After several years, I'm actually publishing a new fanfic! I worked on this one for NaNoWriMo 2016 and '17, so it's actually already complete. I'm posting new chapters as I finish editing them.


Chapter 1

Home Sweet Home

For a few moments after she woke up, Avaline didn't know where she was. She sighed. Even though Mum had decorated her new room with all the colours she'd chosen, and spent an hour last night helping Avaline get all the furniture into the right positions, it still felt like a stranger's room. I wonder if it will ever feel like home?

Her internet research had suggested that Kalos was much wetter than Johto, but sunlight was streaming through the window. Avaline took a deep breath and threw back the covers. It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day.

Half an hour later, dressed in her favourite pink skirt and a white blouse, having managed to corral her long blonde hair into a ponytail approaching fashionable (she always despaired that her hair could never look as perfect as her clothes), Avaline went downstairs with a huge smile on her face. It was only about 30% fake. Mum had invested so much into this move and Avaline didn't want to disappoint her by being negative on their first day here as a family.

Mum was already cooking breakfast, the smell of pancakes making Avaline's stomach growl. "You looked so exhausted last night, I'm surprised to see you up so early."

"The sun woke me up," Avaline said. "I thought it was supposed to rain here?"

Her mother laughed. "Oh, it does, even in the summer. Just wait until it gets closer to winter! You get the absolute best lightning storms..."

And then her mother was lost in another one of her childhood anecdotes. Avaline felt a little homesick, but it was nice to see her mother smile like that. Grace's career as a rhyhorn racer had taken her all over the world at various times in her life, until she had Avaline and decided to stay in Johto. Even then, she always talked to Avaline about the beauty of the Kalos region where she'd grown up. When Avaline was very small, it had seemed like a fairy tale land and she'd imagined living there in princess-like fashion.

That was before she'd realised what leaving behind the only home she'd ever known really meant. For all of her mother's stories, Kalos was still a strange place to her. Avaline had grown up speaking her mother's native tongue, but several people at the airport had commented on her strange accent. Most of them had just been innocently curious but one old gentlemen had looked down his nose at her like she was a piece of dirt.

Avaline hoped it wasn't a bad omen.

Still, she tried to put her worries aside whilst her mother chatted over breakfast, telling herself firmly that she had to make the most of the opportunities in Kalos or the place would never feel like home.

"...And it turns out that one of our neighbours and her husband are famous trainers in the Kalos region and their son will be starting on his own journey soon, so I thought it would be fun to meet him."

Avaline nodded, trying not to feel too downhearted at the thought of Appa, the cute little phanpy she'd left behind in Johto. There were strict laws about transporting pokemon species across borders and phanpy weren't native to Kalos. He'd always been so cheerful and sweet. She'd left him with her best friend, Mariko, so she could be sure he had a good home, but it had been heartbreaking saying goodbye. Pokemon were very intelligent, but it was hard to explain to Appa why he couldn't come with her. Avaline hoped Appa knew she really loved and missed him.

Something must have shown on Avaline's face because she realised suddenly she'd been so lost in thought that she'd completely lost track of the conversation, and looked up from her plate to see her mother looking at her with a sad expression. "Oh, Avaline, I know it's hard to say goodbye. But you'll be able to see how Appa is doing and make new pokemon friends in Kalos."

"Yeah, I know," Avaline said, trying to recover some of her optimism. Besides, Mum had left some pokemon companions behind in Johto too; it wouldn't do either of them any good to dwell. "So, did you meet the neighbours' kid? What's he like?"

To Avaline's relief her mother seized on the change of subject. "Well, his name is Calem. I only met him once but he seems quite a serious type. Still, he's very interested in pokemon so I'm sure you two would get along. And I know he has another friend in town, but I didn't meet them yet."

Avaline tried not to look too dismayed; she'd known Vaniville Town would be much, much smaller than Goldenrod City, but seriously?

"I'm sure it'll be nice to meet them," she said diplomatically.

"I know Vaniville is much smaller than you're used to, but once you've settled in, you'll really love Kalos, I'm sure of it."

She was saved from having to come up with a reply when there was a loud growl from outside. Mum rolled her eyes.

Avaline stood up quickly. They would probably still have to have this awkward conversation later, but that was, well, later. "I'll get him."

"That old rhyhorn is getting too spoiled," Mum muttered under her breath, like she wasn't the one who had spoiled him. She stuck her head out the window. "Did you hear that, Roran?! Don't make me put you on a diet again!"

Avaline felt the low, grumbling response through her feet, and laughed.


Roran had been Mum's first racer, and a part of their family ever since Avaline could remember. To a lot of people he looked scary, but she knew he was a big softy. He munched away on his food quite happily.

Come to think of it, Roran was born in Kalos too.

"Is it nice to be home, Roran?"

Roran made a contented sound, but that may have just been the food. Avaline rubbed behind his ear. "I'm half-Kalosian too, right?" she murmured. "I wish I felt like it."

Roran made a sad, husky noise.

"But I'm supposed to be thinking positive," Avaline reminded herself. She always felt better having someone to talk out loud to, and Roran was a great listener. "You know what, I bet Mum has a whole bunch of 'new house' chores for me. What do you say we ditch and go for a ride? Maybe we'll meet the neighbourhood kids."

Appa would have been wagging his tail. Roran looked like he definitely would have been, had he actually had a tail. He swallowed the last bite of his food and hunkered down so she could climb on to his back. Maybe she shouldn't have worn a skirt. Oh well, we won't be going far.

Most of Avaline's friends back home - back in Johto - had said riding a rhyhorn felt really weird. She couldn't really relate as she'd been riding Roran pretty much since she could walk. He wasn't as fast as he had been in his prime as a racer, but they still far outsped the average pedestrian and Avaline had to hold on to her hat to keep from losing it.

At least one person had to dodge out of their way. Avaline gave the flustered boy in a blue tracksuit a cheerful wave. The picture-perfect cottages of Vaniville, with their neatly trimmed hedges and stonework, flew past as they ran. Roran took a bite out of someone's flower bush. Avaline pretended to scold him but she was laughing too hard. Mum was going to be so pissed.

After only a few minutes they came to what must have been the town square. Avaline had hoped the town would feel a little bigger than that. The flash of disappointment was quickly overtaken by delight at the beautiful square, though. In Goldenrod City, there were very few old buildings, since it had been a relatively small town until the monorail, racing track, and Whitney's Gym (then run by Whitney's aunt) had moved in. That was something that she liked immediately about Kalos, even just from seeing pictures of it; it felt like it had character, that even little towns like Vaniville had history and wisdom.

In the centre of the square was a beautiful, simple fountain, which must've been older than most of Goldenrod; the water feature in the centre was worn with weather and age. Two benches sat in the corner of the square, surrounded by well-kept flower pots which had a subtle, calming scent. Avaline went to sit whilst Roran helped himself to a drink from the fountain.

It seemed like a calm and tranquil morning. So Avaline was surprised when someone suddenly sat down next to her.

"I saw you from my bedroom window! You must be the rhyhorn racer's daughter! You were so cool!" the girl said all in one breath.

Avaline blinked at the newcomer, who seemed to be still wearing her pyjamas. This must be the other kid her mother had mentioned, although she was several inches shorter than Avaline and probably a few years younger. But maybe that was just the effect of the bed hair. At least she was enthusiastic? "Uh, yeah, that's me. I'm Avaline."

"My name is Shauna! It's nice to meet you," the girl said, apparently not feeling nearly as awkward about the situation as Avaline. Shauna stuck her hand out and Avaline tried not to giggle at the formal greeting as they shook hands, a strange contrast to Shauna's appearance.

Avaline wasn't sure what to say next, but before it could become awkward, Roran decided to wander over and examine the newcomer. Shauna wasn't even slightly nervous, which Avaline thought was a point in her favour. Once Roran was satisfied Shauna wasn't hiding any food from him, he was happy to lie near her legs and be petted whilst she sang his praises.

"Roran's going to get such an ego if you keep on like that," Avaline said, smiling.

He gave a huff of annoyance when Shauna stopped petting him. "Sorry, I've just never seen a real racer's rhyhorn before! Nothing ever happens here and then we get a real life celebrity moving here and the thing with the Professor, don't you think that's going to be so much fun?"

Avaline blinked. "Thing with the Professor?"

"You don't know?" Shauna said. "Calem was supposed to go over to your house to tell you." She grinned and stood up suddenly. "Oh well! We can go meet him there. Do you think Roran would let me ride him to your place? I don't mean real fast."

"Yeah, I think so," Avaline said. "...But you might want to get dressed first."

Shauna looked down at herself with a fierce blush on her face. "I guess I was too excited," she mumbled. "I'll be just a minute!"


Roran graciously allowed Shauna to ride on his back, and even restrained himself to a stroll. It probably helped that she'd brought some toast out of her house to share with him. Avaline tried not to stare too hard at the bush Roran had taken a bite out of, which an elderly gentleman was now scratching his head at. His eyes narrowed when he saw Roran go past - rhyhorn were not the most subtle of pokemon. Uh oh. Mum really was going to be pissed.

Roran, bless him, was not even slightly concerned about Avaline's potential scolding and happily announced his return to the house with a roar that startled Shauna so badly that she fell off him. The rhyhorn was at least contrite about the graze on the toast-giver's knee.

Mum arrived in the doorway with a restrained scowl and folded arms. Next to her, holding a mug of tea, was the boy in the blue tracksuit Avaline and Roran had nearly run over. Oh boy, Avaline thought, that's a lot of chores I'm going to be doing.

"Hi, Calem, Avaline's mum!" Shauna said, completely unaffected by the glares Grace was sending towards her daughter or the fact that Avaline was trying to hide behind her. "Your rhyhorn is the best, he's so cute and he's a great racer!"

Avaline could have kissed Shauna, because there was pretty much nothing other than gratuitous rhyhorn compliments which could cure her mother in a bad mood. Mum's whole demeanour softened considerably. "Oh, that's so kind of you to say, dear," she cooed. "Rhyhorn are so misunderstood as a species!"

Barely resisting from rolling her eyes - it wasn't that Avaline didn't agree, but she'd been subject to this rant by her mother too many times to count - she carefully edged her way around the animated conversation between Shauna and her mother without trying to draw attention to herself.

Calem just seemed slightly bemused by it all, standing in the doorway sipping his tea. Avaline expected him to snap at her or at least to glare, but he just offered her a small smile. It made her feel even more awkward and she coughed nervously.

"Sorry, er - about nearly running you over."

"No harm done." Calem shrugged. "Anyway, it was pretty great to see him racing. Grace was telling me he was her first racer rhyhorn so he must be at least ten years out of the races, but you wouldn't think that to look at him."

It was like they'd read her mother's mind. Avaline thought it was a good job that neither Calem nor Shauna seemed particularly offensive because she would totally get an earful if she refused to be friends with them now.

"I wondered how the Professor even knew about you before you'd moved here," Calem continued. "But I guess being the daughter of a famous rhyhorn racer would explain it."

He didn't sound like he was jealous or anything, but Avaline still felt the need to offer, "Mum mentioned that your parents are famous trainers in the Kalos region."

"Oh, yeah." Calem grinned. "Mum used to run the Gym in Anistar and Dad does a TV show about pokemon training for kids."

"Wow." Avaline thought those connections put rhyhorn racing to shame.

"And Shauna's dad is a scientist, so that's how the professor knows her," Calem said.

At least 'rhyhorn racer' is still cooler than 'scientist', Avaline thought. She'd realised that she had no idea which professor they were talking about, but at this point there was no way to clarify without being really embarrassed. "What was the 'thing' with the professor, anyway? Shauna didn't say."

"Oh Avaline, it's so exciting!" Mum said, making Avaline jump. "Professor Sycamore has asked you three to help him with his research!"

"And we get to choose a rare pokemon to travel with," Shauna added.

Professor Sycamore, Avaline remembered, was an expert in pokemon evolution. He'd helped to codify the recently classified fairy type as well, by definitively proving that flabébé and its evolutions weren't grass types. No one had classified a new type since Professor Oak, and that had been years before Avaline was even born, so it was fair to say that Professor Sycamore was kind of a big deal.

"He wants to meet us?" she said, just to be sure she hadn't gotten the wrong idea.

"Yes! He's arranged to meet you outside the Saint-Louis Cafe tomorrow and 11 in the morning," her mother said.

"I can't believe that's really tomorrow!" Shauna said. Calem shook his head, but he had a fond smile on his face. "We'll be going on a big adventure together! It's going to be sooo great, I've barely been able to sleep this whole week."

A big adventure. Avaline wasn't sure how she felt. She'd only just arrived in Kalos, yet she was already expected to go out on a huge journey in a strange country full of strange pokemon, accompanied by two people who were themselves virtual strangers? There hadn't been a chance for her to get used to her new home yet, or even to unpack all her things, and she hadn't seen her mother since she moved out a month before her schooling finished in Johto, and...

And... would that make much of a difference, really? Mum might have set up a home base in Johto for Avaline's sake, but that didn't mean she stopped travelling altogether; Avaline was quite used to being apart from her mother for long periods of time. And she hadn't settled in here yet, but that meant she wouldn't have much chance to be homesick. Maybe travelling around Kalos would let her fall in love with the region and she would be too busy to miss Johto and all her friends there. At least it would be a bit of excitement, because she was sure to run out of things to do in Vaniville Town quite quickly.

Plus, how often do you get to help a world famous pokemon researcher?

There were butterflies in her stomach but Avaline's face felt like it would split in half with the first genuine grin she'd had in weeks. She could see that her mother was also pleased for her, eyes crinkled with her smile. Calem was already trying to turn the excited Shauna on to discussing logistics, so Avaline joined to help him.

The start of my own pokemon journey... and a rare pokemon... and meeting a famous professor... I think life in Kalos is going to be great, after all!


A/N: On the "loose novelisation" - there are a lot of things in Pokemon Y that kinda work for a game, but not in writing. Having five main characters is one of those things. Cutting Trevor and Tierno let me spend more time developing Calem and Shauna as well as Avaline's pokemon. There are some more changes but I'll talk about those when they actually come up.

I'm really excited to FINALLY share this thing as it's been such a long time in writing. I hope you enjoy it. I love to get feedback, so if there are any particular parts that stood out to you - in a good way or a bad way - please don't hesitate to share them.

EDIT: 12/3 - corrected some typos etc. Thanks for pointing them out!