"He's so cute."

  Dwebble's eyes protruded curiously from its antennas as it reached out gently with its sharp claws, poking at Yuewen's fingers. On the side of the route, there was a grassy clearing with soft grass to lounge in, where they decided to take lunch break. He was finishing up a moo-moo sandwich.

  On the second day of travel, he began releasing Dwebble out of boredom as they took these breaks. It was like taking cigarettes, he supposed. Kind of addicting in this dull, slow manner. Like he had nothing better to do, ever.

  He wasn't sure if Dwebble really got the message that he was supposed to battle. According to all the battling guides, you shouldn't really release your Pokemon until the first gym facility, where they can learn the basics of battling. Doing so can make them "soft" in a manner. They weren't supposed to be making friends out here. They needed to be disciplined, have a mindset for battling, or like hunger. That drive, that passion. Those dreams.

  Truth be told, he has been feeling weird the last couple of days. Calmer really. Maybe going into a coma does that to you. He didn't know what he was supposed to feel. Perhaps, he should be desperate. More pleading. The first gym was inevitable. Would dwebble really be able to overcome it? Yet, on the prefecit, all he could do was sigh, grab dwebble's claw and lead it on a silly, little dance.

  He just felt fucking weak. Like he was sick, the poison jostled within his body every time he tried to move. His first day out… He sprinted through rooty foliage, screamed out of rage, and cried in anxieties, all whilst his heart pounded like his fucking life depended on it. But now, under the constant pressure of the sun and the steady jut of every footstep… Fuck man, he was just tired. He didn't know he was so weak. He didn't know he was so strong. How did he move like that, sprinting for his dreams? Right now, five steps and he's already out of breath, his own body betraying him.

  Dwebble!

  "Ah, yes. Dwebble, indeed," he muttered, while rubbing his shell. He wondered what he could do to make his dwebble happy. Does it like to have its shell cleaned?

  What did it mean to be a Pokemon Trainer? He had wanted this since he was then. But then, he was here and all felt so distant.

  Yet, at the same time, he was thankful just to be a Trainer. To be able to touch his own Pokemon like this. It was a dream come true.

  What do you think, little guy?

  It was time to get walking again. He picked the rock crab up. It weighed around his backpack so he was surprisingly easy to carry around. Calm too. It stared right back at him with his rocky, bug eyes. Cold to the touch, Dwebble squirmed a little, its little rock legs tickling the bottom of his forearms.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Was he really that cute? He thought, putting the little guy down. Yuewen did seem like the type to like Pokemon like dwebble though. Dwebble, dweeb. It fits.

  He really knew nothing about Dwebble. That was another reason you should wait. You could actually talk to your Pokemon at gym facilities. You could understand them. You can even sort of love them, or so he heard.

  He wondered what Dwebble's dreams were. If he wanted to become that legendary badass. If this stupid trainer was just as a misfit for those dreams as Dwebble was, a bug in the dreamt team of dragons and massive, muscular beasts, a team of undisputed champions. If instead of battling, Dwebble wanted to… I dunno, write a book or something. Collect shiny shones.

  It was the third night. Yuewen was in her own tent, twenty feet away, snoring. They made better distance that day as he slowly recovered from not being able to use body for two entire years. He laid down, staring upwards at the fabric, a gentle light gleaming through, yet it all remained blurry, especially around the edges. He set Dwebble out next to him, the sturdy creature recently following them as they walk, seemingly content in expression, loyal as a dog.

  "Hey," he said to no one in particular, but then turned to face Dwebble. Lying down, he knew that was, for the first time, he was on the eye-level Dwebble, even though he couldn't quite see everything in the darkness. "I don't really know you. But… You don't really know me either."

  "This… this person you're seeing. Hearing. This isn't me. The Helmet I know. He died two years ago, in the very same forest you came out of. I used to be… Bigger than this. More happy. I dunno. This has been my dream, since like, forever right? At the time, I loved the idea of it so much that I thought I would be running to the city. Running, running, running. Full speed ahead, laughing with my friends, but eventually leaving them behind. That was the person I thought I was. Would be"

  "I just can't get out of my own head. I was supposed to be strong? Invincible even. When I found that Pikachu, I thought I hit the jackpot. Yet, it was me who was weak at the end of the day, huh? Pathetic, so pathetic I want to kill myself." He laughed, then turned again from Dwebble, wondering when sleep would take him, if he would just keep yapping nonsense forever and forever.

  "I guess what I'm trying to say is that even I don't know myself. Nothing has changed in the last two years, but time itself. I stayed completely the same. But the entire world moved on without me. And in that, I guess it had dragged me along. Without everything I knew… Without my parents, without my friends, with all my dreams flying far, far past me… Without everything I ever loved, am I really the same person?'

  "Who am I when I have nothing left? Who will I become?"

  "Dwebble…"

  He heard the clink of scutting legs. Turning around, curious, he landed on his back again, towards the stars hidden beyond the shitty fabric. He felt, more than saw, Dwebble climb onto him, his sharp, little legs catching upon his nightwear. The legs scuttled onto him until a sudden pause. A dagger tore across his chest, the small pain jolting his heart awake.

  He sprung up, blood rushing throughout. He felt it spreading, leaking, soaking him. Dwebble slid off, right into his lap.

  Did we just… Understand each other?

  He laughed, lifting Dwebble beside his pillow, patting its rocky shell. He collapsed, sinking into his sleeping bag, hand hovering his chest, just to feel the red rush, so warm. A grin broke his face. An unstoppable grin.

  "Rocky. Your name is Rocky," he said, past his grin. "You are strong. Strong enough to draw blood from me, huh? That means… You gotta be the strongest. The very best. Will you let me stay by your side?"