(-o-)\Day of Disappointment/(-o-)
Nathin put the bokken back on the rack and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The last test of the day was over, but he didn't know the outcome yet. He knew he passed the proficiency exam and the advanced learning exams at the academy however this test of agility and sword ability proved to be tougher than he realized. He didn't care about the two tests from the academy. They were easy and just proved he was smart. He was more concerned of this last test, hoping to both pass and exceed Shin's expectations. Nathin walked over and knelt on the floor meditating as he was told to do after every session, be it training or testing of skill.
Nathin wasn't meditating though. He knelt quietly and just found himself lost in thought. Thinking of pokémon he still didn't have and even recalling the event where he saved a pokémons life the year prior. About ten minutes passed before Shin walked in.
"Nathin"
Nathin opened his eyes and stood. "Yes master?"
"First off, don't call me master. I'm no one's master. We went over this many times. Second, I'm afraid we still have more training to do. You have progressed quite well, however I know you can do better."
Nathin nodded and looked down in disappointment. In five years time, he's only come this far to fail. Since being granted training sessions each week from Shin for his tenth birthday, Nathin has worked hard to be more like his role model. In a way, Nathin felt he failed Shin more than he failed himself. With a bow, Nathin walked off before Shin could talk. Shin sighed and felt it was his fault. He could have gone easier on him.
Nathin walked around town with his head down. He couldn't figure out why he failed. Sure some of his katas were slightly off and some swings not entirely precise, but nothing he did was bad enough to fail. He leaned up against a tree by the center of the town and looked up. In that moment, he saw the town in a different light. Nathin saw Sableton for what others saw; for what a stranger would see if they were allowed to enter.
The ghost-type pokémon around town weren't just other pokémon anymore. They were the ghosts they actually were. The plethora of trees around town were the lifeless, twisted type baring but some leaves randomly. Even the few people that were walking around looked dull and drab, seemingly stuck in a life they wished not to lead. Though a sunny and bright day, the town looked exactly as it should, which scared Nathin. He only ever saw Sableton as his home and nothing more than a place with crazy people and filled with ethereal pokémon. He never actually saw Sableton as the town people hid from their realities until now.
Shin approached and saw Nathin still in a slump of disappointment. Nathin's face showed it and Shin felt obligated to talk, for he knew how Nathin felt; he was in that position once before.
"Five years ago, you looked to have no talent aside from being somewhat smart. The teenager before me is now a skilled warrior as well. I understand you've tried your best, however you just aren't quite to the point where you can be. Until then, we will continue training. Sharpen the edges so to speak."
Nathin turned to shin and sighed. He was right, more practice only makes one better.
"I understand. And I will be coming to you daily now, if that's ok. Everyday in the morning."
"Well, I would have no problem with that normally, but what about your studies? You cannot just throw them away to train with me. Brains are just as important as brawn."
"I'm done with the Acadamy. I finished today actually. I passed both tests required to finish school."
"At fifteen? I know your father makes you study moreso than anyone should study, but that is quite the feat Nathin. Impressive." Shin said this more out of courtesy rather than being truly impressed. Nathin was intellectually smart, sure, but lacked common sense and experience in real world situations.
"Thank you mas," Nathin caught himself, "sir. Thanks sir." Nathin corrected.
Shin smiled and saw Nathin glance over at the dojo. Shin turned and saw what Nathin was looking at and smiled. It was time.
"Go home Nathin. Take a break. Come to me in two days. I will have a gift for you."
"Ok, but why two days?"
"I must make proper preparations Nathin. I know what you seek, for I see it in your eyes every time you are training with me. Now, go home and rest."
"Um, ok. Thanks Shin." Nathin turned away after bowing and wondered what this surprise was. In two days it would be his birthday again. Nathin became excited, tossing aside the disappointment and failure feelings he had. He still felt somewhat sad, though he knew not why.
Nathin headed home. While mid stride, Nathin hoped his birthday would be more promising than in the last four years. His tenth birthday turned out to be a little better than at nine. Ages eleven through fourteen were normal birthdays with normal gifts; no pokémon or extraordinary gifts to be remembered. Nathin sighed while thinking of the past and walked in the house stretching. He was greeted by Scout and Bandit, as always. Nathin patted each and looked around for Sidian, but didn't see him. Looking around, he began to realize his situation as a whole, letting his prior disappointment and sadness get to him.
The life Nathin knows is anything but typical while also lacking consistency. The fact that Nathin is fairly normal for his age and holding together is nothing short of a miracle. He lives in a very nice home with literally anything he could want technology wise due to his dad being some sort of scientist. Despite this, the lack of an actual family makes his house more of a mocking prison for Nathin than a home. Shin is not only his role model, but is more of a father to Nathin than his actual father. It is just sad that Shin is more of a caring neighbor than a family member in Nathin's life. Shin had his own life to attend to, leaving Nathin to his dysfunction. Nathin's dad was alright as a father, but was always away working or too much into his projects to correctly parent. He always made sure Nathin was studying or learning by some means, but as far as his well being and safety, that is another story. Sidian suddenly crashed into Nathin from atop the second floor disrupting Nathin's shameful stare and thought process. The two fell to the floor.
"Sabe. Eye say sa abe" spoke the Sableye to from atop its owner. It looked happy to see him, yet looked more like it wanted something. It sat atop Nathin with a blank stare, no smiling evident despite its actions.
"Hey Sid. A normal 'hi' would have been good" said Nathin rubbing his head.
The past five years he's grown attached to Sidian, his Sableye, however it was the sort of attachment one forces. Sidian was a good pokémon and all, just lacked listening skills and roamed freely through the town and house alike doing whatever he wanted when he wanted. Sidian was quite mischievous. Whether or not Nathin liked it, Sidian was his only real family, seeing him more than his dad. Getting back up, he heard the back door shut. It was his actual family member.
"Nathin?" his dad called from the kitchen.
"Yeah, it's me."
"How'd Shin's test go?"
"… uh, oh. Yeah, I didn't pass, but he is letting me come every day now" Nathin responded while walking into the kitchen. Looking around, he saw it was a light dinner again. Just starch.
"Oh, bummer. Well, two of three ain't bad Nathin. I saw you out there swinging away while heading to the lab. Oh, and make sure you include your daily chores into your daily training with Shin."
"Yeah, I will" Nathin smiled very lightly and took a biscuit his dad somehow made. While his dad was turned around, Nathin watched him and thought of him in a realistic sense. Some hatred seemed into Nathin's mind, however the wanting feeling of being loved countered the angry hatred.
Dennis, Nathin's father, is always either working out back in his lab or away in another land. Nathin knows his father loves him, but feels his father believes there's something more important that needs to be worked on than being there as a father. Something that must outweigh the common sense of family values and love, at least this is what Nathin tells himself daily.
Nathin ate his biscuit, wondered where Sidian went and ran up to the bathroom to both change and shower, but also shake off the reality that is his life.
(-o-)
Nathin was on his computer listening to music and working on a project of his own when his pokégear rang.
"Hello?" Nathin answered.
"Hey Nate, what's going on man?"
"Hey Benny, nothin much. Working on some ball capsules for my pokéballs."
"Your pokeballs? Don't you just have Sidian?"
"Well, technically, yes… but I'm making custom pokéballs for all the pokémon I plan on owning."
"Oh, you getting some new ones soon or something? Becoming a trainer?"
"No. Well, maybe. I don't know. Just depends. Now that I'm done with classes I want to get some pokémon and stuff"
"What do you mean? Depends on what?" Benny was confused.
"You remember that Sandshrew I saved about a year ago?"
"Oh, that one? That's cool I guess."
"Yeah, he's always hung around the house and I feed it randomly and stuff. I might just catch him later if he's ok with it. A Sandslash can be strong."
"Cool. You coming Friday night?" Benny asked with an exciting tone.
"If I can, yeah. I'll try and make it. Got to get past Cerebral and borrow Ferrik to get there. Oh, and Shin is taking me somewhere early in the day I think, but I should be back in time."
"Where?"
"I don't know. Some kind of surprise."
"Oh, that's cool. Well, the PokéMeet starts at seven I think. Mya and Esme are going to be there too. I invited them since we need more than just me and you for your birthday party."
Nathin felt something flutter in his stomach. His hormones long since showed Nathin was ready to like girls, just he himself wasn't ready. "You invited them?"
"Yeah. Why, didn't want me to?"
"No, it's fine. That's cool I guess. You bringing any of your parents pokémon?" Nathin changed the subject. He didn't want to talk of girls just yet. He might accidently divulge who he liked to Benny, which means the end of the world for a fifteen year old albeit Benny being his best friend.
"I'll be there with Shoop."
"Shoop? Oh, right, the Wooper?"
"Yeah," Benny spoke softer, "I might trade it. My parents just gave it to me so I wouldn't complain about not having a pokémon. It's as dumb as rocks and it doesn't like me anyways."
"Oh, ok. Quagsire isn't too bad of an evolution."
"No, but not one I plan on having."
Static then interrupted the call. It always does after a certain amount of time passes.
"Alright, the static again. Talk to you later Nate." Static always seem to set in after a while on the phone, no matter what phone in Sableton, be it calls into Sableton or calls out of Sableton.
"Ok, see ya."
The two hung up and Nathin turned in his chair looking at Sidian, his Sableye. He was asleep on the bed but sensed being looked at and looked up at Nathin.
"You ready to go feed Ripclaw?"
"Sabe" it responded nodding in the yes manner. It was bored and wanted to go out anyway, merely asleep because there was nothing to do.
The Sableye Nathin received at ten was named Sidian, a play on words of obsidian. Nathan and Sidian grew somewhat close, but never like actual friends. Sidian knew Nathin was its owner and Nathin knew Sidian was his pokémon. Aside from that, the two never really did much together aside from sometimes battling wild pokémon, though Sidian wasn't a very good battler. It'd rather mock and tease the opposing pokémon than land an attack or defend itself properly.
Nathin hopped up and grabbed a light coat, for it was chilly. He walked out of his room and turned to the stairs. Nathin found himself in the hastened pace going down the stairs. It was mostly out of excitement, for he may have his second pokémon by the end of the night. When he went to leap off the last step, Nathin found himself in a purple-alloy aura and floating in mid air. His legs were still in mid motion a few seconds after he realized his condition.
"Cerebral. Let me down" Nathin said sternly.
"But it is near midnight Nathin. I don't think your father wants you going out of the house this late. It can also be dangerous for you" replied Cerebral with its psychic power, no mouth movement involved.
"I am trained to defend myself Cerebral and my dad doesn't think much about me anyways. Besides, I have Sidian here to help me." Nathin looked down and didn't see Sidian. It was nowhere in sight and caused Nathin to sigh. Always reliable Sidian was.
"It appears your Sableye has already left the house without you."
"Ok, ok. Fine. I admit he isn't the best of pokémon, but I have to train him."
"And when do you plan on doing that?" asked the metallic being with an 'X' on its face.
"When I can become a trainer. Hopefully soon."
"How do you plan on being a trainer when you cannot even train a mere Sableye? You've had him nearly five years now Nathin and all he knows how to do is eat, sleep and cause mischief… much of which I clean up."
Nathin was flustered now. He could be a good trainer if he hadn't been busy training himself the past five years in both physical and mental aspects. "Cerebral, I plan on changing that now. I am actually going outside to talk to a Sandshrew. Come with me at least. You know, to protect me." Protection was in fact needed. Not all the ghost pokémon were friendly, especially at night. The moon seemingly changed some of their attitudes and behaviors at night. They were ghosts after all.
The large four legged metal being stood silent whilst still holding Nathin in mid air. It seemingly was still processing Nathin's last sentence in deep thought, thinking of possibilities and plausible outcomes. It peered out the window and then looked back to Nathin. "Consider this your early birthday present from me Nathin." With a purple flash, the two were outside having not even used the door. Sidian was a few feet away from them gnawing on a rock. The flash of Nathin and Cerebral appearing from nowhere startled Sidian, but the pebbles stayed in his mouth.
Nathin got Sidian to follow them and the three walked towards the mountainside out back.
"Rip! Where are you?" asked Nathin while in the beginning of the woods by the mountainside. He already had nicknamed the Sandshrew after their fateful encounter, which it somewhat responded to.
They got to the spot where Nathin first met his shrew-like friend about a year ago while exploring. The area was literally only a stones throw from his house. It was a basic patch of dirt with a few thin trees with no leaves that merged into the start of the surrounding woods. Towards the top of the small patch of dirt was the base of the mountain that extended quite far and surrounded most of the town in which he lived. This spot also has a small hole at the base of the mountain. The hole contained his friend, a Sandshrew he named Ripclaw.
"Nathin." mind-spoke the black Metagross named Cerebral.
"What?" he snapped back somewhat rudely. He was too busy looking for Ripclaw to care whatever nonsense Cerebral had to say. Whatever Cerebral had to say was usually jargon to Nathin, though in his recent years, he began understanding more what Cerebral rambled about.
"Why do you call him Ripclaw? I'm curious."
"When I first saw him, I saw it and another pokémon battling over food or something. It lost of course and was limping pretty bad when trying to walk away. He walked funny because of what looked like an injury to his front right claw. Rip had one of his claws ripped in two and looked like a Sandshrew with four claws instead of three. It must have really hurt him too because when I got close to him, he curled up into a ball and wouldn't get out of that ball no matter how hard I tried. Even as weak as it was. I guess he was weak enough though because I rolled him into the pokécenter where they took care of it. Since then he's just hung around the house for scraps and stuff."
"I see" stated Cerebral. It literally did. As Nathin just recalled the event in his mind, Cerebral saw his memories as if they were his own.
After a few more calls, Ripclaw rolled out of his hole and stood some feet from Nathin. It looked hesitant, but happy to see the one who cared for it long ago.
"Hey Rip. How are you doin?" Nathin bent down on his knees to show he was of no threat. Cerebral assured the Sandshrew all three were no threat, especially Sidian. Sidian really wasn't a threat either, despite being Nathin's only pokémon to battle with. Sidian was currently digging in its ear when Ripclaw looked at it.
The Sandshrew sniffed a little and made its way to Nathin, who gave him some poke pellets he had in his pocket. It let Nathin pat it some while eating.
"You like it Rip?"
It looked at Nathin and began sniffing his pocket area for more.
"I wanted to ask you something."
Ripclaw again looked at Nathin, understanding what he was saying with help from Cerebral. Nathin didn't know Cerebral was translating, thinking the Sandshrew knew exactly how to speak the same language when it really only knew some of their tongue at best.
"How would you like to be my second pokémon? I'd really like to be your partner and take care of you, though only if you'll let me. If you want to just hang around for some meals here and there and just sit around, that's fine too."
Ripclaw stared at Nathin. It didn't know what to think. As Nathin pulled out a sandy, spiked pokéball made especially for the Sandshrew, Ripclaw backed away. The pokéball intimidated the Sandshrew and caused it some inner panic. It kept backing away until it was about a few yards away.
"It's ok. I understand. I'll see you later Rip." Nathin turned and began walking the other way. It was the second time today he was disappointed.
"Are you not going to try and battle it to catch it?"
"Na, it'll be alright. I'll just give it some time to think about it. Rip's been a wild pokémon for so long, I don't even know if it will ever want a trainer."
"True. It's interesting you just leave it this way Nathin."
"Leave what what way?" Nathin asked confused.
"Most trainers challenge the wild pokémon to a battle, get it really weak and just catch it, forcing it to be part of their team."
"Meh, not my style. I want Rip to 'want' to be with me and 'want' to be part of my team. Forcing it against its will is just dumb."
Nathin and Cerebral flashed back inside, where Sidian just stayed where it was picking its ear watching the purple impression of the teleport. It looked over to the Sandshrew and wondered what just happened. As Sidian forgot why it was starring at the Sandshrew, it picked up another rock and gnawed away at it while walking back to the house. Sidian walked right into the side of the house expecting to go through it. Sidian forgot to make the rock incorporeal like it can make itself thanks to being a ghost pokémon. After the second try and rubbing its head in slight pain, Sidian was now inside gnawing on the rock.