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  "description": "After Ava awakens, Cedric and Ming must decide where to go from here. But thing become difficult as recent event weigh heavily on everyone's mind. Perhaps some time with family is what everyone needs to lift their spirits.\n\n------\n\nOriginally posted to FA on 8/25/16\n\nSorry no vore in this chapter again, just a whole lot of drama and plot development.",
  "description_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'>After Ava awakens, Cedric and Ming must decide where to go from here. But thing become difficult as recent event weigh heavily on everyone&#039;s mind. Perhaps some time with family is what everyone needs to lift their spirits.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Originally posted to FA on 8/25/16<br /><br />Sorry no vore in this chapter again, just a whole lot of drama and plot development.</span>",
  "writing": "Warning: This story will involve scenes of oral vore and graphic digestion. Although this particular chapter does not. If this is not your thing then stop reading now. You have been warned!\n\nDisclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is the property of Nintendo and Game Freak.\n\nGuardians of Alicrest: Chapter 7: Broken Spirits & Burned Bridges\n\nThe next week passed by slowly. As thanks for ridding their town of that accursed Swampert, the townsfolk offered Ming and Cedric their most gracious hospitality. They had their pick of the dens and were allowed to take any berries they needed for food. However it was hard to enjoy these amenities when they were worried about Ava's health. The Glaceon still had not awoken from her coma like state. Ming and Cedric made sure that at least one of them was always by her side. The Audino who had saved her continued to offer words of encouragement, saying that she just needed time to heal and that she would wake up soon.\n\nCedric, on the other paw, seemed more cold and distant than usual, recent events weighing heavily on his mind. It's not like he hadn't lost comrades before, in fact it wasn't uncommon for resistance members to disappear on missions, but recently he was feeling increasingly powerless. Twice now foes had escaped his grasp and with tragic consequences. He couldn't help but feel that Ava's torture and the Pachirisu's death were on his paws. When he had first joined the resistance, he had felt like he was truly making a difference, but now he couldn't help but wonder if Akuma was right. Maybe they were just rebelling against their inevitable fates. Could he really protect his family? Could he protect Ava? Could he even protect himself? These thoughts continued to plague him as he waited for Ava to awaken.\n\n******\n\nAva weakly opened her eyes. She had expected to see stone walls and smell the stench of decay, but instead she was greeted with wooded surroundings and the scent of fresh leaves. Was this a dream or was she finally dead? She was still in pain, but it was far duller than she last remembered. She slowly shifted her paws around and was surprised to find that they were no longer bound. It had been so long since she could move freely. She looked around to take in her surroundings. She appeared to be in some kind of den, but it wasn't one she was familiar with. Where was she?\n\n\"Ava?\" A familiar voice said from beside her.\n\nAva turned her head to see Ming looking relieved at her. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Ming's arms, but as soon as she tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through her left leg causing her to yip and collapse back in the pile of leaves.\n\n\"Hey now, take it easy there!\" an Audio yelled before rushing over to inspect her \"How do you feel?\" he asked.\n\n\"Weak. Hungry.\" Ava replied.\n\n\"Okay, I'll get you something to eat. You just rest and don't move from that spot.\" the Audino instructed before leaving Ming and her alone.\n\nThis time Ming came to her. She took extra care not to harm Ava as she embraced her \"Oh Ava, I'm so glad you're alive.\" Ming said on the verge of tears.\n\nAva on the other paw burst into tears \"Oh Ming, it was horrible! It was so painful, I wanted to die!\" she sobbed into Ming's shoulder.\n\n\"It's okay, it's okay, you're safe now.\" Ming comforted her.\n\nAva continued to cry for the next couple of minutes, letting all of her sorrow out. It reminded Ming a lot of the first time they had met. Finally Ava calmed down enough to speak again.\n\n\"Where's Cedric?\" she asked.\n\n\"He's outside at the moment, but I'm sure he'll be here once he's heard that you've recovered.\" Ming answered.\n\nAs if on queue, the Audino and Cedric returned to the den.\n\n\"Ava, thank Arceus you're awake!\" Cedric said with relief. It was the first time Ming had seen him smile in days.\n\nThe Audino set some berries in front of Ava that she ate up ravenously. She had been even more hungry than she thought. The berries were so sweet, she almost couldn't remember the last time she had berries this good. However, their moment of happiness wouldn't last as the Audino stood over Ava with a serious look on his face.\n\n\"Now for the bad news.\" he said somberly \"I hate to have to tell you this, but your injuries were extremely severe. Even with my healing abilities, there was still only so much I could do for you. I'm sorry, but some of your muscles have suffered permanent damage. It will likely be some time before you can walk again and even then, it will be difficult.\"\n\nAva's eyes widened in disbelief. \"No, no, you're lying! I don't believe you!\" she shouted hysterically.\n\nShe immediately tried to get up on all fours, but collapsed back to the ground as her weakened muscles were unable to hold her weight. She began to sniffle pitifully.\n\n\"Why? Why is this happening to me?\" she muttered.\n\nThe scene was heart wrenching to watch. Although Ming and Cedric were happy that Ava was alive, what kind of a life would she be able to live now? She was still so young, she had so much of her life ahead of her, but now she would have to live the rest of her life with this injury. There was nothing they could say to comfort her. The only thing they could do was pull her close in their loving embrace.\n\nThe next couple of days were hard ones. The Audino assisted Ava in her recovery, helping her slowly regain her strength. With a bit of effort, she was finally able to stand on all fours again, but only for short periods of time. It wasn't much, but it was progress. Cedric and Ming were grateful to have the Audino's help, but they began to feel like they were imposing on the doctor. They were contemplating whether or not to leave the village when the paw of fate intervened.\n\n\"Um, you two may want to come hear this.\" a voice yelled into the den.\n\nCurious, Ming and Cedric made their way outside. Waiting outside was a Stunky and a rather worried looking Marill.\n\n\"Okay, just calm down and tell these two what you saw.\" the Stunky instructed the Marill.\n\n\"My friends and I were out gathering berries, when we saw some scary looking Pokemon. We overheard them say something about looking for a Glaceon.\" the Marill explained.\n\nCedric frowned. Curse Nefarious! Of course he would be searching for Ava. They couldn't stay here any longer. Doing so would not only risk discovery, but the village would likely suffer dire consequences if Ava was found there. Cedric and Ming quickly made their way back inside.\n\n\"What's going on?\" Ava asked, noticing how worked up the two suddenly were.\n\n\"We're leaving.\" Cedric stated \"Vorlord Nefarious is looking for you. We need to get you somewhere safe.\"\n\n\"Goodbye doctor.\" Ming said to the Audino \"We can't thank you enough for saving Ava.\"\n\n\"It was my pleasure, just make sure she takes it easy.\" the Audino replied.\n\nMing hoisted Ava onto her back and the three of them left the den. They headed west, leaving the small village behind.\n\n\"So where are we headed?\" Ming asked Cedric.\n\n\"I think we should return to the Guardians\" Cedric suggested.\n\n\"Really? I doubt we'll be welcome there anymore.\" Ming replied.\n\n\"Maybe so, but we have to try.\" Cedric insisted \"They are the only ones who can protect Ava now.\"\n\n\"Um, what do you mean you won't be welcome by the Guardians?\" Ava asked.\n\n\"Well, we may have sort of disobeyed orders to come and rescue you.\" Ming answered.\n\n\"What?!\" Ava exclaimed.\n\n\"After your group failed to return, Blaze placed the swamp under quarantine.\" Cedric explained.\n\n\"Oh yeah, the others.\" Ava had been so wrapped up in her own misery that she had completely forgotten about them \"Do you know what happened to them?\"\n\n\"I'm afraid so, and you're not going to like the answer.\" Cedric said.\n\nThat was all Ava needed to hear to know what had happened. After all, the last time she saw them, they were being controlled by a Vorlord. The remainder of the journey was fairly uneventful. It felt good to return to the lush foliage of the forest and leave the dreary atmosphere of the swamp behind them. They made their way back to the location where the base was located, but as they approached, something didn't feel right. The forest was suspiciously quiet and there was the slight smell of smoke in the air. The reason soon became clear as they reached the meeting tree. The tree that had once been their base was now a gnarled piece of smoldering wood.\n\n\"How did this happen?\" Ming uttered breathlessly.\n\nBut they had already eliminated the spy among them. It should have taken the Vorlords longer to pinpoint their base. Were there more spies hiding in their ranks?\n\nWhen Ava set eyes upon the smoldering tree, tears welled up in her eyes and she began to sob.\n\n\"It's okay Ava, I'm sure the others escaped.\" Ming said, trying to comfort the crying Glaceon.\n\n\"No... you don't understand... this is my fault!\" she chocked out between sobs.\n\n\"What?\" Cedric and Ming both said in confusion.\n\n\"When Nefarious tortured me... I told him the location of the base.\" Ava confessed \"I'm sorry! It just hurt so much!\"\n\nMing and Cedric couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. Cedric took a deep breath to control his anger. Could he really claim that he knew what kind of pain Ava had suffered or that he would have fared any better against Nefarious's torture?\n\n\"Well what's done is done. We can't change that now.\" Cedric said \"We have no choice but to press onward.\"\n\n\"But... but where will we go?\" Ava asked, her crying starting to die down.\n\n\"Fortunately Cedric and I know the location of the next base.\" Ming replied.\n\n\"What? How? I didn't think we had a new base located yet.\" Ava asked.\n\n\"We know because we're the ones who found it.\" Cedric explained \"That was the mission we were on while you were sent to the swamp.\"\n\n\"It's a ways north-west of here. We'd better get moving if we hope to make it by nightfall.\" Ming suggested.\n\n\"But what about Blaze? Won't he be furious when he hears what I did?\" Ava asked.\n\nCedric sighed \"I think it would be best if we kept that little fact to ourselves. We're going to have enough trouble with the fact that we abandon our posts.\"\n\nA heavy silence hung over the group the rest of the trip. Spirits were at an all time low when they finally reached the location of the new base. The base was busy with activity, but that didn't stop Pokemon from turning to stare at the trio entering the base. Most of them were glares of disdain, but there were also a few looks of curiosity and intrigue. Cedric and Ming weren't surprised; They had basically betrayed their trust after all. After a short search, they managed to find Jarod, the one Pokemon they felt might be willing to hear them out.\n\n\"Well I'll be darned, you actually found her.\" Jarod said in disbelief. He was a bit relieved to see that Ava was alive, but the way she was being carried told him something was amiss. \"What happened to her?\"\n\n\"It's a long story.\" Cedric replied \"Where is Blaze? We need to speak to him.\" he got straight to the point.\n\n\"Him and Rook set up a new meeting hall in a cave towards the back of the base.\" Jarod answered \"I must warn you though, he's not in a good mood.\"\n\n\"What else is new?\" Cedric replied \"Would you mind watching Ava for us? I get the feeling our chat with Blaze won't be a pleasant one.\"\n\n\"Of course.\" Jarod responded.\n\nMing let Ava down carefully. Ava struggled to stand on all fours, her weakened muscles barely supporting her weight. After leaving Ava in Jarod's care, Ming and Cedric made their way towards the cave in the back of camp. They weren't entirely sure what to expect, but they were sure it wouldn't be pleasant.\n\n******\n\n\"So we're up against a Mawile with the ability to infatuate males?\" Blaze asked the Greninja in front of him.\n\n\"Yes.\" Sheena confirmed \"But that is not her only dangerous quality. Her speed and strength are unnaturally high, even for a Vorlord.\"\n\n\"Perfect, just perfect! As if things weren't bad enough!\" Blaze said in frustration \"What else could go wrong?!\"\n\nA voice suddenly came echoing into the cave drawing everyone's attention \"Hey! You two can't just barge in there! That's a private meeting!\"\n\nBlaze turned to Sheena, but she had already disappeared. He turned back to the cave entrance just in time to see Cedric and Ming enter the chamber.\n\n\"You two have some nerve showing your faces here after what you pulled!\" Blaze shot at them \"Do you have any idea what we went through in your absence?! And all so you could go search for some Pokemon who's probably dead already!\"\n\n\"Actually we found her.\" Cedric stated plainly.\n\nBlaze was stunned into silence for a moment. He had never suspected that they would actually succeed in rescuing Ava. But the news of their success did little to quell his temper. \"Well congratulations, you managed to save one Pokemon. Do you know how many Pokemon we lost in Draco's last assault? FIVE! So I sure hope it was worth it!\"\n\n\"We didn't come to be reprimanded by you Blaze. We came to ask you a favor.\" Cedric said.\n\n\"A favor?! Are you kidding me?! Why would I do anything for you?!\" Blaze shot back.\n\n\"It's not for me. It's for Ava. She was gravely wounded and she can't protect herself anymore. Please, we need the Guardians to watch over her.\" Cedric pleaded.\n\n\"No.\" Blaze stated.\n\n\"What?\" Cedric replied in shock.\n\n\"In case you haven't noticed, we are on our last leg. We can barely protect ourselves, let alone babysit a defenseless Glaceon. It's like I said before, we are a resistance camp, not a refugee camp.\" Blaze replied.\n\n\"But Ava was injured on a mission. She's done her duty for the resistance. Hasn't she earned this? Or have you forgotten what it's like out there, while you hide safely back at base.\" Cedric retorted.\n\n\"I stay behind to coordinate our efforts! Something you clearly don't understand, since you defied my orders and abandoned us for one Pokemon!\" Blaze shot back.\n\n\"That Pokemon was one of us too, and you abandoned her!\" Blaze and Cedric stared each other down for a few moments.\n\n\"That'll be enough o' that!\" Rook interjected, placing himself between the arguing duo \"Look Cedric, I feel fer the lass, I really do, but Blaze is right ya know. Ya swore an oath to the Guardians, an oath that ya didnya keep. I'm sorry, but we canya help ya.\"\n\nCedric stared defiantly for a few moments before letting out a defeated sigh \"Fine. We'll get out of your feathers then.\"\n\nCedric and Ming made their way out of the cave and back to Ava and Jarod. When they reached them, they could tell that Jarod was holding back tears. Ava must have told him what happened to her.\n\n\"Surviving two encounters with Vorlord Nefarious. I don't know if that makes Ava the luckiest or the unluckiest Pokemon I know.\" he said to the approaching duo in a melancholy tone.\n\n\"So what did they say?\" Ava asked, but she could tell by their expressions that it wasn't good.\n\n\"They said they can't help. We need to search for help elsewhere.\" Cedric replied.\n\nMing picked Ava up and they began to leave.\n\n\"Wait!\" Jarod said, causing them stop and turn back around \"Take these, you'll need them for your trip.\" Jarod said, offering them some berries.\n\n\"Thank you.\" Ming said, taking them graciously.\n\n\"Many here may condemn you for what you did. I can't say I'm that happy with it myself, but I understand why you did it. And I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your position. Just promise me you'll keep her safe. If your decision ends up being for naught, I'll never forgive you.\" Jarod said.\n\n\"You have our word.\" Cedric promised.\n\nThe three of them made their way out of the camp and back into the forest.\n\n\"So where will we go now?\" Ava asked.\n\n\"I... don't know.\" Cedric admitted.\n\n\"The sun will be setting soon. We should find some shelter for the night.\" Ming pointed out.\n\n\"Okay, we can decide on our next course of action in the morning.\" Cedric agreed.\n\nAs nightfall settled over the forest, the three of them managed to find a secluded area south of the Guardian's base. They decided that it would be a good spot to set up camp for the night. It had been a long day and they were all looking forward to some much needed sleep. Cedric and Ming took turns keeping watch, with Cedric covering the first shift. As the peaceful sounds of the forest nightlife filled the air around Cedric, his mind was abuzz with questions. What would they do now? Where would they go? Where COULD they go? These questions circled in his mind until his shift was over.\n\nMing's shift was fairly uneventful... until near the end when she heard a moaning sound. She turned to see Ava struggling fitfully in her sleep. Ava continued to groan and murmur incoherently for a bit, but then the struggles grew and here murmurs turned to cries of distress.\n\n\"No... Stop...\" Ava almost shouted.\n\n\"Ava, wake up!\" Ming called to Ava, stirring Cedric from his sleep.\n\n\"No... Stay back!\" Ava cried out.\n\n\"Ava, it's okay, I'm here, you're safe.\" Ming tried to reassure the sleeping Glaceon.\n\nMing reached out her right paw to comfort Ava.\n\n\"Ming, don't!...\" Cedric yelled.\n\nSuddenly Ava turned bit down on Ming's paw. The area around the bite immediately dropped to sub-zero temperatures.\n\nMing cried out in pain, shaking Ava from her nightmare. Ava's eyes went wide when she realized what she was doing and removed her mouth immediately.\n\n\"Ming!... I'm sorry... I didn't... I wouldn't...\" Ava tripped over her words as tears well up in her eyes.\n\nMing was shedding tears of her own as she inhaled deeply, endured the pain of her bite. The wound burned from the sheer cold of Ava's attack. Cedric hurried over to Ming and inspected the wound. It was hard to make out in the dark, but it didn't appear to be bleeding. The blood had most likely frozen. This wasn't good, if frostbite set in, she could lose her paw. Cedric couldn't help but turn some his anger and frustration on Ava.\n\n\"How could you?! After everything we've done for you!\" he shouted.\n\n\"I'm sorry!... I'm sorry!...\" was all Ava could stutter.\n\n\"Cedric... it's not her fault.\" Ming managed to say.\n\nCedric took a deep breath to try to calm himself \"We need to get you help immediately.\"\n\nBut where could they go? They could try to make it back to the Guardians, but in their condition, even that might take too long.\n\n\"What's all the racket over here?!\" an unfamiliar voice shouted from the trees \"Some of us are trying to sleep you know!\"\n\nA shadow emerged from the trees above. As the figure came into view, Cedric was able to make out its form. It was a Fletchinder. Thank Arceus, it was a miracle!\n\n\"Please, we need your help!\" Cedric shouted to the new arrival \"My friend's arm is frozen and...\"\n\n\"Frozen?\" the Fletchinder questioned, not yet noticing the Glaceon nearby.\n\n\"We'll explain in a moment, but right now we need your warmth.\" Cedric implored the Fletchinder.\n\n\"Well okay.\" the Fletchinder approached cautiously, still unsure of their intentions.\n\nBut as he got closer, he could see that the Mienshao's arm was indeed frozen. He spread his wings out, allowing his heat to radiate outward. It was a delicate process. If they warmed the area too quickly, the crystallized cells would shatter, causing irreparable damage. While they waited for the arm to thaw, they introduced themselves and explained how Ming's arm had gotten frozen to begin with.\n\n\"That must have been one hell of a nightmare.\" the Fletchinder commented.\n\n\"She's been through a lot.\" Ming said.\n\n\"You don't see a lot of Glaceons around, especially in these parts.\" the Fletchinder noted.\n\n\"Yeah Ava's pretty...\" Ming inhaled sharply as a small pain shot through her arm.\n\nThe burning sensation had diminished as her arm thawed, but now real pain was emerging as the blood began to flow again. Cedric grabs some nearby leaves and used his psychic power to weave them around Ming's injury like a makeshift bandage.\n\n\"Thank you for your help.\" Cedric thanked the Fletchinder \"Is there anything we can do to repay you?\"\n\n\"Well, you could try to keep it down so I can get some sleep.\" the Fletchinder teased.\n\n\"We'll keep that in mind.\" Ming replied, before they bid the Fletchinder farewell.\n\nWith the Fletchinder gone, Ming and Cedric turned their attention to Ava, who had slumped onto a nearby tree.\n\n\"Ming, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.\" Ava apologized again as they approached.\n\n\"I know you didn't.\" Ming said \"I only wish there was something we could do about your nightmares.\"\n\n\"For now, I guess we'll just need to give you some space while you sleep.\" Cedric stated.\n\n\"It was horrible.\" Ava muttered \"I was back in that chamber, and Nefarious, he...\" Ava's words caught in her throat as the mere mention made her feel sick.\n\n\"Well we're here now, and we promise we'll protect you.\" Cedric reassured her.\n\nThis did seem to comfort Ava a little. But the truth was Cedric wasn't entirely sure he believed it himself. If they actually encountered Vorlord Nefarious, would they truly be able to protect Ava? This thought plagued Cedric for the rest of the evening. When morning finally arrived, the three had barely managed to get any sleep.\n\n\"So which way should we go?\" Ava asked.\n\n\"Does it really matter? There's nowhere left we can turn to.\" Cedric seemed exceptionally agitated.\n\n\"Well there is ONE place we can go Cedirc.\" Ming pointed out.\n\nCedric knew exactly where Ming was referring to \"But I told them I wouldn't return until I made the world safe for them.\" Cedric responded \"I can't go back to them like this. I can't go back a failure.\"\n\n\"And that's exactly why we need to go back to them.\" Ming retorted \"Don't think I haven't noticed; Your will to fight has been dwindling ever since our time in the swamp. You need this. You need to remember why you fight.\"\n\n\"But I...\" Cedric started.\n\n\"But nothing. I'm taking Ava to see your family, with or without you.\" Ming stated.\n\nCedric knew it was a bluff. There was no way Ming could carry Ava with her injured paw. Still, some part of Cedric's mind knew she was right.\n\n\"Alright.\" he relented \"Besides, in your condition you two wouldn't make it two steps without me anyway.\"\n\nHe used his psychic power to gently levitate Ava off the ground and carry her along. They made their way southwest into the deeper parts of the forest. They traveled for about half the day before stopping in a secluded part of the forest. The canopy was very thick here, almost blocking out the sun completely. Anyone here would certainly be guarded from eyes above and the thick foliage would likely discourage larger Pokemon from entering the area as well.\n\nCedric opened his ears and concentrated as he reached out with his psychic energy. After a few moments, a female Meowstic emerged from behind a tree.\n\n\"Cedric, is that you?\" the Meowstic asked.\n\n\"Aurora.\" Cedric said breathlessly. He almost didn't believe his eyes \"Aurora!\" he ran forward to embrace the other Meowstic \"It's been too long.\"\n\nThe other Meowstic returned the embrace \"Cedric, I've missed you so much. So does this mean that it's over? Can we stop hiding now?\"\n\nCedric was drawn back to the reason he came here and let out a heavy sigh \"No, I'm afraid not. There have been some...  complications.\"\n\n\"That's actually why we're here.\" Ming said \"We're in severe need of a morale boost.\"\n\n\"Why? Cedric, what's happened to you out there?\" Aurora asked with concern.\n\n\"It's a long story, and it starts with her.\" Cedric pointed to the levitating Glaceon.\n\n\"Oh hello there. My name is Aurora.\" The Meowstic introduced herself \"What's your name?\"\n\n\"Ava.\" the Glaceon replied.\n\n\"Cedric, why is she floating?\" Aurora asked.\n\nThey all looked down somberly.\n\n\"I see.\" Aurora said \"Well lets get back to the den. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled to see you.\"\n\nThey followed Aurora for a short distance before reaching a tree that appeared to have a den burrowed under it.\n\n\"Kids, you can come out. I have a surprise for you.\" Aurora called into the den.\n\nMoments later two excited young Espurrs emerged from the den.\n\n\"A surprise?!\" one Espurr cheered in male voice.\n\n\"What is it?!\" the other asked in a female voice.\n\n\"Why don't you see for yourself.\" Aurora replied gesturing to Cedric.\n\n\"Daddy!\" the Espurrs shouted in unison before running into Cedric's embrace.\n\n\"My, just look at how much you've grown.\" Cedric commented.\n\n\"I'm the tallest.\" one Espurr boasted.\n\n\"Na uh, I'm taller.\" the other argued.\n\n\"I think you both are the same height.\" Ming interrupted.\n\n\"Ming!\" the two Espurrs shouted and ran over to Ming.\n\n\"It's great to see you again.\" Ming said \"Have you been good while I was gone?\"\n\n\"Uh huh!\" they both nodded.\n\nAva couldn't help but envy the two cubs. They reminded her so much of herself at their age. So innocent; So carefree; So blissfully ignorant of the true horrors of this world.\n\n\"Wow, who's that?!\" the two shouted as they finally noticed Ava.\n\nThey ran over to inspect the unfamiliar Pokemon.\n\n\"What do you think she is?!\" \"Her fur is so blue!\" \"Wow, she feels cold!\" \"Look at her tail!\"\n\n\"Now, now, you two. Give her some space.\" Cedric said.\n\nIt may have appeared that this was out of respect for Ava's personal space, but the truth was he didn't feel comfortable having his children around Ava after what happened with Ming.\n\n\"Why don't you two start by introducing yourselves?\" Aurora suggested.\n\n\"Oh yeah, my names Sol.\" the male Espurr said.\n\n\"And I'm Luna.\" the female followed suit.\n\n\"We're twins!\" they announced in unison.\n\n\"My name is Ava.\" the Glaceon replied.\n\n\"What kind of Pokemon are you?\" Sol asked curiously.\n\n\"I'm a Glaceon.\" Ava answered.\n\n\"Where are you from?\" Luna asked. Their curiosity seemed boundless.\n\n\"I'm from the forest, just like you.\" Ava replied.\n\n\"Where's your mommy and daddy?\" Sol asked.\n\nThat unexpected question hit Ava like a ton of bricks \"They.. they...\" she stuttered as tears formed in her eyes.\n\n\"Okay, that's enough questions for now.\" Aurora quickly jumped in \"We don't want to overwhelm the poor girl. Why don't you two go off and play for a bit?\" she suggested.\n\n\"Awww...\" they whined \"But we want to stay here with daddy.\" they objected.\n\n\"Don't worry, daddy isn't going anywhere, but right now the adults need to talk.\" Aurora insisted.\n\n\"Okay...\" they relented.\n\n\"Hey, bet I can beat you to moss rock!\" Sol challenged Luna.\n\n\"You're on!\" Luna accepted before the two ran off into the forest.\n\n\"I'm sorry.\" Aurora apologized, turning her attention to Ava \"I didn't know.\"\n\n\"It's best if we explain everything to you.\" Cedric said.\n\nAnd so they filled Aurora in on everything, from rescuing the poor Eevee, to Ava's evolution; From Ava's capture and subsequent torture, to Ming and Cedric rescuing her. Finally they told her about how Ava was permanently injured and how they were expelled from the Guardians for insubordination. By the end of the tale, Aurora was wiping tears from her eyes.\n\n\"To think that such vile creatures roam this world.\" she commented \"I can't even begin to imagine how much you've suffered.\"\n\nSilence fell over the group for a few moments. Suddenly two shrieks emanated from the forest.\n\n\"Sol! Luna!\" Aurora cried in shock.\n\nCedric was immediately on his feet, running towards the source of the screams. He stretched out his psychic energy to pinpoint their location. They were close, but there was another unfamiliar presence with them. He picked up the pace. As Cedric emerged into a small clearing, he was met with a frightening sight. Sol and Luna were being circled by a hungry looking Seviper.\n\n\"Don't be afraid my tasssty little morssselsss. I just want to sssend you sssomeplace warm and cozy.\" the Seviper hissed.\n\n\"Leave them alone!\" Cedric commanded.\n\nThe Seviper turned to regard his new guest \"Or elssse wha...?\" he didn't even get to finish his sentence as psychic energy surrounded him and flung him back into a moss covered rock.\n\n\"You messed with the wrong family!\" Cedric shouted as he fired streaks of psychic energy from his right paw.\n\nThe streaks struck the snake further forcing him against the rock. When the attack ended, the Seviper slumped to the ground. Sol and Luna ran up to Cedric with tears in their eyes.\n\n\"Daddy! You saved us! We were so scared!\" they clung to him for dear life.\n\n\"It's okay, daddy's here. I won't let anything happen to you.\" he comforted them.\n\nPaternal instincts began to ignite within his again. Yes, this was why he fought. This was why he had joined the Guardians in the first place. He felt his fighting spirit slowly returning to him.\n\nA hissing chuckle come from the mossy rock, catching Cedric's attention \"Jussst wait until I tell one of the Vorlordsss about thisss. You'll be sssorry.\"\n\nThe Seviper turned to slither off, but came face to face with a serious looking Mienshao.\n\n\"You won't be telling anyone anything.\" she stated.\n\nCedric held his kids close, shielding their eyes as Ming delivered a punch to the Seviper's head strong enough to shatter his skull. The snake landed a few feet away, completely lifeless. Aurora finally arrived herself, relieved to see that her children were unharmed.\n\n\"I'm sorry Aurora. I've been a fool; Moping around in self-pity instead of remembering what's truly important. I promise you, I WILL create a world that is safe for our children.\" Cedric declared \"Come on kids, let's go home.\"\n\n******\n\nThe anxiety was killing Ava. Ming had left her behind due to the emergency and she couldn't make it far on her own. At least the screaming had stopped, that was probably a good sign, or it could be the exact opposite. She tried to move forward, but after only a couple of steps, she collapsed to the ground again. She felt like dead weight more than ever. Tears formed in her eyes as despair began to take her.\n\nCedric, Ming, Aurora, Sol, and Luna made it back to find Ava silently crying on the ground. The children looked at her curiously, not really understanding why she was so sad.\n\n\"Ava! Are you okay?\" Ming asked.\n\n\"I'm useless.\" She muttered \"I'm only slowing you down. You'd be better off just leaving me behind.\"\n\nCedric may have found renewed confidence, but restoring Ava's confidence would be another matter.\n\n\"That's not true Ava.\" Ming insisted \"We would never do that to you.\"\n\nMing could tell that Ava wasn't convinced and could see that she was staring at her bandaged paw.\n\n\"Cedric, Ming, you take the children inside, I'd like to speak with Ava in private.\" Aurora interjected.\n\nMing didn't want to leave Ava like this, but she had to admit that her presence was probably a constant reminder to Ava about what she had done. So reluctantly she went with Cedric and escorted the children inside the den. When they were gone, Aurora turned her attention to Ava. She gently levitated Ava and began to stroll with her. After they were a short distance from the den, Aurora finally broke the silence.\n\n\"You know, I never did thank you for saving my husband.\" Aurora said \"If it weren't for you, I dread to think what would have happened to him.\"\n\n\"I'm no hero.\" Ava muttered \"I'm just a burden to everyone around me. I thought I had finally become strong. That I would finally be able to protect myself, but in the end, they still had to risk their lives for me. It seems like no matter how hard I try, I will always have to rely on others watch out for me.\"\n\n\"And is that such a bad thing? Aurora asked.\n\n\"Huh?\" Ava responded, not understanding Aurora's meaning.\n\n\"This world is a frightening and dangerous place. If you, Ming, and Cedric only looked out for yourselves, then you only have one person protecting you. But if you each look out for each other, then you each have two watching over you.\" Aurora explained \"Do you see? Cedric and Ming protect you, because they believe you will protect them. However if you continue to doubt yourself, you won't have the strength to protect anyone. So please, be strong for them.\"\n\nAva thought hard about what Aurora just told her \"Do you really think I can protect them?\" she asked.\n\n\"I know you can.\" Aurora encouraged her \"And I know I'll feel better with the knowledge that you'll be looking out for them.\"\n\nAva looked thoughtful for a few more moments before she wiped the tears from her eyes \"Okay, I'll try.\" she said.\n\nIt wasn't the most enthusiastic response, but it was a start.\n\n\"Come on, lets head back home.\" Aurora said before heading back to den.\n\nAs they approached the den, Aurora could see that Cedric was standing outside the den keeping watch for them. Aurora set Ava down just outside the burrow, allowing her to enter on her own, while Aurora stayed outside to talk to Cedric.\n\n\"I think she'll be okay.\" Aurora told Cedric.\n\n\"That's good.\" Cedric said with relief \"I just wish there was more we could do for her.\"\n\n\"Well there is ONE thing.\" Aurora suggested.\n\nCedric sighed \"You know how I feel about those ancient legends.\"\n\n\"I know, but if there is even the slightest hope of helping Ava, isn't it worth a try?\" Aurora asked.\n\nCedric pondered this for a moment before making up his mind.\n\n******\n\nThe next morning...\n\n\"The Oasis of Purity?\" Ming asked curiously.\n\n\"Legend has it that one of the ancient Guardians had the ability to purify water. They say that he created an oasis in the southern desert to aid weary traveler. The water in this oasis is said to be so pure that it has miraculous healing properties. This lead it to be known as the Oasis of Purity.\" Cedric explained.\n\n\"And you think that if I drink from this oasis, it will heal me?\" Ava asked hopefully.\n\n\"There's no telling for sure.\" Cedric replied \"For one, no one has seen the oasis in ages. And two, it's located in the southern desert. Not exactly a hospitable place for a Glaceon.\"\n\n\"You know, for someone who claims not to believe in the ancient legends, you sure know a lot about them.\" Ming observed.\n\n\"Remember when I said that there were those who were waiting for the Guardians to save us?\" Cedric asked rhetorically \"I was one of those Pokemon. When I was young, I used to be infatuated with the legends of the ancient Guardians. I couldn't hear enough about them. If you had told me the Guardians were just myths, I would have argued vehemently against you. I thought that if I just believed hard enough, the Guardians would return to save us.\" Cedric explained \"But that day never came. Our village was attacked by Vorlord Draco and no Guardians appeared to save us. My family was one of the few lucky enough to escape, but others weren't so fortunate. It was then that I realized the Guardians were just myths. Legends made up to give hope to a terrified world. The only ones we could rely on to save us, were ourselves.\"\n\n\"But myths often have an element of truth to them.\" Aurora said \"If the Oasis of Purity is real, then it is probably the only thing that can help Ava.\"\n\n\"I leave the decision to you Ava.\" Cedric said \"But remember, the desert is a dangerous place for an ice type and there is no guarantee that we will find the oasis or that it even exists.\" he paused for a moment \"But if you're willing to try, we'll support your decision.\"\n\nAva didn't take long to think about it \"I want to try. If there's even the slimmest chance I can be healed, I think it's worth the risk.\"\n\n\"Then it's decided. Our next stop is the southern desert.\" Cedric announced.",
  "writing_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'>Warning: This story will involve scenes of oral vore and graphic digestion. Although this particular chapter does not. If this is not your thing then stop reading now. You have been warned!<br /><br />Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is the property of Nintendo and Game Freak.<br /><br />Guardians of Alicrest: Chapter 7: Broken Spirits &amp; Burned Bridges<br /><br />The next week passed by slowly. As thanks for ridding their town of that accursed Swampert, the townsfolk offered Ming and Cedric their most gracious hospitality. They had their pick of the dens and were allowed to take any berries they needed for food. However it was hard to enjoy these amenities when they were worried about Ava&#039;s health. The Glaceon still had not awoken from her coma like state. Ming and Cedric made sure that at least one of them was always by her side. The Audino who had saved her continued to offer words of encouragement, saying that she just needed time to heal and that she would wake up soon.<br /><br />Cedric, on the other paw, seemed more cold and distant than usual, recent events weighing heavily on his mind. It&#039;s not like he hadn&#039;t lost comrades before, in fact it wasn&#039;t uncommon for resistance members to disappear on missions, but recently he was feeling increasingly powerless. Twice now foes had escaped his grasp and with tragic consequences. He couldn&#039;t help but feel that Ava&#039;s torture and the Pachirisu&#039;s death were on his paws. When he had first joined the resistance, he had felt like he was truly making a difference, but now he couldn&#039;t help but wonder if Akuma was right. Maybe they were just rebelling against their inevitable fates. Could he really protect his family? Could he protect Ava? Could he even protect himself? These thoughts continued to plague him as he waited for Ava to awaken.<br /><br />******<br /><br />Ava weakly opened her eyes. She had expected to see stone walls and smell the stench of decay, but instead she was greeted with wooded surroundings and the scent of fresh leaves. Was this a dream or was she finally dead? She was still in pain, but it was far duller than she last remembered. She slowly shifted her paws around and was surprised to find that they were no longer bound. It had been so long since she could move freely. She looked around to take in her surroundings. She appeared to be in some kind of den, but it wasn&#039;t one she was familiar with. Where was she?<br /><br />&quot;Ava?&quot; A familiar voice said from beside her.<br /><br />Ava turned her head to see Ming looking relieved at her. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Ming&#039;s arms, but as soon as she tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through her left leg causing her to yip and collapse back in the pile of leaves.<br /><br />&quot;Hey now, take it easy there!&quot; an Audio yelled before rushing over to inspect her &quot;How do you feel?&quot; he asked.<br /><br />&quot;Weak. Hungry.&quot; Ava replied.<br /><br />&quot;Okay, I&#039;ll get you something to eat. You just rest and don&#039;t move from that spot.&quot; the Audino instructed before leaving Ming and her alone.<br /><br />This time Ming came to her. She took extra care not to harm Ava as she embraced her &quot;Oh Ava, I&#039;m so glad you&#039;re alive.&quot; Ming said on the verge of tears.<br /><br />Ava on the other paw burst into tears &quot;Oh Ming, it was horrible! It was so painful, I wanted to die!&quot; she sobbed into Ming&#039;s shoulder.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s okay, it&#039;s okay, you&#039;re safe now.&quot; Ming comforted her.<br /><br />Ava continued to cry for the next couple of minutes, letting all of her sorrow out. It reminded Ming a lot of the first time they had met. Finally Ava calmed down enough to speak again.<br /><br />&quot;Where&#039;s Cedric?&quot; she asked.<br /><br />&quot;He&#039;s outside at the moment, but I&#039;m sure he&#039;ll be here once he&#039;s heard that you&#039;ve recovered.&quot; Ming answered.<br /><br />As if on queue, the Audino and Cedric returned to the den.<br /><br />&quot;Ava, thank Arceus you&#039;re awake!&quot; Cedric said with relief. It was the first time Ming had seen him smile in days.<br /><br />The Audino set some berries in front of Ava that she ate up ravenously. She had been even more hungry than she thought. The berries were so sweet, she almost couldn&#039;t remember the last time she had berries this good. However, their moment of happiness wouldn&#039;t last as the Audino stood over Ava with a serious look on his face.<br /><br />&quot;Now for the bad news.&quot; he said somberly &quot;I hate to have to tell you this, but your injuries were extremely severe. Even with my healing abilities, there was still only so much I could do for you. I&#039;m sorry, but some of your muscles have suffered permanent damage. It will likely be some time before you can walk again and even then, it will be difficult.&quot;<br /><br />Ava&#039;s eyes widened in disbelief. &quot;No, no, you&#039;re lying! I don&#039;t believe you!&quot; she shouted hysterically.<br /><br />She immediately tried to get up on all fours, but collapsed back to the ground as her weakened muscles were unable to hold her weight. She began to sniffle pitifully.<br /><br />&quot;Why? Why is this happening to me?&quot; she muttered.<br /><br />The scene was heart wrenching to watch. Although Ming and Cedric were happy that Ava was alive, what kind of a life would she be able to live now? She was still so young, she had so much of her life ahead of her, but now she would have to live the rest of her life with this injury. There was nothing they could say to comfort her. The only thing they could do was pull her close in their loving embrace.<br /><br />The next couple of days were hard ones. The Audino assisted Ava in her recovery, helping her slowly regain her strength. With a bit of effort, she was finally able to stand on all fours again, but only for short periods of time. It wasn&#039;t much, but it was progress. Cedric and Ming were grateful to have the Audino&#039;s help, but they began to feel like they were imposing on the doctor. They were contemplating whether or not to leave the village when the paw of fate intervened.<br /><br />&quot;Um, you two may want to come hear this.&quot; a voice yelled into the den.<br /><br />Curious, Ming and Cedric made their way outside. Waiting outside was a Stunky and a rather worried looking Marill.<br /><br />&quot;Okay, just calm down and tell these two what you saw.&quot; the Stunky instructed the Marill.<br /><br />&quot;My friends and I were out gathering berries, when we saw some scary looking Pokemon. We overheard them say something about looking for a Glaceon.&quot; the Marill explained.<br /><br />Cedric frowned. Curse Nefarious! Of course he would be searching for Ava. They couldn&#039;t stay here any longer. Doing so would not only risk discovery, but the village would likely suffer dire consequences if Ava was found there. Cedric and Ming quickly made their way back inside.<br /><br />&quot;What&#039;s going on?&quot; Ava asked, noticing how worked up the two suddenly were.<br /><br />&quot;We&#039;re leaving.&quot; Cedric stated &quot;Vorlord Nefarious is looking for you. We need to get you somewhere safe.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Goodbye doctor.&quot; Ming said to the Audino &quot;We can&#039;t thank you enough for saving Ava.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;It was my pleasure, just make sure she takes it easy.&quot; the Audino replied.<br /><br />Ming hoisted Ava onto her back and the three of them left the den. They headed west, leaving the small village behind.<br /><br />&quot;So where are we headed?&quot; Ming asked Cedric.<br /><br />&quot;I think we should return to the Guardians&quot; Cedric suggested.<br /><br />&quot;Really? I doubt we&#039;ll be welcome there anymore.&quot; Ming replied.<br /><br />&quot;Maybe so, but we have to try.&quot; Cedric insisted &quot;They are the only ones who can protect Ava now.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Um, what do you mean you won&#039;t be welcome by the Guardians?&quot; Ava asked.<br /><br />&quot;Well, we may have sort of disobeyed orders to come and rescue you.&quot; Ming answered.<br /><br />&quot;What?!&quot; Ava exclaimed.<br /><br />&quot;After your group failed to return, Blaze placed the swamp under quarantine.&quot; Cedric explained.<br /><br />&quot;Oh yeah, the others.&quot; Ava had been so wrapped up in her own misery that she had completely forgotten about them &quot;Do you know what happened to them?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m afraid so, and you&#039;re not going to like the answer.&quot; Cedric said.<br /><br />That was all Ava needed to hear to know what had happened. After all, the last time she saw them, they were being controlled by a Vorlord. The remainder of the journey was fairly uneventful. It felt good to return to the lush foliage of the forest and leave the dreary atmosphere of the swamp behind them. They made their way back to the location where the base was located, but as they approached, something didn&#039;t feel right. The forest was suspiciously quiet and there was the slight smell of smoke in the air. The reason soon became clear as they reached the meeting tree. The tree that had once been their base was now a gnarled piece of smoldering wood.<br /><br />&quot;How did this happen?&quot; Ming uttered breathlessly.<br /><br />But they had already eliminated the spy among them. It should have taken the Vorlords longer to pinpoint their base. Were there more spies hiding in their ranks?<br /><br />When Ava set eyes upon the smoldering tree, tears welled up in her eyes and she began to sob.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s okay Ava, I&#039;m sure the others escaped.&quot; Ming said, trying to comfort the crying Glaceon.<br /><br />&quot;No... you don&#039;t understand... this is my fault!&quot; she chocked out between sobs.<br /><br />&quot;What?&quot; Cedric and Ming both said in confusion.<br /><br />&quot;When Nefarious tortured me... I told him the location of the base.&quot; Ava confessed &quot;I&#039;m sorry! It just hurt so much!&quot;<br /><br />Ming and Cedric couldn&#039;t help but feel a little betrayed. Cedric took a deep breath to control his anger. Could he really claim that he knew what kind of pain Ava had suffered or that he would have fared any better against Nefarious&#039;s torture?<br /><br />&quot;Well what&#039;s done is done. We can&#039;t change that now.&quot; Cedric said &quot;We have no choice but to press onward.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;But... but where will we go?&quot; Ava asked, her crying starting to die down.<br /><br />&quot;Fortunately Cedric and I know the location of the next base.&quot; Ming replied.<br /><br />&quot;What? How? I didn&#039;t think we had a new base located yet.&quot; Ava asked.<br /><br />&quot;We know because we&#039;re the ones who found it.&quot; Cedric explained &quot;That was the mission we were on while you were sent to the swamp.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s a ways north-west of here. We&#039;d better get moving if we hope to make it by nightfall.&quot; Ming suggested.<br /><br />&quot;But what about Blaze? Won&#039;t he be furious when he hears what I did?&quot; Ava asked.<br /><br />Cedric sighed &quot;I think it would be best if we kept that little fact to ourselves. We&#039;re going to have enough trouble with the fact that we abandon our posts.&quot;<br /><br />A heavy silence hung over the group the rest of the trip. Spirits were at an all time low when they finally reached the location of the new base. The base was busy with activity, but that didn&#039;t stop Pokemon from turning to stare at the trio entering the base. Most of them were glares of disdain, but there were also a few looks of curiosity and intrigue. Cedric and Ming weren&#039;t surprised; They had basically betrayed their trust after all. After a short search, they managed to find Jarod, the one Pokemon they felt might be willing to hear them out.<br /><br />&quot;Well I&#039;ll be darned, you actually found her.&quot; Jarod said in disbelief. He was a bit relieved to see that Ava was alive, but the way she was being carried told him something was amiss. &quot;What happened to her?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s a long story.&quot; Cedric replied &quot;Where is Blaze? We need to speak to him.&quot; he got straight to the point.<br /><br />&quot;Him and Rook set up a new meeting hall in a cave towards the back of the base.&quot; Jarod answered &quot;I must warn you though, he&#039;s not in a good mood.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;What else is new?&quot; Cedric replied &quot;Would you mind watching Ava for us? I get the feeling our chat with Blaze won&#039;t be a pleasant one.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Of course.&quot; Jarod responded.<br /><br />Ming let Ava down carefully. Ava struggled to stand on all fours, her weakened muscles barely supporting her weight. After leaving Ava in Jarod&#039;s care, Ming and Cedric made their way towards the cave in the back of camp. They weren&#039;t entirely sure what to expect, but they were sure it wouldn&#039;t be pleasant.<br /><br />******<br /><br />&quot;So we&#039;re up against a Mawile with the ability to infatuate males?&quot; Blaze asked the Greninja in front of him.<br /><br />&quot;Yes.&quot; Sheena confirmed &quot;But that is not her only dangerous quality. Her speed and strength are unnaturally high, even for a Vorlord.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Perfect, just perfect! As if things weren&#039;t bad enough!&quot; Blaze said in frustration &quot;What else could go wrong?!&quot;<br /><br />A voice suddenly came echoing into the cave drawing everyone&#039;s attention &quot;Hey! You two can&#039;t just barge in there! That&#039;s a private meeting!&quot;<br /><br />Blaze turned to Sheena, but she had already disappeared. He turned back to the cave entrance just in time to see Cedric and Ming enter the chamber.<br /><br />&quot;You two have some nerve showing your faces here after what you pulled!&quot; Blaze shot at them &quot;Do you have any idea what we went through in your absence?! And all so you could go search for some Pokemon who&#039;s probably dead already!&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Actually we found her.&quot; Cedric stated plainly.<br /><br />Blaze was stunned into silence for a moment. He had never suspected that they would actually succeed in rescuing Ava. But the news of their success did little to quell his temper. &quot;Well congratulations, you managed to save one Pokemon. Do you know how many Pokemon we lost in Draco&#039;s last assault? FIVE! So I sure hope it was worth it!&quot;<br /><br />&quot;We didn&#039;t come to be reprimanded by you Blaze. We came to ask you a favor.&quot; Cedric said.<br /><br />&quot;A favor?! Are you kidding me?! Why would I do anything for you?!&quot; Blaze shot back.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s not for me. It&#039;s for Ava. She was gravely wounded and she can&#039;t protect herself anymore. Please, we need the Guardians to watch over her.&quot; Cedric pleaded.<br /><br />&quot;No.&quot; Blaze stated.<br /><br />&quot;What?&quot; Cedric replied in shock.<br /><br />&quot;In case you haven&#039;t noticed, we are on our last leg. We can barely protect ourselves, let alone babysit a defenseless Glaceon. It&#039;s like I said before, we are a resistance camp, not a refugee camp.&quot; Blaze replied.<br /><br />&quot;But Ava was injured on a mission. She&#039;s done her duty for the resistance. Hasn&#039;t she earned this? Or have you forgotten what it&#039;s like out there, while you hide safely back at base.&quot; Cedric retorted.<br /><br />&quot;I stay behind to coordinate our efforts! Something you clearly don&#039;t understand, since you defied my orders and abandoned us for one Pokemon!&quot; Blaze shot back.<br /><br />&quot;That Pokemon was one of us too, and you abandoned her!&quot; Blaze and Cedric stared each other down for a few moments.<br /><br />&quot;That&#039;ll be enough o&#039; that!&quot; Rook interjected, placing himself between the arguing duo &quot;Look Cedric, I feel fer the lass, I really do, but Blaze is right ya know. Ya swore an oath to the Guardians, an oath that ya didnya keep. I&#039;m sorry, but we canya help ya.&quot;<br /><br />Cedric stared defiantly for a few moments before letting out a defeated sigh &quot;Fine. We&#039;ll get out of your feathers then.&quot;<br /><br />Cedric and Ming made their way out of the cave and back to Ava and Jarod. When they reached them, they could tell that Jarod was holding back tears. Ava must have told him what happened to her.<br /><br />&quot;Surviving two encounters with Vorlord Nefarious. I don&#039;t know if that makes Ava the luckiest or the unluckiest Pokemon I know.&quot; he said to the approaching duo in a melancholy tone.<br /><br />&quot;So what did they say?&quot; Ava asked, but she could tell by their expressions that it wasn&#039;t good.<br /><br />&quot;They said they can&#039;t help. We need to search for help elsewhere.&quot; Cedric replied.<br /><br />Ming picked Ava up and they began to leave.<br /><br />&quot;Wait!&quot; Jarod said, causing them stop and turn back around &quot;Take these, you&#039;ll need them for your trip.&quot; Jarod said, offering them some berries.<br /><br />&quot;Thank you.&quot; Ming said, taking them graciously.<br /><br />&quot;Many here may condemn you for what you did. I can&#039;t say I&#039;m that happy with it myself, but I understand why you did it. And I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your position. Just promise me you&#039;ll keep her safe. If your decision ends up being for naught, I&#039;ll never forgive you.&quot; Jarod said.<br /><br />&quot;You have our word.&quot; Cedric promised.<br /><br />The three of them made their way out of the camp and back into the forest.<br /><br />&quot;So where will we go now?&quot; Ava asked.<br /><br />&quot;I... don&#039;t know.&quot; Cedric admitted.<br /><br />&quot;The sun will be setting soon. We should find some shelter for the night.&quot; Ming pointed out.<br /><br />&quot;Okay, we can decide on our next course of action in the morning.&quot; Cedric agreed.<br /><br />As nightfall settled over the forest, the three of them managed to find a secluded area south of the Guardian&#039;s base. They decided that it would be a good spot to set up camp for the night. It had been a long day and they were all looking forward to some much needed sleep. Cedric and Ming took turns keeping watch, with Cedric covering the first shift. As the peaceful sounds of the forest nightlife filled the air around Cedric, his mind was abuzz with questions. What would they do now? Where would they go? Where COULD they go? These questions circled in his mind until his shift was over.<br /><br />Ming&#039;s shift was fairly uneventful... until near the end when she heard a moaning sound. She turned to see Ava struggling fitfully in her sleep. Ava continued to groan and murmur incoherently for a bit, but then the struggles grew and here murmurs turned to cries of distress.<br /><br />&quot;No... Stop...&quot; Ava almost shouted.<br /><br />&quot;Ava, wake up!&quot; Ming called to Ava, stirring Cedric from his sleep.<br /><br />&quot;No... Stay back!&quot; Ava cried out.<br /><br />&quot;Ava, it&#039;s okay, I&#039;m here, you&#039;re safe.&quot; Ming tried to reassure the sleeping Glaceon.<br /><br />Ming reached out her right paw to comfort Ava.<br /><br />&quot;Ming, don&#039;t!...&quot; Cedric yelled.<br /><br />Suddenly Ava turned bit down on Ming&#039;s paw. The area around the bite immediately dropped to sub-zero temperatures.<br /><br />Ming cried out in pain, shaking Ava from her nightmare. Ava&#039;s eyes went wide when she realized what she was doing and removed her mouth immediately.<br /><br />&quot;Ming!... I&#039;m sorry... I didn&#039;t... I wouldn&#039;t...&quot; Ava tripped over her words as tears well up in her eyes.<br /><br />Ming was shedding tears of her own as she inhaled deeply, endured the pain of her bite. The wound burned from the sheer cold of Ava&#039;s attack. Cedric hurried over to Ming and inspected the wound. It was hard to make out in the dark, but it didn&#039;t appear to be bleeding. The blood had most likely frozen. This wasn&#039;t good, if frostbite set in, she could lose her paw. Cedric couldn&#039;t help but turn some his anger and frustration on Ava.<br /><br />&quot;How could you?! After everything we&#039;ve done for you!&quot; he shouted.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m sorry!... I&#039;m sorry!...&quot; was all Ava could stutter.<br /><br />&quot;Cedric... it&#039;s not her fault.&quot; Ming managed to say.<br /><br />Cedric took a deep breath to try to calm himself &quot;We need to get you help immediately.&quot;<br /><br />But where could they go? They could try to make it back to the Guardians, but in their condition, even that might take too long.<br /><br />&quot;What&#039;s all the racket over here?!&quot; an unfamiliar voice shouted from the trees &quot;Some of us are trying to sleep you know!&quot;<br /><br />A shadow emerged from the trees above. As the figure came into view, Cedric was able to make out its form. It was a Fletchinder. Thank Arceus, it was a miracle!<br /><br />&quot;Please, we need your help!&quot; Cedric shouted to the new arrival &quot;My friend&#039;s arm is frozen and...&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Frozen?&quot; the Fletchinder questioned, not yet noticing the Glaceon nearby.<br /><br />&quot;We&#039;ll explain in a moment, but right now we need your warmth.&quot; Cedric implored the Fletchinder.<br /><br />&quot;Well okay.&quot; the Fletchinder approached cautiously, still unsure of their intentions.<br /><br />But as he got closer, he could see that the Mienshao&#039;s arm was indeed frozen. He spread his wings out, allowing his heat to radiate outward. It was a delicate process. If they warmed the area too quickly, the crystallized cells would shatter, causing irreparable damage. While they waited for the arm to thaw, they introduced themselves and explained how Ming&#039;s arm had gotten frozen to begin with.<br /><br />&quot;That must have been one hell of a nightmare.&quot; the Fletchinder commented.<br /><br />&quot;She&#039;s been through a lot.&quot; Ming said.<br /><br />&quot;You don&#039;t see a lot of Glaceons around, especially in these parts.&quot; the Fletchinder noted.<br /><br />&quot;Yeah Ava&#039;s pretty...&quot; Ming inhaled sharply as a small pain shot through her arm.<br /><br />The burning sensation had diminished as her arm thawed, but now real pain was emerging as the blood began to flow again. Cedric grabs some nearby leaves and used his psychic power to weave them around Ming&#039;s injury like a makeshift bandage.<br /><br />&quot;Thank you for your help.&quot; Cedric thanked the Fletchinder &quot;Is there anything we can do to repay you?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Well, you could try to keep it down so I can get some sleep.&quot; the Fletchinder teased.<br /><br />&quot;We&#039;ll keep that in mind.&quot; Ming replied, before they bid the Fletchinder farewell.<br /><br />With the Fletchinder gone, Ming and Cedric turned their attention to Ava, who had slumped onto a nearby tree.<br /><br />&quot;Ming, I&#039;m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.&quot; Ava apologized again as they approached.<br /><br />&quot;I know you didn&#039;t.&quot; Ming said &quot;I only wish there was something we could do about your nightmares.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;For now, I guess we&#039;ll just need to give you some space while you sleep.&quot; Cedric stated.<br /><br />&quot;It was horrible.&quot; Ava muttered &quot;I was back in that chamber, and Nefarious, he...&quot; Ava&#039;s words caught in her throat as the mere mention made her feel sick.<br /><br />&quot;Well we&#039;re here now, and we promise we&#039;ll protect you.&quot; Cedric reassured her.<br /><br />This did seem to comfort Ava a little. But the truth was Cedric wasn&#039;t entirely sure he believed it himself. If they actually encountered Vorlord Nefarious, would they truly be able to protect Ava? This thought plagued Cedric for the rest of the evening. When morning finally arrived, the three had barely managed to get any sleep.<br /><br />&quot;So which way should we go?&quot; Ava asked.<br /><br />&quot;Does it really matter? There&#039;s nowhere left we can turn to.&quot; Cedric seemed exceptionally agitated.<br /><br />&quot;Well there is ONE place we can go Cedirc.&quot; Ming pointed out.<br /><br />Cedric knew exactly where Ming was referring to &quot;But I told them I wouldn&#039;t return until I made the world safe for them.&quot; Cedric responded &quot;I can&#039;t go back to them like this. I can&#039;t go back a failure.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;And that&#039;s exactly why we need to go back to them.&quot; Ming retorted &quot;Don&#039;t think I haven&#039;t noticed; Your will to fight has been dwindling ever since our time in the swamp. You need this. You need to remember why you fight.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;But I...&quot; Cedric started.<br /><br />&quot;But nothing. I&#039;m taking Ava to see your family, with or without you.&quot; Ming stated.<br /><br />Cedric knew it was a bluff. There was no way Ming could carry Ava with her injured paw. Still, some part of Cedric&#039;s mind knew she was right.<br /><br />&quot;Alright.&quot; he relented &quot;Besides, in your condition you two wouldn&#039;t make it two steps without me anyway.&quot;<br /><br />He used his psychic power to gently levitate Ava off the ground and carry her along. They made their way southwest into the deeper parts of the forest. They traveled for about half the day before stopping in a secluded part of the forest. The canopy was very thick here, almost blocking out the sun completely. Anyone here would certainly be guarded from eyes above and the thick foliage would likely discourage larger Pokemon from entering the area as well.<br /><br />Cedric opened his ears and concentrated as he reached out with his psychic energy. After a few moments, a female Meowstic emerged from behind a tree.<br /><br />&quot;Cedric, is that you?&quot; the Meowstic asked.<br /><br />&quot;Aurora.&quot; Cedric said breathlessly. He almost didn&#039;t believe his eyes &quot;Aurora!&quot; he ran forward to embrace the other Meowstic &quot;It&#039;s been too long.&quot;<br /><br />The other Meowstic returned the embrace &quot;Cedric, I&#039;ve missed you so much. So does this mean that it&#039;s over? Can we stop hiding now?&quot;<br /><br />Cedric was drawn back to the reason he came here and let out a heavy sigh &quot;No, I&#039;m afraid not. There have been some...&nbsp;&nbsp;complications.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;That&#039;s actually why we&#039;re here.&quot; Ming said &quot;We&#039;re in severe need of a morale boost.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Why? Cedric, what&#039;s happened to you out there?&quot; Aurora asked with concern.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s a long story, and it starts with her.&quot; Cedric pointed to the levitating Glaceon.<br /><br />&quot;Oh hello there. My name is Aurora.&quot; The Meowstic introduced herself &quot;What&#039;s your name?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Ava.&quot; the Glaceon replied.<br /><br />&quot;Cedric, why is she floating?&quot; Aurora asked.<br /><br />They all looked down somberly.<br /><br />&quot;I see.&quot; Aurora said &quot;Well lets get back to the den. I&#039;m sure the kids will be thrilled to see you.&quot;<br /><br />They followed Aurora for a short distance before reaching a tree that appeared to have a den burrowed under it.<br /><br />&quot;Kids, you can come out. I have a surprise for you.&quot; Aurora called into the den.<br /><br />Moments later two excited young Espurrs emerged from the den.<br /><br />&quot;A surprise?!&quot; one Espurr cheered in male voice.<br /><br />&quot;What is it?!&quot; the other asked in a female voice.<br /><br />&quot;Why don&#039;t you see for yourself.&quot; Aurora replied gesturing to Cedric.<br /><br />&quot;Daddy!&quot; the Espurrs shouted in unison before running into Cedric&#039;s embrace.<br /><br />&quot;My, just look at how much you&#039;ve grown.&quot; Cedric commented.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m the tallest.&quot; one Espurr boasted.<br /><br />&quot;Na uh, I&#039;m taller.&quot; the other argued.<br /><br />&quot;I think you both are the same height.&quot; Ming interrupted.<br /><br />&quot;Ming!&quot; the two Espurrs shouted and ran over to Ming.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s great to see you again.&quot; Ming said &quot;Have you been good while I was gone?&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Uh huh!&quot; they both nodded.<br /><br />Ava couldn&#039;t help but envy the two cubs. They reminded her so much of herself at their age. So innocent; So carefree; So blissfully ignorant of the true horrors of this world.<br /><br />&quot;Wow, who&#039;s that?!&quot; the two shouted as they finally noticed Ava.<br /><br />They ran over to inspect the unfamiliar Pokemon.<br /><br />&quot;What do you think she is?!&quot; &quot;Her fur is so blue!&quot; &quot;Wow, she feels cold!&quot; &quot;Look at her tail!&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Now, now, you two. Give her some space.&quot; Cedric said.<br /><br />It may have appeared that this was out of respect for Ava&#039;s personal space, but the truth was he didn&#039;t feel comfortable having his children around Ava after what happened with Ming.<br /><br />&quot;Why don&#039;t you two start by introducing yourselves?&quot; Aurora suggested.<br /><br />&quot;Oh yeah, my names Sol.&quot; the male Espurr said.<br /><br />&quot;And I&#039;m Luna.&quot; the female followed suit.<br /><br />&quot;We&#039;re twins!&quot; they announced in unison.<br /><br />&quot;My name is Ava.&quot; the Glaceon replied.<br /><br />&quot;What kind of Pokemon are you?&quot; Sol asked curiously.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m a Glaceon.&quot; Ava answered.<br /><br />&quot;Where are you from?&quot; Luna asked. Their curiosity seemed boundless.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m from the forest, just like you.&quot; Ava replied.<br /><br />&quot;Where&#039;s your mommy and daddy?&quot; Sol asked.<br /><br />That unexpected question hit Ava like a ton of bricks &quot;They.. they...&quot; she stuttered as tears formed in her eyes.<br /><br />&quot;Okay, that&#039;s enough questions for now.&quot; Aurora quickly jumped in &quot;We don&#039;t want to overwhelm the poor girl. Why don&#039;t you two go off and play for a bit?&quot; she suggested.<br /><br />&quot;Awww...&quot; they whined &quot;But we want to stay here with daddy.&quot; they objected.<br /><br />&quot;Don&#039;t worry, daddy isn&#039;t going anywhere, but right now the adults need to talk.&quot; Aurora insisted.<br /><br />&quot;Okay...&quot; they relented.<br /><br />&quot;Hey, bet I can beat you to moss rock!&quot; Sol challenged Luna.<br /><br />&quot;You&#039;re on!&quot; Luna accepted before the two ran off into the forest.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m sorry.&quot; Aurora apologized, turning her attention to Ava &quot;I didn&#039;t know.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s best if we explain everything to you.&quot; Cedric said.<br /><br />And so they filled Aurora in on everything, from rescuing the poor Eevee, to Ava&#039;s evolution; From Ava&#039;s capture and subsequent torture, to Ming and Cedric rescuing her. Finally they told her about how Ava was permanently injured and how they were expelled from the Guardians for insubordination. By the end of the tale, Aurora was wiping tears from her eyes.<br /><br />&quot;To think that such vile creatures roam this world.&quot; she commented &quot;I can&#039;t even begin to imagine how much you&#039;ve suffered.&quot;<br /><br />Silence fell over the group for a few moments. Suddenly two shrieks emanated from the forest.<br /><br />&quot;Sol! Luna!&quot; Aurora cried in shock.<br /><br />Cedric was immediately on his feet, running towards the source of the screams. He stretched out his psychic energy to pinpoint their location. They were close, but there was another unfamiliar presence with them. He picked up the pace. As Cedric emerged into a small clearing, he was met with a frightening sight. Sol and Luna were being circled by a hungry looking Seviper.<br /><br />&quot;Don&#039;t be afraid my tasssty little morssselsss. I just want to sssend you sssomeplace warm and cozy.&quot; the Seviper hissed.<br /><br />&quot;Leave them alone!&quot; Cedric commanded.<br /><br />The Seviper turned to regard his new guest &quot;Or elssse wha...?&quot; he didn&#039;t even get to finish his sentence as psychic energy surrounded him and flung him back into a moss covered rock.<br /><br />&quot;You messed with the wrong family!&quot; Cedric shouted as he fired streaks of psychic energy from his right paw.<br /><br />The streaks struck the snake further forcing him against the rock. When the attack ended, the Seviper slumped to the ground. Sol and Luna ran up to Cedric with tears in their eyes.<br /><br />&quot;Daddy! You saved us! We were so scared!&quot; they clung to him for dear life.<br /><br />&quot;It&#039;s okay, daddy&#039;s here. I won&#039;t let anything happen to you.&quot; he comforted them.<br /><br />Paternal instincts began to ignite within his again. Yes, this was why he fought. This was why he had joined the Guardians in the first place. He felt his fighting spirit slowly returning to him.<br /><br />A hissing chuckle come from the mossy rock, catching Cedric&#039;s attention &quot;Jussst wait until I tell one of the Vorlordsss about thisss. You&#039;ll be sssorry.&quot;<br /><br />The Seviper turned to slither off, but came face to face with a serious looking Mienshao.<br /><br />&quot;You won&#039;t be telling anyone anything.&quot; she stated.<br /><br />Cedric held his kids close, shielding their eyes as Ming delivered a punch to the Seviper&#039;s head strong enough to shatter his skull. The snake landed a few feet away, completely lifeless. Aurora finally arrived herself, relieved to see that her children were unharmed.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m sorry Aurora. I&#039;ve been a fool; Moping around in self-pity instead of remembering what&#039;s truly important. I promise you, I WILL create a world that is safe for our children.&quot; Cedric declared &quot;Come on kids, let&#039;s go home.&quot;<br /><br />******<br /><br />The anxiety was killing Ava. Ming had left her behind due to the emergency and she couldn&#039;t make it far on her own. At least the screaming had stopped, that was probably a good sign, or it could be the exact opposite. She tried to move forward, but after only a couple of steps, she collapsed to the ground again. She felt like dead weight more than ever. Tears formed in her eyes as despair began to take her.<br /><br />Cedric, Ming, Aurora, Sol, and Luna made it back to find Ava silently crying on the ground. The children looked at her curiously, not really understanding why she was so sad.<br /><br />&quot;Ava! Are you okay?&quot; Ming asked.<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m useless.&quot; She muttered &quot;I&#039;m only slowing you down. You&#039;d be better off just leaving me behind.&quot;<br /><br />Cedric may have found renewed confidence, but restoring Ava&#039;s confidence would be another matter.<br /><br />&quot;That&#039;s not true Ava.&quot; Ming insisted &quot;We would never do that to you.&quot;<br /><br />Ming could tell that Ava wasn&#039;t convinced and could see that she was staring at her bandaged paw.<br /><br />&quot;Cedric, Ming, you take the children inside, I&#039;d like to speak with Ava in private.&quot; Aurora interjected.<br /><br />Ming didn&#039;t want to leave Ava like this, but she had to admit that her presence was probably a constant reminder to Ava about what she had done. So reluctantly she went with Cedric and escorted the children inside the den. When they were gone, Aurora turned her attention to Ava. She gently levitated Ava and began to stroll with her. After they were a short distance from the den, Aurora finally broke the silence.<br /><br />&quot;You know, I never did thank you for saving my husband.&quot; Aurora said &quot;If it weren&#039;t for you, I dread to think what would have happened to him.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;I&#039;m no hero.&quot; Ava muttered &quot;I&#039;m just a burden to everyone around me. I thought I had finally become strong. That I would finally be able to protect myself, but in the end, they still had to risk their lives for me. It seems like no matter how hard I try, I will always have to rely on others watch out for me.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;And is that such a bad thing? Aurora asked.<br /><br />&quot;Huh?&quot; Ava responded, not understanding Aurora&#039;s meaning.<br /><br />&quot;This world is a frightening and dangerous place. If you, Ming, and Cedric only looked out for yourselves, then you only have one person protecting you. But if you each look out for each other, then you each have two watching over you.&quot; Aurora explained &quot;Do you see? Cedric and Ming protect you, because they believe you will protect them. However if you continue to doubt yourself, you won&#039;t have the strength to protect anyone. So please, be strong for them.&quot;<br /><br />Ava thought hard about what Aurora just told her &quot;Do you really think I can protect them?&quot; she asked.<br /><br />&quot;I know you can.&quot; Aurora encouraged her &quot;And I know I&#039;ll feel better with the knowledge that you&#039;ll be looking out for them.&quot;<br /><br />Ava looked thoughtful for a few more moments before she wiped the tears from her eyes &quot;Okay, I&#039;ll try.&quot; she said.<br /><br />It wasn&#039;t the most enthusiastic response, but it was a start.<br /><br />&quot;Come on, lets head back home.&quot; Aurora said before heading back to den.<br /><br />As they approached the den, Aurora could see that Cedric was standing outside the den keeping watch for them. Aurora set Ava down just outside the burrow, allowing her to enter on her own, while Aurora stayed outside to talk to Cedric.<br /><br />&quot;I think she&#039;ll be okay.&quot; Aurora told Cedric.<br /><br />&quot;That&#039;s good.&quot; Cedric said with relief &quot;I just wish there was more we could do for her.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Well there is ONE thing.&quot; Aurora suggested.<br /><br />Cedric sighed &quot;You know how I feel about those ancient legends.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;I know, but if there is even the slightest hope of helping Ava, isn&#039;t it worth a try?&quot; Aurora asked.<br /><br />Cedric pondered this for a moment before making up his mind.<br /><br />******<br /><br />The next morning...<br /><br />&quot;The Oasis of Purity?&quot; Ming asked curiously.<br /><br />&quot;Legend has it that one of the ancient Guardians had the ability to purify water. They say that he created an oasis in the southern desert to aid weary traveler. The water in this oasis is said to be so pure that it has miraculous healing properties. This lead it to be known as the Oasis of Purity.&quot; Cedric explained.<br /><br />&quot;And you think that if I drink from this oasis, it will heal me?&quot; Ava asked hopefully.<br /><br />&quot;There&#039;s no telling for sure.&quot; Cedric replied &quot;For one, no one has seen the oasis in ages. And two, it&#039;s located in the southern desert. Not exactly a hospitable place for a Glaceon.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;You know, for someone who claims not to believe in the ancient legends, you sure know a lot about them.&quot; Ming observed.<br /><br />&quot;Remember when I said that there were those who were waiting for the Guardians to save us?&quot; Cedric asked rhetorically &quot;I was one of those Pokemon. When I was young, I used to be infatuated with the legends of the ancient Guardians. I couldn&#039;t hear enough about them. If you had told me the Guardians were just myths, I would have argued vehemently against you. I thought that if I just believed hard enough, the Guardians would return to save us.&quot; Cedric explained &quot;But that day never came. Our village was attacked by Vorlord Draco and no Guardians appeared to save us. My family was one of the few lucky enough to escape, but others weren&#039;t so fortunate. It was then that I realized the Guardians were just myths. Legends made up to give hope to a terrified world. The only ones we could rely on to save us, were ourselves.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;But myths often have an element of truth to them.&quot; Aurora said &quot;If the Oasis of Purity is real, then it is probably the only thing that can help Ava.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;I leave the decision to you Ava.&quot; Cedric said &quot;But remember, the desert is a dangerous place for an ice type and there is no guarantee that we will find the oasis or that it even exists.&quot; he paused for a moment &quot;But if you&#039;re willing to try, we&#039;ll support your decision.&quot;<br /><br />Ava didn&#039;t take long to think about it &quot;I want to try. If there&#039;s even the slimmest chance I can be healed, I think it&#039;s worth the risk.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;Then it&#039;s decided. Our next stop is the southern desert.&quot; Cedric announced.</span>",
  "pools_count": 1,
  "title": "Chapter 7: Broken Spirits & Burned Bridges",
  "deleted": "f",
  "public": "t",
  "mimetype": "text/plain",
  "pagecount": "1",
  "rating_id": "2",
  "rating_name": "Adult",
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      "name": "Strong Violence",
      "description": "Strong violence, blood, serious injury or death",
      "rating_id": "2"
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  "submission_type_id": "12",
  "type_name": "Writing - Document",
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  "comments_count": "0",
  "views": "106"
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