That morning when the Bosco, Twilight, Tripod, and Claire finally woke there was an explosion of confusion.
The minute Claire, Tripod, Bosco and Twilight woke up they sensed something was amiss. A quick look around and Twilight had already figured out what was wrong, as one could tell by her sudden outcry, "Oh no! Scooter! Bosco, Scooter's gone!"
Claire acted on instinct and immediately counted her kits, "Frict's gone too!" the Persian exclaimed. Tripod, who was still lying down, jumped up at the words and began to pad about the room sniffing for any foreign scents or clues to explain the absence of the two children.
"Well they weren't kit-napped, that much I'm sure about." He said with a snort. As the four tried to think of and explanation Claire noticed Wispy eating out of one of the small dishes that the kits ate out of, each one had their names on it. The Meowth had cleaned her dish and was eating out of Frict's. "What are you doing Wispy?" Claire asked as she padded up and gently prodded the kit with a paw.
"Well, Frict told me that I could eat his food while he was gone." The Meowth said in between bites. Claire's eyes narrowed in suspicion and she quickly placed her paw on the kit's tail and pulled her back from the food, "You mean that you talked to him before he left?" she asked with a tone of displeasure.
Wispy gulped and glanced around sheepishly as if she might find a way to escape talking, but she couldn't find one. "Y-yeah. He told me that him and Scooter were going on an adventure and I got his permission to eat his food while he was gone."
"Is that all he said?" She asked. "Yes, can I please finish eating now?" Wispy asked and Claire relented. Wispy returned to eating the food and Claire went to tell the others. "Tripod, I think I know where they went. Wispy says that Frict and Scooter went on an adventure." She called out and within a few seconds Tripod was standing in front of her, his eyes wide.
"I should be able to track them down in no more than half an hour," he said as he slipped out the door as soon as Twilight had opened it for him. But he realized after five minutes his luck had run out and he had to return empty handed because the trail was being washed away.
When he returned he shook himself off and sighed. "I could have found them if only it hadn't started raining," he said shaking his head in dismay. Claire gave him a loving lick upon the cheek. "Hey, don't be so glum. At least you tried."
Bosco sighed, "Yeah, which is more than I could have done in my current condition." Twilight paused, "You know what. Its kind of strange but I think Scooter and Frict might actually succeed in getting Amethyst back." Claire looked up and nodded with a soft smile. "I know Frict well enough to say that he would fight a full grown Tyranitar if it meant he'd rescue Ames." With that she settled down to think positive thoughts.
0000
As the rain began to pour down Scooter glanced up and gave a boastful smirk to Frict. "Think that will stop your dad?" he asked. The Electrike shook his head, "Maybe, but not for long. He won't be able to track us for a while, but I'm willing to bet if he can't track us by scent then he'll find another way. As soon as the rain stops he will pick up the pace."
Scooter snorted and rolled his eyes. "I guess I shouldn't expect him to be stopped by just a little water."
"Scooter we really need to find shelter, I'm getting soaked!" Goose squawked pitifully.
"I thought gooses had waterproof feathers." The Eevee said with a chuckle.
"That's not funny!" The Taillow shouted, but Frict and Marvin were laughing.
"All joking aside," said Marvin in a wise tone, "we really do need to find someplace to dry off."
Scooter nodded in agreement. "I know. Well, we might as well find us a spot to settle down for a bit and dry off. Let's stop at the first vacant shelter we can find. Besides the obvious reason, I'm not really fond of rain."
"That's pretty perfect considering your dream type." Frict said.
"What do you mean by 'dream type'?" Goose asked.
Scooter smiled widely, "I'm going to evolve into a Flareon one day."
"Really? Why a Flareon?" Goose asked.
With a laugh the kit stopped in his tracks and began to explain, "At first I wasn't certain what I would evolve into, there are so many choices, but gradually over time I weighed my options. First I ruled out becoming a Vaporeon due to my dislike of water, the next to go were Glaceon and Floreon because neither appealed to me,"
Not that I don't love my aunt Flora. He thought ashe paused to catch his breath, "then I was down to Jolteon, Espeon, Umbreon, and Flareon. From there I thought about how I had enough psychic and dark type genes in me from my parents so I ruled out those two, and finally after a great deal of thinking I decided that becoming a Jolteon wasn't that appealing either. But when I thought about becoming a Flareon… I don't know, something just ignited in me. That's when I knew what I wanted to become."
Marvin nodded his head in agreement. "I'm amazed at how much thought you put into choosing what you want to become. Nowadays most Pokemon don't put half as much thought into evolving. As for becoming a Flareon, I think it suits you. You may not know it, but you have this fiery passion and love for your friends that shines brightly in your eyes."
With a whistle of amazement Goose nodded. "I have to agree now that I think about it. And I have to say that was the longest articulation Marvin has ever done."
Frict laughed and then said, "Come on guys, let's not forget that we need to find us a place to dry off!" the Electrike pup said, bounding ahead.
Soon, after another three or four minutes of walking they found a dry patch of ground large enough to accumulate all four of them from the pouring rain. It was near the base of a high-branched cedar tree where the thick pine covered branches kept the rain from leaking through.
"Whew! Thank goodness we finally found a dry place. I thought I was going to drown if I had to stay out there much longer!" Frict said as he shook himself off. "Hey!" Goose squawked loudly in surprise when the cascading water sprayed him. "Sorry, Goose." The Electrike said.
Marvin sat over by the tree's trunk rubbing his many legs over his body and wringing the water out of his fur. Goose settled down as well, slowly running his beak over his wet feathers as he began to preen himself.
"Let's all agree to let it slide and rest here while we wait for the rain to stop." Scooter said, and smiled when the others nodded.
He grinned pleasantly as he lay down atop the thin sheet of pine needles on the ground; he let out a small yawn before shutting his eyes and dozing off.
0000
Meanwhile…
Cinder was half-heartedly grooming a distraught Amethyst. "Would you stop squirming already? You had better let me clean you all up or I'm going to bite you." She said with a growl that backed up her threat. "The boss likes for his first impression to be of a neat, well groomed, well behaved one."
"I don't care!" The Eevee kit said as she continued to kick, squirm, struggle, and flail. "I want to go home!" With an aggravated growl Cinder bit down on Amethyst's left ear. Ames's eyes widened and tears formed in her eyes as she yelped painfully. "Owie!" She shrieked out.
Cinder waited a few seconds before she let go and growled out, "I told you I would bite you. Now sit still! Or do you want me to bite you again?" Sobbing the tan-furred kit shook her head and sat still, waiting for her ear to stop throbbing. After a few minutes the Ninetales was positive that Amethyst looked clean and well groomed enough. She smiled a smile laced with mirth. "Come now, Amethyst it's time for you to meet the boss."
The Eevee shook her head, which made Cinder want to bite her again, but rather than spend three or four minutes punishing and possibly having to regroom the kit, she picked her up by the scruff of her neck. The Eevee steeled herself against fighting the Ninetales grasp for fear of suffering some severe punishment.
Cinder was incredibly careful as she walked up to the large wooden door and tapped her paw against it one, two, three times. It opened on its own, for nobody was there holding the door as it opened inward. As soon as it was open she stepped inside and took slow, graceful, calculated steps until she came to the end of the hall and walked up to a chair that was more like a recliner. There was a desk before the chair, covered with papers and pens, illuminated by a small desk lamp that failed to reveal the person behind the desk. A Drowzee was sitting upon a lavender cushion to the left of the chair watched with alert attentiveness.
Cinder bowed before the desk and then placed her forepaws on the edge of the desk softly so as not to leave any scratches. She then lifted herself up and sat Ames down upon the desk before sitting down and glancing upward, "Nine!" she said cheerfully.
A pair of large green eyes cast their gaze upon Cinder and then focused onto Amethyst. "Ah, so this is the new recruit you successfully kit-napped the other day?" The person asked, eyes gleaming from the shadows. Cinder nodded her head. "Is this one any good? What say you, Two-tone?"
At the mention of her name the Drowzee stood up and dusted herself off. With a glance to Amethyst she nodded. "Oh yes, this kit looks very…capable." She said using telepathy to communicate, as many psychic Pokemon do.
Amethyst sat there trembling in fear. From the shadows appeared a hand that scratched behind Ames's right ear, the Eevee shied away at first, but then she accepted his caress with a soft, nervous squeal.
"Very well, that will be all for now Cinder." The male said and waved a dismissing hand. As soon as he had spoken, Cinder had stood up and raised herself with her forepaws to grab Ames off his desk and was preparing to head towards the door.
"Oh, one more thing," He said, his voice stopping the fire type in her tracks. Cinder turned and bowed before giving the human an attentive look. "What is this ones name?"
Cinder had almost unintentionally replied for the kit, when Two-tone gave her a strong look. "Let the kit speak for herself." Amethyst shook her head and clamped her jaw tightly. With a smirk Two-tone's eyes flashed.
"Eevee Eeve." She spoke suddenly. "Her name is Amethyst." Two-tone said as she translated to him. "I am Two-tone and this is our boss, his name is Jasper." She said to the kit, but Ames only faintly caught the words. "You may leave now." Jasper said. As Cinder carried the kit out, Ames didn't make a single peep, her head was spinning and somehow she knew her nightmare had only begun.
0000
"So two of your kits have gone off on their own last night to rescue a Eevee kit named Amethyst?" A Swellow asked with a tilt of its head as it looked at Bosco and Tripod, the Swellow hopped down from the window so that it was eye level with the two. "And she was kit-napped by a trio of shady Pokemon?"
Bosco nodded, "Yes, but this isn't just any kit they are trying to rescue, its my daughter. You wouldn't per chance have happened to notice anything odd lately have you, Pip?" the Umbreon asked.
"Yes, I saw a van heading west of here awhile back, didn't think much of it until my son Goose mentioned he had seen a Ninetales getting in and out of the van. Unfortunately I can't ask him for anymore details on what all he saw."
"Oh," the Umbreon began with a concerned look, "why is that?"
"Because...well my son has never been a brave Pokemon. Compared to his brothers and sisters he's a spineless coward. But earlier this morning he flew up to me and boldly declared he was going to go on a mission with Marvin and a couple of new friends. Needless to say both my mate and me were delighted to hear that our son would finally leave the nest to strike it out on his own. So I don't know where he is as of now."
New friends? Nah, it couldn't be. Bosco thought.
"Okay then, if you do hear or see anything that might help us find our kits you'll be sure to let us know right?" Tripod asked.
With a flap of his wings Pip twilled. "Of course! I think I should be going now, don't worry Bosco, we'll find them." And then the Swellow hopped up onto the windowsill before spreading his wings and taking off into the rain.
"Well at least we have an idea of where the van that took Ames was headed, that's a start." Bosco said sadly, "I only wish we had more to go on."
Tripod nudged the Umbreon in the side with a paw. "Come on Bosco, buck up! This might seem hard, but its just like learning to walk, you're going to stumble and trip at first, but soon everything will become easier and then it will all come together."
With a half-hearted smile Bosco looked up at the Manectric. "You know what, you're right. I can't keep wasting time moping! We're going to find them and then, we'll get Amethyst back from those fiends!" With that the Umbreon jumped up only to wince, but he hid the pain so nobody would see it.
0000
The rain let up five hours later. Scooter had roused the others and started moving them along. Despite the light drizzle the four Pokemon had high spirits. "We are making great progress." Frict said with a enthusiastic smile to his Eevee pal. "At this rate it will take my dad at least two days to find us."
"Good." The Eevee replied. "Because I'm not going home without Ames."
"None of us are." Frict agreed.
"Right." Goose and Marvin both said at once.
Well, here's another chapter. I think the storyline is a bit weak in this chapter, but I don't care. I'll try to make up for it next chapter, but I'm feeling down at the moment.
My great granndfather died on the 17th and he was always telling me nursery rhymes whenever I talked to him on the phone. I may be seventeen but I never grew tired of him hearinng him recite whatever poems he could remember out of Mother Goose. And now another childhood joy has faded from my life, all that remains of it is a book of poems that I refuse to let out of my sight.
-Sniffs-
Go ahead now...
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