A/N: For solicide!
Fandom:
Pokémon
Characters/pairing: Black, Lyra
Genre: Family/friendship
Summary: She is four and this isn't fair. Lyra doesn't understand why he gets to go on an adventure without her. — Black, Lyra
Rating: K+


She is four and this isn't fair. Lyra doesn't understand why he gets to go on an adventure without her. It kind of really sucks, and she makes it a point to go tell mom. She tells everything that's weighting on her chest: how Black is a sorry excuse for an older brother, and how he doesn't care for her at all, and she's never, ever going to forgive him for it! She also tells her that he's a booger.

Up to this day, she doesn't get what mom found so funny that she wouldn't stop laughing.


She turns seven and feels that this is a severely unjust situation. Can't her mom understand that no matter how nice the kid next door might be, he's still not going to be as funny, or as smart, or as cool as her older brother? And no, she isn't going to apologize to him for hitting him in the head with her toy pokéball, because he said she had a brother complex and that's just plain rude.

Eventually she has to call him and apologize for hitting him in his stupid head—

"Lyra!"

"I'm telling the truth!"


By the time she turns nine, it still continues to be discriminating. Lyra counts his absence with the passing of seasons; no matter what her mother might say, Lyra thinks that Black belongs with her and mom. She still doesn't like being left behind, and she makes it a point not to give him any Christmas present. Well, okay, she does. But it's a crappy drawing that she puts Absolutely No Effort in. She doesn't even use her good crayons.

She sends it through the mail, and when he gets it, he calls her.

Lyra doesn't blush at all when he tells her it's beautiful. Rather, she hangs up in his face.


Her tenth birthday comes along and Black is actually there, in person. He tells her all about Unova, and how cool it is, and he's even made friends there. Lyra really wants to hate him for being so out of her life, but she finds herself drawn into his joy. When he's done talking, it's a quarter to midnight, and her mom tries to usher her into bed, chiding her older brother and his bad habits.

Lyra stands up, straightens her back so that she gets a little taller, and dutifully informs her mother that she's a grown-up now, and grown-ups can go to bed at whatever time they want to go. Black stifles a laugh at the same time as their mother smiles at her a little tearfully.

The next day, she gets her very own pokémon. Things … aren't as prejudiced anymore.


When she turns thirteen, she's decided that she is going to defeat him in a battle. She's beaten lots of people already, and she thinks she's ready to face him. Lyra tries calling him on whatever model of a pokétch or gear or phone he has now (he's gone through so many technologies, she loses track). The call fails to push through, and…

Well, Lyra is more than disappointed, but she keeps on trying to find him. Black didn't lie: Unova is big and charming and so modern, she forgets she's searching for him whenever she finds something new. It's in Castelia that her gear finally manages to make a call. She hears a lot of static, and she thinks she hears his voice, but she's not sure. Then he calls her name again and she jumps, because that's him right there and she's so happy she can't even believe this—

"Lyra, are you crying …? Because that's so uncool," Black says, when he sees her, and Lyra doesn't hit him because she can see the joy in his smile.

"Shut up, stupid brother," she says.

But puts her arms around his waist and squeezes hard.