Once Is Enough

Part 3

"Hey..." Avian felt a gentle nudge on his side. "You alright, kit? I didn't shake you up too much, did I?" The Riolu moaned wearily. He noticed that he was no longer in the desolate cave as he was the night before, but he was in a secluded forest with an abundance of trees growing around him. When the pup tried to move his arm to rub his eyes, he noticed that none of his muscles were cooperating:
They weren't moving at all.

He began to panic, trying hard to scream for help. "Calm down, you're just paralyzed," the voice assured. Avian heard the padding of pawsteps walk away before soon returning to his side. A round red berry was held in front of his mouth. "Here, it's a cherri berry. I promise you'll feel better after you eat it." The child hesitated, gazing at the shining spherical fruit. He finally allowed his mouth to open and the larger Pokemon plopped it onto his tongue. As he chewed, a spicy sensation filled his tastebuds and body, jerking his muscles awake. He flung up and panted heavily. "How are you feeling...?"

As the pup's eyes began to adjust onto his helper, the horrifying memory blasted into his mind like lightning.

The saliva-soaked fangs... The piercing red and yellow orbs... The bristling sharp fur... The screams... The rips...

Avian's body began to fail him, trembling in fear as he backed away slowly. The Pokemon's eyes calmed as he took a step forward. "What's wrong, kit? Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you," he assured.

Wait... I can't...! No... Stop...!

"No! NO!" He held his head in his paws. "Please! Don't come near me!"

The Pokemon stopped in his tracks as he saw the pup panic. He glanced away, remembering what the poor thing had experienced last night. Taking that into consideration, he made sure to keep his distance as he continued to talk.

"I'm sorry... It was scary, yeah?" he asked. Avian didn't respond, only continuing to hide his face in fear. The Luxray took a seat near him. "This must be too much to take in for you... But you're probably be confused as to why you're here and not back at the pride." He didn't admit it, but Avian was. He didn't know how or why he was miraculously taken out of that prison of a cave and far away from those... Monsters. "Heh... Well... It's a little complicated..." The Pokemon faced him. "In a nutshell, I had to paralyze you to fake my pack out and bust you out of there. We're safe for now, but we have to keep moving if we're going to get away from these Pokemon safely."

Avian couldn't believe what he heard. In fact, he was too dazed about the last few days that he couldn't even think for himself most of the time. He felt as if he were carelessly thrashing his life and body around, hoping that he would survive. The Luxray realized something before grinning comfortingly at the Riolu. "Ah, my bad! I haven't even introduced myself yet!" he chuckled, trying to make the atmosphere more relaxing than it currently was. "You can call me Zoar. If you feel alright, do you mind telling me your name?" The pup hesitated silently, deciding whether or not to trust this stranger. Although, he somehow felt comfortable around him. It was something about his expression... Or his tone...? Something about him just made him feel... Safe. He took a deep breath.

"My name's Avian," he said. Zoar smiled.

"Avian. Well, I guess we'll be stuck with each other for a while, Ave," he replied. Avian tensed nervously.

"W-what are you going to do with me... Mister Zoar...?" he questioned quietly with a trembling voice of fear. A warm smirk crossed his face as he spoke.

He stunned the Riolu in place with his next words.

"No need to be formal with me. I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you think. I want to take you back home, Avian," he said. "To your parents."

Avian's heart had almost stopped, time somehow seeming to slow down on him and him only. His head began to spin and his fur became drenched sweat all at the same time.

"M-my... Parents?!" he repeated. The Luxray gave him a nod.

"Of course, your mom and your dad," he elaborated. "They're probably worried sick about you, aren't they?"

"Well... I..." Avian hesitated uneasily. He felt a burning feeling pulsing in his eyes spreading into his nose and cheeks, but he tried his hardest to resist the urge to weep in front of such a powerful-looking Pokemon. "I just... Want to go home..." he muttered finally. Zoar gave him a gentle stare.

"That's what I thought," he confirmed. He gazed out into the horizon before turning back to the Riolu. "You live near there, correct?" Avian could only bob his head. "We're pretty far from the edge of the barren earthside, but I'm pretty sure that in a few days we'll make it there," he concluded. "Alright then. We should hurry." He quickly brushed his pelt to clear his head, slowly nearing his head to Avian. The child tensed at the close presence of the bigger Pokemon. "Can you stand?"

"I... I..." was all Avian could muster to say. He put the back of his paw to his mouth nervously. An unexpected and sympathetic expression appeared on Zoar as he kept his sharp eyes glued onto him.

"Would you like me to carry you?" he offered, being reminded of Avian's current state: weakened, helpless, and frightened. He himself seemed more affected by this than he previously was. Every word, every horrified shiver from the child had slowly began shattering his heart until he felt as if it were representing a painful mush of emotion that lingered inside of him. Maybe that's what Syphier meant all this time... he pondered. His thoughts were interrupted by the shuffling of Avian. The pup wearily stood to his feet.

"I'll be fine..." he murmured impassively. He dared to give the Luxray a surreptitious glance before taking his first few steps. His legs were feeble, barely holding him up. Then again, he thought, they were as skinny as sticks on a tree in winter. Zoar caught on to this, rushing to Avian's side and lowered him to the ground. The quadruped Pokemon let out a sympathetic breath.

"You're exhausted," he stated. "You need to rest. I promise I'll let you walk later, but after you get something to eat." Zoar crouched down onto the ground, low enough for Avian to mount him. "C'mon... Let me show you that you can trust me." Avian stared blankly as Zoar waited patiently for his choice. The fatigue was gradually eating at him; from his muscles to his brain, he felt them crippling up into a pathetic mess. Despite the other Pokemon's nostalgic feeling, he finally gave up. With all of his strength, Avian crawled up onto the black mat of fur on Zoar's back and gripped tightly. Zoar gently stood up, not wanting to throw off the smaller Pokemon. "You okay back there, kit?" he asked, Avian feeling his gruff voice vibrate.

"Yes," he replied quietly. Zoar nodded, taking a few hesitant steps before speeding up. Avian let the rhythmic pads of Zoar's paws lull him into a drowsy state. His body seemed to finally be relaxed knowing that he was in another Pokemon's care. But how long will it last...? he thought to himself. How long before he realizes that I'm just a burden to him? A dead weight. A weak, pathetic, worthless little--

"Thanks for believing me, Ave," Zoar interrupted his thoughts. Avian raised his head in curiosity. "I must look very scary to you. I mean, all of the Pokemon in the forest are afraid of my kind and what they can do." He looked up into the trees regretfully. "And what you've been through with my pack... That must have been terrifying. I truly apologize for watching you experience that. But... I just want you to know that I don't actually want to hurt a child like you." Avian's lips curved slightly, as if by instinct.

"I'm... I'm not... A little kid..." he pouted, completely forgetting the situation he was currently in. His confidence seemed to slowly fade into his subconscious once again. Zoar let out a raspy chuckle.

"Of course," he conceded. "But you know what I mean." The larger Pokemon looked back and gazed at the Riolu's dull amber eyes. His face then filled with a strong determination. "Don't worry, I'll get you home, Ave." Avian's eyes widened slightly, sudden hope and trust filling his chest. "I promise I will."