Chapter Seven
The wake up call the next morning was far from pleasant. Kolya jumped straight up in the air and landed with a rather angry thump back down on his soft bed. Picking himself up he stalked out into the common room. Jo studiously ignored her and delicate nibbled on a rather tasty looking side of meat. Karis flashed him a cheery smile and Damon gave him a respectful nod. Tynan, off in the corner, ignored him completely.
Kolya plopped down feeling slightly dizzy. His skin was tight and the short fur was uncomfortable. He had slept well enough the night before if one considered the bunch of psychotic evolutions sleeping in the surrounding rooms.
"How'd you sleep?" Karis asked him all chipper. He ignored her for a moment and she took that as encouragement, "I slept fairly well. At least we don't have a battle today that would be depressing. It's just training. That's not too bad. So, Damon, what's going down today?"
Damon grunted and indulged her, "The obstacle course. You can thank Reidar for such a lax day."
Kolya had no idea what the normal training included, but he thought that an obstacle course wasn't that bad. How wrong he was.
"Pick it up slackers! You'd be dead ten times over!" Damon hollered over his shoulder. His lean, whipcord body threaded easily through the close knit, razor sharp wires. Kolya flinched as one grazed his cheek drawing blood. He was in top condition and yet he was easily three yards behind Karis.
The other four wiggled and squirmed coming out clean. Damon leapt straight up onto the high wire and balanced his way across. Below, the punishment for failing was ice cold water.
The wind nipped playfully around the struggling espeon and he wavered. Just as he had almost regained his balance Jo jumped off the other end. The wire twanged upward bucking him off. There was a brief feeling of doom before his body plunged into the deep, murky water. The water was so cold it hit him like a thousand needles of ice. It clogged his nose and mouth stinging his eyes. Futilely he padded his paws through the liquid trying to regain the surface and some badly need oxygen. Instead he felt his body plummet downward. Frantically he struggled which only seemed to make him sink faster.
Suddenly something was pushing him from below. Slowly, timelessly it seemed, he rose back. All at once reality snapped back into play. He gulped air frantically and the something shoved him towards the sloped bank. He dragged his burning muscles and shivering body onto the wet, slimy mud and sank into it gratefully.
"Are you okay?"
He coughed and retched as a reply. The mud below was noxious and he was beginning to feel light headed.
"Damon, I think he's had enough." The voice persisted and he clapped his paws over his ears to blot it out.
"No, get him up."
The closer voice sighed heavily and Kolya felt a timid nudge on his shoulder blade. A harder one followed it when he didn't respond, "You heard him. Get up. The longer you're down the harder it will be."
Kolya lifted his head and blinked with his pale blue eyes. Karis stared down with her sympathy filled purple ones. Kolya growled. He was not to be pitied!
Gather his slender legs beneath him he heaved his body up. His muscles screamed and his knees almost buckled, but they obeyed him. When Karis tried to help he shoved her away. He was going to do this. If they could do this then so could he. He wasn't a dumb brute or a tiny baby. He didn't need protecting and he sure as hell didn't need anyone's pity! He was on the receiving end of that far too much as an eevee. Now that he was evolved he expected more of himself! Others expected more. He couldn't quit.
"You think you can walk?" Karis persisted in a worried tone and he refused to acknowledge her.
"Get up here and continue." Damon said lowly, his charcoal eyes flickering over them. "Karis, next time let him sink to the bottom."
Karis trembled and uttered, "No sir."
"No? My darling, you don't say no to an order like that." Jo laughed finding the whole incident amusing. Especially since she caused it. "A chit like you takes orders and is grateful for some direction. Thinking doesn't become you my dear."
Karis flushed deeply and padded past Kolya. She gave him a half glance from the corner of her eye then ran up the slope easily.
"Don't push." Damon warned her in a barely audible voice as she joined the group at the top. Kolya felt a new feeling. Guilt. She had risked more than her life jumping in there to haul him out. He decided right then he would sneak back out and learn to swim.
Kolya limped through the rest of the course with unshakable determination and burning drive. When the day was half way over they took a short break. He distanced himself from the others distaining food. With his stomach he decided that eating was definitely not a good idea at the time. Besides, he didn't have much of an appetite even though he was working harder than he ever had before.
Karis purposefully avoided him instead sticking beside Damon. The coarse jolteon ignored everything but his meal, which he dug into with the ferocity of a pack of mightyena. Tynan was snoozing for once all his nervous energy spent. His legs still twitched occasionally and his ears flicked at some unknown dream.
It was Jo who invited herself over and sunk down into the short grass gracefully. She gave him one brief, serene look with her emerald eyes then closed them. A gentle smile floated smugly on her face and he felt a twinge of unease. She didn't strike him as a gentle anything. Her smile unnerved him, as was intended, he thought bitterly.
"You shouldn't be so rude to Karis." Jo said in a conversational tone. She licked one of her pads then set the paw back down exactly where it rested before.
What do you care? Kolya snapped not wanting to play any games. A deep rumble rose from his throat and he resisted the murderous urge to throttle the furry fire type. He turned his back to her.
"Don't be so childish." Jo chided with a glare. Her green eyes pierced through him making him not want to turn around. It was much easier to be brave when he was ignorant. He longed to go back and stop his evolution and subsequent hearing. "I won't let you hurt her that way."
His mouth almost dropped open, but instead he snapped, So only you may torment Karis?
She gave him a patience filled stare, "I would never dream of hurting her. She is aware that I mean nothing when I tease her. That poor child has been through more than you'll ever conceive."
So are you teasing me? Kolya asked in contempt and she rose to her feet in one liquid movement. She looked down with a twisted smile and replied airily, "Not at all. I mean every word I utter to you."
Then she breezed off to where Damon was finishing his meal. Kolya fumed at the nerve of that bitch. He shoved himself up roughly and did his best to strut over to the group. Tynan needed to be kicked awake. A service, which Damon provided with long practice.
The rest of the day was a blur and Kolya was grateful when Damon's harsh voice told them to pack up.
Kolya felt like he had been beaten with a sledgehammer all over. There wasn't a part of him that didn't throb with a sharp ache. Already he was dreading what he would feel like in the morning when all his muscles stiffened and the ache became a persistent drone.
Karis dropped back beside him. He looked at her inquiring. Why should she even want to associate with him? He wasn't polite or even pleasant to her. He simply pretended she didn't exist. Like she was beneath his notice. True, the rest of the team performed similar feats and she still looked to them. It must be her nature he concluded.
"I'm sorry." Karis said with a hangdog expression.
He flinched. What was she saying sorry for?
"I didn't mean to…a…save you." She stuttered searching for the right words, "I mean, that is to say. I'm sure you'd have pulled yourself out. Me dragging you out by the scruff of you neck is hardly the sort of impression you want to make. No one thinks less of you for it."
Really? Kolya grumbled bitterly thinking of Jo. Reliving as she dainty flipped the thin line with the intent to send him plunging down into the freezing water. His face twisted up and he had to school it.
The vaporeon laughed softly, "Jo least of all. She hates water for obvious reasons."
Kolya just couldn't figure this out. Jo treated the small water pokemon like shit, yet was fond enough of her to warn him. In return, the water pokemon was generous enough to defend her tormentor. With a laugh no less! She also seemed to admire Damon and he was incredibly indulgent with her. Even Tynan looked on her favorably. Or as favorably as a psychotic dark type could be. Then why did she bother him so much?
Pheonix Rising: *steals them back and replaces them with plushies* Hey hey now, paws off. I still need them =D
Joeyz girl: Good, it seems my characters are well liked... for now ^__^ You'll see about Jo.
Coffee Luv: Tynan is himself. I'm hurrying I'm hurrying!
Zero_Chan: Why thank you. *offers Lurk a treat*
The wake up call the next morning was far from pleasant. Kolya jumped straight up in the air and landed with a rather angry thump back down on his soft bed. Picking himself up he stalked out into the common room. Jo studiously ignored her and delicate nibbled on a rather tasty looking side of meat. Karis flashed him a cheery smile and Damon gave him a respectful nod. Tynan, off in the corner, ignored him completely.
Kolya plopped down feeling slightly dizzy. His skin was tight and the short fur was uncomfortable. He had slept well enough the night before if one considered the bunch of psychotic evolutions sleeping in the surrounding rooms.
"How'd you sleep?" Karis asked him all chipper. He ignored her for a moment and she took that as encouragement, "I slept fairly well. At least we don't have a battle today that would be depressing. It's just training. That's not too bad. So, Damon, what's going down today?"
Damon grunted and indulged her, "The obstacle course. You can thank Reidar for such a lax day."
Kolya had no idea what the normal training included, but he thought that an obstacle course wasn't that bad. How wrong he was.
"Pick it up slackers! You'd be dead ten times over!" Damon hollered over his shoulder. His lean, whipcord body threaded easily through the close knit, razor sharp wires. Kolya flinched as one grazed his cheek drawing blood. He was in top condition and yet he was easily three yards behind Karis.
The other four wiggled and squirmed coming out clean. Damon leapt straight up onto the high wire and balanced his way across. Below, the punishment for failing was ice cold water.
The wind nipped playfully around the struggling espeon and he wavered. Just as he had almost regained his balance Jo jumped off the other end. The wire twanged upward bucking him off. There was a brief feeling of doom before his body plunged into the deep, murky water. The water was so cold it hit him like a thousand needles of ice. It clogged his nose and mouth stinging his eyes. Futilely he padded his paws through the liquid trying to regain the surface and some badly need oxygen. Instead he felt his body plummet downward. Frantically he struggled which only seemed to make him sink faster.
Suddenly something was pushing him from below. Slowly, timelessly it seemed, he rose back. All at once reality snapped back into play. He gulped air frantically and the something shoved him towards the sloped bank. He dragged his burning muscles and shivering body onto the wet, slimy mud and sank into it gratefully.
"Are you okay?"
He coughed and retched as a reply. The mud below was noxious and he was beginning to feel light headed.
"Damon, I think he's had enough." The voice persisted and he clapped his paws over his ears to blot it out.
"No, get him up."
The closer voice sighed heavily and Kolya felt a timid nudge on his shoulder blade. A harder one followed it when he didn't respond, "You heard him. Get up. The longer you're down the harder it will be."
Kolya lifted his head and blinked with his pale blue eyes. Karis stared down with her sympathy filled purple ones. Kolya growled. He was not to be pitied!
Gather his slender legs beneath him he heaved his body up. His muscles screamed and his knees almost buckled, but they obeyed him. When Karis tried to help he shoved her away. He was going to do this. If they could do this then so could he. He wasn't a dumb brute or a tiny baby. He didn't need protecting and he sure as hell didn't need anyone's pity! He was on the receiving end of that far too much as an eevee. Now that he was evolved he expected more of himself! Others expected more. He couldn't quit.
"You think you can walk?" Karis persisted in a worried tone and he refused to acknowledge her.
"Get up here and continue." Damon said lowly, his charcoal eyes flickering over them. "Karis, next time let him sink to the bottom."
Karis trembled and uttered, "No sir."
"No? My darling, you don't say no to an order like that." Jo laughed finding the whole incident amusing. Especially since she caused it. "A chit like you takes orders and is grateful for some direction. Thinking doesn't become you my dear."
Karis flushed deeply and padded past Kolya. She gave him a half glance from the corner of her eye then ran up the slope easily.
"Don't push." Damon warned her in a barely audible voice as she joined the group at the top. Kolya felt a new feeling. Guilt. She had risked more than her life jumping in there to haul him out. He decided right then he would sneak back out and learn to swim.
Kolya limped through the rest of the course with unshakable determination and burning drive. When the day was half way over they took a short break. He distanced himself from the others distaining food. With his stomach he decided that eating was definitely not a good idea at the time. Besides, he didn't have much of an appetite even though he was working harder than he ever had before.
Karis purposefully avoided him instead sticking beside Damon. The coarse jolteon ignored everything but his meal, which he dug into with the ferocity of a pack of mightyena. Tynan was snoozing for once all his nervous energy spent. His legs still twitched occasionally and his ears flicked at some unknown dream.
It was Jo who invited herself over and sunk down into the short grass gracefully. She gave him one brief, serene look with her emerald eyes then closed them. A gentle smile floated smugly on her face and he felt a twinge of unease. She didn't strike him as a gentle anything. Her smile unnerved him, as was intended, he thought bitterly.
"You shouldn't be so rude to Karis." Jo said in a conversational tone. She licked one of her pads then set the paw back down exactly where it rested before.
What do you care? Kolya snapped not wanting to play any games. A deep rumble rose from his throat and he resisted the murderous urge to throttle the furry fire type. He turned his back to her.
"Don't be so childish." Jo chided with a glare. Her green eyes pierced through him making him not want to turn around. It was much easier to be brave when he was ignorant. He longed to go back and stop his evolution and subsequent hearing. "I won't let you hurt her that way."
His mouth almost dropped open, but instead he snapped, So only you may torment Karis?
She gave him a patience filled stare, "I would never dream of hurting her. She is aware that I mean nothing when I tease her. That poor child has been through more than you'll ever conceive."
So are you teasing me? Kolya asked in contempt and she rose to her feet in one liquid movement. She looked down with a twisted smile and replied airily, "Not at all. I mean every word I utter to you."
Then she breezed off to where Damon was finishing his meal. Kolya fumed at the nerve of that bitch. He shoved himself up roughly and did his best to strut over to the group. Tynan needed to be kicked awake. A service, which Damon provided with long practice.
The rest of the day was a blur and Kolya was grateful when Damon's harsh voice told them to pack up.
Kolya felt like he had been beaten with a sledgehammer all over. There wasn't a part of him that didn't throb with a sharp ache. Already he was dreading what he would feel like in the morning when all his muscles stiffened and the ache became a persistent drone.
Karis dropped back beside him. He looked at her inquiring. Why should she even want to associate with him? He wasn't polite or even pleasant to her. He simply pretended she didn't exist. Like she was beneath his notice. True, the rest of the team performed similar feats and she still looked to them. It must be her nature he concluded.
"I'm sorry." Karis said with a hangdog expression.
He flinched. What was she saying sorry for?
"I didn't mean to…a…save you." She stuttered searching for the right words, "I mean, that is to say. I'm sure you'd have pulled yourself out. Me dragging you out by the scruff of you neck is hardly the sort of impression you want to make. No one thinks less of you for it."
Really? Kolya grumbled bitterly thinking of Jo. Reliving as she dainty flipped the thin line with the intent to send him plunging down into the freezing water. His face twisted up and he had to school it.
The vaporeon laughed softly, "Jo least of all. She hates water for obvious reasons."
Kolya just couldn't figure this out. Jo treated the small water pokemon like shit, yet was fond enough of her to warn him. In return, the water pokemon was generous enough to defend her tormentor. With a laugh no less! She also seemed to admire Damon and he was incredibly indulgent with her. Even Tynan looked on her favorably. Or as favorably as a psychotic dark type could be. Then why did she bother him so much?
Pheonix Rising: *steals them back and replaces them with plushies* Hey hey now, paws off. I still need them =D
Joeyz girl: Good, it seems my characters are well liked... for now ^__^ You'll see about Jo.
Coffee Luv: Tynan is himself. I'm hurrying I'm hurrying!
Zero_Chan: Why thank you. *offers Lurk a treat*