Golbat

     Silence engulfed the shadowy path of Route 15. Winged Pokémon crossed the clouds, the silhouette of their wings visible among the black blanket of night with the full moon shining over their backs. Land Pokémon slithered through the trees, keeping away from the flying Pokémon and ducking in the shadows. Water Pokémon nestled deep into their homes for sleep as the glistening moon reflected its dotted face against the water.
     I crept slowly, cautiously, from tall grass to fern to riverbank and to the trees. I was attempting to prevent myself from being seen, as the night Pokémon were just beginning to emerge. We found nocturnal Pokémon frightening to even catch a glimpse of in the dead of night. However, on a full moon like tonight, we need to be extra careful because Golbat head out of their caves to feast on us small Pokémon.
     I live with my mother, a Liepard, and two brothers. I am the only daughter among them, and they're completely annoying and rude to me. Ack, males.
     I crept through the undergrowth and entered our little den. My mother, Shyla, has me, Rose, and my two brothers, Thy and Chip. When I was younger, they'd pester and lie to me about the big monster in Giant Chasm called Kyurem. Shyla told me not to worry because we're safe and Kyurem's body was supposedly frozen, for it was composed of ice. I had been reassured that time, but I couldn't stop thinking of how large Kyurem was and how badly its moves would be against us. Then I felt guilty, for I'd imagined my brothers both getting squashed underneath a giant, ice-bodied monster. I had shaken the thought away and quickly went to sleep.
    I took my place near the back of the den. Two Purrloin trotted up, crazy, giddy expressions slapped over their matted muzzles.
     "Mooooom," I grunted, putting one forepaw over my eyes, "Chip and Thy are bothering me again."
     "Hey, sis," Chip cackled, circling me.
     "Hey, sis," Thy echoed, following Chip around in a rounded formation.
     "Mooooom!" I snapped. "They won't leave me alone!"
     "The Golbat come out tonight," Chip chuckled. "I dare you to go outside for five minutes without getting snatched."
     "I'm not doing that," I hissed, using Pound to shove Chip and Thy to the far side of the den. "Even morons like you wouldn't think about doing that."
     "Be careful about using your attacks inside the den," warned Shyla as she poked her muzzle out of the darkness. "Get to sleep soon and quiet down. We don't want the Golbat locating our den and snatching one of you."
     "Told you the Golbat will come out," Chip sneered. His dark eyes gleamed in the half-light of the moon. He looked rather sinister than the cute little Purrloin that Shyla always boasted over. "They suck your blood until their bellies are stuffed. Then later they go for another Pokémon."
     Thy was beginning to look frightened. He gazed at Chip in surprise. "T-they suck blood?"
     "Why do you think they snatch us small Pokémon off the ground? We never return, anyhow."
     "How would you know?" Thy's voice was quiet and raspy.
     "I've seen it happen before." Chip lifted his chin as if he were proud of what he had seen. I shuddered at the malicious glint in his eyes.
     Thy was the youngest in our family. Chip was the oldest, and I was caught in the middle as if I were stuck between land and underground, smashed like Chip when I imagined him caught underneath Kyurem's gigantic foot…
     I shook the thought away. This wasn't the time. I turned back to my brothers, who had split to different parts of the den. Thy headed toward the back with Shyla, and Chip stuck dangerously close to the entrance.
     "The Golbat might come in and snatch you up," I warned him, lifting my chin and huffing at his back. He shifted and glared at me.
     "Watch the threats."
     "Why do you know so much about Golbat? We're supposed to stay away from them." Then, the thought dawned on me, and I gasped. "You have a friend, don't you?"
     "Of course. All young Pokémon should have friends."
     "I meant a Golbat friend."
     "Of course not! They're crazy, blood-sucking, winged demons."
     "Such good vocabulary. You feel okay?"
     Chip whipped his tail in irritation. "I've enough of you," he snapped. "Get to sleep. I'll keep watch."
     "Shyla said it was my turn," came Thy's jittery voice from the back of the den. The small Purrloin crept out of the shadows and ducked beside Chip. "You go sleep. You've been keeping watch the last few nights."
     Chip opened his maw as if to protest, then growled angrily to Thy and muttered something in his ear. He crept over to Shyla, flicking his tail at my muzzle as he passed. "Be careful," he warned in a low voice.
     I scowled at him and batted at his hindquarters, knocking him off balance. He regained his footing and whipped to face me, his face twisted into an angry expression. Enraged, he unsheathed his claws and aimed a powerful Scratch attack at my cheek. I ducked and rose, quickly shoving him against Shyla. The Liepard yelped and fixed me with a scorching stare. I was lost in its fiery blaze; I knew this was her way of punishment to her kittens. Then, out of the blue, a screech was heard from behind. I turned my muzzle over my shoulder and gasped loudly.
     "Thy?!" Shyla cried, shoving me aside. She paced in the den, and then poked her head from the entrance.
     "I warned you to be careful," Chip growled, turning his amber eyes to me and lunging. He managed to pin me down; he sank his claws into my forearms as he lowered his snout close to mine. His rancid breath stung my face. "You should have kept me at the watch post! The Golbat know me! If I were keeping watch, this wouldn't have happened!"
     "If you'd told me that the Golbat knew you I would have told Thy to keep away!"
     "It was not my responsibility."
     "Says the son who claims to be the most intelligent in the family!"
     "Shut up!" Chip sank his claws deeper, and then retracted them. He let out a long sigh and galloped to stand beside Shyla. She hadn't moved since we began arguing, and I was curious to find out if she was crying. Her whole body was trembling, and her tail was dragging low. Her head was still lifted.
     "Shyla…" Chip nudged our mother and pushed her to the den. "Shyla, did you see Thy? What happened to him?" Was he… Was he feigning sadness?
     I crept closer to Shyla, suddenly very self-conscious of having had pushed Chip to her stomach. However, as I slithered closer, I felt sick. She was no longer trembling because she wasn't standing. She was as limp as a dead Magikarp occasionally found in the river beside our home. Our home that we'd found with Shyla. Our home that wouldn't be ours if it weren't for Shyla.
     I looked closer and drew in a sharp breath. A neat puncture wound from two dagger-sharp fangs revealed itself in the light of the moon as Chip rolled the fast-cooling body to its side. Only slight blood trickled from the scars. I knew it would happen someday, but I didn't expect that day to approach so quickly. I imagined Kyurem's giant feet stomping on my brothers now. No, not brothers. Chip. Chip is the one being crushed. I glanced up from my mother's frail body and caught a glimpse of my brother making sickening type of smile.
     "I warned you," he cooed, whipping his tail over his mother's body. "I warned you all countless times in the past, and I warned you several times tonight. Those Golbat won't stop for anyone except me. I know them."
     "You're psycho," I hissed. I was about to lunge out at my only brother left, but something tumbled from the roof of our den and onto the grass. Weak little Thy fell In front of the den with a mild thump from above. The same two holes spread across his neck, and his eyes were spread wide and colored white. He looked like a ghost that had recently returned from the dead. Several smaller holes lay across his body, and faint liquid from the wounds dyed his matted purple pelt scarlet.
     "Aha. We are the only ones left, Rose." Chip turned to me, his eyebrows lifted high over his forehead. A grin as wide as a crescent moon spread across his face. Kyurem was completely wiped out of my mind. Instead, I imagined myself being feasted on by Golbat and then squashed by Chip. Chip is the monster here.
     "You did this for power. You sent the Golbat here, didn't you?"
     "Smart little Purrloin, aren't you. Hm." He lifted his forepaw and scratched an itch at his snout.
     "Chip… I'm going to get back at you." I found my voice rising. I felt the world vanish beneath my paws, and I could have sworn I saw Chip fling my dead brother's body aside. He was growing as small as the Durant we'd see when we went on long hunting trips near Opleuicid City.
     "Like that's going to ever happen," Chip called, giving me a toothy grin. "Have fun with the Zubat, Sister. They love a larger Purrloin than they do a meek little Liepard."
     "Wh…" I turned my head over my shoulders, screeching in surprise at the Golbat. I couldn't stop myself from crying out, and in desperate attempts to escape, I swung Scratch attacks at the winged Pokémon. The Golbat hissed in warning, but I didn't stop. In a split second, some Golbat and Zubat snatched all of my legs in their jaws, which prevented me from using any of my attacks. The next second I felt cold rock against the fur on my back. In a third second, a larger bat, probably the leader, completely engulfed my body in darkness with its giant, gaping mouth.
     I need to get away. I need to escape. I can't… This… I stared at the Golbat. Was it possible to use Assist and end up using one of the Golbat or Zubats' attacks? I struggled against their fangs and managed to pull one foreleg free. Three more. I used Scratch on the Golbat and Zubat pinning my legs back and jumped to the top of the rock. I hissed at them and leaped through their group, dismissing the stinging that they're slapping wings provided as I leaped. I landed brilliantly in the patches of tall grass and raced far away from my home… from Chip… from the Golbat.
     Purrloin are most commonly found closer to Striaton City. No matter. The running would pay off, as long as I never witnessed the smile on Chip's face, the fangs of the Golbat, or the bodies of their victims.
     My peace in the grass of Striaton won't last long. I know it. Chip controls the Golbat now and can tell him where he wants them to go even against their will. His offering to the Golbat was Shyla and Thy and me, but I had escaped. I am the smarter cat in the family and Chip is too proud to admit it.
     The relaxation near Striaton City and the other friendly wild Pokémon does not last, as I had predicted. I was sun-bathing on top of one of the ledges near the city when I overheard two bypassing Trainers and their Lillipup. I pricked my ears and angled them closer so I could eavesdrop on their conversation.
     "Golbat and Zubat have come all the way from Route 15. That's very far." The first Trainer had his eyes wide when he spoke. His Lillipup yapped at him and wagged its tail in anticipation.
     "I wonder why," the second Trainer mused quietly. He smiled suddenly. "If I catch one, I'm gonna train it so I can challenge Burgh when I get to Castelia City. It'll be a breeze."
     "I better train Lillipup," the first Trainer chuckled. "I wanna train with Golbat and Zubat and make my team stronger for Chili, Cress, and Cilan."
     I blinked slowly as the Trainers turned swiftly into Striaton City. There were so careless, free. They didn't need to hide like I did. Their Pokémon would protect them while I need to defend myself. It was going to be difficult.
     I tipped my head knowingly to the clouded sky of evening. Zubat and Golbat were just swarming over the small paths that conceal wild Pokémon. Cautiously, I ducked into a frond of trees and flattened my ears.
     The smell of my brother should linger in a Golbat's mind. They know who to find and where to find them. Once they start they don't quit until they're satisfied. In this case, they won't quit until not even a scrap of me is left behind when Chip leans over and investigates.

Once it starts sucking blood, it does not stop until it is full. It flies at night in search of prey.--Pokémon Pearl Pokédex Entry