Survival of the Fittest

This world is widely inhabited by creatures known as Pokémon. We humans live alongside Pokémon, at times as friendly playmates, and at times as cooperative workmates. And sometimes, we band together and battle others like us. But despite our closeness, we don’t know everything about Pokémon. In fact, there are many, many secrets surrounding Pokémon. To unravel Pokémon mysteries, I’ve been undertaking research…

I can’t seem to unravel the mystery of why someone thinks this shit is interesting. Then again, it’s better than staring at the shaking boxes inside a moving truck. I’m starting to think I shouldn’t have made the decision to sit in the back of the truck and just try to ignore my mom’s constant chatter about how fucking great it is that we moved out of our home to live in the sweatiest place on the planet.

Mom: This is such a great opportunity! Your dad can finally get his own gym, and you get to make a whole lot of new friends!

Yeah, thanks mom. Nice way of saying that we uprooted my entire life, and left everything behind, so dad can play with his Pokémon.

I open The Coexistence of People and Pokémon by Professor Birch back up, and flip through the pages. He’s just as big of a nerd as my dad, which is probably why they’re friends, and he lives in the town we’re moving to. Dad isn’t even here, too busy setting up his precious gym. More reason to not spend time with his family.

The truck stops, and the doors swing open.

Mom: Brendan! We’re here honey! It must be tiring riding with our things in the moving truck.

I sigh and roll my eyes. She ignores me. I get out of the truck.

Mom: Well, this is Littleroot Town. How do you like it? It has a quaint feel, but it seems like an easy place to live, don’t you think?

Easy is just another word for boring. The mover’s Vigoroth start pulling boxes out of the truck.

Mom: Go check out your new room, honey. Don’t forget to set the clock.

One of the bulky Pokémon gives me a sullen look. I know how you feel bro. I’m almost twenty years old, and I’m still being bossed around by my mom. If it wasn’t for the move, I’d maybe have my own place by now.

I go inside. Mom would probably call it cute or traditional. I’d call it a dump. No wonder it was so cheap. I hope I don’t drop through the steps when I climb the stairs. It’s even hotter upstairs. I lie down on the bed and close my eyes for a moment. The clammy warmth clenches to my skin, like some huge Feraligatr is constantly breathing on me.

Great, now I got that image stuck in my head.

I set the stupid clock and go back downstairs.

Mom: Oh! Brendan, Brendan! Quick! Come quickly! Look, it’s Petalburg Gym! Maybe dad will be on!

The moment mom has managed to get me in front of the TV, he’s gone. Whatever. He’s home late, bragging about his new gym. I ignore him. The next morning he’s gone early.

For a new start, it feels a whole fucking lot like nothing has changed at all.

Mom: I spoke to Professor Birch this morning.

I wonder if his first name is Professor or something, because for some reason I never hear the guy’s first name.

Mom: He lives right up the road. He has a daughter about your age. Little May, remember?

Great. I remember the hyperactive little girl visiting us with her dad ages ago.

Mom: You should go see her. There’s not a lot of young people in Littleroot.

No shit. All of the young people go somewhere else.

Mom: She’s probably excited to see you.

Fine.

Brendan: Sure, I’ll go.

Mom’s face lights up.

Mom: Yes! Yes, you should. Tell her I said hi. Have fun honey.

She pushes me out of the door and closes it behind me. Holy shit, she really wanted me out of the house.

Littleroot is nothing like Olivine. There’s no gym, no shops, no signs that there is anything alive here. Hell, it doesn’t even have paved streets, just little little old houses huddled together, surrounded by a thick forest. I stroll along the dirt path, staring at houses that look just as miserable as ours. A spiky little worm Pokémon, a wurmple I guess, stares at me from the bushes with suspicious eyes. Shit, even the Pokémon don’t want me here.

Girl: I know it looks cute, but you better not pet it. It stings like a bitch.

I look up. A smirking girl is leaning against a wooden fence with her arms crossed. I shrug.

Brendan: I wasn’t gonna.

Girl: Good! Closest pokécenter is all the way up to Oldale, and I don’t know if I can carry you that far.

I give a curt smile and walk past her.

Girl: Where ya going?

Brendan: I don’t know.

Girl: Well, that’s not good. You sure you didn’t get stung already?

I sigh.

Brendan: Okay, no offence, but I’m not really in the mood for this. I gotta go meet someone, so bye, I guess.

She catches up to me and matches my pace.

Girl: None taken. But since you don’t know where you’re going, it’s probably safer for everyone if I give you some directions. You know, since you’re new to town and all.

I’m a fucking idiot.

Brendan: May?

Her grin widens.

May: Finally! I wondered when you’d recognise me. You’ve gotten big, dude.

So has she. Man, now that I realise it, I recognise her. Damn, she really did grow up.

Brendan: Yeah… so did you.

She frowns

May: You calling me fat?

Brendan: What? No, I just-

She laughs.

May: Just messing with ya, man. Hey, I gotta go. Work-stuff, for my dad, but we’ll talk later right?

Brendan: Yeah, sure.

May: Cool, later dude!

Brendan: May?

She turns around and smiles. Fuck, man.

Brendan: My, uh… my mom says hi.

She laughs and walks off, and I just wonder how the annoying little girl grew into that. Damn.

The wurmple is still staring at me.

Brendan: What are you looking at?

I walk aimlessly through the town, even find Professor Birch’s house, and his lab on the other side of the road, until I get bored and return home.

Mom: You’re looking happier. Not so bad here after all, huh?

Mom grins.

Brendan: Yeah… I guess.

Dad is home late again. We talk for a bit. He’s over the moon. He chose a theme for his badge. The balance badge. It’s ironic. Guy can’t even balance his work hours with his private life.

I take a walk next morning, don’t run into May, sadly, but I do see a bit more of the town and its surroundings. There’s a lot of flowers and stuff in the grass, and I see a dozen small wild Pokémon hang out, much more than in Olivine, where all of those were hiding from ships and trainers in the water, save the occasional scavenging pidgey.

When I get to the north of town I hear a guy shouting, no, screaming for his life. I rush into the tall grass, trying to find the source of the screaming.

Guy: Hello! You over there! Please! Help!

It’s a man about my dad’s age – old - , and he’s wearing a lab coat and a pair of sandals. It doesn’t take me long to realise who it is. I’d recognise his style – or lack thereof – anywhere. He’s climbed halfway up a tree, and a bristly little Pokémon with a zigzag pattern in his fur is snapping at his shorts.

Birch: In my bag, there’s a Pokéball!

I shuffle around the grass, trying to find this bag he’s talking about, until I kick it over, and a red and white orb rolls out.

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. My dad has tried to **** his passion on me for years. Succeeded even, when I was younger, but when I hit puberty, and he became a full-time trainer, I rebelled and didn’t want anything to do with it anymore. You know how it goes.