EPISODE 15: Grief*

"Life can be a challenge..." My mother's hand gently rubs across the blanket I am weeping on. Mother's voice turns into a solemn one as her soul begins to sing, a melody of pure white, a remedy to an aching heart.

"Life can seem impossible, it's never easy when so much is on the line but you can make a difference, with courage you can set things right. The gift to dream, and make dreams real, is yours and mine." Humbly, my mother sings a soothing lullaby. When I was young she sang this to me, calming all those sleepless nights. My heart continued to sink, going ever deeper than the Mariana Trench. Mother continues to sing, coming from my heart. Her soul wis my vessel, lifting me up like a buoyant force.

"Each of us is chosen, there's a mission just for you. Just look inside, and you'll be surprised at what you can do." My turmoil screams with pain as my mother's song irritates their spirit. Gently, my mother hugs me, as her arms removes the blanket I am hiding on. She sees the storm my boat is sailing on. Deliberately, the storm stopped, the clouds dispersed, and the rain met its fate. The hot-tempered wind entered a deep slumber while the sun's galore glimmered once more, and the seas were calm just like golden eras.

My mother hugs me gently while wiping my tears away. Our hearts intervened, producing a powerful force of love and affection. My parent's real identity shall forever be hidden from me. I am a rubbish thrown away by my former parents, to think of such thing, made me frustrated at them. Never in my life shall I forgive their actions, nor will I seek to find them. Or will I?

"Don't worry, whenever the storm rages, I'll be there to calm the seas." My mother cheers while her hands wipea off my tears. I gave a pleasant smile while holding Ralts and Petilil on my grasp.

"Now, it's almost dinner time so I want you to prepare. Give Ralts a little brush, her shiny hair might soon fade away." Athena teases. Her instructions are clear and loud, and her face brings a smile to my face.

I may be delighted by my mother's song, but deep inside, it still angers me to know that my real parents gave me away.

In the dining hall, I see Jenny looking melancholy. Her eyes are filled with bubbles, slowly they pop and glide down her face. Pikachu comforts her trainer by licking her face, but Jenny doesn't respond and just stares into the abyss.

"Hello," I utter pleasantly. I sit beside her to comfort whatever is troubling her. She seems ignorant while continuing to stare at the great abyss.

"Am, I a bad friend?" Jenny questions solemnly. I disagree with her question. Although she's rambunctious, her heart is warm and kind.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I should've listened to you instead. Anyways, here's your Sushi. You forgot it remember?" Jenny apologizes with sincerity. She places the white plastic on the brown wooden table and pushes it towards me. I respond with a giggle while giving a gentle tap on Jenny's shoulder.

"You know what? I don't feel so good anymore. I want to go home, but I can't, no one will take care of me. I am rambunctious at times, but when sorrow strikes, I'm completely different.

If it wasn't for Team Rocket, my mother would still be alive. If it wasn't for Team Rocket, my father would've arrived. If it wasn't for Team Rocket my little sister could still be here. If it wasn't for Team Rocket, my family would be hugging me right now." Jenny's voice utters solemnly with a small mixture of anger and turmoil.

"F... Father?" I question. It seems to me, Jenny's mother isn't the only one who perished.

"My father was on his way back home. It was a cold and stormy night, everything was under a zero visibility state. I waited for him until midnight, but he never returned. Even my mother was already worried sick for my father.

Two hours past midnight, my mother's colleagues knocked on our house. They told me, my mother, and my sister that father's body was found dead inside his car. The car crashed on a slope of a steep hill, and this time? It wasn't because of the rain, the police investigated the car incident and saw my father's Pokeballs have gone missing, meaning someone has stolen them. Who could've snatched my father's Pokemons? It's no other than team Rocket, but it's still under investigation. We're still unsure if my father died due to team Rocket or some other grave organization. He was in the Hoenn region at that time when that grave incident happened.

On the following day, my sister didn't return home after school. Me and my mother panicked once more, until the police told us that she was kidnapped. It's uncertain if it's team Rocket though, but I suspect that it is their work. According to the witness, the men wore a red jacket, with an "M" symbol in the center. It's probably team Rocket's elite members.

Another day after that, and now it's my mother's turn to meet her fate. This time, I was certain it was team Rocket, she died while trying to protect me." Jenny's cold voice freezes my ears. Droplets turns into streams, as she mourns for her family's lost.

Impossible, a grunt wearing a red jacket with an M on the center? Doesn't sound like Team Rocket to me. I give her a smile while patting her shivering body.

Each of us has our own stories about their family. My mother and father dumped me, while Jenny's family was killed one by one. I highly doubt that it was the work of Team Rocket though, cause the last time I checked, they wore black suits and not red ones.

Could there be another organization lurking around besides Team Rocket? If so, what region do they originate from? What goals and ideals do they have in mind?