Sorry for the long wait guys!
Amy47101 does not own pokémon!
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The Adventure Saga
The Reality of Serenity
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"Hey," Calem said, coming up behind her. "Wait for me." Serena smiled over her shoulder, turning to look back at the building she had just walked into.
Almost immediately upon walking in, they were greeted with tall shelves filled with nothing but fossils. Serena could barely recognize them, but Calem seemed to know what he was talking about as he gestured at a few of the fossils. While Calem continued on-whereas she stared in wonder- they rounded a corner, and saw two lab assistants, a man and a woman, and another young man around the age of twenty-one. The young man was bent over a machine, as if he was analyzing something, while the two assistants stood by, eagerly watching.
"Um, excuse me." Serena said. The two assistant jumped, whereas the man barely flinched. They turned, looking at the two teens curiously.
"Ah! So have you two come to research fossils?" asked the male, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Why, haven't you chosen a good day!" exclaimed the female. "Today we're blessed by the presence of the great Prof. Oak!"
"Prof. Oak?" asked Calem and Serena in union, searching for the well known elder.
"Arceus," groaned the young man off to the side. He stood up straight, running his hand through his spiky hair in an exasperated manner. "I told you already, it's just Gary." The two glanced at the young man curiously and slightly surprised. How many of these famous dexholders would they meet on their journey?
"What are you working on?" Serena finally asked, straining her neck to peek over the shoulder of the taller man.
"Well, I found this charm in the Glittering Cave, and I wanted to analyze it's age." He gestured towards the machine, which held a golden charm with a silver chain in it, a blue light analyzing it. "So far, we know that it is amber, and whatever it is, this thing is old. Probably dating back to the Great War." he said, mentioning the huge war that raged across Kalos over three thousand year ago. "I also think that the stone inside it is a Key Stone."
"Key Stone?" Serena asked. "Would that have anything to do with Mega Evolution?"
"Mega Evolution?" asked the male assistant. "I'm not quite sure. All I know is that it would involve a certain stone."
"Mega Evolution," Gary said, turning back to the machine, then printing out the results of the analysis. "Requires two stones, actually. A Mega Stone-like the Charizardite X I received from Prof. Sycamore, and a Key Stone, like this one right here." he held up the piece of amber, showing them the stone inside.
"One for pokémon, one for trainer, right?" Calem asked, looking back up at him.
"Yes, though only a few people can actually require a Key Stone. They've been scattered across the globe, and almost impossible to find. This one was found in the middle of a rock. I had to have my Umbreon break it apart." he paused. "Are you Prof. Sycamores pupils? The new dexholders?" Serena and Calem glanced at each other, then Serena laughed slightly.
"Seems everyone knows about us, huh?" she said, nudging Calem.
"Well, of course we should know." Gary shrugged. "I mean, Dayna, Fire, Leaf, and I were the first batch of kids to actually get a pokédex."
"Oh, so you're Prof. Sycamores pupils? Do you think I can ask you a favor?" one of the assistants asked. Calem shrugged, and Serena nodded.
"What do you need?" she asked.
"Well, you see, one of our researchers went to the Glittering Cave earlier today to excavate some more fossils. He hasn't come back yet... I'm worried that he may have caused an accidental cave-in and may be trapped." said the female. Gary widened his eyes, then took his chin in his hand.
"I've been wondering about that, actually." he said. "Are there any pokémon in the Glittering Cave that are red in color?"
"Red? No, none that I can think of. I mean, there is a small community of Solrock, but they're more of an orange..." answered the male, trailing off at the end. Gary shook his head.
"No, what I saw was definitively red." he sighed. "Maybe a pokémon migration?"
"Maybe they're charging in to fight for territory?" Serena suggested. Gary glanced at her.
"Maybe." he sighed, shaking his head. "Anyways, I actually really need to get to Shalour City. I'd love to help, but I really, really can't."
"Don't worry, we can handle it ourselves." Calem said confidently. Gary smiled, then nodded, slipping the amber around his neck.
"Thank you. Maybe I can convince the others to stick around in Shalour so we can catch up." he said, raising his hand in a half wave. The two younger trainers heard the sliding doors open, confirming Gary's leave.
"The Glittering Cave is southeast of here." said the female assistant. "Be careful, though. It's really dark in the cave, and is also filled with twists and turns, but you should be just fine if you follow the glowing green crystals."
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"Glowing green crystals... glowing green crystals..." Serena mumbled to herself. She spotted one of them and grinned. "Found one." she smirked, glancing at the glowing neon. She glanced over her shoulder, and sighed, wondering if Calem was getting his way around okay. After coming upon a fork in the cave-and seeing no glowing green crystals in sight- they both decided to part ways to reach the bottom faster.
She, obviously, had come across one of the crystals, yet no sign of an assistant or any of these strange red pokémon that Gary claimed to have spotted earlier. Mostly, she just came across ground types and rock types, and, rarely, a Mawile. She wasn't interested in catching any of these pokémon, though running across them did fill up her pokédex.
She followed the crystals, careful to keep her eyes peeled for the the faint glow, till eventually she came across a small opening that appeared to be a doorway. She grinned, seeing not the faint glow of not a crystal, but lanterns. She ducked down to avoid hitting her head, and was surprised to find a huge, gaping room on the other side, held up with sturdy wooden beams. One glance around told her that she was in the right place, for tracks for mining carts were a little bit in front of her.
However, Serena furrowed her brow as she noticed a man staring into the cart, wearing red from behind and had red hair, pulled into a ponytail on the side of his head, which looked strangely like a flickering flame. She walked forward, her sneakers crunching over the stones of the crumbling cave, and the man turned. This time, she got a good look at him.
His attire was strange, and that was saying something in the fashionista filled region of Kalos. He wore a blaring red-orange suit with black gloves and shoes, while orange sunglasses covered his eyes. Arceus, Serena thought, just plain staring at his weird clothing, especially for mining. What was this guy thinking when he was getting dressed this morning?
"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" he said, glancing at her. "A nosy trainer looking for trouble!" he walked up to her, hands on his hips. "Listen up! I am a member of the most stylish, most fashionable team who's fabulous name will make you tremble with fear! Team Flare!" he struck a pose, and Serena stared at him blankly. She wasn't sure if it was the horribly bright suit that practically glowed in the dim lighting or the overall craziness that he just spoke of, but her brain must've misfired, so she immediately spoke the simplest thing she could come up with.
"Huuuuuuuuuuuuh?"
"What? Have you ever heard of us?" Serena didn't even get to answer. "Well, of course you haven't! You're just a little girl!"
"Little? I'm fifteen, you know!" Serena shot back, her brain finally able to form complete sentences.
"Says you! It is Team Flares ultimate goal to make sure we, and only we, are happy! We don't care what happens to other trainers or pokémon!"
"Now you're just talking nonsense." Serena sighed.
"We don't care what you think! Now get outta here! Scram!" he shoved her back, and she stumbled, growling under her breath. She pulled out a pokéball, ready to defend herself. "Don't you know better than to play with fire?" She gripped her pokéball tighter, and then threw out Fennekin.
"Well, I think that fire is kinda fun." she smirked. The grunt looked slightly surprised that she dared to have the gall to even challenge him, but that was quickly replaced with anger.
"Well, I'd hate to get my suit dirty..." Serena snickered and her glared, throwing out a Zubat. He struck a pose, and grinned. "But I suppose you can pay for my dry cleaning when I win! Get her, Houndour!"
"Oh, please." Serena said, thrusting out her arm to emphasize her attack. "Loosing isn't my style! Fennekin, Flame Charge!" Fennekin let out a mighty roar, flaming and slamming into Zubat, knocking it out in one blow. Serena grinned in victory. Her little starter was getting stronger. The grunt, however, was not ready to give in.
"Houndour, lets go!" he exclaimed, sending out the dog. Serena returned her starter, knowing she was at an disadvantage.
"Squirtle!" she cried out, letting out the water turtle.
"Bite!" ordered the grunt, pointing at Squirtle.
"Withdraw!" Serena exclaimed. The turtle curled into his shell, Houndours fangs slamming uselessly against it. The fire-dog jumped back, letting out a growl of irritation. Squirtle jumped out of his shell with a flip. "Water Pulse!" Again, Squirtle jumped up, letting out a burst of water in the form of levitating ringlets. Houndour let out a wail of pain, but struggled to its feet to continue his fight.
"Beat Up! Quick, before it can use Withdraw!" exclaimed the grunt. Serena flinched as the Houndour relentlessly hit Squirtle, sending him flying back.
"Water Gun!" she ordered, slamming the Houndour into a wall behind them. With a satisfied smirk, she watched as Houndour fell to the ground unconscious. The grunt returned his pokémon, and with a shout of rage, fell to his knees.
"I-I'm not the only member of Team Flare, you know!" he said, pointing a finger accusingly at her as she returned Squirtle. She rolled her eyes, and moved on. Here, she encountered a female grunt whom looked no different from the male, minus the twin flaming pigtails. She was almost no match for Serena's Ralts and Fennekin, but again, this grunt was spouting nonsense about creating happiness for Team Flare and only Team Flare.
Serena rounded some corners, and came across a duo of grunts. Both turned in her direction, smirking.
"We are members if the fabulous Team Flare! We put fashion into fear!" exclaimed the female. Serena sighed.
"Listen, I heard all this before." she said, pulling out a pokéball.
"Well, lookie here. We go searching for fossils and we find a nosy girl!" sneered the male with a laugh. "Lets gang up on her."
"Serena." she looked over her shoulder, and grinned as Calem came up behind her.
"Hey. Finally caught up." she teased. Calem nodded, crossing his arms, a look of disapproval on his face.
"So there are two members of Team Flare this time..." Calem said. "Are you ready to fight them together, Seré?"
"You bet!" Serena exclaimed clutching her pokéball determinedly. Calem grabbed his own, disapproval still showing.
"If you're just trying to make yourself happy, I won't stop you. But when you threaten people," he took a protective step forward, standing almost in front of Serena. Anger laced his voice as he shouted out his next sentence. "It's like, who the hell do you think you are, anyway?! Let's go Froakie!"
"Fennekin!" Serena exclaimed, sending out her own starter.
"Shut up, you stupid brats!" exclaimed the female. "Go, Croagrunk!"
"Scraggy, show them our power!" exclaimed the female.
"Flame Charge!" exclaimed Serena pointing at Croagunk. Fennekin burst into flames and rammed into the poison-fighting duel type. It gurgled in pain, then stood up at the order to use Poison Jab on Froakie. Froakie nimbly leapt around, avoiding the deadly jabs, though one hit managed to send him flying.
"Froakie, you're fine! Get up and use Water Pulse on Scraggy!" Calem ordered. Serena watched in wonder as Croagunk got up and leapt in front of Scraggy.
"What's it doing?" She wondered as the pulsing water rings went flying towards the pokémon. Strangely, the water didn't cause any damage. In fact, it seemed to have been absorbed into the poison-fighting type's skin, healing it.
"I know a lot about pokémon and their abilities," she heard, not her voice, not her mother's. That young girl again... "As your older sister, I gotta tell you about it! Right now, I gotta tell you about an important, useful, but deadly ability. It's called Dry Skin, and it actually absorbs water type attacks! And on top of that, it heals them too! So, be careful!"
"Seré, snap out of it!" Calem practically shouted in her ear. Serena shook her head, trying to clear herself of that voice. At least it gave her something useful...
"Dry Skin! Calem, the Croagunks ability is Dry Skin! Froakies water type attacks are useless now!" Serena exclaimed. Calem smiled, a teasing comment on his lips.
"Useful to know." he smirked, turning back to the battle. "Have Fennekin cover her ears, okay?"
"You heard him, Fennekin!" Serena exclaimed.
"You as well, Serena, this might be loud." Calem added, pressing his hands to his ears. Serena blinked, then followed suite. She pressed her hands to her ears, Fennekin crouching down and turning her ears towards her head, holding them in place with her paws. Suddenly, Calem yelled something that was muffled due to her covered ears. Then Froakie let out a shout, the sound forming ringlets that slammed against the opponent. It was so loud that she could still hear it, despite her covered ears.
"Holy crap." she said as the sound went away.
"Round. You should be careful, 'cause Echoed Voice is even louder!" Calem teased, lowering his hands.
"Fennekin, while they're distracted, Pyswave!" she ordered. The psychic waves, while having little effect on Scraggy, completely annihilated Croagunk. How it was still standing, Serena couldn't say.
"You don't miss a beat, do you?" Calem said, a teasing grin present.
"Stop teasing me! I'm trying to take out that Croagunk for you!" Serena shot back. "We're close! One more time, Fennekin!" that did it for Croagunk. It fell into a faint, while Scraggy rushed forward to avenge its partner.
"Alright, lets make sure Serena and Fennekin's efforts don't go to waste! Water Pulse, knock 'em out!" Calem exclaimed. That did in Scraggy as it fell in a faint. Suddenly, the two pokémon began glowing, engulfed in a white light. Calem and Serena stared in amazement, both aware of what was happening. Their starters were evolving!
"Braixen!"
"Frogadier!" Both shouted out their names in proud victory, turning to their trainers in happiness.
"Alright!" Calem exclaimed as he high-fived Serena, who had an equally happy grin on her face.
"Team Flare, Team Flare, go, go, Team Flare!" shouted the male, whom abruptly shut up as the female stomped on his foot. "Ow! You scuffed my shoes!" he exclaimed, then looked at the battlefield. "Oh. We lost? And their pokémon evolved? I guess I'll stop cheering now..."
"Great, just great. I think I'm going to cry." sniffed the female in disdain. Serena and Calem returned their pokémon. "And I got my fashionable Team Flare suit all dirty!"
"But hey, if we can collect and restore fossils, then we make a ton of money for more stylish suits!" exclaimed the male. "And pay for dry cleaning easier!" Calem and Serena walked around them, ignoring their blabbering about useless stuff. Both walked calmly through the mine, Calem deep in thought. The serious look on his face was a strange twist from his usually teasing personality.
"Hey, Calem. Calem!" Serena practically shouted. He jumped slightly, and looked at her.
"Yeah? What?" he asked.
"What's up? You've got, like, this really intense look on your face." Serena said.
"Oh? Just thinking." he responded.
"Mm. About what?" Serena asked.
"Well... We're pokémon trainers. Protecting pokémon is what we do, right?"
"Yeah. I think it comes in the description." she said jokingly. Calem smiled a little, but quickly fell back into his serious look. "Anything else?" Serena asked.
"No." he shook his head, deciding not to finish his thoughts. "I'm fine now." his grin came back. "We've gotta find this assistant." the continued walking, and rounded a corner, seeing a man in a lab coat with a miners helmet on his head. He was facing away from them, apparently entirely focused on his work.
"Think that's him?" Serena asked. Calem shrugged.
"I dunno, lets find out." Calem said, then waving his hand in greeting. "Hello, good sir!"
"Oh, hello!" he greeted them, turning around. "Did you two come searching for fossils too?"
"Something like that." Calem chuckled.
"We were sent by Gary and your coworkers. They were worried." Serena said, then thoughtfully tapped her chin. "Did you have any trouble from a group calling themselves Team Flare?" She asked. The assistant scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.
"Teemphlair?" he asked, pronouncing the two words as one. "What would that be? A pokémon perhaps?"
"I guess not," Calem chuckled, turning to Serena. "He must've been way to absorbed in his work to notice." Serena giggled under her breath, and nodded in agreement. They turned their attention back to the assistant, whom was now holding two strange-looking rocks.
"Those coworkers of mine, always getting worried about a cave-in or something. You see, I always get to absorbed in my work, that sometimes I'm here for hours and hours! I'd leave right after I sign in to the lab, and won't come back till closing!" he laughed to himself. While Calem and Serena shared a glance, seeing that he had obviously not heard their mini conversation. "You two are pretty lucky, though." he continued. "I just found two fossils here!" he held them up proudly to the two trainers. "Although, I have these two already. How about you guys take them, as reward for your efforts of navigating the Glittering Cave and taking the time to drag me back to the lab?"
"Really?" Serena could feel her eyes light up at the possibility of owning a prehistoric pokémon.
"I'll let the young lady choose first. Is that alright, lad?" the assistant asked. Calem shrugged.
"Tis proper manners." he said with a fake british accent. Serena stifled a laugh, and looked at the two fossils. One was a huge, clamping jaw, with teeth that seemed to be able to chomp down and tear apart anything, while the other seemed to be a fin that shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow.
"This one," the assistant pointed at the huge jaws. "Is the Jaw Fossil. The other one is called the Sail Fossil."
"I think I'll take the Sail Fossil." Serena decided, gently taking the fossil from him. "Is that okay, Calem?"
"Do you have psychic abilities?" Calem asked. Serena blinked, completely taken aback by the random question.
"Uh..."
"'Cause, seriously, how did you know that I wanted the Jaw Fossil?!" Calem asked with wide eyes, a fake exclamation of shock on his face. Serena laughed at this, Calem taking his fossil, not able to contain his own chuckles.
"Very good!" clapped the assistant. He gathered up his tools, moving on towards around the two trainers. "I can restore your fossils back at the lab. I hope to see you there!" then he walked out and around the corner, out of sight of the two trainers.
"Well," Calem sighed, his serious look back. "We go looking for an assistant and found a mysterious group of people who call themselves Team Flare.
"You know, I wonder what they're up to. All they seemed to go on about was how fashionably fearful they are, even though they are, obviously, neither fashionable nor fearful." Serena said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "At least that assistant gave us these fossils."
"Yeah, that's true." Calem let out a small grin, but then went back to seriousness. "Just... listen for a minute, Serena. With these people wandering around, maybe we should train our pokémon more to be safe. And we should contact Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna. I really don't know what I'd do if one of my friends got hurt. That includes you, Seré, though I doubt you'll let a bunch of gaudily dressed people push you around!" he laughed. "Listen, I'm going on to challenge the gym in Cyllage City. I guess that you're going too... so lets travel there together!"
"Alright! But only after we restore our fossils." Serena said, following him as they began to find their way out of the cave.
"Of course, after we restore out fossils." Calem nodded in agreement, then falling into a comfortable silence as they wound their way to the entrance of Glittering Cave. During this silence, Serena remembered how Dayna, Fire, and Gary had also fought their own round of villains. It made national news when Leaf fell into her coma after defeating Mewtwo. Since then, no one has heard from Mewtwo or his creator, Giovanni. No one knows where either are now.
Serena remembered, quite vividly, how scared she was when she saw the news broadcasting about Leaf in her coma. It was the strangest thing. While most children her age were somber and melancholy towards this event, she was downright devastated. She felt like she lost a sister! She recalled crying a lot, and not really smiling much during the time she knew that the teenager was in her coma. When news broke out that the fourteen-year-old was not only out of her coma, but also champion, she cried out of joy! It was the craziest thing.
She wasn't scared of Team Flare, overall, but she was scared of what could happen. There was no way that they were anything like the notorious mafia that plagued Kanto and Johto, and if Gary, Dayna, Fire, and Leaf had to fight them, they'd probably laugh. They were pathetic. Horribly pathetic. But as they entered the sunlight and fresh air of the outside world, Serena couldn't help having a sinking feeling in her stomach.
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SOOOO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE. Got grounded! But I'm ungrounded, so I hope you enjoy!
Amy47101 signing off! ^.^