Ok everyone. So this is a short author's comment, :D It's been a long time since...
(Front door slams shut and Alisa runs in)
-Quick. Help me. We've got to hide him. (Drags unconscious Jake across floor)
Alisa? What are you doing? Why are you two soaking wet?
-Quick. We have to hide! The cops will be here any second.
WHAT! What the heck did you do!
-It wasn't my fault! Jackie was planning to have brother murdered for money.
What? Alisa, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard.
-No, no! It's true. Jackie filled out a life policy on him so that if he died, she would get four million dollars. She was planning to drown him at the lake and collect the money, she was going to split it with me so I had to kill her. I tipped the boat and ran for my life dragging Jake with me.
Alisa! That's crazy!
-No, it's true. You have to believe me!
No it's not. Jackie was taking you out to the lake because she was the best swimmer for her team and wanted to impress you guys. She filed the insurance form because she was getting a half off deal and it expired if she didn't send it tomorrow. She wasn't planning on killing you guys at all!
-But, what about the sleeping potions. And all those winks she gave me?
She's a practicing alchemist. It's just her hobby. She winks at people when she likes them as a sign of trust. Alisa! No one is planning to kill you or your brother!
-Oh. I guess that makes sense. Did you say that she was the best swimmer for her team? So that means that when I flipped the boat over she still got out aliv...
(Door slams open again. In walks soaking wet Jackie)
-Where is she! I'm going to KILL HER!
-Holy Arceus! Quick! Write her back in! She's coming! WRITE HER BACK IN!
Ok, ok. (Write's on paper. Jackie disappears)
-Oh thank goodness. (Nearly faints on floor) She's gone. Ok, we're ok then.
Well, I'm glad that's over. I'm sure going to miss having a bunch of Eevee cubs though.
-I'm not. Jackie and her fourteen cubs can disappear for all I care. At least Jake will have some free time now that he's not a father.
Yah, we still have an unconscious Jake to deal with. Alisa? What do you say...
-Oh yes! Let's dress him up. I'll grab some pink bow ties and you get the glitter. (Runs off to get supplies)
Well. That went well. Sorry about Jackie but she was a lunatic anyways. ;)
I'm going to take a moment to say thank you to all my readers, meaning you, for taking time to read my story. I love you all! :D
-Hey? Who are you talking to?
No one. (Shuts computer) Now, are we aiming for a cute school girl or a like a preppy college student.
-I say we dress him up like one of his cubs. Do you have nail polish by any chance? Oh, and we'll need some flashy eyeliner.
Oh boy. This is going to be so bad when he wakes up. Just to be clear though Alisa, he gets one free shot at you after he wakes up. Ok? Whatever he says goes.
-Whatever, just help me get this pink ribbon tied to his tail.
Chapter 25
Alisa was dreaming again. Her dream didn't involve the cave this time, but instead there was some cub that insisted she play with her. A little girl Pikachu actually.
It was over quickly. No sooner had she just said hello to the cub when she snapped awake.
There are times when you wake up because your body is done sleeping, and then there are times when you wake up because something is wrong.
In Alisa's case, it was the latter. Alisa snapped her eyes open forgetting everything about her dream and only worrying about her present danger.
She looked up into the stars. A dark shadow was standing over her, there wasn't enough light in the darkness to even see the edges of his fur. It was just a brown furred Pokemon standing over her, inches from her face.
She didn't need to see him to know who it was. When the smell reached Alisa, her nose twitched and instantly her mind correlated who belonged to that awful scent.
It was that deranged Eevee. Razor was standing over her, just inches from her face.
She wasn't sure if she was supposed to panic, or just wait and see what he would do but either way, she knew she was going to die.
Razor just stood there staring. There was absolutely no emotion on his face. Alisa was staring into a brick wall that just looked down on her. They stared into each other's eyes and then Razor woke up from his trance
Razor saw she was awake. "You should go home," and just like that, he turned and started walking back to his cave.
Alisa was upright immediately. "Wait? How did you know I was here?"
Razor didn't laugh. He didn't laugh or smile or even change his pace by the slightest bit. He didn't even answer.
Alisa was immediately frustrated. No one woke her up from a nap and then ignored her like this without a good reason. "Hey. I'm talking to you."
Razor didn't answer. He was halfway back to his cave now. Almost to his comfort zone where he could ignore her and whatever that other thing was in his mind.
Alisa got up to follow. Immediately she stopped. What was she doing? Why would she even consider following this maniac cub? Razor just kept walking, each step he took made the pressure on Alisa's choice worse.
She couldn't just leave. It was exactly midnight, the stars were up, either her family hadn't noticed her disappearance or they had searched all day and night for her without a sight of her, but she couldn't just leave Razor.
What was wrong with her that she dared to approach this cub. She shook the thought from her head, and tried again.
"Hey. Who are you?" Alisa called out to him. She had already forgotten his name if she had even heard it. "What are you doing out here alone?"
Razor didn't slow. He just kept walking.
Alisa had a quick decision to make. Either she goes back home to her family and acts like she was there the whole time, or she confronts this cub that might kill her.
"Oh boy," she whispered under her breath. "Mom, help me."
She ran, and caught up with the cub. Her decision was made, she would find out what the heck was with this cub that she just couldn't leave. What was it about him that caused her to act like this? Why were her instincts screaming to talk to him?
Razor kept walking. His cave was about twenty steps away now. Alisa ran up right next to his side and stared at his face the whole time. He was starting to get annoyed by it, just a little.
"What are you doing? Why won't you answer me? You talked earlier." Alisa tried everything but nothing got the cub's attention. "Are you deaf or something? Answer!"
She prayed to the stars above her that this wasn't a mistake. Her instincts were asking her to do it though so that meant it was safe right? Would her strong instincts ever lie?
She jumped, right in front of the cub and held her ground. Razor was forced to stop walking.
If Alisa could tell, she thought she saw just a hint of surprise on his face. The first real emotion he had ever shown but it didn't last for even a split millisecond.
"You're going to answer me." Alisa threatened. "Because I'm not leaving until you do. I'll stay here all night if I have to, you won't be able to live with yourself with my pestering." She lurched forward to show how truthful she really was about holding her position. Razor didn't even flinch. The same questions were running through his head.
Razor stood still in his surprise and stared Alisa in the eyes. For the third time now, he had stared this cub in the eyes entering that unknown trance. He had already memorized what her entire face looked like. He was just about to question the thought further but his instincts shot back to yelling that one thing. "Survive!"
Immediately, Razor snapped back to his old self. The thought disappeared and Alisa was nothing but a regular Eevee again.
Razor side stepped her. "There's wild Pokemon out here. You need to head home." He kept walking ignoring her glare.
Alisa was even angrier now. "Did you not hear me? I told you. I'm not leaving."
She waited for his reply but he just kept walking again. He was about five feet now from his cave. He was almost safe from her antics.
Alisa jumped in front of him again. "I'm warning you. I won't move. You'll just have to go right through me."
Razor did as she asked. He put his head down colliding with her chest, and literally pushed her back dragging her feet across the dirt.
Alisa's instincts flared. She tried to push back against his head but he just kept pushing her and walking forward. She reached out, and clawed Razor across the cheek making him stop walking.
That made him stop. He froze, lifting his head up, and then pawed where his cheek was now slightly bleeding. The thought of her eyes lurked right back into his mind. The same darn emotional questions shot straight to his mind. Was his cheek bleeding?
Alisa looked up and froze. Did she just do that?
Oh dear Arceus, she had just attacked Razor? Oh, she was as good as dead!
"I'm sorry." She whispered as quickly as she could. She could feel herself backing up naturally to make as much room as possible between her, and this deranged Eevee that was going to kill her.
"Please. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just that, you pushed me. I had to." Alisa kept backing up. When she was six feet away from the Eevee, her instincts told her that maybe this would be a safe distance to avoid an attack from the Eevee. After that though, if he attacked? She was so doomed.
Razor looked at the small trickle of blood on his paw, his cheek was bleeding. That wasn't good, but whatever. It was just pain.
He looked up into the frightened Eevee's eyes and read Alisa's reaction. Her tail was down and she looked like she was ready to defend herself with her life.
He stared right in her eyes. Again, they had entranced him.
He blinked. "You're standing in my cave."
Alisa's ears shot straight up. She slowly turned her head and sure enough, she was about a foot deep inside his cave. the tall cave ceiling cast a shadow reaching her tail but left the rest of her outside of it.
She was standing inside his cave? Oh no. Now she was doomed and Razor would tear her to shreds. Already Alisa could picture the wall mount of Pokemon that dared to trespass here just hanging inside his cave. She could picture her small Eevee carcass hanging from the roof along with other intruders. This Eevee could rip her to shreds and she would be a deranged Eevee's chew toy for the rest of her life.
What was she supposed to do? Run? She couldn't move because that same question was still in her head. something about Razor that... Why in Arceus's name wasn't she running for her life!
Razor stood up and kept walking. Alisa shut her eyes and braced for her death but he walked right past her, not even meeting her eyes.
Alisa could hardly speak. She opened one eye. "What?" She stammered seeing that he was ignoring her. "But, I don't..."
"It's late." Razor interrupted. He turned and met her eyes, forcing that thought out of his head. "You need to head back home to your family. There's wild Pokemon out here right now and it's not safe."
Alisa had the craziest idea ever. Razor hadn't attacked her yet, maybe?
"Um, can I stay here?"
Razor just knew she was going to ask it. He got up, and walked to the corner of his cave where he slept. He didn't roll his eyes in annoyance, but he almost wanted to.
Alisa was now panicking. "No, don't ignore me. Please. I don't understand it but you're making it worse!" The feelings were overriding her sanity now.
Razor turned around from where he stood. He was missing valuable sleep because of this pestering cub that followed him. For some reason though that didn't bother him. He just, his thoughts were exploding in his mind.
He let the first one come to his mind and then answered it. Why wasn't he killing her right now? He didn't know but he didn't want to kill her after all. It was like she had him bewitched or something. She was intruding, on his lands! He should've killed her.
Along with his answer, came the slightest emotion. For the first time in years, a real answer let loose a real emotion.
Alisa saw it, the slightest hint of anger. Razor was starting to get fed up with her.
"You need to go home." He reminded her. he sat back down in the corner and refused to answer anymore of his desperate questions.
Alisa sat down right where she stood. She was two feet into the cave now. "No. I won't. Not until you explain what you're doing to me."
Razor was having enough. His expressionless face turned into a frown. "There's wild Pokem..."
"Yes, I know." Alisa interrupted. "You've told me a million times but I'm not leaving. Never. Get used to me standing right here because I want to stay." She slammed her paws down. She knew this Eevee wouldn't attack her so why not play her cards.
Razor had enough. First she annoys him which he could put up with, but now she was disrespecting his privacy. He loved his privacy.
Razor stood up, his ears fell down against his head, his tail fell low to the floor.
He got up, and crouched low to the ground. He knew very well, how to assume a fighting pose.
Alisa's eyes shot wide in fear. That stance could only mean one thing. She crouched low in submission and started inching back to the outside of the cave.
Razor was planning to attack her. She could just read it on his angry face. Her cards hadn't played out like she had hoped.
Razor started growling. "What's your freaking problem huh? Why won't you just leave!" He spat at her.
"I, I just..." Alisa wasn't sure what to say. the poor cub felt like she was going to start crying. She stood low to the ground ready to run for her life. "I, I just thought you needed a friend. I'm sorry."
"Well listen," Razor stood at the front of his cave now standing tall. Alisa was forced to look up at him from the outside. It was cold and miserable out here.
Razor didn't yell because he wanted to kill her, he yelled because every time he looked at this Eevee, the darn questions just shot to his head. He dared answer a few more, forced to by her pestering antics, but it only made his anger worse.
"I don't need a friend. Go back home to your family! I don't need you. I don't like you. Just stay away from me, from my cave, and get the heck out of my head!" He turned around and stalked back into his dark cave. Alisa noticed that his walk was much angrier than before. He was actually showing his anger now with every step, just filled with emotion
Alisa had a choice again. Run, or stay.
Why were her instincts yelling at her to stay! Every inch of her body wanted to approach the terrifying Eevee again. What the heck was wrong with her! She was going to die!
Razor stood by his corner ready to fall asleep. He heard paw steps approaching.
He looked up, only to find that the Eevee was approaching him. Why was she..?
"I'm sorry." Alisa interrupted his thoughts. Razor stood back up.
"I"m sorry but, I'm not leaving. I don't care if this is your home, if my pack is out there, I don't care if you kill me. You can't even drag my carcass out of here. I think that you need someone by your side and my instincts..." Alisa stopped talking not sure what she was even saying. She hoped that he wouldn't see the nervous twitching in her tail as a sign of weakness.
Razor couldn't believe this. This Eevee was more pestering than he imagined. Even worse were his thoughts when she was around. If she left, hopefully those would go away with her.
But, for the first time in years, he felt he couldn't do something, he couldn't kick her out. His ears lowered and he let his survival instincts die down just slightly. All because he had answered one more question in his head.
Why was he not killing her? Because he didn't want to. Why didn't he force her out of the cave?
... Because he trusted her.
"Ok. Fine." He turned around and curled up in the corner alone, refusing to make eye contact.
Alisa nearly fainted. "What? Really?"
Razor didn't answer. He curled up tighter to fight against the cold midnight air. He didn't mind that this Eevee was standing in his cave even though he never let anyone do that.
Something was different about her, besides her stubbornness of course but he couldn't quite place it. No one had ever been as stubborn as her before, except him on the worst of days.
Alisa didn't know what to do. She had permission to stay? Was this a trap? It was like she was falling asleep at a strangers house that she had never met.
But, those darn questions didn't leave her mind. The stubborn Eevee refused to answer them so she remained stuck in her plight on whether to run or stay.
Everything about the cave was interesting to her. She looked around the empty walls and spotted the two marks on the wall near where he was sleeping.
She walked over, and held up her paw, reaching out to it. What were...
"Don't touch those." Razor demanded from where he was curled up. He wasn't even looking at Alisa with his face shoved against his dirty tail where it was comfortable but he instinctively knew she would ask about those markings. He was trusting her more and more and hating her more and more every second.
Alisa flinched, and held back her paw at his command. "What are they?"
Razor sighed, just a little. The emotions were still stifled in his mind.
"They're my mom and dad. They're dead."
Alisa felt her heart jump. She didn't know that. "I'm, I'm sorry." She almost wanted to reach out and touch the marks again just to show her compassion to his dead parents. Alisa had a thought. She hung her head remembering what she looked like. "My mom's dead too."
Razor opened his eyes. "Really? What was she like?" He asked partly interested.
"Well," Alisa gave it some thought looking at the marks on the wall. "She was funny, and warm. She was taller than me and brother." She knew she could go on but that was all that came to mind at the moment.
Razor thought about it, and then curled up into a tight ball again. Nope, he wasn't answering anymore questions. No more questions. No darn questions! Please!
Alisa stared at the markings in wonder. The two symbols represented something. "Do these represent your parent's types?" Alisa asked. She reached out to one but didn't actually touch it. "Is this a water droplet?"
"Yes." Razor interrupted. He was curled up tighter than he ever was before. "And the other one's a lightning bolt. My mother was a Vaporeon and my dad was a Jolteon." Razor curled up tighter until his tail was brushing against his mouth and he was nearly eating it. The cramped position was hurting now but he didn't care. It stopped his thoughts from coming "The humans took him." He curled up even tighter.
Alisa looked at him curiously. "Who are the humans?"
Razor actually opened his eyes again. He thought all Pokemon in this area knew about them. He guessed this pack was from far away.
"They are tall creatures that leave large prints. They take Pokemon and they never come back." He was curled up so tight now that his paws were hurting from the strain he was putting on them. He had his claws out, raking against his fur.
Alisa's eyes popped wide. She knew exactly what he was talking about. "That's, they took my mother though."
"I thought so." Razor answered, somewhat saddened but not really caring. Anything to stifle the thoughts.
Alisa thought about it. She never knew those huge creatures were called that. It didn't make her feel any safer from them though. Since they took her mother, she would've killed them all if she had the chance again.
So now she had a thing in common. He had lost both his parents, and she had lost her loving mother.
Alisa stared at the symbols before her on the wall. She reached up, and touched the water droplet one.
"Goodnight mom." She whispered to it. It made her smile.
She walked away from the cave and headed over towards Razor. He was curled up so tight it hurt his bones. It was the best he could do to avoid the real pain in his mind.
Alisa stared at him. She didn't feel so much fear anymore from him. His looks were awful but she could understand why. She wondered how he would've turned out with parents or Pokemon to help raise him.
Razor's smell was still there, but she didn't care. His cave still felt foreign, but she felt safe. This dangerous, unkept, deranged Eevee in front of her was nothing short of killing her minutes before, but now she felt more safe here than at home.
It wasn't like her brother where she loved him, or her father where she listened to him... Somehow, just somehow, she cared for this Eevee. All the thoughts in her head asked her to stay, with him.
Alisa knew what it was. She pitied him. She pitied his poor lost soul knowing exactly how he must've felt. He was lost and she had found him.
She walked up, and forced a spot next to him, gently pushing against his fur. It smelled, but she felt more safe and warm next to him than she ever had before. Razor was just like a friend to her now even though she still didn't know his name.
Razor opened his eyes in surprise. He looked over to find that the small Eevee had even dared to curl up against him.
What was she doing? Does he get up and move? Why did the questions start going away? Why was he trusting her?
His eyes opened, his ears slightly raised, for the first time in years, his instincts said something different.
"Jeremy," they answered from deep inside him, "Don't hurt her. She's a friend. You can trust her. Trust her. Trust." It repeated the word over and over. "Just trust her. You'll feel safe."
Razor didn't like it. He didn't trust anyone. Not her, not her family, not the Pokemon outside, he didn't even trust himself.
He sighed, and curled back up into a ball still pressed against her side. Maybe he would trust her, just this once.
The questions started drifting away. His mind went back to it's peaceful state of sleep. All because she was so close to his side.
He fell asleep feeling more warmth than ever before in his cold cave. He had forgotten the feeling of someone else's fur by his side to keep him warm.
it felt good. Alisa near him, felt right. It made him feel less crazy in his panic driven world.
He hoped her pack would stay, just a little longer so he could get to see Alisa more. He hoped that tomorrow, he had the sense to give up some of his territory in exchange of Alisa's kindness.
...
John hardly slept that night. He was in his replacement office under the first floor because construction was being done to repair the floor that blew up above him. His desk was awful and his chair was super uncomfortable. He missed his large office upstairs filled with his own papers and work.
He awoke with a start, unconsciously feeling for his taser in his back pocket. It was still there. He had that dream again.
He hated that dream. It reminded him of the past because it was the past.
John pushed his chair out and stood up from the nearly empty desk. The lights were off and he had spent his night impatiently waiting for his results. Chase wasn't even at the building today since he was in the hospital for burn wounds.
His walkie talkie never beeped in his pocket, that meant that they didn't find Lauren. Well that was bad news to begin with. He would have to drive down to the hospital and check on Chase before doing anything because the grumpy chief probably wanted to see him now. He could already imagine Chase after being scalded by that woman trying to force his way out of the hospital into his office so he could find her. He would visit him, and then get to work on catching that young girl today making sure she got justice for everything she caused, and maybe he would ask her a few questions of his own.
But first, his results. He jumped out of the chair and walked to the elevator not wasting a second.
The front desk was open on the bottom floor by now handling a few civilians with morning business. John checked his watch reading seven in the morning. Why on earth did the evidence recoverer not call him sooner? He had warned him that this was urgent.
He pushed the button to the middle floor, and stepped out without even waiting to see if anyone was in his way. The hallway was long and empty rooms were on every direction of him.
At the very end of the hallway was the largest room of them all. Built like Chase's office except much smaller and the view wasn't near as good.
At the cluttered desk, lay an officer in uniform except without a gun or a bullet proof vest. It was just to show that the man worked here in some higher position.
John couldn't believe this. Without thinking about it twice, he stormed right up to the desk.
'Wham!" John slapped his hand against the table so hard the papers on the desk flew everywhere.
Instantly the man was awake. He fell out of his chair and scrambled to get up.
"Uh, John? Sir." He stood up and saluted. "Uh, sorry sir." He checked his watch. Seven?
What the heck?
John just smiled. "Get your hand down. Where is it James?"
"Um, where is wha..."
"The video camera!" John yelled. He threw his hands up and James actually flinched.
It wasn't really his fault. He wasn't technically an officer but he did work here. His job was to recover any evidence that had been destroyed. John had approached him late last night and handed him the video camera saying get to work. Nothing else was said.
"Please tell me you have it." John pestered. "If you've managed to get some sleep and not one piece of that film is recovered..."
"No, no sir. It's not like that. I recovered it all. Well, what I could scrap." James hoped he had chosen his words carefully enough.
John turned around and was already walking towards the door. "Show me." He demanded bursting into the hallway.
James faltered at his desk grabbing his papers from the floor but gave up and ran to catch up with John. He followed him as he walked to the room where he had done his work late last night.
"It was difficult sir. I couldn't get all of it. Half the memory is burned, and the device is old. You think a man like this would have decent tech right?" He chuckled but John didn't find it funny.
John looked at him curiously. "What do you know about him?"
James just shrugged. "I read the file. Well, most of it. That's when I fell asleep..." He stopped talking knowing that the last line probably wouldn't do him any good to say aloud.
They turned a corner, the observation room was right here.
"Ok." James said a little frightened. His fingers were twitching with his anxiety. He hoped John would be impressed with what he recovered even though it made no sense to him. "Um, it's right in here."
He opened the door to reveal a room with some mechanics on a table, a computer in the corner, and then a screen projector. This was normally a briefing room so there were chairs and other tables for coffee against the wall since James had used the room solely for his recovery work.
"As I said earlier," James continued to explain getting to work. "The memory has been burnt. I could only recover so much from this equipment." He chuckled. "I actually had to go grab some old tech just to be able to work with..."
"Yah, I know." John interrupted. He pointed to the large projector screen. "Is it working?"
"Uh, yes. Here." James went over to the computer in the corner and clicked a few buttons.
A few seconds later and the small device hooked to the video camera clicked and made the burnt camera work. The projector screen lit up with what he could recover.
"It's only the later half of the video sir, that's all I could get." James explained.
John pulled out the foldable chair near him in the corner and sat down. He was so curious to watch the video that he was sitting in his chair backwards with his hand up to his chin.
The video started. There was some scraping as the camera tried to get to work, and then it started playing.
The screen was very dark, apparently the lights were off when the video was taken.
"Turn the brightness up." John commanded. His eyes never moved from the screen.
"Um, well, I can't. It's an older model. The camera,"
"I said turn it up!" John yelled even louder.
James tried his best. He went to his computer and turned the brightness up there hoping it would transfer over. It did, just a little but enough to see something on the screen.
John stared at the black and white screen. He didn't even care if the video was in black and white, he just wanted to see what was on it. Right here, right now.
He stared at the colorless objects on the screen. The characters inside the video were hardly distinguishable since the power was out in the building where the camera was. John noticed that the lights on the walls weren't shining like normal. In fact, the electricity shortage was the first thing his mind registered of all the things there.
John focused on the screen letting his interrogative mind get to work.
What was he staring at? Two Pokemon. One Espeon by the looks of the split in her tail. That one was obvious. The other was an Eevee. The cream colored tip of the tail and neck made it obvious as well.
What were they doing? Talking? Chatting. Just doing Pokemon things. What were they saying?
"Turn it up." John commanded.
"I can't sir. There's no sound." James was half expecting for John to yell at him to turn the volume up anyways but John just stared at the screen.
John kept staring, and staring. Every single act of these two pokemon interested him. The way the Eevee's expressions were jumping about from surprise to question. The Espeon's tall stature but she stood still and in more control than her relative. Even for two just normal pokemon, something was odd about the Eevee's behavior and how the Espeon reacted. This obviously wasn't just a normal Pokemon conversation.
John smiled. He figured something out. These were the same two Pokemon he saw when the house burnt down and he almost killed that Eevee in the hallway. So now this video had some importance to Lauren's great secret. How interesting that the same two Pokemon Lauren had, were in the basement at this same time a video was rolling. He had to get those two Pokemon for the giant puzzle before him.
But one thing at a time. He could find an Eevee and an Espeon later. He needed to focus on the video. What else was it trying to tell him?
The video didn't have much else to show when both Pokemon ran out of the screen heading for the stairs out of the video. John stood up from his seat.
"Perfect." He muttered. "How long until you can recover the rest of the video?"
James gulped. He grabbed his neck collar. "Um, well I can try but it will take a miracle to get anything else. I can try sir."
John turned to face him. "I don't care what you do, get as much of this video off it as you can. Enhance it, brighten it up, do everything. I want to see every detail of this video when I come back."
John stood up, folded his chair against the wall, and headed for the door.
"Also James," he added turning to face him before walked out. James looked up from the computer with his tired eyes.
"Make sure Chase doesn't know about this. He's got enough on his mind already."
James looked at him surprised but John didn't give him time to react. He shut the door and hurried out the hallway to the elevator. He was late for his meeting with Chase at the hospital. Traffic at this hour was going to be horrible anyways and he would be stuck at twelfth street forever.
James sat and stared at the screen before him. The video was still going, the fire in the corner that started it all slowly crept over the screen before the rest was black and the camera stopped rolling.
James sat down in the chair slumping into it. He needed a coffee right away if he was going to get this done. Recovering burnt memory cards from outdated video cameras was no easy task.
James restarted the video, careful not to go back too far to the damaged part. He started the odd video again watching the screen.
He had seen it four times now, but every time it was weird to him. That Eevee, something was off with it. The way it looked at it's paw like it was new. Or how it freaked out every time it's tail and ears moved. Huh? He wondered what the whole pointing to the chest deal was about. At least the Espeon looked normal.
"Hm." James flipped the screen off and got up. "They are just Pokemon James. What do you expect? Them to talk?"
Little did he know how close he really was.
...
Alisa woke up quite comfortable. This was the second time in one sleep that she had gotten up.
This time she actually woke up because the light was shining into the cave. She blinked awake, adjusting the light, and then stood up, forgetting that weird dream she had. The cave was no longer there like she thought but a young Bulbasaur insisted that she play with him. She never did, refusing to get near him. How many Pokemon could she meet that just wanted to play with her? She missed the days when her dreams made no sense.
She yawned and stretched. The dust on the cave floor was in her fur from all her rolling around in the cave. She noticed that her side was cold.
Where was she? Home? Did Tailo finally find a place for them to sleep?
She looked around her yawning. Her eyes shot wide when she saw it.
The two marks on the wall. She was... She was inside Razor's home. Oh no. What did that mean? What was she going to do? Her pack! They'd be looking for her not knowing where she was right now.
More importantly, where was Razor?
Alisa ran up to the front of the cave and jumped out into the daylight. It was blinding for a few moments but Alisa didn't care. Maybe she still had time.
She saw the sight and panicked. There was Razor standing by the stream near his home. He was talking to both Tailo and Shadow.
"Oh no." Alisa collapsed to the ground. Her worst fears were coming true. "Oh no. I"m doomed. I'm dead. Dad's going to kill me for this."
Tailo mouthed her name talking to Razor, asking if he happened to know where she was. Razor pointed towards his cave without even looking giving him the answer. Shadow looked up and saw that indeed his daughter was right there.
The two adults looked at each other in surprise, and then Shadow started walking. Heading straight for her.
Alisa had a quick moment to panic. Should she run? Maybe hide? She could run inside the cave and pray that Shadow wouldn't come in out of fear.
What could she do? She ran back and forth in worry but it was too late. Shadow was there, right in front of her. Oh boy. She would have to give him the truth.
Shadow wasn't in the mood for punishment. Although it did surprise him that Alisa had been missing this whole time and not one person noticed. He would have to talk to Jake about that.
"Alisa?" He questioned laughing to himself. "What are you doing?"
Alisa wasn't sure what to say so she told the truth. Her ears fell and her tail was completely limp on the ground.
"I fell asleep next to..." Shoot. What was his name?
Shadow couldn't' believe this. "You slept next to him? Next to," he pointed over at Razor. "You slept, next to Razor?"
Alisa perked up. "Razor?" She questioned. "Is that his name?"
Now Shadow was confused. So she slept next to him for who knows why, and she didn't even know his name?
"Um, Alisa? You had better start explaining. From the beginning." Shadow stared her down waiting for every part of the truth to come out. "Why are you here and not back at home?" He sat down, and listened patiently.
Alisa told the truth. She figured after what she must've done to her family, scaring them like that, the truth was the least that her father deserved.
She explained it from the beginning. She talked about how she had stayed by the stream when the entire pack left but then Razor caught her outside of his cave. She explained everything weird that he did, hitting his head on the rock and the hour long stares outside of his cave, the only part that she kept out was why she stayed. She didn't even know the answer yet so how could she have told him?
Shadow listened to every word. The parts that stuck out to him the most, were that his his daughter had stayed up all night and watched Razor, and apparently she did it very well.
She was more like an Umbreon than he previously thought. He could see it written on his daughter's innocent face. She was practically begging him to see her that way.
"Well," Shadow started since his daughter had finished. "Um, I'm not sure if I should punish you, or reward you." He chuckled a little.
Alisa was immediately confused. She almost wanted to say that of course she had to be punished.
"Listen," Shadow continued. "Because of your foolish antics, Razor has agreed to share his territory with us. Only if no one intrudes in his cave. He's actually much more calm today." Shadow glanced over staring at the cub who for the first time wasn't threatening to kill Tailo.
Razor glanced over, staring at Alisa. Alisa smiled but he ignored her and listened to the wise Fennekin in front of him.
Alisa turned back to Shadow. His face had changed from a hopeful smile, to a much more menacing glare.
"But, since you were gone all night, and didn't even think to tell me or your brother, of course I'm going to have to punish you."
Alisa sighed and rolled her eyes. Here it comes.
Shadow continued again. "Jake's doing something special today. Since your a good fighter, I need you to help him out. His paw is broken and he may need an assistant."
Alisa looked up confused. "What is he doing? Why do I need to help him?" Her brother never asked for help when it came to simple tasks. What could he be doing now that was so important?
Shadow just smiled. "It's a surprise. Go gather up all the cubs and tell them to be right here by the stream in one hour." Suddenly, Shadow walked off turning his tail to his daughter.
"What?" Alisa interrupted. She stood where she was. "Cubs? Which ones? Why are we gathering here?"
"Because," Shadow answered. "And bring all of them. Including you." He started walking off again.
Alisa's tail fell to the floor. "All? Everyone?" But, that would take forever! There must've been at least thirty and every single one was spread out among the pack. Would they even cooperate? How could she gather everyone together? "How am I supposed to do that? It's impossible."
Shadow just smiled. "It's a punishment right? Just do it and think twice next time you want to run away." He continued walking.
Alisa watched his every step. She could tell, something else was on his mind.
Just as she thought it, Shadow stopped walking. He glanced behind him but turned his head back around since Alisa was still staring at him. His hope was that he could walk off and just leave well enough alone.
He couldn't. The thought pestered his mind. Alisa wanted to be an Umbreon and not only was this an idea, but now it was fact. How else could she have stayed up all night stalking a Pokemon with better survival skills than himself. An Umbreon like himself would have found that challenging.
Alisa didn't just want to be an Umbreon. She practically was. She had the skill set, the mindset, all it took now was time, and that could happen any day.
Any day now, and Shadow's worst fear would come true.
Which meant, the curse... Shadow shut his eyes and forced himself back around towards his daughter.
Alisa thought they were done. She was about to complain to herself about her sucky punishment when she noticed that Shadow was walking back up. Oh boy, what else would she have to endure?
Shadow walked right up to her, and then sat down. Alisa knew this was suddenly serious.
Shadow just nodded his head. He stared at the ground accepting it. "I, I know about it, Alisa."
Alisa panicked. What did he know about? Her sneaking out? Her crazy dreams? The time she drooled against her brother's side when he slept in the cave? The possibilities were endless for her.
"Alisa. I just know. I can see it now, you never wanted to be a Flareon huh?"
Alisa's ears jumped straight up.
"I mean. Look at you." Shadow continued. "It's so obvious now. Who else could hide all night and stalk him? You and Jake have been training huh? Just for that special purpose." Shadow looked behind him at Tailo. He wasn't looking, that was good. Alisa thought he was looking for Razor but she didn't know he was making sure they were alone.
Alisa was speechless. But, how did he know?
"Dad I, I can explain."
"Please do." Shadow asked. He forced himself to sit down and get comfortable. It was the only thing that made him feel safe in front of her.
Alisa didn't know where to start. "Um, so just to be clear. You know? Like, about me and Jake and..." She just didn't want to say it. Not now, not in front of him. What if he disapproved like he did before?
Shadow interrupted. "I know very well that you want to be an Umbreon." He stated it matter of fact.
Alisa now felt like she wanted to cry. So he knew? This was his reaction?
"I, I..." She fell to the ground. Tears started coming out.
"Why are you crying?" Shadow asked her confused. "Am I right or not?"
Alisa's fear turned into anger. She could only do one thing right now. Watch and read her father's reaction.
She looked up, but all she could see was confusion in his face. It wasn't anger, it was much worse. It was almost doubt.
"I thought you'd be happy." Alisa cried even more. "I just thought," She didn't finish. Why was her father upset over this?
"Alisa. Of course I am." Shadow stood up and smiled. "What makes you think..."
"Because when Jake evolved you screamed in joy!" Alisa was sobbing and yelling now. "Yet, when I tell you that I want to be an Umbreon, you're surprised? Do you even know me? It's my life's dream dad! Why aren't you happy! You're an Umbreon!"
Shadow was getting nervous. Tailo looked up right at the crying Eevee hearing her panicked voice. He knew exactly what they were talking about just by the glance he got from Shadow.
They couldn't be talking about that. Tailo waved off Razor and walked right over. His agreement with the cub was done now anyways.
Razor sat and listened to every word from where he stood. It reminded him of his own father.
Alisa had to get it off her chest now. "Dad? I didn't tell you because I thought you would be ashamed. And then you said a Flareon? I'm nothing like a Flareon. I hate fire!"
Shadow tried to interrupt but Alisa jumped straight up and yelled in his face.
"And now you keep giving me these weird stares. I can't walk ten feet without you worrying about me? What, do you not trust me? I don't care if you want me to turn into every other Pokemon alive besides an Umbreon. I wanted to become one so I could hide! From you! I've been hiding every since you hated me for my bloodlust!"
Shadow was faltering back. He could barely stand on his four paws now.
Alisa had one last thing to say. "I, I just, I thought I could trust you. I thought you would've been overjoyed with me being an Umbreon, like you. But you hate me. It's obvious. I'm sorry I'm not your oh so precious fire Pokemon dad."
Alisa had said it all. She turned around not wanting to look into his face or anyone else at the moment. She was sick of everyone.
She turned, and ran straight back into Razor's cave. Razor watched her every step, having heard the entire conversation. Now for the first time in years, his face was one of understanding. He showed sadness.
Shadow stood still, he was completely dumbstruck.
So his daughter knew? It wasn't his fault, that darn curse. How could he relate to his daughter if she was supposed to destroy the whole pack! Of course he had to look at her differently! He just thought Flareon because, she was always so angry. What was wrong with him! He could picture the fire stone in his mind that Eseral gave him for her and he wanted to crush it.
He just, he didn't know that it was so obvious he was despising her. To Alisa, her father's protection wasn't done because he loved her and was scared, it was done because he didn't trust her one bit.
But she was wrong, he would've sacrificed his own life and everyone he knew to make sure she stayed alive. It's just, he actually feared he would have to do that if she evolved.
"Shadow?" Tailo asked walking up and sitting right by his side.
Shadow looked over but when he realized that he was crying, he immediately looked away. "I'm, I'm fine."
Tailo scoffed. "Yah right. I would be balling my eyes out if Fenara told me that."
"Well your daughter wasn't mentioned in this curse." Shadow rolled his eyes and fell down to the ground laying on the soft grass. He wrapped his paws over his face to hide his eyes.
Tailo wasn't sure what to do. Shadow was going to spill everything. He checked behind him but Razor was patiently waiting for them to leave so he could go back into his cave in peace. He didn't know that he heard every word with his strong trained senses.
Tailo could barely see it but Shadow had his paws over his face, because he was crying. The poor adult Umbreon looked awful. He would've too if his daughter yelled at him like that.
"Shadow. Get some peace and quiet. We'll have a meeting later." Shadow surprisingly, stood up and without even nodding just walked off.
Tailo watched him go, pretty soon Shadow was alone with his own thoughts and plenty of time to think. The Umbreon had to debate with himself the two choices he had. Was trusting in his daughter worth more than his secret? Or was this secret ruining the trust he had with his daughter?
What had he done? Wishes really did kill.
Tailo looked down when he saw Razor beside him. The young Eevee had walked up but obviously didn't care for the Fennekins plight. What did he care about this Pokemon? He had his own problems and Alisa inside his cave was one of them. He could've cared less for this Fennekin that he could sense was more trouble than worth.
He looked at him waiting patiently, and then gestured to his cave. Tailo understood. He moved aside immediately and Razor walked in alone.
Tailo immediately panicked. "Um, Razor? Alisa is..."
"She's fine." Razor kept walking in disappearing from sight. Soon it was just Tailo standing there alone with no one by his side.
Tailo was confused. The entire conversation, Razor had laid out nothing but rules if his pack was going to stay or until he gained more trust in them. The young smart cub had rules for them if they were going to stay.
His rules were very clear. He gets first food so he could ensure his own survival first, warning Tailo that there wasn't many berries to go around out here anyways even with the stream. No one was to ask him questions or comments while he did his daily things, Tailo would tell his pack that. His mom and dad weren't to be mentioned. No one was to talk, speak, or be around him if they could help it. His rules really just meant one thing for everyone in his pack.
Leave him alone. Only Alisa could see him but he didn't say that aloud. He just made it clear to Tailo that he wanted to be alone.
The cub was more stubborn and furious now that he was sharing his territory for the first time with such a large pack. Why he gave in, Tailo didn't know. All he knew was that Alisa had stayed by him all night and knowing Alisa, he figured that wasn't a good thing for him but apparently it changed his mind. Interesting.
The last rule Razor said was his most important. Absolutely, under no circumstances, was someone to go inside his cave. He warned Tailo that he wouldn't hesitate to kill even the youngest cub that intruded in his territory. Tailo agreed.
That was it. There short conversation was nearly done, just a quick greeting with Tailo telling him his name, and Razor saying that his was not important to anyone here but himself. The cub hated the tall Fennekin because, well, he was just so darn friendly. He didn't like it but Tailo didn't exactly like Razor either. They had come to an agreement though.
So Tailo freaked when he saw Alisa inside his cave, and then Razor go in. She had broken his one rule, their deal of sharing land he needed was over just like that.
But Razor didn't care? He walked right in, and made it clear to the Fennekin father that what ever happened in his cave with Alisa in there crying, was none of his importance. Razor knew she just needed to be alone.
Tailo forgot about it, and walked off. Ok, so Alisa could go in but anyone else meant death for them. Why was she different?
He shrugged it off, and went to tell his pack the news and the new rules making sure to stress the one that might get them killed if disobeyed.
Alisa was crying. Deep in the smelly corner where she had found warmth by curling up close to Razor, she found a place to cry and weep, right in Razor's most treasured sleeping spot.
She knew it. Every action her father did lately was so clear to her. Ever since her bloodlust, ever since mom died, ever since they started this moving trip, he had just been acting so weird. Always keeping watch on her, always disapproving her.
She knew it, he hated her the whole time. All because she didn't want to be a Flareon. She cried even more.
What didn't make sense was that he was an Umbreon. Why wouldn't he approve of her then? The cub refused to think that there was something different about her that made her father disapprove her, but there wasn't really another option left. She was just, different. She was turning into this sick, troublesome, bloodlust freak that her father disapproved of. What would happen whens he evolved and got even more freaky?
Razor walked over. He stopped about three feet away from her standing close to his cave wall. Every other day of his life, he would've killed this cub for barging into his home, crying all over the walls, and now making a monstrous amount of noise in the only place he could find peace. She had destroyed his sleeping corner by her wet noisy sobbing.
But today, he cared for her. For someone other than himself for the first time.
He in fact, pitied her.
Razor rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry but you've really got to get over yourself."
Alisa looked up with teary eyes. "What?" She stammered.
Razor actually smiled. "Come on. Don't listen to him. He's just being a jerk. I know his type."
Alisa's eyes popped wide. Never had anything in her life surprised her more. She stopped her crying immediately.
"Razor? You're smiling."
Razor's face immediately dropped back down to it's emotionless state. He was aggravated that Alisa was not seeing his point. "Listen Alisa. My father was the same way. He was real big jerk."
Alisa stood up. "Shadow's not. He's just, he's just confused."
Razor shook his head. He walked up to Alisa and made her follow him back to his spot by the wall. "He's not Alisa. He's lying. I've seen it before. He only cries because he knows that one day he hopes you leave forever."
Alisa stopped walking. She pushed Razor away from her. "My dad loves me!"
Razor shook his head one last time. "Try that again in two years. I know my dad did."
Alisa wasn't angry at him anymore. She stood in surprise. His dad hated him? That's, that's awful.
Razor walked up to the empty wall beside him. A foot to his left next to his sleeping corner, were the marks for both his parents.
He took his claw, and drew a crescent moon in the wall. He drew small lines stretching out to show that the moon was shining bright.
He stepped back from the wall, and looked at his work. He had just dared to draw on his wall that had been untouched for years.
He walked back over to Alisa, and smiled.
"Alisa." He started. "That's a crescent moon. It's because you're going to be an Umbreon one day, no matter what. Don't listen to your father, I can already tell you will be and it will be awesome."
Alisa looked over at him surprise. 'You, you just drew on your wall."
Razor laughed. The noise was so surprising to Alisa she almost screamed.
She liked his laugh. It was loud and serious, coming out in to tough bursts and then stopping as soon as it began. It fit his character very well.
Razor looked at her and smiled. "Thanks for staying with me last night." He started to walk away to get his daily chores done.
Alisa wondered what had happened to the Razor she knew. "Wait. What?"
Razor stopped walking. He hung his head.
"Alisa. Just listen, I felt it. From the beginning."
Alisa had no idea what he was talking about but he continued.
He turned around and faced her. "I'm sorry but when I first saw you and your pack, I felt it. I felt it when you stayed, I ignored you because, I just wasn't sure." The cub started pacing but he kept talking.
"I mean, I just couldn't confront you. I don't know why." He stood waiting for Alisa to speak.
She didn't. Completely relating to how he felt. She couldn't confront him either at the time for reasons she didn't know.
Razor continued. "But then you actually fell asleep outside my cave. I was forced to come talk to you. I had no choice." Razor sounded like he was starting to get angry. His emotions were everywhere because his questions were everywhere.
The young cub continued further. "And then you actually walked into my cave, you wouldn't leave... What was I supposed to do? I wanted to kill you!" He made that point very clear to her.
"But I just couldn't." Razor stopped his speech and looked directly into her eyes. "I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. I can stand up to the toughest pokemon but I can't even tell a girl to leave my own cave."
Alisa laughed. His joke was funny.
Immediately when she saw Razor's angry stare she stopped. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Oh boy, he was really going to kill her now.
Razor sat down, and became silent. He stared into Alisa's eyes entranced for the billionth time. Alisa crossed her eyes asking his name but he just stared in complete wonder.
Razor had figured it out. He figured out why these emotions were brought up inside him, why Alisa always triggered his instincts to think of something else other than survive. For the first time in years, the cub actually felt alive, he felt like he could do something other than survive.
Razor had figured it out. It wasn't because Alisa was some curse or witch. The two were actually very similar. They were both stubborn, hiding, and living in their own fear. They both hid from their own problems, got in trouble, fought for their own ego day by day.
And now, her father hated her just as much as his father hated him. It was perfect. It was destiny. Razor could feel every inch of his mind begging to get to know Alisa more because he could actually see himself in her.
He knew what it was, he had a strong mind. They weren't the weird bubbly feelings that come because of anything else. He wasn't scared of her, or feeling threatened, he actually liked her. He liked that she stayed in his cave, by his side, and that her emblem was up on his wall. He had put it there in the hopes that she would stay forever.
He didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to stay. He let the pack stay at his own survival risk because he feared Alisa would leave with them.
"Razor?"
Alisa's voice snapped him out of his trance. He shook his head and stared right at her.
Alisa didn't know what was going on. He had just stood there for at least twenty seconds and she asked his name at least eight times. "Hey. Are you ok?"
Razor felt sick. He felt like he had eaten too much even for how skinny he was. Now that his mind was feeling emotion, he started questioning just how crazy his lifestyle was. He questioned everything. His mind was thinking other than survive and kill.
Alisa kept staring at his face. She started walking up to him. "Razor? Are, are you ok? You look sick."
Razor watched her every step. She walked closer, and closer, and closer. He naturally pulled his ears back and strained his head as far away from her as he could but she kept getting closer, and closer.
Razor was paralyzed. The ever so brave cub wanted to run in fear. The emotionless Pokemon wanted to cry. Anything to get away from this source inside Alisa that brought out every emotion he had.
Alisa was pretty sure something was wrong with him by now. He was looking at her like she was some kind of ghost. "Um, you know I've never seen you smile before. Are you still planning on killing me?"
She smiled, just inches in front of him now, but he just kept staring at her with that look. Alisa's smile disappeared. He must've still hated her.
Razor tried to shake his head, but all he could manage was a nervous twitch in his cheek. His head was strained so far away from her, he could've dodged a swinging sword blade just inches from his face. That's what Alisa was, a sword probing right at his heart.
But she just kept getting closer and closer. He could smell her fur by now. It smelled like his disgusting cave.
Alisa didn't think he was backing up from her. So she just inched closer. His smell was terrible.
"Razor? I'm sorry." Alisa began. She hung her head low to the ground. "I'm sorry. This was foolish. I shouldn't have stayed out all night. Now you have to share your cave and the pack will take everything. Listen. Shadow and Tailo don't know about you. I can talk to them. I can get them to stay away if you want. I'm just, I'm so sorry."
Razor didn't hear a word she said. He stared, right at her eyes but her words just faded on his ears.
In five quick seconds, every thought he ever had crammed into his brain. He had been living like this for years. He stunk. His fur was terrible. He was living in fear. His emotions were coming out. This Eevee in front of him made him feel alive. He liked her, and nothing else...
Everything in him felt empty until the day he set eyes on her. And when she had refused to leave his cave and slept by his side? Well, the feeling only got worse.
It was unbearable now. She was inches from his face just talking. His mind was exploding. It only knew of one way to solve this problem and make him feel free again from this torture.
He admitted in his mind that it was nothing short of... Love. He was, he was in love.
If there was one thing Razor knew about himself, it was that he never backed down from a challenge. He gulped, closed his eyes, and...
"I'm just sorry Razor." Alisa kept apologizing looking down at the ground in front of him. "I'm sorry. Tomorrow I'll get Tailo and we'll move on. You'll never have to see me again or the pack. I mean, it's what you want right? It's just... Eek!"
She screamed, and then held still. Razor kissed her right on the cheek, as hard as he could.
And then he ran like mad.
Alisa was frozen. She stood staring at the wall in front of her. Her thoughts were anything but in the present.
Razor, had just kissed her. His big huge tongue scraped across her cheek. The stench, the sticky touch, Razor wasn't exactly the cleanest Pokemon she knew. His gross tongue had scraped across her cheek making her scream in surprise.
Her instincts exploded. Her ears shot up. In less than three seconds, her mind had every thought she ever had come together just like Razor's had.
She figured out why she followed him all night long. She figured out why she pitied him. She figured out why she was able to sleep by his side and not worry. It wasn't because he was frightening, it was because she loved him.
And then he kissed her cheek, she screamed, he ran, and Alisa was lifted high up in the air.
The bubbles gathered under her paws, they lifted her up into the sky. She was soaring through the clouds for a few seconds in dreamland, and then the bubbles popped.
She felt her cheek, it was wet. Wet with Razor's unclean mouth that had kissed it. Her ears fell over to her side and her head tilted slowly getting dizzy. So this, this was a kiss?
She closed her eyes, and fell to the ground, completely unconscious.
She fainted, just like that. Her last thoughts were on how gross she must've smelled, and how she now smelled just like the cave that she had been sleeping in all day. She was no better than the stench covered Eevee that just transferred his germs over to her cheek.
So gross, she could smell him, he had kissed her and yet, it was nothing short of the best emotion she had ever felt.
Razor loved her, but couldn't say it. She loved Razor, but couldn't admit it. They were a perfect pair, yet they absolutely couldn't stand each other.
She had just been kissed by the grossest cub she ever knew. She felt her cheek, right where he had kissed her, and then fainted with a smile on her lips.
Poor Razor was smiling so bad, his face hurt from the strain. He kept running for his life, knowing that he would never be able to let Alisa leave again. He would have to stick with this pack forever now.