NOTE: sorry the chapters are so short, and that it's taken me so long to post a new chapter. My computer blue screened and I lost the files. I've only recently gotten the story back, so I should start posting more again. Anyways, enjoy, and please review.
The city was in front of us. It was not even close to its former glory, I am sure. Goldenrod's renowned Department Store was missing the top floor's northern half, blown out by some careless battle, the Railway Station was spread across the town, and the top of the Radio Tower was missing. Basically, the PokéCenter was the only building standing as it should. With a laugh, I entered it.
Nurse Joy looked at me and I nodded in her direction. She looked about ready to protest my carrying of Vesica inside, but then Nihilus entered and she became silent. We walked up to the counter and she looked at the rent in his shoulder, gotten from a very pissed off Pincer that jumped us.
"Another Master trash you?" Joy asked sarcastically. The Nurse Joys all became anything but joyful since the War started. I guess patching up these kind of injuries for so long grew annoying since these injuries shouldn't exist in that lighter Pokémon World. Well, a shadow has been cast, Joys, so get over it.
"Pincer, actually," I said as Nihilus cringed in pain. I furrowed my brow in concern, but only for a moment.
"I'll see what I can do," Joy said, leading my Zangoose out back. I contented myself with a needle and thread I found in a drawer behind the counter once she was out of sight.
As I sewed my torn quadriceps back to normal, I wondered why I was in Goldenrod City when I was trying to head home. Maybe I was trying to get away from home still, though I kept telling myself that's the only place I wanted to be right now. I thought of the little town . . . It was a long way from Goldenrod, but I might make it there before I died.
Home . . . The word was empty to me right at the moment. Maybe one day that would change, but not until I returned to that godforsaken town. I had been abandoned there once, so why would I go back? But I was drawn there, and I didn't care to know why, let alone care to go.
"And how can I help you?" I heard Joy said irritably. I looked up and frowned, curious. A small girl had just entered the PokéCenter, and in her arms was a wrecked shell of a blood-coated Pokémon.
"Listen, I need her to be okay," the girl said, her voice shaking. "Please . . . Help her, Nurse Joy." Nurse Joy looked confused for a moment, as did I. This Master sounded genuinely worried over her Pokémon, something rare to come by.
"Give her here," Joy said. As the Master handed it over, I noticed it was a small Growlithe, but in the worst shape I'd ever seen a Pokémon, even a dead one. Then I saw the Master. My throat closed slightly.
"Hello, Demi," she said to me softly before turning and walking towards a small coffee dispenser on the counter. I managed to remain frozen like an idiot for a good several minutes before she finished half her coffee and sat down, closing her eyes.
"Shara," I whispered softly. She opened her eyes, then closed them. I felt my head swim.
Shara was our neighbor back when life was normal. My mom would watch from the back porch while me and Shara played in the street, laughing and joking and playing whatever came to our minds. That was before my home was destroyed by a fight¾
"Demi?" Shara asked suddenly. I realized I was on the ground, and I was sweating a cold sweat. Shara was above me looking worried. I was about to reply when her coffee slammed into my face. I jumped back and yelled, getting to my feet and swatting my face.
"What the hell?" I demanded of her when I could see through stinging eyes.
"I meant to splash water into your face," she said looking at the cup in her hand with a mischievous smile, "but all I had was this coffee." I looked at her, thinking she was nuts.
"But why throw anything at me?" I asked her. She lost her small smile at once. She turned away just as I took a step forward.
"Why leave?" she asked softly. I felt my heart stop.
The fires raged through the town. I hadn't known that asphalt could stay ignited. I didn't know so many things could burn. A large portion of the town had just been leveled by the force. I had been playing when¾
"SHARA!" I shouted as I looked around me. All I saw were the flames. My childhood friend was nowhere to be seen.
From the fire in front of my young eyes came the large black Pokémon. Before me was the massive Charizard responsible for wiping out my home. It was the one that tore my father and his Ivysaur apart like they were paper. This was the Pokémon responsible for taking Shara from me.
This was that Pokémon.
I picked up the rock next to me and swung at the Charizard. It swung it's flaming tail at me. There was a loud thwack sound, and I expected to be in the air, but when I opened my eyes I saw a blue Zangoose standing there, its claws wrapped around the Chairzard's tail. The claws glowed a light blue and then the tail was severed as the claws tore through. Then, like lightning, the Zangoose tore out the throat of the screaming Charizard.
"HEY!" a man shouted, running towards the Zangoose. He had a thin black saber in his hand. I stood and charged towards this full-grown man. I was only six, but I was fearless as I jumped. The man turned in the worst way, and I collided into him in such a way that his blade drove through his own heart.
I laid on the road, blood pooling from the man and my own arm, which the blade had torn open. It was some time before I realized rain had begin to fall and a form was sitting beside me. The Zangoose sat there for a long time as the rain put out the fire. As the fire was put out, a massive Blastoise was approaching me. The Zangoose saw the Blastoise and waited until it was close before it darted away.
"Blastoise, that's enough rain," a voice called. "The fires are out." As the rain slowed I realized the rain was Rain Dance.
Without any idea why, and filled with hurt of losing my father, my home, and my friend, I got up and ran. From that day forward I never looked back and I never went home.
"Shara," I said softly. I made to touch her, but she turned, a small knife in her hand.
"You are nothing to me now," she said. I could tell from her voice, something I hadn't heard for eleven years, that she wasn't mad or angry, but hurt.
Cha-click!
We both turned to see Nurse Joy standing behind her counter with a large shotgun leveled at us, her hard eyes boring into us.
"Put the knife down," she commanded. Shara didn't hesitate and the metal clanged against the floor. "Your rooms are ready," Nurse Joy said, lifting her massive shotgun and resting it on her shoulders. I realized the shotgun was nearly three times bigger than a normal shotgun. I didn't even want to know what it shot.
Joy's Blissy led Shara to one room, and her Chansey led me to another. Both Pokémon locked us in. The window in my room had a metal covering, blocking the light. I found my way to the bed and kicked off my boots. As I closed my eyes, I couldn't help but wonder how Nihilus was doing. It was because of that wondering that I fell asleep only as the sun began to rise.