Blade

"Come… On…"

Setting up traps to make sure ferals didn't quite reach us wasn't too easy. Not overly difficult, but not easy in the slightest. "I think I need to… um… tie this thing…" Under my forepaw, I had a thick vine that I sliced down from a nearby tree, struggling to properly tie it into a small knot. I wasn't exactly smooth with my paws, which certain pokemon never missed the chance to take a shot at. She's lucky I can't be annoyed with her… I thought with a somewhat happy sigh. I'm making sure my son is way more polished with his paws before he leaves here for the first time, he doesn't need to deal with this crap like me…

After a very, very long while of fiddling with the same vine, I finally managed to tie the last knot I needed. It wasn't a very complex trap, just something to make sure we don't need to fend off any ferals in the middle of the night. Not that we couldn't handle it, but better safe than sorry! None of us wanted our heads bitten off in our sleep, that's for sure.

With my mission accomplished, I turned around and began walking back home, making sure not to set off any of my previously laid traps. I don't want to have to set those up again, I would rather just make it so ferals are extinct from this place…

I didn't stray too far away in the first place, so it didn't take very long to get back, maybe two or three minutes if I sprinted. Walking here while also setting up traps, now that took nearly three hours, but luckily I don't have to mindlessly meddle with vines and pretend that I know how to tie a knot anymore. At least, until I have to reset them all… A shiver ran down my spine as I approached the small cavern that I resided in.

Right outside of the entrance, a very sleepy-looking vaporeon laid on the ground, curled around a much smaller eevee, who unlike her, was fast asleep. Storm's eyelids slowly draped over her eyes on occasion as she leaned on the smaller pokemon next to her. I resisted a bit of a giggle and walked over to the pair, apparently going unnoticed, seeing as neither of them had any real reaction to me. Storm's head laid still on the ground, her eyes no longer wanting to open. I ran my paw down the back of her neck, causing her to smile lightly on the ground.

"I'm not quite asleep you know." She said in a slightly mocking tone. "Good effort though." She let out a snicker and opened her eyes again, looking up at me.

"What do you mean good effort? I had no intentions of sneaking up on you." I told her, turning my head away and looking to the sky.

"You suck at lying." Storm pushed me to the ground with her tail, and I was now lying about a foot away, with a sore back. "Although, once more, good effort." She pat my head with a paw.

"I know, I know." I sighed. "Worth a shot, though, right?"

"I dunno, I like that you can't lie to me if your life depended on it. It means you can't ever have any secrets." Storm smirked.

"Not like I would hide anything from you in the first place." I gave her a large smile.

"Trust me, I know that too. I get to hear about alllll of your ridiculous theories with no grounds whatsoever to believe any of them."

"Now that's just rude…" I tried my best to exaggerate an insulted face.

"You say it's just rude as if I'm supposed to believe the crazy things that come out of your mouth when you get into legends of the world." Storm giggled and put her paw under my chin, lifting my head up. "Sometimes I think you might have hit your hit sometime during your life and in came this weird obsession with fairytales."

"Again, how rude…" I cleared my throat. "You don't know everything that the world holds, who's to say that there aren't legendaries closer than we think? Or phenomenons that they control in every day of our lives?"

"Alrighty then, enlighten me for the hundredth time." Storm took in a large breath. "Come on, hit me with your best shot."

My eyes lit up and I nodded excitedly, with what was perhaps too hopeful of a gleam in my eye, because I knew I was just going to get made fun of after this.

"Then, let me tell you one of the tales from a place really close to us!" I cleared my throat once more, ready to elaborate. "One of my very reliable sources states that there's a trio of legendaries that all reside in semi-large bodies of water. They're always separate, but all in a similar environment, located around the world. Their names are Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. The beings of knowledge, emotion, and willpower respectively. They don't come out to passerbys though, not unless they have a good reason to, hence why there's so little documentation about them. Here's what draws them out: For Uxie, immense knowledge about a subject he may not be familiar with. Azelf, those who refuse to give up, no matter what the situation. And Mesprit, two pokemon showing an extraordinarily strong emotional bond between one another, she can feel the strength of one's emotions, especially when they're showing affection for another. Now, there's a lake not too far from here in the forest, isn't there? According to the maps I've gathered, there are two other lakes of the same exact size and properties, spread out the same distance from one another. The same exact distance. I think these are the lakes where these beings reside in, but we haven't seen the one near us because we haven't demonstrated a reason for whichever one is there to come out, at least, we haven't demonstrated it in a place they could see. There are old stories about young couples coming to a specific lake that was described to be almost exactly like the one in this forest, and they claim to have seen Mesprit slowly rise out, and smile at them. Isn't that just amazing!? That something like that can happen so close to us!?"

Storm gave me nothing but a blank stare. "You sound like you're mentally insane to be honest." She said bluntly.

I lowered my head to the ground, defeated.

"I swear I'll prove to you that they exist, just you wait!" I shouted enthusiastically.

"If you're so ready to prove it to me, how about you do it after Kuro's birthday at least? You should be focused on that for now." She told me with a sigh.

"I already set up all of the traps we need to keep us safe for a trip, don't worry. Everything is set and prepared!" I gave a giddy smile. "He'll have a great time!"

"Let's hope, if not, then it's your fault." Storm giggled once more.

"You're so cruel…" I replied in an exaggerated voice, nuzzling her cheek. "Spare me from your torture mistresssss."

"Fine, fine. You'll be spared just this once." Storm tried to match my exaggeration when it came to voice tone.

"Hooray! Thank you for your mercy, mistress." I bowed my head.

"Anything to make you happy, love." She planted a soft kiss on my head and changed her position so her face was right in front of mine. I just stared into her eyes, smiling brightly. She returned what was a nearly identical gesture. After a few seconds, I slowly closed my eyes, and pressed my forehead against hers.

Maybe some rest for tomorrow is a good idea.

Kuro

The large pond before me was glistening, somehow sparkling despite how dark this place usually is. Once glance downward revealed my battered reflection, something I would rather not look at. I needed to rest though, and this was the closest area without a high chance of getting mauled while I was off-guard. I had my senses perked just in case any ferals made their way over here, but it wasn't likely. I felt at least a little bit comfortable to close my eyes and take some time to catch my breath.

I've been non stop moving for a while now, and despite the fact my body didn't feel extremely weak anymore, I have no real clue how far I've walked. It was a very long way, that's all I had to go on. Miles and miles of unfamiliar land eventually led to something I recognized, that being this forest. Having my bearings again was nice, but from here on, I wasn't sure what to do. I knew exactly where I was, I had options, but I was still unsure.

I could go to Myriad, visit the same building I initially did when I found… when I was

exploring on my own, and I'd probably find Core, or whoever else may be working there. I could talk to them, and have a way back to the Nest. Alternatively, I can spend time, here, live in this forest like I used to. At this point, that seemed almost like the better way to go. If I went back to the Nest, who's to say I would do anything beyond attracting more trouble? That's what held me back from the decision being black and white. Plus… I wouldn't… I shook my head.

It wasn't a good idea to go back to the Nest, I don't know if I would even be able to face the others I've met there anymore. What would their reaction be if I walked up to the Nest with a discolored eye, charred fur, and scars beneath that? I look like a totally different pokemon now, and I feel like one too. It wasn't simple anymore, to reunite with everyone at the Nest. There was no easy way to look certain pokemon in the eye and act as if nothing had happened. And as long as I couldn't do that, the option of staying here until further notice was way better in my head.

That shouldn't upset me. It's better for everyone else if I stay here, better if I'm on my own. Better for… I could barely manage to keep specific names out of my head.

I looked down at my gently distorted reflection. I still looked like a total mess, despite how I physically felt, my appearance was no different from the beginning. Maybe… The Nest isn't the worst idea…

My ear twitched in response to some unnatural movement behind me, and without thinking, I dove forward, head first into the pond. The water was freezing, which I suppose I should have been ready for. I started paddling forward, swimming a little deeper down, and trying to reach the other side.

There's no way that was a feral.

Jewel

He heard me?

I growled quietly, staring at a large-looking pond from about halfway up a tree. The violent ripples in said pond confirmed that I was sloppy in my approach, and gave myself away too quickly. Annoyed, I jumped down from my position, and walked up to the body of water. He looked no better than before, he was probably still hurt from before, I could take him down easily in that state. I leaned over the pond, looking for traces of the umbreon. He couldn't stay under forever, and as soon as he rose up, I would pounce.

I wasn't a pokemon who liked to fight, not regularly, but I was good at it. I was better than anyone else back at base, by quite a margin too. I was told that I have 'natural talent' and that's the reason why. I really wished that someone else was born with this 'talent,' someone who actually has a desire to use it. If I had to be grateful for it sometimes, now would be that time, where I actively want to use it.

A blur of motion caught my eye, under the surface of the water in front of me. I focused on it, possibly the pokemon I was waiting to pop out for oxygen. Once he did, it was as simple as one slash to his weak body. One swift motion, that's all it would take. It's been a while, come on…

The blurred shape remained motionless for a split second, and the very quickly grew in size, approaching close to the water's surface. I positioned myself to launch over to him right as he exited the water, this was going to be simple and quick. I locked onto the blurry figure under the water, ready to attack.

Before he finally made it all the way up, a sudden flash of light came from exactly where I was looking, and it was bright. Too bright for me to keep my eyes opened. On reflex, they shut tightly, a dull ache covering both of them. I lifted my forelegs in front of my head, once more, on total reflex. A loud splash rang out, coming from right in front of me. Before I had a chance to react, something impacted my chest, tossing me back a few feet. I caught myself with one of my forelegs and jumped up, shaking my head and opening my eyes. Everything was blurry for a few seconds, but it all filtered out soon. Once I could see again, there was nothing different in the scene before me. Nothing but a clear lake, and the forest surrounding it.

I quietly growled, turning, spinning all around to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Sadly, I couldn't pinpoint him anywhere. Damn it!

I took a breath and calmed myself down as much as I could, my eyes now tracing the ground. Certain patches of grass seemed to have been off place, as if more than just nature had moved them. I crouched down and noticed that another small area looked strange, not very far away from the previous one. Another leg's length away was yet another, and another.

Without hesitation, I followed the track, keeping my eyes and ears alert. He couldn't have gotten far at all, especially not in his injured state. I had my hopes high for being able to track him down and jam my claw into his neck. This was my specialty, even if I didn't like fighting, I knew how to work with the environment around me. This was my first time in this area, even though it's already been discovered by other nomads. I don't usually go this far out, but whether it was my first or hundredth time here, it didn't matter. I knew what I was doing, and I wasn't going to be outmatched, no matter what.

My stale motions continued to follow every little discrepancy I noticed, every sign that the nature here had been tampered with. If I can get close enough, maybe I'll pick up the scent of his blood. Then he's screwed.

Wanting to give it a shot at least, I dipped my head down and inhaled right above one of the small out of place patches in the grass below. Much to my surprise, I actually picked up on something, the wonderful smell of another's vital fluids. I hated it, and had to resist gagging, but it was something to now follow. Another detail I picked up on was the slightly red tint at the tips of each blade of grass in each patch I passed. His paw maybe?

I stood up, stretching my back out. I tipped my nose to the air and attempted to find a scent to now follow, much easier than tracking him the conventional way. It didn't take much effort for me to notice a stronger source of the same smell, coming from just west of my position. I turned and bolted immediately, finding more signs that life had been here. Aside from the obvious tracks lining the grass, I noticed claw marks on a few of the trees I happened to pass by. He was trying to get through here as quickly as possible, he could have used these for leverage.

The many obvious traces of another pokemon took me farther west, then north. Every now and then I would check to see if the scent of his blood was any stronger, which it was, albeit barely. I knew I was on the right track. He must have screwed up somewhere with those injuries, then I'll find him.

It only took another minute of hunting to come across something curious. On the ground in front of me, under a tree a bit shorter than the rest, there was a huge circle of flattened grass, as if something had fallen on it, or slammed down on top of it. Maybe… A tree that withered away? I wondered, but it wasn't important.

My head snapped to the rustling of greenery, directly left of my body. I immediately shot over to the small bush it came from, knowing exactly who was there. I have you!

About halfway through my mad dash, I felt something slick one of my hind legs, which paused me. Out of the corner of my eye, a short plant twitched. In the time of that twitch, I felt smooth, wet sensation wrap around one of my legs, before pulling me down to the ground. I grunted in frustration and sliced the plant at its base, ignoring what looked like slime or a wet plant wrapped around my left hind leg. I stood back up, but by then, it was too late. A heavy force slammed into me from the side, causing me to roll over on the ground, now laying on my back. Not even a second passed before I felt pressure right in the center of both of my forelegs, harsh pressure. The same sensation was quickly placed on the top of my hind legs, right below my stomach. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't comfortable. After all, I now couldn't move a muscle if I wanted to.

Right above me, pinning me to the ground was the umbreon I've been putting all of my effort into hunting, now with total control over me. I stared into his deep red iris, as well as his ghost white one. I couldn't resist growling, and attempting to struggle, but to no avail. Since I wasn't getting out of this position, I spit in his face instead.

"A trap? Coward." That was all I could think of saying. I didn't know if I actually thought that, or I was just frustrated at myself for walking into it. "Spending time making something like that in the middle of a random forest… aren't you proud?" I may have crossed a verbal line, because as soon as that left my mouth, I was met with a hateful glare.

"I didn't make them." Was all he said. For some reason, his gaze softened for a moment, but no longer than that.

"Like it matters. So what now? Am I dead? Are you going to crush my windpipe? Break my neck?" I taunted, honestly as a coping mechanism. I was actually terrified.

"Why are you chasing me?" He replied with a calm voice, not what I was expecting. He also didn't move his paws at all, so I was still totally at his mercy. That didn't stop me from scoffing at his question though.

"Why..? Are you freaking serious!?" I shouted at him, but he didn't even flinch. "How about you take a guess, huh? Take a freaking guess!"

Instead of talking, he merely gazed down at me. I hated the look he had in his eyes. Maybe I just hated everything about him automatically. Either that, or again, I was just afraid. Although, he didn't look like he wanted to guess, just another thing to hate about him.

"You said you'd try to help, didn't you? That you would be a bargaining chip? After saying that, you come back from down there with nothing but-"

"It wasn't me." I was interrupted. "Things went south, and took a turn I wasn't ready for. One of them did him in." You can't be serious…

"Then why the hell are you alive!? Why are you here!? How could you have gotten out alive if you didn't sacrifice him to get out!?" I was livid at this point.

I was again, met with silence, though not for as long. "I killed them before they killed me. That's why." He stated emotionlessly. What kind of heartless bastard…

My growling grew louder with time, I couldn't help myself. "And where the hell does Ethos fit into this!?" I saw him bite his lip and made him avery his eyes. "How could you have gotten out unless you put him up to be killed!?"

"One of them did it…" He said in a quiet voice. "I was about to give myself up, and one of them just randomly called it off, and decided to kill him. Nothing more, nothing less." His voice was fast, as if he wanted to get away from the topic. I didn't care.

"I doubt they just decided to call it off, you're leaving something out! Tell me the full story!"

"I did…" His voice grew even softer, but I could tell he was lying. Something else happened down there between all four of them, and that something is the reason Ethos died. I knew it had to be this guy's fault, no matter what.

"Stop dodging the truth!" I began struggling harder against his force, but the position he had on me was way too much, I couldn't break free. "I know why you're lying about all of this!"

Just like before, no reply. Something else happened instead. I felt his paws trembling. He was either scared, or on edge, and just like previously, I didn't care.

"You're the reason he's dead! It's all you!" I shouted, and the eyelid above his blind eye twitched. "You said you'd protect him, didn't you!? The why the hell are you alive, and why is he dead!? Tell me that!"

Still nothing but silence. I just got angrier and angrier.

"You should be dead." I tried to stop shouting, it was straining my voice. "It should have been you instead of him."

Another long pause.

"I know." He replied.

I was taken off guard, not only because he actually gave me a reply, but the content of said reply as well. I felt the pressure on my body loosen, and the umbreon hopped off of me, standing a few feet away. I pushed myself off of the ground and looked at him, but his eyes were off somewhere far away. His trembling was now visible, affecting the entirety of both his forelegs. I don't know why, but some of my anger was drowned away, though not much of it. I didn't feel the need to slice his head off even though I knew his guard was down, that was an improvement.

"Please just leave me alone." I tilted my head, not bothering to fix my angry glare.

"Why should-"

"Do you really have anything to gain from this?" I was interrupted once again, and he turned to look at me. "What are you planning to do? Kill me? Go ahead. Just keep in mind that it's not fun, or fulfilling. You won't get anything out of it." What the hell..?

My growling started up again. "I'd get closure on the reason for why Ethos is dead! That's you! You're that reason!" I yelled, no less willing to eliminate him right on the spot.

"Closure…" He repeated me, and looked away again. "His death already has closure." I dug one of my claws into the ground, ready to pounce.

"What closure!? You need to die for that to happen! His killer needs to die!" I took a few steps closer to him, ignoring a freezing gust of wind.

"I'm sorry," He bowed his head, baffling me. "But I didn't kill him. His killer is already dead."

"His direct killer is dead…" I said, looking down. "But you're the reason he was there in the first place, it's all your fault!"

The umbreon's ear twitched unevenly. "I guess you're right, huh?" He asked, though not directly to me it seemed. "Maybe I should be dead then."

His tone was confusing to me, more sombre than I was ready for.

"But, at least let me do it myself." His head turned towards me again, and he looked at me with a serious stare. "If that's how I need to atone for Ethos… and for killing the other two… then I'll do it myself. If you try to accelerate that process right now, I'll resist."

"You really think you can fight me in that condition?" I asked with an insulting tone. But when he pinned me down, he didn't feel injured…

"Don't be naive. Looks are deceiving." Bullshit…

"Then do it." I told him. "It's what you deserve, so do it."

"I need to talk to someone first." His eyes looked downwards. "He can tell everyone else… Then I'll do it."

"You better." I scoffed. "I wish I could see you suffer first."

"You've already seen that."

I opened my mouth to yell at him, but without waiting for a reply, he dashed away, much quicker than I thought he was capable of. It didn't take more than a few seconds for him to leave my sight, and I was left to my own thoughts. I didn't feel the need to chase after him, I could easily sense truth behind his words.

"Suffer before you die…" I muttered, before turning around and slowly walking away.

Hello Readers!

So finals are happening, sorry if I'm once again, slow on updates. But after this, I'll be free for the semester, and then I get to waste all the time I wasn't hammering away at my keyboard, so yay!

Thank you the messages and support, they mean a lot to me!

See You Next Chapter!