Uncontained

Czeslaw, Florence, and I trekked out right then and there. It was later on in the afternoon, so I didn't expect to get very far before it grew dark. I just needed light to consult the map. Luckily at the Pokemon Center they had maps for trainers and all sorts of guides. Pokemarts were helpful as well when I needed to get supplies. I got a shit-ton of rations. I knew my shoulders had hell to pay, but we had to go through Mt. Moon, so it was necessary.

I'd kind of heard about Mt. Moon. My knowledge of it extended from elementary school geography; I did a report on it in the third grade. They had a couple paths laid out for trainers from what I could remember so it wasn't going to be too bad. I wished I'd paid more attention to the Pokemon species in my report, though. Even in elementary school I was a slacker.

The path up there was very hilly and the grass was short. My legs were aching by the first hour. I wasn't used to long hours walking, and never in my entire life was I used to accumulating this much dirt. The media used to shine on trainers like they were heroes, but at this moment, I realized that Pokemon trainers were nothing more than dirty hobos. People gave me more glares at my attire and companions than looks of admiration. I figured it would toughen me up, though. On a sidenote, walking a lot would help strengthen Florence and Czeslaw too.

"Czes, where the hell are you going?"

The nidoran took a turn into a slim path past some foliage and gave me a pointed look. Then he grunted and moved on. I wrestled with the map to see where he was going, but Florence squeaked in my ear in a voice that I assumed said, Let's follow him! I was forced to because I lost sight of him and hurried after him. After shuffling along, his purple spikes appeared beyond the shrubbery.

"How do you even know where you're going?" I huffed.

Czeslaw ignored me. Florence pointed to her ears and squeaked. "You're probably right, Florence," I said. "He'd probably heard the beedrill earlier and took a different path. I wonder what he's making us avoid now."

Czeslaw said nothing the whole way.

When the light dimmed, we set up camp. Florence snuggled inside the sleeping bag with me and Czeslaw curled up into a ball on the outside. I wondered if he was cold or warm-blooded and if I should build a fire or not. I figured Czeslaw wouldn't be stupid enough to sit out in the cold and die, though.

"Big day tomorrow," I said. "We'll probably get to Mt. Moon by then. Goodnight."

Florence snuffled and curled up to sleep. I let my brain settle, because from all the chaos that I went through, I needed some rest, and deep inside of my heart I still hurt. The pain was like a rock in the heel of my shoe that wouldn't come out. I thought about crying, but I didn't. There were no tears left in me.

But as soon as I began to drift off, Czeslaw growled.

It was a deep growl. A warning growl. I shifted to look at him, but by now it was too dark to see anything. I heard him rise and growl again. "Czes?" I mumbled.

Then he bumped into me.

The roughness of the blow startled me and I rose. "Whoa, what's up?" I asked. Florence shivered and squeaked. Czeslaw pressed into me again. "Do you want me to move?"

He pushed me again, harder, and I grabbed my backpack and Florence and left.

I barely saw Czeslaw in front of me. He was a silver blur in the moonlight and it was so cold my breath misted in front of my face. When I'd gone to my sleeping bag I'd layered up, and even then it was freezing. I tucked Florence into my jacket and really hoped nothing bad was happening. What was up with Czeslaw?

Then I heard voices.

Czeslaw pushed me so hard that he knocked my knee from under me. I cussed and crashed halfway into and halfway behind a bush. Florence gripped my shirt. I didn't complain. I could hear a group of people tromping through the place I was just camping.

"Shit!" a male voice hissed.

"It's just a sleeping bag," another retorted. "Some trainer must me camping out here."

"Do they have anything useful?" A third female voice.

I was suddenly glad I brought my backpack with me.

"It doesn't look like it- fuck! Don't take the sleeping bag! We can't carry it all the way to Mt. Moon; it's too big." This was the first male.

"It might be cold in the cave." The second.

"We need to keep going." This was a voice I hadn't heard yet, and this was a low and gravelly male voice. "We need to meet up with the squad at Cerulean."

"He's right. It won't take long to steal the TM we need and cause a ruckus." This was the female. She sounded stressed. "Let's keep going."

I heard some shuffling for a bit before finally, silence.

I shifted to get up, but Czeslaw placed a foot firmly on my hand. I bit my lip and waited there for a few painful minutes before Czeslaw let me go. Then I rose and hurried to the campsite. My sleeping bag was turned over, but otherwise everything was in place. I cussed under my breath and imagined their greasy hands on my sleeping bag.

But then it hit me. "Could those have been the group in black?"

Florence blubbered.

I had an overwhelming desire to follow them, but Czeslaw pushed into my leg. Rage flared up so suddenly I almost kicked him off. I was fully awake ready to tear through the plains like a firestorm. "We have to go after them," I spat.

Czeslaw's red eyes glowed in the dark and he growled. No.

"They have my mother you bastard!"

Czeslaw swiped his horn into my pant's leg, tore through the fabric, and sliced into my skin. Pain streaked through it. "Fuck! You little shit!" I shrieked. I lashed out with my foot, but Czeslaw easily dodged the blow. Florence wailed. "You fucker! You don't even know what it's like to have your mother gone!"

Czeslaw growled and this growl was threatening. We're waiting until morning.

I seethed, but somehow, in the tiniest part of me that was not consumed by rage, I knew he was right. If we went in the dark we'd undoubtedly get lost or even hurt. Plus, there was four of them. They probably had Pokemon too.

"Fine," I hissed. My whole body shook with the pain I tried to hide. It oozed out of my heart like acid, just like the blood trickling down my leg. "We'll get up as soon as the sun comes out."