Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 22: Jacob

I tried to shout, to warn them but I was too slow. A black and blue Pokémon leapt from the tall grass, placing a paw on my throat, pinning me down and cutting off my air. Luxray appeared all around the clearing. One by one they placed paws on throats.

Glair, Pixie and Tertle startled awake but the large claws at their necks quickly made them stop squirming. The Luxray pinning me started chanting.

"Meat tonight, meat tonight, no berries, just meat. Won't go hungry tonight, hehehe!"

Luxray all around raised their free front paw, the claws extending into throat-slitting blades. I looked at each of my friends in turn, Pixie was nearly unconscious, Tertle looked determined, but Glair...

Glair had a look of pure hatred on her face, never had I been so terrified. Her tail glowed purple and the Gligar struck the underbelly of her captor with a Poison Tail attack. The injured Pokémon howled, the poke-bricks hit the fan and exploded in chaos.

Luxio and Shinx leapt from the grass. We all broke free and the Thunderfall ranges were ravaged by a mixture of fire, rock and electric type attacks. A Shinx and a Luxio charged me, they fell to my Shadow Ball but were immediately replaced.

Glair flipped around the clearing launching vicious poison attacks; Poison Tails and Double Hits, Poison Stings and Guillotines. (Yes, I know not all of those are poison-type moves, deal with it!)

Pixie fired a powerful Flame Burst catching lots of enemies in the explosion, but not the one behind her. The Luxray charged head-on ready to deliver an all-out Wild Charge. Tertle's Wide Guard blocked the attack and Pixie countered with Dig. Shinx, Luxio and Luxray fell all around but...

We were too badly outnumbered. We couldn't win. I heard Glair's cry of pain followed quickly by Pixie's yelping and Tertle's grunt. I turned to see what had happened and a Shadow Claw ripped across my side. A thunder fang tore through the scruff of my neck, drawing blood. I was slammed to the ground and saw my team lying before me. They were cut, bruised, bleeding... The blood threw our attackers into a frenzy. They howled and cheered.

They'd won.

We'd lost.

I failed them. No. That happened the second I didn't tell them the truth, the second I didn't trust them. I will not fail them a second time.

A Luxray loomed over me, its eyes were red and tired, saliva was dripping from its jaw.

I glowed white and felt my body grow, my fur spread, sticking out at odd angles. The startled Luxray now stood face to face with a very angry Jolteon.

I threw electric attacks everywhere, but they weren't doing enough damage, Jolteon was the wrong choice (Never thought I'd say that because everyone knows that Jolteon is the best Eeveelution). I needed something else. Flareon. I evolved again and began releasing fire attacks.

Countless Shinx, Luxio and Luxray were slowly repelled by my onslaught of attacks; Electric, Fire, Psychic, Dark, Grass, Ice, Fairy. (No water because our Hero isn't that dumb).

I couldn't keep this up forever, and they weren't giving up without a fight.

I heard Pixie groaning and mumbling behind me; "Jacob..." She then fell unconscious beside Glair and Tertle.

A Luxray leapt at me again, eyes wide with fury.

A powerful blast of fire sent the creature flying. It wasn't my fire though nor Pixie's. An Arcanine stood atop a high rock looking down in anger. A panicked Rotom floated at his side.

Archie and Rotom approached us quickly. I don't know when it happened, but I had devolved into an Eevee, and a bloody tired one at that.

"What happened here?" Archie was furious.

I stumbled and collapsed in front of him and his angry gaze softened.

He gestured with his head, "Come this way."

We moved to a hill a small way from the camp. Archie turned to Motor.

"How did this happen? You are head of analytics and information, it's your job to make sure things like this don't happen, how didn't you know!"

The Rotom withered before Archie's rage, but then a slow smile spread across his face, not a happy smile, an evil one.

Motor laughed softly; "I knew. That's why I sent them here." He sneered at the surprised Arcanine.

"I sent them here hoping that the Luxray could kill him! -He pointed at me- They couldn't so I'll finish the job!" Motor leapt at me, but Archie pinned him down with a single massive paw. The movement was too quick to see.

Archie laughed manically, "Finish the job? I don't think so, he's disappointed in you Motor, he wanted you to succeed, but I couldn't allow that."

Motor blinked, "Wait, what, what are you talking about? You! You're?!"

Archie snarled at him. "Long live the King!"

Motor, he didn't deserve that... Before he even had a chance to scream Archie had eaten him. Licking his lips Archie turned to the small and terrified Eevee beside him.

A trickle of thick dark blood escaped the corner of his mouth and fell to the ground. He was grinning victoriously.

"I'm sorry, if I didn't want to do this so much I wouldn't, at the very least I won't harm your friends. Rather I will tell everyone that you and Motor suffered valiant deaths upon the battlefield."

He chuckled, I was frozen. I couldn't move, I screamed at myself, run! Move! Get away!

Archie took a step closer, "Your dead pup."

I evolved into a Jolteon and released a bright flash, blinding him for a second, it was enough. I ran.