Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, I do not have any rights to Pokémon and I do not make any money from writing these stories/poems.

Written for the Pokémon Writing Diversity Challenge, the Leap Year Calendar Challenge, If You Dare Continued Challenge, the As Much As You Can Challenge, the Indigo Pokémon League Challenge.

Prompt: Write a memoir fic, Write a new entry for a challenge you have been neglecting, Shipwreck, have over 3 chapters, have a word minimum of 5,000 words, must have more than one POV, thought, said, do NOT use the word cry, must show a progression of time (must be able to tell it happens over a certain amount of time), the theme confusion must be used somewhere.

Memoir of a Photograph

The pride inside of me grew with every passing second as I watched my young son take photographs. With every photo he took his skill grew and grew, as a father I found it an amazing and proud time as I was given the honour of finding his true calling and learning to stand on his own two feet. I did not want to hold my son back, as his photograph skill truly grew and my wife and I began to place them around the house visiting friends and family soon found themselves staring in amazement at them.

It was on that fateful day when my father came over from the Johto region to visit us that it finally hit me. I will never forget my father's words as he carefully studied one of Todd's newest photographs, my Abra dozing happily in the sun while ignoring my wife's Jigglypuff who was creeping closer and closer with a felt tip pen, after watching Todd happily take some photographs. It was as if something had just clicked into place in my mind.

"You know son, young Todd really does have a talent for taking photographs, maybe it is time to take the next step and enter him into a photograph competition?" my father suggested, I remember mentally going over the words as I thought everything over. "In fact there is a big photograph competition going on back in Johto that my dear grandson could take in, it is open to everyone from all regions. I could email young Todd's photographs to my friend who is running the competition and take a copy of young Todd's photographs back with me as a hard copy. What do you think son?"

I found myself shocked, even though I was happy and more than willing to let Todd have a go in this competition I remember myself being unsure. I remember how I did not want my baby boy to get hurt, even though I am a proud parent who thinks the world of his son I was not like some parents.

"As long as Todd won't get hurt and we sit him down to explain how we are proud of however far he manages to get. After all there is always going to be someone out there who is better than you," I reply before a sudden thought hit me. "Does this competition have a theme?"

"There are just two simple rules about what has to be in the photograph," my father replied as he gave me a knowing smile. "It has to have a shipwreck and Pokémon in it."

'How did I ever let my father talk me into this?' Thomas thought sadly as he looked down at the special fishing trousers his father had practically forced him into. 'I thought he was going to take Todd, what with how he seemed to be so enthusiastic about this idea.'

"Dad!" a familiar voice, his son Todd, called out happily capturing Thomas' attention. "Thank you for letting me enter this big competition and thank you for coming with me to this shipwreck. Do you know what sort of Pokémon we will see?"

"Most likely water Pokémon with a few flying types and maybe even the odd ghost type Pokémon," Thomas said, unable to keep up any of his depressing thoughts as he gazed down at his son's excited smile. "There might be other types of Pokémon there too though, so have you made sure your camera is ready? You do not want to end up missing the perfect shot because of a reason you could of stopped from happening."

"I made sure to get mum to help me recharge it, help me pack extra batteries and memory cards and to attach a special plastic film around it so the water and sand cannot hurt it!" Todd told his father proudly as he held up his camera to show what he had done. "I hope it is alright, I do not want anything to happen to it."

"Do not worry son, knowing your mother she made sure that nothing bad will be able to happen to your camera," Thomas said as he felt a warmth fill him at the thought of his wife. "It sounds like you have thought of everything."

"Thank you dad, I took your advice into thought from when you told me all about going on your travels as a Pokémon trainer," Todd said happily, Thomas found himself smiling in response as he watched his precious son positively glow under his praise. "How much longer is it going to take for us to get to this shipwreck?"

"Not much longer son," Thomas replied as he motioned down the street they were about to turn and walk down. "We just have to walk for a bit more than you should be able to begin to see the shipwreck."

"I am going to get the best photo ever," Todd said happily as he gave his father a happy smile. "It was really nice of Granddad to tell us about this competition and the shipwreck, huh dad?"

"Yes son, it was," Thomas replied calmly before looking down at the horrible fishing trousers he was wearing, how his father had managed to talk him into wearing them he did not know. What he did know thought was that he would never wear them, or anything similar to them, again. "I hope that we can find a good spot for you to take some photographs, though I do not want to get wet."

"Do not worry dad, everything is going to be fine," Todd said happily, ignoring his father's unhappy grumbling. "It is like what mum says when she makes me try new things, what is the worst that can happen?"

"I can think of several things," Thomas muttered to himself, causing his son to not hear his words at all. "So Todd, do you have any Pokémon that you really want to get a photograph of?"

As Thomas waited weakly for his son's reply a feeling of dread filled him, whatever his son would say he just knew that he would be in for a world of trouble. A few seconds later as Todd told him about the Pokémon he dreamed of capturing on film Thomas knew he was right.

I remember that just a second after asking that question I found myself frozen in place by my precious son's most bright and amazing smile. I could not turn away, I felt every fatherly instinct inside of me rise.

To this very day I am not sure how this led me to buying a Mew costume for adults, dressing up in it and climbing onto the shipwreck. Nor am I sure how this led to me somehow standing in funny positions and allowing my son to take funny photographs. But I guess this is just one of the things that I have to do as a father for my son, and I do not regret being laughed at. The smiles and shouts of happiness from my son as he took photograph after photograph of a rare 'Mew' was definitely enough for me.

And that was how one certain photograph was not submitted to the competition or any of the ones that Todd took part in the future.

End of Section.