Chapter 3 – Tell me

Blade's eyes narrowed as he watched the battle-taking place below…

The Weavile raise it's claws and bared it's teeth menacingly, while his opponent, a proud Sawsbuck tapped the ground with its hoof aggressively, and bowed its head to show the Ice type it's horns…Almost as tall as it was and blossoming with pink flowers.

The spring form…the form taken in the mating season. The form taken when they were most aggressive.

Even despite the Sawsbuck's size, Blade had little doubt as to who would triumph.

"Pokémon like that always win," He muttered to himself bitterly.

In all of the years Blade had known him, only one Pokémon had ever won a battle with him…

Blade wondered briefly what had caused the fight. Food? Probably not, the humans that ran this place kept the Pokémon well fed. He guessed it has something to do with the Deerling grazing a little way away. Whatever it was, he quickly decided that he didn't care.

He just wanted to forget his father…

He climbed a little further up the tree and perched himself on a branch near the top…The highest branch he could find that would still take his wait and was facing away from the fight.

Blade folded his arms and closed his eyes. Not for the first time since arriving here, he contemplated what would happen to him. Would he really have to stay here for the rest of his life? Living, all by his lonesome, in this gilded cage the humans had convinced themselves was there to help the Pokémon trapped there.

Honestly, he would rather slit his throat and get it over with…Especially if he had to share the cage with…him!

He wondered where his friends had gone. Hikari was gone. Returned to his trainer. Would they ever see each other again? Blade doubted it. That knowledge made his heart hurt. He really liked that kid. How he wished they hadn't parted on such terms.

Then there was Pyre…No; he never wanted to see that traitor's piece of shit again. And he didn't care what had become of the Charmander.

And then there was Shadow…Blade hadn't seen the Darkrai since their return from Ultra Space. He hadn't even heard his voice in the back of his head through telepathy. He had no idea what had become of his mate, and it made his heart ache…

Shadow had been his anchor to this life. His reason to go on. If Shadow had gone from his life, then really what was the point in living?

And what about…

"Psst. Blade."

Blade heard someone whisper his name and felt a paw tap him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder to see… "Meowth?"

The scratch cat Pokémon was perched on another branch, just beside the one on which he was sitting, clinging to the trunk with his right claw. Funny, Blade had just been thinking about him.

'Speak of Giratina.'

"What are doing here?"

"I'm here for you bud," the scratch cat replied, slapping Blade on the shoulder with his free paw. "I take it, ya wanna get outta here."

"Yes," Blade gasped. "You got a plan…"

"Oh I've got a plan alright," Meowth replied, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"What, Oh."

Meowth lifted up his tail to reveal a white and red Pokéball clutched at the end. Blade groaned and cursed Meowth.

"Right!"

[Pokémon]

Meanwhile…

"Hunter get out of there," shouted an exasperated Cameron, into the hole in the trunk of the tree, the entrance to the secret base in which his Riolu had chosen to hide.

"Not coming out," was Hunter's stroppy reply.

Cameron groaned. "But you'll miss breakfast!"

"Don't want any breakfast!"

"Hunter I mean it!" Said Cameron, a note of annoyance creeping into his voice.

There was no rely.

"Just leave him," Lucario mumbled through a mouthful of Pokéchow. "He'll come out when he wants to."

Cameron shook his head. "Hunter. I'm your trainer and your parent and I'm telling you get your butt out of there," he shouted.

Once again, no reply.

"That's it. I'm coming in there." Cameron reached into the hole and tried to grab a hold of the naughty Riolu, only to withdraw it a second later with a squeal of pain. "Youch!" He held up his head, red and swollen where Hunter had bitten it. "Ahh. Who in the distortion world taught him to use secret power anyway?"

There was a murmur of laughter from Ash Jimmy, and the rest of the Pokémon.

"What the hell is his problem?" muttered Nova.

Ashachu's felt hot in the face. He took his eyes away from the tree and the secret base and onto his food bowl. "He just wants to be alone, leave him alone," he mumbled.

Nova snorted. "That Riolu's more a brat than I thought he was."

Ashachu bit back the retort he wanted to throw at Nova. He felt a short surge of anger before a wave of guilt washed over him. He was sure whatever had caused Hunter's sudden bout of surliness; it has something to do with him.

Something Sniveon suspected. "Did you two have a fight," she asked concernedly.

"I don't want to talk about it, right now," Ashachu replied. He was tired. He hadn't slept well last night at all, his sleep permeated by nightmares about a dark figure and sharp knife, until he had woken in a cold sweat and tears, clutching his tail.

He caught sight of Geyser, sitting nearby with Axew and Zoroark, watching the entrance to the secret base curiously. Those made him feel even more annoyed and fatigued. He wondered if he should go talk to Hunter, try and set things right.

They hadn't had a real conversation since Hunter gad caught Blade and him together…

Again, Sniveon seemed to read his mind. "Maybe if you tried talking to him…"

"Drop it," Ashachu snapped, a little more forcefully than he had intended.

She frowned at him. "Okay. No need to get so defensive. I'm only trying to help!"

"Well you aren't."

Nova snorted before folding his arms and shaking his head.

[Pokémon]

The hollowed out tree trunk didn't provide much space. Just enough for Hunter to sit down, with his legs folded and his back against the wall. But that didn't matter. He just wanted somewhere, where he could be alone.

Where he wouldn't have to face Geyser. Or Ashachu. Or deal with anybody when he was trying to deal with the confusing mixture of emotions swirling in his head. He still didn't know how he felt about any of it.

"It my heart I still love Ashachu," he mumbled to himself. "But, how can I be with him if he's not fully committed to me. And Geyser…"

He was still unsure how he felt about Geyser. The Dewott had always been so shy around him; he had never really gotten to know him. All he really knew is that he wasn't ready for the otter to confess his feelings to him, because had no idea how to respond.

"I definitely don't feel the same way about him as a did. As I do about Ashachu. But…"

Hunter thought of the dream he had had last night. How Geyser's small soft paws and caressed his sides and the feel of his kiss. The Riolu felt a shiver down his spine at the memory.

He took a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling of the secret base. It was made of leaves and allowed the sunlight to filter through.

"…Ah man. Suddenly all I can think about is…"

He shook his head, trying to clear it of the naughty images filling it. Of the Dewott's body. Of his soft thick fur. Of their bodies pressed together. Of…

"Ugh. Stop it!"

[Pokémon]

It was nearly time to go. Jimmy was packing up, while Ash and Cameron begun returning their Pokémon to their balls. The Pokémon had finished eating…well, most of the Pokémon. Ashachu's bowl was still half full. He didn't feel hungry.

"Hmm you haven't eat much Ashachu," Jimmy commented as he picked up the bowl. "That's strange. I've never seen a Pokémon not finish their food before. Hey Ash!" He pulled the tub of Pokéchow out of his bag to return the unfinished food.

Ashachu slunk away. He knew that Ash and Pikachu would probably freak out. Make a fuss over him. Wonder why he hadn't eaten. But before Jimmy could tell Ash anything, something happened…something that started when Ashachu noticed Geyser over by the tree where Hunter had made his secret base…

Cameron knocked on the tree trunk and shouted, "Hunter, we're leaving. Get your butt out of there."

Again there was no response.

"Hunter I…"

"Hunter." He was interrupted by a soft voice calling out his pup's name. "Hunter, are you okay in there?"

Hunter didn't reply but he did let out a little whimper.

"I'm coming inside, okay."

Geyser was about to stick his head into the entrance, when…

ZAP!

A powerful electric shock struck him between the shoulder blades, causing him to keel over backwards.

"Oh my," Cameron gasped.

For a moment Geyser's vision turned yellow as he convulsed with pain. But the shock quickly passed and he jumped back to his paw and whipped around to find himself confronted by an extremely angry Ashachu.

He let out a low groan. "Ashachu. Not this again."

"I thought I told you to stay away from him, you fucking otter," Ashachu growled.

"And I told you that I'm a free Pokémon and I'll do what I like," replied Geyser calmly. "And if I want to talk to Hunter I'm allowed to. Okay I didn't tell you that, but I'm telling you know."

"He's my mate," Ashachu hissed, a powerful rage coursing through him. Oh how he longed to strike Geyser. To shock him, to bite him. To make sure he never went near Hunter again. "You keep the fuck away from him."

Geyser was equally as pissed. Just where did Ashachu get off telling him he couldn't speak to Hunter. "Ashachu, you have no right to tell me. Or Hunter. That we can't speak to each other. Now fuck off, or you'll get hurt."

"Pikachuuu!"

"Dewwwott!"

Ashachu attacked first, firing another bolt of lighting at Geyser. Geyser reacted quickly, countering with a water gun attack. The attacks met in mid air and exploded in a cloud of steam.

Fortunately, before either Pokémon could attack again, their trainer was on them. Ash ran over and grabbed Ashachu by the scruff of his neck, and raised him up to face height.

"Ashachu! Geyser! What the heck do you think you're playing at?"

Ashachu stared into Ash's face, full of fury. He had never the kid so angry before. He sighed. He was sure what was coming next would not be pleasant!

A/N: Happy election day to my American readers. Don't forget to Pokémon Go to the polls