For as long as he can remember when he was a child;
watching at the intense, beautiful battles live on TV with fascinated star-like eyes, he turns to his father sitting beside him on the sofa, smiling that childish smile, showing his excitement and asked, voice exuberant, eyes twinkling, "Papa, can I have a Pokemon and battle like them?!"
Father laughed, reaching out to ruffle his hair, "Of course, sport! Maybe you'll be better at battling too, like me!"
Little Alvin whined, swatting away the big hand from messing up his hair even more, and asked once more, hopeful and unaware, "Will Mom let me too...?"
The tiny boy did not notice his father stiffen for just a moment before he answered, trying hard to mask the sadness he felt, "Mhm, you will have one when you're older."
His son did not notice for he was excited yet again, bouncing in his seat, fists clenched and face so happy, so wishful, he missed the fact his father subtly avoided the question.
He was just a young child back then, he had never known until months later.
For his mother had left and never looked back.
"Yay! I'll surpass you and Mom!"
As he got older, Alvin could only look back and ask himself, what had happened? What happened to the young boy who's eyes had always sparkle at the sight of battles? To the young boy who always dreams of being one of the best? Of wanting to be on the top? What happened to his world filled with bright colors?
Times change and so does feelings, hopes and dreams. It was a part of growing up. In a way, his life had become dull, living in a monochrome world. Education? It was fine, there were times where he couldn't keep, times where he was too slow and felt slow, times where he thought he couldn't do it, where did everything go wrong to what he had hoped for? He had almost stopped looking forward to the adventures the world offers, alongside with Pokemon and new friends, trainers to battled, gym leaders to challenge, and the prospect of being Champion.
But he could never stop, he didn't want to, he wanted to find what he wanted to do, he wanted to find a dream that he wants to reach. Not since the day he had stumbled on the art club, not since the day he took a brush and with wonderment, the feeling that he had felt when he was so young, so blissfully hopeful, filled the brush with paint and dabbed it on the white sketch.
Not since the day, his monochrome world burst into beautiful hues.
Alvin had took on comfort with that hobby, it did ruin the chances of having so many friends, however, he strangely did not care. The still young boy knew he wasn't social, maybe this was meant to be, it didn't matter, having few friends (Humans and Pokemon, alike) was enough. (Or maybe he was afraid?)
It was art that Alvim met
him.
It was years after taking up that important hobby he had took, somewhere out of the electric city, a forest and a lake, where the fated meeting had occurred. It was a small place, small yet peaceful, it was perfect for inspiration to someone like him.
The sandals were off and feet sunken as he sat down at the ledge of the lake, sketchbook up and ink-brush with ink set up, as he got to work, the young artist didn't feel curious eyes on what he was doing, lost into his own world, he never noticed those curious eyes coming closer until--
"Osha...?"
Startled, he looked down to a pair of black eyes with the same curiosity swirling, a Pokemon of white and blue. Alvin smiled.
"Hello."
A distance between a Human and a Pokemon, before they knew it, the days of distance, here and there, turned into a routine, days turned to weeks then turned to months, slowly, they formed a bond. It was a year before his own adventure started.
His Father, now showing signs of wrinkles showing his age, had clamped a hand on his shoulder and looked at him dead in the eye, "It's about time to start your own journey, shouldn't you?"
Before he could protest that he was satisfied, his father continued, with words that struck him to the core, "You will not be able to find your dreams if you stay in one place. I know you, my son, this is for the best, not for me but for you. How would you be satisfied when you do not know that you really are? Don't do something you'd regret in the future."
Alvin knew he was right, despite being unsure, he still took battle classes, he took the opportunities to learn more about Pokemon, to learn more of battles, moves, tactics, contests, everything that there is to know, cramming inside his brain could handle. It was the parts that he was not slow at.
One thing that haven't changed for years is his love for Pokemon. The problem was: Who'd be his first, special partner? It must have been obvious to father, not with the look on his face that showed his thoughts a father could read.
The old man laughed and said, "I know someone who has a Pokemon, they'd gladly would give them to you, just beware that Pokemon tends to slip out though, goes somewhere before coming back, they say it was restless so they're trying to find a trainer who's compatible with the little guy. Are you up for it or should I find one for you?"
For some reason, something felt similar, his first thought was that certain Pokemon he had become close friends with, there was something that made him want to accept the offer so badly and so, he agreed with conviction, "I want that Pokemon."
Who knew it turned out to be very same Oshawott he met a year ago?
"I know a place to start the path to new goals."
Littleroot Town.
The start of Alvin, the young artist who's set to find his long-lost dream, with his companion, his partner, Valiant, the Oshawott.