Broken Souls

In The Wakes

In The Wakes

From the Pokeball emerges Basil, an already named Ekans with a remarkably high friendship stat. The trainer was right about the Pokemon being well loved.

"You." he hisses. It's not malicious in any way, but the way he speaks still sends shivers down my spine. "You're the new trainer."

"My name is Ashley." I tell him. "I know I might look a little underwhelming, but I... uh... I promise I'll do my best. Welcome to the team?"
His pupils narrow slightly as he slithers forwards on the sand. "She let me go, then. For real."

I bite my lip and brush the sand off my shorts, standing back up. "I'm sorry."

"Come closer." he says. "Please."

I do as I'm told, as all my other Pokemon tense up. Rose has psychic energy flickering about her crown and bright leaves dance in the air.

He takes my Pokeball from me and touches his head to it, returning in a blink of light. I pick up the Pokeball and almost make the movement to release him again, just stopping short. "Well." I tell the team. "Can we try this again another day?"

Rose frowns. "Seriously?"

Fang mutters, "Ouch. That had to hurt." When everyone else glares at him, he adds, "I guess he was just throwing... a hissy fit?"

"You know, you could totally go back to your Pokeball as well." I tell him, which he shrugs off. "In fact, I think everyone needs to get back to the Pokeball now so I can book it out of here. Pisces, how fast can you get me across the ocean?"
I turn to the massive water snake, floating just in the water where it's deep enough for her to rest comfortably. "How high do you want the risk of falling off to be?" she asks.

"Low?" I say. The ocean is staring at me and memories of drowning still cloud my thoughts. "I mean, if you think I'm going to fall in, can we... I have the TM for Fly, so if Rose wants..."

"You will be safe." Pisces assures me.

"Thanks." I tell her. Slowly but surely, I climb onto her back, and I return everyone else but Rose and zip the bag tightly. The dark blue of the ocean is painful to look at, so I close my eyes and cling tight to Pisces's fin.

Can't waste time. Can't waste time. Can't waste time.

I feel the world rock beneath my feet and I curl up a bit more as she moves away, dashing through the waves. I think of riding a Zebstrika, being rocked back and forth by a swing, anything besides physically moving over the waves...

"You are scared." Pisces tells me. I don't know how long it's been but it certainly feels like forever.

"Thanks." I tell her, opening my eyes. I stare intently at the patterns on her back. "Next time, when you're making vague statements, can you try to give me one that isn't obvious?"

"It emanates from you like smoke. I understand that after almost drowning, the ocean must seem terrifying to you. After all, you are a predator, and not prey."

"You're not prey either."
"I was." she tells me. "Life for both the hunted and the hunter is almost always fear. You fear that you may not feed yourself or your kin. You fear that your kin may be food. In the end, both are trying to survive. As someone who has been both... I have never seen a predator be so afraid of her kin before when she should be worried about her own health."

I stare up at Rose, who is still going even after we have stopped. Her luminous wings flutter at a breakneck speed, despite how large they are. "You know, you can just skip to the moral. I've had enough people preach at me to know where this is going."