Chapter 7
"Eevee"
That first day after I reestablished Pokémopolis, Misty came to me, holding an Eevee in her arms. She told me it belonged to……Gary……
…I couldn't stand the sight of it. I told her to have it join the fighting force if it was strong enough, but I didn't want to have to deal with it. She left with it, as I told her to…but the Eevee wouldn't leave her alone. It formed the habit of following her around…like a pet…I finally was forced to ignore it completely. It worked…After some practice, I was able to have it stand right next to me and I still wouldn't notice it. It never said a word to me either so the job was rather easy.
After the death of birds, I retired to my room for a day. The battles had taken more out of me than I would like to admit. I asked for no one to bother me, and for the most part, they didn't…
* * *
I was sleeping in the middle of the day, but I was tired, and I wanted to sleep.
Because of that fact, I didn't really pay any attention to the little scritch-scratch at my door. It started out very small and unnoticeable, but it got slightly louder and faster. I was still able to sleep through it though. After all, I was used to being woken up by Thundershocks in the morning…A little noise wasn't enough to get me up…so of course, I wasn't paying attention when the door creaked open and four small paws padded into my room.
"Eee! Vee!"
'Ashura! Wake up!'
…Someone's in my room…
I groaned and rolled over, hoping they would go away before I had to actually wake up and show them why I didn't want anyone entering my room without permission, which they shouldn't be able to get without asking me, and since I was asleep in my room, that would be very hard to do.
"……Eevee?"
'……Ash?'
Did he say…?
I sat up with a growl.
What did you call me…?
"Ee!" he gasped and shrunk down, trying to hide himself from me, even though he was standing right in the middle of the floor.
…What are you doing in here…? I asked coldly.
"Ee……Eevee!" he squeaked, trying to build his own confidence.
'I……I want to talk to you!'
…Get out.
"Vee-!"
'But-!'
Don't make me repeat myself…You're the last thing I want to see when I wake up.
He cowered again, but didn't move from his chosen spot.
That was too much. I jumped out of bed and landed in front of him.
Get……Out……
He squeezed his eyes shut, perhaps preparing himself for an attack, but when it didn't come right away, he pleaded at me with tearful eyes and small, pitiful squeaks.
"Eevee, eevee! Eevee eevee, eevee eev…Eevee!?"
'Why did you kill Master!? He never did anything to you, and he was a good master, and he was kind to me and…Why!?'
…A good master…?……Kind to you…?………Gary!?
…You lie.
"Eeevee, eev!!" Eevee cried.
'No I don't!!'
I think I was shaking…
Gary……… I started, and began to tremble even harder at just the sound of that name…I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down…
There was silence between the two of us for a moment before Eevee spoke.
"……Eeevee…"
'……Master didn't hate you, you know…'
The shaking stopped immediately, but I was filled with a coldness instead…I opened my eyes.
…What?
Eevee lifted his head slightly and spoke more confidently.
"Eevee……Eee……Eevee, eev………Eevee eevee, vee eev…"
'Master didn't hat you……He…may not have been good at showing it, but he still thought of you as a friend……He was really sorry for what he said to you after……you know…'
After what? I demanded.
"Eevee……Eevee eev……"
'After……After you came back from the dead.'
What…?……Does he mean……that suit…and…Billie……and when I met Nekiro………and……
I snarled. I think you're mistaking me for someone else. That wasn't me back then, that was Ash…Gary hardly knows…knew……me………I killed a complete stranger………It was just a coincidence that he was…Ash's…former best friend………
I turned around, done with this conversation. Now get out before I change my mind about forgiving you…
I heard Eevee stand up slowly and begin to turn around.
"Vee………Eevee…" he whispered, and ran off.
'Goodbye………Ash…'
I spun around angrily to correct him, but he was already gone.
* * *
…After that, I found it very difficult to ignore Eevee…In fact…I found myself almost starting to enjoy his company…Not that I had much time to enjoy anything…I had already spent too much time sitting around. It was time to head into Viridian…
* * *
Misty, Eevee and I stood out on balcony. Night had finally fallen, putting the defiant sun out of my sight.
We're going to enter Viridian tomorrow, I said.
"Umm…Ok," Misty said, trying not to sound surprised.
I ignored her and continued to gaze out over the city that I had rebuilt.
…We'll do to them what we did to everyone from Pallet Town……and after that, we'll have the city done completely over…to reflect the style of the Pokémopolitans……
"Um…What's wrong with leaving it the way it is…?" Misty asked hesitantly.
…It's tacky. Every building looks different. They're all covered with signs full of nothing……When I change that, everything will be plain and simple……There won't be anything special to look at………Nothing will be different…
"……Eevee?"
'……Why?'
My tail whipped through the air in frustration.
I don't know…!……It just seems better that way……No one will be able to take notice of anything special anyway, so why bother having special stuff…?
"But……isn't everything special…if you think about it…?" Misty asked.
Of course not…! No one is special……This world is full of people who are all the same……
I was shaking again…
……They don't care about anyone but themselves, because they think that they are special…but I know better now……With everyone not thinking about anyone but themselves, everyone just ends up getting hurt……Someone gets hurt everyday, but no one does a thing about it because they think that it's normal……With everyone thinking the same way……under my control……they'll all be thinking with and about each other and no one will ever get hurt…
I stared down past the fifty foot drop to the dark city below. It was full of people and Pokémon that I were sharing my thoughts…I had purposely erased most of their ability to do any independent thinking and gave myself almost complete control…Of course, it would be ridiculous for me to try to control each one of their every movement, so I let them keep their common sense…
…You two'd better get some sleep…We have a big day ahead of us…
"…Yes sir…" Misty said, and left to do so.
……Aren't you going to sleep, Eevee?
"Ee?…Eeevee…"
'Me?…Sooner or later…'
……Better sooner than later…
Eevee fidgeted for a second then moved closer to me.
"Eeevee…?"
'Is there going to be a fight tomorrow…?'
I nodded. Most likely…I have a strong feeling that Mewtwo and whoever he invites along will be there…
"……Eeveee…?"
'……Will I be fighting…?'
………If we decide that you're up to it.
I continued to stare out at the city, lost in the quiet and seeming peace of the night…
"Eevee, eeev……"
'The moon is beautiful…'
I looked up. The moon was very beautiful indeed…It was only a quarter full, but it still shone with a quiet elegance that the sun could never equal with its audacious golden light. I told Eevee the same thing, but not in so many words.
'It makes you feel calm…like……you're special………even if you're not…'
I glanced back, worried about how I understood what he was saying but didn't hear him say it…In his place was a shadow…
…Eevee!?
The shadow opened its eyes, revealing two red orbs lit with the light of the moon…He had golden rings on his forehead, ears, legs, and tail, but was otherwise completely black.
"Umb…?" he began, then clasped his paws over his mouth.
'Yes…?'
He glanced down at himself in surprise.
"Um…Umbre…"
'I…I……'
……You evolved and didn't even notice it…? I asked.
He looked at me with wide eyes and nodded.
Somehow, I found the ability to laugh, and did.
That sounds familiar… I said kindly, …Now I think you'd better go to sleep……Umbreon…
"Umm……breon."
'Umm……Okay.'
He bounded into the tower, leaving me alone on the balcony.
…So does this mean that Eevee is gone too…?
I sighed and drifted backwards into my own room.
Either way, I should be going to sleep too…Big day tomorrow…
* * *
It wasn't that Viridian City was unprepared for us…They were just underprepared…Actually, it had a very large group of humans and Pokémon willing to fight in its defense……If they had been up against anyone else, they probably would have won…But they didn't stand a chance…
Before the big battle, I had equipped everyone who would be fighting with a small amount of Dark powers. I know for a fact that they weren't expecting that twist, and it paid off.
I didn't do much fighting in that first battle. Instead, I flew among the fighters, healing fallen ones of either side, and if they were on the other side, which most of them were, I let them fight for our side…
Victory almost seemed too easy to gain. As their force dwindled by the moment, our force only grew stronger, fueled by their losses. They finally retreated with less than ten percent of their fighters left. I decided to let them go. There would be plenty of time later to take care of them. I sent everybody back to Pokémopolis. Umbreon didn't leave…I guess he had something he wanted to talk to me about.
…The last thing I expected was for anyone to come back…
* * *
The battlefield was empty except for the two of us, Umbreon and myself.
Why are you still here? I asked.
"Um…bre…"
'I……'
"Asha!"
I snapped my head to the left to see two more figures running our way…
Mayo……
I gritted my teeth and faced her angrily.
She's the enemy…She's the one who fled from me…It was her choice to end up being destroyed as well……
"Umb-!"
'Eevee-!'
I glanced at Umbreon, and then back at the two of them…Her Espeon was running along next to her. She was weakened somewhat, but I could tell that she had done pretty well in the battle…I guess they had to have to still be alive…They reached us quickly and came to a stop. They were tired from both the battle and the run.
"Asha……" she whispered.
…The name is Ashura…… I said coldy.
"…Huh?"
…What do you want…?
"I………I don't know……" she said quietly, looking at her feet.
………Then hold still, I said calmly, extending my paw out.
"Spe!?" Espeon gasped.
'What!?'
"Wh-what are you gonna do?" she asked in alarm.
…I'm going to get you out of the way…
"Wait, Asha!" she cried.
Stop calling me that……May.
I hadn't even touched her and she already looked like she was in pain…
"…Asha……"
I paused for a moment. I felt that there was something just on the edge of my mind, waiting to be remembered, but I couldn't figure out what.
…Let me ask you something before I destroy you…
She seemed to be in shock…At least, she didn't respond with anything more than a small gasp.
……Why'd you come back here?
"I……I……"
She swallowed…probably on the verge of crying…
"…I don't know…" she whispered, "…I just felt like I needed to see you again…just one more time………to make sure that……"
She choked on her tears and they began to trickle down her cheeks…
……What? I asked, once it was obvious she wasn't going to finish her sentence.
"…To make sure that……To see…if……if………I wanted to know if………" She sobbed, then bit her lip and continued. "……if it was really………Asha……who was doing all of this……If you'd really…………Gary……"
For a split second, I almost felt sorry for her.
…If that's all you wanted to know, then here's your answer……No…Asha……is dead………And now you're going to be joining him.
I shot out a small, but concentrated blast of darkness at her. Since we were at such close range, it should have been more than enough to kill her. She cried out, but a flash of purple shot in front of her right before the attack hit. It exploded, but when the darkness cleared…in May's place, Espeon lay on the ground, completely still.
"Espeon!!" she shouted.
"Umbreon…!" Umbreon gasped.
'Espeon…!'
…You…
I glanced up in surprise. Mewtwo must have appeared just as the attack hit. He was scowling at me with such hatred……
"Espeon…" May whispered…She gathered the body into her arms and brought it close to her. "Espeon…wake up……please………"
Her tears fell fresh and she sobbed pitifully, cradling the Pokémon as she knelt on the ground.
Mewtwo landed a few feet behind her and continued to glare at me.
I'll find a way to obliterate you… he said in less than a whisper.
He knelt down next to May and put his paw on her back.
Let's go… he said gently, There isn't any more we can do…
She cried and nodded. The Teleportation light emitted from them and then they were gone.
"…Umbreon…"
'…Eevee…'
I glanced at him. His eyes were wet, but no tears fell…
…Come, Umbreon…
Umbreon gazed at me sorrowfully, then nodded. I Teleported us back to the tower. He stayed quiet when we got there and left the room to be by himself…I had no objections to that…but it made me wonder……