Uncontained

After a painfully long, struggling attempt to teach Florence mega punch and enduring the taunts of the jerk-trainers, I took care of my basic necessities. I wished I'd done that before I talked to anybody. I saw myself in the mirror and didn't even recognize myself. I looked like a wild mountain man.

I also checked the news. There had been an attack here, just like what was said in the paper, and despite the peacefulness of the locals who were not jerk-trainers, there were police officers patrolling the streets. It unsettled me. I hoped Spirit was okay. I hoped my mom was okay. I needed to have some sort of plan.

I would have to find the Rocket Leader. If I found the leader, I'd find my mom. I hoped they didn't turn her into a sex-slave. The thought sickened me to the point bile came up my throat. All my life I thought my mom was the most annoying person on the planet. She fretted, she twittered, she fussed over everything. She actually had OCD. It got the best of her most of the time and I was almost late for school because one side of my collar was flipped up and the other side wasn't. I pictured her fixing one of the Rocket thug's uniforms and almost laughed aloud. I didn't, though.

"Hey Beau!"

I looked around and knew exactly who it was. Right in the middle of the tiled path was Malachi and his shaggy brown hair and sharpedo-tooth necklace. He grinned widely at me. "Nice to see you here!"

I scowled. The wind ruffled through some wind chimes nearby. "Why aren't you across the continent yet?"

"I took my leisure time," he said and smoothed his hair back in the way that made most girls swoon.

"Screw you," I said.

"I'd rather not."

I remembered why I was out here and why I was following him. "Are you going to battle me or not?"

"I was waiting for you to ask." He grinned and plucked a pokeball from his belt. "Four-on-four?"

"Sounds good," I said, even though I knew I only had three Pokemon. "I like challenges."

"Alright. Prepare to get your ass kicked!"

Then he sent out a spearow. The creature launched from the ball with a hair-raising screech and clawed the ground. It was a bird Pokemon with brown and red feathers and nasty eyes. I eyeballed its wicked talons and made my decision. "Okay, Florence, you're up," I told her. I nudged her out there. "I know you can do it!"

She looked at me with her eyes as big as saucers. When I finally got her out there, she shrieked when the spearow squawked and puffed up its feathers. Malachi busted up laughing. "Shut the fuck up!" I shouted.

"Your pikachu's a little shy, I see." Malachi laughed harder.

"Shut up! Florence, shock that thing!"

And with a tearful cry, Florence let loose a lightning bolt that smote the spearow to the ground. The spearow crumpled in on itself in a pile of smoking feathers.

Malachi's jaw dropped so fast I wish I had a camera to capture that look forever. Florence ran over to my leg and cried into it. "Good job, Florence!" I cried. I was so fucking happy I scooped her up and ruffled her fur. Her eyes were teary, but she smiled. "What now, Malachi?" I jeered.

"Lucky shot," he said. He returned the fainted pokemon with a red beam of light from his pokeball. "How about this one?"

Then in a burst of white, a sandshrew appeared.

"Wow, look at that, Isaac," I said. Isaac burbled and waved cheerily at the foe. Malachi's sandshrew ignored him, so Isaac looked a little deflated. "Florence, do you think you can handle it?"

Florence shook her head vigorously. One fight was enough for her. I glanced at the nidorino. "You're up, then, Czes."

Czeslaw stepped forward and his ears stood up, alert. Malachi's sandshrew pawed at the ground. Malachi must have caught his before mine, because his was obviously more trained. His was bulky, and its claws were sharp. I knew Czeslaw could handle it, though. I'd just have to catch him off guard.

"Czeslaw, use water gun!" I shouted.

Czeslaw took in a breath, and just like before, water blasted from his jaws.

It hit the sandshrew like a fire hose. The Pokemon squealed and was thrown back past Malachi into a bush behind him. Malachi blanched. I was just as surprised as he was. The sandshrew practically snapped all the branches off and I didn't even think water gun could do that much damage.

The sandshrew didn't move.

"Damn," I said. Malachi returned the Pokemon. His face was sheet-white. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Water is super-effective against ground," Malachi stated. "I didn't think a poison-type like nidorino could learn a water-type move."

I didn't either. I didn't even know Czeslaw was a poison-type.

"Alright, here's rattata!"

Malachi flung out another pokeball and a purple, quadrupedal Pokemon with a curled tail popped out. It had big buck teeth and wild eyes. Czeslaw eyeballed me and rumbled. It took me a moment to understand what he was trying to get across.

It's too weak for me.

"Seriously?" I scowled. Czeslaw was right, though, he was twice as big as that thing and could crush it in one step. "Come back here, then, you cocky bastard."

I set down Florence and Czeslaw purposely walked close enough past me for one of his spikes to jab me. "Ouch, you fucker!" But Czeslaw's red eyes stopped me from lashing out. I will not fight if I know I can easily kill it.

Then it dawned on me and I remembered the onix and him. That wasn't a fair fight at all. I understood and nodded, and he detached his crimson gaze from mine. "Florence, you're up," I said.

Florence tentatively stepped forward and Malachi watched me with a strange look on his face. "What?" I asked. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

"Okay, Florence, let's try out that mega punch!" I called.

Florence snapped her head around, bug-eyed. We hadn't practiced it enough for her to get it. "Just try it," I said. "If it doesn't work, we don't have to do it ever again."

"Tail whip, rattata," Malachi said.

The rattata sprang and wagged its tail furiously around Florence. She shrieked and jumped back. But to my surprise, she clenched her fist, the air rippled with light around it, and she socked the rattata right in the face.

The rattata flew back and screeched. Tears sprung into Florence's eyes. I whooped. "Nice job, Florence! Let's shock it and finish it off!"

"Quick attack!" Malachi yelled.

The rattata leaped to its feet and in a blur it took off faster than I could see. The next thing I saw was that Florence was on the ground crying. She'd been struck hard enough she'd rolled three feet away.

It was as if the blow hit me. "Fuck!" I was pissed. "Florence, shock it!"

I didn't know if she heard me or not, but either way, a thread of electricity shot out and zapped the rattata. The purple Pokemon screeched, hit the ground hard, and didn't move. Malachi flinched, but said nothing and stiffly held out his pokeball to return it.

Wordlessly, he sent out his eevee.

I wondered if I'd hurt him. I was kicking his ass and usually that pissed him off. In video games, he was always a sore loser. When I'd beat him in Mario Kart I'd laugh in his face and that would always end in a fight, but this bothered me. I might have really injured his ego.

"Florence, do you think you can handle it?" I asked tentatively. Florence wept and got to her feet. She scrubbed her face furiously to get rid of the tears. "You can go back if you want. I'll send out Isaac."

To my surprise, Florence shook her head. I frowned. "You sure?"

She squeaked. I want to try.

"Okay, go for a mega punch!"

Florence flung herself forward with such audacity I thought aliens kidnapped my pikachu and brought back something else. Her closed fist shot through the air and struck the eevee. Only it sidestepped the brunt of the blow. Florence flew off balance and fell face-first into the dirt. The eevee jumped backward without so much of a scratch. Florence wailed.

"It's okay Florence!" I called. "Just get up and try again!"

"Tail whip!" Malachi commanded.

Just as Florence rose, the eevee bashed her with its tail. Florence stumbled, but the eevee kept coming. I panicked. The eevee was fast. Florence cried out and tried to dodge the blows, but the eevee dove behind her, in front of her, wherever there was an opening to get a strike in. "You need to hit it!" I shouted. "Focus on its moves!"

I thought I was shouting psychobabble, but I watched Florence focus and slam her fist into the side of the eevee's head.

"Aw hell yeah!" The eevee tripped over backward. I actually helped! I really helped her! "Now shock it while its down!"

Florence let a bolt of lightning strike it, and with that, the battle was over.

Malachi returned his Pokemon and I tackle-hugged Florence. She squealed and I spun her around wildly. "You did so awesome! I'm so proud of you!"

Florence cried in happiness.

After another spin, I set her on my shoulder and beamed at Czeslaw and Isaac. Isaac clapped madly, but Czeslaw gave a brief smirk and that was it. I looked at Malachi. He gave me a forced smile.

"Good match," I said.

"Good match." He went over and shook my hand. "I learned a lot."

I was startled by the comment, but I said, "Yeah, same here. Wait, where are you going?"

Malachi was already striding past me. "I've got to go."

"Don't tell me you're mad about me beating you."

"I'm not." He turned to face me and stopped. "I've got to heal my Pokemon. You beat me, remember?"

"Oh." I frowned. "Well, I'm coming with you."

Malachi threw back his head and laughed his spearow laugh. "Fine, but I'm going to Vermillion afterwards. I thought you might want to head to the bridge to train. It's a good idea before challenging Misty."

"You're trying to get rid of me."

"I am not. I'm merely suggesting an alternative to you following me."

"Your poor ego is bruised from me beating you," I said. "You can't even stand to be around me."

Malachi's eyes flashed. "You so sure about that?"

"Yeah I am. I mean, who wouldn't be jealous of me?"

Malachi faced me squarely. I had him now. "Are you trying to make me mad?" His voice was low.

I set Florence on the ground and tensed. "I don't know, am I making you mad?" I jeered.

Malachi lunged at me with a battle cry. I grappled him and threw him to the dirt, but he was ready for that and flung me over him as soon as he hit the ground. My breath whooshed out of my lungs and suddenly he was on me. I slammed my hands into his chest. Malachi grabbed my arms, flipped me, and expertly twisted them behind my back. I screeched. Malachi was a lot bigger than me and he had me down. "Uncle! Uncle!' I shrieked.

Malachi let me go and laughed hysterically. I took that moment to whip around and smash him to the ground. I was about to let out a cheer of victory, but before I knew it Malachi had knocked me onto my back and had me down. Malachi had five inches on me and my small build wasn't much help to fight with. My best friend grinned at me. "I can still beat you in a fight one-on-one," he panted.

I growled. He was half on me. One of his hands was squashed in my inner thigh and the other was pressed firmly onto my chest. We were both breathing hard. Sweat beaded on his nose, his darker-than-dark eyes looked into mine, and I was suddenly very aware of his presence. His breath was hot on my face and his hand was pretty high up on my leg. My heart began to beat twice as fast as it was going before.

But Malachi released me. I sat up. "Screw you," I said.

"Not going to happen." Malachi stood up and dusted himself off. "I'm heading to the Pokemon Center now."

"Fine, whatever." My heart was still pounding. "See you on the road."

Malachi flashed me a smile. "Smell you later, buddy."