Author's Note: Mean trainer. Nothing else.

Give me a reason (I don't believe a word)
To end this discussion (of anything I've heard)
To break with tradition (they tell me that it's not so hard)
To fold and divide (it's not so hard)
So let's not get carried (away with everything)
Away with the process (from here to in-between)
Of elimination (the long goodbye)
I don't want to waste your time
Everything is Alright by Motion City Soundtrack

I always thought that my name was such a pretty name. So delicate, gentle, kind, exotic…but then I found out what it means to the humans.

It's disgusting.

I am a Togepi. Not very strong at the moment, but I'm adorable, I try my best, and I always seem to be on my trainer's good side…well, not good side, but he's never angry with me.

I remember my first battle…

"Come on out!" My trainer shouted. Or I think he did, because that's what all our opponents say when they release their pokemon. Anyway, I appeared out on the ground, newly hatched and overall adorable.

"Dude, you have a Togepi. Those things don't know any attack moves!" The opponent and his Mightyena laughed. I tilted my head in confusion. I could attack with my adorable-ness…

My trainer didn't say anything to the opponent. "Use Charm."

I fainted after a Faint Attack, although I managed to get two Charms in. When my trainer revived me, however, he seemed happy. Mostly because he won the battle, and he said I helped win it. I was so happy…

"Queenie, did we win…?" I asked Trainer's Gardevoir. She shrugged with a nod.

"I won the battle for us, of course."

"You're lucky I was there to help, though." Trainer's Sableye added, crossing his arms.

"Whatever. We all know that I'm the real power on this team."

That was all I really remembered…although all my battles except that one were double-battles.

I found out something important after about five or so. Queenie, or Queen, was the power of the team. There were six of us, and I seemed to be the weakest…There was a Slowking, Sableye, the Gardevoir, Combusken, and a Murkrow who didn't seem to really do anything.

We all had funny names. Queen, King, Knight…it was like we were all royalty.

How ignorant I was back then.

I found out after about the tenth battle that I wasn't training very well because I always fainted in the battle. He also taught me some very strange attacks…I didn't know any offensive attacks at all.

Yet he was still happy that we were winning battles.

Then, that one battle happened…

I was released, presumably after my trainer said the usual shouting of 'Go!'. Knight, that strange Murkrow, was also released alongside me.

"Dude…you named your Togepi 'Pawn'? That's messed up…" The opponent shook his head.

"What's a 'pawn'?" I asked, looking around in confusion. Knight laughed hoarsely, flapping his black wings around in a very crazy fashion.

"Hon, a pawn is someone who is sacrificed for the better cause of a match." The opponent's Jynx said gently. "He's using you for his own selfish gains."

"No…no he isn't! He loves me! Just like all his other pokemon!" I cried desperately.

"Have you ever stayed conscious for a full battle? Has he ever used any sort of healing item on you when it mattered? A trainer who loves their pokemon is usually sad when one faints, even if they win the battle." The Jynx said, twirling a lock of her hair on a finger. "I'm not saying it's fair, but I think it's true, hon."

"Pawn, use Charm on the Jynx! Knight, knock out that Bayleef with a Wing Attack!"

"Jynx, use Ice Punch. Bayleef, try to dodge--oh, never mind…Return! Go, Furret!" The opponent called, returning his grass pokemon.

"Sorry hon." The Jynx sighed. The last thing I saw was her fist covered with ice before it all went black.

When I awoke, Knight and King were standing over me. I sat up, looking around.

"Oh, good, you're awake…although it's not going to be very good when Trainer finds out…"King said, sighing. The Slowking glanced around nervously before leaning in to whisper, "He's not happy. He said that we almost lost the battle because you never attacked that Jynx."

"Pawn. Come here, now!" Trainer commanded. It was all too clear that he noticed us, since he was also giving King and Knight the evil eye.

I whimpered as I tottered over to him, wondering what would happen next.

"We nearly lost. Luckily, Queen saved the team from your folly." Trainer started harshly. I winced under his cold stare. "You never attacked that Jynx. You disobeyed a direct order, Pawn."

"Why…why am I named Pawn?" I whispered, looking up at him with teary eyes.

"Because that's what you are. Nothing more than a pawn." He shrugged halfheartedly, then reopened his eyes. "Everyone on my team has a purpose. King isn't very strong, but he has the best defense so he can't be beaten. Queen has the best attack strength. Rook has the second best attack power. Bishop is more of a sneak-attacker, and Knight handles all the crazy stuff. And you're only there so I can get them into better positions for winning attacks."

"But that's not fair!" I burst out, tears running down my cheeks. I admit it wasn't the smartest thing to do at the time, but emotions ran high that day. "I can be strong if you'd just let me have a chance! I don't want to be a pawn, I want to help you win battles! It's NOT fair!"

"Life isn't fair."

"That's no excuse!"

"I'm the trainer. Yes it is. Now return, Pawn."

"No…I don't want to…!"

"Don't disobey me, you foolish little Togepi! Now get in your ball. You are being knocked out for the good of the team, for the sake of strategy!" The trainer returned me without anything more from me. "You must sacrifice the pawns and lesser-ranked ones for the greater good. That's the first lesson to learn in chess."