I do NOT own Fable or Pokemon, but dammit I wish I did.


Sparrow peaked out from over the fence and peered around. Fire burned everything it could touch, and bodies littered the sides of the road. He inched out from behind the fence and shivered in the freezing wind. He walked slowly down the road and looked in horror at the blood and carnage left in the bandits wake. Screams still filled the air. Was that the shopkeeper or was that someone else? He couldn't tell, the body was too mutilated. How could they do this? How could they have such disregard for life? Was his own family ok?

At this thought, he panicked and ran toward a shortcut he knew. Up the hill he went and already consumed by fear and rage, he ran across the burning bridge without hesitation. He ran and eventually he came upon his burning house.

And the body that lay in the grass of his front yard.

He paused, fear gripping his heart with icy fingers. His sorrow ripped away those fingers, leaving his heart raw. He ran to the body of his father and wept upon his chest. The man that gave him gold pieces when he was good, the man that bandaged his cuts and scrapes, the man that stood up for his family until the end, the man that loved him and his sister and his mother with all his heart, was dead.

A roar of bloodlust forced Sparrows head up as a rogue bandit ran towards him, waving his sword in the air. Sparrow was paralyzed with fear as the rogue approached. All he could think was how much it was going to hurt and how he was going to be joined with his family soon enough.

A crack of lightning struck the bandit in the back and the bandit staggered, quite literally "shocked." He fell and the man behind him approached, an Absol close to his heels.

"We must leave. It is not safe here."

Even in the darkness, the man's features glowed bright blue, the same markings accentuating the Absols hide. His clothes were that of a will user and his face was hardened with time. Sparrow stared at his rescuer and at the pokemon by his side. What were they doing here? The man continued in an almost sarcastic way, "They're all dead. You don't want to join them do you?" Sparrow shook his head no and the man held out his hand. "Then give me your hand."

Sparrow hesitated but slowly touched his hand to the man's. The man gripped his hand hard and the Absol howled as a blue light overtook them, teleporting them away.

As soon as they reappeared Sparrow emptied his stomach on the grass. The Absol tilted its nose upwards haughtily and stepped away from the sick human boy. Such disgusting creatures they were sometimes. The man simply hummed in disapproval and shook his head. "I thought you'd have a stronger stomach than that." He waited until the boy was done before reaching for him. "Come on."

Sparrow thrashed at him, angry at all that had happened. The man stepped back and sighed. "Save your energy boy," he scolded. "It's not me you want to fight." Sparrow looked at the ground in woe, but listened to the strange man. "You might not realize it, but I just saved your life," he continued. The Absol looked up at its master and nodded in agreement as he continued even further.

"There's nothing left for you in Oakvale. And if you'd stayed you'd be as dead as the rest of them."

Sparrow stared at the ground and shuddered at the thought. He was right and he knew it. The man began to walk away and the Absol followed beside him, its tail sticking straight up. "Come with me."

Sparrow watched him go for a moment and then ran to catch up with him. The man was his only ally at the moment and he needed to stick to him like glue. He walked on the other side of him and peered over at the Absol. It glanced at him for a moment and turned away haughtily. Sparrow shrugged and decided that it fit its master quite well in the personality department.

As the walked the man talked to him, opening up a little to the boy. After seeing the little exchange between the boy and Absol he began. "His name is Absinthe and mine is Maze, I'm head of the Guild of Hero's. I'm sure you've heard of it. You'll find nowhere safer in all of Albion." As they approached the rather large building with the seal carved onto its door, he continued, "Nor a better place to call your home."

The boy looked up at Maze in shock as the words processed. Home? Oakvale was his home, not this giant building that seemed to glare imposingly at him! Maze approached the door and began to open it and he talked, "And if it's vengeance you want, you'll need the training only we can offer. When we go inside, I'll introduce you to the Guildmaster. He'll be your guide from now on."

Sparrow followed close behind as they entered the Guild. Inside there were two flights of stairs that curved up to a platform and a map in between them. To the sides of the stairs were two alcoves with weird platforms. Behind the map was the rest of the room. The rest of the room split off into three after going down some stairs.

Maze headed straight for a bald man that was talking to an Alakazam. The bald man had a guild seal tattooed to his forehead and a broad white mustache. The Alakazam and Absol nodded to each other and listened to their partners.

"I have a new student for you. Put him in the dorm upstairs with the girl." Maze stated in a bored tone. Sparrow stepped up next to him as he spoke and the Guildmaster looked him over with disinterest.

"You don't look much like Hero material to me, especially since you don't already have a pokemon. But Maze knows what he's doing I suppose. Well follow me then."

Sparrow went with the Guildmaster hesitantly up the stairs but looked over his shoulder at Maze. Maze's back was turned though and he was already heading for the door. Absinthe looked up at him though and nodded. Yup, the boy was going to be fine here. It walked out with its tail up and strode next to Maze.

The boy turned back to the Guildmaster and ran to catch up with him. The Guildmaster showed to his room and Sparrow sat upon the bed. "You will be sharing this room with Whisper, one of our brightest young pupils." He turned to the empty bed that also occupied the room. "She's playing in the woods right now, but you'll meet her in the morning." As he approached the door, he continued, "For now you should get some sleep. Your training starts tomorrow. And don't worry about not having a pokemon. There are plenty in the woods and if you cannot get one to become your friend, we will provide you with one."

With that he left and Sparrow placed his head in his hands and wept.


Sorry it was so full of angst and it's going so slow but this was how it was like.

I do so love nicknaming the pokemon. Absinthe seems like such a good name for the Absol.