Author Note - Okay, I'll try not to do too many of these, just some quick notes. One, I'm making the pokedex more like in the anime, where you can use it as a way to look pokemon up rather then just look up ones you've seen or caught. Two, Santalune will be larger in this story then in the game, just because in the game it was pretty much just follow the path but in real forests you can go off the path and get lost so yeah, I'm taking some liberties with that but I am trying to stay close to the game while still being free to make the story my own, there will be some divergences to work better with the story. And lastly, I'm doing this story by writing a couple of chapters at a time and uploading them together so updates will be a little sporadic, I hope that isn't a problem for readers, and also, this story isn't Beta read.

Now, on with the chapter.

Enjoy!

Three - Santalune Forest

Serena stands at the entrance to Santalune forest and glances at her Fennekin, the little fox being a bit stronger having spent a little time battling the wild pokemon just outside Aquacorde town. At the moment she's still the only pokemon Serena has with her, though she had considered catching a Pidgey, in the end she'd decided against it.

"Well, no time like the present, right Fennekin?" the fox nods and loyally walks at her trainers side as they make their way into the dense trees. While it is getting pretty late, Serena didn't want to just head back home. There is a reason she listened to her mom and packed a sleeping bag and collapsable tent. She's going to have to camp out eventually, may as well start it now. Though she still has some time before it's dark enough to settle down for the night. However, Serena does still take the moment to rest and sits down under a tree, letting Fennekin run around sniffing everything, and of course being there to help when the little fox accidentally disturbs a small flock of Fletchling who were getting ready to roost for the evening.

"Ok sweetie, let's have a look at the pokemon we could encounter around here," Serena says to Fennekin, who cuddles into her lap as the trainer opens up the pokedex to look through "So it's mainly bug pokemon, Caterpie, Weedle, hey it's the elemental monkeys, you know we have then in Unova," she looks down at the fox who sneezes at the picture of the three monkeys on the screen "Yeah, they aren't my favourite either. Let's keep looking. Well there's both the bird pokemon and hey, a Scatterbug, didn't see any of them outside the forest. So Scatterbug becomes Spewpa, which becomes... Vivillon. Wow, pretty, look at all the patterns."

"Fen," the fox coos in agreement, eyes sparkling at the sight of them all.

"I can't decide which is prettiest, what do you think Fennekin, should we get a Scatterbug to join the team?" Fennekin nods and hops up, jumping around, clearly eager to search for the potential new teammate "Ok, ok, let's go find one. The pokedex says they live in small shrub areas, well there's plenty of that around here." So the trainer and pokemon both set about looking for a Scatterbug, checking in the grass and the bushes surrounding it but without much luck. It gets later in the evening and both Serena and her Fennekin begin to yawn.

"Come on Fennekin, that's enough for the moment," the fox coos sadly "Yeah, I'm disappointed too but you've been working hard today and we're both tired, let's try and get some sleep and we can look again in the morning if you want." Despite being reluctant to give up, Fennekin nods in agreement and helps Serena to find a good, covered over place to set up her sleeping bag and helps her trainer to gather sticks. Rather, Fennekin watches her to gather sticks and snacks on the smaller ones she doesn't think her trainer will notice go missing. Serena does, but she just chuckles softly.

"Ok, sticks are gathered, let's see if mom packed a lighter," before her trainer gets the chance to rummage through the bag, Fennekin spits out a small ember to set the camp fire alight "Oh right, fire type, I forgot. Thanks Fennekin." The fox preens and curls up on the sleeping bag next to it's trainer. The two are quiet for a moment, though neither are quite ready to sleep. Serena stares at the flames and smiles softly.

"Fennekin," the fox perks up "I know I wasn't that excited about a Kalos adventure but I am happy that you're my partner. I have a hard time imagining any other starter pokemon, Kalos, Unova or any other region, at my side, and it isn't just because you're a shiny," Fennekin shuffles closer, looking up to watch the teenager "The truth is, even in Unova, while I was excited to go on an journey, I didn't know what I wanted to achieve other then just to have the adventure. I wasn't sure about the gym battles or the league. Things are even more confusing for me now. But, Fennekin," she looks over at the fox, reaching to gently stroke the velvet soft fur "No matter what this journey throws our way, let's go through this together, make it what we want it to be, what do you say?"

"Fen-Fennekin!" the fox barks happily and nods, her gaze turning determined before she lets out another large yawn, making Serena laugh, before she yawns herself. Serena did set up the tent but there isn't really much need to bring the sleeping back inside, it's a perfectly nice night and even a little bit of light rain wouldn't be an issue with how close together the trees are, creating a decently thick canopy. Though she does go into the tent to take the moment to change into something to sleep in. Coming back out she slips into the sleeping bag and Fennekin takes the chance to move herself, curling up on the pillow next to her trainer's head and cooing softly at the soft petting Serena gives her as she slowly falls asleep.


Yawning loudly, Serena stretches her arm above her head, almost in mirror to Fennekin yawning and stretching out her front legs. Rubbing her eyes, Serena smiles at the sound of the Pidgeys and Fletchlings singing and the short grass under her sleeping bag is coated lightly with morning dew. The sun is blocked a little by the trees but enough still streams down through the leaves.

"Morning Fennekin," Serena greets as she slips out of sleeping bag watching as Fennekin snuffles at the exthinguished camp fire the fox turning to yip her own greeting "Ready to get back to our search?" Nodding Fennekin starts jumping around excitedly "Okay, just let me get dressed and we'll-" before Serena gets a chance to finish whats she's saying, there is a rustling in the grass near the tent. It instantly has Fennekin's attention who lowers her body to the ground and stalks closer to the grass, doing her best to remain as silent as possible. Serena carefully reaches into her bag to pull out a pokeball, just in case.

Fennekin gets as close as she possibly can when the pokemon they spent the last evening looking for emerges from the grass. It startles for a moment when it sees the pyjama clad girl but doesn't see the fox until it pounces on it, making sure to only use scratch, not ember. Serena quickly throws the pokeball at the caterpillar pokemon. Fennekin jumps back as soon as she spots the ball, letting it encase the bug type. Both trainer and pokemon watch as the ball wobbles until it stops, signifying that the Scatterbug is caught.

"Yes, we did it Fennekin!" Serena jumps up as Fennekin rolls the pokeball over to the trainer. Serena picks up the ball and sits back down on the sleeping bag "You ready to actually meet Scatterbug?" The fox barks in agreement, and comes to sit in front of Serena. She opens the pokeball to let the Scatterbug out.

The bug looks between Fennekin and Serena who smiles and shifts from sitting to laying so that she is at eye level with the Scatterbug as she says "Hey Scatterbug, I'm Serena. Sorry about the sudden jumping attack. We both just really wanted a Scatterbug and you were the first one we found after looking for a while yesterday. I really hope the three of us can be friends." The Scatterbug blinks a little and lets Fennekin move closer to nuzzle in apology. The Scatterbug seems to understand and shuffles over to Serena and climbs up the teenagers arm to curl around her neck. The soft fur around Scatterbug's neck tickles Serena's cheek.

"Hello to you too," she reaches up to stroke the Scatterbug as she takes out her pokedex to give a quick scan of the new pokemon "Ok, so you know tackle and string shot, not bad, you have the compound eyes ability, that's useful and... oh hey you're a girl like the two of us! Well Scatterbug, welcome to the team." She then lifts Scatterbug to place it on the floor with Fennekin who comes over to properly introduce herself "Okay you two play, I'm just gonna get dressed." With that she disappears back inside her tent.

It doesn't take long for Serena to re-emerge in a green t-shirt with lighter coloured blue jeans, pulling her white cap over her hair that decided not to agree with her, even after being brushed. She giggles a little when she sees her two pokemon playing, Fennekin having rolled onto her back with her paws in the air while Scatterbug balanaces on her front most feet, her long body in the air. The look over and see she has a small container in her hands which Fennekin instantly recognises. The two pokemon instantly hurry over to her.

"This is pokemon food that my mom made from berries, Fennekin seems to like it and I'm better you haven't had breakfast yet, huh?" she explains to the bug type as she lays a small pile in front of the two of them "Though I'm beginning to realise I'm probably gonna need more then to two tubs my mum packed, and I should get some bowls so you guys don't have to eat off the ground. I hope there's a pokemon centre in the next town where I can pick these things up," she adds the last bit absentmindedly as she watches them eat, then she laughs when her own tummy rumbles, making the two of them look at her "Guess I should remember to feed myself too." She goes back into her bag and digs out something for herself to eat. She takes the time to have another look around Santalune forest before they have to pack up and move on. It's peaceful, and so quiet that you have a hard time believing it's so close to a town, there are so few people at this point. They'll probably be further in, Serena thinks as she slowly finishes the last of her breakfast Shauna and Calem are both probably here too, wonder if I'll run into them.

No sooner has she thought that when she hears "Hey Serena!" Fennekin jumps and instantly darts behind Serena while Scatterbug trembles and releases a shower of power before Serena gets a chance to take the bug in her arms and pet it's head softly, cooing gently at it to help keep it calm. Shauna comes out from the trees, her Chespin running along beside her.

"I thought I saw you! Hey you caught a new pokemon!" she says spotting the caterpillar in Serena's arms, who seems a lot calmer now it knows where the sudden noise came from "Are you on your way to Santalune city next? I bet you are, Calem's heading there to challenge the gym. You totally should too!"

"Maybe," Serena shrugs offhandedly, not really having made any plans "So how come your still in this part of the forest you powered on ahead of me, I'd have thought you'd be further in."

"I really want to catch a Pikachu but I haven't found one yet," Shauna huffs as she drops down next to Serena on the sleeping bag "Looking for pokemon is such hard work," Scatterbug climbs up Serena to sit on her shoulder and coos at Shauna, who laughs and pets her affectionately. She then quickly perks up and her tone turns excited "I know! Let's walk the rest of the way to Santalune city together! I can heal your pokemon whenever they need it and you can help me look for a Pikachu! Doesn't that sound cool Chester?" Shauna looks to her Chespin who nods.

"Chester?" Serena asks with a slight frown.

"Yeah, I gave my Chespin a nickname, I thought it would be cuter then just calling him what everyone else with a Chespin calls theirs. Haven't you thought about nicknaming your pokemon?" Serena shakes her head "Oh, well you should, don't you think it makes the bond between you more unique?"

"I don't know, I mean I really like Fennekin, and I'm not the best at coming up with names, though I do think Chester suits this little guy," the grass type in question has snuck up to Serena and is doing his best to climb over the trainer to get at the pokemon food, which she quickly lifts out of his reach, making Shauna laugh, shaking her head at her pokemon's antics, before pulling out some of her own to feed him.

"Yeah, I understand, I'm not sure I'll be able to come up with a nickname for every pokemon I catch, but I think it's neat is all. If it's not your thing, then it's not your thing, but any way, what do you say? Wanna walk together?"

"Um... sure, I guess it can't hurt and you did say you wanted help finding a Pikachu, four eyes are better then two, just let my pack my things away and we can get going," Serena gets up and puts her pokemon food back in the bag before she sets about rolling up her sleeping bag and putting the tent down to store away, with Shauna giving her a hand it barely takes any time and the two are ready to set off deeper into the forest.