Welcome to Thousand Roads! You're welcome to view discussions or read our stories without registering, but you'll need an account to join in our events, interact with other members, or post one of your own fics. Why not become a member of our community? We'd love to have you!
While there will be humour, it is more of a serious fic that tries to tackle some social issues in real life. Only it'll be applied to the Pokémon universe. It is an activism orientated journey fic. Reader discretion is advised.
Unknown Date, 2005, Oreburgh Gym, Oreburgh City, Sinnoh
"Chimchar, use Power-Up Punch!" I commanded.
He roared ferociously, pulling his right fist back. Once it glowed, he charged forward and got close to Cranidos.
Unfortunately, before he could land an attack, the Gym Leader instructed, "Cranidos, use Bulldoze!"
Cranidos stomped its feet and caused a trail that smacked Chimchar and flew him across the room. The attack caused a mini sandstorm as coughing filled the room and forced me to cover my eyes. Once the debris stopped, I saw him lying there with bruises and open wounds all over his body, grunting.
"Ch-Chimchar, buddy?" I stuttered, shaking. "Ar-Are you o-okay? Pl-please, tell me you're alright! Pl-please!"
He remained on the ground, still grunting, but could move a bit — just barely.
"Ch-Chimchar…" I moaned with my head down, shaking more violently. "Re-return!"
He ignored me, attempting to get up from the rocky terrain. Even when I took out his ball, he still refused.
"Pl-please, I don't want to see you hurt!" I begged.
Finally unable to contain myself further, I bawled my eyes out as I ran towards his side.
"Hey, you're not allowed to enter the stage!" The announcer reminded. "Get off now, or else you'll be given a loss!"
Ignoring his warning, I picked Chimchar up and embraced him. He looked at me with one eye open, whimpering.
"Ch-Chimchar," I whispered in a faint voice. "Please return to your ball. We can take this loss. Your health matters more!"
He blinked a few times before jumping out of my arms and limped toward Cranidos.
"N-no Chimchar, stop this now!" I enforced. "Get back into your ball!"
He ignored me, continuing his clearly visible struggle to get to Cranidos.
As I stepped forward and reached out my arms, two guards restrained me from the back, demanding, "Sir, get off the stage NOW!"
"Don't tell me what to do, you bastards!" I insulted, struggling to break free. "My Chimchar's gonna get himself killed if I don't stop this!"
As they pulled me down, I punched one of the guards in the face. Before I could react — their partner tased me from the back. I collapsed on the ground with my mouth wide open and unable to close my eyes.
Before the guards could escort me out, my friend pushed them away and helped me up. She hugged me and comforted me by patting my back. I laid my face on her shoulders and burst into tears.
"It's alright," she said calmly. "Everything will be okay. Please, just relax. I'm here for you."
Her embrace — felt like my mother's. It reminded me of that day, the miracle that gave me the opportunity to come to Sinnoh. I just couldn't let my impulsiveness ruin what I was gifted.
September 15, 2005, Pokémon Academy, Naturacove City, Hjarta
The bell rang, yet I was still far away from my class.
“My Arceus, Mr. Nilsen is going to kill me!” I yelled out loud while sprinting like a maniac.
I could barely examine my surroundings. I saw hordes of people and a few domesticated Pokémon nearby. It was a miracle I didn’t run someone over until… I saw someone else run like a buffoon in my direction. The two of us crashed into each other, and the force of the impact was so strong it caused me to flip into the air. Less than a split second later, I fell hard on the pavement. I think I may have broken my back from that.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!” she scolded.
I blinked rapidly and saw this gothic lady staring at me as she ground her teeth. She had short black hair that looked dyed. What stood out the most about her was how well she did her makeup and how much it emphasized her sharp blue eyes and freckles. Her face had the perfect contouring, and her eyeliner was on point.
“Hey, why’d you run into me?” she questioned. “Sheez, you’re so rude and impulsive! HELLO? FOR ARCEUS’ SAKE, I’M TALKING TO YOU!”
I covered my ears and yelped. Pain raced through my head as I jumped up and, by the skin of my teeth, restrained myself from smacking her.
“Quit yelling, you hag!” I enforced while holding my fists near her face. “IT WAS YOU WHO RAN INTO ME! I’m gonna fine you a million Kronas for this!”
Before I could react, a jolt of pain struck my left cheek. While it didn’t sting that much, it made me terrified. How could anyone move their hands that swiftly? That definitely did not look like a slap, yet she pulled that off so efficiently. I ended up wobbling and disorientated. Thankfully, I regained my composure shortly.
As we both stood there trying to contain our hands and feet from jittering, there were a few things I noticed about her that hit me hard. I couldn't help but chuckle at where her tiny thin eyebrows were situated while she gave me a fierce stare with her tongue stuck out.
However, that’s not the part that caught my attention the most. Those punks that I had the misfortune to encounter back in Stoneshield City — she had an almost identical fashion sense. She wore ripped denim shorts, a dark black crop leather jacket, a red T-shirt covered with a pattern of Love and Luxury Balls, and a pair of black laced boots. The only difference was her T-shirt.
I took a few steps back as far away from her as possible, gasped, and finally bolted away at the speed of sound. No matter how excruciating the intrusive thoughts were, I forced myself to block it out.
“No, no, NO!” I screamed from the top of my lungs as I ran my socks off. I was so close to my class until — a sharp, throbbing pain struck my head, and I froze there.
The memories of this one punk paced through my brain. The way his Pawniard attacked me… The worst part was how much he mocked my mother. It was legit the most painful thing ever. My failure to defend her honour haunted me to this day.
“Hello, HELLO?” a strange female voice questioned. “Excuse me, Mister, are you okay?”
“Huh!” I snorted, still in a trance. “Wh-where am I?”
I blinked vigorously and stared at the sunny and clear skies. I had a flashback to that awful day, yet I couldn’t remember why. Well, until that same young lady jumped right in front of me.
“Hey, Mister, for the last time, ARE YOU OKAY?” she interrogated from the top of her lungs. “You were just standing there like a mindless Slowbro. I’m worried about you!”
I still can’t quite describe my emotions. I was both happy and annoyed at the same time.
“Can I ask you something, lady?”
“Uh… Yeah, sure, what is it?”
I leaned on her shoulders, got close to her face, and asked, “How long was I in a daze? Did you stay with me the entire time?”
Before she answered, she gave me a sour look and pushed me aside.
“Hey, ever heard of personal space, you Neanderthal? Also, your breath… Ever heard of brushing your teeth? To answer your question, I think you were in a daze for what five minutes? Maybe a bit longer. I ain’t 100% sure. What happened there? You ran at the speed of light and then stopped like a statue. You stood there frozen with your mouth wide open.”
Before I could reply, I glimpsed her clothing and shuddered. Also, the thought of being more than five minutes late for Mr. Nilsen’s class meant…
“Listen, lady; I must go now! I can’t be late for class.”
“Come on, at least tell me your name and if you’re alright!”
“No, shut up you dumb bimbo! Your kind — nothing good comes from your social group! I never want to see any of you punks, got it?”
I turned away from her and dashed. Despite this, I still heard her stomp her feet and protest.
“Well, geez, leave then, you imbecile! I was just trying to be nice, and you still treated me like dirt. Men like you truly are doofuses! You hear that?”
I toned out the rest of her rambling as I finally reached the entrance to my class. I slammed my body into the door, and once inside, I rushed into my class.
“S-sorry I’m late!” I declared, trying to catch my breath.
“Viktor Palmer-Makar, how dare you show up so late!” Mr. Nilsen scolded. “Do you have any idea of what time it is?”
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It’s 8:05, five minutes since the bell rang.
“What excuse do you have to be this late, AGAIN?”
No matter how much I stuttered, no words came out. Instead, laughter exploded among my classmates.
“Say Viktor, since you clearly have no concept of time, I think I should let you teach today’s class. Gotta test your puny little brain.”
I opened my mouth wide and covered it shortly, trying to contain my voice. I also couldn’t think properly, thanks to the gossip. I went to the chalkboard, glared at Mr. Nilsen, and clenched my jaws. It wasn’t even the fact that he embarrassed me that made me so pissed off. No, it was the fact that he talked like a thug . It was absolutely unacceptable for a professional to speak to me like that!
“So, class, today Viktor Palmer-Makar will teach us about the legendary Pokémon responsible for controlling time. Say Viktor, please, tell us its name.”
Standing in front of at least 40 students caused me to shake. Most of them stared directly at me, which felt super intrusive. Worse yet, I didn’t pay a single attention to his classes about this Pokémon. Its name was on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn’t quite remember.
“Um, g-good morning, class,” I stuttered. “The Pokémon that controls time is called uh, uh… Di? No Pa, Palga! Yes, that’s its name, Palga.”
Silence hit the room for a brief moment. Then a few students tried to contain themselves before laughing out loud. The rest of the room, including Mr. Nilsen, followed.
“Pathetic, Viktor,” he chastised. “All you do is sleep in my class, fail my tests, and never do your homework. I will give you 30 minutes of detention after school. You best show up on time.”
“Huh? 30 minutes? My previous detentions were only 15 minutes. I can’t stay behind for that long!”
“And why’s that, Viktor?”
Before I could say anything, he ordered, “I don’t want to hear an excuse. Go sit down, or else I will extend your detention. NOW!”
As I walked away from him, I gave him the middle finger when he wasn’t looking. I sat down, unable to process what had happened nor forgive him for humiliating me.
In my seat, I could barely keep my eyes open. Mr. Nilsen’s monotone voice and slow-paced talking — bored me to death. Ironic, considering how aggressive he got when I was late.
He taught us more about Dialga, the legendary that controls time. He explained that a Pokémon named Arceus created Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Dialga represents time, Palkia space, and Giratina anti-matter.
I still didn’t understand why all of that was important. It wasn’t like we’d ever meet one of those Pokémon. Going off only five hours of sleep made me dread the worthless lesson even more.
After his class, I sprinted to my teacher, Ms. Lindberg’s class. She taught us about the effects of status conditions. We learned something about burns. With how exhausted I was, it was nearly impossible to pay attention.
The bell rang, and it was finally time for my lunch break. This time I slowly walked outside. Lunchtime was by far the most hectic time of the day here. Hordes of feisty teenagers and young adults zoomed past me.
Even with all the disturbance around me, I could barely keep my eyes open. It felt like I was to collapse any minute and never wake up.
Alas, as soon as the noise died, I managed to stay fully conscious.
Finally, after a few minutes, I left the vicinity of the campus and headed straight into a calm forest. It was just an ordinary forest full of deciduous trees. But it felt like a third home for me. I trekked to where I rested beneath during every lunch, my favourite tree. I even gave it a name, Barry. It’s derived from the language my great-grandfather spoke before relocating to the Tovarich Union, Talagan.
I sat by the tree and closed my eyes with a faint grin. I reminisced about the only time I was able to see my great-grandfather. It was when I was still a wee baby. Too bad he just had to pass away that soon. Although thinking back, it was probably a miracle he didn’t have to witness…
Out of the blue — I heard a scream, followed by, “SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME!” I instantly leaped forward and examined the area. I found out the screaming came from west of here.
I felt a little hot and sweated a fair amount. I paced steadily at first before picking up my speed. My jaw dropped the instant I observed the issue.
Two teenage boys taller than me, each with a rugged build, towered over this one adolescent girl. The two boys had shaved heads and wore leather jackets, jeans, and black boots. The girl had long blonde hair and wore a floral dress. The dress looked very dirty and unkempt. The worst part was she had a bruising right black eye .
While a hint of fear forced me to step back, anger filled the rest of my body. I was bursting with sweat and tears and tilted my head away from the scene. What I witnessed reminded me of how helpless my sister, Halyna, and I were against my father .
I took a few light steps forward, then gradually picked up my speed until I got close and jumped into the air. As soon as I was in the air, I caught the attention of those two skinheads. Finally, I body-slammed one of them. I began to choke him once I was on the ground, faced the girl, and commanded her to run. She sat there with her mouth wide open and brows raised before abiding and running away.
Unfortunately, as soon as she escaped, the skinhead’s partner towered above me and grabbed my hair. I had short but messy blond hair, which made it easy for him to grab. He pulled me off his friend and pinned me on the ground. While I managed to kick him in his stomach, it didn’t matter. The two of them pinned my arms and legs down. They repeatedly took turns rotating between beating me down while the other restricted a part of my body.
Unable to react fast enough or fight back, I spat in their faces. However, that only infuriated them more. Their strikes increased in velocity and fierceness. It got so painful that I coughed up some blood and felt dizzy.
Unable to hold my tears in, I closed my eyes and wept.
Suddenly, while still drenched with tears, I heard someone yell and the sound of tackling. Not only that, but my legs felt free! I opened my eyes and witnessed the lady I argued with earlier today wrestling with one of the skinheads!
“Hey, moron, leave him alone!” she demanded as she managed to get the upper hand on him. “How cowardly must you baldies be, ganging up on a single person? Where’s your damn honour?”
Shocked that she came to my aid, I couldn’t idle. I kicked the person that pinned my arms down in the face and flipped him over. We each took on an individual skinhead.
I raised my fists and stood in a boxing position. My opponent charged into me as I moved to the side and slammed his head with the bottom of my hand. He lunged at me again, and I delivered an uppercut this time.
As he took in multiple deep breaths, barely able to stand up, I hesitated to deal a finishing blow to him. In hindsight, it was a terrible mistake. He ended up throwing a Poké Ball at me. A Scraggy came out of the Poké Ball and nearly kicked me.
I jumped back and witnessed the lady doing a flip as she stood by my side. She managed to dodge an Ember from the other skinhead’s Charcadet.
Then she did something that awed me. She took out a Friend Ball and threw it on the grass. Riolu entered with fierce determination!
“Riolu, use Force Palm on that Scraggy!” she commanded.
As Riolu sprinted toward the Scraggy, the skinheads commanded their respective Pokémon to attack. Scraggy used Low Kick, while Charcadet used Ember. Unfortunately, both attacks landed on Riolu, but it still struck its palm on Scraggy, knocking Scraggy out.
“Riolu, use Force Palm again on Charcadet!” she instructed.
“Charcadet, use Will O’Wisp!” the skinhead demanded.
A bright orange flame hit Riolu and caused it to bark in pain. Its movement lagged compared to before. To make matters worse, it used far less force, as it barely managed to hit Charcadet.
Ms. Lindberg’s lesson just popped into my head! I remembered that she taught us about burns. Not only do burns hurt the Pokemon that got burnt, but they also have their physical strength reduced.
“Hey, miss,” I nudged. “You can’t keep using physical attacks on Charcadet. Your Riolu is suffering from a burn.”
“Well, what else can I do? All Riolu knows are physical attacks!”
My jaw dropped as I stared at the Riolu, unable to strategize.
“Charcadet, use your most powerful move, Night Shade!” The skinhead ordered.
The Charcadet began to glow in a dark, sinister energy. Then it fired a ruinous void directly at Riolu, causing Riolu immense pain.
“Wait, I got it!” she exclaimed. “That’s it, Riolu buddy, hang in there! Use Copycat!”
Riolu began to charge in the same energy as the Charcadet before firing it off faster than we could react. Charcadet dropped to the ground, expressionless.
Riolu jumped into the lady’s arms and hugged her tight. She even swung it around and did a terrible dance with it.
After she finished, she walked to those punks with her Riolu and snarled at them. “Hey, why are you Neanderthals still here? How dare you abuse a woman and fight an innocent person who defended her! Get lost now, or else you’re asking for it!”
Those two finally returned their Pokémon to their respective balls and ran off.
“Hey, are you alright, Mister?” she asked, patting my right shoulder. “What you did there was astonishing brave, thanks. You just saved my friend, Maja. Looks like you’re not so bad after all!”
I mumbled a bit but couldn’t get my words out at first. There was just so much on my mind at that moment.
Immediately, I saw someone in the distance slowly walking towards us. It was none other than Maja. She got close and hugged the other lady. As they exchanged some words, I sat on the ground and sighed. I noticed that Maja was much more cheery, and her entire body looked relaxed.
“Thank you, sir, for helping me!” Maja exclaimed.
“Hey, no problem!” I chuckled. “You should really thank your friend. If she didn’t help me, I’d have been toast.”
“Aha, don’t mention it!” the other lady cheered, squatting and smacking my back. “Oops, I’m so sorry! I do that to my friends all the time. My sincere apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I cackled nervously, holding back tears. “Say, what’s your name?”
“Oh my name is Signe. Signe Andersdatter Løvgren.”
“Wa-wait, L-Løvgren?” I questioned while trying to contain my jittering leg. “An-Anders? Do you happen to be related to the Hjartan Champion, Anders Løvgren?”
“Ahaha, yes I am! In fact, I’m his daughter!”
I gasped as I closed my eyes, lying on the ground. That situation made me feel like the universe was trying to tell me something. Why else would I have met the Champion’s daughter twice in a single day? Likewise, how much of a coincidence was it that I met her damsel-in-distress friend?
“Hey, I’m so sorry for not responding,” I told them as I got up. “It’s a pleasure to meet the both of you. Sorry for that argument earlier today. I was rushing to class and had some bad memories. What I did was stupid and wrong. My teacher Mr. Nilsen gives me so much stress. He’s a loser that puts down his students.”
“Hey, don’t sweat it, Mister, um?” Signe asked.
“Oh, my name is…”
“VIKTOR PALMER-MAKAR!” Mr. Nilsen yelled from behind. “Be careful what you wish for, young man! I’ll give you something to stress out about! You’ll be put down for good if you do that again! The three of you, ONE HOUR DETENTION AFTER CLASS TODAY! No, buts about it!”
Mr. Nilsen punishes Viktor, Signe, and Maja unfairly. Unfortunately, they're powerless to protest, meaning they're stuck in detention. During this time, Viktor manages to meet Signe's brother, which actually causes him to wonder about the significance of meeting two Løvgrens. Woefully, his day goes from bad to terrible once he gets fired from his job and realizes that his sister, Halyna is at risk of becoming blind. Signe offers a solution to him, travel to Sinnoh with her and take on the League.
September 15, 2005, Pokémon Academy, Naturacove City, Hjarta
As Mr. Nilsen snuck up on us, something inside me felt like it broke. The emotions I felt were so overwhelming that I couldn’t feel anything else during the short-lived moment.
The emotions changed into wonder — and respect for the woman grew as she gave him the finger right to his face and yelled a few uncouth words at him. Threatening, Mr. Nilsen grabbed Signe by the wrist and got close to her face with his, showing his teeth in an angry distorted grin.
I swiftly glimpsed what he did, threw my denim jacket on the ground, shouted from the top of my lungs, and charged toward him.
Before I got close to punching his mouth, Riolu struck him with its palm! Mr. Nilsen released his grasp, yelping in pain. It barked and growled at him while grinding its teeth. It assaulted him with Force Palm again. This time though, it caused Mr. Nilsen to kneel and cough out blood.
“Riolu! No, min beibi, please stop!” Signe instructed as she returned it to its ball.
Maja rushed to his side and gave him a handkerchief. He aggressively grabbed it from her hands and coughed more blood.
“Are you okay, Mr. Nilsen?” Maja questioned.
Mr. Nilsen took some time to take multiple deep breaths.
After swallowing a ton of saliva, he mocked Maja with a childish voice, “Does it look like I’m okay? Are you able to comprehend my state? Probably not, since I’m the teacher, and you’re just a student!”
“UGH! What is wrong with you?” Signe interrogated. “Maja showed grave concern, yet you dare to treat her that way? I don’t care if I get expelled! You won’t get away with this, fucker!” she screamed as she lifted her leg back, preparing to kick.
Before she could kick him, Maja slid to her side and clenched her leg.
“No, Siggi, please don’t do this!” she pleaded, holding back tears. ‘I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt…”
Signe stood there frozen, moving her head up and down vigorously to face Mr. Nilsen and Maja, respectively.
“Please, Signe,” she wept. “I don’t want to see you expelled. You have such a bright future, so please don’t do this. PLEASE SIGNE!”
Signe lowered her shoulders and tilted her head. She let out a huge sigh and collapsed on the grass. While there, she laughed maniacally.
“Um, are you okay, Signe?” I asked.
“I don’t even know anymore,” she replied. “Honestly, I give up. It’s all whatever now.”
I stood there with my mouth pushed to the side, trying to comprehend what she meant.
“Ehem, remember the three of you have an hour of detention!” Mr. Nilsen reminded.
“Hey, give me detention whatever, but leave Signe and Maja out of this!”
“Well, Viktor, you see, you have no power. There’s nothing the three of you can do about my decision.”
I stomped and punched a nearby tree while wanting to hurt him. Yet at the same time, if I attempted to move my leg, it would just get immobilized.
Conversely, Signe pranced up to him with her fists held to his face.
“Listen here, Mr. Nilsen!” she threatened. “Leave Maja out of this! Otherwise, I’ll report you to my father!”
Mr. Nilsen covered his mouth, and I noticed his eyes were wide open and full of life. He then closed his eyes and burst into laughter and tears. “Ahaha, y-you think your threat scares me? Aha, AHAHA! Don’t even try to make me laugh.”
He stared at Signe, laid his palm on her forehead, and pushed her aside.
“I know very well that you’re a troublemaker and a massive disappointment to your father,” he mocked. “If I wanted to, I’d pull up your file and read to the school the number of times you’ve failed your tests, gotten arrested, been suspended, etc. Would you like me to do that? Also, who do you think Mr. Løvgren will believe? His delinquent daughter or one of the most respected teachers at the academy? You’re lucky that I won’t report you to the police for your little fight today.”
Silence hit our surroundings as I noticed Signe standing still with her head tilted. She shook violently and clenched her fists so aggressively that it looked like her right palm was bleeding a little.
Suddenly, I felt a throbbing pain in my chest as my heart pumped vigorously. I had the urge to commit the most brutal and heinous of acts against him in my mind, yet I couldn’t feel anger. My body felt strangely peaceful .
On the other hand — Signe broke down. She collapsed to the ground as her tears watered the plants near her. She was slowly grovelling on the grass, unable to wipe away her tears.
“Despicable!” Mr. Nilsen snarled as he spat on the dirt. “I would get all of you arrested if it wasn’t for the fact that you’re all nothing more than trash to me!”
He walked away from us, chuckling. At that moment, anger crept back into my mind, and my body felt tense.
I had wanted to forget everything and just bash his brains out. However, to his luck, I couldn’t abandon Signe here. The pain I sensed while she was still crawling on the ground and sobbing — felt like someone stabbed a knife in my chest. It was still impossible for me to move.
“Signe, it’s alright,” Maja said in a soothing voice, embracing her. “Please don’t listen to him. He knows nothing.”
“Maja… He’s right, though,” Signe complained, pushing Maja away. “I don’t have a good reputation here, and there’s no way my senile father will take my side!”
Maja didn’t reply as she stayed by Signe’s side, rubbing and patting her back. The more I saw how sweet and loyal Maja was to Signe, the more I felt like my legs and hands could move again! The way Signe stood up to Mr. Nilsen and how dauntless she was… I needed to praise her. So I slowly walked to their side and comforted Signe as well.
“You’re such a badass, Signe!” I complimented. “You don’t know how painful it was to see Mr. Nilsen treat you like that. I would have killed him if it was legal.”
Signe looked at me in the eyes. It seemed like her tears were slowly drying up. Still, she quickly turned away without a word.
I held my hand out just above her head. Maja was the first to notice and nudged her. Signe looked up at me, grabbed my hand and sprang off the ground.
“Wo-woah, nice grip!” I praised. “I’m so sorry for stereotyping you with other punks who wear the same attire. I feel awful about doing that.”
“Don’t apologize, uh-uh, Viktor, is it?”
I cackled and nodded.
“Stereotypes are terrible, but you know what’s worse?” she asked. “Trauma, I can tell you’re suffering from trauma. I’m not going to go hard on ya for that.”
I took a step back and let out a nervous and faint laugh. An irresistible itch crept into the back of my head as I scratched it violently.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Viktor! I shouldn’t have brought that up!”
“N-no, it’s alright. Don’t worry about it. Is it fine if I just get a little more rest before lunch break ends?”
I just noticed that Maja stood beside Signe this entire time. I cackled as Signe laid her right hand on my shoulder, smiled, and nodded. Maja giggled.
“Thanks, see the two of ya after school,” I uttered. “It was a pleasure to meet you both.”
I sat beneath the tree, Barry, watching Signe and Maja walk away. The two holding hands as they walked made me feel cozy and warm inside. It helped me instantly fall asleep.
I couldn’t quite remember what I dreamed of in that short nap. All I remember was a dark and purple void. But it didn’t intimidate me or anything, no. I was actually relatively calm seeing that image in my mind.
I slowly opened my eyes and glanced at my watch — 13:03. I was already three minutes late for my next class.
I grabbed my jacket, jumped into the air, and dashed so fast that I couldn’t feel anything in my surroundings. The academy came into view shortly as I tackled the door open. There I ran past a few students who were also late and finally got to class. Unfortunately, with the momentum I picked up from the running, I collided with someone. The collision caused me to slam my back on the door.
“YOWCH!” I screamed.
I shook my head and rubbed my back strenuously. I slowly opened my eyes and saw this tall young man standing above me with his right hand extended. He had light brownish blond hair, amber-coloured eyes, and residual facial hair from an otherwise clean-shaven face. He wore a white lab coat with a blue tuxedo shirt underneath, brown pants, and brown shoes.
“Hey, you alright, pal?” he questioned with a smile. “That was quite the collision. Here, grab my hand. I’ll help you up.”
I slowly grasped his hand and got up.
Suddenly, I realized the Professor wasn’t there, so I asked, “Excuse me, sir. Do you know where Professor Eklund is? Also, I’m sorry I’m late!”
“Oh no, that is totally fine!” he chuckled. “I’m always tardy to work as well. I’m going to be your substitute today. I cannot share why Professor Eklund isn’t here. My apologies. Do not worry! I should be, um, able to teach everyone. Please take a seat, um…”
“Oh, my name is Viktor, Viktor Palmer-Makar.”
He marked me down as I walked to my seat.
“Alright, looks like everyone’s here,” he exclaimed. “Let me introduce myself first. My name is Mr. Løvgren. I will be your substitute today. You can just call me Arvid if you’d like.”
My jaw dropped the moment I heard his last name. I couldn’t stop thinking about whether he was related to Signe .
“Today, we will learn about how Pokémon can manipulate field effects,” Arvid told us. “Let me demonstrate with my Murkrow. Come on out, bud!”
Murkrow flew out of its Poké Ball and squawked.
“Alright, Murky buddy, use Sunny Day!” he commanded.
Murkrow’s wings began to glow in a bright orange and yellow light, and before I could blink, the light blinded me.
I heard a few students groan. Someone moaned loud enough for me to hear, "Ow! My eyes!"
“Oh, oh, OH NO!” Arvid yelped. “Uh, uh, uh, calm down, class. I’ll find a way out of this! Um, OH, YES! Use Rain Dance, Murkrow!”
Suddenly, my entire body got soaking wet. The bright light ceased to be, and I opened my eyes again. Murkrow’s rain dance caused the electronics in the class to malfunction, and everyone, including me, swiftly ducked under their tables, trying to brace against the onslaught of the miniature rainstorm.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, everyone!” I heard Arvid express as I sat below my table. His voice seemed to be a bit dull too. Did he seek cover under a table as well?
Seemingly realizing that he couldn’t change anything, he took the opportunity to continue teaching, “But hey, as everyone can see, changing the weather can severely impact the field. We still don’t know the exact radius that is affected. Scientists will assure you it affects at least two battlefields worth of land! For our sake, hopefully only in this classroom.”
He paused briefly before whining, “Oh, I’m sorry, class! We will have to wait for it to subdue as I have no other idea how to stop that.”
While being nearly blinded and getting soaked sucks, Arvid being a goof made me feel relieved and calm. It was such a contrast from Mr. Nilsen, so I had to treasure every moment. Still, my curiosity couldn’t let go of the fact that Løvgren is his surname. Was he related to Signe? He looked nothing like her. Then again, it’s hard to imagine her appearance without all her makeup.
With the rain still in effect, I heard a student ask him, “Does your Murkrow know any moves other than Sunny Day THAT WOULD HELP US?”
“Hmm, I need to remember what moves Murky knows,” he replied with a gentle voice. “Outside of the two weather moves, I remember commanding Murky to use Tailwind once in an experiment.”
The moment he finished his sentence — a gust of wind engulfed the room. It blew away the tables and sent us all flying through the class. I had to shut my eyes as a significant load of water splashed into my body.
“Oh no, oh no, OH NO!” he shrieked, overpowering the student’s screams. “I didn’t instruct you to use Tailwind, Murky! Please stop, STOP!”
I took a brief peek and caught Murkrow smirking and squawking at Arvid. What a Prankster !
Unfortunately, I had to zip my eyes again as rain showered on them, with no signs of stopping. A few seconds later — BAM, I got pinned to the roof.
Unable to take the barrage from the artificial storm further, I yelled, “THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO STOP THIS! THINK, ARVID, THINK!”
I couldn’t hear his reply through the loud banging from the storm. However, shortly after, everything subdued. Unfortunately, I fell from the roof at a spine-chilling velocity and felt like I’d turn into a vegetable the moment I hit the ground.
“Noctowl, come on out!” Arvid commanded.
His Noctowl swooped me up and helped me safely land. As grateful as I was, I observed the area and realized that most classmates weren’t lucky. Many laid on their backs, moaning in pain. Even worse, tables trapped multiple students. The first thing that popped into my mind was to help those who were beneath the tables. Sadly, it was just Arvid and me that assisted others.
“Hey, Arvid, lend me a hand, please,” I requested while holding one end of a table. “Please grab the other end.”
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry, Viktor!” he wailed. “I was so stupid for not preparing for this class.”
“Listen, I forgive you, but please help me get my classmates out of these tables!”
He gulped and nodded with an expressionless face.
We slowly lifted each table that confined the students, one by one, and finally, after quite some time, we successfully rescued everyone.
I quickly collapsed on the damp ground and shut my eyes. As I nearly dozed off, Arvid nudged me with his foot.
“Hey, sorry for disturbing you,” he said. “But thank you so much for helping me and knocking some sense into me.”
“Huh?” I snorted as I opened my eyes. “Oh, don’t mention it! But seriously, what did you do to get Murkrow to stop?”
“Aha, well, you see…” he paused. “I just returned him to his ball.”
My jaw instantly dropped as I saw him chuckle nervously. I banged the back of my head on the floor, screaming, “WHAT!? ARE YOU SERIOUS? All you had to do was return it to its goddamn ball, yet you caused all that trouble?”
His cheeks turned bright red as he turned and slowly walked away. As he strolled, he suggested, “Hey, class, just take this time to relax. I’ll take full responsibility. Don’t stress yourselves out.”
Despite still having questions for him, my exhaustion got the best of me, and I fell asleep without another conscious thought. Eventually, I heard the bell ring, disturbing my slumber. “Ughhh,” I whimpered.
“Hey Viktor, it’s time to wake up and get to your last class.”
I blinked a few times and slowly got off the still-wet floor. Noticing that it was just Arvid and I left in the classroom, I laid my hand on his shoulder to grab his attention.
“Oh, you’re awake! How can I help you, Viktor?”
“Hey, Mr. Løvgren, is it alright if I ask you a question or two before I skedaddle?”
“Oh yes, of course!”
“Do you happen to know Signe Løvgren?”
He blushed and nodded his head.
Excitement and curiosity hit me as I paused with my hand on my chin.
“May I ask why you ask, Viktor? Don’t tell me she’s causing you trouble! Is she?”
“Oh, oh no, no, no!” I exclaimed, waving my hands around. “Quite the opposite. She helped me today, and I’m very grateful for that. I was just curious if you two know each other.”
“Yes, she’s my troublemaker little sister ,” he sighed with a faint smile. “I’m glad she helped you. That’s awfully sweet of her.”
I grinned and gave him a thumbs-up before heading out of the class.
“I’d love to talk to you more, but I’m late for an exam! Take care, Mr. Løvgren! Hope to see you again.”
“Same to you, Viktor! Also, please just call me Arvid!”
I dazed into an almost psychedelic-like state while running to my last class. Meeting Signe, Maja, and Arvid made me feel like today was actually a great day despite all the shit that happened otherwise. I couldn’t stop thinking about why I met two of the Champion’s children. I kept on wondering if it was fate or not.
While still in a trance, I failed to notice the locked classroom. Thus, I slammed my body into it.
“Woosh!” I yelled as I wobbled. “Come on, open up the door!” I shouted, banging on the door. My teacher, Mrs. Akhtar, opened up, giving me a stern look.
“Viktor! YOU’RE LATE! Get in here and start your exam, NOW!”
I got to my desk while grumbling with my head down, grabbed my pen, and began. To say it was complex would be an understatement. I didn’t know how much Hyper Potions healed and how they worked. Nope, not a single clue. To make things worse, I had to write an essay along with the multiple-choice questions. I took the entire class to write a half-assed response that they healed Pokémon very well…
After reluctantly handing in the papers, I rushed to the detention hall, supervised by this old hag, Mrs. Butkus.
“Oh hey, good to see you again, Viktor!” Signe exclaimed.
“Hi, Viktor!” Maja greeted.
“Hey guys,” I replied. “Nice to see you two again. Anyways time to waste the next hour of my life staring at the ceiling.”
Maja and Signe laughed out loud, only for Mrs. Butkus to throw a chalk eraser at us.
“Hey, there is to be no talking or laughter in detention! I will give all of you only one warning! Don’t you DARE break it! ”
Maja frowned while Signe gave Mrs. Butkus the stink eye. I mocked her with my lip movements.
For the first 20 minutes of detention, I dozed, barely able to keep my eyes open. Then — the most excruciating yet faint pain spread throughout my body from my chest.
I worked at this local pizzeria after school. The pay wasn’t great, but at least I got paid under the table and kept all the cash to myself. Unfortunately, even if I arrived on time, my boss would throw a fit and insult me. I gulped an alarming amount of saliva, realizing I’d be late today.
I tried to calm myself down by closing my eyes and shutting off all thoughts. Instead, I started to sweat profusely and felt like I would bawl out.
“Hey, you alright?” Signe questioned by nudging me from behind. “Please just relax.”
I turned my back and slowly opened my eyes, witnessing them staring at me with a faint frown.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I whispered. “Listen, we can’t talk, or the hag will scold us.”
Maja covered her mouth and giggled while Signe tried to hold in her expressions. Suddenly, Signe laughed out loud. “HAG! HAHAHA, Viktor, you’re such a joker!”
“Oh, be quiet, Signe!” I demanded. “We’re asking for it now.”
“No, you imbecile, take a look in front of you!” she urged.
I did as she suggested and noticed Mrs. Butkus fast asleep, snoring like a Snorlax.
“BAHAHAHAHA!” I exclaimed. “That witch might as well just die. How old is she, 100 minimum? Okay, but like sure, we can do what we want now. However, it doesn’t change the fact we’re still stuck here until our detention end. I need to get out of here asap. Like I absolutely NEED TO! ”
“Hey, trust me, bro, I got you covered,” Signe smirked. “I can figure a way outta here.”
I scratched my head as I examined the room. The few students in detention were either slacking off or outright asleep. I realized that neither one of the skinheads was present. Either they skipped, or worse yet, Mr. Nilsen never punished them. Mrs. Butkus must have shut the windows tight and locked the door from the inside.
“Yeah, I give up,” I moaned as I slammed my face on the desk.
“Viktor, please get up,” Signe commanded me. “I’ll show you how you can get out of here.”
I slowly left my chair, wobbled to her side, asking, “How?”
She grinned and took out a window zipper from her bag.
“Wait, how do you have a random window zipper in your bag?” I questioned.
“Well, I need to be able to defend myself from creeps, ya know,” she replied. “Riolu is tough, but I don’t want him to push himself too hard. If I were to grab a knife from the kitchen, my parents would get suspicious. My dad never notices that his window zipper is gone, thankfully.”
I stepped back and cackled nervously, “My my, Signe, look at you go!”
Signe smiled as she went to the windows with Maja. Signe stuck the tool into the wood beneath one of the windows and repeatedly stabbed the bottom until she unlocked it.
“Now’s your chance, Viktor!” Signe exclaimed while Maja lifted the window.
“You guys… Thanks,” I sniffled. “Will we ever meet again?”
“Oh, no need to thank me,” Signe blushed. “Also, don’t be so dramatic! Let’s hang out tonight. What’s your address?”
“Oh, um, it’s Room 13A, in Dorm A.”
“Got it, now scram, Viktor!” she chuckled. “See ya later tonight!”
I smiled and gave her a thumbs-up before crawling out the window.
I looked at my watch — it was 15:27. I felt my spirit depart my body as I stepped back and took multiple deep breaths. I shook my head vigorously and brushed my fear aside as I sprinted to my bike, got on and rushed to the pizzeria.
“Come on, Viktor, have faith that you can make it in three minutes. You gotta go faster, FASTER!” I yelled from the top of my lungs.
Along my ride, the thoughts of getting into more trouble for leaving early intruded my mind. The main thing that plagued my brain was that extended detentions would be a pattern, thanks to my little escape there.
“Just relax, come on…” I forced myself out loud. “Let’s figure out what to do when the time comes, not now!”
A moment later, I finally got to the pizzeria. When I got off, my legs felt shot. I bit the bottom of my lip as I limped into the pizzeria.
As soon as I entered, I sensed a stool flying towards me. As I narrowly ducked to dodge, my boss came into view with a red hot face, yelling, “VIKTOR! WHY ARE YOU THIS LATE?”
I stuttered but couldn’t get my words out as I looked at the clock — 16:05.
“I’m s-sorry, sir!” I stammered. “There was an…”
“I don’t care! Get your ass out of my property; you’re fired!”
“B-but”
“NO BUTS ABOUT IT! I warned you what happens to tardy peeps! Get out of my face now, or else I’m calling the cops!”
I shivered with my fists clenched up. The thought of getting arrested and deported; made me think twice about doing anything more than yelling, “Fuck you, you snobby Bourg!”
Rather than riding, I walked my bike back home instead. I paced like a Torkoal, with my head down the entire time. I had plenty of inconsistent thoughts that were short. Roughly 30 minutes or so later, I got back to my dorm.
Before heading in, I made sure to check my mailbox. Most of my mail was junk — until I found a letter from my sister, Halyna. A mixture of excitement and anxiety raced through my veins as I hadn’t received mail from her for a long time.
I went into my room, took my pants, jacket, and shirt off, and hopped on my bed. When I opened Halyna’s mail, I noticed she sent one DVD. I turned on my tiny TV and inserted the disk into the DVD Player. I forcibly tapped my feet as I waited for it to load. Finally, the screen showed an image and began to play.
My sister came into view. She looks like a young teen with pale skin, lush blonde hair, stunning blue eyes, and just beautiful overall. Most importantly, she kept her innocent and sweet look.
“Hey, big brother,” she said in the video with a faint voice. “It’s been three years since we last met, and I hope you’ve been well. Thank you so much for sending money to help Mother and me. I just wish I could repay you, but it might be difficult. My vision has been deteriorating since you left. The doctors told us that I suffer from this rare eye disease. If untreated — it could leave me permanently blind. I’m sorry for burdening you with more stress, but I just needed to let you know. I also hope you don’t forget your little sister’s face. Take care, big bro.”
Halyna shed a few tears as the video ended.
As my body began to shiver and became red hot, I threw my remote at the TV. I stared at my blanket, frozen and trying to contain my tears. Unfortunately, the throbbing pain in my head made me bawl out my eyes.
“Why, why, WHY ARCEUS?” I questioned, pounding my bed. “She means the world to me, and yet you gave her this rare disease? She’s done nothing wrong to anyone, but still, you forced her to live a life of misery. How dare you, HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!?”
While I took a deep breath, I heard a knock on the door. Then a few more knocks.
“Hello, is there anyone there?” a voice asked.
“What the hell do you want, bitch?” I interrogated. “Get off my property, or else!”
“Woah, are you okay?” the voice questioned. “It’s me, Signe! I brought Maja with me as well!”
My jaw dropped as I froze yet again.
It was hard for me to tell them, “C-co-come in. T-the d-door’s open!”
Signe and Maja entered my room, with Signe commenting, “Oh wow, nice place! I wasn’t sure when you wanted to meet, so I just wanted to check if you’re here.”
Unable to reply, I continued to cry.
“Woah, are you okay, Viktor?” Signe and Maja probed in unison. They both went up to comfort me.
“I-I-I’m sorry!” I cried. “I’m a loser, A LOSER, I TELL YOU!”
“Viktor,” Signe replied in a faint voice. “Aw, you poor thing,” she sighed as she hugged me. “What’s wrong? It’s okay, let it all out, and you can tell me later.”
I turned to face her, and for some reason, her faint smile and kind stare made me feel calmer.
A moment later, Maja brought me some water.
“Thank you, guys, for coming so early,” I said. “I just got fired from my job for being late. Not only that, but I received the worst news from my sister.”
“Oh no, I’m terribly sorry,” Signe mourned. “You don’t need to tell me what happened if you don’t want to. In fact, would you like to hang out another time? Maja and I can always come back.”
“No, please stay!” I begged. “I’m sorry, but I need some company after this shit day.”
“Aw, Viktor, we’re here to help,” Maja replied.
“Just one moment,” I replied. “Let me drink some water first.”
I chugged my water and paused a bit with my eyes closed. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. After sniffling a bit, I smiled faintly.
“I’m just stressed,” I told them. “I originally got a job at this metallurgy factory in Oriena near the northern parts of Hjarta. They promised me if I worked two years for them, they’ll fund my journey in Hjarta. Unfortunately, they never held up their part of the bargain. It’s a miracle that the academy accepted me as a student. Otherwise, I’d be a broke idiot back home, unable to help my family. To make matters worse, as soon as I enrolled in the academy, Hjarta had its first champion. I want to become the champion to earn enough money to support my family.”
I took another deep breath and collapsed on my bed.
“Vi-Viktor,” Signe said, shedding a few tears. “Your story is so heartwarming, and I’m really sorry you had to go through all that. I know the circumstances are tough, but please don’t give up! I know you got this! You can easily kick my father’s ass in a battle. He’s pathetic!”
I sat up again as I grinned faintly.
“Listen, I’ve been failing most of my classes,” I sighed. “Not only that, getting fired means I have no way to support myself monetarily. I was declined financial aid when I applied to the academy. However, that’s not the worst part…”
The memory of Halyna’s video rushed through my brain again. I squeezed my hands on my head, closed my eyes, and begged the thoughts to stop.
“Viktor!” Signe exclaimed. “Please, is everything okay?”
“Here, Viktor, please drink some more water,” Maja pleaded as she filled my cup.
I gulped the water violently and took more deep breaths.
“Thank you, Maja. Sorry to make the two of you more worried. The worst part relates to a video my little sister, Halyna, sent me.”
“Oh, you have a sister?” Signe asked. “Oh wait, dumb of me to ask! You already told me.”
“Yes, you remembered, thank you. Okay, so my sister is the most important thing to me. All I have are my mother and her in my life. It’s already hard for me to support them and myself with my income. However, my sister just got diagnosed with a rare eye disease. Oriena used to have free efficient healthcare when it was the Tovarich Federative Socialist Republic. Now, nothing is free. None of us can afford it.”
I thought I would cry — but no tears this time. I just felt sorrow.
“I’m sorry for the rant. I just don’t know what to do. I’ll probably be kicked out of the academy soon and then deported. I’m worthless.”
Signe and Maja cuddled me yet again. Despite being such a strong person, Signe’s hugs were soft and gentle. It reminded me of Mother’s embrace.
“Viktor, stop putting yourself down!” Signe demanded. “If you don’t, I’ll kick your ass and make you stay down. Just kidding! But seriously, Viktor, please don’t give up. Something’s been on my mind for the longest time. I initially hesitated to apply, but I think I should now due to your circumstance. Especially seeing how I have a shit reputation here, and I’m not doing well in classes either. Besides, getting away from my father’s authority? Hell yeah!”
“Oh, what is it?” I questioned with a stern face. “I’m listening.”
“Okay, so I’ve been doing a lot of research on this region called Sinnoh,” she replied. “It’s a beautiful region near Orienan Far East. They’ve been mass-accepting people from anywhere to take on their Pokémon League. Despite starting this event last year, there’s still no champion. If we sign up and get approved, they’ll provide us lodging, supplies, food, and a starter Pokémon on our journey. Possibly even more!”
After she finished, I began to pant with a huge grin. Hearing the news made me instantly forget about all the shit that happened to me today.
“Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Maja said. “But I’m just a bit worried.”
We both turned to face Maja as she continued, “So how do you know it’s legit, Siggi? What if they’re human traffickers?”
I hit my face with my palm repeatedly after hearing that. Eventually, Signe grabbed my hands to stop me.
“Well, it’s a possibility,” Signe sighed. “However, I’m sick and tired of living under my father’s shadow. I need to start making a life for myself.”
“Also, if I may, Signe,” I interrupted. “I don’t care if it’s all a scam. I have nothing to lose. I’m already at the mercy of being deported and having a blind sister. Whatever opportunity I have to change that, I’ll take.”
“Besides, we all know what power my father has,” Signe remarked. “Worst case scenario, I can always call him, and he’ll send help. Don’t worry, Maja. I promise we’ll be fine.”
Maja sat there expressionless and stared at her hands before sighing and nodding.
“Thank you for trusting us, Maja,” Signe said. “Viktor, I will make sure to arrange everything. I just need your passport. May I borrow it?”
I nodded and went to my messy suitcase. It took quite some time, but I was able to retrieve it.
“Sorry for the messy suitcase and room,” I cackled. “I’m just always tired after work to clean up.”
“Oh, it’s not a problem,” she said in a monotone voice. “May I please have the passport?”
I handed her the passport, and she beamed.
“Thank you so much, guys. Say, Signe and Maja, may I have a hug?”
Signe and Maja hugged me and wished me goodbye, taking off. Before them, Halyna was the last person to embrace me.
Tired, I instantly shut my lights off and laid on my bed, closing my eyes. While trying to fall asleep, I had thoughts about Halyna’s video. Yes, it frightened me. However, adrenaline pumped into my body after hearing what Signe told me. My fear would never get the best of me. I still wondered why I met Signe and Maja. It’s been nothing but a miracle in an otherwise hellish place. Was this all a coincidence, or was Arceus trying to tell me something? Suddenly I opened my eyes, realizing I only wore underwear during the entire exchange…
The two of us crashed into each other, and the force of the impact was so strong it caused me to flip into the air. Less than a split second later, I fell hard on the pavement. I think I may have broken my back from that.
Okay, so, since hjärta means heart in Swedish and many of the characters have Scandinavian names (ø being a Norwegian and Danish letter), I'm assuming this place is based on Scandinavia. As a Nordic, I'm excited to see that!
“You’re such a badass, Signe!” I complimented. “You don’t know how painful it was to see Mr. Nilsen treat you like that. I would have killed him if it was legal.”
I shook my head and rubbed my back strenuously. I slowly opened my eyes and saw this tall young man standing above me with his right hand extended. He had light brownish blond hair, amber-coloured eyes, and residual facial hair from an otherwise clean-shaven face. He wore a white lab coat with a blue tuxedo shirt underneath, brown pants, and brown shoes.
“BAHAHAHAHA!” I exclaimed. “That witch might as well just die. How old is she, 100 minimum? Okay, but like sure, we can do what we want now. However, it doesn’t change the fact we’re still stuck here until our detention end. I need to get out of here asap. Like I absolutely NEED TO! ”
I looked at my watch — it was 15:27. I felt my spirit depart my body as I stepped back and took multiple deep breaths. I shook my head vigorously and brushed my fear aside as I sprinted to my bike, got on and rushed to the pizzeria.
“Come on, Viktor, have faith that you can make it in three minutes. You gotta go faster, FASTER!” I yelled from the top of my lungs.
Along my ride, the thoughts of getting into more trouble for leaving early intruded my mind. The main thing that plagued my brain was that extended detentions would be a pattern, thanks to my little escape there.
“Just relax, come on…” I forced myself out loud. “Let’s figure out what to do when the time comes, not now!”
A moment later, I finally got to the pizzeria. When I got off, my legs felt shot. I bit the bottom of my lip as I limped into the pizzeria.
As soon as I entered, I sensed a stool flying towards me. As I narrowly ducked to dodge, my boss came into view with a red hot face, yelling, “VIKTOR! WHY ARE YOU THIS LATE?”
I stuttered but couldn’t get my words out as I looked at the clock — 16:05.
“Listen, I’ve been failing most of my classes,” I sighed. “Not only that, getting fired means I have no way to support myself monetarily. I was declined financial aid when I applied to the academy. However, that’s not the worst part…”
I really have to wonder how he supported himself thus far.
---
General Comments
I have to be honest, I think there's a lot to improve here.
The characters act melodramatically to the point where I really struggle to take them seriously. They start off yelling at each other in a quite obnoxious manner, and Viktor has a flashback that apparently made him stop dead in his tracks for five whole minutes. He also seems to cry at the drop of a hat. Mr. Nilsen acts in a cartoonishly evil manner that makes him out to be just a cardboard cutout rather than a real person with real motives, and every other adult character is barely better, spending their only on-screen time yelling at the children.
I was excited to see a region based on Scandinavia, but it ended up not being much like Scandinavia in the end. Teachers are called by their surnames instead of being on a first name basis, and the character lives in a dormitory, which I don't think exist in Scandinavian colleges(? I'm still uncertain if this is supposed to be a college or some kind of high school, as the characters act so immaturely and they're put in detention.) I also don't know whether or not to assume this college is affordable like in real life Scandinavia, though if it isn't, even more questions are raised about how Viktor could afford to study there.
I'm sorry about the negative tone this review took. I just think this story could benefit a lot from more mature behavior from the characters and a financial setup that makes more sense. I'm open to any questions you might have, either here on the forums or on Discord through DMs. See you around.
Also here for Catnip, and I agree that there's a lot to improve.
For starters, all the authority figures are cartoonishly inept to an utterly unrealistic degree. Palmer shows up late for work and his boss...threatens to call the cops? For what? What crime is Palmer supposedly committing? And if he actually did so, Palmer could just reveal the whole "he pays me under the table" or alternately even say that the boss isn't paying him at all, knowing that his boss couldn't prove otherwise.
The first teacher, Nilson, goes on a massive, violent rant in a public area and comes under no scrutiny for it, even though he physically assaulted a student. Nobody makes any move to report him to the administration, and they obey his demand of going to detention even though it's unjust. This is ALSO after he berated Palmer in front of the entire class, insulting and threatening him, with tons of witnesses. Nobody did anything?
The second teacher, Arvid, has no business teaching training when he can't even remember how to recall his own pokemon. Most of the class was injured because of his ineptitude and, again, nobody even thinks to report him and they just go along with it. How did he get his license?
And the third teacher, Ahktar, is mean for no reason yet again. She doesn't even ask why he's late, just launches into screaming at him in front of the class.
Butkis assaults the students again and nothing comes of it.
Listen, as someone who was actually abused by teachers for many years, I find this shallow depiction flat out offensive. Stuff like this gets ATTENTION. And frankly, it doesn't make me want to side with Palmer either, because he does nothing at all to make even the slightest report to the school authorities, and standing up for himself seems limited to shouting an insult at his boss as he leaves.
It's very frustrating to see a serious issue reduced to comically overdone stock figures. This is something I'd expect out of an intentionally over the top cartoon where every single character is at 200%, not a story that wants to be taken seriously.
