March 2017 Contest
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The sun faded through the blinds of the Pokemon centre window, leaving me and the lobby in a cold darkness. The only light was the large bank of computer screens as well as the large healing device near the front desk, it's cold and mechanic hum being the only noise my ears could listen too.
I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently and held my head in my cut and scared hands, my lips trembling from both the cold and the pain from recent events. I felt my knees beginning to jump and I sat up, looking around to anything that could distract me.
No one was in the centre apart from me and I didn't feel like reading the 'latest' magazines from a year ago abandoned on waiting areas dirty coffee table.
I took my red and white baseball cap off of my head and revealed my black hair to anyone who was watching. I ran my fingers through it and slapped my forehead with my palm, leaning and falling back onto the sofa.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled, whispered. "It's all my fault." I said clearly but with the faintest of sobs hiding in my throat. Tears I had been fighting back beginning to rise and reveal themselves. I wiped my eyes and stood up for a reason which I immediately forgot.
I want to go home. I want to go home and never leave the safety of Pallet town, the safety of that little red brick house, the safety of childhood. I didn't even notice the large twin doors opening, or the person coming in searching for me.
"I'm sorry..."
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"Well, Red. Who are you going to choose?" The Professor asked with a warm smile. He turned towards the table with the three PokeBalls and
I slowly approached the table, gazing at the white and red PokeBall in the centre.
"Charmander, I choose Charmander." I couldn't hold back the smile as I lifted the ball in the air, its brilliant white and red paint glistening in the light from the Laboratory.
"Good choice." Professor Oak said, pleasantly patting my back and beaming a smile. "Now, why don't you take Charmander outside and get to know him a little more." I nodded like a ten year old and the Professor laughed. "Oh Red? Remember what I told you."
"Of course." I said tapping the top of my red baseball cap. "Thank you Professor."
"Be safe Red. I don't want your mother worrying." He shouted as I waved him goodbye and exited the Lab, straight into the path of a young girl...
"Oh sorry!" I apologised offering a hand to the girl who I just knocked over onto the dirty floor. "I was so distracted I didn't see you coming and..."
She got up and looked at me with huge curious brown eyes, matching her glowing and flowing brown hair which fell beyond her small shoulders and down her back. Her pretty and face and button noes screwed up slightly as she gazed at me.
"No worries." She said with a sweet smile. "I see you here to get your starter too." Her head bounced towards my PokeBall.
"Y-Yeah."
She smiled a knowing smile and giggled slightly. "I'm Leaf." I slowly and hesitantly shook her hand, my palms sweating like I was locked in a room full of Dragonites. "Nice to meet you."
"I-I'm Red."
"Red? Cool name." I couldn't help jut smile as she walked past me and gave me a brief wave with her fingers. "Bye Red. Have fun."
"Bye." I said as she approached the Professor and giggled cutely at the table full of Pokemon. I felt the PokeBall jump as I stared at her and I immediately turned to it.
"Hi. I'm Red." I said to the warm and glowing PokeBall. "I guess I am your trainer?" It bounced again, a weirdly happy bounce, if that's even possible. "I guess I should give you a name?" It rolled around my fingers and I couldn't help but laugh. "What about roller?" It jumped furiously at me and I laughed loudly again. "Okay, how about..." I put my finger to my chin and smiled. "How about...."
"...Firestorm?"
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"Red...?" A sweet voice called out towards me, I already knew who it was and neglected to answer. "Hey..." Leaf said slowly. Brushing and pulling her red skirt down she sat next to me and titled her head so she could see my face, her hand reached onto my back and I instantly tightened from the contact. "I heard what happened. I'm sorry, Red."
"It's my fault." I mumbled looking away from those big brown eyes. She shook her head and brushed a strand of her chocolate hair behind her ear.
"Don't say that."
"You weren't there." I snapped at her. "You just... don't understand."
Her smiled faded to a frown and she took a deep breath. "Red." She whispered, her hand gently hovering and landing in my own. "He's going to be okay." Her sweet smile wasn't even enough to make me feel better. I took of my hat and stood up, leaving her on the sofa and throwing the hat onto the marble floors of the Pokemon centre.
"No, he's not."
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"Bite!" The Squirtle jumped into the air and landed on the exhausted Firestorm, sinking its sharp teeth into the side of the young and battered Charmanders neck.
"Storm!" I shouted desperately as the Charmander let out a loud roar, screaming almost at the pain. The flame of its tale wasn't glowing anymore, it was fading fast and I grabbed the PokeBall from my belt and returned Firestorm in a flash of white light.
I stood their for a second as Gary smirked mercilessly at me; returning his own Pokemon he turned around and waved a hand back to me, laughing. "Unlucky Red, maybe next time, probably not." He disappeared into the tree line and left me alone in the clearing.
I looked down to the PokeBall I clutched between my fingers and I released the injured Pokemon onto the grassy floor, grabbing one of the healing potions and rubbing the wounds on his neck and legs. "I'm sorry boy." I said hopelessly rubbing the wounds in with the creamy substance. "I'm not good enough for you."
He turned his head and fixed his big blue eyes on me, his warm breath feeling strangely chilled as it reached my neck. He formed a sort of smile and a small tongue approached my tongue and licked my cheek.
"You did good boy." I said picking in up in my arms and letting him snuggle into my chest, his head resting onto my shoulder. "I'm the one who needs to do better..."
"...and I promise I will."
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"Red..." Leaf pleaded from the sofa, standing up and picking up the hat on the sticky and dirty floor, clutching it too her chest. "You can't give up."
I turned back to her and my hands formed fists as I refused to look at her. "Leave me alone." I mumbled pathetically.
"But..."
"Leave. Me. Alone." I snapped at her, she frowned and bowed her head at me, turning away and slowly walking out of the centre.
As the doors closed I instantly felt guilty and I fell against the Pokemon centres plain and boring white walls, sinking my head into my knees and hiding from the outside world.
That was until the emergency room door was flung open.
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"That was amazing." I said in awe at the proud Firestorm. He puffed out his orange chest and raised his head high in the air, overlooking the small city with pride of his achievements. "I can't believe how awesome you are." I stroked his head and laughed. "I'm so glad I chose you."
He gave me a you-should-be look and earning a well deserved laugh from me. He tilted his head to the side and moved his little arms to just below his neck, holding his pride high on his stomach patch and waving his tail high in the air, that glowing flame brighter then ever.
"You deserve a treat." I said with a smirk. "What do you fire-types eat again?" His eyes widened as I waved him away with a motion of the hand. "I'm joking. How about some chilli's or something?" He nodded excitedly and let out a a ridiculously cute squeak.
He looked at me, saying 'I love you' with a simple look. Big blue eyes filling with fire and his small ears flapping in the breeze, the fiery tongue sticking out slightly and his nostrils letting it steam.
"Love you too, boy."
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"Nurse?" I shouted towards the middle aged women exiting the large double doors leading to the operating room. "Any news?" I mumbled to her. She simply shook her head and walked away, leaving me alone in the waiting room once again.
I paced for what felt like hours, thinking, hoping, remembering. It wasn't until the door opened again and a familiar ginger haired boy walked toward me with a slightly less arrogant smirk then usual. He adjusted his blue jacket and stopped, staring at me with wide emerald eyes.
I looked pathetic.
Grass and other strains covered my usually clean red jacket and my light blue trousers where almost green and black from the journey I was taking, one which I knew could end today, right now.
"Red." Gary said with almost worry in his eyes. "You finally realised how much you suck then?"
"Not now Gary." I snapped turning away from him and letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. "Get lost."
"Not gonna happen." He snapped back walking towards me quickly and turning me around with my shoulder. "What the hell where you thinking?! Trying to fight Rocket like that?"
"They needed to be stopped."
"Not by you." He said ramming a finger into my shoulder and pushing me back. "The first rule of being a trainer is knowing when you can't win!" He shouted with a growl. "But you never did know when to quit." He said slowly, turning around and folding his arms. "The Professor trusted you to look after that Poke-"
"I know!" I shouted at him. "I know he did! I know I failed!" I screamed at him. "And I don't need you to remind me!"
"Maybe you do." He said throwing a backpack onto the floor and storming out of the Pokemon centre without even a look back.
I slowly, hesitantly walked over towards the bag and lifted up the familiar black straps of my backpack, resting it onto the nearby sofa and bring my hands to my head.
"Maybe i do..."
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"Red!" I heard a familiar voice call from the nearby bridge. "Hey Red!"
I turned and looked towards the bridge, the glowing sun making my hand join the top of my hat as I gazed towards the small figure on the bridge waving happily at me.
Leaf?
"Wait there!" She said brushing her hair behind her small ears and running through a small crowd of people towards me, panting as she reached my feet. "I've been looking for you everywhere." She said putting her hands onto her bare knees and breathing heavily.
"Are you okay?" I said tilting my head slightly to the side. She stopped and went slightly red before turning to anyone but me.
"Yeah. Yeah." She mumbled with a half giggle.
"What's up?" I said raising an eyebrow at the strange girl.
"Oh, nothing." She waved a hand at me and then quickly bit her lip. "W-Well, I was wondering how you where getting on with your journey. I imagine you have been up to all sorts since Vermillion Gym."
"Yeah, I guess." I said putting my hands into my pockets, making sure she couldn't see the sweat pouring out of them. "Mostly training with Firestorm. How is Bobby?" She smiled sweetly, taking out her white and red PokeBall and waving it towards me.
"Great, hopefully he's going to evolve soon. We'll have to see." She placed it back into her bag and awkwardly shuffled around, looking over her shoulder at anything but me.
"So," I said with a weird smile. "How's your Pokedex?"
"Great. Your's?"
"Good, Thanks." I bit the inside of my cheeks and let out a silent sigh. "You seen Gary at all? I heard he beat this gym already and is-"
"Gary?" She said rolling her eyes. "Oh Gary!" She couldn't have smiled more. "He invited me to this circus a few days ago."
I died inside a little, I'll admit.
"Oh, good." I said turning away and hiding my disappointment. "Well, have a good time."
"Red...?" I turned back. "Look after yourself." I couldn't help but smile as she waved with her fingers and I walked away.
"You too."
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It must nearly be morning. I couldn't even be bothered to look up towards the pink circular clock in the wall. I'd spent all my energy pacing around the room and telling myself everything is going to be okay, which seemed less and less likely with ever passing hour.
I closed my eyes and leaned back into my chair, hoping against hope that no one would disturb me and I would just let myself fall asleep. I felt the edges of my hat glide up my hair and sink over my eyes so all I could see was the white and black fabric inside.
Suddenly my eyes shot open to the sound of Nurse Joy entering the main lobby and looking at me with her big and welcoming purple eyes.
"Red, sweetie?" She said walking towards me and bending down slightly. "Do you want a room?"
"No." I replied. "Thank you."
"Honey, you really need to get some rest. If not for yourself then for him." She spoke warmly and almost soothed the pain. "Please, at least let me get you a hot drink. Something to eat?"
"Please." I whispered to her as she wandered over to the desk.
"Oh, and Red." I snapped my eyes towards the kind Nurse who smiled at me. "He's going to be okay..."
H-He's going to be okay?
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"Stop it." I snapped at the giggling Charmander. "I do not."
He nodded with his big orange and red head, giggling like a schoolgirl and snorting out fire as I blushed a bright red.
"I don't like her." I said in a hushed growl. He simply giggled again and burped out some fire at me. "She would never like me anyway!" I said throwing my arms around. "Gary's taking her on an date! I have no chance now."
This time Firestorm didn't giggle, in fact he raised an non existent eyebrow up at me and folded his arms furiously.
"What?"
He roared out a quick breath of fire but kept his glare. "What are you saying?" Another burst of fire was directed at me. "Hey! It's not my fault I can't speak flipping fire!"
He roared and jumped onto my shoulder, the force of his stubby feet nearly sending me flying as I struggled to steady myself. "Calm down boy!" I moaned as I clung onto the nearby wall. "What's wrong with you?" I asked as he titled his head to the side and smacked me with his forehead. "Ouch!" I said rubbing the impact.
He jumped down and motioned his head and tail towards the many lights in the distance, signalling the circus that was thriving in the background. "You really think I have a shot?"
He nodded and almost smiled at me.
"Well, no harm in trying?" I said with a shrug.
"As long as I got you; we can do anything."
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"Morning." I heard a sweet voice sing from next to me. "How you feeling?" Leaf asked with a smile which could rival Nurse Joys.
"L-Leaf?" I stumbled out, rubbing my weary eyes from the grit of sleep.
"Who else would it be?" She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I told you I would be here for you. Even if you did upset me a little." She turned away and rubbed the soul of her shoe into the sticky floor.
"I'm sorry-"
"Enough about that." She said clapping her hands together. "I figured I better stick around. Just in case..." She trailed off and shook her head. "There's someone that wants to see you."
"He's awake?"
"Perfect health." She said squeezing my hand and making me blush. "I told you he's going to be fine." She said laughing at my sheepish reaction. "A leaf is always right, especially this one." She sang with a raised finger, as always.
"Thank you." I replied with a beaming smile. "Your a good friend."
"So are you, when your not being cranky." She poked my chest and giggled as I tried to move away but knocked a bunch of newspapers onto the floor. I gazed at the arrivals causing me and Leaf to frown as I turned back to her sad face.
"They took over Lavender Town?"
"Don't worry about them." She said standing up and offering me a hand. "There's someone that wants to see you..."
I was dragged through a few corridors before I entered a room and gazed through the glass which separated me from Firestorm. "Storm." I whispered pressing my noes against the glass.
He chirped happily and all my doubts, all the things I fought I had done, all the feelings of betrayal I thought he would have felt vanished instantly.
"Hey boy!" I said picking him up in my arms and earning a big kick from his baking hot tongue. "I missed you so much." I said as I clutched him close to my chest. He squeaked again and I couldn't help but smile.
"I'm never going to let anyone hurt you ever again." I whispers to him earning another lick.
"I promise."
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