#dear bryan

I'm writing to you from Accumula Town, just north of Nuvema. I met Professor Juniper here and she's been showing me and Cheren and Bianca around. This town's not much bigger than Floaroma but it feels like it. Apartment buildings dotting the outskirts, concrete everywhere, and only a small town square with a couple of rundown benches. I'm missing the meadows and the valley more than anything right now. What I wouldn't give to smell even a hint of sweet pea on the breeze.

This morning Cheren and Bianca and I began packing up to head out towards Striaton City. Cheren's been in such a rush to leave ever since he heard there's a gym leader in Striaton that he can challenge for a badge. He basically pushed us out the door!

As we were leaving, we heard a ruckus in the town square. It was the strangest thing, Bryan! Seven men dressed as knights stood in the square, all holding shields adorned with a symbol I'd never seen before. And in front of them was the tallest man I'd ever seen. 

He wore a long purple robe with a collar piece at the top that almost made him look like a fortified castle! 

His left eye was covered with some kind of eyepiece, angled like a cat's and tinted orange. As I passed bay with the crowd he looked right into my eyes and smiled. Bryan…his face…his eyes…they were so dark. Their was a rigidness in his jaw that I can't truly explain; it made his smile seem so sinister. 

He had me almost in a trance, our eyes locked for a cosmic moment. Thank goodness for Walter! He must have sensed something too because he yelped and jumped right inside my shirt! When I looked back at the man he was beginning to speak to the circling crowd.

"My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon liberation."

Team Plasma? It took everything in me not to cry out. All I at once I was consumed with HIS face…the Team Galactic member that killed dad. Those same dark eyes, full of nothing but hate and greed and cruelty. But who is Team Plasma? Could Team Galactic have possibly regrouped under a new name? My mind was swimming as Ghetsis spoke on. When I finally snapped out of it, his soldiers were beginning a new formation and he was finishing his speech.

"That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokémon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokémon... and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

As the squadron marched out of the square, Walter poked his head out of the neck of my shirt, clinging tightly to me. 

Cheren seemed unconcerned and began talking about the gym leader in Striaton again! Socrates, his Snivy shot a condescending at Walter still fastened to my neck and chattered into my ear. 

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a strange man approaching. He was older than us, but his face seemed young and he looked like he had never had a haircut in his life! A messy, green nest of hair stuck every which way out of his cap and down his back in a long ponytail.

"Your Pokémon... Just now, it was saying..." he said. Cheren shot him a look.

"Then, you two can't hear it, either... How sad. My name is N. Professor Juniper's got you finishing her Pokedex, eh? You're going to confine many, many Pokemon in PokeBalls for that, then. I can't help but wonder…are Pokemon really happy that way?"

I could see Cheren's annoyance rising to a boil, but just as he opened his mouth another strange thing happened. Walter jumped down from my neck and barked a few yips right at N! I'd never seen him act so aggressively before. He's usually so mild mannered and especially shy around new people.

Before I had any time to react N threw down a Pokeball and cried, "Let me hear your Pokémon's voice again!"

Fight or flight, Bryan. It's real. And can you believe I chose fight? Well, Walter really chose it for me. He's braver than I ever gave him credit for, braver than me even. 

As soon as N's Purloin lunged from the Pokeball, Walter sprang into action and the battle was over before it began! Purloin laid a few scratches into Walter, but she was nothing against his Water Gun attack. Plus, I had my first aid kit with me of course, so I patched Walter up good as new right afterwards. 

My first real battle! And I won!? Can you believe it? I still can't, except for Walter doesn't let me forget. He's been strutting around behind me like the King of Accumula Town ever since. 

N, whoever he is, vanished out of town shortly after with Cheren on his heels, convinced N was going to challenge the gym leader in Striaton before him.

Bianca and I are staying one more night in Accumula and then headed on the road again. 

There's a chill in the wind that I feel all the way down to the marrow of my bones and I can't get those dark eyes out of my head…but Bryan…at least I have Walter to keep me safe.

Love,

You'll never believe it! I have my very own Pokemon! His name is Walter and he's an Oshawott and I bet you don't even know what that is, haha.

Okay okay, let me start from the beginning.

Remember when I told you that Professor Juniper was giving me and Cheren and Bianca a gift?

The next day Cheren and Bianca came over really early and woke me up with a surprise. There was a box downstairs on the kitchen table from the professor with our names on it! And inside? Pokemon. One for each of us!

The professor wants us to help complete the Pokedex for the Unova region, just like your older brother did in Sinnoh! 

I don't know what to do, Bryan. I'm overwhelmed. I always figured that one day I'd get my own Pokemon and go adventure of my own, but I never imagined it without you and Combee.

I don't know if I can do it by myself. The world is such a scary place. Look at what happened to dad….and he even had more than one Pokemon with him when Team Galactic took over the Valley Windworks. Mom acts like she doesn't care, but I know she's scared too.

I don't know what to do, Bryan, but I don't have much time to decide. Cheren and Bianca are leaving tomorrow…

Love,

Mack (& Walter)

It feels like it's been ages since we spoke last. I miss you and Combee and everybody back in Sinnoh. Springtime in Unova is beautiful…but it doesn't compare to Floaroma. I can still smell the meadow and taste the fresh grepa berry pie your mom used to make. 

Mom and I still aren't speaking much. She's at the wind farm everyday doing research. I know this job was a good opportunity for her but I wish I could have stayed in Sinnoh and lived with you instead. She doesn't pay any attention to me and whenever I try to talk about dad she just starts to cry.

There are a couple of kids my age in Nuvema. They're okay I guess. Cheren is kind of a know-it-all, but most of the time he's nice to me. I never told him, but I think he knows about dad so he tries not to give me a hard time. Bianca on the other hand is totally clueless, but sometimes I like that. She's easy to joke around with and when I hang out with them, I can forget about dad and mom and you and Combee and everything that happened last winter.

Mostly though, I spend my time down by the docks, dangling me feet over the ledge, feeding the Duckletts bits of bread and watching the Woobats swoop through the trees at night. The local professor spends a lot of time down there too. Professor Juniper. She always smiles at me when we pass each other, and yesterday I caught her staring at me when I was helping a Woobat who had gotten her wings burned. It looked just like the time your mom's Crobat got cornered by all those Houndours when we went to Valor Lake together! I don't know what burned her, but luckily for her I carry my first aid kit with me everywhere I go! 

Today I got a note in the mailbox from the professor that said she was delivering a gift for me and Cheren and Bianca. 

A gift?

Bryan, I've never even spoke to her before. What could she possibly give me?

All my love to you and Combee,