Uncontained

I laid in bed for a long while after.

Then I heard someone jostle the doorknob. It rattled and scraped for a bit, like someone couldn't get a hold of the knob, until finally the door smashed open. I jolted upright. The massive purple Pokemon called Czeslaw squeezed his girth into the room. His spines cracked the doorframe.

I realized I was laying there butt-naked and covered myself like lightning.

You're strange, he growled. You see me unclothed all the time, yet you cover yourself up when exposed.

Florence was on Czeslaw's shoulder and bounded down and onto the edge of my bed. Summer, Rose, and even Uriah entered the room after. Isaac wasn't present.

Malachi just left and told us to check on you, Florence squeaked. Are you okay?

"I'm fine," I said. "Fucking heartbroken, but fine." I saw Summer examining the mess. "It's not like my life could get any worse anyway. I guess I'm going to have to pay for the damages, huh?"

You're bruised, Uriah remarked. Did you participate in a mating ritual with that boy?

I was suddenly very aware Rose was in the room and snatched her up and plugged her fuzzy ears. "And what if I did?" I hissed. "Are you going to tell me how stupid I am?"

But he didn't get a chance to say anything. Rose pulled my hands off her ears and brushed me with her fluffy tail. Isaac's gone, she murmured. Can you bring him back?

Rage flared up in me, but I couldn't let it go in front of her. "I have to tell you all something," I said. "It's about Isaac. He's not going to be in our team anymore."

Surprisingly, none of them said anything.

That startled me. "What, did you already know?"

Czeslaw nodded sagely. He told us before he left. We need to talk to you about him rather than you to us.

My heart pounded and I wrapped an arm around Rose's shell.

What you didn't know was that Spirit caught Isaac in Mt. Moon just then, Summer croaked softly. He wasn't with her long enough to know what her occupation was. He was just as clueless as you.

"No," I said.

It's true, Czeslaw rumbled. He wants you to know he forgives you and understands. He left last night despite our protests. We think he might have gone south, but I'm not certain.

"No!" I shouted. I launched myself out of bed despite my nudity and gathered my clothes. Malachi's buttons were still on the floor. I wrenched my underwear and pants on and flung on my shirt. "We've gotta go after him! Oh my fucking God I've made a terrible mistake!"

Uriah snorted. Do you really think we can catch him by now?

"We have to try!" My voice cracked. "Oh my God I seriously fucked up. We have to catch him, grab my backpack, Czes! Come on!"

Florence leaped onto my shoulder, I scooped Rose into my arms, and I ran out of the room.

---

We tread south as fast as we could.

There was a long bridged path that scattered over water; that was the only road. I thought about Isaac falling in, there were no railings, and nearly flipped. Rose wanted to swim and I almost didn't let her because I was afraid she couldn't. But Summer reminded me she was a water type. Apparently she was born knowing how to swim.

We traveled hours long with me frantically searching before we found something.

The Pokemon that was blocking the path to Fuchsia was raging.

I heard something roaring and bolted down the wooden bridge. There was a land path that gradually appeared beyond the bridge and right before my eyes I saw a tree crash down. A tree. A fucking huge tree had been ripped from its roots out and fell halfway into the water. That was when I saw it. It was a massive rotund Pokemon with enormous paws and a tiny head. It was facing me and smashed down a meaty arm on something I couldn't see. I saw my death. Who on earth would mess with a Pokemon like that?

I heard a familiar scream and my worst nightmare came to reality. "Isaac!" I blurted.

I'll get him! Summer croaked and vines launched from under her flower. I reached for my pocket bit I realized that I hadn't bought a new pocketknife. So I wrenched a broke board from the bridge and swung it in front of me for defense. Summer's vines grappled the beast's arms and held them back. The white and dark blue Pokemon bellowed in anger.

"Isaac!" I yelled. Had he already been smashed to a pulp? "Czeslaw, I need you! Please find him!"

Czeslaw didn't even need a command and charged down the bridge into the trees. The round Pokemon roared and tried to lash at him. It's strength threw Summer forward. I dropped my board and flung myself at her before she could be thrown into the water. I crashed into her hard and grabbed her around her legs and thick shoulders. "Help!" I screamed. "Grab her, quick!"

Both Summer and I were being dragged down the planks. Splinters dug through my pants. Florence and Rose grabbed onto Summer's legs and then I was surprised to see Uriah storming toward the beast. He let out a jet of flame. The creature thundered and turned toward him. I lost sight of Czeslaw down the wooded path.

The creature slammed a massive arm down at Uriah.

Summer wasn't strong enough to hold it back and screamed and released her vines. The Pokemon's arm smashed through the bridge's boards as Uriah dodged it. The thing crushed an entire chunk of planks that connected the bridge to the land path. Then I saw Czeslaw and he had Isaac in his arms. Isaac's whole belly was stained with red.

Uriah roared and shot flames to distract the foe Pokemon. The beast was between the land and the bridge and the bridge was broken. Czeslaw would have to jump. that is, if he could get past the creature.

The enemy Pokemon turned with a speed I didn't think was possible and swung a thick arm at Czeslaw. Czeslaw shifted just in time and absorbed the blow with his shoulder. It still threw him back. Czeslaw smashed into a tree and I yelled in panic. Isaac was safely cradled in his arms though; Czeslaw protected him from the blow and the tree.

Czeslaw! Summer screamed.

That was when I felt her body shift underneath me. She wasn't moving, but growing. White light suddenly burst from her skin and vines like shooting stars shot out from her flower. I yelped and tried to hold onto something but everything underneath me was changing shape. Then I was lifted off the ground on her. Rose fell off the side of the bridge and into the water. Florence snagged onto me. Then, Summer's flower bloomed.

When the light faded, I was collapsed on her meaty shoulder and dwarfed under her golden flower.

Summer had vines all over the beast now. With a mighty bellow she flung the creature aside like a rag doll. Czeslaw charged forward and leaped across the gap in the bridge. His weight nearly crushed more boards, but he made it. "Let's go!" I shouted. "Hurry! Run!"

I grappled onto Summer's shoulders and she let go of the beast, fished Rose out of the water, and she and the rest of my Pokemon ran down the bridge.