A few hours had passed with me being alone in the corner of the room as I noticed the light coming from outside shifting before it slowly started to fade, showing that it is heading into dusk. Susan and her leafeon had stopped crying a while ago but I still didn’t know what was going on. Why did she just break down like that? Who was Johnathan? And why does she look so young when she said decades had passed since she had seen this person.

Admittedly the last one is probably that she chose that form with that ability of hers. Which begs the question. Could Jennifer do that? Is she able to change how she looks on a whim? So many questions and no answers. Why does it keep coming to that?

A creaking floorboard got my attention and I look to see Dawn enter the room. Hi. I say.

Hey. She responds. Asra will be up soon if you want to talk to her. And I know umbreons can be awake at both day and night, but I’m surprised you’re awake this early. Did you even go back to sleep after we left?

Yeah, I didn’t go back to sleep.

Well, I like to go to sleep early so if you and Asra start talking, can you keep it down? Dawn asks as she leaps onto the shelf above me. And if you can, can you take the bed you’re on outside to get cleaned? The poison you guys give off can make most others quite sick if the get it in their mouth or eyes.

I was about to ask what she meant about the poison before I remembered a pokedex entry. Umbreons could spray a poison from their pores. But this revelation only confused me as it hasn’t happened before despite me having been cornered and trapped before. So why it happened now I don’t know. There was even the time I woke up from a nightmare and was sweating quite a bit while I was beside Jennifer. But she didn’t appear to get ill. Why does everything keep coming back to questions with no answers!? I just want to know what is going on!

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/618692866566389772/795564484147544065/Alternate_Eyes-time_gap.png]

A while after the sun had set and everything had quieted down, I saw a feint glow before the face of an umbreon pokes around into the room and it nods for me to follow them. I more easily stand this time and make my way towards the umbreon who starts to leave the dark room. I leave the room and look to see on the otherside of the large counter is a clean kitchen with a small wooden table that has two chairs and a hallway that has several doors with one at the very end that has a large flap at the bottom which the umbreon is heading towards.

Upon reaching the door, the other umbreon went through the flap to which I followed through into the cool night air. The forest sat high above but plenty of light would be allowed through the trees as evident by all the undergrowth. There was also a few clearly well-treaded paths through the forest.

It’s a nice bit of the forest we claimed isn’t it. The female umbreon asked.

Can’t deny that. I respond. Your name was Asra right? Which got a nod from her. Dawn said you’d be up an about after dark.

I don’t know why the others dislike the night so much. It’s a lot quieter and there is a lot less to bother you.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

So, what do you want to do out here? I ask, gaining a confused look from Asra. I mean you brought me out here for a reason right? This causes her to look upset and uncertain cause I guess she didn’t want to start with it.

I first wanted to know. Is Johnathan really gone? Asra asks quietly.

Im sorry. Like I said before, I don’t know this Johnathan everyone keeps asking me about. And what do you mean gone?

So. You don’t know much about the ability the person you travel with has?

Is there more to it than just talking to pokemon?

A lot more.

I hesitate to ask my next question because clearly something has happened to this person, they keep asking about but I needed to know. So, how do you know this Johnathan is, ‘gone’, as you put it.

Asra sighs and I can see tears in her eyes. Because the one you travelled with has the dark typing now.

That doesn’t really answer my question.

Okay, I’ll explain further. These abilities, each have their own type they work with. So at any one time, there 18 humans with these unique abilities. Although, the number use to be fewer. The ability is more or less genetic, with those having the ability being the ones whose future offspring having the potential to obtain it. She pauses for a bit, trying to find her next words. The ability can only be inherited by the youngest of their descendants once they. She stops as she starts to cry more.

Once they die. I quietly add finally following along. I’m sorry for your loss. I say, not knowing what else to do as she lays on the ground curled up and crying. My body reacted on its own and moved up to the crying eeveelution before laying down beside her and resting my head on hers as she cried.

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/618692866566389772/795564484147544065/Alternate_Eyes-time_gap.png]

Asra cried for a while but now was just at quiet sobs.

I. I hesitate to continue before changing my question. Would you be able to tell me more about these abilities? I ask to which Asra slowly nods as we lay there.

So. The ability for all 18 individuals can be split into four sections. The main one is human-pokemon communication. Primarily those of the same typing but you can, with practise, talk to all pokemon. The second section is using moves. Those born with the ability can learn and use all moves and most natural abilities of the pokemon within their element. They can also learn some moves from other things that dark type pokemon can use. She stops again as she seems about the break out into tears again and settles herself down.

The third trait is, as far as I know, they stop aging so they can, potentially live forever. Asra once again stopped and I could tell she was about to break into tears again. I quickly realised that the last dark type person, Johnathan, had died through other means. And clearly, who ever he was, he was quite close to Susan, the leafeon, and Asra. Before I get to ask anything, she carries on. The other part of this trait is pokemon that share the individuals typing, whether they are currently, were, or will evolve into that, gain increased life spans when they have a strong bond with the first one living as long as the person.

Finally, the last ability which you saw today. Shifting. It takes along time to learn but I would say the most interesting. Any questions? She adds upon ending that exposition.

Several. I say straight up. But lets start with how old is Susan and the leafon?

Well, Susan and Floral have been around for roughly one hundred and thirty years. But they still look young cause that’s when they stopped aging. Johnathan would have been roughly the same age but, well. She sadly adds. I guess everyone meets their end someday.

I’m sorry for your loss. I say not knowing what else to say.

I didn’t know him all that much despite being the second oldest eeveelution here but it still hurts. I cant imagine what Susan and Floral are feeling.

Do you want to do something to help put your mind at ease? I ask thinking a distraction might be what she needs.

Could. She starts and hesitates. Could we both just stay like this for a while. Just for a bit.

I guess I can do that.