Notes: Evolution is so confusing. Sometimes it seems the Pokemon has a choice and won't evolve if they don't want to. Other times it seems like it can happen whether they're ready or not. Chloe's Eevee only makes it more mysterious! So I'm just going to explore some more with this Eevee.
Chapter Two
Eevee lay curled up on the soft chair next to Radley's bed, watching him and his brother Kalin in awe. They were asleep, and peaceful, and Radley had one hand resting on Eevee's back.
Tears filled her eyes. Was this really real? Was she away from Team Rocket at last and home with the only person she had ever wanted as a Trainer? She had dreamed of it so much through the years, but had always awakened back at Team Rocket headquarters, to her sorrow and dismay.
She had been a mystery to them ever since she had been spirited away to join their ranks. No matter what they did, she wouldn't evolve. But that was on purpose; she refused to evolve for the likes of them. That will was stronger than all the stones they had brought and forcibly pressed against her paws, and all the increased power she gained with each new attack learned.
She would evolve for Radley, if he wanted her to. But somehow, she knew he would be just as happy with her staying as she was. She had seen Team Rocket bring in so many Eevees, all with the idea of having them evolve to their more advanced forms. None of them appreciated an Eevee for anything else. In fact, they didn't seem to appreciate any unevolved Pokemon. All they cared about was strength and power.
Radley had always loved her for what she was. The thought of getting away, of finding him again, had sustained her all through the years until at last she and the others had made their break. She had run back to Napa Valley, desperately seeking him, only to find that he was no longer there. She had no idea where he was or if he would ever return. His family hadn't spoken of him. She had listened in at the windows for hours, hoping to get some clue of where to go, but there had been nothing. And so, finally, she had sadly left again and set out on a journey to find him.
Part of her had wondered if he wasn't even alive. That would explain why his family hadn't talked about him. But no! She couldn't bear to believe that! He was so young! He had to still be alive! He had to still be there . . . for her. . . .
She had wandered through so many vineyards and forests and cities, always seeking him and never finding him. The others hadn't bonded with him as much and had gradually gone their separate ways. They had tried to convince her to do the same, but she had refused. She would never give up looking for Radley.
Days had turned to weeks and then months. Time had blended into a discouraging, lonely blur, just as it had during her time with Team Rocket. She was a misfit, so at least they weren't looking for her and wouldn't want her back. She could feel free to live her life and know that Radley wouldn't be in danger from them . . . if she ever found him.
She wasn't sure when she had stepped into that horrible trap. She had screamed and cried and had struggled to get free for what had seemed hours until a passing Treeko had pried the metal jaws open for her and freed her from their grasp. Then she had wandered, in need of a Nurse Joy or a Chancey or a Berry and unable to find anything. Dazed and hurt and running almost on empty, she had stumbled out of the woods and right into the strange man's path. He had picked her up and held her and talked soothingly to her, and she had fancied it was Radley at last, come to save her as she had longed for so much and prayed for to God.
She had started to feel better at the vet's, when he had treated her paw and given her medicine. Then she had seen her savior and had found he truly was Radley, somehow, some way! He was older, but she still knew him. She had cried for sheer joy and desperation, frantic to get to him when at long last he was so close. And he still loved her and remembered her and wanted her with him!
She was home safe now. He had given her something to eat and then had carried her into his room while Kalin brought the chair over from his desk.
"When you're better, you're welcome to get on the bed, if you want," Radley had told her. "But right now you're too hurt and I'd be worried I'd roll over on your poor paw in my sleep. You can sleep right here next to me, okay?"
And she had exclaimed for utter joy. Yes, it was better than okay! She was home with him. That was all that mattered.
Kalin was nice too—aloof like a Houndoor, but kind and loyal as well. He loved Radley so much and supported him even though this was all strange and new to him. Eevee looked forward to getting to know him, and all those other guys that were part of the family too. She wanted to meet everyone who was special to Radley!
A large Eevee plush beamed down on them from the nightstand. Radley had chuckled awkwardly when she had looked and seen it. She had sniffed it warily but had quickly decided it wasn't a threat. Radley had loved it and it had been his friend when she hadn't been there. She didn't mind it there now. It represented her, really.
His hand was still resting on her back. Content now to drift to sleep, she curled up and dozed.
xxxx
Kalin stirred sometime later, opening bleary eyes to see Radley's Eevee peacefully sleeping with her fluffy tail wrapped around herself. Radley's hand was still resting on her back, while his other hand was on top of Kalin's. Kalin had to smile to himself.
Radley stirred too. "She's really here, isn't she, Kalin?" he mumbled.
"She is," Kalin said.
Radley smiled and settled back against Kalin as he just watched her for a moment. "I missed her so much," he said softly. "I thought I'd never see her again, that she was probably dead or something. And she's right here. . . ." He petted her fur. "She must have a really big story to tell."
"If you could speak her language," Kalin said.
"Or if she could speak ours," Radley countered.
"That too," Kalin grunted with a gruff, doting smile.
"Are you really okay with this?" Radley asked in concern. "We've never had a pet before. . . ."
"I always wanted one as a kid," Kalin said. "But is she going to be alright with being a pet? Don't Pokemon want to battle so much it's like an addiction or something?"
Radley had to quietly snark. "Some of them are like that, yeah. But I don't think this one is. She was always really playful and we'd just run around in the meadow or lay down in the grass together. She just wanted to be loved."
"She was a good match for you then," Kalin said.
"Yeah, she was. She is. Just like you," Radley smiled. "She already likes you too."
"That's good," Kalin said matter-of-factly. "I thought she might be jealous."
"Nah. She always understood I have other loved ones too," Radley said. "She just wanted to make them hers too. My family didn't open their hearts to her, but you and the Bunch have."
"It must have hurt you so much when she was gone," Kalin frowned.
"It sure did," Radley said. "I tried to think she and the other Pokemon were all okay, but I just didn't know. I tried to find them so many times and couldn't. And . . . I think she was looking for me too. . . ."
". . . If she really was taken by that criminal organization, do you think they'll come looking for her?" Kalin wondered in concern.
"I sure hope not," Radley said. "Of course, if they do, we'll have to fight. And we're still law enforcement; we could arrest whoever they'd send."
"That's true," Kalin conceded, but he still looked uneasy.
Radley really was too. "We'll just havta hope that doesn't happen," he said.
". . . How old were you when she disappeared?" Kalin asked.
"About eleven," Radley said.
"And she still recognized you now," Kalin remarked.
"Animals are good about that," Radley said.
"They are," Kalin agreed.
Finally they dozed again as well.
xxxx
It felt wonderful to finally have a pleasant sleep. There was no more Team Rocket and no more sleeping outside and wondering and worrying where Radley was and if she would ever get home to him. She was definitely home now, and this was absolutely where she was going to stay.
Eevee's tail swished as she started to wake up. The cushioned chair felt so nice and warm, but she didn't feel Radley's hand now. She jerked awake the rest of the way. The bed was empty; he and Kalin weren't there.
She looked up with a start, calling out in panic and desperation. He was still here, wasn't he?! He wouldn't leave her when they had just found each other again!
Radley swiftly appeared, a spatula in one hand. "Hey, it's okay," he soothed. "I'm just fixing breakfast. You wanna come out and watch?"
She beamed. "Eevee!"
Radley smiled and lifted her with one arm, carrying her to the kitchen. He set her on a cushioned chair before returning to the food Kalin was still minding.
"What do Pokemon even eat?" Kalin wondered. "She looks like she would like meat."
"I'm not sure, actually," Radley admitted. "I know they like fruits and vegetables. You would think some of them would like meat. . . ."
"Vee," Eevee said in a noncommittal way.
"Well, I know you like berries, pretty girl, so that's what I have for you," Radley smiled. He set a plate down for her. "Sorry it's not the healing kind, but I remember you liked these too."
Eevee swished her tail in glee at the sight of the raspberries and blackberries. "Eevee!" She promptly began to eat.
Radley chuckled, watching for a moment before turning back to his and Kalin's food.
"Do people really not name them?" Kalin said with increduluity.
"Some don't," Radley said. "I wanted to, but honestly, animal names are not my strong suit. I always called her Evie. The name, you know? But that's pretty bad. Evie the Eevee." He shook his head. "I was a kid, but gosh."
"Eevee!" Evie exclaimed, her mouth full of berries.
"I don't think she minds," Kalin intoned. "She sounds like she considers it her name too."
"Vee!" Evie said with a firm nod. It was the name Radley had given to her, so she loved it no matter what.
Radley laughed. "Well, if you're sure."
"If she's going to be yours, don't you need a Pokeball to make it official or something?" Kalin wondered.
That sobered him. "Technically, I guess. But we're not in a Pokemon region. I'd rather just get her a collar and nametag, like I saw on an Eevee in the anime."
"That makes sense to me," Kalin said. "My only concern is if someone shows up from the Pokemon part of the land, will they respect and acknowledge that?"
Radley sighed. "I don't know. You're right that a Pokeball is pretty much the proof of ownership to Trainers. I would never wanna make her be in one, but just to protect her, I probably need to get one to show to anyone who might try to get her from me." He started bringing their food to the table. "We can't really do that until she's better, though. . . ."
"If we took her over there to get one, they have advanced healing methods they could use on her, couldn't they?" Kalin suggested.
"I have thought about that," Radley said. "I'm just not sure it's a good idea to take her. She might be safer staying here, even though she'd heal more slowly. If we ran into Team Rocket, she wouldn't be able to take them on and their Pokemon would probably bowl us all over."
Kalin scowled but nodded. "You're probably right."
"Vee," Evie sighed.
". . . And Scotch would probably point out that when Pikachu and Eevee get hurt in the anime and go to Nurse Joy, it's not always an instant heal anyway," Radley said, shaking his head. "Of course, I don't know how accurate the anime is to real-life, but it's the most complex guide to the Pokemon world we've got."
"No arguments there," Kalin grunted.
"I'm surprised the Bunch isn't all over here banging down the door yet," Radley chuckled. "I guess Scotch probably realized Evie would need better peace and quiet than all the Bunch crowding around."
"I'm sure they'll all come, though," Kalin said. "They loved her last night."
"She loved the attention too," Radley mused. "Eevees are generally pretty sociable."
"She's the perfect Pokemon for you, then," Kalin smirked.
"She is," Radley smiled.
"Vee!" Evie beamed.
"How are we going to manage going on patrol and going to the diner until she's better, though?" Kalin wondered. "I know you won't want to leave her here alone."
"Yeah. . . ." Radley frowned. "Well, maybe we can patrol in waves and someone can always be watching Evie? Or . . . hey, why don't we recruit the kids to help? They're responsible and they'd love her too!"
Kalin perked up. "That's an excellent idea! I'll call and talk to Jordan after breakfast."
The meal was pleasant and hopeful, with Kalin and Radley making more plans for the future and Evie happily listening. She was looking forward to meeting the kids, although she had hoped to spend all day with Radley. But he promised her he would be around a lot other than during patrol and she was welcome to come to the diner later.
Kalin, however, was a bit concerned about that idea. "Are you sure the town won't get into an uproar over an actual Pokemon being here?" he wondered. "Maybe the remaining Malcolm's Crew supporters will want her for themselves, since she has so many powerful evolved forms."
Radley sighed. "Well, if anything like that is gonna happen, it's probably already been kicked off. Remember, I ran in the diner with Evie last night looking for the vet. By now the whole town will already know about her."
"That's true," Kalin frowned. There were several big gossips in town, and Radley running into his eatery with an injured fox-like creature would be big news.
"Anyway . . ." Radley frowned too. "Do you really think even they would try to take her from me after everything we've been through with this town, especially lately?"
"I don't know," Kalin said. "We've seen that Malcolm's supporters have continued to be cruel and hateful. We allowed them to stay in town because they hadn't actively hurt anyone up to that point, but more and more, I'm thinking it was a mistake."
"I don't wanna agree with that, but . . ." Radley wearily petted Evie. "Some of them really have been nasty. That last mess . . . oh boy."
Kalin nodded, his eyes darkening. "Working with that mad scientist just to torture us, and not caring who else went down in the process . . . !" He gripped his fork. "I really struggle with that one. On the one hand, I feel like I should be forgiving because of my descent into darkness. But on the other hand . . ." He shook his head. "I don't feel forgiving. I just don't."
"I can't blame you," Radley said. "I don't want to believe the remaining ones are that bad, but it's hard not to be suspicious now."
"I even wonder now if leaving Evie with the kids is a good idea," Kalin said. "Just in case there is reason to be suspicious of people in town, they might try to get her if they think there's just a couple of kids watching her."
"Jordan will have work today," Radley mused. "What if the kids take Evie to the diner? I don't think anyone would be brazen enough to try to get her right in public."
"We hope," Kalin grunted.
". . . Or maybe we should go back to the idea of patrolling in waves and someone from the Bunch will always be watching her," Radley said. "I wasn't thinking about possible danger before. I don't wanna risk the kids. Well, I don't want to risk anyone, but the Bunch at least are adults and have law enforcement training."
"Yeah, I think that would be better for now," Kalin said. "At least until we gauge how the town seems to feel about a Pokemon being here."
Radley nodded. "That's a good idea. Let's hope we can trust everyone in town, even the other Malcolm supporters, but let's also not take foolish chances."
Evie looked up at him and tilted her head. "Vee?"
"Who's Malcolm?" Radley guessed she was asking.
"Vee!" Evie gave a firm nod.
"Well, that's a really long story," Radley said. "And you deserve to know it. We'll both tell you. But how about we finish breakfast first?"
"It might spoil your appetite," Kalin added flatly.
"Vee. . . ." Evie looked down at her plate, then back up with an affirmative chirp.
Radley chuckled. "Okay then. We'll eat, then stroll down memory lane."
Evie happily warbled and bit into another berry.
