UPDATE: The only changes to this chapter is that I took out some unnecessary information. There were also small things I added to it.

Hello. This is my first story, so no spams or flames. Please Review, I need to know how I can Improve.
Disclaimer to prevent lawsuit: I don't own any of this except my OC, which as of this chapter is Esteban.

Chapter One:
Altomare in the Morning

"Hey, sir, wake up. We are almost to Altomare."

"Don't call me 'sir'. My name is Esteban," I yawned. I opened my eyes, gave a yawn, and took a look around. I was on a motor boat to the city of Altomare, and I was almost there. It was beautiful with the rising sun giving it a look that would put the most masterful paintings to shame. The cool morning and pleasant sea breeze put me to sleep on my way there, but the million different shades of red and orange, the sound of the sea, and the view of the City of Water woke me up. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?" I said cheerfully.

"I've lived here for fifty years, and I am still not tired of the view," said the boat driver. "It gets more beautiful with time. I am glad you came in the morning when the beauty is at its peak. By the way, what brings you to Altomare? There are no competitions or events, and you don't look like a tourist or even a trainer for that matter. Well, there is that gala at the museum in a couple days, but that's only for locals."

He was right. I am no tourist. I had on large, yet comfortable, hiking boots. I was wearing long, brown, baggy pants with about fifteen pockets. I wore a loose-fitting, black t-shirt and a loose-fitting, brown duster coat over my shirt. I also wore a brown broad-rimmed hat. Yes I know, I wear too much brown, but they are extremely comfortable. I had a rather large backpack which I use to hold my miscellaneous crap among other necessities. I also wore a gold cross around my neck. It is very special to me. It would be hard to say what I looked like, but I guess "mysterious, western wanderer" fits the best. After all, that is what I am.

As for my physical features, I was about six feet tall. I had hair that was somewhere between short and medium length, and it's black. When people talk about how I look, what the say is the most interesting are my eyes. They're red. Not the "I'm an evil psychopath that wants to commit bloody murder" red, but it's a color that people can't really describe. It does creep out a lot of people that I meet, though. They mostly associate red eyes with evil, and they've never seen a naturally red-eyed person. I never made many friends, but my Teacher, whom I traveled with until recently, was the closest I ever got to a best friend. She always said my eyes were deep, dark, and mysterious, but caring and kind at the same time.

I also had some pretty unusual things with me. One would be a trainer's belt (where one would usually put their pokémon) around my pants, but mine was empty because I don't have any. That is very unusual for someone who is twenty-one years old and traveling the world, because everyone else I met my age had at least one pokéball on their belt. Second and thirdly, I had a rather large staff by my side and a pair of snug fingerless gloves. They might not be too unusual if it weren't for the rune-shaped figures that were all over my staff and a little bit on my gloves. They are my most important items because they are what I use to focus my energy, my aura.

As I thought about how to answer the man's question, I stared into the water and saw dozens of water pokémon swimming in it. I pulled out a black rock from one of my pockets, and I started fiddling with it. It's a little project of mine I've been working on.

"A friend recommended coming here. Said it is a great this time of year to come, and I am an artist," I answered. It wasn't exactly a lie. Using aura is an art that no one can ever fully master. However, I am one of the last people on Earth who have the power to manipulate and control aura. It is true that it was my Teacher who told me to come to Altomare, but all she said was to go there when she dies.

"An artist, eh?" he said. I hoped that being an "artist" would explain my nontraditional appearance. He then laughed a bit and said, "About a fourth of the people in Altomare are artists. This city attracts them. It really is the best time of year. Good luck with whatever it is you're doing."

"Thanks," I said, and I continued fiddling with my rock. A minute late out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black speed boat race towards the city. I looked carefully at it as it raced by. I only saw one person with long red hair in it, and she was in a hurry. The wake almost rocked our boat over. "Darn kids!" the boat driver yelled with his fist in the air, and then he sighed. "No one takes time to slow down and look at the world once in a while. At least an artist like you could appreciate the world."

"Well, you only live once," I said thoughtfully after a minute, although I was still focused on my rock.

"All the more reason to enjoy the world and the time you have left instead of speeding right through it."

"Touché," I said, "Touché." After a few minutes the boat reached the edge of Altomare. The city only had streets of water, so the boat could have gone into the city, but I wanted to get off at the dock and enjoy the city. I also wanted to look for any clues as to why my Teacher told me to come here. Besides, when traveling through Altomare, gondola beats motor boat any day.

"Goodbye," I said as the man was heading back to the mainland, "and thanks for ride and advice mister, uh, I never got your name!"

"It's Raphael, and it's no problem. Goodbye Esteban" He said as he waved back. I watched him as he drove to the strip of land just at the horizon.

'Well that was interesting,' I thought. Raphael was right, life is to be enjoyed, but I had a feeling that that pleasant boat ride would be my last bit of true relaxation and enjoyment for a while. 'I wish I know what I am supposed to do,' I thought.

I put my rock back in my pocket, and I looked at the large canal next to me. There were two columns with what looked like statues two very special pokémon on top. They look like a cross between a dragon, a bird, and a jet plane. I didn't recognize them. I walked over to one column and read an inscription. It read, "The Eon Pokémon. Guardians of Altomare".

'Guardians,' I thought, 'perhaps they are the clue I was looking for.'

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