This is annoying me greatly... Why does the sight think that italicizing words automatically make more of them. I have noticed this pattern a lot, and it is annoying me. Why does it do that! Now, that that's out of my system. I'm happy to give another chapter.
Eli: Yay, I'm in the spotlight a lot more often.
Me: Of course, and I am in a happier mood today. I may actually spare you some agonizing trauma today.
Eli: Realy? OoO Let's read!
Me: Yes, please, everyone enjoy.
Chapter 11: The Obvious is not Obvious
My eyes must have been playing tricks on me because I saw the Eevee in the white cloak standing offensively to my left at the Shiftry. Emile was as surprised by the sudden appearance of the pokemon as I was. However, I was soon overcome by fear. This was the same pokemon that wanted to kill me just saved my life for a second time. What was his game? Feeling as I was, I turned my body and took back my ice blade from Emile and looked between the two.
The Eevee seemed surprised by my act of aggression, but surprisingly, he became ashamed. His aura at least looked as sincere as I could tell. "I am sorry for what I have done. I don't expect you to forgive me at all, but I do apologize with every part of my soul." He stated with head down and guilt livid in his emotions. "As for you, Shiftry, I will kill you as the demon that you are."
Emile did not hear a word. She just continually stared at her new wound and continued feeding the flame that was her insatiable anger. Emile yelled out an inaudible flurry of sounds. The Eevee did not take any time to let the Grass pokemon attack. He used his crescent wings and quickly tried to slice through my enemy. However, not completely unexpected, the Shiftry brought up two black wings that were severely lacerated when the Eevee's wings hit.
The Shiftry screamed in pain and jumped on her good leg backwards away. Her wings were bleeding profusely, and the leg wound that I gave her earlier was not helping the situation for the poor pokemon. "Wait, maybe we can find a way so that no one has to die anymore?" I mumbled out to the two.
The Eevee looked surprised at my statement. The Shiftry, however, did not appear to hear me. I could only assume that she was too caught up in her injuries to care. The Eevee soon seemed happy by my statement with his aura turning yellow. "Well, I can't let you two live if you've hurt my colleague this much."
I was suddenly forced back a few paces by a powerful blue aura. It burned but not severely. I shook the feeling away. However, a tingle ran up my spine when Scar appeared out of the trees sprinting. He looked disapprovingly at the Shiftry.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Scar chided the pokemon when he forcefully pulled the injured Grass pokemon to her feet. "I thought you could take a little child, but it seems that I was wrong. However, you did a good job as a distraction. We've got the N-Jewel. Let's go."
The Eevee looked surprised and somewhat alarmed by the proclamation of acquiring the 'N-Jewel.' As much as I hated to be on the same side as the white-cloaked Eevee, anything that benefits that trio in any way must have been bad. I cringed at the thought of the demons having an advantage.
"Goodbye," Scar bluntly and blandly stated while throwing the injured Emile over his shoulder and immediately running away.
"Wait, dammit!" The Eevee beside me yelled angrily and sprinted towards the duo.
"If you want to fight, meet us at Blizzard Mountain." The Garchomp yelled back and ran away.
The Eevee growled out his resentment and stopped in his tracks. He finally sighed and turned towards me. I still could not see his face, and this situation was troublesome with only this pokemon from 'The Sacred Plates' organization that wanted… to… kill… Jiru! I did not know where he was, which in this hell could be fatal.
I immediately blurted out my concern. "Has a blue-eyed Eevee passed by you at all?" He was surprised by my sudden question, which I immediately tried to cover-up with some type of excuse. "The Eevee happens to owe me something, and I don't want to have a debt unpaid." My lie was not that good, but he seemed satisfied by it.
"I'll tell you if you come with me." The Eevee stated as he walked away with the forest still in flames.
"Wait, what about the forest?" I asked him, but he seemed reluctant to do anything. "You can't just leave this place to burn to the ground. That is basically saying those evil pokemon won."
"What can I do?" He sadly inquired. "I don't know any Water moves, and most of the pokemon are evacuated or killed."
"Well, I don't care!" I yelled angrily at him. "You may be self-righteous pokemon, but I actually care about these pokemon. I will not let their homes burn to the ground!"
That pokemon was such a pain-in-the-butt. He did nothing but comply to his own self-proclaimed sense of justice while other pokemon suffered. Screw him! I'll actually do some good in the world. I would make this world a better place while he just killed and instilled more sorrow into the pokemon. I would make them smile!
I ran to the closest river I could remember and took as much water as my range could carry. The strain was immense with the water weighing mentally and surprisingly physically on my body. I got to the outer edge of the fire and started to slowly extinguish the flames. The water immediately turned to steam, which I reverted back to water right after evaporation. However, that was still taxing while trying to use so much of my power and with an injured body.
I did not know how long it took me to take out the fire, but it felt like hours. My body was shaking uncontrollably, and I wanted to drop on the ground from extreme exhaustion right on the spot. However, I still had to deal with that trio. I tried to keep moving, but my left side faltered. I fell to the ground panting.
"Hey, you've done plenty." I heard a kind voice pleasantly coo. It sounded so comforting like Jiru's voice. Wait, it was dangerous! Jiru should not be have been here.
I opened wide eyes to only see the cloaked figure invisibly beaming at me. I tried to get up and put on a defensive stance, but my body resisted my chance and crashed. My panting increased and my crash seemed to have sent the Eevee into a flurry of worry. It was strange to have my most despised enemy asking me endless questions about my state, but they seemed so filled with genuine worry. Also, there was a strange softness to each word until another creature broke the kind atmosphere.
"So this is that annoying 'Mist' that we're supposed to go…" I only needed to let the newcomer see my eyes, and I could tell that he would try to kill me. It was Charmeleon, the pre-evolved form of what Blaze was. "That's a demon. Kill it!"
"No, we need her." The Eevee bluntly stated and seemed a bit angered at the last command. However, that should have been exactly the same thing this pokemon have said. It was perplexing and unsightly to see him defending me. "It is a two against three battle once we get to the mountain, and we need all the help we can get."
"What help will it bring?" The pokemon growled out. "That demon is probably on their side and is ready to betray us at any time."
"I disagree, and you are under my direct order, so shut up and follow orders." The Eevee said calmly with an undertone of a threat. "She had the ability to control Water and Ice. Furthermore, she is a Divine Servant of Suicune. She can defeat Scar with a good Ice attack while you can take on the already injured Shiftry. I have an advantage over the Machoke."
The Eevee took a deep breath and turned to me. "I am jumping to conclusions. I have not asked you whether you would join us in trying to defeat them at Blizzard Mountain."
"Well, the way I see it," I stated still panting and on the ground. "You need a guide, and I've lived on that mountain for a few months. You need me, but I come with a price."
"What is that?" The Charmeleon growled, again. "You want us to immediately kill our sub-ordinates once we're done killed those demons?"
"I know Jiru is part of your organization: The Sacred Plates." I stated, which seemed to make the Charmeleon become bothered. The Eevee on the other hand simply nodded with an expectant aura as if he already guessed my proposal. "I want you to promise that once we are done you will leave Jiru and me alone. I want you to stop hunting me and to never hurt Jiru."
"That is your demand?" The Eevee seemed happy and proud with my conditions. I nodded hesitantly to the Eevee's strange openness to take my help, want, and mere presence so openly. "Then, I promise that The Sacred Plates and I shall never hunt you down, again, and we shall leave you and Jiru at peace."
"Wait!" The Charmeleon yelled out. "You don't have the authority to say that. Only the Commissioner can."
"He does as I say." He became unexpectedly angry and let his wings out, which scared the Charmeleon into a flurry of apologizes and promises. However, when he turned to me, his expressions and posture softened. "If they don't follow my promise, then I will keep my promise to the best of my abilities. I am a pokemon of my word."
"Thank you." I gratefully stated and kind of felt hot from his softness. "However, I don't know how much help I will be in this state. I can barely stand."
The Eevee laughed and came up close to my downed body. "It's kind of obvious, but from what Jiru has gathered, you hold some type of untapped healing ability. If I can use a little of my magic, I can possibly awaken your ability for a short time to allow faster healing."
He held his paw up and hovered it cautiously over my body. I looked at him with the same level of cautiousness, but soon, I nodded. He gently his paw on my shoulder while mumbling and motioning randomly with his other paw on the ground, and a relaxing feeling engulfed every nerve in my body. It was amazing with his paw slowly slid up my shoulder and then along the side of my body over my stomach. The feeling increased with what seemed like ecstasy wrapping my body in its healing glow. It was rejuvenating.
It soon ended, and I saw the Eevee breathing a little heavier. I looked over my body to see my old wounds were completely healed, but that sensation was unforgettable. That addictive softness was impossible to resist, but why did it come from him? I was unaffected by that same light when we first met, so why did it have such a feeling this time? He also held a surprised outline while staring at his paw.
The Eevee immediately shook his head to get rid of any thoughts and focused back on our target. The Charmeleon seemed surprised by everything that happened with jaw down to ground level. I smiled a bit but held in the main laugh. This was no time to laugh. We were in a do-or-die situation. The three of us were about to face Scar and his two subordinates.
I was scared. There was no doubt about that because I nearly died when I tried to take out the Shiftry. Scar would only be tougher to beat than the Emile, and this Eevee was expecting me to take him on.
"I can't take on Scar, though." I voiced my thoughts eventually after a little walking to our destination. "I only survived the attack from Emile because you intervened. It is not that I'm ungrateful, more surprised and a little confused, but how could I defeat a pokemon that is obviously stronger than the one I couldn't beat?"
The Eevee nodded to my question while the Charmeleon just laughed and added a quick quip about them being lucky if I died. I saw the Eevee get a little annoyed when he heard the Charmeleon, and I felt strangely happy about it. I could not explain why I would feel happy, but I did. Maybe, he was not a completely bad pokemon. Maybe, he was just like any other pokemon. He was extremely confusing to the point that it was starting to irritate me.
I kept the irritation at least minimally visible outside, but my attention was then diverted to the Eevee when he called my attention. "Well, you just have to distract him. Make sure that you can keep him from fleeing, and I will come up behind him and take the jewel. After that, we can go our separate ways at least until I'm needed, again. Demonic activity has increased these past years. It won't be surprising that we will cross paths, again. I just hope that I will be seeing you on the same side."
"Don't expect that." I commented back. "I am not choosing a side of the Servants or Demons. I am simply doing what I believe to help the pokemon that are going to be stuck in the middle while you pokemon play war. I don't want anyone hurt because you guys always have to kill everyone that supposedly gets in your way like what you did to Mali and Storm. You are simply as bad as the Demons, except that you say you do it for some good cause. I hate all of you."
Everything was playing in my head while I irrationally called upon everything that I could remember that hurt me from the Arcanine nearly killing me, the Taillows killing Storm, and then, him, who killed Mali. They were all alike. Killing was nothing more than a means to an end for them. Death was their walkway, and the faster they killed, the faster they got to their destination.
"What about Jiru?" The Eevee asked. "He is part of us. Do you hate him?"
Jiru?...Never! I could never hate him. He was my friend, my very dear friend… my irreplaceable friend. "My feelings don't concern you." I growled at him. Jiru was not one of them, essentially. He was one in title but only title. In spirit, he cared more for the average pokemon and was gentler, nicer, friendlier, and better in every way to these barbarians. "Jiru seems to be the only pokemon in your little cult that seems to actually care about other pokemon. He deserves better than pokemon like you all."
"Very well." The Eevee said a little ashamed and happy at the same time. He was in a confusing bittersweet mood. I did not understand him, but the obligation to comprehend was cut short by the suddenly looming trio of mountains that was the Shaman Mountains. "Here it is. I'll lead."
I did not want to hear any back sass from any of them, so I just walked forward across to the ice that still was the lake. However, there was water and a few cracks in it. I stepped on the ice and solidified anything that was unstable beneath me and walked forward a few meters till I realized that I did not hear any steps behind me. I turned to see the Charmeleon growling at me and standing in front of the Eevee. His aura blatantly stated that he did not trust me.
"The best way to get there is the straightest." I sighed and sat on the ice. "If you aren't going my way, you can take the long way. I'm not stopping you."
"Stop acting so suspicious, Coal. If she wanted to hurt us, she would have already. Also, I've heard from Jiru that she is adamant to do something when she wants something done." The Eevee irritatingly defended me.
He stepped aside the Charmeleon and stepped upon the ice. I solidified it for him so he could walk slowly to me. It was strange, though. Here, the pokemon that wanted to kill me so badly was walking undeterred unto what he knows to be my element. I could very well kill him right on the spot with a single thought. That actually did not sound like such a bad idea. I could stab his arm and say that my mind wandered and could not control the ice that well. Although, as fate would probably have it, the Charmeleon would then try to hurt me, and Jiru would not be safe any more.
"You do know that I can hurt you right now, right?" I asked the Eevee suspiciously, but he just cocked his head and gave a small laugh. "What's so funny?"
"I know you would hurt me, but I also know that you would not kill me." He said surprisingly. Also, he said it with a sense of knowing. "I sent Jiru after you, and he was to answer directly to me. I know a lot about you at least in personality. You're not the pokemon who could kill easily."
Damn him! I guess Jiru had to do what was needed of him to do, but that also means that I had to make sure Jiru had no further responsibilities to the Sacred Plates. "Well, when we're done, I have another condition." The Charmeleon grumbled and belted out an 'of course.' "I want Jiru free from all responsibilities that you have placed upon him."
"Very well," he agreed quickly and unwavering almost like he would have agreed to any request that I would make. "Now, Coal, come on. We have some demons to kill."
Coal just grumbled out a little resentment of working with me and other types of unpleasant things. However, I became too pre-occupied with this strange character change in the Eevee that killed my family, tried to kill me, and now was walking beside me like a friend. I was far from calling him a friend! Still, I could not help wonder what was going through his head, and why was he being so kind to me? It was a ruse! I just know it. I knew then that I had to defeat Scar myself and take the diamond myself. He was probably going to take it, and then, the Eevee would probably stab me.
We were half way over the lake when I walked a fair distance away from him. The Eevee looked surprised and saddened, but I knew it was a trick. "I don't trust you." I bluntly put it. "You've done nothing good for me that can even begin to apologize for what you have done."
The Eevee loudly sighed and shook his head. "Well, there is nothing I can do to possibly start that. I already saved your life twice, right?" Damn, he did. "Well, I also know that I already killed four pokemon close to you, so why don't I put my own life in danger four times?"
"For the love of Arceus, what in the world are you thinking?" Coal yelled out loudly while I was stunned silent.
"That may be a start." I forcibly stated. Who in the world would put their life on the line for me? And four times at that! No, he was just trying to confuse me, but I could not understand why his aura seemed so sincere. "But it will only work if you actually put your life on the line instead of just doing what you did last time with the Arcanine. You jumped in at the last minute when I was about to die and did not get hurt yourself. I got to see that you actually are in danger."
"I promise." The Eevee verified with such a bright aura. Why was he being so damn nice? What happened! "After all, I got to protect my friend's friend."
Friend? Who would call me a friend and knows this… pokemon? Why would Jiru call him a friend? Jiru and him are complete opposites.
"How do you know Jiru?" I asked a little curious and afraid of the answer.
"Jiru was the first pokemon to actually see me as a regular pokemon instead of some creature from a prophecy." The Eevee answered while pausing every now and then. That sounded like him. Jiru would accept anyone who has a good heart. Does that mean… this Eevee may actually have a heart that matches his light outline? A good one? "He looked at me as me, so that probably means that you aren't that bad either."
Coal was grumbling the whole time behind us, or at least for what I believe to be the whole time. I just heard him grumbling at the beginning and the end, so there had to be some in the middle. I did cut the conversation off when I heard the Eevee almost seem to complement me. Was he actually accepting me as more than a demon! What in the world did Jiru say! Jiru was my best friend, and maybe, he could actually help me be happy. Maybe, we both can be happy.
"We're here." Coal growled at me when I realized that I stopped in my tracks at the shore. "Get a move on it, demon!"
I wanted to retort back, but I was the better pokemon. I would not be pushed into such a moronic measure to get me angry. After all, my mere presence seemed to push his buttons quite well. I would leave it at that because more important things required my attention. The blizzard that always covered Blizzard Mountain was gone. It must have been suppressed by the sudden blast from earlier. However, that just made it easier to locate them. Of course, a trio of green, grey blue, and that purplish color was easy to see. This was it. My hardest battle so far was about to start.
I swallowed down my fear and walked forward with the two Sacred Plates agents. It was a little bit of climb, mentally and physically. It was hard to ready myself for the fight. Every possible negative outcome played through my head: I was hit hard and forced to flee, I was killed, all five of these pokemon focused on me, these two pokemon would not keep their promise to keep Jiru safe! I was unsettled very much. Unfortunately, I could not change it, though. Whatever was going to happen would happen. I just hoped that it was beneficial.
"I see you actually came." It was the Machoke… Bash, from earlier. He was leaning against a rock in the snow and stared at the three of us indifferently. "Well, I'll lead ya to the battle field."
Bash stretched a bit before lazily leading us up the mountain. The snow was getting thicker, which made it all the more annoying to wade through it. Soon, I compacted the snow under my paws and just started walking on it instead of the powder. The Machoke looked back once when he heard the crunch with a bit of caution. However, Bash was eased once he saw me simply walking on the snow instead of in it.
A small walk later and we all were at the top of the mountain. Actually, now, it was a plateau, an artificial one. The Garchomp was sitting on the rock casually with Emile glaring at us with the utmost disdain. Bash walked to his two partners while Scar yawned and rose.
"Well, it is about damn time." Scar grumbled. He rose to his feet and stretched his limbs and back. "If you took any damn longer, I would've fallen asleep. How do you like the field I made?"
Scar made this terrain! It had to have a diameter of a hundred meters. I was so screwed. I could not in any way, shape, or form hold back against him. If I did, I would die. It was a staring contest between the demon trio and us until Scar coughed and grumbled.
"Are we going to fight or admire each other for the whole damn day?" Scar voiced with a sigh and tilt to one side. "So who's fighting who?"
The Eevee stepped forward and answered, "I'll fight the Machoke, Coal will fight the Shiftry, and Eli'll take on you."
Okay, it was about to happen. I was about to fight Scar… Wait! Did that Eevee just call me Eli? Only Jiru knew my name right now... Well, I supposed that Jiru could have let it slip when he was talking about me. Anyway, why would this Eevee use it with such familiarity? Absolutely no one, except Jiru, in The Sacred Plates would see do that.
The Eevee and Coal were already going to their opponents who were taking them down the mountain and away from us. This was bad. It meant the Eevee would have a longer time getting back to me to help, so I would have to hold off Scar a lot longer. This was not my lucky day.
I could not feel a lot of moisture in the air, which was not surprising. I would not hold back with this guy. I was only five meters away from the snow at the ledge, so I called over the ice to from five long blades. I put one in front, one in back, one above, one to the left, and one to the right. Scar looked amused with a smile crossing his maw.
"I see you are trying to act serious." He taunted and jumped right back into the center of the circular platform. It was obvious that he wanted to separate me from my supply of ice. "Well, come on. Let's play."
I'll need back up. I grabbed some more ice from the snow, but I thinned it out and coated my fur in the ice. Now, my ears, tail, head, and body was covered in the ice. I walked tentatively forward toward my opponent. I felt the snow leave my field of control. I was isolated in a field with no water or ice.
I was only about twenty-five meters away from the edge, which left another twenty-five left when Scar launched into action. Using his powerful legs, he blasted towards me. I hastily pulled my forward blade into a defensive stance, but his position quickly changed. I looked to my left and he was almost right in my face. I panicked and threw the blade at him. He just smiled and grabbed it.
The blade naturally made a small cut, but he threw it at an amazing speed as it soared away. "One down." Scar laughed and gave a powerful jab to my side.
I was sent rolling, but I was lucky that the ice I covered myself in absorbed some of the punch. It did not break anything, but it would bruise. Scar looked amused as he stared at his claws.
"So you coated yourself in some type of shield? How interesting! I like this ability. Don't mind if I steal it." Scar laughed out. I bunkered down as I tried to keep the blades covering all my body. I was nowhere near the edge to get another one.
I was surprised to see Scar sprouted two black-feathered wings while random wisps from the air centered on Scar. Unfortunately, they did not just gather near him. They formed blades same as mine around his body in a set of thirteen and solidified into ice-like heavy-set armor around his body. How in the world did he just copy my abilities?
"You don't understand who I am, do you?" Scar gave a small chuckle and fired a blade at me, which I instinctively dodged while deflecting it slightly with my own blade. "I am a copycat. Powers, abilities, et cetera are all mine to control. But I doubt you can copy this."
Scar fired a large column of blue fire from his mouth. It hurtled toward me, and I delved to the same side as last time to dodge it. However, I did not expect Scar to be following the fire with slice of his claws across my side. I yelped while being thrown back by the force. I looked around to see that I was thrown in the center of the plateau. Dang, he was keeping me away from my ice.
"Two left." Scar laughed out. I felt around and noticed that he was right. He must have stolen two of my blades in that assault, and my armor was weakened considerably. I used some of the ice I had on my body to freeze the wound closed. "I am having fun. How about you?"
Dang him! However, this is just like with the Arcanine. I was no match for him when I did not have my powers completely out. I gave in to that fact, and decided to base my attack in that twenty-minute interval that I had to win it. I took a deep breath and let the power fill every cell in my body. It was exhilarating; the power coursed through me.
Scar whistled and chuckled. "Well, I see someone is raring to go. Then, I won't let my guest waiting."
He blasted forward, again, but this time, I was able to follow his movements. He tried the same feint as the first, which was easy enough to dodge. He looked a little amused, but I could see a little surprise in his aura. He did not expect this much of a difference. Good, I may have a chance.
I used my existing blades to swipe at him, but they clashed with two of his own, which gave him enough of a chance to use his wings to blow himself out of strike range. Dang, his blades are going to be a problem. Although as inconvenient as that ability was, I did not believe that he could copy pokemon attacks as he says he can. After all, he was right. I cannot copy his attacks and neither can he.
I fired my Water Gun to just see if Scar would do the same. Luckily, he did not. Instead, he belched out his blue fire. Hopefully, that meant what I wanted it to mean. Here Scar came. His wings (the feathered ones and his actual ones) started glowing a silver light. That was an attack. I waited because it was the perfect close-up chance to attack. I readied my blades to block this next attack.
I took a stance, and Scar came blazing forward. His attack came from obvious places, which was easy to block. However, the wings were pushing hard. I had trouble keeping his attack at bay, but I had enough power to fire an Ice Beam. I smiled, which seemed to confuse Scar. I charged a quick beam in my mouth and fired.
"Nice try." Scar laughed, and surprisingly, he launched that blue fire attack at point-blank.
We were in a stalemate that blew us apart several meters, which made my smile fade. I tried keeping up with his power. Dear Arceus, he was pushing me back. I was having so much trouble. Dang it! Was I going to die like this? No! I would not be killed by this pokemon. Push, push, push! Tiring, it was exhausting, but I had to win.
And I was pushing him back. I was winning! I would win! Scar was worried, and a scared aura slowly encompassing. My leg! I yelled. Something had cut my back left leg. My concentration faltered, which meant that Scar overpowered my Ice Beam. I was sent backwards in a flurry of fire. It burned my fur, skin, and down to my soul with chilling darkness.
I still had my Divine Servant Aura up, but it was starting to fade. I lost, but how? I looked to my left to see the Shiftry smiling, and the Charmeleon holding a smile right behind her. He fired a powerful Fire Blast, and Emile fainted there. I turned back to Scar who was pissed. He growled viciously at Emile, but then, calmed. The Charmeleon must have killed her, and now, I was about to die.
My aura faded, and there the angry Garchomp with heavy wings stood triumphantly. Scar growled at his wings. He pushed his arms out, and the wings puffed out into separate feathers to his sides. Scar then started to smile and soon laugh. He put his arms in an offensive position and had both his claws and wings glowing.
"I've never had someone hurt and tire me as much as you have. I can see why Darkrai would want you, but sadly, you've pissed me off. Now, you shall die." He started to chuckle maliciously with his right-arm wing in the lead to strike me.
I tried to rise, but the sudden attack of Emile and Scar's amazingly powerful fire were too damaging. I was able to get on my two front legs, but they did not last long. I finally got to my all four paws after several tries, but I could not take or dodge effeciently. This was it. I guess that Eevee was not going to get here in time. Maybe, he did not even intend to get here.
"Move dammit!" What in the world? I turned to see the cloaked Eevee running at me while Scar was slashing his wing at me.
His aura was strange… it was sad, worried, terrified, and angry. Was he actually worried about me? No, he was probably faking something. It was probably for something else. I should never fool myself like that. I guessed that it was the end, so I closed my eyes and waited for the end.
A tug, pressure, fabric, a yell, cracking rocks, panting, then nothing more. All within what felt like seconds, but what was surprising was that I never felt any pain. I opened my eyes to see nothing but white. It was not the pure white of death. It was white fabric. I looked a little to the left to see yellow. Then, I looked up. A hood was peering down at me with a yellow aura surrounding it. I was stupefied for a few seconds before it hit me. That Eevee saved me, again.
A flash of blue in the hood, but it immediately went away as the pressure from the embrace increased. I squirmed a bit in discomfort. The Eevee immediately released me a bit, but forced himself and me into a sitting position. I still could not get over it. He was here with me in his arms, and my killer was happy about it (not in the I-have-won sort of way, but like he was glad to see me safe).
The Eevee cringed. I pushed myself away to see red at the sides of his cloaks. He had taken that attack. The Eevee saved me at his own risk.
"I'm glad to see you're safe. I guess that makes three more." He chuckled a little forcefully. I could not see it, but the Eevee seemed to smile. I do not know how I knew it, but it just seemed like he was genuinely happy here with me.
The Eevee was so moronically happy to see me safe that he was not paying attention to the Garchomp behind him. Scar was growling with his glowing wing in front of him. I froze in fear when he poised it next to come down on the Eevee's neck. The Eevee seemed not at all affected by the weapon. Scar yelled as he swung the wing. He was about to die protecting me.
He was about to be decapitated just like Mali. Oh Arceus, the blood, head, body, and exposed muscles was all relaying back in my head. Every excruciating detail was displayed while he did not even falter in fear. He just held me and protected me just like Mali. Another pokemon was about to die protecting me. He was about to die. No… no… NO!
"I won't let you die!" I yelled and forcefully put my front legs around him.
I heard yelling, smashing of rocks, and rushing water with my eyes closed and expecting. I was paralyzed where I was when everything started to quiet down. After letting the adrenaline drain from my system, I started feeling exhausted, more so than earlier. My vision became blurry and my grip slackened. I wondered what had happened, but my consciousness was fading fast. There, I fainted still in the Eevee's embrace, his warm embrace.
There was a fire crackling next to me with a shuffling of paws on grass. I felt a cold, wet rag washing my fur and soothing my burns. I suddenly felt something sad. It was not my own feelings but those of another. I still felt groggy, but I had to at least acknowledge who was helping me. I could not remember well what had happened earlier with Scar and the Eevee, but I did recall that he was about to die. Then, suddenly, I felt tired and everything was silent.
I opened my eyes slowly, but I was greeted by the bright flames. I cringed reflexively and shut my eyes. I recoiled a bit, but my burns irritated my skin and made me groan. I got the attention of my caretaker who stepped in front of the fire.
"Eli, thank Arceus." The pokemon said worriedly. I opened my eyes more slowly to see the outline of the pokemon to be an Eevee. Upon further scrutiny, I realized it was Jiru. "I thought you were hurt horribly and could have been in a coma or may not survive your burns or…" I yawned and then cringed when the burns acted up, again. "Oh, I get it. You're just tired. I'm just patching up your wounds. I'm glad you're safe, Eli. I was afraid that I lost a friend when you fainted… I mean, when I found you unconscious."
I looked up at him with a smile to strangely see a bandage wrapped around his torso. Furthermore, there was a strange recollection of that same blue when I looked up into his eyes. That cloaked Eevee came to mind when I saw him, but that could not be it. After all, Jiru was a kind, loving, and welcoming soul while that other Eevee was a discriminatory and murderous monster. Those two could never be the same pokemon. Also, I could never forgive that Eevee for what he did.
At least, I was in the warming company of Jiru. Now, I knew that I was safe. At least that cloaked Eevee at least kept his promise. Maybe, he was not all that bad, but he still was an enemy, practically as much as my father was. Jiru smiled warmly at me, which made me do the same. He yawned, and then, I returned it. We gave a small chuckle to each other when Jiru walked around me and took a spot right behind me.
Jiru wrapped his arms around me and put his head on mine. I was blushing madly when he held me so gently. Jiru whispered kind words over my head while stated how worried he was about me. He did not like seeing me so beat up and injured. Jiru's paws were coated in blue. He was saddened by the thought of me getting hurt or being hurt. He cared for me, but it was only as a friend. However, how did I feel about him?
Jiru was just a friend! I should not be thinking like that. He was just a friend, but a very, very close friend. Jiru was a friend that I could lean on in the toughest occasion, hold me when I am frightened, and make me smile when sad no matter the occasion. Wait, was that not like the pledges Storm and Mali gave to each other? Did that mean… I…?
I was redder than I could have possibly ever have been from that simple thought. Also, it made me scared. Nobody should love me nor should I love anyone. I would only put him in further danger, but maybe, since that cloaked Eevee let Jiru go for this time, I could enjoy his company for some time longer. I wanted to be selfish, again.
I fell asleep there with the fire crackling and Jiru holding me in his paws, his warm, strong paws. I was blissful there in my calm sleep, but it was strange to be so calm in such an exciting dream. It was not that it was scary, but rather, it was unexpected.
I was lying calmly in an island of rock suspended in the sky. I just knew that the end of the patch of rock would make me fall some height to the actual ground below. I soaked in the rays of the unrestricted sun when a shadow brushed quickly across my face. It was enough to disturb me. I looked to my right to see the intruder to be that same Umbreon from my previous dreams.
I started by looking into his eyes: those familiar sapphire blue eyes that would make the sky and lakes jealous of its color. The Umbreon strangely held a serious look that seemed to make my heart freeze in place. I stood still in my little patch while the Umbreon was quickly closing the distance between us.
He stood ominously above me when he stopped right in front of me. He spoke fluently and without hesitation, "Do you love me?"
For some reason, I spoke every word truthfully and unwaveringly as if someone was forcing me to tell the truth. "No, I love Jiru with all my heart. I love him dearly."
The Umbreon lowered his head and took me into deep kiss that seemed to fit my mouth perfectly. He forced me on my back till he stood above me. The Umbreon was stronger, and I could not even begin to force him off. Suddenly, he unexpectedly started shining like a pokemon going through their evolution. I was surprised because an Umbreon should not be able to evolve, and even more contradictory, he was shrinking not growing.
It was only a minute, but the shock from it lasted for an eternity. With translucent, crescent, yellow wings stood a blue-eyed Eevee over my frozen form. I looked into his blue eyes with the utmost surprise. Actually, that was all I could muster from my emotional arsenal. Here stood the Eevee that wanted me dead without his cloak, and …
"Do you love me now?" He said abruptly and closed his wings around us. I was sent back into the depths of unconsciousness.
I woke up with a start the next morning to fully live through my recent discovery. I have yet to find a dream that had been proven wrong or somewhat slanderous. This fact scared me. I had been with Mali's killer this whole time. Jiru, the pokemon that had cared for me, was the same pokemon that was trying to kill me.
"Hey, I see someone is awake." Jiru stated as he walked up beside me and put a pile of berries and herbs by my head. I could not help but stare wide-eyed at him and somewhat in fear. "Eli, are you alright? Do you have a fever or something?" He put his paw to my forehead. I flinched to the touch. "No, you feel fine. Eli, is something bothering you? You can always tell me. We are friends."
I shivered there in place with my body planted in fear while he stood there eying me worriedly. Jiru tried to get close, again, but I screamed and lashed out in defense. My claws were extended, so I smacked him hard in the cheek. Blood trickled out of the shallow wound while my target held nothing but the most genuine shock. Jiru slowly turned his head and put his paw on his wound. In turn, I slowly moved my eyes to my bloody paw. I had just scratched my killer. Now, he was going to kill me! Oh Arceus, he was going to kill me!
I started crying for my life and back up as far as my weak legs could carry me. I struggled away from my killer with fear coursing through my veins more and more with each second that Jiru did nothing. He pulled his paw away from his cheek to see his own blood with hurt soon following in his aura. Jiru put his paw down and started walking towards me. I tried to quicken my pace, but I was too weak to do so. I fell painfully to the ground, which Jiru immediately reacted to with more worry. I panicked, as he got close.
I curled into a frightened ball with my tail covering my head. I was still crying from fright, "Please, don't kill me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" I yelled it at the loudest volume I could muster in my frightened state.
I continued shivering in place with each pounding step of his paws against the grass and ground. Jiru came closer and closer to me, probably with his paw held high ready to strike. I was on the ground in a broken state that was just to easy to kill. I was going to die! Mali, Storm, mom, everyone, I am sorry.
"Eli, it is okay." I felt fur and a warm embrace circle around my body. "It was just a nightmare. Please, come back, Eli. Please, you're frightening me." I stiffened as if dead already when he initially took me in his paws, but it soon became all too familiarly comforting. "I don't know what happened in that dream, but please, I would never think of killing you. You are my friend, my dearest friend. Even if you hate me, I'll always care about you, Eli."
Why was this happening? I uncurled from my ball to turn into Jiru's embrace to meet his eyes with mine. What strange objects! They were heart-warming yet chilling. Jiru's hold was comforting yet unsettling. Even his being was caring yet cruel. Had I truly fallen in love with Mali's killer? Wait, that's not all! Jiru said that Mali and Storm were his parents. Was I in love with a pokemon that had killed his own parents?
"Eli," Jiru whispered to me so softly. It was almost intoxicating and heart stopping to hear his voice. "Are you okay, now?"
I looked a little to the side in uncertainty, but I decided that if he really cared about me then he would at least try to explain himself. "Jiru, I had a disturbing dream about you." I began with a little discreetness. "I saw you over Mali, Storm, Reno, and Sid all caked in blood stating that I was next on your list."
Jiru froze the moment I said that, more in surprise and fear of probably having figured out his identity. "What? That is absolutely ridiculous. That other Eevee that you hate is the one that killed mom and dad." Jiru was trying to lie, and he was doing it fairly well. If I had not already known that he did it, I would have believed him. Did my friendship mean so little to him that he could not confide in me the fact of who he was? I was deeply hurt by this, but something about him just made me want to keep listening. "Eli, I would never, ever—never during the ever-lasting life that keeps this planet green—want to do you harm! If need be, I will break all my ties with The Sacred Plates to prove it."
Wait, what! Jiru would give up his life there especially considering he was the most valuable member in all of that organization just to prove he was my friend…. Maybe… no, that did not excuse him for what he did or what he would do. However, if I gave him a little, tiny chance, it was possible that he would care about me. No! That would be a laugh. An assassin caring about his prey, that is unheard of. However, the thought was strangely pleasing that he did care. He had shown that much already in numerous occasions.
"Please, it is okay." I said calmly while still trying to accept the fact that Jiru of all pokemon was the killer that was chasing me. "I think the nightmare just scared me senseless. I'm sorry Jiru. I'm sorry for hurting you."
Jiru looked a little unsure about my expression, which was reasonable. However, I thought I hid my true feelings well enough. I still felt scared about Jiru, but I wanted to follow some little piece of advice I heard randomly from someone: keep your friends close and you enemies closer. In that case, I would keep Jiru as close as possible. That did not sound too bad.
"I'm glad," Jiru uncertainly answered back. "Well, we should probably go soon. After seeing what you did at Blizzard Mountain, the pokemon here don't completely trust you. They are afraid of you."
"What did I do?" I queried from him. I actually could only remember Jiru about to die, and then, I felt extremely weak. "I don't remember much. I only remember that Eevee strangely saving me. Then, I suddenly felt weak and fainted."
Jiru looked a little unsettled and turned to the side. He waited for me. I got up fairly easily with a little strain with the burns, but that healing ability that Jiru talked about earlier must have been used, again, or it had become more potent since Jiru used it to heal me. I limped my way to Jiru where he motioned with his paw to the mountain. I was more than shocked, even a bit intimidated, by the new peak of ice that was the top of Blizzard Moutnina. It followed everything and covered the plateau of Blizzard Mountain. I did that!
"But that is impossible!" I exclaimed in amazement to the spectacle in front of me. "I've only been able to control water and ice up to like 10 meters away from me. I can't make something that large or control that much ice."
Jiru looked at me a little funny but then laughed. I did not expect him to laugh. "Well, that only means I have to watch out for you. I definitely don't want to piss you off if you can do that without realizing it. You probably used that lake from your cave that happened to be under us when they attacked." Jiru whistled at the new ice cap. "That is good though. That means, maybe, I can stop having to heal your cute little butt every time you get hurt…. I didn't mean that!" He was blushing hotly, but I could not deny that I had not become flushed myself.
This may be the real Jiru. After all, pokemon are different in separate situation. I created that ice cap, but in public, I was too timid to do anything. There was a moment of awkward silence between us, which I would not stop because it would break my train of thought. My mind was in a flurry of chaotic questioning of Jiru's motives and my own. I soon decided to keep him company for a little longer. Maybe, I would see through his little antics now that I was a little less blind to the situation.
"Well, I'm not wanted here, but Jiru, you still owe me that trip to those canyons." I recommended while limping away in some random direction. "Aren't you coming?"
He started to chuckle. "Yes, I would, but you're heading east. The canyons are to the south."
I blushed a bit and corrected my course to the right direction towards the forest with the Shaman Mountains disappearing behind us. I must have been unconscious the whole rest of yesterday. We walked a few paces, and my stomach growled. I had not eaten since yesterday morning. Jiru chuckled while I naturally blushed in embarrassment. He took a single berry from his pack and let me have it. We were only stopped for a minute. The berry was strangely filling and rejuvenating.
"What was that?" I asked quite intrigued by this sudden item that was unlike anything I had tried before.
Jiru looked a little nervous but answered anyway. "It is a modified berry from The Sacred Plates. We always use it because it feels like eating ten berries or a whole meal in one while also adding a bit of healing like an Oran Berry. I've had some, too. Believe me. They are not dangerous."
"Are you sure?" I held a different opinion. I had my suspicions. "I am a demon, so won't it possibly hurt me?"
Jiru was surprised by my comment and almost vehemently chided me. "You are nothing like a demon! Eli, you are perfect in every way. You could never hurt a fly unless you had to." Jiru smiled and looked me right in the eyes. They were so pure and lacking in even the smallest amount of deceit that I could detect. "Eli, you should rank among the best in The Sacred Plates if they weren't too blind to see the truth already so evident in front of them. After all, demons flaunt their beauty or lack-there-of while you don't even mention it or at least humble about it."
I looked to the ground, greatly embarrassed and surprisingly content. "You think I'm beautiful?" I asked with my still red face. I felt my heart thump widely. "But I'm horribly burned. My fur, the cuts, I must look horrible."
"Of course!" Jiru laughed out uncontrollably. He seemed to be acting solely on instinct of what he wanted to say. "And that is the perfect example of what I'm talking about." He immediately started thinking over his words and reddened deeply with a paw coming up to his head in embarrassment. "Well… I can't cover that up, can I?" I shook my head. "But I do mean every word of it. You are the most beautiful pokemon I've seen in my entire time in that organization or my life in general."
My heart was fluttering faster than I had ever experienced. Jiru held out his paw and took mine. There in that patch of grass, I was only aware of two pokemon. I felt my heart stop in place while he held my paw with a smile that I was melting my form. Jiru held my paw and motioned his head. He released my paw, and then, I followed Jiru—the pokemon that wanted to kill me, and with whom, I have ironically fallen in love—to our next destination.
Eli: Did you really have to make it so obvious that I cared about him?
Me: Yes.
Eli: Well, I guess I'll leave you be. It was strange to see Jiru now. It is almost like he is two separate pokemon.
Me: What we are and what we want people to see are often two separate individuals. We often Bunbury without realizing it.
Eli: 'Bunbury'?
Me: Look up The Importance of Being Earnest. I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter. Please review and comment.
