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Gin brushed her short silvery hair as she stared at herself in the mirror. The shiny hair that so many people mistook for gray lay shimmering on her shoulders. She gave her reflection an odd half smile, more of a smirk, and left her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

She knew no one else was in the house- they had all disappeared months ago. Just up and vanished. Gin had come to the conclusion that her family had abandoned her. Well fine then. She didn’t need them.

She picked up her backpack that was lying on the ratty old couch and ran around the house tossing some things in it. She packed a change of clothes for her first day out on the road, then tossed in some personal hygiene items along with several food items. A light blanket was also tossed in, rolled up tightly so there was room.

Gin then tiptoed quietly back up the stairs and sneaked into her parents bedroom. Even though her parents had not been home in almost four months, she still felt like she had to be surreptitious when she entered their room. She crept over to the large oak bookcase that stood against the wall and ran her hand along the top shelf. It came along a small case and she pulled it down. Gin carried it over to the bed and slowly opened it, pulling up the latch that had rusted over for years unused.

In this box was her college money. But now that she was seventeen and without family, Gin had given up on college. She needed this money for her journey. She abruptly turned the case upside down and started to count the bills that fell out of it.

Ten thousand dollars.

Wow. Her parents had put away ten thousand dollars for her to go to college? Gin felt a pang of guilt for not using this money to do so, but it was gone instantly when she glanced over at the dusty mirror and the old makeup that lay on her mother’s dressing table that had been unused for so long. She shoved half of it into the bag, and kept the other safely on her person before creeping through the doorway that separated her parents room from her grandparents.

Grandpa and Grandma had disappeared along with her parents and younger sister, Jasmine, too. She had loved her Grandpa dearly- he was a Pokémon trainer- the first in her family. Now Gin chose to follow in his footsteps.

She pulled open the bedside table drawer that lay on her grandfather’s side of the bed and rummage through it. In seconds she came upon the rusty old Pokédex that had belong to her father. It was ancient, true, but it had been updated to include the Pokémon discovered in the Johto and Hoenn regions.

Placing it in the pocket that did not contain the bills, she searched through the drawer and came upon the world map. It showed the largest cities in Johto, Kanto and Hoenn. However, the small town of Rosada was not on the map of Kanto. It was a small town to the east of Pallet.

Pallet- that was where Gin was heading. Pallet to start her Pokémon Journey. She was not going to pick up a Pokémon there, oh-no. She was going to challenge some trainers there.

Gin wasn’t interested in the fire, water, grass, electric or normal starts Professor Oak was offering. As she turned around in the room to face the large glass mirror across from her grandparents mahogany bed, she stared into her cold, metallic eyes- grown hard from abandonment, and her shiny, silver hair- like metal.

Gin was going to be the greatest Steel trainer there ever was.

 * * *

Though Rosada was a small town- hardly anyone ever spoke to one another. Rosada was just a place to live- people’s lives took place in the larger cities. Gin’s parents had worked over in Celadon. Her sister had gone to a boarding school in Olivine while her grandparents had spent their time in Pallet. Gin had gone to school in a public school in Pallet, but she hadn’t made many friends. And those she had made had ditched her after she had turned cold and serious.

Now, as she stared out over the hill that lead down into the valley where Pallet town was so cozily nestled, she had no idea that she was just about to become acquainted with the friends she should have made a long time ago.

 * * *

Maurizio stared at his mother on the videophone.

"You’re going to be gone another month?" He asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"I’m sooooo sorry darling, but I must! There’s been another outbreak of challengers for Lance, and you know- if they want to get through to Lance they must get to me!" The beautiful lady, who looked way to young to be his mother, smiled a glittering smile.

Some dark trainer, Maurizio though, all dazzling and preppy like that! Us dark trainers are supposed to be above that Mother!

"Karin! Another trainer!" A voice called in the background of his mother’s phone.

"Oh, Maurice, darling, I’m sorry! I’ve got to go! Toodle-oo!" She hung up the phone, and Maurizio could just imagine her skipping away into her chambers, then suddenly becoming solemn as she battled this new trainer, keeping up the façade of the dark and mysterious, Dark Pokémon master.

"It’s Maurizio…" He muttered, hanging up his phone.

He sighed. His mother would be gone yet another month! It really was awful, having an Elite Four member as your only parent. Perhaps it would have been easier if he had a father, but his father had walked out on the deceiving Karin years ago.

Maurizio began to think he should have done the same thing.

His mother hadn’t been home in nine months. Nine months of battling trainers and, according to the National Pokémon, fooling around with Lance, Will, Koga AND Bruno. He was beginning to think she was never coming home.

He entered his room and saw his bag lying on the bed. He had packed it- in case he ever got the guts to go on his Pokémon journey.

He scooped up the bag and swiftly turned and exited the room. As his hand touched the doorknob to door of the house, he thought of his nine months alone. He wondered if his mother would miss him when she finally came home and noticed he was gone.

Ha, he laughed to himself, I’ll be back by then…

Landen crept through the tall grass between Rosada and Pallet. He knew there had to be a Treecko nest around here somewhere. Erika herself had said this was where she caught hers. It had made Rosada pretty popular for about a week- but everyone gave up when they realized that Treecko were nowhere to be found.

But Landen had faith. He knew he would find one. For if Erika said it was so, it must be so!

He pulled out a picture of the wonderful young trainer from his jacket pocket and stared at it. Erika smiled at him, making a peace sign. Her signature was scrawled across the bottom.

This was his lucky picture- this picture had made him the top student in his class at Pallet High School. Now this picture would find him a Treecko.

Something moved in the grass above. He turned swiftly, then cursed himself. If it had heard him, it would have ran away. But no- it kept walking down the hill. He shrugged, grabbed a Pokéball from his belt and crept uphill.

The grass was swaying heavily now as they approached one another. Gee- this must be a very stupid Treecko. Aw well, a Treecko was a Treecko and he’d train it to be the best!

It was now right in front of him. Suddenly, it stopped moving. Had it sensed him finally? Landen shrugged it off and grinned widely. He knew his picture was good luck.

"Pokéball- GO!" He shouted, as he hurled the Pokéball at the Pokémon’s head.

The flash of red light he expected didn’t come. A surprised, "Treecko!" wasn’t even murmured.

Instead came a loud profanity. A head popped out of the grass and Landen found himself face to face with an angry looking silver-headed girl.

"Er---sorry?" He tried, as the girl advanced on him.

 * * *

Enya focused on the basket and shot. The ball bounced back on the ground, the net swaying.

"That’s, what? Like 25 baskets in a row?" Enya asked no one in particular. Mainly because no one was there.

She sighed. Playing basketball wasn’t fun when you were the only one there. She left the ball rolling down the driveway and sat down on the grass.

Enya was bored. She was always bored, lately. Her parents had gone to Cinnabar Island for some vocational lecture. Her older brothers were away at college. And all her friends had started Pokémon journeys. They didn’t even write her anymore.

Enya wanted to be a Pokémon trainer more than she wanted to be a pro athlete. She remembered when career day came around at the school she attended down in Pallet. Everyone had shoved her over to talk to the star soccer player, but Enya had been aching to talk to this Ash Ketchum- acclaimed Pokémon master.

She glanced down the street, searching to see if any one was watching her. No one was, so she pulled out her Pokéball and shouted out, "Come on out, Torkoal!"

The turtle-like Pokémon she had caught in secrecy popped out of his Pokéball and yawned, "Toooorkal."

Enya smiled at him and stroked his shell, which released a puff of smoke. Fire Pokémon were Enya’s favorites and Torkoal was the first wild one she had come across.

He nibbled sleepily on the grass in her yard, staring at her with intent eyes. Eyes that begged her to train him.

She sat up. Suddenly, she didn’t care anymore. She didn’t care what her parents would say, she didn’t care what Coach Atkerson would do, she just wanted to be a Pokémon trainer. A fire Pokémon MASTER, even.

Recalling Torkoal, she rushed into the house to pack a backpack and leave a note. She was starting her Pokémon journey.

 * * *

Barak slouched on the couch, watching his grandfather beat yet another challenger to his gym.

"And Wattson creams the Combusken with his Magneton!" The announcer spouted out, "That girl does not get the badge!"

Barak yawned. His grandfather was a good trainer, but Barak knew he could do better.

In fact, he was going to try.

He didn’t bother to sit up and get off the couch, but more of rolled off it then picked himself off the ground. Dusting himself off, he made his way groggily into the kitchen. He grabbed an apple and head out the door to start his Pokémon journey.

Barak always was one to make split second decisions.

* * * 

Nadia giggled as she watched her four best friends, and her boyfriend, talk to her from Cerulean. They were on a Water Pokémon Tour, The Cerulean Sisters and the Magnificant Wally, which had stopped at the girls home town of Cerulean.

"Like, sorry you couldn’t be here, Nadia!" Lily gushed off.

"Yea, like a total bummer!" Violet agreed. Daisy nodded eagerly.

Misty laughed, "We wish you were here! You’re better than any of us!"

Nadia giggled again. These girls sure knew how to tell it like it is.

"Yea- too bad the media doesn’t recognize it!" Nadia replied, flipping her light blue hair over her shoulder.

Wally smiled at her, "They will soon, I’m sure!"

The girls all started giggling, and soon Wally joined in with his deep laughter, followed by Nadia’s ‘ringing tones’ as she liked to call them.

"But, we like, better go!" Daisy said, trying to sober up, "We, like, have another performance in like, five minutes!"

"Okay guys!!" Nadia said, smiling sweetly at her friends. "Have fun."

"Love you!" Wally said, blowing a kiss to the screen.

"Awwwwww…" The Sisters giggled.

Nadia pretended to catch it and pushed it on her cheek. "Love you too!"

Daisy reached out and hung up the phone…or at least she thought she did.

"My god, that girl, is like, such a wannabe!" She said, turning immediately after missing the hook to Wally.

Misty snickered, "Better than us? Yea right. That girl can hardly catch a Magikarp!"

Nadia watched on in shock as her friends continued to bash her like this, when Daisy had clearly not hung up right!

Wally smirked and slipped an arm around Lily, "But she’s great in bed." Lily’s arm shot out and whapped him across the head, "Ow! Just kidding!!!"

Nadia shook her head, the let out her ringing tones, "You guys are just kidding right?"

Not bothering to look at the screen, Violet replied, "Of course not, Lily! What’s up with you?"

"Wasn’t me!" Lily said.

Nadia might have found it humorous, had it not happened to her, that her four former ‘friends’ turned slowly to the screen with expressions of horror on their faces.

"Um- of course we’re just kidding!" Wally said, dropping his arm from Lily immediately.

But Nadia could read people. And she could tell they were not.

"Whatever!" She reached to hang up the phone, quickly adding to Daisy before she slammed it down, "THIS is how you hang up a phone!"

The screen went blank and in Cerulean, Wally shrugged it off. "She better just keep quiet- we can’t have her ruining our reputation like that…"

The other girls nodded, while Nadia, back in Rosada, was crying her eyes out on a pillow.

"I’ll show them!" She whined, "I’ll be the best water trainer EVER!" She threw the pillow against the wall. She picked up her backpack and quickly went around her room throwing stuff into it before she ran out the house, tears still streaming down her face at the fake-ocity of her friends.

 ***

Kaden made his way down the hills into Pallet Town.

It was so peace and quiet out here- quieter even, than his small hometown of Rosada.

But suddenly his cellphone rang. He quickly checked caller id, then sighed as he answered it, "Hello sensai."

The worried voice of Chuck the gymleader came out over the phone, "Are you SURE you don’t want me to tell anyone about this?"

"I’m sure, sensai! I must do this training by myself- Pokémon and otherwise." Kaden said, sighing deeply. His karate instructor worried more about him than his own family did.

"You know me, Kaden! I’m not good at keeping secrets!" Chuck blurted out.

"Try!" Kaden said. He knew it was impolite to be rude to his elders, but Chuck was a special case- Chuck allowed it.

"Kaddddddden!" His old mentor whined, "I can’t do this!"

"Just keep quiet! If anyone asks, you don’t know where I am!"

"But I do!!"

"Please! Tell your wife if it makes you feel better, but don’t tell a soul! I want to do this on my own- in complete privacy from my family." Kaden said.

With that he hung up. He didn’t need to hear Chuck’s worries and whinings.

He glanced down the hill. There was another commotion. He stared as a silver haired girl chased greenheaded boy through the grass. She looked angry. Several other people had now grouped around. They all looked about his age.

He shrugged and went to join them. He was always interested in fights.

 * * *

These words played over and over in Awena’s head as she pulled a shawl over her head and started to walk down the large hill into Pallet.

On the way, she would meet sixteen trainers- they will each becoming masters of a respective Pokémon type and help each other on their way to victory.

Awena preferred to be left alone. But the voice had spoken in her head- and she must always obey the voice.

It was the burden of a psychic.

* * *

Elsu flew around on the back of his Pidgeot. The hills of Pallet and Rosada rolled beneath them and they soared through the sky.

This was what Elsu lived for! Flying through the air with his trusty flying Pokémon, Pidgeot.

He patted the bird that had been given to him as a gift from his role model, Falkner. He remembered the day they met so clearly; it was a memory that would be burned in his mind forever more.

The Pidgeot, his only Pokémon, curved into a loop-de-loop and Elsu dug his hands into her feathers.

He let out a yell of laughter. The rush of the wind, the feel of the air against him- this was life!

Pidgeot slowed down and let out a soft coo. She was calling something to Elsu’s attention.

"What is it, girl?" He asked, leaning down to see where she was looking.

A group of kids perhaps his age were gathered round. Two were arguing, the rest were trying to sort things out. He counted- eight there already. Geez- some big fight. He flew down to see what it was about.

* * *

A small blond girl sat watching the argument that commenced in front of her. None of these people appeared to know each other.

She had been sitting here quite awhile. She had seen the whole thing- the green-haired boy had been trying to catch a Pokémon, apparently a Treecko, but had thrown a Pokéball at the silver-haired girl who had been innocently walking down the hill. The girl was mad- she thought he had done it on purpose to get her aggravated.

Now another person joined into the argument. Another boy- hopping to the ground from his Pidgeot. He asked what was going on. Everyone filled him in and asked his opinion.

Wyome had been sitting there for a while, and no one had even noticed her. She sighed. Was she that invisible to the world?

No- perhaps someone did notice her. This girl with jet black hair had stared directly at her when she arrived at the scene, but that was the only acknowledgment to her.

Wyome sighed again and continued to listen to the argument. Perhaps when she noticed them she could provide her help as a witness.

* * *

Akuji walked through the town of Rosada. He had lived here all his life, but ever since the accident he hadn’t actually explored it…

The accident…the car accident that killed every member of Akuji’s family- Akuji being the only one to actually survive.

He shuddered to think about it. He was only five at the time, so he didn’t remember any of it. But just thinking about it gave him the shivers.

This whole town gave him the shivers. It was friendly enough, but staying here for twelve years alone and unwanted had really done something to his mind.

He nodded. It was time to leave.

He headed down the hill.

* * *

Sela and Fonda walked arm and arm down the grassy hill into Pallet Town. The two best friends had decided to start their Pokémon journey together.

"This will be fun!" Sela said, cheerfully.

Fonda nodded in agreement, "Of course!"

Sela had been the one who had brought up the idea of a Pokémon journey. She had suggested that the two best friends travel together when they turned seventeen and journey through the regions collecting Pokémon.

"I only want rock Pokémon!" Sela had said, energetically. They were thirteen when they decided this.

"And I will take ground Pokémon," Fonda had replied. Sela had always been more chirpy than Fonda.

Now, four years later, the girls had taken up their promise. Sela had insisted on walking the whole way, ditching Fonda’s lovely sports car in Rosada.

"Oooh! What’s going on down there?" Sera suddenly asked, pointing to a group of kids who were gathered near the base of the hill.

Fonda shrugged, but Sela didn’t see her. She had already ran down the hill and was no doubt asking what was up.

Fonda sighed. Sometimes her best friend acted more like a seven year old than a seventeen year old. But she just shook it off and went to join her in the group.

* * *

Cicada had somehow found her way to this group that was at the bottom of this very steep hill as she searched for a Weedle to capture.

It was rather interesting, listening to this silver hair girl growl and stomp her feet because this boy had thrown a Pokéball at her.

The boy was looking pretty scared of this metal-headed fury, but Cicada just shrugged. She wasn’t afraid of anything.

"Y’all should just calm down!" She tried to reason with them, but the girl just told her to bug off.

"Another pun…" Cicada mumbled, thinking about her life. Cicada…bug trainer…bug off. She sighed and let them ramble on.

* * *

Nyoka sat on a branch of one of the trees in the grassy hills of Pallet and Rosada, looking down on the angry girl.

She rolled her eyes. This chick was getting on her nerves.

She jumped out of the tree, startling the group.

"What the hell is goin’ on here?" She said, chewing on a straw that she had stuck in her mouth.

She knew everyone was looking her up and down, checking out her goth attire, her dyed black-red-and-purple hair. She rolled her eyes again.

The angry girl snapped out of the trance first, "That TWIT threw a Pokéball at me!"

"It was an ACCIDENT!!" He whined. He was obviously afraid of the chick.

"Bitchy little kid, ain’t ya?" Nyoka said, narrowing her eyes at the girl.

"Ya wanna start something!?!"

* * *

Soyala was so glad to finally be on her Pokémon journey. She was also so glad to have found a group of boys at the bottom of the first hill she went down.

Of course, there were several girls there, more girls than boys, but she really didn’t care.

Three of them were fighting- two girls and one boy. Well, one girl against another girl and a boy.

"What’s going on down here?" Soyala said, throwing her arms up in the air, then putting them down as she squeezed between two of the boys in the group.

One of the girls who was fighting- who’s silvery hair Soyala was jealous of (her hair was pretty much the same color- but with more white highlights in it)- snapped at her, "Why doesn’t everyone just mind their own business! This is between me and Treecko-boy over here!"

Soyala rolled her eyes, "Get a life…"

* * *

Ryu entered the group at the bottom of the hill quietly, so quietly no one noticed him.

Clutching three Pokeballs to his belt, he looked up at the two people who were arguing.

"What is going on here?" He asked in a calm, cool voice.

The chatter of the group died down as everyone turned to see who he was.

Awena spoke up first, "We are all here."

Everyone turned to look at her. She was quiet through the whole fight. Hadn’t really said a thing, just examined people. Most of them had forgotten she was even there.

"All seventeen of us are here," She said, this time with more enthusiasm.

Kaden did a quick head count, "There’s only sixteen."

Awena pointed to Wyome, who stood up.

"I’m here…" Wyome whispered. Everyone barely heard her.

"What do you MEAN we’re all here?" Gin said. She was getting aggravated. All she wanted to do was make it to Pallet town, but she had been stuck here for an hour arguing with this twit- now this punk girl wanted to start something.

"I foresaw it- we will travel together," Awena whispered.

Sela giggled, "Yea! The more the merrier! Fonda and I were just going to be traveling by ourselves!"

"What do you mean you foresaw it!?!" Gin yelled. She knew she was getting worked up, but this was bothering her.

"I saw it before it happened," Awena explained.

"Well DUH!" Gin said.

"Then why did you ask?" Awena replied, simply.

Nyoka smirked. Good to see that bitch getting her own.

"Look- I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve gotta get to Pallet Town," Gin snapped angrily, "So just excuse me!" She turned to walk away but the replies behind her made her stop.

"Me too…"

"Me too!"

"Me too."

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

She turned, "All of you?"

Awena smirked, like she had won, "Told ya."

Ryu surveyed all of them, "The girl’s psychic- what she says goes!"

"I am NOT travelling with a bunch of strangers," Gin said, turning around and walking again.

"I have seen- it will all travel together. Each of us will take a Pokémon type and we our dreams will be fufilled," Awena murmured, staring into space.

There was silence, but then Cicada spoke up, "I’m up for it!"

Enya shrugged, "Sounds fun! I didn’t want to do this alone, anyway!"

Barak nodded. "Yea, me too."

Everyone else pretty much agreed…except for Gin.

"I am NOT travelling with strangers," She repeated.

Maurizio shrugged. "Then we’ll introduce ourselves."

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