The Adventures on the Crimson Isles
Chapter 1
DISASTER ON THE DESERT ISLE
Ocean - Firespray
The cruise ship sliced through the choppy ocean as fast as a Gyarados. The ship was unlike traditional white sea liners. No, this ship was a bright crimson color, and instead of being packed with vacationers, it was filled to the brim with young and eager Pokémon Trainers.
Ash Ketchum, leaned as far over the railing as he could, in hopes of catching his first glimpse of the Crimson Isles.
Just eight days ago, it was Ash's fifteenth birthday, and for his birthday, his mother had organized another journey for him. Dressed with a new set of clothes consisting of a black t-shirt, a navy blue hoodie, gray jeans, white sneakers, and a slick red cap, Ash set out to the Crimson Isles alongside his faithful pal Pikachu and-
"Ash, be careful! You'll fall over the edge if you lean any further!" Serena warned.
Serena had flown to Vermilion City from Kalos to accompany Ash along on his adventures on the Crimson Isles. Together they had boarded the Firespray, the sea-faring vessel that transported aspiring Pokémon Masters to the Crimson Isles. All across the deck of the Firespray, eager Trainers chatted in small huddles, filling the ship with an air of adventure and delight.
"I know, I'm being careful," Ash replied. He eased himself back over the railing and walked over to Serena, who was lying down on a white lounge chair reading the official Crimson Isles brochure. She wore a dark gray tank top and over it, her red cardigan. She also wore her red skirt, knee length black socks, black sneakers, a pair of dark sunglasses, and to top it all off, her pink fedora.
"What're you reading Serena," Ash asked.
Serena glanced up at him and raised her sunglasses. She flipped the brochure around and showed him. "The Crimson Isles official brochure." She handed it to Ash, and said, "It's a strange brochure...there's not much on it that tells us about the Crimson Isles. No names of the Isles, no information on Pokémon we might find, or shops, or food, or anything really."
Ash took the brochure and scanned it. After a few moments, he pointed to a spot on the inside. "It says here that they tell us as little a possible about the Crimson Isles to enhance the adventure aspect of this whole experience." Ash groaned and gave the brochure back to Serena. "We don't even know where we'll find the Gyms."
"Well, let's see here," Serena began. "There's eight Isles surrounding one larger Isle in the middle." She thought for a moment. "There must be one Gym on each Isle, and the center Isle must have the Pokémon League on it."
"Hmm, you're probably right," Ash agreed. "Man, I'm so pumped!"
"It's been so long, and yet he's still the same old Ash!" Serena thought.
"Attention Trainers!" the captain's voice boomed over the intercom. "We are about ten minutes out from the first of the Crimson Isles!"
Trainers and their Pokémon, including Ash and Pikachu, scrambled to the railings to get a glimpse of the first Crimson Isle in its full glory. Even Serena bounced up from her chair to look at the island.
"That there island in front of us is our destination!" The captain continued over the intercom. "Note the large shadowy mass behind it. That is your goal. Earn the eight badges across the Crimson Isles, and you gain access to Victory Mountain!"
The Trainers on board cheered and the deck erupted into a great maelstrom of determination.
"I wish you all the best of luck! And welcome to the Crimson Isles!"
Again, the ship exploded into the great bellow of many a Trainer determined to win the Crimson League.
Desert Isle
Fifteen minutes later, the Firespray was moored in a deserted harbor on the Desert Isle, calmly bobbing up and down, riding the indigo waters. The harbor could hardly be called a harbor. All it was was a sandy pier constructed of white slats of wood and large, rusty iron support beams. The pier walked back to the Isle, expanding into a larger wooden platform where Trainers who had already gotten off the ship congregated and decided on where to go next.
The Desert Isle was truly a desert. Approximately twenty-five square miles of sandy wasteland beneath the scorching sun. Coppery colored sand washed over the island as far as the eye could see. No civilization lie in sight.
"Welcome to the Desert Isle!" The captain bellowed from on the deck of the Firespray, after everyone had gotten off. "This is where your journey on the Crimson Isles will begin! As you'll notice, there is nothing for miles around! If you'd like to reach the nearest town, head northeast for three miles. There you'll find Terrasand Village. If you'd like to head straight for the Gym, head north for five miles. You'll find the Gym there in Horus City. Other than that, you'll find additional towns and landmarks if you decide to explore the Desert Isle more thoroughly. Lastly, I'd like to advise not going northwest. If you head in that direction, it will take you somewhere you'll wish you hadn't gone. Other than that, I wish you all the best of luck!"
Ash glanced at Serena. "Where should we go? I say we head straight for Horus City," he said, pumping his fist.
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu squealed.
Serena shrugged. "I think we should go to Terrasand Village first. I don't think I can walk five miles in this heat."
Ash took off his cap and let the light breeze send a wave of cool across his head. "Let's start by heading north," he suggested. "Since Horus City and Terrasand Village are generally in the same direction, we can decide on the way there!"
"Sounds good to me!" Serena replied.
The duo turned back towards the Isle. Most of the Trainers were already gone off the docks, already having decided on their next destination.
Ash stepped off the wooden platform and onto the powdery sand. "Crimson Isles, here I come!"
By the time Ash and Serena had walked two miles, they were both dripping with sweat.
"Where did everyone else go?" Serena groaned, slugging through the sand with her backpack dangling lazily off her shoulder.
Ash was ten steps ahead of her, walking with pride through the sea of orange. He stopped and waited for Serena to catch up to him.
"So, now where do you think we should go?" Serena complained. "Has the heat given you a change of heart?"
Ash grinned. "No way! A little sun won't hold me back from getting to the first Gym!"
"Pika!" Pikachu moaned atop Ash's shoulder. Before, he had been perched strongly on Ash's shoulder, paralleling his trainer's determination. Now, Pikachu was slumped over, the sun clearly having sapped his vigor. "Chu...," he groaned.
Ash exhaled loudly and fanned himself with his cap. "Yeah, I guess it is a little hot out here. We should go to Terrasand Village first," he grumbled in defeat.
Serena beamed. "I knew eventually you'd cave!"
After another mile, Terrasand Town was still nowhere in sight. Serena had her head buried in the brochure, trying to find where they were. "Agh! Let's just face it! We're lost!"
Ash stopped and sighed. "Yeah we are. Terrasand Village should be right here."
"Pika," Pikachu agreed.
Ash climbed atop a nearby sand dune to get a better look at the surrounding area. He was scanning the ocean of sand when suddenly his eyes lit up in recognition. "There!" He exclaimed. "I see something!"
"Where?" Serena asked, scrambling up the sand dune herself. When she spotted it, she frowned. "Are you sure that's Terrasand Village? It doesn't look like it to me."
"It's got to be!" Ash exclaimed. "Come on!"
"Pika!"
What Ash and Serena had saw, was indeed not Terrasand Village, rather a single structure amidst the vast sea of sand. It was a large, Gothic building constructed of sandstone. It looked very much like a church or cathedral with its rectangular base and steep, sloped roof. A cross or an emblem similar to the sort may have once stood at the peak of the roof, but all that remained now was a weathered pole. Faded, ornate murals and patterns snaked their way across all four walls and the large, dry, wooden doors.
"Uh, what's that?" Ash asked in confusion.
Serena shrugged. "I told you it wasn't Terrasand Village."
"Should we go inside?"
"I suppose. There may be someone who can help us in there."
Ash took hold of one of the doors and heaved it open. It creaked noisily and Ash was afraid it might fall off its hinges. But, the door held and the duo stepped inside.
Immediately, the two were deafened by the silence. However, it wasn't just quiet, it was utterly noiseless. Serena felt like she was being watched, like she was naked, like there were invisible eyes on every surface, watching her every move and following her wherever she went.
Ash seemed to feel the same sense of vulnerability. So did Pikachu, who buried himself in Ash's hood.
Ash tried to say something, but speech no longer felt like something he possessed. Instead, he simply motioned with his hand for Serena to follow him. They were dehydrated and lost in the desert with no clue on which way to go. Their only choice was to search this eerie structure for help.
In front of them was a long hallway that led down, further into the silent stronghold. Dim torchlight illuminated the path, but only enough so the duo could see what was directly in front of them. The sunlight coming through the crack between the doors seemed to evaporate once it flew inside. Ash cleared his head, then began walking.
"Ash...," Serena whispered.
Ash jumped. He had gotten somewhat use to the silence, and the sudden noise scared him. "Yeah?" He whispered back.
"I'm scared."
Ash turned around and faced Serena. With the torchlight behind her brightening her pale face, she looked like a ghost.
Ash flashed back to ten years ago when he and Serena were attending Oak's summer camp together. He remembered how he had comforted Serena in the woods; giving her his favorite handkerchief and holding her hand. He didn't bring his handkerchief to the Crimson Isles, so the latter would have to do.
"Would you like to hold my hand?" Ash asked her, holding out his hand.
Serena blushed, but the darkness hid it. She took his hand and held it tight, then whispered, "Thank you Ash."
Ash smiled back.
The stairs went down for a long time before they finally flattened out. Then the hallway resumed until it reached a sandstone archway. Through the archway was a massive chamber. Fiery braziers were fastened to the ceiling, however the chamber climbed so high that the light from the braziers barely reached the ground. Huge granite pillars sat near the corners of the chamber. Another stone archway lay at the far end of the chamber.
Still holding Serena's hand, Ash began guided her across the open chamber.
That was when they heard footsteps. Ash would have run towards the sound, grateful for any sort of help whatsoever. However the fear of this place had already mixed in with him, and so his first instinct was to hide.
Quickly, he and Serena sneaked behind the nearest pillar and listened. Two figures emerged from the stone archway on the other side of the chamber. They both donned midnight black cloaks with hoods that shielded their faces from view.
The gruff voice of a man spoke first. "Can we get outta here? This place gives me the creeps!"
The second figure was a woman, and she responded sharply. "No. We haven't finished our entire search of the place yet. You know our Queen will be...displeased if we return to HQ without a bit of crystal.
Serena's eyes narrowed. A million questions raced through her head and her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to burst out.
"Aww, c'mon! You know there's nothing here! There ain't even any Pokémon!"
"If you'd like to go back to the Queen as a failure, then I'll finish his mission without you! But you know what she does to those who fail their missions, and I actually feel like being alive by the end of the week!" The woman was practically yelling.
The man had gone quiet during his cohort's rant. He stayed quiet a few seconds longer, than laughed a loud, earthen laugh. "That Crystal's somethin' else, I'll tell you! I can't wait till we finally have enough of it! The world will ours for the taking!"
The woman sneered at her partner's stupidity.
Something roiled within Ash, something that burned away his fear and replaced it with vigor and determination. He was no stranger to suspicious characters affiliated with suspicious organizations, especially ones that declared the entire world to be there's to do with a they pleased."
Ash jumped out from behind the pillar. "Who do you think you are?!" Serena squealed in surprise.
The cloaked figures wheeled around. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The man cackled.
"It seems we were not alone down here as we had originally thought," the woman added. "An eavesdropper!"
It was at this point that Serena revealed herself from behind the pillar as well. "Ash!"
"Two of them," the man hissed.
"Eavesdroppers must be punished," the woman spat, removing a violet Pokéball from within her cloak. The man followed suit with another violet Pokéball.
"I won't let you get away with this!" Ash exclaimed. "Pikachu, let's go!"
Pikachu leaped down from his partner's shoulder and growled, electricity crackling from his bright red cheeks. "Pikaaa!"
Serena also withdrew a Pokéball. "Delphox, come out so we can help Ash!"
The Fox Pokémon materialized into the chamber, her wand burning with psychic fire. "Delll-phox!" She growled.
"Drifblim, let's crush this filth!" The woman spat.
"Go! Krookodile!" The man roared.
The Blimp and Intimidation Pokémon burst onto the battlefield. Drifblim bulbous form hovered ominously above the ground, while Krookodile gnashed its teeth in aggression.
"Pikachu, use Electro Ball on Drifblim!"
"Delphox, you use Flamethrower on Krookodile!"
A crackling orb of electricity sizzled into creation on Pikachu's tail, while Delphox's wand began to glow a harsh yellow. Once they were primed, the two Pokémon launched their attacks, screaming their names as they did. Fire and lightning zipped through the air in unison, closing in on their targets.
"Drifblim, counter with Shadow Ball!"
"Krookodile, use Dig on Pikachu!"
Drifblim conjured a swirling ball of purple matter and launched it at the incoming Electro Ball, just as Krookodile disappeared into the ground. The two spheres crashed into each other and exploded in a violent rush of smoke.
"Pikachu, stay alert!" Ash warned, shielding himself from the sand that had flew up from the rush. "Get ready to dodge!"
Pikachu's ears popped up in wariness, its cheeks sputtering electricity. "Piiika!"
"Delphox, use Flamethrower again, this time on Drifblim! Serena commanded.
A quick flick of her wand, and another stream of searing flames jetted from Delphox's wand straight into the Blimp Pokémon. The decaying fabric of the Blimp's Pokémon body caught fire and it hummed in agony.
Not expecting an attack so soon, the woman remained silent as her Pokémon was engulfed by the fire. "Drifblim!" She wailed.
"Blim..." Drifblim moaned, waving its dangling appendages frantically in a vain attempt to quell the pain.
Meanwhile, Pikachu stood statue-still, his ears perked up and listening for his assailant. Just as the tension reached a nearly unbearable level, Pikachu squeaked and leapt to the side. A split second later, Krookodile exploded from the ground, claws and teeth waving and snapping wildly.
"Krook-o-dile!" it bellowed, slamming back onto the ground, snarling ferociously.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Krookodile!"
"Delphox, you use Dazzling Gleam!"
"Drifblim, use Air Slash on that Delphox!"
"Krookodile, block Pikachu with Brick Break!"
Pikachu threw himself at Krookodile, who raised his arm, ready to deflect the blow. Pikachu rammed into Krookodile's arm full force and the two continued expending their momentum, until finally, Pikachu was thrown back to the other side of the chamber.
"Pikaaa!" It wailed in agony.
Meanwhile, Delphox's wand began to glow a bright white, the fairy energy charging up at its tip. Then, small bursts of light ejected themselves from the wand and launched themselves at Drifblim, at lightning fast speed, almost like mini missiles.
Drifblim had been conjuring a azure blue blade of aerial energy, which it now released at the incoming attacks. It sliced through several rays of light before fizzling out. The remainder of the Dazzling Gleam attack hit Drifblim head on.
"Drifblim!" The Blimp Pokémon cried in pain.
"Alright, nice job Delphox!" Serena congratulated.
"Phox!" The Fox Pokémon smiled.
"Argh, Krookodile, let's finish this!" the hooded man growled. "Use Earthquake!"
Ash gasped. Earthquake, as a Ground-type move was super-effective against Pikachu and Delphox! And to top it off, since Drifblim is a Flying-type, Earthquake wouldn't even affect it!
Ash turned to Serena, but instead of finding a horrified expression, Ash saw nothing but determination.
"Serena...?"
Without even turning to Ash, Serena issued her command. "Delphox, use Fire Blast!"
Delphox's eyes lit up like a bed of smoldering embers and the tip of her wand flared. Twirling it between her fingers, the Fox danced gracefully from one foot to the next, whipping her wand back and forth, drawing a fiery kanji in the air in front of her. Once the five pointed character was complete, Delphox wasted no time firing off the attack. The kanji screamed towards Krookodile, and the Intimidation Pokémon merely closed its eyes in concession, knowing it wouldn't be able to pull off its Earthquake in time. The inferno blasted Krookodile back into the far wall and it dropped to the ground unconscious.
The man glared at his defeated Krookodile then back at Serena. "You piece of shit. You'll pay for what you just did," he growled, clenching his Pokémon so tight it looked as though it might break. Retaining his death glare on Serena, he recalled his Pokémon and replaced it in his robes.
Ash was wide-eyed. Serena had definitely become stronger since he'd last seen her. His heart swelled with pride, knowing just how far she'd come since she started. His mouth curled into a small grin before he turned back to the battle.
"Drifblim, Shadow Ball them both," the woman sneered, enraged at what she'd just witnessed. It was pathetic, getting defeated by children. Now she would have to clean them up all by herself.
Violet matter flushed between Drifblim's appendages and its body wavered as if the shadow had been squeezed out of its underside. Two spherical shapes took form, and Drifblim wasted no time in launching both of them at their intended targets.
"Pikachu, deflect those Shadow Balls back!"
Pikachu's tail hardened into solid, tempered steel and swatted the first swirling ball of violet back at Drifblim. Then he somersaulted and swatted the second one away from Delphox. It also crashed into Drifblim and sent its shadow energy coursing through it, finally knocking it out.
The woman could only gasp as her weightless Pokémon drifted to the ground. The Desert Cathedral once again took on its haunting silence as she returned her static Blimp Pokémon. Once it was away, she turned back to her adversaries.
"Defeated by...children!" The man sputtered, losing all remnants of dignity. "We're dead. We are so dead!"
The woman sneered. "This isn't the last you'll hear of Team Pluto! Next time you see us, you will cower in fear! Kadabra, come out!"
The Psi Pokémon burst into the chamber, wielding its spoon menacingly.
"Da-bra," it hissed.
Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity and Delphox's wand re-lit itself. They were both ready to continue the fight.
"Use Teleport! Back to HQ!"
Kadabra's spoon and eyes turned a harsh purple hue, and before Ash or Serena could respond, the hooded duo, along with Kadabra, disappeared in a flash of violet light.
Ash and Serena turned to each other. "Team Pluto?" Ash murmured, Pikachu hopping onto his shoulder and backing up his mutterings with a questioning squeak.
"Never heard of them," Serena commented, recalling her Delphox.
Ash shook his head. "Let's get outta this awful place. We can talk about this later."
Serena nodded, her face conveying a meek expression of confusion and fear. Turning on her heel she started for the archway they came from, but Ash grabbed her hand. She looked up at him and found a determined look of defense on his face. Without either of them uttering a word, he took her hand in his. Then he started walking.
They both strode through the arch from whence they came, the fear of this place already sinking back in. They raced through the hallways, climbed up and down stairwells, making every wrong turn imaginable until they arrived back at the entry hall. The dry wooden doors were exactly as they had left them.
Ash smiled and released Serena's hand, pushing open one of the large doors with both of his hands.
Sunlight blasted their eyes with its blinding rays and the heat once more engulfed them, so they both covered their eyes.
"Stop! Don't take one more step!" A voice commanded in front of them.
The duo halted and squinted open their eyes.
There, in front of them stood more Officer Jennys than Ash had ever seen. But they weren't alone. Arcanine and Pyroar growled angrily between the Jennys' legs. Various police cars, motorcycles, and vans stood parked around the doorway, creating an impassable wall.
"You're under arrest, Team Pluto scum," the lead Officer Jenny declared.
Next - Chapter 2: Horus City
Author's Note
Just as a small side note, I'd just like to say that the "Author's Notes" in the future will not be nearly as long as this one, since this is the first chapter.
First off! Thank you for reading the first chapter of my story! If you just got here, you probably don't know that this is a rerun, or the second rendition of the "Crimson Isles" story; I actually wrote about 14 chapters or so, but decided to delete it because of how unorganized it was. That being said, if you are coming back as a reader of the first rendition of this story, the first 14 chapters will probably be similar to what you already read, but changes will be present, so read it anyways.
Second, as you can clearly see, Dawn from the first rendition has been replaced by Serena. When I first started writing the first rendition, PearlShipping (Ash x Dawn) was my favorite ship. But after a few chapters, I fell in love with AmourShipping (Ash x Serena), but by then it was too late to change. So, here we are.
Now, actual stuff about this chapter! 1. The outfits that Ash and Serena wear are kind of a mash-up of previous outfits, at least in Ash's case. Serena's outfit is a combination of her two outfits. 2. Yes, Serena has a Delphox. Presumably, although we haven't reached that point in the anime yet, I think it's safe to assume Serena's Braixen will eventually evolve into a Delphox. That's the trouble with using characters in an anime that's still going; they're always changing. 3. That's all I can think of now; if I remember anything else, I'll put it in the next chapter's "Author's Note."
Lastly, if you enjoyed the story and want to support it, please consider following/favoriting. Genuinely, it means a lot to me. Also...REVIEW. Please. I cannot stress this enough. Feedback for me is like candy for a child. So positive or negative, constructive criticism or general comments are always appreciated. Though nothing too mean please.
That's all for now! See you in the next chapter!
Thanks,
Subject 666