Lost Episode #2: Sibling Rivalry
Between "Ghostly Greetings" and "Dar Town Days: Day One"
Japanese Title: The Missed Battle Of Siblings! The Sting Of Defeat!
By: Kat of Pokemon: The Hokubu & Nanka Trek
A/N: Well! Looky here! Another "lost chapter" for TAA. How interesting…Don't even ask…Hehehe…
Eevy kicked a rock along in front of her, yawning nearly every step and stretching every few minutes. She scratched at the back of her head and could hear Eusine and Morty fighting behind her. She rolled her eyes and kept walking, completely ignoring both them, and the chattering Mizu and Lisle. All she was focused on was getting to Dart Town. Why? Because Dragon would be there. As she stopped to pull out her map…
"Hey!" she went flying as her brother called her from directly behind, "Sorry…"
"What…Do you…Want?" she heaved, patting her chest to breathe.
"Just wondering why you've been so quiet," Morty tilted an eyebrow, "You've been acting awfully strange since your battle with Wendy."
"He's right," Sooney looked her over, "Is something wrong, Eevy?"
"No. Not really," Eevy shrugged in return.
"Are you sure?" Eusine questioned, "There's nothing bothering you or anything?"
"No. I can't say there is," Eevy started walking a bit faster, forgetting about the map entirely.
"She's not acting quite right," Lisle whispered, "She's been out of it all day."
"Do you think she's upset about something?" Mizu eyed Eevy from behind as everyone but her stopped walking.
"I don't know," Medira looked a little more worried than most, "She hasn't been this bad since that day with Cain back in Dogwood."
"Do you think that's getting to her again?" Yuu-Yuu asked quietly.
"After all this time? I doubt it," Sooney shook her head, "She's got Dragon now and-"
"That's it!" Medira burst, "She's worked up about Dart Town!"
"Why's that?" Morty asked blankly, narrowing his eyes.
"Dragon, JP, Starla and Phantom said they may be at the Dart Town festival! She's waiting to see Dragon again!" Medira answered.
"You guys coming or what?" Eevy finally noticed they'd stopped and turned around to look at them.
"Let's stop here for the night," Eusine suggested quickly upon his cousin nudging him, "We could use the extra sleep and there's no Gym in Dart."
Eevy looked over her shoulder nervously, staring down the route to Dart, "Well…"
"Aww, come on, Eevy! Let's have a good night's rest before we go partying in Dart!" Medira smiled wide.
Eevy's eyes frosted over momentarily, "…All right…" they softened, hardened, then returned to normal.
*^~^**^~^*
"Eevy…Eevy…Yo, Eevy!"
"What?!" Eevy looked side to side frantically, panting a bit, "What?"
Sooney leaned away, "I was just wondering where you were planning on putting up your tent…"
"Oh…Wherever," she shrugged and looked back into the fire, "Just set yours up and I'll go from there…"
"You sure?" Mizu looked down at her.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure," Eevy looked up to momentarily smile at her before again returning her gaze to the campfire.
Eusine and Morty looked at each other worriedly, then looked at Eevy, "Eevy," they said together, "Are you all right?"
"I-I'm fine," she answered quickly, yet not quite alertly.
"Mizu," Eusine took her shoulders, "Why don't you and the girls go get some wood," he motioned off to the side.
"Sure," Mizu nodded, looking at Eevy sympathetically, "Come on, girls. Let's go," she had to force Yuu-Yuu away.
Eevy started to stand, "Ah-ah-ah!" Morty pushed her shoulders to sit her back down, "Not you, Eevy. You're staying right here."
"Why?" she asked innocently as they sat down to either of her sides, "What'd I do?"
"You haven't done anything," Eusine noted, "That's just the problem."
"Huh?" Eevy's head tilted.
"You haven't planned, you haven't trained, you haven't even brushed your Pokemon in two days," Morty noticed her posture get lower, "Are you worried about something?"
"No," she stood up and started walking away, but both her relatives caught a belt loop and pulled her back to sit.
"You're upset about something," Eusine crossed his arms.
"I am not," she snorted, sticking her nose into the air, "And even if I was, I wouldn't tell you."
"That's a bull-faced lie," Morty contradicted, grabbing her chin and yanking her to look at him, "Tell us what's wrong."
He handed her chin to Eusine, "We may be able to help," he handed her back.
"Don't be stupid and bottle it up," he started shoving her back to Eusine when she slapped him off.
"Knock it off!" she hissed, shooting to her feet and spinning to look at them, "I'm not worried or upset about anything! I just want to be left alone! Is that so much to ask?!"
Eusine and Morty looked at each other for a few moments before looking back at her, "Yes," they answered in unison.
"Oh my gawd!" she threw her arms up in exasperation, "Don't you two ever give up?!"
"No," they didn't even have to look at each other that time.
"What do you want from me?!" she spat, balling her fists.
"We want to know what's bothering you," Morty looked her over worriedly, "Can't you just tell us instead of dragging this out?"
She stepped back a step, "And don't run away," Eusine's shoulders dropped, "We're worried about you, Eva."
"Please don't call me that," she looked off to the side and into the fire again, "I am not Eva anymore; I am Eevy."
It struck Morty then, "That's what Taylor used to call you, isn't it?"
A filthy look from Eevy caused him to lean away in defense, "Among other things," she growled between tightly clenched teeth.
"You're scared to face him, aren't you?" he questioned, his cousin looking at him blankly.
"I am never scared. Especially not of him," she clenched her fists even tighter.
"You're lying," he stood up and stepped closer, "And you know it."
"Um…Morty. Are you, by any chance, nuts?!" Eusine tugged on his cousin's shirt.
"Leave me alone," Eevy fumed, a deep growl accompanying it.
"If you're never scared," Morty ignored the cautioning, "Why are you lying?"
"I am not lying, Morty," she glared into him, "And I am not scared."
Morty leaned forward, right to his sister's ear, "Metal Wing," he whispered.
His sister's eyes widened and watered. Her back shot up straight. Her teeth clenched. Her fists balled. She whimpered. She stumbled away from him and bared both fists right at him. Morty braced, in case she charged, and looked her over. That name. She was afraid of not only the creature, but of the name itself.
"St-Stay away from me," she shivered, "Just keep your distance," she backed up.
"I'm sorry," he raised his hands slowly, "I didn't meant to scare y-"
"For the last time: I am never scared! You just…You just brought back bad memories, all right?! Nothing more!" her arms slowly dropped, as did her head.
Eusine stood up next to Morty as Eevy raised the back of her arm to her downcast eyes, "Eevy…That was a long time ago."
"But it's also very near," she sniffed, "If I ever want my Platinum Badge, I'll have to face…him," she couldn't even bring herself to say the name.
"That's true," Eusine nodded slowly, "It is inevitable that you battle him, but why be afraid?"
"I'm not afraid," she didn't care that her nails were leaving marks in her palms.
"Yes you are," both her brother and her cousin murmured as Eevy's shoulders started shaking, "It's fine to admit it."
"But-But…" her hands trembled, "I can't be afraid of him. It makes me vulnerable," her head jerked up as a wave of tears came to her, "I-I am scared. Of that horrible Pokemon. And its wretched master."
Morty stepped closer and pulled her over, squeezing as much as he dared, "It's all right, Eevy. You don't need to worry about facing him."
"We're not going to let him get to you again, Eevy. We promised you that and we'll keep the promise," Eusine put his arm over her shoulder, "Don't be upset."
"I hate him," she hissed into her brother's shirt, "I just hate Taylor Andiron!"
"We know. We know he hurt you," Morty glanced off at Eusine, who looked back with sympathetic eyes.
"Don't worry about him, Eevy. We'll keep him out of your hair," Eusine tightened his grip on Eevy's shoulders.
"It's not my hair I'm worried about…"
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy was sprawled in her tent, staring up at the roof as she usually did when she couldn't sleep. All that talk of the dirt bag had given her a headache and made her sick to her stomach. She couldn't even close her eyes without thinking about him and that demon Skarmory of his. After so many times at chasing her, Metal Wing didn't even need to hear Taylor's command to attack. As soon as he saw Eevy, he would charge her. It made Eevy queasy just to think of all the times that thing had hit her; had sent her flying, carried her limp back to the awaiting Jullian and Joe, who would then take her back to Taylor. She shuttered at the very thought and pulled her blanket up over her face as she rolled to her right.
She heard something move at her feet and sat up quickly. By her boots, sitting in the corner, her belt shook. Her Star Ball shot open and out popped Vovo. He shook off and yawned, looking at her sweetly to mirror her blue and green eyes. Having sensed his master's troubles, it was Vovo to the rescue! He hopped up into her lap and looked up at her expectantly, as if he was just waiting for her to tell him anything and everything that could possibly have been bothering her; in all truth, he was.
"Hey, buddy," she patted his head and scratched behind his ear, "What's up? Are you worried about me?"
"Eevee-eev," Vovo whimpered, rubbing up against her and giving an Eevee purr.
"Don't worry about me, little friend. I'm all right," she ran scratched his collar and puffed its cream fur.
"Ee-vee?" he continued looking at her worriedly.
"Yes, I'm sure," she squeezed him around his neck, "You're really sweet, Vovo. Thanks. Why don't you get back in your Poke'Ball now and get some sleep?" she raised the Star Ball.
"Eev-ee!" he shook his head, jumping up beside her pillow and turning around and around before lying down and curling up in a tight little ball.
Eevy stared at the compact bundle of fuzz laying beside her, "I'll take it you want to sleep out here with me," she flopped back down and looked to the side of her pillow at him, "Fine by me, just don't go kicking me in the head."
"Eevee," he squiggled closer and rested his head on her pillow, snoring soon after, as was she.
*^~^**^~^*
Lisle shot straight up in the middle of the night, swearing she heard someone scream. There was no noise whatsoever now that she was awake. She reached out and fumbled for the flashlight, but stopped short. She saw that Medira, Mizu, Sooney, Yuu-Yuu, Morty and Eusine all had their lights on as well. It definitely wasn't her imagination. The only one not bearing a light was Eevy. Everyone was dead still for a moment, not even moving. Then, a Murkrow cried out somewhere in the darkened woods. She heard Morty sigh and fall over backwards, flicking off his light. Must have just been that, everyone decided, and Eevy had slept through it. Either that or she didn't dare move an inch when she heard it. Sooney and Yuu-Yuu's lights went out, the Medira's, then went Mizu's, then Eusine's, and Lisle followed slowly after.
However, just a few moments later, before anyone could even close their eyes, the scream came again. This was definitely not the yell of a Murkrow; this was someone screaming. Loud and clear, frantic yelling. Morty and Eusine stumbled out of their tents, tripping over each other and numerous forest-dwelling obstacles like weeds and rocks, and fell flat in front of Eevy's tent. They fought with the stuck zipper and piled in. Vovo was sitting up next to Eevy, worriedly crying out. Morty moved his hand to Eevy's head and immediately pulled away.
"She's burning up," he looked to his cousin, who then followed his gaze as they looked to Eevy's hands.
She was gripping the blanket and cringing in her sleep. Then, from nowhere, she screamed again; right in Eusine's ear. He leaned away and rubbed his temporarily deafened right ear. Eevy started breathing furiously, heaving and choking in her sleep. Morty slapped at her face, trying to wake her. She started coughing, then actually suffocating.
"Wake up, Eevy!" Eusine shouted for all he was worth, "Wake up! Come on!"
"Eevy! Eevy, wake up!" Medira squeezed in, "Eevy!"
Morty kept hitting her face, trying to make her awaken, "Wake up! Wake up, Eevy! Please, sis! Wake up!"
Suddenly, her breathing completely stopped. She froze. Her hands shot up just as her eyes whipped open. She grabbed Morty's wrist in both hands, digging in her nails and squeezing as if for dear life. She sat up in a burst of movement, red hot and panting. She swallowed once and blinked hard. She looked to Morty groggily, then turned to Eusine.
Morty looked her over worriedly, "Taylor?" he asked simply.
"Y…Yeah," Eevy nodded stiffly and repeatedly, leaning into her brother, who put his arms around her.
He laid his forehead on her shoulder, "It's OK," he ran his hand around her back, then motioned to Eusine, who put his left arm around Morty's back and his right around Eevy's, "He's not here. You're safe. You're all right."
Medira stepped out and looked to Mizu, Lisle, Sooney and Yuu-Yuu, who'd come out when they realized it was Eevy who was screaming. They glanced at each other sorrowfully, hearing something they never expected to ever hear. Eevy was crying. She was sobbing into her brother's shoulder, gripping his shirt with the tiny bit of strength she could muster.
"She's really scared of him," Sooney murmured lightly.
"No. She's not scared of him," Medira corrected quickly, "She's scared of what he can do."
"He's the Master of the Platinum Badge," Mizu crossed her fists over her chest, "He's gotta be strong."
"I'm worried about her. What are we going to do?" Yuu-Yuu choked out.
"There's nothing we really can do," Lisle sighed long and hard, "If she wants her last Badge, she has to battle him."
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy was up before everyone else, slowly and sadly poking at the fire as she tried to start it up for breakfast. All six of her Pokemon had come from their Poke'Balls the night before and completely surrounded her; like a Pokemon picture frame. They'd made a box, completely encircling her the entire night long. She was leaving Zovo alone for now, as she'd squeezed him a bit too hard once or twice and was letting Novo be, as she's kicked him accidentally, but they dealt with it for their beloved Evangelina.
Finally a small spark lit up the fire and it was soon going again. She tossed her stick into the flames and sat staring into it. A million-plus thoughts raced through her head as she examined the fire with dreary eyes. The blue and green were frosted over, meaning she was dazed. She blinked slowly as Morty basically rolled out of his tent and Eusine flopped out of his, both tiredly scratching their sides and stretching.
"Hey, Eevy," Morty pulled his headband on and snapped it back to his forehead, "Feeling better?"
"Yeah," she nodded once, stroking Sovo subconsciously.
The Espeon looked up at her, tilting his head, "Es peon?"
"I'm fine," she just continued running her fingers through his fur and staring into the fire.
Sovo then turned toward Morty and Eusine, "Espeon," he said quietly, looking at them worriedly, "Es-espeon-es."
Eusine pulled Morty's arm, dragging him off to the side, "He's worried about her."
"They all are," Morty motioned over his shoulder at Eevy's Pokemon, "And so am I."
"Yeah. Me too," they both stood staring at her, "But what can any of us do? I mean, other than killing Taylor."
"Nothing I guess," he frowned lowly, "But can I kill Taylor anyway?"
His cousin rolled his eyes and sat down across from Eevy, "Hey, Eevy…"
"Hmm?" she kept her eyes focused on the fire, her hand on Sovo's back, and her mind elsewhere.
"Do you want to…Go for a walk?" he questioned after a moment of thought.
"Not really," she shook her head slowly, still not looking away from the blaze.
"Do you want…Something to eat?" Morty suggested slowly.
"No thanks," woo; she was real enthusiastic this morning.
"Do you want to…Play some tricks on the girls?" Eusine made it up on the spur of the moment and actually cracked himself in the forehead afterward.
"Not today," well, she was enthusiastic about the fire…
Eusine sighed and drooped, "I'm out of ideas."
"Do you want to…" Morty scratched the back of his head, "Have a Pokemon Battle?"
Eusine's head fell off to the side as Eevy's head tipped upward a bit to look at her brother, "With who?" she asked slowly, then looking back to her original focus.
"Well…With me," her brother shrugged and Eusine fell over backwards, a wave of leaves irrupting from beneath him.
"With you?" these two word answers were really getting on their nerves, "Why?" she reached out and scratched Yovo's ear.
"Because…Uh…Because," he wracked his brain for an answer, "Oh! Because right before you left for Lily City to register, we said we'd battle!"
"Yeah. So?" she kicked a rock into the fire.
"Well…We never did. So…Why don't we battle now?" he shrugged and sweatdropped, realizing it was kind of a lame idea.
She glanced up at him again, wriggling slightly in her seat, and scooped Sovo up into her arms, "If you want to," she muttered into her Espeon's fur as she buried her face in his back.
"Great!" Morty grinned and jumped up, pulling Eusine over to whisper, "Maybe battling will take her mind off Taylor."
"Maybe," Eusine nodded quickly, "Hey, Mizu," he rattled her tent, awakening her, "Come on and get up. Eevy and Morty are going to battle."
"Really? This I've gotta see!" he watched the tent lean side to side as she threw her clothes on and jumped out moments later, "OK! I'm ready!"
Eusine sweatdropped, "Uh…Huh…"
*^~^**^~^*
Lisle sat on a rock, yawning wide with Yuu-Yuu and Sooney beside her. Mizu was latched onto Eusine from behind, squeezing his neck repeatedly. He just sighed and rolled his eyes. Medira stood beside Eevy, looking her over worriedly. Every now and again, she'd glance at Eevy's brother, who stood fiddling with four Poke'Balls, trying to pick the three he'd use.
"Are you really sure you're up to this?" Medira asked lightly, "You look pretty beat up and you had a long night…"
"I'll be fine," Eevy didn't even look at her, just kept staring straight forward.
"If you're sure…" Medira stepped back slowly.
"Are you ready, Eevy?" Morty finally stepped up.
"Yes. I'm ready," Eevy nodded slowly.
"All right. Lisle?" Morty looked back at her as she hopped down and slumped forward.
"This is a three on three Pokemon battle. There are no Badges at stake and there will be no time limit. The opponents are Minor Ghost Master Morty Hikoboshi and Evangelina Hikoboshi with nine Badges of the Gertan Rin expanse," Lisle threw up her arm, "Let the match begin!"
"I choose you!" Morty let his first Poke'Ball fly, "Gastly!"
"Yovo," Eevy murmured simply, her Umbreon springing in from behind her.
"You know your type advantages," Morty acknowledged.
"I know my brother," Eevy retorted slowly, "Go, Yovo. Use a Glare attack."
"Gastly, don't look! Use your Lick attack!"
Gastly shut his eyes and swooped downward, barreling in toward Yovo, who bounced away. Yovo hissed, bearing his teeth, and lunged left to right as Gastly's venomous tongue shot towards him.
"Confuse Ray."
"Confuse Ray!"
Both Confusion blasts shot forward, slamming into each other. Gastly flew back, as did Yovo. Yovo looked up, fine and dandy, but Gastly's eyes bared two parallel lines across their centers.
"Can you keep going?"
"Gast-ly…"
"Good. Then use a Night Shade!"
"Bite attack."
Yovo slammed forward, chomping down on Gastly's side. The Ghost called out and fell straight to the ground, bouncing away with spiraling eyes as Yovo landed gracefully in front of Eevy.
"Return, Gastly!" Morty called, pulling back his first Pokemon and reaching for his second, "Go! Haunter!"
"Go, Yovo. Use a Sand Attack."
"Smack it away with your hands, Haunter!"
Haunter swung his body up and his hands out to either side as the sand washed toward him. He dropped slightly and threw his hands forward. They both crashed into Yovo's face, tossing him back.
"Um-bre-on!" Yovo yelped as he flew back, sliding away.
"Return, Yovo," Eevy recalled her Umbreon to his Poke'Ball, "Well done. Go, Sovo," Sovo bounded out from behind his master.
"Haunter! Go Transparent!"
"Foresight attack."
Sovo's eyes lit up a shining red, a beam of a slightly lighter color shooting from his sights. It scanned the area, hitting the invisible Ghost and bringing him into vision. Haunter gasped, his face tweaking.
"Quick Attack."
"Get out of the way!"
Sovo slammed right into Haunter, sending him flying backwards. He tipped and tumbled in midair. His left hand went to the right, his right hand went to the left, and his body flew upward, soaring into the sky. Morty and Lisle both gasped as Haunter started falling.
"Haunter! Return!" Morty shouted quickly, recalling the body and dragging the hands along with it.
Eevy stood dead straight, head slightly dropped and her eyelids fallen halfway, "Call your last Pokemon, please," she asked quietly.
Morty frowned; half because he was losing, half because his sister was so out of it, "Go! Gengar!"
Eevy's eyes closed, "Predictable," she muttered, "Go, Sovo. Foresight attack again."
Gengar started to jump away, but the attack crashed into him and held him steady. He growled as Sovo dragged his foot and Eevy popped on knuckle. She looked up for real for the first time, and everyone gasped. Her eyes were so…Cold. Like she wasn't really in her body at all. It was like she was controlling it from a position elsewhere; outside of the confines of the skin and bones they were seeing.
"Bite attack."
"Night Shade!"
Sovo's eyes widened painfully as the Night Shade plummeted into his side and threw him back. He rolled along toward Eevy's feet, sliding to a halt with a trail dug in the dirt from where he'd fallen and slipped. Eevy scooped him up and rubbed her face in his fur.
"I'm very proud of you, Sovo," she said into his side, "Return now. Go, Vovo," the Eevee bounced forward, hissing slightly.
"Go, Gengar! Use Thunderpunch!"
"Use Agility."
Gengar swung downward, throwing his lighting-covered fist into the dirt. Vovo sprang away, kicking off a tree and flying in for a surprise Headbutt dealt right to Gengar's face. The Ghost started tipping over, but suddenly swooped into the air with a growl.
"Gen-gar…" he spat lowly, staring down at the Eevee far below him.
"Gengar! Use Psychic!"
"Vovo. Wait for it."
Gengar started dropping, flying right for Vovo, who crouched readily. The Ghost started releasing Psychic energy as he fell, preparing to toss Vovo away like a pebble. He was just nearing Vovo when Eevy gave another order.
"Turn and use Iron Tail," she murmured.
Vovo swung around quickly, whipping his tail across Gengar's face. The purple Pokemon hissed and fell flat on his stomach to the ground without being about to attack. He gnarled and pushed himself to his feet, scratching at his face with his hands. His eyes lit up a flashing white.
"Gengar! Use your Hyper Beam!"
"Vovo. Use Hidden Power."
Gengar put both arms forward, forcing all his power into them to form a bright white sphere. Vovo's face tightened as he took in any sort of power he could accumulate from around him and prepared his attack. Gengar's Hyper Beam shot from his hand, rumbling toward Vovo at full force. Vovo threw his head up and cried out with a long Eevee howl. The ground around him pulled into the air, flying forward with immense strength. Everyone gasped as the two attacks collided with each other, causing a slight explosion as the two Pokemon kept pushing against the opposing Pokemon's hit. Vovo hissed and Gengar growled, shoving toward each other, After just so much pressure, the Hidden Power irrupted, crackling and falling away, allowing the Hyper Beam to push past. It collided with Vovo, tossing him away like a paper doll. For the first time that morning, Eevy's face showed true emotion; pain.
"No!" she screamed, watching her Pokemon fly past her through the air, slamming into numerous branches and snapping them right off their trees, "Vovo!" she turned to follow.
Vovo just kept flying, his tiny weight barely even an anthill of an obstacle to that Hyper Beam. He slammed a thicker branch than those before it, back-first, his head leaning back over the top and his tail around the bottom. He nearly curled right around it. Eevy ran up beneath him as he moaned lowly and slipped down off the branch, pieces of bark falling with him and piece of fur sticking behind him. He dropped lifelessly into her arms. She screamed louder than even the night before.
"Vovo! Vovo!" she wailed, holding him tightly, "Vovo! Vovo, wake up! Wake up, Vovo! Wake up!" she turned and ran back to her brother, glaring into him, "How could you?!" she spat right in his face, "How could you do this to him?!"
"That's what Pokemon battles are all about!" he cracked back at her, "You need to expect such things! Can you imagine what a Dragonite's Hyper Beam will do to him if Gengar did that?! And what about Taylor's Steelix?!"
Eevy gasped and stepped back as Eusine jumped over, "What are you talking about?!" he snapped at the older of his two cousins, "How could you even-"
"No, Eusine," Eevy stopped him, "Don't. He's right," she pulled a Berry from her pocket and pushed it into Vovo's mouth, then recalling him to his Poke'Ball, "You'll be OK. You did great…If I can't beat him, how can I even hope to beat Taylor?" she shoved past him and ran off into the brush, heading in the direction of the Gladiola.
Eusine grabbed Morty's collar, throwing him up against a tree, "What are you?! Brain dead?!" he hissed, "You've got to be! How could you?! How could you even say such a thing?! The number of times you and I saved her from that son of a bitch and you say that?! I ought to rip you in half!"
Morty gasped as his cousin's eyes roared a dark blue and the air slightly dampened. Mizu and the girls gasped, stepping closer together. The one thing Eusine had sworn never to let happen, was. He was letting loose the psychic powers he'd held away and kept hidden most of his life. They were nowhere near as strong as Will's, or even Sabrina's, but they could cause quite the racket. Like now; he was making a slight storm, just to scare his cousin. A slight rumble of thunder rolled in the distance and lightning landed somewhere behind them.
"You've got a lot of gall, Mortimer!" Eusine hissed, pushing Morty farther upward, "She's probably gone to drown herself now, if not worse! And you know something?" he leaned right into his face, "It'll be your fault," he dropped him and stepped backward, picking up his backpack and running in Eevy's direction.
Mizu ran after him, "Eusine! Wait for me!"
"Wait for us, guys!" Medira tripped along behind as Morty slid to sit, leaning on a tree.
He sat there, staring at his Gengar as he stood worriedly in front of him, until his face hardened, "Let's go, Gengar. We've got to make sure Eevy's safe," he jumped to his feet and stomped forward.
"Geng! Gar!" his Pokemon ran along behind him.
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy just kept running, leaves flying from beneath and behind her feet. All she wanted to do was get to the Gladiola, jump in, and never come out again. So what if it was miles away? She'd make it. She'd leave her Poke'Balls on the bank and dive right in. She knew right where the current was strong enough to pull her away, and she'd take full advantage of it. Her hair fell down in her face as she started crying again. Oh great…Crying would make her run slower. It'd take her longer to get to the river that way. She snuffed, held back all emotion, and doubled in speed.
She knew her brother was right; if she couldn't beat him, how could she beat Taylor? Two words; she couldn't. That was what she'd been thinking all along, and she somewhat wished to thank her brother for proving her right. Dragon was wrong all along. She was not strong. She was not cunning. She was not ready. She never would be. The only thing she was, was stupid. Stupid for ever thinking a simple girl from a tiny town could ever amount to anything. Taylor had proven that years before, but she never took the hint until now.
She caught her foot on a tree root and fell flat on her face. She pulled her arm back and started letting the tears flow. She sat up and folded her legs up, burying her face in her knees. She rubbed her left eye with the heel of her hand, coughing between hiccups. She moved over under a tree and sat back, legs out straight, and stared upward.
"Why," she thought, "Did Raikou choose me? I didn't even like Pokemon when he said he'd supposedly chosen me. Why did he have to pick me to put through this living hell?!" she picked up a rock and flung it forward, through some bushes to hear the plunk of stone hitting water.
She stood and brushed off, wandering over and sitting down next to a pond within a grove of trees. Magikarp splashed into the air and Goldeen moved about beneath the surface. She watched a Dratini bounce out of the water and plunge quickly back under. She then examined the sky as the light slowly but surely started disappearing more than it had been as twilight approached. She swallowed and started muttering something lowly to herself…
Kaze o kanji te,
Daichi to kokyuu awase,
Jump shita shunkan.
Mune ni hibii takoe,
"Kimi nara daijoubu!"
Furi mukeba minna ga,
Waratte iru.
Oika keteitai konna jiyuu na kanji.
Mabushii taiyou ni de o nobashite.
Kinou o mitsumete atomodorishita.
Namida mo attakedo,
Ki ni shinaide.
Mirai e no step wa,
Tsuzuite iru.
Susume! Susume! Kimi to,
Nana-iru niji koete.
Ready go! Motto to'oku!
Kumo o tsuki nuke sora e to...
*^~^**^~^*
Lance was just sitting in his usual chair, staring into space, when a sudden wave of sadness completely overtook him. He stood up and straightened his coat, wandering out the door and down the hall. He slowly pushed open his bedroom, shutting and locking it behind him. He tossed his cloak on one hook and his coat on another and flopped down in his desk chair. After scratching his head a bit, he pulled out a paper and pen, doodling away…
Feel the wind,
Blowing over the great horizon.
Jump into the instant!
The voice rings out of your chest,
"You should be alright!"
Everyone needs,
To be guided by laughter.
Chase slowly after this feeling of freedom.
Extend it over the sparkling sun.
Gazing at yesterday,
Is too old-fashioned
Don't feel the tears that you cry
We need to continue
Stepping into the future
Get ahead! Get ahead! Beyond you,
And the seven-colored rainbow
Ready go! Farther into the distance!
There's no end to the cloud in the sky...
(A/N: Both Japanese and English lyrics to "Ready go!", the fifth season opening theme to Pokemon in Japan, from Dogasu's Site: http://www.geocities.com/english_japanese/ )
"Hmm…" he pondered to himself out loud, "Wonder where that came from…"
*^~^**^~^*
"How," Eevy wanted to know, "Can I recite such a poem and then not live by it? And why doesn't it help me like it used to? It always used to help when I was younger, so why doesn't it now?"
"Because you're older and more stubborn than you used to be."
Eevy's eyes flailed side to side, trying to decipher just who or what was talking to her, "Who said that?" she asked quickly, "Where are you?"
"I'm right in front of you," said the voice, deep but gentle.
Eevy brushed her hair from her face and looked forward, toward the water, and noticed all the Pokemon that had been there were now gone, "I-In the water?" she questioned slowly.
"Yes. I am in the water," the voice agreed, the water lighting up an icy blue, a shadow looming beneath it.
Eevy backed away, "W-What are you?" she tried to snap, but didn't quite succeed.
"I am nothing for you to fear. Do not run away," the shadow moved about beneath the water's surface, "I am friend to the Beasts."
"Oh," her shoulders loosened and she moved forward a bit, "You know the Beasts…Then I suppose I can at least try and trust you."
"That is a wise decision, Evangelina from the Town of Rose," it saw Eevy gape, "Yes. I know much about you. Including that you are doubting yourself."
"Yeah…" Eevy's head dropped.
"Why has your confidence decreased so? What is it that seems to be dragging you down?"
"Memories…Of a bad experience…"
"But they are merely memories."
"Yes, but I'll have to face these memories again."
"True, but you will not be alone. But there is something else that's taking a toll on you. What is it?"
"Nothing that I know of."
"It happened just today."
"Oh…That…"
"Yes. That. You know there is truly no reason to call this cause to end your training, or your life. You also know that there is no reason to listen to tripe from a memory. A memory that should have been buried long ago, along with a relationship."
"How'd you-?"
"As I said; I know much about you. Your brother was right at some points, but wrong at others. You should expect such things in battle, but there is no reason to fear it. If you try your hardest and you do not give in to such memories and such blights, you will succeed, Evangelina. You merely have to realize just what your destiny is."
"My destiny…I have no destiny."
"That is a lie. You have more of a destiny than most. You must set your finish line and you must reach it, but you must move it ever forward once you've crossed it. You must accomplish your goals and then set new ones. This is your true path to becoming what you need to be. You need to do this. You cannot let yourself be taken aback by such things as past problems and battles you have or could have lost. You must win, Evangelina, and you must stay strong. You must be powerful. You must rise above the rest and claim the top as your own."
"But I-"
"Now is not a time for "buts". Now is a time for "cans" and "wills". You must push yourself if you have to. Force it if you must, but this has to be done. This is what your life is all about. Your life is about doing what you know you can do and never failing at it. You know your true destiny, now take it! Grab it and never let it go! You know who your true love is, so find him! Find him and go with him! Let him help you achieve your goals! Claim your destiny with undying support! But to do that, you must first do things on your own. Be one with yourself. Be an individual. You are more unique than even me. Learn to harness the Bell and its powers, as well as your own. Use them to your advantage; do not let them drag you down. You've been told what you must do, now you must listen to it and take it to heart. Now go, Angel of Faith! Your path is waiting for you!"
Eevy leaned to the side as her glass bell pulled from her pocket and waved in the air in front of her. The shadow rose from the water, as black as night and silent as air. The bell rang, pulling the shadow inside. Eevy gasped as the bell burned hot white.
She stepped back as the bell threw itself at her, "Lugia!"
*^~^**^~^*
"Dang it!" Eusine pulled on his backpack, yanking it off the branch it was stuck on, "Stupid trees!"
"Eusine! Calm down!" Mizu pleaded, "You've got to chill out for a minute!"
"No," he puffed flatly, "I don't want to. I won't. I can't," he stomped forward.
"But what was it you just did?" Medira asked as she bounded along behind.
"I don't want to talk about it," he just kept storming along, his Haunter looking him over worriedly from the air beside him.
"But you really should," Sooney put in quietly.
"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered again, walking faster and planting his feet harder.
"Maybe it'd help to talk," Yuu-Yuu suggested in a voice slightly above a whisper.
"I don't want to talk about it!" he snapped, spinning to face them, "Just-Just-Just…Leave me alone!" he stormed away, his Haunter flailing to keep up.
"Oops…" Medira murmured, "Guess we shouldn't have asked," Sooney and Yuu-Yuu nodded.
Mizu puffed at them, "Eusine! Wait up!" she took off after him, "Eusine!"
*^~^**^~^*
"Lugia," Eevy swayed slightly side to side, dazed and confused, "How in the world did I meet Lugia? And how and why did he find me?"
"Geng!" came a cry from behind.
"Wah!" Eevy spun around, shrieking as she turned, "Gawd! Don't…Do that…Gengar…" she heaved.
"Gengar-geng…" Gengar shrugged and scratched the back of his head.
"Woah. Hold up. If you're here…" her eyes slowly narrowed, "Where's your Master?"
"Geng ar," he turned and pointed behind him, right at the stumbling Morty, who'd been drooping along behind him, "Geng-geng, gengar geng."
"Yes, I know I'm slow," Morty puffed slightly, then spotting his sister, "Oh. Eevy."
"Yes. Oh. Me," she crossed her arms, turning away, "What do you want anyway?"
"I came to find you."
"Why? So you can crack at me again? You know, I ought to-"
"No. So I could make sure you were all right," he cut her off, "Look, I'm sorry about what I said. It was wrong and cold and stupid-"
"Just like you."
"…Very funny. Would you let me finish?" she nodded slowly at him, "Thank you…Now, I know what I said was really stupid- -don't say it- -and I realize that now more than ever. It was cold to have brought that…guy up and I really shouldn't have done that to your Pokemon. I'm sorry."
"Thanks, but you were right though," she crossed her arms as he gaped.
"I-I-I was?" he stammered, his Gengar snickering.
"Yes. You were. I should have expected a heavy attack like that, but I didn't. I was too zoned about Taylor too have really been paying attention and I'm…I'm sorry I yelled at you, Morty," her shoulders drooped, but her arms stayed crossed.
"Excuse me," he cupped his hand behind his ear, "Could you repeat that please? I can't quite believe you just said you were sorry about something."
"Don't be an idiot!" she snapped, "Why do you always have to make things harder on me than they already are?! Even when we were little! You were always bossing me around and pushing on me and bugging me and getting me in trouble and…And getting me right back out of it again. And standing up for me. And saving my neck…I'm sorry, Morty."
"Yeah…Me too," he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Gengar," Gengar wonder over to Morty and shoved him toward his sister, "Geng-geng, Geng-gar-gar gengar."
"Hey! Come on! Stop pushing me, Gengar!" Morty stumbled along in front of him, just about tripping right into Eevy.
"Geng-geng!" he pulled Morty's leg, "Geng-gar-gar!" he grabbed the knee of Eevy's jeans and dragged her over, "Gengar! Gengar!"
"What? What do you want?" Eevy asked blankly, tilting her head, "I don't understand you, Gengar."
"He wants us to make up," Morty looked off to the side.
"Gengar! Gengar!" he just kept saying it over and over, then with more force, "Gengar!"
"OK! Fine! We'll make up! Geez," Eevy stuck out her right hand.
Morty put his out, snatching hers, then jolted her toward him, "I love you, baby sis!" he held onto her and spun her around.
"AH! Come on! You're making me dizzy!"
*^~^**^~^*
"Eusine! Would you stop?! Please!" Mizu had just about enough of chasing him around the woods.
"No. I won't stop. Not until I find Eevy, then go back and bash Morty's head into a tree," Eusine puffed, stomping along behind, "The nerve of that guy! Ooh!" he kicked a rock with all his might, sending it sailing into the distance.
"Maybe we should leave him alone…" Medira murmured, "That's all he keeps asking us to do, so maybe-"
"No," Mizu shook her head, "I'm not leaving him along like this. If you guys want to go, go ahead."
"Maybe I should go back with Morty," Lisle grinned nervously, looking around the darkening woods, "This place is creepy."
"Why?" Sooney asked, "I thought you liked Ghosts."
"I do," Lisle nodded, then shivered, "It's the Darks I don't like…"
"Good point," Yuu-Yuu swallowed hard.
"Can you find them, Haunter?" Eusine stopped to question is Ghost.
"Haunter-haunt," Haunter shrugged, "Haunt-haunter-haunt."
"Why can't it find them, Eusine?" Medira asked hesitantly.
"It says there's a strong Psychic presence around here somewhere and it's blocking his abilities with its own," Eusine snorted slightly and continued walking.
"Have you tried to find them?" Mizu asked quickly from behind.
"No," he snapped, walking faster again.
"How come?" Lisle asked after rejecting the idea of returning to the campsite alone.
"Because," he stomped one foot harder.
"Because why, Eusine?" Mizu asked worriedly, "Are you ashamed of-"
"I am not ashamed of anything except that I'm related to that idiot Morty," Eusine just kept walking.
"Are you scared then?" she asked quickly, noticing the other girls lagged back a bit.
"No. I am not scared," he actually stopped, "I hate these powers."
"Why?!" she flipped, "I'd love powers like those!"
"Because they're dangerous. If you can't control them, you could kill someone with them."
"So you suppressed them all your life?" her shoulders fell, "Instead of learning to control them, you held them back?" he nodded once, "But if you can hold powers that great away, you can definitely control them!"
"You saw what happened, Mizu!" he growled, "I wasn't even trying to call a storm then! It just happened! Because I was angry! I can't control it when I'm angry! I blew all the windows out of my car three different times because I got pissed off at traffic! That's why Eevy didn't want to take my car between cities!" his voice thundered, as did a rumble in the distance, "See what I mean?! There's a storm coming right now because of me!"
"Eevy knew about this?" Medira asked from all the way behind, "Eevy knew?"
Eusine but his bottom lip, "Yes, Eevy knew. Because she has powers too," the girls gaped a bit, "That's how she senses things and why her eyes change. Ever heard that talent skips a generation? Well, so do psychic capabilities. Most of the time."
"So…That would mean…Morty has powers too," Lisle muttered, "And so do your grandparents. But what do you mean by most of the time?"
"If the powers are strong enough, the powers will be passed on," Eusine started walking again, "That's how…That's how I got mine."
"Your parents?" Sooney's jaw dropped.
"My mother," he started walking again, scuffing up dirt with his feet.
"That would mean," Yuu-Yuu paused slightly, "That your mother has amazing powers…To be able to pass them on alone…And that would mean…"
"You inherited them," Mizu finished quickly, "But not as strong."
"About half," he puffed, "Are you happy now? Are you pleased?"
"Actually…" Lisle snickered ever so slightly, "Yes."
"Oh brother…" Eusine stomped along faster.
"No. Not oh brother. Oh cousins," something snickering from somewhere.
"Wha?" Medira looked side to side, "This is creepy…Who said what from where to who?"
Purple lines showed in the darkness and three figures fizzling into view, "We said hello from right here to you," Eevy grinned and waved as Gengar Teleported her and her brother in from nowhere.
"Eevy!" Yuu-Yuu shrieked and lunged at her, grabbing on and squeezing, "You're all right! And you look and sound so much better!"
"Yes. I'm fine," Eevy nodded and pried her off, "Thanks to Morty."
"Morty?" Eusine's eyebrow tipped, "When did you find her? And how?"
"I do not suppress my powers," Morty glared slightly, "Unlike someone we know."
Eusine looked away, gritting his teeth, "I…I won't suppress them…Anymore."
"Huh?" Eevy's eyes widened, "But you were always so afraid of-"
"Yeah, I know. I was afraid, but I've got to move on," he laid his arm over Eevy's shoulders, "And if I can get over this, you can get over Taylor. And whatever else it is that's been bothering you."
"Actually, Eusine," she shoved him off, "I'm on my way down that road already," she dug around her pocket, "Thanks to this thing," she held up the glass bell.
"That thing?" Medira's head fell off to the side, "What is that thing anyway?"
"I don't know exactly what it is," Eevy's eyes slowly narrowed as the blue and green wrapped around each other, "But I have the strangest feeling I know who it is."
"Heh?" Sooney went blank in the face, "What the heck does that mean?"
Eevy snapped back to reality, "I dunno!" she burst, running around everyone, "Let's go! I'll race you back! I need to get some stuff for Vovo!"
Everyone cocked their heads slightly, then took off after her. They were all beginning to wonder just how she could recover from such things so quickly on her own. Little did they know just how much help she really did have; including from that tiny bell. Eevy released Vovo upon returning to camp, finding he was a bit scratched up, but OK. She dug around a bit and found a Shuckle, politely requesting his Berry Juice. Upon seeing that bell dangling from her pocket, the Shuckle agreed quickly. Eevy didn't quite understand this, but went with it anyway, and helped Vovo regain his strength.
Raikou, Entei and Suicune nodded to each other as they sat watching Eevy. Giving her that bell was the smartest thing they could ever have done. It was now nearly no question as to her identity of the Angel of Faith; defendant against her dark opponent in her somewhat near future. Still, she temporarily remained partially oblivious to what was to happen to her. They had to pray she'd do things right and that what Guardian Lugia told her would sink in and take affect. Even if she did have some problems, she had her clairvoyant brother, her psychic cousin, her loyal friends, her loving Pokemon, and her dragon-strong soulmate to forever be by her side. Not to mention some very power Legends.
*^~^*End*^~^*
A/N: Can you say "cheesy"? I'm sure you can, but oh well! I like it, so there! Ooh…Looky what I did to Eusine…And looky what I did with Lugia…And looky what I did with that bell… o_O Man…I need help…And what's this "Angel of Faith" hocum-pocum? You'll just have to wait! Muahaha! Hi-ho, Rapidash! Away!
The Deranged,
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