The small boy could be seen in the slit of light that poured through his bedroom door. His blue hair shone in the
darkness. He lay against his pillow and tried desperately not to cry, even though his body was stinging from pain. When
he felt the hand on his shoulder he jumped in surprise, hoping that it wasn't her, not her with the red hair who had turned
his days into hell. He was slightly relieved to see it was his father.
"James my son, I think it's time we have a talk. Follow me to my study."
"Father, if it's about my table manners, I'm trying, honest! It won't happen ever again. It's just Jessebell had me so
exhausted, from being chased, I was so hungry...I..." The man smiled at the boy and his eyes twinkled.
"Just follow me, son." James nodded obediently and followed his father with small clumsy steps. They got to the study.
It was a classic study with wood paneling on the walls, leather furniture, animal heads, and so forth. James sat down on
a leather chair. Or at least tried to...
"Ooof! My head!" His father wondered how anyone one could land on his head after falling from a drop that was only a
few inches. But he shrugged as James struggled to get back up on the chair.
"Now, my son, i!'s time I had this talk about with you-the same one my father had with me when I was your age. It's
about a man's role in this family." James' father said, sitting down and putting his feet up on his desk. That made James'
large green eyes go even wider in astonishment.
"You just... Father... Isn't that bad manners?"
"Yes, it is. But this is my study, also known as the one place your mother cant go. Which brings up a good point. Do
you know why we betrothed you to Jessebell?"
"To make my life miserable, to lead me to drink ruin and despair?"
"No, it's because her father owns nine plantations. Nine plantations, which if added to our total fortune would give us
roughly 40 million dollars quarterly. So we were quite lucky the little lady took a shine to you."
"So, as a man I have to marry some girl I loathe and fear and obey her every whim just so we have money for some
stuffy boring garden party?"
"No, garden parties and human chess-but that's beside the point, my lad. You see this thing with manners. I know you
hate it. But as men we have to do what women want, with the manners and all. I got used to it, but when I got married, I
became her lord and master, meaning she has to obey me."
"Oh, so that's why you give her the power for servants' payroll, decorations of the house, and what you wear. And I
guess you like having only your study and acting all proper, right?"
"Um-yes." A sweatdrop appeared on James' father's brow. He got up and moved near a decanter of brandy.
"Well, it's worked for your mother and myself all these years. We produced an heir to this fortune old sport, and when
you grow up you'll do the same, after you marry Jessebell."
"Oh, then there'll be another James Vivian Delbert Beverly Kimball Prescott the...ummmmmm...."
"VIII." His father added, pouring some brandy from the decanter into a snifter.
"Well, other than that terrible name, Id be putting him through this 'life' all over again, which I don't think Id want to see
him suffer through. There is also the matter of heredity, like the fact we're inbred, so things like the notorious voice that
never completely breaks, which I hope will never happen to me then Id sound like a total fool. Or this stupid hair which
you can never arrange perfectly for some unknown reason...."
"Well, that is your duty son. At first I didn't want to face up to it either. I mean I was betrothed to someone who at the
age of six was already a battle-ax, but there are ways to get over this, and ways to follow this life with honor, and find
some manly way of escape like..." James' father trailed off and lifted the brandy snifter to his lips.
"...Every time you and Mother have a fight you go the study and drink your brandy and stay in there for days and days.
I tried that once after I was chased in here by Jessebell. I had a sip of brandy...." James's father took a sip of the
aforementioned brandy as he listened to his son. James continued, " ... but it burned my mouth so I spit it back into the
decanter so I wouldn't dirty the glass...." James' father's eyes went wide. He spit out the brandy very quickly,
"No, my son, I meant a hobby like..."
"You and Ms. Pennywaither, your secretary? You and her must have played some really fun games together, because I
hear all that noise from your study after she comes in and you go everywhere with her..."
"Um ... ...." His father blushed, then reached into his wallet and gave James a twenty "...just don't tell your mother about
the games, okay old chap?"
"Okay, well, for a hobby..." James thought with his face in his hands and sighed. "I like flower arranging, I almost
know the language of flowers by heart. Plus I like poetry, ballet, fashion, painting, um...flowers, and um...what are those
things...I saw them before the animals...um...they're really neat...um..."
"Pokemon?" His father offered, supplying James with the answer.
"Yeah, I would like my own Pokemon to keep as a friend, and training him would make a good hobby."
*A good hobby, * thought his father, *this would keep him away from those other interests which are far too effeminate
and with our family's reputation its the last thing we need...I'll get him some manly Pokemon like a Growlithe. Besides,
that little girl is getting one. They'll have something in common. This will keep his thoughts away from trouble. * The
father turned his back and began to walk away. He never saw James stick his tongue out or the small voice that said in
an almost whisper-
"When I get my Pokemon I'll run away ... me and my Pokemon wild and free under the stars...no one will ever take
away my freedom. I'll train my Pokemon and make a fortune on my own without this family..."
~Fin~
