chapter 9

I found myself lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by the sterile white walls of the academy hospital. Despite feeling relatively unscathed, I knew from experience that you can never be too sure when it comes to Pokemon attacks. The doctors poked and prodded at me, searching for any hidden injuries, but to no avail.

As I was about to be discharged, my mother appeared out of nowhere, her face etched with worry and stress. The moment she saw me, she enveloped me in a tight embrace.

"I heard what happened and came straight away. Thank god you're still alive," she said, her voice trembling.

I let out a small laugh. "Yeah, the guards arrived just in time."

"Thank god for them," she echoed, relief evident in her voice.

I couldn't help but feel guilty, my mind still haunted by the memory of the attack. "I shouldn't have put my gun down. I'm sorry," I said, my voice low.

My mother shook her head, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It happens, son," she said, her voice soothing.

As she scanned the room, her eyes landed on an empty spot beside me. "How is Mudkip?" she asked, a tinge of worry lacing her voice.

"He's fine. He's just getting checked out," I reassured her, noticing the tension in her shoulders easing.

Suddenly, a question that had been nagging at me since the attack resurfaced in my mind. "Mom, how did that Fearow get on the island? I thought the guards were protecting this place 24/7," I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"It was already here. That Fearow just evolved. It was setting its territory," she explained, her voice laced with frustration.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as the implications of her words sank in.

The thought of a powerful and territorial evolved Pokemon roaming freely on the island was enough to make my skin crawl. Despite the presence of the guards, it was clear that danger could strike at any moment.

As I pondered the situation, my mother's gentle touch on my hand brought me back to reality. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll make sure to tighten security measures around here," she said, a determined look in her eyes.

I nodded, grateful for her reassurance. With my mother by my side, I felt like I could face any challenge that lay ahead. As we made our way through the hospital, to get to mudkip.

As we walked into the hospital room where Mudkip was being scanned, I couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of him. He was perched on a table, his blue scales shimmering under the fluorescent light. The machine whirred softly as it scanned him, and the doctor intently read the report on the screen.

When he noticed us, he looked up and gestured for us to come closer. My mother and I approached him, and as soon as Mudkip saw me, he jumped off the table and ran towards me, yelping and rubbing his body against my legs. I knelt to greet him, rubbing his head affectionately.

"Hey, buddy. Sorry, you got into that mess," I said, my voice soft.

Mudkip shook his head as if to say it was okay.

"I know you don't like other people. Sorry for that too. I just want to make sure you're okay," I added, trying to convey my sincerity.

Mudkip made some noises, and I couldn't help but feel relieved that he seemed to be doing okay.

As I stood up, I saw my mother looking at me with a soft smile. The doctor was also grinning.

"Doctor, is Mudkip injured?" I asked, my voice anxious.

The doctor shook his head. "No, he doesn't have any injuries, but he is a bit stressed from the attack. He just needs some rest and he'll be back to his old self soon," he said, his voice reassuring.

I nodded, feeling grateful for the good news. "Yeah, that's what the other doctors also told me about my condition," I added, letting out a small chuckle.

My mother thanked the doctor for his help, and I echoed her gratitude. As we made our way out of the hospital room and back to the house floor, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me.

We sat down for tea, I could tell that something was bothering my mother. Her usually cheerful demeanor was replaced with a look of concern.

"Son, maybe it's time you stop this. Come home with me," she said, her voice laced with worry.

I could tell where the conversation was heading. My mother had always been protective of me, but after today's incident, she was more worried than ever.

"Why, Mom?" I asked, anticipating her response.

"You almost died today. If those guards had not arrived in time, you would have," she said, her voice quivering slightly.

"I know. I know how quickly I could have died if that Fearow was serious," I replied, my voice heavy with the weight of what had happened.

"Then why do you still want to do this?" she asked, her voice softening.

"Because I can't give up, not on me or my promise to Mudkip. I want to be strong, strong enough that people will not even think to come close to me or my family," I said, determination ringing in my voice.

"Oh, son. Power isn't everything," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

"No, it isn't, but I need it," I replied, my voice resolute.

My mother looked at me with a mix of sadness and understanding. "So what if we're wealthy? One Pokemon could kill us both. I want to protect what's mine," I said, my voice filled with conviction.

I looked at Mudkip, who was busy exploring my apartment. He was so brave today; I am proud of him.

"I can train Mudkip to be one of the best. He will protect me like he has today," I said, a smile forming on my face as Mudkip eventually found a warm and cozy spot on my couch and fell asleep, his breathing slow and steady.

My mother looked at me with a mix of sadness and resignation. "I can see that I won't be able to change your mind, but please promise me that you'll be careful. I don't want to lose you, not like I lost my whole family to war," she said, her voice heavy with emotion.

I smiled at her. "I will, Mom," I said.

As we finished our tea, I couldn't help but feel grateful for my mother's support, even though she didn't fully understand my drive to become a trainer. With Mudkip by my side, I knew he would look out for me.

My mother stayed with me the whole day after the attack. She seemed fine at first, but as the day wore on, I could tell that the incident had affected her more than she let on. She didn't want to talk about it, so we spent the day watching TV and trying to keep our minds off things.

The next morning, my mother left for work. As soon as she was gone, I turned to Mudkip and said, "Hey buddy, I have something special I want you to see." He looked up at me with wide eyes and made some happy cooing sounds.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, and suddenly the scenery around us changed. We were no longer in my apartment but standing in the middle of a beautiful green paradise.

There were trees and small hills all around us, and the air smelled fresh and clean. The grass was soft under our feet, and there were plants and flowers of every color everywhere we looked. In the distance, I could see a huge pond, and beyond that, a small cabin nestled among the trees.

Mudkip was stunned by the beauty of it all. He looked around, taking it all in, and then turned to me with a look of pure joy and curiosity on his face. "This is my world," I said to him. "I was given this place by something more powerful than me, and I've worked hard to make it into a paradise."

I rubbed Mudkip's head, and he leaned into my hand, still staring around at everything. "This is our home, our safe space," I said. "Not just for you and me, but for all of our future friends as well."

This place didn't even have hills until a few weeks ago. As I thought about this, I couldn't help but smile. "This place didn't even have hills until a couple of days ago," I said to myself. "But God said that this dimension would grow bigger and better when I and my Pokemon would. And look at it now!"

I took a deep breath and looked at Mudkip, who was staring at me with his big, curious eyes. "Buddy, it's time I give you a name," I said, my voice tinged with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "I wanted to wait until I was a full-fledged trainer, someone who could give you everything you deserve. But yesterday... yesterday made me realize that I can't wait. I need to cherish every moment we have together."

Mudkip looked up at me with understanding eyes, as if he knew exactly what I was saying. I continued speaking, my voice growing more passionate with each passing word.

"I am here to support you and help you become stronger so that you can protect those around you. Providing you with a name, and a meaningful identity, is only the beginning of our journey together. It's the foundation upon which we can build an unbreakable bond, capable of withstanding any challenge that comes our way."

Mudkip cocked his head to one side, his eyes never leaving mine. It was almost as if he knew what I felt at that moment.

"I have thought long and hard about it, and I think Biesht Kione, shortened to Kione, suits you," I said, looking at him affectionately. "It comes from a tale of a monster who frightened anyone who laid their eyes upon it."

Mudkip's eyes widened with happiness, and he let out a little coo of approval. He seemed to like his new name, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at having given it to him.

"Now go explore. I know you want to," I said to him. He nuzzled his nose in my hand and ran on his four paws.

I looked at Mudkip, exploring his new surroundings. I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. I watched as he ran around the trees and sniffed the flowers. His excitement was contagious, and I found myself smiling at his joy.

As I sat on the soft, green grass, my eyes followed Kione as he playfully splashed in the nearby pond. The sun was shining down on us, and the fluffy clouds in the sky drifted lazily by. It was a peaceful moment, something that I rarely experienced in my busy life.

For once, I didn't feel the pressure of training or studying weighing me down. I allowed myself to relax completely and just enjoy the moment. Eventually, I lay back and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and letting my body sink into the ground.

But my peaceful slumber was short-lived. Suddenly, I felt a wet, slimy tongue flick across my face, causing me to jolt awake. I opened my eyes to see Kione staring down at me, a playful grin on his face.

"Naughty Pokemon, I was sleeping," I said, but I couldn't help but grin back at him. Kione let out a contented cooing sound as if he was pleased to have woken me up.

Realizing that I might have overslept, I scrambled to check the time on my phone. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that it was already 10 o'clock. I was going to be late for sparring.

"Shit, I need to go. I'm late," I said, feeling a sense of urgency creeping up on me. I turned to Kione, hoping he wouldn't be upset with me for leaving him behind.

"Hey buddy, can I leave you here?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry. Kione seemed to understand my question, and he nodded his head in agreement. It was as if he was telling me that he was content to stay in this peaceful paradise.

"Have fun," I said to him before standing up and dusting off my clothes. As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for leaving Kione behind alone. I always felt like this when I left him alone at the cove, some nights I sleep there.

In my room, I quickly got a shower and dressed in my sparring gear. But as I headed out the door, I couldn't shake off the image of Kione's contented face and the peaceful scenery that surrounded him.