Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, but Zora and Hunter are straight from my imagination.
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Lance paced the floor in the main meeting room. He'd lost Zora and Ember over a year ago. The Balance had been disrupted because of her lack of responsibility. The old Balances Heirs, who were older and worn out, were having to keep the Balance much too long. But they could not put in the new Heirs without the Fire Balance. The world's elements would shift... Fire would become weakened. It would be as catastrophic as if Moltres had been captured very soon now... the world would suffer. He had to bring her back. She and the other Balance Heirs would protect that part of the Earth's Balance. They had to...
"Master Lance," he turned and found a messenger there.
"Yes?" Lance stepped slowly forward.
"There's fire to the south. It's still burning,"
"How far is the fire? Is it endangering any towns or villages?"
"No, but it's destroyed a lot of woodland,"
"Check the area, gather any information you can," Lance stopped in front of the messenger. The messenger stood still. "What's wrong? You have a problem with your order?"
"I never thought I'd met the great Lance on his own turf," he said, his voice deeper with a note of mischievousness.
"Who—" the messenger grinned. "Night Blade," Lance said solemnly, now sure of whom was in the room. The bandit grinned.
"We have the Water Balance and the Grass Balance. Where is Fire?"
"How do you have them?"
"We over powered them with numbers; simple really. One trainer, not matter how strong, is always susceptible to a greater number." Night Blade explained. He pulled a knife from his belt, placing it at Lance's throat. Lance, being a strategic one, did not fight back.
"What do you want?"
"To control the Balance,"
"You cannot. It is balanced between many who are chosen,"
"I can. By controlling the three basic elements, I can control the Balance, and therefore, the world,"
"They will not bow to you,"
"We will see. You have trained them well, I'll give you that, but not well enough. Now, where is the girl of Fire?" Night Blade said. Lance shook his head. "Then I am afraid you are useless to me, old friend," Night Blade hit the back of Lance's head with the end of his dagger. Lance fell face first to the ground. A uniformed girl came in.
"What should we do with him?"
"Chain him in his own prison," Night Blade said. "Under your guard, Day Blade,"
"My pleasure,"
"And work on locating the other Balances, especially Fire,"
"Of course, sir,"
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Zora walked along the dirt path, Hunter next to her, holding her hand and carrying Myth in the other. The path was in an open area, the tree line was back a ways, revealing the far off horizon. Ember walked next to Hunter, the twins following her. Flamer walked behind the group, making sure the babies kept up. Legend walked proudly, trying to hide his tiredness.
"Have you told her we were coming?" Zora broke the silence.
"Yes, I telephoned her. She knows and is ready for us and possibly Lance,"
"Are you sure you want to put that on her?"
"My mother is never one to pass up an adventure, you know,"
"I do, yes. But Lance is not always an adventure; he is often a nightmare,"
"She will not mind, if that's what you're worried about,"
"I worry I put her in unnecessary danger,"
"You?"
"It is me Lance wants,"
"Zora, we are both wanted. You for your father's legacy and me for mine," he squeezed her hand. She sighed.
"I wonder which legacy is worse? That of a bandit or that of a powerful prisoner?"
"The bandit, of course,"
"No, I don't think so,"
"You wouldn't,"
"I don't. At least you were free,"
"But chased. You don't know what it was like to have no decent rest because of fear... the starvation and exhaustion,"
"Ninetales," Flamer said.
"I know, buddy. It was rough, huh?" Flamer nodded.
"But I do understand. Remember when we were younger; I was 15, you 17. I wandered from the Stadium and you found me; took me prisoner. I traveled with you for nearly a month. If it weren't for you, I would never have known what freedom was. You showed me that and I knew it. I felt your fear of being caught...I didn't want it anymore then you did," she said.
"I never realized you liked being my prisoner,"
"I did. You didn't treat me like a prisoner. You taught me survival techniques, remember?"
"Because I had already fallen in love with you. I fancied us staying out there and becoming more then captor and prisoner. But when Lance got so close, I had no choice but to leave you and Ember in the woods,"
"I saw you walk away," she mumbled.
"But I drugged you so that you wouldn't," he looked at her, stunned pain in his eyes.
"But I saw you. I called for you, but you didn't turn around. I cried,"
"It broke me to walk away too," he squeezed her hand.
"Lance thought you'd hurt me. You did,"
"I did?" he looked stunned.
"Yes. You showed me freedom and love and then left me stranded in what I hated most,"
"Indian giver, huh?"
"Exactly,"
Zora laid her head down on the pallet, more tired then she had previously realized. She closed her eyes, seeing last Hunter poking at the fire, looking up to smile at her...
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"Fire Princess, what are you doing?"
"Dishes,"
"But you should be training, child,"
"You're old fashion, Nana; I enjoy not training for once,"
"But, Zora, please,"
"Hush, now, you old duenna, I'll not die from a little work. You think this training isn't?" Nana shook her head.
"You were always like that. Insisted on helping, just like your father,"
"I'm glad about that,"
"Your father's stubbornness and your mother's beauty," Nana pushed the 15 year old toward the door. "On with you, now, back to Lance for the day,"
"Nana!"
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Kneeling in the flowers of a wild field... the smells and sensations overwhelming. Lance... she'd escaped Lance... a foot pressed down next to her. She looked up. A boy... an older boy.
"Are you the one they're looking for?" he grabbed her arm without waiting for an answer. He had a Ninetales too...
"Ember!" she screamed. The Ninetales emerged from the grasses but was met by the other. She couldn't see the battle... "No,"
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Her wrists burned from the rope; her constant tugging and wearing into her skin... He was poking the fire with a stick. Ember was fainted, being guarded by the other Ninetales he called Flamer. The boy looked up at her, saw her fear, she knew.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said.
"Then let me go," she pleaded; she couldn't help it. He shook his head.
"No,"
"Why?"
"Because you are valuable to me, alive, but not hurt," he tossed a piece of the meat he'd been roasting over the low flames to his pokemon, then turned his back with another piece. He turned back after a few minutes, walked to her and handed her the chunk. Being hungry, she took it. Eyeing him carefully, she ate it, ropes still in place. She watched him, feeling sick to her stomach and feeling her sight giving way. He'd drugged her... but why?... The abyss took her... she couldn't stop it... the last thing she saw was his wicked smile...
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"Come here, Zora." She obeyed. "See this? See how the dew gathers in the leaf?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"This is but one way to get water when you have none," the boy said. "And you remember the berries I showed you?"
"Yes,"
"Mix them with enough of the water and you have a drink that quenches both thirst and hunger."
"You could just eat the berries and drink the water," she said.
"Yes, but it's more fun to mix them together. Tastes better too," he chuckled. "Try it," he handed her a handful of berries. She mixed.
"Yes, just like that," she looked up at him. Their eyes locked. He kissed her. She dropped the leaf, water and berries... oh, well...
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She was shivering, he saw that. He stood and walked, then laid down next to her, pulling her into his arms. She rubbed her head into his shirt, smiling.
"Daddy!... Daddy..." he was taken aback; confused... She woke, saw that he was not her daddy and curled into a ball and cried. Ember moved to her. "Why'd he have to die, Ember? Why'd he leave us?" She sat up slowly, facing him, her tears still running free. She connected her father's death with this boy's kidnapping her—both injustices done to her.
"Why? Why did you bring me here?"
"You are my prisoner," he said,
"What have I ever done to you?"
"Nothing,"
"Then let me go! Let me go,"
"No," she stood. He grabbed her wrist as he stood too.
"Let me go,"
"No," she turned in a sudden movement to run. He pounced on her, knocking the air out of her lungs when she met the hard cold ground. She turned and slapped him. He drew back an inch. She struggled free. He grabbed her again, pulling her onto her back again. She turned to smack him, but his hand made contact first... she tasted blood, felt it run from the corner of her mouth.
"You will not leave," he said. She cried; shrank visibly under his weight. He let go and she cried on... didn't stop... never stopped...
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She woke, knowing full well he had drugged her. But why, she didn't know. Why now? He hadn't drugged her since they'd first met when he wanted to transport her without a struggle. She saw him... walking away, Flamer following. They were leaving. Ember lay unconscious too... he walked on. One step, then another. The woods moved quickly, almost in time with his step to engulf him.
"Hunter!" her voice did not exist... it wasn't there...
"Hunter!" she bolted upright from the pallet. His arms circled her, pulling her to him, holding her against him.
"I'm here... sshhh... I'm here," she cried into his shoulder. The inevitable tears that poured without permission... the dream was a new one...the events were not...
