Chapter Eight: Right or Wrong

For once, Zoey actually listened to me. A half an hour after I finally managed to make it home my little sister trudged into the house with a strange expression on her face. I couldn't read it. Guilt, worry? She met my eyes, and then hers dropped to the floor almost immediately. She couldn't even hold my gaze. Good. That meant she knew that what she was doing was wrong. My mother was home watching television so I had to pretend like everything was normal. She made some weird uber-nutritional pudding for us so for a few minutes we sat around eating that. Then, my mom headed out with a big container of the stuff. Said she was hanging out with Linda, Jack's mom, and that she wouldn't be back until late. I knew for a fact Linda didn't eat food like that, so I was a little suspicious -not to mention my mom was once again wearing a full face of makeup- but I was so focused on Zoey I didn't think it was the time to question it.

"Bye mom!" It was difficult plastering on a smile. I waved at my mother as she shut the door behind her with a click. Then, once I was sure she was gone... I turned my attention to Zoey.

I ran my eyes up and down her. I'd always considered her a brat, But not some kind of degenerate. She "rocked a punk look" as my mother liked to claim proudly, with her dyed blue hair and rather revealing outfits...but I still couldn't believe it...This was the same girl that had performed sex on a Pokémon in a video at the age of thirteen. She had to be sick or something... Zoey could barely meet my eyes.

"Your face is really scary right now," she whispered after a second. "Are you mad at me?" She didn't have her tough girl act on. Maybe because she knew she was in serious trouble.

I was beyond mad at her...but also...a part of me felt guilty. I knew my mother should have never let her get that haircut, and Jack should have never given her a Pokétch. Not the one she had now, or any of the ones before it. I'd always wondered why Zoey never actually left home and went out to be a trainer. Now, I had my answer. I clenched my fists. "Of course I'm mad! What is wrong with you!?"

Zoey trembled. Her face was already bright red. "Are you going to tell mom?"

I made a disgusted noise. "Of course I'm not. Mother would be devastated if she found out her only daughter is fucking Pokémon." I didn't mention that I had been doing the same thing the night before. Hardly seemed appropriate. If Zoey was older, maybe I'd be less mad. But fourteen years old and making porn with her starter Pokémon? Unacceptable! How had the Jenny's not caught onto it in the first place!? Yet Juliet's twenty-something-year-old sister was arrested for it...It made no sense...

Zoey worried her bottom lip, tearing up. I expected her to come into this discussion guns blazing, but she was acting like quite the baby. "Why-why do you even know about it? How'd you find it...are you into-"

I came up with the quickest lie I could, interrupting her. "Jack found it. You know how he is."

Zoey's expression twisted into something strange. "But he..." She trailed off, then went silent. Avoided my eyes. But he what? My suspicions were raised, now.

"He what, Zoey?"

My little sister shook her head. "It's nothing...wh-what are you going to do? Are you going to take Shinx away from me?"

I wasn't going to let her distract me. Not with tears, and not with a ridiculous question like that. "Does Jack know about this?" I asked quietly. Zoey's neon yellow eyes -contacts, of course- widened, and her mouth fell open a bit.

"No, he doesn't!" She insisted way too quickly, way too nervously. My eyes drifted down to her Pokétch.

I was going to fucking kill him. "Give me your Pokétch, now." Zoey shook her head. I saw the panic enter her face. She backed away from me. "Zoey! Give me your damn Pokétch now! Don't make this worse than it already is! I'll bring mom into this if I have to!"

Zoey froze up. Tears dripped down her cheeks. "No..."

I inhaled deeply. Then exhaled slow. "Zoey. If you give me your Pokétch you will not get in trouble. I promise you. Cross my heart. But if you don't...I'll bring it up to mom or worse, the police." Zoey's eyes widened. "If I do that...you can bet Static is going to be taken away from you and Jack will get in trouble. So... make this easier on both of us." I extended an open palm and waited.

My little sister gazed at her Pokétch with a sad little expression. Then, she slowly nodded. "...Alright..." She began to unstrap it from her wrist, and with a trembling hand...she gave it to me.

"Password and username. Now." Zoey quickly gave me the information. I tapped through the different apps until I found the one I was looking for. Disgust filled me. Zoey was messaging all kinds of people. And none of them appeared to be her age. My eyes widened when I saw a familiar name.

Jack...My best friend since basically childhood...

"Please don't be mad, Avery..." Zoey murmured, drifting close. Her fake golden eyes met mine. There was genuine fear in her face...what was I about to see? I opened the messages. It was worse than anything I could've possibly imagined. The first messages I saw were enough to make me want to rip my own eyes out.

Jack: [Static ever licked your you-know-what? Sorry if that's a weird question, lol...Couldn't find any vids of it on your channel. I really want to see that.]

Zoey: [Yea...he has. I usually make a mess so I haven't had uh...the opportunity to record it tho and lately Avery's been creeping around my room and stuff. I'm afraid even he'd figure out something if I didn't clean it up completely...not worth risking...but maybe uh...do you want pics? Or...would you rather see it in person?]

Before Jack could respond, Zoey had typed out [Jk...lol!]

Jack: [...Not gonna lie, the idea of seeing that right in front of me made me really hard. I could never though. If Avery ever found out he'd probably kill me, lol. You know how he is when it comes to you.]

So seeing her fuck her Shinx in person was too much, but sexting my sister about it was ok? You're a real class act, Jack! I scrolled back through conversation after conversation. I almost wished I could blame Poképhilia, but that stuff only started recently. Jack had been messaging my sister for months. Nude after nude, pics of her and Shinx only started appearing very recently...

Either way, I was going to kill him.

Zoey flinched when I glared at her. "I'm so sorry..."

It wasn't okay. It seriously wasn't okay! "What is wrong with you, Zoey? Are you stupid? Is that what this is?"

Zoey trembled. She looked her age, for once. Afraid and sad and upset with herself. Good. "I really like him!"

I glared at the Pokétch screen. Then I began to read the messages I found there out loud. "I jerked off to that pic you sent me of your tits. So small and cute...Want to send me some more? I'll get you that new Pokétch you were talking about the other day if you do. Or maybe I can get you something else?" Zoey looked visibly ashamed upon hearing this. "Does that sound like a boy that likes you for anything else other than your pussy and tits, Zoey!?"

Zoey flinched. "Avery...please stop talking like that..."

I grabbed her shoulder and squeezed, hard. "Am I being too inappropriate and crude for you, Zoey? Here I thought you were some kind of sex expert. After all, you're a pornstar! That aside...Answer the question!"

Zoey squirmed when I tightened my grip. "You're hurting me, Avery! Let go!"

"I'm hurting you? You've been sexting my best friend for months and I was forced to have sex with a Pokémon last night because I was being blackmailed with your videos! You're hurt? What about me!? I lost my goddamn virginity to a Pokémon because of you!" I hadn't been angry about it before. Or rather, I had been, but I'd suppressed it...or maybe I'd just genuinely enjoyed it, and thinking back only regretted it now...but no matter how amazing Angel had been...it didn't change the circumstances. It hadn't even been private. And Juliet had recorded the entire thing...I'd been violated. Zoey's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn't think-"

"Shut up, Zoey. I obviously know you didn't 'think' because you never do! And on top of that, this shit! Do you realize that you've ruined my friendship with Jack?"

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please don't be mad at him..."

A sudden fit of anger overtook me. "Don't be mad at him? Why so protective? I find it weird that you "like" Jack, and yet...In your video, you claimed Static is your boyfriend. So which is it, Zoey? Do you have a crush on Jack, or are you dating Shinx - your damn Pokémon?"

Zoey seemed beyond distressed. She clearly didn't know how to respond. "I...I don't know."

"You don't know? Well, you're having sex with one of them! So I repeat... which is it, Zoey!? Jack, or Static?"

Zoey had been crying before, but now...she started sobbing. She broke down completely. "I don't know!" She wailed. I wanted to be mad, but then she threw her arms around me and started weeping into my shirt. I was angry...but not with her. I was angry with Jack, and I was angry at myself for not taking better care of her. Mom was a neglectful parent. And I was a horrible big brother...that was the only explanation for this.

Zoey stared up into my eyes. "I'm sorry you had to do things because of me..."

I sighed heavily and held her tight. "I'm sorry, too." I really couldn't be mad. Not at her. She was just a kid...Jack, however... I gazed at Zoey's Pokétch. "You realize I'm not giving this back. And you and Static...that shit is over, Zoey. You're too young."

"But-"

I shushed her. "No buts, Zoey. Please don't argue with me. And please don't do anything behind my back..."

Zoey hung her head. "He'll be sad..."

"I know. At first. But he won't mind, I'm sure, after a while. Maybe we can talk about this some more later..but for now, I don't even want you to let him out of his Pokéball...okay?"

I didn't expect Zoey to agree. And she didn't. She just shrugged her shoulders and gave me a miserable look. I didn't expect her to stop, honestly. But I wanted her to at least think about what she was doing beforehand. And I was putting a stop to the porn for sure. I nodded. "Alright, Zoey. We're done. You can head upstairs, now."

Zoey twiddled her fingers. "What are you going to do to Jack?"

I shook my head. "None of your business. Upstairs." Zoey trudged away, shoulders drooping. She looked thoroughly ashamed...and for good reason. I sighed and stared at the Pokétch hanging in my hand, rubbing my temples. I decided to bring it up to my room and look at it there. I needed to figure out how to delete her account on whatever site she used as well...

I ended up sitting in my desk chair, flipping through message after message. Apparently, Zoey was quite fond of messaging her "fans." She wasn't afraid to flirt, and she wasn't afraid to ask for things in exchange for pictures. Clothes, Pokétch apps that you had to pay for, some sort of tokens that could be used as online credit...she really knew what she was doing. It was the messages with Jack that disturbed me the most. She didn't just send him pictures. She sent him videos. Private shows. Anything he wanted, essentially.

It hurt knowing my best friend was doing something with my sister like this...manipulating and grooming her. And more than that, it disturbed me, it angered me I didn't need to watch the videos to know what was happening in them. The thumbnails were enough. And the images honestly...I wish I never saw them. Zoey doing all kinds of ridiculously fetish-y things. Some even featured other girls her age and their Pokémon. One of them I'd seen around the house before, a sweet girl named Alice who had a Ghastly.

I had always considered Jack to be a friendly pervert. But never a predator or anything like that...now, I wasn't so sure.

It took every speck of willpower in me not to go to his house and beat the shit out of him. Honestly, he'd probably win but I'd land a few hits and that'd be good enough for me. I sat with my head in my hands. I didn't know what to say, what to do. I just wanted to hurt him. He'd done something unforgivable to my sister. He'd encouraged her to do dangerous things, that could really hurt her future... I'd wondered how Juliet managed to "stumble" across the videos of Zoey but now I knew for sure.

I needed someone to talk to about this before I flipped out.

But I realize now that I don't have anyone. I'd pushed Mabel away, and she probably wouldn't understand anyway. Juliet was...well, I could never trust someone like her. And Jack, my best friend for so long...had backstabbed me and was the cause of my distress in the first place. And there was no way my mother would ever understand...plus it would probably ruin her friendship with Linda...

Then it hit me.

Lucia. I gazed at my Pokétch. Would Lucia understand or even care? Did Lucia know already? That alone was enough to spur me into action. Maybe she could help me get the videos of Zoey removed...I opened up my Pokétch and hurriedly flicked to her contact. I dialed her number and waited, swallowing hard. I wasn't too surprised when Lucia didn't answer. After all, she was a contest star. She didn't exactly spend her days hanging around doing nothing. I decided to leave her a message.

"Hey, Lucia...it's uh, Avery. Sorry to bother you so soon after you left, I'm sure you're busy but...I need to talk to you. It's about Jack...and something he's done. Part of me wants to just beat the shit out of him or go the Jennies, but I figure you'd know what to do more than me. Call me b-"

In the middle of me leaving the message, there was a sharp beeping sound and a face appeared on my Pokétch. But it wasn't Lucia. It was Kiana. I had to resist the instinct to turn my Pokétch off then and there. Of all Jack's sisters, Kiana was by far the meanest. She was pressing her Espeon against the swell of her large bust, staring into her camera, an annoyed expression on her face. Wasn't that Lucia's Pokétch? Why was she using it?

"Lucia isn't available right now, but I am."

She was probably the most biased person in the world. Kiana spoiled Jack rotten and would probably step in front of a charging Rampardos for him. Telling her anything was probably a bad idea. I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Nah it's alright. I'll just wait for Lucia to be available."

Kiana's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward. Her Espeon, Jasper, glared into the camera right at me. "Avery...Lucia is going to be very busy for quite a while. So just do us all a favor and start talking. Anything she can do, I can do much better I assure you." She smiled smugly at the end of her little speech and leaned back, stroking Jasper's head. "If Jack was a bad boy I'll be sure to punish him, I promise." I sighed heavily.

"Kiana-"

"Is it about your sister?"

I clenched my jaw. "So all of you really did know about that. And you didn't tell me."

Kiana stared at me, then shrugged. "I did. Lucia and Marissa did not. I know everything about sweet Jacky. Including the fact that your little whore of a sister seduced him and is using him as a personal piggy bank."

Anger flashed through me. "Zoey is not using him! The opposite, in fact! He groomed her to do horrible things and has been sending her inappropriate messages for months!"

Kiana had been relatively calm. She jumped from one to ten pretty quickly. "Jack did no such thing! It's your little slut of a sister that first came onto him! And he resisted her advances, but you know how he is. He'll take attention wherever he can get it and technically...she's of age with permission from your mother."

I grit my teeth. "My mother would never, ever give someone like Jack permission to be with Zoey. Regardless of the age difference."

Kiana's eyes flashed, and she ran her hand down Jasper's fur with a dark expression. "Sounds like you have a personal problem with Jack. I've never liked the way you looked at him, you know. Like he's some kind of burden."

I scowled. "Because he is. Because he does shit like sext underage girls, regardless of the legality..."

Kiana shrugged. "Weird that you're so uptight and bitchy about this when you fucked Lucia's mouth without a moment of hesitation. And when you have feelings for an underage girl. Yes, Jack has told me all about your little thing with that girl from your school."

I couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. "Are you serious right now? I turned her away because she's young."

Kiana shrugged. "So you know what it's like to develop feelings for a girl you shouldn't go for. And you always have had more self-restraint than Jack. Not because you're a good person, but because you're judgmental and uptight. You can be mad at Jack if you want, but maybe ask him about this before assuming he's some kind of predator. You know he has a soft spot for Zoey, and I think we both know that it's not because he wants to fuck her. It's because he likes her."

I didn't know what to say to that. I had always kind of assumed Jack thought she was cute, but not in a way that meant he was attracted to her...but she was right, in some ways. I had done stuff with Lucia, and I did have feelings for Mabel. I'd fapped thinking about her after all... And she was right that I assumed the worst about Jack. And maybe she was right about other things...Maybe I did think I was better than him. I hated that he had so much money and wasted it. I hated that he was such an idiot about things he shouldn't be. I hated that he was so much braver than I was. If I was like Jack I'd be out on a journey with Mabel. Probably kissing the hell out of her, and more. My heart fluttered at the mere idea...I slumped.

"Your sister is not a baby, Avery." My anger rose up again, but Kiana stopped me before I could continue speaking. "Before you attack me like a rabid Houndoom I need you to consider a few important things! Yes, Jack shouldn't have exchanged the messages with her that he did...but he never did anything physically. And I think we both know he never would. Secondly, she has been doing things with her Pokémon for a few years, and with Jack for a while too...but if you actually read her diary- I can link it to you if you'd like- all her desires grew and revolve around...you."

I was stunned into silence. What did she mean? Kiana sighed. Then rubbed her temples. "You're such a nuisance, Avery Higgs."

I swallowed my spit and exhaled. "Well...I won't do anything to Jack. Not yet. I'll...talk to him. But I need you to do me a favor. Jack mentioned you three are higher-ups in some kind of...secret Pokémon fucking society. You do porn, and it's practically professional and official..."

Kiana shrugged like she couldn't care less. "What about it?"

"I want you to get rid of Zoey's videos."

Kiana grinned. "You're probably the biggest idiot in the world, Avery. Isn't he, Jasper?" Jack's big sister scratched under her Pokémon's jaws and cooed. Then her eyes snapped back to the camera. "I can't do that. It's the internet. It's out there now. And I have no control over her videos. And while it is illegal, the Jenny's will not help you, Avery."

"But Amara Harmon was arrested for it so why-"

Kiana held up a hand and shook her head. "It's extremely, extremely complicated. Listen, kid. If you ever unstick your head from your ass, maybe I'll talk to you about it some time. For now, why don't you politely ask your sister to remove her videos...and we'll go from there."

I'd been so mad I hadn't even thought of that. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was being irrational...I found myself nodding. Kiana smiled pleasantly.

"Good. Now that this idiocy is out of the way I need to go. I'll tell Lucia you called, though. She has a retardedly sweet spot for you so I'm sure she'll tell you anything you want to hear...goodbye, Avery." Kiana was gone in half a second, and I was left staring at my wrist, feeling like shit. Was I just a raging, judgemental asshole? I couldn't accept that...and what did Kiana mean by Zoey's feelings revolved around me? And why did she know so much about the whole ordeal anyways? Did Jack confide in her about it?

I sighed and buried my face in my hands. I was just tired of it all... I gazed into my bedroom mirror. I looked both pale and red in the face, how was that even possible? I shook my head and stood up, burying my hands in my pockets. While I moved my hand down, my fingers grazed the Pokéball at my belt. I was just judgmental, wasn't I? I judged Juliet's sister for fucking her Rapidash, Lucia for fucking her Mightyena and Umbreon, who all clearly loved each other...and yet I was keeping my own Eevee hostage in her Pokéball. And why? Just because I didn't want to lose my starter even though I could easily catch another...

I slipped on my jacket and trudged out my bedroom. "Zoey! I'm gonna head out for a while. Do you want to go to your friends again? I'll drop you off."

Zoey cracked open her bedroom door and stared at me. Her mouth was drawn into a pout. "Um...you don't mind? You said you wanted me to be home..."

I sighed. "I said a lot of things. Maybe some things I shouldn't have. C'mere."

Zoey hesitantly walked towards me. She honestly seemed kind of...scared of me? I didn't know what to make of that. It scared me. It depressed me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug. A tight one.

"I love you so much, Zoey. I'm not mad at you, and I don't think you're stupid. In fact, you're a very smart girl and that scares me. You think you're my age and you're not, Zoey. You're just a kid..."

Zoey trembled in my arms. I drew her face back and covered it in little kisses. "We're good, okay? I won't tell mom...and you're not in trouble. You're not in trouble at all. I'm sorry for dragging you from your friend's house. We can talk about what happened another time, okay? And I won't get angry. We can just have an adult conversation."

"Promise you won't get mad?"

Did she care that much about my opinion of her? I was always under the impression that she didn't. I'd always thought she kind of...hated me. That she had no respect for me. Kiana's words echoed in my head. "I promise," I mumbled against Zoey's ear. "Get ready and grab Static. We'll head out when you want to."

Zoey nodded, and her mouth split into a nervous smile. She seemed to think I was pranking her or something, but when she realized I was being serious she practically sprinted away.

A few minutes later we were heading outside. Zoey was completely quiet the entire time we walked, shooting nervous glances my way every now and then. I didn't have it in me to make conversation. I was too depressed about too many things. I was about to get rid of Eevee, my own sister was scared shitless of me and I'd made her ball her eyes out (If her very raw, tear stained eyes were anything to go by) and I'd been being a real dick to my supposed best friend for a long time now.

We made it to her friend's house in a half an hour or so. Like our house, it was an actual small house, fairly rare in Hearthome which was becoming more industrialized by the day. Houses were getting eaten up every day and being replaced by huge apartment complexes. Zoey faced me before leaving toward the front door, where a cute girl around her age was waiting.

Alice. The girl with the Ghastly...

I could be an asshole and change my mind about letting Zoey hang out with her. But I didn't want to be. Instead, I smiled at Zoey, ruffled her dyed hair and said: "Have a good night." It had a very visible effect. My little sister went from extremely nervous to happy in a second, beaming ear to ear.

"Thanks, Avery..um...can I have my Pokétch back, do you think?"

I realized I still had it in my pocket. I wasn't ready to hand it back to her yet. "Not yet. After we talk, okay?"

Part of me expected Zoey to argue, but she didn't. Instead, she just frowned sadly and nodded. "I understand. Bye Avery." She turned away.

"Hey, kiddo?" Zoey turned back to me, nervous, "If you...make videos. Can you keep your face out of it? For your own safety?"

Zoey stared at me, wide-eyed. She followed the direction of my gaze which was resting on her belt, where her Pokéball sat. She met my eyes, and nodded slowly. "Yes...I will." Then, she ran away and met her friend at the door.

Had I done the right thing? I don't know. It felt right, I suppose... And that wasn't going to be the only "right thing" I did today. I turned away from the house and started heading in a direction that I knew lead to a forest-filled area right outside the city. I was going to let Eevee go.

I had to...right?

Sorry for the late update =^D GKEA should be back on the regular schedule now, and the next chapters will be a lot less dramatic and a lot more fun :)