Well, that escalated quickly…..Anyways, I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up about this chapter: It's obviously hard to tell a first-person POV story if the main character gets knocked out, especially with important events coming up. Therefore, this chapter—and the next—will be in third-person POV. I'm also trying to incorporate page breaks, for minor scene jumps. Feel free to tell me how I'm doing.
Chapter 3: A Thickening of the Plot
Emma stared in shock as the strange silver-furred Luxray collapsed, crying out in pain before losing consciousness. "No!" She yelled, running towards her. "No! Wake up! Ki—Mppff!"
A hand clamped itself across her mouth, a second grabbing her arm to stop her in her tracks. Emma turned her head to see Jake and David restraining her, Jake's hand keeping her from speaking. His ear brushed against her face, the fur damp and cold. Emma pulled free of her two friends and was about to demand an explanation when Cameron's voice cut through her thoughts.
Emma, turn around. Slowly. Don't. Say. Anything.
She obeyed, and gasped. A man had appeared out of nowhere, and was approaching the fallen Luxray. He was wearing worn jeans and a pale shirt, so Emma took him to be a gardener or something, though the mansion had supposedly been abandoned for years. Then again, wouldn't they need someone to tidy up the grounds if there was a running tour? Oddly enough, the man was also wearing an old cloak, and from what Emma could see, no shoes. His clothes and silver hair didn't even appear to be affected by the rain. He picked up the unconscious Pokémon and slung her carefully over his shoulder, then turned to face Emma and her friends.
"Come. We don't have much time. The storm is getting worse, and I'm sure you will want an explanation."
With that, the strange man began walking back towards the old building. He stopped once and looked back at the little group, who still had the Deerling-in-the-headlights look on their faces. "Come on," he called. There was a trace of irritation in his voice. "We don't have all day, especially not if you want to help your friend. Now hurry up, or I'll leave you out here as lightning rods." And he continued to walk, not bothering to look back.
The four teens glanced at each other, wondering uneasily what the man had meant. Still, Emma thought, We have to follow. He knows something we don't, and we've got to protect that Luxray if it turns out he's some sort of Hunter. But…. I don't like this. Something's up. He didn't even blink at Jake's ears. And that Luxray… could it really be? Or is it a coincidence? Only one way to find out, I guess….
"Let's go." Emma said, spinning on one heel and heading towards the mansion's front doors. Jake, Cameron, and David bounced another glance between them, then, shrugging, followed after her. The storm broke at that instant, and the four teens broke into a sprint to avoid becoming even more soaked than they already were. Under the awning, they stopped to catch their breath and wring water out of their hair and clothing, and it was then that Jake realized that he had forgotten to change his ears back, and worse yet, had been seen. He quickly Shifted them back to normal, hoping that the man hadn't gotten a good look. Then again….. Well, it's too late now. We'll just have to deal with the consequences…
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After nervously passing through the front door, the four Shifters found themselves at the end of a long hallway, which David guessed would eventually lead to a commons sf some sort. Halfway down the hall was a plain wooden door, light streaming out from underneath. Cameron snuck up to it, hoping to peek through the keyhole, but before he reached it the door swung open, revealing what appeared to be a small study. A burst of warm air rushed out of the room, and Emma could see a blazing fireplace within. The man from before didn't seem too surprised to see the four teens, though he frowned at the amount of water dripping from their clothes and onto the carpet. Jake just shrugged, and without a word, the man let them into the room.
The warmth from the fireplace was nice, Cameron supposed, but for some reason there was something about the room he didn't like. It didn't seem hostile—there were several bookcases filled with huge old volumes, and a desk near a window overlooking a small section of woodland—but his aura sense was picking up something strange. There was a cushion on the floor next to the fire; the silver-furred Luxray was lying on it, still out cold. After scanning the room, Cameron sat down next to her, still trying to pinpoint the source of his unease. Following hid example, Emma, Jake, and David took a seat as well, though David seemed interested in the books.
Shutting the door quietly behind him, the man glanced at the teens before crossing the floor and stopping by Cameron and the Luxray. He had something in his hands, and Cameron tensed up before realizing it was nothing more threatening than a Pokémon first-aid kit. He moved aside, and the man crouched at the Luxray's side, running his hands gently over her, checking for injuries. Cameron watched, berating himself for not realizing that the unusual Pokémon might be injured.
"Excuse me…but I was wondering," David began, "Are you a Pokémon Doctor? You seem to be as skilled as any of the Nurse Joys at the Pokémon Center…."
"No." The man replied. Parting the fur on the Luxray's right foreleg, he uncovered deep punctures, as if something had bitten it hard. Frowning—and without looking up from his task, he rummaged around in the first-aid kit until he found a small pair of scissors, a tube of antibacterial cream, and a roll of bandages. He took the scissors and began clipping the fur around the bite marks. "I was never a Pokémon doctor, but in my….travels, I've picked up some skills."
"Travels?"'
"I…come back every so often to check on things ….to make sure the Pokémon are alright."
"Why wouldn't they be?" Jake asked. "Don't tell me this place is cursed or something."
The man flinched. A deathly silence fell in the little room, and David could've sworn the temperature dropped by ten degrees. Almost instinctively, he looked around for the Gengar he was sure was lurking nearby.
"Aye, lad," the man said, suddenly sounding much, much older than he appeared to be. "There is a curse upon this place."
"But…..but how?! And why? And what k-kind of curse are we dealing with here?" Jake's voice became edged with panic.
The stranger paused for a moment, setting his scissors down. Then he spoke.
"The legends of this place, and its curse, are known only to me." Flickering firelight bathed half his face in light, while the other half was cast into shadow. Thunder rolled overhead, and the teens shivered, overcome by the eeriness of it all.
"It is a long tale, one of sorrow. But if you wish to know the truth…"
Cameron nodded. "If our friend has been caught up in this curse, we need to know what we're dealing with. I speak for us all. Please, tell us."
All was still save the crackling of the flames.
"Very well. Let us begin."
