Back to Normal? (Part 1)

I slid into the warm water, looking fondly up at the familiar being beside me, his serious red eyes meeting with mine.  "Suicune, it's been two weeks since I last heard from you!  I thought that we were even and our connection might be severed!  Where have you been?"

The powerful water Legendary strode alongside me as I swam.  "The three of us had to take a bit to speak with Ho-Oh.  He wanted to know what we had done about the emergencies and why we took off to save you."

I rolled over while floating, getting my back wet as well.  "How did you pull that off?  You told me that it would take at least another day for you to clean that spill, maybe more!"

"Well, I did."  He paused, gathering his words.  "All I could think about was that you would probably do something that wasn't too smart, like charging in without us as your backup."

I pumped my flukes a few times, swimming quickly.  "Hey, we had a pretty solid plan there!  We just didn't anticipate so many enemies, that's all!"

Suicune put on a small burst of speed as well.  "Right.  Either way, I guess all three of us were fixated on the Clan.  Yes, even Entei," he said as I started to ask.  "Then, low and behold, Celebi appears."

"Celebi?" I asked, slowing down.

"His legends aren't as well known.  Celebi can travel in time, bringing anyone he wants with him."  Suicune waited for me to connect the dots.

"Oh, so Celebi waited for you to finish purifying the water, then he took you back in time so that you could help us?" I guessed, rolling over again.

"Close enough," he nodded.  "He did the same for Raikou and Entei.  The three of us met, caught each other up, then came to help you.

I dove underwater and swam under the Legendary, resurfacing on the other side of him.  "Lucky you came when you did."  The Aurora Pokemon said nothing, deep in thought.  He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't.  Curiosity overpowering the voice in my head that told me not to say anything, I said something.  "What are thinking about?"

Suicune balked at the question, but he answered regardless.  "First of all, we are even, but this does not mean that our connection is gone.  You can call on me whenever you need to.  It will just be a bit harder to get us to come in the waking world."

"Thank you, but you're dodging the question."

Suicune stopped walking, instead standing on the surface of the lake.  He spoke after a while, not looking at me, but instead looking out, over the lake and towards the horizon.  He did that when he was thinking hard about something.  "Splash, Raikou told me about his rescue of Espeon.  He said that a human was holding her when he and Bolt got in.  Raikou also said that there was a broken machine that was emitting dangerous waves of strange energy.  Now, he and Bolt, being Electric Types, were immune to it, but a pregnant Espeon?"

I stopped in mid-tailstroke.  "Espeon?  But she looks fine!"

Suicune broke his gaze from the sky, looking at me.  "This is why I refrained from telling you.  See, Raikou said that, as he was carrying her out, the energy that was around her suddenly vanished, like something else absorbed it.  My best guess?  One of her kits."  I said nothing.  I was dumbstruck.  Suicune continued when I didn't speak.  "If one of the unborn Eevees took that energy away for her, that kit is probably dead...  Now, I still gave good luck for future kits, so..."

I could say nothing.  Finally, Suicune leaned down and nudged me with his nose.  "Sorry," I mumbled.  "I should go check on her, then..."

Suicune nodded in understanding.  "Go ahead.  Call if you need me.  Let me know how Clover is recovering, too."

I leaped from the pond in a graceful arc, landing perfectly on my paws.  I had a list in my head.  Better get started on scratching things off of that list.

1.  Check on Clover.

As I turned for Snow and Clover's den, Surf trotted up to me.  "You're up late, as usual."  He rubbed my fins.  Stress melted off of me.

1.  Check on Clover.  Spend some time with Surf.

I rubbed him back, sneaking in a quick touch on the nose.  He blushed profusely.  I smiled warmly at him.  "Nice to see my macho Vaporeon this fine morning," I said teasingly.  He blushed further, then butted me in the shoulder playfully.

He sat down as I touched his nose with mine again.  "You're in a good mood..." he said slowly, rubbing our fins again.  "I came to ask you if you wanted to go hunting later."

I nodded with a smile.  "Sure.  I just have some things to check on first."

"Things meaning Clover."  He knew me so well.

"Right," I finished, unable to think of a clever comeback.

He nodded happily.  "Go ahead.  I'll be waiting."  With that, he dove into the pond, swimming leisurely.  I smiled at him again before turning away.

1.  Spend some time with Surf.

Done.

2.  Check on Clover.

This time, I managed to get to the giant bush that housed the Glaceon and Leafeon.  Snow was walking slowly next to Clover, keeping her steady.  The Leafeon had been steadily recovering from the traumatic experience, but still wasn't back to her top form again.  Last week, Snow had been helping her walk on her own.  Now, they were working on running and jumping.

I admired the two of them.  Clover's paws were unsteady from whatever the humans did to her, but she was ambitious in her activities, always trying to put in as much practice as possible.  Snow was her rock, never straying from her side.  The Glaceon was forever patient, always staying less than three steps away from Clover, no matter how slowly she walked.  Snow would help her best friend through anything.  She held Clover when she was unsteady, caught her when she fell, and gave her the encouragement to keep going.

I trotted up the couple.  "Hey!  How are you two doing?"

Snow looked up as Clover was still carefully watching where she placed her paws.  "She is doing so much better every day," she said warmly while pushing Clover's chin up, making her look where she was going, instead of at her paws.  "Look where you want to go."

Clover corrected herself.  "Sorry.  Hi, Splash!  I'm going to try and run across camp today!"

I nodded happily.  "Here, run to me!"  I turned on my tail and ran to the camp entrance, which was almost directly opposite their den.  "Over here!"

Snow smiled at Clover encouragingly.  "Go on!  Run!"

Clover nodded astutely.  "Ok.  I've got this.  Run to Splash.  Not so hard."  She took another deep breath, then started up a clumsy dash towards me, her paws flailing a bit.  Snow ran alongside her, at an awkward gait that was halfway between a trot and a run.  After a few catches made by Snow, Clover finally made it to me, almost crashing into me before stopping.  "I made it!" she panted.

"Good job!" Snow and I said at the same time.  We were all smiles as we congratulated Clover.  Normally, running across the camp was no big deal, but for Clover, it was a major step in the right direction.  I looked at the two Eevees.  "I have to go check on Espeon.  Keep working, Clover  If I know you, you'll be back to normal before Espeon's kits are here!"

Clover nodded.  "I hope so!"  Both waved their tails at me as I walked off.

2.  Check on Clover.

Done.

3.  Check on Espeon.

I trotted to Espeon's den, hearing the loving voices of her and Umbreon inside.  Umbreon leaned out of the entrance.  "Splash, come in!  I was just coming to find you!  Espeon has exciting news!"

I followed him back into the log den.  "Hey, Espy!  What's this exciting news you wanted to tell me?"

Espeon smiled.  "I will be having five kits!"

I was amazed.  "Wow, FIVE!?  That's, like, unheard of!  Are you sure?"

Espeon looked up at Umbreon from the comfy nest of feathers that Streak and Night supplied.  "I'm positive.  One of them is a bit fuzzy, so I think something might be wrong with him..."

My smile faltered.  I tried to stay positive.  Suicune had said that he gave the Clan kit luck.  I had to believe that kit would be all right.  "I'm sure it'll be fine," I said with as much confidence as she could.

Umbreon nodded.  "I hope so.  I'm so happy about this!" he said warmly, lovingly touching noses with Espeon.

Deciding to leave the two of them in peace, I quietly slipped out of the den.

3.  Check on Espeon.

Done.

4. Check on Soursap.

The decrepit Leafeon was staying in a small cave created between a space between two rocks.  I was worried about him.  His leaves were still wilted and he seemed... lost.  Without hope.  He hadn't eaten much, either.  He didn't even object to anyone calling him Soursap.

Nevertheless, I trotted to his makeshift den.  As I approached, he called out in his raspy voice.  "Who's there!?"

"Relax, Soursap, it's just me, Splash," I said soothingly.

"Oh," he muttered.  "Go away.  I'm not hungry."

"I'm not here to get you to eat something," I responded a bit testily.  "I'm here to get you outside for some sunshine.  Just as good as food for you."  Secretly, I wondered if his wilted leaves could still preform photosynthesis.

"...Fine," he grunted.  As I helped him to his paws, I sympathized with Clover about the male Leafeon.  He was a Soursap.  He had been with us for two weeks, and I hadn't heard a positive remark from him once.

I guided to one of the rocks by the pond, where sunshine was casting powerful beams.  If the old Leafeon could still photosynthesize, this would be the place.  "Here you go.  Lay down here.  Don't fall in the pond!"

"I'm blind, not senseless!" he snapped back.  I rolled my eyes.

4.  Check on Soursap.

Done.

5. Go hunting with Surf.

However, as I called to my mate, I got a definite feeling that something unusual was on it's way...