The Johto Diaries: Another Pokémon Crossover

Prologue: Dear Diary

It is currently nine in the evening, or it could be ten, or even eleven, but the girl gasping for air while hiding behind a fence in Floccessy Ranch can never tell the exact time. Rodowena Skylark has been running like the ruler of the Distortion World itself was hot on her heels for an unmeasurable amount of time and she had decided to take a break.

Rodowena Skylark originally came from St. Orno's Orphanage in Aspertia City. The missionaries had told her that her mother had died when she gave birth to her and her father had to leave her in the orphanage because of excruciatingly inevitable circumstances. It didn't really matter to her much because St. Orno's is what she can call home. The missionaries were all kind, and she was able to make friends with all the other children in the orphanage. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day she would celebrate her tenth birthday, receive her first Pokémon from Prof. Juniper, and start her journey throughout Unova.

However, something happened this night that would change everything.

Several men in black suits have entered the orphanage, announced that the place has been shut down, and started throwing everyone out, missionaries, orphans, and all. What's more, no one really knew the reason why the orphanage was being closed down.

What scared Rodowena is when one of the missionaries actually told her to run away. He had no time to explain things to her, but he said it was important that she got as far away from Aspertia City as possible. Not wanting to find out what could happen to her if she didn't, she obeyed the missionary's order.

Being reminded of what happened back in the orphanage gave Rodowena another burst of adrenaline and she continued to run as a result. She ran past the fence that surrounded Floccesy Ranch. She ran past the trees which leaves rustled softly with the gentle night's breeze. She ran past the gateway that separated the route she just ran through and Virbank City.

Arriving at Virbank City, Rodowena sat by a large cargo container that hid her from view of passing people. Once again, she rested, but this time, her mind was racing.

There was no future for her in Virbank City, she knew. There is no way for her to work in Pokéstar Studios, or Arceus forbid, in one of the bars that dotted the city. She could try to beat the Gym Leader of Virbank City for some money, but she has one fundamental problem: she doesn't have a Pokémon yet, and she would need to go across Unova to get to Nuvema Town and meet Prof. Juniper.

"Hrgh! The only alternative I can think of right now is to be a stowaway in one of those ships," muttered Rodowena as she approached one of the ships that looked like it wasn't being guarded. She tiptoed over the plank connecting the ship to the pier and entered what looked like the cargo storage area. There was no one in there, so she thoight she was safe for now, or so she thought.

No sooner than she found a place to hide behind a large stack of books when she heard footsteps approach where she is and saw a beam of light that looked like it came from a flashlight. Her mind went blank by the time the person reached where she is and flashed the light to her.

As if by some insane stroke of luck or intervention by Arceus himself, the approaching person, who turned out to be a man, looked around to see of someone else is there, then put a finger on his lips as if to tell her to keep silent, then went ahead to check the rest of the area and exit through the door as if he didn't even see a stowaway in their ship.

Not wanting to question what fate had brought her for tonight, she finally loosened up and decided to find a better place to sleep in the area.

While she was at it, she noticed that the stack of books she was hiding in wasn't really made of books, but were actually empty diaries that came with pens.

"I'm definitely out of my mind," she whispered as she grabbed a khaki-colored one, sat in a corner, and started to write.

Dear Diary,

My name is Rodowena Skylark and I'm from St. Orno's Orphanage in Aspertia City, Unova. I'm deciding to write a diary because this will always remind me of my best friend Mary Kitrosser, who loved to write on her diary.

My orphanage was shut down tonight, and Mr. Banner, one of the missionaries in the orphanage, told me to run for my life. I could feel it in my gut that something was horribly wrong, but Mr. Banner was more concerned for my safety, so I had no choice but to run away, as far away as possible, until I decided to sneak up on this ship bound for a faraway place.

One of the staff already caught me, but it seems that he is letting me stay here until the ship disembarks. He already let me stay in here, so I guess he wouldn't mind if I steal a few more things in here, including this diary. The rest will have to wait, though. I'm gonna need a lot of shuteye after all that running. Imaging dashing from Aspertia City all the way to Virbank City with only a very short break in Floccesy Ranch. You'd also be knocked out afterwards.

I'll write again when I'm in a better headspace.

Rodowena Skylark