Ember Chapter 2
#2 of Ember
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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PART 1
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Mason and Pierce had begun their trek back home; Mason bitter at his lack of accomplishment.
"You're still thinking about her, aren't you?" the Nidorino asked with a smirk.
"And you aren't? I mean, Charmanders aren't that common in the wild in the first place, and we see three? Then one of them just happens to speak English! How many untamed can speak English?!"
"Probably just the one," chuckled Pierce. "But what's done is done. You wouldn't have captured her against her will. You're looking for a friend in enemies' territory, you fool. No untamed would willingly take the side of a human, what reason should they have? Humans have done nothing but hunt and capture them against their will." He looked at Mason seriously. "We both know the only reason I am by your side now, is because I was raised and domesticated by humans before being given to you like a piece of property."
Mason stopped in his tracks with a look of heartbreak and devastation.
"Of course," Pierce smiled, "I was lucky enough to be paired with you; one of the few who truly understand."
Mason smiled, but knew everything Pierce had said was true. It was pure fantasy to expect these creatures to befriend him.
Pierce stopped.
"Did you hear that?"
"What is it, Pierce?"
Suddenly two Charmanders leapt out of the foliage, landing in front of the boy and Nidorino. They were ready to attack.
Mason realised that these were the two who had betrayed the one he had saved. They had different builds; the one he saved had been slender and tall; whereas one of the attackers was somewhat short and chubby, the other tall and well built.
They slowly advanced Mason and Pierce.
"I'm rather disappointed," said the tall one in tongue, audible only as hissing to the boy
"Hoping to find more of a challenge, sister?" asked the other slyly.
"P-Pierce! W-what do they want?" stammered the boy.
"I don't think they're here for a picnic, friend. Get ready to fight!"
Before Mason could put up his guard, the better-built of the two hurdled towards him. Her small body packing a surprising amount of force against his chest, causing him to fly backwards, crashing into the ground with a sickening CRACK.
"Mason!" Shouted Pierce in horror. The Nidorino saw the other, smaller Charmander inhale, and he quickly attempted to dodge the imminent burst of flame, but winced as he felt his back sustain an excruciating burn.
Mason was pinned on the ground by his opponent, who stood on all fours on his chest. His strength had been completely knocked out of him from the fall. The creature shrieked and hissed at him, repeatedly taking powerful swipes at his body and face with its short, but sharp claws. Blood sprayed across his body and over the attacker's grimaced muzzle.
Mason had never felt pain like this before, it was if a multitude of small serrated knives were ripping apart his body. He began to lose consciousness from the extreme unrelenting pain.
Pierce tried to dodge another burst of flame from the lizard; it managed to sear his sensitive underbelly. He saw the torture Mason was enduring, and saw him pass out. He had to do something! But he was outnumbered and his back and belly were searing in pain from burns. He knew that he and Mason had little chance to survive.
But Pierce didn't care. He could not stand to see his friend sliced to death.
Pierce lunged forwards, using all of his remaining strength to propel himself with his strong hind legs. He rammed into Mason's assailant, feeling the lizard's bones break as his head collided with its side. His horn had missed its mark but had grazed a long bloody cut. The lizard soared off Mason's body, landing several feet away.
Pierce collapsed onto Mason; it had taken all of his strength to deal that blow, and he could no longer move.
The lizard he had attacked was still alive, but barely. It did not have the strength to retaliate.
Pierce was suddenly taken aback as the lizard began a slow, deep hissing laugh. He saw the second lizard behind him, readying to obliterate both him and Mason in a final torrent of flames.
"NO!" screamed a female voice.
Pierce saw a third Charmander leap in front of the attack. It was the one that they had saved. Her body was suddenly encapsulated in flames, blocking them from reaching Pierce and Mason. Although she was resistant to the fiery assault, Pierce saw that she was still weak, and that the attack was very powerful. She collapsed onto her knees after the flames had dissipated. She hugged herself and shivered from the painful burns she had sustained over her entire body.
"Ember?! Wh-what are you...?" asked the lizard, shocked.
"P-please... Suzie... just... don't kill them." Ember pleaded, tears in her eyes.
"Don't be... stupid..." said Suzie, backing away slowly with a look of horror and confusion.
"Go! S-s-save Jenna while you still can! P-please! Just go! They're not worth it!" shouted Ember.
Suzie hesitated, unsure of what to do. She looked over at Jenna, and saw she was indeed close to death; her body was angled strangely... and... oh god. Suzie stared at the cut Pierce's horn had made: Jenna had been poisoned.
Suzie turned and ran towards Jenna, picking up the frail form in her arms and running off into the forest, tears running down her confused features.
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Part 2
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Ember had taken the remaining medical supplies from Masons pack, and had been treating the two to the best of her ability.
Ember's burns, while painful and extensive, were relatively minor because of her resistance. The Nidorino's were more serious however, and had required treatment. He had passed out from exhaustion. Luckily, burn ointment was one of the few things that the boy had plenty of, having had no use for it during his hike. With a bit of rest and repetitive applications of the ointment, Ember was sure the Nidorino would be all right.
The human was in much worse condition however. His body and face had been covered in several large gouges, along with a myriad of crisscrossing smaller cuts. Ember had treated and bandaged the more serious wounds, but had to leave the smaller ones untreated, due to their number and the lack of medical supplies. She was worried that the boy might have broken or fractured one or more bones. She wasn't familiar with human anatomy, so had no way of knowing what was broken, and had no way to treat it.
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Pierce slowly came to and opened his eyes. He saw the Charmander sitting on the dirt, staring at Mason.
"How... how is he?" he asked nervously, speaking English out of curiosity.
The Charmander turned her head in surprise at the voice. She realised it would be no use denying that she could speak English.
"I... don't know. His cuts will likely heal... but I think he might have broken something."
Pierce nodded slowly. "He did. There's no mistaking the sound I heard when he fell."
"Can you mend it?" she asked.
"No. We will have to get him to a hospital back in town."
"...We?"
He studied her. "Mason may wake up, but even then he might need help getting to town. I'm not strong enough to carry him alone."
"I don't think we'd be able to carry him together either," she said, trying to imagine how a Charmander and a Nidorino could possibly lift a body. "But what makes you think I would even want to come with you? You saved me, and now I've saved you. We're even."
"It wasn't just me who saved you." Pierce said through gritted teeth.
Ember couldn't explain it, but she did feel indebted to the boy; however, he was human, and here she was talking with his slave!
"Why should you even care anyways? You should take advantage of this opportunity and escape from your master."
Ignoring the pain, Pierce stood up swiftly and put his face to the Charmander's.
He looked straight into her eyes, and said with conviction, "Mason is not my master. He's my friend."
Ember would normally not have believed such a ridiculous statement. She tried to force herself to laugh, but something about the way he had said it, the way he stared into her eyes with an unfaltering expression...
"You're... you're just delusional" Ember said, without believing it.
"No," he said, sitting down again, "when I was given to Mason he was to be my master. But soon, we developed a close bond, and Mason realised he could no longer keep me like you say: as a slave. He offered me my freedom, he told me to run away and to never come back; devastated that he, along with his race, would keep slaves like me." Here the Nidorino smiled. "I accepted his offer of freedom, but I surprised him by choosing to stay by his side. Not as a slave, but as a friend."
"Wh... why?!" was all Ember could say, baffled.
"Mason had never once treated me as a slave. He was always very caring and protective of me." Pierce smirked. "He was hesitant to battle me too. When we were both young, and I a Nidoran, his peers would make fun of him for not wanting to battle. It was only after I convinced him to let me fight that he let me. It shut the little brats right up when I nearly killed each of their beloved monsters. Mason didn't need to do many more battles after that," Pierce laughed.
She just stared at the Nidorino. She couldn't admit it, but she... believed him.
"And what about you? Ember, was it? That's what your... sister called you? I'm Pierce, by the way."
"...Yeah. It's Ember."
"You and your sisters... have an interesting relationship?" asked Pierce.
Ember knew he was referring to how her sisters had betrayed her, obviously Mason had told him about it.
"I... they... What else should they have done? It was one of us, or all of us!" she said in a feeble attempt at defending her sisters.
"Uh-huh" said Pierce sarcastically.
"Jenna could be dead because of you!" shouted Ember suddenly, trying to sway the conversation.
"Mason would have died because of Jenna... he still could." Stated Pierce matter-of-factly, looking over at the boy.
"I...I know." Ember whispered, tears forming in her eyes.
"But you chose to help us, not your sister..." Pierce observed.
Ember stood silent for a minute before answering, "Jenna has Suzie to look after her... you two... had no one."
She started to cry, confused over conflicting emotions. Although she didn't like her sisters much, she had lived with them for all her life, and couldn't help but feel regret at what she had done, and anger at the Nidorino. It had been so difficult for her to stand up to her sisters and protect the two...
A loud groan emanated from the boy, startling the two.
Mason opened his eyes.
"Mason! Hey, are you alright?" asked Pierce, standing close to his face.
"Hey Pierce! I think I'm-Arrrg!" Mason winced as he tried to sit up.
Pierce looked at his friend with concern.
"I must have broken something."
Pierce nodded, "We need to get you to a hospital."
"Town's still a good two days away Pierce... and that's only if I was in any condition to walk." Mason looked over to the Charmander.
"Hey... what?"
"Ember here saved us from being killed by her sisters," explained Pierce.
"Ember? ...Sisters?" Mason looked at Pierce, and then back to the Charmander.
"Oh... I see." Mason said, nodding to show he understood. "...T-thanks."
Ember nodded, tears still seeping from her eyes.
"...ssoooo..." said Pierce, "Ember. I still need to know if you will help me carry Mason back home. I think I have an idea of how we could carry him."
Ember had realised that her sisters would not want her back. Not after defending a human. She slowly looked at Pierce, and then to the boy, and nodded.