Pokemon Regression

Chapter 32: Recovery Period

We were now deep into our second week of training, and as of yet nobody had successfully achieved Red's goal of 'communicating with our eyes'. The silence was clearly getting to my fellow soldiers, as many of them were wandering around in the quiet with eyes like dead fish. 

We didn't dare to speak. Red had ears everywhere, and even if you spoke in your own quarters you would be discharged in the morning. The unit once again lined up in front of the chalkboard in the courtyard, where Red watched over us with his piercing crimson gaze. 

During the first week I felt like I'd been close to a small breakthrough. I'd always been relatively good at reading people, I might even go so far as to say it was my only talent. Still, this skill evaded me, and the eyes of those around me felt almost as if they weren't even talking. Only the eyes of Red and my Partner Raticate seemed to buzz with activity. 

But Red would gaze into the eyes of each member in turn, so the window I was allowed to read him was too short. If it was like this, I would never be capable. So I decided to take a gamble, and ask for advice. 

"Red, sir-" I began, hoping to ask him for some tips on achieving his goal. My words were cut short however, as a thick green vine looped around my leg and wrenched me head over heels. In an instant I was left hovering upside-down in front of the man, and I took in his appearance anew. 

Although the angle made him far more imposing, he was at least a head and a half shorter than me. His skin was as pale as bedsheets and you could almost see the bones through his flesh wherever the skin was exposed. A red cap with brim usually made it hard to meet his gaze, but from my upside-down position I was able to clearly meet his bold glare. His eyes almost seemed to hum with power, a stark contrast from his overall weak and sickly appearance.

He wore a red jacket with a white trim and black sleeves, as well as long and baggy jeans that might even have been a size too big for him. I also noted his sporty fingerless gloves, which seemed to be designed to help support his gnarly wrists. 

As my distraught partner bounded to my side, a bony finger reached out and poked me in the shoulder. Red's glowing crimson eyes seemed to be trying to tell me something, but I didn't know what. 

"I'm sorry sir." I answered, sweat dripping down my back to my head. "I just wanted to ask for some tips on how to learn..."

Red stayed crouched in front of me for a few moments, then reached into his pocket and handed me a note. I opened it up and read the contents. 

'You lack the qualifications, and are hereby relieved of duty. When you awake, ask to be deployed to a different unit.'

I felt a hint of panic. I was this close to Red-THE Red, and I was going to fail? To be sent away? As I lowered the note to protest, I saw a hand filled with a silvery white powder right in front of my nose. Behind it, I felt that I saw something flash through the eyes of the man I admired. 

'Too bad. Just another loser.' 

"YELLER! BITE ME!"

And in a single gentle breath, the powder flew into my nose, and I lost consciousness. 

...

...

...

In a burst of sharp searing pain, I opened my eyes and found myself still dangling in front of the black-haired man, who showed only the tiniest hint of surprise. The large thick teeth of my partner Raticate were lodged deep into my left shoulder, causing thin streams of blood to trickle down my upper arm and drip to the ground.