Prelude Chapter 1: Decision

Slowly, Sister Moon relented her midnight throne to Father Sun as he rose once 
more to claim it. Clouds drifted around him, the sky was tinged pink from his 
rays. The wind lapped at the trees leaves, toying with them. The water whispered 
its stories to the world as it ran down the stream.
	"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" called Satoshi as the sun rose, Pikachu finishing 
off a Vulpix with the shot.
	"Oh no!" cried the boy as he ran to his Vulpix. "You truly are a master, 
Master Satoshi!" The boy recalled his Vulpix and walked off.
	Satoshi sighed. "It's just...to easy." Pikachu murmured a reply and 
nuzzled Satoshi's hair. Satoshi smiled and stroked Pikachu as he walked down the 
road towards Professor Ookido's house.
	A lot had changed in the six years he and Shigeru had reigned as leading 
world Pokemon Masters. Satoshi had changed visibly and emotionally. His hair, 
still black, was long and silken, tied in a ponytail that
reached his knees. His eyes shone a crisp auburn brown with streaks of gold, his 
ear shone with a silver pokeball earring. He had on a turtleneck, long-sleeve 
shirt that had some material cut out to expose the skin
on his shoulders. He had on black leather pants with black boots. Around his 
neck hung a silver and gold pokeball - which had been specially crafted for 
Pikachu, although he never used it. It was just there for
decoration.
	As for changing emotionally...Satoshi had become much closer to his 
Pokemon then he ever thought he possibly could. Even Charizard, who had left him 
in the Jhoto League, came around every month or so and each time he was stronger 
and eager to show off his newfound strength.
	"Satoshi!" called someone and Satoshi was thrown from his thoughts. He 
looked up and walking towards him were Umbreon and Shigeru.
	"Hey Shigeru," Satoshi said with a soft smile as he approached his old 
rival, who was now his partner in maintaining their world title.
	Shigeru had changed as well. His brown hair had deepened and was now the 
deep brown of an oak tree's bark; neatly tied in a braid that was the same 
length as Satoshi's. His eyes were deep green like the leaves, splintered with 
shards of shadow and gold, sort of like his Umbreon. He wore a turtleneck as 
well, but the sleeves were elbow sleeves, and they were rolled up. He too had an 
earring, but his was gold. He had also been awarded the silver and gold 
pokeball, but he didn't wear it as a necklace, no, he wore it as a
chain around his waist, standing out against his white jeans. He wore tennis 
shoes instead of his boots, and he had a ring on his left hand, a gift from an 
'adoring' fan.
	Shigeru had also come to learn to love his Pokemon, not use them as tools 
of war and battle. Umbreon had evolved because of this and now, he and his 
Pokemon were forces to be reckoned with. Even his older Pokemon, now with his 
Grandfather, got love and respect from Gary whenever he called on them.
	"Nice battle just then," Shigeru said. "And you're right, things are to 
easy now days."
	"So, what are we going to do?" Satoshi asked as they walked down the path. 
"We can't go the
Indigo League Tournament. That's not held for another six months at least and no 
trainer I know of has even enough power to last five minutes against us."
	"True," Shigeru sighed. "But, Grandfather has pulled something up. A new 
and secluded continent called Crystalmir. All new Pokemon, all new trainers, 
rules, leagues - everything."
	"What are you getting at?" Satoshi asked, raising a wall of defense. For 
some off reason beyond his knowledge, Shigeru had always managed to get him to 
do things when he thought they were bad idea and they usually were.
	"Why don't we go to Crystalmir?" Shigeru asked. "Come on! We deserve to 
have something new to do! Being cooped up in Pallet is getting boring and 
fighting for Indigo has lost all the joy it used to hold, when we were novice 
Masters. But then...we beat Lance and...everything just sort of fell apart after 
that. Pokemon battles became pointless because we knew we could win. But at 
Crystalmir we won't know. There are all new Pokemon we won't know how to 
handle...anything! Please Satoshi!"
	Satoshi frowned, but sighed reluctantly and gave his consent. As of late, 
Shigeru had been acting more and more like a little kid, running to a parent for 
permission. But then again, he and Satoshi had been coming closer together like 
brothers ever since they became Masters. Only they could understand each
other, only they knew how the other felt, even when they didn't show it. It was 
like a brotherly connection, Satoshi the older and Shigeru the older. Together, 
they walked to Prof. Ookido's house, their Pokemon running ahead playing a game 
of tag.
	"So, how do we get there?" Satoshi asked Shigeru as they walked.
	"Hmm? Oh, Gramps scored us tickets on a new ship called the S.S. 
Crystalmir," he replied. "Really fancy. Better then the S.S. Anne, or so the 
reports say."
	"Ah, you're here," Prof. Ookido smiled. He was now around eighty or so and 
getting on in his years. Kenji was taking over, handling most of the important 
research, but Prof. Ookido kept active.
	"Gramps said that we could borrow some Rapidashes and ride to Vermillion 
City, where the ship is docked. We can go and see Kasumi and Takeshi on the way 
too," Shigeru smiled. Satoshi blinked, looking up at Shigeru. Even though 
Satoshi sometimes felt that Shigeru treated him like the older of the two, he 
was still shorter and younger.
	Satoshi noticed that two duffle bags had already been prepared and upon 
inspection he found his clothes, shoes, extra pokeballs, food, toiletries and 
all the other things he needed already in there. Obviously Shigeru had known he 
would say yes and had prepared. Satoshi growled at himself, thinking he had 
become too predictable. But then, he found something glinting at the bottom of 
the bag. Picking it up, he stood there, astonished.
	In his hand was a perfectly crafted pokeball, but it was made of obsidian. 
He looked to Shigeru for an explanation, but Shigeru only shrugged and pulled 
out a marble ball from his duffle.
	"Prof. Ookido, what does this mean?" Satoshi asked and flashed the 
obsidian ball.
	"Oh, that," Prof. Ookido walked over and picked it up with a grim face. 
"It's a gift from the reigning Champion on Crystalmir. She said that you two 
were most welcome and that she hopped to see you once you got there. She said 
that these balls would gain you safe passage, but she also said something about
being aware for when you go to Crystalmir, she said, you will face a challenge 
like nothing you have ever faced before."
	"Okay, that does, I'm going!" Satoshi crowed and Shigeru smiled. "Are the 
Rapidashes ready?"
	Prof. Ookido smiled and motioned to the back, where Kenji was waiting for 
them; dressed in a loose lab coat, a tank top and shorts. He led them to where 
two fully tacked Rapidashes were waiting, their saddle packs filled with 
blankets and some extra money. Together the two mounted and after waving goodbye 
and securing their Pokemon in front of them the two galloped off into the rising 
sun, bathed in a blanket of red.

	Satoshi and Shigeru reigned in their Rapidashes sharply as they neared the 
end of a large forest, Vermillion Forest to be exact. The Rapidashes blew hard, 
their chest pumping in and out, but they shook their fiery manes as a sign they 
wanted to continue their run. Satoshi and Shigeru didn't let them though;
they were far to close to Nibi City to do that. Reaching into their packs they 
each drew out black cloaks and donned them, hiding their faces and moved their 
Rapidashes into a trot. The clopping of their hooves was
the only sound that greeted them as they entered the first Indigo League Gym 
Town.

	Shigeru tied his Rapidash to the limb of tree that was located slightly 
into the forest behind the gym. Both he and Satoshi were worried. Nobody had 
seen them; in fact, there was no one there. Grimly, he and Satoshi set out about 
the town, to see if they could find anyone at all.
	To their joyous relief they found everyone in the town, including Takeshi 
and his family, but the relief only lasted a sparing moment. Everyone was 
silent, watching as a boy and something none of them could see pummeled his 
Pokemon, a Graveler by the looks of it.
	"Enough!" called a girl, breaking the silence. The trainer battling the 
boy. "Finish this UmiHebi!"
	In response to her command an Pokemon suddenly appeared, a Vaporeon, but 
it was huge and bore many a scar along its sleek body. The eyes were deep voids 
of black that danced with blue flame. The overly grown Vaporeon opened its mouth 
and with a bored look blasted the Graveler with a Hydro Pump
attack. The Graveler fell, the match was over.
	The boy didn't recall his Graveler. He slumped to the ground and stared at 
the girl and her giant of a Vaporeon, who stood at least at waist level on the 
girl, about the size of a Houndoom.
	The girl was pretty. She had long silver hair that flowed down her back in 
waves, like the water and she wore a turtle neck, elbow sleeve shirt and blue 
jeans, tennis shoes pocking out from underneath them. She had a chain around her 
waist, six pokeballs attacked to it. Her face was a porcelain white color, the 
cheeks set high and her lips were a delicate pink color. Her hand
were slender and supple, a bracelet with Pokemon charms on it adorned her 
slender wrist. She was about as tall as Shigeru and she looked as nasty and cold 
as he had when he first started his Pokemon Training.
	However, her outward appearance did not show what she was like on the 
inside. Her Vaporeon nuzzled her affectionate on the hip and the girl bent so 
she could look it in they eye. The Vaporeon made a
sound like a giggle and the girl rubbed it where most Vaporeons loved to be 
rubbed, their neck fin. Silently she walked from the ring, but not before 
handing her Vaporeon a Pokemon Treat.
	Satoshi and Shigeru ran up to Takeshi. He was rigid, his palms clenching 
and unclenching as he watched the girl come to stand alone, playing with her 
Vaporeon in reward for a good job.
	"Takeshi! What's wrong?" Satoshi asked, his eyes laced with the signs of 
fear for his friend.
	Takeshi was silent for a moment as he watched the girl. "Her name is 
Sivitri Scarzam."
	"So?" Shigeru shrugged his shoulders, not comprehending why Takeshi seemed 
so worried about the girl called Sivitri.
	"So?!" Takeshi cried and whirled to look at them, his face clouded by 
doubt and worry. "So, Sivitri
Scarzam is the granddaughter of Sol'kanar Scarzam."
	Both of them stared stupidly at him, not comprehending.
	Takeshi sighed, but it was sigh of worry and it was shaky. Again he turned 
to the girl. "If she's here, that means that her grandfather has once again 
started a Pokemon War and this time, by the looks of the Vaporeon, he's gone all 
out to win."
	Shigeru and Satoshi were silent, watching the girl. Slowly the girl turned 
to them and they shuddered as they looked into her eyes.
	Her eyes reflected the darkness of a child of war.