Well, That's New

Part 1

Paul was returning home after a successful journey through the Hoenn region. His plan was to stay in Veilstone one day and drop off most of his Pokémon, except for his Torterra. He didn't want to waste too much time before he began his trip around the Sinnoh region.

If he could he would simply drop of his Pokémon and leave immediately but, he couldn't do that. He couldn't leave for one reason, that he punished himself for every time he returned home, for a girl. Well, not like that. They weren't together or anything, he refused the thought of letting any love connection get in his way of training his Pokémon. She was just a friend, his only friend, since they were five years old. Her name was Clarissa but everyone called her Clara. To him she was the only girl who didn't drive him completely insane. Well, most of the time.

Growing up, she would talk and talk about how much she wanted to travel and see all the sights this world offers. Meanwhile, Paul would sit there just sort of half listening. Maybe making a comment here or there and she never complained about it. She never complained about anything. She just dreamed. She wanted nothing more than to walk and to see the world and yet, she never left their little hometown. Paul could never figure out why she wouldn't leave.

So, every time Paul would return home he would spend the day with her and try to get her to go with him on his journey. He figured that perhaps she was afraid to travel on her own but she still refused. It angered him that she would speak so passionately about something that she wouldn't set to accomplish, it always bothered him.

His brother, Reggie, was in their backyard with all of the Pokémon he breeds, as he usually was.

"Hey, there's my brother!" He called "How was the Hoenn region?"

"Fine" Paul answered

"No amazing stories to tell?"

Paul just shook his head as he walked in through the gate that kept the Pokémon in.

Then, she was there. Paul hadn't realized until then that it had been about two years since he last saw her. He could still tell it was her though the pink curly hair gave it away. She hadn't changed that much, maybe she'd gotten a little taller. Paul didn't look that much into it though. She wore a short white dress with pink sneakers. She had a pink seashell necklace around her neck that Paul had given to her when he returned home from Kanto. He remembered how long he stood in the store contemplating buying it; thinking first about whether it would be a weird gift to give her then the rest of the time arguing with himself on why he should get her anything anyway. Never the less, she loved it.

"Paul!" She said with excitement, her hands clenching onto the white fence. Her pet Shinx followed behind her.

Paul quickly waved while walking up to her.

"How was Hoenn?" Her eyes were filled with wonder.

"Good." Paul answered her plainly.

"He only said fine to me…" Reggie said sarcastically in the background.

"Really, that's great!" Clara replied "Was there an ocean?"

"Of course there was an ocean." Paul looked down in frustration to her childish question "There are oceans in every region, Clara."

"Oh right, sorry I'm just always so excited to hear about where you've been and all. Right Shinx?"

"Shinx!" The little Pokémon replied.

"Yah, I guess." Paul put his hands in his jacket pocket.

"Yah" Clara smiled.

They stood there for a moment, just kind of looking at each other. She stood smiling at him her bright green eyes glistening in the sun. Paul just looked at her no smile, no emotion, no nothing. He thought about what he should say to her. Maybe he should ask right now why she refused to leave this place. But no words came. They stood in the awkwardness until finally Clara said:

"Well, I should be getting home. I'll come by later and you could tell me all about your trip."

Just then he remembered something. He had never actually been in Clara's house. He knew where it was. It was only four houses away from his own and yet he'd never been in it. He never met her parents or family. He thought about how odd that was. Maybe it was her parents that stopped her from traveling. Yah that was it! It had to be. What else could it be? Her parents were simply worried about their daughter leaving home. Perhaps if they just met him and he told them about his own travels (whether they were true or slightly exaggerated) they would let her do what she had always wanted to.

"Or maybe I could walk down to your house instead." He blurted out.

He expected her to smile and say something simple like: Sure or ok. But he got something completely different. Her smile faded. Her eyes lost their shine and she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Oh no," she shook her head "You don't have to do that."

"It's no big deal." Paul became confused.

"No no," She mumbled. Trying to recover her smile "Really I'd rather I just come over here."

She turned and began to walk away. This was to frustrating to him to leave alone.

"Why?" He snapped.

"It's nothing. Ok?" She called back before turning back around and walking away completely.

Paul turned to his brother confused. It had to be her family but, why would she want him to meet them?

"Have you ever met Clara's family?" He asked his brother.

Reggie thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Nope" He replied.

Paul didn't believe him it seemed he knew something.

"Yes you have. Either that or you know something about them, tell me!"

"Look Paul, Clara obviously doesn't want you to meet her family. Maybe you should just respect what she wants."

Paul knew what she really wanted.

"Either you tell me what you know or I'm going over there."

"Paul I'm not going to-"

"How weak can you be?" Paul snapped.

Before Reggie could reply Paul opened the gate and began walking to Clara's house.

"Paul!" Reggie called after his brother, but he ignored him.

Reggie shook his head in disappointment.

Paul stood at Clara's door. He contemplated knocking but he knew that if she answered the door she would never let him in. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

The first thing he saw was Clara running around and cleaning. She was picking up the garbage that was littered around the floor. There was a large man sitting on the couch, her father. Paul thought he was disgusting. He just sat there watching TV. Then there was a women, she was very tall and pretty, her mom. She had pink, curly hair like Clara but it was pulled back in a tight ponytail. She was also dressed in business clothes and talking on her cell phone.

Clara's parents were first to notice Paul standing in the doorway. They just stood there staring at him. Clara then noticed how her parents were distracted so she looked up and saw Paul. Her mouth fell.

"Paul!" She speed walked over to him "What are you doing here?"

"Who is this?" Her mother asked turning the phone away from her mouth.

"Oh this is just Paul he's my friend-"

"Clarissa, I thought we told you that you need to ask us before having any friends over." Her father blabbed.

"Well I didn't invite him he just-"

"Honey your friend can't stay I'm busy, you're busy, it's not a good time." Her mom yakked.

"Oh yes, he was just leaving." She turned to him, he didn't know how to react to any of this. "Right Paul"

"Yah…" He managed. "I just need to talk to her for a moment."

Paul grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside then shut the door.

"What are you doing?" She gasped "I told you not to come over here!"

"Is this why you'll never leave? Because your parents use you like a slave?" He

"They don't treat me like a slave."

"Then what was that?" He was almost about to yell.

"Look my Dad lost his job a long time ago so my mom had to take twice as many hours at work then before. They just need my help around the house until my Dad finds a job."

"Oh, since he's doing such a good job looking for one!" Now he was yelling.

"Don't scream," She raised her voice "You think I don't want to leave? Well I do!"

"Then leave!"

"I can't!"

"Yes you can!"

"See," She quieted down "This is why I never told you any of this. You always take everything so seriously."

"Well maybe if you just told me in the first place I wouldn't be so angry now!"

"Why do you need to be angry in the first place?"

"Because your just so….pathetic!" He wanted to take that part back.

Clara held her sadness in.

"Well, I'm sorry Paul." She opened the door "We all can't be like you."

With that she slammed the door and left him to angrily walk back home. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

Paul was sitting in his room which he had locked himself into since he had gotten home. He was angry. He was angry and maybe a little guilty. Why did she feel like she couldn't tell him about what she was going through? They had only been friends since elementary school. He wouldn't have bothered her so much about starting her own journey if she'd just told him. Or would he? But, he tried to tell himself that he didn't care anymore he'd be leaving in the morning anyway.

Then the door opened. Clara quietly stepped in.

"Hi" She said closing the door behind her "Your brother let me in."

"Of course he did." Paul replied.

"Look," She walked over and sat on the foot of his bed while he sat up and faced her "I'm sorry, you're right, I should've told you."

"Well, I guess I didn't have to yell at you."

"Thanks" Her voice was so small.

"Why couldn't you tell me?"

"Because I know you, you're so serious all the time. You wouldn't have taken it lightly." She paused for a moment "And you didn't"

"I guess you're right."

"I just didn't want you to be worrying about me when you were gone."

"You think I didn't worry about you anyway?" Things were starting to get to soft and mushy for him.

"Did you?" She stared at him his heart beat fast.

"No," He blurted "No I was just saying maybe I would've anyway…"

"Oh"

"Yah"

More silence

"I still think you should leave."

"I know."

"Come on. All you ever talk about is how you want to see cities and oceans-"

"I know."

"Then come with me."

"You know I can't." She looked down "My parents need me."

"I think you'd be helping them by leaving." His typical scowl was returning, thank goodness.

"Gee thanks."

"Well, maybe you left it would force your Dad to find a job so then things would be better."

She looked up, her eyes gave him chills. Maybe she had changed a lot since he last saw her. He noticed all this makeup softly layered on her eyes. She never wore that stuff before did she?

"Maybe your right," She said "Maybe I should leave."

Of course he was right, he couldn't really think of a time when he wasn't right.

"Yah." Was all he could manage.

"I'll think about it ok." She smiled.

"Well, I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I'll know by morning," She stood up and walked towards the door "Just wait for me outside your house, ok?"

"Fine"

Then she was gone. He contemplated what he had gotten himself into but he was just satisfied that he got this far with convincing her.

He stood outside. He was going to wait for her even though he hated it. It was pretty early in the morning maybe seven thirty or eight o'clock. Paul checked his watch, it was eight fifteen. This was taking longer than he thought. What if she came to tell him that she still didn't want to go with him? He didn't want to think about all the time that was wasted if that was the case. He wouldn't even argue with her if that happened he'd just turn and leave. He was growing more and more impatient.

Finally, he saw her. She was running, a pink and white backpack around her left shoulder. Her little Shinx followed quickly behind her. Her face was glowing as she waved her entire arm to catch his attention. Paul found the wave unnecessary.

"So," She started before Paul could say anything, boy was she energetic "I thought all night about what you said and your right."

"I know." He thought to himself.

"I'm ready. I deserve to go out and do what I've always wanted to do. I want to go."

"Are you sure?" Paul said just to test her.

She was hesitant for a while but she took a deep breath and then nodded.

"Yes." She answered.

"Alright" He turned and started walking assuming she was following. He then turned to see her still standing there. Shinx looked up at her in confusion.

"Shinx?" It said.

Her eyes were huge and her legs looked like they were a little shaky. She was obviously nervous.

"Well?"

She took a deep breath then began walking. Paul waited impatiently for her to catch up. They then began walking side by side.

"So where are we going?" She asked.

"Here we go." He thought