Chapter 1: Friendly Visit

"Brian!  You're moving too slow!" a stentorian voice yelled from the rafters of a barn.
"Sure dad!  Like it's that easy!" I yelled back, heaving another bale of hay onto the elevator.
"You'd better pick up the pace we're gonna have visitors this afternoon," the voice called back.
"Who dad?" I asked, bending down to grab a bale.
"Old friends of mine."
"How old?" I laughed.
"Haha funny, just get the job done."
"Could have this done if you had asked Scott to help!"
"He's in helping your mother prepare for the visitors," 
 I growled at that.  Scott always got the easy way out.   "Last bale!" I yelled, tossing the last bale 
of hay on the elevator.
I watched the bale climb the elevator up to where my dad stood, stacking the bales.  "Good," he 
called, "Shut down the tractor."
Jumping on the seat, I pulled the button and felt the engine rumble to a halt.  The sound of metal 
against metal clanged as dad climbed down the elevator meeting me on the ground next to the tractor. "A 
few more loads like that and you'll be stronger than me," he laughed, "Now go get washed up.  The visitors 
will be here in about 20 minutes."
"K dad," I assured, 'Who are these people?  Dad's been so excited about them coming," I think on 
my way to the house.
The door flung open smacking against the side of my face, "Sorry son; in a hurry," my mom 
apologized running out towards the garden.
Rubbing my face, I walk into the house. "Take your shoes off!" Scott screamed, a vacuum in 
hand.
"God people," I hissed with shoes in hand, brushing past Scott.
At my door my little Eevee greets me with a smile, "EEEv," she chirped.
"Hey Sara!  I'm gonna take a shower and I'll be right back, k," I promise scratching her under the 
chin.
Seizing hold a towel, I took off for the shower.  

"Hey Brian they'll be here any minute!" I heard my mom scream from the hall.
"K mom," I called back shutting off the water, reaching for a towel.
Wrapping the towel around my waist I hear a door close, "Brian they're here!"
"Um ok," I mumbled with doorknob in hand, "Brian! Come meet our guests."
Slowly I twisted the knob and pulled the door in.  One foot into the hall my mom sees me and 
yells, "Brian, say hello to Ash, Misty, and their daughter Crystal."
"Um hey," I waved with my free hand as my other held my towel together.
	"Uhhhh hello," Ash answered, arm around his wife's waist.
A silly grin spread across my face as I watched everyone staring at me.  "You may want to put 
some clothes on, son," dad suggested, hand over his face.
"Good idea," I responded, pointing to my dad then rushing away from the crowd.

"Come on Sara lets go meet our guests," I whisper, gathering Eevee into me arms.
Eevee rubbed her head against my chest and snuggled into my hold.  I just stood there watching 
Eevee sleeping lightly in my arms.  A light knock at my door broke my trance, "Yes?"
"Hi, it's Crystal.  Can I come in?" a soft voice asked.
"Just a sec," I stalled, kicking some dirty clothes behind my hamper.  Taking a quick look around 
to see that the rest of my room was clean, "ok."
Sitting on the edge of the bed I watch her open the door and take a quick look around.  "Come in 
and sit down," I offer sweeping a hand off to the side.
"Thanks," she replied choosing a seat next to the window over looking an open pasture full of the 
family's Tauros.
The room was silent as Crystal stared out the window, "Man you're lucky," she sighed, bowing 
her head.
"Why?" I asked, perplexed.
"Well, having a father who is the Grand Master of the Pokémon League is kinda demanding.  He's 
always in a meeting or gone and a lot of the time he decides to take us along."
"But that means you get to see so many different cultures, people, and Pokémon!"
"What do you think the security is like?" she asked with a little edge in her voice.
 "Never thought of that," I replied, lowering my head.
"Not your fault.  It's just a common misconception."
"Eeeevee."
"What is it, Sara?" I ask, holding her closer to my face, "Ah, you're hungry."
"Aw, how cute," Crystal cooed spotting Sara in my arms.
"Wanna hold her?  I have to go get her some food," I asked pointing out the door.
"Yes, please."
Standing up, Sara spotted Crystal and started chirping cheerfully, "I guess she really likes you 
already."
Sara leapt at Crystal, pouncing onto her lap.  "Hey there, Sara!" Crystal greeted picking Sara up, 
holding Sara above her head.
"I'll be right back."
Running, I passed the living room where the parents were chatting away, boring my brother to 
death, hehe.  In the garage, Sara's dish was sitting on the counter. "She'll want water, too," I said as I 
grabbed her water dish off the cement floor.  With two full dishes in hand I walked back to my room.  With 
the door open I saw Crystal and Sara playing on the floor.  "Hungry, Sara?" I asked holding up her food 
dish.
"EEEVV," Sara chirped as she jumped off of Crystal.
She met the dish just as I set it on the floor. "There you go."
Plopping back down on my bed, "So tell me about yourself."
"Me?  I think I should ask you," she shot back sarcastically.
"Well, what do you want to know?" I asked, laying back on the bed.
"Anything."
"I need a topic or I'll just go off in every direction."
"Age?"
"17."
"Cool, me too!"
"Nice!"
"Birthday?"
"April 12th, you?"
"June 28th."
"You…..wanna………go for a ride?"
"Where?"
"Here on the farm.  We'd ride a Ponyta."
"It's been so long since I've ridden a Ponyta."
"So, you want to?"
"Can we bring Sara?"
"Sure."
"Come here, big girl," Crystal coaxed, picking Sara up from her empty dishes, "lead the way, 
Brian," one hand on her hip.
I slipped my hand by her arm and I escorted her out of my room.
As we walked past the living room I heard a male voice call out, "Where are you two off to?"
"Dad, I'm ok.  We're just gonna go for a ride on the farm," Crystal replied, as we kept walking.  
"Well, there's an upside to being rich," I said, looking straight at the new vehicle sitting in our 
driveway, "Not everyone can own a Hummer."
"Yeah," Crystal giggled.
"Growlith! Growlith!" The barks of our two Growlithes startled Crystal and me.
"Hey boys," I greeted our two watch dogs, "this one is Ember," pointing to the closest one, "and 
that one is Blaze."
 "They're so big for Growlithes."
"I know, but that's what makes them so effective here.  They can put up a fight with the Tauros.  
Ok boys, go up to the house."
They scampered off towards the house, leaving us alone with Sara.  "Ready for the ride?" I asked, 
watching my Ponyta, Sprint, gallop around the pasture with the Tauros.
"Yeah," she answered, watching Sprint, "Are you?" she asked Sara.
"Eeeee!" Sara chirped in excitement.
 Sprint gallops over to me and sticks her head over the fence.  "Hey there, ready for a little trip?"
I climbed the fence, holding onto Sprint so she didn't take off.  "Climb on."
"Don't we need a saddle?"
"Nah, you've got jeans on you'll be fine."
Crystal rested a hand on Sprint's back and felt her twitch under her touch.  "It's ok Sprint, it's ok 
Sprint," I reassured.
"Is it ok?" Crystal asked a bit shaken.
"It's fine."
Having slid on, Crystal clutched Sara against her chest.  "You on?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, here I come," I jumped on, landing in front of Crystal. "Hand me Sara."
I felt Crystal's arm slide along my side, "Hello there, Sara.  Now hold on tight!"
Crystal's arms wrapped tightly around my stomach as Sprint reared back and sped off.

To be continued…