I was extremely tired after the long day's journey. Seeing the day dawn on my way to the airport after an anxious, sleepless night was uncomfortable to say the least; I hated imposed socializations such as my mother's farewell committee; the airplane made me queasy and the jetlag killed whatever feeble excitement I derived from watching the miniature Kalos region grow larger as we landed. For that and more, the narrow bed in my room was my first stop after the Taxi dropped us off in the charming little town of Vaniville.

I awoke – or rather, was awakened – some hours later by an overly-excited Fletching that bust into my room chirping gleefully: he was an old friend, and a diligent alarm clock. This time, however, the faithful clock-friend seemed to have decided to give me a break, for when I looked out the window, it was already dark.

I dragged my feet through the strange, silent corridor and down the carpeted stairs, too numb to properly take in further details of my new home. Sleeping through the afternoon always gave me an irrational and brief feeling of doom, like the world might have ended, but luckily my mother was there, standing in the kitchen – her world was still there, inside all those boxes she unpacked at her leisure. The smile on her face was a painful but needed reminder that things would turn out okay eventually:

"Morning, Anne!" She greeted sarcastically.

"Sorry, mom!" I moaned my unwilling apology as I stumbled past her and landed avidly on the cardboard box over the counter that read 'bathroom cabinet'. "I must have overslept..."

"Yes, you did! And I had to carry the luggage inside all by myself, too!" she playfully chided as I rummaged for the aspirin.

Having tended to my headache, I proceeded to fulfill another basic need by grabbing a bowl and the box of cereal from my mother's hand before she could put it away.

"Hey! Dinner will be ready soon, so don't go filling your stomach with that crap!'

"Too starved to wait..." I moaned lazily, sitting down before my meal.

"You don't wanna spoil your appetite on this one: Choucrout Garnie!" She pronounced enthusiastically, as if possessed by the spirit of a great chef "Our first local dish. How exciting! The neighbor gave me the recipe."

"Sounds overly complicated!" I defended my good old vanilla cereal.

"It was!" She confessed miserably "That's why you're waiting for it!"

"Mooom!!" I protested as she took away my bowl. "I'm starving!"

"It will feel like a minute if you distract yourself! Get dressed, go outside, you have barely seen the neighborhood at all! Plus, some kids have been standing in the lawn for the past half an hour stealing glimpses inside. Either my Choucrout Garnie smells that good, or they'd like to meet their new neighbor!"

"They don't care about your silly Garnie... I'm sure they have that for breakfast every day, whatever it is." I teased.

"With baguette!" She mocked.

"And croissants..." I reiterated, chuckling and then blushing my own stupidity.

Mom's tasteless sense of humor happened to be contagious sometimes. At least it served to wash my ill-mood away

Lifting the vaporous lace curtains and peeking outside, my eyes first met with a boy, probably as old as myself, wearing a cobalt blue jacket and pulling back the short locks of his hair, before placing a red cap over it. He looked bored and impatient, tapping his cothurnus-covered foot on the ground and fidgeting with the brim of his hat. I felt myself blush and dropped the curtains immediately as his eyes threatened to correspond my heavy gaze. Now, through my invisibility, I carefully examined the second person standing in front of my house: It was a petite, cutely dressed girl that looked younger than her male friend, though it was probably not the case – she had that air of an adolescent who just happened to keep her child-like traces, managing to appear both cute and interesting to hang out with. She happily pleaded her case while the boy rolled his eyes. Their interaction made me smile as if I was a part of their group.

"So I guess this is Vaniville Town..." I murmured to myself.

***

At once changed out of my flannel pajamas into my high-waisted dress, I stepped unceremoniously outside.

"She's coming, she's coming!" I heard the girly voice whispering enthusiastically as I robotically closed the door behind me, making my mute walk across the lawn all the more awkward. I smiled faintly as I approached them, going over greetings in my mind.

The girl wriggled where she stood while the boy gawked at me. When I was finally close enough for normal people to greet each other, the girl burst into a gleeful smile, like a stretched band that just couldn't hold it anymore. Her high-pitched voice started a sentence, but the boy stepped forward, much more composed than the previous addresser. He held his shoulders high and stiff and stretched out a confident hand:

"Hi There! I'm Calem, your next-door neighbor! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"I'm Shauna!" The little girl packed a punch as she pushed the significantly bigger boy out of her way before I could give his waiting hand a shake "...and even though I'm not your neighbor, I was here first..." She gave her friend the tongue, before seizing the hand that was meant for him and giving it a hearty, excited squeeze. "I'm sure we're going to be great friends!"

I couldn't help but giggle at Calem's crossed expression.

"I'm... Anne..." I replied, made a little shy by their intensity "...but I suppose you two know that already?"

"Right... that was rude of us!" Shauna gave out an embarrassed, apologetic laugh.

"Yeah. Your mom has told my mom all about you, so..." he shrugged.

Surely, I was in front of the Garnie neighbor's son.

"But we aren't here just to unilaterally introduce ourselves!" Shauna corrected gravely.

"Professor Sycamore sent for you" the boy announced and, as doubt crossed my face, explained: "That's Kalos' Pokémon Professor. He has chosen us – and by that I mean you too – to help him in his Pokémon Research Program."

"I don't know how they knew about you at the lab though... You just moved into town, didn't you, Anne?"

"Well, I..."

"She filled a form, Shauna, just like I did for both you and me..." Calem explained as I lagged "Isn't that right, Anne?"

I smiled a feeble consent. I was going to say it was impossible for anyone not to know me, considering my mother was Grace, the famous rhyhorn racer. She received the papers, as well as an almost guaranteed opening for me as soon as the heads of research heard of our moving to Kalos... but I was glad Calem simplified it with his explanation before I could phrase my unwanted privilege - that sounded like a very awkward way to start a friendship. If they didn't recognize neither me nor my mom from TV, I was lucky: perhaps people in Kalos didn't care that much about races? If so, I had a feeling I was gonna like this place.

"Ooooh that's right!" Shauna wondered obliviously, lifting her finger and resting it upon her lower lip as her eyes went wide with recollection. "We're so lucky you got chosen, then!"

I vaguely remembered filling the forms myself – or sitting by as my mother did it.

"But... it's not as boring as it sounds!!" Shauna amended with great importance, judging my now quiet gaze as unwillingness "The program, I mean. In fact, it's pretty awesome, you'll see: There's a lot of travelling, seeing new places, meeting new people, taking great pictures..."

"That's not all you'll do!" Calem frowned playfully.

"Yes, sure..." the girl pouted "I mean, you have to help the Professor after all... but he's not too severe, you know?"

'not too severe'... I caught myself sighing. Could I just go back inside now?

"I'm sure he'll cut you some slack, what with you being new here and all..." she added, noticing my progressive despondency.

Professor Sycamore – however cliché, I couldn't help but picture him as a harsh old man that would constantly nag and give me all that 'unused potential' crap based on who my mother was. It made me tired just to think of it...

"Hey! Never mind him, okay?!" Calem stepped forward, pulling me from the unpleasant thoughts I had been unknotting by placing a warm hand on my shoulder "It's not like you're gonna have to deal with him that much. You're gonna be out there seeing the whole Kalos with us and registering the Pokémon we see most of the time! Doesn't sound much like a research when you put it like that, huh?"

I smiled, genuinely solaced by the excited light behind Calem's eye.

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun!" Shauna helped.

"Just don't make any decisions yet, okay? Wait until you meet the rest of the gang: They just came back from Professor Sycamore's lab, and they have something for us – for the three of us!" he ensured, ruling out any chance for me to feel left out.

"Come to meet us when you're ready. We'll be waiting at the square just across route one. Don't leave us hanging long..." Shauna demanded, running ahead and waving her hand at me with a huge friendly smile "Bye for now!"

I waved back composedly.

"Well..." Calem lingered, sighing "Bye for now, neighbor. Will you meet us there?"

"I..." I started to automatically think up an excuse. I had just gotten to Kalos, I didn't really feel like running off so soon, on some Professor's errand. Nor did I like the weight of all the responsibility this program promised for my shoulders. But Calem's puppy gaze forced me to at least give the group a shot. "Okay, I'll see you there!"

His smiled widened.

"Great!! I'll see you!"

And he, too, ran off after his friend.

I watched as they turned and disappeared behind the neighboring houses. They were warm, decided, and didn't even give me enough time to feel shy and socially awkward. I think I liked them...

It could be interesting – I said to myself, and smiled to Fletching, who watched my glowing expression with curious eyes – to make new friends and travel with them. A whole new experience, if only I could find the courage to allow myself. Get out of the house, like my mother always said I should. With them, at least, I had a clean slate, and I must admit I was excited to meet the rest of the group. I swallowed dinner, picked up my hat and went out the door ignoring my mother's protests and feedback demands on the dish I had just eaten. I followed through Vaniville town's gates, across route one and towards Aquacorde, where my new friends awaited me.

***

After a long introduction, I tried out my memory skills:

"Hmm... Tierno." I pointed at the chubby boy with spiked hair, his large grin gave away the answer. "Trevor, Shauna..." The short boy shyly nodded, and Shauna lifted her hand up high as if she was in class "And... Calem. Did I get everyone right?"

"That was super!!" Tierno laughed exaggeratedly.

"Specially considering I still get them mixed!" Shauna teased.

"Heeey..." The boys objected, and I laughed.

We sat under the flaxen light of a lamp post. Aquacorde was a mellow little town, and that night was a quiet one. Few people walked in and out of the commercial venues at such an hour, and when the gang chanced to fall into silence after a collective laugh, all I could hear was the distant murmur of the water fountain down in the center of the square.

"Now, here's the surprise I told you guys about..." Tierno enthused, building tension as he pulled a large briefcase and placed it over the wooden table.

"Waaaa!" Shauna screamed in glee, leaning forward.

"Finally!"

"Let me see them, let me see them!"

I watched, the only one puzzled there. Tierno clicked the briefcase open and the three of us – Calem, Shauna and me – came closer, spying inside: Three shiny pokeballs waited on a cushion padding. I could see the reflection of our collective gaze upon them.

"What are they?" I inquired.

"Your first Pokémon" Calem proudly clarified.

"Wow..." I marveled.

"They are Fennekin, a fire-type... Froakie, a water-type..." Tierno pointed at the pokéballs. I had no idea how he could tell the difference between them "...And Chespin, a grass-type. All courtesy of Professor Sycamore!"

"Now, the Professor expects that, by accepting them, you have all officially enrolled and agreed to the conditions of the program..." Trevor warned carefully, like a devoted little lawyer. Both him and Tierno were already in the program before all the rest, so they knew the ropes, as well as the Professor, and were well suited to play a part in assisting the old man. The seriousness with which Trevor prompted us to make a decision got me second-guessing...

"Take your time now guys, don't fight!" Tierno mocked our hesitation, crossing his hands behind his head and leaning back to watch.

"Yes, we have all night: Think well before choosing... but don't take things too seriously" Trevor recommended "I mean, it's not so important to be comparing which one is stronger or anything, right?"

But apparently I was the only one who's lag was based on fundamental questionings: Shauna's and Calem's were a much more superficial issue:

"I don't care about strength, I care about what they look like. I'll have Fennekin, cause it sounds like the cutest!!" Shauna announced as she leapt at the first Pokéball.

Calem and I giggled at her innocent rashness.

"And what about you guys?" Tierno asked as Shauna hugged her Pokéball, already in love with its content before even greeting it.

Calem and I looked at each other.

"Well, neighbor... You go first. Think of it as a welcome gift." He smiled warmly.

"Alright..." I sighed.

At the end of that sigh, I decided I would do it: I'd get a Pokéball, do the deed, enroll in the research, accept its terms and conditions and see how things would turn out. On choosing my Pokéball, I'd leave it to luck: It's not like I even remembered which device held which Pokémon. After all... – I reminded myself, reaching for the case with my open hand – I never chose to come to Kalos. I didn't fill the form, I didn't send it out. I didn't choose to meet my neighbors and those people, and I didn't choose to befriend them, or to have fun like that small gang was providing me. I didn't choose any of that, and yet, right there, for some destiny twist, it all felt so right! I was curious to know where else destiny would take me if I let it...

I grabbed my Pokéball and felt my heart thump in a different rhythm. From that moment on, I was a Pokémon trainer. I was Anne, the rookie trainer; instead of Annie, the daughter of the famous Rhyhorn racer. There, on that table in Aquacorde Town, a whole new life greeted me, and with what excitement I opened my chest to receive it! With what fears, too... but even those I welcomed with strange delight.

I threw my Pokéball skyward – it gleamed against the starry sky before opening in half, spilling warm light everywhere. A small, blue frog jumped out from it, landing harmlessly on the ground next to me. Its yellow eyes opened, and carefully it surveyed its surroundings before taking me in. It looked so alive and aware...

"It's a Froakkie!!!", "Yaaaay!!" My friends screamed with excitement behind me, as if they too noticed the randomness of my choice.

Next, Shauna threw up her own Pokéball and stretched her arms ahead to greet whatever fell from it – Fennekin, a pet-like fox, fell right into her embrace. Calem soberly released his Chespin from his Pokéball, and gave it a warm but concise greeting that seemed to please the little fella into a big grin.

We talked and laughed through the evening; our little beasts running about us and stopping to stare at our faces from time to time, probably still getting acquainted to them. It was the first time we met after all, and Trevor warned me we'd be together through thick and thin from thereon out.

***

Calem was my only next-door neighbor, but the rest of the gang also lived pretty close by, so the late-night walk through route one and back to Vaniville was a jolly, noisy one. We went our separate ways after crossing the gates into town, when Calem walked me to my house. The gaiety having slowly, naturally died away, we gave each other a sober, polite farewell, but one that also expressed how happy we were for having met each other. Clearly, we all had had a lot of fun, and by the end of that night, we were all fast friends...

...But sleep didn't come so easily, however tired I was.

Alone in my room, I crossed my hands under my head, above my pillow, and stared outside through the window to the night sky covering calm Vaniville. I was away from home, in a strange land, sleeping on a strange bed. And I shouldn't get any used to it, either: Tomorrow, I'd be out into even stranger places, and how lonely that idea felt! Would I be okay?

In the darkness, Froakie slept all curled up on the fuzzy rug. His breathing was calm, untroubled – I could see it through the soft bubbles covering his back as it moved up and down. Did he trust me that much? Though I appreciated his trust in the tranquility of things to come, I couldn't help but being bugged by thoughts of apprehension. I was excited about my new journey, of course... but it made me terrified in my own right, too! Tomorrow, Froakie and I would leave on our new life together, alone, with no one to look after me, and him to be looked after. Was I a woman yet? Could I really do it? Be a trainer – and preferably a good one – to Froakie and possibly others to come? I didn't have the answer to any of those questions, and they downright scared me. All I knew was that the world had changed so fast... I couldn't keep up!

***

I slipped into my favorite dress, tried on a few hats, looked at myself in the mirror and nervously tried to change a thing or two in my appearance, hoping I would find in the reflection the readiness I lacked.

"Does this look alright to you?" I timidly inquired as I realized Froakie had been watching me with a curious gaze. His eyes were silent, though.

I sighed, accepting I was a panicked mess of sleepless night that looked the part, then smiled to my little friend.

"We have to find you a name, don't we?"

I petted him as I contemplated his beautiful color – beautiful as the sky out there waiting to unveil the first day of our departure. It was an easy pick: "Azure it is!"

Downstairs, at breakfast, I contemplated the mysterious letter that was handed to me by Trevor the previous night. I turned it around and around, curious about its content: It was written by Professor Sycamore, and I was supposed to deliver it to my mom. A postcard accompanied it, this one addressed to me - a picture of great Lumiose; behind, the date, time and place of a meeting briefly stated, followed by his signature, scribbled on with a very intricated 'S'. Whatever he had to say to my mom, why couldn't it be in a postcard as well? If I held it against the natural morning light stealing through the window, I might make out some of the dark lines written on the thin paper... but before I could decide whether to break the seal or not, my mom rose from her sleep and I had no choice but to hand it over. Spicing up my indignation, she followed receiving it with a quirky "Is this a love letter, hon?"

I rolled my eyes and she laughed teasingly. Now I had to go about my business pridefully pretending I didn't care about what it said while she sat and read it - taking her sweet time too.

"Why, what a polite man, this Sycamore guy!" she sighed at last, finished "You let me know if he's interesting enough, maybe we could invite him for dinner?" She then paused, watching me all packed up and ready to go, and corrected herself with a foxy smile "I mean, I should invite him for dinner, seeing how I'll have the home to myself... But only if he's really handsome, so you let me know as soon as you find out, okay?"

"Like I would know what's handsome to you, mom!" I replied with a fit of anger and disgust, my memory going back to the cliché white-haired, long-bearded professor image I had built around him.

"My, my..." – she breathed a long sigh, dropping herself over the couch and gazing at the letter between her fingers. The suspense annoyed me. What was in that letter that made her sigh?

...I was not ready to admit I was a jealous daughter!

But after a long thoughtful pause, my mother gave release to that sudden weight on her chest, and possibly what made her sigh in the first place, despite professors love letters:

"Yesterday, a baby... Today, a young girl standing at my door, ready to leave, and a letter from some stranger politely asking me for permission to snatch my kid away from me...!"

"Is that what it is, then?" I couldn't help but smile relieved.

"Jokes aside, don't go thinking your mother is happy to be rid of you just yet."

The drama was, hopefully, less dark than it seemed to my ears, for she followed it with a sad laugh:

"You'd better make your mother very proud, Anne! I won't allow letting you out of my sight for anything less than the very best!"

"Geesh, no pressure though..." I mocked through my equally concealed sadness.

"Yes, of course, no pressure, enjoy yourself, the journey is more important than the destination... bla bla" she waved her hand as she spoke, belittling the responsible parent cliché. After we both shared a hearty laugh, we stared at each other for a quiet and peaceful minute.

"Just hand them their asses, will ya, honey?" She tried to look tough and composed. It made me giggle harder...

Well, This was it... This was the beginning of our goodbye, I knew it then! I fixed my hat, pulled my bag around my shoulder and finally, finally felt enthusiasm overweight that lurking dread in my heart. Somehow, I was sure:

"I will, mom!"

Thus I was out of charming Vaniville only a day after arriving, jetlag be damned!

I met my neighbors again on the route to the city where I was to fight my first gym battle, Santalune, and I was glad to realize that my journey wouldn't be that lonely after all: we were all going together!

On our way there, I found that Calem's family was basically constituted of Pokémon trainers, which made capturing new Pokémon easy for him, probably something he had been doing since before proper speech – all of which qualified him as a decent instructor. He even handed me some pokeballs and helped me with my first capture: A cute fletching! I thought I could use the familiar 'chirp chirp' to remind me of home and of mom's bird. Speaking of which, I was more than pleased to babble away about the Pokémon we had at home whenever the opportunity presented itself on our jolly way, for it drowned Shauna's question about my parents, allowing me to bask in my own life and my own identity for a while longer.

Having arrived before lunch time, Santalune revealed itself such a warm place, that none of us, I'm sure, had time to feel homesick: Shauna and I shopped through the afternoon, then we all gathered at a small café for some drinks as the sun set beautifully on the horizon, beyond the trees. The air was filled with the fragrance of numberless flowers, and we could hear, in between Shauna's excited descriptions of what we'd seen that day and Tierno's dancing moves' buzz, the pleasing and ever-present sound of the water gargling in a fresh fountain nearby.

And as soon as the night set in, I set out for my first gym battle. We celebrated my victory with an amusing conversation at the hotel lobby until late, untroubled by how early we were supposed to rise in the next morning.

***

Despite my short night of sleep, I was up and about Santalune city before everyone else had even left their hotel rooms the next day. Having consumed the first day's excitement in a collective fashion, on the following day each of us had very different motivations to chase, which drove me solo to the nearest convenient store to stock up on snacks before trailing my way up to Lumiose, where we all vaguely decided to meet again for our appointment with Professor Sycamore.

I had, by then, the confidence of one badge in my wallet and three pokeballs in my belt: Azure had managed to evolve into its second form after my gym battle, Fletching had learned some strong new moves and I had captured a lovely female Pikachu to join our team in Santalune forest, so setting foot towards lavish Lumiose was an easy choice.

And though it was more luxurious, colorful, bright and pompous, the great city felt more like home to me than any other place in Kalos possibly would. There was a visual mess of people, buildings, outdoors and advertisements everywhere. The air was hot and heavy with a busy city's life circling and blending itself with some cozy-looking cafés encrusted between towering constructions, certainly a scenario maddening to the senses of one accustomed to the tranquil towns and gardens I left behind.

Always ahead of my schedule, I had plenty of time to explore – and consequently get lost – the big city before finding the lab. This latter wasn't hard at all: The mansion-like construction had two Pokeballs carved out at the front, and it was closest to the gate I had arrived by... But still, the time for our appointment neared and I was the only person there.

I looked for my friends inside the place, but they didn't seem to be there either. I personally hated being late and irresponsible more than I detested social interactions such as the one I was about to have, so having waited until the time inscribed in my postcard – which was 3pm -, I walked past the receptionist and into the elevator, pressing the button that read 'Professor's office' and sighing, hoping, crossing my fingers that they'd all already be there.

To make matters worse, the elevator doors opened and I was already inside his office. There was no door to knock on, no one standing there to receive me, just me hoping I wasn't being incredibly impolite while precisely trying to be on time.

"Hmm... Hello?" – I murmured slightly above my breath as I noticed the empty room.

"Please do come in ..." – An invisible, muffled voice sounded from somewhere in the office, as if spoken by someone wearing a mask. I looked about myself, slightly creeped out, but continued to see nothing. There was a space to the right that was separated from my view by some shelves and divisors, and there it was again: the suspense! I took careful, slow paces towards that direction, I could hear a symphony of strange noises coming from behind there, the sound of metal repeatedly scraping a surface while increasing in rhythm, glass shaking and some thick boiling liquid, as well distant sparks sizzling here and there. Before I could fully walk past the half wall that separated me from whatever weird experiment was happening, a small and contained explosion happened. I screamed in unison with the loud pop, a pink mist progressively took over my view, and the very distinctive sound of a pokeball breaking open made me stare alert into the steaming substance fogging my view. As my wary eyes adjusted, I made out a massive form landing down. The thing shrieked and moved through the substance filling the air, but as much as I squinted my eyes I couldn't make it out... And before I could...

"Look out!"

Two forms leapt out from the pink mist towards me, and I did not know which one had attacked me until I noticed a man had just pulled me by the waist against himself, and out of the way of a furious Pokémon that rolled past me like a speeding truck. It wheeled around and looked at me through its scary yellow eyes, at which point I was almost climbing whoever was keeping me from running away. A pokeball was thrown at it before it could launch a second attack, and then I was safe...

...Physically, at least. The man behind me took his time panting and recovering his breath while keeping a firm grip on me – the delay was enough to get my now cooling nerves to detect his touch – warm, too warm! His entire torso encased me, and it made me blush fatally!

"P-P-P-Professor!!" I took a wild guess, prying his arms open and jumping ahead before turning around to meet his face. I must have guessed wrong, however: this man looked nothing like the professor... Or at least I couldn't see any white beard or fat belly, or bald glimmering head, not while the air was still pink...

"Yes, the very one!" I could detect a smile "And who are you, you little intruder? Where are your credentials, and what are you doing here?"

"I'm... uhm..."

"Oh, pray don't ruin my attempt at humor by taking it seriously! I am just trying to be friendly – Of course I know who you are, but it doesn't mean a duly introduction is not in place..." And here he grabbed my unfortunate, sweaty hand in his and held it in place while the other one gave it a hearty squeeze "I am professor Sycamore! It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Anne!"

I withdrew my hand with a fast impulse as soon as it was free. It couldn't be. He couldn't be the professor... He was too... too damn... Ugh! I was utterly unprepared for what was happening!!

"I do owe you an apology for the earlier demonstration, don't I? That Unovan fiend is the fiercest Pokémon I've ever encountered and I've been trying to pacify it with all sorts of different concoctions, to no avail..." he then cast his blue eyes at me, and I felt myself petrify "...but you should know, is there a special trick to deal with the short-fused specimens of Unova?"

"I... I don't think so..."

"Have I made you equally angry already? Do forgive me, I swear I'm usually quite the gentleman..."

"O-of course not! I'm not angry!" I chuckled nervously. "It was just a silly accident..."

"Oh, you do forgive me then? In that case, allow me to ask: did you happen to run all the way here?!"

What sort of question was that?! His big blue eyes pierced into mine in such an uncomfortable way, it made me want to run for it!

"Miss Anne?" – He called again, and I realized I had forgotten to answer him.

"N-N-No!" – I nervously replied.

"How odd!" – His face came closer to mine; I flinched, and must have also moaned a little. "You are red as a pepper... And apparently short of breath, too!"

He teasingly moved his face before mine, inspecting my eyes, and I froze in place.

"The experience must have really frightened you?" – He conjectured at last and, shoving one hand inside the pocket of his dark pants, quickly turned his torso around – releasing me from the shyness spell, as well! – and walked to a big oak desk, where he pressed a button on the phone and ordered "Please bring us some chamomile tea. Miss Anne is thirsty."

"Oh, it's okay, I'm fine, I'm..." – I recomposed, also suddenly thrown into a fit of politeness, for the man standing in front of me seemed to demand no less. "I just... got a little scared, and..." I began to explain, feeling the blood rush faster and faster to my cheeks as I realized how awkward my reaction must have been.

...But before I could fully make amends for my previous catatonic state, or finish a sentence altogether, his face was back into mine, halting my tongue, and his hand fell heavy and hot against my forehead.

"Excuse me..." – he commenced, and seemed suddenly too grave, engaged in examining me.

That was it! My heart kissed me farewell in the second day of my journey and condemned me to try and live without it, for it now beat faster than my chest could handle. My legs were the second to stop, and though it followed such order, only seconds separated one failure from the other: I fell on my back, right onto the hard floor, right out of Professor Sycamore's touch.

"My, my!" – he sighed frustrated "What's the point of keeping you from falling, if you'd just go ahead and do it again?!" He joked as he circled around my limp body on the floor and stood next to my head, gazing into my eyes. A warm smile crossed his face just as my cheeks started burning brighter, and I could swear they were related.

He offered his hand again, and I decided with myself we would give a truce to the whole heart thumping thing for now, before it got too embarrassing – Why did shyness have to have such an ability to torture itself?

With a gentle yet firm grip, the Professor pulled me up, and I only stopped against his body. His hand – the one that didn't contain my wrist – delicately circled my waist, just to make sure I wouldn't fall back again... He casually let go of me then. Not a cell in his face turned brighter, not a gleam in his eyes lit up with embarrassment. Perhaps that's what it was like to be an adult: composed, mature and carefree; instead of a small grenade overreacting to every little thing!

"A rather strange introduction, I daresay!" He broke the ice "I do hope you're more skilled a trainer than you are a socializer. But worry not, I have dealt with worse cases! My little friend Trevor, whom I hope you have met by now, was such an introvert creature that he could hardly tell it straight to me what was his choice of a first Pokémon... Now he helps me out in any way he can, and every time we meet he has gathered a hundred new questions for me... Isn't that lovely?" He smiled near me again, and I felt like he was talking about a ten-year-old, rather than someone as old me.

Well... I suppose we teenagers do look idiotically young for them! My lack of spine sure wasn't helping my case...

"What I'm saying is... You don't have to hold back on me, Miss Anne... Or feel in any way intimidated by me: I'm sure we will eventually get to know each other better, and you will see that I'm not such a bad person as I might have appeared in that first minute!"

Bad?! Was he implying that I didn't like him? I felt anxiety build inside me to declare him wrong – much too wrong actually, I realized! But, in realizing it, I was caught up in that whirlwind again.

I was glad when he turned his back to me and walked over to his desk, for his eyes were inexplicably too big for me – they were all I could see.

"So here we are, Miss Anne..." He leant on his table, almost sitting on it, and faced me in his calm and warm state.

We were no longer breathing of the same square of air. His eyes were no longer inexplicably big inside mine... talking was easy again:

"Just Anne..." – I replied.

"Why, is that how you want me to call the famous racer's daughter?"

Ah, there it was again, though it had been forgotten – the pang of jealousy! The letter, my mother's interest... Her question: was he handsome?! He was easily the most beautiful boy I had ever seen in my life! But then again, he wasn't a boy... so how could that be? Why did the center of my chest overreact so awfully, and what should be made of it?

Looking at him made an instant lump grow in my throat – there was absolutely no doubt that he was beautiful, and probably what my mother meant by 'interesting'... so what did that mean? Did it mean she would go out with him?! Would I have to respect him as some sort of stepdad? I felt the color return to my face again, but this time inspired by the much uncomfortable fire of anger, so I scared the thought away with a punch to the forehead.

"So... you know her, huh?" My eyes met the floor, following the rug's pattern.

"Know her? Oh no, I don't! It would be a pleasure, though."

Some sort of memory or mental image must have crossed his mind, for the smile in his soft and moist lips stretched farther and his eyes twitched almost imperceptibly. I wish I could demand to know his thoughts, so I could purge and forbid them.

"I do, however..." he continued, giving them word "...remember her from the TV." He stood again and assumed a few paces toward me. "And you too, I'm sure I've seen your face many a time..." This time I had already caught up a fascinating light in his eyes, and made myself too busy looking and examining it to draw back into fear's wide throat. "You have grown quite a lot, though! I might not even have recognized you, if it weren't for your name...!"

Ironically, at the end of such sentence he stood before me with his hands into his pockets – he was so tall, looking down at my face, that the world 'grown' seemed to lose its meaning.

All I had for him after that was an awkward and silent smile, probably tainted with all the blood flushing through my face. He examined such reaction for a bit too long, as if deriving some sort of mean-spirited pleasure in watching me blush so, and let out a chocked giggle eventually – innocent enough to overrule my first impression of a slightly sadistic nature.

"Well, young miss..." he turned around and paced back to his table "it is a pleasure to have you in my team! Let's promise to do a good work, yes? I have something to tell you..." his eyes turned to face me again, and smirked confidently "...all of you, actually!" he waited a few seconds to add, as if teasing me into thinking there was something special about me other than being the daughter of that famous racer.

I felt myself sink slightly into my shoulders. It seemed that only then the professor looked around himself, with an almost grave look, and realized I was the only one of his pupils present.

"Why, where are your friends, young lady?"

"Late, it seems!!" I must have let the angry thoughts slip into my voice tone. Things would be endlessly less awkward if they had made it in time.

"I hope they won't take too long..." he looked down to his desk, over the holograph of what seemed to be... I took a few steps forward, gazing curiously, but the professor quickly closed it before I could grab a satisfactory view. I did, however, seem to make out my face in the form's picture – the one I sent volunteering for that position.

He sat himself on his chair, supported his elbows on the table and crossed his finger together. Above his hands he laid his bony chin, where a few short strands of a beard pointed out from his skin. It was a smooth skin... Pale, but not in a sickly way... In fact, it made a very interesting contrast with his dark locks of hair falling over his face and his eyes, curling very gently at the tips.

...the air grew heavy again.

In retrospect, it was funny how he allowed me to examine his features freely – he didn't talk from his position for a long minute in which he just looked at me with a fixated smile, almost as if playing statue for my own confused pleasure. I felt nervous at that word... pleasure! Why would I feel that just by looking at him?

"Where is Sophie with that tea... I should go get her." – he spurted, feigning to apologize for his indelicacy... but his body didn't move to meet his declared will, almost as if he expected me to say no.

"Don't bother!" – I quickly added.

"Well, I suppose we should get going, after all! Your friends will probably be here soon, but I don't want to leave you hanging much longer, miss Anne... We will have to start without them!"

"Just Anne..." – I repeated in an interiorized murmur.

His tall legs lifted him up again and he walked around the desk, facing me.

"I want to battle, if it's okay with you..." – he smiled in the most charming and playful way, reaching for two pokeballs on his table.

I felt immediately unsure and intimidated, deciding I was far from good enough to face a professor in a battle! He must have seen an unwanted drop of nervous sweat run down my forehead, for he laughed:

"Oh, don't look so troubled... I should warn you: I'm not that tough!" – he smiled again, thoughtfully giving me confidence!

I decided I liked him already... Though he seemed to refer to me and that small group as "children", there was something very youthful about his manners that seemed to strive to keep us at the same level. It was something curious to see in a grown-up man in a superior position such as his.

"Are you ready? Can I begin?" his voice was warm and soft, attentive.

I nodded, reaching for my pokeballs. A satisfying smile crossed his lips, and he sent forward his first choice.