Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Iron Royalty ❯ Chapter 3: Wrong ( Chapter 3 )

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

Paul’s foot stopped before it touched the ground. Something was tugging his thoughts to Reggie and his family. Was something wrong back home?

He shrugged it off and started forward again. No point worrying about them. Paul stopped again when he heard a Swellow overhead. It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen one before, but every time Paul had seen a Swellow, something was wrong. He turned right around and walked passed Ash and company.

They were all heading for the Pokemon Center. Paul was there first and he went right to the phones, calling Reggie. Something must be up if he saw a Swellow.

“Yes? Oh! Paul!” Reggie looked upset, but smiled brightly anyways. “I’m glad it’s not you, then, Paul.”

“Reggie, what’s happening?”

“So, you did see a Swellow, too.” Reggie smiled again, closing his eyes. “It’s the same Swellow we raised as kids, the three of us….”

Ash and company heard that and stopped. They looked at Paul’s shaking fists.

“Does that mean something’s happened?”

“She must’ve been injured. Paul, do you still want to say she’s not family? I mean, she did save us. Aha, you don’t want to admit that!” Reggie smiled and pinched his own cheek. “Look, Paul, I have faith she’ll be okay. Now that I know it’s not you, I’m not so worried. You shouldn’t be either, m’kay?”

“Fine. How are my Pokemon?”

“Bored, actually. How’s the badge hunting going?”

“Boring.” Paul suddenly got the feeling people were looking at him and he turned around. As he did, Paul tried to hide the fear he felt. “What?” he asked the trio of travelers he seemed to run into at every turn. “I’ll talk to you later, then, Reggie.”

“Right! Say ‘hi’ to your Pokemon for me!” Reggie smiled a sad smile. “Be safe, Paul, be safe.”

Paul shut off the terminal and walked out the door. As soon as he was sure nobody could see him, he sat down and started crying. He had been a fool.

Somewhere, in the whole world, his brother was alone and his sister was probably hurt.

And where was Paul?

Sitting in a pitiful corner, waiting for someone strong to fight him.

“Paul?”

He stiffened at the sound of that voice. How long had she been standing there?! How long had he cried in front of her?! What was she doing here?!

Dawn’s hand touched Paul’s shoulder. “Hey, did something happen?”

Paul wasn’t used to this. Someone actually cared that he was upset? Someone other than his sister? He kept his head down and gave a nod.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He shook his head.

“Do you want some company, then?”

Paul didn’t know why she cared. After all, he’d forgotten her name a few times and she’d often gotten mad at the drop of a hat. He nodded.

After a few seconds, the pain came back and his heart throbbed harder, because he realized several things in quick succession.

One, his sister probably had to release her Pokemon because their father was nearby. Two, she was probably quite afraid of the people taking care of her. Three, he’d fallen for the girl sitting beside him because she had the nerve to treat him normally.

He hugged his knees harder and started crying again. It wasn’t a loud cry, but a silent cry, his body shaking and a hiccup coming once in a while.

Dawn tugged Paul’s sleeve. “Hey, it can’t be that bad, can it? I mean, it is your family after all, and I’ve seen how determined you and Reggie are. Maybe, whomever this girl is, she’s just as strong.”

Paul’s nerve snapped there and his head popped up. He scrubbed his eyes of tears and got up, turning away from her. “No, she’s not! She’s weak. Letting her Pokemon walk all over her. She calls being a coordinator the same thing as being a trainer! She’s wrong!” He turned around and glared at Dawn. The sting from before was gone.

Dawn got up, smiling. “Well,” she said, dusting off her knees. “Paul, if that’s what you believe, maybe that’s why she’s not here. If she were at a Pokemon center, a Nurse Joy would’ve approached you to say that you had a family member at a center. Paul, you think that training for a battle is different from training for a contest.” Dawn sighed and raised a hand. “We’re just as tough as you guys.”

“You….” Paul couldn’t say anything. The way Dawn was holding her hand out to show him her palm was the same thing his sister had done. Paul slapped her hand away. “You don’t get it, what she’s done to my family’s reputation.”

Dawn grabbed Paul’s elbow, wheeled him around and slapped him so hard he took a half-step back. “PAUL! If she’s so stubborn, don’t you think she has a reason?! Everyone does!”

“You witch!” Paul raised his hand to hit her when he stopped. The Swellow had croaked again and the duo looked up. The Swellow’s left wing was damaged and it was hopping on a branch above Paul’s head. His hand came down.

Dawn grabbed his wrist, just then, and tugged him toward the tree. “Help me! The Swellow’s hurt and I don’t plan on leaving it out here after dark.”

Paul pulled away. At first, Dawn thought he was going to walk away. But he pulled out a Pokeball with a three little symbols. One was a leaf, one was a moon, and the last was a flame. Paul threw it up and the Swellow went into it.

Paul caught it and walked away. He was going to leave it at the center and hope Reggie would get it in time. As he was about to turn the corner, Paul looked back.

Dawn was standing there, gawking at him. He saw her standing there. He didn’t see Dawn, but the girl he’d come to know, as a child, as Reggie’s reflection. That face, that expression, that hair, that motivation to be a coordinator. Paul looked away and down.

‘The past is past. You can’t go back. She’s already gone back on her word.’ He disappeared into the center.