Sorry about all these bizarre yet short fics I've been throwing out lately. I've been in a weird mood.
This one is about Gary Oak. He learns exactly who it was his father died saving in that fatal fore so many years ago.
Not Afraid to Hate
By PikaCheeka
The pale boy nervously drummed his fingers on the desk top as he waited. He brushed his brown hair from his eyes and sighed once before falling silent.
The librarian finally turned to him. "Yes?"
"You have old newspapers here, right?"
"Yes..."
"Do you have any about the Viridian Fire about ten years ago?"
"I believe so. My, that was a terrible fire. I think only one man died though."
The boy nodded.
"Can you remember who?"
He shook his head.
"Is this for school?"
He nodded again, though hesitantly.
"Where do you live?"
"Pallette."
"Name?"
"Gary." He said simply, no hint of a last name.
"Okay, hold on a minute." She walked off to the back of the room and turned a corner.
Gary sighed again and leaned against the counter. It wasn't for school at all. And he knew only one man died, he even knew who it was. But what would a few little lies hurt? Was it the lady's business what his last name was either? No.
Three minutes later, she appeared again. "There were several different days, but this one had the largest article."
He glanced at the headline. 'MYSTERIOUS FIRE WIPES OUT A SIXTH OF VIRIDIAN CITY'. It was the right paper. He had been only three when he saw it, but he knew it was right. He picked it up and headed toward a nearby table.
Within a second, he was pouring over the article, trying to find a name there. There it was.
Thirty-one year old Gary Oak Junior, a well-loved fireman from the town of Pallette, was one of the many who saved a life that day. He only saved one, but this cost him his life...the only life lost in the whole fire. This was a surprise, actually, for so many people were involved and injured.
This was the wrong paper. He, in a frenzy, opened it up to the next page. Who did his father save? Who? He had to know.
Four-year-old Misty Waterflower was the lucky girl saved by Mr. Oak that day. She was also the worst crisis. The moment she was outside, she began crying for her stuffed animal, a Clefairy in a little blue blouse. Oak returned to the building for the wailing child and never returned....
The paper went on. Gary gripped it harder. No, that wasn't true! His father hadn't even died saving someone's life! He had died saving a stupid stuffed animal for a selfish girl. What was her name? Misty? Misty Waterflower?
Now he had a reason to hate her.
A reason.
A reason to hate her, a reason to Ash, a reason to hate the world.
The world had taken his father away.
And he was not afraid to hate.