Pokemon United

A story. That was how this entire adventure began. This story told fanciful tales about mystery and excitement. In a far off land a large meteorite crashed into the ground. Sara Stone sat on the floor of her brother's house, in Mossdeep City, in the Hoenn region. This was also her own house but her brother maintained the property. The news story on the television continued to drone on in the background.

"A meteorite, huh?" Sara said, quietly and mostly to herself.

Her brother was not currently here. He had matters to attend to that called him away from their time together. Steven would love getting that meteorite as a present. Sara would write her brother a note and head down towards the beach. She chartered a boat to take her to Whalerdrake. During the journey she needed to switch boats and the boat she was currently on was less than savory. It rocked and swayed dangerously in the waves. After several days of traveling, on the boat, she practically jumped off the boat to make it to the beach at Whalerdrake. Her feet carried her further inland as a small silver metallic Pokemon floated behind her. This was one of her prize Pokemon. It was a shiny Beldum she received from her brother, Steven.

"Lets find out where the Diamond Shelter is from here, Meteor. I heard stories say this was the closest town to the mine."

She stood there and surveyed the land from the beach. After a few minutes of breathing in the air, the two would head further into the town to find a local who could help them. Sara would approach the first person she encountered in the town.

"Do you know how to get to the Diamond Shelter?"

The town appeared to have fallen on hard times as Sara looked around. However, it held a certain appeal to the young explorer. She looked over each woman in turn as they silently stared at her. No one said a word which made Sara feel a little awkward. Sara would look in direction of the mountain and smile towards the group.

"Thank you, for the directions," she said.

Sara would head towards the Pokemon Center to make sure her party was ready to go. Meteor floated next to her as she walked towards her destination, the Pokemon Center. She was not sure how long the journey would take to get there. Sara would open the door to the Pokemon Center and head inside.

"Is anyone here?"

Sara waited patiently for Nurse Joy to come out. She was not in that big of a hurry to head out on her journey. Her brother often told to make sure she was prepared for anything. For a brief moment she thought about keeping quiet. It seemed like Nurse Joy was exhausted.

"I was hoping to get my Pokemon healed. Although, it is not really a pressing issue at this time. It looks like you could use the help more than me. I could help out here, if you need it, before I head off to the Diamond Shelter. What do you know about the Diamond Shelter? The people outside looked like they did not want to tell an outsider, like me. If you don't know anything that is fine. I did find a small guide on the boat ride here. I was just hoping for a more local knowledge of the area."

Sara looked around the Pokemon Center to see how she could help. If Nurse Joy would let her help or send her on her way.

Sara returned her Beldum, Meteor, to it's Pokeball before handing it over to Nurse Joy. She considered asking more about what was troubling Nurse Joy but she had just told her to slow down. Sara could get a little carried at times. It normally only happened when she was really curious about something. Or if she was talking about stones and fossils. She took her Pokemon back before saying anything else to Nurse Joy.

"I'll find the Pokemon for you. What kind of Pokemon is it?"

Nurse Joy only seemed to know the basics about where the Diamond Shelter was located as well. You at least had a good idea about which direction to keep traveling when she set out for her journey. It would not matter if it took her a little longer to get to her destination. After all, a Pokemon was in need of help. Sara could not in good conscious abandon the Pokemon to the whims of fate.

Sara looked over the file as Nurse Joy explained the Pokemon's habits to her. It was nearing evening so she would not have overly long to wait to locate and find the Pokemon. Her main concern would be getting lost within the forest surrounding the town. There may not be any fossils or stones involved but this was her first adventure. It was rather excited if not a little nerve wracking.

"I'll return after I find the Purrloin," Sara said.

Sara would look over the map on the wall once more before heading out of the Pokemon Center. Her eyes drifted towards the forest bordering the town. With a firm nod of her head she started to head towards the forest. Her feet carried her closer and closer towards her destination. Sara would spend the first 30 minutes of her search familiarizing herself with the area. She pulled out her flashlight once the light started to fade and clicked it on. Afterwards, she would search for clues to track the Purrloin down.

"Where are you?" she mumbled mostly to herself.

Sara was curious about the house her light illuminated. There was nothing else around within the forest. All she could see in the light of her flashlight was trees and shadows. The ground appeared somewhat flat in the pale light of her flashlight. This house was a good place to start. Sara would try to carefully approach the house hoping for the best.

There was an uneasy feeling in the air for Sara. While she loved trouncing around in caves and other dark places a forest felt different. The air blew softly through the trees. Small noises made Sara dart her eyes around. Her nerves were on edge but she focused her mind to the task at hand. Taking her first steps towards the house were slow and carefully placed. Sara was not much for acrobatics but she was trying to keep her feet under her at the very least.

"I wonder if this place is the right place. Nurse Joy did not really give me an exact location. Then again, I did not really ask. All I know is that Purrloin needs me, and I rushed off to help it."

Sara gave a small yelp as she was thrust upwards towards the sky. Her arms and legs struggled against her confines. However, that only served to tangle her up further within the net. After a brief minute or so she stopped struggling to take a few deep breaths. The door to the small cabin opened and a man stepped out. She shifted her weight some to try and get a better look at the man. Before she could answer his question she saw him split a log clean in two with his hand. In her mind, knew that she should not make an enemy of him.

"A steely companion, trapped among the chopped trees."

Sara was slowly working on untangling her feet and arms from the net as she waited for answer. She did not try to break the ropes holding her hefted in the sky. It would be rather painful to fall that short distance. For now, she would see how the man responded to her presence near his dwelling.

"Can you help me down?"

The ground was hard as it broke her fall. It was not enough to cause serious injury but the pain would linger for a little while. Sara took several minutes working to untangle herself from the ropes that bound her. She would lightly dust herself off after standing to her feet. Her eyes would meet with the strange ninja clad man.

"I'm Sara and not a ninja. I was out here looking for an injured Purrloin. Nurse Joy said a ranger reported it but they had no one to send to help the poor creature. I offered to look for it. As for seeing your boy, I cannot say that I have seen him. I was not in the village for long."

Sara thought over how he must feel. While she wanted to get to the Diamond Shelter she could not abandon anyone in need. It was a trait her family all shared. They each had a strong desire to help people in need with their troubles.

"You look like you know the forest well. If you help me search for the injured Purrloin, I can help you find your son. Will that work?"

Sara gave a small nod of her head when he mentioned the training. While she wanted to help him find him son this was his decision. He was not going to delay her further with getting her help. Sara decided to keep an eye out for the son when she returned the Purrloin to Whalerdrake.

"Lead the way, Shadowfoot," Sara said.

Sara would bid farewell to the ninja after thanking him for the assistance. She would follow behind the Growlithe as best she could.

"I hope we're not too late," she said as they headed deeper into the forest.

Sara stared at the Purrloin for a good minute or so. A small smile formed on her lips seeing that the Purrloin was still alive. She was not too late to save the Pokemon from it's injuries. Her mind thought over the best way to approach the Pokemon. Depending on her choice these next few moments could make all the difference.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help, please," Sara said.

Sara would take very slow steps closer towards the Purrloin. She was trying to appear and calm and warm. Which was the opposite of how she was feeling. The Purrloin could freak out and injury itself or her in the process. That would only make it's injuries worse than they already were. Sara would stop a short distance away and lean down to see what the Purrloin intended to do. Her eyes were on the Purrloin before her just watching and waiting.

Sara would very carefully take her time in picking up the Purrloin. She did not want to hurt it more by being careless. The young women noticed it was licking it's paw and though to avoiding touching it. It took several minutes but the Purrloin was safely in her arms. Sara made certain to keep a firm hold on the Purrloin but not enough to crush the feline Pokemon. She just did not want to drop the Pokemon once she started to hurry back towards the city of Whalerdrake.

"Can you lead me to the city, Shadowfoot?" she asked the Growlithe.

Sara would follow behind the fire Pokemon as quickly as she dared. She did not want to jar the Pokemon under her care. The going was slow but they were making progress back towards the city and the care the Purrloin needed.

"It won't be too much longer," Sara said to the Purrloin.

Sara thanked Shadowfoot profusely before heading off towards the Pokemon Center. She could not have done this without the Pokemon. The streets were bare and empty of people. Getting to the Pokemon Center was easy enough. She looked down at the Purrloin still in her arms.

"Just a few more minutes and everything will be fine," she said to the feline Pokemon.

Sara would push open the door to the Pokemon Center and head inside. No one seemed to be in the waiting area of the Center. Her eyes looked around as she approached the counter.

"Nurse Joy, I found the Purrloin," she called.

Sara was relieved to hear that the Pokemon was stable. It showed on her face as a small smile formed on her lips. She was concerned for the poor Pokemon. The young heiress reached out her hand to take the voucher from Nurse Joy with a small nod of her head. Sara placed the voucher firmly the bag she carried around.

"I'm glad to hear the Purrloin is stable," she said giving a small pause. "Are there beds available for use?"

Sara was curious if people used the Pokemon Center or if there was a local inn. It was pretty late at night and Sara knew the dangers of traveling at night. She did not want to get lost in the middle of the forest at night. She could head towards the mine in the morning.

Sara would thank Nurse Joy before taking the blankets and setting up the small cot how she wanted it. It was not what she was use to but being on her own journey meant doing things outside of her comfort range. This made her journey more personal and enjoyable.

As the morning sun arose, Sara would stretch out her limbs and rise from the bed. She slept fairly decently on the cot in the back room. Sara would fold up the blankets and pack any belongings she took out of her bag. After, making sure she had everything she headed towards the entrance of the Pokemon Center. She would let Nurse Joy sleep and headed out into the city.

"To the mine," she said taking in a breath of fresh air.

Her feet would carry her towards the forest and the hills that followed. Taking the first thirty minutes of her trip she would familiarize herself with her surroundings. Making mental notes about how the forest looked and any notable paths.

Sara decided to take what appeared to be the pathway. She was not in that big of a hurry to get to the mine. While she was excited to explore and search for fossils Sara also wanted to enjoy her journey. There was so many places to explore and Pokemon to see and train. She stopped walking hearing the growling.

"What are you?"

Sara pulled out the Pokedex that her father had sent her. It was not the newest model but it would still serve it's purpose. She pointed the device towards the Pokemon that was still growling at her. For the moment, she was not going to confront it even though it would give her valuable experience. Sara wanted a moment to plan her strategy for combating the Pokemon.

The Pokedex would whirled to life and spit out the information she desired. Her eyes read over the data provided to her. Her mind forming over the different options she had. There was two Pokemon in her arsenal. While she loved her Pokemon, Meteor, it seemed more logical for her to use her other Pokemon, Harlow.

"Harlow," Sara said releasing the Aron from his Pokeball.

She waited to see how the other Pokemon would respond before issuing any commands to her own Pokemon.

Sara held the Pokedex in her hands. The words flashed before her eyes as the voice narrated the words she read. Her strategy was becoming more clear in her mind. She watched as her Harlow shook his body lightly from the attack. She knew that he was a sturdy Pokemon. It was part of the reason she loved steel type Pokemon. This was something that connected her to her older brother, Steven. He was out there someone battling people and Pokemon like she was. Taking in a deep breath Sara focused on the battle at hand.

"Harlow, use metal claw," she said.

Harlow would head towards the Espeon after the claws on it's feet sharpened. He was ready to unleash the attack on it's opponent. This was a valuable experience for the both of them.

Sara watched as the Espeon ran off into the woods. She would leave the Espeon alone to run off on it's own. Within a brief moment the Espeon was already out of sight. It was most likely only trying to get her leave it alone with the warning growl. After a minute or so, Sara pulled off the scarf around her neck as she leaned down to tend to Harlow.

"Let me help," she said.

While she knew that Harlow enjoyed digging holes she wanted to at least get the dirt away from its eyes. Then her Pokemon could dig holes to his heart's content. Sara carefully helped wipe off the dirt, away from the eyes, that got on her Aron. After several minutes she stood up, leaving her Aron out of his Pokeball, and started to continue on their way. It was still early in the day and Sara wanted to travel as far as they could before having to stop for the night.

"I hope the Espeon will be alright," she mumbled.

Sara continued to place one foot in front of the other as she continued through the woods. She was a little concerned about the Espeon but Sara had no clue where the Pokemon would have ran to. If she came across the Pokemon again she could make some amends to the Pokemon. Sara did not need to jump into battle every time a Pokemon threatened her or her Pokemon.

Sara read over the sign before looking around the site. A smile spread across her lips as he eyes took in the sights. The miners were going about their own business as they worked or relaxed. She approached a group of the miners near the front of the mine. Her Aron, Harlow, was right behind her.

"Is it safe to enter the mine?"

While she wanted to get work right away on searching for fossils, Sara wanted to be prepared for what could happen. She wanted to know a little more about what to expect in the mine. If there would be enough light to work or she would need to find her own means of lighting her path. Sara was also curious on the structural integrity of the mine.

Sara kept her eyes on the workers while they talked with her. Her eyes drifted towards the tunnels as the lights were flicked on. A smile spread across her lips seeing the inside of the mine. She was rather excited to be here finally. It was an interesting journey so far and was only just getting started. Hearing that she could rent a lantern it seemed like a good idea. Sara was not sure how far she wanted to explore or for how long. Her supplies were a little limited and the young trainer suspected that Pokemon lurked in the depths of the mine.

"I'll rent a lantern. Do any of you know if any fossils have been discovered here? I came here to try and find some fossils."

Sara pulled out the 50 yen and handed it to one of the men. Her hands wrapped around the lantern she was given. She wanted to learn where the best spot to look for fossils was. No point in searching without some kind of goal in mind. That would only lead to disaster and burning through her supplies faster than she wanted to.

"Even if no fossils have been discovered I still want to take a look through the mine. Is the entire mine open for public exploration? I figured since you are renting out lanterns it would be but are any areas restricted?"

(Sara pays 50 yen for the lantern)

A smile spread across her lips when the miners said that she would be the first to explore the mine in some time. She was a little curious about the scientist who was here before Team Rocket but her excitement drew her back towards the miners. She watched and listened as the miner showed her how the lantern worked.

"Thank you for your assistance. I don't need anyone to hold my hand. I have my Pokemon with me and will return should things look bad for me or my Pokemon. I wish you good luck getting this place ready to open to the public."

Sara looked behind her to see her Aron, Harlow digging a hole a short ways away. Her Pokemon loved to dig whenever he was given the opportunity. A warm smile spread across her lips as she watched her Pokemon. With a small shake of her head she called to her Pokemon.

"Come on, Harlow. We can dig more holes inside the mine," she said. "Sorry about the hole. Hope it won't inconvenience anyone."

The Aron would leap out of the small hole and trot towards Sara. The two of them would inside the cavern following the lights for now. Once they reached the end of the string of lights Sara turned on the lantern. Carefully she proceeded further and further into the mine looking for a good spot to dig for fossils.