Chapter Two
"Alright, buddy, let's see if your weak little Eevee can withstand my mighty Ratatta's lightning-fast attacks!" said the challenger confidently. "We'll see" I replied. I pulled aside the right side of my trench coat and took out my knife. I spiked it into the dirt and sat down behind it folding my hands in front of my face. "Alright, then, let's go." The challenger shouted a command at his Ratatta. "…Rip him up, Eevee" I said softly. Eevee quickly used his Tackle attack to push the approaching Ratatta back. "Ratatta, Hyper Fang, now!" the trainer screamed at the top of his lungs. "…Eevee… Tail Whip." As the Ratatta approached bearing his fangs, Eevee waited until the last second to quickly turn and slap the Ratatta in the face with his tail. The Ratatta fell to the ground. The trainer scolded his Pokemon, "Ratatta, get up, you slob, you're not going to lose to this wimpy Pokemon!" I stood up with cat-like reflexes, grabbed my knife and threw it at the opposing trainer's feet. It landed in the soil an inch from his left foot with a metallic "SHINK." The trainer stepped back with a gasp. "Watch what you say about my Eevee," I commanded. "Ye-ye-ye-yes, sir" stuttered the frightened trainer. He bent down to pick up my knife impaled in the ground next to him. "And don't touch my knife!" I yelled across to him. He quickly put his hands in his pockets and backed off of the knife. "Eevee, Quick Attack." I commanded softly as I sat down again, folding my hands in front of my face. With a flash of speed, Eevee crashed into the fallen Ratatta sending him smashing into a nearby tree trunk. The trainer rushed to his wounded Pokemon. "Ratatta… what did that Eevee do to you?" questioned the trainer, his voice starting to break. I slowly got up and grabbed my knife from the ground. I wiped it off on my coat and placed it back in my right pants pocket. "You killed my Ratatta, you bastard!" screamed the trainer in agony. I motioned Eevee to my side, leaned down and patted him on the head as I walked past completely ignoring the cries of the defeated trainer.
Eevee and I walked down the path through the woods of Route One, the trainer's faint screams still crying out behind us. I looked down at him as he looked up at me and I smiled. He was so full of a light and exuberance I had never seen in him before. I looked forward down the path and suddenly became angry. I was thinking of my father and the way he never accepted Eevee as a true Pokemon. He wasn't too keen on the idea of having Pokemon as friends. That's part of the reason he left my mother alone with me in that small house in Thickweed. I was starting to scowl and Eevee noticed this. "Vee?" he called. I quickly snapped out of my angry trance-like state and looked down at Eevee. "Sorry, bro, my mind was kind of wandering there for a second. You were amazing back there, how did you learn to fight like that?" He just smiled and kept walking. "Well, the map here says that there's a gym in Silverburg. Think you're up for that, bro?" Eevee responded excitedly, "Vee!" I laughed and walked down the path, the city's skyline in view on the horizon.
We stopped at the top of a hill and looked out towards Silverburg's majestic skyline. "See that, Eevee?" I said looking down at him, "That's just the beginning of our journey. First Silverburg, then my father." Eevee growled when I mentioned my father. Eevee didn't much care for my father for the same reasons that I didn't. That's probably why we get along so well, Eevee and me. It started to rain. The rain made loud resonating sounds against my trench coat and I could tell Eevee didn't care too much for it. "Alright, bro, let's see what this town has to offer and get out of this rain." Eevee looked up at me and called, "Ee vee!" He started running off down the short stretch of path towards Silverburg with as I gave chase behind him, my trench coat noisily flapping in the wind.
By the time we approached the gates, it was pouring and both Eevee and I were dripping wet. We were greeted by a man wearing imperial garb pointing a pole arm at us. He waved the pole arm at us as he spoke through his drenched beard, "What do you all think you're doing just walking into our fine town?" Eevee softly growled at the guard. I placed my hands in my pocket slowly taking hold of my knife. I spoke through my hair which was hanging in front of my face, dripping with rain, "We'd like to get out of the rain and challenge your city's gym leader." The guard responded with a hearty laugh as he removed his pole arm from in front of us. I eased my grip on my knife. "You think you and your little Pokemon have what it takes to take on our city's gym leader?" questioned the guard. My grip on my knife tightened as I responded tersely, "Yes, we'd like to try." The guard laughed again as he opened the gate. "Nobody has ever defeated Ken, and I'd be amazed if you and your scrawny Pokemon were to be the first." I caught the guard off-guard as I grabbed him by his collar. He dropped his pole arm as pulled my knife from my pocket and plunged it into his side. He dropped my feet, his head resting on my boots. I quickly kicked him to the side as I motioned Eevee to follow me into the city.
Eevee and I found a building nearby and opened the door as we walked inside. Eevee shook vigorously to get the rain off of his brown and white fur as I ran my hand through my hair moving it off of my face. A voice spoke, "Welcome to Silverburg Pokemon Center!" I looked up at the source of the voice. A woman was standing behind a counter directly in front of me. I trudged to the counter, my boots making heavy, wet, clomping noises as I walked. I reached the counter with Eevee by my side and looked up at the nurse, water dripping from my hairline down my nose. "How's it going?" I grumbled. "Well!" she responded, "However, I don't like the looks of your Pokemon, there. I reached back into my pocket slowly and took hold of my knife as I begged her pardon. "Your Eevee there looks like he could use some rest. We could clean him up and have him to you in a matter of moments." I smiled as I took my hand off my knife and out of my pocket. "That sounds great," I replied. I looked down at Eevee who was, despite his shake off, still creating puddles on the Pokemon Center floor. "What do you say, bro? You want a little wipe down before your big fight?" Eevee called affirmatively and I picked him up and handed him to the nurse. "Ah, you're going to challenge Ken, I take it?" she asked. "Yes ma'am" I answered in a confident tone. "Well," she began, "good luck. You know, nobody's ever beaten Ken before." She left to the back to clean up Eevee. I smiled and sat down in a seat to the right of the counter where I waited for the nurse to finish with Eevee. A figure came from my right and sat down beside me. In a high pitched voice the figure spoke. "Ooh, who are you?" I looked over at the figure. It was a little girl no older than ten. I looked at her and spoke stoically, "I'm a Pokemon trainer." She smiled, "Oh, so that was your Eevee that the woman was wiping off?" I looked back over to her and responded, "Yeah, it was." She laughed, "He's cute! Are you going to take on Ken with him?" Her happiness and upbeat attitude were sickening me. "Hey, could you leave me alone?" I replied dismissingly. I couldn't believe that I just killed a man not five minutes ago. Her smile faded and a look of fear overcame her. "Sorry, mister," she said with tears welling up in her eyes.
I looked towards the counter where the nurse was returning with a bundle of blankets out of which popped Eevee's smiling face. "He's all dry," said the nurse with a smile as she handed Eevee to me, "If I could only say the same for you." I looked up from the bundle and flashed her a smile. "Don't worry about me," I said as I looked back down at Eevee bouncing him in my arms. "So, Eevee, have fun with your little girlfriend?" I joked. The nurse smiled. "Thank you…?" I said to the nurse hinting for a clue to her name. "Rachel," she said with a smile extending her hand, "and your name?" I shook her hand as I replied, "Kirk. Sorry, my hand's a little wet." She smiled at me for a few seconds then looked down towards Eevee, "You just come to me if you're ever hurt or tired, okay, Eevee?" Eevee called happily. The nurse giggled at Eevee and patted him on the head. "Stay safe, you two." I thanked Rachel again, placed Eevee on the floor and walked towards the door to leave.
When I walked outside, the rain was still coming down with force. We saw off in the distance a large building with a sign out front. Eevee and I walked over to the sign and examined it. "Silverburg Pokemon Gym. Leader: Ken" I looked down at Eevee who seemed to be a slight bit frightened. "Don't be nervous, Eevee, you'll rip 'em up." I reassured him. Eevee smiled as I opened the doors to the gym and motioned him inside. Once we entered the gym, the thick doors slammed behind us, sending an echo through the pitch-dark gym. An echoing voice called from somewhere near the back. "Welcome my friends." We stood motionless as the water from our bodies dripped onto the ground with slow echoing taps. "We're here to challenge the gym leader!" I shouted into the darkness. "Very well." echoed the voice. Suddenly the gym became illuminated with candles that seemed to spontaneously catch. The walls were black stone, covered in cob webs and candle fixtures. At the center was what seemed to be a battleground for the gym's Pokemon battles. The ground was black marble, with web-like streaks of white coursing through. I walked with Eevee towards the center of the gym where the dark figure was standing. I stood at one end of the battleground staring to the other side, my hair pressed to my face with moisture. The candlelight was the only illumination for the enormous gym. "So," echoed the voice, "you're fighting me today with one Pokemon, I see?" I looked down at Eevee and then back across the gym floor. "Yes," I responded, "and I shall not lose." The figure at the other end of the gym floor clapped his hands, which sent an echo from wall to wall. Suddenly a bolt of electricity came through the center of the gym's floor shooting into the ceiling. The entire ceiling lit up shining light throughout the gym. The figure was now visible from my position. "Then I shall welcome you, challenger, to Silverburg's Pokemon Gym," began the figure. "I am Ken, the gym's leader. I am a master of electric Pokemon. I noticed you got a jolt out of my little luminescence display earlier. Let's see if I can give the same jolt to your Pokemon." I removed my knife from my pocket and spiked it into the ground. I sat on the ground and looked over at Eevee. He looked over at me just waiting for my command. "Let her rip, bro." I whispered to Eevee. "For my Pokemon, I choose Pikachu!" said Ken with a raised voice. "Get him, Eevee!" I yelled from my seat on the floor. The two Pokemon headed towards the center of the ring, only focused on the movements of the other.
My Pokedex went off in my pack. I reached around and pulled it out as the two Pokemon kept pacing back in forth staring at each other. The Pokedex spoke, "Pikachu, an electric Pokemon. It stores electricity in receptors located on its cheeks and releases it in mass quantities." I closed the Pokedex and placed it back in my pack. "Pikachu," called Ken from the other end of the floor, "Thundershock attack, now!" As Pikachu charged his electricity, I called out to Eevee, "Eevee, don't let that rat hit you, use your Quick Attack!" Pikachu let out bolt after bolt of electricity each nimbly dodged by Eevee's quick attack. "Eevee, Tackle!" Eevee was still running from his Quick Attack when I gave the order, he plunged his head into Pikachu's stomach sending him flying back a few feet from where Ken was standing. Dazed from the contact, Eevee took a few steps to the side and regained composure as Pikachu stood up.
"Pikachu," called Ken, "give this punk's pup a taste of his own bitter medicine. Quick Attack, now!" Pikachu ran full speed towards Eevee and plowed into him sending him stumbling to the side. "Eevee, Bite that son of a bitch!" Eevee growled, bearing his teeth and ran at his foe. "Pikachu, Thundershock!" ordered Ken to his Pikachu. Eevee took grasp of Pikachu's right arm before he could execute his attack. Eevee trashed and growled as he ripped Pikachu's arm with his teeth. "That's enough, Eevee, let him go then take him down with your Tackle!" I said with a raised voice. Eevee let go of Pikachu and immediately dove onto Pikachu, tackling him to the ground. Eevee commenced in biting at Pikachu's neck, sending spurts of blood onto the gym floor. By the time Pikachu kicked Eevee off of him, there was a small puddle of his blood on the ground. "Thundershock, you dumb rat!" called Ken angrily. "Eevee, Tackle him again!" Pikachu charged up for his attack as Eevee ran head first towards him. Pikachu was executing his attack when Eevee made contact with him. Pikachu was sent stumbling backwards, where he slipped on the puddle of blood and sent his attack off course. Pikachu's bolts of electricity intended for Eevee landed right in the center of Ken's chest. Ken writhed and twitched as the electric current passed through him. After a few seconds he fell to the ground as I called Eevee back to my side of the gym floor as I stood up. Ken moaned loudly as he attempted to get up. He swore bitterly at Pikachu as he regained his footing and ordered Pikachu to use his Quick Attack to finish Eevee off. "Eevee," I said as I sat back down, "rip him up." Eevee bore his teeth and charged into battle for a second time. Pikachu got back up to the command of his trainer only to get tacked to the ground again and ravaged by Eevee's Bite attack. Pikachu called out in pain as Ken called angrily for Pikachu to get up and do as he was instructed. Pikachu's calls suddenly stopped as Eevee jerked his clamped jaws one last time. Pikachu was dead.
"Fuck!" screamed Ken. "If he would have only listened to me, this could have been avoided." He walked past the corpse of his dead Pikachu with a tear trickling down his cheek and approached me. As he got closer I could see his short brown hair and weasel-like nose. He was dressed in long black karate pants and his chest was bare but riddled with scars and burns, obviously from training. "Well, my friend," he started, his voice breaking, "I guess you've defeated me and earned this badge." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black sleeve. Out of it he pulled a pin bearing resemblance to a bolt of electricity. "Now, if you'll allow me," he said as he pinned the badge to my trench coat. "There you go." He looked down at my knife that was still impaled in the ground. "What's that about?" he asked as he looked back up at me. "It was my father's," I began. "He gave it to me when I was six, the same day that he left my mother to take care of me." He looked at me, his expression not changing. "Hmm, that sucks; I never knew my father," he said with a sigh. "He died before I was born. Good riddance." I leaned down and picked my knife out of the ground and placed it back in my pocket as I spoke. "Yeah… good riddance."
As Eevee and I left, I heard Ken speak from behind us, "Do me a favor, eh?" I stopped and turned around. "When you see your father, give him a little pep from me." He tossed something in my direction that landed at my feet. I leaned down and put it in my pack. "That's a Revive. Use that when he thinks he's won. Surprise him a bit. Show him how his son is no quitter." I smiled and thanked him. "Good luck down the road, mate." I turned back around and headed towards the door. "If only my Pikachu were a little stronger. I'm going to miss having him around. He was a good fighter. That's a tough little trooper you got fighting for you." That's the first compliment I had ever received for Eevee's fighting style. I had noticed it too; Eevee was fighting more passionately than ever before. I couldn't have been more proud of him. I smiled as I looked down at him and opened the door to the pounding rain outside.
We returned to the Pokemon Center and Rachel recognized us as soon as we walked in. "Oh, if it isn't my two best friends, Eevee and Kirk. Oh, what happened here, Eevee?" she smiled, "Have you been fighting?" I looked down at Eevee and spoke, "He has, and quite well, I might add." Rachel laughed, "Well, people's Pokemon usually get beaten up like this whenever they challenge Ken. I just hope you didn't loose too badly." I emitted a small chuckle, "Actually, uh… we won." Rachel's face became very straight as she stared at me judgingly. "Don't joke, you'll embarrass Eevee," she said sternly. "I'm not joking. Am I bro?" I asked Eevee. Eevee called excitedly, "Vee vee!" Both Rachel and I laughed. "Well, Kirk, congratulations. Or should I say, Eevee? Now come on, little one, as I get you all cleaned up" I smiled as she bid me farewell to go clean up Eevee. I heard her laughing and Eevee calling happily as she spoke to him. Eevee must be beside himself, he's never got this kind of loving attention from anyone other than me. I ran my fingers through my hair as I lay down on the couch to the right of the counter. The next thing I knew, I was fast asleep.
-- End of Chapter Two --