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Chapter 4 - 4

Elly and Tracey, and how they met, etc. This is great - I'll just be adding chapters as I redo them.

Chapter 4 - 4

Chapter 4 - 4
In the last fanfic, Tracey's Eevee had run off into the forest. Tracey followed and got caught in a trap - and who had set it? None other than Butch of nefarious Team Rocket fame. He claimed "she" was his and the tattoo might prove to be a certain orginization's Breeding Center numbers. If they were, it could mean only one thing...



Dinner was subdued that night. Tracey didn't want to find out that Eevee was registered to another, but now he thought he might be able to find out for sure. The good young man wanted to obey the law, but he didn't want to surrender a pokemon that trusted him and had become his friend back to a home she ran away from in the first place. The others didn't question him much; Oak was off in his Lab researching and Koji let the boy eat in peace. She simply set the plates down and then held up a hand when he started to clean up after he was done.

"I'll do it tonight," she said quietly. "You go on. Get some rest."

"Are you sure?" He looked earnestly at the good woman and she nodded.

"Of course."

"Mwee." A light tug at his sock startled Tracey before he set off in the direction of his bedroom. He found Eevee lightly pulling on it with one paw, the other waving up in the air towards him. Her voice was softer and she seemed as upset as he was. He stooped to pick her up and she immediately buried her head in his chest.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to frighten you," he murmured as he walked down the hall. Eevee purred faintly, letting him know she was listening. "I just don't want to do anything wrong." She made a funny little sound and he paused before opening his door.

"What?"

"Ssss."

"Please don't hiss at me. I know you ran away from someplace." He went in and shut the door behind him. Eevee immediately leapt onto his bed and curled her tail around herself, staring intently at him the whole while. Tracey was at a loss. He went into the bathroom to get ready for bed, his thoughts full of the little pokemon. He knew Professor Oak would want him to do the right thing, but what was the right thing in this case? He was fairly sure her attitude told the tale of some kind of neglect or abuse. She certainly hadn't acted like she wanted to go back with Butch even if he did own her. Tracey knew he'd have to look tommorow - get up early and check out the pokemon database in more depth than he had before. The prospect was unexciting.

He stood in the bathroom a moment longer, staring at his reflection distractedly. Two piece pajamas had given way to a simple pair of boxers as he grew older, and though his chest was still smooth he had a faint gathering of downy hair on his chin. He ran a finger along this, wondering how long it would be until he needed to shave. Most guys his age did already.

"Vee?" Eevee was seated at his side. He looked down, hardly startled by her sudden appearance. Nothing she did surprised him much anymore; it was almost as if she were human under that furry skin. Tracey pondered that for a moment.

"If you could speak things would be a lot simpler," he sighed. "But I'll have to take you back to your owner or prove you were abused somehow." He shuffled out the door, the fox pokemon following close behind. When he flopped onto his bed she seemed to consider something briefly, staring up at him. Tracey looked down at her for a few good minutes before tapping his headband thoughtfully.

"You never drop your eyes," he murmured. Professor Oak had taught him that while pokemon were treated by kind people as equals, they still couldn't hold a person's gaze. The pokemon would always look elsewhere first. Now Tracey twisted around until he was laying on his belly facing his furry friend. He started to grow sleepy before long and still she sat and stared. Her large violet eyes were almost hypnotizing, and, Tracey absently thought, quite pretty. He wondered aloud again how anyone could mistreat such a beautiful pokemon. Eevee whuffed under her breath and leapt up beside him, finally breaking eye contact to nudge his hand.

"Want me to pet you?" He blinked, surprised. Being careful to move as slowly as possible, he lightly ruffled the fur on her head. The little brown fox ducked her head. She almost seemed to be blushing...but of course that couldn't be. "Wha - did you hear something?"

"Scy!" A swift blast of wind whipped by and there was a cold blast of something that hit them both. Eevee had time to spot the grizzled-looking bug pokemon chuckle to himself as he sped out the door.

"POPS!" Tracey yelped. He reached up and gingerly touched his damp face. "Oh great, he threw ...he threw something from the lab at us? What?" He held a hand up in front of his face. It was yellow and sticky, and although uncomfortable didn't smell bad. But it was still unpleasant, and he made a terrible face.

"Ugh."


"Vee." Eevee seemed to agree. She had her paw across her eyes in resignation.

"Sorry," Tracey apologized. "I promised him I'd train him today and he's a little upset, I guess." He made a face. "I know he wouldn't toss anything bad at us, but it's nasty anyway." She nodded.

"Mwee." She seemed a little miffed.

"Well, let's go get cleaned up," he murmured. He picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. Yawning hugely, he leaned over and ran the water in the large tub. It was huge, more like a hot tub than a bath - and it ran deep. Tracey muttered something to himself about old bugs that liked to play practical jokes as he searched for what he needed. He found a brush and emptied several various concoctions onto its stiff bristles before laying it carefully down on a shelf beside the running water. When he motioned Eevee in she sniffed his hand curiously and stared.

"It's usually for me, yes. But it's too late for me to be walking the hallways."

She purred and gladly sank down into the water with a contented sigh, paddling to stay afloat. As she relaxed she watched Tracey sit on the edge of the tub with his back towards her. Her ears flicked and eyes grew wide when he started to remove his headband. Then he removed his sneakers and socks. The pokemon calmly observed while he pulled his green shirt over his head, disturbing his lanky black hair quite a bit in the process. Delightfully roughish-looking, he stood and put his hands to the waistand of his red shorts. His movements were quick and economical as he removed those and his briefs.

"I don't believe Pops did that. What's wrong with him?" Tracey groaned. "Well, you first." He stepped into the water and grasped her gently but firmly in both hands. Eevee mewed with alarm.

"Eee!" She squirmed momentarily, but Tracey shook his head, hair swinging.

"No...just be still so I can clean you. You can't tread water the whole time." He paused and settled her on one knee. "Um...and please don't scratch," he begged, blushing a little. Eevee quieted down immediately, her ears laid back. Tracey rubbed the shampoo and conditioners briskly into her fur in a no-nonsense way, lathering her thoroughly and completely. When he felt she'd been soaped enough, he let her sink under the water to rinse. She came up quickly, shaking water droplets to clear her vision. His brown eyes flicked across her features momentarily and then she felt his fingers kneading the rest of the soap out of her fur.

"There. You're cleaned off." His voice was thick and low, as if he was thinking hard. Without another word he suddenly dipped underneath the water and emerged, dripping, his eyes closed. He shook the moisture from his face and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his forehead. Tiny strands of his bangs automatically curled rakishly on either side of his tan face. Eevee was batting at his knee under the water and he laughed. "But now we're both wet." He stood up, water trickling down his clean body, and stepped out of the tub to get the towels. When he turned back he almost fell.

"Eevee!"

Eevee was laying on the edge of the tub flicking her tail across the tattoo on her thigh. Fearing she would fall and hurt herself, he rushed forward but she demurred.

"Eevee." Flick.

"L4J..."

"...vee..."

"L...ell. El? How about Elly." Tracey stooped and pointed at the marking. "Is that what you wanted? A name?" The little eevee grinned hugely, showing all her fangs.

"Vwee!"

"Just like Pops." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Well all right - not just." He chuckled as they dried off.

Elly rolled her eyes as they headed back for bed. She was warm and content in that "after bath" way - soft and fluffy (and purring like a little engine). The pokemon was asleep before Tracey clothed himself again and joined her.

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