"NOPE!" Kip shouted as soon as we crested the hill. He turned to run away but Snivy grabbed his tail, "NOPE NOPE NOPE."
We were looking down over Nimbassa City.
Or, what used to be Nimbassa.
"Geesh kid relax. I mean I know the place has seen better days, but there's no reason to flip out." Ace said, landing next to Snivy.
"Pssh. Come on, it's Original Freedom Fighter Lore 101 that Nimbassa City is the site of the infamous, 'Ferris Wheel Escapade'. Duh." Psyduck lectured; most of us cringed.
"Great. Not only do we have a fangirl, but he's a pain in the tail too." Zoura growled, starting down the hill.
"I don't like it as much as you guys, but this is the fastest way to the forest." Pidgey sighed. I ground my teeth together and closed my eyes. "Can't we go around the creepy city full of danger?" Charmander whined.
"Sure, if you want to delay our trip for days, go ahead." Snivy snapped, glaring at him through her newly scarred eye.
"Yes ma'am Commander. Excellent use of time." Ace said, saluting.
"Flattery don't charge these batteries Rookie." Snivy snapped.
Ace ruffled his feathers up in a huff, "Excuse me Commander, just trying to make polite conversation."
"Well keep trying." Snivy retorted.
Ace crinkled his nose and turned his gaze sharply to Snivy, "You're being very hostile, Commander, and quite rude if I do say do myself."
Everyone went silent.
"Aw snap." Psyduck muttered.
"Rude!? I just got maimed by my own mother, Smartass, so excuse me if my manners aren't apparent at the moment!" Snivy yelled, getting in Ace's face.
"You're acting like a kid!" Ace returned, getting right up in her face in return.
"Featherbrain!"
"Trubbishbreath!"
"You must have an IQ of negative twelve!"
"Oh yeah? Well you're extremely attractive!"
"...What!?"
"...Huh?"
Ace, took a small step back, seemingly very confused over his own statement, then shut his beak and blushed. Snivy also went red, the two of them looking at each other awkwardly. I was trying really hard not to laugh.
Suddenly Kip burst out in giggles, "Snivy and Ace, sittin' in a tree..." He fell over, still laughing as the bird and grass type proceeded to blush even more. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Charmander joined in, scooping Kip up and running down the hill as Snivy and Ace followed them in heated pursuit.
"FIRST COMES LOVE! THEN COMES MARRIAGE! THEN COMES THE EGG IN THE--OWwww!"
***
The city of lights was dead.
Or at least it looked that way.
The last time I had been here I had been terrified, cornered, trapped, but at least it had seemed like there were people. Lights flickered on and off in lamp posts, and litter drifted through the streets. Windows were dark and boarded up, and doors were locked tight. Cars were parked, abandoned on the sides of streets and driveways.
"Where is everybody?" Kip asked, voice echoing through the street. We walked down the street in broad moonlight, the suburb dark and deserted. Zoura stared hard at a window. Blinds fluttered for a split second, and two eyes peered out, before going wide with terror and disappearing.
"They're hiding." Charmander realized quietly.
"From us?" Psyduck asked.
"From everyone. People want to steal from them, and Pokemon want to hurt them." Pidgey explained, picking up a shred of newspaper in a talon; he handed it over to me.
"What's it say?" Snivy asked, looking over my shoulder.
"'Armageddon Has Arrived: Pokemon Revolting Leads to Riots and Pandemonium Across the World. Is This the End?'"
I flipped the paper over to show a picture of a Pokemon Lab overflowing with escaping creatures. Tepigs were burning through the walls and Snivys were scattering while an Oshawott blasted a female professor with water. It might've been funny if there wasn't the still form of a lab technician in the background.
I handed the paper back to Pidgey, walking up to a brick wall and resting my head against it. I looked up and yelped, jumping back as I saw the full logo in spray paint, graffitied to the bricks. An Eevee's skull and cross bones were above the words, "ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?"
I felt sick.
"Oh, hello! Are you guys hiding too?"
I turned my head at the sound of Kip's voice. The Water type was looking into a dark alley, and raising a foot in greeting.
"Kip..." Snivy began. A dark string shot out and attached itself to Kip's chest, and he yelped as he was pulled into the darkness.
"KIP!" We all yelled in union and I launched myself forward. I leaped over puddles and through darkness as fast as I could. I was not going to lose anyone.
"Eeveeee!" I could hear Kip's cry, and I roared, putting on one last push of power and I sailed into the dark. I slammed into something and my claws scrabbled against exoskeleton. Kip's attacker shrieked and bucked.
"Oy! Get off ya Fuzzball!" A heavily accented voice shrieked.
"Let go off him before I rip your antennae out you, ya' overgrown cockroach!" I screached into the bug type's ear. The nearby lamppost flickered on and I found myself looking into angry orange eyes. The Vennipide reared up again and I fell off his red and green back and onto the ground. I could now see Kip, trundled up in String Shot webbing like a Kakuna propped against the brick wall.
"You've made a big mistake, girly." I looked up to see a skinny Emolga on the lamppost, looking down at me.
"Yeah, you messed with us! And we run this tow-- wait, hasn't I seen yous before?" The Vennipide was stopped in mid-rant when he squinted at me.
"Josey you idiot, attack her!" The Emolga yelled, facepalming. Kip let out a muffled noise of protest.
"Shaddup Mike, I never forget a mug. Now whys you look so familiar, heh?" My eyes darted from Josey's face and Kip, and I tried to block out the rancid smell of his breath.
"For the love of Pete Josey! Are ya deaf? We gotta get the little guy back to the boss before ten. Remember the quota, Jos!" Mike sailed down from the lamppost and landed next to Josey, yelling at him. I gagged on the rancid stench of unwashed fur and bug type, trying to inch away.
"But Mike! Don't she look like the Eevee on the posters? She got the eyes and everything."
Crap.
"Holy Miltank! She is the Eevee from the poster you single celled moron!" I had to do something, so I reacted.
"Yeah, and I'm pissed." With that I lunged forward and bit down on the soft skin between Mike's arms. He howled and Josey stumbled back as I shook the Emolga the way a Growlithe shakes a bone and tossed him into a nearby dumpster.
"Mike!? Yous alive?! Cuz if you ain't, boss won't be happy." Josey asked the dumpster, leaning in to look at the trash. I ran over to Kip and ripped the cocoon apart. Kip leaped and hugged me, shaking and whimpering. I rested a paw against his head and held him close.
"They almost got me." He whispered, still trembling.
"I won't let anyone take you away from me. Ever." I promised fiercely.
"I'm alive you idiot! Just get the Eevee!" I turned my head to see Mike crawling up out of the dumpster and spitting out part if an old boot.
"Kip, run." I breathed, pushing him away, "Zoura and the gang are looking for you, now hurry!" Kip looked at me with his dark eyes, wide with fear. I gave a nod, and he stepped back hesitantly, then he turned and ran into the shadows. I spun to face the two thugs who were closing in on me.
I remembered the way Pidgey puffed up his feathers when he got scared. All my fur stood on end so I resembled a Jolteon, and I bared my teeth.
"That trick ain't gonna work on us kiddo." Mike snapped, electricity sparking across his fur.
"My friends will find you." I spat, "My general is so fast all you'll see is her shadow. Charmander will burn you to a crisp and Pidgey is smarter than a thousand of you idiots combined. And Zoura's gonna tear you apart." I raised my head up and couldn't help but smirk, "So if you're gonna kill me, you better bury me deep. Because I'm coming after you too."
Josey shifted nervously and looked at Mike; the Emolga rolled his eyes, "Ooo, I'm petrified, and who said we're gonna kill you?" A electric attack began to build up on his fur, "Boss needs ya breathing. For now."
The Thunder Shock burst from his paw and slammed into my chest. Sparks danced in front of my eyes and I hit the wall and slid to the ground. The world went fuzzy and my vison zoomed in on my attacker's feet. My limbs spasmed and went still. I was paralyzed.
"She's still awake. Josey, finish the job."
A Sucker Punch came down and the world went dark.
***
I was cold.
I was blind.
I was having something spicy crammed into my mouth.
"Wake up ya overgrown rat." A voice snarled. I bit down hard on what I hoped was the guy's finger, but I instead recognized the hot flavor of a Cheri Berry. I swallowed and opened my eyes. A tiny bit of light filtered through the warehouse window, but not enough to give the dark corners of the place depth. Broken random pieces of material and metal were strewn on the ground and a unhappy human loomed over me.
"Wakey wakey." His face turned up in a awful smile. I leaned forward and felt a chain tighten around my neck. I became aware of the heavy links around my front legs, throat, and back paws, "So you're the bloke that's caused all the trouble eh?" I looked back up at the human. "Ah well. Even if you're not, the cops'll pay for an Eevee anyways. And if not, we'll kill ya!"
I glared up at my captor as the chains prevented me from speaking.
You can try, I thought, No one has managed it yet.