Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon
Yes, I did edit this. However, the edits are very minor and barely noticable – I just changed the title, changed the punctuation a little, and changed a few words. They have not changed the storyline at all.
I will be using the human characters' Japanese names for this fanfic:
Ash – Satoshi May – Haruka Max – Masato
Brock –Takeshi Dawn – Hikari Misty – Kasumi
Drew – Shuu Harley - Haari Tracey - Kenji
Gary – Shigeru Delia Ketchum – Hanako
Prof. Oak – Oukido Nurse Joy – Nurse Joi
Jessie – Musashi James – Koujiro Norman – Senri
Caroline – Mitsuko Team Rocket – Roketto Dan
Pokémon will be in Japanese names too. When introducing a Pokémon for the first time, the English name will be displayed in parentheses beside the Japanese name example: Guraena (Mightyena), after which only the Japanese name will be used.
The names of the regions will also be in Japanese
Kanto – Kantou Johto – Jouto Hoenn – Houen Sinnoh – Shinou
Orange Islands – Orenji Shotou
The "ou" here is pronounced like "oh", I think. "ō" can also used instead of "ou" to represent that same Japanese phoneme. I will be using "ou" in the narrative and "ō" in the character spoken sentences. "ā" would (I think) be like the letter "a", but pronounced for a slightly longer length of time that it usually is in English.
This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so please excuse me if this fanfic sucks. Still, I hope you like it. )
Also, I don't know much about speaking Japanese, so sorry if my Japanese is bad.
Italics stand for thoughts and quotation marks stand for speech.
For flashbacks: Beginnings of flashbacks shall be marked by FLASHBACK. The end of a flashback will be marked: END FLASHBACK
Here are the ages of the characters in the fanfic (note that these are neither official ages nor official age gaps):
Satoshi – 15
Haruka – 14
Masato – 11
Takeshi – 20
Hikari – 14
Kasumi – 18
Kenji – 18
Shuu – 16
Haari – 15
Shigeru – 15
Oukido – 71
Musashi – 22
Koujiro – 22
Hanako – 38
Senri – 40
Mistuko – 40
Also, I will be inventing my own character. His name is Saito, and he's 16.
Note: Although there will be flashbacks that took place at the same time as the animé, not all of these flashbacks actually happened in the animé.
Another note: I will be making the characters speak a little Japanese here (I'm not very good, so forgive me if my Japanese is bad). Some of the Japanese words and phrases I will use will be informal and inappropriate for use with people who are not close friends, so please take Japanese lessons or read a book teaching Japanese language to know the polite and formal way of speaking.
That being said, it is now time to begin the story.
Chapter I
Satoshi stood on the balcony of the cottage and breathed in the cold, nighttime mountain air. The air here was very clean and fresh, unlike the smoke-clogged and dusty air in the cities. The night sky was clear; free from the blinding glare of city lights, stars bright and faint could be seen spread all across the sky. He gazed at the landscape before his eyes. In front of the cottage was a deep chasm, reaching down to what seemed like thousands of feet below. Beyond the chasm, mountains lay all around as far as the eye can see, all of them covered in peaceful, undisturbed old-growth forests. He took another deep breath of the cool, refreshing air, letting its aura envelope and soothe his tired soul.
He leaned forward against the railing of the balcony of the cottage where he and his companions were staying as they traveled across Shinou, gazing at the mountain landscape in the distance while contemplating. He had just challenged the Shinou league, defeating the Elite Four. He was proud of his acheivement, satisfied at where all those years of training have brought him.
Now that he had challenged all leagues in all the regions, he found that he had nowhere else to go. He could go to another country and compete in the Pokémon leagues there, but he didn't feel like going abroad anytime soon. He decided to go back to Masara Taun (Pallet Town) for the time being.
However, he felt empty. He knew that there was something missing in his life. He never felt truly happy ever since the day that he had to part ways with – her. He was sure it was her. Although there were times of joy during his travels in Shinou whenever great things would happen, it didn't seem complete. Part of him would still be sad, part of him still held on to the memories he had with her. These memories were both one of his greatest joys, and one of his greatest pains.
Ever since he left Kantou after defeating the Battle Frontier, he felt that part of him had just disappeared. All that time, as he traveled across Shinou, he knew that he was going against his heart. Every day, he felt burdened by the pain of being away from the one he knew he loved. His heart had been pressuring him to turn back, to leave and go to the girl who was always in his dreams, the only girl whom he had ever felt a profound, deep relationship with that exceeded friendship; a girl with brown hair and sapphire eyes, red blouse, black shorts and red bandanna with a white Pokéball design. "Haruka–", he said to himself.
All that time, nothing could make him forget about the sadness in his heart; that silent, profound melancholy.
His thoughts turned to her. He missed her. He fervently wished that she had come to Shinou along with him. Those sapphire eyes, those eyes of hers that seemed to bend reality whenever they met Satoshi's eyes, seemed more refreshing and comforting that anything else he had ever experienced. He had liked Haruka ever since the early days of their journeys in Houen, and as time passed, they became closer. It was then that Satoshi realized his feelings for her change a little. What he felt was no longer the crush he had on Haruka before. He felt that it had gone deeper than that, deeper than merely liking someone. It was love. All through that time, all through those months, he had loved her. He dreamed about her, he tried to help her in any way he could,
He remembered how they would bond together by talking to each other in private while Takeshi and Masato were not around or were asleep, sharing with each other their interests, thoughts, insights, fears, and ambitions. He remembered how she would always turn to him whenever she was distraught or afraid, and how he would compassionately comfort and reassure her afterward. Then, he remembered one time when they were camping, towards the end of their journey in Kantou.
FLASHBACK
Satoshi sat close to the campfire late that night, staring into the brilliance of the flame. A soft, cool breeze was blowing, and the sweet scent of Ilang-Ilang and Calachuchi trees was in the air. He looked toward his companions, all of which were asleep by now.
Takeshi slept facing upward, his arms sticking out of his sleeping bag and touching the earth, eyes obviously closed. Why wouldn't they be? Satoshi thought. His eyes are closed even when he's awake. Satoshi saw how his arms were touching the ground and got a little worried about the food he would cook becoming contaminated by his dirty hands. Nope, I don't think that'll happen. Takeshi is really sanitary when he cooks. He always washes his hands with antibacterial soap before cooking. Good thing there's a stream nearby where he can wash up.
Next, he took a look at Masato. He was sleeping face down, his glasses beside him on his sleeping bag, but not so near that they would get crushed should he move in his sleep a little. Small dark circles encircled the eyes of the young child. He hasn't had much sleep lately. Satoshi thought. We've been rather busy lately and haven't been getting much sleep. And young children like Masato need a lot of sleep. Satoshi pitied him a bit, having had to be woken up early while he was still snoring heavily so that they could proceed with their planned activities on schedule. But then again, I guess he'd need to know how to work hard and get up early. He'll be doing it a lot when he becomes a trainer. However, Satoshi started re-thinking that thought. Nah, he'll just have to manage his time well; that way, he wouldn't need to tire himself out.
Satoshi started to feel guilty. Well…we haven't been managing our time well, have we? We plan things out, but that plan seldom gets followed. We always end up getting sidetracked. When we plan to leave a city at 4:30 PM, Haruka would get caught up shopping, and we'd end up leaving at 7:00 PM. Or, Takeshi would go around flirting with Joi-san or some other girl, and we'd end up leaving at 7:00 PM too. Even I've made my share of time management mistakes; leisurely walking around or training with my Pokémon instead of searching for the supplies that Takeshi asked me to buy, even if I could easily train some other time. Takeshi is a competent supply man, but he's no Superman, and obviously needs help every now and then. I'd end up doing it late, further delaying us and slashing a few hours away from our resting and sleeping time. In fact, Masato is the only one among us who's never wasted time, and he's the one whom our actions have taken the greatest toll on. He felt sorry that they tired him and wore him out because of their procrastination.
Finally, he gazed upon Haruka. He looked at her as she lay in her sleeping bag, snoring very lightly while sleeping on her side, facing to her left. Whenever he saw her sleep so contentedly and peacefully, he felt his tired spirit become rejuvenated, returning it to its usual vitality. He wanted to get closer to her, to look at that angelic face and soothe his tired heart, mind and spirit. He slowly stood up, walked over to her and knelt at her left.
He gazed at her affectionately, at her peacefully smiling face, and gently stroked her soft cheek. Looking at her sleep, so contentedly and so peacefully, made Satoshi feel relaxed and contented as well. He loved a lot of people in his life, but he loved Haruka in a special way. Somewhere in his heart was a place for Haruka alone. He loved her; he was definitely sure of it. He would dream that they would sit peacefully in the fields on the slopes of gentle, rolling hills, and that they would hug and cuddle each other under the night sky as they enjoyed the pleasant nighttime air, gazing at the gentle, rolling hills in the distance. He dreamed that he would someday place his arms around her waist and gently draw her closer to him, slowly bringing his face closer to hers, and placing their lips together for a kiss. And he would remember waking up from the dream, finding himself transported back to what seemed like reality: they weren't together. And, Satoshi thought, they probably never will be.
He knew that he would someday have to tell her. But he couldn't. He was afraid.
Why am I afraid? What do I fear? He pondered. I know what I am afraid of; I'm afraid she won't feel the same. He sighed. When I tell her that I love her, she might just say that she's sorry, but she doesn't feel the same about me. Then, we would find ourselves in an awkward situation, now that she knows about my feelings for her. Then, It will be a long time before I can talk to her normally again, if I ever will...He thought. But if I don't tell her, what if she feels the same way, but is also afraid? Then we'll never know about our feelings for each other, and we'll never be together.
He continued to ponder about this decision; one that could bring him either great joy, or great pain. It's...it's so hard. He thought.
He felt so helpless and hopeless, crushed by the difficulty of the decision. He didn't know what he should do. I know I should tell her. But no, I shouldn't because...no, yes I should... He felt overwhelmed and lost. He just wished someone were there to offer him sympathy and advice.
He placed his hand on Haruka's cheek. He stared at her longingly, wishing that somehow, she would feel the same for him, and that they could be together. He wished that she would love him, just as he loved her.
Suddenly, Haruka's hand reached towards her face. Her hand lightly held the hand that had been resting on her cheek. She smiled.
Satoshi blushed. He held her hand tighter, wishing that he could hold her soft hand for the rest of the night. Then, he was shocked to realize that Haruka hadn't been sleeping as soundly as he hoped.
Oh no, I gotta get out of this one. If she wakes up and sees me like this...who knows what she might think? Satoshi quickly thought. She might think I'm a weirdo or a creep, looking at her like this while she's sleeping. Anyway, I'll need to get away from her without waking her up. I've got to be careful.
Working carefully not to wake her up, Satoshi slowly and reluctantly pulled his hand away from hers. He stood up, walked towards the campfire and sat down. He looked towards the beauty of nature all around him.
Clear skies, cool, fragrant air, unspoilt countryside. The trees cover all the hills, the air carries the sweet scent of fragrant flowers. The skies are filled with stars, now that the city lights are no longer here to outshine them. It's...beautiful.
This would have been one of the happiest days of my life, if only...I could tell her how I feel, and she would tell me she felt the same.
But what are the chances of that happening?
Satoshi sat near the fire for nearly an hour, contemplating.
Suddenly, he felt a weight press down on his shoulder. He turned his head to see what it was. He saw Haruka behind him, resting her forehead on his shoulder.
"H-Haruka-chan..!" Satoshi exclaimed, blushing. "Are you all right? Did I disturb you?"
She smiled. "No, Satoshi-kun." she reassuringly said. "It's all right. I just...wanted to think about things." She placed her hands on his shoulders.
Satoshi looked up towards the sky. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.
"The future." She said. "About travelling in Jōto, alone."
"I see..." Satoshi replied, with a hint of sadness in his voice. He didn't want Haruka to leave.
"I know I have to travel alone. It's the only way...to improve myself as a Coordinator." Haruka said. "But...I feel that, maybe it might be too difficult for me."
"It's all right, Haruka-chan. Just remember, wherever you are, I'll always cheer for you; I'll always wish for your success and improvement. All of us will; me, Takeshi, Masato, and your parents, Senri-san and Mitsuko-san." Satoshi reassured.
"You can always give me a call. I'll do anything I can to help you out. Just call me up." Satoshi said.
"Yeah, I know. Thanks...Satoshi-kun." Haruka replied. "I...I'll miss you, Satoshi-kun." she stammered, with tears in her eyes.
Satoshi turned around, facing Haruka. She nuzzled her head on his shoulder and threw her arms around his neck. He placed his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, allowing her tears to fall on his shoulder.
"I'll miss you too, Haruka-chan."
A thought flashed in Satoshi's head. Tell her now! Now's the best time! No, I'm afraid. I can't do it. What if she says she doesn't love me? That would totally ruin the moment. But what if she says she does? Then that'll make the moment a thousand times better! Tell her now! If you don't, you'll always regret it! You'll always think you could have told her, but you were afraid!
I can't decide what to do...
Satoshi looked at the sky. He was crying, too. He held her more tightly, intending never to let her go.
END FLASHBACK
Satoshi continued thinking. I was so foolish! I could have told her, then I would no longer bear this emotional burden. In fact, it's possible that she might be with me right now, if only I told her. But I was afraid. It was all because I didn't have the guts to tell her.
Satoshi heard footsteps behind him and turned around. It was Saito, one of his traveling companions. He was a boy the same age age Satoshi; with long, black hair, black-rimmed glasses, a black, open jacket with a white shirt underneath, and black pants. But the most noticeable trait of this youth was the cold, calculating look in his dark eyes.
"Saito-san." Satoshi said.
"Konban wa (Good evening), Satoshi-san." He replied.
"I see...as usual, contemplating in the silence." the long-haired youth said.
––"Yes. This landscape…it just somehow seems so peaceful; looking at it makes me feel...nice, somehow."
"You've been doing so a lot lately."
––"Well…yeah, I guess so."
The cold, seemingly emotionless youth noticed a sad aura about Satoshi, as well as sadness in his voice.
"It is about Haruka-san, I presume."
Satoshi was silent for a moment. Then, he nodded. "Yes."
Saito looked at Satoshi for a moment. He could see tears forming at the corner of Satoshi's eyes. I understand. Satoshi misses her. He cares for her very much. Saito thought.
Saito remembered how Satoshi would stay up at night looking at the sky or at the landscape, holding a half-ribbon from a Pokémon Contest in his hand. He remembered when Satoshi would talk in his sleep. During those times when he would dream so deeply that he spoke while sleeping, he would say her name and call out to her, as if he were pleading her to stay with him and not leave him alone; sometimes loud enough to wake Saito, Masato and Hikari.
I could say with certainty that he likes, nay, loves her.
Saito then returned his gaze to the landscape, seemingly lost in thought. And how can I blame him? It really isn't easy to be separated from your loved ones.
"I understand." Saito said.
"Satoshi, have you ever tried talking to her after she returned to Jouto?"
––"No, not really."
"Why?"
––"It's not easy."
Saito pushed his glasses upward. "Well, you are a dreamer, always dreaming without achieving anything. I guess I wouldn't expect much more from you"
––"Hey, come on, if you were in my shoes, you'd be scared too, you know. She's probably in love with...Shuu. If she loved me, why would she decide not to travel with me? Why did she go back to Jouto after visiting me?" Satoshi said dejectedly.
"I guess...I guess I'm just second-rate. I guess Shuu's the one Haruka really loves, not me. After all, what's so great about me anyway?"
"Honestly...nothing." Saito replied. " Skilled Pokémon trainer, but otherwise unremarkable. And really immature and dense too. Seriously, I believe you need to learn the traits called patience and humility, having learned from experience what it's like to travel with someone as headstrong and overconfident as you." Saito said simply, without emotion.
Satoshi didn't reply, but was not in the least surprised. Maybe he's right. Maybe I'm not really the type of guy Haruka would like. Maybe the way she spoke to me, hugged me and cried on my shoulder that night was just...a friendly thing. It's entirely possible that she views me only as a very close friend, nothing more.
However, Satoshi remembered Saito's nature. But then again, that's Saito. It's rare for him to give positive comments to anyone. Satoshi thought. Besides, being really cold and unemotional, he can only see situations rationally. But this isn't something that can be answered rationally. This isn't about rationality, practicality or objectivity, which are the only things Saito really knows. It's all about emotions.
But still, what if he's right? In fact, I kind of think he is...
"You're right...maybe I should just give up."
Saito sighed. Well...I expected nothing more from an idiot like him.
"You know, speaking from a practical point of view, even if I think you have little hope of ever winning her heart over, I think it would be better for you to call her on the videophone. I would suggest telling her how you feel. But I believe that's got little hope of happening, considering how cowardly you are when dealing with a girl you like." Saito said.
"Yeah, I know I should tell her, but...I'm really nervous. What if she thinks it...weird? What if she finds it weird that I suddenly call up out of nowhere? And, more importantly, what if...she tells me she doesn't love me back?" Satoshi asked.
––"Precisely. You trust your own judgment too much, thinking you can interpret other people's actions, intentions and agendas correctly based on your feeble knowledge. In the process, you fail to understand the fact that other people's psychology is not the same as your own."
Satoshi thought for a moment. Now, I think Saito might be right. I'm way too cowardly to express my feelings to her because I always think she would react negatively and find it awkward. But that might not be how Haruka thinks. Who knows...maybe she actually...likes me. Maybe she...loves...me.
"Well...I guess you're right. I should probably call her next time we get to a Pokémon Center." Satoshi agreed.
Suddenly, a voice called from the kitchen. "The food is ready! Let us eat, everyone!" Takeshi's voice hollered.
"Sā, watashitachi wa tabemashō ka? (So, shall we eat?)" Saito suggested.
––"Hai, tabemashō. (Yes, let us eat.)"
The teenagers walked out of the balcony and descended through the stairs, walking over to the dining room. Saito eyed the generous spread of food laid on the table, admitting inwardly that Takeshi was an amazing chef.
"Waa...Takeshi-san no ryōri wa itsumo oishii da, ne? (Woah, Takeshi-san's cooking is always delicious, isn't it?)" Saito remarked, seeing the feast Takeshi had made for them.
"Hai (Yes)." Satoshi replied. "So, you actually complimented someone."
"Well, at least his cooking is worthy of praise. Only those who deserve compliments will ever receive them." Saito retorted with a slightly condescending tone, pushing his glasses upward.
Satoshi sighed. "I guess that's typical of you."
"Hey, come on guys, there's no need to fight! You won't be able to enjoy Takeshi-san's cooking if you're angry!" Hikari giggled.
"Yeah, this stuff is really good! You've got to have your mind on the food to enjoy it thoroughly, not on some argument!" Masato added, dipping his tuna sashimi in soy sauce and wasabi paste.
"Now everyone, shall we eat?" Takeshi asked them.
"Yeah. I'm really hungry right now. Come, on, let's all eat!" Satoshi said.
Satoshi took a seat at the table, gesturing towards Saito to do the same. But Saito refused.
"I need to think about something first." he said, turning towards the stairway.
"Come on, if you don't eat now, there might not be any left for you later. You know how much I eat when I'm this hungry!" Satoshi encouraged.
"Hey, Saito-san, come on! Takeshi-san's food is great! Besides, it's more fun when all of us eat together!" Hikari pitched in.
"No, I'm fine. I just need to think about things..." Saito refused.
"Well...if that's what you want, all right." Satoshi said.
"Saito-san..." Hikari muttered. "...I wonder what's wrong..."
Saito walked to the stairs and ascended to the second floor. He walked out into the balcony. He gazed out at the beautiful landscape.
The night sky is beautiful; cloudless, ablaze with the light of countless, brilliant stars. The valley, majestic and covered in peaceful forests, gently slopes down to the ground; without blazing city lights to obscure the natural beauty of the night, the dark outline of hills in the distance against the night sky is shrouded in tranquil beauty. All around us are undisturbed forests, places where anyone can find peace, silence and solace, with which I can meditate and think deeply with.
If only I could complement the splendor of nature with the joy and sweetness of enjoying it with you.
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Ok, so that's the first chapter of my first attempt at writing a fanfic. I hope you liked it. Please review my story: reviews of any kind will help me improve my writing. Any review will be appreciated: be it praise or criticism. But I request that you please don't flame the couple or the story. If you didn't like it (either the couple, story or both), please criticize and say your opinion politely, not only to me but to all writers out there, even those not in this site ). Thanks.