THIS IS THE THIRD SEQUEL TO THE LOVE WITHIN. BEFORE READING THIS I SUGGEST YOU READ THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS. THANK YOU, ENJOY!
I can't run from the darkness, it's everywhere. It surrounds my life and clings to me as I try to escape it's grasp. I never can run from its clutch, it holds me for however long it wants to, and I fear it will never leave. I am being driven mad by the silence that rings in my ears while I wait for a clue as to where I am or what has happened. My head throbs and it has ever since I woke up, nothing helps with it's intense pain. I close my eyes, but there is no change: everything is still black and I imagine his face, his smile, his voice. Everything about him soothes me and helps me forget my prison of nothingness.
I sleep, wake up, think, then sleep again: that's my typical day. There is nowhere to walk, nothing to look at, all I have for comfort are my memories from yesterday? Last week? Years ago? My concept of time has been demolished since my awakening in the dismal confinement and I am worried that I am just lost within my mind. There would never be a rescue, I would never see daylight again, it would be this. This bleak existence for the rest of my days until I slowly collapsed into delirium.
I was just dreaming of Chance: our first kiss, first date, first kidnapping. Ahhhh, so romantic!, when my darkness was disrupted with bright harsh light. I tried to shield my face, but it was everywhere, there was no place to hide from its cruelty. My senses detected new surroundings, I felt a breeze and heard the sound of trees rustling while birds chirped softly. I could feel the soft grass under my paws and I opened my eyes to the world.
I'm...I'm awake!, I thought happily. The nightmare is over!
"Chance!?," I looked up, my voice was scratchy but it was loud. I turned around and came to face with the most terrifying sight of my life. There, in front of my were two trainers. One smiled while the other one looked serious. Oh no! Not more trainers!
I took my battle stance, ready to fight them, "I'm not scared!," I shouted angrily.
The smiling one laughed and clapped his hands," I told you! He's fine! He's perfect!," the human placed his claws on his friend with enthusiasm. "Thank you Nurse Joy" he praised."
" I wonder why he even had a cast on," the serious one grunted.
"Who cares!?, He's all healed now!"
"I am not a HE!," I was insulted by their lack of knowledge.
"Ohhh," the serious male mocked me," He's feisty!," he knelt to the ground and extended his hand to me," Come here, boy! Come here!"
My jaw dropped at their ignorance, I AM NOT SOME PAMPERED POODLE YOU CAN BECKON AT WILL! My blood was boiling just looking at these humans! DON'T THEY KNOW I AM A VULPIX! I COULD DESTROY THEM! I'LL SHOW THEM!
I unleased my fury with a Fire Spin at the males and I heard them howl with pain.
"OWW! OW! SHIT! FUCK, THAT FUCKING HURT!," the boy who was kneeling was now clutching his charred limb.
The smiling boy was no longer smiling he was frantically trying to smother the fire on his strange coverings," OH SHIT! OH GOD!," he was hitting the flames when a stream of water came from the side, destroying the climbing fire
I turn and see a small, blue, round Pokémon sending water from it's mouth to aide the human. It was a Marill! "Whew, thanks Marill," the human patted the water Pokémon's head and it beamed happily.
Stupid water type, I thought angrily. I could have taught those pesky humans not to mess with me! I mean: who do they think they are! 'COME HERE?' LIKE I'M A DOG? What makes them think they can speak to me like that. It's not a snobby thing, it's just-
My breath caught in my throat and I choked. My jaw dropped and my head fell, I couldn't breath! No! NO! NO! NONONONONONONOOO! This can't be happening! A tear slide to the grass as I raced through my memories, the last thing I remember was the battle! I slowly lifted my head to look at the humans, They.. they can't be! This isn't... NO!NO!
I inspected the two humans and they were, in fact, the same ones that Chance and I had battled. What are they doing here? Where is Chance?! I could feel the lack of oxygen suffocating me, so I took a breath and then another and they kept coming quicker and quicker until I was breathing faster than I was thinking.
Chance! They took him, they have him! He's gone! Where's Jack? Theresa? Singe? They've all been kidnapped and I'm here battling some mindless human! I need to find them? Where do I start? I'll go back to the campsite and start there and follow their trails! YES, that's it. They have to be somewhere nearby? Or maybe they left again for Qurxoon Falls thinking I was on my way! They're probably there right now! I need to go! I need to go!
"Heyyy...," a soft voicec ame up beside me "Hey Calm down. It's okay, it's okay Vulpix" I felt it stroke my head soothingly.
"I need to find him!" I sob," I have to go find him!"
"Shhhhh, it'll all be okay."
I turn to this mystery voice and it is the Marill. The one who helped save the human from my fire.
"Who are you?," my voice cracks.
"I'm Marill," the Pokémon smiled sweetly," I'm here to let you know it'll all be just fine. You'll be just fine" she continued to stroke my head.
"What's wrong with me?... Where am I? How can I hear the humans?" I begged her to tell me, silently hoping that I was wrong and somehow in a strange dream and would wake up with Chance by my side like I had last time.
"Nothing is wrong, Vulpix. You are fine, the headaches should pass," she replied. "And right now? We are just here, safe, with our trainer."
"Wait.. how did you know I have a headache?" I lean away from her.
She smiled," We all get them at first we are caught, It's just from the information overload."
"C-c-caught?," my voice trembled.
"Oh.. ," she smiled sadly, like a was a child" Vulpix, you are now the Pokémon of a trainer. He is a very good trainer and very-" I stopped listening to her.
Caught? Trainer? I am... a pet?
"No...no, no ,no" I shook my head softly," This is a mistake. I am a wild Pokémon. I am traveling with my herd to my new home! This is a mistake! I need to find them!," I began to shout.
"Shhhh, no. No, it's not a mistake. You were a wild Pokémon, yes that's true, but now you are owned by a trainer. We all know that you fought valiantly for your friends, but-"
I cut her off," No! I AM a wild Pokémon! I AM traveling with my herd! I AM in love and I need to find him! He is probably frantic, I need to go!" I try to escape but the mouse grabs me.
"Don't! If you run they trap you away in the ball again" she warns.
"The ball?"
"The place you've been. The endless abyss of nothing," her eyes widen from fear.
"No they can't. I can fight back! I can beat them," I tell her.
"No. No you can't Vulpix. He owns you now, they don't need to weaken you first. Whenever he wants he can put you in the ball. Don't you understand?! There is nothing to be done now. You are now owned."
I start sobbing again," I can't stay here!"
"Shh," she cradles my head," Shhh, it'll all be okay."
"I need Chance," I cry loudly.
I cry and cry, it seemed like I cried so much that I would run out of tears, but they kept coming. I shouted and screamed, wanting to run and run but there was nothing I could do. The worst part was the vast unknown: Where was Chance? Would I ever see him again? Where was Theresa? How could I have been caught? Where was Jack? Why didn't I fight back? Where was Singe? Where would they take me? Where was Chance? How can I escape?... How was this all going to be okay?