Alright everyone, I have returned with another chapter. Sorry it took so long. Classes started up again so my schedule is jam packed between school, clubs, this story, and volunteering at an animal shelter. To be fair, petting cats & walking dogs for an hour or two a week for community service is the best. Even if I didn't get community service hours I'd still do it. However, I have been finding a few hours to fully commit myself to writing this story throughout the week. I will be trying to update as often as I can with good quality chapters as opposed to more quantity chapters. More notes after the chapter since a key event happens in this one.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon but I do own my OCs.
Chapter 26-On A Whole New Level
Getting praise from Clair was no easy thing according to Linda or any other of the gym assistants. All eight badges had been earned through blood, sweat, tears, heart, mind, and soul by everyone on our team. Espeon has lost the most blood going through this road, but not a single drop fell under my care. Umbreon had probably sweated the most, but he always had sweat out of fear since he always loved Espeon. Since under my care, a bead of sweat has not fallen because of fear or uncertainty. The greatest gift I have given them was a loving environment. Furret had shed the most tears, especially on that day early in my journey. Gyarados by far has the most heart on the battlefield. It's not to say that the other five don't, it's just that he has never lost in any important battle. He's been beaten down so many times yet he always got back up. Ampharos has the one of the best minds on the team since electricity can be used in so many different ways. She makes use of her power very wisely. Finally, Growlithe has the most soul due to him being my first Pokémon. Both of us have been through it all since he came into my Violet City house.
Both dragon trainers gave me some key information on the Indigo Plateau like its location, what to bring, how to deal with the press, and other smaller things. When I asked about what to expect, they told me I had to experience it myself. I stood up, recalled the two eons, and made my way back to the Pokémon Center to double check my things before I left for good. Back in the Dragon's Den I swore I heard a voice inside my head. Maybe it was just me getting tired or hungry.
It had been some time since I had a full-blown meal so I decided to check for any restaurants in the area. Breakfast and lunch usually consists of cereal bars but sometimes I just don't have the supplies for dinner. Come to think of it, the Olivine Market was the last place I was surrounded by great food. That super coupon I got from winning was mainly for special items. Oh how I wish I could have gotten some extra food plus containers for the leftovers. To be fair it probably wouldn't have fit in my bag anyway. Now that I think about it, my bag has been practically empty for quite some time with the exception of some random items I may never use. Meh, I'm hungry. Here I guess?
The place looked like it was a little fancy for me considering I was still in my all-purpose coat and hiking pants while everyone else was in business casual attire. A few Dratini were eating with their masters. Even the hostess looked hesitant to seat me until she realized I was the pendant bearer for the ceremony not too long ago. I was seated at a small table outside with a large area around me.
"You can let out your Pokémon if want to sir," the hostess said hesitantly.
"Perfect. After getting the Rising Badge we would love to eat together. Just give me a sec." A look of shock slowly came across her face as she saw all six Pokémon come out onto the patio. "I'll just need a few minutes to order please." She walked back to her station still looking a little intimidated. Let's see what looks good here. Pepperoni Pizza? Absolutely. There seems to be no Pokémon food listed but I assume they probably have some.
A waitress came out with a notepad looking equally intimidated by my party. "W-what do you want to eat?"
"I'll have a large pepperoni pizza for myself and Pokémon food for everyone else here. Water too please."
"Okay, I'll put that in." She hustled to the back of the house; I looked down at the table in a state of reflection.
Leaving Violet City, or at least the outskirts, was a tough decision to make. Money had been a little tight growing up. School was alright except for the fact that I really didn't have good friends to hang out with. Owning a Growlithe was a nice perk in the classroom because not a lot of children had a Pokémon to call their own. Most of the people I went to school with became trainers as soon as they could whereas I worked to put money in my nest egg when the time came to leave.
Registering for the Silver Conference was honestly harder than getting my first two badges; any mistake on the paperwork would have meant a delay in getting my trainer's license. A fair amount of my graduating class actually found out that the trainer's life wasn't for them so they either settled back home or wandered down a new path. Most of them still love Pokémon enough to own at least one.
My waitress came back some ten minutes after I placed my order and tapped me on the shoulder to get me back into the real world. "Here's your pizza plus the Pokémon food. Just call me over if you need anything."
"Thank you very much." All six slices in that pizza were scarfed down pretty fast and five of my team members finished their food pretty quickly. Only Espeon wasn't concerned about eating her victory meal. She was too busy staring across the way before going to eat slowly. The sound of feet approaching our table forced me to turn around out of instinct.
A girl who looked nineteen having red hair and standing about 5'6" was in front of me. "I couldn't help but notice your Espeon was staring at me. Is there something wrong with me? Do I have something on my face?" Those were genuine sounding questions.
"I mean you look normal to me. Pokémon sometimes stare at strangers."
She got snarky. "What does that mean?" You're kidding, right? What a bitch.
"All I did was answer your question. I don't want any trouble and I'm pretty sure you don't either." Her hand slowly reached for her back pocket. "For the love of Arceus don't do it. We're in a pretty crowded place."
She eventually put her hand back by her side then shot me a glare. "I know you probably beat Clair for your last badge. See you at the Indigo Plateau." Just like that she was on her way. Espeon was really looking pale even after she was done eating. I checked the ferry guide once I paid the check. Despite Blackthorn having no ferry service they were nice enough to provide the information. New Bark Town was the closest place for a ferry to the Indigo Plateau just like Linda said.
Each Pokémon looked drowsy after stuffing their faces full of food so I went to call them back. Espeon violently shook her head which caused Umbreon to growl at a low volume. To my surprise, Espeon nudged Umbreon ahead so that he could go back. The look on his face was mixed between relief and fear while holding a tired smile. It was just the two of us walking through the city to the open southern gate with her trying to hide behind me the entire time. Offering her the chance to get back was declined every time until she sat down in an open field with nobody around.
"I really don't understand Espeon. What's with you right now? You've never acted like this before. Not even when we met." Whether or not she was trying, the puppy dog eyes came out in full force. "Aww come on. Don't do that…"
"I thought I would never see her again." Mind games just like in Dragon's Den yet…
"Did you just say something?" Espeon continued to stare into space. "Your mouth didn't…"
"You can hear me!? Oh Arceus I didn't think I could do it. Well I guess I finally gained the ability to talk to you through telepathy. I've been trying to do it since we went to Cianwood City."
"So you tried to talking to me back there too?" A small nod to me. I cracked a smile. "Well I'm glad you can now! I know your powers aren't as honed as they should be but that's okay. You probably have a lot to say." Just the wind blowing made the next few minutes a little tense. Luckily the sunset made it a little easier to restart the conversation. "So what did you mean by you would never see her again?"
She immediately tensed up before talking really slowly. "I-I-I r-r-really can't believe that I would see her face after she left me to die that night. I shouldn't be alive right now."
Poor Espeon was starting to cry just like Umbreon the first time he returned to the cemetery. Linda was right when she told me Espeon had a horrible past. Now the Demons have come back except for this one will torment her as long as she is alive and I didn't do a damn thing about it when she was right in front of my face. Arceus dammit!
Espeon continued to weep for as long as she could before finally crawling into my lap. The sniffling eventually was replaced by slow breathing after the sun had finally set. Gently petting her made her curl up in a tight ball. I made sure to whisper so she wouldn't get scared.
"You don't have to tell me everything since I think Linda did a good job. If you want to talk, I'll be here. Just know that when I see her again there will be hell to pay. Losing against her is not an option. But let's cross that bridge when we get to it. Now let's pitch the tent for tonight." Placing her gently on the soft grass allowed me to set up camp for the night. It was a pain in the ass without some light until the tent stakes dug themselves into the ground. Espeon had made her way inside after I finished setting up the sleeping bag. She hopped in before I took out her ball; her head shook.
Her paw poked at my shoulder. "Can you sleep next to me tonight?" I guess sleeping beside Pokémon to comfort them is acceptable. Still, it feels weird because I've never done it with Growlithe even though he was my first. "I just don't wanna go back in my ball right now. Some nights I have nightmares about that night where I should have died from poison or the time Sara threw me away. Mitch, sometimes I wonder if I should have just given up. Even travelling with you I sometimes feel like I'm not good enough."
Damn. Talk about not knowing your Pokémon. We were always told in school that body language of a Pokémon usually gave away its feelings. Problem is that Espeon has been doing too good of a job hiding how she really feels. Battling in certain situations makes her uncomfortable for sure, but this is something they don't prepare you for in school. Nobody told me how to deal with Pokémon that have been treated like shit their entire lives; that was never a lesson. Any Pokémon that evolves by happiness that are found in the wild are quite rare which was a red flag to me. Nevertheless, I didn't dig deeper since both of them affectionately begged me to take them. Hearing that hurt like hell.
"Don't you dare think of yourself in that way. Don't talk like that to anyone else either. Even if I didn't want you then I would give you to someone who would. There is no reason to give you up when we're all so close to the top. All the work you put in will continue to pay off. We've been through this before yet the answer is the same every time: I will love you and everyone on this team. We made it too far to doubt ourselves. Sara? I'll make sure I win against her."
Espeon took a deep breath. "I can't believe it… you're just like Shade. How do you have limitless empathy for a weak Pokémon like me?"
"First, you're not weak. Second, a Pokémon's strength partly relies on the trainer's own strength. All I want out of everyone is to battle to the best of their abilities. Win or lose, I still love you all. Third… who's Shade?"
"Oh, Shade is Umbreon. My name is Ruby."
"So I can call you Ruby or Espeon?" She nodded to both names. "Does anyone else have a self-given name that I'm not aware of?"
"Not that I know of. Maybe you've picked up on the fact that there are some pairings though. Furret and Growlithe are the newest couple; it happened when you were passed out in the woods after the ice gym battle. Gyarados has no idea how much Ampharos loves him which makes the other couple interesting. Shade and I have been really close since the night we met."
That stay in Cianwood City was her doing. All of them have been a little less anxious since that stay. Living in the Olivine Lighthouse probably made their bonds grow more too. Gyarados took the floor any time there was a bed and Ampharos followed him. How did I not add that up? Arceus I'm such an idiot when it comes to this stuff. "Wow. Maybe I should pay attention to everyone more closely. Unfortunately everyone's going to continue to get hurt in battle. Not a lot of battles happen where one side doesn't get hurt. That doesn't mean I won't try to make sure everyone can stay healthy. Remember that Dragonite? There was no way that I would let you fight that Pokémon in your state."
Espeon curled up tighter. "I wish you found me first. You are the best master a Pokémon could ask for. As a favor, I can help you talk to everyone else through me. They have a lot to say too. Just don't let me go for now."
"Master just doesn't sound right to me. You can call me that if you want, but you can always call me Mitch." I gently kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep pretty girl."
"Hmmmm yup. Exactly what Shade would do."
Rain started to fall outside about an hour after we were done talking. It would have been horrible except the weatherproof rain cover kept the water out and the sleeping bag was toasty. She had been sleeping soundly while I was fading in and out for a while. After hearing all of that straight from her mouth err… mind, I just couldn't sleep peacefully. What if I just fought them at first sight? What if they came to me appearing healthy? Killing a wild Pokémon is something I have never done but Umbreon biting me would have given me a reason to kill him. How can I balance all of this in the heat of battle? Jeez, they should probably teach this in school too.
The morning sun was covered by clouds as I woke up first. Ruby had not woken up when I stepped outside to stretch. When I came back in, she was twitching in her sleep. Just one touch made her stop on a dime; purring followed. Once she was fully awake, she continued to purr while rubbing her had on my arm. "We have to get to New Bark Town so you have to go back. By the time we reach the Indigo Plateau we'll be more than ready to take on any challenge we face." Her paw tapped the center of the ball after a lick to the face. Once everything was put away I had no choice but to stare at her ball reflecting on the past few hours.
"Keep fighting."
So as you can tell, Espeon's words/thoughts will be in italics when it is in Mitch's POV. There will be cases where she is talking to other Pokemon and I may just have that in normal font because it would likely be from her POV. I know I'm not perfect but some stories with talking Pokemon are tough to read or mentally digest. I will do my best to make this easy to follow for you. However, this change will lead to some interesting conversations down the road and hopefully make the story more detailed. That's all I've got this time around. Despite it being 2:45am, have a good day :)
-W4f