I know, I know. What the heck am I doing posting yet ANOTHER CHAPTERED fic when I have three others I have to update! Well, if you read my profile, it says I have a bad habit of publishing stories before I get a good head start on them, and that I get bored easily and am a very slow updater; it's not a good excuse, but hey, what can I say? Plus, I wanted to post something new.

Important: What I can tell in the future for this fic is that, I am definitely going to take my time on it. This is my very first dark-ish chaptered fic that I'm posting on the internet, and I want every chapter to have some sort of depth and suspense feel to it, even though it's also going to be cute and light hearted, if you know what I mean. And though reviews make me happy and want to write faster, I'm still not going to guarantee anything.

Now onto important things about the story. The other genres of this fic are drama, hurt/comfort, suspense, some humor, a little romance, and some adventure (because of the whole Ranger thing, ya know). Pairings in here are Almiashipping (Kellyn/Kate), Vatonageshipping (Keith/Kate), and maybe a bit of Isaac/Rhythmi (is there a shipping name for them?). This is "book" one of the Vatonage trilogy. Vatonage has a really important meaning in this series, and I'm really looking forward to writing about Kate and co. in all three "books."

Also important: I will not take kindly to flames and extremely negative two worded comments. I really appreciate some constructive criticism and suggestions on what I could work on - especially about the characters, since I'm quite iffy on character development and staying in character; but if it's clearly nothing but hate comments and the like, then I won't hesitate to bite back.

I'll be replying to reviews and comments via here or PM (if I have a question about the suggestions/criticism), but I'll most likely be answering questions or saying thanks or something, so I won't be replying to everyone, but just know I read each and every review and I love them all (unless they're flames or something).

Okay, I've gone on long enough. I think I've covered everything, so thank you for reading all that (if you haven't already skipped to the story, anyway)! Now let's get on with the show!

Disclaimer: If I really owned Pokemon I wouldn't be on here writting fanfiction about it, now would I?

Vatonage Trilogy

Book I: Submerge

Prologue

Kate

"Now! Awaken from the darkness! Rise, my Darkrai!" Blake Hall commanded. As soon as those words left his mouth, I felt my own dry up. Darkrai? The legendary Pokémon, Darkrai? Who am I kidding? There's no other thing called Darkrai! But a girl could hope, right?

Mr. Hall – oh, to heck with it! He doesn't deserve any respect! Blake walks towards me while describing what Darkrai is. Shut up! I know what it is! I think, but control my tongue. Suddenly, the tower shakes violently and I prepare to go into horse stance to help keep my balance, but just as sudden, the tower stops. I'm puzzled for a moment, but then I see this small spot of jet black in front of me. It gets bigger by the second until the form of a Pokémon I've only seen in picture books when I was little rose from it.

I know I should've been fearing for what will happen next, for what will happen if I can't capture Darkrai . . . but all I could do was be fascinated by the sight of a legendary that no one would ever see in eternity, because it lives in darkness itself. Something that none of us could ever see.

"Go on, Darkrai!" Blake's order snaps me back to reality, but I only gaze at Darkrai as my mind tries to register the current situation. "Invite this hero-fixated child to your world of darkness!" Wheeler makes a hideous laugh, snicker – whatever it is, as Blake steps aside.

Darkrai comes closer and that's when I finally realize what's going on! I try to get away, but it was a futile attempt, there was no point to even try. Darkrai waves its arms and the small circle of shadows beneath it expands again, into a large pool of eternal darkness. Pachirisu gets pulled into the pool, but quickly grabs hold of my ankle with his tiny, quivering paws.

Even before the darkness engulfed my shoe-covered feet, I could feel the gravitational pull that made me feel . . . attracted to it. As if the darkness wasn't a bad thing. Like it was welcoming me. I almost fell for it, but the Pokémon suffering in Almia came to my mind first. I can't let them stay that way!

Though it was a wasted effort, I continued to struggle and fight my way against the darkness, but I only sank deeper and deeper. As I did, Pachirisu desperately tried to climb up higher to get away from it. The strange thing was, the parts of my body that were engulfed in the blackness, I couldn't feel anymore. Like the lower half of my body had fallen asleep and it was impossible to really feel anything, except that prickling needle feeling that comes with it isn't there.

My determination to capture Darkrai drained from my mind and body. The concern I feel for Pachirisu, Sven, Wendy, Isaac, and Keith is also fading fast. The love for my family and friends numbed as if I barely knew them to begin with. The hope I had for Pokémon and humans to live together forever in peace, harmony, and happiness disappeared. And my will to see this mission through to the end left me.

Suddenly, various other emotions washed over me. Anger. Betrayal. Disgust. Pain – Every negative emotion ever known to man. It was like my heart closed off and was replaced with some empty object. I need help. Somebody, please help me! I don't care if it is my body, I don't know who I am anymore!

. . . To not know who you are . . . I think that's worse than dying, was my final thought before my head went under and everything went black. . . .

SsSsS

My eyes shot open, but there was no light. It was dark and blurry. I panicked. No, not again! Please, no! I open my mouth, about to scream for help, but I'm interrupted by a touch on my arm. I glance down and see Pachirisu staring at me with concern in his large eyes. "P-Pachirisu . . . ?" I whisper. My vision clears and adjusts to the darkness. I'm laying in bed in my dorm room. The clock on the bedside table reads, 2:43 A.M., no wonder it's so dark in here!

I sit up, immediately noticing I'm dripping with sweat, making my bangs stick to my forehead and my nightgown cling to my figure a little. My breathing is quick and uneven with my heart thumping in my chest like a basketball getting dribbled on concrete. "Pachi su?" Pachirisu nudges me again, but he looks a little more frazzled now. I realize he's crying. Large droplets well up in his eyes and falls straight down onto my hand that was clenching the sheets.

Then I realize . . . I'm crying too. Hard; and the tears won't stop . . . for either of us. I take Pachirisu in my arms and hold him close. I don't ever want to let him go.

Prologue done! Yes, I used the scene from the Ranger 2 game, but just elaborated more and such. I hope it was worth the read! Please tell me what you think so far!

Until chapter one; Ciao! ;D