Inferno ran to the edge of the den's roof, despite Surf's warnings. "Bolt's being overrun!" he shouted. "His distraction is working too well!"
Seeming to realize this himself, Bolt backed up on his branch, looking for an exit as the Mightyenas tried to climb the tree to get to him. Bolt took one look at the pack of ferocious dog Pokemon and ran, using his skill set to the max as he bounded from tree to tree with amazing agility.
A Staraptor's cry pierced the air behind us. "LOOK OUT!" Streak screeched just before the Mandibuzz swooped in and snatched Inferno. For the fourth time that day, however, his fluff protected him from any serious damage. Streak lived up to his name as he and Night flew after them with astonishing speed.
"Streak! Night! Get back!" I yelled. "Inferno! GO!"
Whatever the Mandibuzz was expecting, it wasn't Discharge.
Barely managing to stay in the air (that's one tough bird Pokemon), she released Inferno, dropping him to the ground near the humans. She then let out a raucous screech as the Flareon tried to sneak away, causing several humans to turn around and spot Inferno.
Inferno shot Flamethrower over his shoulder and ran as fast as his paws would carry him. I couldn't tear my eyes away as Bolt zipped by in a tree parallel to his best friend... and then as a quick Gliscor that was pursuing the Jolteon cut down the tree he was in.
My paws were rooted to the spot as Bolt fell next to Inferno, both where they could be easily attacked. They took one look at each other, then blew up. Bolt zipped away with a recharge, and Inferno turned to fight with the power-up.
Espeon's voice sounded in my head as Streak, Night, and the Mandibuzz met in mid-air, clashing a spectacular display of prowess. Splash, we're clear! That may not be safe for Bolt or Inferno, but Snow and I have a perfect clearance to the den! How do you want to do this?
I though for a moment before speaking aloud so that Surf and Umbreon could hear me as well. "Listen, I know this is unsafe, but those two can hold their own. We need to continue with the plan and save Clover."
Everyone nodded their assent. Umbreon trotted to the edge of the roof where the metal plate was. As Surf and I followed suit, the grate glowed blue before popping off the wall, exposing a rectangular hole that was perfectly Eevee-sized. I looked at the two males stranding next to me. "Umbreon, can you get in without Espeon's help?"
He nodded seriously. "It'll definitely be more difficult, but I can manage." With that, he leaned over the edge. Helping out as much as I could, I grabbed the end of his tail in my teeth and braced my paws. Umbreon mumbled thanks as he took all four paws off of the roof, trusting me to hold his weight before finding the opening with his front paws. "Ok," grunted to me. "I've got it. You can let go." Trusting that the Dark Type knew what he was doing, I released my hold on his tail, and he fell. For a heart-stopping moment, Umbreon just hung there before he pulled himself into the hole, his tail vanishing into the foreboding white den.
"Surf next," I said aloud. Just as my mate began to protest, Espeon picked him up with telekinesis and carefully maneuvered him into the gap as well, this time, much smoother than Umbreon's entrance.
I did a final check on my clan as Espeon started to pick me up as well. I didn't like what I saw. Bolt was trapped between a whole group of humans and half of the Mightyena Pack, which was about 25. On the other side of my field of vision, Inferno was fighting valiantly, but was surrounded by an ever-closing circle of humans and Mightyenas, every human holding a Poke ball, or a cage, or both.
Movement caught my eye as I was lifted over the roof. Snow was running from the safety of her hiding spot towards the treeline! Following her line of sight, I spotted Espeon, who had her entire focus on me and not on the three humans and Mightyenas behind her! I sent her a frantic thought as she turned me around and started moving me into the square hole. ESPEON! BEHIND YOU!
I couldn't see anything, as I was half in, half out of the squashed passageway, but within the next second, I dropped out of the passage as Espeon's telekinetic focus broke. My small claws slid helplessly across the metal until I hanging out of the den by my claws. I tried to scrabble for purchase with my hind legs, but that only succeeded in making one paw come loose! "Surf!" I yelled, hoping that he could save me.
The smell of Mightyenas and the stink of a human hit my nose before Surf could even respond. The human's voice was sickening. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. What trainer put you up to this? Let's find out. Mightyenas, get it."
His scent retreated as the Dark Types began jumping and snapping at my tail. I could feel their breath on my flukes! I tried to hold my tail up and away from them, but that only made one of my claws slip off!
Finally, Surf arrived. "Splash! I've got you! Hang on!" He leaned out to grab my fins in his teeth, trying not to touch my claws. His face moved just short of mine, trying to reach my fins. "Splash, your fins are vibrating! I can't..." As he tried to reach me again, I put as much effort as I could into stopping my fins from moving. A Mightyena barely caught the corner of my fluke in his fangs. He slipped off immediately, but it was all my claws could take.
I slipped and fell.
BOOSSSHHH!!
A massive geyser of water erupted underneath me, saving me from the ravenous dogs. I screwed my eyes shut as the water died down, waiting for the attack. Instead of landing on the ground, however, I had a soft landing onto what felt almost like cloud. I opened my eyes. A purple cloud-like mane. I looked up to see a familiar, hexagonal, cerulean blue crest and the serious red eyes that I knew all to well.
"Thought you might need some help," he said with a ghost of a smile.
"Suicune!" I said. I was never happier to see the Legendary of the water. I stood up on his back. He must have caught me by appearing in that geyser!
FWOOOOON!
CRACK! BOOOOOOOM!
Entei and Raikou appeared by their favored Eevee as well, Entei stepping out of a massive column of fire near the human holding Inferno in a cage, and Raikou's massive thunderbolt striking the ground between Bolt and his human pursuers.
Entei took a step towards the human carrying Inferno. His posture said it all. "Let... the Flareon... go. NOW!" he roared. The human didn't need any more encouragement. He dropped Inferno and ran. Entei engulfed the cage in a blast of fire that would have knocked out any other Pokemon. When the smoke cleared, Inferno was standing in the middle of a puddle of molten metal, his fur giving off heat waves from the fire.
I dimly heard him murmur. "Best. Power-up. Ever!" With that, he jumped clear of the remnants of the cage and unleashed a powerful Flamethrower, which ended up turning into Blast Burn, scattering the Mightyenas around him!
Raikou turned his head slightly to check on Bolt. Agile as ever, the Jolteon leaped up to his favorite perch on Raikou's back, recharging with the lightning that was angrily crackling among the thunderclouds on his back. Bolt spoke while looking at the humans and Mightyenas in front of them. "Boy am I glad to see you!"
Raikou responded in kind. "Friends don't let friends get captured by humans!" he rumbled before charging into the mass, both Legendary and Jolteon firing thunderbolts like crazy.
The Mightyenas surrounding Suicune and I growled uncertainly. The Aurora Pokemon's smile at me vanished, replaced by his usual seriousness in bad situations. He stared down the pack around us. Then, he threw his head back and roared loudly, sending the dog Pokemon scampering like puppies.
"Where am I going?" he growled, all business.
"I think I saw them take Espeon inside the building! Clover's in there, too!"
He nodded and signaled to Entei, who, grudgingly, let Inferno climb onto his back as well. The second that Inferno was settled in, the Volcano Pokemon charged at extreme speeds, thick fur flying. Just before he hit the wall, he lowered his head and extended his paw smashing through the wall as if it were made of sand.
Finally, the humans snapped out of their trance, and began attempting to fight back. Many commanded Pokemon of their own, while others threw easily dodged Poke balls. Suicune exploded into action, attacking anything that moved and wasn't an Eevee. I could barely keep track of his attacks!
When my mount's eyes turned to the sky and began blasting flying Pokemon with Ice Beam, I called out. "The Staraptors are with us! That Staraptors are with us!!"
Both powerful bird Pokemon had been barely able to flap their wings, dumbstruck. Finally, Streak managed to find his voice. "You know LEGENDARIES!?" he shrieked at me. I could only nod before Suicune raced off at unfathomable speeds, blurring my vision as we approached the white den.
As he stopped near the gigantic hole that Entei made, completely ignoring all sense of the boundaries between spaces, a Poke ball zinged through the air. Suicune marginally managed to stop before it hit him, but its trajectory continued towards Raikou! Seeing this, Bolt heroically leaped off of the Thunder Pokemon's back and took the Poke ball in a bright flash of light. It fell to the ground with Bolt inside. "BOLT!" Raikou and I both yelled at the same time.
With another flash, Bolt reappeared. He jumped back onto Raikou's back. "Friends don't let friends get captured by humans!" he yelled back, throwing the Legendary's words right back at him. Streak and Night swooped into my field of vision, now mounted by Surf and Umbreon.
Umbreon called to Suicune and me. "Espy's this way!" he shouted, steering Night around the side of the den.
Suicune looked over his shoulder. "Raikou! Come on!" he called before racing after Night with Streak, Raikou, and Bolt hard on our tails. I clung tight as Suicune ran. I had never gone this fast before in anything! It was almost as fun as flying, if not equal to!
A Liepard jumped through a broken window, landing silently in front of Suicune and me, causing the Legendary to skid to a stop. "If you're here for Clover, I know where she is!" she meowed bravely.
Suicune leaned his head to the side so that I could speak to her. "Where is she!? Tell me RIGHT NOW!" I snarled.
"On one condition!" she called back, bravely standing her ground despite the two powerful Pokemon that were staring her down, each more than five times her size. "You don't hurt my trainer!"
Raikou let out a thunderous growl. "You're in no position to make demands, Liepard!"
"Terror!" she called back. "Clover calls me Terror! And your Leafeon is well hidden! You don't hurt my trainer, I'll show you where she is!"
Neither Legendary said anything. Suicune looked at me for an answer. "Fine!" I called back. "As long as, when we're done here, neither you, your trainer, nor ANY of these other humans come anywhere near my Clan again!"
Terror looked back and forth between me, Raikou, and Suicune. "With these resources you have, deal. This way!" With that, she turned and ran.
Umbreon stuttered. "But... Espeon!"
I took charge of the situation. "Bolt, Raikou, help save Espeon! Surf, Night, you come with Suicune and me!" Realizing that I just told two Legendaries what to do, I waited for the repercussions. To my amazement, however, both nodded and raced in opposite directions.
I felt Streak's wingbeats on my back as he struggled to keep pace. We easily caught up to Terror, even though she was running as fast as she could. She glanced back at us. "There's a door that you should be able to fit through! This way!" As she turned back to her path, my ears barely caught her mutter "...dear Arceus, that's terrifying."
Sure enough, two large panes of glass in metal frames laid on the floor, apparently having fallen from the ferocity of Entei's smashing. Suicune leaped over them easily, following Terror into the den. He growled at the Liepard as we ran. "I swear, Liepard, if this a trap..."
"It's not!" she squeaked. Evidence of Entei's attacks were everywhere. I hoped Inferno was ok. Finally, Terror stopped near a pair of metal doors. "She's right through there!"
Suicune didn't stop. He smashed through the doors with a massive leap and a headbutt, sending the doors flying off of their hinges and across the room. I spotted her immediately. "CLOVER!!"
"SPLASH!" she yelled back, jumping to her paws. She then screeched in pain and fell back onto her belly. What was she doing all the way up there?
Pawsteps from the entrance caught my attention. "CLOVER!" Snow cried as she raced in. Without asking, she took a flying leap onto Suicune's back, then took another up to her best friend. "It's ok... It's ok, I'm here.. It's gonna be ok... We're gonna go home, ok?" Clover could only whimper in response, pushing herself up to Snow.
I looked at Suicune. "Get her down from there. I don't think she can move on her own. He nodded and pushed his snout into the open cage, past the stunned Zorua who seemed incapable on movement, and found the Leafeon. The height wasn't much of a stretch for him.
As he carefully pulled the injured Leafeon down, she yelped again. Snow paused on the edge. "Do you mind...?" she carefully asked Suicune. He nodded, though he didn't seem entirely happy about it. The Aurora Pokemon carefully draped Clover over his back as well. I helped Snow steady her.
She panted through the pain and mumbled "Soursap's still here... get Soursap, too..."
I leaned down and asked her quietly. "Who's Soursap?"
She barely answered before she slipped into unconsciousness. "Brown Leafeon..."
From the doorway, Terror spoke. "Brown Leafeon... 7a! This way!" she meowed again before bounding off down another passage. Being careful not to disturb his passengers, Suicune carefully ran after her, trying his very best to give a smooth ride. After only a few strides, Suicune stopped next to Terror, looking at a row of cages. Two Leafeons were in two cages. One, true to Clover's words, had brown leaves. His eyes were misted over, showing that he was blind. Finally, as he sat up to try and figure out what was happening, his two tails moved on the floor.
It didn't take much for Suicune to pull the cage door off. "What are you doing!? Who are you?" he yelled in a scratchy, creaky voice.
I leaned into his cage, helping him stand up. "I'm Splash. We have Clover here. This is Snow and Suicune."
His sightless eyes narrowed. "The Legendary?" he asked skeptically.
Suicune dipped his head, even though Soursap couldn't see him. "Greetings," he said in a serious voice.
I helped him onto the Legendary's back, being careful to avoid Clover. "We're here to get you out. Sit here, it's a bit crowded. Now hang on."
He did as I instructed, feeling everything with his paws before placing them. "I knew she was keeping something secret... Leave the other Leafeon here, it's too late for him. The humans poisoned his food."
All of us bristled and/or growled in anger. I looked at Suicune. "Surf and Streak are still outside. Streak's wings can't fit through the door. Suicune, please get us out of here. I hate this place..."
Suicune nodded seriously. "You and me both, Splash." In a blur of motion, he raced out of the desolate, cruel place, back into the sunlight, back towards home.
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