Chapter One: The Limit “You look pathetic, you know. Staring out the window like that, I doubt nothing in the world could look more miserable than you right now,” a female voice lined with humor echoed through the quiet house. It was the only other noise to disturb the air besides the heavy rain pelting against the window panes. Kimi dismissed the teasing voice of her mother. She knew her mother’s words were not intended to harm her; it was the usual tactic she used so Kimi would stop pitying herself… and she pitied herself greatly today. “Leave me alone,” Kimi mumbled into her elbow. The girl was seated in the chair placed nearest to the large living room window, her arms crossed over the sill. She had pressed her face into her arms to obscure her mother’s view of her tear-stained face. It was child like of her, but Kimi concluded that nothing could deter her decent sense of maturity today. Kimi tensed when she heard her mother’s footsteps approach her from behind, then relaxed when she heard the slide of another chair across the floor. Her mother then seated herself next to her, then sighed, “Want to talk about it?” “No,” Kimi said quickly. “Why not?” Her mother, Taima, pressed. Kimi lifted her head to stare out the window again, not making eye contact with her mother. “I don’t want to.” Taima leaned into her chair, rocking it off of its’ front pegs in impatience. There was only one way to get her to talk… “What kind of Pokemon did she get?” Bingo. Kimi’s arms slid to her sides as she slammed her forehead on the window sill, sobbing, “An Oddish. The most awesome Oddish I’ve ever seen! It already knew Sleep Powder, and even had decent speed stats compared to your typical Grass Type Pokemon. And do you know how I know that? Because she also got a Pokedex.” Taima sighed again, “You’re over reacting.” “Over reacting?” Kimi cried, “Mom, Pheobe is gone. And on her Pokemon journey, with her own Pokemon!” Taima said nothing, the twinkle of humor in her eyes diminished as she stared into her daughter’s distressed face. “I’m sorry that… that I’m not taking this as well as maybe you would have, but…” Kimi squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight the tears of envy as she recalled her friends’ overjoyed expression as she held her Oddish in her arms. Kimi scarcely raised her voice to her mother, but this was different: she couldn’t bear it any longer. For too long, Kimi had seen kids around her age, and even younger, leave Cherrygrove City with their starter Pokemon. For too long, Kimi longed to be one of those experienced trainers passing through Cherrygrove from other cities and towns or regions, the glare of their Pokeballs attached to their bag or belt gleaming wickedly at her in the sunlight. For too long, Kimi had read the few letters from her brother Chaske, about his encounters with innumerable kinds of Pokemon and stories of the recent happenings within his journey. For too long, Kimi watched others live the dream for her. Kimi hugged her mid-section of her body, an attempt to further prevent tears from falling. She had never cried about it before, the whole everybody-leaving-except-her thing. But blonde, blue-eyed Pheobe had been her best female friend, and now she too had left Kimi behind. The girl stared out the window again, this time seeing a man sheltered by an umbrella strolling past her house… a Pidgey perched on his shoulder. Just rub it in, why don’t you! she thought bitterly towards the stranger. Taima took note of the envious expression on her daughter’s faetures as she stared daggers into the man with the Pidgey. For the life of her, she could not fathom the proper words to comfort her daughter. Kimi’s father, Hokan, is usually the voice of reasoning in the house. But his job required quite a bit of his time, leaving Taima to struggle in advising the girl when issues arose. “Kimi, listen…” she began, but trailed off as the girl rose to her feet. “I’m really tired,” she sniffed, blinking back the tears swimming within her blood-shot eyes. Kimi shuffled across the floor, trudged down the hallway, until Taima heard the creak of her bedroom door opening, then the door’s groan as she shut it behind her. Taima slapped a hand over her eyes, giving out an almost irritated groan. “Augh, that child…” The woman rose from her seat, arranged the chairs back to their previous positions, and headed into the kitchen. Placed on the tile counter was the wireless phone; Taima did not hesitate before she picked up the receiver and punched in numbers. A few rings… a few more… “Good afternoon, Ruins of Alph Artifact Museum, this is Blanca speaking from the main office, how may I help you? “Hokan Soloman, please.” “Pardon?” she chirped. Taima rolled her eyes, “I’d like to speak to my husband, museum manager Hokan Soloman… puh-leaze.” “Oh, yes… Mrs. Soloman, one moment,” the flustered receptionist replied, catching onto the impatience of the woman’s voice. There was a brief pause, a ring, then, “Soloman speaking.” “She’s at it again. Please come home, they can’t possibly need you that bad for the last hour of your shift.” Taima shot straight to the matter at hand. “I swear, she acts like it’s the end of the world.” “Tai? What’s wrong?” Concern lined the rough, deep voice. “What else would it be, Hokan? Who is the only person in this house that makes my hair turn grey and gives me more worry lines on my forehead?” the woman sighed in defeat. A pause on the other line, then a sigh from him as well. “We do a lot of that, don’t we? The sighing,” Taima chuckled. “And for a good reason,” he replied tiredly. “What’s happening with Kimi?” OOOOO Kimi lay face down in her pillow for the next hour or so, her body sprawled on the floor instead of her bed. Magazines and books, a greater number of them pertaining to Pokemon, were everywhere: stacked in corners, some under her bed, only her favorites having been placed on a shelf. Besides the reading material and unmade bed, Kimi’s room was fairly kept. A single poster was plastered on her closet door: it was of Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader, who was giving a mysterious half-smile with his Gengar looming in the background. Kimi loved the poster of her seemingly dashing celebrity crush, but not even her imaginings of him could cheer her up today. Pheobe’s gone. Pheobe’s gone. Pheobe’s gone. Just like everyone else is, or will be too. “I would’ve loved to have traveled together,” the blonde had said sadly to Kimi. “Maybe, if you do go on your journey someday, we’ll see each other and duke it out in a Pokemon battle?” She said hopefully. “Yeah, and then you’ll beat me into the ground because your experience will be a leap ahead of mine by that time,” Kimi countered. Pheobe just shook her head, “You’ve always been a positive person. Don’t turn negative just because you won’t see my mug anymore.” Kimi smiled weakly, locked eyes with the smiling Oddish (newly named Lillie) in Pheobe’s arms, then stared down at her shoes. Kimi felt the other girl’s hand wrap around her own, squeezing encouragingly, “Don’t give up hope, Kimi. All parents have to let their kids grow up sometime, it’s just taking longer for yours to do that.” Kimi was stirred from her reverie when she heard her bedroom door creak open. She didn’t lift her face from the pillow, deciding she was still unwilling to talk with her mother. Maybe if she didn’t say much, mom would get the idea and leave. But the heavy footsteps made their way over to her, and Kimi heard mom sit down on the space next to her on the floor… then pat her head. Nope, not mom. The familiar calloused fingers wound into Kimi’s long, thin black hair, making Kimi turn her head to face him. “Hi, dad,” she whispered. Hokan nodded, the usual serious expression on his dark, creased face did not falter. They stood in silence for a moment, before a small smile touched his lips as he said lightly, “What does your name mean?” Kimi blinked slowly, still not having it in her to play around. So her father continued. “Butterfly. ‘Kimimela’ means ‘Butterfly’… in the language of the Great Plains Sioux tribe,” he was referring to their Native heritage, of which he took great pride in. His small smile slowly faded as an overwhelming emotion cast upon his eyes, making Kimi’s heart ache. “And I gave you the name for a reason. I knew my baby caterpillar would one day have magnificent wings, and long to take flight,” As silly as it sounded, she knew his words were very true. “It seems,” he said, “you have grown wings. But your mother and I… are the binding cocoon, still unable to set you free.” Kimi clutched her pillow tightly, tears pooling in her dark brown eyes. “I’d love to fly,” she whispered. “I know you would. That’s why…” he trailed off, hesitance lining his soothing voice. Kimi could only stare at him, clinging to the end of his sentence, “that’s why I’m going to discuss things with Tai tonight.” Kimi sat up, facing him fully now. “Dad… you would…” “I’m not making any promises,” he cut her off sternly, “You know how your mother and I… feel. Once Chaske left, we hardly ever heard from him. He broke away, leaving us to wonder constantly if he was alright, what he was doing, where he was, and only sending the rare letter,” Kimi knew all too well of her isolated brother Chaske. Her parents rarely spoke of him as of late, but that didn’t mean they were not still hurting over the ordeal of his disconnect. “Our relationship with him is painful, and we don’t want that to happen with you. You cannot simply… drop us,” Hokan said the last words through gritted teeth. He softened again when he saw Kimi’s brows draw together in worry. “I wouldn’t do that,” she said honestly. “I mean, I know I’ll probably have a lot of distractions…” her father raised a brow, “if I left,” she added quickly, “but that wouldn’t be enough to keep me from making phone calls or visits back to Cherrygrove. I can do more besides just the once-in-a-blue-moon letter.” Hokan sighed, rubbing a hand underneath his strong chin, “We’ll see, Kimimela. Just please, don’t get your hopes up yet.” He patted her on the head once more, then rose from the floor and exited the room. As his footsteps echoed down the hallway, Kimi heard another set of footsteps coming towards her room. Appearing at the doorframe with his constant canine grin was her father’s longtime partner Pokemon, a Houndoom which he affectionately named Wolf. As all Houndoom’s did, Wolf possessed a menacing horned appearance and the myth that its’ eerie howl was believed to be the call of the Grim Reaper. But Kimi had known the fierce Fire Pokemon since her infancy, thus the fear he strikes into the hearts of children and often superstitious people did not deter her. His long muzzle, almost always pulled back into a kind of toothy smile, and the wag of his thin whip of a tail had become endearing to her, as though he were a standard house pet. He was usually in the front and back yards, always guarding the house despite there being little to no threat within the quiet city of Cherrygrove. He only entered the house when Hokan was home. She opened her arms to him, and his nails clicked on her hardwood floor as he stalked over to her. Kimi wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his sleek, black shoulder. Kimi released a shaky breath, finally cracking a smile as she stroked Wolf’s head. He growled contentedly, licking her palm as she massaged his temples. “I’d make a good trainer, right?” she asked the Pokemon, pulling away from his shoulder and looking deep into his crimson eyes. He tilted his head slightly, and she smiled wider. She could always pretend he could say something back. “I’d be awesome, actually? Why, thank you.” Wolf’s tongue darted out and caught her cheek, the only way he could let her know that he’d agree to anything she said… so long as a head rub was involved. OOOOO Kimi fell asleep early that night, around 8:30. This came as no surprise to Taima, who knew her daughter had been worn out from her tearful tantrum earlier. Taima had crept quietly into Kimi’s room, the light had been left on. The woman smiled when she saw the girl snoring softly with a pillow and a blanket on the floor instead of her bed. Wolf occupied the space next to her, her right arm was slung over his back: a guarantee that he wouldn’t go anywhere without waking her up. Taima’s smile faded… it was evident she had severely needed comfort tonight if she had kept Wolf in her room. The Houndoom had not been in a slumber, and lifted his head as Taima entered the room, “Hey, Horn-head,” she whispered to him, sitting cross-legged next to them, “taking care of her is supposed to be my job, you know, ‘cause I’m her mom and all.” Wolf growled in protest. Taima reached over and stroked his head, looking down at her daughter’s peaceful face as she did so. A sad expression cast over Taima’s features. She was still speaking to Wolf, “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to keep her here forever. But… still, it’s hard. It’s so hard. I feel like I hardly have a son anymore… why would I risk that with my daughter?” Wolf stared hard into the woman’s eyes, and she wished so much that he could advise her. “But,” she began again, looking back to Kimi, “she should not have to suffer being held back because of her brother’s behavior. That’s not fair to her at all,” Taima sighed. Then she smiled again, “No wonder she’s been such a drama queen these past few months, with everybody taking off.” She stood and headed to the door, looking back at Wolf one more time. His muzzled face remained stony, not in anger but in an expression that was unidentifiable. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she rolled her eyes, “Hokan and I talked. And I mean really talked, for over an hour,” she paused, biting her lower lip childishly and sighing again, “If she really wants this whole Trainer-thing... then what gives us the right to prevent her from chasing that dream? I know I would’ve murdered somebody by now if I were her age and in her place,” she chuckled, “and it’s weighing guilt upon Hokan, greatly. He sees it in her face… it gets worse every time someone leaves the City…” Taima pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut, her grip tightening on the door knob. She released a shuddering breath, and Wolf caught the scent of salt water. Tears swam in the woman’s eyes as she turned away from the Pokemon and slumbering girl. “Nngh…” she muffled incoherently into her hand, then tried again as her shoulders shook, “Y-you’d better not be a big baby when she leaves weekend,” she mumbled stubbornly to Wolf, still not facing him. Tears did not spill down her cheeks, but her vision was effectively blurred. She switched off the light, and closed the door behind her as she exited. Moonlight filtered through Kimi’s blinds, casting the pale coloring on chosen parts of her room. Her dark face was half lit with light, and the Houndoom stared down at her briefly before lowering his lean head to rest over her shoulder. OOOOO A/N: Journey begins next chapter! Yes, Pokemon do talk in this story! No, Kimi doesn’t understand them...yet! As a memo, Kimi’s family is Native American, specifically the Sioux people, but considering America doesn’t exist in the Pokemon world (I think), I’ll leave the ‘American’ out and just refer to it as ‘Native.’ Please review!