Chapter 1: Yu and Mei

A cloud of ash, smoke and soot plumes endlessly from the mouth of Mt. Chimney, obscuring both sun and sky. Soil of earth and fire choke out all but the strongest of plants, leaving the sleeping beast all but barren. Every so often the mountain stirs, yet never to awaken. A lake of magma churns at its heart with a calm beat of rises and falls.

"A sky of ash, pluming above a lake of fire; ever shifting, yet never changing." Jade eyes gaze through tuffs of purple hair at the graying cloud of smoke above. Thin lips curve to a smirk. Black hiking boots tap the air in time with an unheard rhythm, tapping the cuffs of navy blue pants. Black gloves cling to work-worn hands, fingers exposed to the elements but buried now in the pockets of an olive vest. "Kind of poetic really, don't you think Blitz?" The Doduo squawks in reply; one head pecking at the ground. The purple-haired teen chuckles and scratches at the base of each neck. "Ok girl, I get it. Let's go find Mr. Yoshi's Mightyena; I'm sure he hasn't wandered off too far."

"Yena! Yena!"

Three heads perk up. "Speaking of which..." Blitz squawks, trotting towards an outcrop of rocks, nearly knocking her trainer off her back. On the other side a Mightyena stands poised, nose to the ground. Boots hit the ground with a plume of soot and dirt. "Mightyena, dig." With a bark, the Pokémon digs into the dirt, stopping a few seconds later. A single knee braces on the ground as fingers trace a now-exposed earthen root. "Perfect. This one looks to be the right size to harvest." He pulls a small spade sheathed at his hip, carefully digging up the root before dropping it in a cloth satchel. Brushing a layer of dirt from his knees, he smiles at the two Pokémon. "What do you two think, call it a day and head home?"

"Hold it right there! You're not leaving yet." Four necks snap to the right. A skinny girl stood a few feet away; no older than the purple-haired teen. Sapphire eyes glare through unkempt redwood bangs tipped with fire-orange highlights. A white gi clings to her thin frame, dusty and dirty from months of wear. Her petite hand wrapped in bandage thrusts out a Pokéball worn from use. Bare toes grip the scorched earth, heels digging in to brace her martial arts stance.

"How did she possibly..." The purple-haired teen clears his throat. "You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not an official trainer. I'm actually up here digging-"

"Bah! You have a Pokémon! That makes you a trainer!"

He sighs. "Look, you must be new to the area. I can tell you have a lot of enthusiasm but you really must-"

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name? It's Yuuhi, but I have no idea why that-"

"Very well Yuuhi. Prepare to face the power of Reimei, Master Stone's greatest disciple! Meditite! Go!" The girl throws the Pokéball straight up, releasing the Pokémon midair. The Meditite lands, feet and a single hand bracing against the ground before striking a fighting pose. "MediiiiiiTITE!"

Yuuhi groans. "I keep telling you you're wasting your time. I'm not going to-"

"Meditite! Confusion!" The Meditite clasps both hands, focusing psychic energies before releasing a focused blast at Blitz. She squawks from the force of the hit, stumbling backwards a few feet before hitting the ground. The two trainers sigh disappointed at the swirls in the Doduo's eyes.

"Are you kidding me? That's all your pokemon can take? What kind of a pathetic trainer are-"

"I. Am NOT. A trainer." The teen pulls a small plastic phial from his vest, pulls the cork out with his teeth and pours the diluted green liquid into one of Blitz' mouths. "I work for the Herb Shop in Lavaridge Town collecting the herbs for the owner, Mr. Yoshi. As such, my work has left me little free time, especially for unnecessary efforts like training for Pokémon battles I have no desire to participate in. I am sorry if this disappoints you, but those are the facts." Blitz clamors to her feet, squawking at the girl, yet calming as soon as her trainer hops on top.

Sapphire eyes lower to the ground, shoulders sagging. "Oh. I didn't realize you..." Suddenly, her eyes narrow. "You are clearly not a useful opponent! To make up for the time you've wasted of ours, Meditite and I must run up that hill! Come Meditite!"

Yuuhi watches the two run past, narrowing one as thoughts try to piece together the disjointed events. His heart leaps up his throat as he sees the girl reach the foot of the small hill nearby. "Wait! You don't want to go up that one! Those rocks are-" Suddenly, the hill twitches as dirt crumbles beneath the girl's feet. She and her Meditite scream as they slide into a ditch. "-likely to cave in and slide into one of the crevices around here..." He sighs as he taps Blitz with his heels. "Come on girl; let's go make sure they're ok."