Pokémon: Kalos Journeys; Never Give Up Until It's Over

Never Give Up Until It's Over

Céleste receives her first Pokémon from Professor Sycamore! Meanwhile, Salem arrives in the beautiful Kalos Region. Could this be the beginning of a new adventure for both of them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun shimmered through the curtains of the open window. The morning was bright and clear, proving the day to be warm. A cool breeze ruffled through the curtains, briskly skating across the bare shoulders of the coppery-auburn-haired girl sleeping in the bed.

"Céleste! Lève-toi et brille, Chérie!"

And there it is, Céleste thought as her mother knocked on the door. Another day of chores and racing practice... "Quand ma vie commencera-t-elle réellement?" she asked, flopping back onto her pillows.

Her teal gaze flickered to the myriad of posters pinned to her walls, depicting her idols. The shining faces of Kalos Queen Clairé and her team of performing Pokémon smiled back at her, unmoving and steadfast.

"Everyday is the same," Céleste grumbled to no-one in particular as she got out of bed. "I wake up; brush my hair; get dressed; feed the Skiddo, Rhyhorn, and Rapidash; eat breakfast; then am dragged out to practice racing while Théo and Éva get to daydream freely..."

She perched on the stool in front of her vanity, staring at her bedhead in the mirror. She gazed up at Kalos Queen Clairé's bright smile in the poster. Clairé had taken the title when Céleste was six, and Céleste had admired her since then.

Her mother's male Espeon—Eclipse—hopped up on the vanity beside her bare shoulders. Eclipse was one of her best friends and her loyal knight. He served as her Pokémon during several seasonal festivals in her hometown of Vaniville, winning her many of them.

"Bonjour, Eclipse... How are you this fine morning?"

"~Espe~" he purred, butting his head against hers. He picked up her favorite hairbrush with psychic and began running its bristles through her tresses.

She chuckled lightly. "Merci, mon cher."

The door creaked open, letting her mother into the room. "Chérie, I have an errand to run today in Aquacorde. Make sure all the Pokémon are fed and that your siblings get to school on time. There's pain perdu on the table."

"Merci, Maman."

"I'll be back by four o'clock at the latest."

"D'accord..."

Céleste watched her mother leave the room before breathing a sigh through her nose. She leaned on her vanity and stared at the mirror.

Eclipse nudged her. "~Espeon?~"

"It's not that I hate it, Eclipse. Racing is fine and enjoyable, but there's something I enjoy more. It's a different kind of competition... I just don't understand why Maman is so determined to pass the ranch down to me and not someone who's interested like Théo."

"~Eon!!~"

"Why don't I tell her? I have told her, Eclipse; but she's stubborn as a Gogoat," Céleste lamented, pulling all of her hair into a claw-clip.

Dressed in a pair of overalls and a tee-shirt, Céleste walked downstairs to get a bite of toast. Her two younger siblings were sitting at the table munching down syrup-drenched toast.

"Bonjour, sœur! Did'ya sleep well?"

"Oui, Théo. Merci beaucoup," murmured Céleste as she served herself some toast. "What are you two learning in school?"