Chapter 1: New Beginnings
This is the world of Pokemon. This world is much different from our own in many ways. One of these difference is the existence of creatures called Pokemon. These Pokemon roam the waves, the skies, and the land. Some wield great power while others rely on tactics. These creatures are simply extraordinary. However, these Pokemon who could easily overpower humans, live in peace with humans, and they work together as friends, partners, or companions. However, this partnership is not where our story begins. In fact, it starts with two humans. A young boy named Ross and his baby sister Natalie.
Ross' hair was a complete mess. He was tired and his hair reflected that. He crawled out of his bed, hearing his sister's shrill cry and rubbed his eyes, He looked at his alarm clock. 1:32 AM.
"Well if anything that's a new record for her. Normally she'd be up by at least midnight." Ross sighed and exited his small room.
Entering the small hallway, he wandered over to Natalie's room. He opened the door revealing the baby's room which was decorated with an array of pinks and purples. However, the room was showing wear and the paint had started to chip. One lone crib sat in the corner of the room next to a window. In this crib laid an infant covered in a pink blanket.
Ross lifted the blanket from her body and picked her up. The baby was much lighter than a normal newborn and she was significantly smaller than a healthy child. "What's wrong Natalie? Are you hungry?"
His words didn't soothe Natalie, as her wails continued. Ross cradled her in his arms and began his trip downstairs. Much like the upstairs, the downstairs area was small and was showing signs of wear. The kitchen was simple and housed a small set of appliances that one would normally find in a kitchen. He quickly grabbed a bottle of formula from the refrigerator that was pre-made for these nights and placed it in the microwave to warm it up. While that was being heated, he tried comforting Natalie. Unfortunately, this did not work and only a bottle of warm formula would calm the crying baby. Thankfully Ross did not have to wait long and he was quickly able to give the child what she wanted. Ross wandered around the house while feeding Natalie. Reminiscing at the past and wondering about the future.
"What are we going to do Natalie? We'll have to leave soon and the house will be foreclosed. We can't go to foster care. That'd be a nightmare and we have no source of income. I don't know what to do." Ross frowned as he looked out the window. Natalie was oblivious to his words as she sucked on the bottle hungrily. "I wish there was another way…" He looked down at his sister. "You don't deserve this kind of life. You deserve better."
Ross was out of options… he needed money, but there wasn't any way for him to get any stable income. What could a 15-year-old do to get money? He looked down at a magazine on the coffee table. It had various copies of his dad's old sports magazines. Ross sighed and idly flipped through one with Natalie still in his arms. After he adjusting her weight to better fit their new position Natalie squirmed and mewled a little but quickly adjusted to her new position and continued drinking her formula.
Ross wasn't really paying attention to the magazine, he wasn't really focusing on anything. However, one article did catch his attention. Recently, the Pokemon League had reformed the Kalos circuit, making it more challenging, but safer and strengthening the rules against Pokemon abuse. It also promised "fame, glory, and money" to those who participated and won. It wasn't the fame or the glory that Ross was interested in, but the money definitely caught his attention. Anyone could participate over the age of ten as long as they registered it with a registered professor. Ross may have just found his answer.
000
Sunrises were especially beautiful when you're on a plane, especially one flying over the Kalos region, a region well known for its beauty. "It's beautiful, isn't it Pikachu?" a young teenager asked. He wore a blue jacket and jeans with a red baseball cap on his head. In his lap sat a yellow rodent.
"Chu…"
The woman next to him chuckled. "That isn't even the start. Kalos has so many beautiful sights. Though I think you'll be too preoccupied catching and trainer Pokemon than looking at the sites right Ash?"
The teenager, now known Ash laughed. "I may be a trainer, but I can at least appreciate some of the smaller details of life right?"
"I suppose, I didn't think I'd hear that from you though. You never struck me as the person who appreciated natural beauty."
Ash smiled. "There's a lot some people don't know about me."
The two were cut off by the intercom's electronic buzzing. Thank you for flying Kalos Airways. As we approach your destination please fasten your seatbelts and set the trays into their upright position. Once again, thank you for flying Kalos Airways. Welcome to the Kalos Region.
"Well looks like we'll land soon Alexa. I can hardly wait to see all the new Pokemon!" Ash was quite excited. The Kalos region was well known for its exotic and strong Pokemon and for it's tough gym leaders. "I wonder what Pokemon we'll catch. If it's anything like the rumors say, I think they'll be pretty strong!"
Alexa smiled. "I'm sure you'd be able to make any Pokemon strong Ash!"
The group laughed as their plane touched down. Kalos Region look out! Ash Ketchum has arrived!
000
Sometimes though, sunrises are best observed from a porch. One teenager was doing just that and strummed his guitar. "Alright, let's get this right…" He stated and started his newest song that he wrote.
"Through Kalos, there is a deep rift, that splits the nation. It is certainly not a novelty, but rather of great interest… no wrong note again!" He shook his head and put his guitar away.
"Riley, breakfast is ready!" His mother shouted.
Riley smiled. "Coming!" As he entered the small Vaniville cottage and took in the smells from the kitchen.
As his small family gathered around the food sat on the table, Riley was in deep thought. It was quite clear his music lacked something… some tune or note. Normally he would tear into his food, but today he was just picking at it. His little sister next to him noticed. "Big brother, Why aren't you eating? Momma made your favorite!"
Riley sighed and looked down at his sister. "You worry about your own food kiddo. I'm just thinking."
Now that his sister mentioned it, his mother noticed as well. "Yeah, what's wrong Riley? Are you not feeling well."
"No, no I'm fine. I'm just thinking," he replied.
His mother caught on quickly. "Is it your music? I know you've been a bit critical about it lately.
Riley nodded. "Yeah, something about it just seems off. Like it's become stale."
"Well, have you tried changing up your style? You're always doing those march songs you're so fond of."
Riley shook his head. "I've already tried changing from Marschlieds and it didn't work."
The family was stuck in thought for a while, thinking of ways to help the oldest sibling. To everyone's surprise, their answer came from the most unlikely source, Riley's little brother. "What about going on a Pokemon journey?" the 5-year-old stated boldly.
His little sister was curious about the idea. "How would that help big bro?"
"A change in scenery huh. That might actually work! Mom, is it okay if I go on a journey?" Riley asked.
His mother smiled softly. "If you think it'll help then I'm more than willing to let you go. I'll call Professor Sycamore.
000
The cold grey walls of an underground base weren't Clemont's ideal work environment, but it would have to do. The fascist psychos would beat him if he objected to his conditions. The young blonde teenager twisted a few more screws into a rifle before it was finished. The soldier in front of him nodded before taking the modified weapon from the table and exiting the room.
Clemont sighed, another day of slaving away was over, with no end in sight this was likely the rest of his life until he dies. Such a thought depressed him, but he had to keep going, either for the faint chance of freedom or that his sister would survive this ordeal. He hoped for both.
As Clemont was handcuffed and escorted back to his cell a thought came to him. Escape was definitely a possible option or at least an escape for Bonnie. He trudged forward, each guard holding his arm with an iron grip. Not that there was much to hold, the siblings hadn't had a good meal in months and it was clearly showing.
The guards opened his cell and threw him in. He landed on his knee with a grunt, but no other noise came from him. One guard slammed the door shut and locked it tight before sitting down in a chair in front of the cell, back turned to the siblings. The other looked into the cell, almost with a sense of regret or conflict, but he covered it with a stoic look and marched away. Leaving the blonde siblings alone with one uncaring guard and eternal enslavement.
At least, that's what could've happened had that nights events turned out differently. That night, the same regretful guard appeared and took over the others shift. The soldier marched over to there cell with a tray of "food". It was nothing more than some bread and slop. "Here you go, eat it, you'll need the strength."
Bonnie and Clemont begrudgingly accepted the food, both of them too tired and beat to speak a word. The two hadn't spoken in days, only performing their duties as told by the guards. As they dug into the food the guard made some interesting comments. "So Inmate 4859 and Inmate 9584… Bonnie and Clement. You two have been here for a few months correct?"
The two nodded, not finding the energy to respond. The guard spoke up again. "Alright, you two here's the plan. I'm going to bust you out, whether you like it or not."
The blonde siblings looked up in shock. This man was the enemy and yet he wanted to help them? Clemont spoke up for the first time in days. "What do you mean?"
The guard scowled. "What I mean is I'm going to let you escape."
A chance at freedom. A chance to return home. Bonnie and Clemont were astounded by this stranger who's been aiding the enemy. "Why us?" Bonnie asked.
The soldier sighed. "Listen, kid, To make the long story short, it's not because I care or have some heroic morals or some sob story. To be frank, I really shouldn't care about you two, you're nothing to me. I just want to screw over the boss. He demoted me to some dead-end guard duty and said my performance was poor. So I'm going to give you two a chance to escape. It has to be tonight though because conveniently the cameras are disabled for some reason." The guard smirked. "And I know you two are worthy assets to our organization. Clement with your mechanic skills and Bonnie has done a good job being the cleaning maid. Anyway, I don't care. Let's get a move on. The story is that I'm escorting you to a new location. This'll get us to topside before we could be caught, but by that time you can escape into the forested areas and back to Lumiose where you go directly to Sycamore's lab. Just for protection or something. I don't care, I just picked a random place. Let's get a move on!" The man unlocked the cell and handcuffed the two once again and led them down a hallway.
The first phase went flawlessly and nobody even questioned them, until they reached topside.
Another guard, this time instead of the traditional grey uniform of the indoor guards wore a camouflage uniform, approached them. "Excuse me sir, but why are you escorting these inmates outside of their cell." He reached down towards his pistol holster. "I'm going to need to see some documents from the higher-ups to let you pass."
Clemont and Bonnie's guard let go of their arms and swiftly and skillfully planted a knife in the camouflage guard's stomach. "You… damn… traitor… non sibi sed patriae."
"And that's why you always keep an ace up your sleeve." The guard chuckled as he withdraws the bloody knife from the other guard and slid it up his sleeve. He grabbed some keys from his pocket and unlocked Clemont's then Bonnie's handcuffs "Now's your chance you two, get going!"
The siblings nodded and took off using the trees as cover. The guard stood back and prepared to use his cover story.
A squad of soldiers bursts out of the base. Each looking furious, the guard that helped the siblings escape looked shocked and traumatized. To him, the two had burst out, killed his "friend" and ran. The commander of the squad stormed up to the man. "Private Louise Turnalov! What in devils blazes happened here!"
The private shook. "I-I have no idea, sir. Two kids just burst from inside and killed the other guard!"
The commander turned his eyes away from the shaking private. "I see… very well! Men search every damn inch of this forest! I want these children found and brought before me!"
Each soldier saluted and equipped their weapons before entering the forest to capture the blonde siblings.
000
Bonnie and Clemont had been running for hours with no end in sight. "Clemont, I'm getting tired… I can't keep going for much longer!"
The eldest sibling nodded and grabbed her hand. "I know Bonnie, but we've got to keep going until we reach Lumiose City."
Suddenly loud cracking sounds reverberated through the forest. Clemont's eyes widened. "We need to keep moving or we'll be gunned down in seconds!"
Bonnie nodded and doubled her efforts. The two sped up, but nothing is faster than a bullet. A rifle round shot through the foliage and dug itself directly into Clemont's knee.
The boy cried out in shock and pain. A lucky bullet had got him and he fell to his only good knee. "Bonnie, keep going! Get out of here and find Professor Sycamore as fast as you can!"
Bonnie's eyes watered up. "B-but, they'll kill you! Or worse! I can't just leave you like this!"
"Go, Bonnie! My time is over now, you've been a good sister. Now go! Return to the normal world! Go to your freedom!" Clemont shouted back.
"Goodbye, big brother… I'm sorry!" Bonnie turned away from her dying brother and ran. Faster than she had ever ran before. Heavy teardrops fell down her face as the distance between her and her brother, the only family she knew in life. She heard shouts behind her as the soldiers had found Clement, but her brother's capture and inevitable death meant one thing. Bonnie would have a shot at living a free life. A better life than the hell they had been subjugated too and that's all Clemont ever wanted.
000
The commander stood in front of the soldiers who had dragged Clemont back to the compound. They grabbed the boy and held him in front of their commander. "Well, it's better than nothing, but the other child got away. This is unacceptable! Half Rations for the rest of the month! As for you child… there's only one fate left for you. So, what are your last words, hm? Are you going to beg for mercy? Or perhaps you cuss us out before I put a bullet in your empty skull!"
He pulled out a pistol, etched with lines designating the number of people he had executed. Placing the cold steel barrel on Clement's forehead he spoke once again. "Well child?"
"Fuck… you." it hardly came out as a whisper, but each soldier heard it.
Then darkness.
000
There Mara are you happy? Anyway, thanks for the help. I actually used Grammarly to help me proofread this chapter just now and oh boy there were a ton more mistakes than you mentioned, but alas I fixed them to this is the updated version.
Making sure this doesn't get deleted
