Sacrifices

The next day, Adam had formed his plan. Nothing would come between him and Laura. He would give up his parents' trust in exchange for her love. And out of anger towards his parents, he was going to join Team Aqua.

"Good morning, you!" Laura greeted him when he walked into school. She noticed the pained look on his face when he gazed back at him. "Is everything okay?"

"I'll talk to you later, ok?"

"Ok."

Having done his best to maintain himself during the first four periods of the day, Adam met Laura outside the back of the school.

"So what's up?" she asked. "You're not yourself."

"Listen," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I've got good news and I've got bad news. The bad news is that my parents think you and your friends are dangerous, and they've forbidden me to see you."

Pain covered Laura's features. "Oh no! No!"

Adam smiled. "But the good news is: I'm not going to listen to them!"

"What?"

"I'm totally abandoning them. I'm staying with you, and in a few days, I'll come stay with you and join Team Aqua!"

Laura had mixed emotions. While she was ecstatic about Adam forgetting about everything else just to be with her, a part of her didn't want to see him disobey his parents. But then she looked at him, and she knew that love would always prevail.

"So what do you say?" he pressed. "Does that sound good or what?"

"That sounds wonderful," she replied, flashing her trademark bright smile. "Wait till I tell everyone else!"

"Just give me a few days to pack and get ready. Then we'll be together forever!"

Laura hugged him. "You're a wild man. Living life on the edge, huh? I like that."

Adam smiled.

"Hi, honey!" Kris called as Adam came home from school. "How was your day?"

Adam looked at his mother, snorted, and proceeded to his room.

"What was that all about?" Kris wondered.

Once in his room, Adam dug out his old suitcase and tossed his clothes inside, along with a few supplies such as a flashlight, toothbrush, etc…

When he was all packed, he opened his Poke Balls so he could tell his friends the good news. In a flash, Buddy, Numel, Kadabra, Tentacruel, and Swellow stood before him.

"Guys, guess what!" Adam said. "We're leaving home!"

The Pokemon looked at each other questioningly.

"Yeah! We're going to stay with Laura and the rest of Team Aqua!"

Buddy stepped forward and looked up at Adam and whined. Adam patted his head.

"Don't worry, boy. This is going to be the start of a new life!"

There was a silence. Swellow ruffled his feathers. Kadabra fidgeted with his spoon. Tentacruel blew some bubbles and popped them.

"Well come on, show some enthusiasm!"

Buddy turned and spoke to his companions. "This is what he wants, friends."

One by one, Adam's Pokemon stepped forward and looked up at him. If he was determined, so were they.

"All right!" Adam cried. At midnight, he returned all but Buddy to their Poke Balls, zipped his bag up, left a note for his parents, and then walked softly out the back door without looking back.