Claret, by Eminai
Chapter 1: Escapade
“Look Ricky, I swear, I saw something!”
“Tom, man, this is getting old. There’s no such thing as a silver… whatever it was.”
“A silver beast with these gold-“
“Drop it already!”
“Mr. Haru, you believe me, right?”
***
There no such thing as fairness. It was just a word that described a selfish point of view.
For a twelve-year-old, Thomas knew this unspoken rule to life very well. Teachers picked favorites, tasks go unrewarded, parents do not understand a single thing, and life turned everything against his aspirations.
“Should this even be called life anymore?” Thomas asked himself before slipping his lanky body through the crack in the window. Mr. Gruni had left it open to ‘let in the sweet smell of a summer’s clear air’, whatever that meant. There was a muffled groan as the boy landed face flat into the parched grass. He picked himself up then made a dash for it, spitting out random vegetation as he did. The sun, in all its burning glory, poured its sweltering rays upon him. Sweat trickled down the boy’s face as he charged up a dirt path. The path rose into a hill, and below, Thomas could see most of the humble little town he grew up in. A sudden look of fury crossed his face, and he tore his sight away from the tiny houses.
There only a single lonely residence on the monstrous Suna Hill. A worn dirt path led to the cottage whose modest demeanor was in complete contrast to its location. Suna Hill, with flat terrain surrounding all sides, was one of the highest places in the southern Palleton District. Every dawn and dusk, the rays of gold struck the knoll in such a fashion that it seemed to glow. The little cottage however shied away from the glorious light and nestled itself in the shadows of two huge pines. Confined and hidden, it was obvious why barely anyone knew it was there.
Thomas panted, and his hazel eyes showed relief as the cottage came into view. Like many times before, the smell of a perfume-like smoke escaped from the cottage’s stone chimney. The aroma was not heavy and wafted gently through the air like a pleasing mist. The boy had grown to love it; it signaled a welcomed retreat from the unjust world.
“Mr. Haru,” Thomas called while gently knocking on an oak door. “Mr. Haru, are you there?”
There were some light footfalls on wood and shuffling of clothes. Then a soft voice answered, “You are early today.”
The brass knob turned, and with a rush of sweet-scented air, the door swung open to reveal a living room. A medium sized chair by a crackling fireplace was part of the meager furnishings of the area. Aside from a small table, a couple more spare chairs, and a deep mahogany rug sprawled across the wooden floor, there nothing much to look at. Thomas took this in with a familiar gaze then smiled at the man who opened the door.
“Summer means shorter school days,” the boy replied before seating himself comfortably on the rug. The man closed the door and joined the boy.
“Or it can mean skipping class,” Mr. Haru replied with a small grin.
A mischievous smirk on the boy’s face answered his statement. The man sighed and shook his head, causing his waist-long white hair to shield part of his bandaged face. His eyes were completely covered which left the boy wondering how the man was able to navigate his home. The man’s forearm and feet were also enveloped in the dressing while the rest of his tan body was cloaked in a loose robe-like attire.
“Our exams are done already. I really don’t see why lessons continue till mid-June. It’s the same thing over and over again: ‘New trainers please enjoy your journey while everyone else stays at home and gets bored to death by chores.’”
“I see. Still angry at your mother, I suppose?” the man asked.
Thomas growled and pounded his fist against the floor before replying fiercely, “Yes. Guess what she said to me on my birthday? ‘Now now Tommy, I hope you don’t mind if I give you a groomer’s starter kit. I want you to appreciate the fine art of beauty’! I want to see Pokémon in action, not turn them into fluffy pansies only so their fat rich owners can cuddle them to death!”
“Pokémon grooming is essential knowledge that experienced trainers should know,” Mr. Haru said calmly before getting up and ambling to a room on the right. From there a shriek whistle of a kettle was heard. “Besides, your mother is very protective,” continued the man, “She preferred it if your dream in life was less hazardous.”
Thomas rubbed the back of his head which caused his messy brown hair to be more unruly. “I know, but she won’t let me do anything now. I mean, I can’t even go into that little patch trees down by the creek. There’s only some Pidgey and Ratata there. Because of her, I haven’t seen Gale in a month,” the boy explained. At the mentioning of Gale, his fingers dug into the fine rug. Mr. Haru came back to the room with two china cups in hand. He sat down once more and offered one to Thomas who took it.
“Gale… I believe he was your Pidgey?” Mr. Haru inquired.
“Wish he was ‘cept Mom is terrified of him,” Thomas mumbled as he sipped the richly brewed tea. “That and I will never find that silver creature if I stayed home all day.”
The man gave a gentle smile. “You’re still looking for it?”
Thomas put down his cup and replied, “Of course! There’s something about it. It was just like… Woah. “
A shrill ringing noise filled and echoed inside the house, interrupting the boy. As the man got up again, Thomas added, “I want to go on a journey. I mean, I can’t stay here forever. Ricky’s parents let him do it. How come I can’t?”
“Your mother feels that you’re not ready yet. I presume your father will feel the same way despite is job… Hello?” the man answered as he picked up a gray phone.
The boy felt an inner fire licking the insides of his stomach (and the tea lay forgotten). He gritted and scraped his canines together then stopped as a one of them pierced his tongue. Thomas winced; his teeth were strangely jagged, and the boy wondered how he could’ve failed to notice.
With a short sigh, Mr. Haru placed the phone back and carefully picked his way towards the rug. Thomas was still occupied with his abnormally serrated teeth. He felt the jagged edges with his thumb but stopped as a drop of blood emerged from his pricked skin.
“Thomas, your mother just called. She wants you back home. Apparently your little escapade gave her a heart attack,” the man said with a bit of amusement in his voice. The boy gave an exasperated grunt and threw himself onto the floor. Like a rag doll he lied there, waiting for the world to change. Mr. Haru chose a spot right next to him, an enigmatic smile etched on his tan face.
“Thomas,” the man began softly, “think of it like this. Your parents aren’t really the ones that are holding you back. Really, what prevents you and mankind in general from doing great things is the mind.”
Thomas stared at him with a blank expression upon his face. Then, gradually something came to him, and something blazed within his hazel eyes. Mr. Haru’s bandaged hand felt around on the coffee table until it brushed across a lumpy package. The man picked it up then offered the parcel to the plotting boy.
“Here. I feel you shall need it soon.”
“Thanks Mr. Haru. Thanks for everything! Hey, when I’m on my way, I’ll visit you okay?” Thomas said hurriedly as he grabbed the package and rushed out of the door. As the boy sped down the dirt path again, a joyful imitation of a Fearow’s shrieking caw exploded from Thomas’ throat.
Life was never fair. With its cruel and numerous rules, life was never something that could be compromised. Once it had made a decision, it was final.
Thomas begged to differ.
***
Reiyu… is your true name… Do you not remember?
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