FicWad

In a simple home located in the Paldea region, a fourteen-year old with bluish/black hair and amber gold eyes was in his bedroom, currently reading a book while sitting at his desk. The room also has a bed and a TV with a OLED model Switch console hooked up to it. To the right of the TV is a map of Paldea and a cupboard adorned with stickers of Drifloon, Hatenna, and Applin. On the wall next to the bed is a green poster with a Poke Ball. On the lower left corner of the room is a mat with a giant Skwovet doll.

After finishing up on the book he was reading, the young boy, Sean, sat up from his chair and began making his way downstairs, where he saw a familiar Skwovet standing at the bottom of the stairs. The Galar Pokemon noticed the boy, letting out a cry before scurrying towards the kitchen.

"Heh, same old Skwovet." Sean mused with a chuckle. "Food is always the first thing on it's mind."

Finally arriving downstairs, Sean walked through the lounge and towards the kitchen where he saw his mother, Lauren, at the kitchen sink with two plates of food nearby, while Skwovet was munching on a pile of food in its own bowl.

"Good morning, Sean!" Lauren said kindly, approaching her son with a friendly smile. "Oh! Already in your uniform and everything! Well, it is your first day at your new school, after all. I'm so excited for you!"

"Thanks, Mom." Sean replied as they carried their plates to the dining table "I want to make sure I'm ready for my first day at Naranja Academy."

"Still, you might want to cool your engines before you go racing out the door." Lauren spoke up, getting Sean's attention as she spoke once more. "The school contacted me and said that you're supposed to wait here a little while longer. Their words, not mine! Apparently there's something very important for your first day that still hasn't arrived."

"Huh, I wonder what it could be..." Sean began to wonder while eating his breakfast, then the sound of a doorbell ringing caught his attention "Huh?"

"Maybe that's the very thing we're waiting for!" Lauren assumed "Sean, get the door, would you?"

Sean nods as he went to the front door, opening it to see a older man standing at the entrance. He has white hair, along with goatee and glasses. He wears an orange blazer with six Poke Balls on it, a black shirt and white pants and shoes. Sean allowed the man inside the house, which the man smiled at as he walked inside.

"Do forgive the intrusion." The man said in a polite tone. "You are...Master Sean, yes?"

"That I am, sir." Sean replied, being formal in his response.

"On behalf of the academy, I must apologize for the late arrival of your enrollment documents." The man placed his hands behind his back, crossing them together "Ah. And also for my delay in introducing myself. I am the director of Naranja Academy. You may call me Mr. Clavell."

Lauren walks up to them, looking quite surprised. "The director?! And you came in person to help my son with his first day?"

"Well, I am responsible for the entire academy—including any failures on its part..." Clavell holds out a small bag to hand to Sean's mother. "So here at last are the enrollment documents that should have already been delivered to you."

Lauren accepted the bag, then frowned. "Goodness, you really needn't have... Since you've come all this way, can I at least offer you a cup of tea?"

"Ah, no need to trouble yourself..." Clavell said, feeling like he was being an inconvenience at the time.

Lauren looked to her son "Sean, I've got a thing or two to discuss with the director here. Why don't you head back up to your room and finish getting ready for school? You'll need your bag—and your hat as well!" She turned to the Director "Now, Mr. Clavell, you simply must join me for a cuppa. This way..." She gestured towards the lounge.

Clavell couldn't help but smile. "Well, how can I refuse such a kind offer?"

As the two adults made their way towards the lounge, Sean went back upstairs and into his bedroom, where he sees his hat and backpack resting on the bed's corner post. He grabbed them, putting the backpack on before placing the hat on his head, adjusting it to make sure it was on straight. It was then that he noticed two picture frames on his bedside table.

The first picture showed him standing with a girl with pink hair, wearing a white and pink hat, a white blouse with short sleeves, along with a long-sleeved baby-blue dress. Both were smiling as they were standing behind a large Ferris wheel.

The second picture showed a younger Sean with another boy that was few years older than him, sharing the same hair and eye colors, indicating that they are brothers. Beside the two boys was their mother and a man with short black hair and brown eye, indicating that this was the father.

'Always follow the path you choose and your destiny will arise... That's what you taught me...' Sean thought to himself as a sad smile was etched upon the young boy's face. He then removed both pictures from the frames and carefully placed them in his pocket. Gotten what was required, Sean began making his way downstairs, where he began to hear the voices of his mother and the director.

"I see... That day must've affected him." Clavell spoke in a slightly concerned tone. "Does he ever talk about it?"

"No." Lauren answered softly, gripping the cup in her hands firmly with a solemn frown. "It was a difficult time for all of us, especially Sean. We all lost someone that day. I'm just glad that I have both my sons."

Sean must've realized they were talking about that certain day which changed the family's lives, leading them to move to Paldea for a fresh start in life. A few months prior to that, Sean's older brother left home to attend at an academy at the Unova Region, claiming that he will get strong in his own way. For some time, Sean wanted to be as strong as him, and declared he will battle his brother one day. He decided to make himself known to the two adults, and Lauren stood up from the couch.

"Oh, just look at you! All ready for your big first day!" Lauren said happily.

Clavell approaches the young teen with a approving smile. "Yes, the uniform of our storied academy suits you quite well indeed." He then gained a look of realization. "Oh, gracious. How very careless of me. I had entirely forgotten that I've something else for you, Master Sean. A most important thing. But your living room is hardly the place for it. Would you care to follow me outside?" He made his way towards the door and left the house.

Lauren stood by her son, wondering what the director meant "I wonder what this important thing might be... Let's follow the director out and see, shall we?"

Both mother and child exited their home, where the director was waiting for them as a small breeze blew past them. Sean adjusted his hat before looking towards Clavell.

"Right then, dear Pokémon. Time to come out of your Poke Balls." Clavell took out three Poke Balls, throwing up and releasing three Pokemon that stood in front of Sean, who was amazed at the sight of them.

The first is a quadrupedal feline Pokémon covered in pale green fur. It has green ears with pale green insides, a tuft of fur on the front of its chest and a green marking around its pink eyes and nose that resemble leaves. It has a fluffy tail and small paws with pink paw pads underneath and no visible toes.

The second is a bipedal crocodile Pokémon with a mostly red body and a white stomach and face. It has black eyes and triangular nostrils, and its mouth has three teeth, with one in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw with two bright yellow tufts of flame on top of its head. It has stubby arms and large feet with two black toes on each foot. It has yellow square scales on its stomach, back, tail, and the soles of its feet.

And the third is a white duckling-like Pokémon. It has a yellow beak and blue eyes. It has teal webbed feet and a large teal coif-like crest that covers its head, with a feathery tuft in the front and a white curvy line shaped like a wave.

"Wow... They're so cool." Sean said in total awe.

Clavell smiled at what the teen said before speaking. "We provide each student entering the academy a Pokémon of their own. I'll ask you to choose which among these three you'd like to have as your partner." He gestured to the green cat first, which purred. "Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon." Next, he gestured to the red croc, who scratched its chin. "Fuecoco, the Fire Croc Pokemon." Finally, he gestured to the white duckling, who waved slightly. "And Quaxly, the Duckling Pokemon."

"Sprigatito... Fuecoco... Quaxly..." Sean muttered to himself, now remembering the Pokemon's names.

"They're all very good company. Why, they usually refuse to even leave my side." Clavell told him, but what surprised him was three Pokemon all approaching and looking at Sean, who smiled and began petting them all. "What's this? Hmm. So it turns out they're more interested in you, Master Sean, than familiar old me. I do wish I could stay and see which one you'll choose, but I must be off to my next home visit... I'll be at the house just over there." He pointed to the other house down the road "Take your time with your decision, then come find me once your mind is made up."

"Right." Sean replied as the Director took his leave.

Lauren walked up to her son "What a mannerly fellow that director of yours is!" She looked to the Paldean Pokemon and smiled "These three are all lovely—but you need to choose just one, right? Not an easy task!"

"Was it like this when you chose your Pokemon partner?" Sean asked.

"Yep." Lauren answered with a nod. "I was so nervous that I almost lost my composure. Then, I learned to follow my heart and make the decision. Oh! But before you go... I got you a little something to celebrate your big day!" She holds out a shiny red phone. "Take it with you if you're going out on your own."

Sean accepted the device, which then began to move and float in front of him, and he noticed a familiar face on the back. "A Rotom!"

Lauren smiled. "It'll help keep you from getting lost, so take good care of your new gadget, OK?"

"I will, Mom." Sean replied as the Rotom Phone flew into the pocket of his backpack.

"Now off you go. Have fun!" Lauren stepped forward and gave her son a warm hug before walking back inside her house.

Sean watched her go, then looked at the Pokemon. "Alright, guys. Let's see what the day brings us!"

With that said, Sean and the three Pokemon took their first steps down the road towards the next house, where the young teen watched the trio wander around the area, taking in the sights all over which was enough for Sean to be smiling. Although, he began to ponder on which he will choose to be his first Pokemon.

It wasn't long until Sean reached the next house, and walked up the stairs and at the gate, taking in the sight before him until he turned around at the three Pokemon, to find them gone.

'Oh, boy... I'm in so much trouble now...' Sean mentally grimaced as he glanced around, only to see the trio scattered around the garden of the house 'Never mind.'

At the fountain, Quaxly was washing its coif-like crest, splashing the water away. Nearby, Sprigatito was sniffing by a bunch of flowers and meowed as a breeze caught some petals. At a tree on the front porch, Fuecoco jumped in glee, approaching a fallen apple when a petal lands on its nose, causing the fire croc to sneeze out a flame and burn the fruit to a crisp.

"Heh... Poor Fuecoco..." Sean chuckled softly, then looked over to see Director Clavell walking out the house, along with a teenage girl, who was now petting Fuecoco.

"Are you these three's Trainer?" The girl asked, turning to Sean, who got a better look of her.

The teenage girl has bright orange eyes, black hair tied into a ponytail with two locks of her hair at the front of her head were highlighted green. She was wearing a white button-up short-sleeve shirt and orange shorts that was the Naranja Academy uniform. She also wore a pair of black tights under her shorts as well as a small backpack on her back with a strap going across her chest. The girl and Director Clavell, along with Sprigatito and Quaxly returned to Sean while Fuecoco was now holding onto the burned apple.

"Not quite." Clavell began to explain. "Master Sean has yet to make his choice, you see. I do wonder which of them he will choose as his first Pokémon..."

After that was said, Sprigatito, Quaxly and Fuecoco stood in a line in front of Sean, who watched as Fuecoco took a bite of the burnt fruit, which made Quaxly raise a wing. Fuecoco understood and dropped the apple which rolled away. Sean, Clavell and the girl all laughed at the scene.

"Buenas!" The girl exclaimed with a cheery smile "We haven't met, have we?"

"I must say, I wasn't expecting to see you here quite so soon." Clavell remarked, adjusting his glasses.

"Hang on, Director...Is this who I think it is?" The girl asked, earning a nod from Clavell.

"Yes, this is our academy's newest student, Master Sean." Clavell gestured to said boy. "He will be attending as of today."

"So you're the kid who moved in up the road!" The girl realized, looking quite excited "I've been dying to find out more about you! I'm Nemona! Normally I live in the school dorms, but home is here. Whaddya say, new neighbor - wanna be friends?" She extends a hand out to Sean, who was caught by surprise at the sudden question.

'Well, this is a first considering that I always had trouble making friends back in Galar... But she seems sincere. And Mom would want me making friends here. Wouldn't hurt to try.' Sean thought as he began to smile and shook Nemona's hand. "Sure. Let's be good friends." He replied while still smiling.

Nemona looked glad to hear that "Love that enthusiasm! We're gonna get along just fine!"

"Miss Nemona is president of our student council and a Champion-ranked Trainer in her own right." Clavell explained.

"Really?" Sean sounded surprised after hearing that information, then looked to Nemona "Wow, that sounds amazing. To think my first friend in Paldea is a Champion-ranked Trainer!"

Nemona grinned at him. "I absolutely love Pokémon battling! In fact, we should battle right now - you and me!" She clasped her hands together in sheer excitement.

"Easy, now - you two will be in the same class, so you'll have plenty of time to battle later! And get to know one another better, of course." Clavell remarked.

"We're gonna be neighbors and classmates?" Nemona looked more excited than ever "Nice! We'll be able to battle all we want!"

Clavell cleared his throat, once again getting everyone's attention. "On that note, Master Sean..." He gestured to the starter Pokemon "Have you decided which of these Pokémon you would like to be your first partner?"

Sean looked towards Sprigatito, Quaxly and Fuecoco, whom are all looking back at him, as he began to contemplate on which Pokemon he will choose as his partner that will take him on a adventure through the Paldea Region. Staring at them each equally, his attention was soon then brought to a certain one that he took an interest in.

"Okay..." Sean finally spoke up. "I choose..."