Day 2
"All right, let's see what you know," Thuler said, sitting cross-legged in front of a small patch of grass they had cleared. "Tackle!" Thuler ordered, Kichi complied and tackled the Purrloin dummy they had rigged. "Tail whip!" Thuler ordered, Kichi wagged his tail at the dummy. "Water gun!" Thuler ordered, and Kichi fired a burst of water at the dummy, knocking its head off. "Water sport!" Thuler ordered. Kichi thought for a moment, then turned towards Thuler.
"OK, now we know where to begin," Thuler said. "I'm going to teach you water sport, it's a move that weakens fire-types. We'll use it as a surprise against Bianca next time we see her." Thuler winked, and Kichi returned it. "Now... fire a burst of water up into the air." Kichi complied, and watched the water fall around him. "Because of all the water in the air and covering you, fire's effectiveness is reduced," Thuler explained, "and you take less damage."
"Oshawott," Kichi said, plopping down to look at Thuler.
"Oshawott, indeed," Thuler said. They were approaching Accumula Town, but Thuler had mostly just stuck to the outskirts, training his Pokemon. He hoped it would be strong enough for whatever was to come. Thuler walked into town, heading to the Poke Center and healing Kichi. "You've grown a lot stronger already, buddy," Thuler said, "I think we should head for a gym soon." Thuler was walking out, when he saw a crowd gathered around the town square.
"My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokemon liberation." Thuler heard a voice say. Going into the crowd revealed a robed man standing in front of a line of armor-clad men and women with an odd symbol on their capes. "I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokemon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However... Is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans... only assume that this is the truth?" Thuler felt a slight heat begin to boil in the back of his throat. What was this guy saying?
"Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers... They get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work... Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?" Thuler found himself at loss for words. But how could a Pokemon not want or need their trainer? Kichi, barely with him for about ten hours, had already developed a bond to some degree with him. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, Pokemon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokemon?"
"Liberate them?" A familiar voice thought out loud. Thuler turned sideways, and sure enough, there was Cheren.
"That's right! We must liberate the Pokemon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokemon truly be equals." The man took Cheren's answer enthusiastically, but Thuler and a few other crowd members heard the sarcasm in Cheren's voice. "Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokemon... and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention," Ghetsis said. Ghetsis and his armor-clad men and women promptly left, leaving the crowd to disperse.
"Your Pokemon... Just now, it was saying..." A green-haired man said.
"Huh?" Thuler asked, turning around in confusion.
"Yes, they're talking. Oh. Then, you two can't hear it, either... How sad. My name is N."
"Nice to meet you, N... I guess," Thuler said. Cheren nodded in confusion.
"So, you two are trainers?" N asked.
"Yeah, we are," Cheren said.
"So, you're going to go around, confining many, many Pokemon in Poke Balls on your quest to become the champion? I'm a trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokemon really happy that way?"
"I dunno," Thuler said, "Kichi here doesn't like being in his Poke Ball. Guess he likes the scenery too much."
"Technically, Poke Balls are constructed to provide the perfect environment for the species of Pokemon it just caught and create a place of rest and comfort for it," Cheren said, "so I guess they're happy in there."
"Well, what are your names? I've already given you mine," N said.
"I'm Thuler," Thuler said, "and this is my Oshawott, Kichi."
"I'm Cheren," Cheren said next to him, "I have a Servine and a Lillipup."
"Well, Thuler, is it? Let me hear your Pokémon's voice again!" N said, withdrawing a Poke Ball.
"Sure, why not? Ready, Kichi?" Thuler asked, grinning.
"Osha-wott!" Kichi exclaimed.
"Purrloin, go!" N said, launching the Poke Ball. A Purrloin came out, and Cheren looked at Thuler and Kichi, baffled. It seemed as though their rage could hardly be contained at the sight of that Pokemon.
"Kichi, -" Thuler began,
"Purrloin, -" N started,
"Water gun!"
"Dodge!" Kichi's burst of bubbling water chased after the dodging Purrloin, who leaped over it time and time again.
"Scratch!" N ordered.
"Dodge and tackle!" Thuler barked. Kichi took a step back, the Purrloin's claws swiping within inches of his face.
"Osha-" Kichi began, withdrawing his scalchop, "-wott!" The scalchop smacked Purrloin across the face, knocking him back.
"More! Let me hear the voice of your Pokemon!" N exclaimed. "Scratch!"
"Dodge and tackle!" Thuler barked. The previous sequence of events repeated itself, Thuler marveling at the clockwork precision of it. "Water gun!" Kichi fired another burst of water, but the Purrloin dodged it again. "Water gu- DODGE!" The Purrloin raked its claws across Kichi's face. "Tackle!" Thuler ordered. Kichi recuperated enough from the blow to smack the Purrloin across the head with his scalchop. "Tackle!" Thuler ordered again. Kichi full on tackled this time instead, bringing down the Purrloin onto the ground. "Hit him with your scalchop!" Kichi complied and began to whack the Purrloin back and forth.
"I never expected to hear Pokémon say such things..." N said, a sadness in his voice.
"Kichi, back off." Thuler ordered. "Kichi, Kichi, Kichi!" Thuler watched Kichi smack the Purrloin, the latter's anguished cries filling the night. "Kichi, back in the ball!" Thuler said, Kichi disappearing into the depths of his battered ball with a slight cry of disappointment.
"As long as Pokemon are confined in Poke Balls... Pokemon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for Pokemon, because they're my friends." N said, picking up the Purrloin and petting its head. N walked away wordlessly after this statement, rubbing his Purrloin's head where Kichi had smacked it.
"Your Pokemon all right?" Cheren asked.
"Yeah... he just... he's stubborn." Thuler looked up from the ground. "Any ideas?"
"Well, he just might not respect you as a trainer." Cheren said. "If Bianca caught it for you, its loyalty might lie with Bianca."
"That's the thing. Neither of us captured him. The ball went out of my grasp, rolled around in the wild some, caught him, and then ended up in the pond near your house."
"Huh... It might still be a wild Pokemon in its own mind. Maybe it just follows you because it likes to fight." Cheren said, adjusting his glasses.
"So I have to assert my dominance over him?" Thuler asked.
"That seems likely." Cheren said.
"How could I do that?" Thuler asked.
"Well, you could release him, then recapture him."
"That would be nice, except I don't have any other Pokemon."
"What?" Cheren asked.
"Well, I bought some Poke balls after winning a few victories, about ten of them, or so. After that, I tried catching a Lillipup with them... except..."
"Except what? Oh, wait... they all failed?" Thuler nodded. "Guess you do gave horrible luck." Cheren thought for a little bit. "Listen, here's five Poke balls. Go and try to catch another Pokemon."
"All right, will do."
"Make sure it's strong enough to defeat Kichi." Cheren reminded him. Thuler immediately went out of town, running until he found the tall grass. "Go, Kichi!" Thuler threw the Poke Ball, releasing Kichi.
"All right." Thuler said, watching Kichi look up at him with sad eyes. Kichi really dislike being in the Poke ball. "We're going to catch a Pokemon, but this time we're going to be successful." Kichi brightened up at the prospect of battling. Thuler took a step into the tall grass, watching for any Pokemon. The next step followed, and the next, and the next after that... and the next... and yet another after that one... He started running around in the grass... he screamed and shouted, he waved his hands... nothing. Kichi eventually stopped following him around and sat outside of the grass, breathing bubbles and watching them float around.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" Thuler finally exclaimed in frustration. He'd been walking around for three hours. Three whole hours. Three. Whole. Hours. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Nil. Kichi waded through the grass and pulled on his hand. Thuler looked down, only to see Kichi stick his tongue out at him. "Cheeky son of a gun." Thuler answered and sat down. Kichi reclined against him and sighed. He didn't get the battle he'd been hoping for. But if there was ever a living being with worse luck than Thuler, it was the Lillipup that walked into the sitting pair.
"WATER GUN!" Thuler exclaimed. The poor Lillipup was knocked back by the blast of water Kichi released. Thuler threw his Poke ball, the mechanism snatching the reeling Lillipup into the system. The ball landed, shook once, shook twice, and... shook a final time before clicking. Thuler fell on his knees.
"YES! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" Thuler said, pumping his fist into the air. "Kichi, it's time to show you who is boss." Thuler ran over to the Pokemon center, Kichi hot on his heels. He booted up the PC, then stared at the option. Should he release Kichi? It was a very rare occurrence that he had gotten a Pokemon, never mind a Pokemon like Kichi. But he had a Lillipup now... Thuler hit the release button. Cheren's plan made sense. Kichi looked up at Thuler in shock. He had been released? That meant he could fight whenever he wanted! Kichi immediately ran out of the Pokemon center, glad to be rid of his luckless trainer. Thuler, however, had different ideas.
"All right, this is for sticking your tongue out at me!" Thuler barked, hot on Kichi's heels. "Lillipup, I choose you!" Thuler threw the Poke ball, smacking Kichi in the back of the head. Kichi turned around in time to see the Lillipup materialize. "BITE!" The Lillipup clenched its jaws around Kichi's arm, causing the Oshawott to cry out. Kichi withdrew his Scalchop and smacked the Lillipup across the face. "Tackle!" Thuler ordered, watching the Lillipup knock Kichi to his feet. Kichi was finally free, and he wasn't giving up that easily. A jet of water launched the Lillipup across the field, smacking it against a tree and causing it to faint.
"No!" Thuler exclaimed, watching Kichi run off into the forest. Thuler threw a Poke ball after Kichi, watching it open and drag it into its depths. He knew his plan was madness, but it had to work. Kichi broke free from the Poke ball, but it had given Thuler enough time to catch up. He hadn't been with Pokemon for more than a few days, but he'd watched them tackle each other hundreds of times. Thuler was now betting that if he rammed himself into Kichi, it would have the same effect as a Pokemon ramming into Kichi. Kichi burst free, only to have Thuler's shoulder knock him into the ground. Another Poke ball flew forth and swept Kichi into itself. It didn't even shake once. Kichi broke free immediately with a defiant cry. Thuler didn't know it, but the Poke ball's very programming was working against it in this particular case. It was simulating endless freedom for Kichi once he was absorbed, only encouraging Kichi to break free.
When the Poke ball had first captured him, Kichi had thought it would be a better life. He would have a trainer, he would be able to fight far more often than in the wild. But it hadn't lived up to everything he'd expected. Ghetsis' words were the final straw. Pokemon should be free, not kept in Poke balls all their lives. He was making a move for himself now. But the trainer, almost as stubborn and willful as himself, was still on his tail. Thuler rammed himself into Kichi again, causing Kichi's vision to blur up and Kichi to stumble. Kichi could almost feel his hairs stand up as the Poke ball opened up and dragged him in again.
Thuler stopped and caught his breath as the ball shook three times. He smiled, only to have it fade as Kichi burst out. Kichi jumped into some bushes, so Thuler followed after him. A quick search revealed Kichi under a tree, panting in a panicked manner. Thuler's third Poke ball flew out, capturing Kichi as his eyes went open in fear. The Poke ball shook twice, then Kichi burst out. Thuler's fourth ball flew after him, but he missed the throw and Kichi managed to run away. Thuler followed, and grabbed the fifth and final ball Cheren had given him. He threw it, watched it bounce off the floor, and capture Kichi in midair. The Poke ball rolled down a gulley, ending up at the bottom. Thuler slid down the gulley, cutting up his hands in a bramble and tearing up his clothes. The Poke ball burst open just as Thuler landed on the stream bed. Kichi and Thuler stared at each other as they both lay stood in the stream bed.
"Kichi, listen..." Thuler started, taking a step forward only to find his knee collapse. Kichi turned and tried to run, but he, like Thuler, was too tired. "I think I know why you wouldn't obey me. I was your trainer, you were my Pokemon. It was all wrong." Kichi looked at Thuler, watching him fall to his knees. "I'm not coming here to even fight you anymore." Thuler's eyes filled with tears. "We've both been through a roller coaster of emotions in the past few days, but I think we're at the end of the ride. I named you Kichi because it means 'luck.' You are my luck. Before I met you, life just kept throwing things at me, and I could never dodge them." Kichi watched with a puzzled expression as Thuler's eyes got shiny. "I don't want to be the trainer anymore. I don't want you to be just a Pokemon anymore either." Thuler extended his bloody hand. "I want to be your partner. I want us to be equals in this relationship, neither above the other." Thuler's eyes welled up with tears, one of them breaking and wiping off the dirt that had accumulated through their forest run. "I have nothing to offer except for guidance and direction, love and care, and a sense of belonging." Thuler said, getting closer to Kichi. "And all I ask for is the luck you bring me, your power so I can go where I couldn't normally, and your loyalty and friendship in this world where sometimes I feel so alone." Kichi couldn't resist Thuler's outstretched arms anymore.
"I only ask you to enter a Poke ball this once," Thuler said, hugging Kichi close to him, "and then you never, ever have to go in one again." Kichi nodded, and Thuler extended the battered Poke ball that had started it all. Kichi grasped it in his tiny paws, Thuler's palm still supporting it from underneath, and clicked the button out of his own accord. The Poke ball opened, absorbed Kichi, then clicked without even shaking once. Poke balls simulate a situation inside of them that is extremely comforting to the captured Pokemon so that it is less likely to struggle. The ball, obeying its programming, projected the most comforting thing for Kichi to him, and instead of endless freedom, it was now the feeling of being in Thuler's arms.
Thuler let Kichi out of the Poke ball and picked him up, both of them walking back to Nuvema town. They walked into the Poke center, the sight of Thuler's torn and bloody clothing along with Kichi's battered appearance caused the nurse to gasp. Kichi was taken in and put under special care while Thuler washed his own wounds and placed band aids and a bandage when appropriate. Once Kichi was better, he and Thuler walked out and set up camp by the road, falling asleep side by side. The sun shone on the prone partners, waking them both up.
"The nearest gym is at Striaton city." Thuler said, stretching. "We'll head back into town to have some breakfast and then we'll head that way." The morning was uneventful, but Thuler hoped to make it to Striaton city by that afternoon. They headed out and quickly ran across a young boy, about ten years old, polishing a Poke ball. Thuler's eyes met the kid's briefly, and it was on.
"Patrat, I choose you!"
"Go, Kichi!" Thuler exclaimed, Kichi charging forward.
"Growl!" The youngster ordered. Thuler frowned as Kichi was briefly entranced by the Patrat practically purring.
"Water gun!" Kichi fired a stream of water, which glanced off the dodging Patrat. "Water gun!" This time the blow connected fully and the Patrat flew into the tree behind it, causing it to faint.
"Aw, man... You're a strong trainer."
"Don't worry kid," Thuler said, patting the kid on the head, "just keep training and follow your dreams." A few more trainers waited for them along the road, one rather unfortunate lass using a Purrloin among them.
"Thuler! Hey, Thuler!" Bianca called out. Thuler turned around, smiling.
"Hey! How's it going?"
"Very good! My father let me go and I've been traveling around. My Tepig is so much happier now. He even let me keep the Bayleef!" Bianca said. "By the way, this poor Lillipup has been following me around for a while, but when I tried to capture it, it said it already belonged to someone else."
"OH NO!" Thuler exclaimed, horrified. He'd left it fainted by the tree. "I'm so sorry!" Thuler cried as he hugged the wounded Lillipup close. "Please forgive me! I completely forgot about you in the excitement!"
"Thuler, you need to take better care of your Pokemon..." Bianca said.
"It's a very long story..." Thuler said, recounting a less embarrassing version of the previous day's events.
"Oh... still, you should take better care of your Pokemon regardless. Also, tackling Kichi still doesn't seem like the nicest thing to do..."
"I had no other alternatives and I was slightly hell-bent." Thuler said sheepishly.
"Anyways, I was wondering if you'd have a Pokemon battle with me." Bianca said, rubbing her arm and looking down.
"Uh... yeah, sure." Thuler said. "Lillipup, back in the ball. We'll get you to the Poke center in Striaton." Thuler looked at Bianca. "I'm afraid I only have one Pokemon."
"Oh, that's okay. It would be inhuman to make the poor Lillipup fight. Since you're using your starter, I'll use mine!" Bianca said, tugging at something in her bag, then pulling out a Poke ball. The sudden pull made her skip sideways slightly. "Go, Tepig!"
"Kichi, get ready!" Thuler ordered.
"Ember!" Bianca ordered. Kichi took the blast of fire full on, then brushed some ashes from his coat.
"Uh... Bianca. Kichi is a water-type. Fire-type attacks have no effect on him." Thuler commented.
"Oh... uh... Tackle!"
"Dodge!" Thuler ordered. Kichi leaped out of the Tepig's way.
"Bianca, this fight might have been over before it started." Thuler said, Kichi automatically dodging the Tepig's attacks. "See, both our Pokemon are of about the same strength, and water is effective against fire."
"Tackle! So what are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is that unless your Pokemon is a lot stronger than the other one, you probably shouldn't pit it against a type effective against its own. Water gun." Kichi fired a burst of water against the Tepig, knocking it out.
"Oh, Tepig!" Bianca said, rushing in and cradling the Tepig in her arms.
"Now, if your Tepig was, for example, a Pignite, it would have been a lot harder for Kichi to win." Thuler said as Kichi walked to his side again. "Keep that in mind as you plan your fights. Here, how about you walk with me the remainder of the way to Striaton City?"
"Sure." Bianca said, keeping pace with Thuler's slightly longer strides. "Say, Thuler. What's your plan?" Bianca asked.
"I don't know. I was aiming for becoming the region's champion... not much else. After doing that, I figured on sticking around until some other kid defeated me. After that... maybe settle down, become a fisherman or something, maybe get a job at some company."
"Well, I met this woman, Professor Juniper." Bianca said. "She asked me if I would help her complete the Pokedex, and I said yes. I told her about you and Cheren, and she gave me two extra ones. Who knows, maybe you could become her assistant or something."
"Sounds good. A Pokedex would help, and being a professor's assistant would be better than pushing papers." Thuler said, accepting the Pokedex. "Thank you a lot." They had arrived at the city limits, so Thuler turned and looked at Bianca. "The Poke center is supposed to be down the street from here. The gym is nearby, in a restaurant." Thuler looked at Bianca. "It was nice walking with you."
"It was nice walking with you as well." Bianca said. "Goodbye." Bianca hugged Thuler goodbye and headed down the street, towards the trainer's school.
"All right, Kichi." Thuler said, squatting down to the Oshawott's eye level. "Let's go show the gym leader that we're stronger than them."
