The Tale of Tack and Cate

It was early afternoon and Cate could see Tack lying in the sun, waiting for humans to come. Not many humans passed here and few young Rattata or Raticate chose to go with trainers. But Tack was determined to do so, no matter how much Cate and others made fun of him.

“A human could take me to battle in the Pokemon League!” Tack insisted many times.

“And what would be the point of that?” scoffed Cate every time. “The glory would all go to the human, not to you.”

“I could see the world!” Tack would say.

“You can’t see much from inside a Pokeball.” Cate would reply.

Cate had told Tack many times that he could go wherever he wanted for all she cared. She had to admit that he was rather handsome for a Raticate, but no matter how much her parents had encouraged their friendship, Cate wanted nothing to do with him.

Tack seemed to Cate equally little about Cate, and persisted in wandering the woods searching for signs of humans.

But that day a human found Tack, and disaster struck.

It was a man with long black hair and pale skin, walking through the woods carrying a sack. When Tack saw him, he jumped out and called a challenge, waiting for the man to throw a Pokeball. But the man had no pokeballs on his belt. He just laughed, and threw the sack over Tack. Tack was too surprised to fight back at first, and soon he was securely tied up. The man headed off down the path with Tack on his shoulder.

Cate had been watching the whole thing, too far away to run and help. But she ran to the other Raticates and told them what had happened.

The eldest female was in charge of the group, but she only shook her head when she heard Cate’s story.

“Many females have just given birth. No one can be spared to chase down that foolish young one. If you want to help Tack, you will have to do it yourself.”

Cate didn’t stop to think, she just ran off down the path in the direction the human had taken Tack.

For a long time she saw no one. Then she passed a Meowth sitting by the side of the road.

“Excuse me,” she said politely, “but have you seen a human pass by here?”

The Meowth opened its mouth and made noises Cate could not understand.

Cate stared at the Meowth, puzzled, until finally it said, “Don’t you understand human language?”

“No,” said Cate. “Not very well, and I’ve never heard of a Meowth who could speak it.”

“Whatever,” said the Meowth lazily. “Anyway, I was just telling you I saw a freaky-looking guy with black hair and a bag walk by… that your trainer?”

“I don’t have a trainer! That man kidnapped a Raticate!”

The Meowth shrugged, a human gesture Cate soon figured out. “People capture Pokemon; that’s how it works.”

“So you don’t mind belonging to a human?” Cate persisted.

“Well,” said the Meowth huffily, “I personally do not belong to a human! I just… hang around with two of them.”

“And they don’t mind you wandering around on your own?”

“They’re a little mad at me… I mean, I’m a little mad at them right now, so I took a walk to cool off.”

“Fine,” said Cate. “You can help me find this human. He didn’t capture Tack in a Pokeball, he stuffed him in a sack!”

“That’s weird,” said the Meowth. “But why should I help you?”

“Because maybe you’ll be the next one in a sack!”

“Nah, my humans would protect me… well, they might try to… come to think of it, I guess I’d better check this out.”

They continued down the path together.

Eventually they saw a small path that led off from the main one and took that. It led to a dilapidated wooden building.

The Meowth was starting to get nervous. So was Cate. But they agreed to go up to the window and look in.

Inside was the largest Arbok they had ever seen.

“Woah!” yelled the Meowth.

The Arbok looked up. “Food?” it asked in a thick voice.

“We ain’t food… what’s your problem?” asked the Meowth.

“Master not bring food for days… master promise me food…”

“Your master hasn’t been bringing you… Pokemon, has he?” asked Cate nervously.

“I have to eat… or I will die…” said the Arbok sadly.

“Oh no… but that can’t be what happened to Tack if he hasn’t eaten for days…”

“It’s not like Pokemon never attack each other,” said the Meowth. “But humans feeding Pokemon to each other, that’s just sick. I mean, my humans feed their Arbok Pokechow just like they give all of them.”

“Them?” asked Cate.

“Well, you don’t think I eat that garbage?”

“Arbok, if we let you out, will you promise not to eat us?” asked Cate

“Yessss…..”

They door was bolted from the outside, and they were struggling with it when they heard footsteps. Quickly they hid in bushes nearby.

It was the black-haired man, still with a sack.

“All I found was a Raticate, Arbok. But at least this way you’re getting mean and tough, huh?”

“This guy is sick,” whispered Meowth.

“That’s Tack he’s got in that bag,” moaned Cate.

Then Cate rushed out at the man, yelling “Drop the bag!”

He didn’t understand her, and he didn’t drop the bag.

“Look, Arbok, more food!” he said.

He reached for Cate, but she snarled at bit at his hand.

Then Meowth ran out. “Drop the bag, you sicko!” he yelled in human language.

Confused, the man did drop it.

Meowth ran at then with his claws out. The man began running toward the main path with Meowth and Cate chasing him.

“We can stop here,” said Meowth as he disappeared in the distance. “He’ll be falling into a pit right about… now.”

They heard a yell.

“A pit?” asked Cate.

“Don’t ask,” replied Meowth. “My humans dug it.”

Cate ran back and opened the bag then. Tack was stunned but alive.

Cate rubbed Tack’s ears and tried to wake him up while Meowth unbolted the door and set the Arbok free.

“This thing better keep its word not to eat us,” he muttered.

“Thankssss…” it said. “I look for good trainer now….” And it slithered off.

Finally Tack woke up.

“Now you know what to think of humans, you fool!” yelled Cate.

“They’re not all so bad,” said Meowth.

“I could have been Arbok food?” asked Tack after Cate and Meowth explained.

“Yeah,” said Meowth. “And speaking of food, I’d better get going, my humans will be fixing lunch about now, once they’re done arguing with the guy in the pit.”

“What will happen to that man?” asked Tack.

“Something bad, I hope,” said Meowth. “Guess I’ll have to call the police.” He shuddered.

They said goodbye and finally Tack and Cate began walking back to their families.

“Tack,” said Cate finally. “If you really want to go looking for a good trainer, I guess I shouldn’t try to stop you, even after this.”

“No,” he replied. “I’m not afraid, but I don’t think I’ll go. Mostly I wanted to travel the world to find a mate, but it isn’t worth it.”

“A mate?”

Tack nodded. “None of the females in our group think I’m worth much.”

Cate cuffed his ear. “You’re not so bad. You just need someone to take care of you, that’s all.”

Tack stopped and looked at her. “You going to volunteer?”

“We’ll see,” said Cate, laughing.

She touched her nose to him for a moment, and then they ran off chasing each other.

The End