Minene blinked. Had she heard correctly? She stared at the Blonde haired girl. Did she really want her to travel with them?
Cheren looked at Bianca, skeptically. "Are you sure, Bianca? I mean, we just met."
Bianca looked at Cheren with her 'Are you kidding me?' look. "Of course I'm sure! Besides, we can get to know each other while we're traveling! What do you say?" Bianca stared at Minene.
Minene looked at Snivy, who was still hiding in her hair. Snivy looked back at her with emerald eyes. "Do...you want to become friends?" She asked it.
"W-well.....I know you can't hear me but....i-id love to be friends. I like you a lot....your n-nice to me..."
Minene patted Snivy's head softly. "I think your nice too. I hope we can be friends on our journey together."
Snivy stared shocked. "You can understand me!?"
Bianca squealed and hugged the two, causing them to flinch. "This will be the best journey ever!! Right, Cheren?"
Cheren looked at Minene's scared expression from the hugging. "It will certainly be interesting." He smirked.
"Great!" Professor Juniper smiled. She handed Snivy, Oshawott, and Tepig's pokeballs to each trainer. "I've already filled out everything so your good to go! And Minene?"
Minene looked at the Professor.
"If you ever have a problem with your ability or anything else, you can always talk to me."
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Someone actually cared about her? She was so used to being treated like a freak. Other than N and Zorua, she felt like she had no family. At the thought of N, something in her chest squirmed around. What's happened now that she's left? Has he already forgotten about her? Did he ever care?
"Minene?" Snivy timidly asked.
Minene looked at it, realizing she hadn't answered anyone. And they were all staring at her. Her face flushed.
"S-sorry, just....thinking about some stuff. And, thanks...that's so nice of you."
Bianca hugged her again. She flinched then relaxed a bit. She slowly put her arms around Bianca, hugging her. She felt Bianca grab something, and a second later, Cheren hugged her too. The three starters also hugged her.
Minene sat there, dumbfounded. They were all hugging, like they were all friends. She smiled slightly.
She felt that maybe, just maybe, she could be a normal girl, with normal friends, and lead a normal life.
******
The three new trainers stood next to a large spacious field full of tall grass, just outside of Nuvema town.
Cheren and Bianca had called their starters into their pokeballs but Minene let Snivy sit on her shoulder. She smiled, remembering the way N's Zorua sat on his shoulder. Again, that same feeling twisted in her chest. She shook it off.
Bianca stood staring in a trance. Then she looked at Minene and Cheren happily. "Can you believe we're about to start our journeys?!"
Minene opened her mouth to say 'yes,' but Cheren elbowed her softly and shook his head, silently telling her that she shouldn't.
Bianca grabbed her hand and entwined it with hers. She did the same with Cheren. "We should all take the first step together! That way we'll have started our first journey together!!" Cheren rolled his eyes but nodded.
Bianca lifted her leg up, and the other two followed, taking their first step out of their hometown. While Bianca squealed again and Cheren smiled slightly, Minene didn't feel much different. 'Its just a step...' Then again, for someone who had never left this little town, she supposed it would feel different, like when she left her prison. She smiled in spite of herself, remembering.
Bianca grabbed her hand and twirled around, pulling a startled Minene with her. "This is so exciting!!" She twirled around over and over until Minene tripped and fell with a thump onto the tall grass. She dizzily raised her head, coming face to face with a brown faced Pokemon.
She jumped back, quickly standing up. Bianca rushed over. "What is it?" She looked at her then the Pokemon.
It was a small dog, with a brown face and short tail. It had cerulean eyes and sniffed Minene's feet eagerly.
"Awie! It's so cute!" Bianca looked at the Pokemon. She took out a small red device and opened it. She pointed it at the Pokemon. A robotic voice spoke:
"Lillipup, the puppy Pokemon. The long hair around its face makes it sensitive to every slight change in its surroundings. Though brave against even strong opponents, Lillipup is intelligent and will retreat if at a disadvantage."
"This is a pokedex. It tells you what Pokemon you are looking at, and gives some information about it." Cheren explained. "Professor Juniper told me to give you yours since your on a journey." Cheren handed Minene her pokedex.
"Bianca pulled out a pokeball and threw it in the air. A red light burst from it and took the form of her Tepig.
"Tepig, use tackle!" Bianca called. Her Tepig snorted and ran towards the Lillipup, crashing into it.
The Lillipup fell on its side, but quickly got back on its feet. It started running, pumping its tiny legs towards Bianca's Tepig. It opened its mouth, revealing its teeth, which were glowing silver, and bit Tepig.
Tepig, startled, fell backwards, successfully throwing the Lillipup and its sharp teeth of it.
"You okay?" Bianca asked.
Tepig stood up and shook its head and snorted. "Of course I'm ready, Bianca! I wanna win my first battle!"
"Okay, use ember!"
Tepig opened its mouth and blew a short flame at the Lillipup. It gave a tiny wail at the impact and staggered on its feet, unsteady.
Bianca reached into her bag and pulled out another pokeball.
"Let's go!" Bianca threw the ball at the stunded Lillipup, and it disappeared in a flash off red light. The ball twitched and then stood still, a small click issuing from it.
"I did it! I caught my first Pokemon!" Bianca said happily, scooping up the ball.
"Not bad." Said Cheren, walking over, Minene following. "Let's keep going until we reach the next town. Then we can test, and find out where the gym is."
"Gym?" Minene asked. "Isn't that where you battle other people?"
"Close. You battle the gym leader. Each gym has certain rules and Pokemon. If you win, you get that gym's badge. There are eight in total. If you gather all eight, you can challenge the elite four, and then see if you can beat the Pokemon Champion." Cheren explained. They began walking along the dirt path.
"I heard the champion, Alder, is SUPER strong!" Bianca chimed in. Tepig walked beside her, happy it won its very first battle.
Minene scowled. 'So Alder is still pretending he is a good guy, is he? Well, soon he will pay!' She thought angrily. She couldn't BELIEVE Alder was acting like the good guy! She had to confront him. She had to, to make him pay for her suffering.
She decided she was going to steal Alder's place as Unova's Pokemon Champion, and teach him a lesson.
