One Little Zubat
I remember the day my life changed so vividly, because it was so important to me...
I was a little Zubat living in Castelia Sewers, nothing special about me at all, just living with the other Zubats and Koffings, battling Trainers day in day out, with the tiny hope of being captured, and finding a home, VERY few of us succeeded.
"Damnit, my wing hurts like hell." One cursed.
"How many Oran Berries do we have?" A second one asked.
"Just two." Number three sighed.
"Shoot, someone go and scout for more."
"I'll go." Another offered, flitting out of the entrance.
Meanwhile I just sat on the pipe, trying to hold back my sadness, but I still sobbed.
"Oh Arceus, what's wrong? You didn't even get hurt!"
"It's because no trainers battled me!" I blubbed. "They all just ran or teleported or used an Escpae Rope! Nobosy wants me! It's because I'm Level 12 isn't it?"
"Aw dude..." My friend put a wing around me. "You've got a better chance with a lower Level, your better for EV training, you've just gotta find the right trainer."
"But when? When will I have a trainer? Who would want a Zubat?" I sniffed.
"...I don't know." He admitted. "But someone."
It was then that he walked in, a boy who looked about 16, with brown hair that spread out like a palm tree. "Hey, why don't you try that guy? I mean, your the only one of us ble to fight."
"O-Okay." I nodded, before timidly flapping down in front of him.
"Alright, Zubat." He nodded, getting out a Poke-Ball. " Go, Lucario!"
A powerful pokemon popped out of the ball. "Castelia Sewers, it's been a while..." He then looked at me, and I fluttered to the ground and trembled in the pokemons presence. "Heh, I remember battling you guys back when I was a Riolu.
"Please don't kill me!" I begged. "I'll never bother another trainer ever again! I'll go away for ever and ever! Please!"
"Please calm down." The Lucario reassured me, though I still trembled. "My trainer Elliot was just looking for a Zubat."
"H-Huh?" I whimpered.
The trainer knelt down in front of me. "I'm sorry for scaring you." He said, getting out a Poke-Ball. "But I was looking for a little guy like you, would you like to come with me?"
I just stared at him in disbelief, I couldn't fathom that he was asking me, a tiny Zubat to join his team!
"Hey!" I looked up at all the other Zubat. "What are you waiting for? This is a once in a lifetime oppurtunity!"
"Go with this trainer!"
I smiled at them, before turning back to him. "Yes! I will join your team!" I cheered, even knowing he couldn't understand me.
He smiled warmly. "Welcome to the team, Zubat." He tapped the ball in my head and I was sucked into a spacious room, not even trying to break out.
As soon as I was caught the room materialised into a beautiful moonlit meadow, with a tree perfect for hanging off of. 'It's perfect!'
Suddenly I fell out and had to fly quickly, I now found myself in what looked like a lab. "Oh? A Zubat?" I turned and used my supersonic to make out a woman in a labcoat.
"I didn't expect Elliot tro send me one of you." She smiled. "But I'm sure you'll be happy here, follow me."
She lead me to a wide open grassy field filled with pokemon. "This is Elliot's first Box, you'll be able to meet a lot of new friends here."
I noticed a Krabby scuttling over. "Woah! New guy! Hey everybody! Elliot caught a new pokemon!" I was then swamped by loads of other pokemon, there were too many to count!
I eventually settled down into Box life, and became quick friends with Skorupi. "I can't wait to see Elliot again!" I smiled at the thought of my new trainer. "And Lucario too!"
"Zubat, you haven't even seen his starter, Serperior! He's the toughest on the team!" Skorupi said.
"Zubat!" Professor Juniper called. "Elliot wants you!"
"Huh? M-Me!?" I gasped.
"Wow way to go, Zubat!" Skorupi smiled as I flitted over.
I was returned, where I waited patiently, and anxiously, until I was sent out again, the first thing I saw being my trainer, Elliot.
"Hey, Zubat." He greeted me. "Sorry for keeping you waiting, but I hope we'll work well together."
"I'll do my absolute best!" I nodded.
"Here, I have something for you." He then gently wrapped a ribbon around my neck, off of which hung a silver bell. "This is a Soothe Bell, I hope it'll make you feel comfortable."
I flew around and listened to the bell chiming away, I loved the calm sound it made. "Here." Elliot patted his shoulder. "Hop on."
I gently landed on his shoulder. "Alright, let's go do some training."
I was so happy I couldn't contain my excitement! I was really going to be trained by a proper trainer!
For the first part I was just switched out so that I'd gain some EXP, but then Elliot started using me against trainers he'd already faced, my Confuse Ray was always the best move to use, followed by a Wing Attack.
It was after we had battled this girl that I began to feel very weird, like I was lightheaded or something. I felt myself growing taller, and my mouth growing bigger, until I felt fine again.
And I could SEE! I had eyes now! All those things I didn't notice before I now did! Colours were amazing! I could never have imagined them!
"Wow! You evolved into Golbat!" Elliot cheered as he hugged me.
'I...actually evolved!' I thought in disbelief. 'I'd never thought I'd get past Level 15 let alone evolve! And it's all thanks to Elliot!' "Thank you!" I hugged him back with my wings.
It wasn't long after that that I began to feel funny again, only this time I felt myself growing smaller along with my mouth. For a moment I was scared I was turning back into a Zubat, until my two wings spread out into four.
"Now your a Crobat!" Elliot cheered. "That's so awesome, Crobat!"
'A Crobat? I thought those were just myths!' I gasped in my head. 'I'd never think that the love of a trainer could help me to evolve!' I felt tears well up in my eyes. 'I'm...really loved!'
"Crobat, are you okay?" Elliot asked worriedly.
"I am! I really am!" I smiled as I hugged him with my new four wings.
"Okay Crobat, I'm just glad your happy." Elliot laughed.
Soon I found myself back at the Lab, but this time in a different room connected to Box 1, which waas filled with all sorts of toys and stuff.
"Have a fun time, Crobat." Profewssor Juniper nodded, before she left.
"Hello?" I called.
"Yo!" I suddenly noticed a Pikachu sprinting towards me, a weird purple stone tied around his stomach. "New face! Welcome to the Battle Box! I'm Pikachu!"
"Battle Box?" I echoed.
"Yeah! We're like, reserved Pokemon man! We're Elliot's second team!" He boasted.
"Wow! Second team!?" I didn't even know there was such a thing! And I was on it!?
"You got it." He nodded. "Sooo, you must be Level 50, right?"
"I am!" I nodded. "So you are too?"
"Correctamundo." He nodded. "We, my friend, are used for Wifi Battles and the PWT, major roles. So new teammate, what's your name?"
"I'm Crobat. Previously Golbat and, previously Zubat. If you don't mind me asking, what's that stone?"
"This? This is my Eviolite! Ups my defences seeing as I'm not fully evolved. So what's that Gem your holding onto?"
"This? This is my Flying Gem! It makes my Acrobatics really strong!"
"Sweet dude! The old item drop Acrobatics combo!"
It was just me and Pikachu in the Battle Box for a while, until we got a third, surprising member. "...Zubat?"
"Skorupi!?" I gasped.
"Heh, actually, it's Drapion now." He smirked at its new form.
"A-And I'm Crobat now!" I stammered in my excitement. "It's been so long! I've been down to the Boxes hundreds of times looking for you!"
"I've been off training with Elliot." He explained. "But look at me now! Evolved, awesome moveset, and some Black Sludge to boot!"
"Well then welcome to the group my friend!" Pikachu cheered.
"Who's that?" Drapion asked.
"That's Pikachu." I said. "C'mon! Let's catch up!"
I saw many pokemon join and leave the Battle Box, but whatever the case I always saw them in the Boxes.
The main members of our team are cool. There's Gastrodon, he's of the West Side species, and he's always a bit sluggish on things, but he's a really nice guy in the end.
Chandelure is amazing, he's got the highest Special Attack I've ever seen next to Latios! He's really quiet a lot of the time, but I always notice him giving some of his food to some of Elliot's younger pokemon as snacks.
Metagross is reaaaally smart, he can answer any question you give him, and he always acts all calm and sagely, which I think is cool. But we did have to stop him from telling baby Darumaka about the Pidgeys and the Combees.
Hydreigon was hatched from an egg, and she's actually really sweet. She blushes and gets embarrassed a lot, and she always has something nice to say. Though you wouldn't think that when she is fighting, she can be pretty...vulgar.
But there are the other members in rotation too! Drapion, Ferrothorn, Elektross, Weavile, Aggron, Yanmega, if only we had a second Battle Box for them!
It was another normal day when me, Gastrodon and Hydregion were called for the PWT Sinnoh Leaders challenge, we were sent over quickly where Elliot sent us out in the entrance hall, and we glomped him.
"Okay guys, I'm happy to see all of you too!" He laughed as we got off of him. "Alright, we're gonna be going up against the Gym Leaders of the Sinnoh region, but I know that you guys can do this! You ready!?"
"Yeah!" All three of us cheered.
In the first round we were up against the defensive Steel typer Byron. I would always start first, and I went against his Bastiodon, and won! I managed to wittle down his health by confusing him, then just going crazy with Acrobatics' and X-Scissors. But I got knocked out by his Bronzong, so Hydreigon took care of the other two with her Flamethrower.
Next we were up against Candice, I managed to confuse her Mamoswine, lay down my Toxic Spikes, and get an Acrobatics in, before it annihalated me with Ice Shard. Gastrodon finished it up with his Mud Bombs, along with her Froslass before getting beaten by Abomasnow. Luckily Hydreigon was faster wityh her finishing Flamethrower.
The last round was coming up, and we were facing Gardenia. I nwas nervous as possible, I knew I had a double type advantage, but the thought of messing up was worrying...
I held my breath as I was sent out against her Roserade, Elliot decided not to bother with either Confuse Ray or Toxicv Spikes and start with Acrobatics, which I boliged, managing to get a one-hit KO thanks to my Flying Gem.
Her next choice was Torterra, so we went on the defensive with Confuse Ray, Torterra did a lot of damage to itself, and I helped with my Acrobatics, but it still manged to get in an Outrage, and that hurt bad. Thankfully I quickly finished it off with an X-Scissor.
I was sweating bullets as her Leafeon came out. I knew that even if I failed Hydreigon could take care of it, but I wanted to prove how strong I'd become! I got in an Acrobatics and an X-Scissor whilst she hit me with a double Quick Attack.
I was down on my last wings, I couldn't take anymore damage, and I needed to finish this, but I also knew Quick Attack always struck first, no matter how high my speed was. I could only watch as she rammed into me at lightning speed.
But, as ifd by a miracle, I survived! With 1 HP! Somehow I had toughed out its attack! "Crobat! Acrobatics!" I complied with pleasure, slamming into the Leafeon and knocking it out.
"And the winner is...Elliot!" The crowd roared in congratulations.
"Crobat!" My trainer caught me as I fell from exhaustion. "You fought amazingly hard out there, I'm so proud of you."
"Really...?" I asked, before drifting off to sleep.
I woke up in the Pokemon Centre, where I wasa sent back to the Battle Box to be with my friends. Elliot strill calls me out a lot of the time to win more battles at the PWT with my other teammates, and sometimes I fly back to Castelia Sewers to see my old friends and let them throw every question on Trainers imaginable my way.
So...am I happy? Yes, I am very happy. I am surrounded by Pokemon who care about me, I have a Trainer who is kind to me, and I get to battle some of the strongest pokemon ever in the PWT.
All I'm saying with my story, is that there are hundreds of Zubats like me who either get beaten up or just left with unwanted feelings all over the pokemon world. Call us annoying, but we just want to be cared for. So please, at least the next time you see a Zubat, think about the home you could give it, and how much it wants one.
A tribute to my Crobat from Black 2, one of the greatest fighters on my team ever since I found him as a Zubat in Castelia Sewers.