Chapter I: The Change
The time was 9:49 PM when Jonathan Glover's phone rang. He hurriedly pulled his phone out of his pocket to see that his best friend, Nathan Best, was the caller. He sighed, knowing that he was probably about to hear more complaints about Nathan's drunken parents.
Sure, Jonathan's parents were drunks too, but Jonathan went about solving his problems in a different way. Jonathan finally picked up the phone with another sigh.
"Hello…? No, I haven't seen the news… What! I'll rush there right away!" Jonathan hung the phone up and hastily pushed it back into his pocket as he began running to the hospital.
Three Hours Earlier
It was just a normal day. I was laying in my bed, texting my friends, listening to my favorite CD's, and just relaxing. I was beginning to think that my best friend John didn't really want to text me back, but it wouldn't matter very soon. I heard the door open and I quickly turned my music down. I didn't want to hear any more shit than I already had to.
"Nathan! Get your ass down here!" yelled an all-too-familiar voice. I sighed as I stood up and walked over to the door. I took a deep breath before opening the door and going down the stairs.
"Yeah?" I asked my mom as I walked down the stairs and came to the door. She was obviously drunk, because she was stumbling all over the place and holding a half empty bottle of beer. I would guess that my dad had stumbled off to their bedroom.
"Did you feed the damn cat?" she asked, glaring at me. I frowned as I saw our family pet, a Liepard named Zena, walk up behind Mom.
"Yeah, I did a few hours ago," I told her, wanting desperately to just get out of the conversation that she had me trapped in. Zena nonchalantly walked past me and up the stairs, flicking me with her tail as she passed me. Lucky fucking cat.
"She looks like she's starving," complained my mom, pointing at Zena.
"But I fed her," I tried to explain, but my mom wouldn't have it.
"Don't you lie to me, you little shit," she hissed at me. What did I do to deserve this?
"But I'm not lying, Mom," I said, beginning to get a little angry.
"Prove it," she retorted. Now, when you're arguing and you can't actually prove your point, it makes it hard to hold a solid argument.
"I can't prove that I fed her, but you can't prove that I didn't." It was true.
"Don't you talk back to me!"
"I wasn't talking back to you, though, I was just proving a point," I tried to explain.
"What did I just fucking tell you? One more time, and you're grounded!"
"But Mom-"
"That's it, get to your room! Don't come out for a week!" she yelled. I gritted my teeth and slowly walked up the stairs as I heard glass shatter. I'm guessing that she threw the beer bottle and missed me, but oh well.
I got up to my room and slammed the door as hard as I could, before locking it and dropping onto my bed. Zena, who had ended up in my room, tried to jump up beside me. I pushed her away, however, not in the mood for consolation.
"Damnit!" I yelled, slamming my fist into the wall of my room. I grabbed my head with my hands and began to cry. Why did I live this kind of life? I could get anything that I wanted, and my parents were filthy rich, but they were stupid, worthless drunks who hated me. I soon fell asleep, crying.
I snapped awake, coughing with fresh tears in my eyes. Why was it so hot? I sat up and walked over to the door. I struggled to unlock it, and then I reached for the handle, but pulled my hand away instantly. It was searing hot.
I quickly and idiotically reached for the handle again. I grasped it, turned it, and pulled the door open, just to see a blanket of black smoke rush into my room.
"What the hell…?" I fell to the ground, coughing. The smoke had blinded me, and I could hardly breathe. I saw flames licking the walls in the hallway with my limited vision. "Shit," I muttered. I felt myself being lifted up by the collar of my shirt before blacking out from lack of oxygen.
The next thing I remember, I was floating in pure blackness. Where was I? I turned around, and saw the mythic ghost-dragon, Giratina, floating before me.
"Nathan," Giratina said, staring into my soul. I shuddered and took a step back. "Do not be scared. I'm not going to harm you," Giratina assured.
"Alright… Wait, why can I understand you?" What a perfect thing to ask when you're floating in a realm of nothingness probably located in a different dimension.
"I have the ability to speak human speech," said Giratina. "I'm here to propose something to you."
"Alright, what?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"You'd be dead right now if Zena had not saved your life. You've always hated her and other Pokémon, however. You have two choices." I gulped as he said this. "You can either become a trainer and enter the Pokémon League, or I can alter reality to make it so that you died." I didn't need any time to think this over.
"Fine. I'll become a trainer." Giratina smiled, as only a ghost-dragon could. The next thing I knew, I could hear the voice of the annoying reporter from "Sinnoh News Today."
"Today, Mary and Thomas Best died a tragic death in their home in Twinleaf Town. It is assumed by police officers that a lit cigarette caused the fire that burned the house down. Luckily, their son, Nathan Best, was brought to safety by the family pet, a Liepard. Stay tuned for the weather after this commercial break."
My eyes finally began to work as I snapped fully awake. I was lying in a hospital bed. Zena was curled up on my stomach, sleeping. As I looked down, I noticed that an oxygen mask was strapped to my face. I slowly pulled it off as I continued to look around. I noticed that everything that was in my pockets was lying on the nightstand. All that was there was a small wad of cash, a half empty pack of gum, and my cell phone… My cell phone!
I immediately grabbed my cell phone and dialed John's number. I waited. One ring… Two rings… Three… Just as I thought he wouldn't answer, he picked up the phone.
"John, thank god you answered… Have you seen the news? No? My house burnt down. I'm at the hospital. Get your ass over here." I hung up and set my cell phone back on the nightstand with a sigh. The rest of my life sure would be interesting.
Side Note: The next update will be next Saturday.