Volume 1: Rainbow Flames [A Pokémon Fanfic]

Chapter 3: Beginnings

It had been two days since the Team Rocket incident on the S.S. Anne. The two trainers had stopped the grunts before they got to anyone's Pokémon and Amber had gotten her leg treated properly so everything worked out fine.

As promised, Gold and Amber had spent the previous day talking. Well, Gold did most of the talking, Amber quietly listened to his stories, not really wanting to volunteer any of her own. At least not yet. He talked about the adventures he'd been on and she learned more and more about him with every passing hour.

Gold actually liked talking with Amber, finding her quiet and calm self to be a nice change of pace to what he was usually accustomed to. Since he was a Pokédex Holder, he had become pretty famous and he always had at least one person recognize him. The fact that Amber didn't know that made it easier to talk to her. No fangirl screeches or star-struck chatter. Amber treated him like an old friend and it was comforting.

"Okay, I've told you about my past! Now it's your turn!" Gold said. The two of them were sitting on the deck at a high table, having some drinks to withstand the heat. Amber lazily poked at the tiny umbrella in her pink fruity drink.

She looked up at him when he spoke. At the moment, she was wearing a white t-shirt and light grey capri pants, with black converse and her usual black gloves and shades. Some of her hair was tied back in braids with the rest of her it kept down. Her Mega Clip held back some of her hair from falling into her face, as her leg was wrapped up in bandages.

"Heh, I'm not so sure you want to know my past. It's not as nice as yours." She said with a slight chuckle.

"Aww c'mon, please?! I told you mine, now ya gotta tell me yours!" He said, leaning closer and giving her big Lilipup eyes. She rolled her eyes and pushed his face away.

"Fine fine, but nothing is going to beat you hitting on Bugsy."

"For the last time, I thought he was a girl!"

Amber let out a rare laugh and Gold couldn't help smiling at the sound.

Finally, she nodded and placed her elbows on the table, clasping her gloved hands together. He noticed this and sat up attentively.

"Alright then.. well, life was pretty normal for me as a kid. I grew up in Viridian City, with my mother, father.. and brother.." She started off.

"You have a brother?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah," Amber's lips curled into a frown. "But we haven't talked in years.." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "When I was about 2, there was an incident. A wild and rabid Pokémon attacked our home, and killed our mother..." Gold's eyes widened at that.

"Sorry about that.."

She shook her head. "Don't be, it's in the past. Anyway, it was never the same after that. My father couldn't take care of both of us by himself, so he gave away my brother for adoption." Amber weaved around the real truth and told Gold a lie he'd believe. "I never saw him again. I hope that he was adopted by a good family.. as for me, my father changed... He, well... he used to be good, but after the incident, he didn't treat me right. So, a couple of years ago, I stole one of his Pokémon and ran... I haven't seen him in a long time, but I'm fine with that, I don't want to go back." She said, sighing a bit. It wasn't the truth, but it was close enough.

His eyes softened a bit, not expecting all of that. He knew from her body language that Amber was secretive, but he never expected her to have had such a difficult past. "I.. I'm sorry about all that."

"It's okay... after that, life changed for me. I found others like me, kids who have troubled pasts... I've made some friends, they care about me and that's all I can ask for. If it weren't for my dad I guess I wouldn't be here today... glass half full right?" She tried for a smile.