Red, Claire, Lance-The Aftermath

March 31

Yesterday was one of the longest days of my life. Where to begin?

Well, for starters, a news crew caught me leaving town. I've never been on TV before, and I think it showed. Hopefully none of it gets me in trouble.

Seeing Vaporeon again…well, it didn't go how I planned at all. Privately (this doesn't leave my diary) I'm proud of him, even if he did get Typhlosion to burn down a building. He's definitely got his fire back, no pun intended. I was disappointed when he decided not to come back with me, but I can understand. It seems like he found a special someone.

In exchange, I ended up with two new pokémon, which is the last thing I was expecting. The flareon from inside the facility's with me now, and so is this galeon. I'm excited to work with her; every trainer's dream is to train a pokémon no one's ever seen before. She's definitely some kind of eevee, though how you evolve one to a flying type I have no idea. Maybe it was something from another region and she migrated here…although she seems to know Vaporeon too, so who knows.

Anyway, now I have six pokémon and my team is still half flying types. On top of that, I traded a water type for a second fire type. At this point I might as well take all the advice about team balance and throw it out the window. My strategies will definitely have to change. Now that she's evolved, Honchkrow can't really play the speed game like she used to. This galeon might, though—she seems quick.

Flareon already mostly understands English, I'm guessing from the time he spent with Team Rocket. He's kind of an unknown quality, but he seems older, more mature, kind of like Tropius. He also has a lot of weird scars, so it's probably safe to say Team Rocket's been experimenting on him, too. How I don't know, but it's something I have to take into account. Nurse Joy didn't find anything obvious during her examination, but I don't know how thorough she was. Flareon hated it—we couldn't even get him to go inside the examination room, so she had to do it in the lobby.

I guess I'm looking for a leafeon now. I've only seen one since I became a trainer, so this is either going to be very easy or very hard. Maybe if I find it (is it a him or a her? I don't even know) and bring it back to Vaporeon, he'll finally come back…but this is Vaporeon we're talking about, I shouldn't get my hopes up. At least he seems happy now.

Of course, most of yesterday was spent either fighting Team Rocket or going through their stuff. Fighting was definitely the worst part. The first battle was okay, but the whole thing with the feral pokémon was really bad, and Proton actually had his crobat attack me. I mean, Vaporeon sort of started that, but I didn't order him to. And he didn't use any serious attacks, just soaked Proton a little. I got poisoned. Fortunately any good trainer keeps antidotes on hand, so I'm all right (although Nurse Joy insisted on looking me over too. I swear, the nurses should get paid more). He ran off with all his underlings. We'll probably find out where soon. I don't think this set their plans back too much, though. It sounds like they already got what they needed from their experiments here. Still (again, only admitting this here) I'm kind of glad their building burned down. They deserve it.

All right, I should get back to that report to Lance. I feel so official. And hopefully I won't get in massive trouble with the League for all of this.

Claire's Report

To: Lance

Here's my first report-I hope I'm doing it right. Anyway, I've got news, and you're not going to like it.

I tried to keep it off the news (didn't do a very good job), but I was the one who went inside the Team Rocket facility in Ecruteak. I didn't start the fire, though, I promise. We more or less kicked the door down, but I had a reason to—they had a lot of pokemon locked up, and their leader Proton had a jolteon he was using some sort of shock collar on. Here's what I found.

They're up to the same tricks as a few years ago, but this time seems scarier. They've been experimenting with evolution—forcing pokémon to evolve with some kind of signal. The signal drives them berserk too, even when they're already evolved-it affected my murkrow (she's a honchkrow now) and my typhlosion. We had to fight our way through a bunch of feral pokémon they'd locked up down there too—it was awful.

There is some good news about it though. It seems like it only works for specific evolutionary lines. Apart from typhlosion and honchkrow, we ran across feral yanmega, scizor, weavile, nidoking, crobat, pidgeot, fearow, meganium, and worst of all a gyarados. It didn't affect any pokémon from the eevee line, totodile line, mareep line, tropius or magnemite line, at least not here. The signal also seems to be an active one, so if you can turn it off the pokémon go back to normal (except they stay evolved).

I'm sending some pictures of the device they used, but I don't know how much use they'll be—Vaporeon really did a number on it (yes, I know I didn't have a vaporeon when I faced you. I used to, but let him go before then and he found his way here on his own. It's a long story). Vaporeon came close to putting Proton in the hospital…he gets aggressive around Team Rocket, but it was his fight. We let him go, though. Anyway, I hope the pictures help. I don't think we've seen the last of this—from what Proton was saying, I think it was just a prototype they were working on here. It sounded like they're planning something big. If I learn anything else I'll inform you.

Red

Red adjusted his cap, pushing his hair aside and resettling the cap further back so it was easier to see the television mounted high on the pokécenter wall. "And tonight," the news anchor said, "We've got an interesting new angle on the Team Rocket poaching controversy, as a building in Ecruteak was burned down—apparently by wild pokémon. Witnesses reported seeing nonnative pokémon fleeing the area shortly before and after the fire started. Our news crews on the scene also got an interview with Claire, one of the new Masters, but she denies any part in the arson."

The screen cut to footage of a brown-haired girl in her late teens, standing on a stone street. "I didn't start the fire," she said, wide-eyed. "I came here looking for my old vaporeon. He's been after Team Rocket for…" She looked away from the camera for a moment. "For some reason."

Interesting, Red thought. I think she knows more about it than she's saying.

"All I know is Vaporeon refused to put the fire out, and so did all the other pokémon. It wasn't just me—you can ask the other trainers who saw it and tried to help."

"Was this an attack on Team Rocket?" the woman behind the camera asked.

The girl hesitated. "I…I probably shouldn't say. I'm reporting to the Johto League and we don't have all the details yet either. All I can say is Vaporeon…well, yeah."

"You said your vaporeon has some kind of…personal grudge against Team Rocket, isn't that right?" the reporter pressed.

"Well…yeah. He does. My guess is some of his family…well, I don't really know, but there was a flareon in there he was really happy to find."

"In the building?"

Claire blushed. "Listen, I don't really think I should be discussing this yet. Like I said, the League will be looking into everything. I should get going."

The view switched back to the newscaster. "And there you have it, folks. I don't know about you, but it sounds to me like something went down there. Ecruteak has definitely had a Team Rocket presence in the past, and it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to say it was their place that burned down. All I can say is, if wild pokémon really did do this, then you'd better watch out from now on if you want to sell them. For our next segment…"

The next segment was about some surfing contest. Red mentally tuned it out. So it sounds like Team Rocket's not done yet. Still, seems like the League here is on top of things. I probably don't need to get involved. And if wild pokémon are getting involved against Team Rocket? Well, I have to admit I'd like to see that. They sure had it coming.

Lance

To: Claire

Claire, good job. We've had our suspicions about Team Rocket, of course, but up till now they've been keeping their heads down. I've heard some rumors lately, however, about an aggressive group of gyarados that have taken over the Lake of Rage. What we've pieced together seems consistent with the device you described in your report. I'm heading there to investigate personally; we'll be in touch.

We also looked into the incident with the facility burning down, and while it is unfortunate, no other damage was done. We've discussed things and from what we know, your actions were acceptable. I will ask you to keep your vaporeon out of sensitive situations like that, though, as this isn't the first time something's happened.

Lance

Elite Four/Champion, Kan-Johto Pokémon League

Tyler and Chloe—Closing the Circle

"Come on, Father, wake up!" Tyler grunted as a small body covered in fluffy fur cannoned into his stomach. He slitted his eyes open, looking at his daughter, then over at Chloe. The espeon was smiling.

Tyler groaned. "Mara…the sun's barely up. Are you sure you're not an espeon pretending to be an eevee or something?"

"No, Mother said," the eevee assured him brightly, crawling further along his body to snuggle under his frill.

Tyler still hadn't moved. He heard a sudden patter of paws and had to brace himself as Evan and Tria followed their sister's example in launching themselves on him. "Get up, Father! Come on!"

"It's still early," Tyler protested, mock-serious. "Can't I get one minute of peace in the morning?"

"Nope!" Tria announced, drawing a giggle from her sister.

"Well…all right then, you asked for it."

Mara gasped and scrambled off him. "No! Don't!"

Tyler eyed her older siblings, who looked at him with challenging grins, standing on his shoulder and side. He gave them another half second to move, then dissolved his body. Two young eevee splashed into his liquid form and scrambled frantically away. The vaporeon reformed.

"Faaatherrr!" Tria protested loudly. "You got us all wet!"

His mate Chloe joined the conversation. "He did warn you," she chided. "Mara got off."

Tyler got to his paws. "Why don't you ever pick on your mother in the mornings?"

Evan wrinkled his nose. "Mother's always already awake. And she doesn't let us. She…" The eevee broke off, shooting a guilty glance at the espeon.

Tyler glanced suspiciously between them. "What is it? Come on, tell me." That goes for you too, Chloe. I know you had something to do with this.

"Mother told us to wake you up!" Mara blurted.

"Traitor," Chloe said calmly. She gave Tyler a warm smile, which the vaporeon returned.

"Well, since I'm up now," Tyler sighed, "I guess we can all go eat."

"Dry us off first!" Tria and Evan protested.

"All right, get over here." He siphoned water out of the two eevees' fur while Chloe led Mara outside. The eevee threw her older siblings a triumphant look at being first.

Before the family went to the lake's edge to drink, Tyler slid stealthily into the water and swam out, checking nearby parts of the bank. There probably wouldn't be any trainers here this early in the morning, but it was best to be careful. I know trainers are all right, but that doesn't mean I want any of my kits captured.

"All clear?" Chloe confirmed as the vaporeon emerged from the lake again. He nodded. You know, you seem almost disappointed, she added telepathically so their kits couldn't hear.

Tyler shrugged. I have to train too.

The espeon shook her head. Just because you can't be captured…

That helps, Tyler admitted. But it's not like any trainer around here has come close anyway.

One day you won't be so lucky.

Tyler sobered. If I lose to a trainer, you should probably take the children and run, because they mean business.

The espeon rubbed against his shoulder. I know. And I know you have reasons to challenge them. Just be safe.

Tyler nodded, returning the touch.

"What are you talking about?" Tria inquired indignantly. "You always use telepathy when you don't want us to hear!"

Tyler glanced at his mate. There was no way to explain their concerns, not to three innocent kits.

"Is that human coming back with Aunt Sasha?" Mara guessed.

"Claire," Evan and Tyler corrected at the same time. The girl had visited twice since they'd parted ways at the Rocket hideout. The second time, Sasha had reported that they'd found Mother in the care of an older woman who didn't use her for fighting. It sounded like the leafeon had been helping take care of other pokémon. Father had joined her there, but Tyler's sister had surprisingly chosen to remain with Claire. She and Alan had become fast friends.

"No, nothing like that," Chloe assured them. "We were just making sure there weren't any other trainers around."

"But you don't worry about her," Mara pressed.

"Claire is a special case," Tyler answered. "I know she won't try to capture any of you. She's not a normal trainer anymore—her job is making sure other humans don't make trouble."

"You know, you don't talk about her very much," Evan noted.

Tyler sighed, stretching out in the shade. "That's not my life anymore. You all are. Anyway, weren't you three thirsty?"

The vaporeon smiled as his three children suddenly remembered that they were and piled to the lake edge, almost pushing one another in in their excitement. Chloe walked up to him. "It brings back memories, doesn't it?" he asked her.

The espeon nodded quietly; Tyler knew not all of her memories were good ones. Mine aren't all good either. But I like to think about the days I spent like this, with my brothers and sisters.

You're right, Chloe admitted. I had days like this too. And this is a lot nicer than where I was raised.

The vaporeon nodded. A little over a year ago, shortly after parting ways with Sasha, Claire, and Father, magikarp in the lake had started evolving in massive numbers, fighting each other and attacking everything in a berserk rage. Tyler and Chloe were pretty sure it had something to do with what they'd seen in the Rocket base; the vaporeon had even seen a few Rockets when he'd investigated, but several other trainers had shown up, and things had gone back to normal a little after that. Tyler and Chloe had checked all around the lake periodically, but they'd never seen any trace of a Rocket since. He'd always worried about a Rocket attack like the one that had taken his family, but he'd gone to check the town too. He couldn't find any sign of the Rockets there; the burned building had been taken down and grass grew over the spot now. They were probably as safe as they were going to get. Now I understand why Father always patrolled around. He couldn't bear having anything happen to Tria, Evan, or little Mara—or Chloe.

"You were right," he told her. "This is a good place to live."

The espeon smiled. "I know."

Three eevee came back panting. "We're hungry!" Tria announced, drawing earnest nods from her siblings.

Chloe was already leading the way. "Come on then. We were about to eat too." They headed for the closest bush to their den; as they walked the eevee started asking questions again.

"Are we training again today?" Tria asked.

"We weren't planning on it," Chloe answered.

"Awwww!" Both of the female eevee wailed in unison.

"It doesn't have to be fighting," Mara pressed hopefully.

"Hmmm…" Tyler paused. "How about swimming then?" Their two daughters cheered while Chloe just smiled and shook her head knowingly.

When they got to the bush, Tria and Mara bolted down their berries as fast as they could, making a mess in the process. Tyler noticed that Evan seemed preoccupied.

"You're making a mess of yourselves," Chloe remarked.

"That's okay!" Mara piped up brightly. "We'll wash it off in the lake!" She bounded to her paws, calling to Tria. "Come on, race you!"

Tyler glanced at his mate. "Go on," she said. "We'll be along." I think Evan wants to talk about something right now. The vaporeon nodded and took off at a lope, following his daughters to the lake's edge.

The two eevee paused on the shore. "Jump in, Father!" Mara encouraged.

He eyed them. "Are you sure?"

Tria nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

"Okay, get ready!" Tyler broke into a run, leaping over their heads into the water. As he hit, the vaporeon brought his tail slapping down on the surface, making a big splash. He sensed two more splashes as his daughters jumped in behind him. He surfaced and they paddled over, looking much smaller with their fur soaked.

"Up in the air now, Father!"

"You know," Tyler replied, "You're supposed to be learning to swim here."

"We know how to swim!" Mara retorted. "Come on!"

Tyler sighed, shaking his head to hide a smile. "Fine, but don't tell your mother." Both eevee glanced around at that as if expecting a telepathic response—not that it really mattered; Chloe didn't mind. The vaporeon dove to the bottom, then turned upward and sent himself rocketing into the air on a waterfall, sweeping his daughters along with him. They screamed with excitement for a few moments before gravity took over and they splashed down again. After a few seconds they both resurfaced, Mara coughing a little. She shook her head, water flying from the tips of her ears.

"I wanna be a vaporeon," she declared.

Tyler smiled. It wasn't the first time she'd said that; he'd looked around and he was pretty sure there was a water stone somewhere in the lake. Maybe more than one. Just like they'd been raised, though, Tyler and Chloe hadn't really brought up the subject of powers and evolution yet. Their children weren't old enough, although he thought Evan and Tria might be getting close.

Chloe's voice came into his mind. Evan wants to talk to you.

The vaporeon looked back towards the shore. About what?

I'll let him explain. Chloe seemed troubled.

Tyler nodded to himself and turned toward the shore. "I need to take care of something," he told Mara and Tria. "Stay in the shallows." He dipped underwater and brought himself to shore in a few strokes. Droplets of water soaked into his skin as he stepped out of the lake, leaving him dry in a few moments.

He found Chloe settled down with their son a short distance away, close enough to keep an eye on their daughters in the water. "What is it?"

Evan laid his ears back for a moment before meeting his father's eyes. "I wanted…to ask," he began, looking back at Chloe. She nodded encouragingly. "I want to know…what it's like, living with a trainer."

So that's what this is all about. Tyler almost asked Chloe to explain, but decided he should probably hear Evan out. "What part?"

"Well...what made you want to stay? Mother says you wanted to."

Chloe silently warned him to take the question seriously. "Well," Tyler said, "have you heard the name 'Catcher?'"

"Yeah," the eevee responded. "A lot of the other pokémon around here use it. You and Mother always say 'trainer' though. That's what I was wondering about."

"I called them 'Catchers' when I was growing up too," Tyler began. "We both did. After all, that's what they do, capture pokémon and take them away. That's what happened to my parents and my brothers and sisters, and getting caught was what I was most afraid of." He looked out across the water. "But then one day it happened, and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

"So I had to live with it. I was stuck in a ball with a human I couldn't understand and pokémon who were a lot stronger than I was, and I had to go where she wanted to go and fight other pokémon. I didn't like anything about it at first, but Claire always seemed to care about me. That and she had other pokémon; we made a team and I learned to work with them, and we became good friends.

"But what really stood out to me was one day she let me go. Not the time I left—it was earlier, when I didn't trust her anymore. That was when I realized a human really could care about me, so I decided to stay and give her another chance." The vaporeon nodded. "That was really why. She showed me I was something besides a weapon or a…pet to her. And after a while you get used to life with a trainer. It's nothing like what we have here—you'll be put in a ball and when you get out you're somewhere you've never been to before, and you end up in more battles than you ever would out here in the wild—a few times a day at least, against all kinds of different pokémon. It's all training, though, usually they're not serious. It is more…exciting, I guess. And you get a lot stronger."

Evan sat silent for a few moments. "So why did you leave?"

"I had my family to think of," Tyler admitted. "The first time it was because the Rockets still had my mother and father—and my brother. I had another chance to go back once they were free…but I'd met your mother by then. I couldn't leave her behind."

Chloe gave him a long look. She knew better than anyone how hard it had been for him to make that decision.

"I still miss Claire and Leo and the rest sometimes," Tyler finished. "But I'd never leave any of you for them."

His son looked at him. "What about me?" he asked.

Only half surprised, the vaporeon considered his response. "Would you want to leave?"

Evan looked down. "Well…I get worried sometimes that I'll get caught."

"It's pretty safe here," Tyler assured his son. "And your mother and I are here."

"I know. But when I think about it, I don't know if being caught really scares me. I want to be strong like you, Father. And I think it's different for me. You were always looking for your family, but we're all safe here. I don't have anyone to worry about. I want to know what it's like."

"You've been thinking about this," Tyler said.

Chloe spoke up. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The eevee wrinkled his nose. "Yeah." He looked at Tyler. "Mother said talk to you."

What do you think? Tyler asked Chloe silently.

I don't want him to go. But he's getting older…I think he should get to choose. Maybe you can help him, at least so…I don't know. So it's not just whatever trainer finds him.

Tyler and Chloe looked back at the eevee. "Well?" he asked, ears pricked expectantly.

"You know we'd worry about you."

I would especially, Chloe put in. But I'd feel better if I knew it would be a human who could see what I see in you. Someone you can learn to trust.

"We can't make all your decisions for you," Tyler added. He took a breath. "If this is what you really want…" he paused and met Chloe's gaze; the espeon gave him a hesitant nod. "I'll help you find someone who's like your mother said."

The eevee nodded solemnly. "So…when? I mean, I don't know…if I'm ready." He swallowed.

"Not for a little while," Chloe answered. "You still have to tell your sisters."

Evan laid his ears back; the eevee probably hadn't thought of that. "I know," he sighed. "I'll wait."

"We want to spend a little longer with you too," Tyler said. "You can stay with us as long as you want until you're ready."

Remember, Chloe added telepathically, tears in her eyes, you'll always…always…be our son.

Minds of Their Own

Chris knocked on the door of the wide brick building, his heart in his throat. He'd said his goodbyes to his parents back in Celadon, and an older trainer named Lewis had offered to escort him to New Bark. That had been almost a week ago, and now here he was, knocking on Professor Elm's door to get his first pokémon. He still wasn't sure he was ready to be on his own.

"You won't be alone," Lewis had reassured him. "You'll see. Your pokémon get to be like family. As long as you take care of them, they'll take care of you."

The door creaked open and Chris's breath caught in his throat. "Hello," Professor Elm greeted him. He had short brown hair and glasses, and wore a reassuring smile. "You must be Christopher."

"Uh…yeah," Chris said, unable to think of anything else. "I came…to get a pokémon."

Elm gave him another smile and led him inside. "I know. I have someone special picked out for you."

"Don't I get to pick?"

"Well, yes. But this time is a little different. I've got an eevee here, if you'll take him."

"Really?" Usually trainers were offered a choice of cyndaquil, totodile, or chikorita. Chris had been trying to decide which he'd want for days now.

The professor nodded, explaining as he walked. "It's something of a strange story. I didn't breed this one. A few days ago, I was out getting some things, and when I got back there was a vaporeon waiting on my doorstep with this eevee. There were no trainers around who owned either of them. When I got there, well…it looked like they were saying their goodbyes, and then the vaporeon left the eevee there, and he just came right on in with me. I've never seen anything like it before." He opened the back door and let Chris out into the yard. "So if you want him, I have a feeling he's something special."

Elm led Chris over to one of the pens. "Here he is." A small, brown-furred pokémon came running out of a little house, coming up to the fence.

Chris crouched down and reached through the wire. "Hey there, boy." The eevee sniffed his hand, then paused and looked him up and down. Finally it gave him an unmistakable nod. "Vee!"

"Well, look at that," Professor Elm commented, "he likes you. What do you think? Do you want to see the others?"

The boy felt an instant attachment to the small pokémon. "No, I think I'll take this eevee." He didn't care about seeing the other pokémon now. He addressed the eevee. "Is that okay, boy?" The eevee cocked its head for a moment, then nodded again.

"You take good care of him, you hear?" the professor admonished. "Pokémon have minds of their own. You're not just picking him, he's picking you too. You'll have to take care of each other from now on."

Chris smiled, a wave of pride washing over him. "I will," he promised.