[Pokémon] [SWC] Final 'Memory'

Notes: This is my entry for the 2014 Get Together Small Writing Contest, and is what results when you combine (a) the prompt of "rivals" for the contest, (b) my frustration at the one thing (well actually four) that kept Pokemon X and Y from being truly great games, and (c) too much watching documentaries about cult leaders like Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Warren Jeffs. If this sounds like a horrifying combination, well then.. :P

I may or may not use this as a base for a short chaptered story, which will invariably involve my character Lisa investigate the goings-on presented here.


A girl with sandy blonde hair exited the gatehouse into the sprawling metropolis known as Lumiose City, having emerged from the dusty wasteland of Route 13. Looking in either direction at the curved expanse of North Boulevard, the girl thought, I've finally made it back into town. First a well deserved rest, then I've got to buy some stylin' new clothes! First to the Pokemon Center...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a now too-familiar voice.

"S-kins!"

Oh God, not this annoying little piece of crap again...

A short girl with a rather deep tan ran up to her. "Hey, S-kins! I heard they finally restored power to the town, and they're going to have a lighting ceremony at Prism Tower! Let's go!"

The taller girl made her way down North Boulevard, ignoring the newcomer. But she was stopped in her tracks when she heard "S-kins!" again, this time in a high-pitched scream. She spun around, her teeth and fists clenched, glaring menacingly at the one who was annoying her.

"IT'S SERENA, YOU INCOMPETENT NIMROD! S-E-R-E-N-A! I swear, call me 'S-kins' one more freaking time and I'm going to blow a gasket!"

The other girl looked on in fear and surprise, but persisted. "Okay, okay! Anyway, let's go see the lighting of Prism Tower!"

Serena reached into the deep pockets on her red skirt and pulled out a Glock 22 pistol. Pointing the weapon at her adversary, she growled, "How about not? Listen, Shauna, I have had just about all I can take of your bovine excrement, and that's putting it nicely!"

Terrified, Shauna stammered, "But...But... It'll be another memory we can share together!"

Serena facepalmed with one hand, while keeping the gun trained on Shauna with the other. "Really? Creating 'memories' together? What kind of asinine drivel do you constantly spew from your hole?"

Receiving no response, Serena continued, "Listen, I never wanted to associate with you at all. You showed up at my doorstep uninvited with What's-His-Name like a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses. You practically forced me to meet your other two friends! You give me this ridiculously stupid nickname and then the others catch onto it like they caught some sort of viral infection! Then you practically latch onto me like a parasitic worm and you STILL haven't released me from your hold. That all ends today!"

"But... but... I'm just training along with you..."

"Then why the hell do you keep finding me and annoying me? Do your own thing!"

"Because... I thought you would be a good friend and rival..."

Shauna was interrupted by Serena laughing hysterically. "Friend AND rival?! Please, give me a freaking break! Anyone with half a brain knows those two words are mutually exclusive! And you fail in both regards! 'Unrequited friendship,' maybe. But you style of trying to force a friendship onto me isn't working too well on my end. And 'rival?' That's even more laughable! You've battled me, what, once? I hardly think that counts! Compare that with Leaf, the legendary trainer from Kanto. I'm sure you've heard stories of her exploits. Her rival constantly battled her nearly every time they met, and he didn't even try to pretend he was friends with her. You could learn a lot from him as far as what a real 'rival' is supposed to be like..."

Serena was interrupted by a black Lincoln Town Car pulling up. As a tall older woman in a black business suit got out of the huge luxury sedan, Serena remarked, "Oh, good, she's here."

The woman walked up to Shauna and pulled a folder out of her briefcase. "Greetings. My name is Allison Stark, attorney representative for Ms. Serena A. Lowe. I'm here to serve you with a court-ordered restraining order forbidding you from being within five hundred feet of my client. It is being issued based on my client's allegations of harassment and stalking, and evidence in my possession which substantiates those claims, including videos she recorded of past encounters with you that she forwarded to me. Not to mention the fact that I'm observing you currently harassing my client. You are also forbidden from any phone or online contact with her, and this specifically includes calls using the Holo Caster device."

As the attorney handed her papers over to Shauna, Serena looked on, smirking with her arms folded across her chest. Shauna protested, "But she pulled a gun on me!"

"Because of your constant harassment!" Serena dug into her pink handbag and pulled out a piece of paper. Showing it to her nemesis, she said, "One thing I love about Kalos – concealed-carry permits are ridiculously easy to obtain, and the minimum age is only eight."

The attorney, Ms. Stark, instructed Shauna, "Now that I've officially served this restraining order to you, you have one hour to put the required distance between yourself and my client. Have a nice day." Turning to Serena, she asked, "Ma'am, do you need a ride anywhere?"

"No thanks, Ms. Stark. Please, find the other three I've also issued restraining orders against and serve them with the orders. I'm sure they're somewhere in this city; they never cease to be only a stone's throw away, sadly."

"Very well. I look forward to meeting with you again should the need arise." As the attorney got back in her car and drove off, Serena was now left facing Shauna, who was looking at the ground, her shoulders hunched, not willing to make eye contact.

Serena remarked, "Looks like this is the last 'memory' we 'create together,' thank God. But don't worry, I'll leave you with a parting gift. After all, you won't be needing to call me on this thing again!" She took an electronic device from her skirt pocket, threw it on the concrete sidewalk, and crushed it beneath her foot. "Enjoy my old Holo Caster! I certainly won't miss it!" Turning around, Serena walked away, laughing.

Finally, I'm free! Free to do whatever I want without constantly looking over my shoulder. And no more having to hear 'S-kins!' Maybe I should start looking for an actual rival. Perhaps I'll ask that Team Flare scientist I met in the Power Plant if she wants to fulfill that role. Surely she must be better than the idiots I've had to put up with so far. But now, time for some rest and then some well-deserved shopping!

As soon as Serena was out of sight, Shauna pulled out her own Holo Caster. Without a hint of sadness or depression, she turned on the device. Speaking in a calm, though slightly annoyed tone, she said, "Brother Calem, it's me, Sister Shauna. We've got a problem. The target, Serena, just issued me a restraining order and she's got a lawyer coming after you three. Abort the mission. Return to Aquacorde so we can regroup and try to find a new starting trainer we can befriend and hopefully indoctrinate into our fold."

A male voice answered, "Damn. I really thought this Serena girl would be an easy mark. She was new to the region and everything. Anyway, the three of us will return to Aquacorde to rendezvous with you and plan our next move. We really need to recruit more people into our group, otherwise the Prophet will not be pleased with us. This is Brother Calem, over and out."

Meanwhile, inside Lumiose's fashion boutique, Serena was happily browsing through fancy, formal-looking clothes, blissfully unaware that she had just avoided being drawn into a sinister scheme and had dodged a major bullet.

Not knowing much about the XY games, I still got a pretty good idea of how annoying Shauna must have been. xP I read up about her after finishing this, and I have to sympathize a bit with Serena's frustration. The gun was a bit extreme, but after reading the whole thing, I guess its sets the tone you were intending. The ending was my favorite part. I always love twists like that, when the seemingly innocent characters have something up their sleeves. xP I can see a nice mini mystery series developing from this. Right now, this is obviously you venting your frustration, but if it were a part of a larger story that included more development of both the characters, it could be a really effective scene.

Not knowing much about the XY games, I still got a pretty good idea of how annoying Shauna must have been. xP I read up about her after finishing this, and I have to sympathize a bit with Serena's frustration.

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It's even worse if you actually play the game. Imagine, you're trying to get to the next area in the game and you're interrupted by someone who appears to have the maturity level of a toddler (asinine, childish dialogue and idiotic nicknames) and get dragged somewhere in the opposite direction of where you're trying to get to.

The gun was a bit extreme, but after reading the whole thing, I guess its sets the tone you were intending. The ending was my favorite part. I always love twists like that, when the seemingly innocent characters have something up their sleeves.

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But guns (and cars) are an integral part of any story written by me :P And at the point in the game where this takes place, I wanted so desperately to actually use a gun on her.

And I'd like to mention my opinion that people aren't that nice unless they have ulterior motives and/or want something from you. I was disappointed that they didn't turn out to be members of some weird cult in the game. Even more disappointed that they were still alive in the end instead of drinking poison-laced Kool-Aid...

xP I can see a nice mini mystery series developing from this. Right now, this is obviously you venting your frustration, but if it were a part of a larger story that included more development of both the characters, it could be a really effective scene.

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Thanks for reading! Right now I have a lot of convention-related stuff on my plate, but my brain might come up with an idea revolving around Lisa investigating this cult sometime in the future :)