Shattered Truths, Chapter 48

Shattered Truths, Chapter 48
          Heartbreaking Reunions

   Squall's shout had the effect of quickly waking every Pokemon within earshot, which meant everyone in the cave.

   "This is ridiculous... We can't even get a full night's sleep with Squall around..." Saffron snorted.

   "What...exactly is going on?" Rustfur yawned.

   "Squall woke us all up." Saffron quipped.

   "I noticed..." the Espeon muttered. Care to explain, Squall?"

   "Squall, who are all these Pokemon?" Meranti asked, easily looking around at all of the eyes fixed upon her.

   "U-uh..." Still startled, Squall was unsure of where to start with the introductions. Eventually, he decided to start with a certain blue-eyed Flareon. "T-this is R-Rosalyn..."

   "So that's her name?" Meranti scoffed. "Believe me, I've already met her..."

   "Woah, woah, woah..." Rustfur inserted himself between the two young females. "Who are you to take that tone with my daughter?" he asked, instinctively falling into a parental mode of speech. He was very surprised when the Leafeon spoke to him in the same no-nonsense voice.

   "So you're her father? Then how about teaching her to be a little bit calmer and more relaxed around kits?"

   Rosalyn now forgot her shoulder injury. Fury had temporarily masked the pain. She shoved her father out of the way and bulled Meranti onto her side, as Meressa ducked out of the way. The enraged Flareon stuck the Leafeon to the ground with a wellk-muscled paw. 'I've been trying to hold back my temper up until this point, but no more." she snarled. "Listen, Meranti, my best friend happens to be a month-old kit, so I don't need you to come walking in here and telling me how to act around kits, alright!?"

   "Nngh! Let me up!" Meranti demanded, struggling wildly. "Let me up before I break loose and really hurt you!"

   "'Break loose?'" Rosalyn repeated incredulously. "Funny... Do you want me to hold you down with my other paw? The one that's injured?" she said mockingly. The admittedly cheeky remark elicited a squirming fit of rage from Meranti. An uncharacteristically dark smirk slowly appeared upon the Flareon's face. She stared down at her trapped opponent, relishing the feel of Meranti's flexing as she thrashed about uselessly. The defined hills of steel-hard muscle tissue in Rosalyn's foreleg sprang out, taking her thick fur with them as she pressed her paw into Meranti's shoulder, lessening her frantic wiggling.

   "Rosalyn, stop!!" Squall shouted, sounding to Rosalyn as if he were repeating himself.

   The Fire-type blinked, and her smirk disappeared. Noticing the scene before her, she took a step back. "I-I'm sorry..."

   "Yeah, you will be..." Meranti growled, springing into a fighting stance. A moment later, she sprang...

   ...only to be halted by a rigid, transparent field. Before she had fallen to the ground, a burst of psychic force gave her a rough shove backward.

   "What was that for!?" Squall demanded, glaring at Rustfur. "That looked like it hurt!"

   "It did..." the Leafeon muttered, struggling to stand up.

   "You were making to move to protect my daughter." Rustfur calmly shot back at the Vaporeon. "I saw no action being taken, so I decided to do something. And, to be quite honest, I couldn't  care less if it hurt...Meranti..."

   "Dad, why are you treating her so coldly?" Rosalyn asked, her usual gentle temperament coming back.

   "Would you like to answer that one, Squall?" Rustfur shot a thin smile to the Water-type who was helping Meranti up.

   "Squall...what is he talking about?" Rosalyn turned a worried set of sapphire eyes toward him.

   Before he could answer, the Leafeon beside him chimed in. "Why is she looking at you like that?"

   The on-the-spot Vaporeon looked around nervously, at all the eyes fixed upon him. "U-uh...I...uhhh..." His stammering trailed off as his gaze met that of Rustfur, who raised an eyebrow while giving him a disarming smile. Finally, Squall stood and started toward Rosalyn.

   There's so many emotions flying around... Rosalyn thought, shaking her head to clear it. The one emotion that stood out, though, was the all too familiar one she sensed from Meranti. And if she needed more proof, she caught the glint of jealousy in the Leafeon's amber eyes.

   Rosalyn... This is Meranti... Some time ago, we used to-"

   "You two used to love each other, didn't you?" Rosalyn guessed. Seeing Squall's stunned expression, she went on and explained. "I saw the jealousy in her eyes when you started walking towards me. I can also tell that you still have some sort of feelings for her; almost the same that have for me."

   "Rosalyn, don't think like that. I told you that I loved you." he said quietly. Turning to Meranti, he added, "I know we used to have something... But that was in the past. I'm sorry, that's just how things have turned out; I met Rosalyn."

   "And what? You've fallen in love with her? How long have you known her?"

   "No longer than I knew you, Meranti." Squall answered bluntly.

   The answer seemed to stifle any further protests from the Leafeon, at which point Rustfur decided to voice his opinion concerning Meranti's arrival. "Leave."

   Squall's look of proud satisfaction was replaced with one of stunned disbelief. "What!? No! She can't leave!"

   "Why is that, Squall?" the Espeon inquired.

   "Do you remember the reason why Sapphire left, Rustfur? You were trying to turn Squall away. That's why she left" Frostpelt cut in.

   Rustfur froze and stared off into the night. Frostpelt is right... That is why Sapphire left... The Espeon stared at the little Eevee that had huddled up against him. I can't send her away, not with this little one in her care. Swallowing his instinct, he finally proclaimed, "Fine...she can stay..." Tuning out the happy response from Squall, he turned he turned and headed for the wall of the cave. Oh, Sapphire, where are you? Rustfur said to himself as he lay down.

   This thought ran through Rustfur's mind even as he dreamt. He looked to the left and to the right while he walked, looking for some type of berry. However, something came along that quickly pushed that thought from his mind. No... There's no way... He followed the scent, his heart beating faster and faster.

   In what seemed like no time at all, Rustfur found the source of the delightful scent. There was no mistaking it; that nicked ear, those long, beautiful, muscular legs, that flawless, lustrous coat. "Sapphire!"

   The Leafeon spun around faster that a leaf in a hurricane. "R-Rusty!? What are you doing here!?" That same panicked look entered her surprised eyes. She started backing away.

   "Sapphire! Don't run! Just let me talk to you!"

   Surprisingly, the Grass-type obeyed and remained facing her mate, shivering nervously. "O-okay..."

   Now that he had his mate's attention, Rustfur took a deep breath and started. "S-Sapphire, I'm...I'm so, so sorry..." He hadn't finished his first sentence before tears began welling up in his eyes and his voice began breaking.

   "You-you're sorry? Rusty, look at what I've done to you! I killed you! There's no way-"

   "Sapphire, I'm not dead..." Rustfur interrupted, smiling softly. "I'm completely alive... At least physically..." he finished, his tone returning to the same flat, monotone level that he had been using lately.

   "H-huh? W-what do you mean by that, Rusty?" Sapphire asked, taking a small step toward the Espeon, who stood, staring at the ground.

   "Sapphire, you are my other half..." he started, a great strength under his words. "Without you...my life...has no meaning... I love you more than you could ever know..."

   Sapphire flinched. What was that? She looked at her mate; she felt, no, she saw a flame burning deep inside him. Her heart began beating faster and faster. T-those are his emotions... I-I'm feeling them? How? I cut off our connection... Her heart sped up even more. Her breath started coming shorter intervals. Finally, she looked away, blue eyes tightly shut.

   "Sapphire, what is it?" Rustfur saw the glistening tears in the corners of his mate's shut eyes, and felt the pulsing aura of sadness falling from her.

   "I'm-I'm sorry, Rusty...I...just can't..." Sapphire gasped, taking off at an easy, but fast, lope.

   "Sapphire! Wait, where are you going!?" Rustfur started after her, his run awkward and slow.

   Paying no heed to her follower, Sapphire ran on, driven by emotion. I can't go back, not after what I've done...

   "Sapphire, wait! Slow do-oof!" The Espeon was abruptly interrupted by a headlong fall onto the ground.

   Sapphire heard his grunt of pain and looked back over her shoulder. The sight of her mate laying awkwardly in the dirt and grass nearly broke her heart.

   I guess this is a pretty clear sign; Sapphire's not coming back... Rustfur thought dejectedly. His eyes opened when he felt a strong yet soft shoulder lifting him up.

   "You really need to watch your step a little more, Rusty." the Leafeon murmured.

   Before she could turn away again, Rustfur stopped her. "Just hear me out... Please?" No sign either way... "If you won't come back for me, then won't you at least do it for our kits?"

   "Don't use Saffron and Rosalyn against me, Rustfur!" Sapphire shouted. "They have no part in this; it's between you and me!"

   "I never intended to use them against you, Sapphire... It's just that...I'm not ready to take another mate, and...they need a mother..."

   "Don't use that against me either, Rustfur! If you want me to come back, then I need to know if you're back to your old self!"

   "No, I'm not," Rustfur answered calmly, "and I never will be until I have you back by my side. I understand that, in your eyes, and now, in my eyes too, I changed based on Aurora's story. I know that, and I'm sorry that I didn't step back enough to see it and address the problem. I'm sorry for forcing you to act the way you did. The way I acted was very disrespectful to you. When you truly agreed to be my mate when we were ten months old, I swore to myself that I would never upset you. A silly promise, I know..." Rustfur said, shaking his head. "But, nonetheless, I tried to keep it. Evidently, I was unable to, and I'm sorry for that too."

   Sapphire couldn't respond; she was attempting to hold back a deluge of tears. "I-I'm sorry, Rusty... You...you must have had to walk around with your breath held to keep me happy... You've been doing that for all this time?"

   "What do you mean 'with my breath held?'" the Espeon asked, wanting so much to move forward to ease his mate's tears. Out of respect, and sheer force of will, he remained where he was.

   "Ple-please, Rusty... You know me as well as I do..." Sapphire hiccuped. "I'm stubborn, over-bearing, and the slightest little thing sets off my temper... Ho-how have you been able to put with me for this long?"

   Rustfur stared at his mate for a while, then looked down at his paws.

   "See!? You can't even answer! You don't kn-"

   "I love you, Sapphire, that's why. I don't know why you would ask that. I will love you until the day I die, and even beyond that. I won't be the same until you're in my life again."

   "I'm...sorry...I should have known that..." the Leafeon said. " I forgive you, Rusty... But...I...I don't know...if you'll be able to forgive me..." She squeezed her eyes shut and began sobbing again.

   "I already have, Sapphire..."

   "What? When?"

   "The instant it happened." Rustfur answered. "I could see it in your eyes; you weren't yourself."

   "You did? Wow...I really don't deserve you as a mate, Rusty... Is there anything you wouldn't forgive a Pokemon for?"

   "Yes, I'll never forgive myself for what I put you, Saffron and Rosalyn through."

   "Then I'll have to come back and see if I can change your mind." Sapphire laughed, with tears in her eyes.

   Rustfur nearly exploded with delight. "Really? Where are you? I'll meet you halfway."

   "Don't worry about it. Just stay at the Daycare. Saffron and Rosalyn will be safer there."

   "We're not at the Daycare." the Psychic-type admitted. "Do you really think that I'd sit around wondering where you are?"

   "Well, why are Saffron and Rosalyn with you?"

   "They followed me of their own accord. They knew it would be dangerous." Rustfur explained.

   "All right, then. I couldn't expect you to be able to stop Saffron from doing something she's set her mind to... Where are you then?"

   "We're in a cave about a day's journey from the Daycare."

   "I think I passed that cave you're talking about. I'm two days away from there. Can you wait that long?" Sapphire asked with a smile.

   "I'll try." The Psychic-type nodded. "But I can't promise anything."

   "Fair enough." she giggled. "I'll see you in two days than. Goodbye, Rusty..." As she whispered this into his ear, she reached around and took Rustfur's tail in her own muscular tail and squeezed tightly. The Espeon nearly fainted; he had once thought that he would never feel the firm embrace of his mate's tail again.

   This dream faded with the soft, silky sensation of Sapphire drawing her tail under his chin. Her sweet scent lingered in his nostrils as he woke., and was in the best mood that he had been in in what seemed like forever.

   Unfortunately, though, this mood didn't last long, as he quickly noticed something amiss. He saw the rise and fall of Rosalyn solidly muscled chest, he saw the little Meressa snuggled warmly in the thick, luxurious fur of the Flareon's equally well-muscled tail. The one thing he didn't see was Squall at her back. What the?

   The Espeon stood up and looked around. I should have guessed... he growled to himself. You're pushing it, Squall... Rustfur strode meaningfully to the sleeping Vaporeon and pulled him, none too gently, away from Meranti's back. "All right, Squall, you've got ten seconds to explain yourself." he hissed. "Go."

   "Heehee...what?" he giggled, a glazed look over his eyes.

   Rustfur recognized that look, and it only made him angrier. The lavender Pokemon flicked his pronged tail under Squall's nose and watched as he sneezed violently.

   His temper growing by the second, Rustfur stepped around the bewildered Vaporeon to the still sleeping Meranti. Resisting the urge to cuff her over the ear, he held himself to simply, but still roughly, shaking her awake. "Explain yourself, Meranti. Now."

   "Unnnnh... What are you talking about?" she asked, in her typical cynical tone.

   "Do I look stupid to you, Meranti?"

   "Do you really want me to answer that?" she answered cheekily.

   "Don't start with me..." Rustfur snarled. "I'll be honest, I don't really like you. You've not been here one night, and you're already wedging yourself between Squall and my daughter. I don't know if you ever knew your father, but let me assure you, as a father, I don't want anything to hurt my kit. Now, if you don't ease back, then so help me, I'll chase you out of here myself."

   "What!?" Squall had finally come to his senses just in time to hear Rustfur's promise. As a side effect of his raised voice, Rosalyn was now awake, but, sensing all the heightened emotions, she lay there and feigned sleep.

   "Really? You'd chase me away? What about Meressa? You wouldn't send her out into the forest."

   That was Meranti's voice... Rosalyn thought. And what's all this about Meressa? she wondered, gazing down at the brown bundle sleeping in the curve of her tail.

   "Not with you I wouldn't." Rustfur retorted. "Besides, I think Meressa would be perfectly content to remain here."

   "Rustfur, no! You can't do that!" she heard Squall protest.

   Why can't he, Squall? Rosalyn asked silently, not knowing her father's reasoning, but not really caring, as she had picked up on Squall's emotion, both in his tone, and in his mind.

   "Why not?" the Espeon asked, giving voice to his daughter's question. "But, before you answer that, answer this. Did you notice where Rosalyn is?"

   "Yes; she's right over there." Squall answered.

   "Do you remember where you went to sleep?"

   "I went to sleep...at Rosalyn's back..." the Water-type said, swallowing.

   "Would you like to know why you woke up over here? Meranti knows Attract, and used it on you. Do you want to know what that means?"

   Squall glanced at Meranti, who was glaring daggers at Rustfur. "Uhh...sure..."

   "Attract will only cause infatuation between two Pokemon, and only in one of two instances; Attract will only work on a Pokemon if the Pokemon in question is not truly in love with another Pokemon, or the Pokemon in question is in love with the Pokemon using Attract. So, Squall," Rustfur asked, grinning, "which is it? Are you not in love with Rosalyn, or are you still in love with Meranti?

   "I-I...don't know..." he stammered.

   "You don't know, or you don't want to tell me?"

   "I-I-I...d-don't know!"

   "Answer the question!" Rustfur hissed.

   "All right! I still love Meranti!" he angrily snapped back.

   "I knew it..." Rustfur laughed, almost evilly.

   Several feet away, unbeknownst to all, Rosalyn's gentle, sapphire-blue eyes welled with tears as she felt her heart shatter into thousands of tiny pieces. I can't believe it; I actually believed him... She squeezed her eyes shut, turning the two salty pools in the corners of her eyes into two endless streams that ran down her cheeks until landing on her paws. She didn't know how longs she cried, she only knew that she cried until she finally passed into a restless, dreamless sleep.