Disclaimer: Pokemon does not belong to me. Last I checked, Pokemon belonged to Satoshi Tajiri. The only things I claim ownership to are the own characters in this story.

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DUNNE DAYS

Part 7: Journey

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* * * 11:54 - 7 June 2004 * * *

The Parcel turned out to be some Poké Balls, five of which Professor Oak gave to Brown.

"Now Brown," he said, after thanking the boy for the Parcel. "I need to ask another favour of you."

Brown looked up at the Professor with a quizzical smile, "How can I help?"

The old Professor tapped Brown's Pokédex gently, "I would like you to fill this Pokédex for me. I need to know how closely a boy can bond with Pokémon. Know this though, should you accept my challenge to complete this Pokédex, your journey may never end."

"I'll do it!" Brown replied without hesitation. "I'll record every single Pokémon there is!"

The Professor seemed taken aback with gratitude, as he turned around, rubbing something against his eyes.

* * * 11:59 - 7 June 2004 * * *

Outside the Laboratory, Brown picked up a call on his Pokégear.

"Hey, Brown, can you hear me?" the voice called out of the small device.

Brown checked the display and answered, "Hey Jordan."

"Oh, Brown!" the blond replied on the other end of the line. "Where are you now?"

"I'm in Pallet Town…" Brown hesitated. "And you?"

"Oh wow!" Jordan replied happily. "I'm just at the entrance to Route 1… Would you mind meeting me there please?"

"Sure, no problem," the brown haired one replied as he passed the narrow path through the buildings that led to the Route 1 entrance. "I just need to make a little stop first."

There was a pause, then a nervous laugh as Jordan muttered something to someone who was with him (Brown caught the word "Karp") then he replied, "Sure thing, Brown! See ya!"

Brown ended the call, braced himself, then hammered on the door in front of him.

* * * 12:19 - 7 June 2004 * * *

Brown Dunne sat in his home, eating out of a jar of some substance his mother had left in the fridge, whilst he waited for her to return. The note she had left on the small metallic table said she had gone on her weekly binge fest, so he hoped she would come home sober for once. Not likely though really. She seemed devastated by the news of Teams Palm and Shi on the television lately, and had been spending even more time and money at Pallet Pub.

The money, Brown lamented, was from his father. His father who had left to become a Pokémon Trainer oh so long ago and had never returned. Brown's mother never liked to talk to Brown about the man much… though Divina didn't care to speak to her son at all to be perfectly honest. Sometimes however, Divina's drunken nights on the town could provide a tiny little insight into his father's life.

When intoxicated on her nights out, she frequently let slip mentions of his father. The words were disjointed however, and all Brown could discern was that his father kept in contact regularly even though she didn't want him to… and that deep down, Divina really did love him and would do anything to find him.

Now, Brown realised that if his father was indeed alive, he may meet him on his journeys. Brown grew excited at the thought, anxious to find out what his father would think of him.

Perhaps he would ask his mother about it when she returned, but then, perhaps not. Knowing full well the feeling of being in the powerful woman's presence, he would feel too scared to ask. He could not, knowing full well of how aggressive his mother could be, especially when drunk, hope to escape with all his limbs intact from her response to such a question. No, Brown would find out himself.

As he reached the decision, the door flew open and his mother marched in.

That was his mother. She never walked, ran, skipped, jogged, hopped… Brown had only ever seen her march. She marched like she was in the army, holding her rod shaped handbag like a soldier would carry their rifle, her shoulders perfectly in line with her heels. She turned to face her son.

"So, the famous Pokémon Trainer returns from his journey."

Confused, Brown paused. He couldn't smell the alcohol in her breath as per normal, but the telltale sense of irony lurked in her words, and the signature sneer showed prominently on her face.

"Hi mum-" He began.

"What? No drink? I come home after a hard day of work and you haven't got me a drink ready?" she asked scornfully, giving him a hard clout around the head as she sat down on the sofa.

Brown got up, hurriedly, dashing to the kitchen area and returning swiftly with a pint of Guinness in hand.

She took it from him without a word then took a delicate sip before speaking, not looking at him. "So, you're going?"

"Yeah…" Brown replied cautiously. "Uh… I just came to say goodbye."

"Okay, goodbye," Divina said shortly. "Now good riddance, go on. Be off with you. If you're going to take after your father then I don't want to see you ever again."

Brown shrugged, it was the best send off he could have expected knowing his mum as well as he did. He walked back over to the door, Germinator close behind.

"Oh, and Brown?" Divina said as his hand held the door handle.

"Yes mum?" Brown replied, turning his head.

"Your Pokémon is ugly."

Germinator shrank down, pushing Brown forwards, out of the caravan.

* * * 12:36 - 7 June 2004 * * *

"Wow that was mean…"

"Yeah… poor Germinator…" Brown muttered, watching his crestfallen Pokémon.

Germinator trod on ahead, not even bothering with the wild Pokémon.

Brown turned to Jordan. "So how did your visit to Professor Oak go?"

Jordan grinned, taking out his Poke Ball. "I'd like to introduce you… to Spurt!"

A Squirtle appeared in a flash of red light, but Brown looked sceptical. ""Spurt?""

"What? Not all nicknames can be works of art, you know?"

Brown shrugged. "Anyway, Jordan, where are you from?"

Jordan seemed to go distant, speaking evenly, "Viridian City."

"Really? Whereabouts?" Brown asked.

"Shamrock Green Road."

The monotonous voice again. Brown decided to try to pry deeper. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, one, she's called Ruri."

""Ruri", huh," Brown repeated. "What about your parents?"

"… Heaton and Southern…" Jordan glanced upwards to see if the names had sparked any recognition in Brown. They had not.

"What do they do?"

"… Heaton works in a bank… Southern's an actress."

"Must be pretty good money?"

"Uh, yeah… what does your mum do?"

Brown was caught off guard by Jordan's subject changing. He hesitated for a moment, trying to think of how to reply. "She… doesn't work… she got most of her money from being an… enterpernur-"

"Entrepreneur?

"Yeah, that's when she met dad…" Brown paused again. "They weren't married when they had me… so I guess I'm a bastard…"

Jordan stifled a laugh at this.

"What's so funny?" Brown asked.

"I'm a bastard too." Jordan explained. "Just found it coincidental…"

"Is Ruri a bastard?"

"In one of the senses, yes." Jordan laughed. "But nah, they were married by then."

A lengthy pause ensued, an uncomfortable silence broken only by their feet crunching through the grass and the wild Pokémon around.

…

Author's Note: And that is the trip back home as featured in some of the games. Divina really is mean. It can be hard to get her personality as a heartless woman really right.

Anyway, this chapter is kind-of-fillerish, but it really is important to show the background of Brown, and his relationship with his mother. It also shows him getting the Pokegear and meeting with Jordan. That's all for now, I think. See you next chapter.

Also, I do not see "bastard" as a rude word at all if it is used in the context of "born out of wedlock". If you disagree then feel free to tell me and I'll change it albeit somewhat begrudgingly.