Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 43: Jacob

When Missy and I entered the guild, it was quiet. Pokémon huddled together in small groups, they weren't scared, they were terrified. I hurried past them to the med-bay, Rio was lying on a bed, bandages covered him all over and an Audino stood nearby, she looked worried.

"Rio! Rio what happened?"

The Simipour opened his eyes and smiled at me. "Yo, Jacob... I'm glad you're not fighting for them because I have a favour to ask you."

"Tell me."

"I found my family, all of them. Some of them joined Zeraora, they said it was their choice, but they're not the same. Please save them Jacob."

His eyes started to close, and his breathing slowed.

"No Rio, stay with me, come on pal, you found your family, some of them joined Zeraora, what about the rest of them, how are they, are they good?"

"Ha, I don't know, but I'll be able to ask them soon..."

"Rio, I'm going to save your family, I'll save them and afterwards you'll be here to thank me. The world will go back to the way it was."

He looked at me, he was pale and coughed harshly.

"Jacob... Please, don't let the world go back to the way it was, make it better."

"I will Rio, and you'll be here to enjoy it."

Tears glistened in my eyes. Rio looked at me with a hard stare.

"Bro, you cry too much. Tears are precious you know, they're special things, when you cry it's because you've been strong for too long, because you're losing something important. When you cry it's a reminder that you're alive, that your living for something. When you cry, it's for something more than yourself. Don't waste your tears on me, use them wisely or one day you may need to shed a tear only to find, you don't have any left."

He coughed a little and continued; "Jacob, a stone heart is too heavy for you to carry alone. Use your tears, to beg forgiveness, to soften your heart and to water the flowers upon which you trod."

I sniffled and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Okay Rio, I'll make things right and all the flowers I walked over, I'll help them grow."

Rio's eyes closed, never to open again. "Good, I'm glad." With those final words he breathed his last.

I smiled sadly at Nurse Audino and left the room, I entered the main atrium and every head turned. I looked around the room, all sorts of Pokémon looked back. Big ones, small ones, strong ones, smart ones, fluffy ones, scaly ones. Once I would have walked straight over these flowers, not anymore.

"Our friend Rio. He's gone. He will be the last. I refuse to lose anyone else to this enemy, the time has come for us to rise, stand and fight. They come against us with an army, we will meet them, with our family!"

Pokémon slowly rose to their feet, they held their heads high.

"Musharna! Recall all expedition teams, have them return immediately. Sheldon organise scouts, I want to know what Zeraora is doing. All Pokémon who cannot fight, take cover here and prepare to care for any injured. Pokémon who can fight, prepare for war."

Musharna called out, "Jacob! I have reports from returning expedition teams, the enemy is headed for the nearest human city."

I turned and walked towards the exit, Sheldon shouted at my retreating form. "Where the hell are you going?"

"For reinforcements."