Chapter 1
Here it is, after much wait. After several rewrites, I finally have it...well, I can't say I'm totally pleased with it, but considering the number of times I rewrote the thing I figured it was time to stop worrying about it and post it.
Enjoy^^
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I remember how things used to be, before all this happened. We could all live our lives as normal, not having to worry about whether we would live to see the next day or not. But then, after a few certain events, things started to change.
It all started that day after school. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I sat in my desk, my head leaning against my fist, waiting for the bell to ring. Everyone around me was chattering away about different things- the baseball game tonight, who Timmy was dating, how crushed Samantha had been when Bob had broken up with her, and so on. Of course, these weren't their real names, but I honestly didn't care about it- I found all that stuff pointless. I was more concerned about what was in my bookbag...
As if awaiting my signal, the bell rang at that moment. Everyone quickly grabbed their things and ran outside. I, however, stopped to dig through my bag. Eventually, I found what I was looking for- my Nintendo DS Lite, which held a Pokemon game inside. I stood up, holding the DS in one hand, and slung my bookbag over my shoulder across my back with the other after I made sure that it was closed. I flipped my DS open and turned around, walking as I turned it on-
"You just can't put that thing down, can you, Haru?"
I jumped as someone spoke to me, not aware that anyone else had been in the room. I looked up to see a girl somewhat shorter than me and with long brown hair that went just past her shoulders standing a few steps away from me, smiling. I let out a long sigh.
"Dammit, don't scare me like that, Yuki," I said as I began walking, looking back down at my DS as I walked.
"It wouldn't startle you so much if you weren't so obsessed with those games," she replied, "Seriously, whenever you play those games it's like you go off into another world. I'd been standing in the door waiting for you, you know. I don't get why you wont become a Pokémon Trainer if you like it so much."
"Do you ever shut up?" I asked as I exited the classroom. I was aware of her following me, too. "Besides, I've already told you- I'm not interested in being a Trainer. I like Pokémon, but there are other things I wanna do when I finish school. I'd prefer to just play the games." I stopped walking and turned to face Yuki, looking up from my DS. "And you're one to talk- YOU'RE the one who wants to be a Pokémon trainer, yet you're fourteen and you're still here. Why is that?" I asked. I then turned back around and started walking again, taking notice as I entered a battle with another Trainer on the game.
Yuki sighed. "I've already TOLD you why. I wanted to get a good education before I started my journey. I wanted to at least get through middle school- oh, WILL YOU LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING!" she exclaimed. I was totally absorbed in the game, more focused on the battle than what she was saying. I already knew the answer anyway- I was just making a point. "Hey, HARU! Oh, I HATE it when you do this!" she just kept going on, but I ignored her anyway. The last thing I heard from her before I exited the school was her growling loudly.
I continued down the road, still playing my DS and not really paying attention to where I was going. I didn't really need to, either- by now the way home was mentally programmed into my mind so I could probably get there blindfolded. After awhile though, one thing caught my interest- a small moan from nearby.
I looked up and saw a small yellow Pokémon that had a leaf growing out of it's head. It didn't take me long to recognize it as a Chikorita. However, that wasn't what got me. It was the fact that it was covered with all sorts of cuts and bruises and had dirt and blood smeared all over it that disturbed me. Without hesitation, I ran over to it, closing my DS and placing it in my pocket as I ran. The Pokémon didn't so much as look up as I approached and bent down next to it. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked. No response. I tried to think of what to do. I could run to the Pokémart in town and hope that Chikorita stayed here, or I could take it to the Pokémon Center. I decided that taking it to the Pokémon Center would be better.
"Alright, Chikorita, do you mind if I take you to the Pokémon Center?" I asked. I realized immediately after I asked that question how dumb it sounded, but it was better than just reaching out and grabbing it like most people tend to do. I got no response from it once again. "...Well, alright, here goes-" I said, and I reached out for the Pokémon. Suddenly, it's eyes snapped open. "CHIKA!" it cried as it spun it's leaf around and ran right across my hand. I felt a sharp pain go through my hand. With a swear, I looked at my hand, which now had a long, bleeding gash across it where the leaf had cut it. "Hey, I'm trying to hel-" I began, but it was too late- the Chikorita was no longer there. I stared at the spot where it had lay for a moment, then I stood. "Ah, damn, this hurts..." I said, grasping my hand.
"Hey! Haru!"
I turned around when I heard someone calling my name and saw Yuki running in my direction. I glanced back at where the Chikorita had been and then walked away from that spot. It didn't take long for Yuki to catch up to me. "Hey, what are you doing over here- what happened to your hand?" she asked with a gasp. I tried to cover the wound, but in vain. It was kind of hard to hide something like that anyway. With a sigh, I began to explain what happened.
"Hmmm...it's probably had some bad experiences with humans, or maybe it was just scared." she said.
"Maybe, but...I wonder how it got so beat up?" I said, glancing down at my hand. It was strange...I had never been particularly interested in Pokémon, but why was I suddenly so concerned with this one? I shook the feeling off- it was probably just seeing it in that condition.
"I don't know, but we need to get that hand taken care of," Yuki said. "Come on." With that, she grabbed my woundless hand and began dragging me in the direction of New Bark Town, despite my protests. I took one last glance at that spot, and just before it went out of view, I thought I saw a pair of red and white eyes looking back at me...
