The Silver Girl will be updated every Tuesday from now on, and hopefully one other time every week. I apologize for all of the confusion!

Also please keep checking for any mistakes and letting me know, thank you all!
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~Amara~

"Idiot!" Mother raged. "Stupid girl!"

The slap was as loud as a clap. I whimpered as mom's hand made contact with my cheek. Her face was as red as the Tomato berries I spilled on the kitchen floor. I dropped to my knees and scrambled to pick up the now bruised fruit.

"Clean it up and finish breakfast." She grumbled. Mom stomped back over to her room and slammed the door. I scooped up all of the berries and rinsed them in the sink. Tears pricked at my eyes from the slap.

"Stupid girl." Mom's voice said over and over again in my head. She wasn't wrong. I was nothing but a failure. A mistake as she put it before.

I finished cooking Mom's breakfast and placed it on a chipped plate for her to eat later. I lost my appetite. If the old clock on the wall was right, I was now late for school. Great.

I rushed into my room and ran a brush through my short white hair. I grabbed two black barrettes and clasped them onto the side of my head. Stumbling into the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and pulled on a white tank top with a pair of black jean shorts. Just as I was getting ready to head out to the bus I looked in the mirror.

Who looked back was someone I began to hate a little more each day. It was a sixteen year old girl who was the exact definition of failure. Her high cheekbones were sunken. Her once sky blue eyes are now clouded over and dim. She stares off into space with a slight frown that is permanently glued onto her pale face.

This girl in the mirror was me.

Small cuts and bruises littered my arms from Mother throwing bottles and punches at me. Just now a new red welt was appearing on my left cheek. Yesterday's black eye was still visible and my chipped tooth was still yet to be fixed. I snatched a small bottle of concealer off the bathroom counter and tried my best to cover up the wounds. When I was finished I stepped back to look.

Now my face looked very smudged, blurred even. I let out a long sigh. My shoulders drooped as I shuffled my feet towards the door of my room. My faded blue backpack hung on a single wooden peg in my blank bedroom. It was the only pop of color in this old and crumbling house.

I grabbed it and threw it over my shoulder. As I made my way down the hall my hand dragged against the grey, peeling wallpaper. When I made it into the kitchen I saw my mother sitting in silence as she nibbled on a piece of toast. She sat at the only chair at our rickety wooden table. When I ate, I was expected to stand or not eat at all.

"Goodbye." I mumbled on my way out. I didn't bother to wait for the answer I knew would never come. She was never one for talking, or at least never to me.

I tugged on my small black sneakers I've had for years. I tied the frayed laces and stood back up. My toes screamed against the tightness of them. I longed for a new, bigger, pair of bright blue sneakers. Something that would give me a bit of color in this black and white life of mine. I knew it would never happen, we didn't have the money.

I reached out and pulled the front door open. On rusty hinges, it groaned opened to reveal the dying world I've come to know. Flowers shriveled and slumped over, yellow-brown grass, and garbage tumbling down cracked streets went as far as they eye could see. Musty, polluted air filled my lungs as I breathed in.

"This is all just a small price to pay for our safety against the Pokémon." I recalled hearing from a Circle Commercial. As always they were right. I was thankful for everything they've done for us. If it wasn't for them, we would still be in danger of Pokémon.

The dusty yellow-ish school bus slowly turned the corner and pulled up at the end of the driveway. I hurried down and climbed the stairs up to where the seats are. The bus was filled with kids my age. They all chatted happily and wore big smiles. My heart ached to join them, but I knew that none of them would let me. I was a freak compared to all of them, a social outcast you could say.

I made my way to the back of the bus and plopped myself down into my usual seat, alone. The bus began to slowly inch forward again to make its way back to school. I stared out my window expecting to go straight to school, but we didn't. Instead we stopped at the end of a random road, not a house.

The doors squealed open and everybody looked over in interest to see who the new kid would be. A boy who looked around my age climbed up the stairs. Just like all of the other boys, he wore a clean forest green shirt that matched his green eyes. He pushed his brown, slightly messy, hair out of his eyes and looked at all of the faces staring at him on the bus.

He quickly looked at everyone, as if he were looking for someone specific. Whoever that was, I knew wouldn't be me. I put my head on my hand and looked out of the window, waiting for the bus to start moving again. I just wanted to get this day over with.

A hand tapped my shoulder. "Hey mind if I sit here?" I looked over my shoulder and saw the boy looking at me with a grin.

"Yes? I do mind." I said hoping he would just go away and leave me alone like everyone else in the world.

His smile wavered but came back. "Your funny." He held out his hand. "My names Austin."

I didn't shake it. Instead I stared at him with a glare I picked up on from my mother. A glare that I hoped would make him go away. It didn't. He slid into the seat next to me. The bus started and once again we were back on our way to school.

Austin still smiled even against my glare. He turned his head away from me and out the window beside me. I did the same and watched as farms whizzed by. These farms are different from berry farms, these ones raised Pokémon for slaughter. All just so we could have meat on our plates.

Milktank were whipped with long strips of leather and herded into a building to be processed. Pidgey wailed as their wings were chopped off to prevent them from escaping. Exeggcute were cracked open and sealed in airtight containers. Taurus were jammed in pens so close, it was a wonder to me how they could breath. Screams of the Pokémon were heard as they were led to their deaths. Nobody paid them any mind, we were all used to it.

This was the only place Pokémon were allowed life. The only purpose of their existence was to be killed and then served on a dinner plate. I felt no pity for them. Thousands, no millions, died for their actions. I looked over to see Austin staring in horror.

"How could they do this." He growled as we watched the farms go by.

"Do you mean how could they not do it?" I asked.

"No! How could they do this to innocent and misunderstood Pokémon!" Austin said his voice rising.

"They deserve it!" I whisper screamed.

"No they don't! You of all people should know that!" Austin yelled his face going red. He raised his hands in the air. I flinched and covered my head. Austin looked down at me where I was curled up against the seat of the bus. I was bracing myself for a punch or worse.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked gently. All of his anger from before disappeared.

I slowly lifted my hands off of my head and met his eyes. He looked sincere, worried even. I had to remember, not all people are like my mother. "No, I'm not." I finally answered as the bus pulled to a halt in front of the school.

We stood up in our seat and waited to get out as people stood to get off the bus. He bent down and whispered in my ear, "Good acting you were way better than me. We'll meet in the woods behind the school later. Bye Amara."

"What act-" I looked around to find Austin but he was already lost in the sea of students pushing past each other to get inside the school.

As confused as I was about what he said one thing stuck in my mind even more than what he said about acting.

How did he know my name?

~Austin~

I watched Amara disappear into the school. I've never been inside a real school, just the makeshift schools back in the Resistance. I wouldn't be going here today though, or ever. Instead, I made my way to the back of the school into the woods. The dead trees spiked high up into the sky. I felt a pain deep in my heart for all of the Pokémon that used to live here.  If it wasn't for The Circle they would still be living here happily today.

My feet crunched the rocky soil as I hiked down the abandoned trails of the woods. "Star?" I called out.

No answer.

I cupped my hands and yelled into them, "Star I'm here!" I yelled out.

Silence.

"S-star?" I glanced around the woods worriedly. It wasn't like her to fly away from a meeting spot.

"Oof." The air left my lungs as a huge feathered creature knocked into my back. I sprawled out onto the rocky path as the thing loomed above me.

"Star star! Raptor!" A familiar voice cooed.

"Star!" I exclaimed. I picked myself up off the ground and threw my arms around her neck for a hug. The Staraptor nuzzled my neck. She loves to sneak up on me, I guess I just wasn't expecting it today.

I unwrapped myself from my Pokémon and walked over to the side of the path. I stopped and sat down on the ground behind a dead bush. I opened my green backpack and pulled out a device that was concealed to look like a pen. When I clicked the top down, static erupted from it.

"Hello? Austin is that you?" Godric asked from the other side.

"Ya. I found Amara."

"Good, when will you guys be back?"

"I'm hoping we will be there by the end of the week. Tell Aimee I said hey."

"Will do, hey be carful on your way back. The Circle is sending more people around where you are. They are starting to get suspicious."

"Don't worry I'll be fine." I said into the pen.

"Alright see you soon."

"Bye."

I leaned back with my head on top of my arms and stared up at the rising sun. Star curled up beside me and snuggled into my side. Everything was going to be okay. Amara will know what to do, she had to.

It was all for our future.

Our future with Pokémon.

~Amara~

The school bell released us from the prison we called school. Kids poured out through the doors and loaded onto the busses outside by the curb. Today I wouldn't be taking the bus.

I made my way around the back of the school and felt my heartbeat pick up as I neared the path. I've only ever been in these woods once before back when Dad was still alive. Back when life was good. He took me here when the trees were filled with life. I remember the bright green of the trees and the clear blue skies. Now the trees are bare, and the sky is clouded over with a brown haze.

"Remember, it's all worth it for our safety." Said a Circle announcement from last night. I couldn't of agreed more. It was all for our safety.

My tattered sneakers crunched the dirt path as I hiked deeper into the woods. I looked around for Austin, but saw nothing. "Austin?" I called out.

The only answer I got was the gentle breeze of the wind whispering in my ears. Despite it being hot outside, I couldn't help but shiver. There was something unsettling about these woods. I continued my way down the dark path.

"Hey." A southern accent said behind me.

I turned around and saw Austin who had a grin plastered on his face. The first thing I noticed about him was all the stuff that changed. The usual school boy outfit was gone. Now he wore a plain black shirt and jeans with a belt. On the belt was at least a dozen different devices. The one that stuck out the most was the gun.

"W-why do you have all of that." I stuttered as I took a few steps back. Murder was common around these parts and I sure didn't want to end up like Mya Barnes, a girl who disappeared last week. She was found a few days ago with four bullet holes, one on each limb. She was left to bleed to death alone in these same woods. They still hadn't found the person who did it.

He looked at my scared expression then laughed. "It's okay to drop the act, I'm with the Resistance." He waved his hand over the devices, "I'm sure you know what all of these are."

"Resistance? What, no?" I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion.

Now it was Austin's turn to look confused. "You are Amara Rayes, right? Daughter of the Silver Man?"

"Yes I'm Amara Rayes..." I trailed off. I've heard of the Silver Man, everyone has. He led peaceful riots and did speeches for the "love" of Pokémon. I never took him seriously.

"No of course not." I finally said.

"Y-you don't know?" Austin looked horrified.

"Star Star!" A Pokémon said behind me.

I spun around on my heel and saw a giant bird Pokémon. I let out a scream as it took a step forward. Austin's hand went to my mouth and muffled my screaming. "Stuhhp" My muffled voice yelled.

"Stop screaming someone might hear you!" Austin whisper yelled.

I stopped. He removed his hand and let me go. I took this as my chance to run. His arm shot out to grab me, but I dodged it. There was no way I was standing close to a Pokémon, and a Pokémon lover.

My heart pounded while my brain raced. I willed my legs to push themselves faster. I could her Austin picking up pace behind me.

Then I was in the air, but not by Austin's Pokémon.

Above me, a silver bodied bird sunk its talons deep into my backpack. I flailed my arms and legs hoping to get free. The Pokémon began to climb higher into the air. Austin climbed onto his bird and began his chase. Soon, we were far above the woods. I turned to see Austin and his Pokémon hovering far behind us. His Pokémon, that I don't know the name of, was no match for the speed of the one that was taking me.

"Let me go!" I screamed up at it.

The Pokémon's head bent down as it was flying and cocked his head at me. If I didn't think it was trying to kill me, I may have thought that it was cute. It brought its head back up and started to bend down towards the ground. I looked where we were going and my jaw dropped when I saw where we were.

We were at my house.

The Pokémon folded in its wings and suddenly we were free falling. The wind tussled my hair back and forth. The blast of air began to make my eyes water, but I refused to close them.

"Open your wings! We're going to crash!" I screamed.

The Pokémon bent its head down again like before and winked. It actually winked at me! I glared at it.

Then just before we hit the cold earth, it snapped open its wings like a parachute. We safely floated down to the brown grass below us. The second me we're down, it let go of my backpack so that I fell head first into the ground. I shook my head to clear it.

When I stood up I got a good look at it. The Pokémon was unlike one I've ever seen, although I haven't seen very many. It seemed to be made completely out of metal, kind of like armor. It had razor sharp red and silver wings along with a wicked sharp tail. It's yellow eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Amara?" Mom's voice slurred behind me.

I whipped around and saw her leaning against the open door of our house. She held a half full bottle of heavens knows what. When I turned back around the Pokémon was gone. I glanced around the lawn and up at the sky. It was like it turned into air.

Mom stumbled back inside I'm sure to go pass out on the couch like every night. When I walked in sure enough, she was out cold. I sighed and walked back to my closet sized bedroom. My dented alarm clock said that it was a little after six o'clock. I didn't care.

I flopped onto my bed and closed my eyes. I begged my body to let me sleep. I just wanted to let everything that happened today disappear. Even if it was for only a few hours.

As I began to drift into my nightmares, one thought stuck with me.

Why me?

~Austin~

Star flew me to the oak tree and perched at the top. I took a piece of rope and tied myself to one of the highest limbs so if anyone happened to walk around on the ground, I would be invisible. Star fell asleep far before me on the branch below me.

I knew already that tonight I wouldn't be getting much sleep, if not any. Amara didn't believe that I worked for the Resistance. Or was she still acting? She had to know about her father, Skarmory came to her rescue even though she was in no danger. She freaked out over Star, but was she just pretending?

My thoughts raced through my head all at once then a single one remained.

What if she really didn't know?

No. She had to. Without her, I would go back to the Resistance a failure. We needed a voice and she had to be it. No one else could do the job that she could.

This had to work, I'll make it work.

I guess if she didn't know, I was going to have to make her.

Hey guys!

Haha sorry a very boring chapter. I just had to set everything up. I promise the next chapter will be better.

See y'all in the next chapter!