"I am worthless," I recited for the hundredth time that day. "I should cease to exist."
"You got that right, bitch," my older brother said. "Of course you're worthless."
I looked up, my black eyes staring at him, trying to see through him. It never worked.
"I hate you," I said, tears forming in my eyes.
"Same here," he replied. "But you won't die, so there's nothing I can do. Why won't you die?"
"I don't know..."
Because she's not alive...
"Why can't you be stupid?"
"I don't know..."
Because she's as wise as the dead...
"Why do you take the limelight from me? I'm older than you!"
"I don't know..."
Because she is greater than you...or any living person will ever be.

I woke up, sweat dripping from my forehead. It was another dark night full of dreams...no...nightmares. Vivid, horrid, horrible nightmares. I hated them. Hate is not a word I use often...
"Ang, why'd ya scream?" my father asked as he opened the door.
"It's because she's damn scared, that's why," my brother interrupted. He had appeared near the door, too.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," I said.
"It better not. Last time the neighbors called the cops on us thinking we were torturing you." My father spoke harshly.
"I know...I know..."
"Good."
The door slammed shut and I was alone again. No...Not alone...something was around me.
Ignore it...just ignore it Angy. It'll go away...it'll... And I fell fast asleep.

Morning came and the sun finally released me from the hold my nightmares had on me. I jumped out of bed and pulled on some decent cloths for school. The clock near my bed read 6:47. It was early. But not early enough. I grabbed a laundry basket and hauled it out to the front yard.
"Morning, Ang," said the neighbor from across the street, as he trimmed his hedges. He had long hair and was about 19 years old. His Machoke flexed its muscles next to him. "Need Mach to bring that laundry up to the Washers?"
"No Mr. Meeker, it's quite early enough for me to bring it there myself," I said as I turned back to the house. I fixed some lunch for school and was back on the yard before Meeker could finish trimming the hedges he was working on.
"That was fast," Meeker said. "I think you broke the world record for running into and out of a house once again."
"Humph, I've done it so many times I wonder why I can't go faster."
"Ah..." He lost interest in me. He always said: ahh... when he lost interest. Oh well.
I started to walk at a fast pace towards the Washer's. The laundry was getting heavy and at the rate I was going, I'd get too tired before I reached the washers. I was starting to regret not taking up Meeker's offer.
"Ugh...this is far heavier than I remember."

After a few minutes of struggling, I finally made it to the washers. By the time I got back to my house, it was almost 7:00, so I decided to head towards school. I grabbed my book back and I was off.
Lavender School was located on the main street of the town. From there it extended toward the country side. It was Lavender's only school, but it was big enough to fit all the grades. There was no university in Lavender, and most people traveled to Celadon or Saffron to go to the famous ones over there. I ran towards the elementary section of the school and into class room 138.
Panting, I placed my lunch in a cabinet to the far side of the class room. I looked around, seeing 13 desks, the teacher's desk, a chalk board, TV, and a rack holding PokeBalls. I sighed. I was lucky to have arrived so early, or I would have been bullied by some jerk who roamed the hallways between the middle school and elementary. He had a certain interest in me because I was small, and let's face it, I couldn't fight. He usually stole my lunch or money, the typical bully stuff.
"Oi, Ang," said a voice.
I turned around. Before me stood a plump 10 year old with red cheeks and curly blond hair.
"Early again?" she asked.
"Yup," I said. "I've found out that waking up early rids my day of both my family and that bully.
"So your bro and da are acting up again?"
I nodded my head. They were always acting up.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Why don't you tell anyone? Like a teacher?"
"Who do you think their going to believe, me or my father? He's a respectable figure when he wants to be." Of course they were going to believe my father.
"But he did kill you're mum, didn't he? It's part of his reputation."
"If people had known that he killed Mother, he would be in jail. That's the problem; they all think our old Atuk killed her."
"Oh...well..."
"I don't like talking about it," I finally said. "When I turn 10, I'm leaving this place.
Maybe to become a Pokemon Trainer, who knows? Or I might become a breeder." Or I can just commit suicide, but I didn't tell my friend that.
With that, the plump girl walked over to the cabinet and placed her own lunchbox there. She came from a rich family and had a lot of stuff and great parents. I envied her, but I didn't want to be her. Our relationship was mutual. She wanted my physical appearance and brain, and I wanted her family. Go figure.
Not that I was much to look at. I was rather small, even for an 8 year old. I had shoulder length black hair, and green eyes.
The girl came back and soon enough, just like magic, the room was being filled with more fourth graders. Now, you may be wondering what an 8 year old was doing in a fourth grade class room. Here's the deal, I skipped a grade when I was younger, and that's that.

School was fascinating, as always. I rather liked school and I didn't see why others didn't. The only think that I disliked about school was Physical Education. But other than that, school was pretty okay. Lavender Town had different types of classes. Some were of Pokemon, but some were History, Science, Math, etc. I liked the academic classes more than the Pokemon ones, but that didn't mean I didn't like them.

Anyways, school went by quick and soon enough I was outside again, walking to the exit. I had stayed later to help one of my teachers with some of the Pokemon she was to bring into our Battle Classes. Because of that, my rich friend, Adrianna, couldn't take me home. Usually, she rode in her limo and would take me to my house. Or as close to it as we could go without my father finding out that my best friend was the heir of probably one of the richest family in Lavender.

As I walked out of the exit, a voice cried out. A voice I know all too well. Ugh…great.

"Eh, Shikyo, what are you doing by yourself?" the voice said. "Little kids travel in packs, you know."

I closed my eyes. This was just another trip down hell. I took of my book bag and pulled out the money. That was always what the jackass wanted, money. The little that I had.

"Oh, no Angy," the kid said. "I don't want your money, but if you insist."

I gave him the money, grabbed my book bag, and turned to leave. I was going to break into a run, but he grabbed my book bag, which made me stop.

"Come on, keep running," he said, taunting me. "Or should I hit you like a horse? Will that make your run?"

Wham. I cringed, thinking that the sound was of the kid's fist hitting my flesh. But I felt no pain. I looked up.

The bully was on his back, arms over his stomach. He was screaming a long string of curse words, but not at me. To his side was a tall boy, of about 10. He had long blonde hair and blue eyes. A Ninetales was sitting along side him.

"Come on, before he gets up," the boy said, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a run. He ran pretty fast, too fast for me to keep up. When we were about a block away from the school, I stopped. He stopped, too. During the whole time the Ninetales had been running with us.

"Erm…thanks," I said, panting. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," the boy answered, drawing in breaths of his own. "But it's Chase. Chase Sandel."

"Sounds like footwear," I replied. "No offense."

"Well, yeah, it does, doesn't it?" He laughed. "You best be going now. School let out a while ago and your parents might be worried."

"Oh, my father wouldn't care," I said. I bit my lip. Parents. He meant parent.

Chase raised his eyebrows, but dismissed it. He was probably living in a good household or something like that.

"Well, I can walk you home," he said. "Just in case that kid comes back."

"Yeah, that bastard."

Chase seemed surprised at my colorful language. He dismissed it once again.

"So, which way?" he asked, when we met a fork in the roads. Two directions: Northeast or Northwest. Northwest was the rich side of Lavender and the Northeast was the…well, not exactly what you'd call the ghetto, but still pretty shabby.

"Northeast," I said, pointing toward my home. I could see Chase looking over to the Northwest. I gulped.

We walked along the street for sometime, the Ninetales always following us. I wondered how Chase had got a Ninetales. I mean, they are very powerful, and ten year olds don't usually have them.

"Erm…Chase, how did you get your Ninetales?" I asked.

"Long story," he answered, his eyes looking downward. "A story you don't need to know."

He didn't want to tell me. I shrugged it off. But why wouldn't he? It's not like having a Ninetales is a curse. I guess it is personal; best not intrude.

So that's how our walk went; quiet. But yet, it was fun and soothing. Chase was a lot like me; reserved and kept to himself.

Finally, we reached my home. From the outside, my house looked somewhat decent due to yesterday's hard labor in trying to keep the house presentable. I was glad that I had taken the afternoon to fix the house up a bit.

"Well, thank you," I said, bowing.

"You're welcome," he answered back, petting his Ninetales. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Good day."