PokeStory

11. Freeing Beam

Honoo dipped her head to Louie. "My leader, the search party is back. They have found no traces of beam whatsoever."

Louie grimly shook his head. "That's not good...Honoo, come up on the Announcement Rock with me. I'm about to call a tribe meeting." He raised his voice, jumping up onto the rock. "MEETING TIME! COME ON EVERYONE! COME TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT ROCK TO SHARE NEWS!"

Honoo joined him on the rock and watched the cave flood with eevees and their evolutions. Some looked excited, others scared, others annoyed, all confused.

"Now, as you probably know by now, Beam has been taken, most likely by the Blue Mountain tribe! We will raid their camp tonight." There were murmurs of surprise. "I want no eevees. If there's a battle, they'll be squished, they're too young. Any evolved tribe member is permitted to come, though. I need fifteen of you."

Honoo made sure she was the first to speak. "I'll go!"

She saw Arashi step forward. "Me too!" he yelled.

"You can count me in!" Umi shouted.

And so it went on, many tribe members volunteering themselves.

"I'll go! Beam's awesome, dude!"

"Me too! Beam is a great friend to me!"

And so it went on until Louie had fifteen eager eeveelutions, rearing and read to go. He smiled. "Okay, that's fifteen plus me is sixteen. The rest of you will protect the camp. Guard the pups, just in case the Blue Mountain Tribe try anything funny while we're away, we don't want a completely undefended set-up if they counter-attack. Be careful though; you are in a cave. It's quite easy to get cornered."

"YEAH! LET'S CRUSH 'EM!" yelled a jolteon's voice.

The party set off on their short journey. Once at the Blue Mountain Tribe's camp, they were greeted with a snarling Wolfgang. "INVADERS! What do you want?!"

"Greetings, young Wolfgang," Louie said with a patronising grin. "We have come to collect something of ours. May we talk to your leader?"

Wolfgang glared. "Very well..." He stalked off and returned with Scratch.

"Louie?" she said quietly. "What brings you to MY territory?!"

"Scratch, we come in peace," he assured her, but in his head he wasn't so sure. He continued: "We will not attack, just return Beam to us safely. We are prepared to fight for her, as you can see. You are a noble leader, Scratch- you don't want to spill blood needlessly, do you?"

Scratch laughed. "Why, of course, you may have your little playmate back!"

Louie blinked. He had been sure she was going to deny it.

Honoo spoke first in the silence. "Wow, that was easy..."

"On the condition," Scratch said with a cold smile. "That you give us part of your territory."

"Y-yeah...there had to be a catch..." Honoo muttered.

Louie snarled. "WHICH part?!"

"Berry meadow," Scratch said slowly, enunciating every last syllable.

"WHAT?!" Honoo yelled incredulously.

Louie spluttered and looked down at his paws. He then spoke quietly, "You have a deal..."

Honoo stared.

Scratch snickered. "Clash, fetch the espeon."

"YES, MA'AM!" the krookodile said obediently. He then went to get Beam. Louie smiled with relief at the sight of her.

"You are free, Beam. At a price, but you're worth it. Come on kiddo, let's go home."