Saturday, April 19, 2009

It seems like a good idea to start off this journal with some stuff about me. Not, like, lame physical descriptions or what my favorite brand of deodorant is, but if scientists find my journal in the far future and want to know what a Pokemon Ranger was like in 2009 or something, they have this to go by.

So my name's Kellyn. I'm fifteen. I'm leaving home tomorrow to go to the Ranger School in Almia and basically follow my dreams while leaving all the important stuff behind: my friends, Dad's farm and its rivalry with Hamburg's a mile away, my family (especially my younger sister Lilly), and let's not forget Hannah. I've liked her for about a year now. and the thought of her hooking up with someone else while I'm in Almia makes me sick. What else? I like music, any kind really. My favorite song is "Times Like These" by Foo Fighters. We were rocking out to it at my Official Goodbye Party earlier. And if you must have a physical description, I'm paler than some albinos, my hair is brown, flippy, and sticks up in one place (I gave up trying to flatten it long ago), I'm average height and skinny, and my eyes are the same brown as my hair. I just try not to care too much about anything, except obviously Hannah. Oh, and I'm pansexual. I never really think much of it. Nobody bullies me for it. I don't self-harm because I'm a stupid gay freak or anything. I just am, and everyone who thinks otherwise can go fuck themselves, although everyone has yet to think otherwise. I'd like it to stay that way.

Now how about something more interesting than Some Stuff About Me?

I spent the morning packing, because I can't really go to Almia without stuff. I have about ten sets of uniforms, as well as the obvious things like pajamas, my toothbrush, and normal clothes for weekends. We don't have to wear uniforms on the weekends. Now this doesn't have anything to do with packing, but the huge envelope of crap I got in the mail explains the Ranger School's ranking system. You start at rank 1, and depending on how well you do in school, you get promoted. When you get to Rank 5, you graduate with the next round of your fellow Rank 5'ers. The normal stay is about six months, and it's open enrollment, so anyone can start at any time, unlike normal school years. If this were a normal school year, I'd be seven months late.

When I finished packing, I went to the Official Goodbye Party my friends threw for me. Hunter had it in his room. He, Ben, Solana, Hannah and I just chilled there, listened to a playlist of all my favorite songs, and ate pizza. I'll never forget the soda toast Hunter led. He reached over, paused the music and lifted his can of soda. "As we all know, our friend Kellyn is leaving for Almia tomorrow. Here's to his safety, his success as a Ranger, and we pledge that even though he'll be really far away now, nothing will come between our friendship. Uh, toast!"

We clinked our soda cans together. I was getting all choked up as I drank the soda down. Ben started up a chant of "Speech! Speech! Speech!" and pretty soon all four of them were in on it.

I laughed. "Really guys?"

"Yeah!" Ben interjected before going back to his chant.

"Fine. Everyone shut up." Everyone did and turned to look at me. "So I'm obviously leaving Fiore tomorrow. You all know it's been my dream to be a Ranger since I was really little, and I've always been saying how I'm gonna come back with some really big Pokemon and wreak havoc on Hamburg's farm to get back at him for all the times he was mean to my dad. I'm a lot more mature than that now, but I still want to be a Ranger. It's a bittersweet moment, though, because I have to leave all of you. I hope I get assigned to Fiore when I graduate, but if I don't, I hope we can all keep in touch. I'm really gonna miss you guys..."

"Aww, we're gonna miss you too," Hunter interrupted.

"Shh!" Ben hissed. "He's giving a freaking speech!"

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Sor-ry."

I laughed. "It's okay. But I promise to help keep people and Pokemon safe and that we will all stay friends and all that crap and...I don't think I can say anymore." My voice sort of cracked on the last word.

"I propose a cliche sad group hug," Solana said.

"Good idea," Hunter seconded. Everyone piled on top of me. I lost it, then everyone else lost it, and we all sat there crying for a few minutes before the hug broke up.

I sniffed. "It sucks how following your dreams means giving up other things."

Hannah patted my shoulder. "It's okay. We'll always be your friends." It nearly set me off again, but I was able to control myself.

Hunter put the music back on. It was "Times Like These." For a few minutes, I forgot everything and just danced (actually, I jumped around like a psycho lizard) and sang along, even though I can't really sing.

After that, I went home and played video games. Hunter came over at one point and played with me. I think out of my four best friends, Hunter would have to be my best-best friend. He was the first person after us to move into our town. The other three came afterward.

Nothing else interesting really happened today. I have a busy day tomorrow. I should go to sleep.

*

Sunday, April 20

I'm on a plane. I can't complain. Ha! See what I did there? I made a Nirvana joke! I make myself laugh. ...Okay, not funny.

My flight left at 9 this morning and is going to take three hours. When I get to Almia, there's supposed to be someone waiting for me at the gate to bring me to a green car and drive me to the Ranger School. I'm about halfway through the flight and I'm already getting jittery. I said goodbye to my friends at five this morning. It was a pretty sad thing. I mean, I'm coming outside in my school uniform and it basically solidifies the fact that I'm leaving and won't return for a while. I hugged each of them about five times, except Hannah. I hugged her six times.

At least I didn't have to say goodbye to my family until I got to the airport. It was especially hard to say goodbye to Lilly. She's only five and she barely understands what the word "leaving" means. "Do good in school!" she told me when I hugged her. I assured her that I will.

But even though I had to say goodbye to everyone, I'm still super excited. I've wanted to be a Ranger forever. I think I'm too excited to keep writing and make sense. Next time I write in this journal, I'll be in Almia...

*

so here's the official update schedule.

week A: thursday

week B: friday

it goes with the days i have study hall and can type the story up. next update will be next friday. see you then