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She met the Professor of that small town to receive her first Pokémon. It was such a quiet community. The city to the north and a river flowing to the South, she wished she could have stayed longer to smell the flowers. She passed by a lovely woman on the way to the research lab nearby. Already standing outside was a middle-aged man who wore labcoat and a bright smile on his face, “You must be that Lillie, Hukui’s been telling me about,” she nodded, “It must have been a long way from Alola, but you look ready to start your Pokémon journey!”
“Yes. I met someone in Alola while she was on her journey. The connections she made with her Pokémon, they inspired me to do the same, Professor Oak!”
“That warms my heart! If you don’t mind, I am waiting for another to join us. I’ve been told there’s another boy with a red hat coming to Pallet Town,” this surprised Lillie, but she thought that this person could be a travelling companion to her, “Oh! You there, lad!” he looked over to Oak but walked on, “Wait, don’t you want your Pokémon?” the man seemed confused, and to Lillie he seemed too old to be a lad, but Oak’s continued beckoning forced him to come over, “Excellent! Now let’s go inside.”
Lillie followed Oak into the Lab. This was much different from Hukui’s lab on Melemele Island, especially since it didn’t double as a house for two people to live in. At the very end of the lab after walking past machinery, computers, and wandering Pokémon were three Poke Balls. Oak stood in front of them, “My name is Oak. People affectionately refer to me as the Pokémon Professor. This world is inhabited far and wide by creatures called Pokémon! For some people, Pokémon are pets. Others use them for battling. As for myself, I study Pokémon as a profession,” he said. He took in their faces and smiled, “Now I know your name is Lillie, but I’m not acquainted with your name, lad.”
Lillie wondered if something was wrong with Oak’s eyesight, as standing next to him it was obvious this man was not a lad. He wasn’t very tall, only a little taller than Lillie was but he wore the face of a man still in the late-morning of adulthood. He had a black mustache and brown hair under a red cap, which Lillie realized is what clued Oak into thinking he was the lad they were waiting on. He wore a red shirt under blue overalls and had white gloves on his hand. He seemed as confused as Lillie about his predicament but he answered Oak’s question, “It’s a me, Mario!”
Oak beamed with delight, “Well Mario, Lillie! There are three Pokémon here. Haha! The Pokémon are held inside these Poké Balls. When I was young, I was a serious Pokémon Trainer. But now, in my old age, I have only these three left. You can have one. Go on, choose!” he released the Pokémon from their balls and three creatures greeted them. Lillie recognized them from the pictures Hukui showed her.
Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. They represented the Grass, Water, and Fire Types. She wasn’t sure who she should choose. She saw Mario kneeling down and holding Charmander up by its arms. He smiled at the lizard and scratched his head, and he rubbed against his hand.
“"Ah! Charmander is your choice. You should raise it patiently. So, Mario, you're claiming the Fire Pokémon Charmander?” Mario nodded, “Then this Pokémon will be your first! Now Lillie, what choice will you make?”
Lillie squatted and put her hand out. The first one to meet her touch and rub its head against her knuckles was Squirtle, “I think he’ll be my choice, Professor.”
“Then take good care of your Pokémon, you too! They are living creatures and they will need much love and care. Can I trust both of you to do that?”
Lillie held Squirtle in her arms and nestled her face against him, “I will do my best, Professor!”
Mario’s Charmander crawled on top of his head and rested on his cap. He smiled and raised his thumb to Oak.
“Very good!” he turned to a parcel sitting on a desk behind him and pulled two devices, “These will be your Pokedex’s. With them you’ll discover and catalog all the Pokémon out there in the region! Now, good luck and explore the World of Pokémon.”
Lillie and Mario walked out of the Pokémon Lab together and approached the outskirts of the town. She turned to him and said, “You weren’t expecting to get a Pokémon today, right?” Mario shook his head, the flame of Charmander’s tail dancing through the air with him, “Well, since we’re both new trainers, shouldn’t we have a battle?” Mario raised an eyebrow, “It’s what trainers do with their Pokémon. Haven’t you seen a Pokémon battle before?” he shook his head again. She put Squirtle on the ground, “Well, our Pokémon will battle for us. We’ll give them instructions, and if all our Pokémon faint then we lose.”
Mario seemed unsure but he put Charmander up against Squirtle. His Charmander was more familiar with fighting than him, and got ready to strike. Lillie reached for her PokeDex and it analyzed him, “When it retracts its long neck into its shell, it squirts out water with vigorous force,” its robotic voice spoke out, “This Pokémon knows Tackle and Tail Whip.”
Mario followed Lillie’s example and pulled his Pokedex form his Overall Pockets. The device reminded him of a GameBoy Advance SP. It analyzed his Charmander and spoke, “It has a preference for hot things. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail. This Pokémon knows Scratch and Growl.”
Mario put the PokeDex back and adjusted his hat, “Charmander! Scratch!” he called.
Lillie called to her Pokémon, “Alright, Squirtle! Use Tail Whip!”
Charmander dashed to Squirtle and scratched it with its claws. It hurt the Water-Type but its shell absorbed most of the damage. It turned its back and shook its tail at Charmander.
Mario didn’t notice any damage, but something was off with his Charmander. He checked his PokeDex again for an explanation, and it told him that Charmander’s defenses were lowered.
Lillie smiled, and wondered if her friend would be proud of how well she was doing in her first battle, “Ok, Squirtle! Let’s finish strong! Use Tackle!”
Her Squirtle was beaming with pride and he charged at Charmander to finish the battle off. It leaped headfirst for the final attack, but he was stopped. It fell backwards on its feet. Charmander stared up at its master that had just saved it from losing the battle. Lillie stared at Mario’s defensive crossed arms. His arms fell down and he turned to his Charmander. He pat it on the head and pet its back.
“Mario. Were you scared of your Charmander getting hurt?” she asked. He didn’t answer or turn from his Charmander, “I’m sorry for scaring you like that. You know,” she kneeled next to him, “Not too long ago, I didn’t want to see any Pokémon get hurt. I still do. But someone told me that, Pokémon will get hurt. You only have to be there to catch their fall.”
Mario looked at her and smiled. He stood up and offered his hand to Lillie, “Let’s a go?”
She nodded, “Let’s finish this, Mario! C’mon, Squirtle!”
Mario stood behind Charmander and the two of them prepared for the final strike, “Charmander! Scratch!” he called and he ran toward Squirtle with his claws raised.
“Ok, Squirtle! One more time! Use Tackle!”
Squirtle and Charmander charged at each other. Charmander raised its claws and Squirtle bowed its head. Squirtle was faster and hit Charmander in the chest. Mario watched him step back and waited for him to stumble backwards.
But Charmander didn’t stumble backwards and it scratched Squirtle across its shell. The only one falling back was Lillie’s Pokémon. She came to its side and revived him, “You did well, Squirtle,” she sprayed it with a potion and he seemed both happy and healthy. She returned him to his Pokéball. She faced Mario and smiled, “That was a good match, Mario. Would you like me to heal your Charmander?” she healed his Pokémon and he hugged him before returning him to his Pokéball. Mario stuffed the ball into one of his pockets, “Mario. Would you like to travel with me? I used to travel all around Alola with my friends, and I came here to go on my own journey. But I was worried that I would be alone,” she looked down at her Pokéball, “I know I wouldn’t, but if you would like to come with me, it would be nice to have someone along for the journey.”
Mario looked to the road ahead, “I’m looking for my Princess,” he suddenly spoke, “I think she came here. I need to find her before he does.”
Lillie walked ahead, “I’m looking for someone too. C’mon! Let’s find them!”
Mario smiled and together they ran through the tall grass, away from Pallet Town on the road to Viridian City. But on the other side where the river ended, a menacing beast emerged from the water, frightening a fisherman. He shook flotsam off of his spiked shell and stared at the town ahead of him.
“Mario,” he growled, “I don’t know where we are, but you’ll pay for what you’ve done!” he turned around and returned to the river and swam back to sea.
Later in the evening, a young woman with a white hat knocked on the Lab’s door. Professor Oak opened it, “Greetings, Professor! I’m here for my Pokémon!”