I only realized I was thirsty, when I poured the last of the water into Eevee's bowl. The sound of the liquid dribbling from the bottle roused the Pokémon from his slumber, curled up in my backpack, and his long ears poked up and out, followed by a curious face and two shining amethyst eyes.
"Thirsty?"
Eevee blinked a couple of times before he sprang from the pack, landing lightly on his feet in front of the bowl, which he promptly began to drink from.
Surveying the surroundings, I checked the map on my phone; we were getting close to our destination. It was sort of quiet and the air was warm and dry. Back home in Berrywood, the air was damp and cool and during this time of year, it smelled of all the berries our tiny town was famous for growing. Chances are, if you've ever used a berry it battle, it either came from or originated in Berrywood. The soil there was rich and moist, and it rained lightly just about every day, which was also a preference of grass Pokémon. Two things we had plenty of back home, was berries and grass Pokémon.
Eevee jumped in my lap once his bowl had been emptied. I hugged him close a moment, then held him up in front of me and gazed into his eyes.
"vee vee!" he exclaimed happily, swishing his brown little tail and kicking his back legs playfully.
He may have been small, but he was my best friend.
"Hey buddy, you want to rest a little more, or keep going?"
Eevee wiggled out of my grasp and kicked off my chest landing delicately on all four feet. His determined eyes and erect ears faced the direction of our destination.
"Ok, ok, we'll go!" I laughed, scrambling to my feet and sweeping Eevee's little blue bowl from off the ground and slipping it into the outer pocket of my backpack.
My attention bounced around as we walked. One minute I was fixated on Eevee prancing gently in front of me and the next, my eyes was snared by a strange plant or rock formation I had never seen before. The world was such a big place and for the first time in my life, I was out exploring.
Small towns are nice, but there just that…small and from what I've learned, suffer an incredible lack of diversity. It's not the town's fault however, it's the climate and surroundings that determine the Pokémon who choose to inhabit an area. For example, Berrywood would be too dry for a Whooper or a Slowpoke who like to call marshlands home, but its way too damp for a Charmander or a Pikachu who enjoy an arid climate. Instead, we have grass types: Oddish as far as the eye can see and Chikorita. Hoppip gather every spring and their sweet scent attracts fairies like Flabebe. They work together with the berry trees. The spores they produce cause the trees to flourish. It's the perfect symbiotic circle.
This place was different though, not bad, but different. Tall, golden, grass swayed gently in the afternoon breeze and the full heat of the sun stretched down, unobstructed in the cloudless sky. Trees were few and far between, so the chatter of bird and bug Pokémon that I was used to was nonexistent. In the distance, rock formations reached out of the earth and connected with the sky chiseling a beautiful horizon before us.
I looked back a moment just in time to see the canapé of the tree we rested beneath disappear into the dry path we walked. When I turned back to check on Eevee, I stopped suddenly, surprised that two Pikachu had appeared.
I watched as they exchanged greetings with Eevee. One wore a little pink bow in her messy hair and her heart shaped tail twitched as she interacted with my Pokemon. The other was clearly male; he hopped around playfully on all fours, eyes closed and mouth open. Eevee, who could often respond shyly toward new Pokémon acted as if he had known the Pika-pair for ages.
"Circuit? Flash? Where'd you guys go?" A voice called. A rustling in the tall grass accompanied the new sound.
My attention shifted from the Pokémon, to the grass and after some more rustling and what sounded like struggling, a person popped out of the brush and onto the road. He was on his hands and knees. I stared down at him curiously as his gaze bounced from the Pikachu to Eevee, then up at me. Our eyes met and I felt a click, like the tumblers in a lock aligning.
He was young and fare skinned. His messy golden hair danced lightly in the breeze, blades of grass and little twigs poking out of it here and there from his endeavors in the brush. Ice blue eyes gleamed gently as they looked up at me and as our glance continued, a soft blush spread his face.
"Hi…" he said with a hint of embarrassment. His mouth morphing into a bright smile.
"Whatcha doing in the grass?"
"Looking for my egg! Well it's not MY egg, like I didn't lay it or anything, but it is my egg."
The way he bumbled a little made me smile. Just from those few words, I could tell he had a certain goody charm about him.
"What's your egg doing in the tall grass?"
"That's a great question! You see, Circuit and flash were supposed to be keeping it safe for me while I did some training out here, but they got to playing and now, we can't find the egg."
He smiled again tilting his head with embarrassment and giving a little chuckle. His Pikachu did the same.
"Why did you bring an egg with you to train?"
The golden haired boy jumped to his feet, dusting off his yellow gloved hands and pulling the grass and brush from his messy hair.
"I take it everywhere!"
"Everywhere?"
"Yeah! Eggs, you see, need to be around other Pokémon. So I've been carrying it everywhere with me since I found it. These two clowns are supposed to be helping me look after it." He gestured to Pikachu, who were wrestling playfully next to Eevee. "Wow an Eevee!" He continued excitedly as he lunged forward and dropped to his knee in front of me.
Eevee jumped startled and darted around behind me.
"Aww don't be scared little guy." The boy continued.
I scooped Eevee into my arms and held him against me.
"Sorry, he's kinda shy, ever since we were little."
"Understandable! I had an Eevee too. There known for their shyness as well as their sweetness." He explained getting to his feet once again.
"What happened to her?"
"She evolved! Into a Jolteon. Now she's one of the bravest Pokémon I know." He smiled again, big and bright. His animated disposition was refreshing and in his presence, one couldn't help smiling along with him.
"That's why Eevee and I have come, to evolve!" Eevee nodded as I spoke and kicked his back legs with agreement.
"Going electric? Excellent choice. Where ya from?" He asked enthusiastically as he leaned down and separated his squabbling Pikachu who were quarreling over the little pink bow. He never took his eyes off me as he took the bow from the male and clipped it back in the female's hair before signaling for both of them to jump onto his shoulders.
"Berrywood"
"What a journey! You've come a long way."
"Yeah People in Berrywood don't know much about electric type Pokémon. You see, My parents run a Pokémon day care and a trainer with a Raichu stopped in for lunch one day, She said someone in the Golden Hills helped her evolve it. He's supposed to be a team leader of a Pokémon catching group. From what she said, the guy really knows his stuff when it comes to electric type Pokémon."
"Well you found him!" His face lit up as he announced his presence.
"I did? You're him?
"Yep, I'm Spark, Leader of Team Instinct."
I was both relieved that my journey and searching was over, but at the same time, I was a little worried that the guy I was looking for was… kinda… silly.
"Spark? What a unique name."
"Thanks, my family has been catching, breeding and training electrics for generations."
"I'm Everett, my family has been farming berries for generations and this is my best buddy Eevee."
"Ev-Eevee!" he sang wiggling his ears and kicking his back legs.
"Aww he's so tiny!" Spark said gently holding his hand out to Eevee. "This is Circuit and Flash" He continued gesturing first to the female then to the male.
As the Pikachu responded, the hood of Spark's yellow shirt began to quiver and a little mouse- looking Pokémon with Pikachu-like cheeks and little face antenna popped out.
"Den denn-ne!" it exclaimed.
"And this is Dedenne." Spark continued.
"Wow!" I exclaimed holding up my Pokedex. "I've never seen that Pokémon before!"
It scanned the little mouse and gave a description of it and some information about its type and attacks.
"He's an antenna Pokémon. He uses those little things on his face to read radio waves."
"He's electric?"
"Yep part of the Pikachu family. He's one of nine kinds of electric rodents. This little guy is indigenous to the Kanto region. He's a silly little cookie thief!"
Dedenne burrowed back into Spark's hood. The pika-pair followed suit, Circuit pulling at Spark's shirt collar while Flash scampered in, holding it open for his accomplice to follow.
"Any other furry creatures in your clothes?"
Spark blushed as my words then smiled.
"Always accused of loving my Pokémon too much. But don't worry, I only do this with the little guys. Ampharos and Electrode stay on the ground" Spark said with a wink.
"So you really, only have electrics?"
"Hundred percent electric! How about you?"
"I only have Eevee."
My face went from excited to a bit embarrass. Here I was with a guy who literally had Pokémon falling out of his clothes and I only had one.
"Why just the one? Not that Eevee isn't enough, or anything."
"Well, I've never really had the time to catch anything else. My parents run a day care and I've always kinda helped with other peoples Pokémon, so even though I only had one myself, it felt like I had tons more."
"And now you want to evolve Eevee?"
"That's the plan."
"If I may ask, why electric? You come from a perfect climate to raise a Leafeon."
"Oh, well, my reason is kinda silly, I'd rather not say." My face burned with a hot blush and I shied away from Spark's question.
"It's ok, but just a warning, make sure electric is really what you want. Once the evolution happens, you can't take it back." Spark's silliness died away for a moment and in that instance of seriousness, he seemed like a much wiser person.
It was silent for a moment, all accept the swaying grasses. I didn't feel it, but my face must have contorted into a worried scowl and in a moment, Spark's expression matched.
"Hey, don't worry! Why don't you hang around for a while and observe some true electrics. Then if you and Eevee really want to take the plunge, I'd be more than happy to help."
Spark rearranged his expression once again and was brimming with a sunny smile.
"That sounds great!"
"Vee vee!" Eevee agreed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something smooth in the grass a few feet away. The wind pushed and pulled the golden blades allowing it to peek out as the blades billowed.
"Is that your egg?" I pointed to the object.
Spark spun around to follow my pointing finger.
"EGGY!"
His shout was followed by a clumsy hop-laden sprint and in a few uncalculated bounds; Spark was on his knees scooping up the smooth mystery object. Once in hand, he carried it gingerly over to me and I gazed upon a grey and yellow egg about the size of a soccer ball.
"I've never seen an egg like this!"
"It's an electric Pokémon."
"I kinda…figured."
Spark chuckled.
"I think I know, but I really want it to be a surprise." He hugged the egg against his chest and a lump created by a hiding Pikachu twitched.
"Can I touch it?"
"Sure!"
Spark moved his arms so a good portion of the egg was available to me. I helped Eevee onto my shoulder and when he was securely balanced against my neck, I reached out slowly. Before I even make contact with the shell however, a surge of static electricity jumped off the shell and gave me quite the jolt. I pulled away with a little gasp and looked up as Spark hoping I hadn't don't anything wrong or hurt the egg.
Mouth open wide and smiling, Spark giggled.
"You'll build up a tolerance to the static."
Spark bent down and placed the egg in the grass gently. Standing once again, he grabbed both my hands and rubbed my fingers lightly.
"Didn't hurt you, right?"
Our eyes met again, just as they had the first time, they sparkled in the now setting sun as his messy golden hair wavered in the breeze.
My heartbeat quickened and my face burned with warmth.
"No, I'm ok."
Spark released my hands and retrieved his egg, slipping it into my grasp before I could lower my arms. It was warm to the tough and the shell tingled my fingers with the slightest charge of electricity. I had never felt a warm egg. Grass Pokémon came from cold eggs that were often slimy or soft-shelled. When I looked up, Spark was standing closer.
"The bond starts early with these guys." He pushed the egg closer to my chest and moved my arm so I was cradling it. "Humans are electrical beings, not to the extent of any Pokémon, but, still. Our brains use a current to think and to feel. Our energy passes through to the developing embryo. Electric Pokémon, not unlike psychic Pokémon use the energy we give off to develop their relationship with us and with each other."
Spark spoke softly as he explained.
"I have so much to learn."
"It's ok, I'll teach you."