Manon & Alan Bond of Friendship - If you have no other choice

Chapter 3

In the meantime Alan had reached the labs. He had hoped to find Manon on the way to them, so that his presentiment was wrong, but he hasn't met her. Alan entered the labs and went straight to the room with the megalith where Fleur-de-lis was. The automatic door opened, he went in and approached Fleur-de-lis.

''Where is she?'' Alan asked serious.

Fleur-de-lis turned to him and asked innocently:

''Who do you mean with she?''

''You know who I mean. Manon. Where is she?'' Alan asked slightly angry.

''Ah, you mean the little girl with her Harimaron? I'll bring you to her'' Fleur-de-lis said smirking.

He guided Alan to the room where Manon and Hari-san were locked up. Fleur-de-lis was the first who entered the room. When the door opened Manon looked up and gave Fleur-de-lis an angry look. But her mood lightened when she saw the person who followed him in the room.

''Alan!'' Manon called cheerful while she had stood up and pressed her hands against the rainbow colored wall.

He ran to the wall, pressed his hands against it and said relieved:

''Manon''

Fleur-de-lis watched this scene smirking. When Manon saw that, she remembered, that he wants to use her as leverage. Her smile faded and was replaced by a worried expression.

''Alan, Fleur-de-lis-san wants to use me as leverage for you. You mustn't defer to that. You must stop his plans'' Manon told him desperately.

''But what about you? Who knows what he will do to you, if I don't act like he pleases'' Alan said concerned.

''That doesn't matter. If you don't stop Fleur-de-lis-san many people and Pokémon will die'' Manon answered still desperately.

She has a point. I can't believe she is only ten years old. But can I really stand still if Fleur-de-lis hurts her? She is, after all, the only one who got through the wall that I had built in front of me.

Fleur-de-lis walked to the right side of the niche where Manon and Hari-san were locked up. When Alan noticed his attendance he glared at him. Fleur-de-lis grinned and pushed a red button.

''Iya!'' Manon screamed shocked.

Alan turned away from Fleur-de-lis and looked at Manon and the reason of her scream.

The floor of the niche slowly moved to the back and revealed many wooden stakes with a sharp ending. Manon and Hari-san pressed their bodies anxiously against the back of the niche. Alan stared horrified at what was happening.

''Alan!!'' Manon screamed scared.

''Her life lies in your hands, Alan. Assist me once again'' Fleur-de-lis demanded.

Alan, who had looked at Fleur-de-lis when he said that, turned his gaze to Manon and Hari-san again. The floor was nearly gone. Manon and Hari-san tried in panic to press their bodies further to the back, but they were already there.

''Fine. Now stop it'' Alan said serious.

Fleur-de-lis pushed the red button again. The floor moved forward and covered the wooden stakes. Through this moving Manon and Hari-san were now at the front of the niche. Manon sunk shaking to the ground.

Fleur-de-lis turned around and walked to the door. In front of it he stopped and said cold:

''Alan, come'' Then he left the room.

Manon looked up at him with glazed eyes. Alan closed his eyes and sighed. I can't let it happen, that she gets hurt. He opened his eyes, turned around and walked in the direction of the door. Manon stood up and pressed her hands against the wall again.

''Alan!''

He stopped.

''Be careful'' Manon said minding.

Alan put his hands in his trouser pockets and went out of the room.

Now Manon and Hari-san were alone again. She looked around. How can we break out of this prison? Her gaze rested on the rainbow colored wall. If I reach the top of the wall then I can climb over it to the other side. But how do I do that? Hari-san tugged at Manon's trousers. She looked at him.

''What is it, Hari-san? Do you have an idea?'' Manon asked.

Hari-san nodded and pulled his vines out, which were normally hidden between his shoulders.

''Now I get it. You want to lift me up with your vines, right?'' Manon asked smiling.

Hari-san nodded.

''Okay, let's do it, Hari-san'' Manon said determined.

His vines wrapped around Manon's waist and lifted her up. Hari-san needed all his strength to do that. When she was high enough she held on to the edge of the wall and climbed up. Once she was on top of the wall Hari-san's vines released Manon. She swung her legs to the other side, lost thereby her grip, fell and landed on her butt. Manon rubbed her butt to ease the pain, stood up and walked to the right side of the niche. She pushed the blue button and the rainbow colored wall disappeared. Hari-san ran happy to her. At this sight Manon smiled too. But after a few seconds the smile was replaced by a serious expression.

Both went to the door and opened it slowly to a crack. Manon looked through it and saw two guards. Great. What do we do now? Hari-san tugged at Manon's trousers again.

''Hari-san?''

She looked at him questioning. I get it. I can use one of Hari-san's attacks. But which should I use? Vine Whip? No, it can only hit one goal at a time and if I attack one, the other knows, that I broke out and will get help. Pin Missile? No, too loud. That leaves Toxic. It can indeed only hit one goal, but not as noticeable as Vine Whip. Perfect.

''Okay, Hari-san use Toxic on the guards'' Manon whispered while she opened the door wider.

Hari-san nodded and shot a violet cloud to the left guard. The left guard began coughing and sunk unconscious to the ground. Before the right guard could notice that, Hari-san used Toxic again. Now the guards were unconscious. Manon put Hari-san on her arms and ran through the hallways.

Now we just have to find Alan, then we can go out of here and stop Fleur-de-lis-san. When Manon wanted to turn the corner she heard footsteps out of the direction where they were heading to. The footsteps got louder and Manon began to panic. She and Hari-san were on a long, straight hallway without crossings. There was no place to hide. When she saw a shadow she resigned herself to her fate and closed her eyes.