Hello my peeps and peepel's!
Now this has been a long gap... but what can I say. Work has kept me busy and other people's FanFiction has kept me sane(ish).
Now this chap took a while to write, but now I'm happy with it so here you go!
Disclaimer: don't own, don't distribute, don't leave!! :'(
—— @@ ——
I guess I can see why James ran away in the anime... it's similar to the reason I mentioned before... when I was being thankful on not having siblings in this life. Though from the outside view, his life seemed even more confined than mine.
Context you ask?
I was invited to a "party" at James's house (read mansion), to which I was now finally allowed to attend. My parents didn't really have any objections to it anymore, considering I now own my own Pokémon (conditionally) and wouldn't be asking them for 'one of those' if I saw another. Only my father was here though. My mother had bowed out sighting a headache, probably induced by her FOPPISH (fear of Pokémon present in spacey house) ailment.
I didn't really think much about it when I saw James elsewhere and attending other shindigs, but he is basically taped to his father's side. Where I was taught to interact (read distract) other kids during those parties, James was forced to stay by either his father or his mother. He was to be silent unless spoken to and put his opinion (read his parent's option) into conversations when asked.
I didn't notice this before.
I'm not as observant as I should have been during these 'priceless' events, and I've been a bit of a shitty friend. He didn't really get a chance to make friends with other kids in this setting.
'He's lucky even being able to go to school with how clingy his parents are.'
Still, he tends to be by himself there too, now that I think about it... I haven't even helped him make any more friend outside of myself. Even if I had only been going there a couple of days so far.
This meant that James had his Growlithe as his only friend before me. Not really getting the chance to make friends outside of his parents circle, he didn't really have any others. Being the shitty friend that I now realise I am, I didn't even insist on him coming over to mine or myself going to see him more often.
The party, my parents held previously must have been an exception or I pulled him away from the conversation quickly enough that James's father couldn't voice an objection at the time.
I only noticed, when, at this party other children were being entertained by the 'entertainment' and I asked James to come and watch with me. This time his father (un-subtly) told me to 'leave him be', because he was 'busy'.
Watching him stand there, surrounded by the money-hungry masses, and seeing the isolation he is subjected to...
As I said. I can see why he chose to leave...
I don't think I could live like that either and I already have an elder mindset and warmer (previous life) childhood memories to help guide me through.
'The school might have been more of an idea created by his parents to get him out of the house and away from his most loyal friend, and Pokémon. I need to get him to take the owners licence test with me, that way if he still decides to go he can at least take Growlithe with him.'
I can't remember why he didn't take his puppy with him in the anime, but perhaps lack of true ownership was a factor. I do remember the pup wanting to follow, I cried on that scene, I mean who wouldn't? Leaving his only true friend behind, the only one who really knew him.
Well that's not gonna be true much longer!
Er- and by that I mean.
I'm going to try to be a better friend and hopefully he won't end up, running away/joining a gang/ joining a second gang and becoming a criminal. It's what a true friend would do!
'Now how to separate the prey from the Vullaby?' I think to myself, eyeing the clucking flock from a small distance.
People, draped in high class gowns and immaculate suits, were wondering around and discussing 'business' in small groups. Some had drinks in their hands, while others were gesturing mildly to emphasise their words. Waiters were carrying trays around in-between, more drinks and small snacks stacked on them. Everything was similar to the parties held by my parents, except for the fact that Pokémon decorated the hall as well.
And yes I mean decorated.
These Pokémon don't look like they have seen a battle since they were born. And I'm including that battle to escape the womb- *shutters*
Don'tthinkaboutit, don'tthinkaboutit, don'tthinkaboutit!
...
... good forgotten...
Now where was I?
Right! The Poké's in the room.
I don't yet know much about battling, but I do know that animals, working animals at least, always have visual cues about them to tell you that they are active. More definition in their muscles, higher energy levels and a better alertness to everything around them.
These Poké's did not have those qualities.
The Ninetails was so clean, that it looked white not it's natural cream colour. I'm pretty sure the shinny for Ninetails is silver and that's even a bigger colour difference to what I'm looking at.
The Persian I saw was curled up on its own cushion and (as far as I know) has been asleep the entire time I've been here. Only the minimal production of energy it uses to breath and flick its ears now and again, let me know it was still alive.
There was a Staravia so chunky that it looked like it couldn't even fly from its perch, which was being rolled around behind its owner. The fat bird probably flew about as well as a chicken.
I had even seen a Purrloin so draped in jewellery that it wasn't even following it's natural instincts to steal from/ frustrate the nearest person. But I don't know for sure if that's just it's attitude or someone did actually train it not too.
Conclusion: These were not Pokémon, these were pets!
'Whatever that's not important right now, focus! Focus on Ja- Huh?! Where'd he go?'
His Father was in a pretty heated discussion with another of his guests and his mother was now enjoying some 'business' related discussion with some other ladies at the tea table, laughing occasionally. James was no longer in my sights. I don't think he's even in the hall anymore.
Oops lost him...
'Well good for him! He must have snuck out, that's what I would have done. But if I go look for him I might get lost... this house is even bigger than mine... I think. I haven't really counted our rooms and bathrooms yet- Whatever! We're getting off topic again! Where would he be?'
Wait... Duh. I roll my eyes a bit.
'With his dog, obviously! Well that's where I would go anyway.'
So how do I get to the doghouse?
I remember there was a whole second house (read mansion again) in the anime, but I'm not really positive on where it was... 'maybe in the front drive? Or further down the driveway? Round the back? Either way, the cannon crew commented on it before entering the main house... soooo... butler!! We're are yoouu?'
I do another quick scan around and spot an unoccupied butler. 'Not sure if he's the cannon one though, I mean seen one butler seen them all, right? Still this one is balding and vaguely Blaine'esc in appearance so maybe?'
I make my way over anyway, dodging manicured hands and expense looking shoes.
'If he's not the cannon butler it doesn't really matter, he should be able to steer me in the right direction. All the butlers/ maids working in the room also work for this house, so they should know where the pup lives at the very least.'
I approached without much caution, not too worried about being reprimanded for anything. I mean I was just talking to the butler, nothing suspicious. It wasn't like I had planned any pranks tonight. I was making myself behave incase my getting in trouble caused me to be grounded. It would mean inability to attend another 'ball' and/or have my Pokémon removed from me... I had a lot of consequences for my mischief now. Even if I was less concerned about the first one.
'Whatever I wasn't doing anything wrong right now... so why is that butler giving me a funny look? I didn't do it!'
Errr... wait... right... I might have been standing there staring at him for a moment... It's possible I could have even been scowling for a second too.
I think my guilty conscience is playing up.
The butler's eyebrow raises...
'Say something idiot!'
"Mr.? Do you know where James is?" Adorable pose no1 initiate.
"James? Ahh yes! Young Master James has gone to make sure his puppy hasn't started any fires in his room. He should be back soon Young Miss."
'Yeah right! I wouldn't return if I had a choice.' I glance around at the skulk's of Nikkit in Mareep's wool. 'If I had known this excuse could work I would have used it myself. I bet James's puppy is as smart as mine, if not a little bit less so... I'm not bias.'
"Can you take me to him? I have something to talk with him about."
The butler starts to shoo me back to the party with a "young master shouldn't be too long". Or that's what I assume he would have done, but I continued to speak.
"Please Mr. It's really important!" Cue 'cute pose no3'.
I had so many helpful poses that I had to start numbering and categorise them.
This one involved: a raising of the brow, a pointer finger on the chin and eyes looking up, growing larger. This pose could morph into the dreaded pose no7; pouting of the lips, crossing of the arms, watering of the eyes and the threatening of the foot stomp.
Science!
Sighing.
Hurray for science! The sweet taste of victory again.
"Very well Miss, follow me."
—— @@ ——
It took a while to arrive at the doghouse. It was outside... and down the 'drive-way' a bit. The trip even involved a short carriage ride drafted by a pair of Ponyta.
The doghouse, being the same as what I remember of the anime. Still a mansion in its own right, being two stories high, four rooms across and probably the same deep. It was visibly smaller that the main house (that one being at least four stories), and was coloured with pale yellow walls and a light blue roof.
The butler opened the door just as James and his puppy were running past. Laughter bounced off the warm walls of the room. It died quickly when the butler coughed into his hand announcing our arrival.
"Young Master James... the Miss here would like to speak with you."
"Yes, Mr. Skipkin. Hello Elizab-"
"Izzy!" I interrupted quickly. I do not want to hear that again if I could help it.
They were both looking at me, and I grin enjoying the awkward pause I had created in this conversation.
"Right? Well, when you have finished your discussions perhaps you should return to the hall?" Disapproval colouring the butler's tone.
"Yes Mr. Skipkin." As James spoke he and his pup looked down. The butler nodded and left the room.
A few moments of silence past before I decided to speak. While I didn't mind creating awkward silences, depressing ones needed to be cut as soon as possible.
"So James! How are you?" I grimace a bit. Great conversationalist I am.
He looked up and grins seeing my expression. "I'm fine, how are you Eliz-"
"Izzy! I'm calling myself Izzy from now on! You will call me that as well, cause your my friend ok!" I grin.
"Alright, Izzy..." he smiles back, obviously cheered up by learning he doesn't have to say my full name again.
"Ok great! So what did you want to talk about?"
He gives me a confused look. "I thought you were the one who had something important to discuss with me?"
"Huh? No not really...?" 'I was just using that excuse to find you.'
"What?" Yay more awkward silence, I'm on a roll tonight!
"Growl..." the pup next to James finally pipes up, and enters the conversation. Just a glance at him and I can see he's adopted this cute, confused expression.
"Aww look at you! You must be Growlie. Hi I'm Izzy." I hold out my hand, wrist up and he sniffs my palm.
His breath is warm on my hand.
"So what were you guys doing? It looks like fun!"
"We were just running around, I didn't want to be at the party anymore..." he seemed like he had more to add to that sentence but stopped halfway.
His shoulders began to drop again. But Growlie barked before they could slope much further, cheering him a bit.
"Well I found the party pretty boring too. So let's play!" I moved a step forward taping him on the chest. "Tag! Your it!"
Running away as quickly as I can I almost trip -'Stupid dress'-, but right myself just fast enough to speed out of the room and into another, before James could make sense of the dramatic shift.
"Hey! You cheated!" He shouts before I hear footsteps follow. Laughter bounces off the walls once again.
—— @@ ——
It was a couple of hours later we were sitting on some green couches in front of a low crackling fire. We have yet to go back to the hall preferring the warmth of the doghouse over the coldness of the main hall.
"The party should be over soon so we should really be getting back."
It was almost 10 and I was becoming dead on my feet. I really need to up my exercise routine. We had only played chase for about twenty minutes before I had to parlay. After that we sat down and played a couple of other games to keep us busy so we didn't have to return.
"Yeah I know..." James's mood dropped almost immediately. His Growlithe just looked at him sadly.
I didn't really know what to say. "Do you want to talk about it?" I ask hesitantly. "I'm probably going though similar things to you... maybe I can help?"
He sighed. "I guess...I Just...I can't be my own person... my parents tell me what to do, how to dress, what to say... I just don't want to do it anymore... I want to decide on my own! I'm not even allowed to play on my own with Growlie these days. They have me studying too much. I barely see him anymore." James's feet rose onto the couch and Growlie snuggled in closer.
"..." there wasn't much I could say to that, my new parents left me alone most of the time. I would self-study quite a bit but they never forced me to work on one subject over another... apart from the limitations on learning about Pokémon in general they didn't bother me much.
This might be a difference in gender thing, now that I think about it... I won't have to work if I'm pretty, I'll just be there to make my future husband look good. Eye candy or a trophy wife, en' what not.
Pfft! If it comes to that I'm out of here! I'm pretty sure Pokémon training is considered a job.
"- married to!" While I was thinking James had continued speaking.
I reeeeally need to stop doing that, I miss a lot of important conversation that way.
"What?!" I say hoping I put the right amount of exclamation in my tone.
"Yeah they decided! I'm to meet my fiancé next week..." James was now hugging his knees to his chest. Growlie looked pretty upset as well.
'Ah right... that fake Jessie and her Tokèmon -er I mean weed Pokémon -no! Wait I mean oddish! Yeah that's what I meant. Oh yeah that's gonna happen soon? I kinda forgot. Bad friend! Bad friend!'
"Maybe you'll like her?" I offer, not sounding to sure, because I know he won't.
"Maybe... still I don't want my whole life decided for me... maybe I should just run away..."
"Don't do that! At least not yet!" I say quickly.
James looks up through his blue hair, his green eyes mist'd with unshed tears. "What...?"
Yeah what? 'Don't run away yet?' Idiot.
"You might not do to well away from the luxury you have been living in until now... especially without a Pokémon with you! You should take the owners-trainer exam with me. Then you could transfer ownership of Growlie from your parents to you and take him with you if you still want to go!"
'Yep run away after you can take the fire breathing dog with you... good friend advice.'
"Growlithe!" Growlie was obviously excited about that idea, if the wagging of his tail was anything to go by.
"But wouldn't it be hard for him?"
"It would be even more dangerous for you if you went alone! Growlie is a fire type! Kanto is made up of a majority of bug, grass and poison types. If you stay away from the lakes, oceans and the mountains, and take some antidotes with you, you should be just peachy!" He looked a little more convinced than before.
"But-"
"No buts!" I turn to the Loyal Puppy Pokémon . "You! You make sure, even if James doesn't get his trainer licence, that you don't leave him ever! Even if he tells you to ok!"
Growlie looked very serious (aww so cute) when he replied with a bark/ growl combo, that I took to mean "he won't be going anywhere without me!"
"Well now you have no choice! He'll follow you anyway! And if you ever need anything make sure you come and see me! I'll help as much as I can ok!! That's what a good friend would do." Even if this good friend was helping you run away from home...
"I- okay, thanks El-" my eyebrows drop quickly hearing that first syllable. "-Izzy, thanks a lot." My expression was quickly replaced by a smile.
"Good! Now we better return to the party! So wipe that face and let's go enter the social function of fancy fu- er funky peps." I hoped that the glitch in that sentence wasn't as noticeable as I thought it was.
James was still young and considering his upbringing he might not have heard any swearing yet. I did not want to be the one who started it.
James laughed. From his reaction maybe he did know, oh poor innocence, where for art thou?
I wonder where he learnt it from?
"What?" I give him my blank, innocent pose no4. Arms crossed in my lap, head tilted to the left and large eyes.
A lot of the poses involve large eyes.
He laughs harder. I crack a grin to.
I'm glad I got him out of his funk.
"Ok Mr. Giggles it time to go!"
He sobers up but doesn't stop smiling.
"Thanks Izzy."
"Your welcome." I point my nose to the air while speaking in a snotty voice. "Come Young Master James, we must venture back to the soirée and present ourselves with the upmost elegance."
"Very well, Miss Izzy-" he almost broke using my nickname instead of my full name. "I am ready to adjourn back to the hall."
We giggle.
His fire puppy barks happily, not as worried about James now.
"I'll see you later Growlie!"
Oh wait 'fire puppy'.
"Hey does Growlie ever soot himself?" My random question blurts out, stoping James in his tracks.
"What?" He gives me a confused look.
"Does Growlie like to cover himself in soot?"
There is another moment of silence while James processes my question.
"Um..." James looks at Growlie.
"Fine I'll ask him!" I look at Growlie. "Do you like to put soot on your coat?"
Growlie looks at me.
Growlie looks at James.
Growlie barks and grumbles a bit.
I look at James.
James looks at me.
"Yes...?"
"Oh okay that's cool, I wondered if it was a fire puppy thing or not."
"You're weird Iz..."
"I know."
James grins, then laughs before grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the door.
"Bye Growlie." I wave as I leave.
'Hmm? That Growlithe is doing an amazing impression of my Houndour. I wonder why they look so similar right now?'
—— @@ ——
The party doesn't last much longer after we return. James joined his father again, but this time if I ever caught his eye, I'd make a face. He would sometimes be able to suppress his humour, but I could usually get him to crack a grin. I'm just too good. I even made him laugh once, causing his father to halt the conversation he was having and ask him what was so funny.
Well I think I accomplished my goal of being a better friend already! Good job me!
I found my father in the corner of the room. The one with the least Pokémon near it. He was talking to a younger man with slicked back dark hair and a black suit.
I interrupted when there was a break in conversation, not really willing to introduce myself because of how exhausted I was feeling now.
It was almost reaching 11 and my young body was feeling it.
"Father I'm ready to dep-aart." A yawn interrupted my sentence, before I could complete it.
"Ah yes I suppose it is getting late..." he didn't really seem to mind the interruption. "I will have to speak with you another time," he said toward his companion. -"children need attention too."
"Yes I agree, I have a son of my own, he's not at that age yet but I know how it is. I will speak to you next time."
"Yes." He turns back to me. "Come then Elizabeth lets get you home."
Father grabbed my hand escorting me away. I mumble a quiet goodbye and wave to the man as we leave.
He was vaguely familiar to me but I couldn't put my finger on why, my mind was to tired to work it out at the moment.
We said our farewells to the hosts, me making James smile one more time. He looks as though he was about to drop too.
I fall asleep before we reach home and I assume I'm carried upstairs, to my room by one of the butlers.
—— @@ ——
Yeah sorry...
No training. Didn't see Houndour either in this chapter. But~ his look still made it. Lol.
I blame the fact that I'm still settling in to the story and setting the scene.
Thank you for the follows and faves!! :D
Also to that reviewer about script/ srcipt spelling thank you! I think I mentioned 'I not good at English'? That includes spelling. So if the autocorrect missed it, it probably won't be corrected unless pointed out. I blame not seeing this on this random theory I read once, about how as long as the first and last letters of words are correct the brain re-jumbles them into the correct order. -derp- anyway thank you and I think that's been corrected now.
Also it seems some of my emojis and line breaks are not appearing. I have tried to fix it but I don't think it's working still. So if there is a sudden shift from one thought/ scene to the next I apologise and plz pretend that the line break/ scene change is there. Thank u. ;)
Emoji's have all been in the authors notes but I can't seem to get them to work no matter what I do. I will just have to stick with small ones. :P
The word 'foppish' appears in this chapter and it means :(of a man) concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way. Which I found fit the moment. Originally it was just going to be "FOPP- fear of Pokémon present" but as with other happy accidents in this story autocorrect happened and I liked the word. Plus it sort of fit so... Haha!!
I have put in another 2 eggs in this chapter! I won't be telling what those eggs are unless they appear 'hatched' later in the story or someone guesses~
I'm also forcing some plot changes in the story. The story will have (ash) anime cannon as the main driver behind the scenes. Some game logic is applied but not the for the storyline. So a character who completes the gym challenge and defeats the league won't just appear randomly. The same rules apply to the manga. So misty won't be a rocket etc etc...
We should move onto some training and see Houndour next chapter but this time I won't promise it. When I write I tend to just vomit words onto the page and make it make sense later.
Yeah anyway...
Shank U 4 weeding!
BubBye 4 now.