I felt the sleep lift from me as the bright morning sun came through my bedroom window. I had my blue pokeball bed covers wrapped tight around me, which were doing a great job of keeping out the cold.

    A slight warm summer breeze blew my dark green window curtains, gently lifting them. I squeezed my eyes shut tight and then opened the slightly. I peered over at the Ursaring clock on my wooden table with the Pikachu print lamp.

‘Oh great, 8:00 already’ I thought as I sat up and sighed again.

"Raila, time to wake up!" my mom called, very loudly, up the stairs.

"I’m already up mom!" I called back down and I heard her walk away, probably back to the kitchen to make my breakfast.

   I yawned widely, my eyes watering slightly. I swung my feet over the side of the bed into but them into my fluffy red and white pokeball slippers. I scratched the top of my heard, the sleep not completely shaken off, walking into the bathroom, flicking on the light on he way in and brushing my teeth.

 With that done I took out a brush and attempted to brush the tangles and knots out of my long brown hair. I put the brush back on the porcelain counter and walked out, turning the light off again. I got dressed in a dark purple long sleeved shirt, a white jean jacket and a pair of mild red color pants. I put on long black socks and white and black tennis shoes, tying them tightly. I walked out of my room and down the stairs, being totally awake now.

 My mom was down in the kitchen, a frying pan on the stove with sausage and scrambled eggs in it.My little sister, Lauren, was eating some cereal at the table.

"Good morning hunny. Breakfast is ready." She said and put the eggs and sausage on a plate and pouring me some orange juice. My mom did this on special occasion like this, like on my birthday or very special meals on holidays.

"Hey Rai, what pokemon are you going to get?" Lauren asked from across the table, swinging her tiny legs under it.

"I don’t know. I don’t really care either. Whatever it is I’m sure it’s going to be a good one." I said, and it was true too. I had a real love of pokemon, all pokemon, and thought that all of them were strong in their own way, no matter what type or size or shape they were.

"When I get bigger can I go on a journey too mom? Can I?" Lauren asked mom excitedly.

"Sure you can." She said, smiling at her daughters’ enthusiasm.

I finished eating quickly and got my backpack from the hooks near the front door.

"Oh, Raila! Before you go you can have this!" Mom said, digging something out of the large front pocket of her white apron. She handed the object to me. It was small and circular and was wrapped in newspaper.

I unwrapped it quickly and saw it was a Masterball!

"Mom, where did you get this?" I asked her, utterly surprised with the gift.

" It was you fathers when he was a young trainer." Mom answered, getting that distant look in her eyes she always got when she talked about our father.

" Thanks mom." I said and hugged her tightly.

"Now then, get out there and be the best pokemon master the world has ever seen! I’ve packed some sandwiches in your bag for the road to Oron Town." She said smiling a motherly smile at me, but her eyes were sad.

"Its okay mom! I’ll come back and visit after I get my pokemon." I reassured and I could see she was clearly happier.

" Well you’d better get going." Mom said, her smile having returned.

"Right. Bye mom, Lauren! Be back soon." I said, walking out the door and climbing onto my bike. I petaled as fast as I could all the way to Oron. To get a pokemon, you had to go to the next town over, because our town didn’t have a pokemon professor living in it.

I got into the town about an hour later and chained my bike up at the front of the lab. I knocked on the front door and Proff. Rose opened it up. She was a very pretty woman with long black hair and blue eyes and was nice as could be.

"Hello dear. Are you here for your first pokemon?" she asked, smiling pleasantly at me.

"Yes ma’am." I said and she led me inside to her lab. Inside where several children, who were waiting to get pokemon. I sat in one of the chairs and moment after Proff. Rose told us to line up by age. Since I was 13 I was at the back. The four children infront of me picked their pokemon until they’re where two left. I was about to grab the blue pokeball but a hand shot out and grabbed it first.

"Hah! Now you get that crappy red one." A snotty looking boy with short brown hair said, holding the pokeball triumphantly. I growled at him, but not because I had wanted that pokeball but because he was so rude to me, and he didn’t even know me.

I took the red pokeball and went back with the crowd. Proff. Rose explained about the pokedex and handed them out. I got a dark purple one and the snotty kid got a green one.

Then she explained about pokeballs and told us we could release our pokemon outside. She led us outside and I picked a spot in her very large front yard.

"Okay, lets see what you are. Pokeball go!" I yelled and threw the pokeball. The opened with a small Ding and there was a bight flash of light. The light died away as I caught the pokeball as I flew back to me.

On the grass sat a small pokemon, only about 2"00 at the shoulder with light brown fur and dark brown fur on its paws. Its stomach was white and its tail was red and looked like it had six tails instead of one and a small black nose. It had a kind of main of sorts on its head that looked like its tails.

"Vulpix." The small fire fox type pokemon said as it sat on the grass infront of me. I scratched its left ears with its hind foot and looked up at me. It smiled and walked over to me, rubbing its’ soft cheek on my leg.

"Well hi there Vulpix. I’m Raila." I said picking up the small pokemon. Then I saw its eyes where different. While common Vulpix had brown eyes this one had a deep golden color eyes.

It gave me a small affectionate lick on the tip of my nose with its small pink tongue.

"Hah! A Vulpix! What a wimpy pokemon!" I heard the snotty kid say from behind me.

"Oh really? And what pokemon do you get?" I asked, now aggravated with him.

"I got a Nidoran male. But it’ll be a Nidoking soon and will be able to kick the crap out of that puny Vulipx!" he declared, pointing at it.

"Oh yeah! Well then let’s see who’s stronger! Let’s battle!" I said, not completely furious at him.

"Fine, but you should at least know the name of the person who’s going to beat you, its Ryan. Now then, Go Nidoran!" he called and threw his pokeball to reveal a small purple pokemon with very large ears, large spikes on its back and one on its head and two small buck teeth.

"Nido!" it cried, ready for a fight

"You up for it Vulpix?" I asked and Vulpix nodded confidently "Okay then! Vulpix, go!" I said and Vulpix charged forward at the Nidoran.

"Vulpix, Use Quick Attack!" I commanded and Vulpix shot forward, a white streak of light following it.

The little poison pokemon dodged it by jumping to the left but Vulpix kept trying and after one more dodge hit her mark.

"Don’t take that Nidoran! Use Tackle!" Ryan ordered. Nidoran threw its small body at Vulpix but the fire fox jumped it and landed behind the Nidoran, who ended up slamming into the ground.

"Finish this up with Ember Vulpix!" I ordered and Vulpix opened its mouth, very small balls of fire shooting out. But I noticed something strange as the balls hit Nidoran directly, burning it. Vulpix's eyes had turned a burning red color. It wobbled around, hurt and dazed and finally fell to the ground in a heap.

" We won Vulpix!" I said as Vulpix ran back to me and I picked it up and hugged the small fire fox.

"Vulpix vul!" It said excitedly.

"Lucky shot!" Ryan declared, scowling at me. He returned his pokemon and ran off to Proff. Rose.

"Um.. Hello. I saw your battle. Your really good with that Vulpix." I shy female voice said from behind me.

I turned to see a young girl, about my age with black hair in pigtails which where in huge ringlets. She had black eyes, but there held certain friendliness. She was wearing a light yellow shirt with pink sleeve ends and collar. She was wearing a light pink skirt and brown shoes.

"Thanks. I’m Raila." I introduced myself.

"Oh, I’m Maria." The girl introduced herself.

"What pokemon did you get?" I asked her and she took out a pink pokeball from her pocket.

"Oh, go Cleffa." She called and threw the pokeball. A small pink Cleffa popped out and ran to her happily. She picked it up in her arms and petted it on its head gently.

"Oh cool! A Cleffa! They’re really rare you know. So don’t let that little guy get away any time soon." I warned. Cleffa was very rare since it was the baby form of a Clefairy; wich was rare on its own.

"So, were are you headed?" I asked her.

"To Ember City." She answered.

"Oh cool! That’s where I’m headed too. You wanna go together?" I asked, hoping for a traveling partner.

"Oh, um okay." She said, shyly.

"Well, we’d better get going. I promised my mom that I’d visit her as soon as I got my pokemon. So off through the forest we go!" I said, pointing triumphantly towards the forest beyond the town. So we walked, I decided on not biking since Maria didn’t have a bike and mine wasn’t a two-seater, a good ways into the forest before we saw our first pokemon.

It was a small brown pokemon. It had a large raccoon looking tail; a large white donut shaped patch on its stomach, and black ears. A Sentret.

"Cool! A Sentert! I’m going to catch it. Oh, I mean if you don’t want it Maria." I said, remembering to show some courtesy

" No, that’s okay." She said and waved me on.

"Okay then! Let’s get ‘em Flamepaw!" I ordered, having just thought up a nickname for my Vulpix.

She jumped off my shoulder and onto the field.

The Sentert noticed us and stood on its tail, a determined look on its face.

"Okay Flamey! Lets start this off with Agility!"

Flamepaw ran forward, disappeared and reappeared in another spot. She did this over and over until she reached the raccoon like pokemon then slammed into it. It fell to the ground but got up quickly, and looking angry.

"Sennnnntreeeettt!" it cried as small yellow stars shot out of its mouth in a powerful Swift attack.

But Flamepaw was quicker then that. She used Agility to avade the attack completely.

"Good! Now use Ember!"

Again, small balls of fire shot out of her mouth and hit the Sentret directly but it did not go down. It got burned a little but stood back up on its tail again. It attempted a tackle but Firepaw dodged it by jumping and used Headbutt to slam it into the ground and knocking it out.

"Pokeball Go!" I yelled, throwing a pokeball. The Sentret dissolved into red light and went into the pokeball. The ball rocked form side to side with the Sentrets' attempts to escape but soon stopped and sat still on the ground.

"Yeah! We caught a Sentret!" I said running over to pick up the pokeball, very proud of Flamepaw and myself.

" Wow, your really good Raila." Maria said from behind me.

" Thanks, but don’t sweat it, you’ll catch something too." I said, not wanting to be the only one who caught a pokemon today.

"You think so?" she asked, as if she wasn’t sure of her ability as a pokemon trainer.

"Sure you will! Before you know it you and that Cleffa will catch the most powerful pokemon in this forest." I said, patting Maria on the back.

Her cheeks grew red in a blush but she didn’t say anything.

So we kept walking for about and hour but then got stopped by a rustling in the bushes next to us.

Then a small yellow sheep pokemon walked out. It had fluffy yellow fleece, blue head and feet, yellow and black striped tail and ears and a puff of fleece on its head. A Mareep.

" Your turn Maria." I said and ushered her forward.

" Okay, go Cleffa!" she called, throwing the pokeball and the little pink puffball came out.

The Mareep finally noticed us and looked scared, but didn’t run.

" Cleffa, use Pound." Maria ordered. Cleffa jumped forward and hit the Mareep multiple times with its tiny fists.

The Mareep slid backwards in the dirt some but got back up and static gathered around its ears.

"Mareeeeppp!" it cried, letting the electricity loose.

" Use Protect!" Maria ordered hurriedly.

Cleffa quickly surrounded itself with a blue shield of light. The Thundershock attack hit it and attempted to break through but failed and discharged (A/N: I have no idea if that’s the right word or not).

"Cleffa, use Mimic." Maria ordered. The little fairy pokemon glowed light purple and lighting shot from it, frying the electric sheep with its own attack.

"Pokeball go!" Maria said and threw the red and white ball. It hit the Mareep dissolved it and it went in. The ball shook slightly but stopped a few seconds later.

" You did it Maria!" I cried and went to pick up the pokeball and handed it back to her.

"Yeah, I guess I did." She said, smiling. The catch seemed to put some confidence in her.

We reached my house within the next hour, as the sun set and the sky darkened.

" Raila your finally back!" mom said and hugged me as soon as I set foot in the door.

"Yeah, mom. I’m back." I said, patting her on the back lightly.

" And who is this?" Mom asked once she finally let go of me and noticed Maria.

" I’m Maria Gabriel Sanders ma’am." Maria introduced herself, smiling politely at my mother.

" Rai!" I heard my little sister cry as she ran up to me. I bent down and hugged her tightly.

" What pokemon did you get?" she asked excitedly.

"Well I’ll show you." I said taking out the masterball and enlarging it. I threw it into the middle of the room and Firepaw came out.

I saw my sisters’ eyes light up when she saw her. She ran up to her and petted her gently on the head.

"And I caught this on our way here! Go Sentret!" I let Sentret out too and she sat in the middle of the floor, on her tail until she noticed the bowl of fruit on our kitchen table. She got down, walked over to it and pushed herself all the way up on her tail to grab a few grapes out of the bowl.

"How cute!" my mom exclaimed as she bent down to pet Sentret.

"Sentret!" Sentret said as mom petted her.

" Show ‘em your pokemon Mar." I suggested.

"Okay, Go Cleffa, Mareep." She called and let them out. My mom just about fainted when she saw them from their cuteness.

"We can’t stay long mom, just for tonight then we have to hit the road." I warned, since mom tended to get attached to something in a very short period of time, so if we stayed to long she would expect us to stay longer.

"Okay dear, well you must be starving." Mom said but she didn’t wait for an answer. She just went into the kitchen and started to make us something to eat.

" Oh, but Ms. Tsuki, where not- "Maria stared to protest but I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Give it up Mar. It’s no use. Once moms in cook mode theirs no stopping her." I said, sweatdropping at my mother. It was true, once she was determined to cook something she wouldn’t stop until she did; which meant my sister and I never went hungry.

So mom made us some spaghetti for dinner and sat us down at the kitchen table.

"Your mom is a really good cook, Raila." Maria complemented.

"Oh it’s nothing dear. I just love to cook." My mom replied as she poured us some orange juice.

We ate dinner in silence and went to sleep. I slept in my room and mom got out the old blow-up mattress from the back of my closet and blew it up for Maria to sleep on,bringing a few comforters into the room and two pillows to put on it, and a blanket to sleep under. I lent her a pair of my old pajams, that were pink from when I was younger and a new toothbrush from the closet she could use of our journey. Turns out she didn’t know what to pack so hardly packed anything.

But anyway, I didn’t fall asleep for a while after the lights got turned off. Firepaw slept beside my head on the pillow, her long tails rapped around her and over her nose. Sentret was sleeping in its pokeball, wich I had placed on my bedside tabel.

I gazed blankly up at my ceiling and asked myself questions. What was up next on my adventure? Who would we meet along the way? Would we even get to the Pokemon League? But Firepaw seemed to sense my worry and woke silently. She gazed at me with her bright golden eyes shining in the darkness of my room. She craned her neck and gave my cheek a comforting lick.

"Thanks Firepaw." I whispered and petted her on the head. She layed her head down next to mine and snuggled up close to me. I sighed heavily, my exhale seeming to carry my worries out of my body with it, and closed my eyes, sleep finally taking over my consionence.