The Clans of Nines

Capture

Silver hummed as he gathered berries, his thoughts on Eve. 

   Just the thought of seeing her made his stomach tighten with excitement. There was something special about her. Something he couldn't quite place. 

      Whenever he thought of her, an excited feeling rose. But he had never felt like this to anyone. Not even his friends. Or his dad. 

  Over the course of a few weeks, they had grown closer, closer than friends. They became best friends. A friendship had blossomed despite being enemies. He couldn't even imagine the severeness of the penalties if they were to be caught in each other's presence, interacting with each other with friendliness.

   Despite the obvious dangers and risks, every day, either one of them snuck over the border of their territories and into each other's secret places to play all day before eventually departing at sunset, much to both of their disappointment. 

     Eve's little place, a cliff that showed the sun with a clear view even though they were virtually hidden by sight was so clever that Silver just had to admire her. And she was getting better at battle too. 

 Silver's thoughts wandered to evolution. He wanted to evolve, he knew it. He had the potential and strength. But he didn't have a Fire Stone. 

    Fire stones were pretty hard to get a hold of. To have one and turn down evolving was a sign of weakness. Of disgrace. 

 Then a thought surfaced. Vulpixes needed Fire stones to evolve as well, didn't they? 

    Silver brightened. Maybe he could find a Fire stone for Eve. It would definitely increase her power levels. And lessen Silver's worries that she would be attacked. 

       He had a Fire stone, found by his father and was supposed to be for him to use when the time came for him to evolve. But it was worn around his father's neck as a pendant. It was beautiful too, flaming orange with the slightest flicker of life trapped in crystal and stone. 

   Silver sighed. 

    "Hey, Silver!" 

  Silver smiled, and turned. 

     Eve bounded towards him, using Quick Attack to tackle him by surprise. 

   "Sorry! I was just a little too excited," Eve apologized with a playful smile. Her cocoa colored eyes sparkled with happiness. 

      "No problem. What should we do today?" Silver asked. 

          "I thought maybe we could go swimming?" 

   "Great idea," Silver said. "Let's go!" 

  "Race you there!" 

       She used Quick Attack to gain speed, soon passing Silver. "Bye, Slowpoke!" 

         "Hey!" Silver yelped, picking up the pace. "Fine then, I can cheat too!" Silver used Quick Attack, quickly catching up before keeping a steady pace with her until they reached the pond. 

  "Woohoo!" Eve cheered, plunging into the water without hesitation. 

   Silver tested the water with his paw, hesitant to go into the water. It was just right, refreshingly cool without being cold. 

   "Wait a minute...who are they?" Eve's joyful expression was replaced by one of fear and worry. 

  Silver jerked his head back to see what was worrying Eve. His heart dropped. Three Arcanine were sprinting across the grass towards them, their eyes steely and cold at the sight of one of their members playing with the enemy. 

    "Stay back!" Silver shouted, panicking. Unfazed, the Arcanines leapt over his head and into the water with liquid grace. 

 "No! Eve!" Silver screamed, as one of the Arcanines used Thunder Fang on her, immobilizing her instantly. 

   The Arcanines swam to the shore, holding Eve's paralyzed body. 

  "Let her go!" Silver cried, trying in vain to reach Eve, whose eyes were panicked and full of fear. 

  "Silver. You have been caught with a Vulpix. Do you know what that means?" One of the Arcanines asked harshly. 

   "Eve!" Silver yelled again, before the Arcanine pinned him to the ground. 

  "Do you understand the penalties of your actions, interacting with the enemy?" The Arcanine asked quietly, his fur bristling. 

    "I-," Silver stuttered, trying to compose himself. He knew that if he were to disagree, any sliver of a chance to rescue Eve would vanish in an instant. 

   "Yes, sir, I do," Silver said, straightening himself up and forcing the words out of his mouth. 

   "You understand the severe punishments? That you will be branded as a traitor, to be killed?" 

    "Yes, sir." Silver swallowed hard. 

       "What exactly do you believe you were doing?" 

           "I was..I had just found the Vulpix and my instincts took over. She was drowning. So I had to help her. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interacted with her like that," Silver said, composing himself. He tried to wipe his face clean of emotions, replacing it with a cold face. "My natural instincts just took over. And I thought she was a different Pokemon, as she was so wet I couldn't tell the difference between her tail and face. Ugly thing." 

   Eve's eyes filled with hurt. 

     Every part of him wanted to curl up and die as Eve's gaze never left him. It was one of betrayal, of hurt, of shock.

        "Then we shall take her for judgement," The Arcanine said coldly. "Any objections? You will be required to be present as a major witness."

   "No sir. I have no objections at all," Silver said, injecting as much politeness into his voice as he could, even though what he really felt like doing was attacking him. 

  But as a youthful Growlithe, he couldn't take on a full grown Arcanine, with experience in battle. Against three? It would be a joke to even attempt. Any fool knew that. 

    "Then let us head back to serve justice for our loved ones." 

  The Arcanine looked at him expectantly. 

   "Yes, sir!"