Her Promise

It's been a while since then.
It's been three years now since Aku tore my arm off.
He's been rampaging... Killing trainer after trainer. Many of them have quit, not wanting to die.

I'm one of the very few trainers left, despite missing my left arm.
I won't give up... I promised Yoi... I won't quit until I stop breathing!
I have to find a way to Aku... to make him stop this... this senseless murder!

I know how he feels though... he's been hurt...

May 25.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I put my journal down with a sigh, every day I read this entry, reminding myself of my goal.
It's been a year since writing it. I'm one of only a handful of trainers who refuse to give up.
I've been following the sightings where Aku has been, and each time I get a little closer.
Just yesterday I caught a glimpse of a half purple, half black espeon tail.

I'm so close...
I can't give up now.
I've improved my team since Yoi's death...
I now have a Vaporeon, Misdreavus, and a few others...

I still visit Yoi's grave of course... She was such a good pokemon.

I suppose I should start walking again, supposedly I'm pretty close.
I notice a trail of blood just as I enter the nearby forest.

I begin to follow the trail, clumps of flesh about.
Then I see him.
Aku.
He's devouring a trainer who he's just killed.
The sight is... I can't bear to look.

Theres suddenly a rustling and hot breath in my face.
Frightened, I look up.

Two gleaming crimson eyes are peering into mine, and an evil smile is allowing the smell of death into my nose.

"Hello... Kasuki. I see you've come looking for me. You'll regret it."

I feel a paw across my face, and claws digging into my flesh.
I cry out and fall back, attempting to hold the flesh in place.
I feel tears in my eyes.

"Aku... why do you do this? Why are you like this?"

Aku swishes his tail and grins.
"Because Kasuki... I'm going to eliminate all trainers. They're evil, and cruel..."

With blood dripping from my cheek I stare straight into Aku's eyes, filled with hatred and loathing.
But... deep inside them... there's still a tiny Eevee, traumatized, alone... hurt...

"Aku... please, not all trainers ar elike that!"

Another swipe of his paw, and more pain of his claws in my flesh.

"SILENCE."

I feel tears come ot my eyes again, He's.. he's so badly hurt...
Another paw on my face, more claws in my flesh.
I... I can't bear to hit him back.
I just can't.

He glares at me with another demented smile. His voice drips with eager pleasure.
"Kasuki... do you know how I'm going to kill you?"

I shake my head tearfully, afraid to speak.

He grins.
"First, I'm going to tear you limb from limb. And just as your dying from blood loss, I'm going to drown you. And right before your last breath, I'll rip your heart from your chest- slowly."

I shiver. What happened to the sweet young Eevee? Or...
"Aku... that time... that time as an Eevee... w-was that... just an act?"
I feel a tear slide down my cheek.

Aku grins, and chuckles.
"of course."

I feel my heart shatter then. All those years... all that training... and it... it meant nothing?
Paralyzed in fear, I watch as Aku grins and grabs my pants leg, he drags me towards the lake nearby, the distant sunset crimson.
I'm... I'm going to die here...

Aku leaves me by the side of the lake and for a moment I can move. I try to run but Aku quickly pounces on me and sneers.

"don't even think about it."

I shiver, tears coming faster

"Aku please... what did I ever do to you...?!"

He looks thoughtful for a moment, and I take my chance.
I ring his neck, and force him under the water.
With tears blurring my vision, in a flurry of movement I shove him farther into the lake.
His paws swipe at me, cutting my arm, chest, and face.
I watch with sorrow as his movements begin to slow, eventually he's completely still.
I watch as his open eyes stare, accusingly.

I slowly let go of his neck.
Horrified, I sit, shaking, staring at my hand.
It's... soaked in blood...
My hand is... It's...

I... I've killed...
I've killed... one of my beloved pokemon...
No... No...

I slowly grab Aku's body, and I sit, shivering and sobbing with his head over my shoulder- huggin him tight and apologizing.

Suddenly I feel a sharp pain.
I look down to see Aku's demented grin- his paw inside my chest.
He squeezes tighter and I choke up blood.

He puts his mouth near my ear.
"Goodbye, Kasuki."

He pulls back with a demented grin, and my heart flies from my chest.

I'm fading... Yoi... I'm... I'm sorry...


I failed you...

I... I broke my promise..