Near let out a frightened cry as he was forced from the cage and held firmly by the man, who held a red stone in his free hand and was moving it closer and closer to the frightened eevee. "Leave him alone!" Mello barked, standing to his feet. He was trembling all over but managed to run and take hold of the man's pant leg, tugging at it hoping to distract him. The man turned and gave a swift quick to the attacking eevee, but didn't really hurt him any more than he already was.
'Take it easy.' someone said inside of his head, 'It's all right. We're here. We'll take care of everything, you just need to take it easy or else you might really get hurt.'
"Who are you?" he asked, looking around he felt confused and scared. "How are you-?"
'I compliment you on this childish resistance you put up to protect such a weak little child as Near. I truly believe you know who I am, young one. You have witnessed my work before. Just in case you need clarification, however, I suggest you take a look up.'
Looking up as he was instructed Mello gasped quietly upon spotting the same espeon from the other day as well as an umbreon. Both were sitting up in a tree branch close above the humans.
Suddenly, they leapt from where they were and landed on two of the humans. Beyond bit deep into the shoulder of the man he'd leapt onto. His cry of pain was music to his ears. Smiling he clawed at the man's face and took off his ear lobe enjoying the small spray of blood he got. Licking the crimson liquid from his face he then took a leap onto the marowak that stood awkwardly nearby.
L used his psychic abilities to toss the other two humans forty feet away. He also done away with the sneasel, moving over to where Near was huddled with Mello, seeing this Beyond moved over to his brother's side. One second they were there, but the next they were several miles off safe from the poachers.
Well, Near wasn't as safe as he'd liked to have believed even when he hid behind Mello, who backed away from L and Beyond. He was feeling wary of them, meanwhile Near feared punishment for running off and getting lost and causing so much trouble for everyone.
"Near," L said firmly keeping a steady gaze on the white eevee that refused to look at either him or Beyond, "look at me." Near shook his head 'no' stubbornly, keeping himself close behind Mello, who he felt could protect him from anything and anyone, including his father's anger. "You are in a lot of trouble," L continued. "I should let B smack you a good one between your ears for how bad you've been."
"I'm sorry." He called to them cutely. "I didn't mean to…."
"Be quiet!" Snapped Beyond, making the tiny eevee whimper and cringe. Mello moved so that he was beside Near, standing firm and keeping his gaze on the two other pokemon. "You've caused us all sorts of trouble! Me especially, you selfish brat! Do you realize how long he's," Beyond pointed a paw at L accusingly, "has been threatening to hurt me because of you?"
"I-I'm sorry."
Near looked like he was on the verge of tears, angering Mello who stood beside him reluctant to let him get bullied by some dumb umbreon. "Hey, why don't you just leave him alone! He didn't mean to cause trouble for anyone, you stupid glowing freak!"
"I'll show you a freak if you open that trap of yours, you worthless coward! You're all talk, much to weak to fight me, so you compensate by blathering a bunch of garbage, well just shut up!"
Growling Mello was about to make a move when Near stopped him, looking to him pleadingly.
"Don't fight." he whispered, ears laying flat and tears shimmering in his large dark eyes. He turned to L with a shaky body. His breathing wasn't steady. He tried to keep as innocent as he could, already knowing he was in a ton of trouble. "I am sorry for being so bad, Daddy."
"That's not good enough." L said taking a step towards Near and Mello. "You'll be punished when we get home, now come along. You've had your fun but now that's over and we're going home. Your wounds need to be treated before they get worse and I promise you'll have a nice long rest afterward."
"B-but…" The tiny white eevee looked to his father and friend feeling torn. On one paw he could go home with his father and uncle, but on the other he had a friend-a big brother-that he really didn't want to leave.
"Can Mello come too?" he asked. L's dead eyes scanned over the elder eevee, who was still looking him over mistrustfully.
"Hmm, why should he come along?" Beyond asked with an irritated sigh. "The bad mouthed twerp seems tough enough to make it on his own. No need to have him tagging around and making trouble. Doubt he's worth much, anyway."
Near cringed, shrinking down from his uncle's harsh words. Moving to where he was hiding between Mello's front paws Near stared up at his family with large, innocent eyes that pleaded they understand and let his new friend come along home with them. His resistance to leave him impressed Mello, who looked to the two elder pokemon, worried they were about to crush Near. L looked over this eevee that had his son acting so disobediant. Clearly, Beyond disliked him, which instantly earned him some like points from L, who was amused at this.
Moving to his brother's side Beyond whispered, "He's just another brat we'll have to waste our time with. He most likely will just be trouble, surely brother you can see he has no trust or liking of us. And the mischievous glint in his eyes is visible, is it not? That little monster will only cause us trouble."
"Perhaps," L mumbled to him, "I will be the judge of that. I want you to take Near and head back home. I'll follow after you."
Nodding Beyond followed L as he slowly approached Mello and Near.
"So," L said with an eerie smile, "you care for my son, do you?" Ears laying flat on his head Mello glared at them as they approached. He didn't like the way they were suddenly acting. The two brothers froze at least two feet away from the pair of eevee, waiting for a response.
"He's a weak little twerp," Mello said with a bit of hostility to his voice, "he's weak and fragile, just like I said. He is a puny scrawny little baby that needs somebody to look after him and if I don't then he'll die. And yet, Near is amazing. He is willing to get into more trouble over someone who didn't even want him around to begin with-"
He cut himself off for a moment or two to think back, and then he looked defiantly to L knowing exactly what he wanted to say to the espeon. "He's innocent! Near is an innocent little kid. No, to be more accurate he's a pathetic runt, but I don't care because he's one of the strongest pokemon I've ever met! His strength comes from withi his soul, rather than his attacking abilities. So listen up! I don't very much like the idea of you two taking him away just so you can 'accidentally' lose him again and let him die."
"What? Do you think we lost him on purpose?" L demanded as he began to move around the two eevee like a bird would prey. Circling them he kept his gaze a dark, intense flame that demanded an answer to what he'd just asked. Standing his ground, but keeping his ears up and hearing sharp Mello suppressed a growl that was threatening to come out.
"It sounds like he thinks we're incompetent guardians." Beyond growled as he began to circle along with L, who growled a bit upon hearing this, knowing it was true that Mello thought that.
"Maybe because you are!" Mello accused. "I bet you guys just 'accidentally' took your minds off him just long enough for him to 'accidentally' wander off and 'accidentally' get carried away by some bird pokemon that happened to be nearby. That's all awfully coincidental, don't you think?"
"You know nothing, you stupid little fur ball!" Beyond spat as his claws began to rake the dirt. "Maybe if he didn't have to wander off and everywhere like some freakin insect, then maybe I wouldn't have lost the little pest!"
"Beyond, hush!" L hissed seeing tears were beginning to drip form Near's large partially closed eyes. "Near," he said softly, pausing where he was not taking notice that Beyond also stopped, "come here now or you'll be punished even worse than what's already coming to you."
Whimpering the tiny white eevee got up from beneath Mello and padded over to his espeon father with his fluffy tail between his legs, ears down, and body low to the ground in fear of punishment then and there for his resistance to obey.
"Take him home." L said tenderly. He gave one final look to Mello, and then turned nudging his tiny eevee son towards the umbreon. "I'll catch up with you sooner or later. It's not a promise but you'll have to believe me."
"Take your word for it? You might as well be dreaming."
"I figured as much." L sighed in irritation at this open display of mistrust. "Look, Brother, just please watch over Near until I come after you. Afterwards you can do whatever you like with your precious friends. Is that a good enough deal, my dear little brother?"
Shrugging B smiled. "It's as good as it'll ever get, I suppose." Turning to Near he barked, "Hey, squirt let's get going!"
He watched as they started to leave. Near stopped walking once not long after they started. Looking back at Mello he felt a deep sadness seep into his heart. What was L going to do? He had no clue and was sort of afraid for Mello, worried that he may have somehow gotten him into trouble. Impatient as ever Beyond grabbed him up by the scruff of his neck despising the fur that was prickling against his tongue and the fact that Near squirmed and whimpered quietly not liking the rough hold he had on him.
As soon as the two of them disappeared from sight L gave a deep sigh. "You really hate me, don't you?" He said sensing a rise in hostility from the eevee. He shook his head a bit as though saddened by this fact.
"I hate anyone who just abandons their kid." He muttered bitterly, and then he added with a louder tone that was dripping with fury and resentment, "And I really hate those who take my friends away from me!"
"Listen, I don't wish to separate the two of you. I could tell that Near is very fond of you. You make him happy, knowing this in turn makes me happy. I know that he would be crushed if I seperated you. I also know that you have apparently grown an attachment for him. I know by that look in your eyes that you will be an ideal role model for him."
Mello felt confused by that statement. What look was there to his eyes? He knew the look of life and the look of hate. He knew of anger flaming in a pair of eyes and a cold sadness, as well. Were any of those the looks L was talking about? He vaguely wondered for a moment and no longer than that if Near could see this look that the espeon had mentioned. Did Near see it too? he felt his body tense as he cocked his head to the side in curiosity.
"What look?"
"You're willing to do whatever it takes to survive, hmm? It doesn't matter if you lie, cheat, or kill as long as you achieve your goal. You're willing to do whatever it takes to claw your way to the top and you would destroy anyone that threatened those close to you. Isn't all of that right?"
"Y-yeah." A shocked Mello breathed no longer feeling hostile, but amazed at how much the espeon seemed to know about him. "What else do you know?"
"I can know everything if you're willing to let me take a little look into your past."
"Okay. But what if I refuse?"
"Then I might as well leave you here and get back to my brother and son."
"No, you can do whatever it is you need to!"
"Okay, then I need you to stand still." He said, as he got too close for comfort. Their foreheads touched and L's red gem glowed an eerie blue color. "You should just relax and let me scan your mind for memories. I would like to know what exactly you've been through."
"That is none of your business."
"I know, but I need to know whether or not this will affect how you behave around Near or not. I can't have you teaching him bad habits, now can I?"
"I guess not…." He mumbled without even attempting to hide his disinclination. "Okay, so you'll just see my memories and then get out of my head, right?"
"That's correct."
Relaxing with an audible exhale he felt a bit lightheaded, and then felt utterly numb. It couldn't have been for more than a minute. Within that moment, however, L saw every second of Mello's memory from when he first opened his eyes to meet his parents and four other siblings to when he was abandoned along with two of his older siblings. He witnessed how they lived together fighting the odds, but in the end losing the battle, as one of the older siblings grew tired of caring for Mello because of how much younger and weaker he was.
L saw the second abandonment by said older siblings, and then the death of the remaining sibling at the claw of a scyther. After that it was only confusion mixed in with an intense fear that was soon followed by a realization and refusal to give up. Clinging to life was the last thing he had and L saw him struggle to keep a hold of life even when things became most difficult.
He saw everything from the time Mello hatched to right then and there. Pulling away from Mello, who gasped as though being freed from some sort of confinement that had imprisoned him for years, stumbled a bit forward. His eyes widened a bit in surprise when L caught him holding him up with his psychic abilities.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Well, it would seem as though things are going to be okay. I've seen your past and am not too impressed, nor am I surprised. I trust you, Mello. Thank you for all you have done for Near. I truly appreciate it. You are very mature for such a young one."
Dipping his head a bit to show his gratitude L then picked himself and padded off heading after Beyond and Near. He paused and turned back upon realizing the eevee behind him wasn't following. L smiled recalling how Near had done the very same thing their first day together. Mello stood there uneasily feeling unsure of what to do with himself. He liked Near and wanted to keep protecting him, but he didn't want to risk getting hurt again by accepting the espeon as his guardian. Sensing his hesitation and worry L smiled softly at him.
"You don't have to be afraid."
"I'm not!"
"Of course not." He laughed softly feeling rather amused. "Mello you are a special eevee. You are a wonderful child. You shouldn't be afraid of getting close to others."
"Well why not?" he demanded. "I got close to Near and you took him away!"
"Aren't I offering you a chance to be apart of his life? I need someone other than Beyond to keep an eye on him. I trusted my brother to watch him last time and look at what happened."
"Yeah, okay. I understand that but how do I know you won't just get rid of us?"
"I need you."
"No, seriously. How do I know you won't-?"
"No," L interjected, "Mello, listen I really do need you two."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's a long explanation and I'd rather discuss it later. Right now I want to get home, punish my son, and then get some rest." L looked really fatigued as he said this, almost drained of energy, yet in some way he also seemed rather honest when he spoke. Smiling at this Mello nodded. "Sure, besides you can always explain on the way." he said as he padded up to L and they headed off for home where L made Near apologize again, and then had him collect some berries. He was followed by Beyond, of course.
Meanwhile, L explained his whole 'successor' backup plan to Mello, who was rather amused but accepted it and gave L praise for thinking it up, of course, once Near came back they had to stop speaking about it and eat. Afterwards, Near and Mello went to sleep, too tired from all the activity, though also very happy to still be together. Mello was probably the most cheerful between the two of them, seeing as he now had something close enough to a family to fill the void he'd felt since he could remember being on his own.
As he watched them sleep L smiled proudly, knowing he'd made a good choice.