My father's last words to me were, "Everything is going to be alright." He was a rather despondent man from the beginning, in all honesty, but the way I came home that day, merely an eight year old, and found him in a pile of blood and brains on the ground with a revolver clenched tightly into his pale-white hand, I never thought it would happen. That he would kill himself, blinded by his own clinical depression.

The memory is as clear as any other memory of him, and it still brings a pain to my heart just by thinking of him. I venerated him as a hero, and now he was gone. He had shot me in the head that day, too, without thinking of the consequences.

But all I can say now is that was in the past. Because now, here I was, in a short dress showing what cleavage I don't have, 'having the time of my life'. Ah, no.

"You're quite a catch," the man next to me said. I rolled my eyes, covering my chest with crossed arms.

"Oh, yeah? You're clearly good at catching STDs." I retorted.

The man- though he was only a year older than me, he looked like he was in his twenties- raised a light eyebrow. He had the blonde hair and eyebrows that fell across his tan face, green eyes peering out into the oblivion that is the world. His face was lean and tenuous, as was the rest of his body, and it seemed like if I pushed him down he would shatter.

"A sarcastic one, eh?" The man laughed, resting an arm around my shoulders. I tensed. He made it seem like we were an intimate couple, in this lowly club in Petalburg, rented out for the graduating class, but it was nothing like that. I smelled a hint of alcohol in his breath, and nearly gagged. "This is, like, finding a Seaking in a pond of Magikarp."

Holding back my tongue, I glared at him in the eye. "Get your arm off me, and leave me alone, or I swear on my father's grave you'll never see it again." The sudden harsh tone made him back away, muttering something about me being a "bitch".

I slink away before another guy catches me, my eyes wandering the crowd. I stood out, though, no matter how hard I tried to blend in. my class was practically all-white, and I was a "mulatto", according to the preppy kids.

Ah, yes, the Academy I had to graduate from was the rich one. I only got in on a scholarship, and was the youngest in my class. Fifteen, when normally they graduate at sixteen. A new rule for Hoenn, ever since Team Magma and Team Aqua's shenanigans. The League deemed it unsafe for ten-year-olds to go out on a journey, and five more years of mandatory school was required for a trainers licence and a journey.

The party has a theme, unlike most others; the 1920s. Jazz surrounds me as I meander through the crowd, looking for someone- anyone, really- that I knew. Everyone is dressed up in suits and flapper dresses, feathers sticking out of their heads and fedoras covering faces, making anyone seem anonymous. My eyes rested on a dear friend of mine, sitting alone with what looked to be a martini glass.

I squinted. It was just water.

But, the friend. He wore a white shirt, blue pants and suspenders- a unique look, but the 1920s was a unique time in Hoenn. Jasper recognized me instantly, and upon notice me looking, waved me over.

There was no doubt about it- my friend was physically attractive, just like any other guy at the school. Mentally attractive, too- he was a genius when it came to things. I once caught a girl writing an erotic fanfiction about him. It was kinda creepy.

I didn't want him, if you know what I mean. I was friends with him, and both of us were cool with that. He was a pretty caring guy, too, unlike the snobs from the school. Jasper grinned as I stood next to him, trying to shield my body from the people around me.

"Worst party ever, am I right?" He asked, taking a sip of his water.

I nodded in reply. "I've been hit on three times."

"Same. One girl said to me, I love the whole blond-hair, blue eyes thing." He exclaimed, grinning widely. It was a major trait of Jasper- a big grin, he always had, unless it was a serious moment. "And you know what I said?"

"What?"

"So did Hitler." If we hadn't been surrounded by people we knew from school, who deemed us crazy enough, I would have been laughing hysterically. But I was quiet; just a light giggle escaped.

"Speaking of which, where's your girlfriend?" I asked. Jasper shrugged, taking another scan of the crowd. His girlfriend was a girl, who looked similar enough to him they were mistaken as twins, named Jasmine. She had the long blonde hair, way past her shoulders and a safe length, but she chopped it all off for tonight. It was now a bob, just like mine. Pearly white skin, bright blue eyes...Jasmine was the perfect girl, in everyone's eyes.

She was just a little...Childish, I could say. She was raised in a sheltered house for her life until the Academy, and carried with her childlike qualities I hadn't seen since Kindergarden. Nonetheless, Jasmine was the sweetest girl ever.

Jasmine had been the one who originally persuaded us to come to the party. I wouldn't be in this flashy dress if it weren't for her- It's the last party you'll be able to go to, Nadia! She whined. Just one party! Just one dress! Can you do it for me?

That girl could make the most convincing puppy-dog eyes, I tell you.

I spotted her in the other corner of the room, surrounded by a gang of three guys. Three guys I loathed. They were the "special" kids who got a started from the Professor in Littleroot- it was a lottery, and anyone could have won. The rest of the rich kids got uber-rare Pokemon and a bunch of money on their cards to start off.

Me? I've got about 5 yen on my card, and a Pokemon my mom hasn't given me yet. Ever since trainers got mugged by Team Magma members, our savings have been changed to digital things on our card. And my Pokemon, Mom says, will be for when I start. Which is the next day.

I still had our family Pokemon on me, as I always do- a Whismur named "Sparky". Mom was a bodybuilder, and a trainer at Petalburg City Gym. She was best friends with Norman when he was younger, and reuniting with him after so many years was nice for her.

Tyrone Millers, Roberto Water, and Tom Yang all hung around Jasmine. She was dramatically shorter than the rest of them (and us, for that matter- last time I heard she was barely five-two) and was cowering in fear, though her face showed the best signs of bravery it could.

Tyrone was a tall guy, with slicked-back black hair. He had beady brown eyes that could stare into your soul and dig out parts of it you didn't even know about. He's from a prestigious family in Rustboro, rich only for their investment in Devon Corporation stocks. Roberto is the same case as Tyrone- tall, brown hair brown eyes, with a rather muscular build, and rich family. Tom Yang was a smaller boy with dark hair and almond-shaped brown eyes, glasses only there to look cool. But he was smart- he was the other scholarship winner.

I heard Jasper growl like a prehistoric caveman as he practically stomped over to the four. I followed, slightly more timid than him. Man touch mate! Man must fight!

Tyrone turned on his heel when he saw us. He wasn't nearly as tall as Jasper, or Roberto for the manner, but he held himself in such a defiant tone, his eyes narrowed. At first, I thought it was about to break out in a fist fight- and was ready to intervene at any moment, a mother as a bodybuilder coming in handy- but it was a stare-off.

Both boys held Pokeballs by their side. I thought for a moment that it would be a battle. Granted, the levels are as low as the law- one to five, if you were curious- but it would be crazy nonetheless. Tyrone, however, stood aside, and let Jasper through. I knew the reason- if Jasper even got a little scrape on him, all his fangirls would be on Tyrone like mad cannibals.

Jasmine, her normal blue-eyes a teary red, glared furiously at the group of boys before hugging her boyfriend. Personally, I never minded the PDA, but if they started to French-kiss in front of me I would definitely do something.

Which usually resorted to having Sparky use uproar to get them out of their heated romance.

"Thanks, guys." She said, her voice quieter than normal. "Wanna head home now?"

Jasper grinned, an affectionate arm around her. I stood next to her, and she clamped my hand. We weren't a threesome (someone asked once), just Jasmine was more affectionate than normal friends. The rest of them at the Academy were so fake; it was a rare friendship indeed. He kissed the top of her head, before whispering, "I'd thought you never would ask."

I squeezed Jasmine's hand, and she smiled at me. It was a broken, tattered smile, but it was a smile at least. And smiles can be the best things in the world.