***************

"I’m going out, Mom!" she called as she grabbed her jacket halfway through the door.

"What? Wait!" Hurrying from the kitchen, her mother wiped her hands on a dishtowel. "Where are you going now? It’s late, and tomorrow you have to meet Professor Skokie to get your starter Pokemon."

Her daughter sighed and tucked a coppery strand of hair behind her ear. "I know Mom, I know. I’ll be back soon. I just . . . want to go out."

The woman gave an equal sigh and shook her auburn head, though her soft gray eyes showed she understood. "All right, Gobrianna, you can go. But I don’t want you wandering far, and you have to be back in fifteen minutes. And then you go straight to bed."

Gobrianna nodded and slipped out the door, before her mother could say any more. Outside the sky was ebony and diamonds. Not a cloud in sight, and the full moon shone down to light any nightly wanderer’s way. The girl stuck her hands in the pockets of her dark lavender windbreaker and set out for nowhere in particular, but her feet took her unwaveringly toward her usual place anyway. Across the gravel road of the quaint old house in which she lived, heavy forest lined the side of the street. A thin path spun away from the road into the darkness, hidden by low hanging tree boughs. The ten-year-old walked this without looking, her eyes on her shoes, knowing the path well enough to navigate it blind. It ended abruptly—very abruptly, as she had learned from the first time she had come upon it—on a small rise overlooking a still, black pond. With another sigh Gobrianna wandered down and collapsed at the water’s edge.

These nightly adventures weren’t out of the ordinary for the young girl. She had been taking them more and more lately, feeling a need deep inside to be alone that could, and did, strike at anytime. Her friends were hurt, her mother mystified. No one could explain the change that had overcome her, least of all Gobrianna herself. All she knew was that these days she didn’t quite fit in with everyone anymore. And that knowledge only made her more confused and estranged than ever.

"What is wrong with me?" she muttered at her reflection. The dark image of an unhappy girl’s troubled face, circled by long straight hair and dull blue eyes stared back at her, offering no explanation. It never did. Still, she loved this place. It was quiet and peaceful; a place where she could forget the world in which she felt so uncomfortable, someplace she could contemplate the feelings inside her.

Tonight she had only one thought on her mind: tomorrow. A thrill of excitement shot up her spine, banishing the unhappiness brought on by her thoughts. She was going to get her first Pokemon! A smile split the face of Gobrianna’s reflection. Besides the feelings of isolation, restlessness had attacked her with a furor. She constantly felt there was somewhere she needed to be, something she was missing out on. That restlessness, along with her love for the wonderful creatures that populated her world, had led her to consider becoming a Pokemon trainer. She was going to travel everywhere, capturing Pokemon and discovering the secret of herself, if she could. Something told her the answer was waiting for her . . . out there.

"Gobrianna!" a faint voice floated through the stillness of the night. Mom, she realized. Had she been lost in thought that long already? Her hand darted into the cool water; the dark reflection fled in the ripples. Pushing herself to her feet, Gobrianna turned and fled the darkness of the night for another kind: the serene darkness of sleep.

* * *

She was surrounded by darkness. It pulsed and writhed and twirled around her like a living thing, whispering evilly of doubt and failure. "You are nothing," the blackness hissed, the words burrowing into her mind like worms and eating away her confidence. "You are different. No one cares about you. They think you a freak, a pitiful freak. No one truly understands you. You are alone, different, nothing."

"You’re wrong!" cried Gobrianna, but even she could hear the fear in her quivering voice. "I’m not nothing! I’m not!" The last word came out as a sob; the darkness spoke just enough of the truth to make her begin to believe. Its whirling quickened, whispers attacked her from all sides. She tried to build a wall of certainty around herself, tried to gather her courage in defense, but the words the blackness inflicted were like bitter poison coursing through her blood. The ten-year-old girl couldn’t fend off such evil, and sank to her knees under the onslaught.

"Somebody, please! Help me!" she shrieked into the nothingness, feeling no hope that anyone would hear her. The evil descended triumphantly, about to claim her as its own.

Gobrianna had clenched her eyes shut against the sight of the blackness and her own fear. But even through her closed eyelids she could see the darkness suddenly banished in a brilliant flash of beautiful, silver light! The first bolt of light was harsh, blinding, driving away the evil that wanted her as well as the pain inside that its words had caused. Then it dimmed to a soothing silver glow, and Gobrianna opened her eyes in wonder. Like the blackness, the silver light flowed around her. But this time she felt no fear or panic. The light wasn’t circling to devour her. It was protecting her, keeping itself between her and the darkness she could feel still hovering just out of reach, unable to come any closer.

And, like the darkness, the silver light spoke to her. "Have no fear, child," it whispered softly. It somehow reminding Gobrianna of the voice of her mother and father combined, neither female nor male, and somehow a multitude of voices merged and mingled into one. "Nothing will harm you while we are here. We allow you to ask of us what you will, while we remain."

"Why did you save me?" she blurted out. Then, afraid the light would take offense, she amended, "N-not that I’m complaining."

When it responded the silver glow sounded amused. "You have a long journey ahead of you, Gobrianna." It did not surprise her that the voice knew her name. "We would not let it end before it began."

"What do you mean, journey?"

"A mission, a pilgrimage, a quest. Call it what you will, but it is your destiny. We cannot tell you yet, but you will discover it soon enough."

At that moment the light sounded very powerful, and very wise. "Should . . . should I not become a Pokemon trainer?" she tentatively ventured, steeling herself unhappily for the answer. Her decision to become a trainer had been hard to make, but she had finally convinced herself it was the right choice. She had been so looking forward to it, but what if this strange silver light told her she couldn’t? There was a strong power behind the voice. Could it make her obey it? Did she have to listen?

To her immense relief, the light assured her almost as fast as she could conjure up her worries. "No, Gobrianna. You must become a Pokemon trainer. Your destiny is with them. Along with others." The girl noticed with alarm that the voice and the light were dimming. She could see the blackness through the silver glow like early-morning mist.

"Wait! Don’t go! It’ll get me again!" she cried desperately.

"Have no fear," the shimmering light repeated faintly. "We must leave, but we will always be near. For now forget this meeting, and be at peace without knowing what has been discussed here. And lastly: awaken."

Awaken? she wondered bleakly, as the silver light vanished completely and she could both see and feel the darkness closing in again. What did it mean, awaken?

Gobrianna shot up straight in bed, breathing heavily and covered with cold sweat. What, where? The sheets felt hot beneath her, and her legs were twisted up in the blankets. She was in bed, in the dark. The glowing red numbers of her Lapras alarm clock reported it just past midnight.

It was just a dream, she realized as her pounding heart began to slow to its normal pace. She couldn’t remember the details, but it had been extremely unpleasant. Something about darkness and . . . what? She couldn’t remember.

"Just a dream," she muttered to herself firmly. It was reassuring to hear her own voice. "And I need a good night’s sleep, or I’ll wake up late tomorrow. What’ll happen if I miss getting my starter Pokemon?" Turning over, she pulled the blankets back up to her chin and fell asleep by sheer will alone. There were no more dreams that night.

* * *

"Wake up, honey! You’re going to be late!" Her mother’s cheerful voice proceeded her into the girl’s bedroom. But the woman stopped in surprise.

"Hi, Mom." Gobrianna was fully dressed and tying the shoelaces on her white sneakers. "You were saying something about being late?" the girl grinned.

Her mother smiled and shook her head with fond exasperation. "I should have known I wouldn’t need to wake you. Here’s your backpack; I’ve filled it with everything you should need. I’ll be putting breakfast on the table while you check it over." Her smile now tinged with sadness and her gray eyes misty, the woman quickly left her daughter’s room, lest she see her tears.

Gobrianna paused, sky blue backpack in hand. She hadn’t missed the passionate look in her mother’s eyes. Ever since her father had passed away when she was five, she and her mother had been especially close. "I . . . I guess I never realized I’d be leaving Mom all alone," she whispered to herself. Sure she had been feeling isolated and restless recently, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care about her mother.

But this was her decision, the decision of a lifetime. She wanted to become a Pokemon trainer more than anything, and now was the time. Her mother wouldn’t want her daughter to abandon her dreams just to keep her company. Dreams. . . .

Gobrianna blinked as a strange feeling came over her. Something akin to déjà vu, but not quite. Something about a dream . . . and Pokemon? Shaking her head, the ten-year-old tried to banish all her muddled thoughts as she turned to the mirror mounted above her bureau. Her mother would be all right, and that feeling—whatever it was—was just that: a feeling. She probably dreamed something unpleasant last night and couldn’t remember, making her nervous. Nothing more.

The mirror she now stood before was very special, given to her by her father even before she could remember. The frame was hand-carved from golden wood, and miniature images of Pokemon had been etched all around the oval shape. Bulbasaur, Charizard, Pikachu, Weedle, Hitmonchan, Eevee, Ponyta, Persian and many more circled the reflection of a young girl, smiling brightly. She wore dark blue jeans and a sleeveless, light lavender T-shirt. Her straight copper hair hung long and free, and the sunlight streaming in from her window caught the blonde and auburn highlights in it and made them glow. Her eyes were no longer the dull blue they were at the pond; they shone bright turquoise with excitement. It had been a long time—too long—since she felt so . . . content. For once the feeling of restlessness, the vague impression that there was someplace she needed to be, had vanished. She truly felt like herself again.

Turning away from the mirror with regret, Gobrianna set her full backpack on her bed and opened it. She was feeling so good she actually laughed when she saw what lay inside. "Oh, Mom!" she giggled, dumping out a pile of useless stuff. "When am I going to need dental floss, a teapot, shoeshine, and a full set of dishes?" As the last of the silverware clinked upon the bedspread she crossed the room hurriedly. "And where was I going to put my favorite stories?"

Her bookcase stood against the wall opposite the bed, filled with so many books they would occasionally fall onto the floor. Here she paused, undecided. Which books should she take? Finally she settling on her favorite paperbacks and carried them back across the room, packing them into the unneeded items’ previous space. A unicorn and a dragon locked in fierce battle on the cover of the uppermost book stared up at her as she buckled the covering flap of the backpack.

She grabbed the bag and slung it over one shoulder as she headed for the door. With one last look at her room, imprinting the sight in her memory for the open road and lonely nights, she swung open the door and left for the last time—immediately falling flat on her face as she tripped over something lying in front of the doorway.

"Oof!" exclaimed Gobrianna as she landed.

"Flare," a voice objected sleepily.

The girl patted the red and yellow creature apologetically before scrambling to her feet. "Sorry, Flareon. I’ll see ya later." The pet Pokemon grumbled before falling back asleep. No one in her family was a Pokemon trainer as she was planning on becoming; Flareon had been her mother’s pet when she was a little girl. The fire Pokemon was pretty old and usually grumpy. But realizing her mother wouldn’t be left completely alone when she left cheered Gobrianna even more.

In the kitchen her mother scolded her sternly to stop gulping her food like a starving Dragonite. "Chewing before you swallow is not going to make you late for your meeting with Professor Skokie," she admonished. But it was too late. The eggs and sausage were gone. The woman chuckled. "Ah, youth. I remember. Time just wouldn’t move fast enough. Well, if you’re in that much of a hurry you’d better get going. I don’t want that Professor complaining to me that I delayed her new Pokemon trainer."

Gobrianna realized this was it. It was time for her to leave home, and she might not be back for years. She felt her own eyes watering with surprise. "Oh Mom," she choked around a sudden lump in her throat, standing and throwing her arms around her mother. "I’m going to miss you so much."

Her mother caught her and held her tight. "I’ll miss you too. And don’t worry, honey. Everything will be fine. I’m so proud of you."

Gobrianna looked up into her mother’s gray eyes. "Is this . . . are you sure it’s okay? You won’t be lonely?"

She laughed. "Lonely? Why, Gobrianna! It will be more quite around here, but you won’t be gone forever. I have friends and Flareon to keep me company." She smiled. "I understand how much you want this, sweetheart. And when you come home everything will be waiting for you. Including me."

For a moment, Gobrianna couldn’t speak. Only the sight of the clock over her mother’s shoulder moved her. "I-I guess I’d better be going, Mom," she sighed.

Her mother saw the time too and began steering her to the front door. "My goodness, yes! Now, don’t forget to call me at every Pokemon Center. And don’t avoid them just because your Pokemon are perfectly healthy. It’s good to just check in. And be careful of strangers. Listen to your elders. Here’s your windbreaker. Keep yourself warm on cold nights. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be a gracious winner, and not a sore loser. Keep your chin up—"

"Mom!" Gobrianna protested, feeling slightly better. "I’ll be fine!" They had reached the porch and here mother and daughter paused.

"Of course you will, but a mother has to say such things. That’s my job. Oh, and here. For when you’re feeling alone." She slipped something into the girl’s hand.

"Oh, Mom," Gobrianna breathed. The palm-sized picture frame was in the shape of an Arbok. The cowl had been hollowed out for the photograph. Three people smiled up at her: a young woman with auburn hair and joyous gray eyes, a blond man with eyes blue as the sea, and a little girl with turquoise eyes and copper hair. The light behind the camera shone on her red and gold highlights. Gobrianna placed it into her pocket reverently as she rose her head. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, dear. Your father would have been proud." They hugged one last time, and then Gobrianna slid from her mother’s grasp and reluctantly started down the road. But she couldn’t go more than a dozen steps without turning back and waving.

Her mother was waving right back. Flareon had joined her, and Gobrianna felt certain it knew she wasn’t coming back so soon this time. "Flareeeeeeon!" the Pokemon called in farewell. Then the bend in the road blocked from view the house she had lived in all her life.

Now Gobrianna settled the blue backpack more comfortably on her shoulders and picked up speed. She left her windbreaker unzipped, for the day was sunny and warm as only the middle of spring could be. Professor Skokie’s lab was on the other side of town, and she wanted to make sure she got there in time.

* * *

"Welcome, Gobrianna!" Professor Skokie greeted her with warmth. "You’re the first one to arrive. Come in." The tall, black-haired woman stepped back to allow the girl entrance, deciding to leave the door open to let in the nice weather. The ten-year-old had been in the whitewashed building before (taking the Pokemon training course provided by Professor Skokie) so she wasn’t surprised by the state of the lab maintained by the Professor, who had quite a reputation in town. Beakers of half-filled, various-colored liquids sat next to microscopes and petrie dishes on every available surface. A wide desk pushed against the side wall was littered with fast-food wrappers and empty coffee cups, indicating late nights spent hard at work. The entire room was what her mom called "ordered chaos." It looked like a whirlwind had stuck, but Gobrianna was sure that if Professor Skokie needed so much as a paperclip she would know exactly where to look.

One table in the center of the room had been hastily cleared. Three shiny new Pokeballs sat there, awaiting three new Pokemon trainers. After her cursory examination of the room, Gobrianna quickly approached them. I wish I could grab my new Pokemon and run out the door right now, she thought eagerly. But it was only polite to wait for the other two ten-year-olds coming. She hoped they hurried as much as she did.

Professor Skokie entered the room after her and returned to the counter she had been working at. "The others will be here soon, Gobrianna. You can take a seat to wait for them, if you can find one that is."

"That’s okay, Professor. I think I’ll just stand here and plan my Pokemon journey." Gobrianna eased her backpack off her shoulders and stared intently at the three Pokeballs before her, silently admitting to herself she didn’t exactly want a plan. It would be more fun just to "go where the wind took her," as her mother put it. Inside each of the red and white balls before her a creature lay dormant, and one of them would be hers. One would be the Pokemon she would have with her always. It would be her companion, fight for her in battles, and rely on her to take care of it. Just one. She could feel the road of her life splitting ahead of her. Three different paths, three choices. And each led to a different ending.

"Do you know what Pokemon you’re going to choose?" The voice was the smooth baritone of a male, and Gobrianna quickly turned to see a young boy standing in the doorway. He bowed his head briefly in greeting, short white hair falling across his face. When he straightened she saw his eyes, the light green of spring, matched his mint backpack and garments perfectly. She knew the boy’s name from the training course they had taken together, but wasn’t personally aquatinted with him. "Since you were here first, you get first pick," Adam said.

"Yeah, it’s only fair." This voice was as high and musical as a flute. It belonged to the girl coming in right behind him. She had on a pink tank top, her curly blue hair tied back in a ponytail, and friendly brown eyes. Gobrianna knew, too, that the third Pokemon trainer of their town was named Tammy.

Professor Skokie’s black eyes glanced up briefly at the boy and girl’s entrance, but she didn’t get up from her work to greet them. The Professor had just discovered something rather unusual under her microscope and needed to focus her attention on gathering information. "Just pick your Pokemon, I’ll be with you in a minute," she barely murmured before returning her gaze to her equipment.

All three children giggled to themselves. They had gotten use to Professor Skokie’s spacey habits during the course, so they weren’t offended. The two girls and boy stood side by side before the table where the three Pokeballs rested.

"I knew exactly which Pokemon I wanted days ago," Gobrianna announced enthusiastically. "It’s all I’ve been thinking about. I decided on Bulbasaur!" Her hand reached for the red and white ball sitting in the middle. Out of the corner of her left eye she saw Adam’s smiling face fall slightly, and felt a flash of guilt. The boy had apparently wanted the grass Pokemon. Oops. Well, he should have been here first then, she firmly told herself.

But then something happened that Gobrianna couldn’t explain. As her hand neared the Pokeball the edges of her vision darkened to black. The room swam as her head began to pound fiercely and her stomach tied itself in knots so bad she couldn’t feel her feet planted on the floor. Instead of closing around the smooth red and white shell, her fingers curled around the table’s edge to hold her up as she swayed dangerously.

"No, you take it," she heard herself mutter to Adam.

He looked at her in concern, but made sure Bulbasaur’s Pokeball was safely in his hand before asking, "Are you all right?"

Gobrianna forced herself to nod. "I’m fine," she lied. "Just a little dizzy. It’ll go away." And it actually was. As soon as Bulbasaur was in the hands of its new trainer her mind started to clear and her vision returned to normal. Her stomach unknotted thankfully.

"Must be the excitement," giggled Tammy nervously. "Well, are you taking Squirtle or Charmander?" Her pleasant voice was neutral, not telling Gobrianna which she’d rather have, and not commenting on her sudden change of heart.

For a moment a sharp surge of disappointment left Gobrianna undecided. She had always loved Bulbasaur; it was one of her favorite Pokemon. You can still catch one, she consoled herself. They’re hard to catch in the wild, but not impossible. "I’ll take Squirtle," she answered decidedly, and reached for the Pokeball on the far right.

It was much worse this time. The room quickly faded to such blackness she thought she had her eyes closed, until she blinked and nothing changed. Then the disorientation hit like a blow between the eyes. She felt her knees crumble as the table slipped from her steadying grasp. But she didn’t feel herself hit the ground. She lost consciousness before she finished the fall.

* * *

"Gobrianna. Gobrianna, can you hear me?" The voice belonged to . . . Professor Skokie, the girl dragged up the name. What had happened? Memory returned in an abrupt rush. She had passed out. She was awake now, but her vision was still unending blackness. The girl realized that this time she did have her eyes closed. Forcing them open, she found the fuzzy shapes of the Professor, Adam and Tammy standing over her.

"Huh. . . ?" she mumbled thickly as her sight grudgingly came into focus. Her mouth didn’t want to work any more than her eyes did. "How long have I been out?"

"Just a few seconds," the Professor assured her, extending a hand and depositing the girl in a recently vacated chair. Tammy appeared with a glass of water, which Gobrianna gratefully downed in one gulp. "Do you know what happened?"

The ten-year-old shook her head carefully. It didn’t hurt, thankfully.

Adam supplied for her, "Your eyes just rolled up in your head and you fainted." He smiled sympathetically. "Too long in the sun?"

Professor Skokie frowned. "It is a long walk to my lab," she agreed thoughtfully. "And sometimes the sun in spring can shine harshly. Did you get enough sleep last night, Gobrianna?"

She shrugged.

"And a big breakfast?"

A nod.

"Hmm. And I suppose you ran most of the way here, afraid of being late?"

She nodded again, sheepishly.

Declaring her diagnosis triumphantly, Professor Skokie pronounced, "A combination of excitement and too much sun. My prescription for you is to walk more often, rest in the shade, and drink plenty of liquids. Life isn’t going to leave you behind, Gobrianna. You must learn a little patience." The black-haired woman cupped her chin in hand as she pondered out loud, "I wonder if I should call your mother."

Gobrianna was instantly on her feet and shaking her head, relieved that neither action caused her any further discomfort. "No, that’s all right," she insisted. "I feel fine now, really. Mom would only work herself up for nothing. I’ll just take my Charmander and be more careful."

Adam and Tammy cast each other a confused glance, which Gobrianna was careful to ignore. No matter what the Professor proclaimed, she knew it wasn’t anything as ordinary as the heat that kept her from choosing those first two Pokeballs. Someone, or something, wanted her to have that Charmander. And whatever it was, after her recent experiences she didn’t want to cross it.

Professor Skokie, having not heard her previous decision to take Squirtle, didn’t share the confusion of the two children. She did, however, eye the copper-haired girl dubiously of her hasty claims to her health. But a contrite smile convinced her the child was well enough to go. Now the girl realized she would have to take care of herself as well as her Pokemon as she was on her journey. The Pokemon scientist reached across the empty table without taking her eyes off Gobrianna and brought forth the correct red and white ball. "It’s all yours," Skokie smiled. "Now if you three will just wait here, I’ll be right back with a Pokedex and Pokeballs for each of you." And she quickly disappeared through a door leading further into the building.

Tammy stared at her peer in concern, flipping a loose strand of cobalt hair over her shoulder. "Are you sure you’re all right?" she asked as she retrieved the last Pokeball on the table.

"Oh yes. You don’t mind, do you? Since my mother owns a fire Pokemon, I thought starting out with one might be easier for me." The fib slid easily off her tongue.

The other girl smiled, content that the mystery was solved. "Oh sure, no problem. I love all Pokemon. It doesn’t matter to me which one I start out with. One day I’ll catch ‘em all. I’m going to be a Pokemon Master," she added proudly.

"Really?" Adam came over to join in the conversation. He already had his Bulbasaur out, and it tagged at his heels, sniffing at everything on ground level. Seeing it made Gobrianna’s heart sink a little. Maybe a Charmander was just as good as a Bulbasaur, but still. . . .

"Yup!" Tammy was replying. "I’ve even heard about a Pokemon League that I want to challenge someday. From what I understand, you have to go around collecting the badges from various Pokemon Gyms. When you collect enough, you can enter a Pokemon Tournament and pit your Pokemon against other trainers. And the last are the hardest. They’re called the Elite Four. That’s what I’m going to do." Tammy’s brown eyes went to the pale-haired boy. "What about you, Adam?"

"I’m going to be a grass Pokemon trainer. That’s why I wanted Bulbasaur. I’m going to catch all the grass Pokemon: Bellsprout, Oddish, Tangela, Exeggcute, Paras, and that’s just for starters! When my Pokemon journey is over, I’m going to apply for a job in the Celadon City Gym. They specialize in grass Pokemon there. You, Gobrianna?"

She shrugged. "I’m going to travel for a while, see what there is to see, before I decide." She laughed. "But I don’t plan on earning badges and competing at Gyms, that’s for sure." The Pokeball felt heavy in her hand, as if it were made of metal, but she held it as fragile as if it were glass.

"Here we go!" a cheerful voice announced. Professor Skokie was back, and handed each of the three children six red and white balls. "Here’s your Pokeballs, they attach to the belts you received before, which I hope you all remembered to wear. And here’s a Pokedex for each of you." She placed a blue hand-held device in Gobrianna’s free hand and passed two more to Tammy and Adam. "You’ve all seen how they work during the Pokemon training course you took with me. It’ll teach you about Pokemon and serve as your identification. If you lose it, I don’t have another made for you. So keep good care of them. Everything else I think we covered before today. Any questions?" Three heads shook negatively. "Well then, off you go! I’ll be expecting updates whenever you find a phone. Good luck to you all!"

An intense wave of restlessness suddenly washed over Gobrianna, a feeling she was almost getting use to. For one moment the only thing on her mind was leaving. It was time to go. Sticking her Pokedex into the pocket of her windbreaker, she attached her empty Pokeballs to her belt (which she had remembered to wear). Then she retrieved her backpack and did a quick check one last time, to make sure she hadn’t missed anything, before swinging it on again. Keeping Charmander’s ball in one hand, she shook Professor Skokie’s with the other. "Thanks," she told the Professor. "I’ll be sure to call when I can. Tell my mom I said not to worry."

"Of course, Gobrianna. Your mother knows it’s time to take the next step in your growing up. And don’t forget to call her, either." The Professor’s black eyes were straying to her microscope. Already she wanted to get back to her research. "I’ll see you soon, I’m sure."

Gobrianna shook her head and grinned as she turned away. Some things never changed, even on important days like today. It made her feel safe. With all the changes she was going through—inside and out—it was nice to find something that stayed the same. Like grumpy old Flareon. Like Professor Skokie.

Adam and Tammy—who had said goodbye to the Professor while she was getting ready to leave—had waited for her at the door. They left the Pokemon lab as a group, to stand together on the road running by the front of the whitewashed building.

"Well, where’s everyone going?" Adam asked the two girls.

"Bulba!" his Pokemon added impatiently. It wanted to go now.

Tammy laughed and closed her eyes. She twirled in a swift circle with her hand outstretched, index finger pointing. When she stopped revolving and opened her eyes she found her hand pointing eastward, directly at the rising sun. "That way!" she announced with a giggle. "See ya around everyone!" With a last wave she flung back her ponytail over her shoulder and left.

Gobrianna turned to Adam. "I’m heading for Celadon City," he replied to her questionable gaze. "It’s so far away, I’ll probably be done my Pokemon journey by the time I get there. Ready, Bulbasaur?"

"Saur," the Pokemon snorted.

Adam laughed. "Hey, that almost made sense! Come on." Like Tammy, he waved once and turned his back on the last new Pokemon trainer. Gobrianna only stood there, staring. Soon both small figures had disappeared in the distance. The blue-eyed girl found herself standing alone on the road, just as the sun’s bright rays kissed the earth at her feet. The sunny beams didn’t lighten her mood one bit.

"And does anyone care to know where I’m going?" Gobrianna whispered to herself. A fog of gloom had descended as she watched Adam walk away with his Bulbasaur at his side, mixed with a tinge of self-pity and a little envy as well. Deep down, she knew the other two kids had just been too excited to notice she hadn’t answered the boy’s offhand question, but the knowledge didn’t stop the twinge of hurt. Between that and the strange occurrence in the lab—the feeling that something was controlling her, making choices for her that dramatically affected her life in ways she didn’t want it to . . . this day wasn’t turning out as grand as it had seemed at the beginning.

The blue-eyed girl heaved a sigh and looked down at the Pokeball still clutched in her hand. "I suppose I should see what’s so special about this Charmander. It better be something, after I had to give up the first Pokemon I chose." She hit the center button on the red and white sphere and threw it with a cry of, "Pokeball, go!"

There was a blinding flash of white light, which leapt out of the ball and coalesced into a waist-high shape. As the light faded Gobrianna found herself staring into the huge dark eyes of an orange lizard, standing on its hind legs. Flickering flames lit the end of its tail, which swayed gently from side to side. "Char char!" the Charmander announced.

Gobrianna was not impressed. She knew she shouldn’t blame the Pokemon. It wasn’t its fault her day was beginning to smell as bad as a Gloom. But she couldn’t help the way she was feeling, and so her next words weren’t exactly the best choice to start off a good relationship. "Well, I don’t see what’s so special about you."

"Charmander!" cried the orange Pokemon in a hurt tone. It turned its back on its trainer and folded its stubby arms over its yellow chest. "Char mander, mander der char char. Mander der char!" it said, refusing to look at her. Its tail swished angrily now.

"What did you say?" she demanded crossly, wondering if the Charmander had insulted her. But it didn’t answer. Instead it motioned for her to kneel down on the ground, without turning back around. Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Gobrianna lowered herself to the Pokemon’s height. "All right, what did you say . . . please?"

Only then did the Charmander turn around. "Char mander, mander der char char. Mander der char," it repeated patiently, sticking its snout in her face.

"Oh!" Gobrianna breathed in awe, all other thoughts erased by what she now noticed. She slowly stretched out a hand to brush her fingers gently against an irregular silver mark on the Pokemon’s smooth blunt nose. The color struck a cord deep inside her. Silver. . . . Somehow, in some way she couldn’t explain, she knew that color meant something to her. In amazement, she realized her black mood was starting to evaporate as she stared at the silver spot. Something eased inside her, and as she stared into those large dark eyes, she could feel a special bond with this Pokemon. Suddenly she knew this Charmander was the Pokemon for her.

Gobrianna pressed slightly harder, trying the see if she could rub the mark away. But it was as a part of the Pokemon as its orange skin was. "Mander!" it objected, pushing her hand away.

"Oh Charmander!" the girl suddenly gasped, ashamed, as she remembered her earlier words. "I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean those things I said. I really didn’t. Please, forgive me?"

A wide grin broke out on the Pokemon’s face, and she couldn’t help but follow suit. It nodded happily, then resumed its serious expression just as swiftly. "Char mander, mander der char char. Mander der char," it insisted once again, slowly. Its tone told her the words were important.

Gobrianna’s brow furrowed as she obediently concentrated, listening as hard as she could. A few fragments of understanding came to her, but she couldn’t make anything of them. "Chosen . . . together . . . silver?" She finally shook her head in defeat. "I’m sorry, Charmander. I just don’t understand."

The orange lizard sighed. "Mander mander," it yielded with a shrug. Looking around for the first time, Charmander seemed to be making a decision as it surveyed the land. Finally it pointed down the road they were on. "Charmander!" it declared.

Gobrianna studied the countryside around them. Tammy had opted to leave the road entirely, cutting across the wide pasture of grass running alongside the road on the east. Adam and his Bulbasaur had followed the road in the opposite direction, back toward the center of town and toward her home. The direction Charmander favored stretched tantalizingly into the distance away from her hometown and around a bend in the trees, revealing nothing but promising adventure for a young trainer and her Pokemon. "That way, huh?"

"Char," it nodded decisively.

She laughed with sheer joy, feeling good once again. "Okay then. We better get going. Charmander, return!" Her Pokemon leapt into its Pokeball, becoming a flash of red light as it was sucked in. Whistling a cheerful tune, Gobrianna set off down the road.

* * *

That night the stars shone down brightly on a lone girl, dressed in various shades of lavender and blue, and an orange lizard with flames dancing on its tail settled around a crackling fire. The girl fished around in her backpack and came out with a cylindrical canister and a tuna sandwich. As she bit into her dinner she pulled the top off the container. "Here, Charmander," she told the orange lizard, passing over a meal of small, brown morsels. "My mom packed me all-purpose Pokemon food. Later we’ll pick up some made specially for you."

"Mander." Charmander accepted its dinner and began eating heartily.

Gazing at her Pokemon fondly, Gobrianna wished her mother could see it. She would have known just what to say. But that thought sent a pang of pain through her heart. Remembering what her mom had said about homesickness on the porch steps, the girl reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the picture to gaze upon with a sigh.

"Charmander?" her Pokemon asked around a mouthful, motioning toward the small frame in her hand.

"This is my family," the trainer explained. "And I miss them. My dad . . . well, he died a long time ago. But I miss him just as much as my mom, and I saw her just this morning. Do you remember your family, Charmander?"

The Pokemon leaned over to study the image more closely as it nodded. "Mander char. Char man der."

Gobrianna shook her head with a smile. "Adam was right, I can almost understand you." Her eyes narrowed as she strove to comprehend. "You said your parents were . . . w-wild Pokemon? You’re the . . . first in your family to be trained?" She waited for another confirming nod before continuing. "That’s funny. I’m the first in my family to be a Pokemon trainer!" A huge yawn interrupted her. "Huh, I guess we’d better turn in then. But I can’t go to sleep without something to read." Her hand reached into her backpack again and withdrew with a dog-eared paperback book. "Ah, this is a good one."

"Char mander?"

"Uh . . . read? To you? Well, sure. If you really want to listen."

"Char mander!" The Pokemon snuggled closer to its trainer, lifting its tail over her shoulder. The light from the flames fell across the cover, illuminating a beautiful maiden holding out her hand to a handsome, white-winged horse.

"Okay, okay!" Gobrianna grinned as she slipped the photograph back into her pocket. "You know, Charmander, I’m really glad you’re my Pokemon. Tomorrow we’ll start training. I know we’ll make a great team. We’ll battle other trainers, and catch Pokemon, and we’ll be great!" Her turquoise eyes shone with excitement.

"Char!"

"Right. Well." She opened to the first page. "‘Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Trame, Princess Evalon Pocameon was in trouble. Her father, King Lance, planned to marry her off to the prince of a neighboring land, to unite the kingdoms. Evalon didn’t want to marry for politics, she wanted to wait for love. So one night, she decided to run away. . . .’"