Chapter 13
Jason's POV
The Vaporeon watched me closely, as did the Umbreon. The Eevee, who I was certain really was my little brother, had fallen asleep. Being in my new body felt strangely familiar and different at the same time, but I was quickly adapting. After staring at my reflection in the water gourd for a few minutes, I had fallen asleep as well.
I opened my eyes to see a beautiful green clearing. It was a small perfect circle, no larger then a small house. All around the clearing was a grim and dying, brown forest. The sky, over the clearing, was the purest blue, but the sky around the forest was a nasty gray-brown color. In the center of the clearing was a small clear pool of water. As I peered into the pool, it seemed like looking into a mirror. I saw that I was human again. Then the pool was clouded, as it became a murky black pool of smoke. Out of the smoky portal came the renegade himself. As soon as the renegade cleared the pool, the black smoke cleared back into the crystal blue water.
"What is this place, Girantina?" I asked. The renegade stared intently into the forest, not even casting a glance in my direction.
"This is the progression chamber. This is where people such as yourself begin to fulfill their role in their new position in life. You yourself are only the sixth person to visit this place." He said with more respect then he had ever shown.
"Why is this place so peaceful and yet the forest and the surrounding sky seem so apocalyptic?" I asked.
"The clearing represents your new life, clean and green, and full of joy. The forest and its sky represent the destruction of your old life, and how it fell apart around you. This little clearing's life will eventually encompass the entire forest with the joys of life. When that happens it will mean that you are ready for what will come." The renegade answered.
"Great more riddles. First you said that you would send me to my brother, then I wake up to an Eevee, and me as a Vulpix." I retorted.
The renegade sent me a look of disdain, before returning his gaze to the forest. "I didn't lie. The deal was to send you to your brother, which I did. I wasn't in charge of what shape you would arrive in, so get over it. In my opinion you were given a chance that no human should ever get." He hissed.
"Can you at least tell me what I'm supposed to do? This trip didn't come with a brochure, you know." I asked sarcastically.
"That would ruin the surprise, now wouldn't it." He jeered.
The ghost once again returned to the pool as it began to cloud over into its smoky portal state.
"Before I leave, I do have one bit of advice." He paused as if waiting for a reply, which I gave none. "Learn to walk and run, and learn it fast because you will have to run from lots of little haters for the next few months." He laughed harshly. The renegade ghost floated into the portal and disappeared. Shortly after, the clearing also disappeared.
Evan's POV
After nearly a week of me waiting for Flare to learn to walk, I finally was able to take him to the field. Dark and Mist both came because they were worried that something bad would happen to him. We had reached the field, but Flare hadn't said a word. Dark and Mist were also quiet.
I quickly spotted Lily and the others. I looked for Mist's approval, which I quickly got. I rushed off with Flare hesitantly following, with Mist and Dark side by side.
"Hey Evan! Ready for another game of freeze tag? Lily has been dominating since she mastered her quick attack!" Pad asked.
"Ok, but first I want you to meet my brother, but please be nice he is a little different than we are." Pad gave a slightly baffled look as he, Lily, and Fern followed me towards Mist, Dark, and Aqua.
Dark's POV
I held Flare back as Evan rushed off. Mist and I decided it would be best to see how the other parents would react, before turning him loose. Mist led as I carried Flare by the scruff of his neck.
"Hey Aqua. What's going on?" Mist asked dolefully.
"Not much, just watching the kits and training them. What's wrong? You look like you lost a fight to a tornado." the Vaporeon asked.
"Nothing is wrong. I'm just scared of what people will think of my son." she replied.
"Evan? Why would you think people would think badly about him? He's a good Kit." Mist shook her head ever so slightly.
"I'm not talking about Evan. I'm talking about Flare." Mist stepped aside to show me and Flare. Aqua gasped, but not a gasp of surprise or fear.
"He's so cute Mist, I must admit that it is a little strange seeing a Vulpix here, but he is adorable." Mist's expression improved exponentially, as she began to smile.
"I was just worried about what everyone else would think. You and I both know what most people in the clan think about them." Mist said.
"My kits will all be very well behaved, and won't tease him or anything like that."
The pattering of footsteps aroused my interest as I began to drown out everything else. Coming towards us like lightning were the four kits, with Evan in the lead. They stopped right in front of me.
"Can I show them Flare? They said they'd be nice." Evan asked, almost pleadingly. I smiled softly and stepped aside.
There was a mix of wows and cools from the small crowd of Eevees. Before I even knew what was going on the four Eevees were dragging the Vulpix off to play. Flare didn't look particularly happy.
Jason's POV
Between being dragged by the Eevees and finding out that most of the members in the clan didn't even like my new species it was safe to say that I was not happy.
They began to play their games with me watching from the sidelines. They began with a game of freeze tag. I watched with fascination at the speed the four were going. It was like watching little blurs of brown fur zip by. The game ended with Evan actually winning, even though the biggest one was using quick attack for most of the game. Before long they had played about three different games of freeze tag. They then started their fourth game.
Near the middle of the game, trouble began to stir. Two fairly large Eevees began to meander towards me. They started out just whispering to each other, and before long they were only a few feet from me.
"Hey you! The one laying in the grass!" one of the Eevees called. I tried to ignore them, but they ended up trying to get in my face.
"Hey red mutt. You're in the wrong neck of the woods, you scum." one called.
"What's the matter? Meowth got your tongue?" the other mocked.
"Leave me alone." I growled.
"You hear that, Clay? The fire mutt spoke." the first Eevee spoke.
"Yeah Grant. I heard, and I don't like what I heard." Clay said with a feigned disapproval.
The two began to circle me, while letting out the occasional growl when I tried to move. One of them, then placed his paw on my chest, and began to apply pressure. He kept pushing until I let out a yelp. I saw that Evan and Lily were run towards me, and the other two froze where they were.
"Leave him alone!" Evan yelled as he slammed into the Eevee on top of me.
"You've got some nerve runt. I guess you didn't learn anything from our last meeting." the Eevee snarled as he climbed back to his feet.
"The way I remember it, is that you were picking on a defenseless kit and were scared out of your wits when the adults came." Lily shot back.
"They aren't here, now are they?" Grant said.
Without warning Clay jumped at Lily. She was knocked to the ground, but quickly recovered. Grant also joined the fight, but went after Evan. Lily hit Clay in the chest sending him flying, as Evan sent a cloud of dust into Grant's eyes. Clay once again pounced on Lily and bit down hard on her left shoulder. She cried out in pain as the other Eevee tossed her to the side. She whimpered loudly but didn't attempt to move. Evan turned his attention towards Clay and tackled him hard. The sound of a breaking bone sounded as the giant of an Eevee cried loudly. Evan reached his feet, and looked back at Grant. Although he towered over Evan, the Eevee seemed hesitant. After a few minutes of standing the large Eevee launched himself with great speed. He smacked Evan hard, then he twisted around and materialized several yellow stars.
The stars shot towards Evan, and Evan jumped over them with ease. The stars completely missed, and sliced through a small tree behind Evan.
Evan started to charge, but as if by magic every star shot back out of the battle torn tree and straight into Evan. Evan didn't have enough time to dodge and was hit several times in the back.
He appeared to be muffling a whimper as he shakily reached his feet. Grant smirked and materialized more stars. The stars shot forward and once again Evan jumped up to dodge them. Evan charged forward for a tackle attack, but as he neared Grant he jumped over his head. Grant, confused at first, put two and two together, and stared in horror as the yellow stars slammed into his head and upper body. Grant collapsed, defeated.