My uncle once told me.

"The things you make yourself are better."

I digress, because when I drink a soda I buy, it tastes much worse than the soda I was given.

"Anorith." The goofball was busy eating a Magikarp.

He was right. And I hate it.

What makes Anorith special, though, is not the effort I have put into the gym for the last 3 years, but the fact that he symbolises the faith Roxanne has in me, the faith in a potential I am not sure I have.

Has anyone ever believed in me?

Even after I started working in the government, my family never stopped judging the way I lived.

If I work, it's not what they want, if I study, it's the career of their choice, if I go out, it's because I go out and if I don't, I'm spending too much time in the house, if I clean, they say: "So that you do it wrong, I'll do it better.

Even my uncle said, "I'm tired of you not living. You don't dream or strive for anything. It's like living with a plant that waits to be planted and never moves on its own.

So when I got my first salary, I moved out and just kept in touch with my family, except for my mother, because as much as I want to blame her, I can't. She's not the brightest. Add to that the fact that she was barely legal when she had me, and it's impossible for me to hate or resent her.

So I fall into the corruption that allows me to live as quietly, as numbly as possible.

The bribes to the union, selling the rights to the power lines to the mining companies, organising lectures at the high school in favour of gold mining, those late Saturday night meetings to raise our salaries, getting rid of the dissenters, threatening the children of the employees who might know too much, and that was just the tip of the things I helped with.

I had it coming, it was a surprise how much I missed my family, for better or worse, they were always there as a pillar to fall back on when things went wrong.

Yet I feel happy in my last moments, not because of some kind of atonement for my actions, but because I will no longer be a nuisance to those who love me, and the fact that it was a revolution gives me hope for a better future for those I leave behind.

And here I am, making the same mistakes again.

When I saw Maxie, all I could think about was the fact that I was settled, that with his funding I could scratch my balls for the next few years without a care in the world. Same old Marcus, muting himself with glee instead of facing his fear of the responsibility of caring for something. The same reason why I didn't have any pets, or even a couple.

"Rith." The Anorith climbs up my leg to my lap before he doses.

"Come back."

I call him back to his ball, so he can sleep in peace while I set things in motion.

A while ago I was too emotional, so I apologised to Roxanne and left for the orphanage. After sorting things out with Mrs Harper, I grabbed the Magikarp from the kitchen and headed for my room.

My room had been redecorated by myself after the first year, the bunk beds gone, a single bed, a desk and a lot of shelves in their place. My history books and rocks decorate this place, and of course I have not read half of the books that are here to justify my otherworldly knowledge.

Of course, this is still an orphanage, so I can't normally do what I want. All this was achieved with a small bribe in the form of Oram Berry Shuckle wine for Sophia, and the rest was up to her and my status as top of my class. One of the sources of income in the gym is the Shuckles we have, which produce berry juice and wine. With a special diet, the Shuckles can increase their fermentation power, resulting in very expensive wine.

My mother once told me in tears, "You never look happy. I am sorry I let you down. It was never her fault.

I feel the Pokéball in my hand and bow, not wanting to betray Roxanne's faith in me.

Easier said than done, I need to think about what to do with the Team Magma situation, but not too much. While the extremists' target pales in comparison to what Team Aqua can do if left unchecked, my best bet will be to gather enough backing to become untouchable, and no matter my gratitude toward Roxanne, she is far from making me that.

Well, tomorrow I have to talk to Roxanne, Maxie and Alan, go to the school to look at the latest developments in Prof Rowan's research and start the paperwork for a leave of absence from the school. I also have to figure out what face to put on when I tell Mrs Harper.

-------

"Roxanne, why did you help me that time?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you put me in the gym to gain merit."

"Mmmm, it's true that I had no way of knowing then how much help you would be. But I see myself in you."

"Yourself?"

"Yes. Every time you tell someone something, you look like a teacher, and you enjoy it."

"I see."

I remember a conversation I had some time ago on my way to Alan's house. Given the amount of time I spend with Roxanne and my implementation of a digital register of the gym's operations, I should not be surprised that she got me a starter, after all that was the reason I was in the gym in the first place.

*Ring* I press the bell of Alan’s home.

It's sad that she's been so busy that modernising the gym has been off her radar for so long.

*Creak*

“Yeees, MARCUS! *slam* WAIT A SEC!” That was Georgia, Alan's little sister. She have a round face with a brown ponytail.

"Sorry, she's just woken up." Alan opened the door again and motioned for me to come in.

"If she wants to be in the gym with the other boys, she needs to get used to waking up on time."

"That'll never stop you."

"Touche."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"Speaking of which, you've never been here this early."

"I've got a surprise, get that ugly green tracksuit, Sunny, and let's go."

"I don't want to hear that, Mr First Dead, then use a short."

With that he retreats to his room to change.

"Marcus!"

"Georgina."

"You know, the other day Mr Norton complimented me on my maths test. He said I was like you." I don't think it was praise.

"Your brother and I are going to the car park, do you want to come?"

"YES! Ah, I can't, Mum, tell me to wait for them," she quickly deflates.

"Too bad, next time OK?"

"Yes." Then she runs off to her room.

"What's wrong with her?" Alan crosses her as he comes downstairs.

"She wanted to come."

“Nudge nudge wink wink.”

“Not happening.”

“But we will be brothers.”

“Still no.”

“You take the spice out of life.”

“Let’s go.”

-------

Arriving at the school grounds, we sit down to eat the breakfast we bought on the way.

"Is this the surprise?" Alan comments, looking at the fresh Magikarp I bought at the market.

"No, this in the other hand." I say, taking the Pokéball out of my pocket and unleashing Anorith.

"Rith?"

"No way." My blonde friend's eyes widen with excitement.

"Roxanne gave it to me yesterday." I tell him as I give my boy his food.

"What is it?"

"An Anorith, a fossil Pokémon."

"A fossil, aren't those things super expensive?"

"Rare too, I can't even imagine how she got it."

One of the main problems with resurrecting Fossils is that they cannot reproduce, the whole ordeal kills their fertility.

"Sunny come out."

“Noone.”

The Linoone regard curiously my Pokémon. Alan’s dad is a ranger, and when he gets home, he allows Alan to train Sunny with his team, which in a natural progression of events led to her evolution.

“Sunny he is Marcus Pokémon. He is called… what’s his name?”

“Let me think, mmm Roberto.”

“Roberto?”

“El que te dejo el culo abierto.”

“???”

“Sorry, it was stronger than me.”

“Okay?”

“But yes his name is Roberto.”

“What does it mean?”

“I don’t think it has a meaning, ancient Paldean its like that?”

“Paldean?”

“Paldea is a far away region, not important right now, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Tell me.”

“Can you get gossip about the gym leaders Gardenia and Candice from Sinnoh.”

"Of course, who do you think you are talking to, but only them?"

"What do you mean, I never ask for rumours or gossip?"

"You know, Champion Cynthia is a history buff like you."

"I'm not delusional, if I want to know more I can always read her books."

"I feel like you are water flavour." Agh, that hurt a little.

"Good one."

"Thanks, but what do you want to know?"

"About their rooster, if they have any new Pokémon or anything like that?"

"Okay, I'll tell you when I know."

"Perfect, Roberto, come here."

"Anorith?" He looks confused.

"Your name is Roberto, is that all right with you?"

"Rith." he answers and crawls over to my body before settling down on my shoulder.

"I'll take that as a yes. I will go." I tell Alan.

"Already?"

"Sorry, I want to talk to Roxanne about an offer that has come into my hands."

"An offer?"

"Yes, I want to confirm the details before I tell you."

"You and your secrets."

"I'll take you to dinner, later."

"Better take my sister."

"Not happening."

-------

“Sorry buddy, I need you inside for now.”

I remember Roberto saying before entering the school library.

"Ah Marcus, why are you here on a Saturday? Go and enjoy life a bit." Larry, the man in charge of this place, lectures me.

"This time is important, have you got the latest research from Prof Rowan?"

"Give me a sec... Yes, it's with the other reports from the scientific committee."

“Thanks.”

I leave Larry and make my way to the section dedicated to research and the latest scientific findings. This place is a trainer's school, but it also serves as a college for more in-depth Pokémon careers, such as breeding or environment.

Okay, let's see... This is where Professor Rowan announces the results blah blah blah, new Pokémon species Tangrowth, Mamoswine and Yanmega, further research to see if the method used can affect other Pokémon.

Damn, there goes my easy way. Of course, they don't list the evolution method because the information is heavily regulated by the league and the trainers. The same thing happened with Froslass and Mismagius in this world. The advantage that comes from having unique Pokémon is a tool that no region wants to lose. Legendary Pokémon can't be controlled, so the fear of provoking them and the regulations keep the peace, and after the last war, no one wants another one.

That said, thank goodness the first four regions are close allies, which makes gathering information a lot easier, but what do I do? There is not much to abuse in Hoenn if I were only in Sinnoh or Johto.

There are Pokémon with unknown evolutions in Hoenn. Gallade knows how to exist, but not how to evolve. No, it goes against my beliefs to have every Ralts on my hands become anything other than a Gardevoir.

If Norman were here, I might be able to persuade him to let me evolve an Ursaring or Standler, maybe I could try the Safari, but that would mean relying on Maxie, and that defeats the purpose of doing this in the first place.

As I considered my plan of action, I was drawn to my Pokéball, Anorith. A bug/rock type... Perhaps Roxanne's faith in me was not misplaced.