A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! =D

52 - Cave-In

The two zangoose and gliscor were still working by the river, trying to clear out as much poison as they could. The nidoking had been shifted onto the opposite bank, its spiky bulk causing jagged shadows to stretch across the ground. Even in the waning light Enigma could see the snow beneath it was dyed a pale red. The water had melted the snow and it had frozen again quickly in the bitter air, creating a slick crust that cracked under Enigma's feet. The trio of pokemon looked up at the sound, but Enigma was more interested in the pink poison oozing from deep gashes at the base of the nidoking's horn. It still trickled free, trailing through the snow in an oddly pretty, toxic pattern.

The zangoose exchanged surprised glances and the female one took off up the river. Enigma guessed she'd gone to make sure Elsa was still alive. He tutted and trailed his gaze over the nidoking.

"Oi!" The gliscor was across the river in an instant, his pincers leaking shadow that seemed to suck in the light around him. "What are you doing here?"

Deep lacerations covered the nidoking's body. Some deeper than others. At first glance there was no pattern to the attack, but it was pretty clear that the slash across his neck was the killing blow.

"I'm just here to work out who killed the nidoking," Enigma said, his voice bored. "Go about your business. I won't be long."

The gliscor snorted. "Why would you care who killed him?"

"Because whoever did it also poisoned my friend." Enigma flinched slightly and averted his gaze. Friend? He shook his head sharply and narrowed his eyes at the gliscor. "And once I track this murderer down it would be in your best interest as well."

The gliscor's eyes flashed. He swung a claw, cleaving through the air. Enigma warped up into the branches over the tree behind him, letting his assailant's night slash strike the ground where he'd been standing in a flurry of snow.

"Cut it out, Kale!" the zangoose shouted. "Elsa said he's under her protection."

"Only so long as he remains in the village." The gliscor turned his head back and forth, searching for the banette. "But he ain't there right now."

"I'm done here anyway." Enigma's voice drew the gliscor's eye up to the low hanging branch. "I've already worked out who the murderer is."

The remaining zangoose stared dumbfounded at Enigma, and the shadowy energy vanished from the gliscor's claws.

"That's impossible," said the zangoose. "None of us have been able to work it out."

"I always assumed it was you," the gliscor spat. "So how do we know you ain't lying?"

"Hold it, Kale." The zangoose drew his friend's eye. "I suppose it takes a murderer to find a murderer."

Enigma's eyes narrowed but he tried to hide it behind a nonchalant yawn.

"Let's hear him out," the zangoose finished.

Kale gave a stiff nod, reluctantly lowering his pincers. "Fine. Go on then. Amuse us."

Enigma raised his paws, flashing his claws. "Those slashes are much too neat, and I don't leave external injuries if I can help it." He slipped from the branch, landing before the gliscor and causing him to take a step back. Enigma tucked his paws behind his head and nodded to the nidoking with a jingle. "Whoever did this used blades. And very sharp ones at that."

Only the soft gurgle of the river answered him. The two pokemon exchanged confused glances.

"There ain't no pokemon around here like that." The gliscor bared his canines. "Unless you used a blade?"

"Why would I poison the river? What would it gain me?" Enigma was beginning to lose his patience. "It's a messy, convoluted job. Whoever did this had one target, and that was Harlequin. Perhaps me by happenstance. They weren't interested in your town, you were just an unfortunate casualty. An innocent village suffering the aftereffects once they'd finished their job. Are you following me?"

Kale just stared at him.

The zangoose waved a paw at Enigma. "Go on. What pokemon do you suspect did this then?"

Enigma smirked at the gliscor. "Let's see if you can work it out. What pokemon has blades on its body?"

Kale spat. "A scyther? But it would end up poisoned itself!"

"Then think more broadly. A steel-type wouldn't be poisoned."

"A scizor?"

"Now you're just being silly." Enigma rolled his eyes and motioned to the nidoking. "Look at the damage. You can see where the assassin landed their killing blow. The rest of the body is maimed from being carried. What pokemon could do that damage? What pokemon has a steel exoskeleton formed of uniform blades?"

"Pawniard and bisharp," said the zangoose. "But they were wiped out years ago." Doubt clouded his features. "Right?"

"Yes, but obviously some survived." Enigma looked over the pair of stunned pokemon. "I happened to see two myself only recently. They were in the company of an absol."

"Hang on!" Kale's fury wasn't aimed at Enigma anymore. He waved a pincer towards the nidoking's carcass. "Are you suggesting an absol did this?"

"They bring disaster, don't they?" Enigma raised his paws in a shrug.

Kale took a step towards Enigma, his pincers radiating dark energy. "Do you seriously expect us to believe-"

"You don't have to believe me," Enigma scoffed. "But if you want to know how I came to this theory, then fine. Harlequin knew an absol once, before they were declared extinct. Apparently he's survived, and this is my proof." He waved to the nidoking. "Absol are outlaws. Harlequin used to work for the Darkness. Are you putting the pieces together now? Because the evidence speaks for itself. This attack was personal, and your village wasn't the target." He tucked his paws back behind his head and spun on his heel towards the trees. "I'd suggest you keep an eye open for this absol. Although once I'm through with him, you won't have to."

The banette strode through the trees, leaving the two pokemon to muse over what he had said. Enigma was done with them now. He had bigger priorities. He was going to find Harbinger even if he had to search every night for the next moon. Any good assassin would want to make sure their job was completed to satisfaction, so there was every possibility he was still hanging around the river. There was also the possibility that he'd tracked Enigma during his frantic race for help. That meant, if Harbinger had any suspicion that Harlequin was still alive, he'd be lurking around to finish the job.

Harlequin… that zorua believed Harbinger was their friend. But Enigma was beginning to believe the feeling was not mutual.

He leapt up into an evergreen tree, scrambling his way to the top until he was perched on its spindly branches. They bowed beneath him and he clutched on to steady himself, gazing out across the mountain forest. He squinted into the shadows, trying to spot any sign of life. It was oddly barren after his time in the village. Trying to spot an absol in the snow would be nigh impossible. The pawniard, however…

Enigma leapt to the next tree, landing on its point. Then he made his way to the next, covering ground with ease. Each tree bent and flicked back up again as he left it, scattering flurries of snow into the air where they shimmered like stars in the moonlight.

After what felt like an eternity, Enigma spotted something. He dropped into the lower branches, perching like a gargoyle as he trailed his eyes over a set of paw prints. Three of them. Large, flat, clawed prints walked at a brisk pace between twin sets of two-toed sharp ones. A grin split Enigma's face and he followed them, sticking to the trees. He didn't make any efforts to silence his bell. Enigma had shown no fear of him when he'd stared him in the eye. But whatever the outcome, he wanted that absol to know he was coming for him.

The trail wound through the forest, curving back towards the mountain. Back towards the fallen tree across the river. Then Enigma spotted Harbinger's lithe form, sprinting through the snow, kicking up flurries behind him. He barked at the pawniard to hurry, letting them overtake him. Enigma chuckled drily. So he was a coward after all?

In two warps, Enigma landed on the absol's back and bowled him over. Harbinger lashed out with his claws, catching Enigma across the shoulder. Enigma winced but didn't let go. He phased his claws through Harbinger's chest and the absol stiffened, his ruby eyes widening with terror.

The two pawniard rushed back towards their companion. Enigma froze them with a look.

"Stay where you are!" Engima growled. "I'm holding one of his ribs. I could kill him in a heartbeat. And you don't want to be the reason I kill him, do you?" He smirked, and the two pawniard fell back a step. One of them ran its blades against each other, creating a mournful grating that pushed Enigma's fur on end.

"You'd threaten kids?" Harbinger's sneer drew Enigma's gaze back onto his. The absol bared his canines. "What sort of coward are you?"

"You were the one running for your life," Enigma crooned. "Now… tell me why you poisoned Harlequin?"

Harbinger raised his head slightly and leered at Enigma. "I don't have to tell you anything."

Enigma tugged his paw sharply and Harbinger fell back into the snow with a yowl that split the air. The two pawniard stiffened, one of them holding his blades at the ready. Their eyes were fearful. Neither of them wanted to risk making a move.

Enigma lowered his muzzle towards the absol's. "I think it's in your best interest to co-operate, Harbinger. Now answer my question."

Harbinger spoke through gasps. "Because he's a traitor!"

"A traitor? That's funny, because he's always maintained you were friends."

"Friends?!" Harbinger's eyes flashed with fury. "He betrayed me! He led that murderous honchkrow to me!" He bared his teeth and spoke in a growl, "But I got away. As far as that traitor is concerned, I'm dead!"

Enigma was speechless. He stared back at Harbinger as his mind whirred over what he'd said.

The absol took a few deep breaths, not breaking eye contact. "I should never have trusted him. I should have known he was working for you scum in the first place."

No. Enigma didn't believe it. He narrowed his gaze and tightened his grip, causing Harbinger to hiss. "You said he led a honchkrow to you. Let me guess. Fat thing, can barely fly?" He didn't need an answer, and Harbinger didn't offer one. "Did you even see Harlequin?"

"I didn't need to."

"Harlequin was in pieces when he arrived in the Shadow Lands," Enigma told him. "I remember it clearly. He believed you had been murdered by murkrow."

"Then he lied," Harbinger hissed. "He lied! He's a liar!"

"Oh, he didn't lie to me-"

"He's a zorua! They lie! They deceive!"

Enigma shook his head, more to dismiss the fog of confusion that swirled around his mind. But Harbinger took it as dismissal.

"You don't believe me? Fine," Harbinger spat. "But he's clearly lied to you since the day you met! That's all zorua do! Spout lies!"

"This coming from an absol?" Enigma laughed and shook his head slowly. "The most persecuted of dark-types?"

Harbinger's white fur was bristling. Murder flashed in his eyes. Despite that, he spoke more calmly. "He lied to you, Enigma. And you're a fool to believe him."

They were both silent for a moment. Enigma digesting what he'd said, Harbinger too afraid to move. The silence was broken by the occasional shrill scrape of metal from the pawniard.

Finally, Enigma sat back, but he didn't release his grip. "Believe it or not, Harle is actually looking for you, Harbinger. But after this little stunt of yours, I'm loathe to let that happen." Fear flashed in Harbinger's eyes as Enigma loomed closer to his face. Enigma lowered his voice to a purr. "I don't take kindly to those who try to murder my colleagues."

A look of defiance flashed across Harbinger's face, but it contorted with pain as Enigma tugged on his rib. Harbinger's feline yowl shook the trees and he flailed his paws. One struck Enigma across the shoulder and he had to drop his density to avoid a blow to the head. But he didn't relinquish his hold on Harbinger.

"I'll make you pay for what you've done!" Enigma roared. "I'll make sure you suffer as much as he has!"

"Stop!" One of the pawinard rushed to Enigma's side and placed his arm against Enigma's. "Stop, please!"

Enigma swung his free arm at the pawniard. "Back off! Or I'll kill you as well!"

The pawniard fell back, staring down at the blood coating his blades. Enigma hadn't even felt it, but he turned his attention back on Harbinger. His eyes were screwed shut, his yowls fading into frantic, fearful gasps.

"Listen to me, please!" the first pawniard approached Enigma again. "Let Harbinger go!"

"D-don't hurt him!" The other one joined his brother's side, his yellow eyes like disks.

Enigma looked at the twins as Harbinger fell limp, breathing heavily. They stood an arm's length away, desperation on their faces. Enigma found himself faltering as the anger ebbed in his chest.

"Please!" Tears glistened in the bolder pawniard's eyes and he took a nervous step closer. He looked down at Harbinger and closed his eyes. "He's all we've got."

Enigma stared at him, his grip on the absol loosening. Once again he was back beside Harlequin, begging them not to leave him. Clutching Kera in a burning clearing. Watching his parents crumple before his eyes at the mercy of a murderous hydreigon.

Enigma screwed his eyes shut for a moment and took in a long breath. "You're just as responsible, kid."

"I know." Tears leaked from the pawniard's eyes and he wiped them on the back of his arm. "I'm sorry. We both are. Please… please don't kill him. If we'd known… if Harbinger had known… then we wouldn't…"

Enigma looked back down at Harbinger. The absol watched him through one open eye. His breaths were erratic and his claws twitched with repressed anger. He was no longer fearing his own life, but the lives of the two hatchlings standing beside him, and Enigma knew if he made any moves to hurt them then Harbinger would find his second wind.

This wasn't an evil pokemon. This was one who'd been abused by the world, much like himself. The only difference was that Harbinger hadn't sided with anyone. He wasn't beyond help.

Enigma sighed and retracted his paw. A small trickle of blood marred Harbinger's snowy fur. Enigma hadn't even stood from him when he was buffeted by a blade of air. Enigma flew back from the absol and his back struck a tree hard, knocking the wind from his lungs.

Harbinger stood, legs splayed, glaring at him. His entire body trembled, but defiance flashed in his eyes along with something else. With a snort that misted in the air, Harbinger turned and galloped into the trees with the twins behind him. Their yellow gaze glanced behind them at intervals, making sure Enigma wasn't on their tail.

He wasn't. He had no intention to pursue them any further. He had his answers.

But they raised yet more questions.

Enigma bit his lip and he stood, groaning. Red blood marred his chest, congealing into a sticky mess. It wasn't a deep cut. Harbinger had not intended to kill him.

That 'something else'. It hit Enigma like a landslide. It had been pity.

His bell had landed in the snow a couple of feet away and he picked it up, smoothing flakes from its shiny surface. His own warped reflection looked back at him. Tired. Weary. He tucked it away with a sleight of hand and ran his claws through his mane.

'Then he lied. He lied! He's a liar!'

Enigma sank back against the tree and took in a ragged breath. He really didn't want Harbinger's words to be true. But it had left him with no desire to return to Harlequin.

His head spun until he began to feel dizzy. An odd buzz resonated at the back of his mind and his heart began to race. He'd been lied to. How many lies had Harlequin told him? Or was Harbinger the one who was lying? He raised his head to stare off after Harbinger. He had a sudden urge to race after him and beat him until he resembled that nidoking.

Sharp, needle-like pains spread through Enigma's right paw and he looked down with a start. He uncurled his fist and watched blood well up from where his claws had dug into his pads. He immediately shoved it into the snow and bit back a hiss of pain.

The buzz had stopped. His head cleared, along with that burning anger.

No, it hadn't been anger. It had been madness.

He removed his paw. The bleeding had stopped, as had the gash on his chest. Even the deep slice on his arm had begun to heal over.

Pokerus.

Images of that whimsicott and tyranitar filled his mind. Deranged. Twisted. Was this what that wretched parasite did? He took a few deep breaths but that dizziness began to rise again. Enigma lowered his head into his paws and sank back down against the tree. If one thing was certain, it wasn't safe for him to return to Harlequin.

Confusion flooded his mind again at the thought of the zorua, intensifying that strange buzz that made him want to get up and walk back towards the village. A desire to force answers out of Harlequin, painfully if he had to. Had they fed him endless lies? Had they betrayed Harbinger?

No.

Enigma sucked in a sharp breath. He was shaking. He felt disgusted at himself. He stared at his paws which trembled not from the cold. Fear? Repressed rage?

No. There was no way he was going to go back to Harlequin. Not like this.

He pushed himself to his feet with a new goal in mind. He was going back to the Moorland's Forest to find those scientists. He needed to put an end to their experiments before they went too far.

He let out a small growl and kicked the tree. The frightening question was 'what was too far'?

...

The volcano's slope was treacherous. It was riddled with promising footholds that crumbled no sooner than Cleo set her foot on it. She had never liked climbing up or down mountain paths, or trees for that matter. But there was no other option. The ground around the volcano was buried beneath the sea, its waves thrashing up against the sheer cliff threatening to drag unwary travellers into its deathly grip.

"There has to be some sign of life," Cleo spoke breathlessly. "Pokemon lived here once. So where?"

Neither of her friends replied. They'd already discussed the possibilities, and they'd all agreed it was likely the island's inhabitants had lived underneath or near to the volcano. Fire-types would have enjoyed its warmth, and the ground-types among them would have enjoyed the dryness. But there was no sign of any tunnel system. No sign of any former dwellings. No matter what they'd be made out of, there would be some evidence unless it had all been washed away by the sea. Cleo felt the former was very unlikely, if only because she and her friends were still on the island.

Unless there had been a tsunami.

Cleo's heart sank at the thought. She bit her lip, holding onto an outcrop to peer back the way they'd come. The dizzying drop almost made her lose her grip and she jerked her head back to gaze out at the sea. Faith joined her side, and Spark bounded atop a low rock to gaze up at Cleo.

"I'm starting to lose my confidence that anyone still lives here," Cleo explained.

It was a half-truth. She'd entirely lost her confidence. She wanted nothing more than to leave and try somewhere else.

But where?

Faith shook her head and forced a smile. "We haven't searched the whole island yet. Come on, let's keep going."

The mawile placed a paw on Cleo's back, but Cleo dug her claws into the porous rock and thrashed her tails. She soon regretted the motion, as her feet almost gave way beneath her. She let out a yell and Faith wrapped her arms around her middle, steadying her. The mawile's feet kept a firm hold on the steep slope. She was as immovable as one of the boulders.

"Thank you." Cleo relaxed a little and took hold of the outcrop again, keeping her side against Faith.

"I take it you're not familiar with mountain travel?" Faith stifled a chuckle.

Cleo shook her head slowly. "You'd think so, but no. Meowstic lost their knack for climbing many, many years before I was born. I've never enjoyed it."

"Then you're not gonna like this." Spark peered past the mound of rock jutting up beside them.

Cleo followed her gaze, holding steady to the rock face. They had followed a vague path up around the side of the volcano. They were still far from the top, but beyond it was a dizzying drop. It was as if something had cleaved a large gash into the island, forming a valley that rose sharply on the other side. It tapered off into the ocean, forming a narrow beach that the water licked at hungrily. The valley looked as if it had at one point had water flowing through it. But Cleo guessed it was much more likely to have been lava. Now, as if in defiance, a bubbling spring leaked out of the rock a few feet from Cleo's head, trickling down to vanish into the empty valley. It was too little to form a river.

Across the valley swung a rope bridge. Many of the wooden slats had fallen loose to vanish into the rocky depths below. Cleo's eyes widened. It was something. But it didn't so much instill hope as it did extinguish it.

"No one's here," said Spark. "If there were, then…" She waved a paw in defeat and turned her back. "Let's head back to Reshiram."

"Hang on." Faith stopped the little dedenne's path with a foot. "We haven't checked everywhere yet."

"What is there to check?" Spark asked. "That bridge speaks words! No one's here." She paused with a glance back towards the bridge and visibly deflated. "They've all gone."

The trio were silent for a moment. Faith's face fell and she let out a defeated sigh.

"Maybe you're right, Spark," she said. "But we can't give up just yet. Just because that bridge is in disrepair doesn't mean no one is here. Perhaps they don't use it anymore because they don't need to."

"Because they can fly." Cleo's eyes widened and her ears pricked up. "What if… what if we're looking for a fire-type flying pokemon? Like talonflame?"

Spark shook her head and flicked her long tail with derision. "You'll be tellin' us we're lookin' for a moltres next. Cleo, no one's here. Those berries were left to rot, and it's the only food we've seen! If pokemon lived here there'd be signs. But no. We've found a bush heaving with overripe berries and a rotting bridge!"

Spark's voice echoed through the mountain. A few rocks crumbled overhead and Cleo ducked back as a few tiny shards pelted her head. They all stood still for a moment, then let out a long shared breath.

"Cleo, we were told they'd left this island," said Spark. "Even if the story was right and one stayed behind, they might not be here anymore."

"Okay," Cleo said slowly. "How about this? We'll work our way around this volcano. If we can't see anything, then we'll call it quits and head back."

Spark gave a stiff nod and scampered on ahead, leaping across rocks that were too brittle to hold Cleo's weight. The meowstic followed after her friend, with Faith close behind her. Cleo's gaze kept wandering to the valley. Something didn't quite add up, but she couldn't put her paw on it. Something just seemed… off. As her gaze wandered across the deadly drop, Cleo lost her footing. She stifled a yowl and dug her claws in, but they scraped over soft stone. Her paws flailed as she rolled herself onto her back. The ground rose up towards her as she was dragged towards the valley's gaping jaws. Cleo lashed out with all four paws until she finally snagged a springy sapling jutting out of the mountain's side. Water pooled around her, soaking into her fur, and she realised much too late that she'd been walking past the volcanic spring.

The sapling bent as Spark landed on it, her whiskers twitching frantically. "Are you okay?!" She looked from Cleo to the valley, then turned her large eyes towards Faith as the mawile skidded down beside them.

Cleo sucked in a few deep breaths as she struggled to her feet. "I'm fine."

The slope was covered in shiny black rock that trailed down the volcano to vanish over the edge of the valley. It gathered around the narrow poles that held the bridge in place. On closer inspection, the ropes and wooden slats were black and tinted grey with volcanic ash. Several feet away from it stood a large tree, burned black to the tips of its branches which reached over the edge of the crevice like wicked claws. Cleo stepped gingerly over the wet ground to stand somewhere a little less precarious. Now she looked out at the valley, something clicked.

"I almost got a personal close-up of that valley," she said. "I'm beginning to think it's not natural."

Spark and Faith both watched her, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Some pokemon are capable of sculpting the ground," Cleo explained. "They can cause earthquakes, or bring up rocks to sling at their enemies. There's a possibility that one, or maybe many, caused this crevice."

Faith nodded as she gazed out at it, but Spark just looked confused.

"I think you have a point," said Faith. "There's no water running through it. If it was a natural break, then the sea water would be filling it in."

Cleo's ears pricked with surprise and she followed Faith's gaze. She hadn't considered that, but now that Faith mentioned it, it was obvious. The sea had reached its highest point, stopping at a dome-shaped rise that ended before the valley formed. If the sea rose higher, it would fill the crevice like some kind of moat. Perhaps, at one point, it had been.

"I think," said Cleo, "that this might have been created to protect the other side of the island."

"Or this side," said Faith. "If land pokemon are going to attack this island they'd come at it from the flattest, and most unguarded, point."

"Perhaps it's not a deterrent at all," Spark offered. "Maybe it runs all the way around the island, but we just can't see it."

Cleo started at that. She could hear the hidden words in Spark's comment - 'Just like New City'. Cleo swallowed dryly and paced towards the valley. She detoured towards the tree, wanting something solid to hold onto, seeking out ground that was devoid of water and that glossy rock. Faith joined her, with Spark hopping lightly over the slick stone. Cleo sought out a patch of ground much more welcoming to her paw pads. The rough, porous rock felt as welcoming as a warm nest.

She reached out a paw towards the tree and faltered. There was something nailed to it, almost as black as the dead bark. She swept a paw across it, dusting away a thick covering of ash.

"Something is engraved on here," she said.

Faith drew closer to her, with Spark perched on her shoulder. They watched as Cleo rubbed the blackened sign. The soot gathered in deep grooves, forming the pattern of the grain along with letters that sent a shiver through Cleo's spine.

"Stay away," Spark read. She snorted and rose to her full height. "Fine. I know when I'm not welcome."

Cleo hesitated, looking from the sign to the valley. "I'm beginning to think this island isn't as unoccupied as we thought."

"Then what do you suggest?" Spark asked. "'Cos if you say we're gonna climb down that valley-"

"I was, actually, yes." Cleo motioned to the bridge and took a step towards it. "We can use the-"

Her words cut off with a yell as, with a loud crack, the ground splintered beneath her feet. She was sucked down under the earth among a shower of rocks and splintered wood. The wind flew from her lungs as she landed hard on a mound of stale hay. Faith dropped down beside her and sat up with a groan, rubbing the base of her horn. She coughed a few times, along with Cleo, as the dust fogged the air, stirred up as brittle stone rained down around them and stung Cleo's ears and shoulders. She raised her paws in a feeble effort to shield herself.

The rain of rubble finally began to slow, and above the pattering of rocks Cleo could make out a distant clanging of metal. She blinked the dust from her eyes, trying to work out where they were.

"Are we all okay?" she wheezed between breaths.

"I think so." Faith glanced up at the hole above them. Rubble trickled down in uneven flows of tiny shards and soil as the ground tried to settle itself. She opened her massive jaw-like horns and Spark tumbled out with a gasp.

"Nice save," Spark groaned, rolling onto her back. Her black eyes blinked up at the light leaking in from the massive hole in the ceiling. "What… just happened?"

A few shards of rock pelted the ground in a second wave as more of it retreated back from the edge of the hole. Through the dust Cleo could see the knotted roots of the blackened tree, old and withered, trailing down towards them like vines. They tangled over the earth above them, forming a web that strained to hold the ground together. Cleo watched with bated breath as the ground sagged beneath the tree.

"We need to get out of here." She struggled to her feet, coughing in the dust and warm, dry air.

She turned to take in their new surroundings. Huge, rocky walls rose up on all sides. Save for one. Thick, iron beams boxed them in. Cleo looked down at the hay, now mostly buried beneath dust, rocks and earth.

"I… I think this is a cell," she said weakly.

Cleo approached the bars, touching them gingerly. Her ears twitched. The clanging sound had faded but she could still detect it deep in the cavern. She stared off towards it, gazing down a dark tunnel. Spark had been right. There were underground tunnels beneath Fire Island.

Faith made a thoughtful sound beside her. She placed her paws on the bars and followed them towards the ceiling. "They look a bit thick but they're old. Step back."

Cleo complied, nudging Spark back with her foot. Faith turned so her horn was facing the bars. She grabbed them in her jaws and gave them a hefty tug. That strange clanging sound echoed again but it didn't perturb Faith. Loose debris trickled down on them, peppering Cleo's fur. She raised her paws and glanced up at the gaping hole above them as her heart leapt into her throat.

"Faith, stop!" Cleo hissed.

But the mawile had already ceased her attack on the bars. The trio braced themselves, waiting for the ceiling to collapse further. Once the rain of soil and rock had ceased hey let out a joined breath.

"I might try fire fang," said Faith. "See if I can melt them."

"But what if they're holding up the ceiling?" Spark offered.

Cleo gave the dedenne a sad look. "Spark, we're stuck. How else are we meant to get out? We need to try something."

Spark raised her paws in a weak shrug. "I could go?" She nodded to the bars. "I can squeeze through there and find someone."

Cleo was hesitant. "We've landed in a cell. This was probably a trap, Spark. If anyone is here, then they might not be happy to see you."

"Like you said, we need to get out somehow."

Faith looked between Spark and Cleo. "I'm worried too, but it's worth a shot. Spark can handle herself."

Spark's whiskers crackled in response. "You've seen me handle Hydreigon's goons. I think I can handle a fire-type."

Cleo wanted to add that there was every possibility of her encountering a ground-type. But Spark was probably their only chance at getting out.

"Okay," she said. "You get out, Spark, and see if you can find help."

"All right." Spark leapt to her feet and rushed to towards the bars. She froze, her ears swivelling. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Erm… Cleo?"

But Cleo had already heard it. Lurching footsteps slapped over the floor, getting gradually louder. Flames flickered deep in the corridor, surrounding the hulking shadow of a large pokemon which swayed from side to side. Red eyes reflected the light of the flames, narrowed in a head that towered above Cleo.

Someone had come to them. And Cleo had the deep, burning dread that they were not coming to welcome them.

...

Thanks for reading! Please R&R! =D