Chapter 3: And Then There Were Six

"Master, we have finished," a voice said behind me.

I had been impassively staring at the blank basement wall. Now, I turned my swiveling chair to face the speaker behind the desk, though I could barely see him through the dim light.

"It has only taken, what, six years," I replied sarcastically. "My father would not be pleased."

"Your father is no longer here," the speaker retorted, smirking nastily.

That was true enough. My father had died of a heart attack four years ago, leaving me in control. Yet, as this assistant demonstrated, there were many who still refused to give me the same respect they had once given my father.

Instead of becoming offended, I calmly responded, "So, how did you manage to finally complete this horribly overwhelming task?"

"Well, as you know, for the past few years we have been developing ways to track rare Pokemon. We have recently discovered that all Pokemon emit certain auras specific to their particular species. These auras can be tracked by gathering the DNA of the particular species, and we have been rather successful in tracking numerous Pokemon. However, until now we have been unable to track one specific, important Pokemon, for this Pokemon contains DNA of every other Pokemon known to man." The man paused to catch his breath.

"Yes, I know about this mysterious, what do we call it, Pokemon 'X'," I muttered.

Ignoring me, the assistant continued, "Three weeks ago, one of our researchers finally located a strand of DNA specific only to Pokemon 'X' by intensely studying the DNA of Pokemon 'X' collected by your father six years ago. Over the past few weeks, we have been installing a device to trace this DNA, and now we finally have a machine that tracks Pokemon 'X'."

"So now we can track Mew," I murmured, turning back to face the wall in my swivel chair. "Let the hunting begin."

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Something was not right. The air felt strange, as if it had changed during the night, but my garbled morning mind could not yet comprehend the exact difference. Eyes still tightly shut, I sniffed the sweet-smelling air as it lightly tickled my face but quickly sneezed twice. I knew what was wrong. The air was wet.

Finally opening my eyes, I groaned. It was raining, and my clothes were already damp. I peered next to me and found Apple was also just waking up to this lovely morning.

{Oh pooh, I'm wet.} The Eevee pouted as it began changing its form.

I stared blankly at the creature as its long ears shortened into pink stubs and its tail grew long and whip-like. As soon as Apple had transformed into its original form, it began changing again. This time its tail became blue and flat, and its head widened into a football shape with purple antennas sprouting from the sides.

Finally snapping out of my brief space-out, I glared angrily at Apple, who had finished transforming into a silly-looking Wooper. "What are you doing? Someone could have seen!"

The Mew sniffed and rolled its eyes. {We're in the middle of nowhere and its dumping rain. We are obviously going to encounter other human life forms.}

"You never know," I defensively replied, "Plus, you'll have to transform back before we get to that mansion."

{What, are we planning on stopping there?}

"Nooo, I want to travel in this weather," I retaliated, voice thick with sarcasm.

{You don't like the rain?} Apple smiled smugly. {I think it's rather nice.}

"Not all of us can transform into oddly-shaped wingless ducks that resemble platypuses with their faces smashed in," I grumbled, getting to my feet. I squinted into the distance and could barely make out the outline of the large mansion a mile or two away. Sighing, I picked up my bike and winced as I thought of the horrible discomfort my already tired legs were about to undergo.

"We had better get going," I told Apple as I glanced down at the rapid-forming mud. "If we don't leave soon, the ground will be too muddy for us to bike through."

{Can we at least eat breakfast first?} Apple pleaded.

I quickly rummaged through my pack until I found the last two pieces of bread. After stuffing a portion into Apple's wide mouth and garbling down the other piece, I pushed Apple into the bike-basket, mounted the vehicle, and took off at a rather slow pace.

The sticky mud attacked the bicycle wheels from all sides, constantly forcing the bike's speed to decrease. The mud only got worse as the light rain became a strong downpour, and within ten minutes, Apple and I were forced to dismount the bicycle and continue by foot. Though we were now less than a mile away from the mansion, the large house remained almost invisible to our eyes, hidden behind a curtain of rain.

As we wearily drudged through the heavy raindrops, I reminded Apple that it needed to change back into its Eevee form before we reached the mansion.

{Why should I change? This form is much more suitable for the weather,} the Mew argued.

"The people of Melonbi Town believe that I left with an Eevee as my starting Pokemon. If I were to encounter someone from Melonbi Town, or even someone who was friends with a Melonbi citizen, news would spread that I was not traveling with the Eevee I had started with, and people would become curious or even suspicious.

You once told me that there are people who are after your power. You used to be so fearful that someone would track you down… If you want to stay hidden, you have to appear in only one form, otherwise people may come to investigate," I tiredly reasoned. I had to make Apple understand the danger of morphing into different Pokemon.

{Pshht.} Apple blew off my warning. {I doubt the people who tried to capture me are even looking for me anymore. It's been years! They probably gave up long ago.}

"Yeah right! The man I found trying to capture you did not look like the giving-in type. The only reason he did not chase me after I ran away holding you was because of the heavy rain. By the time he found his Charizard lying on the ground, the heavy rain would have prevented him from seeing the direction I had run." I paused, reflecting on that terrifying memory, but then shook my head and continued, "Nevertheless, even if that man gave up, there are others who want that kind of power. There are always others."

{Like that team that has been on the news recently for stealing strong Pokemon?}

I looked at Apple in surprise. Apple had preferred to run around outside while my mom and I watched the evening news, so I didn't think Apple knew about the Glop'emm Organization. Members of that team had recently been on the news; a few members had been caught trying to steal a rare shiny Ninetales from the gym leader of a town southeast of Azul City called Tinted Town. Frowning slightly, I murmured, "Yes, like that team."

Glancing toward the mansion, I realized we were only a few hundred yards away from the grand, looming house. I could now see there was a dangerous-looking black fence surrounding the house. Through the downpour, I could also make out a twisted road that was weaved through the fence and ended suddenly at the hideous entrance to the gaudy mansion. I stopped suddenly, realizing how close to the dark house we really were. Turning my head to glare at Apple, I insisted, "Change back now, before we reach the mansion."

{Ok, ok, I will.} Apple scowled and changed once again into a floating pink creature and then back into a wet white and brown Eevee.

We continued dragging our feet, or in Apple's case, paws, through the brown slush toward the house until Apple suddenly stopped. {Did you hear that?} Apple questioned, eyes darting and ears twitching.

"Hear what?" I glanced around, but could not see or hear what Apple was referring to.

{This way,} the Eevee replied in an excited tone. It pranced away, angled in slightly different direction than the one we had previously been traveling. I quickly followed the leaping Pokemon through the intense water drops, halting only when I heard a low growl coming from the ground ahead.

"Apple," I nervously whispered. "What was that?" I peered toward the Mew, only to find the quick Pokemon had continued jumping forward. Following hurriedly, I squinted through the rain, trying to locate the source of the growl. I could barely make out two entities on the ground just ahead. One, probably the source of the growl, was a Pokemon, though I could not tell what type, and the other was a box that seemed, strangely enough, to be whimpering.

As I cautiously approached, I realized the growling creature looked startlingly like Apple; the creature was an Eevee.

Unlike Apple, its fur coat was tattered and drenched with mud, as if it had not been groomed in days. The creature was in an attacking position, its eyes flashing angrily at us. Peering past the Eevee, I saw it was standing in front of the strange box, as if it was guarding it. I inched closer to the Eevee and the curious box, and the Eevee's growl became a fierce bark. Suddenly, the creature pounced at me. I quickly dodged and backed away, stumbling over Apple, who had crept behind my legs to watch the scene.

"Apple, tell it we mean no harm!" I exclaimed, still backing away from the wild Eevee.

{I already tried. It's no use, it seems to distrust humans and Pokemon alike.}

"Well, do you at least know what's wrong with it?" I asked tensely.

{Yeah, it—} Apple paused thoughtfully, and then continued, {I know, but I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to find out yourself.}

"WHAT? This is not the time for silly games! I can't speak Pokemon languages! There is no way for me to convey the message 'Hello, I see you are distressed. May I ask what is wrong?'" I yelled angrily at Apple.

Apple grinned. {Oh, yes you can. You can use telepathy.}

"ARE YOU MAD? For the last time, I DON'T HAVE ANY PSYCHIC POWERS!" I screamed, causing both Apple and the other Eevee to flinch.

{Relax, relax,} Apple said soothingly. {It's really not hard. Remember how you listened to the patch of grass last night? This is almost the same, but instead of reaching out with your mind and listening, you need to reach out with you're mind and think a message.}

I opened my mouth to scream at Apple once more but closed it after deciding it would not help the situation. Slowly, I closed my eyes and tried to reach out my mind toward the creature.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

{That was out loud.} Apple rolled its eyes, and then suggested, {Try again.}

This time, I first listened to the Eevee with my mind, though I did not hear any thoughts. Then, I thought {What's wrong?}

{What do you care, human?} came a nasty reply.

Startled, I opened my eyes. Apple was smirking. {Told you so.}

After throwing a glare at Apple, I closed my eyes again and projected toward the Eevee. {You're clearly hurt. I can help you!}

{And why should I trust you?} the wild Eevee snarled.

{If I wanted to attack you, I already would have. I have no reason to want to harm you!} I paused to see the Eevee's reaction. When I saw none, I continued, {Right now we are just wasting time I could be spending getting you to a Pokemon Center!}

{Fine, but—} the wild Eevee was cut off as it fell to the mud fainted from exhaustion. Its breathing became shallow and its body twitched in its fainted state.

Apple curiously sniffed the Eevee as I peered into the box. I gasped in surprise at what I saw. Inside, there were four rather small baby Eevees, all appearing fragile and underfed. They shivered in their knocked out state, making the box quiver as I picked it up in my hands.

"So this is why that Eevee was so protective of this box," I muttered. Then I called out to Apple, "We need to get help for these guys fast! Let's take them to the mansion."

I clambered over to Apple and the wild Eevee, and added as an afterthought, "Anything else I should know about these Eevees?"

{All five of them are siblings. This one, } Apple nodded toward the fierce Eevee lying on the ground. { is a male about two years old. The other four in the box are from the same litter and are only about four months old. Two are female and two are male.}

"How did you know that?" I asked as I gently picked up the oldest Eevee in my free arm and placed him in my bicycle basket.

{I can smell it.} The Mew shrugged. {Oh, and one more thing; these Eevees were abandoned by their trainer a few days ago. That's why the oldest one was so mistrustful.}

"And you can smell that information as well?" I asked doubtingly. With one arm around the box and the other dragging my bicycle, I started once again to rapidly walk toward the mansion.

Apple trotted up beside me. {No, I found that out by telepathically asking the Eevee before you arrived.} The wet Eevee smirked. {By the way, your telepathic skills are not all too shabby for a beginner, though there is no need for you to close your eyes when you communicate.}

I shot an angry look at Apple and refused to speak for the following five minutes it took to reach the gloomy front gate of the mansion.

Leaning my bike against the dark creepy fence, I gathered the fainted wild Eevee in my free arm and pushed through the menacing gate. A chill ran down my spine as I approached the tall rounded doors of the mansion. The bronze knockers on the doors were in the shape of roaring Arcanines that seemed to have abnormally long fangs. I examined the door for a doorbell. Upon spotting it, I asked Apple to ring it with its telekinesis as my hands were full.

DONG

DONG

DONG

The doorbell rang forebodingly. I patiently waited as the rain continued to patter down on my head. Apple shuffled its feet anxiously and pointed its ears forward, moving into an alert stance. The grand doors slowly creaked open and I heard a voice say, "How may I help you?"

Peering through the open doors, I found myself facing a well dressed butler. In one hand he held a tray with what resembled a cup of tea on it, and he had used his free hand to open the door. Behind the man was a great golden hall. Glittering crystals sparkled around small lights that were attached to the large walls, and a great twinkling chandelier fell from the ceiling. A large wooden staircase that possessed a golden railing made the vivid scene even more dramatic as it spiraled through the center of the hall.

I gaped at the amazing sight. Then, remembering the Eevees, I started to speak, "These Pokemon need—"

Something on the staircase caught my eye. For a second time, I gaped in astonishment.

"Carly?" I gasped, forgetting the butler entirely.

The figure on the staircase turned toward the door.

"Carly, what are..." my voice trailed off as I suddenly came to a horrible realization. This house belonged to—

"This is my house pea-brain!" Carly called from the staircase. The girl then marched down the rest of the staircase and hollered, "John, I'll handle this. Go serve my mother her tea!"

"Yes, ma'am," the butler replied as he scurried away.

I stared in shock at the approaching girl. She had brilliant blond hair that matched the color of the surrounding corridor. Her eyes were a dark grey, contrasting sharply with her light hair. However, the potentially beautiful effect was ruined by the permanent sneer the girl wore glued to her face.

"What the hell do you want?" the girl barked.

Snapping back to reality, I hastily replied, "Hey Carly, good to see you too."

"I asked WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" the girl yelled.

Backing away slightly, I nervously replied, "I know we haven't been the best of friends, but I found these Pokemon..." I stopped talking after I glanced at Carly's face and found it flushing a deep red, her eyes filled with intense hatred. She was staring directly at the hurt Eevee in my arms.

"How dare you... you... get them out of here..." Carly's voice shook with fury.

"Carly, these Pokemon are hurt! I'm sure you have some potions! Please, they need help!" I pleaded.

The angry girl ignored my plea and instead looked coldly at me. "Why did you bring them back?"

I looked at her, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"Last week," Carly sniffed and paused dramatically. "these Eevees... destroyed my life!"

I rolled my eyes at the drama queen. "What could five Eevees have possibly done to destroy your life? Did they eat your make-up or something?"

"No, even worse! They chewed up my very best ball gown dress!" Carly cried. I looked into her face and saw her eyes were actually full of tears. This insane girl was serious.

I was too astounded to speak so Carly continued, "Well, even though my Auntie gave them to me as an early birthday present, I couldn't have any wild creatures ruining my outfits." Carly shuddered and then added, "Those Eevees were way too vicious to stay so I left them outside my gate two days ago. Now, you bring the devils back to-"

"You're the person who abandoned and nearly starved these Eevees!" I yelled angrily, "You kicked them out of the house because they ate a dress?"

"I was going to wear it—" Carly started.

"I DON'T CARE! I am holding five hurt Eevees that need help! Will you help them?" I screamed.

"Them..." Carly sneered. "They deserve the pain." The cruel girl then abruptly turned and slammed the door. This was probably a smart move, for if the girl had stood in front of me for one more second, I may have tackled her to the ground. I looked down at Apple, and found it was shaking in anger.

{Let... me... tear... her ... to ... pieces,} the Mew growled.

"I would let you if it were legal." I sighed and looked down at the shivering Eevees. "Well, we've got to get these guys to a Pokemon Center as soon as possible. We'd better hurry."

As we battled the wind and the rain to get to my bike, an idea came to me. "Apple, can you transform into Chansey? You could use Softboiled to heal these Eevees."

Apple shook its head, {I can't. In order for me to transform into a Pokemon, I have to have met one of their kind, and I have not yet encountered a Chansey.}

"Oh well." I exhaled wearily as we exited the dreary gates.

{Umm, Anita, how are you going to carry all of these Eevees to the Pokemon Center? There's no way they're all going to fit on the bike.}

I smiled grimly and pulled out the five Pokeballs my mom had given me. "I may not like it, and they may not like it, but it's the only way I can get them to the Pokemon Center quickly. If they wish, I'll release them once they have healed."

I then threw the five Pokeballs at the five Eevees. There was no struggle, as all five Pokemon were badly injured, and the Pokeballs quickly blinked red, signaling the Eevees had been captured. I gathered the shrunken Pokeballs into my pocket as Apple leaped into the bicycle basket. Then, after untangling my bike from the shadowy fence, I hopped on the two-wheeled vehicle.

"Let the pedaling begin," I declared, trying to force my bike to move through the mud.

Apple gave a quick psychic boost to the bike to free it from the mud. Glaring at the mansion we were quickly leaving behind, the Mew finally sighed. {Here we go again.}