A/N: Hello lovely people! This story has been forming in my mind for almost a year now, and I've very excited to finally bring it to life. This is my interpretation of how Black/White 2 could have been, and although these first few chapters will be similar to the opening in the game, the plot will rapidly draw away from the game's story. I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter One - Beginning

There was no city greater than that of Aspertia, so naturally, Rosa made it her business to hate it. Hundreds of powerful Pokemon trainers passed through the gates every day, taunting her with adventurous eyes and bags of secrets. The city was an essential stop for anyone looking to become champion. Aspertia boasted a powerful gym leader, magnificent woodland scenery overlooking a lake, and a school that out turned the finest trainers available. For travelers, visiting the city was a treat.

If the devil himself offered to exchange Rosa's soul for a one-way ticket out, she might consider taking it.

As the teen dipped her toes into the pond outside of her blue-tinted house, it was all she could do to keep her eyes on the rippling water instead of gazing towards the far north gates in longing. Professor Juniper had promised to send her assistant to Aspertia that morning so Rosa could choose her first Pokemon and finally start her journey as a trainer.

Her dream of leaving her dreary hometown and traveling the world was coming true at last.

Except it was almost two in the afternoon now. Rosa tucked a lock of long russet brown hair behind her ear and bounced her foot against the surface of the water restlessly, and a pair of Goldeen that had been resting near the bank swam away in irritation.

"Sorry." She murmured to the fish before withdrawing her feet. The skin on her legs had turned an angry red from being in the cool pond water. They tingled as Rosa pulled her socks back on.

The sound of wood whining on a rusty hinge sounded behind her, and Rosa looked back towards the house. Her mother's angelic face peered around the door, and as she stepped outside onto the grass, an enormous smile made her chocolate eyes crinkle around the edges. Rosa's heart sputtered.

"Rosa, Hugh called. She's here."

In an instant, Rosa was on her feet. She tugged on her tennis shoes without bothering to unlace them, hardly listening as her Mom said, "Hugh said he'd meet you outside the Pokemon center so you can go together. Isn't that thoughtful?"

"I'll see you soon Mom." Rosa took off towards the square, her shoes slapping against the pavement as she ran.

The city was bustling with activity as Rosa made her way through Aspertia. People and Pokemon alike filled the walkways as they went about shopping and chatting. Autumn was a busy time of year for most people. The harvest had already come to pass, and with it the opening of numerous farmer's markets across Unova. Aspertia's had taken over the main square. Vendors offered a rainbow of squashes and vegetables, and near the booths selling baked goods and homemade sweets, a hint of caramelized sugar carried on the wind.

Rosa didn't have time for the merchants calling to her to try their products. She ducked and dodged through the crowds, only slowing to wave to an elderly women running a flower booth who always gave blossoms to traveling coordinators.

Rosa's chest was heaving by the time she broke free from the crowds and spotted the red roof of the Pokemon center. As promised, Hugh was standing out front, easily discernible by his midnight hair in its signature spikes. His long arms were crossed firmly against his chest, and his crimson eyes tightened as she approached.

"It's about time. Bianca may have already given your Pokemon away with you lagging behind for so long. I've been waiting ages."

The corner of his mouth pulled down as Rosa stopped in front of him and leaned over to catch her breath. "Geez Rosa, you're out of shape. I thought you'd been training."
"I have been," She gasped, "But I ran all the way from my house. Aspertia isn't small you know." Rosa straightened up, fighting to steady her breath. "Where is Professor Juniper's assistant?"

"Her name is Bianca, and she's up on the ridge. Come on."

Hugh turned and started up the square, and Rosa took off after him. Rays of sun glinted brightly against the silver bricks that made up the path, but Rosa didn't bother shielding her eyes. The two friends reached the hill and sprinted up the stone steps, Rosa taking them two at a time, and both were grinning when they reached the top.

A woman in her early twenties stood alone near the edge of the lookout. She was wearing a sea-foam green hat that rested lightly atop short blonde hair, and on her slender shoulders she wore a bright orange jacket.

The sound of footsteps made Bianca turn, and as she did, she grinned and pushed a pair of scarlet glasses back to their place on the bridge of her nose.
"It's so beautiful up here, don't you agree?" She stepped away from the ledge and towards the teenagers. "You must be Rosa! I'm Professor Juniper's assistant, Bianca. The professor wishes she could have been here to give you your Pokemon in person, but she's so busy with her research she couldn't find the time. You know how it goes, being a famous Pokemon professor." The giggle she emitted hinted at her pride. "Anyway, it's so nice to meet you!"

Bianca pulled Rosa into an unexpected hug that made her stiffen, but Bianca seemed so enthusiastic Rosa returned the gesture to be polite.

"This must be so exciting for you! I remember when I got my first Pokemon, I could hardly stand the wait. My friends and I all started our journeys together, just like you and Hugh! It's crazy how history seems to repeat itself."

Rosa was grateful when the passionate assistant pulled away, but as Bianca's eyes flickered up and down her body, the beaming smile changed into a puzzled frown.

"Oh, but aren't you a bit old to be just starting as a trainer? You know people are usually about ten years old when they go, you didn't have to wait until you turned seventeen- "

"I wanted to finish school first." Rosa interrupted, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. "My mom gave me the option to go when I turned ten, but I wasn't ready yet."

That wasn't entirely the truth. Rosa had always felt ready, but she also knew that eventually she would have to complete high school. That would mean putting her journey on hold to come back to Aspertia, and the thought made Rosa cringe. Once she started her journey, she fully intended on leaving her hometown for good. It had been difficult watching her classmates collect their Pokemon and head off as trainers, but Rosa was in it for the long haul. Permanently returning to Aspertia for any reason was not a viable option, so she'd kept her head down and focused on graduating. It had been the longest seven years of her life, but having Hugh stay behind with her had made school easier. He insisted he had his own reasons for finishing his education, but Rosa was grateful to him just the same.

The look Bianca gave her in return told Rosa she was unconvinced, but she let it go. "Alright then, better late than never I guess." Bianca pulled a metal case from her bag and presented it to Rosa like a gift. She tapped a round silver button on the side, and the glass cover pulled down to reveal three pokeballs.

"Tepig, Snivy, and Oshawott, in that order. They were all hatched and hand raised in Professor Juniper's lab, and they'll all make great partners. Of course, you only get one, so choose wisely."

"And don't just choose one 'cause it's cute." Hugh interjected, tilting his head meaningfully and raising a midnight brow.

Rosa didn't need time to think about it. She plucked the pokeball on the far right from its place in the case and held it delicately in her hands, as if it were a precious jewel. It expanded under her touch.

"Alright Oshawott," She held the ball out in front of her. "Come on out."

A flash of red light poured from the pokeball as it opened, and a small otter Pokemon appeared on the stones. It stretched its small body and opened its mouth into a huge yawn, then turned its black eyes on Rosa. They glistened as he blinked rapidly, then settled as the creature stared. "Osha?"

Rosa placed her bag down onto the concrete next to her. She knelt down to eye-level, ignoring the sting of pebbles digging into her knees. "Hey there Oshawott, I'm Rosa, your new partner. I'm happy to meet you."

Oshawott's eyes tightened. He crossed his flippers in front of him and turned his head away, clearly unimpressed.

"Well there's no need to be like that. Come here, you little punk." She scooped the Pokemon into her arms and nuzzled him against her, ignoring his wriggling body as he tried to escape. Rosa's hair swung wildly as she rose to her feet, rocking him and cooing playfully. Oshawott's fur was soft and a bit slippery, but despite his efforts, he couldn't squirm free. Finally, the Pokemon rag dolled in defeat.

Rosa laughed, and Hugh rolled his eyes.

"I don't think he likes you much."

"Hey, don't say that, Hugh. You'll make things worse. Besides, Oshawott is just a tough guy, aren't you?"

Rosa placed him back on the ground and impishly poked the water Pokemon's stomach. He glowered at her and turned away again. "You don't like being messed with, and having such a girly trainer could ruin your image." She sobered. "But you know, you can only go so far on your own. You may not like me now, but with work, we can make each other stronger."

Oshawott huffed, still refusing to look at her.

"Look, I'm not asking for you to trust me. All I want is a chance. After all, I'm taking a gamble on you too."

Bianca looked like she wanted to say something, but Rosa extended an arm to quiet her.

Oshawott scowled at the trees for several more heartbeats. Then he nodded his head.

"Thank you. I promise I won't let you down."

Rosa inwardly sighed in relief. She hadn't known whether that would work or not. Oshawott seemed like a stubborn Pokemon, and even though she hadn't expected to clash with her partner on the first day, she was determined to make it work.

"You know, if we're going to be partners, I think you should have a real name. Would you mind if I called you Zaveid?"

Bianca, who had been practically bouncing throughout the entire exchange, chimed in behind her. "Zaveid? That's kind of a strange name for a Pokemon, don't you think? Or for anyone, really. Why not just call him Oshawott? Or Oshie? That's kind of cute."

"I don't think cute is really what we're going for, Bianca." Hugh muttered dryly.

Oshawott seemed to agree. His chest had puffed at Bianca's comment, and he glanced sideways at Rosa with a "is she serious?" expression that made Rosa feel oddly pleased.

"Zaveid it is."

Hugh started rifling through the bag at his waist, ignoring the sound of glass and plastic clinking together as he searched. He finally withdrew a pokeball, which expanded it in his hand.

"So Rosa," He said with a smirk, "Now that you've finally got a Pokemon, what would you say to a battle?"

"Oh, you're on. Let's show him what we've got, Zaveid." Rosa skittered back to the steps to make room, and Hugh swaggered to the other side of the ridge.

Bianca clapped her hands in excitement. "Ooh, this is just like when I got my first Pokemon! Okay, this is a one on one battle. Last Pokemon standing wins."

"Snivy, let's go." Hugh extended his arm, and light spilled from the pokeball he held. The serpent Pokemon immediately bent into battle stance, and Zaveid did the same.

"Alright you two, let the battle begin!"

Straightaway Hugh called, "Snivy, use tackle!"

"Zaveid, dodge it then do the same!"

Snivy was off before the words were out of Rosa's mouth. Zaveid managed to skid to the left before Snivy's head could ram into him, but before he could launch an attack, Snivy had already danced out of range.

Rose frowned. "Dang, that little sucker is fast."

Hugh sniggered. "It's called sunlight, Rosa. Snivy's ability to photosynthesize makes its movements swifter. Didn't you learn anything in trainer school?"

"I sure did. Zaveid, lower his defense with tail whip!"

The move normally involved the Pokemon turning and wagging its tail in a charming sort of way, but instead Zavied charged at Snivy. Snivy was caught off guard and tried to move out of the way, but Zaveid twisted and whacked Snivy across the face.

The snake fell backwards onto the asphalt. It hastily returned to its feet, dazed but otherwise unharmed.

Her expression bemused, Rosa said, "Well, that's one way to do it. You really don't do cute, do you Zaveid?"

The Oshawott snorted.

"Alright then, use tackle!"

"Snivy, vine whip!"

Creeping plants extended from Snivy's sides, cracking threateningly. Zaveid was practically on top of Snivy now, but the snake crossed the vines in front of its body in a protective X. Rosa shouted for Zaveid to move, but the vines hacked down on his body and he slammed against the ground.

The Oshawott was unconscious.

"Zaveid!" Rosa ran to her pokemon and gathered him in her arms. He stirred as she rocked him, and his dark eyes opened.

"Osha?"

"You're all right." She soothed, pulling a potion from her bag. Earlier that day she'd gone shopping for traveling supplies, and now she was grateful she had. Rosa sprayed the medicine across the giant X on Zaveid's forehead, and immediately the marks started to fade. Then she cuddled her Pokemon against her.

"You did wonderfully. Next time, Hugh is absolutely going down."

"Is that right?" Her friend returned Snivy to its pokeball. "I kind of doubt that, Rosa. You and I both know you've got a lot to learn before you'll to be able to defeat anyone. You were so busy chatting you forgot to battle. What kind of strategy is that?"

Hugh paraded across the stones and offered Rosa a hand. She considered refusing it, but Zaveid sprung from her arms and shook himself off, leaving her alone on the pavement. Rosa sighed dejectedly and extended her arm, and Hugh hauled her to her feet.

Bianca approached from her place near the ledge, waving one hand flippantly, "Don't take it too hard, Rosa. It was your first battle, and Hugh had the type advantage. I lost my first battle too, and look at me now."

The words were meant to be comforting, but as Bianca patted Rosa's shoulder, anxiety gnawed at her stomach and she had to shy away from the touch. Much of her time in school had been spent doing field research. Some of her studies were interesting, and they certainly served a purpose, but it wasn't what she wanted to spend her life doing.

"And who knows, maybe you'll discover you aren't meant to be a trainer after all. I know I certainly did!" Bianca giggled and clapped her hands once in front of her. "But that's part of the journey. By the way, I have something that might help you be more prepared for your next battle. Tada!"

Bianca handed Rosa a glossy red pokedex. It gleamed in the sunlight, and Rosa managed a "thank you Bianca" as she stared at it in wonder.

Beside her, Hugh chuckled.

"Compliments of Professor Juniper. It doubles as your trainer ID, so don't lose it. See, it's got all of your information loaded into it. Oh, look how cute you are!"

Rosa instantly clicked the side button, turning the screen black.

Bianca pouted. "Unfortunately, it doesn't yet have any data, so you'll have to fill the pokedex on your own. It'll be good experience for you, though. There are tons of different Pokemon species out there, and who knows how many haven't been discovered yet. The dex will really help with the professor's research, so don't neglect it!"

The pokedex really was an amazing gift. Rosa wasn't really sure how to express her thanks, but settled for, "Tell Professor Juniper thank you for me, Bianca. For this, and for Zaveid." Rosa tucked the pokedex away in her bag, then picked up Zaveid's pokeball and returned him to it. She attached it to the belt around her waist.

"I sure will. It was a pleasure meeting you both!" Bianca threw her arms around Rosa for one last hug, offered Hugh a huge smile, and then started back down the stone staircase.

Hugh yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Well Rosa, as moving as this has been, I think I'm going to head out too."

"You're out of here already, huh?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to see you get your first pokemon, but now I think I've stuck around this town long enough. Snivy and I have a region to conquer." Hugh started down the stairway, but then paused and turned back to look at Rosa. "Remember to always take care of your Pokemon Rosa, and he'll take care of you. I won't be around to keep you out of trouble, so I guess Zaveid will have to do." He hesitated. "Get stronger. I expect a rematch."

Hugh offered a final wave, then walked away, leaving Rosa alone.

Rosa didn't follow immediately. Instead she walked to the edge of the ridge and leaned against the metal railing. Her eyes looked past the abundance of trees to the horizon beyond, to the place where the skies and the earth seemed to merge. Her body felt so light all of a sudden, as if the weight of worlds had been lifted from her shoulders.

Like she was finally free.

Swinging her bag over her shoulder, Rosa turned and followed her friend down the staircase.