Doors

[GalladeofSpades]

Sooo... hi.

If you've read anything I've written here before, you know that two chapters in, I get tired of it and I don't write about it anymore. Then, when I do want to write for it again, I think that it's too late and I just get embarassed to show my face for a while. Plus, I took a small hiatus for some personal problems.

But I'm back! And this time, I'm not giving up. This story will reach the end.

So, warnings! There's slight homossexuality, squeamish (though it depends on what you consider squeamish) death, some swearing (just a few characters though) and slight violence. If any of this sounds like a deal-breaker to you, then you're free to click the back button.

I think that's everything. I hope I entertain you with this fic. Enjoy!

Spoiler: Chapter List

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

O_O_O

Prologue


Fire means art. Like flames, art is wild, free, and even dangerous. However, it will warm the soul when it is used correctly; leading you out of the dark tunnel of despair that reality can force you in.

Like flames, art is often misunderstood. Fire is not aggressive or destructive: It is that way because you want it to be. Art has no single meaning, it is what it is: a representation where you project your wishes, dreams and fears upon.

Free them from the chains life has bounded them with, my child, and you shall warm their souls, with the beauty that is their world.
​

O_O_O

He didn’t know how he managed to win that battle. But he did.

He really didn’t want to. Her act was much more beautiful and enticing than his. She deserved to perform her Victory Act more than he did. But he won.

He won the battle, and he got to perform his act for the very first time.

Was he nervous? Yes, he was. He could barely breathe. His head was a jumble of questions that made him have second thoughts. What if he made a wrong turn? What if the attack was fired too late? What if they didn’t like it?

The last question made him want to turn the other way and run.

He was stronger than that, though. He had to be. A no show would be horrible. His small reputation would be ruined. The No-Show, his new nickname would be. Not the Daredevil Ranger, the title he so desperately tried to base his act on, but the No-Show.

Pepper nuzzled against his leg, trying to distract him. He leant down and pet her to the best of his current abilities, given the fact that he was being rather… restricted at the moment.

“Wait, you’re the next performer? How the hell did you beat her?” Liam spat, rather annoyed.

He looked back. Liam was there standing, arms crossed, still in his fluorescent acrobat clown costume. Hoops was next to him, fur still painted in bright, glow in the dark colours. A small, bright blue circle was painted over his left eye, while there was one painted on Liam’s right one.

“I don’t know.” He didn’t mind his attitude. He had probably just lost. Though, it was probably for the best. Between his loss tantrums and Olivia’s, he’d take Liam’s.

Liam sighed and uncrossed his arms. “It’s your first time, right?”

He nodded.

“A word of advice? Don’t think. Act,” Liam said. “The crowd has no idea how your act is supposed to be like. If you miss a step, improvise. No matter what you do, no matter what happens, you are here to give them a good time. If you fail at that, then you’re not worthy of being a performer.”

He was a bit hurt at the harsh words, but strangely, they were just what he needed to calm down. Sure, his heart was still beating loudly, but the advice helped.

“Don’t worry, though. I’ve seen you practice. The act’s pretty good. Just be careful that the audience doesn’t get bored too quickly. Remember, you’re the Daredevil Ranger,” Liam continued. “They want to feel the adrenaline you’re feeling.”

He nodded, grinning. Liam didn’t really return the smile, but Hoops did. When he stopped grinning, he asked him if the loss was that bad.

Liam groaned. “Olivia wiped the floor with me and Hoops. She’s way too ruthless when battling.”

“Her style isn’t really easy to beat,” he agreed. “But yours is more visual and fun!”

“She’s a magician, you idiot, she thrives on visuals. I almost beat her, but she pulled her trump card right at the end.”

“Her trump card?”

“Yeah. You know, when she-“

“What a stunning performance by Miguel!” The announcer shouted, interrupting their conversation. “Applause! Applause!”

“You’re up. Give that audience a show they’ll never forget,” Liam said, turning his back and walking away with Hoops by his side.

He turned towards the entrance to the stage and awaited his cue, breathing slowly in anticipation. Pepper was fired up, ready to perform, while Dandy was completely relaxed.

“And now, in his first performance ever in the Circus Battling Circuit, he’ll give a daring performance that’ll leave you on the edge of your seats! He’s been rising up to his title the past few months, and tonight, you are the lucky ones to first see his Victory Act! I present to you, the Daredevil Ranger, Bennett Jackson!”

It was time.

O_O_O

Ice is strategy. The cold is merciless to those who are woefully unprepared, and only the greatest strategists survive the harsh conditions.

Ice’s ultimate goal is not to make you give up. It is to test, to help you adapt to different situations. It will help you become a different being than you were before. You will evolve from the flawed being you were before, into the being you will be.

Learn from your mistakes and play your cards right, my child, and your future will be full of meaningless puddles that were once insurmountable ice.
​

O_O_O

She burst into the empty bar and hugged him before he could say anything.

She was shaking. Her mind was all over the place. What just happened, someone had to tell her that that didn’t happen. Delia wasn’t gone for good. Delia didn’t die.

When he offered a drink, after she calmed down, she didn’t hesitate in drinking it all in one go.

“Okay, slow down,” he said, as she tried to pour another drink. He grabbed the glass of liquor she was pouring and put it out of her reach. “Now, mind telling me what’s the matter?”

She didn’t want to think about it. She wanted forget about it. She grabbed bottle and drank from it instead. Once she finished, she started coughing due to how strong it was.

Her face scrunched up in disgust, trying to make the burning sensation go away.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have offered you a drink,” he quipped.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have come to a bar,” she growled.

He put up his hands in mock surrender. “Touché. I still want to know what happened, though,” he said, leaning on the counter.

She instantly regretted coming to the bar. Of course he’d want to know. Her grief riddled brain decided to come to Marcus, of all people. Nosy, ‘I-need-to-know’, Marcus who would never understand the pain she just went through.

She didn’t need to tell him anything right now. What she needed was a drink.

“Well? I’m waiting.”

“Get me another drink and then we’ll talk.”

“How stupid do you think I am? Don’t answer that,” Marcus backpedalled, as she opened her mouth. Then, he looked behind her. “Where’s Sam?”

“He’s in his ball. I don’t want his company right now.” A lie. She really wanted his company.

“Tauros-****. You love having Sam out,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

“I can’t really release him in the middle of a bar.”

“That never stopped you before.”

“That’s because we weren’t surrounded by people.”

“It’s ten in the morning, there’s no one here,” Marcus replied. “And before you say that someone can come in at any moment, the drunks only come in at ten thirty. Plus, as long as I serve them, they won’t say anything.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah. It might also be because I have some dirt on them that I can reveal at any moment I please. I’m not above blackmail to keep my job.”

“Interesting.”

“Any other reason you have to not release Sam in my bar?”

“It’ll cost you your job. And you don’t have anything on me, so no blackmailing me.”

Marcus seemed to consider it, before he said “I’ll take the risk.”

She looked at him in the eye, and, seeing that he wouldn’t drop it, she released Sam. As soon as he got out, he jumped into her lap, nuzzling her worriedly. She looked down, petting him.

Her petting seemed to soothe him, and once she looked at Marcus’ grim face, she knew the jig was up.

“Alright, now I know its bad,” he said. “Sam is close to you, but not that close. He knows you can handle some tough crap, so for him to do that something is up.”

She stayed silent.

Marcus was losing his patience. “Felicia Davis, I know that you say that you can handle yourself and all that crap, but would it kill you to share the pain sometimes? I am not just some plush toy you get to hug to keep the bad things away like a toddler! You need to stop doing this carrying your entire burden within shtick, serious- where the hell are you going?”

She got up and started walking towards the door with Sam right on her heels. “Out for a walk. I’ll be back, don’t worry.” Another lie. She wasn’t going back to the bar so soon.

Before she left, though, she looked at the door, grimaced at the colour and gave a few parting words.

“You should paint your door a different colour, you know. Blue doors are bad news.”

O_O_O

Lightning is fate. The lightning bolts are precise in where and who they hit. They bring destiny within the storms, as everything can change when lightning strikes.

Luck and fate are often considered separate entities or one and the same, but that is incorrect. There is no such thing as luck. There is only fate. If you are struck, it was fate: lightning chose you, only you, to receive the gift of change.

Follow your destiny, my child, and you will see what awaits you within the storm cloud.
​

O_O_O

There she was again.

Wherever he went, she was there too. But this time, he was going to get some answers.

“Who are you? Why do you keep following me? Why does everything go whack whenever you’re around? How do you do it? Are you trained? Can I capture you? Why are-“

“Sirrah asks too many questions.”

He was taken aback by the sudden voice in his head. “How are you doing that? Dark-types can’t do that!”

“Doth what?”

“You know, speak telepathically?”

“Josephine dost not understand. What dost sirrah mean, speak telepathically?”

He looked at the Pokémon strangely, trying to understand her words. Josephine must have understood, because she continued.

“Josephine’s apologies. Josephine hath not gotten us'd to the new speech pattern in this period,” she said. “Josephine has managed to get the sentence structure quite nicely, but not specific words…” Then she started mulling over something he didn’t quite get.

This only brought more questions to light. Her name was Josephine, which was a start. But why was she following him? And why did she have all these strange things happening whenever she was around?

He should have never left New Mauville.

“Ah.” Josephine said, finally done thinking. “Sirrah hath ask'd josephine a question, ay? Josephine can speak because Josephine can.” That really didn’t explain much. “Josephine repeats Josephine’s question. What dost sirrah ‘mean’, speak telepathically?”

“Hey, I asked first-“ he started, before she bared her fangs.

“A question f'r a question. That is Josephine’s only tender. If sirrah accepts tender, answer,” she growled.

He gulped. “I mean, speaking through thoughts. You project your thoughts into my brain, and vice-versa, if I could.”

Josephine, satisfied, nodded.

“Who are you?”

“Josephine is Josephine. Josephine is an Envoy, one of many.” More questions came to mind, but he decided to stay quiet.

“Dost sirrah wot sirrah is being follow’d?” At his confused look, she apologized and paused again, looking for the right word. “Wot is ‘know’, in this period.”

He rolled his eyes. She wasn’t exactly subtle. He nodded.

Josephine widened her eyes, but said nothing.

“Why do you keep following me?”

“F’r sirrah’s protection. Dost sirrah wot what sirrah’s up against?”

“Not really, no. What’s an Envoy?”

“An envoy is a sacr'd representative of the type that walks the earth, bless'd by the gods. Josephine represents the dark type.” He noted that there was some sarcasm when she said that she was ‘blessed by the gods’, but decided to not say anything about it.

“I don’t get it.”

“That is the simplest way Josephine can put it f'r anon.” Josephine said, as she walked away.

“Wait, I have more questions!” he yelled at the walking figure.

She stopped, turning around. “Very well, this is sirrah’s last one. Ask.”

“How do you do those things that happen whenever your around?” he asked.

“’tis a side-effect of being an Envoy,” she said. There it was again, that hint of dislike. Then she asked, “What is sirrah’s name?”

“Why should I trust you with that?”

“Sirrah is a blinking idiot. If Josephine want'd to harm sirrah, Josephine would hast done so already. Also, “she said, running up to him and slashing a claw through his clothes.

Before he could complain, Josephine justified herself. “Sirrah broke the deal. That makes Josephine allow’d to ask two questions.”

“Then why’d you-“ he started, before he looked at Josephine again, baring her fangs. “I mean, you tore up my clothes. Please tell me why.”

Josephine raised an eyebrow, but calmed down. “Well played, sirrah. Josephine will allow this move, but be warn'd that Josephine will not allow any questions in the form of requests in the future,” she said. “Josephine tore thy clothes up as punishment. Be lucky that ‘twas not sirrah’s face.”

“… My name is Isaac. Isaac Mutton.”

Satisfied, she turned around and started running away.

“Wait! Your other question!” he called. But there was no answer.

Only the wind was with him now.

O_O_O

My children! Life is full of dangers, trials and tragedies. But as long as you have family, you will survive!

Ride the waves my children. You are our hope.
​

 

[GalladeofSpades]

Chapter 1
​

Bennett Jackson

“This is a dream, right?” Bennett asked, as he took in his surroundings.

He was in a parlour of sorts, most of which was richly decorated in shades of red. He was sat at a lavender table, with two lavender teacups and a lavender kettle on it. The wall in front of him was decorated with an assortment of exotic red drapes, with some splashes of yellow and orange here and there. Figures were etched on to the cloth, as if they were telling a story. Hanging from the wall were many paintings: one that particularly caught his eye was one of a boy lying on the floor, crying, as he was engulfed by flames. He didn’t know why he was attracted to it though.

On his left were a large amount of cream coloured sculptures of women. Each one of them was in a different pose: some were angelic, some were provocative, and some were plain innocent. On his right, a black grand piano was playing a hauntingly beautiful tune all by itself, accompanied by a heavenly voice that sang some lyrics in Latin. Bennett watched in awe as the keys moved by themselves, not missing a single note.

“Oh, sweet child of mine, you have the same amazed look I had when I first saw that piano.” The woman in front of him said, pouring some tea from the kettle and putting the right amount of sugar in the cups. “I was at a friend’s house helping them clean up and I heard this melody coming from the attic. I went up there and found this! I said to myself ‘Why, I must have it at any cost!’ Of course, that just brought a whole plethora of problems, but that’s in the past.”

“So, this is a dream, right?” he asked again.

The woman sighed and smiled at him. “Yes, my child, this is a dream. Just like every other time you’ve visited the Red Room.”

“Cool…” he said, still looking at the piano. “But why can’t I remember much about this place?”

“Well, it’s a dream, my child! If you could remember everything that you dreamed of, well…” she paused, taking a sip of her tea. “… actually, I don’t know what would happen.”

“So, what’s your name?” Bennett asked.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she rested her head full of vibrant red and yellow hair on her hands, elbow on the table, staring at his face with brilliant amber eyes.

While he waited, he started sipping his tea and grabbing treats from beneath the table. He didn’t know how it was possible, but then again, it was a dream.

He was about to repeat the question when she uttered a sentence.

“Have I ever told you about how I’d love to ravish you?”

He should’ve spat his tea out, but a part of him told him that this was normal of her to say.

“Of course I have. Silly me! You just don’t remember,” she mused, stirring her tea with a smile on her face. “In fact, the first time I told you that, you spat out your tea and ruined my carpet.” She grinned.

Now that she mentioned it…

“I made you clean it with a toothbrush, remember?” The glint in her eyes was dangerous, as if daring him to do it again.

Thankfully he didn’t. He just nodded his head and kept drinking tea.

“But that’s in the past!” She threw her red, sleeve gloved hands in the air and got up from her chair, heels making no noise as she walked over to the wall behind her. “What I’d really like now is your opinion.”

Once she had Bennett’s attention, she continued. “This painting here,” she said, gesturing at the painting of the boy. “What do you see in it, my child?”

He looked closely at the painting, but he didn’t see anything else besides what he saw when he looked around.

“I see a boy lying on the ground, crying, and I think he’s… on fire?” he guessed.

The woman nodded. “Okay, okay. But what does it mean?”

“Well, he’s crying, so…”

“Ah, you think it means sadness?”

Bennett nodded.

“Hmmm… It’s a simplistic view, I’ll give you that,” she mused. “Simplicity, in my opinion, is the most complicated form of art. However, I have to disagree.

“In my opinion, this painting is a representation of rebirth. It shows a phoenix in the final moments before its rebirth. To me, the boy is the phoenix. He’s thinking, ‘This is it. This is the end. This is how I die’. He’s desperate. He’s lonely, as he should feel, since he’s dying alone. But little does he know that this is just the beginning. After this, he’ll start over. He’ll start anew.”

She walked over to Bennett, knelt down and cupped his face in her hands. “You, my dearest child, are a phoenix. You will soon begin anew, in a way you will never imagine.”

Suddenly, the door behind Bennett opened.

“It seems our time is up, my child,” she said, rather sadly. “Now listen closely. When you awaken, I will not be there with you. In fact, I won’t be able to contact you for a while. So, you have to be strong. Be brave. Be fearless. One day, we will meet in the real world. And then… well, we’ll talk about art some more.”

She gave a small, motherly kiss to his forehead and stood back, waving as Bennett got up from his chair and walked out the door.

O_O_O

The first thing he got back was his hearing. He could hear mumbles and disjointed sounds, but it was all garbled nonsense.

Then he got back some of his eyesight. While his eyes were still heavy, he could see that everything was a blur of white. In the middle of the blur of white was a human figure in pink, though he couldn’t make out any features. He was certain it wasn’t the lady from his dreams, though. That pale yellow evening dress was hard to miss.

Then he managed to get some feeling in his body. He managed to move his head, alarming the figure and leaving.

He still couldn’t make heads or tails of where he was or what happened. Slowly and with difficulty, he sat up on the soft bed he was on and took the covers off him.

He was in a gown of sorts. His right arm was red and had a minor scar, while his right one was just red. His legs seemed to be fine and moving, although his left leg was even redder than his arms and had a small scar. Reaching to touch his face, he noticed that one side of the face was warmer than the other. No scars though.

He had a mask on. It was a bit annoying, but when he tried to take it off, he started coughing a bit.

Only when the man in the white coat came in did he realize where he was.

He was in the hospital, and he didn’t remember why.

“Mr. Jackson? I’m Dr. Morrison. Did you sleep well?” He smiled.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital. Your house was in a fire, and, unlike most Mauville houses, it was made of wood. So, it burned to the ground.”

A fire? He vaguely remembered that.

“Where’s Mom and Dad?”

The doctor stopped smiling. That didn’t reassure Bennett at all.

“Do you remember the pet you had before your Zigzagoon?” he asked.

“Yeah, a Mankey. Wait, is Pepper okay?” he asked, starting to finally awaken.

“Yes, Pepper’s fine. She’s at our Pokémon Center right now. But Bennett, you remember that Mankey, right?”

“Yeah, Salt.”

“Well, you see, your parents… went to the farm to visit him. You know, that farm where they go when they’re too old?”

“… Mom and Dad are dead?”

The doctor was dead silent.

“I saw on TV that people tell kids their pets went to a farm when they die… Mom and Dad are dead…” He was hollow, hurt. He couldn’t breathe.

“Mommy…” he cried.

“I want Mommy and Daddy…” He started crying.

He cried through the night.

O_O_O

Felicia Davis

Five years later…

“Alright, let’s play rough, Sam,” Felicia said, rubbing the dirt off her cheeks.

The Delcatty was happy to oblige. Sam circled the Wartortle in front of him at unbelievable speeds, slowly getting closer without it noticing. When he got close enough, he lunged and swiped ferociously at the tail.

“W-withdraw!” the Wartortle’s trainer commanded. It instantly withdrew into its shell, protecting it from Samuel’s swipes. The Delcatty growled.

“Rapid Spin!” The shell suddenly whirred to life and struck Sam right in the face. Growling, he charged up electric energy and rammed into the Wartortle, effectively shocking it out of its shell. When it was down, the Delcatty started glowing and, spinning rapidly, rammed into the opponent repeatedly.

Seeing that Sam was getting too violent, Felicia grabbed Sam by the fur on his neck and dragged him away from his opponent. He seemed rather angry and tried scratching her, but eventually gave up.

“Can he fight?” she asked, a bit concerned.

Her opponent went over to his Pokémon, checking if it was okay. “Well, he has a pulse, so I won’t sue you for damage,” he said, returning his unconscious Pokémon to its ball. That statement ticked her off somewhat, but she decided to stay quiet.

“Honestly, you should get rid of that Delcatty. He’s a serious harm to everyone. Though, given you’re a New Mauville girl, I’m not surprised. You probably give that thing drugs so it can fight in illegal battles.” He smirked. “No wonder he’s so vicious.”

Sam growled, but was kept in check by Felicia. “I don’t really care what you think. Just give me the money.”

“Pfft, yeah right. Then everyone would know that I lost to a New Mauville girl of all things. I have a reputation.”

“And, how would they know?”

“You’re new mauvillian. I know your kind. Always ratting on people, can’t keep a secret. Do everything in their power to have their way. You’re just a bunch of manipulative, illiterate Raticate that give Mauville City a bad name.”

“And you’re a mauvillian. You’re an elitist Grumpig that can’t handle losing to people of lower class, gambling daddy’s money at the game corner. You think that other people are beneath you, but guess what? The richest of the rich live in Lilycove, not Mauville. You’re perpetuating a stereotype of Mauville that we’re all stuck-up snobs and lowlives, having civil war with each other. So, I suggest you grow a pair and give me the money I earned,” Felicia replied calmly, having dealt with people like this before.

The boy scoffed. “Fat chance. Later,” he waved as he returned his Wartortle and walked away.

Felicia sighed. “Well, if you want to play that game…,” she murmured, releasing Sam from her grip.

Sam viciously threw the boy to the floor, slashing the boy’s button-up shirt open.

Terrified, the boy lay there, completely still, as Felicia walked up and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket. “How much did we agree on, anyway? I’ll just take fifty hundred. Is that fine by you?” she asked, taking the amount of money from his wallet and putting it in her pocket.

Returning the wallet to its rightful place, Felicia snapped her fingers, ordering Sam to heel. Sam got off of him and happily strutted over to Felicia’s side, pleased that her owner got what she wanted. She knew he didn’t understand why she wanted the money, but if she was happy, he was happy.

Seeing that the boy was still lying on the floor, Felicia cleared her throat. “You can get up now, you know.”

He did so, clearly displeased. “You won’t get away with this! When I tell the cops about this you’ll be arrested! I guarantee it!”

Not at all worried, Felicia walked away, Sam right on her heels.

“You’ll regret this!”

No, she wouldn’t.

O_O_O

Felicia walked down the street, Sam right next to her, thinking about her situation.

Ever since she was placed in the experimental Angela project five years before, she had to take care of herself and two sweet, younger boys. Bennett was still learning how to do things all on his own, and there was still some leftover hatred from when his parents died. He still hated hospitals and firemen, but the aversion to fire was mostly gone. Other than that, he was rather chipper. He started laughing and smiling a lot more the past two years, although he was still rather clingy and didn’t like being left alone.

Isaac, however, still had a lot of hatred. Sure, while he loved Bennett and her and treated them like family, he really didn’t take well being left behind purposely by his parents. She had found out the ‘purposely’ part by said parents themselves, and had made the mistake of telling Isaac. Ever since then, he’d acted a bit rebellious. She chalked it up to him trying to cope with it, but she wasn’t really an expert in the matter of parenting.

It wasn’t even her idea to test the Angela project. When her parents died in a car crash seven years ago, she was of legal age to go on a journey. She didn’t really want to, as she was grieving for the loss of her parents badly, and needed some time to put herself together. Two years later, the day she would start had come. However, right before she started, the house she was living in received a call from a woman named Harriet Montenegro saying that Felicia was one of the lucky few chosen to be part of the Angela project.

The Angela project was created after Angela Lorenzo, aged 6, was brutally killed in the wild due to Hoenn’s problems with adoption. Before, according to Hoenn’s laws, children that weren’t adopted within two years of being put in the system would be given a starter and allowed to go on a journey. It was a ridiculous law; Champion Brendan himself admitted it and was actively trying to have it revoked or at least amended, but to no success. Eventually, Angela’s death happened.

Angela’s remains were found in the sands of the desert. Her bones were twisted at abnormal angles, her brain had been reduced to puree and her eyes were bloodshot red. It was chalked up to a Claydol tribe feeding on her brain using their psychic powers, since it matched a recent pattern in deaths in the desert. Angela had no living relatives, and she didn’t make any connections while in the system, so no one went to her funeral. The media had a field day, and the Angela project was approved.

The Angela project consisted of grouping three kids, at least one of them in their teens, and giving them a house of their own in the rehabilitated New Mauville. The kids would live in New Mauville, leading normal lives, receiving funds from the government, until the head of the house (that would be the eldest) turned eighteen. After that, the eldest would have to provide for their family by themselves. Going on a journey was discouraged until about fifteen if you were in the program. Currently, the project was being tested in Mauville, with surprising results. The project managed to foster independence, unity and encouraged more calculated decisions.

Of course, there were downsides. One of which Felicia was mulling over right now.

Felicia checked her watch as she walked inside the house: three forty-five PM. They were probably still at school.

She counted the amount of money they had left. They had saved up just enough to get by the past few months, but they weren’t getting past this one.

Felicia sighed. “I expected that after my eighteenth birthday things would get harder, but not this hard…” she said to herself. Sam jumped into her lap, purring and making himself comfortable.

A downside of the Angela project was that, if the eldest couldn’t provide for their family, said family would be separated and put in different houses. It brought a lot of fear and despair and many people argued that this part of the project should be amended, but the creator of the project argued that it would teach the kids a lesson about saying good-bye.

In Felicia’s opinion, the man was an idiot.

She rubbed her temples. If this family was separated, none of them, Felicia included, would take it very well. None of them could handle the loss of another family. She had to get them through.

The phone suddenly rang, making Felicia snap out of her thoughts. Shooing Sam out of her lap (the cat clawed at her legs, but did nothing else), she picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Yes, Felicia? It’s Harriet. Is Isaac sick? The school called me, saying that he went home early because he wasn’t feeling well.”

Felicia had to process what Harriet had said for a moment. Once she understood what happened, she calmly answered that yes, Isaac had come earlier than usual, saying that he wasn’t feeling well.

“Oh, then do you mind if I swing by right now? Seeing as I’m the legal guardian for anyone in the Angela project, I have to write out a justification, and I’ll need him to sign it after I finish it.”

“I know, but do you mind coming tomorrow, Ms. Harriet? It’s Saturday tomorrow, and Isaac kind of needs to rest.”

“Oh sure, I don’t mind at all. Oh, and how are things going since your birthday?”

“Swimmingly.” She had gotten used to lying. Another thing about the project: if things didn’t seem that they were working out, the family would be separated.

“Oh, wonderful! You know, you’re part of the most successful family yet, Felicia!”

“Thank you, Ms. Harriet.”

“Well, I have to go. There’s a family that’s been having some problems lately, so we’re going to see if it’s solvable or not. Bye!” Cue the beeping.

Felicia hung up the phone and calmly sat at the kitchen table, waiting for Isaac to arrive.

She was going to have a long talk.

O_O_O

Isaac Mutton

“… and then, Jessie punched him in the stomach! Oh man, she was real angry! I’ve never seen her so angry at Tim before! Of course, Reese decided to step in to help his buddy out, but he got a kick to the nuts, courtesy of Jessie!” Isaac told Bennett enthusiastically. Then, he noticed the concerned look on Bennett’s face. “Hey, what’s wrong Ben?”

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble for skipping?” he asked, worry obvious in his big, green eyes.

“Of course not, Ben! I was just… y’know, raising some money!”

“I don’t think big sis approves of your shady ways of getting money.”

“Hey, it’s a job like any other.”

Bennett stayed quiet a while, though Isaac noted he wasn’t convinced.

“Cheer up, will you?” he said, ruffling Bennett’s pale blond hair. “It’s not like it’s the end of the world! So I have… different ways of getting cash. It’s helped us in the past. Like getting that Wild Charge TM for sis’s birthday, remember?”

“I think Sam enjoyed it more than she did. He loved shocking random Taillow accidentally. He’d get an extra treat.”

“Hey, most of them went to Pepper.”

“It’s not my fault Pepper likes fried Taillow!” Isaac let out a laugh.

“Hey, where is your Zigzagoon, anyway?”

“She’s at home. She didn’t feel like coming with me today.”

The conversation ended right then, and they shortly arrived home.

Their house wasn’t really the swankiest, nor was it rundown. It was normal. It had the essentials: two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room. There was a phone, a roof, a fridge, a TV, a couch, two beds... The house looked a bit bad on the outside, but on the inside, it looked cozy.

Of course, everything looked normal when they first walked in. But as soon as Isaac stepped into the kitchen, he found Felicia sitting at the table.

She didn’t look very pleased.

“Don’t even dare,” Isaac was turning around and leaving when she uttered those words. Trying to look natural, he grabbed a slice of Pecha Pie from the fridge and started eating. Felicia stared at him all the way, watching his every movement like a Talonflame with those hazel eyes.

“Is there a reason why you’re staring at me?” he asked with his mouth full.

“Swallow, then talk,” she said, gaze unwavering.

He noticed Bennett at the doorway while he was eating. He was promptly chased away by Sam once he saw him, taking Pepper in his arms while he went to his room.

Once he finished eating, he was about to get up when Sam turned to him and growled. He promptly stayed in place.

“Do you know who called?” she asked, voice sweet, though her eyes told a different story.

“I can’t read minds yet, so no.”

“Ms. Harriet.”

Crap, he thought, I’m doomed.

“Do you know what she said?”

He shook his head.

“She told me that the school called and said that one of your teachers isn’t going to teach tomorrow.”

He whipped his head. “Really?”

She smacked him on the head. “No, she told me that you went home sick. Which is odd, seeing that you just got here.”

Desperate, Isaac tried to defend himself. “Sis, I can explain!”

“No, you cannot! This is the third time this month! Isaac, what the hell is wrong with you?!”

“I don’t like the teachers, and they don’t like me!”

“For the last time, not every adult hates you!”

“They think I’m going to rob them or something!”

“That’s because you once broke the teacher’s lounge window because someone paid you!”

“That was one time!”

“Yes, it was one time. But you skipping school? That’s seven.” Felicia held up seven fingers for good measure. “What the hell do you do while you’re skipping? You don’t smoke or take drugs – I’ve checked for that, don’t worry – so…”

“I take some odd jobs…” Isaac muttered.

“For what?! What possible reason could you have for skipping school?!”

Isaac decided to come clean. “… I know we might not make it past this month.”

Felicia stayed silent.

“I’ve seen you late at night, counting the money we’ve saved up from previous years. I’ve heard you mumbling about how it wasn’t enough; how you were up late at night battling random people, just to get some more money. I just wanted to help you sis. I don’t want to lose you guys…”

Felicia sighed, and Isaac took in how badly she looked. She looked pale (though they all looked like that; there wasn’t much sunlight in New Mauville), legs covered in scratches. Probably from Sam, he mused. Her dishevelled chestnut hair really needed a haircut, since it was reaching the middle of her back. It normally just reached her shoulders. Brown bangs were hiding her eyes a bit, though it did nothing to cover the black circles under them. She wasn’t really a fan of jewellery or modern clothes. Just a pair of dark green shorts, a grey tank top and a black denim vest with an endless amount of pockets. Sitting in that chair, she looked pretty short, but in truth she was pretty tall. He was taller though. She was in great shape too, better than he was.

She sighed again and looked Isaac in the eyes. “Okay, listen. I’m telling you this, but I don’t want Bennett knowing about any of this.”

“Too late.” They both looked at the doorway and saw Bennett, sad expression on his face and Pepper wagging her tail in his hands.

Felicia smiled. “C’mere Ben.” Ben did so, sitting in her lap. Isaac smiled. Bennett might be thirteen, but he still acted a lot like a toddler. He kind of looked like one too, with that baby face of his and him being short.

“Okay guys. I appreciate what you’re doing, Isaac, but I want you to stop.” He was about to protest when she held up her hand. “You need to focus on your future. Plus, I don’t want you to dirty your hands for me.” Isaac’s eyes widened. “Yes, I know. One of the families saw Jessie and she told them everything. I’ll talk to you about that later. Now, yes, we might not have enough to get by next month. But trust me when I’m saying this: I’m not losing you. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. Because we’re a family.” Isaac smiled, though Bennett seemed unsure.

“But… what if we don’t get enough money? Can’t we do something?”

“I can drop out!” The glare Felicia gave him showed that it was out of the question.

“I’ll be battling some more tomorrow. Other than that, well…”

“What if I perform in Mauville?” Bennett suggested.

Bennett’s pet, Pepper, could do a small… act, so to speak. It involved a hoop, a ball, and some assistance from Bennett, but she could do it. Bennett usually showed it whenever there was a party and people said it was cute. But it never really went past that. It was just a cute boy and his pet doing cute stuff.

But being cute could probably give them more money.

“We could try,” Isaac said, but he could see Felicia being a bit worried. He could understand why. Mauville’s street performers weren’t really people you should mess with.

“To keep anyone we don’t like at bay, we could always take Sam. And you could take the time to relax. You clearly need it, sis.”

“And what is that supposed to mean, Izzy?”

“It’s Isaac. And all I mean is that you’ve been working hard, so you need some rest.”

Felicia still seemed unsure. Eventually, she decided.

“As long as you take Sam, I’m fine with it. But if anything happens, step away.”

Bennett gleamed. “I’ll get Pepper ready for tomorrow right now!” he said, as he ran to his room.

“Homework first!” she yelled. Then, she turned to Isaac.

“Am I forgiven?” he asked.

“Yes, but you’re still being punished.”

“Oh really? And what kind of punishment would that be?”

“I’m calling Ms. Harriet over so she can get your signature and I’m going to ask her to make her delicious homemade medicine,” she said, walking over to the phone.

Isaac went white.

“You’re also not eating dinner. Make yourself look sick. I covered for you and told her you were resting,” she added. “Go on. Rest,” she said, making a shooing gesture.

Isaac went to his room, defeated.

 

[Dayvad]

Wow, I really like this fic. It confused the hell out of me at the start but i like the way you tied everything in its got real potential to be great so keep it up man, good luck. oh and if you are doing a pm list please add me

 

[GalladeofSpades]

Chapter 2
​

Bennett Jackson

The walk towards Performer’s Street was nice. There was a cold, yet gentle breeze in the air. The white, paved road was covered in the golden leaves of autumn, falling from the trees and crunching under their feet. Most people were probably in their cozy houses, given that most of the chimneys were spewing smoke, but some of the mauvillians were raking leaves outside.

That didn’t stop some of them from looking at them suspiciously. Nervously, Bennett clutched a dressed up Pepper in his arms, while Isaac carried the bright red hoop and the yellow volleyball right beside him. Sam looked warily around, ordered to do so by his trainer while she relaxed at home.

“Something wrong?” Isaac asked.

“Nothing.” Isaac’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’m just feeling sick.”

“Pre-show jitters?” he asked. Bennett’s head nodded, even though that wasn’t why. “Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. You always do.”

“What if fine isn’t enough?”

“It’ll be enough,” he reassured. “Though, just in case it isn’t, I’ll go out and catch some Pokémon and sell them to some breeders around the area later.”

“But you don’t have any Pokémon.”

“I’ll borrow Sam. Even though he doesn’t listen to me, I’ll bet that his survival instinct will win out in the end.” Hearing this, Sam growled. “Shut up, you stupid cat. You love battling, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”

Sam quieted after that, resuming his lookout.

“You should get one for yourself, you know.”

“I’m not doing that. That’s one more mouth to feed, and we can’t afford that.”

“If you catch a hunter –“

“I’ve told you before Ben. I can barely take care of myself, much less a Pokémon. The thing would probably eat me alive. Besides, we already have Pepper and Sam. Do we really need another pet?”

“It doesn’t have to be a pet.”

Isaac sighed. “Yes, Bennett, I know that it could be my starter that’ll accompany me on my journey forever and ever. But a journey isn’t really a dream for me. Sure, I could travel, but I’ll eventually get bored. And like I said, I can barely take care of myself.”

“But –“

“My decision is final Bennett. Now drop it.” Bennett decided not to press the subject further.

The rest of the walk was filled with Isaac’s stories of how he heard Jessie and Tim were back together again, Reese’s run-in with Mrs. Harries-Ford’s Houndoom, Jacqueline, and how Isaac helped Ms. Harriet with her chores. Before long, they arrived at Performer’s Street.

Performer’s Street, as usual, was filled with performers and spectators alike. Human statues, street magicians, break-dancers… you name it, it was there. Located in one of Mauville’s market areas, Performer’s Street was always crowded due to the flow of people going shopping. And if people were shopping, it meant they had money. This specific market area was a popular destination for tourists, which helped the performers gain even more money. Store owners across the street had repeatedly tried to convince the Gym Leader to pass a law forbidding street performers in that area, but to no avail. That didn’t stop them from trying to shoo away the performers, though.

The performers, while amiable and friendly to each other, were prone to fighting amongst themselves. All it took was a simple misunderstanding, and all hell would break loose, which was why performers were encouraged to not perform in Mauville; it only brought disaster. However, the rumours of famous starlets beginning on the streets of Mauville were more tempting than the warnings, so the brothers went on. So they set up camp, so to speak, near a clothing shop named Bestow, and got ready to perform. The owner tried to shoo them away, but Sam’s intimidation managed to keep them at bay.

Bennett set Pepper down on the sidewalk. Her tail was tied with a pink ribbon that used to be Felicia’s and her mask was covered in glitter. A clip-on flower was on her right ear. She wagged her tail, excited, knowing exactly what she was about to do. At least, he thought she knew.

Isaac put the hoop and the ball on the floor next to Bennett, walking away afterwards with Sam to hide in an alley behind them to surprise anyone who came looking for trouble. Bennett took out a small plastic bag in from his pocket, placing it in front of him and held it down by placing a rock in it. Afterwards, he set the hoop up and asked Pepper if she could balance herself on it. She did.

Their cute little act consisted nothing more than passing a volleyball between them: Bennett would pass it to Pepper, who would pass it back, all while balancing on the hoop on her forelegs. Every so often, they would stop and Pepper would do a small balancing act on the hoop with the ball, somewhat mimicking a circus Sealeo.

Hours passed, repeatedly passing the ball back and forth under Isaac’s eye. Tourists gave money as they watched, taking in the cuteness of it all as they threw the money into the bag. It wasn’t much, though, just a coin here or there. Some street performers were kind enough to pass by them and say hello, giving them some tips on how to attract more people, though most of them just stayed away, not wanting to cause trouble. The store clerks looked out the door from time to time, but didn’t try to get them to leave. Bennett didn’t blame them. Sam had that effect on people.

Soon, lunch hour had arrived, and all the shops had closed. Isaac stepped out of the shadows with Sam, looking somewhat disappointed. Isaac had been punching a pillow repeatedly the other night, preparing for something, though he didn’t really get why. Isaac was lacking in the muscle department.

Isaac peered into the bag. “Well, we managed to get five hundred. It’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near enough for what we need.”

Bennett frowned and stopped the ball. “How much do we need?”

“About seven thousand more.” Bennett widened his eyes in surprise and worry. “Or was it seven hundred? Meh, something along those lines.”

Still a lot of money, Bennett thought. Were they really going to be able to gather enough money for the month?

“Hey!” Bennett and Isaac turned around at the sound, and found a large, black-haired teenager staring them down. Ronnie “Stilts” Stilton, a member of a different family in New Mauville, was his name. If Bennett was remembering right, he had it in for Isaac because he did something. Isaac refused to talk about the incident, but Bennett knew from second-hand knowledge that it involved a plastic cup, toilet water and…

Now that he thought about it, maybe Stilts was right in being angry at Isaac. But anyway, after that incident, Isaac and Stilts were at war, a war that usually involved both of them and their families. Bennett started staying awake through the night when Stilts threw a brick into their (his and Isaac’s) bedroom window once. Felicia offered to sleep in his now-open-to-murderers bedroom, as he put it, but he declined. He regretted putting on that brave front, since he spent the following nights completely awake, twitching at every sound he could hear from the other side of the window, while Isaac, completely unfazed, slept like a rock through the night. Isaac got his revenge though, and managed to burn of Stilts’ eyebrows. No one knew exactly how, since it was another incident Isaac refused to talk about.

Isaac refused to talk about a lot of things he did to Stilts.

“What is it, Stilts?” Isaac asked, glaring at Stilts with his green eyes.

Stilts grinned. “You’re performing in my spot, Izzy.”

Isaac scowled. “You’re spot? You’re not even a street performer!”

“Au contraire. I am a wonderful street performer, managing to lift unthinkable weights.”

“If you really think that people believe in you when you lift cardboard boxes that read six tons, then I have bad news for you,” Isaac muttered under his breath.

“But imagine my shock when I heard that you and your brother were in my spot, getting money for doing stupid party tricks! I had to come over and see for myself, and look here!” he said, mockingly innocent.

“If this is your spot, then why weren’t you here when we got here?”

“I’ve been sick the past few days. I can’t believe you didn’t know that, since I’m pretty sure you’re the one who gave me food poisoning.”

“And why would I do that?” Isaac was denying it, but Bennett saw Isaac rummaging through the garbage cans the week before, looking for something.

“Maybe it’s because you’re a little brat that only messes with people behind their backs,” he muttered.

“I heard that,” Isaac said, animosity in his voice as he glared at him, green eyes meeting black ones. Though he tried to look menacing, he didn’t look like it. Stilts had his nickname for a reason; standing at six feet nine, Stilts was the tallest person in their school. Close behind was Isaac, whose height, according to the doctors, wouldn’t pass his current six feet four. But that wasn’t what made him so non-threatening. Isaac had always preferred monochrome hoodies with sleeves long enough to cover his hands, letting the tip of his fingers show. His black beanie was on the verge of falling off, his clothes were somewhat baggy, and his shaggy hair made him look like a girl trying to pass for a guy. But above all, Isaac looked like a twig next to brawny Stilts.

Stilts looked at the bag. “But anyway, I was just here to get payment.”

Payment. Bennett’s blood went cold when he realized what he meant.

Stilts walked over to the bag to inspect its contents.

“Hmph. Not much, but it’ll do. I can’t believe you managed to make so little. Even the statues make more than this.

Bennett heard Sam growl, but suddenly he whimpered a few moments later when Stilts whistled. An Arcanine had appeared next to him, growling fiercely at them.

“Have you met Spain?” Stilts asked. “Funny story actually. Remember Jacquelin’s litter from a few months ago? You know she mated with an Arcanine, right?” He continued, smirking as he taunted them with the bag of money.

Isaac growled and lunged himself at Stilts, but was kicked away. Bennett quickly ran to his aid. He looked at Sam, who still looked utterly frightened by the Arcanine. Said Arcanine had his (or at least, Bennett thought it was a male) fangs filling with fire.

“Is there any objection to this little fee?” He asked, grinning. Bennett was scared of that grin. Or maybe it was the threat of being burned that was scaring him. Bennett couldn’t exactly tell which one was it, but he was certain that he was deathly afraid. Isaac had his eyes closed, prepared for the worst. Bennett was hoping for a miracle, for anything to give help, no matter how little it was.

A dragon suddenly rammed into the Arcanine, knocking him out in one swift, clean, blow. Startled, Stilts dropped the money, and was swiftly held in place by the dragon’s gaze. Stilts’ jaw was wide open, as he fell to the ground trying to back away from the dragon, which was getting closer and closer every step it took. With a single roar from it, Stilts ran for his life.

Bennett sighed in relief, until the dragon reared its head towards them.

“Pierot. Heel.” The dragon, hearing these words, proceeded to stop and walk over to the owner of the voice’s side. Said owner walked up to Isaac and Bennett, stretching his hand out to help them up.

“Hello.”

O_O_O

Felicia Davis

Felicia watched as the dragon stared curiously at her Delcatty. While it did look threatening, the dragon was not as vicious as Bennett had told her. In fact, after sniffing her, its reptilian tongue licked her quite happily, apparently giving her its seal of approval, as the man now in front of her said.

Jonathan Brave, the owner of said dragon, sipped the cup of tea he was offered when he arrived at their house. His worn, gloved hands cupped the blue mug full of warm, apple and cinnamon tea, and his bright blue eyes looked at his dragon with a small glint. From his introduction, Mr. Brave was in his thirties and was raised in Lilycove, though the patched up suit told her otherwise. He had been living as a nomad for some time and happened to be passing by Performer’s Street when Stilts had gone near her brothers.

“Thank you for what you did for my brothers, Mr. Brave,” she said, turning her attention back to the man in front of her. “Really, I don’t know what I can do to repay you.”

“There’s no need, Ms. Davis. And please, call me Jonathan,” he replied.

“Yes, there is. My brothers probably told you, but we’ve been having problems with Stilts – Ronnie, I mean. I’m not saying that Isaac isn’t to blame, though. If he hadn’t done that prank –“

“It was a prank. He needs to get over it,” Isaac started to complained, but a glare from Felicia quickly shut him up.

“As I was trying to say, we’ve since realized the position that that little incident put us in, and we’ve been having troubles with Ronnie ever since. So, again, I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Mr. Brave. If you ever need anything, please ask.”

“Jonathan, Ms. Davis. And as I’ve said, there’s no need. No matter what your brother might have done, the past is past. Now, he has to look towards the future.” Jonathan didn’t know what exactly Isaac had done, judging by the innocent, understanding and caring look in his bright blue eyes, but Felicia wasn’t going to be the one who told him. Instead, Felicia turned her head towards the dragon, which was playing with one of Sam’s toys. Sam was lying down with his eyes closed, opening them once in a while to see what the dragon was doing to his toy.

“Pierot seems quite interested in that plush tail. Where did you get it?”

“A charity recently donated a bunch of toys to the Angela project, and since none of us really played with toys anymore, so we decided to sell most of them. Sam took a liking to the plush tail, so we kept that one.”

“Ah. Is that why the toy is so worn out?”

“Yes. Sam likes playing with his teeth and claws more than anything.”

“I can see.” Another moment of silence as they both sipped their tea. Jonathan’s head examined the kitchen thoroughly, scolding Pierot when he saw that he was about to rip Sam’s plush tail apart. Pierot whined, but dropped the tail.

“I’ve never seen a species like Pierot’s before.”

“My travels may have started in Lilycove, but my parents were Sinnohan immigrants. They pulled a few strings to import a Gible from Sinnoh and, voilà, I received my starter.”

“He’s a bit big for a starter, isn’t he?” She pointed out.

Jonathan chuckled. “Gibles evolve, Ms. Davis.”

“Interesting. So, what is he now?”

“He’s a Garchomp. A dragon that once roamed the seas, but evolved - not spontaneous, the natural kind – to hunt prey on land when it’s main food source started doing the same. A vicious killer, they stalk their prey in humid areas, and once their presence is known, they rush in for the kill.”

Felicia tried to picture the dragon behind her trying to viciously murder anything smaller than it, but she didn’t really get how something so peaceful was capable of such a thing. Instead she asked a few more questions: what they ate, were they normally so colourful, what other Pokémon he had… the usual between trainers. In turn, Jonathan asked about her Delcatty, and the conversation went along.

Once the conversation became two-sided, Isaac excused himself and Bennett and went outside with Sam. Jonathan became a bit more intrusive as the conversation went on, Felicia noticed: questions about how she raised them and how much money they had each month started coming up, as he subtly tried to find out more about their personal life.

“Ms. Davis?”

“Hm?” Felicia had been trying to figure out what he wanted and wasn’t paying attention. Pierot was sleeping, curled up on the couch in the living room, snoring softly as his tail patted the floor every so often.

“You haven’t answered my question,” he reminded, smiling all the while. The mug he had before was on the kitchen table now, having his black fedora clutched in his gloved hands. His bright, blonde hair was tied in a ponytail that was hidden under the hat, she noticed.

“I’m sorry. What was the question?”

“Is Bennett planning to go on a journey anytime soon?”

“Oh, no. The Angela project recommends that you should start at fifteen.”

“Ah. Then, I might have a proposition for you.”

Felicia‘s attention was immediately grabbed, as her suspicions were about to be proven correct.

“As I’ve told you, I’m a retired performer in the Circus Battling Circuit. I’ve wandered the world for some time, but I’m planning on endorsing new performers in the Circuit. To revitalize it, you see. So, I’ve been looking for people that would like to be taught the art of Circus Battling in many towns. So far, I’ve only found two. The life of the circus isn’t for everyone, it seems. But lo and behold, I’ve found a new possible apprentice!”

“Absolutely not,” she refused, her face not showing any emotion whatsoever.

Jonathan’s eyes widened a bit, but nevertheless tried to sway her opinion. “Please listen to what I have to say, Ms. Davis. I assure you that it’s worth your time.”

“No, it’s not. Bennett is not running off to the circus, and my decision is final.”

“Ms. Davis, if I may – “

“My answer is no, Mr. Brave. Now, since the reason you came to visit me has been taken care of, I suggest you leave.”

“My, such a temper. What have I done to earn such a hostile attitude?”

“Trying to put Ben in danger by taking him away from his family has a nasty effect of ticking me off.”

Jonathan frowned for the first time during his visit. “I would never do that to young Bennett, Ms. Davis. I pride myself in keeping my apprentices safe, and he would be free to return whenever he pleased – “

“Do you think I’m stupid? I’m perfectly aware that you’re lying to me just to get your way. I’m not giving Bennett up.”

“You would not be giving him up. If Bennett refuses to go, then I have no choice but to accept it.”

“Bennett’s still thirteen. He doesn’t get a say in this.”

“Yes, yes, because you think you have to be eighteen to be of age officially, instead of when you’re ten. I understand that. But that’s not how the law goes, Ms. Davis, and you must accept that fact. He does have a say in this.”

“He does not. Now leave.”

“Ms. Davis – “

“I said leave.” Felicia was losing her patience with the man in front of her. She clenched her fists, but made no move to attack, given that the part of her brain that wasn’t getting angry made her glance at the couch.

Jonathan stared at her, holding her gaze, and sighed. He got up, waking up his dragon, and left through the front door, mumbling a good-bye towards her way. As he left, Isaac and Bennett returned, looking puzzled as why the man had just suddenly smiled at them and left.

“Hey, where’s Mr. Brave going?” Isaac asked, looking at his sister. “And what’s with the frown?”

“I’m frowning?” Felicia’s face immediately stretched into a smile.

“Well, you were frowning. Now you’re smiling. Is everything okay?”

“Oh, fine. Everything’s fine.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything else before going to his room and asking her to tell him when dinner was ready. Bennett grabbed Pepper, who had run to the living room to nap next to the couch, and followed him in.

As soon as the door was shut, Felicia’s smile disappeared, as she turned around to start preparing dinner. Sam rubbed his head against her leg, trying to catch her attention, but when he saw it didn’t work, he left a scratch on her bare legs and walked away. It was probably best if she ignored him. So she did.

O_O_O

Isaac Mutton

Isaac woke up the next morning to the sound of someone rummaging through his closet. As he got up and rubbed his eyes, he saw Felicia going through the clothes she put in their closet and stuffing them in a big, dark backpack. Sam was lying down on Bennett’s bed, looking disinterestedly at the sight before him.

“What’re you doing?” He groaned, obviously still half asleep as he glanced at the clock. “It’s eight in the morning on a Sunday, so if you could please hurry up and let me sleep, I would appreciate it.”

“Bennett’s gone,” she replied, running out of the room with the backpack, Delcatty hot on her trail.

Isaac went back to his bed and tried going back to sleep, but he ended up registering what he was just told. “Wait, what do you mean, gone?”

“What do you think I mean? I mean he’s not anywhere in the house!”

“He probably just left early. Don’t sweat about it.”

“He left early! Oh, that leaves me much less worried! In fact, that must explain how there are clothes missing from his part of the closet!”

“You rummaged through his clothes?”

“Of course I rummaged through his clothes! I was worried!”

“That doesn’t justify anything!”

She ignored him and zipped up the backpack, walking hurriedly out the room. Sam followed suit, and Isaac went after them. “Sis, you’re being ridiculous. Why would Bennett leave? He probably went for a walk!”

“So you suggest that he went outside with enough layers to not be able to get up if he fell? For no good reason?”

“No, I’m saying that he probably went to donate some clothes and he’ll be right back. Just wait a bit.”

But Felicia didn’t wait. “I’ve made up my mind. Watch the house while I’m gone,” she said, preparing a few bowls of cereal for when she got back. Sam was scratching the door to the outside, meowing rather loudly for his owner to let him out.

“We’re going, we’re going. Just wait a little longer, Sam.” Sam, like Felicia, did not wait, and started scratching and growling louder than ever.

Isaac looked confusedly at his sister. She was extremely on edge today, for whatever reason, and seemed adamant that Bennett had run away from home or something. In his opinion, her protective instinct was getting the better of her, as it usually did whenever something happened. Isaac hadn’t kept track of the amount of times she ‘secretly’ had sent Sam after him on summer weekends while he partied out, or when she ‘fell asleep’ sitting on the couch, waiting for him or Bennett to come home, but he was sure even if he did count, he’d leave out some accidentally.

Sam was halfway through the wooden door when Felicia ended up feeding him so he would stay quiet. While he did eat a bit of his food, he quickly went back to destroying the door in outrage that he hadn’t been let out yet.

“Do you sharpen his claws with a knife sharpener or something? Because he’s going through that door pretty quickly for a cat.”

“Shut up and wait for me to get back. I’m getting Bennett.”

“So you know where he is?”

“Yup. And as soon as I find him, I’m giving a certain someone a piece of my mind.”

“Should I warn Bennett? I could call him if you’d like.” He got her silence as a response, as she double checked her backpack and put some money in one of her vest pockets. “That would be a no, then?”

“Again, shut up, sit at the table, and eat your breakfast while I’m out. I’ll be back before you know it.” She said, grabbing her keys, walking out the (badly damaged) door. Sam darted in front of her, seemingly relieved that he was freed.

“You’re being ridiculous!” He yelled out the door, but he knew that, even if she heard him, it would be useless. Resigning to this fate, he went to his room to get dressed, slipping on a pair of blue jeans and a large, warm, monochrome chequered hoodie with the imprint of an anchor on the back. As he walked back into the kitchen, he found her inside a room that was definitely not the kitchen.

Her being the odd teenage girl from his dreams that loved fate and despised luck, the fickle lady of lightning, Zelena.

He was used to being asleep when he saw her, in that mysterious room. She sat there at the center table, sipping from her black teacup. She was wearing a bee-striped, ruffled sundress and a pair of brown, high heel boots. Creamy, white legs contrasted with black eyes, heavily covered in black eye shadow. Strangely, she wasn’t wearing her glasses like she usually did whenever he saw her, but the make up suggested that she was prepared to receive him this time, unlike the other times he managed to wander in the… the…

Actually, he didn’t know what the place was called. He remembered that he always was told what it was, but he never remembered it. He looked around, trying to remember it. Behind her, the wall was covered in intricate drawings: astral charts, zodiac signs, lunar phases… all of them covered the yellow wall behind her. Bookcases lined the sides: books about divination and astrology were probably amongst the books that lined the shelves. In the center, besides the black kettle and the two teacups, was a crystal ball and a stack of cards, both glowing faintly yellow. An intricate solar system chandelier hung from the ceiling, spinning endlessly amongst the stars scattered throughout.

Zelena sighed. “You forgot the name of this place again, didn’t you?” Isaac nodded. “The yellow should clue you in. Unless you’re that dense, in which case I feel very sorry for Charlotte.”

“Says the girl that can’t even control when I can or can’t enter this room,” he replied, making her blush. She never admitted it, but most of the times he went into that yellow room – that was the name! Yellow Room! -, he was very unwanted and he woke up after being shocked in his dreams. He always felt a little tingly the day after, but nothing that left him with permanent scars on his body.

“L-let’s just move on. Have a seat.” She waved a hand, and another black chair appeared next to the table. As he sat down, she pulled out a card from the pile, showing it to him.

The card depicted a Mime Jr. walking off the edge of a cliff, followed closely by a Lillipup. It seemed happy, even though it was about to fall off, about to tumble to the sea full of Sharpedo below it. On the bottom, the words ‘THE FOOL’ were written in neat, loopy writing.

“So you called me to look at a card. Can I at least have some breakfast while I hopelessly stare at it, wondering what it means until you cleverly reveal its meaning?”

Zelena stared at him. “Would that be a no?”

Still staring, Zelena waved a hand and materialized some toast and butter onto the table, along with some coffee. Isaac gladly ate and drank to his hearts content, and once he was satisfied, he let out a small burp. Zelena, obviously not impressed, gestured to the card.

“Again, you called me to look at a card.”

“Do you know what the Fool stands for?”

“Stupidity?”

“Somewhat. More importantly, it means that your journey is about to start. A new beginning dawns on the horizon…”

“Mind clarifying?”

Zelena sighed. “Do you remember me telling you that great things awaited you, and that it would eventually start soon?”

“Nope!”

“You’re being really unhelpful, you know. Anyway, I did. And that starts today. So, pack your bags, because you’re going to travel.”

Isaac didn’t react. The prospect of travelling had never sat well with him, and disobeying Felicia wasn’t exactly the wisest idea. Besides, he had already decided that he wouldn’t go on a journey. He wasn’t going to get himself killed out there, worrying Felicia and Bennett. Not when he finally had people who cared about him.

Suddenly, the card reversed.

Zelena widened her eyes. “Are you kidding me?! Most people would love this! Why aren’t you loving this?!”

“Because I need to take care of the house and if I leave it unattended, big sis is going to kill me.”

Zelena lent back in her chair, frowning and pinching her nose. “Just because the card reversed it doesn’t mean that you’re not going. Reversed Fool shows hesitation in going, but eventually even hesitant people make a choice. It’s fated.”

“You predicted wrong. I’m not going. End of story.”

A huff of frustration. “Why must you be so difficult? Seriously, you’re more stubborn than Azalea, if that could be even possible.” Resting her elbows on the table, cupping her head in her hands, she gazed at him with deep, black orbs. “What’s this really about? Why don’t you want to go?”

“I told you – “

“I know for a fact that you’ve left your responsibilities behind before, and that you didn’t suddenly grow a conscience overnight. Out with it.”

“How did you – “

Zelena got up, walking rather hurriedly towards the wall behind her to check something. “Again with this, child? I’m a goddess, for Aletheia’s sake, I know pretty much everything about humanity! I used to be human myself!”

She insisted on repeating the fact that she was a goddess whenever they saw each other, but he always assumed that it was just a part of the weird, tingly dreams.

Speaking of which, if she was just a dream, then how was all this possible? Was he secretly a narcoleptic, or something?

“Am I dreaming again? Did I fall asleep somehow when I walked into the kitchen?”

Zelena turned her head to face him and stared at him oddly. “What? No, of course not, why would you be dreaming? This is all a hundred percent real, as real as Aletheia is.” She turned back to the wall, inspecting the astral charts with apparent interest.

He wanted to retort that that didn’t really hold as much weight as she thought it did, but decided to stay quiet before he angered a possible goddess that could fry him with a lightning bolt if she felt like it. Instead, he was about to ask about how all this was possible when he was stopped by a so-called-goddess suddenly uttering the ‘oh’ sound, making a pen and paper appear and writing something down rather hastily. When she finished, she walked back to the table, giving Isaac the paper.

Isaac looked at the paper and at the handwriting. “Wow, your cursive sucks, you know,” he remarked.

“Shut up, I’m a goddess! Now read it out loud, please.”

“You know, you keep saying that, but - “

“So help me Aletheia, if you don’t start reading that paper within the next three seconds, I will electrocute you so much you will have more markings than a Kyogre.”

Isaac widened his eyes. “You wouldn’t – “At the sight of the thundercloud forming above her head, Isaac shut up. At the sight of it charging up electricity (‘was that even possible’ was the odd thought out amongst the many panicked responses at being electrocuted), he looked down at the paper and started trying to read it.

“Praised be Zelena, Goddess the Great, Changer of Destinies, Purveyor of Fate. Show me what awaits me tomorrow. Show me which is the path I should follow,” he managed to make out, albeit slowly. Her handwriting was really messy. Though, all thoughts about her handwriting were pushed out of his mind when he lifted his head to ask why she wanted him to read that out loud.

Zelena’s hair had come out of its ponytail, blond hairs floating as her once black eyes glowed a brilliant shade of red. Static electricity flowed through the air, raising the hairs on his neck. As she grabbed onto the table, digging her fingernails into it like she was in pain, Isaac couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on before he suddenly blacked out.

O_O_O

When Isaac regained his senses, he was on a small white pier.

The first thing he noticed was that he was not in the Yellow Room, nor was he anywhere near Zelena. Isaac couldn’t remember anything from just before he passed out. Though, did he pass out? Because he was pretty sure that people who fainted didn’t usually stand while fainted.

Isaac checked his surroundings. He didn’t recognize a single person around him, and the sun was showing, so he wasn’t in New Mauville. He also checked himself for anything: nothing but his Pokénav and some paper in his pockets. Feeling he was cold, he tried retreating into his hoodie and pulling down his beanie, grumbling when he realized that he didn’t bring it. Finally, he realized that he was starving.

Just in case something strange was happening, he pulled out his Pokénav and checked the date, widening his eyes when he realized that two full days had passed. That explained why he was starving, but it didn’t explain how he, Isaac Mutton, wound up above ground while somehow unconscious. Putting it back in his pocket, he started wandering around, looking for some sort of sign of where he was, given that everything was so unfamiliar. He reached for a piece of paper in his pocket. Once he saw what it was, he widened his eyes.

The card from the Yellow Room was in his hand, a note from Zelena written on it.

Sorry for forcing you to go on the trip, but destiny said so. Have fun! Regards, Zelena.

Isaac had no idea of what had just happened, but apparently he was on a trip to somewhere. Something that he planned to stop doing once he found the nearest city, figured out where he was and took the ride back home. In the meantime, he wandered around the semi-wilderness, navigating the maze of fences and turning down eager trainers that wanted to battle.

After another half-hour, he had managed to wander deep into a city. The streetlights littered the streets and the plaza to where he was currently heading, a large, red building sticking out from the other, dreary beige ones. People of all kinds were walking back and forth, busily minding their own lives. A boy curiously asked his mother why the boy he bumped into smelled like he hadn’t showered in days. Shops tried to sell their products by attracting potential customers with cute mascots, like Jigglypuff or Pikachu.

As he wondered where he was, wandering through the plaza, he bumped into a Mightyena. The Mightyena growled, but kept going its way, disappearing into the crowd. He kept looking back at it until, yet again, he bumped into someone, knocking them down

The person he bumped into groaned and got up, staring at him intensely, expecting something.

“Uh… Sorry?” The dark-skinned brunette still maintained her glare, dusting off her black jeans.

“I hope you are. Start watching where you’re going, or else you’ll get in trouble.”

Isaac nodded, and just before the girl walked away, he asked her where he was. The girl widened her eyes slightly.

“Uh… Don’t you have a Pokénav?”

“It doesn’t come with the map function.”

“Wait, how do you not know where you are? You got amnesia or something?”

“Er… it’s a long story; just tell me where I am, please.”

“Lilycove City, Hoenn’s capital.”

How in the world did he manage to cross Mauville River and wander through some of Hoenn’s most dangerous and confusing routes in two days?! Isaac was confused, but just accepted the fact that weird stuff was happening and that he’d get back home the next day. He couldn’t exactly go another two days without taking care of himself.

The problem was that he didn’t have any money on him, so he’d have to resort to sleeping on a park bench or in an alley somewhere and pray that he wasn’t kidnapped and harvested for something. He’d heard rumours of recent happenings in Lilycove, by some demented madman that abducted the homeless and killed them. Or so he heard. It could’ve been that snotty Randall’s lying again and there was nothing to worry about.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to play it safe…

“Uh, can I ask you a favour?” He asked.

The girl raised an eyebrow. “Hold up. We’ve just met, and you’re asking me for a favour?” She asked in disbelief. She had a point. “But, since I’m such a nice person, I’ll let you ask. What do you want?”

“Erm, I know it’s out of the blue, but can you find me a place to stay for the night? And before you ask why I don’t just go to an inn, I don’t think I can afford one at the moment.”

The girl looked at him, probably wondering what the hell was happening. He didn’t blame her, considering that he was just as confused as she was. When he managed to get settled somewhere, he was doing some thorough research on whatever Zelena was.

His face scrunched up in disgust at the thought.

“Oh, so you’ve finally realized how much you reeked. I was wondering if you’d notice.”

“Hm? Wait, hey!”

“If you showered, I’d have no need to say it, wouldn’t I? So, shut up and take the advice.”

“You know, if you could hurry up and tell me if you could find me a place, I’d appreciate it.”

“Hm? Oh, right. Well, as I said, I’m a nice little girl. So, I’ll gladly help my newest client.”

Isaac grinned. He was finally getting a break in all this. He couldn’t wait until he could eat something, have a long, hot shower and sleep in a warm, comfy bed, putting it all behi-

… Did she just call him a client?

Isaac’s grin faded into another look of confusion. The girl explained.

“What? Just because I’m nice doesn’t mean I don’t want anything in return.” Isaac’s jaw fell in disbelief. “Everything has a price, dude. A night at the place I’m thinking of costs about fifty poké.” She stretched out her hand. “Fork ‘em.”

“I thought I told you I didn’t have any money!”

“No, you said that you didn’t have enough for an inn. One night at the cheapest inn in the city is about seven hundred and fifty, so I’m actually giving you a really nice price. Unless you actually don’t have any money, in which case, sucks to be you.” Her hand fell, and she walked away. “I just hope the madman that’s out on the streets killing someone doesn’t go after you. It’d be a shame if you’d be this month’s victim…”

To say that panic wasn’t his first response would be a flat out lie.

“Wait!” He yelled, running over to the girl. “What if I paid you another way?”

“Have any Pokémon?”

“Well, no, but - “

“Then what do you suggest, red-head? Because if you keep wasting my time, I’ll lose opportunities, so…”

“What if I paid you in services?”

“… Listen, I’m not going to – “

“I do not mean that. It’ll never be that. Who do you take me for?”

“Some crazy guy from out of town who’s managed to travel through Hoenn’s routes without even realizing where the hell he was, with no Pokémon, no money, no food and no shelter, who also hasn’t showered, that’s asking a random girl he found on the street if she knows some place he could stay for free.”

“Not what I meant, but that pretty much describes the situation I’m in.”

“Okay, then moving on, what do you mean, ‘services’?”

Isaac sighed. “… I’ll work for you. I’ll be your personal manservant. Would that pay the price?”

The girl smiled. “Sure. When we get to the place, you’ll sign a small contract and you’ll get started on paying on your debt.” She stretched out her hand again, and this time Isaac shook it, sighing and resigning himself to the fact that he was now on an adventure. He had no idea what awaited him or what fate had in store for him, but he did know one thing.

He knew that he was cold and that he was uncomfortably so, rushing off after the girl to wherever he was going to stay.