This is just a little something that came to me while I was listening to the '2BA Master' album, and in particular, the song 'You Can Do It (If You Really Try)' Just to state, Pokemon doesn't belong to me (duh!) and neither does the song.
As I stretch my wings and feel the slight breeze of the afternoon run through my feathers, I make the mistake of looking down. It looks a long way to the ground, but that's probably because it is. As I place my gaping wings back by my side I look across to my trainer. His eyes are narrowed in disappointment, just like they are each time it's time to lift myself from the ground.
My trainer is known as the Pidgey Express man, and my name is Ken. It's a stupid name really, but as that is what he named me then I guess that is how it must be. That's not to say I don't like him. The other Pidgeys complain a lot when I say bad things about him, although the truth is I love him like a Pokemon should love their trainer, but it would be a lot easier if I could just stay on the ground. "You're a Pidgey," he tells me. "You're gifted with wings so get on and use them." Maybe if he could experience the feeling I had then he'd think differently, and would realise that it isn't as easy as he thinks.
Each day I'm brought up here with a group of other birds my age, and we are ordered to stand on the edge of the basket and then eventually, on his signal, fly. We stand side by side and one by one they flutter their wings and with a gust of wind that almost knocks me from my stand, they are gone. Then there's only me left, all alone on the side of the basket looking down at the gaping space below me and the clouds that hide the ground from my eyes. Perhaps it would be easier if the ground weren't there, then I could leap off knowing that if I couldn't bring myself to flap my wings that I wouldn't go crashing to the floor.
But the fact is, the universe isn't a bottomless pit, and if I made a mistake, then I might never get the chance again, and although like every other Pokemon I've heard the story about returning to the moon after you die, I'm not ready to end my life just yet, not least because it would be the worst kind of failure, and after all the hard work my trainer has put in to get me ready to carry mail, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if it were all for nothing.
But I'm still afraid. I look over the edge again, and strain my eyes to view beyond the clouds. They look so solid, and I just wish that I could leap out and bounce right off them, but I know in my heart that I would just fall right through. My trainer calls to me. "You can do it Ken," he shouts. He's so encouraging, and in determination I spread my wings wide and get ready to lift off. Then I remember what is below me. Struggling to keep my balance after almost falling forwards, I leap to the bottom of the basket and huddle in the corner, shaking, and wishing I were back on the ground again.
Then I hear music. It's quiet at first, but as it gets louder and a human voice begins to sing I realise it is coming from a small black box right behind me, and I know that it is there for a reason. As I wipe tears from the corner of my eyes, I turn around and focus on the words of the song.
"It's your destiny to spread your wings and fly,
You can do it if you really try. You can do it if you really try,
Spread your wings and learn to fly.You can do it if you really, really try.
I never thought about it as being my destiny before. My parents and grandparents before me all delivered mail, and were all trained by the Pidgey Express Man. My brothers and sisters were on their way to doing the same. All along, without realising it, I'd been trying to run away from it, when all the time, in my heart, I knew it was what I had to do.
Looking up at the sky, I saw that the sun was fading, and the glowing moon was peeping out from beneath a dull cloud. I'd never realised how beautiful it was before, and now, all I wanted to do was reach out and touch it.
I took a majestic leap back onto the side of the basket, and focussed all my attention on the moon, and taking a deep breath, I spread my wings wide, and now, without a moment of hesitation, I felt my feet lift from the ground and I began to flap my wings frantically in order to prevent myself from dropping.
It took me a few seconds to realise where I was. I could feel nothing except for the breeze running through my wings, and the last warm rays of the sun shining on my back, and could hear my trainer in the distance applauding me. Then I opened my eyes, and looked down. Now I was in the sky, there was no need to panic about what was below me, as there was no way I was going to fall. My wings were strong and so was my courage. It was my destiny, and I had today begun the steps to fulfilling it. I'd spread my wings and flown, and I knew that no matter what happened, I would never be scared of the future again.