Unova Region, Nuvema Town,

  "Ok, Finn, we need to leave right now?"

  "Yeah, I am coming, Aunt Cath!"

  I shouted out while hugging the short, poofy honey-color woman, who also hugged me gently, as my eyes became slightly red in her embrace, because my heart didn't want to leave her.

  She was a Professor in the Unova region, Aurea Juniper, known for her research on the evolution of Pokémon. Also, she gave the Pokémon trainers the starter Pokémon, which was one of my dreams to get a starter Pokémon and become the world's best Pokémon trainer.

  "Be safe in the Sinnoh region, and don't forget to call me Finn. Remember, you are a handsome, cute child both inside and outside; never let other opinions take over your mind. Your aunt and I will always be on your side to support you."

  "If you have any problems, call me at any time."

  "I will surely call you, Professor Juniper. And thank you for everything," I choked a bit, feeling sadness to leave the Unova and Professor Juniper after all I had become so close to her in these few months staying in the Lab. She ruffled my black hair and gently caressed my coarse, tan-skinned face.

  I got down from her embrace, glanced at her green eyes, and gave her a big grin while I waved my hand to her as I held an incubator, there was a Pokémon egg which I found in the Lab's ranch. Professor Juniper gave the egg to me as a parting gift. She knew how much I took care of the Pokémon egg, and I am delighted to have a baby Pokémon to take care of, and in the future, it will be my partner in my journey.

  But I don't know what kind of Pokémon could hatch, even though I begged Professor Juniper a lot. She didn't tell me as it would be a surprise for me. I hated that, but it doesn't mean I am not happy for having a Pokémon before the start of my journey that so many trainers dreamed of.

  But I hope it should be one of the starters, so that in Sinnoh, everyone might try to pick up a conversation with me.

  I turned to look at my aunt, who had been taking care of me in the past few months and I am glad to have such a guardian who was beautiful and gentle woman completely different to Professor Juniper, who had a cheerful attitude all the time even though she currently bit down that I am leaving to a long-distance place.

  "Shall we leave Finn?"

  I nodded, tears brimming in my eyes. Seeing this, Aunt Catherine took my hand with a reassuring smile, her calm presence soothing my aching heart. I turned my head back, unwilling to leave Professor Juniper, who was waving her hand with a dejected face.

  "Then, Professor, I will contact you immediately after we both reach in Sinnoh region."

  My aunt Cath said to Professor Juniper, who nodded her head with a slight smile.

  The warm breeze brushed my face, carrying the sweet scent of flowers that I liked the most in Nuvema Town. Now I would miss this scent and playing with the Pokémon in Professor Juniper's Lab.

  I got inside the car, while my aunt sat beside me, as I was waving at Professor Juniper, looking out the car window as the car began to drive to the airport.

  -------

  Sinnoh region, Twinleaf town-

  The flock of cute Starly started chirping out making noises outside of the window, annoying a little girl in her bed, so she covered her blanket with her face to sleep peacefully for some more time, but things were not on her side as a grey cat-like creature jumped on her bed, and the blue eyes glanced at the little girl with competence.

  Glameow bit the edge of the blanket and tugged it off the bed, letting it fall to the floor. Dawn's eyes flew open as she glared at the mischievous, spring-tailed cat walking away confidently.

  "Glameow! How many times do I have to tell you? It's the weekend! Sleep is sacred!" shouted Dawn with an angry face as her peaceful sleep was gone now. She annoyingly got up from the bed to freshen up.

  Glameow flicked its tail smugly, almost as if to say, 'Mission accomplished,' before prancing out of the room.

  "Glameaow.."

  Glameaow walked up to the kitchen where a baby-cut woman was making breakfast while she chuckled after hearing her daughter's angry voice.

  "She always wakes up with an angry face. When will my daughter stop making me worry? And today is the day the new neighbors are going to come. She had always loved meeting new people, and with the boy coming from far-off Unova, I hope my daughter might make a new friend," said Johanna, remembering the past conversation with Professor Rowan that a new researcher transferred to his Lab from the Unova region with a kid. And Professor Rowan asked her to take care of them to get used to the Sinnoh region.

  Then she heard a car passing by her house, and knew it was the new neighbor from Unova, as she had a smile on her fair face while she took out some baked cookies to give to the new neighbor.

  --------

  I saw the Sun's golden rays filtering through the trees and casting dappled shadows on the cobblestone paths. I saw the flying Pokémon chirping on the branches, my eyes gleamed seeing a new Pokémon, and I couldn't wait to learn more about the native Pokémon in the Sinnoh region.

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  "Seems like you are already liking our new home," my aunt said with a chuckle as I was slightly embarrassed. I knew I had thrown a tantrum, not to leave the Unova region. But my aunt never took back her decision to shift to Sinnoh, as I didn't know the reason why she made that decision, but because of Professor Juniper's pleading, I reluctantly agreed to my aunt's decision.

  I fear, because of my face, no one will talk to me or even bully me like in my hometown. I am happy with Professor Juniper's lab, taking care of the Pokémon, learning about them, and dreaming of taking a starter Pokémon, and beginning my journey to become the best Pokémon trainer like Champion Alder.

  I looked at my new home, which was quite pleasant with surrounding greenery, and I saw the fences behind the house. I knew my aunt liked to study Pokémon, but she would take things too far, like now, how she just bought a few acres of land in case of future study on Pokémon.

  How much should it cost to buy this place? I don't want to calculate the prize, but in a way, I was happy if I had to take care of the Pokémon, which I have always liked to do.

  "I already brought all the necessary utensils for our home, in case you need any things for your own, tell me later, we will both go for a shopping spree."

  I saw my aunt's green eyes glint with excitement when it came to shopping. My aunt always loved to buy new things in new places, and in the past, she brought many useless things which Professor Juniper never liked.

  "No need, aunty, I know you want to shop in the new place, but I won't let you buy unnecessary things, or else I will tell Professor Juniper that you are wasting the money."

  "Common, just a few random and unique things buying won't cost a lot," pouted Catharine, but I shook my head, knowing my aunt's interest in buying weird items. Then I ran and entered the new home, looking around to inspect my new home.

  My aunt began unpacking her luggage, leaving mine aside while I went up the stairs to see my room, and my bed was covered with wrappings to prevent any dust before we reached Sinnoh.

  "Knock-Knock"

  "Hello"

  Suddenly, I heard a voice and knocking from outside. I looked at the window and gazed down to see who had come, but I wasn't able to see who it was, and I immediately ran towards it while carefully holding the incubator in my arms.

  "Oh my! Thank you so much for the cookies, madam," said my aunt as she was talking to a baby-cut woman with silky blue hair with a hair clip above her eye. She was an elegant and likable person, I mean, just seeing her, I felt a pleasing feeling like my aunt, but I don't think she might talk with me as I don't have a good face.

  Despite Professor Juniper's advice to never let others' opinions define me, the unease still crept in. My gut twisted at the thought—what if she saw me the same way others did?

  "Why are you calling me madam? My name is Johanna, and we are neighbors from now onwards, so no need for formalities."

  "Oh my! I forgot to introduce myself. I am Ashford Catherine, and I came with my nephew Ashford Finn. And how can I call you by name? I always watch your Pokémon contest live, and every time your performance is fantastic, and I am so happy to meet in person, madam!"

  This was the first time I saw my aunt lose her cool and behave like a fan girl. And I remembered, my aunt always watched this person's performance in the Unova region. Now observing this person, I can tell this woman was the same person that my aunt used to watch her perform on TV while eating.

  Is it ok for me to join in their conversation? My appearance might disturb my aunt's happiness.

  "I am glad you like my performance. But right now, I am just a normal neighbor to you."

  "Alright, again, thank you for the cookies, Johanna. I am sorry, I need to clean up my new home, and there's nothing to serve you right now," my aunt said with an apologetic face.

  "No need to worry about it, I am happy to have a new neighbor, and I talked with Professor Rowan, that a Researcher from Unova coming to Sinnoh…hmm?"

  No! She saw me, but I hope she didn't call out to me and my aunt found out me.

  "Come out, Finn. How many times have I told you? When a person comes to our home, you should introduce yourself, welcome them, and talk with them."

  My aunt was angry at me. Yeah, she always got angry when I hid myself if anyone came to our home.

  I slowly came out from behind the wall, my head down so my aunt's favorite person wouldn't hate me because of my face, so my aunt would have a nice conversation with her favorite person.

  "Hello, Madam Johanna, I am Ashford Finn, and thank you for visiting us with cookies."

  I am glad that I didn't stutter, hoping that Madam Johanna won't be disappointed and make my aunt sad. I looked up at them, only to see my aunt's sad face and confused Madam Johanna as she slowly relaxed her face and hunched in front, while she patted my head.

  I was shocked, not understanding her patting on my face, and looked at my aunt with a worried expression. Did I make a mistake in the introduction? I was told by my mother not to stutter, and I did not, but still, why did my aunt have a sad face? I am confused and didn't get the situation. I felt like I was going to cry, no, I shouldn't cry, or else I would be shouted at again by my mother.

  "Aww, you are such a good kid, and you introduced yourself very well." Johanna praised me, giving my heart a sigh of relief while my slightly teared eyes glanced at her fair face, and I was kinda mesmerized by her kind face. she wiped the tears with her slender finger and also did the same with my other eye.

  I cried again when someone was nice to me. I didn't get the reason for my tears, and it was the tenth time I cried when feeling nice from a good person.

  "Oh! You have a Pokémon egg with you!"

  "Uhh…this is my future partner in my journey to become the world's best Pokémon trainer."

  I stutter a bit, but I still feel relieved to say my dream. She nodded with admiration and ruffled my black hair.

  "You seem to love the Pokémon a lot, Finn, and you will achieve your dreams. Oh, I forgot, I have a cute daughter the same age as you, why don't you be friends with her, and she also has a big dream like you?"

  "Like me, but what's her dream?" I asked with interest, I mean I wanted to know what a fellow age girl had a dream of, if it was the same as mine. Maybe I will help her and try to make my first friend in my life.

  "That's a secret. if you want to know why, don't you ask my daughter when you meet her."

  I hesitated when I heard her words, but with determination, I nodded my head with a huge grin. I glanced at my aunt, she smiled, and was happy that my aunt was not sad for disturbing the conversation.

  Johanna's words still struck inside my heart, I couldn't wait to meet her daughter and talk a lot with her.

  "Then Finn, why don't you tour our ranch with Mienshao?" said my aunt as I nodded my head in hurry. She opened her poke ball, with a while flash, a Pokémon appeared. Mienshao was a bipedal fighting Pokémon; long and slender body with a small head with triangular ears, and mainly his hands had long-sleeved fur. He was the first Pokémon I made friends with, and the first time I groomed Mienshao's fur, he flinched, unused to my touch, but later, after a lot of effort, I managed to understand his preference and started grooming him effortlessly. He also liked me a lot because I had taken care of him daily.

  But sometimes, my aunt pouts a lot when I give most of my time to Mienshao, maybe she was jealous that her Pokémon was with me, but still, I never stop taking care of Mienshao.

  "Shao…Shao"

  Mienshao long-sleeved hand patted my head, then I hugged him, feeling good in heart after feeling the soft fur to my face, which had become very soft and smooth after my extensive grooming.

  "Then, aunty, I will look around with Mienshao," dragging Mienshao, while the incubator was taken by Aunt, saying that it was dangerous to take out, and I had to reluctantly agree to her. Both Mienshao and I went outside to the ranch to inspect the new wild Pokémon.