Kindred Flames-Playing The Hero
#7 of Kindred Flames Series
New chapter is out! ^-^
I don't own Pokémon only my characters. Btw rate and comment if you take the time to read it please tell me what you think of it. Comments help me improve my writing. Thanks!
Playing The Hero
A serene breeze danced through the forest and brought with it the calming scent of clear flowing streams and brand new plant life as it gently ruffled the fur of Lilly and Hazel. Both Pokémon were walking into a natural clearing, their pelts brushing together amiably as they enjoyed the pleasant breeze. They had slowed their once frenzied pace down to a leisurely stroll and were now focusing on finding the relic they sought amongst the undergrowth.
"Lilly you're sure you remember where it is after all this time?"
Hazel questioned in a gentle yet exasperated tone, as she stepped carefully over a fallen branch. She'd been following behind Lilly for about an hour now and she couldn't help but begin to doubt the young Leafeon's credibility. Her paws were aching and her body temperature was steadilly growing uncomfortably high.
"An Ice-Type definitely doesn't belong in a creepy, muggy, overgrown, hot, old forest," she thought with simmering irritation.
The duo carefully skirted the needle sharp thorns of an overgrown thistle plant and began pushing their way through a thicket of tightly grown ferns and bramble bushes. Hazel shut her eyes against the stubborn foliage and clumsily shouldered her way through to join Lilly who had pranced through the obstacle as if it wasn't there at all. She shook the dripping moisture from her sapphire hued pelt and sighed in relief as she recognized their destination.
"There it is!" Lilly exclaimed joyously, her auburn eyes glittering with unbridled excitement. "I told you I knew where it was!" she yelped in a boasting tone as she sprinted without hesitation towards the exceptionally large, moss coated rock positioned at the center of the clearing.
She circled the rock a few times sniffing at it and examining its relatively flawless surface as she paced excitedly. Hazel simply smiled at the little Pokémon's enthusiasm and sat down in the shade of an oak tree with her tail wrapped neatly and patiently around her front paws.
Lilly circled the rock once more, just to make completely sure of the relic's wellbeing. She was extremely relieved that this sacred area hadn't been crudely vandalized like the clearing they came across earlier. It was absolutely horrible to think that a human could be so ruthless. She was lucky she had such a compassionate trainer that thought of her so fondly. Her lips lifted in a slight smile as she thought of her trainer and all the young girl had done for her over the years.
She settled herself in front of the stone and took a deep fulfilling breath before gingerly placing her paws on the large moss coated rock before her. She sighed happily, feeling the wonderfully soft scruffy plants caress and tickle her paw pads as she adjusted herself until she was comfortable.
It had taken the duo about an hour to reach their destination. Lilly had been forced to dramatically slow her pace to match Hazel's as the Ice-type blundered and tripped through the environment Lilly found so effortless to traverse. She didn't really mind though. She liked spending time with Hazel.
She smiled as the breeze dissipated and then returned again, whispering in her leaf-like ears and tousling her soft beige fur gently around her body. The wispy sensation was making her giddy with delight and she laughed to herself as the breeze continued to tease her. She allowed herself to experience this bubbly joy for a few more moments before she began to deepen and control her breathing in preparation of her meditation.
It was only after she stilled her body completely and allowed all other thoughts to evaporate from her mind that she began to feel the massive stores of earthen leaf energy begin seeping from the rock and flow throughout her body. It slowly and steadily filled her with indescribable peace and strength as she became aware of every living thing around her. From the largest most ancient tree to the simplest of mosses like the patch resting beneath her paws, she was mistily aware of it all growing and thriving in the nourishing sun.
The solidness of the rock beneath her paws kept her grounded during her experience. She could hardly believe it still felt this good to come into contact with the ageless relic even after she had already evolved into a Leafeon. She had already accepted its gift and yet it still gave more.
She still remembered the day she had evolved. The same energy she felt filling her body right now had transformed her into a Pokémon that was truly at one with nature. It had made her lithe, graceful, and slender. Her short round Eevee legs had stretched and thinned leaving her with long beautiful appendages that ended in relatively tiny paws. Her whole body had lost its russet color and its thick, plush fur coat in exchange for a silky short one that was the color of fresh cream and adorned with leaf-like curls on her chest and forehead as well as her tail. It had blessed her with a wonderful gift.
"Like a living thing," she thought blissfully. "Just like the rest of this forest it's alive as well."
Her young naiveté still didn't inhibit her from understanding how wonderfully thriving this place truly was. But even in its state of constant growth it was being inhibited by sadness and rising conflict within its depths. Something was......off. The forest was crying out for help, slowly drowning in growing darkness.
Lilly's meditation was suddenly shattered by a horribly ear piercing yelping howl followed by an explosion that slashed through the peaceful silence. The deafening noise caused her to sprawl backwards in complete shock, breaking her connection with the rock as soon as her paws left its surface. It took a moment for her to collect herself but Hazel of course didn't waste a beat and was by her side in an instant.
Her body was tense and her ears were now expertly swiveled in the direction of the howl.
"Hazel what was that?" Lilly whimpered pressing close to her friend's chilled blue fur, in an attempt to slow her now racing pulse.
Hazel paused and thought for a moment.
"Something's been attacked," she finally said with firm certainty. "And it sounds really close and really really bad."
She hesitated with those words, trying to make a decision as to whether or not to bring Lilly into what might be imminent danger. The howl sounded as though it came from a young Pokémon. And it ended abruptly, obviously cut off by whatever was attacking it. Whatever hurt it could hurt Lilly just as severely.
"Stay here," Hazel said firmly before turning away. She most definitely wasn't going to ignore such a blatant cry for help but she most certainly wasn't going to drag Lilly into it as well. She had to protect her own before anything else. Lilly was a timid Pokémon and Hazel knew that, so she was shocked to hear the tiny Pokémon's voice raise in sharp protest.
"No!" she yelped racing to stand in front of Hazel, trying to keep her voice from wavering as she met the Glaceon's shocked eyes. She'd never defied the Pokémon she'd come to respect and admire throughout her entire life but now she felt as though it was important, very important. She couldn't let Hazel go alone, it was to dangerous.
"I need to come with and help too!" she said with as much honesty as she could muster. "You might need some backup if you get into trouble." she reasoned in a frantic tone.
She watched anxiously as she saw uncertainty flash in Hazel's eyes and had to keep herself from letting out an impatient outburst. Judging by the sound of that howl there wasn't much time for doubt or hesitations and if they stood around like this there might not be anything left to save by the time they got there. Raw energy and power coursed through her limbs in response to her recent meditation with the Mossy Rock and she felt as though she could match any Pokémon in a fight.
Hazel's tail swished with restless anxiety.
"There's no time for me to argue with her," she thought, looking into the defiant gaze of the Leafeon and seeing firm determination there. She really didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to arrive in time to save the endangered Pokémon.
"Stay close and quiet," Hazel hissed before whipping around and sprinting through the undergrowth with Lilly close behind.
"Hang in there little guy," she thought anxiously.
Mikko no longer had the energy to whimper or cry for mercy as the Granbull rounded on him and prepared yet another whoppingly powerful Shadow Punch. Why hadn't the monster just ended it with the first blow? He could hardly think past the pain blazing throughout his entire body, it was clouding his mind and all five of his senses only knew one sensation, and that was pain. He was drifting further away from consciousness. But through it all one thought kept drifting around in his mind clear and sharp.
"It's playing with me....drawing it out. And there's nothing I can do to stop it.... I'm helpless, helpless, helpless," He squeezed his eyes shut and cringed against the blow that was undoubtedly about to rain down on his already badly battered body.
"Hopefully it'll knock me unconscious and I won't have to feel it..." he thought morbidly avoiding the word death. He had long since realized and accepted the sickening hopelessness of his situation. He would never see Brother Pikachu again....
He was still drifting around in a sea of pain and desperation, awaiting the final blow when he heard a whip-like crack cut through the air followed by the absolutely outraged howl of his tormentor. There was an audible scuffling sound as human voices rang out in alarm and surprise all around him. He couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to open his eyes to investigate. Was it even worth it?
But when a sudden frozen breeze wafted over his fur and left him shivering violently his curiosity got the better of him. With tremendous effort he opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust to the world which now pitched, rolled and blurred in front of him.
Chaos and confusion had once again erupted around him. The Granbull's fist, which had been drawn back in preparation of its Shadow Punch, now had a thick vine wrapped around it. The strong rope of foliage was restraining the beast and showed no sign of breaking as it tightened, fiercely forcing the dark swirling energy on the Granbull's paw to dissolve instantly.
Mikko blinked in confusion as another Vine Whip came hurtling towards the Pokémon and wrapped around its chest followed by another which wrapped mercilessly around its throat each echoing with a startling crack like the one he'd heard earlier.
Mikko tried to think through the heavy, smothering fog settling around his mind and followed the source of the vines to their producer. A relatively small, female Leafeon stood rooted squarely to the ground a couple of meters away with a fierce look of determination and strain on her face as she jerked the vines she was producing.
The Granbull stumbled backwards in response to the Leafeon's efforts, roaring its frustration as it was roughly pulled away from its victim by the ever tightening vines. He felt the frozen breeze waft over him, once again chilling him to the bone. He glanced to the side and saw a stunningly beautiful Glaceon sprint into his line of sight and take a clearly defensive position in front of him.
Her fur was frozen into sharp needle points that glistened dangerously in the sunlight as her toned muscles shifted beneath her fur. She paused mid -growl and glanced back at him with large sapphire eyes that were full such of compassion and concern that he felt his chest tighten. Mikko didn't understand. He'd never met these Pokémon in his entire life. Why were they helping him? No one had ever taken pity on his kind.
Pearl purred with content and stretched lazily as Phoenix continued to draw his tongue through her already glistening pink fur. They were both lying sprawled out on the forest floor nuzzled against each other in a warm canine embrace. A soft breeze had started a while ago, blowing away the last aromatic remnants of the couple's arousal as they mutually groomed each other's fur. The forest was alive with the chattering of Starly and Pidgey and their clamorous songs filled the clearing they were lounging in.
"I think you woke up all the bird Pokémon within miles around when you howled my name," Phoenix teased smugly as he intertwined his golden tail with one of hers.
"Oh, and you were quiet?" she questioned with a smile as she nipped at his ear, growling playfully.
"I never said that," he murmured, quite suddenly pulling her into a deep kiss that left both of them breathless once they pulled away. The tiniest scents of arousal began to make its way back into the clearing as Phoenix rolled her over onto her back, covering her with his own heated body and kissed her again. His tongue demanded entrance as she moaned softly against his eager lips and caressed his frame with her tails. Sensing heated, lustful desire rising within them again, Pearl pulled away and nuzzled endearingly against his black nose before rolling out from under him.
"What happened to setting up the camp? We're supposed to finish that before they get back," she teased. Swaying her hips and waving her tails so that they covered her womanhood only slightly as she sauntered over to the foliage they had collected earlier.
"You happened," he retorted slyly, forcing himself to pull his gaze away from her enticing loins and rising to his paws. "I'll go look for a stream so we can have a definite water source." He called to his mate as he began to exit the clearing.
The afternoon's vigorous events had left his throat dry and thirst was incessantly nagging at him.
"I'll start clearing away this rubble while you're gone," she replied briskly as she nosed at some of the scorched foliage and dusty rocks. Lilly would probably refuse to sleep here if the clearing was still quite obviously ravaged.
Phoenix smiled as he watched her wave a tail goodbye before he plunged swiftly into the dense undergrowth surrounding the clearing. It didn't take long for his extremely skilled nose to pick up the scent of a fast moving stream not far from his current position. He focused on the crisp aroma and set off towards the source, pushing his way through broad leafed ferns and sweet smelling wild-flowers as he went.
It was calming, being alone in the forest like this surrounded with earthy, natural scents. It reminded him of when he was young wild Growlithe pup. He had lived in a less famous forest than Eterna, miles away from here. Learning, growing, and playing with his littermates under the watchful gaze of his mother and father had been some of the best years of his life before he met Pearl of course. But even his parents hadn't been powerful enough to protect all four of their pups from harm and fight off the Garchomp that the monster he'd come to know as Aaron had set on them when he'd come to capture him.
Phoenix could only imagine how miserable his parents must have been when he was taken. How long they must've searched for him. How his littermates would've cried for their lost brother. He felt sadness tighten his chest. He knew that if he ever had pups of his own and lost them to an abusive trainer he would be crushed beyond repair.
He paused despite himself and toyed with the thought. If he had pups of his own..... He'd never thought about the idea before. And he had to admit it was an enticing one. He could picture it in his mind. Pearl's belly swelling with pups, his pups.
Her scent changing from sensual and spicy to warm, cozy, and milky as her body adjusted and prepared for the new lives she was to support with his help. Their hearts, swelling with love and undying compassion as their pups came into the world and opened their bright little eyes for the first time. A mixture of mewling Growlithe and Vulpix. They would have his strength and his mother's wit. Maybe they would even grow to have a unique fur coat like their mother, pink tinged and brightly shimmering in the light.
He found himself smiling as he ducked under a bramble bush and skidded down a sandy embankment. He could now hear the splashing, wet noises of the stream's water as it cascaded down smooth rocks and pebbles in and amongst its shore.
He sped up his pace, eager to reach his destination. He rounded a thick trunked Mulberry Tree and smiled with triumph as the stream came into sight. It was wide, shallow, and pristine. The shining sun reflected off the surface of the rapid water making it shimmer like a multi-faceted cobalt jewel. This water was perfect for drinking and it wasn't too far away from camp so they could easily walk to it if they got thirsty. Trotting up to the stream he leaned in and took a refreshing drink, relishing the feeling of the frigid water splashing over his tongue and chasing away the dry feeling in his throat.
As he drank his mind continued to play with the thought of starting a family with Pearl and settling down somewhere safe where no trainer could ever hurt his offspring. He knew May was a kind soul, she'd never allow such an atrocity to befall him or his beloved vixen. A purr built up in his throat, it would be perfect and beautiful.
"Him, his mate and pups..."
His happy rumbling was cut off as he heard the foliage behind him begin to rustle with the approach of strangers. Wheeling around on his hind paws and lowering himself into an offensive crouch, he listened intently as the rustling grew louder. He forced himself not to growl and announce his existence. If these were enemies he would need the element of surprise. The story about poachers swooping in and kidnapping that Pikachu suddenly wormed its way back into his mind, setting him further on edge.
So he was indescribably relieved and pleasantly surprised when the kind, feminine, voice of his trainer reached his ears.
"I think I hear a stream over here. We can refill our water bottles," she called to someone, most likely Chris. Phoenix was in the process of happily running to meet his trainer when he collided with Twister who was clumsily making his way down the sloping embankment a little ways ahead of his trainer.
The stocky Raichu stumbeled backwards, crackling sparks flying angrily from his cheeks as he scuffled his way back to his hind paws. Phoenix watched with an amused expression as the disoriented Pokémon's demeanor changed from irritated to surprised when he recognized his "aggressor".
"Hey Phoenix!" he called lamely. He was still panting heavily from his sudden exertion and his words were wispy and breathless.
"Sorry I wasn't really watching where I was going. I was running to meet you guys and.....yeah" Phoenix said before breaking of, waving his paw in the air and motioning towards Twister who was busy picking twigs and dirt out of his orange fur.
It was great to see Twister again. The comedic Raichu was always in a good mood, and his cheerful attitude was absolutely infectious.
"Yeah, I was busy falling down that hill with my superior grace and agility when I ran into you," he replied with a humorous smile as he allowed the sparks on his cheeks to dissipate. "My bad," he added embarrassedly, placing his paw behind his head.
"Oh hey look, is-I think that's Phoenix, over by the stream!"
Phoenix's tail began to wag happily as he heard May's voice sound over the rapid gurgling of the stream behind him. He peered over Twister's head in time to see May and Chris slide unsteadily down the embankment, closely followed by Volt and Stella.
"Hey handsome boy," she called, laughing as he eagerly ran up to greet her.
She ran her hands through his golden mane as he reared up,licked at her cheeks and wagged his tail in greeting. After a minute or so he backed off a little and resigned himself to walking along side her as she replenished the group's water supplies and allowed the three Electric type Pokémon to drink eagerly from the stream before she turned her attentions back to Phoenix.
"Where's Pearl?" she asked suddenly as she glanced around, peering into the forest as though she could find her Ninetales concealed somewhere within the shadowed undergrowth.
Phoenix nodded in understanding of her query and bounded into the forest before turning around and doubling back, barking encouragingly the whole time. May understood immediately and motioned towards the rest of the group before following her bright eyed Arcanine into the forest.
Hazel forced herself not to buckle and gag as the thick salty scent of blood overwhelmed her senses. The odor was so saturated, so pungent and thick that she could practically taste its bitter tang on her tongue. All around her chaos had erupted. There had been no time to plan, no time to think about what she was getting herself into when she had arrived with Lilly close behind. They had simply leaped into the fray, riding on pure instinct as they burst into the large clearing.
Lilly had quickly and rather intelligently used her Vine Whip to restrain the Granbull from fiercely attacking what now appeared to be a young male Poochyena. She had done this as Hazel had dashed to stand in front of the battered pup and protect him from further harm. Her body was eagerly thrumming with adrenalin as she watched the humans scatter around her shouting and readying their Pokeballs as they watched the battle erupt.
She prepared herself to take on whatever Pokémon these humans were going to release upon her and stole a quick glance back at the strange Poochyena she was about to in all honesty, risk her life for. She made no effort to stifle her gasp of horror at the sight of the pup. He was battered and broken beyond belief. His left front paw was twisted backwards. His ear was torn at the tip and he appeared thin and malnourished.
But the most striking thing about him was the way he was looking at her. His golden eyes were round and wide with shock as he gawked at her. They were filled with pain, innocence, and overwhelming terror. On top of all that, the light inside them was dimming fast as the pup slipped further and further away from lucidity.
Hazel tore her concerned gaze away from the pup as she heard the outraged roar of the attacking Granbull blast over her bringing with it the rancid smell of its breath. It was thrashing wildly against Lilly's restraints as she slowly dragged him ever-backwards. As it fought it was glaring at Hazel with such malice and unbridled hatred that it made her instinctually want to flee beneath the beast's rage. But her fear only lasted for a moment before it was overtaken by her own equally passionate rage.
How dare this monster attack such a defenseless Pokémon? There was nothing this pup could've possibly done to deserve such a massive, brutal punishment. Hazel felt icy hatred for the Pokémon in front of her seize hold of her heart and she fired an equally ferocious snarl back at the beast before she powered up an intense Ice Beam and let it loose, point blank at her foe.
The attack's sapphire glow twinkled and shone blindingly as it collided with the Granbull, sending him hurtling backwards with such velocity towards Lilly that she had to dodge out of the way to avoid a collision with the beast's back end. Hazel shifted her attention away from the Granbull now gloriously encased in ice and towards the humans that were staring at her with a mixture of shock, entertainment, anger, and disgust.
She didn't bother looking back towards the beast she'd taken down, she needn't worry about that Granbull anymore. She smiled with cold satisfaction as she heard Lilly power up her Solar Beam and fire it with deadly accuracy at the downed Pokémon, shattering its glittering ice tomb, finishing it off and leaving it fainted and crumpled on the ground where it lie motionless. The humans were her main problem right now. They were closing in around her and one of the men, who must've been the Granbull's trainer was advancing much quicker than the rest, fists clenched and eyes flashing with anger.
"You disgusting Pokémon! I'll teach you to attack my Butch!" he screamed in a furious tone as he grabbed into his pocket and removed a Pokeball. Oddly enough he hesitated to throw it. Lilly's floral scent washing over her explained the man's hesitation.
Lilly had returned and was now standing defiantly next to her, locking gazes with man and growling threats under her breath. As secure as it made Hazel feel to have Lilly by her side again, she knew it would be impossible to protect the Poochyena and battle this man at the same time.
"Lilly I need you to take this Poochyena away from here and hide it as well as you can." Hazel whispered her command urgently, not knowing how long the man would wait before he attacked them.
"B-but" Lilly stammered.
"No, now is not the time for you to argue with me!" Hazel hissed in frustration and pushed Lilly behind her so she was closer to the pup and shielded by her.
"And be careful when you pick him up! Arceus only knows how badly he's injured," Hazel called as Lilly began gingerly lifting the pup by the scruff. Hazel's heart dropped like a stone in water at the Poochyena's reaction, or lack thereof. The pup remained completely silent and still as he was lifted and began to swing limply in Lilly's jaws as she began to quickly pad away with fear clear in her eyes.
"Could his injuries have been too much for his body to handle?" Hazel thought desperately. This whole rescue could've been in absolute vain. But there was no time for thoughts like those.
Hazel's attention whipped back to the threatening human as she heard the distinctive sound of a Pokémon being released ring out through the clearing. The crimson beam of pulsating light dissipated to reveal a roaring Charizard that unfurled its muscular wings magnificently and took off into the sky at its trainer's sharp command.
Hazel watched the display and felt fear like a cold claw scrape its way down her spine and leave her trembling. This man was going to use a major type advantage against her. Even now the orange dragon was looking down at her from its position in the rapidly darkening sky with obvious amusement and pity. It didn't say a single word but it was obvious that her opponent believed she would be an extremely easy knockout.
"I won't let him take me down that easy!" Hazel thought defiantly. She steadied herself and awaited the first onslaught of attacks. She didn't have to wait very long.
"Drayik, use Steel Wing now!" the man's enraged command rang out across the clearing launching the Charizard into immediate action. Its wings began to pulsate and glow with white light as they beat against the air and propelled the Charizard towards her. Hazel had to mentally stop herself from instinctually waiting for May's calm encouraging command to tell her what to do next. Hazel had no trainer to strategize and guide her through this battle. She would have to do this alone.
She tensed her muscles as the beast drew nearer and prepared herself to dodge. She waited long enough to see the cold malice in the dragon's eyes before she launched herself into the air and directly over the straightened wing of her opponent. Her paws almost skimmed the scaly surface as she spun skillfully in mid air, leaving her to land facing her opponent as she had been specially trained by May.
Hazel didn't waste a single beat, she had planned this attack while she had waited for the Charizard to get close enough. She felt her body thrum once more with adrenalin as she opened her maw and allowed a Shadow Ball to form. It was a move she had learned as an Eevee and decided to keep. The pulsating ball of Dark Energy sprung forth from her opened muzzle and sped towards its target with deadly accuracy. The dynamic attack struck the dragon directly between its wings and exploded on impact, sending the beast spiraling towards the ground as it flailed and struggled to lift itself back into the sky.
Much to Hazel's disappointment the Charizard recovered before it hit the ground and skillfully climbed its way back into the air before releasing a blazing Flamethrower at the command of its trainer. Hazel leaped nimbly to the side, avoiding a direct hit but still receiving a good portion of the stinging torrent of super-effective flames. They singed away the edges of her icy blue fur and the pain of the burns left her cringing.
She bit her lip and forced herself not to focus on the pain as she watched the Charizard circle around for another attack.
"Use Draco Meteor now!" her foe's trainer barked the command and watched triumphantly as the dragon ceased its predatory circling and began gathering dangerous amounts of energy in its maw once more. The shining crimson ball of energy swelled and intensified to the point where Hazel had to avert her eyes to keep the light emanating from the ball from damaging them.
She knew well enough what was coming next. The Charizard let out an earth trembling roar and fired the ball of energy straight up into the sky where it pulsated and literally exploded. It burst into about twenty separate streams of glowing dragon energy that came plummeting back down to earth like miniature rockets.
Hazel had dealt with this kind of move before she knew how to conquer it. Steadying herself she swiftly fired her most powerful Blizzard attack straight in to the sky above her. She felt the stingingly frigid energy fly from her outstretched muzzle and explode when it came into contact with her foe's attack. Ice was extremely effective against Dragon moves and her Blizzard didn't have a hard time blotting out the Draco Meteor and continuing to swell until it enveloped the Charizard itself.
The Charizard roared in frustration as it was buffeted and bitten at by the frigid snow and ice that was now flying from her maw. Only when Hazel relented did she realize that the Charizard's wings were now beautifully encased in shimmering blue ice and that it was plummeting towards the earth and fixing to crush her if she didn't move immediately.
She leapt nimbly out of the way just as the Charizard came crashing down to earth with a deafening roar. Crumbling rocks and debris flew into the air spattering roughly against her body as she leapt. She nearly lost her balance and fell as she wheeled around on her paws to face her opponent. The earth was trembling violently beneath her and only intensified as the Charizard panicked and struggled, harshly beating its frozen wings against the ground as it fought to free them from their frigid tomb.
Hazel knew she needed to attack but couldn't help but flinch away as the dragon reared up and brought its wings slamming against the ground in a flurry of fire, sending sharpened fragments of glittering ice flying through the air in a deadly burst. The shards of ice that had mixed with the chunks of earth came raining down on her, pattering against her body and repeatedly scratching and cutting her as it fell from the heavens. The earth gave one final shudder as the Charizard launched itself into the air and angrily fought its way back into the sky where it hovered in place, gasping and panting from exertion while it glared at her with obvious malice.
"Finish it now, use Fire Blast!" the man didn't hesitate at all and even sounded pleased at the thought of bringing her down after all the trouble she'd just caused him. His Charizard looked like it had taken some considerable amounts of damage from its panicked reaction to having its wings frozen but the trainer didn't seem to notice or care. His Pokémon obeyed him immediately.
Hazel steadied her body and forced herself to ignore the biting pain that was sapping her Ice based strength away as she prepared herself for the oncoming attack. The beast snarled as it powered up an immense fire ball and swung its massive head, launching the extremely powerful attack with deadly accuracy. Hazel knew the flaming ball would blossom into five separate streams of engulfing flames if it made contact with her unprotected body, knocking her out immediately and sealing her fate.
She knew exactly what she needed to do to survive this. It was obvious that none of her attacks would be strong enough to dissolve a Fire Blast. Blizzard was on the same level of brute force as Fire Blast, but the type disadvantage would most surely leave her on the losing end of a power struggle between the two attacks. The move was too encompassing to dodge. If she couldn't get completely out of the way of a Flamethrower then there was no way she'd be able to dodge this move.
So that only left Mirror Coat her secret weapon and her last chance. May had taught it to her not to long ago and it had never failed her since. Hazel allowed her inner aura to flow uncontrolled throughout her body and seep out of her to form a protective coating around her body that shimmered uncountable amounts of different colors as it undulated around her. Gathering power in her hind legs and launching herself into the air to meet the attack head on, she let out a fierce battle cry and took the full impact of the attack.
A magnificently powerful shockwave shook the clearing as the two moves met, throwing Hazel back to the ground and blasting the Charizard off balance. The Fire Blast pulsed and wavered in place before reversing and sailing back at the disoriented Charizard with double the momentum.
The Fire Blast had begun to shimmer around the edges, taking on the added power of the Mirror Coat as it flew with blinding speed back into its producer. The Charizard cried out in a mixture of outrage and shock as its own attack slammed into it, sending it plummeting out of the sky once again and colliding with the ground. Ribbons of ruby red flames trailed down from the sky coupled with glittering, sparkling, remnants of Hazel's Mirror Coat as the initial flash from the two attacks faded.
The ground was trembling and rumbling beneath Hazel's paws once more as she watched her attack successfully strike her opponent from the sky. The magnificent dragon now lied still in the crater its own body had ravaged deep into the earth its flanks rising and falling slowly. She felt her heart soar and a yip of excited victory slipped from her parted muzzle in between her heavy pants. The relief she felt was indescribably wonderful and calming as the sense of danger faded away.
She definitely wasn't going to stick around long enough for the man to call out another Pokémon for her to battle. She wheeled around and made a wildly, desperate dash for the edge of the clearing. She was running blind, her pulse was ringing in her ears and sweat was running down her face and into her eyes as she forced her legs to carry her faster.
She was just about to dive into the safe cover of the surrounding foliage when the tree directly in front of her burst into hungry flames. The intense inferno quickly began devouring the tree and the deafening sound of crackling wood filled her ears.
She slowly and reluctantly turned back towards the way she'd come, her paws trembling in terror at what she knew she would see. A horrified sob escaped her maw as she allowed her gaze to rest on the Charizard she'd believed she had defeated. It had staggered to its feet, covered in dark blood that flowed from deep gashes and long lacerations that covered its battered body.
Hazel gasped despite her terror and felt a surge of pity for her foe. It looked so horribly injured from its repeated falls from the sky. It had been a good 60 yards up in the air and plummeting from that height had badly injured the Pokémon. Nevertheless the trainer standing motionlessly behind the dragon showed no signs of recalling his Pokémon. His dark eyes were still filled with cold, blind, fury as he glared at her, almost as if he thought he could murder her with his gaze alone.
Hazel shied backwards only to halt as she felt intense heat lick at her hind legs. The burning tree behind her had fallen with an earsplitting roar, sending smoldering embers flying into the sky as the inferno spread to the surrounding foliage. Hazel whimpered as the last of her energy reserves were sapped from her by the heat. The icy needles she had frozen her fur into, now lied flat as the heat all around her made it impossible for her to maintain any amount of ice. The Charizard had begun advancing with a cold look of determination. Its footsteps were steady and slowly paced as they struck the ground with a rumble each time.
Hazel, in a haze of exhaustion and panic sprinted to the side. Behind her was a roaring fire, to the left of her was a giant steel gate, and directly in front of her was her advancing opponent. So she dashed to the right with all she had left, desperately begging Arceus to allow her to make it into the forest before time ran out. Her silent prayer was cut short as a blast of wind sent her flying through the air and slamming into the tree she had been running towards moments ago.
The impact knocked the wind from her body and she lied panting and immobilized in the dust. The steady thud of the Charizard's footfalls filled her ears and vibrated throughout her body as it shook along with the ground. Hazel tried fruitlessly to pick herself up but her legs had apparently stopped listening to her. The thuds of the dragon's footfalls only grew louder.
"I tried to save that Poochyena, and now I'm the one that's going to die" She thought emptily_. "That's what I get for playing the hero,"_ With a painful sigh she allowed her eye lids to flutter closed and hardly responded as she felt....something.....brush along her side. She refused to acknowledged it the first time but seconds later it happened again and then again. It felt as though Pokémon were running past her and brushing alongside her, caressing, comforting her.
"Angels?" Hazel thought cloudily, that was the only explanation she could muster right now. She was finding it increasingly hard to think clearly and the thought of angels whisking her off to Arceus' perfect realm was becoming more and more real and more and more inviting. "I think I'm ready to go now...." Hazel thought as she relaxed her muscles completely. But the fangs that suddenly grabbed at her scruff were all too real and she let out a yip of shock as she was lifted into the air and jerked into the forest.
The scent of an unfamiliar Pokémon filled her nose, strong and thick as she was whisked around and carried at a sprinting pace into the forest. Her vision slowly cleared and the fog settling over her mind lifted as the ferns and grasses of the forest caressed and swept at her fur. The numerous sensations of the forest were filling her senses again and death seemed extremely far away. Confusion and panic stabbed at her, effectively replacing the cloudy feelings of fading consciousness.
"Am I being captured? Where am I going? Who is this?" Her mind was buzzing with a million thoughts and questions that begged her to take action, starting with identifying her rescuer or possibly abductor. She craned her neck backwards and began to squirm and thrash trying to twist her body and get a good look at the Pokémon that was carrying her.
Her actions were immediately met with a sharp rebuke.
"Be still dammit! Do you want me to leave you here?" a gruff voice muffled by her scruff fur responded to her movements and she instantly fell still fearing the unknown Pokémon's threat. The last thing she wanted was to be left alone in the middle of this unfamiliar forest. The thought alone filled her with choking fear and overwhelming panic. "Stay still and close your eyes," the voice rumbled again.
"Close my eyes?" Hazel whimpered back in a small voice.
This was like no other rescue she'd ever been involved in before. It was feeling more and more like and abduction and the relief of being taken away from that Charizard was fading and quickly being replaced by cold suspicion.
"You heard me, close your eyes!" the voice was hardly audible through her scruff but she understood well enough. It wasn't like she could disobey this Pokémon. She was still hurt from her battle and this Pokémon hadn't attacked her yet at least.
She had no other choice. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be carried blindly through the dampened undergrowth. If worse came to worse she would attempt to fight or run away, whichever seemed easier at the time. All she could really do now was wait and worry about Lilly and the Poochyena that had started this whole ordeal. Lilly would be so frightened and alone when she didn't return.
"What if she returns to the gated clearing looking for me? The humans will attack her!" Hazel felt panic and concern for her friend seize hold of her and leave her trembling in her carrier's jaws. As soon as this Pokémon let her go, she would search for Lilly with all she had left.
For a while, the only sounds she heard was her own thudding heartbeat, the steady paw steps of her carrier crunching on leaves, and the normal chirping, rustling, clamor of the forest. During this time the exhaustion from her battle with the Charizard had come crashing down on her and she had dozed slightly despite her worry and was shocked back into full lucidity when she felt the firm ground underneath her paws again after such a long time in the air.
She opened her eyes, blinked in confusion, and peered around at her new surroundings before quickly clamping them shut again. Her carrier's order not to open her eyes sounded in her memory and she crouched low to the ground in fearful submission.
"I hate this!" she thought angrily. "I don't have time for this insanity!" the coolness of the breeze blowing along her flanks was signifying the setting of the sun. As the temperature chilled her strength was slowly returning but it still wasn't enough to get her through another battle if she decided to fight these mysterious Pokémon, not that she really wanted to.
Not being able to see anything made her feel unbearably vulnerable, like she could easily be attacked from any side at any time. The only plus to the pressing darkness was that it enhanced her other senses and eventually allowed her to make out the sound of quiet murmuring a little ways to the left of her. There was her carrier's voice and a second voice that had now joined in.
The two Pokémon were obviously trying to keep their voices low so she wouldn't overhear them, and it worked. She could only hear breathy whispers and low murmurs that lapsed into silence after a couple moments, only to be replaced by the grating rumbling sound of shifting stones. Hazel started in surprise at the unexpected sound and quickly took a hesitant step backwards.
That step back only brought her into contact with a firm set of forepaws that steadily pushed on her from behind. She paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not this would be a good time to make a run for it. Whatever was behind the stone she had decided that she didn't want to find out.
She tensed her muscles in preparation of her dash only to feel the ever present paws give a sudden shove, now with a threatening hint of claw behind them. She sighed in confusion and exhaustion and hung her head, giving up as she allowed herself to blindly pushed forwards towards the sound of the grating stone. This was now feeling so far from a rescue that she was beginning to wish she had stayed in the clearing and taken her chances with the Charizard.
As she padded forwards she felt the soft dampness of the forest floor under-paw slowly give way to cold flat stone. The scent of forest became less thick and floral as it gave way to the crisp scent and roaring sound of rushing water that was steadily growing louder as she walked. Once again she could hear hushed murmurs and whispers floating all around her and she strained to hear what the strange Pokémon were saying through the sound of the stone shifting closed behind her.
She padded forwards for a couple seconds before someone's paw was thrust in front of her, barring her way and signaling her to stop. She couldn't see it but she ran into it quite clumsily and quickly got the message.
"Were here, you can look around now," the relatively deep voice she had come to recognize as her carrier's sounded in her ear and told her the words she'd been begging to hear for what felt like hours now.
Cautiously and slowly she opened her eyes. Fearing some sort of trap, and blinking away the light that harshly assaulted her vision, she took an anxious look around. Despite all her previous worries and annoyances at being forced around like she was, she couldn't help but be awestruck at the stark difference between where she once was and where she was now.
She was located in what appeared to be a deep, widened out stone ravine. Great walls of mottled gray rock stretched up in an insurmountable barrier all around her. It was a solid barrier that only broke its rigid form to allow a huge, glittering, waterfall to crash through the top of them and plummet down into a wide pool below. The water looked pure and clean and in the fading sunlight it appeared an inky, shadowed, azure.
The same rock walls that were being enveloped by the shimmering waterfall jutted out in random places, creating ledges and alcoves that the shadowed forms of Pokémon were now watching her from. They slunk around in the deepening darkness, moving silently and never taking their luminescent eyes off of her. They watched her intently from all sides, some looking fearful, others suspicious and agitated as they glowed like lanterns in the darkness.
Hazel felt her pelt prickle with growing paranoia as she noticed more and more sets of eyes materializing from the darkness. None seemed courageous enough to bare their entire forms and identify themselves to her. She felt herself tense and growl instinctually as she was passively surrounded on all sides.
"Don't mind them they're just being cautious. We have more important things to worry about right now," that all too familiar voice sounded behind her, effectively dragging her attention away from the hidden Pokémon.
She felt her throat tighten half in fear, half in boiling anticipation as she slowly turned to face the Pokémon behind that deep confident voice. The same Pokémon that had snatched her away from the gated clearing and blindly carried her through the forest like a naughty kit for the past hour. The same Pokémon who had now placed her in the middle of some kind of stone sanctuary miles away from her family. The same Pokémon who had admittedly saved her from certain death.
She could hardly keep her jaw from falling open in shocked amazement at what she then saw.
Pearl watched with growing anxiety as the glowing sun finally dipped below the horizon and day relented to night.
"Hazel and Lilly should've returned by now," she whispered nervously as she pressed against her mate. Her heart was fluttering with worry, she had a bad feeling about all of this.
"Maybe they just slowed their pace a little. They'll be here, don't worry sweet heart," he murmured back to her as he licked the top of her head comfortingly. His golden tail swished back and forth and he shifted in place so that his chin was resting on top of her head.
She wished she could share his confidence. Hell, she wished she could share everyone's confidence. Volt, Stella, May, Chris, Twister, none of them seemed the least bit worried about Hazel and Lilly's lateness. If they weren't here in the morning she was going out after them. She wouldn't be surprised if those damned poachers were still hanging around. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that crucial fact. She sure as hell hadn't.
"Stay safe you two.....and please be okay..."
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