Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon

Chapter 3 Don't leave us

Lapras had been swimming around for a few days since the plane incident. She barely even saw any other pokemon. I can't travel much on land. May and the others had to have thought of looking for me near water. Lapras thought. She was tired of waiting for the others to find her.

The current had led her to the entrance of a cave. She could easily swim in there. "Maybe some pokemon in there can help." She swam into the cave and explored as much as she could. The cave was actually lit up well. Lapras assumed that humans probably walked through a lot and put up torches.

She suddenly heard someone whisper. "Another Lapras?"

Lapras stopped swimming and looked around. All she could see were large pointed rock formations coming out of the water. Someone had to have been hiding from her. "Come on out. I know you're there." The whispering continued and it sounded like a few more voices were added. "Come out now or I'll just attack everything I see!"

"Please don't attack!" A male Lapras peeked his head out from behind one of the rocks. He seemed a little afraid.

Lapras sighed in relief. The last thing she wanted was to be ambushed. "Sorry about that. You startled me."

The male Lapras swam out from his hiding spot and approached her. "You come into our territory and make demands. I think you're the one that startled us."

Lapras noticed that he was taller than her. She wondered how old he was for a moment before asking, "Where are the rest of you guys?"

"They are hiding behind the rocks." He looked over to the pointed rocks. "Come on out. I don't think she intends to harm us."

A group of ten Lapras came out from their hiding spots. They all swam behind him.

"Wow, I've never seen more of my own kind before. I never thought I'd see so many." Lapras said.

The male Lapras shook his head sadly. "There are more in this cave, but not that much. I understand why you haven't seen your own kind before. The majority of the entire Lapras population is here. I'm not that old, but I'd called Elder. I am the oldest one here, and take care of everyone."

Lapras wasn't sure she heard him right. "You don't mean the world population, right?"

"Yes, I do mean the world population. Our kind is nearly extinct. That is why it brings us great joy to see a new face around here." He looked behind him and saw the others nodding eagerly. "Do you think you'd have time to listen to our story?" Elder Lapras asked.

Lapras had to think about that for a moment. She didn't want to stay in one spot too long. After all, she had to look for May and the others. However, she was also curious about what they had to say. I guess I'll hear him out for now. I can get back to finding my friends right after. Lapras thought. She was hoping to practice a little patience. "Okay, but I need to look for my friends. I can stay and listen if it is short."

"I'm assuming that you have a trainer." Elder Lapras said.

"Yes I do."

"Well I hope you'll keep an open mind about that as you hear my tale. I promise to not take long." He began his story.

Lapras were usually solitary so we were easy targets for predator pokemon. One attack from behind and it was over. It didn't help that poachers started killing us for meat or our horns. It became dangerous to be alone, so Lapras started to form clans to watch out for each other. Predators had a rougher time against clans. A group of Lapras could easily see an enemy and then all attack to easily defeat other pokemon. However, poachers got smarter over time. They would set traps and corner Lapras in sealed off areas. Many Lapras clans decided to join forces to easily break free from the poachers tricks. It worked for many years. However, our kind eventually overpopulated areas. There wasn't enough food, and disease spread throughout the clans. The numbers of Lapras rapidly decreased and the poachers and predators took advantage of that. It wasn't until our numbers dropped down below one hundred that other humans took control and stopped the poaching. By the time they were successful, we were barely hanging on. Our kind decided that we should go into hiding. Living in the shadows was the only way to survive. Now the majority of Lapras live in this very cave. Though sometimes an occasional trainer would spot them in their travels and catch one. But in some lucky cases those trainers have helped breed different Lapras to add to our incredibly low numbers. Now we spend our days calling to other Lapras, hoping to not disappear from existence. We hope every day that trainers release their bred Lapras, and that they find their way to the rest of us.

He finished up his story. Lapras was surprised at the sad existence of her own kind. "Sorry to hear that. Well, I better get going now." She turned away and started to swim away.

Elder Lapras quickly swam in front of her to cut her off. "Wait a moment! Don't leave us. Please stay here and live with us. With your help, our numbers can increase."

Lapras was getting annoyed. "I already told you that I have a trainer already. I have to find her and my other friends. I belong with them." He still didn't move, so she continued. "I'm sorry that countless Lapras were murdered, but I'm not staying here."

Now Elder Lapras was mad. "You refuse to help your own kind? I won't accept that!" The other Lapras felt the same and surrounded her.

Lapras looked all around her and saw that she had no escape. The only way out was to go through the others. I don't want to fight them. Why are they so angry? "Move out of the way."

"No! You are staying with us!" Elder Lapras yelled before they all charged.

Lapras sparked with electricity for a moment. She was seconds away from unleashing a Thunderbolt before she stopped to think. She could have ended the conflict with one electric attack, but it felt wrong.

One Lapras rammed their head into her side. With that, Lapras could tell what reason was behind it.

A family of Lapras being surrounded by two ships. A human aims a harpoon and fires at them.

Lapras swam under her attackers and attempted to escape. A few followed her and one bit her tail to stop her.

A Lapras mourning his fallen friends. He cries and calls out in his loneliness. Never noticing that he was attracting the attention of predators.

Lapras broke free and surfaced. She didn't get far before she noticed a wall of ice. The Elder had obviously used Ice Beam. Lapras rammed her head into the ice to break it, but she was tackled shortly after the first strike.

Traveling the sea in the dead of night. A lone Lapras searches for help. She forces herself to not call out loud. The Lapras knows all too well what would happen if a human found her. All she wanted was to be with her own kind again.

Lapras was getting attacked at all sides.

The loneliness…

She could tell what they were feeling based on how aggressive their attacks were.

The despair…

She tried to shake them off. All of them attacking at the same time was beginning to get to her.

The desperation…

Lapras could understand. It was like her situation, but worse. She was searching for her friends all over the place. She was also lonely like the other Lapras. The only difference was that her friends were alive. Those Lapras would never get back the friends that they lost. Would it be better that I stayed here with them? They have suffered so much.

A flash of memories came flooding to Lapras. All of the adventures she shared with May and the others. She truly loved them with all of her heart. Lapras wouldn't trade those times for anything in the world. No! I want to be with my friends again! No matter how sad or desperate these Lapras are… She knocked them all back. My place is with my friends!

Elder Lapras spoke up. "You are very strong, but you can't stall forever. You'll eventually get tired."

Lapras finally thought of a way to end the conflict. The others wouldn't be convinced, and she didn't want to fight such a worn down group of pokemon. She began to sing. "I sing my song as I swim… up and down the shore. I go… where I want to go. I know... it's not so easy. 'Cause tides… work against me…"

All of the other Lapras were starting to fall asleep. Her song echoed throughout the entire cave. Pokemon and human alike were all affected.

"That's life… it's not so easy. There're times… when we just want to escape. We feel… that we are alone. So blind… we don't see the ones who're around…"

By this time, everyone had already fallen asleep. She finished her song and then swam to Elder Lapras. His head was bowed in his sleep. "I'm sorry that I have to leave. I hope you guys can take comfort in the fact that there are more of you out there in the world. I may not live here with you, but I'm still a Lapras. You guys don't have to be so lonely if you think that way." She swam over to the wall of ice and started hitting it. Hmm I probably should have told them that while they were still awake. …Oh well. She finally managed to break a hole in the ice.

Lapras went through the opening and tried to find her way out. She eventually found an exit out of the cave. Once she made it out, she found herself on a completely different side. Lapras had apparently not gone back the way she came in. A new area to explore means a better chance of finding my friends. She thought.

The ocean was vast, and Lapras was ready to go! She took one last look at the cave and nodded before continuing her journey.