Allen rechecked his backpack to make sure he packed everything he needed for his journey. He scanned his room once more for any miscellaneous items of used. There was the picture of him, his parents and his older brother, Jake, on his dresser. It has been a long time since his family took a picture together. His brother left home to train Pokémon three years ago and his parents left frequently to do top-secret Marvel Phalanx stuff. Allen was used to taking care of himself. This journey would not completely be a new experience to him.
After some time of thinking, Allen snatched the family picture and stuffed it in his backpack. It was his family after all. He needed something to remind him of them.
"Let's get out of here," Allen told Eevee who lay relaxed on Allen's bed. Eevee smoothly leaped from the bed and followed Allen out the room. It was hard to believe the graceful, docile Eevee was so fierce during battle. Allen knew he had to understand its complex personality before becoming a formidable team.
Once outside, Allen reached in his pocket to get his keys to lock the door. He paused. This was going to be the last time he locked the door to his house for probably a long time. The rush of leaving Kupo was finally coming full blown.
"Yo!" Allen heard Damien's voice call from behind, "See ya ready to head out."
Allen finally locked his front door. "Yeah, I was just about to lea—" He stopped in mid-sentence when he noticed all the luggage Damien was lugging. Damien had a large hiking backpack that looked stuffed to the max. He also carried a bulky shoulder bag and was wearing a fanny pack with many, deep pockets. "Sure you've packed everything you need?" Allen joked.
"I have to bring all the necessities," Damien explained, "My stereo system, my twenty inch T.V., my Gamesystem 3—"
"Totod!" Totodile interrupted as it suddenly released itself from its ball. It promptly locked his jaws on Damien's shoulder bag and started chomping.
"No! Stop!" Damien scolded. "You'll damage the goods!"
"What's wrong, Damien. Can't control your Pokémon?" Vince teased as he strolled passed. He was joined by the girl who chose the Chikorita, Tammy. She had long, black hair and a tanned complexion. Tammy snickered at the fallen Damien struggling to manage his Totodile.
"Let's get out of here, Tammy," Vince told her as they continued walking. Allen eyed the two as they walked away. Were they planning on traveling together?
Who Gives a Hoot!
Damien finally managed to rip Totodile from his bag. He held the squirming Pokémon under his arm. "Do you think Vince and Tammy have a thing for each other?" Damien questioned, letting Vince's rude remark slide.
"I don't know." Allen said.
"Well anyway, we should get going." Damien made a few steps forward with Totodile still squirming under his arm before realizing Allen was not following. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean we?" Allen queried. He did not remember arranging to travel together.
"Yeah, we're going together, right?"
"When did I say that? Besides, you're going to become a coordinator ain't ya?" It was true. Damien's dream was to be a Pokémon coordinator to Allen's Pokémon trainer.
"Pokémon gyms and contests are often in the same town." Damien explained. He cocked his head to the side, "Besides, remember the promise."
"What promise?" Allen asked in shock. He did not have a clue what Damien was talking about.
"Three years ago," Damien hinted. When Allen failed to said anything else, Damien continued, "The promise we made with Nami, remember."
"Nami?" Allen said slowly, "She moved years ago. In fact, she moved just after Jake left."
"Right! And before she left we promised to all start our Pokémon adventure together." Damien suddenly became sadden. "Then she moved all of sudden. But the two of us are still together!"
Now Allen remembered. Nami was their friend three years ago. They promised to travel with their Pokémon together but she moved away. He could barely remember how she looked like though. Whatever. He and Damien were good friends. It would be fun to travel together.
"It would be cool to go together." Allen finally agreed. "C'mon, Eevee. It's already getting late. Let's go."
"Cool!" Damien exclaim, "In honor of Nami!"
The friends left the sleepy town of Kupo and ventured out into the nearby Kupo forest, the forest that the town was named after. The forest was still that day. They have been walking for four hours and had not spotted a wild Pokémon. The sun was just starting to set.
Allen admired Damien's energy. Damien marched along the path with much vigor despite all the junk he was carrying. Totodile mirrored his trainer as he blissfully skipped behind the marching Damien. Allen, on the other hand, was exhausted. He could not see how Damien and Totodile could be so energetic. It was probably something they eat.
Allen glanced behind to check up on his Eevee. It followed him quietly with a bored expression on its face. It looked like it wanted some action. Allen was getting bored himself. They ran out of things to talk about. Maybe he should challenge Damien to a battle?
Suddenly Pokémon swooped down to the ground from the trees above. The Pokémon resembled owls with one foot. They pecked the ground just in front of the group, probably looking for food under the dirt.
"Oooooow!" Damien exclaimed quietly. "It's a whole flock of Hoothoot!"
"Calm down, man," Allen responded, seeing the fire burning in Damien's eyes.
"I have to catch one!" Damien suddenly blurred out. The shouting drew the group of Hoothoot's attention. They all stared at the trainers. "Totodile, watergun 'em!"
At his command Totodile dashed to the flock and let out a powerful jet of water. The water managed to hit several of the Hoothoot scattering them in the air.
"Scratch attack that one," Damien pointed out one unlucky Hoothoot that was flung in the air. Totodile obeyed and extended its claws and aimed for the falling Hoothoot. The targeted Hoothoot was sent flying into a tree by the scratch attack.
Allen was impressed. Damien knew Totodile's attacks pretty well. You would not think Damien had control over Totodile from witnessing earlier exploits.
"Too easy!" Damien yelled. He reached in one of his fanny pack many pockets. "Go, Pokéball!" He shouted as he tossed a Pokéball at the fallen Hoothoot.
Unexpectedly, Eevee launched a tackle attack on the Hoothoot, knocking the owl Pokémon out of the path of the Pokéball.
"What duh?" Damien shouted as the Pokéball missed and bounced back to his hand.
"Eevee!" Allen called out, "Stand down! This is not our battle!" Eevee did not listen. It continued tackling the Hoothoot. Soon the poor Hoothoot fainted, but that did not stop Eevee's plundering.
"Allen, what is your Eevee doing?" Damien demanded to know. "I was sooooo close!"
"Sorry," Allen apologized, "I guess it just can't resist a fight."
The maltreatment of their friend enraged some of the other Hoothoot. They flew at the overaggressive Eevee using peck attack. Eevee managed to knock some back with a tailwhip attack, but the others that remained pecked away at Eevee's body. Even Eevee's out of control rage could not handle so many opponents; it was being overwhelmed.
"Oh, Crap!" Allen feared Eevee may suffer serious injuries.
"Totodile, help it out with another scratch attack!" Totodile dashed to Eevee's aid. It slashed at the swarm of Hoothoot with no avail; there were simply too many of them. Things got worst as a couple of Hoothoot started to attack the trainers themselves.
"Aw, my head!" Damien whimpered in pain as he swapped at a Hoothoot pecking at his head.
"We have to run away!" Allen shouted. It was the last resort, but they had no other options. "Eevee, return!" Eevee managed to dodge the Pokéball's tractor beam. Despite the overwhelming odds, it still had the will to fight. "Eevee! You can't win! Return!" Eevee dodged the beam again. It wanted to fight until it faints—or dies.
"Allen, your Eevee is psycho!" Damien yelled. The massive pecking was dealing sever damage to Totodile. "We need to get out of here," he added as he returned Totodile to its ball.
Soon, it was pointless trying to recall Eevee because of the mass of Hoothoot blocking the beam. "I can't leave Eevee!" Allen shouted back. Damien really felt like running away, but he just could not abandon his friend let that. Totodile took a lot of damage and was too weak to fight anymore. He was not sure on what to do.
Allen suddenly rushed forward into the bulk of Hoothoot to help Eevee. If Eevee did not want to give up, Allen was going to force it to retreat. He swapped at the owl Pokémon trying to reach Eevee to carry it away to safety, but it was no use. Humans were not made to endure such lethal attacks like Pokémon were. Allen's hands and arms became bloody from the constant pecking yet he continued trying to help his stubborn Eevee.
"Allen! Get out of there!" Damien shouted.
"Hyperbeam, hurry!" a female voiced shouted. Allen's world went white as a powerful beam of energy shot right in front of him hitting several Hoothoot causing them to instantly faint. Several more hyperbeams fired and nailed the remaining Hoothoot. When the firing ceased, the forest grown dark again. All the Hoothoot lay fainted on the ground.
Allen, not caring to know who saved them, rushed to Eevee who was wounded and breathing heavily surrounded by a pile of Hoothoot.
"Who did that?" Damien called out. There was no replied. "Show yourself. I heard your voice; I know you're out there!" There was more silence, and Damien grew angry. "I just want to thank you! Stop hiding!"
In response a girl timidly emerged from behind some bushes. Allen looked up from rechecking Eevee to see the girl. She had silky, light brown hair that come just short of her shoulders and beautiful, bright, blue eyes.
Damien was shock beyond belief. "No way!" He exclaimed excitedly.
"No way what?" Allen asked still worried about Eevee. It was too weak to even stand, yet it tried to mask its pain with a stern expression. Allen was starting to think it enjoyed pain.
"Nami! What are you doing here?" Damien lunged at the girl and gave her a huge hug, both to her and Allen's surprise.