Ch.64: Memories of the Past! A Bitter Childhood Warped from Perception!

The team was gathered in Pembroke's study after Tony's disastrous defeat against his father. Pembroke had Tony placed into a bed and tended to his injuries with some assistance from Gwyn thanks to her expertise on medicinal plants. The Dewott was still unconscious, but should be expect to make a full recovery once they were done.

As for Wes, while he was doing alright, his dip into the ocean left him pretty cold. He had a blanket wrapped around him and had a cup of hot chocolate between his paws.

He sipped down the beverage and sighed with content. "I feel my insides warming up already…"

Ella leaned against a bookshelf and smirked at the Umbreon. "You're lucky you didn't catch a cold. That's the last thing you need."

Flint, as he ran his digit across Pembroke's selection of books, interjected, "Actually, it's unlikely that would've made him sick. Colds are generally contracted from viruses, not-"

"Flint, don't be a nerd and just be glad your brother doesn't have hypothermia," Ella interrupted with her sassy grin.

The Flareon rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I'm glad you didn't get hypothermia, Wes."

"Thanks…" Wes sipped his drink again.

"What I will say, though, is that was the stupidest thing you could have done," Flint pointed out in annoyance. "That was raging water you dove into! With magic lightning shooting everywhere, might I add!"

Wes grinned boldly. "I know! That was fun!"

Flint facepalmed. "Our definitions of fun continue to be radically different." He sighed. "I shouldn't complain too much. I shouldn't expect less from you." He glanced over at Pembroke and Gwyn. "So…how's he coming along?"

Gwyn faced him as she washed her hands on a wet washcloth. "He should get better soon. Bed rest is a definite. Physical wounds will heal on their own." She narrowed her eyes sadly. "I can't say the same for emotional wounds…" The others frowned her way. "…I…I thought you were supposed to love your parents. They nurture you, play with you, make you happy…it's…painful seeing such vile bitterness between those bound by blood." She got a little teary eyed.

Ella glanced away sadly. Even considering my own parental issues, I never hated my folks. Ella sighed. "The real world…isn't as nice a place as we want it to be."

Gwyn sighed. "I know…I just don't like it…"

Pembroke sighed. "I must apologize for Master Leroy's behavior. I understand he comes off as a cold individual, but he is honor bound to his work. Please note that protection of the keys far exceeds personal matters. That is the goal of this job: sacrificing a lot to protect all. I can't forgive his actions in the past, but…"

"It's not us you should be giving this speech to," Flint cut in, ears drooped down. "Tony needs time to cool off, but…none of us, especially him, know much outside of just abandoning his loved ones. Not even so much as sending over money."

Ella glared. "Kind of a jerk move, too. You guys aren't working for free, otherwise you would've died of starvation a long time ago. I'd say Leroy really has tried to cut off connections with them."

Pembroke sighed and scratched behind his ear. "You are correct in most of your assumptions. Master Cielo provides for the mages so they can continue on with their days in top condition. Master Leroy did try to cut off all connection with Tony and his loved ones. However, there is more to this than just simple abandonment."

"Such as?" Griffin grunted.

"Well, for starters, how would you go about explaining that you'll be spending the rest of your life protecting an all-powerful relic by guarding one of the ten items used to acquire it?" Pembroke pointed out.

Wes grinned awkwardly. "Well…Angel and Cheri took it pretty well when we told them."

"Maybe now, but my master was bound to silence. Unlike you all, we try to keep this as secret as possible." The Lycanroc glared suspiciously. "Exactly how many people know about the idol's existence?"

He did not like the looks he got from them. Ella bit her lip and tried to look away while Wes puffed his cheeks out, internally panicking, as his eyes darted around the room. Flint and Gwyn bowed their heads shamefully while Griffin just shrugged it off uncaringly.

Pembroke sighed in mild frustration. "For Heaven's sake, you kids…"

"Look, in our defense," Wes blurted out, "we didn't have much choice on the matter! My mom, my professor, and my boss-!"

"Probably my boss, too," Ella added. "Though, we kind of skimmed over the details with Lenny."

"-found out around the same time as we did! We've told some people, but they've been keeping it quiet and, at the very least, are helping us!"

Pembroke shook his head and looked back at Tony. "Well, at least you didn't expose it to any criminals." The sharp inhale of breaths made him tense up. "…you're kidding?"

Ella blinked, then whispered through her teeth, "So, I'm guessing they weren't informed by Calder that there's a gang of pirates who know now…"

Pembroke facepalmed. "Oh my word…" He shook his head and walked over to his medicine cabinets. "I really am speaking with the next generation of Team Ravenfield. You're as impulsive as their team leader."

Wes grinned. "I'll…take that as a compliment."

Pembroke lifted himself up and searched through the cabinet. "As you can tell from how I'm taking this, the idol's secrecy is of importance. These keys have been protected for years. Your father made the foolish suggestion of bringing them to the Shadow King so he could release Mr. Ghostwind. The mages obviously didn't take to that option with flying colors."

Flint tapped his chin. "You know, I distinctly remember Dad's journal saying he was the one who hid the keys away, but…he obviously didn't."

"That's because Alex's memories would have led to some complications. Keep in mind, the shadows have access to everything their host offers, including memories. It was a risky gambit, but your father suggested hiding the keys away since Alex may have knew where the temple locations were. But since the king supposedly went into inactivity, that's no longer an issue." Pembroke glared. "Of course, should the Shadow King be brought back, he may very well track down every last mage until the rest of the keys are in his possession. Garret was betting on risky his life to eliminate the Shadow King.

"Of course, that never happened, but merely dissuaded the Shadow King from further action. As you can see, that's why letting others in on the secret is highly dangerous."

Wes frowned. "I…I see…"

Pembroke rolled his eyes. "Even so, pirates are the least of our problems now. But now's not the time to dwell on that."

Ella sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. "Okay, so blathering the secret was a bad thing, I get that. But that still doesn't excuse Leroy for not at least sending money to his family."

He closed his eyes. "Yes, well…here's the thing about that. This job isn't exactly the glamorous high life. In fact, it's more dedication and honor than easy living. Master Cielo know anyone who took this job were expected to manage with what they were given wisely." The wolf tapped his chin. "Master Leroy is training us while Master Cielo provides for our necessities."

"So?" Ella asked, not getting the point.

"This job isn't about the money. It's just enough to support someone and get them things like food or new equipment. It's not exactly the kind of pay you make to raise a family of three. If Leroy focused on giving half or most of his money to them, he might run the risk of not being in top condition." Pembroke gestured around the room. "All this stuff was bought and brought over before I took on this apprenticeship. All of us pitch in to buy food. Do you know how expensive it is to feed mages and warriors who are constantly training? We burn through our energy pretty quickly. It certainly wouldn't be enough to maintain a house and get food on the table every week."

Griffin glared. "I think Sparks once said his old man was a bodyguard. That certainly pays a lot. The rich and upper class pay a lot of bits for their protection."

"So…Leroy just didn't try to send money? Not even attempt to make it work?" Gwyn asked.

Pembroke shrugged. "I haven't been his apprentice for as long as he has been a mage." He narrowed his eyes. "Though, sometimes I wonder if he doesn't have the best outlook of himself. He looks tough, but…his self-confidence is questionable."

Flint raised a brow. "How so?"

"Young Tony told you how his father lacked skills outside the profession of combat." Pembroke huffed silently. "He's not wrong. Frankly, Master Leroy forbids himself from setting foot in our kitchen. It seems he thinks that if makes a mistake, everything will go wrong. He's incredibly competent with his ability to fight, so he sees no fear in challenging a strong opponent. But any new skill completely foreign to his expertise is dangerous territory."

Ella tilted her head with a dry stare. "Are you saying he didn't attempt to support his family because he could've screwed them and himself over?"

"Basic way of stating it."

Gwyn held her head in confusion. "He doesn't have any confidence in himself? Could've fooled me." She narrowed her eyes. "If I'm fully understanding this whole situation, what you're saying is that he abandoned his loved ones solely because he knew nothing he does would be worth the effort should he fail?"

The Espeon rolled her eyes. "For a battle-hardened warrior protecting us from eternal chaos, he's really incompetent. Huh…maybe spending the rest of his life protecting a key was the right career choice."

Pembroke set his paw atop Tony's bed. "I doubt his motivation for doing so is solely because of his own lack of self-confidence. Gunnar, my fellow apprentices, and I believe he did it to protect them." He narrowed his eyes. "I do not know much of this Angel, but she seemed to be the one being in Master Leroy's life that brought him true happiness. I suppose he never learned to reciprocate those feelings."

The team looked around at each other with narrowed eyes of their own. "Knowing all of that…" Wes started, "I guess Tony had a reason to be mad."

"But the way he went about channeling his anger was unacceptable," Ella reminded. "Did you see the way he was fighting? He was being…what's the word I'm looking for?"

"An idiot."

"Yeah, that's it!" she exclaimed. She blinked twice in confusion. "Wait, who said that?"

"I did." The team's eyes darted for the bed as Tony pushed himself up. He gritted his teeth, feeling the aches and pains littered all over his weakened body. "Ugh…I feel like shit…"

Pembroke glared slightly. "How fortunate to see you awake, young Sapienti. I assumed you would be out for another hour."

Tony gripped his shoulder and rubbed it firmly. "Yeah, well, stubborn idiots like me are too stubborn to stay unconscious forever."

Gwyn clasped her hands together. "How do you feel?"

"My skin feels like it was dipped in the deep fryer, my head feels like it hit the wrong end of a speeding train, and there's this ringing in my ear that's driving me mad," he admitted as he picked at the inside of his ear. "My earlier comment bears repeating: feeling like shit…"

"You took some heavy hits from your father," Pembroke pointed out. "You're lucky to not have suffered permanent damage thanks to that protective aura around you."

Tony looked at his arm and saw his aura flickering over his form. Guess he sustained more damage than he realized. "Yeah…lucky…"

Ella stepped up to the Dewott and looked him firmly in the eye. "Anything that doesn't feel broken?"

He shrugged. "My shoulder's sore, but it feels alright. Why?"

"Because I didn't want to hurt you any more than you already are." She grabbed and pinched down on his skinned tightly.

"OW!" Tony seethed, slapping her paw away and rubbing the stinging area. "What the hell, Ella?!"

"That was the stupidest stunt you've ever pulled!" she scolded angrily. "What is the matter with you?! Do you know how worried we were about you?! Wes had to jump into the ocean and fish you out after you took that last blow!"

He glared back at her. "That bastard and I had unfinished business! There was no way I was leaving without getting some much deserve retribution!"

"Oh yes, because throwing yourself headfirst into a fight like a brutish maniac was totally the rational way of going about it!" she retorted sarcastically. "Honestly Tony, as much as I sympathize with you, your dad has a point! You acted like a child on a temper tantrum!"

Tony growled, teeth grit tightly. "He had the nerve to brush off our misfortune without understanding our sorrows! Regardless of what led him to do the things he did, we still suffered for it! I had to suffer for it!" He threw his arms up, but dropped them as that only agitated his injuries. "AGH…I mean, seriously! I used to live in such a nice house in a nicer part of the Fire Zone! We never lived out in a village poorer than dirt and with ash storms so suffocating!"

"Tony," Wes spoke up firmly. "We get why you're angry with him, we really do. However, this isn't about your issues with your father, it's about the actions you took to seek vengeance. You put yourself at unnecessary risk, even after you promised we'd do this as a team."

Tony gripped the edge of the bed. "Just give me another chance! I can beat him! Maybe if I just attack harder, I can overwhelm him or-!"

"Stop being an idiot and think." The Dewott shut his mouth and shot a glare at Griffin, eyes closed and arms behind his head as he leaned into the far corner wall. "When it comes to magical talent, our leader takes center stage. Raw power and combat experience, you've got me." He glared back at the thief. "You excel at hit-and-run tactics and formulating unusual, but effective strategies to keep the opponent on edge. In short, you're our fastest ally.

"However, everything you did didn't have an ounce of care placed into it. Minor strategizing at best, but seemed more interested in burning through your magic and taking out your father as quickly as possible. You weren't acting with a cool head. You were being impulsive and irrational. You made several mistakes overestimating your own abilities, relying heavily on brute force without exploiting possible weaknesses, and you took unnecessary risks with no pay off because you fought an opponent who's basically the better copy of you."

Tony breathed heavily through his teeth. "I still could've-"

"No, you couldn't. You weren't thinking about winning and obtaining the key, the objective we're all working towards. Your only motivation was satisfying your ten-year-old self's desires that you've been harboring for years. How fitting, given the fact you're the youngest of this team."

Tony scowled. "Don't go acting like you can psychoanalyze me, Hothead! My hate for that bastard runs deeper than petty issues! Even before he left, that jackass never cared about me. He'd always brush me off as some nuisance and made me feel like a miserable waste!"

Griffin closed his eyes. "And how much of that is you just letting your anger warp miserable memories into overblown, horrible tragedies?"

Tony would've jumped out and pounced the Grovyle, but he couldn't risk flaring up his injuries any further. He clenched his fists and eyes closed and growled angrily as sparks flew up his body. "I know what I know! He never loved me! He never cared about me! Rejection, bitterness, distancing…! He…He…HE…!"

A gentle paw rested on his shoulder. His eyelids parted a bit and saw Ella looking at him with concerned eyes. "Tony…calm down…"

Tony opened his eyes fully and saw he was glowing and sparking. In that moment of breathing, the aggression seemed to fade away as his body relaxed itself, turning off the electric glow. He rested his arms in his lap and panted quietly, feeling a new wave of exhaustion come over him.

Flint narrowed his eyes seriously. "Your dad said you…were very emotional as a child. Was that true?"

Tony panted for a moment, then lowered his head and glued his gaze to the ground. "I…maybe…"

Wes frowned sympathetically for the Dewott. "I've only seen you like this once before, when your mom and sister's lives were in jeopardy. Funny how everything we've seen from this temper of yours traces back to your family." He narrowed his eyes. "Did you always feel like this? Or are you just upset about being abandoned?"

The lightning thief gripped his pants, heaving a heavy sigh. "…maybe…as a child…I felt…unloved. My mother gave me unconditional love since birth. My dad…it was like my existence wasn't worth his time." He closed his eyes and let out another sigh shakily. "Hate…the hate grew through his departure. Before then…all I felt was…apathy."

The team blinked in surprise as they saw tiny droplets drip onto his pants. He gripped the fabric tighter as he sucked in some air. "Despite everything…I just wanted to find something in that empty void of his…some light that showed…deep down he truly cared about me. I wanted…I wanted to know if he loved me…"

Wes' ears drooped sadly. "Copying his magic…seeking his affection…anger because he left…"

Gwyn's eyes watered. "You…You idolized your father, didn't you?"

Tony sniffled, then forced a shaky grin as tears continued to drip. "So stupid, to think I actually wanted to be like that bastard…just a kid who saw something cool and wanted to be like that…" The forced smile turned upside-down. "Then I got older…and had to learn the hardships of reality. It became clearer to me that no matter what I did, he didn't want me around. He just…didn't appreciate me as a son. Like I was one of the many regrets he made…

"So…I strive so hard to be better than him. Better at Storm Magic, better at fighting…but most of all, being the better man. I wanted to show him that I've exceeded him as a person…" Tony leaned his head back and glared at the ceiling. "From everywhere he failed, I improved. That was my wish taking care of Mom and Cheri: to be better than him."

The group stared at him silently. It's quite clear to them that everything Tony ever did was just to satisfy his own anger and bitterness towards the Samurott. And yet, as he poured his heart out, Wes saw something else as he stated his wishes to be the better Sapienti.

"If all that's true…" the Umbreon started, "then I have to ask. After everything you've done, do you feel satisfied with yourself?"

Tony looked up at his team leader with a sullen face, yet his grip on his pants lessened. Instead, he clenched his fists and folded his arms over his lap. He stared down at the ground, silent for a few short moments, as if contemplating deeply if he believed it himself or not. For how much he strived to be the better Sapienti, did it really matter now that he has come face to face with the man he loathed so deeply?

The tension in the Dewott's body faded. He slouched over and let out a deep sigh of inner frustration. "…I feel nothing…"

"You seemed so sure that you wanted revenge…" Flint reminded.

Tony rubbed his head. "I can't deny I was angry…but I did want revenge." He lowered his arm onto his lap again and grunted. "But after facing him and seeing his…power, that split second I had before everything went black, I realized how severely outgunned I really was." He closed his eyes. "I want to deny it, but…there's no point."

Gwyn held her arms out to him. "Do you need a hug?"

He chuckled lightly and rubbed his eye. "I'm good…thanks anyway, Green." His brief glimmer of a smile faded once more. "…have I really just been angry because I wanted that old fool to show some ounce of appreciation for me? Just some miniscule possibility for recognition?" He shook his head. "I don't even know anymore. I could never chip through that icy heart of his."

Ella rolled her eyes lightly. "Well, that's all in the past. What you should be focusing on now is getting some bedrest."

"Despite your failure, it was a useful learning experience," Flint pointed out. "At least we know now he has a similar set of spells that you have access to." The Flareon then sighed and drooped his head with a weary groan. "Course…doesn't help he could also outpace us in a fight." Gwyn patted his back to give him reassurance.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "I can still help…"

Wes shook his head. "No way. It's best that you didn't fight Leroy again. We're not sure if you'll have another relapse like that again, and I'd rather prevent a second defeat."

Tony was about to protest, but Ella shot him a warning look. That look told him he had no say in the matter. In fact, he could feel it all around the room. Clear signs that the Dewott needed this time to reflect on his actions.

Tony breathed in and, while against it, obliged to their wishes. "Fine, I'll sit this one out."

Wes sighed in relief. "Thank you, Tony." He looked at the rest of the team. "It's been a rough day for all of us. Let's take tomorrow off, then try to come up with a suitable counterattack for Leroy."

Griffin grunted and got out of his chair. "You cane laze around if you want." He drew out Endless Regret and held it over his shoulder as he walked out. "I'm training."

Wes grinned exasperatedly. "Okay…just the four of us, then."

Gwyn squealed and wrapped her arms around Flint. "Well, if we're taking a mini break, want to help me with my experiments, Flint?! I need a second opinion about some of the Naturae Fruit designs I made!"

Her beaming happiness brought a rosy cheeked smile to the Flareon's face. "O-Oh, sure. Anything you wa-AAHH!" The Mew dragged him out of the room in a flash.

Wes and Ella sighed with tired smiles. The Umbreon finished the last of his hot chocolate and walked out. "Guess I'll jot down some rough drafts for strategies."

Ella followed him out. "I thought you were taking a break."

"Do you SEE any hidden and prime treasure hunting spots?! I've got nothing to do!"

"You could let me give you a makeover."

"I am NOT letting you anywhere near my fur! You are vicious with a brush!"

The door shut behind them, leaving Tony and Pembroke as the last to remain. The Midday Lycanroc grabbed a vial in his teeth and tossed it over to Tony, which he caught halfheartedly. "Your Mew friend is quite talented in medicine. She said that should accelerate the healing, provided you have the nutrition to keep up with it."

Tony stared at the bottle with soft, dejected eyes. "…right…"

Pembroke sighed and rubbed his head tiredly. "Ugh…Gunnar's better at this than I am…" He went to his shelves and did some rearranging while Tony just kept staring at the bottle, a distant look in his eyes.

Night had fallen over the temple after a long day. Wes didn't want Gunnar to cook for them again after learning about their limited money, so he went out to the closest store in Tempest Valley and brought back some food for the team. And thankfully, despite his dejected behavior all day, Tony couldn't resist the tantalizing call of food once it was lay out before him.

Once slumber crept up over them, Tony was left to his own thoughts in the quiet atmosphere of the temple. Pembroke offered his bed to Tony for comfort and gladly took to the floor with a few blankets for a makeshift mattress and one draped over his slumbering form.

Tony hugged his legs and pulled them close to his chest. He could feel the subtle intakes of air as his chest rose and fell rhythmically. His eyelids were low and glazed over, but not from the pleading call for sleep. A look of deep thought casted over the normally carefree Dewott's face, having remained silent since he last spoken words with Pembroke, showing only true emotion after receiving the delicious platter of food hours ago.

He touched his bandaged chest, feeling what remains of the burns. He blinked somberly, then gazed upon the storm through the bedroom window. Less thunder and lightning than earlier. Perhaps even the sky was exhausted after the long day.

Tony narrowed his eyes at it, then sighed. "…how long has it been…when I actually tried to feel something for him?"

It was a warm day out in the Fire Zone, like every other day through the zone deprived of green. Land that stretched out for miles, making for the perfect training ground of Leroy Sapienti as he practiced his swordsmanship against a rock that has withered significantly after repeated blows.

However, he wasn't alone. Hiding behind another large rock, keeping his distance, was a small Oshawott, who wore a green tank top and blue shorts. He watched his father practice his strikes in silent interest, occasionally mimicking his movements with his own scalchop.

A crazy idea came to the Oshawott's mind as he watched the older Samurott train. It was stupid, but he wanted to have fun. He grinned around the rock and activated his Razor Shell, slowly stepping out from behind the rock as quietly as possible.

One…two…THREE! The Oshawott let out a loud battle cry and charged straight for the Samurott, water blade raised over his head. Leroy didn't seem to acknowledge his approaching presence, motivating the otter to leap in the air and swing down on the sea lion…

…and was immediately thwarted.

Leroy sighed and turned around, having caught the blade between his two fingers. The Oshawott dangled by the water construct as he stared back at his father. "…Tony, what are you doing?"

"Um…sparring?" he answered with a wide grin. Leroy narrowed his eyes, then released the child, who faceplanted into the ground. "Ow…" Leroy went back to his training and struck the rock, creating lightning sparks through the impact. Tony lifted his head up and smiled. "Can I train with you?!" he asked with a wag of his tail.

"No. Go away." Short, firm, and no emotion.

Tony stood up and held his hips. "Please~! This looks like so much fun!"

"Combat is not about 'fun.' What I do determines life or death." He closed his eyes. "Go away."

Tony pouted. "You never let me hang out with you."

"I have no time to bore myself with childish games. You should be focusing on your studies for school."

Tony crossed his arms and tapped his foot against the ground. "Come ON! I just want to learn how to fight and do cool magic stuff! Like when you go all 'Pew, pew' and 'BLAM!'" he exclaimed with elaborate gestures.

Leroy groaned, feeling he won't make any progress talking to the chattering otter. He sheathed his seamitar away and glared down at the Oshawott. "Fighting is about the state of mind. It may 'look fun' through the eyes of the observer, but someone as young and childish as you will quickly see it is not at all fun."

Tony pouted again. "Why not? My friends go to combat classes after school. They say it's fine."

Leroy rolled his eyes. "An amateur's starting grounds to understand the principle of battle, maybe, but I do not speak of such juvenile activity. What you call a 'combat class' is a dojo that trains impressionable young minds to understand the concepts of a fight, not how to fight itself."

Tony's face fell into a blank expression. "Um…what?"

Leroy groaned. "In simplistic terms a toddler could comprehend, that school is the real world of battle…with hundreds of invisible safety nets for the trainees." Leroy marched around Tony and headed back in the direction of the house. "Dojos like that do not prepare the young minds for the true tests of battle. The most impulsive and idiotic youths who believe so highly in their skill simply through high marks and battle prowess compared to their weaker classmates…do you know what happens to younglings like that?"

Tony shrugged as he followed behind. "No."

Leroy glared. "Best case scenario…they don't get their heads lobbed off." Tony paused mid-walk and paled in horror, his imaginative mind drawing up a horrifying picture of decapitated Pokémon. "The real world is a horrible place…and naïve kids like you are under the foolish impression change is possible, that 'world peace' is obtainable." He scoffed. "How I pity the delusions set up by our world."

Tony, recovering from his shock, shook his head and glared. "Oh yeah?! I can totally do all of that! You're just too…too…you don't have any hope!"

The Samurott shook his head. "Do me a favor and just stick to school, you delusional brat." He glared. "From where you stand now, you will never make a difference. You'll just become a liability. A walking disaster that doesn't discriminate. A hurricane gone rogue."

Tony gritted his teeth. "Is that a challenge, old man?!"

"No…it's fate." He glared down directly at the child. "Someone like you won't be ready for the real world. One of these days, if you try to be a hero with the mindset of a five-year-old, you'll die very young." Tony's bravado fell on the spot, and Leroy didn't bat an eye. He continued ahead as his body coated itself in sparks. "Go home. Best not to keep your mother waiting." On that note, he vanished in a flash.

The Oshawott blinked at the ring of dust swirling where his father took off. He glared and kicked the ground, sending tiny pebbles scattering in the air. "Stupid old man…what does he know?"

*Four Years Later*

The school bell rung, signaling the end of another school day. Kids flooded from the building and went to their parents to be taken home or simply walked themselves home. The school was relatively close to the neighborhood, so safe travels could be made back to their homes.

Tony walked out, hands in his pockets, and keeping his eyes on the ground with a bored look to his eyes. His father had left on another assignment to protect some rich guy (he didn't know nor care) and his mother was at home, coming down with a sudden weariness. Probably exhaustion from cleaning up the house, he didn't know. She usually made sure to escort him home safely, but she trusted he could walk himself back for one day.

Tony continued down the straight path when he heard sudden cries of distress. "Hey! Stop! Give it back!" The Oshawott stopped and looked around before pinpointing the noise coming through a field of scorched tree trunks, rising as high as regular trees, but lacked the green and vegetation they normally adorned. The child narrowed his eyes curiously before stepping off the path and dashing through the trees.

He stopped once the cries grew louder and hid himself behind a wide tree. Peeking around, he spotted a Wooper, who wore white shorts, was bouncing around frantically as a Drilbur, wearing a blue tank top and pants, and a Combusken, wearing a thin, long sleeved white shirt and black pants, were throwing around his bookbag, taking advantage of his small size and lack of arms. Tony narrowed his eyes, identifying the bullies as middle schoolers based on their size.

"Come on, guys! This isn't funny! My mom will be upset if my backpack gets ruined!" the Wooper cried as he jumped as high as he could to grab the bag with his teeth, but the Combusken held it out of his reach and threw it back to Drilbur.

"Hey, we're just having fun!" the Combusken mocked with a snide tone. "We won't rip it…on purpose."

Drilbur spun it over his head and laughed, chucking it back to Combusken before Wooper could take it back. "Yeah, just chill, kid! Lighten up!"

"This is so unfair!" Wooper whined.

The older kids laughed and high-five each other. The Combusken held the bag by his claw and held it over Wooper's head. "We'll give it back. Just say the magic word."

"He said drop it, you big jerks!"

Combusken gasped as Tony rammed his shoulder into his back and shoved him to the ground. The bag fell in front of Wooper, who was stunned with shock before grabbing the bag in his teeth and hightailing it before the bullies could stop him.

"Thanks!" the Wooper screamed back before disappearing out of the dead forest.

Tony sighed, then yelped as Combusken elbowed him off his back and got onto one knee. "Little brat…who do you think you are?" he growled angrily through his teeth.

The Oshawott shifted on his back before sitting up and glaring at the two. "How dare you pick on someone smaller than you?! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

Drilbur smiled with lazily drooped eyes. "Seriously? Kid, we're just having a little fun. We didn't hurt him or anything."

Tony glared and pointed at them accusingly. "I'm not having any of that crap! You two jerks deserve to be thrown in the big house!"

Combusken sneered and stamped his foot down, attempting to scare the noisy Oshawott off. "Scram, loser, or you're going to make up for scaring our 'friend' off!"

Tony stood straight and planted his feet against the ground. "You don't scare me! You're going to apologize to that kid or I'm-!" A hand slapped him across the face and knocked him flat on his back.

Drilbur flinched as his friend rubbed the back of his hand. "Dude! You actually hit him!"

"He wouldn't shut up unless I did something," he argued. He stuffed both his hands in his pockets and grunted. "Come on, let's get out of here." He tried to walk around the downed Oshawott when he noticed the surge of sparks crackling over the otter's body. "Um…what?"

Drilbur stepped back. "Did you paralyze him?"

Combusken also took some gingerly steps away from Tony. "No…that's not from me…"

Their muscles tensed as the Oshawott made movement. He panted his hands down and slowly lifted himself, wobbling in disorientation. His hands curled into fists, his body shook with increasing tension, and his feet dug firmly into the ground. They heard the soft, yet venomous breathing he exhaled. The sparks that surged over his being bounced off weakly.

"You…You jerks…" Tony exhaled a long breath before swinging his head around and screaming a vicious shout, "NOW YOU'RE DEAD!"

"AAAHHH!" The bullies turned and dashed, their legs practically flying off the ground, as the Oshawott chased them down with lightning shooting off his body. "SOMEONE! HELP! HE'S CRAZY!"

"GET BACK HERE!" Tony roared.

They zigzagged through the scorched trees and tried to find a way out of the forest, as well as a hiding spot to escape the madman of an Oshawott. They caught their breaths as they heard a distinct slashing in the trees, daring a look behind and catching the frightening sight of the otter's scalchop coated in the blade of water.

They picked up their speed and sprinted for their lives, motivating Tony to pursue them with greater vigor and anger. "What's wrong?! Where's all that tough talk from earlier?! You losers are all BARK and no BITE!"

"Get away from us, you insane brat!" the Drilbur screamed.

However, the two bullies-turned-victims found themselves at the end of their road. The particular forest they were running from led to an unfortunate dead end, via a cliff that hung over a plain of volcanic rock sticking up through the ground. They were quick to catch this before accidentally running themselves over the edge, though fear was still evident in their eyes.

"Finally accepting your fates?!" They immediately spun around and saw Tony running straight at them, blinded with rage. "GOOD! NOW TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE MEN!"

Combusken and Drilbur, acting on instinct, quickly jumped in opposite directions and narrowly avoided the Oshawott's water blade. Tony dug his feet in and spun himself around to attack again, but the momentum he carried with him didn't fade out in time before his foot met the edge of the cliff. Right as he prepared for attack, he pushed on the dangerously close edge and felt his foot flip through a weak spot in the edge. His eyes widened in surprise, dropping his scalchop and feeling his body succumb to the sudden force of gravity.

"Wha-What the-?!" was all Tony could get out before his body completely slipped off the edge of the cliff, too stunned to grab on for safety.

The bullies, despite their previous actions and being chased down, dove for the edge in an attempt to grab his arms. However, much to their own horror, they were an inch shy of securing him. "Oh no!" Combusken cried out.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Tony screamed with horrorstricken eyes, flailing for some invisible force to catch his fall. The fear clouded his eyes, unable to see the incoming spires of rock in his direction. He closed his eyes and hugged himself tightly. "HEEEEELLLLLPPP! ARCEUS, SAVE ME!"

He fell closer to his impending doom when, as if his calls were answered by Arceus, a bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck Tony. The bolt didn't harm the petrified child, but rather swooped him up and rocketed back up the cliff, too fast for the other two boys to register.

Their minds finally caught up to the speed and quickly spun around as the lightning struck down behind them. Tony whimpered fearfully with his eyes clenched shut, then a moment passed as he came to realize he was still alive. His eyes opened cautiously and saw he was on solid ground. Tension in his form faded out, but fear still raced through his mind, as well as confusion.

"Wha…how did I…?"

"You stupid, idiotic brat."

Tony's face paled, maybe worse than when he fell. Looming over him was Leroy, who showed no concern over the fact his son nearly wound up dead. Rather, anger reflected off his eyes. Tony could feel those piercing daggers driving into the back of his skull.

Leroy growled through his teeth, then shot a glare at the two bullies, both flinching with panic. "You two…go home. Now!"

"AH! Yes, sir!" they screamed, then dashed off with a cloud of smoke trailing behind them.

Tony refused to meet eyes with his father, too scared to face the rage directly. Leroy continued to glare down at the boy before grunting and walking forward. "Home. Now."

The Oshawott didn't object. He stood up and followed, keeping his head low. Hell was going to break loose when they set foot in the house.

"Oh dear Arceus, are you okay?!" Angel cried out after being told what happened by Leroy, cradling her son in her arms.

"Mom…I'm fine…" he mumbled, still dazed from the whole experience.

She hugged him tighter and sighed with shaky breath, tears welling up in her eyes. "I-It's a miracle…y-your father was there when he was! Oh Tony…don't ever scare me like this!"

Leroy stood off to the side, sneering at the child with contempt. "Stop coddling him, Angel. He was a fool to try such a ridiculous stunt like that."

Angel let go of Tony and sat him on the couch. "Leroy, how can you say that?! Tony almost died!"

"A fate he brought onto himself for being an idiotic brat who let his emotions get the better of him." He glared at the Oshawott. "What provoked you to possibly do something some irrefutably foolish that your own life wasn't of prior concern?"

Tony felt his throat straining. He clenched down on his teeth, holding back any tears he wanted to let loose. "They…They started it…"

Leroy rolled his eyes and growled sharply. "How utterly immature. I didn't realize one's own life means nothing if the objective is to get petty revenge over a nonsensical matter."

Angel glared and held her hips. "Leroy, that's enough!" she scolded. "I'm not feeling well enough to deal with this. I nearly had a heart attack a moment ago! Tony needs to rest."

"You wanted me to be a better parental figure and that's exactly what I'm doing: scolding my naïve son for blindly throwing himself into danger."

Tony clenched his teeth, then glared up at the Samurott. "I was just trying to help a kid they were picking on! They attacked me first! I had to defend myself!"

Leroy sneered. "Is that so? From where it stands, it felt like you were chasing them down."

"SO?! I couldn't let them get away with picking on that kid and hitting me!"

"Even risking your own neck to carry out such trivial vendettas?" Leroy groaned. "Listen to me, I'm trying to teach reason to a brat."

Tony growled and shouted back, "Stop calling me a BRAT! I'm just trying to prove I can handle myself!"

"And, if it weren't for me, we would be attending your funeral a couple weeks from now." Leroy glared and pressed his finger against the Oshawott's head. "Get this through that thick head of yours: you will never amount to anything if you keep this childish behavior a routinely part of yourself. Quit acting like such a stuck-up brat and accept it."

Hot tears streamed down Tony's face. "Maybe I wouldn't be trying so hard if you just be nice to me! I want to prove to you that I am more than what you think I am, yet you keep pushing me down and tearing me apart!"

Leroy glared and pulled back. "I never even wanted this family."

Tony's aggression faded. His eyes widened, but the tears still came. "What…?"

Angel narrowed her eyes worriedly. "Leroy, don't…"

"Family…is trouble. They always have been, always will." Leroy closed his eyes. "I gave it a chance…and you're only proving my point." He turned his back to the distraught Oshawott. "I never took to raising a family before…because there's simply nothing to gain from it other than disappointment." He scowled over his shoulder. "And you're a constant reminder of a world too stubborn to face reality. Nothing but trouble and disappointment."

Tony fell onto his rear and stared at the floor, stunned with silence. Leroy didn't turn back as he escorted himself out the door, leaving behind a hurt Oshawott and a worried, yet weary Raichu. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the tears dripping onto his pants, yet not a whimper to be heard.

She sat down beside him and pulled him to her side. "Oh Tony…he didn't mean it. I'm…I'm sure he was just worried about you…" She wished that were true, because even the Oshawott picked up she didn't sound convinced.

His eyes were clouded with tears and a bitterness building up inside him. "No…no, he wasn't…"

*Seven Years Later*

Tony and Cheri, the former now a Dewott, stared down at their mother as she coughed with such forceful agitation, covering herself under her blankets and trying to get some much-needed rest. Cheri whimpered worriedly. "Mom's not feeling well again…"

Tony clenched his fist. "This happens every time those stupid ash storms blow over the village. She must be getting sick off them. And it's getting worse."

"Is she going to be okay?!" Cheri shouted with newfound fear.

Tony crouched down and patted her head. "I don't know…but I need to run down to the pharmacy and get her medicine."

Cheri narrowed her eyes with concern. "Do…Do we even have enough money? We used all we had for food a couple days ago…"

Tony grinned reassuringly. "Of course we have enough. Leave it to your big brother to make everything better, I promise." He stood up and headed for the door. "I'll be right back. Don't open the door for anyone other than me, okay?"

Cheri sniffled and wiped her nose. "O-Okay…Big Brother…"

Tony gave her one last smile, then said, "Stay strong, Mom. I'll be back soon." He slowly closed the door behind him. He waited a moment, then heard the door lock from the inside. He sighed, then dropped the fake expression into a disconcert frown. "Yeah…have enough to pass off as hobos." He trudged down the village path in search of the market.

He dug through his pocket and pulled out what little money his mother managed to earn. Three bronze bits. Barely enough to buy berries, but he wasn't sure if it was enough for medicine. Fuego Village and its insane prices drove him crazy.

He growled under his breath and pocketed the money. "Maybe I can talk Pops into cutting me some slack…" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "No…even if it's for my mother, I can't keep pleading for cheap or free medicine."

The Dewott glared at the sky, a dark blue as the sun began to set under the distant horizon. He then looked around at the shabby village and glowered at the state of the buildings, affected by the harsh ash storms that blew through here. The Fire Zone, for all its scorched earth, had some charm to it in its more appeasing parts. But out here? This village was a reminder that everyone who lives here is another soul trying to survive.

He grounded his teeth together. "This is all his fault…if he hadn't ditch us like the coward he was, we wouldn't have to cling on for our lives…" Sparks flew through his fur. "Mom's suffering…Cheri's miserable…and I'm…I'm…" He tightened his knuckles. "I…I can't let this happen. I will make this work. I will make things right for us again!" He glared at the sky. "Do you hear me, you bastard?! Do you hear ME?!"

"Oh, we hear you loud and clear, kid?" Tony's body relaxed as two thugs walked up behind him, a Haunter and a Bisharp, both wielding crowbars. Tony kept his head low and his hands in his pockets as they approached him. "Didn't your mommy teach you not to wander around so late?" the Bisharp taunted.

"It's around five…" Tony muttered.

Haunter cackled. "Even so, you should watch your step out here! You might run into some nasty hoodlums who might want to mug you! That'd just be dreadful!" He smirked. "Just in case you're too stupid to figure it out, we're robbing you!"

Tony gave a sideways glance, but still didn't look at them. "Thank you, your sarcastic demeanor and obvious false sincerity confused me…" he mumbled dryly. "Look, I'm not in the mood to deal with you. If you'd be so kind as to crawl back into whatever hellhole you climbed out of, that'd be great." He continued walking towards the pharmacy.

Bisharp pointed his crowbar at him. "You think we're bluffing?! We'll crack your skull open and take your money!"

"You'll be disappointed by the free space in my pockets," Tony retorted, giving a lazy wave for them.

Haunter growled. "I thought robbing this dumb village would go smoother. Perhaps we should find his home and smash it up!" That last statement made Tony stop, which the ghost was amused by. "Did I strike a nerve?"

Silence crawled up between the two sides. The thieves assumed they finally got their point across to him, so they were legitimately surprised when the Dewott turned himself around and started chuckling under his breath. It wasn't a malicious laugh, perhaps chipper, but it had a dark undertone that creeped them out.

"You two…" Tony finally looked them straight in the eye. "You both have money, don't you?"

They blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"You've been robbing other folks around the zone, haven't you? That means you must have plenty of bits on you, right?" Tony raised his hand and channeled lightning in the palm of his hand. He smirked. "You idiotic thieves caught me in a bad mood…but I think your assistance will help rectify my troubles."

They moved back and raised their weapons defensively. "H-Hey, hold on! W-We're the ones robbing you!" Bisharp reminded loudly, trying to come off as intimidating.

Tony smirked mischievously. "Crooks like you want to be the tough guy, huh? I'm about to drop some reality onto those uneducated minds. You two are a reminder of how shitty this world is. Nothing but trouble and disappointment." He snickered through his teeth. "Well…I'm sorry, Arceus, but I'm going to have to commit some sins." He started walked right towards the thieves.

They shrieked through their teeth and slowly backed away from the Dewott. "S-STAY BACK!" they screamed.

Tony laughed as the lightning jumped furiously. "If you're going to be a thief…you should have the skill and charisma to carry yourselves. Unlike you two…I've suffered enough to know what's important to me, and I'll take back what the worst of this world has stolen from me."

Tony narrowed his eyes as his mind wandered back into reality. "…even after all the shit you've given me, all the times you tore me down…I still pushed through the worst of times…" He covered his face into his folded arms. "Yet…despite how angry it makes me, you're right. I'm not me when I let my anger do the talking…that's not who I am…I can be smarter than that…wiser than that…"

He looked down at Pembroke, making sure he didn't rouse the wolf from his slumber. The Dewott glared seriously, then peeked out the window. There was something about the stormy weather that seemed to relax his nerves. It was hard to describe, but it was comforting. His entire family practically thrives in stormy weather, so that could be it.

He felt ashamed not partaking in a second round against Leroy, but his own attitude holds him back. What a lackluster weakness on his part, yet it heavily affects his judgment in battle…or his rationality in any given moment. Compared to his father, he is a rogue hurricane.

…something about that needed to be corrected.

Tony grabbed Gwyn's pill bottle and popped the top off. "Fine, you old bastard…if I can't get an apology out of you…" He threw a pill into his mouth and swallowed. "Ugh…then I'll surpass your judgment and take the respect I deserve."