No because if i remember correctly in kanto we saw several people with a bulbasuar one of which was on the way to ( um where surges gym is) then in johto ( at least teh remake) we fought quite alot of people who had kanto starters which also included red and blue not to mention you get some of your own from oak and Steven
Two things. First and most importantly, the player character is
always the most important person in the world. Any "special treatment" (s)he gets is just that. That includes getting a starter, which is, as I said, rare and special. That includes Red. Blue was the only rival and grandson of a professor. Special. Giovani's son stole his. May/Brandon was the son of a professor. Special. Lucas/Dawn is the professor's assistant. Special. Barry was just in the wrong place at the right time. Lucky. Lyra is the only other trainer who lives in the same town as the regional professor elm. Privileged. Same for BWB2W2. Special. When you get a starter from Steven, you've become champion of two regions and have gotten 16 badges AND having defeated Red, who was
also an all important player character who was also champion of two regions. And you're a player character. Special.
That clear? Okay.
Two, random npc's don't count. They just don't simple as that. They may have a similar story of how they got theirs, but most don't have one and if they do, it doesn't matter because they are random and only there to fill your dex. And it's not "tons of people" or "quite a lot." It's one or two or three in a game, if any. Like at all.
OH MY ARCEUS! I just realized, if GF wants this to be about connections with other people, what better way then with a love interest. Think about, Shauna is very cheerful around the player (but then again this could mean nothing since i'm cheerful around my bros all the time, but i digress) and she seems to have more of a connection with them, and with serena in the mix, LOVE TRIANGLE GALORE.
Shauna gets jealous, thinking that YOU are more attracted to Serena because look at her she's pretty, confident, and a better battler than she. Shauna in a desperate attempt to gain your affections joins team_______, with the promise of more power. Serena ends up helping you to slowly dismantle the team on your travels, causing you both to grow ever closer, driving Shauna further and further over the brink as she realizes her "love" is drifting away from her. So, as you both battle the team for the last time, she reveals to have been your evil twin sister Juandisimo working for the evil team this whole time and confesses her love to you.
...No.
Though I can see them hinting flirtation or something, it will never go this far. First off, and this is important, Shauna looks like she's 9-10. She looks MUCH younger than the player who looks like 14-15-16. That would be creepy. Secondly, Gamefreak knows it's audience, and it knows how creepy an adult male would feel if he was forced to be in a love triangle with someone that young. I can see Calem and Serena being at least hinted in the same way that Link and Zelda get hinted and it's sweet, but nothing more than that. Epecially in a game like this where's you're playing as yourself as opposed to Link where he's a character you're role playing as. Even then, I'd see it only a one way thing, because they'd have to factor in the whole "what if (s)he doesn't like him/her back" scenario. No... There'll be non of this at all.
I hope this regions professor is interesting this time around (if there even is one). Maybe the professor is part of a evil team, and gives you a stolen pokemon? 
