I ran as fast as my legs could take me. All the way down
trying to assume where Charmander had ran off to. It wasn’t too far from
Pokemon square. It was a little isolated from the rest of town because while
town square was small, it had this joyous aura to it that would make you want
to unconditionally dance in the centre for everyone to see. Thinking back it
was rather odd Charmander didn’t do such a thing, he was for sure happy for
one, but he did hold himself back a bit almost addressing everyone in the square
as strangers. In my mind, my questions wouldn’t stop piling one after another
to which after I just couldn’t contain it anymore, I need to know more about
Charmander for sure.
I noticed a trapezium-shaped building
with a red roof of the same length covering it, I saw it and found it peculiar
that it was supposed to be a dojo, the sign was in bold and it attempted to
attract onlookers passing by. Which would have been rare, considering it was a
straight path towards the dojo and leaving to it with the current of the
riverbanks being too strong for people coming to the dojo for a place of rest.
Not to mention the craftsmen ship was for sure very poor quality. I was a
little taken aback but I tried not to think about it too much. Especially since
there was a Makuhita in front of the dojo standing guard. All he would do was
keep his arms crossed for the most part. His gaze was fixated on one spot
though, never did it drift even in the slightest in those moments of the sun
shining into his face or not even acknowledging my presence as I was stood a
few metres away from him. He just looked at a lizard next to the river throwing
pebbles and rocks, that splashed at the surfaces of the river. From his back I
felt as if I were stuck in his shadow, lingering behind him and not being able
to come out.
“You’re here… Nison… I thought I might
of, avoided it just a bit longer if I didn’t have to run into Team Alakazam.”
Charmander was so deprived of life, his
eyes looked weary and he seemed ready for tears. He was so emotional and seemed
so fragile not ready to fully express himself like usual. I didn’t know what to
think because it confused me.
Why did he want to be in a rescue team?
Why did he want to protect others? Why was he so willing to lay if life down
for something so trivial at the expense of his own?! Did he just not value it
or something?!
“The Pokemon in Pokemon Square aren’t ambitious enough.
They're too afraid to follow their dreams. Snubbel and Lombre wanted to be
adventures and Wigglytuff wanted to travel all over the world. Even Kecleon
just settled down even despite living as a feared adventure. They all have
gotten too comfortable in town. They aren’t seeing the bigger picture. Pokemon
are suffering out there and all they can do is leave it to those tough enough!”
His teeth ground every way
imaginable and his emotions were starting to rage within him, even his tail
burning brighter.
“There were many who were like me, they
became suicidal after be scorned at. Or some just never returning to Pokemon
Square forever stuck in the limbo of the mystery dungeons.
I’m not going to live like that Nison,
even if it costs me my life, because when we get that treasure at the end of a
dungeon or discover something new. I can’t help but feel that my life would be
more fulfilling that way…!”
“You’re some kind of fool aren’t you. No
one needs you of all people to protect them, your delusional! How can you say
those things when Pokemon Square is supposed to be a safe retreat? Why do you
care what happens in this world there is no purpose no reason to live in it so,
why?!
“Then, what is the point in living
without risks then. Could you answer that question Nison?”
It was then that I noticed the waterfall
below me. It was so steep and heavy. Carrying every imaginable
burden it could into a forgotten stream. That was the same with Charmander, he
was throwing away his entire existence down a forgotten stream, and still, I
couldn’t cough up the words I needed to.
“Charmander, that waterfall there is like
your existence. A steady stream that is rough yet fast-moving, and it is still
destined to crumble and fall forever forgotten in the distant sea. The Pokemon
wouldn’t care if you were to drift away forgotten forever, and even if they did
who in their right mind would sacrifice for anyone but themselves.
You might not of understand my life but
when you sacrifice for others you sacrifice your life Charmander, so you need
to just stop it!”
For a moment he daydreamed a little
first looking up at the sun above and then centred himself still looking back
down at the waterfall with strange infatuation. His eyes sparkled a little in
the sunlight and tears escaping his eyelids not uncontrollably, but he kept his
emotions tamed.
“You’re right Nison, I would be forgotten,
wouldn’t I. Although I wouldn’t mind drifting down a waterfall like that
because even in death it might be a fun adventure don’t you think?”
He never stopped, always having me
question myself since the say day we had met. He was stupid, he was so
irresponsible!
I don’t understand this creature
because his motives are so unclear and I couldn’t help but ask him again just
one more time about why he was willing to live his
life so recklessly and why he had valued freedom so much, I just didn’t understand.
“Why are you telling me this why do you
care, and why should I keep on living! What do you expect from me I tried to
kill myself! yet you saved me. You were in town fending for yourself and I
stood and watched, and I came here to try and help you and then you talk about
dying so casually?! Charmander! Please, I want to know, what do you want me to
do…
My cries and pleas stayed stagnant in
the air for a while. I felt the whole world stopping for that blank minute
where Charmander peered into my eyes. The emotions I expected back from him was
maybe sadness beyond what I could imagine or maybe malice and despair, he took
pity on me so maybe he would of, laughed.
None of that happened though, all
I saw was his immaculate smile that was for sure riddled with burden. He looked
down at me again and grabbed my arm and brought me in for the first hug I could
ever remember receiving, from anyone.
I’m not going to drag you around anymore
it’s your decision now. I want to know, what do you want. Will you choose to
fight and protect others and live for it, or let everything go and protect
yourself?”
The ember on his tale that day was much
appreciated, even despite the humidity of the weather that took all gasps of my
breath away. All was much appreciated.
“We share each other’s pain. We
might be different and yet still similar, we are better together. I don’t
regret bringing you along because you were never a burden. I don’t regret
helping you that day, because having someone who listens to my delusions is kinda
fun.
You are my friend, and that means your
life is worth something. How much it is worth is up to you.”
I couldn’t see him as he continued to
hug, but I could feel his cheeky little grin. I thought it would send shivers
down my spine and yet, it made me happy.
He embraced me like no one would before,
no one would accept me like he did that day. I couldn’t help but reminisce
about the day when everything went wrong for me in my life.
I remembered when I whimpered on our
kitchen floor, begging for them to give me another chance of acceptance. A baby
hauled in discordance, seeking peace at the amount of yelling and even beating
that while not able to see yet(only a few months old) heard the impact of every
fibre of that whip when hard scorching fire thumped onto my back.
*Whip* *Slash*
An ongoing beating for 5 minutes
straight, all I could think to do was beg.
*Whip* *Slash*
“Please dad stop, I promise I won’t do
it again please, I did it all for you please accept me!”
*Whip* *Slash*
That man angered on his tyred couldn’t
stop, and I couldn’t move.
*Whip* *Slash*
I had hoped after this I would be
accepted, and I still wasn’t.
*Whip* *Slash*
When he shouted all I remember him
saying was, “You’re a good for nothing criminal, how the hell would I see you
as my son!
*Whip* *Slash*
Get out now, and stop your grovelling on
the floor, it sickens me a little.”
*Whip* *Slash*
I turned to the women next to him
looking for some kind of comfort, or some kind of sympathy I was desperate and
I needed it, I begged for her to acknowledge me, my mother. She sniffled a
little with a grave heart, she had the audacity to still take away my existence as
well.
“Who are you… why do you claim to be my
child, this baby here is my child! Can you please leave you’re scaring him, do
I need to call the police, your just a stranger who are you?”
*Whip* *Slash*
*Whip* *Slash*
‘Who are you’ were the words that
broke me that day. I always remembered them, and my tears accumulated on the
surface of my skull. I couldn’t look at the sunlight that time as it blinded
me. I couldn’t look into the light, I felt too much guilt for what I did to
them, I made them disgusted with me and I even made them irate and hateful to
me forever. Even though I did all of that to them I might have another chance
with this Pokemon.
Charmander then proceeded to gladly let
go and free me of our long drawn out hug. He again was thrilled and greatly
accomplished, he didn’t jump and cheer he was happy and he was still sullen.
“That being said Nison, I still can’t
take your word for things. You're too rash with your emotions so I can’t
predict when you will do something crazy again, so I’m going to ask you. Do you
still want to end your life? Will you throw it all away right in front of me in
that waterfall right this moment?
A decision Nison contemplated over for a
good minute or two, he could run away and die peacefully, his life might have
been full of regrets, but he could leave without the struggle of hardship with
a Pokemon who might of already chose a path worse than death.
Charmander’s presence was the one thing
that held him back for definite, Charmander didn’t just give him a purpose but
Charmander made him remember why he had to live. There weren’t any ifs or buts
to this Nison had to live not just because Charmander requested of him. But
also because Charmander gave him an alternative path to walk that might have
been crazy and yet still worth living. So in a painfully old Tsundere fashion,
the best Nison could tell Charmander was nothing short of incredible,
“If I die now I wouldn’t be able to keep
you in check or whatever, I’m your partner and all, I guess.” He acknowledged
Charmander and he wanted to leap with joy and hug him to the world's end once
again just tighter this time. He was stopped though by the same onlooker of a
Makuhita from before. He clapped and cheered with what I assumed was tears in
his eyes.
To be honest it didn’t so much kill the
mood as it just made us feel greatly uncomfortable. We didn’t notice him until
now, but he did pay attention to us a great deal as we talked. He seemed
reasonable enough though, he was big and quite stocked like a sumo wrestler and
he was yellow with some spots and patterns here and there. Black dotted soles
and a black scarf of some sort that seemed to be attached to his skin like a
tattoo.
He had open red circled on his cheeks.
To finally rap us his appearance he had a nice tied knot on top of his head.
“You two are quite the pair in the
making; from what you were saying you two seemed to of had some trouble in
Pokemon Square with the various rescue teams. Tell ya what my dojo might be of
benefit to you to with your training an all because I got Mystery Dungeons in
here.”
“Did you say Mystery Dungeons?! How?!
What how?! The heck. You got to tell us Makuhita we want to get stronger you
know.”
“Yeah, sure little upstart you two
are the most interesting Pokemon to past here so sure I’ll tell ya.
Hahahaha this is gonna be fun.”
(To be continued)
0 comments:
Post a Comment