Hey, there. My name is Haji, and I've decided to step out of my home fandom in order to broaden my thinking. So, what else than something I know almost as good as Kingdom Hearts? In short, I've tried to put a little bit more of a modern twist on this, because, let's face it, Pokemon will never be real, so realistic is out of the question. So, safely nestled in between fantasy and somewhere else, I give you...something different.

Enjoy.

It had to be a dream. It had to be. The way he had to watch his friends leave for the first time. The way he stood and waved with an egg in his hands, hoping that he would be able to catch up with them as soon as he had his new partner. The way his father led him back home.

It had to be a dream.

But, sadly, as the eighth year passed, Hardison Curcio realized that his life was not a dream, but a cruel reality that had been haunting him for the better half of a decade. And he sat in his room, staring at the ceiling, humming to himself. He had just finished high school, which was an unfortunate milestone in his society. He was due for graduation soon, and he was not looking forward to it one bit. In fact, it made him very sad.

"Hardison! Lunch is ready!"

Hardison sat up and rubbed his eyes. The sound of his mother's voice did nothing to comfort him, since he knew she was just going to pester him about his graduation, and then send him on some ridiculous errand to get him out of the house.

Hardison lived in a small town: Nevuma Town. To the north was Route 1, a road that led straight to the next town—Accumula Town—where his father worked. And to the south was an ocean. An ocean that went on for years and years that led to some far off place full of wonder and adventure.

But Hardison wasn't allowed to leave. Ever.

For, you see, in his world, creatures called Pokemon roamed far and wide, and some were more than willing to attack and kill humans. They were mysterious creatures, brought to Earth by unknown means, and—naturally—humans were willing to figure out how to capture and use them. But, only if they could get a partner on their tenth birthday.

Something that Hardison had failed to do properly.

"Hardison, I have a surprise for you."

Hardison's mother placed a plate of sandwiches on the dining room table. The television was on in the living room, and the screen flickered with the flashes of an intense fight. Hardison forced himself to look away as he settled at the table and folded his hands together.

"I'm not really in the mood for surprises," Hardison whispered. "I have to focus on school."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, dear."

Hardison frowned. "I know. I'm not allowed to go to the party. You told me a thousand times already. But, if Dad would just let me borrow Mightyena, I could go."

Hardison's mother sat down. "Listen, you know how he feels about you asking to borrow his Pokémon. Just wait a little bit, I think you'll like this surprise."

Hardison grabbed a sandwich and bit into it. It was slightly bland, but he chewed it and swallowed anyway, thinking only about the egg in his room. It was supposed to be his partner. It was supposed to hatch just in time for him to go on an adventure with his two best friends, but it never did. And for eight years after that, it never did.

It was a little discouraging, the first time he was told that his egg might be bad. He was ten and a half, and Professor Juniper, the town's top Pokemon researcher, told him in the best way she could about how his egg might not ever hatch. He remembered the tone in her voice.

"Sometimes, Pokemon never come out of their eggs, Hardison." She had the sweetest gentlest voice. "That's when I have to…help them along."

Hardison fought back with every ounce of his strength as his father tried to hand his egg over. After constant crying and pleading, he was allowed to keep it. In exchange, he had to give up a different partner. That was the rule. That was fair.

But, it never hatched, and he had been offered a different partner on countless occasions to compensate for his bad egg. However, there was something telling him that he couldn't give up. No matter how tempting it was to give up his bad egg for the cute new Oshawott, or the regal looking Snivy, there was a small tiny voice in the back of his head that told him to wait. All he needed was a little more time. Just a few more days, just another week or so. Just a little more time.

"Professor Juniper is going to visit."

Hardison swallowed slowly. "I'm not interested in anything she has to say. She's just going to offer me a different Pokémon. I already told you guys for the last eight years. I'm not giving up that egg. I just know it'll hatch. It just needs more time."

"Honey…"

"Do you need me to do anything?" Hardison said abruptly. "Run to the store or something? I can."

"Uh," Hardison's mother paused to think. "Well, I could use some MooMoo milk, but I think our town's supply ran out. We have to wait for another shipment."

"Well, do you mind if I hang around town?"

Hardison's mother looked at him sternly.

"I'm not going to sneak away, I promise. I'm just gonna look at the ocean for a bit. Can I do that?"

"Fine, but I don't want to hear that you tried to leave town again."

"Okay, Mom."

"I mean it, Hardison. Not one word."

"Okay, I promise."

Hardison quickly swallowed the last of his sandwich and jumped up the stairs. His room was neat, though there was a small pile of towels that sat right next to his bed. On top of the small stack of towels sat a large egg. It remained stationary. Not even a small wobble.

Hardison sat on his bed and stared at the egg. It was a dank shade of green, with a rough underside that gripped the towels firmly. It looked solid, but upon knocking on the shell, one could find that it was actually quite hollow sounding.

"I'm gonna go look at the water." He whispered softly, so his mother wouldn't hear him talking to an egg. "I'm gonna take you with me. I think it's about time you got some fresh air."

Hardison brushed his teeth and tucked his egg into his backpack carefully. He really didn't know where his habit of talking to his egg had come from. Probably rumors that if he talked to his egg, a rare Pokémon would come out, or if he told his egg that he loved it, it would hatch. Whatever it was, it had become an unbreakable habit.

His mother was waiting for him at the front door. She was carrying a small basket. Hardison kissed her cheek and stepped outside. The sun was shining, and he could smell the salty air blowing in from the ocean.

"I want you to take this."

Hardison looked at the basket. "Mom, I just ate."

"This is just in case you end up staying longer than you plan to. You know you do it all the time."

Hardison flushed. "I'll be back on time. Dad's coming home early today, isn't he? I'll be back on time. If anything, it'll be to see him before he holes himself in his office."

"Okay, if Professor Juniper shows up, I'll send her your way." Hardison's mother smiled. "I love you."

"Yeah, I love you, too."

Hardison turned on his heels and headed to the dock. It hovered above the water, and the sounds of the gentle waves sloshing against the legs of the dock made it such a serene place. It was peaceful, and Hardison felt as if he was standing at the gates of freedom, but he didn't have the key just yet.

"You know, I've always wanted to travel." Hardison pulled out a couple of towels and placed them on a bench. "But, Dad won't ever let me. It's because I wouldn't make it out there." He settled next to his egg and placed the basket at his feet. "I think he's mad that I didn't pick one of the starters. I think he was mad that I chose you instead. I remember the look on his face."

He stared at the water. In the distance he could see tall figures moving across the waves. It looked like it was some kind of migration, but he couldn't tell what kind of Pokémon it was. He secretly wished his egg would respond, but just like every other time, he was greeted with silence.

"Hey, you want to hear about this new book I found?"

Hardison fished around in his backpack until he pulled out a book. He sat next to the egg, cracked the cover and opened to the first page of text. He seemed excited, but at the same time, there was this veil of depression, like the book—or rather, its contents—gave him great joy, and so much sadness.

"Congratulations, you are now a Pokemon trainer," Hardison read. "You must feel so proud that you now have the option to leave your hometown to begin the real journey of your life. You have received your first Pokémon, and you are in preparation for your first trip. The first thing you must do is sign your contract, then you may officially be on your way."

Hardison paused. "The PCC. It's funny, I don't even want to be a trainer. I just want to travel."

"Hardison?"

Hardison turned. Professor Juniper stood there, smiling the same way she did whenever she spoke with him. That same sad look in her eye, the same tone of sorrow in her voice. She had come to deliver some bad news.

"Professor Juniper." Hardison smiled briefly then frowned. "What are you doing here? I was told you have a surprise for me."

"Yes, Hardison." Professor Juniper blinked slowly. "It's about the egg. I think you need to let me have it now."

Hardison instinctively reached for the egg. "But, it just needs a little more time. I can feel it. It's going to hatch soon. I know it."

"I know, but you've been saying that for a long time." Professor Juniper sat down and folded her hands in her lap. "It's been a long time, Hardison, and I don't want to make this any harder than it has to be. Your father..."

"He sent you, didn't he?"

Hardison jumped to his feet, dropping his book and scooping the egg into his arms. Professor Juniper sighed and stood up slowly.

"Listen, Hardison, I know it's hard." Professor Juniper frowned. "I've had the same thing happen to me once. But, you have to acknowledge the truth. The egg is bad. That means proper action needs to be taken. I'm so sorry."

Hardison clutched his egg and backed away. He already had it in his mind to flee, but it wasn't until Professor Juniper looked at him with that subtle confirmation of his greatest fear that made him actually run.

He ran fast. All the while, clinging to the egg as if it were his last lifeline. He didn't stop for any of the residents who tried to stop him for casual conversation. He didn't stop when he came upon his house. Instead, he jumped over the low fence of his yard and bolted up the stairs into his room. His backpack had unzipped on his frantic race home, but he threw whatever he could find into its depths and zipped it up, always making sure he had his eye on his egg.

"Hardison!"

Hardison paused for the smallest second, but resumed his panicked packing. He wrapped the egg in towels and jumped down the stairs and out the door. To his surprise and dismay, he was stopped dead in his tracks. His father was standing there, arms folded, face stern.

"Hardison."

"Uh, hi Dad."

Hardison didn't dare back himself into the house. His father was there to take his egg. He had hated the egg from the start, and though Hardison had probably guessed that this day was going to happen, it didn't stop him from fighting with every ounce of strength he had. Just like when he was ten.

"It's time for you to grow up, Hardison."

"Dad," Hardison choked. "Please. Just a little more time. Just give me another day."

Hardison's father huffed and reached for his belt. The look in his eye was that of concern, just like any other father, but there was also the faint glower of malice. Like he had been putting up with childish behavior, and that day was going to be the last of it.

"Hardison, your egg is bad! Give it up!" Hardison's father spat at him. "It'll never hatch. Whatever is inside is dead! You hear me? Dead!"

Hardison locked up. "No it's not, I can feel it."

"Hardison, I don't want to have to use force."

Hardison's father pulled a tiny collapsed sphere from his belt. As soon as he squeezed it, it expanded and glowed as he pressed the button in the center. It flipped open, and in a flash of light, a creature was standing next to him, ready to attack.

It was dark blue, with a long thrashing tail, and a dorsal fin jutting from its back. The only thing Hardison could focus on was trying to not stare at it for too long. It hunched low to the ground soon after stretching, and it growled. Deep and menacing, it bared its teeth and unleashed a sound that raised the hair in the back of Hardison's neck.

"Gar!"

"Garchomp!" Hardison's father frowned. "Use Roar."

Garchomp glared at Hardison for only a second longer before it snarled and roared in it fiercest voice. Hardison fled, feeling his brain numb. His father wouldn't kill him, would he? Why would he use such a powerful Pokémon?

"Garchomp!"

Run faster.

His brain couldn't focus. This truly was a blind fear that consumed him, and he fled like a coward, knowing with his whole being that he would not be able to outrun the land shark should his father command it to give chase. The deafening sound still bounced around in his head, and he could feel massive footsteps coming closer.

"Dad!" Hardison cried. "Please, I just need a little more time! Please, Dad! Don't take it away!"

Hardison felt the earth under his feet cave as Garchomp smashed its head near him. Hardison moved out of the way, but it was such a scary thought, that he flew north. Hardison's father ran after them.

"Not so heavy, Garchomp! Relax!"

"Gar!"

Hardison ran into tall grass just at the entrance of Route 1, Garchomp on his heels. Though it wasn't thrashing as much, it was still terrifying, and Hardison hadn't been paying as close attention as he should have. So, he fell, and Garchomp, who had been so close to him, stepped just before him and tumbled over him, dorsal fin bending painfully, tail crashing.

Hardison screamed, more out of fear than anything else. He felt the egg slip from his fingers as his father's Garchomp caught him. Hardison's father released another Pokémon, this one a sleek black canine.

"Mightyena, get Hardison."

Mightyena sniffed around Garchomp and nuzzled Hardison, whimpering. Hardison breathed slowly, his brain taking in such a huge shock. As soon as he felt the wet tip of Mightyena's snout, he punched it. Mightyena yelped and growled back, but did not bite.

"My…egg…"

"Hardison!"

Hardison pushed away from Garchomp's tough skin. Garchomp relaxed and pulled itself to its feet, placing Hardison on wobbly legs.

"Are you okay?" Hardison's father grabbed him. "Hardison!"

"Egg…" Hardison muttered.

Hardison's father grit his teeth. "I've had enough of this egg!"

He spun around and lifted the egg from a small patch of grass. At first glance, it appeared to have survived its rough toss, but thin hairline cracks circled the top of the egg, and it seemed even more stagnant than before. Hardison's father placed it in Professor Juniper's hands. She had rushed to Hardison's aid, but stopped as soon as she saw Garchomp attack.

"Take it, Juniper," Hardison's father growled. "We're going to have to talk later. I'm afraid we've overstayed our welcome."

"Dad…"

"That's enough, Hardison. I don't want to hear another word."

"The egg…"

Hardison's father called back Garchomp and Mightyena. And grabbed his son by the arm. He was ready to drag him back to the house and place him under a round the clock surveillance. Ready to take every freedom his wished he had and turn it on its nose. Ready to do the unthinkable.

"Hardison…" Professor Juniper whispered.

Hardison stared at the egg for a long time. And for that time, it did nothing. But, then it moved, and a weird sound came from within its depths. A mottled cry that sounded like a bubble popping. And the shell cracked. The hairline fractures it had received from the crash deepened and spread until it covered the whole egg like a web.

And it shuddered, the top sinking in. Professor Juniper placed it on the ground and bent low to watch green fluids ooze from the top and bubbled over. It looked like gel, and it rolled slowly, turning from green to purple and back again. The tiny cries from the Pokémon inside grew louder and louder until a single round body flowed out.

Hardison couldn't believe it.

And neither could anybody else.

Before him, wriggling about in its own egg fluid was a brand new, barely mobile Solosis.

"Oh my god…"

Sorry if Hardison seems a little...meh for a name. I've been stuck on it for a while. Give me feedback, please. I'd like to know how ya'll feel about my stepping into untested waters by myself.

Has a nice day. :)

P.S. For people new to my writing at all, this is at the end of every chapter. It's like a catchphrase of sorts, but much cooler. :D