Just a fanfic reader, I must say that I'm flattered! I did flinch when I read over chapter seven, I'll have to work on that scene. Umbreon was talking while re-living his past.
Thanks to the rest of you who gave me reviews! They really do help me. Here's chapter eight, and before you read it, I must say that I put the first scene in for a reason. You'll see, in about the end.
Chapter 8
The Rockets were duller then they looked. As the tyros clung to the net, none of the humans noticed as they were hauled into a large white room and dropped off the net to hide behind a stray couple of cardboard boxes.
Noric's blood boiled when he saw Takula being petted by that same Rocket, as if she was a lap-cat. By the bristling seen inside of the net, by all Pokemon, they were as angry as him.
They continued into another room, where the large door shut after the last Rocket. It appeared that they were going no further until then, because other then the exit door, which had a truck in it at the moment, that was the only door.
"What now?" Fern asked in a huff.
"We wait, of course. By the door. When one of the humans come open the door again, we'll all try to get in there unseen." Riken replied, "But of course that may take a couple of tries, since there are so many of us."
"Correction." Terros butted in, "There are so many of them. We are only four tyros. What can we really do anyway?"
"We," Noric finally spoke. "Can make their lives a living pain. What do you all say to that?"
Murmurs of agreement came from them all, even Fern, who still looked pretty glum. "For Umbreon?" She finally asked, paw outstretched to the middle of the small circle they had made.
"For Umbreon." Noric murmured, placing his paw over Fern's.
"Doesn't look like we have much choice in the matter, does it? Aw, well, I'll do it for Umbreon." Terros added his paw to the assembly of paws.
Riken as well, but not after he had his own say in things. "For Umbreon, may he find… peace in the Great Afterlife. And for his sacrifice, I, Riken, will avenge his death to the best of my known ability. All for Umbreon!" And he added in a howl for effect that echoed in the nearly empty room.
The door to the room that the net had been hauled into slammed open, and a Rocket peered through, "Who's there?" He asked, sounding spooked. "Who-who's there?"
Darting from behind one box, to behind the next, the tyros made their way towards the open door with a new-found strength at their heels. They were doing it, for Umbreon. Riken was the first to get to the door and as he brushed past the Rocket, the human screeched like he'd seen a ghost. And jumped back, he wasn't holding the door open, so it slammed shut in the Eevee tyros' faces.
"That went well." Fern's voice was dripping with sarcasm as she sat down in mid-run and began to wash her paws, just to spit out dried blood.
"Riken had the right idea though," Noric said quietly, "We should just make enough noise until one of the humans opens the door and then one of us would race in."
"That was a good idea, but which one of you two males can roar?" Fern looked from Terros to Noric, then back again.
"We can sure try." Terros murmured confidently and brought his head back with what sounded like a very throaty mew. Noric tried as well, but no sound would come out of his mouth as he strained to get the right pitch.
Eventually, as the two tyros kept trying to roar, Fern tackled into one of the cardboard boxes that was just lying around and sent it flying into the next box with a crashing sound. "That work?" She asked with what looked like a smirk on her face.
Indeed, it did work, as the same Rocket opened the door and shakily looked around. Wasting no time, Noric and Terros raced into the next room, with Fern following only a heartbeat behind. The door slammed right behind them.
"Finally," Riken pulled them over to a deserted corner, where no Rockets were working, and it was behind an empty cage. "I've been waiting forever for you to come."
"We had a bit of trouble back there." Terros replied truthfully, matching the Vulpix's soft tone. Noric now had a chance to look around and survey this new room. It appeared that the Rockets had a thing for white, grey, and… blood red. Part of the wall in which the same door they had entered had a patch of what looked like dried blood.
The thought of what the Rockets must do right there made Noric shudder. But he and the rest of the tyros didn't find out until two days since the truck ride, when the forest creatures had been caged up in the lowered portion that lay in the middle of the room. The fire types, which were most of them, had been taken up and placed in a glass dome that was fire-proof on all sides, as they had found out.
The tyros were safe in their little corner for all that time, even if there was nothing to eat going out to them.
One of the Rockets took Fireburst out on a rope leash, one that looked to have been treated not to break from being chewed on. But maybe it could be snapped with fire, as it would be hard to get a fire-proof rope. Fireburst, hissing and spitting, was tethered to the portion of the wall that seemed bloodstained.
"What are they doing?" Noric murmured as Takula, of all Pokemon, came and stalked around the Flareon. The tyros abandoned their safe place to get a closer look, as most of the Rockets were watched Fireburst and Takula now.
"…Traitor!" They caught Fireburst spitting as she watched the Vaporeon with flames spurting angrily from her mouth.
"What a traitor anyway? I'm only doing this to better the world." Takula's response was cool and fluid.
The Vaporeon nodded to one of the Rockets, who pressed a button on one of the grey machines on the western wall. Fireburst was free! "Draw your lips back, dear friend. We fight to the finish." Takula growled.
Fireburst was all too happy to do so. The battle had begun, and Takula must have had the advantage from the start. Fireburst started out with a tackle, as did Takula, and the two of them fell away from each other on impact.
Takula got to her feet first, and slashed at Fireburst with… claws? "Vaporeon don't have claws! That's unfair!" Terros cried as he jumped into the battle and tackled Takula away.
"They do now, sweetheart!" Takula responded with a laughing mew. "Now step aside, this isn't your fight!"
"What did you do to yourself?" Fireburst asked pointedly as she stalked around Terros and swiped her long tail at Takula, which was easily dodged.
"I," Takula responded with an air of haughtiness, "Am the first of a generation of stronger warriors." She was grinning wickedly, "The spikes of a Jolteon." She held her blue paw up to the light, in which for the claws in her paw to shine back at them, they were golden yellow like a Jolteon's spikes.
"When did you get the time to do this to yourself?" Fireburst demanded as she slammed her body down on Takula's back. The Vaporeon was pinned for the while, as the Rockets could interfere at any time they wish.
"Oh, in the last few days. They're new, my claws are." Takula sounded proud of herself, it was sickening to Noric.
"You disgust me. Prepare to die, Takula dear, and may you never find paradise." As Fireburst lowered herself for the final bite, a Rocket came in and interfered with the battle, picking up Terros and kicking Fireburst off Takula.
Terros cried in anger as he was shut in another cage in the lowered portion, to share space with a cramped Manectric.
"No, it's you who will die. And when you do, we'll find a creative way for you to join Ver-oh, excuse me-Stormclaw. Maybe I could breathe fire, you never know."
"NO!" Fireburst tackled Takula for all she was worth and clamped her jaws down on the Vaporeon's flank. It was over as soon as it began, the Flareon's throat was cut by the unnatural claws and she was left to choke.
"Oh my gosh." Fern murmured with her eyes wide as saucers.
"This is why we never liked Takula. She would kill just to get herself stronger." Riken led the way back to their corner, where they were intercepted by a tall Rocket.
"Uh oh." Noric said, gazing up into the eyes of the human.
"Fireburst, may you find the Afterlife and peace as well!" The cry came from Blazewind, as she tackled into the glass globe without success. "We will never forget her. And Takula, when I get my paws on you…"
"You won't dear leader, believe me." Takula laughed as she jumped into the arms of another Rocket and was petted.
As Noric was slammed into another cage with Fern, he realized something that stung badly. That was my mentor Takula killed! And his anger and fury at the Vaporeon increased like it never had before.
(Meanwhile…)
"I have good news, and I have bad news." Flora reported with a lowered head, "The Houndour pack doesn't believe us at all. We have Eaglefire's help though."
"And Staticstrike?" The aged Vaporeon she was speaking to questioned.
"Mira is still speaking to them." Flora responded, speaking of the muscled female Eevee that was also Terros' sister.
"This is not good, not good at all." The Vaporeon turned to look at the assembled members of the Whitefang Pack and sighed, "It will not be enough. I know it."
"But five tyros against how many humans? We'll be able to help, and help a lot."
"Indeed." The Vaporeon didn't sound convinced.
"They're coming! They're coming!" Mira bounced back into pack grounds with a spring in her step, "Staticstrike's taking ever able-bodied Manectric, and even their huge army of Mightyena! They're going to triple plus our numbers!"
"Then let's move! Come on, we've got a forest of Pokemon to save!" The Vaporeon cried at the top of his voice and led the way out into the underbrush, where Eaglefire Pack, the rest of it, was waiting for them. Their numbers were large, and included many golden-pelts, the Ninetales that have seen over two hundred twelve-moons. They were missing Vulpix though; they were probably guarding the queen's cave.
Manectric, Mightyena, and a couple of their un-evolved tyros joined in after a while of waiting. The army of the forest was ready to help.