Hello. First off I'd like to thank you for reading my story. Second of all this Author's Note is going to be a little long, but there is a reason for that. I apologize in advance, but there is some stuff that will be useful know before you start reading so I don't end up confusing you.

This is an extreme AU story. There were be some elements taken from both the Anime and the Game series, but ultimately there will be pretty heavy changes.

This is an extremely realistic AU. Not so much as The Sun Soul, if you read it, but enough for this story to be rated what it is.

Ages have been changed. Some people have been aged, and some have been de-aged in order to fit this story line.

The main character is an OC. She won't be interacting with Ash and his various friends for a while, but she will meet some and make an impact on their lives.

A lot of the characters are going to be OOC. Take Ash for example. Throughout the anime he never grows up, and never seems to do well in leagues despite his various accomplishments and his long journeys and training. His character in this story, however, will reflect his journeys, the lessons he has learned, and all the training he has gone though. He will also age, as this story spans over a series of years.

Some regions, I admit, I am not completely familiar with, so will be skimmed over shortly, while others will have a lot of chapters based in them and world building.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, I truly appreciate it. I hope you will enjoy this story. Thanks!

Life is change. It's the process of moving forward, despite both bad and good. It is being more, becoming more than what you are right now, and getting stronger. This lesson is one we all learn, perhaps too soon. For some it crushes their dreams. For others it lights a fire within them, a passion that cannot be concealed. You either break or rise up to the challenge. To be what fate wills you to be. For me, this lesson was one I lived by. I lived for the change, to expect the change, to move with the change. Everything that was thrown at me, that broke me, that tore me into pieces was expected in a way. The change. Life. Perhaps this was one mistake I made, in my attempts for the so-called world domination. Life does change, and sometimes, often, it doesn't change in your favor.

I was five when I first got a glance of my future. Or rather not the future, but the identity of the remainder of my life. All I knew at that age was the large country plains of Kalos, the grassy fields where I played with my family's Furfrou. It never occurred to me that there was more to life than fun, than running outside in the sun. But on that day, which I remember it so well, cost me that innocence.

It was raining, overcast and gloomy. The sky was dark as night, and the house was silent. My mother was busy in the kitchen, baking with me. One of the few times I remember her truly happy was on this day. The last day she laughed. The last day she smiled. Day faded into night, and as the clock ticked my father had yet to return home. It worried her. She kept glancing at the clock, and wringing her hands. The unspoken words remained stuck inside her mouth. He's never late. Hour to hour passed. I was up past my bedtime, but she took no notice. The doorbell rang. My mother walked over, looked out, and tried to lock it. However it was soon pushed open and my mother fell. In stormed a man with blond hair and cruel gray eyes. He looked down at my mother, as if she was worthless.

"Leader, please." My mother was begging, for what I didn't know at the time.

"Please? Madame, please is not what you need to be saying." His eyes met mine for a brief second, then looked away.

"I can't leave. This is my home, our home." She was pleading with him, her hands grasping the front of his coat.

"I asked nicely." He pulled himself away and motioned at the door. In came two men, dragging the man I knew to be my father. My mother gave a gasp as she slid to the floor, watching his motionless bloody form.

"You see, Madame, I am a kind man, and I am returning your husband to you. On this act of faith, all I ask you to do is leave. I am fair, and I have been giving you time. Enough time that makes one think that you are still in my favor. Leave." He watched as my mother crawled over to my father's body, her lips opening, her chest heaving, her hands coming away from his chest stained with red. The man turned, stopping as he saw me.

"Is this your child, Madame? My, my." He turned and came to me. He reached inside his coat, and pulled out a ball. He kneeled down, grey eyes meeting brown ones. One of my hands reached out as the ball was handed over to me.

"Mademoiselle, I give this to you as a promise. A promise that you will keep, one that you will fulfill. A reminder to never come here again, and of my mercy to your family." With those parting words he and his men left, leaving my broken family alone in the night, with the promise in my hand.

I was seven when she left, fleeing into the night. That day she gave me anything I wanted, and taught me how to lock the doors and showed me where the food was. She even taught Lyle Protect, using a TM she had left over from her traveling days. That night I remember her opening my door and brushing my forehead. Lyle lifted his head as she did so, red-tipped ears flatting, whimpering as she left. I remember running to my window, holding Lyle and watching as she left the small house my father hid us in, before going back to sleep, thinking she would be there in the morning. The next day I woke up to a cold and empty house. Silent. There was no evidence of anyone but me in the house, every room devoid of my mother. The food meant to last us a week was shortened to three days after the power went out. It would be nine days before my father came to retrieve us, finding only Lyle and I, both of us starving and cold. It was that night when my father closed off his heart to everyone and everything, except a blue-haired boy he would find in two years, living on the streets. That night I lost both my father and my mother, and instead received a cold-hearted man who's desires would only kill him. I never saw her again.

When I was fifteen it was decided that I was old enough to go on a journey. Rather it was more my father wanted me out of the way, gone from his sight, the reminder of the wife who left him. It was also decided that I was to be sent to Unova, where the rules were lax, and where a young teen all by herself would not attract the attention it would bring in Sinnoh, where we lived. It was Saturn who told me the news, giving only the bare facts, uncaring of the hurt the words gave me. As all children I too was looking forward to the day I set off into the world, ready to become the best. Only, the best wouldn't be good enough for my father. The best wouldn't make him love me. The best wouldn't bring back my mother. The day of my leaving I was called to his office. He wouldn't look at me, instead faced the window that looked out to the sky and sea.

"You are going on a journey, one that many go on. You will find yourself in defeat or you will become what fate wills you to be. You will start off in the Unova region. When you reach Unova you will meet Professor Juniper, who will assist you in starting your trainer account. For your journey I will provide you with basic supplies and an account. Once you start your journey I will deposit one last amount and then it will be up to you to provide for yourself. After traveling Unova if you wish to visit other regions, please inform Saturn. I will contact you if there are any changes in your traveling or if you need to receive any other information. And remember," He turned to face me, blue eyes meeting brown.

"You are representing Team Galactic."

And that was the wisdom my father imparted onto me before sending me on my way. It would be years before I would see him again, and when I did I would be unrecognizable, changed and cold. What he didn't know was that he created something. With those words he inspired me to become more than he was. To beat him, and as for what fate wills? To be the best. However it would take a long hard road riddled with defeat and loss, and an ending that would be bittersweet. I don't think I knew what I was getting into. But then who does? That just makes life more interesting. I was once asked if I regret anything in my life. Even with all the death and the bodies I've left in my wake, the pain and suffering I've caused, the only thing I regret is not saying good-bye.

And with that readers, is the end of the preface. Thank you all for reading and I hope it was enjoyable. I hope that you all will stick around but anyways that's a wrap for now. See you next time~ HSS

2/19/17