Q is for Quilava
( k i r b y 1 6 3 )
"You're so useless!" Master yells at me. "You're a fire-type Quil! You were bred specially by the most expensive breeders. How could you lose to an underbred, grass-type bulbasaur?!"
I stare at the ground, knowing what Master says is true. I am a cyndaquil bred with special "egg moves" that aren't normally known by cyndaquil. In Master's mind, this means I should be unbeatable.
However, I know I am weak. The battle against the bulbasaur had been my first. I could tell she was stronger, and more experienced then me the second I saw her. In that battle, I learned that type-advantage, and breeding didn't win battles. It was experience, something I don't have.
One tackle attack and I had fainted.
"Tell me Quil," Master says angrily, and brings me out of my thoughts, "What's stopping me from releasing you?"
I am paralyzed by fear at that question. If Master released me, I would have nowhere to go. I do not know how to survive as a wild pokemon. I have no friends, human or pokemon, to help me.
If Master released me, I would not survive.
"Master, please!" I beg, even though I know he does not understand what I'm saying, "I-I'll win next time, I promise! Just don't-"
"I'll tell you what's stopping me Quil."
"P-please Master, please don't."
"Nothing Quil! There is nothing stopping me from doing this!"
I watch, paralyzed, disbelieving as Master pulls out my Pokeball, drops it to the ground and crushes it under his foot.
I can only watch as my only home walked toward the Pokemon Center, muttering about "calling daddy for a new, strong Pokémon."
I don't know how long I stood in that spot. I do know that eventually the clouds got dark and started to rumble. I know that it means rain, and that I do not like rain. I look toward the Pokemon Center, which would be good shelter, but…
I turn to another building, a small shop. I walk over to it and sit under the eve to wait for the storm to come and go.
Suddenly I hear a noise from inside the shop. Laughter? I climb onto the windowsill and look inside. A boy with a yellow pokemon on his shoulder are talking and laughing with a man behind the counter. The yellow pokémon looks so happy; I can't help but be jealous. I wish that Master and I could have laughed together like that, but…
I can't stop the tears from falling. I have no home, no family, no Master. I'm lost and alone in a dark and unforgiving world. Because I'm not strong. Tears of sadness and distress flow down my cheeks.
"What's wrong little guy?" A male human voice asks me.
I flinch, and turn around. The boy with the yellow pokémon had come out of the shop and both of them are staring at me. The yellow pokémon jumps off the boy's shoulder and onto the windowsill with me.
"Why are you crying?" The yellow Pokémon asks me, tilting his head in confusion.
"I… I…" I try to take a deep breath, but it gets caught in my throat. "I…"
The tears start flowing with a renewed intensity. I look down and try to hide them.
The boy picks me up and says, "Why don't you come inside little guy? It's freezing out here."
The boy takes off his sweater and wraps me up in it. It feels good, I realize. I hadn't noticed how cold I am. The boy takes me inside, and the yellow pokémon follows.
The sweater feels so warm, and the shop smells pleasant. All of the emotional stress suddenly snaps all my strength, and I fall asleep in this warm, comfy sweater. In the arms of a boy I don't know.
Master towers above me as he crushes my Pokeball beneath his foot, his face hidden behind shadows. He turns and walks away. I run after him, but the faster I run the farther away he gets.
"Master, please wait!" I cry as he vanishes from my view. The yellow pokemon appears beside me then, and looks at me curiously. "Why are you crying?"
I wake up in shock. Had it all been a dream, just a horrible nightmare?
No. I was still wrapped in that stranger's sweater. It all happened. Master left me.
I look around. I'm on a rather large, and soft chair, in front of me is a fireplace with a fire burning. Through a window I can see that it's still raining outside.
"Everyone! He is awake!"
"Huh?" I look up and see a small blue bird with a blue scarf around her neck flying around the chair. The bird flies down and lands on one of the arms of the chair. She salutes with her wing.
"Greetings, fire-type. My name is Sky the taillow. Pleased to meet you."
Suddenly the yellow pokemon jumps on the other arm of the chair and starts to whine, "Sky, why didn't you wait for me?! I wanted to say 'hi' first! Hey there!" He turns toward me and I notice that he's wearing a blue scarf as well, "I'm Yellow the pichu. Which came first the Torchic, or the Egg?"
"I…um."
"Yellow! Stop asking that to everyone you meet!"
A blue Pokémon and a bulbasaur, both wearing blue scarves, walk around to the front of the chair and look up at me. Wait, I know that bulbasaur…
"At least come up with some new questions." The blue pokemon says.
"But Wave," Yellow whines, "no one's told me the answer yet."
"The Egg came first."
Yellow's eyes widen in amazement. Then he turns to me and asks "Why is the sky blue?"
"Because I was born that way" Sky answers.
They all laugh at the pun, and I smile as well. They seem quite nice.
"By the way, I'm Wave the mudkip. And she," Wave gestures to the bulbasaur, "is Bud the bulbasaur."
"Hello there." Bud smiles shyly, "Um, Did I battle you yesterday? You look familiar."
It was her. "Yes we did…battle." She is stronger than me and that's a fact. I do not blame her for winning. But, I still wish I had not lost. Master…
"Ah! Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry. I didn't intend to." Bud says looking alarmed. My regret must have been showing on my face.
"No, It's not your fault," I assure her, "it's-" I am interrupted, by the sound of the door opening.
"Hey guys. I madez foodz." The boy from before whispers as he comes into the room, holding a rather large pot with some bowls and cutlery balanced on top. He sees me and says, "Oh you woke up little guy! Do ya want some food? The store-owner-guy-whose-name-I-keep-forgetting let me use the kitchen. And thus I'ma made spaghettis."
He put the large pot on the ground, takes the bowls off, and scoops out the 'spaghettis' (which are noodles covered in red sauce). He offers me a bowl, and I take it. I'm curious about this food; it doesn't look like anything they fed me at the breeding center. I carefully pick up a noodle and put it in my mouth.
Such amazing flavor! I've never had food this good!
I finish my bowl in a hurry, and the boy gives out seconds. All throughout the meal, everyone talks and laughs. Yellow asks whatever question crossed his mind. Wave and Sky both come up with witty answers to the questions. Bud says little but laughs often, and is always smiling. The boy laughs loudly, and occasionally puts his 2 poké into the jokes. I find myself laughing occasionally as well. Eating, talking, and laughing with this group is so nice.
"So little guy, wanna join us?"
I look up at the boy in surprise at the question. Get a different master? Can I? Is that allowed?
But why? Surely he noticed how weak I am. I don't disserve to be on his team.
"We doesn't have a fire-type yet. Both Sky and Bud are vulnerable to ice-types, and Wave is weak against darr grass-types. Your fire will be able to easily beat those, I think."
"I can't." I say flatly.
They all stare at me in surprise. "Eh? Why not?" The boy asks, and his question is echoed by all his Pokémon.
"I'm not strong." Tears form in my eyes again. I want to go with him, I do, but I can't let 'that' happen again. I don't want to disappoint anyone again. "I lost against Bud, she's a grass type. I'm not-"
"Little guy listen," The boy puts his hand on my small shoulder. "Of course you're not strong yet. It's the trainer's job to teach and train you. Pokemon aren't born with experience you know." I let the tears in my eyes fall. I can get stronger? But…
"What if I lose?" I whisper.
"We'll figure out why, and find a way to cover it."
"What if it can't be covered?"
"There's always a way little guy, it just depends on how you think."
"But-"
Yellow interrupts, "Come on, join us!!! Please!!!"
"I can't! I lost! I-"
Wave, who hadn't said anything until now, looks at me with a hard expression and asks, "Are you gonna keep living in the past? You can't change what has already happened. Move on! Because as long as you keep trying, lots of good times will come your way." She looks away. "If you want, you can have your good times with us."
The boy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Pokéball. He enlarges the Pokéball and places it in front of me. I stare at it, and then look up at everyone. I think about what the boy and Wave said. They're right, I need to move on and I need to become strong.
I reach down towards the Pokéball, push the button, and let it absorb me. I don't put up any fight, and now I belong to a new master, a kind one. New Master calls me out of my new Pokéball. He ties a blue scarf, just like the ones my new teammates have, around my neck.
"So, little guy what's your name?"
"My name is Quil, Master!"
"Okay then Quil. First things first; don't call me Master. Dar name's Kevin. Welcome to our team!"
I started crying again, but this time out of happiness.
Outside, the rain stops falling, and the sun shines through the no-longer-dark clouds.
Since that day a year ago, I've been a part of Kevin's team. A lot has happened since then. Both Wave and Sky have evolved into Marshtomp and Swellow respectively. Neither Yellow nor Bud want to evolve just yet, although I've toyed with idea. Kevin has added many new Pokémon to our team, like Lucky the Absol, Vee the Delibird and Scout the Furret. We've travelled all over Hoenn. I've gotten stronger and more confident.
One day came, that would prove how strong I had gotten, to myself at least.
"Okay Quil, show them what you've got!" Kevin yelled as he released me from my pokéball. I materialized and found myself facing none other than my old master. I wonder if he recognizes me.
"You can do it Quil!" Yellow cheers from his usual position on Kevin's shoulder.
"Go Tang!" Old Master yelled, and a Tangela appears ready to battle me. I have the advantage, both in type and experience. But I knew that this Tangela must be special, just like me.
"Tang, Leaf Storm!" Tan spins and hundreds of razor sharp leaves are sent flying at me.
"Flame Wheel!" I surround myself with flames as the barrage hits, each leaf burns up as they touch my fiery armor. I charge forward through the remaining leaves, still surrounded by flames, and hit Tang head on. She falls back and faints.
"Tang return." Old Master returns the Tangela and stares at me, annoyed. Then he holds up another pokeball. "Go Skar!" He releases a Skarmory. Skar immediately took to the sky. He was obviously more experienced then Tang, this could be difficult.
"Sky Attack!" Skar starts to glow, in preparation for the attack.
"Get ready Quil." I nod, and widen my stance slightly to better take the impact.
Skar charges at me, glowing brightly. "Now! Protect!" I create a green bubble around myself, and Skar hits it and bounces off. He stops glowing and lands, shaking his head. He seems disoriented.
"Flamethrower!" Kevin commands. I release a jet of flame from my mouth at the Skarmory. He is hit and goes down, fainted.
Yellow cheers as Old Master returns Skar, and holds up a third pokeball. "Go! Bagon!" A female Bagon immerges; she looks very confident but not very old. "Hydro Pump!" The Bagon takes a deep breath in preparation.
"Tackle!" Kevin calls. I charge at the Bagon. She sprays a huge amount of water at me, but the power is too much for her. She loses her balance and the Hydro Pump goes high over my head. I hit her hard in the stomach, and she falls. Fainted, defeated by a single Tackle attack. I feel a strange sense of Déjà Vu. That was probably her first battle.
Old Master returns the unconscious Bagon. I wait for his next Pokémon, but he doesn't send one. He walks up to Kevin and hands him some bills.
Wait so that means…
"I won!!!!!!" I yell at the top of my voice. I can hardly believe it! I beat my old master! And I didn't take any damage at all! I'm practically glowing with happiness!
Hey! I really am glowing!
I feel my body change shape and I realize that I must be evolving. Soon the light fades and I am no longer Quil the Cyndaquil. I am now Quil the Quilava!
"Quil!" Kevin calls. I rush over, inwardly marveling at how easy running is now, and jump into his arms. He and Yellow hug me tightly and congratulate me. I see over Kevin's shoulder as Old Master drops a Pokéball and walks away.
"Hey!" I jump over Kevin's shoulder to the Pokéball and pick it up. "Wait! You dropped this!" I run over to Old Master (which is hard on two feet) and try to give it back. He looks away from me and keeps walking.
I understand now. He dropped it on purpose. He is abandoning this Pokémon just like he abandoned me. I stare at the small Pokéball in my hands.
"That guy is a jerk." Kevin says, having caught up to me.
"Ya!" Yellow says angrily.
I nod in complete agreement.
Kevin takes the Pokéball from me and opens it. The Bagon appears in a flash of light, and looks around.
"Where is my block-headed Master?" She demands.
We laugh at her comment. Then Kevin tells her what happened, and Yellow adds comments.
"So Block-head ditched me." She says, looking downcast.
Kevin reaches out to her, and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Bagon, my little brother, Tom, is starting his journey soon. He's going to Kanto because he wants to start with a charmander, and thus I'ma kinda worried about his safety. He's likely to get into all kinds of trouble, and I won't be able to help."
"So what?" Bagon asked.
"Would you mind going with him? He shallst be much nicer then Block-head. I'm sure you'll be able to help him when he gets in trouble."
Bagon thinks about Kevin's offer then she smiles a somewhat evil looking smile, "All right then."
"Thanks!" Kevin says happily and returns Bagon.
Yellow stares at the Pokéball, "Are you sure Kevin? I think that Bagon is evil."
"Don't worry; I get darr feeling that this Bagon will do wonders for Tom." Kevin says, smiling at a private joke. "Now come on guys, we has to celebrate Quil's evolving! Then I'ma send Bagon to Tom by Vee-mail!"
Yellow jumps onto Kevin's shoulder and Kevin returns me. We all head back to the Pokémon Center for what would definitely be a great party.
I wonder if Kevin will make spaghetti.
Note from the author: Ya I know this story was more about a Cyndaquil then a Quilava. Just in case you're wondering about Kevin's/my strange way of speaking, and bad grammar, he/I just speaks like that because he/I wants to. The word "darr" is something he/I made up; basically it just replaces "the". Vee is a Delibird mentioned in the middle of the story; "Vee-mail" is when we get Vee to mail things, and it sounds like e-mail. I may start writing more of these stories about Kevin's (and Tom's) journeys. Watch for them. They'll be called "Flip of a Coin Head/Tails" (Heads being Kevin's POV and Tails being Tom's POV)