Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, be it the idea, the creatures, or the world. Some of the characters in this story are my own while others can also be creditted back to the original owners. I take no credit for anything not mine, and thank the creators of Pokemon for giving me inspiration.

Author's Note: This story takes place in Sinnoh, the region in the Diamond/Pearl Pokemon games, and will losely - Very loosely - Follow it's storyline. For the most part, everything will be made up by myself. To those that have played the games, you'll see many familair faces from the games, but more then likely, in a different way, as I'll be inventing backstories and the like for them. Also be aware that certain Pokemon will be found in different locations then in the games. This is my first attempt at a Pokemon fic, so I hope it's enjoyable.

Chapter I: Entrapment Interrupted

(Ventus' POV)

"Bored…" I murmured, raising my hand to catch the tennis ball that had rebounded off the wall and flew back towards me.

Not for the first time, I repeated the action that I had been for the past hour; throwing the ball. My head at the foot of my bed, and my feet at the head – Clearly mattress etiquette was something I was lacking – I let the sphere fly once more. It struck the ceiling at such an angle that it rebounded off the wall, and came back towards me again. "Bored…" I repeated.

The action was repeated thrice more before my attention was drawn elsewhere; namely, to the voice calling my name. Sadly, this tore my attention away from the ball… Which quickly allowed me to learn that lack of attention and flying spheres are not a good mix, especially when said sphere makes contact when one's head. "Ventus!" the voice repeated, "Could you come down here please?"

Rolling off my bed, I moved to head downstairs - How weird that mine should be the room without any kind of door, but instead a flight of stairs. I WAS accident prone after all… Or maybe I just had bad luck. My hand gently rubbed against the struck side of my head, and I mumbled out a silent curse. Stupid ball.

"Yeah, mom?" I asked when I reached the bottom of the stairs, already turning to stroll into the kitchen where she was almost always found. The auburn haired woman that was Anita Tallahar – My mother – Turned to face me, that same smile she always wore as apparent as ever. "Lunch will be ready soon, okay?"

A frown crossed over my features, "That's all? Why didn't you just yell that upstairs? I was in the middle of something…" I groaned in response.

She, however, was quite used to my boredom-bred attitude as of late, and merely giggled lightly, "Throwing the tennis ball again, you mean?"

I scoffed, "Well, when YOU say it, it doesn't sound like much. But it's the only thing keeping me sane in this house!" I retorted.

She gestured out the window, "So go out then. It's a big bright world out there you know… Or perhaps you don't, since you stay cooped up in your room all day long."

Another scoff, "A big bright world that I'll never be able to see. We've been over this before, mom; we CAN'T get out of this town without some kind of escort. Wild Pokemon roam all over the place and not one person in this town is a trainer… Not anymore, anyway." I explained, and not for the first time.

It was the truth too, as she knew. If one was not careful, they could be suddenly ambushed by any manner of the strange creatures that shared the planet with us. Only trainers, or others who carried their own Pokemon, could walk the fields and pathways between towns safely. But no one in town had any Pokemon, or even the supplies to go out and catch one. It was the same as being a prisoner… Or perhaps worse. Living here gave the ILLUSION of freedom, but nothing more.

"You're referring to your father, aren't you?" my mother cut in, interrupting my thoughts.

I grimly nodded, "Still don't see why he walked out on us…"

She frowned and turned away, and like all the other times this topic came about, she said nothing else. Nothing else needed to be said. He had left, and we were stuck here. A fine mess this was… "I'm going for a walk near the lake." I commented, before heading for the door.

"Stay out of the tall grass." She warned me, her mood brightening somewhat when it became apparent I was not pursuing the previous topic further, "Wild Pokemon are-"

"They're more likely to jump out and attack if I'm in the grass, I know." I finished for her, already knowing this warning off by heart.

It was by those words that I was incarcerated in this little spit of a town… If eight homes could even be called that. The way east, to the next town, was paved – So to speak – With tall grass; A wild Pokemon's territory. They tended to avoid people out in the open… Less opportunity for them to jump out I suppose.

When I got outside, I glanced around the "town" of Twinleaf. What a stupid name. Though… According to some maps I'd see, and reports on television, most of the other cities in the region weren't much better. The closest city was called "Jubilife" city… That sounded more like a brand of juice to me.

Seeing no one out and about – As usual – I strolled to the north end of town, absentmindedly avoiding the signpost in the center of the town square marking the name of the location. Whose bright idea that was, I could only fathom. At least I'd become aware it was there, and stopped running into it… Finally.

It wasn't a great distance to the lake; a two-minute walk, if that. Just outside of town the pathway broke off east and west, with thick trees – Something Pokeless-people should avoiding traveling between – Blocking the other directions off. To the east was the next city… Sandgem, or something, and to the west was lake Verity; a rather beautiful location but about as boring as everything else around here was.

Sighing that the way east was blocked off – Yet again – By the threat of wild Pokemon, I turned westward and strolled towards the lake, the mental picture of what I would see – What I ALWAYS saw – Already forming in my mind.

There it was; lake Verity. Off in the distance – The middle of the lake, I was sure – Was a tiny island, with what looked like a cave of sorts atop it. Of course, I'd swam out to it once or twice, but the place was always empty. Empty and dull, just like everything else around here. What kind of place was this for a teenager to live in anyway!? If it wasn't for television to keep me distracted, I'd have snapped years ago.

Kneeling down, I retrieved a small stone from the lake side, and fired it out across the water's surface. One… Two… Two skips. I was defiantly not good at this. I glanced off to the side, my eyes catching on a foreign object… Well, foreign to the lake, anyway. It was a ball… Small, with colors of red and white on the respective top and bottom, and what I could only assume was a button on the front. "This is…" I began, my mind already searching for the word, for I had indeed seen one of these before.

My thoughts, however, were interrupted. Exploding out of the trees around the lake area came two flying Pokemon; Starly, if I wasn't mistaken. But why had they… I glanced down, and uttered yet another curse. In my haste to examine the object, I had absentmindedly strolled into the tall grass, and must have upset the creatures. What the heck were birds doing in the grass anyway? They had plenty of trees to choose from! The twin Starlys launched themselves towards me.

Quickly, I knelt down only long enough to pluck the ball from the muddy lakeside, before sprinting forward. If I stayed out in the open, they'd get me for sure. 'I have to lose them in the trees…' my mind screamed as I race forward, doing my best to avoid branches, roots, and most importantly; Other Pokemon.

Ducking, weaving, hopping, and doing whatever I needed to too avoid my pursuers, I found myself being unable to even think straight. I didn't know how strong a Starly was when they attacked a human – They certainly didn't look terribly intimidating, but looks were always deceiving – But it wasn't something I wished to learn firsthand. I risked a glance over my shoulder only to confirm that they were indeed still on my trail. "Bloody persistent…"

While checking might have been a good idea at the time, continuing to run while doing so was not. As luck would have it – My luck, at that – A root jutted out just before me, catching my foot and sending me sprawling forward, the mud caked Pokeball – Yes! That was the word! – Sliding free of my hand and striking the ground just before me. I hit the ground with a thud, and involuntarily groaned as a result. The Pokeball lay on a slanted angle just before me, almost appearing as if it was mocking me in some crude way. "I don't know what's in this thing…" I began, voicing my thoughts to no one in particular, "But those damn birds aren't going to let up…"

Reaching forward, I retrieved the sphere and pushed in the button on the front, hoping that all the trainers I'd seen on television hadn't steered me wrong. The ball burst open – So quickly, in fact, that I dropped it out of shock – And an illuminated form burst out and stood before me.

I pushed myself to my knees as the light faded revealing a small Pokemon that was less then one quarter my own height. It was a mix of blue and black, with big, round, crimson eyes. Fur had grown around the eye, chest and feet areas of the creature, giving of the impression that the small Pokemon was dressed in a mask, a vest and boots. A small blue tail waved back and forth behind the creature as it stared at me with both interest, and not a little fear. Clearly, I was not who it expected to see.

With twin screeches, the two Starlys burst into the area, which as I now noticed, was a small – Miniature, even – Clearing. At the sight of the Pokemon, however, they turned their sights on it, instead of me, and began circling around, awaiting the ideal chance to strike. The released Pokemon – One I had never seen before, even on television – Looked incredibly nervous, and looked from the twin attackers, to me, and back again. I rose to my feet, unsure myself of what I should have been doing. All I knew about Pokemon battles was that the trainers shouted commands, and the Pokemon did them. First one to collapse was the loser… Things certainly didn't look that simple now that I was the one battling…

The Pokemon before me let out a small squeak-like bark noise, causing me to sigh. 'Aren't Pokemon supposed to just repeat their name over and over? Why did I have to find one that can't even do THAT much?' I wondered.

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If you weren't able to guess, the next chapter will contain the first battle. Can anyone guess the Pokemon Ventus has obtained? (It evolves into one of my favorites)