Veeschool

Author’s notes: Do not read this story if you like Rattata or Raticate.
Please look up any Pokemon you do not recognize at http://veekun.com/

The cheep cheeping of Pidgey and Spearow heralded the morning to the residents of a fern and moss-covered glen just east of the edge of Viridian Forest. A comely matron of a Flareon awoke with a yawn and rolled to her feet. This motion awakened her declared mate, a sprightly Eevee with extra-large eyes and feet, who leaped upright, licked his mate affectionately, and pranced away to look for breakfast.

'Wakey wakey, Little Freia,' said the Flareon, poking her little Eevee daughter, who giggled cutely and rolled over in her sleep. Her mom gave her a wet nose to the face, gently shocking her awake. 'Rise and shine, honey, it's almost time for Veeschool.'

'But Mommy, I don't want to go to Veeschool,' protested Freia, rolling over and lying still. Veeschool, or the institution for the fun and profit of wild Eevee youngsters, was not required by the authority of any ruling legendary Pokemon, but it was in vogue among the Eon families of Viridian Forest and the lands beyond, and Freia's family thought it wise to subscribe to it. 'You know Flareth doesn't mandate it.'

'Yes, but,' her mother began.

'Flareth doesn't even exist, cutie,' finished her father, having just returned with a clump or two of berries in tow. 'How's my cute lil' Freia? Already forgot the basic facts about the legendaries?'

'Now Darien, don't go too hard on her,' put in Freia's mother.

'Sure you don't want to get up?' asked Darien of his daughter, 'I brought your favorite,' he said, teasing the little Eevee by dangling a vine of the fruit above her supine form.

'Whoopie, Lum Berries!' Freia jumped upright in excitement and pawed at the super hard green fruit.

'That'll do it,' smiled her mother as the three engulfed their breakfast like a whirlwind.

'Time to go, baby,' said Freia's mom, presenting to the small Eevee a bundle containing her necessary implements.

'Uguu, Veeschool,' whined Freia, remembering the reason her parents had got her up.

'It's not as bad as you say, tiny goddess of death, and you know it.' Freia had been named after Freya, because her parents still couldn't decide on a name for her even after she was born. As a tiny Eevee, she made her mother lose so much sleep that she complained to her mate, 'Your daughter will be the death of me,' and that sealed it. 'When your baba and I were kids, we got drilled weekly by an Arcanine who had been through a war. He thought his species was a inch from being legendary Pokemon and he made sure we knew it.'

Darien asked his daughter, 'So, my treasure, shall we go to the race?'

'I know the way, Baba,' said Freia confidently, 'Please let me go myself while you have fun with Mommy.'

When her father frowned, his mate argued, 'Freia's a big girl; she's be fine.'

'Are you sure, Seline?' asked Darien with genuine concern in his voice.

Seline nodded, placing confidence in her daughter. 'Besides, Freia's instructors will be pleased to notice that she arrived to class without an escort.'

'There's no need to be a worry-wart,' Darien argued aloud with himself, then smiled with just his big, bright eyes at his daughter and mate, 'Let us never forget what I like to call The Unseen Hand of Protection.'

'Yay!' yipped Freia, and she skipped off toward the forest.

Mid-way between between Veeschool and home, just too far for anyone to hear her from either direction if she shouted, the little Eevee was waylaid by a sizable bundle of wrath. A huge rodent with webbed feet and shapely incisors squeaked at her, 'Now's my Chansey! Far too many of my little cousins have been eaten by your kind. Well, guess what? You taste almost as good as we do.' With that, the Raticate tripped the Eevee with Tail Whip, flung her into the air, and was about to chomp down with Hyper Fang when a Quick Attack knocked him onto his rear. The rodent turned with a snarl,
'Wazzat?'

'Hee-yah! Fizzim speezakk!' announced the newcomer as it hurled itself through the air, knocked the Raticate into the air with three Quick Attacks in a triangular formation, and proceeded to karate-kick some sense into him. They landed in a heap with the Raticate on the bottom.

'So sorry Lord Eevee,' apologized the defeated rat in a wheedling tone, 'Just let me go and I'll never eat meat again.' The victor jumped off him, and he made good his retreat.

Freia who by now had landed safely and hid behind a bush witnessing the match, emerged and smiled shyly at the other Eevee. 'Thank you so very much. How did you ever pull that off?'

'Veeschool,' answered the Eevee with a twinkle in its eye, 'you really ought to pay more attention.'

'Yeah, right,' laughed Freia, 'We only learned Quick Attack three days ago.'

'Fine,' agreed the Eevee with a fake pout, 'My mother is a dancer and my father is called The Eevee That Should Evolve Into a Fighting-type.'

Freia beamed. 'Please escorted me to Veeschool, Mr.--'

'No need for the formality. We ain't the Eon nobility, you know. Call me Comet.'

'Wow, a broom star. My name's Freia.'

'Cool, the goddess of death. Well, shall we go to the race?'

'Hey, that's my father's line!' said Freia with surprised happiness. 'Next, you're going to offer me a Lum Berry.'

'Here's one,' complied Comet, handing her the requested fruit and gulping one down himself. 'I bet they're your favorite too?'

'That's right,' smiled Freia.

They arrived without further incident and spent the day training in everything from physical training,

'Ah, Comet, the teacher's demanding too much of us. I can't move anymore.'

'Take this,' Comet replied, placing his forepaw on hers, and she got up and continued with renewed energy.

to basic mathematics.

'How do you solve this one? I'm totally stumped.'

Comet's forepaw flew across the ledger. 'One over Hubble's constant equals the age of the universe.'

The Veeschool day ended and the pair walked home together, splitting up where they met. 'Bye Comet, see you tomorrow, same place, same time.'

'No,' said Comet flatly.

Freia looked like she was about to cry.

Comet smiled and winked at her. 'I'm meeting you at the edge of the forest. I don't want a repeat of today's ratty situation.'

'Yippee!' exulted Freia as she gave him a hug. 'My family lives there, so I'll introduce you to them.'

Freia's expression was as radiant sunlight all the way through Viridian Forest.

The sky had barely turned a light blue and the first Ledyba were beginning to awaken with a lazy buzz, when an energetic little girl of an Eevee hopped to her feet. 'Ai yah, why are Mommy and Baba such sleepyheads?' She gave both her parents the wet nose, and they awoke with a start.

'Good Entei! What is it at this hour, Freia?'

'Is it time for Veeschool yet?