(no subject)
86. Stupid
The recently formed cave had opened not far from their hideout. And open it stood before his eyes, all the time, a warm, iridescent light radiating from its depths as if inviting him to come in. Sometimes, when his face was pressing against the lush, moist grass that was his bed, that dim brilliance, that promise of happiness so close and yet so distant could not let him get any sleep.
He had proved them he could be a better fighter than either of them. He believed he was also more sensitive, always able to tell when his partners were worried or feeling down, but that was something they tended to regard as a weakness.
He knew that another thing that made him weak in their eyes was his constant yearning for food. They liked exploiting that aspect of his personality to assign him lowly tasks involving eating large amounts of not always tasty food, and when their supplies went bad, they’d turn to him and say “Okay, this stuff is yours”, knowing he’d eat it anyway. But what could he do about it? Could he change the shape, size and functioning of his body? (And still he looked at the cave, or rather, the cave looked at him through its circular opening.)
Also, it was true that he depended on both of them, for many things, if not everything. Especially on her, his first friend and probably the best friend he would have in his life. But just because he was insecure and a bit of a glutton, it didn’t mean he was stupid, did it?
Yes, even though they were his good friends and they stuck together no matter what, they had always perceived him as the weakest and the stupidest of them.
Just because he hadn’t evolved yet. And still the cave kept beckoning him.
The following morning, when Gengar still hadn’t returned from one of his nightly raids, Medicham woke up in shock, not finding any of her two friends next to her. Realizing Gengar would reach her shortly, she frantically began searching for Ekans, who was nowhere to be found.
She was about to leave to look for him in Pokémon Square, when she saw an Arbok slither out of Luminous Cave.