The sun peeked over the hilly countryside on the outskirts of Pallet Town, heralding the start of a beautiful late spring day. The sound of a Dodrio's cries could be heard ringing in the air as the sleepy little town quietly began to awaken and bustle. One man however was already up and running, staring out of the window of his observation room at the top of his home for all these many years. A sense of pride was plastered across that wizened face of his, the streaks of gray in his hair now much lighter than in the past. Still he wore that lab coat with pride with his hands firmly tucked behind his back. He walked back over to the full length mirror near his computer and gazed into it, making sure he looked properly dapper.

"Ahhhhh, Pokemon League registration day! How I love it so! Fresh young faces, eager and full of life. Ready to go off on an adventure with their Pokemon. It's days like this that keep me young again." Professor Oak stood in the mirror straightening his collar. "Boy I tell you, nothing I love better than sending little kids out into the wild with nothing but tiny creatures to protect them, yessir!" 

"Gramps, who are you talking to?" The voice came from the stairwell behind the professor. Up stepped the Viridian City Gym leader, Gary Oak who had entered the room to see if his grandfather was finally ready to greet the arriving trainers. "There's no one in here."

"Sure there is! The Pokemon listen to me! Or at least, they will until I give them to the trainers!"

"You don't have anymore Pokemon to give away Gramps! You gave away your last one ten years ago, remember? That Bulbasaur you gave to that homeless guy? Who ended up going on a drug crazed rampage off of it's spores?"

"Oh yes, I remember now! Little Johnny was so happy. Yes. But if I have no Pokemon to give, then how will these new Trainers get their first Pokemon?"

Gary sighed as he explained things to his grandfather for the umpteenth time. "They've already caught their own."

"Really? Kids these days. So self reliant. Back in my day ten year olds just sat around drooling on themselves and playing jacks. Fun times."

"Gramps most of these trainers aren't even kids anymore! I'm pretty sure I saw half of them out drinking in Viridian last night!"

Oak shook his head. "My my, they grow up so fast. Well, I'm sure they will still enjoy their Pokedexes. I made them myself you know!"

"No you don't." Gary rested his face against his hand. "We get them shipped in from Hoenn every time we need a batch. The last one you actually built contained nothing but dirty limericks and your grocery lists from the past two years. Someone scanned a Slowpoke and the screen literally said dumbass."

"Yes well, let's get ready to greet the young ones then." Professor Oak finally turned away from the mirror and walked over to the Viridian Gym Leader. "Come on downstairs...um...what was your name again?"

A nervous twitch appeared in Gary's left eye. "FOR FUCK'S SAKE OLD MAN! MY NAME IS GARY! GARY MOTHERFUCKING OAK! I'M YOUR GRANDSON!"

"Oh yes! I remember now. Your name is Gary. Well let's go downstairs Gary." With that, Professor Oak began shuffling down the stairs.

"God damn it. I shouldn't have to do this. I'm a gym leader. Where the hell's that Tracey guy? Never see him around here, he should be doing this!! Probably off scarfing down more donuts." Gary then followed his grandfather towards the stairs.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As he walked down the path outside of Pallet Town, Erik squinted as the sun hit his face. He put his left hand up to his face to try and shield his eyes, but it wasn't doing much good. "Damn. Should have remembered those sunglasses." He adjusted the small duffel bag that contained the belongings he brought along for this Kanto excursion. He looked over at his travelling partner, who was currently smiling and sunning herself as she sat on his shoulder, blue and red flowers outstretched towards the sunshine as if she were reaching for a cookie jar on the top shelf. "At least you're enjoying yourself, huh Katya?"

The tiny Roselia looked over at her trainer, still smiling as she kept her eyes closed. "[color=00a651]Rose! Rosel...[/color]" [color=00a651][i]You bet! It's so nice up here...[/i][/color] She returned her attention to the basking.

Erik simply chuckled and smiled. "Well then I guess I can put up with scorching my retinas for you." He looked up ahead, the large observatory on the hill where he was told he'd have to register for the Kanto competitions was in the distance. "Although I don't know why we had to come all the way out to the middle of nowhere. Could have easily just started in Vermillion. There was a gym there." He looked back over at Katya. "Though I guess it's best to get you some experience anyway."

Katya let out a content sigh. "[color=00a651]Rose.....[/color]" 

"All right, well we'll just have to make the best of the opportunity then...and definitely buy some sunglasses when I get the chance. Holy crap, I almost miss the Route 210 rainstorms now." The two continued up the road toward Oak's Laboratory to get this Kanto Conquest underway.