A/N. This story will take place during the timeline of the main series games (Generate 1 and 2) precisely 15 years after Gen 1 and 12 years after Generation 2, but will use "logic" from the anime series.
Celadon, a rich, rainbow-colored city where people and Pokemon gather. The verdant, green grass and the vibrant red roof of the Pokemon center shone from the light of the bright, yellow sun in the endless, blue sky. Flocks of winged Pokemon soared and circled in the air while those without wings ran and walked the city streets along with the human populace. The city had expanded over the years, it was now truly a sister city to the neighboring Saffron, the connecting roads frequently packed with vehicles traveling between the two.
The Indigo Lague season had begun causing daily travel around the region to skyrocket with thousands of aspiring trainers hoping to challenge the eight gyms and collect their badges to qualify for the Pokemon League and become Champion. The doors to the Celadon gym opened and the gym leader Erika stepped out with a soft expression as she smiled and looked up to bask in the warm sun. Two trainers stepped out behind her, both holding a rainbow badge having just defeated their first gym leader.
"Well done both of you" Erika said to them, running a hand over her flawless, black hair, "Though this was your first attempt at a gym challenge you both performed remarkably, and with your Pokemon you've taken the first step toward the Indigo League. I look forward to hearing of your future accomplishments."
The girl had gleaming green eyes and straight red hair that reached just past her shoulders, with a small bit tied into a tail at the top and a hair clip in the likeness of a Butterfree. She wore a sky blue one-sleeved jacket with some cloud patterns and the depiction of a Dragonair along the sleeve, soaring through the sky. She kept her jacket open with a white crop top under it, a red skirt that stopped halfway to her knees, and a pair of brown hiking shoes.
"Thank you Ms. Erika" one of the victorious trainers said, a Natu perched on her shoulder.
Her name was Jaina, she was born in Violet City in the Johto region, but her parents' job had them relocate to Celadon when she was seven where they still lived to this day.
Erika smiled at her before turning to the other trainer, "You as well Leon, and thank you for not setting my garden on fire."
The boy shyly rubbed the back of his head, "You're welcome, sorry Growlithe and I got carried away."
His short, unkempt white hair had some specs of dirt in it from their recent gym battle, and his blue eyes shyly aimed at the ground. He wore an unbuttoned white and grey Alolan shirt with a pattern of surfboards and grills, a white shirt under it that had "Please do nothing to the cook" designed on it. His blue jean shorts were partially torn above the knees, and his hiking shoes were scuffed and showing signs of wear and tear. A Growlithe sitting at his feet, licking its hind leg.
Once again the gym leader smiled, "Both trainers and Pokemon get caught up in the passion of battle, it helps us bond, and through that, we both grow regardless of whether we win or lose" she held her arm out gesturing for them to leave, "It was wonderful battling with both of you. Now continue on your journey and bloom into the best versions of yourselves."
The two trainers bid farewell to the gym leader and make their way to the city's Pokemon Center to restore their Pokemon and take a rest before planning their next trip.
After dropping their Pokemon off with the nurse Jaina joined her friend Leon at a table seeing him stare at the rainbow badge in his hand, "It's pretty isn't it?"
He nods, "Yeah, pretty surreal is more like it. We've always wanted to go to challenge the Pokemon League, but now…" he exhales and shaky breath, "It's finally happening. I swear though if I wake up and this is a dream I'm burning down everything."
Jaina shook her head, "Well maybe this time I'll join you since that would mean I'm also dreaming."
"What are the chances we'd be having the same dream though?" Leon asked her.
"Low" Jaina admitted, "But considering that we've known each other for eight years and Natu is part psychic type I'd imagine there's a higher chance of something like that compared to normal circumstances."
"Eight years" Leon sighed looking out of the second-floor window, "If it wasn't for that new addition to the Game Corner we'd be able to see the spot where we first met from here."
Jaina remembered moving from Violet City, her mother and father had both gotten promotions in their company, but the new position required them to move to Celadon in Kanto so they packed up, got into the moving truck, and drove and a few days later they arrived. While unpacking in their new home Jaina noticed one of the boxes shaking, the box where they put the extra snacks and drinks in case they needed them during the trip. Curiosity getting the best of her Jaina began opening it, but as she did the flaps of the box burst open and she saw a flash as something jumped out and onto the kitchen counter.
A small, bird pokemon with a round green body and a single feather on its head. It hopped to turn around until it could face her, then tilted its round face curious about the girl's sudden presence.
"Mom, Dad!" Jaina called out, "Come look!"
The Pokemon continued to stare at her before it chirped startling her, but her jumping also caused the Pokemon to flinch. Laughing after they startled each other she walked forward with her arm stretched out to greet it watching the Pokemon lean forward to smell her hand.
"A Natu?" her father's voice said from behind her, "What's it doing here?"
"It was in the snack box" Jaina said.
Inside the box were some chip bags that had been torn into, spilled around, and eaten, making it evident that while packing the Pokemon must have gotten into the box and sealed it without them noticing.
"Can we keep it?" Jaina asked and seeing no reason to say no they fumbled around for a couple of hours until they were able to catch it in a Pokeball, presenting their daughter with her first-ever Pokemon.
In the next city Saffron, a boy named Leon had just turned seven and for his birthday his mother had given him a Pokemon egg that she won in a company raffle. There was rarely a moment where Leon wasn't glued to the egg's incubator, checking the temperature, making sure its power supply was good even cleaning the glass every day anxiously waiting to see what would hatch from it. At night he would take the egg from the incubator and hold it close to him as he slept hoping that his body heat would make it hatch faster and one night he felt something shaking him.
Slowly opening his eyes he was met with a faint light glowing from inside the egg along with sounds as the shell cracked. Snapping awake he called out for his mom as the light grew brighter and warmer with each crack in the egg. His mother ran into the room just as the light flashed and the egg hatched, blinded for only a second until the light was gone and when Leon's mom turned on his bedroom light there was an orange dog with black stripes laying in the bed with Leon.
Opening its eyes it looked to its left and then the other way before looking up at the boy sitting in front of it, its tail wagging when their eyes met and it let out a weak, but happy growl. Unable to sleep for the rest of the night Leon and his mom stayed up getting to know the baby Growlithe, playing with it, and looking up recommended care and diets. Leon's excitement finally waned as the exhaustion from being up and playing all night set in around noon and returning to his room with his new Pokemon they both got into bed and fell asleep immediately.
A few months had passed and on a shopping trip to the Celadon department store, Leon ran to a nearby park to play with his Growlithe. Dozens of Pokemon chased after one another, pouncing on and playfully biting each other. Leon and Growlithe playing fetch with a frisbee the puppy Pokemon finally getting to burn off its youthful energy in a wide open space.
Leon asked his Pokemon if it was ready for a big run to which Growlithe barked, dropping down on its front legs, tail wagging as Leon reared back and flung the disc as hard as he could and watching Growlithe sprint after it. He laughed as he saw his Pokemon stumble into a roll before getting up and chasing the frisbee beyond some bushes and out of sight. Running after his Pokemon Leon found Growlithe crouching and jumping at a wooden fence post, barking before each jump as it tried to grab the frisbee that was hovering just above it.
Approaching Leon noticed the frisbee was wrapped in light blue light and seemed to move a little out of reach each time Growlithe jumped for it, that's when he saw a little, ball-shaped green pokemon perched on the fence post, its eyes glowing with the same blue light that was holding the frisbee.
"Wow, a Natu," Leon said running the remaining steps over, "Sorry, I guess my frisbee spooked you huh?"
The bird leaned to one side to turn around before staring at him, "Natu give it back" a girl's voice said.
Looking behind him Leon saw a girl with red hair walking over with an empty bowl and a bottle of water.
"Oh, is this your Natu?" Leon asked her to which the girl nodded, "Sorry, Gorwlithe and I were playing fetch and I guess we scared it a little."
"No, you didn't scare him," the girl said, "That's how Natu plays" They watch as the Growlithe continues to jump for the frisbee only for it to move just out of reach each time and for the puppy Pokemon's barks and growls to become more excited.
"Alright Natu give it back," the girl said and her Pokemon complied.
Once the frisbee dropped to the ground Growlithe pounced on it seizing it in her mouth and shaking it side to side getting revenge for the toy's audacity to not be caught.
Leon introduced himself to the girl who told him her name was Jaina and offered for him and Growlithe to join her and Natu for a break as she set down the empty bowl and filled it with water from the half-gallon bottle.
Sitting with Jaina at the nearby picnic table the two began getting to know each other, the first topic of course being how they got their Pokemon before the subject changed to where they were from and what they liked to do for fun. Jaina explained that both her mother and father worked for the company that recently bought the department store in Celadon and made them the managers for it so they had to move from Johto. Leon told her that his mother used to be the captain of the S.S. Anne, but got tired of always traveling so she retired after only three years and joined a travel agency in Saffron where she could work from home most of the time.
A cry from Natu interrupted their conversation, the two turned their heads to see Growlithe had gotten overzealous for the water bowl and unintentionally pushed Natu out of the way. Natu jumped and flew to the picnic table before his eyes glowed blue once again, its psychic powers causing the water in the bowl to splash out all at once startling Growlithe and making her jump back. Jaina and Leon looked at each other and began laughing as Growlithe barked and growled at the water bowl.
Jaina apologized, "Natu gets a little mischievous sometimes when he's bored or annoyed."
They watched Natu use its power once again to levitate the water bowl and use it to chase Growlithe around the table, the puppy Pokemon yelped as it fled from the attacking bowl.
"Come here," Leon said catching his Pokemon and lifting her into his arms, the Pokemon licking his face before the bowl lowered onto her head, covering her eyes and making her struggle and flail.
Jaina grabbed her Natu, "Alright you little brat that's enough" She took the empty bowl from Growlithe's head, "I should be heading home."
Leon looked at the time on his pokegear, "Yeah Mom, should be done by now."
"You have a pokegear too!" Jaina quickly set the bowl down and fished through her bag to get hers, brandishing the custom-made pink and blue pokegear.
Leon smiled, "Can I have your number?" he immediately fell silent, his face turning a light shade of red when he realized what he asked.
Seeing Leon blushing also made Jaina turn red, little did they know that their parents loved the same kind of cheesy romance movies.
Jaina nodded, "Uh, sure, I…just so you know I prefer lilies to roses" her blush deepened as she unintentionally quoted her mom's favorite movie line.
The two stared at each other in silence, their Pokemon in their arms, seconds? Minutes? Exactly how long neither knew, but the silence was broken as Growlithe growled at Natu whose eyes were glowing once again, but instead of blue, they were glowing purple.
Jaina shyly looked away, "Um, we've got to go. I'll message you later?"
Leon slowly nods and watches as his new friend turns and walks away, her pace quickly turning into a run until she's out of view. His face still hot Leon hugs Growlithe close to him trying to bury his embarrassment in her fur.
"Leon!" Jaina's voice snapped him from his thoughts, "Stop being a space cadet for five minutes and answer me already."
Leon turned his attention away from the window and back to her, "Look just because I colonized Mars doesn't mean I'm a space cadet and it doesn't give you a right to be jealous."
Jaina dipped her fingers in her water and flicked the droplets at him, "Oh stop being such a fire type" she mocked when he hissed at her.
"Anyway, what were you saying?" Leon asked.
Jaina rolled her eyes and sighed, "I was saying I think it would be better to take Diglett's Cave to Viridian City and then go to Pewter, Mt. Moon, and then Cerulean before making our way back this way, we could challenge Lieutenant Surge at the Vermillion gym next, but even if he takes us on with only one pokemon like Erika did I'm worried his experience would still beat us."
Leon countered, "Well all the gym leaders are going to have us beat in experience."
Jaina agreed, "True, but aside from Blaine, he's got more than the rest of them. Viridian's gym leader has only had the position for five years, but she's been a trainer for over twenty. The next newest gym leader is Janine in Fuchsia, but she's been the gym leader there for almost ten."
Leon tapped his finger at Saffron City on the map, "Ever since Sabrina got promoted to the Elite Four the Fighting Dojo was able to become the official gym again, but their master was the gym leader before Sabrina defeated them so he is one of the oldest and most experienced in Kanto, only behind Blaine."
"Speaking of," Jaina said moving her finger to Cinnabar Island, "They finished rebuilding the city on Cinnabar so he reopened his gym there, I also heard he's looking to retire soon."
Leon added, "Yeah, so is Lieutenant Surge according to the rumors. Hmm, time wise it would be most efficient to start with Viridian, we have to come back this way anyway so why waste time backtracking if we don't have to, also doing it that way will give us more time to get more experience and catch more pokemon to build our teams."
"Wow," Jaina replied, "Look at you thinking hard, I was wondering what that burning smell was."
"Oh, you think you're funny huh?" Leon asked her to which Jaina dared him to do something about it.
"Challenge accepted," Leon said standing up and quickly grabbing an ice cube from her water, "Come here!"
"No!" Jaina said pointing at him, "Don't you dare! No!" she shouted as he lunged trapping her against the wall, pulling her shirt open, and dropping the ice down her back hearing her shriek, drawing the attention of everyone around them.
"Young love" an old lady mused while watching them.