It was the next morning and I could no longer hold my pee, so I scrambled to the bathroom down the hall. It was the first time I left my room since the fight I had with my father yesterday. I didn't want to see my parents after everything that happened. I didn't want to give them the chance to somehow make me feel like it was all my fault. I took a shower and brushed my teeth while I was in the bathroom so I wouldn't have to leave my room again for a while. Around noon my father knocked on my door and called my name. After a couple seconds passed where I didn't answer, he said he was going to work and wouldn't be back until late that night. My mom came knocking around 3 o'clock. Every time one of them knocked I would grab Rigby and pull him close to my chest. I was worried they only wanted me to let them in so they could take him. I spent the majority of the day thinking about my trip with Cheren and Black and started packing for it as well. With every item I placed in my bag I got more and more excited to leave.
Around 5 o'clock Rigby and I were too hungry to hide in my room anymore. We tip-toed downstairs and were greeted by the delicious smell of bread baking in the oven. I found my mom cooking dinner in the kitchen, which was unusual. My mom never cooked since my father was always at work around this time.
"You're cooking?"
My question startled her.
She looked back down at the carrots she was cutting. "I figured you would be starving by the time you finally came out."
I placed my hand over my stomach. "You got that right."
About an hour later my mom and I sat down at the table together to eat the nice dinner she prepared for the two of us. We ate in silence for a bit before, to my disbelief, she finally said something.
"I'm sorry about your father."
The apology struck me with such surprise, especially since I could sense it was genuine. I was so surprised I couldn't even say anything. My mom has never apologized for my father's behavior before. She's never even mentioned it to me. She's never tried to console me about it when he makes me cry. Nothing.
Another minute or two passed. "You're a real sport for putting up with it," she said. Just one surprise after another. I never knew my mom thought this way. It was so refreshing to hear this coming from her. "That's why I know you'll be able to handle this big change."
Okay, now she lost me. "What change?"
She swallowed and looked at the food on her plate. "Giving Rigby away."
I dropped my fork and the loud clang echoed in the house. "He's actually going through with it?"
My mom dabbed her lips with a napkin while she continued to stare at her plate. "He called a place about it today," she said quietly.
"What place?" I was beginning to sound angry.
She started to mumble. I could tell she was becoming uncomfortable with the conversation. "The trainer school in Striaton City said they'd take him."
I slammed my hands on the table. "What?! When?"
"…Tomorrow morning."
I couldn't help but start to cry. I was hoping all along that my dad was just threatening to take Rigby away. I thought maybe this would be the first of many threats before he actually did it. And if he ever did go through with it, I thought I would get at least a week's notice. Nope, I was told the day before.
I held my head and leaned my elbows on the table. "Why are you letting this happen?" I sobbed. "Why are you siding with him?"
My mom tried to put a comforting hand on my shoulder but I dodged it. Hurt and rejected, she put her hand back at her side. "Rigby has gotten away with a lot, Bianca. With how your father is, I'm honestly surprised he hasn't done this sooner."
I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "So you agree with him then? You hate Rigby too." At that second I felt a damp nose poke my calf. I peered down to see Rigby gazing up at me, worried. He knew something was wrong.
"I don't hate Rigby," my mom tried to convince me. "He'll be happy in Striaton. The kids can use him to learn how to be trainers. He'll finally get a chance to battle."
"He would have gotten the chance to battle if dad just let me leave when I was ten," I retorted.
My mom shrugged her shoulders ever-so-slightly. "You know it's too late for that."
"It's too late for me to leave?" I instantly thought of how I was leaving—tomorrow to be exact. "That would solve the problem wouldn't it? Just let Rigby and I go on a journey."
"I doubt your father would allow that," she stated, and I knew it was true.
I calmed my sobbing. My shoulders stopped shaking and my lips stopped trembling. All that was left was the stinging in my eyes that fierce crying tends to cause.
"This isn't fair," I finally said.
My mom looked down at him. "Don't you want Rigby to be happy?"
The fire-type jumped up on my lap before I could stop him, but my mom didn't say anything about it anyway.
I scratched underneath his chin and he wagged his curly tail. "He's happy here."
"But he'll be happier in Striaton," my mom claimed.
I got up and carried Rigby to my room without speaking another word to my mother. I placed him on my bed and slammed my bedroom door. I walked over to my computer sitting on my desk and called Black on video chat. Less than a minute later his image appeared on the screen.
"Hey, B, what's up?" he asked, chipper as always. He then noticed my puffy eyes and his smile turned into a concerned frown.
I sniffled, "You know how we're supposed to leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah?" he responded.
"We have to leave tonight."
I checked the watch on my left wrist. Black and Cheren were supposed to meet me in front of the path to Route 1 at midnight, but of course both of the teenage boys were running late. I hugged my sides, trying my best not to shiver in the chilly, night haze. Rigby stood at my side, confused as to why were outside so late at night, and why were just standing there. After dinner with my mother I quickly packed the rest of my bag. I brought a few change of clothes and all the money I could find. Black said he had a spare sleeping bag I could borrow for the trip, but the three of us agreed that we'd try to avoid sleeping outside at all costs. We'd rather walk all through the night just so we could sleep at the Pokémon Center in Striaton. I checked my watch again. Where were those two idiots?
"Bianca?" I was excited to hear someone's voice, but it didn't sound like Black or Cheren. It sounded kind of like…
"Dad?" I couldn't believe it. There my father stood shining a flashlight in my face. He was still in his work clothes.
"What the hell are you doing out here?" He already sounded mad.
I started shaking. I couldn't believe he found me. I would have to weasel my way out of this somehow. "I uh… I was just taking Rigby for a walk," I claimed.
My father looked unconvinced. "In the middle of the night?"
I glanced down at the Tepig. "He uh… really had to go to the bathroom... How'd you find me?"
"When I came home from work I went into your room to check up on you, and your bed was empty," he explained.
"Oh… well, no worries! Just taking Rigby for a walk," I laughed nervously.
I could tell my father was analyzing my outfit. I was wearing sneakers, which I rarely wore, and other outdoorsy type clothing. He noticed the backpack over my shoulders too. His face began to turn bright magenta as he began to realize what was truly going on. "Get back to the house! NOW!" he demanded loudly, so loud that he probably woke up the entire town.
He followed me back to our house and I began shaking even more. Sweat collected under my armpits and on my forehead. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for whatever was going to happen, but I knew there was no way to predict what he was going to do or say. I knew this was probably the worst thing I had ever done, and I was going to get the punishment of a lifetime. Rigby was definitely long gone now. I would be grounded for a year. Maybe more. My father would probably even go at lengths to get me a babysitter, to ensure I would never leave the house again. He'd put bars on my windows so I could never climb out. He'd lock all the doors at night and only he'd know where the key was. My life was about to become a living hell.
My father slammed the front door behind us so hard it shook the first level of our house. He pointed to the couch, silently demanding I sit there. As I walked over I was reminded by the scorch marks on the arm of what started this entire mess. If my father hadn't flipped out over the stupid couch I probably would have never tried to run away. That's what pushed me over the edge, and so when the opportunity to leave with Black and Cheren came up, of course I took it. My father was pacing angrily in front of me, like he always did when he was mad. I kept flinching every time he changed direction. I expected him to turn and face me and start screaming on top of his lungs, but he just kept pacing. He was taking so long to say something that I eventually caved and became the first to speak.
"You have no right to be mad." The second that came out of my mouth I questioned whether that was the best thing to say… it wasn't.
He stopped in front of me, shocked. "What?!"
"You basically left me no choice. You were going to take Rigby away and this house just became unbearable to live in," I told him honestly.
He started shaking, almost psychotically. "Oh, well it's going to get a whole lot worse! Trust me!"
"I believe it," I mumbled.
My father pointed to Rigby with his fat, beating red finger. His entire body was red with wrath. "You're never going to see that thing again! You understand?"
I sat there, bottom lip quivering and trembling fingers clutching Rigby to my chest. He licked my chin, trying to make me feel better. He could always sense when I was upset. And for once, I just sat there. I was done trying to fight back. A few tears rolled down my cheeks, but not many. I let him get all his yelling out of his system. I had to silence my Xtransceiver because both Cheren and Black tried calling me three times. Sorry, guys, looks like I'm not going on our trip anymore. My father finally sent me to my room, but I couldn't sleep. I cuddled with Rigby for the majority of the night, knowing this was my last night with him. I played a little fetch with him, until he accidentally turned the ball into ashes with his ember. The morning came quickly, and at 9 o'clock on the dot, there was a knock on my door. My mom opened the door a crack before I could answer. She poked her head into my room, looking almost as sad and as tired as I probably did at the time.
"It's time," she said somberly.
I blinked the tears away that threatened to trickle down my face as I scooped Rigby up in my arms. I followed my mom downstairs and he began to squirm, as if he knew what was going on. In our living room stood an elderly man in a brown suit, with matching brown briefcase and fedora. He had an extremely bushy, grey mustache that covered his mouth. My father stood beside him. The two of them looked like they had been chatting, but stopped once they saw my mom and me heading down.
"Bianca, this is Mr. Lippy," my father introduced before we were even fully down the stairs. He could seriously not wait to get Rigby out of our house. "He runs the Pokémon Academy in Striaton."
The elderly man seemed like he wanted to shake my hand, but I was busy holding Rigby. He said it was a pleasure meeting me. Of course what he actually meant is it is a pleasure taking your Pokémon from you.
"We're going to take very good care of your Tepig for you," Mr. Lippy said.
"His name is Rigby," I informed him irritably.
The old man stepped forward. "We know it is hard letting go of an old and very dear friend, but don't think of it as saying goodbye, think of as," he stood up straight and exclaimed cheerily, "see ya later!"
"I don't think I'll be seeing him any time soon," I muttered, "or ever."
Mr. Lippy reached and pat Rigby on the head. "Just know you're always welcome to come and visit."
"Well, go on, Bianca. Give it to him," my father urged in voice that reeked fake kindness.
I glared at him for calling him 'it' in front of the old man. I kissed Rigby on the head one last time before Mr. Lippy took him from my arms. He began to squirm again being held by someone unfamiliar. He was pawing at his shoulder and trying to climb out of his arms. My father stood by with his arms out, trying to look like he was helping. Rigby was squealing loudly too. He definitely knew what was going on.
"Perhaps it would be easier if I put him in a Pokéball?" Mr. Lippy suggested over all the squealing.
I leapt forward, trying to pull him off the old man. "Um, actually, he hasn't been inside a Pokéball since I first got him." Rigby calmed down once he felt my touch. I was now holding him and stroking him while the Mr. Lippy fixed his hat and straightened his tie. "So he probably wouldn't like that."
Mr. Lippy was out of breath, but somehow managed to keep a smile on his face after that huge panic attack basically happened on his face. "It will only be for a little while."
Before I could protest again there was already a beam of red light surrounding Rigby and pulling him inside the Pokéball Mr. Lippy was holding. He squealed nervously, feeling the beam sucking him in. The last thing I saw of him was the fear and confusion glistening in his big eyes. I immediately burst into tears when I felt the emptiness in my arms.
"If you have to take him, can you at least release him from the Pokéball? Please?" I begged. "He's going to be so scared and confused!"
My father looked at me sternly. "It'll be fine, Bianca." It was a warning, saying if I didn't be quiet and stop crying, I would lose more than just Rigby.
I stifled my sobbing as he left with my best friend. The poor thing was trapped inside some cold, metal contraption, not knowing where it was going or why it was being taken away.
I turned to my parents. "You know, I was the one who did something wrong. Rigby shouldn't be getting punished for what I did."
"This is supposed to be your punishment," my father responded.
And that's all he said. My mom didn't say anything of course. The three of us just watched them drive away out our front window.
Later that day, Black, Cheren, and I were hanging out in Black's room. I was able to get out of my house safely since my father was at work and my mom apparently didn't care what I did.
"So they really gave him away?" Black was still in disbelief.
I sighed. "Yep, and I'll probably never see him again."
Black shook his head. "Man, I'm really sorry, B."
Cheren, who was sitting next to me on Black's futon, patted me on the knee. "Yeah, I'm sorry, kiddo."
I sighed again. "Thanks, guys. Oh, and thanks for waiting up for me or whatever."
"Are you kidding? We would never leave without you," Black insisted.
"We figured something was wrong when we showed up at our meeting spot and you weren't there," said Cheren.
Black scratched the back of his head. "You know, I kind of just realized something…"
I looked at him in curiosity. "What's that?"
He smiled, with guilt coming across his entire face. "If Cheren and I weren't running late, and we had left on time, your dad probably would have never found you standing there."
I thought about it for a second. He was completely right.
Cheren smacked his forehead with his hand. "Why would you point that out, moron?"
I crossed my arms. "Yeah, now that I think about it, we'd probably be out on Route 1 somewhere and I'd still have Rigby if you guys had simply showed up on time."
Black spun on his computer chair. "Don't worry, B. We'll make it up to you somehow."
"You can watch me beat Black up." Cheren smirked. "Would that make you feel better?"
Black immediately stopped spinning. "Whoa! Whoa! There is no way you could ever beat me up!"
"I beat you in Pokémon battles all the time," Cheren retorted.
Black wagged his finger at him. "That's not the same at all! We're talking like punches and stuff. I would totally beat the crap out of you."
Cheren looked at me. "Bianca, who would win in a fight, me or Black?"
I was still pretty angry after realizing almost everything that happened after midnight was all their fault. "I don't know, you're both pretty stupid."
"We may be stupid, but I have way more street smarts than Cheren, and that's what helps in a fight," Black stated, after which he leaned back too far in his computer chair and crumbled to the ground. Cheren and I burst into laughter at the sight of the plastic computer chair crushing Black on the floor. "This proves nothing!" Black declared, still lying on the ground in a defeated heap.
After a few more seconds of hearty laughter, Cheren reiterated, "But in all seriousness, we owe you."
"Yeah," Black agreed, picking himself and the chair off the ground. "We'll do whatever you want. You name it."
I rubbed my hands together, glad they had mentioned it. "Well, I did have something in mind."
"What is it?" Cheren asked.
"Yeah, shoot," said Black.
"I want you guys to come with me," I started.
The two boys looked at each other, puzzled.
Black sat back down on his computer chair. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get Rigby back."
A/N: Well, here it is, the second chapter! Don't worry, next chapter is where it starts getting a little more exciting, because they're finally leaving on their journey to rescue Rigby! Anyway, tell me what you guys think so far! Thanks so much for reading and stay tuned!
