Blowing Bubbles

Chapter 1: Trouble

I was walking to school, a single tear sliding down my cheek. I was scared; I knew that the second I stepped through the doors to my school I would get picked on and teased.

Soon, I made it to school. I took a deep breath, then stepped inside cautiously. As I walked into my classroom, nobody bothered to say hi, which didn't surprise me. A boy named Logan was sitting with his friends, Brandon and Mike.

"Hey, guys!" Logan boomed. "Check out my new pokemon! My uncle from Hoenn gave it to me!" I went over to take a look. In his hands, he was holding a dark gray pokemon with a skull as a face. It had small red pupils in its huge eye sockets. That's definitely a ghost type, I observed.

Just then, Mike looked up and glared at me. "Millie, what're you doing here?" He asked in a threatening tone. "I...I just came to see Logans new pokemon..." I mumbled, then swallowed as I prayed I wouldn't get hurt. This wasn't going to turn out well. "Don't worry, guys," Logan confronted, "I can handle this. Duskull, use Shadow Ball on her!" A ghostly purple ball came out of Duskulls mouth and hit me in the face, leaving me with throbbing pain. "How funny, having a pokemon battle with a girl who doesn't even have a pokemon," Logan taunted. "My Mom doesn't want me to have a pokemon!" I shouted. "But if I did have one, it would KO that stupid Duskull!" Logan formed a small smirk on his face, his clean white teeth showing. "IF you had a pokemon. But you don't, and you probably never will."

Soon, school was over and I was finally back at home. Mom was scrubbing dishes at the kitchen sink. "Mom, I've had it!" I barked. "I need a pokemon! I don't want to be bullied anymore!" Mom let out a long sigh. "Millie...how many times do I have to tell you? You're not getting a pokemon. Despite how fun and exciting they sound to raise, pokemon are actually quite dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt." That's bullcrap! I thought as I crossed my arms and trudged over to my room. Just then, I got an idea.

That night, about an hour after Mom went to bed, I snuck outside and walked over to Hau'oli city, since it was a five minute walk from my house. I went to the nearest pokemon center and bought some pokeballs. After that, I went into some tall grass near my house and waited for a pokemon to come out.

It had been about five minutes, but there were still no pokemon out. They must be asleep, I realized. Ugh, what's the point? I'm gonna get in trouble anyway... I started to walk home when suddenly, a Pikipek shot out of the grass. It was about to use a move when it saw that I had no pokemon. As it tilted its head in confusion, I quickly pulled out a pokeball, then closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This would be my first time catching a pokemon, so I had to make it perfect. Okay, Millie, you've got this. Holding my breath, I threw the pokeball overhand.
Tilt.
Tilt.
Pop!
My first catch failed?!

The next day, I packed my backpack and reluctantly started my walk to school. Just then, I stopped when I saw a skinny, dark blue pokemon tied up in a thin rope.