A Dreaded Paradise


“NO NO! I DIDN’T DO IT!! YOU CAN’T PROVE ANYTHING!!” an Eevee mother was drug from the old fashioned steps of the castle. Two guards dragged her away as she tried to get free. They walked up the green grass. The grass was a small walkway, water surrounding the rest. White marble steps led to both grass and water, leading down deep so that the women could scoop up fresh water easily. Fresh water fish darted back and fourth between the reeds. It was clear water, all the way down to the bottom. Around 10 feet. Usually it was an ideal place, the clay at the bottom was always brought up to the clay makers and artisians. The white marbled pillars reaching to the tops. The staircase continued up the white marbled double doors that were usually always open except during battles and wars. The complex was huge, all on water. The recreation center was under the water, but sealed well enough to be as a bomb shelter. It was as safe as buildings could get. Crystal windows were high up, it was a beautiful mansion. 

The three girls crept through, hoods over their heads darkening their faces. India ran quietly through the grass barefoot. The bundle held close to her chest, the other followed their pokemon close to their chests and hoods over their heads. Non-anthro pokemon would be killed, considering that they were “weak.” Vinson walked out behind the frantic mother. 

“Tsk tsk...won’t you slave girls ever learn?” his darkened yellow ears and features of an anthro Abra were hidden in the darkness as the storm raged. One door was open. He walked to the ending of the steps so he wouldn’t get wet.

“I didn’t do it!!” the Eevee wailed dressed in brown rags, chains binding up her wrists and ankles tightly. India ushered the other two in, all three dashing in barefoot so as not to make noise. Their boots were clutched in the bundle as well. They each ran up the steps, jumping them practically so as not to attract Vinson’s attention. One of his brown eyes focused on the girls as they tore in. 

“You are hereby committed to death.” he smiled dressed in white slacks and a long sleeved vest. Gold trimming around the opening and his sleeves. His blonde hair wavered in the harsh storm winds. Billions of ripples stung through the water as the rain hit, distorting it so much that nothing could be seen. The winds grew stronger, they’d be in for another hurricane. 

“LET ME GO!” The Eevee wailed as the two strong kangaskhan guards tossed her into the raging water. She sputtered and disappeared not being able to use her legs or arms for swimming. She surfaced again and screamed horrible wails of murder. 

All three girls were being drug along the opposite side. 

“Death for those who won’t show me the hidden items.” A strong guard carried all three girls. They were caught when they got halfway in, being suspected of a danger from the bundles they carried. They were being thrown out for they wouldn’t show him, for if they did the non-anthro pokemon would be killed. He threw them in, all of them landing in the rough water with a splash. Clinging to one another and the bundles, Jesse coughed, as India hung on limply to Saber all three struggling as the ravine swept them through the same fate as the Eevee. 

“This is bad...” Saber cried softly, trying to keep up her strength as hard stings of cold rain slammed all of them harshly. They wouldn’t let go of one another, or the bundles they carried. 

“Sir...three suspicious guests with hidden items were thrown into the ravine for not letting their possessions be confiscated.” the guard who tossed the girls into the water reported. Vinson blinked. 

“DAMNIT!” he growled a fang protruding from his mouth. 

The girls were being plunged down the river, beaten by the waves as they tried to get to shore. Their bodies were being bashed about. They were being swept ever so nearer to the falls where all bodies went who were thrown in for death. They all struggled for something to grab onto.

“Hang on!” Saber sputtered and grabbed for a branch of a fallen tree, as they were getting swept to the falls. 

They all floated in the water, and slammed back into the tree slightly. Saber kept her grip. The others hung on, knowing if they let go of Saber, or their friend they couldn’t get back to them, and be killed. However, they couldn’t use their other hands for their pokemon was held close to them. Mally gasped for air with Pika ZAP and Victoria. They couldn’t hold their breath any longer. 

“Please...hang on...” Saber clenched her eyes shut and spit out the water that had them all trapped. She was loosing her grip. The branch broke, but someone grabbed onto her wrist before she was swept away. The three pokemon jumped onto the fallen trunk and ran to the shoreline, Victoria taking Zap in her jaws like a baby, Mally escorting them both.

With a trembling hand Jesse took hold of another branch, pulling herself up. India doing the same. 

Vinson smiled warmly and pulled Saber up first, then Jesse, and at last India. All three girls coughed and sputtered up water as they stumbled onto the shore. India fell to her knees coughing. Pika ZAP lay limp on the ground, looking up in pain to see her trainer struggling through the wind and the rain. Vinson’s hair was soaked, as well as his royal wear. He didn’t seem to mind. 

“Non-anthro pokemon?” he raised an eyebrow and half growled at the three pokemon. “You know the rules...we must dispose of them...” he walked up to Pika ZAP as all three girls coughed and sputtered. India blinked, their hoods still covering their faces hiding their features. They all lied, saying they were Eevees, and not showing any of their body without it being covered. Gloves were worn, as well as robes. 

He put a foot to the side of Zap and pushed her over. She whined in pain as he kicked her to the side, having her roll to the side of the falls. 

With a flash the girl was on the ground beside her long time partner. Jesse crawled over to Mally and held her, Saber doing the same with Victoria. 

“Leave her alone...” India whispered taking the Pikachu into her arms and standing up shakily. Her body was exhausted, and she stumbled away, both girls following her. Vinson followed behind watching them walk up the grass path to the castle. India collapsed, her friends doing the same beside her as they were almost to the steps. Vinson looked down watching the pokemon as they growled, standing up as weak as their trainers. Victoria’s cheeks sparked, Mally was glowing a soft blue. Zap didn’t move.

“You can stay...” he looked at the two with respect. For they even stood by their trainers despite their certain fate.  The guards dressed in a blue and gray uniform picked each girl up, and walked up to the castle as they got soaked. An old Alakazam watched Vinson as he walked up the marbled stairs.

“Son NEVER do that again.” the Alakazam hissed. 

“Grandfather...” the boy looked up in respect moving his palms to the air as if he was holding something. “I need to take care of them.”

He followed the guards down the stairs, into an old room with comfortable cots and a fireplace. He used to sleep down there when he was little, it was a guest room. 

Each girl was set on the ground by the fire. He moved towards Jesse and un-tied her robe sash. Pulling away her dress discovering with surprise she was an Espeon. Even more surprise with Saber, and with surprise even with India. 

They had old clothes on underneath, very old. He looked at their style and made a note to have the tailor make duplicates of their clothing items. He gathered the robes and put them on a dumbwaiter, sending them up to the cleaning place, along with the old items of clothing. 

He was careful, and didn’t want to feel like he was violating the girls, leaving on the basics and taking off their clothing immediately placing warm blankets around them.

He sat on a cot patching up Victoria and Mally. Noticing that Zap was very ill, he called for herbs and medicine. As he made a potent mixture for the Pikachu he looked up as Saber rose and wrapped the blanket around herself, walking over to him in surprise.

“Thank you...” she whispered and looked down at her soaked self. She noticed he was still in his wet clothes. “You better dry off too...here I’ll finish up.” She took the bowl and stone in her soft blue hands and started to grind up the mixture. He nodded and left. 

A few minutes later, he was back down, dressed in red robes. He looked at Saber.

“You violated the rules, you lied about being Eevees.” He closed his eyes and stroked Mallys ear, getting an annoyed but thankful look back.

“So..? It’s a stupid rule anyway.” she snapped adding some more berry juice to the mixture, slowly making it a paste. 

“Really now?” he leaned back, his youthful looks and brown eyes catching her attention. Saber muttered to herself and decided not to keep interest, she didn’t need to be attracted to some pokemon...that would be so odd! 

“Yes!” she snapped again.

“Then why stay for so long?” he looked up noticing new items of clothing was on the dumbwaiter. 

“It was food, it was shelter. Why not stay?” she closed her eyes and moved to Pika ZAP’s side. The Pikachu looked up at her sadly. She sighed and poured the juice into a small melted bronze cup offering it to her. She refused. 

“Come on Zap...drink this...it’ll make you all better.” she coaxed the small electric mouse. She refused again, but thought, since Saber was so close to her mother maybe she could take it without fear. She took a sip of it, Saber helping her do so and she sat her up. The Pikachu almost spit out the mixture but swallowed and licked a drop off her nose. It wasn’t bad, really. Tasted like lemonade, a bit sugary but it was good. She reached out weakly for another sip. Saber smiled as she drank the whole thing. She was patted on the head. 

“Good Zap!” she smiled. Saber set the bowl by the fire so the remaining moisture could dry up. She picked up Zap and placed her by India as she lay motionless on the floor, other than her steady breathing.

“Why risk such a thing?” Vinson was in a comfortable position leaning on the headboard of the cot. 

“We’ve been lost for 10 years....why not?” she half smiled looking at her two friends laying on the floor by the fire. Well, she knew Indi really well, but not Jesse so much.

Jesse’s eyes snapped open, her soft lavender angel wings twitched, and she looked at Indi, nudging her slightly. Blue eyes fixed upon purple eyes and they smiled at one another. Both raising and going to separate cots. India set Pika ZAP down and took the paste, scrubbing her wound harshly so it would open again, and putting the paste over it again. Pika ZAP winced and sparks flew but she didn’t attack. She finally burst out in a thunderbolt, India catching it in her hand, forming a small orb. She took of Zap’s necklace and mixed both, the chain and charm being replenished completely. She tied the wound up and put on her repaired necklace. Pika ZAP smiled. India snuggled up to her old friend. She folded her small silver wings onto her back, saber mimicking almost slightly with her purple and white wings, and curled up in the quilt, whispering a thank you to Vinson and falling asleep quickly. Jesse instinctively crept to a cot beside India and lay down, Mally dashing over and joining her. 

“I’ll let you girls sleep...” Vinson smiled at the three. Saber nodded a thank you and took Victoria, laying on a cot beside India. All three slept.

Vinson smiled and brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes. What a day it had been...damn. So much trouble from three girls. Wow! He smiled and laughed walking up the stairway to the middle section of the castle. He looked at his grandfather, who was sleeping dressed in black robes on his royal throne. He smirked and walked up the stairs,  all the way to the fourth floor. Everyone was asleep, even the guards for the doors were locked shut. He passed the slave quarters, looking in at the girls as they slept. He didn’t like the idea of slaves, but since his grandfather ruled against those rules, he knew he had to as well, for he would inherit everything in quite a few years.

He sighed and looked at his bare feet as he entered his room, not bothering to light the candles. He slumped into his bed, pulling a comforter over himself welcoming its warmth. 

For a while he lay there, thinking about his life, and then he went to sleep.