Uncontained

I almost refused the Boulder Badge. I wanted to throw it in Brock's face and cuss him out. I wanted to sock him in the jaw and scream. I wanted to kill him.

But I didn't. I took the badge and the money, grabbed Czeslaw, and sprinted out of there.

Czeslaw was as limp as a rag doll in my arms and blood dripped out of his mouth. Florence and I ran the entire fucking way to the Pokemon Center and shouted for help like a madman. The nurses rushed to my aid. The chansey had to restrain me from chasing after them when they took Czeslaw away. They also put me in a solitary room so I wouldn't scare the other guests.

Florence cried in my arms, her tears streaming out of her eyes like twin rivers. "I'm never going to be a trainer," I vowed. "I'm never going to be heartless like him. You hear me, Florence? We will never cruelly fight another being like that. Never."

I squeezed her plump body against me and she cried until Czeslaw came out.

After hours the nurses returned him and he was alright with the exception of a swollen part of his leg and eye. A chansey gave me some medicine to give him and the nurses said he'd be okay in a day or two. They said this like they'd seen a million other Pokemon in the same condition. I realized they'd probably had. If a guy like Brock was in the town, I wouldn't have been surprised if many challengers' Pokemon ended up dead.

Czeslaw sat in front of me and we didn't make any remark for a long time.

"I'm sorry," I said finally.

Czeslaw turned his head and his stare was hard, but it wasn't a glare. A rumble came up his throat.

"I should have pulled you out of there," I said. I swallowed to keep my voice from cracking. "I sincerely apologize. I could have prevented-"

But then he jumped on the cushion beside me and laid a taloned foot on my hand. He pressed firmly. I was startled into silence and our gazes met. His eyes were steady on mine.

Then he growled, and somehow, I knew he was saying don't be sorry.

Then pulled his scaly paw away and turned to Florence. Tears fell off her face silently, and after a moment, she hurried over and embraced him. Czeslaw shut his eyes and leaned against her briefly, but then pulled away. He looked at me and tilted his head toward the door.

"You want to move on?" I asked quietly, but I didn't receive an answer. I rose and Czeslaw led the way out.