Journey Through the Unova Region

Chapter One

I was an antsy fourteen-year-old who just wanted to receive a Pokémon. I so badly wanted to leave Aspertia City and explore the Unova region. Mom said that an assistant researcher by the name of Bianca would be coming to give my friend and I Pokémon today, though. My anticipation seemed to slow the day down, and it was irritating beyond belief.

     I was pacing around the platform of Aspertia Point while my friend, Nate, sat on one of the benches. It was close to sunset, with the sky being a creamy orange color. Pale clouds floated by lazily, and the sun was dispersing past the jagged mountaintops.

     Nate leaned back with his hands behind his head, which was covered in bushy brown hair. He eyed me before saying, "Gee Rosa, you look more anxious than a patrolling Patrat. Why don't you sit down?"

     I whipped around to face my friend. "I can't just sit down and relax," I replied, tapping my foot. "Bianca'll be here any second now! How are you just sitting there?"

     "Because I'm not worried?" Nate replied. He smiled, stood up, and approached me. "It's not like she's going to mistaken some other people for us, Rosa. We're the only people here right now. Why are you so worked up?"

     "B-because," I replied, quickly trying to think of something. "Be... because I'm just worried about how our Pokémon will like us." It wasn't exactly the correct answer, but it was all I could come up with. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know why I was scared to begin with.

     "It's not like they'll hate you or me," Nate reassured me. "There's a chance that they won't be comfortable with either of us at first, but they eventually will. There's nothing to worry about, Rosa." He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I sighed softly.

     "I suppose so...," I said. But then, I jerked away from his grip and folded my arms. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm excited! I'm nervous for some reason as well."

     "Well, you better figure it out soon," Nate said. His brown eyes seemed to be looking past me.

     "Why?" I asked, frowning.

     Suddenly, my question was answered.

     "Hello~!" I heard a voice sing. I looked behind me, then twirled around and balanced myself when I saw a girl with pixie cut blonde hair. Most of it was covered underneath a big green hat. The girl was wearing a puffy orange jacket and a pair of red-framed glasses.

     "O-oh, uh, hi," I said a bit awkwardly.

     "You Bianca?" Nate asked, standing close to me. He had his hands in the pockets of his shorts.

     "Yep!" the girl – Bianca – nodded. "You're Nate and Rosa! Professor Juniper said that I'd see you two here."

     I bit my lip and nodded as I examined the girl's body for any sign of a Poké Ball. "So... uh..."

     "Oh! Yes, right! I have your guys' starter choices," Bianca said. She quickly opened the bag that laid against her side, then began to rummage through it. "Let's see here... Ah-ha!" Bianca pulled out a canister and presented it to us.

     "Are the Poké Balls inside?" Nate asked after a moment of awkward silence.

     "Mhm!" Bianca nodded. "Inside here are three Poké Balls. From left to right, there's Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott. All of them are different types with different personalities! Here, I'll show you!" Bianca lowered the canister and pressed a button on the side of it. Steam dispersed from the cylinder capsule before it quickly opened up, revealing shiny red and white Poké Balls. Bianca looked up at us and said, "Go ahead and choose! Take your time."

     "You pick first," Nate said. He nudged me and smiled. "I dunno which one I want just yet."

     "O-oh, okay," I said over my shoulder. I shuffled forward and faced the opened canister in Bianca's hands. My eyes scanned the Poké Balls as I made a decision. After about two minutes or so, my hand reached out to grab the leftmost capsule. "I, uh, want Snivy."

     "Great choice!" Bianca beamed. "Snivy's a calm Pokémon. He may not show it, but he's a real sweetheart!" The blonde's outgoing personality seemed to reassure me a bit, but I was still overwhelmed as I stared down at Snivy's Poké Ball.

     I moved out of the way so Nate could make his choice. The boy mulled over the remaining two before he plucked the rightmost capsule. "I'll take Oshawott," he told Bianca.

     "Nice going!" the researcher's assistant praised. "Oshawott is a hardy Pokémon. You two will make a great team – I'm sure of it!"

     "Thank you," Nate grinned. He stepped back and looked down at his Poké Ball before he looked over at me. "Looks like you already have the type advantage," he commented.

     "Heh, I guess so," I replied, placing a hand on my hip as I looked at my friend.

     "Well, now that that's out of the way," Bianca said, "I need to give you guys some other stuff." She closed the canister and put it away, then pulled out two gray machines. They both had the same Poké Ball design on the fronts, but one was red while the other was pink.

     "Are these the Pokédex thingies?" I asked as I was handed the pink one. I looked down at the machine and rubbed its surface, which was cool and smooth.

     "Yeah, that's them," Bianca responded as she gave Nate his. She took a step back before explaining what they did. "These machines scan whatever Pokémon you may come across. If you catch the Pokémon, then it gives you plenty of more information!" The girl smiled and folded her hands, which were placed on her lap. "The professor said that it would greatly help her research if you two tried scanning every Pokémon you come across."

     "Thank you, Bianca," I said with a grin. I put the Pokédex away in my bag, and so did Nate. "These will help a lot."

     "Just doing my job~," Bianca said with a little singsong voice. She blinked her green eyes as she added, "Well, I need to get going."

     "Alrighty," Nate nodded. "Thanks again, Bianca."

     "No problem!" the girl grinned. "I'm glad to be of service. Bye!" Nate and I both waved Bianca goodbye as she disappeared down the stairs.

     Nate looked down at Oshawott's Poké Ball, then over at me. He smiled. "Want to meet at the gate tomorrow? Maybe at around nine or so? We could get an early start."

     "Okay," I responded. "Sounds like a plan."

     "Great." Nate gave me a short dip of his head before putting Oshawott's capsule away and heading towards the stairs. "See ya tomorrow."

     "See you," I called back. Nate waved at me without looking back, and soon was gone.

     I stood on the platform for a little bit, holding Snivy's Poké Ball close to my chest. Then, I started to walk towards the stairs. I decided that I would introduce myself to Snivy at my house.