~*~The Pokémon Princess - A New Trainer Appears!~*~

Kijo Raven, the newest Pokémon trainer in the Unjou region, drifted through the door of Professor Melody's lab, her sinuous Milotic following close behind, devotion to its trainer plain on its face. Raven's sapphire orbs took in her surroundings, so different from her home at Indigo Plateau. A single, crystalline tear ran down her cheek in mourning for her old home, before being delicately wiped away with the pale digits of her hand, not wanting to show weakness at the start of her journey. The Milotic crooned softly, nudging up under Raven's hand.

"I know ~Mimizu~," Raven said, pronouncing the tildes perfectly as she stroked her Pokémon's smooth head. "We need to be strong."

She suspected that, deep down, she had never been truly attached to the Plateau. There was always a sense that it was not her true home, that she had come from somewhere else. The emotions of loneliness and sadness she was feeling now lacked any true depth, her heart feeling them only because it was expected of her. But the people who had done their best to act as her family would want her to be strong, so she had to put aside even those mimicked emotions, for their sake. Will, and Koga, and Bruno, Karen, and Lance would all want her to be strong, so it was time to set aside childish things like sadness.

Raven strode over to the woman in charge, looking far more mature than her years, looking confident enough to wow anyone watching and inspire a desire to help and follow her.

"You must be Professor Melody," Raven said in her musical, entrancing tones. "My name is Kijo Raven. I'm starting my Pokemon journey, and I shall require whatever assistance you offer new trainers."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Raven," Professor Melody said as she sat down in a large chair next to a cardboard box full of items. "Well let's get started. I'm Professor Melody and I study Pokémon behavior. In order to continue my research I need some assistance. Here's a Pokédex for your travels. It's like a high tech encyclopedia on Pokémon, however the pages are blank. I need you to fill them up. I also have some starter items for you too."

The Professor withdrew several bottles and some Pokéballs out of the box and set them on the table.

"These items are yours to aid you on your journey. In this starter kit Iv'e included 5 Pokéballs, 5 Potions, and 5 Antidotes," the Professor said.

Raven graciously took the Pokédex in her slender digits, nodding graciously. She noted with her usually keen optics that it seemed less advanced than those she had seen trainers carrying into the Indigo Plateau. Perhaps it was only programmed to handle the Pokémon native to the Unjou region. She would have to try tinkering with it, too see if she could get it to accept data for Pokémon from the rest of the world, when she had the chance. She accepted the proffered medications and capture devices with similar, catlike grace, placing them within her satchel.

"Thank you very much," Raven said, bowing slightly to the Professor, the motion causing her hair to shift between deep violet and warm cerulean in the sparkling light of the laboratory. "Once I've conquered the Pokémon League in this region, I shall be sure to remember who it was that helped me at the commencement of my journey."

"Well good luck to you Raven," the Professor said. "Well now you are ready to leave my lab and explore the Unjou Region. You may enter a Contest or you can travel to one of the Special Areas to catch Pokémon. You can even go to Pinecliff City too if you want. The choice is yours!"