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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:18 am
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[ This takes place when both trainers are younger, before they get to Kodo and join team Rocket. ]
Zuberi was young; just turned twelve and naive as all get out. He didn't like his parents, didn't know why, didn't know for how long, but they made him uncomfortable and feel bad. He ran off often, from the private school that didn't allow Pokemon in the building or from home where Pokemon were seen as evil creatures bent out for world destruction. Or something. He didn't know what his parents actually thought; but he didn't like it. Blowing out some air, he moved down through the allies of the largest city in the world, and sneaked around corners and cafe shops. Either way, he wasn't going to linger any longer than he could without getting into trouble. He shifted and moved with some sort of odd grace, before finding his way to his special place where hardly anyone came around.
Grinning, Zuberi shifted and plopped himself down on the ground. He crossed his legs under him, reached into his bag, and pulled out an apple. He bit into the red fruit, peering out at some wild Pokemon that were playing. Furfrou's and Litleo's. A Skiddo or two practicing running and jumping. Even a couple Fletchlings chasing each other in the sky. The city was full of life, and he loved it. He loved Pokemon so much it wasn't funny. He wanted one of his own, but knew better than to try to bring one into the house. His parents would have his head on a stick. He wiggled his nose, and settled himself down farther against the wall.
After a while, he pulled out his sketchbook, and a pen. He didn't like using pens, but his parents always said that he should use them instead of pencils. It was the more adult thing to do. Huffing some, he started to sketch one of the Pokemon that was holding still, dragging one long line verses another. He wasn't that good yet, but he was getting better every day, so that was good!
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:06 am
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Nine year old Eden, as she liked to call herself even then, wandered around the city, trying to stay out of the way of passerbys. Her parents were out on some business meeting as always and her older sister had kicked her out of the house so she could have friends over. She had threatened to have Treecko attack her if she even dared tell mom and dad. This was ridiculous of course, because Treecko loved Eden. Unfortunately for Treecko, he was stuck at the house with her sister so that she could show him off to her dumb friends. Eden wouldn't tell mom and dad though, because they probably wouldn't care anyway, as long as business was running well and Eden stayed in school.
Eden sighed, her breath puffing out and creating steam in the chilly city air. She pulled her coat tighter around her and stared longingly at one of the cafes. There were people sitting around in fancy outfits, sipping coffee and gossiping, while their pokémon sat boredly on by. She felt bad for those pokémon. What she wouldn't give to have one of her own. She also wouldn't mind having one of those delicious hot chocolates the store clerk had just handed a woman. The woman bent down and gave the hot chocolate to her son. Eden's parents never bought her hot chocolate, or anything sweet for that matter. Sugar wasn't something that was "necessary" and Eden's folks were very "practical" people. She hated it.
As Eden didn't have any money with her, she passed the cafe on by, winding down a random city alley. She sometimes saw other kids in the alley's, children who like her probably couldn't or didn't want to be at home, but they usually had pokémon with them, and Eden was afraid to talk to them. All the kids at school who had their own pokémon to train teased Eden because she didn't have a pokémon yet. Her parents had never given her one or showed her how to catch one. They said she could learn how to be a trainer well enough from books at school.
Turn after turn, Eden kept trying to find her way back to her own street before it got dark, but she was only getting more lost by the second. If she didn't make it home in time, both her sister and her parents would be very, very upset with her. Her sister would probably blame her and say that she ran away instead of being pushed out of the house and Eden's chances of getting a pokémon from her parents would be even slimmer than they were now. Eden started to cry, letting the tears fall freely from her cheeks, as there was no one around to see her. Only now she wished that there was someone around, then she could ask for directions.
As she continued down this particular alley, which was mostly quiet except for the meanderings of wild pokémon, Eden eventually came upon a boy, cross-legged on the ground and writing in a notebook. 'Or he could be drawing,' Eden thought from the way the boy kept glancing up and looking towards the pokémon playing nearby. This boy didn't have any pokémon with him either and he looked so peaceful sketching. He was a little older than Eden from the looks of it, and since she had never seen him before around home or at school, she guessed he might live in a different part of the city; the city was so huge! Especially for a lost 9 year old girl. She sniffled a few times and wiped her eyes. "Ex..excuse me," she said, trying not to let her voice waver too much, "do you...know how to get back to Estival Avenue?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:36 am
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It wasn't long before Zuberi got in a zen like state. He enjoyed this kind of thing. Hiding away in places people didn't go often; looking at Pokemon and drawing and having a good time. He knew eventually it would come to an end, and he'd have to put the drawing somewhere where his parents couldn't see. If they saw it, they'd ban him from leaving the house. Hire a nanny and lock him up. School and home. And that was no way for a kid to leave. He reached up and pushed back some of the long dreadlocks that hung in front of his face, before going back down to his sketchbook. He frowned at the way some of the fur on the Furfrou looked, before sketching over that bit with a few other lines. He needed to get it right. Otherwise it'd look weird and he wouldn't remember what the Pokemon looked like later.
He was about to flip the page and move onto a couple Fletchlings when he heard someone speak. He almost jumped, his hand tightening on the pen and his eyes flashing over. He'd attack if he had to. But, when he saw it was just a little girl, he calmed down. He snapped the book shut and tucked it back into his bag, before standing up. He brushed off the dirt from his jeans and turned toward her. She was young. Probably in Elementary Training School still. And was she... crying? Zuberi blinked some and frowned, before taking a half step forward, and then shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Uh. Yea. It is down that way and then to the left. Do you want me to show you?" He offered. Zuberi didn't wait for her to answer, and instead turned and started to move down an alley way to the northeast. He kept his hands in his pockets as walked, occasionally kicking a rock or peering up toward some Pokemon that that ran away when they saw people coming. He stretched slightly and then looked back to see if the girl was still following him. He paused on occasion if she fell behind, before starting back up again.
After a few quiet minutes, he finally addressed her again. "What are you doing out here on your own anyways? It's getting dark." He murmured. Zuberi could only guess why a kid would be out here this late. After all, he was out and about avoiding his family. And he was sure he'd heard the blunt of it when he got home; how he shouldn't be out and should have come straight home to do his homework. But he'd say he was playing with friends or got caught up in the library or something. Some sort of lie to keep him out of trouble. He glanced back at the young girl again, waiting for her to answer.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 6:02 pm
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Eden was almost afraid she'd asked the wrong person at first from the way he looked startled and slammed his book shut. She wondered what it was that was so secret inside. Not that she was one to pry. Especially when she had bigger matters on her mind.
She was relieved when he stood up and said that he would show her the way. Before she had time to answer however the boy was already walking down the alleyway. She mumbled a quite, "yes, please..." as she hurried after him. She followed from a short distance for a little while, unsure whether or not she should talk to the boy or not. His legs were a lot longer than hers and she fell behind a few times, but he always paused to wait for her.
On one such occasion he started to talk to her. Eden picked up her pace so that she almost joined up with him. It was getting darker, and Eden hoped that her parents wouldn't be home yet, and that her sister's friends would be gone. Hopefully she could just sneak in the back without anyone noticing.
She tried to think of a good excuse as to why she was out late, other than getting lost, which was obvious, and finally decided that she would just tell the truth. She'd never met this boy, so it was unlikely that he knew her family. Besides, it was nice to get her feelings out every once in awhile.
She pouted and crossed her arms, the way little kids do when they're upset. "My dumb sister kicked me out of the house so I wouldn't be in the way of her and her stupid friends. But I have to get home before my parents get home or else they might be angry with me." She still had tears in her eyes, but they were angry tears now. One of these days she really would run away, without her sister having to kick her out, she thought.
She peeked up at him and wondered what he was doing out too. "What about you?" she asked. "You don't seem that much older than me. And I don't see any pokémon with you. You don't mind being out late on your own?" He must be very brave, Eden thought. |
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:17 pm
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When Zuberi realized he was walking a little too quickly for the girl to keep up, he slowed. He shoved his hands into his pockets, peering a head of him and walked at a gentler pace. He didn't want her to end up falling behind and getting scared or lost again. He peeked over his shoulder once more to peer over toward the child for a second before looking back forward. His eyes flickered down the streets, and he paused at one point to look around. No, he was going down the wrong ally. He turned and moved down another one, realizing that he was probably a little lost too. These allies really were rather well... confusing. He cocked his head and peeked up the side of a building before turning down another way, until he was able to see a main street.
He knew it was the wrong street, she needed to be on Estival. and this was Hibernal. But it'd be easier to get there from this area. He paused as he entered the main street. His eyes flickered about, locking on a few people that could, or could not, possibly cause problems. He knew when it got late that the jerks came out and about and would normally pick on people. He stood up a little taller to try and make himself seem intimidating ( he was rather tall for his age already ) but was also trying not to seem like a threat to them. They had Pokemon, after all. While the girl spoke, he listened intently and looked over toward her. His amber eyes fixated before he looked down the long street toward Prism Tower. "... That does not seem very nice... Your sister seems to be very mean and should not treat you that way. It is not fair nor acceptable behavior. It is just plain rude." He muttered.
When asked why he was out and about, Zuberi wasn't sure how to answer. He thought about it as he walked, keeping his eyes down and moving carefully. He didn't want to answer wrongly. He paused after a second and looked over toward the side as he neared Prism Tower. He stopped to look down at the girl, and tilted his head to the side. "I do not know how old you are, but I am twelve. As for why I am out... My family and I do not agree on things, and I decided it best for me to spend as little time as I could in my house. So I often come out and explore the city while it is daylight. I lost track of time today... Mother will be cross." He murmured, shaking his head slightly as he started to walk again. He paused once more near Prism Tower, slightly blinded by it's bright lights, before moving past and toward the proper street to get the young girl home.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:07 pm
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It didn't take long for Zuberi to realize they were being followed. He glanced down toward the girl as if checking on her, but in fact, looked over his shoulder. He could see the few boys following them, checking them out and trying to see what it was they were doing. he paused for a second to glance at some adults and wave, as if saying hello, but knew it was so that adults saw he was there, and hopefully would scare off the other kids. He listened to the girl once more, nodding his head lightly as he moved past Prism and toward Estival. He could get there quicker by the allies, but he had to be careful now that he got the attention of other people.
"Do not worry. I believe you could do that as well. No one who is mean can hinder a person with a kind heart. At least that is what my grandfather told me." Zuberi mused, before pausing once more. He glanced down at her. Nine. She was a kid. A legit kid. Not even in double digits yet. What sister could be mean to a small girl like that? It seemed unreal. He sighed and moved down until he saw a few more boys moving toward them from the front. He stopped short and glanced down at her once more, before clenching his hands at his side. "No... I do not. My parents forbid Pokemon." He murmured quietly.
When the boys approached more, Zuberi glanced around. He recognized them from when he went to public school; before his parents found out about the Furfrou. They pointed and whispered at each other, before calling out. "Hey freakshow! You still scared of Pokemon?" They laughed before moving closer, locking eyes on the girl as well and snickering, making comments like "She probably doesn't like them either" "freaks together" "Who knows, maybe they are running from a Bunnelby or something". The laughter was putting Zuberi on edge, making him a little irritated; though he knew better than to react on his anger.
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:57 pm
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Eden hadn't noticed the boys behind them, because the boy was talking to her and keeping her mind focused. She did see him wave to some adults though and wondered. Did he know them? They kept on walking though, and it seemed that they were headed for main roads instead of alleys.
"Your grandpa sounds like a nice person," she remarked. His parents however, did not. "They...forbid them?" Eden asked, shocked. "So...you aren't allowed to have one?" That must have been awful Eden thought. She didn't have a Pokémon either, but she at least knew that someday she'd be able to catch one without her parents help, and then they might be proud of her.
Pretty soon, Eden became aware of the boys that were following them. She noticed when they approached from in front of them, whispering and pointing. She did not like the look on their faces and her heart began to pound with fear. Even though she didn't know the boy guiding her very well, she felt safe near him, and so she began to stand a little closer to him. She didn't know what to think when the boys called out to them, calling names and poking fun at the boy. Eden had just met him, but she knew that he wasn't afraid of Pokémon; she had seen him drawing and watching them earlier. She didn't know what to do, because neither of them had Pokémon to protect them. She wanted to raise her fists and yell back at those boys, but she was too afraid. She hid behind her tall 12 year old guide instead, peeking around to watch the bullies and trying not to cry again. Oh how she wished she could be braver.
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 6:26 pm
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Zuberi stood up as tall as he could, staring at those around him. He didn't blink, didn't move much. He just stared, amber eyes locked and ready to glare more if he needed. He clenched his hands at his sides, his heart pounding a little faster. He grit his jaw, and glanced down toward the girl. After a moment, she was behind him, and Zuberi felt a little more on edge. He was in charge of her now too. He couldn't let these guys from his old school pick on a kid. That wasn't right. He shifted a bit, his back straightening as he tried to make himself seem intimidating to these guys. They continued to laugh and pick fun, before moving forward and toward Zuberi. One of them moved farther forward and stood in front of the tall twelve year old.
"What are you doing with a twerp anyways, freak? Tryin' to get her to join your fear or somethin'." Zuberi narrowed his eyes, his head held a bit higher. He snorted lightly before turning his attention back toward the girl. He reached back and pushed her a little more behind him before taking a step forward. "No. She was lost and I am showing her back to home. Now if you would please move, you are blocking the path. And I am not fond of idiots being in my way." He stated firmly. The boy glared and snorted, before moving to shove Zuberi. The young man reacted, reaching up and pushing the hands away before pushing froward and shoving the boy away from him. He reached back and took hold of the girls hand, before pulling her forward and in front of him and then pushing her forward lightly so that she could start moving. "Run!"
The boys shouted as soon as Zuberi protected himself. The ran forward to try and snag the girl, but Zuberi kept them at bay. He shoved at hands and pushed people away from her, dropping down and punching or slapping people as they moved. He'd spent a lot of time watching fighting types, as well as was put in classes growing up. he knew how to defend himself. He shifted and pushed past them, before reaching and grabbing hold of the girls hand, yanking her forward and running quickly toward the more lit part of the street.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 2:08 pm
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Zuberi wasn't certain how he had managed to get out of a fight this time. Without actually hurting someone or getting hurt himself. He had a scar on his stomach from where a Pokemon had attacked him because of a bully on the streets. But he never really talked about it; he hadn't even told his parents. He actually had begged the doctor not to tell them. And thankfully they didn't. And he was okay. He still liked Pokemon and he still wanted one, still wanted to become a trainer and be able to fight and run around like the other people he saw on TV. Usually he lost fights, because he didn't want to get in trouble with his parents. But now there was a little girl. And she needed protecting more than he did. He had to make sure she got home okay. He had told himself he would do it, promised he would. And he was going to do so.
When the young girl asked him a question, amber eyes turned down upon the child. He blinked for a second, before looking back over toward the Prism Tower. He stared for several seconds, before breathing out a small sigh. He shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head at the same time before stopping so she could catch her breath and calm down. She was crying again, he could see that. And more than likely she was scared. And he was a little scared. But Zuberi knew more than anything that being scared of that type of person was unacceptable. If they were scared of that kind of person, then that kind of person would always step on them. That's why Zuberi always acted like he was better than them, standing up tall and showing them whose in charge. He shifted to crouch in front of her, resting his free hand on his knee while his other was still stretched out to hold her hand. "They are no one of importance. Do not be scared of people like them. You are better than them, and will be stronger than them. And one day the people like that will know how strong and smart you are." He stated.
Zuberi glanced up toward the sky, frowning slightly. It was dark now. Street lights were on and Prism Tower was illuminating all the main city streets. But the allies would be dark and grim as always. Only during the day would Zuberi move through the allies. But those boys knew where they'd gone; and the likelihood of them following could be high. He drew his tongue along his lips, before looking back at the girl. "Do you know where your house is from here? We may have to take the long way, but I assure you I will get you home." He stated, standing back up. He held her hand a little bit tighter, and sent her a small smile.
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