Forgotten Memories

"We were lucky that Madame had some Paralyze Heals," I said as we left the flower shop.

"We would have been luckier if someone hadn't closed the door to that greenhouse," Ryan stated.

"Don't be blaming the wind; it was all Tulip's fault. That stupid, stuck-up, overgrown weed should have left us alone," Static said.

"Yeah, that Bayleef is scary and bossy," Cinder added.

"Well, it was rude of you to Thundershock her, Static," Artemis commented. "Besides, saying 'bite me' is not the best way to solve an argument."

"You're right. I should've told her to kiss my..."

"Say it and you go back in your pokeball, Static!" I shouted. "Ryan, want to trade Cinder for Static?"

"Now let me see. A polite, soft-spoken fire-type for a rude, electric-type bigmouth. Let me think about that...no."

"Fine! I didn't want a wuss for a Pokemon, anyway," I joked.

"Hey! I heard that!" Static said.

"I'm not a wuss," Cinder whined.

"I'm just kidding!" I said.

Artemis stopped and looked toward the edge of town. Most shops like Madame's are usually near the edge, where there is a lot of green space. That's the best place to go to catch wild Pokemon without having to go into the forest.

"What is it Artemis?"

Artemis sat down and sighed. "Can we rest? I feel so tired."

"Me too," Static agreed. "Let's sit over there and take five."

"Come on guys," I told them. "Where's your energy?"

"We ran out after that thrilling moment with Miss Hands Off The Merchandise," Static groaned.

"I pretty much ran out after the fight with those Beedrill," Cinder said.

Come to think of it, I was wiped out as well. I must have realized it when the adrenaline in my system wore off. "Feel like relaxing for a while, Ryan? The Pokemon and I are spent."

"So am I. Let's take a rest and then head home."

The field was full of soft, green grass and flowers of all kinds of colors. Oddish and Rattata as well as lowest-evolution bug-types were going through their daily lives there. Flying-types such as Pidgey and Tailow were flying overhead. Although Tailow are native to Hoenn, they're at home here as well. It was a perfect opportunity to sketch my new Pokemon in an outdoor environment.

Ryan and I sat down on the grass while the Pokemon talked with each other. I pulled out my sketch pad and started drawing Artemis. She looked a little smaller than the average Eevee, but that was probably because she wasn't full grown. Her tail was almost as long as her body. After I was done with her I continued with Static who seemed to be bragging about something. Slightly larger than Artemis, he seemed to carry a tough guy look. Don't ask me how – he looked like other Pikachu. He just had that sort of aura around him.

I looked over at Ryan's sketch pad. He was drawing Cinder while muttering about something. "Penny for your thoughts?" I asked him.

"No thanks, it's on the house," he replied. "I was just thinking about when I was very little. My father used to show me pictures of all these fire-types when he had the time for me, which was hardly ever. That was why Mom and Dad divorced; they were growing apart. Now my mom thinks Dad's a deadbeat, but I still thank him for my extreme interest in fire-type Pokemon. Do you ever think of your father?"

I paused. When was the last time I ever thought of my dad? I never thought about him. Heck, I never even knew him, much less about what happened the first years of my life. It was like my memory was blank those few years. My memory began when I first opened my eyes in that hospital room when I was six and saw Ryan and his mom, and as far as I know, so did my life.

"Never. My mom thinks that Dad's a deadbeat, too. Divorce is a drag, you know?" I told him.

"You never thought of your dad? Have you even asked your mom about it?"

"Once. I'll never ask again."

"What happened?" I told him about the conversation two months ago.

I was in the kitchen watching Mom wash the dishes.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, Shonta?"

"What was Dad like?"

A shocked look appeared on Mom's face as she dropped the mug she was putting away. I stepped back as it shattered on the floor.

"Don't you ever speak of your father! You hear me? Never! Go to your room and clean it up NOW!" she roared.


"She yelled at you? Your dad's that much of a jerk?" Ryan asked me.

"Yeah. I never brought the subject up again. I don't know where he lives or what he does or why he doesn't even talk to me. The way Mom reacted that time told me that I didn't want to know."

"That's really weird. Hey, does this look alright?" He held up the finished sketch of Cinder.

"Looks cool." I heard the sound of a car horn and stood up. It was Mom and Rod. "Time to go back home." Mom and Ms. Steele work at the same office building in Goldenrod City. They both leave home and come back at the same time.

"Need a ride?" Mom asked Ryan.

"Sure! Come on, Cinder!"

"Artemis and Static, it's time to go!" I called out. Then I remembered. "I forgot! How are we going to take our bikes home? They're still at Pro. Cedar's lab!"

"Don't worry. Pro. Cedar called me and said he would drop them off at the house," Mom said.

"Ms. Jones, may I stay at your house for a while?" Ryan asked her.

"Of course you may! You can even eat dinner with us." She looked at Static and Cinder and smiled. "They're so cute! Of course, they need to learn the rules of the house."

"Don't worry, I filled them in." I told her.

Rod glared at the new Pokemon as they climbed in the car with us. "How come the Professor always gives starting trainers such runts?"

Static lowered his eyes at Rod and frowned. "Is this the jerk that you were talking about, Artemis?" he asked her.

"The one and the same. He's just blowing steam," Artemis reassured him.

"He's mean. I don't like him," Cinder said quietly.

"Me neither, but I'm not scared of him one bit. He tries anything and he'll have enough electricity in him to turn on a TV just by brushing up against it," Static said boldly.

"Remember 'The Rules', you guys," I warned them.

"Oh yeah. Better wait until the guy's outside," Static said.

Static definitely was going to be trouble.

"Wow! Look at this computer!" Static exclaimed. "Do you have music on this thing?"

"What kind of games did you ask for your birthday tomorrow?" Ryan asked me.

"Wow, your birthday's tomorrow? Why didn't you tell me?" Artemis said.

"Oh man, I forgot my birthday! I was so excited about getting Artemis that it never even crossed my mind!" I couldn't believe that I would be nineteen in a matter of hours.

"You forgot your own birthday? Gee, what's next? Where you live?" Static joked.

"Wow! Are you going to have a birthday party?" Cinder wondered.

"A small one. And like every year, my cousin Terri is coming to visit with her Vaporeon named Aqua," I said. "Terri comes from Goldenrod City, where she's the queen of her favorite sport: shopping. Every Princess Day she comes by and drags me to the finest department stores in Goldenrod. The best reason I go with her is because those stores sell everything, from clothes and music to everything a Pokemon could want or need."

"Wow! Sounds like a ball," Static said.

"Yeah, for girls," Artemis replied.

"What's Aqua like?" Cinder asked me.

"She's strong and cool. She's the only Pokemon that ever violated 'The Rules' on purpose."

"Which one?" he asked me.

"The one about not using any attacks inside the house. She used Water Gun on Rod when he made her angry. Almost sent him through the wall."

"Cool!" the Pokemon said together.

Ryan turned his back to me and sighed. "I'm disappointed in you, Shonta. You changed for the worst."

"What do you mean? What's with you?"

"I've been in your house for thirty minutes and not once have you challenged me to Super Smash Bros. Melee."

"Oh, I thought you were tired of having your butt handed to you, but we can play if you're feeling lucky."

"You're on!"

After ten matches and about an hour, Ryan left for home. Our bikes were waiting for us outside. Since their house is only a couple houses down, he and Cinder walked there. I couldn't wait until tomorrow so Ryan and I could try out my new games that I would be getting. Mom gives me my presents in the morning and waits until the party in the evening until she gives me the best one.

The night went by faster than I thought. Dinner was normal except for the fact that now both Artemis and Static showed Rod what they were eating. Luckily bath time was quiet and in private. The night ended with a little Amateur Night with the two Pokemon singing their favorite songs. That's when I found out that Static was into rap.

"Gee, you're pretty good!" Artemis said about Static's rapping.

"Yeah, for some reason I heard it all the time where I lived," Static replied.

I went to bed earlier than usual with Artemis on the bed with me and Static curled up in a blanket that I gave him on the floor. Ever since Ryan asked me about my father I could hardly concentrate on anything else. It's not like my memory's that bad; I had to remember something about him. After all, Mom sometimes did say things that indicated that Dad lived with us for a while. Now because of this I couldn't even sleep, but the Pokemon sure could. Lucky.

I watched as the radio clock beside my bed reached midnight. I was now a nineteen-year-old insomniac. "Happy Birthday to me," I quietly said to myself.

Suddenly there was a sudden chill in the room. I sat up and got ready to check the air conditioner when I heard something. It sounded like voices whispering amongst themselves. My blood froze as I looked around the room.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" I demanded as bravely as I could.

The voices went from whispering to giggling. "Don't worry, you'll remember soon enough," they said creepily.

"What do you mean 'remember'? Remember what?"

Drowsiness overcame me very quickly. The last thing that I remember before going to sleep was a single voice cackling.