Chapter 8 - Reflection

I stand next to the stream, as Chaos and Chrys jump around in the water, dripping wet and feeling numb.

Why am I doing this? Why am I even fucking here? I wake up in this Pokemon World that’s full of dangers and I decide to run headlong into them. Do I need to be a trainer? Do I need to go off route?

I could have died there. Chrys or Chaos could have died. I underestimated the wild pokemon because they were rattata.

“Chiko?” Chrys wakes me from my thoughts as she nuzzles me affectionately. Chaos and Chrys aren’t that affected by the previous fight, I guess it’s in the nature of most pokemon to fight.

“Alright team, let’s follow the route to Cherrygrove City.” I say, trying to sound confident. “We’ll train up as we go and try to get the badge there.”

Cherrygrove has a relatively new grass-type gym that I’m hoping we can beat. We don’t have a type advantage, but it should be fairly easy for a first badge challenge.

I lead my team back to the vicinity of the route and start trekking. It seems I was out of it for a while after the fight, as soon it’s nearing sunset. We forgo practice today due to the fight and I set up the tent in a small clearing. I haven’t caught up with Matt or the others, I guess they headed straight for Cherrygrove.

Feeling exhausted, I feed my pokemon and heat up a Trainer Meal for myself before heading to bed. Sleep takes me quickly.

“Hoot!Hoot!”

“Ah-Fuck!” I wake in a panic, reaching for my stun baton.

“Chiko!”, “Happi!”

“Sorry, I was just startled.” I try to calm down Chrys and Chaos who’re fully alert and awake now. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Chiko-chi.” Chrys says as she climbs on my lap. Her leaf wraps around my arm and hugs it close.

“Happi.” Chaos latches onto my other arm.

Cuddled close together, I try to fall asleep but images of the mutilated bodies of rattata haunt my mind.

I had to kill them, right? They were attacking me and my pokemon.

But were they just protecting their home? Was I invading their territory? Well, rattata are pests to any society. Stealing food and endangering the young. The rangers have to cull the population anyways, I was just saving them the trouble.

Then why do I feel so bad?

These thoughts plague my mind as I wait for dawn.

The following days are a blur of walking, eating and training. We take the most direct route to Cherrygrove City and only battle a few wild pokemon that wandered over the route area. I chose to focus on training everyone's agility and dodging.

Five days later, we arrived at Cherrygrove, a wonderful fusion of plants and concrete. With the former growing all over and around the latter.

I quickly found and checked into the pokecentre, crashing immediately in my bed.

Waking up feeling refreshed, I reviewed my situation. So I have a trainers license, which luckily gets me a steep discount for housing at the pokecentre. But I have just under a year to get my first badge, or they’ll revoke my license.

But that brings up the question, do I really need to be a trainer? Maybe I could just be a breeder?

As I mull over these thoughts I make my way downstairs to get some complementary food before I pick up Chrys and Chaos. I had dropped them off last night for an overnight stay at the pokecentre to make sure they were in good condition.

I sat at an empty table in the sparsely populated cafeteria. Alone for the first time in a week.

I felt weird. Like I was missing something. Obviously I missed my team, but there was something else.

I picked at the food in front of me, not really registering what I was even putting in my mouth.

Am I just tired? No, I feel more refreshed today than any of the previous days.

*Ding ding ding*

An alert from the TV in the corner drew my attention and I winced at the news. There was a large tauros herd stampeding towards Olivine City.

I saw a line of trainers and their teams ready to meet the charge. They cut to an anchorwoman while the tauros are still far away.

“Though the trainers working under the ranger division were able to mount a defense for Olivine City, sadly Moomoo Farm has suffered major damage and we are yet to get any updates on any casualties or injured.”

My eyes go wide and I start to hyperventilate.

I guess the cities aren’t even safe…

The line probably buckled right when the tauros hit it.

I close my eyes, unwillingly envisioning the carnage that was probably happening outside Olivine City.

A few minutes later I got a hold of myself and tuned back into the report.

There was a gruff looking ranger being interviewed right now. He looked like he was about to strangle the interviewer.

“Again, our defense of Olivine City resulted in many injured, but no casualties. As to the cause of the tauros stampede, I have no further comment.” The ranger turned and walked away to what looked like a triage tent.

Olivine City was safe.

Why did I immediately think that the worst was going to happen?

Before I could spiral any further I decided to go pick up Chrys and Chaos. I quickly put away my tray and and approached the front desk.

“Hello, I’m here to pick up my Chikorita and Happiny.” I said, trying not to sound morose, and handed her my Trainer ID.

She scanned my ID and said, “Hmm, looks like one of our nurses put a flag on your file.” Seeing my anxious expression she hastily added, “It’s nothing bad, sorry for scaring you like that. He just wanted to have a talk about your pokemon. If you don’t mind, he’ll be here in a minute.”

I hesitantly nodded and took a seat.

Just as I sat down, a booming baritone voice called out, “Hello, Jason Reese! So good to meet you.” As a large, bear of a man quickly approached me and clasped my hand in a tight handshake. “I’m Nurse Ueli. Nurse Jane has told me so much about you and your pokemon.”

I stared up at the man, slack-jawed and managed to say, “How do you know Nurse Jane?”

“We were in the same graduating class. She and I share many of the same views on pokemon treatment.” He said, as his straight lipped face curved up into a smile, “And we were best friends.”

He practically dragged me back to his office, where Chrys and Chaos were lounging around.

“Happi!”, “Chiko!” My team greeted me with their usual exuberance and I found myself relaxing for the first time this morning.

I quickly hugged them both, and sank into the couch they were on. Thankfully, Nurse Ueli let me have a couple of minutes with them in silence until I turned my attention back on him.

“So, tell me what happened?” He asked.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I replied.

“Well, kid, you look like shit. And you obviously went through something emotional, and are using your pokemon for support.”

“How did you know? Was there something wrong with Chrys or Chaos?” I replied in a panic.

“Relax, Jason. You’re safe here.”

“Am I?!? Because I don’t feel safe.”

“I’m sorry, Jason. I guess I’m acting too familiar with you even though you don’t know me. Alright, from the top. Once you placed second in the regional test, Nurse Jane started to tell me about you in conversation. She called you a kindred spirit. When you checked your pokemon in here, I gave them a thorough examination and had a few additional tips to give you, though I found them in excellent condition. But when I came to talk with you when you arrived to pick up your team… I noticed that though your pokemon were in good condition, you seem to be shell shocked. And here we are. So, what happened?”

I sighed and put my face in my hands, “We were ambushed by a group of rattata.” I proceeded to sum up our experience going off route and hunting rattata until we became the hunted.

Once I finished my tale, he looked into my eyes and gave me a deep, hard look, “Why are you a trainer, Jason?"