The World of Pokémon
A place where the bond between Trainers and their Pokémon is as strong as the mighty winds that sweep across the plains, and as deep as the oceans that cradle islands of mystery. In this world, countless creatures, large and small, share their lives with humans, creating a harmony that transcends all differences. Each Pokémon, with its own unique powers and personality, is more than just a companion—they are friends, partners, and often the key to unlocking a trainer's true potential.
And such trainers involve this young man. The Trainer from Pallet Town, Ash Ketchum. Alongside his partner Pikachu, the two of them have been through many adventures, and had many encounters with other Pokemon. They have also battled many gym leaders and competed in various leagues. And now, they were on the next leg of their journey, ready to see more. Ash's dream of becoming a Pokemon Mater continues from here.
"Alright! I think I'm ready!" Ash spoke with high energy, adjusting his gloves and getting his hat in place.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed.
"Taking a trip to Unova's gonna be great! Plus, we haven't taken a trip with Mom for the longest. I can't wait to see what Unova's like!"
"You won't have to wait, since we're all ready to go." Opening the door was his mother, Delia Ketchum. "Professor Oak's here to drive us to the airport."
"Right." Ash replied. He bolted off as Pikachu was on his shoulder, the two rushing down the stairs.
"Don't go too fast, Ash. You're gonna get a little dizzy."
"I'll be fine, Mom!"
The boy and his mother walked downstairs. And with Mr Mime already by the door waiting, out there was Professor Oak, all dressed up in a simple tee with some glasses and a visor cap. "Ready?"
"Sure thing, Professor!" Ash replied.
"Just one more thing..." Delia took out a camera. "Let's have a picture of you and Pikachu!"
Ash gave a grin, holding onto his partner as Pikachu got a similar grin on his face. Delia took a quick picture. "There we go. Now we're ready. Let's get rolling!"
Each of them were ready, getting into Oak's car. It was off to the Unova Region as they bid farewell to Pallet Town and Kanto as a whole. Ash was more than excited to see a whole new region, filled with Pokemon he won't find in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn or even Sinnoh. This would be a great adventure and one he's definitely looking forward to.
The Unova Region.
A beautiful region home to vast Pokemon and vast ways of life. Far from Kanto and the other regions, it features grand cities, skyscrapers so large, mountains so tall, and so many places to explore. But where there are great cities and vast landscapes, there are also the rural and urban areas. And one such area is Nuvema Town.
A small town located in southeastern Unova, where sea breezes give the sense of something wonderful coming. With a population of just under 1,000 people, it's a rather peaceful place where the sounds of nature can be heard, along with the distant noises of the nearby cities.
Within the town, there was a small house, where one girl was about to start her journey.
With her hat being placed on, she was checking herself in the mirror, making sure she was ready to go. Her long brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, while the rest of her outfit was simply a white tank top, black vest, blue jean shorts and a pink cap.
This young girl's name was Hilda.
"Well, I'm ready to go. Cheren and Bianca should be heading to Professor Juniper's Lab by now. Better not keep them waiting." Hilda spoke, her bag filled with a variety of items as she was prepared for a long journey.
Leaving her room and walking down the stairs, she saw her mother was already awake, preparing breakfast in the kitchen. "Mom! I'm heading out now. Going to see the Professor to get my Pokemon!"
"Oh, really? Good luck, then, Hilda. Have fun and be careful out there. It's a big, and I do mean big world out there."
"I can handle myself, no problem." Hilda proudly stated, puffing her chest out. "After I get my first Pokemon, I'll be smooth sailing. I'm gonna be a strong trainer with a ton of Pokemon, and nothing's going to stop me."
"I like the confidence but don't get too confident, young lady." Her mother wagged her finger, warning Hilda.
"Yeah yeah, I know, Mom. I'll keep that in mind." Hilda smiled, giving her a wave. "I'm off! See ya later!"
And with that, she was already off, out the door, ready to begin her quest. A rather long quest it will truly be.
Professor Juniper's Lab.
It was a rather large and interesting building that stood out from the other buildings in Nuvema. Within this lab, the work and research of many Pokemon Researchers were done and shared among the public.
Inside the lab, the two people Hilda spoke of were already present. Cheren and Bianca. Cheren was a young man with black hair, a blue blazer over a white shirt, black pants and brown shoes. His glasses were somewhat pointed, and he was more on the calm side. As for Bianca, she had blonde hair and a green hat while donning a sleeveless orange shirt. Finishing that off was a long white dress with some yellow shoes. Her side was far more upbeat.
"You're late. I figured you were still getting ready or something.." Cheren remarked.
"Well, I'm here now, so that shouldn't matter, right?" Hilda shrugged while approaching them both. "So um...where's Professor Juniper? Shouldn't she be here? I thought we were going to be given our Pokemon."
"I heard she went to visit a friend of hers at the airport who's coming here to Unova." Bianca spoke. "But that means we'll be waiting a long time for our Pokemon!" Bianca puffed her cheeks, stamping her feet. "That's not fair!"
"If that's the case, I guess all we have is to wait." Cheren adjusted his glasses, folding his arms. "You know how important it is to learn patience, Hilda. The world won't be full of things to rush to. You're a Trainer now, so you're expected to learn when and how to use your own pace, otherwise, you'll get left in the dust."
"Pfft. Same goes to you, genius." Hilda nudged him. "You're brand new to this too, so where's all this smart talk coming
"It's called common sense, Hilda. Surely, you know the term."
Hilda stuck her tongue out, blowing a raspberry.
"But he's got a point. There's a lot of stuff we need to do! But I already had to argue with my Dad since he's so against me going on a Pokemon Journey. If the Professor doesn't get here soon, he could drag me back home." Bianca spoke worriedly.
"She'll be here on time, I'm sure of it." Hilda smiled. As for now, the three of them would have to wait patiently until Professor Juniper's return.
Ash had arrived with his mom and Professor Oak. They took the plane to here since yesterday, a whole day passing by. It was a very long trip. One that made him a little sleepy. "Finally...we're in Unova. It's pretty early in the morning, isn't it, Mom?"
"It sure is. It's been a while since I've been to Unova. I have a co-worker here by the name of Professor Juniper, she's younger than myself, but she's a good researcher and one of the best in her field. I'm looking forward to seeing her again." Professor Oak smiled. "As well as catching up on a few things."
Speaking of which, as they were walking past all these people in the airport, up ahead as the woman of the hour, Professor Juniper. A fellow Pokemon Professor with brown hair in a upright position, nice green eyes while rocking the signature Pokemon Professor lab coat. Beside her was a small Pidove.
"Sorry about that, everyone! I had a little delay. Hope you haven't been waiting too long." Juniper stated. "Professor Oak."
"Juniper. It's good to see you again. It's been a while." Professor Oak warmly greeted.
"Yeah, it really has." The two professors shook hands. "I was thinking about visiting Kanto, but my work's keeping me busy. I just have so much on my plate as of late." Juniper remarked, rubbing the back of her head.
"Oh, believe me, I understand." Professor Oak remarked. "But hopefully, we can still get in touch. It'd be great to catch up some more."
"For sure. So, who are your two friends? I take it one of them is Ash? The one you told me about?" Juniper asked, turning to the other two.
"Yeah! My name's Ash Ketchum, and this is my buddy, Pikachu." Ash introduced himself and Pikachu, the two waving at Juniper.
"Pikachu!"
"Oh, a Pikachu. They're native to the Kanto region, right? I've only seen them on TV, and this is my first time actually meeting one." Professor Juniper was in awe, seeing a Pikachu in person. "What a cutie. Nice to meet you. So, what brings you to Unova? Here for vacation?"
"Nah. I'm here to explore all of Unova and take part in the Unova League. It's gonna be one step closer to me becoming a Pokemon Master." e proudly exclaimed. "Plus, I'm gonna get stronger. Stronger than I've ever been. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pikachu!"
"See that? We're gonna make it!" Ash grinned, his partner smiling back.
"That's quite the goal you've got there. I'm also sure you'll find yourself enjoying Unova as a whole." Juniper giggled. "Ah, but I shouldn't be wasting that much time. since you're here, we can head back to my lab. Nuvema Town isn't too far from this airport. Ash. How would you like to get a real taste of Unova from the start?"
"Oh, yeah. That'd be awesome!"
"Pika Pika!"
"Well, follow me then. My assistant should be waiting for me at the Lab." Professor Juniper led the way with Ash and the others following. "And I'm sure those three will want their Pokemon too. I've kept them waiting long enough. They're just about to start their own journey, so it's a special day."
Juniper already had a car ready outside the airport. Everyone climbed in as they were driven through the roads of Unova. As they drove by, there was the scenery. From the grasslands to the mountains, to the large bodies of water, Ash could feel the breeze hitting his face as he was amazed. "This is awesome. I can't wait to see it all! This is gonna be a blast!"
Already, Ash was starting to see some Unovan Pokemon in the landscape, captivating his eyes. While it was brief, he saw these pink deer-like creatures roaming around. They had a pink coat to them, almost resembling the colours of spring flowers with yellow leaves.
"Those are Deerling, a Grass Type Pokemon native to Unova. Right now, you're taking a gander at their Spring Form." Professor Juniper explained. "There's Summer, Autumn and Winter. Depending on the season, they change form. But their fur is soft, so they're very popular in a lot of places. Plus, they're known to be very social, often seen hanging out with others of their species. But I don't want to fully spoil you on everything."
"That's fine by me. I like the surprises! It makes it more exciting." Ash grinned. Above him, he saw some Flying-Type Pokemon that flew by, their bodies being that of a grey colouring. In the lakes, he had to squint his eyes to really see the Water-Types residing there. For a brief moment, he could see some of them. Getting to see all these wonderful creatures would never get tiring for Ash.
But as he and Pikachu were admiring the scenery, the clouds began to dark all of a sudden. A strange presence flew through the atmosphere as Pikachu's tail wagged. In response to these clouds, some Pokemon were changing their directions. And before he knew it, a rather powerful storm was already upon them, thunder and lightning booming. Crackles of lightning and thunder filled the skies as they all looked up at this sudden storm.
"Oh, goodness! A storm that quickly?!" Delia gasped. But Juniper's face said it all. Something about this was rather odd. For a storm to appear this quickly and with such ferocity was unusual. In that instance, Ash and saw a massive figure, concealed within the clouds. The outline of a large creature with large wings, a Deep Black body and a glowing red eye. It flew through the clouds at a high speed, its shadow cast over the ground as Pikachu's cheeks sparked in worry.
"Whoa! What is that?!" Ash exclaimed. But before anyone else could see it, that massive figure was gone. "I've never seen a Pokemon like that before."
"I don't see anything..." Oak squinted his eyes as the clouds were beginning to clear. The storm had dissipated. Everything was calming down as the blue skies had returned.
"That lightning...It must've been Zekrom." Juniper remarked, her hand on her chin as she was deep in thought.
"Ze-What?"
"Zekrom. It's the Legendary Dragon of Ideals. The wielder of some of the strongest lightning out there and the other half of..." Before Juniper could finish, she had to wonder something. "Why would Zekrom even be around here?"
"Man..." Ash was amazed. He got a glimpse of this region's Legendary Pokemon, even if for a brief moment. As was the case for the regions he's already explored, he can expect to see many Pokemon of all kinds, especially those on a grander scale. A truly grand scale that goes above and beyond many things.
Eventually, they arrived at Nuvema Town.
And upon arriving, it was straight to Professor Juniper's Lab above all else. Nearby, murmurs of the storm were being heard. It was difficult for anyone nearby to ignore such a forceful event, with the wind picking up as it was starting to subside.
Upon entering the lab, there they were, waiting patiently for Juniper's return. Hilda, Cheren and Bianca's patience would not go unrewarded as they saw the Professor enter with Ash and Oak.
"Sorry for the wait, you three." Juniper adressed them
"Professor! You won't believe this! We saw a wild storm out there! It wasn't too far from here!" Bianca explained, her hands on her head. "It was crazy! It happened all of a sudden, and then it just cleared up."
"Yes, yes, I saw it. I'm positive a lot of people did with how massive it was." Juniper replied. "I'd chalk it up to Zekrom. No other explanation for it. I do have to wonder why Zekrom would be around this area but...it's gone now. We have a bigger thing to focus on."
"Right! I want my Pokemon, Professor! Please, please, please!" Bianca was eager, her hands clasped together as she begged. "I'm going to get out there and start my journey and catch all sorts of Pokemon!"
"Me too. I'm ready for this." Cheren was far more composed.
"You know the deal, Bianca. Your dad's not against it anymore, right? And you've done your research, Cheren?"
"Of course, I have. I always do my research. It's a key aspect to be a strong and successful trainer." Cheren proudly remarked. "Plus, I've been waiting for this."
"Then, I'm glad." Juniper smiled, nodding.
"Hm? Hey wait a minute..." Hilda tilted her head, looking directly at Ash, who would soon look at her. "You...Aren't you the one that participated in Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh?!"
"Hm? Oh, yeah that was a while back." Ash sheepishly chuckled. "But uh, yeah. I am. The name's Ash Ketchum, nice to meet you. And this is my partner, Pikachu."
"Pikachu!"
"I remember seeing your matches on TV. You were someting else out theree. I really thought you had it in the bag. So, why are you here right now?" Hilda asked.
"He's a guest from Pallet Town in Kanto. He's come here to visit and explore the world of Unova. But he also intends to challenge the Unova League." Juniper explained.
"Yep. I'm gonna try and win the Unova League, giving it all that I have." Ash stepped forward. "I'm a real shot at becoming a Pokemon Master."
"That's the spirit." Professor Oak praised. "Ash here's been a Trainer since he was 10. It's been a long 8 years for him, and he's improved and grown into a fine young man. And the bond he and his partner Pikachu have is truly a beautiful one."
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu nodded.
"Pokemon Master...? Never heard of that." Hilda squinted her eyes. Neither have Cheren or Bianca. Not even Professor Juniper.
"Well, it's something only Ash strives for. There's never been a Pokemon Master in the entire world. The closest to that are Champions." Oak tried explaining to the best of his abilities.
"Hmm...Pretty vague if you ask me, but who am I to judge?" Hilda casually shrugged, not too concerned about what exactly a Pokemon Master is. "Personally, I only have the goal of becoming Unova's Champion. And since you want to become the champion here...then I have to beat you to it."
"Not if I beat you to it first." Ash responded. "But no way you're gonna."
"Oh yeah?! Is that a challenge?!" Hilda barked at him.
"Yep."
"Well, I'm accepting it. And when I win the Unova League, you better watch me, cause I'll be a Pokemon Master."
"We'll see about that."
"Don't think it's just you two." Cheren adjusted his glasses. "I intend on becoming Unova's Champion as well. I will study every book I can and train harder than anyone else. There's no way either of you can surpass me. So, you two will have to focus on me here and there."
"Hey, what about me?! Aren't I in the running?!" Bianca puffed her cheeks, pointing to herself. "I may not be as strong as you, but I'll still give it all I've got! Hopefully!"
"Well, you can all get started on that as soon as you three select your Pokemon. Come along. It's about time you see them." Professor Juniper led them towards the next room. "This will be your first step as trainers."
The group followed her, entering the next room, where the Pokemon were being kept. Ash, Hilda, Cheren and Bianca took a gander at the three Poke Balls laid out in front of them. Juniper took all three, holding them out. Ash would be exempt since he wasn't involved in this selection. But that wouldn't stop him from looking at the type of Pokemon that Unova has.
"You'll each pick your Starter Pokemon. Whoever you choose will be with you from start to finish, I guarantee. Take a gander." Juniper would soon release all three, the Pokemon appearing before them.
First was Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokemon. Its body was primarily orange. It has oval eyes, a red nose, and a thick yellow stripe on its snout. The upper portion of its head is dark brown, and its long, pointed ears are positioned closely together. Tepig had short legs, and its front feet were dark brown. A dark brown band covers its lower back and rear. Its curly tail is tipped with a ruddy red sphere.
"Tep! Tepig!" It cried out.
Second was Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokemon. It had a spherical white head with small, triangular dark-blue ears on the sides. Oshawott's eyes were dark, and its dark-orange nose was shaped like a horizontal oval. Several freckles cover its cheeks, almost looking like whiskers. The light blue fur on its body forms bubble shapes around its neck. Its arms were white and rounded, while its feet are dark blue with three toes each. It also possessed a rudder-like dark blue tail. It carried a pale yellow scalchop on its belly.
"Oshawott!"
Finally was Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokemon. A bipedal, reptilian Pokémon with a slender build. Most of its body was green with a cream underside. A yellow stripe ran down the length of its back and tail and had yellow markings around its large eyes. Two curved yellow structures that resemble leaves or small wings protrude from its shoulders and bend backwards. Its slender arms have three fingers, while its tiny feet have no digits. It has a large, palmate leaf with three prongs on the end of its tail.
"Snivy." It raised its head hight.
"Woahooo!" Ash would lean down to gaze at these new Pokemon. "Awesome!"
"Look at these cuties!" Bianca gushed, leaning down with him.
"They sure are..." Hilda agreed. She was interested, especially in the Snivy, who caught her attention more than the others.
"Each of these are the Starter Pokemon in the Unova region. Oshawott, Snivy and Tepig." Professor Juniper introduced.
"So, we've gotta pick one of these. Right, Professor?" Hilda asked, standing upright.
"Precisely. No pressure, I promise you. Just take your time. The last thing I want is any of you to make a hasty decision. Once you decide, you can't undo it. It's a major step in your journey as a Trainer."
"Aw, man! It'd be so cool to have one for the ride!" Ash exclaimed, feeling the urge to bond with one of them. He saw these new Pokemon running around as Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder to greet them.
"Pika-Pika."
"Interested too, Ash?" Juniper approached him while he was crouching down. "If it interests you this much, it's a good thing I always have an extra, just in case. If you'd like, I can lend you one, and you can experience the fun of having another Pokemon by your side."
"Really?! You'd let me borrow one?"
"Of course, it wouldn't be a problem at all." Juniper looked over to one of her assistance who already knew what to do. They went into the back room as the three starters were left in the open. While they waited for the fourth one, Hilda, Cheren and Bianca thought hard about their choices.
"So...I've got to pick one. No problem." Cheren stated, observing all three of them. Tepig and Oshawott were looking back at him, but Snivy was focused, not minding his presence. Cheren focused on Snivy, seeing how composed it was compared to the other two. "Snivy. You seem rather confident, don't you? I think you're the one for me."
"Sni." Snivy smirked.
"Alright, then." Professor Juniper's assistant came out with the last Pokeball. Bianca soon made up her mind, locking onto Tepig.
"I've got my answer. It's you, Tepig!" She smiled. "Come here, cutie!"
"Tepi! Tepig!" The Fire Pig was happy to be picked, excitedly jumping into Bianca's arms.
"Well, if Bianca's got her answer..." Hilda looked between the remaining two Pokemon. She had a feeling she knew which one she was picking. "Looks like I've made my choice, too. Oshawott, you're with me."
"Osha!" The Sea Otter cried out.
"Excellent." Juniper nodded. She was pleased to see Hilda making her choice. As for Ash, the final Pokemon was soon released. From that fourth Poke Ball was another Oshawott, appearing before everyone.
"Osha! Oshawott!"
"Hey there!" Ash crouched to meet with this other Oshawott, smiling. "I'm Ash. It's great to meet ya."
"Shotta-Shottaaa."
"So, you like the idea of travelling with Ash? I can see why." Professor Juniper remarked, approaching him. "Here you go, Ash. This Oshawott will be your Pokemon."
"Thanks, Professor! I'm gonna take good care of it." Ash accepted the Pokeball.
"Osha!" Oshawott was thrilled, jumping for joy. Now all 4 Pokemon have been selected. And as they were sent back to their Poke Balls, Juniper clapped her hands.
"Now that you've all selected your Pokemon, I think you're all set for the most part. All that's left are these." Turning around, Juniper would hold out for Pokedexes, tailored for the Unova Region. Each were handed out to Ash, Hilda, Cheren and Bianca, getting them all set. "Alright. That should do it. You're good to go."
"Ohoo~" Bianca stared at the Pokedex in wonder. It was as if she's never seen one before. "So this is a Pokedex..." In fact, she hasn't, until now.
"Well, you all look primed and ready to set out." Professor Oak walked over. "I'm looking forward to all the Unovan Pokemon you'll come across. It'd be nice if you could show me some from time to time."
"Can do, Professor Oak!" Ash gave a thumbs up. "I'm gonna be seeing ton of them for sure."
"I'm sure you will." Oak nodded. "It's always a pleasure to see new Pokemon."
"Wait, wait!" Bianca waved her hands, getting everyone's attention. "Before we go, I've always wanted to try this...Let's have a Pokemon Battle first! Please!"
"Honestly, Bianca... We just got them." Cheren adjusted his glasses. "You already want to battle?"
"Don't be such a worrywart, Cheren! We've got plenty of time before the sun sets." Bianca huffed.
"I could actually use a battle right now." Hilda looked at her newly obtained Poke Ball. "It'll be a good first step, I believe. And if I were to battle someone for the first time..." Her attention turned to Ash. "It should be you."
"Hm? Me?" Ash pointed to himself.
"Yeah. I wanna see how strong you really are. If you're here to win the Unova League, you'd better give me a good battle. I'm not holding back, so you shouldn't either." She held the Poke Ball out, challenging Ash. "How about it?"
"Oh, it's on." Ash nodded. "For sure, let's battle!"
"If that's the case, then you can have a battle outside. There's a small field here, just in case of a situation like this." Professor Juniper led the way, taking them all outside. It would be Ash's first go at battling here at Unova, but it would also be Hilda's first battle ever. Knowing about Ash thanks to that tournament he was in, she wanted to test herself right away, just to see what she could accomplish in the future. This new journey is just getting started for them all.