Forest of Secrets; A Pokemon Fanfiction

Chapter 2, Part 5

Loppily

"Bright," I begin, "Don't you think that was a little harsh?"
"No, Lopy. I'm thinking it wasn't harsh enough. Dasher is just as stuck-up as Spark claims him to be."
I sigh softly to myself. We walk briskly on the pathway, and I'm not sure where, or why. "Where are we going Bright?"
Bright glances back at me for a second. "To the cliffs. I need to battle, and let off steam. Spark will be willing to oblige."
"You could battle me."
He shakes his head fervently. "You know I could never do that. You know even better why."
"You could go easy on me?"
"There is no easy at Level 100."
"Why can't Joy just train me to Level 100? She did it easily enough with you guys."
Bright is about to say something back, until Dasher teleports in front of me. I startle some, and jerk my hand out of Brights grasp. Bright turns to look at Dasher, and his eyes harden. "You again. What do you want?"
Dasher stands there with his mouth open a minute. He doesn't seem entirely sure what to say. "What you said was rather snarky."
A scoff escapes Bright, and he clasps my hand and continues walking. "Like what you say is any nicer? I know you were ridiculing your brother before you came to the field."
Dasher teleports right in Bright's path this time. "Can I have an apology or something? I'm tired of you all beating on me about battling and stuff. I'm not a good battler, and that's what this is all about, isn't it?"
Grinding his teeth together slightly, Bright appears to be trying not to get upset. "No, this is not about battle skills. It's about you attitude, towards battling and everyone else. I'm getting sick of your excuses for your weaknesses, and your complaints about our strengths. Now please let me pass."
"No."
"If a fight's what you want, battle Spark. She's more willing to beat up a novice."
"I just want you to say sorry for harping on me about battling!"
Bright holds up one hand and pinches two fingers together, emphasizing a small distance. "You are this close to, quote, 'becoming a pulp smashed against a tree.'"

The conversation takes me aback. This is the most ticked off I have ever seen mellow, Calm Bright, and I wonder if it has to do with his possession earlier. I think attacking others, particularly Spark and Roku has shaken him up a lot.

Dasher is visibly angry now too. "You wouldn't dare! You would never!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. His voice is shrill, and hurts my sensitive ears. I draw them around me, both to block out the sound, comfort myself, and afford protection if the altercation breaks out into a fight.
They yell at each other for a while more, but I can't hear a thing. I don't want to. So it comes as a shock when Bright lets go of my hand and lunges for Dasher. Dasher pales, and Teleports away just before Bright tackles him. Bright manages to right himself with a roll, but Dasher is gone.
I uncurl my ears from around myself. Bright seems to remember I was there. "Oh gosh, Lopy," he blusters. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I just..." He is slightly speechless at his abnormal outburst at Dasher.
My fur is ruffled, and I smooth it back out. "I get it. Dasher is impossible, and you were mad." I didn't really get it, but I had to comfort him, didn't I?

He plops down in the dirt dourly. "I shouldn't have gotten so upset though. I wish I could just explain to Dasher that he's the one causing his own anguish, not us. He's blaming us for all his problems, and I can't do a thing about it."

Dasher
I'm freaking out. There is no way I would ever get myself into a mess like THIS, normally, even if I get upset. I tend to yell once and teleport away right after. So, the one time I get really ticked, and make the person I'm arguing with even more ticked, it just has to be one of the Five, doesn't it? I can't annoy someone who I may be able to actually stand against in battle, like Psy or maybe one of the other obscure Pokemon who live with Joy, but never get trained. Bright never wants to harm anyone, but now I've gotten him to the point that I wonder if he'll actually murder me.

Yep, life is great.

I Teleported back to my room when Bright got really, really upset. I'm not quite sure what we were yelling about anymore. For some reason, I think I was saying something about no one ever paying attention to me because of my weak skills, so I have to grab it somehow, usually through sarcasm, and Bright, he told me that attention-grabbing is a sigh of weak character, blah blah blah. I called him an Ambipom, and that's when he tried to get me. The world was nuts, I decided. Everyone went crazy a long time ago, and I'm stuck as the only one who sees things for what they really are.

It's barely dinner time at the Mansion. I can hear a murmur of voices in the living room. Lotus, Joy-Joy, and Gli, one of the aforementioned obscure Pokemon (an Altaria to be exact), are discussing something exuberantly. Great for them.
Since there's not much else to do, since I'm avoiding my siblings, and trying not to get seen by Bright (who may want to kill me even without being possessed), I wonder if I should take a nap. That's what Rascal does most of the time. But wait, I think Rascal's semi-crazy too.
Two more voices join the conversation outside. Identifiable as Mother and Gallant (Twirla's mate, therefore our technical father through adoption). I press my ear to the door, and listen closer. Useful, having a room right next to the the staircase leading central hub of where everything goes on in the house. The staircase carries sound up to my room very well.

They are talking about what Pokemon Moon Shadow could be. This reminds me of the possession that happened earlier, and I'm in no mood to think about that. It reminds me of some arguments that I had with other people as well today. Why can't everyone just leave me be?

I open my window and feel the breeze. Perhaps I can have a little adventure of my own, just to make me feel better. The height from the second floor to the ground is kind of high, but when you can manipulate your own gravity (Gardevoir wouldn't even be able to stand if we couldn't), floating out is a cinch. Then again, I can also teleport to the ground, but I save teleportation for when I need to make a point.

My first destination is the kitchens. I'll just pick up a Bitter poffin or two, and be on my way. Our 'chef', Golly Gothitelle, can really make a good poffin. And unlike most Pokemon here, she's friendly and doesn't ask a lot of questions. If I ask for a poffin, I'll get one from her without a problem.

But before I jump out my window, I overhear yet another conversation. The room two window's down from me is where Roku stays. He's supposed to be sleeping, so it mildly surprises me when I hear low chatter from his open window.
"Spark, I'll be fine. A little beating isn't enough to bring me down," I barely catch. The next words are lower, and I can't hear them. My curiosity is definitely whetted. Roku's supposed to be napping, and Spark's supposedly off training. This makes for a suspicious conversation.
I carefully pull myself out of my window, and hang on to the frame edge. They talk quieter now, so I need to get closer to hear more. Gripping the top of the frame with my hands, I scoot along the windowsill toward the next. Luckily, the room next to mine is Lopy's, and she's got a flower box. It's not to difficult to leap onto it from the edge of my windowsill. This is close enough to hear what they say without being revealed myself.

"I can't stand this, Roku. Do you know what it's like for something to take your sibling like that? It's like something slathered my soul in ice. It only makes the cold worse, that it might happen again."
What? The possession topic again? Leaving is a viable option, but maybe they'll say something more interesting if I keep listening.
"It would... be awful if something happened to you. Fighting Bright was like tearing my heart out with my own claws." Graphic image. "Battling you... I can't do it! One blow, and you're out. Maybe for good. I know you want to be strong too, but this strong? Sometimes, it hurts." What? Spark? Pugnacious Spark, afraid of her own strength? She never thinks like that if I'm the subject of her tyranny, which is often.

"I love you Roku. Promise that you won't get taken. I trust in that Lunar Wing of Joy's, but only so far. Promise me."
"I... I promise to try for you. That's as far as I can."
And with that, I almost fall out of the window box.