DragonMist1: I must warn you readers that there is both life and death in this chapter, if you are not comfortable with these, then I would suggest that you do not read them.
Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or any of its affiliates only the characters mentioned before and Ame and Chloe.
Prologue II: A sad, sad day
It was a bright sunny morning, the Butterfree were sunning themselves in the green house watching the Oddish dig down in the dirt to escape the sun, the roselia and bellossom were dancing in the sunlight, the local bird pokemon were waking up and congregating around the bird bath catching up on the latest gossip and a little dark blue haired girl was fascinated by it all, she crawled deeper into the jungle with her mighty friend Bellsprout they shall save the day…
"Ame, Ame hunny, don't do this to daddy, daddy doesn't want to sleep on the couch for the rest of his break."
The enemy. She narrowed her eyes. Slowly she army crawled to the edge of the pavilion and dove under a Tangela when 'the enemy' passed by her, feeling the tickling of the vines, it helped her in her game to climb up into the branches of an Exeggutor, who was stomping its way through the misty jungle. Creeping up on the enemy, she peered down through the branches waiting just for the right moment to strike.
A red haired boy of eight came in through the other door; Nate spotted him and waved him over. "Terri, have you seen Ame, she wasn't in her bedroom when I went to wake her up this morning and I haven't found her yet." "No Uncle Nate, I haven't see her either, did you ask Eevee where she is?"
She watched as the enemy took Terri hostage, this was a grim change of plan. Now what?
Nate looked away from Terri. "No, not yet, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to." "Oh, is Auntie Mai moody again?" Nate glared down at Terri, shuttering at what his again pregnant wife would do to him if he had misplaced their daughter.
Oh no, the Hostage! Time to execute plan 576…Now! "Bonzaii!" She jumped off of the Exeggutor and into the pool of water that Nate and Terri were standing next too, scaring the Goldeen and causing the Wingull to honk at her as they flew up startled from the water. "Take that evil doer, en garde!" She started splashing water at Nate while they looked down at her in confusion. "Release the Hostage! Get out of here Terri!" Terri rolled his eyes. Here we go again.
"Ame." They all froze. Ame looked at the door.
"Uh oh" she whispered. "Um…Hi mommy…hehe…" she rubbed the back of her wet hair nervously. She watched as her mother got closer, guiding her bulging belly around the foliage. "…I love you?" Her mother looked down at her sternly.
"Ame, you made us very worried when you disappeared like that! I'm just glad that you are safe baby." She helped Ame out of the water and tried to dry her off with the edge of her apron. "Now Nate could you…"
?????BOOOOMMMM!!!!!!?????
A loud explosion echoed into the room causing the building to shudder at the impact. "Nate!"
"I'm on it dear! Arcanine, Houndoom, Absol, let's GO!" Nate ran off to try and find out what was going on, while Mairaie gathered up the children and ushered them upstairs, ordering them to hide in one of the rooms.
"You need to go and hide, I don't care where, just don't let them see you!" "Okay!" Terri and Ame ran into one of the rooms and locked the door, then hid in the closet with the newest batch of Eevees, hearing the sounds of battle below them.
"Terri…I'm scared!" She turned to her best friend, sobbing; he hugged her and rocked her like he did the little pokemon when they got scared. "I know, I'm scared too, what if something happens to Grandpa!" "Or to Mommy!" They sat there in the dark listening for any sounds from the outside as the Eevees whimpered in their basket.
Nate ran through the Agency, trying to see through the smoke, Mai's Vulpix dashed through beside him guiding him through the smoke as he listened for signs from his pokemon.
"Team Rocket!" Two grunts stood before him in the hallway trying to capture some of the pokemon. "You'll have to get through me first! Go Manetric!"
The electric dog pokemon appeared out of his pokeball and growled at the intruders. They threw out their pokeballs holding a Raticate and a Mightyena. "Manetric, Quick attack!" Manetric flew down the hallway and pounced on the Raticate, tossing it up in the air and tripping the Mightyena. Mightyena went in for a bite, but was shocked by Manetric's static and pulled away pawing at its face while Raticate was still confused and bit its tail. "Manetric, Thunder Strike out the back door!" Manetric powered up a Thunder Strike, pulling in the electric currents that were around him and aimed a blast, throwing pokemon and grunts out the back door and into the river behind the Agency.
"Thank you Manetric!" The electric pokemon nodded up at him and Nate returned it to its pokeball as Arcanine bounded up to him. Swinging a leg over Arcanine's back, Arcanine dashed over to where there was a set of Team Rocket Grunts who were attempting to capture the enraged pair of Persians.
"Persian, per Persian! (Hurry, they captured Vulpix!)". They threw out their pokemon, an Ekans and a Dustox. "Go Arcanine, Extreme speed!" The pokemon dashed through the room almost faster than they could tell knocking over the pokemon and the grunts. "Bite X2" Arcanine quickly bit both the Dustox and the Ekans causing them much damage, the Dustox was trying to retreat but its owner would not allow it, and Ekans did poison sting, which missed. "Arcanine, take down to finish it!" Arcanine slammed into the pokemon knocking them out while taking on a little damage to itself, shaking off the after effects, it growled menacingly at the Grunts and the Persians ran up from behind Nate and Arcanine running after the retreating Grunts scratching and biting at their legs.
"AAaahhhhhhhh" A faint scream could be heard through the smog. "The Children!" They ran toward the stairs hoping that they wouldn't be too late.
Mai ran as fast as she could toward the stairs, her children were in danger, furious, she clambered up the stairs, and gasped when she saw Eevee trying to face down a fully grown Arbok and a Mightyena.
The Persians took up the pursuit of the Grunts trying to get back their friend, but in retaliation the grunts hung a very wounded Vulpix over the edge of their chopper over the raging river "San! (NO!)" They tried to leap in after their friend as he dropped into the raging waters.
Eevee was getting very tired but she would NOT let these evil doers get to the children. She bit at the Mightyena again, weaking it some, but the Arbok pulled back and bit into her shoulder causing her to loose her grip as she cried out, the poison seeping into her body.
"Eevee!" Mai cried out as she reached the top of the stairs. "Go Altaria!" The large blue and white cloud bird pokemon came out. "Altaria, blow these bastards down the stairs." A great whirlwind started up as Altaria started humming; blowing back the Mightyena, but the Executive and Arbok stood their ground. Arbok wrapped itself around the Eevee, causing its coils to become tighter with each struggle. "NO! Eevee! Altaria, Wing attack that Arbok!" Altaria used wing attack on the Arbok slamming into it with her wing causing it to drop the Eevee as it and its master flew down the other set of stairs. "Quick Altaria, don't let them get away!" Altaria flew down after them as they hit the bottom stair and blew them out of the house. They stood up, and the Executive recalled the Arbok and called for a retreat.
Nate came running up the stairs only to see a very distraught Mai, kneeling on the floor by a very still Eevee. "No…it can't have…" He ran up and knelt down next to her. "Are the children?" She nodded her head and he sighed in relief. "But Eevee, we need to get her down to the pokemon center!" He stood up to pull Mai up.
"No Nate, its too late…I was too late." She broke down sobbing into his arms as Eevee's body began to cool between them. "She was so brave, so very very brave." "It will be okay dear." As he held her praying that everything will turn out alright.
The Persians nudged the wet Vulpix, Tom had been able to get to him in the raging waters and they worked together to pull him to shore, but he wasn't moving. "Per per Persian (Maybe we should get the masters.)" Felicity nodded and ran toward the Agency to get Nate or Mai.
Mai was softly sobbing now, hugging Eevee to her when Felicity ran up the stairs to them, anxious and upset.
"Felicity, what's wrong?" She shook her head and ran back down the stairs. "Nate, something's wrong. We need to follow her; there may be more Team Rocket people out there." He nodded and they made their way down the stairs and out of the Agency, following the Persian to the river.
"Oh no." She looked over at Vulpix. Nate knelt down. "He's still alive, I'm going to run him over to the Pokemon center, take care of the others." She nodded, worried, and as she watched Nate run down the road toward the Pokemon Center, a group of Officer Jenny's were finally arriving with Ronald in tow.
"Ma'am are you alright?"
"No, does it look alright? We were just attacked by Team Rocket!"
"Team Rocket! Jenny!"
"Yes Jenny?"
"Get the Growlithe teams going; we need to track those miscreants down."
"Yes Ma'am!" The Jenny's began running around the building trying to check and see if everything was alright.
Visibly shaken, Mairaie walked back into the house and up the stairs to check on the children. The door was still locked and she knocked on it. "Terri, its Mai, please unlock the door." "Auntie Mai?" "Mama?" "Yes sweetie, please let me in." They unlocked the door and she was enveloped in a pair of grasping hugs from the scared children. "Are you guys alright?" "Yes Mama, Terri was very brave." He nodded.
"Well, I'm very proud of you, you deserve something special after we get this all cleaned up." He grinned and grabbed Ame's hand to pull her down the hall with him when she froze. "Mama, why is Eevee laying so still." "Oh hunny, Eevee was protecting you from the evil people, even though she wasn't strong enough, she's in heaven now, where they can play all day up in the clouds." "So she died?" Asked Terri. "Yes dear." "Won't she be lonely up there?" Asked Ame. "No, there are many pokemon up there to keep her company." "Okay." "Why don't we go downstairs and I'll get you guys a glass of moo moo milk, don't forget to bring the baby Eevee's." Terri grabbed the basket of Eevees and met them in the kitchen as Mai was pouring them glasses and put some milk into a bowl for the kits.
!-!-!-!-!-
Mai was waiting in the waiting room of the Pokemon center while Ronald was watching over the children and pokemon as the repairs were being made. Vulpix had been in critical condition for a long time and he was getting worse. Nurse Joy looks so sad.
She gave her a small smile, hoping to cheer her up, but it caused Joy to start to tear up as she came and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry, but your vulpix has just passed away." "Oh no, why both of them?"
"I'm so so sorry, I…I tried everything I could do for him…hic…it was just too much…hic…maybe another Nurse Joy could have…have done better than me…" Mai enveloped the sobbing nurse in a warm hug, trying to calm her down. "There, there, I'm sure that you did everything you could, and I'm sure that Vulpix knew that you were trying your best, sometimes these kind of things happen." She held her a little while longer until she had stopped crying. "This was the first time that you lost someone isn't it."
Joy sniffed. "Yes." "Dry up your tears dear, there are more lives that depend on you now, just know that sometimes, its just time to let them go." Joy smiled. "Thank you."
-!-!-!-!-!
It was a sad afternoon for the Hunter household, "Dearly departed, we gather here today to honor the memory of two very brave and special pokemon, Eevee and Vulpix, partners of Mairaie Hunter. These two pokemon were dedicated and loyal; brave and true; true pokemon who should be held in the highest of honors. We will miss them greatly…
Ame did not know why they were burying Eevee and Vulpix, they were supposed to be up in the clouds playing, not here playing in the dirt. She looked over at Terri standing next to his grandpa while watching the preacher man. She was confused, maybe Daddy would know.
"Daddy, why are they burying Eevee and Vulpix?" "They are just sleeping sweetie." "So when are they going to wake up?" "They can't wake up." "So why are they playing in the dirt?"
Mai walked over to help her husband. "Ame, baby, you know how flowers turn brown and die during the winter so that new flowers can grow in the spring?" Ame nodded. "Well, its kind of like that with Eevee and Vulpix, their bodies are like those flowers, that is why we are burying them, but their spirits are like the spring flowers, they are growing and playing up in the clouds." "Up in heaven?" "Yes, up in heaven." "Okay, thank you mommy." Ame ran over to Terri to stand by him.
Nate whispered in Mai's ear. "Thank you mommy…why do you always have to be the good guy."
"Because I'm special."
He stuck out his tongue at her and she caught it playfully with her fingers as he tried to pull back "Eleph Guh uvf ma tunh!" She giggled a little and let go, he glared at her playfully and they turned back to the service.
!-!-!-!-!
Mai held something behind her back as Terri and Ame were brimming with curiosity. Nate was standing over to the side looking smug as the children tried to peek around her to see what she was hiding.
"I promised you something special for being so brave when we were attacked, come here Terri and hold out your hands. Careful." She put a small blue and white pokemon egg into his outstretched hands, his eyes were very large and Ame was brimming with energy beside him. "What is it?" Terri asked.
"Now Terry, this here is a very special egg, it has a pokemon in it that is just for you, and will be your best friend. You need to take extra special care of it so that when it hatches it will be healthy and happy. Sometimes if people don't take care of their eggs, they will turn into bad pokemon or they won't hatch. So do your best!"
"I will I promise!"
!-!-!-!-!
Mommy's been at the doctors for a long time because the baby is coming. "Grandpa Ronald?"
"Yes Ame?" "Can we go see mommy?" "Sure, come on Terri, we'll lock up the house." They walked down the road toward the clinic. Nate was sitting nervously outside one of the doors wringing his hands as he heard shouts from the inside of the room, he stood up and started to pace when Ame and Terri ran in with Ronald behind them.
"Ronald? I thought you were going to stay at the house?" "Now I wouldn't miss the entrance of another Hunter into the world for almost anything." Nate smiled at the older man as he came up and patted his shoulder. "Calm down Nate, she will be alright." "I know, I'm just worried, what if something goes wrong, what if something happens to the baby? With all the stress that has been going on the last week, I wouldn't want something else to happen."
He gasped when he felt little arms wrap around him. "Daddy, it will be okay." He patted her head, rubbing her hair slightly as she pulled away and ran off to play with Terri. "She looks so much like her mother." "More like her father to me." "My coloring yes, but she has her face, and her cute little nose…Ronald, why is it taking so long." Ronald chuckled. "Things like this take a long time. You have to be patient, the wait is worth it." "I know."
Suddenly they heard a baby cry from the other room. "The baby, we have a baby!" Nate was jumping up and down and ran for the door when he was met with the doctor carrying a small bundle with lavender hair sticking out. "Mr. Hunter?" "Doc, how is she?" "Please follow me." Nate and the doctor disappeared into the room while Ronald held onto the new baby and tried to distract the children with some stories and jokes.
"Doc?"
"Things didn't go so well at the end of it. The girl was just pushing too hard and it got to a point where she got too tired, we tried to get the baby out as fast as we could, but…"
"The baby, is it alright?"
"Yes, you have a daughter."
"But Mai…"
"Your wife is dying."
"No." He sank down to the ground, when the doctor reached for him; he ducked under his arm and ran into the room where Mai was lying.
Mai looked up at him wearily. "Nate, love." "Mai." He sank down next to her holding onto her hand as he looked into her beautiful grey blue eyes. "Did you see her, isn't she such a beautiful baby?" "Yes she is."
A tear leaked down his cheek and she reached up and wiped it away.
"Mai…" "Nate, I know that I don't have very long, the doctor didn't need to tell me that." He nodded. "I love you, I've always loved you from the moment you walked into my life."
"I love you too, now and forever." She gasped from the pain and paused for a second. "Please, take care of Ame and Chloe for me. I love them so much." "Always." Her eyes went a little out of focus.
"Mai?" "Eevee is waiting over there for me Nate." "No, please Mai, don't leave me!" "I love you." She reached up and kissed his hand. He leaned down and captured her lips, his tears soaking both of their faces. "Don't cry…Nate…We'll see…each other again." He couldn't speak as her grey blue eyes slowly closed, a peaceful smile on her face, he could almost see her walking into the light with an Eevee at her side.
!-!-!-!-!
"Mommy's not sleeping is she." "No hunny, she's not, she's up in heaven." "So she can play with Eevee and Vulpix?" "Yes, so she can play with Eevee and Vulpix."
"Do we have to take Chloe home with us?" "Yes you little bug, we have to take Chloe with us, and don't you want to be a big sister?" "Yes!" Nate laughed a little at that. "Then you need to have a little sister to look after." "Okay. Come on, I can't be a big sister if we stand around here all day!" He shook his head at the determined little five year old, not knowing what was in store for them in the future.