Prolog.

Light spun around me, and glittering glass fell at my feet. The screeching of car tires threw me through the windshield of the car, and I regretted not wearing my belt. When i I looked up, I realized James wasn't with me. He was still in the car. I smelled gasoline, saw the flames, and I panicked. I ran to the window-I think he was still alive...no, I knew he was. Screaming. Why couldn't I hear? Everything was quiet. I tried to tear him out but I had no time. I ran, just as the car exploded. The screams where horrible. I could hear again. All I could register was my best friend screaming.

"Oh god! Help! Luke help me! Don't let me die like this, please, Luke ! Help me! Oh god!"

Then it was real quiet. James was gone. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Why wasn't he still screaming? Where was I? The world tilted and blurred. I blacked out.

"Hey, luke, throw me the ball!"

James and I where, like every Saturday, out in the rain playing basketball. Most people treated their pokemon like pets, but nah, not James. He respected me. More of a bother than pet. I tossed him the ball, and he dunked it, and we both shouted in glee. We never really played for wins, just for fun. As he threw me the ball to me, and I noticed he had several beer bottles off to the side of the court and I gave him a questioning look.

"What? Awh common man I just turned 18, let a brother have some fun!"

I chuckled along with him, yeah he was underage, but not like it matters right? We both groan as his phone rings.

"It's karlah again!"

He shouts to me. Karlahs his girlfriend, and not a good one either. I could swear she always reeks of a new type Cologne every time I see her, and it's weird, cause James dont wear any.

"Yah babe, I-...no, I'm out on the court with Luke...hell no, that isint even a girls name!...you know who he is, the lucario."

James rolls his eyes and I snicker. Karlah wouldn't know a lucario from a human, and she ain't blind, she's just dumb.

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever, tell mom I'll be home later. Yeah...Yes...OKAY...bye."

He hangs up and turns to me.

"Wellp, looks like it's time to head off."

He walks over, pops a beer cap and chugs it. I roll my eyes, but accept one when he offers it. Now, I know what people think. Pokemon are sensitive and can't have human stuff. Well that's a load of bull. I drink the thing just as he finishes, and within half an hour, both of us are somewhat light headed. I think he had more.

"Lets get home pal."

He slaps my back as I grin, and we head for his car. It wasn't anything special, just a beat up old hunkajunk. It was blue, or Atleast it used to be. Now it was light grayish with paint peeling off, and rust all over. But, it still ran, and that's what's important right? I hopped in the passengers seat as James drives. Part of me says he shouldn't be behind the wheel, but hell he ain't had nough to be drunk, right?...

As we speed along the highway, people are honkin at us and we're laughin, cracking up. Everytime someone honks we just laugh harder. How much did we drink anyway? I lost count. Suddenly there's a wall, like it just jumped out in front of us. James is trying to make his foot hit the brakes while I scream.

Light spun around me, and glittering glass fell at my feet. The screeching of car tires sounded and I was thrown through the windshield of the car, and regretted not wearing my belt.I looked up, and realized James wasn't with me. He was still in the car. I smelled gasoline, saw the flames, and I panicked. I ran to the window-I think he was still alive...no, I knew he was. Screaming. Why couldn't I hear? Everything was quiet. James had gotten stuck.. I tried to tear him out but I had no time. I ran, just as the car exploded. The screams where horrible. I could hear again. All I could register was my best friend screaming.

"Oh god! Help! Luke help me! Don't let me die like this, please, Luke! Help me! Oh god!"

He screamed for a long...long time. Then it was quiet. real quiet. James was dead. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Why wasn't he still screaming? Where was I? The world tilted and blurred. I blacked out.

A broken rib. That's all I had. One measly little broken rib. I woke up on black pavement just as the police sirens and ambulance arrived. But..James had been pronounced dead on the scene, and i was taken to a hospital. One little rib broken..that's it. It wasn't even a bad break. I remember crying. I cried a lot. At first I didn't even realize he was gone, I was expecting him to limp into the room any moment, but instead James mother, Riley walked in, her eyes red from crying. She told me what I already knew. James burned to death in that car. I didn't say anything. What was there to say? He was dead. But...why.

I was discharged from the hospital the following morning. I didn't say anything, didn't look at anyone. I just couldn't. It hurt so much. There was so much I should have done to prevent it, but I didn't. I knew he shouldn't have been drinking. Hell, I shouldn't have been. But I didint say anything, I just went along with it. James died because I was a bad friend. I didn't stop him. It's my fault...

I laid there in bed for hours, just looking at the ceiling. Below me, my best friends empty bunk sat untouched from when he was last in here less then thirty hours before. It's hard to believe he's dead. His scent even still lingers in the room. I can't get him out of my head, he's everywhere. The smells, the sights the sounds. It's all reminding me of him. Renewing my guilt. Why did I survive, and he have to die? I'm just a pokemon, he could get along without me. But he had such a bright future, he maybe woulda married karlah and had a dumb kid like she is, or a smart one like he was. So much coulda-shoulda happened. But now it can't because of of MY mistake. What kind of friend am I?

Despite the pain, I returned to the school James went to. I always went with him. They didn't even cancel school for a day. But, there where grief counselors there. They wanted us to 'share' our feelings. Hah. What really helped I felt was the part where we got to sit together in circles, talk about it. Though, I didn't talk-I couldn't. I nodded, I cried, I mourned. In the end I felt I was better for it. Maybe I can get through this...but it's only the beginning.