Midnight

Part IV

Golden light shone, streaking the navy sky with light. Midnight blinked, and followed Ray and Ebony to the cave where the Umbreon slept during the day, leaving the Stantler and other pokémon free to use the field known as Moonlight Meadow. Only the humans knew it as that, the pokémon called it Field of the Umbreon. He turned and looked, as Viola gave a small smile in his direction and turned around, running off to her pack.

Getting into their usual spots, Nero called the attention to the Umbreon.

"Fellow Umbreon," Nero started, his voice sounding old and weary. "You may know that we have troubles."

"Boy do we know it," Midnight whispered to Ebony and Ray. Ray snickered.

"The Houndoom are wanting us to merge again, but you may remember the last time we merged with their pack," Nero continued. "Last time we merged, our good alliance, the Vaporeon, needed us, as they were having problems of their own. Yet, our bond with the Houndoom prevented us from helping them, so if you will remember, we formed a plan and groups of us went out in daylight when dark pokémon are not to be seen, and helped. Alas, one night a small group of 5 were out still, helping. One Houndour suspected that we were helping the Vaporeon, and the big fight started, ending our merge with the Houndoom."

"That was Chain wasn't it," Ebony spoke out, as a statement, not a question.

Nero nodded, not surprised that his outspoken grand child had called out like that.

"Yes. Those 5 Umbreon, well they were killed in the fight, more of their Houndoom went for those betrayers. Today we honor them, as they fought to the end. May those rest in peace and watch over us and give us strength to keep as our own pack. Those five are Holly, Kristian, Star, Garuda and Eboniana. May they give us the strength to fight this war."

"But what is happening?" another Umbreon, Ebony's little sister, Nila, whined. "I don't want to be attacked out of the blue."

Nero faced the Umbreon. "Now we sleep. At night, we plan."

***

"You understand me? I don't want you going near those Umbreon scum!" an older Espeon with a darker shade of purple than Viola yelled. "Those Umbreon are just a pack of thoughtless, selfish dark pokémon that give a damn about nothing. You'll see. One day when you're not watching it, they'll creep up on you and chomp! There you go!"

"Mother it was okay!" Viola replied, annoyed at her mother, Violetta, and her over protectivness.

"One day you will be Queen of this pack, and you can not go out like that!" Violetta snapped. "You just don't get it. You can't trust an Umbreon."

Viola sighed and looked up at her mother, a wave of annoyance over her. "Look, maybe once upon a time Espeon and Umbreon were against each other, but we didn't live happily ever after did we? Now is a time of crisis for the Umbreon and as Eeveeloutions we should stand by our evolved relations. You know something? Once upon a time you, Nero, even Aqua the Vaporeon leader, and Jolt the Jolteon leader, Flame too. We were all Eevee. There is no difference.  Once upon a time you were a baby Eevee, living in the Eevee colony too. And now, your evolved, and you have become an obnoxious Espeon that wouldn't help out its own kind!"

Fury flared up in Violetta as she screamed, "I don't want to hear another word from you Viola! From now on you will only go hunting with an escort. And leaving the pack is out of the question!"

Viola opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it, in fear of her mothers screaming. Tears watered her eyes, and she shook a little, gritting her mouth and staring up at her menacing mother. Viola turned and ran, crying, leaving her mother sitting there watching after her with a domineering look on her face.  Turning to two Espeon that seemed to be a little older than Viola, Violetta gave them an instruction. "Make sure she doesn't get out. I can't have her interfering."  With that order, Violetta turned and walked out of the Espeon boundary, into the forbidden area of Earth Forest.

***

Chain sat in the shadows, watching, waiting for the time when his follower would come and give news to him.

[I]Where the hell is she? She was supposed to be here 10 minutes ago[/I] Chain bitterly complained to himself.

A light flickered behind Chain, and a deep purple Espeon appeared. Chain was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice, and he was startled when the Espeon spoke.

"Chain, excuse my lateness but my daughter, Viola, held me up," the Espeon spoke.

Chain turned, and tried to hide his surprise. "Very well. Do you have news for me Violetta?"

"Yes." Violetta kept a steady gaze on Chain as she gave the news. "It is not good news for the secret alliance between you and I but it is news all the same. My daughter, Viola, has befriended Umbreon filth. Three Umbreon, one, who is her friend, have been talking to her. And she was chased with those Umbreon by two of your Houndour, Inferno and Kala. Now its very kind of you to send your canine's after the Umbreon when they're not in their packs, but when my daughter is with them… They should know not to chase an Espeon."

"I know, but they are dimwitted and will not obey all commands," Chain sighed. "The others just want to train, and not help with the overtaking. We are actually training for an army, so at any point we will strike, and out number those weakling Umbreon."

"And I will stand beside you, overlooking the raging war between Umbreon and Houndoom. Side by side we will fight as one great army," Violetta smiled. "Nobody would have thought it was possible to have such an alliance. Side by side, Houndoom and Espeon, together as one."

Chain grinned darkly. "And side by side we shall conquer the Umbreon."

***

Midnight tossed and turned in his sleep, feeling restless and worried. He couldn't wake up, yet he wasn't sleeping calmly either.

"Midnight…" The purple figure was blurry, and didn't have much of a shape. Midnight lifted his head to get a better look, but the smudge of color didn't focus. It blended in well, all the surroundings were blurry, except for Midnight himself, who stood out like a stick in the mud.

The purple shape moved forward, towards Midnight, who was in a position that it looked like he had been knocked down. The blades of grass blurred into one another and the night sky was one smudge.

"Midnight…" the violet repeated. Midnight scrambled to his paws and took a step back.

"Who are you?" Midnight asked, his voice strangely loud and clear.

"Midnight," the voice called, sounding distant, and in need of help. "The Houndoom are coming. Any day they will strike. You… Must prepare for war… Alliance as well. Two packs against one."

"What are you talking about?" Midnight demanded.

"The Houndoom will get your pack," the voice said. "They have an alliance…."

"What alliance?" Midnight questioned, clearly confused.

The surroundings seemed to zoom from behind him, and Midnight felt as if he would fall. The images became less fuzzy, and Midnight blinked. All was clear, and Midnight was facing the pokémon he least expected.

"We are the alliance," Viola told him, her voice faint.

"Viola! No!" Midnight called, rushing to her. Viola just floated backwards, and no matter how fast Midnight ran, he could not get to her.

Sitting up, Midnight panted. What had that dream meant?

Midnight was unclear, but had a basic idea. Something was going on with the Houndoom, and at time, they could take the pack by surprise.

It was time to get down to business.