Sunrise Sanctuary
Summary - Sixteen-year-old Skylar Daniels lives at Sunrise Sanctuary—a combination rescue and sanctuary for abandoned, neglected, and special needs pokémon. She spent her entire life meticulously planning and organizing with one goal in mind: proving to her father that the sanctuary would thrive in her competent, capable hands. However, a series of unexpected challenges begin unraveling Skylar's carefully constructed plans.
Navigating the chaos of caring for the sanctuary's inhabitants, an annoyingly bubbly volunteer glued to her hip, a surrender that puts all her training to the test, and repeated attempts to secure funding, Skylar discovers sometimes the most profound lessons come from life's interruptions and one's unique strengths can open a world of possibilities.
Hello all and Happy New Year!
I've been a fan of pokémon for years, consuming a lot of the anime and playing the games, and I've always wanted to write a pokémon fanfic. I tried a few times but always felt they were hard and gave up. But this idea came to me one day after I saw a certain vaporeon comic on tumblr and this whole fanfic was created just so I can include that one scene. Then the idea grew and grew and now we're here!
This is self-indulgent af.
I hope you enjoy!
Prologue
"…Oh, now that's so cute! Marina's Wigglytuff used Sweet Kiss! Its elegance and allure has certainly won over the audience and Drew's Absol! That's going to cost Drew some points!"
Pale blue light cut through thick and heavy darkness cloaking the room, carrying the giddy exuberance of Jillian Meridian's coverage along with it. Even with the volume low, Jillian's excitement and awe were palpable. So much so, Skylar Daniels strained to keep from turning her focus away from her notebook. Ignoring the chills and suspense crawling up her back was equally painful. Jillian Meridian had quite a way of painting pictures with her words; Skylar may as well be smack-dab in the middle of the stadium rather than stuffed behind her desk with the moon, her tv, and a notebook for company.
In fact, when she closed her eyes—the brief moments she allowed hovering sleep to press on her—she sat in the stadium with the other spectators, leaning forward in her seat, watching the two decorated trainers work in tandem with their partners to outshine their opponents. She couldn't breathe but she didn't want to, afraid a solitary exhale would shatter the carefully crafted bubble encasing her in the spectacular show.
Focus! Eyes snapping open, Skylar huffed a breath out her nose, shook her head, and slapped her palms against her face. The residual sting woke her up enough to look over the numbers coating the page. She grimaced at the sheer abundance of red bleeding over the pockets of black. The small pockets of black. The bubble in her stomach burst, allowing uncertainty to trickle in in sour waves.
Okay, Sky, just relax. Nothing to do but do it. Start again. Propping her cheek up on one fist, Skylar pressed a finger against the number at the top of the page, dragging it down as she checked the numbers and categories. "Okay, we spent this on food and supplies. This was the water bill and the electricity bill. This was the emergency medicine for the oddish. We got this much in donations…but where did this come from?"
Grumbling, she unfolded herself and leaned back against the chair, lacing her fingers together to stretch her arms above her head. It creaked and rocked beneath her shifting weight. She made a mental note to add replacing her chair to the list. But only if they had enough fun money left over.
Satisfied with her stretch, she he jabbed the plunger of her pen on the paper in rapid succession, clicks and pops filling the room as she wracked her brain to recall the expenses from the last couple months. They'd received the invoice from the landscaper, the roofer, and the mechanic. Their vaccines had been recently pushed and medicines stocked up. And then there was the utilities and the mortgage…
"—And it looks like Drew's Absol comes back with Calm Mind to knock itself out of Wigglytuff's spell, followed by a well-timed Double Team and Shadow Ball combo! Wow, what a show! That combination made a beautiful constellation here in the stadium!"
The tip of Skylar's nose flattened against the tv screen, the only barrier in place keeping her from getting as close to the competition as possible. Save from actually being in the stadium and watching in person.
The Unova Grand Festival was a big draw on its own, but with Coordinators like Marina, Drew, Solidad, Zoey, and Dawn making appearances, this year's festivities were a hot ticket. She would've been lucky to be able to attend. Too bad it was so far from Kanto. Not to mention she wouldn't be able to function the next day. And that was non-negotiable.
Too many people relied on her to function.
That was why she was still up past midnight crunching numbers, trying to figure out the missed expense. A missed expense meant an unbalanced ledger. An unbalanced ledger meant they'd have to tighten their spending, bar any other emergencies. And money was already tight. Hell, money was always tight. But, somehow, they managed to work through it and come out in the black every year. Just barely, but it was enough, though not without some close calls. The money her mom sent back every month certainly helped. Skylar bit her lip. She'd have to call her mom first thing in the morning. It had been a few days since their last catch-up and it'd be nice to hear from her.
Blowing out a long sigh, she sat back on her heels, putting some distance between herself and the flickering tv screen, scrubbing her burning eyes with the heels of her palms. She could almost hear her mother chastising her for staying up so late, ruining her eyesight, and taking on work that wasn't hers. But it wasn't as if she were around to do it. If Skylar didn't step in, her dad would. And he had enough on his plate already, with his own appointments thrown in the mix. Besides, she wanted to make their home a success just as much as he did.
"Get it together, Sky. You have to finish!" She grabbed the remote and jabbed her thumb into the crescent-shaped groove in the power button. The screen smashed to black, erasing the image of Wigglytuff charging at Absol. Priorities before fun. She could reward herself with the results later; maybe she'd even have time to catch the repeat showing. Returning to her chair, she closed her eyes and steeled her focus. When she opened them again, another pair stared back. She jumped, chair creaking and rattling, heart flying into her throat.
"Delta!" Her hand flew to her chest; her heart beat a steady bump-bump-bump beneath the bone while she surveyed the vaporeon. "Stop sneaking up on me like that!"
Delta's eyes narrowed, amusement sparkling in their depths. She sat on the table with her head held high, tall and regal. Moonlight bounced off her skin, much like sunrays glittering on still waters. Her long tail curved around her body, sleek and smooth. The splitting fin at the end tapped against the table in a steady pattern.
Slap-tap-tap, slap-tap. Slap-tap-tap, slap-tap. The vibration against the table rattled in Skylar's bones, sending the silent code flashing in her mind like a neon sign. DN. DN.
Down. Down.
"I know I should be sleeping," Skylar said. She ran her hand along Delta's head, past the white fin encircling her neck, down the ridges of fins lining her spine, to her tail. Her skin, as always, was slightly rubbery and cool to the touch. Withdrawing her hand, she discreetly wiped a thin layer of moisture on the hem of her shorts.
Delta kept tapping, eyes narrowing. The slaps came out sharper. Down. Down.
"Just give me five more minutes."
The tapping paused. Delta tilted her head, eyes boring into her, and tapped once more. Slap-slap-tap, slap-tap-tap-tap. GB. Goodbye.
Huh? Skylar's breath hitched. That was new. When did she learn that one? And what was that supposed to mean?
Delta's eyes flew wide open and appeared to light up from the inside, shifting from dark ochre to an almost buttery yellow. Drawn in, Skylar's shoulders slumped, and her eyes drew heavy. Curling up in her bed suddenly sounded like the best idea.
Not again. This wasn't fair.
"Hey…what have…I…?"—Skylar's admonishment was cut off due to the heft of her chest and the powerful yawn rising in her throat. She tried again—"What have I told you about using hypnosis?"
Delta tapped again. Good.
"I know it's for my own good. It's still…" Another strong yawn took hold of her, and she lifted her hand to cover her mouth. "It's still a cheap trick." Leaning forward, Delta nudged her small, wet nose against Skylar's and pressed the tall dorsal fin against her forehead. "Fine. You win." A crisp ocean scent wafted off Delta's skin and filled Skylar's lungs. She nuzzled against Delta. She could never be annoyed with Delta for too long. "Thanks for always looking out for me."
A satisfied purr bubbled in Delta's chest. Skylar scratched behind one of her webbed ear fins and watched as Delta's back curled and released, like an undulating wave. Chair legs scraped and bumped against the uneven floor when Skylar stood. She flopped onto her bed, limbs sprawled and eyelids heavy. The pillow sank where Delta curled up next to her head, her purrs lulling Skylar like water babbling in a stream.
Okay, sleep was a good idea. In the morning she could look over it again with a clear head and fresh eyes, everything would be balanced and squared away, and they could keep operations going until a new round of donations came in. They'd be fine. In the end, they were always fine.
"Night Delta," Skylar murmured, pulling a squishy ditto pillow up to her chest. A crisp, floral scent wafted off it when she gave it a squeeze.
Somewhere in the distance, a long sorrowful lament rose to the moon.
Sunrise Sanctuary
Where every pokémon's story gets a second chapter.
About Us
Sunrise Sanctuary is a nonprofit pokémon rescue and sanctuary based in Arylide Town in the Kanto Region. We take in and care for the most vulnerable pokémon; the ones shelters can't hold and other rescues can't take on due to extensive and expensive care. Our team is committed to doing whatever it takes to help abandoned, neglected, disabled, and special needs pokémon survive and thrive. If you would like to support us, please donate, foster, adopt, or volunteer!
Zenith Daniels, Founder, Rescuer, Project Manager
Skylar Daniels, Rescuer, Operations, Communication
Our Mission
We specialize in neglected, disabled, critical care, and special needs pokémon. We believe every pokémon's life matters and they are as deserving a second chance as humans are allowed. By giving them the proper care, expertise, time, and attention, we provide the pokémon in our care a chance to thrive and live their lives to the fullest. We aspire to promote and teach inclusion, compassion, and to show that every pokémon, no matter their needs, can live full, rich, and happy lives.
Donate
If you have love to give, we have the pokémon who need it! Donate to Sunrise Sanctuary to help us provide the best care for our vulnerable pokémon. Your donations help provide food, formula, medical care, bedding, and mobility aids to our guests. All donations are tax deductible.
Adoption and Fostering
Fill out an adoption application for the guest that captures your heart. If you have space for a shorter amount of time, or are wondering if bringing in a new friend is the way to go, please fill out our foster forms!
Volunteer
Do you have a big heart and are looking for a way to give back to the community? Come volunteer for us! We're looking for those that can take some of our guests on walks, feed them, stimulate them, groom them, and show them around to potential adopters. If you're interested, please fill out the form below!
Affiliates
We work in conjunction with Mr. Fuji and the Pokémon House in Lavender Town.
Follow Us
Follow us on our social media channels to get up-to-date information on the pokémon in our care, know when adoption days are coming up, and get notified of future donation events!
A/N: Hello all and Happy New Year!
I've been a fan of pokémon for years, consuming a lot of the anime and playing the games, and I've always wanted to write a pokémon fanfic. I tried a few times but always felt they were hard and gave up. But this idea came to me one day after I saw a short comic on tumblr about a vaporeon needing ear drops and this whole fanfic was created just so I can include that one scene. Then the idea grew and grew and now we're here!
I hope you enjoy!