Test of Fate, Part One
Chapter Four- Criminal Actions
"Wee!"
A large cloud of dust was stirred up as the Eevee hit the ground. It made a large Thunk! sound as it landed, and the young boy with dirty blond hair behind it cried out in terror as it moaned pitifully and didn't try to get up.
"Oh Eevee!" the boy yelled fearfully, "Are you okay?!"
The pokémon whimpered.
The boy ran forward to pick his wiped out friend up, but the Scyther that the Eevee had been facing off against stopped him. The boy stepped back, retreating from the pearly white, razor sharp blades of the mantis pokémon.
The boy's opponent trainer, a young man with shaggy brown hair and dirty gray eyes stepped forward and pulled the fainted Eevee off the ground by the scruff of its neck. Aaron sneered slightly at the tiny fox.
"Pathetic," he said, holding it out at arm's length like a piece of nasty smelling garbage, "I hate weak pokémon."
The blond boy turned and looked up at Aaron past the Scyther's blades. His eyes were wet.
"I...Aaron, please give me my pokémon back!"
The brown haired boy looked down at his weak opponent, and then back at the creature he held.
Too easy. It had all been too easy for him. This boy had a flag, and he meant to take it. He had found this stupid child by a stream, walking along with the red beacon of success clutched in his little hand. Aaron had challenged him to a battle, with the flag as the prize. The boy had stubbornly refused, claiming that he had had the flag for twenty four hours and that it was officially his. The little boy had turned to continue down the path, but Aaron had sent out his scyther and attacked the flag holder with it. The boy had sent out his pathetic pokémon one by one to protect himself, until it came down to this eevee. It had put up a good fight, but it had been weak, and scyther had taken it down easily.
Now here they were, standing by a crystal clear stream, with green trees sheltering them from the sun. They were standing on the dusty road, which was riddled with the paw prints of different pokémon.
Aaron dropped the animal he held onto the ground at his scyther's feet.
"Don't let him have it, Scyther," Aaron said calmly, "Jamie and I have some bargaining to discuss."
The boy, Jamie, gulped.
Aaron grinned malevolently.
"Well kid, it seems you're out of ways to defend yourself. I think it would be wise to give me the flag now."
Jamie clutched the flag against his chest. He hadn't let go of it throughout their entire battle.
"I won't give it to you, and you're not allowed to take it! That's against the rules!"
Aaron rolled his eyes, and brushed some unsettled dirt off his dark purple coat.
"Rules, rules, rules. That's all I ever hear out of puny, wannabe trainers like you. You're always sprouting rules to save your butts. You lost the battle Jamie, and now I get to take the prize."
"No!" Jamie narrowed his eyes, and stood up. He planted his feet firmly apart, and held onto the flag tightly. For a second, Aaron raised his eyebrow at the little boy. Then his lip curled.
"You're a stupid one, Jamie. Scyther!" The pokémon flinched slightly at the sound of its name barked out, but turned its head slightly and acknowledged its trainer.
"Scy?"
"Scyther," Aaron said in a cold and casual voice, "Would you mind killing that eevee for me?"
It was hard to tell who was more shocked- the pokémon or the Jamie. The scyther raised its claw though, and prepared to bring it down on the eevee's neck.
"No!" Jamie cried. He flung himself on the ground and reached for his own pokémon. The scyther jerked its claws reflexively, and the boy jumped backwards to avoid being sliced in half by the pokémon's wicked scythes. Jamie began to cry.
"Yes," Aaron said, his voice as icy as his stare, "That's what I thought. Trainer's like you always go soft at the last moment. Hand over the flag, and I won't kill that useless lump of fur right there." He pointed to the eevee, and gave Jamie a cold glare.
Jamie looked up at Aaron, eyes full of tears. He stared into the trainer's eyes, searching for some little bit of pity there.
He found none- only a frighteningly twisted determination. Jamie opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it then. He looked at the scyther in front of him. Its claw was raised over the body of the eevee, which was breathing weakly. The mantis shook its wings, and its eyes shifted back and forth, as if looking for some sort of escape route. It caught the Jamie's eyes, and gave him a pleading look.
"Scy…"
"Shut up, Scyther," Aaron said. The pokémon ducked its head submissively, and closed its mouth quickly. "And both of you stay where you are."
The scyther raised its claw again, a sadly determined look on its face.
Jamie wiped his nose, and sniffed. He looked at Aaron again.
"You…You wouldn't…"
Aaron's voice was sharp and precise.
"I would."
Jamie felt his fingers and toes go cold, despite the warmth of the sun on his face and clothing. Aaron wasn't lying. He knew it.
"If I give you the flag, you'll give me Eevee back?" Jamie said faintly.
A sickeningly self satisfied smirk appeared on Aaron's face. His face lit up, and Jamie could almost see the wheels turning in his head behind those filthy snow colored eyes.
"Of course I will," his voice was silky, "give me the flag and I'll hand your little pokémon right back."
Jamie swallowed, then threw the flag over without any hesitation. He sighed in relief.
Aaron caught the flag in one hand, and ran his pale fingers up and down the plastic shaft. An evil grin came over his face.
"Eevee…" Jamie whimpered. Aaron turned. The pokemon was gasping a little. He watched as its coal black eyes opened a little.
"Weeee?" it said quietly. Jamie smiled and reached for it.
"Scyther!" Aaron cried suddenly, shocking everyone present, "Use Slash!"
The pokemon had been trained for battle, and its reaction to the command was instantaneous. With movements so fast the two humans could barely see them; the pokemon shot forward and brought its claw down on the opponent. Scyther had expected the eevee to move, or at least dodge the blow somehow. He thought that the eevee would defend itself.
There was a thick sound, like that of a blade slicing through meat, and a sharp click as the same blade hit bone.
Scyther pulled back, horrified. It looked at its hand blade in a kind of appalled trance. It was red with blood. A sweet smell of honeysuckle and something salty filled the air.
Jamie screamed and began to bawl. He wrapped his arms around the limp form of his pokemon. He tried desperately to squeeze the life back into it, but only managed to get warm blood all over his sleeves and shirt. The eevee didn't move.
Aaron stood behind the three, looking somewhat indifferent. His arms were folded across his chest, and he blinked slowly. A deep frown lengthened across his features. Then he reached to his belt, and withdrew a pokeball.
"Return Scyther."
The mantis didn't even flinch when the red beam of energy hit it. It was shaking in fear and barely notice as it was recalled. Jamie turned to look up at the evil man in front of him.
"You…You killed him!" Jamie's eyes filled with new tears.
Aaron readjusted his grip on the flag.
"It was weak. If it couldn't defend itself, then it deserved what it got." Aaron gave the child a scornful look. "I could kill you right now, too. I won't though. I think this is better." He smiled ruthlessly at the picture of Jamie clutching the dead eevee in his arms.
Jamie began to sob. Aaron could hear the boy muttering things under his breath, some of which sounded like prayers. He sneered, then he put Scyther's pokéball back on his belt, and began to walk away. As he passed Jamie, he stopped, and ruffled the boy's hair. Jamie flinched, and Aaron grinned wickedly. Then he disappeared into the trees.
Although the new noises of Jamie's sobs filled the air, the forest around basically went on around him as it had before. The trees still shaded the path, and the dust stirred up by the battle had settled. The only difference was that the stream now ran red with the eevee's blood.