Houndoom's Flame
“The flames it breathes when angry contain toxins. If they cause a burn, it will hurt forever” -Houndoom, Platinum Pokedex Entry
Timmy's POV
“It's my turn now!” My friend, Brent, called out as he got ready to run. We were jumping in a big leaf pile we had raked up around Solaceon Town. It was only the middle of Autumn, and the pile was already huge. He jumped into the pile with a running start, scattering leaves everywhere.
Sure, it was pretty fun for my friends, but it wasn't to me. Even though I was only twelve, I thought jumping in leaves was childish and makes a mess, and that's why I'm always willing to rake. Brent and the others always say that I'm too serious, but don't mind. I guess that's just my nature.
I'm into more serious affairs, like pokemon battling. I've been trying to become a trainer, but my only pokemon, a Shinx, is too lazy too battle. He's timid, running off any time he hears a loud noise. And all he seems to do is sleep and eat.
Speaking of Shinx, I see him running across the dirt path that leads to my house. Soon he jumps into our leaf pile. I gently pick him up, and was instantly surprised by his expression; his fur was on-end, tail puffed up and all. He seemed to be quivering in my hands.
“What's wrong, Shinx?” I petted him for awhile, which seemed to calm him down a bit.
“Maybe he was puffed because he was discharging electricity or something...” My other friend, Amanda, explained. Electric is her favorite pokemon type, so she knows a lot about them. But I don't think that's what happened to Shinx.
“I don't think so, Amanda. You know how timid he is.” I tried to retrace the route my pokemon took in my mind. Now that I think of it, he had dozed off to Route 210 a few hours ago. But how far would he have gone? “He had walked to Route 210 awhile ago, so maybe a pokemon there scared him.”
“Your right, Timmy. Maybe we should check it out, and maybe even catch you a pokemon while we're at it!” Amanda nudged me with her elbow. Actually, that does sound like a good idea.
“Speaking of that, do you guys wanna go to my house in Veilstone City? It's a great place. And we only have to travel through Route 210 and 215 to get there.” Brent suggested. Actually, that does sound like a good idea. I haven't been there in forever!
“I'm up for it. Timmy?”
“Yeah. I'll go. But I need to tell my mom first.” I dashed back to my house at the edge of Solaceon Town. I opened the door and put Shinx down. He crawled under the couch, where mom was sitting. “Hey mom. Is it okay if I go to Brent's house in Veilstone? I promise I'll only be there for the night, I think.” I could tell she was unsure for a moment, but she agreed,
“Okay. Just watch out for the Houndoom on Route 214. They seem to be popping out recently, according to the news.”
“Houndoom? What about them?”
“It's just that they are very dangerous for non-trainers. Be careful out there, okay?”
“Okay. Don't worry, I have Brent and Amanda with me. They have pokemon. Bye!” I waved as I headed out the door. Houndoom. Huh, I've heard about that pokemon from Brent. All I remember is that it's a Dark and Fire type. Maybe that was what scared Shinx...
“Here we are! Veilstone City, at night time! Beautiful, ain't it?” Brent exclaimed as he toured us around the city. It became night once we got here, and the street lights illuminated the city beautifully.
“Yeah, I guess.” I responded. I wasn't able to catch any pokemon along the way here, and I didn't bother to bring Shinx with me.
“Hey, cheer up. Maybe Route 214 has some better pokemon.” I jumped at Amanda's suggestion. Mom said that there are Houndoom there!
“No way! My mom said that there are Houndoom on Route 214!”
“Aw, sweet! Houndoom!” Brent's eyes lit up. Oh, I forgot. Brent loves dark and scary stuff, especially at this time of the year. Great, now he'll be even more determined to go. “Well, Timmy. If you don't wanna go, then don't. But me and Amanda are going, and I'm gonna catch that Houndoom!”
Well, I guess there's no convincing them. I gaze on as they walk further into the city.
“Now I can go to his-” Crap. I forgot where his house was. That trickster! Brent would have told me where his house was if he didn't care. He wants me to go with him!
“Fine, Brent. Only this one time...” I said under my breath. I trotted around try to find a gate. I finally found it, a few feet from the game corner. I walked in.
“Hey, kid. Are you a trainer?” The receptionist asked. I turned to him,
“No. I'm just looking for my friends, they left for Route 214 awhile ago.” His eyes widened, a mix of both surprise and worry.
“O-okay. Just be cautious, kid. Very-” He was cut of by a scream that pierced the air. It sounded like Amanda!
“Gotta go! Bye!” I'm sure the receptionist didn't understand me by how quickly I said that. But it didn't matter.
“Wait!” He pleaded me to stay. I did not listen. Now a full on sprint, I dashed of to Route 214.
“Amanda? Brent? Where are you?” I called desperatley.
“Timmy! We're up here!” I look where the sound came from. They were up. In a tree.
“We tried to catch it, but it was just too strong! It beat both my Sneasel and Amanda's Pachirisu!” Brent explained, panting heavily. “It's so angry. It started chasing us, So we climbed up here.”
“Timmy, watch out!” Amanda pointed towards some trees. Two blood red eyes stare at me. A chill went up my spine as it stepped out, taking form. It was hard to decipher in the dark, but it was a canine.
So, this must be Houndoom. The horrible dark pokemon everyone is warned about. I tried to move, but I seem to be paralyzed in place, by fear. I noticed flames were spewing from its mouth.
It slowly crept in a circle around me, as if teasing a victim. It looked towards the sky and let out an ear-piercing howl. I watched it for a few moments more. Just when I thought the Houndoom would do nothing, it sprang.
Tackling me to the ground, the jaws opened. The sight was sickening; flames engulfed it's sharp teeth. I braced myself for pain as it bore it's teeth into my shoulder.
“Jolteon, Quick Attack!” A flash of yellow charged into Houndoom, taking the weight off me. I see a girl appear in sight before I close my eyes and scream. The skin on my shoulder felt like it was melting off.
“Thank you, trainer! Thank you thank you!” I hear Brent say rapidly.
“Your welcome. But we need to get your friend to a pokemon center!” After hearing that, I pass out.
My eyes take time to adjust to the sudden light. Once it did, I clearly saw people surrounding me; some nurses, Brent, Amanda, an old man, and the girl.
“Ah, you're awake. You can thank Dawn here for saving you.” The old man gestured toward the girl.
“Sorry, Timmy. Professor Rowan told us more about Houndoom. We are so sorry we didn't help you.” Amanda explained, a troubled expression plastered on her face.
“Um, what about Houndoom?” I ask groggily. I assumed I was at the pokemon center. I then whimper at the pain in my shoulder. I look at it; my whole left shoulder was burning were it bit me.
“Well, Houndoom's flames it breathes contain toxins. If you were to get a burn from it, it will hurt forever.” Dawn explained.
Wait, but I did get burned... I look at my shoulder one more time, frowning. All I could see now were glowing red eyes, piercing my soul.
“The flames it breathes when angry contain toxins. If they cause a burn, it will hurt forever” -Houndoom, Platinum Pokedex Entry
Timmy's POV
“It's my turn now!” My friend, Brent, called out as he got ready to run. We were jumping in a big leaf pile we had raked up around Solaceon Town. It was only the middle of Autumn, and the pile was already huge. He jumped into the pile with a running start, scattering leaves everywhere.
Sure, it was pretty fun for my friends, but it wasn't to me. Even though I was only twelve, I thought jumping in leaves was childish and makes a mess, and that's why I'm always willing to rake. Brent and the others always say that I'm too serious, but don't mind. I guess that's just my nature.
I'm into more serious affairs, like pokemon battling. I've been trying to become a trainer, but my only pokemon, a Shinx, is too lazy too battle. He's timid, running off any time he hears a loud noise. And all he seems to do is sleep and eat.
Speaking of Shinx, I see him running across the dirt path that leads to my house. Soon he jumps into our leaf pile. I gently pick him up, and was instantly surprised by his expression; his fur was on-end, tail puffed up and all. He seemed to be quivering in my hands.
“What's wrong, Shinx?” I petted him for awhile, which seemed to calm him down a bit.
“Maybe he was puffed because he was discharging electricity or something...” My other friend, Amanda, explained. Electric is her favorite pokemon type, so she knows a lot about them. But I don't think that's what happened to Shinx.
“I don't think so, Amanda. You know how timid he is.” I tried to retrace the route my pokemon took in my mind. Now that I think of it, he had dozed off to Route 210 a few hours ago. But how far would he have gone? “He had walked to Route 210 awhile ago, so maybe a pokemon there scared him.”
“Your right, Timmy. Maybe we should check it out, and maybe even catch you a pokemon while we're at it!” Amanda nudged me with her elbow. Actually, that does sound like a good idea.
“Speaking of that, do you guys wanna go to my house in Veilstone City? It's a great place. And we only have to travel through Route 210 and 215 to get there.” Brent suggested. Actually, that does sound like a good idea. I haven't been there in forever!
“I'm up for it. Timmy?”
“Yeah. I'll go. But I need to tell my mom first.” I dashed back to my house at the edge of Solaceon Town. I opened the door and put Shinx down. He crawled under the couch, where mom was sitting. “Hey mom. Is it okay if I go to Brent's house in Veilstone? I promise I'll only be there for the night, I think.” I could tell she was unsure for a moment, but she agreed,
“Okay. Just watch out for the Houndoom on Route 214. They seem to be popping out recently, according to the news.”
“Houndoom? What about them?”
“It's just that they are very dangerous for non-trainers. Be careful out there, okay?”
“Okay. Don't worry, I have Brent and Amanda with me. They have pokemon. Bye!” I waved as I headed out the door. Houndoom. Huh, I've heard about that pokemon from Brent. All I remember is that it's a Dark and Fire type. Maybe that was what scared Shinx...
“Here we are! Veilstone City, at night time! Beautiful, ain't it?” Brent exclaimed as he toured us around the city. It became night once we got here, and the street lights illuminated the city beautifully.
“Yeah, I guess.” I responded. I wasn't able to catch any pokemon along the way here, and I didn't bother to bring Shinx with me.
“Hey, cheer up. Maybe Route 214 has some better pokemon.” I jumped at Amanda's suggestion. Mom said that there are Houndoom there!
“No way! My mom said that there are Houndoom on Route 214!”
“Aw, sweet! Houndoom!” Brent's eyes lit up. Oh, I forgot. Brent loves dark and scary stuff, especially at this time of the year. Great, now he'll be even more determined to go. “Well, Timmy. If you don't wanna go, then don't. But me and Amanda are going, and I'm gonna catch that Houndoom!”
Well, I guess there's no convincing them. I gaze on as they walk further into the city.
“Now I can go to his-” Crap. I forgot where his house was. That trickster! Brent would have told me where his house was if he didn't care. He wants me to go with him!
“Fine, Brent. Only this one time...” I said under my breath. I trotted around try to find a gate. I finally found it, a few feet from the game corner. I walked in.
“Hey, kid. Are you a trainer?” The receptionist asked. I turned to him,
“No. I'm just looking for my friends, they left for Route 214 awhile ago.” His eyes widened, a mix of both surprise and worry.
“O-okay. Just be cautious, kid. Very-” He was cut of by a scream that pierced the air. It sounded like Amanda!
“Gotta go! Bye!” I'm sure the receptionist didn't understand me by how quickly I said that. But it didn't matter.
“Wait!” He pleaded me to stay. I did not listen. Now a full on sprint, I dashed of to Route 214.
“Amanda? Brent? Where are you?” I called desperatley.
“Timmy! We're up here!” I look where the sound came from. They were up. In a tree.
“We tried to catch it, but it was just too strong! It beat both my Sneasel and Amanda's Pachirisu!” Brent explained, panting heavily. “It's so angry. It started chasing us, So we climbed up here.”
“Timmy, watch out!” Amanda pointed towards some trees. Two blood red eyes stare at me. A chill went up my spine as it stepped out, taking form. It was hard to decipher in the dark, but it was a canine.
So, this must be Houndoom. The horrible dark pokemon everyone is warned about. I tried to move, but I seem to be paralyzed in place, by fear. I noticed flames were spewing from its mouth.
It slowly crept in a circle around me, as if teasing a victim. It looked towards the sky and let out an ear-piercing howl. I watched it for a few moments more. Just when I thought the Houndoom would do nothing, it sprang.
Tackling me to the ground, the jaws opened. The sight was sickening; flames engulfed it's sharp teeth. I braced myself for pain as it bore it's teeth into my shoulder.
“Jolteon, Quick Attack!” A flash of yellow charged into Houndoom, taking the weight off me. I see a girl appear in sight before I close my eyes and scream. The skin on my shoulder felt like it was melting off.
“Thank you, trainer! Thank you thank you!” I hear Brent say rapidly.
“Your welcome. But we need to get your friend to a pokemon center!” After hearing that, I pass out.
My eyes take time to adjust to the sudden light. Once it did, I clearly saw people surrounding me; some nurses, Brent, Amanda, an old man, and the girl.
“Ah, you're awake. You can thank Dawn here for saving you.” The old man gestured toward the girl.
“Sorry, Timmy. Professor Rowan told us more about Houndoom. We are so sorry we didn't help you.” Amanda explained, a troubled expression plastered on her face.
“Um, what about Houndoom?” I ask groggily. I assumed I was at the pokemon center. I then whimper at the pain in my shoulder. I look at it; my whole left shoulder was burning were it bit me.
“Well, Houndoom's flames it breathes contain toxins. If you were to get a burn from it, it will hurt forever.” Dawn explained.
Wait, but I did get burned... I look at my shoulder one more time, frowning. All I could see now were glowing red eyes, piercing my soul.
