Kitten: Okay! All you loyal fans of 'Constant Flames', get ready to shout for joy for I am revising the whole thing and re-posting it! It'll have generally the same plot, but a few stupid things that I don't like will be fixed to be better. Kay, well, that ends my author's note, so I just ant to say that I don't own Pokémon and I hope you all like it!
*Pokémon*
"Sarah! Go help your brother with the Ponyta!" My mother snapped at me. I almost jump out of my skin, and Vixen, the Vulpix I was playing with, gets off my lap and looks up at my mom.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm going..." I mutter unhappily. My mother nods in a disciplinary fashion and leaves, her bushy red hair bobbing as she leaves the doorframe. I sigh as I get up, and notice one of Ninetails dart back into the enclosure, nabbing her kid and running off. I hop the small, cement wall that make it so the small Pokémon we take in here to feed or play with can't get out, and navigate my way over our large farm, finding my brother tending to the two, new, Ponyta colts.
"Mind helping me out, sis?" Colton asks sheepishly. The colts dart all around the fenced enclosure, strong enough to run but not to jump a six-foot fence yet. I roll my eyes and whistle loudly, the two Ponyta still ignoring us and continuing in whatever game they're playing.
"Hey, which ones are these again?" I ask him as I watch the two Ponyta play. My brother raises an eyebrow at me, almost in an unbelieving fashion.
"So you know ever single Vulpix by name just by the way they look and act, yet you can't name the Ponyta at all?" He asks incredulously.
I turn red, now ignoring the playful colts and glaring at him. "There's like, six of them on the ranch!" I snap defensively.
"And there's about eleven Vulpix!" He retorts in disbelief. I move my mouth without making a sound, putting on a mocking face. He snorts. "Fine, if you can tame those two without my help, I'll tell you their names."
"Fine," I say smugly, knowing I probably won't be able to do it yet willing to try, just to defend my honour. I start approaching the colts cautiously, trying not to spook them for fear of sending them running again. The two continue to hop around each other, whinnying happily.
"Hey, guys..." I say softly, coming up to them. They turn to see me, and give a shout of their names, then attack. Kind of. They both jump around me and take turns nipping at me while I squeal and swat them away from me, trying to get me to play with them and not realizing that they're hurting me.
I hear my brother start to laugh hysterically, and a when the Ponyta finally get that I don't want to play with them, they back off, now running around in what seems to be a high-speed game of tag in which one of them is 'it' no matter how many times they tag the other.
"Happy now, you jerk?!" I snap in a flustered fashion, moving my chestnut hair out my face to glare at him.
"V-V-Very!" He gets out between gasps for oxygen, crying from laughing so hard. I growl in embarrassment, storming out of the enclosure and slamming the gate shut behind me, going to do any other task.
I pass up the Magby and evolutions enclosure when I see my dad is on it, and the Cyndaquil and up enclosure when I see my mom working on it. I decide on the Growlithe enclosure, seeing as my mom has banned me from the Vulpix enclosure because I play with them more than I fix up their enclosure.
My family owns a fire type ranch, with only pure fire-types in it. We have Ponyta and it's evolution Rapidash, Vulpix and occasionally their evolution Ninetails, Growlithe and occasionally their evolution Arcanine, Cyndaquil and their evolutions both Quilava and Typhlosion, Magby and Magmar yet no Magmortar yet, and Torkoal. WE don't have any Pokémon with even half a type that isn't fire, much to my despair. WE get quite a few customers coming by and asking to purchase our well-known Pokémon, but only a few ever walk away with the Pokémon they want. They have to pass numerous tests to show that they're capable of raising our powerful fire-types.
The Growlithe are all happy to see me, running up and barking at me and wagging their fluffy tails happily. I grin at them, pushing my annoyance at Colton to the back of my mind and going about their enclosure, picking up waste and checking the little pond we have for water. It's half empty, the dogs obviously very thirsty very often.
"Drink a little less, will ya?" I say jokingly to the excited pups. The Arcanine slink over to me, the females growling slightly. The Arcanine don't like me much, and neither do many of the evolved Pokémon. I have a tendency to take their children without asking so I can play with them. I hold my hands up in surrender, a barking exchange going on between parents and kids and the nine pups going to respective parents, the six parents, herding them away from me.
I exit the enclosure and note the empty food bowls, going to go get food for them. Before I can, a very dense Starly lands on the durable steel fence of the enclosure. I close the door to the enclosure, the heavy, metal door swinging closed with a loud 'thud' as I stand still to watch the Arcanine, who look up at the thing hungrily. They seem to formulate a plan, and one of them rams the wall with Take Down. The Starly takes to the air in a panic, flying over the enclosure and into their trap, another Arcanine shooting it down with a well-aimed Flamethrower. The bird falls to the ground weakly, the feathers signed so it looks black and nearly dead. The Growlithe all converge on it, toying with the poor thing until it stops chirping in pain, the silent bird now being eaten by the Growlithe who caught it.
I shudder to think what that kind of power could do to someone they don't like, a slink out of the enclosure to get Pokémon food before I become some.
*Pokémon*
It's six o'clock at night and I'm dead tired. I spent all day tending to the expecting Typhlosion who nearly pummeled me to goo when I tried to feed her the wrong type of food, and now I have to deal with some trainer to-be who wants a Magby.
"Hello, welcome to Sunny Day Ranch, home to all your fire type needs," I recite with fake happiness. the ten year old looks at me like I'm crazy, and starts laughing.
"Dude, you sound like a robot," he says with a snicker. I raise my eyebrow at him, and glare down at him, the three years younger boy glaring right back up at me. I'm going to retort, but something stops me. I can't tell if it's his determined look or his fiery spirit or his defiant stance, but I suddenly take a liking to him.
"What's your name, kid?" I ask him. He raises an eyebrow at my sudden demeanor change, but answers confidently anyway.
"I'm Kenny Tellus, and I'm going to be the Sinnoh League Champ one day!" He says with every ounce of belief he has. I grin down at him, his bleach blonde hair paling further compared to his bright red eyes.
I'm about to reply, when I feel something in my chest. I want to tell him that I hope he becomes champion one day and becomes the best in the land, when I feel my heart pounding wildly.
I think I'm having an epiphany.
I realize that that is what I'm, missing. I'm missing the adventure in my life. I'm missing the driving passion of a real goal. I'm missing that feeling of being on your own, totally free.
And I want it with all my fast-beating heart.
"Not if I beat you to it," I hear myself say, suddenly aware that that is what I want.
I want to become champion.
I will become champion.
Kenny and I continue to talk as I lead him to the Magby enclosure, and I have him fill the sheets that show he can adopt the Magby (which, by the way, he aced). He and I walk in, and all the five Magby rush him, all bleating for attention. Expect for one that starts trying to push him out of the enclosure.
"Who's this one?" He asks, pointing to the one that's staring at him with eyes that show he wants him to leave. I can see where this is going.
"That is Gordon, and he's not very friendly. But you like him anyway, don't you?" I say with amusement.
"It's why I like him," he answers with a grin. He picks up the level seven Magby, who, not very happy, leers at him. Kenny flinches a bit, but holds him eye-level the entire time, waiting for Gordon to stop.
Gordon then uses Ember right next to his face, knowing that if he hurts yet another trainer we will release him. When Kenny doesn't flinch, but grins wider, the Magby seems to get that Kenny is going to take him from the enclosure on an adventure. Gordon grins widely and chirps his name, hopping out of his grip and into mine, pointing at Kenny with bright eyes.
"Kenny," I say with a smug smile, tapping Gordon with a Poké Ball and watching him get captured without a fight. "You are the only trainer who has ever had an interest in Gordon. And the only one he has ever shown any interest in."
Kenny grins widely, taking the Poké Ball from me and releasing the Magby into the outside again. Gordon grins, a determined look in his eyes. Kenny fishes around in his pocket for the payment needed for Gordon, but I shake my head.
"Nope, take him free of charge, You've helped me in more ways than one, kid," I say with a grin. He thanks me enthusiastically, and runs off with Gordon fast at his heels.
I look to the setting sun and to the Vulpix enclosure, taking a deep breath as I go to find my future partner.
Entering the enclosure, Vixen, Flare, Coal, Dusty, Sunshine, Foxy, Vinny, Sniver, Sun, Star, and Phineas run up to me.
"Hm, Colton was right. There are eleven Vulpix. Eleven baby Vulpix anyway," I say absentmindedly. I look to the siblings, Vixen and Vinny, who're crawling all over each other to be the first to get to me. Vixen is a kindled spirit, and she's got a spark that enables her to be rebellious and brave. I'd like to take her. But Vinny is almost the same, but he's very protective of the ones he loves and would be a great partner too.
Then there's Sunshine, Sniver, Sun, and Star. Sunshine is the only shiny Vulpix we've ever had and is special to all of us, so I don't think I could get away with taking her. Sniver is kind of odd, and produces flames every time he gets a bit too excited. He has an odd head fetish in which he'll nestle in your hair until you forcibly remove him. I don't think I want to take him. Sun and Star are of one mind, twin born at the same time. They act so alike you'd think they come from the same egg. The only difference really is that Sun is a boy and Star is a girl. I could never separate them, and I don't want to take tem both.
Then there's Flare, Coal, Dusty, and Phineas. I can rule out Dusty and Phineas, because the two don't like me that much, but Flare is the sweetest one there, and is always nice to me. Though she's so shy I'm not sure how she'd fare in battle. Coal is brave and heroic and admittedly a bit arrogant, but he's so fun to be around and is always main me smile.
So the final contestants are Vixen, Vinny, Flare, and Coal.
Thinking for a moment and petting the Vulpix each in turn, I decide that I'll decide who I choose n battle. I coax the four into following me into the small arena we have for Trainers who want to challenge my parents (It's happened before) and put them in different corners. I take up a bunch of stones and stack them all in the center, a good, four foot mound protruding from my work.
"Okay!" I announce, the four looking over at me inquisitively. "WE are having a small competition. See that pile of rocks? Whoever is on the very top of that when I announce we're finished is going to come with me on what I now will be an epic Pokémon journey." The Vulpix all seem very excited, even shy little Flare looks excited, despite her lack of fighting. "You can use moves, but no seriously injuring each other. Use them to knock opponents off the rock mound to either get up or keep them down. So I wish you all the best of luck!"
The competition is pretty fair, considering none of them are past level seven. Trainers usually purchase them before they reach a high level, though sometimes we end up with adults, which is how the breeding continues.
Level four Flare is at the bottom of the heap, using the pitiful move Tail Whip to whomever is in her way. Vinny at level seven is at the top of the heap, spamming Roar at anyone who can hear. I think I may need to get my ears checked with how many times he used that move. Coal keeps running up the heap to him, only getting Roar in the face each time, getting more and more frustrated. Vixen is watching it all play out, formulating a plan as she follows Flare's idea and Tail Whips anyone in the way, usually Coal or Flare herself.
As I count down in my head, ten seconds is left when Vinny suddenly loses his voice. Roar ran out of PP and he cannot use it anymore, which gives Coal a chance to finally launch an attack. Apparently, one of his parents had learned Extrasensory before they had had him, as he uses said psychic move to send Vinny flying off of the heap, dashing up to the top himself. Just as Vixen and Flare are about to run up and try to claim victory for themselves, I call time as my countdown ends.
Vinny looks disgruntled, and a bit too pissed for a little level seven, and goes to sulk in a corner, which is pretty hard considering it's a circular arena. Flare looks a bit disappointed, and Vixen looks plain frustrated by how little she could do.
I gingerly step around the losing Vulpix and pick up Coal, who looks overly proud of himself.
I smile at the little guy, who pretty mush ignores me and looks smug. Raising an eyebrow, I direct the Vulpix back to their enclosure where their parents nearly maul me for taking their children yet again. I carry Coal off, which nearly sends his mother (whom is still a Vulpix) into a frenzy.
The Fox Pokémon squirms out of my arms to walk beside me instead, which causes me to frown. I wanted to hold him a bit. I guess he's independent. I hear a Vulpix cry from their enclosure as I walk away, not realizing one of them is standing at the gate, watching me leave with hope and want in her eyes.
*Pokémon*
"Mom, Dad, I want to go on a Pokémon journey."
The silence in the room is louder than their yelling at me ever was. My mom's red hair seems to die a little bit, the springy bounce to her frizzy curls almost drooping down as she slumps a bit. My runs a hand through his short, brown hair, watching me with sorrow in his eyes.
After five minutes or so of extremely awkward silence only broken by Coal's proud feet thumping against the ground, my dad finally speaks up.
"We were hoping this would never happen..." He says without the usual enthusiasm in his voice. "But who are we to hold you back?"
I grin widely, throwing my arms around his rotund belly and squeezing him in a hug.
"Oh thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" I squeal excitedly.
"Are... ARe you sure you want to do this?" My mom asks. I'm shocked to hear how choked up and teary-eyed she is; she never gets emotional.
Before I can answer, a large 'BOOM' sounds outside and my brother shouts for help.
"A PACK OF HOUNDOOM IS ATTACKING THE RANCH!"
*Pokémon*
Colton: You're just going to leave it at that?!
Kitten: I was going to add more, but I decided this was an awesome cliff-hanger and I'm going to put the rest in the second chapter. Anyways, I hope any readers out there liked it, and I hope that if you've read this before, you see a large improvement in my writing.
Colton: I need a new writer...