//------------------------------// // The Answer Is Not Here // Story: Three Unlikely Friends // by Tiaa OwO //------------------------------// Specklepaw woke up with a shout and immediately jumped up, panting and damp with sweat. Gilda and Kobe woke up, startled and stared at the kitten. They accidentally knocked heads and yelped in pain. "Jeez, cat, what was that for?" Gilda grumbled. She rubbed her head and glared at Kobe. The Pokémon got to his paws and stretched. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't scare you." "I was not scared. I was... startled..." "Same thing." "It is not." "It is too." "It is not!" "It is too!" "SHUUUUT UUUUUUP!" The two turned to the calico and stared at him in shock. Gilda's eyes narrowed and she approached the kitten, cornering him and leaning into his face. Her beak and his muzzle were almost touching. "And just who do you think you're yelling at!?" "Chill, Gilda. He wasn't only talking to you." Kobe said. "So? I'm not gonna have some fur ball thinking he can tall me what to do or yell at me or both!" "You're such a hothead." Kobe hissed through his teeth. "I don't even know how you're still alive right now." Specklepaw furrowed his brows in confusion. What did Kobe mean? Why would she not be alive? She was aggressive enough and brave enough to stand up for herself and get what she wanted... "Oh Faust, not this again." "It's not something to be taken lightly." "You have to be the one to bring it up, don't you? What we're talking about has nothing to do with-" "It has everything to do with it! You need to think before you go yelling and waving those claws of yours." "Listen, if you wanna start something, we can start something right here, right now but let me warn you... don't start something you might not want to finish..." Kobe bared his teeth and glared at Gilda. "Is that a challenge?" "Guys, shut up and listen! Seriously!" Specklepaw mewled. "Grr!" "Don't you growl at me!" Specklepaw placed himself between the two and gave each of them stern looks. They only hesitated for a second and continued to bicker. The kitten sighed and decided this would be his only chance to tell them. "The creatures here are most likely going to either bring us harm or straight up kill us if we stay here any longer." The arguing stopped and the calico received blank stares from the both of them. Gilda narrowed her eyes and spoke first. "How do you know?" "I was attacked after being tricked last night. It's dangerous here. Those... those... things are dangerous..." "How were you tricked? Did one of them knock you out too?" Gilda asked. Specklepaw's hackles raised and he gave Kobe an alarmed look. Kobe sighed and the Pokémon explained, "The girl who helped us get back, the teen, she told us you might have gotten lost and that she'd send her brother to get you. She coaxed us to come back but Gilda was still fuming and nearly blinded the poor thing. She did some weird trick that involved a lot of glowing and power and Gilda was knocked unconscious." "What happened after that?" The kitten leaned foreword as he listened. "I woke up and that lame-o pony thing was gone!" Gilda exclaimed. Kobe rolled his eyes. "The girl left to find you... after she showed me which direction the house was, of course. Then, a while after, Grumpy here woke up and started yelling and almost gutted me-" "You deserved it for letting her get away!" "-And we came back here to wait for both you and her to return. We never did find Anya." "Then, we fall asleep and you wake us up with your noise." Specklepaw sorted through all the memories that he'd just absorbed. Based on the info he just got, it was safe to assume that the teen Aluminai may have something to do with what happened since Asher was obviously her brother she was speaking of. Also, the chief was their mother and the adult male Aluminai who lived in the house with his daughter must have some keen knowledge to what was going on around here. It was clear that they were not brought here because of some magical island randomly choosing unfortunate souls to live safely. They were brought there by somebody purposefully for reasons that were unknown. Specklepaw explained his thoughts and theories of reasons to be brought to the strange world and plans of escape. He didn't know what would happen if... no... when Asher told his mother that one of the newbies were onto them and their plan, whatever it was. They needed to plan escape ASAP but that required for them to know and have basic understanding of how they got there in the first place. That would not be easy. The youngsters discussed ways to get information when they heard a female voice float into the room. "Yoohooo! Are you kids awake?" The three straightened up and tried not to look like they were up to something. The teenage doe trotted into the room and stopped in the doorway. She smiled, without showing teeth of course, and gave a polite wave. "I was wondering if you three would like to tour the town today?" "No thank you, miss." Kobe said, glancing at the others who were staring at the female. "We're just going to get situated." "Nonsense. You're not going to sit around all day." The female paused. "And call me Sishae. You don't need to be so formal. I'm not my mom." Specklepaw nearly exploded with excitement when he realized one of his theories was right. So, this doe was the chiefs daughter! "We're alright, Sishae. We'll be okay." "You little kids are so skittish, that's it. I assure you, you won't get lost or anything when you're with me." "Oh... no... We just want to stay here. We're fine, really..." Sishae was obviously not taking no for an answer. She was persistent. "Why don't you want to go, hmm? Is something wrong?" It seemed like she had a strategy to pry out their reasons by rambling on about 'last night'. Specklepaw had a feeling she was trying to see if the other two were on to her and her family yet. She was trying to see if he remembered or if he thought it was just a dream. "I don't really feel like staying inside, actually." Specklepaw said to everyone's surprise. "I had a bad bream last night and it seemed so real. It's a good thing you're nice enough to take us out to get my mind off of it." The other two gaped at him. He winked and realization dawned on them. Sishae seemed to be surprised by Specklepaws words. She apparently thought he would blab to his friends. "A bad dream?" Kobe said, playing along. "Why didn't you tell us before? I thought friends were supposed to tell each other everything?" "Yea." Gilda said quite blandly. She was a horrible actor but it seemed more real due to her personality. "That is, if I actually cared." "Don't be mean. Come, child, let's go outside together and get some breakfast and tour the town. You'll feel better." Sishae tittered. Gilda still seemed reluctant. "Okay, I'll go. My friend needs me." Kobe was smiling at his performance. Noticing Gilda's reluctance, Sishae asked, "And why don't you want to come, missy?" The venom was clear in the teenage doe's voice. She remembered Gilda's outburst quite clearly. "I just don't want to go miss." Gilda hissed, remembering the doe's stunt as well. The two girls stared a teacher for a few minutes before Sishae looked away and walked out, Specklepaw and Kobe following behind. "Good job." Kobe mouthed. "See if you can look around the house for any clues to how we got here." Specklepaw whispered before he went out the door. Gilda nodded and sighed. "How did I get myself in this mess with these dweebs?"