Glory's Long Road: Episode #00 "Prologue"

CBS, Newfoundland


"Oh, and this looks like the end for Uindii, caught up in the coils of 
Gayarados." The massive blue serpent blasted an amber beam at the helpless 
black striped dog, wrapped up. The struggling of the Windie continue as the 
stream of energy washed over it.

A young woman leant over a chesterfield, watching the image on the 
television screen. On the floor in front of the screen, was young boy of 
about 5, watching the battle unfold. So concentrated was he on the match, he 
hardly noticed her approach until she spoke. "Still watching those old tapes 
son?" The boy's blue hair rustled as he turned around to his mother. She 
smiled warmly at his childhood innocense.

"Yah mom." He replies enthusiastically.

"Hon, why don't you go outside with other boys. It's such a fine today, too 
good to spend inside." The blue haired boy slowly arose from up off the 
floor and clicks off the VCR. As he left, he turned around to his mother. 
"Mom, someday I'll be on tv, just like those big boys." And with that, he 
ran to the door, and to the world outside. His mother walked over to the 
kitchen window, just over the sink, and watching her son play out in the 
backyard. Long blue strands lightly move in the gentle breeze from the 
window. From behind her, strong arms wrapped themselves around her slender 
waist. "He's quite a boy, isn't he?"

"He is. It still hurts me though every time he talks about becoming a 
trainer." Her voice was filled with sorrow, caused by the unobtainable 
dreams of her son. "That's something he has to learn about life dear."

"Erik, that's all he wants to be." She pleaded to her husband, trying to 
sway his decision. He finally gives in to her requests. "Well, I'll see what 
I can do for him Gillian."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

One month later


Erik's mother stood over a bowl, mixing up the batter for a cake, when Erik 
dashed by, on his way out the door. "Erik, could you come here for a 
minute." He stopped putting on his shoes, and glanced into the kitchen "Yes 
mom?" She knelt down to her son, apron bunching up as she does so. Behind 
her back, she held something out of sight. "Remember your birthday son?"

Hanging his head, Erik replied. "Yes..." Without fail, each year for his 
birthday and Christmas gift, all he wanted was a single pokemon, of any sort 
or description. It just had to be a pokemon he could call his own. But every 
year, he was let down. This year however...

Gillian brought out her arm from behind her back, revealing a ten centimeter 
orb, wrapped in a silver foil. "Here."

"Is... that...?" Overjoyed, Erik struggled to get his words out.

"Yes, it is. The town chipped in and bought it from the States. We planned 
to have it in time from your birthday, but things happened in the mail."

He took the ball from Gillian's hand, and hugs his mother. "I don't mind 
mom."

"Why don't you open it and see who you got." Erik toor off the wrapping and 
released the contents of the pokeball, as if expecting world to end the very 
next second. The red energy materialized into a small sandy coloured 
armadillo. It stared at Erik through black eyes and spoke it's name once. 
"Sanddo?"

"It's so neat, thanks mom."

"Don't thank me son, thank everyone."

"Ok, I do that. Come on Sanddo!" Now followed by Sanddo, he couldn't move 
fast enough to pull his shoes on, and go out to thank the town. Gillian 
finally got back up, just in time to see Erik and Sanddo dash past the 
kitchen window. "He's truly happy know." She thought to herself.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Two Years Later


Erik fell back into the rain moistened blades of grass, exhausted from the 
training for the day. Sanddo too joined him by his side, as the two watch 
the grey wisps of fog roll in from the ocean. The pair had been together for 
two years, but both felt as if they had spent a lifetime with each other.

For the past two years, everyday after-school, Erik had a single routine: 
Rush home from school, and train with Sanddo until either sun-down or when 
they became to tired to continue. Before, the two couldn't make it to half 
past six. But, it was already nearing nine o'clock by Erik's watch. All the 
time, trainer and pokemon were growing, both physically and mentally.

In another three years time, Erik would be old enough to obtain his trainer 
license. At that time, he and Sanddo would travel away to compete in a 
pokemon league. His mother had no problems with allowing Erik to leave home, 
and his father had picked up a good construction contract over in Europe, so 
money was also no problem.

Afar in the distance, a bolt of thunder struck to the ground, generating a 
wave of sound that was heard a while afterwards. The dark grey thunderclouds 
open up, dropping a great drenching downpour of rainwater. Heavy beads of 
cold rain felt refreshing, hitting sweaty skin. The aches of a hard day of 
training vanished under the beating action the rain. As quickly as it came, 
the rain slacked off to a light drizzle, stopping entirely. Erik shoke his 
soaked hair, getting some of the water out of it, inspiring Sanddo to do the 
same.

Downpours such as this barely fazed the ground type pokemon, which were 
normally weak to the element of water. Having lived in a damp and cold 
marine climate however, gave Sanddo a moderate resistance to the normal weak 
points of ground: Ice and Water. A resistance to such attacks could prove 
useful in combat.

Erik stood back up, planning on getting a change of clothes, and returning 
to training in the last moments of daylight. He ventured back to the house, 
but stopped halfway, as Sanddo wasn't behind him. Where Erik had left him, 
the small armadillo pokemon stood, motionless, awaiting something. An 
evolution perhaps? Erik had read up on events like this before, but had 
never actually seen a pokemon go to its next stage. The body of the Sanddo 
began to glow with a white energy, and rapidly changed shape. Jagged quills 
grew from its back, and knife-like claws took the place of small hands. 
Light receedes, revealing the new stage, Sandopan.

Erik's face lit up at his pokemon's evolution. Words could not express how 
happy he felt now. Getting out the wet clothes could wait, he wanted to get 
back to training, this time, with Sandopan.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Three years later


"What do you mean I can't go?" Erik burst out, half a cry at the fact he 
can't leave to go on his pokemon journey.

His mother does her best to calm him "Erik, I'm sorry."

"It's just no fair..."

"There just isn't enough money to send you. Its not easy to support you and 
your sister on my own. It would be different," Gillian stops for a moment. 
"...if your father was still alive..."

Let down, he barely mumbled. "I understand mom..."

"You do..." Mother hugs her son, at the fact that he accepted the truth. 
"Erik, you're such a mature young man. Don't you worry, I'm sure that you'll 
live out your dream."

"Promise?"

"Uhh..." She stuttered a bit before smiling in her usual manner. "Promise."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Five years later
St. John's, NF


The air of the room smelt heavily of antiseptics, the usual scent of a 
hospital. The odours always Erik hated, even more so now. He was now 
fifteen, dark blue hair grown out a bit from the crew cut of his childhood. 
In a small wooden chair he sat, next to a single white hospital bed, where 
his mother laid, death looming over. Her eyes appeared sunken back, with the 
skin ghostly pale and pulled taught. Only her sapphire hair remained as the 
last remnants of her once radiant beauty. "Erik, I'm..." Her voice dry and 
weak barely permitted her to speak with her son. Erik knew what she was 
saying though.

"I know... don't speak more than you have to."

But this was something she had to speak, something that had to be done while 
she could. "I want you to hear this before I die." Erik's mother breathed in 
deeply. Even the act of talking became labourious, yet she still continued 
on. "Erik, you've always been so strong willed, just like your father was. 
Ever since you were young, you had a dream, and every problem you had to 
face just made your determination that much greater. Son, I'm very proud of 
you. Take your inheritance, and go out on you journey that you were denied 
the last five years."

To his mother, on her deathbed, made a solemn and eternal promise. "Don't 
worry mom. I'll become the best trainer the world has ever known. I won't 
disappoint you."

A usual smirk grew across her face. For the last time. "Erik, how could you 
ever... disappoint me..." Slowly her eyes draw shut, accompanied by the 
horrible silence. Erik lowered his forehead to the back of his mother's 
hand, as the tears began to flow and stream down his face...

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

One Week Later


Standing in the doorway to a medium sized split level, Erik awaited the 
arrival of his ride across the island. His sister approached from behind. 
Stands of dark purple hair wet with fresh tears from green eyes. "Are you 
leaving soon Erik?" She spoke, not wanting her older brother to leave. Once 
slowly he nodded. As if to keep him from leaving, Andrea wrapped her arms 
around him, crying into his shoulder. "Don't go away Erik."

It was always painful to see her like this. Brother and sister were very 
close to each other, sharing almost none of the stereotypical 'sibling 
rivalry'. "Don't worry Andrea, I'm not going away forever. You'll see me 
someday, maybe even on tv." Erik tells her, trying to reassure Andrea. Words 
finally ceased the flow of tears, as Andrea burst out. "Really?"

"Really. Now you be a good girl and listen to Aunt Teresa and Uncle Max 
while I'm gone, alright?"

Once more did her arms squeeze around him, this time in a show of affection. 
"Alright." A blue VW van rolled into the driveway, though the old diesel 
engine was heard blocks way. His aunt emerged from upstairs, with a last 
farewell. "Erik, before you leave, I have something to give you." Andrea 
finally relinquished her hold on him. "What is it?" He asked.

"It's something your father got when he was your age." She passed him a 
small ring box, in which Erik opens it up, revealing a sapphire ring. He 
took the ring out, and holding by two fingers, gazing at it. This was the 
closest thing Erik had to his father. Even though he never rarely around, 
his inspiration was. Feeling of his father come back as he slipped the ring 
onto a finger. "He meant to give it to you himself."

"Things happen the way they should Aunt."

"They do." She steps over to Erik. "You should be going."

Erik lightly hugged his aunt. "I should. See you later then." He grabbed his 
packsack, and walked out to the van, but not before waving his last 
goodbyes.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

One Day Later
Port-Aux-Basques Harbour


The shoreline of the island Erik called home slowly faded from view, 
obscured by a veil of fog. Sanddoopan peered nervously through the iron 
railings, somewhat unnerved by the expanse of water. "Well, this seems like 
a good-bye for a while to our home." Erik says to his pokemon. Sandopan 
understood the full meaning of the words just spoken, and replied with his 
name, though touched with feelings of sadness.

Erik knelt down to his pokemon. Pooled water on the metal deck wet spots on 
Erik's pants. "But I know with you but my side, we'll come back victorious."

Simple words of encouragement restore life to Sandopan. Rising a claw into 
the air, he shouted with usual vigor. "Sanddo!"

"That's the spirit." Erik turned to have one last look at his home through 
the wisps of fog. 'I will keep my promise, no matter what.'


End Episode #00

Pokemon Report
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Translations
Uindii = Arcanine
Gayarodosu = Gyarados
Sanddo = Sandshrew
Sandopan = Sandslash