Disclaimer: Yes, all of the cute pokemon critters mentioned were never
created by the buffalo. The buffalo never made light either.
From one irritating encounter to the next on their quest for their pokemon licenses, Skye and Dan'll have to cope with doing things.Viva la Bam style. But little does Skye know that he is about to come in contact with a legendary pokemon.
Or two.or twenty-six.
Matrix-Style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles
"Dude.dude," Dylan adjusted himself in the cart, trying to ask Kevin a question,"Dude!"
"What!?" Kevin grumbled.
"Dude, what the heck ever happened to the Pokemon Battles!?" Dylan whined,"You told me that this Crisis 350 video crap had to do with Pokemon Battles!"
".That's what we call video editing," Kevin aimed the shopping carriage properly,"Though someday this could help us make footage where pokemon trainers do a whole bunch of flying Matrix crap while engaging in battles, I'm sorry to say that that's way out of our league for now."
The rest of us watched from behind a pickup truck, where Kevin signaled Tyler to approach with the camera rolling.
"Crisis 350, Matrix-style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles, take 1.Action."
"Dude."
"So the only thing I can conclude this is keep your feet flat against the floor of the cart, so you can leap forwards once the cart hits the curb." Kevin instructed, then handing Dylan a poke ball,"Throw this before you hit the curb.that, keep your eyes peeled and remain alert."
".C'mon, Dylan! You're cool!" Jeff encouraged.
"But dude!" Dylan complained,"You're making this sound too easy! There's gotta be more to it.!"
"Just shut up and do it!" Jill interrupted.
"Yeah, sure Jill!" Dylan ranked back,"Um.reality check. Look. Who's the one in the cart that's about to get propelled face first into an unpleasant amount of asphalt!?"
"You are, dunce!"
"Then dude, keep YOUR mouth shut! At least appreciate the fact that you backed out of it like non-white actors who ditched Friends auditions! And at the worst, I'm doing this for free.!!"
"This is definitely lagging," I sighed,"These music videos, they really are."
"If only we had some real pokemon." Dan gritted his teeth.
"If only for once we'd keep away from Jackass videos, we'd actually become decent pokemon trainers." "I'm sending you off!" Kevin was still fighting with Dylan,"You better NOT bail like your hissy-fit abundant girlfriend.and make that throw good!"
"Dude, no!"
"C'mon, man!"
"Dude.NO!"
"C'mon. It'll be awesome!"
Dylan still remained stubborn.
".I'll pay you."
".Ok."
Kevin immediately got a running start, while Dylan prepared for the meticulous stunt by squatting down so he could jump out in time. Picking up speed, the cart was now drawing further and further away from Kevin's grip.
"No." Kevin cried sarcastically,"I'm letting go.I'm gonna leave you."
"You're letting go!?" Dylan cursed back,"DUDE!?"
"Hey, what am I, your mother going shopping while you were still in diapers? No.Dylan, NO!!" "Dude! DUUUDE!"
"Relax, dice handler!" Kevin urged,"That kind of thinking is lethal enough to induce an explosive blood pressure! Simply jump and throw the pokeball when you feel a jerk."
".But I.!!
"It's easier than it looks!" Kevin shouted as his hands finally released the cart.now, Dylan was on his own!
".DUUUUUUUUUUUDE!! AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"Oh crap," Dan commented,"Never send a nerd in a hoodie to do a stuntman's job; the results if you think about it are just ground- breaking."
"Yeah, I guess if you put it in a stuntman director's point of view," I replied slyly,".True dat."
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
"I'm catching every second of it!" Tyler cheered while Kevin joined his friend,"And every second is worth every cent in Crisis 350's slowly accumulating budget!"
"Keep your mouth shut and keep your eye on the subject!" Kevin rubbed his hands together,"The effects that this could have on our newly appointed member Dylan could possibly impair his psychological and physical development! It could change the way he sees everything in the world! It could.!"
BANG! A metallic clang occurred, and we all looked on as Dylan flew right out of the tumbling cart, screaming until he hit a patch of grass belly first and ceased his shouting. MY friend was still enduring a seizure when the cart came to a rest on it's side. The pokeball bounced a couple times in place before it began to roll away.
".Inspire an unexpected boost in testosterone!" Kevin was stunned.
"I thought you didn't want my commentary!" Tyler snapped.
"Well, I didn't want to hear yours either!"
"Shut up, dude! Your commentary is lame!"
"No, YOU shut up! Are the lens even pointing the camera at Dylan!?"
".Dammit!"
".Deh.eh.Dude.!" Dylan coughed out as all of us migrated ourselves of our hiding place to the area he landed. I supported his head with one hand,".Eh.!"
"Good job!" Kevin edged a ten dollar bill towards Dylan's nose,"Here's your pay!"
"You're actually PAYING HIM!?" Tyler shouted,".The filming angle, it sucked! Dylan didn't jump high enough as he was required to, and his pokeball throw.sucks! No distance, NONE!"
"That's all you're worrying about!?" I protested,"You nearly killed him!"
".Here, Dylan! Right here, a fresh, crispy ten dollar bill waiting to be blown on rule books."
When Dylan reached forwards with a shuddering hand, Kevin withdrew it in jest,"Not."
"Huh huh huh!" Kevin added, elbowing Tyler.
Dylan coughed loudly, glaring at the two mischievous troublemakers. Meanwhile, I continued to support him while Dan looked down at us.
"You made it, Dylan!" I cheered,"That'll look awesome. Don't you feel so cool!?"
"Eh.dude.that was.eh."
".Skye, what are you doing to Dylan!?" Jill ran over with her fists up,"Oh, my precious Dylan! Is he hurting you!?"
"Chill, Jill!" Jeff gave her a whack to the back,"He ain't doin nothin'!"
"Eh.hold my hand.wheh." "Yeah, nothin'!" Jill leapt up and down,"Nothin' when he should be getting my boyfriend to the hospital!"
".Hospital.what hospital!?" Tyler joked,"C'mon, we do this 24/7, and we don't need no medical treatment! And he should feel like that; this is his first time, and he'll be doing it over and over."
"Dylan, we're gonna pull you up," I called Dan over while helping him out. Immediately, we had each of his arms over our shoulder for support. Dylan though still saw stars and was barely able to stand,"You OK? How was it?"
"It was." Dylan's eyes immediately perked open,".Dude, that was.was.spiritually uplifting! Can I do it again, huh!? Can I, dude!?"
"Now that's the Crisis 350 devotion we were looking for!" Kevin cheered,"Now, back to the carriage.here's your pokeball."
"I don't think so!" Jill interceded.
"Oh, stop milking him!" Tyler laughed,"What is he? Your little prince Harry?"
".Dylan, you can't even stand!" I corrected him,"Maybe you should sit this one out."
".Alright!" Dylan desperately hobbled to the cart, but accidentally tripped before Burger's feet just as he bent over and puked.
Things from here went a little too fast to explain in detail, especially when you're usually watching most of the time. During this period though, I was desperately thinking with the two DKY-loving on issues on how to apply our music to these bizarrely random videos. After all, we had to do our best to make our band every pokemon trainer's favorite!
Oh, there went Jeff again.Dan just shoved the cart right into a group of angry Pidgeys, who retaliated against the grounded Jeff with their beaks. Another clip we did included Tyler and Kevin throwing pokeballs at each other while colliding belly-first in mid air. More funny out takes included shopping cart races, the rountid Burger constantly trying to board a cart in vain, plenty of pokeball related contact, and even a certain clip where Tyler got a hold of the Poochyena roaming around earlier who became our first shopping cart-riding pokemon. And we even got Jill into the cart and sent her off.she got through it safely though and went after Dylan.they alternated their rage towards each other from then on.
We just finished deporting Burger, who was only able to fit his rear end into the cart, with a handful of pokeballs. Just as we heard the tumble, clatter of pokeballs and the yelp for mercy, Tyler, who wasn't recording, prodded me in the shoulder for his attention without turning his back.
"Hey, Skye. It's your turn!"
"Mine!?" I gasped,"Me in the CART?"
".Um.yup!" Tyler gave he his ebullient enthusiasm,"..But until then, you'll just be the lucky one to send some of these squealing little piggies to their doom with just a little push."
"Well Tyler, I'll do it!"
"Plus, since you don't see my concern for our friend's medical condition too often.we need our guitarist!"
"So, who's getting pushed?" I asked,"Not Burger, right? He's too heavy!"
"Excuses, excuses." Tyler replied,"Skye, you never did this before, did you? Just take hold of the cart and RUN, RUN, RUN!"
I sighed,"But I."
"Hey Skye, are you gonna wuss out on us like your friend Dylan!?" Tyler answered,"This is what happens when you hang around with those dweebs who only pretend to carry out a Pokemon training campaign.C'mon, Skye! Face reality! Use some of that kung-fu enhanced brawn!"
"."
"I've seen those awesome kicks that you can do.now, just pretend that.well, you're kicking them.uh.in the shopping carriage." "Oh, alright."
Our friends lined up into a row so that Tyler could elect those next to go riding. Kevin rolled the film from behind Tyler while he made his choices.
"Now listen up, you wussies!" Tyler demanded,"You think you're Pokemon Trainers yet, do YOU!?"
".Yeah!" Jeff blared out bleakly.
Tyler then stepped up to him and lashed back,"Talking back, huh!? Well, let's see how good of a trainer you REALLY are! To the cart!"
"Oh, man."
"Dan, you go with Jeff," Tyler dragged Dan by a chunk of his hoodie.
".Oh, I really do!?" Dan grumbled,"Rats!"
"Come on now, we're doing this for FUN!" Tyler encouraged playfully.
".For the FUN of watching me be in pain!" Jill glared at Tyler evilly.
"Oh quiet, you paranoid little baby," Tyler answered, picking his last participant,"And.I."
".Really!?" Kevin asked, zooming into Tyler's face as he raised his hands to salute, hopping right into the cramped cart with Dan and Jeff,"Yeah, do it, Tyler!"
"Yeah, do get your feet out of my groin!" Dan whined.
"Ah, shut up. I'm the star of this show!" Tyler stood up with a pokeball in hand, increasing Dan's pain. "Dude, this sucks," Jeff trained off,"It's all packed! Can't I move in this thing?"
"Just jump and throw the ball!" Tyler flailed his arms around,"How simple do I have to make it! Have no concern for your friends and just do it!"
"You sure have no concern for my balls, do you!?" Dan protested again,"OW! You're doing that on purpose, aren't you!?"
"Now, let's get this going!"
"Crisis 350, Matrix-style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles, take 32.Action."
I slowly took hold of the sweat-covered, rough plastic cart handle, taking enough time to think clearly.I couldn't trail off this time, I repeated to myself extravagantly. My shoes found a grip somewhere on the parking lot concrete, and I looked around the three boys crammed into the cart to see where this thing was gonna go.
".Skye, what's taking you!?" Tyler grew impatient,"A wait that long could save another space shuttle someday, but now's not the time!"
"Calm down Tyler," I gritted my teeth,"I'm thinking."
"We'll worry about the editing effects later, now let's roll."
I began to push, but the combined weight of my three friends, the cart, and my unwillingness kept the thing anchored stubbornly to the ground. But still, I persisted without luck.
"Aww, what's this supposed to be?" Tyler growled again,"The power of a relationship from Will and Grace?"
"Yeah Skye, suck it up!" Dan added.
"Look, I'm trying here!"
"Well, hurry up!" Jeff complained,"I think I left my game pieces at Mewtwo's Dungeon!"
"There he goes with it.again!" Dan sighed.
Using some of my incredible leg strength, I managed to get the cart rolling, but barely. The front wheels only ended up getting snagged by a crack in the pavement, bringing it to a sudden halt.
"Damn." I sighed,"My heart mustn't be into this one."
".Geez, Skye," Tyler slammed a fist over Jeff's head,"An old man in a Volvo could push this thing a little more efficiently than you could. Now put some muscle into it!"
"Why.?" I stood up,"I'm trying."
"Because you're wasting precious film!" Tyler replied,"Now, let's make my twenty bucks worth that tape."
"Alright.I can do it." I grinned, repeating,"I think I can.I think I can.!"
".Look Skye, we don't need the tank-engine determination, ok!?"
"Total cheap-age," Jeff giggled. "Tyler, I had it going too! Now, hush up and let me work my magic."
I wound back, then sprung forwards with all of my combined strength and determination! As my hands connected, my welled-up power channeled through the cart.and in moments, all of us were flying forwards! The cart was moving at an incredible rate!
"Man, I knew my self-esteem degrading remarks were just the thing!"
"Sure did, Tyler,"Dan continued sarcastically,"Worked all but one thing.SKYE! Redirect this cart, quickly! It's not going for the curb."
"I-I-I can't turn around!" Jeff got nervous,"Then where are we going!?"
"Want me to describe it to you." Dan joked,"OR do you want me to change position so you can see for yourself?"
"Skye, c'mon!" Tyler snapped his fingers rapidly before my eyes,"Skye, Skye! Skye, what's with the dazed Haley Jones Osment look!? SKYE!!?"
"Let's face it.!" Dan turned his head away,"Skye's hopeless!"
"SKYYYYE.!!" the scream gradually developed a creepy, bubbly tone to it as it faded away.the parking lot became a mere image that slipped itself somewhere into my mind. Everything around me went through a metamorphosis as I found myself levitating within the clouds. The earth below was luscious and green, brimming with life. The water vapor felt cool and refreshing against my skin, and the sunlight induced a warming feeling of internal peace.
My vague state of mind, part two.
Looking down, I was overjoyed to see some pokemon balls latched to my pant legs. With complete control and suave, in one motion I had the ball open, and there I was standing atop a giant purple moth of some kind.
".Venomoth!" I let the words come right out,"To the heavens!"
Facing forwards again, Venomoth flapped her great wings, carrying the both of us towards the barriers of space and time.
Meanwhile in real life.
"Hey, why's Skye acting like he's taking a sobriety test?" Tyler screamed out, watching me spin in circles with my arms outstretched,"Tell me Dan, is he autistic or something!?"
"Ah," Dan panicked,".I don't think so. Sometimes, he's just really stupid."
"Oh wow," Tyler remarked sarcastically,"That's a new concept."
That voice.it was that blue pokemon spirit!
"Hello, Skye."
"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my balance aboard Venomoth,"What do you want this time?"
The blue, canine-like spirit was now flying alongside me, her ribbon- like tails flapping with the breeze, that flowing mantle of fur rippling like a pool behind that diamond headdress.
".Come to me, Skye Grendhert." she invited me in a seductive way,"Come on now."
"Come?" I asked, bringing my fingers through my hair,"You want me to trust you? What do you want me to do?"
".You are much more than you think you are, Skye," she answered,".I know that you are too young to understand, but that will come if you trust in me.now, don't be afraid."
"Afraid.??" Venomoth jerked to the right, throwing my field of vision down so that I shrieked at the redoubtable altitude we were at,".I am.yes."
"Don't give into fear, Skye," the spirit drew closer,".Conquer your fears, and you will reach heights you will never believe.your dreams will only come true if you step out and take a stand.challenge yourself, Skye."
I replied with nothing but a squint of my eyes.
".I will be here to help you.and so will your friends." she continued to preach,".Reach for the heavens Skye.reach with your friends."
"Dude!" Jeff cried,"Where ARE we going!?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Dan asked.
".Maybe not."
"Ah, I'll tell you for kicks," Dan smiled,"We're heading straight for that small gate, over there. The gate should be small enough for the cart to hit, sending all of us flying head first into the river that's down the hill about a couple feet or so. It's not that deep, but all I know is that there are plenty of stones down under the surface to break a bone for two.How's that?"
Jeff now was already trembling with fear.
"Hey, don't blame me!" Dan laughed,"You told me to!"
"But why did you tell me about the river!?" Jeff cried again,"Anything but a river!"
"Thanks a lot, Dan!" Tyler finally acted up again,"Now he sounds like he needs his diaper changed."
".Actually, a jock strap," Dan replied,"And so could I.HEY! That hurts! What are you doing!?"
"I'm bailing!" Tyler chickened,"I'm BAILING!"
"Bailing!?" Kevin shouted from a distance,"No way the great Tyler's chickening out on us! Could it be!? This will put Dylan in the spotlight if Tyler quits out of this.!"
"You're leaving us!?" Dan cried,"Oh Tyler, don't ditch us!"
"Screw it!" Tyler dropped the pokeball,"Sure the hell beats taking a dunk in that unpleasantly shallow stream we're about to plummet into!"
"Believe, Skye Grendhert.believe you can."
"I will!" I gasped, reaching for the pokemon's mane. Venomoth edged the side so that I could take hold of the slender creature.
".That's it, Skye; believe in yourself!"
"Yes.I am FREE!!" I screamed, letting my porous heart take in much joy.
"I'M FREEEE!!!"
"I'm free!?" Jeff sobbed,"No man, we ain't goin' anywhere but FORWARDS!"
"Dan's free enough to get my earnest thoughts about our current guitarist he's got so much connections with," Tyler added, being vitriolic again,"Sure, free to find another band to go have a gig with."
"I want to be free," Dan sighed,"Tyler, go find another person's nads to step on!"
"I already did." Tyler glared at me from the distance.
Believe and reach.! But a malicious power erupted somewhere in my soul, emotions of doubt and sadness! I misjudged my reach, tumbling right off of Venomoth! Screaming as I plummeted towards the earth, a feeling of torment began to pick away at my self esteem.I had meandered because of my own fear.
Just before I hit the trees, the world changed again; another sky surrounded me, one corrupted by battleships and pollution, a red sky representing destruction and death! Smog-like clouds filled my eyes as spires of machinery forged only for war rushed past me, so fast I could barely comprehend what all of this meant.
Everything went a lifeless, rotting green as my body plummeted into a vast, endless pool of some kind of jade substance. Once I was submerged, my soul was being enclosed by feelings of greed, dread and hatred. A feeling that made me want to kill.destroy.
Everything went pitch black, leaving me in a dream-like purgatory.
No, a nightmare!
Then, strange, one-eyed pokemon that were shaped like letters of a strange cipher began to surround me! I screamed out in confusion as their single, piercing stares peered right into my soul. Encircled by these strange creatures, I gave into their power.
"Dude.we're gonna go in!" Tyler panicked,"Any last words?" "Yeah," Jeff gave his opinion,"I wish I could see what the hell's going on, man!" "Here," Dan grabbed Tyler's foot,"If I twist Tyler's foot here, maybe he'll let me move so you can see our premature deaths.here we go.HUH!" "AAAAH!" Tyler screamed,"Damn it all! That HURT!" "Hey!" Dan screamed,"You asked for it!" "Asked for what? Asked for me to step on your vitals!? Then, here like you wanted." "OOOOOH!!" "That had to hurt." "Yeah Jeff. We gotta jump anyway, so I'm just getting my footing ready.oh, don't even think about it, Dan!" "Take this, Tyler!" "Twist my ankle and you'll be deader than disco, buddy!" "We'll all be dead, so it won't make a difference!" "Will it!?" Jeff panicked,"Just shut up and get to the screaming part so it can just be over with!" "Oh, fine," both of them sighed, before all three boys opened their mouths up wide to take in a breath,"AAAAAAHHHHH!!" CRASH! The carriage's front end hit the guardrail leading to the river, flipping it over and sending the threesome right over and out of sight with the carriage! Just as they disappeared from view, the angry Poochyena from before decided to exact it's revenge upon Tyler by leaping teeth-first right over the rail they had collided into, following Tyler's cussing. I was still entranced by my visions, careless and oblivious to those rushing past me to check on my three ailing friends without seeing what I was thinking about. But for some reason, I had no concern; my dreams had a firm grip on me, keeping me from being Skye Grendhert in reality. "Damn, Tyler!" Kevin screamed,"Are you.oh, I literally forgot; good for you that you didn't bail out of that one!" "AAAAAAAHHHGH!!" "You earned it, Tyler!" Jill laughed along. I reached for the sky again as reality slowly began to return to me. Dylan just finished chanting,"Ha, that's for not paying me, cheap ass!" when all of my friends supported the threesome while throwing me strange, mystified and enraged stares and body language.
"Man, look what you did, you!" Dan stretched out his soaked hoodie,"You.you." "Relax," I sighed,"I'm sorry, Dan. The pokemon came again without warning.Truly you know that I wouldn't intend on doing that." "You idiot!" Dan continued to complain,"This sweater.now it's drenched with the worst type of water possible: Briddan water! It's more unsanitary than Mexico's! A coalesce of recycled fast food grease, auto part gasoline, engine oil and refinery waste! This thing's ruined now, look at it!" "I am looking at it," I smiled,"It looks like it took a dunk, that's all. A trip through the washing machine should get it back to normal in no time!" "In no time, Tyler's gonna bum rush our houses with a sawed-off shotgun," Dan continued to give me the wrong end of his attitude,"Forget about our roles in Crisis 350, man, now since you pretty much busted his head and the rest of ours with only about 2 feet of water and just enough submerged rocks and pebbles to break the fall."
"Stop it, Dan!" I shouted back,"You'd do the same thing If you knew what I felt like.do you not know what it's like to have both a brother and a father walk out on you? Do you not consider what effects these nightmares are having upon me?"
"Other than making you stupider than before.um, no," Dan answered,"Plus, you always give me that,'my family hates me,' crap that you always seem to hear on ET all the time.Oh, smooth move; my clothes smell like fuel! Maybe if I strike a match, I'll blow myself up and forget about all of this."
"Oh, I wouldn't want you doing that on me, Dan," I growled,"Even of you said some pretty rotten things to me this afternoon.you know, let's see you lose some inspirational family members. Then you'll know what I feel like."
Dan glared at me for awhile until he got the message that I had no desire for arguing with him anymore. Then, he let his eyelids fall heavy like the orange sun below the horizon,"Geez, Skye. Forget everything I just said."
"Apology accepted," I grinned,"But Dan, not everything on you isn't ruined, is it?"
"Well," Dan nodded,"I can get these jumping jacks replaced pretty easily. My wallet isn't on me at least.and other than that my.oops."
"Huh?" I asked as a faint beeping went off somewhere in Dan's pocket!
Before I could identify what was making that noise, Dan made a sudden retreat towards the back of the Poke Mart! Trying to know why Dan grew panicked and was scrambling in his pockets all of a sudden, I planned an immediate pursuit, but was unexpectedly cut short.not because of the car that swerved out of the way because of my proximity to the street.
My lifelong rival, Tony, was advancing the curb that led to my street a little ways ahead. He had scruffy blonde hair, and he wore a large pair of shades, covering his eyes. He was about my size, but he was a lot chubbier than I was, that's for sure.
As I promised before from the same location.
Tony Blanche, everyone. I tried to work my way around him, but Tony persistently barricaded my way, his repulsive B.O repelling me away from him. By the look behind those glasses, Tony seemed to want to start another everyday problem with me.
We leered at each other for a minute before he spoke first, showing off a set of teeth that was badly neglected in the brushing department,"Hey, reject! What's going on, Huh?"
"I know what's going on," I answered back slyly, laughing at his spacious buck teeth,"It's your low hygiene, that's what's going on. You could make the entire Crust company staff hit the floor with those ugly teeth of yours.What did you shove between em' anyway? A chunk of the Berlin Wall?"
".Hit the floor, huh!?" Tony drew closer with a furious stride,"Look, you. Once my dad gets me a pokemon license, I'll he having you kiss the floor, loser boy."
"We'll see about that, Tony," I glared,"Why don't you get yourself out of my sight and get home.Isn't it time mommy told you to take a shower?"
"I'll be using that stupid silver hair to polish my Tims!"
"Let's see you try it."
Then, I felt it; Tony landed a hard punch right into my stomach! I gasped as I staggered backwards, almost keeling over.
"Uh." I wrapped an arm around my ribs to ease the pain,".Bastard."
"Soon enough, I will!" Tony laughed,"While YOUR mom's baking pies and keeping you from a license, I'll be getting mine and leaving you to kiss my grits! You'll just be left here in boring ol' Elmwood while I'm out there, a famous and revered pokemon master!"
".Or a notorious jerk."
"Well, I've got some important matters to take care of before I start my adventure tomorrow.who cares about school anyway?" Tony nodded, continuing into town,"And most of all, who cares about YOU?"
"Many people do, Tony!" I screamed,"My personal peanut gallery!"
"Oh, so you need your mommy and that gunpowder-sniffing idiot you call Dan just to compare yourself to my level!!?" Tony slowed down,"You spoon-fed little momma's boy! Whatcha gonna do about it, Skye!? Keep kneeling over with your tail between your legs!?"
I got to my feet and stood up to the bully,"I know what I'm gonna do, Tony, and I don't need your cruel remarks just to weigh me down."
".Fine then," Tony laughed,"See you at the Navia League, sucker!"
"I'll be there to make you look REAL bad."
Tony ignored me while arrogantly striding down the street.
"Bad like that set of teeth you could lose in a couple years!" I remarked, but he ignored me and walked on. What a jerk. Back when we were this wee-big, he'd harass me in elementary school, but later, fought back. We evolved from doing run-by stuffed animal shootings, to spitballs, and to the good ol' Baking Soda/ Vinegar film container bombs.Boy, we couldn't get along. And that was a fixed law.
I stopped lamenting my existence, while getting across the street and behind the Poke Mart as soon as possible. There, Dan ran out from behind a rusty dumpster with a look of happy repletion on his face. But once I approached him a little more, he made eye contact and suddenly grew snotty.
"What's wrong, Dan!?" I shouted,"What did you ditch me for!?"
"My cellphone.I um." Dan scratched his head and rolled his head, while retaining some kind of bombastic attitude,".I forgot to tell you.um."
"Let me guess.you got grounded for incinerating your bed sheets again, didn't you?"
".I think," Dan seemed to be in a hurry now, slapping my hand,"But anyway, I gotta fly.my mom's kinda ticked about something and I don't feel like getting another long eulogy from my dad."
"I swear you were overjoyed about something," I gritted my teeth,".Oh well, I ain't gonna dwell about your business. I'll catch you tomorrow, Dan."
"Later!" Dan split shortly after he imitated throwing a pokeball. I imitated him before Dan finally was out of my sight for the day.
Until the next morning.
But what was really wrong with him?
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Skye, where have you been!?" Mom demanded an explanation.
"You know, Mom," I grinned,"Hangin with Dan again. Heh heh."
"He wasn't with Tyler again, was he!?" Mom interrogated, pointing a finger at me,"I better not catch you with those people, Skye! GOT IT!?"
".Yeah!"
"You better not lie to your mother!" mom suddenly giggled, but then replied sternly while watching a pot of boiling water,"Ever since I saw those two feed a flock of bird pokemon Alka Seltzer that day I was at the market, you know I want you to stay out of trouble, ok?"
"Alright, mom," I sighed, holding back a fatigued giggle,"I already heard about the droppings incident more than enough. Let me go upstairs, and get this damn backpack off."
"SKYE! Don't say that again! OR I will ground you from the bathroom for a week!"
Feeling good for playing off such a splendid fib, I was striding confidently up the stairs towards my room just as my mom shouted for me again.
"Hold on, just a minute!" Mom stopped me dead on the stairs. My foot wasn't entirely on some type of surface, so I lost my balance and tumbled down where I started.
"UH, OH, OOW!" I growled,"Mom!"
"Oh, Skye!" my mom slapped on a momentary sweet voice,"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, mom," I chuckled,"Ok, ok.hey, enough kisses!"
Mom's tender affection once again warped back to anger, starting with her facial expression.
"I just got a message from Mr. Shoksman today," Mom stood firm with a long kitchen utensil in her hand,"And from the sound of it, it's probably not good."
".You did..?" I grinned,"You don't intend on using that cooking spoon on me, do you?"
"Don't even think about that PTL, Skye Grendhert," my mom scolded,"Because you're not getting one anytime soon, with grades like those!"
"Grades!?" I gasped,"But that report card was from a month ago! You know I've taken action about it! Don't you, Mom?"
"Don't fawn up to me with those lies!" my mom continued,"I want to know right now why you're blowing school off! You can't be doing this with such a bright, bright future ahead of you."
".You still want to send me to the Thule Pokemon Trainers University, don't you!?" I defended myself,"All the kids in that school are such rude, ignorant penny-pinchers who stick their noses at everyone who's not rich like them!"
"How can you make such insinuations about those people?" mom asked me,"The only time you were there was a school field trip."
"Well, trust me," I leaned against the wall, scratching my head,"The trip sucked."
"Sucked!? Skye, don't say 'sucked'."
"Well, you'd think the same thing if you took a visit there and got ridiculed by the student pokemon trainers! Go ahead, take a trip down there! You'll see why I felt so rotten about going to that college."
"Skye, you must make the most of your life!" Mom pleaded,"The University may not be all that you want it to be, but it's your only chance."
"Chance to be what!?" I sighed,"A prick? You demand so much from me, mother."
My mom loosened up all of a sudden, kneeling over and taking me into her arms. I lifelessly accepted her into my arms.
"Skye, I.I'm."
"Sorry?"
"Yes, my son," my mom sobbed,"I don't mean to force it upon you, but."
"What would the point of going into a school where nobody accepts you?"
"I'm just concerned about your well being."
I gradually broke away from my mom, barely able to comprehend what just came from her lips. My mom stared back up at me, adjusting the platinum hair from her eyes just as I did.
"Well being?" my mom said cutely,"Of course, Skye. It's a mommy's job to be."
"You don't understand how I want to learn to live on, mother.you just."
".Your behavior.It reminds me of your brother."
It was my mother's cell phone again, playing some type of uppity song I heard in a Pokemon Center one time. Mom immediately went for her purse, refusing to finish her sentence.
"Oh, I got a call!" my mom pranced over like a little girl,"Oh, mommy's popular today!"
"Can't you just let it go for once!?" I demanded,"You answer it so much, we have ample time to actually communicate with each other.Mom.Mom?"
She continued to blabber away as I hopelessly trudged up the stairs to my room, so I could slump onto my bed and lament about everything that kept me from the desires of my dreams. The lack of connecting to my mother almost made me morosely loose all forms of hope that inspired me to go on a Pokemon Journey. Even these legendary pokemon.
Damn cell phones.
"I'm gonna be stuck here forever," I sighed, lying the Pichu doll right onto my pillow. Once I inserted the plastic baby bottle into its mouth, the eyes happily lit up, and the Pichu continued to coo as if he was satisfied.
But there was something else I was hearing.
That evil pulsing noise, like the droning of a jet plane far off in the horizon that made my heart and stomach curdle. It was generating from the closet again.
"Could it be.?" I gasped,"Caling me.again.?"
The Pichu was persistently signaling me to remove the bottle, but I was intrigued by the noise and drew myself towards the closet instead. Ripping the door open with the poster of a Doberman-like Houndour on the inside, I was face to face with the only evidence of my true father: a black, tattered headband that was at least six feet long. Wrinkled with age, the headband stretched out like a shoelace until it reached the end, where it seemed to be oddly folded. The headband had a circular, punched hole punctured right through both ends.
This was it: a gift that that my father left for me when I was to come of age.
How do I know this?
I unwillingly reached for it, being the only source of what my father was truly like. As my fingers almost came into contact, my father's voice reverberated through my head!
"Uh." I gasped, paralyzed.
"Skye.my son."
"Dad? Please don't." I cried.
".I am so heartbroken that I had to leave you, my precious boy."
".Why."
".But my secretary has informed me that I must return to my Pokemon Research Company in Zodion, because we had just stumbled across something.something unexpected."
".Don't leave me.I need you.Father."
".Please understand this, Skye. I know you will grow up to be a very powerful pokemon trainer.the most powerful one I will ever know.but you are still so young."
"Too young.I will."
".But until you come of age, I have something that will aid you in your quest.this headband that I had excavated on one of my archeological quests."
"."
"I understand that you might be skeptical of it now, but once you prove yourself of it, it is a powerful relic that will aid you in your life.because."
".Because of what? I don't understand.father."
".You yourself are much more than you think, Skye. You were born for a special reason.you are unique, my boy. That headband will help you channel into your soul to discover the meanings of your desires.your dreams and visions.your nightmares."
"The answer to everything."
".Yes, it is all contained within, Skye. But until you come of age, I advise you to conceal it until it truly calls you.it will.do not touch it. With it also comes evil.an ancient evil that can curse those unprepared for their fate."
"My fate.is sealed?"
".Embrace it's power when it needs you, Skye. It is my best connection to you. I promise you that I will return, but you will be out there on your own until then. Also, Skye, listen to your brother.I haven't given him this covenant yet, but he will guide you until I return."
"My brother.where is he.? I want to see his face.who is he?"
".But beware Skye. Evil is returning to the world, and this sudden report I have received may have to do with it. Please understand, Skye.I love you very much. My time had run out, but keep me close in your dreams."
"I will, father.I will find you!" I was returning to reality just as the darkness surrounding me began to dissipate, leaving me staring back at the headband again, my arm outstretched towards it.
The legendary pokemon that began to speak to me a few years ago.that must mean I am ready.ready to experience the power! The power.
My hand was gripped firmly around the headband. But from there, a sudden jolt ran through my body, as if I subjected a hapless index finger into an electrical plug!
"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-AHHHH!!" I screamed, experiencing a seizure of epic proportions,"UUUHHHH.H-H-H-H."
"Skye!?" my mom screamed from downstairs,"What's going on up there!? Skye, answer me!"
"NOOOO." I maliciously hissed through my teeth, as my body went rigid. Like I was being manipulated like a puppet, I lumbered towards the window, throwing open the screen. The sun had disappeared entirely, leaving behind a silent, star-filled night sky.
My eyes rolled back into my head as the silver moon above me turned a malignant blood red, signaling the appearance of a bright green star tat I've always seen in my dreams; one that was always shown at the zenith, right above, looking down upon me! It shines down with a light filled with agony, pain and a lust to slaughter.
Would it ever go away? Why was it there, always there to torment me?
".TAKE ME! TAKE ME NOOOOOWW!!" I cried up as if I was worshipping it as a god.
Things returned to normal as my eyes rolled back into place, reality reeling me in once again. My sudden change of dimensions also sapped me of all of my energy, and I collapsed onto my bed just as my mother burst through the door and seated herself on my bed before I fell into her embrace.
"Father." I exhaled hopelessly,"Brother.why weren't you there for me.?"
"Oh, you poor thing," my mom cried,"I forgot how much your father desired you to be a pokemon master.but I never thought of the impact that his disappearance had on you would be so intense."
"Mom.I love you." I cooed.
"I love you too, dear," mom stroked my head,".Skye, I have come up with something."
"No, not the Thule." I cuddled the mechanical Pichu with the other arm.
".I hear you have exams before the end of the school year," mom proposed,"If you were to study up and do good on those, that would be solid proof that you are ready to confront the world.as a Pokemon Trainer."
".REALLY!?" I must've looked so stupid with such an ebullient smile, but through my sudden revelation, I didn't even care what I looked like! But actually, I cared for something else because I accidentally flung the mechanical Pichu right through the open window.
"PI-CHUUU~!"
"Yes," mom continued,"Your father always desired that you would face your life head-on as he did.and I actually agree with him, Skye."
"I know," I grinned,"My father may have left, but he is still a good man. I know it."
"A very distinguished Pokemon Researcher, that's what he was," mom continued,"And yes, he was also overly obsessed with Religion, and what actually created or brought pokemon here.,.something like that I can barely remember."
"Religion and Pokemon."
".You look like you could use an early nap," Mom informed, kissing me on the cheek,"But Skye, that PTL will be yours if you work for it! And if you can study, know that your father will be proud to know that you are determined to train Pokemon."
"I am willing." I grinned back.
".Hope you are willing to get whatever that was you just threw out the window there," Mom giggled,".Dinner will be ready in a half hour."
"Ok, mom," I smiled,"Thanks."
"I love you."
Once mom had the door shut, I immediately stumbled over to the window to see where my Pichu doll had landed. Just as I saw him submerged within one of our garbage cans, that same one teetered over, spilling out all of it's contents, including the face-up doll, which peered back up at me emotionlessly. My mom let out a shriek of surprise.
".Oops," I gasped, closing the window and heading downstairs.
Later that night I lie face up in bed, peering up at the bland ceiling while trying to recall all that happened today. It was about midnight and my mother was already in bed, like I was supposed to be, but I was to much in a meditating, deep thought.
Why was Dan acting so strange? Was he excited or nervous about something? As far as I could notice, it seemed to be a combination of both.but this had to be caused by something.
.What would happen if I flunked the end of the year exams? I'd be the laughing stock of the school if the only reason I couldn't be granted a Pokemon license was because of my mom trying to keep e from experiencing the barbarism of the real world! What a wuss I'd become!
Especially Tony! I couldn't stop thinking about what his face would look like when he'd overhear the gossip.Skye the pussy. How degrading.
But most of all was the last words of my father contained within the headband.obviously they all had to do with departure, but what did he really leave for? Had he discovered something new about the origins of Legendary pokemon? After all, that was what most Pokemon Professors were usually looking for.but there was something ambitious, powerful and lustful about the way my father strived for his research.
When would I get over all of it?
Suddenly, a faint childish laugh echoed through my head, telling me to turn my gaze to the window.but there was nothing there.
Never mind. Just another one of these endless mind games.
Face it, something would tell me; your father is gone! He'll never be there to guide you! You're hopeless! You'll never become a Pokemon Master, like he desired you to be!
But no, I had to try.not try, DO! I had to do everything to achieve what I desired! It was what I devoted all my life into.into.
That crystalline, childish giggling had returned, but this time, it was within more than my head.it was all throughout my room and the silent night.
Suddenly, the whole neighborhood was shrouded within an inscrutable, malignant darkness! A darkness that not even an eclipse could emulate; a darkness that entered the very soul itself.
Faintly, I withstood my own doubt and let my only desire tumble right out of my mouth, eyes remaining pasted in one position.
".I wish I could be a Pokemon Master."
Just as I said this, the darkness gradually began to dissipate, though it was still hard to see with only the moonlight coming through toe window.and a scattered slew of spotlight-like eyes peering at me through the window.
"What the heck!?" I sprung up from my bed to look my strange observers over.as from my visions back when I was pushing shopping carts with Tyler and the others, it was those letter-like pokemon that were circling me before! They hovered right at eye level, and it immediately became clear to me what the source of all that maniacal laughing was.
"UUUU-NNNN!"
"HE HEEE HA."
"SKYEEEEE.!"
"SKYYY.EEE!"
"You.!" I shouted,"You're the ones who are bringing me all these unnecessary visions, aren't you!?"
"UUUUUUNNN-OWWWN." the entire group of them eerily hummed in unison, circling within each other like a flock of bats, gradually picking up speed.
"Answer me, damn it!" I shouted.
"UUUUUUNNN-OWWWWN." the strange pokemon went on as if they never heard one word that came out of my mouth, though they didn't resume this for too long. Seeing that I was particularly vexed, they aligned themselves so that they were spelling something.
".What does it say.?" I asked as the letter pokemon finally made it clear,".That's .that's my name!"
"Skye!" they chanted, swirling around again,"SKYE, SKYE, SKYE!"
"I'll never forgive you for this!" I shouted,"You're not making me experience any more visions! Now, let's settle it!"
The letters backed off a bit, ceasing their giggling and batting their eyelids at me. Before I could comprehend anymore from them, they finally turned towards the moon and flew away into the night.
"HEY!" I screamed,"Where ya goin, you discarded Campbell soup components!? I'm not done with you yet!"
"UUUNnnnn-OWN!" they chanted at me from a distance in a ridiculing way,"Unnnnnn.own.!"
"Get back HERE!" I screamed, but they had already disappeared into the night.
What were those pokemon?
Perhaps if I sleep tonight, I'll come across their purpose.
"Damn."
From one irritating encounter to the next on their quest for their pokemon licenses, Skye and Dan'll have to cope with doing things.Viva la Bam style. But little does Skye know that he is about to come in contact with a legendary pokemon.
Or two.or twenty-six.
Matrix-Style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles
"Dude.dude," Dylan adjusted himself in the cart, trying to ask Kevin a question,"Dude!"
"What!?" Kevin grumbled.
"Dude, what the heck ever happened to the Pokemon Battles!?" Dylan whined,"You told me that this Crisis 350 video crap had to do with Pokemon Battles!"
".That's what we call video editing," Kevin aimed the shopping carriage properly,"Though someday this could help us make footage where pokemon trainers do a whole bunch of flying Matrix crap while engaging in battles, I'm sorry to say that that's way out of our league for now."
The rest of us watched from behind a pickup truck, where Kevin signaled Tyler to approach with the camera rolling.
"Crisis 350, Matrix-style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles, take 1.Action."
"Dude."
"So the only thing I can conclude this is keep your feet flat against the floor of the cart, so you can leap forwards once the cart hits the curb." Kevin instructed, then handing Dylan a poke ball,"Throw this before you hit the curb.that, keep your eyes peeled and remain alert."
".C'mon, Dylan! You're cool!" Jeff encouraged.
"But dude!" Dylan complained,"You're making this sound too easy! There's gotta be more to it.!"
"Just shut up and do it!" Jill interrupted.
"Yeah, sure Jill!" Dylan ranked back,"Um.reality check. Look. Who's the one in the cart that's about to get propelled face first into an unpleasant amount of asphalt!?"
"You are, dunce!"
"Then dude, keep YOUR mouth shut! At least appreciate the fact that you backed out of it like non-white actors who ditched Friends auditions! And at the worst, I'm doing this for free.!!"
"This is definitely lagging," I sighed,"These music videos, they really are."
"If only we had some real pokemon." Dan gritted his teeth.
"If only for once we'd keep away from Jackass videos, we'd actually become decent pokemon trainers." "I'm sending you off!" Kevin was still fighting with Dylan,"You better NOT bail like your hissy-fit abundant girlfriend.and make that throw good!"
"Dude, no!"
"C'mon, man!"
"Dude.NO!"
"C'mon. It'll be awesome!"
Dylan still remained stubborn.
".I'll pay you."
".Ok."
Kevin immediately got a running start, while Dylan prepared for the meticulous stunt by squatting down so he could jump out in time. Picking up speed, the cart was now drawing further and further away from Kevin's grip.
"No." Kevin cried sarcastically,"I'm letting go.I'm gonna leave you."
"You're letting go!?" Dylan cursed back,"DUDE!?"
"Hey, what am I, your mother going shopping while you were still in diapers? No.Dylan, NO!!" "Dude! DUUUDE!"
"Relax, dice handler!" Kevin urged,"That kind of thinking is lethal enough to induce an explosive blood pressure! Simply jump and throw the pokeball when you feel a jerk."
".But I.!!
"It's easier than it looks!" Kevin shouted as his hands finally released the cart.now, Dylan was on his own!
".DUUUUUUUUUUUDE!! AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"Oh crap," Dan commented,"Never send a nerd in a hoodie to do a stuntman's job; the results if you think about it are just ground- breaking."
"Yeah, I guess if you put it in a stuntman director's point of view," I replied slyly,".True dat."
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
"I'm catching every second of it!" Tyler cheered while Kevin joined his friend,"And every second is worth every cent in Crisis 350's slowly accumulating budget!"
"Keep your mouth shut and keep your eye on the subject!" Kevin rubbed his hands together,"The effects that this could have on our newly appointed member Dylan could possibly impair his psychological and physical development! It could change the way he sees everything in the world! It could.!"
BANG! A metallic clang occurred, and we all looked on as Dylan flew right out of the tumbling cart, screaming until he hit a patch of grass belly first and ceased his shouting. MY friend was still enduring a seizure when the cart came to a rest on it's side. The pokeball bounced a couple times in place before it began to roll away.
".Inspire an unexpected boost in testosterone!" Kevin was stunned.
"I thought you didn't want my commentary!" Tyler snapped.
"Well, I didn't want to hear yours either!"
"Shut up, dude! Your commentary is lame!"
"No, YOU shut up! Are the lens even pointing the camera at Dylan!?"
".Dammit!"
".Deh.eh.Dude.!" Dylan coughed out as all of us migrated ourselves of our hiding place to the area he landed. I supported his head with one hand,".Eh.!"
"Good job!" Kevin edged a ten dollar bill towards Dylan's nose,"Here's your pay!"
"You're actually PAYING HIM!?" Tyler shouted,".The filming angle, it sucked! Dylan didn't jump high enough as he was required to, and his pokeball throw.sucks! No distance, NONE!"
"That's all you're worrying about!?" I protested,"You nearly killed him!"
".Here, Dylan! Right here, a fresh, crispy ten dollar bill waiting to be blown on rule books."
When Dylan reached forwards with a shuddering hand, Kevin withdrew it in jest,"Not."
"Huh huh huh!" Kevin added, elbowing Tyler.
Dylan coughed loudly, glaring at the two mischievous troublemakers. Meanwhile, I continued to support him while Dan looked down at us.
"You made it, Dylan!" I cheered,"That'll look awesome. Don't you feel so cool!?"
"Eh.dude.that was.eh."
".Skye, what are you doing to Dylan!?" Jill ran over with her fists up,"Oh, my precious Dylan! Is he hurting you!?"
"Chill, Jill!" Jeff gave her a whack to the back,"He ain't doin nothin'!"
"Eh.hold my hand.wheh." "Yeah, nothin'!" Jill leapt up and down,"Nothin' when he should be getting my boyfriend to the hospital!"
".Hospital.what hospital!?" Tyler joked,"C'mon, we do this 24/7, and we don't need no medical treatment! And he should feel like that; this is his first time, and he'll be doing it over and over."
"Dylan, we're gonna pull you up," I called Dan over while helping him out. Immediately, we had each of his arms over our shoulder for support. Dylan though still saw stars and was barely able to stand,"You OK? How was it?"
"It was." Dylan's eyes immediately perked open,".Dude, that was.was.spiritually uplifting! Can I do it again, huh!? Can I, dude!?"
"Now that's the Crisis 350 devotion we were looking for!" Kevin cheered,"Now, back to the carriage.here's your pokeball."
"I don't think so!" Jill interceded.
"Oh, stop milking him!" Tyler laughed,"What is he? Your little prince Harry?"
".Dylan, you can't even stand!" I corrected him,"Maybe you should sit this one out."
".Alright!" Dylan desperately hobbled to the cart, but accidentally tripped before Burger's feet just as he bent over and puked.
Things from here went a little too fast to explain in detail, especially when you're usually watching most of the time. During this period though, I was desperately thinking with the two DKY-loving on issues on how to apply our music to these bizarrely random videos. After all, we had to do our best to make our band every pokemon trainer's favorite!
Oh, there went Jeff again.Dan just shoved the cart right into a group of angry Pidgeys, who retaliated against the grounded Jeff with their beaks. Another clip we did included Tyler and Kevin throwing pokeballs at each other while colliding belly-first in mid air. More funny out takes included shopping cart races, the rountid Burger constantly trying to board a cart in vain, plenty of pokeball related contact, and even a certain clip where Tyler got a hold of the Poochyena roaming around earlier who became our first shopping cart-riding pokemon. And we even got Jill into the cart and sent her off.she got through it safely though and went after Dylan.they alternated their rage towards each other from then on.
We just finished deporting Burger, who was only able to fit his rear end into the cart, with a handful of pokeballs. Just as we heard the tumble, clatter of pokeballs and the yelp for mercy, Tyler, who wasn't recording, prodded me in the shoulder for his attention without turning his back.
"Hey, Skye. It's your turn!"
"Mine!?" I gasped,"Me in the CART?"
".Um.yup!" Tyler gave he his ebullient enthusiasm,"..But until then, you'll just be the lucky one to send some of these squealing little piggies to their doom with just a little push."
"Well Tyler, I'll do it!"
"Plus, since you don't see my concern for our friend's medical condition too often.we need our guitarist!"
"So, who's getting pushed?" I asked,"Not Burger, right? He's too heavy!"
"Excuses, excuses." Tyler replied,"Skye, you never did this before, did you? Just take hold of the cart and RUN, RUN, RUN!"
I sighed,"But I."
"Hey Skye, are you gonna wuss out on us like your friend Dylan!?" Tyler answered,"This is what happens when you hang around with those dweebs who only pretend to carry out a Pokemon training campaign.C'mon, Skye! Face reality! Use some of that kung-fu enhanced brawn!"
"."
"I've seen those awesome kicks that you can do.now, just pretend that.well, you're kicking them.uh.in the shopping carriage." "Oh, alright."
Our friends lined up into a row so that Tyler could elect those next to go riding. Kevin rolled the film from behind Tyler while he made his choices.
"Now listen up, you wussies!" Tyler demanded,"You think you're Pokemon Trainers yet, do YOU!?"
".Yeah!" Jeff blared out bleakly.
Tyler then stepped up to him and lashed back,"Talking back, huh!? Well, let's see how good of a trainer you REALLY are! To the cart!"
"Oh, man."
"Dan, you go with Jeff," Tyler dragged Dan by a chunk of his hoodie.
".Oh, I really do!?" Dan grumbled,"Rats!"
"Come on now, we're doing this for FUN!" Tyler encouraged playfully.
".For the FUN of watching me be in pain!" Jill glared at Tyler evilly.
"Oh quiet, you paranoid little baby," Tyler answered, picking his last participant,"And.I."
".Really!?" Kevin asked, zooming into Tyler's face as he raised his hands to salute, hopping right into the cramped cart with Dan and Jeff,"Yeah, do it, Tyler!"
"Yeah, do get your feet out of my groin!" Dan whined.
"Ah, shut up. I'm the star of this show!" Tyler stood up with a pokeball in hand, increasing Dan's pain. "Dude, this sucks," Jeff trained off,"It's all packed! Can't I move in this thing?"
"Just jump and throw the ball!" Tyler flailed his arms around,"How simple do I have to make it! Have no concern for your friends and just do it!"
"You sure have no concern for my balls, do you!?" Dan protested again,"OW! You're doing that on purpose, aren't you!?"
"Now, let's get this going!"
"Crisis 350, Matrix-style Shopping Cart Pokemon Battles, take 32.Action."
I slowly took hold of the sweat-covered, rough plastic cart handle, taking enough time to think clearly.I couldn't trail off this time, I repeated to myself extravagantly. My shoes found a grip somewhere on the parking lot concrete, and I looked around the three boys crammed into the cart to see where this thing was gonna go.
".Skye, what's taking you!?" Tyler grew impatient,"A wait that long could save another space shuttle someday, but now's not the time!"
"Calm down Tyler," I gritted my teeth,"I'm thinking."
"We'll worry about the editing effects later, now let's roll."
I began to push, but the combined weight of my three friends, the cart, and my unwillingness kept the thing anchored stubbornly to the ground. But still, I persisted without luck.
"Aww, what's this supposed to be?" Tyler growled again,"The power of a relationship from Will and Grace?"
"Yeah Skye, suck it up!" Dan added.
"Look, I'm trying here!"
"Well, hurry up!" Jeff complained,"I think I left my game pieces at Mewtwo's Dungeon!"
"There he goes with it.again!" Dan sighed.
Using some of my incredible leg strength, I managed to get the cart rolling, but barely. The front wheels only ended up getting snagged by a crack in the pavement, bringing it to a sudden halt.
"Damn." I sighed,"My heart mustn't be into this one."
".Geez, Skye," Tyler slammed a fist over Jeff's head,"An old man in a Volvo could push this thing a little more efficiently than you could. Now put some muscle into it!"
"Why.?" I stood up,"I'm trying."
"Because you're wasting precious film!" Tyler replied,"Now, let's make my twenty bucks worth that tape."
"Alright.I can do it." I grinned, repeating,"I think I can.I think I can.!"
".Look Skye, we don't need the tank-engine determination, ok!?"
"Total cheap-age," Jeff giggled. "Tyler, I had it going too! Now, hush up and let me work my magic."
I wound back, then sprung forwards with all of my combined strength and determination! As my hands connected, my welled-up power channeled through the cart.and in moments, all of us were flying forwards! The cart was moving at an incredible rate!
"Man, I knew my self-esteem degrading remarks were just the thing!"
"Sure did, Tyler,"Dan continued sarcastically,"Worked all but one thing.SKYE! Redirect this cart, quickly! It's not going for the curb."
"I-I-I can't turn around!" Jeff got nervous,"Then where are we going!?"
"Want me to describe it to you." Dan joked,"OR do you want me to change position so you can see for yourself?"
"Skye, c'mon!" Tyler snapped his fingers rapidly before my eyes,"Skye, Skye! Skye, what's with the dazed Haley Jones Osment look!? SKYE!!?"
"Let's face it.!" Dan turned his head away,"Skye's hopeless!"
"SKYYYYE.!!" the scream gradually developed a creepy, bubbly tone to it as it faded away.the parking lot became a mere image that slipped itself somewhere into my mind. Everything around me went through a metamorphosis as I found myself levitating within the clouds. The earth below was luscious and green, brimming with life. The water vapor felt cool and refreshing against my skin, and the sunlight induced a warming feeling of internal peace.
My vague state of mind, part two.
Looking down, I was overjoyed to see some pokemon balls latched to my pant legs. With complete control and suave, in one motion I had the ball open, and there I was standing atop a giant purple moth of some kind.
".Venomoth!" I let the words come right out,"To the heavens!"
Facing forwards again, Venomoth flapped her great wings, carrying the both of us towards the barriers of space and time.
Meanwhile in real life.
"Hey, why's Skye acting like he's taking a sobriety test?" Tyler screamed out, watching me spin in circles with my arms outstretched,"Tell me Dan, is he autistic or something!?"
"Ah," Dan panicked,".I don't think so. Sometimes, he's just really stupid."
"Oh wow," Tyler remarked sarcastically,"That's a new concept."
That voice.it was that blue pokemon spirit!
"Hello, Skye."
"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my balance aboard Venomoth,"What do you want this time?"
The blue, canine-like spirit was now flying alongside me, her ribbon- like tails flapping with the breeze, that flowing mantle of fur rippling like a pool behind that diamond headdress.
".Come to me, Skye Grendhert." she invited me in a seductive way,"Come on now."
"Come?" I asked, bringing my fingers through my hair,"You want me to trust you? What do you want me to do?"
".You are much more than you think you are, Skye," she answered,".I know that you are too young to understand, but that will come if you trust in me.now, don't be afraid."
"Afraid.??" Venomoth jerked to the right, throwing my field of vision down so that I shrieked at the redoubtable altitude we were at,".I am.yes."
"Don't give into fear, Skye," the spirit drew closer,".Conquer your fears, and you will reach heights you will never believe.your dreams will only come true if you step out and take a stand.challenge yourself, Skye."
I replied with nothing but a squint of my eyes.
".I will be here to help you.and so will your friends." she continued to preach,".Reach for the heavens Skye.reach with your friends."
"Dude!" Jeff cried,"Where ARE we going!?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Dan asked.
".Maybe not."
"Ah, I'll tell you for kicks," Dan smiled,"We're heading straight for that small gate, over there. The gate should be small enough for the cart to hit, sending all of us flying head first into the river that's down the hill about a couple feet or so. It's not that deep, but all I know is that there are plenty of stones down under the surface to break a bone for two.How's that?"
Jeff now was already trembling with fear.
"Hey, don't blame me!" Dan laughed,"You told me to!"
"But why did you tell me about the river!?" Jeff cried again,"Anything but a river!"
"Thanks a lot, Dan!" Tyler finally acted up again,"Now he sounds like he needs his diaper changed."
".Actually, a jock strap," Dan replied,"And so could I.HEY! That hurts! What are you doing!?"
"I'm bailing!" Tyler chickened,"I'm BAILING!"
"Bailing!?" Kevin shouted from a distance,"No way the great Tyler's chickening out on us! Could it be!? This will put Dylan in the spotlight if Tyler quits out of this.!"
"You're leaving us!?" Dan cried,"Oh Tyler, don't ditch us!"
"Screw it!" Tyler dropped the pokeball,"Sure the hell beats taking a dunk in that unpleasantly shallow stream we're about to plummet into!"
"Believe, Skye Grendhert.believe you can."
"I will!" I gasped, reaching for the pokemon's mane. Venomoth edged the side so that I could take hold of the slender creature.
".That's it, Skye; believe in yourself!"
"Yes.I am FREE!!" I screamed, letting my porous heart take in much joy.
"I'M FREEEE!!!"
"I'm free!?" Jeff sobbed,"No man, we ain't goin' anywhere but FORWARDS!"
"Dan's free enough to get my earnest thoughts about our current guitarist he's got so much connections with," Tyler added, being vitriolic again,"Sure, free to find another band to go have a gig with."
"I want to be free," Dan sighed,"Tyler, go find another person's nads to step on!"
"I already did." Tyler glared at me from the distance.
Believe and reach.! But a malicious power erupted somewhere in my soul, emotions of doubt and sadness! I misjudged my reach, tumbling right off of Venomoth! Screaming as I plummeted towards the earth, a feeling of torment began to pick away at my self esteem.I had meandered because of my own fear.
Just before I hit the trees, the world changed again; another sky surrounded me, one corrupted by battleships and pollution, a red sky representing destruction and death! Smog-like clouds filled my eyes as spires of machinery forged only for war rushed past me, so fast I could barely comprehend what all of this meant.
Everything went a lifeless, rotting green as my body plummeted into a vast, endless pool of some kind of jade substance. Once I was submerged, my soul was being enclosed by feelings of greed, dread and hatred. A feeling that made me want to kill.destroy.
Everything went pitch black, leaving me in a dream-like purgatory.
No, a nightmare!
Then, strange, one-eyed pokemon that were shaped like letters of a strange cipher began to surround me! I screamed out in confusion as their single, piercing stares peered right into my soul. Encircled by these strange creatures, I gave into their power.
"Dude.we're gonna go in!" Tyler panicked,"Any last words?" "Yeah," Jeff gave his opinion,"I wish I could see what the hell's going on, man!" "Here," Dan grabbed Tyler's foot,"If I twist Tyler's foot here, maybe he'll let me move so you can see our premature deaths.here we go.HUH!" "AAAAH!" Tyler screamed,"Damn it all! That HURT!" "Hey!" Dan screamed,"You asked for it!" "Asked for what? Asked for me to step on your vitals!? Then, here like you wanted." "OOOOOH!!" "That had to hurt." "Yeah Jeff. We gotta jump anyway, so I'm just getting my footing ready.oh, don't even think about it, Dan!" "Take this, Tyler!" "Twist my ankle and you'll be deader than disco, buddy!" "We'll all be dead, so it won't make a difference!" "Will it!?" Jeff panicked,"Just shut up and get to the screaming part so it can just be over with!" "Oh, fine," both of them sighed, before all three boys opened their mouths up wide to take in a breath,"AAAAAAHHHHH!!" CRASH! The carriage's front end hit the guardrail leading to the river, flipping it over and sending the threesome right over and out of sight with the carriage! Just as they disappeared from view, the angry Poochyena from before decided to exact it's revenge upon Tyler by leaping teeth-first right over the rail they had collided into, following Tyler's cussing. I was still entranced by my visions, careless and oblivious to those rushing past me to check on my three ailing friends without seeing what I was thinking about. But for some reason, I had no concern; my dreams had a firm grip on me, keeping me from being Skye Grendhert in reality. "Damn, Tyler!" Kevin screamed,"Are you.oh, I literally forgot; good for you that you didn't bail out of that one!" "AAAAAAAHHHGH!!" "You earned it, Tyler!" Jill laughed along. I reached for the sky again as reality slowly began to return to me. Dylan just finished chanting,"Ha, that's for not paying me, cheap ass!" when all of my friends supported the threesome while throwing me strange, mystified and enraged stares and body language.
"Man, look what you did, you!" Dan stretched out his soaked hoodie,"You.you." "Relax," I sighed,"I'm sorry, Dan. The pokemon came again without warning.Truly you know that I wouldn't intend on doing that." "You idiot!" Dan continued to complain,"This sweater.now it's drenched with the worst type of water possible: Briddan water! It's more unsanitary than Mexico's! A coalesce of recycled fast food grease, auto part gasoline, engine oil and refinery waste! This thing's ruined now, look at it!" "I am looking at it," I smiled,"It looks like it took a dunk, that's all. A trip through the washing machine should get it back to normal in no time!" "In no time, Tyler's gonna bum rush our houses with a sawed-off shotgun," Dan continued to give me the wrong end of his attitude,"Forget about our roles in Crisis 350, man, now since you pretty much busted his head and the rest of ours with only about 2 feet of water and just enough submerged rocks and pebbles to break the fall."
"Stop it, Dan!" I shouted back,"You'd do the same thing If you knew what I felt like.do you not know what it's like to have both a brother and a father walk out on you? Do you not consider what effects these nightmares are having upon me?"
"Other than making you stupider than before.um, no," Dan answered,"Plus, you always give me that,'my family hates me,' crap that you always seem to hear on ET all the time.Oh, smooth move; my clothes smell like fuel! Maybe if I strike a match, I'll blow myself up and forget about all of this."
"Oh, I wouldn't want you doing that on me, Dan," I growled,"Even of you said some pretty rotten things to me this afternoon.you know, let's see you lose some inspirational family members. Then you'll know what I feel like."
Dan glared at me for awhile until he got the message that I had no desire for arguing with him anymore. Then, he let his eyelids fall heavy like the orange sun below the horizon,"Geez, Skye. Forget everything I just said."
"Apology accepted," I grinned,"But Dan, not everything on you isn't ruined, is it?"
"Well," Dan nodded,"I can get these jumping jacks replaced pretty easily. My wallet isn't on me at least.and other than that my.oops."
"Huh?" I asked as a faint beeping went off somewhere in Dan's pocket!
Before I could identify what was making that noise, Dan made a sudden retreat towards the back of the Poke Mart! Trying to know why Dan grew panicked and was scrambling in his pockets all of a sudden, I planned an immediate pursuit, but was unexpectedly cut short.not because of the car that swerved out of the way because of my proximity to the street.
My lifelong rival, Tony, was advancing the curb that led to my street a little ways ahead. He had scruffy blonde hair, and he wore a large pair of shades, covering his eyes. He was about my size, but he was a lot chubbier than I was, that's for sure.
As I promised before from the same location.
Tony Blanche, everyone. I tried to work my way around him, but Tony persistently barricaded my way, his repulsive B.O repelling me away from him. By the look behind those glasses, Tony seemed to want to start another everyday problem with me.
We leered at each other for a minute before he spoke first, showing off a set of teeth that was badly neglected in the brushing department,"Hey, reject! What's going on, Huh?"
"I know what's going on," I answered back slyly, laughing at his spacious buck teeth,"It's your low hygiene, that's what's going on. You could make the entire Crust company staff hit the floor with those ugly teeth of yours.What did you shove between em' anyway? A chunk of the Berlin Wall?"
".Hit the floor, huh!?" Tony drew closer with a furious stride,"Look, you. Once my dad gets me a pokemon license, I'll he having you kiss the floor, loser boy."
"We'll see about that, Tony," I glared,"Why don't you get yourself out of my sight and get home.Isn't it time mommy told you to take a shower?"
"I'll be using that stupid silver hair to polish my Tims!"
"Let's see you try it."
Then, I felt it; Tony landed a hard punch right into my stomach! I gasped as I staggered backwards, almost keeling over.
"Uh." I wrapped an arm around my ribs to ease the pain,".Bastard."
"Soon enough, I will!" Tony laughed,"While YOUR mom's baking pies and keeping you from a license, I'll be getting mine and leaving you to kiss my grits! You'll just be left here in boring ol' Elmwood while I'm out there, a famous and revered pokemon master!"
".Or a notorious jerk."
"Well, I've got some important matters to take care of before I start my adventure tomorrow.who cares about school anyway?" Tony nodded, continuing into town,"And most of all, who cares about YOU?"
"Many people do, Tony!" I screamed,"My personal peanut gallery!"
"Oh, so you need your mommy and that gunpowder-sniffing idiot you call Dan just to compare yourself to my level!!?" Tony slowed down,"You spoon-fed little momma's boy! Whatcha gonna do about it, Skye!? Keep kneeling over with your tail between your legs!?"
I got to my feet and stood up to the bully,"I know what I'm gonna do, Tony, and I don't need your cruel remarks just to weigh me down."
".Fine then," Tony laughed,"See you at the Navia League, sucker!"
"I'll be there to make you look REAL bad."
Tony ignored me while arrogantly striding down the street.
"Bad like that set of teeth you could lose in a couple years!" I remarked, but he ignored me and walked on. What a jerk. Back when we were this wee-big, he'd harass me in elementary school, but later, fought back. We evolved from doing run-by stuffed animal shootings, to spitballs, and to the good ol' Baking Soda/ Vinegar film container bombs.Boy, we couldn't get along. And that was a fixed law.
I stopped lamenting my existence, while getting across the street and behind the Poke Mart as soon as possible. There, Dan ran out from behind a rusty dumpster with a look of happy repletion on his face. But once I approached him a little more, he made eye contact and suddenly grew snotty.
"What's wrong, Dan!?" I shouted,"What did you ditch me for!?"
"My cellphone.I um." Dan scratched his head and rolled his head, while retaining some kind of bombastic attitude,".I forgot to tell you.um."
"Let me guess.you got grounded for incinerating your bed sheets again, didn't you?"
".I think," Dan seemed to be in a hurry now, slapping my hand,"But anyway, I gotta fly.my mom's kinda ticked about something and I don't feel like getting another long eulogy from my dad."
"I swear you were overjoyed about something," I gritted my teeth,".Oh well, I ain't gonna dwell about your business. I'll catch you tomorrow, Dan."
"Later!" Dan split shortly after he imitated throwing a pokeball. I imitated him before Dan finally was out of my sight for the day.
Until the next morning.
But what was really wrong with him?
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Skye, where have you been!?" Mom demanded an explanation.
"You know, Mom," I grinned,"Hangin with Dan again. Heh heh."
"He wasn't with Tyler again, was he!?" Mom interrogated, pointing a finger at me,"I better not catch you with those people, Skye! GOT IT!?"
".Yeah!"
"You better not lie to your mother!" mom suddenly giggled, but then replied sternly while watching a pot of boiling water,"Ever since I saw those two feed a flock of bird pokemon Alka Seltzer that day I was at the market, you know I want you to stay out of trouble, ok?"
"Alright, mom," I sighed, holding back a fatigued giggle,"I already heard about the droppings incident more than enough. Let me go upstairs, and get this damn backpack off."
"SKYE! Don't say that again! OR I will ground you from the bathroom for a week!"
Feeling good for playing off such a splendid fib, I was striding confidently up the stairs towards my room just as my mom shouted for me again.
"Hold on, just a minute!" Mom stopped me dead on the stairs. My foot wasn't entirely on some type of surface, so I lost my balance and tumbled down where I started.
"UH, OH, OOW!" I growled,"Mom!"
"Oh, Skye!" my mom slapped on a momentary sweet voice,"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, mom," I chuckled,"Ok, ok.hey, enough kisses!"
Mom's tender affection once again warped back to anger, starting with her facial expression.
"I just got a message from Mr. Shoksman today," Mom stood firm with a long kitchen utensil in her hand,"And from the sound of it, it's probably not good."
".You did..?" I grinned,"You don't intend on using that cooking spoon on me, do you?"
"Don't even think about that PTL, Skye Grendhert," my mom scolded,"Because you're not getting one anytime soon, with grades like those!"
"Grades!?" I gasped,"But that report card was from a month ago! You know I've taken action about it! Don't you, Mom?"
"Don't fawn up to me with those lies!" my mom continued,"I want to know right now why you're blowing school off! You can't be doing this with such a bright, bright future ahead of you."
".You still want to send me to the Thule Pokemon Trainers University, don't you!?" I defended myself,"All the kids in that school are such rude, ignorant penny-pinchers who stick their noses at everyone who's not rich like them!"
"How can you make such insinuations about those people?" mom asked me,"The only time you were there was a school field trip."
"Well, trust me," I leaned against the wall, scratching my head,"The trip sucked."
"Sucked!? Skye, don't say 'sucked'."
"Well, you'd think the same thing if you took a visit there and got ridiculed by the student pokemon trainers! Go ahead, take a trip down there! You'll see why I felt so rotten about going to that college."
"Skye, you must make the most of your life!" Mom pleaded,"The University may not be all that you want it to be, but it's your only chance."
"Chance to be what!?" I sighed,"A prick? You demand so much from me, mother."
My mom loosened up all of a sudden, kneeling over and taking me into her arms. I lifelessly accepted her into my arms.
"Skye, I.I'm."
"Sorry?"
"Yes, my son," my mom sobbed,"I don't mean to force it upon you, but."
"What would the point of going into a school where nobody accepts you?"
"I'm just concerned about your well being."
I gradually broke away from my mom, barely able to comprehend what just came from her lips. My mom stared back up at me, adjusting the platinum hair from her eyes just as I did.
"Well being?" my mom said cutely,"Of course, Skye. It's a mommy's job to be."
"You don't understand how I want to learn to live on, mother.you just."
".Your behavior.It reminds me of your brother."
It was my mother's cell phone again, playing some type of uppity song I heard in a Pokemon Center one time. Mom immediately went for her purse, refusing to finish her sentence.
"Oh, I got a call!" my mom pranced over like a little girl,"Oh, mommy's popular today!"
"Can't you just let it go for once!?" I demanded,"You answer it so much, we have ample time to actually communicate with each other.Mom.Mom?"
She continued to blabber away as I hopelessly trudged up the stairs to my room, so I could slump onto my bed and lament about everything that kept me from the desires of my dreams. The lack of connecting to my mother almost made me morosely loose all forms of hope that inspired me to go on a Pokemon Journey. Even these legendary pokemon.
Damn cell phones.
"I'm gonna be stuck here forever," I sighed, lying the Pichu doll right onto my pillow. Once I inserted the plastic baby bottle into its mouth, the eyes happily lit up, and the Pichu continued to coo as if he was satisfied.
But there was something else I was hearing.
That evil pulsing noise, like the droning of a jet plane far off in the horizon that made my heart and stomach curdle. It was generating from the closet again.
"Could it be.?" I gasped,"Caling me.again.?"
The Pichu was persistently signaling me to remove the bottle, but I was intrigued by the noise and drew myself towards the closet instead. Ripping the door open with the poster of a Doberman-like Houndour on the inside, I was face to face with the only evidence of my true father: a black, tattered headband that was at least six feet long. Wrinkled with age, the headband stretched out like a shoelace until it reached the end, where it seemed to be oddly folded. The headband had a circular, punched hole punctured right through both ends.
This was it: a gift that that my father left for me when I was to come of age.
How do I know this?
I unwillingly reached for it, being the only source of what my father was truly like. As my fingers almost came into contact, my father's voice reverberated through my head!
"Uh." I gasped, paralyzed.
"Skye.my son."
"Dad? Please don't." I cried.
".I am so heartbroken that I had to leave you, my precious boy."
".Why."
".But my secretary has informed me that I must return to my Pokemon Research Company in Zodion, because we had just stumbled across something.something unexpected."
".Don't leave me.I need you.Father."
".Please understand this, Skye. I know you will grow up to be a very powerful pokemon trainer.the most powerful one I will ever know.but you are still so young."
"Too young.I will."
".But until you come of age, I have something that will aid you in your quest.this headband that I had excavated on one of my archeological quests."
"."
"I understand that you might be skeptical of it now, but once you prove yourself of it, it is a powerful relic that will aid you in your life.because."
".Because of what? I don't understand.father."
".You yourself are much more than you think, Skye. You were born for a special reason.you are unique, my boy. That headband will help you channel into your soul to discover the meanings of your desires.your dreams and visions.your nightmares."
"The answer to everything."
".Yes, it is all contained within, Skye. But until you come of age, I advise you to conceal it until it truly calls you.it will.do not touch it. With it also comes evil.an ancient evil that can curse those unprepared for their fate."
"My fate.is sealed?"
".Embrace it's power when it needs you, Skye. It is my best connection to you. I promise you that I will return, but you will be out there on your own until then. Also, Skye, listen to your brother.I haven't given him this covenant yet, but he will guide you until I return."
"My brother.where is he.? I want to see his face.who is he?"
".But beware Skye. Evil is returning to the world, and this sudden report I have received may have to do with it. Please understand, Skye.I love you very much. My time had run out, but keep me close in your dreams."
"I will, father.I will find you!" I was returning to reality just as the darkness surrounding me began to dissipate, leaving me staring back at the headband again, my arm outstretched towards it.
The legendary pokemon that began to speak to me a few years ago.that must mean I am ready.ready to experience the power! The power.
My hand was gripped firmly around the headband. But from there, a sudden jolt ran through my body, as if I subjected a hapless index finger into an electrical plug!
"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-AHHHH!!" I screamed, experiencing a seizure of epic proportions,"UUUHHHH.H-H-H-H."
"Skye!?" my mom screamed from downstairs,"What's going on up there!? Skye, answer me!"
"NOOOO." I maliciously hissed through my teeth, as my body went rigid. Like I was being manipulated like a puppet, I lumbered towards the window, throwing open the screen. The sun had disappeared entirely, leaving behind a silent, star-filled night sky.
My eyes rolled back into my head as the silver moon above me turned a malignant blood red, signaling the appearance of a bright green star tat I've always seen in my dreams; one that was always shown at the zenith, right above, looking down upon me! It shines down with a light filled with agony, pain and a lust to slaughter.
Would it ever go away? Why was it there, always there to torment me?
".TAKE ME! TAKE ME NOOOOOWW!!" I cried up as if I was worshipping it as a god.
Things returned to normal as my eyes rolled back into place, reality reeling me in once again. My sudden change of dimensions also sapped me of all of my energy, and I collapsed onto my bed just as my mother burst through the door and seated herself on my bed before I fell into her embrace.
"Father." I exhaled hopelessly,"Brother.why weren't you there for me.?"
"Oh, you poor thing," my mom cried,"I forgot how much your father desired you to be a pokemon master.but I never thought of the impact that his disappearance had on you would be so intense."
"Mom.I love you." I cooed.
"I love you too, dear," mom stroked my head,".Skye, I have come up with something."
"No, not the Thule." I cuddled the mechanical Pichu with the other arm.
".I hear you have exams before the end of the school year," mom proposed,"If you were to study up and do good on those, that would be solid proof that you are ready to confront the world.as a Pokemon Trainer."
".REALLY!?" I must've looked so stupid with such an ebullient smile, but through my sudden revelation, I didn't even care what I looked like! But actually, I cared for something else because I accidentally flung the mechanical Pichu right through the open window.
"PI-CHUUU~!"
"Yes," mom continued,"Your father always desired that you would face your life head-on as he did.and I actually agree with him, Skye."
"I know," I grinned,"My father may have left, but he is still a good man. I know it."
"A very distinguished Pokemon Researcher, that's what he was," mom continued,"And yes, he was also overly obsessed with Religion, and what actually created or brought pokemon here.,.something like that I can barely remember."
"Religion and Pokemon."
".You look like you could use an early nap," Mom informed, kissing me on the cheek,"But Skye, that PTL will be yours if you work for it! And if you can study, know that your father will be proud to know that you are determined to train Pokemon."
"I am willing." I grinned back.
".Hope you are willing to get whatever that was you just threw out the window there," Mom giggled,".Dinner will be ready in a half hour."
"Ok, mom," I smiled,"Thanks."
"I love you."
Once mom had the door shut, I immediately stumbled over to the window to see where my Pichu doll had landed. Just as I saw him submerged within one of our garbage cans, that same one teetered over, spilling out all of it's contents, including the face-up doll, which peered back up at me emotionlessly. My mom let out a shriek of surprise.
".Oops," I gasped, closing the window and heading downstairs.
Later that night I lie face up in bed, peering up at the bland ceiling while trying to recall all that happened today. It was about midnight and my mother was already in bed, like I was supposed to be, but I was to much in a meditating, deep thought.
Why was Dan acting so strange? Was he excited or nervous about something? As far as I could notice, it seemed to be a combination of both.but this had to be caused by something.
.What would happen if I flunked the end of the year exams? I'd be the laughing stock of the school if the only reason I couldn't be granted a Pokemon license was because of my mom trying to keep e from experiencing the barbarism of the real world! What a wuss I'd become!
Especially Tony! I couldn't stop thinking about what his face would look like when he'd overhear the gossip.Skye the pussy. How degrading.
But most of all was the last words of my father contained within the headband.obviously they all had to do with departure, but what did he really leave for? Had he discovered something new about the origins of Legendary pokemon? After all, that was what most Pokemon Professors were usually looking for.but there was something ambitious, powerful and lustful about the way my father strived for his research.
When would I get over all of it?
Suddenly, a faint childish laugh echoed through my head, telling me to turn my gaze to the window.but there was nothing there.
Never mind. Just another one of these endless mind games.
Face it, something would tell me; your father is gone! He'll never be there to guide you! You're hopeless! You'll never become a Pokemon Master, like he desired you to be!
But no, I had to try.not try, DO! I had to do everything to achieve what I desired! It was what I devoted all my life into.into.
That crystalline, childish giggling had returned, but this time, it was within more than my head.it was all throughout my room and the silent night.
Suddenly, the whole neighborhood was shrouded within an inscrutable, malignant darkness! A darkness that not even an eclipse could emulate; a darkness that entered the very soul itself.
Faintly, I withstood my own doubt and let my only desire tumble right out of my mouth, eyes remaining pasted in one position.
".I wish I could be a Pokemon Master."
Just as I said this, the darkness gradually began to dissipate, though it was still hard to see with only the moonlight coming through toe window.and a scattered slew of spotlight-like eyes peering at me through the window.
"What the heck!?" I sprung up from my bed to look my strange observers over.as from my visions back when I was pushing shopping carts with Tyler and the others, it was those letter-like pokemon that were circling me before! They hovered right at eye level, and it immediately became clear to me what the source of all that maniacal laughing was.
"UUUU-NNNN!"
"HE HEEE HA."
"SKYEEEEE.!"
"SKYYY.EEE!"
"You.!" I shouted,"You're the ones who are bringing me all these unnecessary visions, aren't you!?"
"UUUUUUNNN-OWWWN." the entire group of them eerily hummed in unison, circling within each other like a flock of bats, gradually picking up speed.
"Answer me, damn it!" I shouted.
"UUUUUUNNN-OWWWWN." the strange pokemon went on as if they never heard one word that came out of my mouth, though they didn't resume this for too long. Seeing that I was particularly vexed, they aligned themselves so that they were spelling something.
".What does it say.?" I asked as the letter pokemon finally made it clear,".That's .that's my name!"
"Skye!" they chanted, swirling around again,"SKYE, SKYE, SKYE!"
"I'll never forgive you for this!" I shouted,"You're not making me experience any more visions! Now, let's settle it!"
The letters backed off a bit, ceasing their giggling and batting their eyelids at me. Before I could comprehend anymore from them, they finally turned towards the moon and flew away into the night.
"HEY!" I screamed,"Where ya goin, you discarded Campbell soup components!? I'm not done with you yet!"
"UUUNnnnn-OWN!" they chanted at me from a distance in a ridiculing way,"Unnnnnn.own.!"
"Get back HERE!" I screamed, but they had already disappeared into the night.
What were those pokemon?
Perhaps if I sleep tonight, I'll come across their purpose.
"Damn."