I stared at the white walls, the open ground, the barren soil. Entei's hole in the wall was fixed. None of us moved or spoke. Umbreon had fallen silent again. How could we contend with these forces? I finally mustered up the strength to speak again. "Back to camp. Now. Hurry," I said in a quiet whisper.
Snow crashed head-on into Inferno, who let out a small "Oof!" as he was knocked over. I barely managed to skid to a stop in front of Surf, who was running to greet us.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he shouted as I hit the ground and he jumped over me in a perfectly timed maneuver. "What's the matter? Something after you? You look terrified."
I stood back up, panting. "No, Surf, it's worse."
Bolt piped up. "Did you lose Clover?"
"Worse," I said tersely. "We found her."
Inferno cocked his head. "What does that mean?" he asked critically.
I looked him with dead seriousness. "We tracked the pack. I was right, the Mandibuzz was there, too. But the worse part of it is... She's there."
Bolt and Inferno looked at each other, Inferno with fear, Bolt with concern. Inferno looked at me. "Well... What do we do?"
"Conference," I said. "Now!"
We rushed to sit in the meeting circle, the empty spot for Clover still present. I tore my eyes from it and started. "This is a serious problem."
Bolt stood up quickly. "I have a solution."
Everyone turned their eyes to him. Umbreon spoke with a hint of criticism. "What would that be?"
Bolt turned to face him, gravely serious. "Simple. Splash, Inferno, and I take a nap."
Espeon nodded. "I move for that to happen immediately. We need the help."
Snow nodded in agreement. "If there was ever a time, it would be now."
I stood up. "Are we all in agreement?" All other Eevees nodded. "Good. The Clan moves for the assistance. Bolt, Inferno, den. I will do the same. Espeon, help us fall asleep faster." She nodded solemnly. With that, Bolt and Inferno dashed off towards their rock den while I dove into the pond, swimming up into my den and jumping into my bed, turning in a circle, and laying down. Where it probably would have taken hours for me to get any sleep normally in this situation, Espeon's power made me fall asleep in a few minutes. Soon, we'd go and save Clover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I opened my eyes again on the shore of the familiar clear lake. I took a steadying breath. "SUICUNE!" I called loudly. For a few seconds, he didn't appear. "SUICUNE!" I called again, getting nervous. Again, no one came. "Suicune?" I asked quietly, starting to give up hope. "I need you..." I said, now talking to no one but myself. Suicune had never stood me up before. I had spoken to him not 3 days ago. Why wasn't he here?
I waited for a few more seconds before slowly turning around, my tail dragging on the ground. He wasn't coming. I started trudging sluggishly away from the lake, back towards the distant forest that would wake me up. I'd have to figure this out on my own. Hopefully, Inferno or Bolt could get Entei or Raikou to help.
"SPLASH!" a regal voice shouted from across the lake. I turned back around. He was there! Suicune was racing towards me at full stride, so fast that I could barely see him in motion. His majestic power put me in awe as always. He seemed grim, yet determined. "Splash! Don't go! I'm here!" he called. I raced back to the lake shore, meeting him on the sand where the miniscule waves lapped at my paws as the Aurora Pokemon swept up to me like the North Wind he was said to embody.
He stopped perfectly, right next to me. "I don't have much time," he said seriously. "I only came because you said you needed me. I don't have time for idle banter today."
"I didn't come for idle banter," I said quickly. "What's got you in such a rush?"
He remained standing, unlike most of our meetings, when he would lie down to stay on my level. "There is an oil spill over a reef. A lot of Water Type Pokemon are in danger. I was in the midst of purifying the water when you called. I assumed you needed something, since you called me in the middle of the day, so I took a minute. What's the problem?" he asked quickly, but calmly.
I looked him right in the eye. "Clover's been taken. Normally, I would handle this myself, but-"
"Nonsense," he said, finally laying down beside me. "You were right to call me, then. Try and find out where she is while I finish at the reef. Then, I'll come and help you rescue her," he said comfortingly.
"We know where she is. That's where the problem lies," I said with trepidation. "She's... you know. There."
Suicune's red eyes filled with hatred. "Those humans..." he growled. "I despise them so. Insolent, impudent, disrespectful, hateful humans!" he snarled, making me draw back a step. He looked at me. "I'm sorry, Splash. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just despise humans like that... And they have Clover... I doubt they want her for ordinary purposes. We need to get to her as soon as possible."
"No," I said, surprising both myself and Suicune. "The Pokemon on the reef need your help more. There are more lives in danger there. Clover would be the first one to agree."
Suicune nodded thoughtfully. "Very noble, Splash. I admire that." I smiled. Suicune looked away and frowned. "You know..." he began, his powerful voice tinged with suspicion. "...Raikou and Entei also had emergencies that they had to take care of. I thought nothing of it at the time, but now..."
I spoke what I guessed he was thinking. "Was this set up?"
Clover froze. The strange voice didn't speak again. For several minutes Clover didn't move or speak. Finally, she whispered in a barely audible voice. "Who's there?"
It took a few seconds for the voice to respond. "I'm in the next cage over. A Leafeon, like you," it said in a grating voice.
Clover forced up the courage to respond. "Wh- Why do you sound so weird?"
The strange Leafeon spoke again after a few seconds. "The humans did things to me. I'm permanently blind, my leaves are wilted, I'm tired all the time, and I seem to have two tails." He sounded tired already, just from their conversation.
Sadness and horror crept over Clover, and she took a step towards the door of her cage, being careful not to get too close to her thorny plants. "Who are you?" she asked quietly. It seemed wrong to talk loudly.
"I don't have a name. Just a number," the Leafeon said listlessly. "7a. There was a 7b, but he died a short while ago, after the humans did something to him, too."
Clover could think of nothing to say. This was horrible! They might try and do something to her, too! "I have to escape!" she said desperately.
"There is no escape!" the Leafeon said again. "I've tried! It's hopeless. I've been here for months, at the least, years at the most. I've lost all track on time."
Clover shook her head, refusing to believe it. "No. I have a Clan. They'll come and save us, you'll see! And Snow! Snow's my best friend. She'll do anything to help me," Clover said, confident in her Clan's abilities.
"Keep thinking that," the other Leafeon said, without any hope.
That upset Clover. One should always have at least a smidgen of optimism. And how could he doubt Snow like that!? Another thought struck Clover, one that excited her. The Legendary Trio! That's probably what Splash and Snow had in mind. If anyone could help Clover, it was Snow, Splash, Raikou, Entei and Suicune! She started to say so, but then recalled that the three had sworn the Clan to secrecy unless absolutely necessary. She could tell the buzz-kill Leafeon later. Right now, she had to get out of this cage.
Suddenly, a door opened. Clover dove into her makeshift flower den, quivering in fear. The smell of a human washed over her. "Well," a cold human's voice said. "Isn't this cute." There was the click of the latch on Clover's cage being opened. Clover shrunk further into her shelter. "Heeeeere, Leafeon..." the scary man crooned mockingly. Clover didn't move, hardly daring to breathe. "Ok, then," the man said, taking a step back. Clover heard him release a Pokemon from its Pokeball. "Find it, Liepard," the human commanded.
Clover felt the sand move beneath her feet a bit as the predatory cat Pokemon searched for Clover. Thinking quickly, she quietly built up an Aura Sphere, then waited until the Liepard got a bit closer. It hissed in annoyance as it encountered Clover's thorny plants. Finally, it reached the flower den.
Clover released Aura Sphere, knocking the Liepard away. As it fell to the floor, Clover mad a mad dash for the cage door, leaping from the edge towards the floor. Halfway through her fall, the human caught her, putting his sterile hands around her tightly! Clover screeched in terror, failing wildly and trying to use Leaf Blade, but to no avail. The human just squeezed the breath out of her, then started walking, Liepard by his side. He turned to look at his Pokemon as he walked. "Good girl, Liepard. This one's feisty. You'll have fun with her..." Clover almost passed out in terror.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then cold human finally arrived at a small fenced in area with many twists and turns, like a small maze. He forcefully threw Clover inside, causing her to hit one of the walls and see stars for a second. She heard the door open, and the human's voice saying "Go get it."
Clover stood up, trying to clear her head. She couldn't see the exit or the Liepard. She'd have to navigate the maze, and hope she found the first before the second. Just as she started walking in one direction, the Liepard appeared right in front of her! She swished her tail and purred silkily. "Hello, lunch."
Clover turned tail and fled as fast as she possibly could. As she rounded a corner, there it was again! "Oh, don't run away! Make this easy for me!" she purred as she pounced at Clover, long claws extended. Clover tried to change direction, but slipped on the metal floor, giving her foe a chance to slash at Clover's tail, tearing her leaf tail. She squealed and raced on, around corners, down walkways, around bends, not sure of where she was running, nor caring. A few seconds later, the Liepard reappeared again! "At least tell me your name, lunch!" she said before swiping at Clover flank as she turned a corner. Luckily, the claws missed. The Liepard appeared at the next bisection as well, this time aiming a bite at Clover's legs. "Tell me!"
"Clover!" Clover squeaked as she turned the other way, feeling the air quiver where the Liepard's teeth snapped shut on empty air.
"What a cute name, lunch..." the Liepard growled as Clover raced away. "The others here call me Terror." An apt name, Clover thought as Terror reappeared next to her. "Well... enough with the formalities. I'm hungry."
Clover screamed and ran. She didn't care where, she just wanted out! Terror seemed to be everywhere at once! Clover caught glimpses of the hunter all around the maze! She was off to the left! No, there she was on the right! Right behind her! Around that corner! Behind that wall! She was closing in! Pawsteps from behind her! She was catching up! Just as Clover started to increase her pace, Terror leaped over a wall in front of her, landing silently. Clover was going too fast to change directions! She slipped on the metal floor landing on her side and sliding right to Terror's paws. "Well..." Terror purred as Clover shut her eyes and tried to brace herself for the killing blow. "That's convenient..." the Liepard purred, dragging a single claw down Clover's body, freaking Clover out even more. "This was fun, Clover, but I have things to do." With that, Terror lunged towards Clover's neck with her fangs bared...
And grabbed Clover's scruff.
At which point, Clover fainted from fright.
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