Shattered Foresight [Pokemon Watty Awards 2016]

Chapter 4: Loss and Strength

We moved quickly and quietly, as we searched for the torture room. We fought out way through Emboar after Emboar, until we reached it, the torture room.

It glowed from the outside. Lava poured down the sides of the doors and pooled into a moat that surrounded it. Sparks of electricity bounced across the water that filled a moat in front of the first one.

Shimmer Teleported us across, and Blade knocked the doors down with High Jump Kick. Inside, we had to stop and gasp.

The room was huge. A rock ledge in the center of the room had lava flowing off of it and into a lava river at the bottom. Glowing crystals lined each bank, and were heated by the stream of lava. The rest of the space was covered with Emboar, each ready to eliminate anything that disturbed the peace.

An Emboar leaving ranks because of a distraction.

It came so suddenly that at first I didn't notice. Then I jumped in surprise. Another flash of the future. I tried my hardest to bring it back, but again, I failed. I shared what I had saw with the others.

Flora smirked. "This is to easy." She hit an Emboar with a rock and then flashed across it's sight so all it could see was a purple blur. It growled slightly and went to investigate. We all attacked at once, me holding him with Psychic, Blade using Karate Chop, Shimmer attacking with Moonblast, and Flora using Shadow Ball. I let the fainted Emboar go and we continued. I didn't consider the fact that she had used a dark-type move. That was my first big mistake.

The guard that had left ranks had caused a disturbance within the troops. Flora's muscles tensed. She was anxious about something. I didn't think further into it. Second big mistake.

That's when I missed everything else. The purposeful glance between Flora and one of the guards. The way the guards opened a path for us. The way Flora partially radiated with malice. For some reason, I thought nothing of it. I heard Flora laughing behind us.

"I honestly didn't think it would be this easy. But then again, you are stupid." Flora's form changed. She stood on her hind legs. Her fur became shades of gray and black. Her front legs became claws. Her fur grew out behind the back of her head. When the transformation stopped, the female Zoroark looked down on us and grinned.

"How ya doin', my name's Shade and I'm here to take you to my master!" she said, all too cheerfully. Shade smiled down on us again. "Well, come on! I don't want to hurt you, you know." When no one budged she sighed. "Why do prisoners always have to be so difficult?" she asked while creating a Shadow Claw and growling. In a split second, she had leapt forward and knocked Blade down. Shimmer and I retaliated with Moonblast. The dark-type Pokémon sighed in annoyance and sidestepped the attack.

Shimmer sprang forward, towards Shade. Shimmer smiled smugly as Shade slashed at her and missed while Shimmer rolled under her. Shade growled and hit Shimmer with a Shadow Ball.
Dark eyes turned upon me as Shimmer fainted. I looked back, determined not to run or get caught.

Boy did I fail.

Shade hauling our bodies through the Emboar and up the rocks, picking up the fainted body of Flora she hid under a rock as she walked towards the center of the ledge.