The demon showed itself only moments later, enraged by the destruction of its new home. Raze began fighting under its own commands, sliding into a berserk rage. Its attacks were finally connecting—the seal must have provided some protection for Gengar. I have never witnessed a battle as appalling and frighteningly intense as the one that ensued. Raze’s eyes ran bloodshot as it tore at its foe with its powerful jaws and knife-like leaves, but Gengar was much faster and kept slashing at my Pokemon. Pillars at the corners of the room shuddered with the impacts, threatening to collapse.

Gengar teleported again, materializing about twenty feet away from Raze. The same evil aura surrounded it, but a new fire burned in its eyes. It was preparing to unleash a Psychic attack. Raze is half poison-type, so it is extremely vulnerable to psychic-type techniques. Venusaur’s ragged petals were flushed with color, drooping over its lacerated body. Gengar opened its mouth as though to scream, but made no sound. Its fangs shone bright as a dark aura similar to its own surrounded Raze. I saw my wounded warrior suffering and thought back to all it had done for me. I remembered my first day with it at Professor Oak’s lab, back when it was a tiny Bulbasaur. We chased Spearow all day and finally caught a Ratatta. I went through all eight gyms with Raze at my side. We walked down the dusty paths at dusk toward new adventure…

The aurora intensified, its deep blue color matching the new light in Gengar’s eyes. The low wailing sound of the attack coursed through my head as I could do nothing but watch the demon’s telekinesis lift Raze’s immense bulk high off the ground. My Pokemon looked down at me, fifteen feet below, and tried to tell me something with its eyes. Gengar released its hold on Raze, and as it fell it explosively perforated the ghost’s face with its final Vine Whip. Before Venusaur hit the ground, I threw a Great Ball at the incapacitated Gengar. The blue ball had two black crests on the top half, and eagerly snapped open when it hit the predator, now its prey. I didn’t look to see if the ball had successfully captured it…Raze was crumpled in the center of the chamber, its black blood running in thick streams across the broken seal.

My Venusaur died that night. I propped up its head with my legs and held it against my chest. Its breathing became shallower and its eyes stared blankly—it probably couldn’t even see me. The few remaining petals on its back went limp. My tears dropped silently onto a dark blue spot on Raze’s cooling skin. I closed my eyes and held it tight, begging it not to die. My prayers were denied. With a soft sigh, its life slipped away.

I buried Raze outside the tower in a field of proud warriors. A simple cross marks its grave. I tucked its blood-covered Pokeball into my pocket and solemnly attached Gengar’s Great Ball to my belt. The mission was accomplished, but it was truly a pyrrhic victory. Wolf met me at the helicopter pick-up. He hadn’t seen a thing all night. Gengar must have been stalking me because of the smell of fresh blood, so it left Wolf alone. My partner nodded at me in sympathy and rested his hand on my good shoulder. The ride home was made in silence.

Page Sixteen
Page Sixteen

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