Author's note: In response to the point of breaking the rules, I would like to address the rules I've most likely broken and provide acceptable explanations- i.e. acceptable to me, some may feel that these are but excuses, and may continue to feel so.
Rule: The chapter system is not to be used as placeholder for non-story content such as author notes. You can add short author notes to the beginning or at the end of stories but never as individual chapters.
Indeed, I was reluctant to post a chapter stating how the story would progress, but I could see no other way to list out the guideline without using an individual chapter to do it. The summary did not leave enough space for me to put everything there, and I want my readers to completely understand what they're in for right from the start.
Rule:Entries not allowed: Any form of interactive entry: choose your adventure, second person/you based, Q&As, and etc.
Although I mentioned that this was an interactive story from the beginning, it is not as interactive as the ones mentioned above. I still have complete control of the story's flow and the authority to edit any parts of the suggestions given by readers. It is my story with suggestions on how to go about it by the readers.
Anyway, since there are only 6 characters, let us just shorten the number of days, and we can proceed. I am pretty busy these few days, so I may take 2 to 3 days to update each time, so bear with me. We shall start with a Prologue.
Prologue
1. Niryu the Raichu studied the brochure forced onto her by the dutiful agent. It was just her luck to have to drop a coin right outside a tour agency. Not only did it attract the attention of the agents inside, it also rendered her unable to flee their "assault".
"Oh, miss, you look very fatigued today. Are you always like this?" pondered the agent cheerfully, "you deserve a break, and I know just what to offer you!" The Pachirisu jabbed at the brochure and added, "A relaxing beach resort on a remote, beautiful island just east of Kanto. It's very convenient. The ferry to Fantasy Island reaches the Vermillion Harbour once a week. If I wasn't so busy here, I would emigrate there!" Niryu's eyebrows rose. That tour agent was getting too exaggerated. She read the brochure again. "Fun, Excitement and Adventure!" were printed all over it in funky lettering. There was an amusement park, an exquisite fountain made in memory of some Water Pokemon that had saved the island from sinking or something to that effect, and a museum. Basically, it was just like any other resort island with tourist attractions.
Niryu was inclined to refuse, but somehow the island just appealed to her. It was certainly not the fancy design of the brochure that caught her eye, she was positive, but it was possibly because she had been wandering, leading the adventurer's life, for too long. She needed a short break before she continued on her expedition. She decided to go for it.
Looking at the Pachirisu agent settling the affairs, she was suddenly reminded of her mother. Her mother was a bustling, spontaneous Pikachu who had always wanted Niryu to have fun and lighten up. She would have approved this idea of going to a beach resort, perhaps nagging a bit about the price. She often nagged. Niryu shook her head. What was she thinking about? Her mother would not be here anymore, there was no point thinking about her reaction, she could not react even if she tried.
2. Piku the Pikachu giggled half-heartedly. He was with his best friend, Wildheart. Wildheart loved telling jokes, most of which were quite pathetic, but Piku felt he ought to give some encouragement, though at times it was very tiresome.
"How's this one," Wildheart grinned, "Why did the cookie go to see the doctor?" Piku thought for a while, and then shrugged, "It was unwell?" "No, it was because it felt crummy!" Wildheart burst out laughing.
Piku tried valiantly to force a guffaw, but failed, and realised that Wildheart did not notice whether he was laughing in response to his riddle anyway, he being so convulsed in laughter that tears were streaming down his face. Piku sighed, and somehow remembered Derek, his late trainer. Derek had been killed- poisoned- and he could never forget that expression on Derek's face as he drew his last breath, a look of incredulity, almost as if he was wondering who would want him dead.
Piku stifled a weep. Seeing that Wildheart was still cracking up, he headed for the balcony, and wailed for all he was worth. Indeed, maybe the trip to that island resort that Wildheart had suggested would do him good and put his mind off things.
3. Wildheart the Jolteon stopped chuckling when he noticed Piku gone. It was certainly difficult faking a laugh when he did not feel like laughing at all. He was sure that nobody ever knew that his comical personality was just a false front. He had a much darker personality inside, a more dangerous one.
He realised that by putting on this act of comic relief, no one would bother to inquire about his past, not even Piku who claimed to be his best friend, and that satisfied him. His past was so secret that nobody was permitted to know the slightest hint of it.
His glance fell on the brochure of a resort on Fantasy Island on the table. The beach resort provided him with an opportunity to solve the mystery bugging him his whole life- just who had attempted to take his life on that day at the restaurant? He was sure that he would have been murdered had a doctor not been close at hand that day.
He was certain of one thing about the murderer, and that was that the supposed murderer must have known the fatal secret, and hence would most certainly strike again at the resort. However, this time, Wildheart would be ready. He resumed his phoney laughter when he heard Piku returning.
4. Kiki the Glameow studied the brochure again. She had just decided to bring her maidservant, Emma, with her to a beach resort on an island west of Sinnoh. The resort promised an amusement park (Kiki shuddered), a beautiful fountain of an Squirtle or Wartortle or something of that kind, and a museum. It was rather extravagant, and Kiki was starting to regret going there after all.
Ever since her trainer released her, things had not been going her way. She had barely enough money to sustain the services of Emma, let alone make for any fancy hotel. The only reason she decided to spend her cash was the exotic spa and massage centre, supposedly tucked deep into a heavily wooded forest. She was determined to find it the moment she stepped onto the island.
Now where was that Emma? She was supposed to have brought coffee long ago. Kiki loved coffee, and insisted on it being made of the finest coffee beans. Drinking the coffee would remind her of her star-studded days with her trainer, who used to be a famous singer, a pop star.
5. "Emma, my coffee!" screeched a familiar voice. Emma the Horsea sighed. She was waiting for the water to boil, and that took a long time. Kiki often forgot that she was no longer the "princess" of her beloved trainer. Emma said to herself as she poured the coffee, "One mustn't blame her. She had had a rough experience, and the better you were before, the worse you become after your setback, I always say. Time to bring in the coffee."
She ran as fast as her single leg would carry her, and gently placed the cup by Kiki's bedside. The latter sipped the coffee, looked subdued for a moment, and sighed. Emma's heart went out to her. She gazed at the slender frame of her employer and thought back to how they had first met.
Kiki had recently taken to wandering the streets when she saw Emma sitting on a bench mourning for her drowned trainer. When they set eyes on each other, something simply clicked and they became instant friends. Emma liked her job, even if she was under the mercy of Kiki. She could take care of this pitiful soul and have a source of income at the same time, however meagre. Besides, she enjoyed interacting with the neighbours, and collected quite a bit of gossip, which she would report to her mistress.
"Ma'am, do you know that this morning, the butcher, Bob, lost his Houndour and thought that it had been dog-napped! Alas, it was only…" and she reeled on and on.
6. Daemon the Charmander looked at the photograph of his parents and himself, taken before he was hatched from his egg. In the snapshot, his father was ecstatically hugging the egg and his mother was beaming right beside him. Now, Daemon was simply a scarred Charmander out for revenge against that Blastoise who had caused both their deaths.
Daemon was never going to forgive the creep. He smiled at the brochure on the desk. The only part that struck a chord was the fountain with the design of a Blastoise. That might be more than a coincidence. Anyway, it was a chance for him to avenge his parents. Even if he had gotten it wrong, he could still gather info about that Blastoise which inspired the fountain, and possibly get some leads.
In one way or the other, he must go and see for himself.
Author's note: Great, it is all done. From now onwards, you can vote for the narrator of the next chapter, and the victim. Also, please comment on my writing, since that is what reviews are for. Till then, enjoy.