DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon.
MESSAGE TO READERS: This chapter shall be written in the Point Of View of Warhol… Strange, I know. But whilst Picasso is temporarily knocked out, you will need to know what is going on…
A SMEARGLE'S TALE
CHAPTER 21: A RIVAL'S ARRIVAL
With the adrenaline rush of victory flowing through me, I flexed my muscles to the members of my Clan… although most of them had turned away. How dare they. I was still their leader and they should respect that. However, that wasn't the main concern of mine right now. Now that I had eliminated that pathetic excuse of a Green Smeargle, I had other matters to attend to. I wiped some more blood from my mouth caused from Picasso's Focus Punch. I refused to admit to myself that he was skilled. It was possibly one of the more difficult battles I have had to fight during my time here. Yet, I had still prevailed. But now was not the time to gawk over my dominance. I glared over towards the approaching creature and to my bad fortune I recognised it. The creature had brown fur over its head, legs and hind. However, there was a distinctive tuft of white hair in between its long ears. It had a large mane of some sort going right around its neck and a large, bushy tail. It looked like an Eevee, but I knew full well that it wasn't. I approached it without hesitation. It sat down casually, yet stared at me with its small dark eyes.
"At long last, I've found you Warhol," the overgrown Eevee grinned with a calm tone. "I should have known you'd settle down within a Clan. It was just a case of finding which one. Not a difficult task when only so few clans exist."
"Get to the point, Burn," I growled, clenching a fist. "What do you want?"
"No need to get feisty," Burn replied, turning its head to the left, but still glaring at me with its dark eyes. "You know full well why I am here. But I shouldn't deal with you just yet. After all, that green Smeargle nearly had you beat. I watched the whole thing."
"Yeah?" I sneered. "Well, here's a newsflash. I still won. And I'm perfectly capable of beating you too." Burn simply shook his head, visibly unfazed by my taunt which only made me even more angry. "What?" I snarled, as the brown furred creature began grooming itself casually.
"You know full well that you can't," Burn said calmly in a tone that reminded me of the accursed Green Furred Freak of a Smeargle. "Not only are you too exhausted, but I'm pretty much sure you haven't got much strength left to use your moves more than a couple of times."
"Then why are you here? Get out of my territory," I demanded.
"Settle, settle," Burn smiled. "All in good time. After all, you're not in any danger of a seven on one attack anymore. The Johto Eons disbanded a little over a year ago. And my mate is back in Hoenn, although she visits every now and again." I scowled at this. Burn was a big enough problem on his own, but his mate was even more annoying. Psychic types have always been a thorn in my side. I really ought to learn a Dark Type move to sort them out. At least my ThunderPunch could handle those Xatu and the Noctowl that keep looking over me. They were currently tending to Picasso, taking him back towards the willow tree. "In fact, Sunshine is the only one I keep in touch with, being my mate and all. Although Showers occasionally comes to visit."
"Are you going to bore me with stories of you home life all day, or is there a point to this little visit?" I scowled, growing weary of his company.
"Charming," the brown furred Pokemon huffed, a little sarcastically. "And what of you? I see you are the Leader of this Clan… have you a mate of your own?"
"SHUT UP!" I snapped angrily, looking back over towards Easel, who seemed deeply upset by Picasso's defeat. I scowled to myself. Even though I had won, she was still going back to that stupid piece of snot.
"I see," Burn nodded. "You're having a few issues, I gather?"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" I snarled once again. "Carry on the way you're going and I won't hesitate to beat the silence into you?"
"And what will that achieve, huh?" Burn asked, not even flinching at my taunt. "You're in no state to go through another battle, least not against a Flareon with full health, whereas you can barely stand. I suggest you head back over to your Clan and attend to your duties. I will discuss the matter further with you in the morning."
"Oh, no you bloody well don't!" I snarled, blocking him just as he stood back up. "Let's have it out now. Just why are you here?"
"That kind of tone doesn't convince me that you really want to know," the Flareon sighed, knowing full well how to anger me.
"How about this one?" I growled deeply and threateningly. Yet Burn simply shook his head.
"If anything, it makes me doubt it even more," he replied. "Now, if you don't mind…"
"You know, I never quite understood what Sunshine sees in you," I growled with a sinister smirk. Burn turned his head to stare at me once again, locking eyes with me. "Personally, I think she was better off when I was with her. I mean, she was never in as much trouble with me as she was when she was with you and the Johto Eons."
"It was her decision, Warhol," Burn scowled, trying to remain calm. "And besides, you treated her like dirt. Just as you do with your Clan. Trust me, my friend has told me all about it."
"Your friend?" I sneered. "You actually have those?"
"Yes, although I don't see her around," Burn explained. "Although I do recognise that Carnivine from somewhere… Venus, I think her name is. If I remember rightly, she was quite fond of Vine, but only because of his name I would guess. I don't think she ever met the Leafeon in person."
"I don't get you," I snarled. "I make a gesture about your own mate and you couldn't give a damn." Burn then simply chuckled to himself.
"Unlike you, I don't let my pride get in the way. It takes a lot to piss me off," Burn explained, before taking a couple of steps past me. "Perhaps it would be best if you just cooled off until later. I mean, it's still early in the morning."
"So how come you don't just get lost and come back another day?" I growled.
"I'll be back later, Warhol," Burn grinned. "I think I should make myself acquainted with that Green Smeargle. You say his name is Picasso?"
"What business do you have with him?" I growled once again. "He's nothing. Not worth your time."
"And you are?" Burn glared at me, causing me to scowl once again. I took a threatening step towards him, but once again he didn't even move a muscle. "Besides, you don't seem very interested in anything else I have to say, so why waste my time saying it?" he continued.
"I just need the bare facts, Burn. Not your autobiography!" I scowled once more. The brown furred Flareon simply looked at me before slowly sitting back down, whishing his tail to one side.
"Alright then, Warhol," Burn sighed, almost reluctantly. But whether that was due to the news or the fact that he had given in to my demands was unknown. "Sunshine foresaw something a good three months ago or so."
"That fork-tailed rat always predicts stuff," I scowled, remembering back to when Burn and I were a little better acquainted.
"But she's got a lot better. Her predictions are becoming much more accurate, almost perfect," Burn explained.
"Almost!? ALMOST isn't good enough for me," I growled. "I know first hand just how her predictions go. She said that I'd end up with a Sunflora for a mate. Little does she know there is a Smeargle here that dresses up in a skirt made from Sunflora petals that I am…"
"Trying to have a kit with?" Burn quietly chuckled to himself. "Sunshine sees that."
"Tell her to stay out of my head," I threatened. "I have enough trouble with those damned Xatu reading my mind. Hence the reason I have ThunderPunch in my move pool now."
"You continue to trail away from what I am trying to tell you," Burn said a little bit more seriously than before. "Are you sure you want to know? Because if not, I'm sure I can take my business elsewhere up until you're capable of listening."
"Then stop dawdling and tell me," I growled, growing even more frustrated by the Shiny Flareon's actions.
"How about saying 'Please'?" Burn cracked a smile, knowing full well that he was getting under my skin.
"I am the Leader of the Smeargle Clan," I roared angrily. "How about you show me a little damn respect!"
"Oh, the respect is there. I can assure you," Burn smiled calmly once more. I hated it when he did that. "But then again, it isn't exactly difficult to remember your manners is it? After all, you haven't always been an asshole."
"What the hell did you just say?" I boomed. "How dare you call me by such a name!"
"If you heard, then why ask what I said?" Burn nonchalantly groomed himself. "Are you hungry?" he suddenly asked.
"What?" I growled, a little surprised. "Hungry?"
"Do you always ask people to repeat things even though you've clearly heard them?" Burn asked with a smile, causing me to frown. "You must feel a little hungry after an intense battle like the one you just had with Picasso. Tell you what. We shall feast first, then I shall explain everything to you."
"I refuse to share any of the food that we have stored with some low-level overgrown Eevee," I grinned, yet Burn seemed far from amused. He then turned his head nearby to the edge of the cliff from which he surely must have ascended from, where a medium sized black Flying Type was perched, staring at the willow tree for some reason.
"I've never tried Murkrow before," Burn smiled. "But you know what they say, don't knock it until you've tried it. Perhaps I should do the honours."
"I'm perfectly capable of catching my own prey, thank you very much," I growled.
"Then I guess you're not hungry," Burn grinned. "Oh well, more for me!" With that, he began to creep slowly towards the grounded Murkrow, literally making no sound whatsoever. He made sure that he was behind the Dark Flying Type to prevent being noticed. The Murkrow was none the wiser as Burn stalked his prey just inches away from it. With that, he bared his fangs, which seems to be ablaze themselves, before pouncing on the Murkrow, sinking his sharp teeth into the defenceless creature's neck. It squawked out in agony, before going limp. Burn then dragged his prize back towards me, before dropping the carcass to the ground. "A cooked breakfast sounds so much better," Burn smiled before spitting a large jet of flame from its mouth. The size of this flame took me by surprise. I remembered when that bronze Geodude had used the move, but it was nothing compared to a Fire Type using the move. Within seconds, the Murkrow had been cooked internally. Its feathers had been fully incinerated, leaving just charred skin. With that, the Flareon ravenously ripped one of the legs from the carcass, shredding the bone from its tendons and devouring the flesh, savouring the taste. "Mmmm… that's good," Burn deliciously gawped. "It's kind of a more bitter taste than a Pidgeotto… like that marmite stuff that the humans eat."
"Sounds delectable," I frowned as Burn continued to gorge himself. He then indicated the Murkrow with his paw.
"Help yourself," he stated, at which point I greedily approached the carcass and tore a chunk of flesh from its torso, devouring it quickly. I refused to show gratitude for Burn's generosity, instead relishing the same taste that he had described…
TO BE CONTINUED