All of the children in Ecruteak knew that praying to Ho-Oh was important. They would spend their mornings facing the burned-out shell of a tower in town, bow their heads, and make prayers for their family and friends, but never themselves.

Not all of them enjoyed doing this daily. One child felt as if he was praying to something that did not express its kindness to him. Morty would just stare at the tower and think of all the things he could be asking for, but instead he had to thank Ho-Oh for his special "gifts." (Why a child separated from his age group would be thankful for what they teased him for, he didn't know.)

The prayers would last for nearly an hour, and then the children were instructed to learn about Pokémon. While everyone was playing with Grass-types, Morty was shunned to the side because he scared the innocent creature, and was forced into training Ghosts, as they were the only ones stupid enough to stay around. He was a curse, a darkness the others did not want. No one wanted him. He was alone.

"Ho-Oh," he said one day in the middle of prayer, "I know you really don't care about me, and I have never really cared about you. But I have a question for you." The wind blew and he felt that the legendary was listening, wherever it was. "I'd like it if you'd bring me a friend. Someone who can appreciate the life you gave me."

How he was breaking the rules he had been taught! It was blasphemous to ask for oneself in prayer, and yet he was. "Ho-Oh, if you do this one thing for me, I promise I'll do whatever you ask me to. I'll be your servant, but only if you grant me my wish." The bells in the Bell Tower began chiming; was it the wind or the answer of the god?

Feeling no sense of having his problem resolved, Morty stood up and walked off, interrupting the rest of the children. He wasn't sure where he was going, as his eyes were closed and his feet were following the path his mind set for them. When he felt water lapping at his feet, he reopened his eyes and saw he was standing at the edge of the land east of town.

His mind felt heavy with the thought of having broken the rules, but it didn't matter. Ho-Oh wasn't really there looking out for him. "Hey, aren't you an Ecruteak kid? Why are you out here?" a young boy's voice asked. Thinking it was one of the people who frequently teased him, Morty looked behind him and saw an unfamiliar brunette wearing a purple robe. "They're all praying, and...and I watched you leave, so I followed you..."

"Their prayers are stupid. Ho-Oh isn't going to save any of their souls." The new boy laughed at that, before stepping next to the blond and reaching down to touch the water.

"I'm Eusine. This place here, it's kind of special. It's where I heard about Suicune for the first time. And, while you Ecruteak kids pray to Suicune's creator, I pray to the beast itself." He scooped up some water in his hands and drank it. "Do you understand what I mean?"

Morty shook his head and replied, "I don't like praying to a creature that has done nothing but wronged me."

"Ho-Oh? Wronging you? How so?"

"You can't tell me you've been in Ecruteak and haven't heard stories of 'the weird kid who can see the future.' That's me. Morty." Eusine laughed and took another sip of the water. "See, it's funny."

"They're wrong, then. You can't be weird, Morty. You're just really blessed. Your god gave you something special, just like mine did for me. And one day, we'll meet our masters to prove this." Maybe Ho-Oh did listen to prayers after all, for the conversation on the shore started a friendship that not even the cruelest of jeers could crumble.

What had started as a group of children and Morty became boyfriends, girlfriends, Morty, and Eusine. Then, when all of the others started getting married and leaving town, the now-grown up boys began to lean on each other more and more, even when Eusine would follow the wind for Suicune.

Aging changed one thing about them all, however. When married, the boys and girls would end their daily prayer sessions, claiming that they were too time-consuming, and not being in town made it hard for them to seem right. But Morty, having gone from rebellious to a true servant, dedicated to being the best with the gifts he was given, never missed a morning, always kneeling at the tower's base to pray. Why?

He was a good Ecruteak boy, and all good children knew praying to Ho-Oh was important.

A/N: Title uncapitalized because I wanted it that way. It looked purdy in my head. xD

So...a not!love story that involves two guys that are probably lovers in everyone's mind. I had the last line come to me on its own, and the rest of the story built from it. I'd say that's pretty good.

Anyway, reviews appreciated and I don't own the stuff included.

Siggy