Oldale Church unlike many locations around The Blue Quarter had managed to maintain some of the splendor from its heyday. While many of the stained-glass windows had broken pieces, or some parts missing entirely, they were polished to a shine every day. When the sun managed to catch them, their colors shown down into the sanctuary with a dazzling display. The stone and brick that made up the building, while eroded from hundreds of years of weather was often repaired quickly. The signs of caulking and newer stone dotted the building. Finally, the Sanctuary itself was groomed every Wednesday and Sunday by the devoted patrons of the church. Lucas is intimately familiar with that schedule as Nicholas often volunteered to help, while dragging the boy with him.
Even so, Lucas was rather fond of the place as it was one of the few areas in town he felt he could get some peace from his own thoughts. There would be no such quiet respite today as he walked towards the crowd surrounding the church. Thanks to some community leaders and doctors willing to work for free, the church ran a check-up clinic every month which dozens flocked to. On his approach, Lucas noticed that there were far more people there than usual. In fact, there were people there he didn’t recognize at all.
“What is going on?” thought Lucas, trying to scan the crowd for an entry point.
On his search, he caught a flash of royal purple among the crowd. Following his hunch, Lucas bumped into an unexpected quarry. Tall, clean cut and dark skin wrapped in a Letterman jacket Nathan stood waiting in line trying to get into the church. While Lucas himself was often apprehensive about the future, Nathan pretty much had a clear path. Nathan graduated in the top five percent of their high school, a monstrous amount of offers to colleges, and even more deals to entice him to go. They had become friends after both had ended up fighting over something so stupid that Lucas had forgotten the reason. Lucas would often feel guilty about questioning his friend's continued relationship considering his growing popularity as a sports star. The one time he decided to confront him about Nathan had just laughed it off
"Geez what the hell brother? I mean before I had all I have now, we were friends. Why would that change just because a bunch of people forgot what personal space means?"
It was a fond memory, seeing that he wouldn’t have to look to hard for his friend Lucas spoke as he approached.
“Rare to see you out at the church,” said Lucas, as he closed in.
“Rarer to see you outdoors,” came the swift comeback.
The two clasped hands and gave a friendly hug before stepping back. Nathan hazel eyes furrowed a little while maintaining that winning smile that so many had become familiar with.
“So, brother what brings you out here today?” asked Nathan.
“Old man wants me to stay out of the house for a while. Said I’ve worked too much overtime as it is so wants me to go out and ‘socialize’. Like there is anybody out here at the church I don’t already know,” Lucas said exasperated.
Shaking his head Nathan clasped a hand on Lucas shoulder making the smaller boy stagger a bit.
"I told you man, he was going to figure out a way to get you out in the sunshine with the rest of us mortals,”
Knowing he had a point, Lucas felt his aggravation with his current circumstances begin to boil over. Rolling his shoulders, Lucas stared at the bustling crowd trying to get in to be seen by the doctors.
"Is it just me or is there a lot more Pokemon out here than normal?"
The smile only grew wider on Nathan’s face. Knowing that he was probably missing something crucial Lucas looked over the crowd again before turning to face his friend.
“I’m guessing someone special decided to show up, what is it another humble beginning athlete coming to pay homage or something?”
“Not quite, remember all that news coverage that happened in Sango two years ago?”
Not even Lucas was enough of a hermit to not know what that incident was. From what he knew two years ago a terrorist group calling themselves Team Natural had shown up in the Sango region. While not privy to many of the intimate details, Lucas did know they caused a lot of damage over a few months. It all came to a head at the top of Wedding Tower in Juniper City. Afterwards a group the media dubbed the “Sango Seven” had been declared the heroes that had stopped the leader of Team Natural.
“Wait are you saying they all decided to randomly show up here in town? Why?”
“It’s only one of them, rumor has it he was passing through town, found out about the clinic and decided to help out. One snapped photo later and well…”
Nathan spreads his arm out to the crowd to emphasize his point. A hometown hero coming back home to pay “respects” was enough to bring a crowd. Someone that saved a whole region seemed to have summoned half the city. Lucas was about to swiftly change his mind about even attempting to work his way through the crowd when he heard Nathan’s name being called. Both boys turned in the direction the voice finding a woman stumbling up to them.
“Excuse me, are you Nathan De La Rafe?”
Lucas shot a glance at his friend, seeing the wide grin he had on his face had faded slightly. It wasn’t the attention, it had been that he had been addressed by his full name.
“Y-yeah, what’s up do you need something?”
The attendant held out a notebook that had a bunch of signatures “Please may you sign this? The way you played last week was amazing! 23 points total to carry the game!”
Staring at the autograph book in amusement, Nathan’s grin returned to maximum smirk.
“Sure I would be more than willing to, however, my brothers wanted to see the celebrity that’s here today. Problem is they won’t be out of daycare for a while so I was hoping to get an autograph or something. If you can get me inside, I’ll be sure to pay you back,”
"Seriously? I can get you in through the volunteer entrance, you'll probably have to help out here and there but it will be a lot better than hanging out baking in the sun!" exclaimed the attendant.
"Hey thanks,"
Nathan pulled out a handful of tickets, Lucas frowned a little at the sight. While he was unopposed to the practice, his friend had the habit of keeping a bunch of tickets to himself and gives them out before important games. It was a good way to jump ahead in lines, or guarantee a spot at a restaurant when Nathan decided to take Lucas out, but it always struck him as wrong or at the very least not a habit that Nathan should be in engaging in.
"Don't say I never did anything nice for you," says Nathan, giving his winning smile.
"I was on my way through anyway, but I guess it beats going the long way come on..."
Nathan and Lucas were roped into volunteer work at the clinic. Thankfully for Nathan, Lucas’ experience with volunteering in the past helped him enough where he didn't lose too much face with how little he knew about what went on. They did try to keep an eye out for the celebrity that was supposed to be among them, however, there didn't seem to be anybody that stood out especially to either one of them. By the time the early afternoon started to roll around it seemed the crowd was starting to get tired of waiting, so the majority began to disperse leaving the ones that were there for the actual purpose of the clinic. Earning a break, Lucas and Nathan retired to the church's basement floor where food is typically served after service. Pouring out soda flatter than a singer turned actor's career they both decided to relax a bit.
Nathan mopped at his forehead with a letterman’s kerchief. "Damn, how the hell do you do this?" Frowning the football star turned to his friend, who wasn't even breathing hard from their efforts "I thought doing fifty suicides in a row was tough, but this is on a whole different level!"
"You get used to it once you get the routine down, Martha always forgets to bring extra syringes, Glenn, that nutritionist, likes to have a supply of oatmeal bars all day. Leon is almost always running through his gauze because he always uses too damn much," Lucas shrugs "As I said it’s a routine, once you have it you never forget,"
"I wish we had you as our inventory manager, we would actually be on top how much shit we actually need," says Nathan, sipping his drink.
There is a serene silence between the two of them, drinking their beverages. Knowing he can't feasibly put it off much longer Lucas speaks seriously "Granny told me you're probably up to something,"
"I figured she would, I was counting on it for the most part," Nathan replies
"Eh?" This catches Lucas completely off guard. Nathan is certainly intelligent, yet his greatest flaw is his inability to think ahead. Lucas himself had to give him a lecture about preparing in advance several times when they were going to school together. Nathan was always either scrambling to study for a test or a report. Hearing him not only counting on his grandmother to say something, but to predict it would be to Lucas specifically left him at a loss for words.
"I know you are probably thinking this is something I'm jumping the gun on and I can say it was something like that at first. I've lived in that apartment all my life, I tried to take your advice that mom might get better. Maybe something will happen and she will just snap and act her age," Nathan shakes his head, a bitter laugh escaping him "I should have known better, reality doesn't work like that. The nights coming home drunk, the weeks without food in the fridge, having to beg friends to stay over their houses so I can sleep on a bed and not have to worry about her arguing with whatever bonehead she's sleeping with at the time,"
Feeling the entire speech he had prepared in his mind implode in on itself, Lucas could do little to respond to his friend. Finishing off his drink, Nathan fixed his friend with a look that isn't quite a glare, however, it left little room for argument.
"I'm not having my brothers go through that, I'll be dead in my grave before I let that happen. I already have it set up, I have a lawyer that is going to help me get custody of them, I'm going to move to a fresh place in Alamor for my first semester in college and God willing none of us have anything to do with that woman as long as we so choose,"
"Even if you have thought about all this, how are you going to explain to your brothers about them suddenly not seeing their mother anymore? I can never say I knew what you went through, but I do know what it’s like to grow up without a mom. You can probably get away with a weekend or two with them not seeing her, after that how are you going to explain that you just plucked them from home?" Lucas demanded, with far more force than he meant to.
"Easy, I just tell them the truth about it, I'm not going to say what I'm doing isn't selfish because I'm pretty sure it is. I want my brothers to grow up with a childhood not just the little snapshots when the stars align. If it means I got to do something shitty to them now which benefits them overall than I'll take that hit with them,"
Having his best argument shot out of the sky so quickly left Lucas dumbfounded and for the first time in a while on the receiving end of a talking to.
"I guess you really have thought about this a lot," he feebly responds.
"Every morning, noon and night since we started high school, what I've been working towards since I joined the team. I'm getting us out of here one way or another,"
Giving the defeated a sympathetic gaze, Nathan clasps a hand on his shoulder "Look I know you and Granny mean well, I'm glad that you both at least are trying to stop me. Makes me feel better when I get all of this off my chest and tell someone about it. Anyway I gotta get going, I got invited to this party thing at Velocity Tower tonight. I need to get the crumb snatchers ready since that whole thing with that Savior is a bust, you watch yourself all right brother?"
"I hope you know what you're doing, it isn't just your ass on the line with this," warns Lucas.
Choosing not to answer, Nathan side steps someone coming into the kitchen before vanishing out the door.
Lucas felt weak, defeated, and angry with himself. A part of him has to grudgingly admit that he is proud that Nathan had put so much thought and foresight into what he planned to do as risky as it is. The issue that Lucas had with himself is how little faith he had in his friend. The subject of Nathan's mother had always been touchy, yet Lucas had never considered the football player would do something so drastic. Believing that he would just be giving the usual lecture about not going into a plan half-cocked, Lucas had opened himself to what had just happened. Now that he was in a weakened position to make a comeback, he honestly had no clue on what to do next. So much so that he didn't notice the room's new occupant who after getting his own drink had stood in silent observation.
"I don't mean to be a nosy Nosepass, but I sort of caught the tail end of that. Want to talk about it at all?"
Surprised, by the newcomer's presence Lucas looked up to study him. The voice suggested he is male, though the still boyish face didn't reveal how old he is. Red hair falls over his slightly tanned face, which offers an easy if concerned smile. The way he dresses suggests he is active, wearing an outdoor jacket, t-shirt and durable looking jeans. Taking in his presence, Lucas mentally shrugged, couldn't hurt to at the very least vent about what had happened. Lucas told him what had transpired, from his thoughts on it being business as usual to being utterly decimated by Nathan's resolve. The boy listened intently, only speaking when he needed something to be made clear. When it was all over, the boy leaned against the counter, swirling the swill that is in his cup.
“If I can be honest with ya, you really deserved that beating. I'm not saying that your friend is completely in the right, just it seemed you really thought you were going to fix everything yourself," said the boy.
“I can't exactly argue with that, I went in so half-cocked even a Mudbray would shame me for assuming," said Lucas with a sigh.
"Either way, it’s the thought that counts, you were trying to look out for your friend. As I said I don't agree with what he is doing, yet you have to respect that at least he has a plan to go about it,"
“Even if he does have a plan, that doesn't mean that it will work! No, parent no matter how neglectful is going to notice their kids are missing sooner or later," argued Lucas.
“That's true, perhaps if his mom really does care this will be a much-needed wake up call for her," mused the stranger.
Lucas thought to say something in response to that only to pause for a moment. Would something like that work out in that fashion? Lucas still felt it is a long shot, but maybe it is the shot in the arm that both parties needed.
"I never thought of it like that, still I don't trust it to settle so cleanly," said Lucas.
“Best you can do for him is just hope that if the stuffing hits the fan it won’t be too big of a mess. Oh, my name is Joshua by the by,”
“Nice to meet you, mine’s Lucas,”
Joshua brows raised a little bit when he heard the name “Oh so you’re Lucas, I was wondering who you would be. I heard that name tossed about a bit when I first got here. Everybody around here seems to rely on you a lot,”
“It’s not that big of a deal to me, my old man dragged me out here when I was younger to keep me busy. After a while I just got used to how everything works and doesn’t work,” said Lucas.
“I admit it really felt like a tight knot in here, I haven’t worked this hard for a long time. It’s a lot quieter back home for the most part. Maybe I should think about moving out here, I’m not challenged enough anymore,” replies Joshua.
“So where is home for you? No offense, but you really don’t look like you’re from around here,” said Lucas.
“I’m from the Sango region, southeast from Indigo. I came up here because a friend invited me to this big party thing tonight. He’s probably going to kick my ass for ignoring all his calls,” sighs Joshua.
Something about what Joshua had said stuck in Lucas mind. The mention of the party as well as the region that Joshua is from finally made everything click for Lucas.
“Wait so you’re that guy that caused all these people to show up? One of those Sango Seven characters?” asked Lucas
“Yeah, I still don’t know how it got around so damn quick, it all just gets in the way of the work. It’s not so bad back home because most know how I am. Honestly it’s a little better here, when I was on the train there was no escape at all,” sighs Joshua
There is an edge of irritation in Joshua’s voice. Lucas could guess he is the type of person that saw little to no value in fame. A rare trait in the information age to be sure. Seeing that there is likely no point in trying to press about the alleged unwanted fame Lucas changed the subject.
“Tell me something, how did you send up at the church anyway? Velocity Tower is the opposite direction,” said Lucas
“Uh, yes about that,” Joshua’s neck and cheeks started turning red while a sheepish look crossed his face. “I’ve never been the greatest navigating big cities. After I got off the train I got pretty mixed up in the crowd getting off. After that I got lost quick until I ran into the crowd gathering here. I asked what was going on and the rest is history,” said Joshua.
“Hard to believe somebody new to the city got here all the way from the station without any issues…” inquired Lucas
“No trouble that required concern, I did run into a pair of kids that tried to charge an absurd amount of money so they could act as a tour guide,” said Joshua. “I think I’ll go look for them after I help getting cleaned up in here,”
“How come you want to look for them? Sure, they tried to scam you, but they didn’t do anything to really hurt you,” said Lucas, springing up for some reason.
“My power of observation isn’t so keen, more that I’m just used to seeing it myself now. I never left Tonic Town much on my own, since that journey I took; I’ve been trying to travel more frequently. Juniper City isn’t far off from what I’ve seen so far here. Besides I can’t ignore people when it seems like they need help, probably my mother’s influence,” said Joshua
“Must have been quite the influence on you,” said Lucas.
“So, what is your family like? They got the same old on you?” asked Joshua
“Old man watches out for me is alright, too nosy in other people’s business if you ask me,” responded Lucas.
“What about your mom? What is she like?” asked Lucas.
“Dead,”
It came out so flat that it surprised Lucas. While he liked to believe he was over her passing, there were times his answers about the subject still came out harsher than he would have liked.
“Sorry I’m kind of burnt out talking about that, I didn’t mean to say it like that,” said Lucas.
“You ever get used to it though? Is there ever a point where it…” Joshua stops himself “Never mind, forget I said anything,”
“Didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories,” apologized Lucas.
“It’s not your fault, you didn’t know, last thing I need is people I don’t know digging into my life,” said Joshua.
The atmosphere becomes awkward between the two for a time as they tried not to look at each other eye to eye. Feeling that the silence had to be broken sooner rather than later Lucas spoke first.
“You know a friend of mine that works for your friend has been looking for you all over town. I was going to help her look after I was done here. If I run into her at some point I can’t exactly lie for you, she has a way of wringing information out of a man,” said Lucas
“Ah that may be the reason Marcus was calling me so much, really hate the idea that I inconvenienced someone for my bout of selfishness. Tell you what, if you give me her name and number I’ll call her up myself,” offered Joshua.
“That can certainly work, saves me the headache with having to deal with hers,”
“So, question, what are you planning to do after you are all done here?” asked Joshua.
“Not sure, I wasn’t really doing much of anything before, now I don’t need to worry about Aishia anymore probably just go home,” replied Lucas.
“How about you go to the celebration at the tower then? Marcus invited all of us to come, but a lot of my friends can’t or won’t come so I have a few spare tickets,” Digging into his messenger bag, Joshua pulled out three laminated tickets offering them to Lucas. “It would be a shame if they went to waste,”
Staring at them for a long moment, Lucas had half a mind to decline. It just wasn’t his thing to go to stuff like that. At the same time, he knew Nathan would be there so maybe he could get a second chance to convince him to hold off on at least running off like a bandit.
“You know what, I think I’ll take you up on that, I don’t have much better to do after all,”
Taking two of the tickets Lucas pocketed them, Joshua offered his hand which Lucas took and shook.
“Not so bad for a superhero, if you do decide to stick around for the clinics I would be willing to help you get used to things here. Just know you probably will be working understaffed and under equipped,” warned Lucas.
“It doesn’t matter what I have to work with as long as I’m trying to do some good with the skills I have. Though I may try to bring some updated equipment from home on over, couldn’t hurt,” said Joshua.
Unexpectedly Lucas laughed at that with Joshua joining in soon afterward. After the clinic was over, Joshua remained there after calling Aishia to wait for her. Lucas while on the way home figured that even if he couldn’t convince Nathan to stay, going out to a party would be the perfect way to keep Nicholas off his back for a few weeks about being social. Feeling that it was a good decision, he headed home with a rare smile on his face.
Feeling aggravated Lucas decides to honor his promise to volunteer at the church. There he runs into a friend he needs to confront as well as an unexpected out of towner.
I'm happy to report that the next chapter is more than halfway done but you can count on part 1 to go up soon. My new work schedule doesn't let me type in the middle of the day so may take a wee bit longer than normal but hopefully not a month like last time
I'm happy to report that the next chapter is more than halfway done but you can count on part 1 to g
