I don't own Pokémon

Gold's POV

I was so psyched! A couple of more days and I'll finally be a Pokémon Trainer!

I walked happily out of the house grinning, glancing at the empty lot... Except it wasn't empty. There was a humongous castle in it's place...

I started. Nothing in the world could build a castle in a single night. Unless, maybe the MegaEvos could?

I walked cautiously along the fence's edge. That's were I had my second surprise. A young boy around my age was standing, and peering across the edge. His eyes had a strange hunted look in them. His red hair was matted and his arms were covered with cuts.

"Who are you?" I asked bravely. The boy tilted his head curiously.

"I'm Gold," I said. "So tell me your name please."

The boy disappeared for a few seconds, then reappeared holding a paper which read. "Aurum... Argentum."

"Is your name Argentum or Aurum?" I asked.

But I never found out, for a voice was heard from inside the building. Instantly the hunted look turned into a scared one and the young boy disappeared.

I went to school still thinking about the young boy. The strange look in his silver eyes still replayed itself in my mind.

The first session was Pokémistry. It was one of my least favourite sessions, so instead of paying attention to the teacher yakking about a table or something like that, I jotted notes about Argentum-Aurum.

"Gold!" The teacher's voice effectively cut me from my half daydream. "If Ag stands for Argentum and means silver, what does Au stand for and mean?"

My hand froze. Argentum! Surely the boy meant that his name was Silver! But what about Aurum? It probably was the Au... But what did it mean? Perhaps it was my name. Well it was a chance I had to take. "A-Au? Er... It stands for Aurum!" I stammered.

"And what does Aurum mean?" The teacher purred.

"Gold," I said softly. "Aurum means gold."

The teacher had never looked more astonished.

Silver's POV [Past]

I heard my father's footfall coming. "Hide Ash!" I hissed to my younger brother.

He gave a small nod and vanished under our bed, and not a moment too soon. My father stormed in. "Where's your good-for-nothing brother?" roared he.

"I don't have a good-for-nothing brother." I answered defiantly.

My father snarled and grabbed me by my throat. "Where. Is. ASH?" With each word his grip tightened.

"I don't know." I choked out. I was terribly afraid, but nothing would make me tell on my younger brother. My father swore and threw me on the ground. A sharp pain stabbed my back, but I refused to cry out.

My father kicked me in my ribs sharply. "WHERE?"

I curled into a tight ball and refused to answer. Today was Saturday. Which meant that my father had been drinking. Which meant that I could not expect subsided pain.

I could hear him fiddling with his belt. I did not mind getting strapped too much. It was better than some... Things.

I felt the brass part of the belt sink into my flesh. I groaned inwardly. Now I understood why my father had chosen the belt. I bit my tongue hard and curled into a tighter ball. The beatings were much worse with a piece of metal than with leather. I shut my eyes tight and shuddered as I felt a warm liquid ooze from my naked back.

Gold's POV.

I approached the fence the next day. Unfortunately my parents came to pick me up daily, so I could not talk to the boy, which I called Silver.

"Silver," I hissed softly.

The boy appeared instantly. He put his finger to his lips, and pointed to the word Argentum, in the paper which appeared to be floating.

"You want me to call you Argentum?" I guessed.

The boy gave a silent nod.

"But why?"

He gave a weak grin and pointed to his cuts and bruises.

"Who did that to you?" I asked unable to keep my anger from my voice.

His silver eyes met my golden ones. I flinched slightly, as the pain in them was too clear. His lips parted as he slowly mouthed he worded, "Father."

"GOLD!" A voice shouted from behind me. "C'mon we're late!" That was my friend Kamon. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to school.

"So why were you talking to an empty lot?" he asked me.

I shrugged. Was I the only one who could see the abused boy?

Silver's POV [Past]

My father tossed my his knife casually. "Catch."

I gripped the knife's blade hard to prevent it from plunging into my chest. Blood trickled lightly from my hand. Ash was watching us, transfixed in horror.

My father took the knife with his gloved hands. "You know, you're really lucky to have me." He said in a conversational tone.

I didn't answer. My eyes were on the knife.

"I mean I feed you at my ex-CATCH-pense." He continued, as he tossed the knife.

This time, however, the aim was lower, and I couldn't move fast enough to prevent it from entering my leg.

"And you made you my wife leave," he continued as he approached me.

"That's a lie," I thought, "she left 'cause you were a selfish bastard."

As my father pulled the knife from my leg, I noticed the radiated fury. Instantly I realized my mistake. I had thought aloud.

"What. Did. You. Say?" My father spoke through gritted teeth.

With one shove I was sprawled on the ground. He grabbed the knife and began working up my body, inflicting minor injuries. Within a matter of seconds my whole body was covered with cuts, the worst at my throat. I knew what was happening instantly. My life was about to ebb away.

"Z-Zorua," I muttered. "S-sorry."

"Clear the filth from the floor. Ash," I heard my father order.

I knew I was the real "filth".

Gold's POV

I knew it was wrong to skip school. But I didn't care. I had to rescue Silver.

I hopped the fence and entered the mansion.

"Argentum!" I called as loudly as I dared. No response.

I walked around, put my ear next to each door, in a vain hope of hearing Silver's voice. Or given abuse. Well technically I hoped that Silver wasn't being abused right now.

Squelch.

I looked at my sneakers and the floor. There was a crimson liquid spreading from underneath a door. I opened the door immediately. The liquid was coming from a dead body. Silver's dead body to be exact. I approached the boy wordlessly. I picked up his body and hugged it. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "so, so sorry."

The mansion shivered around me for a few seconds, then disappeared, along with the body.

I fell backwards, then instinctively turned around.

A Pokémon, a Zoroark, was staring at a slab of stone.

I approached it and read out loud. "Here lies Silver Giovanni. Who died of abuse a few day before he became a Pokémon Trainer.

He will be dearly missed."

I looked at Zoroark in shock. "Good illusion. Huh? Be mine-trainer. First to care."

I stared at the talking Pokémon. The mansion was an illusion. A test to see how willing I was to try and save a life.

"B-but Silver? Did he exist?" I stammered.

Zoroark's eyes turned misty as he nodded solemnly.

Silver's POV.

I spread my pure-white wings from behind them. I knew they couldn't see me. I had to be content and be a guardian to the friend and Pokémon I'd never have.

I should stop abusing Silver... Second story now, I think.

This was done for:

Light's Illusion wore off! The Zorua/Zoroark competition.

Beta'ing is allowed as the competition is over.