Disclaimer: Right, I don't own Pokemon or names from there. Satisfied? I'm not. [rolls eyes]
--------Prologue--------------------------------------------------------------
What a night. All day preparations to celebrate New Bark Town's 10 year old children that had chosen their destiny of pokemon trainers. Tomorrow professor Elm was going to give each determined kid his very first pokemon to train and conquer the world with it, to the extent possible of course.
The celebration was in its climax. After the speech of the representative of our parents, fun was written on everyone's faces. The music was perfect for dancing and everyone did dance - in pairs or alone, it didn't matter much. I had lost myself in the tender stream of joyous vibrations. It was my favourite tune - Siamsa. The last theme threw me in ecstasy, I took out my flute and played along with the music. Everyone stopped dancing to see where was that sound coming from. As they made out what was happening the questioning silence turned into cheering, laughing and clapping in tune. I didn't know that, I was told of it later. I was lost in the music. I didn't dance anymore, I was the dance. I didn't play anymore, I was the play.
In such an ecstatic state sometimes you gain some new knowledge. But not like new knowledge gained by a book, more like knowledge that you knew you always had, but just now you gave it attention, and when you did you slap yourself in the forehead - but of course, how couldn't I see that before. What I understood kicked me out of my delirium. I just stood there, watching blankly, then I wandered off to home. Knowing truth was painful if you weren't ready for it. The most important cornerstone in my life was set. And tomorrow was the pokemon give-away.
Professor Elm summoned us at 7 o'clock in the morning, a bit sadistic, having in mind when the others went to bed after the celebration. Not that it mattered for me, I didn't sleep at all. I went downstairs, told my mum I was going to be right back and hopped to Elm's. I was a bit early, so there weren't much kids. I went to the door and knocked on it. Professor Elm showed his sleepy face, looked around, asked who's there and then focused on me standing right in front of him. "Oh, Randy, a bit early you come, the give-away starts in 2 hours, you know."
"Yes, of course, I didn't sleep much, and it came to me that if children didn't all come exactly at 7, but kept coming in a period spanned across a few hours, then there will be less waiting, less downtime, less stream resistance, less worrying, more efficiency, more satisfaction. Oh sorry, got carried away, it's probably from that book I read this night..."
"What?..."
Err, I'd better try another approach, less ornate.
"I'd like my pokemon right away."
"Sorry, you'll have to wait."
"Why?"
"Uhhh.. we have to do it by the book."
"Then let's change the book."
"But this is tradition, everyone do it this way."
"Then let's make a new tradition. You want to be just like everyone?"
"Are you feeling alright, lad? You didn't sound like that yesterday."
"People change..."
"Overnight?!"
"Over a minute, given stimulus."
"Oh.. so.. what happened last night? You acted as if you had seen something terrible."
"Not terrible, shocking. I've been given a gift."
"Gift? Don't remember such a thing..."
"A gift, like, an idea, that's it, an idea. It's hard to explain."
"I've got time, everything is prepared for today and there's still 2 hours to the ceremony. Come now, have tea with me and you can tell me. It's worth my time, isn't it?"
"That's up to you to say..."
Ah, tea, a favourite drink of mine, and Elm knew how to make excellent tea, he did. Until now I didn't realise how precious this brown liquid was. I enjoyed every little sip.
"So tell me now, what idea did you get?"
"You know... pokemon never fight among themselves just to show who's stronger."
"Huh, oh yes, that's a well-known fact, of course with a few unique exceptions."
"So... why do trainers make their pokemon fight."
"Everyone ask this question, you know, and I'm prepared for every possible question you might ask."
"So why do they?"
"First of all it's tradition, people have done this since known history, and fighting is a great gauge to measure how good a pokemon has been brought up."
"Brought up? Like, brought up to be good fighters?"
"Indeed."
"Why would you want them to be good fighters. It's a pointless loss of vital energy."
"Pokemon are a gauge themselves to measure how much devotion their trainers have."
"So by exposing them to pain all the time, watching them and their humiliation when defeated or bloated pride when victorious is the way to measure how much you love them?"
"My lord, you put it the worst possible way, surely what you're saying doesn't apply to pokemon all the time."
"Oh, just in some cases."
"I mean, defeat gives a stimulus to train more, and victory doesn't bring anything bloated, just joy. And pain is just temporary, after each battle you heal your pokemon, don't you?"
"How could inflicting pain and ultimately knock out can bring joy?"
"Oh stop looking at the details, look at the big picture - after all has ended there are results, look at the results - trainers get better, pokemon get better, their bond of love grows stronger."
"I believe they watch the big picture as well, because what they do is madness."
"Randy, Randy, you just don't understand, do you? I'll put it simple. You get a pokemon, train it, you both get better and ultimately you're the best and your mutual love is divine."
"Why?"
"Say what?"
"It's all fine, but why would their mutual love be so strong?"
"Because their experience has showed them how deeply they care for each other, gone through all their problems together, you know."
"That's stupid!"
"You can't deny simple logic!"
"Your logic is absurd! First you create the problems, then stomping everything and everyone in your way you get over them, and finally you claim that your love is divine. This is no love, this is an illusion! Where's the logic in that?"
"I see your point... but it's tradition."
"I'll lay the path for a new tradition."
"Really? And perhaps you'll solve all problems of humanity?"
"Hmm.. never thought of that, thanks for the idea."
"So why in blazes do you want a pokemon if you're not going to fight."
"I want to train the pokemon of the new age."
People that have to deal with children often to preserve what's left of their former sanity just give up and act like drooling babysitters and listen to nothing they're being told.
"Alright, have it your way. You know, I like you style. Although you'll probably fail to achieve your goal, the experience will help you become a real trainer, like everyone else. Here's your pokemon, I've chosen it carefully, very carefully for you and considering your sudden change I think it'll fit you even better. Now, off you go! Chop-chop."
He didn't understand me, did he? Oh, well...
I wonder why he urged me to the door so hastily... is it because he was annoyed by me or is it because some long forgotten and dusty mechanism in his head actually tweaked and made him wonder? So, let's see now. I pushed the button of the pokeball. It opened, then all that whizzing and colors and stuff, and then... there it was standing in right there in front of me in all its marvel and glory, staring at me innocently. My vision was becoming reality quite fast, it was.
No matter what they say.
"So, honey, did Mr. Elm accept you so early?"
"He did. And gave me a pokemon as well."
"No way! Oh, let me see the cutie. What did you get?"
"This."
"Oh, it's adorable. I'd say you've been given the best available possibility."
"Me too, mum, me too."
"So, what do you call it?"
"Vulpix. Just Vulpix. I don't want to disgrace its unique beauty and character with a silly name."
"Gee, I never saw that one coming. Oh, well, suit yourself. So, when are you leaving?"
"In a couple of minutes, I hope."
"Right on. Well, what can I say more. I'm the only one in the see-you-off committee, and it's up to me to make a speech. But I feel that what I want to express can't be bound in words."
It was like one of those moments when you know you'll miss something a lot and now were the last seconds you see it. But then again I felt something else. Even though I was unlikely to see my mother for a couple of months, my emptiness was filling with something that told me everything was okay, that no matter what no problem shall arise, that nothing will break my spirit. And I didn't miss my mum, because she was here, she always was here, and if something changed it wouldn't matter, because everything was going to be just fine. Sometimes I thought that things were going to be fine, but then it seemed like trying to cover big hole with a little leaf, that something inside said you're just trying to deceive yourself. This thing wasn't there now. Because I wasn't deceiving myself. The vision was clearer than ever.
"I understand. It's better this way, in silence you discover truth, not in words. Bye, Mum."
Watch out, World, I'm coming right at you!
I managed to get out of New Bark before the sun rose. There was just a suggestion of light on the sky and the fog showed that it'll be a sunny day today.
I've heard of a definition of experience - something you gain right after you really need it. Quite so, but the experience you gain from the gained experience is worth a lot. Because the first experience is connected with the way you interact with the world, but the second, the worthy experience is the one that shows you to yourself. If you fail to gain such experience then don't worry. You just don't sincerely want to be happy. But that's your choice, everyone can make their own choice. Mine was to be happy. But was I sincere enough?...
I was tired of thinking right now. I decided to attend to worldly things. Because happiness is easily found in the small things around us. I spent some time to explain to my little Vulpix my plans, and he seemed to understand everything before I even got to the middle.
"You know, my grandpa said that I should believe nothing I'm said before I think about it. I think I should check to see if my vision really applies to this world. So listen up, we'll pick up a small fight to see if I'm right."
"Vulpix?" (You doubt yourself?)
"Everyone has its doubts. If I'm right, the doubt will perish, if I'm wrong the doubt will perish as well, and a new theory will emerge. My vision is a theory, not a belief."
"Vulpix, vul, vulpix." (Visions are something related with destiny, they are not to be doubted.)
"Not so. It is associated with me, my vision of me, my truth. It is related with destiny though, but with a little difference - I make my own destiny. If I don't doubt it then I'll stop progressing, I'll just vegetate upon an idea that might not be as good as it was."
A nod.
"So, let's get into trouble!"
I ran to the nearest bush and dived into the thick forest, followed by my companion. He, who searches, finds. I surely found my trouble. I tripped over a twig, fell into something slippery and glided among the trees, not fully in control of the situation. I thought I'll hit a tree soon and it'll all be over, but a cliff ruined my hopes. After few seconds of tumbling and turning I got to a halt. Salvation, I thought. Until my Vulpix jumped at me from above and scared the angels out of me. This was the end of the start.
"Nice end though. What's broken?..."
"Vul, pix, vulpix." (A twig, a little tree and the bush you're stretched over)
"Urghh."
"Vulpix, vulpix, pix." (I thought by getting into trouble you meant a completely different thing)
"I did. Oh and there's our trouble now."
I was getting up slowly, so I'd notice if anything unmentioned by Vulpix had been broken, before it was too late. And finally glared at the opponent. Heavens to Lapras, what was it. It vanished. I don't remember hitting my head while falling. Yup, my head was in one unaching piece. So what was it, I remember it not being in the book. The vision...
"Vulpix." (It said it'll come again some day)
"Do tell..."
"Vulpix." (I guess no battles today)
"Oh, the day has just begun."
An early morning is a great sight to behold. The rising sun was more enchanting than ever. I realised that the sun hasn't changed, I have. Picking a fight seemed less of an attractive thing to do, so I headed for Cherrygrove City straight away. Not that there was something special about Cherrygrove in particular, but it was the only possible place to go, and surely there was nothing more left to be done around New Bark. Grandfather always said not to throw too much thinking before starting doing something, but nevertheless everything must be done knowing clearly and fully why you're doing it. He may be right, he never explained his always-sayings. It started to make sense, but for now... uhh, so sleepy, sleepy. Huh?
"Well, I'll be. I went to fight and did everything but fight, now that I had given up fighting a Rattata obstructs my path and obviously wants to show me a thing or two."
"Vulpix?" (Who are you talking to?)
"Huh?"
"Vulpix, vulpix?" (Nevermind, what're we going to do now?)
"Well, that picky neighbour we have across the street once said a heart-warming phrase to me. He said: "Hey, get out of my garden, you pest!", but what I think he really meant was... run!"
I ran for the forest, supposedly a diverging move, to puzzle the pursuer.
"Vulpix, roar!"
Fiddlesticks, a roar like that won't even wake up an awake person.
"Vulpix, puff some smoke out!"
Well, that faint mist had to do. I screamed a modulation of all frequencies my throat could produce and took a sharp turn, keeping the pace. A tremendous effect, my bawl woke a good portion of the denizens of the forest, which responded in the same manner. I kept turning, so that the Rattata couldn't follow me, nor could it hear my steps. The path ahead... salvation. I slowed down and took a breath. The chaser was probably far behind us, and baffled as well. If that was going to be the way to battle I think the League should take up jogging. Ah, heck, who was I kidding, something had to be done...
Cherrygrove was just waking up, very few people paced the streets. I went straight for the sea, a nice swim had all the chances to wake me up.
"Here is the sea, Vulpix, I'll just wet my feet and we're off to have breakfast."
"Vuuuulpix." (Woow, it's so big)
It hit me that Vulpix has never seen a sea before. It's fun discovering for yourself a new thing everyday. I saw the excitement in Vulpix's eyes. Too bad it didn't happen to me much.
"The sea. Back at New Bark I forgot to show you the native sea. It looks differently from the one here. But, now, all seas look different from everything I remember. They look purposeful, like, alive, sensitive. A simple swim can hold an entire conversation with the water. The sea itself is a totally different from the ground ecosystem. Why, there is just a structural similarity between air-breathing pokemon and nautical pokemon. And somewhere down there, lurk great mysteries. Such a mystery was about to be unveiled around that accident with the three legendary birds a year ago. But it lasted a day and then the mystery sank to the bottom again. Many expeditions took place to find the Guardian of the Sea, alas all of them failed. I think it's better that way. People oughtn't bug things they don't understand. So, umm, want to take a dip? Oh, come on, water doesn't bite, you know. Ah, suit yourself."
Fire pokemon naturally detest water, so I didn't urge Vulpix. I swam to the buoy and past it, on a bright day like today what could've happened. The water was so warm, so lulling, I didn't hear Vulpix shouting. Something sucked me into the deep. I struggled to surface, but gradually I passed out from the pressure. Anyway, I needed a good sleep.
I was awoken by a wave splash. Nothing felt aching, was that a dream? I sat up and looked around - a semi-covered with moss rock in the middle of a watery nowhere didn't seem like much of a dream.
[Ah, good, you came to your senses.]
I jumped up and looked around wearily, that voice didn't seem to come from anywhere, it was exactly a voice, not a sound, like, a thought.
"And what might that be good for?"
Special effects are usually seen only on TV, otherwise, they're just in your imagination, never in reality. What was in front of me was a sole exception from the rule. And it was no mirage, it looked beyond real, it looked... perfectly complete. That figure... the vision...
[Randy. I'm inexpressibly happy to finally meet you.]
"Well, we could've met over a hot cup of tea, instead of over the void that's around me. And where's Vulpix??"
[Have no worry. I believe here is the best place I could discuss with you urgent matters. And Vulpix, well, right behind you.]
I looked over my shoulder and saw Vulpix's tail, along with the rest of him not knowing what exactly is happening. I called him and he jumped right at me, happy that all was fine. For now. I glanced at Lugia and he gave me an innocent smile. In the matter of daily chores I'd say I've been kidnapped, but there was more than this, surely.
"Okay, I'll play along. What's this all about."
[I don't really have to explain it all, just think about your vision.]
"My vision? My vision..."
[People refer to me as the guardian of the sea. That really bears some truth but not all of it. My mission on this planet is to guard the balance of all forces itself. Surely, you know all about the trouble with the balance of fire, ice and thunder a year ago. People made a big fuss of it, they always do. The legend said that when this balance is shattered, the One will come and the one pokemon will comprehend the Being itself. What arose from my comprehension was sheer despair. The world we live in... what had happened? With a little help I was able to put myself together and devise something to change the terrible path humanity has undertaken.]
"The disbalance..."
[Indeed. More and more people start thinking of their pokemon as of sheer belongings, something that you possess to make a point in battle. And battles... practice battles were okay, until they became a enraged rivalry to show off who's better. No more the constructive spirit of training, but the destructive spirit of war. If this continues, eventually pokemon will stop obeying their masters and use every single possibility to run away. People on the other hand will probably try to imprison them. The wake of the war. No more together, but against each other.]
"The vision..."
[We set in motion a vast plan that should aid to some extent humans to overcome the plague they create. From pokemon to pokemon, wisdom is spread, until it reaches the trainees. They should try to help their trainers see the madness they invoke. However, like trainee, like trainer. Some of them don't listen at all, others feel too weak to accept such a responsibility. My research has led me to believe that people will not change unless they want to, nothing can change them but themselves. All there was left to do was to find someone that can show them the error of their ways. A thorough search started and lasted a long time, but no one was willing enough, as if there was nobody left to save the planet. Our search ended last night. Honestly, what we had found surpassed our boldest hopes.]
"So what did you find?"
[You. The energy that came along with your vision was a sign that something was going to happen, something grand.]
"What am I supposed to do?"
[We had devised a strategy, in case we find someone worthy, but now... you should know better what to do. I'm not so reckless to tell someone such as yourself what to do. I'd be happy to give you some tips though as your progress.]
"All seems fine but one thing."
[Like, what?]
"Who's we?"
[Oh, quite. Allow me to introduce the team of salvation.]
That giggle. Behind Lugia appeared a little shape. It did a few loops and then came out of the sun. I saw it in the forest, I did, an hour ago it seemed.
[Hihi, hello again, Randy, my, I still can't cease to laugh at the rumble back in the forest. You really know how to flatten everything in your way. Innocently, that is.]
I pointed my pokedex at it. It said: "Mew, bla bla bla, yap yap yap...". Mew. So it really was serious. Heavens to Togepi. So What now...
[Now? Oh that's quite simple for you. Lugia will explain the initial set-up. But there's a matter of responsibility. After all we don't want the world to perish just because of our only hope loafing around, do we?]
"I won't take the responsibility."
[Huh?]
Mew seemed inconsiderate but gradually became calmer. Apparently there were things that I was not supposed to hear. Err, to cross my mind, I guess. Oh, well.
[Mew, don't be so oppressive. The fact that he doesn't want to take a responsibility for the world is quite good, because he has already taken the responsibility for himself. This way he is even a purer match.]
[Right. Well, lay it out.]
They seemed to have gotten to a consensus and Lugia told me the plan.
[Now, I don't know what you're going to do next, but I know it's going to be good. Since you're a trainer you'll need a lot of pokemon to be successful, and since I'm a lot of a pokemon, I'll go along with you. Mew will keep other parts of the plan running and occasionally may come if help is required. I'll enable your Vulpix to talk through thoughts as well. Now, you'll need a pokeball for me. Ah good, so, throw it. Good, I can still talk to you from the pokeball, it's a bit stuffy here, you'll have to find a better ball. Now, let me out, I got accustomed to the ball. Ah, it's good to be in the fresh air.]
[Are you sure my jaws won't rust with this new-found ability?]
"Vulpix, you really can psyche out messages."
The plan was all fine and dandy. Vulpix was purring happily in my lap. I looked around. Mew was nowhere to be found, probably went to attend to his deeds. Lugia's head towered from the surface and was looking at me, waiting. So, what now? I sat on the rock, but it felt uncomfortable so I sat on Lugia's back and told him to take us back to Cherrygrove. While in flight I thought carefully of my further actions. Apparently I had gained control over the most powerful pokemon known to man. Also the support of Mew, which was everything but a detail. Also I had no particular responsibilities or missions. I was given the rough trade - humanity in peril and an example of a solution. Sounds like a big game. But still a game. You know, nothing serious, games are never serious, they can be sincere and pure, but never serious. Like life. People have this startling ability to make anything look important, while it's just a thing, sincere - it's there, it drifts happily and uninquiring on the waves of life, but not serious - not ambitious, not proud. Not proud, this is its main property. Everything else comes from this simple property. People are a proud life-form. All their problems start there. It seems that I've been unconscious for a long time since the sun was setting. A nice day, it was. I take my words back, sometimes it's really worth waiting a long time to discover something for yourself. And I discovered it. My vision... it was useless now, I understood it perfectly. I knew what had to be done, although I didn't know the way I was going to do it. People can't be changed unless they want to, otherwise it becomes slavery. Would they want to? If they did, then balance will likely be restored. If they didn't, then... I wish not to speculate.
--------The world is already saved. The problem is that it doesn't know that----------------------------
[Tell me, Randy, why did you run away from that Rattata? You could've defended yourself, I'm sure Vulpix's attacks were no match for the opponent.]
"I wasn't in a battling mood back then. It seemed that battling was all too wrong."
[Oh? But how are going to withstand the world if you run away at each challenge?]
"I'll become a fast runner."
[That's not a solution, though. Listen, pal, you've been aggressively attacked, and you put yourself through a range of humiliation just because some little obstacle decided to make your life tough. Think about the Rattata's point of view. It's probably an overdomesticated wild pokemon that has its problems and attacked you for no reason. Be generous, understand its problem. It wanted to make a point. Well, you make another point, if it slaps you, you slap it harder, to show it that your freedom to live is not to be touched. Pokemon understand such things all too quickly. That Rattata would have understood. Hit it hard, so its brain juices would start flowing, and then give it a berry to make up, to show that you're not doing it to humiliate it, but because you sincerely want to help. It would have smiled to you and would have run away happy that somebody understood it and that now it understands things a bit more clearly.]
"I should have listened to my grandfather more carefully. He said that whatever you do you should know why you're doing it. Surely, I didn't know what I was doing."
Another revelation. I did feel a bit wrong to run away, I felt somewhat guilty for the Rattata. It had asked me a favour, to battle it, and I responded with a run for it. And now here I fly on the back of the answer to my problem. Lugia was perfectly right.
"In that case, I'll have to train Vulpix to be a good fighter nevertheless. Or should I say a good defender."
[An excellent idea. And how do you suppose to do that?]
"On the other hand you can offer me protection like no other pokemon."
What was wrong with this set up. I realised that besides the responsibility I had takes for myself, on my shoulders weighs the responsibility for Vulpix. Long nights I had wondered why doesn't the world respond accordingly when you try to do something good for it. Was it any good? I felt that something is a miss.
[Waaah, this is not fair. Why did you take me with you. You have a great trainee under your feet right now, and another one that's flying and teleporting around, but what about me? It appears that I'm nothing more than a little fuzzball that ought to keep you warm through the night. What's my bloody role? Sob.]
I hugged my little fuzzball. It was whining quietly in my lap. I remembered what I had said to Elm, that people create problems themselves and then overcome their offspring. My grandfather said that living things carry the responsibility only for themselves. There is no natural way to take the responsibility for somebody else but yourself. I looked straight at Vulpix. He had stopped crying and now his enchanting eyes were responding to my loving gaze. I felt his little disturbed heart calming down. It seemed as if he knew what I was going to say.
"Vulpix. You're right, I really dragged you to my adventure without asking you if you'd really like to. You didn't seem unsatisfied with me, so I forgot to ask you. Now this particular question is held up clearly and I wish to answer it once and for all. You are free. You haven't become my trainee fully voluntarily. If you feel like it, just say the word, I'll leave you where you want and try somehow to make it up to you for the lost time. Don't feel guilty about anything, this isn't something important. It's just a game, where you are a player. You quit the game anytime you like. You don't feel guilty for quitting a game you don't like, do you?"
Vulpix kept staring at me. Somewhere deep inside his bottomless eyes I saw that the question has been settled once and for all. Vulpix went to sleep.
[Attention, all passengers, we're exactly above Cherrygrove City. What should I do now?]
"Land somewhere no one'll see you. Then we'll go eat, man, I've not eaten since yesterday. What a diet!"
[Probably from the overexcitement.]
"I don't want to keep you in your ball while we eat. Why don't you stretch your wings somewhere, eh? I'll call you if I require your help."
[Very well.]
I knew nothing of the local cuisine, so I decided to get something simple. I was standing at the counter when the silence was broken by a high-pitch yelp.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to step on your Vulpix's tail."
A young woman was apologizing heartily to me while looking at Vulpix with concern. The she looked at me. There she stood silent gazing into my eyes. I responded with an amused look. Her eyes twitched. Something nice was going to happen, I thought.
"Allow me to make it up to you and your cute fire-fox. You're here to have dinner, right? Have dinner with me. My treat."
"Uhh, sure. I'd love to."
She insisted to order for me, since she knew the cook here. She was curious if I'd like what she ordered. Well, I definitely looked perfect. And it tasted even better. I'd never imagined to choose a dish with a strange name not found in the menu.
"You like it? I just knew it. Anyway, enjoy."
"I will, I promise."
A smile.
"So, who are you? Are you from around here?"
"I'm Randy, a trainer, I'm from New Bark. And you are?"
"My name is Erika."
Hell, now I remember, I saw her face in the best trainers biography book.
"My word, the Celadon gym leader?"
"Well,... yeah. You can put it that way."
She was reluctant to speak about this, I could tell. Very well, I don't mind her changing the subject.
"So you're a trainer. You look like an experienced one. Want to battle for my Rainbowbadge?"
I replayed the last sentence in my mind to see how I'd feel about it. Strangely I didn't feel anything bad.
"Sure, why not?"
[What are you saying, man? Where is that non-battling attitude from an hour ago.]
[Cool it, Vulpix. I seems the right thing to do.]
[Since when battling is the right thing to do?]
[Since it's not the battle that's important.]
"Splendid. I know a place in town where we'll have a nice match."
"Err, no. I'd prefer somewhere outside town. I know a perfect clearing a mile from here. I don't want to battle with a lot of people watching."
"Sure, why not?"
I smiled.
A nice dinner, followed by a nicer walk alongside the border of the woods and a nice chat.
"What're you doing here in Johto? Shouldn't you be in Celadon, taking on challenges?"
"I'm the former leader of the Celadon gym. You know the eruption at Cinnabar Island a few years ago? Blaine decided to move his gym to Celadon, there he'd meet the least resistance of all gyms. It's like the thing Sabrina did to the fighting gym in Saffron. And now I'm scouting locations for a new gym. At first I thought of Lavender but it is chilly there, with little sun, my pokemon wouldn't like it. Cherrygrove sounded perfect though. The sea, the sun, the fresh warm air. Everything a grass trainer would dream of."
"So, officially you can't give me a badge?"
"Sorry. It's going to be just a practice battle."
"That's nice. Ah, and here we are."
"A nice place indeed."
"One pokemon each. Choose your best."
"Venusaur, I choose you."
[Lu, hurry up, descend already.]
A mighty whoosh tore the sky and Lugia descended in all his glory and shining armour.
"Lugia, I choose you!"
"You have a Lugia? Oh, man."
"Let's commence. Lugia, take off."
"Venusaur, Sleep Powder!"
"Lugia, Gust!"
"Venusaur, Safeguard, then Razor Leaf!"
"Lugia, Safeguard. Psychic!"
"Oh, no! Venusaur, Amnesia, fast!"
The psychic blast hit it hard. Venusaur was barely standing on its feet and looked stunned.
"Let's assume that I already said Aeroblast, your Venusaur has fainted, game over, eh?"
She looked wearily at her Venusaur.
"Very well. I lost fair and square. Venusaur, return. Nice battle though."
Lugia dropped onto the ground.
[This was a nice battle. I'm glad it ended fast.]
"So, where did you find Lugia? It's not like it jumped at you from tall grass, is it?"
"Not at all. I'll explain it all to you. Want to take a ride on his back?"
"Ummm, I'm not dressed properly for flight."
"Nonsense."
The sun had just begun to set, its red disc was almost wholly visible. The coda of its daily symphony was playing with passion and fire, just before the final almost non-existent note.
"Where is this place? It's beautiful here."
"Right south of the route New Bark-Cherrygrove. Grandfather showed it to me once, he said it was... it was..."
I glanced at the sun, a quarter of it had gone beyond the horizon. How could words explain the energies that flowed right here, right now?
"Romantic? I fully agree."
She looked at the sun and sighed. I remembered the words that I don't discover new things for me. Did I say that? Grandpa said once that most people talk highly competently about things they don't understand at all. Right he was. She put her head on my shoulder.
"Around all this business with the new gym, I forgot how precious the simple things in life were. It's amazing how a Vulpix's tail can lead to seeing your eyes, and now all this. That's the first date I haven't planned in advance."
"The most beautiful things come from the heart, not from the brain..."
The sun was halved by the horizon. She sighed.
"So, how did you get Lugia?"
"Easy, it was his idea in the first place."
"Is the world in peril again, awaiting for the Chosen to come again?"
"The world is in peril, but not exactly, awaiting for the Chosen to come, but not exactly. You see, if we assume that the world is in peril in its current state, then it's been like that for the last five thousand years. 'The Chosen' will come and do his best to aid humanity, but he's hasn't been chosen, oh no, he chose this destiny on his own, no one else made such a decision for him."
"Sounds quite liberal, but unreal. Are you this hero."
"I don't know. Lugia surely thinks so, but he came with me because of curiosity. I actually wish that everyone were the hero. This way the world would be saved without taking a single step. It's not going to happen this way though."
"What are you saving the world from?"
She was still resting her head on my shoulder and gazing at the sun. The long silence that followed made her look at me. I was looking at the first star that appeared, so beautiful... then I looked at her. The sense of revelation entered her eyes.
"Why did you end the match just before the final K.O.?"
"Why did you accept?"
"I didn't want my Venusaur to be in more pain when the outcome was obvious. He didn't stand a chance against your Lugia."
"I didn't want your Venusaur to be in more pain when the outcome was obvious. He didn't stand a chance against my Lugia."
"Back then I was your opponent, you're supposed to faint my pokemon without being sentimental."
"Not if the battle wasn't the most important thing. Normally I wouldn't accept a challenge and come to think of it, this was my first trainer battle. I wanted to see you battle. I felt something unexplored in you, the battle was the easiest way to explore it. You know, from all I've read about other hotshot trainers most of them would never quit as well as beat the last breath out of their opponent pokemon. Dignity didn't cloud your eyes though."
Only a quarter of the sun was still visible. She was silently assimilating my words. I continued.
"You spoke about your gym and stuff with a bit of boredom, a tiny well-covered bit of boredom. The life of a gym leader doesn't appeal to you anymore, does it?"
She sighed.
"Am I that transparent?..."
"No. You just allow me to see you."
"What kind of human are you, anyway?"
"Why don't you find out for yourself."
"I've found quite a lot already."
She smiled happily and rested her head in my lap. I stroke her hair. She had closed her eyes and was purring softly.
"Why did you take me here?"
"I was utterly curious. I had no idea what was going to happen."
"As if life is just a big experiment for you."
"Uh-huh, discovering new aspects, new experience, advancing in life with a steady but firm foundation under my feet. The joy of it all, the utter bliss that is life. The complete nirvana of this big game."
"So is that life for you? Just a big game?"
"Not just a game. It's the best game I know. This day is a confirmation of life's infinite possibilities to express yourself. The entire day was a solid chunk of everlasting excitement. First Vulpix, then Lugia, then you."
"You mean that you achieved everything in one day?! How old are you?"
She was staring at me, eyes wide open.
"One day? Not one day. I achieved everything for one minute. Last night. All I have to do now is wait until everything I've achieved comes to me. Even though the preparations for last night lasted, as if for millennia."
"Don't tell me you're ten years old. I heard that the pokemon give-away at New Bark was today and it didn't run all too smoothly. People said professor Elm was a bit upset and gave the pokemon reluctantly, asking every kid what was it going to do with the pokemon it got."
"My, my, so he did understand me. Praise to all-cleansing Suicine."
"Oh god, I'm dating a ten year old."
"What does it matter to you? Age isn't really of importance. Most adults are mentally still in their early teens."
"The depth I saw in your eyes led me to believe that you have a lot of experience in life."
"My eyes haven't deceived you though. Although I don't have the experience at will, everything that I need to know for the situation that's ahead, comes to me freely. Experience for me comes just before I need it. Think about any 10 year old kid. Do I have any common margins with it?"
She kept looking at me. Silently.
"No. Save for one rare quality."
She looked at the last sun-ray that disappeared below the sea.
"Innocence."
She fell asleep in my lap. I was twiddling a lock of her hair. I looked around. Vulpix was playing with something in the water. Lugia was as if in a prayer. Our age difference was about 7 years, but she was deceived. Amazing. I was quite tall for my age, just a tad shorter that her. Then again... Naaah, I don't look that mature. Do I?
[You do actually. Well not on the outside, but people sensitive enough feel your aura. On the inside you're like a sage. Erika turned to be a particularly sensitive person.]
[Thanks, Lu. Let's blast off.]
I lifted Erika, sat on Lugia's back and put her in my lap. She was sleeping peacefully, breathing hardly detectable. She looked splendid in the moonlight.
[Fly to Cherrygrove, please.]
"Huh, where am I?"
"In my lap, a hundred feet above the ground."
"I never realised that flying could be so exciting."
"Hopefully this won't be the last time."
I got a playful look.
"Riiiight, nope, it probably won't. say, doesn't Lugia talk."
"Nope. He speaks telepathically."
[Lu, demo.]
[Nice to meet you, Erika.]
"Uh-huh. I see."
She looked a bit uncomfortable. She's funny.
"I know a lot of people. Some of them are my friends from my very early life. But you. I've known you for an hour or so, but it seems that we've known each other since the beginning of life itself.
"You know not how close you are."
"I know I'm close right now. Very close."
Our lips met. Beethoven's Ode to joy furiously ran in my blood. Time froze, the stars were all shining upon us with rays of happiness. Let this divine moment repeat, I thought. Time passed. Our lips parted.
Erika was looking trance-like. I looked at the light between us - a sparkling quiet green light. I looked around - Vulpix was looking at us with insane curiosity, Lugia was quivering slightly. I set my gaze at the light - it was no doubt the essence of love. I paused my thoughts for a second and let my heart speak.
"Humanity is cured already. They don't know this but it's quite so. Let this light be the messenger, the fanfare of victory! Life is once again victorious over the dark powers. When people understand this they'll be happy once again. And soon they will understand, since their source of power - the dark team, is already non-existent. Fly across the world, sing to every listening soul the Ode of Joy, for the world will be joyous once more."
Infused with my prayer the light dissipated. I looked at the sky once more, it had a rare lime halftone.
"Shine, stars, shine. The age of love is here."
---------
--------Prologue--------------------------------------------------------------
What a night. All day preparations to celebrate New Bark Town's 10 year old children that had chosen their destiny of pokemon trainers. Tomorrow professor Elm was going to give each determined kid his very first pokemon to train and conquer the world with it, to the extent possible of course.
The celebration was in its climax. After the speech of the representative of our parents, fun was written on everyone's faces. The music was perfect for dancing and everyone did dance - in pairs or alone, it didn't matter much. I had lost myself in the tender stream of joyous vibrations. It was my favourite tune - Siamsa. The last theme threw me in ecstasy, I took out my flute and played along with the music. Everyone stopped dancing to see where was that sound coming from. As they made out what was happening the questioning silence turned into cheering, laughing and clapping in tune. I didn't know that, I was told of it later. I was lost in the music. I didn't dance anymore, I was the dance. I didn't play anymore, I was the play.
In such an ecstatic state sometimes you gain some new knowledge. But not like new knowledge gained by a book, more like knowledge that you knew you always had, but just now you gave it attention, and when you did you slap yourself in the forehead - but of course, how couldn't I see that before. What I understood kicked me out of my delirium. I just stood there, watching blankly, then I wandered off to home. Knowing truth was painful if you weren't ready for it. The most important cornerstone in my life was set. And tomorrow was the pokemon give-away.
Professor Elm summoned us at 7 o'clock in the morning, a bit sadistic, having in mind when the others went to bed after the celebration. Not that it mattered for me, I didn't sleep at all. I went downstairs, told my mum I was going to be right back and hopped to Elm's. I was a bit early, so there weren't much kids. I went to the door and knocked on it. Professor Elm showed his sleepy face, looked around, asked who's there and then focused on me standing right in front of him. "Oh, Randy, a bit early you come, the give-away starts in 2 hours, you know."
"Yes, of course, I didn't sleep much, and it came to me that if children didn't all come exactly at 7, but kept coming in a period spanned across a few hours, then there will be less waiting, less downtime, less stream resistance, less worrying, more efficiency, more satisfaction. Oh sorry, got carried away, it's probably from that book I read this night..."
"What?..."
Err, I'd better try another approach, less ornate.
"I'd like my pokemon right away."
"Sorry, you'll have to wait."
"Why?"
"Uhhh.. we have to do it by the book."
"Then let's change the book."
"But this is tradition, everyone do it this way."
"Then let's make a new tradition. You want to be just like everyone?"
"Are you feeling alright, lad? You didn't sound like that yesterday."
"People change..."
"Overnight?!"
"Over a minute, given stimulus."
"Oh.. so.. what happened last night? You acted as if you had seen something terrible."
"Not terrible, shocking. I've been given a gift."
"Gift? Don't remember such a thing..."
"A gift, like, an idea, that's it, an idea. It's hard to explain."
"I've got time, everything is prepared for today and there's still 2 hours to the ceremony. Come now, have tea with me and you can tell me. It's worth my time, isn't it?"
"That's up to you to say..."
Ah, tea, a favourite drink of mine, and Elm knew how to make excellent tea, he did. Until now I didn't realise how precious this brown liquid was. I enjoyed every little sip.
"So tell me now, what idea did you get?"
"You know... pokemon never fight among themselves just to show who's stronger."
"Huh, oh yes, that's a well-known fact, of course with a few unique exceptions."
"So... why do trainers make their pokemon fight."
"Everyone ask this question, you know, and I'm prepared for every possible question you might ask."
"So why do they?"
"First of all it's tradition, people have done this since known history, and fighting is a great gauge to measure how good a pokemon has been brought up."
"Brought up? Like, brought up to be good fighters?"
"Indeed."
"Why would you want them to be good fighters. It's a pointless loss of vital energy."
"Pokemon are a gauge themselves to measure how much devotion their trainers have."
"So by exposing them to pain all the time, watching them and their humiliation when defeated or bloated pride when victorious is the way to measure how much you love them?"
"My lord, you put it the worst possible way, surely what you're saying doesn't apply to pokemon all the time."
"Oh, just in some cases."
"I mean, defeat gives a stimulus to train more, and victory doesn't bring anything bloated, just joy. And pain is just temporary, after each battle you heal your pokemon, don't you?"
"How could inflicting pain and ultimately knock out can bring joy?"
"Oh stop looking at the details, look at the big picture - after all has ended there are results, look at the results - trainers get better, pokemon get better, their bond of love grows stronger."
"I believe they watch the big picture as well, because what they do is madness."
"Randy, Randy, you just don't understand, do you? I'll put it simple. You get a pokemon, train it, you both get better and ultimately you're the best and your mutual love is divine."
"Why?"
"Say what?"
"It's all fine, but why would their mutual love be so strong?"
"Because their experience has showed them how deeply they care for each other, gone through all their problems together, you know."
"That's stupid!"
"You can't deny simple logic!"
"Your logic is absurd! First you create the problems, then stomping everything and everyone in your way you get over them, and finally you claim that your love is divine. This is no love, this is an illusion! Where's the logic in that?"
"I see your point... but it's tradition."
"I'll lay the path for a new tradition."
"Really? And perhaps you'll solve all problems of humanity?"
"Hmm.. never thought of that, thanks for the idea."
"So why in blazes do you want a pokemon if you're not going to fight."
"I want to train the pokemon of the new age."
People that have to deal with children often to preserve what's left of their former sanity just give up and act like drooling babysitters and listen to nothing they're being told.
"Alright, have it your way. You know, I like you style. Although you'll probably fail to achieve your goal, the experience will help you become a real trainer, like everyone else. Here's your pokemon, I've chosen it carefully, very carefully for you and considering your sudden change I think it'll fit you even better. Now, off you go! Chop-chop."
He didn't understand me, did he? Oh, well...
I wonder why he urged me to the door so hastily... is it because he was annoyed by me or is it because some long forgotten and dusty mechanism in his head actually tweaked and made him wonder? So, let's see now. I pushed the button of the pokeball. It opened, then all that whizzing and colors and stuff, and then... there it was standing in right there in front of me in all its marvel and glory, staring at me innocently. My vision was becoming reality quite fast, it was.
No matter what they say.
"So, honey, did Mr. Elm accept you so early?"
"He did. And gave me a pokemon as well."
"No way! Oh, let me see the cutie. What did you get?"
"This."
"Oh, it's adorable. I'd say you've been given the best available possibility."
"Me too, mum, me too."
"So, what do you call it?"
"Vulpix. Just Vulpix. I don't want to disgrace its unique beauty and character with a silly name."
"Gee, I never saw that one coming. Oh, well, suit yourself. So, when are you leaving?"
"In a couple of minutes, I hope."
"Right on. Well, what can I say more. I'm the only one in the see-you-off committee, and it's up to me to make a speech. But I feel that what I want to express can't be bound in words."
It was like one of those moments when you know you'll miss something a lot and now were the last seconds you see it. But then again I felt something else. Even though I was unlikely to see my mother for a couple of months, my emptiness was filling with something that told me everything was okay, that no matter what no problem shall arise, that nothing will break my spirit. And I didn't miss my mum, because she was here, she always was here, and if something changed it wouldn't matter, because everything was going to be just fine. Sometimes I thought that things were going to be fine, but then it seemed like trying to cover big hole with a little leaf, that something inside said you're just trying to deceive yourself. This thing wasn't there now. Because I wasn't deceiving myself. The vision was clearer than ever.
"I understand. It's better this way, in silence you discover truth, not in words. Bye, Mum."
Watch out, World, I'm coming right at you!
I managed to get out of New Bark before the sun rose. There was just a suggestion of light on the sky and the fog showed that it'll be a sunny day today.
I've heard of a definition of experience - something you gain right after you really need it. Quite so, but the experience you gain from the gained experience is worth a lot. Because the first experience is connected with the way you interact with the world, but the second, the worthy experience is the one that shows you to yourself. If you fail to gain such experience then don't worry. You just don't sincerely want to be happy. But that's your choice, everyone can make their own choice. Mine was to be happy. But was I sincere enough?...
I was tired of thinking right now. I decided to attend to worldly things. Because happiness is easily found in the small things around us. I spent some time to explain to my little Vulpix my plans, and he seemed to understand everything before I even got to the middle.
"You know, my grandpa said that I should believe nothing I'm said before I think about it. I think I should check to see if my vision really applies to this world. So listen up, we'll pick up a small fight to see if I'm right."
"Vulpix?" (You doubt yourself?)
"Everyone has its doubts. If I'm right, the doubt will perish, if I'm wrong the doubt will perish as well, and a new theory will emerge. My vision is a theory, not a belief."
"Vulpix, vul, vulpix." (Visions are something related with destiny, they are not to be doubted.)
"Not so. It is associated with me, my vision of me, my truth. It is related with destiny though, but with a little difference - I make my own destiny. If I don't doubt it then I'll stop progressing, I'll just vegetate upon an idea that might not be as good as it was."
A nod.
"So, let's get into trouble!"
I ran to the nearest bush and dived into the thick forest, followed by my companion. He, who searches, finds. I surely found my trouble. I tripped over a twig, fell into something slippery and glided among the trees, not fully in control of the situation. I thought I'll hit a tree soon and it'll all be over, but a cliff ruined my hopes. After few seconds of tumbling and turning I got to a halt. Salvation, I thought. Until my Vulpix jumped at me from above and scared the angels out of me. This was the end of the start.
"Nice end though. What's broken?..."
"Vul, pix, vulpix." (A twig, a little tree and the bush you're stretched over)
"Urghh."
"Vulpix, vulpix, pix." (I thought by getting into trouble you meant a completely different thing)
"I did. Oh and there's our trouble now."
I was getting up slowly, so I'd notice if anything unmentioned by Vulpix had been broken, before it was too late. And finally glared at the opponent. Heavens to Lapras, what was it. It vanished. I don't remember hitting my head while falling. Yup, my head was in one unaching piece. So what was it, I remember it not being in the book. The vision...
"Vulpix." (It said it'll come again some day)
"Do tell..."
"Vulpix." (I guess no battles today)
"Oh, the day has just begun."
An early morning is a great sight to behold. The rising sun was more enchanting than ever. I realised that the sun hasn't changed, I have. Picking a fight seemed less of an attractive thing to do, so I headed for Cherrygrove City straight away. Not that there was something special about Cherrygrove in particular, but it was the only possible place to go, and surely there was nothing more left to be done around New Bark. Grandfather always said not to throw too much thinking before starting doing something, but nevertheless everything must be done knowing clearly and fully why you're doing it. He may be right, he never explained his always-sayings. It started to make sense, but for now... uhh, so sleepy, sleepy. Huh?
"Well, I'll be. I went to fight and did everything but fight, now that I had given up fighting a Rattata obstructs my path and obviously wants to show me a thing or two."
"Vulpix?" (Who are you talking to?)
"Huh?"
"Vulpix, vulpix?" (Nevermind, what're we going to do now?)
"Well, that picky neighbour we have across the street once said a heart-warming phrase to me. He said: "Hey, get out of my garden, you pest!", but what I think he really meant was... run!"
I ran for the forest, supposedly a diverging move, to puzzle the pursuer.
"Vulpix, roar!"
Fiddlesticks, a roar like that won't even wake up an awake person.
"Vulpix, puff some smoke out!"
Well, that faint mist had to do. I screamed a modulation of all frequencies my throat could produce and took a sharp turn, keeping the pace. A tremendous effect, my bawl woke a good portion of the denizens of the forest, which responded in the same manner. I kept turning, so that the Rattata couldn't follow me, nor could it hear my steps. The path ahead... salvation. I slowed down and took a breath. The chaser was probably far behind us, and baffled as well. If that was going to be the way to battle I think the League should take up jogging. Ah, heck, who was I kidding, something had to be done...
Cherrygrove was just waking up, very few people paced the streets. I went straight for the sea, a nice swim had all the chances to wake me up.
"Here is the sea, Vulpix, I'll just wet my feet and we're off to have breakfast."
"Vuuuulpix." (Woow, it's so big)
It hit me that Vulpix has never seen a sea before. It's fun discovering for yourself a new thing everyday. I saw the excitement in Vulpix's eyes. Too bad it didn't happen to me much.
"The sea. Back at New Bark I forgot to show you the native sea. It looks differently from the one here. But, now, all seas look different from everything I remember. They look purposeful, like, alive, sensitive. A simple swim can hold an entire conversation with the water. The sea itself is a totally different from the ground ecosystem. Why, there is just a structural similarity between air-breathing pokemon and nautical pokemon. And somewhere down there, lurk great mysteries. Such a mystery was about to be unveiled around that accident with the three legendary birds a year ago. But it lasted a day and then the mystery sank to the bottom again. Many expeditions took place to find the Guardian of the Sea, alas all of them failed. I think it's better that way. People oughtn't bug things they don't understand. So, umm, want to take a dip? Oh, come on, water doesn't bite, you know. Ah, suit yourself."
Fire pokemon naturally detest water, so I didn't urge Vulpix. I swam to the buoy and past it, on a bright day like today what could've happened. The water was so warm, so lulling, I didn't hear Vulpix shouting. Something sucked me into the deep. I struggled to surface, but gradually I passed out from the pressure. Anyway, I needed a good sleep.
I was awoken by a wave splash. Nothing felt aching, was that a dream? I sat up and looked around - a semi-covered with moss rock in the middle of a watery nowhere didn't seem like much of a dream.
[Ah, good, you came to your senses.]
I jumped up and looked around wearily, that voice didn't seem to come from anywhere, it was exactly a voice, not a sound, like, a thought.
"And what might that be good for?"
Special effects are usually seen only on TV, otherwise, they're just in your imagination, never in reality. What was in front of me was a sole exception from the rule. And it was no mirage, it looked beyond real, it looked... perfectly complete. That figure... the vision...
[Randy. I'm inexpressibly happy to finally meet you.]
"Well, we could've met over a hot cup of tea, instead of over the void that's around me. And where's Vulpix??"
[Have no worry. I believe here is the best place I could discuss with you urgent matters. And Vulpix, well, right behind you.]
I looked over my shoulder and saw Vulpix's tail, along with the rest of him not knowing what exactly is happening. I called him and he jumped right at me, happy that all was fine. For now. I glanced at Lugia and he gave me an innocent smile. In the matter of daily chores I'd say I've been kidnapped, but there was more than this, surely.
"Okay, I'll play along. What's this all about."
[I don't really have to explain it all, just think about your vision.]
"My vision? My vision..."
[People refer to me as the guardian of the sea. That really bears some truth but not all of it. My mission on this planet is to guard the balance of all forces itself. Surely, you know all about the trouble with the balance of fire, ice and thunder a year ago. People made a big fuss of it, they always do. The legend said that when this balance is shattered, the One will come and the one pokemon will comprehend the Being itself. What arose from my comprehension was sheer despair. The world we live in... what had happened? With a little help I was able to put myself together and devise something to change the terrible path humanity has undertaken.]
"The disbalance..."
[Indeed. More and more people start thinking of their pokemon as of sheer belongings, something that you possess to make a point in battle. And battles... practice battles were okay, until they became a enraged rivalry to show off who's better. No more the constructive spirit of training, but the destructive spirit of war. If this continues, eventually pokemon will stop obeying their masters and use every single possibility to run away. People on the other hand will probably try to imprison them. The wake of the war. No more together, but against each other.]
"The vision..."
[We set in motion a vast plan that should aid to some extent humans to overcome the plague they create. From pokemon to pokemon, wisdom is spread, until it reaches the trainees. They should try to help their trainers see the madness they invoke. However, like trainee, like trainer. Some of them don't listen at all, others feel too weak to accept such a responsibility. My research has led me to believe that people will not change unless they want to, nothing can change them but themselves. All there was left to do was to find someone that can show them the error of their ways. A thorough search started and lasted a long time, but no one was willing enough, as if there was nobody left to save the planet. Our search ended last night. Honestly, what we had found surpassed our boldest hopes.]
"So what did you find?"
[You. The energy that came along with your vision was a sign that something was going to happen, something grand.]
"What am I supposed to do?"
[We had devised a strategy, in case we find someone worthy, but now... you should know better what to do. I'm not so reckless to tell someone such as yourself what to do. I'd be happy to give you some tips though as your progress.]
"All seems fine but one thing."
[Like, what?]
"Who's we?"
[Oh, quite. Allow me to introduce the team of salvation.]
That giggle. Behind Lugia appeared a little shape. It did a few loops and then came out of the sun. I saw it in the forest, I did, an hour ago it seemed.
[Hihi, hello again, Randy, my, I still can't cease to laugh at the rumble back in the forest. You really know how to flatten everything in your way. Innocently, that is.]
I pointed my pokedex at it. It said: "Mew, bla bla bla, yap yap yap...". Mew. So it really was serious. Heavens to Togepi. So What now...
[Now? Oh that's quite simple for you. Lugia will explain the initial set-up. But there's a matter of responsibility. After all we don't want the world to perish just because of our only hope loafing around, do we?]
"I won't take the responsibility."
[Huh?]
Mew seemed inconsiderate but gradually became calmer. Apparently there were things that I was not supposed to hear. Err, to cross my mind, I guess. Oh, well.
[Mew, don't be so oppressive. The fact that he doesn't want to take a responsibility for the world is quite good, because he has already taken the responsibility for himself. This way he is even a purer match.]
[Right. Well, lay it out.]
They seemed to have gotten to a consensus and Lugia told me the plan.
[Now, I don't know what you're going to do next, but I know it's going to be good. Since you're a trainer you'll need a lot of pokemon to be successful, and since I'm a lot of a pokemon, I'll go along with you. Mew will keep other parts of the plan running and occasionally may come if help is required. I'll enable your Vulpix to talk through thoughts as well. Now, you'll need a pokeball for me. Ah good, so, throw it. Good, I can still talk to you from the pokeball, it's a bit stuffy here, you'll have to find a better ball. Now, let me out, I got accustomed to the ball. Ah, it's good to be in the fresh air.]
[Are you sure my jaws won't rust with this new-found ability?]
"Vulpix, you really can psyche out messages."
The plan was all fine and dandy. Vulpix was purring happily in my lap. I looked around. Mew was nowhere to be found, probably went to attend to his deeds. Lugia's head towered from the surface and was looking at me, waiting. So, what now? I sat on the rock, but it felt uncomfortable so I sat on Lugia's back and told him to take us back to Cherrygrove. While in flight I thought carefully of my further actions. Apparently I had gained control over the most powerful pokemon known to man. Also the support of Mew, which was everything but a detail. Also I had no particular responsibilities or missions. I was given the rough trade - humanity in peril and an example of a solution. Sounds like a big game. But still a game. You know, nothing serious, games are never serious, they can be sincere and pure, but never serious. Like life. People have this startling ability to make anything look important, while it's just a thing, sincere - it's there, it drifts happily and uninquiring on the waves of life, but not serious - not ambitious, not proud. Not proud, this is its main property. Everything else comes from this simple property. People are a proud life-form. All their problems start there. It seems that I've been unconscious for a long time since the sun was setting. A nice day, it was. I take my words back, sometimes it's really worth waiting a long time to discover something for yourself. And I discovered it. My vision... it was useless now, I understood it perfectly. I knew what had to be done, although I didn't know the way I was going to do it. People can't be changed unless they want to, otherwise it becomes slavery. Would they want to? If they did, then balance will likely be restored. If they didn't, then... I wish not to speculate.
--------The world is already saved. The problem is that it doesn't know that----------------------------
[Tell me, Randy, why did you run away from that Rattata? You could've defended yourself, I'm sure Vulpix's attacks were no match for the opponent.]
"I wasn't in a battling mood back then. It seemed that battling was all too wrong."
[Oh? But how are going to withstand the world if you run away at each challenge?]
"I'll become a fast runner."
[That's not a solution, though. Listen, pal, you've been aggressively attacked, and you put yourself through a range of humiliation just because some little obstacle decided to make your life tough. Think about the Rattata's point of view. It's probably an overdomesticated wild pokemon that has its problems and attacked you for no reason. Be generous, understand its problem. It wanted to make a point. Well, you make another point, if it slaps you, you slap it harder, to show it that your freedom to live is not to be touched. Pokemon understand such things all too quickly. That Rattata would have understood. Hit it hard, so its brain juices would start flowing, and then give it a berry to make up, to show that you're not doing it to humiliate it, but because you sincerely want to help. It would have smiled to you and would have run away happy that somebody understood it and that now it understands things a bit more clearly.]
"I should have listened to my grandfather more carefully. He said that whatever you do you should know why you're doing it. Surely, I didn't know what I was doing."
Another revelation. I did feel a bit wrong to run away, I felt somewhat guilty for the Rattata. It had asked me a favour, to battle it, and I responded with a run for it. And now here I fly on the back of the answer to my problem. Lugia was perfectly right.
"In that case, I'll have to train Vulpix to be a good fighter nevertheless. Or should I say a good defender."
[An excellent idea. And how do you suppose to do that?]
"On the other hand you can offer me protection like no other pokemon."
What was wrong with this set up. I realised that besides the responsibility I had takes for myself, on my shoulders weighs the responsibility for Vulpix. Long nights I had wondered why doesn't the world respond accordingly when you try to do something good for it. Was it any good? I felt that something is a miss.
[Waaah, this is not fair. Why did you take me with you. You have a great trainee under your feet right now, and another one that's flying and teleporting around, but what about me? It appears that I'm nothing more than a little fuzzball that ought to keep you warm through the night. What's my bloody role? Sob.]
I hugged my little fuzzball. It was whining quietly in my lap. I remembered what I had said to Elm, that people create problems themselves and then overcome their offspring. My grandfather said that living things carry the responsibility only for themselves. There is no natural way to take the responsibility for somebody else but yourself. I looked straight at Vulpix. He had stopped crying and now his enchanting eyes were responding to my loving gaze. I felt his little disturbed heart calming down. It seemed as if he knew what I was going to say.
"Vulpix. You're right, I really dragged you to my adventure without asking you if you'd really like to. You didn't seem unsatisfied with me, so I forgot to ask you. Now this particular question is held up clearly and I wish to answer it once and for all. You are free. You haven't become my trainee fully voluntarily. If you feel like it, just say the word, I'll leave you where you want and try somehow to make it up to you for the lost time. Don't feel guilty about anything, this isn't something important. It's just a game, where you are a player. You quit the game anytime you like. You don't feel guilty for quitting a game you don't like, do you?"
Vulpix kept staring at me. Somewhere deep inside his bottomless eyes I saw that the question has been settled once and for all. Vulpix went to sleep.
[Attention, all passengers, we're exactly above Cherrygrove City. What should I do now?]
"Land somewhere no one'll see you. Then we'll go eat, man, I've not eaten since yesterday. What a diet!"
[Probably from the overexcitement.]
"I don't want to keep you in your ball while we eat. Why don't you stretch your wings somewhere, eh? I'll call you if I require your help."
[Very well.]
I knew nothing of the local cuisine, so I decided to get something simple. I was standing at the counter when the silence was broken by a high-pitch yelp.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to step on your Vulpix's tail."
A young woman was apologizing heartily to me while looking at Vulpix with concern. The she looked at me. There she stood silent gazing into my eyes. I responded with an amused look. Her eyes twitched. Something nice was going to happen, I thought.
"Allow me to make it up to you and your cute fire-fox. You're here to have dinner, right? Have dinner with me. My treat."
"Uhh, sure. I'd love to."
She insisted to order for me, since she knew the cook here. She was curious if I'd like what she ordered. Well, I definitely looked perfect. And it tasted even better. I'd never imagined to choose a dish with a strange name not found in the menu.
"You like it? I just knew it. Anyway, enjoy."
"I will, I promise."
A smile.
"So, who are you? Are you from around here?"
"I'm Randy, a trainer, I'm from New Bark. And you are?"
"My name is Erika."
Hell, now I remember, I saw her face in the best trainers biography book.
"My word, the Celadon gym leader?"
"Well,... yeah. You can put it that way."
She was reluctant to speak about this, I could tell. Very well, I don't mind her changing the subject.
"So you're a trainer. You look like an experienced one. Want to battle for my Rainbowbadge?"
I replayed the last sentence in my mind to see how I'd feel about it. Strangely I didn't feel anything bad.
"Sure, why not?"
[What are you saying, man? Where is that non-battling attitude from an hour ago.]
[Cool it, Vulpix. I seems the right thing to do.]
[Since when battling is the right thing to do?]
[Since it's not the battle that's important.]
"Splendid. I know a place in town where we'll have a nice match."
"Err, no. I'd prefer somewhere outside town. I know a perfect clearing a mile from here. I don't want to battle with a lot of people watching."
"Sure, why not?"
I smiled.
A nice dinner, followed by a nicer walk alongside the border of the woods and a nice chat.
"What're you doing here in Johto? Shouldn't you be in Celadon, taking on challenges?"
"I'm the former leader of the Celadon gym. You know the eruption at Cinnabar Island a few years ago? Blaine decided to move his gym to Celadon, there he'd meet the least resistance of all gyms. It's like the thing Sabrina did to the fighting gym in Saffron. And now I'm scouting locations for a new gym. At first I thought of Lavender but it is chilly there, with little sun, my pokemon wouldn't like it. Cherrygrove sounded perfect though. The sea, the sun, the fresh warm air. Everything a grass trainer would dream of."
"So, officially you can't give me a badge?"
"Sorry. It's going to be just a practice battle."
"That's nice. Ah, and here we are."
"A nice place indeed."
"One pokemon each. Choose your best."
"Venusaur, I choose you."
[Lu, hurry up, descend already.]
A mighty whoosh tore the sky and Lugia descended in all his glory and shining armour.
"Lugia, I choose you!"
"You have a Lugia? Oh, man."
"Let's commence. Lugia, take off."
"Venusaur, Sleep Powder!"
"Lugia, Gust!"
"Venusaur, Safeguard, then Razor Leaf!"
"Lugia, Safeguard. Psychic!"
"Oh, no! Venusaur, Amnesia, fast!"
The psychic blast hit it hard. Venusaur was barely standing on its feet and looked stunned.
"Let's assume that I already said Aeroblast, your Venusaur has fainted, game over, eh?"
She looked wearily at her Venusaur.
"Very well. I lost fair and square. Venusaur, return. Nice battle though."
Lugia dropped onto the ground.
[This was a nice battle. I'm glad it ended fast.]
"So, where did you find Lugia? It's not like it jumped at you from tall grass, is it?"
"Not at all. I'll explain it all to you. Want to take a ride on his back?"
"Ummm, I'm not dressed properly for flight."
"Nonsense."
The sun had just begun to set, its red disc was almost wholly visible. The coda of its daily symphony was playing with passion and fire, just before the final almost non-existent note.
"Where is this place? It's beautiful here."
"Right south of the route New Bark-Cherrygrove. Grandfather showed it to me once, he said it was... it was..."
I glanced at the sun, a quarter of it had gone beyond the horizon. How could words explain the energies that flowed right here, right now?
"Romantic? I fully agree."
She looked at the sun and sighed. I remembered the words that I don't discover new things for me. Did I say that? Grandpa said once that most people talk highly competently about things they don't understand at all. Right he was. She put her head on my shoulder.
"Around all this business with the new gym, I forgot how precious the simple things in life were. It's amazing how a Vulpix's tail can lead to seeing your eyes, and now all this. That's the first date I haven't planned in advance."
"The most beautiful things come from the heart, not from the brain..."
The sun was halved by the horizon. She sighed.
"So, how did you get Lugia?"
"Easy, it was his idea in the first place."
"Is the world in peril again, awaiting for the Chosen to come again?"
"The world is in peril, but not exactly, awaiting for the Chosen to come, but not exactly. You see, if we assume that the world is in peril in its current state, then it's been like that for the last five thousand years. 'The Chosen' will come and do his best to aid humanity, but he's hasn't been chosen, oh no, he chose this destiny on his own, no one else made such a decision for him."
"Sounds quite liberal, but unreal. Are you this hero."
"I don't know. Lugia surely thinks so, but he came with me because of curiosity. I actually wish that everyone were the hero. This way the world would be saved without taking a single step. It's not going to happen this way though."
"What are you saving the world from?"
She was still resting her head on my shoulder and gazing at the sun. The long silence that followed made her look at me. I was looking at the first star that appeared, so beautiful... then I looked at her. The sense of revelation entered her eyes.
"Why did you end the match just before the final K.O.?"
"Why did you accept?"
"I didn't want my Venusaur to be in more pain when the outcome was obvious. He didn't stand a chance against your Lugia."
"I didn't want your Venusaur to be in more pain when the outcome was obvious. He didn't stand a chance against my Lugia."
"Back then I was your opponent, you're supposed to faint my pokemon without being sentimental."
"Not if the battle wasn't the most important thing. Normally I wouldn't accept a challenge and come to think of it, this was my first trainer battle. I wanted to see you battle. I felt something unexplored in you, the battle was the easiest way to explore it. You know, from all I've read about other hotshot trainers most of them would never quit as well as beat the last breath out of their opponent pokemon. Dignity didn't cloud your eyes though."
Only a quarter of the sun was still visible. She was silently assimilating my words. I continued.
"You spoke about your gym and stuff with a bit of boredom, a tiny well-covered bit of boredom. The life of a gym leader doesn't appeal to you anymore, does it?"
She sighed.
"Am I that transparent?..."
"No. You just allow me to see you."
"What kind of human are you, anyway?"
"Why don't you find out for yourself."
"I've found quite a lot already."
She smiled happily and rested her head in my lap. I stroke her hair. She had closed her eyes and was purring softly.
"Why did you take me here?"
"I was utterly curious. I had no idea what was going to happen."
"As if life is just a big experiment for you."
"Uh-huh, discovering new aspects, new experience, advancing in life with a steady but firm foundation under my feet. The joy of it all, the utter bliss that is life. The complete nirvana of this big game."
"So is that life for you? Just a big game?"
"Not just a game. It's the best game I know. This day is a confirmation of life's infinite possibilities to express yourself. The entire day was a solid chunk of everlasting excitement. First Vulpix, then Lugia, then you."
"You mean that you achieved everything in one day?! How old are you?"
She was staring at me, eyes wide open.
"One day? Not one day. I achieved everything for one minute. Last night. All I have to do now is wait until everything I've achieved comes to me. Even though the preparations for last night lasted, as if for millennia."
"Don't tell me you're ten years old. I heard that the pokemon give-away at New Bark was today and it didn't run all too smoothly. People said professor Elm was a bit upset and gave the pokemon reluctantly, asking every kid what was it going to do with the pokemon it got."
"My, my, so he did understand me. Praise to all-cleansing Suicine."
"Oh god, I'm dating a ten year old."
"What does it matter to you? Age isn't really of importance. Most adults are mentally still in their early teens."
"The depth I saw in your eyes led me to believe that you have a lot of experience in life."
"My eyes haven't deceived you though. Although I don't have the experience at will, everything that I need to know for the situation that's ahead, comes to me freely. Experience for me comes just before I need it. Think about any 10 year old kid. Do I have any common margins with it?"
She kept looking at me. Silently.
"No. Save for one rare quality."
She looked at the last sun-ray that disappeared below the sea.
"Innocence."
She fell asleep in my lap. I was twiddling a lock of her hair. I looked around. Vulpix was playing with something in the water. Lugia was as if in a prayer. Our age difference was about 7 years, but she was deceived. Amazing. I was quite tall for my age, just a tad shorter that her. Then again... Naaah, I don't look that mature. Do I?
[You do actually. Well not on the outside, but people sensitive enough feel your aura. On the inside you're like a sage. Erika turned to be a particularly sensitive person.]
[Thanks, Lu. Let's blast off.]
I lifted Erika, sat on Lugia's back and put her in my lap. She was sleeping peacefully, breathing hardly detectable. She looked splendid in the moonlight.
[Fly to Cherrygrove, please.]
"Huh, where am I?"
"In my lap, a hundred feet above the ground."
"I never realised that flying could be so exciting."
"Hopefully this won't be the last time."
I got a playful look.
"Riiiight, nope, it probably won't. say, doesn't Lugia talk."
"Nope. He speaks telepathically."
[Lu, demo.]
[Nice to meet you, Erika.]
"Uh-huh. I see."
She looked a bit uncomfortable. She's funny.
"I know a lot of people. Some of them are my friends from my very early life. But you. I've known you for an hour or so, but it seems that we've known each other since the beginning of life itself.
"You know not how close you are."
"I know I'm close right now. Very close."
Our lips met. Beethoven's Ode to joy furiously ran in my blood. Time froze, the stars were all shining upon us with rays of happiness. Let this divine moment repeat, I thought. Time passed. Our lips parted.
Erika was looking trance-like. I looked at the light between us - a sparkling quiet green light. I looked around - Vulpix was looking at us with insane curiosity, Lugia was quivering slightly. I set my gaze at the light - it was no doubt the essence of love. I paused my thoughts for a second and let my heart speak.
"Humanity is cured already. They don't know this but it's quite so. Let this light be the messenger, the fanfare of victory! Life is once again victorious over the dark powers. When people understand this they'll be happy once again. And soon they will understand, since their source of power - the dark team, is already non-existent. Fly across the world, sing to every listening soul the Ode of Joy, for the world will be joyous once more."
Infused with my prayer the light dissipated. I looked at the sky once more, it had a rare lime halftone.
"Shine, stars, shine. The age of love is here."
---------