Beyond Pokemon

Chapter 9. What?!

Back at home, Kyla walks in on Blare, sitting in the living room floor, on her phone. Blare says goodbye and hangs up her phone, with a sad expression. Chaz stumbles in, surprising Blare.

Blare jumps in surprise. "Ho... how long were you there?"

Kyla looks at Chaz. "Barely a few seconds. We just walked in. Are you okay?"

Blare whips a tear from her eye. "Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine."

Kyla continues to the kitchen. "Okay."

Blare looks confused. "Aren't you going to ask about that phone call?"

Kyla takes a coke from the fridge, pops it open, and leans against the counter. "Nope. It is your business, if you want to share I am all ears."

Blare hangs her head, looking at Eve. "I.... I ran away from my home town. My family doesn't know where I am. So.... I called and left a message. I did not tell them any details, just that I was safe."

Kyla looks on with a curious expression.

"They.... were against me becoming a Pokemon trainer. I feel like they had some kind of hatred of Pokemon, in general. Anytime I would play outside it seemed like another friendly wild Pokemon would join me. But, my dad, being the man he was, would run them off." Blare begins to cry. "I even saw him kick a poor Caterpie. All he was doing was running around with me!!"

Eve tries to console Blare as she cries, whimpering in concern for her trainer.

Blare looks up at Kyla with tear-filled eyes. "That's why I can not go back, now. Eve is my Pokemon! I will not be separated from her!!"

Kyla sets the coke down on the counter, the loud sound it makes startles Blare and Eve. "Let me get this straight. You ran away from home to become a trainer because your family would abuse and run off any Pokemon that came near you?"

Chaz moves his eyes between Blare and Kyla, observing the heated discussion.

"YES! I wanted to be a trainer! I want it even more now that Eve is part of my life!" Blare replies, loudly.

"And what is Eve to you?" Kyla glares.

"I... uh.... my partner." Blare responds, nervously.

"Partner." Kyla repeats, tapping her figure on the counter. "A partner is someone you share equal responsibility with, Blare. So let me ask it this way. If your dad were to try to kick Eve like that Caterpie....."

"NO!!" Blare interrupts angerly. "No one is going to kick Eve!! I'll...... I'll..." Blare bursts into tears again, clutching Eve close to her chest. "I will never let anyone hurt you, Eve. I promise!"

Eve barks happily. "EEV!"

Kyla walks over and puts her hand on Blare's shoulder. "Eve is more than your Pokemon, more than a partner. If you can't see it, I can explain."

Blare looks up with a forced smile. "I.. get it. She is a part of me now. Like.... a daughter."

"I was going to say 'someone you can not ever replace', but that works too." Kyla nods with a smile.

Blare and Kyla embrace. Blare's tears quickly dry up.

"I'm sorry." Blare says gently.

"For what?" Kyla asks.

"For being a pain." Blare laughs a bit.

"If you were a pain, I would just kick you out." Kyla answers.

Blare pulls away quickly with a surprised expression. "You're not thou, right?!"

Kyla pats her on the head. "Nah! You are welcome to stay as long as you like. Now, maybe it is time to get some sleep? We have a long day, tomorrow."