Author's Note:
Welcome back to another weekly update! Let me tell you this chapter was incredibly difficult to write, so hopefully I did it justice.
Fair warning: This chapter describes in detail some RATHER VIOLENT events in the story. Before we jump into that though, I would like to recap and get everyone up to speed. If you like riddles and enjoy picking up the little details I've buried in this story, I suggest you skip the rest of this A.N. and jump straight to the chapter.
Dear Phillip: While most of your reviews were just short of bonus chapter material, I decided I would take a moment and clarify some confusion you and other readers may have. I looked back through Ch 12 and I was not able to find anything where either Kieren or Melody said anything about Celestia meeting Zach aside from the speculation at the end of the story. If this still bothers you, can you point to where you found this?
Allow me to recap some of the more important details so far:
The entire tribe knows Celestia struggled to make her evolution decision. It is implied she also left for 5 days just as Kieren would do.
Kieren suspects that it is an Alpha tradition that during these 5 days, they are to meet Zach or a family member to help make their decision. Back in the valley, Drake has revealed to Trent that this is indeed the case.
Trent, Andy, Paige, Connor, Drake, Celestia, Melody, and Kieren all know Kat is studying with Aubrey, Melody's mother.
Trent, Andy, Paige, and Connor know Kat's reason for quitting training had something to do with a personal event. Trent suspects it was the result of an argument between Celestia and Kat based on the two's animosity towards each other.
Trent was not able to figure out why Kat started acting up, but received a hint it was related to the poacher's from a surprise voice.
Kieren told Melody the actual story of Kat and Celestia's argument.
Melody warned Kieren too late and everything went back.
Of course there's even more details buried in the previous chapters for you to uncover!
Today is 8/1/2015 and this chapter is 2700+ words.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, just dream it.
Chapter 14: Raging Blood
"Who are you?" Paige asked boldly at the hill which possessed the unknown voice.
"That isn't important," the voice answered dismissively.
"Well then tell us how the poachers have anything to do with this," Connor demanded, taking a battle stance as he stared up at the top of the hill concealed with thick trees and bushes.
"Very well," the voice replied. "It was when the poachers attacked that Katherine discovered a new purpose in life, and true to herself she is pursuing it vigorously."
"Do you know what exactly inspired her?" Trent asked. Contemplation could be heard in his words.
"She saw Celestia panic," the voice replied. "Now if you will excuse me, I would like to continue my research. The poachers left behind something accidentally that may be of use to the tribe."
"Thank you for your insights," Trent responded, now fully understanding what the voice implied about the poachers and Kat. He turned back towards his company.
"So what does this all mean?" Paige asked, both confused and impatient.
"Well for starters it confirms that the issue involves tension between Kat and Celestia like I thought," Trent responded thoughtfully.
"I get it. Kat saw a weakness in Celestia and wants to exploit it," Andy stated.
"But how is she going to do that?" Paige asked.
"We know it involves learning, right?" Connor suggested.
"Doesn't this also suggest that her plan has something to do with the cause of Celestia's panic?" Andy postulated. "I mean it seems odd that just seeing Celestia panic was enough to bring her out of her shell."
"The poachers," Connor pitched.
"Wait, we're back to the poachers?" Paige asked.
"The poachers had something that made Celestia panic that perhaps Kat can obtain through learning?" Trent paraphrased.
"This doesn't have to do with that meta-thing and its psychic powers, does it?" Paige inquired.
"You might be on to something, Paige," Andy responded.
"Kat become a psychic? She isn't that crazy, is she?" Connor argued.
"But it would help explain why she wants to become learned. After all ninetails from what I have heard are capable of some psychic power," Paige reasoned, finally on page with the others and connecting the pieces together.
"Well, Trent," Andy turned. "Since you managed to uncover most of this case for us, do you think it is possible for an eevee to become a psychic?"
"At this rate, I can no longer say," Trent answered. "It wouldn't be the first thing that has been hidden from us considering we just uncovered a dispute between Kat and Celestia." Trent looked down at the ground, trying to tie all the ends together. "And from the way Drake acted, there is something we don't know yet," he paused and stiffened straight upon realization. "Kieren might be learning these things right now!"
"Whaa?" Paige asked startled by Trent's sudden exclamation.
"Kieren was told by the lapras to visit the human owner of the reserve shortly before the ceremony yesterday," Trent explained to them. "Drake told me it's an alpha tradition."
"Are you saying Kieren is actually going through a rite of passage to become an alpha?" Connor asked with shock.
"Correct. And I hope he succeeds so he can uncover this whole m…"
Trent didn't have a chance to finish before he found himself pressed down on his back by an angry flareon that hissed right in his face, making sharp eye contact that imposed a death threat to any retaliation.
"Trenton have you lost your mind?" the Flareon growled as if desperately trying to find a real Trent underneath a disguise of dilusion. "Kieren is the blood of the jolteon that nearly destroyed our tribe with stupidity! Who's to say Kieren won't do the same!" Trent gritted his teeth in rejection. The flareon leaned in closer, lowering his voice. He glanced over at Trent's hind leg before staring a deadly gaze into Trent's eyes. "Kieren has scarred you once. Don't let him do it again!"
Trent never flinched. With a quick twist of his tail, he pushed his back into the air, rendering his opposition off balance. With a quick kick he threw the flareon off of himself and quickly rolled to his feet.
"You have no comprehension of the things that are occurring this very instant!" Trent roared as he regained his stance. "If you can't disclaim the lie of the curse of Boran's blood, then this tribe will collapse under the weight of its own secrets! I'm wasting my time with you now," Trent snarled as he dashed off into the deeper forest.
"Ugh. So Bluestripe was the one who leaked intelligence to those varmint thieves?" Kieren could hear one say with disgust. He had been walking up to where the others had gathered for training on the cliff when he heard the conversation come about.
"Dammit father, what did you do this time?" Kieren mumbled to himself. From what Kieren had gathered for the last few months, his father was up on a rough patch. It first started with sporadic arguments between Celestia and the alpha Bluestripe. Then his father suddenly disappeared for two days with Solano. Lately he was struggling negotiating with some outsiders in the area, and was periodically disappearing and neglecting his duties.
"Yea. Dem furret duped him good," answered another.
The furret were the most recent outsiders and had recently moved in next to the forest reserve.
"God dammit he's gonna get our whole tribe killed if he keeps this up! First he starts this whole war, and then he goes out and leaks intelligence and almost gets Celestia killed!" piped a third voice.
Kieren uncomfortable with the situation peaked his head over the rocks that separated him from the group.
"The Lunar Family Line needs to DIE!" shouted one of the flareon training sergeants.
"Samantha's father," Kieren thought. Ugh, ever since Samantha went off on Kat, Kieren's world had gone haywire.
"Yea! I don't need no more Bluestripe killing off our tribe!" a jolteon complained.
"Who's the next heir anyways?" asked another flareon. "Paige's mom," Kieren noted.
"Kieren. Why?" asked what Kieren believed to be Connor's mother, a slick blue vaporeon.
"We should kill him!" growled the male flareon menacingly. His eyes reflecting the fire of rage he built inside of him.
"Are you serious?" the vaporeon gasped.
"Yea. I don't need another Bluestripe becoming an Eon Alpha," the jolteon butted in.
"I'm in!" spoke the female flareon with a businesslike tone.
"Me too!" pitched in one of the older eevee. The other eevee around them chimed in.
Kieren desperately tried to withdraw himself into the rocks that separated him from his tribemates' wandering eyes.
"Hold on!" screamed the vaporeon, silencing all the commotion. "Shouldn't we at least give him a chance to swear out of his Alpha birthright? Why shed blood if we don't have to."
"That's not a bad idea either," a second jolteon stated. The first one looked at him for a moment, then gave in with a nod.
"I'm all for it," Paige's mother stated.
"Yea! And if he declines, then we kill him!" shouted the male flareon.
"Yea!" shouted many of the eevee. The sharp tones of their voices cut sharply into Kieren's ears.
"Yea!" shouted the entire group. Every one of them, Kieren noticed. Not a single one of them failed to participate in the rising chant of bloodthirsty cheers and roars.
"What are we waiting for! Let's do this right now!" a young voice shouted.
"YEA!" the entire group shouted.
It clicked in Kieren's mind that he was suddenly in danger, huge danger. He was still fairly early in his training and knew he didn't stand a chance if he got discovered. Kieren glanced around looking for an escape route. He noticed that behind the rocks up the cliff stood part of the forest where he could easily hide.
He quickly tested his stealth and agility placing front-paw-back-paw on the cold jagged stones challenging his escape. He looked up and saw a large stone jutting out of the wall. He could either take a daring jump to reach its upper surface, or he could climb around it on the small jagged stones on either side. He decided to go left and grabbed onto the first small stone. It felt stable. He looked up at the forest, his mind racing with fear of the tribe that had cheered to kill him, rip him apart. It was unfathomable how sudden it came and how unprepared he was to die. He had to escape. They were coming! Fear grabbed a hold of his composure, and he took his next three steps quickly, scaling the wall. He was only a step and a leap away from freedom! Suddenly he felt movement in his back left leg. He quickly pushed it to a higher rock, but that rock immediately gave in on him. Completely off balance, he stepped down with his front right to help push up his weight, but the stone he chose again gave way. Having lost most of his support, his left paw failed its grasp. Kieren held his breath and fear-filled dreaded shock. He was falling! When the movement stopped, he looked up to see the angry faces that maliciously stared him down into the earth underneath him.
"Well speak of the devil," the female flareon, Paige's mother, stated maliciously.
Intense chills showered the eevee, discoloring his face and churning his neurons into pure panic. He needed to think fast and get out of there. He looked around, but all he could see were the angry malicious faces now drooling a deadly stare.
"Listen kid," spoke the male flareon as he walked up to Kieren's face. "We're put up with your father's antics and we want to do something about it. You got two choices: Swear to the tribe that you deny your birthright and will never become Alpha, or see the end of your life."
"I hate him too, you know," Kieren mumbled under his breath, hoping he could make them believe he also opposed his father's latest actions. He wasn't lying. His father had turned his life to hell, and now was no exception.
"We all do, but just because you say you hate him doesn't mean we are going to let you become our next Alpha!"
"You aren't serious?" Kieren squeaked, stumbling back.
Suddenly he found himself tumbling across the ground until his body pounded into a hard surface. Regaining his sense of balance, he looked up. He was now twenty feet away from where he was previously standing. He craned his neck to see that he had collided with a rock stained with blood.
His blood.
"I'm DEAD serious, kiddo," his attacker stated, marching towards him. "We're DEAD serious! So what's your preference? Swear or die?"
"Give him a minute to decide! There's no rush!" a jolteon shouted.
"Fine," Kieren's attacker gave in, retreating several steps. Kieren looked down at the ground, unsure of what to do. He had been a trembling mess just moments ago, but the impact had suddenly brought him to heightened senses and clear thinking. Despite this, he was still too young to make such a decision, especially as his head began pounding again from the impact. He felt dripping in his fur underneath his left ear.
"Kieren, don't swear," a voice whispered from behind him. Kieren turned towards the voice. "Don't give in…Be strong…" The owner of the voice had broken into tears. "Be strong…for me…"
The words were clear, yet confusing at the same time, disrupting all other train of thought Kieren had and leaving him so speechless all he could make out was her name.
"Kat."
"Time's up. Made up your mind yet?" Kieren faintly heard the words beneath the pounding of his head and the pain that began to take over. He stood silent, dazed by everything all happening at once. He was scared, terrified. He wanted to cry; pour out all his childhood innocence and leave the place. Perhaps he'd go to his mother and fall asleep in her fur. But that ship had already sailed, and Kieren knew now was not the time for emotions. He had to fight them back if he wanted to live another day.
"Make up your mind already," yelled Kieren's offender, who then went on to slap Kieren across the face with his paw. Almost instantaneously Kieren lowered his head and rammed his oppressor into a nearby rock. As soon as his opposition stood up, Kieren flung his tail and pounded his foe into the rock wall he had tried to climb earlier to escape. He looked up, fighting through the dizziness. Suddenly his vision cleared into intense focus as he glanced at Samantha's father. The flareon laid there, unconscious. Kieren glanced around, hoping he had opened an escape route, or perhaps gathered some respect from his sudden outburst. Where he had gotten such courage from, he had no idea, but as he glanced around, he saw nothing but hatred in the eyes of his tribe.
"Alright!" another member of the mob hissed, the female flareon. "You have had your fun, but we have had enough!" His new opposition charged towards him. Kieren attempted to counter but was blindsided by another member of the mob. Kieren again tried to retaliate and establish space, but was overpowered by a third from behind.
The pain rained. A clawed paw tore across his face, ripping into one of his nostrils and tearing his cheek. Another gashed his stomach. He managed to throw one of his enemies with his tail, but shortly after he felt fur and skin ripped away from his body. Kieren screeched as a part of himself was torn away from him, as air gushed into the open flesh and stung his exposed blood. Fire scorched his back and burned his fur. Electricity zapped his muscles stiff. His heart pounded with intense ferocity. His vision faded in and out in sync with his rasped, heavy breathing. He could feel the pulses of blood escaping through the gashes in his fur, acting like a timer ticking away until it ran out, signaling the end.
His death.
With the little strength he had left, he began to back away. The beating stopped. He now saw his tribe barking and snarling at him. He looked down. A trail of blood was flowing from his body as he retreated.
"What's going on!" a voice called. A few members of the mob turned towards the direction of the sound. "What are you doing to my cousin!"
"Trenton! Stay out of this!" the jolteon snapped.
"Trenton! HELP!" Kieren cried. The pain of his gashes was catching up to him as he broke into tears.
"Get away from him!" Trent cried. He attempted to dash forward but was swept to his side by a sudden blow.
"Stay out of this Trent!"
"NO! I am NOT going to let you KILL MY COUSIN!" Trent screamed. He repeated his endeavor of reaching Kieren but this time was held back by his rear right ankle.
"He refused to surrender his Alpha birthright! We are not going to let another Bluestripe devastate our tribe!"
"Trent!" Kieren cried as he watched Trent's jolteon suppressor crunch down on Trent's ankle. Trent shrieked in pain.
"TRENT!"
Trent was lifted in the air by his nearly broken ankle and was tossed away from the scene where he had entered.
"FINISH HIM ALREADY!"
"TRENT!"
The blow came, and Kieren found himself flying over the edge of the cliff. He was falling.
Falling.
Still falling.
It never stopped.
"Kieren? ...Kieren, are you alright?"
Kieren opened his eyes. Slowly the world's colors faded and formed into clear images. Before him was a tall pale human with pinkish red hair and a white hat with a plus sign on it. Next to her was an elated Melody who was quick to speak.
"Kieren! You're awake!" she cried joyfully.
Slowly, the memories of his previous adventures returned to Kieren: the ceremony, the tour through the city, the golf game, and Melody's final warning that had just touched his ears before everything went black. What he had just suffered in his mind was a dream ... a nightmare. A nightmare that he and Trent had once years ago ... somehow ... survived.
Author's Note: Yikes! Only two more weeks of chapters? Enjoy your summer. Ok? ~Dreaming I'm Latios