Agh authors note... Welcome to Soul Reader! I am currently working on trying to touch up ALL of these chapters which will take a long time! So this is as far as I when i wondered why this first chapter was so long?! What was i thinking?! Anyways I want to thank my Beta reader for helping me out. Its always appreciated! If you read this and like the first chapter i do not advise going on to the next until i fix them up too. So just follow it and youll see it as a much better revised version! Enjoy!

Chapter one: The Start

Beep beep BEEEP

"Ugh!" yelled a sleeping brunette. Rolling over in bed, she looked over at her blaring clock and noticed it was seven AM. She groaned once again, threw her sheets off and slapped the clock to silence it. She walked sleepily to the bathroom for a shower.

When she got out she was much more awake, and rushed down the stairs to be greeted by her mother. "Good morning, Soul!"

"Morning mom!" Soul replied cheerfully as she sat at the table. She picked up the utensils and ate the breakfast her mother had made: eggs and bacon.

Soul's mother was worriedly glancing at the kitchen clock. "Soul…what time were you supposed to be at Professor Elm's lab again?"

"Uh…eight. Why d'you ask?" Soul asked. She continued to scarf down her breakfast.

"Sweetie, it's eight-fifteen."

Soul's eyes widened in shock and she looked up at the clock herself. Sure enough, it was eight-fifteen, so she was late. Great. But in seconds the urgency hit her, and she shot up from the table, snatched her bag—"I'm late, I'm late! Bye, Mom!"—and ran for the door.

Her mother yelled after her. "Wait! Your Poke Gear is coming from the shop today!"

"All right I'll get it when I get back!" A moment later she was out the door and running. The lab wasn't that far, hardly a mile. She could be there in minutes. Those minutes seemed to fly by, and soon enough she was running up the front steps to New Bark Town's Pokemon lab. Soul was about to open the door and go inside when a flash of red hair caught her eye.

'What was that? A Pokémon maybe?' She frowned and looked at the door in front of her biting her lip, debating whether or not to go in. She sighed and ran after the red blob to the side of the lab. 'Oh! It's a boy! Darn.'

"Uh, hello there." She greeted nervously. The boy at the window jumped in surprise and glared at her. He looked annoyed at being interrupted.

"What?" he snapped.

"Uh, I just said hello." Soul responded nervously.

"I know what you said." He snapped again. "What do you want?"

The guy's attitude made her grown. "What? I can't say hi to somebody?"

The boy shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, freak. Leave me alone."

Soul huffed and put her hands on her hips. "No I won't! What are you even doing staring in the window?" She questioned glaring at the boy.

The boy met her glare head on as a glaring contest ensued. As much as the boy was clearly trying to anger or intimidate her, Soul was instead captivated by his stare: 'What pretty eyes….' She thought; they were a beautiful crimson shade, lovely in the light of the morning.

"HEY SOUL!"

Soul and the boy both jumped, and she turned and smiled as the owner of this voice came up the hill to see her. It was her longtime friend Ethan. He ran up to them, excited as could be. "You're late! We were starting to get worried!"

Soul paled, 'Crap, I was running late to meet Professor Elm!'

"Sorry, I was…talking to this guy and lost track of time…."

Ethan frowned, "Uh, what guy?"

"What do you mean 'what guy,' the guy right—wait what?" Soul stammered. At some point the boy had disappeared. Ethan glared behind her. He knew exactly who she had been talking to, and didn't' like it. He roughly grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the lab as she protested.

"What's your problem?" Soul huffed as she blew a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"Hm? Well, Elm wants to see us, you know." He said carefully. Soul frowned as she followed him into the main lobby of the lab. He quickly let her go as the Professor ran up to them happily.

"Soul! Ethan! There you two are!" Soul smiled sheepishly as Ethan just shrugged; he seemingly wasn't too upset about their tardiness. "I'm so glad you both made it. I have a favor to ask the two of you! Soul, would you mind picking up a package from Mr. Pokémon. I told you about him before, he lives north of Cherrygrove City. It's very important that I get the package! I`ll even let you borrow one of these Pokémon to keep you safe along the way!"

"W-What? Really?" Soul exclaimed happily. The professor nodded and led them to a folding table in the back of the room. He had set three Pokeballs neatly in the center.

"You have three choices. The three 'starter' Pokemon native to Johto." The professor announced picking up the Poke balls and releasing the Pokémon inside them.

"First up, is Totodile. A water type." A little blue alligator looking Pokémon wagged its little tail excitedly.

"Next up is Chikorita, a grass type." A cute plant Pokémon smiled softly and mewed up at Soul.

"And last but not least, Cyndaquil, the fire type." A little yellow and blue Pokémon with squinted eyes appeared and sneezed.

"Soul, go head and pick one of them. Ethan, would you like one also?" Soul frowned a bit at the professor, confused as to why he would even have to ask.

"Uh, sure!" Ethan replied trying to sound excited. Soul shrugged it off and studied the Pokémon carefully. The Cyndaquil seemed to be quite lazy, and then it even stuck its tongue out at her. 'Okay, obviously not the Cyndaquil….' She then looked at the Totodile as it jumped around and started to run in wild circles. 'Uh, a little to energetic.' Then she looked over at the Chikorita, sitting on the far end of the table. It smiled kindly smiled at her as the brunette stared. Soul smiled and knelt down and held her hand out. Chikorita immediately walked over and nuzzled her hand. Her choice was definitely made.

"I`ll take Chikorita!" Soul exclaimed excitedly.

The professor smiled, "Good choice! Ethan, what about you?"

Ethan laughed and pointed to Totodile. "I'll take this little guy." Totodile stopped running in circles and stared at Ethan in awe. Then suddenly with no warning it jumped three feet in the air and grabbed at Ethan, snuggling into him happily.

Professor Elm nodded at the two of them and then turned around the Soul. "Soul, I've told you where to find Mr. Pokemon. Ethan, would you be willing to get me a package, too? But one from Violet City?" Violet City was quite a ways away, but Ethan shrugged and accepted the mission with a casual "sure."

The professor nodded and immediately gestured for them to leave. The two teens ran out the door. Elm cupped his hand over his mouth and shouted at them, "Be careful!"

They waved back at him, and arrived at the entrance road to New Bark in minutes. Ethan faced his friend. "Well, I'm off to Violet City. Could be a day or more till I'm back. Do you want me to go with you as far as Cherrygrove?

Soul shook her head at the offer. ""No, I`ll be fine! Besides I have Chikorita!" she said, giggling as the little Pokemon clambered up from her arms onto her shoulder.

Ethan saw each of their happy faces, then hesitantly nodded and smiled softly at her. "All right, but be careful. You have no idea how dangerous it is."

Hearing this remark, Soul frowned. "Dangerous? I doubt that. The Pokemon around here or Cherrygrove are hardly dangerous. Anyways, bye Ethan! I forgot I have to get my Poke Gear first, and tell my mom I'm going. I'll see you when you get back home!"

Ethan still frowned as he watched her run back. "Idiot, you have no idea." He chuckled humorlessly. His new Totodile let out a small crow with a frown on its face. He smiled again and rubbed its head. "Come on, let's go."

"You have got to be kidding me." Soul grumbled as she stared at the man in front of her.

He frowned sadly,

"Sorry miss, but you`re almost there!" the stranger said all too cheerfully. "Here, let me give you this Apricorn Box!" He lifted a basket looking thing up to her.

"Uh, thanks! I guess I better get going!" She replied just as cheerfully. The man nodded and waved at her as she left, still all smiles. After hours of tiresome walking, a guy like that was the last thing she wanted to meet up with. "Well, at least it wasn't a complete waste of time right?" Soul questioned as she continued up the path. Her Chikorita cooed as it walked beside her. Soul smiled as a house came into view beyond the next grove of trees.

"Look! This has to be the right house!" she said, and began to run. It was the only house for miles around, so surely this was it. She ran up to the front door and knocked on it eagerly. A few taps of her foot later, the door opened to reveal a man with blue hair and a fancy top hat. When he asked her business here, she said, "Yes, I'm here to pick up a package for Professor Elm?"

The man nodded and beckoned her to come in. "Oh! Yes! Come right this way have a seat and I'll get that for you."

Soul smiled in thanks and sat in one of the nearby chairs to rest her tired feet. Chikorita climbed up the chair and found its way to her shoulder yet again. Soul then frowned as she felt like someone was staring, and she was right. She jumped out of her skin when she saw an elderly man staring at her from another doorway.

"Uh….." Soul started awkwardly as she shifted in her seat. The man's eyes widen and he shook his head,

"I'm sorry miss. But, where did you get that Pokémon?"

Still frowning a little at the man's weird staring, Soul patted her Chikorita. "Well, Professor Elm gave me it. And you are?"

The man smiled and nodded happily. "Right, my name is Professor Oak. Can I ask you a favor? Would you complete this Pokedex?"

Kind of caught off-guard by the randomness—from a famous guy, no less—Soul smiled nervously, "Uh, sure?"

"Good, good here you go. All you need to do is capture Pokémon! Or at the least, see every kind you can. If you're close enough to see it, the Pokedex will definitely sense it and record information on it. It also has a sensor that tells what attacks a Pokemon is capable of. Why don't you try it on your Chikorita? Soul frowned and pointed the device at her Chikorita. Immediately the colored bulb on it lit up, and was flashing with information on Chikorita. It even had a little computerized voice.

Chikorita the leaf Pokémon

Type: Grass

Average height: 2'11'

Average weight: 14.1 lbs.

Using its pleasantly aromatic , it can sense the humidity and temperature around it.

Moves known: Tackle, Growl, and Razor Leaf.

"Whoa, cool!" Soul exclaimed as the professor nodded.

"Yes, it is quite the device, no? Took me many years of trial and error. Why don't you give me your number, so that I can evaluate your Pokedex anytime." Soul nodded and exchanged numbers with him. "Here, I'll write it down for you, miss, uh?"

"My name's Soul."

"Right here you go Soul. Now, be careful with the Pokedex, it's a very delicate thing."

Soul nodded and took it carefully. She tucked it into a pocket of her bag that buttoned shut, and it was safe from falling out. At the same time, Mr. Pokemon came out of the back hallway, holding a wrapped parcel. He greeted Soul and immediately thrust the thing into her hands. She took it under her arm, just as gently. "Thank you. Bye, Professor Oak! Bye Mr. Pokémon!" she said as she left.

When the door had closed itself, and the speeding footsteps of Soul had gone, Mr. Pokemon spoke up. "Interesting girl, isn't she?"

"Yes, quite." Professor Oak sat down in the chair Soul had occupied.

"So, you made her a Dex holder huh?" The professor nodded. "Do you think that was a good idea?"

Oak smiled contentedly. "I think she can handle it."

It was late in the afternoon, and Soul's energy was nearly spent. Her sneakers skidded down the last ledge of the hill in front of Cherrygrove. Once she passed through the town for the second time, she had two or three more hours of walking to go yet. "Ugggh…I'm ready to go home…I'm so tired! Why can't there be a Skarmory to fly me home…"

*RING RING PHONE CALL PHONE CALL*

She had enough energy to jump at the sudden blaring ring. Soul answered the phone with an exhausted frown and drawled "Helloooo?" into it.

"Soul?! It's awful! Just awful, how could this have happened?! You need to come see this, so please, please hurry back home pronto!" Then he hung up. Soul checked the caller ID to see it was Professor Elm, and distinctly remembered not giving him her phone number. But she only shrugged and kept up with Chikorita. They trudged through town together like zombies, ignoring everyone and everything, focused only on walking forward, forward—"Oof!" Until she crashed into somebody, and they both were knocked over.

"Ow…"

She groaned and sat up. She then gasped as she realized she was on top of somebody. "Oh! I'm sorry! Hey, are you okay?" She leapt off the person and offered her hand to help them up. But they slapped her hand away. Only then did she notice who she's barreled into.

"I'm fine." Said a boy with familiar red hair, and Soul's eyes went wide.

"I-It's you!" She gasped, pointing a finger at him. The boy frowned then smirked as he saw her Chikorita staring at him.

"…..Want to battle?"

Soul frowned. She wasn't even really a trainer yet, so had done no serious battles. "Wha? Uhm…sure I guess. What do you think?" She asked her partner who nodded eagerly. "All right. Then go, Chikorita!" Chikorita shot forward and stood in front of her, ready for its first battle as well.

The boy scoffed at his new opponent and threw a Poke ball in the air. Soul stared as Cyndaquil popped out of the ball. It sneezed.

"Wha? Hey, did the professor give you Cyndaquil?" Soul asked carefully.

The boy smirked at her. "You could say that."

That sounded weird. Soul frowned and took the first move. "Chikorita, Tackle!" Chikorita barreled forward and slammed into the Cyndaquil before it could respond. The redheaded boy clacked his teeth together, looking angry. He shouted at his Cyndaquil to use Tackle as well, but Chikorita dodged, twice, and then three times. It took four tries for the little fire-type to finally hit the agile little Chikorita, but when it did, the attack was powerful. Chikorita was knocked over and skidded several meters behind her caretaker.

"Oh my gosh! Chikorita, are you all right? Can you keep going?" The Pokemon was standing still and ready, a sure sign. "Okay. Then Razor leaf, hard as you can!" With a small battle cry, Chikorita flung its leaf, and fractions of it were flung off, hurling towards the opponent.

"Ha! Idiot!" The redhead spat. "Ember, Cyndaquil!" His Cyndaquil breathed deep and spat out a dozen tiny spurts of flame that burnt Chikorita's leaves to nothing. But as the flames were burning, Soul was already thinking ahead, and commanding her Pokemon to run forward. By the time the flames had dissolved into the air, Chikorita was flying towards its enemy head-on, and a hard Tackle attack hit home. Cyndaquil had the wind knocked out of it, and it didn't stand up again. Chikorita sat down, panting hard. It had won, but just barely.

Soul jumped up, shouting in delight. She ran to her Chikorita and scooped it up in the air. "You did awesome, Chikorita, so awesome, that was great!"

"That's stupid." The boy frowned behind her.

Soul stopped jumping around and stared confusedly at him.

"What do you mean?" Soul asked the stranger.

"Praising your Pokemon like that. You think it'll get stronger if you squeal over it like a house pet?" he said.

"She's not a pet, she's my equal!" Soul said she was starting to get mad.

The boy was still not impressed. "Whatever. What's your name?" he grunted.

"Soul, and yours?"

"That," he said as he pushed past her, "Is none of your business." He strutted off into the streets of Cherrygrove.

"You don't have to be so rude!" she grumbled as he disappeared. She huffed and placed her hands on her hips. She turned on her heel next, but was stopped by the feeling of something under her shoe. It was a card, and she picked it up. It was a trainer's license. 'Must belong to that guy…. She thought. Along the top was his name—

Out of nowhere a hand snatched card out of her hand, and almost knocked her onto her butt. "Give me that!" He growled and walked away, practically stomping.

She frowned as he left. 'How odd…. why can't I seem to get to know him?' She shrugged the matter off as she often did, and picked Chikorita up. New Bark Town and apparently some crisis was still a long walk away…

This took forever! I thank my Beta reader for putting up with all that bad grammar! I'm going to try and fix those chapters as fast as possible! So bear with me! Also leave a Review on what you think and all that jazz. I love to hear your comments!

-Keari