The Keepers of Kalos: Book 1, Quest

~Chapter 1~

You'd think that being part of the wealthiest family in Kalos is great, but it's not.

My mum died a week after I was born, my sister, Florence, is the deputy leader for Team Rocket, and my dad is such an asshole. Apparently, he used to be a good man. Quite frankly, I don't believe it.

They say he used to put the needs of the people and Pokémon before his own. They say he used to put his money towards things that would help everybody, not just himself. If so, why is he such a selfish man who brings such dishonor to the family name? The name that I have to carry around with me every day. The name that I know, if I say, everybody will hate me just as much as they hate him, if not even more so. Instead, I try to draw little to no attention to myself.

My name is Alani O'Connor, but I just go by Alani, to avoid the disgrace my last name brings me. It's not easy, trying to live a normal life, always trying to hide your real identity. Every day is a careful dance of avoiding recognition, of keeping my head down while I'm at school, where I'm just another face in the crowd. It's a constant reminder that no matter how much I distance myself, my past and my family's legacy are always lurking in the shadows, threatening to unravel the life I've painstakingly built.

Every day is the same. I get up, go to school, and come home again to sleep. I have no friends to hang out with, no rivals to fight on the battlefield; all I have for company is my Pokémon. And as for living with my father, you could come to my house and never realize he was there. He's always in his office, marveling over some new statue he bought or counting the money he so selfishly guards for his own personal use. But despite the boring day planned in front of me, I felt this morning was going to be different.

I woke up again to the dull beeping of my alarm, another reminder that the day would be the same as any other. But somewhere inside of me, there was a little voice telling me something unusual was going to happen, telling me something unexpected was going to occur that would push the inevitable line of my life off course. I pushed the voice aside and got out of bed. How stupid of me to think such a thing. My life would stay the same, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I shuffled to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and stared at my reflection. "Just another day," I muttered to myself. The morning routine was a monotonous sequence of events: making the bed, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed in my usual clothes. The sense of impending change that had momentarily flickered in my mind seemed absurd now.

Downstairs, I moved mechanically, preparing a bland breakfast. The predictability of it all was both comforting and stifling. As I munched on toast and fed my Pokémon companion, Fennekin, I tried to shake off the feeling that today was different. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, a desperate hope for some excitement to break the monotony.

Just as I was finishing brushing my hair, a loud knock echoed through the house. It was strange—no one ever visited us. My heart raced as I quickly pulled my hair into a ponytail and hurried to the front door. When I opened it, there was no one there, just a small, intricately carved box sitting on the doorstep. I looked around, but the street was empty, and there was no sign of who might have left it.

Curious and slightly apprehensive, I picked up the box and brought it inside. Sitting down at the kitchen table, I examined it closely. The carvings were beautiful yet strange, depicting scenes and symbols I didn't recognize. I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. There was no latch, no lock—nothing indicating how it could be opened.

Frustrated and unsure of what to do, I decided to take the box with me. I slipped it into my school bag, feeling its weight settle among my books. Glancing at the clock, I realized I was running late. I grabbed my things and quickly left for school, my mind buzzing with questions.