Touko: a tomboy with a personal brand of hell
Touya: a boy with one regret too many
Cheren: "a little difficult but a very honest person"
Bianca: "a little flighty, but she works very hard"
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Today, it's spring in Nuvema Town. The weatherman advertises Pidoves: Pidoves blocking airplane travel, Pidoves filling the sky to capacity with all their grace and cuteness and inconvenience. I imagine route intersection billboards reporting the same to Pokémon Trainers, sighing into my couch.
I fall asleep there sometime, since the news couldn't bother to bore me to death.
The front door slams into the wall, chipping off more paint in the loudest way possible. "Oh, Arceus! Sorry about that, Mrs. White." Cheren returns it. I can practically hear his wince at the damage. It's nothing new to him, though; that door is uncontrollable.
My mom doesn't say anything, probably ignoring him outright. I don't move to check, instead burying my head into a rough pillow. Cheren comes around the couch almost undetected, sighing loudly. I keep my breathing still.
I feel his hesitation. To wake or not to wake? Be a little bitch, or let me handle myself for once? He exhales again. The couch shudders as he sits, carefully, as if he's trying not to disturb me. "Touko." I clench my eyes. Don't move anything he can see. This nap is a mission of utmost importance, the pinnacle of your Nuvema Town life. Do not move. Do not fail.
He leans over me, breath catching above the back of my neck. A hand finds a lock of my hair, a finger wraps around it, and a Cheren pulls me up by it.
"Ouch! Shit, man—"
"—People breathe in their sleep, genius." His entire hand slips through my tangles to hold my head up. His words dangle in my open mouth, and the intimacy of this situation hits me like a charging Bouffalant. Abort! Abort!
I use him as a catapult back into my seat. His hand barely manages to escape, keeping him in his spot and not falling on top of me. That would've been great. And that was sarcasm, I swear.
"Touko, you need to get ready."
"Cheren, you need to get a life."
"That's low."
"As low as your I.Q.?"
He tries to hide his laugh in another sigh, but we both end up choking. I'm convinced I'll always have his laughter memorized, along with the look of insignificant importance he gives me over my bent legs. "We do need to get you ready, though."
"Have mercy!" I offer him my hand anyway, too lazy to stand alone. He smirks, grabbing my wrist and tugging, like my hand wasn't begging for that contact.
We both head instinctively to the stairs, and I know I'm going to end up missing things like this someday. Not any time soon, once I'm out of this small-town hell and free of adult supervision. "If," I scoff to myself. Cheren turns above me, raising an eyebrow. I shrug back at it.
I throw myself on my bed the instant we're in the room. Cheren closes the door, but I don't acknowledge it. That's basically protocol, by now. "Is Bianca coming too?" I ask, watching him grab my robe by the hanger and approach me with it.
"Yeah. She had to get some stuff. I think she wants you to help her pick out the 'perfect accessories' for her gown." He hands me my own outfit. I regard it with a faint snarl and send him my best puppy look.
"Are you sure we can't just ditch? Start our celebrations early, stay here?" It sounds like a perfect idea to me. I swear I see Cheren crack a bit—not enough for any permanent damage in my favor—before he rejects it. He has a speech to give, of course. Can't let the people down.
I don't comment aloud, scolding myself for the quiet I don't think they'd even notice stabbing at my chest.
I'm saved from the plummeting conversation by a shudder at my door. The knob twitches next, fumbling around in its socket a few bizarre moments before Bianca gets a grip and opens it. "So-o-o-orry about that! I tripped on the stairs and . . . kinda . . . knocked on the door with my face." I fall onto my bunched sheets in a flurry of cackles. Cheren stares at her, looking impatient as always.
"Whoa, T, you're not dressed yet?" Bianca tugs my robe from beneath me. "Cheren, why were you distracting her!"
"The only distracting thing here is your shoes." I raise just enough to catch a glance at glitter, loads of glitter. Her gown barely detains the glitter.
"Arceus, B, prom was last month!"
She giggles into her curled fingers. "I know! I just wanted . . . to stand out, ya know?"
That sends a pang through me, but a little effort keeps my face straight. I ruffle her hair once I'm safely upright, snatching my matching graduation gown from her drooping hand. "You do that on your own, silly Ducklett." Her smile replaces the sympathy in my heart.
We both turn to Cheren. I give him a helpful shove to the door. "What's going on here?" he argues.
"Sorry, Cherry. We gotta preserve your innocence while we can." He blushes in realization, taking himself the rest of the way out. I roll my eyes at the embarrassed muttering trailing behind.
I hold the gown out to Bianca. "So, how does this thing actually work?"
Accumula Town
Stepping into line, I'm reminded of my first time batting in a T-ball game, stepping on home plate with the confidence of a pro. I struck out, but let's not bother with such details.
But then, I was doing the same a few hours ago, stepping closer to Mom so she could "fix" my hair. The brush snarled in it was dubbed a sacrifice. Bianca came through for me, miraculously freeing both the brush and the majority of hair in that particular spot.
Despite all that, I keep a nervous, confident smile on my face. This step and all those following will only bring me a future.
The first thing I do is look to Cheren. His line is different than mine, but I know his and Bianca's assigned places better than my own. Not that I got lost on the way here or anything.
He's checking on Bianca. I have to remember to do the same, right before we leave for the stage outside. Who knows where she'd end up if we weren't keeping an eye apiece on her?
Cheren's flash to me the second I give up. He's adjusting his glances by the time I turn back. His sharp nose wrinkles at me, irritation discernable even at a distance. I give him my best not-nervous grin.
Someone catches the back of my boots—which are invisible enough beneath my robe to keep me out of Juniper's lectures—with their monstrous feet. I don't turn from Cheren, for politeness's sake.
He fingers his tassel at me. I touch my own, confused until I realize it's on my left. I fix it with a pointed thumbs-up. He mouths something. Again, at my confused lean towards him. Again as I put my back to him with an irritated shrug.
Dumbass.
Cheren laughs at my belated scoff in his direction.
"Look, Cocoa, I know you're as shocked as everyone else that you passed. But if you don't move now, Juniper will probably still fail you."
I turn to the Professor first, and she is waving frantically in my direction. The rest of my line is off to graduate.
"Touya?" I sound as confused as I feel. Good.
"Aw, don't tell me you forgot my nickname, Cocoa?"
"Tutu, you're keeping me from graduating." I punch him without restraint, but he doesn't hesitate to return the standard apology-hug. "What are you doing here?"
"No, Touko White, you are keeping everyone behind you from graduating. I suggest you both get a move on before I fail both of you." Touya and I get our move on at a run, snickering once we're out of hearing range and a lot more, to be safe. I don't miss the Prof.'s eyes getting all soft as we absconded.
Hiding our conversation behind the band, I throw my words back at Touya. "So, seriously, why are you here?"
"I'm graduating, sis. Just like you."
"How are you even passing? You've missed, like, seven years of schoolwork. Almost eight."
"Someone's been counting. You really miss me that much?" His question is a joke, but his voice is not. I don't trust my own for more than a short nod. "And don't worry, Cocoa. I did all my homework. I had to, without Cheren around to cheat off of."
I don't say anything while we file into our rows, take our seats. There's no reason to retain the harsh feelings regarding Touya's early adventure. I know that. Cheren and Bianca have definitely forgiven him by now; I should too.
Still, my friends' kindness doesn't keep me from thinking every time I see him, why did you leave me?
"So. Cheren. You were starin' at him pretty hardcore earlier."
Professor's already started calling names. Bianca's steals me from the conversation. "Oh, shit!" Touya gasps at my outburst, but I busy myself searching the crowd. I forgot to check on her. Cheren's gonna be so pissed.
My initial fears range from B being lured away with a piece of candy to being convinced by her father that she's too dumb to graduate. She stands from a few rows back from her assigned place, a brilliant smile easing me back into my seat. Professor Juniper grins back despite the proof her rehearsals were useless to us all.
I don't notice I'm leaning around Touya to stare at Cheren until he turns around to glare at me. Trying to look guilty doesn't hide my smile, and he can't hide his, either. So we share our smiles like idiots until Touya shoves my head away from him.
"I take back my 'pretty hardcore' and replace it with 'hella creepy.' Should I be concerned as a big brother?" It's hard to ignore him until Cheren's name is called. I try not to laugh at the terrified look my friend gives me. Topping everyone's applause is easy.
"How did you get here, anyway?" I watch Cheren until he's off our makeshift stage, thankful he and Bianca both didn't stumble. Touya rolls his eyes at my apparent subject change—not that I remember what he was talking about.
"Flew."
"Like, on a real plane?" I lean towards him a bit, fascinated more than I care to admit. At least there's no jealousy in my curiosity this time.
"No, no planes were involved. Remind me to show you later." I huff back into my seat, wondering indifferently where everyone to my right disappeared to.
"Touko White." Professor Juniper doesn't hide her annoyance. Touya has to give me a shove to get me off my chair. The air itself is cold, chilling me as I hurry to the platform. My classmates' giggles keep me burning, and I put on a show of flighty confidence as I approach my teacher. The entire walk I'm thinking back to Bianca's and Cheren's moments up here, infinitely prouder of them thanks to my own fear.
I make sure I smile at Bianca on the way back, especially when I trip on the ramp off the stage. Both guys tasked with escorting everyone down make a little too much effort to catch me. Everyone still watching laughs as I smack one with my diploma.
I steal a glance at Cheren on my way back to my seat, but he's preoccupied glaring at the two dimwits to notice. Eyes rolling, I pointedly avoid the crowd's fond stares as I return to my chair. She's probably not there. Why should I care if she is, anyways?
Touya tackles me from behind, whirling me around by the waist. My flurry of swears ceases all graduation activity for a long, loudly silent beat, before Professor Juniper starts scolding through the microphone. "Touko and Touya White! You're lucky there's proof you passed Trainer School, or I'd fail you back to preschool!" When her smiling side comes back to address the crowd, I give Tutu a whack heard all the way to the front.
I see Cheren's shoulders tremble, and I laugh with him.
"Hey, Tutu." My twin's got Bianca giggling about something on my bed, too busy flirting to look my way. "Yo. Tutu." Cheren glances between us, and I exchange a one-way exasperated look with him.
Grabbing a pillow off my bedroom carpet, I give Touya my best shot at a braining. "Arceu—bleh!" Swanna feathers go flying, most of them flocking to his mouth.
"You said you would show me something!"
My brother gives me a grin like I've never seen. It's wide and proud and makes every person in the room smile back, even Cheren. That makes my returning grin grow.
He leads us outside, past Mom without a word, and into the backyard. "What I'm about to show you cannot be repeated to anyone, okay, kiddos? Not even to the textbooks you're probably gonna end up writing, Cheren!" We all scoff at the first part, but Cheren's repeats at the second.
Touya grins that grin again, sending chills through my belly. Is this what getting a Pokémon does to you? Replaying the Professor's last words, I can't contain any of the good emotions zipping across my entire body.
Tutu winks at us, specifically me, before throwing out a Poké Ball from his bag. We watch in wonder, three children admiring a peer so much greater than ourselves. Three "kiddos", I mean.
A monstrous thing materializes in front of us, eyes locking onto mine before the rest of it finishes forming. Cheren shuffles back a few steps; Bianca screams a little. I want to react, but something in those glowing neon lights paralyzes me.
This is a Pokémon my textbooks didn't prepare me for: a giant robot, taller than six-foot-zero Touya. Strange-patterned lights blink at me like eyes, and a giant Band-Aid matches the braces along its hands and feet.
"A Golurk," Cheren wheezes, coming back to my side. "Nine feet two inches tall, 727.5 pounds. Where'd you get this, Touya?"
Tutu starts to answer, but I interrupt in an awed trance. "Can I pet it?" The two topmost lights blink at me in unison, as if egging me on.
"Cocoa, I'm not really sure Shadow'd be into that . . . I mean, he's a robot."
Cheren glances between me and the mysterious creature, a weird look on his face. "He seems fairly tame. I don't see why not." The robot—Shadow—pivots toward Cheren, studying him blandly. I swear I see it smile, until there's nothing different about its face after I blink.
Then it moves. Shadow moves in jerks, like a machine that hasn't been oiled recently. He seems to struggle toward me, lights blinding against the night sky. He kneels.
Touya's more shocked than anyone, but he smiles at Shadow once he realizes what's happening. There it is again: pride. I rub the Golurk's head with nothing but enthusiasm. No jealousy here, and I'm admittedly a little proud of myself.
Looking at Touya, I think I hope I turn out just like you.
I replay Professor's words again. "I think you three have potential, so I'm going to give you a very, very important Pokémon." And I smile.
Touya wakes first. He stands from a sleeping bag after a brief struggle with the zipper, almost swearing aloud. Touko mumbles something from the bed to his left. He freezes. She's always been a light sleeper, waking at any noise that could be their mother.
I'm so sorry, Cocoa.
Bianca's on the furthest side of the bed from him, snoring into one of his pink pillows. He'd have to confront her about that later, when she was too tired to understand anything but food. He kisses Touko's forehead, trying to beat down everything inside him. Arceus, I'm sorry.
She was the only one who didn't hold it against him. Leaving, abandoning everyone to get out of Nuvema Town. His friends didn't talk to him anymore. No one made eye contact at graduation. Touko's was a little delayed, sure, but she was distracted by Cheren.
He turns to the other boy on the floor. He could admire his little sister's taste; this eighteen-year-old could actually be a good one. That didn't stop him from considering kicking the nerd. Too bad he'd probably wake up.
Touya steps over Cheren, opens/closes the bedroom door, and treads the stairs, all with care. He thought about stomping enough to wake Mom up so she would make breakfast for the rest of them. No, he'd do it himself. No point, anyway.
The front door leads to a cold outdoors, a slight breeze enough to almost send him packing. Morning runs were cool when he had somewhere to go, like back when he'd sneak out to Accumula Town. Through the tall grass with not a scratch. I could get them breakfast from that place Cocoa likes . . . Yeah, who likes cooking?
So he sets out. "Shadow!" The robot snaps into place beside him, eyes illuminating all the dewy grass as he emerges as an inanimate lump. "C'mon, Shadow. You need a jog as much as I do." Shadow stretches to full height, earning a glare from his master. "Show-off."
The robot laughs, and Touya laughs with it. Trees shudder with the giant's running steps; the comparably short Trainer has to push to keep up. It doesn't shut him up, though. "So, Shadow. Why'd you let Cocoa touch you?"
The Golurk appears to ponder the question, so much he almost trips on a ledge. A Golurk falling would probably be considered a natural disaster, but that wouldn't keep his Trainer safe from fees. They learned that from last time.
Shadow releases a series of beeps, scaring off some nearby Patrat and leaving the two joggers alone on the path. Touya is unfazed. "You wanted to make him happy? Dude. Dude. Touko's a girl. She's my twin. We've been over this!"
More robotic noises—sounding more urgent this time—follow. "Not the girl? The boy? Well, there was only one other boy, so, Cheren? How did you make him happy?"
"He only wants the girl happy. He reminded me of you, Master."
". . . Don't call me Master."
And so it begins.