Lucky

I always wondered of the relationship between Hop and the Pokémon SW/SH protagonist. Does Hop envy the protagonist? Hate him/her even? Does the protagonist feel anything for Hop? Of course, it didn't make sense to ask myself about these things. They were characters on a screen.

But my question was soon to be answered.

I had been to a game store one day when I found a copy of a pre-owned Pokémon Shield game. I opened the case, and it seemed the cartridge had gold paint all over it. not painted with care, painted like it was carelessly thrown in a shallow puddle of paint.

Anyways, it had no price sticker so I asked the employee how much it was.

"Oh, that? It doesn't work. It's free."

"No wonder it doesn't work, it's got paint all over it." I said.

I walked out of the shop with a free but broken copy of Pokémon Shield.

When I got home, I put it in my switch to see if it really was broken. It recognized the cartridge, but mysteriously, there was no icon.

"Hell, is this a bootleg?" I said as I laughed a bit. "Here we go."

I pressed A on the game, and the screen went black for a second. It took a little while to load, so I began to walk off, but when I did, the title screen music began playing VERY loud. I turned it down to 1, whgich was probably the equivalent of normal full volume at this point.

I hit A. There was already a save file. "Lucky".

I began playing. They had all badges and were right at the entrance of the last part of the slumbering wield. This seemed to be the part where you and Hop go when looking for the Rusted Sword and Shield. I checked everything about "Lucky". Their team and even their boxes were filled with shiny legendaries. They also had their money maxed out, and their character seemed to have a "golden" theme to it.

I entered the deep part of the Slumbering Wield.

Hop: "See that, Lucky! The sword and the shield! The legends really were true! That settles it! I'm taking the sword!"

Hop grabbed the sword, and as my character walked up and began to pick up the shield, something astonishing happened.

Hop STABBED Lucky through the head with the rusted sword. Not something you usually see in Pokémon, eh?

Hop: "... ... ..."

Hop: "I'm sorry Lucky. This was all a ruse. You keep on running and leaving us behind. You haven't talked to your family or me at all since you entered the gym challenge. When I challenge you to a battle, you walk on. I'm sorry Lucky. You were too selfish. maybe if you let us catch up to you..."

Hop had a concerned look on his face.

Hop: "This wouldn't have happened to you... no, what I meant was..."

"...we wouldn't have done this to you."

The game played its cheery credits, and I powered the switch down.

It got me thinking.... maybe I should call my family. Talk to my friends. I'd been one step ahead of everybody since the start. I left themn behind. Everyone.... I was lucky. TOO lucky. As as the game taught me...

You can't trust your luck.