Whisper

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

120 hours remaining

(Iris's POV)

They were gone! Chili woke us up by shouting for us. We had grouchily stumbled into his cave, intending on sharing harsh words with him when he blurted out all that he knew, and that he suspected that the kids had run away.

At first I scoffed at him, but upon checking their room I found their beds empty.

Cilan and I searched the catacombs tirelessly but Amalric and Amaria did not turn up.

Then a horror-stricken thought occurred to me. Chili was right. He wasn't lying.

I had returned to Chili's room and that is where I was at the moment, frantically shaking out every bit of information he had to offer. My 'husband' (We haven't been officially married, YET.) arrived next to me. I turned on him, grabbing the Poke-skin shirt on his chest.

"They're going to Striaton City! Originally only Amalric was going to go, but Amaria followed him! They even took Purrloin! Oh God, Cilan! We have to follow them!"

He nodded to me and turned to Chili. "Why Striaton City?"

"That's the problem." Chili answered, distressed. "From what I've put together, their looking for Cress. I don't know why they are they absolutely can't!"

Cilan tweaked an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Chili shook his head. "After we lost the restaurant Cress just snapped. At any even slight mention of you he would go ballistic! Being confronted by your kids will not settle well with him."

Eyes, burning with horror and distress, turned to me.

"Cress is mentally unstable. He may even go as far as to kill the children..."

I turned to Cilan, his emerald eyes staring back into mine. There was no question about it. We were going. We dashed back to our room and threw together rucksacks.

I whistled and Haxorus was at my side. I jumped onto his back and he ran to the main exit. Chili's voice echoing through the tunnels made me re-direct Haxorus.

We re-entered Chili's room, Cilan and Simisage following closely behind.

"Please! Let me come with you. I have a Stoutland that can track them."

I cast a weary glance at Cilan, unsure of what to do.

"I want to protect those kids too. They are family and I want to make up our childhood to you by taking good care of my niece and nephew." Chili pleaded.

Cilan opened his mouth but I answered instead.

"Fine." I said, hopping off of Haxorus and going to untie him.

Once free, Chili grabbed his Pokeballs and stood beside Simisear, ready for us.

Cilan looked at me like I was insane. "We can't just leave him here, and he may prove...useful." I whispered to him. He nodded reluctantly and watched Chili closely.

I jumped back onto Haxorus and we ran to the entrance. I stopped and looked to either of my sides. Cilan and Simisage on my right, Chili, Simisear, and a just released Stoutland on my left. I let Stoutland sniff a sandal that belonged to Amalric and one of Amaria's many hair ties. The Pokémon growled, ready. I nodded.

We bounded into the open.