A/n: explanation for lateness of post at bottom, like all or at least most writers on this site, I own nothing.


Taming the Primals

ch3; New home, New neighbors.

"normal speech"

"Pokémon speech"

"Pokédex entry"


It was finally time for us to leave Unova. It was weird to think that we would be leaving the region that I had called home from birth for good. I had already said goodbye to my best friends when they left on their own journey two weeks ago. That was honestly pretty heartbreaking for all of us. Even Cheren, who was normally cold and detached, shed tears at our farewell. As we sit waiting for our boarding group to be called I can't help but wonder, will I ever see them again? I sit there contemplating all that's happened these past few months. Sanguine snuggles closer to my chest.

On the topic of my first partner, it turns out that he has a rare condition called leucism; basically his body doesn't produce all the melanin that it is supposed to, causing a good portion of his body to be white in coloration. The weird part was that leucism is supposed to basically stop an organism from producing carotenoids, the pigments that make reds, oranges, and yellows, so it is extremely odd that Sanguine's scruff and tusks were red. Leucism didn't affect eye color though so his eye color was pretty typical for an axew. It didn't matter all that much to me, so long as San was healthy and happy that was enough for me.

Finally our group was called and mom and I boarded the plane. We sat waiting in awkward silence waiting for the rest of the passengers to board. I desperately hoped that takeoff would be soon. I hate drawing out goodbyes, and this flight would essentially be our goodbye to Unova for a long time. Mom finally broke the silence.

"Brendan? Are you ok? I still feel bad for uprooting right as you were supposed to start a journey." She asked/stated.

"It's fine mom, honestly I am kind of looking forward to a new start. I just wish the plane would take off already, I hate long goodbyes." I replied.

"Pumpkin, don't think of this as goodbye, think of it as a hello to our new adventure!" Mom said, trying to reassure me.

"As a hello…" I trail off.

Eventually the flight attendants begin the safety announcements, and takeoff begins. Well if this isn't goodbye Unova, then hello Hoenn! What adventures are you going to have in store for me?


Turns out that so far the beginning of my journey is in the back of a Machoke Moving Co. truck, as our car had no space for me to ride in and the movers and their Pokémon were in the front. They strapped down my snorlax beanbag, and had one of their Pokémon ride in the back with me. The one mover had more than just machoke on his team, the one he sent out was apparently his first partner. It was tall with green "hair" and snow-white skin, a pink crest stuck out of its chest and back, it also had a dress-like frill around its lower half.

"I'm not too familiar with the Pokémon from Hoenn, what Pokémon is that?" I asked.

"Ah this is My partner Gardevoir, she and I have been friends and partners since I was little!" He replied. "Isn't that right Iz?"

"That's right jay!" The Gardevoir chimed.

"What does Iz stand for?" I asked the mover.

"Ah, 's short Izmelda, 'was my grandmother's name." He said in a wistful tone. "Hey kid, I don't mean to pry, but is your Pokémon ok?" The mover, or as Izmelda the Gardevoir called him, Jay asked.

"Oh, my axew? Yeah Sanguine's fine, he's just Leucitic." I assured Jay. "Basically he's albino but to a lesser scale."

"Huh, ya learn something new everyday." Jay muttered to himself. "Anyways, Izmelda'll make sure your beanbag stays still during the trip, sorry in advance, it's a bit of a ways from Slateport to Littleroot."

"That's ok, just means San and I have a little time to kill, isn't that right buddy?"

"Yup, it sure does dad!" Sanguine chimed.

Jay chuckled, "Well, alright then, again sorry you have to ride back here."

"It's fine, Sanguine and I have each other for company."


About thirty minutes later into the drive, San and I were playing "guess the Pokémon I'm thinking of".

"Psychic type?" I asked.

"Nope." Sanguine responded.

"Hmm, how about dragon type?" I said with a good idea of what Pokémon he was thinking of.

"Yeah!" That confirmed it.

"Is it axew?"

"How!?"

"That was what you were thinking of the last three times."

"Aww, no fair!" Sanguine huffed like a small child.

I was laughing at my partner's antics when suddenly my Pokénav rang.

"Huh, probably Professor Birch. Settle down San, I have to answer this."

"Hello?" I said as I picked up the call.

From the other side of the call I could hear muffled cursing and see a lot of shaking.

"Aw damn, I'm so late for this call." I heard. Then the video came into focus. "Can you see and hear me?" A man with untidy ash brown hair and a stubble beard asked.

"Yeah I can hear ya, are you Professor Birch?" I asked.

"That would be me! Sorry about being late, I tend to get a little caught up in my research." Birch said as an embarrassed look crossed his face.

"It's okay I didn't even notice, I was busy playing with my partner." I said

"Ah well, better late than never I suppose. My name is Professor Eugene Birch, and I study Pokémon distribution, with an emphasis on how humans have changed what Pokémon live in the Hoenn region over time." He began. "As you know, our world is populated by wonderful and mysterious, sometimes even dangerous, creatures called pokémon. Some people play with pokémon, others work alongside them every day. You already know about some of the careers that people with Pokémon can take, but from what I've heard from your parents, you show interest in becoming a professional battler, right?" He asked.

"Yup, ever since I saw my dad and grandpa battle when I was little!" Was my cheerful response.

"That's great! My daughter wants to become a researcher like me, you should stop by after you get settled, I think you two would get along great! Anywho, I just want you to be aware, being a trainer, especially a career battler, is a very hard path. It isn't for everyone and you and your team will struggle along the way. This isn't the path for those who lack the courage and determination to go the distance. Are you absolutely certain that this is the path for you?"

"Absolutely! I've been dreaming of this since I was a little kid, I'm not backing down!" I was sure that the Professor could see the determination in my eyes.

"That's great!" He said with the serious look slowly fading away. "I just needed to make sure, I couldn't in good conscience give someone a starter pokémon without knowing that they have the spirit to back up their words and ambitions." He explained. "Anyway you're going to be living in the research district of the town where my lab and home are, make sure you stop by when you get into town."

"Will do" I chimed.

"Any questions before I go?" He asked.

"Yeah actually, I don't know too much about the pokémon in Hoenn. What are the starters?"

"Ah right! Well like most of the other regions, Hoenn's starter pokémon are a grass, a water, and a fire type native to the region. In this case it's Treecko the grass type, Mudkip for the water type, and the region's fire starter is Torchic!" He said as pictures of the starters piped up as they were mentioned.

"Alright, I think that was the only question I had." I said. Thanks for taking the time to call!"

"Absolutely, it's part of my job as the regional Professor." He chuckled. "I'd better go," he said. "I've got some field research to do. Hope to see you when you're all settled in!"

"Sure thing professor, see you later!" I said.

We exchanged goodbyes and then he hung up the call.

"C'mon San let's keep playing, still a while before we reach Littleroot."


After what felt like forever I finally felt the truck come to a stop. Jay opened the truck and recalled Izmelda. "Right'o kid, here we are, can ya hop out so our Pokémon can unload?" I jumped out, thanked Jay, then walked inside, it seemed a bit smaller than our house in Unova, but I thought that it might just be deceptively so. The main floor had a similar layout as the old house, an entryway into an open space that was used as a combination dining room/living room, and beyond that the kitchen. Bathroom off to the left and a staircase leading upstairs to the right. There was a door on the side of the stairs that I figured was storage or led down to the basement, or maybe another bathroom. I took a good look around as the mover's Pokémon started to unpack and bring more boxes in.

"What do you think, Pumpkin?" Mom asked as she walked downstairs.

It's pretty cool, where's the door in the stairs lead?" I asked.

Ah, that's the basement, I'm planning on turning it into a game room/library/gym! It's huge down there!" Mom chirped.

I started to explore more, there was a door to the left when you entered the kitchen that led to what I assumed was the backyard. To the right was a bedroom that was being set up. "That's the guest bedroom, there's also a training area/Battlefield in the backyard" Mom said as she walked up behind me.

" Right miss, all done unloading and unpacking," one of the movers said. "Sign here please." He held out a clipboard and pen.

"Why don't you go see your room and set the clock Brendan, your room is the second on the left." My mom said going through the paperwork handed to her.


Walking upstairs there were five rooms. Shortly after the landing on the right there was an empty room. On the left was a bathroom. Beyond that and to the right was my parents' room, and at the end of the hall was a walk-in closet. Turning to the second door on the left was my own bedroom. It had a similar setup to my room at the old house. Clock and posters to the left as you walk in and my desk beyond that. Bean bag in the right corner and bed in the far left. The new addition was a Tv and its stand in front of the bean bag. I set the clock, then collapsed into my beanbag, San snoozing in the nest by my bed. Finally at our new home. I heard the movers pull away, and my mom turned on the Tv downstairs. She soon after yelled "Brendan, come down here quick!" I rushed downstairs and before I could ask what was wrong she smiled and chimed "come quickly, your dad's on tv!" We rushed over and sat down, but by the time we got there the reporter was saying "This report was brought to you live from the Petalburg City gym." "Aww, we just missed your father's interview. He was just on TV." Mom explained.

"Oh well," I said. "We'll just have to be quicker next time."

"Yes we will." Mom said "Anyway, have you made sure that your room is all set?"

"Yeah, It looks great!"

"That's good. Now that we're here and settled, why don't you go next door and say hello to Eugene and his family?" Mom suggested.

"Yeah that sounds good, I feel cramped from the ride here anyway." I nodded. I threw my sneakers on, scooped up Sanguine, and walked to the front door. "I'll see you later mom." I said as I was walking out the door.

"Just be back by dark, please!" She called as I was leaving.

"Will do!" I called back.


Stepping outside I saw just how pretty the research district of Littleroot was; there were five nice looking houses, all with rather well maintained gardens. The pathways were surrounded with flower beds, with all the flowers in them being in full bloom. The path that led up and away from the houses led to a massive brick building, the lab most likely, with a huge walled yard that I assumed contained Pokémon.

Turning around I headed to the house next door to us.

I knocked on the door and heard a voice call, "Just a moment, be right there!" About a minute later a brunette woman in an apron who looked a little older than my mother opened the door. "Sorry, Just baking a pie for the new neighbors," she said as she dusted the flour off her hands.

"Oh! You must be Brendan! Come in, come in!" She cooed before I could say anything. "It is so nice to meet you, I'm Caroline, Professor Birch's wife. I've heard so much about your family from Eugene. Sit down, tell me about yourself!" She chattered in excitement.

Sanguine and I sat in the chair that Caroline gestured at.

"Oh, well I guess you already know that we just moved here…" I said trailing off while trying to figure out what to say. "Ah, I just turned sixteen, and I'm about to start a journey across Hoenn!"

"That's wonderful!" She said, "You know we have a daughter your age. We also have a son who just turned ten! May dear, come downstairs, the new neighbor came over to say hello! You too Max!"

"Coming mom!" Two voices called from upstairs.

With a sound like a herd of donphan, two figures charged downstairs, one significantly shorter than the other. When they stopped at the bottom of the stairs I saw a girl with brown hair and a red bandanna and a small boy with black hair and glasses standing there.

"Hey there," I said, "I'm Brendan, my mom and I just finished moving in today. Nice to meet you!"

The girl, probably May from the names that Caroline called, was about to say something when the boy, Max I remembered, interrupted.

"Hey, I'm Max, and this is my sister May!" He then looked at Sanguine and asked "What Pokémon is that? Is it sick or somethin'?"

"Max, don't be rude! Sorry about my brother, he doesn't have a filter most of the time, anyway I'm May." May said.

"That's fine," I chuckled. "To answer your question Max, this is my partner Sanguine, he's an axew. Also he's not sick, he is leucistic, it's kind of like being albino but to a lesser extent."

"That's so cool, I've heard of leucism, but never seen any Pokémon with the mutation!" May chimed.

Caroline interjected and said "May hon, why don't you show Brendan the house?"

"Ok mom, c'mon Brendan!"

"Welp, while you kids do that, I'm gonna go play by the entrance to route 101, later dorks!" Max giggled.

May fumed, "we're older than you, ya twerp!" But Max was already out the door. "So annoying… let's go Brendan and Sanguine, I'll give you a tour of Cassa de la Brich!"


Surprisingly, their house was very similar to ours, in fact the only thing that was different between mine and May's room was the color scheme. Where my room was red and blue, May's was pink and white. We played Pokémon battle simulator for about an hour when she suddenly jumped up and said "oh no, I'm late!" She started to scurry around and pack a bag.

"Sorry Brendan, I gotta run, I'm supposed to be helping dad with some field work."

"That's fine, I should be heading home anyway." I reassured her.

"See ya later, you too Sanguine!" She yelled as she charged downstairs.

"bye!" "Later May!" Sanguine and I shouted after her.

I followed soon after, and said to Caroline "thank you for having me over Mrs. Birch, but I should be heading home."

"That's fine dear, here take this apple pie, my grandmother's recipe!" She said.

"Oh, Thank you but, you didn't have to do that."

"Nonsense, think of it as a housewarming gift! Come back anytime dear, that offer extends to your parents too!"

After saying goodbye I started to walk back across the street, until I was stopped by a very frightened Max nearly charging into me.

"Whoa, what's going on Max?"

"I heard screaming just outside town, coming from route 101, Someone is in trouble!" He exclaimed in a panic. "The voice sounded like my dad, we need to get help!"

I ran over to our doorstep, set the box containing the pie down, and started running to route 101.

"Where are you going!?" Max yelled after me.

"To help your dad, go get May from the lab, tell her what's going on!" I called back.

"Let's hope we're not walking into something too dangerous." I said to Sanguine as we ran into route 101.

"Whatever it is, we'll face it together dad!"

I smiled knowing that this was true, well Hoenn, I can already tell that living and traveling here was going to be one hell of a ride…


A/n: Sooo… this is awkward. I know I promised to get this out sooner than the last, however the first draft of this chapter was deleted and my ADHD goblin brain said "nope fuck this!" After that. I'll be honest I kinda forgot about this story for a while, but now I'm back and I've got a consistent writing schedule. I've already got the next chapter underway so for real this time see you guys soon!

Brendan's Pokémon:

Axew- Lv 3, male, ability; Mold Breaker, moves, scratch, leer, iron tail, bite.