Young Writers Society

Eve sat down on a rock, gingerly reaching into the wide creek. It was shallow, so it wasn’t too hard to make herself to breathe calmly- well, calmly enough. The water was cold, and made her fingers numb. Eve shuddered, but smiled, muttering “perfect” under her breath. Reaching for her belt, she unhooked two pokeballs and clicked the button on each in turn. Red light reflected off of the creek for a moment to be replaced with her two pokemon, floating effortlessly in the cold water. “Hi, guys.”
Ellie was quick to swim over, navigating the smooth rocks of the river bank with ease. Ellie barked a reprimand at her, dragging herself onto land to butt at Eve’s legs. “Yes, yes, I know. I’m sorry, Ellie, but it was too hot for you earlier.” Eve scratched the fur beside Ellie’s horn, glancing up to see Tina exploring the area- or at least that’s what she expected was happening- the dratini was darting quickly from area to area, her position only marked by a blue tail. Eve wasn’t too worried, Tina never strayed far- she would be be back looking for treats soon enough.
Eve shooed her seel out of the way. “Go play, Ellie. Enjoy the water while we have it.” The seel complied, slipping quickly into the cold water. Eve smiled a little, and with her pokemon nearby, gathered the courage to clean her neck.

Dipping her hands in the cold water, she took a deep breath and splashed her chest and shoulder, holding back instant panic. It’s just a shower, a very cold shower. Scraping at the sticky white goo with her fingernails caused it to come away in gooey lumps, which she then scraped onto a nearby rock. As she worked, she didn’t notice the dark-haired kid following her tracks.
“Hi.”
Eve nearly jumped out of her skin, arms flailing and squealing as she tipped towards the river.
Her shriek was cut short as David grabbed her clean shoulder, steadying her on the rock. Eve panted, her heart in her mouth.
After a moment of silence, David knelt down, his eyebrows pinched together in confusion. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you that bad.”
Eve shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat and along with her panic. “No, it wasn’t you.”
“What? But it was me, I’m the only one around-”
“No, it’s okay, don’t worry about it.” Eve managed a shaky smile, and continued, hoping to change the subject. “Did I get it all?” she waved vaguely at her neck area.
David squinted at her then nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Hey, did you let your pokemon out?” He’d noticed her pokeballs lying empty on the ground, and peered out over the river for the occupants. “Where’d they go?”
Eve sighed, glad to be on safe waters again. “They’re there.”
“Where?”
"There!” She pointed where a flash of white appeared before vanishing again.
“What?”
“Hang on.” Eve laughed a little, and let out a low whistle. A moment later two heads appeared in the shallows, looking up expectantly.
“Tina and Ellie, meet David. David, Tina and Ellie.”
“Woah.” David knelt down, pointing at Tina. “Is that a Dratini? You have a Dratini?”
“Um. Yes. I believe that’s what she is.” Eve grinned. “Beautiful, isn’t she?”
Tina moved closer, cooing happily. She loved attention, and made a beeline for David. Tina knew that new people often made a fuss over her, and stretched her head up towards David.
“She likes being scratched under the chin.” Eve pointed out, and David complied with a grin, continuing to glance at Eve curiously.
“How the hell did you get a Dratini?”
“Birthday present.”
“From who? The president of everything ever?”
“My dad.”
David shook his head. “Damn. What are you, a gazillionare?”
Eve laughed. “Not quite.”

Art
Viridian Forest

Out of doors, Lex was free to hover about outside its Poke Ball. Art was more than happy to let it, too: there was no arguing against Poke Balls being a useful alternative to having six Pokemon traversing all kinds of terrain, but it was nice not to be alone, and Lex never had problems getting about due to its magnetic levitation. Plus, it had a habit of finding interesting things.

As they made their way down the stretch of grass from the Pewter-side exit, Lex did just that. It stopped in midair, whirred, clicked once and turned to face some tall grass to the side. Art, recognising this behaviour, froze as well and slowly turned his head. A small, furry Pokemon was munching on something, apparently unaware of the duo's presence. Art silently pulled his Pokedex out, hit the mute button and glanced down at the screen.

Venonat
Species: Insect Pokemon.
Type: Bug and Poison.
Lives in the shadows of tall trees where it eats bugs. It is attracted by light at night. Its eyes act as radar, enabling it to be active in darkness. The eyes can also shoot powerful beams.

Art nearly did a double-take at the image on the Pokedex. The digital Venonat stared back at him with its large red compound eyes. He then looked back at the live Venonat in front of him, whose eyes were a sky blue.
No way! he thought. This couldn't be an alternate-coloured Pokemon!
He glanced over at Lex, whose solitary pupil was already looking his way for instructions. Art nodded and opened his mouth to make a command -

"Your foe's weak, Daisy! One more Stun Spore and I'll catch it!"
The Venonat spun around and froze, still not noticing Art and Lex, but staring back in the general direction of the voice. Art and Lex froze too, Art's command lost in his throat. A Pokemon's cry was heard, and a dense orange fog began spreading towards them. The Venonat squealed and made a run for it in the opposite direction. Art recalled Lex, snapped his goggles on and raised his scarf to cover his nose and mouth before making his way towards the disturbance.

A real live alternate-coloured Pokemon, well within my grasp... why, why did you have to scare it off? he thought, deeply frustrated. He pushed through a clump of trees and found a clearing, in the middle of which was a boy about his own age, holding a Poke Ball and looking extremely pleased with himself. A small round Pokemon with leaves attached to its head was dancing around his legs.
"Well done, Daisy," he said as the Pokemon returned to its Poke Ball. He reached down, picked up another Poke Ball Art hadn't noticed and looked fondly at it.

The Stun Spore had cleared by now, so Art removed his goggles and scarf and cleared his throat. The kid turned around.
"Hey, buddy," he called, "is Eve a good name for a Caterpie?"
Art raised his eyebrow. "Was that overpowered Stun Spore really necessary?"
"Oh, that. Yeah, Daisy gets a little overexcited sometimes, see."
"I see... It's just that this Daisy inadvertently startled a Pokemon I was attempting to capture. An alternate-coloured one," Art added, waiting for the shocked and apologetic reaction from the boy.
"Oh, sorry 'bout that," the guy responded casually. "That's life, though, I guess. Hey, on the bright side, I caught the Caterpie I was fighting!" he exclaimed with a wide grin, indicating the Poke Ball on the far end of his belt.
"Congratulations," Art responded icily.

Jason| Diglett Tram| Day 1

“Why is he wearing a hat?” Jason bent down on the ground, staring the Squirtle in the eye. “Does he think he’s a person?”

“It’s called fashion,” Sinclair pulled Jason away from Squirtle and back into his own seat. . “Not that you would know anything about it.”

“This came all the way from Hoenn, man. There are these people called Team Aquarium or something, all of them wear it.”

“Aren’t they terrorists?” Sinclair asked.

“No, they’re like charity people, they want to help water Pokemon or something, they’re legit good guys,” Jason fixed his bandana and sat back down.

Kristine was watching towards the front of the tram car, a tiny bit nervous. “So we’re in a tram shaped like an Onyx...speeding through a tunnel made by Diglett.”

“Makes about as much sense as half the stuff Clair says,” Jason said.

“Please,” Sinclair pleaded, “call me Sin or Sinclair.” His posture never changed from his elegant boy pose. Squirtle patted him on the leg and smiled a wide turtle smile.

“Is it safe?” she asked. She didn’t seem quite the same without that Pidgey on her shoulder. It seemed to give her more confidence.

“Oh come now,” Sin barked. “Do you really think the poor blue-collars who maintain this tram would simply let it be dangerous? Their jobs depend on it being sa--”

“Yes, this is very safe. I always say there is nothing better than being trapped in a giant cave, with no light.”

“Oh! I got this!” Kristine began to dig in her bag, pulling out a flash light. “Not much, but it’s better than nothing!”

Jason nodded, even though no one around could see. “So, what’s the next step?”

“Well, we wait until they get the power back on, simple as that,” Sinclair said. “Not like we could even do anything.”

Just ask the last word left Sinclair’s mouth there was a brief, bright, flash of light. The doors of the tram flew opened, and more light flowed in from the outside.

Two men filed in from both sides, each with there own Pokemon with them.

“Hey kiddies, I’m sorry, well not really sorry, to inform you that we’re here to take your Pokemon.”

David

“So why do you wanna be a trainer?” The duo was sitting on the rocks now, David with his legs crossed Indian-style and Eve seated to where she was sure not to fall into the stream.

“I want to prove how good they are,” she said. “Most trainers are so selfish with bragging about their awesomeness and their power.” She shook her head, shrugging. “But it’s really the Pokemon that do all the work.” She smiled. “They deserve some credit.”

Out in the water, Dratini floated between rocks while Dax tried to tag her, hopping from stone to stone. He finally got lucky and nabbed her tail between his paws, pulling them both down into the water, giggling. Dratini slid through the stream like a snake, creeping David out a little. Dax popped out of the water onto David’s rock and shook his whole body, slinging water all over him. “Nido, nido...nido ni ni nido!”

David picked him up and arched an eyebrow. “I wish I could understand you, little buddy.” He shrugged and stood him down on the rock. “For all I know, you could have a little Nido-crush on Eve here.”

Nidoran blushed and shook his head, burying his face in Davey’s pants leg.

Eve leaned over and poked the little Dax in the softer side of his belly, smiling. “I’ve always loved Nidoran, but there aren’t any around Olivine.”

“Olivine. Isn’t that in America or something?”

Eve laughed again, piquing Dratini’s interest. She popped up from the stream beside David, and he jumped, landing on his butt in the dirt. Dax jumped down after him, knocking the breath out of his belly.

When he looked up, Dax was in his face, poking his nose to David’s. Behind him, Eve had her mouth covered, trying her hardest not to laugh. But no worries to Eve...because Dratini had it well covered. “Drayoo-oo-oo!” It was either majestic or creepy...David wasn’t sure which.


__ __ __ __


Rocket Andy | Diglett’s Tram

It had been just a few seconds since the tram's power had flickered out, bringing the whole beast to a groaning stop.

“Do you really think that this train has enough power for our machine?” His voice was schmoozy, smooth and rich just like he’d practiced for years. Being a theater boy, it came naturally. Mandy, however, didn’t find it quite that alluring.

“If you’d just read the plans I lay out for you every time we scheme, you’d know these things.” The black-haired woman was hiding behind a newspaper and sunglasses as the tram doors opened. By her guess, they were beneath Celadon at that point, and they had just a little bit longer to wait before the Sap could begin. “Remember the idea--our sap machine will feed the power from this tram into the storage house beneath Celadon...and then we’ll hop off the tram and scram.” She cackled under her breath.

“You know how much I appreciate a good rhyme,” Andy said, grinning. He was dressed in old golf attire, a white beard and mustache covering his face, and sunglasses covering his power blue eyes. “We’ll be out of here in no time.” His sunglasses gleamed in the dim lights of the tram, and the two cackled together.

Mandy peered down the aisle, into the other tram cars, grinning. “The goons are in place, Andrew Darling.”

“Show time!”


__ __ __ __


David

“I’m not sure if it’s lucky that we found these berries for Nick...” David shrugged, holding a purple, fuzzy fruit up in front of his face. It had spots of green littering the top and bottom, and the belly of the fruit had a violent orange stripe covering it. “Looks pretty nefarious.”

Eve was preoccupied polishing her Seel’s Pokeball. “I’m sure he’ll know what it is the minute we get within smelling distance.”

“Trufax,” David deadpanned, and put the berry down by his waist. Up ahead of them, Vash had taken his chance of being released from his Pokeball and was sniffing around the trail for something.

“Wonder what he’s looking for,” Eve said, looking at David.

“He’s a real nut for fireberries,” he said. “They’re not really good use for anything as far as Pokemon, but they always make him so hyper.” A smirk fell on his lips and he watched the Charmander scamper ahead. “This one time, I was staying with some friends in West Pallet, and my pal Gary gave Vash a whole bowl full.” He shook his head. “Little guy went berserk for a week.”

“Back home in Olivine, Fireberries are one of the whoadang-many ingredients in Rare Candies.”

“They actually sell those in Johto?”

“...not really...” She giggled. “They’re more like smuggler’s goods. My dad’s men used to confiscate them from cargo ships all the time.”

The sun was slowly going down, and Viridian forest was beginning to flood with deep oranges and violets, herding the bug Pokemon into their nests. Zubat calls echoed down the trail, along with a pair of...hushed...voices.

”Yes, I’m sure I saw it come this way!”

“You haven’t even considered how old those droppings may’ve been!”

“Well excuse me if I don’t appreciate the awesome aroma of Venonat poo--”

The two boys looked up when they felt Eve and David near. They were both crouched low to the ground--Nick covered from head to toe in leaves, and the other boy following a Magnemite that was just spinning around itself.

“Er...hello,” Eve said, half-questioning. She waved a bit.

Nick stood still, obviously keeping to his camouflage routine. The other boy--Magnemite boy--waved back at her. He whispered, “We’re hunting Venonat!”

”Take a break,” David whispered back. ”We brought fruit!”

Hayden
“Don’t be stupid, Kaze. I really don’t think mom would’ve wanted me to stay out longer.”

Hayden glared at the stubborn furry little mischief-maker sitting in front of him. The Vulpix stared back, his five tails lashing in the air, and yipped in protest.

“It’s almost sundown. You know I’m right.”

The Vulpix shook his head with the air of one who knows himself to be perfectly in the wrong but will never admit to it. A thwack on the ear courtesy of the Cubone perched next to it put an end to that. The boy beamed. “Thank you, ‘felia.”

Kaze settled with a grumble. Ever since they’d left home he seemed hellbent on making the most of their newfound freedom when it came to curfew, meal hours and bedtime. Hayden found it hard, what with hearing mom’s voice in his head every time he did something new. At least Ophelia was as reasonable as ever. She made him feel safer.

Hayden reached to pet Kaze, but the little fox was already distracted, looking at the group of other kids his age further down the tram. No need to attract their attention, boy he thought, without quite daring to say it aloud.

The sudden blackout fell over them like a Lavender Town mist, and Hayden blinked in the dark. It made no difference. Ember, he almost told Kaze, before he remembered that fire in enclosed spaces was a Bad Thing. He'd seen enough police procedurals to know that. He blinked again when the flashlight turned on, and then let out a very undignified squeak when the door burst open.

It was instinct to sink down his seat in a very earnest attempt to melt himself into it when he'd registered what the men at the door said. Picking fights with bigger people never ended well, he'd learned. Giving in, with Kaze and Ophelia in question, wasn't something he wanted to think about, but hiding and hoping they wouldn't notice he was there? That he could do, thank you very much.

The other kids didn't have his compunctions. The blond one was frowning at the men the way Hayden's teacher back home had looked at the most hopeless kids in the class--"I know Noah's the best Squirtle in the world, but I'm sure you can get adequate ones on your own, you know," just as the one with the bandana was bristling and calling out a "Yeah? I'd like to see you try!" Even the girl didn't look like she was going to run away.

Oh this is not gonna end well, Hayden thought when the two men burst in laughter. He made a valiant attempt to slink out to the other car while everyone was distracted, but stealth wasn't exactly possible when in a tram car and with two pokemon tagging behind you.

"That goes for you too, pipsqueak. Hand them over!"

"Eeeeeeeep," Hayden said, and clutched at Kaze's ruff, caught like a Deerling in headlights.

And then everyone started moving at once.

Kristine| Diglett Tram | Day 1

"That goes for you too, pipsqueak. Hand them over!"

Kristine didn't know who said that nor who they were referring to, but the general conclusion was that no one was safe right now. She found herself frozen on the spot, her head spinning. There really were people like this out there? She never felt so helpless. Kristine wasn't much of a battler; it was caring about them -- breeding, discovering, understanding -- that fascinated her more. Her hands instinctively reached for her two Pokeballs in some protective gesture.

Though Sin still didn't make any move to battle or run (Was he hoping for a diplomatic approach?), Jason was by far the bravest one. He stepped right up and said, "No."

The guy smirked. "Then we'll just have to take them by force--"

"Waut, Quick Attack!"

Jason was already on the ball, hurling his Elekid out onto the tram and catching the the two off guard. It stunned them for a bit, but then a Gastly appeared and licked Waut as if savoring the taste.

"Headbutt, Ophelia!"

"Dodge and use Tackle, Rattata!"

Kristine looked behind her where the voices came from (the neighboring car of the tram?) just as the second thief hurled her own Pokemon onto the floor in an attempt to get the battle out of the way. Jason found himself walking back right into Sin and growled something about moving aside, which he did -- and sent out a Squirtle.

She saw an odd-looking Pokemon with a skull on its head get thrown to the wall, and the trainer call out to it with worry. Instinct had her running for the next car, struggling to open the door due to her panic, and throwing out her own Bulbasaur in front of the Cubone. "Berry, help them out! Use, uh... Vine Whip!"

She couldn't believe what she did, sending herself into another state of shock as her Bulbasaur did exactly as she requested -- almost too willingly. He slapped that Rattata silly, causing the Pokemon to cower before him. She and the boy were quiet, both a bit uneasy about what to do -- Kristine shaken up from battling, the boy unsure of how to handle an extra partner.

"I guess Berry did more chores back home than I had thought," she added weakly, commenting on Berry's agile vines. She hurriedly called behind her, "We have to get out of here, guys!" She'd feel much better if they weren't on an enclosed tram. Claustrophobia was getting the best of her, assuming she had any best in a battle.

"Let me know when you find an exit," Jason replied, a bit busy.

Nick | Viridian Forest | Day 1

“Take a break,” David whispered. “We brought fruit!”

Nick wondered for a moment why the other two had brought Tosech Berries along. In his experience, the fuzzy purple fruits that Tosech trees bore were only useful as mild anaesthetics -- Pokémon just fell asleep on their feet after a bite or two of those berries.

He shook his head and turned back to consider the trail of Poké-poo that the wild Venonat had left. Although his new friend hadn’t inspected it properly, it was clearly fresh (to Nick’s experienced nose) and indicated the exact path the so-called ‘alternate-colour Pokémon’ had taken.

“Are you sure it was special?” asked Nick for what must have been the fourth or fifth time.

“Of course it was -- I’m not stupid!” the new trainer replied. “That Venonat was nothing like the ones I’ve seen on my Pokédex.”

Hmm, thought Nick. I’ll believe that when I see it.

“This way then,” said Nick, still in hushed tones, “while the trail's still fresh!”

The new trainer followed him, and Nick was vaguely aware of David and Eve tagging along too some distance behind them. The trail lead them deeper into the forest, further off the beaten track. The undergrowth thickened, branches reached out to snag unwary travellers, and the canopy grew more and more dense with every step.

Eventually the shade of trees grew so much that Nick was practically feeling his way through the forest, and it was then that they found the clearing.

Without warning, the narrow forest trail broadened and opened into a spacious glade. Tall trees still lined the edges, but within there were none, and so grass and ferns grew unhindered. A stagnant pool had spread to occupy the center, filled with lilypads and pondweed.

So wild and free! thought Nick. I wonder if we’re the first ones to find this place?

But, right on the tail of that thought, Nick saw and realised the truth of the new trainer’s earlier words. On the other side of the pool sat the second strangest Venonat Nick had ever seen. Its compound eyes were blue, for starters, and the feelers that sprouted from its forehead were an unusual white.

“What the hell is that?” David whispered in awe.

The four of them huddle at the edge of the clearing, brought together by mutual fascination and wonder. It didn’t matter that they had barely met the new trainer with the Magnemite -- stranger things were unfolding right before their very eyes.

“You saw it first,” said Nick to the new trainer. “It’s your call.”

The new guy was at a loss. He scratched his head, clearly deep in thought, and Nick watched as he subconsciously bit his lip. Has this guy never caught a Pokémon before?

Their world, bounded by a clearing and a short stretch of track, was silent. The new trainer seemed frozen, either unwilling or unable to act. Eve, however, was not so hindered.

“If you aren’t gonna catch it,” she muttered, “then I am. It looks like a whole new breed of Venonat! Can you imagine how rare that is?”

Nick just looked on in wonder. And, while everyone’s attention was centred on the fascinating Venonat, he quickly and quietly collected a sample of its droppings.

You know -- just in case.

Art
Viridian Forest

The fuzzy blue-eyed bug hissed quietly. Art narrowed his eyes, then snapped his fingers with a smirk.
"Lex. You ready?"
Lex twitched. That's a yes, Art said to himself.
"All right. Start with a Thun-"

“Hold on!” Eve stared at Art, interrupting his command. “Why are you the one who gets to capture him?”
“It’s a little rule I like to call finders keepers,” Art responded.
“He’s got a point,” Nick chipped in.
“But you don’t understand! If I could bring this back to my dad-”
“What’s your dad got to do with anything?”
Eve’s chin came up just a fraction. “Well, you see- he breeds, studies and trades rare Pokemon. And do you have any idea what a rarity these different-coloured Pokemon are?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Art interjected. "The likelihood of a Pokemon being born with a pigment mutation is in the area of one in eight thousand.”
“There you go. It’s going to be much more useful to a breeder.”
Nick cleared his throat. “I don’t think pigmentation is genetic...”
Art opened his mouth to reply when the third guy spoke.
“Guys, if we just keep talking like this, the Venonat is going to wander off. Look," he suggested, "how about we just get the thing into a Poke Ball, then we can settle the ownership issue. It's no good us arguing among ourselves."
"That sounds logical," Art nodded.
"Fine by me," Eve agreed.
"And I've got the perfect plan!" Nick exclaimed with a grin, whipping out one of his own Poke Balls.
"Please don't use that Stun Spore again," Art muttered.

"Come on out, Rose!" A round, pink blob appeared and turned towards Art to reveal a curly puff of hair and enormous blue eyes.
"Jiggly!" it peeped. Nick regarded it fondly.
"Rose, I want you to use Sing!" he commanded. Eve did a double-take.
"We're going to need more warning than that, Nick! What happens when we hear the song?"
"Er..."

Jee-gah-lee-pahff... jee-gah-lee-ee-ee-pahff...

All of a sudden, Art was feeling incredibly drowsy... he remembered there was something, something important that he had to do... but it could wait, surely? It could wait until... he'd taken just a short nap...


It seemed like only minutes later that Art woke up, but judging by the colour of the sky it had been significantly longer than that.
Eve was already up, arms crossed and pouting ever so slightly. "I can't believe it. We went and lost it. Do you guys have any idea what that Pokemon could have meant?”
Art’s heart sank. There was, of course, no sign of the blue-eyed Venonat.
"Well... it’s just another Pokemon, Eve," Nick said cautiously. “The alternate colouring has no effect on their strength or personality.”
“But that’s just it, it wasn’t just another Pokemon. Collectors will buy a ‘shiny’, as they call them, for a fortune. Even if the alternate colour is hideous.”
Nick looked at his feet. The third boy was still sleeping nearby.

Eve sighed, and then gave a half-hearted smile. “Never mind, I guess.” She rubbed her face, and sat heavily on the ground. “It’s just so frustrating.”
Nick glanced over at Art, noticing he was awake.
"Hey, uh...”
“Art.”
“Art. I guess I owe you double the apology. I screwed up this capture for you twice.”
Art shrugged. “You meant well. And like you said, different colouring doesn’t affect the stats of a Pokemon. Indeed, you might find you don’t get along with it half as well as a normal-coloured one.”

Art climbed to his feet. “We’ll just have to accept it, I suppose. And learn from it.”
Nick leaned over and picked something up. “Hey, you dropped - wow! Is this the latest Pokedex model? Can I take a look?”
“Sure,” Art said after Nick had opened it up anyway; Eve looked on with interest. David snorted and lifted his head, opening his eyes groggily.
“This machine knows everything! Look, I can play back a Pokemon’s cry, find out where they live... how does it even do that?”
“Oh, it’s fairly simple,” Art began, switching to encyclopedia mode. “See, Oak’s satellite stores DNA strings as data, which it uses to scan each region to find clumps of matching DNA in the Pokemon themselves. There’s even a DNA upload system in case you meet an undocumented species...”
Art put his hand up to his mouth for a second. The others stared at him curiously.
“I... might have an idea,” Art muttered. “Did the Pokemon... did the Venonat leave anything that might have DNA? Hair, skin follicles, anything like that?”
Eve ran over and began sifting through the grass the Venonat had been standing in. “Nothing here.”
Art grunted in annoyance. “Maybe we can retrace its steps somehow.”
Nick was glancing from one to the other. David got to his feet, shook his head vigorously and said, “Would someone tell me what happened, and what you’re all talking about?”
“OK, OK,” Nick sighed. “I... I’ve got something the Venonat left.”
Art’s and Eve’s eyes widened.
“Well... I, uh, I picked up some of the droppings it left.”
Eve’s face changed in a split second from delight to disgust. Art, on the other hand, brightened.
“That’ll do nicely,” he said, taking the Pokedex back. “Bring it over here. I only need a very small sample.”


“Is it ready?” Nick asked.
“Mm-hmm,” Art grunted. “Let’s run a test drive.”
Art hit the AREA button. The Pokedex beeped and a loading bar appeared on screen - next second, a map of Kanto appeared. Immediately, the system highlighted several large patches of terrain.
"I think it must be tracking all Venonat in Kanto,” Art muttered. “The program only runs partial matches, since DNA is unique to everything, including members of the same species... and it prevents the addition of new species that match an existing DNA string, so that you don’t have two of the same Pokemon listed. If I can get around that restriction and enable it to match the DNA perfectly...”

It soon became apparent that no one was listening at this point: David was roasting a number of berries, and even Art’s stomach began to growl. It became louder as he realised he had stupidly left home without any food.
“You gonna eat shomeshin’, Arsh?” Nick’s full-mouthed voice called. Art looked over at the barbecue pit: his mouth began watering instantly. He made his way over and picked up a berry; before putting it in his mouth, he glanced up at his new companions. David was consuming his berries with gusto, while Eve attempted to eat hers delicately- with not much success. Nick grinned at him, before turning back to his berries.
I think this is going to be fun.

Rocket Mandy

“Now listen here, Mister Engineer.” Mandy closed the door behind herself and Andy as they surrounded the tram driver. The man was old and balding, and had taken apart the mainframe of the controls to try and hotwire the tram back online.

Andy grinned. “We’ve taken all your power!”

“And your precious Pokemon, too.”

“But we hear you have a rare Pokemon in your collection...”

“So we’ll be taking up an offering now.” Mandy held out her hand for the Pokeball...right before the door behind them burst open by a vine whip. Both rockets shirked back into the control car, away from the door. Glass littered their white suits, and Andy looked disgusted at their appearance.

A gang of kids and Pokemon stood at the door, some looking angry...and some looking like they wanted to go home.

One kid with a bandana stepped forward and demanded, “I’m gonna guess you two are boss rockets. Turn the power back on or else!”

Mandy cackled, looking at her partner. Andy nodded and they discarded their disguises.

“Prepare for trouble down below!”

“Make it double before we go!”

“To protect the world from devastation...”

“To unite all peoples within our nation!”

“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above...”

“Mandy~”

“Andy!”

And then, as if they weren’t already fabulous enough, they yelled together, making Kristine cover Peach’s ears: “Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare...to...FIGHT!”

The kids, the Pokemon, the driver...they all just stood there, not sure of what just happened. One particularly uppity-looking brat clapped on his own, but then stopped when he realized he was unaccompanied. Then there was awkward silence once again.

“...So...” The kid with the bandana spoke again. “Like I said...turn the power back on or else!”

Andy grinned and laughed a slow, flamboyant laugh. “Kid, right now, your precious power is pumping precipitously to our power plant where it will be harnessed and stored and taken care of until it is time to release said precious power in a surge...of pain.” His eyes narrowed and darkened.

Mandy turned back to the Engineer. “Now, little Mister Driver...hand over your Pokemon!”

“Never!” he wheezed, and smacked her hand away.

“Fine then--we’ll do this the hard way.”

“And I do like things the hard way,” Andy added. Mandy gave him a quick glance, but then returned her piercing gaze to the driver.

“Come on out, Z--”

“Waut, paralyze these jokers.”

Between their feet, a tiny yellow Pokemon--an Elektabuzz shrunken down to bite-size--hopped down, grabbing them both by the legs. With a wink to Mandy, it discharged a blast of electricity, disabling their bodies and launching them through the glass ceiling in the driver’s car and through the tunnel overhead.

The kids looked on, wondering if they’d fall back down.

Sinclair eyed the hole in the ceiling curiously. “Did they just blast o--”

“No,” Jason snapped. “No more puns.”

Jason looked back to the driver, who was cleaning glass off of his control board. With a sigh, he said, “Thank you, kids. If it weren’t for you, those guys would’ve taken my Pokemon partner...and that would’ve been awful.” He clicked a button on the control panel, shaking his head as no power came back on.

“How are we gonna get out of here?” Kristine asked.

“We’ll have to do things the old fashioned way,” the man replied.

“By walking all the way to Vermilion?” Sinclair seemed disgusted.

“There are going to be Pokemon in the tunnel...way too strong for us.” That was the one kid who, up until this point, had hidden behind the Cubone in his arms.

“No worries, kidlets.” The driver pulled out a Pokeball. “Not quite that old-fashioned.” Through the busted-out front window, the driver released the Pokeball, sending out an enormous bull Pokemon. The beast slammed its hooves down on the rails, making an echoing BANG around him.

Jason pulled out his Pokedex.

Tauros
Species: Wild Bull Pokemon
Type: Normal
They fight each other by locking horns. The herd's protector takes pride in its battle-scarred horns. After heightening its will to fight by whipping itself with its three tails, it charges at full speed.

“Sweet,” he said.

The driver called out to Tauros, grinning: “Hoss, can you pull our tram to Vermilion?”

The Tauros roared with excitement and lashed its back with its tails. The driver through a harness to Tauros and tightened it around his neck. “Let’s roll!”


__ __ __ __

David

“Wow...” It was morning. David and his friends had spent the night camping in Viridian forest, trading stories about Pokemon and laughing the night away...and, of course, talking about that shiny Venonat. The others had been really worked up about it, but David would’ve loved to have it for his own. But the night had come and gone, and when dawn broke, Charmander had woken up David from a little nap, wanting to hit the road. Grudgingly, the gang had obliged.

And it was well worth it. The gates of Pewter were incredible. An astonishing wall of smooth marble covered the exit of Viridian forest, and billboards and advertisements had covered the route between the gates and the city itself. David’s personal favorite was

“It’s been 180 days since our last Onix-pected accident!”

The whole route was paved with the same marble that made the city gates, and that impressed David. He’d never been this far from home, and he was a little afraid that his inner farm boy was going to start showing. But he was completely happy to be traveling--especially with such awesome friends. It was so easy to bond over Pokemon.

Eve yawned, stretching her arms out behind her head. Dratini was coiled around her neck like a scarf. “I think we should find ourselves a place to stay for the night.” She opened her eyes and frowned, dejected. “Oh, right...”

The other two laughed, and David smiled. “Y’know, Nick,” he said, winking at Eve, “I think you should be the first to challenge the gym leader in this city.”

He had thought it all out. Pewter’s gym leader was famous for Rock Pokemon--had been for three generations. And David had seen the gym leader on TV once, and man was she beautiful. Valentine Rockman. He wondered if she’d give him a good battle if she thought he was cute.

“No way!” Nick laughed, catching David’s joke before it could really set in. “Eve might get hurt if I go first.”

“I wha--?” Eve raised an eyebrow at Nick, confused.

“Oh,” he said. “I forgot to tell ya!” He laughed--loudly. “I named my new Caterpie Eve!”

The color melted from Eve’s face. “Wonderful.”

Art grinned cheekily. “I’d be honored, if I were you.” He’d been fiddling with a discarded Potion dispenser all morning, trying to get the trigger to bend back in its proper place. “It’s not every day you get to be gifted with a beautifulgorgeousgraceful Bug Pokemon’s nickname.” He was still walking ahead, but stopped once he didn’t hear footsteps around him. He looked back for the others...

...who had all crowded around a tree a little ways back.

“How d’ya think it got up there?” Eve asked.

“Poor thing probably got chased,” David answered, eyes watching a Poliwag watching him.

“It needs help.” Nick grabbed David’s Pokedex from his back pocket and clicked the registry button.

Poliwag
Species: Tadpole Pokemon
Type: Water
Poliwag has a very thin skin. It is possible to see the POKéMON's spiral innards right through the skin. Despite its thinness, however, the skin is also very flexible. Even sharp fangs bounce right off it.

“Sounds like a clever little ‘mon.”

“We need to rescue him,” Eve said, looking at the others.

“On it,” said David, who was discarding his backpack and jacket. He approached the tree and grabbed onto the trunk, getting his sneakers in a good footing before hoisting himself up into the tree, climbing up to Poliwag’s branch. He was slow, careful not to scare it into falling. The poor thing was tangled up in a rotten leech seed that had probably been around him for days...if not weeks. “Easy, little fella,” David soothed, and smiled at him. He pulled out a small pocket knife that he’d used last night for the berries and picked up Poliwag, brushing its skin down to calm it before sliding the knife under the leech seed vine, snapping it apart. He put the knife up and pulled the remainder of the vines away, freeing it. Its skin was sunken in and cut up where the vines had been tighter...and it was in awful shape.

He hopped down from the tree, Poliwag in-arms, and nodded to the others. “Let’s get this guy to a Pokemon Center.”

Going ahead and docking myself the points for catching Poliwag, since he's gonna join David after gettin' all healed up. :3

Kristine| Diglett Tram | Day 1

"Let's roll!"

The Tauros whipped its tails eagerly before pulling the tram. The vehicle didn't move at first, but with a little more struggle, the Tauros got it moving at a slow yet constant rate. Kristine was easily impressed, though the others couldn't take their eyes off it either.

"That Tauros is fantastic," she said with awe.

"Thank you, missy," the driver said, tipping his hat her way. "Hoss is a good sport when it comes to these things. I'm a lucky one to have such a pal as him."

Slowly, the gang all sat down somewhere, keeping each other company with the driver and watching the Tauros. Kristine couldn't help but think that Tauros would collapse at any moment, but it just kept chugging along like it was no one's business. She stopped paying attention though when Peach started pecking at her Bulbasaur's back, who was sitting at Kristine's feet, watching the Tauros as well with much admiration. Grabbing the Pidgey, Kristine set him on his lap, not letting him go. Then reaching for the Pokeball, she said, "You were great, Berry. You deserve a long rest after that one."

"Bulba Bulbasaur!" and he disappeared into the Pokeball.

The silence thereafter was a bit awkward. The driver himself had started whistling before Kristine began conversation, turning to the new boy with the interesting Pokemon. "The name's Kristine, by the way," she said with a smile. "Are you off to Vermillion City as well?"

He took a moment, registering that she was indeed talking to him, and nodded. "Yeah. I'm Hayden."

"Hi, Hayden! What kind of Pokemon is your friend, then? He was very fantastic in battle." The Pokemon perked up at the compliment.

"That's a Cubone," Jason said, Pokedex pulled out.

Tauros
Species: Lonely Pokemon
Type: Ground
If it is sad or lonely, the skull it wears shakes and emits a plaintive and mournful sound. It always wears the skull of its dead mother, so no one has any idea what its hidden face looks like.

"Well, it's a good thing that Team Rocket didn't get their hands on you," Kristine said to the Cubone. "You are way too good for them."

"Whatever their reason is for taking Pokemon, they are most certainly going about it the wrong way," Sin started. Jason leaned back in his seat after pocketing his Pokedex. "Obviously, they didn't get past me. Nor any of you, of course. If they can't beat us young folk, then they'll have their hands tied in the bigger leagues."

"I am the bigger league," Jason said.

"Yes, of course. In any case, we'll have to keep a close eye on our Pokemon in case they come back, which I suspect they will. They seem quite determined to get their hands on the most powerful Pokemon, and any Pokemon that sends them blasting o--"

"No puns, please."

"--ff into the sky from an underground tram is probably a Pokemon worth taking. Though I must admit, they've got style."

Kristine let out a polite laugh, though Jason and Hayden looked at him oddly. To break the silence, the driver spoke up, "We're nearly there, looks like. Keep it up, Hoss! You're doing great!"

Kristine sighed of relief, and Peach perked up. "Hey, Jason, I think I found us an exit!"

"That is really not funny," he said. Kristine giggled.

Nick | Pewter City | Day 2

So far, so good.

Nick was trying to keep his gawking under control. First there was the marble -- stunning slabs of rock that made his eyes widen and his heart melt. He’d even prised a loose fragment from an overused paving stone to keep as a memento. It really was beautiful.

And then, as they entered the city proper, Nick found himself blown away by the architecture too. The buildings practically glowed in the daylight. Marble pillars stood like sentries each side of the route, and marble steps lead upwards to marble buildings, built in honour of beauty and ambition.

Still, there was something strange about the material that made Nick uneasy: it didn’t warm in the sun. It seemed curious to him that a stone so beautiful and bright should also be cold and inhuman, flawless yet heartless.

“The Pokécenter’s just ahead,” said David, more to reassure the poor Poliwag than inform the others. “Hold on in there, little guy.”

Eve still looked skeptical. “Are you sure about this?” she asked. “I’ve heard public Pokécenters can be really unhygenic.”

But, despite any reservations, the four of them continued. Art was still tinkering with the old Potion dispenser -- he’d fixed the trigger, but now it seemed that the nozzle was blocked. Nick admired his dexterity even whilst on the move.

“You’re gonna need that Poliwag as well,” Art said thoughtfully. “Vash and Dax are great fighters, but they’ll be no match for Valentine’s rock Pokémon. You need something with a type advantage, like a water Pokémon.”

There was a sharp click and he grinned. A squeeze of the Potion’s trigger yielded only a weak puff of droplets, but Art had fixed it after all.

It wasn’t long before the party reached the Pokécentre, another grand affair of architecture that made Nick feel both enchanted and uneasy. It was taller than most, and set high on a marble pedestal of steps that lead up to it from all directions. But the main difference stood either side of the door.

Guarding the entrance to the Pokécenter were two policemen, their Pokémon (a pair of Gravellers) flanked them and stood crunching their rocky muscles with fearsome expressions. The older, and most overweight, of the two policemen walked forwards to meet the group, straightening his helmet as he approached them.

“Afternoon,” he said with the tone of a man who has spent too long in an unrewarding job. “Trainer cards and passports. Unauthorised trainers will be detained.”

“What’s this about?” asked David, reluctant to put down the injured Poliwag. A defiant frown sat on his face. “We need to see a nurse as soon as possible.”

At this, the other policeman, a younger and less world-weary version of the first, moved forwards as well. “Had a bit of an incident earlier today,” he explained. “Group of scoundrels stole something of great value. Orders are to check any trainers using these facilities.” Then, with a touch more warmth. “Be a good lad and show us your papers. Won’t take long.”

But David was still holding the first policeman’s gaze. Two pairs of stubborn eyes were locked in a duel, neither intending to be the first to back down. Eve nudged David with her elbow.

“Let’s just do as he says,” she murmured, gently reassuring Tina whose coils had tightened as the policemen approached. “It’s not like we’ve got anything to hide.”

“Unauthorised trainers will be detained,” repeated the first policeman, eyes still locked on David. The tension in the air was tangible. Almost electric.

“Fine.”

David cradled the Poliwag in one arm and fished the documents from his bag with the other. Art and Eve did the same, but Nick was a different story entirely.

Eve stifled a scream and Art grabbed Nick’s shoulder to steady him. Nick’s face was pale and bloodless, his breath came in ragged bursts and it looked as if he was about to pass out. His lips moved slowly as if he was trying to speak, but only a whisper came out.

“Don’t... feel...” he managed before his knees buckled and he fell towards the stone steps. Eve flinched, imagining the terrible sound of bone meeting marble, but the younger policeman was faster and caught Nick before he hit the floor.

The last words Nick heard before he lost conciousness were those of the younger policeman. “Get these kids inside,” he ordered. “Looks like sunstroke to me.”

But no-one saw the knowing look that David gave the fainting Nick. No-one, that is, except the first policeman.

Jason | Viridian City | Day 1

“My guess is that it might of been a training mission,” Hayden added meekly. “I mean, they have to have rookies come in, they use them for petty crimes, and if anything happens on it they don’t lose any important players.”

“That’s really smart!” Kristine pipped in. “And it also explains why they looked sort of young.”

“But why wouldn’t they have trained them? Or the grunts have higher level Pokemon when they joined?” Jason asked, for once he actually sounded curious and not condescending.

“Maybe their Pokemon don’t always agree with their choice and refuse to help them, so they get new Pokemon, and missions like these are probably how they get those Pokemon.” Sinclair checked his watch. “We should just hurry to the Pokemon Center, though, we’ll need to do some training before the gym.”

“This one is electric, right?” Jason asked.

“Yes,” Hayden said. “I guess Ophelia will be good for this.”

“Is grass good against electric types?” Kritine asked. “I know Peach won’t do very well there.”

“Grass resists it, but does neutral damage to them,” Hayden said.

“You read a lot, right?” Jason turned to look at Hayden.

“Um...y-yeah, why?”

“Well, kid, Jay, learning is only the first part! You gotta risk it sometimes, go for the disadvantage, be the underdog.”

“Also known as be an idiot, which is horrible advice,” Sinclair stated.

“Whatever, Clair, it’s worked for me so far.”

“You’ve one battle, which was because you got lucky with Static, which I bet you didn’t know it had.”

Jason turned away, speeding up his pace.

“All I’m saying it not to have an ego about it, no need to get pissy.”

“Whatever, let’s just get to the Pokemon center.”

Eve helpfully lifted Nick’s hand while Art and David took his shoulders and legs, lifting him inside the building. They were both panting by the top of the stairs.
“Damn, Nick. Why is someone so tiny so heavy?”
“Maybe it’s all the pokemon poop he carries around.” Eve offered, nodding at his full pockets and bag. “Speaking of which, shouldn’t we get out his papers?”
“Uh, I think we should have a nurse look him over first.” David grunted, trying to open the door with his foot. “Eve, could you?”
Eve stepped forward, and pulled open the heavy door. Inside she could see a nurse standing behind the counter, who gasped and stepped forward. “Is that boy alright?”
Eve turned back to David, and dropped her voice. “Wait, you’re going to let a Pokemon nurse treat your friend?” Eve shuddered. It’s bad enough Pokemon get treated here, they probably can’t even do a half-good job with what they know, let alone humans.
David didn’t seem phased, however. “Yeap.”
Eve rolled her eyes, but stepped aside as the nurse hurried over.
“Does he have any pre-existing conditions? A fever? What have you fed him? Have you let him stay in the sun too long?” The nurse even sounded like she was talking about Pokemon.
“No, no, he could have eaten poop for all I know, and probably.” Art answered, lowering Nick’s feet to the ground and straightening back up.
“Poop? I don’t think I want to know.” The nurse clapped her hands, calling two Chansey to her side. “Get a stretcher for this one, please. Then we’ll take him to be checked for sunstroke and shock.” The nurse looked back up at Nick’s companions. “You three wait here. Your friend will be okay, we’ll take good care of him.”
“Thanks, Nurse Joy.” David smiled half-heartedly, watching his childhood friend be carted away. Art seemed more interested in the Chansey. Eve shrugged, and picked what looked like the cleanest seat to occupy. Nurse joy returned a few moments later, and smiled at her.
“Excuse me, miss? Does your Dratini need any healing?”
Eve recoiled, her hands coming up protectively over Tina, as if the Nurse had suggested steaming her and serving her with a selection of summer vegetables.
She struggled to keep her voice calm. “No, thank you. I treat my own Pokemon, and I have a private doctor.” It was hard to keep the venom out of her voice.
The nurse didn’t seem phased, and merely swept away.
Eve was drawn out of her horror by David sitting down heavily next to her, followed by Art on the other side of him.
“So here’s the thing, guys,” David started, “Nick’s in more trouble than he looks.”
“But the nurse said it’s just heatstroke! She’s not that bad at her job, right?”
“No, it’s not that, he’s just got shock.”
“So she is that bad! I knew it-”
“No.” David cut Eve off mid triumphant gush, leaving her confused.
“But you said-”
“It’s got nothing to do with Nurse Joy, Eve.”
“Just tell us.” Art was evidently getting tired of beating around the bush, and looked away from his Pokedex to focus on David.
David took a deep breath. “It’s like this. Remember those exams you took before registering your Pokemon as your own?”
Eve and Art nodded.
“Well,” David continued, voice hushed, “Nick never exactly....passed them.”

Kristine | Vermilion City | Day 1

"Oh, boys," Kristine said, shaking her head, yet a small smile still played on her lips as if they were being silly. Her eyes were wandering all over the city though, completely absorbed, and her voice was distant. "While an advantage is always preferred, you can't judge a Pokemon's strength and ability based on their type."

"Yes, thank you," Jason said, turning around while walking, throwing his hands up toward Kristine in agreement, then back around. "It's racist... or something."

Kristine laughed. Even Hayden played a quiet chuckle, but Sin was quite perturbed and dropped the topic.

They eventually reached the Pokemon Center, which wasn't quite as busy as probably Viridian City was. What trainers in their right minds would venture so far for the start of their gym badge hunting? They did, apparently. Not that Kristine planned to join the tournament, but she certainly knew her friends would, and she wasn't about to just abandon them. Besides, Jason was not the typical trainer like Hayden or Sin, who played more strategically. Jason played with guts, and that was way more fun to watch.

"Why on earth are you so fascinated by this city?" Sin asked as they entered the Pokemon Center. Kristine snapped her attention back to the group. "It's not exactly exciting--"

"Oh, I beg to differ," Kristine said, smiling. "My father travels around and studies Pokemon. This was one of his destinations. He was here for almost a year. It's also when Dad found Peach." Before she could go telling stories, the nurse appeared behind the desk.

"Hello! Welcome to the Pokemon Center. We restore your tired Pokemon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pokemon?"

There were a round of affirmatives from the group, who glanced at each other as they pulled out the Pokemon they needed to drop off. That line sounded very rehearsed.

"Alright, I'll bring them out when I'm finished. Call for me, Nurse Joy, if you need anything!"

A round of thank yous, then everyone seated themselves together in the lounge of the Center. Kristine's hands wrung together, feeling odd without Peach on her shoulder. To distract herself, she looked out the window and all over, wondering just what her dad did here. She was also worried by how Peach would react if they stayed here for a while. They would probably need a rest at some point. Perhaps tonight, depending on how they felt.

"I might send out Gumbo just to watch you squirm," Jason said, bringing Kristine back to the group discussion.

"Your Krabby is a water-type pokemon and would be demolished out on the field in just one blast," Sin argued. "However, if that's really how you're going to go about your gym badge, I'll do you the favor and not brag about how right I was when you lose."

"Thank you for the support."

"Hayden, will you be battling as well?" Kristine asked suddenly. "Or will you have to leave? I suppose we never really asked if you wanted to come with us!"

Hayden looked up at Kristine then the other two boys, who were still casting glances at each other -- Jason seeming to challenge Sin with his eyes for a continuation of their discussion. "I'm not sure. It never really occurred to me to try out for the Indigo Tournament."

"You should give it a shot!" Kristine said. "Your Cubone is fantastic. I'm sure you'd do great!"

"Yeah, your Cubone is pretty good," Jason said, looking to Hayden.

"It's also nice to have in a battle against electric Pokemon," Sin put in. Kristine wasn't sure if he was serious or just pushing Jason's buttons. Maybe both.

Hayden shrugged and was about to reply when the lights flickered. The Pokemon Center went quiet for a minute, waiting to see if the lights would flicker again. When they didn't, the people resumed what they were doing.

Everything went black for a good five seconds this time before coming back on. Kristine looked to the others. Hayden was watching nervously. Jason and Sin were relaxed, still not giving it any thought. Kristine was on the edge of her seat, anxious about her Pokemon.

Then the lights went out again. But this time, they didn't come back on.

Nick | Pewter City | Day 2

Tosech berries always carried vivid dreams, and Nick had eaten two. It wasn't a very good plan. Not good at all. But with a bit of luck it would all... all be...

Nick | Outside Pallet Town | Two years ago

Dust settles.

The evening is hot. The chirping sound of pidgeys in the undergrowth is stifling. A warm breeze shakes the grass. The dry stems rattle in the yellow fields. It is the height of summer and the plants are wilting in the garden.

A farmhouse with flaking white paint and red tiles stands out in the dying sunlight. It shows no signs of life. The curtains are closed, the door is as shut as its warped frame will allow, and the porch is thick with dust.

Nick walks towards the house with weary steps. He’s already looking like a traveller -- the satchel and boots are already there, but it will be another year before he finds the blue jacket.

He reaches the porch and stops, rests against the handrail beside the steps. Some airborne dust catches in his throat and he coughs. The house remains impassively silent. He looks at the empty chair, the only furniture on the porch. It faces North-East, towards Saffron City -- his mother’s idea.

He turns away and walks to the door. The boards groan beneath his feet and he leaves footprints in the dust. The house doesn’t feel like a home to him. It feels like a tomb.

“Mum,” he calls. “I’m home.”

Silence is all that greets him.

He finds her in her bedroom, still breathing. The curtains are drawn tightly and Nick sees the room only in shades of orange. The dust is here too -- she won’t let him clean it -- covering the wardrobe and mirror and the photographs.

She’s had them out again: holiday snaps, family days out, wedding photos. They litter her desk, and then the floor, and then further -- a trail that eventually, inevitably, leads to the bed. There he finds her, body curled, arms clasped around her knees, as if she’s trying, desperately, to hold on to something.

“Mum,” he tries again but, as before, there is no reply. “I’m sorry, Mum. I failed the year.”

As usual, she lets him speak.

“They want to make me resit,” he continues, fresh tears forming in his eyes. “I’ve got to take the year again.”

She has nothing to say to that.

“I don’t think...” he says, gathering courage as he talks. “I don’t think I want to, though. The teachers don’t explain things properly. We just copy out of the textbooks. Surely there’s more to being a trainer than that!”

She is speechless.

“I know, Mum. I know.” He even has the decency to feel ashamed. “But why should I have to pass some stupid exam? It’s not as if anyone checks, right?”

Nothing.

“Thanks, Mum,” he says. “I knew you’d understand.”

He bends over and kisses her on the cheek. She hardly stirs as he pulls up the sheets and tucks her in. It is the most peaceful he ever sees her.

Quietly, Nick picks up the wine bottles and takes them downstairs.

She’ll be better tomorrow. Always the way. In the morning she’ll greet him with a smile and eggs, sunny side up. She’ll ask how school’s going and he’ll make something up. She’ll comment on the state of the house, say it’s time for a Spring clean (even though Spring was half a year ago) and together they’ll sort the whole place out.

The whole place, that is, except for the porch. They’ll leave it ‘til last. But, when the time finally comes, his mother will look out over the great expanse of dust and decay and tell him “it can wait”. Just like it always waits. Then she’ll go inside and open a bottle of wine, and the cycle will begin again. Nick will go for a walk, just to get away from it all, and each time he ventures a little further from home...

Nick glances at the wine bottles. Only two today. Sometimes there are more, but he’s noticed one thing that never changes when he places the bottles on the kitchen counter: she only ever drinks half.