Pokemon - Tale Of The Guardian Master - CH 22
#22 of Pokemon - Tale of the Guardian Master
This is the journey of a man named Chris, who had dreams shared by many, yet lived experiences known by so few... There are many people in the world of Pokemon, who come in just as many varieties as these strange creatures. And you are about to discover, perhaps, one you may just consider the rarest of all...
Chapter 22 - Abandoned Past
Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnie_3sSr_8
Sitting in silence for a few minutes, Chris suddenly stood and grabbed his things. "Well then... Snivy doesn't want me to touch her now... Guess we did something wrong Kirlia..." he said, picking her up and getting sudden wide eyed and bewildered expressions from the both of them. Sitting her on his shoulder, he looked towards the town, putting a hand in his pocket. "I dunno... I can't help but feel deep down Snivy might try to compare me to her past owner along the road. After all, we're pretty much starting out the exact same way she and he began... Isn't that right Snivy?" he asked her, looking down as she looked up at him, wide eyed for a moment until slowly looking away. "You two had a pretty great thing going at first... Really cared about each other it seemed... Then something that seemed so perfect led into being one of the worst things to happen to you in your life... Maybe you're worried it'll be the same thing all over again?" he asked, turning to face Snivy as she curled up again, turning her face all the further away from him. "Well, its not very fair to have that thought towards me when it was you who came to me in the first place... Had to be a reason for it... I think I've done pretty well at showing I'm not like that guy. But... You've got a pretty big wound inside you, so I'm not surprised if that experience made you wary of others, even people like me..." he said, turning away and walking towards the top of the hill. "Hmm... Dunno... Should we let her come along still, even though she'll be picturing me in the same light as that other guy along the way...?" he asked Kirlia, continuing to take steps away, getting a shocked and panicked reaction from Kirlia as she flailed her arms and pulled against his hair, wanting him to stop. Although the hair pulling hurt, he kept a straight face, taking step after step away from Snivy.
Behind him, she suddenly went wide eyed once again, quickly reaching out, opening her mouth as if to try and say something, only for silence to come out as she looked towards the ground. "Yep... Sure wouldn't be any fun traveling with a Pokemon who worried over our relationship being like the one it had before... I can't think of much else that would hurt my feelings more... Do you ever compare me to, or think of me as, YOUR past partner Kirlia?" he asked glancing towards her, getting a rapid shake no in response as she waved her hands in a panic, shouting nervously as if saying "no way no way!!" repeatedly. Stopping at the top of the hill, he took a deep breath and sighed, suddenly smiling with a chuckle. "Since how thing's begin between us concerns you so much... Why don't we just start from the end instead?" he asked, slightly turning as he looked back at Snivy. "Yeah... If you see him when you look at me... Why don't I play that role for you as well...?" he told her, getting a bewildered expression from Snivy in response. Clearing his throat as he turned back all the way to face Snivy properly, he picked Kirlia up off his shoulder and set her down next to him, standing straight and crossing his arms as the sun reached a point just high enough to shine behind him as it peeked over the hill. As the wind blew past him, he suddenly shouted at Snivy, demanding she quickly sit up straight when spoken to, causing her to jolt and immediately obey, Kirlia suddenly standing straight with a jolt as well, hearing him in such a loud tone for the first time, with Snivy slightly struggling yet sitting up nonetheless, her body trembling nervously as she looked at him.
"There's nothing I can't stand more than a Pokemon that indulges in its own self pity! For a Pokemon to travel by MY side, it has to let go of its past and face its FUTURE head on, head held high with a smile on its face! Only a FOOL thinks weakness comes from ones size! Only a FOOL allows another person to ruin them and determine their worth! So what will YOU be Snivy?! Are you going to be a FOOL? Are you going to allow yourself to be weakened by the words and opinions of another?! Or will you prove it all WRONG and make something of YOURSELF?! What does evolution matter when you have the spirit to fight and win without it?! What does the opinion of another matter when YOU see value in YOURSELF?! What are you, a Pokemon or a PUPPET?!" he shouted, sneering at Snivy as tears welled up in her eyes, Kirlia facing up at Chris in shock as she took a step back from him, unsure of how to read the situation. "Snivy!! I can't stand the thought of having a puppet by my side!! If you intend to be a puppet, get out of my sight!!" he scolded, Snivy inching back nervously as tears dripped from her eyes, Kirlia quietly making noises as if to say "g... go easy..." only to have him ignore her. Watching Snivy face the ground in shame and start turning away, he suddenly grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "BUT!!!" he shouted, getting Snivy's attention again as she jerked her face back towards his direction. "If you can prove you AREN'T some puppet, if you have the will to prove you ARE your own person, with your OWN feelings... Ambitions... If you have what it takes to truly be yourself as you travel alongside me and get over the POINTLESS scars some NOBODY with a self centered personality left behind in your mind..." he told her, suddenly holding out a hand as he squat down, smirking at her.
"I'll be glad to have an amazing Pokemon like THAT by my side... Wadaya say...? Ready to be a somebody again?" he chuckled. "I may hate puppets... But I really DO love Pokemon! If you wanna be on a team that doesn't worry about pointless stuff like evolution and mindless obedience, that demands you be who YOU are at all times, and do what YOU feel is right every step of the way... Then hurry up so we can get a move on!!" he grinned, suddenly laughing as Snivy's lips quivered, more and more tears falling from her face. "Show me the incredible Snivy we know you can be!!" he shouted, keeping his hand held out. Slowly, Snivy began to work her way onto her feet, her body trembling all over as she struggled to find her own balance, but slowly... Ever so slowly... She made it up onto her feet, panting as she faced his direction. "Well? That isn't enough to impress me!! Get over here!!" he shouted, smirking as he suddenly put his arm out to stop Kirlia from helping Snivy, causing her to walk right into it with an "oomph!!" sound. In a whispered tone, he faced Kirlia and told her he knew she would do that, and said Snivy had to do it on her own. Sweating nervously, she faced him with a nod, taking a step back as she listened.
Still trembling all over, Snivy finally started walking towards Chris, wobbling constantly along every step of the way. "Come on!! Is that all the will of a Pokemon like you can show me?!" he shouted, Snivy gritting her teeth in response as she started sweating badly. Stepping along faster, she fell several times along the way as a result, repeatedly tasting the dirt as it began showing all over her face, mixing in with the sweat covering her. She tried to crawl finally, but Chris shouted at her, telling her to get back up and reach him properly, driving her to show more and more anger, yet determination as well as she picked herself up, walking along once more. At one point, Kirlia started trying to cheer for her, only to have Snivy shout out as if saying "shut up!!" in response, making Kirlia jolt in shock and turn red from the insult. But slowly... Slowly yet surely, she made it to Chris, glaring into his eyes as she grit her teeth, as if asking "that good enough for you?" in silence.
"...Looks like you're in..." he grinned, the two suddenly shaking hands as Snivy grinned back, both nodding at each other as they felt the same level of pride. "Still worried? Do you still see that man when you look at me...?" he asked her as Snivy faced up at him in silence. Looking at his face, sure enough the comparison was fading, and as she thought of his words, the human she knew faded completely, with only the face of her new companion grinning down at her. She smiled and suddenly shook her head, holding onto his leg and giving it a hug. "Ha ha... There you go..." he responded, giving Snivy a gentle noogie. "Now this is what I call one tough Pokemon, wouldn't you say Kirlia?" he asked, facing her with a smirk as she faced away, still irritated by Snivy's rude response to her. "Ahh... Right..." he said with nervous sweat showing on his face, rubbing the back of his head while laughing. "Handful is an understatement." he smirked, suddenly pulling Kirlia in for a hug too, causing her eyes to widen with a blush. But her split second moment of joy was ruined as she heard Snivy letting out a quiet growl, glaring at Kirlia as she clutched his leg. Kirlia puffed out her cheeks in response and growled back, suddenly pulling down one of her eyelids and sticking out her tongue, Snivy doing the same in response as he watched them from above.
"Leeeeeets just... Get going..." he told them, wanting to split up the two for the time being as he lift Kirlia onto his shoulder and scooped Snivy up in his arm. "Know what girls...? I see a town close by with a bunch of food just waiting to be bought for two amazing Pokemon like you!" he laughed, finally moving forward and leaving the hill behind them. For just a moment, Snivy looked back at the top of the hill, before suddenly crossing her arms and sticking her nose up proudly, looking up at Chris with a sudden look of respect towards the human she was setting out on a new adventure, and a new life with, facing towards the town ahead while silently nodding in approval of him.