Mew: This is one of the strangest, most erratic things I've ever written. Completely on the fly, although I had three prompts. This is dedicated to bladewielder05... Sorry this is so late! Haha. I own nothing but my three OC's. Two of which star in my (will be) revised story, Friendship and Betrayal. The third guy? Random add on. Hehe. Please read and enjoy~
A Mournful Time
It's the 31st of December, 2000. As always, it's cold in Snowpoint City, but today, the snow seems softer than usual, perhaps even prettier than the nicest days in the figurative summer. It falls gently, and all the children are out playing while the sun shines. They're where they're supposed to be.
They're out in the sun, not shadows, laughing, not glazed over in sorrow.
My name's Jaden Gizmo. And this is my story.
Earlier this morning... December 31st, 2000.
"Ah... Good morning..." My sister yawned as she walked out of the hallway and into the kitchen in her silvery white nightgown, footsteps quiet on the tiled floor. She blinked at me blearily as she stood in the doorframe, trying to clear the last clouds of sleep from her head.
"Good morning," I said mechanically, stirring my spoon in my bowl of milk and soggy cereal. I had been sitting at the kitchen table for the past ten minutes with that bowl of milk and cereal, and I hadn't eaten a bite of it. I did so now, with slight distaste.
"Brother, if that's been sitting for more than a few minutes, you shouldn't eat it." She walked over to the cabinet to pull out a bowl, setting it on the table with a clink.
"It doesn't matter to me Regina," I said tiredly. I scooped up the last mouthful before shoving my chair back to stand up. I turned around quickly as the chair nearly tipped over, making a last second save. I breathed out a sigh of relief.
Regina giggled at my antics as I straightened the chair. She brushed back shoulder length brown hair before reaching for the Cheerio box on the shelf opposite the bowls. I watched her tip it into her hand with a skillful flick of her wrist, before turning away.
"Mom and Dad left already," I informed her. She nodded.
"I know," She said simply. Regina must have heard the outside door open and close then. She poured a little bit of her chosen cereal into her bowl and plopped a spoon down into it. Grabbing a half pint carton of milk from the 'fridge, she sat down at the table.
"I'm going to take a shower," I called over my shoulder as I walked down the dim hallway. Boxers and a t-shirt were not good street clothes to wander around in Snowpoint City, no matter how warm it was in the house. Besides, I had bedhead. As girly as this sounded, I needed to be presentable before I headed outside.
I toweled my hair off, spraying droplets of water every which way as I shook my head violently, making my short hair stand up in spikes, which it usually did upon drying. I ran a hand through the top of my hair, pulling it upwards inadvertently.
"Where's a comb when you need one?" I said aloud to myself, rummaging through the bathroom cabinet. Nothing in there besides the random boxed toothbrush and medicine. I sighed nosily, reaching for my jacket and pulling it on, tossing the towel aside as I did so.
I shoved open the bathroom door with my foot, ruffling the last of the water out of my hair. I left damp footprints down the carpeted hall as I walked to my room.
Seeing as I already had jeans on, but nothing else, I reached for a gray thermal long sleeve shirt, pulling it over my head. I considered my array of jackets before choosing a medium thickness one, olive green in color. I grabbed that, before snatching up a pair of socks and hopping down the hall, I pulled them on.
"Brother!" I heard Regina yell down the hallway. "Jaden Gizmo, you better have a good explanation when I get down there!"
I wondered what in the absolute world she was talking about when she stormed out of her room, slamming the door. She was wearing a blue jacket, zipped up tight. I didn't know what was on underneath – don't you dare look at me like that, that's my sister, - but I supposed either a white or light blue shirt. She wore a black scarf, and my heart sunk.
"Oh," I said rather lamely. "It's... I forgot." I stuttered at last, as Regina pushed me back slightly, shoving an identical scarf at me. She huffed at me impatiently.
"How could you forget?" She about shrieked in my ear as she stalked off to the kitchen. I rubbed the back of my still damp hair, following her.
"Alright, I'm sorry!" I insisted, grabbing a pack of matches and some sticks of incense. "It's just... You know, alright?" I sighed again quietly, looking at the items in my hands forlornly before pushing my body into motion again.
"I know," Regina replied quietly. She had a small bouquet of white roses in her hand, as well as a backpack. "Let's go."
"It looks like no one's been here in forever."
I breathed out, a misty cloud of vapor forming in front of my face and trailing as I walked quietly past gravestones covered in snow and moss. Regina crunched through the ankle high white powder behind me.
I glanced at the names, although my attention span was short. I was only looking for one name. Ah, there it was.
Jayson Rider, born December 31st, 1984, died December 31st, 1998.
I dropped to my knees in front of the half snow and moss covered headstone, brushing it off gently. I pulled back my hood, and white flakes started to land in my hair. I ignored it.
I shuffled over a bit so Regina could sit down, laying the flowers in front of headstone as she did so. Her shoulders were slumped, and her hood pulled over her bowed head. I placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder – I didn't deal with crying girls much. How did I know my twin was crying? She was my twin for Arceus's sake. That's how. Or was it?
"Let's light the incense," I murmured, laying down the candles on my lap and striking a match to light the first candle.
Wordlessly, Regina took a candle and a match, striking it against her nail to light it. She placed the candle in the snow, and the wax dripped down, forming perfect circles of hardened wax in the snow.
"Oh Jayson..." She sighed, pushing back her hood. Reaching out with a pale hand, she brushed off the rest of the moss, sitting back on her heels now. Regina smiled wistfully as I glanced at her from the side of my eye. Her eyes, more inclined to be hazel instead of gray like mine, glimmered.
"I know," I said quietly. "Remember that day? That battle?" I smiled. "Even though he knew we're the best tag team in Snowpoint City... I suppose he always had the bravery to take us on."
Regina smiled with watery eyes. "Yeah..." She said quietly. "I remember."
Early afternoon... October 25th, 1997.
"Are you sure you're okay Jayson, being out of the hospital? Don't you have therapy?"
Jayson smiled wanly, pulling out his Pokeballs. "Of course," he said, adjusting his snow cap. I knew underneath that cap that he was bald – chemotherapy to cure his disease had stolen his long blonde locks as well as a good portion of his dignity.
"Being out here, even in the biting wind and snow, it's much better than being in the hospital. I never want to see that cursed place again." Jayson scowled slightly, and Regina smiled.
"Of course you'd say that Jay," she said cheerfully. "Are you sure you want to battle us though?"
Jayson smiled graciously back at her. I sighed at their sappiness. Jayson was our best friend, but lately, they had been going past the boundaries we had set. They were testing the shallows, mainly hand holding, sitting close together. I didn't mind... Much. It was slightly disturbing, seeing my best friend and twin sister getting together.
"Jaden? Jaden, snap out of it already, will you?" Regina snapped her fingers in front of my nose. I blinked in surprise, before smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry," I apologized, turning to Jayson. "We were going to battle here, right?" Currently, we were just outside the city of Snowpoint, where the snow wasn't too deep, and the constant blizzards weren't too bad.
Jayson nodded. "I think I'll fight with my oldest friends today." He grinned suddenly, pulling gloved hands out of his blue winter jacket. He held a Luxury Ball in his right, and a Heal Ball in the other. It clicked as to which Pokemon he was going to use – and by the look on Regina's face, she did too.
"So, Dusk and Dawn this time around?" Regina said lightly.
Jayson nodded. "I've known these two for a long time... And you know that. Don't play innocent, alright?" He smiled back slightly, grinning at me. "So, I assume you'll battle with Short-stock and Sasha? Wind-helm and Kiri?"
I looked at Regina, nodding. "Neither!" I declared. Jayson raised an eyebrow, gesturing for me to go on. "We will battle with Ari and Mana. We're not looking to win Jayson – we're looking to have a fun time."
Jayson laughed. "I see. Well then..." He backed off slightly to make room for a suitable battlefield before Regina raised a hand.
"Let's change the weather," my twin suggested. I frowned, before ahh-ing.
"You're thinking what I'm thinking?" I pulled out a Great Ball.
Regina rolled her eyes. "It's the other way around Brother," she sighed, although she nodded. "Go, Cloud!"
"Visor, let's go!"
Two Castforms appeared, one slightly larger than the other. That was my Castform, Visor. Although he was the larger one, he was more docile, pressured into submission by the far more aggressive Cloud. Cloud, Regina's female Castform, could easily push Visor, my male one, into doing what she wanted. No matter what Visor did to placate her... Nothing seemed to temper that aggressive Castform.
I pulled two Heat Rocks out of my pack, handing one to Regina. "Here," I said calmly, giving the other for Visor to hold.
"Now, Sunny Day!" I commanded.
"Sunny Day!" Regina echoed me, handing her Heat Rock to Cloud.
Two bright orbs of flaring fire shot into the sky, before the clouds opened up to reveal a glaring hot day. I sweated, taking off my outer winter things, but keeping my light brown jacket on. Regina mimicked me, as well as Jayson.
"Now, we battle." Regina said. Regina and I backed away as Jayson did the same, before we had a decently sized crisp snow field to battle on.
"Ari, let's go!" I shouted. Ari, my beloved female Luxray appeared, lashing her tail and baring her fangs. She stopped when she saw Jayson, running up to him before giving a loving growl.
"Back Ari," I said. "I know, you're happy to see Jayson, but today, we're battling, okay?"
Ari whined, but did as she was commanded, loping to my side. I gave her a pat on the head in turn.
"Go, Mana!" Regina said, tossing out her female Raichu. Mana ran around happily, rolling in the snow, making Raichu shaped impressions on the snow field. Jayson smiled.
"Dusk, Dawn, let's battle!" Jayson's Mismagius, female, and Froslass, also female, appeared in twin bursts of white light. Dawn sparkled, and not just from the sunlight and snow. She was a shiny Pokemon, as seen from her purple sash and lighter coloration. Dusk and Dawn floated around Jayson lovingly, crooning their pleasure.
Jayson smiled. "Yes, I love you too Dusk, Dawn. Now, let's battle, shall we?"
Dusk nodded, rising into the air to face off with Ari and Mana. Dawn nuzzled him once more before floating to glare at Ari impudently. Ari returned the favor with a growl.
I grinned. "Are we ready to start now?" I dragged out the word impatiently, although I was grinning on the inside. Regina giggled beside me.
"You have the first turn," Jayson suggested graciously. He smiled, then broke off coughing violently.
"Jayson!" I shouted, starting forward a step. Dusk and Dawn turned around in alarm, while Regina gasped. Jayson stilled up all with a hand, getting up slowly.
"I'm alright," He rasped, pushing himself up. "Now, will you attack, or will I have to take the initiative?" He winked.
I sighed, grinning. "Ari, you know what to do. Thunderbolt!"
"Dawn, dodge! Dusk, counter with Shadow Ball!"
Jayson's Froslass twirled away from the bolt of lightning gracefully, leaving Mismagius in the line of fire. The cunning Ghost Type charged and fired a Shadow Ball in two seconds flat – a sign of a true master. The Shadow Ball fired forward frighteningly fast, sucking up the Thunderbolt as it went along, charging it into an electric Shadow Ball.
Regina flung out an arm for emphasis, like she did often. "Mana, return that with Iron Tail!"
Regina's Raichu leaped up onto the back of Ari, before springing from her head, her tail glowing metallic silver. Mana swung her tail, flicking it out to the right to smash into the electric Shadow Ball and send it back like a hitter smashing his bat into a baseball.
"Duck, Dusk!" Jayson cried. His Mismagius bobbed down and circled the electric Shadow Ball as it passed. Jayson leapt to one side, showing he was as agile as ever, even with a terminal illness at his young age.
"Dawn, counter with Ice Beam!" Jayson ordered. "Mana is the target. Dusk, standby for command!"
Froslass shrieked in an unearthly wail, holding her arms together to fire a crisp white beam at Mana's tail.
Mana, who was still in midair, had her tail frozen in a useless chunk of ice. The Raichu wailed, landing awkwardly as her frozen tail unbalanced her weight.
"Ari, guard!" I said instantly. My Luxray leapt to Raichu's defense, standing over the smaller electric type and snarling viciously. "Shock Wave, now!"
Ari let out several powerful shocks, both hitting Dawn and Dusk thanks to the guaranteed accuracy. Froslass growled, while Mismagius wailed painfully.
"Dusk!" Jayson sucked in a breath. "Dusk, are you alright?"
Dusk wailed a bit more, but nodded. She crooned to reassure Jayson that she was okay.
"Good," Jayson said, relieved. "Let's try a combo! Dusk, Magical Leaf! Dawn, Ominous Wind!"
"What would that be, Ominous Leaves?" Regina joked lightly, although her nose was cherry red from the frost and cold. "Mana, help Ari out! Thunder Wave on Dawn!"
Although Mana was unable to whip her tail, she could still move, and still agile enough to paralyze Jayson's Froslass before the said Ice and Ghost Type Pokemon could move. Dawn hissed in pain, struggling to move from the paralyzing status.
"Dawn!" Jayson looked at his Froslass, startled. "Dusk, cover for Dawn! Magical Leaf!"
Dusk cried out an eerie song as she let the glowing leaves strike at both Ari and Mana. Mana cried out as the leaves sliced at her skin. Ari had it a little better off, as her thick coat protected her from the sharp foliage.
I smirked. "Ari, Mana, Regina, let's finish this now! Ari, at Dusk, Spark! Regina, you know what to do!"
Regina nodded. "Of course brother," she said in a smooth tone. "Mana, ThunderPunch, and then Thunderbolt!"
Mana shook violently, shattering the ice on her tail in a powerful spasm. She hissed, before leaping at a paralyzed Froslass, swinging a ThunderPunch aimed at Dawn's face. Jayson's Froslass cried out, before Regina's Raichu gave her a powerful shock. Dawn fainted, and Jayson recalled her.
"Dusk, Psywave! Drive back Ari!" Jayson's eyes were narrowed now with concentration. He knew the fight was pretty much over by now, but still fought on bravely like the Trainer he once was and still is.
"Plow right through it!" I ordered Ari. Ari's strength was her attacking – she didn't put much into defense against physical or special based attacks. Yet, she was still a tank of a Pokemon, and could plow through pretty much anything.
Jayson gritted his teeth as Ari ignored the Psywave almost in its entirety, her coat sparking as she charged up a Spark attack. Slamming into Dusk, she knocked out the Mismagius in one hit.
Jayson smiled regretfully as he recalled Dusk. "Good battle," he admitted. "You two are certainly worth of the title: 'The best tag team in Snowpoint.'"
I grinned back. "Let's get back to Snowpoint while we're on the subject, how about it?" I looked at the sky, before recalling Visor. "Sunny Day is wearing off too."
Regina nodded agreement, recalling Cloud. "Let's go!" She shouted cheerfully. "Race ya!" She dashed away in the ankle high snow. I looked at Jayson in exasperation.
"This is what I put up with every day," I said in an annoyed tone, although I put in a slight lilt of amusement. Jayson chuckled, nodding.
"I remember," he said softly. "I know."
"He certainly was the best friend a person could have," I said. I looked at Regina. "I've never asked either of you before..." I continued quickly as I felt my face heat up. "But what was your... Relation, with Jayson?"
Regina laughed softly, leaning her head against my shoulder like she did when we were younger, despite being older now, and practically the same age.
"I don't know." She whispered. "We never talked about it much... It was like a mutual understanding, see?" She chuckled, eyes closed. "I don't know when the friendship stopped and the romance, if you could call it that, began."
I nodded, careful not to disturb my sister. "I see," I said softly, shortly. "Are you okay with spending time here? It's such a nice day today..."
Regina nodded in contentment. "How could I miss out on spending time with my favorite brother...?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "And... I'm not sure, but Jayson would want us to spend more time together, I suppose."
I smiled. "I suppose he would... Wouldn't you, Jayson Rider?"
Mew: What did you think? Tell me in the reviews, please! Jaden Gizmo and Regina Gadget will certainly be making an appearance in my soon to be revised story of Friendship and Betrayal. If you're interested in reading more about them, head over there, to that story! Sadly, it doesn't feature Jayson though. He's an on the spot OC, and no elaboration is included. Sorry! Please, review! Again, thank you for reading!