"Bro... What IS inside a pokeball?"
Cheren and White sat, listlessly, in the middle of the town square, still waiting for Bianca.
Irritated by White's question, Cheren huffed before answering: "An artificial pocket of spare dimensional space." Folding his arms, he stood up, stepping up onto the grassy ledge where Team Plasma had been standing only thirty minutes before.
"Yeah, but what's inside that dimensional space?" White questioned further, holding up a pokeball and gazing at its reflective surface.
Such a space has to be somewhere. It's still a place, so that's why it's a space. Right? I wonder... what if these capsules lead to a world of dreams? To a place where up is down and there's amusement parks inside of museums?
"I think you should instead be questioning you and Alphonse's behavior earlier," Cheren remarked, turning his back on her. "Aren't you ashamed?"
Narrowing her eyes, White glanced down at the ground, kicking her feet.
"If I was ashamed of every bad thing I did," she said; "I'd be too embarrassed to live."
"Fair enough... You do a criminal's share of bad things daily."
Turning the pokeball in hand, White stood up, following Cheren as he wandered to a nearby park bench and sat down.
"Bro, why didn't it work?" she asked, tossing the pokeball back and forth between both hands.
"Why didn't WHAT work?" He set his bag down on the edge of the bench, apparently saving room for her to sit down. He had long sent Tepig back to his pokeball, and White had done the same with Snivy and somehow Alphonse.
"You know!" White grew frustrated. "Why won't pokeballs work on humans? I threw a lot at that guy. Even if he had a low catch rate, I expected one to at least pull him in."
"WHY DID YOU EVEN WANT TO DO THAT?" Cheren scolded. "I had told you to treat him delicately and then you went and–"
"–He seemed curious," White interrupted him; "And I didn't know the answer– to if pokeballs were uncomfortable or not– so I tried to show him."
"Whatever... You want to know, 'why they won't work on humans'? I'll tell you why." Cheren adjusted his glasses, glaring critically at her. "It's because of people like you."
"What?"
"Originally, pokeballs could catch and hold humans. After all, pokemon are 96% genetically identical to humans... A fairly impressive similarity," Cheren explained. "But because of people like you, strict pokeball regulations came about. That's why only standard pokeballs are available to the non-League certified public. However, after extensive research, a Kanto company named Silph Co. came up with a formula to take advantage of that 4% dissimilarity, creating a now-standardized 'backfire' safety feature. This feature is why trainers can block pokeballs with their hands when poketheives strike. The ball bounces off their skin and is rendered spent. You know what that means? All the pokeballs you threw at that guy are now useless. Good job."
"Heh." White grinned smugly. "You're a nerd."
Cheren stood up, fighting the urge to grab and choke her.
"But I get what you're saying." White stood back. "People like me ruin everything. I get it... But I want to know more about people's experiences inside of pokeballs, though... I guess I'll have to read about it." She scratched her head. "But reading is kind of boring."
"Right. You're the type who likes instant gratification, after all," Cheren insulted, sitting back down.
White bit her lip, lapsing into stern silence. Walking a bit away from the bench, she looked off at the distant pokecenter and folded her arms, waiting bloated minutes before finally speaking again.
"...Geez. What's keeping Bianca so long?" she complained bitterly, still piqued by Cheren's smart remark.
"No clue. I'm starting to think she left ahead without us..." Gingerly, Cheren patted the bench seat, summoning White to sit down. "Come here."
She plopped down beside him– with the shattering force of a falling metric ton.
"I'm sorry, ok?" Cheren snapped, rubbing his jolted spine. "I didn't mean to get you so upset. I was wrong."
"No. You're always right." White gritted her sharp teeth. "You bastard."
Cheren gasped, but then, oddly enough– folded with amused laughter. She had said it so truthfully and resentfully– like it was some unpleasant fact that she couldn't escape. Somehow, it felt like a compliment.
"Are you still jealous?" he stopped to ask.
"I'm always jealous. You and Bianca are perfect dreams," she admitted grumpily; "I feel like... the worst."
"Perfect dreams?" Cheren snorted, deeply flattered but then finding the idea uncomfortable. "You're very misinformed, but I'm not going to worry about it." He slid his bag's strap over his shoulder, preparing to leave.
"I think you and Alphonse can help each other out. I want to battle the gym leader in the next town– Striaton City," he said. "You should do that, too. You need to tame Alphonse after all, correct?" And he should help with taming you, too.
"Yeah." White furrowed her eyebrows, frustrated. Here he is, telling me what to do again. It angers and calms me– all at the same time. He really was always right. There was never any reason to resist it, so she learned to let go.
"Listen. If Bianca doesn't get here soon, I'm going on ahead," Cheren said. "I want to tell you one more thing, though."
Sitting up from the park bench again, he stood up over her as he spoke: "If you really do go ahead with reading about humans who have been in pokeballs... you won't find pleasant things."
"Huh?" Though White looked up to read his eyes, the glare on his glasses made them unreadable. "What do you mean?" she demanded, suddenly uncomfortable.
"I'm talking about kidnappings," he said, hesitating before speaking further; "Cases of children being taken away."
White breathed heavily, looking down at her knees, too bewildered to respond.
Noting her stunned withdrawal, Cheren carefully and quietly reached his hand down to pat her head, but stopped; it wasn't a good idea to imply any more.
"Aim to battle Gym Leader after Gym Leader." He stepped back, trying to change the subject. "The best way for a Trainer to become stronger is to challenge the Gym Leaders in each area."
He waited for White's answer, alienated further by the fact that she wouldn't look up at him. Turning away awkwardly, he hurried off.
White dropped her face into her knees, pulling her legs closer.
He knows. She felt foolish, for thinking that she had really kept it a secret. Even though I've been playing dumb all this time.
But was it really possible to keep anything from Cheren? Juniper and White's parents were the only people who were supposed to know.
So it was one of them. One of them broke their promise of silence.
How much did Cheren know, and for how long?
What IS it like inside a pokeball?
N held Purrloin's in hand, contemplating it. Even though that peasant girl had frightened and hurt him, the reality of her question was doing far worse to his mind.
All this time, I never asked what it was like inside. All this time, I could've found out. But now that I know I should... I'm too afraid.
He wanted to ask Purrloin, but what if the answer to his question was something that didn't live up to his expectations? What if it changed his mind about something? If it changed his mind, then surely, he would feel sad and even more frightened. Being wrong is always frightening.
"But I want to know," N muttered. His childish curiosity and sense of wonder, along with a very adult-like fear of the unknown, was conflicting and driving him crazy.
"What? Do you want to come with me or something?" a soft and warm voice rang out, inviting N to search for it. Behind a thicket of trees, he found a wide-eyed girl with golden hair, crouching low to the ground and attending to a pokemon.
Thank you! Thank you! Barking and huffing, the Lillipup kept frantically thanking the girl, not ever stopping to explain why. Thank you! Thank you!
"You've been following me since I left the pokecenter, you know," the girl said, smiling vapidly.
Whining, the pokemon climbed into her lap, settling itself down and wagging its tail.
You saved my family. You were strong and put out that fire! I want to fight by your side. I'll be strong, too.
Giving in to the pup's whining, Bianca nodded her head, almost as if she could understand.
"I get it, girl." She opened her bag and pulled out something round. "You're hungry, aren't you? There you go!" She smiled and set a berry down in front of her.
She sniffed at it and folded his ears down, sorely disappointed.
"What? You don't like berries?"
N stepped out from the trees, staring at the girl and the pokemon– unable to believe what he was hearing and seeing.
"Why would a pokemon ever..." he uttered, creeping closer and startling the girl.
"W-what is it?" She stood up and clutched Lillipup close, letting the berry drop to her feet. Quickly, she backed away, frightened by the sudden appearance of the tall and awkward young man.
"It wants to come with you," he forced the words out. "It's thanking you."
"Uh... oh?" The girl gulped, setting Lillipup down and digging through her bag with a trembling hand. She pulled out a pokeball and held it at N. "Y-you want to battle me, right?"
"Huh?" N tilted his head, confused.
"You're a trainer, right? And our eyes met." Her arm was visibly trembling, and N couldn't understand why. Why was she so fearful? She must've been one of those timid creatures. Maybe humans were somewhat like pokemon.
"No." N shook his head. "Not really. I didn't come here for that." He stepped closer, causing the girl to gasp and jump back.
"T-then if you're not a trainer," she said; "don't come any closer. Please. Um... Sorry. It's just that my dad told me to avoid–"
"–Are you going to capture that pokemon?" N questioned, ignoring the girl's request and stepping closer, towering over her.
"Huh?" she gulped, looking up at him.
"I said it wants to come with you," he said, forcing a fake smile on his face. The shadow cast by his hat brim shielded his eyes, making his pupils almost disappear. "It's very foolish. Much like you– it doesn't understand what being with a trainer means– much like how you don't understand what being a trainer means–"
He grabbed her arm, unaware of the intense fear that he was causing her. In no way did he understand that a man approaching a girl in a wooded area, all alone, with no intentions to battle, was frightening.
She yanked her arm away, almost bursting into tears. I have to be strong... W-what would White do?
The girl clutched her fists, pulling them close under her chin. Clenching her eyes shut, she tensed her shoulders and inhaled sharply.
...I know. One time when a scary man approached us near Shopping Mall Nine, she stood up to him and said–
"Don't screw with me, bastard!" The girl blasted. As soon as she had said this, however, she gasped and apologetically covered her mouth.
N gasped as well.
"Bad... That's bad," he said, alarmed. "It's wrong to speak like that. Don't say bad words– you shouldn't. Your dad will be upset."
"Huh?" The girl dropped her arms, confused by the man's childlike panic. "I..."
"My name is N," he switched topics, sitting down in the dirt and folding his long legs. "What's your name?" He looked up at her, frowning.
The shadow of his hat brim no longer shielded his eyes, revealing them to be very wide and innocent. Somehow, it seemed as if he couldn't hurt anyone.
"My name's Bianca," she said gently, thinking that he seemed very nice all of the sudden. "Um. I'm very sorry about that just now. My dad told me that men might try to hurt me, so I should avoid them. Especially when I'm all alone. I was trying to act strong!"
"But you're not alone," N said, pointing at Lillipup. "You have her right there."
"That's different." Bianca said. "I have Oshawott, too, but they can't speak up for me. They can't speak for me at all."
"So... you can't hear them, either." N shook his head. How could so many people have pokemon if they couldn't understand them? Humans were clearly unworthy of such creatures.
"I don't think anyone can really hear what they're saying!" Bianca defended. "There's ah... Well. A language barrier!" She adjusted her hat proudly after wielding such an intelligent phrase. She had heard Cheren use it before when describing her inability to understand all his big and fancy words. And Juniper's homework.
"I guess you're right." N looked down. "It's still pretty pitiful, though. Humans act like they know everything about pokemon– classifying them into tiers and labeling their worth– but then humans can't manage such a simple thing."
"Hmm." Bianca stood where she was. She wanted to sit down with him, but she had been taught to not trust strangers so easily.
"Well, it's fine if I'm always bad at things like that," she said suddenly. "I have my best friends White and Cheren to rely on... Though, one day, I want to be as strong as them." She clutched her hat and pulled it down over her face.
"Then... I can be part of their world. Because sometimes, I feel so left out by them– when I see them talking and playing together." She wasn't sure why she was telling him all this, but it was what she felt inside. "I'm so weak and dumb, that I can never seem to keep up with them... Not when running to the bay after class, not with school work, and not with tests. It's my own fault, though, but I'll get stronger. So–"
"–No, it's definitely–" N interrupted her; "impossible for you."
He stood up and walked away, leaving her behind. He had felt the same way when meeting those two. He realized that this girl was a lot like him. However, she didn't have the qualities to rise above it all– she wasn't special.
If that was the case, then she had no hope.
That was the truth. Ideals are beautiful, but mostly unobtainable. You can't be strong when you're simply not.
Bianca sat down on the ground, looking away as he disappeared behind the trees. Kneeling, she brought her hands close and cried into them, as quietly as possible. Her only consolation was Lillipup– who sniffled and whined at her, softly brushing against her.
Stepping off the gate house steps, White plodded down the dusty road, nearing the route signpost when her cross-transceiver suddenly began ringing.
Picking up the call, she brought the watch-like device closer to her face and slid out its retractable side.
"White!" her mom trilled at her, blinking and smiling on the screen. "It's your mom! How are things?"
Confused, White glared back at the screen– noticing the trees behind her mom in the background.
"You've always had trouble with pokemon, so I want to know..." the woman began; "Are you and your pokemon getting along and enjoying your journey so far?"
"I... I guess." White frowned, baring her teeth slightly.
"I needed to talk to you, so I called, but I'm going to hang up the cross-transceiver now."
The screen went blank, confounding White even further– and a chill sprang up her back when she felt footsteps falling close behind her. Whipping around, she leapt when she found her mom, only a few steps away.
"White?" Her mom called, waiving. "I finally caught up with you... And look how far you've come already!"
"How did you find me?" White questioned, infuriated that her mom had caught up with her so easily.
"Professor Juniper said that you were probably headed for Striaton City." Her mom saluted. "You mad?"
"Pfft. No," White growled, frustrated. I want to ask if she ever told Cheren, but... She couldn't bring herself to mention that secret.
"Well I have a present for you." Her mom stuffed a shoebox in her hand. "Try these on!"
White opened the box and found a new pair of black combat boots– with pink shoelaces and less of a high heel. They would certainly be better for running and climbing in.
"I bought these a long time ago and stashed them away somewhere. I found them when I was cleaning up. I guess it's good to clean occasionally– I wanted to give them to you earlier, but you left without telling me." The woman closed her eyes and chortled quietly. "I don't blame you, though. I heard about what happened earlier with Bianca's dad..."
White trembled apprehensively, thinking that this might finally be the day that her mom disciplined her for misbehaving.
"White," her mom began, putting her hands on the girl's shoulder; "you understand that you're never really alone, right? You're with pokemon, you have friends, and you're always in my thoughts."
The girl looked down at her new boots, deeply breathing in their sharp leather and rubber scent; the smell of something new.
What was her mom getting at? She was hiding something– or telling her something cryptically. Maybe it was something like...
'Don't always try so hard to get my attention. I'm always here for you– even if you think I'm not. I'll try to understand you– so don't be so desperate.
You don't have to lash out... Dreams can be realized.'
"I'm sorry," White said, holding the box closer. "Tell Bianca's mom and dad that I apologize. I'll protect Bianca. Mom, I'll be careful, too. So don't worry... I'm not like I used to be... I mean–"
"–That's all right, then." Her mom quickly dismissed her. "Enjoy your trip!"
The woman hurried away, hiding her hysterical fear from her daughter. Ever since that horrific time, she had always spoiled White in hopes that it would help keep her alive– to encourage the girl to keep on living.
It was because ideals were beautiful and the truth was ugly. Once exposed to the world of dreams, anyone would lose touch with reality. And once they're back, they'd naturally want to go back to sleep– or vanish with those beautiful dreams.
White turned and gazed at her mother's back, until she disappeared into the bright gate house.
Mom. You must still be afraid for me.
Pulling a book from the wooden bookshelf, Cheren held it close and flipped it open, one-handed. Behind him, students chattered at their desks, their voices running together and roaring lowly. Many of them were studying in groups– trying to learn the basics that every trainer should know.
Having already studied those things, the boy was simply here to read an encyclopedia. Staring intently at the pages, he flipped and arrived at Hypno's entry. Even thought he had read and researched the pokemon many times before, in many different books, he carefully read its passage:
When it is very hungry, it puts humans it meets to sleep, then it feasts on their dreams. While searching for prey, it polishes its pendulum.
There was once an incident in which it took away a child it hypnotized.
Cheren closed the book, sliding it back into the shelf.
He had met White about eight years ago– when she moved to Nuvema Town. Her parents later explained to him that they had lived in Sinnoh for a few years, but had decided to come back to Unova to recuperate under Juniper's guidance.
Even though White has lived in Sinnoh, she teases me about Kanto and acts like I'm from a country she's never been to.
Disturbingly, he remembered the time when he had first met her. She had a thick bandage wrapped around her waist– with a thin and bumpy, gray surface. The both of them we only six, and she couldn't speak.
She had forgotten how to.
Every day he had visited her, trying to get her to talk and to tell him about what had happened– since her parents would say nothing. He questioned her, asking what was under that bandage, why she wouldn't talk, and why she slept standing up– pressed in a black metal frame that looked like a torture device. Never would she answer, only grinning at him knowingly with her demonically sharp teeth.
Late, one night when his parents were visiting hers, he snuck into her room, even though they told him she had fallen asleep earlier. In contradiction, he found her still awake– staring out the open window and still trapped in her metal frame.
'Tonight is Halloween, isn't it?' she finally spoke, startling him so much that he lost his own voice and couldn't answer.
'This is the same night they took me,' she said. 'Well... You've visited me a lot. It made me happy... So I'll show you what's under this bandage. You want to know, don't you?'
She pointed at her side, telling him to take off a tiny, metal toothed clasp– and to pull at the bandage.
'Pull. Keep pulling.'
Slowly he unwound it at her command, watching as the gray bandage fell from her waist and to the floor.
'Now," She had said in a quiet voice; 'Look. At my back.'
That night, there was a full moon. Pouring in through the sheer curtains, it brightened up the room just enough for him to see. Unmistakably, despite the shadows– there was a hole in her lower back.
A hole which, to his childish eyes, showed her guts and insides.
'If you look into it,' she said; 'It'll steal your soul. So... I have your soul. You're actually dead... Right. Now.'
Falling on his back, he screamed, hyperventilated, and screamed until he lost his voice again. White laughed, for the first time he'd ever heard, so gleefully and freely. Their parents rushed into the room, shocked that White had decided to show anyone her bedsore.
After that, she started talking again. Mostly to me, though she talked to Bianca soon after, Cheren remembered. Pushing up his glasses, he moved to the classroom's chalkboard, staring up at.
Even all the way back then, White had a twisted sense of humor. It's amazing that I still wanted to be her friend afterwards.
I kept visiting her, even though she scared me so bad. I don't understand why, but she drew me in...
She chose to speak to him when she wouldn't even speak to her own parents. Maybe, somehow...
He entertained the thought that he had always been important to her– in some deeper way. With a loud thump, however, this thought was cut short– forcing him to look quickly. To his perturbation, he found that a fiery young man had jumped in through the nearby window.
"STUDENTS," he yelled forcefully, throwing his fist up in the air. "LET'S HAVE EDUCATION." His glassy eyes slowly drifted apart.
"YEAH," the classroom roared with cheers of approval and greeting. "Chili time!"
Entirely uneasy– Cheren crept away, noiselessly, moving back towards the bookshelf.
~To be continued...~