I walked into the farm and could see my brother and sister talking avidly. I smiled, just like old times. Those two had always had a special connection. I had worried that maybe their friendship had withered during adolescence. Obviously Jill was not the freckled nine year old I remembered her to be but what was more surprising was that Jack looked exactly the same. His eyes sparkled and his hands moved animatedly as he spoke.
Grinning, I walked over, "Hey!"
They turned to me and their smiles immediately faded.
"Hey Clare," said Jack quietly.
My smile started to fade as well but I forced it up, "How have you been? It's been so long, look how big you've gotten, though I guess I must look really different too…" I frantically chattered.
Jack put on a very forced smile while Jill continued to glare, why is it like this? I wanted to scream.
Jack looked at me and reluctantly spoke, "I was just about to show Jill around the farm, would you like to tag along?" Jill elbowed him angrily. I winced at the exchange,
"Sure!" I said trying to sound enthusiastic although all enthusiasm was sapped shortly after entering the town.
He took us to a well-kept barn, "Here I keep cows and sheep, and over there I keep my horse Delilah." He said gesturing to a smaller shed a little further in the distance. We walked around a large field half filled with crops. The other end was covered in boulders, branches and weeds. "At the moment," He started, "I'm growing corn and cucumbers for the summer season. This farm was in complete disrepair when I first came so it's taking forever to fix up this field on my own."
"You could always use Pokémon!" I suggested, and then remember Jack used to be deathly afraid of the creatures. I guess I couldn't blame him, Pokémon were dangerous.
"There are no Pokémon here." Said Jack.
"I don't understand," I said.
"Pokémon don't exist in this part of the world. No one knows of trainers or coordinators, there are only animals here."
I froze. I may have made a horrible error… No wonder the blacksmiths were staring at me as if I grew another head, I was blathering complete nonsense to them. I twirled my bangs embarrassed, "You could have told me THAT fact sooner." I shook my head, "A place without pokemon. I've never heard of such a thing."
Jill snickered and we continued on, "Here is the chicken coop," Said Jack, "My prized chicken actually just recently won the chicken competition and now produces the best quality eggs in the country!"
"Amazing!" Clapped Jill.
"Well that's about everything…" He said. He turned to me, "uh Clare, do you have a place to stay? Jill's staying at my house but… I'm not sure there's room for you."
"That's fine," I said. "There's an inn in this town right?"
"Yeah, do you need help finding it?" He asked.
"That's alright I think I'll explore a little." I said.
Nodding my farewells I went down another road at the bottom of his farm. The road turned to dirt and I could see I was in a forest. Deciding to test out what Jack told me I started running back and forth in the tallest grass I could find. Sure enough, no Pokémon popped out.
"What are you doing?" Asked a voice.
Shoot. I turned, "Blacksmith guy!" I said.
"Call me Gray."
"Hey Gray," I started, "I was just… um," what could I possibly say to justify running back and forth in a small patch of grass? "Testing something" I said lamely. He looked at me as if he thought I was insane. I probably looked that way. It was too late to ever appear normal to this guy, "Forget it." I mumbled and stalked off.
I ended up at a large lake with a cave in the centre. I stopped and gazed out over the mirrored surface. The whole day was not going as I planned. I wasn't used to making such a fool of myself. I wished I never came. I almost even wished I was back in my room at the elite four. Almost. I pulled out a ball from my bag. "Go Ferialligatr!" After a beam of light my best friend and partner appeared before me.
I collapsed into the alligator-like pokemon's shoulder and breathed into his scaly shoulder. I always found this action surprisingly comforting. Back when he was a little Totadile I used to hold him in my arms and place my chin on his head when I was feeling homesick. I don't feel homesick anymore. I barely remember home, I hadn't gone back in eleven years. This was the first time I needed comforting in a long time. Ferialligatr rustled a little in concern. "Everyone hates me" I told him, "The townsfolk and even my own brother and sister! What did I ever do?" I asked.
Ferialligatr looked at me sympathetically and wrapped his tail around me comfortingly. How funny it must look on the outside. A girl cuddling a giant alligator.
We sat in silence for a while and I soon regained my composure. It's not like a champion to break down. I solemnly swore to gain back my sibling's love. We used to be so close. Checking my reflection in the water I made sure my emotions were in control and then returned ferialligatr and headed back into town. Eventually I found the inn. After renting space in a room I noticed it was well past supper. I ordered some food as the inn doubled as a diner. After receiving the steaming bowl of soup I sat at a table and began to eat.
When I finished, I glanced around. What was there to do it this town? Usually I didn't stay in any one place too long so I didn't often have to find a source of entertainment. I saw Grey walk in and I looked away. Surprisingly he walked over and took a chair. "Rough day?"
"You don't know the half of it." I responded.
"Sounds like you could use a drink" he said.
I shook my head, "I don't drink".
"Ignore her Grey," I looked up to see my sister, "She's a trainer, she will forever have the mentality of a ten year old."
He looked confused.
I gritt my teeth, "I don't know what your problem is with me but you're acting like you don't think my job is credible!"
"It's because it's not!" She argued, "All you do is play around, and do pointlessly dangerous stunts! When are you ever going to move on with your life? I bet you've never even had a boyfriend!"
My cheeks turned red, "Wha-What does that have to do with anything?!"
She smiled at me nastily while taking a chair at the table. "It's as I thought." She said, "You better get on it, you're not getting any younger."
I scoffed.
"So Grey~" She said turning her attention over to the man. "Tell me more about yourself."
He glanced around uncomfortable before eventually talking about his parents who weren't ready for kids and ditched him with his grandfather. Jill smiled and nodded, occasionally commenting and asking questions. I would sometimes try to comment as well but she'd cut me off. Eventually I gave up and slouched back in my seat. Half an hour later I gave up and retreated to my room.
I could tell Jill must really hate me but I couldn't think of why. It hurt to be hated. I guess I had left home pretty suddenly when I turned ten to become a pokemon trainer. Back then she idolized me as most little sisters did, even if she was only a year younger.
"Clare! Clare!" My eyes opened slowly and I saw soft clouds floating way up ahead. Sunlight gently warmed my skin. I jolted up in confusion before remembering that I was in our backyard. It was a beautiful summer day, pidoves were resting on the roof of the small house.
I looked around to find the source of the voice that woke me up. She was standing behind me. Her skinny arms and legs were sticking out a white dress a little too big for her, probably one of our mother's old dresses. We didn't really have to money for new clothes since our father left.
"Did you fall asleep again?" She lectured. "You're going to get a sunburn if you don't do it in the shade!"
I waved her off. "I'm fine!"
She grinned and quickly jabbed at my arm.
"Ow!" I recoiled back and glanced at my arm. I was red with white spot where she poked me.
"That's what you get for not wearing sunscreen!" She laughed.
I rubbed my neck embarrassedly. It wasn't cool for a big 9 year-old to get lectured by a babyish 8 year old. I was almost ten for pete's sake!
"Where's Jack?" I asked.
"He's with mom in the house." Said Jill.
"What a momma's boy!" I laughed though I knew that wasn't the main reason why Jack was inside. He was scared to death of pokemon and on a hot summers day like this, they were everywhere. Once while dad was still around he had taken Jack out for a "guys day out" but somehow lost him. Jack was terrorized by the neighborhood's infamous wild liepard and could not look at pokemon since.
"Oh yeah!" She said suddenly. "Speaking of mom, she asked us to go to the store and pick up milk!"
"Alright." I said getting up from the grass.
We walked down the narrow pathway from our house in silence until we heard loud noises up ahead. Another pokemon battle. I had seen many battles in my day but never one like this. The town I grew up in was not a big battling town and only seemed to have beginners. These two were clearly not beginners. A man with flaming red hair had called out his Haxorous. The other man had a Krokodile. My sister grabbed the hem of my shirt, "Those are scary pokemon!" She whimpered but I hardly heard her. I was absorbed into the battle.
I had never really been moved by pokemon battles, but this one was different. This was art, unlike the low level battles I had always seen in town.
The man with the red hair won and Jill tugged on my sleeve. "Let's go." She said.
I ignored her and took a few steps towards the man and he noticed me. "Hello sport!" He said. "Did you like the battle?"
I nodded.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Claire." I said.
"Well Claire, I hope to see you again someday. Come battle me when you become a trainer." He grinned.
I froze. Me? A trainer? I liked the thought, I wanted to be like him, no I wanted to surpass him, become the very best, like no one ever was.
I grinned back, "Just you wait!" I told him.
That was where my future diverged from Jack and Jill's. A few months later we moved to the Johto region and I met Totadile. I left home at ten and never looked back. Eventually I made it back to Unova. It turns out the man was Alder, Unova's Champion. He had retired by that time though.
Anyway, I couldn't see what I had done to upset my family. We were on great terms before and I didn't understand what I could of done to anger them in my absence.
The next day, I had a quick breakfast at the diner then headed back to the lake. I released my Ferialligtr, the only Pokémon I brought with me to the town aside from an egg I was trying to hatch. After giving my partner her lunch I sat in the grass contentedly. Although living in a world without Pokémon for a long period of time would be unbearable, there was a serene peace. It was safe to be laying down in the forest. No giant bugs would attack you and you didn't have to be on high alert for challengers. Ferialligatr suddenly popped her head up and dashed into the water. I turned around and saw the strawberry-blond blacksmith.
"You again?" He asked and began to turn around.
"Wait!" I called. He turned around surprised and walked over.
"Did you see anything strange just now?" I asked.
"No." He said. Good, I released a breath, Ferialligatr was fast enough.
"Do you come here very often?" I asked.
"No, I just don't have much better to do." He looked at me angrily, "Someone caused me to burn myself so now I have to take time off until the doctor says I'm fit to work."
"Uh yeah, sorry about that again… and for my behavior," I wrapped my arms around myself, "I'm just a lot further away from home than I thought."
"It's fine, I guess." He told me. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, "Wanna come with me for a walk? I'm bored to tears."
I froze, I still hadn't returned Ferialligatr and I couldn't leave her alone. "Sorry, I—" A spray of water hit me from the direction of the lake, "Fine, I'll go!" I yelled at where I presumed the Pokémon was hiding. Grey looked incredibly weirded out but to his credit, didn't comment.
"Well what are you waiting for?" I asked him stepping ahead. He glanced back at the lake then followed me.
"You know you're incredibly weird?" He asked me bluntly.
"I must certainly seem so." I responded.
