The Journal
Chapter #50: Like Brothers and Sisters
"I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers.
Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at."
Maya Angelou
March 27, 2033
Today started out as most others here in Alola.
I woke up at 7:00 am. After my morning ritual, I practiced doing those breathing exercises Hauana and I learned about in that yoga class we took together. Then I drank more water, straightened up my room, and dressed into my day clothes.
Perry read the paper while poured myself a cup of tea that he had on the stove. I sat beside him and waited for him to initiate conversation.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked.
"Well," I replied, drowning my lie in tea.
"Any nightmares?"
"Just one."
"The same one?"
"Yeah."
"I wonder if that's a side effect of your new medication. The stuff you've been taking for your lungs."
"I did some research and did not find that as a side effect. I am getting used to the nightmares anyway. How was your evening?"
"Good, good. I had a nice long talk with Hauana about you. We were wondering about your new friends. It seems you know a lot about them, but she and I don't. You should talk about them more."
"I didn't realize that I have been neglecting that."
"Hauana and I should have asked about them sooner. Truly, we just wanted to give you your space, but lately, you've been spending so much time over there that we don't talk to you much except over meals occasionally."
"Are you discussing what I think you are discussing?" Hauana asked as she joined us on the porch.
"I asked Jezz if he could tell us more about his new friends. We know their names, but not much else."
"Ah, yes. Perry and I were just talking about this last night."
"I would love to talk about them," I replied.
"Then go for it."
"I feel I should start off by saying that I believe each of them are amazing."
"Iki, always so sweet."
I smiled at the compliment. "It is very much true. I suppose the first person I should tell you more about is Jay. I am the closest to him. Everyone calls us brothers."
"Probably because you two looks so much alike," said Perry.
"We do not have much in common, but he's an extremely kind person. He makes me feel relaxed and safe."
"Is he Jessie and James' only son?" Hauana asked.
"They have a baby named Silver. He is a twin. The other twin's name is Rose. Everyone calls them 'Sil' and 'Rosie'."
"Precious," Hauana sighed. "I recall you saying that one of your past foster homes had a baby girl, and you used to help take care of her. Are you close with the twins?"
"Not particularly. I think they are cute, though."
"Jay seems to adore them," said Perry. "Almost every time I drop you off, Jay is either holding one or hovering over however else is holding one. I didn't realize they were his younger siblings. I assumed they belonged to Annastasia."
"No. She doesn't have any kids."
"She seems like a great role model. She is very responsible, we've noticed," Hauana replied.
"I feel as though she is very empathetic."
"Like you," said Perry.
"Me?"
"You always think about other people and what they need, want, or like."
"And you're not judgmental," said Hauana.
"That is so very kind of you to say," I responded.
"Tell us more about your friends. Are they all trainers?"
"They are all trainers. Jocelyn and Benny are too young to do gym battles, but I think they are going to do contests the next time everyone leaves to go on a journey together. Last year, Soledad Oak, Anika Miller, Jay, Annastasia, and Jocelyn Morgan, Amber Ketchum, Takeshi Harrison, June Gaulle, Tamaki Moto, Benny Moto, Nolan William, Lexi Fuji, Rita Scott, and Michio Kapule traveled together. They weren't together the whole time, but they spent a lot of time as a group. Annastasia was the leader. She had the most experience since she helped to train Team Rocket recruits and Jay said that she helped her parents raise him and Jocelyn. She is also a Pokémon trainer, a really good one. Minun and Plusle aren't really hers, but they follow her and Michio around, but Bleu and Lil-G are most certainly hers—they are the Altaria and Lillipup. I really like her. I think everyone likes her, especially Michio. I think they are boyfriend and girlfriend. He is like the opposite of her, I think. I don't him that well."
"Nolan and Lexi, I don't remember those names."
"They are Annastasia's age, I believe. They also live in Pallet Town. They traveled alongside her last year. They train Pokémon too. They are kind."
"They must've been the teens giving the Venasaur and Blastoise a bath the other day in the driveway."
"Venasaur is Lexi's and Blastoise is Nolan's."
"They were friendly. Soledad Oak is the Professor's daughter, right?"
"Yes. She lives next door to the Morgans, so she and the Morgans know each other well. Since her father is the famous researcher Professor Gary Oak, and her mother Dawn is a professional coordinator. Soledad knows more about Pokémon than most people her age. She has more friends: Anika, Tomoko, Carol, and Gracie, Tobie, and Flare. The are Geo-catchers, which means they are hired by Pokémon researchers and professors to track down specific types of Pokémon. They are paid per assignment. I think it is wonderful that she is following her heart. She has a boyfriend too. That's Tamaki."
"You admire Soledad."
"I admire her but I don't believe I'm allowed to have a crush on her while she's dating someone else."
Perry laughed. "You don't choose who you crush on. You're certainly allowed to have a crush on her—just don't try to steal her."
I reflected on that later. I thought crushes were love, and don't people choose to love? Then again, I doubt Jay chose me. If he had a choice, he would've picked someone who could love him back.
"Geo-catching sounds like something you'd be interested in," said Hauana.
"I want to try everything," I replied.
"I can see you fulfilling that goal. You're highly skilled and adventurous."
"That's tremendously kind to say."
"It's true," said Perry. "What do June, Jay, and Takeshi do?"
"June's mother Iris trains dragons. Her father Cilan is a Pokémon Connoisseur. June always has something nice to say. She just did gym battles last year, and she wants to do Pokémon contests next. one day she wants to be a Pokémon nurse. Takeshi is her boyfriend."
"Does everyone have a boyfriend or girlfriend?"
"Not everyone. I don't and I probably never will."
"Iki," Hauana sighed. "Why would you say that?"
I realized that what I said was inappropriate. There was no reason for me to have such a sour outlook. "My apologies."
"You're a wonderful young man. One day you'll meet someone special if you haven't already."
I think I know what she meant, but I don't want to think about it too much.
"Focus on schoolwork, your training, and making friends—not on dating," Perry suggested.
"You can date when you turn fifteen," said Hauana. "Is that a good time?"
I didn't tell Hauana and Perry how in some of the other shelters and homes in which I lived, people dated very young. I even knew people just a little bit older than me who were moms and dads. I feel as though I shouldn't say this to the Hales, ever. Instead, I said:
"Fifteen is an excellent year to begin dating."
"I am sure your lady friends will be waiting for you. I think some of those girls really like you," said Hauana.
"I appreciate you saying that oh so very much, but which girls are you talking about in particular?
Both the Hales giggled at that. I know they weren't making fun; I sounded much too eager than I think they think a preteen nerd should sound about the subject.
"I think June, Soledad, Amber, and Anika all have crushes on you," Hauana clarified.
"They are all way too cool to have a crush on me, especially Amber and Anika," I replied.
"Amber most certainly likes you," said Perry.
"I think she's in love with Jay."
"Maybe she likes you both," Hauana mused.
"I like Amber a lot. I don't know if it is a crush."
I was lying because I know for certain it's a crush.
"It's good that you are friends with her. That is the best thing to do when you have a crush," said Perry.
"I am magnificently lucky to know them…I want to say it, but sometimes I have a hard time explaining how I feel. I feel like I am accidentally rude sometimes."
"I think they understand that you mean no harm. If they didn't like you, they wouldn't keep calling and asking you to hang out."
Perhaps they are correct. Either way, I won't know for a while. When I'm fifteen, maybe.
They asked about Logan and Lily next.
"Maya, Lily, and Logan are very fun and unique. I regret telling you they were unsuited to be my friends," I said.
"We know you didn't mean it," said Perry.
"I feel Logan and I get along the best. He can be sensitive, idealistic, better at writing than talking…he did say that he knows how to type. I find that to be very impressive."
"It is."
"Though I am not close to them yet, I think I may be later, in the future. I believe that we are too different to be close as of now."
"You and Jay are almost opposites yet you get along excellently."
"That is correct. Jay is just so nice. That's why we get along."
"Well, that's just silly. I don't think you have anything to worry about regarding Jay."
I wonder if that comment meant Jay was the only one I didn't have to worry about. I didn't ask—I'll figure that out myself.
"What about Maya?" Hauana inquired.
"Maya is Lily's girlfriend, and she is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She lived on the streets as a lowly street Meowth for a long time after being separated from her parents. She has been to many different cities, either traveling by herself or with trainers and had very few friends growing up. I feel as though I can relate to her because she knows what it is like to say goodbye to close friends without knowing if you will ever be reunited, to have people look down on you, to be smarter than you look, and to admire someone from afar. Maybe one day I can overcome my struggles the way she has. There are still ghosts, Pokémon that she knew and loved and then never saw again, times when she's been hurt physically and emotionally, but Maya confided that she doesn't regret the decisions that she made in order to help her move forward. She met Lily, fell in love, learned to speak like a human, and became a champion in more ways than one. She is also one of the sweetest members of the group, with patience and kindness equal only to June."
"Those were very sweet, honest words. You should tell Maya and your other friends that."
"I feel as though I would embarrass myself."
"No, Iki, they'd love it."
"I'll think about it."
"I'm curious about Michio Kapule," said Perry. "I wonder how he ended up in Kanto."
"Jay said it's because he was misbehaving in Alola so his parents sent him to go on a Pokémon journey in Kanto. Annastasia was a top Team Rocket agent and friend of Professor Oak, and the professor recommended he travel with her, so his parents made him do that. Now they are friends, so he decided to stay. He lives with Annastasia in the Pallet House. Jay says they're in love."
"I bet neither of them were expecting that. Michio has quite a horrible reputation around here, as you've heard."
"He is a nice man inside. I think that he just has trouble showing it. Jay says that's what Annastasia says, and I believe that to be true as well."
"They all sound very interesting. They should visit."
"If it isn't trouble, I would love to invite them to the beach."
"That is possible. We can schedule a date."
"I would love that. Thank you oh so very much."
"It's never any trouble, Iki. Never."
XO
After I wrote up my assignment—a report and analysis on the Spectrum bases out west, which had recently experienced an inpour of residents, refugees from Euon—I had to edit another peoples' work. It was also fascinating to see what other people were writing.
Someone had recently completed an article about Pokémon fusions; over a dozen years after the Pokémon fusion crisis, people were still writing about it. There were the history and fundamentals of fusions, which I wrote about, there were articles about their biology, articles about their roles in society, new research, and even fictional works. I enjoyed working as an editor now more than ever. Perhaps my friends, family, and Elsa were right—I belonged here, not at the capitol.
At noon Amb met me at the entrance to the small media building in which I worked, then we walked along the lake.
"Today I got my physics paper back," she said. "I got B-. My professor even wrote a comment: 'Wow, this didn't suck'."
"You ought to be proud of yourself. I know you worked hard on that paper," I replied.
"I gotta have a graceful exit; get the bare minimum grade for credit, then blow out. I'm ready to leave, ready to dedicate myself to something."
"Stuff like the board?"
"The board, the Poke-Olympics, my team, you…and, perhaps, Linette."
"I hear you."
"And?"
"Today I thought a lot about how much I prefer writing. I know it's only part-time, but I can go full-time if I want, and I might. I might never go back to where I was before."
Amb sensed that this wasn't an easy conclusion. I had dedicated myself to politics and have the Ph.D. to prove it. Losing my job was devastating. It's not easy to move on from something like that. Yet I had her support immediately.
"Good for you," she said. "And don't worry about any full-time crap. Part-time's fine. Annie won't evict us or let us go hungry, and I'll get that job on the board. I feel it in my bones."
"I feel it too. And you don't know it, but helping me realize who I am as a person is one of the things you do best."
"Oh, I know it."
"Yeah, right."
"I know I'm right."
"Pikaaa," Pip whined, pointing to his stomach.
"Oh, food…" said Amb. "Where do you want to eat? You told me not to pack anything."
"Jay and Valé offered to take us out."
"Why?"
"I don't know, but I don't want to pass up an opportunity for free food. Knowing Jay's pallet, it'll be somewhere nice."
I texted Jay our location, and he and Togekiss were there in less than five minutes.
"Right this way," he said, taking us both by the elbows.
Jay seemed a bit off, but we were safe with Togekiss, who was an expert teleporter.
We ended up at Del Mar. Jay skipped to the back, where Logan and Valé were waiting. They were laughing like maniacs, and ten seconds in, Jay was laughing just as loud. Amb and I were both red.
"Relax," Amb mumbled, tugging Jay's shirt. "It's 12:30 and you sound so fucking drunk."
"We're just in a good mood," Jay replied as he wiped a tear from his eye.
Valé nodded accordingly. "Jay was telling me jokes about his family. We've been together three years, and I still haven't heard all of the funny stories."
"It's cuz they never end," said Amb. "You order anything yet, or were you too busy embarrassing yourselves?"
"Yeah, we got stuff," said Jay. "We go—"
"Your accents are soooo adorable!" a young woman from the table next to us commented.
"Me?" Valé and I said in unison.
"Both. Is that southern-style English and Italian respectively?"
"You're good at that," said Logan.
"Oooh! A talking Liepard! You are a Liepard, right?"
"Uh, as far as I know…"
The woman shimmied her chair to the barely-existing gap between me and Amb, then stuck her hand out towards Valé. He shook it hesitantly. Then she turned to me. Without me moving an inch, she shook my hand. Amb looked ready to claw this stranger's eyes out.
"My name's Keegan," she said, ignoring the other members of our party. "Visiting from Maeland."
"What's that?" said Logan.
"Maeland is an island off Buni, the world's southernmost continent, located in the western hemisphere," Keegan answered, sounding annoyingly proud. "I'm sure you've heard of us before. No one is that…you know what I mean."
"No one is that stupid," Amber mocked in a whisper that was loud enough for only me, Pip and Logan to hear.
"You speak Spanish then, correct?" Valé asked.
"Si Senor. El inglés no es mi lengua nativa," she replied. "Aunque yo soy irlandés."
"Fascinating. El italiano es mi lengua nativa, aunque yo sé Espanola tambien."
"Yo sé, our food is going to be here any minute…so leave," Amb said flatly.
Keegan was taken aback. "Well then. I'll talk to you later."
"She sure was flirtatious," Amb mumbled as Keegan walked away.
"Pikachu pika," Pip nodded.
"Sneeeaaaa."
"Togekiss."
"She was hoping one of you were single," said Logan.
"I think she was being nice," said Valé.
"Let's forget about her," Jay said as a waitress approached.
"It seems that this year more than ever before, each of us has our own lives, almost independent from one another," I said after we placed our orders. "We have careers we love, Amb's a few credits away from graduation, and I'm writing a book, working for a newspaper, and trying to reconnect to my family on that deep level I had been comfortable with years ago but had lost over the last few years," I said.
"Lost? No way!" Jay responded.
"Relationships evolve with the ebb and flow of life's surprises," said Valé. "In Rocambelsco, we call that 'buon cambiamento'."
I had missed Jay and Vale's charms.
"You missed it," said Jay. "There was this guy who came in wit—"
"Perdón?" a girl asked as she approached our table. She was with Keegan. "Eres Amber Ketchum?"
"What?" Amb groaned.
"She wants to know if you are Amber Ketchum," Valé whispered. "Say 'si'."
"It depends," Amb told the girls.
"Puedes firmar un autógrafo por Lolita?" Lolita inquired as she held out a pen and paper.
"I have no idea what you're saying."
"She wants an autograph, Amb, just do it," said Jay.
"I'll give you an autograph if you agree to leave us alone."
"Muchas gracias," Lolita beamed.
"Yeah, muchas gracias," Amber grumbled as she signed the paper.
"Hasta la próxima!" Lolita and Keegan giggled in unison.
We were glad to see them leave.
"You're pissed," Jay said as he turned to Amb. "I think it's cool you're famous."
"Everyone wants to be famous. It's overrated," she replied.
"One day soon, people are going to recognize you because of your status as a master of archery, and not because of your famous parents," said Valé. "Maybe you won't find it overrated then."
"This is why we're friends."
Amber reverted to her happy, pre-Keegan and Lolita mood. The waitress and her Machamp partner brought our appetizers. Amber ordered us a bottle of sake and sparkling lemon water. Jay talked about how he was trying to convince June to let him watch her baby the next time they go away. I don't recall all that he said because my head was once again filled with Linette. I wondered why Jay and Valé weren't asking about her. I thought it impossible that Annie excluded him from the conversation.
I asked about it later that evening, when Amb and I were back at The Grange. A servant directed us to her room. She was lying in the dim glow of a single lamp with Harper and Linette beside her. Amb melted as we approached.
"Where's Michio?" I asked, doing my best to stay focused.
"Doctor's appointment," she breathed. "He'll be back soon."
Harper signed for Amb and me to sit beside him and 'the baby'. Linette clasped Amb's wrist with one hand and mine with the other. She laughed as she looked us in the eyes.
"What's the matter?" Amb asked.
"Nothing," said Annie. "Or rather, nothing that won't mend itself in time…Harper is excited for you to watch him and Linette."
"It'll be fun, especially with the boys helping us out."
"We ate lunch with Valentino and Jay today. They didn't mention Linette," I said. "Did you tell them about her?"
Annie sighed. It looked like she truly did not want to answer that question.
"I can't change every law that is out there, and with Linette being on such fragile ground, I'm not a position to try negotiating anything," she said solemnly.
"What are you talking about?" said Amb.
"The agency overlooking Linette's case will not allow a same-sex couple to foster nor adopt her. It's procrastination on my part too. I don't want to break Jay's heart."
"Jay will understand," Amb said as I nodded in agreement.
"That's what bothers me the most. He accepts it when he shouldn't."
"He wasn't given a choice," I pointed out.
"And I feel the same as you do," said Amb. "But we're gonna share all our Linette adventures with him."
"We are like brothers and sisters," I responded. "We'll never exclude him."
"I appreciate that oh so very much," Annie smiled.
We stayed overnight, unwilling to leave them for the bitter cold of the night.
XO
+ The inspiration and aesthetic for this chapter is the quote "I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at." by poet Maya Angelou.
+ Reminder to check out some of Pokemonfanthings' work. She has several stories posted, all short, and they take place in the same universe as mine (so far). She is also working on a longer fic titled 'The Lucky Ones' that has several chapters already posted.
+Next Chapter Jay narrates. He and Valé take on a whole lotta responsibility.
For a list of characters, places, and other quick facts introduced in this chapter, check below the cut.
OCs Introduced:
- Keegan- fan of Valé and Jezz
- Lolita – fan of Amber
Original Locations:
- Maeland – region based off Mexico
- Buni – region based off India
Important/Miscellaneous Other:
- Young Jezz is getting more comfortable around his friends. This helps him connect with the Hales too.
- Young Jezz spots parallels between his story and Maya's, and he feels drawn to Logan despite them not having much in common.
- The Hales know all about Jezz's crushes, including his one true crush.
- Hauana loves calling Jezz 'Iki'.
- Amber is famous in Kanto because of her parents. She doesn't like this.
- Amb get jealous easily.
- Jezz has a Ph.D in political science.
