Lesson 6: I'll know your name as it's called again

"I don't recall giving you permission to do that"

My eyes widened in surprise. And here I was expecting words of gratitude. Fidgeting under his gaze, I snapped my book closed, it made a surprisingly loud noise, and I felt awkward to disturb the peaceful silence that hung in the air, almost like sneezing extremely hard in church or your stomach growling during class. The first had happened to Bianca during Cheren's oldest sister's wedding, the second happened to me on a regular base during class, coughing or scraping my chair had proven to come in handy when trying to drown out the sound.

"I…I." Having trouble with forming coherent sentences wasn't the ideal way of making a first impression.

He probably thinks I'm mental. I thought glancing his way.

Furrowing my brow I continued my silent struggle to find words. "You…You?" he echoed, his tone deliberately slow as if he was talking to an idiot. "You swallowed your tongue?" he inquired tilting his head to one side in a very Pokémon-like fashion

Swallowing the word 'cute' instead of my tongue I shook my head, "Off course not. I took care of that wound... How did you get it anyway?"

Raising an eyebrow he leaned in closer, "You expect me to thank you, am I right?"

Affronted by his words and flustered by his sudden movement I avoided eye contact, scanning our surroundings as if I weren't already familiar with them. I realized Tranquill had returned to her old spot up in the oak tree, perched, and head turned a single yellow eye took on a calm look, intelligence lay dormant in her gaze and I wished to believe she would warn me if I were in danger, I smiled at her.

The boy followed my gaze, the still faint rays of the sun played hide and seek between the canopy of leaves. As the light caressed his face I noticed his pale complexion. He looked like he hadn't seen the sun in months. He would be considered royalty during the Middle Ages.

"That Pokémon, she's saying you have terrible aim." The boy commented returning his attention towards the cooing pigeon, hissing in what I could only describe as pain when sun's rays found his face again. "She's right." I answered, crossing my arms to my chest, "And I didn't expect you to thank me."

"Liar."

I turned my head to face him, "Excuse me?" I hissed, my temper flaring.

"You heard me. By saying that you took care of my wound you merely pointed out the obvious." his fingers traced the bandage covering his thin arm and my mouth fell open at this comment, "and by notifying me of this little fact you made it quite obvious that you wished to be thanked."

Struck by the rudeness of his words I sat unmoving. "Close your mouth it's very unlady-like. It is a servant's duty to aid her King, why don't you bow down before me?"

"You lack tact!" I snapped blushing fiercely, "And you're one to talk, you're behavior hasn't been exactly King-like. A crown would look ridiculous on you. Hah, you seem more like a hat kind of guy!" The dark stare I received had a hostile feel to it, my words must've struck a nerve and I silently rejoiced.

The Pokémon in the boy's arms stirred and seemed to comment on something, surprising the boy. I watched as the child shrugged and whispered something, his fingers trailing through the wild scruff of fur on the creature's head. The Pokémon flinched as he touched a sore spot, "Easy now." The boy muttered but continued while avoiding that particular spot with the utmost care. I recognized the same amount of devotion in the obnoxious boy as I had seen in the little fox, and hated myself for not being able to dislike the boy even more.

Despite him doing a good job at being a first class ass, someone who's nice to Pokémon can't be that bad.Sighing exasperated I pointed towards the first aid kit, "There's a potion inside that box, you should use it on the furb-... your friend.

Busily rummaging through the bag, while cradling the fox in his bandaged arm I almost missed his hoarse voice muttering, "Thank you."

I blinked stupidly. "You heard me." He interrupted as I opened my mouth, mindful of closing it this time.

"Hmpf, I did, but it surprised me." I replied touching my wrists. For a second time that day I wished for my wristbands, they were a source of distraction in awkward situations like the one I found myself in, and I vowed to myself that I would never ever forget to wear them.

"If a servant proves herself useful it is a King's duty to express his gratitude. I am loyal to my people" he said solemnly, spraying the potion on his friend.

"That made him sound awfully King-like " I muttered reluctantly, plucking at my hair cascading down my shoulders without the white ribbon to tie it together. It had a mind of its own, the amount of curls never really the same. Maybe I am a hat kind of girl too. I thought grumpily drawing my attention back to him and realizing with a jolt of surprise that he studied my movements, eyes narrowed. "You don't like your hair." He commented matter-of-factly.

"It's a hassle." I replied with a grimace and exploiting his talkative mood pressed on, "What's your name?"

"What is yours?" He shot back after a long moment of silence.

"I asked first." I answered a half smile on my face, happy with the fact that I was his superior in childlike bickering.

Owlishly blinking he shrugged, "I asked second. In math two exceeds one."

My eyes widened, Tranquill replied Zorua's barky snort with a soft cooing, almost as if they were sharing their view on our conversation. An arrogant smile tucked at the boy's lips, and I realized that they were gossiping right in front of my nose.

"No math please." I groaned waving my hands in defeat, "I'll tell you my name."

There goes being the superior. I thought ignoring the furball's toothy grin.

My legs started to ache, and after sitting in the same position for about half an hour I stretched them in front of me, inspecting my sand covered knees. My mother would start worrying soon and if someone saw the shattered window they would inform the police again. I had seen quite enough of those that day.

"You don't like your hair and math?" the boy asked, bringing my train of thoughts to an abrupt halt. The absurdness of his words had me laughing for a second, "I don't like a lot of things. Let's just say that math exceeds my hair… On my list that is."

"It's Ashe White by the way." I said extending my hand before he could say anything else. Giving me a weird look he consulted both Zorua and Tranquill.
The fox and the boy exchanged a few glances. With a stiff nod he got on his feet and walked towards me, grabbing my hand with that surprising strength again.

"You have a boy's name." he declared apparently unaware of my desperate attempts to scramble to my feet, "That's rude!" I yelled blushing up to my ears as he towered over me. A weird combination of anger and nervousness coursed through my veins and exploded in my heart as he pressed his lips to my skin, kissing my hand in the same way I'd seen in fairytales. I always hated those soppy stories, the female characters were spineless and I knew that if I ever got locked up in a tower guarded by a Dragon type Pokémon I'd rather throw myself out of the window than waiting for some stupid prince on his fiery steed.

"You lack manners." He said releasing my hand, traces of my blunt nails visible on his skin. I puffed out my chest and stood, no longer intimidated by our height difference I poked him in the chest, stressing my words with a sharp jab of my index finger, "I helped you because it was the right thing to do! NOT because I wanted you to crawl on your knees thanking me, and DEFINITELY not in exchange for a kiss!"

"Oh so you did it from the goodness of your heart?" He asked unmoved by my sudden anger, a faint green tinged his pale grey eyes.

"It might surprise you, but yes I did, it's not because I would miss your glowing personality."

A crooked grin appeared on his face, it made him look like Zorua in more ways than one. "People always have an ulterior motive," he said opening his arms in a wide gesture, "they just cover it up under the guise of being a good person, that's why it is called an ulterior motive."

I flinched at his words and took a step back, "You don't believe in the goodness of people? Well, I don't like to judge but, coming from you…I'm not surprised."

Closing the distance he inched closer, trailing me like a predator, "I could see the surprise in your eyes from miles away. Let me tell you a secret.' He whispered softly a strange sense of authority radiating from him held me in place, "I don't believe in surprise." He said silkily moving ever closer while Zorua wove his luxurious tail around the boy's ankles, "Giving other people the opportunity to surprise you, that coming from either friend or foe is a weakness, it makes you... Vulnerable."

"T-That's just rubbish." I protested, my voice gained in strength as I continued, "Having friends makes you stronger." Straightening my back I glared at him, a small voice in my head said he had a point, but I shoved it back angrily. He wasn't insulting just me, but every human being on the planet. He seemed like the kind of guy that walked all over you and expected you to lay down in the progress.

He labels others 'black or white' and the occasional human he happens to like would get the 'grey' stamp, I'm sure of that.

"You know it's true, or at least partly true," He said, "and knowing that what I'm saying makes sense surprised you. Now tell me how does it make you feel? Vulnerable maybe? Easy to read?" he asked, intrigued.

"It makes me feel irritated and rather sad since it came from a -…"

"Foe."

Our voices joined simultaneously leaving an ear shattering silence.

"But If I'm that easy to read you should've realized by now that I sincerely tried to help you and the furball." I said.

A small bow from his head told me he agreed on that matter extracting a rueful smile from my face. Turning my back on him I stretched my arms above my head, reaching for the sky and allowing my joints to snap. The boy winced and I shot him a questioning look.

"There is something you should know though." I began picking up on our conversation.

"Aha that sounds suspiciously like an ulterior motive." He announced, smug that I lived up to his expectations.

"You don't believe in the goodness of people, and that's okay, maybe you're right but I don't think you truly believe that."

That again. N really started to suspect that the little girl just wasn't that bright. Someone who allowed others to look right into her soul that easy, couldn't possibly understand him.

Naïve

Innocent

Trusting

Forgiving

Fragile

White

So easily tainted.

"You refuse to believe in the goodness of people when you yourself are such a good person."

…

She didn't just say that.

The moment those words left my mouth he and the black Pokémon froze, and I knew it triggered a series of actions.

He hardly twitched as a blur of black fur transformed into a metallic red Pokémon and lunged for my throat with razor sharp claws. I shrieked and crashed to the ground dodging the Pokémon's attacks, which I knew was the little fox only seconds ago. Though I escaped his first and second strike I knew I wouldn't be capable of doing so much longer. Humans weren't meant to fight Pokémon, I realized this as I sprang to my feet running as hard as I could, still moving ridiculously slow compared to a Pokémon.

Humans weren't equipped with skin harder than steel or blades instead of a ribcage. Humans - I had bones, so fragile they cracked from something trivial as stretching my back. I could almost hear his claws slashing through the air, aiming for my spine, and for a second I thought how much it would suck to die running from something, being stabbed in the back like a coward. Squeezing my eyes shut I braced myself, waiting for a feeling unknown to me, the feeling of being pierced by knives.

A loud screech filled the air as Tranquill appeared fighting with glittering claws and wings sending feathers everywhere.

"Make sure you don't hurt her, she has eggs." The boy spoke as his Pokémon raised an arm trying to swat the ragging pigeon out of the air.

Almost as if he felt my eyes on his face the boy smirked, "I told you I was loyal to my people Ashe." The menace in his tone frightening me more than his Pokémon had done.

As I stared at him a movement at the corner of my eyes caught my attention, and for the longest second of my life I stared at the police officer pointing his gun towards the red Pokémon. Afterwards I would remember people asking me, if everything that had happened to me had felt like I was moving in slow motion.
I would laugh at them and tell them it all happened in the blink of an eye, or in the amount of time it takes for someone to pull a trigger.

The boy also spotted the police officer and started moving towards his friend, the first real signs of fear apparent in his eyes tinged them a deep green as he yelled something that had to be his friend's name. This is going to suck, was the only thought that came into my mind.
Shielding the horror struck Pokémon with my body I heard how the gun went off with a big, echoing bang that sent the startled Tranquill skywards.

I don't blame her, I thought as sharp lances of pain coursed through my body and blurred my vision. Hard thuds from the Pokémon's heavy footsteps reverberated through the ground. I thought hearing the child's voice commanding something, but his words got lost and my head started to pound.

"Get me his gun. Take that sketch too, it's evidence… I'll take care of him…Calm down she'll manage, just do as I say."

The pounding in my head got worse, so loud it almost managed to numb out the gun being used a second time. Almost.
I remembered Cheren's video games and couldn't help but wonder if real live had a reset button like games did.

I wasn't quite ready for a Game Over.

Ten years later

"You're dead dude and you know it!" I yelled towards the television screen in Cheren's room, almost hitting him with my Wii remote. The words 'Game Over' appeared after I had managed to kill off Cheren's character, showing no mercy at all.

"Which results in a 50 to 1 final score." The black haired teen sighed adjusting his glasses. "You shouldn't be celebrating a score like that. And holding a grenade until it explodes just to take me with you isn't very courageous."

I pouted, "You're just a sore loser. That last action was the work of a genius, if I say so myself!"

I flopped down onto his navy bedspreads and scanned his perfectly ordered room. One wall was hidden behind numerous bookcases stacked with books on Pokémon and science, my childhood friend's two greatest passions. The dark wooden desk next to the window was polished until it shone, the surface so smooth that even I experienced hardship with resting my elbows on top of it without giving myself a face plant in the progress. I had the vague suspicion that Cheren liked it that way.

"You're messing up my bed!" he growled, yanking back the covers. The sudden force had me rolling out of the bed plummeting on my backbone. "Hey!" I protested resisting the urge to rub my backside in front of him, "You're the one who invited me over so be more hospitable!"

Cheren rolled his eyes and remade his bed, pulling the covers so tight you could bounce a quarter on it. "Tomorrow's your birthday." He began and I perked up at the prospect of presents, "No shit Sherlock." I answered acting surprised.

Ignoring me he continued, "We won't have the time to celebrate with our new Pokémon and all."

"We sure won't!" I mused the idea that all three of us would be official Pokémon trainers in less than 24 hours was more than exciting, it was the best birthday present ever. I voiced out this thought, Cheren agreed immediately hardly controlling his nerves. "That's why Bianca and I are giving our presents today."

"Presents?" I asked raising a brow, "You mean there's more than one? Sweet!"

Cheren snorted a bit, "Not my idea. Bianca handles the whole gift department."

I nodded and chuckled, when it came to gifts and birthdays Cheren was a mess, he never knew what to give, and as a guy who's two best friends were girls he found himself in a rather awkward position year after year. "I remember that toothbrush you gave Bianca on her tenth birthday. Not your brightest moment since she just got her braces that day."

Joining me on the carpet he sat seiza-style, reminding me of his Japanese roots, "She cried for hours." He muttered rubbing his temples remembering his raging headache that day. "No kiddin' I had looked forward to eating cake that day, but after your present she ate it all herself."

Bianca loved comfort food, during the exams the amount of Chinese food we ordered could feed an army and the local Starbucks could almost see its turnover rising. As a result stepping on the scales became a true ordeal. I raised my right hand, "Whatever it is, I won't cry, you have my word of honor."

Cheren folded his arms, "Who's says my present will make you cry?"

I shot him a significant glance, "Stupid question." He exclaimed scanning his clothes for some nonexistent dust. "Anyway I thought about this for a long time and I think you should get to pick your Pokémon first, tomorrow that is. I already talked to Bianca about it and she- WHOA!"

Thankful for the large rug in his room Cheren managed to free an arm and rubbed the back of his head, "Sheesh Ashe, I know my presents are great but you didn't have to body slam me for it."

"Thank you, thank you, thank youuuuuu! Did I thank you?" I asked almost hugging him to death.

Answering the hug a nervous Cheren padded my back, jumping slightly as the door to his room flung open. Revealing his youngest sister Miki, notorious in the Kuro household for her inability to knock. "Oh! Mommy!" she yelled, "Cheren's being all lovey dovey with that pretty girl!" Skidding down the hallway she left a wheezing Bianca standing in the doorway. "Group hug!" she chimed throwing her bulky bag and a festively rapped present on Cheren's no longer neatly made bed. "Ah man." He groaned as our combined weight proved to be a bit too much for the young teen, "Now I know what that camper who got stuck under a Snorlax felt like."

Several shreds of torn off wrapping paper and one extremely mangled ribbon later I studied my brand new outfit. "You guys this look expensive." I muttered, secretly already in love with the blue shorts with white pieces of fabric running along the legs.

"Only a year of my allowance." Bianca joked hitting me on the back laughing loudly as I choked on nothing but air. "Pretty cute right?" she asked with a nod towards the shorts. "They're custom made, shipped here all the way from Hoenn. Cheren ordered it online." Bianca pointed out a look of adoration in her green eyes as she eyed the outfit.

"More like you bullied me into ordering it." The bespectacled boy huffed bitter dodging a pillow that was thrown in his direction.

"This is awesome." I muttered putting on the sleeveless black jacket on top of my dark blue shirt to check the size.

"Wow wow hold the phone!" the tiny blonde suddenly yelled jumping to her feet and pointing an accusing finger at my favorite T-shirt, "I forbid you to combine this gorgeous jacket with that…that thing! You know I hate that Red Hot Chili Beans shirt!"

"Oh no." Cheren sighed and buried his face in his hands. He knew that the birthday girl had unleashed World War III by wearing that shirt in front of Bianca , who in her turn could've been personally responsible for Jimi Hendrix's death by offending Ashe's favorite band.

"Peppers, Ferilli, Red Hot Chili Peppers, not beans!" I exclaimed as she pushed me out of Cheren's room, "We're using your bathroom Cheren." She yelled over her shoulder almost throwing me inside the bathtub and shutting the door with a bang. "I'm giving you ten seconds!" she said on the other side of the door.

"That's hardly enough time for me to undress." I hissed dressed in nothing but my bra and my new shorts.

"Hush, or I won't give you your Red Hot Chili Peas shirt back." Bianca answered, her tone cheerful.

"That's it!" I growled nearly shattering the door as it bounced back against the wall and quivered in its hinges, "PEPPERS, B Ferilli, Peppers! It's a vegetable or a fruit, I don't know or care. What I do know is that the next time I see some in a grocery store I'll make you eat all of em'!"

She coughed to hide a fit of laughter, covering her face with my shirt, "Don't you laugh, you might spit on it" I squeaked pulling the fabric as she hunched over her shoulders shuddering with laughter. Struggling to break her grip on the piece of clothing, both of us had no clue of the small crowd assembling around the scene.

"Nice." A voice said followed by the flash of a camera.

A rather pink looking Cheren accompanied by his older brother who stuck his head out of his room to peer down to hallway stared at me from head to toe.

"What's their problem?" I inquired, Bianca bursting out in irrepressible laughter as I finally noticed my lack of clothes.

"Holy shit!" cursing loudly I took cover in the bathroom donning the rest of my outfit in less than ten seconds. I entered Cheren's room with as much dignity as possible, which was hard as Bianca relived the moment every five seconds and had to clutch her stomach while rolling on the floor.

"Next year I'll order a birthday cake with that picture on it." Cheren teased holding the camera high above his head as I made a sneak attack for it.

Both Bianca and I stayed at his place discussing the Pokémon we would like in our future team. The final highlight of the night was Bianca discovering my picture posted on Facebook, "Already 427 likes, you go girl!' she yelled as I stomped towards the oldest Kuro brother's room my face even redder then in the picture.

My shot of the rumpled looking teen wearing lipstick, fake eyelashes and Bianca's green beret while holding a self written message saying: "I'm a sneaky perv" scored 512 likes in one hour. Nobody questioned the owner of the threatening fist clearly visible in the corner of the picture.