After Leafpool had eaten, they met up with Fireheart's parents and brothers, and, once again, continued on their quest.
Leafpool kept throwing glances over her shoulder as they walked.
"What's wrong?" Fireheart prompted.
The Leafeon hesitated as she answered, "It's just that... once we get back to the Daycare; it's next to impossible that I'll see Cinder again; we never told him where we were going."
"Don't say that. You thought that before, and we still met up with him." her mate pointed out.
"You didn't let me finish. Even if he did find us, I wouldn't want him there. If he hurt anyone else, I couldn't live with myself for letting him stay..."
"Leafpool..." Fireheart murmured, gently rubbing her cheek.
Leafpool shied away from his touch. "Not now, Fireheart... I...just want some time alone..." she whispered. She increased her pace, leaving Fireheart with a stunned expression.
Needlefur barely overheard this, and, as Leafpool sped up, the Jolteon turned to her mate. "I'll be right back." she told him under her breath. She dropped back to Fireheart's side. "It's all right." she comforted him. "Leafpool's just a little upset right now. You remind her of Cinder, remember?"
"I know..." he answered. "She hasn't been the same since the last run-in with Team Galactic, though."
"I know." Needlefur patiently responded. "The best thing you can do right now is just be there for her when she needs it, and give her some time alone when she needs it. She'll come around soon." Needlefur gave her worried son a quick lick on one ear and padded back up to Torrentpaw.
What his mother had said to him whirled around in the Flareon's mind. "I guess you're right, Mom..." he muttered, almost unable to hear it himself. "But I miss the old Leafpool... I feel like I barely know her anymore..."
Sapphire tapped Rustfur's shoulder with her tail, interrupting their conversation. "I don't want to worry you, but it looks like whatever was bothering your mom has rubbed off on your dad."
"Please tell me you're kidding." Rustfur looked at her pleadingly.
"I'm afraid not, Rustfur." Sapphire answered, nodding in Fireheart's direction.
"Great..." Rustfur sighed. "I wish I could do something to cheer them up."
"Have you ever taken time the time to think about yourself, Rusty?" Sapphire inquired.
"I can't say that I have. Why?"
"I always see you caring for other Pokemon, be it your parents or myself. Never you though.
Rustfur blinked unable of how to respond to Sapphire's flattering comment. "I take it that's a good thing?"
Sapphire giggled. "Sometimes you can be so dense, Rusty."
"Thanks..." Rustfur snorted.
Sapphire lightly butted him in the shoulder. "Oh, come on, Rustfur, you know I'm just kidding. It's a good thing that you care about other Pokemon the way that you do. Most Pokemon only look out for themselves, myself included; at least, before I met you." she finished, whispering into his ear. "Take it from me, Rusty, that's not how you want to live. You can't trust anyone, and you don't get any friends." She paused and stared straight into the Espeon's calming violet eyes, then continued, "And, worst of all, you can't have a mate." She delicately traced a line down Rustfur's back with her tail.
Rustfur shivered, and not just from the feather-like touch of the tail being drawn gently down his spine. It was the way Sapphire had said "mate." He knew she had been referring to him when she'd said that. He also knew that Sapphire had already agreed to be his mate, but the way she had stared into his eyes had stunned him. He swallowed, feeling his heartbeat quicken. "I-I guess you c-couldn't..."
Sapphire smiled at Rustfur's glazed expression. She waved her tail in front of his face. "Rusty?"
Nothing.
By chance, Fireheart threw a glance over hs shoulder and saw Sapphire guiding his son as they walked. He dropped back to see why. "What's wrong, Sapphire?"
Sapphire laughed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Fireheart. I did it again. I can't get through to him."
"Again?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry."
"Sapphire, I think you might know Attract."
"What's that?" the Leafeon wondered.
"Hold on." Fireheart lightly flicked his fluffy tail across his son's nose.
"A-a-aachoo!"
Sapphire flinched a little as Rustfur sneezed.
"Anyway Sapphire, Attract is a move that lets you force another Pokemon to look at you like Rustfur was. Half of the time, they won't attack."
"Why's that?" Rustfur chimed in.
"Your father thinks I know Attract." Sapphire explained.
"What is that, Dad?"
Again Fireheart explained houw Attract functioned, not at all expecting Rustfur's reaction.
"What!? Are you serious!?"
"What's the matter, Rusty?"
"I don't want you to use that attack, Sapphire!"
"What? Why?" Sapphire was startled by the Espeon's tone of voice.
Fireheart knew the answer, but let his son explain.
"If what my dad said is right, than what Attract does is make another Pokemon fall in love with you! I'm not sure I could handle seeing another Pokemon look at you like that, Sapphire."
Suddenly Sapphire knew what Fireheart already did. "Rusty, are...are you jealous?"
"Rustfur didn't directly meet her eyes. "Yes..." he muttered.
"Rustfur, that's very sweet that you feel that way. Don't worry, you are the only one I love. But if it makes you feel better, I won't use Attract unless I really have to. I'm not sure I'd even know how to use it."
"I would probably require some kind of gentle physical contact." Fireheart put in.
"How would she do that in a battle? Her opponent wouldn't let her close enough." Rustfur pointed out.
"I think she would have to meet their eyes, and -"
"That settles it!" Rustfur cut off his father. "You are never using that move, Sapphire." Rustfur laughed.
Fireheart joined in the pair's laughter. "Come on, you two, let's keep moving." The Flareon gently nudged them forward.
Rustfur decided that now was as good a time as any to see what was bothering his father.
"Dad?"
"Yes, Rustfur?"
"Are you and Mom angry with each other?"
"No, Rustfur. I'm not angry at your mother, nor her with me. She just needs a little time to herself, well, because..."
"Because you remind her of Cinder..." Sapphire solemnly finished.
"Exactly, Sapphire." Fireheart nodded. "That's the exact reason. Not until she's able to look at me and not see Cinder in me, will things be back to normal. Who knows how long that will take..." he muttered, hanging his head.
"Dad..." Rustfur's eyes softened and he edged closer to his father. Is there something I can do?"
"I'm not sure, Rustfur. My mother told me that all I could do was just be there for her when she needed it." Fireheart told his son.
"If you think of anything, tell me, okay, Dad?"
"Thanks, Rustfur. I'll do that." Fireheart smiled. "You certainly do have your mother's sensitive side."
Sapphire sniffed a little. "I wish I knew if my mother had a sensitive side." she whispered.
"Swiftclaw and Rayne might know." Rustfur suggested.
"Why would they know anything?" the Leafeon asked, failing to hide the excitement in her voice.
"Swiftclaw met your father, and most likely your mother, too."
"How do you know that, Rustfur?"
"Did you notice that whenever your father used any kind of psychic ability, he closed his eyes?"
Sapphire nodded. "Yes, I've also noticed that you do that, too."
"So has Swiftclaw. As far as he knows, your father and I are the only Espeons that can do that."
"And to know that...means he had to have met my father!" Sapphire exclaimed. "Come on, let's go talk to him!" she called back to Rustfur, as she bounded forward.
Fireheart laughed to himself, watching his son sprint after the energetic Leafeon. "I wish I still had that kind of energy."
"Swiftclaw! Swiftclaw!"
"Something tells me that Sapphire wants your attention." Rayne whispered into the Espeon's ear.
Swiftclaw looked back over his shoulder; sure enough, Sapphire was racing towards him. "Something tells me you're right." he quickly whispered back.
"Swiftclaw, Rustfur tells me that you've met my father. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is. The same for your mother, as well."
"Really!? What was she like!?"
"Calm down, Sapphire." Swiftclaw chuckled. "Give me a chance to think." The Espeon briefly closed his eyes in concentration, then went on. "She was, kind, caring, and very motherly. Not too unlike Leafpool, actually."
"Sorry for interrupting, but are you talking about that Umbreon that you and I met a while back?" Rayne threw a questioning glance at Swiftclaw.
"Yes, I am. Why?"
"What's that Umbreon have to do with-" A look of realization spread across Rayne's face as she recalled the Umbreon, her belly swollen with unborn life. "That Umbreon was Sapphire's mother, wasn't she, Swiftclaw!?" Rayne's eyes went wide with astonishment. "And that Espeon was her father, right?"
"Yes, it was." Swiftclaw answered calmly.
"Oooh! What were their names again?" Rayne squinted as she tried to think of the pair's names.
"Gemini and Luna." Rustfur easily answered.
"That was it! Thank you, Rustfur. Wait, how do you know that, anyway?" Rayne asked.
Should I tell her about my dreams? Rustfur asked Sapphire.
Up to you. Sapphire answered simply.
"Sapphire's parents have visited us in several of my dreams."
"Us? You mean to say that you and Sapphire shared those dreams?"
Rustfur nodded. "We've had conversations in those dreams, and remembered them later."
"How?"
Rustfur let out a small, almost unnoticeable sigh; Sapphire wanted to know about her mother, and here he was, explaining their unique connection. "Sapphire and I have a special link that comes from being born on the same night under the same blue moon."
"You, Rayne, of all Pokemon should know the connection that twins share." Swiftclaw flicked the Vaporeon with his tail.
"You're twins, too?" Rayne seemed stunned.
"More or less." Rustfur responded, "after all, we did have different parents." The young Espeon emphasized the last word, hoping that Rayne would catch his hint and resume talking about Sapphire's mother.
No such luck...
Swiftclaw got it, though. "Can you remember anything else about Luna, Rayne? I'm at a loss."
"Oh, uh..." The Vaporeon flicked her tail in concentration. "Actually, yes, I can remember something."
Sapphire's ears stood straight up. "What?"
"Luna seemed extremely protective. In fact, she actually attacked me to defend you."
"Well, now we know where you got your fighting skills, Sapphire." Rustfur lightly nudged the Leafeon's shoulder.
Sapphire giggled slightly. "Yeah, that sounds just like my mom, at least from what my dad told me."
"Of course," Rayne continued, "I couldn't fight back, because, well, I wasn't going to risk injuring her or you. Thankfully, Gemini calmed her down before she seriously wounded me."
"She was fighting that fiercely, while Sapphire was inside her?" Rustfur asked, astonished.
"What would you expect, Rustfur? My mother didn't know Rayne. She was just protecting me."
"That's true, Sapphire." Swiftclaw agreed. "But I hadn't ever seen that level of ferocity from any other Pokemon. There was no doubt; Luna was fighting to kill." he finished bluntly.
"Though she was positive that we were from Team Galactic. That was probably why." Rayne stated.
"Did you just say..." Rustfur broke off mid-sentence.
"Team Galactic?" Sapphire finished. "How did my parents know who they were!?" she demanded, her cerulean eyes flashing agressively.
The Vaporeon flinched at yet another display of Sapphire's volatile temper. "I-I don't know; neither one of them would tell me."
"Oh... Sorry, Rayne." Sapphire apologized. "I just hadn't expected my parents to be at all involved with those idiots..." she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
Rustfur could sense something stirring in the back of Sapphire's mind. "Could you give us a moment?" he asked Swiftclaw.
The older Espeon nodded. "Let's give them a little privacy, Rayne."
"What's the matter, Sapphire?" Rustfur asked.
"I'll tell you a little later." the Leafeon promised him. "Right now, just let me borrow you, all right?" Sapphire rested her head on the Espeon's shoulder, without waiting for an answer.
"Of course you can, Sapphire. Keep it as long as you need." He smiled at her gently.
A short time passed before Sapphire quietly spoke up. "Rustfur?"
"Yes, Sapphire? What is it?"
"Could you cut our connection for a little while? I want some time in my own thoughts, if that's okay."
While he had been training, Rustfur had learned how to block his telepathic link with Sapphire, if either of them ever wanted a little privacy, as was the case now. "That's all right, Sapphire. I'll close it for a while." It took but a moment for the Espeon to cut their link. If felt strange not feeling Sapphire's mind within his own.
I hope you're able to talk about this soon, Sapphire...
Of course, Sapphire couldn't hear him. I can't believe that my parents knew who Team Galatic was... I wonder why my father didn't tell me? Was there anything else he didn't tell me?
________________________________________________________________
Author's Notes:
Now we start to see a little bit of the plot that will carry over to ST.
Oh, I meant to say this back in 36, but that conversation that Rustfur and Sapphire
had with Luna, where she described that injury was alluding to a contest entry I
did over on dA, entitled, "Love of the Heavens."
To those who don't feel like waiting to read chapters that I have not yet posted,
allow me to refer you to my deviantArt page under the same name; "Eeveexpert".