GREEN FLAMES

Ricochet

"That could work, but have you considered that our opponent might…"

At that point I got tired of listening and looked around to see what the other Pokémon and their trainers were doing. Not much. Everyone else left in the morning and even the late crowd was filing out. This looks like it is going to be an uneventful day. After the battle with the Rocket, Aza and Lin had been going over boring books and endlessly looking over the notes she kept in her moldy coat. Boring! But I still tried to offer some of my advice, as part of the team.

"I'm really interested in finding out what your strengths are. There are many talents and abilities you have that we could access if we only had the right kind of training," Lin said looking at Aza. They sat close together leaning over a book.

"Yeah, Aza, maybe if you train hard enough you might grow a beard to match that ridiculous mustache."

"The dunce has spoken. He can't add to the conversation so he detracts from it; typical of those whom have no potential. I pity you."

"Enough of this. I won't have you two attacking each other all the time. It's distracting."

"My point exactly," Aza said stroking his pan-handle mustache smoothly.

"Fine, I'll be outside when you decide you can take a joke."

I walked out of that place with my tail held high. I don't have to take backtalk from Aza. He can kiss my tail for all I care. We were suppose to have left Cerulean City a week ago, but Lin decided we needed to practice with Aza's techniques more before we headed for the Rock Tunnel.

The sun was right over my head, so I moved my ears to give myself a little more shade. It wasn't like Lin to stay in the pokecenter this late in the day. We were usually out training as early as possible so that Lin could get away from the rest of her Pokémon trainer counterparts. We still woke up early as usual, but more of the morning was now dedicated to planning out different battle scenarios and testing Aza's new abilities. A lot of things have been changing lately.

I took a quick sweep of my surroundings. The pokemart caught my attention right away. Many people were going in and out of the shop making a bell chime faintly. As I looked a little farther off I saw the trainers on the outskirts of town heading off to the wilderness to train their Pokémon. I would be out there soon with Lin battling my very own grass shaped doppelganger.

Not that I ever enjoyed fighting a lump of grass, but the training had become even more boring lately. All I ever got to do was tackle and sand attack. Tackle and sand attack. There is only so much you can take of doing the same thing over and over before it starts to wear you down. It feels good to change things up every once in a while.

How long were Lin and Aza going to be in the PC anyway? Boring. Maybe I can go for a walk and come back before its time for training. They probably won't even notice I was missing. I looked back over my shoulder through the glass door. Lin and Aza were still sitting close hovering over a book. Lin glanced up every so often to look at Aza, who was stroking his mustache with a dumb, spacey look on his face. They won't even miss me.

Which way to go? A sense of relief and freedom came rushing to my mind. I could go anywhere I wanted to without anyone telling me, 'stop doing that, Ricochet' or, 'Ricochet, be quiet' or, Lin's favorite, '…


Aza

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"Obviously, I said what I meant. Switching out Pokémon is the best way to overcome any status change." I said. Sometimes these humans get on my nerves. I shouldn't have to repeat myself every-other sentence. At first I thought that my translating of the human tongue was wrong, or that I was not grammatically correct in my rendition. After a closer review of this species I realized that it was not I, but the inferior function of the human psychosis that was to blame.

"If you did that then you would be left with a full team of burned, poisoned, and paralyzed Pokémon." said Lin. "It would be better to heal the status and then continue from there. If you can anticipate the status your opponent is going to use you can prepare your Pokémon with a berry and save some time."

"Of course, that is true, but I don't think you are taking into account…"

Lin put her hand up and cut me off. Although she didn't completely turn around to listen, I saw her slightly incline her ear toward a group of newcomers clambering through the Pokémon center's sliding door. One was holding what looked like ball of black and green stretched out in front of him, calling out to the nurse behind the counter.

"I'm sorry, nurse. I was on the route east of the city and I got lost. I didn't know where I was and my oddish… there was a Pokémon that came out of nowhere. I don't know what happened really. It is all just a big blur."

"These injuries look bad!" Nurse Jennie frowned and leaned forward to take the oddish from the boy. "How old are these? You should have come to me right away. What were you thinking letting oddish stay like this for so long? Such bad burns, I am going to need…" her voice trailed off as she ran to the back room.

Some people in the crowd were scowling at the boy, although, it was nothing compared to the glare the nurse gave him before she ran off. "I couldn't find my way back! I tried, but every time I thought I was going in the right direction I just ended back where I had just left from." His eyes were red where they should be white. I have seen this a few times before when I had played one too many tricks on the same person. He looked resigned, defeated. After I saw that look in someone's eyes I knew that the next trick I played on them would not get a big reaction, that, or they were about to do something unexpected. The crowed seemed to realize the same thing, brakeing off a few at a time as the boy shuffled toward an open couch on the far wall.

"Interesting," Lin said brow furrowed.

"Common," I replied. "We are in a Pokémon center after all. I'm sure you had quite a few similar experiences in the past, given that you started out with a measly eevee."

"Perhaps," she said, but didn't favor me with an explanation of why she was so quick to agree. Usually when I commented on our pathetic associate she grumbled and stopped the inevitable exchange of word between Ricochet and I. It was infuriating how he was so stupid he didn't even realize I had clearly won every argument; like a rattata laughing at a persian while pinned to the ground by a massive paw. Still, there was something hidden in her eyes, in her mind, I couldn't read. Now there was the real challenge.

"Come on," Lin said, "let's get going. We've been in here too long." She was right. We had broken the regular schedule this morning. Usually we were out of the Pokémon center before everyone else and didn't come back until all the other trainers were already sitting comfortably by the hearth. A simple property Lin was taking advantage of. The more you practice the better you are; although, there is a danger for one to become unbalanced. Ricochet complained often that she leaned toward the latter.

"Let's get Ricochet and get a move on. I am excited for our training today."

"And what would make this day so different from the past."

"Trust me. The training today is going to be different. I have some good plans to…"

My heart throbbed, and the words Lin just said pulsed inside me. I could feel the word 'different' pound an almost physical impression into my mind. There definitely would be something different about today's training, but I don't think Lin quite grasped exactly how different it would really be.

This feeling was strange. Usually I had visions and premonitions of the future while I was sleeping. As an abra I needed, comparably, large amounts of sleep. In my evolved state I have more control over the metaphysical powers I posses. Before, I needed that sleep to contain those powers. With this new control granted to me as a kadabra I was able to spend less time sleeping and more time in the present. I still needed to meditate for several hours at a time to master my mind, but it was nothing compared to the time I spent sleeping as an abra. Therefore, the number of dream visions was diminishing.

However, at that moment, I could've used an old fashion vision. Not knowing what was going to happen was not something I was use to. Receiving only bits and pieces of the future, in the sporadic, uncontrolled manner I was beginning to, was almost as bad as not knowing at all. Almost. If I could only learn to control these pounding premonitions…

"Aza, come on. Let's go." She was already on her way toward the door with her backpack and coat-pockets stuffed full of potential training items.

"I'm coming."


Ricochet

"You know, the water isn't that bad when there isn't a giant star and an angry red head swimming around in it, trying to kill you," I said to myself. I was lying down on a river bank watching the goldeen and magicarp swim downstream. They were minding their business, and I was taking needed 'me' time.

Being around Aza could get me so worked up. He thought he was so smart and funny, but nobody understood what he was saying. He and Lin were starting to gang up on me even. What's the deal with that? Shouldn't the trainer be neutral? I mean, if she should be siding with anyone it should be me. I was around longer. We should be closer friends then she is with Know-It-All. She can be so dumb sometimes.

At least I don't have a dumb mustache. It would be so funny if I cut that dumb thing off. Aza would be so mad. I couldn't help but laugh at this. I was picturing Aza waking up in the morning, reaching up to stroke facial baby blanket, and catching nothing but air. Ha! What a sucker. I wondered what he would do to get even though.

He could shave my tail. Or shave all if me. Wow. I didn't realize that I have so much more hair than he did. 'No one likes a hairless eevee.' It was an old saying on the farm. Although, I shudder to think of how the saying originated.

He could get me back ten times over. I could just pound him down if he tried to do anything back to me though, right? Maybe not. Aza is much stronger now that he isn't an abra anymore. I don't know what he could do to me. I pictured the drowzee that he took on not too long ago. I wonder what Aza did to him. It's not like I had actually seen the battle, given that I was momentarily preoccupied with a greater concern, my well being, but Lin told me about the fight later on when Aza wasn't listening. I didn't understand much of what she said, but what she did say sounded like trouble.

"It's not fair!"

A magicarp eyed me warily as it scuttled through the water as fast as its flimsy tailfin could take it. I hit the edge of the water with my paw making a splash to scare off any others that were moving too slow.

I need to be stronger.

Isn't that what training is for?

And so started the battle of conscience.

Not the kind of training I am doing with Lin telling me what to do all the time. I need real experience fighting, not wasting my time with a grass doll.

You don't think you are learning from Lin?

Yeah, I learned from Lin all the time, but there are some things Lin can't teach me. Some things you have to learn on your own, with real battles with real Pokémon. I'm not going to take a back seat to that looser Aza.

Good point…

I got you there, didn't I conscience? That's right, who's the winner?

You are.

When I look back now, it's harder for me to answer that question.


Aza

"Riiicocheeeet! Where are you?" Lin and I had now walked around the Pokémon center twice. Each of her calls were drawing more and more attention as they grew louder and louder. Many of the regular town-folk were watching us now. Some of them even tried to approach to offer Lin help. Kind souls; Arceus knows she needs it.

"He's a small, brown eevee?" a man in a blue jacket was talking to Lin. He had an emblem sewn onto the upper left breast of his coat that looked like a bicycle flying down a narrow road. He worked for the bike shop just to the south of us.

"Yeah, he has big ears and a puffy tail with some white at the end. And a white main thing." She bent over and put her fingers next to her ears trying to show the shop keeper what eevee looked like. I thought she looked more like a sick orange bug that was going to have lower back problems in the near future. Apparently, so did the shopkeeper.

"I don't know if I have ever seen an eevee before."

"He's kind of like a meowth. Or a growlithe. A meowth, growlithe thing."

"You forgot to mention the dumb look he has on his face all the time." I didn't try to impersonate. "Lin, I'm sure if this man knew what we were talking about he would have told us something useful by now." I could see the picture this guy had in his mind. It looked like a furry, fire breathing worm, in an orange winter coat, with giant antennae and a coin on it forehead.

"You must be one heck of a trainer." The man said before he briskly walked away.

Lin straightened, fingers still pointing up from the top of her ears. "What was that about?"

"You don't want to know."


Ricochet

My wild eevee nature was kicking in. The wind was soft, and I could hear the trees rustle as it passed by.

"COME ON YOU LAZZY SCALE BRAINS COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!" I bellowed at the fish below. "YOUR GOANNA GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU." I didn't get much of a reaction out of the bigger guys, but most of the magicarp barreled off in every direction accepted toward yours truly. I might have to try my luck with the tall grass. I hate the tall grass. I turned to head off to an area where I could train that I could see a little farther down the trail. Then I added as an afterthought, "COWARDS!" I flipped my tail up, the international gesture of contempt, and stalked off. Probably couldn't learn anything from them anyway.

A big open field stretched out a little way down from the road. The river moved more slowly through here. I saw big sticks fixed in the air with fury plumes on the end of them. They looked a lot like my tail. I could smell something sweet in the air. From where I was up on the road I could see all of this wild stuff. Most importantly I could see the tall grass waving back and forth, telling me to come. I was ready. I stretched out my claws and leg muscles and began to canter down the hill side.

I didn't have the clearest idea of what I was looking for exactly, but I knew that I wasn't finding it. Yelling challenges left and right didn't seem to work, and running through the grass just made my ears sticky with plant juice. I had a goal though. I was going to train and be stronger.

What's a quick way to get stronger? Maybe I could ask one of the Pokémon that live in this dump to help me learn a trick that will help me in a battle. The only problem is I haven't run into any Pokémon. That's the problem with these wild types, they always show up when you are in a hurry and need to get somewhere else, but as soon as you are looking for one, they disappear.

"I have had enough of this guy tromping around." I heard a voice. It was close, too close. I couldn't see anyone around though. I hate tall grass.

"Yeah, he ran right over me and didn't even stop to apologize." These voices were strange, I hadn't heard them before. They were sticky and slow. Now that I had stopped my search through the grass I started to notice more about my surroundings. For one, I couldn't tell which direction to go to find the road I just left. I had no escape route. Two, I could hear irregular rustling all around me. I'msurrounded. And three, the sweet smell I sensed earlier had grown to into a sickly, syrupy aroma that hung like mist in the air. I'm was in trouble.

"This guy needs to take a chill pill. You all with me bros?" There was murmured agreement. The too sweet sent was making it hard to breathe. The voices seemed right on top of me, but I still couldn't see a thing, just a bunch of grass, leaves, and yellow bell-shaped flowers. That is, yellow bell-shaped flowers with glaring eyes.

"I wonder why the flowers are so mad." I yawned. My surroundings were drifting in and out of focus. "Do any of you guys want to join me for a nap?"

"Now, that's more like it, dude. Just relax there's no need to be in such a hurry all the time."


Aza

Although the day seemed nice enough, I was in a foul mood. There were several reasons. First, the day was beautiful, a perfect day for training, and I was stuck with Lin trying to find a lazy runaway; second, it was Ricochet we were looking for; and third, I didn't even want to find Ricochet. In fact, one might say I was trying not to find Ricochet, and striving to convince Lin we didn't need his indolent butt on this team. She wouldn't have it though.

"Look at us. We are wasting a whole day of training searching for him. 'What is the point?' I ask myself." I said loudly, and knew she couldn't ignore. I sallied over to a smallish rock and lifted it up. "Nope, not under this one," I said trying to sound disappointed. It would have been nice to find the flattened eevee under a rock. We could end the search and be rid of Ricochet. Two bird with one stone.

Chuckling at my joke I turned to see how Lin was faring. She was busy combing through all the grass.

"All we have left is the east and the south. There are tons of trainers on the east side that could have spotted Ricochet. Plus, there is only one way forward from there, through the Rock Tunnel, and I highly doubt he has gone into the Rock Tunnel by himself, or with anyone else for that matter."

We started to head back into town with Lin doing the trail blazing and me following with a light jog behind her. I knew she wanted to go faster, but the fact that I was even jogging for Ricochet made my stomach uneasy. I had asked her to return me to the pokeball, but she refused, insisting that I could aid her in the search and asking that I remain alert.

"Riiicooocheeet! Riiiicooocheeet!" Lin called steadily.

"Excuse me, Miss," said a boy, with blond hair that fell smoothly to his chin and a sharp featured face, for a human. He looked about the same age as Lin, but appeared neat in his soft white jacket and bright blue shirt. He addressed her from the edge of town as we were on our way in.

"I don't have time for a battle if that is what you are looking for," Lin said, slowing her jog, but ready to blow passed him. She had used the same technique on a few of the youngsters we met earlier in the day.

"Well, I was, but I can see you are looking for someone. May I help?"

"I don't know. Have you seen an eevee by himself today?"

"Did he belong to you?"

"So you have seen him?" Lin's eyes grew wide with hope.

"Oh, no, sorry. Sorry, I was just trying to rule out whether or not another trainer had captured him. I have not seen an eevee today; nonetheless, I would still like to aid you in your search of the missing Pokémon."

"He is my Pokémon, and his name is Ricochet, and my name is Lin."

The boy extended his pale skinned hand and said, "My name is Zack, nice to meet you, face to face." Then he glanced down at me and wink. "And I suppose this is your Pokémon as well?"

"I am indeed," I said, prodding the outer edges of his mind. I don't like winks. I have seen large amounts of evidence to conclude a wink is a strong indicator that one is untrustworthy. I tried to delve a little deeper into his thought process, but was stopped by a hard, invisible wall. Another really bad sign. He smiled and turned back to Lin.

"Well, let's get on with it. Where have you looked already?"

"The entire north end has been covered along with the west. We are headed east right now."

"I will also send my Pokémon to scout out ahead."

"Thank you so much," Lin said, swift to start her brisk jog back up. "We'll meet up back here in town an hour after dark."

I started to jog after Lin so that she wouldn't leave me behind. As the distance between participants of the search party grew, I saw Zack take two red and white balls from his belt, and heard him say, "Ok, team, we have just been presented with a unique opportunity. We need to find the eevee."


Ricochet

With the sun high, wind blowing gentle and free across the open field, and the soft grass beneath my paws, the farm took first place on my places-I-would-like-to-stay-at-forever list. My old home held me in its arms and cared for me like a chansey would its egg.

"Ricochet, where are you?"

Ha ha, they are never going to find me here. I was hiding in some tall grass behind the main building. The grass was taller here, and it hid my ears really well. I still had to be careful that I didn't stick my tale up and give myself away. Curling up in a ball was the best way to hide, but I also wanted to see how close they were getting without finding me. I had the most fun when some dumbo would walk inches from my nose and still not tag me. Losers, you can never beat me.

"Ricochet, I already caught everyone else, you can give up already."

And give up my special spot? You've got to me kidding me?

It was Bullet. She was a crafty one. I bet she did already catch the others, well, maybe everyone except for Zip. I saw Bullet catch many eevee's before, not because she is faster or really good at finding out where they are, but because she tricks them out.

I know all your tricks Bullet, you not going to get me this time. Now it was a matter of time, either she was going to comb all the grass to try and find the spot or she was going to give up. Arceus knows I'm not going to beat her in a foot race to the base. I just have to wait it out.

"Ricochet, I don't know what you are trying to do, but the game is over. The only reason I came back to get you is because I thought you would be able to join me for dinner."

Wow, she is desperate. Taking a low shot for the stomach; almost un-sportsmen like. Bullet was shy when it came to most things, but she was not shy when it came to winning. She would do almost anything to outsmart someone, and was so good at her tricks that most of the time you didn't even know it was her behind the tricks. You're not getting me this time. I know when you are trying to be nice and when you are pretending to be nice just so you can tag me and win.

"Come on! What are you trying to prove? If you want I can just go tell everyone that I gave up and you won the stupid game." She was yelling now, pretending to get mad. At least I thought she was pretending. Maybe she would go back to the guys and tell them that I won. That might be the only way out of this.

I could feel her getting closer, so I started to breathe softly not making a single sound that could tip her off. I even tried to stop my chest from rising and falling, but my heart was beating too hard. Can she hear my heartbeat?

"Oh, I know exactly where you are. I can hear your heartbeat from the edge of the field." I shuddered, ever so slightly, what if she can read my mind? That not fair!

"BOO!"


Ricochet... still

"Holy mother of magmar!" I jumped out of the grass so high I saw the hill side that I ran down earlier to get into the tall grass. The ground came back to meet me quickly though; a little too quickly.

As I made my way to my feet I spit out clumps of mud from my mouth after a wicked face plant. I tried to get a better look around. The first thing that I noticed was the absence of my yellow flower friends, only just before I noticed a deep red sky above me.

Red sky? I shook my head flapping my ears around to wake me up; I could still hear Bullet laughing at me. Red sky?

How long have I been asleep? This was bad news. The other memories I had about being out in the dark by myself gave me nightmares. One ended with a friend dead. I wasn't eager to relive that. Have to go back now, or Lin is going to kill me.

I started to head off in the direction I had seen the hill that hid the road, but I didn't make it half way there when I realized that I had not completed my goal.

What are you going to tell Lin when you do get back?

Sorry for ditching training today. I felt like I needed a nap.

That sounds stupid.

Yeah, you're right.

You were supposed to have learned a new move by now, and all you did was yell at some magicarp and get trapped by daisies. If you went back now Aza would have a field day.

Oh, no! You're right!

Of course I am! I need to learn a new move fast! There is still some daylight left.

If I learn a new move before I go back then Lin won't be mad at me?

Heck no! She would praise you, or maybe give you better food. Shoot, she might even let you shave off Aza's mustache.

I thanked conscience for the brilliant plan I had come up with and started to look around for a fight. The sky was getting darker by the second. I really did need to move fast, sadly that is something I was not good at.

Is that the moon? It seemed so low. The soft light was hanging just above the grass top. How strange. It even had a faint green glow to it. I stared at the light a little harder and to my surprise, it was not the moon at all. I could see it moving too much. I knew the moon moved in the sky, but I had never in all my years at the farm seen a moon bounce and swivel around like I saw the green light do. It almost looked like a fireball, but the color was off.

It was getting closer, headed right toward me. I could see it getting more and more defined until I thought for sure the thing was going to smack me between the ears before it abruptly changed directions. It was headed away from the hillside.

I didn't know exactly what the light was, or what was going on, but I did know one thing. I was going to follow that ball of light, because I knew that it belonged to a Pokémon, and I really felt like fighting someone.

The sky was now more of a deep purple which was good, because it was easy to see the eerie light up ahead, always just out of reach, but was also bad because I knew I probably wasn't going to find my way back to the Pokémon center as easily as I had hoped.

Catching the light was taking longer than I expected. It could move so quickly. Not that it was fast, the way it floated along, but it seemed to jump to different areas just before I reached it or bounce in an impossible direction when I pounced. To make the situation worse, I could sense a Pokémon close by, rustling in the leaves of the pasture, but the tall grass kept it hidden. It was something Zip would do; let you know she is a heartbeat away right before she attacked. Did I mention how I hate tall grass?

The forest of leaves abruptly ended and it took not a few well placed paws to keep myself from another face plant. One a day is fine by me, thank you. The ball had come to a stop at the opposite edge of a large circle of tall grass. The weeds stood well above my ears to form a wall of grass outlining the meadow. I couldn't see the hill in any direction. How do you lose a hill? I guess my sense of direction hasn't improved.

"That's it! I have had enough!" I roared at the bobbing light. "You're mine!"

"No way! I found it first!" a high pitched buzzing sound said to my right. I stumbled over a root and did another face plant. Something big whooshed over my head, and I looked up in time to see the back of a giant flying bug pulling out of a dive. When it turned around I got a good look at his face. It was hard to tell the bug Pokémon's emotion what with his pail, dusty wings, and hairy butt, but I am sure I saw a crazed look in his large, white, sectioned eyes.

"It's my light!" The way he said light was so creepy. It sent the hair on my back straight up.

I was not one to let opportunities like this slip from beneath my paws. After all I had been looking for a fight for the better part of a day. Ugly didn't seem to mind if I had a go at him.

"Um, no, it's my light." It sounded lame. In my defense, it was hard come up with an insult for a guy that was so amazingly hideous.

However, it did the trick. His eyes got even wider, if that were possible, as if I said hurtful joke about his mother.

"All the light in the sky belongs to Venomoth," he chided.

"Well, that's a little selfish, don't you think? Can't some of the light belong to me? I have been chasing after that green light over there for the past hour."

"Never!" the fierceness of his battle cry was lost in his nasally, sharp-pitched speech. He swooped down again narrowly missing me. He was faster then he looked, but I caught him in the face with a sand attack when he turned to come at me again.

He dove again this time I didn't have time to dodge and he knocked me to the ground. Ouch, he is a lot tougher than he looks. I decided to laugh the hit off.

Scrambling to my feet I said, "What an idiot, fighting over a dumb light. Like I care what happens to the stupid ball." My opponent flinched and it gave me the opportunity to tackle him to the ground. For a second I thought that he was passed out, his eyes were open and staring off into the distance, and I had him pinned to the grass beneath us, but then he started to vibrate. I jumped off quick and he began to float upward into the air above me. I prepared myself to dodge another dive, but it didn't come. Then I noticed something odd. He wasn't flapping his wings, yet he was still floating there starring out into the night. His eyes… they're purple? This isn't good.

The venomoth focused sharply at me suddenly and said, in a much deeper hum that sounded like it was coming from all around me, "You will never have my light."

Whap!

I felt something hit my tail. "What the heck?"

Whap!

Another something hit me in the stomach and sent me to the ground.

Whap!

What's going on here? What is hitting me? I looked at the venomoth again to see if he was still in the same place. Yes, he was still in the same place, floating in the air, eyes still glowing, but staring me down like a tauros does a red flag. From what I could tell he hadn't moved an inch one way or the other. Then what keeps hitting me?

I scanned the clearing quickly looking for any movement and jumped to my feet again. The hits I was taking were not that bad, now that I was expecting them to come from anywhere. Hits always hurt worse when you don't expect them. I tensed my muscles and started to run around. Maybe the attackers would get careless and I would be able to spot one.

Where will they attack next? I was taking hits on all sides; a steady, invisible barrage. I still hadn't seen anything. Maybe if I can anticipate where the attack was going to come from next I might be able to catch the person. Hit after hit, I looked for a pattern. I gritted my teeth. Stomach, head, leg.

Rustle.

It came from behind me. HA! You've given yourself away! I made a wild leap turning as fast as I could to tackle the, whatever it was. There! My paw caught hold of a furry bush-like Pokémon and I slammed it into the ground as hard as I could. Ha, that was easy. What a loser.

"I'd like to see you try and get ou… OU…. OOOOOOOUCH!"

I had been afraid that I was only going to catch air with that wild spin, but I ended up catching something much worse.

My tail lay beneath my paws. I jumped off quickly. My tail! My beautiful tail! It looked pathetic. My beloved tail was slightly bent at an odd angle and all the hair was flattened on one side making it look like an oversized dinner plate. The invisible blows were still ramming into my body, but I could hardly feel them now.

I don't know if it was my imagination or a reflection of how I felt, but I swear I saw two fiery red glowing eyes staring right at me from the edge of the clearing. I was beyond learning a new move now. All I wanted was to kick some serious butt.

"Venomoth will punish all those who desecrate his precious Light!"

I actually did see red then. I turned to face the venomoth behind me and started to bound forward with all the force I could muster. No one messes with the tail!

"No one messes with the tail!" I snarled. I felt a wave of heat behind me, and saw, are those flames? It didn't matter. I was going to pound that bug flat. "You want a piece of my tail? I'll give you a piece of my tail!"

I pushed off the ground as hard as I could to reach the venomoth high above and started a summersault in the air, bringing my head down and my back up rolling, in a ball. As my head came out of the dip revolution I saw I was on level with my opponent and glared in his eyes. And for the first time since I met Ugly, I saw fear in them. My tail hardened, the hair folding down back into place, tighter, and I swung it down on top of his head. I continued to let my tail shove him down. After all, you can't have a good hit without a good follow-through.

What I saw surprised me. The heat that I had been feeling wasn't coming from my head. My tail was on fire, but it wasn't burning. In fact there seemed to be flames all around venomoth and me.

At first the bug seemed to stay where he was when my tail connected with his head, but only for a slight second before he shot off toward the clearing's grassy floor, slammed into the ground, and slid a few feet where he lay in a smoldering pile; knock out.

The flames dissipated as the air waved them out in a fit of heat, and I walked over to Venomoth to see if he was still breathing. Not that I cared that much. My invisible enemy had disappeared as well. So I guess it was the venomoth that was hitting me. This made me care about his breath even less.

"Boo-yeah! I totally owned you."

"Impressive. Well, not the happy dance, but you got that bug pretty good."

I halted abruptly, mid prance, and turned to find the newcomer. That voice! It couldn't be!

A light brown paw stretched out onto the clearing floor, followed by three more. A fluffy brown tail with a white tip swayed behind a downy white main. With her tall ears folded back a little, she gave me that shy, yet, confident look that only Bullet could do.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I said rushing forward, then stopping a few feet away.

"I could ask the same about you. You have gotten a lot stronger. What in the world was the move you just used? I mean, for a second there I thought you were going to lose the fight. I have to say, if your tail didn't hit him hard enough the fire sure did the trick," Bullet said softly. She glanced behind me at the venomoth and frowned.

"Oh, that? Yeah, that was nothing. I do it all the time. Some people call me 'The Flamer.' Or so I'm told."

Bullet raised an eyebrow.

Bullet. Wow, it's really her. What is she doing here? Is it really her? I can't believe it. She looks exactly the same as I remember. I wonder if she has gotten any stronger. I bet she noticed some changes with me.

"So, I would really like to know why you are out here Ricochet. Don't you have any friends with you? Or are you all by yourself?"

"Yeah, I have lots of friends. Tons of them. I just don't have them with me right now. Came out here to train. It's secret training so I can't let anyone else know what I am doing. Yeah. So stop asking so many questions about it alright, or else I might have to kill you. I'm just kidding, but seriously, I will."

"Ok, whatever. It is getting dark though. How about we head back to town?"

"Sure. I can protect you on the way back to town."

"Great..." Bullet smiled not showing any teeth.

Oh, no! I can't go back until I… wait a second! I have learned a new move. The flaming tail! What an awesome move, Lin will never get mad at me again. I could probably teach her a thing or two about training.

"Alright, Bullet, since I am doing all the work guarding you, how about you lead the way."

"You're lost aren't you?" she said leaning closer examining my face, looking for a lie.

"I'm not lost. You're the one that's lost. I know exactly where I am."

"Great than that makes this easier," Bullet said turning around. She started pushing past the tall weeds bordering the clearing. Then, pausing she poked her head back out and said, "Make sure you stay close 'The Flamer.'"

"The what? Oh, yeah. No need to get scared, I'll be right behind you."

She pushed through the rest of the way and disappeared behind the grassy leaves. The night was just plain black now, except for the stars and the curved moon in the sky.

Girl, I hope you know what you are going.

I started forward looking through the gaps in the foliage, and for a second I thought I saw a pair of fiery eyes staring back at me. When I blinked they were gone.

"Are you coming, slowpoke?"

"Yeah."


Aza

"Dang eevee! I am going to kill him when I find out where he has been."

The sky was red with the setting sun and reflective clouds. Lin was raging up the sandy path toward the Rock Tunnel leaving angry dust plumes in her wake. To the south the mountain loomed and the foothills cast long shadows pointing us away from town.

The search continued on. Lin and I stayed close to the mountain side. I think she was hoping to find Ricochet trapped in a pit on mountainous terrain. Zach and his Pokémon went on ahead to the mouth of the Rock Tunnel and said he would work his way back, and meet us in the middle.

I had actually started to help in the search by now. I wanted to finish sifting through every hiding place and interrogating every hiker that passed by. One must recognize it is sometimes necessary to side with those you would not. How does the saying go? 'If you can't beat the ignorantly hopeful, begrudgingly join them.'

Although, I wouldn't say I had given up on persuading Lin to come to her senses.

"What time are we going to head back to the Pokémon center, Lin?" I said nonchalantly, as if asking about what was for dinner.

"When we find Ricochet," said Lin. She continued pacing up and down the path searching ever inch of the ground every now and again calling for Ricochet moving quickly and thoroughly.

I was afraid of that. "Oh, ok. I was just thinking the sun was setting soon and we better start heading back to town before it gets dark. We don't want to get lost on the route like the boy we saw this morning."

"I guess we better find him quick then."

"Indeed; I couldn't agree more. On the other hand, I hate to be the one to bring this up, what if we don't find him today? It would be nice to have a good night's rest before heading out tomorrow. Right?"

"I think we can find him tonight. I'm sure of it; we just have to keep looking. All we have left is this direction and then we can move on to the south, if we don't find him here he must have gone to Vermillion City. They would be sure to know where he is, and we could all stay the night together."

Only the tip of the sun was bubbling over the trees, quickly setting.

"Have you thought about why Ricochet is missing? I have been wondering this all day long, and have come up with many possible solutions. I am sure there are many more, given it is Ricochet we're talking about, but I find it most likely he has realized he is useless and decided to leave the team." Lin slowed her pace and I saw her back stiffen through her coat. Although I couldn't see her face I could sense I should hasten to the point.

"Ricochet is selfless," I nearly gagged, "if you look deep, deep… deep, down into his character." Who am I kidding? Ricochet is about as deep as he is tall. "I think it was someone important who I heard say, 'Youngster, how many times have I told you to take out the trash.' Ricochet was probably trying to help us out one last time by taking the trash out himself and saving us the trouble."

"Aza," Lin sighed, "maybe you should look down by the river to the north of us." She picked up her methodical pace again. "There is a field of tall grass he might have been in."

"Well, it was worth a shot."

There was a flash of light above the sun's dome and it set behind the trees.


Ricochet

"Um, shouldn't we be able to see the city by now? I'll admit I'm not patient after I've had a long day of hard work, but I don't remember walking this far away. Are you sure you know where you are going?"

The half moon in the sky spilled its white light on the path in front of us. I could see a few clouds in the sky, but it was mostly covered by wavy patches of stars; like a river frozen in the sky. The path was getting steeper was we moved on at a steady pace. Boulders on either side of us seemed to grow in size as we passed, and it made me wonder what could be hiding behind them.

"Of course I know where we are. I wouldn't be a very good guide if I didn't know where we were," said Bullet.

"I'm just saying we have been walking a long time and my paws are starting to hurt. Not that I am complaining. I could probably walk all the way back to the farm if I wanted to. Our trainers are probably worried about us, you know?"

"Just follow me I know exactly where we are."

We walked along the mountain side. I remembered purposely avoiding this path because of all the rocks that could get stuck in my paws. There is nothing worse than having a rock stuck in your paw when traveling. Lin usually wouldn't even stop to let me pull them out leaving me behind.

"Do you have any rocks in your paws?"

"Do I what?" Bullet said looking over her shoulder.

"I said, 'Do you have any rocks in your paws?' I was wondering if maybe you needed to walk closer to the river. The ground is softer there." We were approaching the top of a foot hill steep enough to block our view of the path ahead.

Bullet reached the top and turned around. "I'm fine. Let's keep moving. We are almost there."

Her glowing eyes looked down at me as I walked up to join her. I looked down at my paws. Sorry guys.

I decided to take one last glance at the river all the way down the hill. I could see the black water and small bits of reflected light. We were farther away from it than I thought we were. Hey, if the river was down there when I left Cerulean shouldn't it be on the other side of me on the way back?

My vision was blocked as bullet walked in front of me and slid her face next to mine forcing me to look her in those fiery eyes.

"Wow there! Personal space violation."

"I know where I am going."

She knows where she is going.

"Come on, Ricochet, everyone back on the farm is waiting for us."

I like the farm. "I can't wait to see everyone!"

We cantered forward down the hill as the light from forgotten Cerulean sank into the valley behind the crest.


Aza

Darkness arrives quickly in these mountains, and its forthcoming was only hastened by my trek into the little valley cut by the river. Trees were being drained of their color and a new eerie life was springing forth to swap with the clam that was here before.

I was totally exhausted from our unsuccessful march. I hadn't done this much walking in… well, in my life. I had been through fields, swaps, and rocky paths all in one day. I will deny I said this, but, I was surprised I made it this far without teleporting. At least where I was now, down by the watery stream bed, the ground was softer.

I can finally get these darn rocks out of my feet. The mountain path out of the city was covered with tiny rocks that seemed to be able to crawl into the most uncomfortable position on your foot and then stick there. Normally I would just pull them out, and I did at first, but they were quickly replaced. Overwhelmed, I discontinued the procedure and tried to ignore the spikes of pain from my feet and jealousy over Lin's rugged footwear.

When I reached the slow-moving stream I sent out a pulse of energy to check if there were any fish in the water I could get a clue from. My search came back positive. A magicarp was laying close by in the muddy shallows and I approached him.

"Have you seen a brown haired moron walk by here today?" I asked as I probed his mind for answers. All I found from the probe was shallow muddy water in the mind, and from the question, shallow muddy water in the face.

Splash: The only defensive move of a magicarp. Its only purpose: to so infuriate the opponent, the battle ends faster than if the opponent had not been splashed, with more violence, and inevitable defeat.

My work with the magicarp having been accomplished I moved down the stream following no particular path.

I spat to get some of the stale water from my mouth. At least Lin has the sense to not allow something more stupid than Ricochet on the team. The grass around me grew taller as I moved deeper into the field that bloomed from the river's edge. Every now and then I could hear or feel Pokémon around me, but none of them were close enough to cause a threat. A sweet aroma wafted through the leaves of the tall grass, churned by the gentle wind.

Perhaps there are more intelligent Pokémon I this area to question. I calculated the source of the botanical aroma quickly based upon the direction of the wind making sure to factor in the miss direction the nearby river would cause. With this new heading, I changed directions slightly and began to send out small pulses to readily identify any seemingly camouflaged Pokémon. Before too long I sensed I was upon the target.

"What a pleasant surprise to find you here," I said, but received no response. "It's not very respectful to ignore your guests." I stared down the nearest yellow bell-shaped flower drooping in front of me.

"Well, dude, can't you see we are trying to catch some shut eye here?"

"Indeed, forgive me."

"Wow there bro. No need to get so formal. You're welcome to join us if you wanna, man," drawled another bellsprout rising up a little and opening an eye.

"I think I'll pass. I just need some information. I have had a long day." My psyonic pulse was picking up large numbers of bellsprouts in this spot. It seems they have formed some kind of colony. In the north of Cerulean, where I had lived, these plant-types stayed in groups, but nothing as big as this. If Ricochet said something he shouldn't to these guys…

"Far out, dude. You and me both. I was, like, totally sleeping, dude, and this other dude ran into me and made me spill my drink, bro. It was, like, totally crazy, dude."

"Fascinating," many of the other Pokémon were beginning to wake up and the sweet scent of their toxic nectar was mounting. I decided to single one out. "I have a question for you," I said looking at the flower that had just orated the last muddled comment. "Have you seen an eevee here today? He is a little bigger then you with brown fur, big ears, and a puffy tail."

"Dude! No way, dude! That's the dude!"

"Um…" I was growing impatient, but I pushed it down determined to not set off the gang against me. Although I could probably take them all, I didn't want to waste the time.

"Wow, man. Wow, man. You're, like, blowing my mind right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry again. I didn't mean to lose control of my ability's." I halted the psyonic pulse I had been sending out. I have to be more careful of that in the future. These new powers since evolving are stronger than I had anticipated.

"No, dude. The guy you're looking for is the dude that woke me up earlier today."

He must have seen the confused look on my face. I was finding it difficult to decipher the meaning of their dialect. Plant-types can be so hard to understand sometimes.

"The little brown bro., dude, I saw him today. He was the dude running like crazy through the middle of your camp. That's so ridiculous that you know him, dude. Hey, guys! This dude knows the little brown bro." As the news spread the toxic fumes increased. Many of the bellsprouts were shaking their heads awake and looking at me with their droopy eyes. I could feel my eyes falling to mimic theirs. I need to get out of here fast.

"Which way did he go?" I cut the main sprout off.

"- what was that, dude?"

I fought to stay awake, "Which way? Where is the eevee?"

"Oh, the little bro. left a while ago, I don't know where he went. You look tired, dude. You should take a nap with us."

"I'm leaving."

With that I ripped my body into its basic particles and shot out of the death trap across the field into a nearby clearing. There was a less likely chance of bellsprouts to appear in a clearing than in the foliage. I need a little time to recuperate.

Safe for the moment, I sucked in the clean air with deep breathes. The coolness of it felt good and soothed my nerves. I could already feel my blood flowing faster and the fog in my mind lifting. As my breathing slowed I began to scan the clearing I had materialized in.

There was a faint buzzing coming from the other side of the clearing. Interesting, this might not be as safe as I hoped. I sharpened my senses and prepared for an attack. Taking slow steps forward, I noticed, now that I wasn't binge breathing, a slight wisp of smoke that hung in the air. It was growing stronger as I moved toward the buzzing. A twitching mound lie not far away and I could see a small plume of smoke trailing from it as it shifted about.

"Well, well, well, what happened to you my friend?" I said, appraising the situation to be less dangerous than I had originally anticipated.

"My…" I heard the heap say as I got closer.

"What's the matter? Get too close to the fire?"

"Light…"

I looked the mess of a Pokémon up and down. Whatever it was it was badly burned. A bug-type from the looks of it. I wonder what could have done something like this…

The world whirled around me. I fell down backward and felt the stubby grass of the meadow break my fall. The scene before me evaporated leaving darkness. Then little specks of light began to poke through slowly and then quickly until I recognized a cloudless night sky.

I sat up on the meadow floor. I was a few yards farther from the bug Pokémon than before I had fallen down. I couldn't have fallen that far.

There was something else standing next to smoky mass. I scrambled to my feet preparing for the next attack, but it didn't come. As I looked closer the other creature seemed more and more familiar. Little brown… Ricochet is that you? It appeared as if he was doing some ritualistic dance around the bug when suddenly he was cut off and looked intently at the bushes to my right. Following his line of vision to the edge of the meadow I also peered fixedly eager to find out what was going on.

Two eyes gleamed from in between the leaves and the darkness. A reddish orange Pokémon that looked a lot like Ricochet stepped into the clearing. It spoke with Ricochet, and then they both turned and headed back into the thickets.

"Ricochet, get back here. Where are you going?"

My vision rippled again like a stone thrown into the pool of my consciousness, and a new landscape unfolded before me. Ricochet and the other Pokémon were now running along a mountain path. Down the hill from them was a dark opening that seemed to swallow the light from around its edges.

I looked closer leaning forward. The darkness grew and grew until it surrounded me. I yelled out, "Light! I need the light."

As if in answer to my call my eyes shot open and I was back on the grassy floor of the meadow. I sat up quickly and looked for the bug. What was that?

The burnt bug jumped up onto its skinny legs and stared angrily at me. "The light! The light is all mine!" it shouted. And with a furious shake that sent bits of black dust in every direction, he leapt into the night sky soaring off over the hedge of grass.

A vision! That was a vision.

I decided I was doing no good sitting on the floor of the wilderness any longer, and, in a thousand pieces, I fly almost instantaneously onto a rocky path to the south of me. A shadowy figure rummaged off the path ahead of me.

"Lin," I said, taking a few steps forward, "I think this is going to take longer than you thought it was. The good news is: we are headed in the right direction."


Ricochet

"Hey, I think I recognize this! We must be getting really close right?" I said looking over at Bullet to the side of me. "Look, this is the road the food truck used to come on. I think I am starting to remember. Wow, this is so exciting. Who do you think is going to be there?"

The moon was high in the sky giving us light to walk by. The anticipation was almost more than I could stand. Zip will be there for sure, and Feral. To think, I even miss Feral. I wonder how many of them left the farm like me. Bullet would know.

"Everyone you remember is there. They're all waiting for us to arrive," she said swiveling her head this way and that, like she was looking for something.

"What do you think Feral is going to do when he sees you and me again?"

"Um… you know, do what he always does," she said. Complacency held heavy in her tone. Maybe she wasn't as excited about seeing everyone as I was. That's ok, some people aren't as forgiving as I am I guess.

"You have got to be excited to see someone. Who do you miss the most?"

"I missed you the most of course," she said smiling at me briefly then resuming her distracted air searching for something.

"Ah, I missed you, too, buddy." Bullet and I always did get along pretty good, but I bet I wasn't the person she missed the most. The person I missed the most was Arazul. I bet that's who Bullet missed the most; she didn't want to make me jealous is all. "What is the first thing you are going to say to Arazul?"

Bullet had stopped and was leaning over the side of the road. "Um, who was that again?"

I stopped just behind her. "Ha-ha, that's a good one, but seriously."

"Um…" There was a pause and Bullet kept looking over the cliff.

Wait. Come to think of it… cliff? This looks nothing like the Eevee Farm. What's going on here?

We were on a mountain road with large rocky boulders lining the path on one side with a steep slope on the other. The farm had always been surrounded by soft grassy fields. My paws hurt. There were little rocks stuck in them. Where am I?

Bullet really doesn't remember who Arazul is? That's crazy. If a hundred years went by I would never forget Arazul. It's almost like I'm not talking to…

Not only the scenery was changing, but Bullet didn't look the same anymore either. Her fur was reddish orange now, and her ears were shorter. It was definitely not Bullet standing across from me. The only resemblance was whatever it was walked on four legs.

I must have been too quiet because she turned around quickly and looked me in the eyes. "Is everything alright Ricochet?"

"Of course everything is alright," I said backing up against one of the boulders behind me. "I just wanted to let you know that," I sprang forward in form for a flawless tackle, "I'M GOING TO KNOCK THE SNOT OUT OF YOU!"

My punch landed perfectly in her stomach because she reared up in surprise of my attack, perhaps too perfectly. As we grappled with each other I could feel our weight shift closer and closer to the edge of the path, until finally, we tipped. Head over tail we rolled for what seem like forever. Buffeted here and there, I felt like I was back in the clearing with Venomoth times ten until finally we landed at the bottom of the slope.

I tried to get to my feet and face my opponent so she couldn't catch me off guard again, but she was lying still toward the bottom of a rock pile, moaning. Before in the field with the venomoth I was unfamiliar with my surroundings, here, with this strange Pokémon, I was dead lost. The sound of the river scrambling was the only familiar thing about this rocky terrain.

Maybe I could follow the river back to Cerulean. I started to follow the sound of the river walking fast, but the pain from the nasty fall was slowing me down.

"Where do you think you're going?" My opponent was climbing to her feet and trying to pears me with her fiery eyes.

"What are you, and what do you want with me?" I said gritting my teeth, if only I had practiced growling. I felt like there was a fire in my chest fuelling me and easing the pain.

"You're such an idiot," she said. "I can't believe you thought I was your friend Bullet for this long." She was limping, moving closer. "As you can see I'm not even an eevee. You would think the difference in species would have given it away. I have to thank you for your cooperation though. It would have taken all night to drag your dead weight this far. We vulpix aren't known for our physical strength."

"Good to know," I said. "Then knocking you out won't be much of a challenge." I crouched down ready to pounce on her weak side hurt from our trip down the hill.

Vulpix shot forward clearing the distance between us in less time than I would have thought possible and gave me a solid hit to the side.

"So we're playing games now, are we?" I grunted as she quickly stepped back using her paw not-so-hurt-as-I-thought to steady herself on the smaller rocks.

"No, when I said I was going to drag your dead weight I was being completely serious."

I bounded once clearing the distance between us easily and jumped again aiming to get a critical hit, but she was able to side step enough to only take a glance. I could tell she was heavier than I was and almost a foot taller with the ridiculous hair-do she was sporting.

"What time do you have to wake up in the morning in order to get your hair to look just right?"

"It falls naturally this way, beautiful, unlike your disheveled main. I bet you collect a load of dirt in there."

"Oh, I get it; it's your gigantic tail that takes the most of your time. Honestly, girly girls like you have no place on the battle field."

"What? You mean these?" she said. Her tail began to grow almost like it was unfolding, and then I saw them. There were six dark shapes moving behind her; six tails.

"My goodness. You're a mutant!" Gross who would want to have six tails? It is almost as bad as having four arms or three heads. How disgusting. Three heads… I shuddered at my own imagination.

"Mutant? That's it! This was just an order before, now it's personal!" she glared at me and her fur began to glow slightly. I prepared myself, unsure of what was about to come. Then she opened her mouth and I saw an eerie green flame growing. I hardly had enough time to crouch low when suddenly the flame shot out toward me. I easily dodged jumping to the right.

"Fire? Well, you are going to have to try a little harder than that."

"That's right 'Flamer,'" she said, her grin showing sharp teeth, "fire!"

My shadow cast by the flame grew sharper and more distinct. I turned just in time to see the hot flame collide into my shoulders, grazing my back.

"You see, while I am not strong physically, I do have the ability to control fire; make it move where ever I want to. It's funny that you thought you could beat me. You couldn't have even beaten that venomoth without my help. What were you thinking?"

"You didn't help me. I did it all solo. You were probably teamed up with Mr. Ugly. Mr. Ugly and his wife double teaming a single eevee and they still lost!" I tried to attack again but the pain in my back screamed every time I moved. It felt like the fireball was still sitting on top of me, though I knew it had dissipated shortly after it struck me. I felt like my energy drained slowly into the wound sapping my strength to fight.

"Oh, really? Then why don't you use the same move that you used to knockout the bug on me?"

"Maybe I will!" Fighting the pain on my back I dived forward hardening my fur and then, with a large sweeping motion, I turned and let my tail fly. She leapt backward narrowly escaping the blow, and I shattered a boulder in her place.

"What? No fire from 'The Flamer'?" she said.

I was starting to regret I said that.

"Maybe I can help you out there, Ricochet." She backed up a little bit farther, her fur began to glow softly again, and I braced myself for more heat. When she opened her mouth, she tilted her head back and let a rocket of flame burst into the sky above us lighting the landscape around us like a lightning bolt.

I have to finish this fast. I don't know how much more I have in me with my back the way it is. It didn't feel like it was getting better. In fact, it felt like it was getting worse by the second. I have got one shot at this.

Taking a deep breath, I surged at Vulpix and gave the fiercest battle cry I could conger. My tail was still rock solid, harder, and I swung toward her left side. It missed and crashed into the face of the hill, cracking it. Vulpix backed up more shaking her head wildly in all directions, and I made use of her distraction sweeping my tail again across her right side. My attack missed again, this time sliding across the ground. I carried the momentum through so I was facing Vulpix, looking her in her wide eyes. Then, with the last bit of force I could draw, I push up hard with my back legs rising up on my front paws and let the momentum of my last swing carry my weight up and over my center. Tail high in the air and moving fast, I curled forward willing my attack to land, because I knew it would be my last.

My tail crashed into something hard and I heard the smaller rocks on the ground shoot off in several directions smashing into the face of the hill and splattering like a dropped egg. Then the pain set in. Not only did it hurt to move, but, in my last attempt to pulverize my captor, I landed on my back causing the fireball of pain bear down on me even more. I rolled off of the wound carefully. Dust hung in the air in all directions. I looked closely at the small crater my tail had made in the bed of stones and my spirits dropped. No Vulpix.

I looked up and saw her flashing her toothy smirk through the dust cloud, eyes glowing like coals in a fire.

"So what happens now?" I asked trying to mask the pain from my voice, and shifted to my feet.

"Now you come with…"

"RICOCHET!" From the top of the hill there was a loud sound, like the one my tail made when it slammed into the stony floor. This sound was deeper, though, and thicker, like there were lots of rocks falling down a really steep cliff.

Avalanche! I looked at Vulpix and got a confirmation for my guess. Both of us bolted in opposite directions to take cover. Well, she bolted, I stumbled, but I still made it behind a wide rock before the rock slide buried me.

"Ricochet, where are you?"

Lin!

"Lin!" I said, "I'm here Lin," and walked from my covering looking wildly for my trainer.

Before I knew it she was by my side and holding me in her blessedly reeking coat. Both of us started talking at the same time.

"Ricochet, I'm so glad you're here. We found you. You're hurt."

"Yeah, I'm here. This is where the party is at. I could use a little help though. There is a crazy vulpix trying to take me somewhere, and my back is killing me."

Lin looked at me closely and paused as she looked at my back where the glowing flame had hit me. She reached into her bag and said, "Here, take this."

I lapped up the berry she held in her hand when she brought it close to my face. Ice coated my mouth as I chewed and then filled my stomach quickly coating me with as if with a cool breeze from the inside out. My back and shoulders felt completely healed, though, I was still weak from fatigue of battle.

"Ricochet, why did you leave?"

I was afraid you were going to ask that. I had been thinking about this a lot. Why did I go for a walk? Was I really trying to learn a new move? Well, yeah, of course you were.

But, I didn't learn a new move. The flaming tail wasn't me remember. Anyway, I don't think it matters. I almost couldn't bring myself to look at Lin, but when I did look at her, with her bushy eyebrows and midnight hair casting a shadow over her face, I could tell it wouldn't matter to her if I had learned a hundred moves, she would still have asked me that same question.

Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, maybe you needed to teach them a lesson; A day in your life if I am not there to save your butt. Can't an eevee get some time to himself every once in a while?

I see what you're saying and, "I get frustrated sometimes and I just want to go back to the farm and forget about this stuff, but then I remember… and I don't want to leave. I still want to be on the team, please."

Suddenly there was a shimmering directly over Lin's right shoulder and Aza appeared, materializing out of nothing. "Sorry I'm late; I thought I would wait until the dust cleared after Lin's rampage down the hill side. Has anything happened?"

"Don't worry Ricochet, I understood you," Lin said with her scratchy voice, smiling.

"Good, 'cause I'm not saying it again."

"What's the situation?" Aza said, looking around for clues.

"There is a vulpix…" I started to say, when I was cut off.

"Bravo, Bravo," said a voice I didn't recognize from just beyond where the vulpix had run to take cover, "Well, look what we have here."

"Zack," Lin called out, "is that you? It's alright. I found him. It's me, Lin."

Only thin traces of the dust remained, so I could easily see the tall human boy walk out from behind a curve in the rock face of the cliff. He had long strait blond hair that swayed back and forth as he climbed over the rocky rubble. Both his hands were in his pockets.

"That's right I'm glad you're here Lin. I have a few questions for you." he said walking closer until he was only a yard away from Lin and me.

"Sorry, I'm not really in the mood for talk. My eevee has been hurt and I just want to make it back to the Pokémon center."

Zack's jaw clenched and he took a deep breath. I felt like doing the same thing.

"What's your problem? I think it has been a long day for all of us," I said hoping Aza conveyed the message.

"After the help I gave you, I think I deserve some answers," Zack said not breaking his gaze with Lin. "What is the move Ricochet uses with his tail?"

"What are you talking about?" Lin said automatically, but sounding a little defensive.

"Oh, I get it. You thought you would be able to keep it all for yourself. Stronger moves that can turn the tide in any battle, one that only you know; if I were in your position I might do the same thing. We all know the cheating Gym Leaders do it."

I wanted to help cover for Lin, after all, it's not her fault I'm too awesome for my own good. "Hey, she doesn't really know what it is. It's just something I came with from the farm-"

Lin moved her hand up to my moth to silence me. I moved to nibble on her finger, but I was cut short.

"So that's it. Anyone that can afford to spend millions on a pre-packaged Pokémon gets a free ticket to the top. You make me sick." Zack spat at the little distance between us to emphasize his point. "Guess what, you're not the only one who can teach their Pokémon a few tricks," he said and tilted his head to the side. Calling behind him he said, "Vulpix, come here." Turning back, his green eyes like acid venom, he said, "Time to show me what you're all about."

I could have come up with a pretty good comeback, but Lin beat me to it.

"Ok," she said.

I didn't say it was a good comeback. She completely spoiled the tension of the whole situation. Later I asked her about it and she told me people like Zack won't listen to the truth, so there is no point in arguing with them. You have to show them what you're made of and hope they catch on.

Before I was done evaluating Lin's reply, I was tossed lightly from Lin's arms. She stood erect never taking her eyes off Zack, and I watched my opponent reappear from around the same notch in the cliff Zack had been hiding in.

Round two.

"Ricochet, quick, follow me," Lin said bolting away from the cliff toward the river.

This is a new strategy. Actually, it wasn't a new strategy in the larger look at my life as an eevee, but running away from a fight wasn't Lin's style.

Zack had similar feelings. "I should have known you would run away you coward. When you are faced with a real challenge you run away. Get back here you cheater!" He followed at a close pace, with Vulpix trailing not far behind.

I might not know what her plan is, but I trust her. I trailed right at Lin's heels avoiding an early confrontation with Vulpix. Lin, in mid stride, reached down, yanked a pokeball from her belt, and called, "Aza, return." I forgot he was back there. He can be fast when he wants to be, but I don't think he will ever make a good runner. Four legs are better then two. Err, then again Lin is faster than me. I may need to rethink that.. A red light flashed toward Aza and he disappeared into the red and white ball held tightly in Lin's swinging fist. I can't see how he stands to be inside those creepy things. Give me rocky road and smelly coat travel any day.

So we didn't forget he was in pursuit, Zack yelled, "I'm going to tear you up. Vulpix, ember!" She had already caught up to Zack and was right behind Lin and me. At the orders of her trainer she leapt toward us, planted her feet, took a deep breath, and, as her fur began to glow, she spewed red angry flames at me and Lin, bathing us in light.

Quick as a cat, Lin set her feet right, crouched down to pick me up, and dove, head first, to dodge the flames. At least the landing was soft. We skid to a halt in a damp bank of sand. Lin's coat sported a few black holes that slightly smoked, which, believe it or not, made her smell a little better than usual. The majority of the ember missed us, but Vulpix as already readying herself for another attack.

"Sand attack!" Lin shouted.

I almost made comment we were in a pile of rocks and it would be hard to pull that off here, but then I noticed I was surrounded by sand. Lin knew there was sand down here by the river. I knew she knew what she was doing.

I stalled too long. Another ember attack came right at me. I had to make a poor role to the right to avoid a critical hit, but she still managed to make the cool night air feel hotter than midday summer.

I turned as fast as I could and kicked the sand at my feet into the air aiming to put out the fire-starter.

"Take that girly girl. Maybe it will improve the hair style you're going for: ridiculous."

"Gah," Vulpix made a squeal as the sand made contact.

"Vulpix, don't back down!" Zack shouted, "Use confuse ray."

A flash of light shout at me from Vulpix so fast I didn't have a change to dodge. The light blinded me for only a moment and faded leaving no trace. That was easy. I thought, but I knew it wasn't going to be as simple as that. I had been in too many battles to think I could get off without a scratch. In these sorts of battles I usually get hurt like-

"Hey, over here." I spared a glance to my right and noticed some movement on the other side of the river. I would have ignored it, but it was my opponent, Vulpix. How did she get from here all the way over there in two seconds?

"Ricochet, don't fall for it," Lin said with her calm battle face on, "it's just a trick. Use Plan A. Vulpix is still in the same spot."

I turned and there she was, readying herself to shoot another flame bath in my direction. Lin said use plan A. I like plan A. It's where I get tackle you into submission. I thought, charging Vulpix. She blew out another spout of flames, but the sand in her eye must have thrown her off because she hit the ground too close to her feet. She tried to recover by bringing her head up higher making a swish of fire in my general direction. I dodged it with no trouble, and then tackled her down. As I backed up, Vulpix got shakily to her feet.

"This isn't over yet. Vulpix use will-o-wisp." In obedience to her master she planted her feet. Almost like she was blowing me a kiss, she puffed out a bluish green ball of fire which floated in my direction.

"Um, Lin, I would really like to avoid getting hit by that again." I said looking for support as the spooky light drew closer.

"I said, Plan A, Ricochet," Lin said, "now finish this quick, move quick as you can."

The ball made a dive and I mustered ounce of speed I could summon. Dashing out of its way I came abreast with Vulpix who stood still as a statue. I knew the flame was right behind me, spurring me on. Bam! This time Vulpix didn't get up and the ball of fire winked out with her.

"Vulpix, return." Zack extended a pokeball and my nemesis was drawn back.

"Ricochet, come back here." I trotted back to her side. "Good job Ricochet, I knew you could do it."

"I was totally awesome… did you … see… um…" my mind seemed to be freezing over quickly. I couldn't quite think of the words to finish the sentence; or any words for that matter. I think my mind finaly quit on me.

"Go, Ekans," Zack said from the other side of the battle field, taking another pokeball from his belt, and tossed it forward.

"Stay here, Ricochet."

"What?" My head was in a fog.

"Aza," Lin said while summoning the psychic type. "I need your help with this."

"Finally. I thought you had forgotten about me, what with all the time you were wasting having Ricochet attack an injured vulpix. I could have taken it down in one hit. This should be just as easy." He said, apprising his opponent.

I'll give Zack one thing, he doesn't waste time. "Ekans, use poison sting." I almost couldn't see it from my position next to Lin, but I saw the snake open his mouth and rocket off the smallest sliver of liquid. I was impressed. Even through the fog in my mind I took note, never challenge ekans to a spitting contest.

The attack hit square in the chest, making him cough.

"Use confusion, Aza." Lin said almost at the same time Zack said-

"Ekans, return." A red light shot out and grabbed the snake instantly reclaiming him. "This isn't over, you fraud," Zack said and then turned around and ran full out down the bank away from Cerulean.

"Get back here!" Lin growled and began to run after him.

"Lin," Aza said.

"Come on guys. That no good double-crosser is getting away."

"Lin," Aza began again, "I have been poisoned. I don't think it is the best time to chase him down."

"Um, yeah," I managed to say.

Lin stopped and looked back at us with fury in her eyes. I tried to smile back at her, but only my bottom lip was working so it looked more like I was drooling I think. And, although Aza was putting on a good tough guy act, I could see his face tinged with green and his knees were shaking. Lin sighed and walked back to us.


Still Ricochet

As it turns out, the Pokémon center in front of the Rock Tunnel was only five minutes away around the last bend in the road. We stayed slept there that night and even took the next day off to completely refresh ourselves. Lin asked me to tell Aza and her what happened after I went on my walk. I started to tell them, but I was interrupted when I got to the part with the crazy venomoth.

"After I tackled him to the ground he got mad and started to turn purple. Then he flowed up in the air and something started hitting me all over the place. I couldn't tell where it was coming from at all it was-"

"Confusion," Aza said.

"Exactly, Aza, it was so confusing that-"

"No, my thick skulled friend, confusion is a psychic move. The user focuses its mental energy into a force. They can then use that force to hit their enemy in seemingly random areas to confuse them and possibly even cause them to hurt themselves."

I felt a twinge in my tail where it was still a little bent out of place.

"It's all done." Lin stepped back from one of her little grass eevee projects. It seemed even fatter than usual.

"How are you getting worse at this, Lin."

She simply smiled, then said, "You remember what we covered this morning? The quick attack technique is a bit stronger than your adverage tackle. You ready?"

"Of course I am." I told her.

"By the way, Ricochet," Lin said, "what happened to your tail? It looks like something heavy landed on it."

"Nothing! Nothing is wrong with my tail. Something is wrong with your head if you think something is wrong with my tail. My tail has always looked like this. Can you believe it, Aza, Lin can't even remember what I look like. Wow, I wasn't gone that long. Sheesh. You are hopeless Lin. Absolutely hopeless. Ha! Can't even remember what your first Pokémon looks like. I mean… wow."