Again there was a heavy thumping on the door, this time far more aggressive, making me cringe slightly as I held on tightly to my guardian. I knew this was going to happen which is exactly why I'd wanted to leave then moment Claire arrived. The Dragon Tamer cautiously stood to her feet, glancing between me and the door.
"Are you sure it's Kathrine?" She questioned, fingertips lightly grazing the Pokéballs attached to her belt.
I nodded, her aura unquestionable. "I'm positive." My response was quiet as I fought off the urge to hide under the bed which was literally the only thing I could think of to do. "Claire we need to go, Kathrine's too strong."
She didn't have a chance to respond before the door was knocked down with Kathrine's Absol stumbling in after. The Dark-Type Mega Evolution snarled at us but didn't pounce as Kathrine, Lopez and Maxine strut in after. My biological parent looked agonisingly proud of herself when she saw me cowering in the bed. Claire stood in front of me protectively, waving for me to stand as she watched cautiously as four grunt also filtered into the room. I stayed firmly behind Claire, attempting to hide from Kathrine to the best of my ability.
Claire bawled her hands into fists, slamming one into Kathrine's face before anyone could react. "That's for hurting my daughter." She growled, moving back to again stand in front of me protectively. She took hold of my wrist, just above the band that blocked off my ability to use my powers.
Kathrine stumbled slightly from the blow, not making a sound but raising her hand to her now bleeding nose. She managed to relatively keep her calm demeanour as I flinched and hid further behind my guardian. "I guess I should have expected that." Kathrine said, almost to herself as she straightened up. "So you're Claire, famous Dragon-Type Gym Leader of Blackthorn City and the current legal guardian of my daughter." She pulled a black and green handkerchief from her pocket, using it to wipe away the blood running from her nose.
Claire tightened her grip on me slightly, showing she was not winning to give me up easily. "Emma is my daughter." She snarled as I too hugged her tighter.
"Is that so? I do believe I was the one who brought her into this world, that's more then you've done." Kathrine spoke smoothly, almost evilly and her tone was enough to again send me cowering behind Claire. In my defence, Claire has Pokémon, I do not and Kathrine is the spawn of the devil himself. (No not Giratina, he's actually kinda sweet when you get to know him.)
My guardian reached for her Pokéball, a harsher scowl over her features then I'd seen since I found out Team Rocket had established a base in Blackthorn City. "I raised Emma for eight years, you abandoned her after five. I've dealt with every fever, tantrum, bad and good day for almost twice as long as you have." Claire sneered, holding up a Pokéball. "Now either you let us leave or I will force you to back the hell away from my daughter."
"Did you have to mention tantrum." I murmured as I peaked out from hiding.
Claire slipped a Pokéball into my hand before patting my head soft. "Quiet sweetie the grown ups are talking."
I huffed but dropped it. As mentioned earlier Claire is really my only source of defence right now and the last thing I wanted was to do was piss her off. Kathrine remained sickeningly quiet as I again peered out from behind my guardian.
Without warning, the corrupt Absol by her side sprang forward. Claire however didn't miss a beat, pulling a ball from her belt and letting the Dragon inside in one sharp and fluid movement. The shiny Druddigon* leapt from it's spherical home, crossing his arms in front of him, taking the hit head on. Absol pushed Duddigon back several inches before the shiny Pokémon managed to hold his ground and push off his opponent.
"Do you honestly think you stand a chance?" Kathrine gloated as the corrupted form of the Mega Absol stalked back and forth in front of Claire's Druddigon. "Not even the single champion of five regains could match my strength, what does one little Gym-Leader think she can do?" She waved in my direction as she did so, making me cringe ever so slightly.
Claire straightened up, slicking out her chin in a manor obviously trying to prove her superiority. "I will do simply what is necessary."
Druddigon retreated to his trainers side, snarling at the corrupted Mega Absol that was the shiny Pokemon's opposition. "Druddigon, stay back and protect Emma." Claire ordered her Pokémon, releasing my wrist as it became apparent that Kathrine would not back down without a fight.
~Yes mistress.~ The Cave Pokémon replied gruffly. Moving to my side and using his green wing to shield me. ~You will be safe with me young Emma.~
I nodded, though the feeling of security only lasted a brief moment before a sharp crack of electricity ran through my body. Screaming out in pain, my knees buckled and I fell. Druddigon caught me with ease, pulling me close to him and allowing me to rest against his chest.
Claire spun to face when she heard my scream, concerned of my wellbeing but the distraction left her open as Absol again pounced, this time landing squarely on the Dragon Tamers back and knocking her to the ground. She remained composed, trying to fight off the Dark-Type Pokémon or at least grab a second Pokéballs from her belt.
I attempted to get up, to protect my guardian but Druddigon held me back, using a Dragon Rage instead to knock off the corrupted Mega. While Claire was still down, two grunts instead jumped forward, grabbing hold of her by her arms and wrestling her to her feet, keeping her hands well away from her Pokéballs. They clearly struggled with the task as like me, Claire wasn't one to back off without a flight.
Druddigon held onto me tightly, snarling at the surrounding grunts, his eyes flicking between me and the grunts holding his obviously angered trainer as the Dragon-Type debating between following his orders and protecting me or abandoning them for his trainer.
"I've become tired of this." Kathrine stated, turning to Clair as she unsheathed a small handgun from her vest, raising it to the forehead of my restrained guardian. "I will give you to the count of three Emma, if you decide to continue being stubborn, I will shoot her."
There was a crushing feeling in my chest as I struggled to get my feet under me before the first number was even said. "Stop!" I cried out, tears welling in my eyes as I shook my head. "Just don't shoot, I'll go, just don't hurt Claire." I pleaded, managing to push away a confused Druddigon.
"Emma!" Claire warned, her eyes unsure as she struggled to fight off the grunts. She was dangerously aware of the gun held against her head but still wanting to protect me.
Again I shook my head, fighting off tears as I held the eyes of my guardian. "I-it'll be okay Claire, it will be okay." I tried to reassure not only her but myself using the words Silver had told me more times then I could care to could over the past few months. "I just-- I just can't loose you... Not after everything you've done for me." A grunt attempted to restrain me but I pushing him away, snapping at him in threat of biting him. I don't know if I'd ever get to see her again so I deserved one Arceus-damned-moment with my guardian before I get taken back to hell on earth. "You gave me a home when I'd given up all hope of ever having one again. The home I had, the family I had, it was broken." I glared at Kathrine for a moment before turning back to Claire. "Everything I knew was broken, but it didn't bother you. I still remember the day we first met. When I was at the group home, sitting alone under a tree. Cyrus had broken my wrist and it was in a cast. I'd been there for months and never said a word to anyone, yet you came over to me and sat next to me and you spoke to me and I spoke back. You fixed me Claire, you fixed me in the way no one else could. You gave me a home, and you... you gave me a family again. The people of Blackthorn and the Pokémon of the Dragon Den and you. I know I never called you it because of her." I nodded my head towards Kathrine who I'm seriously surprised hasn't stopped me yet but I continued as if she weren't even present. "But you were the best mother I could ever have and best I have had."
"That's enough." Kathrine spoke, struggling to keep her voice even. I did expect that though, I literally admitted Claire was a better mother then her as if she wasn't even in the room. My biological mother raised her gun once more, frightening me briefly that I may have pissed her off a little too much but rather then shooting, she slammed the butt of the gun against her forehead. Claire was knock out by the blow and after Kathrine snapped her fingers, Absol pounced on Druddigon, knocking the Dragon-Type out in mere moment. The brunette then turned to me with a glare. "You are in so much trouble missy."
Then the current from the restraint on my wrist again ran through my body, causing me to scream in pain just moments before the electricity again knocked me unconscious.
~*🌸*~
I regained my bearings agonisingly slowly, my head spinning around at a nauseating pace. My eyes struggled to focus beyond the hazy mist of darkness that set off mild waves of panic from within my dizzying mind.
"Finally come too I see."
Shaking my head, the sound of metal against metal sent buzzes through my head as I looked up at the brown haired leader of Team Rift. As my consciousness grew stronger, I realised I was on my knees, my hands tightly restrained behind my back. My body jerked forward in attempt to change in a more comfortable and less vulnerable position, I gasped as a strong band of steel wrapped around my neck momentarily cut off my airways.
Kathrine lowered herself to one knee, smiling ever so slightly as I struggled to regain my senses over my teetering consciousness. She took hold of my lower jaw, forcing me to look at her. "Believe me Emma, this is the last thing I wanted to do but you left me no choice." Her expression told a different story.
My mind failed to pick out a snarky response so I spat on her face, snarling as I struggled to free myself from her grip. The chain attaching the collar around my neck to the wall behind me was short, leaving me with very little head movement.
"That had to be expected." Kathrine chortled are she rose to her feet, releasing her grip on me as she did. She wiped my saliva from her face, a nice dark yellow blob of mucus formed by a good few hours of unconsciousness, frowning in disgust as she then wiped it on a handkerchief she retrieved from her pocket. "But perhaps a little time down here will quell that temper of yours, after all, just because your friends are free, doesn't mean you have the right to go about and do as you wish now does it?"
"Go to hell." I hissed, pulling at the wrist cuffs violently in attempt to free myself.
Kathrine snorted in amusement, raising an eyebrow as she began walking out of the cell without a word. I however had something to say, curious to see just how far I could guilt trip the woman I'd once called my mum.
"I remember." I said softly, closing my eyes in defeat. "I was lying when I said I didn't remember."
My birth mother froze, turning to face me with an attempt at a blank expression but I saw past it with ease. "What are you referring to?" She said plainly.
"The night before you left me." I replied, I didn't even try to sound confident, cocky or anything else I felt would give me power in the situation. I had none and the fact was obvious to both of us. "I remember you coming home, I heard you come in but Cyrus had me locked in the basement. It scared you. He scared you. You found me and held me. I remember what you said. The lie you told."
Kathrine closed the cell door and turned to approach me. "What did I say then?"
I hardened my features, straightening up as I looked her in the eye. "You said you'd never leave me. You said you'd protect me and that Cyrus couldn't hurt me anymore. You said that he wouldn't have to be my father anymore because he didn't deserve that role in either of our lives." Tears prickled in my eyes but I ignored them. "Then you left me behind. You left and you left me with him. I waited. For two years and even after I was taken from him, I waited. I waited for you to come get me, to take care of me, to fix me." I shook my head sharply at clear the haze plaguing my mind, I wouldn't let myself cry. I would give Kathrine that satisfaction. "I didn't even stop and that why I hated you. I hated the fact that I wanted you back, despite you leaving me with an abusive alcoholic asshole, I just wanted my real family again!" I sighed deeply as I hung my head, slumping back as far as my chains would allow. "Claire filled the role you ran away from and I will never let the likes of you harm her."
Surprisingly, Kathrine didn't say anything, she just left without a word but then, I suppose leaving is what she'd be best at. I shut my eyes, feeling tears roll down my cheeks and not for the first time in my life, I wish it could just be over.
~*🌸*~
Days passed, though I'm not sure how many, three-- or maybe four. It's hard to say. No one brought me food, no one gave me water and I'd begun to believe that Kathrine had simply left me here to rot as I knew at this point I was very much dehydrated and it would only take a few days, maybe even hours before the lack of water over powered my stubborn nature. Not to mention the agonising pain my legs were in from constantly having to kneel as well as the pain in my spine and shoulders from my sitting position. My head ached from both the lack of sleep and dehydration as well as how difficult it felt to get oxygen into my lungs.
My head snapped up as someone entered my cell, ending my thoughts about how much I needed water though I narrowed my eyes as Shadow approached, pulling back slightly as he did. My breathing was still laboured and I doubted I was in the best shape regardless. "Come to gloat?" I growled, jerking backwards when he lowered himself to one knee by my side.
"No." He replied simply, fiddling with the chains behind me. "Hold still for a moment my dear."
I grumbled but complied as the chain holding my head up slackened, allowing me to hunch over slightly and ease the pain growing in my back and neck.
"Better?"
Taking another heavy breath in, I gave him a nod, relaxing my shoulders a bit as I did. Despite the fact the we were fated enemies, Shadow was probably the least horrible person here, in his own unique and infuriating way. "Why are you being... I don't know, human? Aren't you supposed to hate me?" I questioned, looking up at The Voice of Darkness with a bewildered expression.
"I have nothing against you personally my dear." He smirked slightly as he held up a water bottle with a red and white straw sticking out. "I enjoy toying with my enemies but even I have my limits, almost three days without water is over doing it for any human being, even The Voice of Purity herself."
Accepting the straw I gulped down as much as I could in the split second it took before Shadow pulled it away... Asshole, give me the water! "Take it slow Emma, it's not going anywhere." His tone revealed he was taking a great deal of amusement from the situation but I said nothing about it since I was in desperate need of the water.
"That's the second time you've called me by my name now." I mused instead as he moved the water back to where I could reach the straw to drink.
"Well, not even I'm perfect my dear." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.
Rolling my eyes, I released the straw momentarily. "Well duh, you can't be perfect, you're The Voice of Darkness." I quickly took the straw again, slowly sucking down the precious liquid.
"That's pretty narrow minded of you my dear. Why does perfect need to only describe light? Perfection can be achieved in utter darkness if that is what one wishes." Shadow smirked knowingly as he pulled away the now empty water bottle. "I can count on one hand the number of people I've come to respect, I've grown to respect you my dear and that is not something to be taken lightly."
"Because I care that the guy who kidnaps me regularly respects me now." I replied, no longer carding what I said now that the water was in my belly instead of that plastic bottle.
"I had nothing to do with that on this occasion, as I said, had the choice been mine, you would have been left out of Team Rift's goals entirely, had you chosen to stay out of it yourself." He shrugged. "Now straighten yourself up so I can take back the slack on your chain."
"You say that like I would willingly comply." I snorted, not willing to give up the small amount of slack in my chain and the movement I'd gained from that.
Shadow sighed deeply. "You really are an infuriating child sometimes my dear."
"Thank you."
Sighing again, Shadow's smirk changed to a frown. "I'm doing my best to be civil with you my dear, but as you so delicately pointed out earlier, we are enemies but I believe this treatment is over doing your punishment. I don't have to be nice and I can easily switch to my... Darker nature." His tone sharp and not one to be messed with. For a brief moment his eyes lost their human look, gaining a darker tone that almost seemed like some savage beast about to pounce on its prey.
Normally, I would have snapped back at such comments but there was something about the change in his eyes that made me flinch and shrink away. The darkness almost didn't seem human.
"Now, you can sit up straight like a good little girl or I can make this experience worse then it already was. Kathrine hadn't planned on giving you water for another day or two, I can make that time twice as long without batting an eye."
The humane look returned to his expression as I sighed and returned to my original position for Shadow to readjust. I did attempt to stay a little more forward then I originally was but a sharp yank on the chain from behind pulled me back in my original, painfilled position with a sharp cry of pain as he did.
Shadow stood up, towering over me in my kneeling position. "The water you just consumed had a strong dose of pain killers crushed into it, no doubt you'll start feeling the effects soon enough."
I looked up at him, honestly surprised but I thought better against saying so. I was more exhausted then I care to explain but depending on the strength of the painkillers, I might just become numb enough to get a few hours sleep, which by now I was craving.
~*~*~*🌸*~*~*~
Word count: 3370
Point one, Claire does have a shiny Druddigon, she gets one in the anime and that is the only reason she has one here. Otherwise I probably would have used Dragonite but Druddigon is slightly more tanky looking and I felt he fit better in the chapter.
Point two, HOLLY SHIT THIS BOOK HAS LIKE FIVE CHAPTERS LEFT AND I HAVE NOT WRITTEN A WORD FOR EACH!!! Don't worry though, I have a plan (lol, when do I ever not?)
Also, just saying, my Wattpad app is being stupid and crashes when I try to open it so I may not be able to write until that's fixed. Bu-bye now.