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An Extra-ordinary Story!

Getting down off the school bus was a normal act, made difficult owing to the throngs of other people trying to accomplish the same feat, schoolchildren disembarking the five bright yellow buses lad out in a row in front of the main gates of the school. It was the beginning of the school year, the chill of winter just now fading, to usher in spring, but Jason was having nothing to do with the chirping of Pidgey's, or the rustle of Sentret's as they climbed about the trees and chittered at the passing children.

This was his first day at Grovyle Valley high, and he was not one of the 'popular' kids.

He was kind of small, wearing his blue-and-white cap forwards, his blue-and-white shirt neatly tucked in, blue-and-black pants firmly pressed, not a wrinkle in sight. He also wore the classic 'Coke Bottle' glasses. Seemingly an inch thick, and too large for his face, leading him to constantly need to push them back up to sit on his nose properly.

Being the very picture of a nerd, he was always picked on. He tried to be cool, but he inevitably failed. There was something about him...just some quality to him that screamed 'pick on me! I'm an easy target!'.

And now, he was at a boarding school. For the next year, he would live at the school, and never be safe from the taunts of the other 'cooler' kids.

It hadn't been an easy life so far, at just fourteen, he had lived through more troubles than most adults had. His parents had been killed when he was just a baby, and after that he was shuttled from one relative to the next, each of them deciding that he wasn't worth the trouble after only a few months, or sometimes, weeks...and in one case, only a few days.

He didn't have any friends at his previous school, and didn't expect to make any here...he didn't even have any Pokemon. The cost to buy a pokeball was just too much for any of his relatives to shell out for him. Everyone else had Pokemon...

Why, just now, he could see a taller kid, at least a few years older than him, walking proudly, with his Charmander keeping time behind him, its head downturned, fiery tail slowly swishing from side to side with its gait. What he wouldn't give to have a Pokemon...

"Watch it, dweeb!"

A harsh rebuke sounded from somewhere ahead of him, and strong hands pushed him down onto his ass, sprawling him out across the ground with a heavy thud, landing awkwardly on his backpack.

"Watch where you're going, nerd." the kid said with a sneer, and then carefully stepped on his leg as he moved past, making Jason gasp and clutch at the now-injured leg, trying not to get trampled again, his face flushing with blood as he realised that several people nearby were laughing at him.

"Look at the poor nerd. Don't break your glasses, nerd!"

He sighed and picked himself up off the ground, brushing himself off as he had done so very many times over the years, looking around for his glasses, which had been dislodged when he was pushed.

Jason couldn't help but wince when he heard the crunch of breaking glass, and he sighed, reaching down and picking up his freshly-broken glasses, perching them awkwardly on his nose, the glass on the left lens cracked, the right hook bent at an odd angle.

Re-adjusting his backpack, he melded with the crowd heading towards the front doors of the school, trying to make himself as small a figure as possible, trying to blend in...something he had become adept at, through constant practice.

With a faint sigh, he watched the student ahead call out for his charmander to walk besides him, a leer on his face. Having a Pokemon at his age was no big deal, but Charmanders were rare. Looking around, he could see nearly all of the other students had Pokemon of their own, the little red balls slung on the belts at their waists.

He shook his head sadly.

It was going to be another fun year.

* * *

The school bell rang, and Jason went to his new room, dumping his bag on his bed and then himself besides it, sighing faintly to himself and taking off his cap, throwing it on the pillow. It was emblazoned with a Flareon, and a Pokemon, a trainers cap, that he himself had saved up to buy. He didn't feel too happy about it nowadays.

Leaning back on the bed, he stared at the ceiling, adjusting his glasses a little, wondering what to do. Seeing as he was an orphan, and at a boarding school, he had nothing to do of an afternoon. No homework, as it was the first day, he didn't have any friends, as per usual...definitely no Pokemon to play with...

Sighing faintly once more, he climbed to his feet, taking his keys and leaving the rest of his stuff, closing and locking the door behind him, sticking the 'do not disturb' tag just inside the door jamb, so he'd know if someone went into his room, and then headed off outside of the school grounds. So long as he was back before food was served, no one would miss him. He doubted anyone would miss him even then.

He headed north, along the main school road, passing the suburban homes as he went...he couldn't help but pause in front of one home, and stare in the front window, feeling sick to his stomach with longing, watching the kid inside, who had to be his age or a bit younger, rolling a ball of yarn across the floor for a Delcatty.

A Pidgey chirped from a tree nearby, and Jason almost prayed, right there and then, for a miracle, some way for him to garner himself a pokeball to catch that Pidgey, or even a Ratatta. any Pokemon would be fine!

But no miracle came, none ever did. Or there was some miraculous reason why he couldn't get a Pokemon. When he had turned ten, it was because there were none left, eleven, because he was beaten up by a bully and unconscious when he should have been picking Pokemon, and at twelve, he was deemed 'too old' to pick a Pokemon for his own at the start of the year. He didn't even have any living relatives he could rely on to give him a Pokemon for his birthday. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a cake on his birthday...or even a single birthday card.

His musings had him preoccupied, and his feet had carried him down the road without him even knowing it, but he was jolted out of his thoughts by a battle cry.

"Charmander! Ember!"

His head snapped up, and he stared between wrought-iron bars as the Charmander opened its mouth and a surge or flames erupted from it, splashing over the bellsprout before it.

Momentarily covered in flames, it disappeared from view, before reappearing, sprawled across the ground, obviously unable to fight.

It was a huge, green-grassed ground that they were in, a giant mansion in the background. Obviously, the kid with the charmander lived here. The mansion had to be hundreds of metres from the front gate, the sprawling grounds covered in hedges, with what looked like a maze to one side, a giant ascetic pool, with fountains, and Goldeens darting back and forth inside it. wild Stantler ran free on the lawns, gnawing decadently at the grass. It was the very picture of opulence...the exact antithesis of Jason.

The kid sneered and returned his Charmander, strutting up to the other kid and poking him in the chest. "I. won." he stated smugly, and pointed with a finger. "Now go rush your useless Pokemon to a Pokemon centre." he said with another sneer, waving a hand dismissively. "Come back when you get a water Pokemon, maybe then you'll win."

Jason watched through the bars as the cocky, smug kid turned back to the rest of the people in the yard, who were all ranged about on chairs or leaving against hedges, obviously watching. "Any more takers?" he asked dominantly, staring down everyone in the yard.

Someone took a step forwards, and said something that Jason couldn't hear, but then pointed in his direction.

He ducked, his eyes wide and heart pounding, and then started moving, quickly, quietly, bent down underneath the stone portion of the dividing wall, to try and escape before he was discovered. Rounding the corner, he came to a dead stop.

The Charmander was standing before him, arms outstretched, blocking his way, its trainer standing behind it, tossing its pokeball up and down in one hand casually. "C'mon, in the yard, nerd." he said, and Jason tried to protest, to tell him that he didn't have any Pokemon with which to battle with, but the rest of the crowd arrived then, and he was quickly ushered through the giant decorative iron gates, and to the battle yard, standing awkwardly at one end with everyone watching.

"C'mon nerd. You were quite happy to watch us. What, you shy now that we know you're here? Call out your Pokemon!"

"I...I-I don't have any..." he murmured in a small voice, staring down at his shoes, and the smug kid began to laugh softly.

"You don't have a single Pokemon? I guess you really are a loser. Go on, get out of here, loser!" he jeered, and Jason shook his head sadly, turning towards the front gates, his cheeks flushed with blood, aware of the eyes on his back, and their contempt for him.

A butler came down the path along the driveway then, bearing a tray of drinks, with a Shinx besides him, supporting another, cutely carrying it atop its head.

The smug trainers eyes narrowed evilly, and he held up a hand. "Stop, loser. Looks like you can battle after all. Alfred, give him your pokeball."

Jason stared back over his shoulder a moment, and then started to shake his head. "N-no! It's fine! I'll just go!" he protested, but the butler was upon him, pressing a pokeball into his hands. The shinx watched the exchange, placing the tray neatly on the ground and tilting its head at him.

"Shinx?" It asked cutely, and Jason gave a faint groan. He didn't want to battle with this Pokemon! It was bad enough that he didn't have one of his own, but having to fight with someone else's? Against a rich kid? There was just no way he could win...and he couldn't lose, it wasn't his Pokemon!

"Please take care of her." The butler said, before shuffling away to the side to dispense the drinks, watching him every now and again, to make sure he wasn't mistreating his Pokemon.

"Take your position." the smug trainer said, and withdrew his Charmander. "Oh, and try to last more than a few seconds." he added, as he called out his next Pokemon...a Riolu.

Jason groaned faintly again. Fighting type, and shinx was electric. There was just no way to win.

The Shinx tilted her head at him once more, but, seeming to understand what she was supposed to do, she moved into the opposite position on the grassy field, planting her rear and stating "Shinx." firmly.

"Please....don't do this. I'll forfeit, just don't hurt the Pokemon..." he almost pleaded, but the smug trainer just laughed in his face.

"Riolu, Bone Rush." he ordered calmly, and the blue-and-black little Pokemon bounced across the intervening distance, a long bone-staff appearing in its paws, which it swung in a long, spiralling arc, before slamming it down on the Shinx, once, twice, three times, and then bouncing backwards.

The Shinx stared blankly, blinking a few times and then sprawling flat on her stomach, giving a confused "...shiiiinx?..." and peering back at him accusingly, as though it were his fault.

Jason dropped to his knees besides the Shinx, stroking at her head reassuringly, ignoring the crowd, and the accusing eyes of the butler. "I-I'm sorry Shinx...I tried to stop him, I did!" he pleaded with her, and she gave another 'Shinx' and climbed to her feet, shaking a moment before standing strong, huffing and stamping her little foot in what was supposed to be an intimidating way, but just came off looking adorable. "Y-you want to fight?" he asked of her, and she nodded vigorously, not taking her eyes off the Riolu.

"Shinx!" She stated for emphasis, her little tail flicking back and forth a few times.

"But it's a fighting Pokemon! It'll hurt you...and then people will laugh...and the butler will be mad at me..." he murmured.

The Shinx reared back on her hindlegs a moment, and nuzzled at his face reassuringly, and he blinked. "Shinx." she stated again, and a gentle tingle of electricity danced from her cheek to his, making him yelp and jerk back.

"Oh how cute, she likes you." the smug trainer said, and then gave a soft laugh. "Riolu, Force Palm."

"Shinx!...Um!" he tried desperately to think of any moves the Shinx might know, but he was too slow, and the Riolu bounded across the gap and slammed its open palm into her side, sending her rolling with a cry of pain and kicked up blades of grass.

"I'm sorry Shinx I'm sorry!" he called, moving back over to her, trying to pet her soothingly, but she bounded back to her feet and stamped her foot again

"Shinx!" She said emphatically, her eyes narrowed, dark, electric energy starting to build up in her body, crackling along her fur. He wisely crawled a few steps backwards, and then his own eyes narrowed behind his broken glasses.

"Shinx, thunderbolt!" he said, and then stared in amazement as the Shinx did as ordered, sending an arcing pulse of yellow electricity towards the Riolu.

Without being told to, the Riolu simple sidestepped the beam, which crashed into the grass next to it and sent an explosion of soil and grass flying everywhere.

"Again!" he called hurriedly, and the Shinx obeyed, aiming another bolt which went wide, over the Riolu's head, crashing into the ground behind it.

"Riolu, low kick!" The smug trainer called, and the little blue-and-black Pokemon began charging towards the Shinx rapidly.

"Jump and Spark when it stops!" Jason called out hurriedly, and practically glowed with satisfaction as the Riolu dropped into a low sliding kick, which she effortlessly jumped over, turning in the air and landing, charging an attack before the opposing Pokemon could get up in time.

"Shhhhhhhhhh_iiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnxxxxx_!" she called as an explosion of electric damage cascaded from her little blue body, crashing across the short distance and into the Riolu, which recoiled heavily, and then tried to dodge, losing its footing and falling flat on its face, rolling to its feet, only to catch the second wave of sparks, sending it down again.

"Jump and tackle!"

"Shinx!" she nodded firmly and then bounded a few steps forwards, leaping into the air, and then coming down hard atop the Riolu.

But the Riolu bounced clear, and the Shinx hit the ground with a dull thud, sitting on her rear and looking around, confused, blinking rapidly.

"Focus punch!" called the smug trainer, and Jason's eyes widened.

"S-shinx! Duck!" he called hurriedly, and the Shinx ducked without question, laying flat on the ground.

The Riolu had bounced agilely around onto its feet and sprinted at the electric Pokemon, aiming a heavy, glowing paw at her midsection, but with her sudden drop in elevation, he missed completely, swinging wide, the momentum of his movements sending him sailing and tripping over the prone Pokemon, crashing into the ground clumsily.

"Shinx, Charge and Thunderbolt!" Jason called, smiling, unable to believe it. He could win this!

Nodding once more, the Shinx paused, and began to draw in the electric power, while the Riolu tried to regain its feet. "Ssssssssshhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiii-"

"Riolu, dodge it!"

"nnnnnnnnnnnxxxxx!" a crackling bolt of lightning shot from the little Pokemon, catching the prone form of the Riolu square in the back, making it shudder and jerk rapidly, crying out in pain.

When the Shinx finally let up, her quarry lay twitching on the ground, unable to move, the little blue Pokemons chest heaving rapidly from her exertions, but looking pleased. Jason was smiling happily...he won!

The smug trainer seemed to know his train of thought, and withdrew his Riolu, pulling out another ball and sending out a Roselia.

"That isn't fair!" Jason said, his face a mask of outrage, while the other trainer just laughed.

"Its your fault for not having more Pokemon. Razor leaf." he stated calmly.

"Dodge Shinx!" he called desperately, but the little Pokemon just gave a faint sound and slumped, already spent from the battle with the Riolu.

"Shinx! Move!"

But it was too late, dozens of spinning leaves whirling through the air and collecting the little blue electric Pokemon, sending her skipping across the grass to a heavy landing on her side, prone.

Jason hurried over to her side, pulling her into a standing position, hugging her to his chest and stroking her soothingly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's not my fault! I didn't want you to get hurt!..." he pleaded with the groggy Pokemon.

She just gave a single 'Shiiiinx...." And then collapsed into his arms.

"You. Lose." the smug trainer stated, and then laughed. "I. Am. Unbeatable."

He turned back to the crowd of other kids and waved a hand. "Enjoy yourselves, I have to take Riolu back to his trainer, maybe I'll get a Geodude..." he pondered a little, before he started off towards his mansion, strutting as though he had just won a championship battle.

As soon as he was out of sight, a few of the crowd moved over to Jason, staring down at him, and he sighed, shaking his head, holding the prone form of the Shinx close to his chest.

"I get it! I'm a lo-..." his head tilted a little up at the nearest individual, a cool-looking black kid, who was holding out his fist at arms length...just, holding it there.

Jason tentatively lifted his own first in a mirror of the pose, sure this was some kind of trick, but the black kid merely clicked their knuckles together.

"Respect." he said, waving his hand in the 'gangsta' fashion and then turning, walking back over to the rest of the crowd and getting a drink for himself, resuming his seat with the 'cool kids'.

The other three people there congratulated him, and he stared up at them, wide eyed. "B-but I lost."

"Everyone loses. he knows the stat types, and exploits them. But you beat one of his Pokemon, and that's more than anyone else has ever done." A pretty girl told him, swooping down and giving him a quick peck on the cheek after making sure no one was watching. "But...umm...if anyone at school...or...anyone...asked, we don't know eachother, kay?" she asked perkily.

He gave a sad nod and a sigh, and then looked up at the last visitor, the Butler.

With a jolt, he remembered that he had to give the Shinx back, and stroked at her head a moment, before holding out her pokeball at arms length, averting his eyes. "I-I'm sorry I got her hurt, sir...I tried to win...and I tried to forfeit first...b-but he wouldn't listen....he wouldn't le-"

The butler cut across him, forcing him to stop talking. "I know, young master. I saw, you did all you could, and no one could ask for more." he said, taking the pokeball from him and returning the Shinx to her ball, clipping the ball onto his belt, and then sitting besides Jason, idly touching the clip on his belt.

"You know, I remember when I was first a trainer. My first Pokemon battle...I won it. But I won it through the strength of my Pokemon. There was no skill. I just had my Pokemon bash the other Pokemon until it submitted. I realise now, it was a hollow victory. There was nothing involved in reaching that goal. just strength. And strength without restraint, without skill is nothing to be proud of. But I was proud. I was vain, and young. I know you don't understand me yet, but you will....winning isn't everything. Sometimes, you can lose...and still be a winner at the end of the day." he said, patting him gently on the shoulder.

Jason just nodded. Adults liked it when kids shut up and just nodded, especially when they were trying to explain some philosophical point that he just didn't understand.

There was a gentle nudge at his temple, and he lifted his head, staring at the butler around a pokebelt with a single ball on it...the butlers waist was bare. "You'll need this, if you're to come to understand what I mean." he said calmly, and Jason just stared.

"W-what?" he asked, blinking a few times.

"Take it." he said, shaking it gently, and then dropping it in his lap. "And make sure you treat your Pokemon exactly how you would were your positions reversed. Come see me, when you understand what I said." he said with a smile. "I believe you have a Pokemon centre to get to." he stated, and Jason nodded vigorously, climbing to his feet, staring at the butler, lost for words.

"I...I don't know what to say." he admitted, staring at his feet.

"Then best not say anything at all, lest you embarrass yourself. I wanted a good home for Shinx anyhow, now get going!" he said, shooing him and then turning back to his butler duties.

Jason just stared at his back for a moment, shaking his head slowly...and then turned and started to run to the Pokemon centre, beaming.

He had a Pokemon to heal!