Partners. P2

[“WOULD YOU JUST CALM. THE. HELL. DOWN.“]

Throughout the entire White Leaves Forest, the scream of angry and pleading was heard. It echoed through the trees and as well Explotaro’s brain. The lava Pokémon was now vaguely aware that his companion Ultimate was holding him by the throat and looked beyond ready to kill. His maniac eyes started to calm down and look more human, err, Pokémon.

Seeing the humanity, errr… pokemonity, come back in Explotaro’s eyes, Feraligatr slowly soften his grip on the fire type’s throat. He didn’t let go completely in fear the Ultimate might go rampaging again. They were a good distance away from where the boys had fallen, Feraligatr was so focused on his friend in front of him, that he didn’t bother wondering what happened to his Master.

[“You good now?”] Feraligatr asked. Explotaro only replied with a small grunt and confused eyes. At this, Feraligatr released his hold on the fire-type and took a couple steps back, giving his friend some room to breath. He decided to wait for Explotaro to regain his sanity before harassing him with endless questions. There was still some left over anger from when he almost burned his master alive. Good thing it was only flamethrower, a blast burn would have been almost impossible to escape from.

It was only when he heard soft weak flapping sounds where he recalled his Master had fallen off a cliff. Explotaro was now on all fours, staring at the ground trying to understand what had happened. Feraligatr was pleased and smiled widely. He turned around and waited to be phased by his Master. His toothy goofy grin became a thin line of worry when he saw the heartbroken Murkrow.

Alone.

[“Murkrow?”] The black raven bird weakly planted his talons on the ground. His feather hat was covering his face completely now. Feraligatr did not like this silence, not at all. [“Murkrow. Where’s our master?”] he turned around completely towards the bird, expecting an answer from him. With every second that passed and not a single word was exchange, it brought on a great sense of dread in the pit of his stomach.

The scarecrow Pokémon didn’t bother listening to the big jaw Pokémon. He knew Feraligatr was staring at him, waiting for him to talk. But he didn’t know what to say, what can he say, better yet what could he say? Not even he understood everything that happened back below the bottom of the cliff. It didn’t make sense to him, but he didn’t bother trying to make sense of it. No, he was more focus on the fact that was perfectly clear.

He failed to save Silver. He had let the boy die.

---

Murkrow widen his eyes. The walls around him was transparent, clearly made out of ice and yet he could see the sky above him. The air around him was much more softer from when they first came to the forest. The mist was like water, soft yet added pressure to his wings. The pressure didn’t hurt him at all, instead it felt so gentle that it was having the opposite effect. He was feeling so much more better, as if he was soaking in healing waters.

Even though his surroundings were clear and the walls were transparent, there was a fog just farther behind hiding his view from everything. Despite how pleasant, calming and gentle his surroundings where. He was alone, at the bottom of the cliff and alone. Silver wasn’t anywhere in sight and the fog didn’t help matters much.

Was this a dream? Did he dream the entire thing up? Silver and the other boy Gold wasn’t here. They weren’t falling, or splattered on the ground. They weren’t anywhere. If it was a dream, why couldn’t he wake up right now when he wanted to? [“… Silver…?”]

Murkrow twist softly in the air. Each movement he made felt like he was in the water. Everything was sway, heavy, slow and gentle. It was an odd combination that made him feel both at ease and awkward. His eyes scanned the area, he desperately tried to look for a spot of red anywhere. Everything around him was white and a soft light cyan color. For a flash second, the raven bird noticed an spherical orb, much brighter than the white around him. [“… wha…”]

He couldn’t help himself, this was most likely a dream so why shouldn’t he go and figure out what the orb was? He flew towards it until he was about three feet away from it. The bird gave it a better look, he can tell the fog was radiating off of the thing. What happened if he broke it? Will the fog around him go away? -I might as well…-

With a firm nod, Murkrow raised up his wing and conjured up power. His raven feathers swayed gentle as an pure white aura surrounded his right wing. Without warning, he slammed his wing down at the orb and was met with glass shattering. He watch the glass explode and freeze mid-way. After three seconds the glass fell straight down, creating clattering sounds. The fog around Murkrow suddenly vanished and was replaced with a thick heat wave. Even though his vision should have been cleared up, the white and cyan walls turned solid, and black.

A purple wave lingered in the air, acting as the replacement of the fog. He can clearly feel the heat wave, and yet it only made him more colder.

CRUNCH!

Just as fast as the dark walls came, it vanished and was replaced by the normal cold winds he felt at the entrance of the forest. He can feel it, he was back outside, where things was normal. Did he wake up? He didn’t really give it much thoughts as his shock was quickly turned into fear as he just process the sound he heard right before the shadows disappear.


The sounds of bones crushing.


[“Ah! The fog is clearing up…”] Sneasel’s eyes did not leave the spot he saw Murkrow vanish too. He continued to cling to the hope and likely possibility that the raven bird would come up with his Master. Ataro was breathing heavily, trying to erase all the doubt in his mind. They were not dead. Gold was not. Silver was </I>not</I> dead. They are alive. Murkrow had to had caught them, and that’s why they’re not screaming anymore. He can relax, because his trainers were safe.

They were alive, and safe and currently being carried back up.

Sneasel kept his intense gaze at below. Trying to make out what he saw, there was a tiny black shadow getting bigger bit by bit. It had to be Murkrow, by why was it that he only saw Murkrow? Shouldn’t there be more shadows that looked like a human? Shouldn’t there be a Silver-shaped shadow holding onto Murkrow’s leg…?

It only took a couple seconds for Murkrow to be the same height the other two was. All of Ataro’s fear and doubt came back twice as large and full force when he saw the raven bird alone. The feather hat was covering his eyes and there was no redhead holding onto his talons. Sneasel was the first to stagger up to his feets, his bloodied claw swayed with the movement just dangling from his arm socket. Ataro’s mind was an ocean. Empty of thoughts yet filled with fear. -This… can’t. be…-

[“Where?”]

Sneasel’s innocent curious tone had brought Ataro sinking further into heartache. Silver was the ice type’s everything. His reason for living, his reason for existing, his world, his heart. Everything. neither one of them could live without the other. So it made sense that he would denial what he was seeing right now. Denial the painfully obvious fact that their tamers Gold and Silver were no longer apart of the plane of living. He could cry later, right now Ataro was only concerned with what stunts his companion Sneasel might pull after acknowledging the cold reality.

---

[“MURKROW!!”]

The scarecrow Pokémon blinked, he looked up slightly to meet Feraligatr’s confused and impatient face. Explotaro was on the ground, still trying to collect his thoughts, his legs lied on the ground with only his front paws holding himself up. [“Well?!”] Murkrow swayed back a bit in the air, he knew that every second that past would only get the Big Jaw Pokémon even more frustrated with impatience. He had to tell him, everything, but how could he?

It wasn’t that he was scared what Feraligatr might to do him, no, he would welcome any punishment with pleasure. It was merely that he didn’t know how to say the words, how can you tell a Pokémon their Tamer is dead? Murkrow opened his beak in attempt to say the words that ring in his head. But no matter how much he yelled at himself for it, he just couldn’t vocalize his thoughts. -Come on damnit..! Just.. Say it! Say it… damnit… damn it..!- Murkrow squeezed his eyes shut and tried to force out any sounds he possibly could. -If I say them.. It’ll be real.. That’s why I just.. can’t-

Feraligatr saw the struggle, he was getting more and more queasy with each passing second. Where was Silver? Where was Sneasel? He swore he heard the poor thing scream at some point. Everything was so confusing, nothing about this situation made any sense. [“Murkrow, where’s our Master?”]


[“I know where he is.“]


All three Pokémons looked up and towards the side to where the new female voice had piped in. The voice was almost teasing, you can practically see the superior tone drip off. Explotaro got up on all fours and tried to focus his a daze gaze towards the shadow on the snow. Feraligatr followed the long outstretch shadow with his eyes until it got smaller and thinner. Murkrow had many flashes run through his head. The same mist from before at the bottom of the cliff was surrounding a Vaporeon.

-No..- Murkrow blinked, it wasn’t a Vaporeon that stood lightly on her tip paws. She definitely had the fox body type very much like an Vaporeon. Her body was a mist cyan color, her ears where like a diamond and in the inner part it was a more teal color. The same teal color on her diamond like leaf tail. She had leafy locks of the same shade of teal fluttering gracefully in the icy winds. The tip, like her tail, had a diamond print of them, it was white just like the endings of her paws. The white faint mist around her body was almost alluring and calling out to him. [“Where is he then?”]

Murkrow snapped out of his trance and glanced at Feraligatr. The female Pokémon in front of them gave a chuckle and took a step closer. It made her paws cross each other in a sassy manner. She opened her eyes mid way and gave off a sly smile. [“You’re master is at the plane of between.”]

Explotaro’s eyebrow furrowed, he didn’t understand what that meant. Murkrow on the other hand did and backed up a bit in the air. He brought his hat-like feature even more down to cover up his cringing expression. Fear started to spread throughout the two beast Pokémon. [“What does that mean?”] Feraligatr looked back at the black bird who was silent since he had returned. He wanted some answers, and he wanted it from him. [“Murkrow?”]

The black bird didn’t say anything, instead at the sound of his name he backed up further and tried to bring his hat like feature more down. There was a humpf coming from the Vaporeon-like Pokémon. She took another step where her paws crossed over. [“Your masters are dead. Understand now?”]

If she had said anything else, Explotaro would have said something about her superior attitude. Yet the words that came out of her mouth was colder than the snow. He completely froze up, his eyes went wide, the sickening truth sinking and burning into his mind.

He had killed them.

Feraligatr shook his head a bit and took a step closer to the exotic Pokémon. [“What makes you think that? Who are you? Actually…”] the big jaw Pokémon took a moment to examine her body. [“what are you?”]

The four legged creature smirked at him. She let another paw cross the other, her tail doing a flick in the wind. Her head was held high and it was obvious from the look she gave him that she was high up on a mountain looking down. [“I, am the Guardian of the White Leaves Forest. Humans have labled me Glaceon, and my name is Snowflake.”]

She couldn’t be all bad, perhaps they misunderstood her. Villains don’t normally give out their names. At least that’s what Silver had once said to the water type. Explotaro was too in shock, lost in his own guilt, to hear anything she had said. Murkrow remained silent, not once looking up. Feraligatr was the only one who was stable, no surprise since he refuse to acknowledge his master won’t ever touch him again. [“What makes you think our masters are dead?”] he asked.

A vile cocky chuckle came from the Glaceon. [“Simple. They would soon freeze to death in this ice wasteland.“] She turned around, letting her tail flick and sway with sass. [“Or in my case, Ice Wonderland.”] her voice was very amused, as if she wanted to laugh.

-Witch.- Murkrow felt his blood start to boil despite it being half way frozen. What kind of Pokémon would find this amusing? Clearly not one with a heart. Obviously she was an Ice-Type. Murkrow made a mental note to keep up his guard around her.

It seems Feraligatr was the only one who had heard her correctly. [“Wait.. You said freeze to death, it means that they are still alive!”] Murkrow and Explotaro didn’t seem to care. [“All we have to do is find them before that! Right?”]

Snowflake didn’t turn around but stopped walking. [“You’ll get lost.”]

[“You’re a guardian, so you should know where everything is!”] Feraligatr took another step. His tone was both pleading and a bit threatening.

The Glaceon only chuckled and turned around half way. [“What makes you think I know where your tamers are? They’re not apart of the forest.”] she gave a sly smirk as her eyes became more vile. [“Yet.“]

The water type just had about enough of her attitude. He was ready to attack the girl, but right now, he unfortunately needed her. [“They fell off the mountain. Take us to the below.”]

[“Tch.”] Glaceon shot a glare, for a tiny fix-like creature she sure knew how to make herself look as scary as a Gyarados. [“I don’t take orders from ungrateful roughies.”] Both Mukrow and Feraligatr glared. Surprisingly the big jaw Pokémon did not reacted to the insult. It was clear on his face that he really wanted to. If Explotaro wasn’t so lost in self pity, he probably would have forced the female to take it back. [“I’ll only take one of you.”]

The water type took a step and gave her a determined stare. [“Fine.”]

[“Ah-.. Ah~”] Glaceon smiled and walked back, her legs crossing each other when she did. [“My choice.”]

Feraligatr was aware that he was the only stable one in here. He had no idea where Sneasel was, did he fall with Silver too? Is that why Murkrow won’t talk? He shook his head. He had to initiative, Explotaro clearly wasn’t and Murkrow was never the leader type of Pokémon. The Glaceon moved her gaze to the black bird. -Of course..- The water automatically knew what she was planning.

[“You. The Murkrow.”]

Murkrow snapped out of his weak daze and locked eyes with the ice type. [“What?”]

[“I’ll only lead you to the bottom of the mountain to retrieve your tamers.”] Murkrow stayed rooted in the air. He was like he didn’t understand what she was saying. After a moment of silence she spoke up again. [“You are the one who put them in this situation. You might as well get your redemption by bringing them out of it.”]

Every single word that came out of her mouth either pissed him off senseless, got him intimidated, brought hope, or confused him to oblivion. Murkrow widen his eyes at this. He brought his hat like feature down and thought about what she said. Explotaro was against a tree, his ring of fire was off and his entire body was slump. Feraligatr was glaring at the ice type below him as she was staring at the flying type. Would he accept?

[“……”]

Or would he decline?

[“……”]

---

[“…Sneasel…?”] Ataro looked at the slumped form of the ice type. His tail was ready to grab him and bring him close in case he thought about joining his decreased tamer. His bloodied claw remain motionless as his other working claw kept clenching the snow and unclenching. He hadn’t known the ice type for very long, he was always quiet and rarely opened his mouth.

He never left Silver’s side, unless Gold encouraged him to spend some time with the other Pokémons. Ataro noticed how Silver didn’t want his partner to leave his side but allowed it anyways. Even with his own teammates, Sneasel didn’t talk, he didn’t play with them. No one from Silver’s team actually played. If they were sent out from their poke balls, it was only to battle. He wasn’t exactly shy, he just didn’t talk. [“Sneasel…? Hey pal, come on say something…”]

Ataro winced as his voice broke. He tried to swallow back down his tears, he tried to ignore their situation. The ice type remained quiet and unmoving. When the purple Pokémon noticed the blood was tainting the ice all around them, his concern for it started to sky rocket. [“Hey.. We need to fix this..”] Ataro stood up, he almost fell if his tail hadn’t pushed him back up to his feets. Why did his knees feel so weak? Why was the ground swaying? The monkey blinked away the incoming tears. He slowly made his way to the weasel Pokémon and slumped to his knees. His tiny paws reached out for the bloodied broken claw.

However Sneasel snatched his claw away from the normal type. Blood spread and fell off the cliff at the swift movement. [“Hey!”] Ataro was surprised and tried again. This time his chest was met with Sneasel’s working claw. He fell to his back softly as Sneasel was now standing and staring at the snow covered ground. [“What was that for!?”]

Sniff.

The monkey Pokémon’s anger quickly vanished just as fast as it flared. He heard a slight whimper from the ice type, he saw his shoulder shaking and his working claw clenching. Ataro winced as he realize Sneasel didn’t have function on his bloodied claw, only his arms. [“They..’er… gone…”]

Ataro lowered his head, this is what he had been doing. Trying to understand the situation life had thrown at them. [“Gone…gone… gone..”] Ataro winced every time he repeated ‘gone.’ It made it harder for him to fight back his own tears, he managed but barely. When his companion went silent he started to get more worried. Can Sneasel get passed this? Can he get passed this? He’s been with Gold since day one.

Can he really get over something like this? Ataro heard the ice type sniff again, this time he stood up with the help of his tai. He walked closer in attempt to hold the slowly breaking Pokémon. [“AAAAAAAHAAAAAA!!“]

Ataro flinched when Sneasel suddenly burst out sobbing. He even fell back on his bum and watched the ice type produce tears rapidly. They were practically flying out of his squeezed shut eyes. [“H-hey… s-stop that…”] Ataro couldn’t help it, he himself felt the tears come rushing back, and this time he didn’t have the strength to swallow them back down. [“Sneasel..”]

The two of them let their tears run, Sneasel was sobbing out, the pain that drilled into his heart caused his cries to come out more painful than Ataro. The normal type hung his head low, his tail hand laid next to him motionless just like the ice type’s bloodied claw. The pain inside of Sneasel was overwhelming, no matter how loud he sobbed, it didn’t seem like the ache would calm down. Ataro was holding in all his heartache, he only allowed tears to spill out. He felt like he was somehow betraying Gold by crying, it was almost as if he was giving up on him.

But there wasn’t anything to give up on, he was dead after all.


“I’ll give up when I’m dead!” - “I still have things I must do.”


Both Pokémon halted, their tears were blocked from spilling out. The loud and silent sobs didn’t seem necessary anymore. The voices of their tamers rang in their heads, it made them stop feeling the heartache, it ‘caused something in them to trigger. Nothing but the winds blowing was heard, Ataro didn’t question the sudden stop on Sneasel’s part, and the ice type was too deep in thought to wonder himself.

He didn’t quite understand, but Sneasel knew his master was getting more and more tired of living. Every time the redhead was presented with a chance to help end his time here, or to give up. He would always reassure himself that he was still needed. Sneasel knew it was only a matter of time where the redhead would run out of excuses to pass up the chance. But he also knew that the time was not now. -I’ll… believe it when I see it…-

Ataro knew if his tamer wanted to, the raven haired boy could easily escape his constant fear. Yet his stubbornness did not allow him to even look at the chances he had. He didn’t see the point in giving up if he still had the ability to do something. Even if it was just a tiny thing. He knew it would help in the long run, therefore he would never give up on his friends, his family or himself. -And that’s why… I refuse to believe he’s gone.-

It was Sneasel who first broke the silence. [“I still have things I must do.”]

Ataro looked up, he saw how depressed and full of despair Sneasel’s eyes were. But he also saw the tiny flame of determination. The look was identical to the one Silver would give Gold. The normal type nodded, he knew now what he had to do.

[“I’ll give up when I’m dead.”] Ataro smiled brightly despite the fear of what will happen after.

The weasel watched the monkey get up slowly, and walk over to him. With his tail hand, Ataro held it out for the ice type to shake. [“Let’s go look for our partners, then get out of here alright?”]

Partners….

Sneasel nodded, and followed Ataro deep into the cave. Both of them clinging to the false hope that their Tamers were out looking for them.

---

[“Lead the way.”] Murkrow flapped his wings and headed closer towards the Glaceon. She smirked devilishly and then smiled with hidden intentions. [“Witch.“]

[“Ironic you should say that.”] She was clearly pissed at the remark but kept calm.

Feraligatr took another step closer. He did not like the way things were heading and felt the need to take back control. [“Murkrow…”]

[“I’ll atone and go with her.”] -Rather pointless though.- Murkrow’s eyes had a sharp sadden look to them.  

Feraligatr didn’t like this, however when he glanced back at Explotaro, the defeated figure made the big jaw Pokémon cringe. He’s never seen the cocky beast like this. The water type clenched his claws and glared at the ice type. [“You better come back with our Tamers and Murkrow, alive.”]

The Glaceon giggled and whipped around to walk into the deep snow forest. [“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”] Feraligatr would ponder what that meant later, right now his concerns where on Murkrow who gave him one glance. In that glance he could see immense guilt slowly swallowing the bird. What concerned him was the defeated hopeless flare that sparkled in them. He knew the Glaceon picked Murkrow for her advantage, if the flying type wasn’t going to get it together, he was practically asking her to finish him off. With her there watching them, there was no way to warn the bird about any of this, and by the look in Murkrow’s eyes, something tells Feraligatr it wouldn’t matter anyways.

Murkrow lowered his head, and began to follow after the ice type. She walked as if she owned the place, her tail slightly higher than it should be and her paws elegantly stepping on the snow, leaving no traces. It was as if she weight nothing. Light as snow itself. Murkrow huffed at this and turned back to the snow covered ground. -None of this matters anyways…-

Feraligatr watched the two until they became dots. He turned around, hoping Murkrow can manage and focused his attention on the other defeated Pokémon. The only other time he had seen a position like this was when his master had snapped and forced himself to sleep deeper into his personal abyss. -I couldn’t save him then… but I’ll save Explotaro now.-

Explotaro ignored the steps of his rival coming closer. He wanted to be only but apparently that wasn’t clear. [“It’s not your fault.”]

The words brought the lava Pokémon’s heart melting. In the year he’s known Gold, the tamer was always there for him, always treated him equally. He didn’t pick any favorites and had the tenancy to talk to him like a friend. He couldn’t understand what he was saying, but he picked up a few familiar words. He repaid his tamer by tossing him over a cliff. Murkrow came back alone, and Gold didn’t have a flying type in his team. It was obvious what fate he tossed his Tamer into. [“Damnit…”]

Fury shoulders were trembling, the fire starter gritted his teeth, he squeezed his eyes tightly to shun away tears. It didn’t help, the tears forced themselves out. Explotaro banged his balled up paws on the snow ground, his hot tears would sizzle against the snow as they fell. Feraligatr could only watch, a part of him could barely look at the fire type without wanting to strangle him. But he had to believe they were still out there somewhere alive. In the beginning he was always pissed at Silver for stealing him, but now he can’t imagine living in a world without him.

He let the fire type sob out, holding back all his own emotions. Someone had to take charge and clearly the guilt-ridden lava Pokémon was in no condition. Explotaro pounded on the ground with on paw fist. His anger, frustration, guilt and depression all needing some way to escape. Tears and punches were the only things he could think of to let them all out. [“DAMNIT!!”]

The pure white snow starts to fall from the sky. And gently to the ground.