Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 2

"I knew from the moment that the Fearow landed in my front yard to take us to Sandgem Town, that I would not be coming back.

Something in my heart already knew that I would end up going on my own Pokémon adventure with Lyss and Jeremy.

I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave my grandmother alone. And perhaps I feared failure, and of leaving behind the comfortable life I had in Twinleaf Town.

But despite myself, I was already deciding which starter Pokémon I would choose. I laughed about that later, knowing full well I had no real idea why Professor Rowan wanted to see me, and that it could just very well be to see how the Starly was doing. But somehow, the feeling in my gut told me otherwise, and I'm glad I listened."

* * *

Sam stepped off the Fearow after it touched down in front of a large laboratory. He and his friends had arrived in Sandgem Town, with the injured Starly cradled safely in a sling that hung from Sam's neck. It was still fast asleep, feeling the flight from Twinleaf to Sandgem.

Jeremy and Alyssandra ran towards the front door, eager to see what they had been called there for.

"I hope we get starter Pokémon! This could be our chance to finally go on a Pokémon Adventure like we've always dreamed!" Alyssandra fawned over the idea.

"I wonder which Pokémon to choose," Jeremy pondered aloud.

Sam sighed. He knew that even if he turned down his chance at an adventure today, there was no stopping Alyssandra and Jeremy from accepting the challenge. He had held them back for too long, and he knew it was time to stop being so selfish.

Sam quickly slipped a roll of Poké-Yen into the money pouch on the Fearow's neck while his two friends were busy contemplating their possible futures.

"There," he whispered to the Fearow, "That should cover the flight and a generous tip."

The Fearow smiled, and with a loud caw, flew off to what Sam could only guess was its next fare.

Sam watched as the Fearow flew off, and then turned towards his friends, who were now arguing over who would be the better trainer.

Sam had never told them that his family owned several Pokémon Ranches, or that he was secretly rich. Nor that he received a large sum of money each month as a partial owner of these ranches. This was why Sam was paying for the Fearow in secret. Sam never wanted his friends to find out, because he didn't want them treating him differently; Twinleaf wasn't exactly known for its millionaires.

Sam let out a laugh as he approached his friends; in an attempt to pretend he was paying attention to their squabble. "Come on," he said with a smile, "Let's go inside."

Sam walked up to the large wooden door, and gave it a light, yet resonating knock. After waiting for a few minutes, a man in a lab coat and thick, heavily taped glasses opened the door.

"Y-yes?" asked the man nervously. "H-how may I h-help you a-all?"

"We're here to see Professor Rowan," said Sam.

"Yeah," added Jeremy, "He met our friend Sam here by the lake a few hours ago, and they saved that Starly, see?"

"He told us to come to his lab this afternoon," added Alyssandra as the man in the lab coat examined the Starly.

"Oh! Y-yes! The Professor m-mentioned you'd be c-coming by!" exclaimed the assistant. He adjusted his glasses and opened the door. "C-come in, please, Professor R-Rowan will b-be r-right with you."