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-What have I done? - Ark asked himself. He had made a "True Oath" and was going to have to deal with the consequences of it whatever they might be. -Its going to come back to haunt me I just know it.-

"Well thank you for your help Ark." A sarcastic voice said behind him. Ark turned around and saw that it was Lady Willow.

"I suggest you leave. Now." Ark responded with as much venom as he could.

"Why ever should I do that? I just wanted to thank you for all your help with the Miltank. Loading it should have been a challenge without you. I know my servants can be rough with animal's som-" Lady Willow was suddenly cut off as she found herself hurled to the ground. Ark stood defiantly over her shaking with nearly uncontrolled rage.

"If you ever call a pokemon an animal again I doubt I'll restrain myself like I am right now." Ark stared straight at Lady Willow in an attempt to try and sear through her soul with no more than a gaze. "You're truly lucky that this is the only time I've heard you say that." Ark walked away at this point, he wasn't going to continue this anymore he'd said done more than he should have and was going to regret this as well.

-Never know what the day will bring. - Ark sighed mentally.

Ark was still shaking with rage as he heard his uncle calling for him for him. -Just who I didn't want to hear. How are you going to pull yourself out of this one? - Ark's rage vanished immediately as hurried to his Uncle unsure of what he would say to explain himself.

Uncle Draven was waiting on the back porch away from the barn with a bottle of Ark's favorite wine. Ark knew it meant serious business whenever there was wine involved.

"Ark there's something we need to talk about. Lady Willow mentioned that you disrespected her. I want to hear your side of the story." Said Draven, pouring Ark a glass of wine.

"I know I shouldn't have disrespected her like I did, but I couldn't help myself the combination of both Alexis getting sold to her and her "Better Than Thou" attitude pushed me over the edge and I couldn't help it." Ark shook his head at his horribly put together excuse. -Might as well tell him all of it. - "Then her servants took away Alexis without my assistance-"

"You made a "True Oath" didn't you?" Interrupted Draven surprising Ark. "Yes I know about it, there are signs that a person can feel when a "True Oath" occurs, especially one as powerful as that. Tell me though what exactly did you say when you made it."

"Okay." Ark then repeated His "True Oath" word for word, when he finished Draven had a solemn look about his face.

"There's little I can do about what you've spoken in that oath, and since you made it you're going to be responsible for the consequences of it. Is there anything else you want to say?" Asked Draven, his voice calm and caring.

"No not that I want to talk about." Ark knew he should have said something about what happened afterwards but decided against it. - I've given him enough to worry about.-

"All right." Draven looked doubtful. "Ark, I want you to tell me something. What do you plan on doing with your life?"

Ark truly shocked by the question, took a minute to collect his thoughts. "Honestly I've never thought about it. I guess I could still run the farm."

"The Farm is barely scraping by as it is; I give it another five years before I'm going to have to sell it. What then do you have another plan?"

"No. Like I said I never really thought about it before."

"You should always have a backup plan Ark, remember that. Have you thought about seeking a career in pokemon training?"

"Sometimes I think about it but the chances of making a decent living are-"

"Quite high if you train properly." Draven interrupted for a second time in their conversation. "I know what your about to ask, yes there are risks to it, yes you could die if your not careful during your journey. However, the chances of a fully prepared trainer dieing are next to nothing. Anything else?"

"No I think you covered most of it." Ark still felt uneasy about being a trainer despite Draven's assurances that it was reasonably safe.

"Good now normally I wouldn't have suggested this. However Lady Willow said that you were childish I finally realize that she's right in her own way." Draven paused for a sip of wine before continuing. "She wants you to attend a finishing school, but I already had plans to ask you if you wanted to become a trainer before hand. All she did was push the date that I wanted to ask you ahead. Being a trainer will help you grow up in the areas that need it, mainly the social aspect. So now the choice is up to you, do you want to become a trainer or attend a finishing school like Lady Willow wants?"

It took Ark a minute to decide. "I'll become a trainer. Honestly I don't think there's any way I could handle a finishing school."

Draven smiled broadly. "I thought you might. Now first things first you need a pokemon. It's a better experience if you go and catch it yourself rather than being given one." Draven reached into his pocket and pulled out a somewhat purplish white and red pokeball. "This is a very special pokeball. Before I give it you I want you to promise me that you catch the first pokemon that you feel is right, not the one you think is the most powerful or rarest. Please just promise me that much."

"I promise that I will."

"Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me." Draven said with a tone that suggested he'd made a mistake like that before. "Now go begin your adventure by catching your first pokemon. I look forward to what kind you bring back." Draven commanded while giving Ark the pokeball.

Ark finished his wine and stepped off the porch heading out past the fences that kept the miltank close by, his mind buzzing with idea's about what he wanted as his first pokemon. Before long Ark was at the fence line that separated Draven's farm from the small forest. Ark felt like it was a good place to start looking for a good pokemon.

Barely twenty feet in Ark came face to face with an oddly colored red and pink absol instead of the usual blue-black and white. Both the pokemon and Ark froze in shock. Ark could hardly believe his luck, such a pokemon was sure to be a wonderful find especially since they were rare in the first place. Ark started to grab the pokeball that he'd been given but something stopped him.

-This doesn't feel like I thought it should. - Ark thought remembering his promise. -I should catch him just because it's an extremely rare pokemon from what I've heard. The fact that he's oddly colored makes even more so. - Ark sighed wishing he wouldn't have had to make that promise.

"Don't worry I wont try to catch you." Ark said aloud.

The Absol seemed to get over its shock at Arks statement. Instead of bolting immediately, the Absol stayed and watched Ark for a minute as if to reassure itself that he was being honest. Then as soon as it had appeared, the Absol vanished.

-Uncle is going to get an earful when I get back. Still maybe one day I can come back and catch it. - Ark chuckled to himself trying to see if he could spot another pokemon around. His pulse quickened as he heard a twig snap to his left. -I never thought trying to catch a pokemon would be this exciting.-

Ark spun to his left hoping for a chance to see a pokemon but saw nothing. He froze as something grabbed his back.

"You humans are interesting." Said a voice that sounded like a mixture of many different voices. "Yes calm down I'm a Chatot." As it noticed Ark getting tense. "For your information I do know what I'm saying. I swear you humans are all alike thinking that we, and by we I mean all Chatot's, just copy people's voices for the fun of it not knowing what we say."

"I never said-" Ark began.

"That? No you didn't need to say that, I could tell you were thinking it." The Chatot interrupted. "Now I hope you don't plan on using that pokeball on me. I've already been caught and released twice. Why? I couldn't tell probably because I'm somewhat annoying. Can you imagine that? Well I doubt you could since you've only just met me. So now that I've got that out of the way, why are you here?" The Chatot waited patiently for an answer.

"I'm here to catch my first-"

"Pokemon! Ok now I get it your starting to become a trainer aren't you. As long as it isn't me, I've had enough with the catch and release thing. Therefore, I guess you need some help trying to find a good first pokemon. I believe there may be an Absol around here somewhere."

"I've already seen it. It didn't seem like the po-"

"Pokemon for you? I suppose not. They're usually for experienced trainers unlike you. May I make a suggestion?"

"Please do." Ark said through gritted teeth. -This bird is getting irritating.-

"There is a Lopunny about fifty or so yards directly north of here. She is a bit of a strange one from what I know of her but she could be what you're looking for. Well now, I'll just leave you with that. Don't get lost as you humans generally do. Well good-bye." The Chatot flew away abruptly without waiting for a response.

-Annoying thing I can see why the trainers released it before, still I think that it's rude to just catch a pokemon and release it just for the fact that it's annoying. - Ark felt sorry for it. -At least it gave me some advice before it left. - Ark proceeded to head north trying to find the Lopunny that the Chatot spoke about.

At about forty yards north Ark slowed to a crawl hoping that the Lopunny was truly around here and this wasn't some ploy created by the Chatot. A thought passed Ark's mind -Aren't Lopunny only supposed to evolve by the happiness of a trainer. If that's so then why is she here and not with her trainer? Could she be another released pokemon? - Ark pondered over these questions while crawling forward until he came just outside a clearing.

There wasn't much to describe the clearing; it was around thirty feet across and twenty feet wide with a stump in the center. Near the stump stood the Lopunny that the Chatot said was there. The Lopunny was about four feet tall with ears nearly as long, brown colored fur coating most of her body except her lower legs, most of her ears, and her wrists. Ark could tell that something was wrong with her but couldn't put his finger on it.

Ark kept trying to think what was wrong with her but eventually gave up. -I don't care what's wrong with her. It doesn't matter. - A sudden realization came across Ark. -It doesn't matter because she's perfect in my mind. She has to be my first pokemon, I can't think of any reason why she wouldn't be.-

Nervously Ark stepped into the clearing, pokeball in hand. The Lopunny noticing the sound of his movements stared straight at him keeping her red eyes on him, watching his every movement.

"I wish to catch you Lopunny. For some reason you seem like a perfect first pokemon for me." Ark announced soothingly. "If you want to flee at any time you can, I can always try to find another pokemon." The Lopunny stood perfectly still, her eyes not leaving Ark. -Well no time like the present. - He thought and lobbed the pokeball at the Lopunny.

A near blinding flash of red light filled the air around him as the pokeball went through the motions of catching a pokemon. Ark waited nervously as the pokeball shuddered once, twice, and then a final third time before laying still. Ark was overjoyed with himself that he'd caught his first pokemon successfully. He wondered if he should let the Lopunny out yet but decided he'd get back home first. It took Ark a few seconds to judge where his house was at based on the position of the sun and his keen sense of direction.

In what felt like a very short time Ark was back at the farm his feet aching from his small journey.

"Uncle I'm back!" He shouted towards his home.

"I'm right in the living room. Come on in I want to see what you caught." His uncle called through a window. Ark went inside dragging a little bit of dirt inside. "Well you seem pleased with yourself I take it everything went well."

"Yes I'll give you a recap." Ark began to tell Draven everything he'd seen, giving him a piece of his mind when he told him about the absol, but thanked him because if he'd never meet his pokemon without making that promise, since he would have caught the absol instead. He spoke briefly of the annoying Chatot, and its advice, finally finishing with the pokemon that he caught deliberately avoiding what species it was. When Ark finally finished Draven looked relieved that Ark had fun on his little journey.

"Well enough talk I want to see what kind your pokemon is. The suspense is killing me."

Ark pulled the pokeball from his pocket and released the Lopunny that was inside. The Lopunny was slightly shaken but adjusted quickly by sitting down on a cushion. She shook with what seemed to be fear as she looked over both her new trainer and someone else. She wasn't scared just nervous about what they would think when they found out about her "imperfection" that caused her to be released by her first trainer.

"A Lopunny huh? Tell me Ark how did you evolve a Buneary so quickly?"

"I didn't I found her in the wild, I guess someone else released her when she evolved."

"Most likely it was a trainer that focused in pokemon contests, pokemon get rated quite poorly for not being a perfect example of their species."

"I think she's a perfect example, she's got a flaw that I can't put my finger on but it doesn't really matter."

"It's her "eyebrow" tufts or rather the lack thereof"

The Lopunny winced at those words.-That was what the judges said on the day that I was released.-

"I didn't notice that before, it just didn't seem to matter."

"You did notice, but you didn't care about it because your mindset was different from her previous trainer."

"Excuse me but could you not speak of that anymore." The Lopunny said in her native tongue of pokespeak, her voice was as sweet as honey. Instantly regretting it because she knew they couldn't understand her.

"Perhaps we should change the subject." Said Draven looking knowingly at the Lopunny. "Have you decided a name for her?"

-Did he just understand what I said? - The Lopunny asked herself staring at her trainer's uncle. All he did was nod as if he knew what the question was.

"Not yet but I'm sure a name for her will pop up soon."

"All right. Now as your probably aware you need some supplies thankfully you don't need to spend much time at all, I've packed most of it for you already." Draven said as he handed his nephew a near bursting backpack. "Inside you'll find a bag of rolled oats, a couple of fire starters, a book that can help you identify edible wild plants and mushrooms, some cooking utensils, a jug to help you carry some water with you, and of course your trainer card, you'll need it if you want to do any of the gym challenges. This should hold you until you arrive Eterna City about 20 miles south, it shouldn't take you more than about two or three days to get there. It's a bit of a trek but I think you'll manage. When you get there I want you to stock up on any supplies that you used and if you managed to accumulate some extra money from a trainer that you beat or a rare item that you sold you could buy a bike however if you plan on using the forests instead of the routes it isn't worth it." He smiled as his nephew was looking through the supplies. "Got all that?" laughing as Ark's head shot up hitting the pot with a dull thunk. "You should be careful, you might dent it."

"Yeah I got it." Ark said rubbing his head.

"You should head upstairs and get the money that you have saved and anything else that you think you'll need."

Ark got up and went upstairs his Lopunny started to go after him but Draven stopped her.

"Listen I know you've had a hard time with a trainer in the past but I can assure you that Ark won't ever do anything like that to you. Who knows you might even think he could be worthy of the "Gift". Yes I know about it why else did you think I was able to understand you?" Draven said in perfect pokespeak. "Now go upstairs and get to know him a little."

"You are a strange one." The Lopunny remarked

"Yes but not as half as strange as some." Draven retorted and with that, Lopunny went upstairs.

~

-What else should I pack? - Ark asked himself. -honestly I cant think of anything else.- he heard his door move and saw out of the corner of his eye his Lopunny come into his room. "Hi there." He greeted her warmly. "I'm almost done. I'm just thinking about what else I should take."

He saw that she had picked up his music player with curiosity all over her face. "It's a little music player that I bought a while ago want to try it?" She nodded. "Okay here lemme get the headphones." It took him a second to find them and plug them in. he slipped the headphones somewhat awkwardly near her ears and turned the music player on. He selected a song that was his personal favorite "Dragons wing" by "The Lost Ones" a very popular music group that played all manner of songs most of them without words, this was one of few that had words and it told the life story about a powerful trainer that specialized in dragon type pokemon.

When the song ended, he shut off the music player. "So you like it?" asked Ark.

"I love it." She said nodding vigorously knowing he couldn't understand her.

"Well then I guess we'll take it with us." Ark Smiled. -We have something in common already. - "Well that's all I can think of so what do you say we get going?" Lopunny nodded again she could tell she would get along with him very well.

"Uncle I think we're ready to go!" Ark shouted.

"How about you bunk here for the night first?" his uncle responded.

"What do you say?" he asked his pokemon

"Sure why not." She shrugged her shoulders hoping she got her point across.

"Sure why not." He shouted back to his uncle.

-Did he truly understand me or was this just a coincidence? - Despite her thoughts she felt herself getting closer to him. -This is different from my first trainer much different, and in a good way.-