I Am Lucario
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon
Ah, chapter four… Before we start, I'd like to thank everyone who read and/or reviewed again. I would also like to take the time here to thank all the anonymous reviewers, since I can't reply to them personally. So, thank you all very much! I really appreciate it.
As Ivee~Lynn~Lee stated (and hawktakesflight, by PM), the Mightyena from the previous chapter was indeed Wolf, from my old story, A Mightyena Named Wolf. For those who did not read it, you don't need to do so; Wolf is not a main character in this story. He only made a cameo appearance.
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"And your bed's over there," Lucario said, pointing to the bed of hay. "It's usually by the openings on the wall, but it's raining now, so I moved it."
"Got it," Absol said. He walked over to an empty space and shook himself violently, spraying water droplets everywhere. Lucario stifled a laugh – Absol looked quite amusing. As he covered his mouth with his paws to hide his grin, he realised with a jolt that it was not the first time he had laughed at a wet Pokémon trying to rid water from their fur: he had laughed at Primeape too, and that landed him in trouble.
The white Pokémon, however, was completely oblivious to Lucario's mirth. "I think I'll wait till I'm fully dry."
Lucario stayed silent, his amusement dying out as he looked over at Absol's bed. It used to belong to Xatu. He hoped that Xatu would not mind him lending it to Absol…
"Are you sure it's really okay for me to stay here?" Absol asked earnestly. Lucario's crestfallen face had apparently not escaped Absol.
"Yes, of course."
"Then I'll put up with you for a while," he said, smiling. "I got something I need to do… especially since you say there'll be trouble at the city. After that, I'll probably leave and start my travels."
A lightning flashed outside, making Absol jump. Both of them stared at the rain, which was getting quite heavy now. Lucario glanced at the Disaster Pokémon from the corner of his eye. Absol seemed to be deep in thought again.
"And about that disaster…" Absol began slowly, "I might be able to help you with that too."
"Hmm?"
"If it's a natural disaster, I might be able to see it coming. An Absol can sense this kind of stuff, and they usually appear to warn others when there's an impending calamity."
"That's amazing!"
Absol shook his head dolefully. "No it's not. It's the reason why everyone thinks we're the bringers of disaster."
"Oh." Lucario did not know what else to say.
"But yeah, as I said, I guess I can help you out with that," Absol continued.
"And how many disasters have you foreseen?" Lucario asked curiously, eager to hear more about Absol's ability.
"None so far," he replied, frowning, "but that's because nothing has happened around me." He then quickly added, "Which is a good thing, of course."
The sky rumbled again as the torrent continued. Absol sidled to his bed and lay down, watching the rain through the holes. The cave was extremely dark – Lucario could barely see anything save for the lugubrious vista outside. Of course, he could rely on his aura abilities in times like this, but tonight, he did not feel like doing so. For some reason, the dark was very inviting and cozy.
"Hey, Absol-sir," Lucario began, wanting to prod his nose onto what it was that Absol had left to do in the city, but the white Pokémon was already snoring lightly. Giving up, he leaned back onto his bed, closing his eyes. Absol was a mystery, most definitely. Behind his cheerful and flamboyant façade was a soul that had underwent some terrible trauma.
It was with that thought that Lucario drifted away to sleep, finally succumbing to the melodic lullaby of the rain outside.
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For the first time in a while, the sunlight did not greet Lucario first thing in the morning when he awoke; the reason being that he was not sleeping besides the openings. Feeling groggy as per usual, he briefly wondered why his bed was on the other side of the room before he remembered that it was he who shifted their positions during the rain.
Still sleepy, he walked over to the window-like holes and stared outside; taking in the unique scent that always lingered after a heavy rain. Judging by the dryness of the floor he was standing on, the rain had probably stopped for a few hours now. He stretched and yawned, then returned to carry the beds back to where they once were.
"Good morning!" Absol greeted cheerfully, appearing from the path that led to the deeper part of the cave.
"Morning," Lucario replied, barely suppressing another yawn, his paws full with hay.
"Need my help?" asked Absol.
Lucario placed the bed down next to the wall, gently brushing some sand that had somehow stuck to the top of it. "Nope. I'm done."
"Nice." Absol was grinning. "Nothing like some early morning interior decorating to get the day started."
"I hate getting the day started," Lucario mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the front of his paws. Ever since he evolved, he never used the back of his paws for rubbing due to the growth of his spikes. "I always want to sleep in."
"Well, go ahead and sleep in if you want to," Absol said, walking over to his own bed and lying down. He stared up at Lucario expectantly, jerking his head towards the blue Pokémon's bed. "After all, you are the master of this house. You decide what to do."
"I think I'll stay up, thanks."
"Well then…" Absol sprang to his feet once more, walking over to the food crate. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Anything is fine." Lucario began stretching his arms and legs, which felt sore for some reason. It just occurred to him that he had not continued his training regimen ever since he evolved. He would need to do it again someday.
Absol walked up to the Aura Pokémon, a chocolate muffin in his mouth. He offered it to Lucario, who took it gratefully. Absol went back to the crate and grabbed a muffin of his own while Lucario sat on his bed to eat.
The muffin – a wonderful human confectionary, Lucario thought. Soft and sweet, he loved the way it felt when it goes down his throat. This particular piece had chocolate chips all over the top, and several more hidden in its body like treasures waiting to be found. The chips added so much more to the taste. Lucario took a big bite and chewed slowly.
"Any plans today?" Absol called from across the room, his voice muffled due to the fact that his mouth was full.
Lucario shrugged. "Maybe I'll drop by the city again. Wanna come along?"
"Sure."
Lucario looked at Absol in surprise. He had expected him to refuse, as Absol did not strike him as the type who would frequent crowded places. "You okay with humans seeing you?"
"I guess I don't really mind if I'm not alone. On rare occasions, I walk around with my roommate in the city." He turned and looked intently at Lucario. "That's you now."
"Guess so. But you'd better be careful not to let anyone capture you."
"Don't worry about it. Check inside my bed," he said with a jerk of his head, gesturing at the bed besides Lucario.
Nonplussed, Lucario reached out his left paw and shuffled the hay around. His paw suddenly caught something soft and smooth, and he pulled it out to find a green cloth. He recognised it immediately as the green kerchief Absol had used to wrap up berries from before.
He held it up, staring at it bewilderedly.
"My old roommate gave it to me," Absol explained. "You have a scarf, don't you? Well, here's my version."
Lucario grinned, rubbing the cloth with his paws. It was nice, but he preferred his scarf by far. He decided to keep that from Absol.
"I never thought of using a human possession to make you look like you belong to someone," Absol said, taking another bite from his muffin. "That's a really good idea of yours, using your scarf like that."
Lucario blinked. He quickly recalled back all his past conversations with Absol, trying to think of a time when the scarf came up as a topic. "But I never told you about what I used my scarf for."
"Oh… er..." Absol looked embarrassed. He turned his head away from Lucario – a telltale sign of either apprehension or shame. "Actually, I just did a wild guess. I notice that you wore the scarf to the city, but never when you're here. I figured it couldn't be because of the cold, since it's much colder here than in the city, so…"
"I see." It may have just been a lucky guess, but it was not the first time Absol had made an accurate assumption. Lucario was impressed.
After their quick meal, both of them left the cave. Absol stood patiently at the side as Lucario sealed the entrance, and then they trotted down the mountain path. Lucario had his red scarf on, and Absol his green kerchief, making them both look like a comedy duo from a cartoon.
"How well do you know the city?" Lucario asked as they crossed the boundary that divided the forest from Ferrous City's outskirts. The outskirts contained mostly small houses and shops, and were relatively tranquil compared to the busier parts of the city. Nature was quite prevalent in these areas, as though a part of Silver Forest had seeped into the place.
"Not all that well – I don't often explore its deeper areas." Absol took a few steps ahead of Lucario and paused, looking around. The streets were devoid of any life form besides the two. "Well, my old home is actually somewhere in this area. Let's not go there today."
Absol then spun around to face Lucario. "As I said, I don't walk outside much, but when I do, it's usually to a friend of my roommate. We visit her quite often. Let's go now." With that, Absol bounded down a path, leaving a stunned Lucario behind.
"Hey – hey, wait up!" Lucario yelled, running to catch up. "Are you sure about this? I prefer to stay hidden. I don't want to get captured!"
"It's all right, I promise! She is not a trainer either. Besides, she knows me."
About five minutes later, Absol came to a skid just outside a small shop. He then raised a paw, gesturing at the door, as if urging Lucario to enter first. Lucario stopped and surveyed the shop with interest.
"This is it?" he asked.
"Yep."
"That was fast."
A pretty little garden stood in front of the shop with a myriad of flowers growing all around, reminding Lucario of a meadow. A stone path connected the pavement to the front door, where a small sign was dangling, saying 'Open'. Right on the roof was a larger sign displaying the words 'Bakery'. Indeed, the place seemed to be overflowing with all sorts of delectable scents. Besides the door were wide see-through windows that showed several pastries on display.
"A bakery…" Lucario whispered to himself in wonder.
"It's a shop, but it's also her home. Come on, we're welcome here."
Before Lucario could protest, Absol strutted up the path as though he owned the place. He knocked the little white door a few times, and then pushed it unceremoniously. A bell rang softly, indicating the arrival of a customer – or in Absol's case, an intruder.
A voice boomed from somewhere within the building. "Welcome! I'll be with you shortly!" Lucario could tell it belonged to a lady.
Absol strode inside, followed by a timid Lucario, who felt as though he should not be there. Upon noticing that the interior's wallpaper was blue, he pressed his back against the wall, trying to blend in and camouflage himself.
Now that he was inside, he could see for himself all the items that were for sale, displayed prominently on white square trays. On each tray was a miniature sign that detailed the item's name and price. Right by the counter was another set of trays stacked neatly together, along with some tongs – all presumably for the customers to take and place the items they want.
The sound of rushing footsteps interrupted Lucario's study of the room, and he turned to look as an Umbreon came rushing from the back room. When she spotted Absol, she gave a gasp.
"Hey, Absol! Where have you been?" The Umbreon's tone was anxious, her face expression showing tremendous worry.
"Oh. Hi," Absol replied half-heartedly.
"What happened to you? We were so worried when we heard –"
"As you can see, Umbreon, I'm perfectly fine," Absol said abruptly, cutting her off mid-sentence. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. "I brought a friend today, he's – he – where is he…" Absol looked behind him and saw Lucario next to the wall. "There you are. My blue friend, Lucario."
Lucario raised a paw weakly, giving a small wave. Umbreon nodded in reply, and then gave Absol a steely stare.
"You are coming with me to the back, and I want you to tell me everything!" She ran behind Absol and began pushing him, ignoring his groans and protests. As she did so, she turned to Lucario and said, in a much softer tone, "If you don't mind, can you please wait for a while at the other room on the left? I'll get Celia to send some food for you. Thanks."
"That's okay, I don't –!"
But both Absol and Umbreon had disappeared into a room at the back. There was another audible gasp, and Lucario heard the same lady from earlier yell "Absol!" in surprise. With totally no idea what was going on, he decided it was best to just do as Umbreon said.
There were only two other rooms connecting to the one he was at now. One of them was the room in which Umbreon and Absol had disappeared to, so that leaves the other, which was located behind the counter. Even though he had permission, he couldn't help but feel uneasy as he slipped behind the counter and pushed the door.
He found himself in a decently decorated living room, filled with the usual furniture. The wallpaper was brown with an intricate pattern, and a large rug covered most of the floor. It felt really strange rubbing his feet on the carpet, but it was not an unpleasant sensation.
He continued walking around the room, enjoying the feel of the carpet. After he made one lap around the sofa, the door opened. An elderly lady who looked to be in her sixties walked in, carrying a tray of assorted bread and pastries. She had a large apron on and a hairnet over her greying hair. Lucario stood still, watching as she placed the tray down on the table besides the sofa.
The woman turned to Lucario and smiled pleasantly, her tiny eyes twinkling behind her glasses. "Hello, you must be Absol's friend. Umbreon was nudging me and pointing at the other room – it took me a while, but I got the hint. I never expected Absol to bring a friend, but, well… I never expected Absol to turn up in the first place!"
The woman gave a hearty laugh. She then patted the top of the sofa. "Go on, make yourself comfortable! Sit and eat, and if that's not enough, there's more at the back. I'll go tend to Absol now, if you don't mind."
She made to leave, and Lucario quickly bowed in gratitude. When the door closed, he walked over and sat on the sofa, looking admiringly at the feast in front of him. He was spoilt for choice.
In the end, he randomly chose a croissant. He picked it up with both his paws and was surprised to find how warm it was. The croissant was probably freshly-baked, which would be something new for Lucario, since most of the things he ate were hard and stale.
He lifted the bread to his nose and gave it a whiff. The wonderful fragrance compelled him to take a bite, and his eyes widened in surprise as some jam oozed out, sticking to his muzzle. Despite the little shock, he enjoyed the croissant very much – the jam tasted very similar to Oran berries, and the bread was warm and crunchy. A perfect combination. He devoured the entire croissant quickly, which was unusual for him as he had always been a slow eater.
When he was done, he began prodding around the rest of the food on the tray, searching for another croissant. Before he could find one, he heard the faint sound of a bell. He recognized it immediately – it was, of course, the bell signalling the entrance of a patron.
He closed his eyes and switched to seeing with aura instead. Immediately he could see the blue outline of a young boy walking into the store, looking round in surprise at the lack of people.
Lucario got up from his seat and walked out of the room. The boy was dressed smartly in a black blazer, concealing a white shirt underneath it. Not noticing Lucario, he was instead busy looking at the breads on display. The Aura Pokémon walked over to the back room where Absol and the rest were.
The white Disaster Pokémon was busy chatting with Umbreon, with Celia – the bakery lady – looking politely on, not understanding a word they were saying. She looked up in surprise as Lucario entered. Lucario waved his arms around, pointing at the other room.
"Oh, a customer?" Celia, said, getting the message. She got up and brusquely walked to the front. Lucario stared after her for a while and then turned to look at Umbreon and Absol, who had just noticed his presence.
"Ah, sorry for leaving you like that!" Absol called out cheerfully.
"It's okay, I —"
But Lucario was interrupted when a yell came from the front. His aura vision replaced his sight immediately, and he saw Celia running up to the boy, who was at the door with a piece of bread.
"You haven't paid yet, boy!" Celia said firmly.
"So what?" the boy rudely replied.
Before he could see what happened next, Absol and Umbreon brushed past him, heading towards the commotion. Lucario stopped concentrating and followed them.
"If you don't like it, please complain to my father! My name is Greg! Greg Cooper!"
After making that proclamation, the boy stormed out of the shop. The stolen bread was on the floor, apparently dropped by the little thief. Celia was not moving, visibly stunned at the audacity of the boy.
Lucario stood there, feeling just as dumbfounded. Something was up with the boy. Why would a thief boldly declare his name? He did a brief scan earlier, and the boy was not lying about his identity. Yielding to curiosity, Lucario dashed out of the shop while alternating between his ocular and aura vision, but not before giving another bow to Celia and her Umbreon.
Seeing this, Absol ran too, shouting a brief goodbye to the surprised duo in the shop. "I promise I'll come back! One day!"
"You'd better!" Umbreon called out from behind.
And then the both of them were off.
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Chapter Four: Prisoner in Paradise
"From the inside, looking out – can I come out to play?"
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"You don't need to follow me!" Lucario called out to Absol when he noticed the Pokémon running closely behind. "You can stay and chat with them; I'll catch up with you later!"
"Don't be silly!" Absol wheezed. "I'm following you!"
Lucario hesitated, then nodded and smiled. Perhaps it would be more interesting to do his little mission with a friend.
The boy was running fast, but his speed could not be compared to the two Pokémon who were secretly tailing him. Though the boy was still sprinting, Lucario started to decelerate in order to maintain a distance.
"We must not let him spot us," he told Absol, who was finally by his side, though clearly out of breath. Absol never seemed to be able to run much.
Absol gave an affirmative nod. "Understood."
It did not take long for Greg to reach his destination: a large, extravagant mansion. It was very impressive; a huge house located in the outskirts with the forest behind it, and a garden like a park. Lucario had been impressed by Celia's garden, but this one was by far more remarkable. Miniature fountains and Pokémon-shaped bushes were scattered about, complemented by rows of exotic plants. Flowers of all colours grew pretty much everywhere in this clearly well-kept garden, reminding Lucario of Floraroma Town, which he had seen in books.
Greg burst into the mansion, pushing one side of the double-doors open with great force after unlocking them. Lucario walked up and pressed himself against the brick wall of the house, listening closely. In a garden this big, it was easy to remain hidden. The boy was yelling for his father inside with a voice that could rival a Loudred's.
Absol sat down on a patch of grass, staring up at the house. "I've seen this place before. Never thought that kid would live here."
"Strange, isn't it?" Lucario closed his eyes and let the waves sweep over him.
"Huh?"
"A rich thief," Lucario said simply, his concentration on the aura within the house. There was the boy, but where was the father? No one else was inside the house. But wait… there was someone after all… a Pokémon…
After a few minutes, Absol began prodding the concentrating Pokémon with his paw. "Um… Lucario…"
"What?" Lucario asked, opening his eyes and returning his focus to Absol.
Absol pointed at the gate, where Greg could be seen running off in a fury. "The kid has just stormed out of the house."
"Never mind him," Lucario said quickly. "I want to explore inside the house – let's go see!" He could barely contain the excitement in his voice.
Absol looked cynical. "How exactly are you going to 'go see'? We can't just waltz right in, can we?"
Lucario stared at Absol doubtfully. "I don't think so. I've never danced before."
Absol blinked. "Huh?"
"But I wonder how we can get in." His voice trailed off mid-sentence as he stared around the building. He walked up to the front door and tried turning the handle. It was locked. Still determined, he romped around to the back with Absol following like a slow, unenthusiastic shadow.
There, he saw his chance. Up on the second floor, there was an open window which looked large enough for him to climb through. The back wall of the mansion was relatively close to the brick fence that enclosed the building and its vicinity, and if he climbed on the fence, it would be easy to reach the gap.
Absol, who seemed to have figured out what Lucario intended to do, was less than happy about this. "I'm sorry for saying this, but don't you think you're taking this a bit too far?"
"Perhaps." Lucario jumped up with his paws outstretched, trying to grab onto the top of the fence. "But it's dangerous, leaving a window open like that. Anyone could climb right in. They should be glad it's only me – I promise I won't do any harm."
Lucario finally succeeded, and he hoisted himself up. Once atop the fence, he slowly rose to his full height, careful not to lose his balance. "Go round the front," he told Absol, "I'll unlock the front door for you." Seeing Absol's reluctant face, he added, "It'll be all right, I promise!"
Without saying a word, Absol padded out of sight. His dissatisfaction upset Lucario – he did not want Absol to disapprove of him, but he really wished to check out the house. Dispelling all remaining doubt from his mind, he jumped up and pulled himself through the window. It was easy.
It was very chilly in the mansion: there were several air-conditioners in the room that Lucario broke into, and they were all on at full-blast despite the room being empty. Lucario tugged at his scarf, glad that he had something to keep warm with.
Though Lucario had little knowledge on interior designing, he believed that the room belonged to a Pokémon. There were little furniture, and the ones present were short and small, like miniature models of their larger counterparts. Several toys were strewn across the floor, though they looked fairly new and unused. His first impression was that the room belonged to a spoilt Pokémon, but it was his policy to never judge someone else unless he got to know them well.
Never underestimate anyone.
Caught up with examining the room, he had totally forgotten that Absol was waiting at the front door. He ran out of the room into the much warmer hallway, using Absol's aura as a guide to where the main entrance was. While doing so, he sensed the other Pokémon's aura again, but that must wait.
He made his way down the stairs quickly, almost tripping as he hopped past the last few steps. It was his first time using the stairs, and deep down, he thought it was fun tearing down through the steps at top speed.
Though he knew he was not alone in the mansion, there was a certain air of emptiness surrounding the place. This sombre aura of loneliness was not due to the lack of people at the present moment; no, it was, instead, the product of long periods of isolation felt by someone living here. Strange, really, that a mansion this big and lovely could contain such a miserable aura.
Lucario placed a paw on the doorknob, which felt really cold. He twisted it. There was a click, and he pushed the door open. Absol, who was waiting outside, got up on his feet and strode in, looking around. Though he had disapproved of going in, there was an aura of excitement and curiosity surrounding him, the hypocrite. Lucario couldn't help but smile though.
"It's really wonderful," Absol said, staring at his own reflection in a full-length mirror. "I always thought homes like these are only seen in movies."
"It is wonderful," Lucario said breathlessly. He began to prod a large television set, fiddling with the buttons. All of a sudden, one of the buttons sank in, and the monster came to life.
"— once in a lifetime opportunity! Call in now at —"
Lucario yelped frantically and started jabbing the buttons at random. "Absol-sir, help! Help! I broke it!"
Absol ran up to Lucario's side and pushed the largest button. The monster immediately became quiet, the picture that had appeared fading back to black. Lucario breathed a sigh of relief.
Absol looked amused. "Smooth move, Mr. Lucario."
Lucario felt himself blush. "Yeah, well…"
"But you should be more careful – we are intruders here."
Lucario hung his head in embarrassment, his ears drooping slightly. "Yeah, okay…"
"And stop calling me 'sir'."
"Fine, Absol-sir," Lucario said, emphasising the last syllable as much as he could. He walked up to a painting hanging on the wall and marvelled at it. He remembered he used to draw lots of pictures – in fact, he still did sometimes. None of his drawings were any good, unfortunately. However, this one was amazing.
Noticing that the painting had caught Lucario's eye, Absol rushed over. "You better not touch that, Luc. Those kinds of things are very expensive. Veeeery expensive."
Lucario looked at Absol, who bore a stern expression. "… Luc?"
"Cario. Luc. Lucario. Whatever floats your boat; I'm lazy sometimes."
"My… boat?" Lucario asked blankly, his head tilted to one side. He checked both of his paws, as if expecting to see a boat there.
"Never mind," Absol said, waving a paw around exasperatedly. "Just be careful with what you examine."
With that, Absol took to hovering behind Lucario as he walked around the large rooms, making sure that the blue Pokémon did not create trouble. Lucario was slightly annoyed, but Absol proved to be a great source of information whenever he encountered something he hadn't seen before.
"What is that?"
"That is a tap. Extremely essential for humans. Water comes out from it."
"Ah!" Lucario cried out excitedly. "I know; I have read about it in books!" He placed a paw above the handle and looked at Absol with wide, beseeching eyes. "Can I?"
"Oh, all right."
He twisted it and a large gush of water came rushing out of the spout. Lucario bent down and took a closer peek.
"Waterfall!" he exclaimed gleefully. He placed a paw under the running water, which was a big mistake. Upon contact with his paw, the water began splashing all over the place. Most of it got to his yellow fur.
As Lucario dried himself with his scarf, Absol quickly jumped and closed the tap. "Hey, you should at least lower the flow if you're going to wash your paws!"
Lucario looked down at his feet in shame.
Just then, there was a loud slam from the top floor. Lucario and Absol looked at each other in stunned silence – Lucario had completely forgotten about the other Pokémon in the mansion. Absol, on the other hand, was shocked and frightened.
"There's somebody else here?" Absol whispered fretfully.
Lucario nodded. "A Pokémon. I sensed its presence earlier."
"Then why are we still fooling around here!" Absol hissed. "I thought the house was empty – or I wouldn't have entered in the first place!"
"Don't worry, it's just a Pokémon!"
"Just a Pokémon?" Absol interjected incredulously, his voice high and shrilly. "What if it was a huge Charizard, or a towering Rhyperior, or – or –"
"Relax! I'll check it out."
Once again, he closed his eyes and felt the aura sweep around him. There was that bitter loneliness again, and the mysterious presence… it was now upstairs, motionless, in a room… small and short… furry…
Lucario opened his eyes. "Apparently… it's an Eevee."
"An Eevee?"
"She's just upstairs. Let's go meet her!"
Lucario started to move forward but was lurched back by Absol.
"Hey – what are you doing? If anything, we should be leaving the house right now!" Absol insisted.
Lucario yanked his paw away from Absol. "You worry too much. She looks okay. If she really wants us to leave, then we'll leave, okay?"
Without waiting for a reply, Lucario ran towards the stairs.
"H–hold up!"
Absol panted as he hurtled after the blue Pokémon, who was now halfway up the stairs. This time, Lucario really tripped, though he managed to break his fall by using both his paws. He then continued onwards on all fours without getting up, the tails of his scarf sweeping the floor as he ran along.
The stranger's aura was leading him back to the room which he broke into. He stood at the hallway and peered in: sure enough, there was an Eevee sitting on a small cushion inside the room. She was staring at the hallway nervously, and when she saw Lucario, she jumped.
Lucario raised a paw slowly and waved uncertainly. The Eevee was evidently afraid of him. Absol pushed past Lucario and looked into the room – Eevee seemed shocked at the appearance of another stranger.
"She's not happy," Absol mumbled as he studied the expression on Eevee's face. "Let's get out of here."
Lucario remained obstinate. "She's just afraid. Let's introduce ourselves."
With that, he took a quick step forward into the room… and bumped into something hard. There was a thud, and Lucario recoiled.
"Ow…" Lucario muttered, rubbing his muzzle. He then looked up. There was nothing there… He put his paws in front of him and felt around. He soon touched a hard, cold surface. "What is this barrier?"
Absol was grinning. "Probably a glass door, Lucario. Shame on you for not noticing that."
"But it wasn't there before," Lucario whined. He looked up and saw the Eevee walking slowly towards the both of them. She stopped short a couple of steps away from the glass and surveyed them intently.
"Who are you?" she finally said in a demanding tone.
"Visitors!" Lucario replied happily, glad that she was finally talking to them. "Hello! It is a wonderful place you're living in."
"No, it's not!" she snapped. She turned to Absol. "How did you guys get in?"
Absol raised a paw defensively. "Don't look at me!" He pointed at Lucario. "He's the one who insisted on us coming. Ask him."
She returned her steely gaze to Lucario. "Need I repeat myself?"
"I came in from your window."
Eevee turned around and looked at the open window which Lucario was pointing at.
Lucario continued, "Absol here came from the front door, which I opened for him."
"You don't need to give all the details," Absol hissed. Lucario merely shrugged in reply.
The three of them stayed silent for a while. Eevee was studying the two intruders again, apparently thinking of what to do with them. At last, she spoke once more.
"If you're burglars, take what you want. Just leave me alone."
"No," Lucario said hastily, shaking his head, "we are only visitors. Please, can we come in?"
Eevee hesitated, but she unlocked the sliding glass door and pushed it aside. Lucario lifted his paw and felt the air in front of him. After ascertaining that there was nothing there this time, he stepped into the room.
"You have a really beautiful room," Lucario commented. Behind him, Absol nodded.
Eevee disregarded them both. She strutted over to her cushion and sat down. Lucario could still sense her uneasiness, but there was another emotion radiating from her. With a start, he realised that it was a little similar to the feelings of isolation he felt around the house. Could it be…?
"I suppose I don't mind if you two come in," Eevee said, stretching her legs, "but you better leave before the brat or old man comes home."
"Brat?" Absol repeated.
Lucario, too, was baffled. "Old man?"
"I meant what I said."
Lucario and Absol exchanged confused looks.
"Hey, is the brat you're referring to your human partner?" Lucario asked timidly.
"He has my Poké Ball, sure," Eevee said tartly, "but he is no partner of mine." She then yawned openly, making no effort to hide it. "Are you here just to ask about my life? Because if you really are thieves, please hurry. Try stripping this place of all its items, I implore you."
"Actually, it would be great if you could tell us more about yourself," Lucario said, feeling excited now. Like the time when he met Julie Hawthorne, he knew this Eevee had a story to tell.
"Excuse me?" Eevee asked, giving a glare so intimidating that Lucario took a step back in spite of himself. "I walk downstairs only to find two burglars playing with water, and then the same burglars ask me to talk about myself?"
"The same burglar, you mean," Absol corrected hastily. "Don't include me on that!"
"That's very nice of you, Absol-sir," Lucario said half-amusedly, his eyes still on Eevee as though she was a predator set on destroying him.
"Hey – I helped you out with Machoke and gang, but no way am I helping you out on this one."
Without warning, Eevee jumped off her cushion and grabbed one end of Lucario's scarf from his back with her teeth. She then attempted to haul him out of the room.
"Ack!" Lucario gagged, clutching his neck with both of his paws. The tension on the front of his neck increased further as Eevee gave a mighty pull, choking him. Absol looked like he was shocked to the point of immobility while Eevee continued tugging Lucario as though her life depended on it.
Clearly the fighting and steel type Pokémon was too heavy for her though, for Lucario was not budging at all. Eevee released the scarf and Lucario doubled over, kneeling down on one knee and catching his breath. She walked to his front and stared him in the face; they were at eyelevel now.
"Leave."
"But I'm innocent…" Lucario moaned pathetically, rubbing his neck.
"Asking about me, when I don't even know you – you are probably some stalker or something, and —"
"You're the second one to call me that…"
"— that was very disrespectful, I can't think why; or how, you could even —"
"All right! I give up!" Lucario interrupted, putting up both paws as a sign of surrender. If he had not stopped her, who knew how long she would go on. "It was tactless of me – I apologise. I just wanted to know why you were planning to escape this house, when it looks so comfortable! Is that so wrong?"
Both Absol and Eevee were now staring at Lucario with odd expressions on their faces.
Lucario sighed in defeat. "Guess it is wrong, huh…"
"Who told you I was going to escape?" Eevee said sharply, glaring at Lucario again. "Have you been spying on me?"
"No, no!" Lucario shook his head quickly. Eevee was making the wrong conclusions about him again, and he would probably be ejected forcefully from the house if he did not explain himself properly. "You were thinking about it, weren't you? I can hear it loud and clear. 'Must escape, must escape!' You were planning to jump out of the window – that was why it was open – but you got scared, ha…"
"I was not afraid!"
Eevee jumped forward and tackled Lucario, knocking him to the ground, flat on his back. She then jumped to his chest and stood next to the spike, her face coming dangerously close to Lucario's. Her eyes were narrowed, and Lucario thought he could hear her growling slightly. One of her paws was held over his neck, as though ready to rip his throat out. Lucario was glad he had the scarf for protection.
"I am not a coward!" she shrieked. "I only second-guessed my actions because, even if I escaped, I would still be bounded by that stupid Poké Ball! I was stupid enough to get captured, and this is the price I pay!"
Tears were forming in Eevee's eyes. Lucario did not know what to do; a helplessness apparently shared by Absol, who shifted around uneasily. Eevee was still on his chest; and though she was light, her emotions were overpowering.
"Imprisonment!" she yelled again. "At first… at first I thought it might not be so bad. This seemed like a happy home. And my parents back in the forest have always told me to find a suitable human partner. I thought it would all work out well.
"I was captured by the old geezer, as a present for the brat. The old man clearly thought I would make a suitable companion for the boy. But of course, there was an ulterior motive. He wanted me to keep the boy company while he neglects his duties as a father… and in the end, what happens? I am only an ornament to the kid!"
Eevee continued her speech, but she was getting more and more incoherent, perhaps owing to her anger. Absol was sitting down, listening to her wide-eyed. Lucario was still on the ground, being pinned by Eevee. He decided to dive into her mind and memories instead, to get the clearer picture. He closed his eyes and concentrated…
He was at the front of the mansion, where two people were standing. One of them was Greg, who looked more or less the same as earlier, with his black blazer and messy brown hair. He was smiling ear to ear, looking much more pleasant than his thief persona.
The other person was clearly his father, lanky and smartly-dressed. He was kneeling down so that he was the same height as Greg. He had a Poké Ball on his outstretched hand, which he offered to the boy.
"Greg, this is a gift for you. You have always wanted a playmate, didn't you?" he said softly.
"But dad, I don't really need a Pokémon; I only need you!"
His father laughed. "I am glad to hear that, son, but surely you know I can't be with you all the time. This Pokémon here will fill in the gaps for when I'm not around." He patted Greg's shoulder gently.
Greg reluctantly reached out his own tiny hand and grabbed the Poké Ball. He brought it up to eyelevel and examined it doubtfully.
"Go on," his father urged, "call her out."
Greg tossed the ball to the side and watched as the ball opened. There was a bright flash, and he shielded his eyes. The light subsided and in its place was Eevee, looking a little apprehensive as she stared up at the humans. Mr. Cooper was smiling at her, but Greg remained indifferent.
"Your first ever Pokémon, Greg!" Mr. Cooper exclaimed cheerfully, rising to his full height. "We can clear the room upstairs for her. I'm sure you two will get along great."
Eevee stood patiently, perhaps waiting to be returned to the Poké Ball, or perhaps to be picked up by the child and played with. However, Greg turned away from her and tugged at his father's hand.
"Shall we go to the park today?"
"Ah… that…" Mr. Cooper hesitated, scratching his head. His black hair was as messy as his son's. "I don't think I can come today… I still have some work from the office, and I really need to start writing my book. Why don't you go with Eevee? She'll protect you."
Greg shook his head and pulled his father's hand again. "I want to go with you."
"Sorry, Greg. I'm just too busy these few days."
"You're busy everyday! Can't you quit your job?"
Mr. Cooper laughed. "Quit my job! What next?"
"But you're rich!" Greg protested. "What's the point of working some more?"
Mr. Cooper knelt down again and placed his hands on both of Greg's shoulders. He stared intently into his eyes and said, "You're too young to understand the business world. Maybe one day you'll know why I'm working so hard. It's for the both of us, isn't it? Ever since your mother died, it's been hard on you, I know. But you have Eevee now."
Greg was not convinced, but there was evidently nothing he could do. Meanwhile, Eevee continued standing on the same spot, clearly not happy that she was being ignored…
And that was how Eevee got into the Cooper household, though she did not feel at home there. Mr. Cooper never paid her much attention – no surprise, really, since she was not his Pokémon, but a gift to his son, Greg. Unfortunately, Greg did not care much for her either.
She had her own room, but that was it. As she said, she was just an ornament. A toy. She was usually left unsupervised, since Greg never sought her company often. Instead, he would try and try to get his father's attention. Eevee had had many chances to escape, but as she had stated, she would still be bounded by her Poké Ball.
She was mad. Why keep her there if she was not wanted? She missed her old home terribly… she missed her parents… they were wrong… life with humans wasn't as good as they thought it would be. Here she was, in a big, grand mansion, but it was no home.
Lucario was jolted to his senses by a high, sharp voice.
"— impolite, asking me to talk about myself, and when I do, you fall asleep!"
Lucario opened his eyes and examined his environment. Eevee was still on top of him, and she was livid. Absol was nearby, staring at Lucario with a worried expression. Wait… if Eevee was not talking about Absol, then that means…
He quickly shook his head, shielding his face with his paws. "No! I was not sleeping! My eyes may be closed, but I'm wide awake!"
"If that's true, then repeat the last thing I said."
"Um…" He turned to Absol for help, but Absol merely shrugged. "'Fall asleep?'"
Eevee raised her paw, ready to strike, but Lucario rolled away quickly, tossing her onto the floor. She was about to launch another attack, but he quickly raised his right arm upwards, like a child in a classroom wanting to get the teacher's attention.
"Before you beat me up, I have a question."
Eevee paused, and Absol edged closer in curiosity.
"Why don't you try getting Greg to release you, or destroy the Poké Ball?"
"Impossible," Eevee said right away. "We don't communicate, and the Poké Ball is kept on his belt."
"Snatch it from him then," Absol said, finally breaking his long period of silence. Lucario nodded in agreement.
Eevee looked thoughtful for a moment. Lucario tried to read her thoughts, but his senses picked up something else instead: Greg was back. He was searching for the front door key from a whole chain of keys; and when he finally found it, he discovered that the door was unlocked. Lucario had forgotten to lock it after letting Absol in.
"Hey, Absol, we need to go," Lucario said quickly, getting up on his feet.
Absol looked horrified. "You mean someone's here now?"
"The kid – he's back." Eevee turned around and stared at Lucario in surprise as he said this.
"How are we gonna get out?" Absol demanded, his voice shaky. "If the kid's downstairs, we –"
Lucario pointed at the open window. "The same way I got in." He turned to Eevee. "The same way you were trying to get out."
"Are you crazy?" Absol squawked, completely panicking. "We're very high up!"
"Oh, come on, it's not that high." Lucario shoved Absol towards the window and hoisted the white Pokémon up. Absol stood on the narrow windowsill, looking down and quivering. Lucario stood on the floor behind him and turned to Eevee, addressing her seriously.
"Eevee, you were on the verge of escaping, but you held back because of the Poké Ball. If you don't take care of that, you will never be able to break free. I know what it is like to miss your parents, believe me."
Eevee looked at Lucario in surprise. Perhaps she had not expected him to have a serious bone in his body. He flashed a comforting smile.
"It will be all right. Ask yourself if you want to continue staying here or not. My father told me to fight fate, so… it's up to you. I think it's good advice. What do you think?"
Lucario turned to Absol, who was still perched oddly on the windowsill, like an overgrown bird. "Oh, hurry up, will you?" He gave a slight push and Absol yelped as he hurtled downwards. Lucario climbed up through the window, gave a slight bow to Eevee, and jumped away.
They were gone, but Eevee couldn't help gazing at the window. It felt surreal, having two Pokémon she never seen before come in and hear her story. What made her open up anyway? It was unlike her to reveal her miseries to strangers. It's all that blue one's fault, she thought angrily. He was the one who brought up the fact that she had tried to escape. And yet, how did he know? It was all so confusing. What he said did make sense though.
If you don't take care of that, you will never be able to break free. Fight fate…
Footsteps. She turned around and saw Greg standing outside her room. He was looking around for something, but Eevee did not know what. Perhaps he had heard the two strangers? Greg peered into the room, and their eyes met. He quickly turned away and walked off. Hmph. Not even a word of greeting. Fine. I've decided.
Greg paced quickly down the hall, his eyes scanning the rooms as he passed them by. The front door was unlocked, so that probably meant his dad was at home somewhere. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen. Could it have been a burglar instead?
Oh, how ironic it would be if it was a burglar, when he himself had tried to pilfer some bread from the bakery. He had regretted it since. It was a spur of the moment decision. His father had been neglecting him recently, and he felt sure this was the only way to gain his attention. But now he was afraid he would land in trouble. Hopefully, the bakery lady would drop the matter. Maybe he should go apologise…
He felt something soft and fluffy brush against his leg. He looked down and saw Eevee, who was gazing up at him fixedly.
"What is it?" he asked coldly. Eevee did not reply or make any indication as to what she wanted with him. "Go away." He walked off, leaving behind the brown Pokémon.
A few seconds later, something whizzed by him in a flash, knocking his waist. He looked down in surprise and there was Eevee again, with something in her mouth. It was her Poké Ball, in its miniature form.
What is she doing?
Eevee was thinking along the same lines. What am I doing? Run! Run! I got it! Why am I still standing here, looking at him?
It was then that she realised why she was still trapped in the mansion. It was not that she never thought of snatching the Poké Ball away – no, that could have easily been done anytime. It was because a part of her could not bear to leave.
She had been neglected, true, but that was not always the case. On the rare occasions when Greg's father spent time with his son, Greg would bring Eevee along too, whether to a picnic, to the park, or even just for a joyride in the car. When he gets the attention, so did she. If she left, a small part of her would feel guilty…
Greg broke her train of thought. "Eevee… what are you doing with your Poké Ball?" When she did not move, he continued, "Do you want to stay inside it?"
She shook her head violently, almost losing her grip on the spherical object in her mouth.
Greg then gasped. "Then… does that mean… you want me to release you?"
Eevee hesitated. He caught on surprisingly quickly, as though he had anticipated that this day would come. She slowly nodded, never removing her eyes from the boy. It was for the better. The blue stranger was right. She must overcome this final hurdle: herself.
Greg was not fazed. It looked as though he did foresee this after all. "I guess you can't take it anymore, huh. I suppose it is not fair to keep you here against your will."
He paused for a while, and then he chuckled. "Guess I am not a good trainer. Well, there's no future for the both of us if things remain this way. At least you have a way out. Come here, Eevee."
Eevee obeyed, walking slowly towards the boy. She dropped the ball at his feet. He picked it up and pressed the middle button, changing it into its full size. He aimed the ball at Eevee, who closed her eyes. A red light shot out and Eevee was sucked into the ball.
Greg hesitated, the ball still in his hand. It was his father's gift to him, after all. How long has it been now? He couldn't really remember. Sighing, he pressed the button again. A blue light shot out, and Eevee reemerged from the Poké Ball a short distance away.
The boy walked up to her and bent down. "This is goodbye then." He placed her old Poké Ball on the ground besides her. Without another word, he walked past her into his room, closing the door behind him with a firm thud.
Eevee remained where she was, stunned. She was free. She was really free. She picked up the ball in her teeth again and jogged away happily. There was no need to revisit her room – she had nothing there. She ran down the stairs and pushed open the front door.
After a few steps into the garden, she turned around and took one last look at the mansion. She caught a glimpse of Greg in his room, peering out of the window at her. When he saw her staring at him, he quickly pulled the curtains over the window and disappeared.
Eevee continued to walk. When she made it past the front gate, she stared at the road in front of her, wondering which way to go. She was not alone, however.
"Congratulations!"
Eevee whirled around in fright, almost dropping her Poké Ball. Lucario was leaning against the gate, by himself. He stood up straight and walked over to her.
"I have been watching you both. It seems that you're finally free."
Eevee dropped her ball, freeing her mouth. "What do you mean?" she asked curtly. "You left the building, didn't you?"
"I did, but I've been standing here, still watching. Absol wanted to go back though."
Seeing Eevee's perplexed expression, Lucario grinned. "I can sense aura. With it, I can read memories and thoughts too. It was how I knew you were planning on escaping through the window."
"You've been reading my mind?"
Like all other Pokémon, Eevee did not appear to be pleased by this. Lucario's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "I promise I won't do it again if you don't want me to."
Before Eevee could say anything, Lucario spoke again, "There is something you should know though. I've been sensing feelings of loneliness and depression in this mansion. At first, I thought it was all coming from you."
Eevee opened her mouth to speak, but Lucario cut across her. "I then realised that you were not the sole contributor of the miserable aura. A great deal of it comes from the boy too. He's feeling neglected. He craves for his father's love, but he gets so little of it."
"That's no excuse for treating me poorly."
"Of course," Lucario said, smiling again. "But it would not be correct to say that Greg never cares about you. You should know that yourself, since you were thinking about it. However, there was one more point you overlooked."
"What's that?"
"He keeps your Poké Ball with him at all times. If he truly did not care, he would just leave it lying about – lost it, even."
Eevee was not convinced. "Maybe it's because the Ball's a gift from –"
"Yes," Lucario said patiently, "it is a present from his father. But still, when he let you go, he felt sad. I could detect it. Trust me on this one."
Eevee paused. Then she turned around and looked at the mansion once more. The curtains were still drawn tight in Greg's room. She then spun back to Lucario.
"Just who are you anyway, and why do you interfere so much?"
Lucario was taken aback. "Eh? M–me? But I wasn't interfering…"
"Anyway, I have made my decision," she declared firmly. "I am not staying with the kid anymore. I'm going back to my parents."
Lucario nodded. She was so lucky; to still have her parents and a home back at the forest. He wished the same could apply to him.
"You don't look too happy," Eevee commented suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"
"Huh? No… nothing's wrong at all. I'm happy for you."
"Good." She picked up the Poké Ball in her teeth and began walking away down the pavement, ignoring Lucario. The blue Pokémon refused to be left behind though, and paced slowly behind her.
"Hey, where are you going now?" he asked shyly, afraid she would lose her temper again.
Eevee gave an irritable jerk of the head towards the forest, which was nearby.
"Oh, straight home, then?"
She shook her head and tried to speak, but the Poké Ball was obstructing her mouth.
"Um… may I hold that for you?" Lucario offered a paw. Eevee reluctantly dropped the object from her mouth, and Lucario picked it up. It was a little disgusting, with a little of her saliva on the round surface, but Lucario bore with it.
"I'm going to destroy this Poké Ball first."
Lucario was surprised. He looked down at the red and white ball on his paw. "But you are free. You don't need to destroy it anymore."
"I just want to. I want to do this properly – go all the way."
"Hmm… and how are you going to do that?"
"I've already thought about it. I want to crush the ball completely – smash it to a million pieces," Eevee said savagely, a sadistic smile on her face.
Lucario shuddered. This was one scary Eevee. Perhaps she had turned that way after accumulating all the negative vibes while in the mansion. Either way, if she breaks the ball, it would probably set her free from her mental anguish. There was no doubt that she was nearing the exit in her maze.
"I never did catch your name," Eevee said suddenly.
"Me?" Lucario rushed up to her side excitedly. "I am Lucario! I live in the forest too; up on a mountain. It is the one nearest to the city, but it's still a distance away, I guess."
"Oh. A wild Pokémon. Thought you might have belonged to a human. Anyway, I was thinking of calling you Glass-face, since you crashed headfirst into the door earlier."
"Hey – that's not fair!" Lucario protested, whining slightly. "It really was not there before."
"I can't see how you could have missed it; especially since you were going on about how you can sense aura and stuff."
"Fine… I was careless. I was excited. I got carried away, seeing such a huge house. Plus, it's the first time I've ever been in a human home."
"That reminds me," Eevee said, stopping in her tracks and giving Lucario a scrutinising look. "Why were you in the house in the first place?"
"I told you many times – we're visitors!"
"That can't be true!" Eevee huffed exasperatedly. "What were your true intentions?"
Lucario sighed. "I was human-watching, and I saw the boy, and thought that I –"
"Wait… human-watching?" Eevee interrupted.
"Just a hobby of mine. I watch humans and Pokémon in the city. I find them interesting. And so, today, I've been watching the kid, but when I saw how spectacular his house was, I kind of got carried away."
"Oh, yes. 'Carried away' is an understatement, don't you find? You two broke into a human home," she said in a strict tone. "It's not right."
She was like a mother berating her child. Lucario looked down shamefully and placed both paws behind his back. "I'm sorry," he said ruefully, "I was just…" he paused, searching for the right word, but none came.
"… Being an idiot," Eevee finished for him. Lucario said nothing, and she continued, "How are you related to the Absol?"
"Oh, that. He's my roommate."
"Roommate?"
"He's staying at my cave. He says he used to live with a human, but he left or something."
Eevee seemed intrigued. "He had a bad human partner too?"
Lucario shrugged, fiddling with Eevee's Poké Ball. "He never told me, and I never asked. I don't think he wants to talk about it."
Eevee nodded. "Must be a terrible human, then." She turned towards Lucario again, and spoke without bothering to conceal her sceptical tone, "I thought you said you can read minds?"
"I'm not going to use it on him!" he said, laughing. "He'll tell me if he wants to. I won't sneak into his thoughts."
"Good. Stay out of mine too."
"Fine…"
:::::::::::::::::::
The forest in the evening was beautiful as always. The orange glow covered the whole area like a warm blanket, a calm sign of the approaching nightfall. It took a while for the pair to find a suitable place for breaking the Poké Ball.
At last, they stumbled upon a small rock formation which resembled a sort of miniature cliff. Lucario placed the device on the ground while Eevee climbed to the top, where a large boulder was standing.
"Ready?" he called out.
"Yes."
Lucario moved aside and Eevee began pushing the boulder. It did not budge.
"Do you need my help?" Lucario asked, watching her struggle.
"No."
Lucario understood. She wanted to do this all on her own. It was her way of breaking free from the chains that bound her to the ground. He had to respect her persistence as she continued pushing the boulder, which was far larger than her. He admired her drive, and could only watch in awe as that motivation paid off – the boulder moved slowly over the edge, and fell on the Poké Ball.
There was a loud, resounding crack. Lucario looked up at Eevee, who was smiling now. Perhaps it was the same sadistic smile she had earlier, but it was sincere. Lucario could not help but smile along. She had succeeded. She was completely free.
Eevee hopped down quickly and examined the wreck. The boulder was on top of the shattered device, obscuring it from proper view.
"Hey," she called to Lucario, "help me move it away. I want to see what's left of the ball."
"Okay." Lucario walked over to the boulder and tried to push it away. As he was significantly larger, it was not that heavy to him, but it must have been quite hard for Eevee. She was probably very determined.
After moving the boulder aside, Eevee peered down at the broken Poké Ball. The hinge was broken completely, leaving two pieces of it: one red, and one white. There were scratches and cracks all around the spherical device.
"Well… that's that then." She turned and walked away.
"Hey, wait! Aren't you going to take these with you?" Lucario asked, pointing at what was left of the gadget.
"Why would I want that?" she shot back incredulously, facing Lucario. "I've been trying to get rid of it!"
"As a souvenir?"
"No way."
Lucario looked down at the broken pieces. "Then… can I have them?"
Eevee stared at Lucario as though he was insane. "What do you want them for?"
"As a souvenir."
"Go ahead then. Knock yourself out."
"What?" he asked, eyes widening. "Why? Was it something I said?"
She gave him another demeaning look. "That means that yes, you can keep it."
Lucario brightened up, beaming all over. "Thank you!"
Eevee walked away again, but Lucario called out to her. "You can come visit me and Absol sometimes! We're at the top of the mountain near the city!"
And she was gone.
:::::::::::::::::::
Night was settling in as Lucario walked slowly towards his home, the two pieces of the Poké Ball in his paws. It may be dark, but he knew his way around. To break the monotony of the journey, he began to think about what he would write in his journal later.
Eevee, a strange Pokémon. She's very quick to lose her temper, and she's very suspicious of me. She's tiny in size, but explodes like an Electrode. Deep down though, she abhors her new home, even though it was so much fun. That's understandable, as Greg was not a good trainer.
However, that was only because Greg himself yearns for attention from his father. Sad thing, really. Why does his father not see? Xatu was never like that, even though he was not my real father.
Where is my real father? Is he like Greg's father? Was that why I hatched all alone; because my father did not care? Does that mean I was intentionally abandoned?
The thought was horrible, but it dwelled on Lucario's mind. Could it really be that he was unwanted? He clutched the Poké Ball in his paws a little tighter.
The broken Poké Ball, an object signifying freedom. A Poké Ball holds a Pokémon within and represents the bond they share with a human partner. I guess there are many Pokémon who would want to be with humans, but there are many more that prefer to remain unbounded. Either way, Eevee chose to escape, and she did, successfully breaking that bond. I'm happy for her.
The higher he hiked up the mountain, the colder it got. He rarely went out in the mountaintop at night because of this, but he supposed it was kind of nice to have the cold wind blow against his fur. It was rather refreshing, and he had his scarf to warm him up.
A few more minutes later, he realised that he was very hungry. The last time he ate was at the bakery, where he devoured the croissant with Oran jam. This concerned him though. Back when he was a homeless Riolu, he could go for a long period of time without food, and the only food he had then were small berries.
Maybe the abundance of food available in the cave had weakened him. He was now used to having regular meals each day to the point where a sudden change in schedule would discomfort him. Or maybe he just needed more food to sustain his bigger form.
Thoughts of training resurfaced as he reached the summit, but they were all dispelled when he saw Absol sleeping on the ground besides a rock. His eyes darted to the entrance of the cave and he groaned when he discovered that it was sealed.
Of course, Absol had to rely on Lucario to open and close the entrance. It was a mistake to let him leave first.
Lucario sidled up nervously and poked the sleeping Absol. The lethargic Pokémon stirred and woke, looking straight up at Lucario groggily. He then stood up quickly when he realised that the Aura Pokémon had returned.
"Welcome back! I've been waiting!" he greeted cheerfully.
"Absol-sir… I'm sorry; I forgot that you can't get in without me."
"Nah, it's okay. I forgot too. Now let's get inside."
"You're… not mad?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course not!" His eyes fell onto the object that Lucario was holding. "Hey… what is that Poké Ball doing in your paw?"
"Oh, this. Eevee managed to break free. She broke this, and allowed me to keep it." Lucario planned to place it in the crate with Julie's paper plane.
"She was released, huh…" Absol said softly. "Well, let's go!"
Absol ran up to the entrance and waited. He seemed so full of energy, always maintaining that cheerful face. Lucario, however, thought back to Eevee's words. Could this joyous Pokémon have escaped the clutches of a terrible human partner? Then again, he claimed he was just a roommate, and that he had never been captured.
One day, Lucario thought to himself as he proceeded forward, one day, I'm sure I'll find out the answers. But now…
He closed his eyes and raised his arms, unsealing the entrance. He then beckoned Absol to join him as he retreated back to the comforts of the cave.
Now, it's time to sleep… after I eat, of course.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Next time, on I Am Lucario…
"Living together like this… there's bound to be disagreements, right?"
The next chapter is rather large, so I might split it into two parts, just like what I did with the first chapter (Existence). It should be up in two weeks, around the first week of July. I don't really like the way Chapter 5 turned out, but hopefully I'll be able to fix it up a little before I submit it.