The dedication, disclaimer, and author's notes can all be found in the first chapter. Especially, read the dedication. ;)
Azury's Curse
3: Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
I was further worried when Gina and Azury found a topic they could both chat happily about, and that was Pokémon biology and behaviour. They chatted this way for the rest of the afternoon as they headed south to Cyan.
We encountered one wild Pokémon on the path; she was a Raticate, and after asking Azury if he wanted her, Gina let me beat her into retreating. I hoped we'd meet another trainer. I was grumpy. I wanted to make an opponent faint. I even kicked pebbles and tree roots, which is not a Sneasel thing to do. The trees were thick here. There were vines and jungle-like parts, and there were also patches of thick wild grass and streams. I said the scenery was pretty. Gina kept pointing things out to Azury and me.
By the end of the afternoon, Azury was exhausted. Out of kindness to him, Gina suggested we stop earlier than we might have done. We found a good place to camp and set up. Azury curled up on the grass and fell asleep immediately.
"Aww! That's so sweet," said Gina, grinning down at him.
Gina took me and her other three Pokémon some ways away to train. Since I'd been walking all day, Gina didn't push me as hard. The other members of our team were a Phanpy, a Pidgeotto, and a Staryu. Gina's never been one of those trainers who go after a high capture rate. She's very selective.
When we came back, Gina returned the other three. I was annoyed at that. I could have used a second opinion on the mysterious Azury.
I refused to return to my Pokéball and instead, curled up to sleep next to Gina, between her and Azury. I felt better that way.
I was alerted, later.
I woke up. The night was very, very dark; it was assuredly past midnight. The stars blazed pure white against endless black, and the scenery around us held that kind of blackness that is just on the edge of colour.
I saw that Azury had moved. He stood over by a tree. He stood motionless for a moment, and then turned and moved away with a very strange walk, a kind of rocking, gliding movement that didn't seem to fit his bones. It was weird. I followed him.
He led me down to a pool, where the stream collected for a pace. He shook himself all over, then dived in.
I thought he was mad. Humans are very susceptible to illnesses when they are cold and wet - and he'd just soaked his clothes in the middle of the night. I was afraid he'd drown.
I jumped in and began swimming after him.
He pulled himself up onto the other bank of the pool - and I stopped swimming towards him and looked at him in astonishment, because his clothes were dry.
He looked towards me, hearing the little splashing sounds I was making to keep myself above water, and since he knew I was there, I swam over to his bank and got out of the water, which, by the way, was incredibly cold.
A Sneasel doesn't really mind the cold. Nature designed us for it.
Azury smiled. "I'm glad you're here, Shiver," he said. "I can finally explain."
"Sell," I said sternly.
"I'm under a curse," Azury said earnestly. "I'm really a Vaporeon. I got a Haunter mad at me and he cursed me. It happened two days ago."
I raised an eyebrow. That is a fun human gesture and I'm glad that I can do it.
On the one paw, this would explain a lot; on the other paw, it was hard to believe.
"Look, then," said Azury. He got on all fours. He grimaced, and tensed for a moment. Then, for a moment, shimmering, there was a Vaporeon where he had stood. A beautiful Vaporeon. A Vaporeon that looked at me with friendly, hopeful, imploring eyes. Then it shimmered more, and blurred, and Azury was there again, breathing hard.
"It's hard," he said. "It's a hard curse and I can't break it and I need your help, Shiver."
I smiled. It was such a relief to understand things. "[Okay,]" I said, fascinated. "[Tell me all the story.]"
Thanks to…
BookWorm: Ooooh no. Deadly tedium. Come to think of it, you could do my homework for me, except that that would probably bore you more. Oh, well, never mind. Here's another chapter. Glad you like it! I'm having fun with this.
