"Man, I hate this school." A young boy said, as he charged through the hall ways of the Red Star Academy. He pushed himself off of a locker and burst around another corner, trying to lose his pursuers. He looked behind him and he still saw his pursuers after him. "Damn it, why do I get myself into these awkward situations? I should have just left the Pokeball where I found it!" He stopped running for a second, taking a look at the red and white Pokeball he had gripped tightly in his fingers as it rested on his palm. He wanted to release it and show these bastards up but he knew he couldn't until Graduation. He had stolen a Pokeball and had to keep it that way, unless he wanted to get into more trouble than he already was. He stuffed the Pokeball in his pocket as he heard his pursuers footsteps bolt around the corner after him.
"Machine, stop right there!" A buff, tall boy about his age roared at him from across the beginning of the hall way. He had his fists clenched and his face screamed red with anger. This boy, now revealed as Machine, had stolen his Pokeball to get back at him for something.
"Damn it all!" Machine shouted, running forward towards the end of the hall way. He skidded around the next corner and kept running until he hit the wall face first. He stumbled backwards and held his now bloody nose, realizing that he had now been caught. "Oh this is some serious bull sh-"
"Looks like you ran into the wrong hall way, Machine." The tall boy said, only inches away from beating him to a pulp. "Now, you're finished, unless you wanna hand over that Pokeball you've got in your pocket." He cracked his knuckles, hoping that Machine picked the bad option. The option that would have his ass handed to him. But he couldn't back down, he wouldn't back down, not now at least.
He stepped backwards as the bully stepped forward, ready to beat him down. Machine soon realized that he couldn't have moved from his spot anymore than he thought. His back touched the wall behind him. His eyes opened widely, scared that his plan had backfired with his whole body shivering as the bully was only two steps away from destroying him. He then saw some of the bullies buddies behind him, stepping every slowly to stay in line with their target, Machine blocking any attempt of an exit for strategy.
The bully finally stepped up to him and held out his hand, cracking his fingers as he did, trying to intimidate Machine even more saying, "This is your last chance, Machine. Give me back my Pokeball or say hello to the other side. I won that piece of shit Pokemon myself and it's my mine, and mine alone. Would you like to take that chance of facing me in battle without any Pokemon to back you up?"
"Are you... trying to threaten me, Rai?" Machine asked gulping hard, not ready to give up on what he believed in. "Because you of all people should know that fighting isn't allowed on school grounds, especially on the day before Graduation."
"Did that ever stop me before?" The bully now revealed as Rai, asked, holding his hands near Machine's neck, ready to strangle him. "Now, one last time, give me back that Pokeball!"
"Screw off, Rai! You're just a punk ass trainer who steals Pokemon from the teachers when they're not looking! This isn't even yours! I'm just trying to get it back to the original owner!" Machine protested but Rai sighed, rubbing his temples, pulling his hands away from Machine's neck.
"You really want to die, don't you?" Rai asked, slamming his fist into Machine's stomach, making him spit up blood onto the floor. Machine fell to his knees as Rai hammered both of his fists onto Machine's back, making his fall to the ground. He picked Machine up once more and watched as the stolen Pokeball fell from Machine's pocket and rolled across the floor. "How do you like that boy's? This little bitch is just all talk! He can't even protect his own morals!"
"You b.. bastard, Rai! Go to he-"
Rai rammed his fists into Machine's stomach again, throwing his body onto the wall behind him causing a small imprint where his body had been. Machine fell from the wall, unconsciously spurting blood from his mouth as he fell. He dropped to the floor, his eyes closed from unconsciousness.
Rai picked up the stolen Pokeball and tossed it up and down on his palm, taking one last look at Machine saying, "It figures for you goody-two shoes types. You talk about making the world better and then what do you do when someone stronger comes along? You fall flat on your face when you're defeated. Get a clue, Machine. No one plays the hero anymore. Definitely not here in Red Star Academy. Get a reality check, you little bitch." He laughed sadistically with his buddies as they began to walk away before hearing footsteps walk around the corner towards them.
A young boy with a calm expression on his face, stood before them, feeling highly annoyed at what they did to Machine. He didn't show it, though, even though Rai and his friends could feel the tension between them. "Who the hell are you, kid?" Rai asked, stuffing the Pokeball into his pocket.
"You don't recognize me, Rai?" The boy asked, throwing his hair back as his face's expression began to change. When Rai saw his face, he instantly remembered who he was dealing with. "I thought you would have remembered the kid who you beat up!"
"Ah, I remember you now." Rai said, chuckling to himself. "Hakel Fury, that's who you are. You tried to be a hero like your friend Machine there. He's lucky I didn't kill him like I almost did you."
"Bravo, bravo, Rai. I'm glad you remember me cause I really felt like what you just did to Machine was pretty terrible. If you go around stealing Pokemon like this and then beating the kids who try to get it back from you, then you'll be kicked out of Red Star Academy for good. Your father is the principal after all." Hakel commented, walking past them towards Machine.
"Hmph, you still haven't learned your lesson, huh, Hakel?" Rai asked, throwing the Pokeball he had in his pocket to his friends. "What did I tell you about playing the hero?"
"I can't remember, you punk ass." Hakel said, urging him to come at him. "Why don't you remind me with a face full of your weak punches or are you still too weak-hearted to finish me off?"
Rai was now officially pissed off. He had seen many "hero" type characters like Hakel and Machine but none of them ever stuck together. Hakel was a true friend of Machine's and he wasn't going to let this go without reprimandation. "I like the will of the fight in you, Hakel. Too bad, I'm going to hate ending your world!" Rai ran forward, with his fist rocketing towards Hakel in a pretty slow motion. Hakel held up his palm and caught Rai's fist, throwing it to the wayside. Hakel let another fist come at him but he ducked with ease, just to mess with his mind. "What?"
"You didn't think, after all this time, I wouldn't have studied martial arts to beat your punk ass down into the ground? Did you really believe that I would come back at you, completely defenseless again?" Hakel asked, as Rai stood there stunned at what was about to become of him. He didn't expect this, not at all. Hakel shrugged and pulled his fist back. Rai brought his other fist down at Hakel but, before he could even do anything, Hakel gave Rai a destructive knockout to the stomach, making Rai feel like his diagraphm had collapsed. Hakel pressed forward, throwing Rai through the air. He slammed face first onto the ground, knocked out by Hakel's punch. His friends looked scared at Hakel, as he held out his hand.
"Pokeball. Now." Hakel ordered, as Rai's friends jumped a bit, actually afraid of him now. One of his friends handed the Pokeball to Hakel, snatching it from him. He then urged them to leave before he finished them off as well. They all did as they were told, taking Rai's body to the infirmary. "Hey, Machine, you can stop faking it. Everyone knew you were conscious the entire time, or at least I did."
Machine's head slowly rose up trying to make it seem like he was actually unconscious for some time. "So, you saw through my ruse, eh?" He asked as Hakel stuffed the Pokeball into his left pocket and turned around to Machine.
"You know Machine, you probably could have been killed just now... Why don't you pick your fights better?" Hakel asked, walking up to Machine and helping him to his feet. He then swung Machine's arm over his shoulder and helped him out of that hall way.
"Don't lecture me, Hakel. You're not my father. That's exactly why I got away from him and my mother, I felt like they were ruling my life with an iron fist." Machine stated, looking away from Hakel in sadness. Hakel could see it in the way Machine looked down at the ground that he missed someone in his family but he couldn't exactly tell who.
"Red Star Town was the second worst place to come to, dude." Hakel said, surprising Machine greatly.
"Hakel Fury are you sure you're alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, when have you ever talked shit about this town? I thought you loved it here."
"Sure," Hakel chuckled to himself, brushing off Machine's comment. "Don't get me wrong, I love my family and all the people here... It's just... it's just, I don't know sometimes you can't help but feel disdain and disgust for the town that grew up in."
"Grew up in?" Machine asked. "I thought you used to live another region northwest of Kanto?"
"Yes, I did but where do you think the name for the town came from? I used to live in a place very much like this when I was younger. I loved it there and when he moved our entire town to Kanto, I loved it here... for a time." Hakel described with the last three words in a deeper tone than the rest of the sentence.
"What made you change your mind? This academy?" Machine asked making Hakel jump to the sound of academy. "Cause, if that's the case, I know what you mean. I moved here about four years ago from Pallet Town when I was only 14 starting at this academy shortly after. I don't know why but I hated this place as soon as I arrived."
"Yeah, I know your story of this shit hole Machine." Hakel said, purposely trying to dodge Machine's long story of how much hardship and pain he had here.
"Um... Sorry man... I was just-"
"Forget it, Machine. Let's just drop it all. It doesn't even matter anymore, damn it." Hakel cut Machine off, causing a large cloud of awkwardness to linger through the air between them. Machine shrugged, even though it was painful, and they both continued on out of this backwater hall way. "Let's just get you to the infirmary as soon as possible. Those bruises don't suit you, Machine."
"Hell no, they don't!" Machine said, making a bit of a weak fist with his hand. "When I catch that bitch next, I'm going to tear his ass down from his high horse and rip his heart out from his own chest to make him pay for what he's done to me!"
"You seem so threatening with your blood on the floor there and your weak, outward threats to a person who's not even here." Hakel chuckled, annoying Machine.
"Don't succumb to bitch status, Hakel. It pisses me off." Machine said, making Hakel laugh even more.
"Better pissed off than pissed on!" Hakel burst out in laughter, almost dropping Machine.
"Let's just go... shit." Machine said, quieting himself for the rest of the walk there.
Hakel stopped laughing soon after realizing Machine didn't want to talk anymore and slowly but surely reached the infirmary where they found someone to treat his wounds and bruises. Hakel set Machine down in a chair, where he strained just to keep himself centered in the chair, even though, in reality, his entire body shook from the pain that bruises had given him. He watched as Hakel went straight to the nurse, and told her the entire story. The nurse and Hakel came back and slowly helped Machine into one of her healing room's. Hakel looked at the clock above his head and realized something. He had to get back to class!
Right before he left, he turned to Machine and said, "Sorry, I gotta leave you man but I have to get back to class. Unlike you, I was just out taking a bathroom break. You're just lucky that I was there to save your sorry ass."
"Don't even try that bull crap on me, man. If you hadn't learned martial arts, you never would have been able to stand up to Rai like you did." Machine said, as Hakel shrugged once more.
"Whatever. Rai's a punk ass, spouting nonsense and that other crap that he always says about heroism and shit. He doesn't know one thing about that and if he did, he wouldn't be trying so hard to change other people's mind about it." Hakel saluted Machine after he agreed and rushed off back to class. He didn't want to miss the last few minutes, even if they were the last few minutes. After all, today was Graduation Day.
That night was the night of reckoning for many of the students at Red Star Academy. For others it wasn't, as they had failed their classes and got stuck in another year of brain tearing, tumor agonizing painfully abusive semester at Red Star Academy. For the teachers and the students that were there, it was the happiest day of their lives at the Academy. Unfortunately, not everybody was there, having the same opinions as the rest.
Hakel and Machine were running late.
"This is bull shit, complete and utter complete bull shit!" Machine exclaimed, jumping out of the car that drove them there. Machine, for some reason, was healed a few hours, after school ended and was let out shortly after. He felt so much better, like he hadn't even been hurt in the first place. "Man, why the hell did this happen?"
"Because your punk ass thought it would be alright if we left at 6:30 instead of 6:00 when the shit starts at 6:45! You were like, come on man, it'll be alright, we'll get there on time. But look at where we are now! It's 7 damn o'clock and they're already fifteen minutes into it! What the hell was I thinking, listening to you?" Hakel exclaimed, seriously angered at Machine for what he had done.
"Man, stop crying like a bitch! We're still going to make it, don't worry!" Machine said, as they charged through the doorway and down the hall way towards the auditorium. "See? What did I tell you? The lights are still on and we're going to make it!"
"Maybe you're right." Hakel softly said but it was loud enough for Machine to hear. As they got closer to the auditorium, Hakel realized something. "Hey, Machine, do you hear cheering and screaming, you know shit that SHOULD be heard in our school?"
"Nah, but I'm guessing that's because we need to get closer to hear it, Hakel. They must have a sound proof auditorium." Machine said, as they finally saw the auditorium in their sights. "There! Told you! We made it!"
As they burst through the doors into the auditorium, they got their answer.
"What the hell?" Hakel asked, surprised to see... no one there. No one at all. The Red Star Academy Graduation Ceremony was set to take place in Viridian City, not too far from that town. They had both missed this announcement because of their little detour from class. The Graduation was somewhere completely different and now they could never make it before it was over. Their night was ruined and because they didn't go to the Ceremony, they would never be eligible for a Pokemon Trainer's status. They had screwed up the one time that was actually important, that would decide their future of their lives.