Dawn The Buneary

I'm what you might call a Pokémon fanatic. I have what must be a million cards (no doubles), many figurines and plushies and I own or have owned all of the games at some point or another. I've owned and trained every Pokémon available, even the event exclusive ones thanks to a lot of bribing. Well, all except two. One very, very simple Pokémon that isn't uncommon in Eterna forest, and its evolution.

Buneary and Loppuny.

Those two Pokémon are my favourites ever, but whenever I encounter Buneary it either faints, knocks out all my Pokémon or I run out of Pokeballs. The darn thing hates my guts, and I have no idea why. And of course, the only way to get Loppuny is evolving Buneary. And before you ask, I never trade for a Pokémon if it is available in game - That seems like cheating to me.

Plus, I'll get more satisfaction from catching it myself the natural way. It had been ages since my last try at catching one, so I thought I'd have another shot at it. I took my DS and copy of Pearl, grabbed my level nineteen Blissey, and dragged its butt over to Eterna forest. I met Wurmple, Cascoon and Budew galore, even a few Dustox, and pummelled them all with Blissey's Hyper Beam. But there were no Buneary. I must have searched for hours without success. Finally I sighed, and decided to give up. But as I was leaving, guess what came out of the grass?

Buneary. But not just any Buneary. I watched the shining stars twirl around her, fascinated by the pink cotton fluff on her body. I must have sat there in amazement for at least ten minutes, just staring. Eventually I pulled out of my stupor - God, it was a FREAKING SHINY! I had to catch it! But I knew that Blissey would knock it out in a hit... and shoot. I had only had one Great Ball. Betcha million bucks I wouldn't catch it with that. Well, here goes nothing...

One roll. Well, that was a good start. Two rolls. It'll do three and break free. Just watch. Three rolls. Collective sigh on three, people! One, two...

"Gotcha! BUNEARY was caught!"

EH? I... I caught it! I really caught it! Not only that, but it was a shiny! Oh, I was so happy right now, I could scream. In fact, I did. Very loudly. I loving poured over every detail of my favourite Pokémon, her cotton candy fur, her widdle button nose and big, shiny eyes. She was the cutest little thing that ever did exist. I named her Dawn. I simply couldn't wait to evolve her to a Lopunny.

I started training her straight away in that very area. She was very strong, unusually so for a Buneary. Within half an hour she had reached level thirty and loved me to pieces and I loved her just as much.

I happily fought the last Pokémon I needed to beat for Dawn to level up - her happiness was at maximum, so that meant that she would be evolving. I'd finally have my Lopunny! One last Jump Kick, and my foe, Dustox, was no more. I jittered in my seat as the evolution screen came up. Only a few seconds left...

"Dawn doesn't want to evolve!"

What!? Why?! ...Hang on a second. Pokémon can't choose whether or not they evolve. That's ridiculous. I tried again several times, but she just wouldn't evolve. I felt a sigh escape me as I looked back at Dawn. Oh well. I could always train another.

I looked around for another Buneary, and found one within minutes. Just a regular Buneary, male this time. I caught him easily, but it held no thrill like before. I felt nothing. Breathing out a sigh in disappointment, I named him Steven and set about getting him up to max happiness. But I just couldn't get into it. I huffed in anger and shut the DS down, planning to get back to it in a better state of mind. However, I was still in a foul mood the next morning when I began training again. After many long LONG hours of half hearted leveling, I finally got my Loppuny. But it bought no joy. I had really wanted Dawn to be my precious shiny Loppuny.

I don't know why I was so fussed, to be honest. I'd had plenty of shinies before, so I barely payed a blind bit of notice to them now. But... Dawn was special. She had come out just for me.

Wait, stop. Reverse. Come out for me? What was I saying? She was... no, IT was a mass of pixels on a tiny screen. It couldn't 'come out' for anyone. Oh well; best to put these strange thoughts out of my mind. I left it a few days before I played Pokémon again - I was completely swamped with homework, as I had been spending all my time training then I got Heartgold.

It was such an amazing game - I loved the way your Pokémon wandered behind you, interacting with the environment. It was a joy to play and I had it finished within a week. First thing I did after that? Transfer my Pokémon from Pearl to Heartgold.

I had missed my generation four team and eagerly welcomed them back. Then I remembered my wonderful Steven. I immediately grabbed him out of the PC and set him first in my party. Oh, what a joy it was to have him leaping behind me! But... the joy only lasted a few seconds before a depressing feeling came over me. Steven... wasn't right. He wasn't who I needed to see.

I ran to my PC and planned to put him back, but something inspired me to turn and talk to him. "Steven is feeling dizzy!"

Wait, what? His HP was full. Pokémon only felt dizzy if they had really low HP. I talked to him again. "Steven is clutching his chest in pain!"

That was not a set line. I knew all of them. What the Hell was going on with my Pokémon?! I felt concern blossoming in my chest, and tapped A again. I had to know what was happening.

"Steven keeled over!"

Oh my god, seriously, what was happening?! His overworld sprite had actually fallen to its knees, no longer following me. Panic rushed through my veins. I quickly ran over to Nurse Joy, begging that something could be done about him.

"Hello there! Welcome to the Pokemon Centre. We restore your Pokemon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pokemon?"

"Yes, freaking YES!" I shouted in panic.

"Heal Steven!"

"Okay, I'll take your Pokemon for a few seconds."

Yes, please, please help him... My Loppuny... Nurse Joy turned back to me.

"I'm sorry. Your Loppuny seems to have had a heart attack. I'm afraid he didn't make it."

No... no. That can't be true. Pokémon don't die... Do they? I checked my party and Grovyle was first in my party - Steven had gone. I felt crushed. My only ever Lopunny was... dead.

It was then I remembered who was supposed to be my Lopunny - Dawn. My precious shiny Buneary. I could remember not evolving her for some reason... Heh, guess I'd do it now. I grabbed her from my PC, but I couldn't stop my self from lingering on her summary screen. She was so perfect, so amazing, so special... Time to evolve, Dawn.

As we were walking, I tried to recall the reason for delaying her evolution. I had no idea why I hadn't done it. Thank god she was only 10 XP points away from leveling up, so after the destruction of one Ratata I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for it eagerly...

"Dawn doesn't want to evolve!"

... Damn. Now I remembered. Every single time I tried to evolve the little devil, she just refused blatantly. Oh well, no use whipping a dead horse. I kept her in my party, first place. I talked to her so often that I probably said more to her in an hour than I said to anyone else in my life in a whole week. But, of course, people grow and change. I found a wild Mareep in the tall grass near Violet city; and it was SHINY. Oh, it was so pink and fluffy and... and I just had to have it! I sent out Dawn and promptly ordered her to use Swagger as I knew an attack would knock out the Mareep instantly.

"Dawn ignored orders! Dawn used Jump Kick! The wild MAREEP fainted!"

Now THAT should not have happened. I had all sixteen badges, so Pokémon should obey me at any level. Heck, Dawn was only level sixty three, too! This certain event really ticked me off. I immediately turned to her - maybe something she had to say would explain her crazy behaviour.

"Dawn is stamping her feet and whining."

What is with all these wacko lines? And why the temper tantrum? "Alright, little missy, start explaining." No, I don't care that I'm talking to a game. I do that all the time. Give me a break. I spoke to her again.

"Dawn is snuggling your hand."

Aw, how cute. "Don't think this gets you out of this," I stated sternly. Without a prompt, new text began to scroll. "Dawn is licking your hand."

The hell? That wasn't a set line. Oh, god, I don't know why I'm even SURPRISED any more.

"Dawn bit your hand!"

"YOWCH!" I dropped the DS as a sharp pain suddenly flourished in my flesh. I squeezed my hand tightly, rubbed it, even tried banging it on the wall but the pain would not go away. I turned back to the DS to see the avatar struggling on the spot, running but going no where. Bracing my teeth, I pressed A again repeatedly.

"Dawn is holding tightly and won't let go!"

"Dawn is grinning around its mouthful."

"Dawn is chewing softly!"

"Dawn likes the taste!"

"Dawn would rather eat you than lose you!"

She would rather...!? This Buneary was wrong in the head. No two ways about it. I tried mashing the buttons to get away from her, but the pain only increased tenfold the more I tried. When I finally gave up hope and was about to press the power to escape, a new window opened.

"Dawn released your hand."

Ah, that was much better. I had almost forgotten what no pain felt like. I felt really uncomfortable, just sitting there, waiting for something to happen. It never even crossed my mind to try the controls. Eventually Dawn jumped up and down happily, the smiling face appearing above her head.

"Dawn has a secret to tell you."

Here we go... What would a psycho Buneary want to tell you? Despite my logic, I found myself leaning in slightly.

"Dawn wants you to come closer."

So I leaned closer. I don't know why, it just felt... better.

"Dawn still can't reach your ear"

I was now so close to the DS my nose was almost touching the screen. I saw something silver flash behind

Dawn's back... What was that?

"Master, I love you... hehehe!"

I felt fear flow throughout my body as the high pitched, sing song voice echoed from the speaker. The object behind her back was growing clearer, but I still couldn't make it out.

"I won't let anyone else have you... ufufu!"

That giggling... it was enough to turn the bravest man in the world into a pile of jelly. I was no where near brave, so you can imagine how I was feeling right now. Wait, behind her back..! That was a...!

"Master..."

Suddenly, I felt a sharp, piercing pain shatter my very core. I gasped in surprise, but it wasn't much of a gasp - My breath would not come. I choked and spluttered for air, drawing only a tiny bit in at a time. I felt something warm and wet all along the front of my chest, and looked down to see something silver, shiny and phillip headed sticking out of my chest.

Adrenaline rushed through me, but it came too late. As my life blood poured and my consciousness slowly slipped away, I could see the faint outline of Dawn on the DS screen. Her eyes were wide and white, rimmed with black, and black tears running down her face.

She smiled manically, showing sharp teeth and brandishing a blood stained screwdriver as she whispered softly, almost musically, "We'll be together forever... Master... lalala!"