Here For You {PreciousMetalShipping}

Prologue -- Middle School Misery

"No! Sneasel!" he screamed, his confidence breaking as his Dark- and Ice-type Pokemon was toppled by the foe. He'd been hoping today he'd win. But it was a day like any other. He'd lost a battle again.

Once again, the nine-year-old redhead fell on his knees, landing beside his fallen partner. Unable to control himself, he started to cry. He wanted to thrash about. He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs. He wanted to rant out vile language unfit for a child his age.

It brought great laughter to the kids which surrounded him, poking fun at his misery and defeat. All were tittering.

All except one.

Why didn't he laugh?

Well, when he first got admitted to the academy, he had been somewhat nervous. But upon seeing the redheaded victim of daily battle losses break down to his knees in the school yard that day, it put his unease to rest. Maybe because often, when one kid finds another in a situation far worse than his own, it relieves him somewhat, eases the tension on his shoulders and makes him laugh out loud. Scornfully.

But -- today the joke's gone old. He's tired of the game. He feels sympathy for the kid. His golden eyes gleamed softly in slight pity at both him and his Pokemon.

Once the children had gotten their satisfaction at watching him sob, they dispersed and left him in the school yard, his hair sweat-soaked and unruly and his eyes full of tears. But the black-haired kid stayed behind and waited for him to dry his tears.

Once he'd put himself together, the red-haired kid looked up at him.

His silver eyes couldn't read his golden ones. They've never known sympathy, they've never known concern, they've never known friendliness. The unfamiliarity of it made him cautious, and so he flinched when the other kid neared him.

He didn't know who he was, he didn't know what he would do. But most of all, he didn't know his life would change when he said

"Hello."