I stepped outside and breathed in the crisp, April air. Then I saw everyone lined up. Wait, what? It caught me so off guard that I jumped. Someone burst out laughing. Two someones, actually. Flare and Deegan were laughing their heads off as I walked to stand beside Autumn, in front of Aries, who was eyeing the boys with a look that read, now-isn't-the-time,-you-idiots. "Why do we have to use my yard?" I complain. "Because it's nice." Said Aries.
Our yard was of green and darker green stripes, like those fancy yards, and there was also a pool surrounded by fencing and lights that were tied around and between palm trees. There were also palm trees lined up in the front, and there was a pathway to a fancy carport, which was the girl's base. The boy's base was a newly placed tool shed. So yeah, I'd say it was nice, but not enough to ruin with whatever was going on.
"What are we doing?" I say. "You really don't know what's going on? This settles it all." Icicle said. "No, I don't know what's going on, and could someone please tell me instead of dodging the question?" I said a bit more stern than I intended it to come out. Finally, Julian said: "We're playing a game of War."
Aren't we a little old to play childish games?" I ask. Flare, Tamao, Aries, Spark, Deegan, and Julian was aligned in front of us. In our line was me, Icicle, Millie, Autumn, Caliente, and Clemetis. Even though I barely knew any of these people, we were all lined up in my yard. "Aren't we a little old to play childish games?" I ask. "Please, can we at least do this at someone else's house?" "Pfft," said Aries. "No. And besides... boys vs. girls never gets old."
Oh God.
"Before we get to huddling up and making plans, I'll explain how this works. So, the boys have a treasure chest, and the girls have one, too. There are three artifacts in each - a red flag, a yellow flag, and a green one. You have to make is safely to the other team's treasure chest to steal a flag.
"The first flag you would steal is the green one. Put the green flag in your treasure chest. Now, this green flag can be taken back. You must make sure that the green flag you stole does not get taken by the other team. If so, you can try how ever many times you need to get it back.
"The next flag you steal is the yellow one. This one can only be taken back once, so if the other team took it from you, you could take it back just once.
"Now, the last flag, the red one... You cannot take it back. If the other team manages to get a hold of your red flag and take it back to their treasure chest, that's game. Also, all team members of the losing team has to ask out a member on the other team. Everyone understand?" Said Aries as he finally finished the rules.
Utter silence.
"I'm taking that as a yes. Huddle up!" He called out. Both our teams huddled up. "Alright. Clemetis and Millie, stay here to guard the treasure chest. Also, I kinda wish we had that nerdy Espeon that Tamao likes on our team so she can predict the future and help us win... Anyway, me and Autumn will go to the backside and go through the backyard bamboo. Snowfall, you go through the bushes." Icicle says.
Everyone nods in agreement as both teams go to their base. "Ready, set... Go!" I hear someone announce.
I leap into the bushes nearby as Millie and Clemetis poise for battle. Autumn and Icicle dart behind the side of the house and into the bamboo forest in the backyard.
I make my way - stealthily, and gracefully - through the bushes. Which dang, that reminds me of how lucky we were to get this house. It's real nice. Anyway, I prowl through the shrubbery until I see something through the bushes. It's Deegan.
The Shiny Umbreon stands defensively in front of the treasure chest. I don't see anyone nearby - but that doesn't mean I can pounce out of the blue.
I wait to see if anyone else is there. Suddenly, I hear Autumn's Razor Leaf and Icicle's Freeze Dry bounce off the bamboo into the left side yard. Suddenly, a figure bolts out from the bushes and goes to the backyard for backup. Julian. I knew someone must've been hiding.
I pounce on Deegan, covering his mouth with my tail so hopefully nobody hears him scream in panic. I heard the fighting in the backyard, and it's getting closer. Autumn and Icicle are making them close in on me. I drag Deegan into the bushes and steal the green flag. He wasn't quick to retaliate, so I stole it quickly and easily.
I ran to our treasure chest, put the green flag in, and spoke to the guards. "Millie and Clemetis, hide in the bushes behind you. Pounce when you see anyone coming." I order. They nod and jump into the wall of bushes that stood against the white fence as I jumped into the bushes again.
I stride through the bushes with stealth and silence. When I reach the clearing on in front of the boys' base, I pause, checking in on my surroundings, and listen.
The wind blowing.
The occasional chirp of a bird.
I listen closer and become one with nature.
Then I hear it. "Syl-ve-ON!" I hear Millie's call at our base. I swivel my head to face the direction of where our base was. I turn my ear to the backyard. Then, I looked back to the clearing in front of the tool shed. Someone was there. It was Autumn! She was in a massive hurry, as if someone was chasing her. Then, something leaped out of the shadows.
Aries pounced on the red Leafeon. She got on her back and kicked him. I watched as she struggled. Then, it was like I was a ghost hovering above the whole scene. I saw an Eevee, getting burned by the Flareon. I only watched as the Glaceon in the bushes pounced on top the Flareon, scratching him in the eye. I saw the terror and hatred in the Glaceon's eye as she used Icicle Beam on the Flareon's chest, just like it happened to her years ago.
It all happened in a blur. I floated back into the Glaceon's perspective. I looked at everything that happened. Everything. I let this happen. I let this happen! What did I do? It happened so fast. I looked at the Flareon's bleeding eye. His frostbitten underbelly. His bruises where I kicked him in the side so... so viciously. I was no good girl. I was a savage.
Autumn got up and looked at me. "Snowfall... What did you do?" I looked into her dark amber eyes, into her soul, and said, "It's only fair."
"What do you mean 'fair'? You beat him up!" Autumn said loudly.
Aries staggered to his feet.
I ran inside. I didn't want to look at him. Any of it.
"Sis, what happened? I heard that Flareon scream, and I figured it was you."
Scream? Did I really make him scream?
"I- I don't know what happened, I..." I cried.
"Hey, it's okay. But go out there and apologize." I stopped crying and waited for my eyes to turn to normal.
I walked outside. Everyone was standing at the door.
"What did you do!?"
"I knew this was a bad idea."
"You ruined my day! My whole weekend!"
"All I wanted was to have fun. Now look at us."
Then, I cried again. I'm a mess. Why am I like this? Why do I hate Flareons as much as I do? Why I have to?
"Pfft, I'm leaving. Ain't nothin' worth staying here, watching her cry." Deegan said, turning around and walking away. Icicle looked at me, a face of sadness and empathy looking back at me. Autumn didn't even look at me and walked away glumly. Everyone was standing there, except Aries.
"It's okay. I forgive you." He says. Is he really that dumb? You can't forgive something that bad. "You can't. Can't you see what I did to you!?" I yelled sternly. I looked down at him. "Nothing like that is forgivable."
He looked up at me, a little more stern. Then, I cried again, because I'm nervous, scared, mad, and sad all in one. And my body can't support all those emotions so quickly at once.
"It's okay." He stepped up to the front step to face me. "No it's not! Look at yourself! Look in the mirror! Look what I did to you! I don't take your sorry! I don't deserve it.." I say finally. Then, he hugs me.
He is so warm. It's something to get used to, but it's nice. His fluff was so... soft. Then... I hugged him back.
"You're a bit cold," he said as he chuckled. He pulled away. I pulled him closer. I wanna stay in this warmth forever.
Finally, I pulled away as well. He pointed to my belly. "You... Have a burn mark. I'm sorry." I shook it off. "That wasn't you. You have nothing to be sorry for," I say. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" "One day, I was in a wheat field. I was still en Eevee at the time, so much, much weaker than I am right now. I guess it was someone else's property, because as I was bounding along, a Flareon attacked me. She kicked me several times in the side like I did to you. Just like that. And she burned me... Real bad. It doesn't hurt if you touch it but it's still a bit sensitive."
"Oh, I'm sorry... How did you live to see the next day?" I shrugged. "No idea how. I tried to attack the attacker but I couldn't do it myself. Eventually my brother arrived, y'know, the Vaporeon? That's my brother. He was still an Eevee but was stronger than me. He managed to get the Flareon off me. Maybe it was a sign of Arceus itself, as if it was saying, 'Woah! Not yet. You haven't completed your journey'."
"I'm glad your alive," he joked. Although, to me, it wasn't worth laughing for. I tilted my head why. "So I can see you." I stared at him, taken back by what he said. "How- what- why?" I stuttered. "When I was young, I was taught that Glaceons were nothing but cold monsters who wanted to freeze your heart. But then I saw you. You must not have any idea how beautiful you are, and a light shine through me the first time I saw you."
I blushed. Not because I like him, but because I was embarrassed and didn't know what to say. Then Riptide came out.
"Girl, whatchu out here doi-" he froze once he saw me close to the Flareon. Sitting right in front of him, in fact. Then Riptide made a huge deal about it and acted as if I won the lottery.
"Sis, you're talking to a Flareon. Conversations with a Flareon. You're friends with a Flareon?!"
I nod slowly. "Not friends. Just talking," I stated. "Mhm, that's what they all say." He winked at me as he walked away. I rolled my eyes at him as I turn back to the Flareon, who was blushing madly. "Uh," I wave my paw in front of his face. "You good?" "Yeah. Was just in a trance," he said as he rubbed his paw on the back of his head nervously. I nod. "You best get going. It's getting dark," I say, pointing to the sun setting overhead.
"Wait... Could I stay a bit longer?" I narrow my eyes at him. "And do what?" He turned towards me. "Have you ever watched the sunset?"
End of Chapter Three
In the next chapter...
I look at my frostbite mark from a couple days ago. Why did I even suggest going over to Snowfall' s house to play War? Now that I think of it, that seems incredibly dumb. I shrug it off and concentrate on that moment we shared, watching the sunset on her balcony. She's so beautiful. I want her so badly... I want to hug her again. I wonder if she will reject me this time... No, that'll mess up our current potential friendship. I think as I watch the sunset at my own house. Hey, maybe, just maybe... Snowfall is watching the sunset as well.