Young Writers Society

Chapter One – The Result of Procrastination

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a Golden Lucario who travelled the world in search of those who needed his assistance. If a Salamence ravaged the countryside, the Lucario would slay it and help rebuild the ruined towns. If Dark Pokémon invaded the kingdom, he would lead the Royal Army and fight them off. If an evil Mismagius kidnapped the princess and locked her away in the highest room of the tallest tower in the land, he would vanquish the malicious Ghost and free the princess. But then, one day–

‘Darren, what are you doing?’

The light green and cream canine started. Turning away from the storybook, the Electrike grinned guiltily at the Manectric who stood in the doorway. Manectrics were known for their piercing stares, but what made his mother’s gaze even more intimidating was her odd colouring. Normally, a Manectric would be turquoise and cream, but since his mother was what Pokémon called “Shiny”, she was grey-blue and bright yellow instead.

‘Err, reading,’ the Electrike named Darren replied, barely making eye contact.

Still, his mother gazed upon him with that unfaltering stare. ‘I can see that, but you said you still had homework to do. Care to explain?’

Darren shifted his weight from his right side to his left. ‘Well, we were told to create a family tree of the last three generations, so I thought I might find some long-forgotten photos in the drawers.’

His mother lifted her eyebrows. ‘In the lounge or study, perhaps, but in your bedroom?’

‘In hindsight, that may not have been the best idea.’

‘Mmm-hmm. Darren, are you sure this is homework?’

‘Err…’

‘Darren?’

‘It… might be an assignment.’

His mother pursed her lips and shook her head. ‘That’s what I thought. When’d you get it?’

‘Reshday, two weeks ago.’

‘And when is it due?’

Darren squirmed. ‘The ninth of Diancis…’

‘That’s tomorrow, yet you’re only doing it now?’

‘I only remembered it this morning.’

‘I’m sure.’

‘Really, I did!’

‘Has Aiden completed his yet?’

Darren looked away again. ‘I don’t know. We haven’t talk about it.’

His mother sighed. ‘No, you wouldn’t, and he’s too polite to ask.’ A moment of awkward silence reigned before she spoke again. ‘What made you read that?’ She nodded towards the storybook.

‘I just saw it and remembered how you used to read to me from it when I was younger. I was nostalgic, so I opened it. I didn’t get very far though.’

‘You wouldn’t have found anything anyway – you should have tried “Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Mightyena” instead.’ She broke eye contact and looked at no spot in particular, seeming to be in thought, but then she blinked and looked at him again. ‘Well, lunch is ready. I’ll help you afterwards.’

Darren followed his mother into the lounge where two bowls of Aguav soup lay in front of their favourite pillows. They each lay down and, after saying grace, ate. Normally, they would have shared a conversation over the meal, but with the prospect of going through the family tree looming over them, they ate in silence. Once they had finished, Darren carefully packed the plates into the dishwasher and fetched his work.

‘How far have you gotten?’ his mother asked as he lay down on the pillows again.

‘I only have “Darren Cassidy (1465-) – Electrike – Serious” at the bottom of the page so far.’

‘Only that?’ his mother asked, slightly surprised. ‘What about me?’

‘I know your birthday is on the fifteenth of Volcis, on the day of the full moon, but I don’t know in which year you were born.’

His mother smiled. ‘I see. Write “Audrey Cassidy (1447-) – Shiny Manectric – Calm” at the appropriate spot.’

Darren did so, frowning in concentration as he moved the pen clutched in his paw. He never liked writing, but he supposed that was to be expected, seeing as he didn’t have thumbs like some of the other Pokémon.

‘All right, done. Who’s next?’

‘My brother, of course. “Dustin Cassidy (1442-) – Manectric – Sassy”.’

‘Is he the one who–?’

‘Yes, he is.’

Darren wrote down his uncle’s details and then looked up expectantly.

‘For my father, you write “Edward Cassidy…” Hold on, let me remember…’ His mother wrinkled her nose. ‘Err, “Edward Cassidy (1415-1453) – Manectric – Serious”.’

‘And your mother?’ Darren asked once he’d finished.

‘“Catherine Everett (1412-1464) – Absol – Bashful”.’ She smiled warmly, apparently recalling fond memories, but when Darren finished and looked up again, she frowned. ‘Isn’t that it?’

‘Mr Cameron specifically said we had to go back three generations, ours not included.’

‘See, this is why he gave you two weeks to do this,’ his mother scolded, standing up and walking over to the cabinets along the wall. ‘Now I have to dig through here to find my grandparents’ birthdates…’ With her head in the cabinet, she called, ‘But you’re not just going to sit there. My mother had a sister. Write “Victoria Haley (1410-) – Umbreon – Hardy”.’

‘Your voice is a little muffled, mom,’ Darren said while writing the details down. ‘When’d you say great aunt Victoria died?’

His mother withdrew her head from the cabinet. ‘I didn’t.’

‘You mean she’s still alive?’ Darren asked, surprised.

‘She’s only seventy, you know.’

‘Of course, right. Where does she live?’

‘Some Arceus-forsaken town in Narphrax. She moved there many years ago, but goodness knows why. Most of Narphrax is a wasteland.’

‘Hmm. Did you have any other aunts or uncles?’

‘No, just her.’

‘Did you ever meet her?’

‘Several times. She seemed nice enough, but my mother’s side of the family are a queer lot.’ She rummaged through the cabinet some more, but then, suddenly, she exclaimed, ‘Aha! I found it!’ Looking triumphant, she placed a tattered journal in front of Darren. ‘Go on, open it.’

Darren did so, but a cloud of dust wafted up from the book and sent both mother and son into a fit of sneezing. Once his eyes had stopped watering, Darren paged through the book, but the ink on most of the pages was too faded to read. ‘What is it?’

‘It’s my father’s old journal. I recalled he had once drawn a very crude family tree in it. It was somewhere at the back. Let me see…’ She paged through until she reached a section of the journal where the ink was noticeably less faded. After passing a certain page, she mumbled something and went back a few. ‘There! All right, I’ll read and then you write down. Ready?’

‘Ready.’

‘Okay, the entry for my grandfather on my father’s side reads “Hayden Cassidy (1394-1449) – Shiny Manectric – Jolly” and his wife’s entry reads “Vanessa Lachlan (1395-1422) – Luxray – Quirky”. Got that?’

‘Vanessa Lachlan… Luxray… Got it.’

‘Good, now get ready, because your great grandfather had three other siblings: an elder brother and sister and a younger brother.’

She read the three siblings’ entries in rapid fire, not realising Darren couldn’t keep up. Several times, he had to ask her to repeat herself, but eventually, they got it done.

‘How much do we still have to do?’ the Electrike asked, exhausted.

‘If you had spread the work out evenly over two weekends, or even just two days, you wouldn’t be so bored right now. But relax; we only have two entries left.’

Darren looked out the window. The sun was already beginning to set. The project had taken much longer than he had expected it to. ‘Well, the sooner I finish this, the better.’

‘See, now if only you had that attitude yesterday. Anyway, the last entries are for my mother’s parents: “Jasper Everett (1379-1467) – Flareon – Mild” and “Margaret Haley (1380-1463) – Absol – Gentle”.’

‘And I… am… done!’ Darren called ecstatically.

‘Great stuff! Now, go put that in your bag before you forget it.’

Darren made to pick the assignment up, but then spotted an open space. ‘Oh, right. Err, mom, there’s one entry left.’

‘And which is that?’ his mother asked while putting the journal back into the cabinet.

‘Dad.’

His mother froze. ‘Ah, of course. Can’t leave him out, can we? “Axel Sheridan (1441-) – Mightyena – Bold”.’

Darren quickly added his father’s details and then put the pen’s cap back on. He went to his room and made to place the family tree in his bag, but instead, he just stared at his father’s name, dreading the presentation he would have to make the next day…

‘Darren, for the third time, will you come help me cut the Persim Berries?’

Darren started and placed the family tree in his bag. ‘I’m coming!’