A Fateful Encounter

I was a child, when I first saw it. About Six years old. A Bird pokemon, with Greenish-yellow feathers, rather then the normal brown and red they normally had. I reached out toward it. Unlike the others of it’s kind, it did not fly away. It started to hop away from me, and I chased it. But then it fell. I Picked it up, the bird large in my tiny arms. But only then did I see what the matter was. One of it’s wings… was entirely missing. A circle of flesh was where the wing should be attached. I hesitated only a moment, then ran as fast as I could, toward the only place I knew to get help. Home.

I sat, staring out the window of my room. It was a few days after I had found the pokemon, Mom told me it was a Spearow, and something called a shiny. After I showed it to my Mom, she ran it to the Pokemon center over the next hill. Apparently, it was still recovering. Mom also told me when she got back, that Humans often attacked Shiny pokemon, wanting to catch them for their color. Sometimes they were able to flee without being captured, relatively unharmed, but this one wasn’t very lucky. I couldn’t stop thinking about it’s colors. It’s pretty feathers. I fell asleep next to my window that night.

The Spearow lay on a cot at the Pokemon center, shivering. She wasn’t cold, but scared. This place smelled of Humans. They had done this to her. They had torn off her wing, and they were the ones who had Poked her with very sharp things that made her feel drowsy and make her pass out. Why did they do this to her? Why did they tie their cloth-thingies around her wound? It wasn’t fair! She struggled up to her feet. The room was dark, and it looked like there were some other pokemon here too. She frowned. So she was not the only one being hurt and mutilated by these Humans. “So you can’t sleep either?” Whispered a voice from the dark. The Spearow nearly fell over. “Who’s there!?” She whispered back. “Oh, sorry. You can’t see me, can you? It is rather dark here. You probably can’t see a thing.”  Said the voice. “I’m Houndour.” “I’m Spearow.” She said, slightly confused at the somewhat cheerful demeanor of the Pokemon. “You’re a shiny right?” “Yes.” “I saw that injury. Nasty… How did your trainer react?” “MY WHAT!?!?” Screeched the bird loudly, causing a few of the sleeping pokemon to shift. “Shhh! Keep it down.” The Spearow huffed indignantly. ”Now, I assumed you had a trainer because of the human that brought you here.” Continued the Houndour. “I’ve never had a trainer, and neither will I!” Huffed the Spearow. “Contrary. With a wound like that, they won’t be letting you out of here without someone to take care of you.” “WHAT!?!?” Several Pokemon Groaned. And gave protest to the screeching fits. “We should probably get some sleep. We all need rest.” With that the Houndour tried to fall asleep. The Spearow sat, bewildered. No. No this couldn’t happen. She couldn’t just let herself have a trainer, not after what happened to her… She lay there until she fell asleep.

I sat at our kitchen table, moving around pieces of breakfast on my plate. I still couldn’t get pictures of the Spearow out of my head. It had been a week and a half since I had brought the injured thing home. Since then my mom was always making trips to the Pokemon center, and bringing home odd things. I pretty much ignored it all, even when a Nurse came to visit for some reason. It was today that My mom offered to take me with her to the Pokemon center. She said that there was going to be a surprise today, and it would be more exciting if I came with her. Grudgingly, I came along. Little did I know at the time, I’d be happy I did.

When we arrived, Nurse Joy was waiting for us. “Good, you’re here! Come right this way. She’s a little feisty, but I’m sure you can find some way to take care of her.” She led the way to a small room, and let us in, slightly rushing us in, as if not wanting to let something out. Which, in fact she was. In a corner of the room was… I gasped. The Spearow I had rescued.  The now-flightless bird was pulled tightly into the corner, glaring out at the others in the room. “Now Mrs. Onisuzume, before you bring her home, I would like you and your son to get to know her. It would be best to get to know her over a few days, rather then bringing her home today. Perhaps if you can feed her, she will come out. We haven’t been able to get her to eat much, she must be starving.” Said the Nurse. Holding out a small plastic container of Pokeblocks. I was already flat out on the ground, crawling toward the Spearow. She let out a vicious noise. “Don’t you come near me, Human. I’m warning you.” Unfazed, I came closer. A flash of recognition flashed over the Spearow’s face. He… he was the one who didn’t hurt me. He picked me up, but didn’t hurt me. After that was a blur, but it was this Human. He came ever closer, and I let out a warning peck, lightly hitting one of his fingers. The Human started crying. The Human’s mother came to his side and comforted him. “Try giving her this.” She said, handing him the container of obvious poison meant to kill me. He gently pushed the block across the floor toward me. Careful of his finger, for good reason. I Ignored it. Or, tried to. “Mom, She won’t eat!” I said, worried. “Maybe we’ll try again tomorrow. Lets go home for now.” “But… But….” My mom took my hand, and lead me out of the room, I looked back the entire time. All the way home. And even out the window when I was supposed to be sleeping. I was thinking….

The human came back early the next day, the Block he had tried to give me still in front of me like a trap. This time he was alone, and had a small bag with him. “Hey birdy…” He said. “I have something for you…” Nothing good, no doubt… He reached into his bag and pulled out…. Berries!! Berries! No, I couldn’t fall for it… I couldn’t. He held it out to me and I snatched it without thinking, now seeing just how hungry I was. Not caring at this point if this was indeed meant to kill me, I gobbled it up. Every little bite. “Would you like some more?” I asked, holding out another berry. She snatched it just like the last one, and I smiled. My idea had worked. I had often seen Bird pokemon eating these ones. I thought she’d like it too. I reached toward the Spearow gently while she was distracted with eating. As soon as I touched her, she turned and pecked me. I cried out in pain and clutched my hand. There was a tiny cut on my thumb. But it hurt, so badly. I burst out crying, Curling up a little. She didn’t like me! But why!? I thought if I fed her, then she’d like me!

Oh great, now he’s crying. They’re so LOUD. A thought struck me. If he didn’t quiet down, another Human might come in here. I’d rather not have any more humans here, thank you very much. I edged toward the crying Human, and gave him a slight nudge. He opened his eyes and looked at me, tears still streaming down his cheeks. “…. Go on, pet me, dang it….” The Human sniffed. “Are you saying sorry…?” I hesitated. It occurred that he didn’t know what I was saying. I slowly nodded. Saying I was sorry I guess was better then getting touched. He reached out toward me. Heck no, I just said to myself I’m not letting you touch me! I retreated to my corner and glared out at him. I stared at her for a little longer, then dumped out the berries in front of her and took one myself. Biting into it. I had left early enough that I hadn’t had breakfast yet, and I was rather hungry. She hesitated, then took a berry and started eating too. We sat there in silence, staring at each other and eating. Eventually my mom came in. “There you are! I was looking all over for you!” As my mom entered, Spearow retreated back into her corner. “Mom! She ate the berries I brought her!” “Did she?” Asked my mom, who bent down and reached out to touch her. Spearow flapped her wing, sending a small gust of wind at my mother, and pecked her hard before running behind me. I almost smiled. She liked me. But.. she didn’t like my mom. “Ow ow ow…. Alright, we’re leaving. She’s too dangerous right now.” “But mom!!!” The two Humans left, the boy glancing back at me the whole time. That boy… was he really different…? But now he was gone. And I was still stuck in my prison. I saw that he had forgotten his bag here. Slowly I went over to it and sat on it. It still had the smell of berries clinging to it, and even with the stench of Human on it as well, it was comforting. I rested there, dragging the bag into the corner when another Human came to check on me. And then I waited. And waited. And waited…..

Days had passed… The boy hadn’t returned with more berries. Still I waited, it was the only thing I could do. While they had supplied THINGS, that were obviously to entertain me, they were too high up for me to reach, even if I had wanted to use them. That night, it became obvious that he was not coming back. But I still waited. Just then, the door creaked open, and I looked over. It was a Chansey, with a stern expression. “The trainer who was going to take you in has rejected you.” I frowned. “I should have known a boy like that would have just tossed me aside.” I replied. “It wasn’t him who was the trainer, it was his mother. And you hurt her bad enough she had to get stitches.” I fell silent. “So it’s my fault he’s not coming back…?” “Yes. His mother won’t let him near you. Nurse is discussing what to do with you now, you know. They won’t just put you back into the wild. You’re dead meat without both wings.” I turned away. It made me angry, but the Chansey was right. “what will they do?” “If you can’t find a home, they might put you down. I’m sorry.” “Wait, what?” I asked, turning toward her. “They’ll KILL me!?” “Yes. But, we’re doing all we ca-“ “NO!! I WON’T LIVE WITH THIS!!!” I stood and tore past the Chansey, into the hall. Several more of them saw me coming and blocked my path. I couldn’t fly over them, so I did what I had to. I used Quick attack, knocking one over and running toward the exit. The doors opened in an eerie way, without being even touched. But I didn’t care. I ran outside into the cold night. I was free. Free at last from that unnatural hell. I ran down the road, not caring where I was going, so long as it was away from there.

I was able to make it to the Pokemon center today by getting up early. I ran inside, and toward the room where they were keeping Spearow, when a Chansey stopped me. “Hey! Lemme go!” “Spearow’s gone” Said Nurse joy, stepping in from the side. “What…?” “She ran away last night. I’m sorry.” After a few seconds, I burst into tears and ran outside and back home a little ways. I ran until a turn in the road with a little bush to one side and sat down next to it, still crying and rubbing my eyes. All of a sudden, I heard a chirping noise. I turned around and saw… “Spearow!!” I reached out and grabbed her, holding her close. She struggled for a little bit, then settled down, resting her head on my shoulder. At last, you accept me as a friend….

It took my mom a long time to warm to Spearow, in fact it was only until my eighth birthday before she was allowed into the house. Spearow always stuck close to the house, never going too far on her own, but I went on walks with her every day, and She even sometimes sat on my shoulder. Even then, She was still nervous around me sometimes. But at least she didn’t attack me anymore.  When I was ten, She let me catch her. When I was eleven, We started traveling. I caught several other birds, but none of them was ever as close to my heart as Spearow. I never forced her to battle, but sometimes there were those times when she wanted to fight. She’s always been nervous when near another Humans though. I’m the only one she trusts. But that’s alright. I don’t blame her. Since I set off on my journey, I’ve only ever seen one other shiny Pokemon. But I knew better then to chase it. I never chased after any Pokemon. I was reminded every day what kind of damage that could do.  And more people do too after meeting my Spearow.

The only downside to being with my trainer is the sympathetic looks I get from other Humans all the time. I still dislike most of them, but at least I know that there are quite a few that won’t hurt me on sight. But it seems like I’m not the only bird my trainer likes. He has a Skarmory, a Noctowl, and a Altaria. But it’s obvious I’m his favorite. Sometimes when we pass by wild pokemon, some  look at me in awe, some in sympathy, some in just plain disgust. But I don’t care. I’ve got the best trainer in the world. Go ahead and be jealous. I don’t care what you think.

All I know is…

All I know is…

That when you desire something, and it comes true, sometimes that desire can determine your whole life. I desired Spearow, and choosing her as my partner was the best decision of my life.

That Pokemon centers suck. Give me berries any day.