Note: I'm going to go by a little guide that one US dollar is worth approximately 100 Pokemon Dollars.

I sat in the back of a large, rickety moving truck with my knees to my chest, having decided to tough it out with my families belongings instead of having a bus or a plane transport me to the new house. It was nearly pitch black – the only light in the vehicle coming from the small cracks from the large, sliding door, furthering my doubts of this truck being fully safe.

When my mother had offered me a different route of transportation, I should have leapt at the offer. But no, I decided to be nice. Well, this is the last time, I, Alice Maple will ever be nice.

I once again grew bored, having grown tired of my own silent rantings and began to twiddle my straight, mid-back length, crimson colored hair in my hands. My mother had recently started buying a new conditioner, and it worked extraordinarily well, as my hair was softer than it ever had been. The smell wasn't to die for, but I could always spray a bit of something else. I had about fifteen different bottles of unused perfumes I'd received as gifts and whatnot as birthday presents. I might as well try and use them at least a little bit.

I almost let out a shriek when the van came to a halt. Thinking it was another red light, I stayed still, but when I noticed the door being fiddled with, I grinned.

Regardless of whether or not I was home, I was still getting out of this damned iron box, even if only for a short lunch break. I grimaced. What unholy restaurant would these baboons force me to eat at next? They had the worse taste in restaurants, stopping at the ones you wouldn't be at all surprised to be stabbed to death in. To top it off, a majority of the placeds made my cooking look good. That was bad, to say the least.

When the door opened and I spotted my mom behind the movers however, I finally slipped and did let out the shriek which had been threatening to release itself for a good day. I immediately got up and halfheartedly ran to my mother, being hindered by my sore buttocks and numbed legs. I should have packed a cushion with all those boxes.

Regardless of that, though... I was finally home.

"So, honey. What do you think of the now house?" She asked, hardly containing her own excitement. I glanced at the building and let out a small grin. It was made of bricks, with vines snaking though the cracks and up to the roof on some areas. It was a two story house, and looked just a bit larger than the average one. I suppose it was to be expected, though. Gym leaders, depending on how high up in the league they were, reportedly made a lot of money. It was estimated that my father would be making about 10,000,000 dollars a year. When I heard that, well, my jaw nearly dropped.

"Well, let's stop looking and go explore it!" She shouted, taking my hand and near running into the house. I chuckled a bit at her enthusiasm. Sometime, I swore she was more immature than me. Within seconds, I was in my living room, which was bustling with Machoke, putting our things in place.

The house was that of an open concept design. The living room felt separated though, as it was built so that it's floor was two feet lower than the kitchens. A small railing kept the two rooms apart, with a small staircase to get up. Beyond that staircase was another set which turned left half way, presumably lead to the second floor.

The living room looked nice, having red walls, looking like they had been newly painted with black carpeting. Though the colors of the living room were slightly dark, the large windows letting light in from what seemed to be every angle really brightened things up. The railing, separating the living room and kitchen was black, and has a simple design, but they still looked nice and went well with the house.

The kitchen was white, with gray tiles in what was a "hopscotch" pattern. Not asking questions, I made my way up and saw that the counter tops were made of what looked like black granite. What really grabbed my attention, though was the small island counter, with a couple bar stools already set out in which I was sure my mother was sure to love. Having also taken a small woodworking course before, I believed the multiple cabinets lined up above the counters to be cherry wood. All the appliances seemed brand new, including a dishwasher I was sure my mother would grow to love like a second child. Also, a nice, fair sized window was right above the sink, giving my mother a nice look into what I assumed to be out lush, green yard.

I turned to my mother, who stood down in the living room and grinned. "I wasn't too happy about moving, but I think this house'll make it more bearable." I said in mild approval.

"And you haven't even seen you're room!" She smiled, leading me up the staircase to an upper floor that seemed to consist of a main hallway with a few bedrooms, a bathroom and a furnace/washer-dryer room. I was brought to the room on the very end, though.

I gasped when I walked in. The walls were an emerald green, with white trim and beautiful hard wood flooring. The closet, which was now ajar wasn't quite a walk in, but regardless, it was still more than enough space for me. The room itself was pretty big too. Looking at it, I thought about how empty it would look once my belongings were all in place. My room back home was far smaller.

"So you like it?" She asked.

"Do you see me gasp like that when I'm about to burst out into tears?" I asked in a sarcastic voice dripping with friendly sarcasm.

"Well, while the movers are getting everything ready, maybe you should go introduce yourselves to Professor Birch and his family?" She suggested. "They live left to us, across the road. I'm sure he'll be glad to meed you again." She explained.

I tilted my head in slight confusion. "Again, you say?"

"Oh, you were just a toddler then. You'd only learned to walk." She explained, laughing a bit to herself. I let out a small "Ah." and headed out.

As described, a house looking much like ours, though instead wearing some clean, white siding. Trusting my mother's word, I crossed, without the slightest worry of cars, as the town was incredibly small, then cut through their lawn and into the front steps. With slight hesitation, I knocked on the door and backed up slightly.

It took a little while for an answer, but a woman looking around the same age as my mother with soft features, brown eyes and light, long and curly brown hair. She wore a pink turtle neck sweater, which I didn't understand, as it was beautiful out and some light blue jeans. Then again... The climate here was warmer than back at home.

"Um, hi. I'm Alice Maple, the next door neighbor." I introduced. "I thought I might as well come over and introduce myself." I explained in a jolly manner, putting my hand out in a gesture for a hand shake.

The woman took my hand and shook, the then waved me inside. "Ah! Alice. I'd so good to see you after all these years." She said, closing the door behind me. "You've grown to be a beautiful girl." She commented, pulling a chair out for me.

I smiled, having heard the compliment. "You're not looking too bad yourself." I said, taking note of the fact that she was actually very beautiful for her age. In a few moments I was seated and a hot cup of tea was placed before me. It looked like a generic serving – one spoon of sugar and some cream, but that was fine to me. I took a sip and placed it back down.

"It's much quieter here than my hometown..." I said, trying to start a conversation. "But then again, coming from Goldenrod City... I bet any place is bound to seem that way."

"Yeah, it can be a bit bland sometimes, but I'd much rather live somewhere like this." She replied. "I've always been one for the simpler things in like, you know?"

"Well, I suppose I'm kind of the same way. I'm actually liking this quite a bit. The noise from all the traffic can be really aggravating, especially when you're trying to get to sleep at night." I said unenthusiastically, taking another drink of tea while making an unpleasant face at the countless memories of trying to fall asleep at night, only to be awoken by a particularly noisy car once I actually drifted to sleep.

It was at that moment a boy who appeared to be my age with green eyes wearing an odd white hat with a green boarder, an orange and black tracksuit with shoes, gloves and a backpack matching the rest of his attire stepped into the room, looking curious as to who was here.

"Mom, who're you talking to?" He asked curiously, peering over at me.

"Oh, Brendan." She said. "This is our new neighbor, Alice." She said, gesturing to me. "She's the new Gym Leader of Petalburg City's daughter." She added, seeing that she was drawing a blank look from him.

"Oh! Hey. I'm Brendan." He introduced, making the same gesture for a hand shake I had earlier to his mother at the door. I obliged, taking his hand and shaking it. His hands were a bit rough, probably from being outside often. Also, he had a good grip furthering my suspicion.

"So, do you train Normal type Pokemon like your dad, or...?" He trailed off, looking to me for an answer.

I shuffled my feet awkwardly, and looked away, loosely biting my lip. "Well, you see..." I trailed off awkwardly, having made my point apparently very clear to the boy.

He got into the seat across the able, leaning in towards me. I backed away slightly, being a person who very much liked their personal bubble. "You're the Gym Leader's kid and you seriously don't have a Pokemon of your own? You kidding!" He said, in apparent disbelief. I narrowed my eyes in frustration. He didn't have to rub it in...

He paused for a moment, seeming to consider something. "Well, we can go catch one for you, right now if you want." He said, standing up again. I instantly forgave him.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Brendan... You promised to go and help your father with his research yesterday." Said Mrs. Birch, seaming upset to have to dash my hopes. And she was right to assume they'd be dashed. If my body hadn't a skeleton, I probably would have drooped all the way to the floor.

"Oh, damn! Sorry Alice." He said, seeming to be honestly apologetic. "Maybe some other time, kay?" He asked. Before I had a chance to say anything, however, he was gone out the door. I actually felt a tailwind.

There was a drawn out pause before Mrs. Birch broke the silence, seeming to be a very sociable woman. "I really am sorry about that. The boy's very forgetful. She explained, laughing the fact off. "But. If I know him, he'll be sure to remember a promise like that, so don't worry. I'm sure you'll have you're own Pokemon soon enough." She said.

"Well, I suppose I can wait." I said, trying to cover my disappointment with a fake enthusiasm. I was, of coarse happy to be getting my won Pokemon soon, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed right now. "I mean, I have a lot to work on right now, anyways." I went on.

There was another pause between the two of us. Not an awkward one, just one we'd run into, having nothing to really talk about. "Well," I bean, getting up from my chair and heading to the door. "I'd better best be going. There's a lot to be done at my house, and you know parents. If I'm out a second too late, they start to worry." I said, laughing a bit.

She smiled a bit. "Well, okay. Feel free to drop by any time, now. Okay?" She said. It seemed as though she and my mother both got somewhat lonely with their respective husbands gone all the time. It wasn't their fault, being their job, but I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for them. Maybe, living so close to eachother, they'd become close friends.

I nodded my head. "I just might take you up on that sometime." I said, sort of as a goodbye. I quickly slipped on my heels – which I found out not to be an effective took fairly quickly in the steep terrain.

I was walking home, which is probably only a three minute walk by the way, when I heard sounds I could instantly identify to be the sounds of a tense battle. Curiously, I changed my course and soon found myself watching a battle between the boy from earlier and a woman dressed in an odd red hoodie with black horns on the hood, cut off at her chest with a sort of fiery emblem, a black undershirt and skirt, red leg warmers and gloved with black shoes. She had black hair falling out from her hood and a plain appearance which was slightly contorted with a look of disgust and anger. In front if her was a limp Vulpix of a unique yellow coloration having obviously been bested by Brendan's Mudkip.

"Get up, you useless piece of shi..."

I was usually a calm... If not, lazy person. I didn't usually let things got to me easily, but things like this were a soft spot for me – They seriously had a tendency of making my blood boil. She stopped just as I began marching on over to her.

"You call yourself a trainer, acting so cruelly to your own Pokemon?" I asked, not truly expecting, or wanting to hear an answer. "Your a tyrant who shouldn't be trusted with so much as a houseplant. To treat another living being like this..." I trailed off, looking at the yellow Vulpix as it tried to get up, falling again. "You are someone who doesn't deserve to share with us the title of humanity." I finished.

She scowled at me, obviously angered by my fuming at her. "You think this piece of crap's so great?" She asked, looking at the small, yellowish Vulpix. "I only caught it because it was a rare color. Turns out it's worthlessly weak. You like it so much, you have it." She said, throwing the ball at me. I caught it, though fumbled it for a moment. The aggravated woman then stormed off up the route and around the corner. I was going to follow her, but decided to poor soul in front of me should be my main priority.

I rushed to the small Fox Pokemon and picked it up while cradling it gently. Brendan then appeared by my side, analyzing it.

"Here, I have some potions with me – I can heal it." He offered, taking a large bag off from his shoulders and putting it on the ground, where he began digging though it.

I put the small Pokemon back to the ground gently, just as Brendan took out the Potion he's talked about and sprayed it on Vulpix. It seemed unresponsive for a moment, but it seen began to take quick effect, as it was back on it's legs in just a few minutes, staring up at me with an innocent curiosity. It let out a cure, almost thankful cry.

I smiled back down at it. "Don't thank me, you silly thing. He's the one who healed you." I said, pointing to Brendan. Regardless of this, it brought itself up to me and rubbed it's head against my leg.

Brendan laughed a bit, having already hoisted his pack onto his back again. "Well, it looks like they've already decided you're going to be it's next trainer." He said, seeming a bit excited. I laughed a bit with him and picked the creature back up. To my surprise, it somehow wrapped itself so it was around my neck life a scarf. This took me by surprise for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure. I supposed I 'd let it hand around there for the time being.

…

Brendan and I had talked a while after that before he'd gone to go help out his father. I'd stayed in the open field myself, spending some time with Vulpix. It was very energetic, and it seemed to carry with it a large amount of pride. In addition to this, it near drooled in happiness when I rubbed behind it's ears.

Vulpix sat by a nearby tree grooming itself when I saw it's head shoot up and it's ears perk. Curiously, I quieted myself and began to listen, soon hearing what sounded like a distressed man in the distance. Worry striking me, I got up with Vulpix close behind me and started for the noise. I ran for a few minutes before reaching the mouth of Route 101. I took a bit of a nervous gulp.

What a fool I was, running like this into something I had absolutely no experience in.