Trial By Fire

Chapter 13

"Weeee!" Yori screamed as he threw the water around with his arms.

"Don't get too close!" I advised from afar.

For a Fire-type Yori sure did enjoy water, (not enough to get in it of course) though he didn't mention it till he was on the edge of the pond looking into it. I felt my stomach drop as I watched him... Silly little fool.

I shook my head and gazed at Yori; he was making me want to play with the water as well. I can't stand water though, it's not that I'm weak to it, it's that I'm tired of it. Of course Team Rocket knew about these weakness and trained their Pokemon to counterattack it. This would've been fine in intervals, but I was pushed everyday to get stronger. Shoved into tank and forced to swim, let's just say my thick fur wasn't the most... buoyant thing.

I watched as Yori walked over to me with some sort of odd rock. "I found this!" he said handing it to me.

I twirled it in my paw and put it up to the sun, it was one shiny rock.

"Where did you find this?" I asked putting the rock in my lap.

Yori gestured towards the pond then jumped up against my leg trying to reach the rock.

"I want it back!" he cried

I chuckled and handed it to him. "You're gonna need something to carry it in," I said.

Untying the hanker-chief I glanced at Yori, "It's not like I need it anymore," I muttered.

"Once a member, always a member... Rather I like it or not." Wrapping the hanker-chief around the rock I gave it to Yori who then tilted his head.

"You won't be mean again, right?" he said clutching his bag tight. "Like... In the forest. I don't like you when you're mean."

I let out a sigh and patted Yori's head, "I'll be okay," I said. "I'm changing just for you, and hopefully you'll never see that again."

A voice rang from above us, "How adorable," It muttered.

Looking up I caught a glimpse of a figure who then leaped to another tree in plain view.

"Raize?" I asked in astoundement.

Raize stood on the branch of the tree and leaned against the trunk.

"I came here with another order, and it seems I don't have to apprehend you this time."

I tried to speak up, but was immediately silenced as Raize put up her hand.

"I've come here to see if you might reconsider my offer," she said. "And I have little time to talk with such a pathetic blabbering fire-thing."

"Watch it," I said sternly. "You'd best keep to yourself!"

Raize snickered and crossed her arms. "Threaten me as you like Flare, but you're still not anywhere close to battle ready. Your combat skills have dwindled down, you're so oblivious to allow me to follow you."

I looked at Raize in anger, "Why you littl-"

Raize put up her hand once more and smirked. "Let's not get so fiery," she said. "You made a promise, did you not?"

I gazed at Yori, who hugged my hips. I sighed and let my arms fall to my side.

"Good," Raize said as she watched my arms fall. "Now, let's talk. I've come back because I was given a task by our town leader to track you down again. I trust the leader, I'm just confused over his obsession with some rage-induced pushover."

My ears flickered back. Raize was really pushing it, and she was enjoying every moment.

"So, tracking you wasn't hard, as you tromp through the forest. Anyways, I have a new offer for you, as you so stubbornly rebutted the first one. Our organization's leader has decided to allow Yori to come along with you."

"HOWEVER, the Sovereign is not responsible for anything that happens to him and furthermore, if there's a choice between saving Yori and saving a Sovereign member, we are ordered to save the member. We aren't babysitting him."

I glanced at Yori and he glanced back with fear in his eyes. Why did he want to come with me so badly?

"You're not our friends," Raize said. "Anyone in anyway related to Team Rocket is an untrustworthy scoundrel. And sadly enough, your little friend over there got dragged into that rank. Like I said before, leave him now, before he's shunned from everyone and everything. Pokemon have no sympathy for Team Rocket or Team Rocket subordinates."

I looked at Yori and closed my eyes tight. That was the one part of the story I didn't tell him, I didn't want to hurt him. I couldn't let thoughts like that enter his head, he idealized me and if he found out his role-model  was hated by everyone, I don't think he'd be able to take it.

I opened my eyes and looked at Yori. I was surprised to see him standing strong, he refused to show emotion. I saw it in his eyes, I saw the sadness and stress wanting to escape, but he kept it in. Was it for me? Or was it that he didn't want to give Raize the satisfaction of being right?

Yori looked up at me with eyes of grief and nodded his head. He wanted me to keep going, he trusted me.

"I'll do it," I said. "But the situation with Yori... It still remains the same, he stays with me. We don't need your fancy village, we don't need your approval, nor do we care for it! We have each other and that's that."

Shocked, Raize picked up her voice. "I guess you aren't as stupid as you look; we'll discuss more in our camp. It seems I'll be forced to tolerate you, I'll see you there."

Raize jumped into the trees, they rumbled as the leaves fell down then grew silent. Until Raize lifted her voice from the darkness, "Also," she said. "You still have to complete your job Flare. So that's why I suggest you leave your squeaky burden. Don't handicap yourself Flare."

Amd with that, Raize disappeared. Raize was long gone and she didn't even tell us where to go. As I watched the leaves fall the ground I spotted something else falling with it. I went over there and caught what seemed to be a paper. No, a map! Flipping it around I saw where we were and where we had to go; It wasn't very far! 

"Are we going on a treasure hunt?" Yori muffled as he wiped his tears.

"Not exactly," I said with a chuckle.

Yori glanced at me then glanced back at the ground. "I wish it were that simple."