Hi everyone! I'm the co-creator of this story…My friend is the other co-creator…
We are creating a Pokémon story with no Ash, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Gary, or anyone else!
The idea was my friend's, after I had told her about a fantasy I had when I was little, and she was "inspired to make a manga" out of it. I agreed ecstatically, and then…well, I don't think we had the same ideas. So, I decided to write the story out in book-mode, and so I guess now we're just going with what I'm writing (?).
This story takes place, uhm… 6 years after (the first Kanto game) Kanto times, and so things aren't the exact same as they were before in the games…so don't hate it or us for that. ^^;;
Some things to consider-Japanese text is within the story, and so first off, there isn't anything important said in Japanese; they basically repeat what they say in English…and second, if it's incorrect, then blame Google Translate, not me…yes I used Google…I refuse to ask my Asian English teacher!
One final note: My friends and i…are otaku's. Down to the ground…so we, of course, dub each others as characters from animes/mangas/etc…
Go to Ouran High School Host Club dubbing…I'm Tamaki…my friend (co-creator) is dubbed as Renge…
…Yeah. It's gonna end well. :D
So, here's the story (finally!) WARNING! Very long…so long… (Each chapter is like one book of the story…)
Hello, I'm Emily Shigahiro. I'm a fourteen year old Pokémon trainer. I was exiting Vermilion city one day at twilight. I walked out and looked up at the setting sun. My eyes went wide with awe; I had seen…the most beautiful sunset ever…
I stirred in my rest, finding the way back to the present time. I opened my eyes to the faded brown walls that I was supposed to call my room. I lay back in the stiff bed. Glancing up at the ceiling, I wondered why it was only a sunset that stood out to me; after every memory of my quiet life here in New Bark, why was it only that one spot in Kanto that I could remember? Why nothing else?
My name is Emily Shigahiro…and I live in New Bark town in the Johto region. I was a Pokémon trainer once…I don't know when.
I pulled myself out of bed and walked to the window. I gazed out at the little children running around with their Pokémon.
If you ask anyone in this town, they could tell you I was a Pokémon trainer a few months back…but I don't know for sure. I know nothing about my life beyond the one place where my flashback took place.
I pressed my hand against the window and closed it into a fist, leaving fingerprints on the glass. The sunlight suddenly flooded into the room, and I squinted my eyes to adjust them to the light.
As I was leaving Vermilion city, and I noticed the sunset, something happened…and the next thing I knew, I woke up here at my home…but I don't know for sure that this is my home…I remember nothing.
I slowly slid my hand down, and walked back away from the window. I turned away and pounded down the stairs into the living/dining room. As I got to the bottom, I grasped the end of the railing with my hand and swung myself off the last step. The two others who lived in the house were sitting by the stairs; my mother, sipping tea and my older brother, sitting cross-legged reading the newspaper. They were seated under a light mahogany kotatsu.
I let go of the railing and strode past them to the front door. I reached to my side to get my dark blue jacket. I pulled it on, and started to open the door.
"Where are you going?" I heard my mother ask blankly behind me. I turned my head to her.
"Outside." I replied, opening the door. The cool air flowed inside, and I pulled my jacket closer.
My mother set down her cup soft but firmly. "Where do you plan on going?" she asked me. She sounded uninterested, but I from what I had learned about her the past few months, if I didn't answer correctly, I was in for a world of doom. The place I was planning to go probably wasn't the right answer though.
I am not in a good position right now.
My mother picked up her cup again; I stood in the same stance I was in. All was still, but the tension slowly building made the mood uneasy. I looked down and toed at the carpet with my foot. "Just…out…" I replied casually, as if it wasn't anywhere important.
She set her cup down once more, but said nothing. I used it as an opportunity to slide out the door outside. I closed the front door behind me and pressed my back against it (without releasing my grasp on the doorknob). I leaned back and looked up at the sky. The clouds were slowly moving past. My mood slightly went higher and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. It felt good to have fresh clean air and to not be stuffed inside that house where rules and lack of memories suffocated me.
I became aware of the noises of feet running a ways off. I opened my eyes to see the kids running around with their Pokémon. They were laughing and playing. My mood went down a bit, and I let go of the doorknob and turned away from them and walked off.
It was recently discovered that there was a lot of unused wind in New Bark town, and there are windmills near every house now. Along with the windmills came a lot more energy, and more people moved here. That's where the kids came in.
I walked until I came upon the opening of a dense forest. There was a tiny wooden park table by an evergreen tree. I got onto the table part and lay flat, looking at the opening in the trees at the sky.
All the kids here wanted to become Pokémon trainers. I know this because my brother (and I occasionally) apparently taught them how to battle.
I turned to my side, clenching my hand into a fist. If only I remembered…
I used to be a trainer too. I once gained access all the way to Kanto. But now I remember nothing. I don't even remember my own Pokémon. The day after I woke up here in New Bark, my mother sent it away to professor Elm to release it. I watched it walk off in sadness and confusion that day; my mother didn't even let it near me. She blamed the Pokémon for my memory loss. As I watched it walk away, I didn't feel anything. I felt completely empty; I knew I should have felt something…but I didn't even remember it…so how could I have felt something?
I began to finger at the pine picks lying next to me.
How does it feel to not know who you are? I flinched as the thought ran through my mind. The way people had been acting lately…as if I caused so much pain by not being who I was before this all happened. I turned again, my legs upright. I don't know who I was before I lost my memory…The way people describe myself to me doesn't sound like me at all…I know who I am…I just don't know who I was.
I became aware of footsteps behind me. I tilted my head back. My older brother was standing in front of the base of the evergreen tree holding a large book. "Hello." He said quietly, sitting down against the base.
I looked back up at the sky. "Hey." I said.
I may have no memory of my past, but I can tell that our relationship has strained; from good or bad I can't tell. For awhile after I woke up from losing my memory, he had teased me, or at least tried to set the former me off. He stopped after I asked him why he was talking to me like…like I knew what he was talking about. I didn't think it sounded rude or mean, but ever since he's been lying low as well…I can tell he's not fully comfortable with things as they are now, but he has stepped aside as to not start any "fires" between our mother…as things are tense enough between her and I already…
I crossed my arms across my stomach. Having him here broke my relaxation, and now it just felt awkward. I leaned my head back to look at him. He was sitting reading, seemingly content. I groaned to myself. Why did everything have to be so complicated and awkward with me? It was fine for him…
Suddenly, trampling footsteps could be heard. My brother and I looked up curiously, and noticed the kids from earlier ran through with their Pokémon. They all surrounded him and started shoving to get closer, and talking over one another, which resulted in shouting.
"Hey, Jacob, can we train now?!" One kid asked, jumping up and down.
"Hey I want to show you what my Totidile can do!" another kid shoved her out of the way. The jumping from her stopped, and she grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Hey no way! My Chikorita is better than your dumb Totidile!" They stared each other down.
"Well Cyndaquil is better than you all because he is a fire type! Fire beats everything!" another kid interjected, being shoved into the semicircle they had formed. Both whipped around to him
"What?! No it doesn't! My Totidile will take you down!"
"Sentret is better than ALL of you because it's normal type!" another kid shouted at the three.
All three turned in anger. "NU-AWW!"
"Hey, hey you guys," answered Jacob calmly, walking over and putting his book by my head. "We can train now, yes, and I can teach you about pronunciation…" he glanced at the kid with the "Totidile" and continued, "…and which types…" at this he glanced over to the four former-arguing children, "…are effective against others."
Jacob started to jog back to our house, the little kids chasing after. I closed my eyes and lay down again.
I don't know how Jacob can put up with that. It's kind of sad, really…not just because of the incompetence of the kids but…I had no idea what the kids were even talking about.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
I watched the clock, back in my room. I kept my eyes on it, every second as it went by.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
I sat, still as could be, watching the eyebrows of a Pokémon move back and forth…
When I had come to after losing my memory, I had learned of a clock tower right inside Professor Elm's laboratory…I was fascinated by it…it sounds lame, but I had nothing else to do with my life.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
One week after I had "regained consciousness, I heard a neighbor (apparently a "newcomer" from Goldenrod city) gossiping and whispering about me with my mom…
I have a very good memory…now at least. I don't know about before…maybe when you lose everything you remembered for the past 14 years, your memory to present events becomes more clear.
I stared at the clock tower, but my memory drifted off…as it typically did. Did it use to do that?
I had been on the stairs, sitting…for what reason was it…oh yeah. Because I had nothing else to do.
It was awhile before my mind began to grip to the words that my mother and the neighbor were forming together. I sat still, listening:
"…It's really quite ridiculous…" one of them rambled (I believed to be the neighbor, because my mother wouldn't ever make such comments). "…how although she has this difficulty, refuses to try and excel at anything she had previously enjoyed. Do you know that although she had submitted her work to an Olivine City art exhibit in the past, she has not lifted a pencil since?"
I had looked down, as the numbing emptiness crept over me. I had a feeling that I was the topic of their conversation at the time, but I don't remember ever enjoying drawing. Or be good at it, in that manner.
There was silence for a short period of time after the previous response. I had sat still, listening to what my mother would say in reply… "Well Janine," I heard my mother say (after a sip of tea?!) "…despite what a lovely life she could have had before all of…this happened, I'm just shocked how she couldn't even get over the memory loss and pick up what pieces she had left and continue on with her life, and move on from…what ever happened to cause this." I remember imaging her wave her hand around gesturing.
My memories found their way to the present. I was doing as I was before they took off; staring at the clock, waiting for the bell's to begin ringing the time…I stared, but my thoughts, too slow to follow my memories, began to wonder about that moment; how I had thought how unfair and distant they had been…I didn't follow anything that they were saying with how I am…they were talking bout me like I was two different people…Maybe I am.
It was ridiculous though; how could they expect me to know exactly what it was I was good at and what I had enjoyed when I had no memory?
Maybe I knew before; but not now…I believe it is pointless for me to pick up the pieces and continue with my life…because…
I pulled my knees closer and put my head on my knees, burying my face in my arms.
…There are no pieces from the past that I can pick up.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
I looked up at the clock. The hands were on the fifth dash mark-five o'clock.
I stood up and walked to the window, pressing my face against the glass. The clock tower had begun to tell what time it was. I stared at the tower; watching the Pokémon fly away as the bell continued to toll.
Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong.
I closed my eyes, and began to count along to the tolling.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.
Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong.
Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. I began to count aloud to the deep sounds that echoed around me.
Dong. Dong. Dong.
"Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen." The bells stopped and so did I. There was an eerie silence; as if the earth and wind had ceased motion as to not interrupt the bell's mystical sounds…
I smiled, and stood there, light filling my eyes…
The silence was interrupted, much to my displeasure, by steps bounding up the stairs that connected my room to the living room. Jacob popped his head through, looking around. I was still at the window, my hand still pressed against it, my legs still locked in place. In fact, the only thing different about my position was that my head was turned to give a dulled, blank look to him.
"Dinner." He said, staring oddly at me. I sighed and slipped down to my knees, head against the window.
"Kaika ni ima sugu kite." He said bluntly and I groaned. Nevertheless, I got up and flopped down the stairs.
I plopped down on my knees into the tiny pillow-seat and put my elbows on the table, holding up my face. My mother, carrying a platter of…food…on her arm, walked by and sat across from me, cross-legged. She set the platter down on the kotatsu and without even glancing up at me, immediately called out "Emily, tēburu no ude o kiru." She began to cut the food, not looking up at anyone. I stared at her, and slowly put my arms at my side.
The meal was silent, but with less tension in the air than earlier; I had observed it was less stressing with my mother in the afternoon/evening time than the morning. There was still something…uneasy about the mood.
I dug my fork into my curry, and took an overly exaggerated bite, acting oblivious to the tense atmosphere. I ignored my family's silent responses, and simply continued to eat. I glanced up and their faces sent waves of aloneness down my back. My brother was staring, nervously quiet, at the table. My mother was sitting completely still; eyes closed, calmly holding and sipping her tea, with her other hand on her lap. Although she couldn't see my face staring at her, I still felt anger and frustration wafting towards me. I looked down from the tensional energy, her mood slowly filling the room. I silently began to eat again, trying to attract as little attention to myself as possible. My brother began to eat as well, both of us trying not to set off our mother. How we did that? …By eating quickly. Well, I thought, slowing the pace, at least she hasn't started to eat yet…that will give me time to myself afterwards and away from her is what I want…
I heard a clank of some metal type thing of some sort, and my head popped up to see my mother; who had set down her tea cup. Ahhh that's what the "metal" was… I quickly thought. I stopped eating and looked at her, expecting something. I heard Jacob set down his fork, although I did not turn to look at him. My mother still had her eyes closed; she was lightly twirling her finger in the air, with her elbow on the table. The silence fell over all of us; my brother and I-tensed up. My mother- calmly content; it was pretty obvious who had control of the situation right now.
She opened her eyes and stopped twirling her finger. She slid her arm off the table and sat up. Still avoiding direct eye contact with me, she began to stare around the room, appearingly bored. "Emily, anata wa saikin kōryū sa rete iru ka?" she murmured, but loud enough for me to hear. I cleared my throat awkwardly.
I knew what small little phrases meant in Japanese (because the same scolds and commands were repeated to me everyday) but I wasn't fluent, unlike my mother and brother. I was fluent but it was since the…yeah I don't need to explain every time.
I knew what she was doing; she had done this in the past before. I would (and I say this from experience) eventually ask her what she had said (in ENGLISH!) and she would ignore me…and I'd ask Jacob, who would, involuntarily, ignore me, simply to save his own skin. I know he would answer me; I'd see it on his face, but he would just remain quiet, in respect (or fear). The methods of punishment for whatever my mother didn't like about me involved making me feel even more distant and alone.
So I sat, and a wall separating me from the rest of the world was roughly drawn and cut right in front of my body. I felt a lonely, looming dark feel cast itself over me…
"Teishi- suru hanojo wa ni hongo ga hanaseru eigo kanojo oshie dekinai no shitte iru." A stern voice said. I looked to my side, breaking my concentrational view on my mother, to look at my brother with surprise; he normally just stayed silent and out of the silent fights my mother threw at me. He was glancing downwards at his plate, looking as if someone else had talked back to her. I slowly turned to my mother to see her reaction. She was glaring Jacob down, posed to attack if one more word was spoken from him. Jacob continued to look down. "Eigo o kanojo ni tsutaeru…"
Hands were smacked onto the table as the items on the table were thrust up into the air about ½ a centimeter. I closed my eyes in fear of the loud noise, and slowly opened them again. My mother was standing; hands on the table, positioned towards my brother. He was looking down before, but just now, he slowly raised his head to look at her…his expression of worry did not change.
I thought I saw their mouths move; maybe speaking under their breaths; but then my mother sat back down, straightening the table. Jacob looked back down and began to eat again.
I sat, slightly petrified. I hadn't seen anyone act so open with emotions…it was unsettling to me. I stared into the open, looking at particularly nothing, the memory of what had just occurred replaying in my mind.
"Emily." I was brought back to present time, and I moved my eyes to my mother, who was seated in the way she was before Jacob had spoken to her. I stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She gave a small, very subtle change in her face and smirked. "What have you been doing lately?"
I fidgeted to a comfortable position. It didn't help. Neither did the fact that she had spoken to me in English; I was probably worse off with this question than the one in Japanese!
"Uhm…" I began to stammer. My mind was completely blank, because I hadn't been doing anything. I didn't know what to say! So…I answered honestly. "I…I…haven't been doing…" I stammered and then faded into silence.
Silence of my part that is. The woman across from me; well, it was probably the opposite for her.
She continued to sit; but she had begun to twirl her finger around again. A good sign? Or not? I couldn't tell.
"Ah." She replied, seemingly more interested in the pattern her finger was twirling in.
Sadly, I knew better.
I sat, my face down now, a mixed emotion of shame and unneeded guilt filling me.
Silence. "Why not?" she asked, her finger stopping and resting itself on the table. Her head turned to face me, expression testing.
I continued to look down. The emotions I was feeling were flooded out of my mind and chest while the feelings of emptiness overwhelmed me. I did what I could; looked down and stayed quiet.
My mind blanked out…and the others continued to eat…but my mind still stayed blank, completely oblivious to everything around it. As my mother swept the dishes and leftover food up and whisked them and herself away to the kitchen, and my brother slowly walked away down the hallway to another part of the house that I had not bothered to explore, I sat. My mind swirled around, and I was completely gone for a few good minutes…at least. When my mind does this, it usually repeated the things in my life that had happened previously. But this time, it was everything; everything I had experienced in the life that I knew, all of the memories regarding me flashed in and out of mind, as quickly as they came. The memories I had pop in were so different and strange that I found no pattern, no theme…until words popped into my mind:
You are alone, and you cannot change that.
I sat, absorbing and focusing the words, and more memories flew around my mind, gaining speed.
"Emily."
I stared off into space. The memories had begun to speak to me; I saw images of my recent memories of people speaking to me, but I couldn't hear them after they had spoken my name…
"Emily…"
Why could I not hear them?
"Emily…"
I had heard them before…why not now?
"Emily!"
I snapped back to the present, and looked around frantically. I caught eye of my brother standing in the hallway leading to the other area of the house. He looked blankly at me.
"It's nine o'clock…"
I got to my feet and silently walked to the stairs. After all that thinking, and grasping that I couldn't do anything with myself anymore, I don't know why…but I expected something to happen as I passed him. I looked straight forward, and walked past him…and nothing happened. I reached the stairs and paused. Were my hopes up? What did I expect as I walked past him? What did I want for him to do? What was it that he could do?
I began to walk up the stairs; my mind and the silent stare from Jacob answered me.
Nothing.
Her eyes widened; she felt so full and complete. Her eyes never left the scenery for a moment…For awhile, it was just the sunset. Nothing else mattered...there was nothing else to interrupt this moment…
I woke up immediately, because something had interrupted the lone memory from my past. I sat upright and looked around, trying to find the difference in the room that had caused me to awaken. I didn't notice it right away, but I glanced out the window, and saw a Pokémon of some sort sitting on the sill. I stared at it, and I believe I saw it tilt its head at me curiously. It was very small (about a foot); I don't see how it flying to my window could have wakened me up.
I kicked my legs out through the blankets and got out of bed, staying to the wall opposite the window the Pokémon was occupying. I moved so I was against the wall and put my hands up to my face; I didn't know what to do…
Yes, yes I was a Pokémon trainer…but I was also apparently skilled at drawing, and I can't sketch anything to save my life now…it's the same with dealing with Pokémon; I have no idea what to do with them. I knew, staring at the Pokémon (who had begun to peck at the window), that I couldn't leave it there, in front of the window.
I wasn't permitted to come in contact with Pokémon-in any way, what so ever, (as my mother had made quite clear with me the day my Pokémon was sent away), and if she came up to see…this Pokémon by my room, then…well, I'd be in trouble. Besides, after what had happened the night before, I didn't want another reason for her to separate herself from me.
I began to pick at my nails and I bit my lip. I did not move my lower body though; I was locked in place. The Pokémon continued to peck at the window, glancing up at me every so often. It was content; could it sense my hesitance? Did I look weird to it, standing up against the wall, frozen in place?
An acorn fell from the tree next to my house. It hit the sill right next to the Pokémon's head. It shuddered, and flew off into the distance.
I didn't move out of my position; I was staring at the spot it was in. I wasn't thinking anything; just stared at where it left.
I moved my eyes over the window to see if it left any marks from its beak. I didn't see anything…
I let my body move out of the stiff pose I was in, and I walked over to the window to examine it more thoroughly. I leaned by it and ran my fingers across the glass. Nothing noticeable popped out to me, so I turned to get dressed. I must have fallen asleep in my jacket I thought, noticing it on the ground besides my bed, as I pulled on a clean black shirt. I plopped onto my bed and picked up the jacket, pulling it on as I slid off the bed.
I sat down on the floor, stretching out my body and eventually, lying down. I closed my eyes; the sun began to flood into the room.
I lay there…but felt something happen. It felt as if I wasn't alone anymore…
I lifted my head and opened my eyes. Jacob was standing by the stairs…why? He…
"Emily, Issho ni kite." I stared at him blankly. He stood there, waiting for a response, and then a flash of understanding came across his face. "Come with me." He changed his sentence to, and went down the stairs softly. I stood up and followed quietly. Strange; what does he want? I thought to myself, walking down the stairs to see him at the door. He rarely speaks anything despite greetings to me…and so what could it be that he wants?
He opened the door and I instinctively pulled my jacket closer to me. Jacob looked back as he stepped outside and I stopped, waiting to see what he would do. He looked at me solemnly, and then in a split second bolted off towards the forest.
I gasped in surprise, and without thinking, gave chase to him. I ran outside and swerved towards the forest without stopping. I could see him, in a dark blue jacket (darker than mine) and ran faster. He would turn every once in a while, causing me to slow down.
I don't know how far we ran…or how long…but he stopped in a very small clearing in the forest. I slowed my run down to a jog, and stopped. Jacob was previously looking down at the base of a tree where moss was growing, but now he turned his gaze to me. I couldn't read his expression, but it did not worry me; I was calmed. Well, a little worn out from the running, but…
Jacob leaned down to the ground. He picked something up…but I couldn't tell what it was. A small feeling inside me told me to worry…
But it was too late to feel that warning because whatever Jacob had picked up was hurling towards me, aimed for the space in between my eyes on my forehead. I swerved my head instantly and it hit a tree base behind me. My heart began to pound rapidly; I was in shock. I couldn't grasp or believe how fast I had moved; the memory replayed in my mind, over and over in a matter of seconds…
I heard a noise and looked up in time to see another one of Jacob's objects headed towards me. I ducked and I barely grazed my head, but Jacob didn't pause. He kept hurtling things towards me, and I kept dodging them, only barely missing their touch. I had no time to think of why he was doing this; I needed to focus on avoiding the objects…that took a lot; I wasn't doing a very well job, only missing by a millimeter…
I had only barely dodged a stick when a rock hit my ear. My heart stopped for a few seconds and I fell to my knees, staring down at the ground. At last I had time to allow thoughts to run through my mind…and they did.
What is this?!
What is he doing…?
Why is he attacking me?
I could hear him walk towards me and I looked up at him. He towered above me, looking down at my small inferior state.
It was only then that I remembered I had known nothing about the man before me whom I had called Jacob for the past four or so months…The Jacob that stood before me now was serious, and threatening. The cold air caught up to me as the wind blew by and I felt my arm prick up with goose-bumps.
His arm leaned by my neck, and the seam of my jacket was grabbed, and pulled up. I stood before him, his hand still on my jacket. I looked at him with tired looking eyes, panting to myself quietly. He released his grip, but moved no other body part. "Why don't you remember that I know how to fence?!" He asked suddenly, kicking a branch into his hand and pointing it at me threateningly. I didn't move; I was frozen in my spot. Any movement from me, and I feared he would begin lashing out again.
My eyes followed him as he stomped over to a dirt patch in the ground. "What about this?! Have you really forgotten to read and write in Japanese and English?!" He snapped off a twig of the branch. "I haven't seen you read anything…" he fumed, beginning to scribble out something in the dirt with it. I said nothing; eyes pricking, I continued to watch him. It was all true, though.
He backed away from the dirt, eyes still on it. Then, he jabbed his head at me, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small ball; half of it red, other half white. My eyes looked from it, to him. I knew what it was. He hit the button in the center, and a flash of purple light came out from it. I shielded my eyes as the light lit up the clearing. As I looked up after the light faded away I saw a large blue Pokémon standing before me, positioned to fight.
I stared up at it, then at my brother. He was gazing sternly at me, waiting for…I don't know what. Maybe waiting for me to remember…
I stepped around the Pokémon, and walked to him. I stopped before him, the Pokémon now at the side instead of dividing us by being in the middle.
"I just…don't." I said.
"Why don't you draw anymore? Why don't you swim? Climb trees? Anything…?" he said, ignoring my previous words. I gazed at him.
"I don't know how."
He spun around to me. "Yes you do…" he said, backing away from me. "You knew so many things…you could…you did…" his voice began to fade out to a silence, but then it articulated. "You need to take what you know and move on Emily! You can't spend your days wanting to know of your past! You need to move on, and get over this…"
Remembering my mother's words, my expression turned foul. "I lost my skills. I didn't lose just my memories- I lost everything." I told him squarely. He looked at me curiously. "You…can't remember any of that? You don't even remember how to read?" he asked, walking back. "I thought you just…but wait…"
"I can't remember. It's as simple as that." I interrupted, throat cracking. Jacob shook his head, not accepting my words.
"No, it's not possible…" he said, looking me over. "…it doesn't make sense. How could you not remember how to read…or write?" I shrugged, glancing off behind me.
"I don't know…" I said as a raindrop hit my shoulder. I looked up; the sun had been cast away behind gray storm clouds.
The rain started to fall lightly as I continued. "I don't remember anything mentally…my physical body is the same, and I can talk…nothing physically damaging happened to me…but…is it so weird that I would forget the things and skills I had learned in the past?"
Jacob looked unconvinced. "No…I've heard of people losing their memories…but only their memories. They never forgot any of their skills, and through their skills, they regained their memories…" he began to pace again. "…but if you don't know your skills, or even your hobbies, then there is no way of regaining your memory…"
He slammed his fist against a tree trunk. "If only you remembered something…" he groaned, sliding his hand down.
I jolted my head up to look at him. "I do." I said quietly. He turned to me, expression hopeful.
"What?"
"I do remember something…"
"What do you remember?" He asked, walking closer. I looked down.
The memories pulled me away from the forest clearing and showed themselves to me; the reoccurring of dreams, awakening after the sunset, the place where the sunset was…
Shoved back to the time, I looked up at him. "I remember the place where I lost my memory…" I said to him. "It was a sunset…a bright one, a vivid one, and I stared at it…then everything went black." I shook my head, rain flying off my long brown hair. "I've been having dreams of it, replaying the scene over and over…"
"For how long?"
I looked back at him. "I don't know…for awhile. At first I thought it was just a dream but…" I shook my head again. "It has to be the place. I know it."
All was quiet. I looked at him; he was in thought, head up towards the clouds. He looked back at me. "That…just could work…" he said, thinking aloud to himself. He looked at me, eyes gleaming softly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Pokéball that his Pokémon belonged in. He held it out towards the Pokémon, and hit the button. The bright purple light appeared again, and it flew around the Pokémon. The Pokémon disappeared, and the light soared back to the ball. The ball closed, and Jacob put it back in his pocket. He walked to me and leaned down, so we were face to face.
"You need your memories…now I see that." He said, gazing at me in a calming yet urgent way. "The only way I see for you to regain them is if you go to the place that you lost them…"
"Why do you think that?" I asked him. "How are you so sure…?"
Jacob stood up again. "I'm…not." He replied, walking through the trees. He stopped in between two of them. "You need to get to that spot. We first heard of your unconsciousness in Fuchsia city…and retrieved you there." He gazed back at me. "You'll need a Pokémon to get back to Kanto…and you have none. You'll need to go to Professor Elm's laboratory…" he stopped. "Ah I forgot…you need a Pokémon to get there…" He ran back, past me and pointed out a small pathway. "If you go this way, these hills, you can get to Elm's lab. All of your Trainer stuff is at home, in the closet by my room. Mother is asleep…so you need to be careful." He chuckled to himself. "For all I know, she won't be happy to find out that you'll be leaving…"
My voice found its way back to me, and I stood up straight. "So let her be that way." I said seriously. "I need to do something."
Jacob's face became serious again. "As do I." He murmured to himself, and then walked out past me, further up the hill, deeper into the woods…
I watched him walk away until he had disappeared completely and turned to the path he had pointed out to me. So many things…why did I feel he had changed? This was a side of him that had been there…but one that I hadn't known about. I glanced back to the way that we had entered the clearing; back to the house that I could not see. Was this going to happen with everyone I meet?
I began to trudge down the wet hill, out of the opening in the trees, down to the house. Here I go… I thought to myself, ducking beneath branches as I continued.
I walked for a few minutes through the thick forest. Once the hill subsided into a flat(ish) terrain and the trees grew more far apart, I began to run. The rain had stopped, but the trees were a dark wet brown color. The trees still had raindrops on them, and dropped as I ran. I was still wet from the rain, and the rain from my hair and body flew out behind me as I continued. I slowed myself to a walk once I had caught sight of the little park table by my house. I walked past it, up to the dark brown brick wall of the side of my house. I leaned against it, sidling across… Like a ninja I thought to myself sourly. I kept at it, ducking under windows, dodging branches in the way, until I got to the door.
I left my ninja motives, and got off of the wall and turned to face the front door. I slowly put my hand onto the doorknob, and turned it ever so carefully. The door slowly creaked open, and I stopped it to prevent any more sounds escaping from it. I squeezed my body into the house, and quietly shut the door from behind me. I turned to the hallway that lead to my brother's/mother's room. I had to find the closet. With a lot of Pokémon stuff in it. Probably shoved into boxes. Without waking my mother…and I didn't even know where the closet was.
Wow, I thought sarcastically to myself. Wish I freaking asked for more details…
Sighing to myself, I slowly crept down to the hallway, looking back and forth. The hallway was layered out simply; a door on my left, and an archway leading into a living room area on the right. I glanced into the living room, and noticed that there was one door visible to me. I looked back at the door to my left. That must be my mother's room… I thought to myself, and very carefully took three giantly-over-exaggerated steps into the living room. The floor was carpeted, and my shoes left small marks where they had passed over. Not caring, I walked my way over to the center of the room and surveyed the area. I was standing between two couches facing a TV. A computer was on my left, under a window. There were a few bookshelves lining the walls on the right side of the room. But the walls were pretty much bare…there were two doors on the wall that I was facing. The one I had noticed earlier was around the middle of the wall…too close to have it be a closet. And that must be Jacob's room. I concluded, and walked over to the other door. He did say that his room was by the closet… I slowly opened it, the light from the room quickly filling up the small space.
My expression stayed the same as I looked into the closet, but I cringed inside. Why are there so many big boxes?! I thought bitterly to myself. There were boxes spread out all over the floor; boxes unevenly stacked on top of one another, boxes shoved into corners, and even one box had opened up, its contents spewing all over the floor. That eliminates one box... I noted as I stepped into the tight area, leaving the door opened. Only around 75 left to go… I added sarcastically.
I noticed a box close to me, and stepped over the fallen picture frames and necklaces on the ground. I opened up the box and began to rummage through the fabric it held within, with no luck as to where my "Trainer items" could be.
I pushed the fabrics back into the box, and dropped it onto the floor, and began to search the box that was underneath it. All that was in it were strange books with odd characters on them. I couldn't tell if they were in Japanese or another language completely, so I just put it on top of the small stack of boxes that was beginning to form. I continued to search through the boxes, finding only stranger and odder things than the contents for the boxes before.
After the tenth or so box, I noticed a tiny sized box shoved against the bricked wall in the corner of the wall. I leaned away from the stack of boxes I had already searched, and observed it from where I stood. It was really small to hold things a Trainer would have…well, then again, I didn't know what I was looking for exactly.
I stepped up, over the boxes I had moved around the floor around me, and crouched down to lean in close to the small box. I blew the dust off, and opened it up. My brow furrowed in skepticism, and I stood up, holding the box and looking through it. There were a few layers of items, despite the small size of the box. The top layer was a bunch of little black covered books. I didn't bother to look through them though, pulling them out and setting them onto the stack of boxes behind me. The second layer of items in the box consisted of Pokéballs, a tiny box labeled "Johto badges" and a small belt with spaces for holding Pokéballs inside. That convinced me that this was the right box.
I was about to walk out of the closet with the box when I noticed something under the second layer of items. I pulled out the belt and the gym badge box to see a yellow hat. I turned and set the box down behind me, then pulled it out to look at it and two horn things (that I am assuming are…ears…) fell down in the back of it. I stared at it, a faint, small feeling of ownership coming over me. I didn't remember this hat…but I felt remembrance transferring into my hands…
Something slipped out of the box and I heard it fall out to the floor from behind me. I turned to see another sketchbook on the ground. I leaned down to close it. It had strange intricate drawings of a stone or orb of some sort…I grimaced and sweat dropped. What the heck was with my past and drawing? When people told me I used to draw, I had imagined people…
I suddenly heard a creak on the carpet in the room and felt a presence gazing upon me. I looked back up at the wall, and slowly turned me head around. Leaning against the doorway to the closet space was a young looking woman in a nightgown.
As I stared at her, a horrible realization came over me. My eyes went wide with worry and terror as I realized that the woman standing there yawning…was my mother.
Much as I wanted to go out on this Pokémon journey, I couldn't say anything to her; I just stared at her, a million thoughts and possibilities on how this could turn out streaming through my mind, twelve at a time. She glanced down at me, face untouched with any sign of anger…or happiness…or any emotion for that matter. I couldn't say anything; I also couldn't think of anything to say…
She looked up at the ceiling. "So you're leaving…" she noted aloud to herself. "…ah, that's good." She sighed, moving off of the wall and turning her back to me. "You needed to do something…" She sat down on the couch in a relaxing position.
I knelt awkwardly, not really knowing what to do after such an unexpected confront. I stood, and picked up the sketch book and threw it into another box. I lifted the box with my Trainer items and walked out of the closet, squeezing through the stacks of boxes. I walked past the couches, and turned to look at my mother. She was lounging now against the armrest; watching something on the news, paying no attention to my actions…as if she suspected what I would do next…
I closed my eyes and turned away. I got to the doorway leading into the hallway and I heard her look up at me. "Where are your glasses?" she asked curiously, the nagging personality I had known before seeping in. I turned to her puzzled. "I-I have glasses?" I asked bewildered. I could see perfectly. She frowned at me as if I was lying, and then her face softened. "Oh that's right…when you came back they were gone…" she faded off, reabsorbed in the television. I shuffled my feet to fill in the awkward silence (or was it just awkward for me? I can't tell anymore…)
"…I can see perfectly now…" I noted, trying to get her to say more. She nodded absentmindedly, focusing all attention into the TV. I stood there, not knowing what else to do. Biting my lip in punishment for the awkward moments, I turned and walked out into the hallway, up to the door. It wasn't until I had gotten across the room and had opened the door when I noticed that, for the first time since I had woken up here in New Bark…that my mother had actually forgotten that I had lost my memory…
I looked down, the wind throwing my hair to the side; and then I looked up, and took a step out.
December 20, 2011 Updates:
Picked out a real last name for Emily if you haven't noticed. Chapter 2 is about to be complete…by the end of this week. Hopefully. It's almost done so…yeah. The story finally has a title too~ "Pokemon Blue Core; Waking Up." I'm sure that the "waking up" part is only for this part…yeah planning to add more…MUCH MORE. Hell, the co-creator has already started "Red Core," so we will not be abandoning this story ever. EVER.
From when I first posted:
Well, that's the first chapter! For now…o_0… I may be adding more to it, because I do not want to have countless fanfiction pages of sequels and trequels (that is really weird to pronounce-tree-quills (o_0)), and yeah you get what I mean…
Emily is based off of my personality (since this is technically an incredibly loose retelling of my/my friends experience with Pokémon)
Anyways, my point with my character is that she isn't the only character in the story…no, a second one is coming soon…she is the co-creators persona, and unlike mine, we are including everything about her personality.
Okay well, that's it, so Star is signing off!