<span style="text-decoration: underline">Foreword</span>:<br/><div style="padding-left: 30px">The better version of this RP starts on page 26 in the second to last post on the page. It underwent a revision in tone and theme to more accurately reflect the joy of Pokemon. If you're interested in this story, I'd actually recommend starting there.​</div><br/><br/><br/><br/>A single drop touched the surface of the dark water,  its arrival splitting and spreading  a dozen concentric ripples across the placid surface.  As the disturbance quieted, another drop fell, making the water  move once again, and then as it quieted once more,  another drop came in rhythm that had gone on for centuries.  A dozen tiny droplets gathering high above, then descending into the great body below.<br/><br/>A whisper of light danced across the surface of the water, skipping from one tiny ripple to the next. A single sparkle of light that spread across the surface like a star field emerging from a cloudy night. A thousand lights twinkled and grew, illuminated the vast cavern, catching in the dozens of water droplets falling from the stalactites above as they formed and fell.<br/><br/>The light grew as a solitary figure stepped out onto the water, radiant and brilliant in the darkness, illuminating the underground lake. She crossed onto the lake, each footfall of her paws emitting only the slightest of ripples on the water. Her coat was pale blue, her flanks marked with patches of white like diamonds. From her head rose a sapphire crystalline formation with a long mane of purple flowing behind like a Borealis on a cold night while her two long, thin white tails flowed like streamers in a breeze.<br/><br/>Suicune walked slowly to the center of the underground lake where she paused, her red eyes looking down at the water below. The lake had long been pure, each of the billion droplets that had formed it being filtered by the earth before coming to rest here. But she felt a corruption here. An impurity had polluted this place, tainted this water.<br/><br/>She lifted a paw, and set it back down, and from the ripples spread a sharp white light that spread out, down into the water. She could feel it spread down, deeper and deeper into the lake, felt the corruption within, and from her, the filtering, the purification. The light within the water faded and she felt the cleanliness returned. She lowered her muzzle and drank from the pure water.<br/><br/>But something was not right. She raised her head, and though the light that radiated from her was powerful, it could not seem to pierce a darkness ahead of her. She stared intently into the darkness, probing it.<br/><br/>There was something within, an ancient presence she had not known since the time the lake was young. It was a presence that would have comforted her, but there was something wrong, and her coat bristled as she felt it staring back at her. And within that shroud of darkness, behind the eyes staring back at her, was pain and anger.<br/><br/>And its time had come.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="color: blue"><i><span style="font-size: 22px">Pokemon: Yugen</span></i></span><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="color: teal">Now arriving at Saisho Station. </span>The train chimed over the excited chatter of the many people all eagerly standing in a haphazard line at its door. Eleyna was trembling with excitement. The train ride from Johto had taken two days, and for the longest time all that had been outside her window was ocean stretching as far as the eye could see.<br/><br/>It had seemed like another world at first, of endless water for a day and night. The ride had been relatively quiet, the chatter among the many trainers and tourists on board hadn't been too bad. There had been an occasional loud burst of laughter or a shout, but for the longest time it had been endless water. There had been a buzz of excitement when a Wailord had breached a few hundred meters away from the track, but there had been a sense on the train of transition, of patient waiting. Eleyna had sat at the window and stared for so long. Her girlish enthusiasm at the idea of being a trainer that had chased her all her life had quieted as the train departed, and she waved goodbye to her mother. It had finally settled in that this wasn't some fantasy anymore, some dream that she lived out playing in the fields. And as she had stared out over the twinkling ocean, the sunlight reflecting off the waves, she had found herself suddenly unsure. Her world had changed, and she didn't know anymore if it was a good idea going so far from home, traveling across a world of water to a place that they said was nearly untouched. No gyms, no stadium. A wild frontier.<br/><br/>And then, as the morning sun crested the water, casting its golden orange rays across the undulating waves, it had appeared on the horizon.<i>Yugen</i>. The trainers began to chatter, excited, hopeful, and Eleyna couldn't help but be caught up in the sense that they were on the brink of something grand, a new world waiting to be explored.<br/><br/><span style="color: teal">Please remember to check your baggage for any missing items before departing.</span>The voice coming from the speakers above them said. Eleyna gave her bag a reassuring tug as she held it over her shoulder. It was mostly travel supplies for the train ride, and had grown light over the two days. Now it only had a few snacks left and her aid kit and...<i>him</i>.<br/><br/>Several of the other trainers around her all checked their belongings, though most of the train's inhabitants hardly heard the announcement over the excited buzz in the air. Eleyna's eyes dropped onto one of the boys near her, and the 8 Pokeballs he had on his belt, and the two badges that were tacked to the back of his right finger-less glove.<br/><br/>One of the train attendants passed through the group to the door, where he lifted a punched ticket stub.<span style="color: darkgreen">"All round trip tickets, please receive your second punch at the door on your way out!"</span>He called, and various trainers and tourists all began fishing through their belongings. Not Eleyna, though. She was one-way, the beginning of something with no known outcome or future. No return home planned on the horizon.<br/><br/>The train chimed again and the doors opened at last.<span style="color: teal">Welcome to Minami Island of the Yugen Region, enjoy your stay.</span><br/><br/>Eleyna followed the flow of people out of the train, side stepping the group forming to have their round trip tickets punched. She was trembling, and felt like her stomach was going to leap out of her mouth if she opened it.<i>This is it,</i>she thought to herself as the humidity of the outside air wafted over her, mixed with the scents of flowers in bloom, cooking sweet meats and the machinery of the train.<br/><br/>She stepped out onto the train platform, the station just ahead of her, a modest building. There were people on the platform all waving and hugging friends and family as they arrived, while the line of people waiting to board stood by. Eleyna gave her bag another tug and followed the crowd as they walked down the platform, around the station, and on toward the town of Saisho.<br/><br/>As she approached the railing of the platform which was raised up off the ground to accommodate the train's raised track, she stopped and grasped the rail and stared, her breath caught in her throat, eyes wide. Saisho was alive with people, a hub of activity for trainers and tourists, coming and going from the various marts, restaurants, and Pokemon center. There were dozens of buildings to support the growing population. She counted no fewer than 4 inn signs from where she stood looking out over the shortest buildings.<br/><br/>And, stretching out beyond Saisho, fields and hills of green, flowing, rising and falling with the land, tree lines and forests hugging the mountains that rose on either side miles away. There were no roads or tracks leading out of Saisho. Beyond the town streets was a whole new world that had only barely known the presence of humans. In the fields around the town, she saw trainers battling and heading out into the wild lands beyond, or back to the town to rest and recoup. Only the landscaped edges of rice patties along the nearby hills disturbed the land. There was no edge in sight, no far shore. She could only imagine at how far the island stretched out beyond that horizon.<i>And it was only one island! There were 3!</i>She couldn't stop herself from smiling, and quickly started down the stairs, stalling only briefly behind the slower travelers before darting around them and hurrying down further.<br/><br/>Her knee high boots hit the streets and she was off, darting between the people that seemed to occupy most every space on the street. She passed a diner that was serving something smelled roasted and divine, an inn with a slew of trainers standing outside, boasting and sharing Pokemon techniques and strategies. She darted past a little boy who was happily hugging a Raichu while his parents snapped a photo, the Pokemon's trainer, a dark haired guy in his mid twenties with a dozen badges on his hat stood by, grinning.<br/><br/>She reached the town center where a tour guide was gathering several camera touting families among the many other trainers passing, walking with their Pokemon, talking and laughing. Eleyna couldn't help but just turn, looking down every street, seeing so much more of this trainer's paradise, grinning from ear to ear, hands clasped. It was so much more than she had ever dreamed about.<br/><br/>She made her way to the Mart nearby, almost running into a group coming out. She was surprised that even inside the Mart, there were at least a dozen people buying and looking at items.  She apologized as she bumped into one of the patrons as she made her way over to the counter where she stood by, waiting in line. She looked past the people ahead of her at the various Pokeballs in the case behind the counter. She looked as she heard a little girl begging her mother to buy her the overstuffed Jigglypuff that was for sale on one of the shelves.<br/><br/>As she waited, she saw a map on the wall of Yugen with 5 towns listed across the three islands. Saisho was on the furthest southern tip of the island occupying the southern region of Yugen, with another large island to its north east, and a long, thin island to the northwest.<br/><br/><span style="color: green">Ma'am?</span>The attendant said from behind the counter. Eleyena looked, and realized the line had finished and now she was holding it up.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Oh, yes!</span>She hurried forward and put her hands on the counter.<span style="color: blue">I need, um...</span>She quickly scanned the cases.<span style="color: blue">I need a Repel, 5 Pokeballs and uhm... </span>Her eyes fell on the register as the attendant added the items in. The cost was significantly higher than she was expecting.<span style="color: blue">1,350 dollars!?</span>She stared in disbelief.<br/><br/><span style="color: green">You're new.</span>The attendant said, looking at her, knowing the expression. She sighed.<span style="color: green">Supplies on the island are more limited. Pokeballs are in extremely high demand, so the price for each is 200.</span><br/><br/>Eleyna looked at the attendant then the register. The price was double what it was in Johto.<span style="color: blue">Oh. I guess... just two Pokeballs, then,</span>she corrected sheepishly, disappointed and shocked. She handed over her due and the attendant took a can of repel spray out along with two Pokeballs, which Eleyna put in her bag. She stepped out of line, and towards the refrigerated beverage section. She grabbed the glass door handle, though she didn't mean to buy anything. It was reflex as she thought for a moment on the fact that she could only afford<i>2</i>Pokeballs. Her mother had always told her 5 or more.<i>Even when you think you've got one beat, they may still have the fight left in them to break free. Always keep five or more Pokeballs on hand just in case.</i>Two Pokeballs meant she only had two chances to capture something, and worse, that meant even if she was incredibly lucky she only had two Pokemon to battle with to earn any more money.<i>And</i>she hadn't even restocked the rest of her food yet, or payed for a room at an inn.<br/><br/>She looked to the right, at a display for camping equipment. She eyed the sleeping bag for a long moment before letting go of the beverage display's handle and grabbing one of the bags,a light blue one with a pink flower pattern. She lifted it and squeezed it as she contemplated a change in strategy.<i>Five or more.</i>She thought to herself. She didn't need to stay in Saisho. She knew what to look for out in the wild, knew how to survive. Her mother had made sure of that. Inns were expensive, sleeping equipment wasn't. She could cut the cost of an inn and apply it to her Pokeballs and still have some to spare for battle wager.<br/><br/>She held the bag to her chest and headed back into line. She passed a hat rack and paused, looking over them. She grabbed a white had with a pale blue brim and put it on top of the sleeping bag. She bought three more Pokeballs, the sleeping bag and hat, and headed back out. She looked over the crowds and still couldn't help but smile. It wasn't her original plan, but it was still a plan, and still exciting. Now she just needed to a good start.<br/><br/>It took her a few minutes to track down the Pokemon lab through the crowds, asking the few trainers who looked knowledgeable enough, but eventually she was before its white walls. She hurried to it, but her footsteps slowed as she neared the door and saw the sign that had been scribbled on a  paper and stuck to the automatic double doors.<br/><br/>"Stepped out. Will be back later. Thanks."<br/><br/>It was signed, "Professor Pine."<br/><br/><span style="color: blue"><i>Damn.</i></span>She muttered and stamped her foot. It was hitch in her plan number 2. She had hoped to find the lab with a supply of orphaned Pokemon that they often offered to new trainers. Without one of them, she had no real Pokemon to start out with. At least, none that she could rely on. Her mother had mentioned very briefly that there were ways of catching Pokemon without battling them, but she had refused to elaborate on what she meant. Eleyna supposed she would just need to wait for this Professor Pine to return to the lab.<br/><br/>A thundering crash caught her attention, as well as the attention of many nearby. She looked off to her left where, at the top of a hill, two large Pokemon were in the middle of a battle, a crowd having gathered a safe distance away to watch as the two trainers went at it. It didn't take Eleyna more than a moment to recognize the two Pokemon. It was an Arcanine and a Pokemon that she had to assume to be a Rampardos. She took a glance at the note one last time.<span style="color: blue">Well, I've got time to spare.</span>She said and ran towards the hill to watch the battle, sleeping bag tucked under her arm.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>