Hey Alisa? Watcha doin?
-(Continues reading)
Hey, you're reading the new chapter huh? Cool, what do you think?
-Um, (Pauses for a long time) This chapter's kind of scaring me.
Why? What's wrong?
-Well, I don't want to spoil anything in case some random person is somehow listening to me or something... ;)
-But, why is this chapter so mental? It's kind of scary.
Oh, I see what you mean. Well this character has a lot to deal with. I think it makes sense that the character debates so much in his head. My characters are always debating things but this one's very serious. It scares me too ok? I just figured it works for the story.
-Yeah, I guess. I just hope the readers don't think the writer is insane or something. There's some pretty messed up stuff in here.
What? Why would they think that? This story is just fine. This is no different than you and your bloodlust.
-Surrrrre. (Puts paper down) I'm just saying. If you get some weird complaints about how you should go see a therapist or something, you should probably listen.
Whatever, I think I'm sane... As far as I know. Doesn't everybody have a little crazy in them somewhere?
-(Rolls eyes) Keep telling yourself that alright? I'll meet you in the insane asylum some day.
Yeah, I look forward to it.
(Jake walks in)
Hey guys! Oh, you should really consider seeing a therapist some time. You don't look so well.
Hey? Wait a minute...
-Dang it Jake! You're supposed to come in later. Now we'll never convince him.
Oh. I see what you did there. (Sticks tongue out at Alisa) You guys are real jerks. You know that?
-Yep. I sure do.
Anyways, did you enjoy the chapter Alisa?
-Yes, I think it's about time Jack goes insane. Anybody who hasn't read it is in for a really big surprise.
...
Chapter 28
John was late to the hospital, of course. When he finally barged into the hospital room, Chase was sitting upright in his bed wrapped a hospital gown. He was lucky enough to get one that covered his whole body. It looked like a giant white bath robe and he didn't look very comfortable.
"Where have you been!" Chase jumped up and yelled. "You're thirty minutes late."
"I got caught in traffic." John started. "And..."
"I don't care. Sign that form and get me back to my office now." Chase jumped out of the bed and stormed to the door. He didn't like being thirty minutes late for his job. This wasn't like John. He was never wrong or late on anything.
Chase had been rushed to the hospital just after Lauren burned the whole house down. Having the whole night to think and complain about how he was going to kill her made the night last for a very long time.
So, he was in a grumpy mood. He needed to get back to his office, file a report, and then make a file about how every policeman needs to actively search for Lauren so he could throw her in prison for assaulting the Chief of police. Really he just wanted to punch her back. She had scored plenty of blows on him during their fight.
Plus, she knew about Team Citadel and if his accusations were correct, probably a lot of other things. She needed to be silenced.
Now John was thirty minutes late. This was unbelievable.
He threw open the door and stormed into the hallway. Any Nurse that saw him would've kindly asked him to get back in bed but he didn't care. He had an agenda to complete.
John did as his boss asked. He looked around him and found the clipboard on the desk seeing the release form on it. Without even reading it he signed the bottom and snatched the paper off the clipboard. He caught up to Chase as they hurried to the front of the hospital.
Chase talked first, keeping up his fast walk. "Listen. We don't have much time. I need to get back and start a search for that girl. We have absolutely no leads and now with you being thirty minutes late," he glared at John for this, "Well, now it's too late to set up a search radius. We'll have to scan the whole city for her." The day couldn't have been going worse for Chase. A person who blew up an entire floor in the police tower was loose in the city and more importantly, she had punched him right in the face. "I swear, when we do find her, I will personally handle the interrogation." Chase smiled at this.
John tried to interrupt again.
"Sir I..."
"Hey nurse!" Chase yelled interrupting John. They were at the front desk and Chase was still in the white robes.
"Um, sir?" The nurse looked up at him surprised. "Didn't I tell you can't leave until..."
Chase threw the forms at her. "Go get my clothes, I'm a busy man and busy men don't work in hospital gowns! Hurry up."
The nurse had hated this man ever since he was dragged in, but that was her job. She rolled her eyes and walked off to grab the man's police uniform stored somewhere in the closet. If she hadn't known he was the chief of Silver City police, she would've lost her job for what she wanted to do to him.
John studied Chase's condition while he impatiently waited for his suit at the desk. The burn wounds on him were minimized, the tough officer could take them but they still hurt underneath his skin. His right arm was red and on his back beneath his gown were some scars from the fire. Any other injuries had been attended to by the hospital staff, a part of the treatment that Chase was very eager to get done with. He was the Chief of police and he had been bested by a girl with a lighter. Although, the problem did seem a little more complicated than that. The police report would have it all when he finally got a chance to write it.
Chase impatiently waited for the outfit to be returned to him. This nurse was taking forever.
"Sir?" John interrupted. "I found..."
"Did you know they don't even have service here?" Chase laughed. "I tried to call you, but you wouldn't answer. You've never shown up late for anything John. What happened?"
"Traffic sir. I found..."
"Well next time leave sooner then!" Chase threw his hands up in disbelief. Traffic was the lamest excuse a cop could give for being late. "You couldn't just flip on the lights or something huh? I've never known a single cop to show up late on my force. I've wasted thirty minutes already and now this darn nurse is taking..."
"Sir, I found the Eevee and Espeon."
Chase stopped talking. He turned towards John. "Which Eevee and Espeon?"
"The one at the house sir." John answered as plainly as he could.
Chase stood still for a moment, thinking. If John had found them, if they could capture them? It would be the biggest lead towards getting Lauren that they ever had.
Chase forgot about his outfit. Right in his hospital gown he sped towards the entrance doors with John running to catch up.
The nurse finally came back. "Um, sir? You're clothes?"
Chase didn't care. He stormed out of the hospital and raced to the only police car in the parking lot.
"Where were they at?" Chase asked jumping in the passenger seat.
"On Twelfth street." John explained. "Half a mile from the city park."
Chase smiled. "Good. If we catch them then we can find Lauren. I want that area under surveillance as soon as possible. We'll have to check up on it sometime later in the night.
John stopped. "Later in the night? Sir?"
"Look John." The officer turned towards his partner. It was hard to take him seriously in a hospital gown. "I've got a lot to do and while catching Pokemon would be nice, getting a warrant out for this girl's arrest is more important. It's not like the Pokemon can tell us where she is right?" With that said he turned around and sat impatiently. He twiddled his thumbs. "Get driving already!"
John didn't like this. "We should leave now. Those Pokemon may lead us to Lauren. There's something..." He stopped. No use to say something like that, it would make him sound dumb in front of his boss and he was already embarrassed enough.
Chase shook his head. "If anything John, those Pokemon would sit in Pokeballs until we finally captured Lauren. They're just Pokemon. They don't know anything. We catch Lauren, then we catch them. I'll leave at midnight tonight to go search the park with you and a couple squads. If they're there, then we'll get them both." Maybe he could use the Pokemon for ransom or something but other than that, to Chase, they were just wild Pokemon.
Chase smiled. John didn't. He had been confused all day.
He knew Pokemon had a good sense of direction, but how did an Eevee stuck in the basement of a laboratory know how to get to the park where they'd obviously be safest? And how the heck did they come up with using a trashcan as a way to escape traffic?
These weren't just two Pokemon, something else was up. The video had yet to make sense in his head but something was up with both of those Pokemon.
He fingered the taser in his back pocket and then turned on the car. He could wait until midnight, he just hoped they would still be there when he arrived.
...
Black. Nothing but black for the longest time. It was blacker than the night sky above.
There was no sounds, no feelings, no thoughts. Jack was dead, as dead as his little Eevee body could be.
The water from the stream had killed him. He wasn't breathing, he couldn't move. So much water had shot into his brain that within seconds it failed to work and left him to rot with his tail stuck in the cement wall.
Everything was dead. Everything, except his back paw.
It gripped the small sharp stone until it cut into his fur. It was the last thing keeping his instincts alive.
Jack was stuck in black, and then suddenly there was light. He saw the light. A little glowing light that very clear to him.
He tried to think. He had seen this light before, no, he had felt it. What was it? He knew this thing? It was so familiar.
It was his inner life source. It was asking him a question.
The voice was loud and clear. "Survive?" It asked him. "Survive?"
It wasn't a command anymore like Jack had remembered it to be. As an Eevee his life source begged him every second to survive. This time, it was a choice. Did he want to survive?
"Survive?" It grew fainter. The light dimmed. "Survive Jack. Survive?"
The voice faded. Jack made his choice as quickly as he could.
"YES!" He screamed at the glowing light even though no sound existed. "Yes!" He wanted to live! Please don't let him die?
The small light shot back to life. Jack's choice was clear, his answer was made. Jack couldn't think or feel, but his instincts made the choice for him.
He watched the light. As soon as he made the choice, it suddenly changed, turning from a white light that felt so familiar, into an orb with rushing water.
Immediately, Jack could feel the change. His instincts were soft, and full of energy. The little orb was filled with an endless amount of water and it was deep inside his chest.
Jack was holding a water stone. His choice was very clear. He wanted to survive.
He wanted to survive, no matter what it took. His instincts knew that.
The orb of water bounced around. It swished and crashed against the walls like rapids. Jack could feel that somehow, it never ran out of water. All he knew, was that it was inside him somewhere. The new voice sounded like a river, like water. It was all his instincts could say to him in the black.
"Water." It begged of him. It showed him the crashing waves inside. "Water!" It screamed.
Jack shot awake immediately. He wasn't breathing, he couldn't move, all he could do was think and feel his body. His eyes were forced open, he was still underwater.
His new instincts had control. His mind was blank. "Water." He spoke aloud not moving his mouth. Nothing else existed in his mind except water. All he cared for was... "Water."
With the stone in his paw, it began it's changes, starting with his Eevee's life source.
In a blink of light, it changed, straight into an orb swirling around inside his chest. Jack felt like his own heart had been ripped out and immediately replaced with this thing. It was so sudden that his mind couldn't even see it.
It was natural. The water inside his chest was endless. It spread immediately, it's job was simple.
The water stone in his paws fell to the floor. It had done it's job. It's job was to change his life source.
When his life source was made of water, all Jack could think of... Was water. It began the necessary changes.
An Eevee's life source fit that of a normal Pokemon, a small glowing light. Something so faint that even humans had it to a degree.
A watery orb that continuously poured and never ran out was a life source for a water Pokemon, a Vaporeon.
The voice was begging him to think of it. Jack did, but he couldn't do it enough. "Water!" He screamed in his mind. "Water!" It was his instincts. It was all he could think and he couldn't think of it enough.
"Water!" His mind shot at him. "WATER!"
That was it. If his instincts desired it enough, then it would satisfy this lust he had for water. The power in his heart was so strong, it would change his own body to fit that of water. He was evolving.
His instincts began working. They wanted him to think of water and he wasn't doing it enough. All it was to Jack was a word that he couldn't scream loud enough in his head. He had to be one with water.
"You're one with water." The unfamiliar voice inside told him. These were't his instincts. They were foreign, a strangers voice. His Eevee mind was fighting it, and deeper still his human mind was fighting it more, but the strong current in his chest was ten times worse than before.
His mind didn't stand a chance. It's thoughts went quiet, they disappeared.
"Water." Jack whispered. Ok, so he would be one with water. He would connect to his instincts, not fight it for his life.
His instincts smiled. "Good choice." It made Jack smile. Water made him feel complete. Nothing else did.
He couldn't feel it. His back foot started growing. It grew unnaturally bigger than the other one slowly stretching. Already Jack was feeling closer to the substance surrounding him.
He listened closer. "Water." His instincts told him. That wasn't it. "Change. Paws. Agile. Swim. Vaporeon." Every word he heard was making his body give in to the powerful instincts inside him. The more he listened, the more he changed, and the more he liked it, the more he liked water.
The fur on his bigger paw started to grip tight against his leg. It fused together stretching with his paw and taking shape. Already Jack could feel himself connecting with his instincts.
The fur shrunk rapidly. Slick tight fur took over instead. It stuck tight to his paw like rubber, like fish scales, a completely water proof and agile layering over his back paw. It covered all the holes and didn't let water in. It was made to glide through the liquid with ease and be one with water.
Jack's paw grew so big he could see it in front of him now. The fur was so tight, it felt like clothing that was four sizes too small. His paw was still taking shape, bending and stretching with each command from his instincts.
He had the sudden thought to fight it. To still be Eevee, to still be human, but his thoughts were clouded with the strong liquid. He had more of a desire to be like water than he did to even talk. His Eevee and human mind was becoming obsolete.
His front paws suddenly stretched. His other back one started stretching until all four paws were growing.
Every passing second of these changes, and Jack felt himself connecting with his instincts. He smiled, these large paws were one with water. His instincts were becoming satisfied. His mind was nothing now but a distant call that he didn't care for.
His mind, was begging him to think like a human. Human's liked food, friends, Lauren... All he could think of now was water and that was ten times better than anything he had ever felt before.
His paws formed, they stretched and grew. All four of his paws now were easily twice the length they had been before. They were still brown, the tiny furs on them clenched tight to his skin forming his new skin.
His head started changing. Instantly his mind felt more with water, everything on his face felt one with water.
His ears pulled tight against his head, the floppy appendages changed into a tight slick shape that held it's place on his forehead. They pulled back and grew tight into the fins that Vaporeon's new. They grew thinner and thinner with each movement and sharper and sharper at the tips. he could feel the water rushing past them without any resistance at all. They were made to glide through water, they were made to be one with water. The fins where his ears had been were complete. His entire body was nothing but slick fur, his head was already changing.
"More." His instincts thought. He wasn't one with water yet even with how much Jack thought of it. Jack felt the faintest urge to resist but he smiled and let go.
His body grew longer. His chest stretched like he was being pulled two ways, rapidly growing. He could feel the soft rocks below him slide as his body took a much larger shape.
The paws shifted, his body grew tight and sleek. Everything was moving around like he was made up putty and morphing into something else. Jack now cared more for water than he did for his own life.
His tail stretched out to twice its size, his paws pushed outwards. Everything was twice as large as before, everything felt foreign. He didn't recognize or feel any of it. Besides his brown coloring, his body was already in the shape of a Vaporeon. He could feel the water rushing by his side with every passing moment.
"Water." Jack thought. No, wait. "Lauren." His mind begged of him.
It was too late. His instincts were clouding his mind. The thoughts of humans and food disappeared quicker than he could blink. It replaced his mind with something that only Vaporeon's cared about.
What did he care about? Water! He wanted more. There was never enough. The orb inside him crashed around violently wanting nothing more than for Jack to connect with it. His mind was still so distant from his very own instincts. He wasn't one with water.
"Lauren." He begged. "Lauren." His mind still grasped the thought amidst all the other things it wanted. Jack just wanted more water, it was in his DNA. If his instincts called for it as badly as they did, then there was nothing else he could do.
His instincts were going from foreign, to natural. He could hear the call from them changing his body more and more. He started feeling the water in his heart and was connecting to it. He was starting to understand it.
Jack reached up in the water and pushed against his face. He could feel the slick form of his skin. Somehow, that fit his new instincts better than before. Eevee fur was just wrong in his mind. Water was right and this worked well with water.
He blinked. HIs paw was blue.
Instantly his mind took back over. His voice could work underwater, it would've screamed until the whole city could hear him.
He tried to think. His thoughts were clouding. His instincts were winning.
"Water!" It screamed at him. "Water! You love water!"
"No!" Jack screamed. No he didn't. He hated water! Jack fought it for his humanity and shut his mouth. He didn't want anymore water inside him. He was done with it.
The orb in his chest exploded in pain. No matter how hard he tried to resist, it was impossible for him to deny his own instincts. He was connecting with it more and more. He was left with no choice since the empty river inside him was begging for it.
Jack couldn't do anything to resist. He opened his mouth again and let the water flow through him. Immediately he cared for nothing except the clear liquid.
Jack felt like his lungs were swelling with the cold water from around him. Nothing hurt, but it felt unnatural still. Instead of air, they hardened to take on something much stronger. They hardened like steel and were ready in an instant to take in a new source of oxygen.
Jack took in more water, it rushed to his lungs, and then rushed back out of his mouth.
Air bubbles exploded from his mouth. He screamed in surprise. His instincts now felt closer to him than ever before. He could hear the loud booming voice of the orb inside him telling him he loved water.
Jack's mind was coming back. It couldn't believe it. Water? He was breathing water? It wasn't possible.
Jack still fought it with everything he had. He had to keep his thoughts intact. Nothing, no amount of water or even his own instincts, were going to change his way of thinking.
With a fresh mind, his instincts began to work again. It was almost connecting with Jack, it was almost there in his mind but he continued to fight it.
"No!" He screamed in his head. "Stop! Wat... Water!"
"Jack?" It called to him. Jack forgot about his mind and his thoughts and silently listened to the voice inside his chest. It was getting louder and felt more familiar with every change that happened.
He kept his mind quiet. He hated this feeling, but he hated the pain even more. He would listen again to his instincts.
"Water is what you like Jack." It told him. "Think like it. You're water. Listen to it. Feel, think, touch, be!"
His thoughts changed. Things he knew so well started to fade and new thoughts erupted in his mind. It was his minds worst fear. It was his hearts biggest desire. Anything he cared for before, faded. Every empty gap of his mind was filled with a desire for water.
He could still think, his human mind was still there. For the first time though, Jack cared for nothing but water, and he couldn't fight it anymore.
He looked at his large blue paws and smiled. They were one with water, he was one with water. The more water that was around him, the happier he was. Nothing else made him happier.
He understood it. He understood how it moved. Thoughts of hurricanes and oceans bombard his head. Things like pizza and Eevee fur, he cared much less for.
His instincts were connecting to him. He just started to understand the water inside his chest but he wasn't complete yet. Just his mind was and part of his body.
"Vap! Vaporeon!" Jack screamed. The new muffled sounds underwater frightened him. It snapped his mind back out of his trance.
He stopped. He could hear his muffled sounds underneath the water. His brain was nearly finished changing.
"A little more." His instincts told him. "You're almost there. Water. More water. Come on Jack! Don't resist!"
The little current inside his chest climbed down his spine and straight into his tail. Jack tried his best not to flinch but the change was so much.
Jack tried to listen. What did a tail that was one with water look like?
"Yes!" His instincts begged of him. Both his mind and heart were thinking on the same thing.
"I'm, I'm..." Jack said aloud under the water. The liquid didn't hurt his new lungs at all. "I'm supposed to be a human."
The fur pulled so tight on Jack he screamed over and over. He had to resist. He just had to.
"Vap! Vapor! Vaporeon!" It was no use though. His instincts had already taken over. The orb inside his chest was so familiar now he could talk to it, he could feel it, his mind still had his thoughts, he just cared for water so much and he hated it.
If he fought it, it hurt. If he succumbed to it, he felt much better. Jack quit screaming and let the final changes take place.
His tail grew, it stretched pushing the stone out of its way where it was wedged in the wall. With a sudden squeeze, it pried free of the gap.
Jack twisted around and stared at the huge appendage. It was much different, he could feel every inch of it. His tail was changing right before him.
An Eevee's tail was one thing. This powerful appendage, was completely another. The shape and form of it were so large that he could feel the weight of it holding him down. The more it changed, the more he felt like water. His mind wanted to refuse, but his instincts were winning. Jack loved water.
He could feel it. His spine straightened and the bones in his tail pulled tight and strong. It stretched to twice it's size towering over Jack. The weak muscles inside swelled and were replaced with something twice as strong as his own paws were. His tail was heavy and could push the water aside easily now. He had complete control over every movement.
It turned blue in an instant, matching the rest of him. the fur disappeared, right at the end where it split in two. Fins extended from the tip because that made him closer to being like water.
The ending formed. To push water, it needed to be thick. His instincts did the work in seconds while Jack watched in horror. He could no longer resist it, he was becoming a Vaporeon more and more with each second.
Jack held still and forced his eyes off his tail. He was floating, he could feel every appendage on him, he was nearly twice his own size than before.
The last few changes took place instantly. He connected with his instincts so fast, his mind didn't have time to scream.
His ears didn't pick up sounds. They heard vibrations. Each movement of his paw was a very large vibration like a subwoofer by his ear. It echoed, the sound of the current echoed, he could hear the thump of his heart inside his ears. Anything that moved sent vibrations through the water and he heard all of it.
It worked. He could hear everything under the water twice as well. It made perfect sense in his mind how this worked. Immediately the next effect took place.
He swished his paw gently pushing water, and looked right over at it. His mind recognized the sound, a paw pushing in water. Beside him he looked over again seeing the vibrations in the water, and he recognized it as blades of grass swaying in the current.
Everything had a certain sound. Everywhere he looked his correlated the vibrations to an object. Rocks with their smoother vibrations, wind hit the top of the stream and it sounded like quick soft taps. His mind was already thinking like a Vaporeon. His instincts were telling him what to do.
Jack shut his eyes and listened. A million vibrations happened in his head. The biggest noise was coming from his own paws.
It didn't hurt. He stared at them in wonder. Where the joint was for his paw that bent, the bones started to shrink. His whole body was replacing the fragile Eevee bones it knew with something that was more rubbery and fit for water movement.
He tried to move his paw. It wasn't made to support a lot of weight, it was made to glide smoothly. He pushed it down through the water and hardly felt any resistance at all.
Immediately he shot upwards a few feet. He pushed upwards, and his body sank back down to where he was. He didn't even need to move his paws to float. His body did it for him.
Jack was a scientist and a human, but this was too cool. He not only understood the water around him, he was one with it. He could hardly tell the difference between the water around him, and how his own paws worked. He had never felt so close to the liquid before.
His ears, his mind, everything on him was water. He wasn't even one step short of turning into it if he wanted, his instincts loved water, because he was water.
"Water." His instincts repeated. "Water." Jack answered back.
No matter how he thought, everything had to deal with water. Was mind was mostly occupied with detecting vibrations and subconsciously swimming without him even realizing. This felt natural. Anything he thought of had to deal with water. He couldn't think of something else if he tried.
He remembered where he was. Stuck in a stream that he had been drowned in. His instincts worked for him now and not against him.
"Survive." They told him. "Survive Jack." They mentioned that to him instead. They didn't need to remind him of water, he loved it now.
Jack smiled. No more Eevee, no more fur, he liked this. He liked water. Water made him happier than anything else he ever knew.
He also knew, that he had been underwater for a long time. His Vaporeon mind shot back to him. He could think, he just liked thinking of water.
He looked up at the surface, he remembered Eseral and what had happened. He forgot about his desire for water and swam up to the surface. Obviously, finding her was more important.
She could be in danger. Jack was sure that if she was, or he got in danger, this new force inside him could easily blow any danger away. He was a Vaporeon, and there was an endless amount of water in his heart.
The Oddish were having a fun time. The Espeon had disappeared so quickly in her sprint that none of the small plant Pokemon could catch up to her.
"Great." The leader Oddish carrying his stick complained. "She gone. Search for Eevee! We find him now!"
The tribe of Pokemon spread out immediately. Most went to the stream searching since that was where they had dumped Jack in but they couldn't find anything. Other's went behind rocks and searched everywhere they could.
One ran all the way to the cement wall that was blocking the stream about ten meters away from where his leader stood with his stick. He stared into the water trying to spot any sign of an Eevee.
The water was weird here. "Huh?" He wondered aloud. It was almost like it was coming towards him. Why was the water...
A Vaporeon burst from the stream. The little Oddish screamed and fell over grabbing everyone's attention. before the huge water Pokemon could even see him he ran back over to his leader.
"There! There!" He screamed getting everyone's attention. "Pokemon. Huge!"
The leader ran over, everyone else followed. He spotted the huge water pokemon standing there on the shore soaking wet.
Jack's mind was funny. The minute he burst free of the water, he immediately felt different. He brought up loads of water with him, dripping it all over the grass where he stood, but somehow it wasn't the same.
The river still swished in his heart. Jack could feel it. He just felt so different outside of the water now. His mind could think.
He smiled, and looked down at his paws. The fact that they were soaking wet made him smile. That was good, water was good.
He looked himself over. He wasn't sure if he was scared or if he enjoyed it. As long as he could connect anything he saw with water, then he cared for it.
This Pokemon was huge. The leader Oddish recognized it immediately. A Vaporeon, was a very tough Pokemon. He glared at the creature in complete amazement. He wanted this thing for his own.
Jack finished looking himself over and looked around him. Immediately the panic set in on his mind. He forgot about water.
Hundreds of little Oddish, were surrounding him. He gulped.
"Get him!" The leader Oddish yelled waving his stick. Immediately all the Oddish rushed forward towards the giant water Pokemon.
Jack jumped up to his full height. It was like a million puppies were trying to hold him down. They could hardly climb to halfway up his paws.
The little plants swarmed around him. They jumped on his tail as Jack tried to squirm free. They pulled and bit and did everything they could to bring the giant Pokemon down.
"Ow!" Jack complained. "Get off me you little twerps!"
He tried to stand but his legs were too weak. Jack realized that although his rubbery limbs did great in the water, they didn't work near as well on land.
So, he used the only large appendage he had. He did a quick circle and Oddish flew everywhere with his huge tail swatting them away. Everyone backed up from the growling Vaporeon who could easily kill them if they got to close.
Jack stood, growling. His growl came out like an angry gurgling noise, but it was still very frightening. There was nothing funny about his new size anymore
He had a choice. His instincts told him water, of course, and survive. His mind told him to think. He chose the first option. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to debate this.
He just wanted to find Eseral, and then figure out how to satisfy this quench he had for the clear liquid.
He turned, the leader was standing right before him. No one dared to come to close but the leader was fearless. Anyone that was circling behind Jack paid careful attention to stay out of his swishing tail. He was angry, and Vaporeons loved to use their tails in combat. Jack couldn't wait to let his instincts take over if they dared to attack.
The leader waved his stick. "Who are you?" He swatted Jack's nose with it and he flinched.
Jack growled at him. "Stop hitting me!" With one quick motion he smacked the stick out of his stubby appendages. His paw alone was the size of this little plant Pokemon. He glared down at the little Oddish with all the anger he had stored inside him.
The river inside was turning into a torrent. Jack could hear his mind calling him to attack. Vaporeon's didn't have to run like Eevee's, they could stand their own ground.
The Oddish wouldn't listen. "You obey. I'm leader. I punish you, then Espeon, then Eevee."
Espeon? Jack realized who he was talking about. His growl turned into a snarl.
"Where is she?" Jack demanded. "What did you do with her?"
The Oddish looked confused. "Who?"
"Eseral!" Jack yelled right in his face. Who else could he be talking about?
The Oddish hid in his leaves for a second but then jumped upright. "Espeon?" He questioned.
"Yes!" Jack yelled. "Where is she? Where's Eseral?" He needed to make sure she was safe. His conscious was begging him to go look for her.
The little Oddish smiled. "We have her. She hostage. You come with us and we..."
Jack didn't believe him for a second. The Oddish had played the wrong card. Jack's anger rose so quickly that the water inside his heart turned from a calm stream, into a torrent of pounding water stored in a very tight area.
Jack didn't know what it was. Maybe it was his evolving? Maybe it was all the confusion in the last few days? He just really needed to attack something and now, he had the capability of releasing a hurricane of water if he wanted.
he leaped back, crouched low to the ground, and felt the monsoon of water inside his chest explode with force. it shot out of his mouth directly where he aimed it.
Water exploded from his mouth and shot forward. The pressure from inside his chest was enough to outdo a firehose in a contest. The explosion of water shot Jack back a few meters before his blue paws gripped the dirt below him and held him steady.
The water gun attack sent Oddish everywhere. The leader with his expert skill had just managed to jump to the side in time to avoid the attack but anything within Jack's range in front of him was blown everywhere.
Jack stopped his attack. He was growling, angry, his instincts were taking over. He didn't need to think. He knew how to survive. He was wild Vaporeon, it was in his blood.
The torrent inside him calmed down. Although the water inside him was endless, it did need to recuperate. Jack could feel his limbs grow weary from such a powerful attack, his mind was tired instantly and needed to think.
He looked around him. He may have been super frustrated, he may have loved using a water attack, but this was a bad idea.
Oddish everywhere were soaked, the leader was furious, and Jack finally realized what he had done. He was still outnumbered a hundred to one even with how many he took out.
Jack wondered, this new thing in him that loved water, was that because he was a Vaporeon? Or did his instincts just feel more aligned with him now than ever before.
His instincts hadn't changed, he was still Jack. Jack realized this. He was still himself. His mind was still the same.
That water attack, the swirling current inside him... Ever since he was an Eevee, it had been in him the whole time. He had just refused to believe it.
The thought made him want to scream. Why did he feel more in sync now then he ever had before?
He didn't get time to think further. Hundreds of little Oddish were getting back up from the attack and glaring right at him.
Jack looked up. He remembered what he had just done. Every Pokemon here looked like they wanted to kill him. Whether it was his instincts or his mind, he knew he had to go.
"Uh oh." He turned tail and ran as fast as he could manage. He instinctively stayed close to the stream knowing that it made him feel safer.
"Get him!" the leader yelled. He didn't care if this was the Eevee or not. He was going to teach that selfish Vaporeon a lesson or two.
Jack thought running was a good idea, but his limbs were weak. As an Eevee he remembered being able to dart around objects with ease. He had been so small and maneuverable. Now It was like running on jello, he was bigger and his paws were made of rubber. His huge tail wasn't a help either slowing him down.
he realized that Vaporeon didn't exactly run to get away from danger. They would swim. His mistake may have just cost him his life.
The Oddish were slow, but Jack had to carefully maneuver his way around objects. He had nearly slipped on his wet paws at least four times. This wasn't like running at all from what he remembered.
He looked behind him. The Oddish were closing in. He was going to die from them.
Before they could reach him, Jack had one last idea. He jumped to his right, and disappeared into the stream.
The leader Oddish knew that if a Vaporeon ever hit water, you could consider them gone. You'd never see them again for as long as you live.
He stopped running, and demanded for his tribe to search for him. When Jack came back up again, he was going to make him pay.
The current hit Jack for a split second sending bubbles everywhere, and then instantly he was in control. Faster than he had ever known, he swam down the stream with ease.
He couldn't do it with his mind. He had to let his instincts take over in order for him to swim
He forgot about being human. He forgot about being an Eevee. He just let his mind do what it did best. Swim.
"Good." His instincts told him. The water made him feel safe. He was safe, whenever he was in here.
"Vaporeon." The voice whispered. "Jack. Vaporeon."
Jack smiled. Yes, he was a Vaporeon and he loved water. Now, he was truly invincible.
Whether he knew it as an Eevee or not, he knew this was right. The power inside him made his mind lust for control and he finally had it. He loved water! Water was everything to him!
The Oddish leader couldn't believe his pack. "You lose him? Find him! Where is he?"
No one knew. The minute the vaporeon had hit the water, he was as good as gone.
The Oddish scrambled about. They had lost the Pokemon the minute they had found him. They hurried down the stream but compared to a true water Pokemon, it would take them forever to cover the same distance on land as Jack would in water.
Jack didn't have time to think. He sped through the water only thinking about water and himself and how the two were intertwined. He needed to flee.
His instincts calmed down a little now that he was so far away from the Oddish. His thoughts returned to him slowly. He started thinking again.
"Wait." He yelled aloud to himself. What was he doing? He wasn't accepting this. No, he couldn't accept this. Water? No!
The water around him. It made him smile. His thoughts drifted faster than he could collect them. He fell into his trance just by thinking about it.
He smiled. "Water." He took it in breathing it in with a huge gulp. It felt so right. It felt so safe for his Pokemon mind.
And yet, his mind screamed for him to wake up and see the reality. His instincts were pulling him in faster and faster. All it needed was for Jack to be in water and he was doomed.
What had happened to him? What was we? He looked over his bright blue paws not believing what he was seeing. They didn't scare him, they were just appendages that helped him to swim very well. That was natural right? Thinking about water all the time was supposed to happen right? Water made him happy so it had to be true.
Jack looked himself over again. He had evolved into a Vaporeon. One with the sea. One with water.
It felt natural. He was breathing underwater and that was normal, he could float and swim with so little effort that he wondered how he could ever live differently.
Jack floated in place and closed his eyes. What were his instincts telling him?
"Water." It said. He rolled his eyes. No duh, he loved it. Would he ever get that thought out of his head.
"Water." It said again. "Vaporeon. Swim."
Jack did so. He started swimming, twirling in place. It made him feel happy to do that now.
He stopped swimming. His mind was still there. He was still Jack, he just loved water.
"So," Jack floated in place and thought aloud. "I'm a Vaporeon." He looked at his paws. Does this mean he would never go back?
His eyes popped wide. He couldn't believe it. With his evolution, he wondered if he would ever go back to normal. Was he stuck like this?
He looked around him. Now with an orb of water as his instincts, he liked the water. If he ever changed, would he lose this? Was his lust for water just temporary. Was he insane?
His instincts had been quietly telling him, "Water. Water." Ever since he evolved. Jack had accepted it as reality and knew that he loved water now. That was fact, he wanted to be in the stuff for as long as he lived.
Now, a faint hint of survive reached his mind. "Survive. Watch out. Alert!" His body jumped awake. His mind forgot about thinking. Immediately his Pokemon instincts jumped back to him.
He wasn't safe. Not in here, not in the stream. Something was coming and his mind new it was dangerous.
Jack frantically swam about and looked around him. As a Vaporeon, how did they sense danger?
He sat still, and listened. Now, inside the water, he could truly feel everything. No danger would pass his mind now. Any vibrations or senses that came off as wrong would be heard by him. He could even feel the ground outside the stream just barely.
He kept his eyes shut and listened. It wasn't the Oddish, they were gone. Something was moving though.
HIs ears picked out a small yellow object, standing on the shore. He looked up in wonder and saw the image perfectly. His keen eyes weren't effected by the water's distortion at all.
His eyes opened wide. "Pikachu?" He questioned aloud. Was it a friend? Or maybe a foe?
A Pikachu stood there, smiling at him. It shocked the water as hard as it could.
Instantly Jack's mind exploded. Every muscle in his body twitched. The electricity didn't go into his bones anymore, it just increased and burned into his body where it never left. He knew water types were affected horribly by electricity but this was frying his brain by the second. The electricity was everywhere.
He shot up towards the surface. He had to break free of the pain even if it meant leaving the water. His mind begged him not to leave the water since it was dangerous but he couldn't take the pain.
He crawled his way to shore and collapsed on the ground. He lay inches from the smiling Pikachu.
"Hello." The Pikachu mocked him. Jack had just enough energy to look over at his new friend. He still couldn't move his limbs, the electricity was twice as bad now as it was before.
His ears fell. Behind the smiling Pikachu, were two trainers.
...
John wasn't in a good mood. Chase had been ordering him around for as long as he could. It was past midnight and both of them were finally on their way to the park. John could hardly wait but he wished they had started this in the morning instead.
"Listen." Chase advised using his hands to explain. "We need to set up squads around the park. It's too big to cover with what we've got so we'll have to search area by area. Then we'll..."
"Sir." John interrupted. "If I may, I think I know where they're going." John was speeding down the road with the sirens off trying as hard as he could to get to the park on time. It was already ten minutes past midnight. There was no way those Pokemon were still in the area. If they were then that just made them even more suspicious.
Chase looked at him funny. "How could you possibly know where they are going?"
"Well sir," John explained. "That Espeon had been captured outside the city. If it's fleeing, it's probably going home. I bet the Eevee just tagged along since it's owner left it to the city."
Chase considered the idea, and then laughed. "You really think a couple of Pokemon are trying to leave the entire city? They would be too frightened. They'd just hide in a trashcan all day." Chase laughed more since the idea was preposterous.
John bit his lip. "Um, if I may..." Should he say it? No, it would make him look bad.
"What?" Chase demanded. "Spit it out."
"Well, I think that there's something different about them." John glanced over at Chase to read his expression. "I, I just think, maybe." He couldn't tell Chase about the video. It didn't make sense in his powerful mind, why would it make sense in Chase's either?
Chase laughed even more. "Well, unless some evidence says otherwise, get out of the car and start searching."
They had arrived. John pulled the car into the empty parking lot and stepped out. Both of them were in full uniform so no one would get suspicious since they were cops.
Chase had made sure to bring his three Pokemon with him this time. "You ready?" He asked fingering the taser gun in his side holster.
John knew he had his taser with him. His touch device right in his back pocket where it never left. He nodded, and they began.
The first thing John noticed was the park sign. It clearly read, "Park closes at eight. Police patrolled." One part of that was true. The other part meant that occasionally Police scanned the area for activity, kind of like tonight actually.
Well, at least there search would be easy. There weren't any humans this late at the park anyways and nothing else lived out here. Finding an Eevee and an Espeon together should be easy. They had at least twenty more officers on their way.
Part by part, they'd scan the whole park. John pulled out his flashlight and began searching.
...
Jack couldn't believe his eyes.
In front of him stood a Pikachu, it's wide cunning smile stretching from cheek to cheek.
Behind him, towering over both Pokemon, were two humans. A couple teens actually with just as wide smiles. Jack could feel his ears tighten against his head and his paws crouch low to the ground defensively.
"No way!" One of the kids screamed. He pointed out in front of him. "Look. It's a real Vaporeon! Oh, this is so cool!"
Jack couldn't understand them. He tried to think.
No. Forget his mind. This was a time to survive. In a split second, he was a Vaporeon again ready to fight for his life. His strong instincts took over.
His instincts were screaming at him now. "Run! Run! Run now!"
Jack couldn't. He held still. Surprisingly, he couldn't help but think that he should stay. Humans, weren't that bad were they? These were still kids in his mind and was an old scientist.
It was a debate. His instincts screamed to run more than they made him think of water. His mind wanted to stay and see what these kids were doing. He almost wanted to scold the Pikachu for shocking him. How dare he?
The Pikachu just laughed. "Wow. For a Vaporeon, you're probably the most frightened water dog I've ever seen." He looked at Jack expecting some kind of retaliation but Jack just stared at him more. He couldn't take his eyes off the huge humans before him.
The Pikachu was already annoyed. "What's the matter? Mommy let you out of your hole for the first time?" He laughed some more.
Jack could care less for insults. "What, what are you doing here?" Didn't the park close at eight? Humans weren't allowed out here.
"RUN!" His instincts screamed. He stayed where he was.
The Pikachu walked up slowly. "Were hunting silly, for easy Pokemon to capture. Just like you." He smiled and stood up. This was his favorite job ever.
Jack didn't understand. But, these were just kids. The two trainers before him were hardly older than fifteen. How could they be out here illegally? Weren't there parents worried or something?
Jack finally listened. Although his mind was begging him to think like a human and consider this reasonably, his instincts were more powerful now. He had to listen to them.
He wasn't friendly, Jack was dangerous. He stood and growled at the Pikachu arching his back. He didn't think his behavior was weird, that's how Pokemon acted.
"Come on Spark." The older trainer commanded. "Get it over with. I want a Vaporeon on my team."
Jack didn't understand a word. "What did he say? What's going on?" He growled under his breath.
The Pikachu smiled. "He said the games up. Time for you to fight or flee." His little red cheeks started to spark. This would be easy.
Jack never thought he would be fighting for his life. He had a quick moment to think of something, anything that reminded him of home and then the Pikachu launched his attack and the fight for his life begun.
Jack chose to flee. It saved his life, for a second.
The Pikachu launched his electricity, striking the ground where the Vaporeon had been. When he looked up and realized he was trying to run away, he growled.
Jack's decision was poor. In three quick leaps, the Pikachu was in front of him smiling.
"Wrong move water dog." He insulted. He charged his cheeks again. He had been well trained and could easily fry this Vaporeon in one hit.
Jack jumped to his left just in time. Instead of attacking him the Pikachu just jumped in front of him again. he had Jack completely surrounded.
The Pikachu laughed. "You can't run. I'm faster." He taunted stepping forward towards Jack. The large Vaporeon took a step back in fear. He was going to lose this fight. One hit and he knew he was done for.
Jack quickly glanced over to his right. The Pikachu just laughed. "Try it. I dare you. Run. Run for your life. You won't make it ten feet." The Pikachu was enjoying his little game.
Jack had one last chance. This Pikachu was giving him one chance to run and he wouldn't make it more than ten feet.
His instincts begged him to run. That was all they thought.
But his mind, his not so powerful mind, had come up with a plan.
He hoped he wouldn't have to find out what Poke chow and training tasted like in the morning. This was his only chance.
He turned around, and ran straight back where he came.
The pikachu laughed and easily ran in front of him. "Hah! What are you going to... Ooph!"
Jack smacked clean into him. The large Vaporeon easily outweighed the tiny mouse sending both of them rolling on the ground. The Pikachu had expected Jack to stop but he didn't even think of slowing down.
They both rolled, Jack came to a halt. Just inches from the stream. The poor Pikachu had been hit hard enough to roll right into the water.
Jack's idea worked. He jumped up, and leapt into his natural environment. The water took him in without a single splash
Instantly his instincts were alive. The swirling current in his heart leapt to life. Water, was all he needed and he was the toughest Pokemon alive.
The Pikachu got his senses back blinking awake. He held his breath and floated in place with a worried look.
In front of him was a Vaporeon, not even struggling to swim. Jack was smiling at him cunningly.
Jack had two choices. His mind hated how he felt right now, alive and powerful. His instincts wanted to summon his Pokemon power from deep inside him. It wanted to be absorbed in water.
Jack opened his mouth. A water gun here would blow the Pikachu out of the water and into unconsciousness.
The Pikachu was quick to act. In less than a second, he let out a quick charge of electricity and then scrambled up to the shore.
Jack tried to attack, but instantly the electricity shocked his mind. He forgot how and stood floating and squeezing his paws around his head from the pain. The headache that exploded in his head made him feel like a water ballon.
Jack's instincts came back. His head cleared in seconds feeling the water around him. He looked up to see the Pikachu just scrambling to shore.
He swam up, but was too late. The pikachu whipped around and aimed his head at the stream, charging his bright red cheeks.
Jack burst from the water using his tail to launch himself at the small Pokemon. He tackled him flat using his large paws to grab him by the neck and thrust him down to the ground.
he had the Pikachu pinned. Now was his chance.
"Bite him!" His instincts yelled. "Tear his neck out!"
He stopped. What was he doing?
This wasn't human. He thought only like a wild animal. He wanted to kill this thing and not think twice.
This wasn't like him. He couldn't do it.
He wasn't a Pokemon. Not now, not ever. He loosened his grip the slightest bit and the Pikachu reacted.
The Pikachu was quick, he swatted his paw away and in one quick motion making Jack trip and was able to roll out and face the Vaporeon head to head.
They stared into each other's eyes. The Pikachu thought he was going to lose, Jack thought he could fight to defend himself.
He was wrong, he may be in a battle, but he would rather be someone's pet than give in to his darkest temptations. His mind loved water, but his instincts couldn't change his morals.
The Pikachu smiled, now he had the upper paw. "You're weak." He taunted. The words hit Jack hard. "I guess I should show you what a real Pokemon should do."
The Pikachu shut it's eyes and charged it's cheeks. Sparks flew off in every direction.
Jack new he had to react. He didn't want to give in, but he was going to die. The current inside turned into a torrent and he felt the pressure building.
Jack used what little water he had in his chest and shot it out at the Pikachu. At the same time, the lightening Pokemon launched his attack as well.
The water gun blew the Pikachu off the ground. He wasn't expecting it. It made him roll back a few feet and then lay on the ground with his fur soaking wet.
Jack flew straight across the ground. The attack was enough to make his entire body want to explode.
There was a huge crack, and then Jack felt like a nail had been bored into his brain. Everything sparked in pain and he couldn't think to save his life. The ringing in his ears was so loud he couldn't hear his own conscious.
He struggled on the ground, not sure which part of his brain controlled his limbs. Everything was continuously being shocked from the aftermath of the attack.
The pain was too much. He started seeing black around his eyes. The only thing that kept his mind working was if it started to shut off everything it could.
Jack's legs collapsed below him. He couldn't move his paws or lift his tail. His muscles refused to work.
Jack tried to move, but he couldn't. He tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't work. His brain had been fried. He couldn't remember how to do anything except think and feel pain. Mostly there was pain.
His adrenaline tried to click. If it sparked it could save him but nothing got it working. Like an empty lighter, it failed to ignite. His instincts clicked over and over but he wasn't waking up anytime soon.
He was completely exhausted, immobile... Paralyzed.
The Pikachu got up and shook the water off his fur. He wasn't hurt, that was probably one of the lamest water attacks he had ever seen and that had just come from a Vaporeon. He thought they were supposed to be tough.
He laughed, and ran up to the Vaporeon. Jack was completely paralyzed with his eyes closed and his limbs limp on the ground. He looked like he was either in a deep sleep, or probably dead.
"Well, I win." The Pikachu chuckled, another flawless victory. He always liked taunting his victims. "Guess you'd make a fun partner to push around. Believe me when I say it water dog, I'm going to make you suffer when my trainer lets me handle you."
He smiled. He loved new trainees. He looked up at his trainer and nodded. He had done his job. Now his trainer was free to take this Vaporeon for his own will.
Jack could think. He thought of Lauren, he thought his home, his own free will.
It was being taken from him. He was going to be a caught Pokemon, doomed forever to train and never taste humanity again.
For once, he didn't care about his paws, or his tail, or even water. He just wanted to live. Live like he always had. He wanted to be human again.
He heard the sound of a Pokeball being pulled from the kids pocket. He hoped it wouldn't hurt.
"Good job Sparky." The boy cheered. He pulled out a fresh Pokeball from his pocket. "Now I've got one of the best water Pokemon ever. This is so cool!" His voice echoed in the night.
"Hey?" The other boy pushed him. "You've already got a water Pokemon. You have a Squirtle, it's my turn. I want this one."
He shoved his older brother. He shoved him back. One second later and they were fighting over who got to have Jack by trying to pry the Pokeball from the other's hand.
Spark couldn't believe this. "Really guys?" He rolled his eyes and looked back over the Vaporeon.
Jack was starting to stir. The life in his limbs was slowly returning. he murmured something about Lauren and water.
The Pikachu rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess another shock probably wouldn't kill him." He charged up his cheeks getting ready to put the Vaporeon into the worst pain of his life.
Jack heard the charge. He braced for it knowing there was nothing he could do. It was going to hurt worse than anything he had ever known.
He prayed to Arceus, that something save his life. Even if he was a Vaporeon, he just wanted to live. He didn't want to die!
A little stick smacked the Pikachu's cheek. He jumped back in surprise. "Ow! What the..."
"No trainers!" The Oddish yelled. "You bad Pokemon! No trainers!"
He hit the Pikachu again. Spark darted to the side and launched his thunderbolt at the Oddish instead.
The Oddish was fast, he jumped out of the way easily. The Pikachu stood there surprised.
"How, how did you move so fast?" He charged another attack right away. Great, now he had two Pokemon to deal with and this one could fight.
He didn't get a chance too finish. The Oddish expertly smacked him in the eye again. "Stop. You no hurt water dog. He friend." He screamed at the Pikachu. Spark did all he could to avoid the Oddish's frantic stick waving.
He hit the Pikachu over and over, smacking his face. Finally, Spark stood tall and manned up. He wasn't going to let himself be bullied by a little Oddish. That was his job.
"How dare you?" He smacked the stick out of his hands and picked up the plant by his leaves. It hurt, but the leader was tough.
"I'm gonna tear you leaf from leaf you little root..."
The Pikachu stopped talking. The leader just smiled knowing his backup had arrived.
The rest of the plant Pokemon showed up. Hundreds of them stored through the grass meeting the Pikachu's eye.
"Eep!" He screamed and dropped the plant hardly able to move. "What the heck!" Immediately the Pikachu was overrun.
"Agh! Help me!" He shook the plants off his fur and tried to run but he could hardly move with the hundreds of Oddish tackling him. They circled around him with ease and lay him flat until he looked like a giant mound of blue plants.
There was nothing he could do. He curled up tight and winced as hundreds of little Pokemon punched him with their stubby appendages. It hurt very badly.
Some of the Oddish ran past the Pikachu and started attacking the trainers. "Agh! what the heck!" They yelled forgetting about their fight over the Vaporeon and tried to run for their lives. There were hundreds of them! Everywhere!
The boy clicked the button to his Pokeball, the Pikachu flashed red and then disappeared just before the plants were about to pry his tail off. Just like that and the two kids were running as fast as they could from the maniac plants attacking them.
The leader Oddish got up. Some of the Oddish helped him to stand. He grabbed his stick and looked at the paralyzed Vaporeon before him.
He smiled, any wild Pokemon being attacked by trainers was his friend no matter what he thought. Wild Pokemon stood up for each other.
He stood up for Jack because... He was a Vaporeon, a wild Pokemon, just like him.
Jack was a wild Pokemon. There was no difference instinctively between the two except that the Vaporeon wouldn't stop resisting the urge inside him. He wasn't a Pokemon! Jack was human!
Jack was recovering quickly. He could feel his paws again. The few thoughts of streams and waterfalls disappeared as his mind recollected itself. His huge tail was still tingling with pain but the paralysis was wearing off.
All he wanted to do was sleep. "Sleep." His instincts told him. They were confused from the paralysis but the more Jack fell asleep the more the pain faded away.
So, he drifted off. The sounds around him of chaos and panic faded in his mind. He didn't care, his thoughts drifted away as he fell asleep from the strong lightning attack.
All he could do was think of water, and smile. He liked water. That and being alive by his wild instincts.
"Wild." His mind told him. He could fight and was being paralyzed by another Pokemon. Everything from his paws and tail to his own thoughts were convincing him of being a wild Pokemon.
Jack wanted to resist, he wanted to think of Lauren. Instead, he thought of waterfalls and fell asleep to the soft noise.
He liked water, he didn't like anything else. His mind was almost asleep as the last of the pain faded away.
One of his eyelids was pulled open. For a second he managed a glimpse of a huge Oddish standing right in front of his face and then his eye shut again.
The leader smacked him in the face with his stick.
"Ow!" Jack was awake immediately. "What..." He didn't finish staring at the sight before him. There were hundreds of Oddish before him.
"You good." The Oddish pointed the stick at him. Jack looked down. "You safe now."
The Oddish waved the stick in front of his face. Jack flinched expecting to get smacked again but it never came.
He opened one eye, the Oddish was standing there waving his stick triumphantly. He smiled at the Vaporeon.
"Um," Jack wasn't sure what to say. Why did his body feel so numb? Was it from the paralysis? how did he know that? "What happened?"
"You safe. Trainers attack. We save you." The Oddish explained. He pointed his stick out past the grass.
Jack looked over. Two humans were running away, and lots of little Oddish were chasing them. He looked back down to the leader in front of him.
Jack smiled. "You, you saved me?"
The Oddish waved his stick. "We save you. It more important. Trainer's bad people. We need save you. You wild Pokemon."
Jack stopped smiling. The Oddish said it like it was undeniable.
Jack's ears perked up. They saved him, because he was a wild Pokemon? The thought made him shudder, he wasn't one of them. No, he had to deny the river inside him.
Or, was he? Jack could hardly tell the difference between his Pokemon side and his human. They were turning into the same thing. Every second and he was denying the same thing.
Was he a Pokemon? Or was he Jack?
He blinked awake, and smiled at the little Oddish before him. His instincts weren't threatened anymore by his ferocity, he was actually glad to stare at the little Oddish before him.
"Um, thanks." Jack laughed. "I guess." What did the Oddish even do? How did he manage to save his life?
Jack was very thankful. If it wasn't for this Oddish. The rest of his life would've been spent training for a human and eating Poke chow in the morning. He would never see his humanity again. Now because of this Oddish, he still had a chance.
Jack stopped thinking. What was left of his humanity? "Water." He whispered to himself. He still loved water. Wait, Vaporeon's loved water. Not humans.
"Oh no." He said aloud to himself. "No, no Jack. You have to fight it." He strained his paws on the ground and tried to think.
It didn't work. All he could think about was water. "No. I..."
The Oddish smacked him with his stick.
"Ow!" Jack jumped back and squeezed his paw. "What was that for?" Nothing snapped his mind back to reality like being whipped by a two inch tall plant.
The Oddish just glared at him. "You funny Pokemon. You know that? You water dog, yet you act funny."
Jack rolled his eyes and massaged his paw. "Yah, I'm well aware of that. I've got some serious mental problems ok?" The thought had been haunting him ever since he woke up feeling like a Pokemon. It felt good to admit some truth even though it was weird to think.
Jack put his paw down and looked around him. "So, what happens now?" He wasn't sure what to do now, his mind was so clouded by his lust for water. Actually, he felt like everything else was clouding his mind from thinking about water because obviously that was more important.
He slapped himself, his big wet paw immediately woke him up. It dragged across the skin on his face and woke him up. What was wrong with him? Was he going crazy?
The Oddish pointed his stick at him. "You leave now. This is our land."
Jack looked down and rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. You've told me plenty of times, I get it." Jack knew he was invading his territory. Strange to think that as a Pokemon he had to obey those rules.
The Oddish waved his stick more. "You leave. Don't come back. Take Espeon with you."
Wait a minute. Jack jumped upright. "Eseral! I need to find Eseral."
The Oddish smacked him. "Good. Find Espeon. Leave!" He smacked him again.
Jack jumped back away from the last hit. He dropped his ears and growled at him before walking away.
After four steps he stopped. Wait? Did he just growl?
He shook his head. "No, no Jack. You're fine."
No he wasn't. He was going insane. The orb inside his heart was begging him to listen so badly but he just couldn't. It would cost him his humanity!
Jack ran up to the stream and plunged his face in. Immediately the cold water soothed his mind.
He smiled, and took in a deep breath. He had missed the water.
He pulled his face out. Oh dear Arceus, he was truly insane! What was wrong with him? He was acting like a Vaporeon!
He turned around looking at the Oddish. Eseral, he needed to focus his mind on finding Eseral.
"Hey?" He called out to the Oddish. he turned around staring at him. "Do you know where the Espeon is?" Jack found it funny that he just called her that. Her name was Eseral, he knew that.
The Oddish waved his stick. "Yes. She worried. Past stream. Hundred meters." He pointed his stick the direction the direction that his scouts had said where she was. The Oddish tribe had been keeping careful watch on her in case he felt like punishing her again.
Jack couldn't believe it. He shot upright. "What? Why didn't you tell me!"
The Oddish smiled. "Because you strange. You no act right. I no trust you."
Jack chuckled at his answer. Good, he didn't trust himself either. How could he trust his new self if he didn't even understand it? All he could think about was water. Of course he didn't trust himself.
The Oddish watched as the Vaporeon sat still, mused on something, and then suddenly smacked his face and woke up. It was quite funny to watch as Jack tormented himself.
Jack got ready to jump in the water. He turned his head around back to the Oddish.
He just had one thing to say. This completely came from the annoyed Pokemon side of him.
"Thanks. Jerk." Before the Oddish could say anything he jumped into the stream and disappeared. Jack had been waiting for forever to get back in the water. Immediately when he did, his mind was calmed and his instincts took over. What he had been debating with himself earlier was immediately ignored. His Vaporeon instincts took over.
The Oddish frowned. That was one strange Pokemon, and he knew something about strange Pokemon.
...
Eseral was pacing back and forth. She was next to the stream, pacing in the grass.
"Jack, I'm so sorry." She couldn't hold back her tears, they poured out onto the ground. She couldn't believe what she had done.
She had let him go. The little Eevee was probably dead from the million of maniac Oddish that had chased her. There was no way a small unconscious Eevee would survive. She had failed to find him.
Now she was alone in this desperate attempt to get home. Without him, she was doomed. She, she had let him die.
She turned around. "No. No, he's alive. He has to be."
She turned around again and froze staring at her reflection in the stream. She hated the water because it showed her teary face. The face of someone who deserted her friends.
"But," She whined to herself. "He had fallen into the stream. He had drowned." She never did find him.
"No." She cried again and collapsed with her face inches above the water. "Jack? Please! I'm so sorry. Forgive me."
What had she done? She didn't deserve to see her family again, she was pathetic, abandoning her only friend that had saved her life. She was a real failure now.
She didn't deserve to live. That cursed Pokemon should've taken her life when she had the chance. Her psychic was nothing compared to the pain she was feeling now.
A small movement caught her eye. She blinked, and a Vaporeon sped past her sight in a split second.
Then suddenly he swam back up underneath her. The Pokemon floated and stared right into her eyes.
Eseral was confused. The Pokemon's eyes shot wide and he burst to the surface right in front of her.
"Agh!" Eseral screamed and jumped back. The Vaporeon sent up a huge splash and covered her fur in water as he jumped out.
"Eseral!" Jack screamed. His face lit up so fast that he nearly barked in joy.
Eseral stood still and looked at herself. Great, she was soaking wet. This Vaporeon had better be a friend or she was going to tear it's tail off.
"Who, who are..." Eseral took a step back. She didn't know this large Pokemon. He could be a threat. Her instincts were starting to worry.
Jack took a step forward. "I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?"
Eseral's instincts were starting to worry. He was looking for her? "Um, I don't..." Who was this wild Pokemon?
"Who, who are you?" Eseral questioned again. She didn't recognize him at all.
Jack frowned. Of course she didn't recognize her. He looked down at his giant blue paws and rolled his eyes.
Jack didn't want to take the time to explain. He jumped up excited.
"Eseral! I can't believe you're ok." He ran towards her but Eseral snarled at him.
"Stop. I mean it. I'll fight you!" She growled at the Vaporeon before her. Jack stopped his run seeing the angry face of a wet and vicious Espeon who was very angry at him.
Jack smile disappeared. Would he really have to tell Eseral about all of this? What would she think?
Jack's smile disappeared. "Eseral? It's me." He took another step forward.
"Who?" Eseral snapped back. "Who? I don't know any Vaporeon..."
"Jack. it's me, Jack. The little Eevee." Jack stood upright and his ears fell down. "It's me Eseral. Please."
Eseral stopped backing up. She froze in complete surprise.
Jack? Was he, was he alive?
"But," She pointed a shaky paw at him. "But, you drowned."
Jack shook his head. "I found a water stone. I evolved." He stood up to his full height. Eseral had to look up at him. "I evolved Eseral. It was the only thing I could do."
Eseral couldn't believe what she saw. Last time she remembered, Jack was a little Eevee.
This... This was a fully grown Vaporeon!
She took a step closer. "Jack?" She whispered.
Jack beamed in joy. He nodded frantically. "Yes, it's me. The water stone evolved me." He wanted to say that it cursed him as well but he wasn't quite sure on that yet. The thought came and he wanted to slap himself again but he ignored it. Eseral was more important.
Eseral couldn't believe it. Jack was supposed to be a tiny Eevee who could only jump three inches in the air and would never shut his mouth.
This... Was a fully grown Vaporeon. This was the largest water Pokemon she had ever been in contact with. She had to look up just to meet his eyes.
Jack made the mental note to remember that Eseral was smaller. It was kind of funny looking down at her. Actually, everything was funny. Why was he happy that there was water in his fur?
No. He shut his eyes and braced for it. No! He wasn't letting the thought escape. He was human. Be quiet instincts!
He studied Eseral's reaction. She either looked very panicked, or very angry. It was hard to tell with her wet fur. Oh, wait. Had he done that?
Jack smiled. "Are you ok?" She was staring at him like she was stuck in a trance.
Eseral stopped staring and growled at him. "You pathetic magicarp! You slimy water dog! I thought you were dead!" She lifted her paw up and looked at the rest of herself.
"Jack, dang you! I'm soaked! Why did you do that?"
Jack smiled. Yah, she was fine.
Eseral looked back up at him, and smiled too. It was a miracle to see him alive.
"Jack? How, how did you evolve? You're, you're so tall." This was amazing. It blew her mind.
Jack told her the whole story. He even sat down and tried to explain it.
The whole time, Eseral listened with the utmost interest. She didn't let a single word escape her ears, she had to know what happened to him.
At first she was excited, and then as Jack went on to explain how the evolution happened, she grew more afraid.
Oh no, Jack wasn't sounding like himself. He was sounding like, he enjoyed this.
"How do you feel?" Eseral interrupted. Jack stopped talking and rolled back over. Was he on his back? Funny, he didn't even realize. His story was too interesting.
Jack stopped talking. He hadn't even mentioned the Oddish yet and already Eseral looked scared. He considered her question.
How did he feel. "Like water." He answered back. The answer was the best one he could give. It didn't even cross his mind to think twice about it.
Eseral stared right into his eyes. She could see it, she knew it was true.
Jack wasn't scared, or frightened, or nervous. He was curious. He was happy.
"Oh no." Eseral whispered. Jack was turning into a real Pokemon.
Jack wondered what was wrong. Her tone was worrisome. He stood up. "What's wrong Eseral? I haven't even described how the water feels yet." He couldn't wait to get to that part of the story. That was his favorite part.
"Um," Eseral rubbed her neck. "Well, if you feel like water, then I guess that means, well, um... As a human you would probably never think like this." She wanted to say more but had to break it slowly. Jack truly had no idea what he was acting like.
"What do you mean?" Jack stood up tall. "I'm still human."
Eseral wasn't quite sure. He looked like a wild Pokemon to her. "Jack. You're story had nothing to do with except how the water felt around you. You didn't even talk about what happened. You talked about the stream and how it made you feel."
Jack stood in surprise. Really? He, he was just telling his story.
That couldn't be all he said. That wasn't right. Was it? All he could ever think about was water, he didn't know he had to talk about it either.
"What do you mean Eseral?"
"Jack. I'm worried." She sat down and forced herself to be calm. "When you changed into an Eevee, it was one thing to see you acting so Pokemon like, but now." She wasn't sure what to say. It looked like it was true.
Jack was catching her drift. "Eseral, I'm still human." He said it more to convince himself than her.
"Oh yeah?" Eseral rolled her eyes. "If I said water, how do you feel?"
Jack immediately smiled. He loved water!
"See?" Eseral rolled her eyes. "That's what happens when you evolve. It changes you Jack."
Jack forced himself to think straight. What did Eseral mean? Deep inside him his instincts called to him again but his mind ignored it.
Eseral lay down on the ground. "Jack. When I evolved into an Espeon, I wanted to figure out everything around me. I wanted to know everything." It was the effect of her instinctive change, that little orb in her heart of psychic energy.
Jack crossed his eyes. "I don't understand."
"Well, what do you feel? When I evolved I felt something, how do you feel? Really? And don't answer with water." Eseral rolled her eyes again since the words were about to leave Jack's mouth.
Jack looked down. He could feel his instincts begging to listen. He almost considered it.
"I, I feel fine. I'm a human." It was a question in his mind.
Eseral was getting worried. "Jack, you're changing."
"No. I'm, I'm still human. I can still think." He stood up and tried. It didn't work. Water infested his brain.
Eseral wasn't so sure. She had never seen Jack like this before.
"You're acting more like a Pokemon now than you ever have before Jack." Eseral explained. "I've never seen you like this. You're turning into a wild Pokemon."
Jack started growling. "No I'm not."
"Yes, you are." Eseral jumped up. "Just look at you. You're obsessed with it. Your whole mind has changed."
Jack didn't know what to say. He turned and ran back to the stream.
He stared at his reflection. It was a Vaporeon.
"Eseral. I'm, I'm fine ok?"
Eseral walked up by his side. "Just, don't fight it Jack. It's going to drive you insane. You have to accept it."
"No." Jack hit the water. "You, you don't know what it's like."
"Your thoughts will still be there. You'll still be you. You just have to listen."
"To what!" Jack screamed. He turned around and snarled at her. Already the water inside his chest was swirling around. "To what Eseral? I'm not listening to this thing inside my chest. It's not human!"
Eseral took a deep breath. She rubbed her neck and hoped this worked.
"Jack." She stood up and looked him in the eyes. He was either very crazy, or he was denying a part of himself. The Pokemon behavior in him was leaking out everywhere.
Eseral had a plan. She just had to get the truth over to Jack's mind before he drove himself insane.
The word was loud and clear. Eseral couldn't have said it any better.
"Lauren." She said as plainly as she could.
Jack's thoughts clicked. Lauren? He knew Lauren. Her picture was vague in his mind and it took him a second to remember her. What else was there that was like Lauren? Something about a laboratory if he remembered right. The thoughts were deep in his mind although they were still there.
Eseral spoke again. "Water."
Jack jumped upright. Water! He loved water. He loved water more than anything! He knew everything about water. He smiled as a hundred thoughts of streams and rivers bombarded his head.
Wait a minute. Lauren brought nothing, but water brought everything?
Jack got the picture. His smile disappeared.
He stared at the reflection in the stream. He was starting to accept it.
He wasn't a human. His thoughts had changed. He was a Vaporeon, a Pokemon, a real live wild Pokemon.
He started to sniff, and then cry, and then he plunged his face into the soothing stream before him. Why did water make him feel safe?
"I'm sorry Jack." Eseral tried to explain. "It's not you, it's the stone. It's supposed to do that. You evolved so it changes your way of thinking. I didn't know anyone could deny it though." Jack must've had the strongest will to keep his sanity that Eseral had ever seen.
Jack stared at the water and cried. "But, I..." He could hardly talk in between his sobs.
"But I can't change it. It's always there. It's inside me." He was rambling on about the feeling in his chest. He gripped his skin tight where it was. "Eseral. It's calling to me."
"You don't have to fight it." Eseral interrupted. "If you fight it, you're going to drive yourself insane."
"So what, I'm just supposed to think and act like a Pokemon without any second thoughts. Like I'm some kind of wild creature that doesn't care!" Jack stopped talking. That had come out awfully fast.
Eseral normally would've been offended but this was too important. "It's not all bad. You can't fight it forever. It's you Jack." She put her paw on his. His skin was slimy and gross.
"Jack. Just listen to it. I'm sorry but you're going to have to change if you want to keep you sanity. You'll still have your memories."
Jack didn't want to believe her words. He splashed the water with his paw in anger. What made him more angry was that he enjoyed doing that. The splashing made him happy.
Jack gave up. He shoved his face in the water and cried. It was the least he could do as he accepted the truth.
Slowly, he listened to his instincts. One by one it changed his thoughts.
He didn't care about his home, or his laboratory, or Lauren. Now, he cared about having four paws, a huge tail, and boy did he love water!
Eseral was hoping she was doing the right thing. Most Eevee's loved to evolve into what they most wanted. Poor Jack was letting go of what he most treasured.
Eseral wondered. He may be letting go of it now, but if they got him to change back? What would happen to him then? Would he be able to switch from a Pokemon to a human or would it even be harder than right now?
Two minutes later and Jack finally pulled his face out of the water. He looked like a frightened cub.
"So, what am I supposed to do?"
Eseral was surprised. His words were different. He had accepted his reality.
She was staring, at a real wild Pokemon. There wasn't any doubt in Jack's voice.
He looked over at her. He felt terrible. No amount of water was going to sooth his mind from this.
Jack stood up slowly. He was still soaking wet naturally. He hadn't even been in the water except for his face.
He had never thought like this before. He thought of his skin and cleaning himself. He thought of surviving and searching for food. There was always something in his mind that begged him not to think of it, but now it was so deep in his subconscious that no trace of humanity was left.
His instincts were more powerful, his brain ran on them. Whatever a wild Pokemon thought, that's what came to Jack's mind.
Jack splashed the water before him. He wasn't sure if he was angry or if he was frightened.
Eseral rolled her eyes. What had she done? "Feeling better?"
Jack nodded. If he was going to be a Pokemon, then he was at least going to experiment with it. He could live with this, it wasn't so bad.
Eseral sighed. "Jack? I'm sorry I had to bring that to light. We'll find a way to change you back. I promise. You'll just have to learn to be like this now." She wasn't so sure. She had never really been sure if they could ever change him back.
Jack looked down at the ground. He still wanted to be a human.
But for now, he was a Pokemon. He had fully accepted it.
"It's weird." Jack stood up and thought aloud. He forgot his anger and his scientific mind took back over. "It's like, I don't feel terribly different," He pulled up his paw and looked at them. Well, that was still pretty weird. Blue paws kind of scared him.
What was different? Was he happier? Was he just more confused?
No, he was a Vaporeon, and he loved water.
Eseral stood up and smiled. "Good, feeling connected with your instincts now?"
Jack nodded. He looked up. The stream in his heart felt so much better now. The little orb inside him felt like home.
Jack looked up and smiled. He finally felt at peace because he wasn't fighting with himself.
Eseral nodded. "Good." She slapped him as hard as she could.
"Ow!" Jack jumped back and rubbed his scratched cheek. Eseral had used her claws and hit his skin hard. "What was that for?"
"That's for splashing me you jerk!" Eseral screamed at him. She had been wanting to do that since he first jumped out of the water and scared her.
Jack smiled. Something inside him told him to fight back. His mind said no...
But his Pokemon instincts, which he believed to be true, said hit her back.
He smiled and tackled her with his huge body. It was the last thing Eseral was expecting.
Jack never thought wrestling could be so much fun. Eseral kept pushing against his huge chest but her paws just slipped on his fur.
"Jack!" She screamed trying to hit his face. She couldn't reach and Jack just held her down smiling.
This was super fun. Jack enjoyed it. Jack felt like a young kid again. He laughed as Eseral painfully kicked his stomach trying to break free.
Eseral was not one for playing. This was so immature.
She had always played dirty. She brought out her claws and smacked his cheek hard.
Jack brought his face slowly back over to her. She attacked him? Well two could play at that game.
He rolled over onto his side and kicked the Espeon as hard as he could with his huge back paws. It sent her rolling, right into the stream.
If she wasn't soaked before, she was now.
"Jack!" She screamed at him frantically climbing to shore. She didn't even want to look at herself.
Jack laughed so hard, he had to roll onto his stomach. His laugh turned from his quick shrieking to the barking a Vaporeon. He couldn't help it, she looked so funny.
"Arceus, look at your fur." He pointed and laughed some more. This was the most fun he had ever had.
Eseral frowned, and then smiled. This was actually quite fun.
But she was an adult. This behavior was embarrassing even for two wild Pokemon.
She sat down and chuckled a few times as well, and then got to business.
"So, anyways Jack, what happened after you evolved?"
Jack stopped laughing. He stood up and started to explain further.
And then they heard something. Both Pokemon looked over to their right.
Across the field, yelling was going on. It was too dark to see anything, but someone was fighting someone else.
Two trainers in fact, were being shoved down by the policeman that caught them. Some Pokemon attacks flew out, and then an angry Pikachu was detained as well.
Both Jack and Eseral listened to the commotion, and then turned to look at each other.
Playtime was over, the police were here.
Jack spoke first. His Pokemon instincts were about to freak out. "It's them. It's the police." He could almost smell them from here. He wondered if that was weird or not that he could smell the humans from hundreds of yards away. His new nose didn't work so well up on the land. Funny that everything on him worked only for water.
Eseral looked up. "The Police?"
"Yes." Jack whispered. His mind was about to freak out. "What should we do?"
"We should run." Eseral got up and looked around her. So far no one was in sight around them. Her instincts said they should run.
She looked back over at Jack and frowned. "Well, actually... Swimming might be better."
Jack rolled his eyes. Her joke wasn't funny, he hated how he couldn't run, it had already gotten him in trouble plenty of times.
They were running out of time. Jack started pacing. "We need to do something. The stream just wraps around the entire park. Even if we did swim away, they'd find us eventually. You probably can't swim can you?"
Eseral just shrugged. She could swim, not very well though. She had no idea what to do.
"Well, it's easy for you to stay hidden." Eseral commented. "You can turn yourself invisible with water. All I've got is a ruby that glows on my forehead. You could disappear within seconds."
Jack perked up. "Wait a minute. What did you say?"
"I said," Eseral rolled her eyes. "That you're a Vaporeon. They can mimic water and turn themselves invisible."
Jack had an idea. Water, he wondered.
He knew he could hide in it. If he could get Eseral in there, then... "Eseral? How long can you hold your breath?"
Eseral rolled her eyes. Jack was asking dumb questions again. Too bad his stupidity didn't disappear with his humanity.
"Not as long as you can?" Eseral answered. Duh, did she really have to point that out?
Jack had an idea. It may have been insane, but his instincts were ready for anything.
What confused him, was that his instincts just wanted to run but of course that wouldn't solve anything, they'd just get caught. His instincts were actually wrong.
This time, he had to listen to his mind. Even though he was a Vaporeon, Jack's strong scientific mind was still at large. It just changed so all it cared about was water, but he could still come up with a plan.
He came up with an idea. It involved him, Eseral, and a piece of trash.
"I think I've got it." Jack perked up. His plan was perfect except one flaw.
He sat down and started thinking. He needed to find a way to get Eseral air, from underwater.
How could he get air to Eseral under water? Didn't his lungs produce air when he was under? He could give it to her through his mouth.
Jack stuck out his tongue. Ugh! Eww. Did he really just think that? Even for his new mind that so disgusting.
Eseral wanted to be of some use. "What are you thinking Jack? How can I help?" Eseral hoped there was something she could do.
Jack was thinking but his plan wasn't going so well. There was one major flaw in it. Eseral couldn't breath water like him. "Well, I need some way for you to breath underwater."
Eseral was immediately stumped. She didn't like this plan already.
"Wait a minute." Jack jumped upright. Of course, it was the perfect size. "Trashcan, we need to find a trashcan." He darted off.
"What!" Eseral screamed in horror. She chased after him. Trashcans could only mean one thing for her. Last time she was in one she nearly died!
Jack found one, right next to the stone walkway that was currently deserted. It was less than fifty yards out from the stream and he was twenty yards away from it.
Already he was thinking like a real Pokemon. He crouched low in the grass and quietly stalked his way up peering around him.
He looked around him seeing that the place had long been deserted. The police weren't searching this part of the park yet, but they would be soon. He let his ears up and stood up out of the short grass.
He looked up at the trashcan before him. It was still three times as tall as him. It looked so foreign. He had used these every day but now they were just strange objects to him.
He noticed that there wasn't any lid. Perfect, this was the perfect trashcan. There was always one inside of these things. This trash can was probably loaded with them.
He crouched low to jump to the top, shuffling his paws for a second. He stopped.
Was this weird? He was about to jump into a trashcan. Did his mind really not care about this at all?
He shrugged. Oh well, he could always clean his fur later. The smells were terrible but what did he care, he was a Pokemon.
He jumped up, and crashed head first into the pile of garbage.
He saw everything that he had feared. Half eaten cheeseburgers, lots of used hotdogs. There was a lot of gross stuff in here. He wondered how other Pokemon managed to eat out of these things. He would really have to have his life go downhill before he succumbed to something that unnatural.
The thought sickened him. He wasn't that crazy yet. He searched around using his paws to push everything out of the way not caring if he got mustard and used popsicle sticks stuck on his fur. Already he smelled like he had been rolling around in garbage.
"Jack!" Eseral whispered to him as he threw trash around everywhere. He was literally rummaging through a trashcan. "What the heck are you doing?"
Jack found what he was looking for. He popped out of the trashcan holding something in his mouth, smiling.
"Here, take this." He threw the item down to her. Eseral backed away from it.
"Are you crazy? I'm not touching that. It's covered in human." Even she had more sense than that. Jack had some serious problems if he could jump inside that human infested object and not think twice. He was acting worse than she had ever known.
In one easy motion Jack jumped down from the trashcan and landed right next to her. Some used napkins fell off his wet fur and he scratched a candy bar wrapper off his face. His nice blue coat was already stained with the trash from the hundreds of pedestrians before him.
Jack looked at himself. Was that Mustard? Gross. He could smell it all.
He chuckled. He had never felt more alive. He was one sick looking wild Pokemon.
Jack grabbed the object in his mouth and held it out. "Here, take it. I'll show you what to do with it." He stepped forward and held it out to her from his teeth.
Eseral winced when the smell reached her. Eww. he smelled nasty. Why did Jack's plans always manage to contaminate her in some way.
"I'm not touching that." Eseral backed away from the Vaporeon and the human object in his teeth. Whatever he had in his mouth, looked gross. It had human written all over it.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Here. Just take it." He held the small object out to her. He didn't even care that the germ covered object was in his mouth.
Eseral looked at him funny. "How's that supposed to help? What is it?"
"It's a straw." Jack explained, holding one end in his mouth. "You can breath through it like this. See?" He took in a small breath through the opening and then blew out the air threw the other end. Some of the left over soda spewed out on Eseral's face.
"Gross!" She smacked the straw out of his mouth. "Stop! That's covered in human germs."
Jack just laughed. "Are you going to listen to my plan or not? We're going to need to hide really soon." He wondered how much longer they had before the police started searching this area. "Come on Eseral, just follow my lead."
"Listen to a water dog?" Eseral scoffed at him. She wiped her cheek getting the Root beer and spit off her face. She could smell the disgusting drink staining her fur. She could definitely smell Jack from here too. Did he even notice?
Why was it that every time Jack was in charge, she ended up destroying her fur? And now she was going to get soaked too at every chance he got with him being a Vaporeon. She was already hating Jack more and more but he was a friend, no matter how crazy he was. She wondered how far he was willing to go to save both their lives. This was already way out of the ordinary.
Jack was about to explain how to use the straw when he heard a noise. Both Pokemon looked up the pathway.
They heard a barking noise. A houndoom had caught their potent scent. It was unmistakeable.
Jack looked down at himself. "Oops." He muttered looking at his trash covered fur. He had forgotten that Pokemon typically had good noses. He could sure smell himself, and it was awful.
Eseral looked down at the ground thinking on something else. All the way from here to the stream, they had left soaking wet paw prints in the grass. Even a human would likely be able to track them.
They looked at each other in horror. The Houndoom further up the park started howling and chased after the scent.
Eseral grabbed the straw in her mouth, and ran straight for the stream. Jack hurried right behind her as fast as his rubbery legs would let him.
They both reached the stream staring at the small current. Eseral spat out the straw. "What now water dog?"
Jack rolled his eyes. He hated that name but he would have to get used to it. "Um, well, you need to use the straw to breath and then we can hide inside the current." He couldn't wait to get back into the water, he missed it so much and out here, on the land, he felt so unsafe.
Eseral stared at him dumbstruck. "What? What do mean use the straw to breath." How was she supposed to do that? She could hardly hold her breath for more than ten seconds.
"I just showed you." Jack complained. "Hurry. We don't have much time." He could hear the police closing in around them. They must've been less than two hundred yards out. If it wasn't for the night, they've would've spotted them already.
Eseral stared down at the straw at her paws. She had more knowledge of how cars worked then how this thing did.
"Jack, I have no idea..."
Her complaint was cut short. A houndoom barked in the opposite direction. The police were coming from all four sides.
Jack stared at Eseral begging her to get moving. She just shrugged.
Jack never thought twice about anything now, he just wanted to survive. He grabbed the straw, shoved it in her mouth, and then tackled Eseral straight into the water.
Immediately she panicked. The water scared her to death and she flailed about everywhere.
Jack swam right under her, and pushed her up. She floated just under the stream where Jack easily held her weightless body in place. His heightened senses new that she was floating just high enough for the straw to break the surface.
Eseral continued to panic. She needed to stick the straw above the surface but she didn't know how. She kicked her paws about everywhere in panic, slapping Jack across his fins.
The water rushed through the other end of the straw. Eseral choked as the water poured into her lungs.
"Stick it above the water!" Jack yelled at her. She wasn't listening.
Eseral didn't hear him. All she could hear were the sounds of water rushing by her ears and the sound of water going into her system. It scared her to death but the crazy Vaporeon was holding her under with his own strength.
Jack's plan was going to drown her! She didn't know what to do. She couldn't hear the commands from the Pokemon below her.
Jack was yelling but Eseral couldn't hear a word he said. Why wasn't she listening?
Jack realized his mistake. He wanted to slap himself for being so dumb. Of course she couldn't hear him, they were underwater. He had almost forgotten how he heard his own voice by the vibrations he made.
He let go of holding her and swam up in front of her face. Eseral looked like she was going to kill him.
Eseral was panicking. She was trying to scream but she couldn't open her mouth and hold the straw at the same time. Her paws were useless against the strong water and she started sinking. She just lost more and more air by the second in her panic and didn't know what to do.
She couldn't' take it anymore. "Jack!" She screamed. The water rushed straight into her system. The straw got free from her mouth and floated downstream.
Jack could hear her screams just fine. She was screaming help over and over. The water rushed in through her open mouth and straight to her head.
Jack knew he had to do something. He knew the look of when someone was drowning, and this was it.
He felt a vibration on the surface. It was distant, about ten meters out of the water. The police were literally right outside the stream.
He couldn't go up, Eseral couldn't stay under. He had to do something now.
Eseral's vision started going black. Her paws were struggling less and less. She just managed to see Jack swim away from her downstream before her vision collapsed completely.
Slowly, very slowly, her thoughts started to fade. The first ounce of water started rushing into her mind.
Jack appeared again. He grabbed the straw in his paws and shoved it through Eseral's mouth. Instinctively she bit down hard and held on.
Jack took in a huge breath, and then blew everything he had through the other end. He felt the air rush through to the other side where Eseral's waiting mouth was.
She struggled a little bit, and then her limbs went limp. There was so little air coming through the other side that it couldn't replace the water in her lungs.
It wasn't enough. Her body started sinking with it's added weight. Her eyes were rolling up into her head as she sunk to the bottom.
Jack pulled the straw away. He watched as Eseral sank lower and lower. He could hardly remember what drowning felt like now that he was a Vaporeon but he knew it hurt tremendously.
What was he supposed to do? Eseral couldn't breath water like him. She was dying in front of his very eyes.
He only had one more option left or Eseral was going to drown!
"Oh dear Arceus..." He grabbed her by the cheeks and shoved his mouth against hers.
Immediately she snapped awake. The explosion of air that hit her lungs sucked the water clean out.
She shot her eyes open. The wet slimy Vaporeon lips were touching hers. Jack was kissing her.
She screamed, Jack backed away immediately. Just like that, her brain was wide awake with air.
He didn't waste a second. He shoved the straw back into her mouth, and shoved the other end towards the sky. He held Eseral's panicky body in place while she looked upwards.
The straw just barely broke the surface. Jack rushed underneath her in one motion and pushed up just slightly. The straw poked out of the water by just a few inches.
Eseral panicked for a second, then she tried to breath. She expected water but air seeped into her lungs.
The straw was just large enough for her to breath. She stopped struggling, pulling in air through the straw, and then blew it out.
She stopped kicking Jack in the face. So this was his plan. She was breathing underwater?
Jack let her go so she could float freely. He smiled, staring right at her. Now she understood what he meant the whole time.
Eseral swore, if he ever dared to kiss her again with those slimy wet lips of his, she was going to rip his pointy ears off and tie him underneath a dock with his own tail.
Jack just smiled. That was the worst feeling he had ever had. Kissing another Pokemon, gross! Even his Pokemon mind didn't want to do that again. Eseral just rolled her eyes at him and floated in place, keeping the straw above the water. Both their intentions were unsaid but somehow Jack knew she was going to kill him for that.
Jack was quick to act. He could hear the policeman talking above him, searching. Sure Eseral could breath but they were still wide out in the open.
In one swift motion, he swam behind her and gently pulled her fur with his mouth until they were deep in the grass on the side of the stream. Eseral was well hidden and the straw still broke the surface where she was. No one would be able to see her now.
Jack spat out the pink fur. Did he really just bite her fur with his own mouth?
No, he shook his head. He couldn't think like that. He needed to make sure he stayed hidden.
He looked at the grass behind him. It was just thick enough to hide an Espeon but his huge tail would stick out like a spotlight if he tried.
He looked up at the surface. He didn't know what to do. If a policeman looked down into the stream where he was, he was sure to get caught. He wouldn't fit in the grass.
He gulped. He had to stay hidden. But how?
"Well hide then." His instincts told him. Jack flinched at the loud voice in his head.
Before it was a distant call. Now it was like the voice was right in his ear. He was so much like a Pokemon that he could hear his own conscious inside him.
He shook his head again, "No." He told himself. "You're a Vaporeon now. Get over it."
"Exactly you moron." His instincts told him. "Hide. Disappear!"
Jack felt a tingle at first. Right in his paws. He looked down surprised at what he was feeling.
He knew he was one with water, but this was different. The current of the stream didn't rush past his paws anymore.
It went through him. Straight from one end of his skin to the other side without any resistance.
He wanted to scream, this was unnatural, but his Pokemon mind was too much in control.
"Disappear." His instincts told him. Jack flinched at the voice. He didn't know how to disappear.
"Here, disappear, like this." The water inside the orb swished about. Jack could feel his own body being turned over to the instincts inside him. He no longer had a say in what happened to him. His instincts were making sure he stayed alive.
"Just like this. I'll show you." The water soothed his mind. It showed him exactly how to disappear.
Eseral was wondering what Jack was doing. Why wasn't he trying to hide? He was just floating there staring at his paws. Was he ok?
Then suddenly his fur lit up bright. She watched with wide eyes as he lit up and then magically started disappearing.
She almost screamed. Jack was turning into water. He looked up at her just as his eyes faded away and he became nothing.
Eseral floated in place for a second. She didn't know what happened. She was completely alone.
Where did he go?
Eseral heard a large splash. About twenty yards up the stream something had either crashed in or jumped out. It may have been Jack.
She was supposed to hide inside the tall grass, but her curiosity was getting the best of her. Something was up the stream. It may have been Jack. He may be in trouble!
"Jack?" She whispered underneath the water still holding the straw. "Jack? Is that you?"
She poked her head out of the grass. Immediately she swam back in.
The police had a Buizel on their search squad. He was searching the water no more than ten yards away from her, looking around through all the grass and rocks for any sign of life. He could feel the vibrations of some kind of Pokemon in here but he couldn't quite pinpoint it.
He looked up, Eseral's pink head just managed to get away when he glanced her direction.
He smiled. An Espeon? Just what he was looking for.
