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

Chapter 22

I knew pain.

I had been dunked in chemicals, trampled by humans, bitten by Basculin, and about everything in between in the last week: all of that was nothing compared to this waterfall.

It swallowed me up, and it felt like I had been put in a blender. A really wet blender. I knew I was only falling down, but the water seemed to assault me from all sides. Then I hit the bottom. It felt like hitting concrete. In a hailstorm. And I sunk like a rock.

Then, I was free.

I was as light as air, no, lighter. I bounded up and laughed, then looked down. I saw a river, and a waterfall, with something brown floating in the current.... My stomach lurched.

It was me. 

My body floated in the current limply, occasionally bumping into rocks. Then I heard footsteps. I looked up to see the smiling face of my trainer, but he seemed transparent somehow. Without thinking I leaped into his arms, and he felt as solid as ever. 

Hello Eevee. His voice was soft like it had always been. 

Where am I? I asked. 

At a crossroads. You can either stay here, with me.... He trailed off and looked down, where my body was tossed along the river's current. Or go down there where they need you most. And I mean everyone. Your too important to the world to leave now. Fate knows this, so it's giving you a second chance. He said quietly. I thought for a moment. 

Will I ever see you again? I asked turning to his face. He smiled. 

Of course, when the time is right. I nodded. His smile turned sad. Goodbye for now. He said and wrapped me up in a hug.

And then he was gone.

A sensation like lightning ripped through me. My eyes flew open and I gasped for air, flailing in the cold water. I was awake--no, alive--again. I spluttered and managed to paddle to the shore, my chest heaving for air. The mud was wet under my paws, and my fur was utterly waterlogged, but I was alive and here.

I collapsed on the bank and laughed. My eyes were drawn to a movement in the water. A heavy overcoat drifted downstream. Lord Control's overcoat. Suddenly I remembered why I had jumped off a waterfall in the first place and sat up. I looked around panicked, until my eyes landed on something on the bank. 

No. 

I slowly walked over to the dark, muddy mess of fur splayed out on the riverside. The dark purple lump didn't move when I sat by it.

"That was a stupid, shortsighted, and idiotic thing to do." I told it. Tears welled up in my eyes. "And very very sweet."

I rested my head against Zoura's body. Suddenly, it sprung up and wrapped around me in a hug.

"I KNEW you cared!" He cried, his wet fur pressing into mine.

"WHAT THE--GET OFF--ZOMBIE!" I screamed and threw him off.  My brain wasn't really understanding this. He sat up, unfazed as ever, his blue eyes shining under the mess of mud caked fur.

"What? I'm a sweet guy remember?" He teased. My brain rebooted.

"You're alive!" I cried cannoning into him and knocking him to the ground.

"Well duh, it takes more than a waterfall to stop the Zour-man." He said, looking perfectly comfortable with me lying on top of him. I realized where I was and scrambled off.

Suddenly, I realized he had been playing dead. "What is WRONG WITH YOU!? What kind of person, lets someone else think they're DEAD?" I yelled at him, but he just kept smiling like a idiot.