#warrenflareon

Blood colored the bunnelby’s arm as she held it close to her body; her other paw doing little to stop it. Her feet dared not touched the ground as the snow hissed and stung at her burned feet. A cold breath escaped her as she groan in pain, but she relaxed a little as the Espeon touched her nose to Red’s. “I’m so sorry honey.”

A drop flowed down from her eye, her voice cracked a bit as she spoke,“I- It’s okay mom, it hurts, but I’m okay.” Her paw started to move away from her injured one but the Espeon moved it back with her own. “I- I just can’t believe you’re here too, I wanted to make sure you were real but I’d get mud on you. I- I know you hate that.” A soft laugh escaped her as the psychic type smiled down on her.

“I’m here, don’t worry.” Her gaze shifted away from her hurting daughter for a moment, but her smile quickly returned, “Stay right here and rest alright? I’ll make sure your father is... okay.” Red nodded, the Espeon turned away and her face became filled with anger and rage. The path of embers his last attack left was where he came to rest, his shaking and weak legs tried to make him stand again. “You had best stand down Warren, you know Blue wouldn’t want this.”

The Flareon spit red as he shook dirt from his fur. “Yet you can still call the one who lead him to his death your daughter! How do you know he would want that?” His eyes still burned with a passion for his own twisted vengeance.

The psychic type shook her head, her tail wildly flailing behind her, “You don’t know what happened that night. You’ve assumed this whole time she’s the villain, yet you never searched for those that actually sunk their teeth into our son!”

“I did Morgan! But I’m not invincible like when we first met!” He struggled to stand as chunks of mud dripped from his face and smothered the fires below. “I can’t even beat my own- her! I can’t even beat... her.” Warren watched as Red walked up beside the Espeon, each step looking like it hurt worse than the last.

She could hardly stand, her weary right paw held her up against mother. “Is Blue... really gone?” Both parents looked away. An answer they had practiced telling their others rang in their minds once again. One word, yet neither could say it.

Warren’s head was looking down, unable to look at what damage he had caused. Morgan was the first to speak over the embers that brightened the night around them. “I think he followed you that night you left... but you were too fast.”

The Flareon lifted his muddy head, still averting his eyes. “He was too tired to run from them or- or...”

“Too scared.” It was a speech, one they had planned to tell her if she ever came back. “Red we buried him outside that den if you would want to go back and see him.” The bunnelby took a moment, closing her eyes enduring the pain from both her battle and the news. She was brother-less. She’d never see one of her best friends again, and it felt like her fault.

Not tears fell from her face, no sniffling, nothing. “I- I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. Not right now.” She dropped down on both her front paws, a groan of pain following. “My friend is in trouble and I- I can’t abandon her like I did Blue. I’d regret leaving like I did before.” Sorrow ran through her face as she looked to her dad who still looked off into the dark woods. “Dad, I’m sorry for leaving. I should’ve helped but I know now I made the wrong choice. I can’t fix any of this... so all I can do is say, I’m sorry.” The Flareon couldn’t stand the apology, his ears drooped and his eyes shined in the flames he made. He turned around and started to limp away without a word.

“Warren.” The Espeon called after him but he didn’t stop.

“Mom, it’s... fine.” Red didn’t expect anything back, just knowing he gave her mercy was a start she could handle. Though, she did worry about the aimless Flareon who was about to leave her life. He may have caused this pain, but he still taught her how to defend herself. How to run and how to chase. Maybe one day they can forgive each other completely and go back to the way they were. Just a father and his daughter.

The bunnelby’s heart thumped in sync with each of her steps, running full speed away from the roaring flames that grew quieter. Yet their silence was replaced with the panting and drumming steps of the one who hunted her. Mind racing like her feet as thoughts of talking or fighting weighing her down as the beat of his paws echoed in her ears. Over all those sounds one returned, the crackling of flames in the Warren’s mouth started to roar. Red slid on snow and ice as she turned to dive behind a tree. Only heat of the flames catching her back as she bolted away.

Between the dense laid trees a flash of red could be seen drawing closer. With each turn to evade he’d only predict her and move closer. The bunnelby jumped behind the nearest pine, knowing there was little she could do to extend the distance between them. She dug her ears into the mud and waited for the sound of flames to come. With his last few rapid stomps around the tree Red lifted a rain of mud and dirt into his face, masking the sound of his flames with a grunt. Red jumped to cover behind the massive pine as a shot of flame was released by the blinded Flareon. She used her front paws to balance her as she kicked the hard shell of the tree sending it shaking towards the top.

As she turned to escape, the muddied fire type stood in her way. His flames glowing right before her Violet eyes. She ducked and covered her head, instead of flame covering her body a thick layer of snow crashed down on the two. Her ears made a quick escape of her white tomb, giving her a head start on him. She only made it a few hops away she heard the crackling of flame again, the heat of the Yellow pillar melted through every inch of the snow that fell. It roared at Red who stood in it’s path with almost enough time to move. Her back legs caught ablaze as she jumped aside, and as much as she wanted to yelp, cry in pain, or put the flames out; his steps drummed again. 

Her wary paws dug through the thin layer of snow and grabbed at the mud below, only able to get one decent shot at him before he was upon her. A last ditched grab left her armed with snow in one hand and mud in the other. Warren’s mouth bloomed with flame as he stepped over her burning feet. Red flung her snow-filled paw at his face only to have it filled with holes as his teeth sunk into it. She yelped in pain as she threw her other fist at his face, filled with dirt and Green grass, she hit him right under the eye. He staggered to the side, his fire filled fangs releasing her arm as she dug for another fistful of mud. As fast as her last working arm could manage, she rained mud and snow onto the weak Flareon. He staggered back into the path of charred snow that had caught the bunnelby’s legs. Warren tried his best to ignite his flames but every time a mud bomb would smash against his face.

“Stop!” Finally a voice broke the echo of violent calls that had tainted the forest. An single-tailed Espeon walked from the darkened treeline.

The light and heat of red flames clashed against the stone wall of one of the buildings. It’s embers fell like snow across the large Dragonair’s back and ignited against the ground, only to be swept away by the Dragonair’s swift dodging. Under and around each wave of flame that shot from the Flareon’s maw. A wave of her own blue flames clashed against those shots she knew she could not evade.

She inched closer with every burn she escaped. Her jeweled tail flanking the Flareon’s glowing maw with a resounding hit, sending his next burst of flame spreading onto the ground beside him. He recovered quickly, jumping back only to be brought back into the Dragonair’s range. With her tail wrapped securely around his leg, she yanked him skyward only to bring him slamming back down onto the hardened ground. Her head loomed over his fallen body as the heat of blue flame rained down on the Flareon. His captured foot kicked and struggled for it’s freedom but she would not let go. Even as the shower of flame ate at his fur, he lined up his maw and release another pillar of flame at his own foot. The blaze engulfed the dragon’s tail, charring it black while leaving the Flareon’s foot almost untouched.

The Dragonair finally release him but her rain of fire did not stop, even as he jumped away the flames scorched the ground in his escape path. The Flareon puffed a breath of hot air and smoke from his maw. He hardly had time to collect himself before her flames were upon him again. Yet he mustered the strength to meet her flames with his own. Embers from both sides lit the ground their owner’s colors as the flames clashed with a furnace’s roar. The dragon started to waver, the limits on her flame at it’s end. She preemptively let her stream of fire die, his pillar of fire grazing past her head.

“Why do you delay me?” She did not respond to Warren’s call, his maw adding breaths of ash to the already smoke filled air. “You protect one that’s not your own while yours may be burning inside that building!”

“You know nothing of my daughter’s fate.” The serpent hissed, but over it’s cry and the cackling flames around them, a thunderous crash sounded. She turned to the flames engulfing the yard and there stood a beast. It’s body a bloody red that dripped to the ground, hissing in the heat of the coals below it’s feet. “Lords above.” She turned back to her opponent only to find his tracks on the other side of the high fence, “Damn... Red, be safe.” There was little she could do to catch up to the fire type now.

A growling stomach was all he could feel as the moon’s light peered into the den onto the little Eevee. He lay on his side trying his best to sleep, yet their empty dinner kept the pits of his body calling for food. His view covered all of his siblings, all seemed to not have his problem along with their parents. He shuffled around to get a view of his other sister, a bunnelby who normally slept next to him. Yet she was gone, maybe she was having the same issues and went for a walk.

His short little legs lifted him off the floor and walked him out the door. A grassy field lit up under the blueish light of the mood as a slight breeze sent waves across the grass. “Red?” He whispered into the night, only for his ears to pick up a noise. As he turned towards the noise he could see the white tips of her ears heading into the forest. The tap of his feet against the dirt echoed across the field as he went to catch up.

The forest was dark compared to the moon lit field, the thick trees cast a blanket of shadow. Allowing only a few with a keen eye to tell brush apart from predator. He silently called out to his escaped sister again, but he knew just how fast she could be. The fastest of his sisters and much faster than he could hope to be. The beat of his steps picked up as he did hope to catch her if she wasn’t running at full speed. A rock would not let him catch her as he fell face first into the fallen leaves. The little Eevee groaned as he lay in a bit of pain, his ears perked up again. Noise from a brush gave him hope that his sister had come back, all for it to be dashed the moment the Mighty hound’s face emerged from the shadows. The heavy beats of it’s step made him shake in fear, his eyes welled up with tears as he knew there was little he could do but yelp for his sister. Who had saved him many times from the horrors of the forest. Yet nothing escaped is mouth, the heavy weight of a paw was already upon him.

Red sat in her square little cell as she fumed about her mistreatment, or at least betrayal by that Weavile that came by earlier. He said she’d go see Alesia but look how far that got her... A cold breeze found it’s way into her cell, the door at the end of the hall must have opened. The culprits could be heard chatting as she rushed to the window on her door to see. Two of that Weavile’s clan were strolling towards her, “S-See look at her! She’s l-like all weird and stuff!” A scowl was the only reply Red needed to that comment, the sneasel fumbled with her door key. The door slowly opened as the two stood away giving her an opening out, “H-Hurry up, there’s s-someone who wants to see you.” Before she had the choice, the other’s claw griped her arm and pulled her out.

A push came from behind that almost knocked her to the ground. She stumbled getting off her front paws looking back at the two snickering fiends. As she collected herself she looked ahead to the door she heard open once or twice before, another nudge from the two sent her on her way towards it. Passing each door along the way she could get a glance inside each; one empty, the next held a small Teddiursa who sat trembling in the corner, the one after a houndoom. Her ears sprang up when she saw it only to be disappointed, this one’s appearance was much different from her friend; scars and a missing eye could be seen from the door. She continued on her path to the door with her head held down more than before.

It took a moment for the sneasel to open the door as his hands shook like they were covered in ice. The door squeaked open as the cold air that she’d come to remember blasted their faces with a harsh wind. The other sneasel pushed her out into the snowy yard and Red got her first look where she was being held. It’s barn-like design made it seem like this place was a farm, but the metallic material and black windows darkened the already gloomy appearance. They seemed to lighten up as the clouds hid away the sun allowing her a short glimpse inside. After only a moment of taking in the view; what seemed like an explosion rang through her ears. Red took a nervous look up and only saw a wall of flame eating at the snow covered grass. The two sneasel behind her were still recovering from the initial shock but Red saw another come from the flaming doorway. The flames seemed to fall away from the slender dragon’s body as she approached the three. She loomed over the sneasel and her soft voice rained down on them, “You two should go back inside, shouldn’t you?” A chill ran up the bunnelby’s back; the dragon’s voice was threatening but at the same time motherly, it was odd. Red turned to see the door swing wide as the two guards vanished. “Red, correct? Come with me.” Without more than those words she started around the side of the building and towards the high fence.

Re stumbled away from the fire and chaos, “Y-your Alesia mom, right?” She watched as the Dragonair sized up the fence.

“I am.” She lowered her head into the snow, “Get on, I’ll lift you high enough to go over this fence.”

Red was reluctant to just climb on her head as she looked back on the raging fire, “B-but what about Alesia? I’ll come with you and we can find her!”

The Dragonair’s calming voice had turned more serious, “No, you need to stop that Houndoom friend of yours... she thinks you’re dead.” It was hard to process what she had just heard, why does Kerial think she’s dead? The Dragonair’s tail brushed up against Red’s fur, “My dear, there is something going on that is so much bigger than you... if you want to run away you can and honestly maybe you should. Either way you should go over this fence, come.” Red’s heart felt heavy as she was lifted high; finally given a good look at the fire. All kinds of pokemon tried their best to kill the flames but they kept growing. One caught her eye, one unlike the rest. A Flareon bounded through the flames towards them as a pillar of flame shot towards the bunnelby’s height. Her lift quickly tossed her to the other side of the fence and ducked under the flames.

It didn’t take long for her to recover from the fall, she glanced back to the other side of the fence. Her eyes locked on the Flareon, “D-dad?” but her call seemed to fall on deaf ears.