The Eevee House

Chapter 7 - Climbing On

Paperwork. Protectors certainly have to fill a large amount of them for their jobs, whether for the investigation of crimes or the registration of citizens. It's their duty to keep the town orderly, after all.

As such, Glade had been spending his time in his room documenting records of several burglaries in the market. There wasn't much crime in Veesville other than thievery, which he and his colleagues easily handled.

His colleagues, though, didn't exactly enjoy the tedious documentation part of it that much, but for Glade, it was nothing unfamiliar. He was used to constant work as a child, anyways.

He drops his red feather pen back into the ink. While doing so, he also glances past several more pens and papers and notices a potted flower sprouting color in his otherwise drab room.

"Hm." He grunts, facing the purple gladiolus and its spiky lavender petals jutting out of its swordlike stem. This was the only flower he had ever taken care of, the flower that his mother always identified him as.

Strength, pride, and integrity. Were those things she saw in him...really him?

That question itself brought back a memory, leaving Glade deep in thought.

...

Smack!

A turquoise-eyed Eevee had been training on a dirt battlefield. He had successfully landed a hit on his mentor: an aging Glaceon with dull, cyan fur and a black-spotted blue scarf.

Glade's brown fur was straight and relatively undamaged from the current duel with his father. On the other hand, Frost's fur was looking a bit rough on the edges.

Still, the Glaceon lifted himself up and shot back at Glade with several punches.

Glade easily deflected them, and countered with his own kick to his father's chest.

"Urgh!" Frost grunted, grinding his fur upon the surface of the packed mud.

Glade rushed towards him to attack, but halted upon seeing his father's trembling and fragile appearance. Was he going too far?

Apparently not, as Frost then thrusted unexpectedly towards him, punching him in the gut and sending him flying backwards.

"Agh!" Glade fell.

"What have I told you about always remaining vigilant?" His father stood above him, no longer appearing weak with his stern expression. "You must never hesitate like you just did!"

Glade got back up annoyed, wearing his typical frown.

"But you looked hurt. I thought–"

Frost wasn't listening, however. "All those classes I've signed you up for, your training in the dojo, your sword fighting and archery practice, they're all training you to be something useful, to be someone: an honorable and strong son of mine.

"For that reason, I cannot tolerate failure, Glade."

He began to leave, shaking his head as he stumbled away through the grass. "I need to go inside; I have work to do."

Of course he does, Glade thought. He, too, started walking away, preoccupied with how Frost never seemed to appreciate his effort or hard work in anything. What will it take for his father to just be proud of him?

"Oh, hello Brother!" His sister's innocent voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He realized that he was now in the garden. He must have aimlessly wandered to it, since it was right next to the battlefield. Looking to his side, he spots a cream-colored and mud-covered Eevee tending to her flowers.