Chapter One

Pokémon.

These creatures are Akari's whole world.

When she was an infant, her mother's Glameow would sleep next to her in the crib. When she started walking, she would wander into flocks of Starly with seeds or bread in hand to feed them. At age five, she became more daring and approached a wild napping Luxray, whom she startled awake. It earned her a powerful shock and a lecture from her mother. A week later she approached the same Luxray with Pecha Berries as an apology for scaring him. She was rewarded with an exhilarating ride through the forest on the cat's back. This earned her another lecture from her mother, but it was worth it. Luxray had become her friend and introduced her to all the Shinx and Luxio in his pride.

When she turned six, the new neighbors moved in with their son Barry. He was her first friend outside of the local Pokémon. They got into all sorts of trouble together, often leaving their mothers at a loss on how to handle them. Barry's father also loved Pokémon. He would teach Akari neat things about them when time permitted. Unfortunately, his job as a Frontier Brain often kept him away. The infamous Battle Tycoon Palmer could only come home on select weekends and holidays, but Akari was glued to his side when he did. He had become the father she never had.

It was shortly after she turned eight that Akari lost her grandfather. She was still too young and innocent of heart to truly understand why she would never see him again. The news had sent her into a fit of hysterics. She had cried for weeks, and Barry, trying to be a good friend, had wanted to help her. He had heard a rumor about ghost Pokémon; that they could travel back and forth between the world of the living and dead. He didn't truly understand what that had meant though. However, it didn't matter because Akari could see her grandfather again.

They both snuck out sometime after midnight on a moonless night. It was rumored that ghost Pokémon liked to hang out around an old, abandoned warehouse just outside of town. This was the only place near Twinleaf that had regular sightings of ghost types.

The only ghost they had found that night was called Misdreavus. These spooky Pokémon are very alluring yet also known for being terrible pranksters that often enjoy scaring people. However, the one they found was kind and willing to listen to the plight of a little girl. Akari told Misdreavus all about her grandfather passing away, about how it made her sad and how much she missed him. Unfortunately, the ghost Pokémon could not help Akari in the way she wanted. This had broken her heart all over again. She had spent the remainder of the night crying in Barry's arms beneath the branches of a large willow tree.

The first rays of sunlight were just filtering through the trees when Palmer located the missing children. He had been flying all night atop his Dragonite, frantically trying to reach home from the Battle Frontier to help search after receiving a frantic call from his wife. The mighty dragon Pokémon had felt his trainer's urgency and flew as hard as he could. It was as they flew near the outskirts of town that Palmer caught a glimpse of them huddled together under a tree. He was surprised to see a Misdreavus watching over them.

Soon after Akari turned ten, Barry approached her with the idea of looking for a Red Gyarados in the lake outside of town. It had been a long shot. Shiny Pokémon are incredibly rare, but one had been found in Johto recently and Barry had to see if one might be living in their own lake.

Akari knew that Palmer would be furious if he discovered they left the safety of Twinleaf without an escort again, but her own sense of adventure had overridden her common sense. Barry had also insisted that if they remained on the main road they wouldn't run into any wild Pokémon. It was a false conclusion, but somehow, they had made it to the lakefront without bumping into any aggressive Pokémon.

The water was placid when they arrived; not even the wind was blowing, allowing a clear view of the Magikarp swimming around. They were all the normal orange, and as for Gyarados, none were found anywhere. Barry had been disappointed, but Akari was secretly relieved. Gyarados are rather aggressive and known to attack people without provocation. Without Pokémon to defend themselves, they would have been in big trouble. A fact that hadn't crossed her mind until it was too late. However, little did Akari know at the time, that this day had been predicted by her very own lips over two hundred years prior.

Professor Rowan had grown up hearing stories about the girl who fell from the sky. She was dressed in funny clothes, spoke differently, loved all Pokémon deeply, and had a knack for battling that impressed everyone. In the beginning no one trusted her within Team Galaxy; even many of the natives had been suspicious of her sudden appearance. However, she risked everything and ultimately saved them all, thus creating the path for Sinnoh to become the place it is now.

The trip to the lakefront had been a farce. Professor Rowan told his assistant, Lucas, that they needed to take some readings of the water to determine if a legendary Pokémon resided within the lake. The stories of Mesprit were plentiful in the area and it was a good excuse to visit. He knew that Lucas would be absent minded and leave his briefcase behind – something that would normally earn the boy a lecture – today though, it had been predicted and would set destiny in motion.

It was Berry who discovered that the briefcase had been left behind. He had rushed over to it without consideration of his surroundings, startling some nesting Starly. Usually, these tiny birds are docile, if not outright fearful, often fleeing at the sight of humans in the wild. Today though, these Starly were nesting, attempting to protect their eggs from the two ignorant children that stumbled into their territory.

Barry and Akari were desperate. The Starly were dishing out flying type attacks that kicked up dust and sliced through the tall grass. Fortunately, these Pokémon were on the weaker side, allowing Barry and Akari enough time to try and think up a solution. However, neither could come up with anything intelligent while under attack. It left them with only one option – open the briefcase and hope there is a solution inside.

It had been a long shot, not many people kept items for repelling Pokémon in such a carrying case, but they still had to look. Indeed, there weren't any items to repel the Starly, instead they found three Pokéballs. They each grabbed one, tossing it out before them to release the creature inside.

It wasn't a respectable move; taking and using someone else's Pokémon is highly frowned upon. In some regions, it's even illegal and will get you in serious trouble. Unfortunately, they hadn't been left without much of a choice. If they didn't fight back, the Starly would have seriously hurt them.

When the battle was over, Akari felt both relief and anxiety. The Pokémon that had been inside the Pokéball she had chosen had been a Piplup. Barry had used a Turtwig. The Pokémon themselves didn't seem bothered that they had been used by strangers. If anything, they seemed rather thrilled that they got to battle. That did little to comfort Akari.

Lucas suddenly showed up, looking flustered. He'd left Professor Rowan's briefcase behind, and he had rushed back to retrieve it. Lucus, unfortunately, discovered that two of the Pokémon had been used in battle just moments before. It didn't matter that the situation had been desperate. He was going to be in big trouble when the professor found out.

Wanting Akari and Barry to share in his burden, Lucas made the decision to leave both Piplup and Turtwig in their care. He instructed them to return the Pokémon themselves and apologize. It was the official start of their Pokémon journeys. They just didn't know it at the time.

The trek through Sinnoh had been a long one. Akari had aged nearly three years by the time she fully traversed through the various areas of the region. She wasn't in any kind of rush though, deciding to enjoy her travels as she pursued the numerous species of Pokémon that called this land home. She had filled up a majority of the Pokédex that Professor Rowan had given her by the time she neared the final Pokémon Gym. However, Team Galactic had decided to put a major damper on her travels.

The criminal organization was a persistent bunch that proudly used various unethical methods to try to bring about their vision of the world. As for Akari, she did her best to not actively seek them out unless she was forced to do so. It wouldn't be until they blew up Lake Valor that she had finally had enough of their nonsense. For the first time, she followed them, chasing them all over Sinnoh, even invading their base. She found three Mythical Pokémon being tortured there. That had really made her angry.

Saturn, having a big mouth, informed her that Team Galactic had needed the three Mythical Pokémon to create an item called the Red Cain. They needed it to ensnare a different Pokémon of legendary status that could bring about their vison. Akari wasn't about to let that happen. She ascended Mount Coronet in a rage, battling all the grunts that blocked her path along the way. At the peak, she was challenged by both Jupiter and Mars, who she defeated quickly. Then she faced their boss, Cyrus.

The man was clearly insane, his ultimate plan made no sense to her and the idea that his method was the only way to fix a broken world was ludicrous. She knew she had to stop him, even though it meant following him into another dimension known as the Distortion World. Once there, she stood face to face with a Pokémon called Giratina. The dragon was massive and resembled something devious and dark. Then she made eye contact with him. There was something gentle in his gaze – a recognition and happiness that she hadn't expected to see. However, Cyrus ruined the moment by using something called the Griseous Orb to force Giratina to attack her.

Facing the ghost dragon in his territory was not easy. Giratina had all the advantages provided to him by the Distortion World, while Akari and her Pokémon struggled to keep basic footing. In this dimension, any direction could be its opposite and you had no way of knowing until you tried to take a step. This made battling extremely complicated. Akari was forced to use her ace in the hole, the Master Ball, to end the battle. To her, it was cheating. It basically forced a Pokémon to submit without a fair fight, but she had to do it to stop the destruction of the world.

With Giratina safely caught, Akari could finally deal with Cyrus, or so she thought. The man refused all logic and reason. He refused to leave the Distortion World, and with the portal connecting that dimension to her own dissipating rapidly, she was forced to leave him behind.

It hurt her heart to abandon him like that, but the madness within Cyrus was too deep to get him to understand the consequences of staying there. She could only watch with sadness as the portal closed with Team Galactic's boss on the wrong side. Jupiter and Mars were in tears. It was obvious that they both cared deeply for the man.

After the conflict with Team Galactic ended, Akari was free to continue her journey without any more interruptions. She headed for Sunyshore City, her heart pounding with excitement and nervousness. Volkner was the last Gym Leader and the rumor mill spoke of his electrifying skill and power. Akari knew she couldn't just rush into this without a plan. That would only get her smacked to the floor. She needed to strategize.

The Pokémon she took with her were all resistant to all electric type attacks. She even decided to take Giratina, who – despite the method used to capture him – was relatively happy to be called upon. Akari was once again taken aback by the familiarity in which the Legendary Pokémon responded to her with. It was almost unnerving, and it made Akari curious. How was it possible for this Pokémon to know her so well? He even knew about her fondness for sweets. That shouldn't be possible. However, she pushed these thoughts aside when she stood before Volkner.

The Gym Leader looked at her with absolute boredom. It was obvious that he didn't expect much from her on the battlefield. She surprised him though, lighting up his world with her passion and unique strategy. He found himself suddenly excited and came at Akari with everything he had. She was hard pressed to keep up with him, forcing her to rely mostly upon Giratina, who was a natural powerhouse. Volkner was thrilled even more as the tables were turned on him. Akari won the battle thanks to the Legendary Pokémon at her side.

After her hard-won battle, Akari headed to Victory Road. She knew she was going to have to train hard if she was going to have any chance of defeating the Elite Four and the Sinnoh Champion. The struggles she had faced against Volkner had left her with no illusions of her current strength. She needed some hard-core training with her Pokémon if they stood any chance against them. Victory Road was the perfect place for that. There were remarkable trainers hiding in every nook and cranny of that dark cavern. It also allowed her the opportunity to build up her strategies even more while helping her Pokémon strengthen the weaknesses that had been glaringly obvious during the final gym battle. She would spend almost six months there.

When she finally made the decision to issue her challenge, she had just turned fourteen. The first member of the Elite Four was Flint. He had been incredibly happy to see her. They had originally met back in Sunyshore City when he had asked her to cure Volkner of his boredom. She had done that and now Flint wanted to experience the same trill the Gym Leader had when he faced her. The fire specialist would ultimately lose the red-hot battle to his challenger. He wasn't disappointed at the loss either; in fact, he was expecting it after watching her battle with Volkner. Sure, she had struggled, but Flint saw the talent she possessed. He wished her the best of luck, and believed if anyone could defeat the current champion, it would be Akari.

With her first victory secured, she would move forward to face each of the remaining Elite Four members. They each put her through her paces, challenging her in their own unique ways. She overcame them all. Then the biggest moment of her life arrived. This is what she'd been working towards for the last three years. She stood before the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia.

This battle would be the hardest in Akari's life so far. It had all come down to a Dragon Breath from Cynthia's Garchomp verse a Shadow Ball from Giratina. The two opposing powers had slammed into each other, sending a massive shockwave throughout the battlefield that stirred up dust and dirt, even the ground shook.

Akari' heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't see anything. The dust cloud was thick, but it didn't linger. It started to blow away, revealing that both of their Pokémon were struggling to remain upright. Akari knew Giratina was at his limit. Cynthia's Garchomp too. The battle had become one of stubbornness and willpower. The one who can remain standing the longest wins.

Cynthia's eyes grew wide as she watched her mightiest Pokémon fall. He had tried his hardest to outdo Giratina, but his body gave out. Cynthia didn't seem upset at her loss; in fact, she had seemed to expect it. She recalled her Garchomp with a smile. "I knew I was destined to lose this battle…" Cynthia had said. "I knew it was coming and yet, the taste of defeat is still very bitter."

Akari's confusion was obvious. How had Cynthia known she'd win this battle? It didn't make much sense to her. However, before she could ask, Professor Rowan appeared. He was there to congratulate Akari as well. She had just gained the rank of the strongest trainer in Sinnoh. He proclaimed that he knew she could do it. That it had been her destiny. Akari got the feeling that he wasn't just saying that to be nice. He meant it. Professor Rowan had known she'd win just like Cynthia did. How? Akari had wanted to ask, but the appearance of the rest of the Elite Four had prevented her.

That had just been over a year ago. Akari has done well as the current Sinnoh Champion. The title comes with a lot of unexpected responsibly though. It's now her job to make sure that all the gyms and their leaders are operating within the Sinnoh Pokémon League guidelines. This means that she must have inspections of the battle courts and check on each gym leader's skill set at least once every six months. Volkner is the only gym leader that ropes her into a battle every time she stops by. He loves battling her.

Then there's the Elite Four, or her A-Team as they like to call themselves. They help her improve her skills and keep them sharp by training with her often. Flint is her most common partner. He likes to pick on Volkner about how often he gets the battle with Akari. Volkner always responds with, "It's not about quantity but the quality of the battles." Akari just tries to ignore it. They sound like a couple of little boys who are competing for her affections. She knows that isn't true. If anything, they are more into each other than anyone else. However, the rumor mill says otherwise.

That's one of the biggest problems with being the champion – the paparazzi. Those invasive jerks seem to be everywhere, always snapping pictures, and trying to dig into her personal business. They're always publishing crap that isn't true or simply speculation. Then there are the PR events. Akari hates them. Thank God for her mother who knows how to deal with the spotlight. It comes from her years as Pokémon Coordinator back in her youth. She knows how to deal with the press. However, it's still too much for Akari sometimes. She's only fifteen after all.

Akari had decided at the last minute she needed to get away. The last PR event had been a little too much. It had been for a good cause; raising funding for an orphanage, but then the press had started asking about her personal relationships. They speculated that Volkner and her were dating due to a photo of them sitting in a park together. The truth is, they had been waiting on Battle Tycoon Palmer who had agreed to participate in an unofficial Pokémon battle with the Sunyshore Gym Leader. They both had been itching for a different battle partner and Akari delivered. The paparazzi saw it as a chance to start false rumors. She needs to get away and think.

Akari leaves a message with her keeper of secrets, Candice. The Snowpoint City Gym Leader in recent months had become a rather close friend. They tended to bond over most typical teenage topics – clothes, boys, social media, and perhaps a few gossiping conversations about the mean girls they must deal with from time to time. It also helps that they were only a few years apart and shared many of the same interests outside of Pokémon. This has allowed them to easily understand each other, but for now, Akari just wants to be alone.

The best place for solitude is her bedroom. This is her sanctuary, and her mother being downstairs is such a large comfort. She crawls into bed, hoping to rest a little while before dinner. A golden light filled her room, and her sleeping form disappeared.

End Chapter One