A Wish for Better

Fate works in mysterious ways. For the longest time, it seemed to be working against a girl named Sari. Her life was a total train wreck. Her parents wished she was never born and treat her like garbage, almost no one at school thinks she exists, and almost always seems to mess everything up.

Until one day, when fate decided to turn her in an unusual direction. . . .

The day before it happened, Sari was lying in the grass, waiting for the school bus to arrive. She always leave home before her parents woke up to go to work, so she wouldn't have to listen to them hound about how she should always be early to go to school/work since she never seemed to do anything right.

Little did they know Sari had quit her job as a busgirl at the restaurant down town. The boss was never pleased with her work and was paid only half the minimum wage she was supposed to get.

Once the bus finally did show, it rumbled right past her to come to the next stop a few blocks down. She could hear the kids howling with laughter as they passed by.

Oh, screw you all . . . she thought to herself.

She sighed, getting up to walk to school . . . again.

As she walked in, the stares in the classroom went on for miles. She simply ignored them and took he seat. She was thirty minutes late, the class was nearly over. Mr. Brunson gave her a sideways glance.

"Anyway, as I was saying, next week will be our monthly exam. I want everyone to study hard and do your best" Mr. Brunson said. He looked Sari's way again, showing a bit of concern.

The bell rang soon after, dismissing the class. Nobody left until showering Sari with spit balls. She barely did so much as flinch.

As she stood up to leave, Mr. Brunson called out to her. "Um . . . Sari?"

She could tell he was nervous, since he was the only person who cared enough to talk to her.

"Yes?" she answered.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, "You feeling ok?"

Her eyes darted from left to right; half thinking someone was paying him to talk to her. She hated herself every time she thought that, though.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I've endured this long enough to live with it" she replied.

"Well, I'm glad you're holding up ok, but . . ."

"What is it?"

Mr. Brunson looked pale as he worked up the courage to tell her what was up. "I'm afraid . . . I've been fired."

"What?" She felt a lump form in her throat.

"It's alright; it's not your fault. The principal thinks I'm not keeping on top of my work. I'll be leaving for England in two days."

Sari didn't know what to say. The only person who even liked her was going away. "I'll miss you" she told him.

He smiled. "You hang there. Things will get better. Something good's bound to happen to you."

She smiled back. The corners of her eyes welled slightly. The bell rang again and the next class poured in the room. She bid Mr. Brunson a final good-bye as she left, fighting to keep tears back.

The rest of the day was spent in regret.

Sari returned home around eight p.m., not that anyone noticed or cared she had been out. She slipped past her coach-potato of a dad in the living room and snaked past her gossip-crazed mom in her room. She slinked into her own room, closing the door as quietly as possible.

She dove onto her bed and crawled under the covers wishing she could just disappear.

Please take me away, pleaded Sari. Take me to a place where I'll have meaning in life. To live a much better life than I do now. That's all I want. . . .

She dozed off; completely unaware that someone or something had heard her wish.

Is that her?

Is she the one who shall save us?

She must be.

This is the one.

This is the one who shall save us.

She wishes for a new life?

Then she shall have it.

Who are we to deny her this wish?

She shall have this new life.

She shall be the one who saves us.

A young Gothorita stood outside a large wooden fortress, pacing back and forth nervously.

Do it! Just . . . do it! she thought.

She stood on the cobblestone platform in front of the fortress gate.

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected! Who is it?! Who is it?!" a pair of voices shouted.

The Gothorita jumped. "Wah!"

"It's a Gothorita! It's a Gothorita!" the voices shouted.

"Ah! I can't do this!" she squeaked. She turned and ran off the platform.

The Gothorita bolted behind a tree, sighing as she sat down. She clutched a large white orb in her small hands, rubbing its smooth surface.

I thought my personal treasure could help me, but . . . she thought.

She shook her head. No. I just can't do it! I'm nothing but a huge wimp. . .

She sighed, stood up and walked down the dirt path away from the fortress.

The Gothorita came to a lakefront and sat herself by the bank. She gazed over the water's surface, watching a group of Pidove play with a Tympole. As she watched the Tympole dive into the lake, she noticed something odd on the other side of it.

Curious, she wondered over, focusing hard on the figure. Once she was close enough, she gasped and rushed the rest of the way there. She was stunned by the sight before her.

It was an unconscious Pokémon lying face down in the grass.