The following day dragged on in the same colorless gray and desolation. Most of the time, I stayed locked inside Professor Oak's villa... Truth be told, I didn't even get out of bed. I just stared blankly at the few photographs of Lindsay that her mother had allowed me to take. Her ashes had been scattered into the sea off Pallet Town yesterday after the memorial. I felt as if a piece of my own soul was vanishing into the salty waves along with her.
While I wallowed in deep depression, Haunter tried tirelessly to cheer me up. The food on the side table remained untouched; I had absolutely no appetite for life, let alone for eating. Deep down, I realized that this was simply how life was. I knew that half of my acquaintances who had set out on the path of a Trainer wouldn't even live to see their second badge. When we were choosing schools, Lindsay tried to persuade me to go to law school with her... If I had agreed then, would she be here with me now? If I had talked her out of visiting the Safari, would she have listened? I knew I was blaming myself for something I couldn't control, but in the end—that's exactly how we humans are.
Our own minds are often the cruelest to us. When you receive a compliment, you don't even remember it after a few days, but an insult? You'll remember that for twenty years, as vividly as if it were spoken yesterday. The beauty in us fades quickly, but sadness and pain? They cling to you like a tick.
It wasn't until evening, after I had ignored Haunter's efforts once again, that a thought appeared in my head, literally shining through my consciousness. It was a single word: Stoicism.
I immediately began to contemplate it, and fragments of knowledge and memories started to surface. Stoicism teaches a person to focus on their own actions, to accept reality, and to build a strong character regardless of circumstances. To focus on what one can influence and to humbly accept what is beyond one's power. I have to keep going... And whether I die tomorrow, in a month, or in a hundred years, perhaps I will meet her again one day.
I couldn't bring Lindsay back to life, but I could make sure that others wouldn't suffer because of the Rockets as I had. Those bastards will bitterly regret everything I've lost.
As the Greek philosopher Seneca from my memories would say: "Do not weep that you have lost someone. Be grateful that you had them."
I'd bet that if Lindsay could see me now, she'd definitely be mocking me.
I let out a heavy sigh and forced myself to get out of bed. I sat down at the table and pulled the tray of food toward me. Miltank steak and roasted potatoes. They had been cold for a long time, so the meat tasted a bit rubbery, but I pushed through until I had finished the entire plate. I could feel Haunter's steady gaze on me, but I didn't react. I think he was afraid that if he spoke, I would collapse back into the abyss of hopelessness.
Then I went into the bathroom. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a total wreck. My messy, unkempt hair stuck out in every direction, wavy and defiant. A light stubble was forming on my face, and my eyes were red and swollen, the veins bloodshot. I decided to get straight into the shower.
"Lindsay would laugh at me for looking like a hobo," I muttered with a bitter smirk under the stream of water.
After a quick shower, which made me feel human again and stopped my eyes from burning so much, I got dressed. Haunter was still watching me in silence.
"Lindsay would make fun of me for being a wimp," I finally spoke to him. "We're going to our spot. We need to go over our plans for the future."
"Haunter Haunt!" he laughed in agreement, but immediately followed up with a question: "Haunter Haunt?" pointing his claw at the ground.
I shook my head in disagreement and whispered, "Not here. It's private... Alakazam could be eavesdropping, and the Professor wouldn't agree afterward."
Haunter began to look around the room warily, as if he wanted to catch Alakazam in the act, but then he nodded appreciatively and flew into my shadow.
I took my things and headed toward the sea. The sun was still pleasantly warm, and a gentle, salty breeze was blowing. People were walking through the town, but I didn't stop. When we finally reached our favorite bench, I sat down and watched the endless horizon. In the distance, I saw a few fishermen spaced far apart. They were diligently catching Magikarp, which were plentiful here. They supplied all of Pallet Town, so some worked through the night—essentially whenever they felt like it and demand grew.
For a few minutes, I watched them quietly with Haunter in my shadow. When foolish thoughts started swirling in my mind—like whether a Magikarp cries when its mate is caught—I looked away instead. It was time to speak to my team.
Without hesitation, I called out both Houndour and Squirtle.
"Squirtle!" "Houndour!" they called out in greeting. Houndour immediately jumped onto the bench and started rubbing against me, while Squirtle just watched me quietly and waited.
I thought about how to start. I absentmindedly scratched Houndour, and after a moment, I decided to speak straight from the heart.
"My best friend Lindsay died. I've known her since we were kids..." I paused for a second, searching for the right words. "She wanted to defend people and Pokémon in legal matters." I knew they didn't fully understand the concept of law, but the point was clear. "She was a wonderful person who didn't deserve to die the way she did. Painfully and pointlessly."
I looked at Houndour and scratched behind his ear. "She died because of members of Team Rocket. You, Houndour, have experience with them, just like you, Haunter."
Haunter nodded gravely. Houndour bared his teeth and growled softly. Squirtle looked a bit confused, so I decided to explain more: "Team Rocket is a dangerous organization. They murder, steal, rape. They have their fingers in everything illegal. Kidnappings, drugs, murders... every evil you can imagine."
Squirtle nodded understandingly, and I continued firmly: "Team Rocket is an open, festering wound in Kanto. They don't deserve to live."
"Haunt, Haunter, Haunter, Haunt," Haunter replied with unexpected seriousness. "Haunt, Haunter, haaaunt!"
First, he told me that he stands by me and will help me with whatever I want... but then he added that not everyone is the same. He was right. Not every Rocket could be a complete pig... but how to distinguish who deserves death and who deserves mercy?
"Unless we get a Psychic or Empath Pokémon," I murmured thoughtfully.
"Haunt, Haunter!" my starter warned me. He was right again—we're too weak to engage in open conflict with Team Rocket. We could regret it very quickly. We didn't even have a full team, and none of them were fully evolved.
"These ghosts," I snorted playfully. "You know everything best, don't you?" I smiled at him.
"Haunter!" he replied sharply with a smirk. "Haunt, haunty haunt!"
I suspected he was telling me that I was still a kid and that elders always know better.
"Grandpa Haunter?" I suggested amusedly.
"Squirt, Squirtle!" Squirtle immediately joined in with a devilish grin.
"Hound!" Houndour added to the mockery.
Haunter gave a mock huff and turned away, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitching. Squirtle kept teasing Haunter for a while longer, and Haunter, with a wide, chilling grin, began to form a Shadow Ball. I was sure he was only joking, but Squirtle didn't know him that well yet. He raised his hands in the air, started backing away, and his blue skin turned visibly pale.
"Alright, the plan is clear," I stopped their fooling around. They immediately snapped to attention. "We need to get stronger. Master your techniques and your energy. Evolve fully and recruit more members."
"Haunter!" he voiced his agreement. "Haunt, Haunt?"
Now I wasn't sure what he was asking. Sometimes I understood him perfectly; other times I was completely off. "Are you asking about the team members, or when we continue our journey?"
He just nodded firmly—he wanted to know both.
"I'm not worried about team members yet. Maybe we'll catch or buy a Pokémon in Mt. Moon... A Psychic-type would be useful for us, as you correctly pointed out. And when do we continue? Today," I informed them.
"Haunter?"
"Yes, there's no point in wallowing in grief here any longer. We need to get stronger. We have to be the fucking most powerful in Kanto and in the whole world. The Rockets will regret they were ever born."
As soon as I said it, I realized I sounded like some tough character from a B-list action movie, but... those were my goals. Period. I stood up immediately. A surprised Squirtle followed me, Houndour jumped off the bench and fell in line at my heel, while Haunter hovered in front of me.
"We're going to see the Professor. We'll say our goodbyes and ask for a Teleport!" I announced to them and strode purposefully toward his house.
I arrived at Oak's complex just as it was starting to get dark. Based on the lights in the windows, I knew the Professor was still in the lab, not at home. Despite that, I headed to the villa first. Even though he didn't do the cleaning himself, I had left the room in a terrible state... So I quickly stripped the sheets, aired the place out, and tidied up a bit.
When it was done, I went to find him. Before I even touched the handle, the door opened on its own. It would have been quite creepy if I didn't know Alakazam was responsible. That Pokémon commanded real respect; he had been with Oak for as long as I could remember and was among the most powerful Psychic Pokémon in the world.
Maybe I should get an Abra? I wondered as I walked.
I intended to head to the office, but as soon as I stepped forward, I felt an invisible pressure blocking my movement. It gently pushed me away, so I resignedly turned and headed to the lab. If I wasn't afraid of Alakazam, maybe I would have protested... he could have let me know in a more normal way. I was sure he knew what I was thinking and was getting a royal kick out of it.
When I entered, Professor Oak was alone in the lab. He was leaning over a microscope. I waited for a moment, but he ignored me, and my impatience grew.
"Ahem," I cleared my throat.
He jolted and pulled away from the eyepiece in surprise. "Patrik."
"Professor Oak," I greeted with a nod. "Could I please ask for a Teleport back to Mt. Moon?"
"Wouldn't you rather go straight to Cerulean City? It would be safer," he suggested with a serious look.
I shook my head in disagreement. "I'll stick to the traditional route, Professor. If I avoided every danger, neither I nor my team would grow."
"Sometimes danger is entirely unnecessary, Patrik."
"Would a young Samuel Oak avoid Mt. Moon just because of a little risk?" I asked him, looking him straight in the eyes.
"A young Samuel Oak made an incredible number of mistakes that he regrets from the bottom of his heart. It isn't cowardice to avoid unnecessary gambling," he replied irritably.
"Certainly not, but with good preparation, Mt. Moon is relatively safe, just like any other route in Kanto," I paused for a moment and then added bitterly: "Lindsay died in a safe place where no deaths had occurred before."
He let out a heavy sigh, conceding defeat, and waved at Alakazam. "I see I won't convince you. You could have at least gone tomorrow morning, but so be it." He shook his head. Alakazam took my hand, and before we vanished into space, I heard his final words: "Revenge won't heal the wound in your heart, nor will it bring Lindsay back."
He teleported me directly in front of the Pokémon Center. A moment later, he was gone without waiting for a thank you. He unsettled me, but I understood him—his Trainer was everything to him, and he couldn't care less about anyone else. Such behavior was common among loyal, old Pokémon.
My room was still reserved. Since it was only getting dark, I decided we would go train. If I just lay there waiting for sleep, I'd probably lose my mind. We must not waste time. We have to grind. And my team agreed with me without hesitation.
I had all my things with me in my backpack, so I released both Squirtle and Houndour from their Poké Balls right there. They immediately got their bearings.
"Cardio, boys. We're running to the clearing. Evening training," I ordered and started jogging. Squirtle and Houndour joined in without a word. While Houndour ran with natural ease, Squirtle surprised me—he had visibly improved his running. He kept pace with us, which was respectable for a Water-type. After a moment, Haunter flew out of my shadow and shot forward like an arrow. He had learned to handle his energy so brilliantly that he was now faster than I was.
In less than an hour, we reached the familiar clearing. Fortunately, no one was there. In fact, I realized that I encountered relatively few Trainers on the roads. Do they all have their own Teleporters, or do they pay for them? In Pewter City, the Poké Centers were full, but here on the route, I had met maybe thirteen. Is everyone avoiding the risk? Images of the Spinarak and their victims flashed through my mind—I remembered the backpack I had claimed as my own.
I was pulled from my thoughts by Houndour's bark. He was waiting for a command. Haunter had automatically vanished into the surroundings; I assumed he went to gather wood for a fire.
"Guys, just like before!" I commanded. "Houndour, Ember! Squirtle, Water Gun! Aim for that 'P' on the stone wall."
They obeyed me instantly. Soon, the sound of a high-pressure stream of water followed by the hissing of fire echoed through the air. It reminded me of the sounds from the forge in Pallet Town. I watched them for a while and saw clear progress in both. Ember was no longer so thin, and Water Gun felt more massive—the initial impact had a more crushing force.
The hard way to the stars... we will be the most powerful, I thought to myself.
***
Author's note:
In this chapter, the protagonist finds resolve through Stoicism, pushing him to stop wallowing and start acting. He finally has a concrete goal, but the path ahead requires power he doesn't yet possess. I'm not 100% satisfied with how this one turned out, but such is the life of a writer—sometimes it flows, sometimes it doesn't. :D
***
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Upcoming Chapters – Already Written(9):
26. Claws in the Clearing
27. Into the Depths
28. The Grey Disciple
29. Echoes of Mt. Moon
30. Heavy Metal and Sudden Growth
31. A Clash of Auras
32. Houndour: The Strength of the Pack
33. Above Average
34. Of Eggs and Iron
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