The Search for Paradise ch.8

I don't want to look. I just know that one of them is or juar dying of blood loss. I peer my head over the rocks, it's Flarewhip. Unbelievable, Blaze won. Blaze Won! He's badly wounded though. We have to go help him.

"Come on!" I say to Latios as we fly up to him. Help him to his feet. The Flame Sword, burried into Flarewhip's shoulder. Blaze is gripping the side of his stomach where he was sliced. Blood continues to seep through. He could die right here! Then the Flame Sword releases it's fire-red aura abd floats from the shoulder. Dripping blood, it floats in front of us, but mostly Blaze. It points its tip to his wound, and it transforms into a red scar.

"Oh my Arceus!" blurts Ralts.

"Ha! I don't feel anything!" Blaze laughs. Well, what a starting adventure, we have four "flockish" kind of members to help us. Blaze carries a fire weapon. Ralts carries some power not yet discover. Latios and I carry Legendary Eon moves. I have this feeling we'll have someone else with us too. Maybe the pokemon who gave me the warning.

"Where too?" Latios asks turning towards me.

"I, don't know. I have no idea where the next gem is. We only have 2 and how many are there left?"

Three shrugs in response.

"You might need this," a voice comes from behind me. It sounds so familiar. I turn around to see a pokemon leaning against the rocks we hid behind. Teal bead, skinny body, and a lot of fur. A Zoroark. It was him.

"It's you," I say.

Blaze raises an eyebrow, "You know him?"

"Eh-"

"Yea, it's me. I gave you the warning." he says walking a little closer.

"Why? What is it? What does it mean?" I ask, sounding more anxious.

"For the last couple years, he said he was training me. Lies. I was tortured into doing his dirty work. It scarred me," he pauses clutching his chest, "really hard." We all stare at him in silence. I want to say something, but what. Then Ralts hops off my shoulder and walks up to him. He peers down at her. What's she up to?

She grabs his hand, her hand is nearly hidden under his. "I don't think you have to worry anymore, you can come with us. I promise, you'll feel safer if you come with us," she whispers. Wow, I wouldn't mind if he did come along, he doesn't seem so bad. After all, he did give me an important message.

Zoroark, silently, looks down at her. He kneels to her height, on his knees now, looks into her eyes. "You don't have to wait anymore, she's not coming back," Ralts bends her head at him, he draws her closer for comfort. What does he mean, "She?" Whose She? Ralts wraps her arms around his neck, sobbing in his fur.

"Why not, you'll be welcomed and a lot better with us," I say.

"Alright, I believe you, anywhere is better than where I was. I have to suffer forever, I can't see anyone or anything in extrodinary pain. It causes me to lose control, explode off, possibly kill them if it gets worse. I'm afraid of myself." he says.

"No one will look like that with us-" I begin.

"We might have to battle Pokemon, but never end up how I did," Blaze jumps in.

"You don't want to see how it ended, you might be glad you came now," Latios finishes.

"Ok, I'll stand with you," he says. Looks like we got another "flockish" member, but I understand this one, he connects with others, more than himself. He might be scarred internally, but maybe we could heal his wounds. I sure hope so.