EVERYONE: Washed Away [Completed]

[Cavespider_17]

A/N: I've included a more tame short story here. I know I usually post more teen/mature content. Anyway, enjoy—or don't. You know that rich kid in DPP? The one near Sunnyshore? That guy inspired me.

Summary:
Markus Du Bere is the son of a rich, cruising banker and his wife, and he is proud of it. He is proud he can buy whatever Pokémon he wants without having to train it. With the recent passing of his aunt and uncle in Unova, he inherited a golden locket and a Durant. Spiteful of how poor his aunt and uncle were he sets out to participate in his first gym battle under the assumption wealth will win him everything...

Content Warning: None.

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Wealth is Everything?
1​

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The song of the ocean can only be heard by those who listen. The sonnet of the sun can only be read by those who dare read it. The message of the Gods can only be understood by those who truly experience their wrath. As the sun's rays darted down towards the seaside city in Johto, the waves danced towards the pier. The deep blue was hypnotic, as it swayed back and forward. One could easily become swept up by the soft rhythm.

Markus Du Bere sat on the white wooden pier. He dangled his feet over the edge, as he swayed backwards and forwards with the waves. His black and red striped trainers looked out of place, as he watched on. His blue jeans were torn despite being brand new, but he didn't care. His family could easily afford some more. His black t-shirt was made from the softest Mareep based cotton anywhere in Johto. His pale skin was starting to tan in places from his overstayed welcome in the seaside city.

As he opened the palm of his hand to dangle his aunt's gift above the water he scoffed. He lifted it so it was in line with his heterochromia green and blue eyes. His thick black hair had been messed up by the wind. He looked at the fake-gold locket with the picture of his aunt and uncle in. The fake-gold made him sneer. They were a disgrace to his family. They were dirt poor. This parting gift from them only echoed how they had damaged his family's rich status, which they were all so proud of.

He hurled the locket into the water and he watched as the small splash made a bubble as it hit the bottom. Markus smiled. The last remnants of the poor had been washed away. He turned and walked back towards the beach area on the route just to the left of Olivine City. His father and mother were cruising on one of the small boats, which gave him plenty of time to practice for his gym challenge.

As passed the benches he lifted up his Togepi that he had nicknamed Strudel, and carried him in his arms. Strudel was happily singing to himself when he was picked up. His face turned sour once he found himself being forcefully dragged away from the bench. He started to wiggle, and his white blue and red eggshell, which had merged with his body, became a blur.

Markus puffed, annoyed, at the Togepi's struggle as he approached the soft white sand. He tenderly stepped out onto it, and as he did, his trainers sunk, and the sand started to pour over them, like when a jug is pushed air-side up into the water. He grunted as he put the fairy down to play. Markus carefully took two of the three Poké balls off his belt and released them onto the sand. As he did, two younger children in well-worn trousers walked past.

"Keep away from me!" he shouted at them, "I don't want to have to wash the stench of poor off me again!"

They scowled at him and his wealth-based pride before walking into the city.

"Yeah! You better leave!" He then picked up the last Poké ball on his belt and scowled at the Durant sitting inside. "You are lucky, my father says I have to keep you. Otherwise, I would release you, you piece of junk," he spat.

The Durant looked up at him, saddened.

Markus then snapped to attention and faced his Bayleaf and his Miltank, called Sunshine. "Right, team, we got a Steel gym coming up! Jasmine, the pretty princess, the steel queen. She probably has a Steelix. Let's practice to take down the beast. Let's show the poor who they will be working for in the future!"

 

[Cavespider_17]

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The Challenge
2​

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An hour later, Markus strolled up to the gym and opened the clunky doors. He walked along the clunky steel floor and under the clunky steel archway. The trainers who would usually have challenged him along the way had been bribed by his father to let him walk straight through.

'Typical weak-minded poor,' he thought to himself as he waltzed past them without a single sweat.

Every step along the metal floor filled him with angst and excitement. This was real, his first-ever gym battle. He thought of the moment he would seize the badge from the tearful Gym Leader, who he would crush. He opened the door before him, carefree.

A tall woman stood in front of him. Her long brown hair flowed down to her elbows, and two small bobs on top were held up by two red pins. His white and light green dress squeezed against her incredibly pale skin. Her light brown eyes met his mixed-coloured eyes.

Silence hung in the air for around a minute before she spoke.

"I am Jasmine. I use the... cla-" she started before being brutally interrupted by Markus.

"Yeah, yeah, steel types. Let's go!" he snapped, growing increasingly impatient by the minute.

"Fine. Magna, show him how tough you are!" she shouted as she threw her Poké ball onto the battlefield. The little metal magnet Pokémon burst out and sat on its trainer's shoulder as the ball bounced back into her hand.

"Munch-Munch, snap it in two! My father's wealth lets me buy whatever Pokémon I want. That is why we are going to win. Our family has always been richer than yours," Markus bragged as he pushed his chest out proudly. He rolled the Bayleef's ball along the floor, allowing it to come out onto the battlefield at its leisure before collecting the ball.

"As you are the challenger, I will allow you to make the first move," Jasmine said sternly.

"Bayleef, use rock smash!" Markus threw himself forward as he shouted. The Bayleef started to charge along the metal floor towards the metal Magnemite that seemed almost too calm for the scenario. The Magnemite casually floated in the direction of the Bayleef, who started to swing the leaf around on top of its green body, gaining momentum for the attack as it smirked at the thought of crushing its foe. The Bayleef was almost within touching distance of the Magnemite when Jasmine's stern face suddenly let a spark of a smirk.

"Flash cannon, Magnemite! It is now too close to dodge," Jasmine said, stomping her right foot against the ground so hard that her green strap sandal almost came off. The Magnemite, who had been building up energy during its causal float towards the target, let out an almighty beam of light directly in the face of Markus's Bayleef. As it did the Bayleef became blinded by the light, which burnt its leafy skin.

However, the Bayleef was slightly too close for comfort, and the momentum of the swinging leaf didn't stop. The whirring, blurry green blade chopped down onto the Magnemite's metallic body. Both Pokémon let out a shout in pain before backing away from one another. The Bayleef looked down into the shiny metal floor to see its skin rotting and burning away in places from the high-powered beam that had once struck its smug face.

"Use rock smash again!" Markus shouted, his mouth strained, and he shook his fist. "Come on, Munch-Munch. Show this half-half what we can do!" The Bayleef started to swing its leaf around again, gaining momentum for the charge.

"Flash cannon again," Jasmine closed her eyes and softly whispered. She could feel the boy's snobbery, his wealthy pride burning through against her poor upbringing. She watched as the Magnemite fired a high intensity burning beam that scorched the Bayleef's skin once more, as it charged much more determined this time. The leaf slammed against the Magnemite's body, making it crack down the side a little. The light beam then dropped and hit the shiny floor, burning it in places. Before the Magnemite could re-adjust itself, the Bayleef's headpiece slammed into it once more, cracking it again. It screamed out in pain as it lost consciousness.

Markus's Bayleef started to stumble from exhaustion. The burns from the flash cannon had done a far greater deal of damage than he initially thought. Munch-Munch started to wobble before lowering down to steady itself.

Jasmine returned her Magnemite, as she watched the Bayleef's skin smouldered. She quickly sent out her second Magnemite Markus to prepare a counterattack. "Thunderbolt!" The Magnemite started to whip up electric energy from seemingly nowhere before blasting the Bayleef, which was still stumbling around. Munch-Munch couldn't take the hit and collapsed immediately to the ground, suffering with flash-blindness.

"Huh? Okay, take this!" Markus shouted as he returned his Bayleef to its ball. "Sunshine, use Earthquake!" He threw the Miltank's ball onto the floor, making the hinge snap back into his hand. "You were useless, Munch-Munch; why did I let my father buy you." He scolded the Bayleef, "My father buys every Pokémon I want!" He shouted as the metal frame holding up the floor started to shake, and the Miltank started to sway its weight around as it stomped.

"Latch onto the pole and use Thunderbolt again!" Jasmine shouted, directing her finger towards Markus's Miltank. The Magnemite quickly stuck itself to the pole using its magnetic field, avoiding being thrown around by the earthquake. It then whizzed energy around its free magnet.

"Move Sunshine..." The Miltank was slow and confused by Markus's orders. It slowly turned to face him but was hit with a powerful electric shock. It absorbed the attack using its large body size before continuing to shake the ground. "Stop, use rollout!" the Miltank ignored Markus's orders as it swung backwards and forwards, shaking the ground. A second thunderbolt shot out of the Magnemite without Jasmine having to say a single word. The flash burned Markus's eyes as his Miltank toppled over and fainted. "Return. Another useless Pokémon."

"You should be proud of what they achieved, no matter how small." Jasmine scolded, but Markus huffed at her.

"Strudel, I guess it's up to you." He said, as he let the Togepi out of his bag and wander onto the battlefield.

"No. That is a baby, it can't battle. You have another Pokémon on your belt, use that."

"This heap of junk? It is from my aunt and uncle, it came from a poor household, therefore it is worthless. I am ashamed to have it." he scoffed at the Durant, which looked sad inside the ball.

"Maybe you shouldn't be ashamed, use it," Jasmine pressed.

"Fine... but it's a heap of junk," Markus shouted as he threw Durant's ball onto the steel-plated floor. Use superpower!" Markus shouted as the saddened bug's eyes met Jasmine's. It then looked at the Magnemite before powering up its teeth and charging towards it. The Magnemite waited patiently for Jasmine's command.

"Now, Magno, it is close enough; use Thunderbolt." She said, coldly. The Magnemite started to build up electricity once more. The Durant sidestepped quickly and slammed into the magnetic Pokémon, forcing it to let go of the pole it had been grabbing onto. It fell and hit the ground before skidding, making a screeching noise. It had fainted from the attack. However, the Durant had been weakened by the attack too, as he had used up a lot of energy. "Hmm..." Jasmine whispered, "Maybe you should show pride in the Pokémon raised by your own flesh and blood rather than your wealth. Let's finish him off, Rusty!" She tossed the ball up into the air, releasing the giant mid-flight.

The giant steel serpent was so heavy that the floor creaked as it settled into an attack position. Markus suddenly felt a chill down his spine. If he had sent his little Togepi out, that beast could easily flatten it. "Use iron tail, and swipe it off the path!" Jasmine shouted, and the steel beast raised its tail.

"Use iron head!" Markus shouted. The Durant started to charge towards the monster, lowering its head as it did. The beast swept the floor with its tail, narrowly missing the tiny metal ant. The Durant's head made contact with the Steelix's large, thick metal body, and it bounced off, onto its back with its legs in the air.

 

[Cavespider_17]

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Epiphany - Pride is in the Making
3​

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"Swipe them off the platform. They are clearly both trash," Jasmine said, coldly. Markus's face turned to sheer panic.

"Wait, stop... I give up!" Markus pleaded, but the gym leader ignored him as the Steelix raised its tail once again. "We aren't trash!" he shouted.

Jasmine raised her hand, and the Steelix lowered its tail. "The Durant and I, we aren't trash..."

"Your Durant doesn't have a name?" she quizzed, "All your other Pokémon have names, why not the Durant?"

"I... I never thought about it," Markus said.

"Why don't you give it a name? Something that you two can use to connect. I suspected the Durant wasn't bought, but raised, when it used superpower. It has been raised with love."

"My aunt and uncle... they raised it with love?" Markus questioned the leader's statement with confusion.

"Can't you tell?" she asked, "The way it looked at you went you sent it out. Hope in those deep red eyes." Markus walked towards the Durant and crouched down next to him. Their eyes met, and Markus reached out, and placed his hand carefully on its head." The Durant squealed with delight at getting his trainer's attention for the first time. Markus felt strange as he petted the metal shell of the delicate bug.

"I... I am going to call you 'Wise'." Markus hugged the Durant. "Can I battle you some other time? I think I want to spend time with Wise and my other Pokémon. I want them to be raised by me..." Markus picked up the Durant and cradled it in his arms. It squealed happily at the attention, as he turned and walked out the door.

Markus sat on the pier watching the swirling waves, his parents had already packed for their next trip. As he watched them have their luggage taken on board the boat he stroked Wise's head, he couldn't get over the squeals the little Pokémon made every time. "I guess we have a lot of catching up to do buddy. You did great in there." He hugged the Durant properly once more, before getting up and walking aboard the ship. "Let's show the world what I learned, and what you already knew. Pride isn't in wealth, pride is in the making."


Thanks to everyone who made it this far. Like I said at the start, I don't usually post 'Everyone' fics. I hope you enjoyed this short story.