Chapter One

Rain started to pour outside. The continuous beating on the windows seemed to give me a headache. "I can't believe that it rains on the day that we get the starters." I folded my arms and leaned against the cold window.

Jade stayed silent as she crossed her legs and folded her arms. Her white hair on one side and the black hair being the bangs and the other side of her hair. I personally like the style but one thing that I always questioned about was what she was listening in those black headphones. I stopped questioning her about that after a couple of months.

"Ah, girls." I snap head towards the source of the voice. Professor Juniper walked in with a tray containing three pokeballs. She was wearing a perfectly clean white lab suit that covered her jeans and shirt. "Sorry for making you wait. The weather's been wacky. Something must be bothering Zekrom." She smiled and laid the trays on the table. "Okay."

I stared at the pokeballs like they were treasure. I mean they were shiny like one and gleamed in the light. I skipped my way over whilst Jade just walked like a normal person would.

"These three starter pokemon have some of the best personalities that I've seen in a long time," Professor Juniper explained. "There is Tepig." She picked up the first pokeball and in a flash of red, Tepig was dancing around. "Snivy." She grabbed the second pokeball and Snivy appeared. She crossed her arms and smirked. "And finally, Oshawatt." Before Professor Juniper even touched the pokeball, Oshawatt jumped out and danced along with Tepig.

Jade cracked a smile and picked Snivy up. "I like you. I hope we could get along better than me with Max."

I rolled my eyes. "Ha-Ha." The two pokemon were laughing and dancing lighting up the mood around here. The rain seemed to bring the gloomy mood back. "Let's see."

I stared at the two pokemon. They stared back. "This is a tougher decision than I thought." I picked up Tepig and smiled. "Guess I'll need some protection from Snivy now don't I?" Tepig cheered. I looked at its skin. "Uh, Professor Juniper? Is this what a normal Tepig looks like?"

The skin was more yellow than orange with a more lightly colored tail. Professor Juniper shook her head as a response. "That Tepig is a shiny which means it has different color than a regular Tepig's. It's actually very rare to see one."

"And you're giving him to me?" Tepig started to squirm in my hands so I let him down to play with Oshawatt.

"Of course. It's your first pokemon so why not?"

Thunder rumbled outside scaring the pokemon. "Now, now don't worry. It'll be over in a few minutes, hopefully." Professor Juniper gave us the pokeballs and pokedex and everything we need to start our journey.

"That's okay. We'll start our journey the hard way. Dunno about Jade though..." Jade stayed silent and continued petting her new Snivy. She nodded towards me signaling 'yes'.

"I wish that Oshawatt could come along, though. She and Tepig look really close." I grabbed Tepig's pokeball and returned her. "We don't want you going out there." I smiled as I quickly ran towards the door. "See ya soon Professor Juniper!"

I twisted cold handle on the door and ran off. My black and purple boots squished against the mud and my stuff laid safely inside my satchel. At least my pokemon cap kept the top of my head from the rain. "Jade! Hurry up! We need to get to Accumula Town before all the rooms in the poke-center gets taken!"

Jade ran up behind me and sighed. "We should've done this another day." Snivy was still in her arms, looking comfortable than ever. Lucky Pokemon...

I rolled my eyes. "If we started later then we wouldn't get these great pokemon!" I grabbed her right arm and pulled her towards Route 1.

The rain started dimming when we were inside after a few very long hours inside Route 1. "Let's see..." I pulled out the map and studied it. "If we move left, that would take a while to arrive..." Jade nudged me. "And if we move north, that would have a lot of Pokemon to battle..." Jade shook my shoulder. "And if we move south..."

Stupid map...this is the sixteenth time that I have to look at this thing. And Jade didn't want to lead.

"MAX!" She yelled, making Snivy cover her ears. Does she even have ears?

"What!" I yelled, a millimeter away from exploding. Jade pointed to the bushes that was rustling crazily. I sighed and was about to step up and push the bush apart to show that it's nothing until whatever in there roared. I freaked out and summoned Tepig. He stood there and snorted. "C'mon. Y-you and me are going to see what's in the bushes."

"Tepig!" He yelled while smiling. I picked him up and shakily started to take a step. The roaring grew louder and the bush shook even more.

The thing lunged out of the bush and...barked? The Lillipup smiled and wagged its tail while playfully chasing it.

Me and Tepig had the same expressions on our faces as I turned around. "What was it that bothered you?" I asked calmly.

"Tepig ...!"

"Uh, never mind." She said as she smiled a bit. She scratched her head. "But what was it that roared?"

The moment that she said that, a roar sounded again. All of us turned our heads towards the direction and saw what made the sound. I immediately regretted turning around as we were face-to-face with the huge legendary pokemon, Zekrom. I gulped and glanced at Jade whom also stared at the legendary.

I quickly pulled my pokedex out and registered the pokemon. I'd almost forgotten about it. I put it inside my satchel and stared at Zekrom.

Thunder started it crack and the rain that was dimming turned back into rain but heavier. Zekrom roared louder and it's massive eyes that glowed stared at me through the rain. My vision started to blur. The constant cold and heavy rain hit my skin like tiny little slaps. I quickly tried to cover Tepig from the rain as he shivered.

Jade held onto Snivy and closed her eyes though she didn't look panicked.

Zekrom roared once more and it's yellow eyes that pierced the rain disappeared in a flash.

My vision started blurring even more as raindrops somehow made its way through the cap and into my eyes. I made a lunge for Tepig's pokeball which fell from my hands. I hastily returned him and looked at Jade who also did the same thing.

We made eye contact for only a few seconds until the pokemon disappeared completely without a trace or a sound. The rain returned to how it was a few minutes ago.

I stared at Jade. "What just happened?" I began shaking out the rain and picked up the muddy map. Great. Now it's unusable.

Jade shrugged and put Snivy's pokeball in her pocket. "C'mon, we can make a tent." She pulled out a huge sheet and a hammer out of nowhere.

My eyes widened. "Where'd you get all that? For a matter of fact, fit all that!"

"I have a pocket on my leggings." She began pulling at her black and white hair, the water falling out like a waterfall. My hair was only drenched just a little despite the rain.

"That's not what I mean...never mind. Tommorrow, we'll catch some pokemon! And then arrive at Accumula Town for some things, and maybe even battle some trainers!"

"You're getting too worked up," she mumbled as she hammered the stick to hold the tent. "Besides, isn't it bad that we just start this journey without even battling one trainer or pokemon? I'm pretty sure that at this rate..." She stopped.

I rolled my eyes. "We're just full of hope today aren't we?" I thought about Zekrom. Why was he even in Route 1? It was the beginning route for trainers and a legendary just ambushed us out of nowhere? I shook my head. That doesn't even make sense.

My stomach growled. "This is what you get for not eating breakfast," Jade scolded. She had finished building the tent. "Too bad we don't have any firewood. All those are drenched." She shivered.

"Lucky you that I brought a little blanket." I threw her a mini-blanket that covered only the top part of Jade. "Go inside the tent. I'll look for firewood. There has to be some dry ones somewhere."

I looked up in the sky to see the small sun slowly disappearing. The only thing that I'm hoping for right now is to not get sick. Route 1 isn't really popular for having dangerous pokemon anywhere and there are a lot of grass and some occasional trees.

After gathering some firewood (thanks to some deerling), I trekked back into camp. The sound of mud squishing against my now really dirty boots. The sky had turned dark, stars arranging into their usual constellation, and the full moon coming out. I whistled the tune that my mom had always sang. I don't remember the words, but the tune will be stuck into my thick head no matter what.

"Isn't it a little late for a trainer to be out here at this time?" A male voice said behind me. I swung myself around, trying not to drop any firewood. There was only darkness with the faint sound of some pidoves cooing in their sleep.

I sighed and nearly tripped over a purrloin that was making its way across the grass. It snickered and ran off. Man, do I hate those pokemon!

"I'm right here kid!" This time the voice came from the right side. So I wasn't imagining. I grabbed a firewood and threw it at that direction. Nothing. "Watch it!"

Now, in front of me stood a man with a really unpleasant complexion. He had around a dozen scars on his face like he has been in way too many wars for his liking. His spiky hair was slicked back and tied by a bandana. "If you know what's best for you, run."

I stayed my ground and looked at him right in the eyes. The night seemed to complicate it but I don't care! "Why're you in Route 1?"

He looked confused at first, but anger quickly masked that. "Cause I want to be here!" His nose scrunched up like he smelled something foul.

"You know that this place do for beginners, right?" One thing that I know, is that he's definitely not a beginner. Something behind him growled and I don't want to find out.

"Listen here, kid-" His voice raspy and ruff.

"Oh, and nice mustache." At the sound of that, he and the pokemon behind him roared all together scaring the life outta me. I quickly ran, still protecting the precious firewood for the sake of being warm and cooking marshmallows that I brought. I guess I'll do that another day.

"Houndoom!" The man yelled. I could easily hear his loud footsteps just a few feet behind me. Wait, a houndoom! That doesn't sound welcoming!

The bright, neon tent really stood out from the place and I felt relieved. I saw Jade sitting on some logs, petting something. "Jade!" She turned around, her eyes filled with what seemed like tears. My eyes widened as I grabbed her wrist and ran.

In her arms was Snivy who cuddled up with her and a...purrloin! It purred and I could've sworn that it snickered towards my direction! I shook my head. No time for that!

I made a mistake at looking behind us. Two houndooms were barking at us, their owner not so far.

"Max! What did you do?" Jade yelled. We were currently running around, aimlessly, trying to outrun the pokemon. One-by-one, I threw the wood at them. Some made its mark and made one yelp but most bounced off harmlessly. What were those pokemon made of!

"Uh, I don't know! I think that he thinks that I provoked him or something!" A clearing appeared with the sign saying: Accumula Town. We jumped and dodged trees and sewaddles that were having a late night snack. We almost ran over a Blitzle innocently drinking water.

My lungs felt like they were about to explode and my muscles screaming. The wind whistled in my ears and the tress and grass was a blur.

The barking grew louder and louder motivating me to run faster. I held Snivy in my arms after Jade almost dropped her. The Pokemon Center seemed very welcoming as we took the chance to run into the building and forcing the automatic door to close.

The Houndooms had somehow disappeared. I sighed as I sat down right in front of the door. Jade was breathing heavily, sweat trickled down her face and her blue eyes red from crying.

I noticed the weird and some even worried glances we were earning. The purrloin jumped out of Jade's arms and purred.

I shakily stood up and looked out of the glass door once more. I had a haunting feeling that he's still there, watching me straight in the eyes.