Pokèmon: Blood Red

Wally's Lament

"Wait a minute" Jaden said surprised, leaning forward with his hands planted firmly on the ground, "your real names' aren't Joy!?" He referred to the numerous other nurse Joys throughout the region. Kaylee looked at Jaden condescendingly.
"Oh, no," Courtney chuckled, "Did you honestly think my whole family would name their children 'Joy'?" Jaden didn't answer.
"It's just their occupational name," Kaylee said, "It's part of the job, like the pink hair."
"Oh thanks for reminding me." Courtney said, running her fingers smoothly through her pink hair and taking it off. Jaden fell to the ground in shocking realization that everything he knew was a lie. Underneath her realistic pink wig was jet black, silky hair that ended at her shoulders. "Sometimes I forget to drop the act." She said in a much more informal and casual tone. She pushed her hair gently from in front of her face.
"You look a whole lot younger with your hair like that," Wally said shyly, sitting in a crisscrossed position, "it looks nice." Wally's face suddenly flushed, and he flung his face down towards the ground in embarrassment. "Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I wasn't trying to pick up on you or-"
"Awww, your such a gentleman," she said with with big smile, swishing her hand in the hair. "Actually, I'm 17." Now everyone fell to the ground in complete culture shock, assuming she must have been at least 25.
A sudden deep rumbling could be heard from the other side of the Rusturf tunnel, echoing across the walls. A faint voice seemed to speak, though drowned out by the noise. Jaden stood up, and Kaylee began to, but Jaden signaled for her to stay down. Jaden slowly made his way towards the corner of the cave, where it made a sharp left turn towards the opposite entrance. Blaziken followed closely behind, flames still burning luminously. The noise stopped gradually, and the cave grew moderately darker; the other cave opening must have been sealed. Only the sounds of faint footsteps bounced off of the walls, creating the illusion that they were being approached from everywhere yet nowhere at all. Jaden stopped abruptly at the corner, as did the unidentified footsteps. A gun flashed around the corner, pointed directly at Jaden's face, followed by its wielder, a seemingly middle aged man with short jet black hair and significant stubble. His green and white plaid shirt had a few tears on it. Jaden raised his hands in the air as a sign of peace, and to avoid being shot. Blaziken stood ready to strike. The man sighed in relief and lowered his pistol, clicking the safety back on and returning it to his holster carefully. Jaden turned and gave the thumbs up to the rest of the group, still silent as though someone was still lurking about. Blaziken loosened up and stood up straight.
"It's alright guys," the man called at ease, facing back around the corner, "it's safe here," He turned back towards Jaden again. "Right?" Jaden nodded. Blaziken nodded his head up and down as well, though maybe more than needed.
A middle aged woman, presumably his wife, with short dark brown hair and a stained cooking apron rounded the corner. She was followed by a girl. She held her arm uneasily, her dark purple blouse slightly disheveled, her brown knee high boots, black tights, and white skirt dirtied with mud. Her sleek brown hair cascaded down her face, resting on her shoulders and then continuing down to her waist. The purple headband kept her hair out of her wondering hazel eyes. She glanced at Wally in the distance, than Kaylee, then Jaden, who was in close proximity, and finally settled her eyes on Wally again.

They all sat in a circle, Blaziken's flame now transferred to a pile of books Jaden figured he wouldn't read anyways. Finally able to conserve his energy, Blaziken lay on the damp cave floor, using his arms as pillows and resting his eyes. Jaden sat between Blaziken and Kaylee, who sat next to the man. He sat close to his wife, holding her by the waist, while their daughter sat at a distance, separated by Courtney, and right next to Wally. Kaylee's pokémon had returned to their balls, where it was decidedly more comfortable.
"So I take it you two are pokémon trainers, huh?" The father said cordially, gesturing towards Jaden. and Kaylee in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"Yeah!" Jaden said before Kaylee could respond. "This is my buddy Blaziken," Jaden said proudly, nudging Blaziken, "and these..." He reached for his other pokéballs, but they weren't there. His face sunk for a second, but quickly livened up again. "And Kaylee here is a master when it comes to contests!" He said gesturing towards her.
"Aww," Kaylee said, slightly blushing and softly punching his shoulder, "I dunno about MASTER..."
"My daughter Melanie's a trainer too ya know! And a great one at that!" Her father said proudly, his eyes lighting up, "She took time out of her journey just to visit her sweet ol' pa!" He gushed with affection.
"Dad!" She said half laughing and slightly embarrassed.
"Wow!" Wally said, teeming with excitement, "you already have your pokémon!" He let out a short cough in his over excitement. Melanie's father glanced over at him.
"Oh, I could show you." She said shyly, beginning to blush. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pokéball covered in stickers of hearts, lighting bolts, and "#1's". "Come on out Kitty! There's some people I want to introduce you to!" She said, releasing a graceful Delcatty in a stream of red light. It had a special red bow tied around one ear. "She was the first pokémon I caught a few months ago!" She said gleefully as Kitty showcased herself, smiling and twitching her violet collided ears. Wally stared in amazement at this new marvellous pokémon. Jaden and Kaylee had seen a derogatory before, but they still felt glad to meet another who bonded with its trainer.
"Can... I pet her?" Wally asked tentatively.
"Sure!" Melanie giggled, "she loves it!" Wally leaned forward slightly and outstretched his arm towards Kitty. He slowly ran his hand up and down her soft furry coat. Kitty seemed seemed to enjoy the attention. "Ooo, let me show you her favorite spot," Melanie said gleefully. She gently took hold of Wally's hand, guiding it towards the back of Kitty's right ear. Wally turned slightly red with blush. Melanie's father glared at their touching hands. His hands fiddled anxiously. "Right... here," she said, pinpointing the spot and releasing Wally's hand, "try it." Sally began to pet right behind Kitty's ears, and she began to purr loudly. Wally gave a smile and continued to pet.
"Awwwww, she's so cuuuuuuuuuuute!" Kaylee gushed, her eyes glittered with adoration.
"That's why they're often used for contests rather than battles," Courtney began rather randomly, "as Delcatty prefer to stay clean and often avoid conflict. They also prefer to do as they please at their own pace, creating a rather nonsensical daily pattern. Yours seems to have a calm nature." They all looked at Courtney, unsure how to respond to the sudden pokémon lesson.
"Thank you," Melanie's mother said politely, attempting to participate in the conversation, "... for that." Courtney looked at herself confusedly and let out a single laugh.
"Huh, guess I do have a hard time turning it off," she said embarrassed, rubbing her hand through her hair. Wally let out another cough, this time a bit more violent. He turned around quickly as to not cough on Melanie or Kitty. A succession of a dozen or more coughs followed, until his diaphragm settled down.
"Wally, that's your name, right?" Melanie's father asked almost immediately, in a rather curious tone. He eyed him up and down, his focus resting on the blood sprayed on parts of his white pants and light blue polo shirt.
"Umm, yes sir," Wally said slowly, recovering from his fit.
"So where are you from, Wally?" Her father asked inquisitively.
"Originally Petalburg city... but I recently moved to Verdanturf town with my Aunt and Uncle. My parents thought it'd be better there... You know, the air quality and the calmness..."
"Verdanturf. I heard that town is in shambles now..."
Melanie looked at her father questioningly.
"...Yeah." He said, looking towards the floor. Jaden fidgeted uncomfortably, finding it a bit harder to breath in the thick air.
Her father looked at Wally's face, then his daughter's, and then again at Wally. "So where exactly is your Aunt and Uncle, Wally?" He asked coldly.
"Arthur!" His wife exclaimed. All eyes focused on her husband in surprise. Wally sat frozen, as if he hadn't heard the question. His gaze slowly lowered until it settled on the dried blood splattered across his clothes. He grabbed the hem of his shirt with his right hand, pulling it out in front of him as if to inspect it further. Tears began to well up in his eyes. Melanie silently touched her hand to his, trying to console him. Melanie's father, presumably Arthur, continued his ardent interrogation undeterred, glancing at his daughter's wandering hand.
"They attacked you didn't they?"
"Arthur stop this!"
"And they bit you, didn't they, Wally?"
Wally stood up suddenly, his face hidden by his hair as he faced the cave floor, and tears dripping at his feet. Arthur jumped to his feet as well, flashing his pistol out of its holster and aiming it directly between Wally's eyes.