CHAPTER 5-THE TRIALS, PART II
Joseph sat down alone at his favourite bench at the PTS in New Bark Town, possibly for the first time in about seven years. All that time, he had always had Mark to talk to (however stale their conversations were), to tell him his worries, and to listen to him dismissing all of those troubles as if they were nothing. As bad a friend as Mark might have been, only now did realise that Mark made an impression on everyone, sometimes not the best of impressions, but impressions, not least of all Joseph. Put plainly, he was lonely, and he missed Mark dearly. Yet he also knew, somewhere in his mind that he could not just go back to Mark now. He had to get away, to think. But now wasn't the time, he knew. He had to think about his next battle, with Mr. Cuma. Just then, he was made aware of several other kids around him.
"Hey boys, look who's sitting on his own today!" sneered the biggest kid in a husky voice. The bully meanly looked around at his friends, nodded and together, they slid onto the red bench, with the ringleader next to Joseph. He had a rather foul smell to him, one of smelly socks and liquor. He smiled with his strange grin, and said "So, what are you doing?"
Joseph sighed. John, Paul, Charles and Michael pretty much lived to steal, bully and generally make trouble for everyone. While Mark was by his side, they never touched him, but, perhaps sensing an opportunity to bully someone else for a change, they chose him. "Get lost," he exclaimed tiredly. "You're not wanted here. I need to think, and, believe it or not, think about something other than how long you haven't showered for," he said darkly at John, before turning away.
Needless to say, this made John and the others slightly annoyed. One of them, Michael, moved to sit on the other side of Joseph. "Alright, bud," he said, emphasising 'bud', "if you want to live long enough to become a trainer, you'd better show some respect, or else!" he snarled. Joseph simply smiled calmly. "Ooh," he said, "someone's having great success cajoling me," he laughed, and again, brought his mind around to more important things. But this avaricious group wasn't finished with him yet. "Listen up, pipsqueak, when we're finished with you, you'll be just like that Baltoy after standing against that kid's Charizard!" he threatened.
"Uh huh," nodded Joseph, obviously unimpressed. "And when he's finished laughing, his Charizard will make you even worse off than that poor Baltoy!" he scoffed, pointing to a large shadow behind them. Startled, the ugly group looked behind them quickly, only to see nothing. Seething in anger, they slowly turned around in unison once more, anger shown on their faces, only to be staring at Mark, standing and smiling in front of them.
Suddenly, this now less than frivolous group jumped, and uncouthly fell, in unison, onto the ground. They scrambled on their feet, and then panicked as they realised it was Mark who had had the Charizard. "It's.It's.It's him!" shouted Charles, sweating heavily.
"Yeah, it's the guy with the Charizard!" exclaimed Paul, who was already starting to back away.
"Oh no!" was all Michael could utter, turning a ghastly shade of white as if he had been petrified.
"Calm, down men." said John, the only one who could keep his voice down. "Ummm.hi Mark! Errr, we were just, just, talking to Joseph, yeah, that's what we were doing, talking to Joseph. Congratulating him, like, for his victory against Mrs. Kawulsh..Ummmm, yeah, so congratulations and all, well, we, errr need to be going now, so ummm."muttered John, most of those sentences completely unintelligible to everyone around him.
"Bye!" waved Mark cheerfully, and with this, the four bullies ran away, yelling their heads off. "Well, it looks like our headmaster was right after all!" he exclaimed, chuckling. "It seems as if some boys of our age are entering the stage of answering others with monosyllabic grunts and snorts! I'll have to tell him that, boy will he be happy!" he continued, still laughing.
"Mark?" Joseph whispered, half of him not wanting to say anything. "Mark?" he said, louder this time. Still, Mark looked out into the distance, apparently not hearing him. "Mark!" he said, half-shouting this time. Finally, Mark slowly turned around. But then, after finally getting Mark's attention, Joseph realised that he really didn't have a clue what he wanted to say to Mark. "Well, I errr, I guess," Joseph muttered, still unsure of what to say. Then he remembered what one of the Pokemon Studies teacher had one said.
"Sometimes, simple emotions are better to express to a friend" he had said in one particular lesson. Although he had had pokemon friends in mind, that most certainly did not mean that one could not put it to practical use, in a conversation with another human.
"Thank you," he said simply and quietly. "Thank you for helping me out," he continued, still hesitant.
"Hey, we're friends right?" he asked, for once without his usual caustic voice to something such as this. "That's just what friends do. I was just trying helping out. And anyway, from what I saw you were handling yourself well out there," he commented sincerely.
"Thanks Mark," said Joseph extremely relieved to hear that. "So," he thought to himself, "does this mean we're friends again?" Again, Joseph was caught off guard by how Mark could change his personality in an instant, just like earlier in the day. "Well, Mark?" he said out loud, getting Mark's attention. "Look, I'm sorry about this morning, and the argument and all. I started it, just because I was over-eager," he admitted sadly.
Mark just laughed. "Nonsense, chap!" he said amicably. "We both know it was my fault. You expressed your view, and I attacked you. I owe you an apology. I am sorry." He said, really meaning it.
Well, maybe it was the lunch-it might have been the sandwich, perhaps it was the lollies, or possibly it was actually that Mark had been around Joseph for too long (although that was very unlikely), but Mark seemed to have changed, for real, for good. "Well," thought Joseph, "I'm glad that's over, but what now? I don't think it's the right time to ask him if I can join him in his pokemon journey," he continued. "I need some time alone to think. About him, about myself, about this world. No," he concluded, still within himself, "now is not the time to rejoin him." And for the time being, that was that.
Unbeknownst to Joseph, Mark was thinking along the same lines. Looking around, he saw that there were kids frolicking, here and there, a group of tables here, and a scattering of benches over there. There were some evergreen trees behind him, some pretty flowers in front and a flock of spearow above him in the clear sky. "This place is so beautiful, so placid," thought Mark. Suddenly, he whacked himself mentally. "What in the name of Mew am I doing?" he suddenly thought furiously. "Me, the soon-to-be pokemon champion, apologising! And to some weakling like Joseph too!" he fumed to himself. "And to think, I was going to ask him to join me in my quest after these stupid exams! Humph!" he thought defiantly. Then, looking up again, he calmed again somewhat, and relented a little, if only in his mind. "Oh man, what am I thinking?" he asked himself, a bit annoyed at himself. "This is what started our earlier argument. I have to stop this," he finished. But, perhaps there was still some of his old pride and independence in him, for he could not ask Joseph to go with him.
Joseph broke the silence that ensued first, as he was the more open and honest person. "You know, Mark," he began, not exactly sure how to phrase his words. Mark was shaken out of his thoughts by this, and looked at Joseph, waiting. "I was, well, sort of watching your battle," he said, a little uncomfortable at Mark's stare. Mark just kept looking expectantly. "And, well, I think you did very well. So errr congratulations," he said awkwardly.
Mark simply nodded, deep in thought again, and obviously not his usual self, for he had always loved to be congratulated, championed and complimented. But now, his nod was barely perceptible. "You," he started, "you were watching me battle?" he asked. Joseph quickly smiled and nodded positively. "You know," he thought aloud, I didn't see you there," he told him. At this, Joseph's smile vanished, and was replaced by a frown, doing his best not to show his true feelings of nervousness and discomfort.
"Well," began Joseph slowly, thinking frantically "I guess you were just caught up in the moment, and in the battle," he answered. "Yeah, I mean, we both know how psyched up you get about pokemon battles," he said truthfully. You probably just didn't notice me," he concluded.
"Yeah, I suppose," conceded Mark thoughtfully, not entirely satisfied with Joseph's answer. But he didn't give up in his search for an answer. "So tell me," he began, where were you standing? On my side or on Mr. Meenic's side? And which pokemon did I use?" he asked Joseph.
"Well, I was watching from a little behind you," he answered carefully, which was, he supposed, the truth, for the tree on which he had been perched upon was indeed behind Mark, but only just at about a twenty degree angle to Mark. "And," he continued thoughtfully, "you used Raichu against Machoke, followed by Charizard against Baltoy, and then Fearow beat Snorlax," he told mark, hoping he would now be satisfied.
It appeared he was. Yet Mark obviously still wanted to say something to Joseph too. "Joseph, you know, I was watching your match too," he said to him. "And, I thought you did well," he finished. This was hard for him to say, as the rebellious side of him did not believe it. But Mark wanted to have a good friend in Joseph, and was determined to have his way.
Joseph looked at him, surprised. "You did?" he asked rhetorically. "I wonder," he thought to himself, "how do I know he wasn't doing what I was doing?" he continued. Joseph thought for a second, before making up his mind, deciding that he would not ask. He wanted Mark to be his friend, and he was afraid of Mark erupting again. Instead, he said "well, I guess neither of us was paying attention to anything other than our battle then!" he said, hoping Mark would drop the topic. And that he did.
"Mark," Joseph started again, "I.. Well, I don't think we should travel together, I mean, well," he said. Thankfully, Mark nodded in agreement immediately. Joseph sighed, happy that ordeal was over. He and Mark would not be traveling together, not yet, anyway, but they had regained their friendship. In a way, that was a trial too, of two friends and their strength mentally. With that thought on both boys' minds, Mark left Joseph so that he could prepare for his next battle, against Mr. Cuma. Joseph felt that it would be a day to remember. He didn't know how right he would turn out to be.
"Well," thought Joseph, "let's see now.. Mr. Cuma..Oh that's right!" he exclaimed loudly, which made several other kids stop and stare. "Mr. Cuma, teaches Pokemon History," he recited, remembering the information that he had read the night before. "All his pokemon are smart pokemon, at least partly psychic," he recalled. "A Kadabra, a Starmie and a Meditite," he thought. It was a balance between giving everyone a go, and yet not throwing away the battle in doing so. "I'll send out Chinchou if he uses Starmie, Eevee if he sends out Kadabra and Spoink if he sent out Meditite," he decided. "Now," he said to his pokemon after releasing them, "his pokemon have these moves." And so continued Joseph's preparation for the rest of lunchtime.
Joseph sat down alone at his favourite bench at the PTS in New Bark Town, possibly for the first time in about seven years. All that time, he had always had Mark to talk to (however stale their conversations were), to tell him his worries, and to listen to him dismissing all of those troubles as if they were nothing. As bad a friend as Mark might have been, only now did realise that Mark made an impression on everyone, sometimes not the best of impressions, but impressions, not least of all Joseph. Put plainly, he was lonely, and he missed Mark dearly. Yet he also knew, somewhere in his mind that he could not just go back to Mark now. He had to get away, to think. But now wasn't the time, he knew. He had to think about his next battle, with Mr. Cuma. Just then, he was made aware of several other kids around him.
"Hey boys, look who's sitting on his own today!" sneered the biggest kid in a husky voice. The bully meanly looked around at his friends, nodded and together, they slid onto the red bench, with the ringleader next to Joseph. He had a rather foul smell to him, one of smelly socks and liquor. He smiled with his strange grin, and said "So, what are you doing?"
Joseph sighed. John, Paul, Charles and Michael pretty much lived to steal, bully and generally make trouble for everyone. While Mark was by his side, they never touched him, but, perhaps sensing an opportunity to bully someone else for a change, they chose him. "Get lost," he exclaimed tiredly. "You're not wanted here. I need to think, and, believe it or not, think about something other than how long you haven't showered for," he said darkly at John, before turning away.
Needless to say, this made John and the others slightly annoyed. One of them, Michael, moved to sit on the other side of Joseph. "Alright, bud," he said, emphasising 'bud', "if you want to live long enough to become a trainer, you'd better show some respect, or else!" he snarled. Joseph simply smiled calmly. "Ooh," he said, "someone's having great success cajoling me," he laughed, and again, brought his mind around to more important things. But this avaricious group wasn't finished with him yet. "Listen up, pipsqueak, when we're finished with you, you'll be just like that Baltoy after standing against that kid's Charizard!" he threatened.
"Uh huh," nodded Joseph, obviously unimpressed. "And when he's finished laughing, his Charizard will make you even worse off than that poor Baltoy!" he scoffed, pointing to a large shadow behind them. Startled, the ugly group looked behind them quickly, only to see nothing. Seething in anger, they slowly turned around in unison once more, anger shown on their faces, only to be staring at Mark, standing and smiling in front of them.
Suddenly, this now less than frivolous group jumped, and uncouthly fell, in unison, onto the ground. They scrambled on their feet, and then panicked as they realised it was Mark who had had the Charizard. "It's.It's.It's him!" shouted Charles, sweating heavily.
"Yeah, it's the guy with the Charizard!" exclaimed Paul, who was already starting to back away.
"Oh no!" was all Michael could utter, turning a ghastly shade of white as if he had been petrified.
"Calm, down men." said John, the only one who could keep his voice down. "Ummm.hi Mark! Errr, we were just, just, talking to Joseph, yeah, that's what we were doing, talking to Joseph. Congratulating him, like, for his victory against Mrs. Kawulsh..Ummmm, yeah, so congratulations and all, well, we, errr need to be going now, so ummm."muttered John, most of those sentences completely unintelligible to everyone around him.
"Bye!" waved Mark cheerfully, and with this, the four bullies ran away, yelling their heads off. "Well, it looks like our headmaster was right after all!" he exclaimed, chuckling. "It seems as if some boys of our age are entering the stage of answering others with monosyllabic grunts and snorts! I'll have to tell him that, boy will he be happy!" he continued, still laughing.
"Mark?" Joseph whispered, half of him not wanting to say anything. "Mark?" he said, louder this time. Still, Mark looked out into the distance, apparently not hearing him. "Mark!" he said, half-shouting this time. Finally, Mark slowly turned around. But then, after finally getting Mark's attention, Joseph realised that he really didn't have a clue what he wanted to say to Mark. "Well, I errr, I guess," Joseph muttered, still unsure of what to say. Then he remembered what one of the Pokemon Studies teacher had one said.
"Sometimes, simple emotions are better to express to a friend" he had said in one particular lesson. Although he had had pokemon friends in mind, that most certainly did not mean that one could not put it to practical use, in a conversation with another human.
"Thank you," he said simply and quietly. "Thank you for helping me out," he continued, still hesitant.
"Hey, we're friends right?" he asked, for once without his usual caustic voice to something such as this. "That's just what friends do. I was just trying helping out. And anyway, from what I saw you were handling yourself well out there," he commented sincerely.
"Thanks Mark," said Joseph extremely relieved to hear that. "So," he thought to himself, "does this mean we're friends again?" Again, Joseph was caught off guard by how Mark could change his personality in an instant, just like earlier in the day. "Well, Mark?" he said out loud, getting Mark's attention. "Look, I'm sorry about this morning, and the argument and all. I started it, just because I was over-eager," he admitted sadly.
Mark just laughed. "Nonsense, chap!" he said amicably. "We both know it was my fault. You expressed your view, and I attacked you. I owe you an apology. I am sorry." He said, really meaning it.
Well, maybe it was the lunch-it might have been the sandwich, perhaps it was the lollies, or possibly it was actually that Mark had been around Joseph for too long (although that was very unlikely), but Mark seemed to have changed, for real, for good. "Well," thought Joseph, "I'm glad that's over, but what now? I don't think it's the right time to ask him if I can join him in his pokemon journey," he continued. "I need some time alone to think. About him, about myself, about this world. No," he concluded, still within himself, "now is not the time to rejoin him." And for the time being, that was that.
Unbeknownst to Joseph, Mark was thinking along the same lines. Looking around, he saw that there were kids frolicking, here and there, a group of tables here, and a scattering of benches over there. There were some evergreen trees behind him, some pretty flowers in front and a flock of spearow above him in the clear sky. "This place is so beautiful, so placid," thought Mark. Suddenly, he whacked himself mentally. "What in the name of Mew am I doing?" he suddenly thought furiously. "Me, the soon-to-be pokemon champion, apologising! And to some weakling like Joseph too!" he fumed to himself. "And to think, I was going to ask him to join me in my quest after these stupid exams! Humph!" he thought defiantly. Then, looking up again, he calmed again somewhat, and relented a little, if only in his mind. "Oh man, what am I thinking?" he asked himself, a bit annoyed at himself. "This is what started our earlier argument. I have to stop this," he finished. But, perhaps there was still some of his old pride and independence in him, for he could not ask Joseph to go with him.
Joseph broke the silence that ensued first, as he was the more open and honest person. "You know, Mark," he began, not exactly sure how to phrase his words. Mark was shaken out of his thoughts by this, and looked at Joseph, waiting. "I was, well, sort of watching your battle," he said, a little uncomfortable at Mark's stare. Mark just kept looking expectantly. "And, well, I think you did very well. So errr congratulations," he said awkwardly.
Mark simply nodded, deep in thought again, and obviously not his usual self, for he had always loved to be congratulated, championed and complimented. But now, his nod was barely perceptible. "You," he started, "you were watching me battle?" he asked. Joseph quickly smiled and nodded positively. "You know," he thought aloud, I didn't see you there," he told him. At this, Joseph's smile vanished, and was replaced by a frown, doing his best not to show his true feelings of nervousness and discomfort.
"Well," began Joseph slowly, thinking frantically "I guess you were just caught up in the moment, and in the battle," he answered. "Yeah, I mean, we both know how psyched up you get about pokemon battles," he said truthfully. You probably just didn't notice me," he concluded.
"Yeah, I suppose," conceded Mark thoughtfully, not entirely satisfied with Joseph's answer. But he didn't give up in his search for an answer. "So tell me," he began, where were you standing? On my side or on Mr. Meenic's side? And which pokemon did I use?" he asked Joseph.
"Well, I was watching from a little behind you," he answered carefully, which was, he supposed, the truth, for the tree on which he had been perched upon was indeed behind Mark, but only just at about a twenty degree angle to Mark. "And," he continued thoughtfully, "you used Raichu against Machoke, followed by Charizard against Baltoy, and then Fearow beat Snorlax," he told mark, hoping he would now be satisfied.
It appeared he was. Yet Mark obviously still wanted to say something to Joseph too. "Joseph, you know, I was watching your match too," he said to him. "And, I thought you did well," he finished. This was hard for him to say, as the rebellious side of him did not believe it. But Mark wanted to have a good friend in Joseph, and was determined to have his way.
Joseph looked at him, surprised. "You did?" he asked rhetorically. "I wonder," he thought to himself, "how do I know he wasn't doing what I was doing?" he continued. Joseph thought for a second, before making up his mind, deciding that he would not ask. He wanted Mark to be his friend, and he was afraid of Mark erupting again. Instead, he said "well, I guess neither of us was paying attention to anything other than our battle then!" he said, hoping Mark would drop the topic. And that he did.
"Mark," Joseph started again, "I.. Well, I don't think we should travel together, I mean, well," he said. Thankfully, Mark nodded in agreement immediately. Joseph sighed, happy that ordeal was over. He and Mark would not be traveling together, not yet, anyway, but they had regained their friendship. In a way, that was a trial too, of two friends and their strength mentally. With that thought on both boys' minds, Mark left Joseph so that he could prepare for his next battle, against Mr. Cuma. Joseph felt that it would be a day to remember. He didn't know how right he would turn out to be.
"Well," thought Joseph, "let's see now.. Mr. Cuma..Oh that's right!" he exclaimed loudly, which made several other kids stop and stare. "Mr. Cuma, teaches Pokemon History," he recited, remembering the information that he had read the night before. "All his pokemon are smart pokemon, at least partly psychic," he recalled. "A Kadabra, a Starmie and a Meditite," he thought. It was a balance between giving everyone a go, and yet not throwing away the battle in doing so. "I'll send out Chinchou if he uses Starmie, Eevee if he sends out Kadabra and Spoink if he sent out Meditite," he decided. "Now," he said to his pokemon after releasing them, "his pokemon have these moves." And so continued Joseph's preparation for the rest of lunchtime.