The Adventures of Jamie and Deadman PG13

[TrueCharizard]

This is an indirect sequel to "Running Away From Dreams", however it doesn't require anyone to have read the first story. Its an OT following a nine year old boy who meets a Duskull with a difference.

Prologue

Sometimes the forces that govern the universe pick paths for those that reside within it. Sometimes, those that reside within the universe pick the paths for others. Then you get those who pick their own path. That’s what Jamie liked to believe. Or rather, that’s probably what he would have thought about his life if he ever stopped to consider it. Funnily enough at nine and a half years old, his sense of wonder was limited to the things around him. If he were to question the forces that be, he’d have been stumped, past the religious teachings he was administered by school and family. If he had any grumblings about his path, they’d probably be about the fact his entire family expected him to become a pokémon trainer. That’s when they actually seemed to care about what they did. Being the middle child of three to a caring but career minded pair of parents meant he had to do a lot for himself and his parents. That’s why he was out there in the cold of the night, feeding his Mother’s bellsprout from the slow drip of watering can.

He looked at the plant pokémon and shook his head at it, its short, narrow root embedded in a small bed of soil. It waved its twin green leaves weakly as it received the water. Its yellow coloured ailing flower head bowed as it received the liquid nourishment with an ungrateful look upon its face.

‘It’s not fair that I should have to look after this thing. That should be mom’s job. What a miserable little thing,’ he mumbled, irritated by his obligations. ‘Then I have to go and make my own dinner again. Do my maths homework.. It’ll be worth it though, I’m staying up to play games all night again. I wonder how I’m gonna beat that boss,’ he wondered to himself, haphazardly spilling more of the water than he should have over Bellsprout.

“Oops, sorry bell sprout,” he mumbled, his mind not too concerned about the grass type’s well being except in case he got in trouble with his parents for doing something wrong. ‘That oughta do it,’ he thought to himself, discarding the watering can in the back yard before he began walking towards the back entrance of the house.

“Bell.. bell..” the plant pokémon pleaded just before Jamie managed to grope the kitchen door with his podgy fingers. He stopped and paused, irritated by the grass type’s pleadings.

“What is it now bellsprout?” he quizzed

Suddenly though he felt a cold chill on the back of his neck. It wasn’t the wind though, it felt like it was actually touching him, breathing on his skin. He stopped cold in his tracks, swallowed hard then very slowly turned around to face what was behind him. At first, he jumped and then, he cowered behind a plant pot, trying to conceal his short stocky body.

‘God I hate pokémon,’ he thought to himself as his fear shook his body. ‘First I have to feed them when I could be playing good video games and then I’m attacked by weird floating skulls with eerie big red eyes/’

He held onto the terracotta pot so fiercely, his finger nails were beginning to get covered in soil. Then his chest began heaving, fear to him was more than just a mental affliction. He began panicking, searching his pockets for his inhaler, his chest felt like it was about to go crazy.

Yeah, you be scared. Fear the mighty Duskull!

“That’s what I’m doing, can’t you see how I’m hiding behind this plant pot?” he shrieked in protest, one hands roaming around his pocket, desperately looking for the plastic device.

Relax kid, I’m messing with you. I’ve come for you.

“That’s really not helping me relax.. How come you can speak anyway?” he quizzed between short breaths.

Well, probably to everyone else I’m just saying Duskull, du-du-duskull. Skull skull, but the forces that be decided that we were to understand each other.

“Oh yeah, I’ve heard that one before. Is this one of those radio shows or TV shows where they attach an audio device to a pokémon so they can confuse little kids for the audience’s entertainment. You should all be ashamed of yourselves, pick on a nine year old. How low do they stoop these days..” he stammered out, still clutching the pot with one hand in fear he was wrong, the other releasing his grip on his medication.

Man, you’re cynical for a nine year old. But seriously I’m not from a radio or TV station. I’m here because we’re supposed to go on a long journey so I can gain human form again.

“What are you talking about?” Jamie murmured, his interest piquing a little in the ghost pokémon’s words.

It’s a long story, do your really want to hear it?

“Well, I suppose you’re not going to leave me alone until I do. Besides it’s a good way of putting off the multiplications,” he decided, somehow relaxing against the plant pot. “You promise not to attack me?”

If you promise not to fall asleep and stop cowering behind that plant.

“Deal. I’ll come out now shall I?”

Yeah, sounds good. So anyway, I was having these dreams for months...

[TrueCharizard]

CHAPTER ONE


“Could you not have summed that story up as. Well once, I was a human, then my friend got hit by a car so I went in search of a legendary pokémon, protected it from whack job, then got killed by a rock throwing giant lizard whilst on the back of my gigantic Charizard so I‘m here now to go on a pokémon journey with you so I can become human again?” Jamie asked in a rather bored tone “How come I haven’t heard anything on the news yet?” Jamie complained, folding his arms in defiance.

First off, that wouldn’t have been any fun. You also probably wouldn’t have believed me if I hadn’t built it up with suspense, dramatic monologue, action, adventure and romance. Second of all, you’re a kid, you don’t watch the news. You switch it over for cartoons or computer games. Or at least you did if you were my age. Besides, maybe it’s just happened. So do you believe me now?

“I suppose so.. For the time being. That story had an awful lot of drug references and swearing to be told to a nine year old. I’m glad you spared me the grubby little details too. I’m at an impressionable age too!” he protested loudly. “I don’t think it’d be a very good idea for me to be going on a quest with you. You’d be a bad influence on me!”

When have nine year olds ever worried about bad influences? If I was your age I’d be like “Woah cool, violence and swearing, wait till all the other kids at school about this!”

“Yeah, like they’d believe me, I‘m not one of the cool ones. Besides, this sounds like you stole the storyline from all of those action movies I get to stay up late and watch..” he protested.

What, like Herbie Rides Again?

“Well.. Yeah and..” Jamie trailed off, trying to think of something cool he had watched and coming to the conclusion there wasn’t anything he had seen worth mentioning apart from a badly dubbed martial arts film. “Okay, maybe you have a point, but I still don’t see why I should have to go on a journey to help you. Surely I should be allowed to live my own life. Besides, I hate pokémon,” he insisted, trying to defend his interests to the Duskull.

How can you hate pokémon, they help us and are generally pretty cool. Battling is sometimes better than uh.. That thing you’ll experience later in life..

“That’s what everyone says.. Well not in those words exactly but they’re always insisting I go on some journey when I’m ten. It’s like they can’t wait to get rid of me. The only pokémon I ever liked was taken from me when I was only seven,” Jamie complained miserably.

They just want you to have fun. You grow up a lot on a pokémon journey too. What pokémon was it?

“Growly. Original name for a Growlith, but I named him when, he was four years old. They took him away from me because he bit somebody, but Growly wouldn’t hurt anyone.. He was looking out for me,” Jamie said sadly, his eyes looking to the ground in a sense of loss.

That’s too bad, but maybe you’ll grow to like other pokémon on your way. Besides, what else are you going to do with your life? Drink cola and play video games all day an all night?

“Well so far, that’s all I got planned. Please don’t make me go on this journey. Besides, I’m not even ten yet, I wouldn’t be able to get a trainer’s card, pokémon supplies or anything..” he pleaded. “I mean, maybe I could help you battle some of the trainer’s around here. I bet there’s plenty of trainers you can battle in Twin Leaf Town..” he insisted.

Come on, I’m relying on you. We can’t stick around this town, I’ve been to small towns before and its always the same, some kid with a rattatta, a little girl with a wussy little bird type, I won’t even get close to evolving that way.

“Now who’s being self centred,” Jamie replied.

[I]Point taken. So how are you going to let me convince you to raise me? What do I have to do?/I]

“I dunno. I’ll make you a deal,” Jamie finally decided after a moment’s pondering. “You beat me at wii sports boxing and I’ll go on your journey, if not, you leave me alone” he said with a smile. Nobody ever beat him at wii boxing. Computer games were one of his few strong points in life.

Fine.. But I think it’s a little unfair using a game designed for humans to settle this, I mean I don’t even have any arms.

“Scared you’re going to lose?” Jamie replied as a goad.

No I am not going to lose. Wait a minute..

Jamie didn’t reply. He twisted the kitchen door handle and pushed it open, stepping into the nicely designed, but poorly kept kitchen. Full bin bags that needed dumping lay in one corner of the room, whilst a stack of empty soda cans lay in wait to be recycled on the other. He walked with his small stumpy legs past the mess into the living room, equally in need of a good clean as the kitchen. Stacks of old newspapers and magazines were stacked up on a wooden coffee table, ringed and marked where hot liquid had been spilt. Stepping around the assorted works of academia left by his caring, but slightly negligent parents, Jamie turned on the television and the games console, lifting up the nun-chuck controller in two hands. The Duskull floated in slowly behind him, his shadowy mass trailing behind him with arms folded behind his back. The ghost moved and after unfolding its shadowy arms, lifted the second nun chuck controller in them.

“How can you do that? I thought ghosts weren’t on the normal plane?”

We use spectral energy. Haven’t you ever seen Ghostbusters?

“No, I don’t like bad eighties sci-fi comedies,” Jamie replied in a disinterested tone.

The ghost dropped the nun chuck controller in frustration and turned to leave the room.

DON’T YOU EVER INSULT GHOSTBUSTERS. That is it, this is where your education begins. Stay there, I’ll be back in ten minutes.

“Okay..” Jamie said, watching the ghost wander out the back door again. He sat and wondered for a while if the events were actually unfolding as they were, whether he was dreaming or whether it was his stomach’s way of telling him it was time to cook some dinner. He went to the kitchen and began preparing himself something. He’d had to learn to cook for himself due to the numerous times his parents would work late. In some respects, he’d sometimes had to raise himself. As he chopped up onion and chorizo sausage before frying them in the pan, he played with the idea of going on the journey.

‘Maybe it would be cool to sneak away from home,’ he thought to himself. ‘Maybe somebody might actually notice I’m gone. No, probably not. Just one less person to kiss on the cheek in the morning,’ he said thinking about his mother. His dad sometimes took him to watch football games, read him the odd story, but he always seemed too into his work or was rushing around looking after Jamie’s five year old brother Dennis. His older sister Megan didn’t care much for Jamie either. At sixteen, the girls concerns seemed to be dominated by fashion, boys and what was happening on some God-awful teen drama.

He stirred the onion and chorizo with a wooden spatula, gingerly adding pepper and pressing a few cloves of garlic into the mix as he stirred. He took a deep inhale of the pan’s contents and nodded, deciding to add some cheese and a little cream from the stain covered fridge. He lowered the heat and began to boil the kettle so he could cook some fresh fusilini in another pan. Just as he was putting the finishing touches together he felt that cold chill on the back of his neck again.

“Would you stop doing that!” he yelled, spilling the contents of the frying pan all over the floor. “Now look what you made me do..”

Awww but, it’s sooo much fun. Besides, there’s no accounting for clumsiness.

Jamie let out a deep seated groan in response as he went about trying to clear up the mess with a roll of kitchen towels.

“So where did you go?” he asked, tossing the frying pan in the sink in a pile of similarly dirty pots, pans and utensils and hastily running on the warm tap into the pan.

Well, that doesn’t really matter. The important thing is that nobody saw me and they can't see anything on the CCTV camera.

“You stole Ghostbusters from the DVD store?”

Yeap

“Let me salvage this pasta and we’ll watch it,” Jamie decided, sieving off the excess water from the saucepan and grinding some pepper and sprinkling a little bit of cheese over it, before putting it onto a half-clean plate. He grabbed a fork and lazily walked to the couch to sit down.

Putting the DVD in the player, the Duskull sat and looked mesmerized by the screen as the movie began.

Jamie on the other hand seemed much more interested on getting his chow down his throat. Staring at the screen was making him a little dreary.

In what seemed like a few minutes more, Duskull was nudging him awake.

Wake up, this is the best bit of the movie!

“Huh? What?! There’s a good part of this movie?” he questioned, disturbed and a little annoyed at having been woken up during such a relaxing nap. He fixed his eyes on the set again and sat watching the 80’s classic, slowly growing an interest in the film.

“So what we really need is a Ghostbuster gun and trap, so we can put you into a storage facility.”

Yes that’s.. Far from what we need! Can’t you just enjoy this movie for the awesomeness factor.

“Well you’re the one who’s making me watch it. I guess it’s okay..” Jamie protested, his freckled face scrunching up with a look of mock boredom to it.

The ghost let out a sigh and shook his skulled head in disappointment.

Kids today..

“Whatever, should we really be sitting around watching 80s movies whenever you’re still needing to convince me to go on this journey.”

That’s a point. Come on, wii time.

“Alright!” Jamie replied in a whooping cheer, setting up the console as he had done before as the Duskull went to pick up his nun chuck controller. A few moments later, the two were ready for their first graphically constructed bout.

Both boy and pokémon swung the controllers out in a series of hooks, jabs and blocks. Eventually the winner seem to be settled in a triumphant on-screen knock out.

“Ha! That oughta do it! You going to leave me alone now?”

The ghost let out a sigh of disappointment.

Rematch?

“Ehh no! I won fair and square, you promised you wouldn’t keep pestering me if I won.”

I didn’t promise.. I just said I wouldn’t. Aw come on, you know you want to go on this journey.

“How could I go on a journey with a ghost pokémon that gets beaten in a fight by a nine year old kid? How could you ever deal with a pokémon?” Jamie asked, putting down the controller and crossing his arms over his chest in a ‘I told you so fashion’.

The ghost looked stumped for a minute, not quite sure what to say.

Wait a minute, I’ll show how you that I can battle.

Without a second warning, the ghost floated out the back door into the darkness of the night.

Jamie rushed out after the ghost pokémon to see exactly what the grim reaper look-alike was planning. However, the events the Duskull were planning had already transpired. Standing triumphant over the lifeless form of his mother’s Bellsprout was a rather proud of itself Duskull.

“Oh my God,” Jamie gasped, staring in disbelief at the bellsprout, lying face down in the soil of the flower bed. “I think you just killed bellsprout..”

[ChloboShoka]

Thanks for the review request. Sorry for the late reply and short review I will try and add more depth later.

Prolouge:
Pretty good. Nice clinghanger involving Duskull. There was a nice atmosphere for the prolouge.

Chapter one:

Well, that doesn’t really matter. The important thing is that nobody saw me and they can't see anything on the CCTV camera.

“You stole Ghostbusters from the DVD store?”

Yeap

Intersting and cool, along with some good quotes of humor. I like how we see Jamie's character as both sad and laid back at the same back with his story about Growl and his love for video games. I think these two would form an unliekly friendship. Duskull is coming along nicely. Myschevious and some sence of wisdom at the sametime. Something I would imagine Duskull to be vivdly. and the italic effects are showing some justice. Also enjoyed the tense ending

"I think you just killed Bell sprout"

Overall, good

[TrueCharizard]

Chapter 2

“What did you just do?!” Jamie asked looking at the unconscious Bellsprout. ‘I am so much trouble,’ he thought to himself, his mind racing about how he would explain it to his mother.

What do mean what did I just do? I done beat his ***.

“Yes, but why?” Jamie asked. “I mean, it’s not like he was a threat, you just battered a defenceless pokémon half to death.”

Ah big deal. He’ll be fine, besides, now you know I can battle.

“Wow. Battle. Like Bellsprout. Because he's reaaaal dangerous,” Jamie said in a somewhat sarcastic tone. “You know I’m glad I beat you on the wii, means I won’t have to go travelling with such a psycho!”

Hey! I am not a psycho. I’m just a guy who’s been given another chance at life and trying to take you on an adventure.

“Dude, if what you say is true, you got made to live your life, looking like the grim reaper because you killed someone. And you enjoyed it!”

I never thought about it like that.

There was a sad tone to the ghost’s words as if the boy had really struck a chord.

Ah, oh well. So you want help burying this thing?

Jamie stooped and ran a hand over the ailing Bellsprout.

“I think he might be alive still.. He’s probably just unconscious,” Jamie stated, slightly reassured by the touch of the plant. He turned to look over at the ghost pokémon, a frown upon his face. “Well gee. This has been fun, can you leave now?”

Hey, what are you so worried about it? You never liked that plant.

“That’s not true!”

Isn’t it? He didn’t care for much either. He told me so himself. So there.

If the ghost could have stuck his tongue out, it would have.

“Alright.. But I’m still going to get in trouble for this. There’s never any wild pokémon wandering in our back yard. Mom will think I’ve done this deliberately. Like I over watered it or something.. That’s your fault too.”

Not my fault he can’t stand up to a nightshade attack anyway. Come on, I'll help you sort it out l.

“No. Please, just go. I really don’t need you around,” the ghost intoned.

Alright. I’ll go. I’ll be back. You’ll come round to my way of thinking.

“Don’t count on it.”

Jamie went back in doors and did a little tidying up of his plate. He got his homework over quickly and efficiently, then sat down to play some computer games. He’d opted for a classic controller and was bashing his way through a series of gun fights, firing at armed opponents. The whole time though, his mind was on the words of the Duskull. He kept thinking about how a journey might actually be fun. He weighed up the pros and cons as he tapped away at the buttons of the joy pad. One thing was for sure though, he wasn’t looking forward to telling his mother about the bellsprout. When she came in from her meetings, she was often flustered and a little frustrated by the difficulties of clients or shareholders.

When she finally did make it in, it was about half nine in the evening. She walked through the living room into the kitchen to grab something to eat, the whole while muttering about the inadequacy of something. After grabbing an apple, the tall woman, in her late thirties returned to the living room to speak to her son.

“Well? How’s my little Jim?” she said, before biting into the bright red apple with a satisfying crunch. “I’m sorry I wasn’t around to make dinner tonight. I promise, for you and your sister I’ll make something extra nice tomorrow night.”

“Good Mom,” he said in answer to her question, barely pulling his eyes away from the screen as he lobbed a grenade at some bunched up enemies. He’d heard that promise being unfulfilled in the past, but he wasn’t really worried about it at this point in time, he was used to being let down and well; he was a little worried about having to tell her about the bellsprout. He tapped the pause button and looked up to her. This was going to be the difficult part. “Except for one thing..”

“What’s that dear?” she said, her eyes glancing around the room as if trying to work out whether or not she should get a cleaner in to sort out the mess.

“Uhhh.. I think I must have over watered Bellsprouts soil, he’s kind of in an unconscious state..” he muttered with a concerned look in his eyes.

“You did what?!” his mother replied in question, her mouth agape in shock. She was prone to her mood swings sometimes.

“I uhh. Yeah, I mean all I know is that he was fine when I watered him, but an hour later, he wasn’t himself. Maybe a ghost attacked him or something..”

“Come on now Jamie, you know things like that just don’t happen around here. This simply won’t do. You’re going to have to take him to the poké centre in Sandgem town after school. I’m extremely disappointed in you,” she said with her arms folded over her chest, a punishing glare cast over her son.

That was harsh he thought. Even if he did over water bellsprout, which wasn’t even the reason why it was hurt and unconscious, it’s not like he could have meant to do it. Worst of all, he wasn’t even entitled to be the subject of anger, it was disappointment - like he was a let down.

“Okay mom, I’m sorry,” he said in a voice that covered his irritation, his blue eyes glancing up to the piercing green gaze of his mothers. Beneath the surface he was angry. A little at the Duskull, a lot at his mother. She’d left him in the care of his sister, who cared less about her brother than she did about the latest cover of one of her teen magazines, expected him to make his own dinner and look after her plant. It was an awful lot for a nine year old.

“Have you done your homework?” she inquired in a bitter tone.

“Yes mother,” he said, his mood reflected in his tone.

“Good. I’ll check over it before you hand it in,” she said, walking over to where he had done his homework on the living room table. He hated when she did that. She’d point all his itty-bitty grammar mistakes that even the teacher wouldn’t care about. Jamie thumbed the pause button again and continued tapping away at the joy pad once again and fixated his eyes on the busy screen. He figured he could probably shoot his bad mood away, shooting some enemies would cheer him up. Or so he thought. In actuality, his mother’s words were niggling at him in the back of his mind. Walking all the way to Sandgem was a chore and not one he felt he should have to do. He’d do it anyway, with reluctance.

The rest of the evening went pretty uneventfully. Jamie went to bed whenever he felt tired enough of scoring head shots. The next day he woke up, got dressed into some jeans, a black t-shirt and slipped on some old trainers. On his head he wore a black beanie with flames on it. Normally anyone other than a slightly chubby nine year old would look like a fool wearing it, but somehow it kind of fitted his personality. He grabbed his book bag with homework and bellsprout containing pokémon. Jamie had to do everything himself when it came to getting ready for school. His mom just made sure he left the house and he did the rest himself. Along the way he couldn’t help notice how much he actually had to do for himself.

School was equally uneventful as the night before, he slipped through class being the average student that he was. He was by no means a genius, but whenever he applied himself, he was more than capable of performing well. It was just that he never really applied himself. This day was no different, except he couldn’t help thinking about what had transpired the night before. Maybe he owed it to the ghost to go on the journey. I mean, if the Duskull wasn’t lying then it’d be like helping out another human being, who sounded like he was a good guy.

After school ended, Jamie went about on the walk to Sandgem town. It took roughly an hour’s walk and being as unfit and tubby as he was, Jamie felt the strain about halfway through. He stopped and rested on a bench on route to catch his breath. It was a warm day, the sun was beating down on him with its warm rays, causing him to sweat. As he watched the clouds go by and the starly flying in their flocks through the sky, he felt a cold touch on the back of his neck for the third time in two days.

“Gah! For the last time, stop doing that!” he spat out.

I will if you come on a quest for adventure and wealth!

“Gee, you make that sound so tempting. No.”

What’s the matter with you today anyway? You’ve looked so grumpy.

“It’s just having to go all the way to Sandgem so I can sort out bellsprout. That’s your fault that is,” he grumbled, looking at the skull-faced ghost pokémon, who had appeared seemingly out of the blue.

Well, just enjoy the day - the great out doors, the nice weather. It’s awesome.

“I guess. I’d rather be playing games inside though.”

Always with the games. I was just like you as a kid. Sitting around, doing sweet f-a in doors. Boy did I suck at social skills. You really need to get out more. You know you can do that on a pokémon journey.

“Whatever. My mom would be really annoying about the whole thing. Like she is with everything,” he grumbled again.

You know she..

“You know she what? Finish the sentence.”

The strange thing was that the ghost was going to be the good hearted reassuring type and tell him that his mother only did those things because she cared so much for her son. That things were going to get better at home. Then he realized that might be a little counter-productive to his goals.

You know she doesn’t care anyway. She’d barely notice you gone, you sound like a right nuisance at home. She should appreciate you more.

“Hey that is not..” Jamie spurted out, before stopping to consider the ghost’s words. “You know what. Maybe it is true.. Well, I dunno. I should think about that one,” he decided before standing from his seat on the bench and began walking once again.

“Anyway, since I’ve gotta walk all the way to Sandgem, you can keep me company,” Jamie decided.

That sounds like a plan. What type of music do you like?

“Rap. I love dope lyrics, you know what I mean?”

Yeah. I do the odd bit of free styling sometime.

“No way! Go on then. Lets hear you,” Jamie said, looking at the shadowy creature as it hovered on alongside him.

I don’t mean to use old material
But I’m back from the dead like a ghost ethereal
Taking down a killer who was serial
I’m Darth Vader and I’m getting imperial
*****! I was a navy seal, a royal marine
I had a healing factor like wolverine
Snikty Snikt out comes your spleen
I’m hotter than a Lean mean fat reducing grilling machine
And you and me could be the dream team

“Wow. That’s kind of better than I expected, even though it still sucks,” Jamie decided, slightly impressed by the ghost’s rap.

Yeah, you know most people say that. You should have heard me when I was alive.

“I’d have liked that..” Jamie mused as the pair walked through the wooded route. The pair chatted for a little longer, getting to know each other. By the time they finally made it to the small town’s poké centre, they had become quite well acquainted with one another. In fact, due to the fact the ghost disappeared into thin air, it might have looked like Jamie was talking excitedly to himself.

There wasn’t much to the town. A few houses, a poké centre and a few stores. Perhaps the most unusual thing was the large pokémon laboratory used by a research team headed by Professor Rowan. There was the odd person walking through the streets, but nothing too distracting for Jamie and the Duskull who were consumed with their conversation. The chatter stopped though as Jamie walked alone through the automatic sliding doors of the poké center, the ghost having disappeared into thin air as soon as people got any where close to realizing that there was a spectre floating around the area, need they not run off in fright. The tall, pretty red headed nurse stood with her arms folded behind her back, waiting to help those with wounded pokémon.

“Aren’t you a little bit young to be a trainer?” Nurse Joy asked, pointing out that Jamie, being a year younger than the norm and being short for his age.

“I’m just getting my mom’s pokémon healed,” he stated bluntly as he handed the poké ball over from his backpack. The poké centre had a strange feel to it. Jamie wasn’t used to being around so many trainers and it kind of made him feel uncomfortable to be in trainer central. There was an eclectic bunch of them in the room though. A tall, middle aged man with a top hat and a beard, tended to a bird pokémon which Jamie didn’t recognize, whilst a few young male trainers were comparing their rattatas and their spearrows to see which one was the strongest. He looked over at them as he waited for the machine to do its thing - they looked like the type who would have been too cool to hang out with him at school.

After receiving the red and white striped ball from the nurse, Jamie turned to leave and head out on the journey home.

“Well, if it ain’t Jerkoff Jackson. Where do you think you’re going?” said a cruel, older voice from behind his shoulder. There were a few things in life Jamie hated. One was hard work, another was being called Jackson and the third was the boy behind that voice.

Jamie halted in his tracks and slowly turned to face his third hate; Daniel Davidson. A year or two older than Jamie, Daniel Davidson was a notorious bully. The older boy had the perfect shape for his favourite occupation of giving other kids hell. He was about a foot taller than Jamie and extremely beefy, his head was usually shaved and he had a scruffy look about him. His ripped jeans always had a chain hanging from the belt with his overly-fat-from-other-kid’s-lunch-money wallet attached to it, despite the fact that the fashion of wallet chains had gone out about four years before. Upon his chest, he had a habit of wearing a white school shirt, always slightly open and with his sleeves rolled up to show off his thick forearms.

“Home, Davidson. Whats it to you?” Jamie admitted as if squaring up to the taller boy.

“Its been a while since I’ve taken pocket money off you. I kind of missed that,” Davidson replied with a big, sadistic looking grin on his face.

“Yeah, that’s a shame. I enjoyed that time away from each other. I heard you’re on a pokémon journey. I didn’t know they gave pokémon to assholes,” Jamie growled, defiant despite his tormentor’s physical superiority. Usually, Jamie would probably have tried to run away, or even to have frozen stiff with fear, but for some reason he had an unusual streak of confidence about him today. Maybe even the anger was rising from the argument with his mother the night before.

Daniel took a step closer to Jamie, getting right in his face with his flat, podgy nose.

“They didn’t. I’m using my rattatta, it’s the best one around here,” the bully replied with a sharp sense of pride.

“Oh yeah, I find that hard to believe,” Jamie replied, staring eye to eye with the tall stocky boy.

In an angry response, Daniel grabbed Jamie by the scruff of his t-shirt with a glare on his face.

“You oughta be careful what you say to me Jackson,” Davidson said in an angry tone.

“Yeah? What you gonna do?” Jamie replied in a tone that mirrored that of his embitterment. He grabbed Davidson and stared him down. This probably wasn’t the best response to return to the bully who in his rage threw Daniel down like a sack of potatoes, discarded to the ground. He landed with a bump, earning some cuts and bruises on his elbows for his cheek. What hurt more than the cuts however was the embarassment he was feeling.

“That’s what I’m gonna do Jackson,” the bully replied in a sneer, standing over the smaller boy. “Hand over your wallet.”

“Not this time Davidson, I’ve got help. Duskull, sick him,” he said, looking around him as he sat up, his eyes darting around in search of the ghost. He clicked his fingers, hoping the ghost would show. “Come on Duskull…” he urged, not wanting to be embarrassed for the second time in a day.

“Ha, looks like you got yourself a no show,” the bully replied, punching the palm of his hand with a curled up fist. “Now be a good boy and hand over your…” the boy’s words stopped cold. Because something very cold was touching the back of his neck.

Jamie could only smile. His ghostly companion had arrived at just the right time.

Sorry I’m late, perving on teenage girls is a lot easier when you’re invisible.

“You sick Sonnofa..” Jamie muttered half heartedly.

The shadowy pokémon come to take form, its skull like head appearing first, with its large red eyes glaring hideously at the fear stricken bully.

“G-G-Go rattatta,” he said, pulling a red and white poké ball from his belt and tossing it to the ground. What emerged was a foot tall purple furred rat pokémon with two sharp front teeth, ready to be used with menace. The only problem was that the rat was twitching its long white whiskers rather nervously, its red eyes showed the same kind of fear its trainer did. The Duskull stood in front of its new found foe, ready to combat his opponent.

Jamie slowly came to stand on his own two feet. He brushed himself off and looked over at the ghost.

“Uh Duskull, I’m sorry.. I don’t have a clue what attacks you have..” he apologized, looking at the new ghost.

That’s quite alright, I got this one covered.

“Rattata, use your tackle attack!” Daniel commanded his rodent, the larger boy’s entire body rigid as a board in fear of the ghost.

Immediately, the four legged vermin rushed forward with its head lowered at its ghostly opponent and an angry glare in its eyes. Just as it were about to make contact, the ghost disappeared and reappeared on the opposite side of the rat. The small purple pokémon looked bewildered and confused as it turned around to face the ghost once more.

“Ooops too slow,” Jamie said with a bemused smile resting on his lips.

“Rattata, use your quick attack!” the bully said as a follow up to the previous order.

The rodent began running very quickly at the ghost, darting from side to side, disappearing and reappearing as it moved directly at the Duskull. Powering off its hind legs, the rodent leapt with its claws out at the ethereal spirit. Strangely though, the rat seemed to have just jumped through the ghost and it landed in a confused heap on the other side. The Duskull turned around and made its own physical response. Using its shadowy body, the ghost slammed itself into the rat, its body somehow gaining a physical weight and pounding the rattata flat. The rat, now in a state of unconsciousness could do nothing but lie with its eyes like x’s in the dirt.

“Nicely done Duskull,” Jamie said with a smile. He looked back up to his former bully and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve always wanted to say this Davidson. Your wallet, give me it.”

The tall stocky boy could do nothing but grab the chained wallet and unclipped it. He threw it over to Jamie, this was about the only movement he could perform, being paralyzed with fear.

Jamie took a few steps towards his adversary so that he could get right in his face to antagonize him.

“Well? What are you still standing around for? Boo!”

As quickly as he could, Daniel picked up the poké ball and recalled the star-seeing rat pokémon before running as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Jamie turned and looked over to the ghost pokémon and nodded.

“Nice work,” Jamie said with a satisfied smile as he watched his former tormentor hurry off into the distance.

Now, you owe me.

“Good, I don’t feel like going home for a while. Should I call you Tom or Duskull?” Jamie asked, looking over at his ghostly companion.

Neither. Tom doesn’t sound like a very fitting name for a Duskull and I’d rather not have Duskull yelled at me.. It’s a bit too generic and lame. How about.. Deadman?

“Deadman. I like that.”

And with that, the friendship was formed.

[l00k0verthere]

Aww... It's real nice to see that bit when the Pokémon and trainer become friends. This looks like the start of a good fic.

“Wow. That’s kind of better than I expected, even though it still sucks,” Jamie decided, slightly impressed by the ghost’s rap.

There are a few really funny bits like that in here, and I'd like to keep reading.