A/N: Hiii! Welcome back, or welcome to, this story! Thank you for reading this chapter. It's about Linden Oak, Sky's little brother (for more info on Sky, see last chapter). He's around 10 in this- he just hasn't started his journey yet.

I'm so glad people are actually reading this, by the way- sure, it's not a lot (probably like 2 or 3 people lol) but it still makes me happy. I'm so glad people like my writing. Okay Owl, that's enough. Onto the story! (TW: Bullying, yelling, blood)

"I said, give me your bag!"

Linden Oak was shoved into the ground. He heard the sneers and giggles of his peers around him. He'd heard it all before. Without saying a word, he slid his backpack off, dropping it in front of the children known for tormenting him.

"Let's see what's inside, then." The ringleader chuckled, unzipping the bag and dumping its contents out. Linden said nothing.

It was papers and books, mostly. Things he'd need for class. The bullies seemed uninterested. If they were hoping to find something cool, they were out of luck. Linden had stopped bringing toys and plushies to school, as they either got stolen or he got made fun of for having them.

"Now, pick it up!" The bullies ordered.

Wordlessly, Linden gathered the papers and books scattered across the concrete and stuffed them in his bag. He stood back up, only for the leader to grab him by the collar of his shirt and take his backpack away again. The kids on the playground laughed.

"See this! He's the trash of the school! Aren't you?" The leader got up in Linden's face, sneering.

Linden remained motionless.

"SAY SOMETHING!" The bullies shook him.

"Yes, I am."

"Good job." They dropped him just as the bell rang for everyone to go inside.

Linden bit his lip, the tears beginning to well up in his eyes. He hated school. He hated the people there. He hated everything. Why couldn't he just be a normal student, like everyone else? Why did it have to be this way?

"Want a cookie?"

Linden looked up. A girl with bright, ginger hair tied in pigtails and deep, blue eyes was staring at him. She had a bag of what looked like chocolate chip cookies in her hands.

"No, thanks."

The girl pouted. "Wow, you don't even remember my name, do you, Linden?"

"Coral Waterflower."

"Oh, so you do remember."

"Where's Emilia?"

"She went inside, with all of the other kids."

Linden was silent. Coral sat next to him, chewing on her cookies. She offered him one, but he declined. If he accepted cookies from a girl, the bullies would never let him live it down.

"Why are you out here? You'll get in trouble. Not to mention the kids will make fun of you for talking to me." Linden murmured.

Coral shrugged. "I don't care. We're friends."

Linden blushed. "We- we are?"

Coral raised an eyebrow. "We've known each other since we were little. Of course we are."

Of course. He forgot. Coral stood up, extending her hand out to him. "Let's go inside."

The boy didn't move. Coral leaned towards him even further, poking him on the cheek. Linden twitched but didn't respond.

"C'mon. We've gotta go." Coral paused, noticing how much Linden was shaking. "Linden, please. I know it's scary, but…"

"No. It's fine. Let's go."

And with that, Linden got up and hurried inside, staring at the ground as though his life depended on it. And it did...in a way.

Walking home was always scary. Linden never knew who he'd run into. He never knew what stuff would get stolen from him. He wanted his parents to pick him up, but they were so busy with work that there was never time. As soon as the bell rang, Linden packed up his backpack and ran out of the school as fast as he possibly could.

He knew he was a nerd; and he knew he was easy to pick on, since he never fought back. He liked all of the research his father did on Pokemon. He liked the long lectures his father would sometimes give at the lab to older students trying to intern for him, and he liked observing Pokemon behaviors on the Oak ranch. Most kids his age found this boring. Even Sky, his older sister, found it boring. So why didn't he?

Why was he the weird one?

He heard a chorus of laughter behind him, and immediately darted behind a car on the side of the street. They were here. Had they saw him? Their footsteps drew closer, and Linden's heart pounded against his rib cage. Their footsteps passed, and the laughter grew soft. Linden exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding, and stood up. He walked around the car, checking the street to make sure the coast was clear. It was eerily silent.

"You thought you could hide, didn't you?"

Linden's heart stopped. He didn't dare turn around.

The bully took his wrist, dragging him out from behind the car. "You really thought I didn't see you run behind that car?"

Linden shook his head.

"Give me your bag, loser."

Linden hesitated, before shaking his head again.

"It wasn't a question."

His body moved before he could stop himself. Linden turned around, bolting down the street. He bumped into passersby, earning himself a lot of "HEY!" and "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, KID!" He heard the bully's footsteps behind him, drawing closer.

It's okay. Just get to the ranch, and you're safe.

Surprisingly, Linden was quite a fast runner. He didn't like to admit it, but when he wanted to, he could sprint at very high speeds.

"COME BACK HERE!"
Linden didn't stop. The bully's yells faded into the background. He reached the lab doors. He wasn't supposed to enter that way, but he didn't care. He burst through them, falling on the floor and panting heavily. A jar of Pokemon food fell to the floor and smashed open, spilling everywhere. Quickly, Linden shut and locked the lab doors behind him.

"Linden Oak, WHERE have you BEEN?" Gary yelled.

"At school." Linden spat.

"Don't give me that!" Gary retorted. He became even angrier as he noticed the mess on the floor. "I told you not to come in through the lab doors, Linden! You know better!"

"I'll clean it up." Linden stared at the floor. He really had made quite the mess.

"Look at me when I talk to you."

"I like the floor better." Linden winced. He hadn't meant to make it sound like that.

"You're grounded."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Gary rubbed his temple. It had been a long day. He noticed the bruises on Linden's arms. He noticed the way Linden shook whenever he talked. How he never made eye contact anymore. It hurt to see him like that.

"Go get some dinner before Sky eats it all. I'll clean this up." Gary muttered.

Linden nodded, and made his way into the small house attached to the Oak ranch. Sky and Ivysaur greeted him cheerfully, rambling about a song they'd written earlier that day, about how annoying Emilia was, and about how Poppy was trying her hand in contests.

"And, Emilia came here asking for you, Linden, and said that she wanted to hang out with you, but of COURSE I said no, because, well, you weren't here, and also-"

"Sky, can you go feed the Pokemon? And check on that baby Charmander, he's been feeling under the weather. "

Sky sighed and walked out of the room. "And I was just trying to make conversation, too..."

Leaf set a plate down for Linden, ruffling his messy, unruly hair. "So. What happened today?"

"Nothing."

"Hmm. I doubt that, by the look on your face."

Linden pushed his food away, his stomach twisting into a knot. What was there to tell? So he had some bullies trying to pick on him. Whatever. He could deal with it.

"I'm going to bed."

"Linden, it's 7 at night."

"Exactly."

Leaf put a hand on her son's shoulder, exhaling deeply. "I know there's things going on at school. Do you want me or your dad to start picking you up? Or maybe you could take the day off tomorrow, and just hang out at the ranch-"

"I said it was nothing!" Linden yelled.

He bolted up the stairs, ignoring his mother's calls from downstairs. He slammed his bedroom door shut, flopping onto his bed.

6 months and I won't have to deal with them anymore. Just six more months. I can wait that long.

"Linden Oak. It's your turn to present."

Linden dragged himself up to the front of the classroom. Eyes drilled into him. He winced. Coral gave him a thumbs-up. It didn't help.

Just four...more months…

"Ahem...um...so…this presentation is on...Pokemon types...there's...18 of them…"

"Speak up!" A kid yelled from the back of the room.

"No one can hear you!" Someone added.

"Linden, could you please project a little more?" The teacher asked.

Linden's hands shook at his sides. "There's-18 types of Pokemon. The main three that you'll see when getting a starter, are grass, water, and fire. They're the most important, since they helped Pokemon Professors discover all of the types we have today…"

Linden's knees practically gave way as he walked back to his desk. Presenting for the class was always a challenge, especially since more was expected from him because he was the son of a renowned Pokemon Professor. He felt the snickers of his classmates as he sat back in his chair. He buried his face in his arms, praying to Arceus that the day would end soon.

"Linden. It's time to go. It's almost 4 pm, your parents must be getting worried…"

"Are they gone?" Linden muttered.

"What?"

"The kids. Everyone. Are they gone?"

The teacher blinked stupidly. "Linden, everyone's gone by this hour. Why do you ask?"

Linden shook his head. "Nothing. I'll get going."

Before the teacher could ask any more questions, Linden had grabbed his bag and ran out of the school. He ran until his lungs ached. The air was chilly, unusual for the time of year. The trees were blowing hard, indicating a thunderstorm. Pidgey cuddled together in their nests, preparing for the weather to rock their resident trees. It was...strangely cute.

Finally, Linden stopped running, gasping for air. His lungs were stinging. He looked up. He was home. He didn't remember running home, but here he was. Not wanting to face his parents who, undeniably, would yell at him for being late, he lunged over the ranch fence and ran over to Ash's Tauros. They were crowded together, probably shivering from the winds blowing in. Still, it was unusual for them not to greet him with licks to the face.

"Hey! Over here!" Linden called.

They didn't respond. They were fixated on something, crowding around it and fighting for a look. Linden grumbled, and pushed past the tousling Pokemon. He got jabbed in the rib by a Tauros horn, making him flinch slightly.

"Ouch- c'mon, get outta the way-"

Finally, he made his way to the center of the pack. He looked down, directly where the Tauros were looking. If he hadn't gotten there right then, they might've trampled it.

The sick baby Charmander. The one destined for new trainers. He shivered in the cold, his flame growing weak from the oncoming rain.

"How'd you get out here?"

The fire type didn't respond. Linden picked him up gently, trying to warm him up. He was newly hatched, and wasn't near full grown enough to be handed out to new trainers yet. Linden hugged the fire type close, suddenly feeling protective of the baby. He was brand new, and didn't know anything about the world yet.

"It's okay. I'll get you someplace nice and warm."

Linden shoved past the Tauros, who chased him in response. He was able to jump the fence just as they crashed into it, knocking one another over in the process. Good thing the fence was strong. A drop of water hit Linden's nose. He ran inside as the rain began to pour down. The Charmander whimpered in his arms.

"Here you go. Eat some." Linden pushed a bowl of special Pokemon food towards Charmander. It was for newborn Pokemon, who weren't accustomed to eating particularly crunchy food yet. He glanced back at his bedroom door, hoping his mom or sister wouldn't barge in.

"Charr…"

"It's good for you. It'll make you grow up strong and healthy."

"Char, char-mander!" The Charmander pushed it away, shaking his head.

Linden kneeled down, tilting his head at the fire type. "What happened today?"

The Charmander hesitated before shaking his head. Linden smirked.

"I doubt that, by the look on your face."

Fed up, the Charmander shot an ember at Linden's face, making him squeak in surprise. He stalked behind Linden's bed, growling and looking rather embarrassed. Linden smiled, and climbed into bed. The rest could wait until morning.

Slowly, Linden opened his eyes. Something was pressed up against him, making him sweat. He sat up. The Charmander was curled up against him, sleeping soundly. Quietly, Linden got out of bed, slipping on his school clothes. He was going to be late if he didn't hurry up- school started in thirty minutes. The Charmander whimpered slightly, and Linden ran out of the room before he could wake up.

Linden glanced up at the sky. The clouds were grey, and the air smelled like rain. A storm was coming again. He sped up on his run to school. Luckily, no bullies crossed his path as he walked through the deserted playground and into class.

Maybe...it'll be a good day.

Linden's teacher droned on and on. The day moved slower than usual. Linden wondered what Charmander could possibly be doing.

"Hey! Linden! Want to walk home with us?" Coral called, motioning towards Emilia standing beside her.

"I'm fine, thanks."

Coral looked like she was going to say something else, but Linden walked off before she could. Rain was coming soon, anyway. He needed to get home quick.

He stopped abruptly. Something was tugging on his pant leg. Linden jumped, and looked down. A small, orange Pokemon stood before him, looking rather embarrassed.

"Charrr…"

"Did you- did you follow me?!" Linden shrieked.

Charmander nodded. Linden facepalmed, amazed one Pokemon could be so stupid. Gently, he picked the fire type up. He didn't resist, and cuddled close to Linden, the oncoming rainstorm making him cold.

"C'mon. Let's get home."

Linden began walking, and then stopped. Footsteps. Laughter. He recognized it. Linden bolted. A drop of rainwater fell onto his nose, and he pulled his hood up, hugging Charmander closer. He needed to find something to hide behind, quickly.

"Charrr…char-mander."

But...he couldn't risk hiding. If Charmander stayed in the rain too long, he would die. Linden would have to run home, or else Charmander could be in serious danger. But bolting home also meant that he'd be in plain sight. They could catch him.

Linden picked up the pace, continuing to run as the rain began to pour. The laughter was growing closer. He heard someone behind him yell. They were chasing him. Linden's legs hurt from sprinting. The rainwater was making his vision blurry.

"Oh, look who it is! C'mere, we won't bite-" Someone behind him shouted.

Linden glanced behind him, inhaling sharply. He failed to notice the puddle directly in front of him, and tripped. He held Charmander tighter, not wanting to get its tail wet. He felt someone kick him in the back, and he flinched.

"Get up."

He sat up.

"I meant stand up!"

Linden pulled himself up, and stood. He was a lot shorter than the bullies than he realized.

"What's this you've got here? Your new friend?" The bully asked. His friends chuckled in response.

"He's my Charmander." Linden said without thinking.

"Oh really? Let me see." Before Linden could do anything, Charmander was snatched from his grasp. The Pokemon cried and whimpered in fright, its tail getting more and more exposed to the rain. The bullies held him above their heads, inspecting him and laughing.

"NO!" Linden yelled.

"Getting brave, are we?"

"Give- give him back." Linden stammered.

The bully shoved him to the ground. The boy coughed and spluttered at the sudden impact on the ground. Charmander was shivering from the cold. The bullies shook him carelessly, as if they'd never handled a Pokemon in their life.

How can they be so cruel?

Why me?

Why Charmander?

Why is this world SO CRUEL!

"I told you...to GIVE HIM BACK!" Linden lunged at the ringleader, pinning him to the ground. Charmander flew out of his hands, lying limp on the ground.

"Don't- touch- my- POKEMON!" Linden roared, throwing a punch at the bully's nose.

Anger blinded the small boy- he had no idea what was going on, all he could see was the bruises being left on his bully's cheeks, the way he tried getting Linden off of him, and the way Linden resisted by just punching more. Tears rolled down his cheeks. His friends backed away, suddenly terrified of the child they had been tormenting.

He could've kept going forever, but all of a sudden, he was wrenched off of his new punching bag, and someone was holding him back. Linden thrashed, but the person was surprisingly strong and wouldn't let go.

"Stop it! Stop moving, please! You got your revenge, Linden, just stop already! He's really hurt!"

The person hugged him close. They were soaking wet. A small stream of blood from the broken nose Linden had given was trailing down the street in the rain. Someone was cradling Charmander, putting a towel over its almost dying flame. The bullies helped their friend up, and ran off. Linden panted, and looked down at his hands. They were covered in scratches from the concrete, and were beginning to bleed.

"Coral...let go." He muttered.

"Not until you promise you won't beat Niko up again." Coral hugged him tighter.

"Niko?"

"You didn't know his name?"

"I'm bad with names."

Emilia still had Charmander in her arms. She gently handed him over to Linden.

"He'll be okay, I think. Maybe you should get him home." Emilia whispered.

"Coral. Emili- Emi." Linden murmured. He swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears. "Can you...walk home with me?"

The girls helped him up, grinning.

"Of course! We're friends, aren't we?" Coral chirped.

"Just don't try attacking us on the way home, okay?" Emi laughed.

Charmander had fallen asleep on Linden's chest, snoring softly. Coral and Emi walked ahead, yelling for Linden to catch up. A smile tugged at the boy's lips. The rain had cleared, and the sun peeped through the clouds, almost too scared to show itself.

Linden was okay with not being okay. He suddenly knew that he'd be able to get through it all. What was this feeling, again? He couldn't place it.

Charmander climbed on top of his head, its flame burning brighter now that the sun was out. Linden reached for the clouds, his scars still eminent on his hands.

"Come on, hurry up! Sky's got a new song she wants to show you two!" Linden ran ahead, waving for the two girls to follow him.

He wasn't okay. Not yet.

But he would be.

One day.

A/N: Woah, that was quite the story. A bit angsty. The ending is kinda open ended, sort of. Linden still has a lot of issues to deal with. Being bullied is serious, and can affect the mental health and well being of people all around the world. Him automatically being sort-of happy and the sun coming out JUST after beating someone up isn't realistic, I know. But I do think it gives us who have been bullied hope that, yes, it will eventually get better. But it's still a lot to deal with. Linden is actually quite a complex character, and I wish I could've gotten into him more, but sadly, I couldn't.

On a completely unrelated note, I might be posting chapters a bit less often. I have drama club and school, and I'm kinda under a lot of pressure right now, lol. I still love all of you, though, and hope you're liking this...story thing so far! Have a great day/night my loves 3