Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Reasons to Live ❯ Time to Go ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Dagger

moonglow

It was just a note. A rather old, crumpled piece of yellowing paper. One could say the note was rather useless, its information made no sense, and it would do its best work in a recycling bin where it could be used to make new sheets for the future. Only to one, possibly two, people in the world did it hold any meaning. The first was the writer of the note, but this person hadn’t been seen in nearly seventeen years and was presumed dead. The second was currently residing in the Dewford orphanage and had recently celebrated her seventeenth birthday. The note was left with her the night she was abandoned and it was believed to hold her name.

Dagger’s Journal: First Entry

I have decided to keep this journal as a tool for keeping my thoughts. Perhaps it will allow me to get my absentee parents out of my head if I write what I think in ink. If that doesn’t work at least I will be able to write down what I learn so that my knowledge won’t escape me.

My name is Dagger. I have heard strange names before, but that is just ridiculous! I guess it’s all right to have a unique name, but I have to draw the line at weapons. I suppose its better than something plain like Dee or Joan. What happened to my parents anyway? Are they dead or is it just another case of abandonment? The least they could have done was write a proper note explaining why they left me to grow up alone. I could have been saved hours of lost sleep if they could have just said why they couldn’t keep me.

I will be turning eighteen soon and I will have to leave the orphanage. The big question is where am I going to go? I could just stay here and work at the Pokemon Center for the rest of my life, but that does not sound all that appealing, as seeing wounded Pokemon all day is depressing. Going to the mainland is my real dream, but doing it before I am eighteen is the problem. Technically I am supposed to stay until “adulthood”, but I think I might go mad if I stay. Problem being how to leave and not get caught. hmmm...

Today some stupid kid brought in an Umbreon that he had used to battle Brawley. Two broken ribs, a fractured leg and a concussion. Honestly who challenges a gym leader who uses fighting type Pokemon with a dark type? Even though the kid’s stupidity angered me, the scholar in me was intrigued at the fast rate the Umbreon healed. I can’t help but wonder if it is able to use its own dark energy to speed up the healing process. Needless to say I didn’t get the chance to study it because Joy ordered me out of the room and we had other patients to attend to soon after.

Aurelia is, as always, exceeding my expectations.

End First Entry

Dagger set her notebook on the bedside table, removed her necklace, which held a small poke ball souvenir, and fell onto her pillows with a great sigh of comfort and was asleep within seconds.

Scientist say a person dreams many dreams over the course of a night, so it can be assumed Dagger did have many dreams, some perhaps good and others possibly sad or romantic. Yet she still had one dream that erased all memory of the others. The same dream she had every night that caused her to awaken with a white-hot jets of pain streaming around her leg in a messy pattern.

She sat bolt upright and threw the covers away to stare at her leg. All she saw was the same old scars. One had once been a deep cut and was jagged, thick, and long. The others were longer still and very thin. They wrapped around her leg in indiscernible patterns, like tangled, little pieces of string. Her skin was marred and though she wasn’t vain she couldn’t say it didn’t bother her.

She shook her head of her thoughts and glared at her nightstand before hoping out of bed, getting dressed, and running out of the orphanage. The dream, though no different than usual, had reminded her of a possibility she had not yet considered.

Later...

“I dreamt of it again last night, but for once it was actually useful”

“Really? Well my dear might this have something to do with why you’re calling me?”

“Actually yes. I have been thinking so hard about a safe way to leave the Island that I failed to notice that the best way was right in front of me. I wanted to know if you wouldn’t mind helping go on a little trip.”

“A little trip is it? It wouldn’t happen to be a year long trip perhaps, one that lasted until a certain young woman is old enough to care for herself?” he asked with a laugh

“Well maybe!” she giggled, “I will of course understand if you won’t do it we could both get into trouble if anything goes wrong.”

“Say no? Dear child I would never say no to anyone who helped me to save my darling Peeko! I just want to make sure you will be safe! How will you support yourself?”

“Well I have quite a bit saved up from working all these years and if I need to I am sure I can work odd jobs while I travel. I know I will find my calling sooner or later, but not if I sit and rot on this island.”

“Yes, your right my dear. Of course I will give you something to help start you off, but if too much goes missing it might be rather suspicious. I’m sure I will be the first on the authorities list to search for information regarding your whereabouts anyway.”

“No you don’t need to do that...”

“Now you know that’s not going to work darling so just stop arguing. I will draw the money today and have it transferred into your account. I will be out to get you after you get off work tonight. See you then Dagger my dear. Bye.”

She stared at the beeping phone in her hand and gave a long sigh and mumbled something about stubborn old men before slamming the phone on the hook.

“Just think happy thoughts. I’m leaving, I’m leaving... Stubborn old man! He is going to get himself into trouble I just know it! He always does and I can’t argue with him! He never listens to me! Calm down. Happy thoughts. I’m leaving, I’m leaving...

She walked out of the phone booth and jogged to the Pokemon center to avoid being late and to work off her anger at the old man’s stubbornness. It was quiet when she walked in, which was usual for this time of the morning, and she had to search around for Joy to get her assignments for the day.

She found her in the Umbreon’s room giving it pain killers and found herself wondering, for the second time, if the Umbreon had some special healing abilities because she noticed that the swelling had reduced very quickly. Still because of all the medicine she couldn’t really draw that conclusion. So she snapped herself out of her thoughts and attempted to get Joy’s attention.

“Joy I’m here what do you need me to do.”

“Oh Dagger good. I’ll be at handing out the medicine for a while today, I got a late start, why don’t you just cover the desk for me. Oh and there are some files that need sorting if you could do that it would be great.”

“Alright sounds good.”

She left Joy to her business and headed to the counter. She particularly hated working up front as it was rather boring, but the extra files would be enough to keep her busy for a few hours and hopefully Joy would be finished by then.

As it turned out Dagger got lucky and just as she was finishing up Joy walked into the room and asked for her assistance on a few other menial tasks. By the time they had finished cleaning sheets, sorting medicine for the next day, and sanitizing scalpels the day was over. Dagger left with a hasty goodbye and ran back to the orphanage to pack.

It took around half an hour for her to pack all her belongings. She had no sleeping bag so her bed sheets and pillow were the next best thing. Her clothes came next, after a small debate of whether she should bring her slightly embarrassing Pokemon Center uniform along. She decided for it simply on the logic that she might need all the clothes she had. The rest of her things such as jewelry and other little trinkets were stuffed on top.

“Well that’s a rather sad sight...” said Dagger with a grimace

There had been no need to leave any of her things behind because she was easily able to stuff it all into her bag. She tried to think it was a good thing she could travel light, but couldn’t quite get over how pathetic it was to be seventeen and only own enough to fill a backpack.

With that she snuck out and headed to the beach next to the Dewford Island caves. It was a quiet night and anyone she saw didn’t spare her a second glance. She reached the beach close to the caves shortly and sat on the soft white sad and stared out at the clear blue water, searching for her ride.

After waiting a few minutes she was startled by the sound of an awful high-pitched screech. She quickly jumped to her feet and looked to where the noise had come from and discovered a Zubat, with very large fangs headed her way.

In hopes that it would pass her by she stood very still, but to her unfortunate surprise it decided it wished to stop and stare, ok so Zubat’s don’t have eyes but if it had of it would have been staring. The Zubat hovered eye level with her, just staring as she stared back and mentally urged it to continue on its way.

This went on for a minuet or two before Dagger started to feel stupid, mostly because she was telling it to leave with her mind and not with her mouth. So she broke the stare and gave the little bat an ugly look in the hopes of scaring it. It blinked at her.

“What is your deal!? Leave me alone!” she said angrily

It didn’t even twitch at her angry tone and Dagger started to get nervous. She would have felt better if it would run or even if it attempted to attack her, then at least it would be behaving like a normal Pokemon. Its continuous staring was as unnerving as it was unnatural. She decided walking away slowly was her best choice and so she turned and started off down the beach. To her annoyance she heard the swish of its leathery wings as it followed. All thoughts of fear disappeared and it was quickly replaced by aggravation. “Listen I don’t know what your deal is, but you really need to stop following me!” she growled over her shoulder

For her second unpleasant surprise of that day the Zubat decided to answer...

“No.”

She swung around to face the creature that had not deviated from its tactic of staring blankly at her. She gave it a calculating look before violently shaking her head and turning around once more. She took one step forward then stopped and took another look at it over her shoulder. Again she shook her head and took a second step then stopped once more.

“Ok I’ll bite...” she muttered as she turned to face the Zubat once again “You didn’t happen to talk just then did you?” she asked not knowing weather she wished for a response or silence.
“Of course I did. All Pokemon talk.” it said as though she were a child with a stupid question

“Well yeah, but most don’t speak English!” she retorted angrily

“Well yes you are correct, but you see I am not speaking English. I am speaking in Sonar Three, the language of my old bat clan.”

“Sonar Three... What do you mean!? Humans can’t understand Pokemon! I know for a fact I can’t understand them!”

“Really? Well then perhaps I am just a figment of your deranged little mind because you are speaking to me. Would you happen to be able to tell me of another time you have conversed with a Pokemon?”

She had to give that some thought. Her first response would have been the Pokemon Center, but she had to squash that answer because she never really did get to speak to them much. Whenever she actually was around the Pokemon they were either unconscious or screaming in pain. She never got to be around them while they healed and so never really had a chance to talk. Her second response, though it might prove the Zubat wrong, she would not use. She could come up with no other answers so she sighed in defeat. The Zubat gave her a look that suspiciously resembled a smirk, though she didn’t think that she ought to read too much into a Zubat’s ability to smirk.

“Okay your right I never have talked to a Pokemon before, but that doesn’t change the fact that humans are not supposed to understand them.” she declared

“Well your right, but you obviously have the ability. It is rare, I am sure, and I have had the fortune to know one other who could speak my language and you happen...”

“Wait,” she interrupted, not really paying attention, “I can do this because of you can’t I!? I don’t just have this weird innate ability; you did something to me didn’t you. I know for a fact that I would have realized this before! There is no way I could have missed it!”

“No. You have had the ability all along, I believe, and, as we discussed before, you simply did not realize it because you never spoke to any before me. Why are you having such a hard time believing this when you yourself agreed with my reasoning?” he asked suspiciously

“Um, no...no reason I am just not uh- coping well...Yeah! Its hard to find out something like this and just accept it!” she said though she had turned an odd red color and her eye was twitching

“Fine.” he said though not completely convinced.

“Yeah so um...” she said searching quickly for a change of topic “ Why are you following me?”

“I have decided I will travel with you.” was his pert answer

“I am not a Pokemon Trainer and I don’t want to be one. I wont catch you so...”

“Catch me!” he interrupted with a humorous tone, “Who said I would let you catch me!? I said I was to travel with you, I have wings, I can fly.”

Feeling stupid at her assumption she decided to ignore the Zubat’s words and act as though she had never spoken hers. She sat in the sand and looked across the sea, waiting to see the little ship riding on the waves as it came to pick her up. The Zubat flapped up and decided to take the liberty of sitting on her shoulder. She didn’t mind, it was surprisingly comforting.

“So, my name is Dagger. What should I call you?” she asked

“My original name is one I shall never have to speak of again, thank goodness, because a very good man once dubbed me Fang.” he said

“This wise man didn’t seem to have much originality,” she giggled

“No I suppose he didn’t. He was rather focused on the here and now rather than on creativity. None the less he was a very wise and good man.”

“You sound very attached to him. Were you two close?”

“Very. I haven’t seen him in years though.”

“What happened to him?”

“I am not at liberty to discuss everything, but I can say that he left me here to protect myself and others from a danger that pursued him. I don’t know if he is dead or if he is alive, but it has been so long that I must assume death reached him. I don’t wish to live here any longer so I will travel with you.” he said

“Wow, I’m sorry.” she whispered

Fang, though they had only known each other for a short time, had seemed to have a talent to making her feel stupid. Now she felt like she had been a brat to feel angry about being an orphan when Fang had lost his family. Surely that was worse than never knowing them. At least she thought it was. Whoever said it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all was an idiot. She couldn’t imagine having a family and then having it ripped away from you!

“So what exactly are we waiting for?” asked Fang interrupting her musings

“Oh! Yes I forgot all about that! A boat should be heading out here to pick me up in a little bit. I arranged it earlier today with my friend.” she explained

“Well then I don’t believe we have to wait much longer. A little ship is headed our way.”
She looked up surprised and saw he was correct. Again she felt stupid because she had been looking out there the entire time in the opposite direction. Mr. Briny’s little boat was headed their way and would be right up to shore in a few minutes. She stared out at it as it came in smiling. She couldn’t wait to see him! He was the only person who had truly loved her like family.

“Ahoy there Dagger mi dear!” he shouted

She ran towards the boat, accidentally jarring Fang off her shoulder with the abrupt movement, jumped in and gave him a strangling hug. He returned it with a loving smile as he pat her back. He then looked over her shoulder and noticed Fang. He let Dagger go and looked down at her face.

“Now, who’s this big fella then?” he questioned glancing at the Zubat

“Oh that’s Fang. He um...” she decided she best not tell that she was able to speak to Fang, “Well we became friends a while back and he has decided to follow me.” she answered not completely untruthfully

“Well that’s good you need someone to look out for ya I always say! Keep her out of trouble then Mr. Fang cause I would never forgive you or myself if any harm should come to my Dagger.”

Dagger blushed, but Fang nodded in agreement that he would watch her back. This seemed to satisfy Mr. Briny so he gave Dagger a final hug and told her he would be up stairs navigating and to come to him if she needed anything.

Dagger seated herself on a vacant couch and Fang joined her once again resting on her shoulder and decided to begin talking again.

“So what is this man to you? Surely he is too old to be your lover?”

“My lover!” she giggled, “More like my father.”

“Your father? He lef... uh he is gone I thought.” he stuttered

“Yes, well he’s not my biological father, but we love each other like father and daughter. He even tried to adopt me once, but because he is unmarried, old, and he travels a lot the agency would not allow the adoption.”

“Well I suppose it is good to have some family, even if it’s not biological.”

“Your right. I don’t think I could have made it without him.” she sighed

After that they were quiet. The sun setting in a brilliance of red and gold against the sparkling ocean brought her peace and she was lulled to sleep soon after the last of the sun’s rays disappeared by the gently lapping waves on the side of the boat.

“Goodnight.” whispered Fang, “I shall do as I was asked.”