Welcome to my new story! I promised my fans of TKJ this one, so here it is. If you're wondering why TKJ hasn't been updated since July, do not fear. I kind of forgot about it. I know, I know, no excuses. I am working on a chapter right now, so don't think I've given up on the story. I just wanted to get this out to ya'll, since I promised it to you. So here it is. By the way, this is now a PokeShipping story again. Sorry for changing it around so much, but the way I want this story to end isn't really possible with a yaoi pairing. I might still write a PalletShipping story in the future, though.
The featured story for this chapter is Diaries of Pokemon by Weirdguy149. "What would happen if every Pokemon had a diary? This story will help us find out. This follows every episode of the anime." So I was thinking about this one a bit. And you know what? No one's ever really done this before, and I don't know why. It's a good idea. With there being so many Pokemon stories out there, I'm really surprised that someone hasn't turned this idea into a 112-chapter story with 300,000 words yet.
~ "Everyone can master a grief but he that has it." ~
- William Shakespeare
Rain pattered against the concrete, a rhythmic pattern that soothed even the deafest ears. The sound of each droplet crashing to earth brought with it the promise of something grand. For behind the clouds, a blue sky was hidden. A shiny, clear, bright blue sky that many a man had compared to life itself. The veil of blackness was like the sky's grief. It would try and fight back, moment after moment. It would cry, the shiny droplets breaking through the grief to hit the earth below it. It would breathe. In and out. In and out. Try to blow the grief away. But it never worked.
Until it did.
After a long fight that had drained all but the last droplet of life from the sky, the grief would subside. Pull away. Let the sky be happy again. The sky would recover, and its heart would start shining again. Cast its light upon the earth for all to enjoy.
But the grief would never truly go away. It would always be there. Perhaps not in a malevolent way, but just being was sometimes enough. It would always linger, waiting to prey upon the sky when it was at its weakest. Take over when the sky could do nothing but watch. There would be great moments. Moments when the sky felt like it was in complete control. That things were getting better.
But then there would always be the low points. The times when the sky just wanted to give up and let the grief consume it. Times when it let the darkness overcome it, only allowing specks of light to shine through. Shield itself with those specks of light. Keep itself hidden behind tiny promises of hope and joy. Pray that they were more than just prayers.
These thoughts were far from being comparable to those of the young boy and his mother. Their steps cut through the rhythmic song like knives, the little boy's laughing bringing a joyful side to the sky's tears.
"Mommy! Mommy! Do it again, Mommy!" he cried, arms waving through the air to create a breeze of their own.
The older woman smiled and grabbed her son's hands. "Okay, okay. Hang on! Here we... go!"
She lifted her son into the air and swung him around. He laughed. "Wheee!"
His mother chuckled. "Don't you ever tire of this?"
"No, Mommy, no! More!"
She smiled. "As long as you're having fun, dear."
"She was such a good mother."
"Now, hold my hand. Busy streets are dangerous for little boys."
He interlaced their fingers, still laughing. "Okay, Mommy!"
"Don't let go now, you hear? Never let go."
"I won't, Mommy! Don't let go of my hand, either!"
She chuckled and gave his hand a squeeze. "I won't. I'll never let go. I promise."
"She always made sure I was safe. That I always had enough to eat and drink. That I was comfortable."
She pulled the covers up over her son. "Are you sure you're going to be alright? You've never slept without Mr. Cuddles before."
The boy puffed out his chest. "I'ma be alright, Mommy! I'm a big boy now. I can take care of myself."
She smiled. "Don't grow up on me too fast, sport."
"But if I don't grow up, I can never take care of you!"
She bowed her head. "Why thank you, but I think your daddy already has that job taken."
"Oh."
She kissed him on the forehead. "Don't worry about me, okay? I'm just fine. I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
The boy's eyes shone a little bit brighter after that. "I love you, Mommy."
"I love you, too."
She loved me so much. I loved her so much. I never thought we'd... I'd... lose her.
"Daddy, where's Mommy?"
When the boy got no response, he came closer. He had been taught never to bother his father when he was in his office, so he stayed in the doorway. "I said, Daddy, where's Mommy?"
The boy's father stared blankly out the window at the snow that fell from the darkened heavens.
"Daddy!" The boy's voice was urgent. "Tell me where Mommy is!"
Still his father was as quiet as the stars.
The boy was begging now. "Daddy, please tell me where Mommy is! Please!"
His father gave him nothing.
The boy stamped his foot. "I want to know-"
The man whirled around. "Dammit, child, weren't you told never to bother me in my office?"
His child was taken aback. "But Daddy, I'm not-"
He slammed his fist down on his desk. "Don't you lie to me!"
"I'm-"
"I ought to smack you senseless for thinking you could do that to me!"
The boy began crying then. It was the only thing he knew to do to get his father to stop yelling. He always did it when arguments between his parents got out of hand, or his father got a bit too harsh when disciplining him. It always worked.
Except now.
His father streaked toward him, fist raised. "I thought I taught you better than that! I thought you were above lying!"
"I'm not a liar!" he bawled.
The man grabbed his son by the collar and held him high. "Don't you understand how terrible lying is? How could you even think of doing such a thing to your father! Your father!" He was screaming now.
The boy squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the worst. His father had only ever hit him once, when he'd told him to go away when he was four. Even then, he hadn't been this angry.
"I thought you loved me! I thought you cared about me! I thought I could trust you!"
"Stop, Daddy, please! You're scaring me, Daddy!"
"Don't you tell me what to do! You're not my father! You're my son! My son! You've disgraced me! Disgraced this family! Disgraced your mother."
They both froze when he mentioned her.
The man slowly lowered his son to the ground, eyes wide.
The boy stared at his father, shaking. "D-daddy?"
He fell to his knees, face in hands. He started sobbing, much to his son's confusion and alarm. He moved over to him, stepping fully into his office for the first and last time of his life.
"W-where's Mommy, Daddy?"
He looked up at his son, eyes brimmed with tears. "She's gone."
"Gone? Gone where, Daddy?"
"Just... gone."
"That was the first time things went bad. Things were never right with my father after that. He never told me how my mother died. He didn't even tell me that she died. Just that she went away. It wasn't until I found an old newspaper a few weeks later that I realized where she went. When my father found out that I knew, life became hell for me. He tormented me.
Things only got worse when he discovered alcohol. He drowned himself in it every night. I'd come home from school and he'd be sitting with a bottle in his hand at the kitchen table. He'd ask me how my day went. Even if I told him nothing happened, he'd find some fault with what I'd done that day and beat me for it. If he couldn't find anything, he'd just beat me for the heck of it. If I ever asked him why, he'd beat me again. Over and over. Never ending. I still don't even know how she died. I don't dare to try and find out. Even if I used the most secure method possible, he'd still find out. And he'd beat me. Over and over again. Until I was dead on the floor, if he had to. Anything to prove he was superior. That he was in control. I was his prisoner, and there was nothing I could do about it."
"Daddy, where's Mommy?"
I hope you all liked this. The dialogue that was in italics was narration from present-day Ash, while the rest took place before and right after his mother's death, all when he was five. Please, no flame reviews. I know that this chapter is short, but prologues usually are. This is also the type of thing you can't stretch out for too long, or else it starts to lose its emotion. The rest of the chapters (with maybe a few exceptions) will be longer. And TKJ fans, do not despair. I am coming, I promise.