Scene 2: Eevee
The years passed on, Giovanni was still the Viridian City Gym Leader, Celeste had begun to smile again, and Kari was 5 years old and starting her first year at school! Kari loved school! She loved being around kids her own age and playing with the class Poke'mon. Everyone knew her name from the moment she walked into the building; after all, she was the "Gym Leader's Daughter." She was very popular in school, not only because of her father, but also because she had grown up around Poke'mon, so she already knew all about them! But, still, she especially loved returning home at the end of the day, helping her mom prepare dinner, and then sitting down as a family to eat. Those happy mealtimes were her favorite memories.
The winter had come, and so had the snow! Kari was on break from school at the moment, so she got to spend everyday sleeping-in, playing games with her mother, and spending the nights with her family and Poke'mon. One night, Giovanni had returned from the gym early. He had Growlithe start a fire in the fireplace while Celeste finished preparing dinner. Giovanni sat at the table with a few sheets of folding paper. Kari went in to investigate, "What are you doing?" He looked over his shoulder to where she was standing on Wartortle's shoulders.
"It's called Origami," he answered as he turned back to his work."You fold the paper into shapes- look." He smiled and showed her the finished product: a paper rocket ship!
"Wow! A Rocket Ship! Ooh, Daddy- Me too! I wanna make a Rocket Ship!" Kari exclaimed as she leaped off Wartortle and into the other chair. Giovanni spent the next few moments trying to demonstrate how to make the paper Rocket Ship. After several attempts, Kari just couldn't get it. Giovanni and Celeste locked eyes, she smiled.
"Here." Giovanni handed Kari his rocket. Her face lit up, "Really, Daddy? I can have it?"
"Of course you can, my dear. After all, I made this one for you." Kari jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "OH! Thank you, Daddy! I love it!" Giovanni laughed, "And, here, let me show you how to make it fly." He took the rocket from her hands, took aim, and threw it. They both watched as it hovered over the fridge and the countertops and eventually landed in the stew pot. Oops. Celeste glared at the pair, "Giovanni! Seriously! You know better than to be throwing things around inside the house!" She fished the rocket out of the stew. Giovanni slouched over with Kari on his shoulders, "Sorry, Hun." Kari took the Rocket, "Ya! We're sorry, Mommy!" Celeste gave Kari a kiss on the forehead, "Don't you worry, dear, it's your Daddy that should know better. Isn't that right, Honey?" She pointed the knife at him as reassurance, "Yes, of course! You're right, Hun!" Kari jumped back onto the ground, "Mommy, can I play outside with my rocket?" Celeste looked out the window into the yard, "Yes, but for only a moment- dinner's almost ready. And only after you have your coat and boots on!" Kari nodded and ran to her room only to return a moment later, fully dressed in snow-gear. Giovanni opened the door and turned on the patio light, "Be careful, Kari, it's slippery out here. Wartortle- Growlithe. You two keep an eye on her." Growlithe came running from the living room with Wartortle close behind. Giovanni watched Kari playing for a moment before he returned inside. He walked over to Celeste who was now adding chopped vegetables to the stew. He watches her for a moment before hugging her waist from behind and giving her a kiss on the cheek, "How are you?" She smiled, her attention still on the boiling pot, "I'm fine. I've told you before, there's nothing to worry about." He doesn't approve of her answer, "But, Celeste-" she sticks a spoonful of stew in his mouth, he swallowed. Celeste turned around and placed her arms around his neck, "I've told you, I'm fine. So please stop asking, and please stop worrying. Especially in front of Kari." He can see in her eyes that she's hiding something from him, but he knew not to persist. He kissed her, "You know I only worry because I love you- I don't know what I would do without you." She smiled, "You would most likely be a successful business man right now if it weren't for me! Speaking of which, how is that project of yours doing? That Rocket Company thing? Do you think you'll be able to get the money for it? Oh, I know you've always wanted a company of your own, and if it weren't for me, you would already have it."
"Don't talk like that. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. As for the company- everything is going according to plan. I found what was left of my mother's old company and will be building it up from where she left it. Thanks to her, money won't ever be an issue again." He brushed her cheek with his hand. And they share one last kiss before Celeste returned to the boiling stew.
Outside, Kari was trying to fly her rocket. She takes aim at Wartortle, who was working on a snow-snorlax with the help of Growlithe. As Kari threw the paper rocket, the wind picked up, and her rocket takes off, "Oh, no!" She watched as the rocket soared above her, turns, and lands past the bushes and into the cover of the trees. Kari followed after it. She started looking for the paper rocket and after a few minutes thought that she'd lost it. Growlithe, who had followed after her into the trees, barked at her. Kari, thinking that he'd found the Rocket, hurried over. At the foot of a tree, however, is not only her paper rocket ship, but also a small Poke'mon, laying unconscious in the snow. Kari's worried that it's hurt, calls out, "Daddy! Daddy, come quick!" From inside the kitchen, both Giovanni and Celeste panic, thinking that something has happened to Kari. Giovanni rushes out the backdoor in his house slippers, Celeste close behind. They can't see Kari from the patio, "Kari! Kari, what's happened? Are you alright? Where are you?" Wartortle appears from behind the bushes and urges Giovanni to follow.
"Stay here." Giovanni told Celeste. He jumped off the patio and followed Wartortle a short distance into the wooded area till he came upon Kari," Kari! What are you doing out here? Are you alright?" He rushed over.
"Daddy..." She looks up at him, "I think it's hurt." Only then did Giovanni take notice of the tiny Poke'mon beside her. He noticed its slow-breathing and immediately scooped it up into his arms, "Come on. Let's get it inside." Giovanni lead the way back to the house. Celeste was still standing on the patio, looking frantic, "What's happened? Is Kari alright?"
"Everything's fine, I've got Kari right here." He showed her the injured Poke'mon, "She found it in the woods. It doesn't look too good." Celeste looks at the small Poke'mon in his arms, "Oh, dear! Well, hurry. Bring it inside. Kari, you too, get inside- now." They all return inside the warm house. Giovanni went to sit by the fire. Kari followed him. She watched the little Poke'mon struggling to breathe, "Is it going to be ok, Daddy?" He looks at her, "I don't know. It's body is really cold, so all we can do is try to warm it up. Kari, go get some more blankets." Without hesitation, Kari rushed to the back rooms. Celeste came from the kitchen with a baby bottle, "Here, why don't you try giving it some warm milk? The Miltank Milk might make it feel better." Giovanni took the bottle. Kari returned with blankets, she watched as Giovanni bundled up the small Poke'mon, "What is it? I don't think I've ever seen this Poke'mon before." He struggles to get the Poke'mon to drink from the bottle, "It's an Eevee. And by the looks of it, it's just a baby." Kari watched as the Eevee continued to refuse the bottle.
"Can I hold it?" Kari asked eagerly. Giovanni looked over at Celeste, uncertain. Celeste smiled and nodded.
"Alright, be careful with it." He handed her over the small bundled Eevee. Kari looked at the small Poke'mon in her arms. She couldn't believe how small it was, "...Eevee..?" After a moment of silence, Eevee opened its eyes and looked up at Kari.
"Kari, I think it must have heard your voice." Celeste passes over the baby bottle,"Why don't you try feeding it now?" Kari accepted the bottle. She made another attempt at feeding the baby Eevee. After sniffing the bottle for a moment, Eevee begins to drink, "Mommy! Daddy, Look! Eevee's drinking the milk!" Kari is delighted. Celeste giggles, "Looks like Eevee likes Kari better than Daddy!" Giovanni nodded in agreement, "Well, that just means that Kari's going to be a great trainer someday, and I can't think of a better partner for her than an Eevee, don't you think?" Kari looked up, "A 'partner'?"
"Of course. You saved that Eevee, Kari, so that means it's yours now." Giovanni explained.
"He's right. Eevee's going to be your responsibility from now on." Celeste chimed in, "Do you think you're ready for that?" Kari looked back at Eevee. She watched as it slowly drank from the bottle. Kari always knew that she would one day become a trainer when she turned 10years old, like every other kid. She always wondered whether she would travel collecting badges like her father did, or maybe compete in Contests like her mother had done, but she never thought about which Poke'mon she would travel with. However, in that moment, when Eevee met Kari's eyes, in that moment, Kari knew. She knew that no matter where her Poke'mon journey took her, Eevee would be there with her. And in that moment, Eevee made a promise to Kari- that he would always be there to protect her, just as she had done for him that night.