We Are The Pokemon, & We Don't Need You Anymore

Chapter 8

Everything hurt.

I groaned and poked my head out of the bush I landed in, "Roll call!" I yelled. A groan sounded off to my left.

"Here." came Zoura's disgruntled call.

"I'm okay! Something soft broke my fall!" Came Charmander's cry.

"That would be me." growled Snivy and threw Charmander off her back with a yelp.

"Present." I looked up to see a ruffled Pidgey picking twigs out of his feathers in a tree.

"We're still missing Mudkip! MUDKIP!" Charmander called in a panic. He had always been like a big brother to Kip and was very protective.

"Up he-here." came his terrified voice. He was clinging to the highest branch of the tree Pidgey had been in. With a tragic sigh, Pidgey flew up to assist him.

"Why can't we catch a break already!" Complained Zoura.

"For the love of Zekrom, put a sock in it!" Snapped Snivy, turning on him, "We're all wet, cold, hungry, dirty and we smell like fish! You complaining is not helping whatsoever, and no we can't catch a break because were considered rouge Pokemon!" she finished. She was breathing heavy and we all just stood there awkwardly as Pidgey and Kip came back. Zoura bared his teeth.

"I'm not helping!? You always have your nose in the air like you're too important to be involved in anything but snubbing other people and being stuck up!" He snarled back. Charmander put himself between them.

"Hey, hey hey! Stop acting like jerks to each other." He interjected.

"Hey, as if you could spell jerks!" Zoura snapped.

"JUST STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!" they all turned to Kip. "SNIVY'S RIGHT AND WERE TIRED AND LOST AND OUR TRAINER IS DEAD BUT EVEN SO NONE OF THIS IS HELPING OUR POSITION!" he screamed and began to sob. We were all quiet. Charmander moved over to him and gave him a hug.

"Shh, it's okay buddy. I can be dumb sometimes. We're all going to be okay, right Eevee?" I hadn't taken a side in the argument, because I felt ill. My throat was sore and I felt warm. I gave a weak nod and stumbled towards the river.

"Eevee, you're not looking too good." Pidgey commented and stepped towards me. I shook my head and fell down in the mud.

"EEVEE!" Zoura cried and hoisted me up.

"Is she okay?" asked Kip in a small voice, moving closer to Charmander.

"We just need some rest." Snivy said, the argument forgotten. Yeah. Sleep sounded good. Sleep...I dozed off in Zoura's embrace.                    

***

Wake up. That was what I needed to do. But I was sooo comfortable, and--no. I couldn't stay asleep. My eyes opened. I was lying in a nest of leaves. The other Pokemon snoozed around me and night had fallen. How long had I been out? I felt much better, if not a little thirsty and way hungry. Wow,the last time I had eaten had been three days ago, but it felt like a lifetime ago. I carefully stepped over Char's tail and nearly tripped over Snivy. I went to the river and saw Pidgey there with the familiar, "I'm thinking of something so complicated your tiny mind would be incapable of fathoming it" face.

"Hey." I said quietly. He looked up and the tension in his wings relaxed.

"Oh, you're up, good. You slept most of the day and Zoura nearly had a conniption fit." He said with a cheeky grin. I blushed and took a small drink from the river. "Um...Can I ask you something Eevee?" He stammered. "How were you able to read the signs at the Pokemon Center? I've been racking my brain all day thinking about it but came up with...nothing." I looked at him.

"You paused. You do have a theory and are scared to say it. Please do because I honestly need some answers here. I need to know what's happening to me." I told him, trying to sound calm and hating the way my voice trembled.

"You don't know?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Not a clue." I assured. He stared at the ground. "Please Pidgey, you're the smartest guy I know. You have to have something!" I was starting to lose my temper.

"Alright!" He took a shuddering breath. "You remember those chemicals in the warehouse? They might be responsible for what's happening. Think about it: getting sick, advanced intelligence, it was the exposure to the toxic waste." He explained.

I stared at the ground. I didn't want to believe it. I'm not some accidental super hero. I was just a Pokemon who lost her trainer and was going to kick whoever's ass had caused it.

...Wasn't I?