Pokey backstory

Ness's father could see some of the very few good qualities there were in Pokey. He thought he had a lot of
guts, and he adored Pokey very much.

Ness could remember it all. His father would gather him and his little sister,
and Pokey and Picky too, and take them all fishing, camping, and bug-collecting
together. One time, when they were only able to get three tickets to the IndyCar race, it
was just Ness, his father, and Pokey who went. A trip with his fellow men! This event
was for men's eyes only–no babies or girls allowed. Things were said that day which
would have horrified Paula, if she had been there to hear them. “Don't tell anyone we
did this, or they'll be jealous,” his dad had said, as they sat side-by-side eating
extra-large ice cream cones.

Back then, Pokey wasn't as fat, and he wasn't as mean, either. When Ness was
younger and still somewhat clumsy, Pokey would offer to help with things like taking
a fish off a hook, or hanging up a hammock. Every time, he would make some arrogant
comment, like, “What do you think? Awesome, right? Show some respect!” But...while it
would be going too far to say he was like a big brother to Ness, Pokey certainly felt like
a close cousin, or something like that.

Unfortunately, once he started going to school, Pokey's spirits quickly began to
sink. And thinking about it now, Ness understood why. There were a lot of kids there
he didn't know–a lot of very capable kids... Pokey was never very good at sports or
studying, and since his little underlings Ness and Picky were still in kindergarten, he
had no one he could rely on. Pokey, who always loved to be King of the Mountain,
would have been devastated by this, wouldn't he? Wouldn't he have felt so out of
place...?

That was around the time when Aloysius began making all his money. He could
buy them absolutely anything they wanted. Remote controlled cars, the newest
movies in any format, video game consoles... New things, expensive things, things no
one else could get their hands on... Toys that would make any other kid wildly jealous,
and in a shocking quantity, too. Every meal of every day was a feast. But...when you try
to escape feelings of loneliness and anxiety by stuffing yourself with filling and
comforting foods, over time you're bound to put on more and more weight. Because it
became harder for him to move around as much, naturally, all of Pokey's outdoor
activities came to a halt, and he began to play only in his own room. And his father still
bought him as many new and wonderful toys as he wanted!

Due to this unhealthy lifestyle, Pokey's intellect and his physical reflexes grew
dull and slow, and in the end his obesity became very apparent to everyone around
him, as well. His classmates made fun of him. Fatty-fat, stupid Pokey, brainless fatso...
Even if they hadn't meant it seriously, and even if they only meant to tease him a
little...hurtful words still hurt.

Filled with misery and hatred, Pokey very quickly became a nasty, violent kid.
He may not have been very good at sports, but he could fight. There was always a
sense that he was not simply horsing around–he truly hated his classmates. And he
never had to worry at all about the idea that they might hate him back, or about
whether or not he seriously injured any of them. Because any time he really did hurt
someone, his father would just cover it up with money! And that's when everyone
stopped making fun of Pokey. They had no choice but to bow down to him. Even if the
attention he was getting was negative, he had still become someone everyone had to
pay attention to.

- Mother 2, Chapter 8 pgs. 191-192