Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or anything associated with any aspect of it, Pokemon belongs to Game Freak and Nintendo.

Many other region's main characters will be mentioned, so if you don't know their real names, look them up.

This story is in Serena's POV. And I mean the game, not the anime. I have never watched, nor will I ever watch, the recent seasons.

And it's M for a reason. It's very dirty, crass, sexual (and with that, I mean there will be lemons in this Pokemon fic), graphic, and in some parts, outright disturbing. Pokemon for the mature. Seriously, chapter one is like a saint compared to the others.

Looker and Essentia

Chapter 1: Arrival

Kalos

Stepping off the plane, I indulge myself and take in a huge whiff of air. Two years ago, I had no idea wether or not I could make this my new home. Now, I can't even imagine it as any other place.

The moment I walk out of the warm plane, I immediately notice: it's fucking cold outside. I guess that's Anistar for you, though. I revel in the fact that a warm, wool jacket is wrapped around me, and pull it even closer to my chilled, goose-bumped skin.

Jet lag also starts to take it's effect, and I yawn a huge, languid yawn. I blink my eyes once, twice, three times in an attempt to stay awake; good thing its already night here in the Kalos Region, so I didn't get much lag. All I have to do is make it home...

As if that's an easy thing to do.

I step off the last step and watch as the other trainers, tired and grumpy, pull out their own pokeballs, release the Pokemon within, and practically slump onto them as they order their Pokemon to fly home. I, unfortunately, was about to do the same.

I shift my shoulders and my backpack falls to the ground. I turn, unzip, and dig through it, pulling out a round ultra ball: the one with Charizard in. I heave out a heavy sigh, staring at the black and yellow striped ball. "Please, at least be awake."

I was mentally begging the creature inside to be awake, and moreover to cooperate with me above all.

Oh, I didn't mention? Well, not just Charizard, but my entire team has been less than obedient these past few months. So much for gym badges...

But at the moment, I really just want to go home, take a nice shower, and fall in bed. My thumb moves over the button in the center, and a red light bursts from the now open pokeball, forming into the the shape of a Charizard.

A sleeping Charizard.

"Fuck." I hiss, frowning at the orange dragon. "Hey! Get up! Let's go home!" I have to refrain from kicking him, and instead I squat and shake his head. He lazily opens one eye, grunting. "Fly." I tell him. He responds by closing his eye. "Oh, come on! Fly please?" I try to get him to move by pushing him some more, but he doesn't go for it.

Instead of flying, he lifts off, glides 10 feet, then falls back to the ground. All this without even opening his eyelids. Sighing, I walk to him. I kneel, and collapse on top of him, exhausted as well.

"Alright, we'll take the train." I whisper, petting in-between his horns like he likes. He blows a puff of fire out his nose to tell me he accepts my proposal.

Huh, yeah, just a simple train ride.

My ass! More like two connecting trains and a taxi. I did not think my house was that far away from Anistar. But, I wasn't going to go running it, and flying isn't an option, so here I am. Having to stand up in order to keep from nodding off on my last train to home. I'm doing my best, too, but it's hard when you haven't slept in 26 hours. Or something like that.

I hold myself up on one of the poles, my eyelids open and close as I fight off sleep. The sounds of the old fashioned train and my own thoughts keep me awake. Don't fall asleep. Don't fall asleep. There could be creepers around. You can't miss your stop. Don't fall asleep. Finally, the train comes to a stop, and I can start moving again, preventing myself from falling asleep altogether.

The loudspeaker clicks on, and a voice tells me that I've arrived at the final destination of the evening. I lethargically move towards the door and step off the train, along with the other, non-trainer people. My hands move to the pockets of my jacket, and my right hand catches something. A piece of paper.

The reason I'm here, I remind myself. The reason I came back.

My winter boots hit the concrete of the station floor as I walk down the mostly deserted hallways. The moment I get outside, the cool air blasts my skin again. Not as cold as Anistar, but still a winter-like chill.

I trod through the streets of my hometown, counting the houses on my street. Until I get to number 4: my house. The moon is high in the sky when I open up the door. That's right, I just waltz right into my house, it's not locked or anything. That's my mom for ya.

"Mom?" I call out. "Are you awake?" Silence. Nothing but quiet in the dark house. I tiptoe my way inside, going upstairs to my room as quietly as possible. I don't even bother with a shower. I'll take one in the morning. Is my fleeting thought as I pass by the bathroom, headed towards my room. I open the door, and immediately crash on my old bed. The moment my eyelids shut, I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Harsh sunlight hits me, and I instinctively pull the covers over my eyes. "Uuuuuhhhhnnn."

"Well! When I came home this morning, I didn't expect a body to be laying in my daughter's bed. Hey, stranger!" I sit up upon hearing my mother's voice, but immediately find out just how tired I was last night, and sit there, dazed. Mom is set upon the end of my bed, and has apparently opened the blinds.

Mom giggles. "Wow, you look like crap! Hangover?"

I knew she was joking, but I still resented her over-cheerful attitude. Gimme a break, it's seven in the morning. Well, it's noon, but every morning to me starts at seven. I look at her like she's an idiot. "I don't drink." That, of course, is a big fat lie, but if I did have a hangover, she wouldn't be able to get awake, much less up.

"Mhmm. Glad to hear it." She nods way too sincerely, almost sarcastically, and grinning the whole time.

My head finally clears, and I'm able to sit up and embrace her. And I must say, it feels good after two years. We separate, and she starts to pry for info. "Sooooooo... How was Hoenn? Did you meet any new friends? Boyfriend yet?"

"C'mon, mom!"

"You don't have to tell me." She says, but then gives me the look. The look that says, 'I'll just find out on my own.'

I sigh at her persistent motherly ways. "Well, there is this one guy..."

She sits up enthusiastically. "Yeah?! What's his name?"

I purse my lips together. "Brendan."

"Ooooooo, Brendan. C'mon, details!"

I groan and slam my head back into the pillow. "Mom!"

"What's he look like? What's his personality? I need to know if he's to pass the mom test!" She exclaims, flailing her arms in in every which way. I let out another egsadurated sigh.

"White hair."

Her brow shoots up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Does he... Dye it?"

"No. At least I don't think so. We've never gotten that close." Another lie. I'm on a role this morning. And, yes, it is that kind of closeness... As a result of the drinking. "I think he's part albino or something, but anyways, he was working for Professor Birch as an assistant when we met. He's the son of a gym leader over there, in Hoenn."

She nods, signaling for me to go on. "Um, well, he's really sweet to me, and-"

"No no no! Tell me more about how you two met!"

"It really wasn't anything special. I stumbled around Littleroot, he pointed me in the right direction. That's it." I shrug it off like it's nothing. Oh, and that makes three.

Flashback

Hoenn

Thump!

"Uuuuuhhhhh..." I moan, my face in the grass. "Where are you, you stupid lab?" I lay there, exhausted and face down. The moon is full on this night, illuminating the town around me. I'd been walking for hours trying to find Professor Birch's lab, with no luck.

"Um, excuse me?" Comes a voice from above my head.

"If you don't know where Littleroot town is, then we have no business. Leave." I say without looking up, waving him away. The thing is, I was exhausted, irritable, and and had hit my time of the month, so people skills were not my forte.

"Oh! Well, I just thought our new lab trainee would've wanted some directions, maybe an escort, but I never realized she was such a princess. Alright then, see ya!" He starts to leave me, waving his hand behind him.

I spring to my feet and begin to chase after him. "Wait! Oh god, please don't leave me." I notice immediately the slick, white hair above his green headband. He wears a plain white tee-shirt and black cargo pants, which his hands are casually stuck in the pockets. He also slouches, just the teensiest bit, as he walks.

He turns, but doesn't stop walking in the same direction. "You sure about that? We're not going to Littleroot right away. I need to run some errands."

"I don't care. As long as I get there."

He turns, remarking, "Whatever you say, princess."

I frown. "Don't call me that. My name's Serena."

"Mine's Brendan... Princess." I can practically hear the grin forming on his lips as he walks away. My frown morphs into a scowl, accompanied by some really nasty thoughts.

I fucking hate that guy.

End of Flashback

I lean over and place a hand onto the wall of the shower, water pouring on my head and down my body. It feels so good to have the heated water pouring on my skin, but at the same time, my skin was the worst part of the whole experience.

The scars. There was one going all the way across my stomach, horizontally. Then there was the one running down my right leg. As long as I wore long socks I could hide that one. But the hardest one, the most noticeable, is the one I can't see. It's right on my back. And it's huge.

I feel around for the regenerated flesh from the burn. I don't have to venture far out from my bare shoulder before I feel a difference in my own skin. Just touching the thing brings back the painful memories of how I received them.

"Why are we here again?"

"It's... a mega stone?"

"Serena! Look out! He's gone crazy!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

I grimace at my own thoughts, shutting my eyes tightly and grasping my shoulder. Has it really been a whole year since that happened? I move my hand down to my stomach, the area where my guts almost got spilled a year before. Sure they patched me up, and they did a good job of it. But there's still a huge, gnarly scar brandishing my abdomen. There's still a little bit of pain when I take a quick breath of air.

I still can't have kids.

A knock at the bathroom door jars me back from my memories. "Serena!? How many pancakes do you want, honey?" I can just barely hear mom over the shower.

"Two!" I answer instantly, but my stomach answers as well, with a low grumble. "Better make it three." Being brought back to reality reminds me that I have a life, and a mission, so I scrub my dark blonde hair of any remaining suds and draw back the shower curtain.

The large mirror across from me reminds me once again of the pain, and I have to look away from my naked form. I have really gotten older over the past few years. I dry myself off thinking about those pancakes to get my mind off how worn and tired my body has gotten. Then, I throw on some clothes.

It's just one of my usual combos for winter; a black pleated skirt with a black and red jacket top, and black socks. Nothing really interesting, just something to keep me warm in the cold. And, of course, to cover everything up.

I twist up my usually ponytailed hair in the towel to let it dry. That's when I realize my hair has gotten really, really long. I guess I let it grow out while in Hoenn. Fuck it, I'll just have someone chop it off when I get to Lumoise City.

I swing open the bathroom door, fully clothed. The smell of fresh pancakes immediately hits my nose as I exit, and it gets stronger when I walk down the stairs.

"Those smell good." I remark as I turn the corner into the main entryway.

Mom smiles without looking up from the task at hand, which was making her own pancakes. "Yours are already on the table." She says.

"Thanks." I sit, taking the fork in my hand and thanking god that this wouldn't be another of Birch's 'special breakfasts'. Blech, gross.

I dive into the deliciousness when Mom finishes making hers. "So," She starts, getting a plate down from the cupboard, "What brings you back to Kalos? I thought you'd be gone longer, you know, considering."

I look up at her, ready to answer the question, simply because I knew it was coming. "This." I say, pulling the letter out of my pocket. It's a simple, white envelope, nothing fancy, sealed with a stamp on the front adorning the symbol of an eye.

I give it to Mom, who gingerly takes the white paper out of its sleeve like she was performing an operation. She unfolds the paper and begins to read. I watch her reaction to all the parts of it with slight amusement; I had read it so many times that I'd practically memorized it, and so I know which reactions go where.

"Dear our good friend Serena;

Honestly, I have no idea whether this is going to be a friendly letter or a business one, so I just put a semi-colin.

I'm not sure how it's going there in Hoenn, nobody has ever heard from you, at least that I know of. I'm not really sure if you remember me, the girl from the Looker Bureau, being the Pokemon champion and all. If you do, you have no idea how amazing that is! Oh, and Mimi's here, too!

But here's the business part of the letter: I know it's been two years, and you've been having a ton of fun over there, and if you don't even remember me, or if you don't want to in any way, then please just ignore this request, but could you please (a lot of things are scribbled out after this)

I need help. Really, really really badly. I'm not going to lie, or tone it down... It's just me. All the others left to try to follow their own career paths, which is fine, but... It's literally only me and Mimi taking on about 5 or 6 cases a week. And the expansion suit is... Malfunctioning.

So please, please, come and help me just for a little while. I know it's selfish of me to ask, but I have nobody else but you to turn to anymore. Thank you for reading this.

Your friends,

Emma and Mimi"