The Rescue (Part 1)

I awoke with a start.  They had thought of everything.  They knew that the Legendaries might come to the rescue, so they created situations that called for their help more urgently elsewhere.  I dove into the water, swimming towards the surface.  Maybe Raikou or Entei could finish with their planned disaster quickly.  Suicune had said that it would take at least another day to solve the oil spill.  Clover would have that much longer to wait for massive assistance.

I surfaced in a leap, landing on the ground.  Surf looked at me hopefully.  "Well?"

I shook my head.  "More bad news.  Suicune is busy with an oil spill over a reef.  It's threatening a lot of Pokemon."  Surf looked down in disappointment.  "I said that the lives of all of those Pokemon outweigh Clover's needs right now.  The weird part is, I think they were set up."

Umbreon looked at me in confusion.  "Set up?  How?"

I sat down.  "Suicune and I both agreed.  Don't you think it's a little odd that, according to him, all three Legendaries just happened to be needed at three different disasters almost exactly when this whole thing started?"

Espeon sat down next to Umbreon, her belly bulging a bit at this point.  "No way that's a coincidence."

Just then, Bolt and Inferno came running out of their rock den.  Both started talking at once.  I held my tail up for silence, then looked at Inferno.  "I couldn't get a hold of Entei at all.  I mean, we're not exactly best buddies like Bolt and Raikou are, but I appeared at the hot, boulder-strewn place we met that one time.  He didn't show."

Bolt led off of his best friend.  "I was able to meet Raikou, same as always, but it took him a bit to show up.  As if that weren't weird enough, he said he had an emergency to take care of.  Even after I told him about Clover, he said that he needed to finish this up first!  He'd come as soon as he could, but..."

I nodded.  "Yeah, same thing happened with Suicune.  Some oil spill out over a populated reef.  I think they were set up."

Inferno's eyes went wide.  "So that they couldn't help us!?"

I looked out towards the forest.  "More like they couldn't help anyone.  I seriously doubt that anyone outside of this clan and the trio themselves know about our connection.  They tried to stop the Legendaries once, they're doing it again.  Indirectly, this time.  Plus, if they're targeting Leafeons, this would kind of fall outside their jurisdiction..."

Snow finally spoke.  "Then why stop them at all?"

Umbreon looked at her.  "My guess is, whatever they're doing there is so horrible, the Legendaries would come no matter what type they're doing it to."

Snow's eyes filled with tears.  "Clover..." she whimpered before running into her bush den.

Espeon looked at her mate chasteningly.  "That wasn't the right thing to say."

Umbreon looked back at her.  "It was most likely the truth."

I shook my head.  "Regardless, we need a new plan."

Clover woke up in her cage again.  All of her flowers had been torn out.  The sand was disturbed.  There was only one berry in the corner for her to eat.  On the bright side, her water had been replaced.  A door opened.  She head squealing.  It sounded like that of another Leafeon.  It couldn't have been Soursap, as she'd taken to calling the brown-leafed Leafeon.  The screams were too high and clear.

Thinking quickly, Clover flopped back down on her destroyed garden, pretending to be unconscious again.  She carefully kept one eye open a crack, trying to see what was happening.  The man with the Mandibuzz strode into the room, with his demonic bird Pokemon sitting on his shoulder.  Sure enough, the man was gripping a struggling Leafeon in one hand.  He opened one of the cages between Clover and Soursap and shoved the Leafeon inside.  Then, he slammed the door shut and locked it.

As the man strode towards the door, it opened again.  A familiar smelling Liepard walked into the room alongside her trainer.  The two horrible men began talking.  "How'd testing go?"

"Not as well as I'd hoped.  7d's legs are paralyzed.  It can only use the back ones now."

"Hit a muscle?"

"Yeah.  Last one before the boss cuts my funding.  Gotta make 7e work."

"You'll find a way.  Liepard's already clawed some sense into it, so I think it should behave itself..."

Clover almost had a small heart attack.  Was 7e her?  What were they planning on doing to her?  The Leafeon they just brought in couldn't use her front legs!?  What were they doing!?  What were they planning on doing to her?

As if sensing her fear, Terror put her paws up on the edge of Clover's cage.  "Hello, Clover," she purred silkily.  "Glad to see you up so late."

Clover froze.  How did she know that Clover was awake?  Terror tilted her head.  Feeling no other option, Clover whispered.  "Late?"

"Mmm-hmm.  You've been out for the whole day.  I must have given you quite a fright yesterday..." she purred as she casually pulled a strip off of one of her claws with her teeth. 

Clover remained on the floor of her prison, trying to avoid detection from the two horrible men.  "You mean...  It's been three days?"

"...Yes."

"My clan still hasn't come for me..." Clover said aloud without meaning to. 

"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but they aren't coming," Terror meowed bluntly.  Clover turned her head to look at her in horror.  Snow wouldn't rest until Clover was safe!  When the scared Leafeon didn't respond, Terror continued.  "This building is impenetrable.  Once, the humans here even captured the Legendary Trio.  No way your friends could get in.  Even if they could, they'd never get out."

"Not Raikou," Clover automatically corrected.  Terror raised an eyebrow.  That was the biggest reaction Clover had ever gotten out of the Liepard.  "...And he helped the other two escape," Clover finished uncertainly.  She only hoped that Terror couldn't tell when someone was lying like Umbreon could...

"You know this how?"

Clover froze.  "...Snow told me," she finally finished.

Terror gave her a peculiar look.  "I'll buy that for now.  I'll come back and ask again when you wake up."

Another jolt of fear swept through Clover.  "Wake up?"

Terror smiled.  "Why yes.  You're 7e.  The humans need you to experiment on.  That's why I'm here.  To make sure that you behave."  The horrible men walked up behind Terror, who let herself fall back onto four paws.  "Just do what they tell you, and we won't have to have another run around the maze."

Clover certainly didn't want that.  Then again, she didn't want these humans touching her at all.  Which was worse?  Even if she picked Terror over the men, they'd almost certainly try again.  At some point, she'd have to give in. 

There was one other option she could try...

"Fight me!" Clover shouted, leaping to her paws.  She knew Aura Sphere, and if she could win, it might afford her a chance to escape!

Terror growled with a hint of amusement.  "And why would I do that?"

"I'm scared to death of you and these despicable humans!  One of my friends is going to have kits soon!  And I need to be there to help her!  And, most importantly, I need my clan and they can't help me!" Clover shouted, letting all of her fears show.

Surprisingly, Terror paused, then nodded.  Her trainer nodded.  "Get it, Liepard.  Don't hurt it too badly, though."

Not believing this was actually happening, Clover jumped down, feeling her paws touch the unnaturally smooth and sterile floor.  She squared her stance, swishing her tail.  Terror took her place opposite her, taking a more relaxed position.  She paused, waiting for Clover to make the first move.  The size difference made Clover feel slightly uneasy.  Nonetheless, Clover waited out the stare down.

Finally, Clover fired Aura Sphere.  Terror easily bounded over it, using Slash on Clover's flank.  Clover quickly used Leaf Blade as Terror passed her, giving the Liepard her own slash on her side.  Just as quickly, Terror used Dark Pulse, but Clover barely managed to dodge, returning the attack with another Aura Sphere.  This time, Terror rolled to avoid the attack, using Hone Claws.

Just as Clover began using Dig, a sharp pain suddenly hit her shoulder.  She yelped, looking at what caused the pain.  What appeared to be a pink feather on a long metal splinter was stuck in her shoulder.  Clover pulled it out irritably.  It hadn't done any damage...

Terror made a wide swipe at Clover again with Slash, one that Clover should have been easily able to avoid.  But for some reason, her reactions were dulled.  She barely dove out of the way.  Even then, it was hard for her to get back up.  By the time she was steady on her paws again, her Aura Sphere failed.  How did that work?  Clover became unsteady on her paws.  She stumbled and fell over.  Her vision hazed.  What was wrong with her?

The two men walked over to her.  She tried to use Leaf Blade to defend herself, but could barely lift her tail, let alone attack.  The men scooped her off the ground, and put her in a cage.  Clover could barely think.  All she saw was Terror's expression of indifference before she passed out.

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Hello, dear readers!  For some reason or another, my comments section is acting up today, so I'm commenting here.  This does not mean, on any level, that you should not comment.  It's just my internet.  I have had a serious lacking in comments for quite a while, so COMMENT, PEOPLE!!  I want to see something here!! 

As far as Clover goes... I honestly feel so sorry for her.  I'm feeling all the things she is feeling, and I hope you are, too.  Will the Clan be able to get to her in time?  Will the Legendaries be able to help?  Will Splash and the gang get captured as well?  Does Terror have other motives?  And, the most burning question of all, what do these mad scientists have in mind for Clover?

Comment, comment, comment, follow, follow, follow, and share this blog with everyone you know!!

~Chief

P.S.  Some things I wish I owned, but don't:  Pokemon, Harry Potter, NCIS, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Castle, Pokemon, The Big Bang Theory, Super Mario, a horse, Pokemon, and my sister's level 100 Cresselia that she got in a wonder trade.