Chapter 34

Redwald, Greta and Eusine were standing on the top of Route 25. Bill’s sea cottage was standing beside them. Eusine stared at it for a while. Bill built such a humble, small cottage for himself. It was so small that it seemingly consisted of one room in which he sleeps and cooks and a bathroom. Redwald realized that Eusine was in a shock of the moment that he succeeded what he aimed since the beginning. He was so shocked that knocking the door and finding the one inside didn’t feel as real as it was. Greta, in the other hand, seemed very uncomfortable about it. She looked like she was about to hit Eusine on his head and take him back already. Redwald assumed that it was because Greta was just… used to the presence of Eusine, and he thought she was just overreacting.

Eusine finally found the courage inside to go through the door and knock it. Redwald could bet Eusine’s heart was beating so hard that even he could hear it. It felt awkward to see Eusine, the mentor to him in the entire time, like that. Redwald thought Bill should had been really an important person. Really, though. He never got a chance to ask what Eusine wanted to do with him. Was it already too late to learn?

No one answered the door. Eusine knocked again. He was going to be persistent if it was necessary. “I think no one is home.” Greta said. She didn’t suggest going back, but she definitely sounded like it. It made Eusine even more uncomfortable.

“He must be!” He responded. That reaction reminded Redwald the time when Meowth stole his book and Eusine got out of control for a while. Is this visit somehow related to the book, Redwald wondered.

There was still no reaction from the inside. Eusine made his two hands in the shape of punch and knocked on the door a couple of times in a row. It made a noise that was loud even from the outside. Greta put her hand on Eusine’s shoulder. “He is not home.” She said gently, trying to convince him. But then, something was heard.

“Who is this?”

“My name is Eusine, sir.” He introduced himself. “I came all the way here to see you, please. There is something important that I would like to be informed about.”

The door was slowly opened. A timid man with messed up hair and spotted purple shirt appeared before the door. He was not showing his full body. He was only showing half of his face, staring at the people standing there. Redwald, Greta and Eusine, all were shocked. They did not expect to see someone that inhibited.

“May I help you?” He asked gently. Eusine was not sure whether to ask to come inside or have all the conversation at the door. After a while of awkward silence, Eusine cleaned his throat. “Again, my name is Eusine. I came from Johto.”

“I could tell by your accent.” Bill responded. “Are you working with—”

Eusine understood what Bill was worried about all of a sudden. “No, oh. Not at all. I am not working for anyone, and I am not here to convince you for anything. You see –” Eusine dug his backpack suddenly. “I’ve been following your analyses and researches for a while now. There is something I am chasing. If anyone, it could be you to help me out.” He showed the book that Bill published quite a while ago. Redwald and Greta saw the book first time. They paid attention to the book. It had a blue cover. The book was called “Ancient Witnesses and Mathematical Results”.

Bill looked shocked for a moment. He bravely showed his whole body before the door and reached to the book Eusine was holding. When he held it in his hands and fondled the cover, his eyes became watery. Eusine realized he made Bill remember his old days and how it felt like to be old Bill.

“This book…” Bill said. “You… You read it?”

“I did, sir.” Eusine responded. He knew if he had to convince Bill to even talk, that was his chance. “I am a big fan of yours, I have been following your reports. Although nowadays, you don’t have any significant work.”

“Yes… Yes, I have… Been busy with other things, really…” Bill was checking the pages of the book. The notes and highlights on the lines impressed him quite a lot. He finally succeeded to have a direct eye contact with Eusine. “Would you and your friends like to come in, please?” He asked. Eusine smiled gently and walked closer to the door before he came in. Redwald and Greta followed him right behind.

As they imagined, the inside really had only one room and a bathroom. The one room seemed very comfortable. There was a counter with required items, a wide and big couch, a medium size table with a computer on it. The floor was covered with many papers. In a brief second, Eusine realized the papers were all about research reports. As Eusine and the others sat on the couch, Bill walked to the counter. “Sorry about the mess. I wasn’t really expecting anybody…” He said. “I will make some tea for you.”

After Redwald and the others had a sit on the couch, an illustration on the wall caught Redwald’s attention. There was hand drawn body structure of Eevee with three arrows around. Each arrow had another Pokémon in the other side. Redwald stood and walked towards the painting. What was it referring to, after all?

“You know, Eevee is my favourite Pokémon.” Bill said. Redwald didn’t realise for a moment he was talking to him. “Why… What are the three Pokémon here?” He asked.

“I’m glad you ask that.” Bill responded. “They are the reason Eevee is my favourite Pokémon. Eevee has rather ‘complicated’ genetics. Its DNA is programmed, or evolved, so that, it can evolve in three different forms depending on the stone they are exposed to.”

Bill walked next to Redwald. He showed the Pokémon on the left down side. “This is Jolteon. Electric-type Eevee evolution.” He said. “It can use electric powers so well that it can even leave the foe paralyzed in danger.”

Redwald was impressed.

“Flareon, fire-type evolution of Eevee.” Bill was pointing the Pokémon on between bottom. “If Flareon feels alarmed, it can burn the foe without hesitation. Better be careful when you are near a Flareon.”

“At last, but not least, Vaporeon. Water-type evolution. It is really fast in the water. It can escape from pretty much anything in danger. It can master Ice-type moves as well as water.”

“I don’t know what my Eevee would evolve into… After all, it is his body. He must know the best option for himself, mustn’t he?”

Bill’s eyes sparked. “You… have an Eevee?” He was not expecting this at all. Redwald knew what the best option would be. He reached to Eevee’s Poké Ball and showed it. “If you want to see him…”

“I most definitely would!” Bill responded. Redwald had a strange feeling about Bill. He, for some reason, thought that there was not that much things in life that would excite Bill this much. He felt somehow odd and happy for it. Once he pushed the button on the Poké Ball, its size grew three times bigger. Then, the red top part opened up itself and white beams reflected through the air until they hit the floor. Seconds later, Eevee found himself on the carpet, people staring at him. At first, he felt startled and approached Redwald quickly.

“Pardon my ignorance.” Bill responded. He quickly pulled the drawer under the counter and opened the cover of a jam. Brown food was hidden inside. Eusine remarked suddenly that it was Pokémon food. He assumed Bill prepared himself. He took handful amount of it and gently showed Eevee, letting him smell it fine. The smell of the food amazed Eevee already that, despite of his insecure instincts, he jumped off Redwald’s shoulder carefully and walked towards the food Bill was holding cautiously. Once he tried one piece of the food, he loved it so much that he did not care about being cautious about him at all. He dug in the rest of the food.

“I knew Eevee would like it.” Bill responded. Eusine stood up and respectfully made a request. “I would be pleased if you let me know the secret of it, sir.”

“I can give you the recipe.” Bill said. “Have Eevee have lots of them. Not only it provides him as source of food, but also helps him improve his muscle and energy.”

The conversation was interrupted when the computer on the table had begun to make noise. As if it was a decision, everyone turned their heads to the computer at the same time, forgetting what they were talking about. The noise was somehow alarming. Eusine and Greta stepped back to provide a distance.

Bill suddenly lost it. “No! It can’t be! Just no!” He was screaming. Digging his hands in his hair, he rushed towards computer to unplug it. Despite taking its energy entirely off, it was already too late. Red and blue lights were beaming on the screen, turning all the beige walls in different shades of these two colours.

“Is it going to explode?” Greta asked, screaming. “No, it is not!” Bill responded, screaming. “I wish it would, though!”

“What is going on?” Eusine asked, screaming.

“I thought I erased the virus entirely!” Bill responded, screaming. “But apparently, I missed something. Now, the virus is destructing the machine that is capable of erasing it for good!”

“Is this virus… a Pokémon?” Eusine asked. Although he didn’t scream, Bill heard him quite well. “Yes, the very first virtual Pokémon… that I created!” Bill screamed.

“This is unbelievable…” Eusine was entirely impressed. But it was no time to be impressed. There was a danger that had to be stopped. Bill grabbed a Poké Ball on the shelf and pushed the button on it before he called the Pokémon outside. As the beams hit the floor and met in a body, a green Pokémon appeared on the carpet. Redwald scanned the Pokémon.

For a brief second, Greta imagined how it would be like if her Bulbasaur evolved into an Ivysaur. While she was caught in her dream, Bill ordered Ivysaur to hit the computer with Vine Whip before it gets destroyed. Ivysaur extended her vines through the computer and wrapped the monitor entirely. Although Ivysaur performed a successful attempt of throwing the monitor to the wall, the device got only damaged which was not good enough to stop the virus.

In seconds, the virtual virus met in a body and appeared on top of it, beaming like the brightest source of light on earth. In seconds, the weird shaped pink Pokémon opened its eyes and checked around. Although its entire body was pink, its beak shaped mouth, the part that could be referred to as “stomach”, triangular prism feet and rectangular prism tail were light blue. The virtual Pokémon looked at the people in the room. Greta felt weird to see a Pokémon in the eye that was created by a computer.

“Ivysaur, Razor Leaf now!” Bill didn’t waste a second. Suddenly, Porygon’s body glowed before Ivysaur’s leaves hit its body. “What is it doing?” Redwald asked.

“It’s Sharpen!” Eusine responded. “It is making its body even stronger.”

“I will help out.” Greta stepped forward as she grabbed the Poké Ball that she took out of her bag. “Foudre, I choose you!” She yelled, as the Poké Ball beamed on the floor. She was having a midday rest in her Poké Ball. Once she found herself standing on the floor, she opened her eyes and stood up before Porygon.

“Use Thunderbolt!” Greta ordered. Although Foudre prepared herself to move, Porygon’s eyes glowed bright for a couple of seconds, which distracted both Greta and Foudre. “What is this about?” Greta asked, surprised. “It is Trace, Porygon’s ability.” Eusine answered. “It just activated it to change its ability to Foudre’s. In order words, its ability now is Static. Better not touch it.”

“How do you know so much about Porygon?” Redwald asked. But Porygon used Tackle on Foudre and hit her to the wall at the same time. Greta ran to her Pokémon, while Redwald reached to his Poké Ball and called a Pokémon out. “Charmander, help us out!” He said. Charmander appeared on the carpet.

“Use Scratch now!” Redwald ordered. Charmander’s nails glowed as he ran towards Porygon. Once he jumped to reach Porygon’s body, Porygon used Tackle again. Charmander did not manage to perform his move, besides fell on the floor in pain.

“Due to Sharpen, it is too dangerous to get a damage from Porygon now…” Eusine stated. Redwald and Greta, who just recently called their Pokémon back in Poké Balls, had no idea how to deal with Porygon at this moment, until a thunder stroke in Eusine’s mind. “Of-course!”

Eusine grabbed a Poké Ball and pushed the button on it. “Haunter is a Ghost-type Pokémon, which is immune to Tackle!”

“But Eusine…” Greta interrupted him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Porygon is immune to Haunter’s Shadow Ball, also…”

“But not to Hypnosis! We can put this Pokémon in sleep right away!” Eusine still didn’t lose his enthusiasm. “Please, Haunter! Use Hypnosis!” He yelled, as he threw the Poké Ball on the floor. As soon as Haunter appeared in the air, floating, Porygon acted faster than Haunter to use its Psybeam. As Porygon’s eyes glowed in pink, it fired off a beam through Haunter. With one hit, he was knocked out.

“This is not going to work out!” Bill responded. He grabbed another Poké Ball on the table and called a Pokémon out. “Let us out, Abra!” He ordered. The yellow Pokémon in the shape of a human but smaller used Teleport.

For a brief second, Redwald lost his control of gravity and found himself in space of some sort. However, rather darkness, everywhere was as bright as it could be. Redwald’s pupils decreased their size. Redwald had to close his eyes seconds after. He felt like he was sucked in a vacuum cleaner. He suddenly found himself on the ground somewhere. He opened his eyes, found himself staring at the sky. He was lying on the grasses outside. He lifted his head to see others. All the trainers and their Pokémon were carried outside somehow, except Porygon.

“Thanks, Abra.” Eusine said. Redwald scanned the small yellow Pokémon.

It took seconds before Redwald realised they were teleported right outside of the cottage. Bill was staring at his small flat. Everyone stood still for a while until Bill decided to walk towards the door of cottage and come inside. He gently pushed the door and came in the one room flat. Redwald, Greta and Eusine followed him right behind. There was no sign of the existence of Porygon anymore.

“Better than what I expected. At least, the cottage is not blown up.” Bill was being sarcastic. Was he? He checked the damaged computer on the carpet. “It must have transferred itself somewhere else through virtual platforms.” He said.

“None of this makes any sense to me…” Redwald responded. “How can a Pokémon exist in the real world and virtual environment at the same time?”

“Porygon’s body is not like any other creature.” Bill responded. “It doesn’t need to feed, breathe, feel hurt. It doesn’t have gender. It doesn’t have intercourse, give birth, have blood.” He thought. “It has the ability of transforming its virtual body through concrete and virtual reality.”

“Due to Trace, it can change its ability to any other Pokémon’s for a while. Conversion is a move that only Porygon is able to learn. With that move, it can change its typing to other Pokémon’s for a while. Sharpen is also a move that only Porygon can learn. With it, it can raise its attack stats way too high.”

“Porygon was created in recent history by PC programmers in Kanto.” Eusine said. “It wasn’t meant to be a tricky Pokémon, but it was discovered to be so during the testing process. The programmers wanted to delete it for good, but the virus that was created by Porygon itself prevented that. Soon after, the copies of it were gone wide spread. All the other programmers were amazed and wanted to investigate it. At some point, it reached such point that it was simply impossible to be stopped. Although there are still more Porygon, they are tried to be decreased for safety causes.”

“How do you know so much about it?” Redwald asked.

“I just read the articles that Bill has written.” He replied.

“It is just too much to take in.” Greta responded. “How about… cleaning the flat?” The one room flat was messed due to the chaos.

It was about sunset near after. As the orange colour dominated the sky and started to leave the region to a warm winter night, outside became more passive with all the less wild Pokémon and people. Redwald and Eusine cleaned up the broken glasses and put the unbroken ones where they belonged. Bill was busy fixing his computer, although he ended up in failure. He realized the computer could not work anymore. Greta did the dusting in the one room flat. Afterwards, Bill and Eusine took their time to cook together for everyone, which was what they both were good at, while Bill let others take shower. Redwald reminded himself how satisfying it was to take a shower after so long time in an actual bathroom. Sure, Pokécenters provided the same, but nothing would ever be like home. After dinner, the group felt so tired after this exhausting day that Bill gave everyone blankets to spend the night together. Bill himself slept on the couch that he would usually sleep. Greta took the second couch, while Redwald and Eusine found themselves a place on the floor. Although it wasn’t as comfortable as the ones in the Pokécenters, Redwald was too tired to realize that. He knew he slept until morning deeply, almost like dead.

“Hey, are you going to spend the whole winter in this room sleeping?” Someone was calling out. Redwald was brought to real life from the pleasant, delightful dream world. Eusine wore his casual clothes, holding his backpack, talking to him and Greta, trying to wake them up. “The new day has begun long ago. Do you want to fall behind, or not?”

“What are you talking about?” Greta grumbled.

“You have to wake up and set off to Cerulean City already!” Eusine said. “You are killing your time here.”

“Give them a break.” Bill interrupted. “They were tired too much yesterday. Now they need what they have now – some rest.”

“This is not the time.” Eusine responded. “They have great goals that need to be admired. They can’t just use tiredness as an excuse!” Redwald wasn’t even sure if Eusine was being sarcastic. He pushed the blanket on himself and lifted his back. The harsh sunlight was coming through the window.

After the breakfast, Redwald and Greta packed their bags. Greta remembered the hurtful truth about Eusine leaving them after this point. She had a pain in her heart that she lost her sight for a moment. “Ugh…” She turned to Eusine.

“Wait a second.” She said. “You wanted to talk to Bill about something very important. I’ve been waiting to hear about that. Don’t tell me you did it wh—”

“While you were asleep, yes.” Eusine interrupted. “Bill helped me a lot, although he doesn’t have the answers that I expected.”

“So, did you come all the way for nothing?” Redwald said. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, not at all.” Eusine answered. “If anything, now I have to go even further to accomplish my goal.” That left Redwald and Greta with surprised faces, trying to figure out what he could mean. “Which means, I am on my way throughout Kanto with you guys. I am not leaving you – not just yet.”

Greta couldn’t control her behaviour. She walked towards Eusine with a smiling face and hugged him from his waist. She pulled him towards her chest tightly. Redwald saw the uncomfortable expression on Eusine’s face. Greta let him go seconds after. “I am sorry.” She said. “I am just happy that I can survive longer now.”

“Let’s have less chat.” He said. “We have a long way to go.” He looked at Bill. “Bill, I appreciate everything. Thank you so much for your help.”

“I owe it to you.” He said, walking towards Redwald. “Please, do your best and honour your nation in Kanto League, Redwald.”

“I will, Bill. That’s a promise.” Redwald responded.

“Same for you, Greta.” Bill said. “I expect to see your articles in a couple of years. Maybe we will exchange numbers and help each other in different projects. Go and discover the Pokémon world.”

“I will, sir.” Greta responded. Everyone grabbed their bags and backpacks, left the small cottage and walked back towards Cerulean City with the hope of each, fulfilling their dreams eventually.

Humans

 * Redwald Walker
 * Greta Parker
 * Eusine Hunter
 * Bill Turing

Pokémon

 * Bill's Ivysaur
 * Bill's Abra
 * Wild Porygon
 * Eevee (mentioned)
 * Jolteon (mentioned)
 * Flareon (mentioned)
 * Vaporeon (mentioned)
 * Jolteon (mentioned)
 * Flareon (mentioned)
 * Vaporeon (mentioned)