Chapter 2: Preparations:
Location: Lumiose City, Kalos Region
Time: 9:30 AM
The sunlight was her natural enemy. The second it had started peeking through the curtains, she knew the day had to begin. Her eyes cracked open for a second, her face contorting into a cringe as the brilliance of the sun melted her irises. She pulled her covers over her head, but that didn't last long. Alas, Pancham had come into her room and had yanked the sheets off of her, jumping onto the bed with a cross look on his face.
"Cham! Pancham!"
"Ugh, I know I have to wake up, but can't I get 5 more minutes?" the girl said, covering her face with her pillow. She felt something wrapping around her wrist, making her peer out of her covering, looking down at Sylveon who held an alarm clock in her feelers, showing her it was already half past 9 in the morning. Serena grabbed the clock, eyes widening when she saw the time. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
She saved herself from face planting as she jumped out of bed, running straight into the bathroom. She rapidly undressed, tossing her clothes out of the shower as she started running the water, screaming at the cold spray that struck her skin. Pancham and Sylveon shared a look, both of them exiting the bathroom moments after.
"Delphox, I need clothes!" she screamed, as she started washing her hair. In the other room, her faithful partner was already picking her outfit for the day. She, unlike her trainer, had woken up early and had made sure they had everything they needed for their new journey.
It didn't take her long to finish her quick shower, and immediately moved toward the sink to brush her teeth. She rapidly dried off, stepping into the bedroom, just as Delphox finished laying out her clothing. Her friend gave her a bright smile. "Thanks, Delphox. You always help me when I'm late in the mornings."
Her closest friend merely nodded, stepping out of the bedroom to let her trainer get ready. Looking her clothes over, Serena quickly found one of her newer outfits had been laid out. She set her towel down on her bed as she slid into a pair of underwear, quickly putting on her bra, mumbling about how big 'they' had gotten lately. She sat down on her bed, placing a pair of thigh high brown stockings on, cracking her neck a bit as she reached for the television remote, flicking it on.
"And in other news, the Pokemon World Championships are set to begin soon. The numbers projected for its second year are astonishing. The first year, they received barely 10,000 trainers, and this year it's going to double, perhaps even triple. The tournament is set to begin with the title match between Galar Region Champion, Leon against the joint Kanto/Johto League Champion, Dragon Master Lance.
This battle has been hyped online for weeks, with Hammerlock Gym Leader and social media influencer Raihan commenting "Leon better not lose his title to Lance in the upcoming match. He knows full well that his title is mine to take and no one else is going to stand in my way." It certainly seems like Leon has his work cut out for him.
Moving away from the Championships, the Pokemon Fan Club has announced a partnership between the Contest Circuits around the world to create the first Pokemon Contest Circuit League. It will work in a similar manner to the World Championships.
Pokemon Coordinators and Performers from around the world will compete for 1 of 32 coveted spots on location. The 32 trainers that manage to score a spot will then move onto the Contest which will proceed as normal. Once 7 unique ribbons are earned, they will compete against the Top 10 Pokemon Coordinators across the world for the chance to become the World's first Master Coordinator. Already we have Coordinators from across the world signing up.
From the Hoenn Princess, May, to Pokemon Musical Star, Nancy, to even the Idol of Sootopolis City, Lisia are going to be competing. If there are Pokemon Coordinators out there who are interested, do not hesitate to sign up."
"That sounds like so much fun… but I already signed up for the Pokemon World Championships. It's the only way I'll be able to run into Ash after all. Besides, I need to branch out of my comfort zone," she said softly to herself.
A part of her briefly wondered why it was that she even wanted to battle. It had first been about Ash, but Bonnie had a point. She had to fix her image as the reigning Kalos Queen, a title she would likely lose if she didn't start taking it seriously. All the training she did in Hoenn would be wasted if she didn't do something fast. She was honestly surprised Lisia hadn't contacted her about this, given the fact the two were practically sisters. Then again after the HNN interview, she had clearly stated she wanted to be alone.
Tuning out the television, she grabbed her gray off shoulder sweater, placing it on her body, followed by the sleeveless black dress Delphox had chosen for her. It did quite a lot to accent her curves, especially her bust which she had been quite embarrassed about. The skirt extended downward past her mid thigh, with several windows peeking into the pink inner layer. She found it cute when she first saw it on sale, but now that she actually wore it, she was having second thoughts.
"Too late to return it, I tossed away the tags," she thought to herself, moving toward the vanity. She grabbed her hairbrush and started brushing through her hair. Over the last few years, she had grown her hair almost back to its original length. The upkeep had been a bit of a challenge while traveling, but she didn't mind.
"Oh Serena~"
She jolted a bit when she heard Bonnie's voice, her attention moving toward her bedroom door. The blonde girl, who had been let in by Delphox, had a small box in her hands, along with what looked like coffee. She gave her a smile. "Good Morning, Bonnie."
"Morning to you too, I've been talking to you for the last minute but you clearly haven't heard me. Too lost in your own thoughts?"
"Something like that. Sorry for ignoring you, it's been a rough morning for me," the brunette said. Bonnie looked around the room, seeing a bright pink towel spread on the bed, along with articles of clothes spilled onto the floor.
"I can see that. But it doesn't matter, we all have trouble kicking off the sheets in the morning. Luckily, your favorite little sister thought ahead and brought you something to snack on. Freshly baked Lumiose Galettes, Blueberry muffins and some coffee."
"Decaf non-fat chai latte with extra foam?"
"The one and only, and a shot of espresso, you clearly need it,"
Serena relieved her friend of the coffee she had brought along, taking a long drink from it. Thankfully it was still fairly warm, and did wonders to perk her up. She sat back down in front of the mirror, finishing with her hair. "So, did you tell Clemont your plans?"
"Mhmm… he was surprised when I told him I had entered the Pokemon World Championships, especially in the middle of my league challenge. But since some battles can count toward earning a badge, it doesn't really matter. He was more surprised that you had signed up for it."
"Yeah about that…"
Bonnie tore her eyes away from the television, gazing back at her friend. "Something the matter?"
"Well, the Pokemon Fan Club launched their own equivalent to the Pokemon World Championships. They're calling it the Pokemon Contest Circuit League. You said yesterday that I needed to fix my image and I think this might be a better idea than the World Championships." she said firmly. Bonnie reached into her pochette for her Rotom Phone, quickly searching the event up.
"Hm… you have a point, you do need battle experience, but you also need to hold onto your Kalos Queen title. A lot of people are wondering when someone will strip you of your title. The interview with the Hoenn News Network, the fan encounters, the memes."
Serena cringed when she remembered all of the memes. Usually she could roll with the punches but she didn't need musical remixes of her historic meltdown. "There's no reason why you can't do both. Look at that Pokemon Coordinator from Sinnoh. Nando. He battles in the Pokemon League and in the Grand Festival. Your Contest and Performance moves could easily overwhelm regular battles, and your battle experience will help you out in contests. It's a win-win."
"You bring up a good point. From what it looks like, the Circuit League isn't going to work the same way as the World Championships."
"It doesn't, it says on the official site that those who enter will receive a notification on their Rotom Phone. It'll say what Contest Hall will be hosting the special contest and in which region. After which, the trainers that show up will battle for the 32 spots available. Only 50 Coordinators can register for that Contest at a time and only 32 will actually take part in it."
"Sounds intense, I like that. I've faced worse out on stage before, competing for a spot in a contest will be a challenge. But my skills will have to be put to the test, that also means I'll have to catch new Pokemon. My team needs to be balanced for both contests and battles." Serena said, finishing with her hair.
She tied it up into a ponytail, trying a ribbon around the base of it, letting the excess fall behind her head. She grabbed her coffee cup and one of the gallettes, turning to face Bonnie. "What do you think?"
"You look super cute, I'm sure you'll have lots of boys looking at you."
"I'm sure I will," she replied dejectedly. "Now if only the boy I liked actually looked at me. I can't keep thinking about that. He has a girlfriend, I have to move on."
"And done, I took the liberty of signing you up for the Pokemon Contest Circuit League. I'm not sure when the first contest will be, but I'm certain it'll start once they have a certain number of trainers signed up. Any idea what you want to do?"
"Well, since I need money to travel around, I'll have to challenge trainers participating in the World Championships. Can't travel around without funds, and you know I'll need a few odds and ends just to survive out there." Serena said, making the blonde girl laugh.
"Yeah, you can be a bit of a diva when it comes to sleeping outside. That old tent of yours has seen better days, that's the first thing that's gotta change. You also need Pokemon Food, medicines, ingredients for yourself, feminine items and a few other things."
"Don't remind me, I can't beg mom for an allowance anymore. You are an adult sweetheart, you have to handle yourself out there. I can help you with a few things here and there but I can't pay for your things like I used to when you were 12." the brunette said, frowning a bit. "That was a reality check I needed."
"It'll be hard at first but you'll get there. Now come on, let's finish our breakfast so we can head out, we have a lot of things to pack for. We're gonna have to break out the credit cards for this." Bonnie said, making Serena shudder. The last thing she needed to do was use her emergency credit card, but at this point, she didn't have a choice in the matter.
"I seriously hope I don't end up maxing that card out. This is going to be a long day for me isn't it?" she thought to herself, as she silently munched on her galettes.
Location: Pallet Town, Kanto Region
Time: 10:00 AM
"Well this is it, Professor Oak's Lab." the young man said softly to himself as he looked up the long stairway leading up.
It had taken him a while to make it to Pallet Town from Celadon City, where he lived. But he was finally here. Professor Oak was the leading expert in the region and the man responsible for handing out starter Pokemon. Though he didn't care to admit it, he was rather late to the "Pokemon Craze" that had been sweeping the world in recent years. Originally, he had been a Streamer, or tried to be one. No matter what he did, he couldn't get the views. With people like Raihan of Galar, Nancy of Unova, and Lisia of Hoenn, there was no chance for a nobody like him to actually get up there.
But that was when it had hit him, if he became a trainer and started streaming his battles, or vlogging his adventures in general, maybe someone would find it interesting. So he packed his things and started on the long journey to Pallet Town. Thankfully he didn't have to walk all the way there or it would take him months. Not to mention wild Pokemon attacks were in the rise as well as attacks by the notorious Team Rocket.
Even though it was dangerous, a part of him yearned for adventure. After an entire year of streaming and getting a single viewer, consistently, it made him realize he was wasting away doing nothing. And since Pokemon was the latest craze, he needed to keep with the times. He may not exactly like Pokemon like millions of others, but he'd have to take that step if he wanted to be famous.
"Well Adrien, this is it. Time for you to become a Pokemon Trainer!" he said silently to himself. He started climbing up the stairs, a hand on his bag strap as he started the climb.
He was a young man of seventeen, with a mop of brown hair atop his head. It was nice and neat, falling over his eyes and down to his neck. He was fairly tall, being far taller than most others his age. He was lean, and was wearing a long sleeved shirt over a white tank top, with matching black pants and boots. He didn't really stand out from most others, he was just an average young man. In fact, if you passed by him on the streets, you likely wouldn't even notice him. He naturally didn't stand out.
Which was perhaps why he wanted his Streaming career to pick up, to make a name for himself. His older brother was already an accomplished Pokemon Trainer, and his little sister was off in Unova doing Musicals. He was the only one who wasn't interested in what he thought was a fad. Despite his father encouraging him to go out there and try his luck, he decided to do what people who weren't interested in battling did. Go to school. But having graduated high school the semester before, he was out of options for things to do. He wasn't popular in school and what he was doing on his streams didn't work. He played all the newly released games, spent his hard earned cash to make his bedroom more into a studio and learned several editing techniques to improve his videos. But nothing worked. That was what led him to Pallet Town.
After all, if he got a Pokemon he could enter the Pokemon World Championships, and that meant international recognition. If he won the whole thing, he could jumpstart his streaming career… no, he'd start his career right then and there. Within Professor Oak's Lab. That was what he would do. He reached into his pocket for his Rotom Phone, a bright yellow model, and had it turn on.
"Rotom, I need you to start recording."
"Bzzt, are we livestreaming again?"
"Yep, that's right. From this moment onward, I want to document every part of becoming a Pokemon trainer. The whole adventure, from choosing my starter to winning the Pokemon World Championships. I'll do my best to make it to the Masters 8!"
"Alrighty! I'll begin recording in ten seconds, just let me know when you'd like for me to stop, bzzt!" the floating phone said. Adrien turned to face the camera, fixing his clothes for a moment before he saw the recording light turn on. He gave a wave to the device, a bright grin on his face.
"Welcome back everyone to another livestream. It's your boy, Adrian and today is the day. I noticed recently that no one seems to be interested in the kind of things that I do. So I sought out to remedy that. I have decided to become a Pokemon Trainer, and not only that, but I will also be participating in the Pokemon World Championships!
The road will be long and tough but it will be a learning experience too! So sit back, relax and get ready, because from this moment forward, I am going to stream, vlog and do my absolute best to document every single step of this journey. Now come on, it's time for me to get my starter Pokemon!"
With that, he started moving toward the top of the steps, feeling more energized than before. He made it to the front door and stepped into the lab, being assaulted by the rush of cold air. He looked around for a moment, completely impressed by everything he was seeing. There were large computers to the very left, dotting every single available space, while the right side of the lab was filled with bookshelves, research papers, notes and various other things. There were pictures and trophies on shelves around the lab, and even an upper section with large panoramic windows overlooking the back of the ranch.
"Well this place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be." he said, taking a few steps into the lab before turning to the camera. "Here we are friends, this lab right here is the place where I will begin my journey!"
"Hello there young man, is there anything I can help you with?"
Adrian jolted a bit, swiveling on his foot, eyes widening a bit. Before him stood a familiar looking man, the owner of this place and one of the most famous researchers in the world. "Professor Oak, in the flesh! It's such an honor to meet you!"
"Oh please, the pleasure is all mine. Though introductions are in order. My name is Samuel Oak, as you've already learned. What is your name, young man?"
"Oh, my name is Adrian Avereux, I came all the way here from Celadon City. I heard on your radio show that anyone who is interested in becoming a Pokemon Trainer should come to your lab in Pallet Town. So here I am."
"Ah, yes yes of course. So you are interested in being a Pokemon Trainer are you? I also noticed your Rotom Phone floating beside you, are you perhaps recording this?" the old man asked, earning a nod from the teenager.
"Yep, I'm a Streamer. I decided to travel the world and stream every aspect of my Pokemon Journey. I'll be entering the Pokemon World Championships. I figured I could document my travels and show all the cool things our world has to offer." he cheerfully replied. "Of course, I am only doing that so I can become a popular streamer, that's it really!"
"That's wonderful, there are a lot of beautiful places to see around the world. But challenging the Pokemon World Championships as a rookie, it'll take lots of skill for you to pull it off." the professor said, as he led the teenager further into the lab.
"I know, but I'll give it my all. Since I'll be traveling around the world, I'll be able to catch lots of Pokemon. I'll have lots of friends to battle with and most importantly, a lot of interesting things to talk about during my streams!" he said cheerfully.
"I see." the professor said. He could tell the young man wasn't fully onboard with training and was likely looking for fame. But something told him that he would come around. They entered another part of the lab, where another young man was, checking over some Pokeballs. He looked up from what he was going, giving the two a smile.
"Hello there Professor, who is this?"
"This is Adrian, he's come all the way from Celadon City to get a starter Pokemon. Adrian, this is my assistant, Tracey. He's from the Orange Islands and was a former Pokemon Watcher. These days he helps take care of the Pokemon that belong to the top trainers of Pallet Town."
"That's right, two close friends of mine keep all their Pokemon here. One of them is Professor Oak's very own grandson, and the other is the Alola Region Champion." Tracey said, making Adrian's eyes grow wide.
"Alola Region Champion? He lives in Kanto?"
"He's originally from Kanto, but while abroad in Alola, he ended up defeating the first ever league and becoming the first Champion of Alola. He's been defending his title from would-be challengers. He's currently in Vermillion City with a colleague of mine, Professor Cerise." Oak explained, earning a nod from the young man.
"Wow… a Regional Champion, that guy must be super strong. If he enters the Pokemon World Championships as well, I might have a challenge ahead of me. I'll have to train hard so that I can make it to the top. The last thing I need is to lose viewers. I say casually, as if I had more than one."
The Professor moved over to the nearby desk, which contained three Pokeballs on it. Tracey moved behind it, taking two of the three Pokeballs while Oak took one, and without much fanfare, the Pokemon that rested within were let out. "Here are the three Pokemon offered to trainers beginning their journey in the Kanto Region. The Grass type, Bulbasaur."
"Bulba!" the green Pokemon cried cheerfully. Adrian gestured to his Rotom Phone to float closer to the Grass type, getting a good view of it.
"The fire type, Charmander." the professor continued, gesturing to the orange lizard, who was busy cleaning his face. He looked up at Adrian, giving him a huff before looking away from him.
"Finally, we have the water type, Squirtle."
"Squirtle squirtle!" the water type turtle cried in greeting, standing tall beside the other starters.
"So there you have it. Any one of these three Pokemon would make an excellent partner for your journey. Squirtle and Bulbasaur have been rather popular as of late. A lot of girls have been coming to pick some up. They say they were inspired by the Hoenn Princess." the man said.
"Oh her… I've seen a few of her Pokemon Contests online. I'll be honest, seeing a Venusaur move that way on stage is impressive, and her Wortortle is nimble on its feet too." Adrian said. Bulbasaur and Squirtle gave happy cries, seemingly excited, while Charmander seemed to just look away from him, clearly not interested. "So uh… what's up with Charmander?"
"She's a bit moody. Like the Professor said, Bulbasaur and Squirtle have been very popular recently, so she's been left here all by herself. Sometimes for weeks at a time. The last three trainers that came by were looking specifically for Bulbasaur and Squirtle so she's been a bit jaded," Tracey said, giving the fire lizard a pat on the head. "You don't have to worry, I'm sure someone will pick you soon."
"Char Char," she said, sounding dejected. She looked back at Adrian, locking eyes with him for a moment. The young man held her gaze for a few moments, his frown deepening for a bit.
There was something in him that told him to pick her. He was reminded of his own family, how sometimes he didn't get the attention he wanted. His father always said good things about his older brother, and his mother always had his sister by her side. But whenever he tried to say something, he was just passed over. He was the normal one of the family, the boring one, the one who had wanted to go to school instead of going on a journey like all the other kids. It made him feel unwanted at times.
Perhaps that was the true reason why he had started streaming. To get attention, the attention he wanted but never got. He had been giving it his all for a long time, and he hadn't gotten more than one subscriber and concurrent watcher. He had even considered quitting before seeing the ad for the Pokemon World Championships. This Pokemon was just like him. He knelt down before her, giving her a firm look.
"You feel like no one loves you right? Like no one ever pays attention to you and just ignores you? Believe it or not, I feel the same way at home. My brother is a famous Pokemon Trainer, traveling the world and challenging people to battles all the time. My little sister? She's off doing Pokemon Musicals and Contests somewhere else. I wanted to go to school and study for a normal life. I guess I was the boring one of the family."
The orange lizard looked away from him for a moment, a single eye cracked as she kept listening to him speak. "It took me a while but I think I may have skipped out on the train for far too long. I'm going on a long journey, across the whole world. I want to do my best out there, and not only become a strong trainer but also a popular streamer too. So what do you say, you wanna tag along?"
The Charmander looked at him skeptically at first. She wondered if he was joking, or if he was going to pull a fast one and take one of the other two instead. But when he held firm, she found herself nodding, though she wouldn't acknowledge him so easily.
"Char char," she said, looking away from him in a huff, a look of pride on her face. Adrian rose to his feet, giving Professor Oak a firm look.
"I'll take Charmander. She seems to have a good personality and I feel kinda bad that she's been left behind for so long." he said.
"An excellent choice, Charmander's final evolution, Charizard, happens to be among the strongest Pokemon in the world. Perhaps in the future, your Charmander here will be among them." the researcher said, a cheerful look on his face. He handed Adrian the Pokeball that belonged to Charmander. "That's her Pokeball, it'll be registered to you once you receive your Pokedex."
"Pokedex?"
"An encyclopedia that contains information on all the known Pokemon. Professor Oak here was the one who created the very first one. These days, Pokedexes connect to global databases which are updated in real time." Tracey explained, earning a nod from the young man.
"Normally, I would give you an actual device but given that you have a Rotom Phone, we'll be able to upload the newest Pokedex to its system. Technology has improved so much these past few years that nearly everyone can have a Pokedex. It isn't limited to Pokemon Trainers, they are very useful for anyone. From hobbyists to trainers such as yourself."
"That's really neat. It's actually great that everyone can get their hands on a Pokedex, especially because there are a lot of dangerous Pokemon out there. Pokemon like Ursaring and Electrode. I don't quite like them," Adrian said with a chuckle.
"As long as you keep your distance they should leave you alone. Regardless, we'll be able to register your Pokedex rather easily. Tracey, if you could."
"Of course, Professor." the young man said, reaching into his pocket for his own Rotom Phone. He activated the proper application before holding the device out. "Okay, just have your Rotom Phone come a little closer to mine. Don't worry about your stream either, it won't interrupt it or anything of the sort."
"Okay, go for it, Rotom."
"Bzzt, as you wish, Adrian." the device said, floating toward Tracey. Within seconds, the necessary information was uploaded to it, causing the device to glow a bit. "Bzzt, Update Complete. Pokedex Version 14.2 has been installed. Connection to the Global Database has been established. Pokemon Trainer Identification confirmed."
"That should be all of it, ah yes before I forget." the professor said, reaching for a nearby drawer, he pulled out 5 Pokeballs from within. "Here you are, 5 Pokeballs. With them you'll be able to capture a full set of six Pokemon. Once you catch your seventh pokemon, it'll be transported here, so if you wish to switch team members around, all you have to do is visit a Pokemon center and give us a call."
"Alright, I'll be sure to do that, thanks." Adrian said, placing the pokeballs inside his pants pockets. He was thankful they were so compact. He turned to Charmander, holding her Pokeball out. "Okay, time for us to go, girl. Say goodbye to your friends,"
"Char." she merely said, not acknowledging Bulbasaur or Squirtle in the slightest. Squirtle merely rubbed the back of his head while Bulbasaur cheerfully gave its goodbyes. A crimson beam struck the fire lizard, returning her into the red and white sphere.
"You have a long road ahead of you if you want to enter the Pokemon World Championships. Especially as a rookie trainer, do you think you have what it takes?" Tracey asked, causing the young man to chuckle.
"Of course I do, if there's something you should know about me, it's that I never give up. I am prepared to give it my all. It'll be a long journey, but it'll be fun. I have to make my mark somehow won't I? And when I'm the number one streamer in the world, I'll be happy to know I started my journey here in Pallet Town."
"Well said, young man. Though it'll be tough, I have full confidence that you'll make it to the top. If you ever need anything, feel free to call us at any time. We'll provide you with anything you may require." Professor Oak said. Adrian gave the man a polite bow.
"Thank you for everything, Professor. I won't let you down, I'll take good care of Charmander and the rest of my future Pokemon team. I should get going, I still have to register for the Pokemon World Championships. The Title match between Leon and Lance is going to be soon and I want to watch it. I want to know who will be the champion so that I can prepare myself to bring them down."
"Good luck with that, Adrian. Leon and Lance are both tough as nails, it'll take a super strong team in order to take them down. But I have full confidence you'll be able to best either one of them. Oh yeah, what's your PokeTube channel so I can subscribe? I want to see what cool things you'll be doing on your journey."
Adrian could only smile. Though it would be a long journey, it was only the beginning…
Location: Fula City, Johto Region
Time: 12:30 PM
Lisa looked away from her Rotom Phone, a frown on her face as she looked at either side of the bus stop. She had been running an errand for her brother, who had been busy handling something important. She still recalled what he put her through during the Wind Festival not that long ago. Although if not for him, she wouldn't have her partner pokemon. She was very thankful for that.
Her hand subconsciously moved to her side, patting Eevee's head. The brown fur ball wiggled her ears at her touch, settling further into her thigh. She felt herself smiling, her eyes shifting back to her cellphone. She had been reading some messages from her schoolmates, all of them having plans for the Summer. Since school was letting out soon, a lot of students would be traveling around, and yet she would be remaining in Fula City, as she did every single year. The difference now is that she had some friends in the city, though the boy she had met earlier that year had taken off, claiming to want more adventure. It wasn't until she was watching TV that she realized that boy had been the Alola Region Champion.
She briefly wondered how he was doing, but it was likely he was off to some other region on an adventure. It made her realize one thing, she wanted something similar. To travel around and see the world. At first, she had been scared of doing anything of the sort. After all, she suffered such a bad injury that it limited her movement. But it was her actions during the Wind Festival that made her realize she was using her injury as an excuse. She could walk fine, she could even run, run like the wind, like she used to when she was small.
She had no excuses. But now she had a lot of other fears. She was a school student, aiming to just live a normal life. But a lot of school students were thinking about leaving school for the Trainer life. Battles were becoming more popular, and with the brand new Pokemon World Championships, a lot of youngsters were trying out their luck. She thought about doing the same, but battling just didn't appeal to her.
"There has to be something," she would tell herself, but after searching, she just couldn't land on anything.
Perhaps being a trainer just wasn't for her. She leaned back against the bus stop, resting her phone on her lap. The bus was running a bit late today, likely due to a few Pokemon that had gotten loose from the nearby lab. Fula City was one of the designated starter cities for the Johto Region, meaning those who couldn't go to New Bark Town could go there to get their starters. And it seemed as if someone had gotten careless, judging by the Bulbasaur, Chimchar and Mudkip she had seen running up the street moments prior.
"I really do hope those little ones didn't get into any trouble. It wouldn't be fun to head to a lab and have no Pokemon to choose from." she thought to herself.
"Haah, hey!"
She cracked open an eye, jumping a bit when she saw a young man sliding to a stop in front of the stop. He looked to be around her age, and judging by how he was panting for breath, extremely out of shape. He coughed a bit as he straightened up, his hair falling over his eyes.
"Did the bus… go by yet?"
"Uh no? You're in luck, it's running a bit late. Some Pokemon got out of the lab earlier so there's a slowdown of traffic across all of Fula." she said. He sighed with relief, leaning against the edge of the stop.
"Oh thank Arceus. I thought I was gonna have to walk all the way to the Mayor's house."
"The Mayor's house? Why do you wanna go there?" Lisa asked curiously, tilting her head a bit in confusion.
"Well, I'm in need of a starter pokemon and he seems like the right person to ask. I uh… kinda sort of lost my job. So I've decided to give the trainer life a go." he said, rubbing his neck, almost ashamed.
"You lost your job… but you look my age, what did you do before?"
"Ah… I worked at a Gas Station, nothing too hard, hehe." he said, clearing his throat. "I just figured traveling around and seeing the world was better than ringing up slurpees all day."
Lisa pursed her lips. She didn't quite believe the boy, but he hadn't done anything that made her wary. She shrugged, glancing back at her phone. "Well, it certainly beats making 1543 Poke an hour. That's for sure."
"Mhmm."
A loud truck drove past them, startling Eevee from her slumber. Lisa quickly picked her up, settling her into her lap. The young man looked at the small fox, a small smile on his face. "That's a cute Pokemon."
"She is, isn't she? I caught her a while back, during the Wind Festival. She's been my close friend ever since."
"Nice, I wouldn't mind getting an Eevee as a starter Pokemon. Honestly speaking, I just need something, anything. I want to prove to someone that I can actually stay with the times, you know? That's why I've decided to enter the Pokemon World Championships!"
The young woman quirked a brow, grabbing her Rotom Phone as she felt it vibrate. "The Pokemon World Championships? You do know that's for skilled Pokemon trainers right? People who have at least competed in a league. I'm not sure a total rookie can get far in it."
"Yeah well I have to, I don't exactly have a choice given what just happened to me," he replied, coughing into his fist. "Sorry, I just really need to prove myself you know? Besides, just battling others is enough of an incentive. I hear trainers make 5,000 Poke per battle, all I have to do is battle a bunch and I'll be set in no time."
"But it takes strategy, team composition. You can't just grab any old Pokemon and make it to the top." Lisa said, glancing down at her Eevee. "Take my partner here, she's a normal type and has four moves, Sand Attack, Tail Whip, Tackle and Baby-Doll Eyes. Three of those attacks are status inflicting moves and one is a Physical Attack. Say we went up against a Garchomp, how would we beat it?"
"Uh… Tackle it a bunch?"
"And risk a Dragon Claw to the face? No thanks, I love my partner too much for that. Besides, Dragon Types resist Normal Type moves, it'd be like using an Ice type against a Steel Type."
"That isn't a bad matchup! Everyone knows Ice types are strong against Steel types!" he said cheerfully, hands on his hips. Lisa blinked in confusion.
"Uh… no? Steel Types are strong against Ice Types. You send an Ice type against a Steel type and you'd be signing your own death warrant." she replied, sitting up a bit and giving him a firm look. "Do you know the type match ups?"
"Sort of? I know Fairy types beat Dragons, and the Dragons beat other Dragons. I also know Electric Types bat Flying types and flying types beat fighting types. Of course there's Fire, Water and Grass canceling each other."
"Well that is correct, for the most part I guess, but Pokemon battles are about more than just Type match ups. You have to think about your moves, how they'll match up with your opponents moves. That sort of thing," she paused, looking at her Rotom Phone for a moment. "That's why I said a rookie wouldn't make it far into the PWCS. Especially not the Masters 8."
"Tch… I bet you I can make it." he said, earning an eye roll from the girl.
"Sure, you uh… make it to the Masters 8 and I'll get you something cool. My name is Lisa, by the way,"
"Nathan." he said, shaking her hand. The pair heard a loud hiss, causing them to look to the right, where a large bus was beginning to pull up. Lisa rose to her feet, grabbing her backpack and Eevee. "I'll show you, Lisa. I am going to make it to the Masters 8."
"Right sure…" she said, smiling as she shoved her phone into her pocket, pulling out her Bus Pass. She swiped it the moment she stepped on board, turning to face Nathan just as he was about to get on. "By the way, this bus doesn't go past the center of Town, you'll have to take the Trolley if you want to speak with the Mayor."
"The Trolley?"
She peered outside of the bus, pointing down the hill where a brown vehicle could be seen moving in the opposite direction. "That one there, it'll take you west toward Windward Row, where the City Hall and the Mayoral Mansion are. Have fun getting your new Pokemon."
The bus doors closed, hissing loudly before it started driving off. Lisa watched the young man for a moment as she walked, shrugging her shoulders. "I'll probably never see him again."
Lisa made her way to the back of the bus, clutching Eevee tightly in her grasp as she looked out the window. She felt her phone vibrate again, causing her to reach for it. It was a message from her brother, which she immediately opened.
"Hey sis, I know you've been searching for something to do during Summer break. I've been researching and I found something. How would you like to travel the world earning Ribbons and entertaining Millions across the Globe?"
She swiped down, seeing an ad for an event. "The Pokemon Circuit League. A Pokemon Fanclub sanctioned event. Coordinators will have to collect 7 Ribbons in order to make it to the Top 8. There, you'll battle against the Top 8 Coordinators of the World for the coveted title of Top Contest Master."
Lisa kept looking at the advert, seeing the familiar face of Contest Idol Lisia, alongside Nancy of Unova, and even the former Kalos Queen, Aria. If those girls were entering this, then the competition was going to be rough. She had been interested in Contests for a while, especially after seeing Dawn Berlitz dominate the Johto Grand Festival. She held the phone down to Eevee, giving her a small smile.
"What do you think, Eevee? Think we have what it takes?"
"Vee vee!" she cried cheerfully, giving her trainer a confident look. Lisa returned it, looking back at the screen.
"Alright, I did say I wanted to do something during the summer. I guess traveling the world would be the dream of many. It'll be a lot of hard work but I think we can do it." she said to the small pokemon. Her thoughts went back to the young boy who she had met, and about his journey to the Masters 8.
"How ironic, I met a boy my age who wants to make it to the Masters 8 and now I'm interested in doing the same but in Contests. I guess that's what I get for being a smart mouthed idiot," she thought, shaking her head a bit as she typed out a reply, sending it off to her brother.
"Go ahead and enter me into this thing. I am going to train hard and make it to the Top 8."
Her phone buzzed moments later, making her smile. "You got it sis, hurry on back home so I can read you the terms and conditions of this thing. You're gonna need a lot of gear too, more than a pack and a single Pokeball."
She nodded to herself, glancing at the ceiling of the bus. She didn't know it, but like many others, she was about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.
Location: Lumiose City, Kalos Region
Time: 1:20 PM
"Ugh… today is not a good day for me," Serena thought, as she rubbed her eyes. She was following after Bonnie, the pair having reached the local PokeMart. They had baskets in their grasp, filled with essential items. Normally, running errands wasn't a bad thing, but when people kept snapping pictures of you, muttering things and laughing, that's when she had a problem.
"Yoohoo, Earth to Serena."
"Huh?" she shook her head, looking down at Bonnie, who had an annoyed look on her face. "You need to stop spacing out."
"Sorry. A lot of people have been snapping pictures of me and I'm getting annoyed,"
"Just ignore them, all they care about is instant gratification. We have things we need to focus on after all." she said, pausing in front of some medicinal items. "Alright, Super Potions, Revives, Antidotes, Burn Heals, Ice Heals and some Repels."
"Don't you think this is a bit excessive?"
"Normally yes, but you are going to be traveling around the entire world, you need to be prepared for this kind of thing. It's one thing to travel around one region, Serena. The World Championships and the Contest League is a different beast altogether. You'll have to memorize the locations of the Pokemon Centers and other Hospitals in case something happens." the blonde girl said, earning a nod from the brunette.
"You make a good point there, Bonnie. I know Kalos pretty well, as well as Hoenn, but I've only ever been to Pallet Town in Kanto, and I haven't set foot in Sinnoh or Unova." she said, glancing at her Rotom Phone. "I'll have to make sure my GPS is updated with everything I need."
"Bzzt, I've already updated every single application, Serena. Professor Sycamore sent the latest version of the Pokedex earlier. It has been installed and all new Pokedex Entries will be available for your journey, Bzzt." her phone chirped, making her smile.
"Thanks Rotom, I don't know what I would do without you!"
"Most likely sleep until 2pm like my brother. I have to keep changing my brother's phone settings to make sure he gets up on time." the younger girl said, sighing audibly. "Sometimes I wonder if he's setting himself up for failure. He's a great Gym Leader, but he gets too into his science."
"Well you know what they say, you shouldn't get between a boy and his machines."
"Well someone has to remind him to take a bath, eat and get a girlfriend."
Serena held back a giggle as Bonnie went into another tirade about her brother's habits. Despite that, she could see the love on her face. The two of them were very close, especially after their original journey through the Kalos Region. A bond like theirs wouldn't be so easily broken.
"I swear, he's going to give himself the flu if he keeps staying up all night reprogramming the systems within Prism Tower. Did you know he rigged the lights to shine in different colors? He says he wants to activate them during Holidays or special occasions. He's already programmed it to go off during the next Lumiose City Conference."
"That must have taken some time."
"Yeah, I'll admit it's pretty cool but he needs to focus on other things."
"Like finding a girlfriend?"
"Exactly! See, this is why I love you so much, Serena. You are the only person who understands me." the girl said, as she shoved a few more things into her basket. "Alright, let's go to the next aisle and grab the more personal items. How are you on toothpaste?"
"I got a tube and a half and new brushes, I'll be fine for a while. And before you ask, yes I have the more embarrassing items." the brunette said firmly.
"Bzzt, incoming call from Mom. Will you take the call?"
"Yes Rotom, I'll take it." Serena said, grabbing the phone from mid-air, holding the device close to her ear. "Hi momma, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine sweetheart, I'm just calling to check in. I know you haven't been doing okay the last few weeks. How are things in Lumiose City?" Grace asked curiously. Serena took a deep breath, racking her brain for a moment before replying.
"Oh you know, things are alright. They finally finished repairing the destroyed parts of Lumiose after Team Flare's attack a few years ago. Not only that but the Lumiose Power Plant has increased security now… oh! And Clemont fiddled with the lights and Prism Tower so now they have rainbow colors."
"That's wonderful, darling. I'm so glad Lumiose is getting fixed after that horrible attack. There are parts of the city that are rather unsightly. I do hope you haven't run into any trouble while you are there."
"Not at all, mom. You know I have Delphox and the others to protect me, your little girl isn't going to get mugged. She's the Kalos Queen after all." Serena said cheerfully.
"About that… well sweetheart I'm calling you because there's a video of you circulating around the internet again. Did you perhaps slap a young man in the face yesterday?"
Serena remained silent for a moment biting her lower lip. "Goddamn it."
"Serena, why did you slap that boy?"
"Because he insulted me! His girlfriend was super sweet, she asked me for an autograph and her boyfriend decided to ask me if I would piss on his gums if his teeth were on fire. Right after I started to forget about it. So I slapped him across the face."
"Serena, slapping someone isn't the answer."
"Hey, he deserved it!" she cried, startling a few trainers and pokemon who were passing by her and Bonnie. "How would you feel if someone came and insulted you like that? It's embarrassing. Every single person who asks for an autograph or sees me out on the street reminds me of that meltdown. No one seems to understand that I wasn't in the right mindset. I just wanted to defend my friend from some bastard who just kept insulting her."
"Uh, Serena?"
"What?" the brunette snapped, glaring at her friend. She cleared her throat, gesturing for her to look around. Several trainers were looking at her, some snapping pictures while others were muttering things under their breath. She even saw a few of them giggling and pointing at her. She handed Bonnie her basket, along with her credit card. "Here, pay this for me. I need some fresh air."
With that, she walked out of the PokeMart, clutching her phone tightly in her grasp as she started walking up the street. She held it tightly against her ear as she walked, making her way toward Centrico Plaza. "I don't know what to do, mom. That damn video keeps following me like crap follows a Magikarp. It's everywhere. I don't mind the memes but the video remixes, the constant reminders, the photos, being followed and photographed at every waking hour. I feel like a screw up."
"You aren't a screw up."
"Yes I am, mom! I made an ass of myself on live television, have had angry outbursts at the wrong time and even worse. I'm in love with someone who doesn't love me back and it hurts. All of this is exactly why I exploded that day. No one understands me or what I am going through. It isn't fair." she cried, holding back her tears.
Grace remained silent for a moment, not exactly knowing what to say. Finally she spoke, making sure not to upset her daughter. "Serena, sweetheart, you have to get over this. I understand how much this hurts but moving on is the best thing you can do. I know you really love Ash, but it's clear that he loves someone else. You aren't being fair to yourself and it isn't healthy either."
"I know that mom, I know that. But just… think back to that day he helped me out and gave me his handkerchief. The day he jumped off Prism Tower to save Pikachu, how he stood up to people for Clemont and Bonnie, and how he went through hell to fight back against Team Flare. He's my hero mom, and it's hard for me to just let that go." she said, bowing her head.
"He can still be your hero, but nothing more than that. Sometimes, people are destined to meet and get together. Other times it isn't meant to be. Ash values your friendship a lot, but it's clear that he sees you as nothing more than a friend. Whatever happened between him and this Lillie girl you mentioned must have made him see something in her. You have to respect that."
"I…"
"You don't even know this girl, and you've been judging her harshly. She must be one special gal if she broke through Ash's dense head." the woman said, making Serena giggle.
"Heh heh… you do make a good point. He never really did notice my advancements, if this Lillie girl got through to him, she must have something special. Either that or she knows some secret that I don't. Maybe she's a good cook."
"That boy does like his food." Grace said, the pair laughing mutually. "Are you okay now, sweetheart?"
"I'm a little better… It'll take a while to get used to this but… Ash and Lillie have likely been together for a long time now. They love each other a lot, so I can't continue my belief that he'll give me a chance. I have to move on even if I force myself."
Serena came to a stop at the edge of the road, staring up at Prism Tower. Centrico Plaza had changed a bit since Team Flare's attacks. Several buildings had been rebuilt and a large fountain had been placed in front of the main entrance. Prism Tower had a large League Emblem attached to all of its entrances, which glowed brightly once the sun went down. The tower stood tall and proud, a testament to human ingenuity, being the Kalos Region's most recognizable feature. It was here where Team Flare began their attack, right inside Lumiose City's Pokemon Gym, an event that still haunted Clemont to this very day.
Staring up at the tower made her feel calm. Everything she had been feeling before melted away, allowing her to fully relax. At least for the time being. Whenever she felt lost or sad, looking up at Prism Tower helped her calm down. She could almost see the large vines that had grown out of it during the attack. Their fight against Team Flare and Squishy's brother. She recalled vividly the night that Ash jumped from the tower, after Pikachu had accidentally fallen. An event that had been filmed live and was ingrained in the minds of every Kalosian in the region.
"Serena?" Grace called, causing her to sigh.
"Yeah, I'm still here."
"Are you okay? You stayed quiet for a while."
"I'm just staring at Prism Tower. It helps me relax whenever I'm feeling down. I think I know what I'm going to do." she said, a small smile appearing on her face. "Have you heard about the Pokemon World Championships, and the Pokemon Contest Circuit League?"
"Of course I have, there's ads all over the place for both of those events. Don't tell me you are entering both?"
"I am, I want to focus on the Circuit, but I need money as well. I figure I can use the Championships to earn both money and battle experience. That way I can easily get the ribbons I need to enter the Circuit Grand Festival. Imagine the Kalos Queen being the Top Master Coordinator in the World. That would certainly fix my image." she said, her smile only growing.
"Serena, baby, don't you think you are biting off more than you can chew?"
"Of course not. I gotta keep on truckin' as they say. I can't sit around and do nothing, I'll get rusty. All the training I did in Hoenn would go to waste, wouldn't it? Besides, my apartment here in Lumiose City is expensive, I need to find a way to pay the rent. I only have enough for another month."
"Oh dear, what have you been spending your money on? I hope it isn't food deliveries." the woman said, only to get silence from her daughter. "Serena, you know I don't like you eating unhealthy fast foods like that. You'll get fat!"
"I didn't have a choice, I suck at cooking, you know Clemont was the one who handled that when we traveled together. It doesn't matter, I think I have what it takes to win the Circuit League. It'll be hard but I have to make it there."
"And you'll make it. I believe in you, just make sure you are careful and don't push your Pokemon too hard?" Grace said, causing her daughter to chuckle nervously.
"Of course, mom. I never push my Pokemon too hard, we're gonna have to give it our all though. We aren't just doing contests anymore." she said, glancing at the time. "I have to go, mom. I sort of left Bonnie all by herself at the PokeMart."
"Alright sweetheart, take care of yourself. You have no idea how unbelievably proud I am of you and your Pokemon. If you need anything don't hesitate to call me, okay?" her mother said. Serena agreed, ending the call moments after. As she turned around to start heading back to the Mart, she ended up bumping into Bonnie, who had been walking toward her with several bags in her grasp.
"Jeez, at least tell me when you are going to turn around like that."
"I didn't know you were behind me Bonnie. I'm sorry."
"It's alright, I'm only messing with ya. So, have you cooled off?" she asked, earning a nod from the brunette. "Great, we can start packing our stuff so we can head off. So, what did mom say?"
"Just that she's proud of me. She talked a bit of sense into me as well, I have to start taking things seriously. Especially now, things aren't like when we used to travel around Kalos. I have to stand on my own two feet and move on." she said, glancing back at Prism Tower. "It'll hurt and it'll be tough, but I got what it takes. If Ash can find a girl that loves him and become a Regional Champion, then I think I have what it takes to be the Top Master Coordinator in the world."
"Atta Girl, that's what I like to hear. You are an inspiration to me, Serena, it'll be so much fun to see how you grow as a trainer. Who knows? Maybe we'll face each other in the tournament. I can only stick around with you for a while before I resume my own challenge. But that little while is going to be great!" Bonnie said cheerfully, pulling Serena toward the entrance to Prism Tower, handing one of the bags to her. "Come on, we can pack things up at my place. It's almost lunch time, I have to make sure Clemont isn't too caught up in his work."
"Didn't he have challengers today?"
"I think he did, some kid from Santalune City who wanted to try his luck against him. He's been battling him for the past two weeks but keeps using the same three Pokemon. It's a battle of attrition for him. Clemont is starting to feel bad about it." she replied as the pair entered the tower. It had already been a long day despite only being out for a few hours. She needed some time away from the public eye to gather her thoughts.
"Once I'm done packing everything, I have to start making plans. I'll be traveling all over the world so I'll have to budget my money accordingly. Mom is right, I shouldn't have spent so much money on fast food, now I'm flat broke. What a mess I've let myself turn into." she mused as Bonnie kept droning on about some battle she had not long ago. She had quite a lot to plan out if she wanted to fix her image and become the first Top Master Coordinator.
A/N: Well since my friend finished editing this one early, I decided to post it, but it will likely be a while until the next chapter is posted. Both of us are busy so I won't be able to look at it.
So, if you've seen The Power of Us, you'll recognize Lisa from that movie, and yes I am using her Japanese name because it just sounds better. I had plans for her in Alola Aloha but I never got around to them so I decided to include her here. I decided to have her become a sort of apprentice to Serena who will eventually teach her the ropes of being a coordinator. It's honestly been fun coming up with a Pokemon Team for her. I also realize how many Eeveelutions will be in this story. Oliver has his own Eevees, Serena has a Sylveon and Lisa has an Eevee of her own. If you couldn't tell, Eevee is one of my favorite Pokemon, with Sylveon and Glaceon being my top favorites out of all the evolutions.
Aside from her, we also have Adrian, a young man who for all intents and purposes, is a normal person. He went to normal school and graduated while his brother and sister started successful Pokemon training careers. He wanted to become an influencer and decided being a trainer would help him. His journey is going to be an interesting one, especially knowing which influencers he'll be competing against. Adrian's story was a bit difficult at first but I was inspired by Iono's reveal so I ended up fixing his story and character and nailing down the perfect team for him. Will he make it to the Masters 8? Well you'll have to see.
Finally, I get to explain the Contest League because it might be a bit confusing. It works similarly to the World Championships, ribbons will need to be earned from various places in the world. No one knows which contest hall in which region will be hosting a special contest, a notification will be sent to the participants and they need to register in that Contest hall. Only 64 entrants will be registered and from those 64, the top 32 will move onto the contest itself. So much like the Championships, those who enter will have to battle for 1 of 32 spots. Once seven of these ribbons are earned by enough participants, the Circuit Grand Festival will be held where the competitors will compete to become the first 4 Top Master Coordinators. It's gonna be interesting to see who makes it and which coordinators will make a return. Personally, I like Contests more than Gym Battles so I get to make some cool performances while I'm at it.
I think I've explained everything I need to. I hope you like what I've posted. It's been a while since I've written any thing new so I'm kinda worried over it. Funny how I've been writing for years and still get worried about how the story looks on the site. Oh well. I hope you have a good weekend, see ya when I see ya.