Chapter four: Tragic Fate
Today was a cheerful, joyous day in Setting Sun City, Yoroshii. It was the day that marked Heather's 8th birthday.
An auburn haired eight year old walks down the hallway of the Flower residence. She cheekily grins dressed in a pair of dark denim blue jeans and a silky, blue, satin shirt. A silk blue ribbon decorates her hair pulling it to fit snugly above her shoulders. Today is her birthday and she is excited.
"Mom? Dad? Rose? Lance?" The girl calls as she continues walking, Eevee trailing after her.
"Where are you guys?" She mumbles as Eevee probes its way into her arms.
The girl motionlessly makes her way into the dining room where she is just short of a heart attack as her parents and siblings jump out at her.
"Surprise! Happy birthday Heather." Her parents grin as she stumbles wearily into the room.
"Holy Miltank you guys didn't need to do this," Heather says as she sheepishly folds her hands in front of her, Eevee climbing to her shoulder.
"We wanted to Heather. You'll be 10 in two more years." Her mother smiles and kisses the top of her head, embracing the girl.
Heather wanders over to her little sister who is grinning up at her. She pats the five year old's head.
That's right. Two more years and I'll become a trainer. Two more years and I'll be. . . free. . .
Heather turns to her elder brother and has a seat at the table. Boxes wrapped with light colors decorate the room. A cake sits in the middle of the long table, an Eevee outline decorating it. Everyone takes their seats as Wilt lights the candles on the cake.
The family begins singing "Happy birthday to you". Heather giggles and hums along.
When the singing stops, Heather leans over and blows out the candles. Her parents smile at her and congratulate her in hopes that her wish comes true.
Eevee crawls onto Heather's head as her father hands her a neatly wrapped, shiny blue and silver box.
"Here's my present to you Heather. I hope you like it and put it to good use," He says with a small smile.
"Define good use." Heather laughs.
"Stop being smart and just open it." He mumbles as Heather shakes the gift.
"Fine. Pushy, pushy." Heather mumbles.
Heather carefully tears off the ribbon (to save for later I suppose) and then digs her nails into the wrapping, pulling it off with ease. Heather opens the top and peers inside, shock adorning her face. She pulls out a black leather strap with the word Wilt in gold lettering. Attached to the strap is a regular looking red and white Pokéball.
"What is this?" Heather asks wide-eyed.
"That's a Pokéball I've been working on for a while now. It looks like a Pokéball but acts as a Master Ball. I made it for you to capture your first legendary." Wilt smiles at his daughter as she straps it to her neck.
The light reflects off the lettering making it sparkle in the light.
Her mother hands her a silver and gold wrapped gift. Heather eagerly tears the wrapping, digging her hands across the paper until it falls limply to the floor. Heather pulls the top off the box and tosses it to the floor below. Inside is a blue, gold, and black Pokégear.
Heather flicks it on grinning.
"Thanks mom," She says continuing to grin.
"You're welcome. You can keep in touch with us with that. It's got a new feature where it receives and configures video chat. Plus it can stream the internet and play music like an Ipod." Her mother smiles.
"Oh my gosh it must have cost a fortune." Heather gasps.
"Well it helps that your father makes good pay as a scientist." Her mother says wordlessly elbowing him. He blushes sheepishly.
Lance, the oldest child at the age of 18, holds out an outstretched palm to Heather and drops something into her palm. Heather turns the object over to see a purple and white Pokéball with black circles around the edges. She is about to press the button to expand it and see what's inside when Lance begins shaking his head.
"You're not allowed to open that Pokéball until you've started your journey." He smirks.
"You're so mean. I want to see it now." Heather pouts.
"I know you do. That's what makes this fun." Lance casually laughs as Heather stuffs the Pokéball in her jean pocket.
"Look what I got you." Rose smiles a toothy smile handing Heather a medium sized box.
Heather opens it and smiles at her little sister. Inside is a Pokédex of blue and silver trim with a collection of interchangeable skins and a book on Pokémon. The skins varying of different colors and Pokémon. Also inside is a leather bound journal with an Eevee etched into it.
"Now I can go where you go." Rose grins.
"Now you can." Heather laughs smiling.
Eevee mumbles under her breath and lays by Heather's feet.
Lance incoherently mumbles under his breath. Heather smacks him upside the back of his head and takes Eevee out to train.
Lance smirks and follows her out.
"Let's have a practice battle, you and I." He smirks and rubs a hand through his messy, spiky red hair.
"Bring it." Heather challenges, fire in her eyes.
Lance tosses a Pokéball that snaps open on his side of the field. A small purple worm with wing-like horns and a white dot in the middle of its forehead appears. It's stomach consisting of the same white color.
Eevee takes her place on the battlefield.
"You, dear sister, may have the first move." Lance smirks as his sister glares.
"You, Lancelot, shall have absolutely no win in this battle."
"You're talking to a pro."
"An inexperienced one."
"Just call out a move."
"Maybe."
"Now I say!"
"Fine." Heather growls. She turns to Eevee and commands a Dig attack.
The small brown fox jumps in the air and flings herself down, burrowing her way underground causing dirt to fly in all directions.
"You don't know where it'll come up. Try to sense the air currents." Lance shouts.
Dratini springs up in the air, it's wing-like horns twitching. Eyes closed it locks onto Eevee's location.
Twirling and flinging dirt every which way, Eevee shoots out of the ground. Dratini sensing her prior to dodges the attacks.
"Good job. Now use Thunder Wave." Lance calls.
The dot on Dratini's forehead glows bright yellow as it gather's static from the air turning it into electricity. Crackling, the electricity flies from its forehead and shoots at Eevee. Electricity continues crackling around the small fox as it struggles to get to its feet.
[Ow. . . this isn't fun anymore. Can we quit and call it a tie?]
"I know you can do it Eevee. Just hang on." Heather cries.
[Oh sure. That's easy for you to say, Heather.] Eevee grits her teeth.
Eevee slowly rises to her paws shaking her head back and forth, the electricity slowly dissipating.
"Dratini, slam." Lance shouts.
Dratini inches along the ground gaining speed and rams his body head on into Eevee's underbelly. The poor fox is sent spiraling across the field.
"Sis this is disappointing. There really is no point in continuing this battle. Maybe someday when you're stronger, when you're a trainer we'll have this battle again. Besides, I was going easy on you. Otherwise you would've had to stare down Dragonite or Gyarados." Lance shrugs.
"Ugh. . . I could have won if we tried harder. Eevee you did great." Heather picks up the fox and holds her high above her head.
[Since when did Simba become a girl.] Eevee grumbles.
Suddenly a coolness fills the atmosphere. Lance and Heather inaudibly gasp as they look into the sky. Cold, white droplets are falling in soft repetitious patterns, swirling around them.
"Snow. In October." Heather cries. Eevee rushes after Heather as she twirls in the snow, giddy as a five year old.
Speaking of five year olds. Rose comes bounding outside after peering through the curtains. Her parents made her dress up for the cold weather in a fluffy pink coat with red sleeves and red mittens as well as red and pink uggs. Pink and red earmuffs cover her ears.
"Big brother. Big sister. Why so much white?" Rose asks curiously as she holds out a tiny mitten-covered hands to catch some snow.
"It's called snow Rose. It's very surprising for it to be snowing in October though. Such a big shock." Lance runs his hair shaking some of the damp flakes out.
"Ooh." Rose grins as she watches her coat-less short sleeve wearing siblings.
Heather scoops some snow and pats it into a ball. She stealthily but quietly makes her way over to her brother. Cupping her hands she pulls on his shirt and forces the snow down it.
Squirming and leaping Lance glares at his giggling sister.
Heather smiles innocently putting her hands behind her back, like a child who stole a cookie from the cookie jar. (Wasn't me. I swear. It was... um... Lance! Yeah... Lance.)
Snow begins to fly as the two eldest kids pelt each other with the wet substance. Rose shyly steps out of the ring of war and wanders back into the house after building a tiny snowman, using some of the rocks from the rock-bed for eyes, a nose and a mouth and some tiny twigs for arms, with the help of Eevee.
A few minutes, which seems like hours, later Lance and Heather walk into the house, nearly frozen. Each one red in the face in anger and humiliation at their tie in the snow war. Heather's cheeks significantly rosier than her brother's due to her skin being fairer.
Chuckling Wilt and Maria come into the living room with mugs of steaming hot cocoa and blankets as Lance and Heather defiantly sit in arm chairs glaring at the opposite. They hand one to each of their children and take a seat near the fireplace, Wilt poking the embers with a poker laughing softly in sync with Maria at their children. The room is filled with a warm, uplifting glow. Though the silence is upheld when the phone in the dining room begins ringing.
"I'll take that," Wilt says as he stalks off to answer the phone.
Heather transforms into an Eevee and sneaks into the dining room to listen to the conversation.
"What?" Wilt frowns into the phone. "I have children to take care of. This is nonsense."
Heather tilts her head in earnest curiosity, staring perplexed at her father who has a vexed look on his face.
"What do you mean my children can look after themselves?" Wilt shouts.
Heather backs away slowly at the sound of her father's tone, one he'd never used before.
"I told you I had success in creating a Pokémorph -one that is alive and breathing- that's all you need to know." Wilt shouts, his tone rising an octave with every word.
Heather crawls into a corner in confusion. Why are they talking about her?
". . .but it's dangerous. You know how the roads get in this weather!" Wilt's face falters. He sadly hangs his head.
Heather impatiently stares, wondering how far this conversation will go.
"I know it's for work. . . but what about my children? Yes. . . Lance is old enough to take care of them but he's been assigned to duties elsewhere. I rarely see my son as it is. I know he's the champion. That's exactly why it's dangerous. He'll never be home long enough to take care of them if something's to happen. Heather's too young to raise her baby sister." Wilt's face crinkles into one of pure disgust.
Heather lays her head on her paws as the conversation continues.
"Fine. I'll trust you on this," Wilt's face smooths out in understanding. "I'm on it. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Wilt places his notepad with all his information on Heather's behaviors into his lab coat pocket.
Heather scampers out of the room to her arm chair by the fireplace, returning to her human self.
"What was that about daddy?" Heather asks, although she already knows it has to deal with her father's work.
"They want to promote my work ethic. They'll raise my salary a fair deal if I go in to work today." Wilt shrugs.
"I'll go with you," Maria begs as her husband pulls on a winter coat over his lab one.
"I was afraid you'd say that." Wilt sighs.
Heather watches them curiously as they zip their jackets and head for the door.
"If anything. I repeat anything is to happen, Heather you and Lance are in charge." Wilt kisses the top of his eldest daughter's head as she races to the door after him.
"Dad, what are you talking about? Nothing is going to happen. Right?" Heather asks.
Her father gives her a tiny, reassuring hug.
"Everything will be alright." Wilt reassures.
"Bye daddy. Bye mommy." Rose calls, waving from her place on the couch.
"Goodbye sweetie," Wilt says kissing his young daughter on the top of her head. Tears lace his eyes as he turns to the door. "Remember you're in charge."
The events that happen afterward seem to happen in fast motion. Their parents walking to the garage. The garage door sliding open. The car doors opening. The engine roaring. Their parents spinning off into the swirling atmosphere.
Then the silence. Oh but the silence.
Rose turns on the TV and fixes the channel to some cartoons. Heather fishes out her Gameboy from a side compartment on the chair and begins toying with different games.
After a while everything just seems to run at a regular pace. Lance starts the dishwasher and Heather puts the clothes away. Rose, young as she is, just sits there staring at the TV letting it feed on her feeble mind.
When the chores are done, Heather and Lance sit beside Rose in the family room. Lance takes the remote and clicks it to the weather channel. Just when Heather's about to protest that the weather's boring and unpredictable and she'd rather watch cartoons with Rose, Lance shushes her as a breaking news comes on.
This just in. The weather along I-122 is getting impeccably bad. Travel is not advised. It's clear that the snow is becoming a raging blizzard. I'll keep you posted on the upcoming news around your area.
"A. . . blizzard?" Lance's jaw drops. "But. . . mom and dad are out in that."
Heather's head drops. No wonder her parents placed Lance and her in charge under the circumstance that anything bad were to happen.
"Lance, how long will you be able to stay?" Heather asks, almost afraid of the answer.
"Until tomorrow." Is all he can utter in response.
Heather's blood runs cold as the breaking news report continues.
This just in. I-122 is having serious problems. There are many people getting seriously hurt as it's impossible to gain control out here. A car has spiraled off the bridge and is lying upside-down in the ditch. We're coming to you now on the scene.
The camera pans out and moves to where a car is lying upside-down in the ditch. The atmosphere becomes chilly as the as recognition comes to the faces of the eldest children. For that car, overturned in the ditch, is one they know quite well. Too well.
"Mommy? Daddy?" Rose asks in horror.
"Maybe they're still alive. . ." Heather folds her hands into her lap and bows her head.
The interviewer is now facing the screen after talking with a paramedic.
The astounding discoveries you make everyday. The owner of this car, Wilt Flower along with his wife were in this car. There were no survivors.
Heather walks over to Rose and hugs her younger sister, both having tears streaming down their eyes. Rose, so young and little, finally finding something she could understand as well as her siblings. The understanding of death. Their parents would never come back. There would no longer be happy birthdays. There would only be more sorrow with each passing year.
Lance rises to his feet, hot tears bubbling in his eyes pouring over his cheeks. He grabs the coffee table that had been sitting in the middle of the room and overturns it, glass shattering and spraying everywhere.
"Why? Why did this have to happen? Arceus be damned!" Lance falls to the floor crying and blubbering nonsense cutting his arm on a thick piece of glass at the edge of the table.
Heather wearily picks up the remote and turns the TV off. The three sit around in silence, each knowing it'll get harder. An eight year old will have to take the role of both mommy and daddy.
"I promise you I'll send money every day. I'll drop by and pay the rent as often as I can. I'll never abandon you. I won't let my baby sisters starve." Lance puts his fist in his hand.
Eevee jumps into Heather's arms, rubbing against her in comfort.
"You're in charge tomorrow Heather. You'll have to take responsibility of being the eldest. You'll be able to do it. I know you can." Lance smiles at his older sister. He walks over and pats her shoulder.
"I hope you're right." Heather stares into space. "I hope you're right."
Lance grabs some bandages and wraps his arm as Heather gets a broom and they sweep up all the broken glass from the floor bagging it and taking it out for the garbage. Rose leans over the couch staring at the door of her father's once-was lab. Eevee climbs onto her lap and she begins petting her absentmindedly. Heather and Lance set the table back up and get Rose ready for bed. Aware of the struggles they'll face in the future.
Me: Okay so there's more angst for you guys. Or at least the ones that like it.
Yukio: Ugh... would you hurry it up. I wanna appear already.
Me: For crying out loud you're in what... the next or following chapter? You can wait. .
Yukio: God you're mean. Maybe I refuse.
Me: Maybe you have no choice.
Yukio: Maybe I should stop talking and let the reviewers decide.
Me: Yes. Please do stop talking. Reviewers you heard the dude. Do your thing and review.