Once in a Lifetime: Kagehikari the Umbreon

Kagehikari is character © Faolan-Wolfwings

    Kagehikari still couldn’t believe it. He, an Eevee, had just learned Moonlight. That was unheard of. But then, he’d always been different. Kagehikari had been born a shiny Eevee, mostly covered in silvery fur, but in case that wasn’t enough, he had dark paws, dark tail and ear tips and dark blue eyes. His fur was where he’d gotten his name from – Kage “shadow” and Hikari “light,” referring to his unusual coloration. Kagehikari liked his unique coat, but sometimes it attracted more attention than he wanted. Normal Eevee could stay out of sight anywhere they found a shadow and a little cover, but anyone who was looking could find him immediately.

    He’d learned long ago not to even bother. As a shiny Eevee, he stuck out in the woods, on the rocks, and virtually wherever he went. The one time he did feel at home with his surroundings was twilight: that time when the sun was just coming up or just going down and the light and shadows mixed everywhere, like his name. Twilight was his time.

    Kagehikari broke off his thoughts, looking up again at the moon in wonder. It was nearly full, but still – only Umbreon were supposed to be able to draw on its power. Maybe he was destined to be one. I’ve got to get back home. It was late; Kagehikari had been in the training circle for hours, trying to pull off a Swift attack, which he found particularly tricky, and he’d exhausted all his energy in the process. If he was being honest with himself, he’d overdone it. It was just that a lot of the other Eevee his age in the area had already mastered the move, and he didn’t want to be unique in that way too, not when he already stood out so much. He could produce the glowing yellow stars that made up the attack, but instead of following his gaze like they were supposed to, they spiraled out of control nearly every time, impacting the ground, trees, rocks, and everything he wasn’t trying to hit.

    When darkness had fallen, he’d been about to give up for the night and go home, but a spark of determination flared up and he’d decided to give it one last go. Reaching for the last of his energy, Kagehikari had started the attack again – and then he ran dry, and the Swift stars started fizzling out. He threw everything he had into completing the attack, but it was useless. He strained anyway, and as the last star winked out, something else happened. The light from the newly risen moon had suddenly turned almost liquid, and he felt a strange warmth pouring into him, restoring his strength. Not all of it, but suddenly Kagehikari wasn’t panting and exhausted anymore. With a quick exertion, he summoned more Swift stars, which winked into a miniature constellation around him. Excited by his discovery, though, he let them fade again. His new move was way better. I can’t wait to tell Mother and Father. He left the training circle and ran home, winding around familiar branches and logs on the path to his den.

    “Kage, how are you? It’s getting late,” Father greeted him. Father was a Jolteon, and never called him by his full name. He said it was too long to say all the time, so he alternated between Kage and Hikari, depending on his mood and sometimes the time of day. Father was the more easygoing of his parents; Mother, a Leafeon, was more stern and usually called him Son. Kagehikari knew his parents loved him, though.

    “Where have you been, son?” Mother added.

    Kagehikari dipped his head respectfully to his parents. “I was out training.” Then his excitement broke through. “You won’t believe what just happened!”

    “Really?” Father raised his eyebrows, smiling a little.

    Kagehikari nodded earnestly. “I was practicing my Swift move. I still can’t get it right,” he added sheepishly, “but something else happened. Just a few minutes ago… I used Moonlight.”

    Father’s brows cranked up another notch. “Really.”

    Mother narrowed her green eyes at him. “You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question, but Kagehikari nodded again.

    Father came over to him. “That’s… amazing, Hikari. I’m proud of you.” Mother gave Kagehikari a nod and a rare smile.

    “What is it?” he asked Mother. “You look like you thought this would happen.”

    “Kagehikari.” Mother looked him in the eye, addressing him formally. “We always knew you were special. Did I expect this? No. Did I expect something like this?” She paused, nodding to herself. “I always believed in you.”

    Kagehikari felt warm all over. Mother didn’t give praise lightly. Then he yawned. It was getting really late.

    “It looks like you’re ready to go to sleep, Kage.” Father looked at him fondly. “First, though… would you mind showing us your new move?”

    The shiny Eevee nodded. “I’ll try.” He went outside, walking between Mother and Father and thinking over his first, accidental use of Moonlight. He concentrated on the memory, trying to capture that feeling again. It wasn’t hard; as soon as he stepped out of the shadows, he could feel something in the back of his mind that hadn’t been there before. Kagehikari took a deep breath, focusing on the sensation as he’d been taught to, drawing on his energy and linking it to the moonglow he felt in his mind. As his energy started to flow, it happened again: the moonlight turned liquid around him, soaking into his skin and fur and giving him strength. It didn’t make so much of a difference as the first time, as he wasn’t drained now, but he stood there, drinking the light in. Father came around in front of him, smiling again.

    “Your eyes. They’re glowing blue.” He seemed pleased.

    Still focusing, Kagehikari nodded, then let out his breath, releasing his energy again. “Really? Wow.”

    Mother approached and gave him a lick on the top of his head. “I’m proud of you, son.”

    “Thanks, Mother.”

    The three went back into their den, and Kagehikari curled up to sleep. Mother, always ready, stationed herself off to the side of the entrance where she would be ready to ambush any potential attacker. Before he took his place, Father came over to ruffle his son’s fur with a friendly paw. “Good night, Kage.”

    Kagehikari yawned again. “Good night, Father.”

     

    The next day, Kagehikari rose and ate, then told his parents he was headed to the training circle again. They always insisted that he tell them where he was going; a short time after his birth, a Trainer had seen him and done everything she could to capture the young Eevee. Father had taken Kagehikari and darted away, outpacing everything the Trainer had sent after him, while Mother had taken it upon herself to try to hold them off, almost getting captured herself in the attempt. She probably would have been, but Father had deposited him in a thick bush and returned to help, and together they had managed to fend off the Trainer. Kagehikari himself had only fuzzy memories of the event, but he knew that ever since then Mother had trained relentlessly. Her battle style now was a lethal dance of parries and counterstrokes with her razor-edged leaves. Maybe that was why her personality was so hard.

    After the attack, Kagehikari knew, his parents had deserted their old den, taking their young son and setting out for the deep forest where Trainers rarely came. In a world where Trainers sought powerful and unique Pokémon, Kagehikari knew he would always be in danger, especially with his silvery coat making him easy to find. Mother and Father didn’t mind him being by himself, as long as they knew where he was and he wasn’t going far. He’d only seen Trainers twice this deep in the forest, and he’d always stayed far away from them.

    He headed for the training circle, determined to master using Swift today. When he arrived, though, his heart sank. Kuraihono was there. The Umbreon had evolved only a few weeks ago, but he was unbearably superior about it. Kuraihono had always been a loner, though he seemed to seek recognition and even adoration if he could get it. Kagehikari was one of his main targets to pick on, since the shiny Eevee had a hard time fitting in. Most of the Pokémon around were ambivalent towards him, but not Kuraihono. If Kagehikari started practicing his Swift attack with ­Kuraihono around, he was asking to be mocked and ridiculed.

    As he hesitated on the path, Kuraihono called out to him. “What are you doing standing there? Are you scared or something?” Kagehikari hesitated a moment longer, but then he thought of something that might actually impress the Umbreon. Starting into the training circle, he called out a greeting.

    “Hi, Kuraihono.”

    That caught the Umbreon off guard. “Uh, what?”

    “I think maybe I’m going to evolve into an Umbreon. Like you,” he added helpfully.

    Kuraihono reacted as he’d hoped. “Really… why?”

    “Because… I learned Moonlight last night.”

    Kuraihono just stared at him. “Eevee can’t learn Moonlight,” he protested.

    Kagehikari nodded. “I know. I think it means I’m meant to be an Umbreon.”

    “You’re lying.” The Umbreon’s surprise turned into a hostile glare. “Prove it.”

    “I can’t,” Kagehikari pointed out. “The sun’s up.”

    “Well then, meet me here tonight. And you’d better show up.” Kuraihono turned and whisked away into the trees.

    Kagehikari sighed. That hadn’t gone at all how he’d wanted. He’d hoped the revelation that he had learned Moonlight would ease the tensions with the Umbreon, but instead they were higher than ever, and he had a sneaking suspicion that demonstrating Moonlight when night came would only make things worse. The only alternatives were to not use Moonlight or not meet the Umbreon at all, either of which would mean even more abuse. He could tell his parents too, but that felt like giving in and showing fear, which someone like Kuraihono would take advantage of later.

    The only bright spot in the mess was that the training circle was now empty of Kuraihono, which meant Kagehikari would get to train in peace after all. All right. He ran through the steps in his mind. First, focus your energy outward. Bring it around you and give it form. Take hold of it in your mind, and see where you want it to go. Kagehikari took a deep breath and let it out, beginning his first Swift attack.

    When Kagehikari took a break at midmorning, he was pleased with the progress he’d made. As long as he maintained his focus, the Swift stars now went where he wanted them to, lancing out and converging on whatever he chose with enough force to crack some of the dead branches he was using as targets. He trotted out of the training circle, giving himself a shake as he went to find a berry to eat to replenish his strength.

    The first plant proved to be empty. Kagehikari wasn’t surprised; it was his favorite and he had noticed the number of ripe berries diminishing over the last few days, so he shrugged and turned toward another he knew was nearby.

    While he was eating, Miryokuhana appeared from between the trees. A Sylveon, she was as recently evolved as Kuraihono was. He was a lot happier to see her, though. She had been friendlier to him than most and had come to his defense once when Kuraihono had been picking on him. She didn’t like the Umbreon, even when they had all been Eevee.

    “Hi, Miryokuhana.”

    The Sylveon nodded. “Good morning, Kagehikari. What are you doing?”

    “I’ve been training.”

    Miryokuhana wrinkled her nose at this. “Again? It seems like that’s what you’re always doing.”

    Kagehikari had to admit it was true. When he was younger, Mother had insisted on it and trained him personally, and when he had gotten older it had been a necessity to be strong in order to earn the respect of his peers, who otherwise tended to treat him as nothing but a prettyboy. I don’t act like that, though, do I? He turned this thoughts back to the moment. “Yeah, I guess so.” He thought for a moment, looking for an explanation. “I want to evolve soon.”

    The Sylveon nodded again, sagely. “Evolution is great,” she said, flourishing her feelers in the sunlight. With that, she picked her way over to the plant and snagged a berry before turning to leave. Kagehikari felt a little disappointed; he’d hoped Miryokuhana would stay, but he couldn’t just say that. Before he’d thought of something better, she was already gone.

    The shiny Eevee gave another philosophical shrug. There wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He finished eating and headed back for the training circle, planning to try his new skills out on a moving target.

    Once he got there, Kagehikari realized he didn’t have any moving targets. Unsure what else to do, he hit a tree, and was unexpectedly rewarded with a leaf spiraling lazily down from a branch. Quickly, he gathered his energy again, forming a new set of stars and aiming them at the leaf. One actually hit, but the rest passed in the leaf’s wake, shooting off into the trees at different angles as they started, too slowly, to curve back around. There was a cascade of rustling as they punched into brush and leaves before running out of energy. He hissed through his teeth in frustration. Hitting moving targets was the whole point of Swift. The leaf hadn’t even been moving that fast.

    “Hey, Hikari. How are things going?” It was Father, coming down the path from the den to see him.

    Kagehikari paused, thinking. “Okay, I guess. I’m trying to learn how to use Swift on moving targets.” He sighed. “But it’s not going too well.”

    Father looked around at the clearing, which was completely stationary. “I can help with that, if you’d like.”

    “What do you mean?” the Eevee asked, puzzled.

    “Well, I have done this kind of thing once or twice. And I’m about as moving as targets get.” Father chuckled a little at his joke.

    “Wait,” Kagehikari said, suddenly nervous. “You mean attack you?”

    Father nodded. “That’s what I said, Hikari.”

    “But…” That was as far as he got before Father interrupted him.

    “I’ll be fine. I am your father, you know. And this is training, so I’ll allow it. Come on.” Father started circling Kagehikari, who was standing in the middle. “Let’s see what you can do.” Kagehikari nodded, preparing another Swift attack. As soon as he did, the Jolteon broke into an easy lope. “We’ll start simple.” He passed behind the shiny Eevee, and Kagehikari waited for him to come back around so he could get a clear shot. Once Father was in front of him again, he released the attack, sending the stars launching out. They all hit, though not as neatly as he’d hoped. Father came to a halt and shook himself. “Not bad. Let’s try a little faster now.”

    He broke into a run, circling around the Eevee again. That’s a lot faster, Kagehikari thought. He launched another Swift attack. Only a few stars hit Father’s hindquarters this time; the rest sprayed off into the trees like before.

    Father slowed to a stop. “All right. I think I know what your problem is, Hikari. You’re going too fast. Swift isn’t supposed to be impossible to dodge, it’s supposed to be impossible to escape. Think less speed, more agility. If you can bring the stars around, then dodging doesn’t do much good, because your opponent still has to worry about them coming back and hitting again.” To demonstrate, Father performed his own Swift attack. Kagehikari watched as the shooting stars twisted and wove between branches to strike a single leaf high on the tree. “That’s what you need to be able to do.”

    Kagehikari thought for a moment. “But what if I make them even faster? Too fast to dodge?”

    Father laughed. “Try it, Kage.”

    Kagehikari immediately knew he’d made a mistake, but he started another attack. As he did, he felt his fur start to stand on end. Father’s was crackling. He launched the Swift attack, the stars elongating into streaks of light this time. Father still hadn’t moved. Right before they hit, he suddenly blurred to the side and they streaked harmlessly through the space he had been occupying.

    “I don’t see how making them slower would help with that,” Kagehikari complained. “I wouldn’t ever be able to hit you anyway.”

    Father shook his head. “No, Hikari, I can’t keep that speed up for long. Anyway, if you ever take someone on who’s as fast as I am, your problem won’t be hitting them, it’ll be them hitting you.

    “Anyway, that’s one reason for agility. Here’s another one.” He dashed around the clearing. Kagehikari wasn’t sure where or when Father stopped, but he suddenly found himself standing in the middle of a circle of Jolteon. A voice came from behind him. “So then, which one?” From the side, another copy of Father asked, “Or can you hit us all with one attack?” From directly in front, Swift stars surrounded a Jolteon Kagehikari realized must be the real one. They whirled through the circle, tearing through each copy in turn. When they got back around to him, Father directed them over his shoulder into a rock. “That’s another reason to make them agile, Kage. Your opponents can make as many fakes as they want, but you’ll find the real one pretty quickly like this.” Kagehikari nodded understanding.

    “All right. Here’s what I want you to do first. See that rock there? I want you to hit behind it. Don’t worry about power or speed. Just get them there.”

    Kagehikari nodded again, focusing on what he had to do. When he sent the stars out again, they were a lot slower, traveling at about his own running speed. He aimed them to the side at first, but then switched targets. The stars responded much more sharply now, swerving around and hitting the back of the rock. Father nodded approvingly. “Good. Next, I want you to aim at me again. I’m going to dodge, so just keep bringing them around. Once you’re comfortable with that, we can start working on speed and power.” Kagehikari complied, sending more stars dancing through loop after loop as Father twisted nimbly out of the way over and over again.

    As they went on, Kagehikari was grateful Father had come. The Jolteon had a lot of experience, and Kagehikari knew he wouldn’t be able to master this move nearly as quickly or well on his own as he was doing under Father’s guidance.

    They finished training after midday, and Kagehikari was a lot more confident with using Swift now. He was panting a little from all the effort. Father barely seemed tired at all, even though he’d done a lot more running around than Kagehikari had. They went together to drink at a spring, got something to eat, and then went back to the den to rest.

    “Where’s Mother?” Kagehikari asked.

    “Off training. You know how she is. I decided to come see if you needed help with anything instead.”

    Kagehikari rubbed his head against Father’s shoulder. “Thanks, Father.”

    “You’re welcome, Hikari.”

    Kagehikari didn’t do much else that day. He went out into the forest a short distance and tried to enjoy himself, but mostly he was worried about meeting that night with Kuraihono. He couldn’t see any way out of it, and he spent the rest of the afternoon with worry gnawing at him. He thought about seeking out some of the other Eevee in their territory, but he didn’t want to talk about it either, or bring up the fact that he could use Moonlight now. Telling Kuraihono had been a mistake; he didn’t want anyone else hearing about it.

    He put it off for as long as possible, but eventually all the light had drained from the sky and he didn’t have any other excuse. With a sigh, Kagehikari heaved himself up and made his way to the training circle. He’d half hoped the Umbreon wouldn’t be there, but as soon as he emerged from the bushes he could see a set of glowing yellow rings in the shadows.

    Kuraihono slowly got up, stretching lazily. “So, you actually came. I was starting to wonder.”

    Kagehikari sighed. “Kuraihono… what do you want?”

    “You were lying earlier. But I’ll give you one chance. Either admit it now… or, prove me wrong.”

    There it was: the choice he’d been pondering all afternoon. He could walk away, and endure Kuraihono’s ridicule, which might spread to others, or he could stand up for himself against the Umbreon and chance making an enemy – well, more of an enemy. Well, it's pretty simple when I put it that way.

    He faced Kuraihono. “All right,” he said quietly, although his heart was in his throat. It was time to prove himself, and while he’d done it the night before, there was a flutter of worry in his stomach that the moon wouldn’t respond to him this time. He swallowed his fear. I can do this. Kagehikari forced himself to concentrate, finding the feeling of the moonlight again in his mind and focusing his energy into it. He took a deep breath and let it flow, and his heart leaped as the light turned liquid around him again. Remembering what Father had said last night, he turned so that the Umbreon could clearly see his glowing eyes. “I wasn’t lying.”

    For the first time he could remember, Kagehikari saw the Umbreon lose his cool. Even though he knew there would be consequences, he couldn’t help enjoying that moment. “That’s… that’s impossible,” Kuraihono spluttered.

    Kagehikari smiled. “You’re wrong.” He held the Umbreon’s gaze for a few more seconds, then turned and let the power fade. Unfortunately, this seemed to embolden Kuraihono.

    “You know what I think? I think you’re just looking for attention. Like you always are.” He started advancing, crowding Kagehikari against some of the large rocks. “You should have evolved before trying that.” The black Pokémon spat the next word. “Eevee.” He brought a paw back to slash at Kagehikari, and the shiny Eevee could see droplets of poison dampening the Umbreon’s fur in the moonlight. Kuraihono was serious.

    He dodged to the side, barely twisting out of the way, and darted into the trees with the Umbreon hot on his heels. After a few moments, he realized he was headed away from his den and safety. It was too late to change that now, though; trying to turn would put him in Kuraihono’s range. He was barely ahead of the Umbreon as it was. As he threaded through the trees, Kagehikari stayed in the moonlight as much as he could. Kuraihono could see just as well in the dark anyway, so being able to see where he was going mattered more. He pelted through dappled patches of moonlight and tree-shadow, sliding under fallen logs, running through the undergrowth, and doing everything he could to throw off his pursuer. He even tried using Double Team; he’d never tried the move while running at speed before, but he was able to make a single copy, which he sent running off to the side when he swerved around a rock. Kuraihono turned to intercept it, but it only took a few seconds for him to see through the ruse, and soon the Eevee was fighting to maintain the lead he’d gotten.

    He emerged from the trees near a stream. To his surprise, he saw the pink-and-white shape of a Sylveon at the water’s edge, highlighted by the moon’s glow. Miryokuhana.

    She looked up at him in surprise. “Kagehikari? What are you–“ He didn’t have breath to answer, but she broke off her question as Kuraihono emerged from the woods in pursuit. She stepped into the Umbreon’s path, blocking him, and Kagehikari, out of breath and sensing a chance for things to stop here, came to a halt as well. Her feelers spread outwards; suddenly Kagehikari found it easier to breathe, and his pounding heart slowed down. “What’s going on here?” she asked, addressing the Umbreon this time.

    Kuraihono’s voice didn’t have the same snarl as it had before either, but he sneered, “Out of my way. This doesn’t involve you – it’s a matter for real Pokémon.”

    The calm shattered. “What did you just say?” Miryokuhana spat, fury in her eyes. The entire clearing started to brighten. “You’re not the only one who can draw on the moon’s power, Kuraihono. And I… am VERY… MUCH… a real Pokémon.”

    Kagehikari had watched the entire scene without moving, but now his mind snapped back into gear. He needed to get out, now. Without giving any outward sign that might alert his nemesis, Kagehikari focused his energy again, channeling it into a burst of speed. The sounds around him became muted as everything fell into slow motion, and Kagehikari wheeled around and tore into the bushes as the clearing behind him exploded into white light.

    As his Quick Attack wore off, Kagehikari swiveled his ears back to listen. If he was lucky, there wouldn’t be anyone following him now. After a few moments, though, he could make out the sound of labored breath and at least one set of paws pounding through the forest behind him. At least Miryokuhana’s intervention had given him a few moments to catch his breath. Kagehikari kept on running, vaguely aware that the area had turned unfamiliar.

    Compounding his troubles, there was a sudden rustling from a bush beside him, and Kagehikari was unexpectedly blindsided by a dark shape about his size. He picked himself up off the ground to find a Poochyena growling aggressively at him, and his heart sank. That’s why– I'm outside Eon territory now. Could tonight get any worse?

    Answering his question, Kuraihono burst out of the trees where he had just been, with an angry Sylveon on his heels. Acting quickly, Kagehikari focused his energy into a Swift attack, sending the stars arcing into the Umbreon’s flank from the side and throwing off his balance. Almost in the same moment, the Poochyena, evidently deciding that the shiny Eevee was a lesser threat, switched targets and launched himself on Miryokuhana, viciously snapping and clawing at her. She was caught off guard and took a few nasty scratches and cuts before she could disentangle herself, but then she retaliated with a scream that tore at Kagehikari’s ears even though he wasn’t in its path. The Poochyena caught the full blast of it and fell back, stunned, and a few moments later there was a dull thud from behind it as something fell out of a tree.

    As Miryokuhana took stock of her wounds, Kuraihono picked himself up off the ground, murder in his eyes. At the same moment, a Spinda came staggering out of the bushes, paws clamped over its ears. It looked around unsteadily at the group, then bared its teeth. What’s going on here? This has to be the most insane battle of all time, Kagehikari thought. Judging by the way the two Eons had paused, he wasn’t the only one asking that question. He took a cautious step back, and the silence broke as everyone went into action again. Kagehikari launched himself at Kuraihono in another Quick Attack, hoping to forestall the Umbreon’s next move, and he heard Miryokuhana let out a frustrated snarl. I got in the way of her attack, he realized, regretting his mistake. She could probably do this a lot better than I can; she’s a Sylveon, so she’d have an advantage here.

    As his attack ended, Kagehikari twisted away from the Umbreon’s reach. Instead of getting up and charging him, though, Kuraihono released a Dark Pulse. This one wasn’t focused; it spread out in a wave, hitting everyone. Kagehikari stumbled; he could feel the hate in the attack, and it made him shiver a little. Then the Spinda was on him from the other side. He managed to dodge its first punch, but then it tripped him, catching him in the head with the other clenched paw as he fell. On the ground, he saw Kuraihono dodge one of Miryokuhana’s Moonblasts by slipping behind a tree. The Poochyena was getting up too, apparently roused by the Umbreon’s Dark Pulse. Spinda and Poochyena launched themselves at one another, leaving Kagehikari alone. In the moment of stillness, he could feel a burning sensation all along his side and forehead. Right, the poison on Kuraihono’s fur. I forgot about that.

    Kagehikari tried to move and saw stars. Instead of trying again, he drew inspiration from it and started a Swift attack from where he lay on the ground, aiming at the Umbreon, who was trying to simultaneously advance on him and stay out of Miryokuhana’s line of sight as the Sylveon also moved in. He launched the stars in another arc, intending to drive Kuraihono out of the shadows with them, but then the Poochyena came out of nowhere, spinning out of control through the air and landing on top of him, making Kagehikari lose control of the attack. The stars went into a wild spray; some of them hit Kuraihono, but the rest shot past and struck Miryokuhana. Oh, no!

    The Sylveon whirled, glaring at him. “What was that for? I stood up for you! I protected you, and this is how you react?” she hissed. “Now I know why you don’t make friends.” The trees lightened around her as she prepared another Moonblast. Kagehikari staggered to his paws. No chance to dodge, no chance to do anything to evade the attack. To the side, Kuraihono’s rings were going dark as the Umbreon started a second Dark Pulse. Both the Poochyena and Spinda had helpfully deserted the line of fire. Only one thing I can do now; hopefully I can survive this. Maybe. Kagehikari closed his eyes and used Moonlight again, drawing strength from the moon as the furious Sylveon and Umbreon unleashed their attacks. It was Miryokuhana’s he regretted. I didn’t mean to, Miryokuhana. I never wanted to hurt you. He gritted his teeth as the combined light and dark attacks slammed into him.

    He could feel the line – right across his shoulder and down his foreleg – where the two attacks met and light changed to darkness. The moonlight gave him a little protection, but both energies blasted through him, and he fell as the light faded. To his surprise, things didn’t go dark; light surged again, and his energy suddenly exploded from a spark into a fire, running through his whole body. He lifted a forepaw and saw it was glowing white. Even as he watched, his leg lengthened and expanded, and he could feel his fur scrape across the ground as his body grew larger. I’m evolving! Kagehikari felt his full strength return, and more besides. The main thing he noticed, though, was a calm that fell over him. Even his heart rate slowed.

    The light faded, and to his surprise, darkness again failed to return. What have I evolved into? He looked again at his foreleg from where he lay on the ground. His paw was white. Well, that doesn’t help at all. Rising to his paws, everyone around him forgotten, Kagehikari craned his head around, looking across his body. His tail was also tipped in white, but the curved shape and glowing ring around it were unmistakable.

    In his heart, Kagehikari had known he would evolve into an Umbreon. He had learned Moonlight as an Eevee, so how could he be anything else? It also explained how he could see so clearly now. For a moment, he just stood there, enjoying his new feeling of strength and confidence.
    His evolution had surprised everyone into stillness, except Kuraihono. The Umbreon moved in stealthily and launched himself on Miryokuhana, catching her off-guard and dragging her into the shadows where she wouldn’t be able to see him or use Moonblast again. Icy claws gripped Kagehikari’s heart, and he broke into a sprint, running faster than had ever been possible for him before. He got his teeth into Kuraihono’s neck scruff and pulled him off the Sylveon, throwing the other Umbreon to the ground. Kuraihono was still bigger than he was, but Kagehikari hadn’t spent all that time training for nothing. He backed away into the light, taunting the older Pokémon. “Can’t even beat an Eevee properly, can you, Kuraihono? Some Umbreon you make.”

    Kuraihono let out a feral growl, taking the bait and leaving the Sylveon to get up as he charged the smaller Umbreon. Kagehikari was ready for him, sidestepping, grabbing him again in his teeth, and whirling to send his opponent tumbling into the Spinda, who obliged by putting two punches into Kuraihono’s head as he passed. Given that it couldn’t even walk straight, he had no idea how the Spinda punched so accurately. The older Umbreon tried to get up again. Kagehikari concentrated, and a constellation of Swift stars formed around him, silvery now and brighter than ever before. The points of light elongated into streaks, lancing into Kuraihono and throwing the Umbreon to the ground for the third time.

    The Poochyena took advantage of his distraction, and Kagehikari found himself fending off the dog Pokémon as Kuraihono shakily lifted himself to his paws again.

    Miryokuhana limped back into the clear area again, glowing as she angled purposefully towards the middle of everything. Kagehikari didn’t think she was aiming for him, but he got the impression that she didn’t care if he got caught in the blast of whatever she was about to do. He turned, repelling the Poochyena with a kick, and used Moonlight for the third time that night, bracing for her attack.

    The Sylveon flashed white, lighting up the forest again; there was no sound, no force, but the power of the attack staggered Kagehikari and partially blinded him. Dazzling Gleam, he realized. It’s a Fairy attack, so I’m weak to it now, too. He was still up, though, which was more than could be said for Kuraihono and the Poochyena, who had both finally collapsed. The Spinda had taken the attack well, too. It looked around at the two fallen Dark-types, its animosity gone, then started trundling back to its tree. Unexpectedly, a Teddiursa lunged out of a bush, hurling itself on the hurt Spinda, who went down flailing. Kagehikari felt sorry for it; after all, it had been dragged into this fight. He stepped in, pulling the Teddiursa off, knocking it roundly around the head, and growling in its face until it turned tail and left them alone. The Spinda started up its tree, and Kagehikari turned back to see Miryokuhana gasping in pain.

    He ran to her. “What’s wrong?”

    “My leg… it feels like it’s on fire!”

    Kagehikari looked. There was a nasty dark mark from the back of her neck all the way down her left shoulder and foreleg. “Poison,” he breathed. “Kuraihono was covered in it. Let me help you.”

    “There isn’t really anything you can do,” she said.

    “Actually, there is. Just relax.” He came close, closer than he’d ever been to the Sylveon… No, he couldn’t worry about that now. “Hold still,” he soothed, licking at the poisoned area.

    Miryokuhana stiffened. “Don’t!”

    “It’s all right,” he assured her between licks. “It’s Umbreon poison, and I’m an Umbreon now, so I should be immune to it.” He wasn’t entirely sure about that, but it didn’t seem to be burning his mouth or throat, so he pressed on, working his way to her shoulder. Beneath his tongue, he could feel the Sylveon finally start to relax. He kept on until he had cleaned away all the poison he could. “I’m sorry about hitting you earlier,” he said when he’d finished. “It was an accident. Really. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

    She nodded. “I believe you. I’m sorry I got so angry; I hope I didn’t hurt you badly.”

    Kagehikari pushed that aside. “I’m fine. What about you?”

    “It still hurts… but it’s not burning any more. Thank you.” Miryokuhana looked him in the eye. “Poison is really bad for fairy Pokémon. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

    “I’m glad I’m here, then.” Kagehikari wanted to give her a friendly lick behind the ear, but he wasn’t sure it would be all right. He settled for giving the Sylveon a quick touch with his nose.

    She sighed. “Thanks, Kagehikari.” She stirred. “All right. Let’s see if I can stand.” The Sylveon struggled to her paws again, and Kagehikari watched worriedly as her injured leg trembled when she put weight on it. She made it, though, and he relaxed a little as she took a few experimental steps. “I think I can make it to my den all right.”

    “I’ll go with you,” he offered. A warm feeling came over him as the Sylveon gave him a look of gratitude. They set off; Kagehikari stayed on Miryokuhana’s left side, not sure what he would do, but he hoped he could catch her if she stumbled.

    They made it back to her den without incident, although she had a hard time getting over some rocks. “I’ll be all right from here,” she told him when they arrived.

    “You’re sure?” he asked, and got a nod in response.

    “All right… I’ll come check on you in the morning, though.”

    “Thanks, Kagehikari,” the Sylveon said. Then she laughed. “Kagehikari, huh?”

    “What?” he asked, wondering what she found funny.

    “Your parents sure called that one.”

    He looked himself over. An Umbreon with white rings, paws, and tail… “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he replied, with a laugh of his own. She looked at him one more time, then turned and limped into her den. “I’ll come back tomorrow,” he promised again.

    “Thank you. Good night.”

    “Good night, Miryokuhana.”

    He turned toward home, still worried about the Sylveon. As he neared his family’s den, though, another worry crept in. What would his parents do when a strange Umbreon showed up? Father would probably be all right, but if Mother saw him first, he might have to do his explaining from the ground, with a leaf at his throat.

    With that in mind, it was probably better to see his parents before they saw him. That would be easier now, though; his night vision was far better than anyone else’s now. The feeling of calm and quiet that had fallen over him when he evolved was still there too, and he found it easy to move almost noiselessly through the trees and bushes. The night felt like a friend.

    Kagehikari listened as he moved closer to the den. Nothing. He arrived to find it empty. Mother and Father must be out searching for him. He’d never been gone at night for this long before; they had to be worried. And I did get chased about halfway across the forest and ended up in a fight with four other Pokémon… so maybe they’re right.

    He left the den behind, moving quickly into the shadows; he was still a little apprehensive about suddenly running into Mother. Moving away from the den, he increased his pace and started tracing a circle he hoped would let him catch up to one of his parents. It took longer than he expected, but then he made out the sound of paws pattering hurriedly, then stopping for a few seconds. Listening. He stopped too, then realized that if it was Mother, he didn’t want to surprise her. The next time the steps stopped, Kagehikari took a few more himself, making them deliberately clumsy.  Some instinct told him the other Pokémon was now aware of him.

    A few moments later, a voice came uncertainly through the trees. “Son?”

    Kagehikari unexpectedly had to blink away a tear. “I’m here, Mother.” He started making his way toward her voice, and then something occurred to him. “I evolved, by the way, so don’t… you know.” He could see her outline through the bushes now. When he emerged, he heard her gasp. “I’m an Umbreon now.”

    “What happened tonight?”

    Kagehikari sighed. “It’s a long story.”

    She nodded, regaining control. “Let’s find Kaminarikin and you can tell it once.”

    Mother led him unerringly to another area where Father was looking around. He turned as they approached. “Kage, is that really you?” Kagehikari nodded, and he let out a sigh. “We were worried about you. But at least you’re safe.” He turned back to the den still staring at the newly evolved Umbreon, and they followed. “What happened tonight?”

    “Well, Kuraihono was waiting for me this morning,” Kagehikari began. “I ended up telling him I could use Moonlight, and he got mad at me and told me I had to prove it tonight. And when I did, he attacked me… and I ran.”

    Father made a disgusted noise in his throat. “Typical. Of him, not you,” he hastened to assure the shiny Umbreon. “If he were our son…” he trailed off. “Sorry. Go on.”

    Kagehikari thought back some more. “I ran into Miryokuhana. She tried to stop things, but then Kuraihono insulted her, and she attacked him. I ran again, but he still chased me. I left Eon territory by accident –“ he winced as Father looked sharply at him “–and then a Poochyena attacked me. One of Miryokuhana’s attacks knocked a Spinda out of a tree. Everything went crazy after that.” He paused, considering how to describe the next part; he didn’t want to talk about how he’d hit Miryokuhana. “I had to use Moonlight again when I got attacked – and then I evolved.”

    Father nodded, not looking at him. “And then?”

    “Well, after that the battle was almost over. Everyone was either knocked out or ran off, except Miryokuhana. And Kuraihono had gotten poison on her – he was covered in it – so she was in bad shape. I did what I could for her, and made sure she got back to her den okay. That’s part of why it took me so long to get back.”

    “Is she all right?” Mother asked him.

    “I think so. I’m going to check on her tomorrow morning.”

    “Good.” Mother gave him a sidelong glance. “You like her.”

    “What? I didn’t say that!” Kagehikari protested.

    Mother nodded in satisfaction. “I was right. No, don’t be embarrassed. It’s a good thing. I’m happy for you.” She didn’t quite look it, though, and Kagehikari wondered why.

    Father added, “Now that you’ve evolved, it’s time for you to start making a life for yourself. You can stay with us for a while, but you’ll need to find a place for your own den and your own family. Maybe Miryokuhana will be part of that.” Kagehikari couldn’t deny that he hoped so.

    “Will I still see you?” he asked, worried.

    “Of course, Hikari. You’re hard to miss, you know – not every Umbreon has a spiral on their head.”

    Kagehikari gasped in surprise. “I have a spiral on my head?” Father laughed a little and nodded, and Kagehikari resolved to find a pool of water as soon as possible so he could see exactly what he looked like now.

    They were back to their den now, and Kagehikari lay down where he usually did, noting absently how clear the dark den looked. As Mother and Father settled down as well, he noticed that things did seem a little crowded. He wouldn’t be able to stay long. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day, he thought with a yawn. Before he fell asleep, he heard Father’s voice again. “Kage?”

    “Yes?”

    “We’re proud of you. I hope you know that.”

    “Thanks, Father. I love you.”

    “We love you too, Kage. Good night.”