No Matter What

Chapter 2

"Ohhhh! Why won’t Professor Elm hurry up!" Kathy bounced from one foot to the other. I just grinned happily, my tongue lolling out of my mouth. We were in another white room, much like that of my former master, but it was filled with shiny metal pieces. I couldn’t see why Kathy was so impatient.

"I can hear you Kathy, it won’t be long. I have your Pokedex graded and ready I just have to find those Pokeballs and the Vulpix.

"I love Vulpix!" Kathy squealed

"I found them." A lanky man with brown, mop top hair and round glasses said as he entered the room. "Kathy here are your pokedex and pokeballs." He handed her a piece of emerald metal about the size of her hand and several spheres that looked like large green and white marbles. "And here is the vulpix." He said handing her what looked like a green and white softball.

In excitement Kathy released the six tailed fox. I trotted up to her and barked a happy greeting, remembering the other vulpix I used to play with at my old master’s place. The vulpix, in response, took one look at me and put her nose in the air. "Who are you?" I yipped in excitement. "I’m Cerburus!"

The Vulpix only looked at me with a wry amusement. "I’m Amber," she said simply. "Poor little pup, haven’t seen the world yet have you?"

"Yep! It’s big and white and has lots of shiny things!"

"Now Kathy, um, I couldn’t get you a Vulpix kit, she’s about level, um, 16 and her last master was somewhat, ah, abusive. Be kind and gentle and don’t, er, push her until she trusts you. I’ve found, um, Amber to be very intelligent and numerous times has escaped her Pokeball. But she’ll learn you’re not a threat soon."

"Don’t you hate when humans talk about you not too you?" Amber smiled at me.

"I don’t really care. Besides those are things Kathy needs to know, and she never does that any way." I said tail still wagging.

"Naïve little pup…" Amber muttered.

"Thanks Prof. Elm! Come on guys, lets start our journey!" Kathy said as she headed out side. I followed quickly at her heels but Amber flatly refused to move. Kathy ultimately had to carry her out.

"Why don’t you like Kathy?" I asked Amber as we headed east of Kathy’s home in New Bark.

"I don’t like Humans Period!" She spat back. The vulpix was trying desperately to chow through the leach Kathy had been forced to put her on after her had tried to escape for the third time.

"Does that taste good?" I asked a little confused. Much of human things don’t taste nice, but they do have shoes. They taste salty.

"No pup, I’m trying to gnaw through it!" Bored of her snappy tone I nipped at the heels of Kathy’s shoes. Mmmm.

"Stop it Cerburus!" she giggled. "We’ll be at the Pokecenter soon. Then you can have something to eat and maybe… wait! What’s that!" Kathy pulled out a thin rectangular object. A Pokedex the Master had called it.

A bush up ahead gave a soft shake. I sniffed the air. I recognized the smell, but I couldn’t identify it. Suddenly a brown pokemon a little smaller than Amber with large ears came tumbling out of its hiding place.

"An Eevee!" Kathy gasped. "What a opportunity." She knelt down next to me. "Cerburus I really want this pokemon, So go get it."

I took my place out in front of Kathy and waited for her first order.

"Cerburus start with a growl!" Again I let out the low rumble from my throat. The eevee stopped in its tracks.

"Eeeeee!" he squealed, leaping back into the bushes. I stared unbelieving. After a moment he poked his nose from beneath the bush, it twitching as it sensed an enemy, namely me. I bayed gleefully and jumped in landing on top of him and pinning him down.

"Uncle, uncle!" he squeaked, looking up at me pleadingly.

Before I could do anything Kathy ordered, "Bite!"

"Sorry," I growled, picking up the tiny body in my mouth and shaking vigorously, all the while Eevee crying out for help. I let go and he flopped on the ground dizzy.

"What did I do?" She whimpered, trying to stand but fell over.

"Pokeball, go!" Kathy tossed the sphere and it split in two, absorbing Eevee before she could moan some more. The ball wobbled and after a moment stood still.

"I’m sorry." I repeated before picking the ball up in my mouth and returning to Kathy.

"Good Boy Cerburus!" She congratulated unable to hide her excitement, "I hope she not too badly injured." I silently agreed. Kathy released the tiny pokemon on to the soft grass and gave it some berries and water. The eevee quickly recovered under Kathy’s gentle touch, and even excepted my apology.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Amber snapped, "You’re three times her size. When she begged for mercy, did you show her any? NO! You paid heed to that…that…Human! She is just like the rest! Cruel, Cunning, and Unforgiving!"

"Don’t talk about Kathy that way!" I snapped back.

"Humph! And What, may I ask, are you going to do about it?"

With a snarl, I leapt at the fox Pokemon and snapped her up by one of her six tails. "Take it back! Or I’ll eat them up one by one," I growled, through her tawny red fur.

"Cerburus! Stop that! Drop Amber now!" Grudgingly I opened my mouth and let her fall. She landed with a heavy thump and a groan. "Oh Amber! Kathy tried to scoop her into her arms but the Vulpix leapt nimbly from beneath her outstretched hand, hissing and spitting like a meowth.

"Amber!" Kathy pleaded, "come here, let me look at your tail." Amber growled in response. Kathy took some berries from her pack and offered them to the fox. "Come on, want some berries?" This time Amber snapped at her hand. I growled and prepared to tear into her again. "Cerburus! I said stop it! Unless you want to go back in you ball!"

I sat back on my haunches and began to cry. Why was she yelling at me and being nice to that rotten fox? I whimpered and slumped over to Circe, the Eevee. She looked at me curiously with a tight smile.

"Don’t worry, I know you were only doing what Kathy said." Her grinned widened until it crossed her entire button face. "Wow!I’mgoingonajourney!I’vealwayswantedto!It’llbesofun!" Circe yipped at the speed of light. I couldn’t help but grin with her and not be excited. I looked down the road that stretched before us. I couldn’t wait!