Pallet Village had a single school that served to teach its young folk about the world. It was a tiny building with one room that contained more than enough desks for all of the students. On most days, the excess was shoved to the walls. However, on this particular day all were in use. Every seat was filled as students congregated with their parents or guardian figures. Some even leaned up against the walls and waved their hands animatedly to one another.
This was a special day.
For the first time, the school had managed to scrounge together enough money and favors to rent a bus that would take the children of the village to Pewter City. The students were going on an excursion to visit the new Memorial and Museum that had recently been installed. Respects could be paid to lost family members, sights could be seen, junk food could be consumed, and perhaps a little learning could be done.
Of course, Sammy was going too. His Grandfather insisted upon it. “Sammy, son. I get that you’d rather help at the docks, but this trip is important. I didn’t donate my money just to see the other kids go.” His voice was calm and soothing. “The memorial is a way to honor and remember folks who’ve left us. Folks like your father. I hear they’ve got an entire presentation about our boys and the sacrifices they made. Maybe it’ll help if you hear how The War impacted everyone…not just you. I know that you’re angry, but…” Roger Oak had sighed at this point as Sammy turned away in a huff. “Bah. Nevermind. I hear tell they’ve got some fossils in. Take a few pictures and tell me all about it when you get home, yeah?”
Sammy didn’t want to remember.
To live that day again.
The day the letter came.
Besides, there was nothing to learn! What was the point? They had just lived through those years! Sammy understood all too well what The War wrought. But Grandfather’s words were final, so here Sammy was. Most of the other kids milling about were much younger than him. Some of them were barely old enough to know why their fathers were missing. Sammy refused to associate with them. Their naivety grated on him. Their giddy laughter stabbed and poked at his introspections.
“Good morning, students and family!”
Mrs. Darlene Brunch stood tall and regal behind her pulpit. Her ironed frock lay as if plastered on her shoulders. A flour sack apron covered in stamped pictures of wheat and oats draped across her front. She held a wooden ruler that was currently rapping on the pulpit, gathering the crowd’s attention. Sammy shuddered. He had felt its sharp corners on more than one occasion.
“I hope you are all ready for a meaningful and educational experience in Pewter City! Before we board the bus, I'd like to go over a few important rules to ensure that we have a safe and respectful trip.” There were several groans amongst the children which were quickly silenced by glares and hushes.
“First and foremost, I expect everyone to be on their best behavior and to show respect for the memorial and museum at all times. This is a place to honor those who have sacrificed so much for our country, and we must conduct ourselves accordingly. Next, I'd like to remind everyone to stay with the group at all times and not wander off on your own. We will be moving through the exhibits as a group, and I don't want anyone to get lost or left behind. Please also remember to be quiet and listen when I or the museum guide is speaking. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion, but it's important that we give our full attention when learning about the history and artifacts on display. Lastly, I ask that you keep your hands to yourself and not touch any of the exhibits or displays. They are delicate and important pieces of history, and we want to ensure that they are preserved for future generations to learn from. Is everyone clear on these rules?”
A smattering of “yes ma’ams” and “yes Mizz Brunch” were heard.
“Very good! Now, parents and guardians, I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to you for your time and financial support in making this trip possible. Your investment in your childrens’ education is vital to the growth of this community, and I'm confident that this visit will leave a lasting impression. The children will be expected to write a paper describing their favorite exhibit on the trip and we will be presenting them along with photographs and souvenirs upon our return this evening. I do hope that you will be in attendance.” Several adults applauded.
“Now then…to the bus!”
Sammy stood back as there was a mad dash towards the schoolhouse doors. Looking up at his Grandfather, Sammy put on his best “cute face” as he silently pleaded that he be allowed to remain behind. A simple head shake and a firm push were all that he received in return. But, as he started towards the doors himself, Sammy felt his Grandfather’s touch on his shoulder.
“Ah…hang on just a moment, Sammy. Almost forgot.”
The calloused and worn hand of his Grandfather took his much smaller one and pressed something circular and hard within. A great smile was on the old man’s face as he gently turned the boy around and patted him towards the door. As he walked, Sammy looked at what he was given. A whole dollar. Looking over his shoulder, Sammy saw his Grandfather give a thumbs up followed by a shooing motion. He couldn’t help but grin back.
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Maybe the trip could be fun after all. Sammy began to daydream of what he would buy as he boarded the bus.
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The trip to Pewter City was a colorful one, if quite a bit bumpy. They had taken the winding Route 1 up to Viridian for bathroom breaks before continuing on the outskirts of Viridian Forest. The noise that the automobile made would attract far too much attention from the local Pokemon populations, so when possible the Forest was avoided.
No matter how much effort had been taken to make a proper road through the dense trees, it would be reclaimed in a matter of weeks. The forest itself seemed to reject man’s hand and grew wild thickets and tall grass everywhere. The only thing that seemed to survive was simple dirt trails worn down by the boots of local Bugcatchers. They combed Viridian Forest in search of the hardened shells of Metapods which, when boiled down in great vats and cooled, could be pulled into silken threads that were prized by many a tailor. Sammy had once asked how this was done, but the factory manager in Viridian told him it was a trade secret.
The children had ooh’ed and aah’ed at passing bug Pokemon going about their business and had nearly tipped the bus at one point when someone claimed they had seen a Pikachu. Madam Brunch had been quite upset and threatened to turn them around right then. This cowed most of the rowdy children, but Sammy had scoffed silently. The village had spent far too much money on this whole thing so there was hardly a chance of the Madam actually going through with her threat.
Sammy felt a jab in his ribs, and swatted away the offending hand.
“Sam! Am I talkin’ to you or a brick wall?”
Agatha was one of the few children that Sammy could stand for more than a few minutes. Both had lost their fathers in The War, but Agatha’s mother had been more resilient than Sammy’s own. Maude Smith had grieved for several weeks, but cared too much about her daughter to be drawn into herself. Truthfully, Maude had found an odd method of coping.
She claimed to be able to speak with her husband’s ghost.
Due to the rumors that swirled around her mother, Agatha was often the subject of jeers and ridicule…at least out of earshot. Agatha packed a mean left hook and wasn’t sparing with it. The first time that Sammy had met the blonde-headed girl, she had been covered in dirt and surrounded by two older boys. Just as he was about to intervene, both were suddenly on the ground nursing bruised jaws. Sammy winced inwardly as he remembered his near-fatal mistake.
“Uh…are you okay?”
“Heh, I’m fine. You should be askin’ these rubes if they’re alright.” Sammy had taken in the scene and slowly digested the features of the proud fighter. Short-cropped blonde hair and overalls said boy…but the long eyelashes and delicate face said girl. Before he had even begun to think about how potentially rude his question was, Sammy had blurted out something he still regretted.
“So, are you a boy or are you a girl?”
The next moment, Sammy had been able to taste the salty bitterness of the dirt as he joined the other boys on the ground.
Coming back to the present, Sammy turned to the girl. Yep, definitely a girl.
“Knock it off, Aggie!”
“Well quit your mopin’ then! I'm talkin' to you!”
Sammy grunted and defiantly turned away. He still wasn’t quite sure why Agatha had latched on to him since that day. He sighed as the girl continued to talk, but decided it was better for his health if he just humored her.
“So, what do you think it’s like?” Agatha was practically vibrating with excitement in her seat.
“What is?”
“Pewter City.”
Sammy thought about it for a moment. “Probably still mostly mine. Gramps told me that they’ll be working through the iron deposits there for decades.”
Agatha nodded sagely. “So…which exhibit did you want to see first?”
Sammy shrugged. He hadn’t even looked over the pamphlets before the trip.
“Wanna pick one and check it out together?”
Looked like Sammy was stuck with the girl for the remainder of the trip. “Sure, why not.”
Sammy and Agatha bickered and argued over the pamphlet for the remainder of the ride.
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The pair stood before the glass case containing an odd looking rock. Protruding from the stone was an odd circular shape with striations evenly patterned across it. Wavy impressions stood out from a flat portion of the swirl. The plaque attached to the case read “Helix Fossil - Recently discovered near the base of Mount Moon. This fossil appears to be that of an ancient Pokemon. Scientists are still researching how such a seafloor-dwelling Pokemon was found on a mountain.”
Sammy stared at the fossil. Even in death, the stone seemed to swirl in on itself as if it was a whirlpool. What could life be like on the bottom of an ocean? How did this Pokemon move? Were people around back then? More and more questions seemed to bubble up from somewhere in Sammy’s subconscious. He could almost hear the muted sound of waves as they crashed far above him as he floated in the depths. The seaweed concealed his presence from unknown predators.
Tearing his eyes away from the Helix Fossil, Sammy turned to see what Agatha’s reaction would be. He couldn’t help but feel some small bit of disappointment to find her checking her reflection in the glass as she picked the remnants of lunch from between her teeth. Sammy shook his head and focused again upon the petrified remains of a once living creature.
What would they be like? Maybe they still existed deep, deep down under the waters.
Even if they didn’t…what if one day they could be brought back? They thought that Relicanth were all extinct, but then that Johto fisherman had caught one. It had been in all of the papers for a month. Sammy tossed the thought into the back of his mind as he snapped a photograph. At least he knew what his paper was going to be about now.
Huh. Sammy was almost having fun. And speaking of fun…where was that gift shop?