A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter. It's Ven's last for a while, and Kikyo's is next. You finally get to find out what that 'chubby blue and white' Pokemon is. XD This chapter was more planned, except there was one part that was kinda added. Those of you who thought you were so sure who that Pokemon Ven met in his dream was, sorry. There's more than one candidate, as you'll find out in this chapter. And those of you who thought it was Minus, he's not the only one in the world with ruby red eyes. There are a lot. In my 10th Anniversary Pokedex there are sometimes three or four red eyed Pokemon to a page. It's a popular eye color. There's just as many in the DP Pokedex, too. And I'm introducing a lot more ruby eyed Pokemon. You're just gonna have to wait and see who it is. XD It will be revealed near the end of stage one. (This is only the first stage, and there will be a sequel for sure, called stage two. Not sure if there will be a stage three yet.) Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Battles

"Alright. You're all old enough to begin battling now," Ebonum announces one morning. Ven, Caremell, and Veecy crowd around him firing questions at him left and right. Lavendeau does her best to calm the excited pups down. They've all grown much since their birth, each well on their way to becoming beautiful full grown Eevee. Ven's odd mark is still apparent, but his parents don't notice it anymore. It's just a mark now. Nothing special. Just like their son.

Ebonum might have told Ven what his name meant, had he shown further signs of difference, but since he lost his eyesight he's acted bellow average. His father knows it's too late to correct his mistake now, because it might pose questions from his son. He doesn't want to hurt the Eevee's pride anymore.

"Today we're going to learn the attack Tackle," he continues. "Now, I don't expect you to get it perfectly right on your very first try, so don't be discouraged if you don't. To use this attack, it works best if you charge your target first. You'll like that Veecy."

The treacherous Eevee straightens in pride. She robbed Caremell's reputation for running the same day she stole Ven's eyesight. Caremell stares at her sister sadly. Ven looks at his paws blankly. He wishes he could hear a word of praise from his parents just once, but he's sure this will one more contest he can't win.

Ebonum centers out Veecy as the first to try.

"Now, dear, follow my lead."

The Umbreon takes off to strike a nearby tree. His form is perfect, and he hits the trunk straight on. He causes the oak to shake, and its leaves twirl to the ground. He nods to his daughter.

Veecy charges the tree, leaps, and barely scratches the edge. She tumbles to the ground and rolls head over paws several times before thumping against the base of a neighboring elm. Embarrassed, Veecy rolls over and shakes the leaves out of her fur. She trots back to Ven and Caremell with her head lowered.

"It's okay, dear," Lavendeau croons, "we've had pups before who missed that oak altogether. You did very well."

"Next!" Ebonum calls. Caremell hesitates. She glances at Ven, who motions towards Ebonum. Caremell nods. She pads up to her father, and he demonstrates the attack again for her. Nervously, she runs up to the roots. Just as she's about to leap, she shies and stops.

"What are you waiting for?" Ebonum says. "You won't get hurt."

Caremell circles around and Tackles the tree. Her form isn't as graceful as her father's, and only a couple of leaves are shaken from its boughs, but her attempt is considerably better than Veecy's.

"Good. Ven?"

Caremell shakily returns to her brother's side, and whispers words of encouragement to him.

"It's not so bad. I got scared at first because I thought it would hurt to tackle it like that, but if you do it right, it doesn't hurt at all. It's actually kinda fun. Like running."

Ven stays silent.

"Ven?" Ebonum repeats. "You try."

The Eevee mumbles something in reply that Caremell can't even catch.

"What?" Caremell's ears perk up.

"I . . . said . . . no!"

She jumps back and Ebonum rushes toward him.

"It's part of your early training to do this, and if you don't you'll be a failure as my son and as an Eevee. Tackle the tree!" he snarls. Caremell retreats further, but Veecy stands her ground, smirking.

Ven glowers down at his paws for a few seconds longer, and then steps forward.

"Fine."

He stands there for a while, concentrating. His family stares at him expectantly. Just as Ebonum is about to yell at him again, Ven takes off. He bears down on that tree with all the pain, all the sorrow, and all the beauty the first weeks of his life have brought him. He pours everything into that run, and, inches away from it's roots, launches himself into the tree. Everything moves so fast after this that no one's too sure what happens. There's a rumbling sound, a crack, the trembling of leaves, a cry of pain, and then all is still. All is still, that is, except for the shower of leaves raining down on them.

At last they clear to reveal felled branches and Ven limping away from the tree bitterly. He hurt one of his forepaws when he charged the tree, but it wasn't wasted. Ven hit the tree so hard it actually moved. As in, it's roots shifting underground. This caused it's branches to collide with that of those growing around it in peace for so long, and many of them cracked and fell.

Ven didn't use Tackle. He has completely surpassed that attack altogether. Ven's first attack was Take Down. Normal Eevee are supposed to learn that at level 43.

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Later that night when their children are asleep, Ebonum has a talk with Lavendeau.

"That Ven . . . he did the impossible. I can't use Take Down like that, and he moved a full grown tree! He's barely a month old! He's never even attacked before, and it takes years of practice to use it like that."

"Well, maybe you didn't make a mistake when naming him."

"But . . . that's the first time he's ever acted odd!"

Lavendeau pauses for a moment before replying, "No."

"What?"

"Remember? He used to stare at things before his eye was hurt, and his hearing was late. We just assumed he was normal when those things stopped, but I really think it's because he's sad. The poor thing . . . he won't see well for the rest of his life. I'd be a little depressed, too, if I couldn't do the thing I loved most anymore."

"And what does he love most?"

"Can't you see it? Looking. He loves looking at the beauty in life, and he can only do that half as well now."

Ebonum stares up at the night. He hates to admit it, but he's never been great at noticing things like that. He can track down a Kecleon in a blizzard if he has to, but when it comes do identifying other Pokemon's emotions, he's terrible. He often has trouble decoding his own feelings, and if it wasn't for his special power, human's would be a complete mystery to him. There's many times he can't even tell what they want when he reads their thoughts just because of his small problem. He'd be lost without Lavendeau.

"I . . . suppose."

She chuckles. "You always are difficult at understanding others, even though you can read some minds. You just don't understand their motives."

Ebonum lets his ruby eyes flutter close. He walks out into the moonlight and lets it pour down on him. His golden glows with its radiance. When they can't get any brighter, he steps out of the moonlight and into the shadows.

"I need to go tonight. I've grown restless."

Lavendeau nods sadly. On full moons he always does this. It's the only way he can stay calm. He absorbs all the moonlight he can, and then runs off to Verdant Forest to let all his troubles out. No one ever visits the forest anymore. The trees are so dense that they block out all light day and night. Nothing even filters in through the gaps. This is partly thanks to Ebonum, who usually unleashes dark thoughts into the trees to wander around in their shadows. They cast more themselves.

He squeezes through a secret hole beneath the fence that he dug out long ago. It's concealed by the shrubs growing down part of the fence, and only he and Lavendeau know its exact whereabouts. As he comes through the other side, his eyes flick open. They're completely pitch black.

As the Umbreon rushes off into the night, a dark, shadowy mist seems to follow him. He's swallowed up in the shadows as he goes off to fight his battles.

A/N: Okay, just so you know now, I might not be able to update next Saturday. I'll have to do this painting, and I'm not sure I'll be able to write, too. So just sit tight for a couple weeks, or check at the end of the day next week just in case. XD I made up Verdant Forest right when I was writing. I knew Ebonum was going to run off somewhere, but I really had no idea where. I just looked up green in the Thesaurus, picked the first word I saw, and stuck it in front of 'Forest!' XD Until a week or two, then.