Chapter 1

Seraphina Connell lived for the day when she would turn ten. When the day came that she could finally meet her pokemon companion that would stay by her side as they battled gyms and eventually the pokemon league. She idolized this day until it came.

Seraphina could hardly sleep knowing that in a few hours she'd be ten and able to get her first pokemon. Her little brother, Alzack protested on having to go to bed.

"But, Sera's still up why do I have to sleep?" He whined. Sera's mother, Asuka, sighed.

"Sera," She enunciated the word, fully meaning to address her. "should be going to bed now."

"But, mom! How can I sleep?" She came out of her room protesting. "In just…" Sera paused counting the hours till the sun would rise. "eight hours the sun will rise and I'll be ten and get my first pokemon!"

Her mother sighed, her father laughed as he came up beside her, "Getting your first pokemon is a big deal but you can't be your best for your new friend if you don't get enough sleep." Her father said, he always knew how to twist words into making his kids do what they're told.

Sera sighed knowing her father's technique was old but that he was right. "Okay." She said sadly and walked off to bed as her parents put Alzack to bed. But as Sera crawled into bed she couldn't sleep knowing what great adventure waited for her tomorrow. Still she tried to close her eyes.

Sunlight through slitted eyelids woke Sera up, that and the fact Alzack was on top of her wildly exclaiming something about getting a pokemon. Sera pushed him back and sat up sleepily. "What?" She mumbled still waking up.

"Today's the day Sera! You're finally ten!" Sera gasped, she was ten, the day she met her new pokemon was here. She flew out of bed and quickly got dressed. Alzack waiting impatiently behind her door the whole time.

The morning couldn't have gone by any slower. After lunch her parents revealed to her the pokemon their wealthy expenses had found for her to choose from. Of course their were the common three starting types most people got, but Sera wasn't interested in those. She searched the line front to back a few times, deciding carefully which partner she should choose to be her friend. Finally Sera had to decide on a small fox pokemon. She picked it up and smiled at it, the fox gave her a blank stare back.

"I choose you then. Hello, Vulpix!"

Sera woke up, her Furret's fuzzy tail wrapped around her as she slept. Sera sighed, long gone were the days she'd spent with that Vulpix. She sat up and looked at the sleeping Furret beside her. Pidove's and Tailows sang in the trees above, the sunlight cast through a canopy of leaves placed its rays perfectly on Furret's head. Showing his luscious and soft fur like a warm coat. Sera smiled, all she had was her Furret now and that was all she needed. Slowly Furret's brown eyes began to open. His mouth opened in a yawn as he lifted his big head.

Furret was much bigger than Sera, or any other Furret's, the biggest one she'd seen anyway. At night they would sleep in their forest home his tail wrapped around her to protect her from the cold.

"Morning Starshine!" Sera laughed and jumped off from her place buried in his tail. Once Furret saw she was up he bounced around excitedly, the end of his tail following his body like a snake. "Ready, Furret? Let's go!" She exclaimed as she absentmindedly brushed her short hair to the side. Furret bounded out of his sleeping place, running off at a blinding speed only stopping short to let Sera climb aboard his back.

Sitting amongst his soft fur Sera took a few glances at the blurry forest going by her. The family of linoone's that lived close by were just waking up, she waved to them though they probably didn't see her. The patrol Tailows flew beside her and Furret signaling to the other pokemon, The Lone Trainer was here.

Every day Sera and Furret race across the Viridian Forest patrolling every inch of it. There were a lot of bad people these days, every week Sera and Furret would find at least three injured pokemon, most of them injured from trainer battles some she found abandoned by their trainers. Sera couldn't stand to see hurt pokemon that's why Furret and her were known as the protectors of this forest. She told Furret to pick up his speed, he listened and raced through the trees.

A few hours later and the sun was high in the sky, Sera and Furret hadn't found any injured pokemon today, which was unusual but a good sign. The northern patrol had gone well, the local Tailows would usually come to Sera and lead her to any injured pokemon, no one did. This was as it should be, pokemon living peacefully in the forest together. This was what Sera was here for. Furret and her were just starting the patrol by the trainer's path. So many trainers came through the forest on a daily basis. All of them wanted something, normally a trainer battle, which Sera didn't care for, so she has Furret climb to the tree tops and watch the path from the branches most days.

The forest harbored a minimal amount of trainers today, so she and Furret skipped ahead to finish the patrol. Before she knew they were back where they started, the daily patrol yielded no news. Now Furret and Sera were relaxing on a tree branch by the path into Viridian forest. Sometimes she liked to watch what kind of trainers come through and what pokemon they have. She never confronted them though, that would lead to battles.

The usual catch came through today, one group of fresh trainers all with starter types from the Hoenn region. Sera got bored of watching, today was such a slow day, would anything happen? Sera didn't think so as she finished off the fruit she'd been eating. She was about to get up and leave when one more trainer caught her eye. A young boy about twelve, a Froslass floating gently beside him. He looked like an experienced trainer despite his age, so why would he be walking through the Viridian forest? Most trainers who came through here were new having just received their first pokemon from the town outside the forest. Furret seemed to think they were interesting, he didn't waste any time in climbing down the tree. Sera couldn't stop him, Furret was too fast and she knew if he got into trouble she'd have to be there. She cursed the pokemon and leapt down after him.

Furret was standing full height, which is about eight feet for him, looking down on the trainer and his pokemon. Sera placed a hand on Furret's side, an indication he was too close for comfort. "C'mon Furret don't scare them." She then addressed the trainer. "My pokemon seems to have taken a liking to you, he normally doesn't do that. Anyway, my name is Sera, who are you?" She asked not portraying any emotions or friendly greeting.

The trainer seemed caught off guard as he faltered and stole one last nervous glance towards Furret. "I'm Alzack…" He paused because Furret was now pushing his nose into Alzack's bag. She could see the trainer try to ignore it but found it difficult. She pulled Furret away, though that didn't stop him from looking curiously at his bag. "Does your friend always do this to new trainers?" He asked nervously.

"Alzack you say?" Sera couldn't help but think of the likeness the name shared with her brother, thinking of that brought up painful memories so she pushed it to the back of her mind. "Actually he doesn't. Looks like you've got something of great interest to Furret in your bag."

Alzack looked subconsciously at his bag, he gripped the edge as if preparing to fight or flee. Meanwhile his Froslass, a considerable size for it's kind, was sizing up Furret. "Uhn- There's a few poke puffs in there nothing more."

Sera raised her eyebrow questioningly. Whatever the kid had in his bag he wasn't telling and she didn't care. The only reason she was down here was because Furret forced her. She shrugged. "Okay then," She began. "Well sorry for Furret's interruption, we'll leave you alone now." Sera said and turned to Furret who seemed to be playing tag with Alzack's Froslass. Both parties seemed to be enjoying it, Sera couldn't understand why. Having been abused by people and pokemon alike Furret wasn't normally so forward with strangers. Perhaps he was opening up, none the less Sera whistled to him a signal it was time to go.

Furret and Froslass looked at her with long faces. It was clear neither of them wanted to leave. Furret turned to Froslass and waved goodbye, the Froslass waved as well giving him a smile. Furret reluctantly returned to Sera's side, she was about to climb aboard Furret's back and take off when the boy called her back.

"Wait!" He faltered as if he'd forgotten why he'd called her back. "Um- it's just our pokemon seem to like each other and it's rare we ever meet someone nice like you. Why don't we walk and talk a while. I'm sure our pokemon would enjoy it."

Sera's eyes widened. He called her nice...why would he say that? It wasn't as if Sera gave people warm feelings when she met them. Sera opened her mouth to decline but one look from Furret's pleading eyes was enough. "Fine. That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Sera gave Furret a small smile and he bounded towards Froslass who welcomed him with a playful smile.

The more Sera walked with Alzack the more he reminded her of her brother. She allowed herself a moment to think about the possibility of finding him again when she did the similarities were too uncanny.

"Snorunt, don't run off!"

"Alzack- wait! It's dangerous!"

"...Aaaahhh."

Painful memories snapped Sera back to the days she spent with her family. She hadn't realized she'd stopped walking. Alzack was a few steps ahead of her when he turned and asked, "Sera? Are you okay?"

Sera shook her head to clear the memories away. "Yeah, I'm fine." Sera kept walking with Alzack, a happy Furret and Froslass trailing behind.

Having finished her patrol of the forest early Sera allowed herself to relax with Alzack. A rare thing she did with trainers she didn't know. As they talked Sera found out Alzack had just beat his fifth gym with Froslass and was heading to his home to tell his dad.

"And what about your mom?" Sera asked not expecting the awkward silence that followed.

"She died. Two years ago."

Sera sat up from where she was sitting. The sun setting behind the trees and the glow from the campfire gave Alzack an orange tint. "I'm...sorry." She said looking towards the ground. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"It's okay." Alzack reassured her, he tried to smile in her direction but it was weak and Sera saw straight through it. "It's in the past. I just wish my sister knew." Alzack said quietly yet suddenly like it just slipped out.

"Your sister?" Sera questioned. Any hope Alzack had that she had missed the comment about his sister faded when Sera questioned him.

"Uh- yeah. I mean she's been gone a long time." Alzack rubbed his head impulsively, a sign, Sera found, that usually meant there was more to something than people let on. "Anyway," Alzack began obviously desperate to change the subject. "what about you? Why are you here?"

Sera hesitated. She didn't want Alzack to find out about her past, if he did he would treat her differently like everyone else did. "I take care of the pokemon that live here. I help them when they're sick or injured."

"So you're like the nurse joy of the forest?" Alzack asked suddenly interested.

"Not really." Sera chuckled. "I protect the forest and every creature inside of it. Furret and I are here to drive away the evils that may enter."

"That's heavy. This is a pretty big forest and you two do all that alone?"

"Well, we have help sort of. When there's trouble the Tailows here let me know." It must have been taboo because as the words left Sera's mouth a baby Tailow flew down beside the fire and chirped urgently to the trainers. Sera frowned. "Like now."