Twelve years have passed since the end of the civil war. While Kalos is slowly recovering from the resulting economic and social upheavals, forces are already forming underground to overthrow the new government. Sal is an orphan girl who knows nothing about war or politics. Together with her Pokémon, she struggles for survival in the streets of Lumiose. All that she wants, is to escape her life of poverty. When Sal comes into contact with the rebellious forces, she gets drawn into a murky web of events. Suddenly, she must decide how far she is willing to go to gain her freedom.   If you're here in hope for a joyful journey fic, I have to disappoint you: probably, this story won't be to your liking. Pokémon: A Sense of Illusion is my attempt to create a more realistic and somewhat darker take on the world of Pokémon. If you're interested in a story that requires no prior knowledge of the games, animes, mangas - this could be for you. There will be no cross-relations to the existing lore. What to expect: - the abscence of a moral compass: some characters will do horrible things and believe them to be justified - an unusual take on training, battles and strategies - a dive into fields such as: politics, economics, ethics, philosophy, etc. - a slow build-up - a sleep-depraved but motivated writer - AI-generated images (if the AI gods were gracious to me and I deem it fitting) Unfortunately, I won't be able to update on a weekly basis. I have a full-time job and two young children, which results in little writing time. According to my philosophy, a chapter is done when it's done. Neither is it in my nor in your interest if I rush things and upload some half-baked chapter. What I can promise you though: I won't stop writing until the story is over.   Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or any of the related characters. The Pokemon series is created by Satoshi Tajiri and owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures. All rights of the original Pokemon world belong to Nintendo, Gamefreak, and Creatures. This story is fanfiction and is meant only for fun. As the author of this fanfiction, I earn no compensation in any form from its publication.