Random Stuff (Including My Kitten in a Cone of Shame)

Augustine Loves his Brother

*I have borrowed the name Gabrielle for Professor Sycamore's Garchomp from Scrawlers on AO3 (you should check out their stuff. I don't ship all of it, or even know all of the stuff, but it's all pretty good.)

Augustine Theodore Sycamore was almost sixteen when his younger brother, Alain Benjamin Sycamore was born. Before he met his little brother, he couldn't imagine them being close. His friend, Brinda, recently got a younger sibling, and she had only met them once.

He imagined that he would see the boy around once every few months, as that was how often he saw his parents. He had school, after all. Then he met his baby brother.

Alain was a tiny little thing. He was small and cute and just loved to be held. He ended up moving back in with his parents just so he could spend more time with Alain. Of course, there were days he could have done with more sleep, but it was definitely worth it.

He was there when Alain took his first steps and started running. He was the person who would carry him around because he wanted to ride on someone's shoulders. He was the one who took him on little trips to pet baby Pokémon.

He was the one who heard his first words, "I love you!" a few weeks before his third birthday. That day was a celebration.

He was the one who took him to play dates and work. (Those days were kind of awkward. Everyone assumed Alain was his son. He tried to explain, but it didn't always work.)

At 22, he got his own research facility. He decided it was past time to move out on his own, and moved into the lab. He still saw Alain weekly, but it wasn't the same.

He threw himself into his research on Mega Evolution. He hired assistants and let them move into the Lab, as it was a giant mansion. (His Great Grandfather was the last owner of the lab and had listed Augustine a the person to inherit it.)

He was also given the side profession of giving trainers their first Pokémon a year later. They liked giving that job to new professors and seeing how long they lasted. Personally, he didn't really want the job, but it was nice to essentially foster Pokémon and get them to some nice trainers.

Also, his brother loved to come and take care of the Pokémon. And, if some of his employees protested about his presence and found themselves fired for a minor infraction the next week, well, the others got a warning.

-

When Alain was ten, he did not apply for a Pokémon Trainer's Licence. He went to the Pokémon Research Lab in Lumiose City and moved in with his brother.

Alain loved his parents, they were amazing, really. He just absolutely adored his older brother. Gustie was the best brother in the whole world!

The two brothers had dinner with their parents at least once a week and kept in close touch. Alain liked that. He loved living in the lab. He and Gustie, or Professor, in company, had rooms in the same hallway as fourteen other men. He observed the research and took care of the Pokémon with Miss Sophie and a few others.

One day, they got an egg. Eventually, it hatched into a Charmander. He was a sickly little thing, and incredibly skittish, but Alain and Gabrielle took care him. It took weeks, but eventually, Charmander let Alain hold him. They became good friends, Alain called him Ignatius and spent hours with him.

-

Three months before his eleventh birthday, Alain introduced Ignatius to Gustie and announced their friendship. Gustie started asking him if he wanted to get a trainer's licence. The rest of the researchers started asking if he could go on short trips he needed a Pokémon for.

Two months before his birthday, he caved and got the licence. He refused get a Pokémon, though. He was friends with Ignatius, he didn't need one of his brother's starter Pokémon and could easily borrow one for the day. Plus, the others didn't seem to be asking him to do any of the jobs that required him to leave the lab. Odd.

(He figured it out on his birthday. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious.)

Despite the fact that he had photographic memory and had been pursuing much higher education than the rest of his peers at his age, Alain did not realize it was his birthday until he walked downstairs and into the (massive) kitchen and found it filled with people, including his parents, grandparents, his three uncles, both of his aunts, all four of his cousins, and his cousin's spouses.
He quickly checked the clock, which said 7:45, the normal time he entered the kitchen, and stared at everyone.

"Uhh?" he eloquently stated.

At the screams of, "Happy Birthday!" he understood what was happening and smiled.

"Thank you, this is amazing!" Alain ran and hugged his brother, then the rest of his family and the employees. Everyone was smiling.

He drifted back to his brother, who ruffled his hair. "There's presents and food, kiddo. Don't forget," he said with a smile.

Alain nodded and walked over to Sophie. She handed him a plate full of pancakes, bacon, and hash browns with a big grin.

Everyone else got plates and headed outside. Gabrielle, who had recently evolved into a Gabite, opened the door and kept the little Pokémon in order. Alain hugged her, too.

After breakfast, they all gathered for presents. His parents got him his own Pokédex and Pokénav, they were black and red, very sturdy models. Aunt Lisa got him a nice sketchpad. Uncle Robert got him charcoal pencils and kneaded erasers. His grandparents got him clothes and a good backpack. Uncle John got him a sleeping bag. Aunt Cecilia gave him some bags of dried fruits. Uncle Henry gave him a cookbook. Roxanne gave him a small, fluffy, dark blue blanket. Jamie gave him a card game. Evangeline gave him a book on how to make different knots. Gavin gave him a book on how to make different medicines. The employees got him different snacks and books. Sophie got him Charmander pajama pants.

Alain loved the gifts. They were amazing. He proceeded to hug everyone again. Then, his brother came up to him. "You are my brother, but you are also my research assistant. I need someone to help me with something. What do you say?"

Alain nodded. "Of course I will!"

Augustine beamed at him. "Marvelous! In that case, this gift of for you." Augustine gave Alain a small black box. He opened it and gasped in shock.

"Really!?" Alain cried, looking at the object again. It was small, the size of a marble. It was lined with colors. "A keystone!"

Augustine nodded. "When you need it, you and your partner can choose how you will wear it. For now, it's just so you have it. I have no doubt you will be able to use it if that is what you desire."
Sophie and Gabrielle opened the door. Ignatius walled in. He was holding a Pokéball in his hands and grinning wildly.

Alain's eyes widened. "You want to... be partners?" he asked.

Ignatius rolled the Pokéball to Alain before nodding.

Alain took a deep breath and slowly held the ball out. Ignatius rolled his eyes and walked up to the Pokéball. He tapped the button with his tiny hand. He squeaked as he was enveloped in red light and sucked into the ball. It shook thrice before making a light clicking noise.

Alain picked the little ball up and released Ignatius. He hugged the Charmander. "Best present ever, Ignatius."

-

Augustine knew that his brother was going on a journey. In fact he had been encouraging it for over a year. However, nothing could prepare him for the shock when it happened.

After his twelfth birthday, Alain had become more restless and had asked for more overnight research trips. He had been checking out books on traveling from the library. Ignatius had been battling more frequently.

On April 23, Alain had announced that he wished to travel around the region to train Ignatius and get strong enough to Mega Evolve. Everyone had been supportive, especially Augustine. (Augustine knew that if he made a fuss about Alain traveling, he wouldn't go. The kid was too sweet.)

He just didn't realize how much it hurt to be away from him for over a week. Gabrielle agreed. They said he had to check in at least every other day, or they would go find him. Alain smiled and called daily, twice if he was in a city.

He was looking for Mega Stones. Augustine just hoped he would be okay.