Second Blood

Andrew had no idea why he was here in Prof. Oak's laboratory. He hadn't heard from the guy in days since the incident in the grass with the three-headed dragon—Hydreigon, right? Personally, he didn't mind not hearing from the old man. Prof. Oak could be a tad creepy to be around sometimes.

It hadn't even been a week since then and yet here he was, sitting in a chair in an empty room of the lab, waiting for Prof. Oak to return from "getting something he forgot". Andrew was on edge. He knew that Prof. Oak kept his infected Pokemon downstairs, but what would stop them from ripping through the floor—ceiling in their case—to get to him?

Nothing, that's what. Zip. Zero. Nada. Goose eggs.

Before his mind could wander even farther into just how many ways the professor's Pokemon could kill him, Prof. Oak suddenly returned. The old man was struggling to balance a mix of papers, CDs, pictures, and…

Was that a Poke Ball? Oh no…

"Look, Prof. Oak, before you get any crazy ideas—"

"I've done it, Andrew! I've done it!" Prof. Oak announced, completely ignoring the ten-year-old boy's desperate attempt to get out of whatever situation he was about to be thrown into. "I've finally found a way to possibly find out what has happened to the League…and maybe the rest of the world, while we're at it!"

"Wait, what?" Andrew interrupted.

Ever since the virus went global, communication between regions practically collapsed. Even communicating between a region's main cities was difficult. Everyone was pretty much cut off from the rest of the world. Friends, families, Gym Leaders—even the Leagues themselves—lost contact with each other. As the dangers outside increased, communication got less and less until…nothing.

This problem was very bad, especially if something seriously bad happened. Over a year ago, communication with the Indigo Plateau suddenly ended. Rumors started about how the Elite Four, and maybe even the Champion himself, had been overwhelmed and killed by their own infected Pokemon. Of course, that's just the rumors.

Without communication, nobody really knew what had happened to them. Without any tame starter Pokemon, there were fewer kids attempting to apply for trainers licenses. Even the Gym Leaders were reluctant to leave their cities in case infected Pokemon chose to attack in their absence. The Indigo Plateau was a communication dead zone currently.

If communications were fixed, things might become relatively normal again…except for the bloodthirsty monsters lurking in the tall grass.

"I think I may have found a way of at least getting the better of these feral Pokemon, Andrew!" Prof. Oak explained, dropping all of his paperwork and junk on the table beside him. He scooped up the Poke Ball that Andrew had spotted earlier. "Do you recognize this?"

"It's a…Poke Ball?" Andrew nervously answered, spotting a dark splotch inside of it. "And this helps communication…how?"

"No, not the Poke Ball!" the professor barked. "What's inside of it?!"

"Nothing, hopefully," Andrew replied, smiling nervously at the older man.

"Remember what happened earlier this week? With the Hydreigon in the grass?" Prof. Oak reminded. "You came across something else there, something that focused on attacking the Hydreigon and not you. Remember?"

The Pikachu, Andrew realized fearfully. Oh Arceus, please no! "Yeah, I remember. Why?" he squeaked, sweating bullets.

"This—" Prof. Oak practically shoved the sphere in Andrew's face. "—is it! This is the Pikachu that you caught!"

"Caught?!" Andrew yelped, instantly terrified. "I didn't catch anything! Nothing at all!"

"Yes you did!" Prof. Oak cried giddily. "And we're in luck! It's very young and weak! It should be easy to tame! I've even already taught it to obey basic commands while I studied it!"

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Andrew screeched, falling backwards out of his chair. He began to crabwalk away from the babbling old man. "I know where this is going and I'm not having any part of it! No! Forget it! That's suicide, what you're going to ask!"

"But just look at it, Andrew! It's weak, harmless really!" Prof. Oak pleaded, shoving the Poke Ball under Andrew's nose again.

"No! That thing's not harmless! None of those things out there are harmless!" Andrew shouted. "That thing nearly ate through that dragon's neck! And that's a dragon! Think of what it can do to me! I can't! Ask somebody else!"

"I've tried but nobody else will do it!" Prof. Oak argued pathetically. "You're my last hope, Andrew!"

"Well, keep searching! I don't want to be your last hope! I have a mother and a brother and a sister to watch out for!" Andrew yelled. "My mom's sick! She needs medicine! I have to get it for her!"

"And that's why I'm asking you, Andrew!" Prof. Oak desperately explained. "You're the only one left in Pallet Town aside from me who will go into the tall grass! The only one aside from me who can leave Pallet Town!"

"Not by choice!" Andrew countered.

"And most of all, you do that without a Pokemon to protect you! Nobody else, not even me, would ever do that!" Prof. Oak pressed on. "You have something all of us have lost, Andrew!"

"Well, you can have it! I don't want it!" Andrew cried. "I'm scared of Pokemon, Prof. Oak! Scared! Do you know what that means? If I don't go into the grass to go to Viridian City and get mom's meds, she'll get sicker and sicker until she dies! And I'm too young to live without my mom!"

The lab quickly grew silent. Prof. Oak slowly trudged back to the table where all of his work lay, resting the Poke Ball on its wooden surface. Andrew sat against the lab wall opposite of the professor, knees pulled up to his chest and his head buried in his arms. Both were silent for a long time.

"…I could…"

Andrew lifted his head, acknowledging that Prof. Oak had spoken.

"…I could…get your mother her medicine." Prof. Oak quietly offered. "I always could. I was just…so obsessed with finding a way to…you know, fix things. Maybe if I'd paid more attention, I would've noticed how sick she was getting."

After a moment, Andrew finally spoke up. "It's a good idea. I know getting communication back is important but…I'm just not your guy. My brother would be better if he hadn't…you know…"

"I know," Prof. Oak said, hanging his head. "I…I'm sorry…for pushing all of this on you so suddenly."

"It's okay. I just… I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't." Andrew whimpered.

Prof. Oak didn't make a move to stop the ten-year-old as Andrew stood up and left, leaving the old man alone again. The professor cast a sorrowful glance at the Poke Ball on the table in front of him. The dark splotch inside of it shifted, moving around slightly and causing the sphere to slowly tilt on its side.

"I'm sorry," Prof. Oak muttered, looking away in shame.

.F.E.R.A.L.

Andrew slowly headed home, the sun setting in the distance. Its light illuminated the surrounding trees and grass, giving them an orangey glow. The tall grass north of him swayed gently in the breeze, easily hiding the presence of its bloodthirsty occupants. Andrew resisted the urge to shiver.

His house was only a short walk across town from Prof. Oak's lab. The lights were all on and he could see shadows against the windows—his sister and brother, caring for their mother. He increased his pace, reaching the door and heading inside.

His mother was laying in bed in her room, her oldest children watching over her. Andrew approached quietly, hands clutching his upper arms. She looked paler than she did yesterday. He'd have to get more medicine soon…

"What did he want?" Harold asked.

"…Nothing," Andrew replied.

"Bullshit," the older boy accused. "What did he want?"

"…To have me restore communications," Andrew reluctantly answered.

"How? There's no way to do that. You're ten!" Cathy argued, herding her brothers out of the room so they didn't distress their mother.

"It's okay. I refused," Andrew reassured.

"But how? How would you restore communications?" Harold demanded.

"…When I ran from the monster before, I apparently caught something," Andrew admitted after a moment. "Prof. Oak trained it a little, said I could tame it. I could leave here and restore communications between the cities, maybe even to the League."

"You caught something? One of them?!" Harold barked, rearing back in fear.

"…Yeah," the ten-year-old nodded, eyes averted.

"If communications were repaired, we could maybe fix this," Cathy muttered. "We could find the scientists, cure the virus!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Harold warned, glaring at her. He looked back at Andrew. "You said you refused. Why?"

"Why? Because I'm ten! Because I have to get mom's medicine! Because those things can't be tamed!" Andrew cried. "…Because I'm scared. Scared of them…"

Cathy and Harold shared a look. When it was broken, Cathy headed back into their mother's room. Harold threw an arm around Andrew's shoulders, steering his younger brother into the living room and out the door. They paused just outside the house, Harold looking up at the stars. The sun had long since set, leaving a dark but clear starry sky overhead.

"…I hated leaving them behind, you know." Harold said softly.

Andrew stared at him, baffled.

"Them being…my team," Harold admitted, a small smile crossing his face. "They were my best friends. We fought together, laughed together, won together… They stood by me through thick and thin. Nothing could tear us apart…"

"Until the virus," Andrew guessed.

"Yeah," Harold nodded, smiling bitterly. "…Until the virus… Everything fell apart after that. One by one, my team went mad. They wouldn't listen to me anymore. I thought I could fix it, get my buddies back. I was wrong. After I saw kids getting attacked by their teams in the streets, I knew there was no going back. My team was gone…forever…"

"…Why are you telling me this?" Andrew asked, wringing his hands nervously.

"Because…I think you should do what Prof. Oak asked," Harold replied.

"What?!" Andrew jumped back, staring at his brother in horror. "Are you crazy?! You said it yourself! There's no going back! The Pokemon we knew five years ago are gone! These things aren't the same! Harold, I could be killed!"

"You're fast," Harold pointed out. "You can outrun anything if you really wanted to."

"Those things are hungry! They'll kill me! Eat me! I will die!" Andrew argued.

"You're smart," Harold countered. "Ever since Cathy and I came back, you've been getting mom's medicine. Just a few days ago, you ran through the grass by yourself. None of us would do that."

"I had no choice! Prof. Oak was busy! You two won't help me! Nobody else cares!" Andrew shouted. "If I didn't do it, mom would die! I'm ten! I can't live alone yet!"

Harold was quiet. He turned, looking back up at the stars. "…You're right."

Andrew stared at him, dumbfounded. His brother was admitting that he was wrong? That didn't happen every day.

"You're right," Harold repeated, louder this time. "Nobody else does care. Cathy and I… We're scared. And Prof. Oak? He's obsessed with fixing everything that what happens here in town doesn't matter anymore! And nobody else in town cares… I just… You're right."

Andrew did a double take when he saw tears welling in his brother's eyes. "Hey, it's okay. I get it. Everyone's scared."

"Yeah, but you fought that! You can leave, Andrew! We… I…can't!" Harold choked, grabbing his younger brother's shoulders tightly. "You… You've left. You left! You can leave, Andrew!"

"But I don't want to! I'm not a Pokemon trainer!" Andrew argued. "I'm not you! Or Blue! Or a Gym Leader! I'm not even Professor Oak!"

"Yeah. You're something better," Harold smiled. "You're you."

"…That doesn't fix things," Andrew said dully, looking away. "I can't fix things. I'm ten. All I do is run away."

"Then run away, Andrew," Harold urged. "Run away from here. From home, from this region, from everything! I know you can do it."

"Why is everyone insisting I'm the only one that can do this?!" Andrew demanded, tearing loose of his brother's grip.

"…Because you're the only one that's done anything yet," Harold replied, lowering his hands.

"We don't know that!" Andrew cried.

"And we'll continue not to know that until someone goes out there and finds out for us!" Harold pointed out.

"That someone isn't me! I have to care for mom because you and Cathy are useless!" Andrew shouted in frustration.

Harold froze up, eyes wide. Then he sighed, turning away. He looked up at the stars again. "…You're right. Cathy and I haven't done anything since we came home back then. We just cower in our rooms like kids. You… You've done everything. Mom would've died a long time ago without you."

"Which is why I can't leave," Andrew stressed. "Don't you see? If I leave, mom will die…and I don't want to be alone out there, Harold. I'm scared…"

Harold hung his head. "I know. I am too. I just…want everything back to the way it was before."

"Don't we all?" Andrew murmured.

.F.E.R.A.L.

The following morning, Andrew stared at the ceiling of his bedroom. The nightmare had returned again, only it was clearer now that it had been before.

The monster—Hydreigon—had attacked Pallet Town. Though it destroyed everything, it specifically aimed for his house. Cathy and Harold had run away—like kids, as Harold had described their behavior last night—leaving Andrew behind. The beast, far larger than before, tore away the roof and reached in to pluck them up with its side heads. Andrew had screamed and kicked and cried as the beast dangled his mother above its central head, jaws parting before devouring her. The beast had snapped its teeth over him…and he woke up in bed, safe but so very terrified.

After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only an hour or two, he pulled himself out of bed and headed across the hall to his mother's room. Cathy was there, holding her hand tightly. Andrew froze up before darting over.

"Is she okay?" he asked softly.

Cathy jumped when he spoke before looking at him. Tears were in her eyes. "She's barely breathing. I think her meds aren't working anymore."

"Then I'll get more!" Andrew reassured. "I'll leave right now!"

"Didn't you hear me?" Cathy hiccupped. "I don't think they're working! The meds! They stopped working!"

"They couldn't have! That's the best stuff Viridian has!" Andrew argued.

"If we could get to Saffron… They have a hospital!" Cathy sniffled.

"I'll talk to Prof. Oak, see what he thinks. Then I'll run to Viridian for medicine. They have to have something that'll work!" Andrew declared.

"Be careful," Cathy choked, scrubbing her eyes.

Andrew left the room, running downstairs. He crashed into Harold at the bottom.

"Whoa, whoa! What's the rush?"

"Mom's meds might've stopped working," Andrew reported, dashing to the door and pulling on his shoes and coat. "I'm going to go see Prof. Oak right now and then run to Viridian, see if they have anything stronger."

Harold looked up at the stairs and cursed. "Will she be okay?"

"I don't know, but I'll be back later. Help Cathy take care of her," Andrew ordered, yanking the front door open.

If Harold gave a reply, Andrew never heard it. He ran to the lab as if his feet had wings. Tearing open the lab door, he ran inside and called out for the professor. The elder emerged from a back room, hair messy and lab coat hanging off one shoulder.

"Mom's gotten sicker!" Andrew said quickly. "What do I do? Cathy says her meds might've stopped working. Mom was barely breathing!"

"Andrew, calm down," Prof. Oak ordered, grasping the boy's shoulders. "Barely breathing, you said? Hmmm… Yeah, I think her meds might've stopped. That or they were expired. Medical shipments all but stopped earlier this year because sea travel is too dangerous."

"What do I do? Viridian's got to have something that will help her!" Andrew cried, clinging to the elder's wrists.

"Andrew, calm down. We'll go there now and see if there's anything stronger there," Prof. Oak reassured, gently pulling out of the boy's grasp and going to the back room again.

"And if they don't?" Cathy's words about Saffron rang in his ears. "What if they have nothing that can help her?"

"They will, Andrew. They have to," Prof. Oak exclaimed, coming back with his own set of five Poke Balls.

"Cathy said Saffron might be able to do better," Andrew hiccupped, rubbing tears from his eyes.

"We can't think like that, Andrew. We can't get to Saffron right now. We have to make do with what we have," Prof. Oak explained gently, handing the boy a tissue. "We'll go to Viridian and see what they have in stock. If there's nothing… We'll deal with that bridge when we reach it. Now let's go."

"…Where is it? That…you know!" Andrew forced out.

"What? The 'you know'? I…" Prof. Oak blinked, realization dawning. "The Pikachu?"

"Yeah! Where is it?" Andrew demanded, swallowing down his terror of the beast.

Prof. Oak darted toward the back room, coming back moments later with a sixth Poke Ball. Andrew took it, holding it close as he headed for the door. Prof. Oak followed, unable to keep the eagerness in.

"You'll take it? You really will?"

"Only this time! But if Viridian has nothing…" Andrew bit back a sob and took a deep breath to calm down. "If Viridian doesn't have mom's meds…I'll at least go to Saffron. Maybe they'll have something, something that'll make mom better. And if I can find a way to get her to the hospital there…"

The conversation trailed off after that. The duo headed for the tall grass of Route 1. Prof. Oak kept a hand on his belt where he'd hooked his Poke Balls, ready to call one out should they run into trouble. Andrew stayed close to his side, clutching the Poke Ball to his chest like a lifeline. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was sure the little beast could hear it.

I hope it isn't hungry, Andrew thought fearfully.

They quickly headed through the first four patches of grass without trouble. They had only just reached the fifth patch when the grass unleashed its occupants. A small yellow humanoid with a long set of black jaws erupting from the stalk atop its head tore out of the grass, jaws slamming shut inches from Andrew's face. By then, flames had flung it backward into the grass again.

Before Prof. Oak stood a massive orange dog with black stripes and thick cream fur on its head and tail. The canine snarled, revealing sharp teeth. Its eyes were the same black and red of all infected Pokemon.

A purple fluffy insect with big red eyes pounced out behind Andrew, making the boy cry out in alarm.

"Use the Pikachu, Andrew! Quickly!" Prof. Oak urged, keeping his Pokemon's Poke Ball at the ready should the beast turn on him. "I'll handle the Mawile!"

Andrew looked down at the Poke Ball in his hands. He bit his lip. If Viridian doesn't have mom's medicine…and I have to go to Saffron…I better get used to you!

He flung the Poke Ball forward, a beam of bright white light exploding from it. The Pikachu appeared, shaking its head. Seeing the purple furry insect, it snarled and dropped onto all fours, fur bristling and crackling with electricity.

"Wh… What do I do now?" Andrew yelped, praying the tiny beast didn't turn on him.

"Order it to attack!" Prof. Oak replied over his shoulder. "It's young, so its only attacking move is Thundershock!"

"Okay!" Andrew nodded, looking back at the tiny mouse before him. "Use Thundershock!"

"PiiiiikaaaaaaCHUUUUUUUU!"

Electricity exploded from its tiny body, engulfing the insect in electric death. When the light died, the bug was a smoking heap in the grass. Andrew sighed, only to scream when the Pikachu turned and pounced on him, slamming him flat on his back. Seizing the Poke Ball, he smashed it into the side of the growling rodent's head, recapturing it before it could hurt him.

"Return! I said RETURN, Arcanine!"

"ArrrrrCANINE!"

Andrew tilted his head back to see the charred remains of the wild Pokemon smoking a good distance away. The large dog was stalking toward Prof. Oak, jaws parted and eyes narrowed. Prof. Oak was pointing the Poke Ball at it but the beast sidestepped each beam, drawing closer with every failed attempt.

"Darn it! Andrew, run!" Prof. Oak ordered, stepping back.

The dog lunged, too fast and too heavy for Prof. Oak to evade. The professor was down instantly, hands shoving at its chest and neck to keep the huge head from getting any closer. The canine was stronger, slowing overpowering the old man.

"PiiiiKAAAAA!"

A tiny yellow form flung itself at the beast, sinking teeth into an ear. The Arcanine reared back with a howl, shaking its mighty head to try and dislodge the pest. The Pikachu hung on, tiny feet battering at its eyes in an attempt to blind it. The dog stumbled away, shaking and rolling in the grass.

"Are you okay?" Andrew demanded, grabbing Prof. Oak by the shoulders and hauling him up. "Are you, Prof. Oak?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" the elder yelped upon recovering. "Is that…?"

"I didn't know what else to do!" Andrew babbled, pulling the professor to his feet. "We've got to go! Now!"

A loud howl made them both turn back. The Arcanine crashed onto its back, snarling and howling. The Pikachu was at its throat, biting and clawing. Blood stained both of their coats and the grass.

"No… No!" Prof. Oak pointed the Poke Ball at them again. "Darn it! RETURN!"

The beam hit the beast dead-on, turning it into red light. The Pikachu gave a squeak of confusion as it tumbled to the ground, its prey having vanished from beneath it. Before it could flee, it too was recaptured by Andrew's Poke Ball. Prof. Oak fell to his knees, hugging the bloodied sphere of his Arcanine to his chest, shoulders quaking.

"P… Professor?" Andrew quietly asked, wanting to reach out but not daring to touch the elder.

"Why? Why did this happen? Our Pokemon… My friends… Why have they become these things? These monsters? I just… I don't understand… Why?" Prof. Oak whispered, tears slipping down his cheeks.

Andrew didn't touch him. They remained there for long minutes, undisturbed except by the wind. Then Prof. Oak finally rose, reattaching the Poke Ball to his belt. As he walked by Andrew, he patted the boy's shoulder.

"Thank you," he said brokenly. "You saved my life. Thank you."

Andrew couldn't come up with a reply. He simply followed after the professor as they left the tall grass. A few of the citizens of Viridian watched them pass through, having bore witness to the battle in the grass. Andrew couldn't bring himself to feel pride.

He only felt fear…