THE SMILE OF FAMILY

by Ryan Libra

Author's Notes

Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 1!

I don't own pokemon. But I sure do enjoy it.

- x x x -

CHAPTER 1

Shore Island wasn’t written on any map. It was a small patch of land surrounded by the pristine sea east of the large region known as Kanto. There were two signs of civilization: Ebony Town, a bustling business area found on the western tip, and Ochre Village, a practically ramshackle collection of small houses situated in the Ochre Desert on the southern part.

Spread out over the northern territories was an overgrown maze of foliage known as the Coast Woods, and in its eastern part was an underground cave that led to a separate islet, queerly called the Dot because it was so tiny. The cave offered great exploring, as long as one didn’t mind sharing the tunnels with the resident Wooper, Geodude, Zubat, and Cubone that thrived there.

Ebony Town wasn’t graced with the towering skyscrapers that were characteristic of modern business centers, and perhaps this was the reason why no map had bothered to prove the island’s existence. However, the amount and variety of merchandise made up for the absence of tall buildings. Hi-Potions, Antidotes, Mystic Water, vitamins like Carbos and Protein, and even evolution pieces like Water Stones and King’s Rocks, they were all there. Some Ebony residents even had the boldness to claim that their town could stand up to the stores of Celadon in Kanto or Goldenrod in Johto.

Unfortunately, rampant rumors claimed that Ebony was also a magnet for smuggled, stolen, and poached goods. How much these rumors mirrored the truth wasn’t exactly clear, but one thing was sure: it was hard not to notice the liveliness at the docks and the extra shadows that skulked in the alleys during some nights.

Nonetheless, the town remained an adequate tourist spot, what with the Pokémon Center, the pokémarts, the library, and even a park with grassy areas that held Pidgey and Oddish and trees that could be Headbutted for Aipom, with their curious udder-looking tails. Tourists also came for the pokémon battles. After all, there were always many trainers who were raring to lock horns with any who seemed battle material.

Ebony was not only famous for its plethora of merchandise; what truly made it a magnet for tourists was the annual Pokémon Fair. The event was a conglomeration of everything trainer and everything pokémon, one that celebrated the human-pokémon relationship via merchants that sold their products and services. The shops, though, were only a small part; there were tournaments, races, freebies, and food. Tourists often complained that five days was too short for such a marvelous occasion, but Ebony officials argued with insufferable smiles that that only served to add to the magic and glitter of it all. Whatever that meant.

As it happened, it was Monday early morning, and, as it happened, it was the first day of the Ebony Pokémon Fair. And this was the reason why the Andies Pokémart was in turmoil.

- x x x -

“Angeline! The shelves!”

“Yes, Mr. Andies!” a seventeen-year old girl with short auburn hair swiftly replied. Her duster, which was shaped like an Oddish, had been raised into the air like a brandished sword out to get those spots of dust. On one of the shelves beside her, a real Oddish that she had named Gardenbeast chirped a smart affirmative, as if answering to a general. “Cleaning on-going!”

”Lilibeth! The counter!”

“Yes, Mr. Andies!” called out another seventeen year-old girl, this time with long pink tresses and an oversized pair of glasses that always fell, as it did when she had answered her boss. She hastily bent down to pick it up, only to find out that her Teddiursa Smiley had done so for her. “Still being polished!”

Skye sighed as he pushed a portion of his blond bangs from his azure eyes. The fifteen-year old himself was occupied with unloading Potions from a wooden crate. He removed the tie that neatly held his ponytail in place and reapplied it a bit more tightly. “Dad, you know that everything won’t look spotless clean once the hordes of tourists arrive. Besides, it’s the amount of stuff we have that really counts.”

“You may be right, son,” replied Mr. Allison Andies. At thirty-six, he looked like a man who still seemed far away from forty, someone who still looked good in a sleeveless shirt—a blue one today with a single horizontal brown line running across the bottom—and join a triathlon. Which he was doing right now, though the race he was running was against time; who knew what uncivilized hour the Pokémon Fair tourists could come bursting in for a Wailord of a time haggling, grabbing, and buying. Like his son, Mr. Andies was not really muscular but more of slender; unlike his son, though, he wore his flaxen hair short. “But it’s always good to start the day—or the Fair, for that matter—prepared.” Readjusting his glasses, he heaved a box of King’s Rocks over to a corner and opened it. “Call it ritual.”

Skye chucked a few more Potions out of the crate and onto the shelf, but before he could empty the entire crate, he glimpsed a speck of brown from the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he observed Wade, his brown hair covering his deep violet eyes, staring out into space. Three silver huggy earrings on the helix of the other’s right ear gleamed sullenly at him, as if to berate him for invading his space. Skye took a look at the Repels that Wade had sorted on the shelf.

“Need any help?” he asked.

Wade seemed to quietly return to himself before resuming his task. Silence was his reply.

“I’m pretty much done here, anyway, and—”

“Quit bothering me. Go talk to a Slowpoke or something.”

Miffed, Skye hurriedly shelved the rest of the Potions, dragged the empty box, and stomped off toward the storage room. The fifteen-year old didn’t think he could ever understand Wade. He remembered the sky on the night that he had first met him; it had been a wide indigo of despair, an expanse that concealed many secrets. And just his luck, he had been so immersed in his training that he had forgotten the time, and his punishment for it had been a thorough drenching in the rain. A lonely tree in the field had offered its meager shelter, but luck had played him a pawn of its rascality. The dark shape of a Murkrow had somehow nipped his watch off his wrist and fled.

And that was how he had arrived at where Wade had been. The brown-haired boy had looked like luck had even dealt him a fiercer blow. The seven-year old had not answered when Skye had asked him if he had a home, so he had brought him to the pokémart where Dad had welcomed him. Skye knew his father’s yearnings for another child, something that couldn’t be possible with grief over a wife who had passed away and a reluctance to remarry. And he was all too well aware of his own yearnings for a younger sibling, but the problem was, this one was highly inaccessible.

Skye took a box of Water Stones and shelved its contents with a kind of pride. The Andies pokémart was the only shop here in Ebony that sold these stones, as well as other rare merchandise such as King Stones and Mystic Waters. Also, they were the only shop who had a move tutor— his ever reliable dad, of course!—who could bestow a lot of Water and Flying moves to anyone who wanted them—for a price.

“There’s another box of King’s Rocks in the storage room, sir,” said Wade softly. “Should I bring it out?”

“There is?” Dad snatched a clipboard from the counter and peered into it intently. “Oh, there is! I was planning to leave it there until our initial stock got depleted.” He returned the clipboard near the cash register with a jocund plunk. “I’m really grateful, Wade. It’s thanks to you that we have all these extra merchandise. Is it really true that you regularly dive for them?”

Wade nodded without pausing in his work.

I just wish he didn’t do it at night! thought Skye irately. That way I won’t have to follow him like a stalker to make sure he’s alright! I know he has a Gyarados for a guard dog, but still!

His attention was caught by the front door opening. Dad quickly let in two youths: one who was as muscular as a Machoke, and the other as slender as a Persian. Curious, Skye approached the two.

“Skye,” Dad said, “these are the help I asked for in the posters we put up all over town. This one’s Bobby, and the other’s Thomas.”

“Hi, guys,” Skye greeted cheerfully as he hid his puzzlement. He still didn’t know why his dad had hired help; he and Wade were always here to man the shop, not to mention Angeline and Lilibeth.

“Business has been really good, son,” Mr. Andies said as he clapped a hand on Skye’s shoulder. “Good enough that I can take in some help in the store so we can rotate in our store duties. It isn’t proper to be working all five days of the Fair when there’s so much to do out there.” Mr. Andies then donned on a mischievous grin and poked his index finger onto the tip of Skye’s nose. “Besides, I want to check out the Evolution Exhibit they’re setting up on Wednesday, so that’ll be my day off.”

Skye rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. Any chance that they’re highlighting Water or Flying types?”

“You bet!” Dad exclaimed enthusiastically. “There’s even a discussion on the fascinating dual evolutions of Slowpoke and Poliwhirl! It’s really amazing that they share a necessary ingredient to their alternative evolutions…”

As Mr. Andies rattled on, Skye flashed an apologetic smile at Bobby and Thomas before hauling them over to the storage room where they could be useful. Skye went back outside after explaining to the two what to do with all the boxes, only to find out that Dad was still prattling on about King’s Rocks and its potential to cancel the opponent’s next move by making it flinch, and how this was connected to Slowking and Politoed.

He’s giving me a headache… Skye had always wondered where his father’s erudition came from. “Hey, Dad! It’s almost seven! We should open up shop now.”

“… with the mysterious effect of…? Oh, my. It is seven. Angeline, Lilibeth, the floor!”

“Yes, Mr. Andies!” the two girls answered in unison as they ran around the pokémart with abused brooms being squished on the gleaming tiles.

“Wade,” Dad called, “how are the Repels? They were rather plenty.”

“All done, sir.”

“Well, don’t overwork yourself… Wait, I almost forgot!” Dad pulled out two envelopes from the side pocket of his pants and handed one over to Skye, the other to Wade. “Those are your allowances for the fair.” He arched an eyebrow at them. “You’d better spend them wisely, especially since I’ve added a little more due to our profits. And since today is Bobby and Thomas’s first working day, why not have the day off?”

“You’re the best, Dad!” Skye whooped as he hugged him. Before he could climb up to the second floor to change, though, he found himself glancing at Wade, who was oddly staring at the envelope in his hand. Skye was alarmed. For a moment there, Wade’s eyes had seemed to mist, but it was hidden so quickly that it had almost been imperceptible. Dad passed a silent message at him with a quick look from the corner of his eye, but before he could return an answer, Wade was already climbing the stairway.

“I think I’ll change first,” Wade muttered.

Again with a silent inquiry from his eyes, Dad asked Skye what exactly had happened. Skye could only shrug, but at least they knew one thing. It wasn’t the first time a crack had appeared in that wall.

- x x x -

The morning sun in the sky seemed to be the giant trumpeter of the arrival of the Ebony Pokémon Fair. And indeed, the Fair was ready to go, beginning with the numerous shops in town that were opening up and displaying their merchandise. Majority of them, which littered the streets in their colorful stalls, seemed to have come from outside the island. The bigger booths were set up to accommodate temporary residence for the salespeople, though it was highly doubtful that they’d get any sleep since tourists also thrived in the night. Their wares were ever variable: food, items, pokémon, computers, literature, scientific journals, technical machines, services, and so many others.

Laughter poured into the air. Music blared out from speakers. Now and then the shopkeepers stirred up a rumpus with bets: who’d sell the most pokémon, who’d lose in a battle, who’d meet a husband or wife during the Fair, and so on.

Grills gave off wafting smells of barbecue. The freezers held their precious cargo: tons of ice candy and ice cream in assorted flavors, not to mention the occasional Spheal with their spherical bodies enjoying the cold. Not to be outdone, the other restaurants blew out tantalizing smells of frying spices and meats.

The pokémon also gave their best in building a welcoming atmosphere. Hoppip, like cute red balloons with a baby’s squiggles on their surfaces, floated high and carried banners about wonderful discounts, unbelievable bargains, and upcoming events. Kadabra fired their Psybeams into the air; the beams were less noisy than actual fireworks, but they still did a fine job of coloring the sky. Mr. Mime walked the streets with their miming acts; they would copy a police chase, a cooking session, or even a pokémon battle. Here and there a Ludicolo, their headdresses bouncing around, would be dancing to the beat of blaring music with their arms waving and their legs stomping.

Wade silently walked beside Skye, who seemed to enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds. The sun was no doubt going to be a scorcher, so Wade had on an ocean-blue tank top, beige calypso pants and simple white walking shoes, perfect in case they decided to go by the stalls at the beach. His shades were slung around the front of his neck, and his anklet—a thin rope with a small shiny figure of an Eevee—loosely encircled his left ankle. Skye had opted for something simpler: a sleeveless Magikarp-red shirt, blue denim pants, and leather-strap sandals. A bracelet made from different-colored cords and interweaved to form a wavy white pattern looked so natural on his right wrist. What did not belong there, though, were the smudges of catsup and mayonnaise that had come from a hamburger that he had bought from a nearby stall and had already snarfed down.

The two boys passed by another booth that was currently releasing the merchandise pokémon into wooden pens, when suddenly, the deafening Uproar of wailing Whismur tore the air. Wade’s eyebrows rose as the shopkeeper merely plopped giant lollipops into the pink, round pokémon’s mouths to keep them quiet. Skye’s eyes seemed stuck to the blue-feathered bird pokémon hopping around beside the Whismur. The sign beside them read, “Taillow.”

It was no secret that Skye was in love with Flying pokémon; they didn’t even have to be birds. He had bought a Gligar from the past Pokémon Fairs and had lost his head in the sheer enjoyment of training it. It was now a formidable Gliscor, a winged terror that seemed to have leaped out of vampiric folklore, especially with its night colors, creepy- looking eyes, and dreadful claws.

“I want one…” Skye whined, but before he could fish out his wallet from his pocket, Wade stopped him.

“Don’t be a moron,” he said, looking annoyed. “You want to spend everything on the first day? Buy something unusual so you get your money’s worth.”

Skye faced him with big, teary, pleading eyes, but such Jigglypuff-cute tactics never worked on him. Wade gave him a look that would have put a Haunter to shame, and Skye cowered.

Leaving Skye to drool at the Taillow, Wade continued walking and stopped by a booth with three pokéballs nestled in a glass container containing crumpled newspapers. The sign stole his attention: “Level 1 Sneasel for Sale!”

Newly hatched, Wade supposed. If Skye had his Flying types, he had his Water and Dark types. At least he had the dignity not to drool. He approached the stall and asked the plump, motherly shopkeeper how much they were.

“I’d normally give them for two thousand,” she said with a smile, “but since you’re such a fine-looking young man I can give one for one thousand five hundred.” Wade got the feeling that she wasn’t finished with her sales talk, and he was proven right when the lady fished out a technical machine from her pocket and waved it in his face. “But if you buy one with this TM Ice Punch, here, you can get the set for only two thousand two hundred! Isn’t that a bargain?”

Wade’s fingers twitched towards his pocket. He supposed that he had as much self-control as that idiot Skye, which was not saying much. He was about to bring out the money when an annoying face suddenly popped up on his right shoulder.

“And here’s your money, my fair shopkeeper!” Skye cheerfully said as he handed a wad of bills to her.

“There’s no need—” Wade heatedly began.

“Oh, my, are you two brothers?” the shopkeeper suddenly asked as she plucked the bills from Skye’s hand. She chuckled as she pocketed the money. “You’re both such beauties, I’ll give you that, and if I had any daughters I’d be careful with customers like you.”

“And I’m sure that those daughters would be just as lovely as you, ma’am.” Skye flashed her a dazzling smile. Wade wanted to vomit. The shopkeeper’s face turned crimson, and she giggled. She then skipped over like a girl to one of the wooden boxes that held her merchandise and brought out a small object that looked like a claw.

“Here’s a freebie for being such a charming fellow,” she said, still blushing. “It’s a Razor Claw, and they saw that it’s somehow connected to Sneasel. Now be off with you before you cause anymore mischief.”

“You’re as generous as you are lovely,” Skye said. “Thank you, and goodbye.” With a final smile, he left and trailed after Wade, who had such an expression of loathing that other people around him cringed and hurried their pace.

The two teenagers moved on to another booth, this time selling Ice-Ground pokémon known as Swinub, which looked a lot like brown bushy sandals with a snout attached in front. Skye ran his fingers across its fur.

“What was that all about?” Wade asked in barely suppressed anger.

The shopkeeper of this stall was at the moment upbraiding one of his aides, who seemed to have misplaced the other Swinub for sale. The helper could only insert his answers in between the merchant’s sputters and gnarls; it was vaguely something about the Swinub suddenly running off.

“Listen, I don’t need any of your—“

“I’m only following your advice, you know.”

What Wade was about to say stopped short in his throat. His eyebrow went up in a perplexed arch.

Skye looked him in the eye, and there were no jokes in them. “I’ve never really bought anything for you, and so the purchase by itself was already unusual. I’m simply getting my money’s worth, that’s all.”

A little girl and her mother passed by. They were being followed by an Eevee, whose excited eyes were as round as saucers. Its bushy brown tail wagged so hard that it accidentally got caught in between its legs, making it trip. The child and her mother didn’t notice, so they kept on walking despite its distressed whines. Skye lifted the poor thing in his arms and called after the two, who immediately ran back and expressed their gratitude. Wade found himself staring at the Eevee, whose big, moist eyes were set on Skye. Mother, daughter, and pokémon quickly disappeared in the river of people.

“I don’t know what happened when we first met seven years ago, on that wet night outside the town,” Skye continued. “Maybe I’ll never know. All I know is, you seemed pretty lost and hurt. I’ve never asked about it, and I’m willing to wait an eternity when you’re ready to tell, but in the meantime, I guess I just want you to know that there’s someone who’s watching out for you.”

The many noises of the Pokémon Fair included the cries of pokémon in their stalls, shopkeepers bellowing their bates, lively music rushing from the speakers, and the chatter of excited customers. But sometimes, if one was observant enough, the deafening din of silence could be heard over it all.