Chapter no.35 Moonlight Pokemon

Vee found himself in an idyllic field, the ground beneath his paws soft and dotted with vibrant flowers.

Sunlight danced through leaves, casting playful shadows, and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blooms.

It was a perfect scene, one where Vee watched his human and the other Pokémon cavorting joyfully.

Life seemed blissfully simple here.

Suddenly, the warmth of the field was replaced by a chilling coldness.

Vee's legs felt heavy, almost unresponsive. His eyes fluttered open to a starkly different reality.

Gone were the flowers and sunlight, replaced by the harsh, sterile light of an operating room.

A muzzle was strapped over his snout, stifling his whimpers.

Panic surged through him as he realized where he was—the lab where he had been experimented on.

But this time, it wasn't just him.

His heart raced as he saw the rest of his team, his friends, strapped down on similar tables around him.

They were all immobilized, vulnerable. Scientists bustled around, their faces impassive behind their masks.

"This is what you get for escaping Team Rocket," the scientist said coldly, his voice echoing off the sterile walls. The scientist then plunged a syringe into Austin, who yelled out in pain.

Vee thrashed wildly against his restraints, growling muffled roars of rage and fear.

He jerked his body, trying to break free, to save his human and his friends.

But the restraints held firm, each movement only tightening the grip on him.

His eyes were wide with terror, the realization sinking in that he was powerless, unable to protect his human or himself.

The weight of helplessness transformed within Vee, igniting a fierce anger as he felt the piercing light of evolution — the sole reason he was able to escape from the lab, but now he bore the consequences—a target on his back.

The pain was excruciating, and despite the numerous times he had endured it, the intensity never became bearable.

Every single episode felt like the first: raw and overwhelmingly brutal.

As the transformation began, each fiber of his bein torn apart, only to be meticulously stitched back together by some unseen force. It was an instinctive process, yet every moment felt unnaturally precise and deliberate. His cells cried out in agony, a chorus of pain that echoed through his very core.

The physical sensation was akin to having molten lava poured over his body.

The searing heat engulfed him, scalding every inch of skin, muscle, and bone.

It was as if his entire form was dissolving.

....

Vee jolted awake from the nightmare, finding himself in the moonstone cave. Moonlight spilled through a hole in the ceiling, bathing the Clefables, Clefairies, and Cleffa who slept standing up around him. Why now? When I am safe... Why am I still afraid?

he pondered in silence, grateful that his inner turmoil remained unnoticed.

"You okay?" a voice suddenly intruded, causing Vee to freeze.

Vee's eyes darted toward the source of the sound; it was Austin, awake.

Why?

The Pokémon seemed to ask with his gaze.

"Couldn't exactly sleep after that whole lecture on Fairy type Pokémon," Austin replied, understanding the confusion in Vee’s eyes. He offered a wry smile. "Apparently, there's a Fairy type evolution — Sylveon. Ain't that something?" he added, patting his lap invitingly.

The evolution pokemon accepted the invitation and curled up in his trainer's lap. The boy began to gently scratch behind Eevee's ear, easing into the quiet of the night. The soft fur felt like fine silk under his fingers.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Vee paused, contemplating whether to share his worries. His trainer had become a trusted figure, yet he hesitated, unsure if his concerns were worth voicing.

As they sat in silence, Austin leaned down and kissed the top of Vee’s head.

"I am here for you, Vee."

Vee began his attempt to communicate.

He crouched low, his body tensing as if hiding. Then, he jumped up suddenly, mimicking an explosion with his paws.

"Something scary? An attack?"

The pokemon nodded vigorously, then continued. He pretended to sneak around, tiptoeing exaggeratedly around Austin. Stopping, he pointed at an imaginary object, then quickly recoiled as if scared.

"Is this about Team Rocket? Were you having nightmares about them?" Austin asked, piecing together Vee's pantomime.

Vee let out a soft "Evee!" and nodded again, more urgently this time.

Austin reached out, pulling Vee into a gentle embrace.

"It's okay, buddy. They're not here; you're safe with me."

Vee snuggled closer, his body relaxing slightly.

"Do you know what's causing these nightmares?"

Vee shook his head, his ears drooping slightly. He pawed at the ground, then pointed towards his head, and shook his body as if to say the nightmares were confusing and unexplainable.

Austin recalled a technique his therapist used to help him process difficult experiences. His therapist often tried to draw parallels between his feelings and similar situations to help him understand his emotions better.

So, the boy decided to use a similar approach with his Eevee.

He wanted to help his Pokémon understand that they weren't alone in their fears.

"Do you remember the time we were in Viridian Forest and we met Sird, and she..." Austin's voice trailed off, a noticeable discomfort settling over him as the memory crept in.

Vee nuzzled closer, offering comfort with his presence.

"I try not to show it, but that day... those Beedrills getting killed ... it really affected me. I've even had nightmares about it." His voice was low, barely a whisper now. "Sometimes, I stay up late, reading book after book, just so I'm too tired to dream when I finally fall asleep."

Vee gently placed a paw on Austin's hand who smiled weakly, squeezing the evolution pokemon's paw gently in appreciation.

Vee jumped over to the side and mimed walking over an imaginary obstacle, then pointed to his heart, and finally raised his paws in a questioning gesture.

"How do I get over it?"

Vee nodded vigorously, his big eyes locked on Austin, seeking an answer.

Austin sighed softly, a gentle look crossing his face as he responded.

“I didn’t really get over it, Vee... I just accepted that I was scared of Team Rocket, afraid of seeing us hurt or worse—like what happened to those Beedrills—and that feeling paranoid was part of that. And that’s okay.”

Vee cocked his head, his expression clouded with confusion. How could being scared be okay?

“Being scared keeps us on our toes, buddy,” Austin continued, finding the right words. “It’s why we’re still here, and why we are alive.”

Vee pondered this, the gears almost visibly turning in his head. Then, with a slow nod, he seemed to grasp the concept.

Vee bumped his head against Austin’s knee.

Vee paced a little, then mimicked sleeping and suddenly jolted awake, clutching at his heart—an unmistakable portrayal of nightmares.

"What about the nightmares? Are you asking if I still have them?"

Vee nodded.

"Sometimes, not much after I defeated Ariana."

Vee then acted out another scene: he seemed to struggle in his sleep, then pointed at himself and shook, a clear depiction of fear.

Austin's brow furrowed in concern. "I don't know, but I know of a way to help. When we get to Cerulean City, let's look for a doctor that could help us." He knew a therapist was likely the best approach, considering Vee's nightmares had recently begun—something had triggered them.

But Vee's response was to shake his head vigorously. He then mimed an action of shielding others and then pointing to himself, his body language heavy with guilt.

"Vee," Austin began again, his voice soft and earnest, hoping to reach the guilt ridden Pokémon. "It's not your fault what happened on Mt. Moon. You know, the bad things that Ariana and Team Rocket did—they're responsible for their actions, not you."

He paused, giving Vee a moment to absorb the words, yet they seemed to barely make an impact as Vee continued to look troubled.

"I know it's hard," he tried again as Austin wasn't going to let Vee feel bad about things outside his control, "to see others get hurt and feel like you could have done something about it. But you did everything you could. We both did. And blaming yourself for the actions of those who mean harm... it's like trying to stop a thunderstorm by wishing it away. It's out of our hands, buddy."

Vee shifted slightly, his gaze flickering as he processed Austin's words.

Now, he needed to address Vee's fears of others.

"And about people... Vee, not everyone is like Team Rocket. There are so many good people out there, people who want to help and do good," Austin added, trying to instill a sense of hope. "It's okay to be wary, to be cautious—that’s smart. But don't let fear keep you from seeing the good in others. Not all humans are bad. Some are kind, caring, and they fight against the bad just like we do."

Austin reached out, placing a gentle hand on Vee's head.

Now he needed to address Vee's fears.

"Team Rocket will never be able to find us, Vee."

Vee's posture shifted, filled with skepticism and a silent question. How could you possibly know that?

Anticipating this doubt, Austin reached for his backpack and pulled out a map of the Kanto region, spreading it out in front of them. "Look here, Vee. When we were at Viridian forest, the only place to go was forward so team rocket did what they had to do, but look at all these paths." He pointed to the myriad routes branching off from Cerulean City. "After Mt. Moon, we could head in any direction. Up until now we have been careful, always covering our tracks. The chances of running into them again are incredibly slim."

He met Vee's gaze, his voice steady and reassuring. "We'll have plenty of time to address any problems, buddy. We're safe, and we're going to handle this together."

As Vee listened, the tension seemed to melt away from his small form.

Now he needed to address Vee's guilt.

Austin continued, "And Vee, we're a team, aren't we?"

The Pokémon nodded.

"So, we fight for each other. Rattata, Pikachu, and Spearow—they all took those risks because they knew it was necessary. And I’ll tell you this, each one of us would do it again if needed."

Vee's eyes shimmered, almost tearful, as if asking, Why?

Austin smiled gently, wiping the beginning tears from Vee's eyes. "Because that's what teams do. We support each other, no matter what. And look at the bright side—Spearow is on his way to becoming an Alpha Pokémon, Rattata's sporting a shiny new coat, and Pikachu scored a lifetime supply of ketchup packets," he joked lightly, trying to lift the mood.

Vee's demeanor lightened, a small smile breaking through as he began to understand.

"As I said before, don't feel guilty for what others choose to do... ever." Austin leaned forward and kissed Vee's forehead in a comforting gesture. "Okay?"

"Eevee!" Vee responded, a chirp of agreement, as Austin settled back into his sleeping bag with the pokemon curling up comfortably on Austin's chest, finding comfort in the steady heartbeat beneath him.

Together, they looked up at the vast expanse of the night sky.

The stars twinkled like scattered diamonds against the deep velvet of space, each one a silent sentinel watching over the world below.

Austin pointed upwards, tracing the patterns of the constellations with his finger. "Vee, see that cluster there? That's called Cassiopeia. It kind of looks like a W or an M, depending on how you see it," he explained softly, his voice a gentle murmur in the quiet of the night.

Vee chirped softly, as if he understood, or perhaps just appreciating the sound of his human's voice.

I wonder what the names of the constellations are in this world.

Austin felt Vee's small paw gently touch his chin.

Vee pointed at himself, then mimicked the action of speaking or calling out a name, clearly curious about why he had a nickname while the others didn’t. Austin blinked, surprised by the question but quickly gathering his thoughts.

He wasn't usually a fan of nicknaming Pokémon. Whenever he read a Pokémon fanfic, the various nicknames always seemed to add a layer of confusion, so he generally avoided them in real life.

Vee was special as he was a character from the Pokémon manga.

It was almost instinctual how he had begun to call the Eevee, Vee, echoing the nickname used by Red. The connection had felt immediate and right, even if it was spurred by a mix of nostalgia and affection.

Can't go back now, I'm in too deep!

He reached out and playfully booped Vee’s nose.

“That’s because you’re a special Eevee, and someone special needs a special name but don't tell the others, okay?”

Vee nodded, a hint of pride and bashfulness in his gesture, then turned his gaze back to the moon, now a bright sentinel in the dark sky.

Austin watched him for a moment, then closed his eyes, feeling a deep sense of peace.

As he gazed at the moon, Vee found himself drifting into a deep, introspective reflection.

For so long, shadows had been places of fear for him, every dark corner a potential hiding spot for threats like Team Rocket. He was always alert, always wary, expecting danger at every turn. But now, under the open sky, with the stars and the moon watching over them, the night felt different—illuminated, safe, like a protective embrace.

Looking at Austin, Vee felt a surge of warmth spread through him.

This human, his family, had changed the meaning of night for him. Where once there was fear, now there was a bond, a connection strong enough to light up the darkest of places. The love and trust that Austin showed him made his heart beat faster, igniting a fierce desire within.

He wanted to protect them, to be strong for Austin and for all the adventures that lay ahead.

As he contemplated this, something remarkable began to stir within him—a response to the bravery of his heart.

It was the aura of evolution, a sensation he had never felt so acutely before.

Yet, unlike before, this feeling wasn't painful or frightening; it was stable, grounding, almost reassuring.

It felt like a natural step, an evolution born not from the experiment done on him, not from the aura of the elemental stoned, but from the deep, unyielding friendship and bravery.

As this realization dawned on him, a gentle, radiant light began to envelop him.

It was as if the stars and the moon themselves were lending their light to his transformation.

The gentle light filtering through his eyelids woke Austin from his contemplative doze. He felt a sudden increase in weight on his chest and opened his eyes, only to be met with a stunning transformation. Where Vee once lay, there now sat a sleek, black Pokémon with glowing crimson eyes and a bushy tail adorned with a yellow band. Its long, pointed ears perked attentively as it regarded Austin with a familiar gaze.

Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokémon.

Austin's heart swelled with joy as he reached up to touch his friend.

Umbreon nuzzled against Austin's touch, and as it affectionately licked his hand.

"Congratulations," the boy beamed, his voice filled with elation.

He was thrilled for Vee—Umbreon was one of his favorite Pokémon, and he was relieved that Vee hadn’t had to endure the painful process of evolving and devolving.

It all seemed perfect.

Suddenly, Umbreon shook its head, a gesture that caught Austin off guard. Before he could ask what was wrong, a brilliant light enveloped Umbreon. He watched, jaw dropping, as the light of evolution reversed, transforming Umbreon back into the familiar form of Eevee.

Austin just blinked, baffled by the unexpected turn of events. Staring at Vee he could only muster one word in his confusion: Huh?