September 1998 Minnesota, USA
"Ah nothing like the wonderful sun and fresh air," said a blond hair tomboy as she stepped off the driveway onto the street. She was 8 years old and carried a black backpack. She was wearing a white shirt with a soccer ball on it along with light-blue jeans and shoes. Her bright blonde hair was as short as a boy. She ran down the street excited to see her friends at school. She was an extremely happy and carefree kid with no worries. She stopped at the corner waiting for her bus. She stretched her arms and said "I love life, I love this world". Little did she know that this particular day would change her life forever.
The bus stopped and she got on. As she walked on the bus on her left she saw two kids playing a Game Boy and to her right she saw two kids trading cards with weird animal creatures on them, she sat behind them with her friend Joe. "Hi Jill" said Joe. "Hey what's up?" she replied. "Oh my god look at them," said Joe. "Hm?" Jill said confused. "Them and they're Pokemon shit" said Joe irritated. "Joe don't swear, swearing is bad" said Jill gasping. "Whatever, I just can't stand it, you know what I mean," he said. "Everybody likes it now, everybody is so obsessed with Pokemon, wherever you go people are carrying around game boys saying "Gotta catch 'em all" and carrying they're cards as if they were gold". "I really don't have any opinion about it, I mean I barely know anything about Pokemon" said Jill clueless. "Well do me a favor and don't get into it," said Joe. "Stick to soccer". "I have to admit I'm quite curious about them" said Jill. Joe's eyes widened. "Don't you dare" he said. "I won't, I'll stick to sports" said Jill smiling. "Anyways did you bring it?" "Yep, I got it, the fart machine and the whoopee cushion, the teacher is going to be so embarrassed" said Joe.
As soon as the two friends reached they're classrooms Joe took out the supplies. "Hey Zach" he said to another one of their friends. "Keep watch for Mrs. Alexander". "Yea Zach we don't want our cover blown" added Jill. "Don't worry I got it under control" said Zach. In front of the classroom was the teacher's recliner. Joe placed the whoopee cushion under the cushion of the chair. And Jill searched for a place for the fart machine when all of a sudden something caught her eyes. A pink thing zoomed past the window, too fast to even see what it was. She stared with eyes of curiosity out the window. Nobody else had noticed it strangely. "Jill what do you think you're doing position the fart machine!!" said Joe. "I'm on it," said Jill. "Could've sworn I saw something". Joes eyes widened as he said "was it Mrs. Alexander?" "No it was something outside" Jill said mystified. Joe looked outside and saw nothing but the usual cars, trees, road, birds, kids. "There's nothing out there Jill" said Joe. "Well there was," she said. "Who cares!" said Joe getting frustrated. Jill positioned the fart machine and sat in her desk. Joe sat in the desk behind her and Zach to her right. Mrs. Alexander walked in with a welcoming smile. Everybody quickly put his or her game boys and pokemon cards away. "Alright class let's start off with attendance" said Mrs. Alexander with her class book. She slowly kneeled and sat in the recliner and as she did a huge farting noise sounded. The class erupted and laughter. Joe then started pressing the button on his small remote and the fart machine started going off. The class laughed louder. Mrs. Alexander's face was furious. "Alright who did this!!!" she yelled out. The class went quiet. She eyed the class and her eyes stopped firmly on Jill and Joe. "Jill Joe!!" she yelled out. "Principals office now!!!!"
The two walked down the hallway still in laughter. "We got in trouble but it was worth it" said Joe. "I know" said Jill still laughing. The pranks were always exciting but they were still considered a normal life, what Jill longed for was a life of action; little did she know that she would soon get it.
It was 4:00 PM and the bus stopped at the bus stop. "Good work Jill, I'm proud of you," said Joe. "Bye". "Seeya Joe" said Jill getting off the bus. Jill walked on the right side of the street still smiling from the excitement of the day. She looked to the left side of the street and spotted a 1st grade Asian boy walking with a box; she had never seen him before. She thought to herself that he must've just moved in. She looked back on the street not wanting to attract any attention to herself. The skies were clear and sunny and the temperature was a good 70 degrees with no humidity. Just then there was a "plop". She looked to her left and saw he had dropped his box…dozens of Pokemon cards fell to the street pavement. She eyed the cards mystified something about those cards really got to her. Time seemed to freeze right then and there. A weird feeling filled her body like energy, and something deep inside told her to help him pick them up.
She took a steady step of nervousness and then strolled over to the boy and his cards. She simply began helping him pick up his cards without a word; grabbing a handful and placing them in the box. She certainly felt good doing a good deed, even though most of her life was pranks rather than deeds. She picked up a handful of cards they all were different colors and said "Energy" at the top, one was yellow with a lightning bolt, another purple with a eye, another orange with a flame. "Energy, energy, energy" she said curiously putting them into the box. Then she reached for another card, just a single one this time, flipped it over and saw a purple mouse thing at the top it said "Rattata" below it showed various attacks. "So these are the Poke…" started Jill. "Mon!" said the boy simply. "They look like animals but cooler," she said thoughtfully. "Hey why are some of the cards not pokemon, I spotted a few cards that said Energy earlier". The Asian boy burst out laughing. "What?" she said clueless her bangs drooping. "Pokemon is the biggest thing right now and you don't know anything about it!! he said. "Where have you been living under a rock?" "No, I've heard of it just haven't taken any notice to it till now" said Jill offending. "Don't talk to me like you know more than me you little shrimp, I tower over you". "Um what's your name anyway?" she said changing the subject. "Alex" he said simply. "I just moved here last weekend my house is just up the street". "Wow just five houses from mine" she said appalled. "We should hang out sometime". Alex nodded picking up the last of his cards.
"Wait!" said Jill picking up the Rattata card. "Can I have this?" "I thought you didn't care for Pokemon," said Alex. "Well I just started liking it," said Jill desperately. "When?" said Alex tilting his head. "Just three seconds ago, something wrong with that shrimp?!" she said raising her voice again. "I just thought that was quite the switch," said Alex smiling. "So can I have it?" she said drooling. "Why would you want a Rattata, it's weak" he said raising an eyebrow. "I don't care if it's weak or the strongest pokemon in the world, I just want a Pokemon card, I don't have a single one," she yelled out. "Yes I realized that when I discovered your bitter cluelessness about it," said Alex. "Shut up, just let me have the darn card!!" she yelled out frustrated. "Who are you anyway, never seen a guy like you before?" he said. Jill froze and went quiet and then yelled out "I'M A GIRL YOU DARN BRAT!!!" "You certainly don't look like one," said Alex laughing. "I'm just a tomboy that's all" she mumbled embarrassed. "By the way my name is Jill, and yes Alex it's a girl's name". "Ok, ok…geez you sure are touchy" he said. "Can I have the card now?" she said changing the subject. "Nah…go buy your own cards, we'll see if you really do like Pokemon," he said picking the card out of her fingers. She looked down and then up and said "Ok brat, I'll buy dozens of cards, more than you!!!" she said pointing a finger at him. They had reached her driveway so she strolled up and said "GOODBYE RUNT!!"
Alex stood at her driveway with a simple smile. Just before she reached her garage door she felt a tapping at her shoulder. Behind her she saw Alex smiling and he said "Here you forgot something". He simply placed the Rattata card in her hand and walked back down the driveway and left. She stood there clueless and once again mystified. Her blonde hair blew in the wind. She looked down at the Rattata card and felt like the happiest kid in the world.