Warning: If you don't like Pokemon X Human pairings leave now. If you don't like Pokemon morphing into human form leave now. If you don't like first person stories, please leave now. If your cool with all that by all means stay and enjoy.
I recommend that if you enjoy this one to read its partner it as it offers a slightly different point of view. KitsuneOfTheNightSky's version is entitled Blame: The Ranger's Story.
This is rated M for good reasons, while criticism is appreciated, ranting flames are not, thank you.
ps. also posted on Deviant Art, and a third site.
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and sorry for the delay.
Blame: Absol's Story
Chapter 2
"No" I said again, my red eyes narrowed at the two in front of me. Celebi and Zorua stood next to each other in front of me, both pulling off their best puppy dog look which to their annoyance it wasn't working.
"But why Tyth?" Celebi asked in his whiniest voice. It made my ears hurt.
"Because I'm not going to leave to travel Arceus knows how long to give a stupid human back a piece of metal he dropped, and that is final." I close my eyes in preparation of the headache I was going to get listening to the two of them plead.
Apparently Celebi had taken something from the human when he was unconscious and is now claiming the human had dropped the small silver object while looking for the Zorua.
"You're the only one that can do it though Tyth, and what if it's important to him huh?" the Zorua piped up seeing that Celebi's arguments were getting nowhere.
"So what if it is, he should learn to keep important things where mischievous psychic's can't find them." I shoot a glare at the floating annoyance next to Zorua.
"He helped a lot of pokemon during the fire, doesn't that mean we should pay him back by returning it?" the dark type continued.
I twitched and sighed. The fox had a small point with that one. The human had helped many and begrudgingly if he hadn't been there lives would have been lost. I see the look the dark type shoots the psychic and mentally groan. When had I become unpracticed in seeming emotionless in cases like this? Not even a decade ago Celebi couldn't get me to bend in my opinions and now not only can the psychic do it but a pokemon I've known less then a week can read me and effectively plot against me. I really need to work on that.
"Yes he helped out, but I think I did my part when I let him stay here while he was healing. That and I don't know how far he is from here. The human left almost two days ago." With the grin I got from Celebi I knew I had said something that sealed my fate.
"Well about that Tyth…" Celebi chuckled nervously, "I kind of know the general area were he lives, and its only a few leagues over the mountains." I got the underlying message, because with the humans injuries he wouldn't leave his den for a while. I twitch again.
"It's still no." I say in a flat tone trying to leave no room for argument. But apparently there was room to move and Celebi looked down right determined.
"Fine then I will take it back to him myself, it will be quicker for me to do it anyway." The psychic huffed picking up the metal object.
Zorua stared and I growled, quickly nipping the disk like object away. Celebi first looked startled and then he smirked knowing he had won.
"Note I'm only doing this because I don't trust any human enough to let you get involved with one while I'm around." I growled out around the metal object in my mouth, cursing the psychic out in my head.
Celebi gave a clap of joy, "I'm glad you see it my way, now let me help with that." He took the disk from my mouth and in a few seconds had created a small net bag and rope of vines so that it could hang around my neck. While better then carrying the filthy tasting thing is my mouth the whole way, I was still greatly annoyed.
"You owe me." I muttered darkly under my breath walking past the awestruck dark type and the very amused psychic.
As I got a far distance away I heard a faint, "take care now", from Celebi and a, "have fun" from Zorua. I snort in annoyance. Yeah right. Me having fun taking a worthless human back his worthless piece of metal. Laughable. It was going to be as fun as helping one of the Swalot out of a sink hole.
After Celebi had said that the human lived a few leagues behind the mountains I had a vague idea of where. My territory ended at the very roots of the mountains going west, and just outside my territory was old forest thick and untouched by humans, or at least I thought so until now. They probably have dozens of towns littered through out the area and finding the one were the male lived wasn't going to be fun.
About midday I made it to the border of my territory. The air on this side of the mountains was crisp and clear and clean, but vaguely unfamiliar. I didn't come this way often because no threats to the pokemon I watched over had come from this direction. In fact many pokemon under my watch traveled back and forth this way during the changing of the seasons. I skirt along the border until I come to a stream leading from the mountains. I stop at the invisible border. Drinking from the cool waters thinking.
The only time I had been through this area of forest, the area I was about to enter, had been about fifty human years ago, with Arceus' instructions still clear in my head.
"If you seek a true home, young one, go to the mountain that the humans call Aggron's keep. There you will find a dieing landscape. Do what needs to be done to bring back the life flow and it will be yours. Guard it well, young one, be its protector." these had been the words that brought me here, when I had been so close to death, and these were the words that had given me a purpose to live.
I shake my head of the memory and debate just leaving the humans disk right where I stood, then sigh. I had never broken a promise and my pride wouldn't let me start now. After taking another drink I follow the rive bank at a slow trot, passing into unfamiliar territory.
I tilted my head to another unusual sound having slowed to a cautious walk after the trees had thickened around the river. The canopy of leaves over head swayed to a wind that the ground could not feel do to the thickness of the foliage. Even over the river the trees bent to create a tunnel of branches and leaves. All around me was in soft shadows and draped with a muted silence. I could hear pokemon moving around in the branches and in some of the undergrowth farther into the forest from the river, but all the sounds seemed strained as if the creators of the sounds were trying their hardest not to make them. I chuckled a little. Happy to know that the pokemon under my watch were better at escaping detection. Though the level of noise, that was being made, would surely be to little for a human to notice.
What had me checking every sound though was the fact I felt watched. The sensation prickled along my back brisling my fur. I knew for a fact that a Poliwrath was following me through the river, it had disappeared into the swift moving water as I cut through some tangled undergrowth to continue along the river a few miles back, and had appeared every so often since. I knew it was the same one because it happened to be a light green color indicating that it was a shiny. There also seemed to be one more tailing me but I had yet to catch sight of it as it moved among the trees. And since neither of them had made any hostile movements, other then following I left both alone and continued. However, I kept an ear and eye out. I wasn't in my territory after all and I didn't know the area nor the pokemon. I didn't forget for a second that I was the stranger now, more so, and I curse it yet again, due to my coloring.
It happened as I leaped over the river, keeping my mostly westerly course as the river began to snake south. The Poliwrath's eyes appeared out of the water and under me as I leap and massive weight crashed into me from slightly above me taking the both of us back to the side of the river I had just been on. I rolled away trying to get back to my paws to defend myself when another blow, reminding me strongly of brick break, hit my side causing me to roll again. So there were three of them. The Poliwrath was out of the water now cracking its knuckles and stalking forward. A Breloom came up next to it, bouncing on its feet. I had a feeling the Brick break had come from it. Before I could set my eyes on the third I was leaping away again, my side gave a twinge as I did so, as dust cleared from were I had been standing. A Heracross rose from a small crater it had created and came flying at me again using close combat as it got within hitting range.
I dodged and rolled out of the way or at least tried to. My side where the brick break had landed gave loud protest to my fast and awkward movements. Taking that as an advantage the Heracross directed most of its attacks at the injury. I didn't realize until it was to late that it had pushed me into a tight thicket of trees. My only way out was up but to go up I had to exposed my weakened side. I thought quickly, which was exceedingly hard to do as fists and a horn kept coming at me in rapid succession. Most connected with my blade or claws as I fought to keep a little ground. As the Heracross pushed me further back, the trees above me began to look like my only option. Of course I could attack back, fight for more ground so I could maneuver better, however, it was me against three fighting types, one who was also a bug type, two elements I am weak against, that fight did not seem appealing at all and I was the trespasser here. I took the gamble.
The air rushed from my lungs as if trying to escape a fire and my vision doubled as pain raced up from my back leg. My front paws didn't even reach the first branch before I was falling back to terra firma. Arceus damned that hurt. It seem that the Heracross managed to land a strong blow to my back leg, on the injured side, as I tried the jump. I got unsteadily to my feet.
The Heracross seemed to have thought that I was down with that one has it had turned to walk back to the others. I limped forward a bit to get away from the trees it had backed me into. Pain ran the length of my leg with every movement. Damn Celebi and his insisting I take the stupid human back his stupid piece of stupid metal.
When I was safely way from the trees and about half way to the three other pokemon I stopped and gingerly sat down, trying to keep as much weight off that leg as possible.
"Are you satisfied?" I asked in a dull tone, working hard to keep the pain out of my tone. It was likely that they would all attack now especially if I showed any sign that the last two attacks had done some serious damage.
The Heracross turned back and the Breloom and Poliwrath looked around the bug type to peer at me clearly surprised I had gotten up.
"Bugger." the Heracross muttered as the Poliwrath stepped up fists tightly clenched.
"Do I need to clean up after you again?" It asked the Heracross in a soft exasperated tone, indicating it was female. The Heracross shrugged pathetically, and slumped back as the Breloom chuckled a bit.
So they were a guard of some sort, I gathered from their interaction. Taking a deep breath, numbing myself to the throbbing in my leg I spoke.
"Look I don't know what I did, but clearly I crossed some line. However, I'm just here to give a human," I couldn't stop the disgust from leaking into my voice there, "back something he lost."
"Load of Muk." the Poliwrath said crackling her knuckles again. "Where is your trainer?" She asked in a tone that reminded me strongly of a pissed off Tyranitar.
I shook my head in disbelief. Me some pet of a human? "What?" I asked back in confusion thinking I had heard wrong.
"You heard her Absol." the Breloom spoke up, "She asked where your trainer was."
I growled at the very thought of being owned by some stupid human. It was insulting. "I don't know what your talking about, I am the property of no human, they all can die for all I care." I snarl getting pissed myself.
The trio didn't seem to believe me and circled me as if I was going to run off. I stayed still, the pain in my leg slowly fading to a dull throb, but I didn't want them t know that.
"Don't know what your playing at Absol, but we know you have a trainer." the Breloom said bouncing on its feet and thumping its tail on the ground.
"And the bugger probably knows that the area on the other side of the river is off limits to trainers and their pokemon, which is why they sent you." Added the Heracross crossly.
"I have no trainer." I growled getting to my feet, "To make such an accusation is an insult." my leg throbbed and threatened to give out but I stood firm, I wasn't going to take these three thinking I was some humans lackey.
"Blimey she's really stick'in to that story aren't she?" The Heracross said to the other two in an amused tone. The other two nodded in agreement.
"But it's not one we're going to believe, and no sensible pokemon would, I mean look at that coat, every one knows that Absol's are white or if shiny red." The Breloom replied as if I wasn't there, but all three looked to me as if daring me to deny what the Grass fighting type had just said.
Not for the first time did I curse my coloring, and what I was. "Look this is my natural color. I was born with black fur and have always had black fur." I huffed at them, starting to find this whole situation meaning less. It was clear that the three would think the same no matter what I did or said and I was past annoyed, moving quickly to pissed off.
"Geez did your trainer dye you the moment you were out of your poke-egg?" The Breloom asked, pausing for a moment in his ever bouncing motion. I couldn't place the look on his face but it seemed vaguely concerned. In fact the other two mimicked the look.
"I don't know what your talking about, what is dye?" I responded back still angry, and mildly confused. I was sure this dye was a human creation.
"The stuff your trainer puts into your fur to make it black instead of white." the Poliwrath answered, her eyes narrowing.
I mimic the movement, getting the idea of what they were talking about, I'd seen a few human females put a disgusting looking goop into their fur to make it a different color. "Look, this is my natural color. Don't believe me, I don't care. I am here only to give a human male back a metal disk he dropped, and I'm going to do that whether you three like it or not." With that I began slowly moving forward, keeping a close watch of the three. Getting hit again would be bad.
As I thought the Poliwrath blocked my movement and moved to stay in front of me when ever I turned to move around her.
"Trainer pokemon are aren't allowed…" the Heracross started but was cut off by the Poliwrath.
"You basically said you hated humans, so why are you taking something back to one of them?" She asked in a calculated question. I realized almost at once what she was trying to do, get me to say I ha d a trainer.
"Yes I'm taking a human back a piece of metal he dropped, but I was blackmailed into it by a very annoying Psychic and a friend of his. I'm not here by choice, nor am I enjoying it. I would much rather be back on my mountain helping the pokemon repair the damage of the fire." I sat back down, my leg no longer supporting my weight.
A Volbeat went on in the Heracross' head but the Breloom and Poliwrath remained glaring at me.
"But aren't you strong against a Psychic? I can't see how one could blackmail you into anything." Breloom commented in what I think was suppose to be a tone of superiority. "Though that could say something about your skills, I'm know we've beaten several." He added with a smirk.
The Poliwrath was going to say something but the Heracross beat her to it. "You're the black demon aren't you mate?." the two others whipped their heads toward the Fighting bug as he seemed to stare at me. I raised a none existent eyebrow.
"Are you going on about that again!" The poliwrath nearly screamed now facing her companion. "How many times do I have to tell you that those are just stories! If a black demon existed it was nearly 50 human years ago, long before any of us here were born. And the pokemon that come over here from black mountain are just perpetuating that story so they keep their mountain safe."
"That's what the humans in the town at the roots on my mountain call me." I replied after the Poliwrath's out burst, fighting back a smirk.
"Oh no you don't. Your not using that old legend to get out of this, Absol." The Poliwrath replied with a finger pointed at me. "You'd have to be over fifty years old to be the black demon." she added skeptical.
"Absol's are also known as the century pokemon. We tend to live very long lives." I responded back in a dull tone, getting tired of this conversation. "Not that, that fact has any baring on this conversation. And the Psychic, not that you really need to know was Celebi. He blackmailed me into taking Envy…. Enin… Enish, En something," I stumbled trying to remembers the humans name, " back the silver disk he dropped after helping get pokemon out of the fire." I said looking the Poliwrath in the eye.
I seen something click into place and a Volbeat turned on in the water types head as well.
"Enishi?" she asked still skeptical but now willing to listen.
"Yes I believe that's what the human called himself when he talked to the pokemon who had helped him out."
"Describe him." was the order from the Poliwrath. I thought a moment before answering. I really did not like her tone nor the fact that she ordered me to do something. But the others moved a little closer, interested in what I had to say. Why, I do not know.
"He was a human male, only a few inches taller then the Furret he had around his shoulders, lightish brown fur that was very short, lake water colored eyes, blue cloth that had the poke balls, over black cloth on his upper half and darker blue cloth on his legs. He had a mechanical device on one of his wrists and I think that's what the disk thing I'm carrying belongs to." I pause for breath, " and he had a pokemon team of five, the Furret, a Lucaio, a Flygon, a Croagunk, and an Aron." again I raise a nonexistent eyebrow, waiting for response.
It was clear that's not what the Poliwrath had expected, nor the other two from the looks on their faces. They quickly gathered into a small huddle a few feet away. I picked up fragments of their conversation as they tried to talk in low tones. Apparently the human only wore that cloth when on missions and not many people knew what he looked like. They started arguing over a point the Poliwrath had made. Which made her smack the Breloom over the head.
I took the time to stretch out my leg, cringing a bit as it protested the movement. I was glad however when I only got a slight throb from it. I'd have a limp for a while but there was no serious damage. The forest had gotten louder and I spotted a few bird pokemon in the trees spying on the four of us. I stretched fully as the Poliwrath gave a muttered "Fine!"
"We have decided to believe your story for now. However there is one thing we want do test before we let you continue on." she nodded to the Breloom who hopped his way behind me. "We want to make sure your fur isn't dyed black."
That's all the warning I got before the Poliwrath unleashed a hydro pump on me. I slammed into the Breloom who braced us both against the on slot of water. Just when I thought the water type was meaning to drowned me, the attack stopped and I landed on the ground coughing up water with a Breloom, trying to be helpful, pounding on my back to help me get the water out of my lungs. All I have to say is ow.
I stood and glared at the Poliwrath who looked very sheepish. "If you ever try and wash away my fur color again, or doubt it in anyway I will thunder your ass to Arceus and back you understand me?" I growled out looking very much like a drowned Mareep as I stalked past the two in front of me.
As I leaped over the river I heard the Poliwrath call out, "If your lying about anything beside your fur color, Animus, Taiga, and Venishi will take care of you!" I shook my head in pure annoyance and in an attempt to get water from my ears.
It took hours to get my fur dry after the Poliwrath's little stunt, and in that time it seemed the three had spread the word about what I was doing there. The forests pokemon made no attempt to hide themselves now and openly, if not a little fearfully stared at me and followed my movements through the trees. I was annoyed beyond belief and my leg was throbbing with pain every step. I had a feeling that the hydro pump had twisted my already injured leg out of place. I didn't know who I wanted to hurt more at the moment, the Poliwrath or Celebi. Both deserved a good beating and I was in the mood to hurt something.
I stopped just outside a small natural clearing, full of tall grass, to finish drying off and rest my leg. If I remembered correctly this clearing used to be a small pound and was almost in the middle of the forest. That surprised me a bit. I had expected humans to have moved into this area by now, but I remembered that the Heracross had said something about trainers not being allowed somewhere which I assume was on this side of the river. That could play apart in this still being a living elder forest.
A little while later, when I could stand the stares of several small Pichus no longer I got up and walked out into the clearing, reveling in the feel of the afternoon sun on my fur. I was half way across the clearing before I heard the buzzing of a bugs wings a little to late. At the same time I registered the smell of a Scyther's nest right as I came upon it.
The Scyther's blade cut into my injured side deeply taking me down to a crouching position. Even knowing I had come upon the bug types nest without permission and so had provoked the attack, I lashed out with a thunder attack, for two reasons. The first being I was still highly pissed at the Poliwrath and second I wanted to keep the angry bug type a good distance away. I stayed still striking out with a thunder every time I heard the Scyther rounding on me again. None of the attacks hit and I made sure to keep them away from the nest. After about the fifth past, and no luck about thinking of a way out of the situation, I move closer to the nest hopping that by doing so the Scyther would stop trying to attack my in fear it would hit the nest.
This tactic only made the aggressive pokemon increase its pace and make its attacks bolder. Panting I still again, lashing out with another thunder, but it was weaker then the last and I could barley feel my back leg.
"I'm going to maim Celebi for this." I mutter under my breath as the bug type made another pass, catching the very top of my right shoulder with its blade. The attack had all the characteristics of fury cutter. Which meant that the Scyther would attack again in the next few moments. I was proved correct again as the blades hit me three more times though they only left shallow cuts on my back which I was thankful for.
I was startled by movement in front of me. When I looked up I saw to my horror another Scyther, female by the looks, standing in the grass in front of me.
"Scratch that I'm going to murder Celebi." I mutter again, keeping an ear on the Scyther still flying around and my eyes on the one in front of me.
"Guardian?" the Scyther in front of me asked giving off the air of a royally pissed mother.
I don't know if I was happy to hear that name or terrified that the nest I wandered into more then likely had eggs in it. I managed a weak nodded and at that the female rose up into the air stopping, the male from his next attack. I could hear a conversation above me but I remained still until both landed in the grass in front of me. I looked up to them as I was now plastered to the ground. The male stalked off back toward the nest and the female bent down to lift me up off the ground.
It took some work but she got me to the other side of the clearing and into the shade. While she gathered a few berries from nearby bushes she began to talk.
"I'm sorry about that Guardian, we've just had several Ekans and Arbok's try and steal from our nest and my mate is very up tight about it. I told him we should have moved to my swarms breeding grounds on your mountain, but he just flat out refused. Saying that his swarm's grounds were just as good as mine and what not." she sighed and brought the berries over setting them in front of me. "I figured you weren't another Ekans when the thunders started to go off and I tried to stop him, then I heard you mutter and did that give me a shock. Its been almost a whole year since I last heard your voice and to think I hear it coming out of the grass my mate is attacking." she shook her head. "I'm sorry again Guardian."
"It's perfectly ok, I was the one that intruded into your nest site without thinking." I replied back forcing myself to eat a few of the Oran berries. They were horridly thick on my tongue and I had to force back my gag reflex to get them down. There was no flavor to them and I had to remind myself I needed to eat them to get the next two down. The two Sitrus berries were a little bit better as they didn't stick to my tongue as badly. I felt the berries effects almost immediately, the pain lessened and the bleeding stopped. The cut would have closed had I eaten the last two Sitrus berries but my stomach wasn't having any of it.
"Thank you for the berries." I said with gratitude, getting shakily to my feet.
"No need to thank me Guardian, though if I may ask what are you doing this far from the Mountain?" the Scyther asked with curiosity looking back toward her nest.
"A human left a metal disk in the forest after he helped out with a forest fire. Celebi's got me taking it back to him." I explained, not knowing if I wanted to get feeling back into my leg or not.
She looked at me in shock. Understandable, giving that I'd rather see all humans go die then go near one, but I shrugged replying, "It was either me or Celebi taking it back, the conniving little troublemaker." the Scyther seemed to understand and chuckled a bit.
"I'm going to assume the human your talking about is Enishi, since he's the only person who lives anywhere close by." I nod nosing the last Sitrus berry with a sigh, "His house is just a little bit north of here, past the lake, but you might fine him at the lake, he has a Spheal he takes down there sometimes."
"Thank you again." I ate the last berry hoping my stomach wouldn't reject it.
"Again no problem Guardian, and I'm sorry for my mates actions." the Scyther bowed a bit before walking back into the grass. "Hope the berries helped." was her last comment before disappearing into the grass.
I gingerly make my way away from the clearing, being a lot more cautious and alert. I couldn't afford another fight, nor injury. I had been stupid. I was in unfamiliar territory and I hadn't been paying enough attention to my surroundings. Both fights could of easily been avoided. If my head wasn't already pounding from blood loss I would of gladly hit my head against a tree a few dozen times. I was making pupish mistakes.
The next hour was slow going, and very quiet. Instead of gawking at me the pokemon I passed only gave me passing glances or nods that they had seen me and otherwise remained almost silent. A few I recognized as pokemon that migrated into my territory over the summer or winter seasons. And a small hand full took one look at me and took off in the direction I was heading. I figured these were like the Poliwrath, Breloom and Heracross, guards or something similar. I followed their path, more then confident they were going to the human I was looking for.
When my leg decided it wouldn't take another step, by literally buckling under me, I stopped and laid down for a few minutes.
Faint light made its way through the canopy above me littering the ground with moving patches of muted light. It was hypnotic in a way. My eyes followed one of the patches of their own accord. As I watched the light, my eyes gently closed and before I knew it the comfortable embrace of slumber wrapped around me. I couldn't have been out long before the familiar prickle of pain swept through my blade and my dreamless sleep was over taken by the familiar black and white of my visions.
A Luxray lay in the shade of a large tree near either a lake or a river. The pokemon had a troubled look to its face, almost as if suffering a great pain, which could have been explained by the casts it had on its legs. The image didn't dwell on the Luxray too long though, it quickly moved up to the branch right above the electric pokemon, where two Pachirisu seemed to be arguing. Each of the pokemon were sending sparks at each other. Then the one closest to the trunk shot off a thunder toward the other, the branch split which caused the small squirrel farthest from the trunk to squeak. Both these pokemon made it safely on to another branch, but the Luxray wasn't as fortunate. The broken branch landed with a sick crack, for the Electric lion couldn't move and the branch was easily the width of a Seviper and the weight of a Scizor.
As the branch landed in my vision I woke with a sudden jolt as a weight landed solidly onto my back. I snarled. Without thought to my injuries I sprang up, dislodging the weight from my side and spun to face what had landed on me.
To my instant and almost comical surprise a Shinx lay on the ground, spread paw looking dazed. I could almost see the Pidgey circling the little ones head. I relaxed almost at once with a sort of exasperated sigh, another action Celebi told me was near human, and turned my gaze up as a yelp came from the tree above. Another cub struggled to right itself on a branch about half way up the tree, glowing with soft electricity typical of a Shinx in trouble. While the one that had fallen recovered I tested my back leg. I found it stiff and sore but not exceedingly painful. That in mind I jumped up into the tree carefully making my way up to the branch below the struggling Shinx cub.
"You can let go of the branch, little one." I tried to say in a calm tone, so not to startle the Shinx, and apparently I failed as it jumped slightly at my voice losing what little grip it had on the branch. Before the Shinx could get out another full yelp I sprang from my branch, catching the cub with a gentle bite and brought us both to the ground. Though my leg really didn't like me for the movement and I landed a little less gracefully then was my normal standard.
I sat the Shinx cub down next to his brother who had recovered from the fall. They both looked at me with guilty and apprehensive faces, clearly stating they had done something wrong and were expecting to get punished for it. I smirked and gave them a stern glare as if I was about to reprimand them. They shrunk back a little bit.
"Are either of you hurt?" I asked my tone soft but firm.
Both shook their head rapidly back and forth indicating they weren't. The one that had fallen on me was the smaller of the two and shook his head so hard that he lost his balance falling forward again. This caused his brother to snort in an attempt to hold back a laugh which failed miserably.
"This is why you fell out of the tree, you idiot. You have no balance." He snickered, pushing his brother with a paw.
I watched the two a moment. The comment by his bigger brother seemed to down the small ones mood and he stayed on the ground paws hiding his face.
"I hope you recall that you too almost fell out of the tree as well and that had I not been under the tree your brothers landing would have seriously hurt him." I say in the same tone. This sobered the bigger of the two up quickly, more quickly then I had expected.
"Sorry ma'am." The bigger said softly not looking me in the face. The smaller had also gotten back to his feet and followed his brothers example.
I sighed and relaxed my posture. "It's good that you realize this. Though if I must say, your brothers clumsiness maybe do to the fact his paws are so big." the bigger looked at his brothers feet and snickered again, while his brother tried to hide his paws under his paws. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you." I took on the serious tone again, " bigger paws usually mean a bigger adult. Your brother may end up being bigger then you." this shocked the bigger and made the smaller perk up.
"Really?" the smaller asked eagerly.
"There's no way, your just making that up!" the bigger exclaimed, clearly not liking the fact his brother could possible end up bigger the him.
"Yes really, and I'm not making it up. I've seen a lot of pokemon who were the smallest in the family end up being the biggest and strongest in the end." I smirked. The smaller puffed out his chest in pride, while the bigger scowled. "So what are your names?"
"I'm Ace!" the bigger one answered first happy to get the change of subject, "and this is my brother Max."
"Hey I can tell her my own name!" the smaller exclaimed tackling Ace and nibbling on his ear. Ace responded in kind and with in seconds they were fighting each other in a full on brawl.
I howled at them, splitting them apart rather quickly. Both trembled and seemed to be expecting punishment. " I respect the fact that your brothers and will fight each other but right now I'm not in the mood to deal with it. Now where are your parents? Cubs as young as you two normally aren't out of either mother or father sights for very long." I asked stretching out my back leg with a wince.
To my surprise Max spoke first this time. "Mama is at the lake with Enishi, who was with Animus and the three that fight strange pokemon near the river. Papa's under the ground on the hill." His eyes were bright but down cast and I immediately knew that their father was no longer in this world but the reverse with Giritina. My head bowed in a silent acknowledgement of their fathers passing.
"Is this human holding your mother captive?" I assumed this had to be the case, he probably was responsible for the fathers death as well. No human could be trusted no matter what Celebi thought.
"No!" Ace yelled out with great conviction coat blazing with electricity. Okay so I may have assumed wrong. "Enishi saved her! We would of lost her too if he hadn't done anything!." he continued to yell.
"We wouldn't have a place to live it if wasn't for him," Max added as his brother took a breath. "Our mama was badly hurt in the rockslide trying to get us out of the den. Enishi brought her here to heal, we owe him a lot." Max explained a lot calmer then his brother who looked ready to tackle me if I said anything more against Enishi.
"So why didn't he save your father as well?" I asked out of interest and skepticism. Even Max growled a bit at me for this question.
"Our mama has told us it was because papa stopped Enishi from saving him. She said that if papa hadn't stopped him, Enishi would of died too and there would have been no one to help her, and papa couldn't let that happen because we need her and she need us." Max answered keeping Ace from tackling me.
"I apologize for being disrespectful then. I do not know Enishi nor his nature." and the more I learn the least I trust him, I added to myself, as the cubs seemed to calm down.
"How can you not know Enishi?" Ace asked perplexed, his early ire at me temporarily forgotten. "Everyone here knows him, he keeps the humans with the red and white balls out of the forest."
"I'm not from this forest, I'm from the mountains in the east." I explain, in amusement as their eyes widen.
"Really!" both question at once. "We can see them from the lake sometimes when playing with Enishi." Max continued.
"Wait does that mean that you are the ones that the three that fight along the river were reporting to Enishi about?" Ace asked, stern but still excited.
"More then likely. I seemed to have caused something of an uproar when I crossed the river."
"That's so cool!" they both exclaimed in unison.
I shook my head at the enthusiasm of the cubs, before my blade throbbed gently. Its reminder to me that I needed to get moving, if I ignored the pulse it would just get stronger until it crippled me. Remembering that little fact got me shaking out my limbs and moving forward.
"You said that your mother was at the lake with Enishi right?" I asked moving in the direction the cubs scent had come from.
"Yeah why?" Ace responded looking at me with a tilted head.
"You two should be getting back to your mother and because I don't know this forest nor, Enishi's character, I'm going to take you guys back. Got a problem with the plan?" I was already several trees father away by this point and as predicted the two brothers came bounding up with floppy limps and grins of youth.
Max, while sticking a tongue out at Ace, shook his head, "No problem, we kind of got a bit lost anyway. That's why we were climbing the tree, to see if we could see the lake."
I nod and start off at a jog just fast enough to actually gain some ground but slow enough the two cubs could keep up. I kept this pace for an hour or so by the movement of the sun before my leg begins to stiffen and the two cubs seem to be growing tired themselves.
"So any of this look familiar?"
"Yeah. The lake isn't too far I think." Ace said pausing to catch his breath along with Max who dropped to the ground with a soft plop sound. I stopped as well, noting the tinge of the smell of water in the air and subtle changes in the plants.
"Well then I guess you two can hitch a ride the rest of the way, don't want your mother think I chased you guys all the way back." I lowered myself to the ground flinching a bit when Max climbed up on my back from my injured leg.
"I didn't think we went that far Ace, but we must have gone a few miles with how long it took to get back."
Ace hesitated a few second before he too climbed on, thankfully from my other side. "I know. Mama must be worried sick, I'm surprised that we haven't run into any people searching for us yet."
"Having fun always makes any journey seem shorter, and we probably haven't run into any body yet because you're traveling with me." I state simply, adjusting to accommodate the two on my back. My leg wasn't going to be happy with me, and I could already see it screaming at me once I put these two down.
The lake was close thankfully, and Ace and Max appeared to be experienced at riding on someone's back because they stayed still most of the way, save for Max digging his claws into my sides at a small jump I had to take.
Other then that both talked extensively about their mother and the human, saying how I would love him and everything. I learned a lot from them, facts such as how strong the human was; he liked to spar with the pokemon on his team and those in the forest, how often he was gone; the cubs bemoaned these absences, and that they seemed to think that he cared about the pokemon because he protected this land from other people. To this I snorted refraining from the comment that he's probably only doing it for his own gain. A full forest of pokemon just for him. My blade throbbed strongly.
This opinion held as we come up to the lake, opposite of the human and what appeared to be their mother under a tree. He stood in the clearing , clearly giving orders the flying and bug types around him. The water soaked up his words but the body language was as clear as a Cryogonal. Wanting to leave the cubs there upon seeing the human walk over and bend down to the Luxray, my eyes strayed to the tree above the very frantic, but immobile Luxray, where two Pachirisu seemed to be arguing.
Adrenalin hit my system faster then I could comprehend. My paws tore up the thin sandy shore. I no longer felt the pain of my previous injuries nor the fresh stabs of the cubs claws into my sides as they struggled to stay on. All that mattered was the tree and the branch the two electric types fought on.
The moment of my vision drew closer and as always a sickening dread flooded my stomach, what if I was too slow? Too late? And as this dread spread my paws punished the ground and I sped up, solutions to the problem racing through my head. As I got closer the human once again walked up to the Luxray and away again, it seemed if he was trying to keep the pokemon from moving. I let out a growl of indignation at the exact moment the Pachirisu closest to the tree fired off a thunder. The next few seconds passed in slow motion as I realized I was still too far away. The second electric type jumped from the falling half of the branch to the secure few inches the other one occupied looking horrified. The human turned at the sound, face holding a shocked expression that quickly turned to something of deep pain.
Before I knew what I was doing, I skidded through the sand coming to a stop partly in the water and my whole body tensed as a dark purple aura leaped away from my body and shot toward the falling branch halting its descent in mid air. I could feel the weight of the branch on my mind, the Psychic attack too weak to keep it suspended forever. The Cubs had jumped from my back and were running toward their mother calling out to her in painful cries. The branch got heavier and I felt like biting the human for his slowness, he was the only one close enough to move the Luxray as I could only hold the branch still.
He looked toward me, his eye catching mine and I fought the weariness over coming me and the weight of the branch to send him a proper glare. This seemed to get him moving and just as the weight become too much he had moved the Luxray out from under the branch, and the cubs were safely next to their mother. I released the branch. Hitting the ground at the same time it did. My eyes fought to stay open but my earlier wounds were screaming now and weariness that only using Psychic could bring washed over me in great waves. The last thing I saw was the cubs running back toward me. Darkness.
It felt as if my ears and nose and mouth were stuffed full of cotton spore. My mind was groggy like it had done a great physical feat. The first thing that came through the fog was pain, lots of it, from my back and side and leg and oddly from my head, though I remember no injury to it. Then came the sensation of movement, a jerky labored sort of movement, that didn't stop. Next sounds made it through the cotton, loud and pounding at first then quieting. Many pokemon were around all talking low amongst themselves. The name 'Enishi' kept coming up along with 'weird colors' and the question 'is she safe?'. I knew the name from somewhere but my brain was still to fogged to grasp at it. Though jerky the movement was soothing somehow and as I fought to regain conciseness, it fought to pull me back into slumber. Finally my nose cleared out. The first smell that hit my senses jolted me out of the fog. Human. Male. Enishi.
I twisted in his grip, not at all concerned about hitting him with my tail or blade, until I was able to get one of my back paws against his chest which offered me enough leverage to push away and out of his arms. The landing hurt, my shoulder slammed into the ground along with my blade, jarring my head, causing the world to spin behind my closed eye lids. When I opened my eyes Enishi and three of the pokemon I had seen him with previously were standing in front of me tensed. The human had three gashes across his chest where my paw and claws got him, they gently wept blood. I struggled to stand up right, my left shoulder burning with pain along with the rest of my injuries. I glared at him, though the effect was probably ruined by my eyes continuously closing on me as I fought to stay awake.
Enishi clutched at his wounds briefly before standing up, in what appeared to be normal human bravado, and walked toward me slowly, cautiously. I backed up in a painful, hopping limp. He knelt when he was only feet away. I growled.
"Peace. I mean you no harm. I was only trying to get you same medical help." his voice was soft and as cautious as his movements yet it was pinched with pain.
I growled again, noting the effects of the Lucario's aura field. If I said anything back he'd be able to understand me. Never had I spoken to a human and I didn't feel like starting at that moment, but I am irritated and in pain.
"Peace? I don't need your forged peace human…" my back leg gave out and I grimaced, "All humans do harm whether they…mean it or…not." my breathing became more labored and my vision began to darken even though I fought against it. "I do…not…need…your…help."
"For this, I apologize" Came a quiet voice from my right. I whipped my head around, but was too late. The human's Croagunk was at my side, his fingers glowing a pale purple. Poison Jab. Darkness.
The next round of consciousness left me feeling sick. The pungent smell of healing herbs was thick in the air along with the lingering odor of a human. The scent nauseated me, or was it the poison from the Croagunk? My mind was clearer this time, not entirely idled with pain, though my wounds burned with an itching sensation, allowing me to take note of my situation. The human was still close by, I could tell from the smell, several of his pokemon were as well. I was still outside though I wasn't on the ground. I shifted a little to try and fine what I was laying on to discover my leg and side were bandaged and the smaller wounds were coated with something thick that stung as I moved. My movement apparently caught the attention of two pokemon near me, from their scent a Chansey and an Audino.
I opened my eyes when the Audino touched my shoulder, I met his eye and relaxed, only to jump when the Chansey lifted the bandage on my leg. I let out a sharp yelp, which everyone noticed. For once I'm glad that my fur is black.
"Sorry, sorry. I just needed to check how well the ointment was working." the Chansey said outside my field of vision.
"It burns." was my reply in a harsh and aggravated tone. I was sure that the ointment that had been used, was the source of the nauseating scent of herbs, which explained the burning itch of my wounds. I couldn't handle herbs like I couldn't handle berries.
The Audino blinked in puzzlement and from the movement but my legs the Chansey had given an equally puzzled look. "What do you mean Absol?" the Audino asked, concern barely masked in his features. I suddenly felt very awkward.
"I mean that my wounds are very itchy and feel like they are burning." there was still puzzlement. "In human terms I'm allergic to herbs and berries because of what I am. I'm surprised neither of you has sensed it yet." the last part was a bit harsh but the longer I was awake the more sensation returned to my body and the more my wounds were starting to severely irritate me.
In a swift movement both healing pokemon were in front of me, black and blue eyes searching me.
"You don't mean you're a…?" Chansey was the first to speak looking between the human and the Audino, and me, with a concerned and worried look.
"Yes."
At that the Chansey nodded and hurried away toward the human. My eyes narrowed.
"Don't worry, She not going to tell him, she's just going over there to make him get some hot water so we can wash the ointment off." he fidgeted, a movement that didn't seem like something he would normally do. "May I check? It has been a while since we were last around another like us and never have we encountered one that wasn't a Chansey or Audino."
With a stiff nod of my head Audino stretched out his feelers to me, both gently touching my forehead. They glowed slightly pink then faded.
"I am sorry Absol. I didn't think. We used the herbs because Enishi figured you would be more comfortable with natural cures then human made ones."
I shrugged as best I could laying on my side. "I've no hard feelings toward you or Chansey." I relaxed and rested my eyes with a sigh. The Audino moved down and began to remove the bandages with great care.
A few minutes later the Chansey returned with the human following. The sound of sloshing water told me he carried a bucket. I kept my eyes closed trying to ignore the sickening smell of the herbs now that the bandages were off.
"Will you tell me now what's wrong, looks like the wounds are healing just fine. Why must the medicine be washed off?" the human asked his voice closer then I thought he was. I opened my eyes to find him looking at the two pokemon just outside my vision. The Lucario wasn't to far off either.
The gruff voice of the Audino responded. "She's having an allergic reaction to the herbs in the ointment, not too severe yet but if the medicine remains on her it will become a serious problem." the human looked down at me, worried and I stared back keeping my expression neutral.
"I'm glad you are awake Absol. I have to thank you for saving the Cubs mother and bringing them back. I'm in your debt twice over now, for saving my life and that of Tanit." He bowed toward me.
"You owe me nothing human, it is my duty to help." I replied to him in a low tone looking away from him and adding, "even if I don't wish to help."
The human sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry you feel that way but if you ever need assistance I will do whatever I can to help you, because it is also my duty to help." I snorted.
"Humans have lost what it means to have a duty. For you to help is a choice, one you can change at anytime. If I had that choice I'd let all the humans I've had to help and will inevitably help, rot where they stand." I closed my eyes. It had been years since I talked with a human and it was irritating. I'd forgotten how little they remembered and knew. Why anyone would stay as the awkward, and stupid creatures humans were was beyond me.
I felt water splash onto my leg, scalding but soothing at the same time. I hadn't realized how inflamed my flesh was until the water, cool now, ran in rills through my fur. I made a made a slight, deep growl in my throat to show my thanks to the two healing pokemon. The Lucario tensed. Even with my eyes closed I could sense the fluctuation in the aura field around us.
My eyes snap to him. This wasn't my territory, and I was at the disadvantage, but I wasn't going to take a potential threat lightly. A cornered, and injured pokemon can be quiet vicious. The human appeared unaware of this little exchange, but I couldn't be sure, as he started to talk.
"For some of us, Absol, its not a choice. Not any more." He sighed again, voice suddenly heavy, as if his words carried miniature worlds. His gaze turned to the sky. "Some of us have lost the ability to make such a choice. A call to help, we'll came no matter how big or how small the problem is." and again he sighed, almost like he had a leak in his lungs expelling the air against his will. "But I doubt I can convince you otherwise, based on what I've learned about what the forest you come from has been through, because of those stupid towns people. You have every right and all the evidence to see the world the way you do." this last part was spit from clenched teeth, the image of a Seviper spiting poison come to mind.
I thought on his words a moment, to unused to speaking with humans to read much from the voice or body language. One thing I fought to keep in check was anger. Anger at him for assuming that he knew what my forest had been through, what the pokemon had been through. Another thing I fought, was something I assumed I had killed when my brother was brought down by our sisters, empathy for the humans.
I snarled in frustration, jumping from the thing I was laying on. Not a very practical move considering my condition. My leg nearly gave out under me, but I fought it, giving my mind something else to think about other then the previous thoughts. Looking toward the human I could see that he had turned to calm the Lucario, who was now fighting to move in front of his trainer. Bile rose in my throat. The Audino and Chansey looked on with sad eyes but did nothing else, though I could tell that they wished to help me.
It was then I noticed the weight around my neck, remembering the reason I was there in the first place. The vines and disk must have moved and were now hidden under my fur. I then had two choices, leave, which would lead to Celebi getting pissed at me, or let the human take be his trinket. I heard the human speak, his words slightly muffled since he wasn't facing me.
"Stand down my friend, she hasn't hurt anyone. If she wants to leave then she by all means can. We have no right to hold her here." He then looked at me; "though I think you should let those two finish their job." he nodded toward the Chansey and Audino.
I sat my butt down in the dirt and tilted my head at him, an eyebrow raising again in an almost human gesture. "I am fine. These wounds are not life threatening."
The humans eyes saddened but he nodded again toward me, easing up his grip on the fighting steel type. "Then that choice is yours Absol, no one here will stop you from leaving." he moved to the side followed hesitantly by the Lucario. It was then I noticed the gathering of pokemon around us as they too parted.
"I can't." the words felt bitter on my tongue. There was a collective pause.
"We are not stopping you so why can't you leave?" Enishi questioned, arms crossing over his chest.
"Because human I haven't done what I came here to do." many of the pokemon stiffened and the Lucario clenched his fists. "You left a metal disk after the fire, I'm here to return it." the human stared shocked for a moment.
"You found my capture discus? Thank you, I wish I could give you more then words, but thank you." I gritted my teeth at what the disk actually was but replied in a calm tone.
"It is duty. You… gave aid during the fire and lost the disk. It was found afterwards, and as guardian of the forest it is my obligation to return it. I do not require your thank you." I reached a paw up to my neck and cut the vine, Celebi secured the disk with, easily. There was a soft thud as it landed. I picked it up by the vine with my teeth and limped over to Enishi.
"It still means a lot. Thank you for returning it." the human kneeled and removed the vine and disk form my mouth. For a brief moment we were eye level, and a shiver ran through my blade as I locked my harsh red eyes with his calm lake blue ones. I got a tightening feeling in my gut that this wasn't the last I would see of this human. He straightened, saying something to the fighting steel type. I quickly broke eye contact and started limping away.
"You can thank me by never coming into my forest again. I have dealt with Rangers before, and you would end up no differently." I didn't look back or wait for a response before I dashed away using quick attack.
The smell of rain was thick in the air when I got back to the comfort of my territory. The air was heavy and damp, a balm for my frayed nerves. The mountains were blanketed with fog, a relieving sign after the rain the week before. The area would be free from fire for little while longer, until the mid summer heat parched the soils. I breathed in deep, glad, oh so glad that I was back where I belonged and I could forget the human that kept appearing. Celebi was going to get an earful and an ass kicking, but first, first a long sleep was called for.
Instead of going to the lake, the psychic more then likely already knowing I was back, I headed for my cave. Peace was what I needed at the moment and time to think. By nature I wasn't one to think to hard on the meaning of things but the events of the last few days… they just couldn't be ignored.