I drew these OCs in my OC book... Brian is a Dualrivalshipping kid and Marco's a Ferriswheelshipping kid. They both live in Nuvema Town in-universe and are friends. For those of you wondering, I started writing the FondantShipping thing I was talking about... it's called Rumor Has It and it's my second attempt at a full-length serious story. Shameless self-advertising over with, let's get to the one-shot!

Brian didn't know why he'd said yes to the whole thing. Maybe it had been the way his friend looked at him, or maybe he'd just had a temporary lapse of judgment. But he apparently was doing this. He was going to accompany his friend Marco on his Pokémon journey.

Going on a Pokémon journey around Unova had never been Brian's goal. He knew being a trainer would only make his self-esteem plummet like Christina's had. He also was aware that being a trainer would make everyone compare him to Cheren, and Brian didn't want to be a carbon copy of one of his parents in personality--- he already looked just like Bianca, and that was enough trouble for him.

Now he was facing the prospect of leaving behind the comforts of home and stepping into the unknown. It was dizzying. At least he'd have a friend with him. "Damnit, I really wish you'd asked me sooner, Marco," he said out loud, staring at the mess that was his room. As it currently stood, he had less than a day to get packed and ready for this potentially never-ending journey. "This is gonna be really impossible, you know that." Brian knew Marco couldn't hear him, but it was nice to rant. After all, Marco was the reason he was so frustrated and afraid. "I don't hate you, though. For some reason, I can just never say no to you. Idiot."

Brian suddenly heard a knock at his bedroom door. Sighing, he turned away from the mess and opened it. In the doorway stood his father. "Oh, hey Dad."

"Did I interrupt your packing?"

Brian shrugged. "Not really, Dad. I'm just not sure what to pack."

"I could help you with that, if you like," Cheren offered.

"Thanks, Dad. That would be really awesome." Brian started toward his empty suitcase but Cheren shook his head.

"Just wait, son. I've got a gift for you before you go."

"Not really necessary, Dad, but thanks anyway." Brian tossed a couple of shirts into his suitcase. I

"I'm really proud of you, Brian. You know that, right?" At this, Brian looked up from his packing, shocked. His father was stern and unapproachable. He never gave away praise freely, and he was never proud of anyone other than his Pokémon.

"Why?" Brian asked, genuinely confused. 

At that, Cheren swept in and gave him a gigantic hug. "Because your mother and I never thought you'd leave Nuvema Town. And it's so brave of you to be stepping out into the unknown when you're afraid to."

"Were you afraid?" Brian asked. His father really never talked about what he'd felt at the start of his own journey--- it was always the end, the middle.

"Not really," Cherena said. "I was really pumped--- I actually yelled at your mother when she was late for choosing our starter."

Brian laughed--- that sounded like his parents. "I'll miss you guys."

"Me too," Cheren said, smiling slightly. "But don't dwell on it until it happens, or it'll be worse." He gave his son one last squeeze. "Meet downstairs when you're ready, okay? Like I said, I have a gift for you."

***

Brian stared at the new camera, amazed. "Do you like it?" asked Bianca, clearly nervous.

"Of course I like it!" Brian breathed. "It's the latest model, and you know how I've always wanted to be a photographer."

"Precisely why we got it for you," his mother said. "As a sort of... going away present."

"Yeah, you can use it on your journey," his little brother Calvin piped up. "You can take pictures of the Pokémon you encounter and show them to all of us when you visit!"

Cheren nodded. "You can finally be the nature photographer you dreamed of being when you were small."

Brian could feel the tears beginning to well up in his eyes. Helplessly, they began to fall. In seconds, his parents and siblings surrounded him in a giant hug pile. He was going to miss this. He was going to miss them.

But he had a new adventure to start. He was going to step into the unknown, and he was going to carve his own path through the wilds.

This was the next photo album of his life.