Learning Who You Are

Chapter 3: Meetings

Replies to reviewers:

-Sita-Tree- Well, since it's gotten to the third chapter already I hope have please you! ;)

-ObsidianSpires- Well, I'm sorry about the A/N but I was tired and couldn't think of any other way to tell that Heather was Maggie's mom and didn't want to confuse everyone. I changed the bold of the way the Pokemon talked so I hope that makes it better.

-dbzgtfan- Thanks for the compliment:)

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Y-ran: You really do have to torture me, don't you?

KX: What are you talking about?

Y-ran: You know what I mean.

KX: No, not really. Torturing you would mean bringing R-wen back and having him chase you everywhere. I'd like to see you get out of that one without my help.

Y-ran: (glares)

KX: Anyway, now you need to hurry and get in the story so that I can sav- (cough) – write more of your wonderful adventures.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own 'em.

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I sighed as I lay in the shadows, my golden rings casting a faint yellow glow on the forest floor. That Eevee was certainly something new. I don't know why he came to this forest or if he will stay, but I know he means us no harm. Well, at least nothing intentional.

I had followed the Eevee after he had awoken, staying just close enough to see him but keep myself hidden. I knew by the way he did not hunt the Rattata's that he knew I was there, even if not consciously. I felt quite bad for this. The hunting would have been good practice for the two-year-old, and Rattata's are the biggest pest I have ever met, but I guess he thought that I was there to protect the little rodents.

He finally reached the river. It was rather a longer walk than I would have expected, for the willow is not that far from the silver banks, but it has been a long time since I was an Eevee and I must have forgotten how short their legs are. Anyway, I figured I had seen enough of this unevolved form of myself that I could let him be for today and returned to where I am now, The Den, otherwise known as the place where Gren and I live.

I had been lost in thought about the little male when I heard a soft crunching from the entrance to the thicket in which I was enshrouded. I looked up in time to see Gren poke her head in and look around. As she spotted me she smiled and took a step forward, her gem shining a soft red glow to add light in our dark shelter.

("How'd it go?")

("His wounds weren't as bad as they looked. The fangs that made the holes were obviously very fine, and while it might have been easy for them to cut through the flesh, they weren't large enough to do any major damage.")

I nodded as Gren finished. I hadn't seen her since this morning and so hadn't had a chance to ask about the healing. I had actually indulged myself in a meal of a young Pidgey before I had even made my way back to the Eevee.

("How did you find that pup anyway?")

I gave a small chuckle. ("I followed the Sentret brothers, Isop and Tarwen. You know how their noses get them in trouble, I thought I might do them some good by keeping them out of it this time.")

Gren smiled in understanding and lay down next to me, her royal purple head resting on my jet back. She sighed quietly. ("The healing may not have been that difficult, but it still tired me.")

("Then sleep.") She giggled at my curtness, but closed her eyes obligingly. I lay my head on my paws, ready to do the same, but was jerked to attention by an ear-splitting cry of alarm tearing through the trees.

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I quickly spun around as I heard cracking in the underbrush, accidentally sending my meal flying off into the trees. My eyes widened as I looked at the enormous form of a Golem. It's eyes held an odd rage that I hadn't seen in the eyes of any other Pokemon, almost like it was possessed. These strange eyes came to meet mine, and the large rock Pokemon let out a below of something that could have been rage escape it. It charged toward me and in my utter terror I let out a scream that would have shattered my eardrums if my sense had been working correctly.

Like I had from R-wen, I turned and fled, randomly swerving to try and get the Golem to lose sight of me. Of course, since I had never been in a battle, I did not realize that if I merely jumped into the river I would have the Golem beaten, and so my mad dash continued, my short legs steadily growing weaker and weaker.

It did not take long for what little strength I had to give out and I had to stop. I cowered against the trees near the bank as the rampaging Pokemon drew closer. I whimpered quietly, like the weakling I am, closed my eyes and waited for the impact. To my surprise, I never felt it.

Thinking I was already dead, I sighed and sat before opening my eyes to see what wonders the after-life would bring. The scene that met me wasn't at all what I had expected.

The Golem hung, thrashing, in mid-air, surrounded by a red aura. Behind it the source of the Confusion attack could be seen as a deep-purple Pokemon about three feet tall. A few yards in front of me, and just below the Golem stood a black Pokemon, a little taller than the other, with gold rings marking his pelt. He seemed to be talking to the Golem, though at this range I could not hear what he was saying.

Whatever the black Pokemon had said to the Golem, it calmed the creature. The red aura surrounding it vanished and it thudded to the ground, curling into a ball and rolling away harmlessly. The black one shook himself and turned to me. Red eyes met my own and with a twitch of his head the black one walked over to me, followed by the purple one.

("Well, I see you met our little friend, eh?") The black one's voice was slightly teasing. ("Next time try and defend yourself, it works a lot better.")

("Oh, come on Akaenon. He's just a pup after all.") The purple one's voice and close proximity revealed her as a female. She turned her attention from the black one I figured was Akaenon and looked at me with a slight motherly guise. ("Well, I'm Gren and that block-head over there is Akaenon.") Leaning closer to me she whisper, ("He's really not as bad as he seems.")

I was slightly confused by the two, but knew it polite to introduce myself. ("I'm Y-ran. I guess you could say that I'm new here.")

("Yeah, we knew that.") Akaenon's tone was slightly scornful, but his expression turned sheepish as Gren shot him a glare.

("Uhm… if you wouldn't mind me asking, what are you? I don't think I've ever seen Pokemon like you before.")

Akaenon looked scandalized. ("You've never heard of your own evolutions! My God, what is with your parents! Any Eevee should know what we are!") He went on ranting, walking in circles as he did so.

Gren looked at him in annoyance before answering my question. ("Well, he's right, you really should already know what we are, but to inform you I am an Espeon and Akaenon is an Umbreon. We are two of your five possible evolutions. If you want to look like me, be sure to evolve in the morning, or if you want to look like that wretched creature over there,") she motioned to Akaenon, ("then go ahead and evolve at night.")

At the insult to his form Akaenon spun and pounced on Gren. ("What was that for!")

("I may like you, but I never said I liked Umbreon's.") Gren smirked and pushed the male off her with her back paws. ("Black and gold are so tacky, everyone knows that.")

("Oh yeah, well purple and red aren't so amazing either.")

Well, as you know, Gren is a female, and females don't like their image to be insulted. At the remark she hissed and leapt toward Akaenon, who nimbly stepped away, smirking. I sat watching the two, dumbfounded. I figured they wouldn't like it if I interrupted them, as I was technically a stranger. I also didn't know what Gren meant by evolve. Neither Maggie or Heather had ever mentioned such a thing to me, though I had seen Heather show Maggie something she called 'evolution stones' that she supposedly wanted to use on me, but Maggie wouldn't have it. I had, at the time, just shrugged off the matter as something that didn't merit my time, but now it intrigued me. Leaving Gren and Akaenon to their games I got to my feet and started in what I thought was the direction of the willow.

As it turns out, today was to be the day I learned that I have absolutely no sense of direction. I never made it back to the willow. When that failed I tried to make it back to the river, but never succeeded in that conquest. Finally I gave up altogether and merely wandered aimlessly through the dim underbrush. I eventually found a rather cozy thicket nestled in the branches of some thorn bushes and curled up for a rest. It was nearly dark, and with all of the day's events I needed to sleep.

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KX: Well, I hope you liked it. I'm hoping to make the next chapter just a basic outline of Yazari, Razad, the forest, and maybe some other places that will eventually appear later in the story.

Y-ran: Thank God. No more running.

Akaenon: (whacks Y-ran) You need the training!

Y-ran: I do not! I'm perfectly fine the way I am!

Akaenon: Suit yourself, but next time you get chased by a Golem don't expect me to help you.

KX: 0.o Okay… Anyway, please review! They are all much appreciated.