hiccup washed down his mouthful with an audible gulp before answering. "What? No, Mom, I told you before that I wanted to come. I mean, yeah, it stinks that Dad couldn't come with us… but this works out better for you, and for me and Toothless. We can't challenge the Galar League without a sponsor, and we don't know anybody qualified to give us one, so this is our opportunity to get out and go on a proper journey."

Valka smiled warmly. "That's why I agreed to let ya come in the first place. There's nothin' for a growin' young lad in Galar – here, though, there's plenty for an aspirin' Pokemon Trainer to do and explore. Ya might as well get outta the house anyway, what with me goin' back to work tomorrow."

"Right," Hiccup replied, swallowing his next bite. "It's not like you're working on commission for the Pokemon Rangers anymore. You're actually going out there and doing real conservation work for Professor Sycamore himself! Working with an actual Pokemon Professor."

"And it'll be nice to do that work without needin' to worry 'bout you and Toothless settin' the house on fire," she smirked with a nudge to his shoulder.

Flushing, Hiccup protested indignantly, "Come on, Mom, that was one time!"

"I'm only kiddin'," Valka chuckled. She reached over to ruffle his hair, then craned her neck to look over at the front door with a frown. "Come to think of it, though, it is odd Toothless hasn't come runnin' yet. I hope he's not gettin' himself into mischief…"

"That's why I'm going right now, to make sure he doesn't pick a fight with a Beedrill or something," Hiccup answered, half-sarcastically. He emptied his plate in a few more hurried bites and left it behind on his way out of the kitchen. "I'll clean the dishes later, Mom!" he called over his shoulder before she got the chance to scold him.

He ran through the living room and around the corner to find the door that led to the backyard, his shoes lying messily in front of it where he'd left them last night. As he slipped them on, his eyes happened to wander toward a small shelf sitting on the wall at near-eye level. Sitting beside a vase of flowers was a small, golden picture frame, the photograph inside of it depicting six individuals. He was in the center, clutching Toothless to his chest; his mother and Cloudjumper to the left, her hands on his shoulders; and finally his father, Stoick, on the right, grinning down at Hiccup with one dinner plate-sized hand planted atop his head. The other was placed against Skullcrusher's metallic flank as the Aggron loomed over everyone in the photo, radiating a protective aura.

Hiccup found himself smiling at the photo, bubbles of fond nostalgia rising within to lighten his spirits. It had only been a day or so since they'd boarded their flight to Kalos at Wyndon Airport, but it already felt like forever since he'd seen his dad. Stoick couldn't come with them, his own work keeping him firmly in Galar, and it was for this reason that he'd argued against Hiccup going, unwilling to say goodbye to both wife and son. Valka had talked him into it, though – perhaps the only person in the world capable of convincing the notoriously Emboar-headed man – and they'd parted with bittersweet farewells.

That reminds me, I'll have to call him tonight, Hiccup remembered, clicking his fingers. Just to let him know how our first day went. But anyway…

"Toothless?" he called out as he opened the back door. A refreshing gust of springtime air whipped through his hair as if to welcome him to the Kalosian outdoors, that same gust rustling through the dense mix of ornamental bushes and vegetable plants that made up the back garden. The wind was all he heard, though – no answering cry that would clue him in to his Pokemon's whereabouts.

"You in here, bud?" Hiccup called again, threading his fingers through the flowers to push them aside. There wasn't a single flash of blue to be seen amongst the leaves and stems.

He frowned to himself. Not in the house, and not in the garden… that can only mean…

As if on cue, the faint sound of clattering pebbles tickled his ears, and when he turned around, he was on time to see a tiny shower of dust rain down from the roof. That was all the confirmation he needed – he let out an exasperated sigh and ran around the side of the house, only stopping when he reached the driveway. When his feet found concrete, he craned his neck and cupped both hands around his mouth to call out once more.

"Toothless! Come on down!" he yelled. "I know you're up there!"

Finally, a mostly blue head dominated by a hard shell of calloused grey scales popped into view, and a stubby arm waved joyfully. "Bago bay!"

"Yeah, I'm happy to see you too, bud," Hiccup replied. "I've told you a million times, you should let me know if you want to climb up places like this. We haven't even been here twenty-four hours!"

"Bayyyy-go!" the Bagon insisted, hopping up and down excitedly.

"Come back down, Toothless," Hiccup said again. "At least get some breakfast in you before you start spending all your energy, alright?"

This time, Toothless nodded, and with a shift in expression into a fiercely determined snarl, the dragonling took a running leap off the roof. His arms flapped madly as he plummeted down to earth headfirst, his skull on direct course for an unpleasant meeting with the ground. But Hiccup made no move to stop his Pokemon, his eyes tracking Toothless' progress until –

CRUNCH!

A fresh crack split the pavement as Toothless rolled onto his feet, his helmet-like crest completely unblemished. Looking no worse for wear, he toddled right up to Hiccup and jumped for his chest, where Hiccup caught him flawlessly and held him before his face with a wry smile.

Toothless was just like any other Bagon, according to his mother. The only difference, appearance-wise, was the small scar on his lower lip where his left tusk should've been. Bagon normally had two enlarged canines that they used for biting, Valka said, but Toothless only had the one on the right – hence his nickname. The left one had been torn out in some kind of struggle… likely in the very incident that had brought him and Hiccup together.

Valka had taken Hiccup with her on a trip to Galar's Lake of Outrage, where the local Pokemon Rangers had requested a survey of the many Dragon-types that called the lake their home. With Cloudjumper protecting them, they'd trekked deep into the forest on the far side of the water and come across evidence of poacher activity – smashed cages littering the ground, torn nets strung between tree branches. In one of those nets had been a young Bagon, a hatchling from Valka's estimation, listless and weak with raw wounds speckling its body. At Hiccup's request, they'd taken the lone survivor home and nursed it back to health.

Ever since then, Hiccup and Toothless had become near inseparable. One of their favorite activities was flight practice – although Hiccup had been alarmed when the freshly-recovered dragonling started flinging himself from high places, Valka had instead taken it as a sign of good health and mental development. Toothless wouldn't get his wings until he was full-grown, but inside of him was still a powerful instinct to fly, and so he needed to practice, building up his muscles and preparing for his eventual evolution.

And that was what had inspired the dream that still burned in Hiccup's heart to this very day.

"Next time, wait for me to wake up before you start morning flight practice," he told his Pokemon, his voice taking on a mock-scolding tone. "And don't do it from the roof, okay? We don't want you to land on something too tough for even your thick head."

"Bago!" Toothless said, squirming to get out of Hiccup's arms. As if he hadn't even heard his Trainer, he scrambled for the house again, climbing up only the first few bricks before Hiccup caught him again.

"What did I just tell you?" Hiccup asked, already frustrated. Of all the times for his partner to start acting stubborn…

He set the little dragon down and bent into a crouch so he could talk to him at eye level. Toothless held his gaze, an inquisitive question in those jet-black pupils. He was listening intently, already able to tell that what Hiccup had to say was important.

"I love flight practice as much as you, but that alone isn't going to help you grow your wings any faster," he began, serious-faced. "Remember why we moved to Kalos with Mom? We're going to take the Gym challenge and get much stronger, you and me, so you can get all the battle experience you need to evolve into an awesome Salamence. We'll achieve our dreams together – you'll grow big and strong enough to fly, and I'll become an expert Dragon Tamer like Mom."

"Bay Bagon," Toothless agreed, looking just as serious.

"I'm going to raise you into the best Dragon-type you can be, just like I promised you when we met," Hiccup said. Reverently, he closed his eyes and thrust his palm forward, an invitation to come near. Immediately, he felt the rough, stonelike texture of Toothless' crest as the Bagon nuzzled him, completing the familiar ritual.

Opening his eyes again, Hiccup reached around to scratch Toothless along the jaw. "In just a few days time, we'll be out on the road, beginning our adventure. We're finally going to make our goals a reality. Exciting stuff, isn't it, bud?"

"Bay-go!" he squawked and, before Hiccup could stop him, tore off for the house again. It was like Hiccup's speech had only supercharged him, fueling his tiny claws to clamber over the brickwork like an Aipom up a tree.

"Ugh, Toothless!" Hiccup shouted. He made a grab for him, his fingers just missing the bottom of his partner's foot, and resigned himself to watching him disappear over the side of the roof, huffing. "Just great. I try to get serious with him and he just decides not to listen. Maybe this is how Dad felt whenever he took me fishing…"

"BAAAAAGO!"

There it was, the telltale scream that meant Toothless was about to try again. He backed up several paces, both to watch his Pokemon's progress carefully and to ensure he wasn't about to become an improvised landing platform. But instead of charging toward the front of the house, though, Toothless opted to jump in another direction – namely, toward the neighbors' place, separated from theirs only by a fence and a strip of lawn. Hiccup's heart did an uneasy backflip as he witnessed Toothless leap off and plunge straight for the other house.

"Toothless, watch ou–"

The baby Dragon-type vanished behind the fence, a sickening crack splitting the peaceful morning atmosphere. Frantically, Hiccup clambered unsteadily up the fence to follow his Pokemon onto the neighbors' property, only to fumble on the climb back down and land on his butt in the grass on the opposite side. Rubbing his aching rear, he rose and staggered over to where Toothless was laying. Dirt and shards of pottery were strewn all over, the remnants of the flower pots that Toothless must have landed on.

Hiccup sighed with relief – the impact could've ended up much worse – and picked his partner up, brushing soil from his scales. "You okay there, Toothless?"

"Bay…" Toothless' reply was deflated, seeming to understand that he'd done something bad this time.

"Hey, at least you didn't hit their house, alright?" Hiccup tried to soothe him, before letting out an unenthused sigh. "We're still gonna have to apologize, though. Something tells me this wasn't the way Mom wanted to introduce us to the neighbors…"

Gesturing for Toothless to follow, he made his way to the front of the house and stood where the driveway led to a set of steps that preceded the front door. He paused, letting out a sigh as he tried to imagine how he'd open to the house's owners. Hi, sorry to bother you, but I'm your new neighbor and my Pokemon ended up breaking your flower pots because I let him jump from our roof. I'm really sorry and it won't happen again.

Yeah, there really isn't a cleaner way to phrase that, Hiccup thought, resignedly. Better just tell it like it is, get it over with.

He lifted his foot onto the first step, but before he could get any further…

"Um… can we help you?"

Hiccup whirled at the sound of the voice, trying not to appear as startled as he was. Two people were standing at the front gate, the first a short and stocky older woman with large pink cheeks that seemed to take up most of her face. The second was much younger-looking – Hiccup's age, from the look of him – and yet exceeded his mother in height and girth, with an enormous furry coat and huge bare arms atop a pair of surprisingly skinny legs. They shared the same straw-colored hair and concerned expression, and they were both situated on top of a Pokemon – a large, stone-skinned quadruped with a flat head and pointed nasal horn.

"O-Oh, uh…" Hiccup momentarily lost his voice in his haste to explain himself, and took stiff, nervous strides toward the family while putting on as friendly a smile as he could. "You, ah, don't know me, but I'm, um…"

Man, did he feel awkward. Interacting with strangers always was for him. Besides Toothless, he'd never had that many friends back in Galar – to his peers, he was just that weird kid that liked Dragon-types. People didn't talk to him much, and when they did, he usually struggled to keep a conversation going. But this would be over with quickly, he told himself… he'd just explain the situation, apologize, and then he could spend the rest of the day inside without any more social interaction.

"W-We, ah, just moved in next door," he struggled to continue, "and I was just on my way to say…"

"Oh, yes, how delightful!" The woman was suddenly no longer worried, recognition sparking in her tiny eyes, and Hiccup snapped his mouth shut at her exclamation. "I'd heard we were getting new neighbors! Welcome to Vaniville Town, sweetie – I'm Frieda Ingerman, and this is my dear son, Fishlegs."

Fishlegs flinched at the sound of his name and cringed back as though trying to hide behind his much shorter parent, wiggling his fingers in a tentative wave. "Uh, h-hello there…"

"Um, yes, thanks," Hiccup, momentarily confused by the interruption, forced himself to get back on track. "I'm, uh, Hiccup Haddock. Pleased to meet you… A-Anyway, I was about to say that I'm here because my Pokemon accidentally broke the flower pots at the side of the house. Sorry about that…"

Toothless approached and stood beside him, his head bowed. "Bay bago…"

As soon as Toothless had waddled into view, Fishlegs abruptly sat up straight, an excited expression chasing away all traces of apprehension. "Oh, wow!" he gasped, scrambling off his Pokemon with speed Hiccup had never expected for someone so large. "I-Is that a real Bagon?! I've never seen a Dragon-type before in the flesh! Look at its scales, so hard and glossy! Th-That means it's very healthy and strong! And the distinctive cranial adornment is completely undamaged, without… any, um… i-imperfections…"

The nervousness returned as Fishlegs seemed to realize how impulsively he'd spoken, quailing with a ferocious red blush. "S-Sorry… I know it's weird, but… when I see a new Pokemon, I just can't control myself. I-I've read all about Dragon-types, b-but never met one myself, s-so…"

Hiccup couldn't help it – he laughed, all discomfort vanished. "Hey, that's great! You really know your stuff, if you could tell all that about Toothless with just a look," he encouraged him.

"Fishlegs just adores Pokemon," Frieda Ingerman said by way of explanation. "He's sure to have read every book in existence about them, at this point. He's normally shy, but if you want him to talk your ear off, just ask him a question!" She tittered at her own joke.

"Mom…" Fishlegs whined, but his attention was drawn to Toothless again almost immediately. "D-Do you think I could… um…?"

He raised a hand and mimed petting something, and Hiccup smiled at his apprehension. "Be my guest," he offered, stepping aside so the other boy could properly meet Toothless. "Make sure to lower your head and reach out, but let him make the first move."

"G-Got it!" Fishlegs confirmed, and hurriedly knelt in front of Toothless with his head bowed and pudgy hand outstretched. He was practically vibrating with excitement, to Hiccup's amusement. Toothless initially appeared unsure, but after a good deal of sniffing at Fishlegs' hand, the Bagon made up his mind and pressed his snout against the offered palm.

Hiccup didn't think he'd ever met anyone that reacted with such genuine, child-like ecstasy at touching a Pokemon. Fishlegs brightened instantly and, with an air of awe, began to run one hand over Toothless' helmet and the other along his jaw. It was heartwarming to see someone who appreciated Toothless as much as he did – and at first sight, no less. Frieda wasn't just right, she'd understated how much her son loved Pokemon.

For once, Hiccup got the feeling that he'd get along with these people.

At that moment, Fishlegs' fingers found the soft spot under Toothless' chin, and he instantly flopped on his back with a purring growl. Looking like his birthday had come early, Fishlegs sprang into a frenzy of enthusiastic tickling while Toothless crooned and growled for more with his legs waving in the air.

"This is incredible!" the larger boy squealed, turning sparkling eyes onto Hiccup. "I never suspected a Dragon-type Pokemon would react this way to physical affection! Can you believe it?!"

"Well, yes, I can – he's my Pokemon, after all," Hiccup answered wryly. He cast a look over at the large Pokemon that Frieda and Fishlegs had been riding, which in turn was glowering jealously at Fishlegs and Toothless. "Uh, speaking of Pokemon, aren't you going to introduce me to yours, too?"

Apparently taking his prompt as a cue, the Pokemon – possibly a Rock-type, by the look of its body armor? – lumbered forward and begun to nudge its horned snout against its Trainer. "Rhy… rhy!" it grunted with each bump.

"O-Oh, of course, s-sorry!" Fishlegs stammered, quickly taking his hands off Toothless and throwing his arms around the Pokemon's head with obvious love. "This is my precious Rhyhorn, Meatlug! I didn't mean to ignore you, girl – you know how I get whenever I see a new Pokemon! Come here, bring it in!"

The Rhyhorn responded to Fishlegs over-the-top affection with some of her own, dragging her huge tongue across his face in a spray of saliva. Hiccup shuddered instinctively at the sight, though the now-dripping Fishlegs only cooed as though it had just been a dainty peck on the lips. As Meatlug continued to lick her Trainer, Hiccup's eyes were drawn to a flash of color – she turned out to be wearing a bright pink collar, standing out dramatically against her grey hide.

While he and Fishlegs had been talking, Frieda must have left to inspect the side of the house already, as when Hiccup looked up, it was to see the woman coming forward with an armful of shattered pottery. "Oh, dear. You weren't kidding, Hiccup, when you said your Pokemon did a number on these. Fishlegs, I know we just came back from Aquacorde Town, but could you and Meatlug run to the hardware store to pick up some replacements?"

"Sure thing, Mom," Fishlegs replied, pulling himself away from Toothless and climbing aboard the Rhyhorn again. "So… nice meeting you, Hiccup and Toothless. I'll, um… see you around, I guess?"

As the pair began to walk away, Hiccup's mind immediately flashed to what Valka would say to him if she were here. Wincing at the thought, he ran after Fishlegs, an odd collection of thoughts spurring him forward. He wanted to do the right thing, and of course avoid any hypothetical scoldings in his near future, but there was more – he liked Fishlegs and felt like he could be himself around him, and he didn't want to part ways just yet.

"H-Hey, wait!" he called out. "I, uh, can… I mean, I should really, ah, come with you guys. We're the ones that broke your pots, so we should pay for them. It's no trouble at all."

"Bay!" Toothless cried, enthusiastic at the prospect of a long walk.

"Really? That would be ever so kind of you, dear," Frieda smiled first at him, then at Toothless. "Fishlegs, you don't mind, do you?"

"N-No! Welcome aboard," Fishlegs said with barely restrained glee. "H-Here, uh, climb up! Meatlug's big enough for two."

He patted Meatlug's back, inviting Hiccup to get comfortable, and Hiccup obliged with only a slight hesitation. He'd never ridden a Rhyhorn before, but it looked easy enough.

After only three failed attempts (turns out it was harder than it looked with a Bagon in your arms), Hiccup successfully mounted Meatlug and placed his arms on Fishlegs' shoulders to keep himself steady. The Ground-and-Rock-type moved with a slight lurch in her step, causing her passengers to sway in a not-too-unpleasant rocking motion. They looked back only long enough to wave to Fishlegs' mother, then turned back to the road and left the house behind them.

It was only a trip to the store, but still, excitement bubbled in Hiccup's gut, a sentiment that he saw mirrored in Toothless' twinkling eyes. These were their first steps out of Vaniville, and into the Kalos region proper!

Route 1 could barely be considered a route by most regions' standards – yes, it was technically a route toward someplace, but it was more or less a straight path with little to no space for wild Pokemon to inhabit. Well-maintained with trees and bushes planted at regular intervals along the path, it was a simple, twenty-minute walk to the next town over. Disappointing, Hiccup thought privately, for what was supposed to be the first step on his path to the Kalos League.

"Sorry again, Fishlegs… about the pots, I mean," he spoke up after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "I should've been keeping a closer eye on Toothless. He got so into his morning flight practice, he didn't look where he was going to land, and… yeah…"

"Flight practice… yes, I've heard of that!" Fishlegs burst out enthusiastically. Hiccup got the feeling he was always looking for the chance to spout some Pokemon trivia. "Bagon eventually becomes a Dragon-and-Flying-type, right? So you two must be practicing for when Toothless evolves! How cool!"

Again, Hiccup found himself tickled by his new friend's boundless enthusiasm, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I have to say, Fishlegs," he remarked, "I don't think I've ever met anyone as interested in Dragon-types as I am."

"Technically, I'm just fascinated by Pokemon in general," Fishlegs answered. "Meatlug's obviously my favorite" – he paused to pat her head, getting a pleased rumble in return – "but I love reading about anything Pokemon-related. They're all so spectacular, you know?"

Hiccup nodded, agreeing with him completely.

Fishlegs continued to ramble, words spilling out like a running river. "I've always gotten along with Pokemon, way better than I get along with people. People were always judging me and calling me weird because I liked doing well in school and always chose to look for Bug-types in the woods instead of playing sports. But every Pokemon I've met has always liked me just the way I am. It'd be so great if more people learned to befriend Pokemon the way I used to. That's the kind of world I want to see someday. Don't you think?"

That was… a lot to take in all at once. Hiccup hadn't been expecting Fishlegs to unload on him like that, but in a way, he felt flattered to have heard it. What little he knew of his neighbor spoke of a timid person who acted even more awkwardly around people than he did, so hearing Fishlegs speak so freely and without hesitation… it was like Fishlegs had finally found someone he could trust and be himself around.

"You're pretty much in the same boat as me, then," he revealed, wanting his new friend to know he'd found a kindred spirit. "I didn't have a lot of friends growing up, either, except for my family and Toothless. But maybe that'll change once we take on the Kalos League – meeting lots of Trainers and Pokemon we get along with. Right, bud?"

Toothless chirped a reply, then became distracted by the sight of Pidgey fluttering overhead. He climbed up onto Hiccup's head and shoulders – Hiccup letting out a whoof as he suddenly found himself supporting the Bagon's weight – and craned his neck skyward so his wide eyes could get a better look.

"You're aiming for the Kalos League?" Fishlegs asked, surprised. "Um, not to make assumptions, but you don't really strike me as the… um, competitive type."

Hiccup chuckled at the bafflement in Fishlegs' face. "Well, I don't know of any better way to become an expert Dragon Tamer. My mom used to be one of the best Dragon-type Trainers ever before she began working in Pokemon conservation, and I want to do the same. I'm going to go on my journey, catch a team of powerful Dragon-types just like Mom's, and teach Toothless to fly."

Fishlegs lit up with newfound understanding. "Oh, that makes more sense than just doing it for the glory. I know a few people like that. Your reason is a bit more original."

"Thank you for the approval," Hiccup drawled, and Fishlegs chuckled at the good-natured sarcasm. "So, uh… what about you? You like Pokemon a lot, so your big destiny is… Pokemon researcher? Professor?"

He hadn't meant anything ill by it, so he was baffled to see Fishlegs shrink back into himself a bit, hunching his shoulders in a nervous, defensive posture. "W-Well, you see… um, th-the thing is, I-I'm a bit… oh, would you look at that! We're here!"

The Ingerman boy straightened himself and gave Meatlug a light kick to spur her onward, and they picked up the pace toward the gate that marked the end of Route 1. They passed from a narrow dirt path framed by trees and bushes to an open, well-paved road that led to an avenue bordered by local businesses and services. People and Pokemon walked along the sidewalks in both directions at the same leisurely pace, giving Aquacorde Town a busy yet still calming air.

Hiccup reached up to bring Toothless back into his lap, just to make sure he remained secure in their new, bustling surroundings. Aquacorde was a good deal larger than Vaniville Town, but once Hiccup got over the immediate contrast, he began to feel more at home. Our hometown in Galar was about this size, he remembered, examining the simple brick buildings around them. It feels fitting that this is the place where my travels will technically begin.

He took a breath through his nose, and so did Toothless, earning themselves a backwards glance from Fishlegs. "You two like it here?" he asked. "Vaniville is pretty much just an extension of this place. Aquacorde is where we go for food and other goods. The next closest town is on the other side of Santalune Forest, so everything we need can pretty much be found here."

"Got it," Hiccup nodded. "So… flower pots, right? Where do we go from here?"

"The florist's place is close to the square on the north end of town," Fishlegs said informatively, sliding off Meatlug. "It's not far, so we can walk the rest of the way. Come on!"

He was telling the truth – they'd only been walking ten minutes or so when they came to a terrace with decorative railings and large staircases that descended into the square that marked their destination. Hiccup broke away from Fishlegs to walk up to one of the railings, looking down at the intricate centerpiece, a large water fountain framed on each side by four gardens in which well-trimmed trees rose above small meadows of multicolored flowers. For a moment, he admired the sight from his vantage point – Kalos was already living up to its reputation as the region of beauty.

Suddenly, Hiccup's heart stopped momentarily as an explosion of dust bloomed on the right-most side of the square, audible gasps rising from the crowd that he only now noticed had gathered there. Impulsively, he raced to the edge of the staircase and goggled at the billowing cloud, so taken by surprise by the dramatic sight that it took an embarrassingly long time for him to figure out the cause.

Oh, of course, he thought. The crowd gives it away. That must be a public battlefield, which means a Pokemon battle!

"Ooh, I wonder who's battling!" Fishlegs appeared at his side, giddy as he imagined the possibilities. "Let's go see if we can catch…"

He trailed off, flicking his gaze skyward, and abruptly gasped. "Hiccup, look out!"

Hiccup started, looking up, and his eyes widened when he spotted an object hurtling through the air directly at him! Stumbling over his own feet, he somehow managed to back up enough to intercept the plummeting object with his raised arms – although the impact almost knocked him to the floor.

"Bago! Bagon bay-go!" Toothless cried, hopping up and down in concern.

"I'm… oof… alright, bud," Hiccup muttered, and stood up straight to better examine what he'd just caught. He blinked at the sight of it – it was a Charmander, its scales sporting numerous scratches and bruises. Its signature tail-light had shrunk to the size of a candle flame, but still burned steadily, indicating that it was only knocked out, not in any danger.

Hiccup blinked again, too shocked by the revelation that he'd caught a random falling Charmander to do anything but stare at it. What should he do with it? Get it to the closest Pokemon Center? It seemed fine, though… so maybe he should find its Trainer first?

Cautiously, he began to place the Charmander down on Meatlug's back, feeling out of place with the responsibility of caring for another Trainer's Pokemon forced upon him. He turned to the startled Fishlegs and motioned wordlessly for him to follow, to which the other boy nodded. However, they weren't able to get any farther than the bottom of the stairs when…

"HEY!"

Flinching, Hiccup glanced toward where the shout had come from and immediately noticed a scowling, black-haired boy stomping toward them from out of the crowd. His teeth bared in a snarl and his face dark red with fury, he clutched a Poke Ball in one hand and while his other hand was balled in a trembling fist. All in all, he had the look of somebody that Hiccup didn't want to mess with.

And yet, it appeared that he had no choice in the matter…

AN:

Obviously, this is an uneventful chapter, dedicated to the necessary process of setting up our main character and his circumstances and goals. More exciting developments will pick up in the next few chapters.

Hiccup and Fishlegs have the same appearance and similar outfits to how they appeared in the first movie. They're around fifteen, which is the minimum legal age of Trainerhood I tend to go with when writing these fics, so that works out perfectly.

It feels strange to be writing a journey fic again. This story will be based on the plot of Pokemon X and Y, of course, which admittedly isn't the most exciting game in the series. But that's part of the reason I picked it as my setting – I've got some interesting character developments planned that will (hopefully) complement the existing storyline nicely and provide some interest in between the action-packed battles.

That's all for now! Please review, and I'll see you for Chapter 2!

Next time: Reach for the Sky!