I've been replaying Pokémon White recently in anticipation for the sequel (I still can't believe it. A SEQUEL to a Pokémon game?!), and realised how much I liked the story. So I thought I'd write my own version of it, with a few differences from the game itself. Enjoy!

I was perfectly content until Bianca woke me up.

"MASON!" she shouted in her hyperactive voice. "WAKE UP!"

I soared nearly six feet into the air and landed on the floor, peering up at my overexcited friend with pain all over my face.

Bianca was one of those people that you only needed to look at to trust. Her face showed her honesty and her green eyes shone with mirth constantly. Her green beret (which I'd often told her, not entirely as a joke, looked ridiculous) was perched on her bright blonde hair, and her dress was, as usual, orange and white.

"I'm gonna complain to management," I murmured drowsily. "I didn't order a wake-up call."

Bianca giggled at my joke and peered down at me. "Did you forget?"

"Forget what?" My nose got a sharp rap from her finger. What was I, a dog?

"You did! You forgot that today's the day we get out Pokémon!"

I was wide awake in an instant.

"WHAT?! THAT'S TODAY?!"

She looked at me with wide eyes and blushed.

My eyebrows furrowed. Why was she blushing? Then I glanced down at myself and realised the reason for the red flooding to my friend's cheeks.

I was only wearing my boxer shorts.

"One sec," I murmured, holding up a finger. I grabbed some clothes from my wardrobe and darted into my bathroom, dressing quickly.

Before I went back out, I looked at my own reflection in the long mirror. I wore a light blue jacket over a white T-shirt that had a stylised Pokéball on it. My pants were long and black, and I knew my shoes, which were downstairs, were red and black.

As for the rest of me… Well, it was nothing special. My hair was brown and messy, and my eyes were a hazel colour. At least, that's what my mom told me. As far as I was concerned, they were just brown.

"Sorry about that," I apologised to Bianca as I left the bathroom. It was then that I noticed that Bianca wasn't the only friend of mine who was standing in my room now.

Cheren, who was the best in school, was unchanged from his usual. He wore his red-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, and his black hair was flat on his head. Like me, he wore a blue jacket, though his was darker than mine. His pants were also black.

"Sorry about what?" he asked, confusion in his voice.

I flushed, not looking at Bianca. "Nothing."

Cheren rolled his eyes. "Well, your mom's downstairs. She's got the package from Professor Juniper with her."

Bianca gave him a long look. "If that's true, then why are you up here and not picking your Pokémon?"

He shrugged. "I figured it'd be better if we did it together."

"Aww…" I said in a fake sweet voice. "You're so sweet, Chewen!" I grinned.

Despite himself, Cheren laughed. "Shut up, Mason." He looked at us both. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah!" Bianca and I replied in tandem.

I stepped forward. "Since it's my house, I'll lead."

"We know our way around, Mason," Bianca protested.

"Bianca," Cheren replied in a long-suffering tone of voice, "it's just good manners to let the man of the house go first."

Comprehension dawned in her honest eyes. "Oh! I get it!"

Cheren and I looked at each other and sighed.

**POKÉMON**

My mom was waiting for us downstairs, just like Cheren said. When I was a little mid, I'd always said that my mom was the prettiest woman in Nuvema Town. Sometimes I'd even say that she was the prettiest in the Unova region. Although I admit now that that's a bit of an exaggeration, my mom is and always will be pretty. Her brown hair was long and untied, and she wore her usual plain white dress under a green apron that was constantly there. She was sitting at the table with two packages surrounding her; one on the table itself, the other was next to her feet on the floor.

"Morning, Mom!" I said cheerfully as I led Bianca and Cheren down the stairs.

She glanced up at us and smiled. "Morning, Mason. And hello again, Bianca and Cheren."

"Hi, Miss Carter," they both replied.

I began to look at the package on the table in wonder. "Is that the…"

Her smile widened as she nodded. "Professor Juniper came by with it not long after Bianca got here."

"Hey, there's a note!" I exclaimed, pulling the note from the package.

"Well, what does it say?" Bianca asked petulantly.

I started reading the note aloud, imagining Professor Juniper's voice as I did.

Mason, Bianca and Cheren, it read, it's been a while since I've been able to help new Trainers get started on their Pokémon journey, but I'm really glad that I can help the three of you. Inside this box are three Pokémon: Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott. I'll let you pick who'll have which Pokémon. Just do it amicably. I don't want the three of you to start fighting!

Professor Juniper.

PS. Once you've picked your Pokémon and bonded with them for a little while, come see me at my lab.

Bianca was grinning from ear to ear. "What're we waiting for? Let's pick our Pokémon!" She darted towards the box, only to be stopped by Cheren's restraining arm.

"We're letting Mason pick first, remember?" he murmured.

Bianca's face fell slightly. "Sorry."

Grinning at them, I opened the box to reveal the three Pokéballs. Luckily for us, Professor Juniper had placed pictures of each Pokémon in the lid of the box. My hand darted towards the Pokéball in the middle. Still grinning, I threw it high in the air.

Before it reached the roof, the Pokéball opened with a flash of light, which landed on the floor. The light took shape, and my first Pokémon looked up at me with curiosity in its face.

It was red and brown in colour, and its curly tail stood up in the air. Its snout flared slightly, and embers came out of it.

I crouched down next to it and smiled. "Hey, Tepig. My name's Mason. Glad to meet you!"

Tepig looked at me with a mixture of wariness and curiosity.

"It's OK, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna be your friend." I held out my hand cautiously.

The Pokémon eyed the hand suspiciously before nudging it with its snout. Eventually, it started rubbing its head on my hand, a bit like my mom's Purrloin used to.

I smiled again as Tepig nuzzled my hand, wincing slightly as an ember landed on my palm. I scratched behind its ear, which it seemed to really like. I grabbed the Pokéball from the floor next to me and held it out. "Okay, now that we've gotten to know each other, how about you go back into your Pokéball?"

Tepig shook its head vigorously.

"No?" I tilted my head. "Oh, you must be one of those Pokémon that doesn't like to be in a Pokéball, huh?"

Tepig did not respond.

I scratched its head again, causing it to relax. "Okay, you'll stay with me. Would you like that?"

The Pokémon gave a happy grunt as it looked at me.

I smiled at my friends. Bianca had unshed tears in her eyes, while Cheren smiled back.

"It's just so beautiful," Bianca blubbed, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

Cheren rolled his eyes again.

"Uh, before I forget, Mom," I said then, "what's with the other box?"

"Oh, this?" She picked it up and handed it to me. "It's nothing much."

I opened the box and gasped happily at its contents. It was a new pair of shoes; although they looked exactly like my old pair, these ones were brand new.

"Wow! Thanks, Mom!" I hugged her.

She chuckled and put my hat, which had been lying next to the Pokémon box on the table, on my head. "It's my duty as your mom to help you out," she laughed it off.

**POKÉMON**

Later, after Bianca had picked Snivy and given Oshawott to Cheren, we made our way to Professor Juniper's lab, wondering what she was going to say to us.

Once we got there, we noticed that Professor Juniper was working hurriedly on…something. Her Pokémon, a small Minccino, followed her every move with curiosity in its eyes.

Cheren cleared his throat. "Professor?"

She stopped and swung her gaze to us. She looked both panicked and glad to see us. "Bianca! Mason! Cheren! Great to see you!" she greeted us with a strain in her voice.

"Uh… What did you want to see us about, Professor?" I asked carefully.

"Oh! Right!" She darted back to her desk and picked up three small rectangular devices; one was black, one blue, and the third green.

"Would you guys consider taking these three Pokédexes with you on your journey?"

"A Pokédex?!" Bianca and I exclaimed.

Cheren adjusted his glasses. "What my friends mean is, 'Yes, we'd love to.'"

I regained my composure. "Yeah… What Cheren said," I commented lamely.

Bianca was still staring at the devices, stars in her eyes.

I groaned. "If she's always gonna be like this, it's gonna be a long trip."

Cheren nodded sagely.

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